Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee
By J. Vernon McGee
Thru The Bible Radio BOX 7100 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91109
Copyright © 1981, 1982, 1983, 1998 by Thru the Bible Radio.
Compiled from previous publications by J. Vernon McGee.
All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers and distributed in Canada by Lawson Falle, Ltd., Cambridge, Ontario.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
McGee, J. Vernon (John Vernon), 1904–1988
Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee.
Based on the Thru the Bible radio program.
Includes bibliographies.
Contents: v. 1. Genesis—Deuteronomy.
1. Bible—Commentaries. I. Thru the Bible
(Radio program) II. Title.
BS491.2.M37 1981 220.7´7 81–3930
ISBN 0–8407-4978–3 Royal AACR2
ISBN 0–8407-4973–2 Nelson
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Micah
Guidelines for Bible Study
Nahum
Genesis
Habakkuk
Exodus
Zephaniah
Leviticus
Haggai
Numbers
Zechariah
Deuteronomy
Malachi
Joshua
Matthew
Judges
Mark
Ruth
Luke
1 Samuel
John
2 Samuel
Acts
1 Kings
Romans
2 Kings
1 Corinthians
1 Chronicles
2 Corinthians
2 Chronicles
Galatians
Ezra
Ephesians
Nehemiah
Philippians
Esther
Colossians
Job
1 Thessalonians
Psalms
2 Thessalonians
Proverbs
1 Timothy
Ecclesiastes
2 Timothy
Song of Solomon
Titus
Isaiah
Philemon
Jeremiah
Hebrews
Lamentations
James
Ezekiel
1 Peter
Daniel
2 Peter
Hosea
1 John
Joel
2 John
Amos
3 John
PREFACE
The radio broadcasts of the Thru the Bible Radio five-year program were transcribed, edited, and published first in single-volume paperbacks to accommodate the radio audience. From the beginning there was a demand that they be published in a more permanent form and in fewer volumes. This new hardback edition is an attempt to meet that need.
There has been a minimal amount of further editing for this publication. Therefore, these messages are not the word-for-word recording of the taped messages which went out over the air. The changes were necessary to accommodate a reading audience rather than a listening audience.
These are popular messages, prepared originally for a radio audience. They should not be considered a commentary on the entire Bible in any sense of that term. These messages are devoid of any attempt to present a theological or technical commentary on the Bible. Behind these messages is a great deal of research and study in order to interpret the Bible from a popular rather than from a scholarly (and too-often boring) viewpoint.
We have definitely and deliberately attempted “to put the cookies on the bottom shelf so that the kiddies could get them.”
The fact that these messages have been translated into many languages for radio broadcasting and have been received with enthusiasm reveals the need for a simple teaching of the whole Bible for the masses of the world.
I am indebted to many people and to many sources for bringing this volume into existence. I should express my especial thanks to my secretary, Gertrude Cutler, who supervised the editorial work; to Dr. Elliott R. Cole, my associate, who handled all the detailed work with the publishers; and finally, to my wife Ruth for tenaciously encouraging me from the beginning to put my notes and messages into printed form.
Solomon wrote, “… of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Eccl. 12:12). On a sea of books that flood the marketplace, we launch this series of THRU THE BIBLE with the hope that it might draw many to the one Book, The Bible.
J. Vernon McGee
GUIDELINES FOR BIBLE STUDY
INTRODUCTION
Is the Bible Important?
The Bible is probably the most maligned Book that ever has been written. It has been attacked as no other book has ever been attacked. Yet it has ministered and does minister to literally millions of people around the globe, and it has been doing this now for several thousand years. A Book of this nature and with this tremendous impact upon the human family certainly deserves the intelligent consideration of men and women.
Sir Walter Scott, on his deathbed, asked Lockhart to read to him. Puzzled, as he scanned the shelf of books that Walter Scott had written, he asked, “What book shall I read?” And Sir Walter replied, “Why do you ask that question? There is but one book; bring the Bible.” There is only one Book for any man who is dying, but it is also the Book for any man who is living. A great many folk do not get interested in the Bible until they get to the end of their lives or until they get into a great deal of difficulty. While it is wonderful to have a Book in which you can find comfort in a time like that, it is also a Book for you to live—in the full vigor of life. It is a Book to face life with today, and it’s the Book which furnishes the only sure route through this world and on into the next world. It is the only Book that can enable us to meet the emergencies and cushion the shocks that come to us in life. The Bible is different from any other book.
That this Book has influenced great men who in turn have influenced the world is evident. Let me share with you some quotations.
There was an African prince who came to England and was presented to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. This prince asked a very significant question, “What is the secret of England’s greatness?” The queen got a beautifully bound copy of the Bible and presented it to the prince with this statement. “This is the secret of England’s greatness.” I wonder if England’s decline to a second-rate and then third-rate nation may be tied up in the fact that England has gotten away from the Word of God.
Prime Minister Gladstone, probably one of the greatest legal minds Britain ever produced, said, “Talk about the questions of the day! There is but one question, and that is the Gospel. That can and will correct everything. I am glad to say that about all the men at the top in Great Britain are Christians … I have been in public position fifty-eight years, all but eleven of them in the cabinet of the British government, and during those forty-seven years have been associated with sixty of the master minds of the century, and all but five of the sixty were Christians.” I personally think that part of the problems we are having in the world today is that we have too few Christians at the top, too few who are acquainted with the Word of God.
Michael Faraday, perhaps the greatest scientist of the early 1800s, said, “But why will people go astray, when they have this blessed book of God to guide them?” Sir Isaac Newton, a scientist in the preceding century, said, “If the Bible is true, the time is coming when men shall travel at fifty miles an hour.” And Voltaire, the French skeptic, commented, “Poor Isaac. He was in his dotage when he made that prophecy. It only shows what Bible study will do to an otherwise scientific mind.”
It might be interesting to note what some of our early presidents had to say about the Bible. John Adams, our second president, said, “I have examined all [that is, all of Scripture] as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life will allow me, and the result is that the Bible is the best book in the world. It contains more of my little philosophy than all the libraries I have seen, and such parts of it I cannot reconcile to my little philosophy I postpone for future investigation.” President John Quincy Adams said, “I speak as a man of the world to men of the world; and I say to you: Search the Scriptures. The Bible is the book above all others to be read at all ages and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once or twice through then laid aside, but to be read in small portions every day.” And the presidents back in those days, who made our nation great, did not get us into foreign wars and were able to solve the problems of the streets. Someone may counter, “But the problems weren’t as complicated then as they are now.” They were for that day, friend. Not only England but also the United States has gotten away from the Word of God. And the farther we get, the more complicated our problems become. Right now there are men in positions of authority in this land who are saying that there is no solution to our problems. That is the reason I am teaching the Word of God in its entirety—I believe it is the only solution. And, frankly, friend, we had better get back to it.
Another president, Thomas Jefferson, said, “I have always said, and always will say, that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better husbands, and better fathers.” This is something to think over today when our citizens are burning down the cities in which they live and when divorce is running rife.
Daniel Webster made this statement: “If there be anything in my style or thoughts to be commended, the credit is due to my kind parents for instilling into my mind an early love of the Scriptures.” What about you today, Christian parent? Are you making a Daniel Webster in your home or a little rebel? Webster also made this statement: “I have read it [the Bible] through many times. I now make a practice of going through it once a year. It is the Book of all others for lawyers as well as divines. I pity the man who cannot find in it a rich supply of thought and rules for conduct.”
Born in the East and clothed in Oriental form and imagery, the Bible walks the ways of all the world with familiar feet, and enters land after land to find its own everywhere. It has learned to speak in hundreds of languages to the heart of man. It comes into the palace to tell the monarch that he is a servant of the Most High, and into the cottage to assure the peasant that he is a son of God. Children listen to its stories with wonder and delight, and wise men ponder them as parables of life. It has a word of peace for the time of peril, a word of comfort for the time of calamity, a word of light for the hour of darkness. Its oracles are repeated in the assembly of the people, and its counsels whispered in the ear of the lonely. The wicked and the proud tremble at its warnings, but to the wounded and the penitent it has a mother’s voice. The wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad by it, and the fire on the hearth has lit the reading of its well-worn pages. It has woven itself into our dearest dreams; so that love, friendship, sympathy and devotion, memory and hope put on the beautiful garments of its treasured speech, breathing of frankincense and myrrh.
—Henry van Dyke
In What Way is the Bible Unique?
In many ways the Bible is a most unusual Book. For instance, it has a dual authorship. In other words, God is the Author of the Bible, and in another sense man is the author of the Bible. Actually, the Bible was written by about forty authors over a period of approximately fifteen hundred years. Some of these men never even heard of the others, and there was no collusion among the forty. Two or three of them could have gotten together, but the others could not have known each other. And yet they have presented a Book that has the most marvelous continuity of any book that has ever been written. Also, it is without error. Each author expressed his own feelings in his own generation. Each has his limitations, and made his mistakes—poor old Moses made mistakes, but when he was writing the Pentateuch, somehow or other no mistakes got in there. You see, it is a human Book and yet it is a God-Book.
It is a very human Book, written by men from all walks of life, prince and pauper, the highly intellectual and the very simple. For example, Dr. Luke writes almost classical Greek in a period when the Koine Greek was popular. His Greek is marvelous! But Simon Peter, the fisherman, wrote some Greek also. His is not so good, but God the Holy Spirit used both of these men. He let them express exactly their thoughts, their feelings, and yet through that method the Spirit of God was able to overrule in such a way that God said exactly what He wanted to say. That’s the wonder of the Book, the Bible.
It is a God-Book. In the Bible God says twenty-five hundred times, “God said … the Lord has said … thus saith the Lord,” and so on. God has made it very clear that He is speaking through this Book. It is a Book that can communicate life to you. You can even become a child of God, begotten “not by corruptible seed, but by incorruptible, by the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever.” It is God’s communication to man. And if God spoke out of heaven right now, He would just repeat Himself because He has said all that He wants to say to this generation. And, by the way, He didn’t learn anything when He read the morning paper. When man went to the moon, he didn’t discover anything that God didn’t already know when He gave us the Bible. He is the same God who created this universe that we are in today.
The Bible is both divine and human. In a way it is like my Lord who walked down here and grew weary and sat down at a well. Although He was God, He was man. He talked with people down here and communicated with them. This is a Book that communicates. It speaks to mankind today. The Bible is for men as they are.
The Bible is a corridor between two eternities down which walks the Christ of God; His invisible steps echo through the Old Testament, but we meet Him face to face in the throne room of the New; and it is through that Christ alone, crucified for me, that I have found forgiveness for sins and life eternal. The Old Testament is summed up in the word Christ; the New Testament is summed up in the word Jesus; and the summary of the whole Bible is that Jesus is the Christ.
—Bishop Pollock
How Do You Know the Bible Is from God?
This is a good question, and it should be asked and answered.
1. Preservation—One of the objective proofs, one of the external proofs, has been the marvelous preservation of the Bible. There was a king of old—we read about him in Jeremiah—who, when the Word was sent to him, took a penknife and cut it to pieces. But it was rewritten, and we have that Word today. Down through the centuries there have been a great many Bible burnings. Today there’s a great deal of antagonism toward the Bible. In our country today it is not being burned because we think that we are too civilized for such behavior. The way enemies of God’s Word try to get rid of it is just to outlaw it in our schools and in many other places. (Yet we talk about our freedom of religion and freedom of speech.) In spite of all the attacks that have been made upon the Bible, it still today exists—and, of course, it’s one of the best-sellers. For many years it was the best-seller, but it’s not today. I regret to have to say that, but it is true. And that is certainly a commentary on our contemporary society. It reveals that the Bible is not really occupying the place that it once did in the history and in the life of this nation. Yet, I think the amazing preservation of the Word of God is worthy of consideration.
2. Archaeology—Another way in which we know the Bible is the Word of God is through archaeology. The spade of the archaeologist has turned up many things that have proven that this Book is the Word of God. For instance, critics for many years denied the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch on the basis that writing was not in existence in Moses’ day. You haven’t heard anybody advance that theory recently, have you? Well, of course not. For years the spade of the archaeologist has turned up again and again evidence of the validity of the Bible. The city of Jericho and the walls that fell down are one example. Now there has been some argument between Miss Kathleen Kenyon and Sir Charles Marsdon relative to specifics, but it’s well established that the walls fell down, and I’ll let them debate about the time and all that sort of thing. The Word of God has been substantiated there, and in many other ways archaeology has demonstrated the accuracy of the Bible. Many of the manuscripts that have been found do that also. It’s quite interesting that when the Isaiah Scrolls, the Dead Sea Scrolls, were found, the liberal leaped at that because he thought he had found an argument that would discredit the Bible. However, the scrolls have not discredited the Bible, and it seems that the liberal has lost a great deal of interest in them. This is a field into which you might do some research, as I cannot go to any great length in this brief study.
3. Fulfilled Prophecy—If I were asked today whether I had just one thing to suggest as a conclusive proof that the Bible is the Word of God, do you know what I would suggest? I would suggest fulfilled prophecy. Fulfilled prophecy is the one proof that you can’t escape, you can’t get around. And the Bible is full of fulfilled prophecy. One-fourth of Scripture, when it was written, was prophetic; that is, it announced things that were to take place in the future. A great deal of that—in fact, a great deal more than people imagine—has already been fulfilled. We could turn to many places where prophecy has been fulfilled exactly. We find that there were many local situations that were fulfilled even in the day of the prophet. For example, Micaiah was the prophet who told Ahab that if he went out to battle as he planned, he would lose the battle and would be killed. However, Ahab’s false prophets had told him he’d have a victory and would return as a victorious king. Because he didn’t like what Micaiah said, Ahab ordered him locked up and fed bread and water, and said he would take care of him when he got back. But Micaiah shot back the last word, “If you come back at all, the Lord hasn’t spoken by me.” Well, evidently the Lord had spoken by him because Ahab didn’t come back. He was killed in the battle, and his army was defeated. He had even disguised himself so that there would be no danger of his losing his life. But an enemy soldier, the Scripture says, pulled his bow at a venture; that is, when the battle was about over, he had just one arrow left in his quiver; he put it in place and shot, not really aiming at anything. But, you know, that arrow must have had Ahab’s name on it, and it found him. It went right to its mark. Why? Because Micaiah had made an accurate prophecy (1 Kings 22).
On another occasion, the prophet Isaiah said that the invading Assyrian army wouldn’t shoot an arrow into the city of Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:32). Well now, that’s interesting. Micaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled because a soldier shot an arrow by chance, pulled his bow at a venture. Wouldn’t you think that among two hundred thousand soldiers—that “great host”—perhaps one might be trigger-happy and would pull his bow at a venture and let an arrow fly over the wall of Jerusalem? Well, he didn’t. If the enemy had shot an arrow inside that city, they could be sure that Isaiah was not God’s prophet. But he was, as was proven by this local fulfillment of his prophecy. But Isaiah also said a virgin would bring forth a child, and that was seven hundred years before it was literally fulfilled. And then, if you want a final proof, there were over three hundred prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ which were all literally fulfilled. As Jesus Christ was hanging there on the cross and dying, there was one prophecy recorded in the Old Testament that had not been fulfilled. It was, “They gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:21). Jesus said, “I thirst,” and the enemy himself went and fulfilled prophecy (John 19:28–30). It’s a most amazing thing. Men can’t guess like that.
It has been rather amusing to watch the weatherman. During the summer season in southern California he does fine, but when we get to the change of seasons—well, your guess is as good as his. In the nation Israel, a prophet had to be accurate. If he was not accurate, he was to be put to death as a false prophet. God told His people that they would be able to distinguish a false prophet from a true prophet. A true prophet must first speak to a local situation, which Isaiah did. When that prophecy came to pass, they would know they could trust him to speak concerning the future, as Isaiah did. We can look back now and know that it was fulfilled.
There are so many other prophecies. Tyre and Sidon are over there today exactly as God’s Word said twenty-five hundred years ago they would be. Egypt today is in the exact position God said it would be in. All of these are amazing, friend, and fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest proofs that the Bible is indeed the Word of God. You see, men just can’t be that accurate. Men can’t guess like that—even the weatherman misses it.
Let me show you that, according to mathematical law of problematical conjecture, man could never, never prophesy. Suppose that right now I would make a prophecy. Just by way of illustration, suppose I’d say that wherever you are it’s going to rain tomorrow. I’d have a 50 percent chance of being right because it’ll do one of the two. But suppose that I add to that and say it would start raining tomorrow morning at nine o’clock. That would be another uncertain element. I had a fifty-fifty chance of being right at first; now I have perhaps a 25 percent chance. Every uncertain element that is added reduces by at least 50 percent the chance of my being right—the law of problematical conjecture. Now suppose that I not only say that it’s going to start raining at nine o’clock, but I also say it’ll stop raining at two’clock. That has reduced my chances now another 50 percent, which brings it down to 12 1/2 percent. Can you imagine my chance of being right now? But suppose I add three hundred uncertain elements. There’s not a ghost of a chance of my being accurate. I just couldn’t hit it—it would be impossible. Yet the Word of God hit it, my friend. It is accurate. The Bible has moved into that area of absolute impossibility, and that to me is absolute proof that it is the Word of God. There is nothing to compare to it at all. I have given very few examples of fulfilled prophecy, but there is in the Word of God prophecy after prophecy, and they have been fulfilled—literally fulfilled. And by the way, I would think that that indicates the method in which prophecy for the future is yet to be fulfilled.
4. Transformed Lives—I offer two final reasons as proof that the Bible is the Word of God. One is the transformed lives of believers today. I have seen what the Word of God can do in the lives of men and women. I’m thinking right now of a man in Oakland, California, who listened to my Bible-teaching program. He probably had as many problems, as many hang-ups, and he was in as much sin as any man that I know anything about. And this man began to listen to the radio program. I know of people who just hear the Gospel once and are converted. I think it’s possible and that it’s wonderful. But this man listened to it week after week, and he became antagonistic. He became angry. Later he said to me, “If I could have gotten to you when you were teaching the Epistle to the Romans and you told me that I was a sinner, I would have hit you in the nose,” and frankly, I think he could have done it. He’s much bigger and much younger than I am. I’m glad he couldn’t get to me. Finally, this man turned to Christ. It has been wonderful to see what God has done in his life. Again and again and again this testimony could be multiplied. Young and old have found purpose and fulfillment in life, marriages have been saved, families reunited, individuals have been freed from alcoholism and drug addiction. Folk have had their lives transformed by coming to Christ.
When I finished seminary, I was a preacher who majored in the realm of the defense of the gospel, and I attempted to defend the Bible. In fact, I think every message I gave entered into that area. I felt if I could just get enough answers to the questions that people raise for not believing the Bible, they would believe. But I found out that the worst thing I could do was to whip a man down intellectually. The minute I did that, I made an enemy and never could win him for the Lord. So I moved out of the realm of apologetics and into another area of just giving out the Word of God as simply as I could. Only the Bible can turn a sinner into a saint.
5. Spirit of God Made it Real—Another reason that I’ve moved out of the realm of apologetics is because there has been a certain development in my own life. I have reached the place today where I not only believe that the Bible is the Word of God, I know it’s the Word of God. I know it’s the Word of God because the Spirit of God has made it real to my own heart and my own life. That is the thing that Paul talked to the Colossians about. He prayed that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” I also want this, because I found that the Spirit of God can confirm these things to your heart and you don’t need archaeology or anything else to prove that the Bible is God’s Word.
A young preacher said to me some time ago, “Dr. McGee, isn’t it wonderful that they have discovered this?” He mentioned a recent discovery in particular.
And I said, “Well, I don’t see anything to be excited about.”
He was greatly disappointed and even chagrined that I did not respond enthusiastically. “Why, what do you mean?” he asked. “Is it possible that this hasn’t impressed you?”
I answered him this way, “I already knew it was the Word of God long before the spade of the archaeologist turned that up.” He asked how I knew it, and I said, “The Spirit of God has been making it real to my own heart.”
I trust that the Spirit of God is going to make the Word of God not only real to you, to incorporate it into your living, but that He is also going to give you that assurance that you can say, “I know that it’s the Word of God.”
Whence but from Heaven, could men unskilled in arts,
In several ages born, in several parts,
Weave such agreeing truths, or how, or why,
Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie?
Unasked their pains, ungrateful their advice,
Starving their gain, and martyrdom their price.
—Dryden
What is Revelation? Inspiration? Illumination? Interpretation?
Revelation means that God has spoken and that God has communicated to man. Inspiration guarantees the revelation of God. Illumination has to do with the Spirit of God being the Teacher—He communicates. Interpretation has to do with the interpretation that you and I give to the Word of God.
Revelation
Revelation means that God has spoken. “Thus saith the Lord,” and its equivalent, occurs over twenty-five hundred times. The Lord didn’t want you to misunderstand that He had spoken. Notice Hebrews 1:1–2: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” Wherever you will find two persons, endowed with a reasonable degree of intelligence, who harbor the same feelings and desires, who are attracted to each other more or less, you will find communication between them. Persons of like propensities, separated from each other, delight in getting in touch with each other and rejoice in receiving communication from each other. This innate characteristic of the human heart explains the post office department, the telephone, and the telegraph. Friends communicate with friends. A husband away from home writes to his wife. A boy or girl at school will write home to dad and mom. And ever and anon there travels the scented epistle of a girl to a boy, and then the boy returns an epistle to the girl. All of this is called communication. It is the expression of the heart. I remember the thrill that came to me when I read the account of Helen Keller, shut out from the world by blindness and deafness, without means of communication; and then a way was opened up so she could communicate—probably better than many of us who can see and hear.
Now, on the basis of all this, I would like to ask you what I believe is a reasonable and certainly an intelligent question: Isn’t it reasonable to conclude that God has communicated with His creatures to whom He has committed a certain degree of intelligence and whom He created in His likeness? If we did not have a revelation from God, right now I think that you and I could just wait and He would be speaking to us, because we could expect God to speak to us. You will notice that the writer to the Hebrews says that God in the Old Testament spoke through the prophets, and He now has spoken through Christ. Both the revelation to the prophets in the Old Testament and the revelation of Christ in the New Testament are in the Word of God, of course, and that is the only way we would know about the communication from either one. The Bible has sixty-six books, and God has spoken to us through each one of them.
This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is given you in life and will be opened in the judgment and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
—Author Unknown
Inspiration
This brings us to the second great subject, which is inspiration. I personally believe in what is known as the plenary verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, which means that the Bible is an authoritative statement and that every word of it is the Word of God to us and for us in this day in which we live. Inspiration guarantees the revelation of God. And that is exactly what this Book says. Two men—Paul writing his last epistle to Timothy and Peter writing his last epistle—had something pretty definite to say about the Bible: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16–17, New Scofield Reference Bible). Notice that all Scripture is given by inspiration. The word inspiration means “God breathed.” God said through these men, as He said here through Paul, exactly what He wanted to say. He hasn’t anything else to add. Peter expresses it this way: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21). It is very important to see that these men were moved, as it were, carried along, by the Holy Spirit of God. It was Bishop Westcott who said: “The thoughts are wedded to words as necessarily as the soul is to the body.” And Dr. Keiper said, “You can as easily have music without notes, or mathematics without figures, as thoughts without words.” It is not the thoughts that are inspired; it’s the words that are inspired.
There is a little whimsical story of a girl who had taken singing lessons from a very famous teacher. He was present at her recital, and after it was over she was anxious to know his reaction. He didn’t come back to congratulate her, and she asked a friend, “What did he say?”
Her loyal friend answered, “He said that you sang heavenly.”
She couldn’t quite believe that her teacher had said that; so she probed, “Is that exactly what he said?”
“Well, no, but that is what he meant.”
The girl insisted, “Tell me the exact words that he used.”
“Well, his exact words were, ‘That was an unearthly noise!’”
Obviously, there is a difference between an unearthly noise and a heavenly sound. Exact words are important.
Believe me, the words of Scripture are inspired—not just the thoughts, but the words. For instance, Satan was not inspired to tell a lie, but the Bible records that he told a lie. It’s the words that are inspired. And the Lord Jesus often said, “It is written,” quoting the Word of God in the Old Testament—the men who wrote gave out what God had to say. In Exodus 20:1 Moses wrote: “And God spake all these words, saying ….” It was God who did the speaking, and Moses wrote what He said.
Over the years there have been discovered many very excellent manuscripts of the Scriptures. Speaking of the manuscripts in Britain, Sir George Kenyon, the late director and principal librarian of the British Museum, made this statement: “Thanks to these manuscripts, the ordinary reader of the Bible may feel comfortable about the soundness of the text. Apart from a few unimportant verbal alterations, natural in books transcribed by hand, the New Testament, we now feel assured, has come down intact.” We can be sure today that we have that which is as close to the autographs (the original manuscripts) as anything possibly can be, and I believe in verbal plenary inspiration of the autographs.
In the second century Irenaeus, one of the church fathers, wrote: “The Scriptures indeed are perfect, forasmuch as they are spoken by the Word of God and by His Spirit.” Augustine, living in the fifth century, made this statement, “Let us therefore yield ourselves and bow to the authority of the Holy Scriptures which can neither err nor deceive.” And Spurgeon commented, “I can never doubt the doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration; since I so constantly see, in actual practice, how the very words that God has been pleased to use—a plural instead of a singular—are blessed to the souls of men.” God speaks in this Book to our hearts and to our lives.
Illumination
Illumination means that since you and I have a Book, a God-Book and a human Book, written by men who were expressing their thoughts and at the same time writing down the Word of God, only the Spirit of God can teach it to us. Although we can get the facts of the Bible on our own, the Spirit of God will have to open our minds and hearts if we are to understand the spiritual truth that is there.
Paul, writing to the Corinthians, said, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:7–9). Now you and I get most of what we know through the eye gate and the ear gate or by reason. Paul tells us here that there are certain things that eye has not seen nor ear heard, certain things that you can’t get into your mind at all. Then how in the world are you going to, get them? “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10). Verse 9 sometimes goes to a funeral. The minister implies that the one who has died didn’t know too much down here, but now he will know things he did not know before. While that probably is true (we will get quite an education in heaven), that is not what the verse literally says. Long before you get to the undertaker, there are a lot of things in this life that you and I can’t learn through natural means. The Holy Spirit has to be our Teacher.
Remember that our Lord inquired of His disciples, “What are men saying about Me?” They said that some were saying one thing and some another. (And today you can get a different answer from almost every person you happen to ask. There are many viewpoints of Him.) Then He asked His disciples, “… But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 16:15–17). God is the One who revealed the truth to Simon Peter. And today only God can open up the Word of God for us to really understand it.
On the day of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, He walked down the Emmaus road and joined a couple of men as they walked along. Entering into their conversation, He asked them, “… What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God, and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him” (Luke 24:17–20). As you will recall, Jesus had predicted that. And it is interesting to see that written prophecy had been saying it for years. Then they expressed the hope that had been theirs: “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done” (Luke 24:21). And they went on to tell about what they knew and what the women had reported: those who “were with us went to the sepulcher … but him they saw not” (Luke 24:24). Their hopes had dimmed, and darkness had entered their hearts. Now listen to the Lord Jesus, “… O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25–27). Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there that day and heard Him go back in the Old Testament and lift out the Scriptures concerning Himself? And after He finally made Himself known to them as they sat at the evening meal, this was their comment, “… Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).
You see, we are studying a Book that is different from any other book. I not only believe in the inspiration of the Bible, I believe that it is a closed Book to you unless the Spirit of God will open your heart and make it real. When Jesus returned to Jerusalem at that time, He continued teaching the disciples: “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44). Notice that He believed Moses wrote the Pentateuch; He believed the prophets spoke of Him and that the Psalms pointed to Him. Now here is the important verse: “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45). And, friend, if He doesn’t open your understanding, you’re just not going to get it. That is the reason we ought to approach this Book with great humility of mind, regardless of how high our I.Q. is or the extent of our education.
Referring back to 1 Corinthians, Paul goes on to say, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:13–14, New Scofield Reference Bible). I am never disturbed when one of these unbelievers, even if he’s a preacher, comes along and says he no longer believes the Bible is the Word of God; that’s the way he should talk. After all, if he is not a believer, he cannot understand it. Mark Twain, who was no believer, said that he was not disturbed by what he did not understand in the Bible; what worried him were the things he did understand. There are things an unbeliever can understand, and it’s those things which cause many to reject the Word of God. It was Pascal who said, “Human knowledge must be understood to be loved, but Divine knowledge must be loved to be understood.”
As I leave the subject of illumination, let me add this: Only the Spirit of God can open your mind and heart to see and to accept Christ and to trust Him as your Savior. How wonderful! I have always felt as I entered the pulpit how helpless I am; believe me, Vernon McGee can’t convert anyone. But I not only feel weak, I also feel mighty—not mighty in myself, but in the knowledge that the Spirit of God can take my dead words and make them real and living.
Interpretation
Interpretation has to do with the interpretation that you and I give to the Word of God. And this is the reason there are Methodists and Baptists and Presbyterians, this kind of teacher and that kind of teacher—we all have our interpretations. And where there is disagreement, somebody is evidently wrong.
There are several rules that should be followed as we attempt to interpret the Bible.
1. The overall purpose of the Bible should first be considered. And that is the reason I teach all of it—because I believe you need to have it all before you can come to any dogmatic conclusion concerning any particular verse of Scripture. It is important to take into consideration all verses that are related to that subject.
2. To whom the Scripture is addressed should next be considered. For instance, way back yonder God said to Joshua, “Arise, go over this Jordan” (Josh. 1:2). When I was over in that land, I crossed the Jordan River, but I didn’t cross it to fulfill that Scripture. And I didn’t say, “At last I’ve obeyed the Lord and have crossed over Jordan.” No. When I read that verse I know the Lord is talking to Joshua—but I believe there is a tremendous lesson there for me. All Scripture is not to me, but all Scripture is for me. That is a good rule to keep in mind.
3. The immediate context before and after a Scripture should be observed. What is the passage talking about? And what other passages of Scripture deal with the same thing?
4. Discover what the original says. If you do not read Hebrew or Greek, when you read the American Standard Version you’re right close to what the Lord said. Frankly, I cannot recommend the modern translations, although there are good things in them. I have found that because we are so divided doctrinally, every group that attempts to translate the Bible just naturally injects into their translation their particular viewpoint. Therefore, if the liberal is going to do the translating, you may get a taste of liberalism. If the fundamentalist is going to do the translating, you’ll get his bias in certain places. However, the men who did the original English translations were men who believed that the Bible was the Word of God and handled it accordingly. When there were words they could not translate, they simply transliterated them (for instance, Abba and baptizo). The danger in modern translations is that translation is done in a dogmatic fashion. A translator must take something out of one language and put it into another language in comparable terms—identical terms if possible. Most of our modern translators are trying to get it into modern speech. And in doing so, they really miss what the original is saying. Personally, I stick by the Authorized (King James) Version. I feel that The New Scofield Reference Bible has made a tremendous step forward in making certain distinctions and corrections that needed to be made in the Authorized Version. I recommend that also, although I still use my old Scofield Reference Bible. I know my way around through the Book, and the old scout will follow the old trail. However, the important thing is to attempt to determine the exact words of the original.
5. Interpret the Bible literally. The late Dr. David Cooper has stated it well: “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.”
Guidelines
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” [Ps. 119:18].
There are certain guidelines that each of us should follow relative to the Word of God. I guarantee that if you will follow these guidelines, blessing will come to your heart and life. Certainly there should be these directions in the study of Scripture. Today a bottle of medicine, no matter how simple it might be, has directions for the use of it. And any little gadget that you buy in a five-and-ten-cent store has with it directions for its operation. If that is true of the things of this world, certainly the all-important Word of God should have a few directions and instructions on the study of it. I want to mention seven very simple, yet basic, preliminary steps that will be a guide for the study of the Word of God.
1. Begin with prayer.
2. Read the Bible.
3. Study the Bible.
4. Meditate on the Bible.
5. Read what others have written on the Bible.
6. Obey the Bible.
7. Pass it on to others.
You may want to add to these, but I believe these are basic and primary. Someone has put it in a very brief, cogent manner: “The Bible—know it in your head; stow it in your heart; show it in your life; sow it in the world.” That is another way of saying some of the things we are going to present here.
1. Begin with Prayer.
As we saw when we dealt with the subject of illumination, the Bible differs from other books in that the Holy Spirit alone can open our minds to understand it. You can take up a book on philosophy, and if a man wrote it (and he did), then a man can understand it. The same is true of higher mathematics or any other subject. There is not a book that ever has been written by any man that another man cannot understand. But the Bible is different. The Bible cannot be understood unless the Holy Spirit is the instructor. And He wants to teach us. The fact of the matter is, our Lord told us, “… He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). When we open the Word of God we need to begin with the psalmist’s prayer: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Ps. 119:18). When the psalmist wrote these lines, he had in mind the Mosaic system, of course; but we widen that out to include the sixty-six books of the Bible and pray today, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Word.”
When the apostle Paul was praying for the Ephesians, he did not pray for their health (although he may have at another time), and he did not pray that they might get wealthy (I don’t know that he ever did that), but Paul’s first prayer for these Ephesians is recorded in his little epistle to them: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:15–16). Now what would Paul pray for? Here it is: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:17–18). Paul’s prayer, you see, is that they might have a wisdom and an understanding of the revelation of the knowledge of Him—that is, that they might know the Word of God. And that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightened, that they might know something of the hope of the calling they had in Christ. This is the prayer of the apostle Paul. And if anyone remembers me in prayer, this is exactly what I want them to pray for—that my eyes (my spiritual eyes) might be open. I believe the most important thing for you and me today is to know the will of God—and the will of God is the Word of God. We cannot know the Word of God unless the Spirit of God is our teacher. That is what Paul says over in the first epistle to the Corinthians: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:12–14, New Scofield Reference Bible). The reason today that so many don’t get anything out of the Bible is simply because they are not letting the Spirit of God teach them. The Word of God is different from any other book, you see, because the natural man cannot receive these things. To him they are foolishness. God has given to us the Spirit that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. He alone is our Teacher; He alone can take the Word of God and make it real and living to us.
God wants to communicate with us through His written Word. But it is a supernatural Book, and it will not communicate to us on the natural plane for the very simple reason that only the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and reveal them to us. Notice this very interesting verse of Scripture: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11, New Scofield Reference Bible). In a very succinct and understandable manner, this gives the reason the Spirit of God must be our Teacher. You and I understand each other, but we do not understand God. I believe it is perfect nonsense to talk about a generation gap through which we cannot communicate. While it has always been true that it is difficult for an older person and a younger person to see eye to eye, we can communicate with each other because we are all human beings. We understand each other. But frankly, I don’t understand God unless He is revealed to me. I used to wonder how He would feel at a funeral. Well, I find the Lord Jesus there at the funeral of Lazarus and see that He wept. I know how He feels today. I know how He feels about many things because the Spirit of God through the Word of God has revealed them to me.
When I was pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, I got up one bright morning and looked out my window. During the night about five inches of snow had fallen and covered up all the ugliness with a beautiful blanket. I sat upstairs in my study looking out over the scene when I noticed an elder of my church, who lived next door, come out on his porch with two coal scuttles filled with ashes which he was going to empty in the alley. I saw him stop and look over the landscape, and I just smiled because I knew how he felt—just like I felt, looking out on that snow that had fallen during the night. But when he started down the steps, he slipped. Not wanting to spill the ashes, he held them out and hit one of those steps with a real bump. I couldn’t help but laugh. I guess if he had broken his neck I still would have laughed. But I noticed that he looked around, and when he was satisfied that nobody had seen him, he got up with great satisfaction and started out again. About half way out on the sidewalk we had a repeat performance; only this time he fell much farther because he fell all the way to the sidewalk. And it looked to me like he bounced when he hit. This time he really scanned the landscape. He didn’t want anybody to see what he had done. And I knew how he felt. I would have felt the same way. He got up and looked over the landscape, went out and emptied his ashes, and when he got back to the porch, he looked over the landscape again—I don’t think this time to admire the scene but to make good and sure that no one had seen him fall. I didn’t say a word until Sunday morning. When I came into the church, I went right by where he sat, leaned down and said, “You sure did look funny yesterday carrying out the ashes!”
He looked at me in amazement. He said, “Did you see me?”
I said, “Yes.”
“Well,” he said, “I didn’t think anybody saw me.”
And I said, “I thought that. I knew exactly how you felt.” You see, he had a human spirit and I had a human spirit—we understood each other. But who can understand God? Only the Spirit of God. And that is the reason the Holy Spirit teaches us, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Renan, the French skeptic, made an attack on the Word of God; yet he wrote a Life of Jesus. His book is divided into two sections, one is the historical section, the other is the interpretation of the life of Christ. As far as the first part is concerned, there probably has never been a more brilliant life of Christ written by any man. But his interpretation of it is positively absurd. It could have been done better by a twelve-year-old Sunday school boy. What is the explanation of that? Well, the Spirit of God does not teach you history or give you facts that you can dig out for yourself; a very clever mind can dig out those. But the interpretation is altogether different. The Spirit of God has to do the interpreting, and He alone must be the Teacher to lead us and guide us into all truth. We must have the Spirit of God to open our eyes to see.
And we are told to ask His help. In John 16 the Lord Jesus says, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father” (John 16:12–16). So the Lord Jesus is saying that we are to ask. He has many things for us, and He has sent the Holy Spirit to be the Teacher. Again in chapter 14 He says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is the Teacher, and He must be the One to lead us and guide us into all truth, friend. If you ever learn anything through my Bible study program, it will not be because this poor preacher is the teacher, it will be because the Spirit of God is opening up the Word of God to you.
This, then, is the first guideline: Begin with prayer and ask the Spirit of God to be your Teacher.
2. Read the Bible.
The second guideline may seem oversimplified.
Someone asked a great Shakespearean scholar years ago, “How do you study Shakespeare?” His answer was very terse, “Read Shakespeare.” And I would say to you: Read the Word of God. Do you want to know what the Bible has to say? Read the Bible. Over and above what any teacher may give you, it is all-important to read for yourself what the Bible has to say.
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan has written some very wonderful and helpful commentaries on the Bible. In fact, he has a series of books that I recommend on all sixty-six books of the Bible. I know of nothing that is any better than them, and when I started out as a student, they had a great influence on my study of the Word. It is said that he would not put pen to paper until he had read a particular book of the Bible through fifty times. So don’t be weary in well doing, friend; just read the Word of God. If you don’t get it the first time, read it the second time. If you don’t get it the second time, read it the third time. Keep on reading it. We are to get the facts of the Word of God.
There is a very interesting incident in the Book of Nehemiah: “And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lordhad commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law” (Neh. 8:1–3). This is a very remarkable passage of Scripture. You see, the Jews had been in Babylonian captivity seventy years; many of them had never heard the Word of God. It did not circulate much in that day. There were not a hundred different translations abroad nor new ones coming off the press all the time. Probably there were just one or two copies in existence, and Ezra had one of those copies. He stood and read before the water gate. “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Neh. 8:8). From the way the account is given, I assume that men of the tribe of Levi were stationed in certain areas among the people. After Ezra had read a certain portion, he would stop to give the people who had listened an opportunity to ask questions of the men who were stationed out there to explain the Bible to them. “… and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place” (Neh. 8:7). Not only did they read the Word, but they caused the people to understand it.
We need to read the Bible.
There are so many distractions today from the study of the Word of God. And the greatest distraction we have is the church. The church is made up of committees and organizations and banquets and entertainments and promotional schemes to the extent that the Word of God is not even dealt with in many churches today. There are churches that have disbanded the preaching service altogether. Instead they have a time in which the people will be able to express themselves and say what they are thinking. I can’t imagine anything more puerile or more of a waste of time than that (although it is a fine excuse to get out of preaching for a lazy preacher who will not read or study the Bible.) I find that the people who are more ignorant of the Bible than anyone else are church members. They simply do not know the Word of God. And it has been years since it has been taught in the average church. We need to read the Bible. We need to get into the Word of God—not just reading a few favorite verses, but reading the entire Word of God. That is the only way we are going to know it, friend. That is God’s method.
When You Read the Bible Through
I supposed I knew my Bible,
Reading piecemeal, hit or miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah,
Certain Psalms (the twenty-third),
Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs—
Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read the Bible through.
You who like to play at Bible,
Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, aweary,
And yawn through a hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings
As you treat no other book—
Just a paragraph disjointed,
Just a crude impatient look—
Try a worthier procedure,
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
When you read the Bible through!
—Amos R. Wells
3. Study the Bible.
Someone came to Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, years ago, and said, “You speak as though you are inspired!” Dr. Morgan replied, “Inspiration is 95 percent perspiration.” The Bible needs to be studied. We need to realize that the Spirit of God will not teach us something that we could get ourselves by study. I used to teach in a Bible institute, and the classes were made up of all kinds of young folks. Among them were a few very pious individuals, and I understood these young people very well after a period of time—I confess I didn’t understand them at first. Their pious façade, I found, covered up a tremendous ignorance and vacuum relative to the Word of God. Some of them would not study the night before an exam. They always would give an excuse that they were busy in a prayer meeting or a service somewhere. I had the feeling that some of them believed that they could put their Bibles under their pillows at night and as they slept, the names of the kings of Israel and Judah would come up through the duck feathers! Believe me, it won’t come up through the duck feathers. We have to knuckle down and study the Word of God. A fellow student in a Bible class when I was in college said, “Doctor, you have assigned us a section that is very dry.” The professor, without even missing a step, said to him, “Then dampen it a little with sweat from your brow.” The Bible should be studied, and it is very important we see that. There is a certain knowledge that the Spirit of God is not going to give you. I do not think He is revealing truth to lazy people. After all, you never learn logarithms or geometry or Greek by just reading a chapter of it just before you go to sleep at night!
Now you may be shocked when I say that I do not encourage devotional reading of the Bible. But over a period of years I have learned that a great many people who are very faithful in what they call devotional reading are very ignorant of the Bible. I stayed with a family for over a week when I was holding meetings in a place in middle Tennessee. Every morning at the breakfast table we had devotions. Unfortunately, breakfast was always a little late, and Susie and Willie were rushing to get away to school. I am confident that they didn’t even know what was read. Dad was wanting to get away to work, and he generally made the Bible reading very brief. Always he’d say, “Well, I’ll read this familiar passage this morning because we don’t have much time.” And, believe me, we didn’t. By the time the reading was over, Susie and Willie left the table like they were shot out of a gun, Dad got out of there almost as quickly as they did, and Mother was left with the dishes—and I wondered if she had really heard what had been read. I determined right there and then that in my home we wouldn’t have devotional reading. I have always encouraged members of my family to read the Bible on their own. That is the reading that is profitable.
Someone is going to say, “But I have my devotions at night after the day is over.” Now really, don’t you have them right before you go to bed? You’ve got one foot in bed already, one eye is already closed, and you turn to a passage of Scripture to read. You cannot learn mathematics that way. You cannot learn literature that way. And you cannot learn the Bible that way. You have to study the Word of God. You ought to read it when you can give time to it. And if you can’t find time, you ought to make time. Set apart thirty minutes or an hour. Or if you do things haphazardly like I do, read thirty minutes one day, perhaps only five minutes the next day, and two or three hours the next day, however it fits into your program. I put down no particular rule except that each person should read for himself, and boys and girls should be encouraged to read the Bible for themselves. Some folks feel that they ought to have devotional reading together. And that is fine, if the Lord leads you to do it, but I guarantee you will not be intelligent Bible students after twenty years of doing it like that. You also need to study the Word of God on your own.
It was said of John Wesley that he was a man of one Book. What made him a man of one Book? Well, he got up and read the Bible at four and five o’clock every morning—read it in five different languages. Believe me, he studied the Word of God. And you and I need to study the Word; we need to get the meaning of the Bible.
4. Meditate on the Bible.
Meditation is something that God taught His people. The Word of God was to be before the children of Israel all the time—so that they could meditate on it. “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deut. 6:6–9). Now that is an amazing statement coming from the Lord. He told them to write the Word of God upon the doorposts. In other words, wherever they turned, it was just like looking at billboards. You cannot drive up and down our streets and highways without seeing liquor signs and cigarette signs—billboards galore! Now you can understand why people today drink liquor and why they smoke cigarettes—it is before them all the time. The Lord knew human nature. He knew us. And He told His people to get the Word where they would see it. It was on their doorposts, on their gates, and they wore it on their garments. And they were to talk about it when they were walking. They were to talk about the Word when they sat down. They were to talk about it when they went to bed and until they went to sleep. God asked His people to meditate on His Word.
Now what does it really mean to meditate on the Word of God? There is a very interesting statement over in the first Psalm: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Ps. 1:1–2). To meditate is to ruminate, to bring to mind, and to consider over and over. Ruminating is what a cow is doing when she is chewing her cud. You know how the old cow goes out of a morning, and while the grass is fresh with dew she grazes. Then when the sun comes up and the weather is hot, the cow lies down under a tree, or stands there in the shade. You see her chewing and you wonder what in the world that cow is chewing. She will chew there for an hour or two. Well, she is meditating, friend. She is bringing the grass she ate of a morning (we are told that a cow has a complex stomach) out of one chamber and is transferring it to another. In the process she is going over it again, chewing it up good. You and I need to learn to do that in our thought processes. We are to get the Word of God, read it, have it out where we can look at it, then think about it, meditate on it.
Many times in preparing a message I’ll take a verse of Scripture and spend hours doing nothing but reading it over and over, checking what others have said about it, and just keep reading it. Finally new truth will break out from that particular passage. I remember hearing Dr. Harry Ironside say that he had heard a lecture on the Song of Solomon which left him dissatisfied. He said that he read the Song of Solomon again, got down on his knees and asked God to give him an understanding of it. He did that again and again—in fact, he did it for weeks and months. Finally new light broke from that book. When I teach the Song of Solomon I generally give Dr. Ironside’s interpretation for two reasons: it satisfies my own mind and heart more than does any other interpretation I have heard, and I know the man who got it had spent a great deal of time in meditation.
There are folks who write to us saying that the wife listens to our Bible study by radio at home, and the husband listens to it at work, and at the dinner table they discuss the Scripture that was covered. That is meditation; it is going back over it again. Riding along in the car alone is a good place to take a passage of Scripture and really give thought to it.
How many of you, after you have had “devotions,” meditate upon that passage during the day? Most people read it and then forget it—never thinking about it again until it is called to their attention. Or, if they read it at night, they jump into bed as quickly as they can, turn out the light, and go to sleep, forgetting all about it. Meditation is almost a lost art in our contemporary society. Frankly, television in many homes absolutely blots out the possibility for meditation. It is changing the spiritual life of many families today. One of the reasons that our churches are becoming colder and more indifferent to the Word of God is simply because there is that lack of meditation upon the Word of God.
Remember the Ethiopian eunuch who was riding along reading Isaiah (Acts 8). He was actually studying Isaiah, because he was in a passage with which he was having trouble—he did not know what it meant. Here is a man who is reading and studying, and the Spirit of God is going to open the Word of God to him. That is the reason the Holy Spirit brought Philip there to explain the chapter to the Ethiopian. It opened up a new world to him, and he came to know Christ. The record says that he went on his way rejoicing. What was making him rejoice? He was meditating. He was going back over that fifty-third chapter of Isaiah.
Have you ever meditated on that Lamb who was brought as a sheep to the slaughter? Who was He? He came from heaven and identified Himself with us who like sheep have gone astray and have turned every one to our own way. And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Do you meditate on these things? The Ethiopian did. It always has been a matter of speculation as to what he did after that. Tradition says that he went back to his land and founded the Coptic church of Ethiopia. That could well be; we do not know. However, the interesting thing is that he went on his way rejoicing, which lets us know that he was meditating on the Word of God.
5. Read What Others Have Written on the Scriptures.
I know that this is a dangerous rule, because many folks depend on what someone else says about the Bible. Also there are many books on the market today that give wrong teaching concerning the Word of God. We need to test everything that is written by the Bible itself.
However, you and I should consult a good commentary. With each outline of the books of the Bible I list recommended books, commentaries that I have read and have found helpful. You will find it very profitable to read what others have said. Actually, you are getting all the distilled sweetness and study of the centuries when you read books written by men who have been guided in their study by the Spirit of God. You and I should profit by this. There have been some wonderful, profound works on the books of the Bible.
In addition to commentaries, a concordance is invaluable. I can recommend three: Young’s concordance, Strong’s concordance, and Cruden’s concordance—take your pick. Also you will need a good Bible dictionary. The Davis Bible dictionary is good if you don’t get the wrong edition. Unger’s Bible Dictionary I can recommend without reservation.
Every teacher and preacher of the Gospel has a set of books that he studies. He needs them. Someone asks, “Should he present verbatim what somebody else has written?” No, he should never do that, unless he gives credit to the author. But he has a perfect right to use what others have written. I have been told that some of my feeble messages are given by others, and sometimes credit is given and sometimes no mention is made of the author at all. As far as I’m personally concerned, it makes no difference, but it does reveal the character of the individual who will use someone else’s material verbatim and not give credit for it. A professor in seminary solved this problem. When someone asked him if he should quote other writers, he said, “You ought to graze on everybody’s pasture, but give your own milk.” And that means that you are to read what others have written, but you put it in your own thought patterns and express it your way. You have a perfect right to do that. The important thing is that we should take advantage of the study of other men in the Word of God.
6. Obey the Bible.
For the understanding and the study of the Scriptures, obedience is essential. Abraham is an example of this. God appeared to him when He called him out of Ur of the Chaldees and again when he was in the Promised Land. But Abraham ran off to Egypt when famine came, and during this time God had no word for him. Not until Abraham was back in the land did God appear to him again. Why? Because of lack of obedience. Until Abraham obeyed what God had already revealed to him, God was not prepared to give to him any new truth. So it is with us. When we obey, God opens up new truth for us.
Even the gospel which is given to save our souls is given for the very definite purpose of obedience. The greatest document that ever has been written on the gospel is the Epistle to the Romans. And Paul put around the gospel this matter of obedience. He begins with it: “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name” (Rom. 1:5). Again at the end of Romans, Paul comes back to this: “But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:26). “Obedience of faith” is the last thing Paul says in this epistle. What is between? He sets before us what the gospel is, that great doctrinal section; then he concludes with a section on duty—what we’re to do. Paul put around the gospel this matter of obedience.
Obedience to the faith. This is where Adam and Eve went wrong. She not only listened to Satan, the enemy of God, but she also disobeyed God.
Obedience to God is very important. And we must recognize that God will not continue to reveal truth to us if we become disobedient. We must obey the Bible if we are to profit from its reading.
Also obedience is important because there are folk who measure Christianity by you and by me. Cowan has well said, “The best way to defend the Gospel is to live a life worthy of the Gospel.” That is the way you prove it is the Word of God.
Four clergymen were discussing the merits of various translations of the Bible. One liked the King James Version best because of its simple, beautiful English. Another liked the American Standard Version because it is more literal and comes nearer to the Hebrew and Greek texts. Still another liked a modern translation because of its up-to-date vocabulary. The fourth minister was silent. When asked to express his opinion, he replied, “I like my mother’s translation best. She translated it into life, and it was the most convincing translation I have ever seen.”
You will recall that Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians: “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:2–3).
The Gospel is written a chapter a day
By deeds that you do and words that you say.
Men read what you say whether faithless or true.
Say, what is the Gospel according to you?
—Author Unknown
That little jingle is true. Oh, how important it is to obey the Bible! I believe that today Christianity is being hurt more by those who are church members than by any other group. That is one of the reasons that we have all of this rebellion on the outside—rebellion against the establishment, which includes the church. A placard carried by one in a protest march had four words on it: “Church, no;
Jesus, yes.” Candidly, the lives of a great many in the church are turning people away from the church. A barrister in England years ago was asked why he did not become a Christian. This was his answer: “I, too, might have become a Christian if I had not met so many who said they were Christians.” How unfortunate that is! We need to examine our own lives in this connection. How important it is to obey the Word of God!
7. Pass It on to Others.
Not only read the Bible, not only study the Bible, not only meditate on the Bible, and not only read what others have written about it, but pass it on to others. That is what we all should do. You will reach a saturation point in the study of the Word unless you do share it with others. God won’t let you withdraw yourself from mankind and become some sort of a walking Bible encyclopedia, knowing everything, while the rest of us remain ignorant. I think that is the reason He said: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
God has told us to be witnesses. He said, “Ye shall be witnesses” (Acts 1:8). He did not say that we should be scholars, walking encyclopedias, or memory books. He did not say we should bury God’s truth in a notebook. Someone has said that education is a process by which information in the professor’s notebook is transferred to the student’s notebook, without passing through the mind of either. Well, there is a great deal of Bible truth like that. It is not practiced, not shared. We are called to be witnesses today, therefore we ought to pass it on to others.
I learned this lesson when I was in seminary. I pastored a little church, as did five other fellows, and we found that when we were graduated, we were at least a year ahead of the other members of the class. Why? Because we were smarter than the others? No. Because we were passing it on. God was able to funnel into us a great deal more than He might have otherwise.
My friend, pass it on.
These, then, are the seven basic guidelines to follow as you take in your hands the Word of God:
1. Begin with prayer.
2. Read the Bible.
3. Study the Bible.
4. Meditate upon the Bible.
5. Read what others have written on the Bible.
6. Obey the Bible.
7. Pass it on to others.
The Book of
Genesis
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Genesis is one of the two important key books of the Bible. The book that opens the Old Testament (Genesis) and the book that opens the New Testament (Matthew) are the two books which I feel are the key to the understanding of the Scriptures.
Before beginning this study, I would like to suggest that you read the Book of Genesis through. It would be preferable to read it at one sitting. I recognize that this may be impossible for you to do, and if you want to know the truth, I have not been able to do it in one sitting. It has taken me several sittings because of interruptions. However, if you find it possible to read through Genesis at one sitting, you will find it very profitable.
Let me give you a bird’s-eye view of Genesis, a view that will cover the total spectrum of the book. There are certain things that you should note because the Book of Genesis is, actually, germane to the entire Scripture. The fact of the matter is that Genesis is a book that states many things for the first time: creation, man, woman, sin, sabbath, marriage, family, labor, civilization, culture, murder, sacrifice, races, languages, redemption, and cities.
You will also find certain phrases that occur very frequently. For instance, “these are the generations of” is an important expression used frequently because the Book of Genesis gives the families of early history. That is important to us because we are members of the human family that begins here.
A number of very interesting characters are portrayed for us. Someone has called this “the book of biographies.” There are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Pharaoh, and the eleven sons of Jacob besides Joseph. You will find that God is continually blessing Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. In addition, those who are associated with them—Lot, Abimelech, Potiphar, the butler, and Pharaoh—are also blessed of God.
In this book you will find mention of the covenant. There are frequent appearances of the Lord to the patriarchs, especially to Abraham. The altar is prominent in this book. Jealousy in the home is found here. Egypt comes before us in this book as it does nowhere else. The judgments upon sin are mentioned here, and there are evident readings of Providence.
As we study, we need to keep in mind something that Browning wrote years ago in a grammarian’s funeral essay: “Image the whole, then execute the parts. Fancy the fabric, quiet, e’er you build, e’er steel strike fire from quartz, e’er mortar dab brick.” In other words, get the total picture of this book. I tell students that there are two ways of studying the Bible; one is with the telescope and the other way is with the microscope. At first, you need to get the telescopic view. After that, study it with a microscope.
A great preacher of the past, Robinson of England, has written something which I would like to write indelibly on the minds and hearts of God’s people today:
We live in the age of books. They pour out for us from the press in an ever increasing multitude. And we are always reading manuals, textbooks, articles, books of devotion, books of criticism, books about the Bible, books about the Gospels, all are devoured with avidity. But what amount of time and labor do we give to the consideration of the Gospels themselves? We’re constantly tempted to imagine that we get good more quickly by reading some modern statement of truth which we find comparatively easy to appropriate because it is presented to us in a shape, and from a standpoint, with which our education, or it may be partly association, has made us familiar. But the good we acquire readily is not that which enters most deeply into our being and becomes an abiding possession. It would be well if we could realize quite simply that nothing worth the having is to be gained without the winning. The great truths of nature are not offered to us in such a form as to make it easy to grasp them. The treasures of grace must be sought with all the skill and energy which are characteristic of the man who is searching for goodly pearls. (Robinson, The Personal Life of the Clergy.)
I love that statement because I believe that the Bible itself will speak to our hearts in a way that no other book can do. Therefore we have included the text of Scripture in this study. New translations are appearing in our day; in fact, they are coming from the presses as fast and prolifically as rabbits multiply. However, I will continue to use the Authorized or King James Version. I refuse to substitute the pungency of genius with the bland, colorless, and tasteless mediocrity of the present day.
MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK
Where would you divide the Book of Genesis if you divided it into two parts? Notice that the first eleven chapters constitute a whole and that, beginning with chapter 12 through the remainder of the book, we find an altogether different section. The two parts differ in several ways: The first section extends from creation to Abraham. The second section extends from Abraham through Joseph. The first section deals with major subjects, subjects which still engage the minds of thoughtful men in our day: the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the Tower of Babel. The second section has to do with personalities: Abraham, the man of faith; Isaac, the beloved son; Jacob, the chosen and chastened son; and Joseph, his suffering and glory.
Although that is a major division, there is another division even more significant. It has to do with time. The first eleven chapters cover a minimum time span of two thousand years—actually, two thousand years plus. I feel that it is safe to say that they may cover several hundred thousand years. I believe this first section of Genesis can cover any time in the past that you may need to fit into your particular theory, and the chances are that you would come short of it even then. At least we know the book covers a minimum of two thousand years in the first eleven chapters, but the second section of thirty-nine chapters covers only three hundred and fifty years. In fact, beginning with Genesis 12 and running all the way through the Old Testament and the New Testament, a total time span of only two thousand years is covered. Therefore, as far as time is concerned, you are halfway through the Bible when you cover the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
This should suggest to your mind and heart that God had some definite purpose in giving this first section to us. Do you think that God is putting the emphasis on this first section or on the rest of the Bible? Isn’t it evident that He is putting the emphasis on the last part? The first section has to do with the universe and with creation, but the last part deals with, man, with nations, and with the person of Jesus Christ. God was more interested in Abraham than He was in the entire created universe. And, my friend, God is more interested in you and attaches more value to you than He does to the entire physical universe.
Let me further illustrate this. Of the eighty-nine chapters in the four Gospel records, only four chapters cover the first thirty years of the life of the Lord Jesus while eighty-five chapters cover the last three years of His life, and twenty-seven chapters cover the final eight days of His life. Where does that indicate that the Spirit of God is placing the emphasis? I am sure you will agree that the emphasis is on the last part, the last eight days covered by the twenty-seven chapters. And what is that all about? It’s about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the important part of the Gospel record. In other words, God has given the Gospels that you might believe that Christ died for our sins and that He was raised for our justification. That is essential. That is the all-important truth.
May I say that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are merely the introduction to the Bible, and we need to look at them in this fashion. This does not mean that we are going to pass over the first eleven chapters. Actually, we will spend quite a bit of time with them.
Genesis is the “seed plot” of the Bible, and here we find the beginning, the source, the birth of everything. The Book of Genesis is just like the bud of a beautiful rose, and it opens out into the rest of the Bible. The truth here is in germ form.
One of the best divisions which can be made of the Book of Genesis is according to the genealogies—i.e., according to the families.
Gen. 1–2:6
Book of Generations of Heavens and Earth
Gen. 2:7–6:8
Book of Generations of Adam
Gen. 6:9–9:29
Generations of Noah
Gen. 10:1–11:9
Generations of Sons of Noah
Gen. 11:10–26
Generations of Sons of Shem
Gen. 11:27–25:11
Generations of Terah
Gen. 25:12–18
Generations of Ishmael
Gen. 25:19–35:29
Generations of Isaac
Gen. 36:1–37:1
Generations of Esau
Gen. 37:2–50:26
Generations of Jacob
All of these are given to us in the Book of Genesis. It is a book of families. Genesis is an amazing book, and it will help us to look at it from this
OUTLINE
I. Entrance of Sin on Earth, Chapters 1–11
A. Creation, Chapters 1–2
1. Heaven and Earth, 1:1 “Create” (bara) occurs only 3 times, vv. 1, 21, 27
2. Earth Became Waste and Void, 1:2
3. Re-creation, 1:3–2:25
a. First Day—Light, 1:3–5
b. Second Day—Air Spaces (Firmament), 1:6–8
c. Third Day—Dry Land Appears and Plant Life, 1:9–13
d. Fourth Day—Sun, Moon, Stars Appear, 1:14–19
e. Fifth Day—Animal Life (Biology), 1:20–23
f. Sixth Day—Fertility of Creation and Creation of Man, 1:24–31
g. Seventh Day—Sabbath, 2:1–3
h. Recapitulation of the Creation of Man, 2:4–25 (Law of recurrence)
B. Fall, Chapters 3–4
1. Root of Sin—Doubting and Disobeying God
2. Fruit of Sin— “Out of the heart proceed … murders …” (Matt. 15:19)
C. Flood (Deluge), Chapters 5–9
1. Book of Generations of Adam—Through Seth Beginning of Man’s History—Obituary Notices, Chapter 5
2. Antediluvian Civilization—Cause of Flood and Construction of Ark, Chapter 6
3. Judgment of Flood, Chapter 7
4. Postdiluvian Civilization—After the Flood, Chapter 8
5. Postdiluvian Life—New Beginning, Chapter 9
D. Tower of Babel and Confusion of Tongues, Chapters 10–11
1. Ethnology—Sons of Noah, Chapter 10
2. Tower of Babel, Chapter 11 (Contrast to Day of Pentecost)
II. Preparation for the Coming of the Redeemer of All Mankind, Chapters 12–50
A. Abraham (Faith), Chapters 12–23 (Development of faith by seven appearances of God)
1. God’s Call and Promise to Abram—His Response by Lapse of Faith, Chapter 12
2. Abram Returns to Land from Egypt—Separates from Lot—God Then Appears the Third Time to Abram, Chapter 13
3. The First War—Abram Delivers Lot—The First Priest—Abram Blessed by Melchizedek, Chapter 14
4. God Reveals Himself More Completely to Abram—Reaffirms His Promises, Chapter 15
5. Unbelief of Sarai and Abram—Birth of Ishmael, Chapter 16
6. God Makes Covenant with Abraham (Abram Becomes Abraham)—Confirms Promise to Abraham About a Son, Chapter 17
7. God Reveals Coming Destruction of Sodom to Abraham—Abraham Intercedes on Behalf of Inhabitants, Chapter 18
8. Angels Warn Lot—Lot Leaves Sodom—God Destroys Cities of the Plain, Chapter 19
9. Abraham Repeats Sin at Gerar About Relationship of Sarah, Chapter 20
10. Birth of Isaac—Hagar and Ishmael Cast Out—Abraham at Beer-sheba, Chapter 21
11. God Commands Abraham to Offer Isaac—Restrains Him—Reconfirms Covenant with Abraham, Chapter 22
12. Death of Sarah—Abraham Purchases Machpelah Cave for Burial Place, Chapter 23
B. Isaac (the Beloved Son), Chapters 24–26 Choosing of a bride compares with Christ and the Church.
1. Abraham Sends Servant for Bride for Isaac—Rebekah Returns with Him—Becomes Isaac’s Bride, Chapter 24
2. Death of Abraham—Birth of Esau and Jacob (twins) to Isaac and Rebekah—Esau Sells Birthright to Jacob, Chapter 25
3. God Confirms Covenant to Isaac—Isaac Misrepresents Relationship with Rebekah—Isaac Digs Well in Gerar, Chapter 26
C. Jacob, Chapters 27–36 “Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth”
1. Jacob and Rebekah Connive to Get Blessing Intended for Esau, Chapter 27
2. Jacob Leaves Home—At Bethel God Appears to Him—Confirms Abrahamic Covenant, Chapter 28
3. Jacob Arrives in Haran—Meets Rachel and Uncle Laban—Serves for Rachel—Deceived into Marrying Leah, Chapter 29
4. Birth of Sons to Jacob—Jacob Prepares to Leave Laban—Jacob’s Bargain Pays Off, Chapter 30
5. Jacob Flees from Haran—Laban Overtakes Him—Jacob and Laban Make Mizpah Covenant, Chapter 31
6. Crisis in Life of Jacob: At Peniel a Man Wrestles with Him—Jacob’s Name Changed to Israel, Chapter 32
7. Jacob Meets Esau—Jacob Journeys to Shalem, Chapter 33
8. Scandal in Jacob’s Family: Dinah Defiled—Brothers Avenge by Slaying Men of Hamor, Chapter 34
9. Jacob Returns to Bethel—Rachel Dies at Bethlehem—Isaac Dies at Hebron, Chapter 35
10. Family of Esau Which Becomes Nation of Edom, Chapter 36
D. Joseph (suffering and glory), Chapters 37–50
1. Jacob Dwells in Canaan—Joseph Sold into Slavery, Chapter 37
2. Sin and Shame of Judah, Chapter 38
3. Humiliation in Egypt, Chapters 39–40
a. Overseer in House of Potiphar—Tempted, Then Framed by Wife of Potiphar—Imprisoned, Chapter 39
b. Joseph in Prison—Interprets Dreams of Baker and Butler, Chapter 40
4. Exaltation in Egypt, Chapters 41–48
a. Joseph Interprets Dreams of Pharaoh—Made Overseer of Egypt—Marries Asenath—Birth of Manasseh and Ephraim, Chapter 41
b. Jacob Sends Ten Sons to Egypt for Corn—Audience with Joseph—Leave Simeon as Hostage—Return Home with Corn and Refunded Money, Chapter 42
c. Jacob Sends Sons (Benjamin Included) Again to Egypt—Joseph Entertains Brothers (Does Not Reveal His Identity), Chapter 43
d. Joseph Sends Brothers Home—Arrested by Steward—Cup Found in Benjamin’s Sack—Judah Pleads for Benjamin, Chapter 44
e. Joseph Reveals Identity—Tender Reunion with Brothers—Invites Jacob and All Family to Egypt, Chapter 45
f. Jacob with Family (70) Moves to Egypt—Jacob and Joseph Reunited, Chapter 46
g. Jacob and Brothers Dwell in Goshen—Presented to Pharaoh—Famine Forces Egyptians to Sell Land to Joseph for Pharaoh—Joseph Swears He Will Bury Jacob in Canaan, Chapter 47
h. Jacob on Deathbed Blesses Joseph’s Sons, Chapter 48
5. Death and Burial of Jacob and Joseph, Chapters 49–50
a. Jacob Gives Deathbed Blessing and Prophecy for Twelve Sons, Chapter 49
b. Death of Jacob and Burial in Canaan—Death and Burial of Joseph in Egypt, Chapter 50
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Creation of the universe; construction of the earth; day one—light; day two—air spaces; day three—dry land and plant life; day four—sun, moon, and stars appear; day five—animal life; day six—fertility of animal life; creation of man
CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth [Gen. 1:1].
This is one of the most profound statements that has ever been made, and yet we find that it is a statement that is certainly challenged in this hour in which we are living. I think that this verse is all we have of the actual creation—with the exception, as we shall see, of the creation of man and animals later on in the Book of Genesis. But this is the creation story, and I’ll admit that it is a very brief story, indeed.
An incident was told by Paul Bellamy, the late city editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that while he was making the rounds of the reporters’ desks one night, he noticed one of his men grinding out a “tapeworm” on what Bellamy regarded as a relatively unimportant event. “Cut it down!” he said, “After all, the story of the creation was told in Genesis in 282 words.” The reporter shot back, “Yes, and I’ve always thought we could have been saved a lot of arguments later if someone had just written another couple hundred.”
It is interesting to note that God certainly has given us an abridged edition. The question arises: What did He have in mind when He gave us this particular section? What was the Author’s purpose here? Was it His purpose to teach geology? There is a great deal of argument and disagreement at this particular juncture. Some time ago here in California, the state board of education voted to include the biblical so-called theory of creation in science books. Now frankly, I’m not so sure that I’m happy about that. Someone will say that I ought to be because it is a step in the right direction. My friends, I’ll tell you why I’m not happy. My concern is relative to the character of the teachers who teach it. We don’t have enough teachers with a Christian background and with a Bible background to be able to teach it properly. Very few of the public school teachers are prepared, really, to teach the story of creation.
Dr. Ralph Girard, professor of biology and dean of the graduate division at the University of California at Davis is reported by the press to have made the comment that the “theory of creation” makes about as much sense as teaching about the stork. He asked if a scientific course on reproduction should also mention the stork theory. The very interesting thing is that the stork theory is not mentioned in the Bible at all, but the creation story is mentioned. His comparison is not quite warranted, because the Bible deals literally with this matter of procreation, and if you read your Bible carefully, you never could have the viewpoint of the stork theory! So what this man says is certainly beside the point but reveals a very antagonistic attitude toward the Bible. I’m of the opinion that this man probably knows a great deal about his particular subject, which seems to be biology, but he knows very little about the Word of God. This is quite obvious from the type of statement he has made.
This problem of origin provokes more violent controversy, wild theories, and wide disagreement than any other. Always there is the inclusion of men’s hypotheses, and as a result there is a babble of voices that has drowned out the clear voice of God. Actually, there are two extreme groups who have blurred the issue, and they have muddied the waters of understanding by their dogmatic assumptions and assertions. One group is comprised of the arrogant scientists who assume that biological and philosophical evolution are the gospel truth. Their assumed axiom is “the assured finding of science,” and we’ll look into that in a moment. The other group is comprised of the young and proud theologians who arrogate to themselves the super-knowledge that they have discovered how God did it. They write and speak learnedly about some clever theory that reconciles science and the Bible. They look with disdain upon the great giants of biblical expositors of the past as being Bible dwarfs compared to them.
I would say that both of these groups would do well to consider a statement that was made to Job when the Lord finally appeared to him. God asked him the question: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding” (Job 38:4). In other words, God is saying to man, “You talk about the origin of the universe, but you don’t even know where you were when I laid the foundation of the earth!”
There are a great many theories as to how the world began, but all of them can be boiled down to fit into a twofold classification: one is creation, and the other is speculation. All theories fall into one of these two divisions.
The theory of evolution is comprised of many different theories in our day, and some of the most reputable scientists of the past, as well as of the present, reject evolution. So we can’t put down the theory of evolution as being a scientific statement like 2 + 2 = 4. Then there is the creation account in Genesis 1, which must be accepted by faith. It is very interesting that God has made it that way—by faith is the only way in the world by which you can accept it. Notice what the writer to the Hebrews said: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:1–3). So today the great problem still remains. How did it get from nothing to something? The only way that you can ever arrive at an answer is by faith or by speculation—and speculation is very unscientific.
Now let us look at some of the theories of origin. There are those who tell us that we should accept the scientific answer. I would like to ask, what is the scientific answer? What science are we talking about? In the year 1806 Professor Lyell said that the French Institute enumerated not less than eighty geological theories which were hostile to the Scriptures, but not one of these theories is held in our day.
Moses is the human agent whom God used to write the book of Genesis, and I think he would smile at all the disturbance today regarding the creation story because he did not write it with the intention of giving a scientific account. Paul tells us the purpose of all Scripture: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). The purpose of the Scripture is for instruction in righteousness. It was not written to teach you geology or biology. It was written to show man’s relationship to God and God’s requirements for man and what man must do to be saved. You can write this over the first part of the book of Genesis: “What must I do to be saved?”
May I ask you, if God had given a scientific statement of creation, how many people of Moses’ day could have understood it? How many people even in our day could grasp it? You must remember that the Bible was not written for only learned professors but also for simple folk of every age and in every land. If it had been written in the scientific language of Moses’ time, it certainly would have been rejected.
Therefore, men have proposed several solutions relative to the origin of the universe. One is that it is an illusion. Well, that is certainly contrary to fact, is it not? And yet there are people who hold that theory. There are others who believe that it spontaneously arose out of nothing. (In a way, this is what the Bible states, although it goes further and says that God spoke it into existence; He created it.) Another view is that it had no origin but has existed eternally. A fourth view is that it was created, and this breaks down into many different theories which men hold in an attempt to explain the origin of the universe.
I have before me some of these theories which men have advanced down through the history of the world. Here is a statement by Dr. Harlow Shapely, the former director of the Harvard Observatory, who commented that we are still imbedded in abysmal ignorance of the world in which we live. He observed that “we have advanced very little, relative to the total surmisable extent of knowledge, beyond the level of wisdom acquired by animals of long racial experience. We are, to be sure, no longer afraid of strange squeaks in the dark, nor completely superstitious about the dead. On many occasions we are valiantly rational. Nevertheless, we know how much the unknown transcends what we know.” In other words, we are still absolutely in the dark relative to the origin of this earth on which we live.
Dr. Loren C. Eiseley, Office of the Provost, University of Pennsylvania, was asked about this; he answered that “we do not know any more about matter and how it is produced than we know about spiritual things. Therefore, I think it is unwise to say in our present state of knowledge that the one precludes the other. The universe seems to exist as a series of emergent levels, none of which is like the level below. That man and all the rest of life have evolved and changed is undeniable, but what lies beneath these exterior manifestations, we do not know. I wish I could answer your question, but to clothe my ignorance in big words would benefit neither yourself nor me.”
One article says that man is on the verge of discovering the mystery of the origin of the world. That happened to be written back in 1961. We haven’t had anything new on that since then, by the way.
The biologist Edwin Conklin, speaking of evolution, stated that the probability of life originating by accident is “comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary originating from an explosion in a print shop.” That sounds very unscientific, coming from a scientist, but it’s true.
There seem to be at least three theories of the origin of the universe which even astronomers have suggested, and it is interesting to note them. One is known as the “steady state” theory, one is the “big bang” theory, and another is the “oscillating” theory.
A Caltech scientist, Dr. William A. Baum, speaking at UCLA, told the National Academy of Science that new findings tend to rule out the “steady state” theory that the universe has always existed and that new matter is continually being created. Several years ago that was the accepted theory; now they have a new theory for the origin of the universe. Dr. Baum apparently held the “big bang” theory, which is that a great explosion took place billions of years ago and that we are in for another one in probably another ten billion years. I don’t think we need to worry about that a great deal, but it is an interesting theory and one that was fathered in Great Britain.
Several years ago Dr. Louis Leakey, an anthropologist (the son of a missionary, by the way) discovered in Africa what he called a missing link. He dug up pieces of a skull with well-developed teeth, called it the “nutcracker man” and claimed it belonged to a teenage youth about six hundred thousand years ago. Well, we have had theories like that before, and since we’ve heard no more of this one since 1961, I guess the scientific world didn’t fall for it.
There are other ways for explaining the origin of man. Dr. Lawrence S. Dillon, associate professor of biology at Texas A and M College, says that man is not an animal but a plant which evolved from brown seaweed. Now maybe you have been looking in the wrong place for your grandpa and grandma. Some folks have been looking up a tree. Now we are told that we should be down at the beach pulling out seaweed because that is grandpa and grandma! Some of this speculation really becomes ridiculous.
A long time ago I read in a leading secular magazine that: “After centuries of bitter arguments over how life on earth began, an awe-inspiring answer is emerging out of the shrewd and patient detective work in laboratories all over the world.” You would think that by now we would be getting some straight answers or at least a little encouragement, but none has been forthcoming.
It was the practice, according to J.V.N. Talmage, that the dogma which scientists followed was this: “The archeological finds of prehistoric cultural objects must be so arranged that the cruder industries must always be dated earlier than those of a ‘more advanced’ type, regardless of where they are found.” It has been a little disconcerting to find some of the advanced civilizations underneath those which seem to be of prehistoric time.
So many other theories are offered today about how the earth began. Dr. Klaus Mampell from Germany reportedly said that he didn’t see any more reason for seeing us (the human race) connected with apes than with canary birds or kangaroos.
The evolutionary theory is divided up into many different phases and viewpoints. It has never been demonstrated as being true. It is unfortunate that when you get down to the level of the pseudo-scientists, and I’m thinking of the teachers today in our public schools who teach science, they really are not in a position to give a fair view because they were given only one viewpoint in college.
There is no unanimous acceptance of evolution even by scientists. Here is a quotation from Dr. G. A. Kerkut, of the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the University of Southampton in England. Though he himself is an evolutionist, in his book, The Implications of Evolution, he writes: “There is a theory which states that many living animals can be observed over the course of time to undergo changes so that new species are formed. This can be called the “Special Theory of Evolution” and can be demonstrated in certain cases by experiments. On the other hand there is the theory that all of the living forms in the world have arisen from a single source which itself came from an inorganic form. This theory can be called the “General Theory of Evolution” and the evidence that supports it is not sufficiently strong to allow us to consider it as anything more than a working hypothesis.” Now listen to the statement of the Swedish botanist, Dr. Heribert Nilsson, who is also an evolutionist: “My attempts to demonstrate evolution by experiment carried on for more than forty years, have completely failed …. At least I should hardly be accused of having started from a preconceived anti-evolutionary standpoint…. It may be firmly maintained that it is not even possible to make a caricature out of paleobiological facts. The fossil material is now so complete that it has been possible to construct new classes, and the lack of transitional series cannot be explained as due to the scarcity of material. Deficiencies are real. They will never be filled…. The idea of an evolution rests on pure belief.”
May I say to you, he is moving into the realm of religion! My friend, to be an evolutionist you have to take it by faith. Evolution is speculation and always has been that. But, unfortunately, a great many folk have accepted it as fact.
In our day a group of theologians (young theologians for the most part) who, not wanting to be called intellectual obscurantists, have adopted what is known as “theistic evolution.” If you would like to know what one scientist says about it, Kirtly Mather, in Science Ponders Religion, says: “When a theologian accepts evolution as the process used by the creator, he must be willing to go all the way with it. Not only is it an orderly process, it is a continuing one. The golden age for man—if any—is in the future, not in the past…. Moreover, the creative process of evolution is not to be interrupted by any supernatural intervention. The evolution of the first living cells from previously existing nonliving materials may represent a quantum-jump rather than an infinitesimal step along the path of progress, but it is an entirely natural development.” Theistic evolution is probably the most unrealistic of all theories. It is almost an unreasonable tenet and an illogical position. There are those today who are trying to run with the hare and with the hounds. They would like to move up with the unbelievers, but they also like to carry a Scofield Bible under their arm. My friend, it is difficult to do both. It is like that old Greek race in which a contestant rode with one foot on one horse and the other foot on another horse. It was marvelous when the two horses kept on the same route. But, believe me, when one of the horses decided to go in another direction, the rider had to determine which one he was going with. That is the condition of the theistic evolutionist. He ordinarily ends up riding the wrong horse, by the way.
In our day there is so much misinformation in the minds of intelligent human beings. For example, before me is a clipping from a secular magazine from several years ago. It posed a question, then answered it. First, the question: “What, according to biblical records, is the date of the creation of the world?” Now listen to the answer that was given: “4,004 b.c.” How utterly ridiculous can one be?
An article in Life magazine concerning the origin of life said that at some indeterminate point—some say two billion years ago, some a billion and a half—life miraculously appeared on the surface of the deep. What form it took, science cannot specify. All that can be said, according to this article, is that “through some agency certain giant molecules acquired the ability to duplicate themselves.” My friend, are you willing to go along with the theory that giant molecules acquired the ability to duplicate themselves?
Other ridiculous theories have been advanced. One is that man began on this earth from garbage that some prehistoric intelligence left on this earth in the dim and distant past. That statement comes from a scientist! While some scientists send us out to look for our ancestors in the trees, another sends us out to look at the seaweed, and now some send us to the garbage can! This is getting worse and worse, is it not? I don’t know about you, but I feel that God’s statement of creation still stands in this modern age.
A famous definition of evolution which Herbert Spencer gave stated that: “An integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion during which the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent, homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity, and during which the retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation.” You ponder that one for awhile, friend!
It still makes more sense to me to read: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Who created the universe? God did. He created it out of nothing. When? I don’t know, and nobody else knows. Some men say one billion years ago, some say two billion, and now some say five billion. I personally suspect that they all are pikers. I think it was created long before that. My friend, we need to keep in mind that God has eternity behind Him. What do you think He has been doing during all the billions of years of the past? Waiting for you and me to come on the scene? No, He has been busy. He has had this creation a long time to work with. You see, He really has not told us very much, has He? It is presumptuous of little man down here on earth to claim to know more than he really knows.
You cannot put one little star in motion;
You cannot shape one single forest leaf,
Nor fling a mountain up, nor sink an ocean,
Presumptuous pigmy, large with unbelief!
You cannot bring one dawn of regal splendor,
Nor bid the day to shadowy twilight fall,
Nor send the pale moon forth with radiance tender;
And dare you doubt the One who has done it all?
Sherman A. Nagel, Sr.
It behooves us to just accept that majestic statement which opens the Word of God: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” And with the psalmist let us consider His heavens, the work of His fingers, the moon and the stars, which He hast ordained (Ps. 8:3) and realize that “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1).
The apostle Paul wrote this to the Romans: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). And the writer to the Hebrews says: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3). We must accept creation by faith. Even science cannot tell us how something can be made out of nothing. God apparently did it just that way. And man today cannot tell when this was created.
When we compare the Genesis record with other creation accounts, the contrasts are striking indeed. Most nations have a legend of creation, and probably all of them are corruptions of the Genesis account. For example, we find one of the best accounts of a secular nation in the Babylonian tablets of creation. Notice some of the contrasts: The Babylonian tablets begin with chaos. The Bible account begins with cosmos, with perfection. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” According to the Babylonian account, the heavenly bodies are gods, but they are nothing in the world but matter according to the Bible. There is a polytheistic theology in the Babylonian account but a monotheistic truth in the Bible account. The Babylonian account says the universe is just the work of a craftsman, but the Bible says that God spoke and it came into existence. The Babylonian account is characterized by its puerility and grotesqueness, whereas the Bible presents grand and solemn realities of the Creator God who is holy and who is a Savior. The Babylonian account is definitely out of harmony with known science, but the Bible is in accord with true science.
I reject evolution because it rejects God and it rejects revelation. It denies the fall of man and the fact of sin, and it opposes the virgin birth of Christ. Therefore, I reject it with all my being. I do not believe that it is the answer to the origin of this universe.
There are three essential areas into which evolution cannot move and which evolution cannot solve. It cannot bridge the gap from nothing to something. It cannot bridge the gap from something to life. It cannot bridge the gap between life and humanity—that is, self-conscious human life with a free will.
The press, of course, is always looking for something sensational and comes up with interesting findings. One of the things which has been put in my hands is a clipping from a fellow Texan. They have found near Glenrose, Texas, down near a place where I used to live, the tracks of dinosaurs. Now, I’ve known about that for years. You might expect that in Texas they would find the biggest of everything, and apparently the dinosaurs were there. But now they have found something that is quite disturbing: they have found some giant human tracks in the same place. You know, that’s really upsetting because it is very difficult to start out with a little amoeba or a little scum on top of the water and then find that walking back there with the dinosaurs were human beings who were much bigger than any of us today. Evolution is going to have a lot of problems in the next few years. May I predict (and I am merely echoing a prediction of a scientist) that by the end of this century the theory of evolution will be as dead as a dodo bird.
While there is a great deal more that could be said on these issues, there is a third question that arises. Not only are folk asking who created and when did He create but also why did He create. Believe me, this gets right down to the nitty-gritty. This is very important.
The Word of God tells us that this universe was created for His own pleasure. He saw fit to create it; He delighted in it. In the final book of the Bible we find these words: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11). He created this universe because He wanted to create it. He did it for His pleasure. You may not like the universe, but He does. He never asked me about where I wanted this little world on which I live to be located in His universe. In fact, He didn’t even ask me whether I wanted to be born in Texas or not. Of course, if He had given me the opportunity, I would have chosen Texas. But He didn’t give me that choice. May I say to you that this universe was created for His pleasure. He saw fit to create and He delighted in the act.
The second reason that He created this universe was for His own glory. The original creation, you remember, sang that wonderful Creator’s praise “… When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). It was created for His glory. And in the prophecy of Isaiah are these words: “… I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him” (Isa. 43:7). God created this universe for His own glory.
The Word of God also tells us that God created man in this universe for fellowship. He wanted to have fellowship with mankind, and so He created him a free moral agent. God could have made a bunch of robots. God could have made mechanical men and pushed a button to make them bow down to Him. But God didn’t want that kind of a man. God wanted a man to be free to choose Him and to love Him and to serve Him.
My friend, in the midst of all the unbelief, the blasphemy, and the hostility toward God which is around us today, the greatest thing you can do as a human being is to publicly choose the Lord Jesus Christ. To believe in God the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth and to receive His Son, Jesus Christ, is the most glorious privilege that you and I have. We hear a lot of talk about freedom of speech and freedom of every sort, but this poor crowd around us who talks so loudly of freedom, doesn’t seem to know what freedom really is. We have real freedom when we choose Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Now let’s return to the first verse of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This is a majestic verse. It is a tremendous verse. I am of the opinion that it is the doorway through which you will have to walk into the Bible. You have to believe that God is the Creator, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
“In the beginning”—that is a beginning which you cannot date. You can estimate it as billions of years, and I think you would be accurate, but who knows how many? Certainly man does not know.
“God created.” The word “create” is from the Hebrew word bara, which means to create out of nothing. This word is used only three times in the first chapter of Genesis, because it records only three acts of creation. (1) The creation of something from nothing: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (2) The creation of life: “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth …” (v. 21). That’s animal life of all kinds. (3) The creation of man: “So God created man in his own image …” (v. 27). Theistic evolution is not the answer. It attempts to follow creation until the time of man, then considers Adam and Eve to be products of some evolutionary process. The theistic evolutionist considers the days in Genesis as periods of time, long periods of time. I do not believe that is true. God’s marking off the creative days with the words, “And the evening and the morning were the first day,” etc., makes it clear that He was not referring to long periods of time but to actual twenty-four hour days.
“God created the heaven and the earth.” The earth is separated from the rest of creation. Why? Well, the earth is the hometown of mankind; that’s where he is to be placed. We are very much interested in him because we belong to this creature. We need to realize, my friend, that you and I are creatures, creatures of God, and as creatures of God, we owe Him something.
It was years ago that Herbert Spencer said, “The most general forms into which the manifestation of the Unknowable are re-divisible are time, space, matter, force, motion.” Those were his categories of division. A very fine personal worker, George Dewey Blomgren, was talking to an army sergeant who was a law graduate. Mr. Blomgren was attempting to witness to him. The sergeant mentioned Herbert Spencer so Mr. Blomgren replied, “Did you know that both the Bible and Spencer teach the great principle of creation?” The sergeant’s eyes widened and he asked, “How’s that?” The reply was, “Spencer talked about time, space, matter, force, motion. In the first two verses of Genesis we find: ‘In the beginning [time] God created the heaven [space] and the earth [matter]. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God [force] moved [motion] upon the face of the waters.’ It took Spencer fifty years to uncover this law, but here it is in fifty seconds.” The sergeant had no grounds for argument and soon trusted Christ as his Savior.
It is very interesting that God has put down these great principles in the first two verses of Genesis. How important it is for us to see that.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters [Gen. 1:2].
Although this view has been discredited by many in the past few years, I believe that a great catastrophe took place between verses 1 and 2. As far as I can see, there is an abundance of evidence for it. To begin with, look out upon this vast creation—something has happened to it! Man’s trip to the moon reveals nothing in the world but a wasteland up there. How did it get that way? May I say that there came a catastrophe in God’s universe.
This is specifically mentioned in regard to the earth because this is to be the place where man lives, and so the earth is described as being “without form and void.”
“Darkness was upon the face of the deep” indicates the absence of God, of course.
“Without form, and void” is a very interesting expression. “Without form” is the Hebrew word tohu, meaning a ruin, vacancy; “void” is the Hebrew word bohu, meaning emptiness. Notice this statement in the prophecy of Isaiah: “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else” (Isa. 45:18). Here God says that He did not create the earth “in vain,” and the Hebrew word is tohu, which is the same word we found in Genesis 1:2. God did not create the earth without form and void. God created this universe a cosmos, not a chaos. This is the thing which Isaiah is attempting to make clear. He created it not tohu va bohu, but the earth became tohu va bohu. God formed the earth to be inhabited, and it was God who came to this wreck and made it a habitable place for mankind.
Our current study and exploration of space has revealed, so far, that you and I live in a universe in which only the earth is habitable for human beings. I believe that Genesis is telling us that this earth became without form and void, that it was just as uninhabitable as the moon when the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
I believe that the entire universe came under this great catastrophe. What was the catastrophe? We can only suggest that there was some pre-Adamic creature that was on this earth. And it seems that all of this is connected with the fall of Lucifer, son of the morning, who became Satan, the devil, as we know him today. I think all of this is involved here, but God has not given us details. The fact of the matter is that He has given us very, very few details in the first chapter of Genesis.
“And the spirit of God moved.” The word for “moved” means brooded, like a mother hen broods over her little chicks. He brooded upon the face of the waters. The Holy Spirit began a ministry here which we will find Him doing again and again. It is re-creation! He comes into this scene and He recreates. This is precisely what He does for us.
You will remember that the Lord Jesus said, “… Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The water is the Word of God. Now, if you want to make baptism the symbol for it, that’s fine. But the water means the Word of God. And the Holy Spirit is the Author of it. This is very important for us to see.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE EARTH
We have seen the construction of the universe in verse 1, the convulsion of the earth in verse 2, and now we come to the construction of the earth in six days (vv. 3–31). I believe what we have here is this development.
There are several things here that I would like to call to your attention. In Exodus 20:11, it reads “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is ….” There is nothing in that verse about creating. It says “made”; God is taking that which is already formed and in these six days He is not “creating” but He is recreating. He is working with matter which already exists, out of the matter which He had called into existence probably billions of years before.
God created life and put it on the earth, and for the earth He created man. That is the creature we are interested in because you and I happen to be one of those creatures. This makes the Genesis record intensely important for us today.
DAY ONE—LIGHT
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day [Gen. 1:3–5].
That must have been a twenty-four hour day—I don’t see how you could get anything else out of it. Notice that God said, “Let there be light.” Ten times in this chapter we will find “let there be”—let there be a firmament, let there be lights, let the waters be gathered together, etc. Someone has called these the ten commandments of creation. This is the divine decalogue that we find here.
“God said, Let there be light.” This is the first time we are told that God spoke. These are His first words recorded in Scripture.
DAY TWO—AIR SPACES
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters [Gen. 1:6].
“God said, Let there be a firmament”—the Hebrew word for firmament is raqia, meaning air spaces.
“Let it divide the waters from the waters.” What does that mean? Well, God first divided the waters perpendicularly. There is water above us and water beneath us.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so [Gen. 1:7].
Out in the Hawaiian Islands, when we were there one year, five inches of rain fell in Honolulu in just a very short time—I started to say in a few minutes and I think I’m accurate in that. We were in a place where over two hundred inches of rain fall in a year. My friend, there is a whole lot of water up there if two hundred inches of it can fall! Well, that’s what God did. He divided the waters above from the waters which are beneath.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day [Gen. 1:8].
“God called the firmament Heaven.” This is not heaven as you and I think of it. Actually, there are three heavens that are mentioned in Scripture. The Lord Jesus spoke of the birds of heaven, and I think that is the heaven mentioned in this verse. Then there are the stars of heaven, meaning the second heaven, and there is the third heaven where God dwells. So the first layer up there, the first deck, is the deck where the clouds are and where the birds fly.
DAY THREE—DRY LAND AND PLANT LIFE
And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good [Gen. 1:9–10].
Now there is a horizontal division made of the waters. First the waters above were separated from the waters beneath. Now the water is separated from the land, from the earth. May I say to you, there is nothing unscientific about this. They tell us that every spot on topside of this earth on which we live today was covered with water at one time. That was evidently a judgment that had come upon the earth way back sometime in the distant eternity of the past, and we know practically nothing about it. Anything we say is speculation. God has really told us very little here. But He has told us enough so that we can believe Him, that’s all.
“God called the dry land Earth.” What is He getting ready to do? Well, it looks like He is getting ready to make a place where He can put man, a place that is habitable. Man is not a water creature, even though there are evolutionists who think we came from the sea and from seaweed, as we mentioned, and others who think we came out of a slop bucket! How absurd can they possibly be?
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so [Gen. 1:11].
Now God is putting plant life here because man, until the flood, was a vegetarian. Man will eat nothing but fruit and nuts. The forming of the plant life completed the third day.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the third day [Gen. 1:12–13].
DAY FOUR—SUN, MOON, STARS APPEAR
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years [Gen. 1:14].
God didn’t create the sun and the moon at this time. They were already up there. God just brought them around into position.
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also [Gen. 1:15–16].
One of them was to take charge of the day, and the sun does that pretty well. Also the moon does a good job by night. I don’t know about you, but I proposed to my wife by moonlight. That moon has a lot of influence over the night, I can assure you.
Then there is just a little clause, “He made the stars also.” That was a pretty big job, by the way, but not for God. It was John Wesley who said, “God created the heavens and the earth and didn’t even half try.” God “made the stars also.”
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good [Gen. 1:17–18].
You will notice that it is God who does the dividing here, “to divide the light from the darkness.”
You know, He still does that! There are those today who ask, “What’s the difference between right and wrong?” God has drawn all the lines. How can we know what is right? God says what is right. God has put down certain principles. God divides the light from the darkness and there is just that much distinction between right and wrong. He is the One who makes the difference, and He still does it.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day [Gen. 1:19].
DAY FIVE—ANIMAL LIFE
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven [Gen. 1:20].
We do have a certain amount of development. This does not mean that everything came from one little cell but that God made one of each creature and there has been development from each one. God said, “Let the waters bring forth abundantly,” and the next verse adds “after their kind.” The word “kind” does not mean species, as even Darwin said, but it means more than that. The word is phylum. I have been reading that one scientist said he had been looking around for another word. Well, I had a professor in seminary, a very brilliant man, who gave phylum as a synonym for “kind.” If you will look up that word in the dictionary, you will see that it means a direct line of descent within a group. For instance, it would include not just one horse but every animal in the horse family. God created one like that, and there has been development from each one, tremendous development. Also there has been devolution—that is, there has been development, then later there has been degeneration.
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good [Gen. 1:21].
“And God saw that it was good.” Notice that. When God does it, it’s good.
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth [Gen. 1:22].
By the way, one scientist I quoted previously said that if our schools teach the creation story, they might as well teach the stork story. Believe me, the Bible certainly gets rid of the stork story. If you read it carefully, you will notice that these animals had to “bring forth.” This will be true of mankind also. You won’t find little Willie under a stump, and the stork won’t bring little Susie, either.
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day [Gen. 1:23].
DAY SIX—FERTILITY OF ANIMAL LIFE
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good [Gen. 1:24–25].
Notice again the expression “after his kind”—after his biological phylum. Now we will see that God separates plant life and animal life from mankind, and He says, “Let us make man in our image.” This creature is of great interest to you because he happens to be your great-great, etc., grandfather, and he is mine, also. This means that you and I are cousins, although maybe not kissing cousins. But the whole human family is related.
CREATION OF MAN
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth [Gen. 1:26].
The first question that arises is: How was man created? The next chapter will tell us that. “And let them have dominion.” God gave him dominion over the earth, and I do not think this means that God made him a sort of glorified gardener for the Garden of Eden. Adam had tremendous authority given to him. We will find out a little later that God says to him that he is to do certain things relative to this creation that God has given to him.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them [Gen. 1:27].
We have here just the simple fact of the creation of man. This is the third time we find the word bara, which means to create out of nothing. So we see that man is created; he is something new. Bara is the same word that occurred in the first verse of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” He created the physical universe. Then He created life: “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth …” (1:21). Now we see that God created man: “So God created man in his own image.” God will give us the details of His creation of man in the next chapter, and we can see from this that God has left out a great deal about the creation of the universe. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” is all the information He has given to us, and it’s about all we can know about it. He could have filled in details, but He didn’t. He will go into more detail about only one act of His creation, and that is His creation of man. Do you know why? It is because this record was written for man; God wants him to know about his origin. It is as if God were saying, “I would like very much for you to pay attention to your own creation and not be speculating about the creation of the universe.” This verse tells us something tremendous.
“So God created man in his own image.” I want to submit to you that this is one of the great statements of the Word of God. I cannot conceive of anything quite as wonderful as this. What does it mean? Well, man is like God, I think, as a trinity. Immediately someone is going to say, “Oh, I know what you mean. You mean that man is physically and mentally and spiritually a being.” Yes, I believe that is true. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, says that very thing: “… And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Although this is true, we will see when we get into the next chapter that it actually means more than that. I think that it refers to the fact that man is a personality, and as a personality he is self-conscious, and he is one who makes his own decisions. He is a free moral agent. Apparently that is the thing which is unique about mankind. I believe this is what is meant by God creating man in His own image.
“Male and female created he them.” These verses do not give to us the details of how man was created and how woman was created. We won’t find that until we come to the second chapter. That is the reason that I say that God did not intend to give us the details concerning the creation of this great universe that we are in or He would have given us another chapter relative to that. But He offers no explanation other than He is the Creator. This puts us right back to the all-important truth which we find in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3). Things we see today were made out of things which did not even exist before. The creation was made ex nihilo, out of nothing. Somebody says, “Explain that.” My friend, I can’t explain it. And evolution doesn’t explain it either. Evolution has never answered the question of how nothing becomes something. It always starts with a little amoeba, or with a garbage can, or with a little piece of seaweed, or with an animal up in a tree. Our minds must have something to start with, but the Bible starts with nothing. God created! This is the tremendous revelation of this chapter.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth [Gen. 1:28].
We see here that God has given to this creature something unusual. First He says to man, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” We will hear Him repeat that when He creates woman. God seems to be the One who introduced the subject of sex. It is quite interesting that our generation thinks that they have made a new discovery, that they are the Columbus that discovered sex. God mentions it here at the very beginning. In fact, there are four methods that God has used to get mankind into this universe. One was by direct creation, which produced Adam. A second way was by indirect creation, which produced Eve. The third was by the virgin birth, and this was how Jesus Christ came into the human family. The fourth way is by natural generation, and that is pretty well known in our day.
We have certainly dragged natural generation down to a level that God never intended for it. God created man to reproduce. This is a wonderful, glorious truth, and it is not to be made into a dirty, filthy, slimy thing as man is doing now. People are writing dirty, filthy books and calling it literature; they are producing dirty, filthy things and calling it art. Some of the critics are beginning to speak out against this, and we thank the Lord for that. They are saying what I have long contended, that much of what is called art is revolting and repulsive and that it is not art at all. It is nothing in the world but obscene, and it is done simply for the almighty dollar. God never intended for sex to be abused in this way.
God created this man in His image. God is the essentially personal Being, and in giving the man an immortal soul, He gave him also a true personality. Man has a self-consciousness, he has the power of free choice, and he has a distinct moral responsibility. He is in the image of God.
“Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” God tells man to fill the earth by reproduction. And notice that He uses the word “replenish.” That is an interesting word and seems to indicate that this earth had been inhabited before by other creatures. Whatever the creatures were, they had disappeared before man was created.
God also tells man to “subdue” the earth. This, I think, is the basis of learning and of scientific exploration in our day. One of the Proverbs says this: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:2).
God hides diamonds way down in the earth and God also puts the treasures down where man has to dig for them, and I believe that today the same thing is true about knowledge. I think it is true about the study of the Word of God. God wants us to go into the laboratory to use the test tube and the microscope, but unfortunately man comes out with an atom bomb, and he is trying to destroy the human family in our day.
“And have dominion” is God’s instruction to man. Adam was not just a gardener to cut the grass. Man was created to rule this earth. I think that Adam could control the weather just as we control the air-conditioning in our homes. He ruled this earth. This is what we see in the Lord Jesus. When He was here on this earth, He had control over nature. He could say to a storm, “Be still.” He could feed a multitude with five loaves and two fishes. It is my opinion that Adam could have done all of that until his fall. At the fall he lost the dominion that God had given him.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [Gen. 1:29].
From this statement I assume that man was a vegetarian at first, and not until after the flood did man become a meat eater.
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day [Gen. 1:30–31].
This brings us to the end of chapter one, and it might be well to make a resumé at this point. What are some of the things we should note here? Well, one of these things is the fact that God is mentioned here thirty-two times. The Bible makes no attempt to prove that there is a God. Why not? Because He says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God …” (Ps. 14:1).
The Bible is a Book written to reveal the spiritual, the religious, the redemptive truth, and that comes to us only by faith. So we have here the fact that God is the One who created.
In this first chapter we see the unity and power and personality of God. This is exactly what Paul wrote in Romans 1:20: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen.” How are they clearly seen? “Being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” I say to you very candidly that God has shut you up to faith in Himself.
We will notice some other truths in this chapter. It denies polytheism: One God creates. Secondly, it denies the eternity of matter. The first words are: “In the beginning”—and it all had a beginning, my friend. This is true in spite of the fact that there was a time when science taught the eternity of matter. Thirdly, this chapter denies pantheism. God is before all things and He is apart from them. Fourthly, it denies fatalism—God acts in the freedom of His will.
Finally, let me enumerate the striking features in chapter 1:
1. Order
2. Progress
3. Promptness
4. Perfection
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The Sabbath day; summary of the first five days of the restoration; man’s creation; condition placed on man; woman’s creation
A great principle of revelation occurs for the first time in this chapter, but it will be found again and again in the Word of God. It is one of the fingerprints of inspiration. It is the law of recurrence or the law of recapitulation. In other words, the Spirit of God, in giving the Word of God, has a practice of stating briefly a series of great facts and truths; then He will come back and take out of the series that which is all-important, and He will elucidate and enlarge upon that particular thing. He is going to do this now in chapter 2 with the six days of creation which were given in chapter 1. This same principle is seen in the Book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is the interpretation of the Law after forty years of experience with it in the wilderness. Deuteronomy is not just a repetition of the Law, but rather an interpretation of it. Likewise, we are given not only one but four Gospels. Again and again, this procedure is followed throughout the Word of God.
THE SABBATH DAY
In chapter 2 that which is lifted out of the six days of creation is that which pertains to man, and we begin with the Sabbath day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made [Gen. 2:1–3].
Do not miss the importance of the Sabbath day. What does it mean when it says that God rested from His work? Does it mean that God got tired, sat down to rest on the seventh day, and said that He had had a big week—that He had worked more than forty hours, and that He wanted to rest? If you look at it like that, it is perfect nonsense. God rested from His work. When God finished His six days of work, He looked upon it and it was very good, and there was nothing else to do. Every time I leave my office for the day, I still have work all over my desk. I have never been able to sit down and say, “I’m through. I’ve finished it.” But God did. At the end of six days, He rested the seventh day because His work was complete. This is one of the greatest spiritual truths there is. The book of Hebrews tells us that as believers we enter into “rest”—that is, we enter into His sabbath; we enter into His perfect redemption. He died on the cross almost two thousand years ago for you and me, and He offers us a redemption that we can enter into. Thus Paul can write: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). I do not even have to lift my little finger in order to be saved—Jesus did it all.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
—Mrs. H. M. Hall
SUMMARY OF THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF RESTORATION
Apparently, this vast universe we live in had been here for billions of years, but something happened to the earth and to a great deal of the creation. As a result, God moved in, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the deep, and there was brought cosmos out of chaos.
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens [Gen. 2:4].
Actually, the word “generations” means families. The book of Genesis is not only the book of beginnings but also the book of the families. “These are the families of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground [Gen. 2:5–6].
All this was here long before man was here upon the earth, and we can now begin to discover the purpose of God in chapter 1. In chapter 1 God was preparing a home for the man whom He would make. God is now getting ready to move this man into a place that He has prepared for him.
MAN’S CREATION
In the first chapter we saw that there was nothing, and then the inorganic came into existence: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The next step in creation was the organic, that is, the creation of life. We saw that in verse 21 where it says that God created great whales and then all animal life. He created animal life, but apparently the plant life had not been destroyed, and at the time of the re-creation, the seed was already in the earth. I would not want to be dogmatic, but this would seem to be the implication here. God has told us very little in this regard. Then man is the next step in the creation. There is actually no natural transition, and evolution cannot bridge the gap that brings us to the appearance of Homo sapiens upon the earth. The earth, therefore, was prepared for the coming of man.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [Gen. 2:7].
This is the method of the creation of man, and again we are limited in what God has told us. Physically, man was taken out of the ground. It is quite interesting that our bodies are made up of about fifteen or sixteen chemical elements. Those same chemical elements are in the ground. The physical part of man was taken out of the dust of the ground. If we were to be boiled down into the separate chemical elements of which we are made, we would be worth very little in terms of money. I used to say $2.98, but inflation has increased that figure a little. That is the extent of our bodily worth because we were made out of the dust of the ground.
But man is more than dust. Physically, dust he is and to the dust he will return, but his spirit is going to God. Why? Because God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” God breathed into him “the breath of life.” God gave man life which is physical or psychological, and then He gave him life which is spiritual. In other words, man now is brought into a marvelous relationship with his Creator. He has in his being a capacity for God. This is what separates man from all other creatures that are found in God’s universe, as far as we know. Of course, there are the angels, but we know very little about them.
The theistic evolutionists say that mankind evolved up to this point, and then God began to work with this product of evolution. However, no form of evolutionary theory can account for human speech, it cannot account for human conscience, and it cannot account for human individuality. These are three things with which evolution has a little difficulty. It is mighty easy to take the bones of a man and compare them to the bones of some anthropoid, probably an ape, or to a horse. There is a striking similarity, I am sure, and yet there is a wide divergence also. I would expect that there would be a certain similarity because these creatures are to move in the same environment in which we move as human beings—naturally, the chassis would have to be the same. For example, there is a very striking similarity between the chassis of a Ford automobile and that of a Chevrolet automobile, but you had better not say that to the Ford Motor Company or to General Motors! They will tell you that there is a wide difference between the two. But there is a very striking similarity when you see the chassis. You must begin with something fixed on which you can put four wheels, one on each corner, and it must be rectangular to a certain extent. Why? Because the Ford and the Chevrolet are both going to get stuck on the freeway at five o’clock in the afternoon. A car must be able to balance, and it must have a motor to move it. So you would have a similarity, but that does not mean they came out of the same factory. I feel that such an exaggeration has been made of the similarity between man and these other creatures. Man is a different creature. God breathed into his breathing places the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Man is fearfully and wonderfully made, and that is something which we need to keep in mind.
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed [Gen. 2:8].
I cannot tell you where the Garden of Eden is. I am sure it is somewhere in the Tigris-Euphrates valley; in fact it may be the entire valley. Originally, that valley was a very fertile place, and it still is, for that matter. It is part of “the fertile crescent.” At one time, the peoples inhabiting that region did not even plant grain there; they simply harvested it, for it grew by itself. It is probable that this area will someday become the very center of the earth again.
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil [Gen. 2:9].
These are unusual trees that are mentioned specifically, the “tree of life” and the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.” I cannot tell you much about them because they are not around today; they have been removed from the scene.
The Lord God made “to grow every tree,” and the trees, you will notice, were pleasant to look at and were also good for food. There was the beauty of them and the practical side of them; both were combined in them. Perhaps it can be compared to going into a furniture store and having the salesman say, “This article of furniture is very beautiful, but it’s also very functional.” That was the important thing in the Garden of Eden—they had some beautiful trees, but they were also functional. In fact, they were very practical—they were good for food. On this earth on which we live, we still see something of its beauty. In spite of the curse of the fall of man which is upon the earth—the fact that it brings forth the thorn and the thistle—there is still a beauty here. I remember the first time I visited the place called Hana on the island of Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. It is difficult to get there, but as we drove down that road, I had never been in such fabulous, fantastic, and wonderful foliage in my life. It is beyond description. We made a certain turn and came upon a very scenic spot. We could look down that coast and see a little peninsula protruding. There were the coconut trees, the papaya trees, the hibiscus, the bananas, the bamboo; and among the coconut trees a little church stood which the missionaries had started. We just could not help but be startled by its beauty. In fact, so much so that as we stood there, I asked the tour group with me to pause and bow their heads in prayer, and a member of our party led us in prayer. We were just privileged to see that spot. My, the Garden of Eden must have been a beautiful place!
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates [Gen. 2:10–14].
The river in Ethiopia would be the Nile, and the Hiddekel would be the Tigris.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it [Gen. 2:15].
This man had dominion, and the forces of nature responded at his beck and call.
CONDITION PLACED ON MAN
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die [Gen. 2:16–17].
It was not God’s original intention for man to die, but man is now put on probation. You see, man has a free will, and privilege always creates responsibility. This is an axiomatic statement that is true. This man who is given a free will must be given a test to determine whether he will obey God or not.
Some expositors suggest that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was poison. On the contrary, I think it was the best fruit in the garden.
“For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Remember that man is a trinity, and he would have to die in a threefold way. Adam did not die physically until over nine hundred years after this, but God said, “In the day you eat, you shall die.” Death means separation, and Adam was separated from God spiritually the very day he ate, you may be sure of that.
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him [Gen. 2:18].
There was a purpose in God’s putting man in the garden alone for a period of time. It was to show him that he had a need, that he needed someone to be with him.
And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof [Gen. 2:19].
Believe me, that man had to be a smart man to name all the animals. Some wag has said that when God brought an elephant to Adam and said, “What shall we call this one?” Adam said, “Well, he looks more like an elephant than anything else.” And I guess he did!
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him [Gen. 2:20].
“An help for him”—(the word meet should not be here)—that is, one agreeing and answering to him, a helper as his counterpart, the other half of him. A man is but half a man until he is married, and that is very important to see. I am not here to promote marriage, and yet I would say that it is God’s intention for both man and woman. The woman is to answer to the man.
WOMAN’S CREATION
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man [Gen. 2:21–22].
The woman is taken from Adam, from the side of Adam. Dr. Matthew Henry said that God didn’t take her from the head to be his superior, or from his foot to be his inferior, but He took her from his side to be equal with him, to be along with him. That is exactly the purpose: she is to be the other half of man. This is exactly what God meant when He said, “Wives, submit to your husbands.” He means that she is to respond, to answer to him. A wife is the other part of him, the other half of him. He is only half a man without her.
Believe me, Eve was beautiful. Any woman today who is beautiful inherited it originally from mother Eve. There is no beauty that she did not have. She was a doll, let me tell you! And she was the other half of Adam.
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man [Gen. 2:23].
The word for “Woman” in the Hebrew language is very similar to the word for “Man.” The word for man is ish, and the word for woman is ishshah. She is the other part of man and is to answer to him. God intended man to take the lead—He created him first—and He created woman to follow. The man is the aggressor—God made him that way even physically—and woman is the responder.
Do not tell me that a wife has to love her husband. God does not say that. God says that she is to respond to him. If he says to her, “I love you,” then she is going to say right back to him, “I love you.” When a man tells me, “My wife is very cold,” that is a dead giveaway that he is not really the kind of husband he should be. If he is the right kind of husband, she will respond, because he is the one to take the lead.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh [Gen. 2:24].
In other words, the man is now subject to his wife in the sense that he is responsible for her, and he is no longer under the control of his father and mother.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed [Gen. 2:25].
Although the Scriptures do not say so, I believe they were clothed with some sort of glory light. May I say, I think that this is the loveliest and the most precious account of the creation of woman and man. Here is a couple whom God really joined together. There are certain things which God has given to His people that they should obey, and God has given to the human race marriage. Marriage is one of the bands which modern men are trying to throw off: “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Ps. 2:3). What is man trying to do? He is trying to get rid of God, because God is the One who established marriage.
The creation of woman was indirect creation, for God took her out of man to reveal the fact that she is part of man. Someone has put it like this: “For woman is not undeveloped man, but diverse, not like to like, but like in difference. Yet in the long years, ‘liker’ must they grow, till at the last she set herself to man like perfect music unto noble words, distinct in individualities, but like each other even as those who love.” The story of the creation of woman for man is one of the most beautiful stories.
The subjects of this chapter are quite wonderful: the creation of man, where he is placed, his occupation, the condition upon which he is there with a responsibility, his need for a companion, and then God’s creation of woman. There is to be an identity between the husband and the wife, and God says, “Husbands, love your wives.” This is the creation story.
The man who was the chaplain at Nuremberg Prison and dealt with men who had been Nazi chiefs has written of his experiences. Speaking of his last interview with Hermann Goering, one of the very few who refused to accept Christ, Chaplain Gerecke says, “That evening, around 8:30 I had a long session with Goering—during which he made sport of the story of creation, ridiculed divine inspiration of the Scriptures and made outright denial of certain Christian fundamentals.” Less than two hours later he committed suicide. My friend, one of the ways to get rid of the alarming suicide rate is to let men and women know they are creatures of God who are responsible to their Creator. How important this is!
We have seen in chapter 2 man’s kinship with God, man’s worship of God, man’s fellowship with God, man’s service to God, man’s loyalty to God, man’s authority from God, and man’s social life from and for God. This is the great message of this chapter.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The serpent denies the Word of God; the man and woman disobey the Word of God; the design of God for the future; the doctrine of redemption introduced
We come now to what some consider to be the most important chapter of the Bible. It is conceded, I believe, by all conservative expositors to be just that. Dr. Griffith Thomas called chapter 3 the pivot of the Bible. If you doubt that, read chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis, omit chapter 3, and then read chapters 4–11. You will find that there is a tremendous vacuum that needs to be filled, that something has happened. For instance, in Genesis 1 and 2, we find man in innocence; everything is perfection, and there is fellowship between God and man. But the minute you begin with chapter 4 of Genesis and read just as far as chapter 11, you find jealousy, anger, murder, lying, wickedness, corruption, rebellion, and judgment. The question is: Where did it all come from? Where did it begin? Where did the sin originate? Actually, I do not think it originated in chapter 3 of Genesis, but as far as man is concerned, here is where it began.
Let me quote for you the statement of another concerning chapter 3: “Here we trace back to their source many of the rivers of divine truth. Here commences the great drama which is being enacted on the stage of human history and which well nigh 6,000 years has not yet completed. Here we find the divine explanation of the present fallen and ruined condition of our race. Here we learn of the subtle devices of our enemy, the devil. Here we behold the utter powerlessness of man to walk in the path of righteousness when divine grace is withheld from him. Here we discover the spiritual effects of sin, man seeking to flee from God. Here we discern the attitude of God toward the guilty sinner. Here we mark the universal tendency of human nature to cover its own moral shame by a device of man’s own handiwork. Here we are taught of the gracious provision which God has made to meet our great need. Here begins that marvelous stream of prophecy which runs all through the Holy Scriptures. Here we learn that man cannot approach God except through a mediator.”
THE SERPENT CASTS A SHADOW OF DOUBT ON THE WORD OF GOD
In this first section we have the setting for the temptation of man.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [Gen. 3:1].
The question arises: Why the temptation? If we go back to chapters 1 and 2, we find that man was created innocent, but man was not created righteous. What is righteousness? Righteousness is innocence that has been maintained in the presence of temptation. You see, temptation will either develop you or destroy you; it will do one of the two. The Garden of Eden was not a hothouse, and man was not a hothouse plant. Character must be developed, and it can only be developed in the presence of temptation. Man was created a responsible being, and he was responsible to glorify, to obey, to serve, and to be subject to divine government.
Man did not create himself—I do not think anyone claims that—but God created him. And God was not arbitrary in the condition which He laid down. He said to man, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). That tree was not the only tree in the garden to eat of. It would have been very arbitrary if man would have starved to death if he had not been able to eat of the tree and if he had also been told he would die if he did eat of it. There was an abundance of trees in the garden which bore fruit; so that man did not need to eat of this tree at all. Therefore, we find that man appears on the scene a responsible creature.
In this first verse we are introduced to the serpent. Immediately the question can reasonably be asked, “Where in the world did he come from? How did he get into the Garden of Eden?” As far as I can tell from the Word of God, the serpent was not there as a slithering creature. Actually, we are not told how he came there; we are just told he was there. The Word of God leaves a great deal out. The serpent was a creature that could be used of Satan, and Satan used him. Isn’t that exactly the method that Satan uses today? Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). The book of Revelation says more about Satan than anywhere else in Scripture. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:9). This creature was not a slithering snake as we think of it today. That is not the picture that the Word of God gives of him at all. “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:2).
This is a creature with tremendous ability. There is no record of his origin here in Genesis at all. I believe that Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 give us the origin of this creature and also how he became the creature that he was.
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die [Gen. 3:2–3].
Why in the world did the serpent approach the woman? Why didn’t he approach the man? When God created Adam, He had told him that he could eat of every tree of the garden, but of this one he was not to eat. Woman was created last, and she had gotten her information secondhand; she had gotten it from man. And so the serpent approached woman first. Frankly, I think that woman was created finer than man; that is, she had more compassion and sympathy in her makeup. She was probably more open to suggestion than the man. Actually, I think a woman has a nature that is more inquisitive than a man’s. She is the one today who goes into the cults and isms more than anyone else and leads men into them. In fact, many of the founders of cults and isms have been women.
Satan knew what he was doing. Notice what he did. He had a very subtle method as he came. He asked her this question, which cast doubt on the Word of God, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” He raises a doubt in her mind and excites her curiosity. She answers, “We can eat of all the trees, but this tree God has told us, ‘Ye shall not eat of it [that’s all God had said, but she added something], neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.’” I do not find where He ever said, “You are not to touch it.”
THE SERPENT DENIES THE WORD OF GOD
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil [Gen. 3:4–5].
Instead of saying, “Ye shall not surely die,” what he said in effect was, “Ye certainly shall not die. Why, that is just absolutely impossible!” He questions the love of God and the goodness of God: “If God is good, why did He put this restriction down?” The serpent implies that God is not righteous when he says, “You will not die.” And he questions the holiness of God by saying, “You’re going to be gods yourselves, for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
The thing that Eve did was to add to the Word of God. The liberal and the atheist take from the Word of God, and God has warned against that. The cults (and some fundamentalists, by the way) add to the Word of God, and God warns against that. There are those who say that today we are saved by law. They argue, “Yes, it is by faith, but it is faith plus something else”—and they are apt to come up with anything. The Word of God says: “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). How important this is!
The serpent very subtly contradicts God, and he substitutes his word for God’s word. The Book of Romans teaches the fact of the obedience of faith. Faith leads to obedience, and unbelief leads to disobedience. Doubt leads to disobedience—always.
THE MAN AND WOMAN DISOBEY THE WORD OF GOD
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat [Gen. 3:6].
Notice that the appeal the serpent made is quite an interesting one. It was an appeal to the flesh—“the tree was good for food”—but that is not all; that is not the thing that is really important. “It was pleasant to the eyes”—it was an appeal to the flesh but also an appeal to the psychological part of man, to his mind. “And a tree to be desired to make one wise”—this is an appeal to the religious side of man.
You will find that this is the exact temptation that Satan brought to the Lord Jesus in the wilderness (see Matt. 4, Mark 1, and Luke 4). First of all, he said to our Lord, “Make these stones into bread”—this was the appeal to the flesh, as the tree was good for food. Then Satan showed the Lord the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Him—that was an appeal to the mind, as the tree was pleasant to the eyes. Then finally he said, “Cast Yourself down from the temple”—this was an appeal to the religious side of man, as the tree was to be desired to make one wise. I do not think that the devil has changed his tactics today. He uses the same tactics with you and me, and the reason that he still uses them is that they work. He hasn’t needed to change his tactics, for we all seem to fall for the same line.
John wrote: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). “The lust of the flesh”—that is, the tree was good to eat. “The lust of the eyes”—the tree was good to look at. “The pride of life”—the tree was to be desired to make one wise. These things are not of the Father, but of the world. Jesus said that these sins of the flesh come out of the heart of man, way down deep. This is where Satan is making his appeal. This is the method that he is using in order that he might reach in and lead mankind astray. And he succeeded. They were told that they would know good and evil—and what happened? We now have the results of the fall of man.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons [Gen. 3:7].
“And the eyes of them both were opened”—this refers to their conscience. Before the fall, man did not have a conscience; he was innocent. Innocence is ignorance of evil. Man did not make conscience. It is an accuser that each one of us has living on the inside of us. A leading psychologist in a university in Southern California, who is a Christian, said to me that the guilt complex is as much a part of man as his right arm is. Man cannot get rid of that guilt complex in a psychological way.
“And they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” Have you ever noticed that the fig tree is the only tree that is specifically mentioned? (The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is not an apple tree. I do not know what it was, but I am almost sure it was not an apple tree.) These fig leaves concealed but did not really cover. Adam and Eve did not confess; they just attempted to cover up their sin. They were not ready to admit their lost condition.
This is the same condition of man today in religion. He goes through exercises and rituals, he joins churches, and he becomes very religious. Have you ever noticed that Christ cursed the fig tree? That is quite interesting. And He denounced religion right after that, by the way; He denounced it with all His being because religion merely covers over sin.
In this temptation Satan wanted to come between man’s soul and God. In other words, he wanted to wean man from God, to win man over to himself, and to become the god of man. The temptations of the flesh would not have appealed to man in that day, anyway. He was not tempted to steal or lie or covet. He was just tempted to doubt God. What was the trouble with the rich young ruler? He did not believe God. In the parable of the tares, the tares are those who would not believe God. Notice Satan’s method. First, Eve saw that the tree was good for food; second, it was pleasant to the eye; and third, it was to be desired to make one wise. Satan works from the outside to the inside, from without to within.
On the other hand, God begins with man’s heart. Religion is something that you rub on the outside, but God does not begin with religion. May I make a distinction here: Christianity is not a religion; Christianity is Christ. There are a lot of religions, but the Lord Jesus went right to the fountainhead when He said, “Ye must be born again.”
He said to the Pharisees who were very religious on the outside, “Make the inside of the platter clean. You are just like a mausoleum, beautiful on the outside with marble and flowers, but inside full of dead men’s bones.” What a picture! And Adam and Eve instead of confessing their sin, sewed fig leaves together as a covering. May I say to you, there is really no new style in fig leaves. Men are still going to church and going through religious exercises and good works instead of confessing the sin of their hearts.
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [Gen. 3:8–9].
Religion will separate you from God—and Adam is lost. Adam is lost, and it is God seeking him and not man seeking God.
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat [Gen. 3:10–12].
Notice that there is no confession on Adam’s part. The important thing is not so much that he blamed the woman or, as we would say in the common colloquialism of the day, “he passed the buck,” but that there is no confession of sin on his part.
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat [Gen. 3:13].
Here is some more of that so-called “buck passing.”
THE DESIGN OF GOD FOR THE FUTURE
This man, this creature that God has made, has now turned aside from God, and God must deal with him and must judge him.
And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life [Gen. 3:14].
The serpent is certainly not the slithering creature that we think of today. He was different at the beginning, and there has now been pronounced upon him this judgment from God. God pronounces a judgment upon Satan which has a tremendous effect upon man. I would urge you to memorize the following verse, for this is one that you certainly ought to know. This verse is the first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, the Savior, into the world:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel [Gen. 3:15].
“And I will put enmity between thee [that is, Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it [that is, Christ] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This is a tremendous statement that is given to us here. The most prominent thought is not the ultimate victory that would come, but the long-continued struggle. This verse reveals the fact that now there is to be a long struggle between good and evil. This is exactly what you will find in the rest of the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus made this statement in His day concerning this struggle: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). “The devil” is Satan. The Lord Jesus Christ made the distinction between children of God and children of Satan. John again mentions this conflict in 1 John 3:10: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” Thus we have brought before us the fact that here is a conflict, here is a struggle, and here are two seeds in the world. There will be the final victory—but the long-continued struggle is important to note. Every man must face temptation and must win his battle. Before Christ came, the victory was through obedience in faith. After Christ came, we are to identify ourselves with Christ through faith. What does it mean to be saved? It means to be in Christ.
Man was one of three orders of creation: angels, man, and animals. Animals were given no choice, but man and angels were given a choice. Here you have, if you please, man’s choice. He has made a decision, and he is held responsible for the decision that he has made.
Notice that it says “her seed.” It does not say the man’s seed. Here is at least the suggestion of the virgin birth of Christ. When God went into that garden looking for man, He said, “Where art thou?” Any anthology of religion tells the story of man’s search for God. My friend, that is not the way God tells it. Let’s tell it like it is: Salvation is God’s search for man. Man ran away from Him, and God called to him, “Where art thou?” Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas in his book, Genesis, A Devotional Commentary, makes the comment that “it is the call of Divine justice, which cannot overlook sin. It is the call of Divine sorrow, which grieves over the sinner. It is the call of Divine love, which offers redemption for sin.” We have all of that in the verse before us—the promise of the coming of the Savior.
God’s search for man is pictured all the way through Scripture. Paul wrote, “… there is none that seeketh after God” (Rom. 3:11). The Lord Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you …” (John 15:16). And we can say with John, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). God seeks out man, and He offers man salvation, but there is going to be a long struggle that will take place.
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee [Gen. 3:16].
This is the judgment upon woman. She cannot bring a child into the world without sorrow. Isn’t it interesting that that should be true? The very thing that brings joy into the life and continues the human family has to come through sorrow.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return [Gen. 3:17–19].
This is the judgment upon man. Death now comes to man. What is death? Physical death is a separation of the person, the spirit, the soul, from the body. Ecclesiastes says: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Eccl. 12:7). Man ultimately must answer to God. Whether he is saved or lost, he is going to have to answer to God. But Adam did not die physically the day that he ate. He did not die until more than nine hundred years later. The whole point is simply this: he died spiritually the moment he disobeyed; he was separated from God. Death is separation. When Paul wrote to the Ephesians that they were “dead in trespasses and sins,” he did not mean that they were dead physically but that they were dead spiritually, separated from God. In that wonderful parable of the prodigal son, our Lord told about this boy who ran away from his father. When he returned, the father said to the elder son, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found …” (Luke 15:24). Dead? Yes, he was dead, not physically, but he was separated from the father. To be separated from the Father means simply that—it means death. The Lord Jesus said to Martha, “… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Again, “dead” means death spiritually, that is, separation from God. Man died spiritually the moment he ate. That is the reason he ran away from God. That is the reason he sewed fig leaves for a covering.
THE DOCTRINE OF REDEMPTION INTRODUCED
And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living [Gen. 3:20].
This does not mean that Cain and Abel were born in the Garden of Eden, but it is definite that they were born after the fall of Adam and Eve.
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them [Gen. 3:21].
In order to have the skins of animals, the animals have to be slain. I believe that this is the origin of sacrifice and that God made it clear to man. God rejected their fig leaves but made them clothing of skins, and when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, they looked back upon a bloody sacrifice. When they looked back, they saw exactly what God had Moses put on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies: two cherubim looking down upon the blood that was there—and that was the way to God.
There are four great lessons that we see from the fig leaves and the fact that God clothed them with skins. (1) Man must have adequate covering to approach God. You cannot come to God on the basis of your good works. You must come just as you are—a sinner. (2) Fig leaves are unacceptable; they are homemade. God does not take a homemade garment. (3) God must provide the covering. (4) The covering is obtained only through the death of the Lord Jesus.
Man must have a substitute between himself and God’s wrath. That is important even in these days for man to consider. The hardest thing in the world is for man to take his rightful position before God. This anonymous poem on prayer reveals the necessity of this even in our own hearts:
He prayed for strength that he might achieve;
He was made weak that he might obey.
He prayed for health that he might do greater things;
He was given infirmity that he might do better things,
He prayed for riches that he might be happy;
He was given poverty that he might be wise.
He prayed for power that he might have the praise of men;
He was given infirmity that he might feel the need of God.
He prayed for all things that he might enjoy life;
He was given life that he might enjoy all things.
He had received nothing that he asked for—all that he hoped for;
His prayer was answered—he was most blessed.
Salvation comes when you and I take our proper place as sinners before God.
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken [Gen. 3:22–23].
All I can say to this is, thank God that He did not let man live eternally in sin and that God is not going to let us do that. That is really a blessing!
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life [Gen. 3:24].
This does not mean that God put up a roadblock. It means that the way of life was kept open for man to come to God. But now that way is not through the tree of life. Salvation must come through a sacrifice, and when man looked back, the blood of the sacrifice is what he saw.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The birth of Cain and Abel; God gives Cain a second chance; Cain murders Abel; the children of Cain and a godless civilization; the birth of Seth
In Genesis 3 we have the root of sin and in Genesis 4 the fruit of sin. How bad is sin? Well, in this chapter, we find that man was not just suffering from ptomaine poisoning because of having eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Chapter 4 reveals how much had really happened to the man. By his disbelief and his disobedience, he had turned away from God and had sinned in such a way that he brought upon himself and his race His judgment, because you and I are given this same kind of nature. We have the same nature that our father had, and Adam has given all of us a pretty bad nature. All this is revealed in the story of the two sons of Adam and Eve. They had more children than this, but we are given the record of only these two at this time.
THE BIRTH OF CAIN AND ABEL
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord [Gen. 4:1].
This reveals the fact that Adam and Eve certainly did not anticipate that the struggle was going to be long. When Cain was born, Eve must have said, “I have gotten the man from the Lord. God said that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent—and here he is!” But Cain was not the one. He was a murderer, he was no savior at all. It will be a long time before the Savior comes. For a minimum of six thousand years—and I think it has been longer than that—the struggle has been going on between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.
And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground [Gen. 4:2].
These are the two boys that we are looking at.
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord [Gen. 4:3].
“In process of time” actually means “at the end of days,” which would mean on the Sabbath day, on the day that God had rested.
“Cain brought”—the idea of “brought” means to an appointed place. They are bringing an offering to God to an appointed place to worship. All this would indicate that they are doing it by revelation. I know that they are, for when we turn to Hebrews 11:4, we read: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” How could Abel offer it “by faith”? “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). God had to have given His Word about this, or this boy Abel could never have come by faith, and that is the way he came. The other boy did not come that way. “Cain brought of the fruit of the ground.” There is nothing wrong with the fruit. Don’t think that he brought the leftovers—his attitude is not that of giving old clothes to the mission. I think that the fruit he brought would have won the blue ribbon in any county or state fair in the country. He brought the best of his beautiful, delicious fruit, and he brought it as an offering to the Lord.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell [Gen. 4:4–5].
Someone may say, “I don’t see anything wrong in the thing Cain did.” In the eleventh verse of his epistle, speaking of apostates in the last days, Jude says, “… They have gone in the way of Cain …” What is the way of Cain? When Cain brought an offering to God, he did not come by faith—he came on his own. And the offering that he brought denied that human nature is evil. God said, “Bring that little blood sacrifice which will point to the Redeemer who is coming into the world. Come on that basis, and don’t come by bringing the works of your own hands.”
Cain’s offering also denied that man was separated from God. He acted like everything was all right. This is what liberalism does today in talking about the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. My friend, things are not all right with us today. We are not born children of God. We have to be born again to be children of God. Man is separated from God. Cain refused to recognize that, and multitudes today refuse to do so.
The third thing that Cain’s offering denied was that man cannot offer works to God—Cain felt he could. Scripture says: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). The difference between Cain and Abel was not a character difference at all, but the difference was in the offerings which they brought. These two boys had the same background. They had the same heredity. They had the same environment. There was not that difference between them. Don’t tell me that Cain got his bad disposition from an alcoholic grandfather on his father’s side—he didn’t have a grandfather. And don’t say that Abel got his good disposition from a very fine grandmother on his mother’s side. They just didn’t have grandparents. They had the same heredity and the same environment. The difference was in the offerings.
That offering makes a difference in men today. No Christian takes the position that he is better than anyone else. The thing that makes him a Christian is that he recognizes that he is a sinner like everyone else and that he needs an offering, he needs a sacrifice, and he needs Someone to take his place and to die for him. Paul says of Christ: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood …” (Rom. 3:25). Therefore Paul could further write: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). That is the picture of multitudes of people today. They are attempting through religion, through joining a church and doing something, to make themselves acceptable to God. God’s righteousness can only come to you—because it must be a perfect righteousness—through Christ’s providing it for you. “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). That is, He was raised for our righteousness. He was the One who took our place. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Paul says in Philippians 3:8–9, “… That I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ ….” The righteousness of Cain was his own righteousness. The righteousness of Abel was faith in a sacrifice that looked forward to Christ’s sacrifice.
We have seen that Cain and Abel had come together to worship God. These two boys were identical. Some expositors actually believe they were twins—I think that was the position of the late Dr. Harry Rimmer. But I believe they were even closer than twins because of the fact they had no blood stream which reached way back on both sides that might cause a difference. They were the sons of Adam and Eve. However, there is a great divergence between Cain and Abel which is not necessarily a character divergence. One was accepted because of the sacrifice which he brought by faith; the other, Cain, brought his offering without any recognition from God at all.
GOD GIVES CAIN A SECOND CHANCE
And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him [Gen. 4:6–7].
Why is Cain angry? He is angry enough that he is going to slay his brother. Back of premeditated murder there always is anger. Our Lord said that, if you are angry with your brother without a cause, you are guilty of murder. Back of anger is jealousy, and back of jealousy is pride. There is no sense of sin whatsoever in spiritual pride. James put it in language like this: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). Cain’s anger led to murder, but back of that was his jealousy and also his pride.
And that is how God deals with him. He says to Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” Actually, the meaning is better translated as, “Shalt thou not have excellency?” The eldest son always occupied a place of preeminence, and this boy thinks that now he will lose that. God tells him there is no reason for him to lose it if he does well. To do well would be to bring that which God had accepted from Abel, a sacrifice and the acknowledgment that he was a sinner. But not this boy—he’s just angry.
“Sin lieth at the door.” There are those who have interpreted this as meaning that a sin offering lies at the door; that is, that there is the little lamb lying at the door. That makes sense because that was true, but I do not think it means the sin offering here. Up to this time and beyond this time, in fact, up until Moses, as far as I can tell from the Word of God, there was no sin offering. You find the instructions given for the sin offering in the book of Leviticus. In the first part of that book, five offerings are given, and one is the sin offering. The sin offering did not come into existence until the law was given. That is the thing that Paul is saying in Romans 3:20: “… For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The offerings that were brought up to that time were burnt offerings. Job in his day, which obviously was before Moses, brought a burnt offering. It was not in any way a sin offering. I think if you will examine the Scriptures, you will find that that is true.
It is obvious that Cain did not realize how vulnerable to sin he was. When God said to him that “sin lieth at the door,” I believe He was saying that sin like a wild beast was crouching at the door waiting to pounce on him the moment he stepped out. For that reason Cain needed a sacrifice that would be acceptable to God for sin, a sacrifice that pointed to Christ. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1 John 3:12). “If thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” To do well would have been to bring the kind of offering that Abel had brought, a burnt offering. You find that Abraham also offered a burnt offering, for there could be no transgression until the law was given; that is, sin would not become a trespass against law until then. Therefore, you find that God actually protected this man Cain.
CAIN MURDERS ABEL
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? [Gen. 4:8–9].
This is practically an impudent answer. He frankly had little regard for either his brother or for his God. He is trying to cover his action, but the Scriptures say, “… there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known” (Matt. 10:26). That is something to think over if you have any secret sins. You had better deal with them down here because they are all going to come out in God’s presence someday anyway. He already knows about them—you might just as well tell Him about them. This fellow Cain tries to say that he is not guilty. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”—what an impudent answer!
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground [Gen. 4:10].
The writer to the Hebrews uses this in Hebrews 12:24: “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Abel’s blood spoke of murder committed. The blood of Christ speaks of redemption; it speaks of salvation.
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth [Gen. 4:11–12].
Yet in our day there is a curse upon the earth because of man’s sin which causes it to lose its fertility. In some of the most lush sections of our earth multitudes of folk are starving. It takes great effort and ingenuity for man to make this earth produce in abundance. Certainly the blood of Abel cries out from the very earth itself—blood that was spilled in murder by a brother.
And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear [Gen. 4:13].
If Cain’s punishment was greater than he could bear, why didn’t he just turn to God and confess his sin and cast himself upon God’s mercy? It was too great for him to bear, but God was providing a Savior for him if he would only turn to Him.
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me [Gen. 4:14].
Cain says now that he is to be hidden from the face of God, and of course, that is exactly what happened.
But notice now that God protects him. This is strange: God is actually harboring a murderer, a criminal.
And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him [Gen. 4:15].
I do not know what the mark was. There has been a lot of speculation, and I do not know why I should add my speculation to all of it. But God protects Cain. There has been no law given at this time. Cain is a sinner, but he is not a transgressor because there has been no law given about murder. His great sin is that he did not bring the offering that was acceptable to God. His deeds were evil in what he brought to God, and he manifested that evil nature in slaying his brother.
THE CHILDREN OF CAIN AND A GODLESS CIVILIZATION
We find that Cain moves out from God, and he establishes a civilization that is apart from God altogether. The children of Cain establish a godless civilization.
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden [Gen. 4:16].
I know a lot of folk who dwell in “the land of nod” when they are in church, but frankly, I do not know where the land of Nod really is. I have often wondered just where it is, and again, there is speculation about this. But we are told that Cain went out and dwelt in that area.
And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch [Gen. 4:17].
Men have been doing this ever since. They like to call streets and cities by their own names or by names of loved ones. Even in Christian work you have schools named for individuals. Men love to do that, whether they are Christian or whether they are after the order of Cain.
But here is where urban life, city life, began: “and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.” Cities have become one of the biggest problems that man has today. The cities, they say, are dying, and yet people all over the world are flocking to the cities.
And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah [Gen. 4:18–19].
Here is the beginning of polygamy—having more than one wife. Lamech now does that which is contrary to what God intends, contrary to what God has for man. You will never find anywhere in the Scriptures that God approves of polygamy. If you read the accounts accurately, you will find that He condemns it. He gives the record of it because He is giving an historical record, and that is the basis on which it is given to us here.
“Adah” means pleasure or adornment. She was the first one to make it to the beauty parlor, I guess. “Zillah” means to hide; I suppose that means she was a coquette. My, what two girls he had for wives! No wonder he had problems. Later on we will see what happened.
Here now is the beginning of civilization, the Cainitic civilization.
And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle [Gen. 4:20].
“He was the father of such as dwell in tents.” The apostle Paul was a tentmaker later on, but here is the first housing contractor. “And of such as have cattle”—here was the first rancher.
And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ [Gen. 4:21].
Here is the beginning of the musicians. When we hear some of the modern music today, I am sure there are many who would agree that it must have begun with Cain’s civilization!
And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah [Gen. 4:22].
Here we see the ones who are craftsmen.
And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold [Gen. 4:23–24].
Lamech says, “If Cain got by with it, I can get by with it. After all, Cain did not slay in self-defense, but I have.” I do not know whether he did or not, but he says that he slew in self-defense. And I do not know whether or not his two wives entered into this, or whether or not he was defending one of them. We are not told how it happened. Lamech feels that he will be avenged seventy and sevenfold, but our Lord told Simon Peter that he ought to forgive his enemy that many times.
THE BIRTH OF SETH
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord [Gen. 4:25–26].
Apparently this was the beginning of men calling upon the name of the Lord.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Final chapter of Adam’s biography; the thrilling story of Enoch; the genealogy of Enoch to Noah
In the first section of the book of Genesis (chapters 1–11), we have world events—first the creation, then the fall, and now the Flood in chapters 5–9. In chapter 5 we have the book of the generations of Adam through Seth. Cain’s line has been given to us and is now dropped. It will be mentioned again only as it crosses the godly line. This is a pattern that will be set in the book of Genesis.
In one sense, chapter 5 is one of the most discouraging and despondent chapters in the Bible. The reason is simply that it is like walking through a cemetery. God said to Adam, “… For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17), and they all died who were the sons of Adam. Paul says, “For as in Adam all die …” (1 Cor. 15:22).
FINAL CHAPTER OF ADAM’S BIOGRAPHY
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created [Gen. 5:1–2].
“And blessed them, and called their name Adam”—not the Adamses, but Adam. He called their name Adam—Eve is the other half of him.
“The book of the generations of Adam.” This strange expression occurs again only in the beginning of the New Testament, and there it is “the book of the generation of Jesus Christ.” There are these two books, as we are already seeing that there are two lines, two seeds, and they are against each other. The struggle is going to be long between the line of Satan and the line of Christ, the accepted line. The line which we are following now is the line through Seth, and it is through this line that Christ will ultimately come.
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth [Gen. 5:3].
When Adam was 130 years old, how old was he? In other words, when God created Adam, did He create him thirty years old or fourteen or forty-five? I do not know—anything would be speculation. And if He created him that old, was he that old? And of course God could create him any age. May I say, this answers a lot of questions about the age of the earth. When someone says that certain rocks are billions of years old, they just do not know. Maybe when God created them, He created them two or three billion years old. The important thing here is that when Adam had been here 130 years, he begat a son in his own likeness. Adam was made in the likeness of God, but his son was born in his likeness.
And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died [Gen. 5:4–5].
Now we start through the graveyard. Adam begat sons and daughters, “and all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years”—and what happened? “And he died.”
In verse 8 we read what happened to Seth. He died. He had a son by the name of Enos, and what happened to him? In verse 11 we are told that he died. But he had a son, and Cainan was his son. And what happened to old Cainan? In verse 14 we find that he died too. He had a son, Mahalaleel, and what happened to him? In verse 17 it says he died. But he had a son, and his name was Jared, and, well, he died too (v. 20).
THE THRILLING STORY OF ENOCH
But before he died, Jared had a son by the name of Enoch.
And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah [Gen. 5:21].
And then did Enoch die? No! He did not die. This is a dark chapter, but here is the bright spot in it.
And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him [Gen. 5:22–24].
This is one of the most remarkable things, that in the midst of death one man is removed from this earth. It is said of Enoch that he “walked with God.” This is quite remarkable, by the way. Only two men are said to have walked with God. In the next chapter, we find that Noah also walked with God. These were two antediluvians, and they walked with God. There are actually only two men in the Old Testament who did not die. One of them is Enoch, and the other, of course, is Elijah.
Enoch is one of the few before the Flood of whom we have any record at all. We are told that he did not die but that God took him—he was translated. What do we mean by translation? Translation is the taking of a word from one language and putting it into another language without changing its meaning. Enoch was removed from this earth; he was translated. He had to get rid of the old body which he had. He had to be a different individual—yet he had to be the same individual, just as the translated word has to be the same. Enoch was taken to heaven.
We read that Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begat Methuselah, and after that he walked with God. I do not know what the first sixty-five years of his life were. I assume that he was like the rest of the crowd—this was a very careless period, moving now into the orbit of the days of Noah. But when that little boy Methuselah was born, Enoch’s walk was changed. That baby turned him to God. My friend, sometimes God puts a baby in a family just for that purpose, and if that baby will not bring you to God, nothing else will. For three hundred years after that he walked with God, and he begat other children, sons and daughters. “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years”—that is how long he was on this earth, but he did not die. It does not say, “And then Enoch died,” but it says, “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”
The only way I know to describe this is the way a little girl described it to her mother when she came home from Sunday school. She said, “Teacher told us about Enoch and how he walked with God.” Her mother said, “Well, what about Enoch?” And the little girl put it something like this: “It seems that every day God would come by and say to Enoch, ‘Enoch, would you like to walk with Me?’ And Enoch would come out of his house and down to the gate, and he’d go walking with God. He got to the place that he enjoyed it so much that he’d be waiting at the gate of his house every day. And God would come along and say, ‘Enoch, let’s take a walk.’ Then one day God came by and said, ‘Enoch, let’s take a long walk. I have so much to tell you.’ So they were walking and walking, and finally Enoch said, ‘My, it’s getting late in the afternoon. I’d better get back home!’ And God said to him, ‘Enoch, you’re closer to My home than you are to your home; so you come on home with Me.’ And so Enoch went home with God.” I do not know how you can put it any better than that, my friend. That is exactly the story that is here.
I think that all the great truths here in Genesis are germane. In my judgment, this is the picture of what is to come; here is the Rapture of the church. Before the judgment of the Flood, God removes Enoch.
THE GENEALOGY OF ENOCH TO NOAH
And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died [Gen. 5:27].
Methuselah lived longer than Adam. These two men, Adam and Methuselah, pretty well bridged the gap between creation and the Flood. According to our genealogy, this man Methuselah could have told Noah everything from the creation of the world. I personally feel that we have a gap in the genealogy given here. We know that in the opening of the New Testament the genealogy that is given of the Lord Jesus leaves out quite a few, and purposely so, because there is an attempt to give it in three equal segments. Certain ones are left out, but you will notice that it follows through accurately. I am sure that this genealogy is accurate, but the important thing is that we may have a gap here that would account for the fact that man has been on this earth a great deal longer than we have supposed. This is something I do not care to go into because it is quite an involved subject. Scripture is not clear right here. Why isn’t it? Because God is not anxious to insist upon that. What He is trying to get over to us is the religious, the redemptive, history of mankind on this earth.
The name of Methuselah means “sending forth.” Others believe that Methuselah meant: “When he is dead, it shall be sent.” What will be sent? The Flood. As long as Methuselah lived, the Flood could not come. The very interesting thing is that according to a chronology of the genealogy of the patriarchs (shown at the end of this chapter) the year that Methuselah died is the year that the Flood came. “When he is dead, it shall be sent”—that is the meaning of his name.
Why did Methuselah live longer than any other person? God kept him here just to let mankind know that He is patient and merciful. God will also wait for you, my friend—all of your life. Peter speaks of the long-suffering of our God: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water” (1 Pet. 3:20).
As we continue down through the rest of this chapter, each man is mentioned and then his death.
And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth [Gen. 5:31–32].
It is the popular theory in the world, blindly accepted by men, and the conclusion, I think, of all philosophy, that human nature is inherently and innately good and that it can be improved. The whole program that is abroad today is that, if we will just try to improve the environment of man and his heredity, he can really be improved. Communism and socialism seek to improve man. Arminianism means that man can assist in his salvation. Modernism says that man can save himself. In other words, salvation is sort of a do-it-yourself kit that God gives to you. Some of the cults tell us that human nature is totally good and that there is no such thing as sin.
What does God say concerning man? God says that man is totally evil, totally bad. That is the condition of all of us. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). That is the estimate of the Word of God. If you will accept God’s Word for it, it will give you a truer conception of life today than is given to us by others.
Here is mankind, and we are following a godly line now. Where is it going to lead? Is it going to lead to a millennium here upon this earth? Are they going to come to Elysian fields and establish an Utopia? No. The very next chapter tells us that a Flood, a judgment from God, came upon the earth.
Genealogy of the Patriarchs
These Columns Show Which of the Patriarchs Were Contemporary with Each Other
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Cause of the Flood; God’s deliverance from the judgment of the Flood; instructions to Noah for building the ark; passengers in the ark
CAUSE OF THE FLOOD
In chapter 6 we see not only the Flood, but also the reason for the judgment of the Flood.
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose [Gen. 6:1–2].
This matter of “the sons of God” and “the daughters of men” is something that has caused no end of discussion. There are a great many good men who take the position that “the sons of God” were angels. I personally cannot accept that at all. Most of my teachers taught that the sons of God were angels, and I recognize that a great many of the present-day expositors take that position. However, I cannot accept that view, because, if these were good angels, they would not commit this sin, and evil angels could never be designated as “sons of God.” Also, the offspring here were men; they were not monstrosities. I do not know why it is assumed by so many that the offspring were giants. We will look at this more closely when we come to verse 4.
And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years [Gen. 6:3].
We believe that Noah preached for 120 years, and during that time the Spirit of God was striving with men. Peter makes it very clear that it was back in the days of Noah that the Spirit of God was striving with men in order that He might bring them to God—but they would not turn. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (1 Pet. 3:18–19). These spirits were in prison when Peter wrote, but they were preached to in the days of Noah. How do we know that? Verse 20 reads: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” When were they disobedient? During the long-suffering of God in the days of Noah—during those 120 years.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown [Gen. 6:4].
It says, “There were giants in the earth in those days,” but it does not say they are the offspring of the sons of God and the daughters of men. It does say this about the offspring: “the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” These were not monstrosities; they were men. The record here makes it very clear that the giants were in the earth before this took place, and it simply means that these offspring were outstanding individuals.
Humanity has a tremendous capacity. Man is fearfully and wonderfully made—that is a great truth we have lost sight of. This idea that man has come up from some protoplasm out of a garbage can or seaweed is utterly preposterous. It is the belief of some scientists that evolution will be repudiated, and some folk are going to look ridiculous at that time.
Evolution is nothing in the world but a theory as far as science is concerned. Nothing has been conclusive about it. It is a philosophy like any other philosophy, and it can be accepted or rejected. When it is accepted, it certainly leads to some very crazy solutions to the problems of the world, and it has gotten my country into trouble throughout the world. Anyone would think that we are the white knight riding through the world straightening out wrongs. We are wrong on the inside ourselves! I do not know why in this country today we have an intelligentsia in our colleges, our government, our news media, and our military who think they are super, that somehow or another they have arrived. It is the delusion of the hour that men think that they are greater than they really are. Man is suffering from a fall, an awful fall. He is totally depraved today, and until that is taken into consideration, we are in trouble all the way along.
Then what do we have here in verse 4? As I see it, Genesis is a book of genealogies—it is a book of the families. The sons of God are the godly line who have come down from Adam through Seth, and the daughters of men belong to the line of Cain. What you have here now is an intermingling and intermarriage of these two lines, until finally the entire line is totally corrupted (well, not totally; there is one exception). That is the picture that is presented to us here.
I recognize, and I want to insist upon it, that many fine expositors take the opposite view that the sons of God are actually angels. If you accept that view, you will be in good company, but I am sure that most of you want to be right and will want to go along with me. Regardless of which view you take, I hope all of us will be friends, because this is merely a matter of interpretation. It does not have anything to do with whether or not you believe the Bible but concerns only the interpretation of the facts of Scripture.
What was the condition on the earth before the Flood? What caused God to bring the judgment of the Flood?
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually [Gen. 6:5].
There are four words here that ought to be emphasized and which I have marked in my Bible. “The wickedness of man was great.” “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil.” Only evil—that is all it was—and that “continually.” These four words reveal the condition of the human family that was upon the earth.
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart [Gen. 6:6].
“And it repented the Lord.” What repented the Lord? The corruption of man repented the Lord. It looks as if God has changed His mind, and intends to remove man from the earth. He probably did just that with a former creation on the earth. Although it grieved God because of man’s sin, thank God, He did not destroy him.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them [Gen. 6:7].
It does not mention fish because they are in the water, and He is simply going to send more water.
GOD’S DELIVERANCE FROM THE JUDGMENT OF THE FLOOD
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord [Gen. 6:8].
And why did Noah find grace?
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God [Gen. 6:9].
Why did God save Noah? Because he walked with God? Yes, but we are also told: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Heb. 11:7). It took faith to prepare an ark on dry land when it had not even drizzled! In this same chapter in Hebrews, we are told that it was by faith that Enoch was translated. You see, when the church is taken out of this world, every believer is going because the rapture is for believers, and the weakest saint is going out. They are going out because God extends mercy, and we are told that the mercy of God will be demonstrated at that time.
Why the Flood? Why is God going to send the Flood?
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth [Gen. 6:11–12].
That is, man had corrupted God’s way and was going his own way. He had turned from the purpose for which God had created him.
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth [Gen. 6:13].
God is going to send the Flood, and I would like to mention here several reasons why.
Man had a promise of a Redeemer, and he was told that there was coming a Savior on the earth. That is the thing man should have been looking for; instead of that, he turned from God.
God had provided a sacrifice for Adam and Eve, and we find that a great, eternal principle was put down with Cain and Abel. These two boys, Cain and Abel, stand as the representatives of two great systems, two classes of people: the lost and the saved, the self-righteous and the broken-spirited, the formal professor and the genuine believer. That is what was present in the human race at this time.
And then we find that the patriarchs were living so long that the lives of Adam and Methuselah bridged the entire gap from the creation to the Flood. They certainly could have given a revelation to all mankind, which they did. Then we are told in Jude 14 and 15 that Enoch preached, he prophesied, during that period. We are also told that Noah preached during that period as he was building the ark. When Enoch disappeared, that should have alerted the people to the intervention of God in human affairs. They also knew about this man Methuselah and the meaning of his name; and when he died, they should have known the Flood was coming. Finally, there was also the ministry of the Holy Spirit. God said that His Spirit would not always strive with man. The Spirit of God was striving with him, but, when man totally rejected God, the Flood came in judgment upon the earth.
The entire human family has turned from God. “… There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). There are just a few, though, who do believe Him—Noah and his family. Here is one man who walked with God; he believed God. Here is a man who still trusted God—“by faith Noah.” Here is a man who was willing to risk building a boat on dry land. If the rains did not come, he certainly would be the laughingstock of the community. I think he was just that for 120 years, but Noah believed God.
There is a striking comparison in the fact that the days of Noah are to be duplicated before the Lord comes again to the earth, not for the Rapture, but to establish His kingdom. But there are some remarkable parallels that have already taken place. For instance, this chapter opened: “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them ….” There was this tremendous population increase, and by that time man had spread pretty much over the earth. He was in North America, in Asia, in Europe, and in Africa. He had spread in every direction. Today we have a tremendous population explosion, and men again have increased upon the face of the earth.
Also, there is the fact that during the great tribulation period, the Holy Spirit will no longer restrain evil. He will be there to convert men, but we are told very definitely that He will not be restraining evil on the earth. God’s overtures to men will be despised and rejected, and certainly they are even today. Isn’t it amazing that the only ones who are listened to by the world today are the liberal Protestant and Roman Catholic ministers? You hear nothing from conservative men. They have attempted to make some sort of inroad, and they are trying their best to get back in the mainstream, but we have come to the day when, if you are going to stand for God, you will find that you will not be able to talk before a television camera very often. Instead, you must learn to protest, to march, and to deny Christ before you can expect a television interview!
Finally, the world in that day will be faced with the great problem of the Rapture—there will have been a great number of people who have mysteriously left the earth. Also there were judgments in Noah’s day, and yet they did not heed them.
INSTRUCTIONS TO NOAH FOR BUILDING THE ARK
In the preparation for the Flood, God is giving the people ample opportunity.
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch [Gen. 6:14].
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood.” Gopher wood is an almost indestructible wood very much like our redwood here in California.
“Rooms shalt thou make in the ark.” The word for “rooms” has the idea of nest. The elephant would need a room, but the mole would not need quite that much space. He could be given just a little dirt in a corner, and that is all he would need.
“And shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” The ark was to be made waterproof.
And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits [Gen. 6:15].
The impression that most people have of the ark is the impression they were given by the little Sunday school pictures which made it look like a houseboat. It was, to me, a very ridiculous sort of a travesty. It was a caricature of the ark instead of a picture of it like it actually was.
To begin with, the instructions for the building of the ark reveal that it was quite sizable. “The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits.” If a cubit is eighteen inches, that ought to give you some conception of how long this ark was.
The question arises as to how they could make it substantial in that day. My friend, we are not dealing with cavemen. We are dealing with a very intelligent man. You see, the intelligence that the race has today came right through Noah, and he happened to be a very intelligent man.
Noah is not making an oceangoing ship to withstand fifty-foot waves. All he is building is a place for life, animal life and man, to stay over quite a period of time—not to go through a storm, but just to wait out the Flood. For that reason, the ark might lack a great deal that you would find on an oceangoing ship, and that would give it a great deal more room.
If a cubit is 18 inches, 300 cubits would mean that the ark was 450 feet long. That is a pretty long boat, but the relative measurements is the thing that interests me. For instance, I noted that the New Mexico, one of our battleships of the World War II era, was built 624 feet long, 106 1/4 feet wide, and with a mean draught of 29 1/2 feet. By comparison the ark had practically the same ratio; so that you did not have a ridiculous looking boat at all, but one which would compare favorably with the way they build ships today.
A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it [Gen. 6:16].
“A window shalt thou make to the ark.” The window was not a little slit made in the side of the ark. Have you ever stopped to think about the stench that there might be with all those animals in there over that period of time? The window was a cubit high and went all the way around the top of the ark. The roof must have overlapped the window quite a bit. That is the way they ventilate a gymnasium today. I also noticed that at the state fair in Dallas, Texas, the buildings in which the animals were housed had that window which goes all the way around at the top. With all the animals they had there, it was not an unpleasant place to be. People were sitting in there eating their meals and also sleeping. It was very comfortable, and the odor was not bad. I have heard it said that poor Noah had to stick his head out this little window in order to live. That’s ridiculous. That is man’s imagination and not what the record says here at all.
“And the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof.” The ark had only one door, and that is important. Christ said, “I am the way” and “I am the door to the sheepfold,” and He is the door to the ark.
“With lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.” The ark had three decks, you see, and then, I take it, one either on top or on the bottom which would make four decks. Was there a door for each deck? I am rather of the opinion there was only one door and not one for each floor, but frankly, that is beside the point.
PASSENGERS IN THE ARK
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die [Gen. 6:17].
God is bringing the judgment upon the earth—upon animal and bird and man.
But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive [Gen. 6:18–20].
“Two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.” Noah was not a Frank Buck who went out “to bring’em back alive.” He was not a big game hunter. He did not have to go after these animals—they came to him.
Animals in danger will do that. I remember the first time that we went into Yosemite Valley when our daughter was just a little thing. She had never seen snow before, and when we put her down in the snow, she began to whimper. But she quit when she looked over and saw a little deer. I believe we could have gone over and petted that little deer, but realizing the possible danger, of course we did not approach him any closer. When I mentioned the deer to the ranger, he laughed and said, “Yes, there’s snow up in the High Sierra right now, and when there is snow up there and there’s danger, they come down here and are as tame as any animal could possibly be. But the minute the snows melt in spring, they leave this area, and you couldn’t get within a country mile of any of them.” Why? Because when an animal is in danger, he will come to man. At the time of the Flood, I do not think Noah had any problem at all, for the animals all came to him.
And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he [Gen. 6:21–22].
Noah is now to do something very practical. It took a lot of hay in the ark to feed these animals. Some people are going to say, “But some of those animals ate meat. They would eat each other!” I do not think so. Up to the time of the Flood, apparently both men and animals were not flesh-eating. They just did not eat flesh; there were no carnivorous animals. We are told of a day in the millennium when the lion and the lamb will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like an ox (see Isa. 11:6–7). That could certainly come to pass, for that probably was the original state of the animal.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Noah, his family, and the animals enter the ark; destruction of all flesh and the salvation of those in the ark
NOAH, HIS FAMILY, AND THE ANIMALS ENTER THE ARK
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation [Gen. 7:1].
Why was Noah righteous? It was by faith, just as later on Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith: “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Noah believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. “By faith Noah … prepared an ark …” the writer to the Hebrews said (Heb. 11:7). That is the reason God saved him.
Have you ever noticed how gracious God is to this man in all of this time of judgment? Here in verse 1 He says, “Come thou ….” This is the same invitation that the Lord Jesus gives today to all mankind: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will rest you” (Matt. 11:28). Then in verse 16 of this chapter, we read, “And the Lord shut him in.” Isn’t that lovely? And finally, chapter 8 opens, “And God remembered Noah.” How wonderful! God could very easily have forgotten all about Noah. Years later He could have said, “Oh my, I forgot all about that fellow down there. I put him in an ark and forgot about him!” That would have been too bad, wouldn’t it? But God did not forget. God remembered Noah. God never forgets. He remembers you. The only thing that He does not remember is your sin if you have come to Him for salvation. Your sins He remembers no more. What a beautiful thing this is!
Now Noah and his family enter into the ark. Did you know that this story of Noah, just like the story of creation, has wandered over the face of the earth? I wish that I could give you the Babylonian account. All you have to do is to compare them to see the differences. The other accounts are utterly preposterous and ridiculous. The very fact that most nations and peoples have an account of both creation and the Flood should tell you something, my friend. It ought to tell you that there is a basis of truth for them. All of these peoples would not come up with such a record if they had been making up stories. And if you want to know which one is accurate, just make a comparison. The Babylonian account, for example, is a perfectly ridiculous story of a sort of war going on among the gods, one against the other, and that is what brought the Flood. In contrast, the Bible tells us that the Flood was a judgment of God upon man for his sin—that makes sense, by the way.
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth [Gen. 7:2–3].
This was the basis of a lawsuit years ago against Dr. Harry Rimmer who had offered a thousand dollars to anyone who could show a contradiction in the Bible. There were several liberal theologians who testified in a court of law that this was a contradiction. Why would it first say two of each kind and now seven of each kind? Of course Dr. Rimmer won the lawsuit. All you have to do is to turn over to see that when Noah got out of the ark, he offered clean beasts as sacrifices. Where would he have gotten the clean beasts if he had not taken more than two? It was only of the clean beasts that he took seven, and now we know why. Those that were not clean went in by twos, a male and a female.
“Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female”—that is for those that are clean.
For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth [Gen. 7:4].
For seven days the world could have knocked at the door of the ark, and frankly, they could have come in—God would have saved them. All they had to do was to believe God.
And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah [Gen. 7:6–9].
Nowhere does Scripture say that Noah went out and drove the animals in. It was not necessary—they came to him.
DESTRUCTION OF ALL FLESH AND THE SALVATION OF THOSE IN THE ARK
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth [Gen. 7:11–12, 16–17].
What is the scientific, historical evidence for the Flood? I am not going to enter into this subject other than to mention one of the finest books on this subject which I can highly recommend. It is The Genesis Flood by Henry M. Morris and John C. Whitcomb (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1960). Both of these men are thoroughly qualified to write on this subject. John Whitcomb, Th.D., professor of Old Testament at Grace Theological Seminary, and Henry M. Morris, Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, professor of hydraulic engineering and chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, joined together and have written a book on the Genesis Flood. They show that the Flood was universal, it was a great catastrophe, and there is historical evidence for it. They also answer the uniformitarian argument (that existing processes acting in the same manner as at present are sufficient to account for all geological changes). This is one of the many different theories that have been advanced to discount the geological evidences of the universal Flood. I assume that there is an abundance of historical evidence for the Flood, and it is not necessary for me to go into it, as it has been answered in this very scholarly book.
And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark [Gen. 7:23].
On the other hand, there have recently come from the press several books by men whom I consider to be pseudointellectuals and pseudotheologians. They take the position that the Flood was local; that is, that it was confined to the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. In other words, it was sort of a big swimming pool and that is about all. The Genesis Flood absolutely demolishes that thought altogether, and I am sure that you realize that the Scriptures make it very clear that the Flood covered the whole earth. God said that the entire earth was going to be destroyed by the Flood. “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (Gen. 6:13).
The human family had already gotten to North America, and the animals were certainly there—nobody would argue that point for a moment. But if you say that the Flood was not universal, then you have someone besides Noah starting the human family over again—and that is just not the way the Word of God tells it. You are on the horns of a dilemma, as I see it: you either have to accept the Word of God, or you have to reject what it says. To my judgment, to attempt to make a case for a local flood is actually, in the long run, to reject the Word of God. The Bible makes it very clear that it was a universal flood. “And every living substance was destroyed … and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”
And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days [Gen. 7:24].
In other words, for a period of approximately half a year, for five months, the waters prevailed on the earth.
The Genesis Flood not only answers the question of its being a universal rather than a local flood, but it also answers this question of uniformitarianism. There are those who take the position that there was no such thing as a great convulsion or catastrophe like the Flood. I am not going into detail, except to point out that Peter makes it very clear that we should expect such scoffers. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3–4). The scoffer has always been a uniformitarian, but you could not very well hold that position and accept the integrity of the Word of God at this particular point. This is very important to see.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The rains cease; earth dries—Noah leaves the ark; Noah builds an altar and offers sacrifice
THE RAINS CEASE
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;
The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat [Gen. 8:1–4].
We are given the record not only of the building up of the Flood but also of the prevailing and now the assuaging of the Flood. We are told that “God remembered Noah”—how lovely—and that “God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged.” It did not happen just overnight. The buildup of the waters took over 150 days, and then there were 261 days in the assuaging. That looks to me like it is something more than just a local flood.
And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made [Gen. 8:5–6].
We could say that this is the beginning of the end of the Flood. Notice what Noah does:
And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground [Gen. 8:7–8].
Frankly, Noah becomes a bird-watcher. He sends out these two birds, the raven and the dove.
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;
And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more [Gen. 8:9–12].
I want you to see a great spiritual truth that we have here in the eighth chapter in this account of the raven and the dove. After Noah had spent over a year in the ark, he sent forth a raven, and the raven never came back. But the dove kept coming back and even brought in its beak a little bit of greenery, an olive leaf. I do not know why the dove and olive leaf have always been symbolic of peace, but they are. I cannot quite see that that is exactly the message of the dove’s second return. But when the dove did not return at all, that was the sign that the judgment was over and that peace had returned to the earth. But, of course, man going out of the ark is the same type of man that all the sons of Adam were who had provoked the Flood as a judgment from God in the first place. You are going to see that there is not too much improvement in man after the Flood; in fact, there is none whatsoever.
There is a great spiritual lesson here which I would not have you miss for anything in the world. Noah is engaged here in “bird-watching.” He sends out the raven, and the raven does not come back. Why didn’t that raven come back? You must recognize what that raven eats—it feeds on carrion. There was a whole lot of flesh of dead animals floating around after the Flood, and that was the kind of thing this old crow ate. He did not return to the ark because he was really going to a feast, and he was having a very wonderful time. The raven was classified as an unclean bird, by the way.
The dove is a clean bird and is so listed later on in Scripture. Remember that Noah took into the ark both the clean and the unclean animals. The dove brought back information: it was a regular homing pigeon. With the dove’s second trip, Noah was now a confirmed bird-watcher—and the dove brought back evidence that the dry land was appearing. The third time, the dove did not return, and Noah knew that the waters of judgment were gone.
I have said before that all great truths of the Bible are germane in Genesis. The Bible teaches that the believer has two natures, an old and a new nature: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
The clean and the unclean are together. You and I as believers have these two natures. Our Lord said: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). And Paul writes: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18).
Paul spoke of a struggle between the two natures. And there is a struggle today between the old nature and the new nature of a believer.
The raven went out into a judged world, but he found a feast in the dead carcass because that is the thing he lived on. The bloated carcass of an elephant would have made him a banquet; I tell you, it would have been for him a bacchanalian orgy. Back and forth, he restlessly went up and down. May I say to you, that is the picture of the old nature; the old nature is like that raven. The old nature loves the things of the world and feasts on them. That is the reason so many people watch television on Sunday night and do not go to church. Don’t tell me that you have some good excuse for that. You do have an old nature, but that is no excuse because you ought not to be living in the old nature.
The dove went out into a judged world, but she found no rest, no satisfaction, and she returned to the ark. The dove represents the believer in the world. The old raven went out into the world and loved it. When he found that old carcass, he probably thought the millennium had arrived! You see, it is a matter of viewpoint. A professor said to me, “This matter of what’s right and wrong is relative.” He’s right; it is. It is what God says is right, and it is what the professor says is wrong—and he does not find very much that is wrong, by the way. What God says is wrong is wrong. The believer is told, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world …” (1 John 2:15). You and I are living in a judged world today. We are in the world, but not of it. We are to use it, but not to abuse it. We are not to fall in love with it, but we are to attempt to win the lost in this world and get out the Word of God. Our Lord told us, “… Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Let’s take care of our job down here and get out the Word of God—that is the important thing. The dove recognized what kind of a world she was in, and she found no rest. She found rest only in the ark, and that ark sets forth Christ if you please.
Let me ask you this very personal question: What kind of bird are you? Are you a raven or a dove? If you are a child of God, you have both natures—but which one are you living in today? Do you love the things of God, or don’t you?
EARTH DRIES—NOAH LEAVES THE ARK
And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry [Gen. 8:13].
This brings us to 261 days, so that the total time of the Flood was 371 days, extending over a year. That also conforms to the statement of Scripture that the Flood was universal; it was not just the filling of a swimming pool—it certainly was more than that!
There have been other discoveries that have revealed something concerning the Flood, and I would like to pass on to you the words of Dr. J. E. Shelley who takes the position that the Flood was universal, that it covered the entire earth: “The most striking example of this is found in the case of the mammoths. These elephants are found buried in the frozen silt of the Tundra, Siberia, all over the length of the Continent of Asia, and in the North of Alaska and Canada. They are found in herds on the higher ground not bogged in marshes, hundreds of thousands in number.” He goes on to say that these elephants have been examined and found to have drowned. If they had just gotten bogged down, they would have died of starvation. “The farther north one goes, the more there are, till the soil of the islands of the White Sea inside the Arctic circle consists largely of their bones mingled with those of sabre-tooth tiger, giant elk, cave bear, musk ox, and with trunks of trees and trees rooted in the soil. There are now no trees in those regions, the nearest being hundreds almost thousands of miles away. The mammoth could not eat the stunted vegetation which now grows in this region for but three months in the year, a hundred square miles of which would not keep one of them alive for a month. The food in their stomachs is pine, hawthorn branches, etc. These mammoths were buried alive in the silt when that silt was soft. They and the silt were then suddenly frozen and have never been unfrozen. For they show no signs of decomposition. Mammoth ivory has been sold on the London docks for more than a thousand years. The Natural History Museum purchased a mammoth’s head and tusks from the ivory store of the London Docks. This head was absolutely fresh and was covered with its original fur.”
If you doubt the universality of the Flood, here is more than enough evidence to convince you.
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him:
Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark [Gen. 8:18–19].
NOAH BUILDS AN ALTAR AND OFFERS SACRIFICE
God is now going to make a covenant with Noah. We will see this new beginning as we get into the next chapter. This covenant is a very important one. When God made it with Noah, He made it with the human family that is on the earth today.
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar [Gen. 8:20].
Now do you see why Noah took seven of the clean beasts and only two of the unclean? He is now offering the clean beasts as sacrifices.
The first thing that Noah did when he came out of the ark was to build an altar to the Lord and offer a sacrifice, a burnt offering, to Him. That burnt offering speaks of the person of Jesus Christ. It was offered on the basis of acceptance before God and of praise to God in recognition of Him. Without doubt, this was one of the things that caused God to be pleased with Noah at this particular time.
And the Lord smelled a sweet savor; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done [Gen. 8:21].
You can just write it down that that is true. What about your youth? Was your imagination evil or not? In our contemporary society we can see the rebellion of youth, and isn’t it interesting to note the direction they have gone? They have gone in the same direction. Every imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth—and it does not improve. I was visiting in a hospital the other night. The curtain was pulled between the beds, but you could hear the next patient talking with her husband. It seemed to be a contest between those two to see who could outcuss the other one! I have never heard such profanity on the part of two human beings. May I say to you, the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. That just happens to be an accurate statement that was made a long time ago.
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease [Gen. 8:22].
It has been suggested that the Flood was so extensive that it tilted the earth. As you know, the earth is not straight on its axis. We are off center, if you please. The magnetic center is different from the center on which we are revolving. Something happened somewhere along the line, and it is the belief of many that this is when it took place. Because the earth revolves like that, that gives us our seasons. It is sort of going around like a wobbly top. You remember that when you were young and would spin a top, the top would run down and get wobbly. That is the way the earth revolves today, and as a result we have the seasons.
Prior to the Flood, man learned the three R’s: (1) Rebellion against God was realized—it came right out in the open. (2) Revelation from God was rejected by man. Noah’s witness did not reach them. (3) Repentance was absolutely repudiated; there was no return to God at all. Men refused the refuge that God provided, and for 120 years Noah had no converts. These are the three R’s. Men led in rebellion, they rejected the revelation, and there was no repentance on their part.
Now as this man Noah comes forth from the ark, he stands in a most unique position. He stands in the position of being the head of the human race again—the same position Adam had. It is said that we are all related to Adam, but we are closer kin than that: we are all related in Noah. In one sense, Noah is the father of all of us today.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: New instructions and arrangements; the sin of Noah and his sons
Now we come to a new beginning. It is difficult for us to realize what a revolutionary beginning it is. The dispensation of human conscience is over, and God is putting man under government—he is to govern himself. We will see something of this in the covenant which God made with Noah. And let’s keep in mind that, when God made the covenant with Noah, He made it with you and me, for He made it with all mankind.
NEW INSTRUCTIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth [Gen. 9:1].
The word replenish is meaningful here because we know that there was a civilization before the Flood, and now there is to be a civilization after the Flood. (When Adam was told to replenish the earth, we assume that there had been living creatures—I don’t know what to call them—before Adam. They apparently were living creatures of God’s creation; anything I could say beyond that would be pure speculation.)
Notice that the first thing God tells Noah to do is to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” There is to be the propagation of the race. Remember that God gave this command under special circumstances. Today we are in a time of population explosion, and there is overpopulation that is quite dangerous. However, Noah stood in an unique position. He and his family were the only folks around. Can you imagine driving down the freeway, going to work in the morning, and there are cars in front of you, cars to the right of you, cars to the left of you, cars behind you, cars honking—you’re in a traffic snarl. Then about a year later you go out on the freeway and there is not another car there. Yours is the only one. You might as well take down all the traffic lights. You won’t need them because you are the only one driving through. This would be quite an unusual experience for us, would it not? Well, this was the experience of Noah in his day.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered [Gen. 9:2].
Another part of the covenant is man’s protection and rulership over the animal world. I take it that before this time the relationship was different. Apparently man had not been a meat eater before. All the animals were tame, and one is not inclined to eat an animal that is a pet. Remember that the animals cameto Noah when the Flood was impending; they seemed to have no fear of him at all.
Now the animals will fear and dread man. However, man is responsible for the animal world. Man’s treatment of the animal world is a brutal story. Man has attempted to exterminate many of the animals. Man would have slaughtered all the whales around the Hawaiian Islands for the money they could get unless the government had intervened. At one time the buffalo were in great herds in the West, but they were killed by man. Today we must have places of refuge to protect animals and bird life. It is well that we do that. The animals of Africa are being exterminated. Man is a mighty brutal creature. We need a government to protect the animals from man.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things [Gen. 9:3].
Now God gives to man a new provision for food. Before the Flood God gave to man the green earth, the plant life, to eat. Now He tells Noah that he is able to eat animal life. There are diet faddists, and often this type of thing becomes a part of a person’s religion. I once met a lady who was a vegetarian as a part of her religion, and she was quite excited when I told her that these antediluvians were all vegetarians. She thought this reinforced her argument that we should all be vegetarians, and she had her assistant take it down in her notes. However, I think she must have erased it later because I told her this: “I wouldn’t make too much of it if I were you because you must remember that it was a bunch of vegetarians who were destroyed in the Flood. If diet had in any way improved them at that time, they would not have been destroyed.” We see here that God now permits man to eat flesh.
However, God prohibits the eating of blood.
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat [Gen. 9:4].
The blood should be drained out. The blood speaks of life; draining it indicates that the animal should be killed in a merciful way rather than prolonging its suffering and that it must be really dead. Although I enjoy the sport of hunting, I don’t like to shoot quail, for instance, because sometimes I just wound the little fellow and it crawls away so that I can’t find it. I don’t like to do that. God says that when you are going to eat animals, you are to make sure that you don’t eat them with their blood. It should be drained out, insuring that the animal is killed in a merciful manner.
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man [Gen. 9:5].
This is an interesting statement, but not so meaningful to those of us who do not live on a frontier. However, there are certain animals even we encounter—such as skunks and opossums which may be rabid or disease-carrying rodents—that pose a real danger to man.
Now the fifth and the last statement in the new covenant is the most amazing—
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man [Gen. 9:6].
Here God lays down the principle for government and protection of man. He gives the government the right of capital punishment. We have seen that in this new covenant which God has given, man is to propagate the race, he is to have the protectorate and the rulership over animals, he is given a new provision for food and a prohibition against the eating of blood. Now we see that he is given the principle of government, which is the basis of capital punishment.
May I say to you that it is amazing how the attitude of the present generation has gotten away from the Bible. You see, we do not have a Bible-oriented population anymore. It is almost totally ignorant of the Word of God. As a result, we find the judges, the lawyers, and the politicians all wanting to get rid of capital punishment. They have succeeded in many cases, and I think that finally it will be eliminated totally from American culture. At the same time we have an increase in crime and the most horrible crimes taking place. I have dealt with this subject more in detail in a booklet which I entitled, Is Capital Punishment Christian? I believe that capital punishment is scriptural and that it is the basis of government. The government has the right to take a life when that individual has taken someone else’s life. Why? Well, I think it is quite obvious that God has ruled it so in order to protect human life.
Our lives are no longer safe on the streets and often not in our homes, either. Although I know that many officials would deny this, one reason is our attitude toward capital punishment. When a criminal knows that if he takes a life, his life is going to be sacrificed, then may I say to you, he’ll think twice before he takes a life. Also, there is an idea today about getting a gun-control law. May I say that the problem is not with the gun in the hand, it is with the heart inside the man.
“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed” is a law that we had better get back on our statute books and get rid of this sob-sister stuff. Human government is the area into which all mankind has moved (Gentiles included). “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” is the basis for human government. It has not been changed as far as the governments of the world are concerned.
And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein [Gen. 9:7].
This is a repetition of God’s instructions in verse 1.
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you [Gen. 9:8–9].
“With your seed after you” includes all the human race.
And with every living creature that is wich you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth [Gen. 9:10].
All of God’s creatures are included in this covenant. Isaiah predicts that someday the lion and the lamb will lie down together and that they will not hurt or destroy. In Paul’s epistle to the Romans he mentions that the whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain in this present age. May I say to you that God has made this covenant with Noah and with all of His creatures until the time His kingdom comes on earth. It is for all of Noah’s descendants and “every living creature that is with you.”
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth [Gen. 9:11].
This is God’s promise. His purpose is that He will not again destroy the earth with a flood. The next time His judgment of the earth will be by fire. We find that stated in 2 Peter 3.
In the next few verses we see the picture of the covenant, and in my opinion, really a spiritual meaning of the covenant. It is sort of a sacrament, if you please. The thing which makes it that is a visible sign to which are annexed promises.
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth [Gen. 9:12–13].
The rainbow is more or less of a sacrament, that is, a token of a covenant.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth [Gen. 9:14–16].
Notice that God says, “I will look upon it” and “I will remember.” God didn’t say that you would see it; He said that He would see it. He said He would look upon it and it would be an “everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” That ought to be the encouragement whenever you look at a rainbow.
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth [Gen. 9:17].
This is God’s covenant, not merely with Noah but with all flesh that is upon the earth.
Let me say again that the rainbow could be called a sacrament because a sacrament is a visible sign to which are annexed certain promises. The Passover feast, the brazen serpent, Gideon’s fleece, and in our day baptism and the Lord’s Supper are such signs.
Dr. Johann Peter Lange once made the statement, “God’s eye of grace and our eye of faith meet in the sacraments.” That is what happens when man looks at the rainbow. Faith lays hold of the promise attached to the sign. You see, the merit is in what the sign speaks of. There is no faith in a promise and there is no assurance in a sign—the word and the sign go together, you see. God makes a promise and attaches a sign to it. Now the rainbow is God’s answer to Noah’s altar. It is as if God says, “I’ll remember, and I’ll look upon it.” A friend of mine told me about a time he was traveling by plane across the country and going over a storm. The plane was up where the sun was shining, and all of a sudden he saw a rainbow that went all the way around, a complete circle. I guess that is the way God always sees it.
THE SIN OF NOAH AND HIS SONS
We will find something that is very disappointing in the remainder of this chapter. The question arises: When man came out of the ark after the Flood and all the sinners were dead, does that mean that there was no more sin on the earth? Well, let’s look and see.
And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan [Gen. 9:18].
Why is Ham’s son Canaan mentioned here? For two reasons. One reason we’ll see in a moment. Another reason is that when Moses wrote this record, the people of Israel were traveling to the land of Canaan, and it was encouraging for them to have this information regarding God’s judgment upon the people of Canaan.
These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent [Gen. 9:19–21].
Here is the record of Noah’s sin. The hard fact of the matter is that Noah got drunk, and this is sin. There is no satisfactory excuse, although many expositors have attempted to find excuses for him. One excuse is that he was ignorant of the effect of wine since no one had been drunk before. You will notice that before the Flood, drunkenness is not mentioned as one of the sins. Then there are those who hold the canopy theory about the Flood. (There are many things I have not had time to mention.) The canopy theory is that before the Flood there was an ice covering which the sunlight filtered through so that grapes did not ferment before the time of the Flood and that this was something new to Noah. Well, all I can say is that this is a new beginning in a new world, but it is old sin that is still there. This incident reveals this, and it was given to answer a big question, as we shall see.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him [Gen. 9:22–24].
Now notice what God says through Noah, which became part of the Noahic covenant.
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren [Gen. 9:25].
I would have you note that God said, “Cursed be Canaan”—He does not put a curse on Ham. A question that keeps arising is this: Is the curse of Ham upon the dark races? It certainly is not. To think otherwise is absolutely absurd. The Scripture does not teach it. The coloration of the skin, the pigment that is in the epidermis of the human family, is there because of sunlight from the outside not because of sin from within. There is no curse placed upon Ham; the curse was upon Canaan his son. We do not know in what way Canaan was involved in this incident. We are given only the bare record here, but we recognize that Canaan is mentioned for a very definite purpose. Let me repeat that it hasn’t anything to do with color—it is not a curse of color put on a part of the human race. That teaching has been one of the sad things said about the black man. It is not fair to the black man and it is not fair to God—because He didn’t say it. After all, the first two great civilizations were Hamitic—both the Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations were Hamitic.
Another question arises: Why did God give us a record of the sin of Noah? Well, if man had written the Book of Genesis, he would have done one of two things. He either would have covered up the sin of Noah by not mentioning it at all to make Noah a hero; or else he would have made Noah’s sin a great deal more sordid than it was. But God recorded it for His own purposes.
First of all, as I have indicated, it was to encourage the children of Israel in entering the land of Canaan during the time of Moses and Joshua. It let them know that God had pronounced a curse upon Canaan. He had pronounced His judgment upon the race. All you have to do is read the rest of the Old Testament and secular history to discover the fulfillment of this judgment. The Canaanites have pretty much disappeared.
God had a further reason for recording the incident of Noah’s sin. In Romans 15:4 we read these words: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” It was recorded to let you and me know something of the weakness of the flesh. The Lord Jesus said that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. And in Galatians 2:16 it is made very clear that no flesh would be justified by keeping the law: “… for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” So God has given us here the story of a man who fell, revealing the weakness of the flesh.
There is no use trying to make excuses for Noah. The bare fact is that Noah got drunk.
Now, maybe you as a Christian do not get drunk. But, may I say, you and I may be living in the flesh to the extent we’re just as displeasing to God as Noah was. We have, I think, a wrong conception of life in this universe that we are in. For instance, our nation has spent billions of dollars to put men on the moon, and it looks like it’s not a good place to live anyway. But we spend relatively little on how to live on this earth. But God is concerned about training you and me how to live on this earth.
Let us not make some of the mistakes that are made in the consideration of this incident. We need to make it very clear that Noah did not lose his salvation. I trust that you understand that. It was an awful thing that he did—there is no excuse for it. It was his weakness of the flesh, but he was still a saved man.
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant [Gen. 9:26–27].
As I have mentioned before, when Moses was given this revelation from God, he was leading the people of Israel to the land of Canaan. The Israelites were descendants of Shem.
And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died [Gen. 9:28–29].
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Sons of Japheth; sons of Ham; sons of Shem
This is a chapter of genealogies, of families, which are the origin of the nations of the world. This chapter is far more important than the space I’m giving to it would indicate. If you are interested in ethnology and anthropology and the story of mankind on the earth, you may want a far deeper study than you will find here. H. S. Miller, who has his master’s degree in ethnology, has charted the origin of the nations, using Genesis 10 as a basis for the threefold division of the human family, which is revealed in these three sons of Noah: Ham, Shem, and Japheth. Ethnology makes it evident, by the way, that neither the sons of Japheth nor the sons of Ham ever comprised what some folk call the lost ten tribes of Israel.
Here in chapter 10 we have the genealogies of all three sons of Noah.
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood [Gen. 10:11].
First we see the genealogy of Japheth (vv. 2–5), then the genealogy of Ham (vv. 6–20)—this was the outstanding people at the very beginning—and finally the genealogy of Shem (vv. 21–32). Notice that throughout the Bible God follows this same pattern of giving the rejected line first and saying a word about it, then He drops that subject entirely and does not bring it up again. Finally, He gives the accepted line, the line which is leading to the Lord Jesus Christ.
SONS OF JAPHETH
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras [Gen. 10:2].
According to H. S. Miller’s chart, the Scythians, the Slavs, Russians, Bulgarians, Bohemians, Poles, Slovaks, Croatians came from Magog. The Indians and the Iranic races—Medes, Persians, Afghans, Kurds—all came from Madai. From Javan we have the Greeks, Romans, and the Romance nationalities such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, etc. Coming from Tiras are the Thracians, the Teutons, the Germans, and then from that we have the east Germanic and the European races, the north Germanic or the Scandinavians and the west Germanic from which come the High German and the Low German, and then the Angles and the Saxons and the Jutes, the Anglo-Saxon race, the English people.
Well, I simply can’t go into the whole chart, but it is an interesting study. You can see that the majority of us in America descended from these lines.
SONS OF HAM
And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan [Gen. 10:6].
As you can see, Ham had other sons, but the curse was only upon Canaan. Why it was not upon the others, I am not prepared to say. From Canaan came the Phoenicians, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, etc.
From Ham’s son Cush came the Africans—the Ethiopians, the Egyptians, the Libyans, etc. All of these races are Hamitic, you see. Now we have some detail regarding a son of Cush—
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord [Gen. 10:8–9].
“He began to be a mighty one in the earth.” He wanted to become the ruler of a great world empire, and he attempted to do it.
“He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.” This doesn’t mean that he was a wild game hunter. Sometimes a little boy is given an air gun, and when he goes out and shoots a sparrow, his folks say, “My, look at that! He’s a little Nimrod. He hit a sparrow!” But Nimrod wasn’t shooting sparrows or hunting wild game in Africa. He was a hunter of men’s souls—that is the thought in this passage.
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar [Gen. 10:10].
He was the founder of those great cities in the land of Shinar.
Nimrod has quite a story which you can get from secular history. Alexander Hislop, in his book, The Two Babylons, gives the background which I am not going to repeat here, but it is a fascinating story of how Nimrod was responsible for the Tower of Babel. It was he who attempted to bring together the human race after the Flood in an effort to get them united into a nation of which he could become the great world ruler. He was the rebel, the founder of Babel, the hunter of the souls of men. He was the lawless one, and he is a shadow or a type of the last world ruler, the Antichrist who is yet to appear.
The first great civilization, therefore, came out from the sons of Ham. We need to recognize that. It is so easy today to fall into the old patterns that we were taught in school a few years ago. Now the black man is wanting more study of his race. I don’t blame him. He hasn’t been given an opportunity in the past several hundred years. The story of the beginning of the black man is that he headed up the first two great civilizations that appeared on this earth. They were from the sons of Ham. Nimrod was a son of Ham.
I’m not going to attempt to develop that line any further. You see, we are following the pattern set by the Holy Spirit in which He gives the rejected line first and then drops it. We are going to turn now to the line that will lead to Abram and then to the nation Israel and finally to the coming of Christ into this world. It is this line which we will follow through the Old Testament. God is bidding good-bye to the rest of humanity for the time being, but He will be coming back to them later on.
Let me give you a quotation from Saphir’s book, The Divine Unity of Scripture:
The tenth chapter of Genesis is a very remarkable chapter. Before God leaves, as it were, the nations to themselves and begins to deal with Israel, His chosen people from Abraham downward, He takes a loving farewell of all the nations of the earth, as much as to say, “I am going to leave you for a while, but I love you. I have created you: I have ordered all your future; and their different genealogies are traced.”
In chapter 10 seventy nations are listed. Fourteen of them are from Japheth. Thirty of them come from Ham. Don’t forget that. It will give you a different conception of the black man at his beginning. And twenty-six nations come from Shem, making a total of seventy nations listed in this genealogy.
It seems to me that God is showing us what He has done with the nations of the world. Why has the white man in our day been so prominent? Well, I’ll tell you why. Because at the beginning it was the black man, the colored races, that were prominent. Then the sons of Shem made a tremendous impact upon this world during the time of David and Solomon. And you will notice that from Shem there came others, such as the Syrians, the Lydians, and the Armenians, also the Arabians from Joktan. These great nations appeared next. Apparently we are currently in the period in which the white man has come to the front. It seems to me that all three are demonstrating that, regardless of whether they are a son of Ham or a son of Shem or a son of Japheth, they are incapable of ruling this world. I believe that God is demonstrating this to us, and to see this is a tremendous thing.
SONS OF SHEM
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born [Gen. 10:21].
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan [Gen. 10:25].
When I went over this verse in a previous Bible study, I received all sorts of weird interpretations of what was meant by “the earth was divided”—that it refers to a physical division here in the earth, that the earth had undergone some tremendous physical catastrophe. Well, my friend, all that Moses is simply doing is anticipating the next chapter in which he will give us the account of the Tower of Babel. At that time the earth was divided. May I say that the simple interpretation seems to be the one that a great many folk miss, and we should not miss it.
Now let’s just pick up the final verse of this chapter—
These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood [Gen. 10:32].
I want to submit to you that this is one of the great chapters of the Bible although we have given very little space to it. You can see what a rich study this would make for anyone who really wanted a fair appraisal of the human family. A great many have used this remarkable chapter for that purpose.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The building of the Tower of Babel; from Shem to Abraham
THE BUILDING OF THE TOWER OF BABEL
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech [Gen. 11:1].
I do not know what language the people spoke at that time. A friend of mine who was a fellow Texan, a preacher in Texas, facetiously said to me, “You and I are probably the only two who really know what they spoke before the Tower of Babel because it was Texan.” Well, I’ll be honest with you, I’ve come to the conclusion that it could have been something else. What the language was, we simply do not know. I believe whatever that language was will be the language that will be spoken in heaven, and it will be a much better language than we have today, with more specific nouns and verbs, adverbs, and adjectives.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there [Gen. 11:2].
“As they journeyed from the east”—notice it was from the east. Mankind was apparently moving toward the West. “They found a plain in the land of Shinar,” which is in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley.
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar [Gen. 11:3].
Down in that area there is no stone, and so they made bricks. That in itself reveals something about the substantial character of their buildings. Even today brick is a popular type building material. Yet the brick was use there because of its practicality; it was a necessity.
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth [Gen. 11:4].
Notice that they said, “Let us build us a city … and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad.” They had a bad case of perpendicular I-itis-let us make us a name! In my opinion, the sole purpose of this tower was for a rallying place for man.
The Tower of Babel was a ziggurat. There are many ruins of ziggurats in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. I have a picture of the ruins of one in Ur of the Chaldees where Abraham lived. It was made of brick, solidly constructed, and around it was a runway which went to the top. Apparently, on top of it was an altar on which, in certain instances, human sacrifices were offered. Later on children were offered, put in a red-hot idol. All of this was connected with the ziggurat in later history.
But at the time of its construction, the Tower of Babel represented the rebellion of mankind against Almighty God. Apparently it was Nimrod who led in this movement. He was the builder of the city of Babel and evidently of the Tower of Babel also. It was to be a place for him to rear a world empire that was in opposition to God.
In order to realize his ambition and to make his dreams come true, two features and factors were essential: First, he needed a center of unity, a sort of headquarters, as it were. He needed a capital, a place to assemble, a place to look to. This was why he built the city of Babel. It fulfilled one of his requirements to carry out his dream of world empire. Secondly, he needed a rallying point, not just geographical but psychological, that which gives motive—a spark, an inspiration, a song, a battle cry, sort of like a “rally-around-the-flag-boys.” There had to be some impelling and compelling motivation. There had to be a monument. Lenin’s tomb is where Communism meets, and in Nimrod’s day it was the Tower of Babel. “Let us make us” is defiance and rebellion against God. “Let us make us a name” reveals an overweening ambition.
Now let’s see what the Tower of Babel was not. It was not built as a place of refuge in time of high water. He wasn’t building above the flood stage, as some expositors suggest. In fact, I consider that a very puerile interpretation. After all, Lenin’s tomb is not a place of refuge when the Volga River overflows! No, this tower revealed the arrogant, defiant, rebellious attitude of man against God. God had said to man that he should scatter over the earth and replenish the earth. But man in essence answered, “Nothing doing. We’re not going to scatter; we are going to get together. We are through with You.” The Tower of Babel was against God.
Also, the Tower of Babel was a religious symbol. It was a ziggurat. All through that valley, as I have indicated, there are ruins of ziggurats. They were places where people worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. Some ziggurats were round, others were square, but all of them had runways leading to the top, and on the top the people carried on the worship of the sun, moon, and stars. After all, when they could see the sun, moon, and stars, they knew they were not going to have a flood, and they felt that God had been pretty mean to have sent the Flood.
Now notice God’s reaction to the Tower of Babel—
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do [Gen. 11:5–6].
This is a tremendous statement! Since all the people spoke one language, they didn’t have the great language barrier. They could get together and pool their knowledge and resources—“and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” We find here that man has a fallen nature inspite of the Flood and that he is totally depraved. God cannot ignore this rebellion, for it is a rebellion against Him. God is going to put up a protective wall. He is going to throw up a barrier. This was necessary because man is such a very capable creature. He can go to the moon and he can fly in a jet plane. I still am amazed that I can sit in a jet plane, flying five miles high in the air and be served a delicious dinner. I just can’t get over it, I’ll be honest with you. It seems unbelievable. Man has done that, friend. Man is a very competent creature.
You can see what mankind would do with one language if they all came together against God.
So notice what God did—
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth [Gen. 11:7–9].
Now man is scattered over the face of the earth. They were together in their rebellion, but now they can’t understand one another. You know, a language barrier is a wall that is higher than the Wall of China. It is higher than the Berlin Wall and more effective. It is that which separates people, and it is stronger than any national border and any ocean.
There are a great many who say that languages developed gradually. But God said He confounded their language so that right then, while they were building, they suddenly couldn’t understand each other. The building project came to a sudden halt, and folk moved away from Babel—they went in every direction.
This is a tremendous thing that took place. Here is a “speaking in tongues” when they couldn’t understand each other. It is a miracle, a miracle of speaking and a miracle of hearing. They spoke different languages, and those who heard could not understand them.
Let me ask you a question: Was this a blessing in disguise, or was it a curse upon mankind? Well, for God’s purposes it was a blessing. For man’s development away from God, it was definitely a judgment. Down through the centuries mankind has been kept separate, and it has been a great hindrance to him. One thing that is happening today through the medium of radio and television and jet travel is that these walls are being broken down. They are tumbling down like the walls of Jericho. This is one reason that I believe God is coming down in judgment again.
Now let’s put over against this tongues movement those events of the Day of Pentecost. That was another great tongues movement, and that time we find that the gospel was preached in all the languages that were understood by the people there. This was not speaking in an unknown tongue—that never was involved in the tongues movement to begin with. On the Day of Pentecost, God is giving His answer to the Tower of Babel. God is saying to mankind, “I have a gospel and a message for you, and I’m coming to you with the gospel in your own language.”
This is the thing that God has done, and today the Bible has gone out in more languages than any other book. It is still being translated into tongues and dialects and is being brought to literally hundreds of tribes throughout the world. The gospel is for all mankind, and the reason and the purpose for the talking in tongues was to let the human race know that God had answered the Tower of Babel. He had a redemption for man now. The mission has been accomplished. It is no longer necessary for man to try to work out his salvation. He can listen to God’s message and turn to Him. The gospel is for you, whoever you are and whatever tongue you speak. It’s for you. It’s for all the nations of the world. We are told in the final book of the Bible that there will be gathered into His presence “… a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues …”(Rev. 7:9).
FROM SHEM TO ABRAHAM
Now we will take up the line of Shem since it is the line which will be followed throughout the Old Testament.
These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood [Gen. 11:10].
Shem’s genealogy is given in the following verses, then we read:
And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:
And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters [Gen. 11:24–25].
You see that we are following the line of Terah. Why Terah? Notice the next verse:
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran [Gen. 11:26].
Now we are going to follow the line of Abram, whom we know as Abraham.
We’re following the line of Shem, and we are actually going right through the Bible following this line. The Word of God will follow this line directly to the cross of Christ. God has recorded all of this as preliminary. God now has demonstrated to man that he is in sin. In the incident of Cain and Abel, we find that Cain would not acknowledge that he was a sinner. In him we see a demonstration of the pride of life. At the Flood we see the sin of the flesh because the people then were given over to the sins of the flesh. They were indulging in violence and their every thought and imagination was evil. They were blind to their need of God. They were deaf to His claim, dead to God, dead in trespasses and sins. God gave them an invitation through Noah. They spurned the invitation and remained in the sins of the flesh. Then, here at the Tower of Babel, we see the sin of the will, rebellion against God. That was the Tower of Babel.
Do you have your own little Tower of Babel which you have built? Are you in rebellion against God? Well, it is natural for human nature to be in rebellion against God.
Little Willie was being very cantankerous one evening. He was really cutting up, and his mother was having a great deal of trouble with him. Finally, she had to get him and put him in a corner—sat him down with his face to the wall and told him to sit there. She left him and went back to the living room with the rest of the family. After awhile she heard a noise in there, and she called to him, “Willie, are you standing up?” He said, “No, Mom, I’m sitting down, but I am standing up on the inside of me!”
Well, believe me, there are a lot of men and women in our day who are standing up on the inside of them, standing against God. They have built their own little Tower of Babel.
Now as we follow the line which is going to lead to Christ, here are the generations or the families of Terah—
Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there [Gen. 11:27–31].
The name Haran means delay.
And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran [Gen. 11:32].
This bit of history is given to let us know that we are going to follow Abraham, and his story will begin in the next chapter.
It is at this point that the book of Genesis—and, for that matter, the Bible as a whole—takes a turn. There is a great Grand Canyon which goes right down through the Book of Genesis. The first eleven chapters are on one side, and the last thirty-nine chapters are on the other side. In the first eleven chapters we cover over 2,000 years, as long a period as the rest of the Bible put together. Contrast that 2,000 years with the 350 years from Genesis 12 through 50. In these first eleven chapters of Genesis we have seen the Creation, the fall of man, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel. These are four great events which covered that long span of years.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: God’s call and promise to Abraham; Abraham’s response; Abraham’s lapse of faith
The chapter before us brings us to the other side of the Grand Canyon which runs through Genesis. The atmosphere is altogether different here, and we are going to slow down to a walk. The emphasis turns from events, stupendous events, to personalities—not all of them were great but all of them were important personalities. In Genesis there are four, and others will follow in subsequent books of the Bible.
In the first eleven chapters we have seen four great events: the Creation, the fall of man, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel. In all of these tremendous events God has been dealing with the human race as a whole. Other than Adam and Abraham, God did not appear to anyone else. God was dealing with the entire race of mankind. There is a radical change at chapter 12. Now there will be brought before us four individuals. God will no longer be dealing with events, but with a man, and from that man He will make a nation. In the first section we will see Abraham the man of faith (Gen. 12–23). Then there will be Isaac the beloved son (Gen. 24–26). Next there will be Jacob the chosen and chastened son (Gen. 27–36), and then there will be Joseph’s suffering and glory (Gen. 37–50). These four patriarchs are extremely important to the understanding of the Word of God. We will be taking up their stories in the rest of the book of Genesis.
You see, God has demonstrated that He can no longer deal with the race. After the fall of man, we see the great sin of Cain. What was his great sin? Pride. He was angry because of the fact that deep down in his heart he was proud of the offering he had brought to God. And when his offering was rejected while his brother’s was accepted, it caused him to hate his brother. His hatred led to murder, and the root of all of it was pride. Let me remind you that pride was also Satan’s sin. Pride is the sin of the mind.
Then at the time of the Flood, the sin was the lust of the flesh. We saw that the actions and even the imaginations of man were to satisfy the flesh.
God had to bring the Flood to judge man at the time He did, because there was only one believer left—Noah. If God had waited even another generation, He would have lost the entire human race. God had certainly been patient with the world. He had waited 969 years, the entire life span of Methuselah. I am confident that you would say that 969 years is long enough to give anybody an opportunity to change his mind. But instead of turning to God, the people were in open rebellion, asserting a will that was against God. Following the Flood, the Tower of Babel reveals that “none seeketh after God.”
After the Tower of Babel, God turns from the race of mankind to one individual. From that individual He is going to bring a nation, and to that nation He will give His revelation, and out of that nation He will bring the Redeemer. Apparently, this is the only way that God could do it. Or let me put it like this: If there were other ways, this was the best way. We can trust God to do the thing which is the best.
When God chose Abraham, He chose a man of faith. Abraham, by any person’s measuring rod, is a great man. He is one of the greatest men who ever lived on this earth. How do you measure great men even today? Well, to begin with, the man has to be famous, and certainly Abraham measures up to that. He is probably the world’s most famous man. Even in this day of radio and television, probably more people have heard of Abraham than of anyone else. More have heard of Abraham than have heard of the President of the United States, or of any head of state, or of any movie star, or of any athlete. The three great religions of the world go back to Abraham: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. There are literally millions of people in Asia and Africa today who have heard of Abraham but have never heard of the ones who make the headlines in our country. One of the marks of a great man is fame; Abraham was a great man.
Another mark of a great man is that he must be noble of character, a generous man. Can you imagine anyone more generous than Abraham? I doubt whether there is a man alive who would do what he did. When he and his nephew came back into the land of Palestine, he told Lot to choose any portion that he wanted, and Abraham said he would take what was left. Do you think any man would do that in a business deal today? They don’t even do that in a church, friend, much less in a hard-boiled business world. But Abraham was a generous man. Have you ever noticed how generous he was with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah? He told them he wouldn’t take the booty, not even so much as a shoestring, because God was the One to whom he was looking.
Thirdly, a great man must live in a momentous time. He must be, as Napoleon said, a man of destiny. The man and the right time must meet at the crossroads of life. That was certainly true of Abraham.
I believe the world would agree with me on the first three points we have mentioned. They might not agree with this one: The fourth essential of a great man is that he must be a man of faith. You will notice that all great men, even when they are not Christian, have something in which they believe. God said that Abraham was a man of faith. In the Bible record the greatest thing that is said about Abraham is that he believed God: “… Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3). As we go through these chapters in Genesis, we will find that God appeared to this man seven times, each time to develop faith in his life. This does not mean that he was perfect. The fact of the matter is that he failed many times. God gave him four tests, and he fell flat on his face on all four of them. But, like Simon Peter, he got up, brushed himself off and started again. May I say to you, if God has touched your heart and life, you also may fall, but you are surely going to get up and start over again. We will see this happen in Abraham’s life as we go through the chapter before us.
GOD’S CALL AND PROMISE TO ABRAHAM
The first three verses give us the threefold promise of God to Abraham (Abram), and actually this is the hub of the Bible. The rest of Scripture is an unfolding of this threefold promise.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed [Gen. 12:1–3].
The first of the threefold promise is the land. God says, “I am going to show you a land, and I am going to give it to you.” The second part of the promise is the nation—“I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great.” He also promises him, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” The third part of the promise is that He would make him a blessing: “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” This is God’s threefold promise.
Now the question arises: Has God made good on His promises to Abraham? God has certainly brought from him a great nation, and it has probably the longest tenure as a nation of any people on this earth. No one can quite match them.
How about the second promise—has Abraham been a blessing to all mankind? Yes, through the Lord Jesus Christ he has been a blessing to the whole world. Also the entire Word of God has come to us through Abraham.
God has fulfilled all His promises to Abraham—except the first one. God had said, “Abraham, I’m going to give you that land.” And look at what is happening over there in our day. They are holding on to the land by their toenails, but they don’t have it. Somebody says, “God didn’t make that good.” Well, let’s not put it that way, my friend. Let’s give God a chance. Two-thirds of the promise has been made good right to the very letter. But God said that He would not let them be in the land if they were disobedient and if they were away from Him. And they are away from Him today. As a result they are having trouble over there. Don’t say that God is not making good His promise. The fact of the matter is that God is doing exactly what He said He would do. The day will come when God will put the people of Israel back in the land, and when He does it, they won’t have only a toehold. They will have the land all the way east to the Euphrates River and all the way north as far as the Hittite nation was and all the way south to the river of Egypt, which is a little river in the Arabian desert. They have never really occupied the land God gave to them. At the zenith of their power, they occupied 30,000 square miles, but that is not all that God gave them. Actually, He gave them 300,000 square miles. They have a long way to go, but they will have to get it on God’s terms and in God’s appointed time. The United Nations can’t do anything about it, and neither can the United States or Russia settle their problem.
My friend, it is very comfortable today where I sit. I have come to the position that God is running things. It is nice to sit here without being frightened by the headlines in the newspaper and without being disturbed by what is going on in the world. God is in control, and He is going to work things out His way.
Now in the light of God’s three promises to Abraham, what did he do?
ABRAHAM’S RESPONSE
In verse 1 we read: “Now the Lord had said unto Abram.” We know from other Scriptures that God had called Abram when he lived in Ur of the Chaldees: “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell” (Acts 7:2–4). Abraham obeyed God by leaving his home, his business, and the high civilization of Ur, “not knowing whither he went.” Yet it was not complete obedience because we read that he took with him some of his family. He took with him his father, Terah, and God had told Abraham not to take him. Why was it that God wanted to get him out of the land and away from his relatives? We learn the answer in the book of Joshua. “… Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods” (Josh. 24:2). They served other gods—Abraham was an idolater. The world was pretty far gone at that time. God had to move like this if He was going to save humanity. The other alternative for Him was to blot them all out and start over again. I’m glad He didn’t do that. If He had, I wouldn’t have been here, because I arrived here a sinner. The fact of the matter is, all sinners would have been blotted out. Thank God, He is a God of mercy and grace, and He saves sinners.
We’ll follow the Scripture text now and call him Abram until chapter 17 where God changes his name to Abraham.
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran [Gen. 12:4].
“So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him.” Now he will follow God’s leading to the land of Canaan.
“And Lot went with him”—oh, oh! It is still incomplete obedience; he is taking his nephew Lot with him.
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came [Gen. 12:5].
Abram took Sarai, his wife, and that was all right, of course.
“And Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran.” The time Abram had spent in Haran was a period of just marking time and of delaying the blessing of God. God never appeared to him again until he had moved into the land of Palestine, until he had separated at least from his closer relatives and brought only Lot with him.
“And into the land of Canaan they came”—now verse 6:
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land [Gen. 12:6].
Here is the record of the fact that the Canaanites were the descendants of Ham’s son Canaan. I want to add something very important right at this point. A great many people think that Abram left a terrible place in Ur of the Chaldees and came to a land of corn and wine, a land of milk and honey, where everything was lovely. They think that Abram really bettered his lot by coming to this land. Don’t you believe it. That is not what the Bible says. And through archaeology we know that Ur of the Chaldees had a very high civilization during this time. In fact, Abram and Sarai might well have had a bathtub in their home! Ur was a great and prosperous city. Abram left all of that and came into the land of Canaan, “and the Canaanite was then in the land.” The Canaanite was not civilized; he was a barbarian and a heathen, if there ever was one. Abram’s purpose in coming to Canaan was certainly not to better his lot. He came in obedience to God’s command.
Now he has obeyed, and notice what happens—
And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him [Gen. 12:7].
Abram builds an altar unto the Lord when He appears to Him this second time. While he was in Haran, the place of delay, God had not appeared to him.
You see, one of the reasons that you and I are not always blessed in the reading of the Bible is because the Bible condemns—we are not living up to the light which God has already given to us. If we would obey God, then more blessing would come. We see in Abram’s experience that God did not appear again to him until after he had moved out and had begun to obey God on the light that he had. Now God appears to him again. Then Abram builds an altar, and we will see that he is a real altar-builder.
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai, on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord [Gen. 12:8].
Abram does two things when he gets into the land. He pitches his tent—that is like buying a home in a new subdivision and moving in. He “pitched his tent”—that’s where he lived. Then “he builded an altar.” That was his testimony to God, and everywhere Abram went, he left a testimony to God.
My friend, what kind of a testimony do you have? To have a testimony, you don’t need to leave tracts in front of your house and you don’t have to have a “Jesus Saves” bumper sticker on your car (then drive like a maniac down the freeway, as some folk do). That is no testimony at all. May I say to you that Abram quietly worshiped God, and the Canaanites soon learned that he was a man who worshiped the Lord God.
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south [Gen. 12:9].
South is the right direction to go for warmer weather; so this man is moving south. He has itchy feet. He’s a nomad.
Now we come to the blot in his life, actually the second one.
ABRAHAM’S LAPSE OF FAITH
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land [Gen. 12:10].
Abram was in the land, and this was the place of blessing. God never told him to leave. But a famine was in the land, and I think one morning Abram pushed back the flap of his tent, looked out, and said, “Sarai, it looks like everybody’s going to Egypt. There’s a famine, you know, and it’s getting worse. Maybe we ought to think about going down.” And I suppose Sarai said, “Anything you want to do, Abram. I’m your wife and I’ll go with you.” After a few days had gone by and Abram had talked to some of these travelers (probably coming from north of where he was living and bringing the news that the famine was getting worse and was moving south) I imagine that he said to Sarai one evening, “I think we had better pack up and go to Egypt.” So Abram and Sarai start down to Egypt.
Notice that God had not told him to do that. When God had appeared to him the last time, He had said, “This is it, Abram, this is the land I am going to give you. You will be a blessing, and I am going to bless you here.” But, you see, Abram didn’t believe God. He went down into the land of Egypt. In the Bible, Egypt is a picture of the world. You will find that all the way through. I think it is still a picture of the world—this was my opinion of it when I was there. But Abram went down to Egypt.
It’s amazing how the world draws Christians today. So many of them rationalize. They’ll say, “You know, brother McGee, we’re not able to come to church on Sunday night because we have to get up and go to work Monday morning.” Well, almost everybody has to do that. And it’s amazing that those same people can go to a banquet on a week night and sit through a long-winded program with lots of music and lots of talk and not worry about getting up for work the next morning. It’s amazing how the world draws Christians today and how they can rationalize.
I think that if you had met Abram going down to Egypt and had said, “Wait a minute, Abram, you’re going the wrong direction—you should be staying in the land,” that Abram could have given you a very good reason. He might have said, “Look, my sheep are getting pretty thin and there’s not any pasture for them. Since there’s plenty of grazing land for them down in Egypt, we’re going down there.” And that’s where they went.
However, immediately there is a problem, and it concerns Sarai because she is a beautiful woman.
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive [Gen. 12:11–12].
As you probably know, over along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, ancient scrolls were found in the caves there, and they are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. At first the unbelieving scholars thought that they had found something that would disprove the Bible. But have you noticed how silent the higher critics have become? They just don’t seem to have found anything that contradicts the Bible.
Among the scrolls was a set which couldn’t be unrolled because they were so fragile—they had been wrapped so long that they would just shatter and come to pieces. One name could be seen, the name Lamech, so they were called part of the book of Lamech and said to be one of the apocryphal books of the Bible. Boy, how incorrect that was! The nation Israel bought them, and in the museum the experts began to moisten and soften them until they were unrolled. The scholars found that they contained Genesis 12, 13, 14, and 15, not in the Bible text but rather an interpretation of it. In the part that deals with chapter 12, it tells about the beauty of Sarai, actually describing her features and telling how beautiful she was. It confirms what we read of her in the Word of God.
The same scroll gives a description of Abram’s exploration after God told him to “walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it” (Gen. 13:17). The scroll gives a first person account by Abram of his journey. It confirms what the Bible has said about the land’s beauty and fertility. The eyewitness (whether or not it was really Abram, we do not know) certainly confirmed the Bible record. A great many people who visit that land today can’t understand how it could be called a land of milk and honey. Well, in the Book of Deuteronomy we learn what caused the desolation that is seen there today. But it was a glorious land in Abram’s day.
However, there were periods of famine, and Abram left the land and went down to Egypt during such a time.
As Abram neared Egypt, he recognized that he would get into difficulty because of the beauty of his wife. So he said to Sarai,
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee [Gen. 12:13].
“Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister.” That was half a lie, as we shall see. Half a lie is sometimes worse than a whole lie, and it certainly was intended to deceive. Abram’s fears were well founded because Pharaoh did take Sarai. We know from the Book of Esther that in those days there was a period of preparation for a woman to become a wife of a ruler. And during that period of preparation, God “plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues,” and let him know that he was not to take Sarai as his wife.
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had [Gen. 12:18–20].
God, you see, was overruling in the lives of Abram and Sarai, but God did not appear to him while he was in the land of Egypt.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Abraham separates from Lot; Lot goes to Sodom; God appears to Abraham and reaffirms His promise
In chapter 13 we see the return of Abram from the land of Egypt. Abram and Lot leave Egypt and return to the land of promise. Lot separates from Abram and goes to Sodom, and then God appears to Abram for the third time. As long as Abram is in the land of Egypt and as long as he is still holding on to Lot, God does not appear to him. The minute that he comes back to the land and there is the separation from Lot, God appears to him.
ABRAHAM SEPARATES FROM LOT
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold [Gen. 13:1–2].
Abram was the John D. Rockefeller of that day. He was a very wealthy man at this time.
And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai [Gen. 13:3].
Abram went far north of Jerusalem. He had come to the south, around Hebron, and now he goes north of Jerusalem to Bethel.
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord [Gen. 13:4].
Although he may stumble and fall, this man comes back to God. There is always a way back to the altar for Abram, the Prodigal Son, and any man or woman who wants to come back to God. The arms of the Father are open to receive them.
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents [Gen. 13:5].
Lot did pretty well down in the land of Egypt also.
And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land [Gen. 13:6–7].
The Word of God is a marvelous Word if you just let it speak to you. Will you notice this: Abram got two things in the land of Egypt which caused him untold grief. One was riches, and the second was a little Egyptian maid by the name of Hagar. We will see more about her later. But now he has riches, and it causes him and Lot to have to separate—there is strife between them.
Did you notice this statement: “And the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.” Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen are fighting, and then Abram and Lot disagree. The very interesting thing is that then the Canaanite probably whispered over to the Perizzite, “Look at them! Fightin’ again! When they came into this land and built an altar to the living and true God, how we looked up to Abram! When he first came here, we thought he was such a wonderful man. We knew he was honest, we knew he was truthful, but look at him now. Look at the strife they’re having!” I do not think the Perizzite and the Canaanite were very well impressed by Abram and Lot at this time.
Let me say this to you, although it may step on your toes. I do not know your town, I do not know where you live, but if yours is like other towns and like the town I came from, the Methodists and the Baptists and the Presbyterians don’t get along, and there is fighting. And when there are these internal fights in a church today, the unsaved man on the outside knows about it. May I say to you, he then says, “If that’s Christianity, I don’t want any part of it. I can get a fight outside. I don’t need to join the church to get a fight.” The Lord Jesus did not say to His own, nor to the church today, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples if you’re fundamental and you organize a church.” Oh, no! He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). The “Perizzite” and the “Canaanite”—those old rascals—know when your church is fighting on the inside, my friend.
I had an uncle who never came to know the Lord. My aunt used to weep and say, “Oh, he won’t listen!” Do you know why? With her lived a sister, another aunt, and I used to go there sometimes on Sundays for dinner. Do you know what we had for dinner? Roast preacher! One of my aunts went to the Methodist church, the other went to the Presbyterian church, and oh, boy, did they try to outdo each other, talking about the preacher and the fights that were going on. I used to watch my uncle. He would just sit there and eat. Then he’d get up to leave and go down to his club for the afternoon. When he would come home in the evening, he wasn’t drunk, but he sure had had several drinks. They never won him to Christ. There are a lot of people not being won today, my friend, because of the strife that is inside the church. This is an interesting thing: “the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.” And they still dwell in the land. They are right near your church, by the way.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left [Gen. 13:8–9].
It is Abram who makes the division. It took a big man to tell Lot this. In other words, Abram is saying that Lot could choose what he wanted and Abram would take what was left.
LOT GOES TO SODOM
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar [Gen. 13:10].
That was a beautiful spot in those days.
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom [Gen. 13:11–12].
This is interesting. Probably during all the time Lot spent in that land with Abram, at night he would push back the flap of his tent and look out and say to Mrs. Lot, “Isn’t that a beautiful spot down there?” In the morning he would get up and say, “My, it looks so attractive down there!” The grass is always greener in the other pasture. When the day came that Lot could make a decision and go, you know the direction he went. No man falls suddenly. It always takes place over a period of time. You lift the flap of your tent, and you pitch your tent toward Sodom—and that’s the beginning. Lot lifted up his eyes, he saw the plain, and he headed in that direction. That is the biggest mistake he ever made in his life.
Lot did not know this:
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly [Gen. 13:13].
We will see later what happened to Lot and Mrs. Lot and the family down in Sodom.
GOD APPEARS TO ABRAHAM AND REAFFIRMS HIS PROMISE
And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward [Gen. 13:14].
“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him”—here is the third appearance of God to this man.
“Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward.” This is the land God is going to give him. As God continued to appear to Abram and later on to the other patriarchs, God put sideboards around that land. In other words, He put a border to it and told them exactly what the land was. He was very specific about it.
May I just interject this thought? This ought to get rid of that song, “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.” If there ever was a song that needed not to be sung at a funeral, that is the one. Can you imagine Abram looking northward, eastward, southward, and westward and singing “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere” when he was standing right in the middle of it? Heaven is a real place as truly as the Promised Land is a real place—not a beautiful isle of somewhere. It is a very definite place about which the Word of God is quite specific. In the Book of Revelation God makes it so specific; He puts the boundary right around it, and we can know something about it. God does not deal with that which is theoretical, but with that which is actual and real.
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered [Gen. 13:15–16].
Notice what God does for this man. He labels the land and tells Abram that he is in it. He also again confirms the fact that Abram is going to have a tremendous offspring—which he has had.
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee [Gen. 13:17].
It is very interesting that one of the Dead Sea Scrolls describes this particular section of Genesis, and it gives a first-person account by Abraham of the land. It was a wonderful land in that day.
Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord [Gen. 13:18].
Abram was quite an altar builder. You could always tell where Abram had been because he left a testimony. Man has left a footprint on the moon. They’ve left a flag up there and a little motto saying, “We have come in peace”—but they did not leave the Bible, the Word of God. That reveals the difference between the thinking of Abram and the thinking of the age and period in which we live today. The important thing to Abram was an altar to the Lord, and that is exactly what he built.
One of the meanings of Mamre is “richness,” and Hebron means “communion.” That is a marvelous place to dwell. In our day we can be fairly certain that we have located the tree where Abram was, and the well that is there—I have been there. It is quite an interesting spot between Hebron and Mamre, and that is where Abram dwelt. It is a good place to be: in the place of richness and of communion with God. This seems to have been Abram’s home, and this is where he is buried.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Kings of the east capture Sodom and Gomorrah; Abraham delivers Lot; Abraham refuses booty
In chapter 14 we find the first recorded war, one in which Abram delivers Lot; and we find the appearance of the first priest, at which time Abram is blessed by Melchizedek. These are the two great truths that are here. In one sense, this is a most remarkable chapter. It does not seem to fit in with the story at all. It seems that it could be left out, that there is a continuity without it. But it is one of the most important chapters in the Book of Genesis.
KINGS OF THE EAST CAPTURE SODOM AND GOMORRAH
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar [Gen. 14:1–2].
First of all, let me say that this is an historical document. In the first eleven verses, it is recorded that the kings of the east defeat the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. For quite a few years, the critical, radical scholars rejected this, saying that these men’s names do not appear in secular history at all and that this is a rather ridiculous story. But did you know that the names of these kings have been found on monuments and tablets, showing that they did exist? In fact, Amraphel is now known to be the Hammurabi of other secular history. The record that we have here is tremendously significant.
There was war, and this is the first war that is mentioned in Scripture. Mankind began early in making war. Although this is the first war recorded, I do not know that it is the first war that ever took place—I do not think that the writer intends to give that impression. The reason it is recorded is because Lot, the nephew of Abram, is involved.
All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled [Gen. 14:3–4].
The rebellion is what brought the kings of the east against Sodom and Gomorrah. These kings evidently had fought before, because the kings of the east had subjugated these cities of the plain, but the cities had reached the place of rebellion. In verses 5–11 we read the account of how the kings of the east overcame the kings who had joined together around the lower part of the Dead Sea.
And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed [Gen. 14:12].
Lot lived in Sodom and was taken captive. The reason this war is significant to the record here is that it reveals what Abram is going to do in connection with his nephew.
ABRAHAM DELIVERS LOT
And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram [Gen. 14:13].
When the kings of the east left the area of Sodom and Gomorrah with their captives, they moved north along the west bank of the Dead Sea, which was not too far from Hebron and Mamre where Abram was dwelling. You can stand where Abram stood in that day and see any movement that takes place down toward the Dead Sea. So that when word was brought to Abram, he immediately began to pursue the enemy as he moved north.
“And these were confederate with Abram.” Notice that Abram has a group of men that are with him. They had to stand together in that day because of the pursuit or the approach of an enemy. They either had to hang together or hang separately.
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan [Gen. 14:14].
This is startling, and it reveals something of the extent of Abram’s possessions. This gives you some conception of the number of servants Abram had. In his own household, he could arm 318. How many did he have that he could not arm? For instance, there would also be women and children and the old folk—but he could arm 318. To have that many hired hands indicates that Abram was carrying on quite a business of raising cattle and sheep.
“And pursued them unto Dan”—Dan is up in the north.
And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus [Gen. 14:15].
Abram pursued these men all the way north to Damascus—that is quite a stretch. Apparently, what Abram did was to divide his servants. One group made an attack, probably from the rear as they were pursuing them. The other group went around, and when the enemy turned to fight the first group, the second group came down upon them. As a result, Abram was able to get a victory. At least he was able to scatter them so that they fled across the desert, leaving the people and the booty they had captured.
And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people [Gen. 14:16].
You see that they were taking the women and the other people as slaves. Abram has done a tremendous thing, and he has done it because of his nephew Lot. That is the reason all of this is mentioned here. This is very definitely not an extraneous chapter. It is a part of the life of Abram, and it is very important.
And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale [Gen. 14:17].
The king of Sodom went out to meet Abram. But now someone else is going to come out and meet Abram, and it is a good thing that he did, because the king of Sodom is going to put a grave temptation before Abram.
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth [Gen. 14:18–19].
I have several questions here, and I am sure that you do. To begin with, where in the world did this man Melchizedek come from? He just walks out on the page of Scripture with bread and wine, he blesses Abram, and then he walks off the page of Scripture—that’s it. I wonder where he came from, I wonder where he is going, and I wonder what his business is.
I find out that he is king of Salem, but he is also priest of the most high God. But now I have another question: How did he find out about “the most high God”? He found out somewhere. El Elohim is the most high God, the Creator of heaven and earth; in other words, the living God, the God of Genesis 1, the God of Noah, and the God of Enoch. This is the One—He is not a local deity. H. C. Leupold in his book on Genesis says that this is “strictly a monotheistic conception.” Dr. Samuel M. Zwemer, in his Origin of Religion, says that this reveals that there was monotheism before polytheism. In other words, all men had a knowledge of the living and true God. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Rom. 1:21). Paul goes on to say that men continued to go down to the point where they began to worship the creature more than the Creator.
Yet back in Abram’s day here is a man who is high priest for the world of that day. He has a knowledge of the living and true God. He is a priest of the living and true God. He comes out, bringing bread and wine to Abram—those are the elements of the Lord’s Supper! I wonder what he had in mind? How much did Melchizedek know?
Melchizedek is mentioned three times in Scripture. In addition to this passage in Genesis, he is also mentioned in Psalm 110:4, which is prophetic of Christ: “… Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” Finally, he is mentioned several times in Hebrews. After reading Hebrews, I know why nothing is said about his origin in Genesis. Nothing is said about his parents, and that is strange because the Book of Genesis is the book of families. It tells about the beginnings of these families. Every time we see mentioned a man who is important in the genealogical line (as this man Melchizedek is), his parents are mentioned. “He is the son of So-and-so,” or “these are the generations of So-and-so.” But we do not have the generations of Melchizedek. The writer to the Hebrews makes it very clear that the reason there is no record of Melchizedek’s father or mother or beginning or ending of days is because the priesthood of Christ, in its inception, is after the order of Melchizedek. In service—in what our Lord did in the sacrifice of Himself and in His entering the Holy of Holies, which is heaven today—Christ’s priesthood follows the order of Aaron. But in His person, our Lord had no beginning or ending of days, and His priesthood follows the order of Melchizedek. As King, Christ is son of Abraham, He is son of David—the Gospel of Matthew tells us that. But in the Gospel of John we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14). He had no beginning or ending of days as far as creation is concerned—He is the eternal God. He came out of heaven’s glory, the Word was made flesh, and we beheld His glory. We have in Melchizedek a marvelous picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Brought forth bread and wine.” I know now why Melchizedek does this. It is because the Scriptures say, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26). Melchizedek is anticipating the death of Christ here!
On that basis he blesses Abram: “Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth”—El Elohim, the Creator. This man was the high priest of the world in that day. The Lord Jesus is the great High Priest for the world today. The Lord Jesus is after the order of Melchizedek—not Aaron—as set forth here. Aaron was just for Israel and just for a tabernacle. In His person, Christ is after the order of Melchizedek.
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all [Gen. 14:20].
Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek here at the very beginning. How did he know about paying tithes? Obviously, he had a revelation from God concerning this—as well as concerning other matters.
ABRAHAM REFUSES BOOTY
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself [Gen. 14:21].
This is the temptation. According to the Code of Hammurabi of that day, this man Abram had a perfect right to the booty and even to the persons. But the king of Sodom is clever; he says, “Give us the persons, and you take the booty—it’s yours.” That was a temptation to Abram. Forever after, when anybody would say, “That man Abram is certainly a wealthy man. God has blessed him,” I think that the king of Sodom would have said, “Blessed him, my foot! God didn’t bless him. I gave it to him; I’m the one who made him rich!” Abram knew that. Listen to him now:
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth [Gen. 14:22].
Abram is still under the influence and the blessing of Melchizedek, and it is a good thing he met Melchizedek. God always prepares us for any temptation that comes to us. He says that He will never let any temptation come to us that we are not able to bear (see 1 Cor. 10:13). God had prepared Abram for this one.
That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich [Gen. 14:23].
When Abram started out, he made a covenant with God, probably saying, “Oh, God, I am not entering this war in order to get booty. I’m not after possessions. I want to restore and recover my nephew Lot.” And God permitted him to do that. Now Abram tells this to the king of Sodom as a witness to him. Abram could have said, “I worship the living and the true God. I have taken an oath that I would not take anything. You can’t make me rich. I won’t let you give me a shoestring or a piece of thread because, if you did even that, you would run around and say that you made me rich. If I get rich, God will have to do it.”
Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion [Gen. 14:24].
But Abram says, “These other men have a right to the booty, and they can have it; but I am not taking anything. What the young men who are with me have eaten is their pay for serving you and delivering you. But as for me—you cannot give me a thing.”
CHAPTER 15
Theme: God’s revelation of Himself as shield and reward; Abraham’s faith; God’s covenant with Abraham
GOD’S REVELATION OF HIMSELF AS SHIELD AND REWARD
We come to one of the high points of the Bible here in chapter 15.
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward [Gen. 15:1].
This now is the fourth time that God has appeared to Abram. God is developing this man and bringing him farther along. God does well to appear to him now because Abram has taken a tremendous step of faith in going out and rescuing Lot and in turning down the booty which the king of Sodom offered him.
“Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield.” My friend, this is lovely; this is wonderful. The record does not tell us this, but let me suggest to you that perhaps during the battle, Abram got in real danger and wondered whether he would come out of it alive. God simply reminds him, “I’m your shield, Abram. I’m your shield.”
“And thy exceeding great reward.” In other words, God says, “You did well to turn down the booty. I am your reward; I intend to reward you.” Oh, what God can do with a man today when he is willing just to believe God and look to Him!
If you think Abram is one of these pious boys who gets his halo shined every morning, you are wrong. Abram is very practical, and he is going to get right down to the nitty-gritty now. I think that God likes us to do that. I wish that we could get rid of this false piosity and the hypocritical attitude that so many fundamentalists assume today. Notice what this man Abram says—it is quite wonderful:
And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir [Gen. 15:2–3].
What Abram is saying to God is this: “I don’t want more riches; I don’t need that. The thing that’s on my heart is that I’m childless and I want a son. You have promised to make me a father of nations and that my offspring will be as numberless as the sand on the seashore. But I don’t have even one child!” According to the law of that day, the Code of Hammurabi, Eliezer, his steward, his head servant, who had an offspring, would in time inherit if Abram did not have a child.
And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir [Gen. 15:4].
God is very practical when a man will be practical with Him. He says, “I am going to give you a son, Abram. I am going to give you a son.”
Now God took Abram by the hand and brought him forth into the night.
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be [Gen. 15:5].
This is remarkable. First God said to him that his offspring would be as numberless as the sand on the seashore, and now He says they will be as numberless as the stars in heaven. Abram could not number the stars. He could see approximately four thousand, but there were probably over fifty thousand in that area where he was looking. Abram couldn’t number his offspring, and you couldn’t do it today.
This man Abraham actually has two seeds. He has a physical seed, the nation Israel, and he has a spiritual seed, the church. How does the church become Abraham’s spiritual seed? By faith. Paul told the Galatians that they were the sons of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ—not in a natural line, but a spiritual seed (see Gal. 3:29).
I had the privilege of speaking to a group of very fine young Jewish men many years ago in Nashville, Tennessee. I had known some of them before I was saved and had been a very close friend of theirs. I spoke on the glories of the Mosaic law and told them that the fulfillment of it was in Christ. I began by telling them I was glad to speak to them because I knew that they were sons of Abraham. But when I told them I was a son of Abraham also, they looked in amazement one to another. And then I told them how I was a son of Abraham. Included in God’s promise were these two seeds of Abraham, and this is a very wonderful truth.
ABRAHAM’S FAITH
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness [Gen. 15:6].
This is one of the greatest statements in the Scriptures: “And he believed in the Lord.” What this means is that Abram said amen to God. God has said, “I will do this for you,” and Abram says to God, “I believe You. Amen. I believe it.” And that was counted to him for righteousness.
Paul speaks of this in his epistle to the Romans: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:1–5). “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found”—or, that Abraham has found as pertaining to the flesh. I think that rewording brings out the meaning better.
“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it (that is, his faith) was counted unto him for righteousness”—for that is what it was not, but that is what God counted it.
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” If you can work for your salvation, then God owes it to you. But, my friend, God never saves by any other means except grace. He has never had any other method of saving, and if you ever get saved, it will be because you believe God, you accept Christ as your Savior, and you believe that God has provided salvation for you.
“But to him that worketh not [no works at all], but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly [What kind of folk? Ungodly folk.], his faith is counted for righteousness.” His faith is counted for what it is not, that is, for righteousness.
Abraham just believed God. He just accepted what God said, and he believed God. That is the way you get saved: to believe that God has done something for you, that Christ died for you and rose again. God will declare you righteous by simply accepting Christ.
In the third chapter of Galatians, we have this same great truth: “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Gal. 3:6–9). The faith which Abraham had made him faithful to God, but he was not saved by being faithful. He was saved by believing God. This is all-important for us to see.
GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM
And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? [Gen. 15:7–8].
Again, Abram is a very practical man. He believes in dealing with reality, and I think we need to do that. We need reality today in our Christian lives. If reality is not in your life, there is nothing there. A great many people just play church today. Abram is very practical. He wants to know something, and he would like to have something in writing.
Do you know what God is probably going to tell him? God is going to say, “Abram, I’m glad you asked Me, because I am going to meet you down at the courthouse; I will go before a notary public, and I will make real this contract which I am making with you. You are going to have a son. Meet Me down there, and I will sign on the dotted line.” Now, before you write me a letter and protest, let me say that you are right, that the Bible says nothing about God meeting Abram at the courthouse, and it says nothing about going to a notary public, but in the terms of the law of our day, that is exactly what God said to Abram.
Here is what God told Abram to do:
And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not [Gen. 15:9–10].
God told Abram to prepare a sacrifice. He was to get a heifer, a she goat, and a ram and divide or split them down the middle and put one half on one side and one half on the other. The turtledove and the pigeon he did not divide, but put one over here and one over there.
When men made a contract in that day, this is the way they made it. Suppose one man agreed to buy sheep from another one. They would prepare a sacrifice in this manner. The party of the first part joined hands with the party of the second part, they stated their contract, and then they walked through the sacrifice. In that day this corresponded to going down to the courthouse and signing before a notary public in our day. So we see that God is using with Abram the legal procedure of his day.
In Jeremiah 34:18 we have a reference to this custom that was prevalent in that land, not just among these people, but among all peoples in that day: “And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof.” The method in that day was to take the sacrifice and divide it, and the men would then make the contract.
Notice that Abram got everything ready according to God’s instructions.
And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away [Gen. 15:11].
This is a very human scene. Abram gets everything ready, and while he is waiting for the Lord, the fowls of the air come down—the buzzard and the crow come down upon the carrion. Abram is there shooing them away, for they are ready to swoop down upon the sacrifice. If you had been there and had seen all this display of the sacrifices, knowing the custom of the day, you might have said, “Well, brother Abram, apparently the one you’re making a contract with hasn’t shown up. I guess he’s late!” Abram would have said, “No,I don’t think He’s late. He just told me to get things ready and that He would be here to make the contract.”
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him [Gen. 15:12].
Abram is paralyzed in sleep and put aside. It seems very strange that God would paralyze him in sleep when he is supposed to be making a contract, but this is an unusual contract. God is going to go through the sacrifices because God is promising something, but Abram is not going to go through because Abram is not promising to do a thing. Abram just believed God—that’s all.
That is exactly what took place over nineteen hundred years ago when God sent His Son. God the Father so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. And the Son agreed to come to the earth and die for the sins of the world—your sin and mine—that whosoever would believe in Him (simply accept His gift) might not perish but have everlasting life (see John 3:16). I wasn’t even there nineteen hundred years ago to make a contract, but God the Father and God the Son were there, and the Son went to the cross, and He died for my sins. I was paralyzed by sin. I could not promise anything, and you couldn’t either.
Abram did not promise anything either. Suppose that God had said to Abram, “Abram if you will just promise to say your prayers every night, I am going to do this for you.” And suppose Abram forgot to pray one night. The contract is shot—it’s broken—and therefore God does not need to make His part good. But God said that He would do His part, and He is asking man to do just one thing: to say amen to Him—that is, to believe Him. You are to believe God and believe what He has done. My friend, to believe God is salvation.
Years ago there was a dear little Scottish mother whose son had gone away to college in Glasgow and had come back an unbeliever. She talked with the boy and told about how wonderful God was and that she was sure of her salvation. The son had become skeptical, and he was a little provoked. Finally he said, “How do you know you’re saved? Your little soul doesn’t amount to anything.” He began to compare her to the vastness of the universe and said that God could forget all about her and she couldn’t be sure of her salvation. She didn’t say anything, but just kept serving the boy’s breakfast. Finally, when she had finished, she sat down with him and said, “You know, son, I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe you’re right. Maybe my little soul doesn’t amount to much. Maybe in the vastness of God’s universe, He wouldn’t miss me at all. But if He doesn’t save me, He’s going to lose more than I’m going to lose. I would lose only my insignificant little soul, but He would lose His reputation because He promised to save my soul. He agreed to do it: ‘that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’” God is the One who went through; God made the contract.
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years [Gen. 15:13].
In the Scriptures it is predicted that the Hebrew people would be put out of the land three times. This is the first time. It is also predicted that they would return back to the land, and they did this time. Later on it was the Babylonian captivity. They were carried into captivity, and they returned. In a.d. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed, and for the third time they were scattered. They have never returned from that. Their current presence in the land is by no means a fulfillment of Scripture. But according to the Word of God, they will come back someday exactly as it predicts.
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age [Gen. 15:14–15].
They did come out of Egypt with great substance, but Abram would not live to see it, of course.
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full [Gen. 15:16].
God is saying to Abram, “I cannot put you in this land now because I love Amorites also, and I want to give them a chance to turn to Me.” And God gave the Amorites four hundred years—that is a long time, is it not?—to see if they would turn to Him. The only one in that land who turned to Him was that Canaanite woman, Rahab the harlot. She turned to God; she believed Him. All God asks you to do is to believe Him. God gave the Amorites this great period of opportunity.
And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces [Gen. 15:17].
Both of these speak of Christ. The furnace, of course, speaks of judgment. The lamp speaks of Him as the light of the world.
In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites [Gen. 15:18–21].
God now marks out the land that He is promising to Abram. By the way, what did Abram promise to do? Nothing. He believed God. And God will save you—save you by grace—if you will believe what He has done for you.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Sarai’s suggestion; Hagar flees; the tests of Abraham
As we come to this chapter, I must confess that I almost wish it were not in the Bible. After Abram rose to the heights in chapter 15, you would say that he certainly is treading on high places—but he is not perfect. In chapter 16 we see the lapse of this man’s faith relative to Sarai and Hagar, the Egyptian maid. We have here the unbelief of both Sarai and Abram, and the birth of Ishmael. This is certainly a letdown after the wonder of the previous chapter.
SARAI’S SUGGESTION
Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar [Gen. 16:1].
Abram got two things down in the land of Egypt which really caused him trouble: one was wealth, and the other was this little Egyptian maid.
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai [Gen. 16:2].
The thing that Sarai suggested was the common practice of that day. When a wife could not bear a child, there was the concubine. Now don’t say that God approved it. God did not approve of this at all. This was Sarai’s idea, and Abram listened to her. It looks like he is surrendering his position as head of the home here, and he followed her suggestion.
And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife [Gen. 16:3].
This little Egyptian maid becomes a concubine, and this is not according to God’s will. God is not going to accept the offspring at all—He didn’t; He wouldn’t. Why? Because it was wrong. Don’t say that God approved this. All you can say is that this is in the record because it is an historical fact.
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes [Gen. 16:4].
Hagar said, “I’ve mothered a child of Abram, and Sarai couldn’t do it.” She looked down on Sarai, you see.
And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee [Gen. 16:5].
Don’t pass this verse by. Don’t assume that God approved of this. God says that it is wrong, and now Sarai sees that she has done wrong. “My wrong be upon thee”—she is wrong, my friend. God will not accept this, and it is going to be a real heartbreak to old Abram. But, you see, Abram and Sarai are not really trusting God as they should. After all, Abram at this time is nearly ninety years old and Sarai eighty. I think they have come to the conclusion that they are not going to have a child. Sarai could probably rationalize and say, “I think maybe this is the way God wants us to do it, for this is the custom of the day.” It was the custom of that day, but it was contrary to God’s way of doing things. We get the wrong impression if we think that just because something is recorded in the Bible God approves of it. The Bible is inspired in that it is an accurate record, but there are many things God does not approve of that are recorded in His Word.
The moral implications that you and I read into this are not quite here in the historical record. Abram and Sarai were brought up in Ur of the Chaldees where this was a common practice, and the moral angle is not the thing that for them was so wrong. The terrible thing was that they just did not believe God. The wrong that they committed by Abram taking Sarai’s maid Hagar was a sin, and God treated it as such. But today we reverse the emphasis and say that taking a concubine is a sin, but we do not pay too much attention to the unbelief. Yet the unbelief was the major sin here; that is, it was lots blacker than the other.
HAGAR FLEES
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face [Gen. 16:6].
Hagar took off—she ran away—and this would probably have meant death to her and certainly to the child she was carrying.
And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur [Gen. 16:7].
I am inclined to believe that the Angel of the Lord is none other than the preincarnate Christ. This is characteristic of Him: He is always out looking for the lost. Hagar had traveled quite a distance from home.
And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude [Gen. 16:8–10].
In the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul uses this as an allegory. He speaks there of Hagar and her offspring as being Mount Sinai where the Mosaic law was given, and he speaks of the legality and the bondage of that law. Then he speaks of Sarai as being the one who is free. The point is that the one who belonged to Abram was Sarai—she was his wife. Many people today want to take on something different; they want to get under the law. But, my friend, as believers we have been joined to Christ. The church has been espoused to Christ, Paul says, as a chaste virgin and will someday be the bride of Christ. Therefore may I say to you, you do not want to take on the law. The law is another one that you and I just don’t need; it is like Hagar, and that is the point that Paul is making in Galatians.
This is going to be a great sorrow, not only to Sarai (it already has been to her), but it is going to be an even greater sorrow to Abram later on. Hagar now comes back to give birth to a boy, that boy who happens to be Abram’s son.
And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren [Gen. 16:11–12].
Have you looked at this verse in light of about four thousand years of history in the Middle East? What is going on out there today? The descendants of Ishmael are wild men—that has been the story of those Bedouin tribes of the desert down through the centuries, and it is a fulfillment of the prophecy that God gave. They will tell you that they are sons of Abraham, but they are also sons of Ishmael. They are related to Abraham through Ishmael.
And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered [Gen. 16:13–14].
How gracious God is to Hagar! It is not her sin, so God very graciously deals with her. Let me repeat that I believe the Angel of the Lord here is none other than the preincarnate Christ gone out to seek the lost again. He’s that kind of Shepherd, and He brings to her this good word.
“And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me.” This is something new to her that she did not realize before. The Egyptians did have a very primitive idea and conception of God. “For she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?” She is overwhelmed by the fact that she is seen of God. That doesn’t seem to be very impressive to us today because we have a higher view of God than that. But wait just a minute! We probably come just as far short of really knowing about God as Hagar did. It is difficult for a little, finite man to conceive of the infinite God, and all of us come short of understanding and of knowing Him. I think that a theme which will engage us throughout the endless ages of eternity is just coming to know God. That is worthy of any man’s study. To come to know God is something that will dignify a man’s position throughout eternity.
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram [Gen. 16:15–16].
Remember that Ishmael was Abram’s son. Abram was now eighty-six years old.
THE TESTS OF ABRAHAM
Before we go farther, I would like to make a recapitulation of the seven appearances of God to Abram, five of which we have already seen. There were certain failures in the life of Abram, but also there were successes. Actually, there were seven tests which God gave to him:
(1) God called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees, his home, and Abram responded partially. His faith was weak and imperfect, but at least he moved out. Abram finally arrived safely in the land of Canaan, and God blessed him.
(2) Then there was a famine in the land of Canaan, and Abram fled from the land of Canaan to Egypt. There he acquired riches and Hagar—and both were stumbling blocks.
(3) Abram was given riches which are a real test. They have been a stumbling block to many a man, by the way. Frankly, I have always wished that the Lord would have let me have that kind of test rather than some of the others I’ve had! But nevertheless, I’m of the opinion that He could not have trusted me with riches. Abram did not forget God, and he was certainly generous and magnanimous toward his nephew Lot. Riches resulted in his separation from Lot, and God appeared to him again.
(4) Abram was given power through his defeat of the kings of the east. That was a real test, for he happened to be the conqueror. This man Melchizedek met him, which I think strengthened Abram for the test, and so he refused the spoils of war. Afterwards, God appeared to Abram and encouraged him.
(5) God delayed giving Abram a son by his wife Sarai. Abram became impatient, and through the prompting of Sarai, he took matters into his own hands and moved outside the will of God. As a result, there was the birth of Ishmael. The Arabs of the desert today still plague the nation Israel, and they will keep right on doing that, I think, until the Millennium.
Abraham’s two final tests occur (6) at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in chapter 18 and (7) at the offering of his son Isaac in chapter 22.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: God gives Abraham a new name; God’s covenant; Ishmael’s inheritance
A great many people feel that the seventeenth chapter is the most outstanding chapter of the Book of Genesis. Here God makes a covenant with Abram and confirms His promise to him about a son. He lets Abram know that Ishmael is not the one He promised to him. In one sense this chapter is the key to the Book of Genesis, and it may be a key to the entire Bible. God’s covenant with Abram concerns two important items: a seed and a land. He reveals Himself to Abram by a new name—El Shaddai, the Almighty God—and He also gives Abram a new name. Up to this point his name was Abram; now it is changed to Abraham. Abram means “high father,” and Abraham means “father of a multitude.” That Ishmael was not the son God promised to Abraham is the thing this chapter makes very clear.
GOD GIVES ABRAHAM A NEW NAME
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect [Gen. 17:1].
Think of that! Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born, and it was not until fourteen years later that Isaac was born.
“The Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” God says, “I am El Shaddai, the Almighty God”—this is a new name.
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly [Gen. 17:2].
Thirteen times in this chapter we find the word covenant. For it to appear thirteen times in twenty-seven verses obviously means that God is talking about the covenant. This is God’s fifth appearance to Abram. He comes now not only to make the covenant, but also to reaffirm the promise of a son that He has made, which absolutely rules out this boy Ishmael, of course.
Paul, writing in the fourth chapter of Romans, says this: “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom. 4:19).
Sarah’s womb actually was a tomb—it was the place of death. And out of death came life: Isaac was born. Paul concludes that fourth chapter by saying this about the Lord Jesus: “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). Life out of death—that is the promise God is now making to this man. Abram is 99 years old, and that means that Sarai is 89 years old. When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 90.
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations [Gen. 17:3–4].
God says to Abram that he will be a father of many nations. I suppose it could be said that this man has probably had more children than any other man that has ever lived on the earth, as far as we know. Just think of it: for four thousand years, there have been two great lines—the line of Ishmael and the line of Isaac—and there have been millions in each line. What a family! What a homecoming! Added to that, there is a spiritual seed, for we Christians are called the children of Abraham by faith in Christ. In Romans 4:16, speaking of Abraham, Paul says, “… who is the father of us all”—that is, of believers, of the nation Israel, and also of the Arabs, by the way. Just think of the millions of people! God says here, “I am going to make you a father of many nations,” and He has made that promise good.
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee [Gen. 17:5].
Abram means “high father” or “father of the height” or “exalted father.” Abraham means “father of a multitude.”
I am going to inject a little story here to illustrate to you something of the faith of this man Abram. Suppose that one morning Abram and Sarai get up, and as they are working around the tent there suddenly appears a group of traders at their little oasis created by the spring at Hebron. Abram goes out to meet them, and they want to know if they can water their camels.
There were many hospitable people in that day, and that is quite interesting. We speak of the caveman way back yonder and how terrible he was. May I say to you, in that day a stranger could not go through the country without somebody opening his home and entertaining him. But if you came into Los Angeles as a stranger, I don’t know anybody who would take you in, although there are a lot of Christians in this area. Our culture is altogether different today, and we certainly lack the hospitality they had in that day.
Abram goes out to meet them, and the conversation probably sounded like this: “Sure, help yourselves, and I’ll feed your stock. Would you like to stay for awhile?” They say, “No, we’re on a business trip and are in a hurry to get down to Egypt.”
One of the men then says, “My name is Allah,” and the other says, “My name is Ali Baba. What’s your name?” When Abram replies, “My name is High Father,” the men exclaim, “My! Boy or girl?” Abram says, “I don’t have any children.” The men just laugh and say, “You mean to tell us that you don’t have any children and your name is Abram? How in the world can you be a father and not have children?” And they ride off across the desert, laughing.
Six months later, they come by again. When he goes out to greet them again, they all begin to laugh, “Hello there, High Father!” But he says, “My name is not High Father anymore. It is now Father of a Multitude.” The traders say, “My, must have been twins!” And then they really laugh when Abraham says, “No, I still don’t have any children.” They say, “How ridiculous can that be?”
Here was a man who was a father before he had any children. Abraham was Abraham, father of a multitude, by faith at that time. But four thousand years later, where you and I sit, we can say that God sure made this good. The name stuck, if you please, and he is still Abraham, the father of a multitude.
GOD’S COVENANT
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee [Gen. 17:6–7].
What kind of covenant did God make with Abraham? An everlasting covenant. If it is everlasting, is it good today? It certainly is. God promised you and me everlasting life if we will trust Christ—that is a covenant God has made. My friend, if God is not going to make good this covenant that He made with Abraham, you had better look into yours again. But I have news for you: He is going to make your covenant good, and He is also going to make Abraham’s good.
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God [Gen. 17:8].
God tells Abraham what He will do. God says, “will.” “I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee …. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed …. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee … all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.”
God has made a covenant with these people that is an everlasting covenant. Since it is, it is not one that will be easily broken, and it is not one that is going to run out. God did not give them a ninety-nine-year lease on the land. God gave them an everlasting possession.
The Hebrew people have been in that land on three occasions, and it is theirs, but the important thing is that they occupy it only under certain conditions. First of all, God sent them down into the land of Egypt, and they were dispersed there. They went down a family of about seventy and came out a nation of at least one and one-half million. They were put out of their land again at the Babylonian captivity because they went into idolatry and were not witnessing for God. We find that they again went out of the land in a.d. 70 after they had rejected their Messiah. Actually, they have never been back. God predicted that three times they would be put out of the land and three times they would be returned. They have been returned twice. (I do not consider the present return to the land a fulfillment.) When they return the next time, I take it that it means they will never go out of the land again. The Millennium will take place when God gathers and brings them back into the land.
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you [Gen. 17:9–11].
Circumcision is the badge of the covenant. The Israelites did not circumcise themselves in order to become members of the covenant. They did this because they had the covenant from God. Circumcision occupied the same place that good works occupy for the believer today. You do not perform good works in order to be saved; you perform good works because you have been saved. That makes all the difference in the world.
When I went away from home as a boy, although I did get into a lot of trouble, the one thing that kept me from becoming an absolute renegade was the thought of my dad. I said to myself, “Because I’m a son of my father, I won’t do this or enter into that.” I refrained from things because of my dad. Now, I did not become his son because I did not do certain things. I already was his son. But because I was his son, I didn’t do them. The badge of the covenant was circumcision. The thing that put them under the covenant wasn’t circumcision, but circumcision was the badge of it, the evidence of it.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed [Gen. 17:12].
Have you noticed how meticulous the record concerning the birth of Christ is? All the law was fulfilled in connection with the birth of this little baby. It is recorded that He was the son of Abraham, the son of David; He was in the line, and on the eighth day He was circumcised. He was “born under the law,” Paul says in Galatians 4:4.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant [Gen. 17:13].
Again, circumcision is the badge of the covenant. They did not have to do this in order to get the covenant; God had already made the covenant with them. I trust that you see this because it is so important. The same thing is true today. A great many people think that, if they join the church or are baptized, they will be saved. No, my friend, you don’t do those things to get saved. If you are saved, I think you will do both of them—you’ll join a church, and you’ll be baptized—but you don’t do that to get saved. We need to keep the cart where it belongs, following the horse, and not get the cart before the horse. For in fact, in the thinking of many relative to salvation, the horse is in the cart today.
And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant [Gen. 17:14].
The fact that there were those who disobeyed (practically the entire nation disobeyed when they came out of the land of Egypt) did not militate against the covenant. That disobedience simply meant that the individual would be put out. However, as far as the nation is concerned, no individual or group could destroy this covenant which God had made with Abraham and his seed after him. It is an everlasting covenant. The man who had broken the covenant was put out, but the covenant stood. That is how marvelous it is.
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be [Gen. 17:15].
Her name was Sarai before; now it is changed to Sarah.
And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her [Gen. 17:16].
If old Abraham is going to be a father of nations, then Sarah is going to be a mother of nations.
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? [Gen. 17:17].
Old Abraham just laughed. This is not the laughter of unbelief. I think it is the laughter of just sheer joy that this could happen. I am sure that you have had this experience. Every now and then in our lives, God does something for us that is so wonderful that we just feel like laughing. You don’t know anything else to do but to laugh about it. This was something unheard of. There was “the deadness of Sarah’s womb,” and Abraham was “dead”—have you ever noticed how Paul described this? “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:17–22). Abraham believed in God, and he is absolutely overwhelmed by the wonder and the goodness of God.
But then, all of a sudden, a thought comes to Abraham like an arrow to his heart. He thinks of a little boy who is his, a boy by the name of Ishmael.
And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! [Gen. 17:18].
Abraham is saying, “Oh, Lord, this little fellow who has been growing up in my home …!” Abraham is attached to Ishmael. He was fourteen years old when Abraham sent him out a little later on. I do not think that Abraham ever saw him again. My friend, I don’t care what you might think of Ishmael; he was Abraham’s son, and Abraham loved his son. It was a heartbreak for him to have to give him up.
I am of the opinion that Abraham thought many, many times, “I made a great big mistake in taking Hagar.” You see, that was a sin that not only plagued him, but there has also been trouble in that land from the beginning because Abraham sinned. Don’t tell me that sin is a little thing or that sin is something you get by with. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). A man does not reap something similar; he reaps just that which he sowed. And this man Abraham is certainly reaping: “O that Ishmael might live before thee!”
And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him [Gen. 17:19].
In other words, God says, “No, I won’t accept Ishmael. That was wrong.” Don’t say that God approved polygamy just because it is recorded in the Bible. I cannot see that He is approving it at all.
ISHMAEL’S INHERITANCE
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year [Gen. 17:20–21].
God holds to the promise that He has made. God is not to be deterred or deferred from this at all. He is going to do the exact thing that He said He would do. He speaks as if Isaac were already born and in their midst. He speaks of things that are not as if they are—and it is going to be next year.
And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham [Gen. 17:22].
In other words, Abraham, you might just as well keep quiet. God has already decided this. My friend, there are things which you and I might as well stop petitioning the Lord for. There are times when you’ve said enough and you don’t need to say any more. Sometimes folk just pester the Lord in a prayer when they already have the answer—which, of course, is No! God says to Abraham, “Let this alone, now. This is enough; you need not mention this anymore. I have not accepted it, and I do not intend to.” God is going to hear and answer other prayers of Abraham. We will find that God listens to Abraham. However, in the case of His covenant, He is making it with Isaac not with Ishmael. That is settled, and Abraham might just as well stop trying to change God’s mind. A great many people today pray about things that God maybe does not intend to hear or answer at all. I try to be very careful about asking people to pray about certain things. I want at least to feel like there is a reasonable chance of God’s hearing it and answering.
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him [Gen. 17:23–27].
Circumcision is the badge of the covenant which God has made with Abraham. Someone will ask, “Why was Ishmael included?” Hasn’t God promised that Ishmael is going to be a great nation also? He is included in it in that sense, but he is not the one whom God had promised to Abraham at the beginning. He is not to be the father of the nation that God will use and the nation through which the Messiah will come.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: God reaffirms His promise; God announces the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Until you get to the New Testament, you may wonder why the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters of Genesis are included in the Bible. They seem rather detached from the story of Abraham. They deal with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Chapter 18 is a rather lengthy chapter in which God tells Abraham about the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham intercedes on behalf of the cities of the plain. This is an illustration, I think, of the blessed Christian life, of life in fellowship with God. But in chapter 19, down in Sodom and Gomorrah with Lot, we will see what I would call the blasted life—all because of a decision that was made.
Unfortunately, we have both kinds among Christians today—those living a blessed life and those living a blasted life. There are those who have really made shipwreck of their lives; they have gotten entirely out of the will of God. I would not suggest even for a moment that they have lost their salvation, but they sure have lost everything else. As Paul says, they are saved, “… yet so as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:15).
GOD REAFFIRMS HIS PROMISE
And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day [Gen. 18:1].
Abraham is living down there in Mamre, and he’s an old man, by the way.
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground [Gen. 18:2].
Notice the hospitality that Abraham extends. The little story that I told in the previous chapter has a basis of fact, at least, although I don’t think it ever took place. The point is that this man Abraham is a very gracious, hospitable man.
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree [Gen. 18:3–4].
It seems very strange to us to tell a visiting stranger to wash his feet and come in. We wouldn’t quite say that today, but this is probably the oldest custom that is known. Remember that in the Upper Room our Lord washed the disciples’ feet—and there is a tremendous spiritual message there. Here Abraham says, “Wash your feet.” It was a token of real hospitality when someone came into a home to have him take off his shoes and wash his feet. In that day they did not take off their hat, but they did take off their shoes. Today we have reversed it. When you come to visit somebody, you leave your shoes on and take off your hat. I’m not sure which is right. I like the idea, myself, of taking off my shoes. I like to go barefooted in the summertime. I wish it were possible more often. When I am out in the Hawaiian Islands, I put my shoes away and wear thongs or go barefooted as much as possible. I don’t put my shoes back on the whole time I am there. I love to go barefooted. I think this was a great custom. It sure would make you feel at home to take off your shoes, wash your feet, and rest yourself under the shade of a tree. Abraham is really entertaining these men royally.
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat [Gen. 18:5–8].
Isn’t this a marvelous way of entertaining? Abraham has prepared a sumptuous meal. He took a little calf, a servant killed and prepared it, and the chef probably barbecued it. They had veal steaks or veal roast, I imagine, and all the trimmings that went with it. “And he took butter, and milk”—my, it was a real feast! Abraham entertains these three guests.
Then we find that these guests are royal guests. In the New Testament it is suggested to us that “… some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2). That was Abraham—he didn’t know whom he was really entertaining.
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent [Gen. 18:9].
It was not proper in that day—and even in the East today—for the wife to come out and be the one to entertain, especially since there were three male guests there. But now they ask and make inquiry about Sarah.
And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him [Gen. 18:10].
I think Sarah had her ear to the keyhole and had been listening in. Both Abraham and Sarah now discover that they are entertaining angels unaware.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? [Gen. 18:11–12].
That is, Sarah asks, “Is it possible that I will have a son?”—and she laughs. Now what kind of laughter is this? I think this is the laughter which says that it is just too good to be true—that’s all. Again, I’m sure that most of us have had experiences like this. God has been so good to us on a certain occasion that we just laughed. Something happened that was just too good to be true, and that was the way Sarah laughed. She is saying, “This is something just too good to be true. It just can’t happen to me!”
And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh [Gen. 18:13–15].
Sarah is frightened by the Lord’s question and is certainly rather evasive, but she cannot avoid the truth.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way [Gen. 18:16].
Abraham didn’t have a front gate, so he walked out with them a little farther than the front gate to bid them goodbye. And as they walked out from where Abraham lived, they could look down to Sodom and Gomorrah. When I was in that land, it was amazing to me how far you could see on a clear day. I could see from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. And from the ruins of old Samaria, I could see Jerusalem, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sea of Galilee. I could see Mt. Hermon from most anyplace—it’s tremendous. Abraham walked out a ways with these guests, and down below there, they saw Sodom and Gomorrah. They were the great resorts of that day, and they must have been very delightful and beautiful places to be.
GOD ANNOUNCES THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do [Gen. 18:17].
Up to this point, the Lord has not revealed to Abraham what He is going to do with Sodom and Gomorrah: He is going to destroy them. “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”
Notice now the reason that God is not going to hide it from Abraham.
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? [Gen. 18:18].
Abraham is going to have a tremendous influence. He is going to influence multitudes of people, including the succeeding generations. That is true right now today. As I write and as you read this book, Abraham is influencing us—we cannot avoid it.
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him [Gen. 18:19].
God says, “I’d better not hide it from Abraham because he will get a wrong impression of Me.” Notice, by the way, that this man Abraham had discipline in his household.
And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know [Gen. 18:20–21].
In other words, God is saying to Abraham, “I know the situation there, but I’m going down to investigate.” God never does anything hurriedly or hastily. It is a good thing that God told Abraham He was going to destroy these cities, because otherwise Abraham would have gotten a wrong impression of God. He would have thought that God was rather dictatorial and vindictive and that He was One who apparently showed no mercy for or consideration of those who were His. Abraham would really have had a distorted and warped view of God, and so God lets him know what He is going to do. Abraham now has time to turn this over in his mind. It is also a good thing that God told him because he did have a wrong idea of God and of Sodom and Gomorrah—he was wrong about many things. This is one of the reasons that God is telling us as much as He is. There are a lot of things that He does not tell us, but He has told us enough so that though a man be a fool and a wayfaring man, he needn’t err therein.
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord [Gen. 18:22].
Abraham is now waiting before the Lord.
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? [Gen. 18:23].
What is the first thing that enters Abraham’s mind? The first thing that enters his mind, of course, is Lot. He had rescued Lot once, and now Lot is again in danger down there. I think that Abraham had wondered many times about Lot and his relationship to God, but at least he believes that Lot is a saved man. He is asking God, “What about the righteous?” I believe that Abraham would have told you that he thought there were many people in the city of Sodom who were saved. He could not understand why God would destroy the righteous with the wicked. What a picture we have here!
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? [Gen. 18:24].
Abraham begins with fifty. He says to the Lord, “Lord, suppose there are fifty righteous down there in Sodom. Would You destroy the city if there were fifty righteous?”
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? [Gen. 18:25].
That is still a question that many people ask: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” And there is an answer to it. The rest of the Bible testifies to the fact that the Judge of all the earth always does right. Whatever God does is right, and if you don’t think He is right, the trouble is not with God, but the trouble is with you and your thinking. You are thinking wrong; you do not have all the facts; you do not know all of the details. If you did, you would know that the Judge of all the earth does right. We are wrong; He is right.
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes [Gen. 18:26].
And Abraham thinks this over.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it [Gen. 18:27–28].
In other words, Abraham says, “If there are forty-five righteous left, would You destroy the city for forty-five?” And God tells him, “If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.” This makes the man a little bit bolder, and he says to the Lord, “Suppose there are forty?” The very interesting thing is that God says, “I will not destroy it for forty.” And Abraham keeps on bringing the number down. He says, “How about thirty?” God says, “If there are thirty there, I still won’t do it.” Abraham says, “Suppose there are twenty there?” God says, “I’ll not destroy it.” Abraham is overwhelmed now, and he takes another plunge: “Suppose there are ten righteous there. Would You destroy it if there are ten?” And God says, “If there are ten righteous in the city, I will not destroy it.”
And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place [Gen. 18:33].
Now the question arises: Why didn’t Abraham come on down below ten? I’ll tell you why: At this point he is afraid that Lot is lost, and this disturbs him a great deal; so he is not going to come down any further. But he could have come down to one. He could have said, “Lord, if there is one in that city who is righteous, would You destroy the city?” Do you know what God would have said? He would have said, “If there is one who is righteous in that city, I am going to get him out of that city, because I would not destroy a righteous man with the city.” How do I know that is the way it would have been? Because that is the way it worked out. There was one righteous man there—Abraham didn’t believe it, but God knew him—and that one was Lot. God said to Lot, “Get out of the city. I cannot destroy it until you are out.”
Do you know that the Great Tribulation Period cannot come as long as the church is in the world? It just cannot come, my friend, because Christ bore our judgment, and the great tribulation is part of the judgment that is coming. This is the reason that the church cannot go through it. This is a glorious picture of that truth. We are going to see that Sodom and Gomorrah are a picture of the world—and what a picture! What a condition the world is in today—it is very much like Sodom and Gomorrah. That does not mean that the Lord is going to come tomorrow. I do not know—and no one else knows—when He will come. But He could come tomorrow, and it certainly would be in keeping with the carrying out of the picture which is before us here in Genesis.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: The angels visit Lot; destruction of the Cities of the Plain
The preceding chapter was a picture of blessed Christian fellowship with God. But now the picture changes: We leave Hebron on the plains of Mamre where Abraham dwells and we go to the city of Sodom where Lot dwells. In this chapter Lot leaves Sodom with his wife and two daughters, and Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed. Lot’s wife turns to a pillar of salt, and then we have Lot’s awful sin with his two daughters.
In chapter 19 we have a picture of that which is “the blasted life.” Don’t forget that this man Lot happens to be a righteous man. It is hard to believe that; if I had only this record in Genesis, I wouldn’t believe it. But Simon Peter, in his epistle, says of Lot, “… that righteous man … vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds” (2 Pet. 2:8). Lot lived in Sodom, but he never was happy there. It was a tragic day for him when he moved to Sodom, because he lost his family—he lost all of them if you look at the total picture. It is tragic.
There is many a man today who may be a saved man, but due to his life style or where he lives, he loses his family, his influence, and his testimony. I have been a pastor for quite a few years, and I know Christians like Lot. Not too long ago, the son of a leader in a church which I served said to me that all he was doing was waiting for his dad to die in order to repudiate the Christian life. He thought the whole thing was phony; all he could see was hypocrisy. Of course, all he was doing was telling about his home. What a phony his dad must be! That man has lost his son, and he has lost his influence in other places, I can assure you. But I would not question his salvation. I think the man trusts Christ, but you would never know it by his life. Poor Lot! How tragic this is! This is one of two very sordid chapters in the Book of Genesis.
THE ANGELS VISIT LOT
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground [Gen. 19:1].
These two angels visit Lot in Sodom to announce judgment. Notice that Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. I cannot let that go by without calling attention to the fact that the ones who sat in the gate of a city were the judges. This man Lot not only moved to Sodom, but he also got into politics down there. Here he is, a petty judge sitting in the gate.
And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night [Gen. 19:2].
These two men must have had dirty feet. Of course, if you had walked from the plains of Mamre down into Sodom wearing nothing but sandals, your feet would need washing, also. Again, I call your attention to this custom of that day which was practiced by those who extended hospitality to strangers.
Lot was a hospitable man. When these strangers came, he invited them to his home, and they came in. At first, however, they were reluctant. “And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.” In other words, they said, “We’ll just stay outside. We don’t want to inconvenience you.” And they said this for a purpose, of course.
And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat [Gen. 19:3].
Now these men have another feast. They had a feast with Abraham; they now have a feast with Lot.
They had brought out something when they said, “We’ll stay on the street and just sleep in the park,” and Lot says to them, “You don’t do that in Sodom. It’s dangerous! Your life wouldn’t be worth a thing if you did that.” May I say that maybe Los Angeles ought to change its name to Sodom. It would not be safe for you to sleep on the streets of Los Angeles; in fact, it is not safe at all to be on the streets of Los Angeles at night. Many women who live alone will not come out to church at night. One dear saint of God told me, “I just lock my door at dark, Brother McGee, and I do not open that door until the next morning at daylight. It’s not safe in my neighborhood to even walk on the street.” The days of Sodom and Gomorrah are here again, and practically for the same reason. Lot says, “No, men, do not stay on the street. It wouldn’t be safe for you.” When he “pressed upon them,” they came in.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them [Gen. 19:4–5].
This is a sickening scene which reveals the degradation of this city—the city of Sodom. The name that has been put on this sin from that day to this is sodomy. Apparently there was no attempt made in the city of Sodom to have a church for this crowd and to tell them that they were all right in spite of the fact that they practiced this thing. May I say to you that the Word of God is specific on this, and you cannot tone it down. Sodomy is an awful sin.
When this man Lot had gone down into the city of Sodom, he did not realize what kind of city it was—I’m sure of that. He got down there and found out that perversion was the order of the day, and he brought up his children, his sons and his daughters, in that atmosphere. When he earlier had pitched his tent toward Sodom, he had looked down there and had seen the lovely streets and boulevards and parks and public buildings. And he had seen the folk as they were on the outside, but he had not seen what they really were. The sin of this city is so great that God is now going to judge it. God is going to destroy the city.
Let’s draw a sharp line here. There is a new attitude toward sin today. There is a gray area where sin is not really as black as we once thought it was. The church has compromised until it is pitiful. In Southern California we have a church made up of those who are homosexuals, and, lo and behold, they all admit that the pastor of the church is one also! May I say to you, the lesson of Sodom and Gomorrah is a lesson for this generation. God is not accepting this kind of church.
The idea today seems to be that you can become a child of God and continue on in sin. God says that is impossible—you cannot do that, and this city of Sodom is an example of that fact. Paul asks the question: “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” And the answer is “God forbid,” or, Let it not be (see Rom. 6:1–2). The idea that you can be a Christian and go on in sin is a tremendous mistake, especially to make light of it, as I judge is being done in this particular case.
This is what they were doing in Sodom and Gomorrah—and God destroyed these cities. Don’t say that we have a primitive view of God in Genesis but that we have a better one today. Don’t argue that, after all, Jesus received sinners. He sure did, but when He got through with them, He had changed them. The harlot who came to Him was no longer in that business. When she came to God, she changed. That is the thing that happened to other sinners. A publican came to Him, and he left the seat of customs. He gave up that which was crooked when he came to the Lord. If you have come to Christ, you will be changed. Many people write and try to explain to me that we are living in a new day and I need to wake up. My friend, we are living in a new day, but it just happens to be Sodom and Gomorrah all over again.
And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly [Gen. 19:6–7].
The men of Sodom were outside the door, asking that these guests in the home of Lot be turned over to them. Lot said, “I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.” That is the way Lot looked at it, and he had been down there in Sodom a long time. It wasn’t new morality to him; it was just old sin.
Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof [Gen. 19:8].
When a man entertained a guest in that day, he was responsible for him. Lot was willing to make this kind of sacrifice to protect his guests!
And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door [Gen. 19:9].
“And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge ….” You see, Lot was advancing in the political arena there.
But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door [Gen. 19:10–11].
If Lot’s guests had not done this, both they and Lot would have been destroyed, because that was the intention of the men of Sodom.
And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law [Gen. 19:12–14].
Lot is in a very bad situation. He had spent years down in the city of Sodom. He had learned to tolerate this sort of thing, although he calls it wickedness. He had seen his sons and daughters grow up, and they apparently had married among people with those ethical standards. When the time came that Lot got this word from the Lord to leave the city, he went to his sons-in-law and said, “Let’s get out of here. God is going to destroy this city.” They laughed at him. They ridiculed him. I suppose they knew that the week before Lot had invested a little money in real estate there. He had lived so long as one of them, without any real difference, that they took his warning as a big joke. This man was out of the will of God in this place, and he had no witness for God. He did not win anybody for the Lord in this city. The same principle is true today: when you go down to their level, my friend, you do not win them. I think that that is being clearly demonstrated in this hour.
Frankly, I would agree with Abraham that this man Lot wasn’t saved, but remember what Peter said: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)” (2 Pet. 2:6–8). I tell you, Lot never enjoyed it down there in Sodom. Now that he is going to leave the city, he cannot get anyone to leave with him except his wife and two single daughters.
And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city [Gen. 19:15–16].
Here is a man who was God’s man in spite of everything. If I only had the Book of Genesis, I am not sure I would believe that Lot was saved, but since Peter calls him a righteous man, we know that he was. Lot had become righteous because he had followed Abraham—he believed God, and he had offered the sacrifices. God extends mercy unto Lot, and he now believes God and gets out of the city.
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die [Gen. 19:17–19].
Even Lot didn’t want to leave. He would get out of the city, but he couldn’t make it to the mountain.
Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live [Gen. 19:20].
This city was a little place called Zoar, and that is where Lot went. You see, this man came out of Sodom, but he did not come clean even out of there. And, of course, he got into a great deal of trouble at that particular time.
DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN
God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and we are told two things, one concerning his wife and the other concerning his daughters. Concerning his wife we read:
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt [Gen. 19:26].
I think this verse has been greatly misunderstood. Why in the world did Mrs. Lot turn and look back? I think that the reason is twofold. First of all, she turned and looked back because she did not want to leave Sodom. She loved Sodom. She loved Lot, too, but it was a lot of Sodom that she loved. And she didn’t want to leave it. She was probably a member of the country club, the sewing club, and the Shakespeare club. In fact, there wasn’t a club in town that she was not a member of. She just loved these little get-togethers in the afternoon. I’m not sure but what they met and studied religion in a nice little religious club also. She was right in the thick of it all, my friend, and she didn’t want to leave. Her heart was in Sodom. Her body walked out, but she surely left her heart there.
This is a tremendous lesson for us today. I hear a great many Christians talking about how they want to see the Lord come, but they are not living as if they mean it. On Sunday morning, it is difficult to get them to leave their lovely home. And on Sunday night, they are not going to leave their lovely home because they love television, too. They have a color television, and they are going to look at the programs on Sunday night because there are some good ones then. But when the Lord comes, my friend, you are going to leave the television; you are going to leave that lovely home; you are going to leave everything. I have just one question to ask you: Will it break your heart to leave all of this down here?
I have asked myself that question many times. To be honest with you, I am not anxious to leave. I would love to stay. I have my friends and loved ones whom I want to be with. And I have the radio ministry that I want to continue. I’ll be frank with you, I hope the Lord will just let me stay here awhile longer. But I also want to be able to say that when He does call, I will not have a thing down here which will break my heart to leave—not a thing. I love my home too, but I would just as soon go off and leave it. How do you feel about that today? Mrs. Lot turned and looked back, and this is one of the explanations.
The other reason that she looked back is simply that she did not believe God. God had said, “Leave the city, and don’t look back.” Lot didn’t look back; he believed God. But Mrs. Lot did not believe God. She was not a believer, and so she didn’t really make it out of the city. She was turned to a pillar of salt.
I am not going to go into the story of Lot’s two daughters in verses 31–38. It is as sordid as it can be. Frankly, Lot did not do well in moving down to the city of Sodom. He lost everything except his own soul. His life is a picture of a great many people who will not judge the sins of their lives. They are saved, “yet so as by fire.” The Lord has said in a very definite way to these folk who have put all their eggs in a basket like this that if they will not judge their sin down here, He will judge it. Apparently, that was the case in Lot’s story.
I want to conclude this chapter by looking at Abraham. What did Abraham think of all this?
And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord:
And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace [Gen. 19:27–28].
When Abraham looked down toward Sodom, I think his heart was sad. I am not sure whether or not he knew that Lot had escaped. He probably learned about it later on. When he looked down there, he probably was sad for Lot’s sake, but Abraham had not invested a dime down there. When judgment came, it did not disturb him one whit because he wasn’t in love with the things of Sodom and the things of the world.
Remember that we are told, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world …” (1 John 2:15). I sometimes preach a sermon which I have entitled “Sightseeing in Sodom.” First, I look at Sodom through the eyes of Lot himself: he sure had a wrong view of it. And then of Mrs. Lot: she fell in love with it. You can also sightsee in Sodom with Abraham: he lost nothing down there. Finally, you can go through Sodom with the Lord and see it as He sees it. It is too bad that the church today is not looking at the sin of sodomy as God looks at it. I do not think it is any more prevalent today than it has been in the past, but there is a tremendous percentage of our population who are homosexuals engaging in perversion. We speak of it in a more candid manner than we ever have, and it is something that is right in our midst.
What is to be the attitude of the Christian toward homosexuality? Even Lot in his day said, “You are doing wickedly.” And God judged it. Isn’t it enough for the child of God to know that he cannot compromise with this type of thing. This is a sin! The world indulges in it and then calls it a sickness. The same thing is said about the alcoholic. Sure, he’s sick. Of course, he’s sick. But what made him take that first drink and continue to drink until he became sick? Sin did it, my friend. Sin is the problem, and homosexuality is a sin. It is so labeled in the first chapter of Romans where God says He gave them up (see Rom. 1:18–32). Genesis 19 is a very important chapter for this present generation in which we are living today.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Abraham misrepresents Sarah
Chapter 20 seems about as necessary as a fifth leg on a cow. It is a chapter that youfeel as if you would like to leave out, because in it Abraham repeat the same sin which he committed when he went down into the land of Egypt and lied concerning Sarah, saying, “She is my sister.” It is the same sordid story, but this chapter is put here for a very important reason. Abraham and Sarah are going to have to deal with this sin before they can have Isaac, before they can have the blessing. May I say to you, until you and I are willing to deal with the sin in our lives, there is no blessing for us.
ABRAHAM MISREPRESENTS SARAH
I am going to hit just the high points of chapter 20.
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah [Gen. 20:1–2].
This is quite interesting. Do you think that Sarah was beautiful? Well, at this time she is almost ninety years old, and she’s beautiful. Not many senior citizens can qualify in this particular department.
Notice also that Abraham is getting quite far south in the land. He has gone beyond Kadesh-Barnea where the children of Israel later came up from Egypt and refused to enter the land. Abraham has gone down to Gerar, which I do not think he should have done, but be that as it may, he lies about Sarah again.
I want you to notice Abraham’s confession because this is the thing which makes this chapter important and reveals the fact that Abraham and Sarah cannot have Isaac until they deal with this sin that is in their lives—and it goes way back.
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake [Gen. 20:11].
Abraham is now talking to Abimelech who is greatly disturbed that Abraham would do a thing like lying about his wife. Again, Abraham was not trusting God. He felt that he was moving down into a godless place, but he finds out that Abimelech has a high sense of what is right and wrong. Abimelech puts a tremendous value upon character and apparently is a man who knows God. Poor Abraham doesn’t look good by the side of Abimelech here.
And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife [Gen. 20:12].
Abraham lets it all out now. He says, “To tell the truth, it’s half a lie. Sarah is my half sister, and she is my wife.”
And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother [Gen. 20:13].
Abraham did not have complete confidence and trust in God, and so when they started out, he and Sarah made a pact that anywhere they went where it looked as if Abraham might be killed because of his wife, Sarah would say that Abraham was her brother. Abraham and Sarah thought that that would keep Abraham from being killed. They made that little agreement, and they had used it down in Egypt, and here they have used it again. This sin must be dealt with before God is going to hear and answer Abraham’s prayer in sending a son. Isaac will not be born until this is dealt with.
How many Christians are there who will not judge sin in their lives, and as a result, there is no blessing in their lives? If those who are in places of leadership in our fundamental churches would confess their sins and deal with the sins that are in their lives, I frankly believe that we could have revival. I do not believe there will be any blessing until sin is dealt with. Listen to Paul in 1 Corinthians: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:28–32). Blessing is being withheld from the church and from the lives of many believers because we will not deal with the sin in our lives. This is a tremendous spiritual lesson here in the twentieth chapter of the Book of Genesis.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: The birth of Isaac; Hagar and Ishmael cast out; Abraham and Abimelech at Beer-sheba
In the preceding chapter, we saw the sin that must be dealt with, confessed, and put away before Isaac could be born to Abraham and Sarah. Now in chapter 21 we have the birth of Isaac.
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC
And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him [Gen. 21:1–2].
You will notice that there is a very striking similarity between the birth of Isaac and the birth of Christ. I believe that the birth of Isaac was given to us to set before mankind this great truth before Christ came. Isaac was born at the set time God had promised, and Paul says, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal. 4:4).
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age [Gen. 21:3–7].
There are some very remarkable truths here that we need to lay hold of. First of all, the birth of Isaac was a miraculous birth. It was contrary to nature. In the fourth chapter of Romans, Paul writes that Abraham “… considered not his own body now dead … neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom. 4:19). Out of death God brings forth life: this is a miraculous birth. We need to call attention to the fact that God did not flash the supernatural birth of Christ on the world as being something new. He began to prepare men for it, and therefore way back here at the birth of Isaac we have a miraculous birth.
We also find here that God had to deal with both Sarah and Abraham. They had to recognize that they could do nothing, that it would be impossible for them to have a child. Abraham is 100 years old; Sarah is 90 years old. In other words, the birth of Isaac must be a birth that they really have nothing to do with.
And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned [Gen. 21:8].
This little fellow first lived by feeding on his mother’s milk, but there came a day when he had to be weaned. Even this has a lesson for us. When mamma is getting the bottle ready for the little baby in the crib, everything in his entire body is working. He’s got his feet up in the air, he’s got his hands up in the air, and he’s yelling at the top of his voice—he wants his bottle! “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). It is wonderful to be a new Christian with an appetite like that for the milk of the Word. But the day comes when you are ready to start growing up as a believer. Instead of just reading Psalm 23 and John 14—wonderful as they are—try reading through the entire Bible. Grow up. Don’t be a babe all of the time. Notice God’s admonishment in Hebrews 5:13–14: “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age.…” Grow up, friend.
HAGAR AND ISHMAEL CAST OUT
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac [Gen. 21:9–10].
The coming of this little boy Isaac into the home sure did produce a great deal of difficulty. We find that the boy who was the son of Hagar, Ishmael, was mocking. We begin now to see the nature and the character of Ishmael. Up to this point, he seems to be a pretty nice boy, but now, with the appearance of this other son in the family, Ishmael really shows his true colors.
This is an illustration, by the way, of the fact that a believer has two natures. Until you are converted, you have an old nature, and that old nature controls you. You do what you want to do. As the old secular song put it, you are “doing what comes naturally,” What you do that comes naturally is not always the nicest sort of thing. But when you are born again, you receive a new nature. And when you receive a new nature, that is where the trouble always begins. Paul writes in the seventh chapter of Romans of the battle going on between the old nature and the new nature: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom. 7:19). That is, the new nature doesn’t want to, but the old nature wants to do it, and the old nature is in control. The time comes when you have to make a decision as to which nature you are going to live by. You must make a determination in this matter of yielding to the Lord. You either have to permit the Holy Spirit to move in your life, or else you have to go through life controlled by the flesh. There is no third alternative for the child of God. The son of the bondwoman must be put out. That is exactly what we have here in Genesis: the son of the bondwoman Hagar had to be put out.
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son [Gen. 21:11].
After all, as far as the flesh is concerned, Ishmael is Abraham’s son just as much as Isaac is. Isaac has just been born, and a little bitty baby doesn’t know too much about him yet. But this boy Ishmael has been in the home for a good many years—he’s a teen-ager now, and Abraham is attached to him. The thing is very grievous if Abraham is going to have to send him away. Again, I go back to that which we said before: God did not approve of the thing which Sarah and Abraham did, and God cannot accept Ishmael. This is sin. God just did not approve of it, and He doesn’t intend to approve of it at all. It was a heartbreak to Abraham, but in order to relieve the embarrassment, he had to send that boy away. Poor Sarah just couldn’t take it with this older boy around mocking her.
As a believer you cannot live in harmony with both natures. You are going to have to make a decision. James says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). This explains the instability and the insecurity among many Christians today. They want to go with the world, and yet they want to go with the Lord. They are spiritual schizophrenics, trying to do both—and you cannot do that. The Greeks had a race in which they put two horses together, and the rider would put one foot on one horse and the other foot on the other horse, and the race would start. Well, it was a great race as long as the horses were together. You and I have two natures—one is a black horse, and the other is a white horse. It would be great if they would go together, but they just will not work together. The white horse goes one way and the black horse another way. When they do this, you and I have to make up our minds which one we are going with—whether we are going to live by the old nature or the new nature. This is why we are told to yield ourselves: “yield yourselves unto God … and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Rom. 6:13). Paul goes on to say that what the law could not do through the weakness of the flesh, the Spirit of God can now accomplish (see Rom. 8:3–4). The law tried to control man’s old nature and failed. Now the Spirit of God, empowering the new nature, can accomplish what the law could never do.
The character of Ishmael, the son of Hagar, begins to be revealed. This is the nature that we find manifested later on in that nation, a nation that is antagonistic and whose hand is against his brother. This has been the picture of him down through the centuries.
In the birth of Isaac, as I have already suggested, we have a foreshadowing of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. God did not suddenly spring the virgin birth on mankind. He had prepared us by several miraculous births before this, including the birth of John the Baptist, the birth even of Samson, and here the birth of Isaac. I would like to call your attention to the remarkable comparison between the births of Isaac and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. The birth of Isaac and the birth of Christ had both been promised. When God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees twenty-five years earlier, God had said to him, “I am going to give a son to you and Sarah.” Now twenty-five years have gone by, and God has made good His promise. God also said to the nation Israel, “A virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son.” When the day came that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was a fulfillment of prophecy. Both births had been promised.
2. With both births there was a long interval between the promise and the fulfillment. Actually, there were about twenty-five years from the time God promised it until the birth of Isaac. With the birth of Christ, you could go back many generations. For example, God had promised that there would come One in David’s line—and that was a thousand years before Christ was born. This is quite a remarkable parallel here.
3. The announcements of the births seemed incredulous and impossible to Sarah and to Mary. You will recall that the servants of the Lord visited Abraham as they were on the way to Sodom, and they announced the birth of Isaac. It just seemed impossible. Sarah laughed and said, “This thing just can’t be. It is beyond belief.” And, after all, who was the first one to raise a question about the virgin birth? It was Mary herself. When the angel made the announcement, she said, “… How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34).
4. Both Isaac and Jesus were named before their births. Abraham and Sarah were told that they were going to have a son and that they were going to name him Isaac. And with the birth of the Lord Jesus, we find that He was also named beforehand. The angel said to Joseph, “… thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
5. Both births occurred at God’s appointed time. Verse 2 of this chapter says that at the set time which God had spoken to them of, Sarah brought forth Isaac. And regarding the birth of Jesus, we note that Paul says, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal. 4:4).
6. Both births were miraculous. The birth of Isaac was a miraculous birth, and, certainly, the birth of the Lord Jesus was—no man had any part in that.
7. Both sons were a particular joy of their fathers. We read that “Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac,” meaning laughter. This was the name he gave his son because back at the time when God made the announcement, he laughed because of his sheer joy in it all. Referring to the Lord Jesus, we read that the Father spoke out of heaven and said, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). Both sons were a joy.
8. Both sons were obedient to their fathers, even unto death. In chapter 22 we are going to see that this boy Isaac was offered up by his father. He was not a small boy of eight or nine years. Isaac just happened to be about thirty-three years old when this took place, and he was obedient to his father even unto death. That was true of Isaac, and that was certainly true of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a marvelous picture of the birth and life of Christ in the birth and life of Isaac.
9. Finally, the miraculous birth of Isaac is a picture of the resurrection of Christ. We have already noted Paul’s words that Abraham “considered not his own body now dead … neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom. 4:19). Out of death came life—that’s resurrection, you see. After Paul emphasizes this, he goes on to say of the Lord Jesus, “Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). We have in Isaac quite a remarkable picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now we find how God graciously deals with Abraham and also with Hagar and her son Ishmael.
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called [Gen. 21:12].
God makes it clear to Abraham that He is not going to accept Ishmael as the son He had promised.
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed [Gen. 21:13].
God had said, “Of thy seed, I will make nations to come from you,” and therefore He now says that a great nation will come from this boy Ishmael also.
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt [Gen. 21:14–21].
The Scriptures are going to drop the line of Ishmael and follow it no longer, but his descendants, the Arabs, are out there in the desert even today.
ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH AT BEER-SHEBA
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned [Gen. 21:22–23].
In other words, Abimelech wants to make a contract or a treaty with this man Abraham—and they become good friends because of this.
Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God [Gen. 21:32–33].
Abraham is calling upon God’s name everywhere he goes.
And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days [Gen. 21:34].
We are told later that Abraham was always a stranger and a pilgrim in this land that God had promised to him, and this is an evidence of it.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: God commands Abraham to offer Isaac; God restrains Abraham; God reaffirms His promises; Abraham returns to Beer—sheba
In this chapter we come to another great high point of the Bible. We are walking on mountain peaks in the Book of Genesis. Chapter 22 is the account of Abraham’s offering of his own son. God commanded him to offer Isaac on the altar and then restrained him at the last minute when He saw that Abraham was willing to go through with it. This chapter brings us to the seventh and last appearance of God to Abraham. After this, there is nothing more that God could ask Abraham to do. This is the supreme test that He brought to this man.
If you were to designate the ten greatest chapters of the Bible, you would almost have to include Genesis 22. One of the reasons for that is that this is the first time human sacrifice is even suggested. It is in the plan and purpose of God to make it clear to man that human sacrifice is wrong. This incident reveals that. It also reveals that God requires a life to be given up in order that He might save sinners. There is no one among the children of men worthy to take that place. God’s Son was the only One. It is interesting that Paul said, “God spared not His own Son,” but you might add that He did spare the son of Abraham and did not let him go through with the sacrifice of Isaac.
This chapter compares with Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. The first time that I saw in this chapter these great truths which depict the cross of Christ, it was breathtaking. Not only in the birth of Isaac, but now also in the sacrifice of Isaac, there is a strange similarity to the life of our Lord.
The very interesting thing is that James makes a statement concerning this incident which may seem contradictory to other parts of the Bible: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21). For Paul makes this statement in Romans 4: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:1–3). Who is right? James or Paul? My answer is that both of them are right. First of all, we need to note that both of them are talking about the same thing—faith. James is talking about the works of faith, not the works of law. Paul is talking about justification before God, quoting the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, way back when Abraham was just getting under way in a walk of faith. At that time only God knew his heart, and God saw that Abraham believed Him: “And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). We can see that Abraham failed many times, and I am of the opinion that his neighbors might have said, “We don’t see that he is righteous.” But when the day came that he took his son to be offered on the altar, even the hardhearted Philistine had to admit that Abraham demonstrated his faith by his actions. James says that Abraham was justified by works. When was he justified? When he offered Isaac. But the question is going to arise: Did Abraham really offer Isaac upon the altar? Of course, the answer is that he didn’t—but he was willing to. That very act of being willing is the act that James is talking about which reveals that Abraham had the works of faith. James is emphasizing the works of faith seen in this twenty-second chapter of Genesis, and Paul is talking about faith in his heart which Abraham had way back in the fifteenth chapter.
GOD COMMANDS ABRAHAM TO OFFER ISAAC
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am [Gen. 22:1].
The word tempt is a little bit too strong; actually, the word means “test.” James makes it very clear in his epistle that God never tempts anyone with evil. God tempts folks in the sense that He tests their faith. God did test Abraham, and He asked him to do something very strange.
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of [Gen. 22:2].
Right after this chapter, we are told that Sarah was 127 years old when she died (see Gen. 23:1). When you put that down with this chapter, you find that this boy Isaac was not just a little lad. Sarah was 90 years old when Isaac was born and 127 when she died. That means that 37 years elapsed here. Since he is called a “lad” in this chapter, you would not gather that he actually was in his thirties—probably around 30 or 33 years of age.
“Take now thy son [notice how this plays upon the heartstrings of Abraham and of God Himself], thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest.” “Take now thy son”—the Lord Jesus has taken the position of the Son in the Trinity. “Thy son, thine only son”—the Lord Jesus is said to be the only begotten Son. “Thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest”—the Lord Jesus said, “The Father loves Me.”
“And get thee into the land of Moriah” It is the belief of a great many that Moriah—that is, this particular part—is the place where the temple was built centuries later and also the place that the Lord Jesus was sacrificed—right outside the city walls. When I was in Jerusalem, I had the feeling that Golgotha and the temple area were not very far apart. They belong to the same ridge. A street has been cut through there, and the ridge has been breached, but it is the same ridge, and it is called Moriah. Let’s not say that the Lord Jesus died in the exact spot—we don’t know—but certainly He died on the same ridge, the same mountain, on which Abraham offered Isaac.
“And offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” The burnt offering was the offering up until the time of Mosaic law; then a sin offering and a trespass offering were given. Here the burnt offering speaks of the person of Christ, who He is. This is an offer of a human sacrifice, and, frankly, it raises this moral question: Isn’t human sacrifice wrong? Yes, it is morally wrong. Had you met Abraham on that day when he was on his way with Isaac, you might have asked him, “Where are you going, Abraham?” He would have replied, “To offer Isaac as a sacrifice.” And you would have then asked, “Don’t you know that that is wrong?” Abraham would have said, “Yes, I’ve been taught that it was wrong. I know that the heathen nations around here offer human sacrifice—the Philistines offer to Molech—but I have been taught otherwise.” You would then question him further, “Then why are you doing it?” and he would explain, “All I know is that God has commanded it. I don’t understand it. But I’ve been walking with Him now for over fifty years. He has never failed me, nor has He asked me to do anything that did not prove to be the best thing. I don’t understand this, but I believe that if I go all the way with Him that God will raise Isaac from the dead. I believe that He will do that.”
This is a tremendous picture as Abraham takes Isaac with him:
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him [Gen. 22:3].
Abraham takes Isaac with him, and he takes the wood for the burnt offering.
Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off [Gen. 22:4].
It took Abraham three days to get there, but remember that it was on the third day that Abraham received Isaac alive, back from the dead, as it were. That is the way that Abraham looked at it: Isaac was raised up to him the third day. What a picture we have here.
And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you [Gen. 22:5].
The transaction that is going to take place is between the father and the son, between Abraham and Isaac. And actually, God shut man out at the cross. At the time of the darkness at high noon, man was shut out. The night had come when no man could work, and during those last three hours, that cross became an altar on which the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world was offered. The transaction was between the Father and the Son on that cross. Man was outside and was not participating at all. The picture is the same here: it is Abraham and Isaac alone.
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together [Gen. 22:6].
“Abraham took the wood … and laid it upon Isaac his son.” Remember that Christ carried His own cross. The fire here speaks of judgement, and the knife speaks of the execution of judgment and of sacrifice.
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together [Gen. 22:7–8].
Verse 13 tells us that shortly after this there was a ram that was caught in the thicket by his horns, and Abraham got that ram and offered it. Abraham says here that God will provide Himself a lamb. But there was no lamb there; it was a ram, and there is a distinction. The Lamb was not provided until centuries later when John the Baptist marked Him out and identified Him, saying, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering”—it is very important to see that Abraham was speaking prophetically.
Abraham is now ready to offer this boy on the altar although he does not quite understand.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood [Gen. 22:9].
Isaac is not just a little boy whom Abraham had to tie up. He is a grown man, and I believe that Isaac could have overcome Abraham if it had come to a physical encounter. But Isaac is doing this in obedience. The Lord Jesus went to the cross having said, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” He went to the cross to fulfill the will of God. What a picture we have here!
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son [Gen. 22:10].
At this point you and I might have said, “Abraham, are you going through with it? It looks now like God is going to permit you to.” He would have said, “I sure am. I’ve been taught that it is wrong, and I don’t understand, but I’ve also learned to obey God.”
This is a real crisis in Abraham’s life. God has brought this man through four very definite crises, each of which was a real exercise of his soul, a real strain upon his heart. First of all, he was called to leave all of his relatives in Ur of the Chaldees. He was just to leave the whole group. That was a real test for Abraham. He didn’t do it very well at the beginning, but, nevertheless, the break finally came. Then there was the test that came with Lot, his nephew. Abraham loved Lot—he wouldn’t have been carrying Lot around with him if he hadn’t. But the time came when they had to separate, and Lot went down to Sodom. Then there was the test with this boy of his, the son of Hagar, Ishmael. Abraham just cried out to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before Thee!” He loved that boy; he hated to be separated from him. Now Abraham comes to this supreme test, the fourth great crisis in his life: he is asked to give up Isaac. Abraham does not quite understand all the details for the very simple reason that God has told him, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead (see Heb. 11:19), but as far as Abraham is concerned, he is willing to go through with the sacrifice.
GOD RESTRAINS ABRAHAM
James wrote that Abraham was justified by works when he offered up his son. But wait just a minute. Did Abraham offer his son? Does your Bible say that Abraham plunged the knife into his son? No, and mine doesn’t read that way either.
And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me [Gen. 22:11–12].
Now God knows that Abraham fears Him. How does He know? By his actions, by his works; previously it was by his faith. God sees your heart—He knows whether you are genuine or not—but your neighbors and your friends do not know. They can only know by your works. That is the reason James could say that “faith without works is dead.” Faith has to produce something.
God tested Abraham. I believe that any person whom God calls, any person whom God saves, any person whom God uses is going to be tested. God tested Abraham, and God tests those who are His own today. He tests you and me, and the tests are given to us to strengthen our faith, to establish us, and to make us serviceable for Him. This man Abraham is now given the supreme test, and God will not have to ask anything of him after this.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son [Gen. 22:13].
All the way from the Garden of Eden down to the cross of Christ, the substitution was this little animal that pointed to His coming—and God would not permit human sacrifice. But when His Son came into the world, His Son went to the cross and died: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). That cross became an altar on which the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world was offered. It is very important to see that.
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen [Gen. 22:14].
Abraham now names this place which a great many people believe is where Solomon’s temple was built. Golgotha, the place of a skull, is right there on that same ridge where the temple stood. There Abraham offered his son, and it was there that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. This is a glorious, wonderful thing to see. Abraham calls the name of this place Jehovah-jireh, meaning Jehovah will provide. Here is where God intervened in his behalf.
GOD REAFFIRMS HIS PROMISES
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son [Gen. 22:15–16].
I have a question to ask: Did Abraham do it? No, he did not offer his son, but God says to him, “Because you have done this thing ….” You see, Abraham believed God, and he went far enough to let you and me know—God already knew—and to let the created universe know that he was willing to give his son. And so God counted it to him that he had done it. Abraham is justified by faith, but he is also justified before men by his works. He demonstrated that he had that faith.
“And hast not withheld thy son, thine only son.” Notice how God plays upon that—because He gave His only Son.
Through this incident, God is making it clear that there will have to be a Man to stand in the gap, there will have to be a Man capable of becoming the Savior of the race if anyone is to be saved. That is a great lesson given to us in this chapter. Abraham said that God would provide Himself a Lamb, and they found a ram and offered it. But God did provide a Lamb nineteen hundred years later in Christ. God stayed Abraham’s hand and did not let him go through with the sacrifice of Isaac because it would have been wrong. God spared Abraham’s son, but God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up freely for us all.
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice [Gen. 22:17–18].
“And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” What “seed” is God talking about here? If you go to Galatians 3:16, you will find that Paul interprets what the “seed” means: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Thus we have the Bible’s own interpretation of the “seed.”
Going back to the eighth verse, we find that Paul says this: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed” (Gal. 3:8). When did God preach the gospel to Abraham? God preached the gospel to him when He called upon him to offer his son Isaac upon the altar. God says here, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,” and that seed is Christ. This is the gospel as it was given to Abraham, if you please.
I would like to make a comment here concerning something that is customarily over-looked. We assume that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Old Testament worthies were great men but that they were not as smart as we are, that they did not know as much as we know. However, I am of the opinion that Abraham knew a great deal more about the coming of Christ and the gospel than you and I give him credit for. In fact, the Lord Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). So he must have known a great deal more than we realize. God had revealed much to Abraham, but the Savior was not yet come. We know today that He would not come for nineteen hundred years, but there on the top of Mount Moriah where Abraham offered Isaac was a picture of the offering and even of the resurrection of Christ! After God called Abraham to offer Isaac, it was three days before he even got to Moriah. God gave Isaac back to Abraham alive on the third day; so that this is a picture of both the death and resurrection of Christ. Paul says that God preached the gospel to Abraham, and certainly it was done here.
“And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Today the gospel of Christ has gone out pretty much to all the world. There are many who have not heard—that is true even in our own midst—but nevertheless, the blessing has come to all nations. And the only blessing the nations have is through Christ.
“Because thou hast obeyed my voice.” That obedience rested upon Abraham’s faith, and faith always will lead to action. “Faith without works is dead.”
ABRAHAM RETURNS TO BEER-SHEBA
So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor [Gen. 22:19–20].
The remainder of this chapter gives us a little sidelight on the family of Abraham. Abraham had left his brother Nahor way back yonder in the land of Haran. His line will not be followed in the Scriptures, but it will cross the line of Abraham a little later on. We will go into that when we come to it. If you read the rest of this chapter, you will have quite an exercise in the pronunciation of names.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: Death and burial of Sarah
In chapter 23 we see the death of Sarah and Abraham’s purchase of a cave in which to bury her, the cave of Machpelah.
And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her [Gen. 23:1–2].
Notice that Sarah’s age is given as 127 years old. She was 90 when Isaac was born, which means that at the time of her death (which took place after the offering of Isaac by several years, I suppose), Isaac was 37 years old.
We are told that Sarah died in Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron. Abraham even had to buy a cave in which to bury his dead in the very land that God had given to him. Why didn’t he take Sarah somewhere else to bury her? It is because the hope they have of the future is in that land. As we move on down in this chapter, we will see that although there are the arrangements for a funeral, which is not very exciting or interesting and is perhaps even a little morbid to some, it is very important to see a great truth here.
And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight [Gen. 23:3–4].
Abraham calls himself a stranger and a sojourner even in the Promised Land which God had promised to give to him.
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead [Gen. 23:5–6].
This is a very generous offer made by the children of Heth who live in this land. They probably said to Abraham, “Just pick your burying spot in any of our sepulchers—that’s it. We’d be delighted to have you.” Abraham had made a tremendous impression. They call him “a mighty prince.” This man’s influence counted for something.
And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a burying place amongst you [Gen. 23:7–9].
The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham chose, but he wanted to buy it; he wanted nothing given to him. In other words, until God gives him that land, he will buy what he needs and wants. So now he actually buys a burying place.
Again I ask the question: Why didn’t Abraham take Sarah somewhere else to bury her? He buried her here because it is the promised land and the hope of the future is here. As you go through the Bible, you will find that there are two great hopes and two great purposes which God has. He has an earthly purpose, and He has a heavenly purpose. He has an earthly purpose; that is, this earth on which you and I live is going into eternity. It is going to be traded in on a new model. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. But there will be an earth, and it will be inhabited throughout eternity. This is the promise that God gave to Abraham and to those after him. God is not going to put this earth on which you and I live in the garbage can after He gets through with the program which He is carrying out today; nor is it going to be disposed of in a wrecking yard for old and battered cars. God is not going to get rid of it. He intends to trade it in on a new model. The new earth will go into eternity, and there will be people to inhabit it. This was the hope of Abraham. Abraham wanted to be buried in that land so that, when the resurrection came, he and Sarah would be raised in that land. He never knew how many were coming after him, but there are going to be literally millions raised from the dead. This is their hope. It is an earthly hope, and it will be realized.
In the Upper Room, our Lord said this to His disciples who were schooled in the Old Testament and who had the Old Testament hope: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1–3). He is speaking of the New Jerusalem which He is preparing today and which is the place to which the church will go. The New Jerusalem will be the eternal abode of the church. This teaching was brand-new to the disciples, and I am afraid that it is brand-new to a great many Christians. God never told Abraham that He would take him away from this earth to heaven. Rather, He kept telling him, “I am going to give you this land.” Abraham believed God, and that was the reason that he wanted Sarah buried in that land. It became the place for him to bury his dead. He intended to be buried there, and he is buried there.
The exact location of Abraham’s burying place is at Hebron, about twenty miles south of Jerusalem. When we made a trip there, we visited the Moslem mosque which is built over that spot. Frankly, on our entire trip through that land, I never felt uncomfortable or even a little afraid, except at Hebron. We had been warned to be very careful in Hebron, that there was a great deal of antagonism toward tourists and, actually, toward everyone who did not belong there. Of course, they allowed us to visit the mosque because it meant tourist dollars. After we went in, we looked through a little hole in the floor and down into the cave where Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah are all supposed to be buried. (Rachel is buried at Beth-lehem.) These folk are all buried in Israel because of their hope of being raised from the dead in that land. It is an earthly hope. Our hope as New Testament believers is a heavenly hope. I trust that that is clear to you so that you can understand why this burial was so important to Abraham at this particular time.
Abraham now makes a deal to buy the cave. Notice the transaction:
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land [Gen. 23:10–12].
Notice Abraham and the generosity of these people and of this man Ephron in particular. They certainly were polite in that day. We have the impression that these were cavemen who carried clubs around ready to club each other. If Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other Old Testament saints—even the men who are mentioned in this chapter—were in Los Angeles today and could go back and report to their folk, I think they would say, “Do you know that our offspring are a bunch of cavemen? They’re highly uncivilized! They are rude and crude and a disgrace.” I think they would say that of us, but we have the advantage that we can talk about them. It is interesting to note how polite they are. “And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.”
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abrabam weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant [Gen. 23:13–16].
That is, Abraham paid for the field and cave in the legal tender of that day.
And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure.
Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth [Gen. 23:17–20].
Apparently, this place is where the mosque is built at Hebron today. It is considered either the second or third most important mosque in the world of Islam. They have many mosques in Cairo and other places, and the ones I have seen are absolutely beautiful. The most important one, of course, would be at Mecca. I am not sure whether the one at Hebron or the one at Jerusalem would be number two, but the other would then be number three. You can see how important this is, because the Arabs all trace their lineage back to Abraham.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: A bride for Isaac
We have come in chapter 24 to a major break in this second division of Genesis. The first division (chapters 1–11) deals with four great events. The second and final division (chapters 12–50) deals with four outstanding individuals. Specifically, in Genesis 12–23 we have Abraham, the man of faith. Now in chapters 24–26 we have Isaac, the beloved son. There are three great events in the life of Isaac, and we have already seen two of them. The first was his birth, and the second was his being offered by Abraham. The third is the obtaining of his bride. They say there are three great events in a man’s life—his birth, his marriage, and his death—and that he has no choice except with the second one, marriage. Sometimes a man doesn’t seem to have much choice in that connection either, but, nevertheless, these are the three great events in a man’s life.
We come now to the story of how Isaac secured his bride. Abraham sends his trusted servant back to the land of Haran in Mesopotamia to get a bride for Isaac—and we will see the success of the servant in securing Rebekah. This is a very wonderful love story. It reveals that God is interested in the man whom you marry, young lady, and He is interested in the young lady whom you marry, young man.
There are two institutions that God has given to the human family: one is marriage, and the other is human government (God permits man to rule himself today). These are two universal and very important institutions. When these are broken, a society will fall apart. The home is the backbone of any society—God knew that—and He established marriage, intending that it give strength and stability to society. The same thing is true relative to human government—a government must have the power to take human life in order to protect human life—that is the purpose of it. Because human life is sacred, God gave such laws.
The point here is that God is interested in your love story, and it is wonderful when you bring God into it. The first miracle that our Lord performed was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. I do not know how many weddings He went to, but He went to that one.
The twenty-fourth chapter of Genesis is one of the richest sections of the Word of God because it tells a love story that goes way back to the very beginning. A very dramatic account is given here of the way that a bride was secured for Isaac, and again, a fantastic spiritual picture is also presented to us. There are two things that I want you to notice as we go through this chapter. One is the leading of the Lord in all the details of the lives of those involved. It is a remarkable statement that is made, time and time again, of how God led. Even in this early day, there were those in that social climate who were looking to God and following His leading. Some would have us believe that this took place in the Stone Age, when man was a caveman and pretty much uncivilized. Don’t believe a word of it! Here is a record that shows that man did not start out as that kind of man at all—and we find here the leading of God. If God could lead in the lives of these folk, He can lead in your life and my life. The second thing to notice in this chapter is the straightforward manner in which Rebekah made her decision to go with the servant and become the bride of lsaac. This is a tremendous thing which we will notice as we go through.
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things [Gen. 24:1].
Abraham is old, well stricken in age, and the Lord has blessed him in all things. Abraham now wants to get a bride for his son Isaac, but he does not want to get a bride among the Canaanites where the people are given to idolatry and paganism, and so he will send his servant to his people, back in the land of Haran, to get a bride for Isaac.
And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh [Gen. 24:21].
This is the way men took an oath in that day. They did not raise their right hands and put their left hands on a Bible. They didn’t have a Bible to begin with, and frankly, I do not think it is necessary for anyone to put his hand on a Bible to swear that he is telling the truth. If he intends to lie, he will lie even if his hand is resting on a Bible. The method in that day was for a man to put his hand under the thigh of the man to whom he was going to make an oath. I think this servant was Eliezer. He was the head servant in the home of Abraham, and he had a son—remember that Abraham had called God’s attention to that earlier (see Gen. 15:2–3).
And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell [Gen. 24:3].
My Christian friend, if you have a boy or girl in your home who is marriageable, you ought to pray that he will not marry one of the “Canaanites”. They are still in the land, and there is always a danger of our young people marrying one of them. If they do, as someone has put it, they are going to have the devil for their father-in-law, and they are always going to have trouble with him.
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again [Gen. 24:4–6].
In other words the servant says to Abraham, “Suppose I cannot find a girl who will come with me. Shall I come back and get Isaac to take him to that land?” And Abraham says, “Never take Isaac back! This is the place where God wants us. Do not return him to that land under any circumstances.” This is very important for us to see.
The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence [Gen. 24:7].
Abraham is really a man of faith. He demonstrates it again and again, and here he is magnificent. He says to this servant, “You can count on God to lead you. God has promised me this.” Abraham is not taking a leap in the dark—faith is not a leap in the dark. It must rest upon the Word of God. Many people say, “I believe God, and it will come to pass.” That’s fine. It is wonderful for you to believe God, but do you have something in writing from Him? Abraham always asked for it in writing, and he had it in writing from God. God had made a contract with him. Abraham is really saying, “God has promised me that through my seed Isaac He is going to bring a blessing to the world. You can be sure of one thing: God has a bride back there for Isaac.” You see, Abraham rests upon what God has said. We need to not be foolish today. Faith is not foolishness. It is resting upon something. It is always reasonable. It is never a leap in the dark. It is not betting your life that this or that will come to pass. It is not a gamble; it is a sure thing. Faith is the real sure thing. Abraham is sure.
And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again [Gen. 24:8].
Abraham says, “Don’t ever take my son back there, but if the woman won’t come, then you are discharged.” What does that mean? I think it means simply that Abraham would have told you, “God has another way of working this out. I don’t know what it will be, but I am very sure that God does not want my son to marry a godless girl.”
My friend, that is what faith is. Faith is acting upon the Word of God. Faith rests upon something. God wants us to believe His Word and not just believe. It is pious nonsense to think that you can force God to do something, that God has to do it because you believe it. I have made it through a number of years now with cancer in my body, and no one wants to be healed more than I do. Don’t tell me that I don’t believe in faith healing—I do. However, I have been told that I can force God, that God will heal me if I demand it. I do not know what His will is, but whatever His will is, that is what I want done. God wants us to bring our needs to Him, but He has to be the One to determine how He will answer our prayers. Abraham has something to rest upon. He is not demanding anything of God. He says, “If this doesn’t work out, then God has another way to work it out.”
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter [Gen. 24:9].
Now watch the servant as he goes out to get a bride for Isaac.
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor [Gen. 24:10].
The servant who is going to Mesopotamia to get a bride for Isaac takes ten camels along, and that means somebody had to ride them. He took along quite a retinue of servants.
“For all the goods of his master were in his hand.” In other words, he had charge of all the chattels and all the possessions of Abraham.
And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water [Gen. 24:11].
It may seem strange to you that the women came out to draw water, but they were the ones who did the watering of the camels in that day. Very frankly, women did lots more work in those days than they do today—I mean by that, hard physical labor. The women were the ones who watered and took care of the stock. The men were supposed to be out trading and doing other work—they were not always loafing, by any means. But it is interesting to note that it was the custom of that day for women to go out to draw water. This servant was waiting because it was not the proper thing for him, as a stranger, to water his camels before the others who lived in that community.
This servant is depending upon God. Abraham had put all of this in the hands of the Lord, and now the servant does also:
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master [Gen. 24:12–14].
The servant’s prayer is something like this: “The daughters of the men of the city will be coming out. I do not know which one to choose, and it is just left up to me to pick one of them. I pray that the one that I pick might be the one that You pick.” In other words, he calls upon the Lord to lead him in making the right choice.
Who do you think he is going to pick? Well, he is a man, and he is going to pick the best looking woman who comes out. And you can be sure of one thing—Rebekah was a good looking woman. The Puritans had the idea that beauty was of the devil. The devil is beautiful—he’s an angel of light, by the way—but he does not have it all. After all, God is the Creator, and you have never seen a sunset or looked at a beautiful flower that He did not make. He makes women beautiful, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am sure this man is going to pick the best looking one who comes out—he’d be a pretty poor servant if he didn’t.
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up [Gen. 24:15–16].
I told you Rebekah was good looking—I knew it was coming, of course. She was good looking—the Word of God says it, my friend, and there is nothing wrong with that. I resent it today that Hollywood, the theater, and the devil get beauty. I think that the Lord ought to have some of it. He made it to begin with, and there is nothing wrong with His using a lovely and beautiful person. I pray always that God will call fine looking men and women into His service today.
“And the damsel was very fair to look upon.” She was not just an ordinary girl. She would have won a beauty contest. She was “a virgin, neither had any man known her.”
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking [Gen. 24:17–19].
The important thing to note is that Rebekah is a very polite and courteous girl also. She is beautiful, not dumb, and very polite.
And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels [Gen. 24:20].
Remember that there were ten camels, and I do not know how long it had been since they had last filled their tanks. It was just like filling the radiator of a car to fill up those camels.
And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not [Gen. 24:21].
The servant just stands there in amazement. He is wondering whether this is it, whether God is leading or not—he believes He is.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor [Gen. 24:22–24].
Nahor is a brother of Abraham.
She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord [Gen. 24:25–26].
The servant sees the hand of God in this. It is wonderful to have God leading and guiding, is it not?
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren [Gen. 24:27].
This is a great statement here: “I being in the way, the Lord led me ….” The Lord leads those who are in the way—that is, those who are in His way, who are wanting to be led, who will be led of Him, and who will do what He wants done. God can lead a willing heart anytime.
And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well [Gen. 24:28–29].
Right here, let me warn you to keep your eye on Uncle Laban. He will bear watching at this point and from here on. He was greatly impressed by material things. Notice what happens:
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well [Gen. 24:30].
The servant just waited out there at the well to see whether anyone would come out to lead him into the home of Rebekah, whether he really had a welcome or not. Believe me, when old Laban saw those rings, he knew it was a very wealthy guest. Uncle Laban is not one to miss a deal. (If you doubt that, ask Jacob later on. Jacob found out that Uncle Laban was real trader; in fact, he was a better trader than Jacob was.) So Laban went out to welcome the servant.
And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels [Gen. 24:31].
Even old Laban recognized the fact that there was the living God, the Creator, the one God.
And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him [Gen. 24:32].
Again, we have this footwashing ceremony. Note that there are quite a few men who have come with this servant. The servant is entertained royally in this home—Uncle Laban sees to that.
We have here a marvelous picture of the relationship of Christ and the church. One of the figures of speech that is used in the New Testament is that the church is someday to become the bride of Christ. This is the way the church is being won today, through the Holy Spirit whom the Father and the Son have sent into the world. The Spirit of God, like the servant of Abraham, has come to talk about Another, to take the things of Christ and show them unto us. As this servant has gone to get a bride for Isaac, so the Spirit of God is in the world to call out a bride for Christ. Notice the marvelous dramatic effect that we have here. This is an exciting story and a wonderful record of that day.
And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on [Gen. 24:33].
Abraham’s servant says, “Before I can eat, I want to tell you my mission.” This is also characteristic of the Holy Spirit who has come into the world to tell about Another. That is primary business as far as God is concerned. I know that there are other businesses that are very important: the business of our government, the great business of the news media, and the great corporations, the automobile and the airplane companies. All this is important, great business. But God is not continuing to deal with this world because of General Motors or the government in Washington, D.C. (whether Republican or Democrat). The stock market on Wall Street is of no great concern in heaven. The thing that is primary as far as God is concerned is to get the gospel out to the peoples of the world. The Spirit of God is here to put this first. The servant of Abraham will not eat before he has spoken, and so they tell him to speak on.
And he said, I am Abraham’s servant [Gen. 24:34].
Notice that his name is not given. Likewise, the Lord Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will not speak of Himself, but He will take the things of Mine and show them unto you (see John 16:13–15). By the way, what is the name of the Holy Spirit? He has no name. He does not come to speak of Himself; He has come to speak of Another, of Christ. Similarly, this servant is not named but is simply called a servant of Abraham.
And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses [Gen. 24:35].
The servant tells about the father’s house. And that is something that the Spirit of God would have us know about. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment—those are the three things that He talks about to the lost world. He would have us know that the judgment is upon a sinful earth and upon mankind. Men are lost today because they are sinners. I hear it said that men are lost because they reject Christ. They are not lost because they reject Christ; they are lost because they are sinners. Whether they have heard about Him or not, they are lost sinners. That is the condition of man today. The Holy Spirit has come to let us know that there is a Savior who has borne our judgment and who has been made over to us righteousness and that we can have a standing in heaven. The Holy Spirit has come to speak of Another.
“And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly.” And, my friend, our Heavenly Father is rich today in cattle and in goods. The cattle on a thousand hills are His. How great our Father is!
And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him bath he given all that he hath [Gen. 24:36].
In an infinitely greater way, the Lord Jesus is the Inheritor, and we are joint heirs with Him today. The servant of Abraham has come to tell this family that he is after a bride for his master’s son who is going to inherit all things.
And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell [Gen. 24:37].
The Holy Spirit is calling out sinners, but they are sinners who are “… born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). These are the ones He is calling out—yes, sinners—but they have been made children of God. “… If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature …” (2 Cor. 5:17). God is not taking “Canaanites” His children must be transformed.
But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:
Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master’s son.
And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left [Gen. 24:38–49].
Laban is the spokesman for this family. Listen to him:
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken [Gen. 24:50–51].
They say, “As far as we are concerned, this is of the Lord. You go ahead and take Rebekah.”
And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things [Gen. 24:52–53].
This is the way the Spirit gives to the children of God. We have the earnest, the guarantee, of the Spirit when we come to Christ. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, we have access, we have joy, we have a hope, and we have the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 5:1–5). These are the wonderful things that have been made over to the believer today.
And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go [Gen. 24:54–55].
The very next morning this servant says, “I want to be on my way.” I’ll tell you, this is big business for him! And the brother says, “What’s your hurry? Give us at least ten days to tell her good-bye. After all, we had better talk this over with her.”
And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth [Gen. 24:56–57].
We have come to this very important part that I think is quite wonderful. Don’t miss this.
And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go [Gen. 24:58].
Let’s take another look at this picture. It is an oriental scene, couched way back yonder in the beginning of time, at the dawn of humanity, in a way. Although I am confident that man had been on this earth thousands of years at this time, as far as we are concerned, this was approximately four thousand years ago. This family is entertaining a guest, a stranger, and they are entertaining him royally. They have fed his camels and taken care of the servants. They have set meat before him, a real feast, but he wanted to state his business.
And so he tells his strange business. He has come to get a bride for his master’s son, Isaac. I can see this servant as he brings out the gifts to give to this family—gold and silver trinkets. Abraham, you must remember, was a very rich man. Then the servant begins to tell about the master. As he speaks, I see that family circle around the fire, and in the background, standing just beyond the others, I see a very beautiful girl with deep brown eyes. She is listening intently. She hears the servant tell about Abraham and about how Isaac was born. The servant tells about Isaac’s miraculous birth and about his life. Then he tells about the day that his father took him yonder to the top of Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice and how God spared him and would not take his life but gave him back to the father alive. And finally he tells how the father has sent him, a servant, to get a bride for Isaac. They do not want to get a bride for him from among the Canaanites. They must get one who is of like mind, one who has the same capacity for the living God, one who is born again of the Word of God. He is looking for a bride.
Rebekah has been listening all this time, and now they turn to her. No one has paid much attention to her up to this point, but now all eyes turn to her, and they say, “Rebekah, what about it? Will you go with this man?” She does not hedge or fudge or beat around the bush or hesitate. She says, “I will go.”
Have you ever noticed that the men whom the Lord Jesus called as His disciples made the same instant decision? They left their nets and followed Him. Oh, I know that they went back a couple of times, but there came a day when they broke loose from those nets, and they never went back to them. They followed Him; they went with Him. The Holy Spirit is still calling today. He is the One who has taken the servant’s place. You see, the Father and the Spirit sent the Son into the world to die for the world. And when the Son went back to heaven, He said He would send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. The Spirit has now come into the world, and He is calling out a bride. He is saying, “Will you go? Here is the One who died for you. He will save you. You have to be redeemed first. You have to come as a sinner to Him, take your rightful position, and accept Him as Savior. When you do, you will be born again; you will become a child of God and be put into the church that is going to be presented to Him someday as a bride.” The question is: Will you go? Will you accept the invitation? Will you trust Christ as your Savior? This is not something about which you can beat around the bush—you either do it or you don’t.
I never shall forget the time that I was speaking in a certain place in Texas. I presented Christ, and then I asked, “Will you accept Him?” I really wasn’t through preaching, but I never shall forget a young man who sat there, and I could tell he was interested. He got up right there and then and walked down. It had a tremendous effect upon the audience. He was not wishywashy; there wasn’t anything uncertain about him. My, I love a clean-cut decision like that! That is the way He wants you, my friend. That is the way He will accept you, and it is the only way He will accept you.
This does not end the story. They start out now, and they are going back to the promised land.
And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them [Gen. 24:59–60].
This prophecy has already been fulfilled. We are not talking here about unfulfilled, but fulfilled, prophecy.
And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way [Gen. 24:61].
They had a long trip back. We are not told anything about this trip, but I know that it is not easy riding a camel. I rode one from the little village outside of Cairo down to the pyramids—and that’s as far as I want to ride on a camel! They call them “the ships of the desert.” Well, it was as rough as any trip I have ever had on a boat. It was rough! They are not easy to ride, but imagine riding on those camels across the desert. I can see them after a hard day on that hot desert. At evening they stop at an oasis, the campfire is built, and they have their evening meal. As they are sitting there before going to bed to get their sleep, I hear Rebekah say to this servant, “Tell me about Isaac again.” The servant says, “What do you want me to tell you?” She says, “Tell me about the way he was born. Tell me about the way his father offered him on the altar.” It was like our song, “Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and His love!” And the servant says, “I told you that last night.” Rebekah says, “I know, but tell it again. Tell it again.” And so the servant tells it again. It never grows old. That night Rebekah has that sweet sleep, dreaming of the time when she will meet this one. The next day they start out on the journey again, and the desert isn’t quite as hot, and the camel isn’t quite as rough. But it is a long ways, and so they continue until they finally come in sight of the land of promise. They enter it and come down to Lahai-roi.
And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country [Gen. 24:62].
This is way down in the pleasant country of Hebron and Beer-sheba.
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming [Gen. 24:63].
In this human episode, we are given a view of the coming of Christ for His bride. Many people are saying, “Won’t it be wonderful when the Lord comes and we will be caught up with Him?” There is another view, and that is of those who will be with Him when He comes. Most of the church has already gone through the doorway of death, and they will be coming with Him when He comes. Their bodies will be raised and their spirits and bodies joined together. Those who are alive are to be caught up with the dead to meet the Lord in the air. Those who have gone before in death are going to see Him when He arises from the right hand of the Father and starts out to call His church to meet Him in the air. This is the picture, and what a glorious picture it is!
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself [Gen. 24:64–65].
We as the bride of Christ will have to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, but He has been made over to us righteousness. He was delivered for our offenses, and He was raised for our justification in order that we might have a righteousness which will enable us to stand before God.
Rebekah, seeing a man walking toward them, asks who he is. Throughout the long journey she has come to know about him, but now she is to see him face to face. This is similar to our position even now. As Peter expressed it, “Whom having not seen, ye love …”(1 Peter 1:8). I wonder: When He does come, are we going to know Him? In a song there are these words: “I shall know Him, I shall know Him by the prints of the nails in His hands.” I think this is the way that we are going to know Him when He comes. What a glorious, wonderful, beautiful picture we have before us!
And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done [Gen. 24:66].
The Holy Spirit has sealed us and will deliver us to Christ at the day of redemption. Believe me, it was certain that this servant of Abraham’s was going to get the bride to Isaac.
Now this is the union of Isaac and Rebekah—
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death [Gen. 24:67].
“And he loved her”—Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. “And Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” This reveals to us that Christ gains a great deal in our salvation. He wants us; He longs for us. Oh, that you and I might be faithful to Him, my beloved!
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Abraham marries Keturah; Abraham dies; Esau and Jacob
This is another great chapter of the Bible. It records the death of Abraham and the birth of the twins, Esau and Jacob, to Isaac and Rebekah. It gives the generations of Ishmael and also the generations of Isaac. Then there is the incident relative to the birthright. So this is a remarkable chapter, and it covers a great deal of ground.
This chapter concludes the account of Abraham’s life, but, frankly, his story ended back in chapter 23 when he sent the servant out to get a bride for Isaac.
ABRAHAM MARRIES KETURAH
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah [Gen. 25:1–2].
Now he has quite a family. He had his biggest family after the death of Sarah. Somebody will raise the question, “I thought that at the time of the birth of Isaac Abraham was dead as far as his capability of bringing a child into the world.” Granted, he was. But when God does something, He really does it. This is the reason I believe that anything God does bears His signature. Right here we see that this man Abraham was not only able to bring Isaac into the world, but he now brings in this great family of children.
The interesting thing that we have before us here is the mention of Medan and Midian. The other boys will have nations come from them also, but I can’t identify them. I’m not interested in them because they do not cross our pathway in Scripture, but Midian does. We will find later that Moses will go down into the land of Midian and take a wife from there. Remember that the Midianites are in the line of Abraham and so are the Medanites. So we find here the fact that there are other sons of Abraham, but the Lord has said it is through Isaac that Abraham’s seed is called—not through any of these other sons. It is not through Ishmael, nor through Midian, nor Medan. All of these were nomads of the desert.
ABRAHAM DIES
And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.
Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;
The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife [Gen. 25:5–10].
Ishmael comes for the funeral because, after all, Abraham is his father. So Isaac and Ishmael together bury Abraham. Then Isaac goes down to live at the place where he first met Rebekah.
And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi [Gen. 25:11].
In verses 12 to 18 we have the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham. The list of them is given here. I call to your attention again the fact that the Holy Spirit uses this method in the Book of Genesis. The rejected line is given first and then set aside and not mentioned anymore. Then the line that is leading to Christ is given and followed. So it is after the line of Ishmael is given that we come to the line of Isaac.
ESAU AND JACOB
And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac [Gen. 25:19].
This is the line we are going to follow. “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob” is the way the first chapter of Matthew begins. Each of these men had other sons, as we have seen. Abraham had quite a few sons, but the genealogy of those men is not followed. It is the genealogy of Isaac that is followed. You can forget Ishmael and Midian and Medan and all the rest. They will cross paths with the descendants of Isaac time and again, but we will not follow their lines.
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived [Gen. 25:20–21].
It is interesting that Rebekah, like Sarah, was barren. But Isaac pled with God on her behalf, and now she is pregnant with twins.
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord [Gen. 25:22].
The struggle of these two boys, which began before their birth, represents the struggle which still goes on in the world today. There is a struggle between light and darkness, between good and evil, between the Spirit and the flesh. Every child of God knows something of this struggle which Paul sets before us in the seventh chapter of Romans.
Rebekah didn’t understand the struggle which was going on within her, and she went to the Lord with the question, “Why am I thus?”
And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger [Gen. 25:23].
God makes the statement to her that the elder shall serve the younger. She should have believed it, and her younger son should have believed it.
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau [Gen. 25:24–25].
The name Esau means “red” or “earth-colored.” Because he is born first, he is considered the elder. But the elder is to serve the younger.
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them [Gen. 25:26].
Isaac and Rebekah had been married for about twenty years before the children were born. The older one was Esau, and they called him “Red,” if you please. Jacob took hold on Esau’s heel; so they called him Jacob, meaning the usurper, because he was trying to become the elder or to take his place—but God had already promised that to him.
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents [Gen. 25:27].
Now we will look at these two boys as they grow up in this home. Here they are, twins, but no two boys were ever more different than these two. They not only struggled in the womb, but they are against each other from here on out. They have absolutely different viewpoints, different philosophies of life. Their thinking is different, and their attitudes are different. At the beginning, I must confess, Esau is more attractive than Jacob. But we learn that one can’t always judge by the outward sign. We must judge by what takes place on the inside. We learn that in this particular case.
“The boys grew.” This fellow Esau was a cunning hunter, the outdoor boy, the athletic type. He is the one we would call the all-American boy today. He went in for sports. He went in for everything that was physical, but he had no understanding or capacity or desire for spiritual things. He was only interested in that which was physical. He represents the flesh.
Jacob was a plain man. I think that you can make of that anything you want to. He lived indoors. He was mama’s boy and was tied to her apron strings. You will notice that he did what she told him to do. Jacob is really a mama’s boy.
And this boy Esau is papa’s boy—
And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob [Gen. 25:28].
Here is the problem in the home. You feel that under these circumstances they are going to have trouble, and they are. When one parent is partial to one child and the other parent is partial to the other child, you have trouble. That is exactly what took place here.
Isaac loved him because he ate of his venison. Esau went out hunting, and he always got something when he went hunting. He brought home the venison. Isaac liked that, and he liked this outdoor type of boy. Rebekah loved Jacob because he was a mama’s boy.
As I have said before, at this juncture the boy Esau is much more attractive than Jacob. He seems to be a more wholesome boy. The boy Jacob is cunning; he tries to be clever. The fact of the matter is that he doesn’t mind stooping to do things that are absolutely wrong (and God will deal with him for this). The interesting thing is that although Esau was very attractive on the outside, down underneath he really had no capacity for God whatever. If ever there was a man of the world, he is that man. He is just a physical man and that is all. That is all that he lived for.
Down underneath in Jacob there was a desire for the things that are spiritual. It took God a long time to rub off all the debris that was on top and to remove all the coverings in order to get down to where the spiritual desire was, but He finally did it. Before we are through with our study of Jacob (and his story goes almost all the way through the Book of Genesis), we will see that he was God’s man all along, although he didn’t demonstrate it until late in life.
Now we are told of an incident which took place in the home. You can well understand that the partiality shown by both father and mother would cause difficulty and conflict. It could not be called a happy home.
And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? [Gen. 25:29–32].
This incident reveals the nature of both of these men. Esau came from the field. He had been outdoors, and he was tired. He was not starving to death as some would imply. No one who had been brought up in the home of Abraham would starve to death. There would always be something for him to eat. The thing was that there was nothing prepared right at that moment but this pottage, this stew, which Jacob had made. Jacob was the indoor boy. Evidently he was a good chef.
“Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red (notice in your King James Version that the word pottage is in italics, meaning that the word has been supplied by the translators); for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.” Edom means red or earthy just as Esau does. This man asks for some of the stew, and Jacob saw his chance. He is a trickster and a traitor, and he wanted the birthright. He said, “Sell me this day thy birthright.”
Let’s stop and look for a minute at the value of the birthright and what it means. It means that the one who had it was the head of the house. It also means that the one who had it was the priest of the family. In this particular family, it means that the one who had it would be the one who would be in the line that would lead to Christ. Do you think that Esau had valued it at all? Jacob knew that he didn’t. He attached no importance to it, and he didn’t want to be the priest of the family. In fact, that’s the last thing that he wanted to be.
In our day, sometimes when a Christian is asked to do something for the cause of Christ, he replies, “Oh, I’m not a preacher; I can’t do that!” There are too many folk today who do not want to do that which is spiritual. They don’t even want to give the impression that they are interested in spiritual things.
That was Esau. He didn’t want to give that impression. If anyone would have called him “deacon” or “preacher,” it would have insulted him. He didn’t want the birthright. He didn’t care about being in the line that led to Christ. No one could have cared less about being in that line.
Jacob sees this, and he says to him, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do, if you’ll give me your birthright, I’ll give you a bowl of stew.” Esau was very happy with the bargain. He said, “I’ll be very happy to do it; what profit is the birthright to me? What do I care about the birthright? I’d rather have a bowl of stew.” That is the value which he attached to spiritual things.
Let us remember that Jacob also was wrong in what he did. God had promised, “The elder shall serve the younger.” The birthright is coming to Jacob in God’s own time. Jacob can’t wait; so he reaches out to take that which God has promised him. He takes it in a clever, tricky fashion. He should have waited for God to give it to him.
This man operated on the principle that he would do what he could for himself. He thought that as long as he could help himself there was no reason to look to God to perform it. He felt thoroughly capable of taking care of his business. At the beginning he really did rather well as far as the world would measure him. But there came a day when God sent this man off to college, and Uncle Laban was the president of the college. It was known as the college of hard knocks, and Jacob was going to learn a few things in the college of hard knocks. But here he is still operating on the principle that he is clever enough to get what is coming to him.
And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright [Gen. 25:33–34].
“Esau despised his birthright” is the important thing to see at this juncture. So Esau sat down and ate his stew. He had surrendered his birthright because it meant nothing to him. Nothing that was spiritual meant anything to him. Unfortunately, I’m afraid we have church members like that. They have no spiritual capacity and no understanding of spiritual truths. I believe that the mark of a true Christian is one whom the Spirit of God can teach and guide. It is as if a man today had a very valuable heirloom, let’s say an old family Bible which had belonged to his grandfather. Another grandson wants it and offers to give him a quarter for it. So the owner says, “Give me the twenty-five cents because I was going to throw the old thing away anyway.” That is exactly what Esau would have done.
But Jacob is wrong also, and we’ll see more of his cleverness and trickery in chapter 27.
CHAPTER 26
Theme: God reaffirms His covenant to Isaac; Isaac misrepresents Rebekah; Isaac in Gerar; Isaac goes to Beer-sheba
When I was a much younger preacher, this chapter did not seem to be very exciting. It is quite colorless and uninteresting, which is especially noticeable after we have studied a man like Abraham and an exciting man like Jacob who is to follow. This chapter is about Isaac. In fact, it is the only chapter that is really about Isaac, and it just isn’t very thrilling. All he does is dig wells. However, in later years I’ve come to examine these chapters and have found that God has a message for us in this also. In fact, it is a very important message, and Paul stated it quite accurately: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). This is a chapter that teaches patience, and some of us need that—certainly I am in that category. Yet, we would not have you get the impression that patience is all that God wants of us. The Lord also had men like Abraham, like Jacob, and like David, men who were real go-getters and who were aggressive. God can use that also. But the life of Isaac has a great message for many of us. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). With that in mind, let us come to this chapter.
Isaac, the beloved son, has the covenant confirmed to him. Then we find him dropping into the same sin of unbelief as his father Abraham had done. Finally, we see him digging wells in the land of Gerar. This doesn’t seem to be very exciting but there is a message here for us; so let us not miss it.
GOD REAFFIRMS HIS COVENANT TO ISAAC
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar [Gen. 26:1].
This is now the second famine that is mentioned. You remember the famine in the days of Abraham when Abraham and Lot took off for Egypt.
And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of [Gen. 26:2].
Why did God say that to Isaac? Well, he had an example before him of his father who had run off down to the land of Egypt. This reveals the fact that “like father, like son,” sins are carried from father to son. You can talk about the generation gap all you want, but there is no generation gap of sin. It just flows right from one generation to the other. Generally, the son makes very much the same mistakes that the father did, unless something intervenes.
So God gives definite instructions to Isaac at the time of famine. And He confirms the covenant which He had made with Abraham.
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed [Gen. 26:3–4].
God says to Isaac, “Don’t leave this land, don’t go down to Egypt. I want to confirm with you the covenant which I made with Abraham.” And He repeats the threefold promise: (1) the land—“I will give unto thy seed all these countries”; (2) the nation—“I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven”; (3) the blessing—“and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws [Gen. 26:5].
At this point God had not yet given the Mosaic Law; Abraham was not under the Mosaic system. However, the important thing is that, when God told Abraham something, he believed God and acted upon it. He demonstrated his faith by action.
We have too many folk today who complain of a lack of reality in their Christian lives. A lady came in to talk to me some time ago who said that she believed but that she just couldn’t be sure and that she didn’t feel anything. Such uncertainty! I didn’t have to talk to her long to find out that there was no action in her life. She was just sitting in the corner, twiddling her thumbs, saying, “I believe,” and then expecting some great something to take place. That just doesn’t happen. When you believe God, you act upon His promises. If you would call me right now to tell me that there is a certain amount of money in a bank in downtown Los Angeles and that you have put it in there for me and I should go down to get it, do you think I would just sit right here the rest of the day? My friend, if you know me, you would know that by the time you hung up the telephone I would have my hat on my head and I’d be going down there. Faith is what you act on. Faith is something that you step out on. Abraham believed God, and God counted it to him for righteousness. God is now telling Isaac that He wants him to be that same kind of man.
ISAAC MISREPRESENTS REBEKAH
And Isaac dwelt in Gerar [Gen. 26:6].
Gerar is to the south. Abraham and Isaac both lived in the southern part of that land. Actually, Abraham had come into the land up north to Shechem, but he ended up living down in the southern part at Hebron, the “place of communion.”
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon [Gen. 26:7].
Isaac is repeating the sin of his father. God had warned him not to go to Egypt; so he didn’t go there but went to Gerar instead. In Gerar he must have seen the men casting glances toward Rebekah; so he says to her, “You tell them that you’re my sister, not my wife.” The difference between Abraham and Isaac is that Abraham told half a lie and Isaac told a whole lie. The one he is telling was cut out of the whole cloth.
And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife [Gen. 26:8].
I guess they were laughing and playing together.
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us [Gen. 26:9–10].
Isaac had put these people in danger of committing a sin. Then Abimelech went on to say—
And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death [Gen. 26:11].
Abimelech became a very good friend of Isaac’s. Isaac had the respect of the community just as Abraham had had. Both of them were outstanding men. I mention that here because from the rest of the chapter we might not get the impression that Isaac is an outstanding man.
ISAAC IN GERAR
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him [Gen. 26:12].
God is with him, you see. That is the blessing that God promised to these people from the day He called Abraham. It was an earthly blessing. Later on when God put them into that land, He told them He would bless them in their basket; that is, it would be filled with foodstuff. God made that promise good when they were walking in fellowship with Him.
We must remember that He is not promising us that blessing. He has promised spiritual blessings to us. We are told that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, and that is our portion today. But that blessing is on the same terms. It depends on our walk with God. If you will permit Him, He wants to bless you abundantly in your spiritual life. We find here that Isaac is greatly blessed—
And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great [Gen. 26:13].
Don’t miss the fact that Isaac is greatly blessed. His field brings forth an hundredfold! The impression some of us have is that Abraham was outstanding, and Jacob was also, but not Isaac. Let me say that Isaac is also outstanding.
It is significant that the life of Isaac is tied in with that of Abraham. Isaac’s birth and his life are interwoven with Abraham’s experiences. Although Isaac was important when he was offered there upon the altar, again it was Abraham and Isaac together. Why should it be so presented? Well, we have already seen that all these things happened unto them for examples to us. It presents a wonderful picture of the intimacy between the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father. Jesus said, “… he that hath seen me hath seen the Father …” (John 14:9). And in the high priestly prayer of Jesus, He said, “… I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4). Also, He said, “… My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). Therefore, it is very proper that the story of Isaac and the story of Abraham be identified together.
Now here in the chapter before us we see Isaac standing on his own two feet, and he doesn’t look too attractive. He exhibits a weakness and repeats the sin of Abraham. However, the Word of God makes it clear that Isaac was a very great man in that land—
For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him [Gen. 26:14].
The Philistines couldn’t stand to see all this prosperity—
For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth [Gen. 26:15].
Abraham had been digging wells in that land, and now his son comes along and the wells become his. But he would go out in the morning and find that the wells were all filled up. This was done by the Philistines and, by the way, this is the first mention of the enmity of the Philistines. This led to continual warfare later on in the days of David.
And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we [Gen. 26:16].
Notice the importance of Isaac at this time.
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there [Gen. 26:17].
This man Abimelech said, “You are causing a great deal of difficulty now, and it would be better if you left.” He had great respect for Isaac, as you can see.
Now this is a part of Isaac’s life that looks like weakness, but it is not. Notice that he returns back to the land where his father Abraham had been—
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him [Gen. 26:18–20].
This reveals the struggle that was carried on.
I feel that the water is a picture of the Word of God. We are to drink deeply of it. It is called the “water of the Word” and is for drinking purposes to slake our thirst, and it is also for washing. Jesus said that we are cleansed through the Word which He has spoken.
Water is a very necessary item in life. You can’t have life without water. You can fly over the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, and California and see plenty of arid land. Then all of a sudden you see an area of lush green and wonder what has happened down there. Water is the only explanation.
And, my friend, water is the explanation for the differences between God’s children in any church—the water of the Word of God. There is a great difference in the lives of believers who study God’s Word. And there will be a struggle. I think that you will always have to pay a price if you are really going to study the Word of God. The devil will permit you to do anything except get into the Word of God.
And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land [Gen. 26:21–22].
Then he calls the well Rehoboth. It means “there is room for us.” Before that he would dig a well and they would take it away from him. He’d move up, dig another one, and they would take that away from him. He would just keep moving up. This certainly reveals that Isaac is a man of peace and a man of patience. David wouldn’t have done this, I can tell you that. Simon Peter wouldn’t have done that. And if you want to know the truth, Vernon McGee wouldn’t have done that. It is a real lesson for us here. This is especially applicable when we apply it to the study of the Word of God.
ISAAC GOES TO BEER-SHEBA
And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.
And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake [Gen. 26:23–24].
God appears to him to comfort him. God appeared to all the patriarchs with the exception of Joseph. He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well [Gen. 26:25].
He goes on again, digging wells. You can always put a well down next to Isaac. You can put an altar down next to Abraham, and you can put a tent down next to Jacob, as we shall see later on.
Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?
And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the Lord [Gen. 26:26–29].
Although Isaac almost seems weak in his dealing with the men of Gerar, the king of Gerar was so impressed that he followed Isaac to Beer-sheba in order to establish good relations. The influence of Isaac in that land was not that of a weak man.
And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah [Gen. 26:34–35].
In the next chapter we will see Jacob in his true colors. Thereby hangs a tale.
CHAPTER 27
Theme: Jacob takes Esau’s birthright; Jacob flees to Laban
This chapter has as its theme Jacob and Rebekah conniving to get the blessing of Isaac for Jacob. It is the blessing which Isaac intended for Esau. You see, Jacob wanted the blessing of his father. He knew God had promised his mother that the elder would serve the younger; so the blessing was his already. However, he did not believe God. Rebekah, his mother, did not believe God. Evidently Isaac, the father, didn’t believe God or he would never have attempted to bypass Jacob and give the blessing to Esau. He followed his own feelings and appetite in contradiction to the distinct Word of God.
The method Jacob used in obtaining the birthright cannot be supported on any grounds whatsoever. He used fraud and deceit. His conduct was despicable. God did not condone this any more than He condoned the conduct of Sarah and Abraham in the matter of Hagar and Ishmael. God could not use the trickery and cleverness of Jacob. As we shall see, God deals with this man in a very definite way. Jacob had to pay for his sin in the same coin in which he sinned. You will note that as we get into this chapter.
Chapter 26 concluded with Esau, who was about forty years old, marrying two Hittite women. This was a grief to Isaac and to Rebekah. Now they recognize that, if Jacob is not to marry a Hittite or a Philistine, he must be sent away to Haran where Isaac got his bride from the family of Abraham.
JACOB TAKES ESAU’S BIRTHRIGHT
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him. Behold. here am I.
And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die [Gen. 27:1–4].
We have seen that Isaac was an outstanding man, a great man. Abimelech and the Philistines came to make a treaty with him since they feared him. He was patient and peace loving but also prominent and powerful. Here, however, he reveals that weakness of the flesh. All during his life, Esau had been his favorite while Jacob had been the favorite of Rebekah. Esau was the outdoor boy who would go out and bring in a deer or some other animal. He would barbecue it, and the old man would enjoy it. Now Isaac is very old and he wants to bless his favorite son. He knows very well that God has said the elder will serve the younger, but he bypasses that because he wants to bless Esau. So he tells Esau to go out and bring in some meat and he will bless him because of it. What a revelation this is of this family.
Have you noticed the family strife since we have come to this last major section of Genesis? There was strife in the family of Abraham because of Hagar. Now there is strife in this family over these twins.
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee [Gen. 27:5–8].
Rebekah overheard what Isaac said. Jacob is her favorite; so she conceives this deceitful plan. It is absolute trickery, and it cannot be condoned on any basis whatever. God is recording it as history, but He condemns it. We will see that. Remember the things that are being done here, and later you will see the chickens come home to roost for Jacob. Now Rebekah goes on to say to him:
Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man [Gen. 27:9–11].
Esau was not only an outdoor man and a red man, but he was also a hairy man.
My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing [Gen. 27:12].
Not only will he seem to be a deceiver; he is a deceiver.
And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son; only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob [Gen. 27:13–17].
My friend, I can’t help but comment on this. She put that skin of the kid of the goat on the back of his neck and on the back of his hands so that when his father would feel him, he’d think it was Esau. She also dressed him in Esau’s clothes so he would smell like him! Apparently the deodorant that Esau was using was not very potent. The fact of the matter is, I think he was like the whimsical story I heard about two men who were working in a very tight place. One of them finally said to the other one, “Wow! I think the deodorant of one of us has quit working.” The other fellow answered, “It must be yours because I don’t use any!” Well, I don’t think that Esau used any either, and I’m not sure he had a shower very often. Even if you couldn’t see him, you could smell him.
And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?
And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me [Gen. 27:18–20].
Believe me, this boy at this particular point is typical of pious frauds. You find many such frauds even in fundamental circles today. They talk about the Lord leading them. My, sometimes the Lord “leads” them to do some very unusual things! I find out sometimes that Christian men think they can do things that the Mafia would be arrested for. But these men can very piously pray about it and say that it is the Lord’s will. Believe me, Jacob at this point is a pious fraud. The Lord had nothing to do with this deception.
And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.
And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed [Gen. 27:21–27].
You can tell that Isaac suspected something was wrong, but Rebekah knew Isaac very well and she had worked out every detail.
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee [Gen. 27:28–29].
Isaac is giving the blessing which he had received—he is passing it on. The interesting thing is that it already belonged to Jacob. God had said that it did. God had already blessed Jacob. God is not accepting this deception at all.
And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me.
And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed [Gen. 27:30–33].
Somebody may ask whether venison tastes like lamb or goat. It surely does. I remember several years ago when I was pastor in Pasadena that I went deer hunting in Utah with one of the officers of the church. We got a deer, and so we invited the congregation for a dinner just to have a time of good, wholesome fellowship and a lot of fun. We didn’t have quite enough meat for all the people; so we bought two lamb legs and cooked that along with the rest of the meat. Nobody could tell the difference, and everyone said the venison was good. Both meats tasted very much alike.
Now Isaac really sees how he has been taken in by this plot.
And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother: and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck [Gen. 27:34–40].
JACOB FLEES TO LABAN
And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob [Gen. 27:41].
Esau is thinking. My father is old and won’t live much longer. Just as soon as my father dies, I’ll kill Jacob. I’ll get rid of him! This is the thought of his heart, and he evidently talked about it to others.
And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran [Gen. 27:42–43].
Here again we see Rebekah taking things into her own hands. She tells Jacob, “You are going to have to leave home.” Little did she know that she would pay for her part in this, her sin. She never saw this boy again. She said she would send him over there for a little while, but it was a long while and she died before he got back.
We must remember that Jacob is her favorite. She wants Jacob to go to her brother, Laban, and that is where she will send him. This is where Jacob is going to learn his lesson. This is where the chickens will come home to roost. Old Uncle Laban is going to put him through school and teach him a few things. Jacob thought he was clever, but Uncle Laban is an expert at cleverness. Poor Jacob will find he is just an amateur, and he is going to cry out to God in desperation before it is all over.
And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away:
Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? [Gen. 27:44–45].
Notice that she says she will send him away for a few days. A few days lengthened to twenty years, and during that interval she died. She never saw her boy, her pet, her favorite, again.
We can picture the life of Rebekah during those years when we consider that Esau probably did not think much of his mother after that little episode.
And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? [Gen. 27:46].
Remember that Esau had married these heathen, godless women. Already that was bringing sorrow into the home, and even Rebekah was overwhelmed by it. Now she tells Isaac that if Jacob stays there he will probably do the same thing. She could use this as an excellent excuse to get Jacob away from home to protect him from Esau. She has this little conference with Isaac to convince him that the thing to do is to send Jacob back to her family, to her brother Laban. Remember how Abraham’s servant had gone there to get her. So now the point is to get Jacob back there to find a wife, but also to get him out of danger. Very frankly, I think that if he had stayed at home, Esau would have tried to kill him. However, the way it turned out, Rebekah was the first to die, and Jacob got back for his father’s funeral. But he never again saw his mother.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: God appears to Jacob at Bethel; Jacob makes a vow
In the previous chapter we saw Jacob doing one of the most despicable things any man could do. He did it at the behest of his mother. You know, sometimes people excuse themselves for being mean by saying it is because their mother didn’t love them when they were little. Believe me, Jacob couldn’t say that. Jacob was loved and spoiled. When he was asked to do something that was not the honorable thing to do, he did it. He stole the birthright from his brother.
The birthright was already his. The formality of his father giving a blessing wasn’t necessary at all. Abraham hadn’t given the blessing to Isaac—God had! And it is God who gave it to Jacob. His trickery was not only unnecessary, but God will deal with him because of it, you can be sure of that.
The plan that Rebekah has now thought of is plausible and logical. It probably was the right thing to do in this case. She didn’t mention to Isaac that she wanted to send Jacob to her brother so that he’d get away from the wrath of his brother Esau, but she did mention the fact that he could choose a wife back there from among her family.
In this chapter we will find Jacob leaving home. He comes to Beth-el where God appears to him and confirms to him the covenant made to Abraham.
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan [Gen. 28:1].
All the way through the Old Testament we find that God does not want the godly to marry the ungodly. That, again, is my reason for believing that in the sixth chapter of Genesis, where it says the sons of God looked upon the daughters of men, it is saying that the godly line married with the godless line of Cain. This finally resulted in the judgment of the Flood with only one godly man left.
Intermarriage always leads to godlessness. I say this as a caution. I recognize that we are living in a day when young people are not very apt to take advice from an old preacher. They wonder what he knows about it all. Frankly, if you want to know the truth, I know a whole lot about this particular matter. I’ve done years of counseling and have had many, many couples come to me and have been able to watch them through the years. The story is pretty much the same. A young lady or a young man will say they have met the right person, the one they wish to marry. That person is not a Christian. However, they want to marry that person and win him or her for the Lord. May I say this, young lady, if you cannot win him for the Lord before you get married, you will not win him after you are married. May I say this, young man, if you cannot win her for the Lord before you get married, you will not win her after you are married. God forbids the godly to marry the godless. It always entails sorrow. I have seen literally hundreds of cases, and I have never yet seen a case where it has worked. Never yet! You can’t beat God! God has put it down indelibly all the way through the Word that the godly are not to marry the godless. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). The New Testament strictly tells Christians that they are not to be unequally yoked. You don’t get unequally yoked by sitting on a platform with an unbeliever, as some critics have accused me of doing! You do it by intermarrying. That’s the way you join up with them. And God strictly forbids it.
Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.
And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham [Gen. 28:2–4].
It is obvious now that Isaac understands that God had given the blessing to Abraham, that God had transferred it to him, and that this blessing is to be passed on to his son, Jacob.
And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother [Gen. 28:5].
If you were to give the nationality of this family, you would have to say they were Syrians because that is what they are called in the Scriptures. Sometimes the question is asked, “Was Abraham a Jew? Was he an Israelite?” No, actually he was not. There were no Israelites until the time of Jacob whose name was changed to Israel. His twelve sons were Israelites. The line came from Abraham, he is the father of the race, but you’re not going to call Abraham a Midianite, I hope, and yet he is the father of the Midianites, also.
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;
And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram;
And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;
Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife [Gen. 28:6–9].
Now lest someone misunderstand what I meant when I said we were through with the line of Ishmael, let me say that the Bible will not follow his line. However, his line will be mentioned as it crosses the line leading to Christ. So here, Esau goes out and marries the daughter of Ishmael. He thinks it will please his father. You see what a lack of spiritual perception he has. The Ishmaelites were as much rejected as the Canaanites or the Philistines.
GOD APPEARS TO JACOB AT BETHEL
And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep [Gen. 28:10–11].
The place he has come to, as we shall see in a moment, is Beth-el, literally, “the House of God.” Beth-el is twelve miles north of Jerusalem, and the home which Jacob left was probably twenty-five or thirty miles south of Jerusalem. This means that Jacob covered at least forty miles that first day. You can see that he is really hotfooting it away from Esau. He wants to get as far from him as he can, but the farther he gets away from Esau, the farther he gets away from home.
What do you think he was feeling that night? Well, he was very lonely, that is for sure. He was probably homesick. As far as the record is concerned, this was his first night away from home.
My friend, do you remember the first night that you were away from home? I certainly remember the first night I went away from home. We lived in the country in a little place called Springer, Oklahoma. They tell me it hasn’t done any springing since then. It’s still a small place, just a wide place in the road. We had some very wonderful friends who lived down the road. I suppose it couldn’t have been over a mile, but at that time I thought it was five or more miles. I’ve been back there, and I was amazed to find out how close together things are. When I was little, I thought it was all pretty well spread out. Well, these people invited me to come down and spend the night. They had a boy about my age—we were nine or ten, I guess. He had come up to get me, and we went down to his house together. I shall never forget that experience. We had a delicious dinner, a good country dinner, and I enjoyed it that evening with these folks. Then we played hide-and-seek until it got dark which kept me occupied, but every now and then I looked into the darkness and began to get just a little homesick. Then someone said it was time to go to bed. They put a pallet down in the front room, and I put on the little nightshirt that I had brought under my arm, and I lay down on that pallet. Friend, I have never been so lonely in all my life. Homesick! Oh, how I wanted to go home! I rolled and tossed there for a long time. I finally dozed off and I slept for a while, but I awoke very early in the morning. Do you know what I did? I took off my nightshirt and put on my clothes, put my nightshirt under my arm and started running home. I didn’t stop until I got there. Nobody was up, but I was sure glad to be home. First night away from home. After that, I went a long way from home, but I never was more homesick than I was that first night.
I have often wondered about Jacob. He’s actually a man now, a pretty big boy, but I think he is homesick. This is the first time he is away from Rebekah. He’s been tied to his mama’s apron strings all of his life, and now he is untied. He is out on his own, and this is his first night away from home.
Notice what happens. He lies down and puts stones for pillows. Beth-el is a dreary place. It has been described as a bleak moorland with large, bare rocks exposed. It is twelve hundred feet above sea level, in the hills. There are many places out in the desert of California that would correspond to it.
When traveling around in the proximity of Beth-el, I was with a bus tour. Others wanted to go other places which to me weren’t nearly as important as Beth-el. We drove within about a half mile of it and I wanted to walk to it, but the bus driver said we didn’t have time. I could see it in the distance, and the topography looked bleak and forbidding. Yet this was the high point in the spiritual life of Jacob, not only at this time but also later in his life. So this is the place he came to, and here he lay down to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed [Gen. 28:12–13].
It was right in that area, by the way, where God first appeared to Abraham after he had reached the land of Palestine.
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed [Gen. 28:14].
Now God is giving to Jacob exactly what He had given first to Abraham; He had repeated it to Isaac, and now He confirms it, and He reaffirms to Jacob that He will do this.
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of [Gen. 28:15].
You can see that this would be comforting and helpful to a lonesome, homesick boy who really had to leave home in a hurry. He is on his way to a far country, and this first night God says to him, “I’m going to be with you, Jacob, and I’m going to bring you back to this land.”
The vision that God gave to him in the dream was of a ladder that reached up to heaven. What does that ladder mean? Well, the Lord Jesus interpreted it when He called Nathanael, as recorded in John 1:45–51. By the way, Nathanael was a wiseacre, and when he heard of Jesus, he said, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Our Lord dealt with this fellow. Nathanael asked, “How in the world do you know me like that?” And Jesus said, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael’s response was, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” He was pretty easy to convince, although he was a skeptic at the beginning. Let me give you the exact quote: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” (John 1:50–51).
What is that ladder? That ladder is Christ. The angels were ascending and descending upon the Son of man. The angels ministered to Him; they were subject to His command. Nathanael will hear from the top of that ladder the voice of God, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” My friend, God is speaking to mankind through Christ in our day. We cannot come to the Father directly. Every now and then I hear someone say in a testimony, “When I was converted, I came directly to God. I have access to God.” We do not, my friend. We come through Christ; we have access to the Father through Christ. That is the only way we can get into God’s presence. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the ladder—not one that we can climb but one that we can trust.
This truth was given first to Jacob, the usurper. To Nathanael our Lord said, “You are an Israelite in whom there is no guile”—that is, no Jacob. Nathanael was a wiseacre, a humorist, but he was not a trickster like Jacob. But this man, Jacob—God is going to have to deal with him. God has given him this wonderful, glorious promise, but, oh, Jacob has so much to learn!
Isn’t that true of all of us today? No wonder God has to school us. No wonder God has to discipline us. He scourges every son whom He receives. He disciplines. He did it to Abraham and He did it to Isaac. He is going to do it to Jacob. Up to this point, everything has been going Jacob’s way. I received a letter from a couple who had lost their two-year-old boy suddenly one night. Up to that time everything had been going their way. They were church members, but they were hypocrites. So many people are just members of the church, yet they don’t know the Lord personally. The Lord has to shake us. He allows trials to come to us to discipline us. They put iron in our backbone; they put courage in our lives and enable us to stand for God.
Jacob has a long way to go. Notice what he does—
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven [Gen. 28:16–17].
This is the passage of Scripture that I use many times in dedicating a new church. “How dreadful is this place!” I think I shock some people, especially when the congregation has come in to dedicate a lovely new facility. I get up and look around and say, “How dreadful is this place.” During the rest of the time I try to win them back to being friends of mine by telling them that the place is dreadful only for a fellow like Jacob, a sinner, trying to run away from God. Every house of God, every church, ought to be a dreadful place to any sinner running away from God. It is the place where the sinner ought to be able to meet God, come face to face with God, through the Ladder who has been sent down from heaven, even Christ.
When Jacob ran away from home, he had a limited view of God. He thought that when he ran away from home, he was running away from God, also. But he found that he had not left God back home. He exclaimed, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not!”
JACOB MAKES A VOW
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first [Gen. 28:18–19].
Now listen to Jacob. He has a lot to learn, and this is an evidence of it.
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God [Gen. 28:20–21].
What is he doing? He wants to trade with God. He says, “Now, God, if You will do this for me….” But God has already told him that He is going to do every one of these things for him—“I am going to keep you; I am going to bring you back to this land; I am going to give you this land; and I’m going to give you offspring.” Then Jacob turns around and bargains with Him, “If You will do it, then I’ll serve You.”
God doesn’t do business with us that way. He didn’t do business that way with Jacob either. If He had, Jacob would never have made it back to that land. God brought him back into that land by His grace and mercy. When Jacob did finally come back to Bethel, he came back a wiser man. Do you know what he came back to do? To worship and praise God for His mercy. God had been merciful to him.
Many people even today say they will serve the Lord if He will do such and such. You won’t do anything of the kind, my friend. He doesn’t do business that way. He will extend mercy to you, and He will be gracious to you without asking anything in return. But He does say that if you love Him, you will really want to serve Him. That will be the bondage of love. It is the same kind of love a mother has for the little child. She becomes its slave. That’s the way that He wants you and me.
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee [Gen. 28:22].
So Jacob erects this stone. He is trying to make a deal with God! And a great many of us are trying to make a deal with God. Oh, my friend, He just wants to become your Father through faith in Christ.
CHAPTER 29
Theme: Jacob meets Rachel; Jacob serves for Rachel; Jacob is deceived
Over this chapter I would like to write: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. 6:7–8). Probably the title that we ought to put over this chapter is “Chickens Come Home to Roost.” In the beginning of this chapter we will see that Jacob begins to reap the harvest of his evil doing. The passage in Galatians is written primarily for Christians, but it expresses a universal law of God in every age. It is true in any area of life. You sow corn: you reap corn. You sow cotton; you reap cotton. You sow wheat; you reap wheat. You sow tares; you reap tares.
Examples of this principle run all the way through the Scriptures. For instance, Pharaoh slew the male children of the Hebrews, and in time his son was slain by the death angel. Ahab, through false accusations, had Naboth slain and the dogs licked his blood. God sent His prophet Elijah to Ahab with the message that, as the dogs had licked the blood of Naboth, they would lick the blood of Ahab. And that was literally fulfilled. You remember that David found this to be an inexorable law which was applicable to his own life. He committed the terrible sins of adultery and murder. God forgave him for his sin. Yet, the chickens came home to roost. He reaped what he had sown. His own daughter was raped and his son slain. Even Paul the apostle felt the weight of this law. He had given his consent at the stoning of Stephen. Later, Paul was taken outside the city of Lystra and was stoned and left for dead.
Jacob is the classic illustration of this inflexible law. Jacob had lived by his wits. He was rather cocky and clever. He had practised deceit. He would stoop to use shady methods to accomplish his purpose. And he was proud of his cleverness. But he will reap what he has sown.
As we come to this chapter, Jacob leaves Beth-el and resumes his journey. After a period of time (I do not know how long), he arrives in Haran.
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.
And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place [Gen. 29:1–3].
We see here the importance of water in that country. It still is a very important item because there is a shortage of it in many places. It must be husbanded and protected; that is why at a certain time during the day the stone was removed from the top of the well, and then everybody watered their sheep—everybody got the water he needed. Then the stone was put back on to close the well.
Now Jacob arrives on the scene before they take the stone away from the well. Believe me, he is as cocky as ever.
And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him [Gen. 29:4–5].
Oh yes, they knew him. But Jacob didn’t know him—yet. But, oh my, Jacob is going to get acquainted with him.
And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them [Gen. 29:6–7].
Here Jacob has just arrived in the land and he is telling them how to water their sheep and what they should do! This is typical of him, by the way.
And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep [Gen. 29:8].
JACOB MEETS RACHEL
And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them [Gen. 29:9].
Rachel is a shepherdess who takes care of the sheep. This was woman’s work in that day.
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother [Gen. 29:10].
I don’t know who told him to water the flock of Laban, but he did it. Jacob is not following anyone’s law but his own. He made the rules for the game as he went through life—that is, the first part of his life. He has a tremendous lesson to learn, and Uncle Laban is the one to teach him.
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept [Gen. 29:11].
This verse has always been strange to me. Frankly, kissing that girl and then weeping is hard for me to understand! However, I am of the opinion that this boy had had a lonely trip from the moment he had left home. We need to remember that from Beth-el he had to go up by the Sea of Galilee, then up into Syria. He had to cross that desert. I suppose he had many experiences along the way. When he arrived, he was very cocky and greeted the men there in a matter-of-fact way as though he had known them all of their lives. He asks them questions, then probably in an officious way takes the stone from the mouth of the well. I suppose when he greeted this girl who was a member of his mother’s family he welled up with emotion and wept. That is the only way I can explain it. But I am sure that the next time he kissed her he didn’t weep!
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father [Gen. 29:12].
You will notice that he calls himself her father’s brother. The Hebrew does not make a lot of the distinctions we make today. We’ve got it reduced down to whether a person is a kissing cousin or not, but in that day if you were related, you were a brother. That is the way it is translated here and quite properly so. But in English we would say that Jacob was her father’s nephew and that he was a son of Rebekah, her father’s sister.
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things [Gen. 29:13].
I imagine that Jacob had quite a bit to talk about. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that he entertained them at dinner with his story of how he tricked his brother to get his birthright, and how he used trickery to get the blessing, and how clever he was. Probably he told about that night at Beth-el, too. “He told Laban all these things.”
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month [Gen. 29:14].
Laban was convinced now that this was his nephew, and he says, “You’re my relative, so come in and make yourself at home.”
Now a month goes by, and notice what happens. Jacob is not working. He’s a nephew from a far country, and he’s come over to visit his uncle. I suppose he felt that he ought to have free room and board there. During that time he’s courting this girl, Rachel. At least, he certainly has been casting his eyes in that direction. And I think she was casting her eyes in his direction, too.
Now, I can imagine that it was one morning at breakfast when the next incident took place.
And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? [Gen. 29:15].
This Uncle Laban is clever. Who had said anything about going to work? Jacob hasn’t. So Uncle Laban is very tactful and says that he doesn’t want Jacob to work for him for nothing. He says that he will pay Jacob. Frankly, you don’t live with Laban a month without making some sort of an arrangement to pay your board. Uncle Laban is a clever one also, and now he is going to deal with his nephew.
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel [Gen. 29:16].
Here we are introduced to another daughter, Leah. Uncle Laban has been watching this boy, and he has noted that his nephew has become very much interested in his daughter Rachel, the younger of the two. The next verse tells us why—
Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured [Gen. 29:17].
Rachel was a very beautiful girl. Leah was “tender eyed” which is a way of saying that she was not beautiful at all.
In college when we were reading Greek and studying some of the plays of Euripides, when a fellow wanted to say something very nice about his girl, we found in the play that he would call her “cow-eyed.” I always laughed about that and thought that I would turn that over in my mind before I ever considered that a compliment. Well now, the next time you meet a cow, take a look at the eyes, and you will see they are beautiful. Ever since I read that play, I have never seen a cow with ugly eyes.
But Leah was not cow-eyed, she was “tender eyed” which meant that she was sort of an ugly duckling.
So Laban has these two daughters, and it is obvious that Jacob is in love with Rachel.
JACOB SERVES FOR RACHEL
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter [Gen. 29:18].
We find Jacob was quite moon-eyed. So that morning at breakfast, when Uncle Laban suggested he go to work, he had something in mind himself. He knew that the boy was in love with the girl; so I don’t think he was at all surprised at Jacob’s answer when he asked what his wages should be. Jacob was willing to work for seven years for Rachel. This man, Laban, was driving a hard bargain.
And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me [Gen. 29:19].
Laban accepts that bargain.
Now this next verse tells us one of the loveliest things that is said about Jacob. Frankly, in the early years of Jacob’s life, the only appearance of anything beautiful or fine or noble is his love for Rachel.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her [Gen. 29:20].
You can just see this man working. I tell you, Uncle Laban had him working hard. He worked out in the cold, out in the rain and in all sorts of weather, but he always thought of that girl Rachel. There she was to meet him after a hard day. He was desperately in love with her.
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast [Gen. 29:21–22].
JACOB IS DECEIVED
Now notice what Uncle Laban is doing—
And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn [Gen. 29:23–26].
At the marriage ceremony in those days, the woman was veiled, heavily veiled, so that she couldn’t be seen. Poor Jacob didn’t see the girl he was getting until the next morning. Lo and behold, it wasn’t Rachel—it was Leah! At the moment he saw he had been tricked. I wonder if he didn’t recall something of his own father when he, Jacob, had pretended to be the elder. He deceived his father, and that was the reason he had to leave home. You see, God does not approve of that type of conduct. The chickens are now coming home to roost. Jacob pretended to be the elder when he was the younger. Now he thinks he’s getting the younger and he gets the elder. The tables are turned now, and it has become an awful thing for Jacob. To Jacob it is a criminal act that Laban has done, but notice how Uncle Laban passes it off. He is an expert at this type of thing. He tells Jacob that there was a little matter in the contract, a clause in the fine print, that he had forgotten to mention to Jacob. It was a custom in their country that the elder daughter must marry first, and the younger daughter could not marry until the elder daughter was married. But Uncle Laban is willing to be very generous in his dealings; so he has an offer to make.
Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years [Gen. 29:27].
This week, you see, is another seven years. Uncle Laban is getting his money’s worth, isn’t he? And poor Jacob is really going to school. But he is taking two wives which he shouldn’t have done. He will be in trouble before it is over.
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also [Gen. 29:28].
Uncle Laban made Jacob serve twice as long as he originally agreed to. Seven years was long enough, but, believe me, fourteen years is a long time! This arrangement gave Jacob two wives.
You may be thinking, Well, since this is in the Bible, God must approve of polygamy. No, God does not approve of everything that is in the Bible—that may startle you. For instance, God didn’t approve of the devil’s lie. God didn’t approve of David’s sin, and He judged him for it. But the record of both events is inspired—literally, God-breathed. In other words, God said through the writer, Moses, exactly what He wanted to say. The thing that is inspired is the record of the words God gave to Moses to write down in this Book we call the Bible. In Genesis 29 God gave an accurate record: Jacob did have two wives, and it tells us the way it came about. That is where inspiration comes in. It does not mean that God approved of everything that is recorded in the Bible. Certainly God disapproved of Jacob’s having more than one wife.
May I say to you, this man Jacob had plenty of trouble in his family from here on, and it all can be traced back to his own methods which he had used. The chickens are coming home to roost.
And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me [Gen. 29:31–32].
Leah is a sad person because she knows her husband loves Rachel rather than her. When she becomes the mother of Reuben, it brings joy to her heart, and she feels that Jacob will love her now.
Reuben is Jacob’s firstborn, but he is not the one who will begin the line leading to Christ. Rather, it will be Leah’s fourth son, Judah. Judah was the kingly line. David was in this line, and later on, the Lord Jesus Himself, according to the flesh, came from the line of Judah. Reuben lost his position as the firstborn because of his sin. Levi was the priestly tribe. Leah was the mother of some of the outstanding sons of Jacob.
CHAPTER 30
Theme: Birth of Jacob’s sons; birth of Joseph to Rachel; Jacob prepares to leave Laban
When we come to this chapter, we see that God is moving in spite of Jacob’s sin. God is not moving because of it, but in spite of it. The theme of the chapter is the family of Jacob and the birth of his sons. Jacob longs to leave Laban, and Jacob makes a shrewd bargain with him.
BIRTH OF JACOB’S SONS
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die [Gen. 30:1].
You see, a woman in that day was disgraced unless she had an offspring, and the more children she had, the better was her position.
And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her [Gen. 30:2–3].
We find here Jacob and Rachel reverting to the practice of that day. Remember that Abraham and Sarah had done the same thing. God did not approve of it then, and He is not going to approve of it now. The Bible gives us an accurate record, but that does not mean that God approved of all that was done. In fact, it is quite obvious that He disapproved of this. My, the strife that we have already called to your attention in Abraham’s family. It was also in the family of Isaac. Now it is in Jacob’s family already—and he is in for a great deal more trouble.
The next verses of this chapter tell of the birth of two sons of Jacob by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; two sons by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; and then the birth of two more sons by Leah.
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son [Gen. 30:22–24].
This is the boy who will go down into the land of Egypt. We will follow him later in the book, as he is quite a remarkable person.
Later on Benjamin will be born to Rachel. We will conclude this chapter by listing the twelve sons of Jacob because they are important. The twelve tribes of Israel will come from them and finally the nation of Israel.
JACOB PREPARES TO LEAVE LABAN
And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee [Gen. 30:25–26].
Now listen to Uncle Laban—he’s not through yet, you may be sure of that!
And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake [Gen. 30:27].
This is quite interesting. You may recall that Abimelech, king of Gerar, found that he was blessed when Isaac was in his midst. Now Uncle Laban has discovered that God is with Jacob and has blessed him for Jacob’s sake. So Uncle Laban says, “My boy, don’t rush off; don’t leave me. I’ve been blessed, and I want to raise your wages.”
And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it [Gen. 30:28].
Jacob knows by now that, any time Uncle Laban makes a deal, he is the one who will come off the winner. Jacob has learned this lesson, and he wants to leave.
And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also? [Gen. 30:29–30].
Listen to Jacob complaining. He is singing the blues! He is saying, “All I’ve got out of all this service for you are two wives with their two maids and a house full of boys.” In fact, he has eleven boys at this point. What in the world is he going to do? How is he going to feed them? He says, “God has blessed you and He has prospered you, and I don’t have anything.”
And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock:
I will pass through all thy flock to-day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire [Gen. 30:31–32].
In other words, the pure breeds will be Laban’s, but the offbreeds, those that are not blue-ribbon cattle, will be Jacob’s. Jacob said, “You just let me have these, and that will be my wages.” That sounds like a pretty good proposition for Laban.
So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons [Gen. 30:33–35].
They would not be able to breed with the others. Jacob would take the off-breeds so that only the full breeds would mate and bear offspring, and those would belong to Uncle Laban. The others would be his. Jacob is making a very interesting deal.
And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted [Gen. 30:36–39].
There have been various explanations of this. There are those who say this is nothing in the world but pure superstition. Others say it is an old wives’ tale and is certainly something which ought not to be in the Bible record. It is my judgment that it is important that this record appears in the Word of God. Of course, there were genetic factors involved, but I don’t feel that we should rule out this as being a superstition. The point is that both Laban and Jacob believed that the white streaks in the rods caused the offspring to be ringstraked. That is the important part of the story. Maybe you are too smart to believe it, but these two boys believed it. Regardless of whether or not there was value in it, Jacob is using trickery. He had been quite a trickster, but he has met an uncle who is a better trickster than he is, and now Jacob is trying to make a comeback.
This is all I will say about it at this point, and we will see that the next chapter will throw new light on this entire incident.
Now here is the list of Jacob’s twelve sons who will eventually comprise the twelve tribes of the nation Israel.
Born to Leah:
1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. Levi
4. Judah
5. Issachar
6. Zebulun
7. Dinah, daughter
Born to Bilhah, Rachel’s maid:
1. Dan
2. Naphtali
Born to Zilpah, Leah’s maid:
1. Gad
2. Asher
Born to Rachel:
1. Joseph
2. Benjamin
Believe me, Jacob had his hands full with these twelve boys! Also, we find that there was a girl, and her name was Dinah.
We will see in the next chapter that God has called Jacob to leave Haran and return to the land which He has promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I am sure that God is thinking of Jacob’s children—He doesn’t want them to grow up in the environment of Laban’s household.
CHAPTER 31
Theme: Jacob flees from Haran; the Mizpah covenant
In this chapter we find that Jacob leaves Laban without giving notice. They don’t even have a farewell party for him. Laban takes out after him and overtakes him. Finally, Jacob and Laban made another contract, this time not to defraud or hurt each other. Then they separate in an outwardly friendly manner.
We will see that God wants to get Jacob out of that land. He recognizes that the influence of Laban’s household is not good for Jacob and his growing family. The boys are going to be heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, and God is anxious to get them out from that environment and back into Abraham’s country, the country which He had promised to Abraham.
We are in a section of the Word of God which God has given to minister to our needs. It deals with a man who is a very sinful man in many ways and a man whom God would not give up. You and I can take courage from this. The Lord will never give us up as long as we keep coming back to Him. He will always receive us. If He will take a fellow like Jacob and a fellow like I am, He will take you, my friend.
You will recall that Jacob has had a pretty sad ordeal of twenty years with Uncle Laban. Uncle Laban has really given him a course in the college of hard knocks, and poor Jacob is beginning to wince because of all the pressure he has been under. However, since the new deal which he had made with Laban regarding cattle breeding, Jacob is now getting more than Uncle Laban is getting. Uncle Laban doesn’t like it, nor do his sons like it.
And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before [Gen. 31:1–2].
Now Jacob has a call from God.
And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock [Gen. 31:3–4].
God called Jacob to leave, and so he is now preparing to do that. He calls Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field because he is afraid to talk this over at home for fear some servant or possibly even Laban or Laban’s sons might overhear him. He doesn’t want them to see him plotting with Rachel and Leah.
And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father [Gen. 31:5–6].
That is one thing upon which we can agree with Jacob and say to his credit. He had worked hard, but I’m of the opinion that we ought to give Laban credit for that. I believe that Laban got his money’s worth out of anyone who worked for him.
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me [Gen. 31:7].
Notice that ten times in those twenty years old Laban had changed his wages! Poor Jacob. But when he was perplexed and frustrated, not knowing where to turn, God intervened.
If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me [Gen. 31:8–9].
Jacob is explaining to Rachel and Leah that it is God who has blessed him, to the extent that Laban and his sons have become very jealous of him; in fact, they hate him.
Now Jacob tells the actual reason why he wants to leave—
And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee [Gen. 31:11–12].
You probably thought that in the previous chapter I was not giving a satisfactory answer for what had taken place in the breeding of cattle. I was waiting until we came to this portion of Scripture, because God says, “I did it!” We don’t need to look for natural explanations, although I am confident that God used one of them. However, since God didn’t tell us which one it is, we simply do not know. There are several explanations, and you may take the one you want, but I like this one: God says, “I saw what Laban was doing to you, and I blessed you.”
I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred [Gen. 31:13].
“I am the God of Beth-el.” God goes back to the time He appeared to this boy when he was running away, that first night away from home which he spent at Beth-el.
“Now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.” God wants him to leave Haran because he has at this time eleven boys who are growing up, and they are already beginning to learn some things which they should not be learning. God wants to get Jacob and these boys away from the place of idolatry just as He got Abraham out of a home of idolatry.
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money [Gen. 31:14–15].
They are saying that certainly, as the daughters of their father, they should receive some inheritance, and that ought to keep Laban from being so antagonistic. But, friend, old Laban cannot be trusted.
Unfortunately, there are many Christians today who demonstrate in the way they handle their own money and the money of others that they cannot be trusted either. This is, I feel, a real test of an individual. I could tell you some stories that would make your hair stand on end. Christians, and Christian leaders, do things with money that ought not to be done.
For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do [Gen. 31:16].
I admire these two women. They tell Jacob to do whatever he wants to do. They stand with him, and apparently they feel that their father has robbed them.
JACOB FLEES FROM HARAN
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s [Gen. 31:17–19].
Here is a revelation of something that is quite interesting. Jacob rises up and leaves posthaste again. You remember that this is the same way he left home when he was escaping from his brother. Now he is leaving his uncle—but it is not all his fault this time. It is obvious that he is prepared for this. He has all the cattle and the servants ready to march.
“Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.” I told you that they were in a home of idolatry. God didn’t want Jacob’s boys to be brought up there. But, you see, Rachel had been brought up in a home of idolatry, and she wanted to take her gods with her. What a primitive notion she had! Even Jacob had thought that he could run away from God when he left his home as a boy. But at Beth-el God appeared to him. He found that he couldn’t run away from God. In fact many years later David wrote: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell [sheol], behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:7–8). That is, death won’t separate you. “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Ps. 139:9–10). You won’t get away from God by even going to the moon. You simply cannot get away from Him.
“And Laban went to shear his sheep.” Jacob waited until Laban went out to shear sheep. Probably Laban went quite a few miles away from home because the sheep grazed over a very large area in that day. They still do, for that matter, because it takes a large area to feed them. While Laban is away from home, Jacob just “forgets” to tell him that he is leaving.
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead [Gen. 31:20–21].
They have come within sight of Mt. Gilead, which is just east of the Jordan River. They have covered a lot of ground.
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead [Gen. 31:22–23].
Laban really had been traveling fast to over-take him. You may be sure that Laban doesn’t mean any good as far as Jacob is concerned. I am of the opinion that he is angry enough to kill him. But God intervened—
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad [Gen. 31:24].
In other words, “You be very careful what you say and do.”
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead [Gen. 21:25].
Listen to Uncle Laban. He’s a clever rascal, by the way. He’s been coming, breathing out fire and brimstone, and wanting to recover all the possessions which Jacob had taken. He probably wanted to kill Jacob and take back the two daughters and their children.
And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? [Gen. 31:26–27].
How clever Uncle Laban is, how diplomatic! He tries to make Jacob feel guilty for depriving his family of wonderful send-off party. He would have had a great celebration and a fond farewell. That’s what he says, but I don’t think that is what he would have done. Then he goes on to appeal to sentiment.
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing [Gen. 31:28].
These “sons” would be his grandsons. They are destined to be very prominent as far as the history of this world is concerned.
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad [Gen. 31:29].
Laban lets him know that he didn’t mean good by him but that God had prevented him from doing bad.
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? [Gen. 31:30].
Now he asks about the stolen gods. Actually, Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen the gods. When he answers Laban, he is answering about his running away without letting him know.
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me [Gen. 31:31].
Jacob knew that Laban wouldn’t have let him take his wives and his family and that which belonged to him.
Now he replies to the charge of the stolen gods—
With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them [Gen. 31:32].
He is sure no one would have stolen them from Laban. You see, Jacob didn’t believe Laban. But if you think that Laban believed Jacob, you’re wrong. They had absolutely no confidence in each other. It’s been a nice, pleasant twenty years together, hasn’t it?
And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maid-servants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images [Gen. 31:33–35].
He really expected one of his daughters to have them. Rachel is quite a clever girl herself, isn’t she? She is the daughter of her father! She had taken them and put them in the camel’s furniture, which is the box that went on the camel’s back. Then she sat down on them and excused herself to her father. She said she couldn’t get up because she didn’t feel well that day. All the while, she is sitting on them. What a realistic picture we get of this family!
Rachel’s taking the teraphim from her father was probably much more serious than we had imagined. The possession of those household gods implied leadership of the family, which meant that Jacob was going to inherit everything old Laban had! That is the reason Laban was so wrought up over it. He surely did not want Jacob to get his estate—he felt he had gotten too much already.
Jacob gets a little confidence now. They can’t locate the images, and Jacob is sure that they aren’t anywhere around. He wants to rebuke his father-in-law who has come after him.
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? [Gen. 31:36].
Now Jacob voices his complaint. He has passed the course in the college of hard knocks, and now he is getting his degree.
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten [Gen. 31:38].
He didn’t even get his meals. He had to pay for those.
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night [Gen. 31:39].
He couldn’t even get any insurance. When a lamb was stolen or killed by a wild animal, Jacob had to pay for it. Believe me, this Laban is a hard taskmaster!
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes [Gen. 31:40].
He didn’t get a vacation in the summer. When the weather grew cold, he still had to stay out with the sheep and with the animals. Many nights he had to watch to protect the flock.
Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times [Gen. 31:41].
This is what has happened to Jacob. Here is the man who is clever, who thought that he could get by with sin, but God didn’t let him get by with it because God has made it very clear that whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. Jacob refused submission to God at home; so he had to submit to his uncle. Jacob came to receive a wife in dignity, but he was made a servant because God respects the rights of the firstborn. Jacob had deceived his father; so he was deceived by his father-in-law. Jacob, the younger, became as the older. Then he found out that he was given the older when he thought he was getting the younger. He revealed a mercenary spirit that displayed itself in the way he got the birthright, allowing his mother to cover his hands with the skins of kids of goats. Later on, we will see that his own sons will deceive him in very much the same way. They killed a kid and in its blood they dipped Joseph’s coat of many colors. He deceived his father about being the favorite son, and he will be deceived about his favorite son, Joseph. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight [Gen. 31:42].
Jacob has had his day in court. He has vented his grievances. Now he is going to leave Laban. They bid each other good-bye and make a contract.
THE MIZPAH COVENANT
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee [Gen. 31:43–44].
Jacob set up a stone for a pillar, a heap of stones was gathered, and a contract was made.
And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another [Gen. 31:48–49].
The words of this contract have been used by young people’s groups and other groups as a benediction. I don’t think it ought to be used that way because it was a contract made between two rascals who are going to quit stealing from each other and work on somebody else! “The Lord watch between me and thee” is really saying, “May the Lord keep His eye on you so you won’t steal from me any more.” That is exactly what these men are saying. And after this, they separate. The pile of stones remained at Mizpah as a boundary line between Laban and Jacob. Each promised not to cross over on the other’s side.
CHAPTER 32
Theme: Crisis in the life of Jacob; wrestling at Peniel; Jacob’s name changed to Israel
Chapter 32 is the high point in the life of Jacob and can be called the turning point in his life. However, this is not Jacob’s conversion, by any means. In spite of the fact that he was living in the flesh, this man was still God’s man. This is the reason that we are told to be very careful about judging folk as to whether they are Christians or not. There are a lot of people who do not look like they are Christians, but I am almost sure that they are. Whether they are or not is in the hands of the Lord. They just don’t act like Christians—that’s all; they give no evidence that they are. And this man Jacob gave no such evidence, except in very faint instances when God appeared to him and he did respond in a way.
Jacob, who is God’s representative and witness in the world, has been a bad witness, but he cannot continue that way, and so God is going to deal with him. To tell the truth, God will cripple him in order to get him. The Lord also disciplines us: “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth…” (Heb. 12:6). That is His method. He disciplines in that way. Lot also did not look like he was a child of God—but he was, for Peter says that Lot “vexed his righteous soul” (see 2 Pet. 2:7–8). But I tell you, Lot certainly was put through the fire. He escaped the fire of Sodom and Gomorrah, but the Lord put him through the fires of testing. This is Jacob’s experience also. He got his college degree at the college of hard knocks. Uncle Laban was president and dean of the school. At graduation, this boy Jacob gave a pitiful valedictorian address. It took him twenty years to get his degree, and he certainly worked for it. Old Laban changed the requirements ten times. Every two years, Jacob had a new contract with Uncle Laban, and it was always to Jacob’s disadvantage. This was the experience of this man.
We come now to this test in which God is going to have to deal with Jacob because he is going to represent God. God will deal with him and will move in on him in this thirty-second chapter. At the beginning, I would like to write this verse of Scripture over this chapter: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength” (Isa. 40:29). This is the experience of Jacob.
CRISIS IN THE LIFE OF JACOB
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim [Gen. 32:1–2].
God is beginning to deal with Jacob directly in order to bring him into the place of fruit bearing and of real, vital service and witness for Him.
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight [Gen. 32:3–5].
This fellow Jacob is still clever, isn’t he? He just cannot let go, even after his experience with Laban. He is returning back to the land, and he remembers the last time he saw Esau twenty years ago, when Esau was breathing out threatenings against him. Notice that Jacob sends servants and instructs them, saying, “When you get to Esau my brother, say to him, `My lord Esau.’” Of all things! And then he has them refer to himself as “Thy servant Jacob.” That’s not the way Jacob had spoken before. He had manipulated for the birthright and had stolen the blessing. He had been a rascal, but now his talk is different. I guess he had learned a few things from Uncle Laban. “My lord Esau…thy servant Jacob.”
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him [Gen. 32:6].
This message absolutely frightened poor Jacob because he didn’t know what all that meant. Esau did not indicate his intentions to the servants at all. I suppose that Jacob quizzed them rather thoroughly and said, “Did you detect any note of animosity or bitterness or hatred toward me?” And I suppose that one of the servants said, “No, he seemed to be glad to get the information that you were coming to meet him, and now he’s coming to meet you.” But the fact that Esau appeared glad was no comfort to Jacob. It could mean that Esau would be glad for the opportunity of getting revenge. Anyway, poor Jacob is upset.
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape [Gen. 32:7–8].
Jacob is in a bad way, he thinks. With this brother of his coming to him, he divides up his group. He is being clever. He reasons that if his brother strikes one group, then the other one can escape.
Notice what Jacob does now. He appeals to God in his distress:
And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands [Gen. 32:9–10].
This man now appeals to God and cries out to Him on the basis that He is the God of his father Abraham and the God of his father Isaac. I begin now to detect a little change in Jacob’s life. This is the first time I have ever heard him say, “I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies.” For the first time, he is acknowledging that he might be a sinner in God’s sight. Do you know that there are a great many “Christians” who do not acknowledge that they are sinners? For years I knew a man who was incensed that I would indicate that he was a sinner. He told me all that he had done and that he had been saved and now was not a sinner. My friend, he is a sinner. We are all sinners, saved by grace. As long as we are in this life, we have that old nature that isn’t even fit to go to heaven. And do you know that God is not going to let it go to heaven? Vernon McGee cannot go there. That is the reason God had to give me a new nature; the old one wasn’t even fit to repair. This fellow Jacob is beginning now to say that he is not worthy. When any man begins to move toward God on that basis, he will find that God will communicate with him.
Jacob makes this very interesting statement: “for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.” He went over the Jordan with just his walking stick, his staff—that’s all he had. Now he is coming back, and he has become two companies. This is Jacob for you.
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude [Gen. 32:11–12].
Jacob really cried out to God. That night was a very difficult night for him, and he didn’t have any aspirins he could take.
And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;
Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals [Gen. 32:13–15].
Jacob is pretty generous with his stock now.
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove [Gen. 32:16].
This is Jacob’s tactic. He will send out a drove, a very rich gift, for his brother, and when that first drove arrives, Esau will say, “What is this?” The servants will reply, “We are bringing you a gift from your brother Jacob.” Esau will receive that gift and then ride on a little farther to meet another drove of the same size. He will ask the servants, “Where are you going?” They will say, “We’re going to meet Esau with a gift from his brother Jacob.” And he will say, “I am Esau.” Believe me, by the time Esau gets down where Jacob and the family are, he will be softened.
Jacob has prayed to God and has reminded the Lord, “You told me to return to my country. You said You would protect me.” But does he believe God? No. He goes right ahead and makes these arrangements, which reveals that he isn’t trusting God at all. I am afraid that we are often in the same position. Many of us take our burdens to the Lord in prayer. We just spread them out before Him—I do that. Then when we get through praying, we get right up and put each little burden right back on our back and start out again with them. We don’t really believe Him, do we? We don’t really trust Him as we should.
And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me [Gen. 32:17–20].
Esau will be met by one drove after another like that. This is the plan that Jacob is working on.
So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had [Gen. 32:21–23].
This is the night of the great experience in Jacob’s life. The land where he crossed the Brook Jabbok is very desolate. When I was there, I purposely got away from my group and took a walk across the bridge that is there today. The United States built a very lovely road through that area for the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan. There are several things in that area which you would not be able to see if there wasn’t that good road, because it is quite a wilderness area. I took pictures of sheep that were drinking down at the brook Jabbok. The crossing there is a very bleak place, right down between two hills, in that very mountainous and very rugged country. Here is where Jacob came that night. He is not a happy man, and he is filled with fear and doubts. You see, chickens are coming home to roost. He had mistreated Esau. God had never told him to get the birthright or the blessing in the way he did it. God would have gotten it for him. That night Jacob sends all that he has across the brook Jabbok, but he stays on the other side so that, if his brother Esau comes, he might kill Jacob but spare the family. And so Jacob is left alone.
WRESTLING AT PENIEL
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day [Gen. 32:24].
There are several things I would like to get straight as we come to this wrestling match. I have heard it said that Jacob did the wrestling. Actually, Jacob didn’t want to wrestle anybody. He has Uncle Laban in back of him who doesn’t mean good at all, and he has his brother Esau ahead of him. Jacob is no match for either one. He is caught now between a rock and a hard place, and he doesn’t know which way to turn. Do you think he wanted to take on a third opponent that night? I don’t think so.
Years ago Time magazine, reporting in the sports section concerning the votes for the greatest wrestler, said that not a vote went to the most famous athlete in history, wrestling Jacob. Lo and behold, the magazine received a letter from someone who wrote asking them to tell something about this wrestler Jacob. The writer of the letter had never heard of him before! And evidently he had never read his Bible at all. Jacob is no wrestler—let’s make that very clear here at the beginning. That night he was alone because he wanted to be alone, and he wasn’t looking for a fight.
This is the question: Who is this one who wrestled with Jacob that night? There has been a great deal of speculation about who it is, but I think He is none other than the preincarnate Christ. There is some evidence for this in the prophecy of Hosea: “Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us; Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial” (Hos. 12:1–5). “The Lord is his memorial”—or, “the Lord is His name.” It was none other than Jehovah, the preincarnate Christ, who wrestled with Jacob that night.
And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him [Gen. 32:25].
Old Jacob is not going to give up easily; he is not that kind of man—and he struggled against Him. Finally, this One who wrestled with him crippled him.
And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me [Gen. 32:26].
What happens now? Jacob is just holding on; he’s not wrestling. He is just holding on to this One. He found out that you do not get anywhere with God by struggling and resisting. The only way that you get anywhere with Him is by yielding and just holding on to Him. Abraham had learned that, and that is why he said amen to God. He believed God, and He counted it to him for righteousness. Abraham reached the end of his rope and put his arms around God. My friend, when you get in that condition, then you trust God. When you are willing to hold on, He is there ready to help you.
JACOB’S NAME CHANGED TO ISRAEL
And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed [Gen. 32:27–28].
He is not Jacob anymore—the one who is the usurper, the trickster—but Israel, “for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” Now the new nature of Israel will be manifested in the life of this man.
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved [Gen. 32:29–30].
Jacob had seen the Angel of the Lord, the preincarnate Christ.
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank [Gen. 32:31–32].
God had to cripple Jacob in order to get him, but He got him. This man Jacob refused to give in at first—that was typical of him. He knew a few holds, and he thought that after awhile he would be able to overcome. Finally, he found out he couldn’t overcome, but he would not surrender. And so what did God do? Certainly, with His superior strength, in a moment God could have pinned down Jacob’s shoulders—but He wouldn’t have pinned down his will. Jacob was like the little boy whose mama made him sit in a corner in his room. After awhile she heard a noise in there, and she called to him, “Willie, are you sitting down?” He said, “Yes, I’m sitting down, but I’m standing up on the inside of me!” That is precisely what would have happened to Jacob. He would have been standing up on the inside of himself—he wasn’t ready to yield.
Notice how God deals with him. He touches the hollow of Jacob’s thigh. Just a touch of the finger of God, and this man becomes helpless. But you see, God is not pinning down his shoulders. Now Jacob holds on to Him. The Man says, “Let Me go,” and Jacob says, “No, I want Your blessing.” He’s clinging to God now. The struggling and striving are over, and from here on Jacob is going to manifest a spiritual nature, dependence upon God. You will not find the change happening in a moment’s notice. Psychologists tell us that certain synaptic connections are set up in our nervous systems so that we do things by habit. We are creatures of habit. This man will lapse back into his old ways many times, but we begin to see something different in him now. Before we are through with him, we will find that he is a real man of God.
First, we saw him at his home and then in the land of Haran where he was a man of the flesh. Here at Peniel, at the brook Jabbok, we find him fighting. After this, and all the way through down into Egypt, we see him as a man of faith. First a man of the flesh, then a man who is fighting and struggling, and finally a man of the faith.
In the New Testament another young man, a son of Jacob by the name of Saul of Tarsus, tells us his struggle in chapter 7 of Romans. There were three periods in his life. When he was converted, he thought he could live the Christian life. That’s where I made my mistake also. When I became a Christian, I frankly thought I could live the Christian life. After all, Vernon McGee didn’t need any help. I thought it was easy, but I didn’t do it, and that was the hard part. That is where Paul had his problem: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom. 7:19).
Paul found out that not only was there no good in the old nature, but there also was no strength or power in the new nature. Finally we hear him crying out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). Then something happened, and in verse 25 he says, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord….” It is through Him that you will have to do all your thanking, because that is where your help is, going to come—through Him. “… So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Rom. 7:25). That is the way that it is with all of us. We have that old nature, and it cannot do anything that will please God. In fact, Paul went on to say that it was against God.
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7–8). We cannot please God in the flesh. Finally, Paul found victory by yielding to the Spirit of God. What the law could not do, the Spirit now is able to do in our lives. How does one do it? It is not until you and I yield to Him that we can please Him. Yield means that it is an act of the will of a regenerated person submitting himself to the will of God. And that is exactly what Jacob did. Jacob won, but he got the victory, not by fighting and struggling, but by yielding. What a picture we have here in him, and we are told that all these things happened unto them as examples to us (see 1 Cor. 10:11).
CHAPTER 33
Theme: Jacob meets Esau; Jacob journeys to Shalem
In the previous chapter we saw the high point in the life of Jacob, which was his encounter with God. On that night “a man” wrestled with him, and the “man,” not Jacob, did the wrestling. Jacob was not looking for another fight. He has Uncle Laban in back of him and Brother Esau ahead of him, and the last time he saw both of them they were breathing out threatenings against him. This man Jacob is not in a position to take on someone else. Therefore, the “man” took the initiative; He was the aggressor. He was, as we have seen, the preincarnate Christ. Jacob resisted Him until the touch of God crippled him. Then, recognizing at last who He was, Jacob clung to Him until He blessed him. From this point on we will begin to see a change in Jacob. As we follow his life in the chapter before us, we will think that we have met a new man. To tell the truth, he is a new man.
JACOB MEETS ESAU
And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids [Gen. 33:1].
Jacob wants to spare his family; so he separates them from the others.
And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother [Gen. 33:2–3].
I would love to have a picture of Jacob meeting his brother Esau! I suppose that while he was a mile away from him, he started bowing. He is coming with his hat in his hand because Esau has four hundred men with him, and Jacob doesn’t know if he is coming as friend or foe.
And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept [Gen. 33:4].
Well, they are twins, they are brothers. Let bygones be bygones. It looks as if God has certainly touched Esau’s heart because he had sworn vengeance that he would kill Jacob.
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.
Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves [Gen. 33:5–7].
Jacob introduces his family to his brother.
And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord [Gen. 33:8].
Apparently Jacob believes for a moment that his strategy of approaching his brother has worked. But it wasn’t necessary. Listen to Esau—what a change!
And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself [Gen. 33:9].
Esau is saying, “You didn’t need to send that to me. I have plenty already.”
And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it [Gen. 33:10–11].
This is almost a humorous scene. Up to this time, each was trying to get something from the other. This was especially true of Jacob. Now we find Jacob in a new role altogether. Here he is insisting that his brother take a gift. Esau says, “You don’t have to give it to me. I have plenty.” But Jacob insists that he accept it. Believe me, something has happened to Jacob!
He reminds me of Zacchaeus in the New Testament. When our Lord called him down and went with him into his house, something happened to Zacchaeus. He wasn’t the same man that climbed up into the tree. He said he would no longer be the tax collector who had been stealing from people and had been dishonest. He wanted to return, not only anything that he had taken in a wrong way, but he wanted to restore it fourfold. What a change had taken place! You could certainly tell which house Jesus had visited.
Certainly there is a change that has taken place in Jacob. Before he had traded a bowl of stew to get a birthright; now he is willing to give flocks and herds to his brother for nothing! In fact, Jacob insists that he take them. Esau finally accepted the gift. In that day and in that land if one refused to take a gift which was urged upon him, it was considered an insult. Therefore, Esau takes the gift.
And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee [Gen. 33:12].
Esau is saying, “Now as you return to the land, let me go before you, show you the way, and be a protection for you.”
And he said unto him. My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die [Gen. 33:13].
Jacob says, “I’m moving my family, and we have little ones, also we have young among the flocks and herds. We can’t go very fast. You, of course, with that army of four hundred will probably want to move much faster; so you go ahead.”
Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir [Gen. 33:14].
Jacob says, “I can’t keep up with you, Brother Esau. I’ll just have to set my own pace. You go on ahead.”
And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir [Gen. 33:15–16].
Esau lived in Southern Canaan in Seir, the “land of Edom,” at this time. After their father’s death, he moved to Mount Seir, which God subsequently gave to Esau for a possession (Deut. 2:5).
JACOB JOURNEYS TO SHALEM
And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth [Gen. 33:17].
Now let us not pass by so quickly and easily here that we do not pay attention to what has happened. A great change has come over this man Jacob. You see, all of Jacob’s clever scheming to present a gift to his brother Esau has just come to naught. God had prepared the heart of Laban not to harm Jacob, and God had prepared the heart of Esau to receive Jacob. Now he has peace on both fronts. Esau did not want the gift of Jacob because Esau himself had an abundance. When Jacob insisted, he took the gift out of courtesy. Both these brothers seem to be generous and genuine in their reconciliation. We have no reason to doubt it. Since Esau is now prosperous, and since he attached no particular value to his birthright anyway, there is no reason why he should not be reconciled to his twin brother.
Now the sunshine is beginning to fall on Jacob’s life. Laban is appeased and Esau is reconciled. God had arranged all of this for him. Had Jacob been left to his own cupidity and his own cleverness, he would have come to his death in a violent manner. Before too long Jacob is going to look back over his life, and when he does, he is going to see the hand of God in his life, and he is going to give God the glory. However, the evil that he has sown is yet to bring forth a full harvest. Trouble is in the offing for this man. It is there waiting for him.
Esau rides off to Seir, and we bid good-bye to him for the time being. He will be back, however, for the funeral of his father Isaac, as we will see in chapter 35.
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city.
And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money [Gen. 33:18–19].
Jacob is sometimes criticized because he stopped here at Succoth and at Shalem and did not proceed on to Beth-el. Actually, we ought not to expect too much of Jacob at this time. He’s been crippled, and he is just learning to walk with his spiritual legs.
And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel [Gen. 33:20].
Jacob builds an altar here, just as his grandfather Abraham was accustomed to building altars wherever he went. The fine feature is that Jacob identifies his new name with the name of God. He calls it El-elohe-Israel which means, “God, the God of Israel.” This indicates real growth in a man who is just learning to walk. Let’s put it like this. This man is on the way to Beth-el, but he hasn’t arrived there yet. First he journeys to Succoth.
CHAPTER 34
Theme: Dinah defiled by Shechem; Simeon and Levi slay the men of Hamor
Frankly, Jacob made a mistake by stopping in Shalem, for there is going to be a scandal at this point in the family of this man. Dinah, the daughter of Jacob by Leah, is defiled by Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite. Then Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s full brothers, avenge this act by slaying all the inhabitants of the city of Hamor. This cannot be justified, and it is a dark blot on the family of Jacob. It reveals the fact that Jacob did not get away too soon when he left his uncle Laban down in the land of Haran. We need to see that God was right in getting him away from that environment.
There are two things that God spends a great deal of time with in Genesis. First of all, there is the heredity. God is very much concerned that a believer marry a believer and that a believer not marry an unbeliever. That is important for the sake of heredity. The second thing of concern is the environment of the individual. We see this especially in the life of Jacob. He has a big family. Not only were there twelve sons, but there were also daughters. We are given the record of only this one daughter because she features in this very sad chapter.
There is something else for us to note that is important to the understanding of Genesis, and that is that there is trouble in the families. Have you noticed that? There was strife and trouble in the family of Abraham. There was strife and trouble in the family of Isaac. Esau was Isaac’s favorite, and Rebekah’s favorite was her son Jacob—and that caused a great deal of trouble in the family. Now we will see that there was a great deal of trouble in the family of Jacob.
Jacob stops and stays in Shalem for awhile, and it is going to cause a great deal of sorrow to him. Very frankly, chapter 34 is a sad, sordid chapter, and this must have been a heartbreak to old Jacob at this time. Jacob (or Israel, as we should call him) has built an altar, and he is now giving a testimony to the living and true God. There is a change in his life, but it is a slow growth, a development. This should be a lesson to us today: Don’t expect that, as a Christian, you are going to become full grown overnight. God adopts us as full-grown sons into the family where we are able to understand divine truth because the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. But our spiritual growth and our progress are very slow. We may learn truths in the Bible, but we will find that in our lives we are very much like Simon Peter, stumbling here and falling down there. Thank God that Simon Peter kept getting up and brushing himself off, and there came a day when he had a very close walk with the Lord. In fact, he walked to a cross even as our Lord did. You and I need to recognize that in our own lives the growth is slow, and therefore the growth in others will also be slow. Sometimes parents of converted children expect too much of them. Let’s not expect too much of other folk, but let’s also expect a great deal of ourselves.
There are three chapters in the Book of Genesis that are not pretty at all, and they all concern the children of Leah, the elder daughter of Laban who was given to Jacob. I believe that this gives evidence of the fact that God does not approve plurality of marriages. The very fact that it was forced on Jacob to a certain extent did not make it right, by any means—Jacob at least went along with it. We find in this section that the children of Leah are all involved in sin. She had six boys. In this chapter it is Simeon and Levi. In chapter 35 we come to another of the sons, Reuben, the firstborn. In chapter 38 it will be Judah. Every one of Leah’s sons turned out rather badly, and there was flagrant sin in their lives.
We have already noted that there was a great deal of strife in all of these families, but now another element has entered in. There is sordidness and a shoddiness that has seeped into the family of Jacob that was not in the family of Abraham or of Isaac. They had a great deal of difficulty and many problems, but nothing like we see in Jacob’s family. Again, God wanted to get this man Jacob and his family out from the home of Laban, out from that atmosphere, because the very atmosphere gave the background for these awful sins that are mentioned here.
DINAH DEFILED BY SHECHEM
Jacob has stopped here at Shalem and has bought himself a nice little place out in the suburban area of town. He is attempting, as it were, to orient himself to the culture of that day. Well, it wasn’t a good place, and God wants to separate this man from this area also. And believe me, after you read this chapter, you will come to the conclusion that God had better separate him from it!
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land [Gen. 34:1].
Dinah went visiting in this town of Shalem.
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her [Gen. 34:2].
Let me put it in the language of the news media today: He raped her. If they can say it in print and on radio and television, certainly this poor preacher can say it. Sin needs to be spelled out. There was a time when sin was sin, but now they’ve taken the “s” off of it, and you’re in the “in” group if you’re a sinner. But that’s not the way God spells sin. He still spells it S-I-N. And you will notice that “I” is right in the middle of the word—that’s where all of us are.
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife [Gen. 34:3–4].
The very interesting thing is that the boy Shechem was apparently in love with the girl and really wanted to marry her.
And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done [Gen. 34:5–7].
We certainly agree that it should not have been done, but it had been, and now the fellow wants to marry her. When Jacob heard it, he waited for his boys to come in, and they had a war counsel. I am of the opinion that Jacob probably should not have made as much of it as he did. When Hamor, the father of Shechem, came out to him, it is obvious that he wanted to get the girl for his son’s wife. Jacob probably should have yielded to that, because that was, shall I say, the best way out at the time. Certainly, the way it was handled was not the best by any means, and God did not approve of it.
And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife
And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you [Gen. 34:8–9].
Although intermarriage would have been wrong, it seems that Dinah should have been given to Shechem because that would have prevented a worse sin. This, of course, is hindsight, and “Monday morning quarterbacks” are not always right.
And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife [Gen. 34:10–12].
All of this reveals that Jacob is going to have to move on. This is no place for him, mixing with these people in this land.
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister [Gen 34:13].
I feel that Jacob should certainly have taken the leadership in his family. First of all, he should have prevented his sons from deceiving Shechem and Hamor.
And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us [Gen. 34:14].
The thing that disturbs me about this incident is that the real reproach—the sin of rape—is ignored, and they make the reproach on the basis of the rule which God had given them regarding intermarriage with the uncircumcised.
But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone [Gen. 34:15–17].
The thing that Jacob’s sons ask them to do is to go through the ritual of circumcision.
This ought to be a warning today to a great many people. I recall one couple who came to me for counseling and asked me to perform their marriage ceremony. I would not unite them in marriage because he was not a Christian, and she claimed that she would not marry him unless he became a Christian. I talked with him, and he said he would accept Christ. We had prayer, and then I asked him, “What have you really done?” I have never heard such hemming and hawing and beating around the bush as this boy did. Very frankly, I said right in front of him, “Young lady, I’ll not perform the ceremony. I don’t think the young man is converted.” They felt that I was being very harsh, and they went down the street and got another preacher to perform the ceremony. After they were married, she tried to get him to go to church. Of course, he had a good reason for not coming to hear me preach because I’d been so cruel to him, but then she agreed to go to another church, and they went two or three times. Finally, he just said to her point-blank, “Really, I’m not a Christian.” Just to go through the ceremony of joining the church and even of saying you trust Christ doesn’t mean you have. I find that faith doesn’t seem to mean very much to a great many people today. They think it is enough just to nod your head. It is a tremendous experience, my friend, to trust Christ as your Savior. There’s nothing quite like it, nothing to compare to it in this world. When you trust Christ as Savior, it does something for you. It didn’t do anything for that boy.
Mark Twain had the same experience. He was not a Christian, and he was in love with a very beautiful, wonderful Christian girl. She would not marry him until he became a Christian. He professed to have accepted Christ as his Savior, and they started out their marriage that way. Well, Mark Twain became very famous, and he was entertained by many famous people in the world. One day when he came back to his home in Missouri and she wanted to go to church, he said, “Look, I can’t keep up the front any longer. You go on to church. I know now that I’m not a Christian.” May I say that made a very unhappy home, and it absolutely spoiled the life of this lovely Christian girl.
Here the sons of Jacob are saying, “If you’ll go through the rite of circumcision, it will make everything all right.” A great many people think that if you join the church, nod your head, and are able to use the right vocabulary and quote the right verse, that means you are a Christian. My friend, that does not mean you are a Christian. If you have trusted in Christ, something has happened, and you are a different person.
And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father [Gen. 34:18–19].
I agree that this boy is doing the honorable thing at this point.
And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us [Gen. 34:20–23].
In other words, through intermarriage these men expected to eventually own everything that Jacob had.
And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city [Gen. 34:24].
Performing the rite of circumcision on unbelievers was as phony as it could be. It is like joining a church when you are unconverted.
SIMEON AND LEVI SLAY THE MEN OF HAMOR
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males [Gen. 34:25].
This was real trickery. Simeon and Levi were Dinah’s full brothers, and they wanted to get revenge. In their revenge, they go too far. Neither the rape nor the fact that Hamor intended to dispossess Jacob and his sons of the great wealth which Jacob had accumulated in Haran can in any way justify the brutal act of Simeon and Levi, but it does reveal the impossible situation of dealing with the inhabitants of that land. The thing they have done is a very terrible thing.
And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister [Gen. 34:26–27].
The other sons joined in on this. This reveals greed in the family of Jacob that is not right and which they had learned in the home of Laban.
They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house [Gen. 34:28–30].
Notice something that is obviously wrong here in the life of Jacob. Jacob rebukes Simeon and Levi for giving him a bad name, but he doesn’t rebuke them for the sin that they have committed. We sometimes get a wrong perspective of sin and of our actions. We think only of the effect that it is going to have. There are many men and women in our churches who will not take a stand on certain issues. Why? Well, the little crowd they run with may not accept them. They are with a little clique, and they don’t dare stand for anything that the little clique wouldn’t stand for. It is never a question of whether it is right or wrong; it’s a question of whether it ingratiates them to the crowd. God have mercy on Christians who shape their lives by those who are around them and who are constantly looking for the effect their conduct is going to have on others. They do not look on whether this is the right thing or the Christian thing or whether as a child of God this is something they should or should not do. This is the reason our churches are filled with those who compromise, and it is little wonder that we have so many frustrated, unhappy Christians today. It is a wonderful thing to stand for the truth, and when you stand for it, then you don’t have to compromise. How wonderful it is when we will do that. Poor old Jacob is growing, but he hasn’t grown that far.
Then these boys, of course, attempt to defend themselves:
And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot? [Gen. 34:31].
That’s a good question. I would say that if they wanted to take the judgment into their own hands, they first of all should have heard this boy out and let him marry their sister. It would have been the best thing to do under the circumstances, but it is not the right thing, by any means. Certainly that would have been better than to go to the extreme of murdering the inhabitants of that land. There is no excuse that can be offered, and I have no defense to offer for them at all. They should not have done the thing that they did, but we must understand that they were not living in the light of Romans 12:19–21 which says: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” For a Christian today Romans 12 is the policy that he should follow. The very minute we attempt to take revenge or get vengeance, it means that we are no longer walking by faith. We are saying that we cannot trust God to work it out. However, I am not sure that you could bring Jacob—and certainly not his sons—up to such a spiritual level at that particular time. But you cannot justify this terrible deed which they have committed. You can well understand that they acted because of their feeling for their sister and the shame which had been brought upon the family. Jacob was beginning to see that a whole lot of chickens—not just a few—were coming home to roost.
CHAPTER 35
Theme: Jacob returns to Beth-el; God renews the covenant; Rachel dies at the birth of Benjamin; death of Isaac
After the study in chapter 34, you may have come to the conclusion that I made a blunder when I said that Jacob’s life changed at Peniel. Actually, we did not see too much change in what took place in the thirty-fourth chapter. That is quite true, but there was a change that took place. I hesitate to call Jacob’s experience at Peniel a crisis experience because I am afraid that this matter of a crisis experience has been overdrawn by a great many. There are some folk who feel that, if you don’t have a second experience, you just haven’t had anything. The fact of the matter is that that’s not true. Some have a wonderful crisis experience, and I’m sure that many of us can turn back to that in our lives. But there are those who cannot or do not and have never mentioned it as being something very important in their lives. But when Jacob came to Peniel, a tremendous thing happened to him. All the way from the beginning of the life of Jacob until Peniel, his life was characterized by the rise of self, the assertion of the flesh—that’s Jacob and nothing but that. What really happened at Peniel was the fall of self. He went down like a deflated tire. He had been pumped up like a balloon, and he went down to practically nothing. But actually, chapter 34 evidences that he was not yet walking by faith.
As soon as Esau had turned his back and started home, Jacob took his family down to Shalem. It is a tragic move. Jacob was still depending upon his own cleverness. Dinah was raped, and Simeon and Levi, her full brothers, went into the city of Shalem to the prince who was responsible. Although he wanted to marry her, they murdered him, and the sons of Jacob conducted a slaughter that would make a gang shooting in Chicago look pretty tame. When they came home, Jacob said, “You have made my name to smell among the people of my land.”
Many expositors say that it was a tragic thing for Jacob to stop in Shalem, and I must say that I have to go along with that partially. But I have one question to ask: Was Jacob ready for Beth-el? Was he ready for the experiences that God was going to give him? No, I think that the tragic things that took place in chapter 34 were the result of a man who had been walking in the energy of the flesh. There had been a deflation of self, but there was no discernible faith in God. Because he did not have faith to go on to Beth-el, he stopped at Shalem. These tragic things which took place in his life reveal that this man was not a leader in his own family. He was not taking the proper place that he should have. He was no spiritual giant, by any means. And to have those eleven boys to herd was really a job for which this man Jacob was not prepared. After this tragic event, Jacob now is beginning to see the hand of God in his life, and now he makes the decision that he probably should have made beforehand.
JACOB RETURNS TO BETH-EL
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother [Gen. 35:1].
Now God is calling this man back to Beth-el. After this sad experience, he is prepared to go. You see, he didn’t have faith to move out before, but Jacob now begins to take the spiritual leadership in his home.
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments [Gen. 35:2].
There are several things that Jacob tells his household to do. First of all, they are to “put away the strange gods that are among you.” We are almost shocked at this. You will recall that when Jacob fled with Rachel and Leah, Rachel slipped out with the family gods. Apparently, she had sat on them while riding the camel—she just crawled on top of the luggage that was on the camel’s back and sat down because these little images were underneath. Jacob did not know at the time that she had taken them. He was very honest when he told Laban that the little images were not in his entourage at all. That may have been one of the few times he was truthful with Laban. He really had not known they were there.
When they were discovered, I think that we would all assume that Jacob would get rid of them because he knew of the living and true God. In fact, he had had a personal encounter with Him. But he didn’t get rid of the images, and now we find that his entire family is worshiping these strange gods. For the first time, Jacob is the one to take the spiritual leadership, and he says, “Let’s get rid of these false gods, these strange gods.” The first thing they have to do is to put away that which is wrong.
There are too many folk who six days a week are serving some other god, and on Sunday they try to serve the Lord. Many Christians, even fundamental believers, have their strange gods, and then they wonder why their service in the church on Sunday is not a thrilling experience. My friend, you are going to have to put away your strange gods. I don’t know what yours might be. It could be covetousness. There is many a good fundamental businessman who is out after every dollar he can get. He gives more devotion to getting the dollar than he does to serving the Lord on Sunday. And then he wonders what is wrong with his spiritual life. If you are going to come back to Beth-el where you met God at the beginning, then, my friend, you must put away those things that are wrong.
Then Jacob says, “Be clean.” For the believer, that means confession of sins. You have to deal with sin in your life. You cannot come to church on Sunday and dismiss the way you have lived during the week that has just passed. After all, you take a physical bath and use a deodorant before you come to church, and yet there is spiritual body odor in our churches because there is no confession of the sin, no cleansing. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). There must be the confession. He will forgive, but we must confess.
“And change your garments.” In other words, get rid of the old garments. In Scripture “garments” speak of habits. We speak of an equestrian wearing a riding habit or of a football player wearing a uniform—which is his habit. In like manner, the child of God should dress in a way to mirror who he is and to whom he belongs. Do you wear the habits of the Lord? Can you be detected in business or in school or in the neighborhood as being a little different in your life? You are wearing a habit. The day that Jacob went back to Beth-el, he started living for God. Up to then, I don’t think he was. Now he says, “Let’s go back to Beth-el”—that’s the thing that we must do.
And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went [Gen. 35:3].
Abraham and Isaac had made altars, and now Jacob will make an altar—thank God for that. He will now have a witness for God.
“Who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.” The thing that Jacob remembered is that when he was running away from home as a young man, homesick and lonesome, he had come to Beth-el, and God had been faithful to him. God had said, “I will be faithful to you.” The years had gone by, and God certainly had been faithful to him. Now God says, “You’ve got to go back to Beth-el. You have to go back to where you started. You have to begin there.”
We need to recognize that the years we spend in living a shoddy, shabby Christian life are a waste of time, absolutely a waste of time. God called the children of Israel to get out of Egypt and into the land of promise. God appeared to them and told them to go into the land, but they didn’t go in. Forty years they wandered around, and then God appeared to Joshua and said, “Go into the land.” He picked up right where He had left off. They had wasted forty years. How many people are wasting their lives as Christians? My, the tremendous spiritual lessons that are here for us! I don’t know about you, but some of us are just like Jacob, and that’s the reason this is so applicable to us today. Thank God that He says He is the God of Jacob. I love that! If He’ll be the God of Jacob, He’ll be the God of J. Vernon McGee also—that’s wonderful! This chapter is a great encouragement to us.
Notice that Jacob is assuming authority in his home.
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem [Gen. 35:4].
Let me pause to say that earrings were associated with worship in that day—there is a great deal said in Scripture about that. The earrings identified them as idolaters, and so they are going to get rid of them.
“Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.” Jacob got rid of them. They’re not stored away—they’re buried. They must be put away because it is now going to be a new life.
And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him [Gen. 35:5–6].
This place was called Luz before Jacob changed the name to Beth-el, and the people in that day knew it as Luz, not as Beth-el. We know it today as Beth-el.
And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother [Gen. 35:7].
Beth-el, meaning “the house of God,” was the name that Jacob had given to it before. Now he calls it El-Beth-el, which means “God of the house of God.” This reveals spiritual growth in Jacob’s life.
Now here is a very interesting sidelight:
But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth [Gen. 35:8].
Since Deborah was with Jacob at this time, we assume that Rebekah had already died, and Scripture does not tell us when her death took place. Poor Jacob never saw his mother again. That part is not as tragic as the fact that she never saw him again—she had just sent him away for a little while, you know. The nurse apparently had brought a message of Rebekah’s death and had come to stay with Jacob—and now she dies.
GOD RENEWS THE COVENANT
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him [Gen. 35:9].
All those years God had been trying to deal with Jacob. Now he picks up right where He had met him when he came to Beth-el as a young man. Those years he spent down there with Uncle Laban, in many ways, were wasted years.
And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins [Gen. 35:10–11].
“I am God Almighty.” Remember that that is what He had told Abraham.
And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land [Gen. 35:12].
The Lord considers that pretty important property, by the way. This now is the third time He has promised them the land—first to Abraham, then to Isaac, and now to Jacob. The Lord had to tell each one of these men about it two or three times; in fact, He told Abraham many times.
And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el [Gen. 35:13–15].
Here is the first mention of a drink offering. In the Book of Leviticus, five offerings are given, but not a drink offering. In fact, no instruction is given about it at all, but it is mentioned. Evidently this is one of the oldest offerings, and it has a very wonderful meaning to the believer today. The drink offering was just poured on the other offerings, and it went up in steam. Paul told the Philippians that that is the way he wanted his life to be—just poured out like a drink offering.
RACHEL DIES AT THE BIRTH OF BENJAMIN
And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour [Gen. 35:16].
Rachel had one son Joseph, but now she has a second son.
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin [Gen. 35:17–18].
What a wonderful thing this is—not the death of Rachel, but the way this took place. She says, “Call him ‘son of my sorrow,’” but Jacob looked down at him and said, “I’ve lost my lovely Rachel, and this little fellow looks like her, so I’ll just call him Benjamin, ‘son of my right hand.’” Jacob was partial to the sons of Rachel.
Jacob’s love for Rachel was perhaps the only fine thing in his life during those years in Padan-aram when there was so much evidence of the flesh and of self-seeking. He loved Rachel—there is no question about that. He was totally devoted to her. He was willing to do almost anything for her, such as permitting her to keep the images she had taken from her father. I don’t think that Leah would have gotten by with it—or anyone else for that matter. But he was indulgent with Rachel. She had given Jacob his son Joseph, and now she gives birth to Benjamin. And it was at the birth of her second son that she died. His life meant her death. It was a great heartbreak to Jacob.
The other ten boys were no joy to him at all. God reminded him, I think, every day for twenty-four hours of the day that it was sinful to have more than one wife. He didn’t need all of them. However, God will overrule, of course. (And He overrules in your life and mine. We can thank Him for that!) But the facts reveal that God did not approve of this plural marriage. This is especially obvious in the treatment which Joseph received from his half brothers.
Jacob loved Joseph and Benjamin and, very frankly, the other boys were jealous of that. He should not have shown such partiality to Joseph because he had experienced the results of partiality in his own home—he had been the one whom his father had more or less pushed aside. He knew the trouble it had caused. Although I don’t try to defend Jacob, we can sympathize with him. He had lost his lovely Rachel, but he had Benjamin. While it was true that the boy was the son of Rachel’s sorrow, Jacob could not call him Benoni. He was not the son of his sorrow; he was the son of his right hand, his walking stick, his staff, the one he would lean on in his old age. It is important to recognize this because it will help us understand the great sorrow Jacob will go through later on. All of it will have its roots in Jacob’s sin. God does not approve of the wrong in our lives, my friend. We think we can get by with it, but we will not get by with it—anymore than Jacob got by with it.
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem [Gen. 35:19].
She is buried there today. I have several pictures that I have taken of her tomb that is there.
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day [Gen. 35:20].
That is, it was there until the time Moses wrote this, but it is also there to this very day.
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar [Gen. 35:21].
In verses 22–26 we have a listing of the sons of Jacob by his different wives. Actually, Joseph and Benjamin were the two boys that were outstanding. The others just didn’t turn out well. Again, this proves the fact that God does not bless a plurality of wives. The family of Jacob ought to illustrate that fact to us. Although Uncle Laban was responsible, of course, Jacob went along with it.
DEATH OF ISAAC
And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him [Gen. 35:29].
I suspect that the death of their father Isaac was the only occasion which brought these two boys together in the years following Jacob’s return to the land.
Have you noticed that this chapter is made prominent by death? First there is the death of Deborah, the maid of Rebekah. In this there is the suggestion of the death of Rebekah herself. Then there is the death of lovely Rachel. Finally, the chapter closes with the death of Isaac.
CHAPTER 36
Theme: Esau moves from Canaan to Mount Seir
This chapter deals entirely with the family of Esau which became the nation of Edom. Although it may not be too interesting for the average reader, it is a marvelous study for one who wants to follow through on these names and the peoples who came from them. You will find that some of the names mentioned here are names that one hears out on that great Arabian desert today. Omar, the tentmaker, belongs out there, as do Teman and Zepho and Kenaz and Korah. Well, here is the family of Esau, and they are still located out in that area.
The family of Esau settled in Edom, which is right south and east of the Dead Sea. It is a mountainous area, and the capital of Edom, the rock-hewn city of Petra, stands there today. Prophecy in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Obadiah concerning Edom has been remarkably fulfilled.
The nation of Edom came from Esau. Three times in this chapter it is made very clear that Esau is the father of Edom—in fact, the names are synonymous (notice verse 8, for example). Then what is the difference between Esau and Edom? Well, when we first met Esau, we saw him as a boy in the family of Isaac. He was the outdoor, rugged type, a fine-looking athletic boy, by the way. Outwardly he looked attractive, but if there ever was a man of the flesh, Esau was that man.
Years ago a Christian girl talked to me about a fine-looking young man whom she had met. To tell the truth, they were both fine-looking young people. She had been born in China. Her father was in the oil business and had been made very wealthy. She met this young man who was a bank clerk, a very poor boy. I had been a bank clerk when I was a young fellow, and I knew that a lot of bank clerks look around for a good marriage. They notice the daughters of customers who have money in the bank. So this boy had met the girl. He was a handsome brute, fine-looking, the rugged type. To me he looked like Esau. She was a lovely Christian girl who had been led to the Lord by a missionary while in China. She insisted on marrying this young man, hoping that he would come to the Lord. I had talked with him and knew he had no notion of coming to the Lord, but he wanted to marry that girl. She was beautiful and she had money—and he was a man of the flesh. I told them I could not perform the ceremony. She was quite provoked with me, but later on she came back to tell me that she was divorced. She told me she had never known a person so given over to the things that were secular and carnal and of the flesh. She said she never dreamed there could be a person who would never in his entire life have a high, noble, spiritual, wonderful thought. She said he was as crude as one could possibly be. On the surface he gave a good impression, and he had been well mannered and chivalrous when they were courting, but underneath the facade he was crude and rude. Well, that is Esau, also. If you had been an attractive young lady in Esau’s day and had seen him there in his family, the chances are that you would have been glad to date him. He was an attractive young man, but he was a man of the flesh.
Perhaps someone will want to argue with God about His choice of Jacob over Esau. Esau looked so good on the outside. Could God have made a mistake? Well, over in the little prophecy of Obadiah we see Esau unveiled. One little Esau has become about one hundred thousand Edomites. Each one of them is a little Esau. Now take a look at the nation and you will see what came from Esau. It is like putting Esau under a microscope; he is greatly enlarged. What do we see? We see a nation filled with pride. God said to Edom: “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord” (Obad. 1:3–4). The pride of their heart was a declaration of independence, a soul that says it can live without God and does not have a need for God. That is Esau.
In the last book of the Old Testament God says, “Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated.” God never said that until over one thousand years after these men lived, but God knew the heart of Esau at the beginning. After they worked their way out in history, it is obvious to us all that God was accurate.
Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom [Gen. 36:1].
Again we are told that Esau is Edom.
Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;
And Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth [Gen. 36:2–3].
Esau, you recall, had married two Canaanite women and also an Ishmaelite woman.
And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle [Gen. 36:6–7].
Remember that Abraham and Lot had had that same problem. There was not enough grazing land for them. Each one had too many cattle. They had separated and now Esau leaves the Promised Land, leaves it on his own, due to economic circumstances.
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom [Gen. 36:8].
Now Esau moves from “the land of Seir” in Canaan, where he lived when Jacob returned from Padan-aram (Gen. 32:3), to Mount Seir, which I have already described.
And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife [Gen. 36:12].
This is the beginning of the Amalekites. Down through the centuries those tribes which were there in the desert pushed out in many directions. Many of them pushed across North Africa. All the Arab tribes came from Abraham—through Hagar, the Egyptian, and through Keturah, whom he married after the death of Sarah. And there has been intermarriage between the tribes. They belong to the same family that Israelites belong to.
In the Mideast I met an Arab who expressed hostility to a statement I had made about the nation Israel in a message I had given to our tour group. Although he was a Christian Arab, he told me how he hated the nation Israel. I said to him, “But he is your brother.” Believe me, that did antagonize him! He said, “I have no relationship with him at all.” I insisted that he did. I said, “You are both Semitic people. You are a Semite as much as they are.” Well, he had to admit that was true.
So this chapter is important as it shows these relationships. The Spirit of God uses a great deal of printer’s ink to tell us about this.
We find some humor in this chapter, too.
These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz [Gen. 36:15].
Where in the world did they get these dukes? Well, here is the beginning of nobility—they just assumed these titles. Each one of them became a duke. It is not just a nickname—they mean business by it. The beginning of nobility is in the family of Esau.
These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes [Gen. 36:19].
They have dukes in the family now. A great many people in my country can trace their ancestry back to royalty. It makes me wonder if anybody who came from Europe were folk who worked in vineyards, made pottery, and ran shoe shops. Everybody seems to have come from royalty. Well, Esau turned out quite a few of them. In fact, he went further than producing dukes—
And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel [Gen. 36:31].
This business of having kings was not God’s plan for His people. But this was the lifestyle of Edom. They had dukes and kings over them. If you had belonged to the family of Esau, you would have needed a title, because that is the type of folk they were. It is interesting to note that the people of Esau had kings long before he people of Israel had kings. In fact, later on the people of Israel will say to Samuel, “…make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Sam. 8:5). They could have said, “Our brothers down south, the Edomites, have kings. We would like to have kings like they do.”
And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth,
Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,
Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites [Gen. 36:40–43].
This is the family history of the rejected line. When the chapter gives the final resumé, it lists again the dukes that came from the line of Esau. There must have been a lot of bowing and scraping to each other when they got together. “I want you to meet my brother here. He is Duke Alvah” and “I want you to meet my friend. He is Duke Timnah.” And the kings—I doubt if you could even get in to see them!
This is a very interesting chapter for anyone who is interested in the study of anthropology or ethnology. A chapter like this gives a family history which probably extends farther back than any other source could go.
So the chapter closes with a list of the dukes and mentions again that their habitation is in the land of their possession which is Edom. “He is Esau the father of the Edomites.” We see the working out of this in the prophecies of Obadiah and in Malachi. This is quite remarkable, friend, and something we cannot just pass by.
CHAPTER 37
Theme: Cause of strife in Jacob’s family; the dreams of Joseph; Jacob sends Joseph to his brethren; Joseph sold into slavery
As we resume the story of the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we come to the fourth outstanding figure in this last section of Genesis. From here, all the way through the Book of Genesis, the central figure is Joseph, although we are still dealing with the family of Jacob. More chapters are devoted to Joseph than to Abraham or Isaac or to anyone else. More chapters are devoted to Joseph than to the first whole period from Genesis 1–11. This should cause the thoughtful student to pause and ask why Joseph should be given such prominence in Scripture.
There are probably several reasons. One is that the life of Joseph is a good and honorable life. He is the living example of the verse: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). God wants us to have whatever is good, virtuous, and great before us, and Joseph’s life is just that.
There is a second reason, and it is a great one. There is no one in Scripture who is more like Christ in his person and experiences than Joseph. Yet nowhere in the New Testament is Joseph given to us as a type of Christ. However, the parallel cannot be accidental. As we go on into his story, we shall mention many of these parallels. There are at least thirty which I shall list later.
So now we resume the story of the line of Jacob which is that line leading to the Messiah, the Christ. Jacob is living in Canaan as the story of Joseph begins.
CAUSE OF STRIFE IN JACOB’S FAMILY
And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan [Gen. 37:1].
Jacob has moved down, apparently, south of Bethlehem and has come to Hebron. This is the place where Abraham had made his home. This is the place of fellowship, of communion with God.
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report [Gen. 37:2].
We can see that the bunch of boys Jacob had were real problem children (with the exception of Joseph and Benjamin). It took these men a long time to learn the lessons God would teach them.
Notice now that the emphasis shifts from Jacob to Joseph. Joseph was only seventeen, just a teenager, when this incident took place. He was the youngest of the boys out there with the flocks. Benjamin was still too young, you see, and was still at home. Joseph brought to his father a bad report about the other boys. Of course, they didn’t like that. I’m sure they called him a tattletale.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours [Gen. 37:3].
Jacob should have learned a lesson in his own home. He knew that to play favorites would cause trouble in a family. His own father had favored the elder brother, and Jacob knew what it was to be discriminated against. But here he practices the very same thing. We can understand his feelings, knowing that Rachel was the wife whom he really love—she was the one fine thing in his life—and Joseph is really a fine boy, and Jacob loves him dearly. While all this is true, it still is not an excuse. He should not have made him that coat of many colors.
Another possible translation of “coat of many colours” would be the “coat with sleeves,” a long-sleeved robe. You see, the ordinary robe in those days consisted of one piece of cloth about ten feet long. They would put a hole in the middle of it and stick the head through this hole. Half of the cloth would drop down the front of the body and half the cloth down the back of the body. They would tie it together around the waist or seam up the sides, and that would be their coat. They didn’t have sleeves. So to put sleeves in the coat of any person would set him off from the others. And certainly a coat of many colors would set him apart, also.
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him [Gen. 37:4].
Naturally, the brothers hated him for being the favorite of his father. They couldn’t even speak peaceably to him. So here we see strife in this family also. I tell you, I don’t care whose family it is, sin will ruin it. Sin ruins lives, and sin ruins families; sin ruins communities, and it ruins nations. This is the problem with our families and cities and nations today. There is just one cause: God calls it sin.
So here we find that this boy Joseph is the object of discrimination. His father discriminates in his love for him. The brothers discriminate in their hatred against him.
THE DREAMS OF JOSEPH
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed [Gen. 37:5–6].
How can we explain his conduct here? Why would he go to his father and tattle on his brothers in the first place when he knew it would incur their hatred? Well, I think he just didn’t know how bad this world can be. He had no idea how bad his brothers were. I’m of the opinion that he was a rather gullible boy at this time. It took him a long time to find out about the ways of the world, but he certainly did learn. Eventually he probably knew as much about the world and the wickedness of man to man as anyone. But that was later on, not now.
You can just imagine how Joseph has been protected. His father centered all of his affection on Rachel. He had fallen in love with her at first sight and had worked fourteen years for her. Then many years went by before she bore him a child. Finally Joseph was born. What a delight that must have been for Jacob. But now Rachel is gone; so he centers his affection on this boy. He shouldn’t have done that—he has other sons to raise—but that is what he has done. Joseph has been loved and protected.
For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words [Gen. 37:7–8].
Can’t you imagine how they sneered? I’m sure they were cynical. They didn’t really believe that he would rule over them. Yet, they hated him because he had this dream. This doesn’t end the dreams, though. He had another one.
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying [Gen. 37:9–11].
He told them this dream and they understood what he was talking about. This same image appears in Revelation 12:1 where a woman is described clothed with the sun, and the moon is under her feet, and she had a crown of twelve stars upon her head. That means the nation of Israel. These brethren understood that Joseph was telling them about themselves, the sons of Israel.
We are seeing the nation of Israel at its beginning here. Genesis is like a bud, and the flower opens up as we go through the Scripture. Here is a bud that is not going to open up until we get into the Book of Revelation. It is a late bloomer, by the way, but it is going to open up there. We need to understand what is being said rather than try to make guesses. We don’t need to be guessing when it is made this clear.
Old Jacob understood it exactly, and he chided, “Does this mean that your father, your mother, and your brothers are going to bow down to you!” All Joseph could answer was, “That was the dream.” He didn’t try to interpret it because it was evident. His brothers just dismissed it, paid no attention to it. They thought it wasn’t even in the realm of possibility, as far as they were concerned. They knew that not one of them would ever bow down to Joseph! But Jacob observed the saying.
JACOB SENDS JOSEPH TO HIS BRETHREN
And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem [Gen. 37:12].
At this time, Jacob and his family were living around Hebron, which was twenty or more miles south of Jerusalem. And Shechem is that far north of Jerusalem, so that these boys are grazing the sheep a long ways from home. We can see that they grazed their sheep over that entire area.
And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I [Gen. 37:13].
Joseph said, “All right, I’ll go.” He was very obedient to his father, you will notice.
And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem [Gen. 37:14].
Joseph had traveled all the way from Hebron to Shechem. When he reached Shechem, he began to look around for them. That is rugged terrain up there, and this boy couldn’t locate them.
And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? [Gen. 37:15].
I can imagine that this man had seen Joseph pass his tent several times; so he asks him who he is looking for.
And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan [Gen. 37:16–17].
Dothan is a long way north of Shechem. It is near the Valley of Esdraelon, and this is where the brothers have moved the sheep. And at last Joseph found them—there they were.
And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams [Gen. 37:18–20].
How they hated Joseph! Here they are probably almost one hundred miles from home, and they say to each other, “Let’s get rid of him now, and we’ll see what will become of his dreams!”
Before we go on with the story, I want to call to your attention the comparison of Joseph to the Lord Jesus. You just should not miss the analogy.
1. The birth of Joseph was miraculous in that it was by the intervention of God as an answer to prayer. The Lord Jesus is virgin born. His birth was certainly miraculous!
2. Joseph was loved by his father. The Lord Jesus was loved by His Father, who declared, “This is My beloved Son.”
3. Joseph had the coat of many colors which set him apart. Christ was set apart in that He was “separate from sinners.”
4. Joseph announced that he was to rule over his brethren. The Lord Jesus presented Himself as the Messiah. Just as they ridiculed Joseph’s message, so they also ridiculed Jesus. In fact, nailed to His cross were the words: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
5. Joseph was sent by his father to his brethren. Jesus was sent to His brethren—He came first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
6. Joseph was hated by his brethren without a cause, and the Lord Jesus was hated by His brethren without a cause.
As we return to the story now, remember that Joseph is approaching his brothers, and they are plotting against him. He is wearing that coat of many colors or with the sleeves, which was a mark of position. We must remember that Joseph was younger than his brothers yet was in a position above them. So there is all this hatred and jealousy—to the point of murder!
Reuben has already lost his position as the firstborn. However, he stands in a good light here. He has more mature judgment than the others.
And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him [Gen. 37:21].
They would have killed him right then and there if Reuben had not intervened.
And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again [Gen. 37:22].
It was Reuben’s avowed purpose, after Joseph had been put into the pit, to slip back again and take him out of the pit and take him home to his father.
And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him [Gen. 37:23].
That coat Joseph wore was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. They hated it because it set him apart from them. According to the law of primogeniture, the older brothers had a prior claim; so they stripped off from Joseph the hated coat.
And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt [Gen. 37:24–25].
This was a caravan of traders that was going by.
And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content [Gen. 37:26–27].
Now Judah intervenes when he sees some traders going by. It is a very mercenary plan that he has, but at least he doesn’t want murder to take place. He doesn’t want the blood of Joseph to be on their hands. The brothers were satisfied with the suggestion because what they wanted was to get rid of him—they didn’t care how it was accomplished. They realized the Ishmeelites would take him down to Egypt and would sell him there as a slave. At least they would be rid of him. Slavery in most places was a living death, and they knew they would certainly never hear from him again.
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt [Gen. 37:28].
At this point you are probably thinking that Moses (who wrote the Genesis record) should make up his mind. First he calls them Ishmeelites, then Midianites, and then he calls them Ishmeelites again. So who are they? Is this an error in the Bible? Sometime ago a student brought to me a little booklet, which had been handed to him, listing a thousand or two thousand so-called errors in the Bible. After looking it over, the only errors I found were in that little book—not in the Bible. One of the so-called errors was this matter of calling the men of this caravan Ishmeelites, then Midianites, then Ishmeelites again.
This is an interesting point, and it deserves a closer look. First of all, it reveals how the critic and those who hate the Bible can interpret as an error something that actually shows the accuracy of the biblical record.
Who are the Ishmeelites? They are the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham. Who are the Midianites? They are the descendants of Midian, a son of Abraham. Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar, and Midian was the son of Abraham by Keturah whom he married after the death of Sarah. They are all brethren—they are actually kin to this group of boys who are selling their brother! At this time, who was an Israelite? Well, there were only twelve of them. How many Ishmeelites do you think there might be by this time? Ishmael was older than Isaac, so maybe there were one hundred or more. How many Midianites would there be? Well, Midian was born after Isaac; so there couldn’t be too many—maybe a dozen or more. These were little groups, and in that day travel was dangerous. They were going across the desert to Egypt. They joined together for protection, and they joined together for a common interest. They were going on a business trip to Egypt, and, since they were related, they understood each other and joined together.
May I say that the Word of God makes good sense if you just let it make good sense. We are the folk that don’t make the good sense. Ignorance adds a great deal to what people consider contradictions in the Bible. You can see that Moses understood what the situation was, and he wrote precisely.
JOSEPH SOLD INTO SLAVERY
So the brothers sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites who take him down to Egypt.
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood [Gen. 37:29–31].
Scripture does not tell us whether they told Reuben what they actually had done, but I’m of the opinion they did. And they probably said it was no use chasing after the merchants because they were a long way off by now; so he might as well help them think up a good story to tell Jacob.
And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no [Gen. 37:32].
Pretty clever, isn’t it? They act as if they had never seen Joseph. They pretend they just found this coat. Believe me, they knew that hated coat! But they pretend they don’t recognize it and ask their father whether he recognizes it. Jacob knew whose coat it was. He comes to a natural conclusion and, of course, the conclusion to which the brothers intended for him to come.
And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces [Gen. 37:33].
Let’s pause and take another look at this. They killed a kid of the goats and used that blood on the coat. Does this matter of deceiving a father with a goat remind us of something we’ve heard before? Remember that when Rebekah and Jacob were conniving, they used a kid for the savory meat dish, and they took the skin of the goat and put it on the hands and arms of Jacob to deceive his father. Now the brothers of Joseph are using the blood of a goat to deceive their father, who is none other than Jacob himself. They hand the coat to him and say, “Do you recognize it? We just found it up there in the mountains. It looks like a wild beast must have got to him.” Old Jacob came to the conclusion that his son Joseph had been killed.
Notice this very carefully. Jacob is deceived in exactly the same way that he had deceived. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7)—not something else, not something similar, but the same thing. This man Jacob did some bad sowing. He used deception, and now that he is a father, he is deceived in the identical way that he had deceived his own father years before.
When we sow corn, we reap corn. When we sow tares, we reap tares. We get exactly what we sow. This is true in any realm you wish to move in today. It is true in the physical realm, in the moral, and in the spiritual realm. That is true also for the believer. If you think you can get by with sin because you are a child of God, you have another thought coming. In fact, you’d better take that other thought and not commit the sin because God is no respecter of persons. He said this is the way it is going to be, and you are not an exception. I talked to a minister who had gotten involved with another man’s wife. As I talked with him, he tried to justify himself on the basis that he was someone special to the Lord. He felt that because he was who he was, he could operate on a little different plane and by a different rule book than anyone else. But he found that God is no respecter of persons.
Now notice the grief of Jacob—
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted: and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him [Gen. 37:34–35].
Perhaps some will think his grief is a demonstration of how much Jacob loved his son Joseph. I’ll admit that he certainly loved this boy. But it reveals that Jacob had not learned to walk by faith yet, friend. You recall the experience he had at Peniel. It was the deflation of the old ego. The flesh collapsed there, but now he must learn to walk by faith. He hasn’t learned that yet. In fact, the faith of Jacob is mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, but nothing in his life is mentioned there as an example of his faith until the time of his death. Then faith is exhibited.
Compare his grief here to the grief of a man like David (2 Sam. 12:15–23). David wept over the baby boy of his who died. He loved that little one just as much as Jacob loved Joseph, but David was a man of faith. He knew the little one couldn’t come back to him, and he also knew that he was going to the little fellow some day. What faith! You see, Jacob is not walking by faith, friend. This is abnormal grief.
Christian friend, perhaps you have lost a loved one. Perhaps you just can’t get over it. I want to say to you kindly, not brutally, but kindly: learn to walk by faith. You manifest faith when you recognize that you can’t bring that one back by grieving. It does no good at all. If you are a child of God and you are grieving over one who is a child of God, then walk by faith. You will see that one again and never be separated. The world has no faith—they grieve as those without hope. Christian friend, you can walk by faith.
Now the final verse of this chapter follows Joseph to Egypt—
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard [Gen. 37:36].
We will leave Joseph right there and pick up his story in chapter 39.
CHAPTER 38
Theme: The sin and shame of Judah
This is another chapter that seems to be about as necessary as a fifth leg on a cow. After you have read the story, you may wish that it had been left out of the Bible. Many people have asked me why this chapter is in the Word of God. I agree that it is one of the worst chapters in the Bible, but it gives us some background on the tribe of Judah, out of which the Lord Jesus Christ came. This fact makes it important that it be included in the biblical record. In this chapter you will read names like Judah and Tamar and Pharez and Zerah. If you think they sound familiar, it is because you have read them in the first chapter of Matthew. They are in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. My friend, that is an amazing thing! Our Lord came into a sinful line. He was made in all points like as we are, yet He Himself was without sin. He came into that human line where all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
This chapter deals with the sin and the shame of Judah. This leads me to say that the sons of Jacob were certainly not very much of a comfort to him. It looks as if all the sons were problem children, with the exception of Joseph and Benjamin. And Joseph was no comfort because his father was heartbroken about his disappearance. All of this reveals to us that Jacob spent too much time in Padan-aram accumulating a fortune rather than teaching his children. How different he was from Abraham. You remember that God had said of Abraham: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Gen. 18:19).
Well, Jacob didn’t do that. He was so busy down there contending with Uncle Laban that he didn’t have much time for his boys. That was tragic, because each one of them seemed to have gotten involved in something that was very sinful.
There is, I believe, a further reason for including this chapter in the Word of God at this juncture. Beginning with the next chapter, we go down to the land of Egypt with Joseph. God is sending Joseph ahead, as he very clearly detected from the fortuitous concurrence of circumstances in his life, to prepare the way for the coming down of the children of Israel into Egypt. It would preserve their lives during the famine in Canaan, but more than that, it would get them out of the land of Canaan from the abominable Canaanites into the seclusion of the land of Goshen in Egypt. Had Jacob and his family continued on in Canaan, they would have dropped down to the level of the Canaanites. The chapter before us reveals the necessity of getting the family of Jacob away from the degrading influence of the Canaanites.
This is the story of Judah, whose line will be the kingly line among the tribes of Israel.
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her [Gen. 38:1–2].
He went down to do business with a certain Adullamite, and when he got down there he saw this Canaanite woman, and he had an affair with her.
And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er [Gen. 38:3].
Judah called his name Er—and Judah certainly had erred; he had sinned.
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar [Gen. 38:4–6].
This is the first appearance of Tamar. She gets into the genealogy of Christ this way! Now, look at this family. It is just loaded with sin.
And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also [Gen. 38:7–10].
This reminds us of the present hour when there is so much emphasis on sex.
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house [Gen. 38:11].
It was the custom of that day that when a man died, his brother was to marry his widow. Onan refused to do it, and he was smitten with death.
Now Judah has another son who is growing up, and he tells his daughter-in-law to follow the custom of returning to her father’s house until the younger son is ready for marriage.
And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep [Gen. 38:12–13].
Apparently this deal that Judah had, which concerned seeing this Adullamite by the name of Hirah, was in connection with sheep. They were raising sheep and must have had a tremendous flock together. Judah goes up there to shear them. In the meantime, Tamar has been waiting all this while at home. She comes to the conclusion that Judah is not going to give Shelah to her as her husband.
And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife [Gen. 38:14].
Shelah was, of course, the third son of Judah. Tamar sees that Judah doesn’t intend to give her to him as his wife; so she takes action. She takes off her widow’s clothes and sits by the wayside with her face covered as was the custom of harlots.
And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? [Gen. 38:16].
We get a picture of Judah. He had propositioned the Canaanite woman, Shuah’s daughter. Now he does the same thing with Tamar. This is a very black picture and an ugly story that we have here. Judah thought she was a harlot. She saw the opportunity of taking advantage of him, and she did it.
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand; but he found her not [Gen. 38:17–20].
Judah sent his friend into town who said, “I’m looking for the harlot that is here.”
Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.
And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.
And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt [Gen. 38:21–24].
That’s Judah. Here is the old double standard. God doesn’t approve of these things, friend. It is here in His Word, but that doesn’t mean that He approves of it. His people are acting just like the Canaanites, which is the reason He is going to get them out of this land and take them down into the land of Egypt. There He is going to separate them and isolate them in the land of Goshen to get them away from this terrible influence. This episode reveals the necessity for God to do this.
Judah is acting in a way that is unspeakable it is so bad. The fact of the matter is, he is quick to see the sin in somebody else, but he can’t see it in himself. It reminds us of the time Nathan went in to David and told him the story about the fellow who had one little ewe lamb. When Nathan said the rich man came and took it away, David was quick to condemn the rich man. David reacted just like Judah does here. David said he wanted that rich man stoned to death. Then Nathan declared that David himself was the man. It is interesting that we can all see sin so clearly in other people, but we can’t see it within our own being.
The charge against Judah is really a double one. His sin is terrible in itself, but it was with his own daughter-in-law! This is the way the Canaanites lived. We think that we are in a sex revolution today and there is a new sexual freedom. My friend, for centuries the heathen have had sexual freedom. That’s part of heathendom, and it is the reason they lived as low as they did. It is the reason they were judged and removed from the scene. The Canaanites are gone. They have disappeared. God has judged them. That ought to be a message to any person. Yet a great many people don’t seem to get the message—even Christians! You wonder why this chapter is in the Bible. It is in the Bible as a warning to us. It is in the Bible to let us know that God did not approve of sin, and it explains why God took Israel out of the land of Palestine and down into the land of Egypt.
Tamar is then brought into the presence of her father-in-law.
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff [Gen. 38:25].
Judah was going to have her burnt. But she said, “Well, I would like you to know who the father of the child is; he is the one who owns these articles that I’m showing you.” Judah looked at them and had to admit they were his own.
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more [Gen. 38:26].
This was repulsive even to Judah, but we can see how he had adopted some of the customs of the Canaanites.
May I pause for a moment to make an application? Remember, all these things are written for our learning. They are examples unto us. Today we hear that if we are going to witness to this generation and if we are going to communicate to them, we’ve got to get down to their level. I disagree with that. God has never used that method to witness. God has always, under all circumstances, asked His people to live on a high and lofty plane.
I can well imagine one of our present-day theologians going up to Noah and saying, “Brother Noah, you’re spending all your time working on this boat, and it is silly for you to be doing that. We’re having a big party over in Babylon tonight. They just got in a new shipment of marijuana and we are really going to blow our minds. We’re going to pass around the grass and we’re going to have a high time and take a little trip. You don’t need to build that boat for a trip; we’ll give you a trip. Come on over.” Noah, of course, would refuse. So the theologian would ask Noah, “How do you expect to reach all the hippies of Babylon? How are you going to reach the Babylonian be-boppers unless you are willing to come down and communicate with them?” The fact of the matter is, God never asked Noah to come down to “communicate.” God asked him to give His message.
And this is what God asks us to do in our day. I am firmly convinced that if God’s people would give out His Word and live lives that would commend the gospel, He would make their witness effective. There are many pastors in our day who are so afraid they will lose the crowd that they do anything to attract people to their church—and some of them are having their problems. But God has never asked us to compromise. God does ask us to give out the Word of God—regardless of the size of our congregation.
This reminds me of the story about Dr. Scofield who was invited to speak over in North Carolina. The first service was on a rainy night, and very few people came to hear him speak. The pastor felt that he must apologize to Dr. Scofield; so he reached over and told him that he was sorry so few people had come to hear a man of his caliber. Dr. Scofield replied to the pastor, “My Lord had only twelve men to speak to, and since He had only twelve men and never complained, who is C. I. Scofield that he should complain about a small crowd?” Friend, this is a lesson for our generation to learn. We so often think that there must be crowds or else God is not in it. Maybe God has called us to witness to a few. But I have news for you: If you give out the Word of God, it will have its effect. My friend, the Word of God is powerful, and God is looking for clean vessels through whom he can give it out.
Well, Judah had certainly lowered himself to the level of the Canaanites, and look at the results.
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zerah [Gen. 38:27–30].
Now if we turn over to the New Testament, we will find the genealogy of the Lord Jesus in Matthew, chapter 1. There we read: “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram” (Matt. 1:2–3). Then as we follow through the genealogy, we come to this verse: “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matt. 1:16). It is an amazing thing that the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh, should come through the line of Judah and Tamar! When He came into the human family, He came in a sinful line. He was made sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (see 2 Cor. 5:21).
CHAPTER 39
Theme: Overseer in the house of Potiphar; tempted, then framed by Potiphar’s wife; Joseph imprisoned
We return to the story of Joseph after the interlude of chapter 38, which we classified as one of the worst chapters in the Bible because it certainly tells a sordid story of the man Judah.
We will discover that Joseph is altogether different from Judah. I have always felt that Joseph and Benjamin got a great deal of teaching, instruction, and personal attention that the other ten boys did not receive. These seemed to be the only two boys in whom Jacob was interested.
Because of the hatred and animosity of Joseph’s brothers, he was sold into slavery and taken to the land of Egypt.
To be in a foreign land and sold into slavery is a very dreary prospect for a seventeen-year-old boy. There is certainly nothing in the outward aspect of things to bring any encouragement to his heart. Joseph seems to be more or less a hardluck boy. Even in the land of Egypt, just as things would begin to move smoothly for him, something else would happen. Of course, it always happened for a purpose, even though that was difficult for Joseph to see.
There is no person in the Old Testament in whose life the purpose of God is more clearly seen than Joseph. The providence of God is manifest in every detail of his life. The hand of God is upon him and the leading of the Lord evident, but Joseph is the one patriarch to whom God did not appear directly, according to the text of Scripture. God appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but not to Joseph. Yet the direction of God in his life is more clearly seen than in any other. He is the Old Testament example of Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Joseph himself expressed it in rather vivid language. At the death of their father, Joseph’s brothers felt that Joseph might turn on them, and they came to him asking for mercy. He told them that he held no grudge against them at all and said, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Gen. 50:20). Although everything seemed to go wrong for him and the outward aspect was dark—it looked terrible—each event was a step bringing to fruition God’s purpose in this man’s life.
My friend, in our own lives we need to reckon on the fact that “… whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). If we are the children of God, in the will of God, we can have the assurance of God that nothing comes to us without His permission. God works all things together for good to them who love Him. Even our misfortunes, heartbreaks, and sufferings are for our good and His glory.
There is a hedge about every child of God, and nothing gets through it without the permission of God. You remember that, when Satan wanted to test Job, he said to God: “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” (Job 1:10). Satan asked God to let the hedge down. Even if Satan gets God’s permission to test us, still all things will work for our good.
Dr. Torrey used to say that Romans 8:28 is the soft pillow for a tired heart. And someone else has put it like this: “God nothing does, nor suffers to be done, but what we would ourselves, if we but could see through all events of things as well as He.”
There is another aspect of the life of Joseph which should be an encouragement to every child of God. None of God’s children today have ever had a direct revelation from God. Some modern false prophets claim to the contrary, but God has not appeared directly to any person today. It is for our encouragement that God did not appear to Joseph directly because we can still know that He is leading and directing us.
Now let’s follow this young man Joseph and see what is going to happen to him.
OVERSEER IN THE HOUSE OF POTIPHAR
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither [Gen. 39:1].
This fine-looking young man, seventeen years old, would be a prize as a slave in the market. He was bought by Potiphar who was a captain of the guard. Potiphar was in the military, he had his office in the Pentagon of that day, and he was part of the brass, a prominent official.
And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian [Gen. 39:2].
Immediately, when he gets into the home of Potiphar who is an officer of Pharaoh, it is obvious that the Lord is with Joseph. Blessing came to that home when Joseph came.
And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand [Gen. 39:3].
Life is great up to this point. You’d like to add that they all lived happily ever after, but they didn’t. This is not a story; it is reality. The child of God is going to encounter temptation, trouble, and problems in this world. This is what is going to happen to Joseph.
And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand [Gen. 39:4].
Just think of this! Because of the way Joseph serves, he is elevated to the position of handling all the material substance—the chattels and probably even the real estate—of Potiphar. The man trusted him with everything.
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not aught he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured [Gen. 39:5–6].
Potiphar trusted Joseph so much that he never even demanded an accounting—he didn’t have to hire a C.P.A. to go over the books. He believed in the integrity of this young man. The only thing that Potiphar worried about, as an officer of Pharaoh, was that he should please Pharaoh and do a good job there. He let Joseph handle his personal affairs. When he sat down at the table, the food was put before him. That’s all that he was interested in because he trusted this young man.
TEMPTED, THEN FRAMED BY POTIPHAR’S WIFE
Now notice what happens—
And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me [Gen. 39:7].
Potiphar had given him the full run of his home, and Joseph had charge of everything. While Joseph was busy, Potiphar’s wife was also busy. She was busy scheming. Joseph was a handsome young man. It may be that Potiphar was an old man because it was generally the custom in that day for an older man to have a young wife. She sees Joseph, and she attempts to entice him.
But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? [Gen. 39:8–9].
Now do you notice that this young man is serving God in all of this? When he went down to Egypt, it was a land filled with idolatry just as much as Babylon was. In that land of idolatry, Joseph maintained a testimony for the living and true God and a high moral standard. When this woman enticed him, he said, “My master has turned over everything to me but you—you are his wife.” Notice what a high viewpoint Joseph had on marriage.
You see, God has given marriage to all mankind. When a person begins to despise the marriage vows, he is beginning to despise God, my friend. A man who will break his marriage vows will generally break any vow he has made to God. It has been interesting for me to note in my ministry that a divorced person, that is, one who gets divorced because he or she has been unfaithful, generally will get as far from God as any person possibly can. I’ve seen that happen again and again.
Joseph here is attempting to be true to God. What a high viewpoint he has! Yet, look at what is going to come to pass because he attempts to serve the living and true God.
And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her [Gen. 39:10].
This man, Potiphar, as an officer of Pharaoh, would be away from home a great deal. Maybe he was away from home too much. This woman didn’t tempt Joseph only one time, but again and again and again. It was a constant temptation to him, yet this young man did not yield. You can imagine that there begins to well up in her a boiling resentment against Joseph. The old bromide has it, “Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned.” Believe me, she is going to take revenge on Joseph.
And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice [Gen. 39:11–14].
Things weren’t so well between Potiphar and his wife. Notice how she speaks of him in such a mean, degrading way. She says that he brought in a Hebrew to mock them. In other words, the wife probably had been guilty of this before. The man whom I feel most sorry for is Potiphar. He is the sap if there ever was one. Possibly he suspected something all along.
She is beginning now to cover up her tracks—
And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home [Gen. 39:15–16].
So here is the boy Joseph in his teens, down there alone in Egypt, and he is being framed in the most dastardly manner. She brings this charge against Joseph to the other men. Her husband was away from home; so she has all this story built up to tell him when he arrives.
And she spake unto him, according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled [Gen. 39:17–19].
On the surface it seems that Potiphar believes her story, at least it made him angry at the moment. He was an officer in the army of Pharaoh and must have been a pretty sharp man to be among the brass. But he certainly was a stupid husband. It is my personal feeling that he recognized the kind of wife he had and thought the expedient thing was to throw Joseph into prison and forget the whole matter. I feel sorry for him, married to this woman. I’m of the opinion that she had been unfaithful many times before and that Joseph was just another one in her series of conquests—only it just didn’t work with Joseph, so she framed him.
JOSEPH IMPRISONED
And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison [Gen. 39:20].
This boy is certainly having bad luck, is he not? There at home he was the favorite of his father, wearing a coat of many colors. The next thing he knew, his brothers had taken off the coat and put him down in a pit. He hears them dickering with some tradesmen, and then he is sold down to Egypt. He was only seventeen years old, and I am of the opinion that on the way down, and after he got there, he spent many nights wetting the pillow with his tears. He certainly was homesick.
Now he’s getting along in this new position, just elevated to a high position because he is a capable and fine-looking young man. Then the wife of Potiphar attempts to lure him to commit sin. His high moral standard prevents him from yielding. As a result of that, she frames him. This poor boy just doesn’t stand a chance.
We need to remember that, although Joseph had been elevated in his position, he is still a slave. Potiphar’s wife would be like Caesar’s wife—one just wouldn’t dare say anything about her. Obviously her word would be accepted. Poor Joseph! He doesn’t need to even open his mouth. He is declared guilty before he can make any kind of a defense at all. He immediately finds himself put into prison, the prison where the prisoners of Pharaoh were placed.
But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper [Gen. 39:21–23].
The hand of God is obvious in this young man’s life, but over against it are the terrible things that happen to him. Now he finds himself in prison. How discouraging that would have been to the average person. But the interesting thing is that the Lord is with Joseph. Although He does not appear to him, as He had to the other patriarchs, He shows him mercy. First He causes the keeper of the prison to like him and to trust him. Although Joseph is naturally a very attractive young man and has tremendous ability, yet the important thing to note is that all of this would have come to naught had not God been with him. God is with him and is leading him. All of these experiences are moving toward the accomplishment of a purpose in this young man’s life.
Joseph recognized this, and it gave him a buoyancy, an attitude of optimism. The circumstances did not get him down. He lived on top of his circumstances. I have a preacher friend who tells me my problem is that the circumstances are all on top of me! I think many of us live that way. But Joseph was one who was living on top of his circumstances. The Lord was with him. He recognized the hand of God in his life, and so he was not discouraged. Discouragement is one of the finest weapons Satan has—discouragement and disappointment. This young man seems to have surmounted all of his circumstances. He reminds us of the passage in Hebrews: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11).
Certainly the chastening of the Lord is going to yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness in the life of this young man.
The story of Joseph reveals that not every man has his price. Satan says that he does, but there have been several men whom Satan could not buy. Joseph was one of these. Job was another, and the apostle Paul was still another. Satan despises mankind, but these and many more are men whom Satan found he could not buy.
Is it the will of God that Joseph be in prison? Well, my friend, it is almost essential that he be there. We’ll see that in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 40
Theme: Joseph interprets dreams for the butler and baker; fulfillment of the dreams
This chapter, rather than advancing the story of Joseph, seems to slow it down to absolutely no movement at all. We see Joseph in prison, and he is delayed and circumscribed by the ingratitude of the chief butler of Pharaoh. We may ask what all this means. May I say to you that all of this is accomplishing God’s plan and purpose in Joseph’s life. We will see this as we get into the chapter.
In chapter 37 we started a comparison between Joseph and the Lord Jesus. Now that we are farther along in the story, let us stop to make some more comparisons:
1. Joseph was sent to his brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ was sent to His brethren, the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
2. Joseph was hated by his brethren without a cause, and this is what the Lord Jesus says about Himself, “They hated me with out a cause.”
3. Joseph was sold by his own brothers, and the Lord Jesus was sold by one of His own brethren.
4. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver. The Lord Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver.
5. The brothers plotted to kill Joseph. The brethren plotted to kill the Lord Jesus—“He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”
6. Joseph was put into the pit which was meant to be a place of death for him. The Lord Jesus was crucified.
7. Joseph was raised up out of that pit. The Lord Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day.
8. Joseph obeyed his father. The Lord Jesus, obeyed His Father so that He could say that He always did the things which pleased His Father.
9. Joseph’s father had sent him to seek his brethren. We are told that the Lord Jesus Christ came to do the will of His Father when He came here to seek His brethren.
10. Joseph was mocked by his brethren. When they saw him coming, they said, “Behold, this dreamer cometh.” The Lord Jesus was mocked by His brethren. When He was on the cross, they said, “If He be the Christ, let Him come down now from the cross.”
11. The brothers refused to receive Joseph, and the brethren of the Lord Jesus, the Jews, refused to receive Him.
12. They took counsel to kill Joseph, and we are told they took counsel to plot the death of the Lord Jesus.
13. Joseph’s coat dripping with blood was returned to his father. They took the coat of the Lord Jesus and gambled for it.
14. After Joseph was sold into Egypt, he was lost sight of for many years. Christ ascended up into heaven. He told His disciples that they should see Him no more until His return.
15. Joseph was tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil, and he resisted. The Lord Jesus was tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil, and He won the victory.
16. Joseph became the savior of the world during this period, in the physical sense—he saved them from starvation. The Lord Jesus Christ in every sense is the Savior of the whole world.
17. Joseph was hated by his brothers, and they delivered him to the Gentiles. He couldn’t defend himself, and he was unjustly accused. The Lord Jesus was also delivered by His own to the religious rulers who in turn delivered Him to the Gentiles. He was innocent.
18. Pilate did not believe the accusation which was brought against the Lord Jesus. He found Him innocent, yet he scourged Him. And Joseph had to suffer although Potiphar probably knew that he was innocent. Potiphar had to keep up a front before Pharaoh as Pilate had to keep up a front before Caesar.
19. Joseph found favor in the sight of the jailer. And in the case of Jesus, the Roman centurion said of Him, “Truly, this was the Son of God.”
20. Joseph was numbered with the transgressors. He was a blessing to the butler, and he was judgment for the baker. The Lord Jesus was crucified between two thieves. One was judged and the other was blessed.
In the chapter before us we will begin to see why it was the will of God that Joseph be in prison at this time.
JOSEPH INTERPRETS DREAMS FOR THE BUTLER AND BAKER
And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound [Gen. 40:1–3].
That was no accident!
What does this reveal? It certainly reveals to us the arbitrary and dictatorial position and policy that the pharaohs of Egypt had. I don’t know what the baker did—maybe he burned the biscuits for breakfast. For some whim, Pharaoh put him into prison. What did the butler do? Maybe he was bringing up a glass of wine to Pharaoh and stubbed his toe and spilled it on the Persian rug that was there. I don’t know. It isn’t told us why both the baker and the butler of Pharaoh were in the prison, but the important thing is that they are put where Joseph is. Joseph occupies a good position, even here in the prison. Everywhere he went, his ability was certainly recognized. “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men” (Prov. 18:16). Certainly this was true for Joseph. And God is moving in his life with a very definite purpose.
And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward [Gen. 40:4].
Joseph got acquainted with them because he had charge of them. It was his business to take care of them while they were in prison.
And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad [Gen. 40:5–6].
Joseph was an optimistic type of individual, always bright and sharp, and he finds these two fellows, who occupy positions with Pharaoh, sitting dolefully with very dark looks upon their faces.
And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly today?
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you [Gen. 40:7–8].
Joseph gives God all the glory in this. Later on we will find another young Hebrew in a foreign court who will do the same thing—Daniel also gave God the glory. I wish Christians today would do this. Anything you or I do for the Lord should be done to the praise of God. Make sure that God gets the glory for it. I believe that one of the reasons many of us are not blessed as much as the Lord would like to bless us is because when we do receive something wonderful, we take it for granted and we do not give God the glory for it. We need to give God the glory. Joseph should give God the glory, and he does! He says, “Do not interpretations belong to God?”
And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler [Gen. 40:9–13].
It is interesting to see that God used dreams in the Old Testament. We don’t find God moving that way in the New Testament, because then the canon of Scripture was complete. We don’t need dreams today, but in that day, God did speak in dreams, and He used symbols that were meaningful to them. A butler would understand about serving wine—that was what he did for Pharaoh. Later on we will find King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of an image. Now he was certainly acquainted with images and with idols—that would be something that he could understand very well.
Joseph was able to interpret the dream and promised the butler that he would be restored in three days.
But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house [Gen. 40:14].
He says, “Now you will be out of here in three days, but I’ll be here until I rot unless somebody moves in my behalf. I’ve interpreted your dream—please don’t forget me!”
Now he gives him something of his background—
For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon [Gen. 40:15].
Although the record doesn’t tell us, the butler probably promised that he would speak to Pharaoh in Joseph’s behalf.
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head [Gen. 40:16–17].
The dream of the baker is in a symbol meaningful to him. He can understand a basket filled with little cookies, sweetmeats.
And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee [Gen. 40:18–19].
Joseph interprets his dream for him but warns that it is not going to be good for him. In three days he is to be taken out and hanged, and the birds will eat his flesh.
FULFILLMENT OF THE DREAMS
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:
But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him [Gen. 40:20–23].
Poor Joseph! This seems like a hopeless predicament now. Here he is, not only a slave, but one who has been falsely accused. Believe me, the prison bars are just as real as if he were guilty of some crime. The poor boy is here, and it is the purpose of Potiphar to forget him. That is his way of covering up the scandal that was in his own home. Joseph has to pay for Potiphar’s cover-up. Joseph’s one glimmer of light had been that the butler would remember him to Pharaoh. This seemed to be such a marvelous way of getting the ear of Pharaoh. But the butler is so elated with going back to his job and being in favor with Pharaoh again that he forgets all about poor Joseph. God wants to leave him there for a purpose. Suppose the butler had said to Pharaoh, “There is a prisoner down there who is innocent. He should not be there—he has been falsely accused. And he interpreted my dream for me. I sure would appreciate it, Pharaoh, if you would let him out.” Suppose Pharaoh had let him out, don’t you see what would have happened? He would have been at home in the land of Canaan at the time that Pharaoh needed him to interpret his dream. God wants to keep him nearby, and prison is a convenient place to keep him—there will be no difficulty in Pharaoh’s finding him when he needs him.
In spite of the discouragement, Joseph believed that God was moving in his life, and there were fruits of faith which were apparent. He was faithful in every relationship of his life. He was faithful to Potiphar. In prison he was faithful to the keeper of the prison. He was faithful to God, always giving Him the glory. We will see later on that he will be faithful to Pharaoh, and he will be faithful to his own brothers. You see, Joseph’s faith made him faithful. My friend, I believe that if you are truly a believer, you will be faithful.
We are living in a day when one of the tragic things happening is that there are so few Christians one can depend upon. I have a friend who is the head of a large Christian organization. We had a chance to sit together alone in a foreign city, just he and I. He was telling me some of the problems he had. He is in a tremendous organization, and yet he was telling me how few men he could really trust in his organization. Remember, this is a Christian organization. We see so few men in true faithfulness to their positions. We thank God for those who are. I have always thanked the Lord that He has put around me, everywhere I have ever been, a few faithful ones. I tell you, they are dear ones who are a great encouragement.
Joseph was that kind of a man. His faith made him faithful. It also gave him his optimistic outlook on life, even under all his trials and temptations. And it was faith that gave him his sympathetic and kindly attitude toward everyone. Notice how kind he was to the butler and the baker. And later on we will see his kindness to his brothers. Another thing that his faith did for him was to make him a very humble man. He gave God the glory for all his achievements. What a wonderful person he was! And what was responsible? Well, he believed God. He believed God as his father Abraham had believed Him, and this was the fruit that faith produced in his life.
Here is Joseph—forgotten in the prison. But Someone has not forgotten him; God has not forgotten him, and He is at work in his life.
Friend, this has a message for you and me. I don’t know what your circumstances are right now, but I do know, judging from the letters that I get, that many folk are in a hard place. One man wrote to me, “I am between a rock and a hard place. Things look very dark.” You don’t see the way out, and you wonder if God cares. That is the reason God has given this story of Joseph. He wants you to know that He cares and that He is moving in your life. If you are His child, He is permitting things to happen to you for your own good. His chastisements are always for our good. Friend, we can’t miss! How wonderful our God is!
CHAPTER 41
Theme: The dreams of Pharaoh; Joseph is made overseer of Egypt; Joseph’s two sons-Manasseh and Ephraim
What a difference this chapter is from the previous one where we left Joseph down in jail, forgotten, forlorn, and forsaken. Yet all of this was happening to him for God’s purposes in his life. If we could recognize God’s hand in our lives today, it would give us a different outlook on life! In the chapter before us we will see that Joseph is released from prison when he interprets the dreams of Pharaoh. He is made overseer over the entire land of Egypt, and he marries Asenath, the daughter of the Priest of On, who bears him Manasseh and Ephraim.
This is a story of rags to riches. I know of no fictitious story more thrilling than this episode in the life of Joseph. In this chapter we can certainly see the hand of God in his life. And Joseph was conscious of God’s care even during the days of adversity. This developed in him many virtues which are the fruit of the Spirit. One of them was patience. The truth expressed in Romans 5:3 that tribulation (or trouble) worketh patience is definitely illustrated in the life of Joseph.
We find here that this boy is brought into the presence of Pharaoh, the Gentile king, just as later on Daniel will be brought in before Nebuchadnezzar. Both of them are to interpret dreams.
Then we will consider the famine at the end of the chapter. What purpose of God is to be accomplished by this? God will use it to get the family of Jacob out of Canaan, away from the sins of the Canaanites and to bring them to Egypt to settle in the secluded spot of Goshen. That is one of His objectives. God had, I am sure, many other reasons, but this one is obvious.
As we go along, I hope you are still taking note of the ways in which Joseph is like the Lord Jesus Christ. We will make more of these comparisons later on. It is something important for us to be noting.
THE DREAMS OF PHARAOH
Remember that in the previous chapter Pharaoh’s butler and baker were put in the same prison where Joseph was incarcerated. Joseph interpreted their dreams correctly—the baker was hanged, and the butler was restored to his position. Joseph had begged the butler to remember his plight and speak of it to Pharaoh, but he had not done so. Now God gives Pharaoh a dream—
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river [Gen. 41:1].
Notice that it has been two full years since the close of the previous chapter. Joseph has spent two more years in jail, waiting for something to happen.
Here is Pharaoh’s dream—
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fat-fleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river [Gen. 41:2–3].
“Kine” are cows. We are talking about cattle here. He saw seven cows that were well-fed, fine looking, fat cattle. Then he saw seven really skinny cows.
And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke [Gen. 41:4].
Pharaoh woke up and wondered what the dream meant. He didn’t have the interpretation, but there was nobody to help him that day.
And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh [Gen. 41:5–8].
While all of these magicians and wise men were called in and Pharaoh was telling them his dream, the chief butler was there listening. After all, his position was to stand before Pharaoh and get him anything that he wanted. When none of the wise men could give Pharaoh an interpretation, the butler spoke up—
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day [Gen. 41:9].
I would call it a little more than a “fault!” It was a sin, in my opinion. But, you see, all of this was in the providence of God. We would call them the fortuitous concurrence of circumstances. The difficult experiences of Joseph could not be understood at the time, but God was letting them happen for a purpose. Now the chief butler says, “Oh, I just remembered that I promised a young fellow down there in prison that I would speak to you about him. And, by the way, Pharaoh, he can interpret dreams.” Now he tells Pharaoh his own experience—
Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker:
And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged [Gen. 41:10–13].
Pharaoh said, “Well, we’ve tried everybody else around here, and since that young man interpreted your dream and that of the baker, let’s have him come because I have the feeling that my dreams are very significant.”
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh [Gen. 41:14].
Note that Joseph shaved himself. You must remember that the Hebrews were not shaving in that day. But have you noticed that the statues and paintings of the Egyptians show a cleanshaven people? Many of the rulers sported a little goatee to add dignity to their position—if they couldn’t grow their own, they wore a false one—but generally the Egyptians were without hair on their faces.
There is a tremendous message in this. This man is lifted up out of the prison now. He shaves, and changes his prison garb for proper court clothing. This is a new life that is before him. It is like a resurrection; he is raised up. Now he goes to the Gentiles. What a tremendous picture of Christ this gives to us here.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it [Gen. 41:15].
Notice how Joseph gives God the glory—
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace [Gen. 41:16].
From Joseph’s viewpoint, God must receive the glory. Again let me say that the child of God should be very careful that God gets the glory for all of his accomplishments. If what we do is a blessing, it is because God is doing it through us. Joseph is aware of this, and he says, “It is not in me—I can’t interpret it—but God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Pharaoh repeats the dreams to Joseph. Actually, it is one dream of two parts, and it is treated as a single dream.
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do [Gen. 41:25].
Joseph says that the dream is one—both speak of the same thing. And the fact that it was repeated, given to Pharaoh twice, adds to its importance. The reason for the dream is that God is letting Pharaoh know what He is about to do. Here is the interpretation—
The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous [Gen. 41:26–31].
This, you see, is a prediction. There are to be seven years of plenty and then seven years of famine.
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass [Gen. 41:32].
The famine had been determined by God, and He wants Pharaoh to know about it. Now here is the advice of Joseph to Pharaoh—
Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants [Gen. 41:33–37].
Joseph advises Pharaoh to collect all the surplus during the seven years of plenty and keep it in store for the lean years.
JOSEPH IS MADE OVERSEER OF EGYPT
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is?
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt [Gen. 41:38–41].
Notice the significance of this. At the beginning this boy had been in the back of the prison, forgotten, forsaken, and forlorn. Now he is brought out at the right psychological moment because nobody else can interpret the dream of Pharaoh. Not only does he interpret it, but in his enthusiasm and because he is a man of ability, he suggests what Pharaoh should do. God is leading him in all of this, of course.
There is to be a worldwide famine, a famine so severe that even Egypt will be affected. Because Egypt is an irrigated land, it is not dependent upon rainfall. The Upper Nile, the Blue Nile, comes down from central Africa and furnishes the water upon which Egypt depends. Egypt gets about an inch of rainfall in a good year; so it is famine all the time as far as rainfall is concerned. But the Nile overflows the land every year, bringing not only water, but sediment which fertilizes the soil. However, God has warned that there will be seven years of famine which will affect Egypt, also.
As Pharaoh listens to Joseph, what he says makes sense. It is too bad that in my own nation there have not been men in our government who have had some sense of the future. Our foreign policy since the years before World War II, even from the days of Hitler’s rise to power, has been more or less a first-aid program, something rushed in as an emergency measure. Someone once asked Gladstone what is the measure of a great statesman. He said it is the man who knows the direction God is going for the next fifty years. Well, here in Genesis, Pharaoh is told what is going to happen for the next fourteen years. Our nation could use a man like this, also.
Now, who could take over better than Joseph? Pharaoh recognized that he was a man of ability. Now don’t you see how God had been training him in the home of Potiphar? We may wonder why in the world God ever let him go into that home in the first place. Now we realize that he had received quite a bit of training in the home of Potiphar where he had charge of everything the man owned. Now he is going to have charge of everything in the land of Egypt. This is a tremendous transition in his life. He went all the way from the back of the jail to the throne next to that of Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck [Gen. 41:42].
By the way, that ring had a signet on it. When that was put down in wax, it was just the same as Pharaoh’s signature. Pharaoh is making Joseph his agent. He has the right to use the king’s signature.
And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt [Gen. 41:43–45].
I like the name Joe better than I like Zaphnath-paaneah, but that was the name that Pharaoh gave to him. It is a Coptic name, and it means “the revealer of secret things.”
And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt [Gen. 41:46].
We are told Joseph’s age here, and we see that he has been in the land of Egypt for thirteen years. We know that two of those years were spent in prison after the episode with the butler and the baker. He probably had been in the prison a year or so before that. So he may have been in the house of Potiphar close to ten years. This gives us some idea of how his life was divided into time periods while he was in the land of Egypt.
After these thirteen years in Egypt, Joseph finds himself in a position which would correspond, I believe, to prime minister. He was second only to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt. Have you ever wondered why Pharaoh was so willing to accept him? Primarily, of course, the answer is that God was with him. All the way along we have been seeing that. The hand of God, by His providence, was leading this man. Joseph says himself that the brothers meant it for evil but that God meant it for good. It is wonderful to know that.
There may be another very practical reason for Pharaoh’s accepting Joseph so readily. Many scholars hold that the Pharaoh at this particular time in history was one of the Hyksos kings. The Hyksos were not native Egyptians but were Bedouins from the Arabian Desert. They were a nomadic group, and for a period they came in and took over the throne of Egypt. If this is true (and I think it is), Pharaoh was actually closer in nationality to Joseph than to the Egyptians, and this gave him confidence in Joseph. Actually, these Hyksos kings found it a little difficult to find someone in Egypt who would be loyal and faithful to them. Faithfulness was certainly characteristic of Joseph. His confidence that God was moving in his life produced in him a faithfulness to whomever he was attached. He was faithful to his task because he knew that God was in it. A racial bond with Pharaoh may well be a reason that Joseph found such a ready reception with him at this time, and he certainly proved to be faithful to him, as we shall see.
By the way, the Hyksos kings were later expelled from Egypt, which I believe to be the reason that in Exodus 1:8 we read: “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” The Pharaoh of the oppression certainly had no fellow-feeling with the Hebrews!
Note that Pharaoh placed a chain about Joseph’s neck, which gave him the same authority that Pharaoh had. Also, Pharaoh gave him for a bride the daughter of the priest of On. Her name, Asenath, means “dedicated to Neith (the Egyptian Minerva).” Evidently, she came right out of heathenism.
This event in Joseph’s life furnishes another parallel with the life of the Lord Jesus. Joseph had a gentile bride, and the Lord Jesus Christ is presently calling out of this world a gentile bride, which we call the church.
And in this same verse there is still another parallel; Joseph stood before Pharaoh when he was thirty years old, and the Lord Jesus began His ministry when He was thirty years of age. So at thirty, Joseph takes up his work in Egypt. During these seven years of plenty, he is gathering into storehouses the abundant produce of the land.
And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same [Gen. 41:47–48].
Notice that he “laid up the food in the cities.” He was planning ahead for easy distribution. I remember that during the depression of the 1930s men stood in the lines of the soup kitchens of Chicago and New York, and the lines were blocks long. Although at that time there was an abundance of food, there was a problem of distribution. But Joseph is doing a very practical thing. He is laying up the food in the cities. He is gathering up the surplus, and he is putting it in the cities, ready for distribution.
And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number [Gen. 41:49].
Egypt was the breadbasket of the world. Under Joseph’s management, I tell you, it seemed like two or three breadbaskets!
JOSEPH’S TWO SONS—MANASSEH AND EPHRAIM
Now we pause for a little family note—
And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction [Gen. 41:50–52].
These boys were born before the famine. He called his first son Manasseh. I’d say a good name for him would be “Amnesia” because it means that God had made Joseph “forget.” He was so much involved that he forgot about his father’s house. He’d been a homesick boy at first, but he’s not anymore.
In the first part of this chapter we saw that Joseph, when he was released from prison, changed his clothes and shaved himself before appearing before Pharaoh. It may seem to you that shaving may not be very important, that only the Gillette Company would be interested in that fact. But to us it has a symbolic interest. The Hebrews wore beards, and when Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothing, it speaks to me of resurrection because he laid aside the old life and began the new life. From that point on, he dresses like an Egyptian; he talks like an Egyptian; he lives like an Egyptian. He says “God made me forget.” So he names his son Manasseh—and you may call him Amnesia if you want to!
The next boy he names Ephraim because that means “fruitful.” So you can call this next boy “Ambrosia” if you like. Someone may object that this is free translating. Maybe it is, but if you put those two boys’ names into their English counterparts, that is exactly what they are. His boys were Amnesia and Ambrosia. Joseph gave them these names because God had made him forget his father’s house and had made him fruitful in the land of Egypt.
And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended [Gen. 41:53].
The seven years of bountiful crops are over now, and the famine will begin. At this time Joseph is thirty-seven years old. Keep that in mind for the next chapter.
And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do [Gen. 41:54–55].
May I call your attention to the fact that Joseph is the one who had the bread. There is another parallel here. Jesus Christ said, “I am the Bread of Life.”
And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands [Gen. 41:56–57].
Notice that the famine is worldwide.
CHAPTER 42
Theme: Jacob sends ten sons to Egypt; Simeon left as hostage; nine brothers return home
The dramatic incidents in the life of Joseph are beginning to unfold. The pattern of God in using Joseph to preserve the race during the famine and the removal of Jacob and his sons to Egypt begins to emerge in clear detail. When Joseph was back in that dungeon, he couldn’t see all of this. But he believed God. He is a man, who, because of his faith, was always enthusiastic and optimistic. Frankly, I wish my faith would get down far enough into shoe leather so that regardless of what happened, and regardless of what the circumstances are, I could be optimistic. I tell you, it doesn’t take much rain or many dark clouds to make me less optimistic than I should be. I’m sure that is true of many of us today.
Joseph is in a unique position. I think you could almost guess what is going to happen. The famine is over all the earth, and all the earth is coming to Egypt to get grain. Guess who’s coming for dinner!
The famine forces Jacob to send his ten sons to Egypt to buy food. Why only ten? Why didn’t he send Benjamin? He didn’t want to lose Benjamin. It would have killed him to have lost Benjamin.
Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize Joseph. Why not? Well, there are several reasons. First of all, they thought he was dead; so they were not looking for him at all. They never expected to see him again, but he did expect to see them.
Then, we must remember that many years had gone by. He was seventeen when they sold him, and now he is thirty-seven years old, plus however many years the famine has been going on. Let’s say it was one year; so they hadn’t seen him in twenty-one years. He’s almost forty and he is dressed like an Egyptian, speaks and acts like an Egyptian.
But we are getting ahead of our story—
JACOB SENDS TEN SONS TO EGYPT
Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? [Gen. 42:1].
They were looking at each other in a doleful way, not knowing where to turn or what to do.
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die [Gen. 42:2].
This illustrates faith. A great many people say that faith is so mysterious to them and that they don’t know how to believe. I talked to a man who did not want to believe, but his argument was, “Well, how can I believe?” Notice here how Jacob believed. He heard something: “I have heard that there is corn in Egypt.” He believed it, believed that it would bring life to them. So he acted upon his belief: “Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.” My friend, that is what saving faith is. Some folk ask, “How can I believe in Jesus?” Can you imagine Jacob standing there before his ten sons and saying, “I’ve heard that there is corn down in Egypt, but how am I going to believe it?” Well, the way to believe it is to act upon it. The Bible says, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31). You hear something and you believe it. That is what old Jacob did. That is the way he got corn which brought life to his family. And the way you and I get eternal life is through faith in Christ.
And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him [Gen. 42:3–4].
Suppose mischief befalls the other ten boys, then what? Well, for one thing they are older. But if you want to know the truth, it wouldn’t hurt Jacob as much as to lose Benjamin. Benjamin and Joseph were Rachel’s boys, and Rachel was the wife he had deeply loved. And now he sends out all ten and keeps only Benjamin with him.
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan [Gen. 42:5].
Now we come to this dramatic moment—
And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth [Gen. 42:6].
Joseph has been watching for them. He knew they would have to come. There had been delegations there from all over the inhabited earth of that day. The famine was worldwide. So he watches, and lo and behold, here come the ten men. They all bow down before him. They got right down on their faces before Joseph. You wonder how he felt. By the way, what do you think of? Here is the literal fulfillment of the dreams of Joseph. Do you remember how he had dreamed as a boy that all the sheaves bowed down to his sheaf? Here it is taking place—all his older brothers are down on their faces before him.
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him [Gen. 42:7–8].
Do you know why he treated them roughly? He is testing them. We will find that he is going to test them all the way through. He is going to ask them some penetrating questions.
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies [Gen. 42:9–11].
Believe me, Joseph is pouring it on—
And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not [Gen. 42:12–13].
He is trying to get as much information as he can about his family without letting them know who he is. He accuses them of being spies.
There are only ten men there before him. They confess that they are really twelve and that one is home with their father. The other “is not” is what they think. In other words, they consider Joseph dead, but there he is standing before them!
Now for the third time Joseph accuses them of being spies.
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies [Gen. 42:14–16].
Joseph is attempting to make contact with his youngest brother. These men are really half brothers of his, but Benjamin is his full brother, and he wants to see him. This is the way he attempts to accomplish this.
And he put them all together into ward three days [Gen. 42:17].
He locks them up in the town bastille.
Things look bad for them now, and they wonder what is going to happen.
And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God [Gen. 42:18].
If there was anything that should have given the brothers an inkling of an idea who Joseph was, this statement was it. He says, “I fear God.” Apparently in that day there were people other than just Jacob and his family who knew God. They knew that the way to God was by sacrifice. However, this sort of thing probably would not have excited the interest of these brethren. Maybe it even made them a little suspicious of this man. At least he gave a testimony for God. I want you to note that Joseph never misses an opportunity to give a testimony for God. Certainly he is giving one here. He always gives God the glory as the One who is directing his life. At least the statement that he fears God should have encouraged the brothers to believe that they would be treated justly at his hand.
If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so [Gen. 42:19–20].
These brothers are men, some of them being over fifty years old, and now they find themselves in a real predicament. They are being dealt with by one who fears God, but they are afraid because they don’t know what he is going to do. Joseph makes the pretext of testing them to see whether they are true men, but what he really wants is for his younger brother to come the next time.
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us [Gen. 42:21].
What is taking place here is quite interesting. They are speaking in Hebrew, and Joseph can understand them. Joseph has been speaking to them through an interpreter. He didn’t need to, but he did because he is posing as an Egyptian. They are making a real confession of their guilt.
And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required [Gen. 42:22].
They feel that what is happening to them is the vengeance of God upon them for the way they treated Joseph.
SIMEON LEFT AS HOSTAGE
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes [Gen. 42:23–24].
They say that this evil thing is coming upon them because of the evil they had done to Joseph. They are really repentant now. Joseph hears every bit of it, and he is moved toward them. He would love to walk up to them, throw his arms around each one of them, and call them “brother.” But he dares not do it because he would never get Benjamin here.
He gives them a real test now. They must leave one of the brothers, and it is Simeon who is to stay. Joseph was so moved, so emotionally charged by all this that he had to weep. But he goes aside and washes his face; then comes in again as if nothing has happened.
I don’t have any idea why they chose Simeon. I take it that while Joseph was gone out of the room, his brothers made the choice for Simeon to stay, and Joseph accepted that choice.
Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them [Gen. 42:25].
He just couldn’t take their money. So he not only gave them back their payment for the grain, but he gave them food for the trip home.
And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.
And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? [Gen. 42:26–28].
They feel that this is the judgment of God upon them. Ordinarily it would have been good news and a wonderful thing to have your money returned to you! Let me ask you this: Wouldn’t you like to go down to your favorite supermarket to do your weekend grocery shopping, load up several of those great big carts and buy for your whole family; then wouldn’t you like to open up your grocery sack at home and find that they had given you back all of the money you had paid for the groceries? Do you think that would be bad news to you? Especially, would it worry you if you learned that the grocer was giving this to you as a gift from him? Don’t we all agree that under ordinary circumstances that would be good news? We would actually take it as an encouragement.
Well, it wasn’t that for these men. They already feel that they are in hot water with this hard-boiled ruler down there in Egypt who has made it so difficult for them. This only adds to their concern.
We may wonder why they didn’t go back to Egypt immediately. What would you have done under the circumstances? I think they feared they would really be in hot water had they gone back. Then this man would accuse them of stealing the money. They are not taking any chances. They are going on home, intending to bring the money back when they return.
NINE BROTHERS RETURN HOME
And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land [Gen. 42:29–34].
Remember that they have left Simeon down there in Egypt.
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid [Gen. 42:35].
They thought it was a trick, of course.
And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me [Gen. 42:36].
Poor old Jacob! He’s not the cocky individual we once knew, nor is he quite the man of faith that we shall see a little later. But he is growing. He is not bragging now but is very pessimistic. He says, “All these things are against me.” His son, Joseph, would not have said such a thing, but Jacob is saying it. Joseph would have said the same thing that Paul wrote so many years later: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave [Gen. 42:37–38].
Jacob’s life was wrapped up in the life of this boy Benjamin. You see, Joseph was his favorite because he was the firstborn of his lovely Rachel. Now Joseph is gone, which is a heartbreak to him. Now he faces the chance that he may lose this other son of Rachel, and he says that if this takes place he will die. Very candidly, he would have. His life was absolutely tied up in the life of Benjamin. He is the son of his right hand. He is the walking stick for Jacob. Jacob leans on him. That is what he has been doing these past years; so Jacob says that he will not let him go down to Egypt. In the meantime, poor Simeon is down there cooling his heels in jail!
CHAPTER 43
Theme: Jacob sends his sons to Egypt; the brothers are entertained in Joseph’s home
Due to the seriousness of the famine, the sons of Jacob are forced to return to Egypt with Benjamin where they again have an audience with Joseph and present Benjamin. Joseph does not make himself known unto them at this time.
This is doubtless the most dramatic chapter in the Book of Genesis. I know of nothing that is quite as moving as the appearance of Benjamin before Joseph. The thing that brings them down to the land again is the seriousness of the famine. If the famine had lifted, I think Simeon would have spent the rest of his life in jail down in the land of Egypt, at least until Joseph released him.
JACOB SENDS HIS SONS TO EGYPT
And the famine was sore in the land.
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food [Gen. 43:1–2]].
Jacob realized they would starve to death if they didn’t go down to Egypt again.
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you [Gen. 43:3–5].
“The man” is their brother Joseph, but they do not know it. He had presented to them a cut-and-dried proposition, and they knew he meant it. Judah tells his father very definitely, “If we go down there, we must have Benjamin with us. You wouldn’t send him before, but there is no use going if he is not with us this time because the man won’t see us.”
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? [Gen. 43:6–7].
Poor old Jacob is really frustrated. He says, “Why in the world did you tell the man in the first place that you even had another brother?” He doesn’t realize that Joseph knew it anyway. But Jacob wishes his sons had kept their mouths shut.
And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever [Gen. 43:8–9].
The brothers were really quite reasonable in their answer to their father. They told him that they hadn’t intended to tell “the man” everything but that he kept probing them. He was going to get his information and wouldn’t stop until he did—we know that. Then Judah comes forward as a surety for Benjamin.
Friend, you and I have a Surety today, and He came from the tribe of Judah. The Lord Jesus took that place and became my Shepherd, took my place and took my penalty. I was not able to meet His standard. I was not able to come up to His level. But the Lord Jesus stepped in and became my Surety and gave His life for me. What a picture of Christ we have here!
For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time [Gen. 43:10].
Judah says, “If you had let Benjamin go, we would have been there and back home by this time.”
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds [Gen 43:11].
You will notice here that the thing they lacked was grain. They lacked bread, the staff of life. Apparently they had honey, nuts, and spices. So Jacob says they should send the man a gift. “Let’s get on the sweet side of him” is actually what he is saying with the gift.
And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved [Gen. 43:12–14].
So old Jacob relinquishes Benjamin and lets him go along with his older brothers.
Now the dramatic moment comes when they stand again before Joseph.
And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph [Gen 43:15].
You can well imagine Joseph’s emotion as his eye singled out Benjamin!
THE BROTHERS ARE ENTERTAINED IN JOSEPH’S HOME
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house [Gen. 43:16–17].
The reason for Joseph’s inviting them to his home is obvious. He wants to talk with them in the privacy of his own home.
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses [Gen. 43:18].
These men are really panicky now. They can’t imagine him inviting them to his home for any good purpose. He had dealt with them so harshly before, and now he is inviting them to lunch!
Again, here is something that under ordinary circumstances would be something to brag about. Wouldn’t you brag if the President of the United States had invited you to the Blue Room, or, better yet, the dining room for dinner? You would think it was a wonderful privilege. Yet, for these men, such a privilege brings no joy whatsoever. You see, they have a guilt complex. They feel guilty about everything that happens because they are the ones who sold their brother. Guilt changes joy into misery. In their fears, they wonder and begin to speculate. Could this man be plotting to take them as slaves because of the money in the sacks? Well, they had not hesitated to make a slave of Joseph when they sold him to the Ishmeelites for slavery in Egypt.
And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house.
And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks [Gen. 43:19–22].
They are beginning to apologize, explain, and plead. They even appeal to this man who is conducting them to Joseph’s home—who evidently was an official.
And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them [Gen. 43:23].
Apparently, this man, through the testimony of Joseph, had come to a knowledge of the living and true God. I think that Joseph had at least partially let him in on what was taking place. When he said, “I had your money,” I imagine that frightened the brothers all the more.
And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender [Gen. 43:24].
Here we see the custom of footwashing again. We saw it in the life of Abraham and then again down in the city of Sodom. It was the custom of that day.
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth [Gen. 43:25–26].
Remember that old Jacob had told his sons to take a present to “the man.” Notice that they “bowed themselves to him to the earth.” Again the boyhood dreams of Joseph are being fulfilled.
And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? [Gen. 43:27].
This is a dramatic moment! Joseph is probably seated, not necessarily on a throne, but on an elevation of prominence, as his brothers bow before him. When they stand to their feet, Joseph looks them right in the eye, and they look at him. Joseph asks, “Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he still alive?” You see, Joseph is acutely interested because he is his father, also.
And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance [Gen. 43:28].
Here they go down on their faces again. I would love to have a picture of this, wouldn’t you? Benjamin is with them, and he goes down on his face, too.
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son [Gen. 43:29].
Joseph looks at his brother Benjamin, “his mother’s son.” The others are his half-brothers, but this boy is his full-brother, his mother’s son. He asks, “Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?” I suppose the brothers nodded. Joseph said to Benjamin, “God be gracious unto thee, my son.” What a dramatic moment! And Joseph can’t contain his emotion—
And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there [Gen. 43:30].
“His bowels did yearn upon his brother”—that is, he was deeply moved, and his heart went out to him. I suppose he said to his brothers, “Excuse me for a moment—someone wants me on the telephone,” and he got out of the room as quickly as he could. He went into his own private quarters and he wept. After all these years, he sees his own brother Benjamin. It has been about twenty-two years. Joseph is almost forty now, and Benjamin is a young man.
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread [Gen. 43:31].
This is a marvelous, wonderful picture of something that is yet to be fulfilled. I hope that you will see this. The prophet Zechariah tells us that Jesus Christ is going to make Himself known unto His brethren someday. They are going to ask Him about the piercing of His side and the nail prints in His hands. He is going to say to them in that day, “These I received in the house of My friends.” Then they will recognize Him, and they will weep. He is the One who has provided salvation for them. He is the One who gave His life for their redemption. This is going to take place when the Lord Jesus comes back to the earth. He will be revealed to His brethren, the nation Israel. There will be a remnant there who will know Him. Many of His brethren did not believe on Him when He came the first time, but at that time they are going to know Him.
Likewise, the brothers of Joseph are the ones who delivered him into slavery. They sold him, got rid of him. But now he is going to make himself known to his brethren. Someday our Lord Jesus Christ is going to do just that.
My Christian friend, beware of anti-Semitism. Regardless of how blind the nation of Israel is or what they engage in today, and regardless if they are not all lovely people, it is still true that they are the brethren of our Lord. There is coming the day when He is going to make Himself known to them. It is a family affair. We had better let His family alone. No real Christian can engage in anti-Semitism.
After Joseph had gone to his private quarters to weep, he regained control of his emotions, washed his face and returned to his brothers. He said, “Let’s eat.”
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews: for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians [Gen. 43:32].
There are several things about this meal that the brothers would have noticed had they not been so frightened. The first thing is that Joseph did not eat with the Egyptians. The Egyptians ate alone. Joseph was separate from them. The brothers may have thought this was simply because he was the brass, the head man in this particular place.
Now here is something else—
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another [Gen. 43:33].
Joseph arranged the place cards, and he put Reuben in his proper place, he put Benjamin in his proper place, and all the brothers were in their right order, according to their ages. They looked at each other in amazement and wondered how he knew all that.
And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him [Gen. 43:34].
Also notice that he served their plates. I wish our Authorized Version had used another word here instead of “messes” because that sounds messy, but of course it means portions. And again, he just could not refrain from showing his affection for his own brother Benjamin, so that he gave him five times as much. Now that young man had been through a famine, and this was his first real meal for a long time.
“And they drank, and were merry with him.” It was a glorious affair. And what a wonderful day it will be when Joseph finally reveals himself to his brethren.
CHAPTER 44
Theme: Joseph sends his brothers home; Judah volunteers to take Benjamin’s place
Again, we have a wonderful and dramatic chapter before us. Joseph has something else up his sleeve when he sends his brothers away with the grain. He tests his brothers relative to their relationship and their affection to Benjamin and their father. Remember, they had sold him into slavery. Have they changed? Will they be willing to let Benjamin go into slavery to save themselves? He needs to satisfy his mind in this regard before he makes himself known to them. The test he uses here would give him absolute proof that his brothers would not repeat the episode that he had experienced at their hands.
Judah acts as the spokesman for the group, and he is brought into a wonderful picture here. He is willing to take the place of Benjamin, and his eloquent defense of Benjamin is one of the most moving passages in the Bible.
JOSEPH SENDS BROTHERS HOME
And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing [Gen. 44:1–5].
Joseph sends them away, and the brothers start out, thinking everything is all right. They have no idea of the cup in the sack of Benjamin. But the steward of Joseph’s house comes after them with specific instructions. When the brothers get out a little way, they are overtaken. Here comes a whole troop after them, and they are accused of taking the cup belonging to Joseph.
And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing [Gen. 44:6–7].
Note that the steward says that Joseph uses this cup for “divining.” Remember that Joseph was a prophet, and he was able to foretell the future. We know that is so because he interpreted the dreams of the baker, the butler, and of Pharaoh. He may have used this cup, or maybe that was part of the ruse that he used. We must understand that his gift of prophecy was a gift that God had given him, and this was before there was any written revelation. We are not to get a cup and look at tea leaves, nor are we to watch the horoscope—that is all absolute nonsense. It reveals the sad spiritual condition of people today when they turn to that sort of thing. Joseph had a gift. It was not in the cup. His gift was from God.
Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen [Gen. 44:8–9].
They were so sure that none of them had the cup.
And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack [Gen. 44:10–12].
Of course, Joseph had instructed his steward to put the cup in Benjamin’s sack.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city [Gen. 44:13].
They “rent” or tore their clothes as a gesture of extreme distress. They all turned around to go back. They are not going home without Benjamin, you may be sure of that. Here they fall on the ground before Joseph again. This time it is in dismay and in agony—
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? [Gen. 44:14–15].
JUDAH VOLUNTEERS TO TAKE BENJAMIN’S PLACE
Judah comes to the front, and the nobility of this man really stands out now. Remember it is from the tribe of Judah that the Savior is to come. This man makes one of the finest speeches ever recorded. He makes a full confession that it is because of their sin that this has come upon them.
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father [Gen. 44:16–17].
Joseph wants to test them now in regard to their love for their brother. He says that Benjamin is the guilty one; so it is Benjamin who must stay. They had sold him into slavery; now he says, “Just leave Benjamin here, and he can be my slave. He is the guilty one. The rest of you can go home.” Now listen to Judah—
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh [Gen. 44:18].
You can see the position which Joseph occupies in Egypt.
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us.
And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave [Gen. 44:19–29].
Judah here in this statement is recounting what has happened and the feelings of their father. Actually, the father had been deceived, and Joseph can see that now. He now knows exactly what the brothers told their father had happened to him so long ago. I believe that this is the first time any one of them has said that much. They had said previously that he “was not,” meaning that he was dead.
We can see something else. Jacob is growing in grace, but he hasn’t arrived. Instead of trusting the Lord, he is leaning on this boy Benjamin. If anything had happened to Benjamin, it would have killed him—he would have gone down into his grave, sorrowing.
There are Christians today who reveal a very wonderful faith in God at the time when death comes to a loved one. Others actually collapse when this happens. I don’t care how much you love a member of your family, friend, if you both are children of God, you know you are going to see each other again someday. The one walking by faith is not going to collapse at a time like that. Therefore, we can recognize that Jacob has not yet arrived. Although he is growing in grace, he still does not have a complete trust in God.
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life;
It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die; and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave [Gen. 44:30–31].
You notice the concern that Judah has here for old Jacob. Judah is the spokesman for the group. I think any one of the other brothers would have made this same statement.
For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father [Gen. 44:32–34].
Again, Judah is the spokesman for the group, and any one of them would have offered himself. Joseph tests his brothers, and they all pass the test. Rather than to see Benjamin go into slavery, they are willing to take his place.
My friend, later on in history there came One in the line of Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who bore the penalty for the guilty. “… God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Christ took the place of the guilty.
CHAPTER 45
Theme: Joseph reveals his identity; Joseph invites his family to Egypt
The story from the previous chapters continues right on in the chapter before us. Joseph reveals himself to his brethren and identifies himself with them.
JOSEPH REVEALS HIS IDENTITY
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren [Gen. 45:1].
Joseph clears the room.
And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard [Gen. 45:2].
This time Joseph could not get out of the room. He just breaks down and begins to weep. No one knows why except Joseph. His own brethren at this time do not know, and the servants who are there do not know. Now there is no further reason for Joseph to conceal his identity from them, as he has fully tested his brethren.
Let me repeat that the day is coming when the Lord Jesus Christ is going to make Himself known unto His brethren, the Jews. When He came the first time, “he came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). In fact, they delivered Him up to be crucified. But when He comes the second time, He will make Himself known to His own people. “And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends” (Zech. 13:6). Christ will make Himself known to His brethren. And “in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1). It will be a family affair between the Lord Jesus and His brethren. The episode of Joseph revealing himself to his brothers gives us a little inkling of how wonderful that day of Christ’s revelation will be.
Joseph is so charged with emotion that he can’t contain himself. In the house of Pharaoh they can hear the weeping. They can’t understand what is happening over at Joseph’s house.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph: doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence [Gen. 45:3].
“Troubled” in our translation is really not strong enough. The brothers were terrified at his presence. I tell you, if you think they were afraid before, they were really terrified now. It had been close to twenty-five years since they had seen him when they sold him to the Ishmaelites, and they are sure that now he will want to get his revenge. They are too shocked and frightened to speak.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt [Gen. 45:4].
“I’m your brother.” Here is a dramatic moment! Can you imagine how they feel? Notice the reaction of Joseph here. He is not angry, and he does not seek revenge. That would be the normal, human reaction. Then why doesn’t he seek revenge?
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life [Gen. 45:5].
You see, the thing that Joseph could see in all of this was that God had permitted it for a purpose. God was moving in his life.
For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt [Gen. 45:6–8].
If you and I could see the hand of God in our lives, would we become angry and seek revenge? I don’t think we would. Again this man gives the glory to God.
Joseph was seventeen when he was brought into Egypt. He was thirty when he stood before Pharaoh. There had been seven years of plenty and now there have passed two years of famine. So Joseph is thirty-nine years old and had been living in the land of Egypt for twenty-two years. He sees the hand of God in all of this.
JOSEPH INVITES HIS FAMILY TO EGYPT
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty [Gen. 45:9–11].
Jacob and his family could not have survived had they stayed in the land of Palestine at this particular time. They would have perished. Joseph wants to bring them down to the land of Goshen which is actually the best part of Egypt. It is in that land that God is going to make them a nation, sheltered from the rest of the world. The lives of the brothers revealed that they needed to get out of the land of Canaan.
And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you [Gen. 45:12].
I think that they stood there absolutely spell-bound and were down on their faces and then up again and that they had absolutely nothing to say as they listened to Joseph speaking words that seemed unbelievable—they would have been unbelievable but Joseph was right there before them.
And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.
And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck [Gen. 45:13–14].
This is a tender scene between these two full brothers. Joseph and Benjamin are both marvelous men.
Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him [Gen. 45:15].
The other brothers were stunned, but now they begin to recover their senses, and they have quite a talk.
And then the news begins to be spread abroad.
And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants [Gen. 45:16].
There was all this noise in the house of Joseph, and the people could hear it. Pharaoh wanted to know what was going on, and I suppose he asked one of the servants from Joseph’s house what it all meant. The servant probably said, “Well, you know those eleven men who came down from Canaan—they’re Joseph’s brothers!” It delighted Pharaoh. Why would it delight him? Remember that Pharaoh was probably a Hyksos king and of the same racial strain as Joseph and his family. He hadn’t been able to trust the Egyptians too much and was pleased with Joseph’s faithfulness; so he was delighted that there were going to be more like him.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come [Gen. 45:17–19].
Notice that Pharaoh orders wagons to be sent. The wheel was quite an invention, and these men from Canaan were not using wagons yet, but the Egyptians were more advanced.
Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours [Gen. 45:20].
“You won’t need to bring anything extra; we’ll furnish everything you need.”
And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.
And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.
So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father.
And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not [Gen. 45:21–26].
He just could not believe it was true.
And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived [Gen. 45:27].
Finally old Jacob was convinced, and he began to exhibit some enthusiasm.
And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die [Gen. 45:28].
What thrilling developments we are seeing here! The prospect of seeing Joseph certainly influenced Jacob to make the decision to go down to Egypt. Do you think that he intended to remain in Egypt? I don’t think so. I think he intended to pay a brief visit to his son and then return back home as soon as the famine was over. But he never returned to Canaan except for a burial, his own. He died in the land of Egypt. Although his whole family lived there, he was buried in the land of Canaan.
CHAPTER 46
Theme: Jacob and family move to Egypt; Jacob and Joseph reunited
Jacob probably thought he was going to Egypt for only a few years, and even then it was with some reluctance and hesitation that he consented going there. God had instructed Abraham to stay out of Egypt, and Abraham had been in trouble down there. God had said the same thing to Isaac. So now the question is, should Jacob go down into the land of Egypt? He needs a little more encouragement than the invitation from his son Joseph or even from Pharaoh. He needs to have a green light from God.
JACOB AND FAMILY MOVE TO EGYPT
And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac [Gen. 46:1].
Here is the amazing thing: he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. The first time he left that land going to the land of Haran, he had come to Beth-el. Was he looking for God? No, he thought he had run away from Him. He wasn’t seeking the mind of God at all, nor was he asking for His leading. What a contrast there is between young Jacob and the servant of Abraham. The servant of Abraham never took a step without looking to God, but Jacob didn’t think that he needed God in his life at all. It took a long time for him to learn that was not the proper way to go through life.
How many Christians today go through the entire week and leave God pretty much out of their program. They make their own decisions and do what they want to do. Then they come to church on Sunday, are very religious and are willing to do God’s will—they think God’s will for them is merely to go to church and maybe teach a Sunday school class. Then they tell God good-bye on Sunday night. The rest of the week God is not in the picture for them.
This man Jacob, for most of his life, had not been looking to God, but now, as he comes to Beer-sheba, he offers sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
Now God is going to be gracious and appear to him—
And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation [Gen. 46:2–3].
Now God is promising that He will make of Jacob a great nation down in the land of Egypt. You may be wondering if God did that. We find the answer in the next book of the Bible: “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exod. 1:7). There was a real population explosion of Israelites in the land of Egypt. What is the explanation of that? God is making good His promise to Jacob. “I am God, the God of thy Father; fear not to go down into Egypt: for I will there make of thee a great nation.” God made good that which He promised to him.
I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him [Gen. 46:4–5].
Pharaoh, you recall, had sent these wagons from Egypt. They put Jacob in one of the wagons, and off they go.
The life of Jacob can be divided into three geographical locations: the land of Haran, the land of Canaan, and the land of Egypt. These are not only geographical areas, but they denote three spiritual levels. Jacob left the land with just a staff. When he came into Haran, he was God’s man living in the flesh. He came out of Haran, running. He was running away from his father-in-law and was afraid to meet his own brother Esau. Then in the land of Canaan Jacob had his wrestling match, but he is God’s man who is fighting in his own strength. Now he is going to Egypt. He is not walking in his own strength, and he is not running away anymore. He is now walking by faith.
Although Joseph is prominent in this section of Genesis, be sure to mark the evidences of the spiritual man of faith in the life of Jacob. Jacob has become the man that God wanted him to be, and only God can make this kind of man.
Let me state this again. Jacob’s life in Haran typifies the man of God who is living in the flesh. Jacob’s life in the land of Canaan typifies the man of God who is fighting in his own strength. Jacob’s life in Egypt typifies the man of God who is walking by faith.
This, I believe, is true also for a great many of us today. There was that time in our lives when we came in contact with the gospel, the Word of God, and we turned to Him. Then there was that period of struggle when we thought we could live our lives in our own strength. Perhaps that lasted for years. Then there came the time when we did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and began to walk by faith.
And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt [Gen. 46:6–7].
Because of the famine, Jacob had to take everyone—children and grandchildren. And all of their livestock had to go with them since none could have survived the famine.
The following verses give the genealogy of Jacob. It is very important because it is the genealogy which will lead to Jesus Christ and will be followed through the rest of the Bible. After listing all of Jacob’s descendants, we read this:
All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six [Gen. 46:26].
From Jacob there were sixty-six people who came with him from Canaan into Egypt. Of course, Joseph and his family were already in Egypt—
And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten [Gen. 46:27].
This brought the total household of Jacob to seventy souls.
Notice that each son of Jacob and his offspring are listed by name. Why are these lists of names given to us in the Scriptures? Doesn’t God have more important information to give to us? My friend, there is nothing more important than our Lord Jesus Christ, and this is the genealogy that leads to Him. We will find some of these names in the genealogy in the first chapter of Matthew, at the beginning of the New Testament. Again, we will find some of these names in the genealogy given to us in Luke, chapter 3. These lists of names are important for that reason.
There is another reason, and it is very personal. Have you heard of the Lamb’s Book of Life? The question is: Is your name written there? Just as you got into the line of Adam (and we all are in that line), you get into the line of Christ—that is, by birth. But in the case of the Lamb’s Book of Life, you get there by the new birth which comes about by receiving Christ as your personal Savior. When you do that, you become a child of God.
How important are you? Well, I don’t know you—probably have never heard of you—but God knows you. In fact, He has numbered the very hairs of your head! He knows you better than anyone else knows you. He knows you and loves you more than your mother ever did—I don’t imagine that she ever counted the hairs of your head! God did. God knows you personally.
In Jacob’s genealogy there are names that mean nothing to me. In watching the news on television, I saw the crowd of young folk at a rock festival, a mob of about two hundred thousand dirty, filthy folk. They may have needed a bath to begin with, but it had just rained, and they were covered with mud. As I looked at them, I thought, God knows each one of them, and God loves each one. They are not thinking of Him, but each one is precious in God’s sight, and Christ died for each one. My friend, here you are in the midst of a great population explosion with literally millions of people around you, yet you are an individual to God. And the names listed in Jacob’s genealogy are people whom I don’t know. Candidly, I’m not interested in them. But God is. He delighted in putting their names down because they were His. This again causes me to ask you the question: Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?
Now here comes Jacob with all of his family to the land of Egypt.
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen [Gen. 36:28].
JACOB AND JOSEPH REUNITED
What a picture we have here—
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while [Gen. 46:29].
Joseph fell on the neck of his father and embraced him, and he wept there. The Word of God says it was a good while. I don’t know how long a “good while” is, but it does mean that it wasn’t just a brisk handshake that had no meaning. The emotion was quite real. Oh, what a marvelous meeting this was!
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive [Gen. 46:30].
What a joy this was to old Jacob! Frankly, friend, I think that Jacob was an old man about ready to die. I believe he barely made this trip, but God sustained him. We will find that he is permitted to live for a few years in the land of Egypt. Israel and Joseph have these last years together. Notice that Jacob is now “the child of God who lives by faith.” Therefore, he is called by his name Israel.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?
That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians [Gen. 46:31–34].
They had the same problem in Egypt in that day as we had in the western part of the United States. I remember when I was a boy in West Texas that, if a man tried to raise sheep in that area, he was in trouble. He found he didn’t have any friends at all, and I mean he was in real trouble. Just so, the Egyptians didn’t care for shepherds.
It is interesting that the Word of God has had so much to say about shepherds. These people were shepherds who raised their own sheep, and they still do in the land of Israel. “Shepherd” is the figure of speech which is used to describe our Lord. He is the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. He is the Great Shepherd of His sheep who watches over them today. He is the Chief Shepherd who is yet to appear. He calls Himself the Shepherd.
And, my friend, He is an abomination to the world. He is not received today. I am speaking of the real Jesus Christ. Liberalism has concocted a Jesus which the world will accept. They have made an idol that doesn’t even look like the Lord Jesus of the Bible. The one they talk about is not virgin-born; he never performed miracles; he did not die for the sins of the world; and he was not raised bodily from the dead. The Jesus of the liberal never lived. There is no record of a Jesus like that. The only One we have records of was virgin-born, performed miracles, died for the sins of the world, and arose bodily from the grave. That is the Shepherd whom the world doesn’t like. He is still an abomination to the world.
Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians. Joseph tells his brothers to tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds and that they raise cattle. Actually, they had both cattle and sheep. We will find later that Pharaoh will give them the land of Goshen and will ask them to take care of his sheep so that the children of Israel became the shepherds in the land of Egypt.
It is really quite wonderful to see that now the family of Jacob is living in the land of Goshen. This is to be their home for a long time. After the death of Joseph, they will become slaves in the land of Egypt, but God will be with them through all that time. They will become a great nation down there, and then God will lead them out under Moses.
There is no record that God ever appeared to Joseph, yet we certainly see the providence of God in the life of Joseph. It is obvious to us now that he had to come ahead to prepare the way so that the entire family of Jacob could survive on the land of Egypt.
CHAPTER 47
Theme: Joseph presents father and brothers to Pharaoh; Joseph promises Jacob burial in Canaan
We have seen how Jacob and all his family have arrived in the land of Egypt. Joseph, as a move of strategy, brought them into the land of Goshen. This actually was the richest land in that day, but right now they are in the midst of a famine and no land is very valuable to the owner at this particular time.
We are going to find that this is the best chapter in the life of Jacob so far. Jacob doesn’t appear in a good light when we first meet him in Scripture. In fact, not until he makes his trip to Egypt do we begin to see that he has become a man of faith. This chapter, more than any other, reveals that.
The famine becomes more intense as it draws to an end. Although the people of the world are involved in this, Canaan and Egypt are the lands which are mentioned because they are the particular areas in the development of the story which is told to us here.
JOSEPH PRESENTS FATHER AND BROTHERS TO PHARAOH
Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My Father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen [Gen. 47:1].
Joseph is going to present his father and his brothers to the Pharaoh of Egypt. He put them in the land of Goshen before he asked for a place for them. You can see the strategy in that. If they were already there, Pharaoh would be more apt to give them that land. After all, they would already be moved in and have unpacked their goods.
And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers [Gen. 47:2–3].
We saw that shepherds and cattlemen didn’t get along in those days. Egyptians just didn’t care for shepherds, neither did they care for shepherding. So that opened up an opportunity for the children of Israel to do something that the Egyptians would not want to do.
They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:
The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle [Gen. 47:4–6].
Since shepherding was not popular for the Egyptians, Pharaoh needed someone to care for his cattle.
Now Joseph presents his own father to Pharaoh, and this is really quite remarkable. I want you to notice that Jacob now stands in the best light in which we’ve ever seen him during our study of him.
And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh [Gen. 47:7].
Notice that it is Jacob who is blessing Pharaoh. He is beginning to live up to his name. He is a witness for God now. The lesser is always blessed of the greater, and Jacob blesses Pharaoh as a witness for God.
And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? [Gen. 47:8].
At this point, if Jacob were living by that old nature which controlled him at the beginning, he would have said, “Well, Pharaoh, I am 130 years old, and I want to tell you what I have accomplished in my lifetime. I would like to tell you how I outsmarted my brother when I was a young fellow and how I became rich by outsmarting my father-in-law.” And he could have bragged about his family—“I’ve got twelve sons….” He could have gone on and on. But Jacob is a different man now. Listen to him—
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage [Gen. 47:9].
First of all, notice that he was 130 years old when he came down to the land of Egypt, and he will be 147 years old when he dies. Therefore, he will spend 17 years in the land of Egypt. I imagine that he was right on the verge of death—one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel—when he came down to Egypt. But the joy of finding Joseph alive and of being with him in Egypt prolonged his life 17 years.
Again, this audience with Pharaoh is an opportunity for the old man to boast, but notice how changed this man Jacob is. He says that he is 130 years old and his life is really nothing to brag about. “Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been.” He doesn’t brag about pulling a trick on his old father. Instead, he says he doesn’t measure up to his fathers. I “have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” Isn’t this a changed man? It doesn’t sound like the old Jacob, does it? He’s giving glory to God for his life, and he is making no boast that he has accomplished a great deal.
And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh [Gen. 47:10].
Frankly, my feeling is that Jacob has arrived. What an opportunity he has to boast, but he doesn’t take advantage of it. Someone else might have thought, Pharaoh is a great ruler, but I want him to know that I was a pretty big man up yonder in the land of Canaan! But Jacob doesn’t brag—he is just a sinner, saved by the grace of God.
In our day we hear so much boasting on the part of many Christians. Sometimes in our own circles, we attempt to applaud certain men for what they have done. We talk about how great they are. Well, if we all told the truth, we would say that we are just a bunch of sinners and we haven’t anything to brag about except a wonderful Savior who has been gracious and patient with us down through the years. He is all any of us have to boast about.
Neither can we say that we are superior to our fathers. A friend of mine, who is now a seminary professor, told me how ashamed he had been of his dad. When he first went off to college, his dad was coming to that college to speak because he was a preacher and a Bible teacher. My friend said he was so ashamed of his dad that he wouldn’t even go to the meeting where he spoke. He pretended to be sick so he would not have to go. He said, “I was so ashamed of him that I didn’t want to be known as his son!” He spent four years in college and then went into the business world for a couple of years. He said, “I had a rough time, and I changed my thinking about my dad. I had thought he was pretty stupid, but I realized that he had supported his family and had been an excellent Bible teacher. After I had experienced some rough times in the business world, I came home, and my, how my dad had improved! No one has ever learned as much as my dad had learned during those brief years I had been away from home!” He came to the conclusion his dad was a lot smarter than he had thought him to be. Isn’t that same kind of story true of many of us? But it is not true of Jacob here. He takes a humble place because he is a changed man now.
And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded [Gen. 47:11].
The land of Rameses is the land of Goshen.
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.
And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine [Gen. 47:12–13].
The reason that only Egypt and Canaan are mentioned is because they are the two geographical locations which are involved in our story. If Jacob had remained in Canaan with his family, they would have perished. Grain had been stored in the land of Egypt, but the land is not producing grain anymore. Evidently the famine has spread all over Africa, because the Nile River is not overflowing, which is so necessary for Egypt’s crop production.
And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house [Gen. 47:14].
We are coming now to something for which Joseph has been criticized. People say he took advantage of poverty and he bought up the land. In other words, he closed in on the mortgages and bought the land. I feel that this is an unfair criticism of Joseph. To begin with, he is the agent of Pharaoh. None of this is for himself; he is making no effort to enrich himself. He was not crooked in any sense of the word. He did not gain personally because of the famine.
An illustration of this is the scarcity of and demand for uranium during wartime in my own country. When some men found that they had uranium in their properties—especially in Arizona—they were paid handsome sums for their land. Were they taking advantage of their government? I don’t think so. The law of, supply and demand was in operation.
It seems to me that this same principle was in operation in the land of Egypt. Joseph bought the land for Pharaoh, and he is enabling the people to live by furnishing them food. I think that Joseph stayed within the confines of the law of supply and demand.
And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.
And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.
And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not aught left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:
Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give: us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s [Gen. 47:15–20].
There is no doubt that the famine was a very terrible thing.
And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof [Gen. 47:21].
There was a great migration into the urban areas so that they would be near the center of supply where the grain was stored. You remember that Joseph had chosen these centers throughout Egypt at the very beginning. He now brings the people where they will be close to the supply of food.
Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones [Gen. 47:23–24].
Joseph knows that the famine will be ended the next year; so he tells the people to sow their grain.
And they said, Thou hast saved our lives; let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.
And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s [Gen. 47:25–26].
JOSEPH PROMISES JACOB BURIAL IN CANAAN
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:
But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.
And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head [Gen. 47:27–31].
I think there are several factors which entered into Jacob’s request to be buried back in the land of Canaan. First of all, he is now 147 years old, and he becomes alarmed that he will die in the land of Egypt. I think that is clear to him now. Then, the success of Joseph in acquiring all the land for Pharaoh makes him believe that his family might become comfortable in Egypt and never want to return to Canaan. His age certainly told him that he would die shortly.
We need to recognize this request as an evidence of the faith of Jacob in the covenant which God had made with his fathers. We need to note this because it will come up several times as we go through the Bible. The hope of the Old Testament is an earthly hope. Abraham believed that he would be raised from the dead in that land, so he wanted to be buried there. Isaac believed the same. Now Jacob is expressing that same faith. You see, the hope in the Old Testament is not to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and enter the city of the New Jerusalem, which is the eternal and permanent abode of the church.
The hope of the Old Testament is in Christ’s kingdom which will be set up on this earth. When that happens, Israel’s great hope will be fulfilled, and these people will be raised for that kingdom. The first thousand years of it will be a time of testing, and after that the eternal kingdom will continue on and on. This is why Jacob does not want to be buried in Egypt. If he had no faith or hope in God’s promise to him, what difference would it make where he was buried?
For the believer today it makes no difference where we are buried. At the time of the Rapture, wherever we are, we shall be raised, and our bodies will join our spirits; that is, if we have died before the Rapture takes place. If we are still living, then we shall be changed and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So it won’t make any difference if we are buried in Egypt or in Canaan or in Los Angeles, or in Timbuctoo. The living “in Christ” and the dead “in Christ” in all of these places will be caught up. It won’t make any difference where we are. We don’t need to go to a launching pad in Florida and take off from there. No, our hope is a heavenly hope!
The hope of the Old Testament is an earthly hope, and the fact that Jacob wants to be buried back in the land is an evidence of his faith in the resurrection. He hopes to be raised from the dead in the Promised Land. Jacob is now becoming a man of faith.
CHAPTER 48
Theme: Joseph visits Jacob during his last illness; Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
This tells us of Jacob’s last sickness and his blessing of the two sons of Joseph. We are told in Hebrews 11:21 that “by faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.”
This chapter gives us another occasion to see further evidences of the spiritual growth of Jacob. He has come a long, long way since his early days. We may feel that it is unfortunate that these traits which appear in the last days of Jacob were not present in his early life. But isn’t it wonderful to be able to observe in this that spiritual life is a growth and a development! It is not some sensational experience which takes place in a moment of time, but it is described scripturally as a walk in the Spirit. There was too much of the old nature in Jacob when he was a young man, and the new nature is not discerned until he is an old man.
A fine-looking young couple in Memphis, Tennessee, had come forward after a service. I asked them what they came forward for. They said they wanted all that God had for them. I found out they came forward every Sunday. They thought they would have some sensational, momentous experience that would all of a sudden make them fully grown Christians. Scripture tells us we are to “… grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). We see in Jacob that we must wait for the fruit of the Spirit to develop. But thank God for the possibility of growth in our lives and for the patience of God which permits it. Also, we can thank Him that He doesn’t move in, as we would, and try to force growth. God very patiently dealt with Jacob, and He will deal very patiently with you and me.
JOSEPH VISITS JACOB DURING HIS LAST ILLNESS
And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me [Gen. 48:1–3].
Can you imagine the thrill that fills the heart of this old man? Here comes Joseph, his favorite son, with his two young boys. Jacob never dreamed he would see Joseph again because he thought he had been killed. Yet he sees Joseph elevated to this important position in Egypt, and he can trace the way God had worked out the affairs of his life. Jacob had been in Egypt for seventeen years now. He is an old man and is dying, but he musters his strength to sit at the edge of his bed. Notice that his thinking goes back to the time God appeared to him at Luz, and he says to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me.” Jacob has come a long way. We see now the faith of Jacob. He is now trusting God. He is not bragging about himself. As a young man he was clever and could get what he wanted—or so he thought—and he would use any kind of method to get it. But now, as he looks back over his life, he remembers when God appeared to him at Bethel, both when he was leaving the land of Canaan and when he was returning. He says, “God appeared to me there, and God blessed me.”
Now we see the faith of Jacob—
And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession [Gen. 48:4].
Let’s pay especial attention to God’s promise that Jacob mentions, which runs through the Old and New Testaments. He made the promise to the line of the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There are three specific points to the covenant: (1) the nation, (2) the land, and (3) the blessing. But the two important things for Jacob right here are these: (1) “I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people”; (2) “and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.”
The third part of the covenant is important for you and me. “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
The reason that you and I are sitting down with the Bible right now is because God has made two-thirds of this promise which He covenanted thousands of years ago. The one-third is still not fulfilled. The Jews do not have the land of Israel yet. Oh, they have a little border of it, but it is certainly a bone of contention. When they get the land from the hand of God, they will live there in peace. Every man will be under his vine and his fig tree. They will own property and pay no taxes. That sounds like the Millennium, doesn’t it? Well, that is what it will be.
JACOB BLESSES EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH
And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance [Gen. 48:5–6].
These two grandsons, the two sons of Joseph, will each become a tribe. One would conclude that there are thirteen tribes of Israel, since there are twelve sons, and now the two sons of Joseph are each to become a tribe. There was no tribe of Joseph, but there were the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and that makes thirteen in any man’s mathematics. Yet the Bible counts twelve tribes. You see, the tribe of Levi was not counted as a tribe. They became the high priestly tribe and were not given any land or territory but were scattered as priests throughout the other tribes. So they were not counted as a tribe. You may consider that to be a rather devious way of counting, but I didn’t do it; the Word of God counts it that way. That is the way God wanted it to be, and so that is the way God made it.
Ephraim and Manasseh are over seventeen years old because they were born before Jacob came to Egypt. They each become a tribe.
Notice now that Jacob’s mind goes back to Rachel, his beloved, the mother of Joseph.
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth-lehem [Gen. 48:7].
My friend, when you and I sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” we think of the birth of Jesus, but if Jacob could hear us, he would think primarily of the death of his beloved and beautiful Rachel. Here he is on his deathbed, and his thoughts go back to the place where he buried her. That was his heartbreak.
And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?
And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them [Gen. 48:8–9].
Have you noticed that both Isaac and Jacob had trouble seeing when they got old? The brightness of the sun may have something to do with it. Even today there is a lot of eye disease in the Mideast countries. When I was in the Arab countries, I noticed a great many old people who seemed to have difficulty getting around. They weren’t entirely blind, but they certainly couldn’t see very well. So we notice here that Jacob didn’t recognize the boys.
Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them [Gen. 48:10].
Perhaps the fellows are a little embarrassed by their grandfather’s show of affection for them.
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth [Gen. 48:11–12].
It seems that the two boys tried to get away from their grandfather when he lavished his affection upon them.
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him [Gen. 48:13].
Joseph is bringing the boys to their grandfather that he might bless them. The one who would stand before Israel at his right hand would be the one with priority.
And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn [Gen. 48:14].
Ephraim is to become the leader above Manasseh. Later on we will see that the tribe of Manasseh marched under the banner of the tribe of Ephraim in the wilderness march, as described in Numbers. Joshua came out of the tribe of Ephraim, by the way, and there were many great men from that tribe. It became the tribe with priority—there is no question about that.
Do you see what happened here? Even though Jacob couldn’t see too well, he could tell what Joseph was doing. Joseph was pushing the older son to the position of Jacob’s right hand and the younger son toward the left hand. So what did old Jacob do? Well, he just switched hands. He crossed his hands and put his right hand on the younger son.
Why did he do this? There is no doubt that he had tender affection for both boys. They were the sons of his favorite son Joseph. He knowingly gives the blessing to the younger, and I think one reason may have been that he was the younger and he had received the blessing. So he passes the blessing on to the younger son here.
This is an interesting principle that runs all the way through the Scriptures. For instance, in the choice of David, David was the youngest of the sons of Jesse. Why did God choose him? God is illustrating for you and me a great spiritual truth. God does not accept primogeniture—that is, natural birth. Never will He accept it. There must be the new birth. Therefore, God does not pay attention to our customs. We say that the oldest boy has the responsibility in a family. Well, the oldest boy is not the one whom God always chooses. That is, God does not choose the natural man—He chooses no man because of his natural ability. How don’t misunderstand me. God can use talent, but it must be dedicated to Him! If it took talent alone to bring about revival, we would have had revival in California years ago. We have Christian talent all around, but we don’t have revival. Why not? Because the talent is not dedicated to God. I tell you, my friend, it must be yielded to Him to be used of Him.
And old Jacob crossed his hands as he laid them on the heads of his grandsons so that he gave the younger boy the priority.
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day [Gen. 48:15].
“The God which fed me all my life long unto this day.” He reaches spiritual heights here, my friend.
The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth [Gen. 48:16].
“The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads.” He has nothing to boast about except a wonderful Redeemer. And they did “grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth” just as he said.
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head [Gen. 48:17–18].
Watch old Jacob’s reaction—
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations [Gen. 48:19].
“His seed shall become a multitude of nations”—that’s important to see.
Joseph had better accept this because he is not the oldest, either. He happens to be one of the youngest, and yet the blessing is given to his sons.
And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers [Gen. 48:20–21].
Notice Jacob’s faith in God.
Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow [Gen. 48:22].
That is, Joseph, through his two sons, would have a greater inheritance than the other brothers would have.
This apparently was a personal gift made by Jacob to Joseph (see John 4:5). It was a ridge near Sychar where Joseph was buried. It compensated for the fact that two tribes came from Joseph and they needed more territory. It was a parcel of land which Jacob first bought from the Amorite, then later they retook it by force. Jacob returned the compliment, and by force he reclaimed it. It has been an area of controversy up to the present time. It is here that modern Israel wants to build on the west bank.
CHAPTER 49
Theme: Jacob’s deathbed blessing and prophecy; final words and death of Jacob
This is another remarkable chapter, as it is the deathbed scene of old Jacob. In fact, in the previous chapter we saw him on that deathbed as he strengthened himself, sat upon the bed, and blessed the sons of Joseph.
After that interview, the rest of Jacob’s sons came in, so that around him now are all twelve of his sons. He has a farewell message for each of them. He begins with the eldest and goes right down the list. Anything that a man says on his deathbed is important because generally, if he ever tells the truth, he tells it on his deathbed. This deathbed message is dramatic because it is prophetic. It tells what will happen to the twelve sons of Jacob when they become tribes. What was prophetic then has now become largely historical.
This is our final opportunity to see another evidence of faith in the life of Jacob. He spoke to his boys who were to become the twelve tribes in the nation of Israel and would be dwelling in the land of Canaan. What faith! Remember that the Canaanite was then in the land and that Jacob’s family was favorably situated in Egypt.
JACOB’S DEATHBED BLESSING AND PROPHECY
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days [Gen. 49:1].
We come here to an important expression. We will find that there are certain expressions which the Bible uses over and over again. One of those expressions is right here: “in the last days.” The last days of the nation Israel will be different from the last days of the church. There is a very sharp dispensational distinction which needs to be made. Now he is talking about the last days of the nation Israel and what is going to happen then to the twelve tribes which will develop from his sons and will form the nation.
A friend of mine in seminary (a very intelligent young man who did a great deal of studying) wrote his thesis on the prophecies concerning the twelve sons of Jacob and the tribes that came from them. I enjoyed talking with him because he always had something new to offer. I came to appreciate at that time the marvelous fulfillment there has been of these prophecies to the tribes, especially those given by Moses in Deuteronomy 33.
Many folk talk about the fact that certain prophecies concerning the nation Israel have been fulfilled, and that is true. But we can narrow it down further by dividing Israel into twelve parts and recognizing that God has had something to say concerning each of the twelve. Not only have His prophecies concerning the nation been fulfilled, but prophecies concerning each tribe have been fulfilled. My friend, that makes it remarkable indeed. In the chapter before us we will see the prophecies of what will befall each tribe in the “last days.” While some of them have been fulfilled already, most of them wait final fulfillment. I will be hitting only the highlights, but if you want a more comprehensive study, I recommend two sources listed in the bibliography at the end of this book: Paradise to Prison: Studies in Genesis by Davis, and The Genesis Record by Morris.
Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father [Gen. 49:2].
Here now is the old man sitting up in bed. I’ve seen pictures of him stretched out in bed looking like he wouldn’t be able to raise his head. But that is not true! He was leaning on his staff, as we learn in Hebrews 11:21. Frankly, old Jacob had been on the go all of his life, and he wanted to keep going. Death is really an embarrassment. It comes at a most inconvenient time, a time when we want to keep going down here. (I have made appointments two years ahead, and I don’t know whether I’ll fulfill them or not. I accept them with one stipulation: “provided I’m alive.”) Jacob found that he couldn’t keep going. He was leaning on his staff. He wanted to keep going, but he couldn’t. What a remarkable man he was in many ways.
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch [Gen. 49:3–4].
These patriarchs recognized the great subject of heredity that is of so much concern today. Like father, like son. Jacob recognizes that and sees that this boy Reuben is a great deal like himself. “Unstable as water” could have described Jacob in his early years. It was true of his oldest son, also. “Thou shalt not excel.” Reuben never did. He never did win a blue ribbon. He won a couple of red ribbons and some white ribbons, but he was never in first place.
There are a lot of folk like that today. They are satisfied and do not wish to excel. I have a preacher friend who is a wonderful man. He could have been an outstanding writer, but he didn’t want to be. I think he wrote two little pamphlets. He could have been a great Bible teacher, but he didn’t want to be. He just did what he wanted to do. He was satisfied with the red ribbon and never won a blue ribbon.
The story about Reuben which Jacob mentions here is a sordid story. I didn’t dwell on it when we went through Genesis because I see no reason to dwell on that. Contemporary literature, plays, movies, and television give us enough of the sordid to make us sick of it. God does not intend for us to dwell on man’s sins. In fact, He gives us these instructions: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). But God records human sins so that we may have an accurate picture of the human family.
The next two boys are classed together. They were full-brothers, sons of Leah.
Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations [Gen. 49:5].
You remember how they went to Shalem, a city of Shechem, and killed all the inhabitants of the city because one man was guilty of raping their own sister. They took their revenge on the whole town! They should not have done that, of course, and Jacob reminds them of this.
O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel [Gen. 49:6–7].
In Levi, we see an exhibition of the marvelous grace of God. It is true that they were scattered in Israel, but this was because they were made the priestly tribe. It was the grace of God that could take a cruel person like Levi and make him the head of the priestly tribe.
It is the grace of God that has transformed us sinners into a kingdom of priests, my friend. All believers are priests today. Among them are converted drunkards, converted harlots, converted murderers. I have had several of them in the churches where I have served. How did they become priests in the kingdom of God? Just as we all did—by the marvelous grace of God. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). Then he goes on in 1 Peter 2:5 to say, “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” Who is he talking about? Those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ!
Reuben lost first place, and Simeon and Levi have also lost first place. The king will not come from any of these tribes. There is another boy who was also a sinner. We will see what the grace of God did for him:
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee [Gen. 49:8].
“Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.” Why? Because the Lord Jesus Christ came from the line of Judah, and it is before Him that all will bow.
Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? [Gen. 49:9].
Here is one of the most remarkable prophecies of Scripture—
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be [Gen. 49:10].
“Until Shiloh come”—Shiloh is the ruler.
This is one of the more remarkable prophecies in all the Word of God. Already we have been told that there will be a seed of the woman. That was the first prophecy of Christ: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). The “seed” of the woman is the One who will do the bruising of the serpent’s head. He will be the One to get the victory. This first prophecy was in Genesis; then that Seed was confirmed to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Now it is confirmed to Judah—out of Judah’s line He is coming. Also, the word shiloh means “rest and tranquility.” Christ is the One who will bring rest. Remember that when the Lord Jesus walked here on earth, He turned from those who had rejected Him, and He said to the populace, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will rest you” (Matt. 11:28). That is Shiloh—Shiloh had come.
Not only is Christ Shiloh, but also He is the One who will hold the sceptre. The sceptre of this universe will be held in nail-pierced hands. In the last part of verse 24 of this chapter we read that from God will come the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. So this Shiloh is also a shepherd and a stone. When we get to Numbers 24:17 we will find that a Star is prophesied. Think of all that the coming of Christ means. He is the Seed promised to the woman and to the patriarchs. He is the Shiloh who brings rest. He is the King who holds the sceptre. He is the Shepherd who gave His life, and He is the chief Shepherd who is coming someday. He is the Stone that the builders disallowed but who is now become the headstone of the corner. He is the Star, the bright and morning Star for His church. This is the line that went from Adam to Seth (after Abel was murdered). From Seth it went through Noah to Shem and to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and now to Judah. Friend, don’t miss this wonderful fact that God is moving according to a pattern and a program here. This is very important for us to see.
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk [Gen. 49:11–12].
Who is this talking about? It is Christ who came riding into Jerusalem on a little donkey, offering Himself as the Messiah, the King, and the Savior. “He washed his garments in wine”—what kind of wine? Blood, His own blood. But when Christ comes the next time, His garments will be red. The question is asked, “Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat?” (Isa. 63:2). At this time it will not be His own blood but the blood of His enemies. This predicts Christ’s second coming when He returns in judgment.
The prophecy given to Judah is one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Scriptures.
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon [Gen. 49:13].
Zebulun was the tribe which lived along the coast up in the northern part of the land.
Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute [Gen. 49:14–15].
Issachar was also finally located way up in the northern part of the land. They were the ones who did a great deal of the work that constituted the backbone of the nation. They were the workers, and that is the thought here. We hear a great deal about the silent majority today, that is, the average person like you and me. We don’t get on television. It is the unusual, often the peculiar, people whom we see on television and whom people consider to be great. People try to convince us that these are the kind of folk who are the important people. But, my friend, they are not the backbone of this nation, or of any nation. The little tribes, like Zebulun and Issachar, which we tend to pass over were really the backbone of the nation Israel when they got settled in the Promised Land.
Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord [Gen. 49:16–18].
Dan is going to need the salvation of the Lord because Dan will be one of the tribes which actually will lead in rebellion. We will see that when we get on in our study through Scripture.
Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last [Gen. 49:19].
This was another tribe that settled up in the northern part of the country. Actually, Dan was the most northern so that when the extent of the land of Israel is described, it is expressed as “from Dan to Beer-sheba.”
Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words [Gen. 49:20–21].
As I mentioned earlier, a fellow student in seminary wrote his thesis on the fulfillment of each of these prophecies concerning the twelve sons of Jacob. I have not made a personal study of this, but if you are a student, you would find such a research very rewarding. Throughout the remainder of the Bible, every person with whom it deals personally comes from one of the tribes of Israel.
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall [Gen. 49:22].
Joseph had left the land of Canaan and had gone down into Egypt, but he was still a witness for God there. Later, his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, would be put in the territory which was Samaria later in history. That was called gentile territory in Christ’s day. It was a great place to witness, and the gospel did go into that area. Our Lord Himself ministered there. In John 4 we have the record of His witness to the Samaritan people, beginning with a woman at a well.
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb [Gen. 49:23–25].
The two tribes that came from Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh, became very prominent and important tribes—so much so that out of them came the division of the kingdom. They were that powerful.
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren [Gen. 49:26].
Note that Jacob is trying to tie Joseph, and the two tribes which will come from him, back to the God of Israel, the Creator, the Redeemer. Why? Well, these tribes, especially Ephraim, led Israel into idolatry. Jeroboam, who led in the rebellion and placed the two golden calves at Israel’s borders, came from the tribe of Ephraim. So here on his deathbed, Jacob calls them back, back to the God of his fathers.
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil [Gen. 49:27].
This is a strange prophecy concerning Benjamin. Benjamin was closely identified with Judah, so much so that Benjamin went with the tribe of Judah at the division of the kingdom. The tribe of Benjamin was the only one that stayed with the house of David.
FINAL WORDS AND DEATH OF JACOB
And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite [Gen. 49:29].
We see that death to Jacob was not the end of it all. He was going to be with his people. He wanted his body to be buried in the cave that Abraham had bought and paid for. He wanted to make sure that he stayed in that land until the day when he would be raised from the dead to live in that land.
In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace [Gen. 49:30].
We can see how much this man knew of his own family history. I don’t imagine that he was carrying with him a written record at this time, yet he carried this information in his mind.
There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah [Gen. 49:31].
It is not so much that he was interested in being buried by Leah (after all, Rachel was buried up in Beth-lehem), but he wants to be buried where he will be raised from the dead at the resurrection so he will be right there when God fulfills His promises to the nation Israel.
The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people [Gen. 49:32–33].
It is interesting to see that up to the very last Jacob kept his feet on the floor. He started out in life as a man of the flesh. He took hold of his brother’s heel at birth which was why he was called Jacob, “the supplanter.” He lived up to that name which was certainly characteristic of him. He held on to everything that he could find, and he was always trying to be first. He started out on all fours, and he took what he wanted by any method. As a young man he walked on his own two feet in his own strength and ability. He depended on his own cleverness and ingenuity. He thought he could take care of himself and did not need God. He was self-sufficient, self-opinionated, self-assertive, aggressive, contemptible, and despicable.
At Peniel God crippled him. God had to “break” him to get him, and I think God was prepared to break his neck! After that, he went through life limping. He had to go on three legs, using a staff or walking stick, because he could no longer walk by himself. Here, before his death, he is sitting on the bed, leaning on his staff. Now the time has come. He pulls his feet up into the bed, puts down the staff, and lies down to die. This is Jacob. He has walked a long way through life. He ends in a final act of faith, looking forward to the day when he would be raised from the dead in the land, according to the promise of God.
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13).
CHAPTER 50
Theme: Burial of Jacob in Canaan; Joseph allays the fears of his brethren; death and burial of Joseph in Egypt
This chapter tells of the burial of Jacob in Canaan and the death and burial of Joseph in Egypt. There is, therefore, a touch of sadness about this last chapter of Genesis. We have already called attention to the emphasis put upon death in the Book of Genesis. God had told Adam, “…For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Paul wrote later, “… so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12). The Book of Genesis is a full example of the fact of sin and the reality of death. It opens with God and man in the Garden of Eden and ends in a coffin in Egypt. This book recounts the entrance of sin into the human family but also relates the faithfulness of God in providing a way of life for man.
BURIAL OF JACOB IN CANAAN
And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him [Gen. 50:1].
Naturally, he sorrowed. He loved his father.
And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel [Gen. 50:2].
We know that the Egyptians were quite expert at this sort of thing. We hear of the mummies of Egypt. They had a method of preserving bodies that we have not learned yet today. So Joseph called in the physicians to embalm his father. We don’t laugh at a funeral, but I can’t help but smile when I think of their making old Jacob up into a mummy, and I am of the opinion that his mummy is in Hebron today.
Remember, it had been his request to be taken and buried in the cave of Machpelah because his hope is an earthly hope. When he is raised from the dead, he will be there in the land with the nation Israel. The hope of the believer today, the member of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to be caught up with the Lord in the air and to go to a place called the New Jerusalem out in space. There are two different hopes, and they are both glorious.
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days [Gen. 50:3].
It took them forty days to embalm. Evidently there were several processes involved. And we note that the Egyptians mourned for him. I don’t think this was professional mourning. I think he had become a real saint in the land of Egypt and was probably respected as the father of Joseph. Joseph was the deliverer, but I believe that his father Jacob was at this time a real saint of God.
And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt [Gen. 50:4–7].
You can see how this man was greatly respected, loved, and honored in the land of Egypt. This is probably the longest funeral procession that the world has ever seen. It went all the way from Egypt to Hebron in Canaan.
And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen [Gen. 50:8].
One wonders whether Pharaoh required that they leave their little ones and their flocks so that he could be sure they would come back. Pharaoh didn’t want to lose Joseph because he still needed him.
And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.
And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre [Gen. 50:9–13].
You may wonder why Jacob wasn’t buried with Rachel in Beth-lehem, which was probably not more than twenty miles farther north. I think the reason is stated here. Abraham had bought this cave, and Jacob wanted to be buried with his fathers in a place that was bought and paid for to make sure that he would stay in the land. So he was buried with the other patriarchs. They all had the same hope of resurrection.
JOSEPH ALLAYS THE FEARS OF HIS BRETHREN
And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him [Gen. 50:14–17].
Evidently the brothers had gone to Jacob before he died and had expressed their fears regarding what would happen to them after he was gone. They were afraid that Joseph would turn on them and be against them once the father was gone. So Jacob had given them a message to tell to Joseph, and he was sure that Joseph would not persecute them or attempt to get even with them. When the brothers do come to Joseph with this confession, Joseph breaks into weeping because of it. Now they are repenting because of their sin.
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants [Gen. 50:18].
You see, the prophecy of their falling down before him has repeatedly come true.
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? [Gen. 50:19].
Joseph gives God the glory in every case.
Now here is a remarkable verse of Scripture—
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive [Gen. 50:20].
Friend, God has a far-off purpose that you and I do not see. I must confess how human I am about this because I can’t see any further than my nose when trouble comes to me, and I ask, “Why does God permit this to happen?” We need to remember that He has a good purpose in view. He is not going to let anything happen to you unless it will accomplish a good purpose in your life.
Now listen to Joseph—
Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.
And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees [Gen. 50:21–23].
I take this to mean that Joseph was a great-great-grandfather.
DEATH AND BURIAL OF JOSEPH IN EGYPT
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt [Gen. 50:24–26].
This is the way the Book of Genesis ends. It began with God creating the heaven and the earth, and it ends with a coffin in Egypt. What had happened to the human family? Sin had intruded into the creation of God.
Why was not Joseph taken up to Canaan and buried there at this time? I think it is obvious that Joseph was a hero in the land of Egypt and his family would not have been permitted to remove his body from Egypt at that time. I think he was one of the outstanding patriots whom the Egyptians reverenced. Probably they had a monument raised at his grave.
But Joseph says to his own people, “When you go back to Canaan, don’t leave my bones down here!” In Joseph we see the same hope that we saw in Jacob; that is, a confidence that God would give them the land of Canaan as an eternal possession. And they wanted to be raised from the dead in their own land. Joseph believed that God would raise up His earthly people to inherit the land of promise.
The Book of Hebrews mentions this as the crowning act of faith in the life of Joseph. “By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones” (Heb. 11:22).
In Exodus 13 we will see how wonderfully God honored Joseph and answered his request. Moses and the children of Israel took the bones of Joseph with them when they left Egypt.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barnhouse, Donald Grey. Genesis: A Devotional Exposition. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973.
Borland, James A. Christ in the Old Testament. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1978.
Davis, John J. Paradise to Prison: Studies in Genesis. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1975.
De Haan, M. R. Genesis and Evolution. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962.
De Haan, M. R. The Days of Noah. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962.
Gispen, William Hendrik. Genesis. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Jensen, Irving L. Genesis—A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1967.
Kidner, Derek. Genesis. Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1967.
Mackintosh, C. H. Genesis to Deuteronomy. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1972.
Meyer, F. B. Abraham: The Obedience of Faith. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Meyer, F. B. Israel: A Prince With God. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Meyer, F. B. Joseph: Beloved—Hated—Exalted. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Unfolding Message of the Bible. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, n.d.
Morris, Henry M. The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1976.
Morris, Henry M. and Whitcomb, John C., Jr. The Genesis Flood. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1961.
Pink, Arthur W. Gleanings in Genesis. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1922.
Stigers, Harold. A Commentary on Genesis. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Genesis: A Devotional Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1946.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
Vos, Howard F. Genesis. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1980.
Wood, Leon J. Genesis: A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975.
For additional material on creation, the Flood, and science, write to:
Institute for Creation Research 10946 Woodside Ave. North Santee, CA 92071
The Book of
Exodus
INTRODUCTION
Exodus continues the account which was begun in Genesis, although there was a lapse of at least 31/2 centuries. Genesis 15:13 says that the seed of Abraham would spend 400 years in Egypt. Exodus 12:40 says that it was 430 years, and Galatians 3:16–17 confirms it. It was 430 years from the call of Abraham, and 400 years from the time that God told Abraham.
Exodus means “the way out” and tells the story of redemption by blood and by power. The message of Exodus is stated in Hebrews 11:23–29, which says: “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.”
The word which opens Exodus is a conjunction that is better translated and rather than now. Exodus has been called the sequel to Genesis. Dr. G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “In the Book of Exodus nothing is commenced, nothing is finished.”
Genesis 46:27 tells us that seventy souls of Jacob entered Egypt. It is conservatively estimated that 2,100,000 left Egypt at the time of the Exodus. Although it is impossible to be certain about dates in this early period, it would seem that Joseph entered Egypt under the Hyksos or shepherd kings who were Semitic conquerors, and were related to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Actually the Israelites may have been their only friends, as they were hated by Egyptians. Finally they were driven out by a native Egyptian dynasty which was understandably hostile to foreigners. In this line was the Pharaoh of the oppression and the one “who knew not Joseph.”
Moses figures prominently in the Book of Exodus. He is the author of the Pentateuch which includes the first five books of the Old Testament—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In the Book of Exodus, Moses’ life is divided into three forty-year periods:
1. Forty years in Pharaoh’s palace in Egypt
2. Forty years in the desert in Midian
3. Forty years in the wilderness as leader of Israel
Moses’ training in Egypt, evidently in the Temple of the Sun, did not prepare him to follow God in leading Israel out of Egypt. God trained him in the desert for forty years to reveal to him that he could not deliver Israel alone. God gave Moses a B. D. (Backside of the Desert) degree.
It should be noted that after God prepared Moses to deliver his people, He sent him back to Egypt after forty years. Moses is to assemble elders of Israel and go to Pharaoh. Pharaoh will refuse to let Israel go. His refusal will open the contest between God and the gods of Egypt. Egypt was dominated by idolatry—“gods many and lords many.” There were thousands of temples and millions of idols. Behind idolatry was Satan. There was power in the religion of Egypt—“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Tim. 3:8). Pharaoh asked, “…Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go” (Exod. 5:2). God introduced Himself. Pharaoh got acquainted with God and acknowledged Him as God. “And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked” (Exod. 9:27). “Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you” (Exod. 10:16).
A question arises from this episode: Why the plagues? They were God’s battle with the gods of Egypt. Each plague was directed against a particular god in Egypt. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord” (Exod. 12:12). God wanted to reveal to His own people that He, the Lord, was far greater than any god of Egypt and that He had power to deliver them.
OUTLINE
I. A Deliverer, Chapters 1–11
A. Slavery of Israel in Egypt, Chapter 1
B. Birth of Moses—First Forty Years in Pharaoh’s Palace, Chapter 2
C. Call of Moses—Second Forty Years in Midian, Chapter 3 (Incident of burning bush)
D. Return of Moses to Egypt—Announcement of Deliverance to Israel, Chapter 4
E. Contest with Pharaoh, Chapters 5–11 (9 plagues against idolatry of Egypt, battle of the gods)
II. Deliverance (by Blood and Power), Chapters 12–14
A. Institution of Passover—Tenth Plague, Death of Firstborn (Blood), Chapter 12
B. Crossing Red Sea—Destruction of Army of Egypt (Power), Chapters 13–14
III. Marching to Mount Sinai (Spiritual Education), Chapters 15–18 (7 experiences correspond to Christian experience)
A. Song of Redeemed—Wilderness of Shur, Chapter 15:1–22 (No bed of roses after redemption)
B. Marah, Bitter Water Sweetened by Tree, Chapter 15:23–26 (Cross sweetens bitter experiences of life)
C. Elim (Fruitful Christian Experience), Chapter 15:27
D. Wilderness of Sin—Manna and Quail, Chapter 16 (Christ is the Bread of life.)
E. Smitten Rock (“That Rock was Christ”), Chapter 17:1–7
F. Amalek (the Flesh), 17:8–16 (Victory on the hill top, Deut. 25:17–18)
G. Jethro, Priest of Midian, Chapter 18 (Worldly wisdom in contrast to revelation)
IV. The Law (Condemnation), Chapters 19–24
A. Arrival at Mount Sinai—Agreement to Accept the Law, Chapter 19
B. Ten Commandments—Order for the Altar, Chapter 20
C. Social Legislation, Chapters 21–24
V. Blueprint and Construction of Tabernacle, Chapters 25–40 (A pattern and picture of Christ)
A. Blueprint for Tabernacle—Pattern of Garments for High Priest, Chapters 25–30
B. Workmen for Tabernacle—Sabbath a Sign to Israel, Chapter 31
C. Golden Calf—Broken Law—Moses’ Intercession Second Tables of the Law, Chapters 32–35
D. Construction of Tabernacle, Chapters 36–39
E. Tabernacle Erected—Filled with Glory of the Lord, Chapter 40 (Exodus begins in gloom and ends in glory)
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Israel in Egypt; the heroism of two women
The first few verses of Exodus connect it with the account of Genesis. Those who came down into Egypt are listed first and the years between are quickly covered. Exodus 1:7 continues the Genesis account.
The key verse in this book is Exodus 20:2, which says, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
ISRAEL IN EGYPT
Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation [Exod. 1:1–6].
Exodus is the sequel to Genesis. The death of Joseph concludes Genesis. Exodus 1:6 tells us that Joseph, all of his brethren, and all that generation had died. Three and one-half centuries have passed.
In Genesis chapter 46 God said that Israel would increase and multiply and become a great nation in the land of Egypt. As we come to verse seven, this prophecy has actually taken place.
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them [Exod. 1:7].
Verse eight indicates that a great change has taken place.
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph [Exod. 1:8].
A new Pharaoh has come to the throne of Egypt who has never heard of Joseph. Perhaps the Hyksos, or shepherd kings, who were Semites, had been deposed and the former dynasty of Egyptian kings sat on the throne again. The new king never knew Joseph and felt no indebtedness to him or his descendants.
There is a tremendous lesson to be learned in verse eight. I have often wondered why movements today which specialize in reaching children have not used this verse. It should be used. There is a continual responsibility of teaching the Word of God to each generation. If we neglect to teach the Bible, the time will come when it will be forgotten.
A Coca-Cola executive in Texas once told me that a certain percentage of each bottle is spent for advertising. I kidded him about having to advertise such a well-known product. I mentioned to this man that I had once seen thirteen Coca-Cola advertisements in a small town in Texas and thought that was overdoing it. He said, “Not so!” Then he asked me, “When was the last time you saw a can of Arbuckle coffee?” I told him that it had been a popular brand when I was a boy, but I had not seen any lately. “They thought,” he replied, “that they did not need to advertise.”
Now there arose in Egypt a Pharaoh that did not know Joseph. And there is always a new generation that has never heard about the Lord Jesus Christ. I was shocked not long ago when I realized my own daughter and son-in-law had no knowledge of the depression. They are of a new generation that did not live through the depression. They did not understand what some of us older folk went through in the way of hardship and suffering. Therefore it is always necessary to teach the next generation what happened in previous generations. And so there arose a generation who never heard of Joseph. At one time Joseph was so well known that he was a hero and his body could not even be taken from the land.
The new Pharaoh who came to power was not as kindly disposed toward the Israelites as had been his predecessors.
And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land [Exod. 1:9–10].
It was a real possibility that Israel might have joined forces with the enemy against Egypt.
Although Pharaoh wanted slaves, the simple way to solve the problem would have been to let Israel go. Instead of releasing Israel, Pharaoh decided to use worldly wisdom to take care of the difficulty.
Therefore they did set over them task-masters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses [Exod. 1:11].
The children of Israel were forced to do hard labor. They did not build the pyramids because they had already been in existence many, many years. They were, however, forced to build treasure cities. They built the treasure cities of Pithom and Raamses. They constructed the cities with bricks which they as slaves were forced to make. At the beginning of their slavery the Israelites were provided with straw to make their bricks. As Pharaoh’s persecution of them increased, they were compelled to hunt for their own straw and at the same time produce the exact number of bricks they had made before. Dr. Kyle, one of my professors, brought a brick to class one day that had been taken out of the city of Raamses. The brick was made without straw. The biblical record of Israel’s bondage in Egypt needs no defense; the brick only confirms that the record is accurate.
There is no doubt that the Israelites were in a difficult position in Egypt. The Egyptians made life harder and harder for Israel.
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel [Exod. 1:12].
God told Abraham that Israel would have times of hardship in Egypt. Genesis 15:13 says, “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” Three things are predicted in this verse. The Israelites were to be strangers in a strange land; they were to be servants, that is, slaves; they were to be afflicted. All of these predictions had come true in just the first few verses of Exodus 1.
The more the Egyptians afflicted the Israelites, the more they multiplied and grew.
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah [Exod. 1:13–15].
The Egyptians not only made slaves of the Israelites, they mistreated them also. In spite of the persecution, God’s blessing rested upon them and their numbers increased greatly. The king noticed the rapid growth of his slave nation and spoke to the Hebrew midwives in an attempt to solve the problem.
It is interesting to note the meaning of the names of these two women. Shiphrah means “beauty.” Puah means “splendor.” Have you ever noticed the silhouette pictures of Egyptian women? Beauty and splendor characterized the women in the land of Egypt. These women apparently occupied high official positions in Egypt and were in charge of the nurses who were responsible for delivering babies.
And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live [Exod. 1:16].
This is another attempt of Satan to destroy the line leading to the Lord Jesus Christ. Satanic attempts to cut off the line leading to Christ run all the way through the Bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Many attempts have been made to destroy the Jews, and it is quite interesting to note the way anti-Semitism has spread throughout the world. It is satanic in its origin, and therefore no child of God should have any part in it. It is generally people with no knowledge of God who persecute the Jews.
Someone is undoubtedly thinking, “Yes, but during the Dark Ages, the Church engaged in anti-Semitism.” This is true. But it was the Dark Ages and the Church was far from the Word of God, involved in external religious affairs. In my opinion no person can study the Word of God and become anti-Semitic.
THE HEROISM OF TWO WOMEN
As Satan attempted to get rid of the children of Israel, God intervened.
But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty [Exod. 1:17–20].
This attempt to destroy all the male Hebrew children was a political maneuver that did not work out.
And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses [Exod. 1:21].
These women had to choose whether to obey Pharaoh or God. They had learned to fear God and their obedience was seen and rewarded by God. He gave Shiphrah and Puah both a name and a place in Israel, and they were greatly respected in the land.
And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive [Exod. 1:22].
If this order had been carried out, Israel would soon have been exterminated. Pharaoh’s orders were not obeyed, and the succeeding chapters in Exodus clearly show it. God raises up Moses to deliver the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Exodus is the great book on redemption. It reveals, in picture form, how God delivers us today—from sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil—and saves us for heaven.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The birth of Moses; Moses’first attempt to help his people; Moses in Midian takes a Gentile bride
In this chapter we have before us Moses the deliverer. He is prominent as the deliverer of Israel in the first eleven chapters of Exodus.
Exodus is the great book of redemption. Nothing is begun or ended in this book. It is simply a continuation of the story that started in Genesis and continues on into the Books of Leviticus and Numbers.
THE BIRTH OF MOSES
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months [Exod. 2:1–2].
This is the age-old story of the man who sees a woman, falls in love with her, and marries her. She loves him in return, and they have a child. This is what human life is all about, and that is the story we have here.
Moses is writing this account of his parents and of his own birth, and it is a modest record. This is why we must turn to other portions of the Bible to give us more information about the events in Exodus. If given the opportunity, most of us would want to tell about our parents in detail, but Moses did not even mention his parents by name. They were ordinary people. They were in slavery. They were members of the tribe of Levi. That is all Moses says at this point. Later on we are given their names as Amram and Jochebed.
Verse two tells us only that Moses was a good, healthy child. Moses also seems quite reticent about giving his own record in any detail.
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein;and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink [Exod. 2:3].
Moses was not only a healthy child, but he also had a good set of lungs. His parents could hide him at first, but the day came when Moses could really scream at the top of his voice. What a contrast this is to several years later when the Lord asks him to be His spokesman to Pharaoh and Moses says that he cannot speak. Many of us are good at crying like babies, but as adults we do not do so well for the Lord.
Jochebed had a serious problem. She could no longer hide her child. A lot of pious people would have acted differently from this mother by saying, “Well, we’re just going to trust the Lord.” That is a wonderful statement to make, but do you really trust the Lord when you are playing the fool? Jochebed would have been foolish to keep her child in the house when a guard passing by might have heard his cry. It would have meant instant death for Moses.
I can hear someone saying, “You know the child would not cry when the guard passed by.” How do you know? Faith is not a leap in the dark, as I heard a liberal say some years ago. God asks us to believe that which is good and solid. God never asks us to do foolish things. Jochebed did a sensible thing. She made a little ark and put Moses in it.
And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him [Exod. 2:4].
In addition to fashioning the ark, Jochebed also sent Moses’ sister to watch it and find out what would happen to her brother. Her sensible actions indicated that she was trusting God.
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it [Exod. 2:5].
Now the hand of the Lord is revealed. The Lord is going to intervene in this situation. This is what the Lord does when you use common sense, and Jochebed had demonstrated sensibleness. Pharaoh’s daughter came to the Nile River to wash. It was undoubtedly a secluded spot. And there was an ark. She had one of her attendants bring the ark to her.
And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children [Exod. 2:6].
At that very moment was the right time for the child to cry. In fact, the Lord pinched little Moses and he let out a yelp. And God brought together two things that He has made—a baby’s cry and a woman’s heart. Pharaoh’s daughter just could not pass this little baby by.
Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter. Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? [Exod. 2:7].
Miriam, Moses’ sister, made a very helpful suggestion to the princess. And later on she is not going to let her young brother forget it. This is a very human story we are reading, friends. God has something to tell us on every page of His Book.
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother [Exod. 2:8].
This is a real turn of events, and it shows how God really moves when we act sensibly and move by faith sensibly. The very mother of the child was called to nurse him and be paid for it! You cannot beat that, friends. You cannot beat God when He is moving in our hearts and lives.
And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water [Exod. 2:9–10].
The name Moses means “drawer out” and Pharaoh’s daughter named him this because she had drawn him out of the water. Although the identification of the Pharaoh of the oppression is a controversial subject and a matter of speculation, Pharaoh’s daughter may have been the oldest daughter of Rameses II, or she may have been his sister. According to the Egyptian customs of the day, her firstborn son had the right to the throne. Moses would have been the next Pharaoh had Rameses II and his queen remained childless.
MOSES’ FIRST ATTEMPT TO HELP HIS PEOPLE
The first forty years of Moses’life were spent in the courts of Pharaoh. He was raised and trained like an Egyptian. He looked like an Egyptian, talked like an Egyptian, and acted like an Egyptian. He was recognized as an Egyptian when he went to Midian, as we shall see later in the Book of Exodus.
Moses was educated in the great Temple of the Sun which was the outstanding university of the day. We underrate what the Egyptians knew and accomplished. Their knowledge of astronomy was phenomenal. They knew the exact distance to the sun. They worked on the theory that the earth was round and not flat. They knew a great deal about chemistry which is evidenced by the way they were able to embalm the dead. We have no process to equal it today. Their workmanship and ability with colors were fantastic. Their colors are brighter than any we have today. I am confident that our paint companies would give anything if they knew the formulas used for color by the Egyptians. They are bright, beautiful, and startling after four thousand years. (I have to paint my house about every four years!)
In addition to all of their other accomplishments, the Egyptians also had a tremendous library. And Moses, we are told, was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. The one great lack in Moses’ education was that he was not taught how to serve God. But do not underestimate Moses; he was an outstanding man. Stephen, in the Book of Acts, gives us some insight into this period of Moses’ life: “In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? Then fled Moses at this saying … ” (Acts 7:20–29).
In other words, all of his training in Egypt did not prepare Moses to deliver the children of Israel. One day when he was out he saw one of his brethren being persecuted and beaten by one of the slave drivers, and Moses killed the guard. Moses looked around him to see if his deed had been seen—but, he did not look up. He should have looked up to God who would have forbidden him to do a thing like this because Moses is forty years ahead of God in delivering the children of Israel. Therefore God is going to put him out on the back side of the desert.
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well [Exod. 2:15].
MOSES IN MIDIAN TAKES A GENTILE BRIDE
Moses had spent forty years in Egypt but it did not prepare him for what was to come.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon today?
And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter [Exod. 2:16–21].
Zipporah is given to Moses, and he takes a bride. It is interesting that many of the men in the Old Testament are figures of Christ. Although not all details of their lives typify Christ—they couldn’t—they certainly picture Christ in some way. Moses was a murderer in sharp contrast to Christ our Savior. However, Moses was a type of Christ in that he was God’s chosen deliverer; he was rejected by Israel and turned to the Gentiles, taking a Gentile bride; afterward he again appears as Israel’s deliverer and is accepted.
And so we find Moses in the land of Midian. For the next forty years it will he his home. Two sons are born to him. In the desert he will begin his preparation to be the deliverer of Israel from their Egyptian bondage. There has always been a question relative to Moses’ marital state. I am sure he must have loved his wife, but the record we have does not reveal a wonderful relationship. This part of his life is one of the things that Moses more or less passes over. The name Zipporah means “sparrow” which may indicate a small, nervous person.
And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them [Exod. 2:22–25].
God is getting ready to deliver the children of Israel. Moses has been trained to be that deliverer. God did not choose to deliver the Israelites because they were superior to the Egyptians, or because they had been true and faithful to Him, or because they had not gone into idolatry. These people had been most unfaithful to God. They served idols rather than Him. You will recall that, after they had been delivered from Egypt and Moses had led them into the wilderness, the Israelites could not wait to make a golden calf to worship. God’s desire was to deliver them because they were in a helpless, hopeless position in slavery. Unless someone intervened in their behalf, they would have perished.
God gives two reasons for delivering Israel:
1. He heard their groanings.
2. He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The desperate, hopeless condition of Israel appealed to the heart of God. And His promise to bring Abraham’s offspring back into the land after 400 years caused God to devise a plan to deliver them.
Why do you think God has redeemed you (that is, if you are redeemed)? God saved us for the same reason He saved Israel. He found nothing in us that called for His salvation. He makes it quite clear that we are not saved because of any merit we possess. Paul explains it in Romans 3:23–24, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The word freely means “without a cause.”. We have been saved from our sins without a cause. It is the same word our Lord used when He said that He was hated without a cause (John 15:25). God did not look at me and say, “My, you are white and Protestant, honest and hardworking, and I’m going to redeem you.” The fact of the matter is that God saw us in the blackness and darkness of sin and ignorance. He saw that we were hopelessly lost and not able to save ourselves.
God’s love provided a Savior. God so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son, John 3:16 tells us. However, it was not His love that saved us; it was His grace. We are saved without a cause by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Many people believe God saw something in them worthy of salvation. They believe God saved them as sinners, but it was because He saw what lovely people they would become. May I say that this idea is entirely erroneous. We will never become lovely. Each of us has the old nature in which no good dwells. In Romans 7:18 Paul says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing ….” It is a shoe that really pinches to be told that there is no good in man at all. There never has been and never will be anything good in us. This is why we cannot produce anything good. This is why God gives us a new nature when we are saved, and why the old nature eventually must be destroyed.
God saw no good in Israel. But He heard Israel’s cry in bondage and redeemed them. God saw our desperate condition and saved us. God had a plan, but He did not ask the human race what they thought about it. God did not say, “This is my plan for your salvation. If it pleases you, I will go through with it.” No sir! God the Father so loved the world that He sent His Son to die for the sins of the world. The Son agreed to come, and the Father agreed to save anyone who trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. God says to us, “This is the salvation I offer you. Take it or leave it.” He wants us to take it but leaves the choice up to each individual.
There was a little Scottish lady who worked hard taking in washing in order to send her son to the university. When he came home for vacation, his mind was filled with doubts about God from the liberal teaching he had received. He did not want his mother to know about the change in his thinking. She kept telling him how wonderful it was of God to save her and how she knew she was saved. Finally he could not listen to more of her talk and said, “Mother, you do not seem to realize how small you are in this universe. If you lost your soul, God would not miss it at all. It would not amount to anything.” She did not reply right away but kept putting dinner on the table. Finally she said, “I’ve been thinking about what you said. You are right. My little soul does not amount to much; I would not lose much and God would not lose much. But if He does not save me, He will lose more than I will. He promised that if I would trust Jesus He would save me. If He breaks His word, He will lose His reputation and mar His character.”
This is what God is saying to mankind. There was nothing attractive about the children of Israel but He heard their cry. There is nothing lovely about us either that would cause Him to save us. God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that promised the redemption of Israel. He also agreed to save anyone that trusts Jesus Christ as Savior. Grace is love in action. He saves us by His grace, and His great love has provided redemption.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The call of Moses; the commissioning of Moses
Moses’ forty years in Midian have come to an end. All of his schooling in Egypt was not enough to prepare him for his great work of delivering Israel from bondage. God equipped him for this task by forty years of preparation in the desert area of Midian.
THE CALL OF MOSES
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed [Exod. 3:1–2].
Moses turned aside to see why the bush was burning but was not consumed. One of the greatest proofs of the accuracy of Scripture is the existence of the nation Israel. Years ago an emperor of Germany asked his chaplain the question, “What is the greatest proof that the Bible is the Word of God? That proof is somewhere in my kingdom.” Without hesitation the chaplain said, “The Jew, sir. He is the proof.” He is the burning bush that ought to cause the unbeliever to turn aside and take a look today. It is amazing that he has existed down through the centuries. From the days of Moses to the present hour he has been in existence. Other nations have come and gone, and he has attended the funeral of all of them. He is still around. Israel has been in the fire of persecution from the bondage in Egypt through the centuries to the present hour. But like the burning bush Israel has not been consumed.
By the way, when is the last time you saw a Midianite? Have you seen the flag of Midian? Do you know anything about the government of Midian? You do not and I do not because Midian is gone. It has disappeared.
The angel of the Lord who appeared to Moses is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. Some people would debate this conclusion, but this is my conviction after years of studying the Word of God.
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground [Exod. 3:3–5].
God had to correct Moses’ manners. Although Moses had been brought up in the court of Pharaoh, he didn’t know enough to take off his shoes in the presence of a holy God. And I’m afraid many folk today get familiar with God. God is teaching him a great lesson about the holiness of God. We need to learn this lesson too.
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God [Exod. 3:6].
Moses did not look upon God. If he had, he would have looked upon the revelation of God, the Lord Jesus Christ veiled in human form. It can still be said, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). The only way you can know God is through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites [Exod. 3:7–8].
When God redeems, He not only redeems from something, He always redeems unto something. We have been saved from sin unto holiness and heaven. Paul explains this concept in Ephesians 2:5–6: “Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” God has raised us up and given us a position in Christ. If you are saved today, you are completely saved. You will be just as saved a million years from now as you are today because you are in Christ. You have been brought out of Adam and put in Christ. You have been brought out of death and put into life. You have been brought out of darkness and put into light. You have been brought out of hell, if you please, and put into heaven. That is redemption: it is out of and into.
God said, “I am going to take the children of Israel out of bondage and into a good land.” That is the salvation of God. That is redemption.
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? [Exod. 3:9–11].
Do you notice what has happened to Moses? Forty years before this moment, he was ready to deliver Israel. He was cocky and almost arrogant. He slew an Egyptian and delivered one of his brethren from persecution because he thought his act would be understood. He thought he could deliver Israel by himself. He found out that he could not, and God took him to the back side of the desert for special training that would fit him for the job. He learned how really weak he was. He learned he could not deliver Israel by himself.
Now Moses is saying to God, “Who am I? I cannot do what you are asking me to do.” My friends, now God can use him. This is God’s way of training all of His men. God had to take the boy David who could slay a giant and put him out into the caves and dens of the earth where he was hunted like a partridge. He found out how weak he was. Then God could make him a king.
Elijah the prophet was brave enough to walk right into the court of Ahab and Jezebel and tell them that “… there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Elijah was not as brave as he seemed. God put him out in the desert where He trains His men. Elijah drank from a brook. There was a drought that caused the brook to dry up. He watched the brook grow smaller and smaller and said, “My life is no more than a dried up brook.” He was right. Then Elijah spent some more time eating out of an empty flour barrel. He found out he was nothing and God was everything. When Elijah realized this, God used him to face the prophets of Baal and bring down fire from heaven.
Paul puts it this way, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). This certainly is a paradox. It is, however, what God was teaching Moses. When Moses learned that he could not deliver Israel, but that God could do it through him, God was ready to use him.
One of the reasons many of us are not used of God today is we are too strong. Have you ever stopped to think about that? God cannot use us when we are too strong. It is out of weakness that we are made strong. The apostle Paul said, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Cor. 1:27). Moses and Paul recognized that God could move through them when they were weak. It is amazing what God can do through a weak vessel.
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? [Exod. 3:12–13].
This question Moses asked is a natural one. I am sure all of us would have asked the same question. Moses was afraid that the children of Israel would not accept him. He did not know how to explain God to them. He did not know how he was ever going to get the Israelites to this mountain of God. These were the problems Moses faced. Notice how God answered him.
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you [Exod. 3:14].
There is undoubtedly more included in the name “I AM” than has ever been brought out, but there are several things of primary importance that should be considered. The name “I AM” is a tetragram, or a word of four letters. We translate it JEHOVAH. It has also been translated as YAHWEH. How do you pronounce it? It became a sacred name, a holy name, to the children of Israel to such an extent they actually forgot how to pronounce it. To avoid profaning His name, they did not use it. Which name, then, is correct? Is it Jehovah or Yahweh? No one knows. But “I AM” is God’s name.
In Genesis God is Creator. He is Elohim, the mighty God, the self-existing One; I AM WHO I AM. This is the God who is sending Moses to deliver the children of Israel.
Psalm 135:13 says, “Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations.” The name “Lord” in this verse can be translated “I AM WHO I AM.” It is important to see that this name speaks of the fact that GOD IS.
THE COMMISSIONING OF MOSES
The time had come for the fulfillment of Joseph’s promise as stated in Genesis 50:25: “… God will surely visit you …”
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations [Exod. 3:15].
God had appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This same God was sending Moses to the children of Israel, and the procedure he was to employ is given in the next few verses.
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go [Exod. 3:16–20].
God has given Moses the agenda and course to follow. He is to tell the elders of Israel about God’s plan of deliverance. Then he and the elders are to go to Pharaoh and ask to be allowed to journey three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God as a nation. The intention was to break gently Israel’s plan to Pharaoh rather than bluntly stating, “We are leaving and going back to the land of Canaan for good.”
God tells Moses that Pharaoh will refuse to let Israel go. Pharaoh’s refusal in this matter will open up God’s campaign against the gods of Egypt. After that campaign, even though God will show His mighty wonders, Pharaoh will still steadfastly refuse to let Israel go. God will then bring plagues that will cause Pharaoh to change his mind and send Israel on its way from Egypt. God has a plan to deliver Israel, and deliver them He will.
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians [Exod. 3:21–22].
The word borrow in this passage does not mean to steal but to collect back wages. The Israelites had been slaves without pay. God tells them to collect their back wages for several hundred years’ work. They would leave Egypt recompensed for years of toil. God was caring for His people.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Moses’ objections to being Israel’s deliverer; Aaron becomes Moses’ spokesman; Moses returns to Egypt
This chapter tells us of the return of Moses to Egypt and the marvelous way in which God deals with his misgivings. Moses has many questions in his mind and many hurdles to surmount but God has an answer for every objection of Moses.
MOSES’ OBJECTIONS TO BEING ISRAEL’S DELIVERER
Moses had several reasons why he felt he was the wrong man for the job God wanted him to do.
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod [Exod. 4:1–2].
In the days to come Moses would use the rod in many different ways. It would become his badge of authority. It would be a testimony to Israel and Egypt of God’s presence with Moses. It would also serve as a source of strength to him.
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it [Exod. 4:3].
When Moses cast the rod to the ground, it became a vicious monster. Note that there is no Dower in the rod. It is simply an instrument and can be used by Satan as well as by God. For example, liken a dollar bill to the rod. The dollar can be used to help pay for a murder or for prostitution, gambling, liquor, etc. In other words that dollar can become a serpent. Only when that dollar, or the rod, is put in the hand of a man of God who is moved by the power of God can it be used for God. This is an important lesson God is teaching in this passage.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand [Exod. 4:4].
Many people consider the automobile, radio, and television to be of the devil. The devil can use all of these instruments, but they can also be used for God. Grab that serpent by the tail, friends! Use your automobile to take some dear saint to church or some of your unsaved friends to hear the Word of God preached. Support Christian programs on television and radio. Do your part to make the media an instrument of God rather than an instrument of the devil. You make them a rod in the hand of God.
God called Moses to deliver the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. He trained him for forty years in the desert and commissioned him at the burning bush. This man, who at one time was so eager that he ran ahead of God, is now reluctant to accept his God-given office of deliverer. He began to give God his objections and God put a rod in his hand. He learns that when the rod is used according to the will of God in the hand of a man yielded to God, it becomes his badge of authority. In addition to the rod, however, God gives Moses another token of assurance and teaches him an important lesson as he is about to assume the great responsibility of leading Israel out of Egypt.
And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign [Exod. 4:6–8].
The great message here is for Moses in particular. His bosom speaks of his inner life. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” In other words, the hand will do the bidding of the heart. God wanted to put the rod in the hand of a man yielded to Him. Now he wants Moses’ hand to be in accord with his heart. The Lord made this statement in Matthew 7:17: “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Then in Luke 6:45 the Lord says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” God is saying to Moses that He wants his hand and his heart. God is saying the same thing to us today. God does not want our money and our abilities. God wants you and He wants me. If He gets us, then He will get the rest, too.
Moses put his hand in his bosom and it came out leprous. He put his hand into his bosom again and it came out clean. Out of your heart will ultimately come what you are. God wanted that rod in the hand of a man yielded to Him. He wanted that man’s hand to move in the same direction as his yielded heart. This is the great lesson God had for Moses, the children of Israel, and for us today.
And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue [Exod. 4:10].
Moses now offers another objection. He says, “Lord, you need an eloquent speaker for the job and I cannot speak well.” Moses is quite able to speak when it is time, but he is giving an excuse. He feels inadequate.
And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say [Exod. 4:11–12].
God is telling Moses that He not only wants his hand but He wants his mouth also. He promises to be with Moses’ mouth and teach him what to say. Out of the heart proceed the issues of life and “what is in the well of the heart will come up through the bucket of the mouth.” God wanted the heart of Moses.
And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send [Exod. 4:13].
Moses is trying to find a substitute.
AARON BECOMES MOSES’ SPOKESMAN
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God [Exod. 4:14–16].
Moses made a great mistake in asking God for a spokesman. God allowed it, but He did not want a divided command. You will find out that it caused problems as the children of Israel journeyed through the wilderness. In the Book of Numbers we will discover that Aaron was involved in making a golden calf for Israel to worship while Moses was on Mount Sinai! This was a terrible blunder on the part of Aaron, and it came as the result of a divided command. Other problems crop up in the Book of Numbers. God did not need Aaron for the job of delivering the children of Israel; all He needed was Moses. Moses was reluctant to trust God all the way, and God had to send another man with him. We need to recognize our weakness, but when God calls us to do a job we should respond with trust. God will enable us to do the job He calls us to do.
And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace [Exod. 4:17–18].
MOSES RETURNS TO EGYPT
And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life [Exod. 4:19].
There is a new Pharaoh in Egypt. The Pharaoh who had ordered Moses’ death is now dead and Moses can safely return to Egypt.
And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go [Exod. 4:20–21].
The fact that God says He will harden Pharaoh’s heart has always presented a problem. This problem comes up again when we consider the plagues, and we will study it then in more detail and arrive at a satisfactory solution.
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn [Exod. 4:22].
God did not call the individual Israelite a son of God, but He did say of the nation, “Israel is my son, even my firstborn.”
And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn [Exod. 4:23].
God was very lenient in dealing with Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He told Pharaoh at the beginning of the contest, “Either let my son Israel go or I will slay your son.” God sent many plagues before He touched the firstborn of Egypt, giving him ample time to acknowledge the true God and let Israel go, but Pharaoh did not avail himself of the opportunity.
And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him [Exod. 4:24].
This is a strange verse, but it reveals the third real objection of Moses. He had neglected to circumcise his sons. Circumcision was the evidence or seal of the covenant of God made with Abraham. If Moses would proclaim God’s will to others, he too had to be obedient to God’s will. God had to forcibly remind Moses of his disobedience.
Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision [Exod. 4:25–26].
This incident is difficult to understand, and we must retrace our steps somewhat to examine the problem. When Moses fled as a fugitive from Egypt, he went to the land of Midian. The Midianites were the offspring of Abraham and Keturah. These people were monotheistic. They were not idolaters but worshiped one God. Moses felt at home with these people. He became close friends with the Priest of Midian who had seven daughters. Moses married his daughter Zipporah—a name that sounds like a modern gadget to take the place of buttons. Actually, as we have said before, her name means “sparrow” or “little bird.” The wife of Moses was the first “Lady Bird.”
God blessed Moses’ home in the beginning. His first son Gershom, meaning “stranger” was born in Midian. Moses had been a stranger in his land, but he had made it his home.
In Moses’ married life, unfortunately, there was a problem. God called Moses at the burning bush and commissioned him to go to Egypt. Pharaoh was dead and it was safe for Moses to return. As Moses started his journey to Egypt, God attempted to kill him. Why? Moses had neglected the rite of circumcising his son. Circumcision was the badge and seal of God’s covenant with Abraham that was designed to teach the Israelites to have no confidence in the flesh. The flesh was to be cut away, and each Israelite was to place his trust in God.
Genesis 15:6, Psalm 106:31, Romans 4:3, and Galatians 3:6 tell us that Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness. Isaac and Jacob followed the example of Abraham. They were Israelites by birth, but circumcision was the badge of it. It was an act of faith for them to perform that rite. Circumcision was the evidence that a man was the son of Abraham. It was an evidence of their faith.
Apparently Zipporah had resisted the ordinance of circumcision, and Moses had not insisted upon it. Perhaps Moses did not feel this act was so important, and obviously his wife felt it was a foolish and bloody thing to do. At any rate, Moses did not want to precipitate a marital rift. Moses’ wife was not atheistic; she was monotheistic. She was simply resisting the ordinance of God, and Moses did not want to make an issue of it. Moses could stand up against Pharaoh, but he could not stand up against his wife. Moses could tell Israel when they were wrong, but he did not oppose his wife when she was wrong.
Moses obviously thought he could get away with this area of disobedience. He just let it slide like many Christian workers do who neglect their own families while trying to fix up other people’s families. God intervened in Moses’ life. He waylaid him on the way to Egypt and revealed to him the seriousness of the situation. There is a real danger when husband and wife do not agree completely in spiritual matters. That is the reason Scripture warns against believers and non-believers getting married.
It was Zipporah who performed the rite of circumcision upon their son to save the life of Moses. Therefore what she did was an act of faith on her part. She claimed the promise of the covenant with Abraham—the redemption of blood with no confidence in the flesh. After the circumcision of their son, perhaps when they reached Egypt, Moses saw the problem, and sent her back home to be with her father. Later on the wilderness march we shall see that Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Zipporah to him and they were reconciled.
And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped [Exod. 4:27–31].
This is a great worship scene that we have here. These people come now to faith in God. And it will be on this basis that God will lead them out of the land of Egypt.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Moses’ appeal for Israel’s deliverance; the increase of Israel’s burden; Moses’ prayer
Chapter 5 begins the contest with Pharaoh. The plagues are leveled against the idolatry of Egypt. It is actually a battle of God with the gods of Egypt. Moses returned to Egypt after an absence of forty years. The deliverer is prepared now to deliver his people. He was to assemble the elders of Israel, and they were to go to Pharaoh and present their request. Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, and this opened the struggle between God and the gods of Egypt.
The plagues were not haphazard. God did not send a plague of frogs and then say, “I wonder what calamity I should send next?” Probably nothing was ever quite so organized and meaningful as these plagues. They were directed very definitely toward the idolatry of Egypt.
Pharaoh asked the question, “Who is the Lord? I do not know Him, and I do not intend to let Israel go.” So God introduced Himself and did it by bringing plagues on the land of Egypt. In Exodus 7:5 the Lord makes it very clear what He has in mind: “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” God used the plagues to deliver His people and to let the Egyptians know who He was.
Each plague was leveled at a different god of Egypt. There were thousands of temples, millions of idols, and about three thousand gods in Egypt. That will outdo anything we have in this country today. There was power in the religion of Egypt. The Egyptians were not fools. We have transistor radios, color television, and have been to the moon, but that does not mean we are superior. All of our knowledge is based on that which has been handed down from the past. We have been building upon the knowledge that has come to us through the centuries. Paul makes it clear that there was power in the Egyptian religions in 2 Timothy 3:8 when he says, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” The power in Egyptian religion was satanic and Satan grants power to those who worship him. The oracle at Delphi in the Greek period is an example of it.
God directed His plagues against the idolatry in Egypt, against Pharaoh, and against Satan. It was a battle of the gods. Exodus 12:12 confirms it: “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.” God exposed the gods of Egypt as false, and He revealed to Israel His ability to deliver them. These Israelites had been born in the brickyards in the midst of idolatry, and God had to show them that He was superior.
A brief outline of each plague might be helpful at this point in order to see that there was some sense to them. When Moses first stood before Pharaoh, he changed his rod into a serpent. The wise men of Egypt performed the same miracle. This reveals that Satan has definite powers. After this demonstration came the ten plagues.
1. Water turned to blood (Exod. 7:19–25): The fertility of the land of Egypt depended upon the overflow of the Nile River to bring if both fertilizer and water. Therefore this river was sacred to the god Osiris—whose all-seeing eye is found in many Egyptian paintings. Pagan rites were held every spring when the river brought life out of death. When the water was turned to blood, it brought death instead of life. The wise men of Egypt also imitated this plague with their sorcery.
2. The plague of frogs (Exod. 8:1–15): One of the most beautiful temples in Memphis was the temple to Heka, the ugly frog-headed goddess. It was an offense to kill the sacred frog, but if you found them in your house, bed, food, and underfoot everywhere, as the Egyptians did, you might feel like killing them. But they were sacred. The wise men also duplicated this plague which might indicate that their success up to this point was accomplished by sleight-of-hand tricks or some similar magical device.
3. The plague of lice (Exod. 8:16–20): The Egyptians worshiped the earth-god Geb. But “the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” This which was sacred to Geb they now despise. Pharaoh did not ask that this plague be taken away, and the Egyptian sorcerers could not reproduce this pestilence. They seem to have acknowledged that the One who brought this plague was supreme over the gods of Egypt.
4. The plague of flies (Exod. 8:20–32): It is thought by some that the swarms of flies were actually masses of the sacred beetle. And Khepara was the beetle-god. The beetle, or scarab, is found in the Egyptian tombs and speaks of eternal life. These beetles were sacred to Ra the sun-god.
5. The plague of murrain (Exod. 9:1–7): Murrain was a disease that affected cattle. The second largest temple that Egypt ever built was located in Memphis and was for the worship of the black bull Apis. You could say that this plague caused the Egyptians to worship a sick cow!
6. The plague of boils (Exod. 9:8–17): The priests of all the religions of Egypt had to be spotless—with no mark or blemish on their bodies—in order to serve in the temples. Well, they had a moratorium on worship in Egypt during this period because of the boils that were on all the priests. None of them could serve anywhere. It was actually a judgment on the entire religion of Egypt.
7. The plague of hail (Exod. 9:18–35): God demonstrates His power with the plague of hail over the sky-goddess who is powerless in her own domain.
8. The plague of locusts (Exod. 10:1–20): The judgment of the locusts was against the insect gods. The plague of locusts meant the crops were cursed. This was an evidence of the judgment of God as found in the books of Joel and Revelation also.
9. The plague of darkness (Exod. 10:21–29): God moved in with darkness against the chief god that was worshiped—the sun-god Ra. The sun disc is the most familiar symbol found in Egyptian ruins. The plague of darkness shows the utter helplessness of Ra.
10. Death of the firstborn (Exod. 11–12:36): According to the religion of Egypt, the firstborn belonged to the gods of Egypt. In other words, God took what was set aside for the gods of Egypt. God was teaching the Egyptians who He was. He was convincing Pharaoh that he was God. Also He was bringing His own people to the place where they were willing to acknowledge Him as their God. This was the final act of judgment that would free Israel from Egyptian bondage.
It is important to understand that there was purpose in the plagues of Egypt. God challenged the gods of Egypt to a contest and defeated them.
You can imagine the idolatry that was in the land of Egypt. Yet God through Isaiah predicted that the time would come when every idol would disappear from Egypt. And today Egypt is a Moslem country that does not permit idols at all. Every idol has disappeared, as God said they would.
MOSES’ APPEAL FOR ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE
In chapter 5 the contest begins with Pharaoh and the battle begins with the Egyptian gods.
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness [Exod. 5:1].
Sacrificing to God in the wilderness was the first step toward Israel’s freedom. Moses and Aaron did not rush into the presence of Pharaoh and say, “Let my people go. We are leaving Egypt and going to the promised land.” They simply requested that Israel be allowed to go out into the wilderness and worship. They were preparing Pharaoh and softening him up for what would ultimately come. Now notice the reaction of Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go [Exod. 5:2].
The expression “Let my people go” has been made famous in a picture. I wish we could make the question “Who is the Lord?” famous. It is the best question of all today because you have to know Him before there can be any deliverance for you. Pharaoh made two definite statements: (1) I do not know the Lord, and, (2) I do not intend to let Israel go. In a short time Pharaoh would become acquainted with the God of Israel in a terrible way, and he would let the Israelites go.
And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword [Exod. 5:3].
God wants us to worship Him. He will judge us if we do not take this step now.
And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens [Exod. 5:4–5].
Moses had been having mass meetings with his people. They were restless and wanted to leave Egypt. Pharaoh saw the problem this presented, and his answer was to send them back to the brickyards. This is exactly what he did and increased their difficulties at the same time.
THE INCREASE OF ISRAEL’S BURDEN
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God [Exod. 5:6–8].
Pharaoh thought Israel was asking for a holiday. He reasoned that if they wanted some time off, they must not be working hard enough. Straw was withheld from them, and they were forced to produce the same number of bricks and gather the straw, too. Their daily tasks increased so that they served with rigor.
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord.
Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish aught from your bricks of your daily task.
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us [Exod. 5:15–21].
The children of Israel blamed Moses and Aaron for their increased burden. They accused these two men of hindering rather than helping them and of giving Pharaoh an excuse to make life more unbearable for them.
MOSES’ PRAYER
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all [Exod. 5:22–23].
Moses is impatient. He is complaining to God. “I’ve come down here to deliver them at Your instructions. But instead of letting them go, Pharaoh has only made life more difficult for the children of Israel.” Moses could not see the entire picture, but God was moving slowly and patiently to work out His plan. In chapter 6 God encourages Moses and the children of Israel and renews His promise to deliver them. God has much to teach Moses, the Israelites, the Egyptians, and Pharaoh.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Jehovah’s answer to Moses’ prayer; a partial genealogy of Israel; renewal of Moses’commission
Chapter 6 is a continuation of the last part of chapter 5. The time for the plagues to descend upon Egypt is at hand. The battle of the gods is about to begin. What has led up to this moment? In retrospect we find that the first thing Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel did was ask Pharaoh for permission to go out into the wilderness and sacrifice unto the Lord for three days. Pharaoh’s answer was no because he “did not know the Lord.” He then increased the burden of the Israelites. The children of Israel complained to Moses who in turn complained to the Lord.
God wanted to assure Moses of who He was and what He was going to do. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had heard the groanings of Israel and was going to deliver them. God wanted Moses to look at the past history of Israel and see how He had kept them. God had demonstrated time and time again His love for Israel and His desire to help them. God had intervened many times in their behalf.
God also intervenes in our behalf today. I am certain he has for me—maybe you are not sure of God’s working in your life. Philippians 1:6 says: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God knows our needs today. He knows our desperate condition. He can and wants to help us just as He helped Israel in Egypt.
JEHOVAH’S ANSWER TO MOSES’ PRAYER
Jehovah, the self-existing One, speaks to Moses to give him encouragement, hope, and confidence.
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land [Exod. 6:1].
Jehovah is telling Moses that He is THE LORD. He does not have to make preparations for the future. He is self-existing and needs no reserve. God is not dependent upon anything in creation. He does not lean upon anything; rather, all of creation leans upon Him for support. God wanted Moses to lean upon Him too.
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant [Exod. 6:2–5].
God is telling Moses that He had appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—but not as Jehovah. God, as Jehovah, was going to redeem His people, adopt them as His own, deliver them from bondage, and lead them to the Promised Land. By all of this they would know God as Jehovah, a part of His character that He had not revealed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
In verses 6 to 8 God reveals the seven “I wills” of redemption. These verses paint a marvelous portrait picture for us today and were a great encouragement to Moses in that day. God announces who He is and what He is going to do. We have a Savior today who tells us who He is and what He is going to do. He is able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him.
Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord [Exod. 6:6–8].
The seven “I wills” of redemption are:
1. I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
2. I will rid you out of their bondage.
3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.
4. I will take you to me for a people.
5. I will be to you a God.
6. I will bring you into the land.
7. I will give it to you for an heritage.
I will bring you out from under your burdens: The corollary and parallel to our redemption in Christ is found in this statement. We carry a burden of sin today. The things of the world are an oppression to the heart. We are told not to love the world. God can deliver us from the burden of sin through faith in Jesus Christ.
I will rid you out of bondage: God will deliver you from the slavery of sin. I received a remarkable letter from a man that bears out the fact that God is able to deliver from the bondage of sin. This man is brilliant but he lived in sin. He has had at least six illegitimate children as the result of affairs with that many women. And the work by which he made a living was not altogether honest. This fellow had as checkered a career as anyone I have ever heard about. Then he began listening to our Thru The Bible radio broadcast day after day, and the Word of God reached into his life. As he drank in the truths of the Bible, the darkness began to roll away, and the light broke through into his heart and life. He realized he was not trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. God redeemed this man. Redemption is His business.
The Israelites were in the land of Egypt living a life of bondage. God said, “I am going to take you out of this place. I am going to rid you of your bondage.”
I will redeem you with an outstretched arm: This is the mighty bared arm spoken of by Isaiah the prophet: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1) Well, I don’t know to whom it is being revealed. God is doing a work of redemption in the hearts and lives of men and women today. Each of us needs a Savior from sin because we are corrupt in His sight. He loved us enough to die for us in order that we might be saved. If He was willing to do that, we must be willing to come as sinners to the Lord. If we place our faith in the work of Jesus Christ for us, we will be saved. God has a great plan of salvation but man must come to Him for it. He will redeem you with an outstretched arm.
I will take you to me for a people: Just think—God has lifted us out of the muck and mire of sin and made us His sons by faith in Christ Jesus! Now He tells us, “I will be to you a God.” God does not save us and then run off and leave us. He wants to be our God. If you are really saved, you will not go on living as if God does not exist. If you have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, it will transform your life. He will become your God and you will bow down to Him and acknowledge who He is. God wants to redeem you. He wants you to know Christ as Savior and Lord. He wants you to know you are saved. He wants to be your God. He wants us for His people.
I will be to you a God: God chose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world which places it before all time—in eternity past. The reason for the choice was not found in the believers, but in the all-wise purpose of God. He does not struggle to love His own in spite of their failures. God loves His own because it is His nature to love. He wants to be our God.
I will bring you into the land: The land is Canaan. It was promised by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Canaan is not a picture of heaven. It is a picture of the Christian life as believers should be living it. Canaan typifies the heavenlies where we are blessed with all spiritual blessing—the believer has to walk worthy of his high calling for perfect enjoyment of spiritual blessing. This is done through the filling of the Spirit (Eph. 4:1–5:18). There is also warfare and battles to win. Believers sometimes live as if they are bankrupt in the wilderness of the world and never enter into the riches of His grace and mercy. Are you living today in the life, light, and love of a living Savior?
I will give you the land for an heritage: Paul, in the fifth chapter of Romans, makes it clear that we have been justified by faith and have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. We have access to Him. We have joy in the midst of trouble. We have been given the Holy Spirit of God to indwell us, and the love of God has been made real to us. We have been delivered from the wrath to come and are saved from the Great Tribulation period. What kind of salvation do you have, friend, that you talk about but has not transformed your life or redeemed you from something? These verses tell of our heritage and picture our salvation.
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage [Exod. 6:9].
Your heart must go out to the children of Israel at a time like this. They found it impossible to believe Moses because he had not helped their cause but had only been responsible for their increased burden.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt [Exod. 6:10–13].
Moses was not accepted by the children of Israel; he was not accepted by Pharaoh. God told him to speak to Pharaoh again and Moses is reluctant to go. His eyes are on the circumstances rather than on God.
A PARTIAL GENEALOGY OF ISRAEL
In the midst of all these difficulties and circumstances we come to a very strange occurrence. God is careful to list the families of Israel again—an important item as far as the Old Testament is concerned. Frankly, reading all these names is boring to me and puts me to sleep, but they are important and thrilling to God. He is insistent that the genealogies be recorded. God wants us to know about whom we are reading and who His children are. God feels the same way about you and me. He wants us to be the sons of God through faith in Christ.
These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel…. And the sons of Simeon…. And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years [Exod. 6:14–16].
Gershon. Kohath, and Merari are the three sons of Levi. They are the men who will take the tabernacle through the wilderness.
And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel….
Moses had not mentioned his parents by name. They were ordinary peoplé, and they were in slavery. They were members of the tribe of Levi. That is all Moses told us.
And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years [Exod. 6:18–20].
In this passage the parents of Aaron and Moses are named—Amram and his wife Jochebed. The question has been asked, “Why wasn’t the life of Aaron in as much jeopardy as the life of Moses when the command to kill the Hebrew babies was given by Pharaoh?” The answer is simply that Aaron was older than Moses, and the decree had not been made yet. It was not until Pharaoh saw how quickly the Israelites were increasing in number that he issued his orders.
The next few verses continue to deal with the genealogy and I want to pick up my train of thought with verse 26.
These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.
These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron [Exod. 6:26–27].
We saw in verse 12 that Moses was discouraged. Neither the circumcised nor the uncircumcised will accept him. At this juncture God steps in and gives the background of who Moses is. He has to live up to his claims before he can deliver the children of Israel.
There are those today who say that it is not essential to believe the virgin birth of Christ. I say that it is absolutely essential to believe it. It is part of the credentials of Christ. You do not have to trust in His virgin birth to be saved—when I came to Christ I never heard of the virgin birth. You must trust in His death and resurrection to be saved. But when you are saved, you will come to know Him. And when you know Him, you’ll find out He’s virgin born. If He was not virgin born, then you have made a mistake in trusting Him because He is not who He claims to be. No one who is truly saved will deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
It is also essential that Moses and Aaron are who they claim to be. It has been forty years since Moses left Egypt. In the meantime he has married the daughter of the priest of Midian. Now here he is back in Egypt. Who is he anyway? This genealogy tells who he is. He belongs to the tribe of Levi, and his father and mother are Amram and Jochebed. The genealogy provides the necessary credentials for Moses to accomplish the work he is sent to do in the land of Egypt.
RENEWAL OF MOSES’ COMMISSION
On the basis of the credentials, God renews His call to Moses and Aaron.
And it came to pass on the day when the Lord spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,
That the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I am the Lord: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? [Exod. 6:28–30].
Moses is making excuses again. It is not a very pleasant task he has to perform. He has been rejected all along the way. Even after he shows his credentials of being in the tribe of Levi, he is rejected. Now Levi was the son of Jacob, Jacob was the son of Isaac, and Isaac was the son of Abraham. God made the promises concerning the children of Israel to Abraham. “I’m in the right line,” says Moses, “but I hesitate to go.” Moses does not have much faith.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: The renewal of Moses’ commission—continued; the Egyptian magicians; the first plague—water turned to blood
The battle between the Lord God of Israel and the Egyptian gods has not yet been joined, but we are coming to it now. God has been preparing the children of Israel, Moses and Aaron and even old Pharaoh for the engagement.
Moses is going to stand before Pharaoh, but Aaron will do the speaking. Was Moses tongue-tied, did he stutter, or did he have some other speech impediment? My personal feeling is that Moses’ problem was psychological. After forty years in the wilderness he may have felt inadequate and fearful.
God wanted to make it very clear, however, that He, and not Moses, was going to deliver the children of Israel. By the way, that is one reason it is so difficult for God to move today in our individual lives or in the church. There is always some person or some organization who is taking the credit. When we are always getting in the way to take the credit, the mighty bared arm of God is not revealed. God had to put the human element out of the way because He cannot use the flesh. God, speaking through the apostle Paul, tells us this in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” It is difficult for some people to believe that there is no good in man because they rather count on it, especially in a time of emergency. But God does not want our flesh. He cannot use it; He will not use it. God has set the flesh aside, and Aaron will speak for Moses.
THE RENEWAL OF MOSES’ COMMISSION—CONTINUED
And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet [Exod. 7:1].
This is one of the finest definitions you will find of a prophet. Moses was going to be a god to Pharaoh. Aaron was going to be the spokesman for Moses. Aaron would be a prophet. A prophet is one who speaks for God, one who has a message from God to the people. A prophet is the opposite of a priest. He comes out from God and goes to the people, but a priest represents the people before God. A priest is not to speak for God and a prophet is not to represent the people. He is to represent God. Aaron is to represent Moses before the people, and Moses is to represent God before both the people and Pharaoh.
Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt [Exod. 7:2–3].
What does it mean to harden Pharaoh’s heart? Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Yes, but in this way: If Pharaoh were a tenderhearted, sweet fellow who desired to turn to God and was happy to have Moses deliver the children of Israel because Pharaoh wanted to do something for them, then it was mean of God to harden the heart of this wonderful Pharaoh. If that is the way you read it, friends, you are not reading it right. The hardening is a figurative word, which can mean twisting, as with a rope. It means God twisted the heart of Pharaoh. He was going to squeeze out what was in it. God forced him to do the thing he really wanted to do.
Pharaoh was like the politicians of today who will not say what they actually mean. They feel one way and speak another way. Pharaoh did not want to let the children of Israel go, and yet he wanted to appear as a benevolent ruler. He wanted everyone to think he was a generous man, but in this matter of Israel he was hard. Well, God is going to bring Pharaoh into court and make him admit how he really feels.
There are certain men who have to be taken into court before they will do what they have already agreed to do. A Los Angeles contractor told me that he had to take a man to court before the man would honor a contract. He would not fulfill his obligations until the law got after him. That is what God is doing to Pharaoh. God is bringing Pharaoh into court and saying, “You are going to reveal the thing that is actually in your heart. You cannot say one thing and do something else.” God is going to force the king’s hand in this particular matter. By the way, this is exactly what God is going to do with every individual that will someday come into His presence. You will be seen as you really are. There will be no more camouflage. This is a rather frightening thing for some of us, is it not?
But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them [Exod. 7:4–5].
In other words, Pharaoh will stand revealed for what he is, and the Lord God of Israel will be revealed for who He is. The Egyptians will know, and the Israelites will have it confirmed, and Moses and Aaron will be justified.
And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.
And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh [Exod. 7:6–7].
Aaron was three years older than Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying.
When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent [Exod. 7:8–9].
Pharaoh is probably going to ask Moses and Aaron, “Where are your credentials? You have come before me and made this excessive demand upon me; now show me your authority” Aaron’s rod was to be the badge of authority.
THE EGYPTIAN MAGICIANS
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent [Exod. 7:10].
There is some question about the word serpent in this passage because there is very little history concerning the snake in Egypt. Actually the word used here is crocodile. During the days of Moses there were many of these creatures living in the Nile river and ponds throughout the land. The rod changed into a crocodile.
You will find as we study the plagues that God was dealing with the whole realm of zoology. That is, the gods of Egypt were either animal or bird or insect. Paul wrote about it when he said, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:22–23).
The Egyptians symbolized everything. They took an abstract idea and put it into the concrete form of an image. They had deities which represented every phase and function of life. They did not miss a thing. They changed monotheism into polytheism. As Sir Wallis Budge has stated it, “They believed in the existence of one great God, self-produced, self-existent, almighty, and eternal.” Unfortunately, they felt “that this Being was too great and mighty to concern Himself with the affairs and destinies of human beings.” Therefore He “permitted the management of this world…to fall into the hands of hordes of ‘gods’ and demons, and good and bad spirits.” This is what the Egyptians believed.
This is the very thing Paul found when he went to Athens. He found a monument to the “unknown God.” “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:23). If a man worships all of these different gods, he cannot know the living and true God. So the Lord God of Israel attacks the gods of Egypt to show who He is.
The Hebrew word tannin translated “serpent” in this chapter is not translated “serpent” anywhere else in the Bible. In the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel it is rendered “dragon.” The word is actually satanic in its meaning, and that is probably why the translators used the word serpent. Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that the Egyptians worshiped the crocodile. It occupied a large place in the worship and religion of Egypt. Sebak was a deity of evil with a crocodile head. Apepi, the perpetual arch enemy of all the solar gods, appeared in the form of a crocodile. The Egyptians engaged in a magical ritual which was performed in the temple of Amen-Ra in the city of Thebes. Apepi lived in the nethermost part of the heaven and endeavored every day to prevent the rising of the sun god Ra. He stirred up lightning, thunder, tempests, storms, hurricanes, rain, and tried to obscure the light of the sun by filling the sky with clouds, mists, fog and blackness. The Egyptian ritual was an attempt to destroy Apepi. It was a prominent worship of Egypt and the first thing against which God delivers a blow. Aaron’s rod is changed into a crocodile!
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments [Exod. 7:11].
The magicians of Egypt duplicated the miracle of Aaron’s rod. Perhaps it would be better to say they imitated the miracle. Whatever and however they did it, they made a pretty good show of it. Paul, however, has a word to say about it in 2 Timothy 3:8, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” These magicians resisted the living and true God.
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them: as the Lord had said [Exod. 7:12–13].
It is interesting that the Egyptians worship the crocodile and it is Aaron’s rod that swallows up their crocodiles. This should have impressed Pharaoh, but it did not. Pharaoh hardened his heart and persisted in his set ways.
THE FIRST PLAGUE—WATER TURNED TO BLOOD
And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.
And thou shalt say unto him. The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.
Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone [Exod. 7:14–19].
This is another blow at the worship in Egypt. The sacred Nile River is turned to blood. The Egyptians depicted the Nile as Hapi, a fat man with the breasts of a woman which indicated the powers of fertility and nourishment. There was a hymn they sang in the temple to this god which went something like this:
Thou waterest the fields which Ra created …
Thou art the bringer of food … creator of all good things.
Thou fillest the storehouses …
Thou hast care for the poor and needy.
The Nile River was the life-blood of Egypt. But it had to be water to be their “life-blood.” Now that river is blood and becomes death to them. What had been a blessing in Egypt is now a curse. This is God’s judgment.
And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river [Exod. 7:22–25].
This plague lasted for seven days. Pharaoh was not convinced this was the hand of God because his magicians were able to duplicate the plague. This is an amazing thing! lt was a manifestation of the power of Satan, of course, but they were powerless to change the blood back into pure water.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The second plague—frogs; the third plague—lice; the fourth plague—flies
The plagues continue upon the land of Egypt. God is directing His attack against a people immersed in idolatry.
THE SECOND PLAGUE—FROGS
Frogs were represented by Heka, a frogheaded goddess. Also Hapi was depicted as holding a frog out of whose mouth flowed a stream of nourishment. This indicates the close relationship between the god of the Nile and the frog goddess, one of the oldest and the mother of goddesses. She was the goddess of fertility and rebirth, the patroness of midwives. One Egyptian picture shows Heka reciting spells to effect the resurrection of Osiris. Also a carving shows her kneeling before the queen and superintending at the birth of Hatshepset.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:
And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt [Exod. 8:1–5].
Frogs were everywhere—in Egyptian bedrooms, in kitchens, in every room in the house, in kneadingtroughs and in ovens. When they walked, they walked on frogs; when they sat, they sat on frogs. It was a terrible situation. One frog could not do very much, but many frogs caused great consternation. Of course they were sacred and should not be killed.
And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt [Exod. 8:6–7].
Once again the Egyptian magicians duplicated the plague of frogs. This reveals the power of Satan.
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.
And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?
And he said, To-morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God.
And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only [Exod. 8:8–11].
It is interesting to note that although the magicians could multiply the frogs, they could not remove them. Pharaoh was so upset by this plague that he was ready to promise anything. God was beginning to force this king to acknowledge who He is.
And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said [Exod. 8:12–15].
This passage gives us a more comprehensive picture of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. We are told that he hardened his own heart. God’s part in this was to bring to the surface that which was already there.
THE THIRD PLAGUE—LICE
And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said [Exod. 8:16–19].
Up to this point the magicians were able to duplicate every miracle wrought by the hand of God. For some reason they were powerless to reproduce this plague. If it was by trickery that they duplicated the miracles, at least during this plague they finally acknowledged the finger of God in the plagues. Gradually God was convincing the Egyptians that He alone was God.
The worship of these gods entered into the very life of the Egyptians and into their daily routines. This judgment brought loathing upon Geb, the earth god. Geb was closely related to the earth in all of its states. Geb was the one who made his report to Osiris on the state of the harvest.
The word lice could mean gnats or mosquitoes. Its root means to “cover” or “nip” or“pinch”. It is interesting that the nipping, pinching, or covering could not be fulfilled by a gnat or a mosquito. It is, however, a good description of lice. A leading zoologist has said that the mites form an enormous order whose leading function, to a large extent, is to play the scavenger. You can well imagine with the land stinking with frogs that there were crowds of lice. The lice could eventually rid the land of the frogs and could therefore become a blessing as well as a curse.
Regardless of the apparent help the lice might have been, one man tells about his experience with them in Egypt: “I noticed that the sand appeared to be in motion. Close… inspection revealed…that the surface of the ground was a moving mass of minute ticks, thousands of which were crawling up my legs…I beat a hasty retreat, pondering the words of the Scriptures, ‘the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’”
The plague of lice could not be duplicated by the Egyptian magicians. God is beginning to level His judgment against life itself in the land of Egypt.
THE FOURTH PLAGUE—FLIES
And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.
And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to-morrow shall this sign be [Exod. 8:20–23].
Up until this time the plagues had touched both the lands of Egypt and Goshen where the children of Israel lived. Many people were probably telling Pharaoh that since Goshen was also affected by the plagues, the phenomena of the plagues had a natural explanation. Maybe they attributed the vexation to one of the Egyptian gods. Everything becomes crystal clear at this juncture, however, when God declares that from now on there is to be a distinction, and none of the following plagues will touch the land of Goshen, the home of Israel. From now on, judgment will fall only upon the land of Egypt.
The fourth judgment is the plague of flies. These “flies” were most likely the sacred beetle or scarab as they were known in Egypt. These scarabs, many of gold, are found in the tombs in Egypt. They were sacred to the sun god Ra. The severity of this plague is reflected in the fact that Pharaoh was willing to reach some sort of compromise with Moses at this time. Notice the proposal that Pharaoh made as the sacred beetle invaded the land.
And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.
And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land,
And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
We will go three days’journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us [Exod. 8:24–27].
The Egyptian scarab spoke of eternal life. Imagine this most sacred thing becoming a curse to the people and a plague upon the land. Pharaoh wanted to work out a compromise; he made four compromises in all before the plagues came to an end. Moses and Aaron wanted the children of Israel to go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice. Pharaoh said, “All right, you may sacrifice, but stay in the land.” This is the same kind of compromise that many Christians make. It is always satanic. This compromise says we can be Christians but not narrow ones. Be a broadminded Christian and don’t change your life. If your life doesn’t change, you are not a Christian. Now don’t accuse me of saying you have to perform good works to be a Christian. I didn’t say it that way. We are saved by faith in Christ and nothing else—works are excluded. But when you put your faith in Christ to save you, it will change your life. That is where Christian conduct comes in. The inner man must be changed first. My point is that the contemporary church has made many compromises and for the most part is still in the land of Egypt. You cannot tell the difference today between the average Christian and the average man of the world.
The facts tell us that over fifty percent of the citizens of the United States are members of some religious body. Whenever I am on a plane and they are serving cocktails, I play a game to pass the time. At first I counted the people having cocktails but that became too big an undertaking; so now I just count the people who do not have drinks. The other day I was on a plane where only four people did not take cocktails. Now friends, there must have been some church members on that airplane. They were sacrificing in the land of Egypt. They were broad-minded and did not want to be “square.” They wanted to live like the world.
We are in a race today with two horses. One horse is black and one is white. If you decide to ride them and put one foot on one horse and one foot on the other, you will soon make a strange discovery. These horses will run in opposite directions. You must make up your mind which horse you want to ride. Moses will not accept Pharaoh’s compromise. Moses insists on Israel’s going three days’ journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord God.
Next Pharaoh decides on a second compromise.
And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me [Exod. 8:28].
Pharaoh’s concession this time is just a shade different from his other one. He says, “Do not go very far away and also entreat for me.” This, again, is the same kind of compromise that we find many churches (even fundamental ones) adopting—the program of the world. They run their entire program on the basis of banquets, promotion, contests, and so forth. Many churches are so much like the world that it is difficult to tell them from the Rotary Club, or any knife-and-fork club whose membership is made up largely of those who do not know Christ.
And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to-morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.
And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord.
And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.
And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go [Exod. 8:29–32].
Pharaoh is hardening his heart and God is making him reveal what is already in his heart.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: The fifth plague—murrain; the sixth plague—boils; the seventh plague—hail
God continues to deal with the stubborn heart of Pharaoh and with his people. So long as Pharaoh resists the Lord God, anguish and disaster will be poured out upon the land of Egypt and its inhabitants. Up to this chapter we are told that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, and now we are told that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh’s continual refusal to acknowledge the Lord God and obey His wishes has brought about God’s power in destruction. God wants to shower blessings upon us and wants to save us, but our refusal can turn blessing to cursing. So is the case with Pharaoh.
THE FIFTH PLAGUE—MURRAIN
Then the Lord said unto Moses. Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.
And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, To-morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.
And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.
And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go [Exod. 9:1–7].
A person would think that by this time Pharaoh would be impressed and let the children of Israel go. The fact is obvious that God is involved in this plague and that He is dealing with this king and his people.
With a tour group I made a trip out to the pyramids. When we got back, one of the men who knew the area said, “Did you see the mummies of the bulls?” We said, “No.” “Well,” he said, “you missed the most important thing.” So several in our group went back out there to get pictures of them. I was not interested in going twelve miles in all that heat to see mummies of bulls! But they are there—literally hundreds of them, reverently entombed in sarcophagi. Archaeologists have just begun unearthing them. Apis, the black bull, was worshiped in Egypt. The second largest temple that Egypt built was located in Memphis and was for the worship of the black bull Apis. Apis was supposed to be an embodiment of Ptah of Memphis. Apis, thought to be engendered by a moonbeam was distinguished by several characteristics. A new Apis was always believed to be born upon the death of the old. The dead bull was embalmed and buried in Memphis. His soul then passed to the world beyond as Osiris-Apis.
You might say that what they had here is the worship of a sick cow. God must have smiled at this. God is leveling His judgments against this awful, frightful institution of idolatry that had such a hold upon the Egyptian people as well as on the Israelites. We shall see later that Israel, too, had gone into idolatry.
THE SIXTH PLAGUE—BOILS
And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast [Exod. 9:8–10].
It is only an assumption, but this plague probably began right in the presence of Pharaoh, and he may have been the first one to get boils.
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians [Exod. 9:11].
Pharaoh had with him at all times his magicians or wise men who counselled him. They were able to duplicate the first three plagues and miracles. The rest they were unable to duplicate, and now in this judgment they have boils too! I can imagine they left in a hurry.
For the first time God is touching man as well as beast with judgment. He is afflicting man’s physical body. The priests who served in the Egyptian temples had to be clean, without any type of breaking out or sickness. Suddenly this plague of boils comes upon them and they are unclean, unfit to serve in the temples. This brings to a halt all of the false worship in Egypt.
I walked over part of the ruins of the city of Memphis. The ruins are practically all gone now, but archaeologists know something of the extent of that great city. Up one thoroughfare and down the other was temple after temple. There were over one thousand temples in Memphis, and priests served in all of them. You can imagine what this plague of boils did to the services in these temples. Everything slowed to a standstill. All the bright lights went off!
About the time I was in this city I remember reading about a strike in Las Vegas. There on “glitter gulch” are probably more neon lights than any place in the world. I have been told that if you fly in an airplane over Las Vegas at night, it is so bright that you think the sun is coming up. Well, they had a strike and the lights went out. Motels closed and the people left. It was such a startling event that the strike was settled immediately.
Conditions were similar in the land of Egypt to those in Las Vegas during the strike. False religion was out of business. Everyone had boils. The priests could not serve in the temples. There were probably signs on the temples, which said, CLOSED BECAUSE OF SICKNESS.
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me [Exod. 9:12–13].
Even though Pharaoh himself is afflicted with boils, God continues to ask for the release of His people through His servant Moses. How many times have we read, “Let my people go that they may serve me”? How many times have we read God’s request, “Let my people go”? Still Pharaoh refuses to let Israel leave the land. His heart is hard.
For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go [Exod. 9:14–17].
God is going to use Pharaoh to demonstrate His power throughout all of the earth. Here is a case of God using the wrath of man to praise Him. Psalm 76:10 says, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee ….”
THE SEVENTH PLAGUE—HAIL
Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now [Exod. 9:18].
Egypt is essentially a land of little rain. The average is less than an inch in one year. God tells them that they are going to have rain—but a kind they can do without.
Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses [Exod. 9:19–20].
This is a question of whether or not they believed God. God said, “Get yourselves and your cattle inside.” Many people did not believe the words of God, and they suffered from the judgment. God gave them a chance, but it was their choice whether or not they believed what He said. The same holds true today.
And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field [Exod. 9:21].
This plague was directed against Isis (sometimes represented as cow-headed), goddess of fertility and considered the goddess of the air. She is the mythical daughter of Set and Nut, the sister and wife of Osiris, and the mother of Horus. It is said that the tears of Isis falling into the Nile River caused it to overflow its banks and bring nourishment to the land. Isis was a prominent goddess in Egypt, and the plague of hail was directed against her.
It is important to note that this plague touches mankind, as well as the animals.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field [Exod. 9:22–25].
Those who did not believe God made no provision for protection. The message God gave to the Egyptians is the same one He gives to the world today. Judgment is coming. Man is not wise to go on as if nothing is going to happen. It was that way in the days of Noah, and it will be that way when Christ comes again in judgment. Many people in Egypt did not believe God, and they paid the price for their unbelief. All God asks is that you believe Him.
Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked [Exod. 9:26–27].
This is the first time that Pharaoh has made any admission of sin.
And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled [Exod. 9:31].
The wheat and rye were not smitten in the same way, verse 32 tells us, because they were not yet grown up. It was all beaten down. This was a judgment against the Egyptian food and clothing.
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses [Exod. 9:35].
God is striking at the Egyptians in an attempt to wake them up and shake them out of their false worship. Pharaoh, leader of the people, continues to harden his heart.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Pharaoh is threatened with a plague of locusts; the eighth plague—locusts; the ninth plague—darkness; the Lord’s claim on Israel
PHARAOH IS THREATENED WITH A PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS
A person begins to wonder what it is going to take to cause Pharaoh to let Israel go.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord [Exod. 10:1–2].
God has many reasons for doing what He does. One reason for the plagues was to make Pharaoh reveal that he was a godless man. God could have taken the children of Israel out of the land immediately without making any contact with Pharaoh. If He had, the critic would say that God certainly was not fair to Pharaoh. He should have given him an opportunity to let Israel go, and He should have given him an opportunity for salvation. Well, friend, that is exactly what God has done. God also wanted to demonstrate to His people what He was able to do before He took them into the wilderness. He wanted them to know that He was well able to bring them into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That story has been told through the observance of the Passover for nearly four thousand years.
And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him. How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? [Exod. 10:3–7].
Pharaoh’s servants try to reason with him, “Don’t you realize that Egypt is destroyed? How much longer are you going to permit it? Let them go!” So, once again, Moses and Aaron are brought into the presence of Pharaoh.
THE EIGHT PLAGUE—LOCUSTS
And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go?
And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord.
And he said unto them, Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it: for evil is before you [Exod. 10:8–10].
Pharaoh is very angry that they would not accept his compromise.
Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord: for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence [Exod. 10:11].
Pharaoh told Moses that the adults could go into the wilderness and sacrifice but they were to go without the children. Pharaoh suspected, undoubtedly, that if Israel would go three days’ journey into the wilderness they would keep going. He wants to stop them, and he knows that if he keeps the children, the adults will come back.
Just as Pharaoh tempted and tested Moses with compromise, so the child of God today is tempted with compromise. Children all across the country are being brought up in an educational system that is absolutely contrary to the teachings of Christianity. The child of God is told that he must learn to get along in the world, make all the money he can, and get involved in the world. I have been a pastor for over thirty years, and again and again I have seen Christian parents want the best for their children. They want them to have the best education. They want them to succeed and be rich. One after another has fallen and departed from the Lord. Many members of churches I have served have lost their children to the world. Wanting the “best” of the world for their children is the most subtle temptation that can come to Christian parents.
What do you expect, my friends, when you send your children to these worldly institutions and they come home thoroughly brain-washed? Why do you say, “My, how could he do that when he was brought up in a Christian home?” The problem is that he was not actually raised in a Christian home. The parents of many young people may be lovely Christian people but they did not really train their children in Christian precepts and values. They were so anxious and ambitious for them to get on in the world that they lost them.
Moses and Aaron would not accept Pharaoh’s compromise, and this made him angry. His anger did not accomplish a thing, however, because another plague was about to begin.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt [Exod. 10:12–15].
There are several interesting things revealed in this judgment of locusts. Notice that they did not appear miraculously, as did some of the other plagues. An east wind brought them from another place, possibly from somewhere in Asia. Locusts were prominent in the Asian area and this wind had brought them over a broad expanse of desert, and they were pretty hungry when they arrived in the green Nile Valley. They absolutely stripped the land of vegetation.
The locust is used in Scripture as a picture of judgment. A plague of locusts is probably one of the worst things man has to face. The prophet Joel described a plague of locusts in the past, which is a matter of history, then predicted a judgment that is yet in the future for mankind. The Book of Revelation also mentions a great plague of locusts that will come upon the earth. These insects probably had a greater effect upon the land of Egypt than any of the previous plagues that had come upon the land.
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you [Exod. 10:16].
This is another time Pharaoh has made an admission of sin.
Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord.
And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go [Exod. 10:17–20].
There is a method in the way God is dealing with the Egyptians and a systematic and orderly way in which He is sending the plagues. The first plagues were directed against the different gods, goddesses, and idols that infested the land. Now God is beginning to direct the plagues in a manner that works a tremendous hardship upon the people and their struggle to stay alive. The plague of locusts certainly has its effect, and the people try to convince Pharaoh that things are bad. This causes Pharaoh to temporarily repent. The minute the plague is removed, however, Pharaoh changes his mind and goes back to his original position. God is going to force him to let the children of Israel go.
THE NINTH PLAGUE—DARKNESS
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings [Exod. 10:21–23].
Have you ever been in a place where you could feel the darkness? The only time I have actually felt darkness was down in Carlsbad Caverns. Years ago on a tour of the cave they turned out the lights and the group sang “Rock of Ages.” It was very effective. I am told they no longer sing this song because of criticism from some unbelievers, but the blackness of the darkness in that cave could be felt. I have never been in darkness like that before or since, and it was this kind of darkness that was over the land of Egypt. The judgment was upon the sun-god Ra. Darkness came over the land of Egypt in the daytime. God moved in with darkness against the chief god that they worshiped. The sun disc is the most familiar symbol the Egyptians used; it is in all of their art. The plague of darkness showed the utter helplessness of Ra. This darkness was a miracle of God, and it caused Pharaoh to propose a fourth compromise. This was the last compromise he made before he allowed the children of Israel to leave the land of Egypt.
THE LORD’S CLAIM ON ISRAEL
And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you [Exod. 10:24].
You would think that just leaving their flocks and herds behind would be a compromise that Moses might make for the Israelites. Pharaoh has come a long way in making concessions to Moses, and you would think this one would be agreeable. Once again there is a lesson here for the modern-day Christian. God called Israel to leave Egypt “lock, stock, and barrel.” The children were not to be left in Egypt to be raised in their educational system. If we expect to bring our children up in the wisdom of the world and expect them to pour all of their energies into becoming successful, we should also be prepared to lose them to the world. I listened to a mother tell about how she had sent her son to a godless school, and how he was being advanced. She didn’t mention to me that he had lost his faith, although he had. He had graduated from this school, was given a high position. I see his name in print many times. Then she came with tears in her eyes to tell me how her son had turned his back upon everything she held sacred. Well, that’s the way she started him out. The world is subtle.
There are also many Christians today who leave their “flocks and herds in the land of Egypt.” Egypt, by the way, is a picture of the world. Many Christians are faithful in the church, support their pastor, give to the Lord’s work and all the rest, but they do business in the land of Egypt. They put their flocks and herds in Egypt above everything else. If they had to make a choice to serve God or make a trip to Egypt for their flocks and herds, you know which direction they would go.
It is interesting that many Christians say, “I serve the Lord on Sunday, but during the week I am out in the cold-hearted business world.” Many of these so-called Christians live so much like folk of the world that it is difficult to tell them apart. They live like everyone else in the land of Egypt. I am of the opinion that the Rapture of the church will break the hearts of a great many Christians because it will separate them from their investments in the world. They will have to leave their safe-deposit boxes, savings accounts, their stocks and bonds, and real estate. This is what they have given their time and hearts to, and it will cause them great grief to leave them behind.
Notice what Moses says to this compromise. Moses tells Pharaoh that there will be no compromise.
And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God.
Our cattle also shall go with us: there shall not an hoof be left behind: for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more [Exod. 10:25–29].
There would be no compromise.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The Israelites ask Egyptians for jewels; the firstborn of Egypt are threatened with death
This is the final chapter in this section of the contest with Pharaoh. The death of the firstborn is the final act of judgment upon Egypt before Israel is freed from the yoke of bondage. Pharaoh should have learned by this time that it is futile to enter into conflict with God. God has been longsuffering and forgiving, but He must make Pharaoh understand that it is time for Israel to leave Egypt. All of Egypt was inclined to take Pharaoh’s side in this contest with God and He must deliver one final blow upon Egypt in His attempt to teach them the lessons they need to learn.
THE ISRAELITES ASK EGYPTIANS FOR JEWELS
And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt: afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.
And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people [Exod. 11:1–3].
The word “borrow” in this passage simply means to collect back wages. The Israelites had served for years as slaves and had never received any payment for their labors. Now they were going to get their money. They were literally to go to their neighbors and ask for their back wages. The Lord gave the Israelites favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they were glad to pay the children of Israel their just payment.
THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT ARE THREATENED WITH DEATH
And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.
And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land [Exod. 11:4–10].
Now the firstborn of both man and beast belonged to the gods of Egypt. The Lord God will claim the firstfruits of the Egyptian gods. He is going to show that there is a difference between the children of Israel and the Egyptians. The difference did not lie in the death angel which passed over both the lands of Egypt and Goshen. It did not lie in the fact that one race was Jew and one was Gentile. The difference lay in the blood of the lamb put upon the doorpost. Each home protected by the blood would not be touched by the death angel. This was the beginning of the oldest religious holiday of the Jews, the Passover Feast. The Passover is one of the most eloquent portraits of the Lord Jesus Christ found in the Old Testament.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: The beginning of Israel’s religious year; institution of the Feast of the Passover; the tenth plague—death of the firstborn; the Israelites are driven out of Egypt
The Feast of the Passover was instituted as a memorial to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their adoption as Jehovah’s nation. The Passover is a festival that laid the foundation of the nation Israel’s birth into a new relationship with God.
THE BEGINNING OF ISRAEL’S RELIGIOUS YEAR
Chapter 12 is a high point in the Book of Exodus. Here we find the institution of the Feast of the Passover. It is a picture of that which Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “…For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Christ is in this chapter.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you [Exod. 12:1–2].
This chapter brings us to a new division in the Book of Exodus. The first division (chapters 1–11) deals with Moses, the deliverer. Chapters 12–14 deal with the deliverance of Israel. The first was a deliverer, now it’s the deliverance. The deliverance is actually not by Moses. The deliverance is first by blood. That’s the Passover Feast, the death of the firstborn. Then in chapters 13 and 14, crossing the Red Sea and the destruction of the army of Egypt are by power. God delivered them by blood and by power. And our redemption today is by blood and by power. The blood that the Lord Jesus Christ shed on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. The power of the Holy Spirit makes it real and effectual in our sinful hearts. Zechariah 4:6 says, “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Redemption is the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross for us and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Verses 1 and 2 of this chapter tell of the birthday of a nation. When Israel entered Egypt, it was as a family. When they made their exit from Egypt, it was as a nation. The interesting point is that God puts the emphasis on the family here because the family comprises the building blocks out of which the nation was made. You remember how Pharaoh forced the Israelites to make bricks without straw. All the time that Israel was in bondage, God made them the bricks of the family for the building of a nation out of the straws of individuals. An old cliché says, “No nation is stronger than the families of that nation.”
The zero hour has come for Israel. The countdown begins in this chapter for the exodus of the children of Israel out of Egypt.
INSTITUTION OF THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER
Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house [Exod. 12:3].
There are two prominent points of emphasis in this verse: (1) the blood, and (2) the family. The Israelites have become a nation and God is going to deliver them, but He will do it by families and by the individuals in the family. There was to be a lamb in every house. The lamb, of course, speaks of the blood that will be put on the doorpost.
And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb [Exod. 12:4].
This verse does not say anything about the lamb being too little for the household. This would not happen; the lamb is sufficient. It is possible, however, that the household might be too little for the lamb. God is interested in each individual member of the family. Each family was to have a lamb, but what if a man and his wife were childless or had married children who lived apart from them? This couple is then supposed to join with a neighbor who is in the same position and divide the lamb. Each individual in each family is to receive a part of the lamb. The celebration of the Feast of the Passover is to be a personal, private matter. It is redemption for the nation, yes, but it centers in the family. It must be received and accepted by each individual member in the family. The Passover is a family affair.
God is presenting the modus operandi by which He is going to save individuals. No one is saved because he is the member of a nation or a family. Take, for example, the account of the Philippian jailor and the salvation of his household as told in the Book of Acts, chapter 16. His family was not saved because the jailor believed, but because each member of his family made a transaction with the Lamb, each had to partake of the Lamb. That was true here. Every member had to exhibit his faith in this way. “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31) does not mean that if you believe, your family will be saved. No! Your family will have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and then they will be saved. Each one will have to participate and partake of it in order to come in under the protection and the redemption of the blood that is out on the doorpost of the house.
We have come to a fateful night in the land of Egypt. The final plague is about to descend upon the people. The Israelites in the land of Goshen were spared during the last three plagues, and God’s people were delivered from judgment, but they were not redeemed. Now they have to be redeemed and exhibit faith in the blood.
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening [Exod. 12:5–6].
This portion of Scripture is quite interesting. Note that each family had a lamb. Thousands of lambs must have been slain that evening, but the sixth verse reads, “Israel shall kill it in the evening.” These many lambs were speaking of another Lamb. God looked at all of these lambs as that one Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was the Passover offered for us. This feast was pointing to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world.
And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it [Exod. 12:7].
The children of Israel were to put the blood of the lamb outside on the door. Upon seeing the blood, the death angel would pass over the house. I believe there is a picture given here that will answer a question that is asked many times: What will happen to the little children of believers at the time of the Rapture? If small children are in the house when the Lord comes for His own, will He take the Mom and Dad and leave the little ones behind? This chapter shows us that God will not leave the young ones behind.
Inside the home the family is eating the lamb, and by faith they are partaking of Christ. The young children do not know what is taking place. Will they be left behind in Egypt when Israel goes out from the land? If a little one has not yet reached the age of accountability, will he be slain? Oh no, friend, the blood covers everyone in the family. God will not leave small children behind at the time of the Rapture any more than He left them behind when the Israelites were redeemed and left the land of Egypt.
And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it [Exod. 12:8].
Each instruction connected with this feast had a specific meaning and message. This verse speaks of the fellowship of the family. The family entered into the celebration of the Passover together. I want to make a statement now that will cause some heated reactions. Today, in our very highly organized church programs, we put the juniors in one place, the junior high group in another place, and the senior high group in still another place. Can’t you just hear Moses telling the Israelites to take their babies over to the nursery in Pharaoh’s palace because that is where he was raised! Then he might tell them to take the juniors over to the volleyball court, and so forth. May I say to you that a lot of the children would have missed out on the Exodus that night. The observance of the Passover was a family affair, and I am afraid that our churches today are guilty of dividing families. Families should be together in church.
When I was a young preacher in Tennessee, I held meetings in many country churches and had the best time of my life. I would start preaching in the evening to families who might have a baby with them. The mother would cradle a restless child in her arms, and I learned to out-talk them. If I can’t out-talk a six-month-old child, there is something radically wrong! So I learned to preach above them. Then the baby would go to sleep, and the mother would take it to the back of the church and put the child on a pallet. She would come back and sit with her husband and maybe two or three other children. Mothers would pop up like popcorn all over the assembly and put their children on the pallets and return to sit with their families. This went on night after night.
One member told me about a preacher who had held meetings in the church about a year ago. He told the congregation that he was a greater preacher than the apostle Paul. He paused for a moment after making that statement because he knew the people would question it. “I am a greater preacher than Paul because he preached until midnight and put only one person to sleep. I have not preached for thirty minutes, and I have put a dozen to sleep.” On that basis, friends, I too, am a great preacher!
These small country churches were not very well organized, but they produced some wonderful saints of God. I do not have any confidence in the revolutionary crowd storming our campuses today. We have done it wrong, friends. God’s pattern was family centered and we have departed from this pattern.
We are also told in this verse that they were to eat the flesh of the lamb roast with fire. Fire speaks of judgment. There must be judgment of sin. They were to eat the lamb with unleavened bread. Leaven speaks of sin, and unleavened bread speaks of Christ as the One we are to feed upon. They were also to partake of this meal with bitter herbs. Although there are different meanings attached to these herbs, in this context I believe it means that our experience will not always be sweet after we have received Jesus Christ as Savior. The bitter herbs go with redemption.
Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof [Exod. 12:9].
This sacrifice could not be eaten raw because it spoke of the judgment of sin in human lives, and this requires sacrifice and the fire of judgment. When a person comes to Christ, he comes as a sinner. The sacrifice was not to be soaked with water. This simply means that we must trust Christ and Him alone. Unfortunately there are many today who are trusting in water for their salvation. Everything was to be roasted. It was the judgment of fire.
And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord [Exod. 12:11–12].
Friend, when you come to Christ, you should have your loins girded and be ready to get out of the world and no longer be involved in it. I do not believe that you can be converted and continue living a sinful life. This does not mean that you will not sin occasionally, but it does mean that you will not make a habit of living in a pattern of sin.
We had a remarkable instance of a woman in Los Angeles who ran a liquor store and was converted to Christ. She called me by phone and said she was getting out of the liquor business. She said, “If you tell me to take a hammer and break every bottle in the store, I will do it.” But it was all she had. I told her to sell the business. She sold it and is a wonderful Christian today.
You will get out of “Egypt” if the blood has been put on the doorposts. You are to eat the sacrificial lamb with your loins girt about, ready to go.
God had directed His plagues, one at a time, against the principal gods of Egypt. All of the gods demanded the offering of the firstborn. Now God is turning His guns against all the Egyptian idols.
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt [Exod. 12:13].
The Israelites were not saved because they were the seed of Abraham. If the Egyptians had obeyed God’s command, they, too, would have been saved. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” No one was saved because he was doing the best he could, or because he was honest, or because he was a good person. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” They were not to run out of the house during the night and look at the blood; they were to have confidence and faith in it. They were not saved because they went through the ceremony of circumcision, or because they belonged to some church. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” The death angel was not making a survey of the neighborhood. They were not to open a window and tell the death angel how good they were and how much charity work they had done. Any man who put his neck out of a window that night would have died. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Nothing needed to be added. Who was saved that night? Those who believed God. Those who had sprinkled the blood upon their doorposts and trusted in it. Although I do not understand it completely, I believe what God says. He tells me that the shed blood of Christ will save me and nothing else will.
God said that when he saw the blood, he would pass over that home. The blood was not some mystic or superstitious sign. A great principle runs all the way through the Word of God that without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. In other words, God cannot arbitrarily or big-heartedly shut His eyes to sin and do nothing about it, any more than can a judge today when the guilty are brought before him. The judge should apply the law to the guilty, and the penalty should be paid. Part of our problem in America today is the laxity in law enforcement. But God’s law is inexorable in the universe—“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” The death sentence is upon all of us. But God is gracious, and an innocent life may be substituted for the guilty. Up until Christ came, it was a lamb. Then Jesus was “…the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). If we receive Christ, we are saved from the judgment that we deserve as sinners.
Now on that night in Egypt, there was the death of the firstborn in every home that was not protected by the blood. The application of the blood on the doorposts and the lintels of the home was an indication of faith, you see. That answers to the appropriation of a personal faith in Christ.
There followed the Passover Feast. In the Book of Leviticus there are instructions given for the Passover and then the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which actually was part of it, but took place after the Passover Feast.
And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you [Exod. 12:14–16].
Actually, this has nothing to do with the death angel passing over. It has nothing to do with their salvation. This is a feast of fellowship for those within the home. It is a duty, of course—God commanded it—and it is also a privilege. They are to have fellowship with God.
And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever [Exod. 12:17].
They ate the unleavened bread on the wilderness march because on the night of the Passover they were expelled from Egypt. And they ate the bread for seven days.
Notice that it is unleavened bread. If they ate leavened bread they were cut off—that is, cut off from fellowship.
Leaven is mentioned eight times between verses 14 and 20.
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread [Exod. 12:19–20].
Leaven is a principle of evil. It represents that which is evil and offensive. In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew there is a parable about a woman hiding leaven in three measures of meal. That leaven is not the gospel because leaven is a principle of evil. The three measures of meal represent the Word of God, and leaven (evil) has been put into it. It is amazing to see the amount of error being taught today, and how many gullible folk believe it. “Leaven” is being mixed into the teaching of the Word. All of the cults and “isms” use the Bible, but mix false doctrine with it. This is what the children of Israel were told to avoid.
Our Lord made this matter of “leaven” clear in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 16:6 says, “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Then Matthew 16:11 continues, “How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?” The Lord’s disciples, at this time, thought He was speaking about physical bread. Later they understood that the Lord was speaking about the doctrine of the Pharisees, which was evil.
Unleavened bread is not palatable. There are a great many people who do not like the study of the Bible, the pure, unleavened Word of God. Many people love to come to church for the social time, or the music, or the beauty of the place, but not for the Word of God. They do not want the Word of God because it is not palatable to them.
I have been in Israel during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and never got so tired of unleavened bread in my life because I was brought up in the South where we had hot biscuits that puff right up. What a wonderful night it was when this feast came to an end and they brought out the real bread. It tasted good to the natural man. Unleavened bread is not as tasty as the leavened bread is, but the Word of God is the food that is good for the child of God.
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you [Exod. 12:22–23].
Have you wondered how they put the blood on the door posts? Hyssop is a fluffy little plant that grows around rocks. It was used to apply the blood to the house. Hyssop, to me, represents faith. That is the way the blood of Christ is applied to your heart and life. You trust what Christ has done when He died for you.
THE TENTH PLAGUE—DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN
This is the last judgment and the last plague to come upon the land of Egypt. God had prepared His people for it. The land of Goshen had escaped the last three plagues but could not escape this one unless there was blood on the doorposts. Any Egyptian could follow the example of the Israelites—put blood on his doorpost and believe God—and the death angel would have spared the firstborn in his house. It is going to surprise many people someday when they discover that the Lord Jesus is not going to ask which church they belonged to. If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit of God has baptized you into the body of believers, and you are a member of the true church.
And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead [Exod. 12:29–30].
This final judgment claimed the life of the firstborn in each house. Up to this point God had not touched human life. Now he does, but do not say that God is a murderer. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” He who creates life has the authority to take it away.
THE ISRAELITES ARE DRIVEN OUT OF EGYPT
That night Pharaoh got up:
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.
Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also [Exod. 12:31–32].
Pharaoh finally has had to give up. Until now he has been reluctant to give in to Moses’ demands but this plague reached in and touched his own son. God did not begin by touching the lives of the firstborn; He began the contest with Pharaoh by changing Aaron’s rod into a crocodile. If Pharaoh had believed God, the children of Israel could have left the land and he would have spared his people the judgments. The blame, therefore, should not belong to God.
And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men [Exod. 12:33].
The Egyptians did not know where the judgment of God would end. God had taken their firstborn; what would He do next? Perhaps He would bring death to all the Egyptians, and so Pharaoh and the people told the Israelites to get out of the land because they feared for their own lives.
And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment [Exod. 12:34–35].
The word “borrow” is the Hebrew shaal, meaning “to ask.” God gave them favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that when they asked, the Egyptians gave (not lent) them whatever they wanted. It was God’s way of simply collecting back wages for their years of slave labor in Egypt. The Egyptians owed the Israelites so much in back wages that the children of Israel spoiled them; that is, Israel left with much of Egypt’s wealth.
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children [Exod. 12:37].
It would seem that there came out of the land of Egypt well over one million, and perhaps as many as two million, people. There were six hundred thousand men on foot besides all the women and children.
Then our attention is called to another interesting fact:
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle [Exod. 12:38].
In addition to the Israelites that left Egypt, a mixed multitude left with them. They will be the cause of much trouble in the camp of Israel. We learn more about them in the Book of Numbers; the mixed multitude are troublemakers. Factually, they are half-breeds. An Egyptian married a Jewish maiden or a Hebrew married an Egyptian maiden. The offspring of a union like this had to make a decision—shall he go out of the land of Egypt with the Israelites or stay with the Egyptians? Many of the mixed multitude left the land and many stayed. Those who left, often wondered if they had made a mistake, and when trouble and hardship came they were the first to complain. They were not Israelites in the true sense of the word.
One of the big problems in Israel today is the mixed multitude, those who have a Gentile parent. Are they Israelites? Also we have a problem in the church with those who join the church but are not saved. I have been a pastor for a long time, and I have never believed that a troublemaker in a church is really a child of God. (But let’s understand what we mean by troublemakers. We deal with that in Num. 11.)
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.
Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.
It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations [Exod. 12:39–42].
The celebration of the Passover goes back to the exodus of Israel out of the land of Egypt. They were never to forget what the Lord God did for them until the King comes again and the Millennium is established. And then they will forget it. We will see that later.
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof [Exod. 12:47–48].
Only those who identified themselves by faith with the people of God could take part in this observance. If a Gentile wanted to identify himself in belief with Israel, he was welcome.
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Thus did all the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies [Exod. 12:49–51].
As we follow the children of Israel out of Egypt, to the Red Sea and into the wilderness, we will learn lessons that correspond to experiences in the Christian life today.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Israel’s firstborn sanctified to God; journey to Etham by divine guidance
ISRAEL’S FIRSTBORN SANCTIFIED TO GOD
The children of Israel are leaving the land of Egypt and moving toward the Red Sea.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten [Exod. 13:1–3].
The firstborn in Egypt had died. The gods of Egypt had always claimed the firstborn as their own, and now God claims the firstborn of Israel as His own. He wants the first from believers today, also. Many Christians do not give Him the first place. God claims our best, our very best; God claims the first in everything. Even though He wants first place in our lives, many believers put Him last, and that creates a problem. If we have time, we work for the Lord, but most of our time is spent on personal interests and amusements. We usually give the Lord what is left over.
I remember hearing Billy Sunday tell a story years ago. He was riding across the country with William Wrigley, the chewing gum man. Mr. Wrigley was a Christian, and as they rode on the train he told Billy Sunday that he had made it a practice in his life to give the Lord one tenth of everything that he made, and he added that it was not the last tenth he made that he gave to the Lord. William Wrigley gave the Lord the first tenth of his earnings. It is quite interesting how the Lord blessed him and prospered him. Now God doesn’t guarantee material prosperity to anyone, but it is interesting how He has blessed men and women who put Him first. And to put Him first means no half truth in saying we put Him first—no compromising.
The children of Israel have just come out of Egypt where they served for years as slaves. Then God immediately requires of them their firstborn. Many of them probably said, “Look, Lord, you have just delivered us out of slavery and now you are claiming our firstborn for your own!” The Lord Jesus Christ does the same thing for you and me. He saves us out of the bondage of sin, delivers us, and sets us free. God says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). The Lord is also saying that He wants us to give ourselves to Him. You say, “I’m free!” Are you really free? You have been bought with a price—the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The blessing comes when you give yourself to Him voluntarily and put Him first.
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month [Exod. 13:5].
In other words, the Israelites were to observe the Passover Feast and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord.
Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters [Exod. 13:6–7].
When the Israelites left Egypt, they took on their journey their kneading-troughs and the dough that was in them. This was unleavened dough and God says, “I want you to get rid of leaven. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days, and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee nor in thy house.”
And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt [Exod. 13:8].
This observance was to be passed from one generation to the other so that the people would always remember that God delivered them out of the land of Egypt.
And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.
Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s [Exod. 13:9–12].
The firstborn of all the stock that belonged to the children of Israel belonged to the Lord.
And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem [Exod. 13:13].
Every firstling of an ass was to be redeemed with a lamb. God did not want one of these long-eared animals as an offering. The offering had to be a lamb. The firstborn of man among their children were to be redeemed, as we shall see later on, by silver. Silver was the redemption money.
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem [Exod. 13:14–15].
This observance was to remind the Israelites that God delivered them out of the land of Egypt. The firstborn of their sons had to be redeemed by silver. We are told in 1 Peter 1:18–19 that, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt [Exod. 13:17].
The Israelites had just come out of slavery, and they were not prepared for warfare. The shortest way for them to go to the land which God had given them was up the sea coast. During the 1967 Six-Day War in the land of Palestine, the Israelites moved right down the sea coast and moved the Egyptians right out. Of course, the Israelites had tanks and planes to do it. They were prepared. The Israelites coming out of Egyptian slavery had no weapons to fight with; so God graciously took them through the wilderness. It was a longer route to the land, but it would spare any warfare. They would not have to face an enemy until they entered the land. It took them forty years to get through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. By then they would have an army and be equipped, as we shall see.
Someone might say, “But God could have delivered them by some miracle.” This is true, but this kind of an attitude makes me sick. Some Christians think that God should perform a miracle for them every minute. They feel that they have the right to command the Lord to intervene for them if they are sick or in trouble. It is not a question of His ability; He certainly can do it. Rather, it is a question of the way God wants to do it. He is following a plan. And when it is necessary, God will perform a miracle for us—but only to accomplish His will and way in our lives.
God could have brought the Israelites through the land of the Philistines by a miracle. Had they been attacked, God could have delivered them. When it is necessary, God is prepared to perform miracles but only to accomplish His will.
But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt [Exod. 13:18].
The word “harnessed” is an interesting word. It means that the children of Israel left Egypt in an orderly manner. They did not come out of the land like a mob but in an organized way. They did not have an army but they lined up five in a row. If you had seen them going through the wilderness, you would have observed a most orderly group.
And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you [Exod. 13:19].
When the Israelites left Egypt, Moses took the bones of Joseph. There is an interesting passage in Genesis 50:24 which says, “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Genesis 50:25 continues by saying. “And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.” At least two hundred years had elapsed since Joseph had spoken these words, but now the time had come. When he died, he was a national hero and would have to be buried in Egypt. But eventually a Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph. Since Joseph was no longer a national hero, his bones could be removed from Egypt without protest.
Joseph wanted to be buried in the Promised Land. But why remove his body and bury it in the land? If Joseph knew he would be raised from the dead someday and taken up to heaven, what difference would it make if his launching pad was in Egypt or in the land of Israel? Well, the fact of the matter is that he was not expecting to go to heaven. He expected to be raised in the resurrection of his people in that land for the Millennium—and then for eternity. This will be heaven for them. This was the hope of Joseph, and it is also the hope of Moses. By faith Moses takes the bones of Joseph to the Promised Land.
JOURNEY TO ETHAM BY DIVINE GUIDANCE
And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people [Exod. 13:20–22].
The children of Israel are moving toward the hot, burning desert that even Moses called a great and terrible wilderness. They went through it and did not even get sunburned because they had a pillar of cloud over them by day. This nation had something that no other nation has ever had: the Glory, the visible presence of God. When Paul was defining his kinsman, he said, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory….” (Rom. 9:4). These people had the glory, the visible presence of God.
Not even the church has the visible presence of God with it. Nothing visible has been given to the church. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God “…hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” They were looking forward to the coming of Christ, and we look back to an historical event. We do not need the visible presence of God in order to walk by faith. They needed the “glory” because the redemption had not yet been worked out in history as it has now.
God made every preparation for every eventuality in order to bring His people safely through the wilderness.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Pharaoh and his army pursue Israel; God’s victory over Egypt
PHARAOH AND HIS ARMY PURSUE ISRAEL
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea [Exod. 14:1–2].
It is impossible to locate these places definitely, but they were somewhere between the Nile River and the Red Sea.
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness bath shut them in [Exod. 14:3].
Pharaoh has spies watching the children of Israel. The movement of two and one half million people would be difficult to conceal anyway. Pharaoh expects the Israelites to move up the coastal route and through the land of the Philistines. When they head toward the wilderness, he thinks they are lost and do not know where they are going. God says that when he thinks they are trapped, he will pursue them. It is obvious that Pharaoh let the Israelites go reluctantly. God is not through with this man Pharaoh yet.
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so [Exod. 14:4].
You would think that the Egyptians had experienced enough disaster, but something even more profound is going to take place that will convince them.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them [Exod. 14:5–7].
The host of Egypt moves against the children of Israel with six hundred chariots. You can imagine what that number of chariots could do to a poor, helpless, defenseless people—especially women, children and cattle. They would make havoc and hash of them!
And the Lordhardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them;and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord [Exod. 14:8–10].
The Red Sea is ahead of the Israelites, and the hosts of Egypt are behind them. These poor defenseless people are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. From a natural viewpoint, the Israelites are in a bad spot.
And they said, unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? [Exod. 14:11].
This is a rather ironic statement, and I am sure it was even more so in that day. The great pyramids stood as monuments to the burial places of kings. Mummies were all over the place in Egypt; it was a great burying ground. The children of Israel were saying, “Did you bring us all the way out into the wilderness to die because there was not room to bury us in the land of Egypt?” The Israelites are sure they are going to be slaughtered out in the wilderness.
Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness [Exod. 14:12].
The Israelites, when they were in the land of Egypt, cried out for deliverance. God provided the opportunity for them to leave; but the minute they were in danger, they wanted to return to Egypt.
Now notice what God is going to do for His people. They are helpless and hopeless without the aid of God. If they are to be redeemed, God will have to do it. I wish we could get that objective viewpoint of ourselves today because we are just like the Israelites. If we could go with the astronauts to the moon and look down on this little earth of ours, we would see people lost in sin. Actually our world is a pretty hopeless place; a great burying ground. In Romans 5:12 Paul tells us, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Man has been on the march for over five thousand years. Where is he marching to? Man is marching to the grave. It isn’t pretty, but it is true. Man is the most colossal failure in God’s universe.
GOD’S VICTORY OVER EGYPT
Look at these children of Israel. Unless God moves on their behalf, they are doomed. And you and I could never be redeemed unless God did it, friends. Redemption is the work of the Lord. Jonah said, “… Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9); King David made the same statement, and that is the message of the New Testament.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever [Exod. 14:13].
The Lord will work in behalf of His people; all they have to do is accept and receive His salvation. They are to stand still and God will do the work. Remember, you cannot lift a little finger to work out your salvation. All you have to do is accept what God has done for you.
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace [Exod. 14:14].
God will bring salvation to His people and will bring the peace that comes from having sins forgiven.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea [Exod. 14:15–16].
The Israelites are to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. But when it is wrought they are to lay hold of His instructions by faith. Their faith will be evidenced in whether or not they will go forward.
Many natural explanations are offered as to how the children of Israel crossed the sea. First, I believe it is well established by reputable, conservative historians and theologians that the exodus of Israel is an historical fact. The problem for most people comes in trying to figure out how they crossed the Red Sea. Some say that the wind blew the water back. But there was a wall of water on both sides of the path. Others say that some sort of a natural phenomenon rolled back the sea. Still others claim that an earthquake took place at the exact moment they were ready to cross the sea. The thing that must be faced here is that a miracle took place. You either accept it or you do not. God, by a miracle, opened the sea and the Israelites walked through it on dry ground.
When the Israelites crossed the sea, they crossed to the other side dry-shod. There was not even enough water for them to get their feet damp. It would be difficult to explain this apart from a direct miracle.
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen [Exod. 14:17].
Had you been at the water’s edge when Pharaoh started to follow the children of Israel across the Red Sea, you would have said to him, “I suppose that you recognize that you are doing this because your heart and the hearts of your people are hardened by God, and you really don’t want to do it.” I think Pharaoh and his army would have laughed at you and replied, “We are chasing the Israelites because we want to.” The fact is that God is forcing the Egyptians to do the thing that is in their hearts.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided [Exod. 14:18–21].
There are several things to take note of in this passage. First of all, the Egyptians mentioned in verse 18 are the people who are left back in the land of Egypt. Israel will cross safely to the other side of the Red Sea, and Pharaoh and his army will perish in the waters of that sea, and the Egyptians left in the land will know that the God of the Israelites is the Lord. In verse 19 the “angel of God” is mentioned. I believe the Angel of God was none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. It was God Himself who stood between the Egyptians and the Israelites. When a strong east wind came, it caused the sea to go back. A natural wind could never have made a wall of water on both sides.
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians [Exod. 14:22–25].
As God works out His plan to deliver His people, once again we see that He worked through the pillar of fire and the cloud, which I believe represent the Holy Spirit. They were led, as the child of God should be led today, by the Spirit of God.
It becomes clear to the Egyptians that what is happening to them is certainly supernatural. They want to retreat and escape the forces which are against them.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them [Exod. 14:26–28].
This account needs close observation because it is a miracle. There is no natural way to explain what happened. Many conservative men, although they believe in the Word of God and are saved by faith alone in Christ, try to explain the crossing of the Red Sea in some natural way. When you read this record, it is impossible to explain it naturally. God says it is a miracle and you either take it or leave it.
But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left [Exod. 14:29].
This is a miracle. Twice, now, this has been made clear to us. They walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. The waters were a wall to them on the left side and on the right side. You cannot explain it on a natural basis.
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses [Exod. 14:30–31].
These two verses state the purpose for God’s deliverance of Israel. At the beginning of their wilderness march they saw the power of God when He delivered them by blood out of Egypt. Now at the Red Sea He demonstrates His power again by taking them safely across the sea and by destroying the Egyptians pursuing them. God delivers His children by power.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Israel’s song of redemption; Israel murmurs because they lack water
ISRAEL’S SONG OF REDEMPTION
Immediately upon their safe journey across the Red Sea, the children of Israel join in singing a song.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.?
The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name [Exod. 15:1–3].
They are singing lustily now. This is the same crowd, friends, that only a few hours before on the other side of the Red Sea were moaning, crying out that they wanted to go back to Egypt and saying, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?” We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that, “…all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
God uses this experience to teach us a very important truth. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Cor. 10:1–2). How were the children of Israel baptized unto Moses? It could not have been by water because they crossed the sea dry-shod. Not a drop of water fell upon them. If you want to talk about water, take a good look at the Egyptians; they were the ones who got wet. Then what does it mean that the Israelites were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea? It means that they were identified. The primary meaning of baptism is identification. The ritual of baptism is the baptism of water, and I believe it is important. It sets forth the real baptism which is of the Holy Spirit and identifies us with Christ and puts us in Christ. Now how were the Israelites baptized unto Moses? They complained on one side of the sea, and when they crossed to the other side, they sang the song of Moses. They were identified with Moses. They were delivered through him.
“By faith they passed through the Red sea by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned” (Heb. 11:29). It was “by faith” that the Israelites crossed the sea. Whose faith was it? It was not the faith of the children of Israel because they did not have any until they crossed over the sea. They were identified with Moses. It was Moses’ faith. It was Moses who smote the Red Sea. It was Moses who led them across. When they reached the other side of the sea, it was Moses who lifted the song of deliverance. Now they have seen the salvation of God. They are identified with Moses. They have been baptized unto Moses.
Friends, this is what happens when you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. He is the One who takes us out of the Egyptian bondage and the Egyptian darkness of this world. He leads us across the Red Sea. It is His deliverance and His salvation and His redemption. He brings us to the place where we can lift a song of redemption unto Him. Then we are joined to Him. We are baptized into Christ. First Corinthians 12:13 says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the one who joins us to Christ and causes us to become one with Him. It is a wonderful thing to be joined to Him!
A dear little lady talking about the assurance of her salvation once said, “Nobody can take you out of His hand.” Someone replied, “Well, you might slip through His fingers.” And she replied, “Oh my no, I couldn’t slip through His fingers; I am one of His fingers.” That is true, friends. We are members of the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit of God joins us to Him. What a wonderful redemption we have in Christ! What happened to Israel is an example for us. It is a picture of our redemption and what the Spirit of God does when we trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
Before the Israelites joined in with Moses to sing to their God the song of redemption, they were singing the blues, the Desert Blues. Before they crossed the sea, they sang the blues loud and long, and they will be returning to the Desert Blues again because it will be their theme song as they travel through the desert. For a time, however, they lustily sang the song of redemption.
This song can be compared with the song of Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges. There are many songs in the Bible. David composed and sang many songs found in the Psalms. You will find that his songs are great songs. Even Jeremiah had a song, even though it was often with a wail. Other prophets had songs throughout the Old Testament.
The New Testament opens with songs. Dr. Luke records several of them. There is the song of Elizabeth when word was brought to her that she was to have a child. Mary sang a song when she learned she was to be the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Other great songs were connected with the birth of Christ. Finally in the Book of Revelation we get a glimpse into heaven as we see a great company gathered around the throne of God singing a new song. Probably that is going to be the first time I will be able to sing. Up to the present time I don’t do very well, but by that time—with a new body and a new voice—I am sure I will be able to sing a new song.
With all the talk about peace today it might be well for everyone to read this song of Moses. It tells us that Jehovah is a man of war. In the nineteenth chapter of Revelation we see Him coming to earth and putting down all unrighteousness. Until He does that, the earth will never have peace. In Matthew 10:34 the Lord said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” These words were spoken about His first coming to the earth. The second time He comes to earth He will bring peace with the sword. That is the only way to rid the earth of unrighteousness.
This song of Moses and the Israelites recounts the wonderful experience they had in crossing the Red Sea. Their song told the story of what they had seen God do and of what God had done for them. It was something they were not apt to forget, but this song certainly kept the experience before them.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy [Exod. 15:4–6].
The Israelites are celebrating their deliverance. Egypt and the Egyptians represent to them the world, slavery, their hopelessness, and helplessness. Now they have been redeemed. That is the sum and substance of their song.
Remember that they have come out of a land of idolatry. Each plague had been leveled at one of the Egyptian gods. Now what is the conclusion they have come to?
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? [Exod. 15:11].
God is teaching them great lessons concerning Himself.
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation [Exod. 15:12–13].
Israel was a redeemed people. The redemption of the people had to come first. That is the important thing today. God is not asking you to do one thing for Him until you have been redeemed and have accepted His salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ upon the cross. He is not asking you for anything. He is not demanding that the world do anything. God is not saying, “If you will prove yourself, come up to a higher standard, wash your face, rake your yard, and put up a good front, I am willing to be your good neighbor.” God does not want anything from the world. He is saying to a lost world, “What will you do with My Son who died for you?” Listen once again to verse 13: “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” It sounds as if they are already in the Promised Land. As far as God is concerned, they are in the land because He is going to take them there.
The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea [Exod. 15:18–19].
Now we are introduced to a girl we have not heard about since the birth of Moses—Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron.
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea [Exod. 15:20–21].
This is the conclusion of this song of praise and thanksgiving to God for His deliverance.
ISRAEL MURMURS BECAUSE THEY LACK WATER
Israel is across the sea now. They have had a wonderful time of praise, singing the song of Moses. They are a redeemed people. You would think that from now on life would be a bed of roses and that they would be delivered from all of their difficulties. There should not have been a cloud in the sky, a thorn along the path, nor a sigh from any of the congregation. They went three days’ journey into the wilderness and what happened to them? They thirsted!
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water [Exod. 15:22].
Egypt had been a land of plenty and with water in abundance. Quite suddenly the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea and found themselves in different circumstances. Water was not available anymore. The cisterns of Egypt were gone and they had not found the fountains of living water. I believe this is the experience of every born-again child of God. After salvation, the believer finds that the cisterns of Egypt do not satisfy at all. There is a period of soul-thirst. This is the period of time Paul speaks of in Philippians 3:7 when he says, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” Then the apostle Paul reveals a great thirst, a tremendous yearning, when he says in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” This is the experience of the child of God after he is redeemed.
I would like to share a personal experience with you. I remember the time God definitely put His hand upon me for the ministry. I came to know the peace of God through trust in Christ. I wanted to study for the ministry, but for the moment I was working in a bank and traveling with a pretty fast crowd. I thought I was having a great time. I was actually the chairman of a dance committee. In those days you always had to have bootleg liquor to dance. I had committed my life to the Lord, but I decided not to break off with the old life all of a sudden. I’d make a gradual break. I decided to go to the dance that night, but I would not, dance—just stand in the stag line and visit around a little bit. I was offered a drink at least a dozen times, and each time turned it down. Finally I met a fellow who worked at the bank with me and had a grudge. I was promoted into a position ahead of him, and he had never forgiven me for it. It was not my fault, because I was not in charge of the bank and did not hand out promotions, but he had never forgiven me. He took advantage of every opportunity to get at me some way, and this evening he said, “This is a pretty place for a preacher to be!” He used some strong language to drive the point home to me, too. I came to the conclusion that what he said was right and, like a little whipped dog, I went down the stairs and out onto the street. I could hear the orchestra playing in the distance, and I almost turned around and went back. I wanted to go back and say to the fellow, “Look, I think I will stay here with the gang.” Thank God I did not!
There is always that trip into the wilderness after you are saved. You get a little thirsty, but the cisterns of Egypt just will not satisfy you anymore. You look for living water and actually do not know where to find it. At that time I knew very little about the Bible and couldn’t find my way around in it at all. But I soon found John 7:37: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” What a wonderful thing it was to come to Him!
Thirsting and not finding water was their first experience. Now they have a second experience that was not much better.
And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
And he cried unto the Lord: and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them.
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee [Exod. 15:23–26].
Their second experience on the other side of the sea is the bitter water of Marah. They have gone three days’ journey into the wilderness and are thirsty. When they finally come to water, it is bitter and unfit to drink. And remember that the children of Israel are now redeemed people. Marah was on the path where God led them. He had marked it out for them.
You may not realize it, but the oasis of Marah is a normal Christian experience. When a bitter experience comes to a Christian, it is a puzzling and perplexing thing. Some people say, “Why does God let this happen to me?” I cannot tell you why certain things befall Christians, but I do know that God is not punishing them. He is educating them and preparing them for something. The Lord said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Right on your pathway there is a Marah. In the pathway of every believer there is a Marah. God has arranged it all. Someone has said, “Disappointments are God’s appointments.” I have found this to be true.
Once a young person said to me, “I wanted to go to school. I wanted to prepare for the mission field, but my father died and I had to help support my mother; so I could not go to school.” When I was a pastor in Nashville, the superintendent of our junior department was a beautiful, sweet, uncomplaining, young woman. She was prematurely gray, and one day I inquired why. I was told that at one time she was engaged to one of the finest young men in the church. They were to be married, but he was called away to war and was killed. It caused her hair to turn gray. That was the “Marah” in her life.
Friend, there are many frustrations, disappointments, and sorrows in life. Your plans can be torn up like a jigsaw puzzle. You may have a little grave on a hillside somewhere. I have. May I say that we all have our Marahs. You will not bypass them. You cannot detour around them, skip over them, or tunnel under them.
God uses a branding iron. I remember West Texas, in the spring of the year when the calves were branded. As a boy I would see the branding iron put down on a little fellow. Oh, how he bellowed! It made me feel sort of sad to hear him cry. But from then on everyone knew to whom he belonged. After a calf was branded, it would not get lost. God does that for us today.
What was it that made the bitter water of Marah sweet? We are told that a tree cast into the water made it sweet. Deuteronomy 21:23 says, “he that is hanged is accursed of God …” and in Galatians 3:13 it says, “… Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Jesus Christ died on a tree, and it is that cross that makes the experiences of life sweet. He tasted death for every man, and took the sting out of death. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” says 1 Corinthians 15:55. It is the cross of Christ that makes sweet the Marah experiences of life.
And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters [Exod. 15:27].
Elim was a place of abundant blessing and fruitfulness. There were seventy palm trees and twelve wells. After the bitterness of Marah, God brought His people to Elim. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Simon Peter may be locked in the inner prison, but the angel is going to open the door. Paul and Silas may be beaten at midnight, but an earthquake will free them. There is a Marah along the pilgrim pathway today; but, friend, there is also an Elim. God’s plan for usefulness always leads to Marah and to Elim. Joseph, you remember, had that experience. Moses did, Elijah did, David did, Adoniram Judson did, John G. Paton did. And I am sure you and I will have that also. Beyond every Marah there is an Elim. Beyond every shadow, there is an Elim. Beyond every cloud, there is the sun. Beyond every shadow, there is the light. Beyond every trial, there is a triumph, and beyond every storm, there is a rainbow. George Matheson wrote, “I trace the rainbow through the rain.” This is the way God leads us. All of these things happened to Israel for examples to us.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Israel murmurs because they lack food; manna and quail are provided by God; manna described and collected; the Sabbath given to Israel
We have been studying the experiences of the nation Israel. After they left the land of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea and came to Mount Sinai, there are seven recorded experiences which correspond to the Christian experience. So far they have sung the song of Moses, gone three days without water, arrived at Marah where the water was bitter, and then journeyed to Elim where there were water and trees in abundance. Elim is a picture of the fruitful Christian experience, and God promises to bring us to this place. Now we come to the Wilderness of Sin, the manna and the quail. And we find that Christ is the Bread of Life.
ISRAEL MURMURS BECAUSE THEY LACK FOOD
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger [Exod. 16:1–3].
It has been only about two and one half months since the Israelites left Egypt. They started murmuring when they came to the Red Sea. When they crossed the sea, they sang the song of Moses, the song of redemption. But it was not long before they began to murmur again and to sing the Desert Blues. We would call them a bunch of gripers. They wanted to be delivered from the slavery of Egypt, but after they journeyed into the wilderness, they ran short of water and food and began to complain. They remembered the fleshpots of Egypt and longed for them. There are many people who have been saved out of sin, then wanted to go back to the old life. Many of us have had that temptation.
A man told me in Nashville that he was saved out of a life of bootlegging and heavy drinking. When he was converted, he knew every bootlegging joint in Nashville, and for the first few months after he was saved he did not dare go by one of those places because he knew he would go in. He said, “I looked back at those old fleshpots but, thank God, today I hate them.”
MANNA AND QUAIL ARE PROVIDED BY GOD
God had no intention of letting His people starve. His plan was to lead them through the wilderness, and He had promised to take care of them.
Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? [Exod. 16:4–7].
Moses and Aaron asked the congregation, “Why are you murmuring against us? We are only human. We cannot do anything. We cannot provide for you. God has heard your murmurings and you will see the glory of God.” Every time Israel murmured, the glory of God appeared. This tells us that God does not like griping, complaining, fault-finding Christians. The church is filled with complaining Christians. If you are in a church where you have to murmur, complain, and gripe, get out and go somewhere else.
And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord [Exod. 16:8].
You should be very careful when you begin to gripe about things at church. Are you griping about the preacher because he is not as friendly as you think he ought to be, or because he did not shake hands with you last Sunday, or because he has not been around to visit you lately? Are you murmuring against him? Aren’t you really against him because he teaches the Word of God and represents God in your church? Sometimes we preachers murmur, too, and we all should be careful that we are not murmuring against God. This is one thing that God does not like.
And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord: for he hath heard your murmurings.
And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
And it came to pass, that even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host [Exod. 16:9–13].
God not only gave the Israelites manna but He sent quail also. They has quail on toast, or on manna, and it was mighty good eating.
MANNA DESCRIBED AND COLLECTED
Manna was Israel’s sustenance as they journeyed through the wilderness.
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents [Exod. 16:14–16].
The Israelites were to gather only enough manna for the day.
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating [Exod. 16:17–18].
The glutton did not get more than his share.
And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Nothwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank; and Moses was wroth with them.
And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted [Exod. 16:19–21].
The manna was to be gathered every morning. Each man was to gather it. This was to be a personal experience. The manna speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Bread of Life. The Gospel of John, chapter 6, confirms this: “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:32–35)
And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein [Exod. 16:22–24].
God would supply day by day, but before the Sabbath day they were to get enough for two days.
Manna is that which represents Christ as the Bread of Life who came down from heaven to give His life for the world. Jesus Christ is the true Bread. He is the one who gives us life and sustenance.
In Deuteronomy 8:4 we find that during the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness their feet did not swell. I have been told by a medical missionary that one of the causes of food-swelling in the Orient is an improper diet. It is interesting that the manna had all the vitamins they needed to keep their feet from swelling as they journeyed through the wilderness. The manna was adequate to meet their needs.
THE SABBATH GIVEN TO ISRAEL
And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a sabbath unto the Lord; to-day ye shall not find it in the field.
Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none [Exod. 16:25–26].
The Sabbath day was given to Israel before the formal giving of law.
And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey [Exod. 16:31].
How would you describe manna? It is difficult to explain. It was a wonderful food that contained all the nourishment Israel needed. It tasted, I think, about like anything they wanted it to taste like. It was a very exciting food, but it started the mixed multitude complaining. Numbers 11:4–5 records an incident which helps us to properly understand manna. “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a-lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick.” This is what the mixed multitude missed in the wilderness, away from the land of Egypt.
The list of foods that they missed included those which grew on or under the ground. They were condiments without real nourishment like the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and garlic. When you eat some of those things, friends, you are not very attractive. Someone has said, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Well, an onion a day keeps everybody away. These are the things that the people of the world eat. They do not satisfy because they are nothing but condiments. The mixed multitude remembered what they had in Egypt and hungered for it.
In Numbers 11:6 it says, “But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” They complained that there was nothing to eat but manna. Numbers 11:7 continues, “And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.” It is as if God is saying, “These people despise my food which is like fried chicken, ice cream, and angel food cake all rolled into one.” Manna was not a monotonous food, but the mixed multitude did not want it.
Numbers 11:8 goes on to say, “And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.” Manna could be fixed in many ways. They could grind it, beat it, baked it in pans, or make a casserole. They probably published Mother Moses’ Cookbook with 1001 recipes. The children of Israel, however, despised God’s heavenly food and complained about eating it. They grew tired of eating manna. They longed for the fleshpots of Egypt. They wanted to go back to that from which they had been delivered.
That is the story, I am afraid, of some people who have been converted, and have been delivered out of “Egypt.” Every now and then they take a side trip back to get the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. There are Christians today who need to make a complete break with the old life. Friend, you can’t go on living like the world, living on the things of Egypt, and be serviceable to God and have the peace of God in your heart. There must be a break with Egypt. We must live on the true Manna that comes from heaven, even the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations [Exod. 16:32–33].
A pot manna was put in the ark, which is described in greater detail in final part of Exodus. In the ark were placed three things: (1) Aaron’s rod that budded, (2) the pot of manna, and (3) the Ten Commandments. The Law speaks of the fact that Christ alone kept the Law. He fulfilled if for you and me. The manna also speaks of Christ’s death for us. He is provided as spiritual food for us. Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of His resurrection. Then placed over the ark, serving as the lid, was the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled. Christ alone was able to meet the demands of God. He alone is able to save, and He can save us because He shed His own blood. Because of that, God can extend mercy to man, the sinner.
And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah [Exod. 16:35–36].
These two verses tell us that the children of Israel ate manna for forty years, and we are told what their daily ration was. When they finally came into the Promised Land, the manna ceased, and they ate the old corn of the land again. Then they also complained about the old corn. They discovered that the manna was an exciting food after all. It was in fact, exotic, compared to the old corn.
The interesting thing about this is that many people live on experience after they have been saved. They have been cross, which speaks of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, but they go right on talking about their experience. When they give a testimony, they speak only of experience. They do not like Bible study because it is old corn. It is the Word of God that our Lord wants us to feed upon. If you haven’t had that taste of manna yet, I suggest that you come to Christ and taste of it. Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” In addition to this, John 6:51 qoutes Jesus as saying, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Water flows from the smitten rock; contention with Amalek
The children of Israel have left the land of Egypt and are on a wilderness march. They are on their way to Mount Sinai. Along the way Israel has had seven experiences that are pictures of the Christian life. Remember, “…all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). All Christians will do well to read and heed these lessons. These lessons are given to us in picture form and their meaning is clear.
WATER FLOWS FROM THE SMITTEN ROCK
As the journey through the desert, the children of Israel thirst and once again they murmur.
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? [Exod. 17:1–3].
The children of Israel were everlastingly complaining. They have a need and start to complain. God graciously meets their need. Then something else comes up and they begin to cry out, complain, and find fault. Many churches are in this same spiritual condition yet they think they are in excellent condition.
And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people?they be almost ready to stone me [Exod. 17:4].
About this time Moses was probably ready to turn his job over to somebody else. Notice God’s provision for Israel.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go [Exod. 17:5].
This is the rod given to Moses when he went back to Egypt. It was to be a badge and seal of the authority and power of Moses.
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not? [Exod. 17:6–7].
This is the first mention of the “rock” and the “water” that came out of that rock. What does the rock represent? We are not left to guess-work or our own speculation or our own wisdom. The Holy Spirit of God explains it in 1 Corinthians 10:1–4 which tells us, “Morever, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
The bread that Israel ate was manna, which was a picture of Christ, the Bread of Life. Christ is also the Water of Life, and the rock is a picture of Him. It contrasts the unbelief of the people (you see, they doubted God here) with the solid rock. Israel was leaning on cobwebs and broken reeds. The small cloud of doubt was hiding the face of God from them.
The rock is a beautiful portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 61:2 says, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” That is Christ. Again the psalmist says, “And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer” (Ps. 78:35). Then Peter tells us, “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet. 2:6–8). Finally, the apostle Paul gives us this advice in 1 Corinthians 3:11, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
The Lord Jesus, as one hymn says, is “a Rock in a weary land.” Although this is a marvelous picture of Him as the foundation—the One upon whom we rest and the One upon whom the church is built—a rock is the last place we go for a drink of water. I do not mean to be facetious, but you could not even get hard water from a rock. That would be like getting blood from a turnip or orange juice from a doorknob. You can admire a rock’s sterling qualities and durability. There are great lessons to be learned from it. You can test it and analyze it, but you cannot drink it. Jesus is a Rock, but His beautiful life and durability will not save you. His teachings will not redeem your soul. His life and teachings are like polished marble which are engraved and, though you apply them to your life with Carborundum or optician’s rouge, they still won’t save you. The application of the principles taught by the Lord Jesus may polish you a little, but He is still that Rock against which you can dash your foot.
You can fall on the Rock Christ Jesus for salvation, but no human effort is able to get water from this Rock. Only when the rock was smitten did it bring forth life-giving waters. Jesus was crucified, and nothing short of believing that He died in your place and bore your sins on that cross will save you. The smitten rock is a picture of the death of Jesus Christ.
In Numbers we are told a second time that the children of Israel complained that they had no water. The first time Israel murmured about being thirsty God told Moses to strike the rock and water gushed forth. In Numbers, however, God gives Moses different instructions. God tells Moses: “Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink” (Num. 20:8). Moses was to speak to the rock because the rock had already been smitten. Christ was crucified nineteen hundred years ago, and when He said on the cross, “…. It is finished….” (John 19:30), it was indeed finished. Christ does not have to be crucified again. God is satisfied with what Jesus did for you. The question is, “Are you satisfied with the work Christ did for you on the cross?” He died to save you. All that God is asking is that you believe in His Son.
From the Rock, Christ Jesus, come spiritual blessings today. The waters of blessing gush forth to relieve parched lips. Ephesians 1:3 informs us that, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” The Rock was smitten once and from it flows an abundance of water. The fountain is brimfull. The stream is bank full. The world is not able to contain it. But in spite of that, there are many men’s souls that are shriveled up and tongues that are parched. Millions of people are dying for want of spiritual drink. The channel is blocked, log-jammed by doubts, corroded by sin, and insulated by indifference. The channel is also dammed by those who profess to know Jesus Christ but who in reality do not know Him.
Friends, I am disturbed and distressed as I look about. The world is thirsty. I ask you personally and particularly, Have you been to that smitten Rock for a drink of living water? God says if you drink of that water you will never thirst again.
CONTENTION WITH AMALEK
During their wilderness march the Israelites ran into the Amalekites, who represent the flesh in Scripture. This experience is yet another lesson we would do well to learn.
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim [Exod. 17.8].
Amalek was a descendant of Esau, and the Amalekites had become enemies of Israel. They never ceased to be Israel’s enemies. For the first time the children of Israel engage in warfare.
And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill [Exod. 17:9–10].
Esau was a picture of the flesh. As Israel could not overcome Amalek by their own efforts, neither can you nor I overcome the flesh by our own efforts. The flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. Paul explains it in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” This is the picture we have in the wilderness as Israel and Amalek war against each other.
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun [Exod. 17:11–12].
Careful observation reveals that the battle was actually fought on top of the mountain. It was fought by prayer. This battle was not won by Israel’s fighting ability because they were not experienced soldiers nor adept at warfare yet. This battle was fought and won by Moses. The moment Moses was no longer able to hold his hands up, the children of Israel began to lose the fight. If it had not been for Moses, Israel would have lost the battle. The important thing to remember is that the Holy Spirit is the only One who can give us victory over the flesh. Victory comes as the believer walks in the Spirit. When you and I act independently of the Spirit, Amalek, or the flesh, wins an easy victory. When Moses’ hands were held up, the Israelites won. You and I never will be able to overcome the flesh. It is only the Spirit of God who can do that.
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven [Exod. 17:13–14].
It is time to stop and consider this man Joshua. He is the one who is going to succeed Moses. We can see that he is already being prepared for this position. He is an ordinary man but God is preparing him for the task that is ahead of him. God instructs Moses to rehearse in the ears of Joshua that Amalek is to be destroyed.
Now God is going to get rid of the flesh. Thank God for that. When the Lord takes the church to heaven, He will change it. 1 Corinthians 15:52 confirms this: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” If the Lord took the church to heaven as it is now, without changing it, heaven would be just like this old earth because we would wreck the place with our old natures. I have been dragging my old nature around like a corpse for years. I would like to get rid of it, and I have tried to get rid of it, but it keeps asserting itself again and again. Thank God that He has promised to get rid of Vernon McGee’s old nature one day. Those who belong to Christ will some day be changed and made fit for heaven.
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi:
For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation [Exod. 17:15–16].
There are three important things to remember. First, God is going to get rid of Amalek. In other words, God is going to get rid of the old nature. Secondly, the Lord will never compromise with the old nature. He will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. The third important item is that this constant conflict will go on as long as we live in this life. The flesh and the spirit will always war against each other. Only the Holy Spirit of God can give us victory. We need to recognize this fact.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: The visit of Jethro, Moses’father-in-law; Jethro’s advice to appoint judges accepted by Moses
In chapter 18 we come to the last of the seven experiences the children of Israel had between Egypt and Mount Sinai. God has been leading Moses directly by revelation but now Moses turns to worldly wisdom for help rather than to God for revelation.
THE VISIT OF JETHRO, MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW
Jethro, the priest of Midian, visits Moses. He brought Moses’wife and children with him. While with Moses, they have a nice visit; you might call it a family reunion.
When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt;
Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’wife, after he had sent her back,
And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh [Exod. 18:1–4].
Moses has come now into the land of Midian with this great company of Israelites. Here the father-in-law of Moses brings his wife and sons to him. Apparently, when they went down to Egypt, after that experience when she called him a bloody husband, he sent her back home—then or shortly after that. There is no record of her being in Egypt when the exodus took place. But now Jethro brings her and her two sons to Moses. So this is a family reunion.
And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
And he said unto Moses, I thy father-in-law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent [Exod. 18:5–7].
It is an interesting thing to note the marvelous relationship between Moses and his father-in-law. They seem to be very close, buddies in fact. Moses tells him all that God has done in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. Jethro shows great interest in everything that Moses relates to him. In fact, when Moses went out to greet his family, we are told that he kissed his father-in-law but nothing is said about him kissing his wife. This passage says nothing about Moses being glad to see his sons either. All of this seems to confirm our previous conclusion that Moses’ family relationship was not as it should have been.
And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God [Exod. 18:8–12].
Jethro was probably skeptical when Moses, while still in Midian, announced that he was going to deliver the children of Israel from their yoke of bondage in Egypt. Probably he told his neighbors, “I don’t know what has come over my son-in-law. He has big ideas. He thinks God has called him to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. I just don’t believe that the God he serves can do that.” Well, God did do it, and this apparently brought Jethro to a saving knowledge of God. This is evidenced by the fact that he offered burnt offerings to God.
JETHRO’S ADVICE TO APPOINT JUDGES ACCEPTED BY MOSES
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:
When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
And Moses’father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone [Exod. 18:13–18].
Moses’ father-in-law obviously loved him, had great respect for him, and was enthusiastic about him. As he has brought Moses’ family to be with him, he stays on for a few days and sees how busy Moses is, judging the people. So he comes up with a suggestion to lighten the load of Moses.
Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to Godward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land [Exod. 18:19–27].
Jethro suggested that judges be appointed to help Moses take care of the problems of the people. Someone is apt to say, “What is wrong with his suggestion?” Well, on the surface, everything looks fine.
One thing must be remembered—there are two kinds of wisdom in this world, the wisdom of God and the wisdom of this world. Jethro’s proposal was based on the wisdom of the world. When you follow the pattern of the world, you do not look to God. One of the reasons the church is in such trouble today is because men have been brought into the church and put on a board or given a place of prominence because they have been successful in business. They attempt to run the church by the methods of the world, and they have no spiritual discernment whatsoever. The program of the world does not work in the church.
The recommendations that Jethro made were good. They would take the load off Moses and expedite matters. They would provide an orderly system and conserve time. Jethro’s proposition looked like a very attractive package. His suggestion was sincere, and he meant well. He was concerned about Moses’ health, and you cannot help but love him for this. The thing, however, that we need to note is that it was not the will of God. God permitted it all right, but He did not suggest it.
A careful examination of this passage will reveal the subtle and sinister character of this man’s advice. First of all, God had given no such instructions to Moses concerning this matter. Jethro’s suggestion actually questioned the wisdom, judgment, and the love of God. Jethro was actually saying that God was not doing the best that He could for Moses. If God really loved Moses and cared for him, He would have made this suggestion a long time ago. Friends, I hear in back of Jethro’s statement the hiss of the serpent made known so long ago in the Garden of Eden. The serpent had suggested to Eve, “Oh, if you could only eat of that tree, you would be wise and God has not permitted you to do that. God is not doing the best that He could do for you.” Jethro’s suggestion implies the same thing. But if this were the best method, God would have made this arrangement before.
The second thing to note is that God had been dealing directly with Moses. He was equipping him for the great task of delivering Israel. God did not want a third party brought in. He did not want others included who would dissipate or insulate the power of God in coming directly to Moses. Remember that God spoke face-to-face with Moses. There are many people who do not like to do business directly with God. They would rather deal with other people. They would rather go through a man, a church, a ceremony, a book, or even go to a musical concert. All of these have their place. But, friend, we need to go directly to God. God didn’t want this crowd brought into it.
The third thing to notice, as we look at this passage, is that Jethro’s suggestion created an organization out of which came the seventy, the Sanhedrin, which one night about 1500 years after this met together and plotted the death of the Son of God! Moses didn’t need this organization. God gave Moses power for the task and these arduous duties. These seventy men were no more efficient for God than one man. After all, it is the Spirit that quickeneth and gives man power.
There are people who feel that what the church needs for success is the right method. Right now there are many preachers who are acting rather foolishly by trying to identify themselves with the “new generation.” They say that they want to communicate with the new generation. There is a seminary in Southern California that majors in identifying and communicating with people. I have never heard of them really reaching down and touching lives in Southern California. They just cannot do it. God does not need a method, an organization, numbers, a system, a ritual, or good works. God sweeps aside all the wisdom of the world so that there is nothing between your soul and Him. The wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God are contradictory—so much so that one is wisdom and the other is foolishness. In 1 Corinthians 3:18–19 God says, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”
The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:4“…my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” We do not need to be clever and use the intellectual approach to win men to Christ. What we do need is the wisdom of God to guide us. We need the power of God and not new methods. My friend, do you rely on the wisdom of the world or do you look to God to guide you with that wisdom that is from above?
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Moses delivers God’s message; Israel prepares for a visitation from God
Chapters 19 through 24 deal with the Law. The children of Israel have arrived at Mount Sinai, and here they agree to accept the Law. In fact, what they do is exchange grace for law.
In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount [Exod. 19:1–2].
The children of Israel have arrived at Mount Sinai, the place where the Law is going to be given. God is going to deal graciously with His people. He is going to give them the opportunity of deciding whether they want to go on with God leading them—the way He has for the period of time since they left Egypt until they arrived at the mount—or whether they would rather accept and receive the Law.
MOSES DELIVERS GOD’S MESSAGE
And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on my eagles’ wing, and brought you unto myself [Exod. 19:3–4].
That’s traveling by grace!
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine [Ex. 19:5].
The children of Israel travelled from Egypt to Mount Sinai by the grace of God. Then God asks them if they want to receive the Law and commandments, and they foolishly agree to accept it instead of saying that they enjoyed the trip on eagles’ wings from Egypt to Mount Sinai.
God reminded them of what He had done to the Egyptians and how He had borne the children of Israel on eagles’ wings. Perhaps a few words should be said about the eagle. The eagle is a bird of prey, which Job 9:26 corroborates by saying, “They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.” The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matt. 24:28). Yet the eagle is used as a symbol of God and deity in Scripture. In the Book of Ezekiel deity is represented by the face of an eagle. In the fourth chapter of the Book of Revelation deity is pictured by a flying eagle. The eagle is admired for its wings and its ability to soar to the heights. In other words, the eagle is the jet plane of the bird family, and the wings of the eagle are definitely a symbol of deity, God said to Israel in Exodus 19:4, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.” That, friends, is God’s marvelous, infinite, wonderful grace. By grace God brought Israel out of Egypt and to Mount Sinai. God had found them helpless and hopeless in the slavery of Egypt, and He delivered them. He redeemed them by blood. The same night the death angel passed over, the children of Israel marched out of Egypt. They came to the Red Sea where Pharaoh could have slaughtered them like animals, but God intervened. And God brought them across the Red Sea by power. You see, He is bearing them on eagles’ wings.
On the way from Egypt to Mount Sinai, Israel had seven experiences which correspond to our Christian experiences. God gave Israel manna when they were hungry and water when they were thirsty. God sweetened the bitter waters of Marah. God delivered them from Amalek. All the way God bore Israel on eagles’ wings, and that is the way He bears us today. He leads us by His grace, and we walk by faith.
Now at Mount Sinai God reminds Israel how He has led and cared for them. Then He gives them a choice—grace or law. God asks them if they will keep the commandments if He gives them to Israel. They are going to exchange grace for law. A great many people do that today. This is unfortunate because we live in a day when God saves by grace. God does not save by law. What a contrast there is between law and grace.
Law demands—grace gives.
Law says “do”—grace says “believe.”
Law exacts—grace bestows.
Law says “work”—grace says “rest.”
Law threatens, pronouncing a curse—grace entreats, pronouncing a blessing.
Law says “Do, and thou shalt live”—grace says, “Live, and thou shalt do.”
Law condemns the best man—grace saves the worst man.
The Law reveals the character of God—it also reveals the weakness of man. In Romans 3:19 Paul says, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
God never gave the Law as a means of salvation. No one was ever saved by keeping the Law. You can’t mention a single one. Moses was a murderer; he also lost his temper and disobeyed God. Why then was the Law given? There was a definite reason which is stated in Galatians 3:19—“Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made…” The law was given to reveal that we are sinners. It was given temporarily until the Seed would come. The Seed spoken of in this verse is the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul goes on to say in Galatians 3:24 that, “… the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
The “schoolmaster” is not a school teacher, but a slave in the home of a Roman patrician that took care of the child. He clothed, washed, dressed him, blew his nose when needed, and paddled him when necessary. When the child was old enough to attend school, the school master took him. The word for schoolmaster is paidagogos, meaning a “child conductor,” one who takes a little child by the hand and leads him to the school. The Law is our schoolmaster, our paidagogos. It takes us by the hand, like a little child, and leads us to the cross and says, “My little one, you need a Savior. You are a sinner and you need to be saved.”
And ye shall he unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel [Exod. 19:6].
God originally intended for Israel to be a kingdom of priests. All of the tribes were to be priests. Because of their failure to enter the land at Kadesh-Barnea and because they made and worshiped a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain receiving God’s law, only one tribe was chosen to be a priestly tribe. God’s ultimate goal in the Millennium, however, is to make the entire nation a kingdom of priests. This will happen long after the church is removed from this earth and is in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Jerusalem.
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him [Exod. 19:7].
Listen to these people—what confidence they had!
And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord [Exod. 19:8].
The giving of the Law to the nation Israel at Mount Sinai was the beginning of the dispensation of Law. This dispensation extends from Mount Sinai to the cross of Calvary, from the Exodus to the Cross. It is the revelation to a people, living under ideal conditions, that they cannot keep the Law. Israel said, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” They said, “Bring it on; we’ll keep it” before they even knew what it was! Then they demonstrated for fifteen hundred years that they could not keep the Law. This is the attitude of a great many people today—they think the natural man can please God. The natural man cannot keep the Law and he fails terribly in the attempt. The Law was given to control the old nature but it cannot, because the old nature is a revolutionary which cannot be controlled. Paul sums it up in Romans 8:6–7 like this, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
You and I have an old nature. It is at enmity with God. It can never be obedient to God and can never please Him. Have you made that discovery in your own life? Have you found that you are a failure at meeting God’s standards? Thank God that He has made another arrangement!
There is nothing that makes a greater hypocrite out of a person than for him to say, “I keep the Law!” No one can measure up to God’s standards. Look at Israel. God is going to give them the Law and they say, “Bring it on, we are ready to keep it.” What a display of self-confidence and arrogance. Yet there are multitudes of men and women today that claim they keep the Law even after God clearly demonstrated that no one can be saved by the Law—because no one can keep the Law. It was tried out under ideal conditions by the nation Israel.
ISRAEL PREPARES FOR A VISITATION BY GOD
And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord [Exod. 19:9].
There are some people who think that the giving of the Law was a beautiful event. Years ago a very cultured and refined southern lady said to me, “Mr. McGee, don’t you think the giving of the Law was a beautiful, lovely thing?” I think I shocked her when I replied, “I do not see anything beautiful in it. It was a frightful and terrifying thing!”
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their clothes.
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai [Exod. 19:10–11].
What a tremendous scene, but listen to what followed:
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death [Exod. 19:12].
Does this sound like a beautiful scene? The children of Israel were told not to get near the mount and not to touch it or they would die. That, friends, is not beautiful; it is dreadful!
There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled [Exod. 19:13–16].
This is not a circus parade going by, but this is the giving of God’s Law. It was a terrifying experience and the people trembled because it was frightening.
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish [Exod. 19:17–21].
Some of the Israelites think they might see something spectacular, but they will not see anything. They will only hear a voice and it is still true to this day that “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18).
And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them.
So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them [Exod. 19:22–25].
Israel’s pledge to keep the Law was a mistake they never would have made had they known more about themselves and how weak they were. There is a great contrast between that dispensation of law and our dispensation of grace.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: The giving of the Ten Commandments; the effect of God’s visit; instructions concerning the altar
In chapter 20 of Exodus we have the giving of the Law. The Ten Commandments are given first but they are only part of the Law. Instructions pertaining to the altar are also given; the Law and the altar go together. The Law revealed that man is a sinner and needs a Savior. There must be an altar upon which to offer the sacrifice; there must be the shedding of blood for sin. You have a mirror in your bathroom, which is a picture of the Law, and there is a basin underneath the mirror. You do not wash yourself with the mirror; it only reveals the dirt. Just so, the Law is the mirror that reveals our sin. And beneath that mirror there is a wash basin.
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
THE GIVING OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
The first part of the Law given to Israel was the Ten Commandments which was a moral code.
And God spake all these words, saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage [Exod. 20:1–2].
God says, “I brought you out of Egypt and the house of bondage, and upon that basis I want to give you My law.” Israel asked for the Law and God obliged them and He gave them the Ten Commandments first.
Several things need to be mentioned as we look at the Ten Commandments. The first one is the “new morality.” The new morality goes back before the giving of the Law. In fact, it came right out of the Garden of Eden when man first disobeyed God. The new morality existed before the Flood and after the Flood. Today it is far from new. We love to think that we are sophisticated and refined sinners. We are not—we are just crude sinners in the raw—natural sinners. The Ten Commandments put before us God’s standards. No man can play fast and loose with the Ten Commandments and get by with it.
On Blackwell’s Island there was a graveyard for criminals. On one grave was a marker which read, “Here lies the fragments of John Smith who contradicted His Maker, played football with the Ten Commandments, and departed this life at the age of thirty-five. His mother and wife weep for him. Nobody else does. May he rest in peace.” That grave marker revealed a man who tried to defy the law of God. No person can play football with the Ten Commandments and escape the punishment of God.
Often times the charge is made against those of us who preach the grace of God that we do not have a proper appreciation for the Law. We are charged with despising it, rejecting it, and actually teaching that because we are not saved by the Law, it can be violated at will and broken with impunity. This is not true at all. On the contrary, every preacher who teaches the grace of God and has a true perspective of the nature of salvation by faith, realizes the lofty character of the Law. Paul answers the problem in Romans 6:1–2 which says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
If you think you can continue to live in sin and break the Ten Commandments at will, then, my friend, you are not saved by the grace of God. When you are really saved, you want to please God and want to do His will which is revealed in the Ten Commandments. Therefore I think every preacher of the grace of God has a respect and reverence for God’s law. We say with the psalmist, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.”
What is the Law? Someone has defined it as the transcript of the mind of God. That is a defective definition. The Law is the expression of the mind of God relative to what man ought to be. There is no grace or mercy in the Law at all. The Law is an expression of the holy will of God. The psalmist in Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” The Law requires perfection on your part. I have never met anyone who has measured up to God’s standard. The Law is not some vague notion, and it does not have anything to do with good intentions. It requires perfect obedience, for the Law of the Lord is perfect.
The Law of the Lord is right. Our notions of right and wrong are colored by our environment and by the fact that we have a fallen nature. The Law is a revelation of God. God has drawn the line between right and wrong. How do you know what is right? God tells us what is right. This present generation who wants freedom so badly is questioning what is right. “Why is it wrong to steal?” they ask. They do not mind stealing. But they like the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” because they say it is wrong for the government to commit murder by executing criminals. How inconsistent this crowd is! How ignorant they are of the law. Why is it wrong to lie or to steal? Because God says it is wrong. You may say, “It is for the good of mankind.” Of course it is. The Law would be a wonderful thing if man could keep it. Man cannot keep the Law, however, and the jails, the locks on the doors, and the fact that you have to sign ten pieces of paper to borrow money from a bank because they do not trust you, are all testimony to this fact. There was a day when a man’s word was his bond, but that is no longer true today. The law is a norm for human conduct. Stealing, lying, and adultery are wrong because God says they are wrong.
The Law never enforces itself. The Law-giver must have power. God enforces His laws with a tremendous impact. Take the law of gravitation, for example. You can go up as high as you want to but you had better not turn loose. The law of gravitation is in operation and you cannot reverse it. You may think you can, but in the long run you will be the loser.
Many people think they can break the Ten Commandments right and left and get by with it. That reminds me of the whimsical story of the man who jumped off the Empire State Building in New York City. As he went sailing by the fiftieth floor, a man looked out the window and said to him, “Well, how is it?” The falling man replied, “So far, so good.” That is not where the law of gravitation enforces itself. Fifty more floors down and the man will find out, “So far, not so good.” The interesting thing is that a law must be enforced to be a law and therefore God says in Ezekiel 18:4, “… the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” The Law must be enforced and the breaker of the Law must pay the penalty.
There is another viewpoint that needs to be corrected and that is the confounding of law and grace and putting them into one system. Putting law and grace into the same system is to rob the Law of its majesty and meaning. There is no love in the Law. There is no grace in the law. Grace is robbed of its goodness and glory when it is mixed with the Law. Grace is stripped of its wonder, attractiveness and desire. The sinner’s needs are not met when law and grace are bound together. The Law sets forth what man ought to be. Grace sets forth what God is. The majesty of the Law is something that we do need to recognize.
The Law reveals who God is and the vast yawning chasm between God and man. Paul asked the question in Galatians 4:21, “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?” You had better listen to what the Law says because man has been weighed in the balances by the Ten Commandments and has been found wanting. You do not measure yourself by others. It is very easy for the man on Mt. Whitney to look down at the man on the ant hill and say, “I am higher than you are.” The man on Mt. Whitney, however, did not make it to the moon, or to heaven either. You just do not measure up to God’s standard.
The Law also reveals who man is and his inability to bridge the gap between himself and God. Romans 3:19 tells us, “Now we know that, what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Paul says in Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” The fault does not lie in the Law but in us.
The Law is a mirror, as we have already seen, that reveals man in his sinful condition. Many people look in the mirror and think they are all right. This reminds me of the fairy story in which a queen looked in her mirror and said, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is fairest of them all?” She wanted the mirror to say that she was, but the mirror told the truth and said she wasn’t—someone else was fairer. And the interesting thing today is that a great many folk look at the mirror (the Ten Commandments in the Word of God) and they say the same thing, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is fairest of them all?” The difference is that they answer their own question and say, “I am.” They think they are keeping the Law. My friend, you need to look in the mirror more closely and let the mirror do the answering.
The Law never made a man a sinner; it revealed the fact that man was a sinner. The Law was given to bring a man to Christ, as we have seen. It was our schoolmaster to take us by the hand, lead us to the cross, and tell us, “Little man, you need a Savior because you are a sinner.”
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Now let’s look at the Ten Commandments. They are divided into two different major divisions. One part deals with man’s relationship to God, and the other part deals with man’s relationship to man.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me [Exod. 20:3].
God is condemning polytheism, which is the belief in more than one god. There is no commandment against atheism—there was none in those days because they were too close to the creation and the original revelation of God. The atheists begin to appear during the time of King David, and they were called fools. Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God….” Today the atheist can be a college professor and considered to be a brain and an intellectual, but God says he is a fool. There are many atheists today because we are so far from our origin, and men are not willing to accept the revelation of God in His Word.
God told Israel, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” God instructed the nation in this manner because in that day it was mighty hard for man to keep balanced. In that day it was popular to worship many gods. Today it is popular not to worship any god. My, how the pendulum of the clock has moved! The important thing to note in this verse is the fact that God is condemning polytheism. Paul elaborates upon this subject in Romans 1:21–25 which states, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me [Exod. 20:4–5].
Some people may feel that this passage does not apply to us today. Colossians 3:5 tells us that “…covetousness…is idolatry.” Anything that you give yourself to, especially in abandonment, becomes your “god.” Many people do not worship Bacchus, the cloven-footed Greek and Roman god of wine and revelry of long ago, but they worship the bottle just the same. There are millions of alcoholics in our country right now. The liquor interests like to tell us about how much of the tax burden they carry, when actually they do not pay a fraction of the bill for the casualties they cause by their product. A lot of propaganda is being fed to this generation and large groups of people are being brainwashed. Whether or not folk recognize it, they worship the god Bacchus.
Other people worship Aphrodite, that is, the goddess of sex. Some people worship money. Anything to which you give your time, heart, and soul, becomes your God. God says that we are not to have any gods before Him.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain [Exod. 20:7].
Using the Lord’s name in “vain” means in the way of blasphemy. This is very prevalent in our day and age. But His commandment still stands. It is wrong to use God’s name in vain because He is God and He is holy! It also reveals a lack of vocabulary. Many people cannot express themselves without using profanity. A man who was wonderfully converted several years ago in Texas once told me, “When I was converted, I lost over half of my vocabulary!” And this is what he meant.
Now the fourth commandment:
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it [Exod. 20:8–11].
The Sabbath day was given to the nation Israel in a very unusual way. It was a covenant, a token between God and the children of Israel. We shall see that in Exodus 31:13–17. The exact day, in my opinion, is not important. After all, the calendar changes that have been made make it impossible for us to know whether our seventh day is our Saturday or not. I do not think it is. But that is beside the point because, as far as we are concerned, it makes no difference what day we observe. We keep what we believe is the first day of the week. It may or may not be. But we recognize the first day of our week because our Lord came back from the dead on that day. All of this will be dealt with later on in the Book of Exodus.
Next we come to the section of the commandments which deal with man’s relationship with man. It begins in the home.
Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee [Exod. 20:12].
A father and a mother should be worthy of the honor of their children. We will speak more of this commandment later.
The sixth commandment says:
Thou shalt not kill [Exod. 20:13].
This verse is used by many people who are opposed to a particular war. Many young men have talked to me about it. They say, “You should not kill; therefore, you should not be a soldier.” The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” was not given to a nation; it was given to the individual. One man should not kill another. No one should go to any country on his own, and kill. “Thou shalt not kill” has nothing to do with soldier service or with the execution of a criminal. A nation is given an authority to protect human life by taking human life. “Thou shalt not kill” is a commandment to the individual and it is speaking of murder, which our Lord said comes from anger—and we are not even to be angry with our brother.
The seventh commandment says:
Thou shalt not commit adultery [Exod. 20:14].
We are living today in the middle of a sex revolution. Sex is certainly not new, but it is still adultery when it is committed outside of wedlock. God makes this very clear. Man may think he has changed this commandment but he has not. This commandment still stands.
The eighth commandment says:
Thou shalt not steal [Exod. 20:15].
The point I would like to make here is that if you are permitted to commit adultery, then you should be permitted to steal and so forth. This whole package goes together. If one is all right to indulge in, then all should be right; if one is wrong, then all are wrong.
The ninth commandment says:
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour [Exod. 20:16].
Bearing false witness against your neighbor is lying.
The tenth commandment says:
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s [Exod. 20:17].
Covetousness, according to the apostle Paul in
Colossians 3:5, is idolatry. This is one of the great sins of the present hour. God condemns killing, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, and covetousness. We will have an occasion to look at the Ten Commandments in a different way later on.
THE EFFECT OF GOD’S VISIT
God has given the children of Israel the moral code which is the Ten Commandments. However, there is more to the Law than the moral code. God will also give them that part of the Law which deals with social legislation. He will also give them instructions concerning an altar and the building of the tabernacle. The Book of Leviticus gives in detail the service of the tabernacle. It is all part of the Law. It all goes in one package.
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die [Exod. 20:18–19].
When the Israelites saw the thunder and lightning, they were afraid and backed away from the mount.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not:for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not [Exod. 20:20].
The Law presented a very high standard. The Law of the Lord is perfect. It demands perfection. If you are trying to be saved by keeping the Law, you will have to be perfect. If you are not perfect, you cannot be saved by the Law. I thank God that under grace He can take a poor sinner like me and save me. Grace reveals something of the goodness and wonder of our God.
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold [Exod. 20:21–23].
It is important to see why God appears in just this way to the children of Israel. I think it is evident that God wants to impress upon them that He is the living God. Remember that they were reared in Egypt with idols all around them—and they were and are idolatrous, as we shall see. They are worshiping the creature rather than the Creator. God is moving closer to these people than He ever has before.
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE ALTAR
God has given Israel the Ten Commandments. Now along with the commandments God gives instructions for an altar. An altar is used for sacrifice. The altar speaks of the cross of Christ and the blood that He shed. This altar is the one they built before the tabernacle was made. Apparently everywhere they journeyed they made one like this.
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee [Exod. 20:24].
There is no mention of presenting a sin offering on this altar. The peace offering reveals that man needs a sacrifice that will reconcile him to God, and that Christ did make peace by the blood of His cross. The burnt offering speaks of who Christ is; it speaks of His worthiness and ability to save.
This altar was to be made of earth and was the place upon which the Israelites were to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. The sin and trespass offerings were given to Israel later.
And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it [Exod. 20:25].
There is an important lesson in this verse. God wanted them to build a plain altar of stone with no engraving. Perhaps an engraver would want to make the altar appealing, attractive looking, and very beautiful. The moment a tool is put to the stones, it is polluted. God rejects it. Today we have gone way past “engraving” in our churches. We have come to the place where we feel that everything connected with worship should be beautiful. We want soft music, dim lights, and beautiful colors. We want the sermon to be given in very low tones and in a dignified manner, as flowery as possible. Well, we’ve been through such a period. And we have found that liberalism has emptied our churches. There is nothing wrong with an attractive place to worship. I am for soft lights, beautiful music, and flowery speaking. But when any of these things obscure the message of the Cross and take attention away from the Lord Jesus Christ who died on that cross, then God is offended. God does not want this to happen.
When Paul went to the city of Corinth, you will recall, he found the Corinthians to be quite philosophical. Many of the heathen priests connected with the heathen religions tried to identify with all the sins of Corinth. When Paul arrived, these secondhand philosophers wanted to argue, discuss, and appear intellectual. These Corinthians were going in every direction. Paul had a similar experience in Athens. He tells these Corinthians, “For I de termined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Friends, if “Jesus Christ and him crucified” is left out of the message, I do not care how high the steeple is, how loud the churchbell is, how beautiful the sanctuary is, how soft the music is, or how educated the preacher is—it is not a church and, as far as God is concerned, it is polluted.
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon [Exod. 20:26].
Many people would like to build nice lovely steps up to the altar. That would be very convenient. In that day a man wore a kind of a skirt and to climb steps he would have to lift that skirt and his nakedness would be revealed. God says, “I do not want to see your nakedness.” That which speaks of the flesh God cannot use.
Let me make this very personal. Anything that Vernon McGee does that is of the flesh, God hates and will not use. God does not want a display of the flesh in anything that has to do with His work. We need to guard against this type of thing. It disturbs me when people see only the preacher and do not see the One he is trying to present. I personally do not like anyone to tell me that I preached a beautiful sermon. The last thing I want to do is preach a beautiful sermon. I want to preach about a beautiful Savior and when people hear me preach, I want them to say, “Isn’t Jesus wonderful!”
I have had very few real compliments since I have been a minister, but one I remember well. When I was a pastor as a student in Georgia, I used to preach in a church on the side of a red clay hill. One morning after the message everyone left but a country boy. He wore high yellow shoes that buttoned all the way, and he waited around, as timid as could be. Finally he came up to me with tears in his eyes. He took hold of my hand and said, “My, I did not know Jesus was so wonderful.” He wanted to say something else but he was too choked with emotion; so he turned and walked out of the little church. That church today is in the middle of a city, but in those days it was in the middle of a cotton patch. I watched that country boy walk across the cotton patch, and said to myself, “Oh God, let me so preach that people will know that Jesus is wonderful.” That was a compliment and I have not had many like it.
We do not need the display of the flesh in the ministry, in the pulpit, or in church work. We need to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: The law concerning master and servant relationships; the law concerning personal injuries
THE LAW CONCERNING MASTER AND SERVANT RELATIONSHIPS
In Exodus 21 we come to social legislation. This part of the Law is an important issue at this time because the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt.
Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing [Exod. 21:1–2].
These two verses clearly state that the Israelites could never permanently make one of their own brethren a slave.
If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever [Exod. 21:3–6].
This remarkable law states that if a man is a slave, after seven years he can go free. If he was married when he became a slave, he can take his wife with him. If he married while a slave, that is, if he married a woman who was already a slave of his master, at the end of seven years he could go free, but his wife would still belong to the master. He would be free but his wife would not. He could, however, if he loved his wife and master, decide to stay of his own free will. If he decides to stay, his master is to bore his ear lobe through with an awl signifying that he will serve his master forever.
This is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to this earth and took upon Himself our humanity. And we were all slaves of sin. He could have gone out free. He could have returned to heaven, to His position in the Godhead, without going through the doorway of death. He did not have to die upon the cross. But He willingly came down to earth and took upon Himself our humanity. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8).
Psalm 40:6–8 goes on to say, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” This passage refers to Christ, because Hebrews 10:5–9 tells us that it does. It was fulfilled when our Lord came to this earth. “Wherefore when he cometh into the world [speaking of Christ], he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me [it was not only his ear that was “digged,” or bored through with an awl, but God gave Him a body which He will have throughout eternity]: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.” Christ was “made like unto His brethren.” He chose not to go out free without us. He could have left this earth without dying, but He said, “I love My Bride. I love the sinner.” So He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross so that He could redeem us from the slavery of sin. What a picture this is of Christ—placed right here after the giving of the Ten Commandments.
THE LAW CONCERNING PERSONAL INJURIES
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death [Exod. 21:12].
This verse is the basis for capital punishment. Some people believe that “Thou shalt not kill” means that the government has no right to exact a death penalty. However, God commanded the nation Israel to put to death any murderer.
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee [Exod. 21:13].
There were six cities of refuge placed throughout the land of Palestine. These were set up in convenient locations so that one charged with manslaughter could avail himself of the shelter they afforded until the matter in which he was involved could be settled. We will speak more of the cities of refuge later.
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die [Exod. 21:14].
If a man commits a premeditated murder, that man is to be executed. If a man kills someone in self-defense while trying to defend himself, without premeditation, that man would not merit execution.
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death [Exod. 21:15].
This is God’s protection for the home.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death [Exod. 21:16].
God did not approve of slavery at all and, in fact, He condemned it. It was a great system in that day, but God dealt with it.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed [Exod. 21:17–19].
In other words, the one who was responsible for the injury was to reimburse the injured—both for his time and medical expenses.
The above laws and the other laws presented in the rest of this chapter are the basis of the laws of our land. They form the basic platform of law and order that is necessary for a civilized nation to build upon.
Verses 24 and 25 sum it all up by saying:
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe [Exod. 21:24–25].
In other words, these two verses state the law of reciprocity. Law must be enforced if there is to be law and order and protection for human life and property.
Thank God, we do not have to depend on keeping the Law for our salvation. There is One who is prepared to extend grace to us that we may be saved, even the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: The law concerning property rights; the law concerning crimes against humanity
THE LAW CONCERNING PROPERTY RIGHTS
There are those who raise the question today, “What is right and what is wrong?” Some say that what is right and wrong is relative. A college professor, who claims to be an atheist, was discussing this with me. He maintained that right and wrong are relative, that what he would think is right and what I would think is right could be poles apart. Then he asked me, “On what do you base your dogmatic conclusions?” I said, “I base them on the Word of God.” I went on to tell him that my nature was just like his nature, and that I would like to give in in certain places, and I would like to let the bars down here and there, but God has given me a standard to follow. The interesting thing is that God’s standard has produced a society in which there has been a measure of law and justice.
The laws presented in chapters 21 to 24 deal with everyday nitty-gritty living. In some ways it is boring reading and similar to reading a lawbook. However, most of our laws are based upon these precepts. I am glad that the Word of God says, “Thou shalt not kill.” It protects me and my family. I am happy the Bible says, “Thou shalt not steal.” It protects what little property I have. These and the other laws are basic to having order in a society.
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep [Exod. 22:1].
I cannot tell you why five oxen should be restored for an ox or four sheep for one sheep. In the New Testament, however, Zacchaeus referred to this principle: “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Why did he say fourfold? He was referring to the Mosaic Law.
Our law today says that if you destroy another man’s property, you must pay the damages. All that our society demands when you damage or destroy some other person’s property is to replace the item or pay what it is worth. God’s law of restoring fourfold is much better with human nature the way it is. If we had to restore fourfold anything that we destroyed or damaged, we would be more careful. Human nature is always the same, and God is always the same. God deals with man on the basis that is best for him.
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him [Exod. 22:2].
This law gives you the right to self-protection. Not long ago a thief broke into a man’s place and the homeowner shot him. He sued the homeowner for several thousand dollars in damages. The case went to court and the thief won the judgment on the grounds that the homeowner had no right to shoot him, according to the decision of some asinine judge! In order to pay the damages the homeowner had to sell his property. And there was no judgment against the thief at all! In our day there is a great emphasis on protecting the rights of the guilty at the expense of the rights of the innocent.
God’s law protects a man’s property and his home. Under this principle a man is justified in protecting his property, his home, and his loved ones.
God’s laws are basic principles which give society law and order. If mankind had followed God’s social legislation as given in the Book of Exodus, we would not have the social problems we are having in the cities of the United States. Our entire legal system, which was founded on the Word of God, is riddled with men who do not know the Bible because they are so far from it themselves. Their entire background is such that they are not properly able to interpret the Law.
The Constitution of the United States was written by men, not all of whom were Christian (in fact, most of them were Deists), but they had a certain respect for the Word of God. I recently heard a man say that Thomas Jefferson ridiculed the Bible. He did not. Quotations from Thomas Jefferson show that he had great respect for the Word of God even though he did not believe in the miraculous and actually did not follow it in his personal life. But we have men who administer law today with no background in the Bible whatever. Because of this we are in trouble, deep trouble.
If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft [Exod. 22:3].
If a man steals, he has to make restitution for that which he has stolen, even to the point of selling himself into slavery to help make the payment.
If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution [Exod. 22:5].
If a man’s cow or sheep breaks through into another man’s field and they cause damage, he is to make restitution.
If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution [Exod. 22:6].
This is a practical verse that shows us the right way to do things. It is another basic principle for the welfare of mankind on earth. God gave the Mosaic system to Israel so that they would be an example to the nations of the world.
THE LAW CONCERNING CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife [Exod. 22:16].
In other words, if a man rapes a girl, he will be forced to marry her. Things are certainly different in our day and age.
If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins [Exod. 22:17].
If her father does not agree to the marriage, the rapist must pay a penalty for what he has done.
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live [Exod. 22:18].
Today we are seeing a resurgence of Satan worship and of the supernatural. This trend is potent and it is real. We shall be dealing with this further in the Book of Deuteronomy.
Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death [Exod. 22:19].
Having sexual intercourse with a beast shows just how low man can go. Why did God make a law like this? Well, because this was being done. And we are seeing a recurrence of this unspeakably degrading practice in our “enlightened” society.
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed [Exod. 22:20].
This, of course, was the most severe penalty. Had it been followed to the letter, we would have a much better society today. Utterly destroying anyone who sacrifices to any other god but the Lord is harsh but, after all, when you have a cancer, you want to rid yourself of it. This is what God is talking about.
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt [Exod. 22:21].
This is God’s “Good Neighbor” policy.
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child [Exod. 22:22].
Child labor laws were established after the Wesleyan Revival, friends. The Word of God has been basic to all of the great movements that have brought blessing to mankind. What about the fatherless child? Did the orphans’ home begin in atheistic countries or under Christian auspices?
If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry:
And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless [Exod. 22:23–24].
I believe that God protects the helpless. Great judgment is coming for those individuals who have mistreated folk in need.
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury [Exod. 22:25].
If one person lends money to another, he is not to charge excessive interest. God says it is wrong to take advantage of others.
These are some of God’s laws, and more are given in Exodus 23.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: The law concerning property rights—continued; the law concerning the land and the Sabbath; the law concerning national feasts
THE LAW CONCERNING PROPERTY RIGHTS—CONTINUED
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness [Exod. 23:1].
Be careful what you say; this is God’s rule of conduct. A gossiper is as bad as a murderer, a thief, or an adulterer in your midst, yet in our society a gossiper gets by easily.
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment [Exod. 23:2].
If we were to follow God’s precept, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil,” it would put us out of the marching, protesting and rioting business. Also it would rid our society of the growing menace of gangs. I talked with a very attractive young fellow in this category. He said he dressed as he did because he wanted liberty and freedom. I noticed there were several thousand dressed just like him. So I asked him, “Would you dare dress differently? Would they accept you?” He said, “No.” Then I said, “When they protest, you have to get in line and protest, don’t you?” He said, “Yes, I do.” “Well,” I replied, “then you really do not have much freedom, do you? You have to do certain things. When they protest, you have to protest. When they dress a certain way, you have to dress a certain way. This is not freedom.” My friend, freedom is not following a multitude to do evil!
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause [Exod. 23:3].
Judgment should not be swayed toward the rich or toward the poor. Judgment and justice should be exercised fairly. The Romans depicted justice as a woman, tender but also blindfolded. She was no respecter of persons and held a sword in one hand and scales in the other. The sword meant that when the judgment was handed down, there would be the execution of the penalty. The scales meant that justice would be fair. Judgment should be exercised without respect of persons.
THE LAW CONCERNING THE LAND AND THE SABBATH
Once again God gives Israel this law concerning the Sabbath day and the sabbatic year.
And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard [Exod. 23:10–11].
God will review this law with Israel when they go into the land. The subjects of the Sabbath day, the sabbatic year and the year of Jubilee are dealt with in the Book of Leviticus. Briefly, the Sabbath day was the seventh day of the week and was a day of strict rest. The Sabbatic year was the septennial rest for the land from all cultivation. The year of Jubilee is also called the year of liberty. Every fiftieth year the Hebrews who had been forced to sell themselves into slavery became free. Lands that had been sold reverted to their original owners.
It is interesting to note that folk today who claim to be Sabbath keepers, are attempting to keep only the Sabbath day. They ignore the Sabbath year (especially if they are farmers) and disregard completely the year of Jubilee.
THE LAW CONCERNING NATIONAL FEASTS
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib: for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou has sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God [Exod. 23:14–17].
Three times a year all the Hebrew males were to appear before the Lord God in Jerusalem. There were three feasts that were to be celebrated: (1) the Feast of the Passover; (2) the Feast of Pentecost; (3) the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of the Passover, you will recall, was instituted in memory of Israel’s preservation from the last plague brought against the land of Egypt and her deliverance from that land of bondage. Before the people of Israel enter the Promised Land, these will be discussed in detail.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him [Exod. 23:20–21].
Who is this Angel? Other Scriptures shed light on the answer. First Corinthians 10:4 says, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” First Corinthians 10:9–10 continues, “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” It is the Lord Jesus that they were to obey. He is definitely the one in view here.
For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off [Exod. 23:23].
God told Israel that He intended to put the enemy out of the land because of their sin. Now the Lord says to them:
I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee [Exod. 23:27].
God is telling Israel that it is His intention to put them in the land of Israel and make it their land. Then God tells them:
Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee [Exod. 23:32–33].
The children of Israel were not to make any covenants with the inhabitants of the land nor with their gods. Joshua made the mistake of making a covenant with the Gibeonites. He did not do enough investigating. Of course the reason the nation of Israel finally went into Babylonian captivity was because they went into idolatry and served other gods. In other words, they did not heed God’s warning.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Order of worship before the existence of the tabernacle; the children of Israel acknowledge the covenant; Moses ascends Mount Sinai alone
Exodus 24 concludes the section on social legislation begun in Exodus 21. We have found that the Law of Moses is much more than the brief Ten Commandments and that the area of social legislation covers a great deal of ground.
ORDER OF WORSHIP BEFORE THE EXISTENCE OF THE TABERNACLE
And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off [Exod. 24:1].
God told these men to come up into the mountain, but even these men who were in a very unique position at that time were told to worship afar off. How different things were under law than they are under grace. How different their situation was from when God was bringing them along the path from Egypt on eagle’s wings of grace. Under law man must worship afar off but today Ephesians 2:13 tells us, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” God saves us and leads us along life’s pathway today by His grace.
And Moses alone shall come near the Lord: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do [Exod. 24:2–3].
This is the second time that the children of Israel have given an affirmative answer when God asked them if they wanted His commandments and Law. They are very self-confident, self-sufficient, and almost arrogant when they tell God, “Yes, we want your Law.” They promise to do all of the words of the Lord even before they have them all. They have been given the Ten Commandments and believe they can keep them.
One wonders how Israel could be so deceived. But I am even more puzzled by the many people who still believe they are living by the Law. Those who believe they are meeting God’s standard are deceived, and it is a terrible thing. First John 1:8 tells us: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” You won’t be deceiving your neighbors, you will not deceive your wife nor husband nor loved ones, but you certainly can deceive yourself. If you say that you do not sin, you deceive yourself. You would think that a man who says he has no sin ought to have also a little truth in him. But John says there is no truth in him at all. In case you missed it, John repeats it in 1 John 1:10, which says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” He said that if you say that you have not sinned, you have made God a liar. Friends, God is no liar. I wouldn’t call Him that if I were you. The best thing to do is not boast of your goodness. My, the arrogance of the children of Israel in saying, “All the words which the Lord hath said we will do!” You will notice, however, that they did not keep all His words.
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ACKNOWLEDGE THE COVENANT
And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient [Exod. 24:4–7].
These Israelites were certainly confident. In fact, they were filled with self-confidence. They really thought they could keep God’s Law, and that is the worst kind of self-deception. They promised to obey God, but they did not. The natural man believes he can please God, but he cannot. You and I cannot please God because no man can meet God’s standard. We forget that we are actually members of a totally depraved race as far as God is concerned. If you doubt it, just look around the world and note the lawlessness. Look at the sin, the confusion, the atheism, and the godlessness on every hand. God is absolutely right when He says in Romans 3:10, “… There is none righteous, no, not one.” We live in a day when sin is called good and bad is called good. The prophets said that such a day would come. Well, we certainly have arrived.
And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words [Exod. 24:8].
Even before God gives the Law to them, the Israelites are sprinkled with blood to let them know that there must be a sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” God will repeat this many times. Life must be given up, and a penalty must be paid before any of us can go to heaven.
MOSES ASCENDS MOUNT SINAI ALONE
Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness [Exod. 24:9–10].
“They saw the God of Israel” needs to be understood in the light of other Scriptures. Actually no one has seen God because He is a Spirit. John 1:18 tells us that, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” What they saw was a representation of God. I sincerely doubt that we shall see God the Father throughout eternity. Jesus Christ is probably the closest view we will have of the Father. But He will be enough to satisfy our hearts. All that we know today about the Father is through the Son. I do not know how God the Father looks, or feels, or thinks, because God has told us in Isaiah 55:8–9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” But Jesus has revealed Him to us. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel did not see God the Father but they saw a representation of God.
And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink [Exod. 24:11].
In this verse, as in the previous one, they saw a representation of God. Later on Moses asks to see God because all he had seen was a representation. Moses wanted to see God. Also to see God was Philip’s plea in the upper room. “Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:8–9). If you want to see God, friends, you will have to go through Jesus Christ.
I have heard earnest laymen give testimony to the fact that they can come directly into the presence of God since their salvation. The truth is that we do not come directly into God’s presence; we have a mediator. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). You come to God through Christ Jesus the mediator. Christ is the daysman Job longed for. Christ puts one hand in the Father’s hand and one in your hand and brings you and God together. We do not reach God the Father on our own, and we must recognize that.
And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God [Exod. 24:13].
Now Joshua is beginning to appear in the picture more. God is preparing him to succeed Moses. He is a young man, and God has many things to teach him before he is prepared to lead Israel.
And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
And the sight of the glory of the Lordwas like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights [Exod. 24:14–18].
It was during this time on Mount Sinai that Moses received the instructions presented in the rest of this book.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Materials to be used for the tabernacle; instructions for constructing the ark of the covenant; the table of showbread; the golden lampstand
In chapters 25 through 30 of Exodus, God gives Israel the blueprint for the tabernacle and the pattern for the garments for the high priest. Next we have the construction and erection of the tabernacle and the fact that it was filled with the glory of the Lord. The tabernacle was to be the center of Israel’s life because it was there where man would approach God.
MATERIALS TO BE USED FOR THE TABERNACLE
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering [Exod. 25:1–2].
Israel had been out of slavery for only a few months, yet the Lord asks them to make a contribution to help build the tabernacle. The amazing thing is that the children of Israel gave so much they were told to stop giving! Friends, a thing like this does not happen very often. I was a pastor for a long time, and I never had to restrain folk from giving to the church. But Moses did!
Following are the items they were to bring:
And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate [Exod. 25:3–7].
Our first reaction is, “Where did they obtain these items?” Remember that Israel had just been delivered out of slavery and this was part of the four hundred years back wages that they collected on their way out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:36 reminds us that “… the Lordgave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.” When Israel left Egypt, they took out tremendous wealth. It has been estimated that at least five million dollars worth of material went into the construction of the tabernacle alone. The tabernacle was small in size because it had to be carried on the wilderness march, but it was very ornate, rich and beautiful.
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them [Exod. 25:8].
God never said that He was going to live in the tabernacle in the sense that He was restricted to a geographical spot. He did say, however, that He would dwell between the cherubim. 1 Samuel 4:4, 2 Samuel 6:2, 2 Kings 19:15 and Isaiah 37:16 all give testimony to this fact. Israel was a theocracy and Jehovah was the King. Israel was to be ruled by God. His throne was between the cherubim, and this is where man met God. The idea which exists today that God dwells in a building made by hands is not true. That is a pagan notion. Some people call a church building “God’s house.” It is not God’s house because He does not dwell in a building and never did. Solomon expressed it accurately, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). The tabernacle was to be the place where man meets with God. “The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved” (Ps. 99:1). The ark was God’s throne and it was the first article of furniture that they were to build.
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it [Exod. 25:9].
The Book of Hebrews tells us that this earthly tabernacle was patterned after the tabernacle in heaven. The question arises, “Is there a literal tabernacle in heaven?” I take the position that there is because God says there is. I take this literally and feel that if God had meant something else, He would have made that clear also. Hebrews 8:5 says, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 9:23–24 goes on to say, “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us”.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
The outer court was an enclosed place around the tabernacle proper, 100 cubits long by 50 cubits wide. The cubit was a unit of measure based on the length of the forearm from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow. If you measure yours, you will find it is about eighteen inches—if you are a small person it will be shorter than that; if you are tall, it will be longer. So the length of a cubit varied, but was about eighteen inches. If you will consult the floor plan of the tabernacle, you will see that in the outer court were the brazen altar and the laver (Exod. 30:28). The tabernacle proper was divided into two compartments, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The tabernacle itself was thirty cubits long and ten cubits wide and ten cubits high. The Holy Place was twenty by ten cubits. The Holy of Holies was ten cubits long, ten cubits wide, and ten cubits high, thus making it a perfect cube.
The furniture in the Holy Place consisted of the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense. In the Holy of Holies were the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. In the outer court were two articles of furniture: the brazen altar and the laver. Enclosing it was a fence of white linen.
And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof, and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold [Exod. 25:10–13].
The ark and the mercy seat above it was the place where God would meet with the children of Israel. It was the place for them to approach their God. It was the sanctum sanctorum of the tabernacle. Notice that the first article of furniture is the ark. We are approaching it from God’s viewpoint, from the inside looking out. The ark was in the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelt. If we were approaching it from man’s viewpoint, we would come first to the gate of the tabernacle, then the brazen altar and the laver.
The tabernacle was fashioned in such a way that it could be carried as the Israelites marched through the wilderness. It was put together when they made camp and taken down when they moved to another place. Each piece of furniture in the tabernacle was equipped with rings and staves so that it could be easily carried through the wilderness.
The mercy seat, which formed a top for the ark, was considered a separate piece of furniture.
And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof [Exod. 25:17–19].
Notice what God now says:
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be [Exod. 25:20].
The cherubim looked down upon the mercy seat.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel [Exod. 25:21–22].
The ark was a chest covered inside and outside with gold. It was made of shittim wood which was more or less indestructible and much like the redwood of California. It was a perfect symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ in His deity and humanity. Jesus Christ was the God-man; His deity was represented by the gold and His humanity was represented by the wood.
The ark could not be spoken of as merely a wooden chest because it also was a gold chest. It could not be called a golden chest because it was also a chest of wood. It required both gold and wood to maintain the symbolism pointing to Christ as the God-man. There is no mingling of the two. To overlook this duality is to entertain a monstrous notion of His person. There is no doctrine in Scripture so filled with infinite mystery and so removed from the realm of explanation as the hypostatical union of Christ, the God-man. Yet there is no symbol so simple as the ark that describes this union of God and man in one body. A mere box made of wood and gold speaks of things unfathomable. Truly God chooses the simple things to confound the wise. That simple box tells the whole story, as far as man can take it in, of the unsearchable mystery of the blessed person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The ark was covered with gold both inside and outside. Colossians 2:9 tells us, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Jesus Christ was not merely a thaumaturgist, that is, a wonder-worker. Nor was He a man with an overdeveloped God consciousness. He was God! He spoke as God. He put Himself on the same plane as God. In John 14:1, 9, our Savior says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me… Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father….” Yes, He was God.
He was also perfectly man. He grew tired. He sat down to rest at a well in Samaria in the heat of the day. He slept, He ate, He drank, He laughed, He wept, and beyond all that, He suffered and died. All of these are human characteristics. The gold and the wood in the ark were both required, yet neither was mingled with the other. Nor was the identity of one lost in the other. Christ was both God and man, but the two natures were never fused or merged. He never functioned at the same time as both God and man. What He did was either perfectly human or perfectly divine.
The ark was not an empty box. It contained three items which are enumerated in Hebrews 9:4; “Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.”The contents of the ark were also symbolic. Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of the Lord’s resurrection. The manna speaks of the fact that Christ is the Bread of Life. The Ten Commandments speak of the life He lived on earth fulfilling the Law in all points and fulfilling the prophecies spoken of Him.
The tables of the covenant speak of the Kingship of Christ. He was born a King. He lived a King. He died a King, and He rose from the dead a King. He is coming again to earth as King. God’s program is moving today and has been moving from eternity past to the time when Christ shall rule over this earth. Earth needs a ruler. Man needs a King. Someday He is coming as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The pot of manna speaks of Christ as a prophet. He spoke for God as John 6:32 clearly shows: “… Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.” Jesus Christ was also God’s mesage to man. He was to Logos, the Word of God, the very alphabet of God, the Alpha and Omega. He is God’s final message to man. Since Christ came to earth as God-man, heaven has been silent because God has no addenda to place after Christ. He has no postscript to the letter because Christ is the embodiment of that letter. God told out His heart in Christ.
Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of the work of Christ as priest. The prophet spoke for God before man; the priest spoke for man before God. As priest Christ offered Himself. As a priest He passed into heaven. Even now He sits at God’s right hand in heaven. Jesus Christ the God-man was raised from the dead and He is the unique example of resurrection up to the present hour. Easter lilies and eggs do not speak of the resurrection, but Aaron’s rod that budded does. It was an old dead stick that came alive. The ark speaks of Christ as prophet, priest, and king. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
The mercy seat rested on top of the ark. It served as the top for the chest, the ark, but it was a separate piece of furniture. It was made of pure gold with cherubim on each end with their wings spread, overshadowing it, and looking down upon the top where the blood was placed. It was here the high priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice. It was the blood that made it the mercy seat. This too was symbolic of the work of Christ. Christ literally presented His blood in heaven after His death on the cross. A critic recommended my book, The Tabernacle, God’s Portrait of Christ, but warned people that I took everything literally and must be watched carefully because I held the position that Christ offered His blood in heaven. The critic felt this was crude. I do not believe this is crude because the blood of Christ is not crude; it is precious. Peter calls his Savior’s blood “precious” in 1 Peter 1:18–19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Christ’s blood is more precious than silver or gold. The most valuable thing in heaven is the blood He shed for man on earth. He presented His blood as He entered heaven and that is what makes God’s throne a mercy seat for us today. We are bidden to come to God today on the basis of the fact that Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, has offered His own blood for our sins. Hebrews 4:14–16 reminds us that, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
You and I approach God through our great High Priest in heaven. He is the living Christ at God’s right hand. Through Him we find mercy and help. Many believers are trying to fight the battle down here alone. They are trying to meet the issues of life alone. Friends, you and I are not able to do it. We are not strong enough. We need help. And we are not availing ourselves of the help Christ offers. Paul prayed for the Ephesians that the mighty power that worked in Christ, bringing Him from the dead, might work in them (Eph. 1:19–20). We see very little of that power working in believers today. We need to lay hold of it by faith because we have a High Priest who is at God’s right hand.
The high priest who served in this tabernacle rushed into the Holy Place, sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat, and rushed out again. Christ, our High Priest, when He made His offering, sat down at God’s right hand and is still there for us today. He died down here to save us. He lives in heaven to keep us saved. And we should keep in contact with Him. Have you had a talk with Him today?
We have looked now at the articles of furniture in the Holy of Holies: the ark and the mercy seat. Now we will consider the furniture in the second compartment, the Holy Place.
THE TABLE OF SHOWBREAD
There are three articles of furniture in the Holy Place: (1) the golden lampstand, (2) the table of showbread, and (3) the altar of incense. Inside the Holy Place is the place of worship. The golden lampstand is one of the most perfect figures of Christ that we have. The table of showbread speaks of Him as being the Bread of Life. The altar of incense speaks of prayer—that the Lord is our great intercessor today, and we pray to the Father through Him.
The table of showbread has twelve loaves of bread on it. There are many explanations of how these loaves were arranged but the important thing to remember is that each loaf represents a tribe of Israel. In other words, God was providing equality for all.
Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof [Exod. 25:23].
You will notice that the table of showbread is two cubits long, and a cubit wide—twice as long as it is wide. It is a cubit and one half high. The table of showbread is the same height as the ark of the covenant.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about [Exod. 25:24].
The “crown of gold” is a border around the table to keep the bread from falling off.
And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof [Exod. 25:25–26].
Once again we are told that staves were to be put through these rings in order that the table might be carried through the wilderness as the children of Israel journeyed. It was carried on the shoulders of the priests.
And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway [Exod. 25:29–30].
The bread is a type of Christ. Therefore the table is a type of Christ. It pictures Him. The table of showbread suggests many things: it speaks of sustenance, provision, and supply. It is the table of salvation. Our Lord gave a parable in Matthew 22:1–14 which tells about the marriage of the king’s son. The invited guests refused to come, and this provoked the king to deal with the rejectors. Having done so, the king extended the invitation to include those in the highways and byways. They were bidden to come and eat. Thus the invitation has gone out today to the world to come and partake of the salvation as it is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is also a table of provision. God, as Creator, provides all food for man and beast. Whether you like it or not, friend, you eat every day at God’s table in the physical realm. Yet how few recognize this truth and give thanks to Him for His bounty. God is the one who provides for us.
This table also speaks of the Lord’s Supper, as instituted by the Lord Himself just prior to His death upon the cross. It is a table for believers. The table of showbread is a prefiguration of Christ as the sustainer of spiritual life for the believer.
The table was two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and one half cubits high. It was made of shittim wood and overlaid with gold. The almost incorruptible shittim (acacia) wood speaks of His humanity. This wood was a product of the earth but was not subject to the action of it in a chemical way. In the same way our Lord had a body made of earth elements and conceived in the womb of a virgin. The gold speaks of His deity but the gold is not produced by the earth; it is separate from it and has an inherent value. Christ was not of the earth in His deity. He was God. He came from glory.
On the table were placed twelve loaves of bread. The table and the bread are spoken of as one. We do the same thing today when we say, “The Lord’s table.” We do not eat the table, but we associate the table with the food. This metonymy is common in Scripture.
The bread was changed each Sabbath. The bread which was removed was eaten with wine by the priestly family in the Holy Place. This table doesn’t prefigure Christ in the same way that manna does. Although both speak of Christ, it is not in the same connection. The manna speaks of Christ as the life-giver. He interpreted this Himself in John 6:32 when He said, “… Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.” A short time later, in John 6:35, Jesus said, “…I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
Now the showbread also speaks of Christ as thelife-sustainer. Eternal life is a gift and is the manna which came down from heaven. The person who receives manna receives eternal life. However, eternal life requires a special food to sustain it and help it grow and find strength. The showbread pictures Christ as that special food for those who have partaken of the manna of life.
The Lord Jesus Christ is seen in another illustration that He also used. The showbread was made of grain which was ground and unleavened, made into bread and baked. Leviticus 24:5 says, “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.” Then we find that the Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). The Lord Jesus Christ was ground in the mill of suffering. In His anguish Christ said in John 12:27, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” John 12:31–32 tells us that He was brought into the fire of suffering and judgment. “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Jesus Christ came forth from the tomb in newness of life because His soul did not see corruption. Now He lives a resurrection life. He is the showbread now for believers to feed upon to sustain eternal life and promote growth. The Christian is to feed upon the living Christ. He is to appropriate Christ as He is today, living at God’s right hand. Jesus Christ said, “…I am the bread of life …” (John 6:35).
There is an ancient proverb which contains the thought that a thing grows by what it feeds upon. And a book on the subject of dieting is entitled, You Are What You Eat. The difficulty today is that we have too many Christians who are not feeding upon Christ. You have to feed on Him in order to grow. In 2 Corinthians 5:16 Paul tells us, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” We no longer know Christ after the flesh. We must feed upon Him as He is today. He is the living Christ and we are to grow by looking to Him.
THE GOLDEN LAMPSTAND
The next article of furniture is the lampstand, in most translations called the candlestick, but it was really a lampstand.
And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick [Exod. 25:31–33].
As the description continues from verses 34–39, the reading becomes rather tedious. Verse 40 says:
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount [Exod. 25:40].
The lampstand is probably the most perfect picture of Christ found in the tabernacle furniture. It sets Him forth as pure gold and speaks of His deity. It sets Him forth as He is—God. Worship has to do with walking in the light. This is a very important fact to see.
We have studied the table of showbread and have seen that it spoke of the fact that when we worship God we must feed on the Lord Jesus Christ. If you go to church and you are only entertained, or given a book review, or listen to some social issue being debated, or hear how you can improve your city, you are not having a worship service. You are just having a meeting. You only worship God when you feed upon Him who is the table of showbread.
Now in order to worship God, you must also walk in the light. Christ is the light, as symbolized by the lampstand in the Holy Place. If you wanted natural light, you had to go outside the tabernacle. If you wanted to walk in the light of the lampstand, you had to go inside the tabernacle. John 1:9 tells us that Jesus Christ is the “…true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” You will find that there are people who counsel others by “words.” We are told that through philosophy and vain deceit we can be deceived. Listen to the words of Paul in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Christ is not just another philosopher who “darkened counsel by words without knowledge.” He is the Son of God, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
The lampstand was actually made of one piece of gold. It was beaten work, highly ornamented. It had a central shaft, but extending from that shaft were three branches on each side, making a total of seven branches in all. Each branch was like the limb of an almond tree with fruit and blossom. At the top was an open almond blossom, and it was here that the lamps filled with oil were placed.
The almond blossoms looked like wood but they were gold. They remind us of Aaron’s rod that budded. When Aaron’s priestly prerogative was in question, the budding of his almond rod established his right to the priesthood. The almond rod, a dead branch, was made to live and bear fruit. Christ was established as the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. The resurrection did not make Christ the Son of God because He was already that from the eternal counsels of God; the resurrection only confirmed it. Aaron was the God-appointed high priest and this position was confirmed by the resurrection of the dead almond rod. The resurrection of Christ likewise established His priesthood. Christ is our great High Priest. He became a man and partook of our nature, “tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.” But the primary basis of His priesthood is His deity. The priest represented man before God. And Christ, as God who became man, is now the God-man who represents man. There is Someone in heaven who knows and understands me! He is able to help me. The resurrection which declared Him to be the Son of God likewise declared His right to the priesthood.
It is interesting to note that no measurements are given for the lampstand. Why? Because you can’t put a yardstick down on Deity, friend. You cannot measure Him as the Son of God. You can’t understand Him. He is beyond the computation of man. Yet He also was perfectly human. His deity and humanity are never fused. Along with the fact that Jesus wept was the fact that He commanded Lazarus to come forth.
The lampstand gave light in the Holy Place. It was the place of worship. Notice that the lampstand held up the lighted lamps. In turn, the lamps revealed the beauty of the lampstand. The oil in the lamps represents the Holy Spirit. Christ said of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” When you and I study the Word together, we meet around the person of Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit who takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us—just as those lamps reveal the beauty of the lampstand. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ as the Son of God, the One who came to earth on our behalf and who lives in heaven to intercede for us.
CHAPTER 26
Theme: The curtains of the tabernacle; the boards and sockets of the tabernacle; the veils
THE CURTAINS OF THE TABERNACLE
Over the tabernacle proper were four coverings. The first covering was linen and it covered that part of the tabernacle that was 30 cubits long, 10 cubits wide and 10 cubits high. This linen covering came down the sides of the tabernacle but was not permitted to touch the ground.
Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them [Exod. 26:1].
The linen covering was beautiful and the result of fine work.
And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make [Exod. 26:7].
These curtains had to be sewn together.
The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure [Exod. 26:8].
The length of one curtain was to be 30 cubits which means it would exactly cover the top and sides of the tabernacle. They were held together with loops and rings.
And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins [Exod. 26:14].
The third covering was made of rams’ skins dyed red and the fourth covering was badgers’ skins, or more correctly, sealskins. The women used to wear sealskin coats and this tabernacle was probably the first one that ever wore a sealskin coat!
Now each of these coverings had symbolic meaning. The first covering was fine-twined, Egyptian linen with cherubim woven in the material. It did not touch the ground, and its beauty could only be seen on the inside of the tabernacle. This covering could not be seen from the outside at all and, frankly, the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot be seen by the world. He can only satisfy His own people. It is important for believers to worship Him because we not only need to feed on Him, but we need to behold Him in His beauty. In Psalm 17:8, David said, “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.” The wings of the cherubim were woven in the linen cloth over the tabernacle. But under His wings is a good place for us to be hidden, and we should worship Him who is worthy of our worship.
The second curtain was made of goats’ hair and it touched the ground. This curtain speaks of Christ’s worth for sinners. It is symbolic of the death of Christ, and this is the message that is to be given to the world. We read in Hebrews 9:26, “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” The word world in this verse is better translated “age.” He has appeared, and this is the message that should go forth. This is the story which the goats’ hair curtain tells.
The third covering was made of rams’ skin dyed red. This curtain speaks of the strength and vigor of Christ and His offering on the cross. This curtain shows the outward aspect of His offering as our substitute.
The fourth curtain was made of badgers’ skins (sealskins). After forty years in the wilderness this curtain was marred by time and weather, but it always protected that which was within. This covering speaks of Christ’s walk before men. Just as the linen covering was inside to show His beauty to the believer, so the sealskin covering had no beauty to reveal. Isaiah 53:2 tells us this about Christ: “…he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” There is no beauty on the outside that we should desire Him; we have to go inside to behold His beauty. The world does not see in Him what we see in Him.
THE BOARDS AND SOCKETS OF THE TABERNACLE
And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.
Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.
Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.
And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons [Exod. 26:15–19].
These boards were made of shittim wood which was a very durable wood like redwood. It was practically indestructible. These boards were covered with gold. There were twenty boards on each side and ten in the rear of the tabernacle. There was a certain amount of overlapping, of course, but this actually constituted the tabernacle proper. Rings were placed in the boards and bars ran through the rings, thus holding the tabernacle together.
Everything in the tabernacle speaks of either the person or work of Christ. Every covering, every thread, and every article of furniture reveals some facet of the Savior. As the bars held the tabernacle together, so the Holy Spirit of God holds true believers together today. Believers should be held together by the Spirit. In fact, believers are told “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
The curtains covering the tabernacle each bore a different color and each had its own significance. There was blue, a heavenly color. There was scarlet, which speaks of Christ’s blood. There was a blending of the blue and scarlet which produced a purple color that speaks of royalty. The blue and scarlet speak of heaven touching earth, or the humanity of Christ. The purple speaks of Him as King of the Jews. The boards, bars, and rings were overlaid with gold which speaks of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE VEILS
And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver [Exod. 26:31–32].
The veil was hung upon pillars and speaks of the humanity of Jesus Christ. The pillars were made of shittim wood covered with gold, with silver sockets attached. These speak of deity taking hold of earth through redemption. There was no capital on top of these pillars, which made them different from the other pillars in the tabernacle; they were just cut off. Isaiah 53:8 tells us, “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” Jesus Christ was cut off out of the land of the living—He lived to be only thirty-three years old.
Now the veil was made of fine-twined linen and was the only entrance to the Holy of Holies. The veil speaks of the humanity of Christ. When Christ was on the cross, He dismissed His spirit. At the moment of His death the veil was torn in two, representing the fracture of His spirit and His body. When the veil in the temple was rent in two, the way into God’s presence was open. The only way to get to God today is through the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one entrance to the Holy of Holies and only one way to God. In John 14:6 Jesus Himself said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Some people believe that you can come to God if you are sincere and belong to some church. Do not believe it. You will not find this type of thinking in the Word of God.
What a wonderful picture the veil is. It shows us the humanity of Christ. Friends, it is the death of Jesus Christ that saves us. His spotless life condemns us. When I stand before the veil, I am condemned. I see myself as not able to pass into the presence of God. We read in Matthew 27:50–51 that, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” The death of Jesus Christ provides access to God, and the rent veil pictures it.
Then there is another hanging:
And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them [Exod. 26:36–37].
This veil, or hanging, led to the Holy Place, the place of worship where the golden lampstand, table of showbread, and altar of incense were located. Now, friend, we cannot worship God any old way. We have to come through the Lord Jesus Christ. We have to come in spirit and in truth. Jesus said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
Both veils prefigure our Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 27
Theme: The brazen altar; the court of the tabernacle; oil for the lamp
Notice now as we move outside the tabernacle proper to the court that the articles of furniture are made of brass: the brazen altar and the brazen laver. Inside, you recall, the articles of furniture were of gold. As you get closer to God, the emphasis is on the person of Christ. As you move farther out, the emphasis is on the work of Christ.
THE BRAZEN ALTAR
And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass [Exod. 27:1–3].
The furniture in the outer court is made of brass which represents judgment of sin. The sin question must be settled in the court before entrance can be made into the Holy Place. The furniture in the Holy Place was all of gold and pictures communion with God and worship of God. There is no sin in the Holy Place. The sin question is dealt with in the outer court.
Man is standing on the outside. How is he going to approach God? The first thing he must have is a substitute to die for him. Man might avoid meeting God, but if he wants to meet God and not die, he must have a substitute. Someone will have to die on that brazen altar for him. Sometimes this altar is called the table of the Lord, and it is called the altar of burnt offering. This is where God deals with the sinner. It speaks of the cross of Christ, and of the fact that He is actually the One who died in man’s stead. It is as Paul said in Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Christ is our burnt offering. The altar was made by man but the pattern is in heaven. The cross was God’s chosen altar of sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God to die on the cross. Christ, therefore, is more than just a good man. He is that and also He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. There is no approach to God except by the brazen altar. There a victim must be sacrificed and must be claimed as the substitute. John 1:29 tells us, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The apostle John spoke of Christ as that substitute upon the brazen altar. That is what the cross became in those last three hours when darkness descended and Christ paid for the sins of the world.
We are told in John 1:12 that “…as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Man could not worship, pray, or serve God until he came to the brazen altar. Every priest, every Levite, had to come to this altar. Friends, “the way of the cross leads home.” If Jesus Christ had not gone by the brazen altar, we would have no access to God.
Jesus Christ is not only the Lamb that died for us, He is also the risen Lamb. The Apostle John tells us in Revelation 5:6 that he saw a “…Lamb as it had been slain…” The brazen altar stood at the entrance of the tabernacle. The cross of Christ stands before heaven—it was raised on this earth but there is no entrance to heaven except by this cross.
The brass which covered the altar speaks of judgment. The shittim wood covered with brass speaks of His strength for sacrifice. What a picture this is of the cross of Christ!
THE COURT OF THE TABERNACLE
And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four [Exod. 27:9, 16].
Once again the colors of the hangings tell a story. Blue was a heavenly color and spoke of the fact that Christ came from heaven. Scarlet spoke of Christ’s humanity and the blood that He shed for mankind. The purple was a blending of the blue and scarlet, the color of royalty, speaking of Christ’s kingship. This was the hanging for the gate of the court through which the priests and Levites entered. This entrance was only five cubits high and the fence that went around the outside of the tabernacle was one hundred cubits by fifty cubits, and was covered with white linen all the way around. It separated those on the inside from those on the outside.
OIL FOR THE LAMP
The conclusion of this chapter is quite interesting. It deals with the oil for the lamp, and it is unusual that this subject should be brought up at this particular place.
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always [Exod. 27:20].
Oil, as has already been pointed out, speaks of the Holy Spirit of God—Zechariah’s interpretation of the lampstand: “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). The light is that which the Holy Spirit gives. The Holy Spirit will not speak of Himself, but He takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us.
In the tabernacle of the congregation without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel [Exod. 27:21].
The burning light speaks of Christ. Now all that has changed—the Lord Jesus Christ has gone back to heaven. Matthew 5:14 tells us: “Ye are the light of the world….” You and I do not make much light. It is only the Spirit of God that can use us. The first picture we have of Christ in the Book of Revelation shows Him walking in the midst of the lampstands. He is trying to keep the church’s light of witness alive and burning on earth. Christ is dealing with those who are His own.
A word or two should be said about two articles of furniture not yet mentioned. One piece of furniture is the altar of incense which is mentioned over in Exodus chapter 30. If you were going to worship God, you had to come by this altar.
The other article of furniture not yet mentioned is the brazen laver. The laver made one clean to worship God. At the brazen altar you received Jesus Christ as Savior, and at the brazen laver you are washed and cleansed by the Holy Spirit of God. Then you are permitted to go and worship God.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: Aaron and his sons set apart for the priesthood; the ephod; the breastplate; the Urim and Thummim; the robe of the ephod
AARON AND HIS SONS SET APART FOR THE PRIESTHOOD
We have seen that every thread, color, and chord in the tabernacle suggest the person and work of Christ. Now we come to the ones who are going to serve in the tabernacle. The Levites were to care for the tabernacle, and Aaron and his sons were to be the priests. Aaron was to be the high priest.
And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty [Exod. 28:1–2].
In order for Aaron to serve as high priest he had to have certain garments. And these garments speak of Christ. It is true that most of the instructions given in Exodus do not make very thrilling reading, nor do they read like a detective or a mystery story, but they do reveal Christ. Do you wonder why God gave us all of these instructions? Little children learn by pictures. The Bible is a picture book and God wants us to learn the truths He has for us by looking at the “pictures” He has given us.
These garments were not holy in the sense that you and I think of holy today. The Hebrew word for holy means “set apart.” These garments were set apart for the service of God. Anything that is set apart for God is holy.
Suppose you have ten dollars in your pocketbook and you want to give one dollar to the Lord’s work. You may have received that ten dollars from a store, and the store may have received it from a gambler, who in turn may have received it from a prostitute, who may have gotten it from a thief and so on. But the minute you set that money aside for God, it is holy. Anything set aside for God is holy.
These are holy garments and are to be used in the service of God. I do not wear a robe like the Levites used to wear but when I was a pastor I had a mohair suit which I wore exclusively in the pulpit. I had a great deal of fun kidding my intimate friends about my “holy suit.” When I preach, I have on my holy clothes and, in one sense, I am accurate because anything set aside for the service of God is holy.
Notice that these garments are for the glory of God and they are beautiful. I love that. Things do not have to be ugly, friends, just because they are used in the service of God. I personally resent that the world, the flesh, and the devil seem to get everything that is beautiful. Why can’t we give God some of the beauty? He is the one who made beauty. If you do not think He splashes color around, watch a sunset, or look at the leaves in the fall. Look at the heavens during a clear sunny day and then watch them during a storm. God majors in colors and beauty, and these garments for the priests were to be beautiful and for the glory of God.
And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office [Exod. 28:3].
Aaron is to be set aside for the ministry of the great high priest. These are to be his garments:
And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office [Exod. 28:4].
Here are six garments that are to be used in the service of God. They are to be worn by Aaron and then, of course, passed on to those who shall succeed him in the office.
And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen [Exod. 28:5].
These garments are to be made out of the very best material. I feel like God ought to have the very best, but I must confess that we need to be very careful about this subject. Never in my ministry have I driven an automobile that is considered expensive, like a Cadillac or a Lincoln. One time a man offered to buy me an expensive car and I refused. I happen to drive a Chevrolet but, quite frankly, I feel I have as much right to drive a Cadillac. Now this is where I must be careful. Right now I know a certain minister who is coming under great criticism because several people went out to his headquarters one day and found nothing but Cadillacs parked around the place. The type of ministry in which he is engaged begs and urges people to give money to his work and there are those who feel the money received is not being spent wisely.
May I say that money sent into a ministry should not be spent needlessly. We ought to be very careful what we do with contributions. I have attempted to follow a pattern of being very careful with money because I ask people to give to my radio ministry. For this reason I drive a Chevrolet. So if anyone is thinking about giving me a Cadillac, forget it. Seriously, we need to be careful. On the other hand, we should recognize that God’s work should have the very best, and that does not necessarily mean a Cadillac.
When we moved into our new headquarters, we needed to settle the question of what kind of equipment we should have. Should the machine used to make the radio tapes be a cheap model? No! The tapes are very important and so we got the best machine we could find. We feel that good equipment for God’s work is essential; God’s work ought to have it. I trust that you understand what I am saying because I believe that God is being cheated and robbed. Malachi asked this question, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Mal. 3:8). God knows that a man will rob Him. Man was that way in Moses’ day and man is still the same today.
THE EPHOD
And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel [Exod. 28:6–9].
The ephod is difficult to describe. It was worn over the linen garment. Two long pieces of cloth were brought together and fastened by a stone on one shoulder and a stone on the other shoulder. The material was gathered in the middle with a girdle. Six of the names of the children of Israel were engraved on one onyx stone and six names were engraved on the other. When the high priest went into the presence of God, he carried the children of Israel on his shoulders. That speaks of the strength and power of the high priest. Hebrews 7:25 tells us about Jesus Christ our High Priest: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Christ is able to save us, you see. He has strength and power.
Do you remember the parable He gave about the little lost sheep? The shepherd went out and found him and put him on his shoulders (Luke 15:1–7). Jesus Christ carries me on His shoulders and that is where He carries you, friend. From time to time I get off His shoulders but He is right there to lift me back to that place of safety and continue to carry me. What a lovely picture the ephod gives us of Christ.
THE BREASTPLATE
And thou shalt make the breastplate ofjudgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof [Exod. 28:15–16].
The best way to describe the breastplate is to call it a vest—but a very beautiful one—that went over the garment. It was a breastplate of judgment. Why? Well, friends, it pictures the fact that sin has been judged. We need the breastplate of righteousness today as believers. You see, the breastplate covers the vile heart within us. That is the only way we could stand in the presence of God. It means that our sins are judged. The righteousness of Christ has been made over to us. So this is called the breastplate of judgment.
The breastplate was, in a way, part of the ephod. The ephod and the breastplate went together and was a thing of beauty.
And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. [Exod. 28:17–20].
On the breastplate of the great high priest were these twelve precious stones which were arranged three in a row, and there were four rows.
And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes [Exod. 28:21].
These stones are also found in the Book of Revelation where we are told that they form the foundation of the New Jerusalem. Each stone was a different color and together they formed a flashing and beautiful display. I am of the opinion that God’s universe is filled with color, and when sin is finally removed we will see it flash with color.
These twelve stones are quite interesting. When the high priest went into God’s presence wearing the breastplate, he pictured the Lord Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of God interceding for us. The Lord not only carries us on His shoulders, the place of power and ability, but He carries us on His breast. We are engraven on His heart. He loves us! What a picture this is of His love for us.
THE URIM AND THUMMIM
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually [Exod. 28:30].
I am going to tell you a secret and I do not want you to tell anyone. I do not know what the Urim and the Thummim were. I have read books by about twenty-five different authors and have discovered that they do not know either. The interesting thing is that they had something to do with determining the will of God. Just how, I do not know. Some people think the Urim and Thummim were dice, but I do not believe it. Whatever they were, they determined the will of God. God has kept the details obscure for a very good reason—some nut would try to produce a Urim and Thummim today and would claim that it would give us all the answers. We have a lot of people around today trying to give us the answers without the Urim and Thummim! God wants us to go to Him for the answers.
THE ROBE OF THE EPHOD
And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof, and bells of gold between them round about:.
A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about [Exod. 28:33–34].
The first sermon I preached in California was on the golden bells and pomegranates. I told the congregation I did not know exactly what a pomegranate was. Well, I found that they are grown in Southern California. By nine o’clock that evening I had at least twenty bushels of pomegranates on my back porch! I know what they are now.
The pomegranates speak of fruit, and the bells speak of witness. We should have both of these in our lives. We ought to be a witness for Christ, and there ought to be the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) in our lives. You should not be handing out tracts, friends, unless you are making the right kind of “tracks” in this world. Too many people want to witness but do not have a life to back it up. There are also some folk who have a life to back up a witness, but who do not witness. We ought to have a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate.
And it shall he upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not [Exod. 28:35].
These symbols of life and witness would give a sound as the high priest went in and out of the sanctuary. “That he die not” alerts them to the fact that if he should default in the ritual he would be stricken dead.
And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord [Exod. 28:36–38].
These garments distinguished the high priest from the other priests, and they set forth the glories and beauties of our High Priest who is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” He died down here to save us. He lives at God’s right hand to keep us saved.
And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.
And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.
And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:
And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him [Exod. 28:39–43].
God wanted no nudity in the service for Him (and we should keep this in mind for today). God wanted no display of the flesh. These garments were a covering over any work of the flesh.
CHAPTER 29
Theme: The consecration of the priests; the sacrifices of the consecration; the food of the priests; the continual burnt offering
THE CONSECRATION OF THE PRIESTS
Chapter 29 is a long chapter, and not all of it is as interesting and thrilling reading as it might be. I am confident, however, that the Spirit of God wants to use it to minister to us. This is God’s A-B-C Book for us and it contains great spiritual lessons.
And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish [Exod. 29:1].
Consecration for a believer is nothing that he does for himself. It is something that God does for him. It rests upon the finished work of Christ. It has to rest there.
And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.
And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water [Exod. 29:2–4].
The washing is typical of regeneration. Titus 3:5 tells us it is: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” The washing mentioned in this passage has to do with regeneration. The laver deals with a different type of washing altogether.
Now Moses is going to put the garments upon Aaron.
And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons [Exod. 29:5–9].
Consecration is what God does rather than what we do. I hear so much today about “consecration services” where people promise to do something. I have promised God big things in the past and have never quite made good. I do not like to think of that as being consecration. It is not what I promise Him. Rather, consecration is coming to God with empty hands, confessing our weakness and our inability to do anything, then letting God do the rest.
If you read the prayers of Moses, Elijah, David, and Samuel in the Old Testament, and Paul in the New Testament, you will find that these men never came to God on the basis of what they were, who they were, or what they promised God that they would do. I have attended dedication services for years. I have watched people put a little chip or limb on the fire and then give a testimony about the things they were going to do for God. I have heard enough promises at those dedication services to turn the world upside down for God. Unfortunately, many of those promises are never kept because we really do not have much to offer God, do we? Maybe you have something to offer Him, but I do not. The thing is that we need to come to Him with empty hands and allow Him to fill them.
THE SACRIFICES OF THE CONSECRATION
And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock [Exod. 29:10].
The high priest and his family put their hands upon the bullock. There are many people who believe that the laying on of hands transmits something magical or spiritual. It does not. That is not the purpose of the laying on of hands. The only thing you can transfer to another man by the laying on of hands is disease germs. This is all that is passed on. The laying on of hands on an animal speaks of identification. When a sinner came up to the altar and put his hands on the head of the animal he had brought, it meant that the animal was taking his place.
In the church I served for many years we had over one hundred missionaries. When a missionary went to his or her field of service, we held a consecration service to set that missionary aside for service. We put our hands on them. So far I have never transferred anything to a missionary yet. The purpose for the service was identification. The missionaries were identified with us and they represented us on the field. I consider that when I put hands on a missionary, he is identified with me in the ministry, and I have a certain responsibility to pray for him and support him. The laying on of hands means identification.
The bullock took Aaron’s place. It will die for him because he is a sinner. This is the burnt offering. In Leviticus we shall go over these offerings in detail. Even in the Garden of Eden there was a burnt offering. The altar that we have identified as the brazen altar is sometimes called the altar of burnt offering because it was here that the main sacrifice was offered. The main sacrifice, which was the burnt offering and the first one, sets forth the person of Christ—who He is. The altar speaks of what He has done for us.
THE FOOD OF THE PRIESTS
And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord: and it shall he thy part.
And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons [Exod. 29:26–27].
Once again in Leviticus you will find that a part of an offering went to Aaron and the priest as their part. You see, the Levites were apportioned no land for farming in the nation, and this is the way God provided for their support. The Levites were to serve in the tabernacle and later in the temple, and they would receive a part of the offering.
THE CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING
The continual burnt offering was to be continually offered.
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even.
And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering [Exod. 29:38–40].
Once again the Book of Leviticus gives us the details of the continual burnt offering. This offering was a daily sacrifice; a lamb was offered in the morning and a lamb was offered in the evening. It speaks of the fact that the people needed a continual reminder that someone was needed to take their place and that their sin merited death. There must be the shedding of blood for sin.
The Book of Hebrews brings out this truth. “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). This verse, of course, is speaking about the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blood of bulls, goats, and lambs could not take away sin, but the blood of Jesus Christ could. His sacrifice is adequate. The Lord has dealt adequately with sin. He died only once. Once in the end of the age He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
CHAPTER 30
Theme: The altar of incense; the ransomed may worship; the cleansed may worship; the anointed may worship; the incense
THE ALTAR OF INCENSE
This is the great worship chapter. In looking at the first compartment of the tabernacle proper, the Holy Place, we see three articles of furniture. All speak of worship. We have already considered the lampstand and the table of showbread, but there is also an altar here. It is the altar of incense. The table of showbread and the golden lampstand typify God’s people meeting and fellowshiping together. (This is not where you meet together and gossip, but where you feed on the person of Jesus Christ. It is a banquet.) The altar of incense is the place of prayer.
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof. the horns thereof shall be of the same [Exod. 30:1–2].
The instructions tell us that this was a small altar.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal [Exod. 30:3–4].
Even this small piece of furniture had rings so that staves could be put through them and it could be carried upon the shoulders of the priests. In the Book of Numbers we are told that on the wilderness march the Levites carried the articles of furniture.
And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee [Exod. 30:6].
This altar was placed right by the veil, and the ark and mercy seat were on the other side of the veil. It stood in the Holy Place, the place of worship.
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations [Exod. 30:7–8].
This was not an altar of sacrifice.
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon [Exod. 30:9].
Only incense, and only a certain kind of incense, was to be placed upon this altar. The priests would go in and burn incense every time they would light the lamps of the lampstand. This altar speaks of prayer, and we know this because the Bible uses incense as a symbol of prayer and praise in many places. David, for example, in Psalm 141:2 says, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense …” The Book of Revelation gives us this picture of incense: “And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne” (Rev. 8:3). Luke 1:9 tells us that “According to the custom of the priest’s office, his [Zacharias’] lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.” Zacharias was a member of the tribe of Levi and he served in the temple. He was serving at the altar of incense, according to this verse, and it was at the time of prayer. Dr. Luke opens the New Testament—chronologially—with Zacharias at the altar of incense. In other words, God broke His silence of four hundred years at the altar of incense by giving a message to Zacharias there.
Incense, therefore, is a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Intercessor. Aaron ministered in the place of worship and Aaron is a figure of Christ in this particular sense, although Christ is actually a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 7). In Hebrews 9 we find a strange thing—the altar of incense is placed in the Holy of Holies. It looks as if the writer of Hebrews didn’t know where it belonged! Why did he locate it in the Holy of Holies rather than in the Holy Place as it is in Exodus? Because when he wrote, the veil had been rent in two. Christ had offered Himself down here. His flesh had been rent, and He had died upon the cross. But He ascended back to heaven, and the altar of incense is in heaven today. We come to God through Jesus Christ. He is our great Intercessor. Christ is in heaven, and the altar speaks of the place where He stands. When we come to God in prayer, we have to come through the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have heard lots of people say, “Now that I am saved, I can go directly to God.” No, you cannot! You go to God through Christ. He is the One who brings us into the presence of God. Christ is in heaven praying for us. It was wonderful for the children of Israel to know that their high priest was in the tabernacle, at the altar of incense, praying for them. It is wonderful for us to know that Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, is praying for us.
Christ does not pray for the world. Did you know that? In His high priestly prayer He says, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:9). You say, “Why doesn’t He pray for the world?” Jesus Christ died for the world. And the Holy Spirit is down here to make the offer of Christ real to those who will receive Him. Christ could do no more than die for the sins of the world. He is in heaven praying for those who have received Him as Savior. I am glad that He is doing this because if He were not, we could not accomplish very much on earth. What a precious thing it is to have a great High Priest who prays for us. God hears our prayers because of who Christ is and what He did for us on the cross.
Ephesians 1:6 says, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Because of Jesus Christ, God the Father accepts us in the Beloved. In Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7 and Luke 9:35 God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, hear him.” We are not only to hear Him, we are to pray through Him. Jesus Christ told us in John 14:14: “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” This is what it means to pray in the Spirit.
You will notice that this altar is separated from the other articles of furniture. Only the priests could worship here. Even King Uzziah was smitten with leprosy when he tried to intrude here (2 Chron. 26:16–21). Only priests can pray today—and every true believer in Christ is a priest. There is a great deal of sentimental rubbish told around today that a person can lead any sort of sinful life he pleases, reject Christ, and then in time of trouble, perhaps when his mother is in the hospital, this reprobate can get on his knees before God and expect an answer. Motion pictures have shown scenes like this, and some sentimental preachers talk about such things happening, but God says He will not answer prayers like this. Let us be very careful about this, friends. The altar of incense is where priests go. The only prayer a sinner can pray is “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” God will hear and answer that prayer when it is offered to Him.
Verse 8 tells us that there is to be “a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.” There is to be continual praise to God. In 1 Thessalonians we are told to “pray without ceasing.” The incense was to be upon the altar in the morning and the evening.
When the high priest went inside and offered incense on the altar, he spent some time in the tabernacle. That incense stayed upon his garments and when he came outside, the people could smell him. You might say that he was wearing the right kind of fragrance. When the great high priest walked by, people caught the fragrance. They said, “My, doesn’t he smell good!” The trouble with most saints today is that they are not wearing the right kind of cologne. The right cologne is prayer. Let your prayers ascend before God as sweet incense, and it will permeate your garments—if you spend time in prayer.
THE RANSOMED MAY WORSHIP
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord [Exod. 30:12–13].
This is the second requirement of worship. There will be no plague among them because they are going to be redeemed. They were to be ransomed with silver. Silver is the metal of redemption and a type of redemption. Everyone that worshiped had to be redeemed. We hear a great deal today about public worship. Actually there is no such thing. Only the redeemed can worship, but the way is open to “whosoever will” for redemption.
THE CLEANSED MAY WORSHIP
Not only must worshipers be redeemed, they must also be cleansed. That brings us to the laver. The laver is located in the outer court and is made of brass, along with the brazen altar. This is where God settles the sin question and where He deals with our sin. The brazen laver is where God deals with our sins as saints. Saints sometimes sin. This idea that saints are heavenly is just not true. As one anonymous poet has said:
To dwell above
With saints in love
O that will be glory!
But to stay below
With saints I know
That is another story!
And the Lord spake unto Moses saying,
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord [Exod. 30:17–20].
The priest could not come into the tabernacle to serve unless he had first washed. The priest got contaminated when he was on the outside. When you go to church and do not enjoy the service, maybe it is not just because the preacher is dull. Maybe you are a dirty saint. When you have the combination of a dull preacher and a dirty saint, you do not have a very exciting service.
We get dirty in this world, and we cannot worship until we are cleansed. That is why the Lord washed the disciples’ feet. He is still doing that today. We need to go to the laver, friends. That is the first thing the priest did. If they were going to the brazen altar, they washed before and after. If they were going into the Holy Place, they washed before they came in and washed when they came out. I am of the opinion that the matter of washing was very important. It was so important, in fact, that I can imagine one priest saying to another priest at the laver, “How many times have you been here today?” The other priest might reply, “Nearly a dozen times.” And the first priest would say, “Well, I’ve been up here over a dozen times. And look at my hands—I have dishpan hands because I have washed so much. I wonder why God wants us to do this so often?” And Aaron, standing in the background, might have said, “The Lord wants you to wash and wash and wash so that you will know that you have to be holy. You cannot worship Him, serve Him, or be of use to Him unless you have been cleaned up.”
The idea that a dirty saint can serve God acceptably simply is not true. Every now and then you hear of some man getting involved with a woman, and folk say, “My, I do not understand how a thing like that can happen to one who is doing a great work for God.” The man might have been a preacher or a fine Christian worker, but if you check his work, you will find out that it is wood, hay, and stubble. In 1 Corinthians 3:12–15 we learn that, “…if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built there-upon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” His “great work” amounts to nothing in God’s sight. God wants us to be clean.
The priests were to wash in the brazen laver. We are to come to Him in confession. First John 1:9 tells us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This laver of brass pictures our sanctification. We must wash if we are going to serve God. We must wash if we are going to be used by God. We must be clean. Not only should our garments smell like sweet incense, but our bodies should be washed with pure water. The pure water is the Word of God.
The laver was made out of brass. The women brought their highly polished brass mirrors to make the laver. They did not have glass mirrors then. The mirrors revealed dirt and that was the purpose of the laver. The laver cleansed the priest, and the laver pictures the Word of God. The Bible is a mirror and when we look into it, our sin is revealed. We then need to confess that sin and be cleansed.
Now you are not to confess your sin publicly; you go to Jesus Christ in private. That laver is in heaven. I think that every Sunday, before we ever go inside the church, we should confess our sins for the week. Do not tell me that you don’t get dirty. Your eyes get dirty. Your mind gets dirty. Your hands get dirty. Your feet get dirty. You get dirty all right. One of the big troubles in our churches today is that there is too much spiritual B.O. We need to confess our sins to Him and wash before we go in to worship. God does not accept worship until it comes from a cleansed heart nor will He accept service except from a cleansed heart.
THE ANOINTED MAY WORSHIP
And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
And the table and all his vessels … [Exod. 30:25–27a].
What is the anointing for us today? It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We have an anointing that enables us to understand the Word of God. That is the reason the Bible is being made real to so many today. It is not the teacher nor the preacher; it is the Spirit of God using the Word of God. Only the Spirit can anoint you. You do not have to go to some man and have him pour oil on you. You can go to God right now and say, “God, open my heart and mind and life to understand your Word.” First John 2:20 says, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” The word “unction” means anointing and it is ours.
First John 2:27 goes on to say, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” The Holy Spirit is the one who can open your mind and heart when you go to work with God to understand His Word. What a blessing He will bring to your heart! There are so many people today who are asking the questions, “What is life all about? What shall I do today? How shall I communicate my needs?” Oh my dear friends, ask God to let the Holy Spirit of God make real His Word to your hearts, and true joy will be yours.
THE INCENSE
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation … [Exod. 30:34–36a].
Now the incense, as we are told in verse 34, was made of sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, along with pure frankincense. Stacte was a resinous gum that oozed from trees on Mount Gilead. It was called the balm of Gilead. The onycha came from a species of shell fish that resembled a crab. The galbanum was taken from the leaves of a Syrian plant. These were blended with pure frankincense. It was a secret formula, long since lost. The mixture of these spices gave off a sweet incense, and it was not to be duplicated nor replaced.
And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.
Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people [Exod. 30:37–38].
No one was to use this formula for himself. Neither would God accept any counterfeit.
The altar speaks to us of prayer and worship. It is a place where we are to offer our praise, thanksgiving, and our requests. It is not to be duplicated. This formula was not to be used in an attempt to try and make the incense or worship pleasing to the natural man. You cannot make worship pleasing to the natural man. We are to worship God in spirit and in truth. All sorts of things are used to try and trap people into going to church. Nothing but the Word of God should be used to accomplish this. Make sure that the Word of God is foremost, and that everything centers around the Word of God.
In closing, I want to mention again that there were two altars. The burnt altar is where God deals with a sinner. It speaks of the earth and the sin of man. The altar of incense speaks of heaven and holiness. The burnt altar speaks of what Christ did for us on earth. The incense altar speaks of what Christ is doing for us in heaven today. It also speaks of our prayers and our part in worship. It speaks of Christ who prays for us. He is the one who truly praises God and prays for us. He is the one who genuinely worships God for us. He is our intercessor.
How are we to learn to worship? Well, not at the bloody altar where you go as a sinner and take Christ as your Savior. You enter the Holy Place and come to the golden altar. There is no sacrifice there because the sin question was settled outside. When you worship God, the sin question has to be settled. The very basis rests upon the fact that this altar once a year was consecrated with blood. As believers, we are accepted in the Beloved before God. God hears our prayers because of what Christ has done.
CHAPTER 31
Theme: The call of Spirit-filled craftsmen; the Sabbath day becomes a sign
THE CALL OF SPIRIT-FILLED CRAFTSMEN
This chapter seems to be a departure from the study of the tabernacle, but actually it is not. What we have here is an interval between the giving of the Law and the instructions of the tabernacle. Moses spent a great deal of time on Mt. Sinai, receiving all the instructions. The children of Israel became somewhat impatient while they were waiting for him to return. This chapter tells us about the workmen who made the tabernacle and about one in particular who was given a special gift for making the articles of furniture, especially the more difficult pieces.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee [Exod. 31:1–6].
These men and their helpers were given special gifts for craftsmanship. They made the tabernacle furniture and also the garments. The Spirit of God equipped them for their work. The question might arise as to the trade of Bezaleel before God called him to do this work. I believe craftsmanship was his trade, and that he worked with gold and silver and other delicate things. But he was given a special gift from God to do His work.
My feeling is that whatever a man is equipped to do, that is the thing he should do unless God makes it clear that he should do otherwise. I find today that there are those who cannot speak well before an audience and yet want to. I know several laymen who are determined that they are going to be speakers, but they are not equipped for it. They have no trace of the gift of speaking, but they stubbornly continue to speak when other useful gifts they have go to waste. I know a man in radio work who is a technical expert but all he wants to do is speak. He has a special gift, and I think he should confine himself to the gift God has given him.
When I was a pastor in Nashville, one of the deacons of my church came to me the first day I arrived and asked me never to call on him for public prayer. “It scares me to death; I have stage fright and I cannot seem to overcome my fear. It must be abnormal, but I make a fool of myself when I try to speak in public,” he said. This man was the superintendent of a street car company and held an executive position, but he confessed to me that he could not do any public speaking that made sense. He did tell me, however, that if there was anything that needed to be done around the church, to let him know. He turned out to be a wonderful helper and he was right there whenever I called on him. Before I left that church, I was thanking God that this man did not have the gift of public speaking because it made him faithful to the gift that God had given him.
Bezaleel could have been very much like some laymen today. He could have said, “Look here, Lord, I want to wear these high priestly garments like Aaron. I want to serve You like that.” But God said, “That is not the way I want you to serve me.” In one sense this man’s gift is more important than Aaron’s gift. His gift was essential for the building of the tabernacle. God will give you a gift, friend, that will develop the talents that you have. God gives us talents, but He wants us to dedicate them to Him. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to take us and use us.
We do not all have the same talents and gifts. There is a wrong impression circulating in the church today that if you cannot sing in the choir, teach a Sunday school class, speak publicly, or be an usher, you are pretty much out of the picture. I think there are literally hundreds of gifts that God gives to men to serve Him. It is up to the individual to determine what is his gift. Whatever gift God has given you, He would like the Spirit of God to take it and use it for His service.
THE SABBATH DAY BECOMES A SIGN
There is something else in this chapter that is of profound interest and is important to see. It has to do with the Sabbath day. It is something that many people pass over. The Sabbath day was given to man right after creation, and it was observed universally. When we come to the Mosaic system, we find that God made it one of the Ten Commandments for the children of Israel. At this time God makes it quite clear that the Sabbath is only for the children of Israel.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you [Exod. 31:12–13].
The Sabbath was given specifically to Israel. I do not believe it was ever given to the church. When someone asks me, “When was the Sabbath day changed?” I always reply that it never was changed. It was done away with, as far as the church is concerned. We are not under the Sabbath day which is Saturday. We do not observe Saturday—Jesus was dead that day and we are not serving a dead Christ. On the first day of the week Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The church from the very beginning met on the first day of the week. That is when the church was born; the day of Pentecost was on the day after the Sabbath. The Sabbath was first given to the entire human race but man turned away from God, and God gave the Sabbath exclusively to Israel.
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people [Exod. 31:14].
I would like to ask the people who claim to keep the Sabbath if they keep it all the time. And are those of their number who do not keep the Sabbath all the time put to death as the law requires?
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death [Exod. 31:15].
If a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day, he was stoned to death in Israel.
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed [Exod. 31:16–17].
This passage expressly says that the children of Israel, not the church, were to keep the Sabbath. The Israelites are an earthly people belonging to the first creation. The church is a new creation and it was given a new day to observe which is the first day of the week.
CHAPTER 32
Theme: The golden calf; condemnation of Israel’s apostasy; judgment; the intercession of Moses
THE GOLDEN CALF
This chapter presents tragedy as far as the children of Israel are concerned, and yet it is here we see one of the greatest teachings and revelations concerning our God. Also, this is one of the greatest lessons on prayer found in the Bible.
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him [Exod. 32:1].
The word wot simply means we “know” not. The people thought Moses was gone, probably had been killed. Since he was gone, they wanted to make idols (gods) to lead them on the wilderness march. Right away they lapsed into idolatry. You would think Aaron, who was the high priest, would try to stop them, but he did not. Aaron went along with the liberalism of the people wanting to return to idolatry.
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me [Exod. 32:2].
During that time earrings were a sign of idolatry (see Genesis 35:4). It was a sign that these people were serving the gods of Egypt. Now they were to bring these earrings to Aaron.
And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt [Exod. 32:3–4].
Can you imagine these people lapsing into idolatry this quickly? It would be inconceivable to me if it were not for the fact that I have watched the church lapse into apostasy that I never dreamed I would live to see.
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play [Exod. 32:6].
Gross immorality was involved here. They have already departed from God after they had told Him that they would keep all of His commandments. As you can see, they are not keeping any of them.
All this time Moses is on the mountain receiving the Law, the instructions, and the blueprint for the tabernacle.
CONDEMNATION OF ISRAEL’S APOSTASY
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt [Exod. 32:7–8].
God did not redeem Israel because they were superior, greater, or better than any other nation. They were none of these things. God said, “I knew you were a stiffnecked people.”
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation [Exod. 32:9–10].
This was a real temptation to Moses. God is saying, “Moses, I will use you like I used Abraham, and I will make of you a great nation and I will still be able to make good my covenant with Abraham.” Now notice what Moses does. He is an example of one of the greatest prayers in all of Scripture.
And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? [Exod. 32:11].
God asks Moses to “remember.” God says, “Moses, get thee down, for thy people that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.” Now Moses really talks back to God. (There is none of this pious piffle that you hear today in so many prayers. We have so much hypocrisy in some of our prayers that it is no wonder prayer meetings are dead. If we would talk honestly and frankly to God, prayer meeting would be the most exciting meeting in the church.) Listen to what Moses said, “Lord, I think You made a mistake. I do not recall bringing any people out of Egypt. And they are not my people; they are Your people. You brought them out of Egypt and You did it with a mighty hand. I could not bring them out. You have made a mistake, Lord.” Can you imagine talking to God like that? Moses did!
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people [Exod. 32:12].
Then Moses tells the Lord, “You brought Your people out of the land of Egypt, but suppose that You do not take them into the land. The Egyptians would say that You were able to lead them out of Egypt but not able to take them into the land. They are Your people, Lord. You promised to bring them into the land.”
Next, Moses gives God a third reason for turning aside from His wrath against the Israelites.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever [Exod. 32:13].
Moses continues, “Lord, remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; You made a promise to them. You promised to multiply their seed and give them a land.”
And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people [Exod. 32:14].
When Moses prayed like that, it moved the arm of God. If we were more honest in praying, we would see more answers—that is, more visible answers to our prayers. We always receive an answer to our prayers, but I think the Lord tells most of us no because we do not really pray honestly to Him.
JUDGMENT
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides: on the one side and on the other were they written.
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses. There is a noise of war in the camp.
And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear [Exod. 32:15–18].
The children of Israel were having a high old time, friends. They were worshiping their golden calf and living in sin.
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? [Exod. 32:19–21].
Now listen to Aaron try to crawfish out of it all. This would really be humorous, if it were not so serious a matter.
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him [Exod. 32:22–23].
In other words, Moses is getting the blame for what happened. The children of Israel thought that Moses had deserted them, and so they turned to the golden calf. Aaron continues:
And I said unto them. Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf [Exod. 32:24].
You cannot help but laugh at Aaron’s statement. I think Moses must have laughed with incredulity. “You mean, Aaron, that you poured gold into the fire and the calf walked out?” A few verses back we were told, you remember, that Aaron fashioned the calf with tools. What Aaron did was lie.
And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies) [Exod. 32:25].
This matter of nudism, sex, and dope is not new. I think you can look at the Israelites in this instance and see the whole bit. Moses will see this thing through. He is really angry. At the same time, however, notice what an intercessor he is for these people. He lays hold of the heart of God and moves the hand of God.
It is time for Moses to move in with extreme surgery. When you have cancer, and I know this from personal experience, you want to try to get rid of it. If it means cutting away half of your body, you want to get rid of it. Sin is an awful cancer, and God uses extreme surgery in this case by slaying those who were guilty.
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
And he said unto them. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour [Exod. 32:26–27].
This judgment is serious and extreme. It had to be that because there had been terrible sin. Liberalism has crept into our churches and we have allowed it to stay there unchecked. I can remember when I came before a church court to be examined for the ministry. A young fellow from a liberal seminary was also there to be examined. I have never seen anyone who knew as little theology and Bible as this boy, and what he did know he had all mixed up. It was clear that he had little knowledge and no faith. He could never even explain the great doctrines of the faith. In fact, one man very patiently said to him, “Well, if you don’t believe it, at least you ought to know what you don’t believe!” But he didn’t. Then one old man who knew this boy’s father, said, “This boy’s father was a great preacher in the past. He was sound in the faith and I know that one day this boy will come around and will get straightened out.” It was not unanimous but the council accepted him. It made me sick at heart to be brought in at the same time with a fellow who did not believe anything at all.
The way this council handled the situation is not the way Moses would have handled it! He would not have drawn a sword and slain the fellow, but he would not have accepted him as a preacher. He would have given that boy a Bible and told him to go to Bible school, learn a little Bible, and then come back and he could be examined again and see if he was fit for the ministry. Because of similar actions by other councils, liberalism has come into the organized church and has taken over. You cannot compromise with sin. Someone has said, “Compromise is immoral,” and it is especially immoral in the church. Moses did not do a very good job of compromising. He used extreme surgery.
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men [Exod. 32:28].
Those that were guilty were slain, and that cleaned up the camp pretty well. Many people are apt to say that this was brutal. Look at it this way. Was it better to cut out the cancer now and save the nation or let the cancer grow and destroy the nation? Think of the men, women, and children in the camp who were not guilty. If the men who had led Israel into idolatry had been allowed to live, the nation would never have entered the Promised Land. That, of course, is what is happening in the church in many places. I see church after church lose its importance and its influence and become useless because it allowed liberalism to creep in. We are soft and sentimental and silly. Sometimes we are even stupid in the way we handle evil.
THE INTERCESSION OF MOSES
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin [Exod. 32:30].
An atonement covered up sin. That is the way sin was handled before Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the cross. After the cross, sin is removed. Now Moses gives his fourth reason for taking the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold [Exod. 32:31].
What is this? Confession. If you want to get along with God, you will have to agree with Him about sin. Sin is sin and it must be confessed. It does not matter who you are, either. These are God’s chosen people, the children of Israel, and Moses says, “We have sinned!” Israel had sinned a great sin and made gods of gold. Moses spelled out the sin before God. And, friends, when we confess our sin to God, we should spell it out. Tell God exactly what it is.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written [Exod. 32:32].
Moses said, “I take my place with the people. I identify myself with them, and if You intend to blot them out, blot me out also.” Remember that God had told Moses that He could still make good His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by simply making a nation from Moses. But Moses said, “No, I identify myself with the people. If You do not intend to bring them into the land, then blot me out with them.” Notice that what moves the heart of God moves the hand of God.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book [Exod. 32:33].
God deals individually and personally with sin.
Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made [Exod. 32:34–35].
God will deal with sin personally. He will, however, take the people into the land. Those that had not sinned in the idolatry of the calf would be led by the Angel of God. Now the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is the visible presence of Christ—the pre-incarnate Christ. Because of Moses’ intercession, God has not given up His people. This should impress upon us the extreme importance of prayer.
CHAPTER 33
Theme: Israel’s journey continues; the tabernacle is placed outside the camp; Moses’ prayer and the Lord’s answer
ISRAEL’S JOURNEY CONTINUES
And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite [Exod. 33:1–2].
God is preparing Israel to enter the land. We will see them resume their wilderness march in the Book of Numbers. (The Book of Leviticus is the continuation of the instructions for the service of the tabernacle which they are just setting up in the Book of Exodus.)
Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee: for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments [Exod. 33:3–4].
These ornaments, as we have already seen, were heathen. Their earrings, for example, demonstrated the fact that they were still worshiping the gods of Egypt. The earrings were a sign of it. This is very much like the wearing of a cross, although it is meaningless today as an identification of a Christian.
For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee [Exod. 33:5].
This is the third time God has called Israel a stiff-necked people. God is making it clear to them that He had not come to redeem His people because they were superior.
God asks them to remove the signs that show they are heathen and pagan and take a stand for God. I personally believe that is the reason that baptism (water baptism) was so important in the early church. It was an evidence that a person had left the old and was taking a stand for the new. This should give that type of testimony today. And so:
And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb [Exod. 33:6].
THE TABERNACLE IS PLACED OUTSIDE THE CAMP
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp [Exod. 33:7].
As the tabernacle is being constructed, Moses has it set up without the camp, or outside the camp. The tabernacle at this point is only a tent of meeting. It was probably just a tent or maybe the outer fence that later enclosed the tabernacle.
And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses [Exod. 33:8–9].
The question arises, “Has anyone seen God?” John 1:18 tells us that no man has seen God at any time. John 14:9 reveals that those who have seen Jesus Christ have seen the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ is the revelation of God veiled in human flesh. In the Old Testament one of His names was “Angel of the Lord.” It was the Angel of the Lord that talk with Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend [Exod. 33:11a].
Just as friends speak to each other face to face, God and Moses talked. Yet Moses did not see God.
And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle [Exod. 33:11b].
Once again Joshua is mentioned. He is the man God is preparing to succeed Moses. I do not think that anyone suspected it at the time, but when we get to the Book of Joshua, we will see that he was probably the most unlikely person of all to succeed Moses.
Tabenacle Floor Plan
MOSES’ PRAYER AND THE LORD’S ANSWER
And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me. Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people [Exod. 33:12–13).
Moses was asking for the same thing that Paul did in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him ….” It is the same thing that Philip meant when in John 14:8 he said, “…Shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” I believe every sincere child of God has a desire to know God.
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence [Exod. 33:14–15].
Moses knew that he needed the presence of God with him. He knew that he could not make it on his own.
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth [Exod. 33:16].
It is important to notice that God made the Israelites a peculiar people for a very definite reason. The church is also to be a peculiar people today. This means we are to be a people for God; it does not mean that we are to be oddballs.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name [Exod. 33:17].
Moses is becoming very intimate with God.
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory [Exod. 33:18].
Moses could not actually see God face to face.
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee: and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy [Exod. 33:19].
Paul uses this verse in Romans 9:15 when he says, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live [Exod. 33:20].
It is a fact, friend, you are not going to see God face to face.
And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen [Exod. 33:21–23].
This passage is speaking about the glory being a representation of God. The Lord Jesus said that when He comes the second time, there would be the sign of the Son of man in heaven. Matthew 24:30 states: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” I think that sign is the shekinah glory spoken of in Exodus 33:21–23. When Christ took upon Himself human flesh, the glory was not there. He took a humble place and put aside His glory, but He was still God. That is why He could say, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”
We are not going to see God. We will see the Lord Jesus Christ and He will be in human form because that is the form He took here on earth. Today He is in a glorified body, and someday we shall be like Him we are told in 1 John 3:2 which says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” This is the anticipation and hope of believers who are walking by faith. That is the way Moses is going to walk. He knew that God’s presence had to go with him or failure would be the result.
We need His presence today also to face the problems of everyday life.
CHAPTER 34
Theme: The tables of the Law renewed; Moses’ commission is renewed; Moses face shines
THE TABLES OF THE LAW RENEWED
And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.
And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.
And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone [Exod. 34:1–4].
These are the second tables of the Law. The first tables were broken by Moses when he descended Mount Sinai and found that the children of Israel had made a golden calf and were worshiping it. He now comes back to the mount with blank tables of stone.
And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord [Exod. 34:5].
The Lord is now proclaiming His name. This is a tremendous advance for both Moses and the children of Israel. A name has meaning. When you hear the name Caesar, what do you think of? When you hear the name Abraham Lincoln, what do you think of? You conjure up certain images in your mind. God is now proclaiming His name and He wants the Israelites to remember their experiences with Him since they left the land of Egypt.
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty [Exod. 34:6–7a].
God does not extend mercy by shutting His eyes to the guilty or by saying, “I will just forget that sin.” Sin must be punished and a penalty must be paid. God by no means clears the guilty. What happens then? How does He keep His mercy and take care of iniquity at the same time? A sacrifice has been provided. The sacrifices Israel made in that day did not take away sin but they pointed to that “Perfect Sacrifice,” the Lord Jesus Christ, who, when He did come, put away sin by His death on the cross.
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation [Exod. 34:7b].
It is a good thing to remember that today you can commit a sin that will affect your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, and your great-great-grandchildren.
I took a certain course in abnormal psychology in college—psychology was my second major. I almost accepted a scholarship to go on with my studies in this field. One day we went on a tour of a mental hospital in Bolivar, Tennessee. We were shown different forms of abnormality. All of the patients were suffering from one mental disease or another. After we had seen one particular group, a member of our class asked the doctor what caused these diseases. The doctor simply replied, “It was either the sins of the father or the grandfather, or it could have been the sins of the great-grandfather.”
A doctor in Nashville took me to the hospital one morning where he was going to operate on some blind children, although it would give them only partial sight. “What made them blind?” I asked. He replied, “It was the sins of their fathers.” Believe me, friend, you cannot break His laws with impunity. God is always the same. His laws do not change. But thank God “He keeps mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity.” If we only turn to Him, we will find mercy.
And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance [Exod. 34:8–9].
This is about the fourth time these people have been called stiff-necked. I hope by this time that you realize God never saved the nation Israel because they were superior, or because they were doing so well, or because they promised to do good. They are a stiff-necked people.
MOSES’ COMMISSION IS RENEWED
And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee [Exod. 34:10].
The word terrible means “to incite terror.” This word does not have the same meaning as we give to terrible. It was part of the shield of God that He was putting around His people. They would have been devoured by the enemy if He had not done this.
Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite [Exod. 34:11].
God says that He will drive out all of their enemies and this is the third time He has mentioned this.
Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee [Exod. 34.12].
God warned them not to make a covenant with any of the people of the land. When the Gibeonites came to Joshua (in the Book of Joshua), they tricked the Israelites. They pretended that they had come from afar and had old stale bread to prove it—to Joshua, at least. Why didn’t God want Israel to make covenants with the people in the land of Canaan? If they made any covenants with these people, it would become a snare to them and lead them back into idolatry.
But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God [Exod. 34:13–14].
He is a jealous God and does not want to share His honor and glory with false gods. There is no reason to apologize for God’s being jealous either. I once heard a wife say, “My husband is not jealous of me.” She was boasting of that fact. But I could have told her that if her husband was not jealous, he did not love her. Anything or any person you love, you are jealous of, and do not like to share with others. You can be jealous in an evil way, but this is not what we are talking about. When you love a person, you have a concern and you care for them.
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a-whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a-whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a-whoring after their gods.
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods [Exod. 34:15–17].
The land of Canaan was covered with idolatry just like a dog is covered with fleas. The land was filled with gross immorality, and God is warning Israel to keep herself separate from people engaged in these activities and make no covenant with them at all. Israel was to either destroy them or drive them out of the land. The critics down through the years have decried this. Apparently they have not investigated the reason for this extreme measure. Of course the obvious reason is that God was protecting his own from the horror of idolatry. But there is another reason. It is known today that venereal disease was in epidemic proportions among the inhabitants of Canaan. God was attempting to protect His people from the ravages of disease. Israel disobeyed God and did not completely clear the land of these people and suffered the sad consequences. Finally God sent Israel, disobedient and corrupt, into Babylonian captivity.
The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt [Exod. 34:18].
God is preparing Israel to enter the land by reestablishing the feasts and sabbaths.
Thrice in the year shall all your menchildren appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel [Exod. 34:23].
God then goes on and gives many details concerning different things that the children of Israel were to do and were not to do.
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
The first of the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk [Exod. 34:25–26].
The Israelites were to put God first! To “seethe a kid” means, of course, to boil it. It is not to be boiled in its mother’s milk. That is, they were to avoid doing the unnatural thing.
MOSES’ FACE SHINES
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him [Exod. 34:29–35].
CHAPTER 35
Theme: The Sabbath reemphasized; free gifts for the tabernacle; Bezaleel and Aholiab called to the work
THE SABBATH REEMPHASIZED
In this chapter the Lord returns to talk to Israel about the Sabbath day. This is the third time.
And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the Lord hath commanded, that ye should do them.
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day [Exod. 35:1–3].
The Lord insists that the first reason for the Sabbath is that it belongs to the first creation. God rested on the Sabbath day. As mankind left the creative hand of God, he began to wander away from God. There came the day when mankind as a whole no longer recognized God but began to worship the creature. And man gave up keeping the Sabbath day. Now God said that the Sabbath was a peculiar sign between Himself and the children of Israel. God began to lay down rules that actually apply more to Israel in the Promised Land than to any other place. If anyone did work on the Sabbath day, he was stoned to death. It would be very hard to carry on our society without someone working on the Sabbath day, which is Saturday. Suppose no fire was kindled on the Sabbath. This would cause great problems in the frozen North. God’s laws were made to suit the land in which Israel lived.
FREE GIFTS FOR THE TABERNACLE
And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying,
Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass [Exod. 35:4–5].
These gifts for the making of the tabernacle were to be voluntary. The people were not required to bring anything. There was no demand put upon them at all. This is not the tithe. This is a voluntary gift. They were to bring other things besides the gold, silver, and brass, as we shall see.
And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair.
And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate [Exod. 35:6–9].
These are the different things that the children of Israel could give to the building of the tabernacle. In that day there was no such thing as legal tender. The method of barter was the exchange of goods; so the Israelites were giving things rather than money to the Lord’s work.
This is still a way people can serve the Lord. Several years ago in San Diego a man donated two ampex recorders to our radio ministry. These recorders were very valuable and came to us at the time when we were really in need of them. Many people think that you have to always write out a check—do not misunderstand, we need money too—but the Lord can also be served when you donate things to His service.
The question is repeatedly asked, “Were did the children of Israel get the different articles they gave to the tabernacle when they had been slaves in Egypt?” Remember that God said that they would come out of Egypt with great wealth (Gen. 15:14). He made sure they collected their back wages. The Egyptians were so glad to rid the land of the Israelites that they gave them whatever they asked. So Israel left with a great deal of the wealth of Egypt.
BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB CALLED TO THE WORK
And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the Lord hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understand, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship [Exod. 35:30–31].
Bezaleel is the man God equipped to make the articles of furniture that are so important in the tabernacle.
And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan [Exod. 35:34].
God gave Bezaleel the ability to pass on his gift to others.
Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work [Exod. 35:35].
The tabernacle was a beautiful object. It was a jewel in the desert. It was not large, not a great warehouse, only a small building. It has been estimated that about five million dollars went into the construction of the tabernacle according to the value of the metals of a few years ago. The value in inflationary times would even be greater. The tabernacle was God’s precious jewel; a picture of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The tabernacle erected, and the tents of Israel around it.
CHAPTER 36
Theme: Construction of the tabernacle
This chapter returns us to the tabernacle. We have already seen the instructions regarding how to build it. Now we see they are building it according to instructions. Following the blueprint is very important because the tabernacle is God’s portrait of Christ. It reveals Him.
Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded [Exod. 36:1].
Every member of the crew, which was probably a large number of folk, was engaged in the building of the tabernacle with the wisdom and understanding God has given him. The man in charge was Bezaleel.
And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it [Exod. 36:2].
Now notice something here that is very important and essential in the work of the Lord. If you are serving the Lord grudgingly, do not do it. God cannot use this kind of an attitude. Building the tabernacle are men who are carving out beautiful articles of furniture that are to be used in the worship of the Lord. This is not a “job” to them. They are not watching the clock. They do not belong to a union. They do not just work a certain number of hours a week and quit. They are not building the tabernacle because it is their duty. They are not working because they have to work. They have been slaves in the past and here they are slaving again, but this time because they want to. Their hearts are in their work. That is the way you are to do God’s work.
A young preacher once told me, “I like the ministry but I do not like preaching.” I suggested he get out of the ministry. The ministry is no place for a man who does not love to study and preach the Word of God. If a preacher cannot do his job with enthusiasm and preach with enthusiasm, he should not be in the ministry.
I once listened to a former student of mine preach. What a hassle, what an effort, what a lack of enthusiasm! My friend, if you cannot preach or serve the Lord with verve, vigor, and vitality, don’t do it at all. God doesn’t want people in His service who would rather be doing something else.
Notice Bezaleel rushing at top speed. Is he going to a football game, a baseball game, or some social? No! Bezaleel is going to work—work for the Lord. You know, if people came to church next Sunday filled with enthusiasm, the whole town would soon be coming out to see what in the world was happening in the church. It would be a revival. God’s work is to be done with joy and happiness. We are to serve Him with gladness. In Romans 14:5 the apostle Paul said, “… Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” This is how we are to serve the Lord. We are to be fully persuaded that we are serving Him because we want to and because we are eager to please Him. Again, in 1 Corinthians 9:16 Paul tells us, “… Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” Paul wanted to preach the Gospel.
Those three hundred men of Gideon that went down to the water did not lean over the edge and lap it up. They dipped their hands in the water and brought it up to their mouths, watching for the enemy. They said, “Where are those Midianites? We want to get them.” This account is found in Judges 7:5–7. This is the kind of enthusiasm we need in the church today. We are bogged down with too many dead saints, and I mean they are dead before they are buried.
And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.
And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made:
And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make [Exod. 36:3–5].
This is the only place on record, that I know of, where the people had to be asked to stop giving. They brought a great deal more than was needed to build and furnish the tabernacle. I have never seen an offering like this in my ministry! Nor have I ever heard of an offering like this before or after.
And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing [Exod. 36:6].
The people are urged not to give, and they have to be restrained and told that they have brought enough. This is really amazing in the light of the fact that these people were fresh out of slavery. They had never owned anything before and now that they had riches you would think they would not be so willing to give it away. But they give liberally, joyfully, and enthusiastically to their God. Whatever you do for God, this is the way you should do it. That is the way God wants it done.
God wants us to give joyfully. There was a motto years ago that said, “Give ’til it hurts.” God says, “If it hurts, don’t give.” Our worship of God should be with joy, and so should our giving.
It seems in this chapter that we are going over the different articles and part of the tabernacle again. It sounds like repetition, but before we were given the blueprint for the tabernacle, and now we come to the execution of the job. We not only need a blueprint and materials, but we need to go to work. The people of Israel are beginning the work in this chapter.
And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them [Exod. 36:8].
This was the covering of all the tabernacle. It was the covering that went on first the articles of furniture when they went out on the wilderness march. It was the fence outside. This fine twined Egyptian linen speaks of the righteousness of Christ. It speaks of His character and His work. It speaks of the righteousness that He provides for us so that we might be clothed to stand in God’s presence. The important thing to notice is that Christ is adequate to meet our needs. He is able to save us. He is able to deliver us. He is able to keep us.
The curtains of goats’ hair, the covering of rams’ skins and the boards and sockets also speak of the person of Christ in one way or another. Now the tabernacle was thirty cubits long by ten cubits wide by ten cubits high. It was made of acacia wood, and the boards were overlaid with gold all the way around. The boards were one and one-half cubits wide. On the wilderness march they were very heavy to carry and were carried in wagons. (However all of the articles of furniture were carried on the shoulders of the priests of the tribe of Levi.) The golden boards were to be placed upright but each one had certain sockets that fitted down into sockets of silver, and the entire tabernacle rested upon silver—silver typifies redemption. The tabernacle was held together by bars. Certain rings were put in each board, and when it was set up, these bars slipped through the rings and bound the tabernacle together. It was a very compact building.
The tabernacle had an inner veil that separated the main tabernacle into two compartments; the smaller compartment was called the Holy of Holies and the larger compartment was called the Holy Place. Everything in the tabernacle pictured some part of the person or work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 37
Theme: The plan of the tabernacle
Everything mentioned in this chapter has been dealt with in previous chapters in the Book of Exodus. Rather than repeating the Scriptures which have been quoted in previous chapters, I will recap some of the highlights and the things which I feel are of primary importance.
The two articles of furniture in the outer court were the brazen altar and the laver. When you stepped inside the Holy Place, there were three articles of furniture: the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense. In the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat.
There were three compartments to the tabernacle. And there were three entrances to the tabernacle. (1) There was a gate through the linen fence that surrounded the tabernacle. (2) There was an entrance which led into the Holy Place. (3) The third entrance led into the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest went once a year on the great Day of Atonement (as we shall see in Leviticus) and sprinkled blood on the mercy seat—which is what made it a mercy seat.
There were seven articles of furniture arranged in such a way as to give us a wonderful picture. The brazen altar speaks of the cross of Christ where we receive forgiveness of sin. The laver speaks of the fact that Christ washes or cleanses those who are His own. The laver is where we confess our sins, and receive his forgiveness and cleansing.
The Holy Place is the place of worship. In it is the golden lampstand typifying Christ, the Light of the World. The table of showbread pictures Christ as the Bread of Life upon which we feed. The altar of incense is the place of prayer. It speaks of the fact that Christ is our Intercessor. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the altar of incense is placed in the Holy of Holies (rather than in the Holy Place) because our Intercessor is now in heaven. But the altar of incense is outside in the Holy Place also where you and I can come today. When believers want to worship God, they come into the Holy Place. Confession, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, making requests—these are the things that have to do with worship. And all of this is in the Holy Place. If you want the light which the world gives, you go outside, but if you want light from the lampstand, you must come inside. In order to serve Christ you cannot walk by the wisdom of the world but by the light of the Word of God.
The artist, George Howell, has sketched the tabernacle interior without the separating veil. The rear compartment shows the Holy of Holies which housed the ark of the covenant. The front compartment pictures the Holy Place in which were the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table of showbread.
The Holy of Holies pictures Jesus Christ in the presence of God. In the Book of Hebrews we are told to come to the throne of grace. The mercy seat pictures this, and this is where we find grace to help and mercy in time of need. There is a mercy seat for believers in heaven.
When Christ came to earth, He not only fulfilled the picture of the tabernacle, He did something quite unusual. The tabernacle in the wilderness was always horizontal with the earth. It was set up on the flat surface of the ground, with its pillars and boards fitting into the sockets they put down. But when Christ came to pay the price for our sins, He made the tabernacle perpendicular. The cross was the brazen altar where the Lamb of God was offered for our sins. He died down here to save us. But He returned to heaven where He lives today to keep us saved. The Holy of Holies is in heaven today. We do not go horizontally to God by going to a building or to a man, but we look to heaven and go directly to Him—through Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).
Where are you today, friend, in relation to the tabernacle? Do you need to stand at the brazen altar and be saved? There are many folk—even church members—who need to go there. Are you a soiled Christian who needs to confess your sins at the laver and be cleansed? Or are you walking in darkness today? Step inside the Holy Place and walk by the light of the golden lampstand. Maybe your spiritual life is a little anemic, and you need to feed on the Bread of Life to gain nourishment. Maybe your prayer life is beggarly and you need to stand before the altar of incense. Perhaps you are in trouble and you need mercy, grace, and help. Well, there is a mercy seat for you today. Go there and accept the help that is waiting for you. God wants to bless and guide you.
CHAPTER 38
Theme: The plan of the tabernacle—continued
We are still looking at the tabernacle in this chapter. Beginning at chapter 25, the blueprint for the tabernacle was given in every detail. Now Bezaleel and his helpers are constructing the building. In fact, by chapter 38 the tabernacle has been constructed, as I understand it, but has not yet been set in order. This chapter pays particular attention to the outer court.
As we shall see in the Book of Numbers, Israel traveled when the pillar of cloud started moving. The ark on the shoulders of the priests led the procession. When the cloud rested, Israel set up camp. The ark was put down on the desert sand and the tabernacle was set up around it. The siding of the gold-covered boards was put in place around it, the bars were slipped through the rings of the boards, and that bound the tabernacle together. Then over the boards were placed four coverings; the linen, goats’ skins dyed red, the rams’ skins, and the badger or sealskins for protection. The beauty of the tabernacle had to be seen from within. Everything in it spoke of worship, praise, adoration to God, and blessing to the individual.
The outer court, enclosed by the linen fence, was one hundred cubits by fifty cubits and contained the brazen altar and laver. This is where the sin question was settled. The sinner would come to the gate and stand there as a sinner. The priest would lead him into the outer court. The sinner would put his right hand upon the head of the animal he had brought—whether it be lamb, goat, or ox. Then the animal was slain and the priest would offer it on the altar. That was as far as the individual went; from then on he went in the person of his priest. The priest had to stop at the laver and wash so that he could enter the Holy Place. In the Holy Place were three articles of furniture: the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense, all of which spoke of worship. Next came the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, and the priest did not dare go beyond that. He did not go into the Holy of Holies, where were the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat, because only the high priest entered this room and only once a year in behalf of the nation.
And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof [Exod. 38:1].
On the brazen altar the victim was offered and sin was judged. It was here the individual or the nation came to take care of the sin problem. When this altar was constructed, no other altar could be made. This was the approach to God and any other altar built anywhere else would have been blasphemy. It was in the place of prominence because the sin question was settled here. There could be no such thing as worship or blessing until one had come to the brazen altar.
The horns on the altar speak of strength—the ability of Jesus Christ to save. There are many instructions and details about the approach and care of this altar. There had to be certain pots, pans, staves and rings, etc. The important thing to remember, however, is its function of settling the sin problem.
And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Exod. 38:8].
The mirrors spoken of here were made of brass which was highly polished. Women have not changed; they carried mirrors in that day, too. The laver was made from these mirrors. The mirror represents the Word of God. It is the Bible that shows the believer his need for cleansing. The laver was there for cleansing. We have the same thing in our bathrooms today. We have a mirror, and beneath the mirror is a wash basin. The mirror does not wash the dirt off, and neither can the Law save you. You can rub up against it all you want to but the dirt remains. However, “there is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”
And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:
Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver [Exod. 38:9–11].
The fine twined linen speaks of the humanity of Christ, and it actually separated man from God.
I was greatly disturbed at this Easter season when someone handed me an article concerning a message that a so-called conservative president of a seminary gave at one of these “knife and fork” clubs. I had spoken at this club years ago. It was reported that this preacher said that all we had to do was follow the teachings of Jesus and peace would come to the world—even if you denied the deity of Christ. Well, that just is not true. There can be no peace for man apart from the shed blood of Christ. That linen fence, which pictured the humanity of Christ, shut man out from God. The life of Christ does not save us; it condemns us! It is the death of Christ that saves us. When we have preachers that pretend to be conservative giving a message like that, no wonder there is so much confusion in the world today! The Word of God, and especially the tabernacle, is like a picture book. If you just look at the picture you can understand that the life and teachings of Christ cannot save you. To begin with, you could not measure up to His life or His teachings. Nonsense to the contrary has been ground out by liberalism for years and has gotten us into the difficulty we are in today. It is time that someone puts it right on the line and tells the truth. The teachings of Christ cannot save you, friends. The death of Christ on the cross saves you. That is the reason the brazen altar was there. The white linen fence shut out man from God, and God from man. Although the sockets for the tabernacle proper were silver, the sockets for the fence were brass. Brass, as we have already seen, is the metal of judgment. The picture of Christ in Revelation 1:15 speaks of his feet like “fine brass.” I tell you, friend, that sin has to be judged. Man must recognize that he is a sinner. He cannot come into God’s presence until the sin question is settled.
The hooks of the pillars and the fillets were of silver, however, and silver is the metal of redemption. The fence of the outer court kept man out, but God made a way for him to enter. He found a way to judge sin and provided a redemption for man that he might be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. What a picture! You can look at the tabernacle and get the gospel. God has given it to us in picture form.
There was an entrance to the court. Man did not climb over the fence. He had to come in through the gate.
And the hanging for the gate of the court was needle work, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court [Exod. 38:18].
All of the material and color speaks of the person of Christ. We have been through this before, but it will not hurt to repeat. Blue speaks of the fact that He came from heaven as deity. The scarlet speaks of His humanity and the blood He shed for mankind. The blue and scarlet combined make purple which speaks of His royalty. He was born King of the Jews.
The gate was as high as the fence was on the outside. It was about seven and one-half feet and that would be pretty hard even for a basketball player to look over. There was no way to get into the court except through this entrance. It was a wide entrance, wide enough for any sinner to enter, but it was the only way one could enter. Christ has said that He is the way, the truth, and the life. I like to think of the gate into the court as being the way.
The next of the three entrances that would bring one into the very presence of God, is the entrance into the Holy Place. I like to think of that as being “the truth.” Christ also said that if you are going to worship God, you will have to worship Him in spirit and in truth. I do not mean to be harsh, but “worship” in a church that denies who Christ is and what He has done is not true worship. You have to worship Him in truth. You cannot deny the deity of Christ and the fact that He died for you and still worship Him. It would be best for a lot of people if they did not go to church (that is, to certain churches) at all. Their own condition is not good, and the church they are attending is insulting the Lord Jesus Christ by denying His deity.
Then the final entrance which brought one into the very Holy of Holies was the entrance through the veil which speaks of the life Christ gave up on the cross. When He died, that veil was torn in two from the top to the bottom, signifying that the way to God was now open. That is life. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes into the presence of the Father but by Him (John 14:6).
Next I want to call your attention to the question of the individual Israelite. The nation Israel is called a “son.” God never called the individual Israelite, son. The question was, and is today, “Who is a Jew?” Is a Jew one who has been born a Jew or does his religion make him a Jew? In the Old Testament you had to be born a Jew to be one. And God made a provision that everyone had to be redeemed, which means that each individual had to be a born again one. Israel was a chosen nation, but each individual had to be redeemed.
And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men [Exod. 38:25–26].
The Jews brought silver because it was the metal of redemption. Every Israelite had to be redeemed to be acceptable. We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ which is more precious than silver or gold. Now, every individual Israelite was not saved. Only a remnant of the nation was saved, just as not all church members are saved.
A very small percentage of church members today are saved. A wealthy man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, told me that for a long time he and his wife “played” church. “We sat down with the rest of the hypocrites. None of us were born again; we just put up a front. Before the sun went down we were all drunk.” Being a church member doesn’t mean very much in these days in which we live. You have to be redeemed. And the children of Israel had to be redeemed.
And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket [Exod. 38:27].
The sockets were made out of the redemption money. This is where the tabernacle proper was placed. It rested upon silver. It rested upon redemption. Every individual will have to personally accept the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. You have to pay the redemption price. What is it? Well, it is not silver or gold. The only condition is that you must be thirsty. Would you like to have a drink of the water of life? It is free. Salvation is free, but it is not cheap. It cost God everything. He gave His Son to die on the cross and to pay the price of our redemption. We are redeemed by His blood.
In the wilderness, redemption was forced upon the nation of Israel. But when they got into the land, if they wanted to be numbered with the redeemed, they had to pay the price of redemption. Thank God it has already been paid for us. It does not cost any money. It does not have any price—but you must be thirsty for it. Do you want to be saved? Do you recognize that you have a need, that you are a sinner? Then come. The price has been paid. Christ has shed His precious blood for you. It enables you to come to God and to be accepted by Him through Christ.
CHAPTER 39
Theme: The holy garments of the high priest
Aaron was the high priest, and the garments he wore all spoke of the person of Christ. We have already been given the pattern for these garments.
And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen [Exod. 39:1–2].
These garments are called “holy” because they are set apart for the service of God.
And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the Lord commanded Moses [Exod. 39:5].
It was “curious” in the sense that it was woven in an unusual way. There were eight articles of clothing worn by the high priest. Four were the same or similar to those worn by all the priests. Four were peculiar to him and separated him from the other priests; they were “garments for glory and for beauty.” This is a picture of our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, in all His extraordinary graces and glory. Each article of clothing was symbolic.
On the great Day of Atonement when Aaron took the blood into the Holy of Holies, he laid aside all of his garments of beauty and glory and wore only the simple linen garments that the other priests wore. He must be unadorned but pure.
The white linen that the priests wore speaks of righteousness. Isaiah 52:11 says, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.” God still says this. I do not believe that God uses a sinful preacher, teacher, or layman, no matter how prominent or talented he may be. They are doing nothing for God because He will not accept their work. They are building with wood, hay, and stubble. We must be clothed with the righteousness of Christ and then live a life to back it up. This is one lesson taught in these basic garments.
It is interesting to note that when Aaron went into the Holy of Holies to offer the sacrifice for the sin of the people, he laid aside his garments of glory and beauty. When the Lord Jesus came to earth, He did not lay aside His deity, but He did lay aside the garments of glory and beauty—that is, He laid aside His prerogatives as God. He laid aside the shekinah glory and came to earth as a human being; He was born a baby. Man was looking for a king, not a baby. Then He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin. He died in His humanity.
To say that God died on the cross is not quite accurate. I wonder what they mean by “death”. When Jesus Christ died in the cross, He was separated from God, that is true. There was a rift in the Godhead, to be sure, when Christ was made sin for us who knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21). But even at that moment, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). This is a mystery, friends, that I cannot penetrate. I have read the works of many theologians and have found that they have not penetrated it either.
These garments of beauty and glory were really lovely. The high priest was richly attired and colorful. He wore the ephod which had two stones, one on each shoulder, with six of the names of the tribes engraved on one stone and six on the other, which speaks of the strength and ability of our Lord, that great Shepherd of the sheep. When one sheep gets lost, our Great Savior finds it, puts it on His shoulders and brings it back. Thank God that we have a Shepherd who can put us on His shoulders and bring us safely back to the fold. He is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God through Him (Heb. 7:25).
The high priest also wore a breastplate which was somewhat like a vest. It had twelve stones on it, and it was a thing of great beauty. Possibly it had some sort of pocket where the Urim and Thummim were placed. The Urim and Thummim had something to do with prediction. We are not told how it worked. The beautiful stones on the breastplate speak of the fact that Christ carries us on His heart today. He loves us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). These stones depict His great love for us.
Now on the robe of the ephod were the golden bells and pomegranates so that when the high priest was serving, those bells could be heard ringing as he went into the Holy Place. The pomegranates speak of the fruitful life of the believer. The bells speak of the testimony of that life. When the priest was in the Holy Place, the Israelites could say, “Well, he is in there, in the place of worship, serving for us. We know he is there because we can hear the bells.” That is what worship should mean to us, friend. Our high priest is representing us in God’s presence. It ought to draw us to the person of Christ.
I used to have an elder in one of my churches when I was a young man who was a great encouragement to me. He was a wonderful man of God and he would come to me on Sunday morning and say, “Well, you rang the bell today.” If you want to know the truth, I really did not. I preached some lousy sermons in those days but his point was, because he was a student of the Bible, that he was able to come into the presence of Christ through the preaching of the Word of God.
To hear the bells of the high priest was a wonderful experience. What a picture the garments of the priest give! The mitre on his head said, “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.” This speaks of holiness and has to do with the inner life, but the important thing is that it means the high priest is wholly given to the work of the ministry. Holy means anything that is set aside for the use of God.
There is something I would like to say to preachers today. I have been a preacher for a long time now and I know there are a great many people who want a preacher to do everything under the sun. They want him to socialize, backslap, hold hands, be nursemaid, as well as preach. No wonder many preachers have nervous breakdowns. Many preachers are nothing more than wet nurses for a lot of little babies in Christ. They go around burping them all the time. The preacher who stands in the pulpit today ought to be able to wear the mitre “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.” That is, he should have time to prepare a message. He should have time to spend before God in prayer. I am amazed at the number of people who invite the preacher out on a Saturday night. That should be his day for meditation and preparation. I once had an elder say to me, “Vernon, I appreciate your coming to see me, but I will tell you what I would like you to do. I would like you to spend time preparing a message instead of visiting me. Business is difficult today, and I get weary and discouraged. When I come to church on Sunday, I want to hear something that comes from God. I need help and I hope you will spend Saturday preparing so that I will be able to hear from heaven on Sunday morning and evening.”
I think he had a right to say that. My friend, we need to recognize the fact that preachers ought to wear the mitre. Without it, our ministry for the Lord will not be effective.
CHAPTER 40
Theme: The tabernacle erected and filled with the shekinah glory
In this chapter the tabernacle is set up. I want to deal with only one thing because we have already dealt with every article of furniture and the garments of the priest. When Moses had the tabernacle set up in the camp of Israel, an amazing thing happened.
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys [Exod. 40:34–38].
When the apostle Paul attempts to identify the Israelites in the Book of Romans, he enumerates several things that set them apart from other peoples. One was the shekinah glory (Rom. 9:4). The Israelites were the only people to ever have the glory of God, the visible presence of God. That is what led them through the great and terrible wilderness. The cloud would lift in the morning if they were to journey that day. If it did not lift, the children of Israel stayed in the camp. They did not attempt to move that day. They never moved by their own wisdom or judgment. They did not vote on whether or not they should move, and Moses did not make the decision—the cloud did!
We sometimes say in our churches that Christ is the Head of the church. How about your church? Is He the Head of your church? Are we following the cloud today or do we put a man on the church board because he is a successful businessman? You hear people say today, “I want to talk to my preacher about this problem. I want him to tell me what to do.” We who are pastors are not experts at telling people what they should do. We cannot solve everyone’s marital problems. But there is a pillar of cloud today although most people do not see it. It is the Holy Spirit of God. He ought to be the One to lead us and guide us. Oh, how He is neglected! We are always appealing to someone human or something outside of God for help. But we need preachers, teachers, and laymen who are filled with the Spirit of God. Our churches need leaders who pay attention to the Word of God, and who want to do the will of God. There is no visible cloud over the church today, but the Holy Spirit of God wants to lead and guide us.
This concludes our studies in the Book of Exodus. It opened in the gloom of the brick-yards of Egypt, and it closed in the glorious presence of the Lord in the tabernacle. It was His presence that led them through the wilderness. God wants to deliver you from the gloom of the slavery of sin and to bring you into the glory of His presence and into the very center of His will where He can lead and guide you. What a wonderful book is Exodus!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Borland, James A. Christ in the Old Testament. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1978.
Davis, John J. Moses and the Gods of Egypt. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1971.
Epp, Theodore H. Moses, Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1975.
Gaebelein, Arno C. Annotated Bible. Vol. I. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Gispen, William Hendrik. Exodus. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Grant, F. W. Numerical Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1891.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1906.
Huey, F. B., Jr. Exodus: Bible Study Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1977.
Jensen, Irving L. Exodus. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1967.
Mackintosh, C. H. (C.H.M.). Notes on the Pentateuch. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1880.
McGee, J. Vernon. The Tabernacle, God’s Portrait of Christ. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books.
Meyer, F. B. Exodus. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1952.
Meyer, F. B. Moses: The Servant of God. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.,
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Unfolding Message of the Bible. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company.
Pink, Arthur W. Gleanings in Exodus. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1922.
Ridout, Samuel. Lectures on the Tabernacle. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1914.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Through the Pentateuch Chapter by Chapter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Company, 1957.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. I. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
Youngblood, Ronald F. Exodus. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1983.
The Book of
Leviticus
INTRODUCTION
Many years ago, I read a statement by Dr. S. H. Kellogg saying that he considered the Book of Leviticus the most important book in the Bible. I felt that he must have had his tongue in cheek to make a statement like that. Then I heard a great preacher in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Albert C. Dudley, say that he considered the Book of Leviticus the greatest book in the Bible.
Several years ago I made an experiment on our radio program, and actually I didn’t know what would happen as I began teaching this book. I wanted to study it and I wanted to see if it was such a great book, and I must confess that I had misgivings as to the value of Leviticus for a popular exposition on the Bible. However, I discovered that it is a thrilling book, and not only that, but I can now honestly say that I consider the Book of Leviticus one of the most important books of the Bible. If it were possible for me to get the message of this book into the hearts of all people who are trying to be religious, all cults and “isms” would end. A knowledge of the Book of Leviticus would accomplish that.
The Book of Leviticus was written by Moses. It is a part of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.
In the Book of Leviticus, the children of Israel were marking time at Mount Sinai. The book opens and closes at the same geographical spot, Mount Sinai, where God gave the Law. You will remember that Exodus concluded with the construction of the tabernacle according to God’s instructions and then the filling of the tabernacle with the glory of the Lord. Leviticus continues by giving the order and rules of worship in the tabernacle. Leviticus is the great book on worship.
The book opens with the Hebrew word Vayick-rah, which means “and He called.” God has now moved to the tabernacle and speaks from there; He no longer speaks from Mount Sinai. He calls the people to meet with Him at the tabernacle. He tells them how they are to come and how they are to walk before Him. The exact meaning of the church, the ekklesia, is the “called out ones.” We are also those who have been called out. In that day, God spoke from the tabernacle and asked them to come to Him. Today, the Lord Jesus calls us to Himself. He says, “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27). So this book has a wonderful message for us today.
Leviticus is the book of worship. Sacrifice, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, instructions, washings, convocations, holy days, observances, conditions, and warnings crowd this book. All these physical exercises were given to teach spiritual truths. Paul wrote: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). In 1 Corinthians 10:6 he says, “Now these things were our examples …”. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
Peter tells us that the Old Testament holds spiritual truths for us. “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you …” (1 Pet. 1:10–12). Hebrews 11:13 says, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Leviticus has some wonderful instruction for us today for it reveals Christ in a most remarkable manner. Tyndale, in his Prologue into the Third Book of Moses, said, “Though sacrifices and ceremonies can be no ground or foundation to build upon—that is, though we can prove nought with them—yet when we have once found Christ and his mysteries, then we may borrow figures, that is to say, allegories, similitudes, and examples, to open Christ, and the secrets of God hid in Christ, even unto the quick: and can declare them more lively and sensibly with them than with all the words of the world.”
Worship for us today is no longer by ritual or in a specific place. You remember that the people of Israel had been going through ceremonies and they had their rituals, but Jesus said to the woman at the well in Samaria, “… Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21–24).
The keynote to the book is holiness unto Jehovah. The message of the book is twofold:
1. Leviticus teaches that the way to God is by sacrifice. The word atonement occurs 45 times in this book. Atonement means to “cover up.” The blood of bulls and goats did not actually take away sin. It covered over sin until Christ came to take away all sins. This is what Paul is referring to in Romans 3:25: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”
The sins that are past are the sins back in the Old Testament. You see, God never accepted the blood of bulls and goats as the final payment for sin, but He required that blood be shed. It was an atonement to cover over the sins until Christ came. In other words, God saved “on credit” in the Old Testament. When Christ came, as the hymn accurately states it, “Jesus paid it all.” This is true as far as the past is concerned, and as far as the present is concerned, and as far as the future is concerned.
One of the key verses in Leviticus, dealing with atonement, is found in Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” The way to God is by sacrifice and without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.
2. Leviticus teaches that the walk with God is by sanctification. The word holiness, occurs 87 times in this book. “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine” (Lev. 20:26).
God gave strict laws governing the diet, social life, and daily details involving every physical aspect of the lives of His people. These laws have a greater spiritual application to His people today. That is the reason I think we ought to study Leviticus. You see, access to God is secured for the sinner today through the shed blood of Christ. The writer to the Hebrews stated it this way: “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world [literally, end of the age] hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:25–26).
Those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ must live a holy life if they are to enjoy and worship God. “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20–21).
Leviticus is a remarkable book, as the contents are considered in the light of the New Testament. This book is about as dull as anything possible could be to the average Christian and you won’t find very many classes or individuals reading and studying the Book of Leviticus. Yet, it is a remarkable book.
1. The five offerings which open this book are clear, crystal-cut cameos of Christ. They depict His hypostatical person in depth and His death in detail (chapters 1–7).
2. The consecration of the priests reveals how shallow and inadequate is our thinking of Christian consecration (chapters 8–10).
3. The diet God provided for His people was sanitary and therapeutic, and contains much spiritual food for our souls (chapter 11).
4. Attention is given to motherhood and is a further example of God’s thinking concerning womanhood (chapter 12).
5. The prominence given to leprosy and its treatment, in the heart of this book on worship, demands our attention. Why is there this extended section on leprosy? Those who have been given gracious insights into Scripture have found here a type of sin and its defiling effect on man in his relation to God. The cleansing of the leper finds its fulfillment in the death and resurrection of Christ as typified in a most unusual sacrifice of two birds (chapters 13–15). My friend if you and I would escape the defilement of sin in this world, we need to know a great deal about the death and resurrection of Christ and the application of it to our lives.
6. The great Day of Atonement is a full-length portrait of the sacrifice of Christ (chapter 16).
7. The importance of the burnt altar in the tabernacle, highlights the essential characteristic of the cross of Christ (chapter 17).
8. The emphasis in this book of instructions concerning seemingly minute details in the daily lives of God’s people reveals how God intends the human family to be involved with Him (chapters 18–22). God wants to get involved in your business, in your family life, in your social life. My friend, let us beware lest we shut Him out of our lives.
9. The list of feasts furnishes a prophetic program of God’s agenda for all time (chapter 23).
10. The laws governing the land of Palestine furnish an interpretation of its checkered history and an insight into its future prominence. There are a lot of prophecies in this book. The nation Israel and the Promised Land are intertwined and interwoven from here to eternity (chapters 24–27).
There is a relationship in the first three books of the Bible:
In Genesis we see man ruined.
In Exodus we see man redeemed.
In Leviticus we see man worshiping God.
We can also make a comparison and contrast between Exodus and Leviticus. In the Book of Exodus we see the offer of pardon; Leviticus offers purity. In Exodus we have God’s approach to man; in Leviticus it is man’s approach to God. In Exodus, Christ is the Savior; in Leviticus, He is the Sanctifier. In Exodus man’s guilt is prominent; in Leviticus man’s defilement is prominent. In Exodus, God speaks out of the mount; in Leviticus, He speaks out of the tabernacle. In Exodus man is made nigh to God; in Leviticus man is kept nigh to God.
OUTLINE
I. The Five Offerings and the Law of Them, Chapters 1–7
A. Sweet Savor Offerings (Person of Christ), Chapters 1–3
1. Burnt Offering (Christ our Substitute), Chapter 1
2. Meal Offering (Loveliness of Christ), Chapter 2
3. Peace Offering (Christ our Peace), Chapter 3
B. Non-Sweet Savor Offerings (Work of Christ on Cross), Chapters 4–5
1. Sin Offering (Sin as a Nature), Chapter 4
2. Trespass Offering (Sin as an Act), Chapter 5
C. Law of the Offerings, Chapters 6–7
II. The Priest and All Believers Are Priests, Chapters 8–10
A. Consecration of Priests, Chapter 8
B. Ministry of Priests, Chapter 9
C. Restrictions on Priests; Death of Nadab and Abihu, Chapter 10
III. Holiness in Daily Life. God Concerned with His Children’s Conduct, Chapters 11–22
A. Food of God’s People, Chapter 11
B. Children of God’s Children, Chapter 12
C. Cleansing of Leprosy, Chapters 13–14
D. Cleansing of Running Issues, Chapter 15
E. Great Day of Atonement, Chapter 16
F. Place of Sacrifice; Value of the Blood, Chapter 17
G. Application of Commandments to Life Situations, Chapters 18–20
1. Immorality Condemned (Amplification of Seventh Commandment), Chapter 18
2. Social Sins (Application of Commandments), Chapter 19
3. Penalty for Breaking Commandments, Chapter 20
H. Law for Personal Purity of the Priests, Chapters 21–22
IV. The Holy Holidays, Chapter 23
V. Laws and Prophecies for the Promised Land, Chapters 24–26
A. Lampstand, Showbread and Death Penalty for the Blasphemer, Chapter 24
B. Sabbatic Year, Year of Jubilee, and Law of Kinsman-Redeemer, Chapter 25
C. Conditions of Blessing in the Land (Prophetic History), Chapter 26
VI. Dedication and Devotion—Concerning Vows, Chapter 27
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The burnt offering; regulations, ritual, and reason for the burnt sacrifice; the law of the burnt sacrifice
This is the oldest offering known to man. It was the offering of Abel, Noah, and Abraham. All the offerings were made on the brazen altar but because the burnt offering was made there, the brazen altar is also called the burnt altar. It received its name from this sacrifice. This offering is recorded first of the five offerings because of its prominence and priority. This offering is a picture of Christ in depth as well as in death. A man cannot probe the full meaning of this offering because it sets before us what God sees in Christ. We can’t see as much as He does. Here is a profound mystery that only the Holy Spirit can reveal.
The burnt offering shows the person of Christ. He is our substitute. Paul reveals this in Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.”
REGULATIONS FOR THE BURNT SACRIFICE
And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying [Lev. 1:1].
God called unto Moses out of the tabernacle. No longer is He speaking from the top of Mount Sinai in thunder and lightning, as when He gave the commandments. Here He calls to Moses from the tabernacle in reconciliation.
“And the Lord called”—His call is for those who will hear His voice. That is important to see. God is calling to men today to be reconciled to Him. The church is a called-out body, and they are the elect because they are called. “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:22–24).
“Called” doesn’t mean those who only hear; it means those who have heard and responded. I would like to ask you this question: Have you heard Him and have you responded to Him?
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock [Lev. 1:2].
“If any man” means “whosoever will may come.”
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish. he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord [Lev. 1:3].
“He shall offer it of his own voluntary will.” May I say, this is free will with a vengeance. The Lord Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come ….” This is an all-inclusive invitation to the human family. None are excluded except those who exclude themselves. The Lord Jesus gives only one condition, “If any man thirst.” You may say, “I don’t thirst.” Well, then maybe this isn’t for you. But if you do thirst, He asks you to come to Him. He can satisfy you. Isaiah included this in his invitation, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters…” (Isa. 55:1). Anyone can come to Christ if he chooses to come. There must be a need and a desire. If you have that, come!
Two types of animals were used for the burnt offering. Animals of the herd are cattle and of the flock are sheep. Wild animals that were animals of prey were excluded. Carnivorous animals were forbidden in all sacrifices. Animals that live by slaying other animals could never reveal Christ, who came to give His life a ransom for many.
A further restriction was that the animal must be a clean animal and it must be domesticated. It could not be taken in the hunt. Only that which was valuable and dear to the owner could be offered because it prefigures Christ. God spared not His own Son. Christ suffered on the cross, but the Father suffered in heaven. The final restriction reveals that the animal was one that was obedient to man. My, what a picture this is! Christ was the obedient servant. He came to minister and He was obedient unto death.
The burnt offering is the offering that is mentioned up to the time of Leviticus and it was the only offering that was made by those who wanted an approach to God. The burnt sacrifice is called olah in the Hebrew. It means “that which ascends.” It is not irreverent to say that the burnt sacrifice went up in smoke. It was wholly consumed on the altar; nothing remained but the ashes. This reveals that the burnt offering is what God sees in Christ. Paul said in Ephesians 5:2 that Christ gave Himself “… an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Here in Leviticus 1 we find in verses 9, 13, and 17 that the sacrifice is “a sweet savour unto the Lord.” This is what God sees in Christ. It may not be what you see in Him or what I see in Him. It is what God sees in Him, and that is the thing that is all-important. God is saying that He is satisfied with what Jesus did for your sins and for my sins. God is satisfied that Jesus has paid it all for you and that He can save you to the uttermost if you will put your trust in Him. The question is, “Are you satisfied with that?”
You will notice that it says the sacrifice is to be a male, and that speaks of strength. It speaks of the fact that the Lord Jesus is mighty to save, and that He is able to save to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25). Then, the sacrifice was to be without blemish which means the animal was to be ideally perfect. This speaks of the perfections of Christ. “… In him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). “Who did no sin …” (1 Pet. 2:22). “… Who knew no sin…” (2 Cor. 5:21). “Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners…” (Heb. 7:26). He is the beloved Son of whom the Father could say, “… I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).
He shall offer it of his own “voluntary will” is translated “that he may be accepted before Jehovah” in the American Standard Version of 1901. Because of the atoning death of the little animal, the sinner was received by God. The animal had to be offered, not in life, but in death. This was absolutely imperative. It is not the spotless life of Christ and our approval of Him that saves us. Only His death can save the sinner.
In the Gospels we find that when He died, the veil of the temple was torn in two. It was His death which opened the way to God; it was His death which saves the sinner. You see, the veil represents His flesh (Heb. 10:20). His perfect life shuts us out from God. What God demands is a life that is perfect like the life of Christ, and you and I can’t reproduce it. His life is the standard. The Father could say concerning Jesus, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). You and I just can’t measure up to that. The life of Christ therefore cannot save us. It shuts us out from God, just as the veil shut man out from God in the tabernacle. We must have another basis on which we can come to God. That way is through the death of Christ. That is what tore the veil. The minute you and I come through the death of Christ, the way to God is open. It is the death of Christ that saves the sinner.
The offering was to be brought of his own voluntary will. You don’t have to come to Christ. But if you want to be saved, then you will have to come to Christ. God has no other way. The Lord Jesus said, “… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). You may think that is dogmatic and narrow. I’ll tell you something—it is! But the interesting thing is that it will bring you to God. Now, you don’t have to come; that is where your free will enters in. You do not have to come, but, if you want to come to God, then you must come this one way because God has elected that this is the only way! You cannot come to God on the basis of your own “righteousness.” He cannot accept your righteousness; He won’t have any of it. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us …” (Titus 3:5).
“At the door of the tabernacle” is another imperative. They couldn’t offer the sacrifice anywhere else. This was to keep Israel from idolatry. They were prone to lapse into idolatry again and again, and finally their idolatry was the reason for the Babylonian captivity. And this, by the way, has a message for us. It is to keep us from presuming that we can come to God our way, on our terms. We do not make the terms by which we come to God. God makes the terms, my friend. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags …” (Isa. 64:6). God won’t accept our righteousness. A great many people think that the righteousness of God is just a projection, on a little higher level, of the righteousness of man. Nothing of the kind! It is altogether holy! The only righteousness which God can accept is the righteousness of God which is through faith in Christ. You can’t work for it. You can’t buy it. God cannot accept our poor righteousness—it will simply go down the drain. The offering must be at the door of the tabernacle. Friends, there is no other way to come to God but His way. The Lord Jesus said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him [Lev. 1:4].
“He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering.” Dr. Kellogg calls this “an act of designation.” This is revealed in Leviticus 24:14 where the witnesses were to lay their hands on the blasphemer before he was stoned to death. Moses laid his hands on Joshua, designating him as his successor. Dr. Kellogg wrote a very fine book on Leviticus, which may be out of print now, but I would suggest you buy one if you can find it in a secondhand bookstore. Here is a quotation from it. He is speaking of the laying on of the hand upon the head of the animal, and he says, “It symbolized a transfer, according to God’s merciful provision, of an obligation to suffer for sin, from the offerer to the innocent victim. Henceforth, the victim stood in the offerer’s place, and was dealt with accordingly.”
In other words, when the man went in and put his hand on the head of the little animal that was to be slain, he was designating this little animal to take his place. The man was confessing that he deserved to die. Friends, when you take Christ as your Savior, you are saying that you are a sinner and that you can’t save yourself. You want to turn from your sins and you want to turn to the Savior and you want to live for Him. The little animal was dying a substitutionary death in the place of the offerer. That is what Christ did for us. When you accept Christ, you put your hand on Him; that is, you designate Him as your Savior.
People today seem to have the idea that there is some merit in the act of laying on of hands. They think there is some transfer of power. The only thing that can be transferred by laying on of hands is disease germs. But it does designate someone who is taking your place. When we as church leaders place our hands on a missionary, as the church in Antioch did to Paul and Barnabas, we are designating that one to go out in our place and as our representative.
Christ took our place. This is what it means when it says, “… He hath made him to be sin for us …” (2 Cor. 5:21) and “Who was delivered for our offences …” (Rom. 4:25).
The Hebrew here means to lay the hand so as to lean heavily upon another. “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me …” (Ps. 88:7). This part of the ceremony speaks of atonement and acceptance through the death of the victim—“it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.”
We have said before that atonement means to cover, not to remove. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). Only the Lamb of God can remove sin.
This offering was done publicly. He went down to the tabernacle, he walked to the side of the altar, and there he slew the little animal. It was a public act. A sinner needs to confess Christ publicly. By faith, we place our hand on Christ, but the public needs to know that we do it. I think this is primarily the meaning of baptism today. Baptism means “to be identified with.” This is a public confession of being identified with Christ in His death and in His resurrection. This is the reason water baptism was so important in the early church.
THE RITUAL FOR THE BURNT SACRIFICE
And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Lev. 1:5].
Now we come to the ritual for the burnt offering. A proper offering having been chosen—that is, the right kind of animal—the sinner brings the victim to the entrance of the tabernacle where he is met by a priest. The sinner himself slays the victim. (There is an exception in verses 14, 15.) “For the wages of sin is death …” (Rom. 6:23). Here the innocent dies for the guilty. Just so, “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust …” (1 Pet. 3:18).
Our sins put Jesus Christ to death. If you want it made very personal, my sin is responsible for the death of Christ; your sin is responsible for the death of Christ. I get a little weary of hearing people argue about who is responsible for the death of Christ. They indict the religious rulers, the nation Israel, or the Roman nation. My friend, people can argue all they wish; the fact is that if I hadn’t been a sinner and if you hadn’t been a sinner, nobody would have put Him to death. It was our sin that put Him to death!
Every sacrifice had to be slain. Either the sinner, or the priest acting for the nation, slew the victim. There was no forgiveness apart from the shed blood of the victim. So today, only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from all sin. After the slaying of the victim, the priest took over by sprinkling the blood about the altar. The blood represented life and the sprinkling presented it to God.
And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord [Lev. 1:6–9].
Everything had to be done decently and in order. God is not the author of confusion. The offering was to be cut into pieces so that it might be exposed and so it could be more easily consumed by the fire. The inner life of the Lord Jesus has been open for inspection for over 1900 years. He has been examined more than any other person. There is more disagreement concerning Him than anyone else. This was true at the time He lived and it is still true today. He still asks the question, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” There are all kinds of opinions today and some of them are blasphemous. Yet it is still true that He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” Jesus Christ, who has been under examination all these years, is still the One who is altogether lovely.
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord [Lev. 1:10–13].
Notice again, the offering is cut in pieces and totally exposed.
Fire was to be used on the altar. The fire does not necessarily represent hell, vengeance, or wrath. I disagree with those who magnify that so much. Fire did not represent that at the burning bush. Fire oftentimes represents the purifying energy and the resistless power of God. “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver …” (Mal. 3:3). Fire is that resistless energy of God which sometimes destroys and sometimes cleanses and sometimes consumes. The nature of the object determines the process it will take.
Here in the burnt offering, it speaks of the total commitment of Christ to God. It is absolute consecration. In our experience this is essential also, if we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God” (Deut. 4:24).
My friend, you cannot just play around and get very far with God. That is the reason there is so much that is phony in Christian service today. I want to say it kindly but emphatically—you are not serving God unless you are letting Him cleanse and purify your life. We have forgotten this matter of holiness today. How we need it in our churches and in our own lives!
And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes [Lev. 1:14–16].
Poverty was no excuse for not bringing an offering to God. A bird could be substituted for an animal. Anyone could have a bird and offer it. Did you notice that when our Lord was born, His parents offered turtledoves? His parents were poor and He was born in poverty.
THE REASON FOR THE BURNT SACRIFICE
And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord [Lev. 1:17].
This is the third time it is mentioned that it is a sweet savor to the Lord. This makes it clear that this was the reason for the sacrifice. It is what God sees in Jesus Christ.
THE LAW OF THE BURNT SACRIFICE
The law of the burnt offering is found in Leviticus 6:8–13. The morning and the evening offerings were burnt sacrifices offered by Aaron and the priests for the nation to God (Exod. 29:38–46). It was called the continual burnt offering. Christ in consecration ever lives to make intercession for us. This is most beautifully expressed in an ancient “Order for the Visitation of the Sick,” attributed to Anselm of Canterbury:
“The minister shall say to the sick man: Dost thou believe that thou canst not be saved but by the death of Christ? The sick man answereth, Yes. Then let it be said unto him: Go to, then, and whilst thy soul abideth in thee, put all thy confidence in this death alone; place thy trust in no other thing; commit thyself wholly to this death; cover thyself wholly with this alone … And if God would judge thee, say: Lord! I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and Thy judgment; otherwise I will not contend or enter into judgment with Thee.
“And if He shall say unto thee that thou art a sinner, say: I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins. If He shall say unto thee, that thou hast deserved damnation, say. Lord! I put the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between Thee and all my sins; and I offer His merits for my own, which I should have, and have not.
“And whosoever of us can thus speak, to him the promise speaks from out the shadows of the tent of meeting: ‘This Christ, the Lamb of God, the true burnt offering, shall be accepted for thee, to make atonement for thee!’”
This is the law of the burnt offering. God is satisfied with Jesus and He sees us in Christ. He is satisfied, then, with us. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:21–24).
My friend, do you have the sacrifice of Christ between you and your sins? Has His blood been shed that you might live? Have you trusted Him today? God sees Christ as the only One who can satisfy Him for your sins. Have you seen Him like that? Are you still trying to bring your little puny self and your little goodness to offer to God? God won’t take that. He only accepts what Christ has done for you and He counts the righteousness of Christ as your righteousness. Trust Him today and live!
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Offerings mixed but unbaked; offerings mixed and baked; offering of firstfruits; the law of the meal offering
The offerings speak of the person of Christ and of the work of Christ. The burnt offering was a picture of Christ in depth as well as in death. The meal offering reveals the humanity of Jesus in all its perfection and loveliness.
As you read this, you will see it is like a recipe for bread. That is exactly what it is. It is really the meal offering. The Authorized Version calls it a meat offering, which is a misleading term for us today, as no meat was connected with it at all. There is no shedding of blood; so this offering was different from the others. However, it was generally offered with some offering in which there was the shedding of blood. This meal offering could be offered either baked or unbaked. Aaron and his sons received a portion of this offering for themselves. It was to be eaten by all the males in the family of Aaron.
The meal or food offering sets forth the humanity of Jesus in all His perfections. His deity is not in view here. He was perfectly human, and He was the perfect human. God’s goal for man is fulfilled in Jesus. He is the second man, but the last Adam. There will be no more Adams, but there will be some more men who are made just like Him. He is the last Adam, the Head of a new people. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when we shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
Friends, man as he is in the world today is the most colossal failure in God’s universe. Have you ever stopped to think about that? The Scriptures are outspoken and specific at this point. “They are all gone out of the way, [the original here suggests that they are a wreck] they are together become unprofitable …” and “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:12 and 23).
God cannot save us on the basis of our keeping His Law for the very simple reason that God sees our imperfections. We cannot fulfill or keep the Law. We cannot render perfection to Him. God can’t save us in our imperfections because He is a holy God and demands absolute righteousness and perfection. Imperfection is the very best that we can do. Therefore, mankind is a failure.
“The way of peace they have not known” is confirmed in every morning newspaper. Why is this? Because, war and violence are in the very heart of man. It is almost amusing to hear about the peace demonstrations that end up in a brawl! With feverish energy man is presently trying to perfect fiendish instruments of frightful destruction. Surely this is not the goal of man!
God has another purpose in view for man and if you want to see what He has in mind, look at Jesus. Here is the Man who pleased God. There was a glory in His manhood. The loveliness of Jesus was truly a sweet perfume. His coming was a doxology; His stay was a blessing; His departure was a benediction. His winsomeness has filled the world with a new hope and ideal concerning man.
There are two important aspects of this offering: the ingredients which are included and the ingredients which are excluded.
OFFERINGS MIXED BUT UNBAKED
And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon [Lev. 2:1].
The offering was to be made of fine flour and fine flour in that day was a little unusual. They didn’t have the great mills as we have today in Minneapolis. Actually, they ground it by hand in a kind of rock bowl. They used a pestle, with which they just beat the grain down. It was often very coarse and uneven if the grinder was careless or in a hurry. If the flour was to be very fine, it meant they must spend a great deal of time with it. This offering had to be made of very fine flour which means that it was well beaten.
This sets before us the Lord Jesus in His personality. Today I am sure we would use the expression that He had a well-integrated personality. He was a normal person. Actually, I think He was the only normal person who has ever been on this earth. Sin has made all of the human race lumpy, one-sided, abnormal. One part of our personalities has overdeveloped at the expense of some other area of our personality.
In college I studied abnormal psychology. In my last year of college I went to see the professor of the department and said that I needed to talk to him. I told him that when we looked at the etiology of the disease of every form of abnormality that we had been studying, I found that I had symptoms of all these forms of abnormality. He broke out in laughter and said to me, “I was wondering when you would come. All the rest of the class has been here. They all have it, and I have it, too.” You see, all of us do. Recently a leading psychologist made the statement that all of mankind today is a little “off.” We are all just a little off-center. Jesus was the only normal person.
Notice how uneven were the characters of men in the Bible. Samson was enabled to perform great physical feats, but he seems to have been weak both in will and mind. In fact, he was a sissy. Paul was a mental giant, but he appeared to be weak in body. Simon Peter was moved by his emotions, even declaring that he would die for Jesus, yet he denied Him, which reveals a definite weakness in the area of the volition. King Saul was selfwilled and stubborn, unable to bow the knee in obedience to God. This led to his dismissal and then to his death. All of these men were lumpy. They had over and underdeveloped personalities.
In contrast to them and all of us, Jesus was well balanced. He had equal poise in all areas of His personality. He could drive the money changers from the temple, and He could take the little children into His arms. When He was twelve years old, the religious rulers marvelled at His wisdom. When He began to teach, the people were amazed, saying, “… How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (John 7:15). Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus never appealed to His intellect as the basis for any judgment. Have you ever noticed that this was never the criterion for His conduct? He came to do the Father’s will, and that was the motive for His actions.
Jesus could weep at the tomb of Lazarus or over the indifferent city of Jerusalem. At the same time, He would raise Lazarus from the dead, and He would pronounce a severe judgment on Jerusalem (which was literally fulfilled). He wasn’t swayed or guided by His emotions. He was never self-willed, yet nothing could hinder Him from going to Jerusalem to die. At all times He could say, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.” “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). His own volitional nature was not the guideline for His action. He was even; all of us are lumpy.
“He shall pour oil upon it”—olive oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. You will notice that here it is “oil upon it.” In verses 4 and 5 it is “mingled with oil” in verse 6 it is “pour oil thereon”in verse 7 it is “with oil.” The offering was drenched with oil. The oil was a very important part of the offering and was applied in many different ways.
The prominence of the Holy Spirit in the human life of Jesus is very noticeable. He was born of the Spirit—“mingled with oil” (Luke 1:35). He was baptized of the Spirit—“oil upon it” (Matt. 3:16–17). He was led of the Spirit—“pour oil thereon” (Mark 1:12). He taught, performed miracles, and offered Himself in the power of the Holy Spirit—“with oil” (John 3:34; Matt. 12:28).
If the Lord Jesus in His perfect humanity needed the Holy Spirit, surely you and I need Him to an even greater extent. We can do nothing of ourselves.
Frankincense was made from a secret formula. There evidently was a form of incense with which it was mixed (Exod. 30:34), but was distinguished from it. It was made from some part of a plant or tree, perhaps the bark or leaves, and it exuded its fragrance only when crushed, beaten, burned, or put under pressure. This speaks of the life of the Lord Jesus as He manifested the fragrance of His life under the fires of tension, pressures, and persecution. This is what the Father saw in Him as the One in whom He delighted. There was a special fragrance about His life, and there should be a fragrance in our lives also, since we belong to Him.
And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord [Lev. 2:2].
The priests received a portion of the meal offering. They were to take out a percentage of each item. Apparently the remainder was mixed and then burnt upon the altar.
And the remnant of the meat offerings shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire [Lev. 2:3].
Emphasis is laid upon the fact that this offering was burnt upon the altar although no blood was shed in connection with it. Great emphasis is placed upon the fire (verses 2, 9, 16 and chapter 6:15, 17–18).
OFFERINGS MIXED AND BAKED
And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.
And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the Lord: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire [Lev. 2:4–10].
These are detailed instructions for the ritual of the meal offering and it sounds, very frankly, like a recipe for making bread. The emphasis upon the fine flour and the oil is repeated again and again. Also, the fire is mentioned over and over. I want to say with great emphasis that the fire here does not symbolize hell under any circumstance. It is God’s purifying energy and power which brought out the sweetness in the life of Christ.
In verse 9 it is specifically declared to be a “sweet savour unto the Lord.” The final and full meaning of this offering is what God sees in Christ. His sweetness came out under pressure. In your experience and mine sweetness doesn’t always come out from us when we are under pressure. I’ve heard some Christians say some very ugly things when they were under tension. But as more tension was placed on Him, the sweeter He was. The Lord Jesus could say, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29).
What was left of the meal offering was to be Aaron’s and his sons’. Believers have the high privilege of sharing Christ with God the Father. What do you see in Him? Is there sweetness about Him? Have you smelled the sweetness and fragrance of His life?
“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, bath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” (John 6:53–58). If you want any sweetness in your life, and if I want any, we must partake of Christ. Not literally, of course. We are not cannibals. We partake of Him by faith and we appropriate Him into our lives. As we partake of Him, the sweetness of His life should come into our lives.
No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire [Lev. 2:11].
The ingredients excluded in this offering are as prominent as the ingredients included. The two mentioned here by name are leaven and honey.
Leaven will be mentioned in the Scriptures again and again. Leaven in Scripture is everywhere presented as a principle of evil. The Lord Jesus Christ warned His disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees. He was talking about the doctrine of the Pharisees, their teaching. That is the leaven. Evil teaching is the leaven. Leaven is the principle of evil. Leaven is to be excluded from the offering. This speaks of the fact that there is no evil in Christ. There is no sin in the life of Christ.
Honey was also excluded. It represents natural sweetness. It will sour, just as leaven is a souring thing. There are Christians who assume a pious pose in public. They wear a Sunday smile. They call everyone “brother” and “my dear so-and-so.” Their halo is polished with the latest miracle cleanser. Yet these same folk can and do engage in vicious slander and malicious gossip. They are more dangerous than a killer with a gun. May I say to you that there are a lot of folk who have honey in their lives.
The Lord Jesus told it like it is, friends. There was no corrupting principle in the life of Jesus. He did not exhibit honey sweetness, nor was there any leaven in His speech that made it acceptable to the natural man.
As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the Lord: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour [Lev. 2:12].
This offering was a sweet savor sacrifice, but it was not to derive its sweetness from the palatable ingredient of leaven nor the natural sweetness of honey.
And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt [Lev. 2:13].
Salt is the final ingredient which was included in the meal offering. Salt is a preservative and is the opposite of leaven. Leaven produces decay; salt preserves from corruption. “The salt of the covenant” is still eaten among Arabs as a seal to bind one in faithful obedience to a covenant.
Salt was the token of faithfulness between the offerer and God. Christ is faithful. This is one of His many-faceted names. He is Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11). He is the Lord Jesus.
Christ offered Himself to God. We can offer ourselves to God because of His mercy. We ought to be found faithful. Christians are to be the salt in the world. We do this by offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1–2).
OFFERING OF FIRSTFRUITS
And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the Lord, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord [Lev. 2:14–16].
The Feast of Firstfruits, as given in Leviticus 23:9–14, was a meal offering as well as the Feast of Pentecost.
THE LAW OF THE MEAL OFFERING
The law of the meal offering is given in Leviticus 6:14–23. It reveals that with every burnt sacrifice in the morning and in the evening, a meal offering was also made. (See Exod. 29:39–40.)
The meal offering sets forth Christ in His consecration. It also represents the consecration of believers in Christ. It pictures the perfect humanity of Christ.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: A sacrifice from the herd; a sacrifice from the flock; a sacrifice from the goats; the law of the peace offering
This offering speaks of the communion and fellowship of believers with God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. The only way you and I can come to God is through Jesus Christ. He is the Way!
No single offering can set forth the manifold wonders of the person of Christ and the many facets of His glory. Just as we need four Gospels in the New Testament to set forth His earthly life, so also we need the five offerings of Leviticus to set forth His person and work.
We will notice that there are striking similarities between the peace offering and the burnt offering but we will also note sharp contrast. So the peace offering is also a unique offering.
The peace offering does not speak of the peace that Christ made through His blood on the cross, as that has to do with sin and comes properly under the non-sweet savor offerings. It is concerning Christ being made our Peace as regards sin that Paul writes in Colossians 1:20–22: “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” That is not the peace offering.
Rather, the peace offering speaks more specifically of the peace to which Paul referred in Ephesians, the peace which brings all believers into communion with the Father by the Holy Spirit, through the Lord Jesus Christ. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:13–22).
In the peace offering, the emphasis is not upon the peace that He made by the blood of the cross, but upon the peace He is because of the blood of the cross. He is the meeting place of all believers together and of each believer with God the Father. Christ is the only one who can break down the walls that separate individuals, families, religions, races, and nations. All are made one in Christ. Then they become a habitation of God in the Spirit and have access to the Father. You see, only believers can join together in partaking of the wonders, the beauties, and the glories of Christ. They can have communion with the Father and fellowship one with another as they share the things of Christ.
This is what the apostle John is saying. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). The peace offering brings us together. It is only as we meet around the person of Christ that we can be drawn together. Friends, don’t tell me to have fellowship with every Tom, Dick, and Harry! I cannot. But there is nothing that keeps me from fellowshipping with any person, I don’t care who he is, if he can meet with me around the person of Christ. We are all made one there. We are all on the same level there. We can all enjoy the person of Christ.
A SACRIFICE FROM THE HERD
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord [Lev. 3:1].
The peace offering is in one sense all comprehensive. The sinner can come to God because Christ made peace by the blood of His cross. There is also communion with God and fellowship with Him on the basis of peace by the blood of His cross. Christ and His work of redemption is the complete satisfaction for peace. The emphasis of the peace offering, however, is chiefly on the communion.
What is the Gospel appeal to the sinner? Well, it is like this. God says to you and me as sinners, “You are lost. You are alienated from Me, so I will have to consign you to the darkness of eternity.” If God did that, He would be just and holy and all the angels in heaven would sing praises to His name. But, my friend, God is satisfied with what Jesus did for you and now you can come to God. The Gospel message is this: “God is reconciled!” The question is, “Will you be reconciled?” God is satisfied with what Jesus did. That is the message. That is the good news. God has already turned to you. Will you turn to Him? He will accept you because of what Christ has done. Will you be satisfied with Christ and what He has done, and will you come to God and have fellowship? That is the peace that you can know.
The peace offering is different from the burnt offering in several respects. In the burnt offering only a male could be offered; but here it can be either a male or female—but without blemish. The offerer will never find as much in Christ as God finds in Him. In the burnt offering it speaks of what God sees in Christ. In the peace offering it is the offerer who finds something in Christ. The female offering was permitted because here the capacity of the offerer to enjoy Christ is in view. The offerer will never find as much in Christ as God finds in Him.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about [Lev. 3:2].
Up to this point, it duplicates the burnt offering.
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards.
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away [Lev. 3:3–4].
Here the contrast with the burnt sacrifice is noted. All of the burnt offering was placed on that altar. In the peace offering, only a portion was offered. The portion was specified. It was to be the choice portion which included the fat and the inward parts. These speak of the hidden riches, the precious qualities, the priceless value of the character of Christ that God alone knows.
Sometimes a loved one knows the real worth of a great man who has been bitterly assailed in public. Early in my ministry, I became acquainted with a great preacher, and he and his family became my friends. An attack was made upon him, and harsh things were said about him. His family knew and I knew that they were lies. Just so, there are a lot of things said about Christ that are not true. A great many people say, “I don’t understand this and I don’t understand that about Christ.” There is a lot I don’t understand about Him either. But God knows Him! God sees more in Him than you and I can see. God sees the inward parts. We just don’t know Him. That is why Paul cried out, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings …” (Phil. 3:10).
And Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord [Lev. 3:5].
The offering was consumed by fire and this speaks of the total dedication of Christ and His human testing and sufferings. It is specifically labeled, “a sweet savour unto the Lord.” The emphasis is still upon the person of Christ and not upon His work. It is His perfect life that is in view, not His death for sin. His sufferings in life were not for the sins of the world. Even in the first three hours on the cross, His suffering was at the hands of men. It was during the last three hours on the cross that it became an altar on which the Son of God was offered. Darkness veiled from the eye of man those last three hours when it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, when He put Him to grief, when He made His soul an offering for sin (Isa. 53:10).
Notice that the peace offering was put together with the burnt offering. They belong together in order to get the full view of the inward values and glories of Christ.
A SACRIFICE FROM THE FLOCK
And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord [Lev. 3:6–7].
The lamb sets forth in a peculiar way the character of Christ and is, therefore, unusually appropriate as a sacrifice in the peace offering.
By contrast the bullock, or the heifer from the herd, sets forth the servant side of our Lord’s ministry. The bullock was a domesticated animal, used to bear burdens and to plow fields, and so represented transportation and commerce in that day. The bullock was a servant and a friend of man. The bullock represents Christ as a servant. This is the aspect of Christ’s ministry which is set forth in the Gospel of Mark. We need to emphasize that Christ as a servant was not a bellboy or a shoeshiner for man. He did not run at man’s bidding. The Gospel of Mark sets Him forth as God’s Servant. He came to do the will of God.
However, the lamb sets forth Christ in His complete identification with man in life and in death. Have you ever noticed that? At the beginning of His ministry, John the Baptist pointed Him out as “… the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). That referred to His work. Later, he said, “… Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36)—referring to His person.
From the beginning, the Lamb has set forth His quality and ability to take the place of man in bearing the sin of the world. The very first offering made by Abel was the sacrifice of a lamb. I think that God clothed Adam and Eve with lambs’ skins. I can’t prove that, but I believe it in view of the fact that Abel brought a lamb.
Isaiah 53 makes it very clear that Jesus Christ was our substitute, carrying our sins and iniquities. “… He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7). He is pictured as a lamb. The Lamb becomes our substitute.
He is also called a lamb in His resurrection. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Rev. 5:6). Again, He is a Lamb in His return in glory. “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:16–17).
The lamb is probably the most complete representation of Christ of all the sacrifices.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away [Lev. 3:8–10].
The ritual is similar to that given concerning one of the herd. The fat was God’s portion. It was considered the better part of the animal. A fat animal was the best type, and the best was offered to God.
There are many passages to illustrate that fat was considered the best: “… Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet …” (Neh. 8:10). “And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined” (Isa. 25:6). “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry” (Luke 15:23). Today, those of us who need to reduce our weight try not to eat the fat, but it is obvious that the fat was considered the choice part. God precisely declared, “all the fat that is upon the inwards and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them” was to be for Him. God demanded the best.
We see here the deep and full meaning of the peace offering. Fellowship with God rests upon the blood of Christ, it is true, but there is another aspect of this fellowship. To make it complete and final there must be the presentation of the life of the believer in total dedication. Both of these aspects are included by Jesus Christ in His wonderful, inclusive invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). There is a rest that He gives, which is typified by the shed blood. This is the rest of redemption. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:29–30)—this is a rest that we find, which is represented by the fat. We must come to Him and offer ourselves to Him. This is the rest of dedication.
The expression “the whole rump” is translated in the American Standard Version of 1901 as “the fat tail entire.” This has reference to a special breed of sheep peculiar to that geographical area. The tail of this, breed weighs as much as 15 pounds, and is very fatty.
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord [Lev. 3:11].
This is a strange clause and some have tried to associate it with pagan offerings. We know from an Assyrian inscription of Esarhaddon that offerers sacrificed victims to the gods and then feasted with the gods. However in the peace offering, the very opposite is true. God feasts the offerer. God makes this very clear in Deuteronomy 12:6–7: “And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.” The fat was totally consumed, but the priest received the breast and the shoulder. The offerer ate the remainder, and he did it in God’s house. God was the host and the offerer, the sinner, was the guest.
Heathenism has it backwards and that was the basis of Isaiah’s charge against Israel when they went into idolatry. “But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number” (Isa. 65:11). The American Standard Version says, “that prepare a table for Fortune, and that fill up mingled wine unto Destiny.”
God provides the table in the peace offering! This throws light upon many verses of Scripture: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies …” (Ps. 23:5). “They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house …” (Ps. 36:8). “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever …. so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me” (John 6:51, 57). “… Take, eat; this is my body” (Matt. 26:26).
The Lord prepares the table of salvation and fellowship. This is emphasized in the peace offering. This helps us to understand the parable of the prodigal son. It is the Father who kills the fatted calf when the son is restored to fellowship. In the parable of the great supper, it is the Lord who invites, “… Come; for all things are now ready” (Luke 14:17). This is the table of salvation which God has provided. And then read 1 John chapter 1 again and again. Fellowship with God rests upon the redemption of Christ through His blood and upon our knowing Christ and confessing our sins. First we accept God’s salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior; then we come to the table of fellowship.
Modern man thinks he can provide a table of salvation of his own works and invite God to come and eat. My friend, that is a purely pagan notion. God provides the table of salvation; God provides the table of fellowship.
A SACRIFICE FROM THE GOATS
And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord [Lev. 3:12].
This is the third and final type of sacrifice for the peace offering. All three types of sacrifice are essential to portray the different aspects of Christ in the peace offering. The goat represents the complete identification of Christ as adequate to take away the sin of man. He was made sin for us. That is not just a nice statement but an actual fact. He is the propitiation for our sins, which means that He adequately and totally paid the penalty for our sins. You hear the expression, “I don’t want anyone to make a goat of me.” Well, friends, Christ was willing to be made a goat for you. He took the full penalty of your sin and my sin. His offering for sin is clearly set forth in Hebrews 10:6–14.
The ritual of it follows the pattern of the offering of the herd and of the flock.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord’s.
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood [Lev. 3:13–17].
There are two statements here that should detain us for a moment: “all the fat is the Lord’s” and “that ye eat neither fat nor blood.” These two prohibitions are indeed striking. They are amplified in the law of the peace offerings in chapter 7.
The reason for the prohibition of eating blood is stated in Leviticus 17:10–14, and we will go into that later in our study.
The reason for the prohibition of eating the fat is given here. The fat is the Lord’s. Man was reminded that he was redeemed by blood. That is the basis and ground of our acceptance before God. That brings us to the table of communion and fellowship with God. But the fat is the Lord’s. He demands the best. If we are to enjoy to the fullest our fellowship with Him, it is imperative that we give Him our best. There must be total dedication to Him. Loving sacrifice of our lives must follow our redemption in order to enter into His sweet peace of communion. This is the message of Romans 12, John 15:14, and Philippians 3:10–14. Salvation is by the blood. Sanctification and service are by the fat.
THE LAW OF THE PEACE OFFERING
The law of the peace offering is given in Lev. 7:11–38. It is the most extensive of all the instructions of the five offerings and it is the last. The value of the other offerings must be entered into before we can enjoy the peace of God.
We will go into more detail in chapter 7. Suffice it to say here that Aaron and his sons, the priests, received as their portion of the peace offering the breast and the shoulder. The breast speaks of the love of Christ for us and the shoulder speaks of the power and strength of Christ. He is able to save to the uttermost. This is our portion in Christ.
Do you hear Him, Christian friend, do you hear Him in His peace offering?
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Sins of ignorance; sins of the priest; sins of the congregation; sins of the ruler; sins of the common people; the law of the sin offering
This is the first of the non-sweet savor offerings. The three sweet savor offerings set forth the person of Christ in all of His glorious character. The two non-sweet savor offerings set forth the work of Christ on the cross for sin. The sin offering speaks of sin as a nature. The trespass offering speaks of sin as an act. You see, man is a sinner by nature, and he is a sinner because of what he does. He does what he does because he is a sinner by nature.
Several striking features of the sin offering set it apart from the other offerings and distinguish its importance:
1. It is the longest account of any offering since it is twice as long as any of the other four. The burnt offering was 17 verses; the meal offering, 16 verses; the peace offering, 17 verses; the trespass offering, 19 verses; the sin offering, 35 verses. Evidently the Spirit of God thought this was very important.
2. The sin offering was an entirely new offering. Up to this time, there is no record anywhere of a sin offering. There is no previous record of it occurring in Scripture. No heathen nation had anything that was even similar to it.
3. From the time of the giving of the Law, it became the most important and significant offering. You see, man was a sinner before the giving of the Law, but actually it was the Law which revealed to him that he was a sinner. The sin offering was offered during all of the feasts—Passover, Pentecost, Trumpets, and Tabernacles. It was offered on the great Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). It brought the High Priest into the Holy of Holies.
4. It is in contrast to the burnt sacrifice, although it was made in the same place. “Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy” (Lev. 6:25).
Where the burnt offering leaves off, the sin offering begins. The burnt offering tells who Christ is; the sin offering tells what Christ did. In the burnt offering Christ meets the demands of God’s high and holy standard; in the sin offering Christ meets the deep and desperate needs of man. In the burnt offering we see the preciousness of Christ; in the sin offering we see the hatefulness of sin.
The burnt offering was a voluntary offering; the sin offering was commanded. The burnt offering ascended; the sin offering was poured out. The one went up and the other went down.
SINS OF IGNORANCE
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them [Lev. 4:1–2].
The emphasis here is upon a sin committed in ignorance. If a man sinned wilfully and deliberately, this offering did not avail. “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses” (Heb. 10:28). This speaks of the fact that there is no salvation for a person who wilfully rejects Jesus Christ. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26–27).
Sins of ignorance reveal the underlying truth that man is a sinner by nature. My friend, I must say this to you: You are a sinner whether you know it or not. You are a sinner by nature, and so am I. That is the reason we commit sins. Regardless of the estimation of any given time or custom, man is a sinner. God’s attitude toward sin does not change. We do those things which are contrary to God because it is impossible for the natural man to do anything that will please God. Natural man does not have that capacity. He is a sinner by nature. These sins must be called to man’s attention. It is sin regardless of who commits it.
The sin offering gave a profound conviction of sin. This conviction stands out in the literature of the race. The deep guilt complex of man must be diagnosed before an adequate remedy can be prescribed.
Listen to the Psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23–24). “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Ps. 51:4).
This is what I call getting on the Lord Jesus Christ’s couch instead of going to the psychiatrist’s couch. A great many people with a guilt complex go to the psychiatrists today. One would get the impression that the psychiatrist or psychologist has a skill that the Word of God does not reveal. I think that is a wrong impression. The Word of God contains the remedy for man today. If you have a problem and you are bothered with a guilt complex, a personality problem, why don’t you go to the Lord’s couch and cry out, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me. See if there be any wicked way in me.” My friend, our problem is not that our mothers didn’t give us all the love we should have had when we were little brats; our problem is that we are sinners by nature. So let’s get on God’s couch and tell Him that.
The sins of ignorance were acts committed by a person who at the time did not know they were sin. “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Ps. 19:12). How we need to confess to God that we are sinful human beings! If you can’t think of anything special to confess, then just confess who you are, a sinner.
A group of men gathered regularly for prayer and one man would always pray, “Lord, if we have committed any sin, forgive us.” The men got tired of this little formula and one of them said to him, “Why don’t you tell Him what the sin is?” The man answered, “Well, I don’t know what it is.” The leader said, “Why don’t you take a guess at it?” And do you know, the man’s first guess was right! We need to confess our sins to God!
If a man sinned through ignorance, rashness, or accident, God made provision for his deliverance. He established the cities of refuge (Num. 35:11). God has a refuge for you too, my friend; He has a remedy for you. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Paul explains the reason he was the chief of sinners and why he obtained mercy. He was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious, but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief. He goes on to say, “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:14–15)
My dad died when I was fourteen, and soon I was obliged to go into the business world. There I teamed up with the wrong crowd. I was out doing things that a man twenty-five years old was doing, and I was just sixteen years old. I’m not offering an excuse, but I really didn’t know then how bad it was. Then there came that day when I received Christ, and from that day to this, I look back and hate myself for what I did. Thank God, friend, there is a sin offering. Christ died for me; so I can go and tell Him all about it. I don’t need to crawl up on anybody’s couch and tell him about it. It’s none of his business. But it sure is God’s business and I must tell Him about it. He forgives me because He took care of all my sin at the cross.
The sin offering teaches us that we must see ourselves as God sees us. It brings before us the consciousness of sin and our own unworthiness, but also God’s provision. “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Ps. 32:5). It lifts the guilt complex.
The sin offering taught its own inadequacy. “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required” (Ps. 40:6). It pointed the way to God’s perfect satisfaction for sin and His forgiveness. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19–22). Now you and I, sinners, can come into His presence with boldness. Why? Because Jesus is our sin offering, even for these sins of ignorance.
Sin through ignorance brings to our attention another side of God’s justice and His absolute fairness in dealing with man. God will deal with man in equity. There will be degrees of punishment as there will be degrees of rewards. The degree of responsibility is also recognized in the sin offering as we shall see in the different classes of people who are considered here.
SINS OF THE PRIEST
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering [Lev. 4:3].
The sin of the priest is considered first, for he stood in the place of leadership. If he was wrong, the people were wrong. His sin was their sin. Like priest, like people. He was to bring a young bullock, the most valuable animal of all, as his offering. You see that the position of the one who sinned determined the type of animal for the sin sacrifice. His sin was no different, but his responsibility was greater.
It is still the same today. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1). Do you want to be a preacher? It makes you more responsible. Do you want to sing a solo? It makes you responsible. Do you want to be a deacon or an officer in the church, or a teacher of a Sunday school class? Then you are more responsible than anyone else. Privilege carries with it a responsibility, and God Himself will hold you to that responsibility.
That is what is clearly shown here. “According to the sins of the people” could be more properly translated “so as to cause the people to sin.” This points out the responsibility of the priest. He was a mere human being and he was subject to the same temptations as the remainder of the race. “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity …” (Heb. 7:28). It is in this point that there is a radical difference between Christ, our great High Priest, and the priests of the order of Aaron. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before the Lord [Lev. 4:4].
This is the ritual for the sin offering. In this part of the ritual there is a similarity to the burnt offering.
And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the veil of the sanctuary.
And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Lev. 4:5–7].
To sprinkle the blood seven times before the veil secured God’s relationship with the offender. To put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of incense, the place of prayer, was to restore the privilege of worship to the offender. Our acceptance by God and our worship of Him are dependent upon the blood of Jesus Christ. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).
The remainder of the blood was poured out at the bottom of the brazen altar. This satisfied the conscience of the sinner and removed the guilt complex. This was the remedy for the conviction of sin and the only remedy that could satisfy the mind and heart.
My friend, the important thing for you to understand is that when Christ forgives you your sin, He also forgives you. There is nothing more to be said about it. He has put it in the bottom of the sea. He has removed it as far as the east is from the west. He has removed it so that He will not even remember it. He settles the sin question. That rids us of our guilt complexes. You need never wonder whether He has really forgiven you. He took away all your sin and guilt. All of it. When you come to Christ and see Him, you will find Him adequate.
And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering [Lev. 4:8–10].
Here the ritual of the sin sacrifice follows that of the peace offering. The sin has been forgiven. Fellowship is restored and service is again restored. The fat is offered to be burned on the altar. Remember that the fat represents the very best.
And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt [Lev. 4:11–12].
At this point there is a radical departure from the other offerings. The remainder of the bullock was taken without the camp and burned there. We believe that this is simply an emphasis upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin. This animal was the sin offering—there is no thought of consecration or signifying the person of Christ. Rather, this is Christ, the sin-bearer, the One who was made sin for us. This deeper meaning is given to us in Hebrews. “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Heb. 13:10–14). Let us ponder this Scripture well. Religion can never satisfy the heart or meet the requirements of a God who is holy. Only the death of Christ on the cross can give us forgiveness of sins. We are sinners by nature and we are not fit for heaven. If God would consign this entire world into a lost eternity, the angels in heaven would still sing, “Holy, holy, holy!” But thank God, He didn’t do that. He loved us so much that He sent Jesus Christ to be made sin for us. Don’t try to solve the problem of your sin in any other way than to turn and trust Christ. He is adequate. He meets the deep need in your heart and soul. He alone can offer you forgiveness for sin. The death of Christ on the cross as our sin-bearer is the only solution there is to sin. That is the meaning of that part of the animal which had to be burned outside the camp.
SINS OF THE CONGREGATION
And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation [Lev. 4:13–14].
The victim for the entire congregation was the same as for the priest. A young bullock was the most valuable animal for offering. You see, the high priest represented the entire congregation before the Lord, so the requirement would be the same.
I think there is another lesson here. There is not only an individual responsibility before God but there is also a corporate responsibility. God judges nations, and many people who didn’t participate in the sin of the nation are judged along with it.
When Jerusalem was destroyed in a.d. 70, the whole nation went into captivity. When the Roman Empire disintegrated, everyone went down with it. Friends, you and I are responsible since we are a part of the nation.
God also judges churches and local congregations. I hear people say that they are going to stay in a liberal church and try to witness to it. Where do they get that idea? It’s not in the Word of God. If you identify yourself with a church which does not teach the truth from the Word of God, God will judge you right along with that church. Your responsibility is an individual responsibility, but when you join yourself with something, you are placed under corporate responsibility also. When the Lord sent His messages to the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation, the message was to the churches and to every member of each church.
And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord [Lev. 4:15].
The elders represented the nation. Similarly, the elders in the Book of Revelation represent the church.
Now the ritual here is identical with the offering of the priest. I’ll not go over that again. It is explained in verses 16–21.
SINS OF THE RULER
When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
Or, if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish [Lev. 4:22–23].
You will notice that all these different groups are to bring an offering because they are sinners. Their responsibility is different in each case, but they are all guilty. This has reference to a civil ruler. People who are rulers are often charged inaccurately and there is gossip about them. This must be real guilt. His sin must come to his knowledge and then he shall bring his offering. Again, the ruler is in a place of responsibility. His offering was of less worth than that of the priest or the entire congregation, but it was of more value than that of a private person.
This teaches us the lesson that rulers are ordained of God and thereby are responsible to God. Unfortunately, our politicians today do not seek to please God. I have listened to many of their speeches and I have yet to hear one of them, Democrat or Republican, say that he feels that he has a responsibility to God. They are always trying to please the people. You hear them talk of their constituents. God says that they are responsible to Him!
The ruler was to bring an offering of a kid of the goats, a male without blemish. The offering was not as valuable as the bullock. The ritual and the procedure for the offering for the ruler follow the same steps as that for the priest and for the people. You see, the sin of the man is the same as if he were a private citizen. The value of the animal he must sacrifice indicates the degree of his responsibility.
SINS OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty [Lev. 4:27].
This is now talking about the common person, the private citizen. The offering is for a sin through ignorance but a sin against a commandment of God. It was against something specifically stated as being forbidden. His guilt cannot be just hearsay, but the guilt must be established.
Again, this offering was to lift the guilt complex and satisfy the conscience. Only the death of Christ can lift the crushing guilt complex from modern man. Psychological procedures have not been able to accomplish this. A person’s conscience may be seared with a hot iron and the guilt may be transferred from one area to another, but deep in the human heart the strange guilt complex lingers. It is removed only when it is brought to Christ for His forgiveness.
Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned [Lev. 4:28].
If a sin comes to his knowledge later, then it is no longer a sin through ignorance, but it requires the same sacrifice. What does the believer do today? He has come to Christ as a lost sinner and accepted Him as his Savior. Then, when he finds that he has sinned, he confesses it to God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
A female kid of the goats was an offering of less value than any previous offering. Yet, an offering was required. All of these offerings point to the death of Christ.
Again, the ritual is the same for all classifications of humanity. A female lamb was also acceptable according to verse 32, and again the ritual of the lamb was the same.
The important clause to notice is, “it shall be forgiven him” in verse 31 and verse 35. The important truth is that complete forgiveness was secured for the sinner. Total absolution was accomplished. This is exactly what was accomplished for us when Christ died. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7).
THE LAW OF THE SIN OFFERING
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy [Lev. 6:24–25].
The place for the sin offering was the same as the place for the burnt offering. Both refer to Christ.
The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place [Lev. 6:26–27].
The sin offering was holy. You remember that Christ on the cross cried out to God with words from Psalm 22. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” [Ps. 22:1–3].
Christ became sin for us on the cross and yet He was holy. God withdrew from Him and yet God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. I don’t understand it; this is a great mystery. He was holy and is still holy yet our sin was put on Him. We will never know or understand what He suffered on the cross; because He is holy and since we are not, we do not know what suffering really is.
But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.
All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire [Lev. 6:28–30].
The law is meticulous even concerning the vessels. You see, the offering was for sin, and sin is the opposite of holiness. God is giving the final reminder of this.
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:7–9). We need to be reminded of the fact that He saved us from sin, not to sin. That is very important for us to note. Paul writes, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1–2).
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The trespass offering: specific acts of sin committed in ignorance; non-specific acts of sin committed in ignorance
Some expositors treat the first 13 verses of this chapter as part of the sin offering. There is ample justification for this, as the word trespass in verses 6 and 7 can be translated “guilt” and should be “for his guilt.” In verses 6, 7, 9, and 11, the sin offering is required for the trespass because the act of sin is caused by the nature of sin. All sin comes from the same source: the sin nature. You and I inherited it from Adam. The ax must be laid at the root as well as at the fruit.
In our discussion here, we shall treat the entire chapter as the trespass offering. The word trespass has very much the same meaning in the King James translation as it does in present-day use of the word. We all understand a “No Trespassing” sign. It means we are not to invade the rights of others. Liberty is a word which is much misused and abused today. Many folk go around parading, burning things, destroying things, and talking about liberty. Friend, you are free to swing your fist in any direction that you please, but your liberty ends where my nose begins. A trespass is the invasion of the rights of either God or man.
For example, withholding tithes from God was counted a trespass in Israel. We have the example of Achan who took the accursed thing and this was considered a trespass (Josh. 7:1).
We must always remember that our trespasses arise out of our sin nature. Man is totally depraved and actually has no capacity for God whatsoever. God makes it very clear that He cannot and will not accept the works of unsaved men to accomplish their salvation. Their righteousness is as filthy rags. He does not save by works of righteousness, but He saves us by His grace. It is impossible for an unsaved man to please God “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). When Jesus was on this earth, religious folk came to Him with this question, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28–29). The apostles had the same answer, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31).
SPECIFIC ACTS OF SIN COMMITTED IN IGNORANCE
The list of sins enumerated here is obviously not an exhaustive list but gives us examples of a limitless number which could be named. These are sins of individuals, not of the entire congregation. Most of the section deals with the remedy and not the disease. So we find the emphasis is upon the type of offering and not on the character of the offerer, as it was in the sin offering.
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity [Lev. 5:1].
Let me say again that the four specific sins listed here are merely examples. I think one could fill up the rest of the Book of Leviticus with specific sins if one named them all. I understand some preacher made up a list of 800 specific sins that he had thought of. He was swamped with letters from people who wanted the list of sins. They thought maybe there was something they were missing since they couldn’t think of 800 sins. Well, here we are given a few examples.
“And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing” could be better translated, “if a person sin in this respect that he hears the voice of adjuration.” It has to do with the hearing of an oath and being a witness. If a witness has seen or knows something, but he withholds the truth to the detriment of some individual, then that is a sin of omission.
There are sins of omission today. Some folk come into church today thinking their hands are clean because they haven’t murdered or stolen. Listen to James: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
Solomon prayed to God concerning this very issue of not telling the truth when a witness ought to tell the truth. “If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness” (1 Kings 8:31–32).
Let me give you an example of this. The town gossip is crossing the square of the town and she sees the president of the bank crossing the street. His secretary is also leaving the bank to go to lunch and a car hits her as she is crossing the street. The bank president rushes over and picks her up in his arms and takes her into a doctor’s office. The gossip runs to the telephone to call the wife of the bank president and says, “Do you know, Madge, I saw your husband with another woman in his arms!” Now although that was a fact, it wasn’t the whole truth! She is withholding important information. That is a sin of omission.
I was in a meeting of Christian men who were talking about the pastor and they gave certain information that was accurate. But it wasn’t the whole truth. They told only a part of it; they didn’t tell the whole situation. They were willing to let that group of men believe that they had heard the whole story. That is a trespass. It is one of the most vicious sins that can be committed. Notice here that it is Number One on God’s Sin Parade! Over in the Book of Proverbs we find a list of things which God hates and in that list of seven we find “a lying tongue” (Prov. 6:17).
You remember that Jesus was quiet during most of His trial. We are told that He held His peace. But when He was put under oath, He broke His silence. Then He was no longer dumb like a sheep before her shearers is dumb. “… And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:63–64). You see, under oath He did not hold His peace, but spoke out in witness. He told the whole truth.
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty [Lev. 5:2].
This is the law concerning uncleanness. A man might become polluted by contact with a dead animal without being aware of it while others witnessed it. A dead carcase caused uncleanness by contact. Why? Probably for health reasons.
This also speaks to Christians today. We can’t be out in the world without becoming unclean by seeing things and hearing things and thinking things. We are unclean. We may not even realize that we have come into contact with the unclean. It may be hidden from us so we are not even aware of it. But we are not to rush into God’s presence until we are cleansed. This is why the psalmist says, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Ps. 19:12).
We should not only pray for forgiveness in general, we are to name our specific failures to God and ask Him for forgiveness. But more than that, we should pray for forgiveness of sins that we may be unaware of. Sometimes we are unclean and do not realize it.
Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty [Lev. 5:3].
This is similar to the case of the unclean animal, yet God makes a distinction between man and beast. The penalty for this is more severe than for touching the beast (Lev. 11:24 and Num. 19:11–16). Apparently there were other distinctions of uncleanness concerning man other than death.
Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall he guilty in one of these [Lev. 5:4].
Careless speech is involved in this instance. Sometimes we promise to do something, and then we don’t do it. We promise that we will serve the Lord. Jephthah is an example of a man promising to do something very rash—to offer his daughter. Simon Peter boldly declared that he would not deny Christ, but would die defending Him.
Today I hear people making some very rash promises. In fact, I think some of our songs are dynamite, to tell the truth. In our songs we promise to give all to Him, to follow Him, to die for Him. We sing them so glibly that we don’t even know what we are singing.
Also I think it is careless speech and presumptuous when we try to demand of God an answer to our prayers. We need always to remember that our prayers are to be in accordance with His will. If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. Where did we get the idea that we could demand anything of God?
“Then he shall be guilty in one of these” refers to the four things which have been listed. Many more could have been included.
And it shall be, when he shall he guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin [Lev. 5:5–6].
Confession is commanded for the first time. The other offerings were an open admission of guilt. This one has to do with secret sins. They were hidden sins even though they be against God and man.
You remember in Joshua 7, when Achan took the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment, that trespass had to be dealt with publicly because it was that kind of a sin. The laying on of hands in the other offerings was evidently an admission of sin. Here confession must come first, then the offering. In the sweet savor offerings, the offerings preceded any thought of confession. The opposite is true here.
I think this is what our Lord had in mind in the Sermon on the Mount. “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matt. 5:23–24). The believer today is to confess his sin to God privately but he is to make restitution to the injured party.
The trespass offering simply means the offering of guilt. It was a sin offering, since all sin stems from the sin nature. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners with a sin nature.
Since this offering is for an act of sin which is one of the many facets of the sin nature, the value of the offering was not as great as the value of the sin offering in chapter 4.
And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering [Lev. 5:7].
The emphasis in the trespass offering is not in the character or position of the offerer, but in the sacrifice itself. Two turtledoves were required, as one was for a sin offering and one was for a burnt offering. The person and the work of Christ are represented in the poorest of offerings. This was the sacrifice of the poor. Christ preached glad tidings to the poor.
Notice that it is labeled a sin offering because it arises from the sin nature.
And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:
And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering [Lev. 5:8–9].
Blood must be shed, though the head of the bird was not removed from the body.
And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned and it shall be forgiven him [Lev. 5:10].
The sinner has complete forgiveness even with the little bird. All of this points to Christ as the one sacrifice.
But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering [Lev. 5:11].
The poorest of the poor was not left out. If one could not bring a bird, he could bring what amounted to a piece of bread. This sacrifice was still a substitute for him.
Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: it is a sin offering.
And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering [Lev. 5.13].
NON-SPECIFIC ACTS OF SIN COMMITTED IN IGNORANCE
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him [Lev. 5:14–16].
These trespass offerings emphasize the fact that there has been an invasion of the rights of both God and man. Harm to others is the feature which requires that reparation had to be performed. The principal had to be restored plus a fifth part. This must be what Zacchaeus had in mind when he told the Lord that he would give half his goods to the poor and restore fourfold what he had taken from any man by false accusation (Luke 19:8).
The chief wrong committed through ignorance seems to apply to robbing God in connection with tithes and offerings. We find this again in Malachi: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (Mal. 3:8–9). The Lord promises them blessing if they will bring their tithes, such blessing that there shall not be room to receive it.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 warns, “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” For this kind of neglect, this trespass against God, the offering must be valuable. It must be a ram. This points us to Christ, who is precious. “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:19). Through this offering there was forgiveness for the sinner who committed the trespass in ignorance.
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord [Lev. 5:17–19].
This apparently had to do with breaking any of the commandments of God in ignorance. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. This is also true in civil law. In spite of the lack of knowledge of the commandment, the offender was guilty and was held liable. Here again, the ram is given as the only animal for the trespass offering.
This offering in its ritual followed the pattern of the sin offering, except in the sprinkling of the blood, which followed the pattern of the burnt and peace offerings. We will see this in more detail in chapter 7.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Conclusion of rules concerning the trespass offering; law concerning the burnt offering; concerning the meal offering; concerning the sin offering
Chapters 6 and 7 present the law of the offerings. Actually, the law of the offerings concerned the priests and their particular part in them and portion of them. It could be called the special rules for the priests who minister at the altar of God.
This section opens with specific directions to the priests and a command for Aaron and his sons. Since the priests served at the altar, they were involved in all of the offerings that were made on the burnt altar. All of this is a shadow of the reality in heaven where Christ, our great High Priest, serves. “For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount” (Heb. 8:3–5).
There is another striking feature. Christ is not only the priest but He is also the sacrifice. He offered Himself. “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering often times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:5–12).
We need to be so aware of this today. There are a great many religions which have elaborate rituals with marching and robes and candles and routines. I suppose in all our churches we do a lot of things that really are not worthwhile. God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. God gave us this great spiritual truth here in the book of Hebrews so that we would see that.
You and I have a High Priest in heaven and He is just as busy as can be. When it says that He sat down, it means that redemption was complete. It is similar to saying that God rested on the seventh day because creation was complete. It doesn’t mean that He was tired and stopped doing anything. Just so, the Lord Jesus doesn’t sit down because He is tired and doesn’t want to do anything. He is busy! He died down here on this earth to save us. He lives up at the right hand of God to keep us saved. You and I ought to keep in touch with Him. This is reality! This is spiritual! The trouble today is that we are out of touch with the livingChrist. He is no longer a reality to us.
The greatest compliment I ever heard given about a preacher was for the one whom I succeeded in Nashville, Tennessee. A butcher in the market said to me, “I understand you are following Dr. Allen. You know, there is something about that man. Every time I meet him, I feel like he just left Jesus around the corner.” I want to tell you, friends, Dr. Allen meant business with Jesus. Jesus Christ was a reality in his life.
CONCLUSION OF RULES CONCERNING THE TRESPASS OFFERING
Again, the sins listed are merely examples of a longer list of trespasses which could be given. They are sins committed against one’s neighbor in the daily run of affairs.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found.
Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto theLord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein [Lev. 6:1–7].
This would appear to be a separate revelation from God, distinct from the preceding chapter. It shows that sin against a neighbor is a sin against God. That is why Jesus said, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12).
Certain specific sins are mentioned here. Lying about borrowed articles and responsibility for articles left for safe keeping are mentioned. We find an example of this in 2 Kings 6:5 when the students of Elisha lost the borrowed ax. “Fellowship” in this passage actually refers to a business partnership. “Taking by violence” would be a forced transaction such as Ahab taking Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21:2–16. “Deceiving his neighbor” would mean lying to the neighbor in not reporting having found a lost article.
May I say again, sins against one’s fellowman are also sins against God. We see here again that restitution had to be made with an additional penalty of one-fifth added. A fifth would be a double tithe. This was followed by the trespass offering. Again, it is the ram that is the victim. God is showing that He is no respecter of persons.
The trespass offering was vital to the spiritual life of the individual Israelite. “Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour” (Prov. 14:9). A sense of sin renders Jesus precious to the soul.
CONCERNING THE BURNT OFFERING
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it [Lev. 6:8–9].
The fire on the altar was to burn continually, that is, while the tabernacle was set up and not on the wilderness march. The burnt offering was left on the altar all night and the fire was kept burning so that the whole offering would be consumed.
This speaks of the continual consecration of Christ. It was the Lord Jesus who could say, “… I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). He displays this love and obedience in His high priestly prayer, “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth” (John 17:19). Or listen to Him in John 4:31–32: “In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”
This also speaks of the fact that we are to offer ourselves a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1–2). I find that when I crawl upon the altar and the fire gets hot, I crawl off. I don’t know about you, but I see a lot of folk doing that too. I wish I could say that I always do the things that please Him. The Lord Jesus could say it, but I can’t. There is a challenge to every believer today because God delights in the continual obedience of His children. That should give us real food for thought.
Remember that this was the issue when Samuel rebuked King Saul. “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Sam. 15:22–23).
Today you and I need to offer our own hearts and lives to Him, if we belong to Him, that is, if we are saved. God forbid that we simply make empty professions. What is it that God wants us to do? “… This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29).
And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place [Lev. 6:10–11].
God gave instructions even to the detail of the garment the priest was to wear. He was not only to put on the long robe, which was common to all the priests, but also the linen breeches. Why? The flesh must be covered totally. God is teaching that He cannot accept the works of the flesh.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” [Gal. 5:19–21]. God cannot accept the works of the flesh. It is only the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is acceptable to Him. The Spirit of God must produce this in our lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” [Gal. 5:22–23].
The priest removed the garments he wore when he removed the ashes, and he put on a fresh suit. This was a continual reminder of the utter pollution of sin. The ashes of the altar spoke primarily of the judgment of sin and even the ashes were contaminated. They must be taken out and put in a clean place. What a picture this is of the defilement of sin!
And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out [Lev. 6:12–13].
This is another reminder that the fire is to burn continually and is repeated again in verse 13. A fresh supply of wood was to be made in the morning and a burnt offering made for the whole camp. This was the morning sacrifice. The peace offering was then put on the burnt offering.
The continual burning on the altar should remind us that the fire of God burns continually. For those who reject Jesus Christ, this means the fire of God’s wrath. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
CONCERNING THE MEAL OFFERING
And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.
And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord [Lev. 6:14–15].
Again the instructions are directed to the priests. The offerer is a worshiper who stands before the altar rejoicing before God. The priest performs for him.
And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering [Lev. 6:16–17].
“With unleavened bread shall it be eaten” is translated in the Septuagint, “unleavened shall it be eaten.” The holy place where it was eaten was evidently the outer court of the tabernacle. It was holy because God was there. God’s presence makes any place holy. Remember Moses was told to take off his shoes because the ground on which he stood was holy ground (Exod. 3:5). And Peter says that at the Transfiguration, they were with Him in the holy mount (2 Pet. 1:18).
All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy [Lev. 6:18].
All believers can participate in the enjoyment of the beauties and glories of the holy humanity of our Lord. My friend, you and I need to rejoice in Him more than we do.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the Lord.
And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the Lord; it shall be wholly burnt.
For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten [Lev. 6:19–23].
The priests were not only to eat but also they were to offer a tithe of the meal offering. The priest who received a tenth was in turn to offer a tenth. All of the tithe must be offered. The priests must give as well as receive.
Ministers today should set an example for their congregation in the matter of giving. The offering plate should be passed to the members of the church staff even if they are sitting on the platform during a service. We are all to have a part in giving.
CONCERNING THE SIN OFFERING
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord; it is most holy.
The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.
But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.
All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire [Lev. 6:24–30].
The instructions are again given to the priests. The sin offering, which speaks of the work of Christ on the cross, was to be offered where the burnt offering was sacrificed. The burnt offering speaks of the person of Christ. Christ must be holy, harmless, and free from sin to be a satisfactory offering for sin. He must be able to save. This is why the virgin birth is essential in the plan of salvation. This is the One who was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin. The sin offering was holy because Christ was free from sin—though He was made sin for us. It was my sin and your sin that caused Him to die, not His sin. He didn’t die simply because He was arrested by the Romans. He could have stepped off this earth at any moment. He told Peter that He could call for legions of angels, if He wished to do so. He was made sin for us and He died in our place.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Concerning the trespass offering; concerning the peace offering
The instructions to the priests are continued for these two offerings. These two offerings were more personal than the others. The trespass concerned the individual Israelite, and was not a congregational matter. The peace must finally be enjoyed by the individual in the body of believers.
The emphasis is upon the service of the priest. This is a picture of what the Lord Jesus has done and is doing for us today at God’s right hand. He is still girded with the towel of service. He still cleanses. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
CONCERNING THE TRESPASS OFFERING
Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy.
In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar.
And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards,
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away:
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a trespass offering.
Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.
As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it [Lev. 7:1–7].
The ritual of the trespass offering follows the same pattern as that of the sin offering. Although it is for acts of sin, the offerer is reminded that the sacrifice is holy. The worth and merit of Christ cannot be overemphasized. When we see our sin nature and our sinful acts in all their enormity and frightfulness, then we shall see the wonder, greatness, and holiness of Christ. My friend, you will never appreciate the Lord Jesus as your Savior until you see yourself as the terrible sinner that you are. I’m not calling you a low-down sinner. That is what the Word of God calls each one of us.
The blood is mentioned but is not emphasized as it is in the sin offering. We are told, however, that there is one law for them. There is a danger that we may tend to make the blood a commonplace thing. It should be dealt with reverently and reticently. It is precious, and we should be on guard that we do not treat that which is precious and holy as if it were commonplace.
And the priest that offereth any man’s burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered [Lev. 7:8].
Actually there was one part of the animal that was not burned. It was the skin, and that went to the priest. This speaks of being covered or clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God is satisfied with the Lord Jesus, and He sees us as being in Christ. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Rom. 3:22). Being clothed in Christ’s righteousness is what Jesus referred to in His parable of the wedding feast. The man who entered without being clothed in a wedding garment was bound and cast out (Matt. 22:11–13).
And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest’s that offereth it.
And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another [Lev. 7:9–10].
Everything baked in the oven or dressed in the frying pan was to be for the priests. This particular type of meal offering went to the priests in its entirety.
CONCERNING THE PEACE OFFERING
And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord.
If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried [Lev. 7:11–12].
The emphasis here is upon the fact that it must be a freewill offering. The reason is for thanksgiving. This has a special meaning for believers. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb. 13:15). The fruit of our lips should be giving thanks to His name. Friend, we cannot come to church to worship unless we are prepared to offer the sacrifice of praise to God. A complaining, criticizing Christian is in no position to worship God. How important this is!
Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.
And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings [Lev. 7:13–14].
Notice this very carefully. In verse 12, the cakes and wafers were to be unleavened. In verse 13, the bread was to be leavened. This seems strange. Why should this be when leaven is a principle of evil? It is because in verse 12 it is showing Christ as our peace offering and he is without sin, without leaven. In verse 13, it is the offerer who gives thanks for his participation in the peace. His sins have been forgiven and he has peace with God but there is still evil in him; leaven is still present. Peace with God does not depend on the believer attaining sinless perfection. The leaven is still there. Oh, how important it is to realize this! “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). The believer is to confess his sin for forgiveness and cleansing, then he is to walk by the new nature in the power of the Holy Spirit. “For sin shall not have dominion over you …” (Rom. 6:14). The leavened bread was a heave offering. It was to be elevated toward heaven. Just so, our hearts are to be opened to God for Him to search us and know us and to lead us in the way everlasting (Ps. 139:23–24).
And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.
But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:
But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall he burnt with fire.
And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity [Lev. 7:15–18].
The peace offering was to be eaten at once. There was to be no delay. Thus, we are to stay very close to Christ for peace of conscience and for power over temptation. My friend, stay close to Christ! He gives peace only to those who are His own, to those who have entered into this glorious, wonderful fellowship with Him. We must look to Him and rest upon Him. When you find that Christ is adequate and wonderful, then the peace of God that passeth all understanding will enter into your heart. What a picture these sacrifices are of the Lord Jesus!
Now I am going to pick some verses out of the rest of the chapter.
And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.
But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people [Lev. 7:19–20].
An unclean person who ate of the peace offering was excommunicated. Even so today, there must be confession of sin on the part of the believer if he is to enter into fellowship with God.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people [Lev. 7:22–23, 26–27].
We have already discussed the prohibition of eating blood. This is to remind us that man was redeemed by blood and that this is the basis and ground of our acceptance before God. They were also forbidden to eat the fat because the fat belonged to the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation unto the Lord of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord.
And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’.
And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.
For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel [Lev. 7:28–34].
Aaron, his sons, and the priests received as their portion of the peace offering the breast and the shoulder. The breast speaks of the love of Christ for us. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). “… who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). “… having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).
The shoulder speaks of the power and strength of Christ. He is able to save to the uttermost. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27–30).
He loves His own with an everlasting love and He can save to the uttermost. This is our portion in Christ!
All of these sacrifices in the Old Testament were not an end in themselves. The Old Testament saint was saved by faith just as we are saved by faith. “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord” (Ps. 4:5). God was pleased when the sacrifices were brought in faith and in thanksgiving (Ps. 50:12–15 and 51:19). God was displeased when the sacrifices were brought as a dull routine and were polluted (Mal. 1:7–14).
All the sacrifices in the Old Testament demanded a more perfect antitype. This is found in Christ! “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb. 9:28).
This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord in the priest’s office;
Which the Lord commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.
This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;
Which the Lord commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai [Lev. 7:35–38].
God sums up here the instructions given to Aaron and the priests in the law of the offerings of chapters 6 and 7.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Calling of the congregation to witness the ritual of consecration of the priests; cleansing of Aaron and his sons; clothing of the high priest; consecration of the high priest; clothing and cleansing of the priests and Aaron; commandments given to Aaron and his sons
We come now to an altogether new section concerning the consecration of the priests. The consecration of the priests is important because it will throw a great deal of light on what is called consecration today in our churches. May I say that much of what we call consecration today is a pretty sorry substitute for the real article. “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore” (Heb. 7:28).
Our attention is now directed to the priests and not the sacrifices. We leave the brazen altar now and turn to the brazen laver. It was at the brazen altar that God dealt with the sin question for the sinner once and for all. But that doesn’t mean that the saved sinner was perfect. He still sinned, unfortunately; so God must take him to the brazen laver where He washed him and kept him clean.
God still washes us and keeps us clean at the brazen laver. Jesus Christ is still girded with that towel of service and He washes us in the brazen laver of His blood and that keeps on cleansing us from all sin.
Israel had a priesthood and this was written for them. In fact, the Book of Leviticus really is written for the Levites. It was God’s original intention to make the entire nation of Israel a kingdom of priests. “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation …” (Exod. 19:6). Their sin in the matter of the golden calf prevented this. Instead, only one tribe was taken, the tribe of Levi. Out of this tribe only one man was chosen as the high priest and that was Aaron.
The church today is a priesthood, and Christ is the great High Priest. “… We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb. 8:1). “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:10). “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:6). “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle” (Heb. 13:10). That altar today is in heaven. It is at the throne of grace.
In the future, after the church is gone, I believe that the nation Israel will be the priests on the earth during the Millennium.
The definition of a priest was not left to man’s invention but is explained in the Scripture. “For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb. 5:1). Priesthood in the Scriptures bears no similarity to any order of priests in any religion at the present time.
A priest is one who represents man before God. He goes in to God on behalf of man. He is the opposite of a prophet. A prophet comes out from God, to speak for God, to man. A priest comes out from man and goes to God, to speak for man to God, and to represent man.
You can see that the Lord Jesus is both Prophet and Priest. He came out from God and spoke for God to man. He reveals God to man. Now He has gone from man back to God and is our great High Priest. He represents us there. In fact, we are in Him! My friend, if you are not in Him, then you are not up there. You and I could never get there on our own.
A knowledge of the tabernacle is essential to an understanding of the Book of Leviticus and especially of the priesthood. The typology of the tabernacle and of the priesthood is so rich in meaning and detail that there is a danger of emphasizing one facet to the exclusion of another and thereby giving a wrong inference. I do think we need to note that the outer court of the tabernacle represents the world down here. This is where Christ bled and died. The Holy Place is the unseen to which our great High Priest has gone.
Actually, this is what happened when the Lord Jesus died on the cross and then went back up to heaven. He took the tabernacle and the meaning of it which was horizontal here on the earth and He made it perpendicular. That is, the altar is down here—this is where He died on the cross. The Holy Place is up there, and He is even now in the Holy of Holies. Listen to these passages which explain this. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession” (Heb. 4:14). “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building” (Heb. 9:11). “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Heb. 8:1–2). “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:23–24).
He is up yonder today. I wish we could bring this reality into our faith. We attend church and go through a little ritual and often the realities of our faith are forgotten. He is up yonder, friend, right now. You are to approach God through Him. We are told to come with boldness. He appears now in the presence of God for us. My friend, you are not alone down here. There is availability with God through Christ. The tabernacle is now perpendicular and the Holy of Holies is in heaven.
Twelve times in this chapter it is stated that the Lord commanded Moses. The final clincher is the last verse, “So Aaron and his sons did all things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses” (Lev. 8:36). These are the things which God commanded. Consecration must be the way He says it is to be done!
Some people believe in a late dating of the Book of Leviticus as the invention of the priesthood. Yet it says here that this was all done as God commanded it. Do you believe in the inspired Word of God? Then you cannot accept the late dating of Leviticus, but believe the inerrancy of Scripture and that this was done at the command of God.
CALLING OF THE CONGREGATION TO WITNESS THE RITUAL
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;
And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Lev. 8:1–3].
Moses is commanded to bring Aaron and his sons, with all the articles which are to be used in the consecration of the priests, to the door of the tabernacle. This sounds somewhat like a grocery list, but every item it mentions is very important.
Then he is to gather the congregation together to witness the ritual of consecrating the priests. This is to be a very impressive service. They will see that God takes feeble men and sets them aside for His service. I feel like saying a hallelujah to that because He will do that for you and for me. “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore” (Heb. 7:28). Christ was really consecrated. In a sense no one else is really consecrated. But the marvelous thing is that God will accept men with infirmities. If He demanded perfection, we would all be left out. Thank God, He takes them as they are, infirm.
And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done [Lev. 8:4–5].
Moses does what he is commanded to do. The people likewise obey and come together for this service. Moses gives a word of explanation that he is following the instructions of the Lord in all that he does.
CLEANSING OF AARON AND HIS SONS
And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water [Lev. 8:6].
Moses brings Aaron and his sons to the laver for washing. He gives them a bath, if you please. This signifies that they are to be holy, pure, and clean if they are to serve the Lord. They have already been to the altar for forgiveness, but they need cleansing.
A great many people today say that they are qualified for service because they are saved. Now it is true that salvation is the prime requisite, but for service one must also be cleansed. You must be cleansed to be used! Listen to these verses from Scripture:
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26). “Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all” (John 13:10). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
The Holy Ghost renews us as we go along, but we need a washing from the Lord. With what does He wash us? What is the cleansing agent? It is the Word of God. That is what cleanses us. The Lord said that His disciples needed to be washed because their feet were dirty. They all had a bath; that is, they all had been saved (except Judas), but they still needed their feet washed so that they might have fellowship with Him. This cleansing is for service.
How do we get that washing? It is by confession that we are forgiven and cleansed. Do you want to be used of God? Then go confess your sins, dear Christian. That is the first step. This is God’s way. This is His command. We either must do it His way or we cannot be of service. He has His way of doing things and we need to learn and obey His ways.
CLOTHING OF THE HIGH PRIEST
And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith [Lev. 8:7].
The clothing of the high priest is a picture of our great High Priest in all His extraordinary graces and glory. Each article of clothing was symbolic. There were eight articles worn by the high priest. Four were the same or similar to those worn by all the priests. Four were peculiar to him, and separated him from the other priests. They were garments for glory and for beauty.
The four which were common to all the priests were as follows: the coat, the girdle, the turban or mitre or bonnet, and the breeches. These were all made of white linen, with the exception of the turban. The white linen speaks of righteousness. Every believer is clothed in the righteousness of Christ. It is essential for service to be thus clothed, and to be girded is necessary for active obedience. The coat and girdle mentioned in this verse were the basic garments which all the priests wore. These garments are described in detail in Exodus 28.
And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim [Lev. 8:8].
The breastplate is also described in Exodus 28. The Urim and Thummim were placed in the breastplate. Urim means “light” and Thummim means “perfections,” so these were the lights and perfections. I do not know exactly how they functioned. Some think that they had to do with the Law and that possibly the Law was written on stones. In Psalm 19 there is a reference to this. “The law of the Lord is perfect, [perfections—Thummim], converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7). “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes [light—Urim]” (Ps. 19:8). Apparently the Urim and Thummim had something to do with determining the will of God. There is a spiritual application for us. We need the Word of God today, and we need the leading of God to determine the will of God in our lives.
And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 8:9].
The mitre of the high priest had put upon it the golden crown described in Exodus 28. Remember that graven upon it was HOLINESS TO THE LORD. These garments distinguished the high priest from the other priests. They set forth the glories and beauties of our great High Priest who died down here to save us and lives at God’s right hand to keep us saved. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Rom. 5:10). “… because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19).
The sons of Aaron were at his side clothed in simple linen. This is a picture of our great High Priest with His many sons who are being gathered with Him and who are clothed in His righteousness. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10). We come to Christ as lost sinners and He covers us with His righteousness.
The priest carried stones on each shoulder with six of the names of the twelve tribes on each shoulder. The twelve stones on the breastplate had a name of each of the tribes on each, one tribe on each stone. The great high priest carried the nation of Israel on his shoulder and upon his heart. The shoulder speaks of strength and the heart speaks of love.
CONSECRATION OF THE HIGH PRIEST
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them [Lev. 8:10].
The tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry had been sprinkled with blood (Heb. 9:21). Now it is anointed with oil. They were already redeemed and cleansed by the blood. Now they are anointed with the oil which symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit is free to move and work in the worship and service of the tabernacle. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.
And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him [Lev. 8:11–12].
The act of sprinkling the oil speaks of sanctification. All was now ready for use, having been set apart for the service of God. Aaron was not sprinkled but anointed with the oil. He was just covered with oil! “It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments” (Ps. 133:2).
Just so the Holy Spirit (of whom oil is the symbol) was poured out upon Christ at His baptism. It is distinctly stated that “… God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him” (John 3:34). In other words, God gives to His Son the Holy Spirit without measure.
It must be noted that the oil was poured on Aaron before the priests had the blood applied to them. Our High Priest needed no offering for sin. We do; He did not. “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:9).
CLOTHING OF THE PRIESTS
And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 8:13].
We are told again that this was all done according to the commandment of the Lord. This reminds us once more that we must stand clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
CLEANSING OF THE PRIESTS AND AARON
And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering [Lev. 8:14].
The bullock was the sin offering for the high priest. The four sons of Aaron could claim it as their offering, too. Their sins are transferred to the victim. That is understood by the laying on of hands. God wrote indelibly in their souls and burned it into their hearts that they were sinners, even though they were in the service of God.
You will find as you go through the Word of God that God’s men have always been conscious of the fact that they are sinners. “For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me” (Ps. 40:12). Friend, do you feel that you are that kind of a sinner? God can do something for you if you are like that. After all, if you don’t get sick enough to go to the doctor, you won’t go to him. If you aren’t sure that you are a real sinner, you are not apt to go to Christ. “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Ps. 38:4).
Friends, if you have a load that is too heavy for you, get someone else to carry it for you. There is Someone who says, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden. I will give you rest. I’ll take your burdens.” And don’t try to fool God. He knows all about you; so you might just as well tell Him the whole story.
And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.
And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar.
But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 8:15–17].
This ritual is meaningless until we understand the spiritual lesson. They follow the ritual of the sin offering with the exception that the blood is put on the horns of the brazen altar rather than on the golden altar. Even the altar which is used for the bloody sacrifices must be dedicated with blood. This is to remind us that there is no merit in the wood of the cross. There are a lot of people today who feel there is some merit in the cross itself. There is no merit in the cross! The merit is in the One who shed His blood for us there. Though He became sin for us, He was not polluted with sin. He was not stained with sin. He was “made sin” and yet He was “separate from sinners.” Again, we notice that all this was done at the commandment of God.
And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.
And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.
And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 8:18–21].
They now go through the ritual of the burnt offering. The burnt offering followed the sin offering. It is impossible to comprehend the beauties and merits of Christ until the sin question has been dealt with in a manner satisfactory to God. The sin offering represents what Christ did for us on the cross. The burnt offering represents who He is. You can never really know Him until you come to Him first to save you and you accept Him as your substitute for sin. He paid the penalty for your sin. That is of prime importance to know.
Actually, fellowship in the New Testament means to share the things of Christ. Only those who are the blood-bought believers can share the things of Christ. The priests had to go inside the holy place to see the beauties of that place. The outside was not very pretty. Just so, the unbelieving world does not see the beauty of Christ and rejects Him, but the child of God is finding new beauties and glories in Him every day.
And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
And he brought Aaron’s sons and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about [Lev. 8:22–24].
The ram of consecration was actually a trespass offering. No peace offerings were made. Why not? Because the priests were already in the sanctuary, the place of fellowship and communion.
The blood-tipped ear symbolizes the ear that will hear the voice of God. Without that, friend, you are not going to hear Him. The natural man does not receive the things of Christ. The blood-tipped hand was essential for service. It is impossible to serve the Lord before one is saved. The blood-tipped foot was essential for the walk before God. All of this is symbolic of the fact that the total personality must be presented to God.
And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder:
And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:
And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord.
And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the Lord: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses’ part; as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 8:25–29].
These verses tell that they took parts from all the offerings and put them together and placed them in the hands of Aaron and his sons. They then waved them before the Lord. This was total commitment to God on the basis of the value of one offering. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb. 9:28).
And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons’ garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him [Lev. 8:30].
Now the priests together with Aaron are consecrated with blood and oil. Blood is for the forgiveness of sins, the work of Christ; the oil is for the anointing of the Spirit of God. (The instructions for this were given in Exodus 29:21.) This speaks of the Lord Jesus who said, “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth” (John 17:19).
This should also remind us that believers are to walk before the world as the blood-bought children of God. This is what Jude meant “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 23). You see, we can go through consecration services and make promises of consecration, but the real question is what your neighbors think about you. What do the folk where you go to school think of you? Do the people with whom you work think that you are serving God? Do they think you are consecrated?
I heard a wonderful thing about a Christian the other day. An unsaved man said, “I don’t know much about that fellow’s religion, but if I ever get religion, I want his kind.” I’m afraid that too often what the world sees of the Christian is not really very appealing. Our life should be so that it would attract the man out in the world to the Lord Jesus Christ.
COMMANDMENTS GIVEN TO AARON AND HIS SONS
And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire [Lev. 8:31–32].
I told you at the beginning of this section that this sounds like a grocery list, and this is how this section on consecration ends. They are to eat the food that is left. This typifies the fact that believers are now to feed upon the finished work of Christ. Peace and satisfaction are the portion of the believers only in ratio to the measure in which they feed on Christ. Nothing is to be left. All must be consumed or burnt with fire. Nothing is to be left to spoil or waste. Oh, how God’s people need to feed upon Him!
And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.
As he hath done this day, so the Lord hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.
Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.
So Aaron and his sons did all things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses [Lev. 8:33–36].
There were to be seven days of consecration and meditation. They were to remain continually on duty at the door of the tabernacle. So it is with our great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for His own. You may wake up at 2:00 a.m., and He is right up there for you. You may be out in a difficult and dark place, but He is right up there for you. He is always available!
All this was done at the commandment of God. This is emphasized, as it is repeated in each of the last three verses of this chapter. The reason for this will be made clear in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Aaron prepares to begin his service; Aaron offers the sin offering; Aaron offers the burnt offering; Aaron offers the meal and peace offerings; Aaron blesses the people and the glory of the Lord appears
This chapter is intensely interesting, as it not only marks the initiation of Aaron and his sons into the service of the priesthood, but it gives in detail the daily ritual of the service of the priests. With the exception of the great Day of Atonement, very little detail is given in the remainder of Scripture relative to the daily ritual.
This marks the time when the priest for the first time became a priest. Although one was born in Aaron’s line, he was not fully a priest until he was consecrated. The Hebrew word for consecration literally means “to fill the hand.” That means we come to God with empty hands. Consecration isn’t a promise to go out as a missionary or to do something else for the Lord. Consecration means to come to the Lord with empty hands and ask, “Lord, what will You have me to do?” He does the filling! That is consecration.
Too many folk think they must bring something to God if they are to be consecrated. Some folk seem to think they are giving the Lord a whole lot if they give themselves. We’re not giving Him very much, friends. When He got me, all He got was just so much sin. That’s all.
The Septuagint adopted the Greek word teleioo to express consecration. This expresses the same thought. Telos means “end,” and it means “the purpose,” meaning to accomplish what God wants you to accomplish. It means to fulfill the end for which you were born. We were born for the purpose of completing the body of Christ. And He was born for the purpose of coming down here to accomplish the will of God in order that He might bring us home to glory. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10). You see, Jesus was consecrated. He had a purpose. “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore” (Heb. 7:28).
In this chapter it is the office of Jesus, not His character, which is in view. It is Jesus accomplishing the purpose, the God-given purpose, in His office.
AARON PREPARES TO BEGIN HIS SERVICE
And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord [Lev. 9:1–2].
All of this was done at the commandment of God. They had carried out the details of the seven days and now, on the eighth day, Aaron was to begin his service as the high priest. The eighth day is the first day of the week! That is the day that Jesus came back from the dead. Christ entered into His office as High Priest after His death and resurrection.
Hebrews 8:4 and 9:10–12 tell us that if Christ were on earth, He would not be a priest. It was after He ascended into heaven that He became a High Priest in the tabernacle not made with hands, up in heaven. By His own blood He entered into the Holy Place.
As Aaron entered into his office as high priest on the first day of the week, his four sons were there as witnesses. Likewise, we have four Gospels which bear witness to the fact of the death and resurrection of Christ. We today have a perfect and complete Priest. “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:9). We obey Him when we believe Him and believe on Him. We obey Him, after we are believers, when we attempt to do His will. That is consecration, friends. We come to him empty; we hold out our empty hands and ask Christ to fill us.
Aaron was not our great High Priest. He needed to make a sin offering for himself. The high priest on all great public occasions began by making an offering for himself. By this he was declaring that he was not the Christ but that there would be One who comes after him. He would be the great High Priest—“Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself” (Heb. 7:27).
And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;
Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for today the Lord will appear unto you [Lev. 9:3–4].
Aaron was commanded to have the people bring all the offerings to God with the exception of the trespass offering. At the very beginning there was no need for the trespass offering because they had not had time to commit a trespass. They offered the regular kid of the goats for the sin offering; a double offering of a calf and a lamb for the burnt offering; a double offering of a bullock and a ram for the peace offering; and the regular meal offering. The glory of the Lord was to appear to them that day. This was to show that through the death of Christ, on to the resurrected High Priest at God’s right hand, is the way we approach God.
And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord.
And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you.
And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the Lord commanded [Lev. 9:5–7].
The people obey, and Moses assures them that the glory of the Lord will appear to them.
AARON OFFERS THE SIN OFFERING
Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:
But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp [Lev. 9:8–11].
These verses describe how Aaron carried out the ritual of the sin offering in meticulous detail. The sin offering was made first. Why? When the offerings were first presented, the burnt offering was first and the sin offering came last. Well, you see, the offerings were first presented from God’s viewpoint. But now we are approaching God from man’s viewpoint. Man comes to God as a sinner. You and I, my friend, come as sinners. It is the sin question which must be settled first. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7).
AARON OFFERS THE BURNT OFFERING
The ritual for the burnt offering was followed in meticulous detail. First Aaron offered for himself.
And he slew the burnt offering: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.
And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.
And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar [Lev. 9:12–14].
The sin offering and the burnt offering for the people was then presented.
And he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.
And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner [Lev. 9:15–16].
All of this is a picture of Christ. “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief. when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isa. 53:10). “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
The sin offering is made sin. Christ had the sin of the world pressed down upon Him as one great globe, a whole world, of sin.
AARON OFFERS THE MEAL AND PEACE OFFERINGS
And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the, Lord; as Moses commanded [Lev. 9:17–21].
The meal offering followed the regular ritual. The same is true for the peace offering. Aaron, as the representative for the nation, presents the sacrifices before the Lord through the shedding of the blood. The people are accepted. Blessing will follow.
AARON BLESSES THE PEOPLE AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD APPEARS
And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.
And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces [Lev. 9:22–24].
Blessing follows the offering of the three offerings: the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering. Then Moses and Aaron retired into the tabernacle. It is thought that at the time of the evening sacrifice they came forth to bless the people and then the glory of the Lord appeared. All is complete now. The people shout and fall on their faces in adoration and praise.
Christ is now entered into the Holy Place, which is in heaven itself, to appear there for you and me today. Oh, my friend, lay hold of this living Christ. Fall before Him in adoration and praise.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Incident concerning Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron; instructions coming out of the incident; injunctions concerning the offerings in connection with the incident
The Book of Leviticus has very little narrative, but is filled with instructions, rituals, regulations, and laws. This chapter offers a change of pace in the reading for it is a narrative. However, the interest is almost obliterated because it is a horrible tragedy which is recorded here.
This is another blot on man’s long and sordid history of sin and willfulness. It is the record of the rebellion and disobedience of the two sons of Aaron. It follows the glorious day of dedication recorded in the preceding chapter. So often we find this happening. After a flush of victory, there is defeat—as in the Book of Joshua, the victory of Jericho is followed by the ignoble defeat at Ai.
The presumption of Nadab and Abihu is frightening in the light of the clear teaching which God gave at Sinai. “And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them” (Exod. 19:22). In Exodus 30:34–38 God gave to Moses the formula for the incense to be used in the tabernacle and said, “As for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people” (Exod. 30:37–38).
The holiness of God is set forth at the beginning of the age of Law by this incident. The holiness of God is set forth at the beginning of the age of Grace by the incident concerning Ananias and Sapphira. Death was the drastic penalty in both cases. Our God is holy, and He deals with His children on that level. “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29) is something we all need to learn today. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11). This is something we need to recognize today.
There is a warning in Hebrews 12:25: “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.” This is one of the great sins of the hour. People are not hearing what God has to say in His Word.
INCIDENT CONCERNING NADAB AND ABIHU, SONS OF AARON
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.
And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord [Lev. 10:1–2].
It may be argued that the penalty of death was too severe for the transgression committed. But notice particularly what God says here, “Which he commanded them not.” This reveals something of the enormity of the crime, and therefore the penalty is just. This was willful and deliberate disobedience to the expressed command of God.
Precisely what did they do which brought down such severe judgment upon them? This act has been called “will-worship” and that is what it is. What did they do wrong? I’d like to make three suggestions:
1. They probably did not light the censer of incense from coals from off the altar, which was the fire which had come down from heaven. It apparently was understood that this must be done. This was the practice on the Great Day of Atonement as is clearly stated in Leviticus 16:12: “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil” This was the same ritual followed at the time of the rebellion of Korah (Num. 16:46). It must be assumed that this method was the only correct one. The ritual they followed was contrary to God’s way.
2. Their timing was out of step with the God-given ritual. The ritual for the day had been completed. They should have consulted Aaron in this matter. Apparently, they wanted to repeat the marvelous display of the preceding chapter. Isn’t this a problem today, when with our will-worship we try to duplicate what God has done? There are many who try to duplicate the experience of the day of Pentecost. God is sovereign! His will must be followed even as to the timing. The Spirit of God will move according to His own will. We should simply make ourselves available and obedient to Him.
3. Others have supposed that they intruded beyond the veil which was expressly forbidden. There is justification for their viewpoint as stated in Leviticus 16:1–2: “And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died; And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.”
It would seem that this prohibition came out of the incident of Nadab and Abihu. They were wrong as to the place they should come. God had commanded them as to the manner, the time, and the place. They were wrong in all three.
Some may still think that God surely uses extreme surgery. It does reveal that our God is a jealous God. He is sovereign in all His dealings, and those who come to Him must come on His terms. It is still true that to obey is better than sacrifice. God will not accept worship in our own will, no matter how sincere. We need to note here, too, that the high position of these men offered them no immunity.
The sudden execution of judgment here is startling. There is no escaping the statement that the fire was from the Lord. Let us recognize that judgment is not foreign to the age of grace. It may not always be this sudden. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30). In the case of Ananias and Sapphira it was just as sudden and sure.
This does not mean that the believer in Christ can lose his salvation! Nadab and Abihu, and Ananias and Sapphira did not lose their salvation. Neither did the believers in the Corinthian congregation. This is made very clear. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32).
Physical death is oftentimes a judgment for the child of God. There is a sin unto death (1 John 5:16) but it is physical death. The child of God is not condemned with the world. These judgments in both the Old and New Testaments are examples to believers that will-worship is detestable to God. The believer must come to God in God’s way. The believing sinner must worship God’s way.
Hebrews 10:19–22 tells us very definitely that we are to come to God with boldness, but that it must be by the blood of Jesus. We come because we have an High Priest over the house of God. We are to come “… with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” God makes a difference! “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” (Lev. 10:10). Don’t get the idea that God can’t move in with judgment today.
Let me get very personal. A friend of mine, who knows me very well, said, “McGee, since you have had cancer and you know you still have cancer in your body now, did it ever occur to you that maybe it is a judgment from God?” I told this brother, “You know, I have waked up in the stillness and darkness of the night and I’ve thought just that, and I have cried out to God.” May I say to you, I don’t exclude myself. If we don’t judge ourselves, God will judge us, so that we are not condemned with the world! God does all things well! When I say these things to you, remember that I am going through it. This fellow knows what he is talking about.
What an illustration this is that sometime Jesus will come in fiery judgment upon the lost world. Enoch preached this! Enoch prophesied, “… Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14–15). Peter said the same thing. “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Pet. 4:18).
Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.
So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said [Lev. 10:3–5].
When the news spread throughout the hosts of Israel, the people must have gathered about the tabernacle to view the dead bodies of these young men. Moses quoted the words of the Lord to give them an explanation for the judgment. “And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them” (Exod. 19:22).
Those who have been brought into a particular nearness to God must exercise a sharp insight into the holiness and the righteous demands of God. “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). As God judged His people Israel, so God judges His saints today in order that the world may know He is a holy God.
Aaron’s attitude and conduct are noticeable. He maintains a demeanor of silence. There is no cry of disappointment, grief, or resentment toward God. He bows in heartbroken submission to the will of God. His grief must have been deep, but he can say nothing against the sovereign will of God. You notice God says, “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me.”
Moses called upon two of the priests who were cousins of the slain men to remove the dead bodies from before the sanctuary. As the people looked on in awe, they were carried out of the camp.
INSTRUCTIONS COMING OUT OF THE INCIDENT
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.
And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses [Lev. 10:6–7].
A restriction is placed on Aaron and his two remaining sons. They were not to mourn outwardly. There is a twofold reason for this. The first is clearly stated, “the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” They were set aside to represent the people before God, and they were God’s representatives before the people. They were to continue in their office that there might be a mediator between God and man lest wrath should come upon the people and the judgment of death be upon them. In the second place, they were not to show the outward signs of mourning which would contradict the action of God in judging their loved ones. It must be added that they must have gone about their office with sad hearts. They were serving God and there must be no evidence of rebellion against Him.
And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations [Lev. 10:8–9].
It would appear from this instruction that Nadab and Abihu had acted under the influence of alcohol. This is one of the finest examples in Scripture against the use and abuse of alcohol or drugs. The priest is to serve the Lord with a clear, steady, and sober mind. Today we have the advocates of the use of drugs in religion. My friend, God despises such an approach to Him. This is the same thing that Paul meant when he said, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). The believer is to draw his dynamic and his zeal from the Spirit of the Lord and not from frail and human props. What a lesson this is against drugs and alcohol for us today.
And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses [Lev. 10:10–11].
The use of wine dulls the senses so that a sharp distinction cannot be made between the holy and the unholy. True values are distorted and there is a breakdown in morals as a result of the use and abuse of alcohol. The priest must keep the statutes of the Lord so that he can teach them to the people. It is the filling of the Holy Spirit that is needed for the study and the teaching of the Word of God.
INJUNCTIONS CONCERNING THE OFFERINGS
And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:
And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire: for so I am commanded.
And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the Lord hath commanded [Lev. 10:12–15].
Moses repeats the commandments which concern both the meal offering and the peace offering. A portion of the offering was to be eaten by them in the holy place. This evidently is the outer court beside the burnt altar. It is holy because it was set aside for the service of God. The wave breast and the heave shoulder should be eaten in a clean place. Apparently they could take this to eat in their homes which would be ceremonially clean.
And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,
Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?
Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded [Lev. 10:16–18].
Now here is another tragic incident with action contrary to the will of God. We find failure on the part of the two other sons of Aaron, but here it is a sin of omission. It was not a deliberate and willful sin, as was that of the two dead sons. The sin offering was to be eaten in the holy place and that had not been done. Although the blood had been offered, the portion that belonged to the priests had not been eaten. They had omitted doing this, possibly not realizing the importance of it.
And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?
And when Moses heard that, he was content [Lev. 10:19–20].
Aaron assumed responsibility for his sons. Apparently the tragic incident had caused not only a loss of appetite but also a feeling of unworthiness in continuing to serve before God. Moses was satisfied with the explanation. I think at this point old Aaron felt like resigning.
There is tremendous truth for us to draw from this incident. These men came to God on their own. They were willful and this was blasphemy. God judged them. People today ask me whether it is wrong for them to belong to a church which denies the deity of Christ. Friends, do you think anyone can come to God in such a place, apart from God’s will and God’s terms? If God struck today as He struck Nadab and Abihu, I think half the church members would be dead. The liberals would be struck for denying the deity of Christ and the forgiveness of His sacrifice for us. Many fundamental church members would be struck down like Ananias and Sapphira for their hypocrisy, their lying to the Holy Spirit. God is dealing in mercy today, giving time for repentance and for men to come to the knowledge of the truth. Otherwise many people would be struck dead.
There is a wonderful lesson for you and for me. When we come to God, we must come on His terms. This is not an arrangement which we can make. We are not making the rules. God is the One who saves and He is the One who says how we shall be saved. Jesus Christ says that no man comes to the Father but by Him.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The food of God’s people—clean and unclean animals; contact with carcasses of unclean animals; contact with carcasses of clean animals; contamination of creeping creatures; classification of clean and unclean made by a holy God
This is a most unusual chapter. We have come now to a radical bifurcation in this book. The subject matter is changed from the priests to the people; from offerings to God to food for man; from worship before God to the walk in this world. The change is made from the sacred to the secular without any change of pace or level. There is no thought that this is anything different.
Today we make a false distinction between the sacred and the secular. We think if it is in the church it is sacred. Even gossip in the church seems to be regarded as sacred (especially if it is couched as a prayer request!). If gossip is outside the church, then it is secular. Friend, all and any of our work can be done to the glory of God. Someone has said,
I want to dig a ditch so straight and true
That God can look it through.
Friends, you cannot make a distinction between the sacred and the secular. God moves right out here from that which we would call sacred to that which we would call secular, and He makes no distinction.
This chapter is so unusual because God gives a diet, a menu, for the children of Israel to follow. They are to eat certain things and they are not to eat the things which God keeps off the menu. So here is the important question: Could the God of this vast universe be interested in what His creatures have for dinner? Could the One who orders all of creation prepare a menu for man? This chapter gives the answer: God was and is interested in the details of the lives of His people. No detail is too minute to escape His interest and His concern.
A lady asked G. Campbell Morgan whether he thought we ought to pray to God about the little things in our lives. His answer was, “Madam, can you mention anything in your life that is big to God?” You see, we tend to divide things in our lives as big problems and little problems. They are not divided that way before God. They are all little problems to Him. Yet nothing is too small for His attention and care. There are so many injunctions to us to pray about everything, to worry about nothing.
There are great spiritual lessons for us in this section, as we shall see; but there is also a very real and practical aspect which, because it pertained to Israel, we sometimes ignore. Since God forbade the eating of certain animals and permitted the eating of others, it must be assumed that there was a health factor involved. They could eat certain animals, fish, and birds but not others. It was not a superstition and it was more than a religious rite to make a distinction between clean and unclean animals. Since God prescribed certain animals for the diet of His people, and since He definitely forbade others, there must be some benefit in following that diet. History should demonstrate that God had good and sufficient grounds for making His distinctions. Now it is true that God could have acted in an arbitrary fashion in setting up these lines of separation between clean and unclean, but, ordinarily, God acted for the good of His people. Does history show this to be the case in these matters?
Well, the interesting thing we will find is that the animals which were forbidden to be eaten were largely unclean feeders. The animals rejected by the Mosaic system are more liable to disease.
Let me give a quotation from Dr. S. H. Kellogg: “One of the greatest discoveries of modern science is the fact that a large number of diseases to which animals are liable are due to the presence of low forms of parasitic life. To such diseases those which are unclean in their feeding will be especially exposed, while none will perhaps be found wholly exempt. Another discovery of recent times which has a no less important bearing on the question raised by this chapter is the now ascertained fact that many of these parasitic diseases are common to both animals and men, and may be communicated from the former to the latter” (The Book of Leviticus, p. 314).
He goes on to list the parasite trichinae in swine, diphtheria in turkeys, and glanders in horses. Evidently Moses didn’t understand about these diseases and certainly the physicians in Egypt didn’t know about them. But God knew! God made these distinctions between clean and unclean. Does this work out in history? It certainly does.
Listen to the statement of Dr. Noel de Mussy, presented to the Paris Academy of Medicine in 1885: “The idea of parasitic and infectious maladies, which has conquered so great a position in modern pathology, appears to have greatly occupied the mind of Moses and to have dominated all his hygienic rules. He excluded from Hebrew dietary animals particularly liable to parasites; and as it is in the blood, that the germs and spores of infectious disease circulate, he orders that they must be drained of their blood before serving for food.”
How did Moses know that? Well, Moses wouldn’t have known it, but God told him.
I quote Dr. Kellogg again. “Even so long ago as the days when the plague was desolating Europe, the Jews so universally escaped infection that, by this their exemption, the popular suspicion was excited into fury, and they were accused of causing the fearful mortality among their Gentile neighbors by poisoning the wells and springs.”
Professor Hosmer wrote: “Throughout the entire history of Israel, the wisdom of the ancient lawgivers in these respects has been remarkably shown. In times of pestilence the Jews have suffered far less than others; as regards longevity and general health, they have in every age been noteworthy, and, at the present day, in the life-insurance offices, the life of a Jew is said to be worth much more than that of men of other stock.”
Dr. Behrends also states: “In Prussia, the mean duration of Jewish life averages five years more than that of the general population.” Now, of course, today the Jews are breaking down their rules about diet, and the gap is closing. There were times when the life of the Jews was actually twice that of their gentile neighbors.
There are some lessons in this for us today. We are apt to condemn Israel for placing such a great emphasis on the physical while missing the spiritual implications. At the same time, we tend to place such an emphasis on the spiritual that we ignore the physical altogether. A Christian should not ignore his body as to the food he eats, the use and abuse of the body, and the care of it. He should keep in mind that the body is the tabernacle of God today and the very temple of the Holy Spirit. Because a thing is physical does not preclude it from being spiritual.
At the same time, we are told very definitely today, that we can eat whatever we wish to eat. If you want to eat rattlesnake meat, you may eat rattlesnake meat. There is no spiritual value in eating or not eating certain foods. In fact, it is a superstition when you approach it like that. Let us look at several Scriptures concerning this:
“I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean” (Rom. 14:14).
“But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:8).
“Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them …” (1 Cor. 6:13).
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
We should point out that gluttony is strictly forbidden and temperance, or self-control, is a command for a believer under grace.
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS (ON THE LAND)
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth [Lev. 11:1–2].
God draws a strict line of demarcation between light and darkness, night and day, black and white, right and wrong, clean and unclean. And by the way, God is the One who makes the difference between light and darkness. It is His intent to sharpen man’s discriminating nature so that he is sensitive to these God-made distinctions. God wants man to love the good and to loathe the evil. This present age is witnessing the dulling of man’s sensibilities to the sharp distinctions between right and wrong and good and bad. Man tries to put everything in life in the gray zone of amorality. God draws these distinctions to drive man to the altar and the shed blood of Christ for cleansing and for forgiveness.
God makes the rules. Someone asks, “How do you know what is right?” The answer is that right is what God says is right! This is His universe. Do you know any better rules than the ones He has made? He’s made the rules for the physical realm. (Do you want to defy the law of gravity and jump off the earth? It’s an expensive trip, and it will cost you millions of dollars to do it. It put our government in debt to do it, and it will put you in debt to do it.)
God moves into the realm of the everyday life and nothing comes closer to that than what man eats. God declares certain things to be clean and certain to be unclean. Man is to be reminded that he lives in a world where sin abounds. Man must learn to choose the good and shun the evil.
The distinction was moral, yet the clean creatures were wholesome and gave nourishment to the body. The distinction of the clean and unclean animals is older than the Mosaic economy, and we know that Noah recognized such a division.
It is noticeable that the choice of edible animals, fish, and fowl follow generally the pattern of civilized man down through the centuries to the present day. That is no accident. God made the distinction and there are certain animals you want and some you don’t want to eat. Another feature we should note is that certain animals were probably healthful in that land and in that day which might not be true elsewhere. Today we have no command concerning clean and unclean animals for food.
There are great moral issues involved in this chapter. Man lives in a world of sin, and God requires recognition of this fact. Choices must be made. Fallen man outside of Eden still has a “tree” of which God says he must not eat. I think the moral objective is primary. You remember that when Peter saw the sheet come down with all kinds of animals and birds in it, he didn’t want to eat when God told him to eat. God then told him, “Don’t you call unclean what God has called clean” (Acts 10:11–15). In other words, God makes the rules, and man must make his decisions according to God’s rules. This is a tremendous moral lesson.
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat [Lev. 13:3].
This was the rule to be followed to determine the animals to be eaten. This was repeated in Deuteronomy 14:6, and in that chapter it lists the ox, the sheep, the goat, the hart, the roebuck, the fallow deer, the wild goat, the pygarg, the wild ox, and the chamois.
In Leviticus, the principle and rule are given with a few examples of those which are unclean. In Deuteronomy, the principle and rule are not emphasized, but a more extended list of the clean animals is given. Leviticus emphasizes the negative; Deuteronomy emphasizes the positive.
In Leviticus the division of clean and unclean is sharply drawn although this is not a new commandment. The distinction does not follow any biological division, but a health factor was involved.
Some heathen nations, Persia for example, attributed the creation of certain animals to the good god while other animals were the product of a bad god. God created all the animals. Neither did the nature of the animal, as representing some sin or virtue, make the distinction. For example, the lion was unclean, but it represents the Lord Jesus Christ and is the symbol of the tribe of Judah. That is why Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
There is not some mysterious connection between the soul and the body as one finds in some heathen cults today. The nature of the animal is not transferred to the one who eats it. That’s just nonsense and superstition. Some vegetarians think people become cruel because they eat animal meat. Well, I’ve seen some pretty mean folk who are vegetarians. May I say, such ideas are nonsense.
For Israel, the distinction between the clean and unclean animals was part of God’s plan to keep them separate from all nations. Even today Kosher has a particular meaning to everyone. They were constantly reminded that they lived in a world where choices had to be made.
For the Christian there are some spiritual applications. We have already shown that there is no merit in following a ritual regarding meat. But it is interesting to note that “to meditate” is a figurative expression of a cow chewing the cud. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Ps. 1:2). Meditating is a valid application for the chewing of the cud for the spiritual benefit of believers. Likewise, the parting of the hoof speaks of the walk of the believer in separation. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1). “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us …. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph. 5:2, 15). The relationship between the study of the Word of God and the walk of the believer is intimately tied together. “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:14–15). “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). My friend, the walk of the believer is tied up with the Word of God. If you are going through this world, you will have to chew the cud, the Word of God, and you will need to have that separated walk that only the Word can produce. The Bible-studying believer, who puts into practice the teaching of the Word of God, identifies himself as a child of God by his work and his walk.
Friend, what kind of tracks are you making? I remember the story of a man years ago when someone tried to hand him a tract. He asked what it was and was told it was a tract. He handed it back and said he couldn’t read it. He said, “I’ll just watch your tracks.”
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof, he is unclean unto you.
And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you [Lev. 11:4–8].
This is an extended list of animals which are unclean. Evidently, there must have been some question about these animals. Only vegetable-eating animals chew the cud. This eliminated the carnivorous animals.
God warned about eating a camel. The reaction would be, “Who would want to?” Don’t you think this adds a note of humor to the words of our Lord when He accused the Pharisees of straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel? The camel wasn’t only lumpy; he was unclean. A coney is something like a rabbit and lives in rocky places. This corresponds to our rabbit. It is quite interesting to me that today there are those who emphasize that one should not eat pork but I have never heard them mention that one should not eat rabbit. The swine divides the hoof but does not chew the cud. The pig seems to be constantly eating but does not chew the cud. It is interesting to note that pork is still a difficult meat to digest. Swine are unclean animals. They are unclean in their eating habits.
The Israelite was even forbidden to have contact with the dead carcasses of these unclean animals. The spiritual implications of this are unavoidable.
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN CREATURES (ON THE WATER)
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you [Lev. 11:9–12].
There is a sharp line drawn here as well as among animals. The clean fish must be characterized by two visible marks—fins and scales—to be clean. This rule applied to both fresh and saltwater fish. Crawling creatures in the water were forbidden, which would eliminate a great segment of the creatures of the waters. No examples are given, probably because the distinction is very clear cut.
Israel depended on the supply of fish from the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and the Jordan River. Fish played a prominent part in the diet of the nation. One of the gates of Jerusalem was called the fish gate. This is where the fish from the Mediterranean were brought in, and it is interesting that this was a problem in the times of Nehemiah. The fishermen would bring in their fish on the Sabbath day (Neh. 13:16–22).
The important role of fishing in the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is well known to the student of the New Testament. The first disciples our Lord called were fishermen. They were told that they were to become fishers of men.
Jesus told the parable that the kingdom of heaven is like a net which caught good fish and bad fish (Matt. 13:47–50). What was the method of determining the good from the bad fish? It is not whether the fish were large or small but would be according to the Levitical law. A fish that has both fins and scales is clean, or good. Now how is this like the judgment of the wicked from among the just? Well, the believer is the one who is propelled by the Holy Spirit and who is clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Those are the two identifying marks. Those are the fins and the scales, if you please.
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FLYING CREATURES (IN THE AIR)
And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey,
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
Every raven after his kind;
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind,
And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat [Lev. 11:13–19].
On the birds there are no visible markers like there are on the fish and the animals. But they seem to have in common that they are all unclean feeders. For the most part, they feed on dead carcasses of animals, fish, and other fowl.
A list of unclean birds of Palestine is given. This is another point that reveals that the Mosaic system was intended for the nation Israel and also for the particular land of Palestine. Some of these birds sound strange to us. They fall into the family of the eagles and the hawks, the vultures and the ravens, the owls and cormorants, and the swans and pelicans. They don’t even sound appetizing. They are the “dirty birdies” because of their feeding habits. Now remember, some people eat some of these birds today. I can’t say I would like any of them, but whether we eat them or don’t eat them makes no difference—meat will not commend us to God. The point is that it was teaching Israel to make a distinction. They had to make a decision about what was clean and unclean.
The lesson for us today is that we must make decisions about our conduct and our profession. We have to make the decision about whether to accept Christ or not, whether to study the Word of God or not, whether to walk in a way pleasing to God or not. That is the application for us today.
This section throws some light on the experience of Elijah. He was fed by the ravens—dirty birds. Elijah did not eat the ravens, but they fed him. This was a humbling experience for this man of God who obeyed God in every detail.
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN CREEPING CREATURES (ON THE GROUND)
All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you [Lev. 11:20–23].
Well, folks, you can leave all of these off my menu. However, we must note that some of them are clean. These were apparently four species of locusts. The locust was the regular species, the bald locust had a protuberance; the beetle was a locust with a protuberance and a tail; the grasshopper was a locust with a tail but without a protuberance. So they were permitted to eat these four kinds of locusts. But, friend, if you’re having me over for dinner, let’s have something else on the menu! Although they don’t appeal to me, there is nothing religiously or ceremonially unclean about them. John the Baptist had a scriptural diet when he ate locusts and wild honey.
CONTACT WITH CARCASSES OF UNCLEAN ANIMALS
And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
And whosoever beareth aught of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you [Lev. 11:24–28].
Not only was Israel forbidden to eat unclean animals, but also they were forbidden to touch the carcass of an unclean animal. Contamination by contact is the principle here. This was a great principle of life that was restated in the days of the return of Israel after the captivity. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean” (Hag. 2:11–13).
There is a very important principle set before us here. Cleanness or holiness is not transferred by contact. On the contrary, dirt, sin, and unholiness are transferred by contact. In other words, it is impossible to bring holiness out of the unholy. But the unclean can affect the clean. An unrighteous man cannot produce righteous works which are acceptable to God. You cannot bring righteousness out of unrighteousness.
This principle operates as a law in every realm of life and in all strata of society. A gallon of dirty water is not made clean by adding a gallon of clean water. On the other hand, one drop of dirty water will contaminate the clean water. A boy with the measles is never cured by contact with a boy who is well, but the well boy may very well catch the measles from the sick boy. A Christian cannot mingle with the world and play with sin without becoming contaminated. Where do we get the idea that a Christian can dabble with drugs and drinking and night clubs and wild parties? Some claim that the way to reach the lost is to meet them on their level. Well, do they reach the lost that way? No, they are contaminated and take part in those sins themselves. The New Testament is clear on this. “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 23). It is a terrible mistake to mix and mingle with sin. We are to beware of all contamination.
An Israelite was reminded of this great principle when he walked along the road and saw a dead dog or a dead bear. He was forbidden to carry the carcass or any part of it. He was not to take a bone or the skin for any use. If he inadvertently touched the carcass of an unclean animal, he was to wash his garments and remain unclean until the end of the day.
These are great spiritual lessons for us. The Christian is sanctified by the redemption of Christ and is clothed with His garments of righteousness. But we walk through the world where we can become contaminated. We still have the old nature. Not until we lay down this body in death will we be completely and totally sanctified and removed from the very presence of sin.
These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even [Lev. 11:29–31].
These are creatures that live on the ground or under the ground. They must have been rather commonplace but they were to be avoided by the Israelite. The carcass of a mole could contaminate him as much as the carcass of an elephant. So he was constantly reminded that he lived in a world of fallen creatures, and that little sins are as heinous in God’s sight as big sins. The mote and the beam are alike to God. “Little sins” are also sin and must be avoided.
And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean [Lev. 11:32–36].
Now we go into the kitchen. It must have been a commonplace experience for some rodent to get into the kitchen of that day and fall into one of the vessels and die. Any earthen vessel had to be broken and the water or grain or whatever was in it had to be thrown out. A bronze vessel was to be scoured clean. You see, God taught His people cleanliness in the preparation of food. And He was teaching them a lesson in holiness. Every vessel was holy to God and it was all to remain clean. In the Mosaic system, cleanliness was next to godliness and this applied to even the smallest detail in domestic situations. God guarded His people against contamination and pollution.
If the dead carcass fell into a fountain or a lake, the water was not contaminated. It was too big and too fresh.
Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fountain of living water? He is not contaminated by contact with the sinner or the sick, the leper or the woman with an issue of blood. Jesus said: “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). Also “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly, shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38).
And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you [Lev. 11:37–38].
Now we leave the kitchen and go out into the field and the food production. Dry seed that was to be sown could not be contaminated by contact with a carcass of the unclean. However, if the seed was wet, then its shell or armor had been penetrated and it was unclean.
This is why the child of God needs a shell or armor today. We are told, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).
CONTACT WITH CARCASSES OF CLEAN ANIMALS
And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even [Lev. 11:39–40].
Any clean animal that died of itself or of disease was unclean. In Malachi 1:8 God forbade the sacrifice of any animal that was lame or sick. God will not accept the second-best or the castoff from us either.
CONTAMINATION OF CREEPING CREATURES
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby [Lev. 11:41–43].
Everything that crept on the earth or that went on its belly was unclean. God gives the reason they should not become unclean with them:
For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy [Lev. 11:44–45].
All creeping things were unclean as representatives of the fall of man when the serpent was cursed and made to crawl on its belly.
CLASSIFICATION OF CLEAN AND UNCLEAN MADE BY A HOLY GOD
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten [Lev. 11:46–47].
It is God who makes the sharp distinction between the clean and the unclean. Holiness in little things is essential. This is the real test for God’s man. The acid test of any life of any of God’s people is this. God says, “I am your Lord. I am holy. Be ye holy.”
My friend, you must make the decision as to whether you are going to walk with God and for God in this contaminated world. This is the lesson for us from his chapter of the clean and the unclean.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Cleansing of a mother after childbirth; a sacrifice for atonement
In the preceding chapter we saw the contamination of sin by contact. The external character of sin was emphasized—we live in a world surrounded by sin.
This chapter places the emphasis on the internal character of sin. Not only do we become sinners by contact, but we are sinners by birth. And this chapter is the law concerning motherhood, the transmission of sin by inheritance. The very nature that we inherit is a fallen, sinful nature. David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. 51:5). This chapter is in the field of obstetrics, as the former chapter was in the field of dietetics and pediatrics. Our Lord is the Great Physician and He is the specialist in all fields.
Pagan peoples entertained superstitious notions about the uncleanness of women in childbirth. There is not a shred of that notion in the Levitical economy, as we hope to point out. It was also a pagan practice to place women in an inferior position to man. This law does not contain a breath of that idea, as the Mosaic economy lifted womanhood and ennobled motherhood in contrast to the base heathenism that surrounded the nation Israel.
Obviously there were certain hygienic benefits in the practice of these God-given laws—as we saw in the matter of diet. God was caring for His people physically, and at the same time was teaching them (and us) the great spiritual truth that we are born in sin.
There is a doctrine today that is almost totally rejected, and that is the total depravity of man—but man is certainly demonstrating it! Our news media is full of it, and man’s total depravity is quite obvious. We are told: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12).
The world thinks of innocence, virtue, and goodness in the picture of a young mother holding a sweet, cuddly baby in her arms. But God paints a different picture, an opposite portrait, in this chapter. There’s the young mother holding the precious baby, but he’s not a picture of innocence and sinlessness. He is a picture of uncleanness and sin. Do you know what happened? That mother brought into the world a sinner. That’s all she could bring into the world because she is a sinner—and papa’s a sinner too.
S. H. Kellogg has this comment: “In the birth of a child, the special original curse against the woman is regarded by the law as reaching its fullest, most consummate and significant expression. For the extreme evil of the state of sin into which the first woman, by that first sin, brought all womanhood, is seen most of all in this, that now woman, by means of those powers given her for good and blessing, can bring into the world only a child of sin” (The Book of Leviticus, p. 314).
You recall that God said to the first woman: “… I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:16). Not only would the woman travail in bringing a child into the world, but the chances are that child would be a heartbreak to her because that child is a sinner.
That is, I think, what Paul had in mind when he put down certain regulations concerning woman’s place in public worship. He says: “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Tim. 2:12). He is talking about the place of doctrinal leadership in the church, and I think the reason is twofold. Adam was created first, and also in the transgression the woman was the one who was deceived. “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Tim. 2:13–14). This is not teaching the superiority of man over woman. Rather, it is a matter of order and headship. Secondly, the woman was first in the transgression—she was the leader there.
The fact that a Christian mother travails in the birth of her child is an evidence of God’s judgment, but it certainly does not mean she loses her salvation when she brings a sinner into the world. “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:15). She is not saved by childbearing; she is saved through childbearing. In other words, she does not become unclean and lose her salvation by bringing a sinner into the world. The evidence of her salvation is in her faith, love, holy living, and sobriety. “Uncleanness” under the Law reminded her that she had brought a sinner into the world. “Travail” under grace reminds the mother today that a sinner has been born even though she is a believer.
When Paul the apostle said to the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31) he didn’t mean that his family would be saved just because he believed on the Lord. Neither does it mean that your children are saved just because you are a believer. Discipline has broken down in the homes of America because too many parents think they are raising a sweet little flower when what they have is a stinkweed! That, my friend, is what you and I are, and that is what we have brought into the world. Again and again I asked my daughter, “Are you sure you trust Christ? Are you saved?” She asked me once, “Why do you keep asking me?” And I told her, “I just want to make sure.” She has my nature and I happen to know that this nature of mine is a lost nature. She is not automatically saved just because I am a Christian and a preacher of the Gospel.
This raises another question. Someone said, “If my baby is born a sinner and he dies in infancy, is he lost because he is a sinner?” No. In Adam all die, and that’s the reason the little one died. But the Lord Jesus said, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels [spirits] do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). The word “angels” should be translated spirits—their spirits behold the face of the Father. In other words, when that little infant dies, his spirit goes to be with the Father. Why? Because Christ came down and died for sinners, and the little one has not reached the age of accountability. The minute he does, then he has to make a decision for Christ.
I like the quaint epitaph that Robert Robertson placed over the graves of his four children:
Bold infidelity, turn pale and die,
Beneath this stone four infants’ ashes lie;
Say are they lost or saved,
If death’s by sin, they sinned for they lie here;
If Heaven’s by works, in Heaven they can’t appear.
Reason—Ah, how depraved.
Reverse the Bible’s sacred page, the knot’s untied,
They died, for Adam sinned; they live, for Jesus died.
CLEANSING OF A MOTHER AT THE BIRTH OF A MALE CHILD
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean [Lev. 12:1–2].
The mother is unclean because she has brought a sinner into the world. Eve thought she had brought the Savior into the world when Cain was born, but she had brought into the world only a sinner—the first murderer. Now this Levitical ritual is to remind women that they were bringing into the world the same kind of a baby that Eve had brought into the world. They cannot do good. They can only sin.
Her uncleanness is divided into two periods. The first period was seven days. We shall see in the next verse that the male child was circumcised on the eighth day. Circumcision was the badge given to Abraham.
I realize that the idea of uncleanness of motherhood conflicts with the popular notion of motherhood and the little baby, but we need to emphasize that the babies we are bringing into the world are sinners. They are going to run undisciplined. They will be revolutionaries. They will adopt the new morality, which is just old-fashioned sin. The whole philosophy of life has been entirely wrong. We need to start raising children by the Scripture and not by Dr. Spock. This has been the cause of deep problems during my entire time in the ministry—I have seen parents after parents raise their children in this way.
And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled [Lev. 12:3–4].
We have mentioned that the mother’s period of uncleanness is divided into two periods. The first was seven days, and then the male child was circumcised on the eighth day. Being born an Israelite did not include him in the covenant until the baby was circumcised. Each Israelite was first of all a son of Adam and was born outside the covenant. This is what Paul means in Romans 9:6–7: “… For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children …” Natural birth does not bring a man into a right relationship with God. Natural birth separates a man from God! God owes us nothing. He sent His Son out of His grace to us.
The second period of the mother’s uncleanness was for thirty-three days so that the total time was forty days. This reaffirms the fact that the rite of circumcision had a meaning of cleansing. It was God’s way in the Old Testament of saying, “… Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me …” (Matt. 19:14). The circumcision of the male child removed some of the sin from the mother. His acceptance meant her acceptance also. She is reminded that she is still a sinner, and thirty-three more days are required for her cleansing.
It is interesting to note that Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day. Then Jesus was brought to the temple when the days of Mary’s purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished (Luke 2:21–23). Mary was a sinner even though she brought the sinless Savior into the world. His birth did not save her. Only her new birth by accepting Jesus as her own Savior could save her.
Jesus was circumcised to fulfill the law of Moses. He came to fulfill, not to destroy the Law. He was made (born) under the Law. Thus he identified Himself perfectly with His people.
CLEANSING OF THE MOTHER AT THE BIRTH OF A FEMALE CHILD
But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days [Lev. 12:5].
The time is doubled for the cleansing at the birth of a female child. I don’t know why this was so, but obviously the circumcision of the male child had something to do with the reduction of the days and it relieved some of the curse.
Grace brings us to a new day. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:27–29).
CLEANSING OF THE MOTHER BY BRINGING A SACRIFICE FOR ATONEMENT
And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.
And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean [Lev. 12:6–8].
The mother brought a burnt offering and a sin offering to God and the priest offered it for her. She certainly was not saved just by bringing children into the world, as some claim. She had to have a sacrifice. A mother must trust the Lord Jesus Christ. With that in mind, she is prepared to raise her child as a sinner who needs to accept Christ. Oh, how the home needs that today!
You remember that when the Lord Jesus was born, his mother brought turtle-doves because the poor could bring them as an offering. She had to have an offering because she was a sinner; she was not sinless. She brought an offering. But there was no offering for the Lord Jesus. No offering was ever made for Jesus or by Jesus. He is the sinless One. He was the offering for the sin of the world. He is the Lamb of God.
Friends, think on these things. We live in a world that has gone crazy, has gone mad. This world has turned its back upon the Almighty God, and the judgment of God is beginning to fall upon the world. We are demonstrating the fact that only sinners are born into this world and that all people need the saving grace of God. All people need the shed blood of Christ to pay the penalty for their sins.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Diagnosis of leprosy; disposal of lepers’ garments
This is concerned with the exceeding sinfulness of sin. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man” (Matt. 15:19–20).
We come now to another unusual section of this book, the section on leprosy. Someone may ask whether this is practical for today. May I say that all of this book is practical. We are in the section of the book which we have entitled “Holiness in Daily Life.” God is concerned with the conduct of His children. We saw that He is concerned with their food; now in chapters 13, 14, and 15 we find He is concerned with leprosy and the cleansing of running issues.
Leprosy and running issues of the flesh are accurate symbols of the manifestation of sin in the heart of man. It shows the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the effect of sin in action. The emphasis of Leviticus is on sin.
In the heart of this book on worship of a holy God is this extended section on leprosy and issues in the flesh. The filthiness and repulsiveness of sin are represented in leprosy. The hopelessness and deadliness of sin are accurately portrayed. The leper who trudged down a hot, dusty, oriental road crying out, “Unclean! Unclean!” was a reminder to the Israelite that he, too, was a moral leper who needed supernatural cleansing.
Perhaps you are one of those who thinks that you will be saved by your works and that you don’t need Christ as your Savior. May I say that if you could go to heaven just like you are, without Christ, you would go through heaven crying out, “Unclean! Unclean!” No angel would touch you with a twenty foot pole. You couldn’t come anywhere near the presence of God.
You see, man has the idea that he has some kind of claim on God, but we have no claim upon Him whatsoever. He owes us nothing. He could blot out of existence this little earth that we live on, and it would not even make a dent in this universe. But thank God, He loves us. I’m so glad He loves us! That is the only thing that could bind Him to us.
God is driving a point home to us, and it is the same point He was driving home to Israel: Sin is exceeding sinful. This comparison between leprosy and sin is a recurring theme in the Scripture: “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin …. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness …. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh …. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin” (Ps. 38:3, 5, 7, 18). That is the way we look to God.
Isaiah also had leprosy in his thinking as he described the sins of his people: “From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment” (Isa. 1:6). “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5). Now, some folk say he is talking about leprosy here and that he is referring to a physical disease. No, my friend, Isaiah is talking about sin being laid on the Lord Jesus Christ. Can we be sure of that? Listen to the apostle Peter: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24).
We were dead in sin and He bare our sins in His own body on the tree. By His stripes we are healed. Now it is true that physical disease is a manifestation of sin and that behind disease germs there lies sin. If there were no sin, there would be neither death nor sickness.
There are two important considerations we should take into account as we get into this chapter.
1. The Bible does not agree with the generally accepted view that leprosy was incurable in that day. Cleansing is mentioned in Leviticus 14:2. There were supernatural cures such as Naaman’s in 2 Kings 5. Some expositors think that Job had leprosy. Since there was no scientific diagnosis of the disease in those days, there has been discussion on what the leprosy was. They had medicines in that day which they used for the cure of leprosy.
This chapter and the following do not contain a cure for leprosy. This should be carefully noted. It gives instructions to the priest on how a case of leprosy is to be determined, and the measures to be taken to prevent it spreading in the camp. After it had been cleansed, there was a ritual to be followed. It is not a cure that is presented here. In chapter 14 it deals with the ceremonial cleansing of the leper after his cure and not the cure itself. The main objective was to teach great spiritual truths in connection with the cleansing of leprosy as a type of sin.
2. This is not a scientific treatise on the detection, prevention, and cure of leprosy. There is no attempt to give a medical diagnosis of the disease. The diagnosis was a practical one which was adjusted to the knowledge of that day. It has direct and definite spiritual lessons for this day. The ritual was ceremonial rather than curative.
There has been some discussion on the part of some Christian physicians as to whether leprosy as we know it is the disease that the Mosaic system is considering. There has been much written in the past, both pro and con. It would seem that the descriptions in these chapters describe leprosy as we understand this loathsome and death-dealing disease but includes also elephantiasis, skin diseases, running issues, cancer, tumors, and social diseases. This is illustrated in chapter 15, and we will amplify this aspect when we come to that chapter. After all, only the first stages of leprosy are described here. By the time the person was declared to be a leper, he was ejected from society.
This chapter deals with the cleansing of leprosy, not the cure of leprosy. The leper was cleansed after he had been cured.
DIAGNOSIS OF A NEW CASE OF LEPROSY
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,
When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests [Lev. 13:1–2].
Compared to modern techniques of diagnosis, the methods of Leviticus seem very crude. The procedure was adapted to the knowledge of that day. The diagnosis was not done in order to prescribe a treatment, but rather, it was a religious ritual. This needs to be stated emphatically.
Now friends, since I have a cancer, I know how my doctor treated me. He looked at it and just by looking he came to the conclusion that it was a cancer. It was not until a biopsy had been taken in a scientific way that they decided that they should operate. So in that day, they could have known a great deal more than we realize. The priests handled literally thousands of cases, I think, and so they would know what to look for. Perhaps this isn’t as crude as we today think that it was. It may have actually been a pretty good diagnostic system. Still, the emphasis here is upon the spiritual ceremony rather than the physical catharsis.
Three symptoms are identified here: a rising or boil, a scab or small tumor, a bright spot. These are symptoms of leprosy, but the person having such a symptom need not necessarily be a leper. The first step was to bring the patient with a symptom to Aaron or one of the priests.
Just so, any manifestation of sin, either small or great, should be brought immediately to our Great High Priest, who is also the Great Physician. We are to pray about everything. That includes every manifestation of sin. That is the place to go when we are physically sick, too. I received a caustic letter not so long ago telling me not to be so proud and go to a certain healer. They said I would be healed if my pride would be overcome. Friends, I took my case to the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus. I go there when I sin, and I go there when I am sick. That is the place to go first. That doesn’t mean I didn’t go to a doctor when I got sick. But I went to the Lord Jesus first! “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need …. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 4:16; 7:25). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean [Lev. 13:3].
There was no rash judgment made. The man or woman was carefully watched over a period of time. If a lesion on the skin began to disappear, the person was dismissed. If the hair turned white, it was becoming dead and showed that the disease was beneath the skin. Then the priest would pronounce the person unclean.
The Great Physician has made a thorough inspection of us and has made a diagnosis. “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways” (Rom. 3:13–16). God says, “All have sinned.” We are unclean. You see, just like any doctor, the Great Physician asks us to open our mouth and He looks down our throat. Then He asks us to stick out our tongue and there He finds deceit and lying. We are all spiritual lepers. God cannot have lepers in heaven. He must cure them before they get there.
Leprosy is a type of sin.
1. It becomes overt in loathsome ways. One night a drunken man came in off the street and sat in our warm auditorium. Suddenly he collapsed and fell out of the seat. We had to call an ambulance. By the time the ambulance got there, he was a mess. May I say to you, sin is loathsome in many ways.
2. It is a horrible disease. Dr. Kellogg wrote, “From among all diseases, leprosy has been selected by the Holy Ghost to stand … as the supreme type of sin, as seen by God!”
3. It begins in a small way, “a rising, a scab, a bright spot.” Finally it delivers a death-dealing blow. What is at first so very small becomes a frightful and dreadful condition. Lepers in most countries today are isolated from the populace and are segregated into hospitals or colonies. Those of us who have seen pictures of lepers from missionaries in Africa or Asia realize what a dread disease it is. A century ago a missionary, William Thompson, described leprosy in Palestine in The Land and the Book: “As I was approaching Jerusalem, I was startled by the sudden apparition of a crowd of beggars, sans eyes, sans nose, sans hair, sans everything …. They held up their handless arms, unearthly sounds gurgled through throats without palates; in a word, I was horrified!” (Vol. I, pp. 530–531).
Sin seems ever so infinitesimal in a child. It may appear as a bright spot at first. The parents and relatives think little Willie is cute when he acts up, yells and kicks his feet in the air. Unless Willie is disciplined and is led to a saving knowledge of Christ, he will become lawless and even criminal. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler were all cute little babies once upon a time.
No drunkard ever became an alcoholic by taking one drink, but no man ever became an alcoholic who did not take the first drink. All sins start small.
4. Leprosy not only progresses slowly from a small beginning, but it progresses surely. From a little beginning, it advances surely and steadily to a tragic crisis. I quote Dr. Thompson again: “It comes on by degrees in different parts of the body: the hair falls from the head and eyebrows; the nails loosen, decay, and drop off; joint after joint of the fingers and toes shrink up and slowly fall away: the gums are absorbed, and the teeth disappear; the nose, the eyes, the tongue, and the palate are slowly consumed; and, finally, the wretched victim sinks into the earth and disappears.”
This is the way God says sin is. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15).
Leprosy is a living death. A leper was treated as a dead man. The wages of sin is death. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. 6:7–8).
Like leprosy, sin destroys the whole man. Both are corrosive in their effect, working slowly and surely, until finally they break out in an angry display that eventuates in death. No man ever went wrong overnight. Leprosy did not kill in a day—it is not like a heart attack. The leper’s life was a walking death. Just so, the sinner is also dead even while he lives. Paul writes, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world …” (Eph. 2:1–2).
The final, desperate, and inescapable end of sin and leprosy is death.
5. Leprosy does not produce sharp and unbearable pain as some other diseases. Leprosy keeps the man sad and restless. Likewise, sin produces a restlessness and sadness in man that is evident in our culture. Folks want to be amused, want to be made to laugh because they are sad. Crowds flock to places of amusement, to the night clubs, to be entertained. Take a look at the sad faces with vacant stares. Watch the cars filled with restless folk going nowhere fast. We have a generation with itchy feet. It is leprosy.
Finally sin brings a person to the point of not having any feeling, just as Paul said, “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:19). They lapse into a state of sad contentment. They can reach the state of having a “… conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:2).
6. Leprosy is thought to be hereditary. Whether it is or not, sin is! All that sinners can bring into the world are more sinners. I am interested in the insight of a contemporary psychologist who recognizes that while the assumption of education is that “the moral nature of man is capable of improvement,” the assumption of traditional Christianity is that “the moral nature of man is corrupt, or absolutely bad.” He further observes that while education assumes that an exterior “human agent” may be the means of man’s “moral improvement,” traditional Christianity assumes that “the agent is God” and that rather than the moral nature of man being improved, “it is exchanged for a new one.”
7. Finally, leprosy and sin separate from God. It seemed cruel that the leper was not only shut out from society, but also from the sanctuary. It must be remembered that God is holy, the Author of righteousness and cleanliness. Therefore, leprosy is a fitting symbol of sin that separates from God. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2). In the New Jerusalem, the unforgiven and unwashed sinner is shut out from the presence of God according to Revelation 21:27 and 22:15.
So leprosy stands as a perfect type of sin. It is sin, as it were, made visible in the flesh. The priest was to look on the leper and pronounce him unclean. Just so, the Great Physician looks on the human family and pronounces it unclean. He does this so that we might come to Him for cleansing. He is ready to touch the leper and make him clean.
I have spent a long time in the beginning of this chapter because it is so important to see the analogy here and get the great spiritual message for us today. There is not much being said about sin today, yet our basic problem is sin!
If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days [Lev. 13:4].
Now in this verse we see that there was no haste in making the judgment. Likewise, God is slow to anger in His relationship with us. God is very patient and He grants every opportunity to the sinner. “… The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation” (Exod. 34:6–7). That verse is in the Old Testament. What does the New Testament say about the patience of God? “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
You see, the priest shut up the man for seven days. He thought it was leprosy, but he was patient with him. Just so, God has shut up the world in quarantine for the disease of sin. “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all” (Rom. 11:32). “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Gal. 3:22). “Concluded” means to shut up together. God has the world shut up in quarantine, my friend, and He is not going to let man get very far out into His universe. It is rather amusing that when they brought the men back from the moon, they checked to see if they had brought any disease down to this earth. We have enough disease down here. Do you think we left any disease up there? God has us here under quarantine so that He might have mercy on us.
And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more [Lev. 13:5].
After seven days the priest makes another inspection and if there is still an element of uncertainty, then the patient is placed in quarantine for seven more days. There was not a rash or hasty judgment. We should learn from this that we are not to make hasty and rash judgments of others. It is a serious matter to make a false charge against another believer. Paul told Timothy, “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses” (1 Tim. 5:19). He also warned that at the end times there would be false accusers.
When I was a pastor I made a rule that no one could come to me to criticize a church officer unless the accused man was present to hear it. Do you know how many accusations I heard in the last twenty-one years? Just one. We need to be careful.
And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean [Lev. 13:6].
If the plague in the skin has not spread in fourteen days, but has improved, it obviously was not leprosy and the man is pronounced clean. Those were sweet words for the man, and he surely could sing a jubilee song. He did not need to be separated from his loved ones, but was clean and could go back to them.
Remember that the Lord touched the leper who came to Him and made him clean. More than that, He says to the spiritual lepers that their sins are forgiven. He healed the physical disease to demonstrate that He is the Savior who can forgive sins. Remember how the scribes and the Pharisees asked, “… Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Luke 5:21). So Jesus first told the man who was paralyzed that his sins were forgiven. Then He said, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.” It is important to recognize that Jesus has the authority to do both. (See Luke 5:17–26).
But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:
And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy [Lev. 13:7–8].
This is the dark side of the picture. This would now be the third inspection. Does God give a man a second chance? My friend, God will give the sinner a thousand chances, if that is what it takes.
Finally the verdict must be rendered. The man is declared a leper. It is an awful sentence. The man is put out. Contrast this to the man who was hanging under the sentence of leprosy and was expecting to be put out but then was declared to be clean. That cleansed man did not live like a leper from that day on. He is clean and he lives clean. What a lesson that is for us!
There are some folk who make a profession of being converted. They can stand inspection for a while but finally the awful disease of sin will break out in its frightful symptoms and it is obvious they are unclean. John speaks of this in 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” Peter describes these unclean and immoral lepers as the dog returning to his own vomit and the sow returning to the mire (2 Pet. 2:22).
DIAGNOSIS OF AN OLD CASE OF LEPROSY
When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;
And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;
It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean [Lev. 13:9–11].
This is a case of old leprosy, or we might call it chronic leprosy. There was no need to shut this man up for observation because he was definitely a leper.
There are hardened sinners who are so obviously sinners that even their best friends tell them so. Under this class would come the spiritual Mafia, the murderer and the thief and the alcoholic and the drug addict. These people are under the slavery of their sin and only a supernatural remedy can help in cases like this.
The polished and slick church member who is unsaved does not believe that he has leprosy. He resents being told that he is a lost sinner. The hardened sinner is easier to reach than he, and is more open to the Gospel message. He knows he has leprosy.
And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot … Then the priest shall consider … he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.
But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean … it is a leprosy….
Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white … then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean [Lev. 13:12–17].
This section shows another aspect of old leprosy. Although the entire body is covered, it does not necessarily follow that the case is hopeless. The remarkable statement here is that if the flesh has turned white, the patient is declared clean. This seems to indicate clearly that no sinner is hopeless. This may be what Isaiah meant when he wrote: “Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint” (Isa. 1:5). Then follows the great invitation of the Great Physician, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).
Notice that the true mark and symptom of leprosy is the raw flesh. The Bible has much to say about the flesh, even flesh as it is manifested in the believer: “… for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth” (Gen. 6:12). “… the flesh profiteth nothing…” (John 6:63). “For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). “That no flesh should glory in his presence … flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God …” (1 Cor. 1:29 and 15:50). “… fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph. 2:3). “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3). “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 23).
It is obvious from these passages that the raw flesh is the old nature which was judged on the cross. When it manifests itself in a believer, God must judge it. The flesh can never please God. Only that which the Holy Spirit produces in the life of the believer is acceptable to God.
DIAGNOSIS OF LEPROSY FROM A BOIL OR A BURN
The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,
And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;
And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.
But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.
But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean [Lev. 13:18–23].
These verses give the details of the inspection of a boil. It was to be inspected by the priest because of a possibility of leprosy beginning there. It is just like a small sore which may become cancerous. They followed the same process as in the new case of leprosy. If there were white hair in the boil and it penetrated lower than the skin, these indicated deep-seated trouble. The seven days of inspection permitted the priest to determine which direction the boil would take.
There is always the danger of old sins spreading and becoming malignant. Often a new convert speaks of deliverance from some evil habit and then years later that old sore may break out again. It does happen. The person who has had such an experience may have been unsaved all along, or he may have been genuinely saved but the old flesh is reappearing. A careful inspection should be made and no cursory judgment is to be pronounced.
Several years ago, a man who was an alcoholic accepted Christ as his Savior. Then he got sick and I went to visit him. I found out he wasn’t really sick of anything. The place reeked of alcohol. He began to weep and said he’d slipped back. May I say to you, one might feel like taking a fellow like that and putting him across your knee and paddling him. But that wouldn’t do a bit of good. We need to make an inspection and diagnose the leprosy. But we need to tell that man that his leprosy can be cured. He has a Savior. We are not to stand there and condemn him and scold him and then leave. That would make him feel bad and make me feel bad. No one would be helped. This man needed to know that he had a Savior who would forgive him. The Savior heals the leprosy that breaks out.
Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;
Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but he somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning [Lev. 13:24–28].
This describes a leprosy that comes from a hot burning. This hot burning is not a definite identification. It would be a burning from a hot object or it might mean the burning of an infection that has fever in it. At any rate, there was the danger of leprosy developing in it.
This seems to confirm the Scriptures that teach us that the flesh must be kept under close observation, for it can break out in the most alarming manner. “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness” (Rom. 6:19). “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away” (1 Cor. 9:27).
All of these passages teach us to watch carefully for the presence of a pimple in the flesh. The flesh cannot please God.
DIAGNOSIS OF LEPROSY LOCATED IN THE HEAD OR THE BEARD
If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard,
Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard [Lev. 13:29–30].
Leprosy could break out in the most unlikely spots. If it were hidden by the hair of the head or beard, it might not be discovered for some time. Special observation must be made of leprosy in these areas. The same techniques were applied here as to any other area to determine the presence of leprosy. A yellow hair indicated that the infection was beneath the epidermis and was leprosy.
You know, sin sometimes insinuates itself into the chief places in the church, into a Sunday school teachers’ meeting or a board meeting or a mission meeting. It enervates and vitiates the witness of the entire body of believers when there is sin at the head. Again, one must be careful in judging these things. There must be time to make a judgment.
And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:
And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;
He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:
And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;
Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.
But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean [Lev. 13:31–37].
So these verses go on to show that it might not be leprosy. Here again time is taken before a judgment is made and the patient is put in quarantine for seven days and then another period of seven days if that is necessary. This should teach us that accusations against the leadership in God’s work should be received with a great deal of caution. Careful investigation must be made before a decision is determined.
The priest was given ample opportunity to observe the lesions. If the lesion spread later, the priest could still declare the man unclean. On the other hand, if black hair began to grow in the lesion, the priest shall pronounce the man clean.
If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;
Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean [Lev. 13:38–39].
These verses point out that a freckle is not leprosy, and then the following verses show that baldness is not leprosy, although leprosy can break out in a bald spot.
And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.
And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;
He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head [Lev. 13:40–44].
DISPOSAL OF LEPERS’ GARMENTS
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean [Lev. 13:45].
The garments of a leper were to be torn. He was to cover his upper lip and go about crying, “Unclean, unclean.” The condition of the leper is revealed in his awful state. He was capable of transmitting the disease by contact.
The sinner spreads his sin wherever he goes! His disease is contagious and he infects others. A father has a right to live his own life as he pleases, but he has no right to take a precious son to hell with him. Many fathers are doing just that. The leper had defiled everything that was around him. That is what this teaches us. Even the garments would spread the infection. Just so, everything sin touches is defiled by it.
All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be [Lev. 13:46].
Many sinners comfort themselves by saying they will have plenty of company in hell. Notice that the leper was alone. He was separate.
The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;
And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:
And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:
And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof or in any thing of skin;
Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.
And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof.
And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean [Lev. 13:47–59].
This is an extended passage relative to the disposing of the garments. The quality of the garment made no difference. The best garments were just as infected as the cheap garments. There is a great lesson for us to learn through this. The righteousness of man is filthy rags in God’s sight. Anything a sinner does or touches is contaminated by his sin.
Even the garments of those with lesser infections were to be washed. This passage shows an amazing insight into the spread of infection. We are all as an unclean thing and we, too, need washing. Only God has the remedy for the sinner.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Ceremonial cleansing of the leper; ceremonial cleansing a house of leprosy; ceremonial law for cleansing leprosy and issues of the flesh
Again, I must insist that we are not being given a cure for leprosy. This is the ceremonial cleansing. In the preceding chapter we saw the details of the decisions in diagnosing the leprosy. There evidently were those lepers who were cured by the treatment of that day—whatever it was, and also there were those who were healed supernaturally. We know today there is a cure for leprosy. It is not an incurable disease, and Scripture does not present it as such. It was a terrible disease and is used to teach us tremendous spiritual lessons about sin.
This chapter casts a ray of light and hope into the darkness of the leper’s plight. We note that no physician’s prescription is given for the treatment and cure of leprosy. Rather, it shows the ceremonial cleansing which follows the cure. This alludes to the redemption of the sinner. The ritual is entirely symbolic, yet there is a therapeutic value in the washing and cleansing.
When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin separated God and man. This barrier of sin moved in a twofold direction in that it affected both God and man. It moved upward toward God and made man guilty before a holy God. It moved downward toward man, and man became polluted and contaminated with sin. Leprosy is a picture of sin in its pollution and contamination.
The remarkable feature in this chapter is the unique ceremony of cleansing and the treatment of a plague of leprosy in a house. The house is treated as a leper, obviously emphasizing the thought of contagion.
CEREMONIAL CLEANSING OF THE LEPER WITHOUT THE CAMP
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper [Lev. 14:1–3].
We notice that the priest is not going out to heal the leper but is going out to see if he has been healed. That is important. This is the “law of the leper in the day of his cleansing.” This is a ritual which was to be followed precisely. It is a ceremonial cleansing which followed the cure of the leprosy. The man had been pronounced a leper by the priest. Now the priest must declare him cleansed. The priest must go out to the leper and meet him where he is. The leper would not dare to come into society, among the people, for he was forbidden to do that. He was shut out. Therefore, the priest must go to him. We find this mentioned in Luke 17:12, “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.”
There is a wonderful parallel here to the person and work of our High Priest and Great Physician. He came forth from heaven’s glory to this sin-cursed earth where man was suffering from the leprosy of sin. Friends, we can’t go up into the society of heaven when we are lepers. We’ve done well to make it to the moon, but the men didn’t get rid of their sin when they went to the moon. No, it was necessary for the Lord Jesus to come out of heaven’s glory to this earth. The hymn states it very accurately, “Out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe.” That is His story!
There is a great deal of emphasis placed on this. The second chapter of Hebrews tells about this: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings …. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil …. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:9–10, 14, 16–17). He came out of heaven’s glory, down to this earth. The Priest had to come to the leper! “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4–5).
We need to emphasize that He still goes all the way to the sinner to heal his plague of sin. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). God has declared that the heart of man is vile, and so it is God who must pronounce a man clean. He alone can cleanse. “… and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Now notice what the priest did when he came to the leper.
Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field [Lev. 14:4–7].
Didn’t I tell you this could be an unusual ceremony? I don’t think there is anything, anywhere, as unusual as this. All other sacrifices were to be made at the altar of the tabernacle and, later, of the temple at the command of God. This is the exception. The leper was shut out from the tabernacle, and so it was necessary for the priest to come to him.
The brazen altar for the sacrifices speaks of the cross of Christ. But, you see, that cross had to be down here on this earth. He had to come down here to meet us where we are. Friends, we were shut out from God. We were strangers and afar off, without hope and without God in the world. He had to come here to meet us in our need.
There were two live, clean birds used in this sacrifice. Most likely they were doves. One was killed—to represent the death of Christ. The other was living—to represent the resurrection of Christ. These are the two facets of the Gospel. Paul says, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). Two birds: death and resurrection!
Then notice that they used cedar wood. This, I think, is a symbol of the perfect humanity of Christ. The wood was incorruptible. It served a practical purpose as the handle of a brush to which the hyssop was tied with the scarlet ring. The scarlet was evidently scarlet wool.
The scarlet, I believe, is the sign of faith in the blood. It reminds us that Rahab was instructed to put out a scarlet cord as an evidence of her faith.
Hyssop is a plant that grows upon rocks in damp places. It represents the faith of the individual. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps. 51:7). It is the appropriation and the application of the redemption in Christ. You see, one can stand at the sidelines and nod his head and say he believes that Jesus died and rose again. That is not saving faith. The question is whether or not you have appropriated it for yourself. Have you actually put your trust in Him? Also it is the application of the death of Christ and the blood of Christ to sin in the believer’s life. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
The earthen vessel speaks of the humanity of Christ. He took upon Himself our flesh, our humanity. Paul calls himself an earthen vessel in 2 Corinthians 4:7. The earthen vessel is this body which we have. The emphasis is upon the weakness and infirmity of humanity. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
Running water is living water. This water was taken from a running stream or fountain. This speaks of both the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
The ritual is both unusual and beautiful. One of the birds is slain over the earthen vessel in which there is the living water. This represents the death of Christ who offered Himself by the eternal Spirit. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14).
It was essential to have the two birds to carry out the typical meaning of resurrection. The live bird was dipped in the blood of the slain bird to identify him with the bird that was slain. Then the live bird was given its freedom, permitting it to fly away. Christ was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification to give us the liberty to stand steadfast in Christ. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1). That means not to get entangled again with religion and regulations and ritual and law. Christ took our place, died our death, paid our penalty. He was raised for us. If He died for us down here, then we died in Him (2 Cor. 5:14–15) and we were raised in Him and we are in Him up yonder at the right hand of God (Eph. 1:1–6). Friends, the believer is as free as the birds of the heavens and is delivered from religion and ritual and law. The believer is now the bond-slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is subject to Christ’s will and way. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
“He shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times.” Seven is the number of completeness and finality. This settled forever the question of whether the leper was cleansed or not. There are only two kinds of people in this world, friends—there are lepers and cleansed lepers. That is, there are lost sinners and saved sinners. That is all.
Living water and blood meet in this ceremony. John was careful to note for us that when Christ died and the soldier pierced His side, blood and water came forth (John 19:34–35). He repeats the fact that Jesus Christ came by water and the blood in his epistle (1 John 5:6).
The Gnostics in John’s day taught that Jesus was not God but that God came upon Him at baptism (that is the water) and departed from Him at the cross (that is the blood). John insists that Jesus Christ was God from the very beginning when He was made flesh and that He was God on the cross when He shed His precious blood. “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (1 John 5:8). The ceremony and offering concerning the leper bore this out and illustrates this great truth.
And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean [Lev. 14:8–9].
Now you’ll have to admit that this is unusual also. The sacrificial ceremony has been completed denoting that the leper has been cleansed and accepted. Now, before he enters back into society, this further ritual shows that his old life has ended for him and a new life opens before him. The clothes represent the habits of life, his life style. The shaving off of all the hair of his body emphasizes the radical and revolutionary change that is taking place in his life.
Friends, when a believer comes to Christ, there is going to be a change! The putting away of the flesh is essential to a consistent walk before the world. The Lord Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16). That is still the test tube for His own.
Again, the seven days indicate a complete cycle of testing and inspection. He is to be tested before he returns to society. I think that sometimes we let new converts give a testimony too soon. Believers are to be put up and watched for a while. There must be a newness of life.
At the end of this time, he washed himself thoroughly. The child of God needs to be continually washed. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Friend, you can never be cleansed or sanctified, set apart for God’s use, until you are saturated with the Word of God. How important that is!
May I say that the seven days for the believer, the time of completeness, is when God completes the earthly journey of His church. Then He will present her to Himself as a cleansed church (Eph. 5:25–27). In the meantime the believer is in the process of being sanctified. This is the practical aspect. There should be a daily growth, a development in faith and in practice. Holiness is to the spiritual life what health is to the physical body.
CEREMONIAL CLEANSING OF THE LEPER WITHIN THE CAMP
And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil [Lev. 14:10].
The cleansed leper is now fit to enter the congregation of the Lord, but when he does, he must take his place with the other Israelites and present the offerings that every member of the congregation brought before the Lord. He brings two he lambs, one ewe lamb, fine flour, oil, and a log of oil. These are all the offerings which the average Israelite would normally make in his lifetime. It indicated the full acceptance of the cleansed leper.
And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord:
And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord:
And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:
And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.
And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:
And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean [Lev. 14:11–20].
This extended passage in the Authorized Version is in a single sentence. The action here is one continuous ceremony which encompasses all the offerings and means that the cleansed leper now stands before the door of the tabernacle just as any other Israelite.
He brings a he lamb for a trespass offering to remind him that he is still a sinner who sins and who needs the cleansing blood of Christ applied by the Holy Spirit to his life. The other he lamb is for a sin offering, because the cleansed leper still has his sin nature. The ewe lamb is for a burnt offering to set forth the person of Christ as God sees Him. The fine flour mingled with oil speaks of the meal offering which sets forth the loveliness of the humanity of Christ. The blood put upon the tip of his right ear indicates that he can now hear the voice of the Son of God saying, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” The blood on the right thumb indicates that with clean hands he can now serve God. The blood on his right toe indicates that the cleansed leper can now walk in the way of God. The oil poured on his head indicates he is now totally dedicated to God.
All these offerings speak of Christ, through whom the cleansed leper is acceptable to God. There is nothing special about him just because he is a cleansed leper. Too often we see Christians who feel that somehow they are different and special. They withdraw from the others and think they are better than the others. My friend, we each must come just as all the rest come. Everyone must be acceptable to God through Christ. We each need to be washed. You remember that Peter protested to the Lord Jesus that He would never wash his feet. Our Lord answered, “… If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). There is a great lesson in this for you and for me. Yes, the leper was brought back and yes, he had been cleansed of his leprosy, but he stood with the rest of the congregation before God. He still stood as a sinner and he needed the constant cleansing before God.
Verses 21–32 explain the offering he could bring if he were poor. It would be logical to think that a person who had been a leper would not be able to afford an elaborate ritual. Again, the provision of God for the poor is marvelous. No one is shut out because of poverty. Turtledoves or pigeons could be substituted in the offering.
And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.
And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the Lord.
And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord:
And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:
And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord:
And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:
And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the Lord.
And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;
Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the Lord.
This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing [Lev. 14:21–32].
CEREMONIAL CLEANSING OF A HOUSE WHEREIN HAS BEEN LEPROSY
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;
And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house:
Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house [Lev. 14:33–36].
I must confess that a house would be an unusual place to find leprosy. It is hard to know exactly what this meant. Perhaps it was some fungus growth or dry rot which entered into the fabric of the house. The priest would examine the house for greenish or reddish streaks and would examine it again in seven days to see if the plague were spreading.
The picture is that we live in an old house down here, which is our body. And we live in this world which is also contaminated by sin. The old house we live in is filled with leprosy.
There are three stages in the ceremonial cleansing of the house. First, the house was emptied of the furniture and occupants. The priest inspected it and then shut it up for seven days before making another inspection. If he then found a trace of leprosy, he removed the plaster from the infected part and took away the diseased stones.
And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered;
Then the priest shall come and look, and behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.
And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city unto an unclean place.
Moreover, he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.
And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes [Lev. 14:43–47].
If the priest found remnants of the infection in the renovated house, then the house was to be demolished and removed.
You know, there will be a time when God will demolish this earth that is tainted with leprosy. He is going to make it clean. There will be a new heaven and a new earth and they will be free from sin.
And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered; then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed [Lev. 14:48].
The same ritual of the two birds is followed here as in the case of the ceremonial cleansing of the leper.
And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:
And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:
And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:
But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean [Lev. 14:49–53].
CEREMONIAL LAW FOR CLEANSING OF LEPROSY AND ISSUES OF THE FLESH
This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,
And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,
And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:
To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy [Lev. 14:54–57].
This seems to be an emphatic enforcement of the law concerning the cleansing of the leprosy. Notice that the primary purpose of the ritual was to teach. “To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean.”
This is a great spiritual lesson and it is meant to teach us. You and I have spiritual leprosy. If either you or I went to heaven without Jesus Christ, without trusting Him, we would cry out, “Unclean, unclean,” and we would be cast out. In Christ, we are accepted in the Beloved! My friend, where are you today? Are you a leper who has come to Jesus Christ for cleansing or are you still unclean?
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Running issues of the man; running issues of the woman; repulsiveness and regulations of running issues
We have had two chapters on this matter of leprosy, and that has been bad enough, but it is going to get worse in this chapter. We are hearing a great deal about the pollution of our ecology in these days but there is a pollution of our souls also, and of our minds—of our entire beings. These running sores are highly contagious and infectious and they reveal to us the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Human nature is an overflowing cesspool and a sewer of uncleanness. Not only is human nature defiled, but it is defiling; not only is it corrupt, but it is corrupting. This chapter holds up the mirror to human nature, and after one look, no flesh can glory in His sight.
One would think that leprosy was the worst of the diseases but actually it was not as contagious and contaminating as running issues. I would like to quote Dr. Leiker who is an authority on leprosy. “Leprosy is caused by tiny germs called leprosy bacilli, which can be seen only through a microscope. The bacilli were discovered in 1873 by the Norwegian doctor, Hansen. That is why leprosy is sometimes called Hansen’s disease. The bacilli are present in large numbers in the skin of certain types of leprosy patients. They pass from these patients to the skin of healthy people, mainly by bodily contact. They then enter the skin through tiny wounds and scratches, where they may live and multiply. Only infectious patients—those who have many bacilli in their skin—are able to spread the disease. Many patients have no bacilli left in their skin and therefore they do not pass on the disease.
“Frequent bathing, washing of clothes, and keeping a clean house will help to prevent the disease, because many bacilli can be washed away with water and soap before they enter the skin. The most important thing is to avoid bodily contact with infectious cases of leprosy. The germs are not carried by air or by insects. There is no proof that leprosy is spread in other ways, but it may be that the disease is spread occasionally by means other than bodily contact.
“You may use patients’ clothes, sleeping mats, tools, and so on, without risk, provided they are washed with hot water and soap and have been in the sun for at least 24 hours. There is no danger in visiting patients’ homes, or even in shaking hands with them, but you should wash your hands afterwards. There is no reason to fear leprosy if these simple safeguards are taken.”
Leprosy was a disease that could not be kept a secret for long. It worked slowly, but it would finally break out. In contrast, running issues could be kept secret for a lifetime. These represent the thought life of man as well as the overt act of sin. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). This has to do with that part of human nature that is defiled and that affects others. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one” (Job 14:4). “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Ps. 19:12). “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18). Here we have the nature of man that is hidden. No one else may know about it. This is what we know down deep in our hearts. Yet, this secret sin can be passed on to others.
Some famous men have commented on the secret sin of man: “I see no fault committed which I too might not have committed” (Goethe). “Every man knows that of himself which he dares not tell to his dearest friends” (Dr. Samuel Johnson). “I do not know what the heart of a villain may be—I only know that of a virtuous man, and that is frightful” (Count de Maistre). “Go to your own bosom. Knock there: and ask your heart what it doth know” (Shakespeare). “Why is there no man who confesses his vices? It is because he has not yet laid them aside. It is a waking man only who can tell his dreams” (Seneca).
The curse of sin has affected man’s power in the propagation of the race. Man is only capable of producing after his kind—a sinner as he is. The very fountain of the race is polluted. Many of these running issues are connected with the generative organs of the race. For the most part, they are the social diseases. There is filthiness and defilement connected with sexual sins that is appalling. David cried out to God, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow …. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:7, 10).
Today people talk about the new morality. It is interesting that they turn out the same old diseases with the new morality. Today the social diseases, venereal diseases, are increasing at an alarming rate. They are of epidemic proportions both in this country and in places abroad where our soldiers are stationed. That is the way sin is. And it robs a person of the joy of his salvation.
It seems strange that God would talk so much about such a repulsive subject. However, He gives to man a comprehensive view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. We get an unusual view of it in this chapter. We need to recall the words of Paul, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
RUNNING ISSUES OF THE MAN
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying [Lev. 15:1].
God addressed both Moses and Aaron. In chapter 14 where the “law of the leper” was under consideration, only the law-giver Moses was addressed. Aaron, as the high priest, is a prophetic picture of our Great High Priest. Only the Lord Jesus can give comfort and understanding to the afflicted as well as the extending of mercy and grace. Our High Priest cannot be touched by our sin, but He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, because He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:14–15 and Heb. 2:17–18).
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.
And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness [Lev. 15:2–3].
This vivid language reveals how sickening, disgusting, abhorrent, offensive, impure, repugnant, and utterly corrupt and corrupting the human nature is. The pus of sin is flowing from the human heart. We can see it all around us and in us. The defilement is here. We cannot rub shoulders with each other without it affecting our lives because human nature is not only corrupt, it is corrupting. You and I influence one another. I live my life in you, and you live your life in me. It cannot be otherwise. You are a preacher, whether you know it or not. You are preaching by your life.
When I was a pastor in Pasadena, I knew a very godly woman whose son was a drunkard. They lived a little way from the church. One could always tell when he was on what is called a “toot” because he would use both sides of the street on the way home. His mother was distressed and ashamed, and she asked me to talk with him. One day I saw him weaving down the street and I brought him into my study to talk with him. I told him how low-down he was, called him a sinner and a disgrace. I called him everything you could possibly call such a man, and he just hung his head and took it all. Then I said, “Don’t you know that you are preaching by your life?” He asked, “Are you calling me a preacher?” When I told him he was, he got up the best he could as drunk as he was and wanted to fight me. You could call him anything else in the world but a preacher!
Well, my friend, whoever you are, you are a preacher. You are preaching some message by your life. You are influencing someone.
Human nature is corrupting because it is sinful. Even the regenerated man still carries his old sinful flesh. Listen to the words of the Lord Jesus:
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man” (Matt. 15:18–20).
It is amazing today how many people are interested in religious ceremonies. Even though they go through those religious ceremonies, they have a heart that is just as filthy as it possibly can be. We all have that kind of heart, unless it has been cleansed by the blood of Christ.
James makes it very practical. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14–15). Paul cried out in despair, “… I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). The sore of sin may be visible or invisible; it may be oozing blood and pus, or it may not appear on the surface, yet it is there. The uncleanness in view here is in the thought life and the secret sins—secret to man but open before God. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (Ps. 51:6). This passage should humble the proud man and show how utterly disgusting he is in the light of God’s presence. Listen to David: “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Ps. 51:4).
God has emphasized in His Word again and again that sin is exceeding sinful. Read Ezekiel 16:1–13 in which God makes it very clear to Israel that they had no virtues or attractions but were utterly disgusting to Him. They were polluted and their genealogy was bad. Or read the entire chapter of Isaiah 59, where he says, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even [Lev. 15:4–7].
Everything he sits on, everything he touches is unclean.
God is concerned with the personal life of His people. His law reaches into the minute areas of their lives. He even watches over them while they are asleep! The man with an unclean issue contaminated the bed upon which he slept, and even his dreams were impure. Many a person spends a sleepless night, not counting sheep, but recalling his sins with lustful pleasure. God is interested in what we think when we lie upon our pillows. He wants to control our thought life. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
God is interested in you! He is interested in you when you lie down and when you walk about. He is interested in what you touch. When we sit upon a chair in social conversation, God is interested in our conversation. Do we spread the virus of contamination? Also God is interested in our business and social contacts. Physical contact of the clean with the unclean always spreads the disease to the clean.
My friend we cannot be with people or even just walk down the street without becoming soiled. We hear four-letter words, we see pictures, we are lured by advertising and propaganda. We are constantly soiled. We need to be aware of this and to confess our sin and to be cleansed by God. We all have this leprosy of sin, these running sores, these hidden sins.
And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall he rinsed in water [Lev. 15:8–12].
This gets down to where a person almost feels disgusted, but it reveals the nastiness of sin by contact. The former regulations had to do with conduct in the home and now this pertains to contact on the street or in a public place. Some of this we might call accidental contact.
We find this today. A believer often finds himself in a public place or on the street and some vile, dirty-minded person opens his mouth and spews out undiluted profanity and unspeakable blasphemy. This is contaminating. A believer may feel dirty after leaving such a group, and he is dirty. He needs to wash himself. That is the reason it is so very important for us to stay in the Word of God. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Ps. 119:9). We get dirty in this life!
Listen to these words of Jesus: “… If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). This means we cannot have fellowship with the Lord Jesus if we are not washed by Him. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:
And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord for his issue [Lev. 15:13–15].
Here, again, we have both the water and the blood introduced. The blood removes the guilt of sin and the water removes the stain of sin. The Holy Spirit must apply the sacrifice of Christ to those secret sins which are in our lives today.
Friend, do you see what this is describing? It is a sordid chapter, and yet we must confess that it is a picture of you and me. We need to confess and be cleansed of our secret sins. “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Ps. 32:5). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even [Lev. 15:16–18].
It is obvious that this is referring to venereal diseases. Today these diseases are like an epidemic. God guards against these social diseases. God is interested in the procreation of the race. God gave this gift to man for his good and inspiration, and so guards this system carefully. Man is always in danger of debasing himself in that which was to be one of the noblest experiences.
Our Lord teaches that unholy desires and lustful thoughts are to be avoided, for they are sin. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:27–28).
RUNNING ISSUES OF THE WOMAN
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall he unclean until the even.
And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall he unclean [Lev. 15:19–24].
These verses evidently refer to the uncleanness of a woman during her normal menstrual period. She was separated from her friends and her loved ones during this period. She was treated as an outcast and a leper (Num. 5:2). This seems to be unusually severe. The only explanation we have to offer is that this is a reminder of the fall of man as recorded in Genesis. The penalty was death. Man is reminded that he had a bad beginning and has nothing in which to glory. Sinful man can produce only sin.
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Lev. 15:25–29].
This section deals with an abnormal issue. This gives rules for her separation and the fact that she contaminates the bed she lies on and anyone who touches the things which she contaminates. It also explains the offering she is to bring when she is cleansed of her issue.
This gives us some insight into the plight of the woman with the issue of blood who came to Christ for healing (Luke 8:43–48). The Law had shut her out from contact with others, yet she touched Jesus. The Law had shut her out from the temple and from the public worship of God. The grace of our Lord healed her and restored her, and He commended her faith. Jesus is the fountain for the cleansing of the uncleanness of our hearts.
REPULSIVENESS AND REGULATIONS OF RUNNING ISSUES
Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;
And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean [Lev. 15:31–33].
Sexual sins are obviously under primary consideration in the closing verses of the chapter concerning running issues. It is referring to venereal disease, and death was the penalty for the failure to obey the commandments regulating running issues.
Hidden sin is not a trivial matter to God. Neither does He ignore the secret sins of believers. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16–17). We belong to God and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Abuse of that temple can be a sin unto death. There is a sin unto death. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it” (1 John 5:16). It is possible for a believer to commit a sin so that God takes him home. There is no use praying for him, because God is going to take him home. How do you know what that sin is? You don’t know. But we are to remember that God deals with His own children in judgment when that is necessary. That does not mean that everyone who dies is taken home under judgment. Yet, there is a sin unto death and God calls His children home when they continue to be disobedient. The disobedience may be in this area of secret sins.
A mother may warn her little boy not to fight with the boy next door. She tells him that if they can’t play without fighting, he must come into the house. She may issue this warning several times and each time she finds him fighting. Finally, she goes out and gets precious little Willie and leads him into the house. Little Willie says, “Mama, I don’t want to come in,” but into the house he goes! He doesn’t want to come in, but neither will he obey. God is a good disciplinarian, by the way. Sometimes a child of His keeps on sinning and commits a sin unto death; so the Father just takes him on home.
“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2). The child of God needs to recognize this and he needs to confess his sin. There can be secret sins which the believer does not confess. If, then, God strikes him down, let us not blame God for it. The blame lies with the individual.
We are living in an age that has gone mad over sex. Sexual sins are rampant and venereal disease is becoming an epidemic. What a lesson we have in this chapter. I’m glad to close the page on this chapter because it is such an ugly picture. Yet, it is the picture of the human family and we are part of that family.
We will come now to the sixteenth chapter and it is like going out of darkness into light. We have come out of a tunnel and will enter the clear noonday sun.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: The great Day of Atonement—Preparation of the priest; preparation of the place; preparation of the people
This chapter holds the greatest spiritual lesson for us. The subjects treated so far in Leviticus have been offerings, priests, and sin. None of these have dealt finally and completely with sin. We now come to that which more completely than any other deals with the subject of sin. It at least points more specifically and adequately to the work of Christ in redemption. It is a shadow of His redemptive work.
“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Col. 2:16–17). A shadow is a picture. Although a picture is a poor substitute for the real thing or the real person, it points to the reality. Years ago Hengstenberg commented, “The elucidation of the doctrine of types, now entirely neglected, is an important problem of future theologians.” The picture, or type, of this great Day of Atonement merits our careful study.
Dr. Kellogg states the significance of the great Day of Atonement in this fashion: “ [It] was perhaps the most important and characteristic in the whole Mosaic legislation.” The rabbis designated the Day of Atonement with the simple word Yoma, “The Day.” It was on this day that sin was dealt with in a more adequate way than in any other ceremony of the Mosaic system.
Notice in verse 16, “… and because of their transgressions in all their sins.” Then in verse 22, “And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities …” and in verse 21, “… and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel ….” He will make atonement for all their transgressions, all their iniquities, all their sins! This was the best that the Law had to offer until Christ should come.
The instructions and restrictions of this day grew out of the historical incident of the rebellion and disobedience of Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, when they intruded into the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle, and were immediately put to death by the direct judgment of God (chapter 10). Some writers treat these two chapters together.
The Day of Atonement was observed in the seventh month and on the tenth day. These numbers are significant in most of Scripture. The seventh is the sabbatic month and denotes rest and cessation from works. Surely it is not amiss that this month was chosen to set forth the rest of redemption that is in Christ. “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Heb. 4:10).
Ten is another prominent number in Scripture, and seems to convey the idea of that which expresses God’s complete will and way. There were the Ten Commandments—God could have given another, but He did not. God requested the tithe, the tenth, and the remnant of Israel is defined as a tenth (Isa. 6:13). Ten expresses God’s mind and purpose. The tenth day expresses the truth that Christ came to do the will of God. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him, He hath put Him to grief. He came in the fullness of time, at the appointed hour.
The word for “atonement” is the Hebrew kaphar, which means “to cover.” God did not take away sins in the Old Testament; He covered them until Christ came and removed them. There are a number of Scriptures which teach this. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at [overlooked]; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation [that is, a mercy seat] through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God” (Rom. 3:24–25). “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15). “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” (Heb. 9:8–9).
The Day of Atonement pointed to Christ and His redemption as did no other sacrifice, ceremony, or ordinance of the Old Testament. It reveals Christ, as our Great High Priest, going into the Holy of Holies for us.
PREPARATION OF THE PRIEST
And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died;
And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat [Lev. 16:1–2].
The instructions, ordinances, and rituals for the great Day of Atonement were made essential after the incident of the death of Nadab and Abihu, who intruded into the Holy Place and were slain by the direct judgment of God. The great Day of Atonement offered an explanation for the sudden death of these two men. The utter holiness of God and the utter sinfulness of man are made clear in this service.
There is a great gulf between God and man, but it is not fixed. Thank God for that! It has been bridged. Today God offers encouragement to man to come to Him but, my friend, you must come God’s way. When you come God’s way, you can come with boldness. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19–22). “For through him [Christ Jesus] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph. 2:18). The invitation is to come. That means we are to come God’s way. If we do, then we can come with great assurance.
You will notice that all this was done because these two sons of Aaron had intruded into the Holy of Holies. God now says, “You can’t at all times come into My place.” For us today it is different. We can come any time and any place and enter into the presence of God; that is, provided we come through Christ.
I actually think it is sinful for some people to pray. A minister who rejects Christ and who prays publicly to God, but does not come to God through Jesus Christ is coming to God in some other way which God will not accept. That is the sin of Nadab and Abihu.
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on [Lev. 16:3–4].
The unique and significant feature about this day was that the high priest alone performed the ritual. He had no assistance whatsoever. “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place …” (v. 17). It was all his work, from the menial tasks to the high priestly offices. All the other priests retired from the tabernacle. He alone entered, for the work of atonement was his.
This is important to see because he pictured Christ. Christ was alone with the sins of the world. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” (Ps. 22:1). Christ was forsaken of both God and man when He was made sin for us. Nevertheless, He and the Father were in fellowship regarding the plan of salvation. “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me” (John 16:32). This is a great mystery. “… God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself …” (2 Cor. 5:19).
The high priest laid aside his garments of glory and beauty. He became attired in the same linen garb as the other priests. He washed himself and put on the linen garments only. He must be unadorned but pure.
This is a beautiful foreshadowing of Christ, our High Priest, who laid aside His glory and took upon Himself human flesh to die on the cross. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth …. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:1, 14, 18). Our Lord did not lay aside His deity, but He put aside His glory when He came down to this earth and became a man. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:5–8).
And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house [Lev. 16:5–6].
This gives the final personal preparation of Aaron for this all-important day. Aaron offered a sin offering for himself and his family and maybe included the entire tribe of Levi.
This phase of the great Day of Atonement finds no counterpart in the life and work of Christ. He had no sin. He was without sin. He did not die for Himself. He was made sin for us. He never made an offering for Himself. The offering of turtledoves which was brought to the temple when He was a baby was for the cleansing of Mary, His mother. It was to remind her that she was a sinner. There is no record of a sacrifice or an offering for Jesus. But Aaron had to make an offering for himself first, and then he could make an offering for the people.
PREPARATION OF THE PLACE
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil:
And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times [Lev. 16:7–14].
It is well to note here that the two goats constituted one sin offering. Each presented a distinct aspect of the remission of sin. One was offered as a sin offering. The other was taken into the wilderness.
The goat sent into the wilderness was called the scapegoat. The Hebrew word is lo-azazel. There has been some confusion as to its meaning. The word applies primarily to the goat and its destination into the wilderness. The view of the Septuagint, Luther, Kellogg, and Andrew Bonar is that it means an entire and utter removal. Edersheim gives it the meaning, “wholly to go away!” It is definitely a part of the sin offering. One lot fell on the goat to be sent away and one lot fell on the goat to be offered.
Before anything was done to the goats, Aaron had to enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of the bullock for himself and for his house. So it is not exactly accurate to say that the high priest went in only one time. He went in only one day of the year, but he went in twice on that day.
The brazen altar was in the outer court. The bullock for his sin offering would be slain as in any other sin offering. Something new is added at the conclusion of the offering. On the way into the Holy of Holies, as he passed the laver, I am confident that he washed his hands and his feet. Then, in the Holy Place, he was to take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the golden altar of incense and with his hands full of sweet incense, he would place the incense upon the coals in the censer. When he passed the veil into the Holy of Holies, the cloud of smoke would fill the Holy of Holies. The ark and the mercy seat were in the Holy of Holies. He would take the blood of the bullock which he had brought in a basin with him, dip his finger into it, and sprinkle it before the mercy seat seven times. The blood made the top of the box a mercy seat. Seven times denotes a complete and adequate atonement.
I’m sure this was an awesome day for the high priest. He must perform accurately and meticulously in the presence of God. The slightest deviation would mean instant death. He probably rehearsed the ritual many times before the performance actually took place. As far as we know, no high priest ever died in the Holy of Holies. The only two who died were Nadab and Abihu.
Christ was made sin for us on the cross. This is the counterpart to the brazen altar in the tabernacle. Then, as our Great High Priest, He entered into heaven and offered His own blood for our sins. Now the throne of God is a mercy seat for us. All of this is clearly taught us in Hebrews 9 and 10. Whereas Aaron went with fear and trembling, we are bidden to come with boldness according to Hebrews 4:16. Where he did not dare linger and could come only one day in the year, we are bidden to come constantly. Christ, our High Priest, carried His own blood and the sweet incense of His own intercession into heaven, and He is there today at God’s right hand.
After Aaron had gone in for himself and his house, he was to go into the Holy of Holies for the people.
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the child of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel [Lev. 16:15–19].
Now he is going in, not only for himself and his family, but for the children of Israel. This is done because of their transgressions and because of their uncleanness. The same ritual is followed in slaying the goat as in the slaying of the bullock for Aaron. He goes into the Holy of Holies as before, but now the atonement covers the Holy Place itself because of the contamination of Israel. Even the brazen altar itself must have the blood applied because this is where the sins of Israel were confessed and atoned; it is polluted because of the sin of the people.
All of this is to remind us of the One who died on the cross for us. It is not the cross that is important; the importance is in the One who died on the cross. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18–19).
All of this revealed the inadequacy of the ritual of the blood of bulls and goats. “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these” (Heb. 9:23). I believe that in heaven Jesus Christ literally offered His blood; that He bore it to the Holy of Holies of which the tabernacle Holy of Holies is but a pattern. Now I know some people don’t like to hear of the blood, and they consider such a literal interpretation to be crude. You will notice that the apostle Peter calls it the “precious blood of Christ.” I believe that the blood of Christ will be at the throne of God to remind us throughout the endless ages of eternity that our salvation was purchased at a tremendous price. Christ shed His blood on the cross and then He presented His blood for your sins and my sins. We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
PREPARATION OF THE PEOPLE
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness [Lev. 16:20–22].
On this day the great high priest functioned alone. Aaron had sprinkled the blood of “the Lord’s goat” on the mercy seat and now he places his bloody hands on the head of the live goat and confesses the sins of Israel. It must have been a sordid list of sins, but down the list he went. The laying on of hands denotes the fact that this goat is now identified as the sins of Israel.
Of Christ it is said, “… the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). “For he hath made him to be sin for us …” (2 Cor. 5:21) is reality. Ambrose said, “The thief knew that those wounds in the body of Christ were not the wounds of Christ, but of the thief.”
Then Aaron put that goat into the hands of a man who had no personal interest in it, and Israelites were stationed at intervals to see that the job was done. The live goat finally disappeared into the wilderness, never to be seen or found again. The news that the goat was gone was relayed from station to station so that it was known a few minutes later in the temple.
Just as the news was passed from station to station, so the good news that Christ has taken away our sins has been passed from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to Paul the Apostle, then to the early church fathers, and finally to me and to you. Christ has put away our sins in a perfect and complete manner. The scapegoat illustrates several Scriptures in this connection: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12). “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back” (Isa. 38:17). “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee” (Isa. 44:22). “In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve” (Jer. 50:20). “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34).
What does the great Day of Atonement mean to the Christian? It is a holy day for us too. When the high priest is there with his bloody hands on the head of the goat, I think of my Lord on the cross. John pointed Him out, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
“… If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Dean Law has well said, “Faith transfers our sins; Christ removes them; God forgets them.”
And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:
And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people [Lev. 16:23–24].
The ritual of the great Day of Atonement has now been completed. Without being irreverent, let me say that all that was left for Aaron to do was to wash up. This finds no counterpart in Christ. When His work was finished, He sat down at the right hand of God. Aaron did not dare enter the holy place for another year, but our Lord sits in the presence of the Father because there is no taint of sin upon Him now—even though He bore all sins upon the tree.
Verse 25 says that the fat of the sin offering is treated as a burnt offering. This protects the person of Christ from any implication of sin, even though He was made sin for us.
And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp [Lev. 16:26–28].
The one who led the goat into the wilderness was contaminated by contact with the live goat and must wash his clothes and bathe himself. The carcasses of the bullock and goat were taken without the camp and burned, and the people who did that had to wash themselves. I tell you, God was impressing these people with the fact they were sinners, lost sinners. He is showing that He is holy and that sin separates from God. Friends, we were separated from God by sin, but Christ died for us. He is the One who took away our sins when He entered into the Holy Place with His own blood.
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 16:29–34].
The Day of Atonement is the only day of mourning and fasting which God gave His people. On this day you don’t say, “Happy Yom Kippur” or “Merry Yom Kippur” because that is not the way the day is celebrated. It was the day to afflict the soul because of sin. It was mourning for sin. This is the basis for fasting in the Old Testament.
This day was to be observed until the permanent and eternal sacrifice for sin came. It was fulfilled by Christ in His death.
“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood;
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Guilty, vile and helpless, we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He:
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
“Lifted up” was He to die,
“It is finished,” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high;
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
—P. P. Bliss
CHAPTER 17
Theme: One place of sacrifice; the offense of occult goat worship; the offering of sacrifice at the tabernacle; the obligation not to eat blood
Leviticus is an exciting book as it is unfolding and opening up great basic and bedrock truths for the Christian today. Though these things were given to the nation Israel in a literal way, and though the reason for doing these things has passed away, yet all of this contains great spiritual lessons for us today. It answers many questions and gives new insights for the understanding and appreciation of the New Testament. I rejoice that many are coming to a personal relationship with Christ through the study of Leviticus.
Some people treat this chapter as an extension of the previous chapter. There is a sequence here, it is true, but the subject is different. Consideration is now given to the one place of sacrifice and the value of the blood.
This chapter had direct application to the wilderness march and the period that Israel was camped about the tabernacle. It has to do with ethical rather than ceremonial considerations. Clean domestic animals for food were to be slain at the tabernacle. Only verses 8 and 9 in this chapter have to do specifically with the ceremonial offering of a sacrifice to God.
After Israel was scattered throughout the land of Palestine, some of them lived a hundred or more miles from the tabernacle. It would not have been feasible or even possible for them to bring the animals they were to use for food and slay them at the tabernacle. In Deuteronomy God revised these instructions to them when they were ready to enter the land (Deut. 12:15–16 and 20–25).
Why did God give such instructions? Israel was fresh out of Egypt where they had been surrounded by idolatry. They had worshiped the idols of Egypt, and there was always the danger of lapsing back into idolatry. They had worshiped the nature gods of Egypt. In verse 7 the word translated “devils” is actually seirim which means “hairy one” and refers to goats. The Egyptians worshiped Mendes, the goat god, and the Greeks worshiped the goat god as Pan—familiar to us from Greek literature and art depicted with tail, horns, and cloven feet. Medieval Christianity then identified this form as the devil. We get our word panic from this period of time when it described the terror that the devil caused.
From this we see that Israel was forbidden to kill any animal in any place but the tabernacle in order to prevent them from making it an offering to Pan, the goat god.
Then, we learn that under no circumstance was the blood to be eaten. The reason is given specifically: it represents the life. There is a twofold reason behind this. 1. Life is sacred—even animals are not to be slain needlessly. 2. Blood speaks of the sacrifice of Christ. It was the means of expiation, the symbol of reconciliation, and the type of the one great vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. Life is sacred and must be protected, but Christ must give His life so that the sinner can have life. Blood and life are synonymous. Man was never to eat blood. But he is to “drink the blood of Christ,” which means to appropriate by faith in the shed blood of Christ the life of Christ which He gave up so that we might live. Let us love, praise, and talk about the blood. Too often, even in our churches, there is a soft-pedal placed on the topic of sin. My friend, it always follows that when there is a hesitation to mention sin, there is an equal playing down of the precious blood of Christ.
A famous preacher who came to Washington years ago was approached by a dowager who said, “Doctor, I do hope that you will not talk too much about the blood, as our former preacher did.” His answer was enlightening, “Madam, I will not say too much about the blood.” She interrupted, “I am so glad to hear that!” Then he added, “It is impossible to say too much about the blood!”
THE ONE PLACE OF SACRIFICE
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying [Lev. 17:1–2].
These instructions were not for Moses and Aaron alone, but they were also for the sons of Aaron and for the entire nation of Israel. It is obvious that God is reaching now into the personal and private lives of the people. He not only made a difference between the clean and unclean animals in chapter 11, but now He puts down the regulations by which they were to eat the clean animals. The lives of His people are to be different from the heathen round about them. They are told that again in the next chapter, as we shall see (Lev. 18:3).
What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,
And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:
To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord.
And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the Lord [Lev. 17:3–6].
This is another of those strange laws and it does not concern the ceremonial offering of sacrifices. When you look at it carefully, you will note that these animals were for food for God’s people. In other words, God is demanding that they bring Him to the dinner table! By this token, the heathen gods were shut out.
Why was God so strict about this? If they were going to have a lamb for dinner, they had to bring it to the door of the tabernacle to slay it. Maybe some of them didn’t want their neighbors to know they were having company. Maybe some of them forgot to invite their mother-in-law for dinner. All this made no difference. They must slay the animal at the tabernacle. This was done because of their background. You see, among the heathen the meat was offered to an idol before it was eaten. God was putting up a roadblock to hinder His people from taking the long road to idolatry, spiritual darkness, and judgment.
When they lived down in Egypt, even though they were in slavery, they were idolaters just like the Egyptians. God did not redeem them because they were superior. God redeemed them because He had heard their cry and because He had made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When God makes a covenant, He keeps it. How do I know they were idolaters in Egypt? Because Scripture says they were. “In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt” (Ezek. 20:6–8). God is trying to break them from that sordid background in the land of Egypt. They had worshiped animals, and the shedding of blood and the offering of the meat were used in idolatry.
One needs to understand this background to get the significance of Paul’s injunctions to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 8:1–13 and 10:1–33. The Corinthians were idolatrous and they brought their animal and offered it to their idols. They left their animal there; the meat was taken into the temple and sold in the meat market there. The best filet mignon of that day would have been bought at the heathen temple; it was the local supermarket. By the time of the New Testament, the godly Israelite had been so schooled that he refused to buy this meat that had been offered to idols. The converted Gentiles didn’t have any qualms about eating the meat that had been offered to idols, realizing that the idol was nothing. But the Jewish Christian didn’t like to eat with the gentile Christian because of this difference over meat offered to idols. This chapter in Leviticus, you see, gives the background for the passage to the Corinthians.
It is interesting to note that when the great Council of Jerusalem handed down the decision, James spoke for the group and said, “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:19–20). God was teaching the gentile believers that life is sacred.
May I mention here that the slaughter of animals for food is still associated with heathen worship among the Hindus and in Persia.
Actually, the children of Israel had very little meat to eat in the wilderness. I think the incident concerning the quail indicated that. They complained because they didn’t have any meat to eat and cried, “… Who shall give us flesh to eat?” (Num. 11:4). This was true of all nations of antiquity, and even today nations in the East are short on meat. Some are actually vegetarian in their diets.
A clean animal for food for the table was to be killed at the door of the tabernacle. The blood would be poured out there. The blood was placed upon the altar, and the fat was offered as a sweet savour. The sacrifice was a peace offering. The remainder of the animal was returned to the owner, and he could prepare it for his table. You can see why the Jewish believers resented the Gentiles eating meat bought at a heathen temple.
THE OFFENSE OF OCCULT GOAT WORSHIP
And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a-whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations [Lev. 17:7].
I have already mentioned that the word devils in this verse is literally “hairy ones,” or goats. The same word is used in 2 Chronicles 11:15: “And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils [literally, goats] and for the calves which he had made.” That is how Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, made Israel to sin.
This refers to nature worship, degrading and licentious, associated with the god Pan. God is saying to His people, “Don’t you do that! You bring that animal to the door of the tabernacle.” This is why there was the severe penalty as stated in the fourth verse. The details had to be changed when they entered into the land, but the principle that is taught here is eternal.
This is very, very important for us to see today. They lived under the danger of returning to idolatry and to gross immorality, and right now we are experiencing a return to this matter of nature worship. My friend, all this business today of going back to primitive living is a return to the same sort of thing. God wanted to protect them and wants to protect us from idolatry and immorality.
THE OFFERING OF SACRIFICE AT THE TABERNACLE
And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,
And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the Lord; even that man shall be cut off from among his people [Lev. 17:8–9].
God is specific about bringing an animal for their own food or bringing it for an offering. God did not let them present an animal as an offering and then take it home to eat. Now, in these two verses, He is talking about bringing an animal for a burnt offering. When the animal was brought as an offering, they had to make the offering according to the law of the burnt offering. There was only one place for sacrifice. The Lord repeated this again and again in order to deter Israel from idolatry.
It was applicable to the strangers and foreigners who had established residence in Israel. There was always the danger of the influence from the presence of the heathen in their midst. The tendency was to resort to the ways of the heathen rather than to win them over to the Lord.
We are told today, “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14). And again, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? …. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:14–17).
This is a great principle which is carried over to the church. There is a danger of association with the unbeliever in religion, politics, marriage, business, or social life. God has placed a warning about this in His Word.
THE OBLIGATION NOT TO EAT BLOOD
And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul [Lev. 17:10–11].
I consider verse 11 one of the key verses of this book. The life is in the blood. This is restated in verse 14. This is the basis of all sacrifice.
Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off [Lev. 17:12–14].
Jesus Christ said something very interesting. “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him” (John 6:54–56). Because the life of the flesh is in the blood, Jesus is saying that we are to accept His shed blood for our sins in faith and then we receive life. Jesus shed His blood and gave His life. The life is in the blood.
This is a great, eternal truth. This explains why Abel’s sacrifice was more excellent than Cain’s. It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. The blood of Christ is the only thing that can wash away sin. There is nothing offensive about the blood; the offense is in our sin.
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Immorality condemned, amplification of the seventh commandment—Preamble to social prohibitions; sexual relations with relatives forbidden; sundry sexual sins prohibited; offspring forbidden to be offered to Molech; perversion of sex prohibited; nations in Palestine cast out for committing these sins
Up to this point the laws concerning ceremonial cleansing have been given. The rules regulated the ritual of religion. In chapters 18, 19, and 20, we find a special section which applies the Ten Commandments to life situations. God is now dealing with the moral aspects of the lives of His people. Friends, we are getting right down to the nitty-gritty.
This section opens with a preamble in 18:1–5 and closes with a formal postscript at the close of chapter 20. These are very important because they give the reason for the restrictions and regulations of the social life of His people.
We are living in a day when the moral foundations have been broken up and removed. “Who makes the rules, and what is right and wrong?” asks the sneering skeptic. This preamble and postscript give us a twofold explanation:
(1) Three times in the preamble, verses 2, 4, and 5, the Word says “I am the Lord.” God makes the rules! Breaking the Ten Commandments is wrong because God says it is wrong. (2) The postscript gives the second reason. “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine” (Lev. 20:26). God demands that His people be holy. Purity in all life’s situations is the command of God.
This chapter deals with the seventh commandment primarily. It spells out in detail what is meant by adultery. Sexual sins are the subject. These are the sins which mark a decadent society and the decline and fall of empires.
PREAMBLE TO SOCIAL PROHIBITIONS
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the Lord your God.
After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord [Lev. 18:1–5].
They have just come out of Egypt, and there they had done all these things which are forbidden. The disgusting sins which will be mentioned were a way of life for the Egyptians. God had to separate His people from the influence of that sinful environment. They were going to the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. But that isn’t all that was in Canaan—the Canaanites were there, and they also were immoral. God saw that the children of Israel were caught, as we would say, between the devil and the deep blue sea, or between a rock and a hard place. The Egyptians were behind them, the Canaanites were ahead of them, and both of them were grossly immoral.
We are living in a day when they talk about a sexual revolution. I wonder whether people have read the eighteenth chapter of Leviticus. May I say to you, there is nothing new about sexual perversion at all. It is the same old immorality that they had in Egypt and in Canaan.
God says, “I am the Lord, your God,” and “I am the Lord.” Who makes the rules? God makes the rules. Maybe someone says, “But I don’t want to follow them.” Well, that is up to you, but God still makes the rules! Breaking the Ten Commandments is wrong because God says it is wrong. That ought to be enough to satisfy the heart of the child of God. The skeptic would not be satisfied with any argument since he makes his own rules, and he is his own god.
By the way, if you can create a whole universe—and you will need a whole planetary system with a sun and a moon and a few stars—then you can make your own ten commandments. But as long as you are living in God’s world, breathing His air, using His sunshine, drinking His water, walking on His earth, and not even paying rent for it, you had better obey His commands. He tells us that if we break His Commandments, we will pay for it. And, my friend, you will pay! You may not be arrested by the local police, but you will stand before Him some day.
The things that God said were immoral are still immoral today. Listen to the New Testament: “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1 Thess. 4:5–7). “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:17–19). “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (1 Cor. 5:11). “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4).
These passages from the Epistles of the New Testament are speaking to you and to me. The child of God in any age is called to holy living. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16–17). “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph. 1:4). “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). God is calling us to holiness. We need to emphasize holiness. God asks us to be holy.
There is another truth that I do not want you to miss, friends. Many folk say that if you are going to reach the crowds, you’ve got to go down and live with them. You’ve got to be like they are. This has been tried, both by individuals and by groups. And do you know what? They don’t reach the crowd; they become a part of the crowd. May I say to you, God has called us to holiness. Folk who have really reached men for Christ have been those whose lives commanded the Gospel they preached. For example, England was a pretty wicked place during the eighteenth century, and they called the followers of John Wesley, “holy people.” In fact, they gave them the name “Methodists” because their methods were different from the methods of the world.
God says, “I am Jehovah.” Someone may say, “Well, I’m not a Christian, and I’m just not interested.” May I say to you that God is declaring His sovereignty. God created this universe and He is the One who is running it. And He says, “I am your God.” He is a reconciled God. He knows our frame and yet He loves us. Friend, if you are reconciled to God, you will want to please Him. The child of God can be filled with the Holy Spirit so that he will not commit these sins of the flesh, but will produce the fruit of the Spirit.
SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH RELATIVES FORBIDDEN
None of you shall approach to any that is near to kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord (Lev. 18:6).
The blanket statement is made that no person is to have sexual relations with a near relative. This entire section amplifies the seventh commandment. Here it refers to anyone who has the same blood relationship as the other person. Now it goes on. God is specific. And the reason He gives is, “I am the Lord.”
The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness [Lev. 18:7–8].
This warns against disgusting incest. Yet this sin was in the Corinthian church. Paul condemned it with great feeling. “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife” (1 Cor. 5:1).
These are things that are talked about today, aren’t they? Well, God talks about them, too. Don’t tell me things are different today. God has spelled out exactly what is sin. Nobody can make a mistake about this, friends.
The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law: she is thy son’s wife: thou shalt not uncover her nakedness [Lev. 18:9–15].
The different human relationships which are established by blood or marriage are dealt with specifically in this section. Relatives are thrown together in a domestic situation in which adultery could be practiced. God put up these barriers to prevent this.
Egypt practiced these sins, especially those mentioned in verse 9. The Pharaohs and the Ptolemies practiced intermarriage of brother and sister.
In the beginning, there was no law against this. Cain and Seth had to marry their own sisters. Abraham married his half sister. However the Law now halts this practice.
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness [Lev. 18:16].
There is an exception to this verse and that is in the law of the kinsman-redeemer as stated in Deuteronomy 25:5–10.
SUNDRY SEXUAL SINS PROHIBITED
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.
Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time [Lev. 18:17–18].
This relationship is not by blood, but by marriage. Because of the close relationship of the wife to a daughter or son, any marriage is forbidden. Evidently both of these verses have reference to having two wives at the same time. It is labeled incest here, instead of bigamy. Notice the Berkeley Version on these two verses: “Do not expose the nakedness of both a woman and her daughter; neither take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to expose her; they are blood relatives. It is incest. While your wife is still living do not take her sister for a rival to expose her nakedness” (Lev. 18:17–18).
This was the problem poor Jacob faced in having two sisters as wives—Leah and Rachel. The story of this family was certainly not a happy one. Remember, however, that Jacob lived before the Ten Commandments had been given.
Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness [Lev. 18:19].
Lawful marital relations of a husband and wife were forbidden at certain times. The sensual mind must be made subject to the Law of God.
Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thy self with her [Lev. 18:20].
Believe me, God is throwing up these bulwarks to protect the home from the licentious practices of the heathen round about them. The family on earth was to mirror the family in heaven (Eph. 3:15). Purity of living was to be the badge of God’s family. There was a holy place in the tabernacle for worship; the home was a holy place in the nation for living. The New Testament also has a great deal about this. It would be well to read 1 Corinthians 7 in this connection.
OFFSPRING FORBIDDEN TO BE OFFERED TO MOLECH
And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord [Lev. 18:21].
“Thy seed” means their children. This verse may seem to be out of place in this chapter, but the pagan worship of Molech was closely related with sex. The image of old Molech was heated red-hot, and the bodies of children were placed in its arms. It is hard to imagine the horror of this. There are those who believe that such a thing could never have happened. However, the Scriptures make other references to this same practice. “… and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim” (2 Kings 17:31). “And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart” (Jer. 7:31). This terrible practice profanes the holy name of God (Lev. 20:3). The unnatural brutality of this pagan rite was a deep profaning of the name of the true God. God’s love of children is evident in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. The Lord Jesus said, “Let them come to Me.”
PERVERSION OF SEX PROHIBITED
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination [Lev. 18:22].
It is hard to believe that right here in downtown Los Angeles, a church put on a dance for sexual perverts. I am told they had over 700 people at that dance. It was so disgusting that a hard-boiled newspaper writer went down to write it up, but walked out. Yet a “church” engaged in that. My friend, God condemns it! In the Old Testament He condemns it; in the New Testament He condemns it. “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Rom. 1:24–28).
The depravity that is mentioned here is common today. The United States is like Sodom and Gomorrah. It makes me weep to see the way my country is going. I love this country. It’s the land of my birth. I hate to see these dirty, filthy, immoral people bringing us into judgment. Believe me, friends, the judgment of God is already upon us today. We can’t have peace abroad and we can’t have peace at home. Why not? “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked” (Isa. 48:22).
Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion [Lev. 18:23].
This is indeed unspeakable. This was practiced in the fertility cults and nature worship. Licentiousness is always connected with idolatry in the most debased fashion. And if you think this is not being practiced today, then you should talk to the police department in a city like Los Angeles. They can tell you.
NATIONS IN PALESTINE CAST OUT FOR COMMITTING THESE SINS
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants [Lev. 18:24–25].
The nations in Palestine were cast out because they committed these abominable and atrocious sins. That is the reason they were put off the land. A lot of soft-hearted and soft-headed preachers today weep because God put out the Canaanites. Here is the reason God put them out. God couldn’t tolerate what was taking place. The land of the Canaanites was eaten up with venereal disease. Why do you suppose God told them not to take even a wedge of gold or to touch a garment in the city of Jericho? They were guilty of the vilest sins imaginable. Don’t you think that God put them out for a good reason? After all, if the tenant doesn’t pay rent, he can be put out. God happened to own that land.
My friend that is the way you and I occupy this earth down here. Our “three score years and ten” is just a lease. The land is God’s. It is His business and it would be well for us to make His business our business. His business is the one that will prevail.
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 18:26–30].
God gives a double warning to His people that if they pursue a pattern similar to those who preceded them in the land, the same judgment, if not worse, would befall them. God’s land must be holy. God’s ultimate goal is that righteousness will cover the earth.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Man’s relationship to God; man’s relationship to the poor; man’s relationship to his neighbor; man’s relationships in different life situations
We are in that section of the book where the Ten Commandments are explained in terms of the social life of the nation. I can’t think of anything more practical than this particular section. God’s Law is to tell us this one thing: “… Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2). This was fundamental and basic to all facets of the life of Israel. It explained everything which God commanded or demanded. It entered into the web and woof of their daily routine. Holiness in daily life with all of its relationships was paramount in the everyday living of God’s people. That is something that needs to be reemphasized today, by the way. This is not just theory. God intended it to be brought right into our lives.
The Law can not produce the holiness which it demands. It demanded, but it did not supply. It revealed the righteousness of the Law, but the high level which it demanded could not be attained by human effort. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:19–20).
How wonderful it is that God has given us His Holy Spirit to indwell us. This is the dynamic that is needed for Christian living.
The reason given in this chapter, “I am the Lord your God” or “I am the Lord” occurs sixteen times in this chapter. God draws the line between right and wrong. He alone makes the sharp distinction between the holy and unholy. No other reason needs to be given.
MAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them. Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy [Lev. 19:1–21].
God gives these instructions to Moses the lawgiver, and they amplify a portion of the Ten Commandments. God exacts holy conduct on the basis that He is holy. It is well to note that God still enjoins the same conduct today. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written. Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:13–16).
The major difference between the conduct required under law and under grace is that today the dynamic is supplied to the believer in the person of the Holy Spirit. We are joined to the living Christ. Old things have passed away. We are no longer joined to Adam, and we are no longer joined to a legal system. We are joined to Christ and we are to seek to please Him. You see, under the Law they tried to keep the commandments by their own effort. They were to learn that the flesh will always fail. In contrast to this, we have the Spirit of God in us. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3–4). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23). The Law never went as far as this. The Son of God wants to bring us up to a high plane.
Now, in emphasizing certain of the commandments they were to keep, God will emphasize those particular areas in which they were weak. The history of Israel will show us that God understood their weak points. They were instructed about the sabbath, the avoidance of idolatry, the bringing of proper offerings to God. These are areas in which they later broke down. God is asking them to be holy in their daily life.
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 19:3].
One might think it is strange that God should begin with the commandment to honor father and mother. But it is not so strange when we consider that the parent stands in the place of God for the child and that the child learns to obey God by first obeying the parent. When you are going to get down to the nitty-gritty, you must begin at home.
Then He adds, “And keep my sabbaths.” God demanded one-seventh of man’s time as well as one-tenth of his possessions.
These two commandments mentioned first encompass the two major divisions of the Ten Commandments. There is duty to man and duty to God. The Lord Jesus Christ summed it all up as love to God and love to man. He said this is the sum total of the law (Matt. 22:36–40).
The sabbath law does not rest upon a moral basis but was an arbitrary command of God given to Israel. Israel, in apostasy and decline, sinned at this point. They refused to observe the sabbaths. “Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?” (Amos 8:5). This was God’s charge and case against the nation.
Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 19:4].
This covers the first two commandments. The thought here is not even to cast a glance at idolatry. Heathen worship appealed to the eye with its pomp and ceremony. It still does. Look at the pageantry and meaningless rituals that you see in religion today. It is “eye service.” They were not to look on idols and they were not to make idols. God ridicules the idols because they are nothing and can do nothing.
And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own will.
It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if aught remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.
And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable: it shall not be accepted.
Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the Lord: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people [Lev. 19:5–8].
There is nothing new added here. However, we should point out again that the peace offering was to be made voluntarily. Even though it was a voluntary offering, the offerer was not relieved from following scrupulously the rules that were prescribed. Any deviation from the prescribed order penalized the man as an example to the people.
I find today that there are those in Christian service who seem to think they can take special liberties that no one else can take. Or some people think that because they have given a large contribution to the church they should have special privileges and special attention. Notice that the peace offering was given voluntarily but the detail had to be followed through meticulously. We must all come to God on God’s terms. Any deviation from the prescribed order penalized the man as an example to the people. This was a positive law, not a moral law. Because of that, there was the more danger of failure. How many people today make a pledge to the church and then feel that they don’t need to go through with it if they don’t wish to. God says, “If you are going to do it voluntarily, then do it right.”
I had to go out to a television station to make a tape to be aired locally. They were taping a very popular program and so I stayed to watch. I was so impressed by the dedication of the people who were putting it on that I stayed a long time to watch and someone might ask me why I did that. Well, I’ve been among Christians so long that it did me good to get among people who were dedicated. Of course I understand why they are dedicated—they are dedicated to greed. They were being paid a handsome sum to do that show, but I’ll tell you, they gave it everything they had.
Too many Christians excuse what they are doing by saying it is just volunteer work. God may say, “If you are going to do it, then do it right when you come to Me.” Don’t volunteer to do God’s work unless you are going to give it everything you have. I’m of the opinion there will be a lot of Christians judged someday because of their laziness. Some folk glory in the fact they took a job. “Look, I taught a Sunday school class.” My friend, how many times were you late? How many times did you fail to prepare the lesson? I tell you, the crowd in the television show knew their parts. But I see Sunday school teachers flipping through the quarterly, trying to find something to say. I think God is going to judge us on that someday. He tells us not to come to Him with a voluntary offering unless we come the right way.
MAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE POOR
And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 19:9–10].
This was God’s marvelous provision for the poor. God did not put anyone on charity. He never let anyone sit down and do nothing and receive a welfare check. The poor were taken care of by being given the opportunity to work. This was a marvelous balance between heartless capitalism and godless socialism. Whatever a farmer did not reap his first time around must be left for the poor. The ancient method of harvesting by hand left 10% to 20% of the grain in the field. The same law applied to their vineyards. I was at a meeting in Turlock, California, and a man told me to go out to the vineyard and help myself to the grapes because he knew how I loved grapes. It was after the harvest and the pickers were all gone. I could have filled a truck with grapes if I had had one there. That night at the meeting I told the folks that I had been out gleaning. That is the way God took care of His people. His method of dealing with poverty enabled both rich and poor to acknowledge the good hand of God.
MAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO HIS NEIGHBOR
Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord [Lev. 19:11–12].
This restates the eighth and ninth commandments. “Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exod. 20:15–16). Stealing, defrauding, lying, and perjury are all included here. To deal falsely is a form of stealing according to God’s definition.
The third commandment is included in verse 12. God’s name is holy. In business God’s man is to demonstrate the holiness of God’s name by his honest and true business dealings.
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning [Lev. 19:13].
We are to pay any man working for us. May I say to you, I think God would be on the side of labor. My Dad was a working man and I remember him in overalls more than any other way. He built cotton gins in Texas and many times, I found out, he was beaten financially. Listen to James: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten” (James 5:1–2). Verse 6 of the same chapter goes on to say, “Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.” Godless labor is a terrible thing and so is godless capitalism. Right now I think we are in real danger from the latter.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord [Lev. 19:14].
A blind man told me how he was cheated by a salesman who came to him. May I say to you, these terrible things are still done today. God put a double emphasis on His name in consideration of the deaf and blind. It is God’s concern for the weak, helpless, and infirm, and it is His rebuke against the hardheartedness of man.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour [Lev. 19:15].
Here is a word for the judge sitting on the bench, and how our judges need this word today! The judge on the bench is to understand that he is to judge as God judges. I wish some of them would remember that they are in that position, not because some politician put them there, but because they represent Almighty God. And they are to judge impartially.
Shakespeare wrote in King Henry VIII: “Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge that no king can corrupt.” Socrates said, “Four things belong to a judge, to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide impartially.”
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. I am the Lord [Lev. 19:16–18].
Talebearing is slander. It is best to remain silent if to tell the truth will ruin a neighbor.
Sir Walter Scott wrote, “:Low breathed talkers, minion lispers cutting honest throats by whispers.” Someone else has said, “You cannot believe everyting you hear, but you can repeat it.” James has a great deal to say about this, and I wrote a little booklet on his epistle called Tongues on Fire. Do you know what a tongue on fire is? It is the little tongue that is in your mouth. It is an awful thing. It is the most dangerous thing in the world, more dangerous than an atom bomb.
“Stand against the blood” means to murder. Hatred is not put on a par with murder, but it is forbidden. Our Lord linked them together and said that if you hate, you are a murderer (Matt. 5:21–22).
The answer to all these negative prohibitions is found in the positive, “But thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Paul summed up all this for the Christian: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).
MAN’S RELATIONSHIPS IN DIFFERENT LIFE SITUATIONS
Ye shall keep my statutes, Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee [Lev. 19:19].
Do you know what happens when you wash such a garment? God is teaching them great spiritual truths with symbols and ceremonies. They were not to have hybrid animals and plants. This was to teach them that there is to be no mingling of truth and error. This is brought out by our Lord’s parable of the wheat and the tares (Matt. 13). Paul says, “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils” (1 Cor. 10:21). Christ said, “…Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13).
And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering.
And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him [Lev. 19:20–22].
This goes back to the seventh commandment. This protects the bond-woman. This raises the natural question, “Is God lending approval to slavery?” No. God is recognizing the sinful situation caused by the hard hearts of men, just as He did in the case of divorce (Matt. 19:8). It was recognized as a sin on the part of the man, for he had to bring a trespass offering. The woman did not bring an offering.
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of.
But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal.
And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 19:23–25].
This law seems strange to those of us who are not dendrologists. We are told, however, that young fruit trees will grow faster and yield better fruit if the buds are nipped off (circumcised) the first few years. The Lord knew that. The spiritual lesson was that the first fruits belong to God. And it taught that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights …” (James 1:17).
Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord [Lev. 19:26–28].
There are six commandments here that condemn the practices and superstitions of the heathen. They were not to eat flesh with the blood in it. They were not to trim their hair and leave little tufts of it. They were not to act like the heathen when a loved one died.
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore: lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness [Lev. 19:29].
This is a condemnation of a heathen practice which prevails to this day among some people. I have read that men in this country go through college with the money their wives earn as harlots. How terrible!
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord [Lev. 19:30].
The Sabbath was a sign of the relationship between God and the children of Israel, and it was to be observed strictly. This is brought out in detail in Exodus 31:13–17.
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 19:31].
This is one of the many warnings against spiritism and demonism. The supernatural and satanic character of this practice is recognized in the Scriptures and rejected.
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord [Lev. 19:32].
Respect is to be shown old age. This also is repeated in the Scriptures.
And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 19:33–34].
The stranger among them was to be treated kindly and was to be loved. He was a reminder to them that they were strangers in Egypt. The stranger was a neighbor.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt [Lev. 19:35–36].
Business transactions were to be honest. Measures and weights were to be honest. God’s children are to be different from others because they represent God even in their business dealings.
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord [Lev. 19:37].
God is the Lord. That is reason enough for obedience to what He commands. Can you think of anything to add to that?
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Capital punishment for those who offer their children to Molech; capital punishment for those who practice spiritism; capital punishment for those who curse father or mother; capital punishment for those who commit adultery; certain offenses which require lesser penalty; conclusion to the law of holiness
Dr. Andrew A. Bonar, in his book on Leviticus, calls this chapter “Warnings Against the Sins of the Former Inhabitants.” In other words, these were the sins of the Canaanites.
It appears that the death penalty was exacted for breaking any one of the Ten Commandments. Not all of them are listed here under the penal code for the death penalty. Only a few are given as examples. For example, murder is not listed in this chapter, but we learn elsewhere about the death penalty for it. For this reason I infer that the penalty for breaking any of the Ten Commandments was death.
God instituted capital punishment! He is just and righteous, and He applied the death penalty with unsparing severity.
Nowhere in the Word of God is punishment given for the purpose of reforming the criminal. That was not the objective. Punishment of a crime is for the moral good of the people. Punishment of a crime is a deterrent to crime. It will cut down the crime rate. One of the reasons for the spread of lawlessness like a dreadful plague throughout this land is due to the fact that we have weak judges who will not enforce the law.
We hear a great many sob sisters cry about the death penalty. God instituted capital punishment for good and sufficient reasons. There must be the satisfaction of outraged justice. Justice and righteousness demand punishment. The majesty, law, and holiness of God have been outraged, and so crime must be punished.
If you don’t believe in the death penalty, let me ask you a question. Do you mean to say that you are better than God? God makes no apology for the death penalty. Listen to Him: “So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it” (Num. 35:33). Remember that the Books of Matthew and Luke tell us that the blood of Abel cries out from the ground.
Let me ask you another question. Suppose a sadistic criminal took your little child by the heels and dashed his head against a stone. What would you think should be done to him? I’m talking about yours now, not the children of someone else in another state. It’s easy to be theoretical and ideal as long as it doesn’t involve you. Here in California a man raped a girl and killed the fellow she was with. A crowd was parading at the governor’s mansion and parading at the penitentiary, protesting the death sentence. What about the girl? She is in a mental institution, a raving maniac. Her parents believe in capital punishment. I tell you, when you are talking about your own, that changes the color of the picture altogether. God says these people should be punished.
Modern man in his efforts to be soft has abolished the death penalty in the name of this enlightened age. But it still stands in the Word of God as the most humanitarian procedure for the good of all men.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE WHO OFFER THEIR CHILDREN TO MOLECH
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying [Lev. 20:1].
God is speaking to Moses now, not to Aaron or the people. He is speaking to the law giver because this is about the penal code. Paul says that those in positions of authority who rule over us do not carry the sword in vain. They are to use it (Rom. 13). A judge has no right to let a sadistic criminal, a psychotic criminal, loose on society to endanger your family and mine.
Someone will say that the electric chair is a mean old chair. That’s right, it is. In that day, they were executed by stoning. That’s not pretty either. No one has claimed it was pretty. It is an awful thing, a horrible thing. Don’t forget, the crime committed is also horrible.
Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones [Lev. 20:2].
The worship of Molech was savage, satanic, cruel, and brutal. Children were offered as sacrifices to the idol of Molech which was heated red hot. According to historians, the arms of the idol were outstretched and the child was cast “into a gaping hole, full of fire.” This was fiendish and demoniacal. What a contrast is Jesus who stretched out His arms to receive little children! “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). Stoning to death was the penalty for this crime of “giving his seed to Molech,” and it is difficult to see how any would oppose the sentence. Stoning is almost too good for them.
Friends, the child brutality today in our land could be curtailed if our judges would punish parents who brutally treat the little ones who can’t protect themselves. The judge should protect them.
And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people: because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name [Lev. 20:3].
This is the strongest language possible. “I will set my face against that man.” Was this an unpardonable sin? I don’t know, but every word is a terrible invective. “I will cut him off from among his people.” This sin was a sin against God. It defiles His sanctuary and profanes His holy name. In Ezekiel 23:37–39, we find that the children of Israel did just this, and it was one of the reasons that God’s judgment came upon them. Remember that idolatry was high treason in a nation that was a theocracy.
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a-whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people [Lev. 20:4–5].
For a man to remain silent when a neighbor worshiped Molech by offering his child was to make him a partner in crime. To be soft-hearted and soft-headed in executing the penalty made a man guilty. He was to be cut off from the people, which was tantamount to the death penalty.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE WHO PRACTICE SPIRITISM
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a-whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people [Lev. 20:6].
This was another practice of the Canaanites who were then in the land. This was false religion which was definitely satanic. Someone may object that it was not the real thing and lacked the supernatural. Frankly, there is supernaturalism manifested in Satan worship. The fact of the matter is that the Lord Jesus Himself warned that there would appear finally an antichrist who would be able to perform miracles, and that, if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. Satan is a liar and the father of the lie. God says that He will set His face against the soul that turns to this kind of false worship.
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them [Lev. 20:27].
I bring this verse up into this section as it too deals with satanic superstition. Demon possession is a reality and has existed in all ages. In this modern age, many cults and “isms” are promoted by those who are demon possessed. This is all the work of Satan. The death penalty was exacted for participating in or practicing these satanic rites of the occult.
Some people are surprised that worshipers of Satan have power. Sure, the devil has power! A departure from the Word of God and a departure from God always leads into error, and this gives rise to the false cults which we find today.
Why did God exact the death penalty for participating in these satanic rites of the occult?
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God.
And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you [Lev. 20:7–8].
These verses offer a good and sufficient reason for the death penalty. The people were to be holy because they belonged to God, and He was holy. Any deviation from this standard was a serious breach of conduct. To practice the abominations that have been named was to turn from God to Satan. It was spiritual adultery and treason. Today people do not seem to realize how serious that can be. This is God’s universe. God is a reality, friends. God’s statutes are never to be taken lightly.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE WHO CURSE FATHER OR MOTHER
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother: his blood shall be upon him [Lev. 20:9].
The fifth commandment was not to be considered of minor importance. In Leviticus 19:3 the Israelite was instructed to fear his father and mother. Now the death penalty was inflicted for cursing father and mother. In Romans 1:31 Paul spoke of those “without natural affection.” And we are told that in the last days children will be disobedient to parents, and men will be without natural affection (2 Tim. 3:2–3). This characterized the heathen of the past and will characterize the last days. The punishment stated here is extreme.
We need to mention here that the Bible also offers grace in this regard. The Lord Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son who came home and was received by the father. That is grace. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE WHO COMMIT ADULTERY
And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them [Lev. 20:10–16].
This entire section contains unspeakable and even unbelievable sins. Adultery in every form and shape was punished with death. Sins of sex have caused the most powerful empires to topple. I would say that sex and liquor were the two causes of the fall of Babylon, Egypt, Rome, and France. What a warning this is for our nation!
This is a rebuke against lax morals today. These sins brought down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah. These are the sins which cause God to give up a people (Rom. 1:24–28).
In spite of the awful immorality of these sins and the severity of the punishment, the Savior stands ready to forgive any who will come to Him. He put His sacrificial death between this sin and the woman taken in adultery. His sacrificial death atones for you, my friend, if you will come to him for forgiveness.
CERTAIN OFFENSES WHICH REQUIRE A LESSER PENALTY
And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing: and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin: they shall die childless.
And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless [Lev. 20:17–21].
Incest with a full or half sister was forbidden and the penalty was to be executed publicly. God demanded cleanliness in every detail of his people’s lives; especially as it had to do with sexual relations. God forbade sexual relations between those who were near of kin. He did not say that they would not bear children, but that they should die childless—the children would die before the parents who were guilty of this crime.
CONCLUSION TO THE LAW OF HOLINESS
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out [Lev. 20:22].
God put the Canaanites out of the land because they committed these awful sins. He warns Israel that He will put them out of the land if they do the same things. God is no respecter of persons. Do you know that their failure to obey God brought on them the Babylonian captivity? Listen to the record: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem …. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel …. And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger …. Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 21:1–2, 6, 9).
And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them [Lev. 20:23].
This should answer the question as to the justice of God in destroying some of the nations which occupied Palestine. As a result of these sins they were eaten up with social diseases. God forbade His people to take or touch anything in the city of Jericho at the time of the conquest. Evidently venereal diseases had reached epidemic proportions.
But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people [Lev. 20:24].
It was a land flowing with milk and honey. Timber covered that land. What happened to it? “Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: And the Lord rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day” (Deut. 29:24–28). They are planting trees over there today. When I was there, I set out five trees; one for each member of my family, one for the church that I served, and one for a Jewish friend.
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean [Lev. 20:25].
God reviews the statutes which were to make His people a different and a holy people. He began with their diet, and He concludes with it.
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine [Lev. 20:26].
They are out of the land because they did not obey God. They were to be a holy nation like unto their God who is holy. “But,” you may say, “they are in the land.” May I ask how they are getting along? They have had trouble every minute they have been back in the land. Do you know what the problem is? They went back to the land but they did not return to God. When they do return to God—which they will do someday—then there will be blessing in that land. God hasn’t changed His mind, friends.
This should be a lesson to us and to our nation. God is high and holy, and He demands holiness. This is the key to Leviticus.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Defilement of priesthood prevented in human kinship and friendship; disqualifications for priestly function
We have been studying the law as directed to the people from chapter 11 through chapter 20. Now we come to the law for the personal purity of the priests. This is found in chapters 21 and 22. We will find a certain amount of repetition here.
It had been God’s original intention that the entire nation should be a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:5–6). Their disobedience in the matter of the golden calf destroyed the possibility of the realization of a perfect and ideal society. In the Millennium, the perfect society will be attained. Then the entire nation of Israel will be the priests here on the earth for the earthly people, the gentile nations. Through the Millennium and through eternity, there are the three groups of the human family: (1) the church of Jesus Christ in the New Jerusalem, (2) the nation Israel here on this earth, (3) the saved Gentiles on this earth.
After Israel’s failure, God chose only one tribe to be the priests, the tribe of Levi. In Israel, therefore, there were the congregation, the priesthood, and the high priest. The higher position required a higher obligation. The greater responsibility demanded a higher way of life.
The church today is called a royal priesthood. Every believer is a priest and has access to the throne of grace today. Every believer-priest is required to live a holy life which is possible only by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 4:8–11). He also said, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9–10).
As God’s people we are called to a higher way of life. “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind…. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:17, 22–24). The child of God is saved by grace and has been called to a high place in his life.
A believer should be careful about accepting an office in the church. If he does become an officer, he should measure up to that responsibility. I have very little patience with men who accept an office in the church and then say they are not able to come to the mid-week service or come on Sunday night. Well, my brother, you should not have accepted the office. Responsibility, you see, comes through privilege. It is a privilege to serve the Lord in an office. You have been elevated. Then live up to it.
Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest and He measured up to His office. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore” (Heb. 7:26–28). The Lord Jesus Christ is both the priest and the sacrifice. He offered Himself.
The priests and the high priest now come under the purview of the law. Let us look at it.
DEFILEMENT OF PRIESTHOOD PREVENTED IN HUMAN KINSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP
And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them. There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother.
And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband: for her may he be defiled [Lev. 21:1–3].
Moses is to address this section to the priests. Death is a penalty of sin, and the idea is that they are not to be contaminated with sin. Physical contact with the dead brings defilement. The priest was permitted to defile himself for close relatives. These listed here are all blood relations and by nature close to the priest. He must be permitted to express his feelings of sympathy and grief as a priest of God. He must be a type of Jesus who could weep at the grave of Lazarus and was touched with the feelings of our infirmities. He was not, however, permitted to defile himself for the dead of any others. He could mourn in his heart, but was denied physical contact.
But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself [Lev. 21:4].
The office he occupied required of him a stricter separation than any common man among the people.
There are places that I don’t go, not because they are wrong, but because I am an ordained minister and I don’t want to give any occasion for offense to anyone. I believe that pastors, deacons, elders, Sunday School teachers, and all others who serve in the church, should all be extremely careful about where they go, what they do and say. God is going to hold you and me more responsible if He has placed us in a position of responsibility.
They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh [Lev. 21:5].
This was something the heathen did, and they did it as an act of mourning for the dead. The priest was not to practice these superstitious, pagan practices that were all around him.
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy [Lev. 21:6].
Their mourning was to befit those who were cupbearers of the King, “the bread of their God.” Their position demanded dignity and restraint as God’s representatives. The same applies to God’s representatives in the church today. “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate” (Titus 1:7–8).
They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God. he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy [Lev. 21:7–8].
This refers to his personal and private life, and in that, too, he is to reveal the holiness of God because of his position. He shall not marry a harlot, profane woman, or a divorced person. The reason given is because he is serving God—“offereth the bread of thy God.”
The priest is a type of Christ. Also the body of believers, called the bride of Christ, is to be cleansed before she is presented to Him without spot and wrinkle (Eph. 5:26–27).
The church leader is to be an example to others in this particular matter. May I say right here that I get many letters from both men and women who were divorced before they were saved. Some of the men want to enter the ministry and the women wish to become missionaries. I know one cannot generalize about these things, but I do want to say that I think it is almost sinful the way certain innocent people who had an unfortunate experience in their lives—many of them before they were saved—are shut out from an office because of that past experience in which they were not guilty at all. I encourage these people to go ahead and prepare for the ministry or the mission field. But I warn them to also be prepared to weather the criticism of some “saint” who thinks he is speaking for God. Also, they will find certain churches that will shut them out. Yet I encourage them to go ahead with their preparation because there will be a place for them. And there is. We need to recognize that in this day there are a great many people who are the innocent victims of divorce.
Another thing we need to recognize is that the wife of a pastor is not an assistant pastor. She is simply the wife of the pastor; that is the role she is to fill. She must be the kind of person who would be a credit to the office that the man occupies. It is not required of her that she must play the piano and the organ, sing in the choir, lead the missionary society, and on and on.
And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire [Lev. 21:9].
Why? Because of the position of her father. She was to receive the severest of penalties if she disgraced the office of her father.
And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God: for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord [Lev. 21:10–12].
This is the first mention of the high priest. As God’s anointed priest, he is to be separated unto the Lord. He was to wear the crown on which were inscribed the words “Holiness unto the Lord” as a continual reminder of who he is, whose he is, and whom he serves.
He is not to rend his holy garments. He was not to be a violent man. At the trial of Jesus this law was broken when the high priest emotionally tore his clothes (Matt. 26:65). Neither was the high priest to attend the funeral of either his father or mother. The anointing oil had been poured upon him, and he must be totally dedicated to God and separated from sin because of his position.
The Lord Jesus Christ had the anointing oil poured upon Him and He came to do the Father’s will even unto death. He demands just such dedication on the part of His followers.
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the Lord do sanctify him [Lev. 21:13–15].
His wife too must measure up to the position of the holy office. He is forbidden to marry a harlot, a profane or a divorced woman.
DISQUALIFICATION FOR PRIESTLY FUNCTION
The following verses list disqualifications for the priestly function. It includes blindness, lameness, flat nose, dwarfism, scabs, and other deformities and blemishes.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous.
Or, a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded.
Or crookback, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God [Lev. 21:16–21].
Why should this be? Just as no sacrifice was to be offered that had a blemish, by the same token no priest was to serve in the tabernacle if he had a blemish. Both the offering and the offerer represent Christ and there is no blemish in Him, either in His person or in His work. Christ is the perfect High Priest. There is no blemish in Him but rather beauty and glory and excellency.
He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish, that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the Lord do sanctify them [Lev. 21:22–23].
Although those with a blemish were forbidden to serve, they were not shut out from the table of the Lord. God provided for them. This is in contrast to the treatment the pagan world gave the unfit.
There is a spiritual lesson for us here. There are many believers who have some serious handicap either physically, morally, ethically, or spiritually. This would bar them from certain forms of service, yet they are genuine saints of God who have all the rights and privileges of believers in every respect.
When I was studying for the ministry, I taught a young fellow in Sunday School who was in junior high school at the time. He was a marvelous athlete, but he had a cleft palate with a speech impediment. He came to me one day and told me that he would like to be a minister. Now, how do you talk to a young fellow like that? I tried to explain to him that he was a wonderful athlete, but that his speech was a handicap and suggested he find something in Christian work which would not require public speaking. I’ve followed this man through the years. He became a football coach at a college. His influence for Christ was as great or greater than any minister’s. They learned to admire this man as an athlete and then, with his speech impediment, he would tell them about Jesus Christ and it made a real impact upon them.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: Defilement of the priesthood through disease, diet, and the dead; discernment of the offerings brought by the people
DEFILEMENT OF THE PRIESTHOOD THROUGH DISEASE, DIET, AND THE DEAD
And theLord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the Lord [Lev. 22:1–2].
There was to be a separation of the sacred and the secular. Aaron was not to bring the things of the tabernacle home with him. The lesson for us is that we are not to treat the sacred and holy things of God as if they were commonplace.
Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord [Lev. 22:3].
The priest is not to go about his office in a careless and slipshod manner. God requires that he should be put out of the office of the priesthood if he does that. I believe there is a spiritual application for the believer today. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32).
God proceeds to enumerate all manner of uncleanness which would disqualify the priest from carrying out his priestly duties.
What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;
Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;
The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the Lord.
They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the Lord do sanctify them [Lev. 22:4–9].
The priests were to be holy in their relationships in their homes, in their social contacts, in their business contacts, in anything where they touched the world. The priests were set apart to be holy unto the Lord. They were to be an example to others. Some of the things mentioned are the same as those given for all of Israel. The priest had no special privileges. Uncleanness in the common man and uncleanness in the priest were to be ceremonially cleansed. The private life of the priest must match his public office and service.
There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing [Lev. 22:10].
The priest must preserve the sanctity of the tabernacle by excluding the stranger. Only the sons of God can worship God.
But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.
If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.
But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof [Lev. 22:11–13].
The verses go on to explain that only those who belong to the priest, who were born in his house, can eat of his meat. If a priest’s daughter married a Gentile, she was excluded from access to the holy things. If she were widowed or divorced and returned to her father’s house, she could eat her father’s meat. The prodigal son or daughter may return home and find a welcome.
And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.
And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the Lord;
Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the Lord do sanctify them [Lev. 22:14–16].
Ignorance of the law affords no excuse. The man who eats of the holy things unwittingly is guilty. A fine is exacted of him. This placed an added responsibility upon the priests to guard the holy place.
The unbelieving world gains its impression of the church from the members of the church. Indifference and irreverence is detected immediately by the outside unbeliever, and his attitude and conduct is governed accordingly. The Lord Jesus said, “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh” (Matt. 18:7).
DISCERNMENT OF THE OFFERINGS BROUGHT BY THE PEOPLE
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the Lord for a burnt offering:
Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you [Lev. 22:17–20].
This section contains rules and regulations for the people in bringing their offerings, and these rules must be strictly enforced by the priests. The regulations apply to the people, but the enforcement applies to the priests. No offering with a blemish was to be permitted because the offerings pointed to Christ. Any departure from this was to lower the concept of the person of Christ and the holy demands of God.
And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord.
Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.
Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day [Lev. 22:21–28].
Natural deformity in an animal as well as bruises and cuts and broken bones comprised the blemishes. Any of these should make them reject the animal as an offering. No stranger was to make an offering. And any offering animal was to be at least over seven days old. Seven represents completion—it was to have lived a complete cycle.
It was at this point of offering animals without blemish that Israel failed miserably. They brought that which was torn and lame and sick for their offerings and God called forth from the prophets a denunciation of their offerings. We find this in Malachi 1:6–14.
And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will.
On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the Lord [Lev. 22:29–30].
The offering was to be a freewill offering. This type of offering must represent the Father who gave His Son in love and the Son who came “… for the joy that was set before him …” (Heb. 12:2). The offering must be eaten the same day. No opportunity must be allowed for the slightest bit of corruption.
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.
Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you,
That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord [Lev. 22:31–33].
They were to be a witness for God. They were not to go as witnesses to the ends of the earth as you and I have been called to do today. They were called to serve God as a nation. As they did this, the whole world would come to Jerusalem. God’s holy name was to be represented in every act of worship.
What was to be the motivation for their obedience? Dr. Andrew A. Bonar gives five reasons:
1. “I am the Lord”
2. “I will be hallowed among the children of Israel”
3. “I am the Lord which hallow you”
4. “I am the Lord which brought you out of Egypt”
5. “Your God.”
“I am the Lord which hallow you.” There is liberty for the believer today, but liberty does not grant license. The holiness and righteousness of God must be zealously maintained in all our worship.
“I am the Lord which brought you out of Egypt.” God has saved you, my friend. God saves you by grace. He didn’t save you with the idea of exacting commensurate work from you. Then it wouldn’t be grace. I do not agree with the words of the song, “I gave My life for thee, what hast thou done for Me?” Grace does not demand payment. But let me ask you a question. Do you love Him? Do you want to serve Him? The wife doesn’t fix a birthday dinner for her husband because it is her duty. She does it because she loves the old boy! And the true believer will serve God because he loves Him.
“I am the Lord which hallow you, that brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God.” Is He your God, my friend? If He is, then you represent Him. The world is reading you. Remember the little poem:
The Gospel is written a chapter a day
By the deeds that you do and words that you say.
Men read what you say whether faithless or true.
Say, what is the Gospel according to you?
Men are not reading the Bible today. They are reading you and me. What are they reading in you, my friend?
CHAPTER 23
Theme: The holy seasons of the Sabbath; the holy season of Passover; the holy season of Unleavened Bread; the holy season of Firstfruits; the holy season of Pentecost; the holy season of Trumpets; the holy season of the great Day of Atonement; the holy season of Tabernacles
This is a remarkable chapter of God’s solemn festivals. The holy holidays were times of joy. There was mourning on only one of them, the great Day of Atonement. The others were to be times of joy and rejoicing. God never wanted a weeping people to come before Him; He wanted a rejoicing people. These festivals provide God’s calendar for all time.
Johann Peter Lange gives the meaning of the so-called feasts as “a fixed, appointed time.” It is sometimes translated a “set time.” Perhaps “holy seasons” would be the most appropriate translation.
Details for most of these feasts are given elsewhere in Scripture. Here they are given in an orderly and purposeful arrangement. There are seven feasts, excluding the Sabbath day, which is given first. The Sabbath day was not a feast day, but is included because it furnishes the yardstick for the measuring of time. The number seven is as prominent in this chapter as in the Book of Revelation. It is the dimension of time.
The Sabbath Day is the seventh day. Pentecost is the feast of the seventh week; the seventh new moon with its following Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles is the feast of the seventh month. In the twenty-fifth chapter we will have occasion to consider the sabbatic year and the year of Jubilee, all adjusted to the number seven. There were seven days of unleavened bread, and seven days of dwelling in tabernacles in the Feast of Tabernacles.
These days of holy convocation served a two-fold purpose: a practical purpose and a prophetic purpose. On the practical plane they served both a social and commercial purpose. They brought the twelve tribes together in worship and fellowship. All males were required to go to Jerusalem to worship on three occasions: at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Deut. 16:16). You can see that this would have a tendency to unite the nation and knit the tribes together. The people would come from all sections of the kingdom and exchange ideas as well as merchandise. Failure to follow these instructions was one of the contributing factors in dividing the nation into northern and southern kingdoms.
Most of these feasts were geared into the agricultural life of the land, especially the harvesting of the crops. This was especially true of the feasts of Firstfruits, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. This brought the worship of Jehovah down to the grain field, the vineyard, and the fig orchard. Praise to God was united with the work of the people. The sweat of their brow became a sacred thing.
The primary purpose of these feast days was to give a prophetic picture of all future time. Each one of these feasts has found or will find a fulfillment in time. Most of them have been fulfilled. We will point this out as we go along.
We are no longer to observe days and seasons because Christ has fulfilled them. “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Col. 2:16–17).
I should mention that all the festivals and observances are not included in this chapter. The Sabbatic year and the year of Jubilee are found in chapter 25, and the New Moons in Numbers 28:11–15.
THE HOLY SEASONS OF THE SABBATH
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings [Lev. 23:1–3].
If you will notice, as we go through this book, God always directs His instructions to certain people, and it is well to note the ones to whom He is directing the instruction. He tells Moses as the lawgiver, and he in turn is to tell the people. Even though the feasts will involve the tabernacle, the priests are not specifically mentioned. The people were to come together, and the feasts were to fit into the yearly calendar of Israel.
Passover—the crucifixion and death of Christ
Unleavened Bread—the fellowship we have with Christ because of His death
Firstfruits—the resurrection of Christ
Pentecost—the beginning of the church
Trumpets—Israel brought back into the land (future)
Great Day of Atonement—the work of Christ upon the cross for us
Tabernacles—the time when Israel is in the land (future)
The weekly Sabbath cannot properly be labeled one of the feast days. It is pre-Mosaic and goes back to the original creation. It was repeated to Israel, and in Deuteronomy an additional reason for its observance is given. “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day” (Deut. 5:15).
When they were slaves down in Egypt, they had to work every day. The Sabbath day is tied in with their deliverance. Now that they have been delivered from Egypt, they are to set aside one day to worship God. There is to be cessation from all labor and activity.
When the early church set aside a day of the week to come together, they chose Sunday, the first day of the week, because it was the day our Lord came back from the dead. That is the day full deliverance was given to us. “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). The Sabbath day belongs to the old creation. We belong to the new creation. “… if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation] …” (2 Cor. 5:17). We honor Christ by setting aside the first day of the week.
The Sabbath was a yardstick of time for Israel. It spoke of cessation from all labor and activity and looked forward to a new week when there would be a new creation. It was also prophetic in that it looked forward to redemption. Man lost his rest in the first creation, but now rest is his through redemption. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:9–11). Our rest comes through redemption and redemption only. There is a rest for the people of God. What is it? Our sins are forgiven. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Rest and redemption are the twofold aspect of the Sabbath day.
The Sabbath day was not a feast day. It is geared to the week and not to the year. It was not a feast, but a set time.
THE HOLY SEASON OF PASSOVER
These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord’s passover [Lev. 23:4–5].
The description of the feast was given to us back in Exodus 12, but here it is placed in the calendar of God. This verse makes it clear that the feasts begin properly with the Passover and not the Sabbath. In Exodus 12:2 God said, “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” This holy season represents the sacrificial death of Christ and the value of His blood. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).
The Passover originated in the historical event of the last plague in Egypt by the slaying of the firstborn. Israel was instructed to slay a lamb and put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their homes. They were to stay inside, roast the lamb, and eat it. The angel of death would pass over every door which was marked with the blood. When we get to Numbers 9, we will find that Israel kept the Passover when they were encamped at Mount Sinai.
The Passover was brought to its fulfillment the night of the arrest of the Lord Jesus Christ after He had observed the Passover with His disciples, and had instituted a new feast on the dying embers of the old. Then we see the Lamb slain in Revelation 5:6. I think the Passover will be observed again in the Kingdom. “For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:16).
THE HOLY SEASON OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein [Lev. 23:6–8].
Although this is considered a separate feast, it is closely aligned with the Passover. Passover was observed one day, and the next day—the first day of the week—began the feast of Unleavened Bread. Its historical origin is in direct connection with the Passover (Exod. 12:14–28). Unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days beginning on the day after Passover. In Matthew and Mark the Passover and Unleavened Bread are considered as one feast.
Leaven here, as elsewhere, is the symbol of evil. The unleavened bread speaks of fellowship with Christ based on His redemption and maintained by the holy walk of the believer (1 Cor. 5:7–8).
No servile work was to be done. On those days the participants were to rest from their daily occupations. There were to be offerings made by fire which refer to burnt offerings, meal offerings, and sin offerings. The first and the seventh days of the week of Unleavened Bread were the particular days of an “holy convocation.”
The Passover speaks of the death of Christ for our sins. After that, we are now to maintain fellowship with Him on the basis of the fact that He died for us. We are to remain clean by confessing our sins as we go along. Our Lord said to His men, “… If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). It signifies that the value of the blood of Christ continues for the believer after he is saved. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The blood of Jesus Christ keeps on keeping us clean. That is the meaning of the feast of Mazzoth, Unleavened Bread.
THE HOLY SEASON OF FIRST FRUITS
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it [Lev. 23:9–11].
This feast could not be observed until Israel got out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. When they had sowed their grain in the land, they were to watch for the first heading of the barley. When they would see a stalk here and there, they would cut each one down and put them together to make a sheaf. This was then brought to the tabernacle, and the priest would offer it to the Lord.
The exact day that he did this is not stated. It may have been the first day of Unleavened Bread or the last day of that feast. The important item to note is that it was done on the first day of the week. This is so important because Christ is called the firstfruits. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20). “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23). The time of His resurrection is clearly stated in Matthew 28:1: “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.” On the first day of the week, Christ, “the firstfruits” was resurrected from the dead.
Someday the church will be included in resurrection, but so far He is the only One who has been raised in a glorified body. At the rapture of the church, we shall all rise. There will be a coming out of the graves just as Christ did. He is the firstfruits, afterwards they that are Christ’s at His coming. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24).
You see, the offering of the firstfruits indicated that there would be a harvest to follow. Believers are that harvest.
And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.
And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings [Lev. 23:12–14].
Offerings accompanied the celebration of this day. No sin offering was included because that was included in the death of Christ—that is where He settled the sin question. These offerings are a sweet savor. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “… because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). This is a glorious truth that we have here.
The new crop of grain could not be enjoyed until this offering was waved before Jehovah. For the believer, the death and resurrection of Christ brings us into new relationships and blessings. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). That doesn’t mean that just a few habits change. It means we are taken out of the old Adam, and we are joined to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we have a new purpose, a new goal, a new joy, and new life—and that would affect a few old habits, would it not? He makes all things new.
THE HOLY SEASON OF PENTECOST
Notice the orderly, chronological sequence that we have here. Passover tells us that Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us. Unleavened Bread is sharing the things of Christ, fellowship with Him. Then Firstfruits signifies Christ’s resurrection, the firstfruits from the dead. Now we come to Pentecost.
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord [Lev. 23:15–16].
There are several things we need to note about Pentecost because there is so much being made of it today that is absolutely unscriptural. The Feast of Pentecost always fell on the first day of the week. They counted seven Sabbaths, which would be seven weeks or forty-nine days, then the fiftieth day, the day after the seventh Sabbath, the first day of the week, was Pentecost. This was fifty days after the offering of the wave sheaf of firstfruits.
The church was born on the first day of the week. It was on the first day of the week that our Lord arose. Doesn’t that tell us something? Wouldn’t it be rather odd for the church to go back and observe the old Sabbath which belonged to the old creation when the church is a new creation? When the church meets on the first day of the week, we are celebrating our Lord’s resurrection and the birthday of the church. This festival is also called the feast of Weeks.
The typical meaning of Pentecost is not left to man’s speculation. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place …. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1, 4). “When the day of Pentecost was fully come” doesn’t mean at twelve noon or at six in the evening. “The day of Pentecost was fully come” means the fulfillment of that for which it was given in Leviticus. It denotes the coming of the Holy Spirit to baptize believers into the body of Christ and to begin the calling out of the church. Pentecost is the birthday of the church.
It was fifty days after the resurrection of Christ that the Holy Spirit came. God was running according to His calendar and on time.
They were to offer a new meal offering. That is a type of the church. The church is something new. Christ didn’t say that he would give us an old garment and patch it up. He came to bring a brand new robe of righteousness. To be in Christ is to be clothed with His righteousness. That is how God sees us.
We need to note the time sequence. After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, He showed Himself alive for forty days. Then, just before He ascended into heaven, He said to His own that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. He told them they should be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). In Acts 1:5 it states: “… but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God came upon them.
Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord [Lev. 23:17].
Do you notice anything startling about this verse? We have said that leaven is the principle of evil and that it was not to be in the offerings. Here is the exception. This is typifying the church, and it is a new offering in that it is a meal offering with leaven included. What does it mean? It means there is evil in the church. This is obvious to the most casual observer.
I was a pastor for forty years. I have served in four different states from the Atlantic to the Pacific. I have been in some wonderful churches, and I look back on those years with a real joy. I’ve had wonderful fellowship with the members of these churches. They have loved me and I loved them; we have been very close. However I happen to be able to testify that there is evil in the church. That is why leaven is included in this offering. This speaks of the visible church down on earth, the church as you and I see it and know it. There is evil in it. The Lord knew that long before the church even existed!
And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord.
Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest [Lev. 23:18–20].
All the offerings are to be made at this time. All that Christ is and all that He has done have been made over to the church. Believers can draw upon Him for everything. You can come to Him for salvation, first of all. You can come to Him for help and for mercy, for sympathy and for comfort. You can come to Him in all the situations of life. All the offerings were made at this time.
Isn’t it interesting how the Lord, in these pictures, is giving to you and me some of the greatest truths? He uses pictures rather than cold, theological terms.
And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations [Lev. 23:21].
They were to rest on that day and cease from their own works. That is what you and I are to do when we come to Christ. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shall thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 23:22].
The holy day was adapted to the land. In the midst of the celebration they were to remember the poor and the stranger.
That is the practical side of the work of the church and of all believers today. We have been saved by grace, but we should attempt to get the Word of God out to folk and be helpful to them. I do not believe the church has any right to engage in any social service in which they do not present the Gospel. We are to feed people and reach out to them in their need, but along with this we must present the Gospel to them. We should remember that a man with an empty stomach is not going to be very eager to listen to the Gospel. James has some things to say about that (James 2:14–20).
This also looks forward to the great harvest at the end of the age, after the Rapture of the church, when God will remember the Gentiles. James 1:18 says, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” The early church was Jewish and was firstfruits, but it was to be followed by a great company of Gentiles. Our Lord tells about the end of the age: “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels” (Matt. 13:38–39). This is the judgment at the end of the age. Angels are not connected in any way to the Rapture. This is the judgment that is coming that is in mind here. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:1).
THE HOLY SEASON OF TRUMPETS
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Ye shall do no servile work therein; but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord [Lev. 23:23–25].
The date here is important. Three feasts take place in the seventh month. It is sort of a sabbatic month, just as there is a sabbatic day and a sabbatic year. This marked the beginning of the civil year as Passover marked the beginning of the religious year.
The blowing of two silver trumpets was used in moving Israel through the wilderness (Num. 10). The trumpets were blown seven times to get them on the march. There are seven trumpets in the Revelation which cover the Great Tribulation Period and which will see Israel restored to the land for the kingdom age. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem” (Isa. 27:13). “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:31).
Before the restoration of Israel the church will have left the earth already. They will hear the voice of the Lord like a trumpet. These are now the people left on earth who will hear the sound of the trumpet.
“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance” (Ps. 89:15).
The trumpets are connected with the coming judgment.
THE HOLY SEASON OF THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God.
For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath [Lev. 23:26–32].
The great Day of Atonement was fully covered in chapter 16. Three times Scripture says, “Ye shall afflict your souls.” It was a solemn day rather than a feast day, which was different from all the others.
In contrast to this, it is interesting to note that the trumpet of Jubilee was sounded every fifty years on the Day of Atonement, and that it denoted joy and rejoicing (Lev. 25:8–9). There is deliverance when the price is paid for your salvation and mine. That is the Year of Jubilee. What a glorious year that must have been!
THE HOLY SEASON OF TABERNACLES
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.
On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein [Lev. 23:33–36].
This is the third feast in the seventh month. It was both a memorial and a prophetic holy season. It followed the great Day of Atonement by only a few days. As a memorial, it spoke of their days of wandering in the wilderness when they dwelt in booths. It points prophetically to the time when God will have fully removed their sin, and they will dwell again safely in the Promised Land. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1). “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it” (Mic. 4:4).
These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord [Lev. 23:37–38].
This is a special emphasis on the feast days to reveal in what God delights for the benefit of His people.
Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.
And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Ye shall dwell in booths seven days: all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord [Lev. 23:39–44].
After the great Day of Atonement when there was made a full expiation of their sins, and the harvest and fruit of the land were gathered in, there was observed this very joyful occasion. They were to dwell in booths to remind them of the wilderness wanderings, but also to point them to the future. Hebrews 11 tells us that they all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They were persuaded of them and they embraced them. They were looking forward to that day when they would not dwell in booths as in the wilderness, but they would be in the millennial age. That is the hope for this earth.
This holy season will be observed during the Millennium: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16–18). You will find it interesting to read that whole chapter of Zechariah 14.
This feast is not only prophetic of the Millennium, but also points to eternity and the everlasting kingdom. “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Rev. 21:3). This is the fulfillment of the great Feast of Tabernacles. For seven days in the seventh month they were to rejoice. This speaks of the final and full rejoicing of God’s earthly people. (His heavenly people will be with Him in the New Jerusalem.) Friends, there is a great future ahead for us!
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Olive oil for the golden lampstand; fine flour for the table of showbread; death penalty for the sin of blasphemy
This chapter seems to be out of place with what has gone before. The items in this chapter seem to be disconnected. The oil for the lampstand and the bread for the table do not seem to belong between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Sabbatic year. Nevertheless, this is the method the Holy Spirit uses on another occasion. In Numbers 8:1–4 there are the instructions for lighting the lights, and a brief description is inserted between the gifts of the princes and the cleansing of the Levites. I think it teaches that all is to be done in the light and leading of the Holy Spirit. The same lesson is to be drawn here. The celebrations of the feasts and the observances of the Sabbatic and Jubilee years must be performed in the light of the Holy Spirit and in the strength and power of Christ. That is very important.
There are some practical implications which must not be overlooked. The people were to furnish the oil for the lampstand and the fine flour for the bread on the table. God made them participants in the provision and worship of the tabernacle. God, by some miracle, could have furnished the oil and the flour and the workmanship for the table and the lampstand. However, He wanted the people to participate.
That is the way I feel about getting out the Word of God. In every local congregation there are ways for you to get involved in the work of the Lord. Just keep your eyes open and you will notice something to do. I remember when I was teaching a little Bible study to a Boy Scout troop. I doubt whether any one of those boys ever did a good deed—they almost put me in the hospital! I really had to be stern with them. A couple of men from the church came in one night and saw what a problem I had with those boys. So they volunteered their help. It was wonderful to have them sit with the boys while I taught the Bible study.
All those who love the Word of God should get involved in getting the message to people. God says, “You bring the oil; you bring the flour”
The importance of the lampstand cannot be overlooked. It was probably the most accurate and beautiful picture of Christ in all the tabernacle. It was solid gold and beautifully wrought into seven branches of almond boughs from one main stem.
Aaron had sole charge of the lights of the lampstand to keep them burning (Exod. 30:7–8). It is important to see that today the lamps are in the hands of our Great High Priest. Jesus Christ has said that He is the Light of the world. Before He left, He told His own that they were to be the light of the world. Paul uses this same idea when he says, “… among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). In Revelation 1 and 2, the Lord Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest walks in the midst of the lampstands today to keep us shining. He pours in the oil which is the filling with the Holy Spirit. He trims the wicks so that the light will burn brighter. He removes the light when it refuses to burn—this is the sin unto death which John mentions in his epistle.
Therefore the insertion of the lampstand and the showbread in this section is not out of place.
The second incident in the Book of Leviticus is found in this chapter. The son of an Israelitish mother and an Egyptian father blasphemed. This is another example of the problem and difficulty presented by the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt with Israel. They were problem children and troublemakers. They correspond to those in the church today who are torn between the world on one hand and serving God on the other.
OLIVE OIL FOR THE GOLDEN LAMPSTAND
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying.
Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually [Lev. 24:1–2].
The people of Israel were to furnish the olive oil, and since the seven lamps burned continually, both day and night, this was no small item. This gave each Israelite, as well as the tribe of Levi, an interest in the service of the tabernacle. The olive oil was to be pure, free from leaves and all impurities. It was not to be pressed out, but beaten out, to produce the very finest grade. The best was to be used, for the oil speaks of the Holy Spirit.
Without the veil of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the Lord continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.
He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the Lord continually [Lev. 24:3–4].
The lamps were to be kept lit continually while the tabernacle was set up. (Obviously, when they marched in the wilderness, they did not hold up lighted candlesticks.) And we note that Aaron alone controlled the use and the service of the lampstand. “And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations” (Exod. 30:7–8).
The Lord Jesus Christ is walking in the midst of the lampstands today. He is our Great High Priest. He trims them every now and then as He moves into our hearts and lives. Sometimes He must snuff out a light that is giving off smoke instead of light.
FINE FLOUR FOR THE TABLE OF SHOWBREAD
And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord.
And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial even an offering made by fire unto the Lord [Lev. 24:5–7].
The fine flour was to be furnished by the people, as was the olive oil. As the oil speaks of the Holy Spirit, so the bread speaks of Christ. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
Fine flour means it was of wheat. The frankincense was a natural gum to be a gift from the people. The bread speaks of Christ, and the frankincense speaks of the wonderful fragrance of His humanity.
Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire by a perpetual statute [Lev. 24:8–9].
The bread would stay on the table for a week. It was to be changed on the Sabbath, and the old bread was to be eaten by Aaron and his sons—and always in the Holy Place. When David and his men were in desperate need, Ahimelech gave him some of the showbread to eat (1 Sam. 21:4–6). Our Lord calls attention to this when they criticized His disciples for eating grain on the Sabbath day (Matt. 12:3–4).
The bread and the light speak of Christ. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51). “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
We must feed on Him if we are to serve Him. And anything we do for Him must be done in His light through the Holy Spirit.
DEATH PENALTY FOR THE SIN OF BLASPHEMY
There are only two incidents or episodes recorded in the Book of Leviticus. One is the incident of Nadab and Abihu back in Leviticus 10, and now we come to this incident. It seems entirely out of keeping with the instructions given here, but we need to recognize the fact that God is teaching a great lesson concerning blasphemy.
And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;
And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
And they put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them [Lev. 24:10–12].
This boy who did the blaspheming is of a mixed race. His mother was of the tribe of Dan and his father was an Egyptian. There was a mixed multitude that went out of Egypt along with the children of Israel (Exod. 12:38). We are going to see that this group started trouble in the camp; they would murmur and cause strife. “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a-lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?” (Num. 11:4).
We can see why these would be problem children, troublemakers. When the day came for the children of Israel to leave the land of Egypt and go out into the Promised Land, the Egyptian father would stay in Egypt and the Israelitish mother would go. There is a separation right there.
This is one of the reasons that God told His people then (and He tells us now) that there should not be intermarriage between a believer and an unbeliever. This does not have anything to do with race. It is wrong for a believer to marry an unbeliever regardless of the color of the skin. Even though both are the same color, it is still wrong for a believer to marry an unbeliever. God says that. I would never have known it is wrong if God hadn’t said it.
This mixed-race boy has a problem. He must make a decision whether to go the way of the father or the way of the mother. The problem is that the decision is never really made. Sure, he made an initial decision, but then in his mind the question would always reappear, I wonder if I should have done the other thing and stayed with Dad. This mixed multitude has an eternal question mark before them. It was a hard decision to leave Egypt in the first place. Then their thoughts constantly go back to Egypt, and when the going gets rough, they are the first to complain.
Now, friends, we have those same people in the church today. There is the unsaved person in the church who wants one foot in the church but he has the other foot out in the world. They are the troublemakers. It has always made me wonder whether the troublemaker is really a saved person. I cannot understand a really born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ trying to block the giving out of the Word of God. The greatest opposition I have had to my radio broadcast that gives out the Word of God, has not come from those outside the church; it has been the church members who have tried to wreck this radio program. I was never so shocked in my life. One would expect them to say, “Brother, God bless you. I hope you can get the Word of God out to people.” No, my friend they didn’t want to have any part in it.
Now this boy got into a fight. We can easily understand how that could come about. He did not have a place in the tribe of Dan, but was a hanger-on who had access to the camp of Israel. After he got into the fight, he blasphemed the name of God. He cursed the name of the Lord, that name which was so sacred in Israel that it was not even voiced. It evidently was the Hebrew tetragrammaton YHWH. There is even a question today about how to pronounce the name of the Lord. Is it Jehovah or Jahweh? The name is so holy that the Israelites did not even pronounce it, but this blasphemer could pronounce it!
I was invited to a private club by one of the members, and we had lunch there. A man at the table next to us used the name of God more than I have ever used it in any sermon. But He didn’t use it like I use it in a sermon! He was blaspheming. And God feels no differently about him than He did about this half-breed boy in Leviticus.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death [Lev. 24:13–16].
God handed down His verdict of guilty, and the penalty was death by stoning. The seriousness of the crime is measured by the penalty which God inflicted. All who heard the blasphemy must place their hands on his head, denoting a placing of guilt solely on the young man. The death penalty is required for blaspheming God, and it is established that the penalty shall be paid by both the Israelite and the stranger.
And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he bath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God [Lev. 24:17–22].
We have developed some soft notions. The penalty for murdering a man is stated right here. War protesters like to print “Thou shalt not kill” on their banners. I am still waiting to see a banner that says “He that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.”
There was established here what is known as lex talionis, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This was the penalty which was inflicted literally. One law applied to both the Israelite and the stranger.
And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses [Lev. 24:23].
There is a great moral lesson here. The name of our God is sacred and must be protected. Blasphemy is a crime of the deepest hue. Also, human life is sacred and must be protected. God provides also for the protection of personal property.
God is righteous in all His dealings. We, too, are guilty before God—“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” But Christ has borne our sentence of death. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:4–6).
CHAPTER 25
Theme: The sabbatical year; the year of Jubilee; the redemption of property; the redemption of persons
Not only was the Mosaic economy directed to the people of Israel, but it also pertained particularly to the land of Palestine. This is emphasized in this chapter. The laws given here could not be enforced until Israel entered the land of Canaan. They could not possibly be adapted to the wilderness. There is a constant and almost monotonous reference to and repetition of the word land—“When ye come into the land,” “rest unto the land,” and “proclaim liberty throughout all the land.” That last phrase is found ten times. Everything in this chapter is tied down to the land which God gave Israel. The Mosaic economy was directed to a peculiar people, Israel, and to a particular land, Palestine. Furthermore, it is directed to a people engaged in agriculture.
There are those who try to saddle the Old Testament Law as a way of life upon the church. These laws don’t fit in California, and they won’t fit other areas of our nation. “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land” is inscribed on our Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Yet, we need always remember that these laws were given to a particular people in a particular land.
One cannot read Leviticus, nor the rest of the Bible, without noticing the recurrence of the number seven. It is the number used to denote completeness. It does not mean perfection in every instance, but it denotes completeness. There is a definite connection of the many occurrences of the number seven in Leviticus with the number seven in Revelation. Both books use it in a structural way. Time was divided into sevens both for the civil and ceremonial calendars. There is the seventh day, the seventh week, the seventh month, the seventh year. The calendar was geared to sabbatic times and the Levitical code was run on wheels of seven cycles. This occurs again in Revelation.
God rested on the seventh day, not because He was tired, but because He had completed creation in six days, and there was no more to do. The Sabbath was made the basic unit of measurement of time, and then from the Sabbath there were ever-expanding units of time measurement.
THE SABBATICAL YEAR
And the Lord spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying [Lev. 25:1].
It should be noted that this reverts back to Mt. Sinai, but it is to be put into effect when they get into the Land. Remember that God spoke out of the tabernacle in Leviticus 1:1.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord [Lev. 25:2].
This is amazing. There is a sabbath for the land as well as for man. The seventh day is for man, and the seventh year is for the land.
The seventh day hearkens back to creation when God rested from His labors, for His work of creation was complete. Sabbath means rest, and in its ultimate meaning it refers to the rest of redemption. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:9–11). Rest in these verses means literally “keeping of a sabbath.”
It is obvious in this day of scientific agriculture that letting the land lie fallow on the seventh year was good for the land. It was also a rest for those who tilled the soil, although they could discharge other necessary duties. This Sabbatical year for the land was to deliver the Israelite from covetousness. Actually, it was the breaking of this regulation concerning the Sabbatical year that sent Israel into the seventy years Babylonian captivity (2 Chron. 36:21). They failed to keep seventy sabbatic years over a period of 490 years; so they went into captivity for seventy years.
Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;
But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard [Lev. 25:3–4].
This makes it perfectly clear that the Sabbatical year related to the land. They were to sow their fields and prune their vineyards for six years, and then neither sow nor prune on the seventh year. There is a curse upon the earth as well as upon man, and it is by the sweat of man’s brow that he extracts bread from the soil. There will be a day when the curse shall be lifted from creation (Rom. 8:20–22 and Isa. 35:1–2).
The southland where I was reared has learned, to its sorrow, that one should let the land lie fallow. A great deal of the land has been worn out by planting cotton every year, year after year. The Sabbatical year was actually a good agricultural principle which God gave to them. It is quite interesting that God knows all about farming, isn’t it?
That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.
And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you: for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee.
And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat [Lev. 25:5–7].
This shows how the physical needs of the people were supplied during the Sabbatical year. The land was so productive that it was not necessary to plant each year. In the Euphrates Valley, in the days of Abraham, it was not necessary to plant at all. The grain grew without planting. The ground in Israel produced enough to supply the needs of the owner, his servants, and the stranger. Even the cattle could survive and probably grew fat by grazing on the untilled land. God took care of both man and beast, Israelite and stranger, rich and poor during the year of rest. They were all given enough to eat. However, they could not harvest anything to market it.
Years ago, before all the subdivisions were built, there were many fine vineyards near Pasadena. I had a very fine neighbor who had a wonderful vineyard of Concord grapes. He was a generous man and he would always bring me a basket or two during the season. He was a Seventh Day Adventist and at times he would try to goad me about the Sabbath day. He would ask me why I didn’t keep the Sabbath day. I would tell him that I did keep the Sabbath day—on Saturday and on Sunday and on Monday and on Tuesday and every day of the week. I tried to explain to him that sabbath means rest and that we have entered into the rest of redemption. We have ceased from works and put our trust in Jesus Christ which makes every day a day of rest, a rest in Jesus Christ. Of course, he didn’t like it that way. Then I would ask him a question. “Are you keeping the Mosaic Law? Are you keeping the Sabbath as they did in Israel?” He assured me that he was. Then I showed him chapter 25 of Leviticus. I told him there was not a Sabbath day only, but there was also a Sabbatical year. In that year the poor people could go into the vineyard and glean grapes. I asked him to let me know when he would observe that Sabbatical year so I could get my basket and glean some of his grapes. He answered, “You’d better not go into that vineyard without my permission!” May I say to you, he was not keeping the Mosaic Law. He was keeping only a small part of it. He did not keep the Sabbatical year nor the year of Jubilee.
God was teaching Israel several lessons. He never permitted any one of them to monopolize the land so that the poor people were not taken care of. God was protecting the land and the poor people at the same time. Also He was teaching them that the land was cursed but that the time would come when the land would produce in abundance.
Today, people worry about the population explosion and the inability of the earth to produce enough food for the people. When the curse is removed, my friend, this earth will produce in a way never seen since the fall of man. God is the supplier of all human needs. God is the owner of this earth.
THE YEAR OF JUBILEE
And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years [Lev. 25:8].
This continues in the multiples of seven. Seven Sabbatical years were numbered and this made forty-nine years. Then, the following year, the fiftieth, was set aside as the year of Jubilee. The year of Jubilee was a continuing of the number seven to the ever-ascending scale of the calendar. It was the largest unit of time—fifty years.
Today we operate by leases. People may have a fifty-year lease or a ninety-nine-year lease. God worked on that basis, also. There were two years of Jubilee in every century.
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land [Lev. 25:9].
This was the crowning point of the entire sabbatical structure of the nation. It was the SHeNATH HAYOBHEL, the year of Jubilee. In many respects it was the most anticipated and joyful period of the Mosaic economy. The KEREN HAYOBHEL meant the horn of a ram, and in the time the YOBHEL came to mean trumpet. It is translated twenty-one times as “jubilee,” five times as “ram’s horn,” and once as “trumpet.”
After Israel was settled in the land, it is difficult to see how one blast of the trumpet could be heard from Dan to Beersheba. It is reasonable to conclude that in every populated area there was a simultaneous blowing of the ram’s horn to usher in the year of Jubilee. I think it would begin at the tabernacle or temple. There would be a person stationed far enough away to be able to hear it, and then the trumpet note would be passed on and on out to the very end of the land.
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family [Lev. 25:10].
In that day people could mortgage their land but in the year of Jubilee that land would return back to the original owner. This was the way God protected the land from leaving the original owner. The land could be taken away for a period of fifty years, but in the year of Jubilee the land went back to the original owner or to his descendants.
If a man had sold himself into slavery, when that trumpet was sounded he went free. The shackles were broken.
This is how we are freed today. The Greek word for trumpet is kerux and the verb kerusso means to proclaim or to herald. The year of Jubilee is likened to this age of grace when the Gospel is preached to slaves of sin and captives of Satan. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:17–18, 23). The Lord Jesus Christ said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:32, 36).
In the year of Jubilee everything went free. All mortgages were canceled. When you come to Jesus Christ, my friend, the sin question is settled. He paid the penalty. It is all settled, and you go free. He makes you free! “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22). “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).
In this connection it is interesting to note the words of our Lord in the synagogue at Nazareth: “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:17–21).
“To preach the gospel to the poor” is to herald it, to trumpet it. Isn’t this the year of Jubilee—to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, to set at liberty them that are bruised?
Possibly the best application and final fulfillment of the year of Jubilee will be in the Millennium as it relates directly to the nation Israel. I would encourage you to read Isaiah 11, 35 and 40, Jeremiah 23, Micah 4, and Revelation 20.
A jubile, shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field [Lev. 25:11–12].
The year of Jubilee followed a Sabbatical year when the land lay fallow. God promised to provide providentially for them. They were to obey. God would provide.
In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbour, or buyest aught of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another:
According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:
According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.
Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God.
Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.
And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.
And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:
Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.
And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.
The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land [Lev. 25:13–24].
This section explains that all property and possessions were to be returned to the original owner. This prevented any one individual or group from getting possession of most of the land while the rest became extremely poor. It preserved a balance in Israel. This was not a choice between communism and capitalism, but it was God’s plan. He retained ownership of the land and Israel held it in perpetuity.
God promised His blessing upon them. He promised to bless the land in the sixth year. They would sow again on the eighth year and they would eat of the old fruit of the land until the ninth year when it would produce again. God makes it very clear to them in verse 23: “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine.”
THE REDEMPTION OF PROPERTY
If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.
And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it;
Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession [Lev. 25:25–27].
It was a long time from one year of Jubilee to the next. If a man lost his property shortly after a Jubilee, there was the possibility he would not be alive to enjoy it the next time a year of Jubilee came around. So God made another provision for the recovery of the land. If there was a rich relative, he was able to redeem the property if he was willing to do so, and then the land could be restored to the original owner. It depended on the willingness of the kinsman. This is the law of the kinsman-redeemer which we will see in operation in the Book of Ruth.
But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it.
And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubile.
But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubile.
Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.
And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubile: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel.
But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession [Lev. 25:28–34].
Laws were also made concerning dwellings and buildings on property. Depreciation was taken into consideration. There were different rules applying to the Levites.
THE REDEMPTION OF PERSONS
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
God was explicit about the care of unfortunate folk. They were to be helped; they were not to be taken advantage of.
I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile:
And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.
For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
Moreover, of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.
And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour [Lev. 25:38–46].
The poor brother who probably had a low I.Q. was to be protected from becoming a slave. He was to be treated as a hired servant, not as a slave. They were permitted to have only foreigners as slaves—which was a great step forward in a world of slavery. It is the adaption of the Mosaic Law to the mores of that day.
And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family:
After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:
Either his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.
And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of a hired servant shall it be with him.
If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.
And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.
And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.
And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him.
For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God [Lev. 25:47–55].
This is the application of the law of Jubilee to the person (see verse 10) who not only had lost his property, but had to sell his person as well. He could have the services of a kinsman-redeemer if there was one who was willing and able to deliver him before the year of Jubilee.
You and I have a Kinsman-Redeemer. He is rich. Yet, for our sakes He was willing to become poor so that He might shed His precious blood to redeem us. He has redeemed not only our persons but He has also paid the price for this cursed earth. It too will be redeemed from the curse that is on it now. The law of the kinsman-redeemer points to our Lord Jesus Christ who is our Kinsman-Redeemer.
CHAPTER 26
Theme: Prologue to Israel’s Magna Charta of the land; promise of blessing; pronouncement of judgment; prediction predicated on promise to patriarchs
This is a marvelous chapter. It is a prophetic history that covers Israel’s entire tenure of the Promised Land until the present hour and gives the conditions in the future on which they will occupy the land.
This section stands in a peculiar relationship to the remainder of the Book of Leviticus. There are not great spiritual lessons and pictures here, but this is the direct word of Jehovah to the nation Israel concerning their future. This is history prewritten and reveals the basis on which Israel entered the land of Canaan and their tenancy there.
This is an “iffy” chapter. “If” occurs nine times and it has to do with the conditions on which they occupy the land. God says “I will” twenty-four times. God will act and react according to their response to the “if.” God gave them the land, but their occupancy of it is determined by their answer to the “if.” Obedience is the ground of blessing in the land. This chapter is not only the calendar of their history, but it serves as the barometer of their blessings. Their presence in the land, rainfall, and bountiful crops denote the favor of God. Their absence from the land, famine, and drought denote the judgment of God because of their disobedience.
You and I are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. However there are some “ifs” connected to that also. God loves you and wants to shower you with His blessings. But you can put up an umbrella of indifference, you can put up an umbrella of sin, you can put up an umbrella of stepping out of the will of God. When you do that, the sunshine of His love won’t get through to you. You must put down your umbrella to experience His spiritual blessings.
PROLOGUE TO ISRAEL’S MAGNA CHARTA OF THE LAND
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord [Lev. 26:1–2].
These two verses sum up the first part of the Ten Commandments, man’s relationship with God. These are essential for Israel to maintain residence in the land. They are to meet these injunctions if they are to occupy that land. The land is given to them, but their enjoyment of it, their occupation of it, depends upon their obedience to God.
1. They are to make no idols.
The Hebrew word for an idol (elilim) means a “nothing.” They shall make no nothings. It’s pretty hard to make a nothing, friends, and yet there are a great many folk who make a nothing of their relationship to God. Anything that takes the place of God is a nothing.
The word given for graven images means a carved wooden image. And the word for the image of stone means sculptured stone idols. The people were not to worship an image, nor even worship before an image. This is a repetition of what had already been told the people back in Leviticus 19:30.
2. Keep the Sabbaths.
3. Reverence the Sanctuary.
The Sabbath, the Sanctuary, and this matter of worshiping God, all come in one package. The character of Jehovah is the basis for obeying these injunctions. “I am the Lord.”
PROMISE OF BLESSING
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land [Lev. 26:3–6].
You notice this starts with an “if.” If they walk in the prescribed manner, then God promised these things. Their occupancy of the land is contingent upon the obedience to God’s revealed will to them. God recognizes their free will. If you will obey, then God will bless.
It seems that in that land the primary evidence of the blessing of God in response to their obedience is rainfall. We find this repeated in Deuteronomy and in the prophets. “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord…” (Ezek. 34:26–27).
The prophets look forward to the day when this will be accomplished in Israel. It is a day yet to come. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt” (Amos 9:13). “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil” (Joel 2:23–24).
God’s promise to them is the occupation of that land, showers, fruitfulness, peace. It’s interesting that that little nation can’t have peace today. It’s no use for us to point our finger at them because the rest of us can’t have peace either. It’s all tied up in one little word “if.” God has promised to bless if certain things are done.
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword [Lev. 26:7–8].
Victory over their enemies would be a part of their blessing. Many times this was literally fulfilled, as you know. When they would return to God, God would raise up a Samuel, a David, a Deborah, a Gideon, or an Elijah. All these were raised up because God was making good His promise. They would be victorious over their enemies as part of their blessing. “One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you” (Josh. 23:10).
For I will have respect unto you, an make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new [Lev. 26:9–10].
A population explosion in Israel would be part of the blessing. Today the world doesn’t think that is a blessing at all. The increase in the population would not present the problem of food shortage because the food would be so multiplied that they would have to remove the old to make room for the new.
And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you [Lev. 26:11].
Don’t tell me that God does not abhor sin. Of course He does. And He will not compromise with it in your life or my life. The tabernacle in their midst was an evident token of blessing. This is the great hope of the future which will be fulfilled finally for the eternal earth.
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Rev. 21:3).
And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people [Lev. 26:12].
God promises to fellowship with those who obey Him. That is also what He tells us today. “…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). God wants to have fellowship with us. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Cor. 6:16).
I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright [Lev. 26:13].
The future promise of blessing rests upon the solid history of the past when God delivered them from Egypt. He is saying to them, “I have done this for you in the past; don’t you know I will do it for you in the future?” He tells us the same thing today. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). You can be confident that since He has brought you up to this moment, He is going to lead you right through to the day of Jesus Christ. I’ll say a Hallelujah to that!
PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;
And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant [Lev. 26:14–15].
Listen to His three “ifs” in these two verses. These are the “ifs” of a breach of the covenant: refusal to hear, refusal to do, despising and abhorring God’s statutes and judgments. Breaking God’s covenant would bring judgment upon the people and the land.
I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you [Lev. 26:16–17].
This is the first degree judgment—terror, consumption, burning ague, sorrow of heart, and crop failure. Their enemies will slay them, enslave them, and cause them great fear. This happened often in their sad and sordid history. We read that the anger of the Lord waxed hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of spoilers who spoiled them (Judg. 2:14, 3:8, and 4:2).
What the prophets did in their messages was call their attention to the fact that they had broken the covenant which God had made them. “And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat…” (Jer. 5:17). “Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine” (Mic. 6:15).
And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits [Lev. 26:18–20].
This is the second degree of judgment. If they were obdurate and continual in their disobedience, then God would judge them seven times, which indicates a complete and absolute judgment. Their pride would be broken. There would be no rain; there would be continual crop failure.
And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate [Lev. 26:21–22].
This is the third degree judgment. Plagues and wild beasts will decimate the population. All of this came upon them. Read in Judges where they travelled on the byways while the highways were unoccupied. Man has lost his dominion over nature.
And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;
Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat and not be satisfied [Lev. 26:23–26].
This is the fourth degree judgment. Notice the repetition of the number seven, which indicates completeness. The enemy will breach their defenses, and the pestilence will strike the people. Captivity would be the end result.
Ezekiel warned them that a third part would die of the pestilence and with famine, a third part would fall by the sword, and a third part would be scattered (Ezek. 5:12). Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all warned them of famine which would overtake them. It all happened.
This will take place again at the time of the Great Tribulation, as we find it in the sixth chapter of the Book of Revelation.
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat [Lev. 26:27–29].
This seems terribly harsh, and one would think it could never come to pass. But it did.
And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste [Lev. 26:30–33].
This is the fifth degree judgment, and it is extreme. It was the result of warfare in the siege of the cities. This was fulfilled in the siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:28–29), and again in the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar (Lam. 2:20 and 4:10), and again when Titus the Roman attacked Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Verse 33 is a picture of the land as it stood for 1900 years. God does what He says He will do.
Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it [Lev. 26:34–35].
Here is the reason they went into the Babylonian captivity. During 490 years Israel failed to give the land its sabbaths. That means the land missed seventy sabbath years. The people of Israel thought they were getting by with it, but finally God said it was enough. If they wouldn’t give the land its sabbaths, God would. So He put them out of the land for seventy years. How accurate God is! This is why the Babylonian captivity lasted seventy years (2 Chron. 36:21).
And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.
And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them [Lev. 26:36–39].
This is an accurate prophetic portrayal of the Jew since the days of the Babylonian captivity, as he has been scattered among the nations. Wave after wave of anti-Semitism has descended upon him to destroy him. This section is a striking picture of the Nazi anti-Semitic movement. You can see that this Book of Leviticus is up-to-date.
PREDICTION PREDICATED ON PROMISE TO PATRIARCHS
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land [Lev. 26:40–42].
All of their past iniquity does not destroy the fact that Israel holds the title deed to that land. This is a remarkable prophecy and one that God says He will fulfill when the time has come. God will not utterly destroy them because of His covenant with Abraham and the other patriarchs. We found in the Book of Exodus that when Israel was in slavery in Egypt, God heard their groaning, God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and so God delivered them out of Egypt (Ex. 2:24–25).
Now God tells them they can stay in the land if they will obey Him. If not, they must I leave the land. But if they will repent and turn to God when they are out of the land, then He will bring them back into the land. So we find that Daniel turned to God in prayer when he was down in Babylon. He turned his face toward Jerusalem, he confessed his sins and the sins of his people, and when he did that, God heard. God sent a messenger to him to tell him they would return to the land. And they did return back to the land!
God still has a future purpose for the nation which the judgment of the past cannot nullify. Read Romans 11:1–25 and Jeremiah 31:31–34 in this connection.
The land also shall he left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God [Lev. 26:43–44].
This is a remarkable passage of Scripture. Can you say that God is through with the nation Israel after you have read this passage? If you believe that God means what He says, then He is not through with them at all.
But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.
These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the Lord made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses [Lev. 26:45–46].
They brought judgment upon Palestine just as Adam brought judgment upon the whole earth by his sin. Because of God’s covenant with their fathers, He will return them to the land and restore all that He had promised to them.
We have come to the end of the giving of these laws here in Leviticus. God confirms the Pentateuch here as given through Moses. This verse seems to end the book, but it doesn’t.
God looks down through the ages to their repeated failures and His faithfulness and final victory. Moses could not bring them eternal blessings, although he was a mediator. The world must look to Another. John gives us the answer: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
CHAPTER 27
Theme: Commutation of vows concerning persons; commutation of vows concerning animals; commutation of vows concerning houses; commutation of vows concerning land; concerning three things which are the Lord’s apart from a vow
When you begin to read this chapter, you wonder why it is here. It seems to be an addendum or a postscript to the Book of Leviticus. All the expositors note this, and some actually consider this a major problem of the book. J. A. Seiss doesn’t include it with the Book of Leviticus, and Dr. Langley treats it as an appendix. Although the subject matter seems to be extraneous and unrelated to the contents of the book, I see no reason to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
I think there is a definite purpose in placing this chapter last. Dr. S. H. Kellogg notes with real spiritual perception that what has preceded this chapter is obligatory, while this is voluntary. Actually, this makes a beautiful and fitting climax to the book of worship.
In much this same way, chapter 21 of John’s Gospel follows the climax of chapter 20. In chapter 20 the risen Lord has revealed Himself to His disciples and has sent them out into the world. But wait a minute—He has a message to Simon Peter in chapter 21, “If you love Me, feed My sheep.” It is voluntary, and the basis for it is love. That is God’s method.
A striking feature about the vows is that they are voluntary. They follow the commandments, ceremonies, and ordinances. It is going the second mile after God has required the first mile. They are the response of a grateful heart. However, it is important to note that after a promise has been made to God, it is essential that it be fulfilled.
The natural response of a saved person is to ask what he can do for the Lord since the Lord has done so much for him. We find this expressed many times in the Scripture. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” (Ps. 116:12). The apostle Paul wrote to the believers of his day, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). This is not a command. He says, “I beseech you.” In Titus 2:11 he wrote, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” What does it do? Does it demand something? No. “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12). Micah evidently had this chapter in mind when he wrote, “He bath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Mic. 6:8).
Every normal believer wants to do something for God. He wants to pledge something to God. The deepest problem is to find something worthy to pledge to God. Ephraim Syrus wrote, “I pronounce my life wretched, because it is unprofitable.” David Brainerd cried, “O that my soul were holy as He is holy! O that it were pure as Christ is pure, and perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect! These are the sweetest commands in God’s book, comprising all others. And shall I break them? Must I break them? Am I under a necessity of it as long as I live in the world? O my soul! woe, woe is me that I am a sinner.” What can a saved sinner offer to God? This chapter answers that question.
Once a vow was made, it became mandatory. “It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry” (Prov. 20:25). You make the inquiry first so you know what you are doing. “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” (Eccl. 5:4–6).
There were promissory vows and there were vows of renunciation. These vows figured large in the life of the nation. Then there was the Nazarite vow which is given in detail in Numbers 6. The most notable vow is the one made by Jephthah. “And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (Judg. 11:30–31). We know that God strictly forbade human sacrifice. I believe the original can also be translated, “… when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, or I will offer up a burnt offering.” Remember that it was his daughter who ran out to greet him. He did not sacrifice his daughter, but he did offer her up to the Lord. This is made clear in Judges 11:39–40: “And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.” In other words, she did not marry. For a Hebrew woman, this was a terrible thing. She was dedicated wholly to the Lord. Jephthah offered her to the Lord, but he did not sacrifice her by killing her.
It was a rash vow that he had made, but at least he kept it. If a vow was not kept, a trespass and sin offering must be made (Lev. 5:4–6).
I believe that God will hold you to your vow. A great many Christians today are not keeping their vows to God. If you do not intend to keep a vow, or you think lightly about your dealing with God, then you had better take a second look at it. I think that there are many Christians who have been set aside today. There are many who are being judged and many who have fallen asleep as Paul says. Remember, God is not asking you to make a vow. It is voluntary. But if you do promise God something, be sure you go through with it. “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth” (Deut. 23:21–23).
COMMUTATION OF VOWS CONCERNING PERSONS
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation [Lev. 27:1–2].
“Making a singular vow,” means to single out something of value, particularly precious to the individual. Remember how David would not offer to God something which had been donated to him. “… Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord My God of that which doth cost me nothing…” (2 Sam. 24:24).
If you are in a church and you are attempting to give to God some offering that costs you nothing, may God have mercy on you! We are not under a tithe system today. Israel was, but we are not. God does not require a tithe of us. We are to give a freewill offering. I can promise you that if you are cheap with God, God will be cheap with you.
A successful business man was asked the secret of his success. He said, “As the Lord shovels it in, I shovel it out; the more I shovel it out, the more the Lord shovels it in.” Now, that is not to say that the Lord is promising to bless us with money. He has many kinds of blessings for us. However, I do believe that some of us are poor today and some of us have such a hard time financially because of the way we deal with God.
A man came to me when the stock market crashed, and he brought in some stock which he offered with this comment, “Now that it is going down, I might just as well give it to the church.” God have mercy on that kind of giving. We are to give something of value. It should cost us something.
And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels [Lev. 27:3–4].
When a person was dedicated by a vow to God, it did not mean that individual must serve in the tabernacle—that was the peculiar service of the Levites. A redemption price could be paid for the person which would relieve him of that service. This is called the commutation price of the person.
A man between the ages of twenty and sixty was of greater value because of the amount of work he could do. The labor value seemed to be the standard of evaluation. A male in the prime of life could render the most service. “By thy estimation” meant that which was the current value among the people.
The labor value of a female would be less, but the important feature is that a female could be devoted to God. I think this makes it clear that the daughter of Jephthah was not offered as a human sacrifice but remained unmarried and was vowed to God.
Hannah brought little Samuel to the temple as a thanksgiving offering to God in payment of her vow. She said, “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord…” (1 Sam. 1:27–28). She kept her vow.
Have you ever come to God and presented yourself to Him? Have you presented your children to God? Your grandchildren? Have you presented your possessions to Him? He hasn’t commanded you to do that, but He has said that you may do it. If you do it, then it is mandatory that you make good.
And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.
And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him [Lev. 27:5–8].
You see that the scale of values was determined by age and not by social position, riches, or prestige. The value was based on the ability to labor. Notice how wonderfully God provided for the poor so they could participate in this voluntary service. A fair and equitable price was set by the priest according to the man’s ability to pay. The widow’s mite is of more value in heaven than the rich gifts of the wealthy and affluent.
There is another striking feature about the vowing of persons. Ordinarily in human affairs, a man pays for the service of another. In the law of vows this is reversed and a man pays to serve God. It is a privilege to serve God.
COMMUTATION OF VOWS CONCERNING ANIMALS
And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the Lord, all that any man giveth of such unto the Lord shall be holy.
He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy [Lev. 27:9–10].
When I was pastor of a little country church, a member of the church took me out to his barn lot and showed me a calf. He told me he had given it to the Lord. To tell you the truth, that calf didn’t look as if it would live, and I suspect that is the reason he gave it to the Lord. Well, that calf became a blue-ribbon prize winner! Then the man told me, “You know, this is such a fine animal that I thought I’d better keep it. I have another animal over here that I’m giving to the Lord instead.” He sold it and gave the money to the church, and felt very comfortable about what he had done.
God says, “Don’t substitute.” If you have promised to do something for God, go through with it. Remember the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. They said they were giving to the Lord the entire price of a piece of land, but they didn’t go through with it. They didn’t have to give all of it to God. Peter told them that while it was theirs, they were perfectly free to do with it what they wished. It was a voluntary offering, but then they tried to withhold some of it from God.
This that we are talking about is real today. God holds us to our vows. If you have promised Him something and haven’t made good, it is still on His books. We are dealing with a God of reality.
And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord then he shall present the beast before the priest:
And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.
But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation [Lev. 27:11–13].
An unclean animal could be pledged in a vow, but it would not be offered in sacrifice. The priest would value the animal, the man would pay the price of redemption and add a fifth of the price as a sort of fine for offering an unclean animal.
COMMUTATION OF VOWS CONCERNING HOUSES
And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the Lord, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.
And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his [Lev. 27:14–15].
The home of a man is his most sacred material possession. He could pledge it to the Lord. I think a Christian home, as well as the children of Christians, should be dedicated to God. The man could continue to live in his house and begin paying rent to God as the owner. If he did not continue paying his rent, he was to add a fifth when he redeemed it. Again this was a sort of fine in recognition of God’s ownership.
A man asked me to come out to dedicate his house. He said he wanted it to be God’s house, and I could come out there any time I wanted to. Well, I had a house of my own and didn’t need to be running out to his house. If he really meant that it was God’s house, then he should pay God rent for it as a recognition of God’s ownership. You may ask me whether I think this is that literal. Yes, I think it is just that literal. We make vows to God of our freewill. Then we prove whether or not we are genuine in our vows. This gets right down to the nitty-gritty where you and I live.
COMMUTATION OF VOWS CONCERNING LAND
And if a man shall sanctify unto the Lord some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand.
But if he sanctify his field after the jubile, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.
And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.
And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the Lord, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest’s.
And if a man sanctify unto the Lord a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession;
Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the Lord.
In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.
And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel [Lev. 27:16–25].
This must have been a very complicated system. Land could be dedicated to God even though the land belonged to God. The land was evaluated on the basis of its productivity and in relation to the year of Jubilee. All land returned to the original owner at that time. This was taken into account if a man dedicated the land to the Lord just shortly before the year of Jubilee as a gesture of generosity. In fact he might be a very selfish man. A man could not dedicate a borrowed field to God. God knows the heart of man.
CONCERNING THREE THINGS WHICH ARE THE LORD’S APART FROM A VOW
Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the Lord’s firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the Lord’s.
And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation [Lev. 27:26–27].
The firstborn of both man and beast were already claimed by the Lord and could not be devoted to the Lord in a vow. God insisted that His rights be observed.
Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord.
None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death [Lev. 27:28–29].
The second classification of things which could not be devoted in a vow was that which was already pledged in a vow to God. In Joshua we learn that Jericho was devoted to God for destruction. Because Achan took of that which God had told them they should utterly destroy, Achan was destroyed (Josh. 6 and 7).
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.
And if a man will at all redeem aught of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.
He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change, thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed [Lev. 27:30–33].
The tithe was the third thing which already belonged to God and could not be pledged in a vow.
These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai [Lev. 27:34].
This verse concludes the Book of Leviticus and sums it up. It also reveals that chapter 27 is not an addendum but part and parcel of the thinking of God for man under law.
The believer can be thankful for the grace of God in this day. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar. people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11–14).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Gaebelein, Arno C. Annotated Bible Vol. 1. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Goldberg, Louis. Leviticus. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980.
Grant, F. W. Numerical Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1891.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Heslop, W. G. Lessons from Leviticus. Grand Rapids. Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1945.
Ironside, H. A. Lectures of the Levitical Offerings. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1929.
Jamieson, Robert; Faucett, H. R.; and Brown, D. Commentary on the Bible. 3 vols. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1945.
Jensen, Irving L. Leviticus. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1967.
Jukes, Andrew. The Law of the Offerings. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1870.
Kellogg, S. H. The Book of Leviticus. New York, New York: George H. Doran Co., 1908.
Kelly, William. Lectures Introductory to the Pentateuch. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1870.
Mackintosh, C. H. (C.H.M.). Notes on the Pentateuch. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1880.
McGee, J. Vernon. Learning Through Leviticus. 2 vols. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1964.
Noordtzij, A. Leviticus. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Slemming, C. W. These are the Garments. London, England: Marshall Morgan & Scott, n.d.
Slemming, C. W. Thus Shalt Thou Serve. Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1955.
Shultz, Samuel J. Leviticus. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1983.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Through the Pentateuch Chapter by Chapter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1957.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. I. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
The Book of
Numbers
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Numbers, called Arithmoi (meaning “Arithmetic”) in the Septuagint, gets its name from the census in chapters 1 and 26. Numbers takes up the story where Exodus left off. It is the fourth book of the Pentateuch.
You will recall that in Genesis, the first book of the Pentateuch, we have the creation and fall of man and many beginnings. We have the beginning of Israel—not a nation yet, but a growing family that migrates down to Egypt to escape extinction by famine.
In Exodus we find the family becoming a nation in Egypt. We see them in slavery by the brick kilns of Egypt; then we see God delivering them by the hand of Moses and bringing them through the wilderness as far as Mount Sinai.
In the Book of Leviticus we see the children of Israel marking time at Mount Sinai while God gives the Law and the tabernacle. God calls them to Himself and tells them how to come.
In the Book of Numbers we see the children of Israel depart from Mount Sinai and march to Kadesh-barnea. After their failure at Kadeshbarnea, they began to wander until that generation died in the wilderness. The years of wandering were a veritable saga of suffering, a trek of tragedy, and a story of straying.
“Pilgrim’s Progress” is an apt theme for this book. Here we find the walking, wandering, working, warring, witnessing, and worshiping of God’s pilgrims. It is a handbook for pilgrims in this world. In the words of the hymnwriter, “Chart and compass come from Thee.” This is a road map for the wilderness of this world.
This book is helpful for us today. The lessons which the children of Israel had to learn are the lessons that you and I will need to learn, which is the reason God recorded this history for you and me. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11).
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13).
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11).
“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:14–15).
The first five books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch (since pentateuch means “five books”), were written by Moses. They are identified in Scripture as the Law. Although the Mosaic authorship has been questioned, it is affirmed by conservative scholars and confirmed by archaeology. Bible believers unanimously accept the Mosaic authorship.
It is interesting to note that the distance from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea was from 150 to 200 miles—a journey, in that time, of eleven days (Deut. 1:2). The Israelites spent thirty days at Kibroth. They spent forty years on a journey that should have taken forty days because their walking was turned to wandering. Since they refused to go into the land, they did not advance an inch after Kadesh-barnea. At the end of their wanderings they came back to the same place, Kadesh-barnea. What was the reason? Unbelief.
Between the census in the first chapter and the census in the twenty-sixth chapter, we find a divine history of the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness for about thirty-eight years and ten months, commencing with the first movement of the camp after the tabernacle was reared.
A comparison of the two sets of census figures will show that their number was decimated. Numbers 1:46 says there were 603,550 fighting men. Numbers 26:51 states that there were 601,730 fighting men. This represents a loss of 1,820 fighting men. God’s command was for them to be fruitful and multiply, but they were losing instead of gaining during the years in the wilderness.
The census helps us to ascertain the number that had come out of Egypt. I am giving to you the estimate of Dr. Melvin Grove Kyle, who was a great Egyptologist and one of the editors of the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and also, at one time, editor on the staff of The National Geographic. He was a great man and a great archaeologist—and as dull as any lecturer can be. However, a person could get a wealth of information if he would make the effort to listen to him. I must say that I found him intensely interesting. Dr. Kyle figured that with about 600,000 fighting men there would be approximately 400,000 women. He set a figure at 200,000 senior citizens and 800,000 children. Then there was a mixed multitude that followed, which he estimated to be about 100,000. This gives a total estimate of 2,100,000 people, which does not include the tribe of Levi. Between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 would be the number who came out of the land of Egypt!
Included in this book are three illustrations that are helpful in this study. Two of them show the tabernacle and the way the children of Israel camped around it. The other illustration shows the order by which they marched.
Don’t think for a moment that this was a mob going through the wilderness helter-skelter. No group ever marched more orderly than this group. As we study this, I am sure you will be impressed by the way God insisted upon the order of this camp.
This is God’s method. To the church He said, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). He is a God of order. Have you ever pulled aside the petals of a rose and looked deeply into it? He put the rose together nicely, didn’t He? Have you noticed the way He shaped a tree? Have you noted the orderly arrangement of every fruit and vegetable you pick up? Have you observed the orderliness of this universe? Things are not flying around, bumping into each other. There is plenty of space to maneuver because the Lord has arranged it so. We live in a remarkable universe which reveals a God of power and a God of order. The Psalmist said, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God …” (Ps. 14:1). Nobody but a fool could be an atheist. This universe shouts out the message. The order of the universe evidences it. The power of this tremendous universe reveals that there is a Person in control of it. Not only does it reveal a Person, but it reveals His genius.
OUTLINE
I. Fitting out the Nation Israel for Wilderness March, Chapters 1–8
A. Order of the Camp, Chapters 1–4
1. First Census, Chapter 1
2. Standards and Positions of 12 Tribes on Wilderness March, Chapter 2
3. Census, Position, and Service of Levites on Wilderness March, Chapter 3
4. Service of Levites about the Tabernacle, Chapter 4
B. Cleansing the Camp, Chapters 5–8
1. Restitution and Jealousy Offering, Chapter 5
2. Vow of the Nazarite, Chapter 6
3. Gifts of the Princes, Chapter 7
4. Light of Lampstand and Laver for Levites, Chapter 8
II. Forward March!, Chapters 9–10
A. Passover and Covering Cloud, Chapter 9
B. Order of March, Chapter 10
III. From Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea, Chapters 11–12
A. Complaining and Murmuring of People Displeasing to the Lord, Chapter 11
B. Jealousy of Miriam and Aaron; Judgment of Miriam, Chapter 12
IV. Failure at Kadesh-Barnea, Chapters 13–14
A. Spies Chosen and Sent into Land of Canaan, Chapter 13
B. Israel Refuses to Enter Because of Unbelief, Chapter 14
V. Faltering, Fumbling, and Fussing through the Wilderness, Chapters 15–25
A. God’s Blessing Delayed; His Purpose Not Destroyed, Chapter 15
B. Incidents Relating to the Priesthood, Chapters 16–19
1. Gainsaying of Korah, Chapter 16
2. Aaron’s Rod That Budded, Chapter 17
3. Confirmation of Priesthood, Chapter 18
4. Offering and Ashes of Red Heifer, Chapter 19
C. Deaths of Miriam and Aaron; Water from the Rock, Chapter 20
D. First Victory of Israel; First Song; Serpent of Brass, Chapter 21
E. The Prophet Balaam, Chapters 22–25
1. The Way of Balaam, Chapter 22
2. The Error of Balaam, Chapter 23
3. The Doctrine of Balaam, Chapters 24–25
VI. Future: New Generation Prepares to Enter Land, Chapters 26–36
A. Census of New Generation, Chapter 26
B. Woman’s Place under Law, Chapter 27
C. The Law of Offerings, Chapters 28–29
D. Law of Vows, Chapter 30
E. Judgment of Midian, Chapter 31
F. Reuben and Gad Ask for Land on Wrong Side of Jordan, Chapter 32
G. Log of the Journeys, Chapter 33
H. Borders of the Promised Land, Chapter 34
I. Cities of Refuge Given to Levites, Chapter 35
J. Law of Land Regarding Inheritance, Chapter 36
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The first census
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying [Num. 1:1].
THE FIRST CENSUS
God spoke to Moses in the wilderness, but He spoke from the tabernacle. The tabernacle was in the wilderness. Just so, the church today is in the world. The Lord Jesus prayed, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). The church is in the world.
God spoke from the tabernacle. The building of God today is made of flesh and blood, true believers who compose what we call the church. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fatly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19–22). This church is made up of people who “…are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God bath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).
Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies [Num. 1:2–3].
The children of Israel are to be numbered, and they are to be numbered for the purpose of building up an army. An army is for warfare. As slaves in the land of Egypt, God fought for them; they were not asked to fight. Now that they have been brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, they are to fight their enemies. And their enemies are out there waiting for them.
May I say that you and I who are believers living in this world have enemies also. These enemies are quite real, by the way. Again let me refer back to the Epistle to the Ephesians where we are told about the warfare of believers in this world today. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:10–12).
God has saved us by His infinite, marvelous, wonderful grace. But you and I are in a world that is wicked and rough. Like the children of Israel out in the wilderness, we are in the wilderness of this world, which is full of sin. Although God has saved us by His marvelous grace, we have an enemy to fight. Paul wrote this to a young preacher, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). Again, he tells him, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called …” (1 Tim. 6:12).
Now for the first time the Israelites hear of war. In this book we will find wars and trumpets, battles and giants—all of that. You and I live in that kind of world yet today.
In our day some folk seem to think that all one must do is say, “Peace,” and there will be peace. They talk about making love and not war. Yet, they cause dissension and trouble while they talk about peace! They know nothing about true peace. They don’t seem to understand that we live in a big, bad world, that there are some bad folks around us, and that there will be fights and wars whether we like it or not. That is one of the terrible things about our world.
And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers [Num. 1:4].
The way this book starts off here with this census doesn’t sound exactly thrilling. It’s not like a mystery story on television. One would think we have here 54 verses of unnecessary details which are quite boring, but we need to remember that these details were important to God. If we will see the great truths that are here, we will find it thrilling for us.
First of all, we see that God is interested in the individuals. Mass movements have their place and play their role but God is interested in redeemed individuals. He is interested in every individual.
Moses and Aaron were to take a census and they were to have one assistant from each tribe. The names of these assistants are given here, which are too monotonous to quote, yet they reveal that every name there was important to God and has meaning. If one understands the Hebrew meaning of the names, it will give a wonderful message.
And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you; of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur [Num. 1:5].
That doesn’t sound very interesting or thrilling, but let me explain it. Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, and he was set aside. We are told, “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch” (Gen. 49:3–4). Reuben—unstable as water.
Now the man chosen out of this tribe was to be a different kind of man. Elizur, the son of Shedeur, was the man. Elizur means “My God is a rock” and Shedeur means “The Almighty is a fire.” I like that. This man Elizur, “My God is a rock,” may belong to a tribe that is unstable as water, but he knows a Rock that is stable. He reminds me of the little Scottish lady who said, “I may tremble on the Rock, but the Rock never trembles under me.” Remember that they had sung in the song of Moses that God was their Rock. This fellow had learned that. He knew that God is a Rock in a weary land. He is the foundation Rock for us to rest on also. It is wonderful to know, my friend, that you maybe an unstable person and come from an unstable family, but there is a Rock for you. “My God is a Rock.”
And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls [Num. 1:18].
Why did they declare their pedigree? Why are pedigrees so important in the Word of God? They serve a threefold purpose.
1. They were interesting and beneficial to those who were concerned. It’s well to know something of your ancestry, what kind of stock you came from.
2. The reason some names and genealogies are omitted in the Bible and others are recorded is because it was important to preserve the genealogy of Jesus Christ. We saw in our study of Genesis how the rejected line was given first and then dropped and forgotten. Then the genealogical line which would lead to the Lord Jesus is given, and this line is followed all the way through the Scriptures.
The New Testament opens with a genealogy, and the whole New Testament stands or falls on the accuracy of that genealogy. This genealogy was kept on record, and probably was open on display, in the temple of that day. Probably the enemy checked it many times, hoping to find that Jesus did not have the legal right to the throne of David. It is interesting that the accuracy of the genealogy of Jesus Christ was never questioned by His enemies.
3. God forbade intermarriage, and a true Israelite had to be able to declare his pedigree. They were the beneficiaries of the covenant made to Abraham. Also the genealogy was necessary to determine who was eligible for the priesthood. We find an example of this in the Book of Nehemiah. “And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name. These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood” (Neh. 7:63–64). Levites who could not declare their genealogy were put out of the priesthood.
There is a message in all of this for us today. Can you imagine a young man of that day being called up and asked, “Are you an Israelite?” If he answered, “Well, I hope I’m an Israelite, but I can’t be sure until I die,” what do you think would have happened? They would have pushed him aside! Suppose another young man stepped up and they asked, “Are you an Israelite?” What do you think they would have done to him if he answered, “Well, I try to be an Israelite, I’m working real hard at it, and I hope to become one”? Would that have been acceptable? Do you see how important it was for them to declare that they were Israelites? Each one must know that he was the son of Abraham.
Now I have a question for you—a quite personal question. Can you declare your pedigree as a Christian? If you don’t know whether you can or not, may I say to you that you had better be able to declare it. Listen to this: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Can you say that, my friend?
How can you become a son of God? “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26). There is no other way. You become a son of God by faith in Christ Jesus. “But as many as received him, [the Lord Jesus], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). The authority to become the sons of God is given to those who do no more nor less than simply believe in His name.
And our genealogy is important! If we are a true child of God through faith in Christ, then we are heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ! “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:14–17).
You can know it. You can be born again through the blood of Christ and so be a member of the family of God. That is the only way! In this wilderness journey today, you must know who you are! You must know that you are a child of God. If you are not sure of that, you ought to make sure of it and you can make sure of it. How can you be sure? By taking God at His Word. It is not what you think or what you feel; He says that if you put your trust in Christ, you are His child. You can rest on the Word of God.
Here we are given the twelve tribes of Israel and the numbers in each tribe. If you were to take an adding machine and go through this chapter, you would find that it is accurate.
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred [Num. 1:21, 23].
So it goes down the list until verse 46.
Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty [Num. 1:46].
Now we will notice that the Levites were not numbered.
But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.
For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying,
Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:
But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. [Num. 1:47–50].
The reason they were not numbered for warfare was that they had full charge of the tabernacle. They would put it up in the evening when they came into camp, and they would take it down whenever they were ready to march.
And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.
But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony [Num. 1:51–53].
The children of Israel had to know who they were, hence the genealogy. It was also important that each of them should know where he belonged. He had a definite place assigned to him in the camp. The same is true for us. We need to know our pedigree, the fact that we belong to the family of God as His children. And, we need to know where we belong. We’ll see more of this in the next chapter.
How Israel Encamped on Wilderness March
Chart of Camp
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The arrangement of the camp
In chapter 1 we learned about the census. Each Israelite had to know who he was. He also had to know where he belonged. During all these years in the wilderness, the camp positions and the order of their marching were orderly and according to God’s direction.
We are told that they raised standards over their camps. These were banners that were put up over them. Just what was on these banners? Let me quote to you from two great scholars of the Old Testament, Keil and Delitzsch, in their Commentary on the Pentateuch, Volume Ill: “Neither the Mosaic law, nor the Old Testament generally gives us any intimation as to the form or character of the standard (deqhel). According to rabbinical tradition, the standard of Judah bore the figure of a lion, that of Reuben the likeness of a man, or of a man’s head, that of Ephraim the figure of an ox, and that of Dan the figure of an eagle; so that the four living creatures united in the cherubic forms described by Ezekiel were represented upon these four standards.”
I don’t want to make too much of that because there is a danger in trying to read too much into it. There are people who go so far as to find in their arrangement about the camp a picture of the way the stars are arranged in heaven, the signs of the Zodiac! Also there are people who try to find the gospel written in the stars or try to find their future written in the stars. Shakespeare said, “It’s not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.” Our problem is within ourselves, not up yonder in the stars. We won’t find the gospel in the stars; we find it in the Word of God. Without the Word of God we would not suspect that the gospel was in the stars. Mankind is not without excuse because they could read the gospel in the stars but because all creation reveals God’s eternal power and Godhead. Whether the standards bore a name or emblem is unimportant, and we know that tradition is not always accurate.
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE CAMP
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah [Num. 2:1–3].
Notice that they all camp in reference to the tabernacle. The tabernacle would be placed in the camp and then the children of Israel would camp around it. They would put up their standards to mark their place in the camp.
On the east side was Judah. The tribe of Issachar (v. 5) and the tribe of Zebulun (v. 7) camped with Judah under the same standard. If the emblem on that standard was a lion, then when these three tribes saw the standard with the lion, they knew where they belonged.
On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur [Num. 2:10].
The tribe of Reuben was on the south side and Simeon (v. 12) and Gad (v. 14) camped with Reuben.
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud [Num. 2:18].
On the west the tribes of Manasseh (v. 20) and Benjamin (v. 22) camped with Ephraim under his emblem.
The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai [Num. 2:25].
The tribes of Asher (v. 27) and Naphtali (v. 29) camped with Dan under his standard.
The children of Israel camped in an orderly way. Each family in each tribe knew where it belonged in that tribe.
But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers [Num. 2:33–34].
We have learned now that they must know who they were and where they belonged. They must know their pedigree in order to know their place in the camp. They could not go to war unless they were sure of their position.
Just so, Christian warfare is not carried on in the realm of doubts and fears but in the clear light of a sure salvation. Our enemies today are the world, the flesh, and the devil. My friend, they will overcome you if you are not sure of your salvation.
Every person in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has a God-appointed place. All service in the church is to be directed by the Holy Spirit. We are told that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. When you were put into the body, you were put in as a member. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many” (1 Cor. 12:12–14).
When He puts you into that body, He puts you there to serve. Every believer has a gift. You have a gift. The exercise of that gift is your Christian service.
There are many members of the human body and each has its function. There are over 20 bones in the foot alone. So in the body of Christ there are many gifts and each of us is to exercise his gift. You and I are to find out what our gift is. I believe that God rewards His own by the exercise of that gift. Although the Holy Spirit divides to every man severally as He wills, I do believe that 1 Corinthians 12:31 indicates we can pray and covet the best gifts. As a young man, I heard Dr. Ironside teach the Bible, and I asked God to let me teach like he taught. God heard and answered my prayer in a wonderful way. Although I can’t teach like he did, God has permitted me to have a teaching ministry which I wanted and asked Him for. I think that we may covet earnestly the best gifts, but recognize this is all under the sovereign control of the Holy Spirit.
Remember Dorcas? She made clothes. You remember that when she died, they called in Simon Peter and the widows showed him the clothes Dorcas had made for them. Simon Peter probably said, “We had better raise this woman from the dead. The church needs her!” And God raised her from the dead.
Friend, you ought to find your place in the camp. Are you usurping another’s place? Are you occupying a place in the church that you really can’t fill and that belongs to someone else? We ought to encourage each member of our church to find his place, and that should hearten the humblest member of the church. You have a gift and God wants you to exercise it. Don’t try to do someone else’s job. You do what God has called you to do.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Aaron and Moses; tribe of Levi given to Aaron; three families of Levi; census of firstborn of all Israel
As we come to the third chapter, we can see that God is preparing the children of Israel for the wilderness march. First of all, there must be the order of the camp. We have seen that there was a census so that the men of war might be chosen. The people needed to be certain who they were, and to have the assurance that they were sons of Abraham. Then they needed the standards for the order of the camp so they would know where they belonged.
Chapter 3 will give us a look at the tribe of Levi and what they are to do. This is the tribe that had the oversight of the tabernacle. Although they were not included in the first census, a census is taken of them separately so that they may be assigned to a definite position in the camp.
AARON AND MOSES
These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.
And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire be- fore the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father [Num. 3:1–4].
First, we are given the family of Aaron and of Moses. What we have here confirms the record that was given in the Book of Leviticus. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed because they intruded into the high priest’s office, which they should not have done.
TRIBE OF LEVI GIVEN TO AARON
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle [Num. 3:5–7].
The tribe of Levi was given to the high priest, Aaron, to assist him. You and I, in the church as believers, are a priesthood of believers. As such, we have been given to our Great High Priest. Listen to the Lord Jesus in His high-priestly prayer: “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word” (John 17:6). Believers, which collectively are called the church, have been given to the Lord Jesus. This entire chapter records His wonderful prayer for us. We have been given as a love gift from the Father to the Son. Some of us may feel that He didn’t get very much. We need to remember that it is not what we are now, but what He is going to make out of us, that is important.
This giving of the Levites to Aaron is mentioned again.
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel [Num. 3:9].
Now the reason is stated:
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord [Num. 3:12–13].
That was the way God put it back there. I think today He still asks every family to give Him not only our possessions but to give Him the members of our household. Have you dedicated your own to the Lord? Have you turned them over to Him? It is a wonderful thing to be able to dedicate your own to Him.
The firstborn belongs to the Lord. That doesn’t mean that he must go into the ministry, but he was to be redeemed to show that he belonged to God. In Israel, instead of taking the firstborn from each tribe, God had them numbered; and He took the tribe of Levi.
THREE FAMILIES OF LEVI
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.
And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari [Num. 3:14–17].
There were three families in the tribe of Levi, families of his three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The family of Gershon is counted. They are told to pitch their tents behind the tabernacle westward. Their assignment was to take care of the curtains, coverings and cords of the tabernacle (vv. 21–26).
The family of Kohath is counted. They are to pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. Their assignment is to be in charge of the articles of furniture of the tabernacle (vv. 27–32).
The family of Merari is counted. They are to pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward. Their assignment is to be in charge of the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, and vessels of the tabernacle (vv. 33–37).
We can now visualize the pattern of Israel encamped on the wilderness march. The tabernacle formed a rectangle in the center of the camp. Another rectangle was formed around the tabernacle by the camps of the Levites. Still another, larger rectangle was formed around that by the camps of the twelve tribes. The tabernacle was always set with the door to the east. Aaron and Moses with their families camped before the door of the tabernacle on the east side. Merari was on the north, Gershon on the west, Kohath on the south. These formed the rectangle surrounding the tabernacle. Then beyond this were the camps of Judah, Issachar, Zebulun on the east; Dan, Ashur, Naphthali on the north; Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin on the west; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south.
All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand [Num. 3:39].
CENSUS OF FIRSTBORN OF ALL ISRAEL
And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel [Num. 3:40–41].
So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel and found there were 22,273 males from a month old and upward who were the firstborn. This meant there were 273 more firstborn males than there were Levites; so this additional number was to be redeemed with five shekels apiece, and this was to be given to Aaron and his sons.
To the critic of the Bible there appears in this chapter contradictions in the numbers given. Rather than to devote space to a study of this kind, I refer the interested reader to the very fine work done by Keil and Delitzsch in the third volume of their Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Who is to serve; the order of service
The three families of the tribe of Levi had service to perform about the tabernacle. This chapter tells us who is to serve, what was the order of their service, and how many there were in the tribe who served.
WHO IS TO SERVE
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation [Num. 4:1–3].
The prime of life for the Levites was from thirty to fifty years. Those were the years they were to serve.
THE ORDER OF SERVICE
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation [Num. 4:4–6, 15].
The only ones who ever saw the articles that belonged in the Holy of Holies—the ark and the mercy seat—were Aaron and his sons. Those articles were carefully covered by Aaron and his sons before the Kohathites came to carry them.
This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers’ skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Num. 4:24–25].
It goes on to list some of the other hangings and cords which were the responsibility of the families of Gershon.
As for the sons of Merari …
And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden [Num. 4:29, 31–32].
Merari carried the heavy articles, the pillars and the boards and the bars; the Kohathites carried the articles of furniture; Gershon, it would seem, had the easiest job carrying the curtains and coverings and cords.
I’d like for you to get a picture of what happened when they moved. When Moses and Aaron would come out of the tabernacle in the morning, they didn’t need to talk things over. Moses didn’t say, “Well, let’s have a meeting of the board of elders or the board of deacons, and let’s find out whether or not we should march today.” They didn’t depend on that type of thing. They watched to see if the pillar of cloud lifted from off the tabernacle. If it lifted, it meant that they were to march. If it did not lift, it meant that they were to stay in camp that day. Moses and Aaron simply had to watch and follow the leading that the Spirit of God gave them, for that pillar of cloud represented the Spirit of God.
The child of God should be led like that today. Not that we see a visible pillar of cloud, but we should be led by the same Spirit of God. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). The Spirit of God wants to lead the sons of God.
When the pillar of cloud lifted, immediately Aaron and his sons went into the Holy Place, and they went first to the veil. You will remember that on the other side of the veil, in the Holy of Holies, was the ark and the mercy seat. I believe that the ark and the mercy seat were put up against the veil, not against the back wall. This means that when the high priest went into the Holy of Holies, he turned around and faced east as he sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat. The high priest did that on one day of the year only. On this day of moving they did not go inside the veil. The veil was held up by rings and the high priest would let it down, and then drop the veil down over the mercy seat and the ark. Then they would put the linen cloth around it and its other coverings, and finally they would put around it the outside cover of the tabernacle. When that was concluded, and all the vessels were wrapped, the Kohathites were permitted to come in. There were staves that fit into the rings on all of these articles of furniture. The Kohathites would come in and pick up the furniture by these staves and carry it out. The priests who carried the ark would lead the way out to the front and would wait for the pillar of cloud to guide them.
We will see their marching order in a later chapter.
In the evening, it must have been a thrilling sight to see them set up a new camp. Every man knew what he was to do. Every man was carrying his particular part of the tabernacle and had been carrying it during the day’s march. When they set up camp, the very first thing that was put down was the ark. The whole camp was arranged according to that. The Kohathites carrying the other articles of furniture would put them down in their relation to the ark, and then the boards and the curtains were set up around them. In other words, the furniture was put in first. Now that’s not the way we build a house today, but remember this was designed for a march and it had to be mobile.
Each man had his assignment. I’m of the opinion that the camp went up in a hurry, and I mean in a hurry. I think that within about thirty minutes of the time they came to rest and the ark was put down, the tabernacle was ready to be used.
Let me illustrate this. In my first pastorate in Nashville, Tennessee, I was single and I spent a lot of time with the young people. When the circus would come to town, we would go out to the railroad yards to be there when the circus arrived at two o’clock in the morning. You could hear the animals cry, but there was no other sound. They would put the cars on the side track, and the minute those cars came to a standstill, a whole army of men would come out of those cars. The train would not have been stopped more than five minutes before the wagons were rolling off the flat cars; the circus was unloaded and moving out to the circus grounds.
A cook tent would be erected and many of the roustabouts would have coffee and breakfast while another crew would put up the big tent, the big top; then this crew would come in for breakfast while the other workers would go out to put in the seats and circus rings and hang the trapezes. I tell you, every man knew his job and it was interesting to watch. By ten o’clock in the morning everything was in order and ready for business. By noon the big circus parade would be on the street.
This was most interesting to me. We would spend the whole night watching the circus when it came to town. I would tell my young folk, “I’m of the opinion that this is the way it was done when the children of Israel came into camp.”
When Israel came into camp, the Kohathites would put down the articles of furniture. Then Merari would come in with the boards and the bars and put up his part. Then Gershon would put on the coverings. Finally, the high priest would remove the veil and hang that. What a thrill it must have been to watch Israel come into camp. After forty years of practice they must have been pretty good at it.
As each Levite had his assignment, just so, every Christian has a gift and a job God wants him to do. I believe God will reward you for doing what He wants you to do. We are not to do what we choose to do, but we are to exercise the gifts that He has given us.
Suppose there was a fellow who carried that tent pin for the northwest corner of the tabernacle, and he got weary of his job. One day as he was driving in his pin, he said, “I’m tired of this. For twenty years now I’ve been carrying that tent pin. I come here in the morning, and loosen it and pull it out of the ground, put it on my shoulder, and take it over on the wagon with my family. Nobody seems to recognize how hard I work. Nobody rewards me for what I do. Moses never has called me up and given me a medal. I’m tired of this job and I’m going to quit carrying this pin.” One morning when they were taking down the tabernacle, his pin was hard to loosen from the ground and he got disgusted and left it there. He thought, “Nobody will pay any attention anyway. My job is not very important. All I do is carry a tent pin; so I think I’ll just leave it today.”
Can you imagine the problem that next evening? They would try to set up the tabernacle but the northwest corner pin would not be there. The men would report it to Moses, and they would look up this man who was to carry that pin. Moses would ask, “Where is the tent pin?” and the man would answer, “I left it back there where we camped last night.” Then Moses would ask him why he left it, and the man would answer, “I don’t think that my job is really important.” Moses would say, “Not important! We can’t put up the tabernacle without it. You will have to sit there all night holding that cord yourself because you are responsible for that tent pin!”
My friend, who is to determine who does the most important thing in God’s service today? That man had been faithful for twenty years; then all of a sudden he just went haywire, and notice what it did to the setting up of the tabernacle. How many children of God today think their service is unimportant? God is not going to reward you for the amount of work you have done, but for your faithfulness in doing that which He has called you to do. If you are carrying that tent pin from the northwest corner, don’t forget to carry it today. The job the Lord has given you to do is very important to Him.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Defilement by disease and death; restitution; the jealousy offering
You may have thought that this is not a very interesting book, but I hope that by now you have changed your mind. There is interesting material in it and a pertinent message for us in these days.
We have seen the orderly arrangement of the camp which was a preparation for the wilderness march. There had to be this preparation. The Christian today needs to recognize that he is a pilgrim going through the wilderness of this world. Everything and everyone must be in his place for the walk, the work, the war, and the worship of the wilderness.
We come now to instructions concerning cleansing the camp, which includes chapters 5 through 8. As we come to this section on the cleansing of the camp, we need to recognize that the reason for cleansing is that they (and we) are serving a holy God.
DEFILEMENT BY DISEASE AND DEATH
And the Lordspake unto Moses, saying,
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:
Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the Lord spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel [Num. 5:1–4].
They were to put the leper out of the camp. That may seem cruel to us, but there was a very definite reason for it. There was the danger of contamination and transmission of disease. And we read that the camp was not to be defiled because God dwelt in the midst of the camp.
God commanded that certain ones were to be put out of the camp. This was not done by those who thought they were superior or wanted to assert their spiritual prerogatives. It was by God’s command. Who was to be excluded from the camp? First of all, the leper. We saw in the Book of Leviticus that leprosy was a type of sin. Any outburst from within, an issue in the body, represents the flesh, the ungenerate nature of man. Sins of the flesh must be dealt with.
We need to recognize that if we are going to walk with God, if we are going to have fellowship with Him, there must be a cleansing of our lives. Recently I heard of a preacher who died as an alcoholic, yet people talked about what a blessing he was. I discount that, because God is not a fool. He does not bless nor will He walk with us when we are living in conscious sin. “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him” (Ps. 89:7). Today a great deal of the problems and difficulties and sickness and heartache is caused by Christian people who will not deal with the sin in their lives. In our churches today, we shut our eyes to sin in the lives of the people.
In Israel there were certain ones who had to be put out of the camp!
When we get to the Book of Joshua, we will see that Israel could not get a victory at Ai because Achan had sinned and had covered it up. It had to be brought to light and dealt with before Israel could have a victory.
I believe that there could be revival today if more preachers, church officers, Sunday school teachers, choir directors, and singers would deal with the sins in their lives. Sins of the flesh are like a leprosy. God will not bless until that sin is dealt with.
RESTITUTION
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty;
Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed [Num. 5:5–7].
This is what Zacchaeus was offering to do. “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). He was actually going farther than the Mosaic Law required him to go.
We see here that a restitution was to be made. Repentance, therefore, is more than simply saying, “I’m sorry.” A relationship between God and the individual cannot be made sweet until the relationship is made right between the individuals. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Cor. 7:10). Many people today think that repentance means shedding a few tears and then going merrily on their way. It is much more than that. It is making things right by making restitution to the individual who has been injured. We are to confess our sins to God, that is true. But we must remember that our Lord also said this: “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matt. 5:23–24). The world has the idea one can shed a few tears and eat humble pie for a while and then everything is right again. That is what is called the “sorrow of the world” in Corinthians, and that kind of repentance is meaningless.
My Dad used to tell about a little boat on the Mississippi River. It had a little bitty boiler and a great big whistle. When that boat was going upstream and blew its whistle, it would drift back. It couldn’t go upstream and blow its whistle at the same time! There are a lot of people like that today. Their repentance is like the blowing of the whistle. They shed tears in profusion, but there is no turning from sin, no turning to God, no restitution to the one they have injured. For this reason there is no progress in their Christian lives.
THE JEALOUSY OFFERING
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man’s wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse [Num. 5:11–15, 18–19].
The verses following tell us that the woman was to drink the bitter water and if it caused her belly to swell and her thigh to rot, she was to be a curse among her people. If she was not defiled, but was clean, then she should be free. This test would have a tremendous psychological effect upon a person, especially if she were guilty.
Why isn’t the man subjected to the same test? The Bible does not teach a double standard. In this case, the husband was suspicious of the wife. Could a husband be guilty? Of course. We saw in Leviticus, and will see again in Deuteronomy, that if a man or woman were taken in adultery, both of them were to be stoned to death. There is no double standard in the Bible. Then why is only the woman to be tested? Because this is a picture of Christ and the church. There can be no suspicion of Christ, but there is suspicion of the church, I can assure you. I know the church rather well, and, believe me, it is under suspicion!
But this is a jealousy offering. Can God be jealous? Yes, He says that He is a jealous God. Many times He says, “I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.” It is not the low human kind of jealousy like the jealousy of a person who is goaded by an Iago, but the jealousy of love.
When I hear a wife say, “husband is not jealous of me,” I want to say to her, “Lady, don’t mention it. If your husband is not jealous of you, it is because he doesn’t love you. So I don’t think I would mention it, if I were you.” If a man really loves a woman, he is jealous of her, and the same thing would be true of a woman who loves a man. This is the way God is jealous. He loves us, and He wants our love in return. He is jealous of us! He doesn’t want us to give our time and our affection to the things of this world.
Now, in this test of jealousy, if the wife was shown to be innocent, she was exonerated. Actually, this law protected her from a jealous husband. This worked in her behalf in a very wonderful way.
Certainly this reveals again that the Word of God is very clear on this matter of fidelity to the marriage vow. Today we are seeing a great letdown of that, and it is becoming the accepted thing that the marriage vow is not to be taken seriously. God will hold you to it—I can assure you of that. A great many of the problems of this world today begin in the home. They are being made by those who are treating lightly the marriage vow. God cannot, nor will He bless a nation where this situation prevails.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Nazarite vow; the triune blessing
We come now to something that is quite remarkable: the vow of the Nazarite. This was a voluntary vow. Any man or woman of Israel who wanted to become a Nazarite could do so. He could take the vow for a certain period of time or for a lifetime. God did not command it; it was purely voluntary. But if any of His people wanted a closer walk with Him, this is what they could do.
NAZARITE VOW
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord:
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried [Num. 6:1–3].
When a person took this voluntary vow of the Nazarite, there were three things he was forbidden to do.
First, he was not to drink wine or strong drink. Anything that came from the vine was forbidden him. This has nothing to do with the question of whether it is right or wrong to drink wine. May I say this, and I want to say it carefully and I want you to hear me carefully. The Christian standard is not a standard of right or wrong. The question is this: What is your purpose in doing what you are doing? Are you doing it to please Christ? Do you want to be a Nazarite? Do you want to live for Him? That is the question. People will ask me whether it is right for a Christian to drink wine. My friend, I won’t argue that point. I won’t argue right or wrong with you. I want to know whether you really want to please Christ. Wine, in the Scriptures, is a symbol of earthly joy; it is to cheer the heart. The whole point here is that the Nazarite was to find his joy in the Lord.
There are a great many Christians today who do not find their joy in the things of God, in the Word of God, or in fellowship with Christ. They find their joy in the things of this world. I go to a great number of church banquets, and I know there are church members there who would never come to a weekday meeting unless it was a banquet. I always feel sorry for those Christians who, like the poor woman, got crumbs from God’s table. Don’t misunderstand me; there is nothing wrong with banquets, but when they go to Christian banquets, they get crumbs—that’s all. There would be the time of eating, then a few pious things would be said; someone would take a verse of Scripture and say some sweet things about it, and everyone would leave, feeling very spiritual and very satisfied and even challenged. But they would drop right back and live just as they had always lived. I feel sorry for them.
Where do you find joy, friend? I ask you that very personally. Do you need the stimulants of this world in order to enjoy “Christian” things? Can you really get joy out of studying the Word of God? Does prayer turn you off or turn you on? My, how many of us today think we are being really Christian and really spiritual when all we have been doing is bringing the world into our activities!
Second, when a person took the Nazarite vow, he was not to shave his head.
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow [Num. 6:5].
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:14, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” I wish we could hang signs to state this in public places. I still think it is a shame for a man to have long hair. I agree with the apostle Paul; it is a shame to the man. Therefore, the Nazarite must be willing to bear shame for Christ. His long hair would indicate that he was willing to share that position with Christ who said, “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people” (Ps. 22:6).
Third, he who took the Nazarite vow was not to touch a dead body.
All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head [Num. 6:6–7].
We read in chapter 5 that a leper was to be taken out of the camp and also whoever was defiled by the dead. You see, the world is the place of death. I think one can say that death is the deepest mark that is on this world today. Death is the seal of a sin-cursed earth. It is the judgment which God pronounced. It was because of sin that death came into the world. In order to deal with death, sin must be dealt with, because the wages of sin is death.
The Nazarite was not to touch a dead body. He was to be separate from the world. The Lord was to be first in his life. Remember the Lord Jesus said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37). He is to be put above loved ones. He has top priority. Remember that this vow is voluntary. He doesn’t command the vow of the Nazarite. But if one wanted to take this vow and dedicate his life to Him, he could do so.
Do you find your joy in the Lord? Are you willing to bear shame for Him, to take a humble place for Him? Are you willing to put Him first, above everything in this life? You see, although the believer today doesn’t take a Nazarite vow, there is the offer of a closer walk with the Lord. It is voluntary. You must want it. It is an act of dedication. It is incorrect to call it consecration; you cannot consecrate yourself. Only God can consecrate you. Actually, what we do is come to God with empty hands, offering nothing but ourselves to Him—our devotion, our worship, our love, our service, our time.
Sometimes when you stand for God, you will find you must stand alone. He must be first in your life. Many people today talk about being consecrated Christians, but they wouldn’t dare do anything that would offend the little clique in their church. They are afraid they might find themselves outside, which would be much better for them because some of these church cliques are not of God and can be a very cruel crowd! Yet, there are folk who think they are consecrated, who do not have the strength or stamina to stand against such a clique; so they just go along with the crowd. You see, if you want to give yourself to the Lord, Christ must have top priority. You must find your satisfaction and your joy in Him.
All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord [Num. 6:8].
I’m of the opinion that a great many folk today are missing a great blessing. Perhaps even now you are going through a particular time of trial. Why not set yourself aside for God? If you are a Christian, give yourself to God in a very definite way. It won’t remove the trial, but it will make it more bearable. The Lord Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29). It is wonderful to be yoked with Him.
And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [Num. 6:9–10].
God is very earnest about having a vow to Him kept. If the Nazarite was defiled, he was to bring a sacrifice. God does not require a vow, but when a vow is made, He expects it to be kept, and it is a serious matter if it is broken.
I am confident that there are a great many Christians who promised God things that they never made good, and that explains their sad spiritual plight today. Through the years of my ministry, I have watched some people come to church every Sunday with their halos brightly shined. They would be so pious that you’d think any moment they would sprout wings and fly away. Yet, these people would let the Lord down, over and over again. Then, later on, something would come up in their lives that would make shipwreck of their faith.
A great many people today will not make a pledge to God because they are afraid they may not keep it. People are afraid to put it on the line with God. They are afraid to pledge something financial, for example, because they might see a new car or a new television set and buy that instead. So they don’t want to commit themselves about something to God. May I say, I believe this is one reason people miss out on blessings today.
Now it is true, God goes into great detail here to reveal that He does expect us to follow through right down to the details. It is also true that we shouldn’t pledge something to God and then decide to do something or to buy something else instead. But, if we make an agreement with God and stick with it, He will bless. God is very serious and very practical about these matters, and we should be also. God will always bless us if we are faithful to Him and to the promise we make to Him. There is a great spiritual lesson here for us. This is something you should think about very seriously today.
THE TRIUNE BLESSING
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them [Num. 6:22–27].
Here we find the Trinity in the Old Testament. God the Father is the source of all blessing. The Lord Jesus is the One who makes His face to shine upon us. The Holy Spirit lifts up His countenance upon us and gives us peace. This is the only way we can come to God and experience the peace of God. He is the One who makes these things real to our hearts.
The triune God gives them this blessing. The census has been taken, and they all know their pedigree. The standards have been raised; so they all know where they belong. They are to follow their standard, and they are to camp in their assigned place in the camp with their own tribe and their own family. The camp has been cleansed. Now the Lord blesses them. It is the only way God can bless.
Many churches today are not experiencing the blessing of God. The problem is that they are not properly prepared for the march. They are trying to start out without first setting things in order. They are like a soldier who forgot to put on his belt one morning. Believe me it is pretty hard to march and carry a gun without your belt or suspenders! And there are churches like that, my friend. They are starting out before things are set in order. Paul is writing to the church when he says, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). Know your pedigree; that is, know you are a child of God; know your standard; know what your gift is and use it for Him; and keep your life clean.
What a wonderful blessing there is here. God the Father keeps us; the Son makes His face to shine upon us—He is the light of the world; God the Holy Spirit gives us peace. What a glorious chapter this is!
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Gifts of the princes
We come now to another rather remarkable chapter. This is next to the longest chapter in the Bible. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, which is all about the Word of God. Here we find eighty-nine verses, and do you know what they are all about? The gifts of the princes. They enumerate each item that they brought. It’s really a monotonous chapter, because it is repetition again and again. All the princes are mentioned, and we are told exactly what each one of them gave. This has a very important message for you and me.
GIFTS OF THE PRINCES
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:
And the Lord said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:
And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab [Num. 7:1–2, 11–17].
Do you know this man, Nahshon? I don’t. All I know about this man is that he offered these gifts, but God knew him and God took note of the gifts that he brought.
Do you find his offering interesting? I don’t, really. It sounds sort of like a shopping list.
Now the next man came:
On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer [Num. 7:18].
Now do you know what he did? He did the same thing—brought the identical offering. Couldn’t the Bible just have a ditto mark there for his offering? Couldn’t the Spirit of God have said simply that it was the same? No, the Spirit of God recorded very carefully and in detail what each one brought. Each man is listed here by name, and, as far as I know, this is all he ever did for the Lord. This whole long chapter is about these men and what they gave to the Lord. Even a spoonful of incense was recorded!
Now, our Lord said, “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” (Matt. 6:3), and a great many people had better not let the right hand know what the left hand is doing, because both hands are doing so little for the Lord. They should be ashamed of their hands, both right and left. But I have news for you. Little as it is, the Lord records what you do for Him.
Remember that the Gospel of Luke tells how the Lord Jesus sat over against the treasury one day. Was He nosy, do you think? Did He have any business there? He certainly did. He just happened to be the Lord of Glory and the Lord of the temple. He watched how the people gave. The rich gave rich gifts. They were large gifts, and he noted that. Then He watched a widow put in two little coppers. In comparison to the richness of that temple, to the ornateness and wealth of it, she didn’t add anything. But Jesus didn’t think of it that way. She gave all she had, and to Jesus hers was the largest gift of all. It is recorded in heaven. You may be sure of that.
The tabernacle erected, and the tents of Israel around it.
Jesus knows exactly what you give to Him, and He knows how much you keep for yourself. I don’t like this pious talk of some people saying what they give is just between them and the Lord. I wonder if they realize the Lord is recording it.
This is a remarkable chapter. It is eighty-nine verses long, and one of the most monotonous things I’ve ever read, but I think the Lord still looks it over. I think He opens the books and says, “Well, look here what this prince gave.” He takes note of all the gifts.
Friend, you have never done anything for Him that is not recorded, and you will be rewarded for that. We ought to talk more freely about these things because they are important to God.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The light of the lampstand; Levites cleansed
This chapter surprises us by beginning with instructions for lighting the lampstand in the Holy Place. At first it seems that the lampstand is out of place—that belongs back in Exodus where instructions were given for the tabernacle. But as we look at it more closely, we see that God has a good reason for mentioning it here.
Chapter 8 continues the section regarding the cleansing operation in preparation for the wilderness march. Those who were going to follow God and serve Him had to be clean.
THE LIGHT OF THE LAMPSTAND
And the Lordspake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the Lord commanded Moses.
And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the Lord had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick [Num. 8:1–4].
This beautiful lampstand was one of the articles of furniture in the tabernacle. It was made of beaten gold, the work of an artisan who had shaped it into the form of branches of almonds with a great almond blossom at the top of each branch to hold the lamps. The lights on the top revealed the beauty of the lampstand.
This is the most perfect picture of Christ that we find in the tabernacle. The lighted lamps represent the Holy Spirit who reveals the beauty of Christ. The lampstand is symbolic of Christ who sent the Holy Spirit into the world. The Spirit of God takes the things of Christ and shows them to us.
Now we understand why the lampstand is mentioned here between the gifts of the princes and the cleansing of the Levites. It reminds us that everything must be done in the light of the presence of Christ.
What does that mean to you and me? It means that our gifts to Him and our service for Him must be done in the light of His presence. In other words, it must be done according to His Word. This is where the church is to get its instructions—not from a book of church order or some other place—but from the Word of God.
The lampstand is the light, and the Lord Jesus Christ calls Himself the Light of the world. He is revealed in the Word of God.
LEVITES CLEANSED
The remainder of the chapter deals with the cleansing of the Levites. They had to come to the laver for cleansing although they had already been to the brazen altar, which speaks of the cross of Christ. Now we find that God will keep His servants clean.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them [Num. 8:5–6].
Friend, if God is going to use you, He’ll have to clean you. He will have His own way of doing it. Now notice how the Levites were cleansed.
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering [Num. 8:7–8].
First, they must be sprinkled with the water of purifying. This was done at the laver. Secondly, they were to shave all their flesh. Thirdly, they were to wash their clothes to make themselves clean. Fourthly, they were to offer a sin offering and a burnt offering.
Do you remember what God had said about Levi? Levi was one of the sons of Jacob, and when Jacob blessed him, this is what he said: “Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Gen. 49:5–7). Obviously they needed to be cleansed.
The important thing for the child of God today is not how you walk, but where you walk. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). You see, the light and the laver are placed together here. When you walk in the light, you see that there is imperfection in your life. Then you go to the laver to remove it, which symbolizes the confession of your sins.
Notice that there are four steps that are given here for cleansing.
1. ld;Sprinkle the water of purifying upon them.” You remember that when Christ washed the disciples’ feet, Simon Peter objected. The Lord Jesus told him, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). That means, you will not have fellowship with Me, you will have no part with Me. John explains this in his Epistle. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.” Yes, but when I walk in the light, I see things that are wrong in my life. What am I to do then? “And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” It keeps on cleansing us from all sin as we confess our sins to Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7 and 9). This is most important, friends. This is for believers. If you are to serve God, you must confess your sins. The brazen altar is the place where the sinner comes to God for salvation; the laver is the place the believer, the saint of God, comes to be cleansed.
2. “Let them shave all their flesh.” The word of God is alive, and “powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Word of God can dig down into your life and find things wrong there that you didn’t know were wrong. You don’t need that sharp razor, you see. You don’t think there is a spot on you? Then get out the razor and start using the Word of God. It’s a light and it’s also a sharp razor.
3. “Let them wash their clothes.” A garment speaks of the habits of life. We even call them a riding habit or a walking habit to identify the use of the garment. We need to wash our garments—we have certain habits that we need to get rid of because they are hurting our testimony for the Lord.
4. “Take for a sin offering.” There was to be a bullock for a burnt offering and a meal offering and another young bullock for a sin offering. These offerings, as we have already seen, speak of Christ. The burnt offering speaks of who He is. The meal offering speaks of His sinless perfection. The peace offering speaks of the fact that He made peace by the blood of His cross. The sin offering speaks of what He has done for us. In other words, all of this cleansing, all of this that is done, is done in the light of the person and work of Christ. He did all of this for us. He did it in order that we might serve Him.
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the Lord [Num. 8:9–11].
Now, let us understand this very clearly. You can sing a solo, you can preach a sermon, you can teach a Sunday school class, you can be an officer in the church, but you are not effective until you walk in the light of the Word of God, until you have been to Him for cleansing. You must see yourself in the light of the Word of God. You know you come short, you confess your sins to Him, and you know He forgives you and cleanses you. You use that sharp razor that takes off that which offends. You need to watch your habits if you are to be used of God. Many a man has let a bad habit ruin his testimony. And the cleansing must all rest upon the person and work of Christ.
We see that all this was done so that the Levites might serve the Lord.
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary [Num. 8:14, 19].
Remember that we have mentioned before how our Lord, in His high priestly prayer, says of the believers, “…thine they were, and thou gavest them me…” (John 17:6). The Lord Jesus Christ paid a price and redeemed us back to God by His own blood. Now the Father has given us as a gift back to the Lord Jesus Christ. We belong to Him.
Now service to Him does not rest upon rules and regulations and law. That is not the way to serve the Lord Jesus. We serve Him because we love Him. We are in a new relationship to Him. We have been joined to Him; we are a part of Him. What a thrill it is to know it is not a matter of following little rules and regulations. Instead it is a matter of wanting to please Him. How wonderful this is.
This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge [Num. 8:24–26].
The Levites were permitted to serve in the tabernacle at the age of twenty-five years. Back in the fourth chapter we learned that they could not enter into priestly service until the age of thirty years. The priests served from age thirty to fifty. The Levites who served around in the tabernacle, putting it up, taking it down—just any kind of service—were from age twenty-five to fifty years. Back in Numbers 1:3 we saw that the census of those able to go to war included the ones who were twenty years old and upward.
This raises the question of the age of accountability. When we come to Numbers 14:29 we read, “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me.” Apparently in this instance, twenty years was the age of accountability. The boy who was nineteen years old would be permitted to enter the land. The twenty-year-old boy who had murmured would die in the wilderness.
I would like to suggest that the age of accountability may be older than we tend to think it is. We think maybe a little child is responsible. I don’t think so. A little child can accept the Lord. In fact there are many on record as young as four years old who have received Christ. But the age of accountability must be somewhat later than that, and I’m of the opinion it will be different for different people. We see here that God made it different for the different forms of service. A man could be a soldier at twenty years; a Levite could work in the tabernacle at twenty-five years; a priest began his priestly service at thirty years. The important thing is that we should instruct boys and girls and encourage them to come to the Lord as soon as possible. It is so important for our children to trust in the Lord Jesus.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Passover observed on wilderness march; pillar of cloud by day, pillar of fire by night
PASSOVER OBSERVED ON WILDERNESS MARCH
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season [Num. 9:1–21].
Israel was to celebrate the Passover while they were in the wilderness. So they kept the Passover on this, the second year after they left Egypt. During the celebration a problem arose. There were certain men who were defiled by a dead body so that they could not keep the Passover. They came and reported it to Moses and Aaron and asked what they should do.
And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you [Num. 9:8].
Moses didn’t appeal to a book of church order; he didn’t appeal to Robert’s Rules of Order. He appealed to God. I repeat again what I have said so often. We are to appeal to the Word of God today. That is the authority for the child of God. Now I realize there will be different ideas on the interpretation of the Word of God. That is why we should study it and be sensible in our interpretation of it.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord.
The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs [Num. 9:9–11].
Those who were unable to keep the Passover at the appointed time were to have a delayed Passover and celebrate it a month later.
PILLAR OF CLOUD BY DAY, PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT
And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night [Num. 9:15–16].
The children of Israel had a covering cloud, which was the Shekinah glory. This was one of many things that made them different from any other nation. When Paul was writing to the Romans and wanted to give some of the identifying marks of the Israelites, he wrote this, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Rom. 9:4–5). You see, he mentions the glory. These were the only people who ever had the visible presence of God with them.
At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not [Num. 9:18–19].
Moses was not the one who decided whether they would march today or tomorrow, or whether they would stay in camp for several days. God decided that.
We need to recognize today that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. He is the One who should lead. The problem is that the church is so busy going its own way that oftentimes He isn’t even consulted. But Christ is still the Head of His church, and those who are His will follow Him.
You will notice that sometimes they stayed in camp for several days, even months, and they were about a year at Mount Sinai. They were out there in that wilderness for forty years.
Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses [Num. 9:22–23].
When the pillar of cloud lifted in the morning, they knew it was a day for them to journey. The Levites would go immediately to take down the tabernacle, and I believe they could do this in thirty minutes or so, and would put it up just as quickly in the evening when they came to rest. Then the pillar of cloud that had led them would settle down over the tabernacle. This pillar of cloud and pillar of fire was the Shekinah glory that was the visible presence of God. After their wilderness journey was over, and they were settled in the Land, Solomon erected a temple to replace the mobile tabernacle. “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:10–11). God, you see, hallowed the temple with His presence. However, later in their history when Israel turned from her God, the Shekinah glory left the temple. Ezekiel tells of its hesitant departure, as though reluctant to leave, then of its lifting up and disappearance into the heavens.
Of the Lord Jesus, John wrote, “And we beheld his glory,” but not many saw it at His first coming. It was His glory that He laid aside when He came to this earth—not his deity, but His glory.
When He comes again, there will be “the sign of the Son of man in heaven,” and I believe that sign will be the Shekinah glory. Christ will return to earth in all His glory.
That sign is not for the church. We are never given a visible presence of God. Rather, we are given the inward presence of God, the Holy Spirit indwelling us. The Spirit of God is in the believer today. What wonderful truths there are here for us.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Silver trumpets; order of march
The last preparation for the march is the instructions for making two silver trumpets. The wilderness march will then begin in verse 11 of this chapter.
SILVER TRUMPHETS
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps [Num. 10:1–21].
Two is the number of witnes—it is in the mouth of two witnesses that a matter is established. These two trumpets were used to move Israel on the wilderness march.
And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee [Num. 10:3–4].
The blowing of one trumpet brought the princes together. This reminds us that there is to be a last trump for the church. That last trump, I believe, is the voice of Christ which will be His last call. He has sent out invitation after invitation. His final invitation to the Laodicean church is “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). At the last trump, He will call His church out of the world. That will be the last call. The one single trumpet, which is the voice of the Lord Jesus, will bring the believers together. This is what we call the Rapture of the church.
When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.
When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm [Num. 10:5–7].
The trumpets were used to bring this tremendous number of people into formation for the march through the wilderness.
And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies [Num. 10:9].
Another use of the trumpets was to blow the alarm for war.
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God [Num. 10:10].
The sounding of the trumpets also would denote certain segments of time and special occasions.
The Order by Which They Marched is Given in 10:11–36.
These trumpets, made of silver, which is the metal of redemption, sounded the call for a redeemed people. This was the way God moved them on the wilderness march. They were used as a way of signalling to the people how they should march through the wilderness.
ORDER OF MARCH
And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran [Num. 10:11–12].
They have been here at Sinai for about a year, getting the Law from God. The instructions for the silver trumpets have been given, and the trumpets have been made. Now they are blown and the children of Israel begin their wilderness march.
This becomes very detailed in its instructions here in this chapter. Let us go back for a moment to the plan of encampment which we had in chapter 2. You remember that the families of Levi were encamped around the tabernacle. Moses and Aaron were on the east side, Merari on the north, Gershon on the west, and Kohath on the south. Then the camps of the twelve tribes were out beyond that. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were on the east; Dan, Ashur, and Naphtali on the north; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin on the west; and Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south.
Early one morning the people of Israel strike camp because the pillar of cloud is lifted. Each family packs their things; the tabernacle is taken down. The time has come to move. What do they do first? Moses and Aaron give the signal and the silver trumpets are blown to sound an alarm. Who moves first? The family of Kohath which carries the ark moves out in front. The ark leads the wilderness march.
Also Christ leads His church through the wilderness of this world. The ark is a picture of Jesus Christ.
So the first trumpet puts Moses and Aaron and the ark out in front. The trumpet blows again and Judah moves out from the east side, with Issachar and Zebulun marching with Judah under his banner. After them come Gershon and Merari, bearing their part of the tabernacle—they had the heavier things, such as the boards and the bars and the coverings. Then the trumpet blows and Reuben with Simeon and Gad move out, marching under the standard of Reuben. The trumpet blows again and the Kohathites follow them. They are carrying all the articles of furniture of the tabernacle except the ark, which has gone ahead to the front of the march. All these articles of furniture were equipped with poles and the Kohathites bore them on their shoulders. The trumpet sounds again and Ephraim moves out with Manasseh and Benjamin under his standard. Finally, Dan moves out with Asher and Naphtali, under the standard of Dan. Bringing up the rear is the mixed multitude, folk who were part Israelite and part Egyptian. They didn’t know whether they should stay or go. Each one was mixed up. As a result, they were stragglers who came along on the wilderness march. The young man who blasphemed (whom we read about in Leviticus 24), who had an Egyptian father and an Israelite mother, had been part of this group.
Did you notice that the trumpet was blown seven times? In the Book of Revelation there is the blowing of the seven trumpets. Those seven trumpets are connected with the children of Israel. The blowing of those trumpets in the Great Tribulation period will move the children of Israel from all corners of the earth back into that land.
A great many people try to associate the last trump that is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52 with the last trumpet in the Book of Revelation, and then they draw the conclusion that the church is going through the Great Tribulation period. However, that last trump which is mentioned in Corinthians is the voice of the Son of God, which is detailed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God ….” His voice is like the voice of an archangel and like the sound of a trumpet. We know this because in Revelation 1:10–11 John writes, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last ….” Whom did John see when he turned to see who had spoken to him? He saw the glorified Christ, the Great High Priest. His voice is like a trumpet. His voice is going to raise the dead and change the mortal bodies of those who are living when He comes for His church. The trumpet sound for the church is the voice of the Son of God.
Trumpets are connected with the children of Israel. It is the trumpet that moved them on the wilderness march. It will be the trumpets that will bring them from the wilderness of this world back into the land.
And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel [Num. 10:29].
Here we have recorded an encounter with Moses’ father-in-law and Moses’ invitation to him. This could be applied to the church. We are strangers and pilgrims going through this world today. We are in a wilderness here, but we are on the way to the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our invitation is the same invitation that Moses gave, “Come thou with us.”
If you are not a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ, you may join the party. It is a great one, by the way, as we are marching to go into the presence of Jesus Christ. We are not a group that is marching because we are better than anyone else. We are sinners who have been saved by the grace of God. If you see yourself as a sinner and you need a Savior, turn to Him by simple faith and trust Him. Join the march! This is no protest march; it is a salvation march, a redemption march. It is the march that is going to Zion, not the earthly Zion but the heavenly one, the city of Jerusalem which will come down from God out of heaven, adorned like a bride for the bridegroom.
And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred [Num. 10:30].
Now Moses keeps on talking, and maybe he shouldn’t have done that. Old Hobab, the father-in-law, didn’t want to go along. He wanted to go home. So Moses answered him,
And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes [Num. 10:31].
I want to say to you right here that I don’t understand Moses. God has made it clear to Moses that the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night would guide them and that the ark was leading them, both of which speak of Christ. He is the leader. Now Moses is suggesting to his own father-in-law that he needs him to lead them. The old man had been raised in the desert of Midian. He was a Midianite and he knew that area. He could have been a great help, I’m sure. But, you see, they were not to depend upon natural means. This old man didn’t know the way God wanted them to go.
Unfortunately, the church is listening to the voice of the “experts,” men without real spiritual discernment. As a result, the church is being led down the garden path in many instances. And the church is brought to a very sad place many times. What a responsibility rests upon the church leaders today, the ministers and the church officers! Are you sure Christ is the Head of your church? Are you sure that He is leading and guiding you, or are you today asking some man to come and be eyes for you?
Moses made a mistake here, friends. Moses could make mistakes, by the way. He was a sinner. The interesting thing is that he wrote this; so he recorded his own mistake. I’m afraid that if some of us had made these mistakes, we wouldn’t have mentioned them.
And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.
And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp [Num. 10:33–34].
Now they are on their way. God is leading them. God Himself is searching out the land. There was no need to have the father-in-law of Moses do the searching for them.
And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel [Num. 10:35–36].
Apparently Moses followed this little ritual of prayer each morning and every evening when they were on the wilderness march.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The complaint of the people; the complaint of Moses; God provides quail
The children of Israel now have left Mount Sinai, and chapters 11 and 12 tell of the march from Sinai to Kadesh. We will find that when problems arose, the people fell to murmuring. This was a very serious thing, and it carries important lessons for us.
THE COMPLAINT OF THE PEOPLE
And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp [Num. 11:1].
Every time the people complained, the glory of the Lord appeared. He was displeased with their groaning and their complaining.
We can be sure that the Lord is displeased with many of the criticizing, complaining saints today. They are everlastingly finding fault and nothing seems to please them. God doesn’t want it that way for you, my friend. He wants you to be a happy, joyful Christian.
And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.
And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them [Num. 11:2–3].
Now, what is behind all this complaining? Who were the troublemakers? We can locate them here, and we are just as able to locate them today.
And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a-lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? [Num. 11:4].
Who is it that started this? It is the mixed multitude. You will remember that the mixed multitude were those who were not sure who they were. They could not go up and join one of the tribes. They couldn’t declare their pedigree. They weren’t sure whether they should go on the wilderness march or not. They were the products of mixed marriages. Each of them had one parent back in Egypt and one parent in the camp of Israel. They were Egyptian enough to like Egypt, and they were Israelite enough to want to go on the wilderness march.
We have our churches filled with people like that today. They want to mix with church people and go to church. They want to be moral and live upstanding lives; so they join a church. Then, during the week, they run with the world. They are a mixed multitude. They are not quite sure where they do belong. They are not sure if they are born again—they don’t know their pedigree.
I have discovered through my years as a pastor that the real troublemakers in any church are the mixed multitude. They are fellow travelers with the world and with the church people. They like to have a church banquet, but they don’t want the Bible study. They don’t want to be forward in the march, close to the ark of God; they want to stay way in the back because they are not sure but what they may want to turn and go back some time. They are not quite clear about what they believe. They are never happy when others are having a real time of spiritual blessing. They’re uncomfortable in the church, but they are also uncomfortable with the world. They just don’t seem to fit in. They are a square peg in a round hole and they are the troublemakers.
Now out here in the wilderness, what do you think they wanted? Listen to them.
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes [Num. 11:5–6].
Notice what they missed. Everything they liked was a condiment, except the fish. They couldn’t catch fish out in that wilderness—there weren’t any lakes out there. They remembered the fish they had in Egypt. There they had all the fish they wanted. I’m of the opinion that in Egypt they were tired of the fish, but now that is what they remembered. They fell to lusting.
The children of Israel became infected with this complaining, and they began to weep along with the mixed multitude. This was like a spreading, contagious disease which swept through the camp. Before long, the whole crowd was weeping, remembering Egypt.
So they start to complain about the manna. They have the manna to eat, and it is miraculously provided by God every day, but they don’t like it.
And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it [Num. 11:7–9].
The Spirit of God describes manna for us the second time. The thing they didn’t like—how wonderful it was! It was not a monotonous food. The fact of the matter is, as we will see in Deuteronomy, when they went through the wilderness, their feet did not swell. They did not get beriberi from eating the manna. That manna had all the necessary vitamins in it. It was God’s food. That manna gave them complete nourishment. Manna, of course, is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the Word of God which reveals Him.
There were many ways the manna could be prepared. It could be baked or fried; they could grind it to make a bread or a cake out of it. Mrs. Moses probably compiled a cookbook with one hundred and one recipes for manna. The Spirit of God is saying this was an adequate food, a marvelous food, and He is showing to us that it was this food which the children of Israel despised.
Let’s not sit back and say how terrible the children of Israel were. How about you, my friend? That manna speaks of Christ. How do you feel about Him? Do you get tired of Him?
Many Christians get tired of manna. A lot of people get tired of Bible study. I think it is safe to say that the largest segment of the church today does not want Bible study. They just won’t go for it. The predicament of the church today is due to the fact that folk have turned from the Word and are trying to feed somewhere else other than on the manna which God has provided.
THE COMPLAINT OF MOSES
After this, even Moses gets a little weary of this crowd. I must say that I have a certain sympathy for him.
Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness [Num. 11:10–15].
Is Moses complaining? It sounds to me as though he is complaining here. Moses wasn’t a perfect man, by any means. He was just a plain human being who was mightily used of God. Moses said he would rather be dead than go through what he was going through with that crowd!
I know pastors who have ulcers and nervous breakdowns. I know several men who have left the ministry. They did the same thing Moses did—complained to the Lord that the burden was too great. They got tired of hearing the criticisms and the complaints and the whining and the difficulties.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee [Num. 11:16].
Moses made a mistake in complaining like this to God. Moses said that he was the one who was bearing all these people. Well, he wasn’t. God never asked him to. God was bearing them and also bearing Moses, but Moses was not fully eastmg himself upon God. Now God says, “All right, Moses, I’ll give you help if that is what you want.” God very patiently, very graciously, provides some assistance for Moses. Seventy elders were appointed.
By the way, these seventy elders continued down through the history of Israel. In the time of our Lord they were called the Sanhednn. One night they met and decided to put the Lord Jesus to death. I don’t think they needed this organization.
We seem to think in the church today that if we will multiply committees and organizations and methods, we will solve our problems. Well, it has not solved our problems. We don’t need more organizations; we don’t need Sanhedrins.
And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone [Num. 11:17].
God had called Moses to lead the people, and God would provide the strength for Moses to do that. God always does. He never asks anyone to do more than he can do. If you feel that you are overworked or that you are doing too much, maybe you really are. Maybe you are doing more than God wants you to do. God will not overburden those who are His own.
And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? [Num. 11:18–20].
It is interesting to read the comment that the Spirit of God makes concerning this incident. Psalm 106 is a historic psalm, and there we read in verse 15, “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” God answered their request, but He sent leanness into their soul. I imagine some of them ran around and said they got their answer to prayer, but notice the cost.
We are to make our requests known unto God with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6), because we know that God is going to hear and answer our prayer. Most of the time God will say no to our prayer, which is the very best answer. Sometimes we pray for things that aren’t the best for us. If we beg and complain, God may answer our prayer but give us leanness in our soul.
I remember a certain man who was an officer in a church I served years ago. He came to me and asked me to pray for him. His business was shaky, and he wanted me to pray that the Lord would bless his business. He said it offered him the opportunity of becoming wealthy if he could get it past this critical period. I was a young preacher then, and I went immediately and prayed that the man would make money and that God would establish his business. He prayed for it too. God heard our prayers and the man got rich, which was the worst thing that could have happened to him. He had a fine family until they got more money than they needed. He lost all of his children. God granted their request, but sent leanness to their souls.
God tells Moses that for a whole month they will eat flesh until it becomes loathsome to them. He will do this because they have despised Him and have wept before Him.
And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? [Num. 11:21–22].
Moses is asking God how He is going to do this.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not [Num. 11:23].
God answers him that He will do it. We never need to ask the Lord how He is going to do something after He says He will do it. He will do it, and He doesn’t need your how and my how. He does it the way He wants to do it.
And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease [Num. 11:24–25].
Notice that there was actually no more power than there had been before. There was a lot more machinery than there was before, but there was no more power because the same Spirit was divided among them.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
And Moses said unto him,Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!
And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel [Num. 11:26–30].
Joshua was very loyal to Moses, and that was wonderful. But even more wonderful is the revelation that there wasn’t a jealous bone in the body of Moses. He was not jealous because these others were able to prophesy. I believe there are three great sins in the ministry: laziness, jealousy, and boredom. Some of us are guilty of all three. We have seen that Moses was not lazy or bored; now we know he was not a jealous man either. Jealousy is an awful thing.
GOD PROVIDES QUAIL
And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth [Num. 11:31].
The Lord gives them the meat He promised. He is providing quail on toast—they couldn’t have it better than this! I can’t even imagine quail in abundance like this. I’ve been quail hunting all day and found two or three quail.
And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp [Num. 11:32].
That is about eighty-six gallons. They didn’t have cold storage; so they had to cook all that. They demonstrated real gluttony.
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.
And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth [Num. 11:33–35].
God judges those things. He still does. Remember that Paul writes, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32).
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Jealousy of Miriam and Aaron; judgment of Miriam
The Bible tells us very little about the home life of Moses. But from what we do know, I can’t believe it could have been very happy. The incident recorded in this chapter is a family matter which occurred during the march from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea. In this chapter we will find rebellion in high places, among the leaders of the children of Israel.
JEALOUSY OF MIRIAM AND AARON
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman [Num. 12:1].
I do not think this wife was Zipporah, the daughter of the priest of Midian—she would be a Midianite. The last we hear of Zipporah is when her father brought her to Moses at Mount Sinai (Exod. 18:2). Did she return home with her father? Was she dead? Who is this Ethiopian or Cushite wife? Scripture is silent. All we can say is that this appears to be a second wife. The point here is that Miriam used this marriage as a pretext to protest the authority of Moses.
And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it [Num. 12:2].
This is big sister talking. Miriam could say, “Who does this boy Moses think he is? Why, I can remember when he was a little baby in an ark and I watched over him. If I hadn’t watched over him, where would he be today?” And Aaron, the high priest, Moses’ big brother, joins in.
(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth) [Num. 12:3].
It is stated of Moses and of our Lord Jesus that they were meek. Remember that meekness is not weakness. Meekness is being obedient to God and doing His will.
And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam. Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out [Num. 12:4].
This is a family affair, you see.
And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed [Num. 12:6–9].
God is saying that He chooses the prophets. Also He says that Moses is greater than the others—he is faithful in all My house. God says that He deals differently with him than with any other prophet: He speaks with Moses directly.
I think we find this to be true as we study the Old Testament. I cannot find that He dealt with any other prophet as He dealt with Moses. God appeared in dreams to Abraham. He appeared in dreams to Joseph. But God dealt with Moses face to face. Moses is different from all the others. Later on we will see that God says, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deut. 18:18). That Prophet who would be like unto Moses is the Lord Jesus Christ.
JUDGMENT OF MIRIAM
And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous [Num. 12:10].
They had been very foolish in what they had said. Miriam became leprous which was God’s severe judgment on her. Moses prayed to the Lord for her—how forgiving and gracious Moses was! Although God healed her, she had to be shut out from the camp for seven days, and the people could not journey while she was shut out of the camp. She held up the march for a whole week.
And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran [Num. 12:15–16].
Why wasn’t Aaron struck with the leprosy? Because Aaron was God’s high priest. If he were a leper he could not serve in that capacity; Israel would have had no intercessor to stand between them and God. So God didn’t use this family affair to judge Aaron at this time. It was Aaron who pleaded with Moses, “…Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned” (Num. 12:11). The judgment was caused by the jealousy in both of them, but Miriam was the leader in it. Her name is mentioned first, and the verb spake in verse 1 is in the feminine—“she spoke.” Aaron was not a leader; he was a follower. He was weak and pliable, a characteristic we see in Exodus 32 regarding the making of the golden calf. The sins of jealousy and envy were nurtured in Miriam’s heart, and God rightly judged her.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Sending spies; misinterpretation of facts; right interpretation of facts
Israel has reached Kadesh-barnea, which borders the Promised Land. It is sad to see that Kadesh becomes their Waterloo because of their unbelief.
This chapter includes the cause of their sending spies, the choice of the spies, the commission of the spies, the conduct of the spies, the spies’ confirmation of the facts, and the two interpretations of those facts—a majority and a minority report.
SENDING SPIES
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel [Num. 13:1–3].
Whose idea was it to send in the spies? Was it the idea of God? Was it His thought to spy out the land? No. We always need to get a composite picture from the Word of God, because many times one facet will be given in one place and another facet given in another place. As an example, we need all four of the Gospel records to have a total spectrum of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although we get the impression here that this is God’s idea, we find that He was responding to their request. Listen to the account in Deuteronomy. “And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us. Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come” (Deut. 1:20–22). It was not God’s idea to send spies into the land. The sending in of the spies denoted a weakness and a fear on the part of the people. There was a fear that maybe they wouldn’t be able to take the land. It was so easy for them to rationalize and decide on spies as a matter of wisdom.
However, God is leading Israel to the land He has promised them. Their request for spies reveals a lack of faith on their part. They are not trusting Him. God had already been in and spied out the land. He knew all about it. He would not have sent them into the land unless He knew they could take it. When they finally did enter the land, the giants were still there; all the difficulties and problems were still there, yet they took the land.
What an important message this is for us today! Are we really walking by faith? Of course we need to take precautions, but there is a time when we do need to commit our way unto the Lord. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Ps. 37:5). You and I need to come to the place in our lives when we commit our way to Him and trust Him completely.
These folk have come to that place but they’re not trusting God. They decide to send out spies to find out what lay ahead of them. We find this to be another instance where God yields to the desires of His people. He permits them to do this thing. Before it was said of them, “… he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Ps. 106:15). This time it will be worse than leanness.
After they demonstrate their lack of faith and lack of trust in God, He orders the spy mission, in response to their request, and commands that it should be done in a fair and orderly way, and that a ruler from each tribe go as a spy.
CHOICE OF SPIES
The list of the spies is given here. We are especially interested in two of them.
Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun [Num. 13:6, 8].
Oshea or Hoshea is Joshua. We will hear more of these two remarkable men who brought in the minority report.
COMMISSION OF SPIES
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes [Num. 13:17–20].
Now the spies are to go in. They have been given their commission and they know what they are to do.
CONDUCT OF SPIES
So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath [Num. 13:21].
Hamath is way up in the extreme north of the land. The spies did a thorough job. The fact of the matter is that they could have written a book entitled Inside the Promised Land. They knew a great deal about it. We are told the places they went and that they saw the children of Anak. These were giants.
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
And they returned from searching of the land after forty days [Num. 13:22–25].
Our translation gives the impression that it took two men to carry one bunch of grapes. At least they cut down enough grapes (and they were lush grapes) for two men to carry and it was put on a pole between them. They brought back samples of the fruit to show what a wonderful land it was.
CONFIRMATION OF FACTS
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it [Num. 13:26–27].
Their report confirmed that God was accurate when He said it was a land flowing with milk and honey.
MISINTERPRETATION OF FACTS
Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan [Num. 13:28–29].
This all was true. There were giants in the land. The cities were walled and very great. They were right in their facts, but they misinterpreted the facts. That is where they went awry.
But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight [Num. 13:31–33].
When you are afraid and you have lost your faith, difficulties and problems are magnified. They become greater than they really are. There were giants, but the men thought they were bigger than they actually were. They looked bigger because these men were afraid. What an interesting contrast they give us here. Giants and grasshoppers! Do you know what they left out? They forgot to include God! They compared themselves to the giants as grasshoppers. That is the way they saw themselves. They left God out of the picture. If only they had put Him in, what a different story it would have been.
RIGHT INTERPRETATION OF FACTS
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it [Num. 13:30].
Here is the minority report. Caleb spoke up with this report but the other men refuted him. Only Joshua agreed with Caleb.
So there we have the whole picture. The report was accurate as to the facts. But there were two different opinions in the interpretation of those facts. The minority report was “Let’s go in and take the land. We are well able to do it.” The majority report was, “We can’t do it.” The people believed the majority report. They didn’t believe they could take the land because they lacked faith in God.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Israel’s refusal to enter the land; Moses pleads for Israel; God’s judgment; Israel defeated by Amalekites and Canaanites
Israel has now come to the place of decision. They must decide whether they are going to enter the land or not. We find Israel refusing to enter. The reason is their unbelief. The Bible is its own best commentary, and it is the writer to the Hebrews who puts it just that way. “But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:17–19). It was unbelief that kept them from going into the land!
ISRAEL’S REFUSAL TO ENTER THE LAND
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! [Num. 14:1–2].
I am of the opinion that poor Moses and Aaron at this time were wishing they had died in the wilderness so they would be rid of their continual complaining.
And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? [Num. 14:3].
They are in such a bad frame of mind that they say, “Our wives and children will be a prey!” They are using their children as an excuse, pretending they are thinking of the safety of their children, but actually it is a reflection on God. They are saying that God did not care what happened to their children.
Do you know who it was that entered the land? It was these children—that next generation. The old folks sat there and cried and said they were thinking of the safety of the children. The fact of the matter is that God was thinking of the safety of the children, and He brought them into the land.
And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not [Num. 14:4–9].
These two men, Caleb and Joshua, brought The same facts as the others. What is the difference in their report? The difference is in their interpretation of the facts because they included God. When you see yourself as a grasshopper in the presence of giants, that is when you need God. These people certainly needed God. Caleb and Joshua insisted that if God would delight in them, He would bring them into the land. But how can God delight in them unless they believe God? They must trust Him.
“They are bread for us” in our idiom would be like saying, “Those people in the land will be ‘duck soup’ for us!” How can they be so confident? They have faith in God!
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel [Num. 14:10].
Have you noticed that every time there is a rebellion, or murmuring, or complaining, the glory of the Lord appears? God is highly displeased with this rebellion against Him.
And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinhereit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they [Num. 14:11–12].
God is saying, “I’ll destroy them and make a nation from you to fulfil My promises.”
MOSES PLEADS FOR ISRAEL
And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, and thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now [Num. 14:13–19].
Moses reminds God that the rumor will go around that although He was able to bring them out of Egypt, He was not able to put them into the land, to complete that which He had begun. God agrees to go ahead with them and put Israel into the land.
And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word [Num. 14:20].
And then the Lord gives this prophecy:
But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord [Num. 14:21].
As God brought these children of Israel out of the land of Egypt and did put them in the Promised Land, so God will complete the plan He had for you when He saved you. And He will complete the plan He is working on now for the entire earth, because the time is coming when the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
GOD’S JUDGMENT
Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it [Num. 14:22–24].
Judgment falls on the children of Israel. The generation that murmured will not enter the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb are the only ones whom God singles out from the people. God promises that they shall enter the land, and God made good that promise.
Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
Doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness [Num. 14:29–32].
Their children, that they implied God did not care about, would be brought safely into the land they had despised.
And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die [Num. 14:33–35].
God tells them that they will wander in the wilderness for forty years—one year for each day the spies were in the land.
And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord [Num. 14:36–37].
The ten spies who brought the evil report and led in the rebellion died of a plague.
ISRAEL DEFEATED BY AMALEKITES AND CANAANITES
And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly [Num. 14:39].
They had turned from the land, but as they face the wilderness, they are actually more afraid of the wilderness than they had been afraid of entering the land.
And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.
And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.
Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies [Num. 14:40–42].
They had lost their opportunity. They would not go up into the land when God wanted them to go. Now they presume to go up. This is presumption. Faith is not presumption! They again want to go their way rather than God’s way. There can be no victory when there is no submission to the will of God.
But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah [Num. 14:44–45].
CHAPTER 15
Theme: God’s purpose is not destroyed; death penalty for breaking Ow Sabbath; the ribband of blue
We have seen that the children of Israel had come to a point of decision at Kadesh-barnea. As you know, decisions are the difficult things for all of us in this life. This is especially true for the Christian. Many times we come to the crossroad and we are not sure which way to go. But it was crystal clear to these people which way they should have gone. They faced the choice of entering the land by faith or turning back into the wilderness in unbelief. They made the wrong decision and turned in unbelief.
However, when they looked at the wilderness, they changed their mind and decided that the Promised Land with its walled cities and giants was not so bad as the wilderness; so they attempted to go into the land. This was not a decision of faith; it was a decision based on their experience of two years in the wilderness. They presumed to go into the land. Presumption is as dangerous as unbelief.
A businessman of my acquaintance had a responsible position, then was laid off from this position shortly after he had bought a new home and new furniture. His question to me was: “Why would God let this happen to me since He had led me to buy the house and furniture?” I told him, “I remember that while you were looking for the new house, you mentioned that you were not sure of the leading of God at that time and you specifically mentioned that you didn’t like the area, yet you bought the house. Now you are blaming God for all of it. Could it be that you moved by presumption rather than by faith?” He said, “Well, I just thought God would bless me.”
My friend, we need to be extremely careful whether we are moving by faith or by presumption. Somewhere between these two is the will of God. It is important to spend time waiting upon the Lord to find out what is His will.
Now we enter that division of the Book of Numbers from chapter 15 to 25, which I call “Faltering, Fumbling, and Fussing through the Wilderness.” At Kadesh-barnea, God has turned them back into the wilderness. Walking is turned to wandering; marching is turned to murmuring; witnessing is turned to wailing; warring is turned to wobbling; singing is turned to sighing; and working is turned to wishing.
Unfortunately, I must say that a great many Christians go through life just like that!
Now, the interesting thing is that these are silent years. There is no record of them anywhere. We are given only a few incidents with no connected history. However, we are given indications of the general characteristics of those years. In chapter 33, which is about as uninteresting as any chapter could be, we will find the log of the journeys. We can fit the recorded incidents into this log, but it shows us that we are not given a detailed account of those years. The years are wasted years for the children of Israel.
When we get to Joshua, chapter 5, we will learn that they did not circumcise their children during this period. This shows that they were not fulfilling the will of God relative to the covenant which God had made to Abraham. We also know that they did not offer sacrifices to God. “Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?” (Amos 5:25). These sacrifices pointed to Christ and they were not offering them during the forty years. Not only that, but we also know they worshiped idols during this period. “But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves” (Amos 5:26). Stephen relates this again in Acts. “Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon” (Acts 7:42–43). So we see that the children of Israel were not faithful to God during this period.
These years of wandering have many lessons for us today. We are pilgrims and strangers in this world. In God’s sight the world today is a wilderness. It may not look that way to us. Down here in Southern California, we have never felt this was a wilderness, but God sees it as a wilderness. You and I, believers, are just passing through this world. We are strangers and pilgrims.
Let me emphasize again: the whole theme of this chapter is that they can delay God’s blessing but they cannot destroy purpose. Notice that although the children of Israel have turned back into the wilderness, God says they will enter the land, and as far as God is concerned, it is as good as done. That is the reason a great deal of prophecy is stated in what is known as the “prophetic tense” in the Old Testament. It is stated in the past tense although it speaks of a future event. You see, friends, as far as God is concerned, when He says something is going to come to pass, it has already come to pass in His program.
GOD’S PURPOSE IS NOT DESTROYED
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you [Num. 15:1–2].
God is now telling them things which they are to do when they enter the land. Forty years later, Israel in a new generation entered the land and they did the things which their fathers neglected to do.
And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock:
Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an bin of oil [Num. 15:3–4].
Now God goes on to talk to them about this offering. A hin of oil was to be put on it, which speaks of the Holy Spirit. Then there was to be the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering, and that speaks of joy. Notice how God says, “When thou preparest a bullock” (v. 8). God talks to them about what they will do in the land as definitely as if it were done. Although this generation in the wilderness will turn back to idolatry, the new generation that is coming into the land will offer these offerings which all speak of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
My friend, how is it with you today? Probably on Sunday you go to church and your thoughts center on the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ. But what happens to you on Monday when you go out into the wilderness of the world? Do you join in the idolatry of the world? Do you serve the gods of this world? Do you live a sacred, religious life on Sunday and a secular life during the rest of the week? I tell you, the Lord Jesus wants to go into the market place with you. He wants to go on the streets of this world and into the trading places with you. He is as real there as He is in the church on Sunday.
Now he mentions something which we have previously seen in Leviticus, the offering for sins of ignorance.
Then it shall be, if aught be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance.
And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance [Num. 15:24–26].
Sins of ignorance remind us of a current issue. There is a great deal of debate about whether the heathen, who have never heard the Gospel, are lost. May I say to you, they are not lost because they are ignorant of the Gospel. They are lost because they are sinners. Sins of ignorance had to have an offering. So men are lost because they are sinners, whether or not they have heard the Gospel. I believe every man should have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and to make a decision, but men are lost long before they hear and reject the Gospel. Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost, and all men are lost. That is their natural state. Lost mankind is not sitting down in grief today because they have not heard the Gospel. If you have ever had the opportunity of taking the Gospel to those who have never heard it, you will recognize that they are not anxious to hear it.
DEATH PENALTY FOR BREAKING SABBATH
One incident that happened during the wilderness wanderings is startling to read.
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses [Num. 15:32–36].
This is very severe. This makes one thing very clear. The death penalty was the penalty for breaking any of the Ten Commandments. We need to see this to understand what it means that the Lord Jesus Christ died our death for us.
THE RIBBAND OF BLUE
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a-whoring:
That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
I am the Lordyour God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God [Num. 15:37–41].
That border of blue, which is a heavenly color, was to remind them of the fact that they were God’s people and they were to have a heavenly walk down here on this earth. There are many believers today who need to have that “border of blue” to remind them that as God’s children they are set apart and are to live for the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Rebellion against divinely constituted authority; the sixth murmuring
Although we have no detailed account of the children of Israel during these wasted years in the wilderness, there are isolated incidents recorded. From chapter 16 through 19, we have four incidents which all concern the priesthood. Chapter 16 is the gainsaying of Korah. Chapter 17 is about Aaron’s rod that budded. Chapter 18 is the confirmation of the priesthood, and chapter 19 concerns the offering of the red heifer.
REBELLION AGAINST DIVINELY CONSTITUTED AUTHORITY
This chapter opens with the murmuring of the children of Israel. This is the fifth murmuring, and before we get out of the chapter we will find the sixth murmuring. One can divide the wandering of the children of Israel according to their murmurings in the wilderness. This one is a murmuring among the priesthood. In fact, it is led by Korah, a very prominent Levite.
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lordis among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? [Num. 16:1–3].
Korah was a Levite of great authority. Associated with him were 250 of the princes of the assembly who were also men of authority. A rebellion to be effective must have prominent men behind it. It takes brains and money. This rebellion was no small affair.
Maybe you thought that protest movements and marches were new. They are not new at all. Here is a protest movement against the establishment. These are men of ability and, as always, they appeal to the mob by making charges—such as: “Your rights are being infringed upon. Your leaders are assuming too much authority. You are being deprived of something you should have.”
Now, actually, the charges made in this rebellion were not true to the facts. They were absolutely unfounded. Moses was not taking too much upon himself. If we go back in his history, we find that when God called him, he refused. He didn’t feel capable of leading these people. Even after God had trained him in the wilderness, he didn’t want the job. He asked for a helper, and God gave him Aaron. Moses was the meekest man on earth. When Joshua wanted to silence the prophets, Moses said that he wished all of God’s people might prophesy. He didn’t have a jealous bone in his body. My friend, we have seen that Moses was not sinless, but he certainly was not guilty of taking too much upon himself.
What was really the root trouble here? It was the jealousy of Korah. This matter of jealousy is an awful thing. All authority is God-given. No man takes this honor upon himself. God had given the places in the camp, and He had given the Levites their specific jobs to do. Korah was a Kohathite, and their position and service were God-appointed. Moses had his position and duties. Frankly, a rebellion like this must be dealt with, and extreme measures are going to be used.
This is so important for us to see today. Churches everywhere are having problems. We are a problem-conscious people today because we do have problems. My experience is that a great deal of the problem in churches today and a great deal of rebellion among the people in the churches can be found rooted in one thing—jealousy! This is why the Bible enjoins us to walk in meekness and in lowliness of mind. We are to walk in humility. We are to recognize that all authority is God-given.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul pictures the church as a body, a human body. As the body has many members, so the church has many members. When God saves you, He puts you in the body by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You are to function in a certain way in the body of believers. There are many gifts of the Spirit. If you are a Christian, you have been given a gift, and you are to use that gift as you function in the body of believers. The whole body is not a tongue. Therefore, everyone will not speak in tongues. Not all the body is an eye, nor is all the body an ear. Every individual has a gift and there are many gifts. One of those gifts is the gift of helps, and I can think of hundreds of ways in which you can help to get out the Word of God.
Every believer has a gift, and God wants us to function by exercising that gift. Your business is not to try to get someone else’s office or job. We have too much insane vanity among Christians wanting to be chairman of a board or to do something publicly. My friend, most of the members of the body are not seen. We cover them or they are inside the body. Yet their function is essential to the body. It is just so in the church!
Jealousy motivates a great many people who are troublemakers in our churches. These people push themselves into a place of leadership. They attempt to usurp a gift which they do not have at all. They have no particular ability to do the thing that they are attempting. God never called them to do that. That is hurting the church today.
God is going to deal with this rebellion in a definite way. I tell you, the judgment of these men is going to be serious. Let us notice what God did.
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to-morrow the Lordwill shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to-morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi [Num. 16:4–7].
They had said to Moses and Aaron that they took too much upon themselves. Now Moses is telling them from God that they take too much on themselves.
And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? [Num. 16:8–11].
Because the duties of Moses and Aaron were appointed by God, the murmuring is actually directed at God.
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up [Num. 16:12–14].
Their malicious charge against Moses ignores the fact that had they followed his leadership at Kadesh-barnea, by now they would be settled in the land of milk and honey.
And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to-morrow:
And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer [Num. 16:15–17].
It is up to God to make known His will in this matter.
And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment [Num. 16:18–21].
Every man took his censer, put incense in it, and came to the tabernacle. We will see that the glory of the Lord appeared. We have noticed before that the glory of the Lord appeared at the time of the murmuring, and now it appears at this time of rebellion.
And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? [Num. 16:22].
Again Moses intercedes for his people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.
But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord [Num. 16:23–30].
It is a terrible thing for a man or group of men to disobey God and His divinely appointed leaders. It is a terrible thing to set up a little system of worship and so divide the people of God. God must deal with this kind of rebellion, and He must judge it.
And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation [Num. 16:31–33].
It is awesome to see the way God judged them. Because they attempted to divide the people, God judges them in the same way in which they had sinned. He divides the people to separate them from Korah and his group, and then He divides the earth and it closes upon them. Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” God judges the very same way in which the man sins. That was true of old Jacob; it was true of David; it was true of Paul, the apostle; and it will be true of you and me.
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense [Num. 16:34–35].
These men had been leaders in Israel. They felt they should have had more prominence in their service. What a warning for us today! Too many people have a marvelous gift for serving God, but it would put them into some humble service, and they have the impression they should be running the church. Do you remember Dorcas who had the gift of sewing? That gift was so important to the early church that God used Peter to raise her from the dead. I think that today we need fewer voices trying to do the speaking and more people who will do the tasks such as sewing. We need people to do the humble tasks around the church today. Each and every gift is important. Jealousy and rebellion will be judged by God.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses [Num. 16:36–40].
Now God told Moses that the censers of the rebels should be molded into broad plates for a covering of the altar. These were to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no one was to offer incense before the Lord unless he was in the line of Aaron, the priest.
THE SIXTH MURMURING
But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.
And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared [Num. 16:41–42].
The next day, after they had brooded over it all night, they charge Moses and Aaron with murdering the rebels! Moses and Aaron didn’t do it, you see; God did it. Notice again that after their murmuring, the glory of the Lord appears.
Now God is ready to judge this murmuring people. The very man about whom they are complaining is the one who stands between the people and God in order to avert His judgment from them.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.
And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed [Num. 16:44–50].
The man they rebelled against is the very man who saved them. He stood between them and God. Likewise, the very One whom the human family crucified on the cross is the One who saves us. He stands between God and the sinner.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Office of Aaron is attested by resurrection
Now God is going to confirm the priesthood of Aaron and establish the fact that he is the high priest. He will establish this by resurrection!
OFFICE OF AARON IS ATTESTED BY RESURRECTION
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.
And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you [Num. 17:1–5].
The children of Israel were murmuring against Aaron saying that he was not the only one who could represent them before God. It was a rebellion against him.
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness [Num. 17:6–7].
Now God confirms his priesthood in a most remarkable manner. God had the prince of each of the twelve tribes bring a rod. These rods were picked up out on the desert—probably whittled out and decorated by carvings—but they were dead wood. Then these rods were placed before the Lord in the tabernacle. Aaron’s rod was there among the others, and his rod was as dead as all the others. But what happened?
And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds [Num. 17:8].
This is life out of death. Aaron’s priesthood was confirmed by resurrection. Aaron’s rod brought forth buds, and blossoms, and fruit! Life out of death. Resurrection. In the springtime the blooming of plants which have been dormant all winter does not illustrate life out of death. Neither does the egg. There is a germ of life in the egg. The perfect illustration of the resurrection of Christ is Aaron’s rod that budded.
The priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ rests upon the fact of His resurrection. We are told very frankly in the seventh chapter of Hebrews that if He were here on earth, He would not be a priest. He did not come from the priestly tribe of Levi. His resurrection made Him a priest. Then it tells us that not every man becomes a priest. “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Heb. 5:4). Aaron was God’s called priest. The evidence was the budded rod—the resurrection.
The Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and He became our High Priest. He has an unchangeable priesthood and so “… he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
At this very moment, He is at God’s right hand. He is there for you and for me today. One of the greatest privileges we have is being able to go to Him. He is our Great High Priest who makes intercession for us. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14–16).
Friend, do you need mercy? Do you need help today? Is life monotonous? Is it stale, flat, and unprofitable? Then go to the Lord Jesus. He is up there for you, your Great High Priest. Are you lonely? Go to Him. Is life a battle that you are losing? Are you defeated? Go to Him. Is life a struggle against temptation that you cannot overcome? Go to Him. Is life a horrible mistake and you need wisdom at the crossroads of decision? Go to Him. Is life shrouded with sorrow for you today? Go to Him. He is our Great High Priest by His resurrection from the dead. He is alive! He is up there for us today!
And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not [Num. 17:9–10].
Aaron’s rod that budded and blossomed and brought forth almonds is to be kept for a testimony and for a token. This rod was one of the three items which were kept in the ark of the covenant: “hellip; the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant” (Heb. 9:4). The tables of stone on which were written the Ten Commandments, a pot of manna, and the rod that budded were preserved inside the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle. The rod forever settled the question as to the priesthood of Aaron.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Aaron and the Levites confirmed in their position and responsibilities
We have seen the rebellion of Korah and the 250 princes of Israel against the constituted authority of Moses and Aaron. God judged him and his followers with a very severe judgment because his rebellion was actually against God. Then there were repercussions throughout the camp and a murmuring of the people. They felt the judgment had been too harsh. After all, these had been attractive men, leaders in Israel. Because these soft-hearted folk had no spiritual discernment, they found fault with Moses. Well, Moses was no more guilty of their death than Simon Peter was guilty of the death of Ananias and Sapphira. I’m of the opinion that Moses himself was quite surprised at what really took place.
Then a plague came upon the people because of their murmuring. Aaron stood between the living and the dead, and he became, actually, their intercessor at that time. Then God testified to the priesthood of Aaron by resurrection—He caused Aaron’s rod to bud, blossom, and bear fruit. Now God finds it necessary to confirm the priesthood.
AARON AND THE LEVITES CONFIRMED
And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood [Num. 18:1].
God is telling the Levites that they are responsible for what takes place. We need to remember that Korah was a Levite; the rebellion arose within the tribe of Levi. It was very serious. God is telling them they are responsible.
You and I are responsible today for our Christian testimony, for our families, and for our church. A great many people like to pull their skirts around them and assume a holier-than-thou attitude, shine up their halo, and then look down at the church today and talk about it going into apostasy. Now that is true; the church is going into apostasy. But it is also true that when there is sin in the church, you and I bear a certain amount of responsibility. We cannot escape the responsibility for sin in our lives, sin in our families, and sin in our church.
You see, this is the thing God is saying to Aaron. Aaron cannot look at all that is happening among the Levites and take a holier-than-thou attitude. Aaron cannot elevate himself by pointing out that he is God’s elect, the one whom God has chosen as the high priest. God’s man is to walk in humility. God’s man bears responsibility!
And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die [Num. 18:2–3].
God outlines for them very specifically that they, that is Aaron and his sons, are in charge of the sanctuary, the vessels of the sanctuary, and the altar.
Then God goes into detail concerning the part of the offerings that belongs to the priesthood. They were to be sustained by their part of the offerings, and the entire “wave offering” was given to the priest. The wave offering was not offered as a burnt sacrifice, but was given to the priests.
All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee [Num. 18:19].
That was the way a covenant was sealed in that day. Salt was regarded as a necessary ingredient of the daily food and was used in the sacrifices to the Lord. A covenant of salt became a covenant of permanent obligation.
And the Lord spake unto Aaron. Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel [Num. 18:20].
Aaron and all the Levites would have no part in the land. They would not have farms to keep, or vineyards to tend, or olive groves to protect. God, Himself, was their inheritance.
May I put this in very plain terms for today? The people in the church are to pay their preacher. You are to pay the one who is bringing you spiritual food. The man who is spending his time doing that cannot be working on a farm or in a field or in an office. It is a tragic thing to see that many of God’s finest workmen, both here and in the mission fields, must take a secular job in order to survive. The ministry suffers, and the church suffers. God provided support for the Levites, and He expects the church to support its pastor.
Now I recognize there are problems in looking to the Lord for His provision, but it is also a wonderful thing. I have been a minister for many, many years, and, although there have been difficult times which have tried our faith, it has been quite marvelous to be in this position. I want to testify how good God is. He has been mighty good to this poor preacher. That is what David said in the sixteenth Psalm: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot” (Ps. 16:5). It is a wonderful thing to have God as your inheritance, and to have Him as your paymaster, and to look to Him for every need. It is really a glorious position to be in.
The Lord places the Levites in that position. They lived by faith.
And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance [Num. 18:21–23].
They were to serve in the tabernacle of the congregation, and they were to be supported by the tenth in Israel. This meant that the Levites must walk by faith.
Now the question often arises whether preachers, missionaries, and church staff members should give to the church. I find that today a great many feel that they should not. I’d like to say a word in that connection. We are dealing here with rules and regulations in the Mosaic Law. Although you and I do not live under the Mosaic system, I believe it furnishes great principles by which we are to live. They are road maps for us to help us out in these questionable areas.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying.
Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them. When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe [Num. 18:25–26].
God told the Levites that they were to offer a tenth part of what they received. May I say to you, I think that the Christian worker, whoever he is, is to give to the Lord’s work also. I think he ought to give to his church and through his church into his church’s program. I have always given to missions and I have always encouraged my staff to give. I always had the offering plate passed on the pulpit platform so we might set an example for the congregation in this matter of giving.
We have had some thrilling experiences, by the way. It is our policy to send out books and tapes to missionaries and not to charge them a thing. But do you know that half of them pay for them? We had a missionary from one of the leading faith mission boards who was home on furlough. He was discouraged and felt he was losing his faith, but he started listening to our program. He never missed one, and then he came to our headquarters to get our tapes. We wanted to give him the tapes, but he insisted he was going to pay for them. May I say to you, he had the right principle.
Many of our missionaries simply cannot pay and we are glad to give them our tapes and materials. I have been impressed by the poverty of the missionaries out on the foreign fields I have visited. They have driven me in cars that were like the one-horse shay, ready to fall apart. Often the gas tank would be so nearly empty I would wonder whether we would make it to the airport. It is a shame and a disgrace that we do not pay our missionaries adequately, nor do we give them the proper instruments and tools to carry out their work.
This eighteenth chapter is a very practical chapter. It has a very definite message for us today.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: The offering and ashes of the red heifer
We come now to one of the most interesting offerings. It is called the offering of the red heifer, and it is most unusual.
THE OFFERING AND ASHES OF THE RED HEIFER
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke [Num. 19:1–2].
This is the first time an offering is to be a female animal.
And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:
And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even [Num. 19:3–8].
Now what is the purpose of this?
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin [Num. 19:9].
How was this to be used?
And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even [Num. 19:17–19].
This is an unusual ordinance, and it sounds very strange, but there is a good reason for it. When the children of Israel were on the march and a man sinned, they couldn’t stop right there, put up the tabernacle, and go through the ritual of offering a trespass offering or a sin offering. So what were they to do when a man sinned on the way? They would take the ashes of this heifer, mix those ashes with running water, then with hyssop sprinkle the individual who had sinned. That sounds very strange, doesn’t it? But that was the way God dealt with sin for those people.
Let me tell you another strange incident. When our Lord Jesus Christ went into the Upper Room with His disciples, the first thing he did was to get a basin of water and wash the disciples’ feet. Now why did He do that? He tells Simon Peter the reason. “… If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). If the Lord Jesus had not washed the feet of Peter, Peter could not have fellowship with Him. He had come from the Father and He was going back to the Father. “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself” (John 13:3–4).
Jesus Christ has gone back to the Father now, and He is still girded with the towel of service. The basin of water is the Word of God, the Holy Spirit is the One who applies it, and the hyssop speaks of faith.
When you and I sin today, Christ is not going to die all over again. We are told, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). That “light” is the Word of God. If we walk in the light, what do we see? We see that we are dirty and that we need cleaning. The Spirit of God convicts us. The Word tells us that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will keep on cleansing us from all these sins. But the water of the Word and the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ must be applied to us. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He died down here to save us. He lives up yonder to keep us saved. When Jesus Christ died for our sins, He did not die only for those sins up to the time we came to Him. He died for our sins from the time we came to Him at the cross until He gives us a crown.
Don’t tell me that you don’t sin after you have been saved. Sin in our lives is a fact which so many Christians neglect. Christian people get cleaned up for church. They take their Saturday night bath to be clean for Sunday. Congregations smell better today than they used to smell because they use deodorants, perfumes and colognes, but to God they smell worse because they are dirty. How many have been looking at things they shouldn’t look at? They come with dirty eyes. How many have been listening to gossip during the week? How many have been hearing filthy things they shouldn’t hear? They come with dirty ears. Some have dirty hands because they have been doing things they shouldn’t have done. Some have dirty feet because they have been walking where they shouldn’t have walked. They think that coming to church makes everything all right. Well, it’s not all right. That’s the reason the Lord Jesus says, “… If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). If the church service seems dead, and the sermon boring, perhaps it’s because you need a bath, a spiritual bath. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). We don’t want to lie. If we do, then we have to confess that to Him. It is so important to go to Him and to tell Him all our sins. And you might just as well tell Him because He already knows all about you anyway. But it makes fellowship so wonderful if we confess our sins to Him.
Why don’t you go to Him for cleansing? Someone may ask how often this should be done. Well, I don’t know about you, but I try to take a shower every day. And I find that I must go to Him two or three times every day and tell Him that McGee has been wrong and that McGee shouldn’t have seen this, or done this, or said that. May I say to you, we want to keep sweet with Him, and the only way we can do that is to confess our sins.
This offering of the red heifer is a marvelous offering. It kept the children of Israel sweet on the wilderness march. This was their deodorant for the wilderness march so that they might walk in fellowship with Him.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: At Kadesh again (after 37 years); the seventh murmuring; water from rock, disobedience of Moses; Edom refuses Israel passage through their land; death of Aaron
The chapter before us opens with the death of Miriam and it closes with the death of Aaron. The chapter is bounded by death. It also contains the sin of Moses and the sin of Edom. Yet this is an important chapter because it marks the end of wandering for the children of Israel and the beginning of marching.
This section, from chapters 14 to 20, is the only section which deals with the forty years of wandering in the wilderness—and that’s not very much. We have only a few incidents that took place during these forty years, Israel is out of God’s will, and there is little to tell. We can talk about Israel being God’s chosen people, but they didn’t amount to anything except when they were in God’s will. And that is still true today.
It is also true of you and me that we don’t amount to anything when we are out of the will of God. When you and I are not functioning in the body of believers, exercising the gift that He has given to us by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are as unnecessary as a fifth leg on a cow. Actually, we get in the way.
AT KADESH AGAIN (AFTER 37 YEARS)
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there [Num. 20:1].
Here we have the death of Miriam and only one verse is given to it. There is no long funeral oration, no days of mourning, no effort to eulogize. Miriam died and was buried. That’s all.
They are back at Kadesh. They had been here almost thirty-eight years before and now they are back again. Thirty-eight years of wandering, going nowhere. Although these years of wandering were not years of great blessing for the people, they provide great lessons to be learned because many of us today are not marching as pilgrims through the world; we are simply wandering pilgrims in this world down here.
THE SEVENTH MURMURING
And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord [Num. 20:2–3].
Of course they don’t really mean that. None of us want to die. Death is unnatural for man. But they are complaining, whining again, and murmuring. This is the seventh murmuring, and it is over the lack of water.
And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink [Num. 20:4–5].
Here they are back at Kadesh where they had failed before, and again they are complaining instead of trusting. Well, the land of milk and honey is ahead of them, but it isn’t here.
I don’t care where you are today, or who you are—you as a child of God need to recognize that you are not here permanently. All of us are just pilgrims passing through this world; we won’t be in any one place for long. So we ought not to spend so much time complaining.
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them [Num. 20:6].
Again I call your attention to the fact that every time these people murmured or complained, the glory of the Lord appeared. God was displeased with their complaining. That should make us realize that if we are whining and complaining saints, we are not pleasing to God. That is true no matter who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing.
WATER FROM ROCK, DISOBEDIENCE OF MOSES
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink [Num. 20:7–8].
“Take the rod”—this rod was Aaron’s, by the way. “Gather the assembly together and speak unto the rock.” Why were they simply to speak to the rock this time? It is because many years before this (as recorded in the seventeenth chapter of Exodus) the rock was smitten and water came forth. The rock is to be smitten only once!
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them. Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? [Num. 20:9–10].
Not only are the children of Israel complaining, but Moses is complaining now, don’t you think? I have great sympathy for him. He’s been with them all of forty years in the wilderness, and frankly, he is getting pretty tired of them.
He is forgetting himself here in verse 11 when he says, “Must we fetch you water out of this rock?” Moses is not going to fetch them water out of the rock at all. God is the One who will provide the water. They need to learn a great lesson here which is that the rock is a type of Christ. Now Moses became angry and he did something that he should not have done. This is going to keep him from entering the Promised Land.
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also [Num. 20:11].
Some men teach that his error was in smiting the rock twice. He should not have smitten it at all, friend. It had already been smitten. The rock is a type of Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). Christ suffered once for sins, never the second time. He died once. God was teaching this to them in a type, and Moses should have protected and guarded the type by obeying God. God told him very clearly that he was to speak to the rock. That was all he needed to do. But Moses failed to obey God. The importance of this act of disobedience was that the rock pictures Christ. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:1–4).
The water came out abundantly. The error of Moses did not keep the water from coming out. How gracious God is!
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them [Num. 20:12].
God is saying here that Moses and Aaron did not believe Him, neither did they sanctify Him in the eyes of Israel. That is, they took to themselves the credit for the miracle.
When we read the New Testament, we find that Moses did reach the Promised Land eventually; he appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ in that land.
Canaan is actually the picture of where you and I should live by faith. It is not a picture of heaven. We are in this world which is a wilderness, but you and I ought to be enjoying the blessings of Canaan. That comes, as we shall see in the Book of Joshua, by the death and resurrection of Christ. We are to reckon upon that, believing God and yielding to Him in this matter. That is what Moses and Aaron failed to do.
This is the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them [Num. 20:13].
Today, unbelief is our great sin also. My, what a reflection it is on God when we don’t take Him at His Word and believe Him!
EDOM REFUSES ISRAEL PASSAGE THROUGH THEIR LAND
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:
How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders [Num. 20:14–15, 17].
Moses gives them a little history of their nation, and then he asks for permission to cross their land. Now that was a request that was made in a very kind sort of way. Edom was their brother, and Moses reminds them of this. Edom sinned by not letting them pass through.
And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword [Num. 20:18].
The children of Israel again told Edom that they had their cattle and little ones and wanted to come through. Again they assured them that they would not take anything or damage the land.
And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor [Num. 20:20–22].
Now they are making a circuitous route which would not have been necessary had they been given permission to go through Edom. However, I think that Moses made a mistake here. Moses should have been following the cloud. He didn’t need to worry. God would be leading him, and guiding him. Instead of asking Edom for permission to go through, he should have simply followed the cloud. I think that the pillar of cloud would have led him in a way so he would never have had to fight Edom at all. I believe this is a case of running ahead of the Lord. Unfortunately, many of us do that.
DEATH OF AARON
We come now to the death of Aaron and that brings us to the end of the chapter which ends on a sad note. But there are very precious lessons in this chapter for you and for me.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah [Num. 20:23–24].
You know, there are many people today who are saved but even in this life they never enjoy the fruits of salvation and they do not have the peace of the Spirit in their own lives. They do not know what it is to walk in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Yet I would never for one moment question their salvation. Aaron was typical of that kind of life. He knew forty years of rugged experience in the wilderness, but he never knew what it was to sit down and enjoy the fruits of the Promised Land. He did not know what it was to drink the milk and eat the honey in the land of milk and honey. Many of us rob ourselves of that because of our unbelief.
Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:
And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.
And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel [Num. 20:25–29].
There is a precious lesson here for us. This was a very sad thing in Israel, but it has in it for us today something that should cause us to thank God.
The children of Israel mourned for thirty days. I think there were many in that company who had been to Aaron, the high priest. They knew Aaron, and Aaron knew them. They would bring their sacrifice and they would ask Aaron, “Oh, do you think God will forgive me?” And I think that Aaron would comfort them and tell them that our God is a gracious, merciful God. Then he would offer their sacrifice for them. Now they saw Eleazar come down, clothed in the garments of Aaron. Aaron is dead and gone. And they would say, “I don’t know Eleazar and he doesn’t know me. It’s a different priest now.”
May I say to you today that we have a High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us. Our Lord is not a Priest after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchizedek. He has neither beginning of days, nor end of life; He abides a Priest continually! Our High Priest will not die. He died once for us down here; He lives forever for us up there. He will always be there for us. We can always depend on Him. He knows each of us individually and we can know Him. To know Him is life everlasting. Knowing Him will occupy us for all eternity and it will never be changed. That is something to be thankful for today.
Israel has finished the wilderness wandering now and will be getting ready to enter into the Promised Land. Also God has a “promised land” into which He wants to bring us today. Christ is the One who can bring us there right now.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Victory of Israel; the eighth murmuring; the serpent of brass; first song; the march of Israel
As we have seen, chapter 20 brought us to the end of the wilderness wanderings in the sense that the wandering is over and they begin to march. In this chapter are their first victories in warfare. Also the experience of their eighth and last murmuring is recorded, which brought about the fiery serpents and the serpent of brass, used by the Lord Jesus to illustrate His own crucifixion.
VICTORY OF ISRAEL
And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.
And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.
And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way [Num. 21:1–4].
This is the first victory (since their conflict with Amalek shortly after they left Egypt) on the wilderness march. God clearly gave them this victory. However they now have to go by Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea. Since they can’t go through the land of Edom, they are attempting to make a circuitous route around that land. The way is hard and becomes very discouraging to the people. In their plight of discouragement, they begin to complain and whine and murmur. Unfortunately this is characteristic of many of us today. When life is hard we complain and murmur.
THE EEIGHT MURMURING
And the people spake against God, and against Moses. Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread [Num. 21:5].
This is the eighth and last murmuring of the children of Israel. They are murmuring again about the manna. You will recall that the mixed multitude were the ones who had led them in rejecting the manna earlier in the march. Manna was a wonderful food, by the way. God reminds them in the Book of Deuteronomy that their feet did not swell. A missionary doctor in the Philippines told me that the feet will swell and beriberi results from a diet deficiency. So they were getting all the correct nutrition in the manna, and it was a very tasty sort of food. Yet they complained.
There are people who will complain about steak—they would want a hamburger for variety! It’s amazing how easy it is for us to complain, and especially to complain about that which pertains to the things of God. When I was a pastor, people complained about the seats in the church. Yet I’ve seen folk go to a football game and sit on hard seats in a stadium (and there is no back on those seats) for hours and never complain! Now I will admit that when they listened to me preach they noticed the seats more. But isn’t it interesting how we whine and complain to God? How many times do we thank Him and rejoice in His goodness to us?
I think, frankly, that the Lord is getting just a little tired of all their murmuring. They say that their soul hates this manna. They don’t want it. They charge God with bringing them into this wilderness to die. The Lord is tired of all their complaining and He is going to judge them for it.
THE SERPENT OF BRASS
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said. We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. [Num. 21:6–7].
“We have sinned.” They are now ready to admit that they have sinned against the Lord and against Moses.
Now, that is a problem with many folk today. They want to begin with God as a church member, as a nice little girl or boy. We all must begin with God as sinners. The only way that God will begin with us is as sinners. You see, Christ died for sinners, and He loves sinners. If you can’t come in under that category, then Christ is not for you. He came for sinners.
These people are going to have to give evidence of faith because they have no good works. They can’t come to God with the promise that from now on they will be good because they won’t be good. But they can believe God, and God is going to let them come to Him by faith.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived [Num. 21:8–9].
There is a marvelous lesson here, you see. They are to look at the brazen serpent, and they are to look in faith. In fact, they would not look if it were not in faith. I can well imagine some of the folk saying that this was just nonsense. They would want something else, something more tangible than just turning around to look at a serpent of brass. But, of course, if a man would not turn to look at the serpent of brass, he would die.
Now, we don’t have to guess at the meaning of this and the lesson for us. When our Lord was talking to Nicodemus on that dark night, He said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:14–16).
How was the Son of man lifted up? You say, on a cross. Yes, but He was dying on the cross of Barabbas, and Barabbas was a thief and a murderer. Barabbas was guilty and was worthy of death. Jesus was not. Our Lord was made sin for us. On that cross, He not only has taken the place of Barabbas but also your place and my place. God permitted this and did this because He loves us. But God cannot save us by His love. It doesn’t say that God so loved the world that He saved the world. Not at all. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Now what God asks you to do, my friend, is to look and live. Look to Christ! He is taking your place there. You are a sinner and it is you who deserves to die. Christ did not deserve to die. He died for you.
We read here that this serpent of brass was made, and those who looked to it lived. Those who did not look to it—died. It is just that simple today. Either you are looking to Christ as your Savior because you are a sinner, or you are not doing it. If you are not doing it, I don’t care how many times you have been baptized, how many ceremonies you have been through, how many churches you have joined, or who your father and mother happened to be, you are a lost, hell-doomed sinner. You must look to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is just as simple as that. And by the way, it is just as complicated as that. What a problem people have today. They would rather look to themselves and to their own good works, trusting that somehow their own good works might save them. It is a problem for people to admit they are sinners and to look to Christ and trust Him.
Now the children of Israel move on. They come to the River Arnon which you can trace on your map.
From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites [Num. 21:13].
Then they go on.
And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water [Num. 21:16].
FIRST SONG
Now listen to this. How different this is. This is the first time they sing a song of praise and thanksgiving. They have been singing the desert blues and murmuring. Now it’s the Hallelujah chorus.
Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth:
And from Bamoth in the valley that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon [Num. 21:17–20].
They were thanking God for the provision that He had made for them in supplying water. The princes digged the well and the nobles of the people digged. Here you find capital and labor joining together in this.
THE MARCH OF ISRAEL
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying [Num. 21:21].
Israel now asks Sihon, king of the Amorites, for permission to pass through his land. Sihon refuses and gathers an army against Israel.
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong [Num. 21:24].
God gave Israel the victory over Sihon.
And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle of Edrei [Num. 21:33].
The Lord told Moses not to fear Og, the king of Bashan. They smote him and his sons and his people and they possessed the land of Bashan.
The children of Israel are marching now. They are singing praises to God and God is giving them victory. God will help them against Moab, too. They will then be getting ready to enter the Promised Land.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: The way of Balaam
Chapters 22 to 25 comprise a section of Numbers which goes into the story of Balaam, the prophet. He comes across the page of Scripture as one of those strange individuals whom I wish I could interpret for you. I wish I knew more so that I could correctly evaluate him.
There are literally thousands of people recorded in the Word of God. The Holy Spirit customarily gives us a cameo-sharp picture of them, a clear delineation of their character in just a few words. We’ve seen that.
Then there are the exceptions—these few walk in the shadows. Darkness hides their true natures. They are distorted, twisted indi viduals. I am not sure about Cain, or about Esau, Samson, or Saul, Absalom, or this man Balaam. I am not sure how to interpret them. Then in the New Testament we have questions about that rich, young ruler who came to Christ. Did he ever come back to Christ? Then there is Judas. Who can understand him? I’m sure that most of us feel that he was a lost individual, but he’s a strange person who followed our Lord for three years. No one detected that he was a phony except the Lord Jesus Himself. Then there is Demas—Demas who seemed to be so faithful and yet who finally forsook the apostle Paul. And what about Ananias and Sapphira?
Balaam is one of those enigmatic and mysterious characters. One writer says that he is the strangest of all characters in the Scripture. Some authors consider him a genuine prophet of God. Others say he was a religious racketeer. Is Balaam sincerely seeking to serve God, or is he a fake, a phony? Well, I’ll have to let you be the judge of that.
We might say that we should dismiss him as unworthy of any consideration, but I must tell you that the Word of God attaches some importance to him. Micah writes, “Oh my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord” (Mic. 6:5). Micah is telling Israel that they had better not forget him. So we had better not push this character aside.
Did you know that there is more said in Scripture about Balaam than there is about Mary, the mother of Jesus? There is more said about Balaam than about any of the apostles. The New Testament mentions him three times, and each time it is in connection with apostasy. In 2 Peter we are told about the way of Balaam. In Jude we are told about the error of Balaam. In Revelation we are told about the doctrine of Balaam.
This Balaam was a Midianite. He was a prophet with a wide reputation. He got results. Was he genuine? Let’s read his story before we evaluate him.
THE WAY OF BALAAM
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel [Num. 22:1–3].
You see that Israel is ready to enter the land. Balak, king of the Moabites, had witnessed what had happened to the Amorites and to Og, the king of Bashan. He was wondering what he should do to get Israel out of the land. Should he attack them? Very candidly, he didn’t know what to do. So he decided to engage the services of this prophet.
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed [Num. 22:5–6].
He sends for Balaam. Apparently this prophet was well known in that entire land. Balak wants to hire him to come and curse the children of Israel. These people had poured into the area there by the Jordan River and Balak wanted them out of that land.
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak [Num. 22:7].
He sent messengers down to Balaam to make this overture to him. The man has quite a reputation, you see. The messengers bring their rewards, or the pay, for the diviner. Balaam is a fortune teller. Balak offers a very handsome price to this man through his messengers.
And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam [Num. 22:8].
Now he seems honestly to be trying to ascertain here the mind of God. He apparently is in touch with God. Now notice:
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out [Num. 22:9–11].
It is a very interesting thing that God did communicate with him.
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed [Num. 22:12].
Now that was a categorical, matter-of-fact answer. There was no way to be evasive about that. Now watch Balaam.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you [Num. 22:13].
Balaam seems to be a sincere and honest man of God. If this were the end of the story, then I would have to assume that about him, but Balak was a persistent fellow.
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people [Num. 22:15–17].
Actually, you see, they are offering him a better price.
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more [Num. 22:18].
Well, they had upped the price but that does not seem to affect this man Balaam. He turns it down. He sounds very pious here. I feel like saying Amen. Then I have a second thought. He’s too good to be true. Just why did he speak of a house filled with silver and gold? He said it because that is what he is thinking about. He is covetous, and his mind is turned in that direction.
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more [Num. 22:19].
Oh, oh, what is happening here, friends? Well, it’s quite obvious. He already has an answer from God. He has no need to wait another night for a further answer from God. God had already told him not to go, but you see, this man is hoping that the Lord will open a little crack in the door so he can put his foot into it; and if he can get his foot into it, then he is going to go. This is all very interesting.
Do we sometimes do this same thing? We who are preachers make a great deal about a call from God. I heard the story of a preacher who came home and told his wife one day, “Honey, I just had a call to the church over in the next town. Now you know it’s a bigger town, richer town, bigger church, more members, and fine folk over there. I’ve been called to go over there as pastor and I’m going upstairs to pray about it and find out what the Lord’s will is for us.” She answered, “I’ll go upstairs to pray with you.” “Oh no,” he said, “you stay down here and pack!” He had made up his mind, as you can see. Old Balaam had made up his mind also.
Now notice what happens. God does not do this for Balaam only; He does it for you and for me. It is not good, friends, but God permits us to do what we want to do.
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do [Num. 22:20].
In other words, God is saying, “All right, you want to go and before it is through you will go, but if you go, you are to say what I want you to say. Be careful of that.” We have here what is known as the permissive will of God. He permits us many times to do something that we insist on doing when it is not in His direct will. You remember how we learned from the children of Israel that God granted their request but sent leanness to their souls. Sometimes He also grants our requests and sends leanness to our souls.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way [Num. 22:21–23].
He had God’s direct answer, but he didn’t like that. God permits him to go. Now God sends His angel, but this prophet doesn’t have the mind of God at all. We can see that he has no spiritual discernment, not even the discernment of this dumb animal.
But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left [Num. 22:24–26].
Balaam was determined to go, you see. He was a covetous man.
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? [Num. 22:27–28].
This is a miracle, of course. God is using this method to get His message through.
A wag once said that it was a miracle in Balaam’s day when an ass spoke, and it’s a miracle in our day when one keeps quiet! That’s probably true.
And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face [Num. 22:29–31].
The angel warned Balaam again that he was to speak only the word which the Lord would tell him. So Balaam went on to his meeting with the king, Balak.
And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak [Num. 22:32–35].
This is what Scripture calls the way of Balaam. Speaking of false prophets, Peter wrote, “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet” (2 Pet. 2:15–16). The way of Balaam was covetousness.
Unfortunately, this is the way that a great many Christians and Christian organizations are measured today—by the dollar sign. May God keep you and me from the sin of covetousness!
Now notice the scene here. Balaam goes on his way and arrives at the location where Israel is encamped.
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people [Num. 22:36–41].
Balak, the king of Moab, takes him to the top of a mountain where he can see the camp of Israel below.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: The first prophecy; the second prophecy; the error of Balaam
Here we see “the error of Balaam”—ignorance of God’s righteousness. This is an impressive scene. Balaam has now come to Balak, the king of Moab. Balak takes Balaam to the top of a mountain so that he can see the camp of Israel below. The fact of the matter is that Balak is not satisfied with any of the prophecies of Balaam; so he will take him to four different mountains on four different sides of the camp.
THE FIRST PROPHECY
Balak took Balaam up into the high places of Baal. There they offered burnt offerings, and there the Lord put a word into Balaam’s mouth.
And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth? [Num. 23:7–12].
Here is the first of the remarkable prophecies concerning the people of Israel. This wasn’t at all what Balak wanted him to say. He wasn’t satisfied with this prophecy; so he took Balaam over to another mountain to give him another look at the children of Israel as they were camped in the valley.
THE SECOND PROPHECY
Balak took Balaam to the top of Pisgah and there they offered burnt offerings. They could see Israel down in the camp, and again the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth.
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall be not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain [Num. 23:18–24].
Instead of cursing Israel, he actually blesses them again. God makes it very clear that he is not to curse Israel.
THE ERROR OF BALAAM
Now we see what Balaam is doing. He uses his own reasoning and rationalizing, and concludes that God must condemn Israel. There was evil in the camp. Sin was in evidence. They failed miserably. We have just seen the incident of the brazen serpent, and the people there confessed that they had sinned. So Balaam came to this natural conclusion: God must judge Israel because of their sins.
The natural man always concludes that God must judge Israel because of their sin, and that God must judge the individual sinner. So many times I hear a question like this: “How could God call David a man after His own heart?” Well, there is a higher righteousness than human righteousness, and that is the righteousness of Christ. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:31–34).
God does not judge the sinner because He has already judged him in Christ Jesus—when he came to God by faith in Christ. The world does not understand that. Old Balaam didn’t understand that. He thought that God must condemn Israel. He figured that if God was going to judge Israel, he might as well get the benefit of the rewards from King Balak. He thought that God would condemn Israel and that he would be permitted to get a handsome reward as a result of it.
Balaam did not understand the righteousness of God. He did not understand that the believing sinner, just like the people of Israel, could not come under the judgment and condemnation of God. When the believer sins, he comes under the disciplining hand of God, not under the condemnation of God.
Again Balak is not satisfied. He takes Balaam to the top of Peor for another view of Israel.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Balaam’s third and fourth prophecies
The story of Balaam continues uninterruptedly from the previous chapter.
THE THIRD PROPHECY
And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him [Num. 24:1–2].
Here is something which leaves us in amazement. The Spirit of God came upon this man. Listen to his prophecy.
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee [Num. 24:3–9].
There was sin in the camp of Israel, but God had dealt with that. He had set up the brazen serpent. The sins had been forgiven. God is not going to permit anyone on the outside to bring a charge against them. All that Balaam can do is to bless them and to praise them.
Just so, Satan cannot bring a charge against God’s elect. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:33–34). “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). I haven’t anything to say but hallelujah! Who can make a charge against God’s elect? No one. God has already declared them righteous.
And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour: but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.
And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?
And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days [Num. 24:10–14].
Of course Balak is angry, but Balaam reminds him that he cannot prophesy anything beyond the commandment of the Lord.
THE FOURTH PROPHECY
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open [Num. 24:15–16].
Notice this carefully. It is a most remarkable prophecy, and this is the one we hear at Christmas time.
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city [Num. 24:17–19].
Have you ever stopped to wonder where the wise men learned to look for a star? How did they associate a star with a king born over in Israel? Why would they make such a long trek?
About 1500 years after this prophecy was given, we find coming out of the east, the land of Balaam, a whole company of wise men. Apparently this prophecy of Balaam was retained, since Balaam was considered an outstanding prophet in the east, and the wise men knew his prophecy. When they saw the remarkable star, they remembered that Balaam had said, “… There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel …” (Num. 25:17). When the wise men came to Jerusalem, their question was, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matt. 2:2). When we add to these Scriptures the prophecy of Daniel (and Daniel likewise had prophesied in the east) which gives the approximate time that the Messiah would come, we see that the coming of the wise men to Jerusalem is very understandable.
The thing that makes it very remarkable is that Israel, the people who had the Old Testament with all the prophecies of Christ’s coming, was not looking for Him—with the exception of a very small minority, such as Anna and Simeon. When this company of wise men (there were probably nearer three hundred than three!) converged on Jerusalem, the entire city, including Herod the king, was stirred. Their coming adds a thrilling dimension to the Christmas story. And it is quite interesting to trace it to this old rascal, Balaam.
Now Balaam prophesied concerning the nations around Israel.
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but this latter end shall be that he perish forever.
And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever [Num. 24:20–24].
He certainly didn’t satisfy king Balak with his prophecies.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way [Num. 24:25].
That is a very strange statement concerning Balaam. He rose up and went and returned to his place. There is only one other man in Scripture who is said to have gone to his place and that man is Judas (Acts 1:25). The Scriptures are pretty silent about that.
We learn in Numbers 31:8 that Balaam was killed in battle along with the kings of Midian. “… Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.” Balaam was slain and, like Judas, he went to his place.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: The doctrine of Balaam—fornication with the Moabites and embracing their idolatry
In this chapter we shall see the most subtle and satanic thing which this man Balaam really did. We have discovered the way of Balaam (2 Pet. 2:15) which is the way of covetousness. He was after the almighty dollar, and he was willing to sacrifice his principles for that. Then, in Jude 11, we read of the error of Balaam. His error was that he was not aware of the fact that God could declare righteous those sinners who trust in Him. Now we see in Revelation the doctrine of Balaam, the damnable thing which this man taught. “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (Rev. 2:14). When Balaam saw that he could not curse Israel, he taught Balak how he might corrupt these people. We hear this same idea today. “If you can’t lick ’em, join ’em.” Because Balak couldn’t fight these people, Balaam taught him to join them and corrupt them from within.
THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel [Num. 25:1–3].
Do you see what happened? Balaam couldn’t curse Israel, but he could tell Balak what to do. They should infiltrate Israel, integrate with them, intermarry with them, and introduce idolatry to them to turn them away from their God.
I’m sure they told Israel not to be a bunch of squares, not to be so narrow-minded. They insisted they were broad-minded and invited Israel to come over and worship with them. But they never went to worship with the children of Israel.
It has always interested me that a liberal in the church wants me, a fundamentalist, to come over on his side and agree with him. But I have never been able to get him to come over to my side and agree with me—yet he claims to be the broad-minded fellow and I am the narrow-minded fellow. It is very interesting that the tendency of the human heart is always downward and away from God. This is the reason religious rackets prosper—radio religious rackets, church religious rackets, and educational religious rackets. Look how the people support such things. They appeal to the natural man. This is the reason some of those people think I am pretty foolish to teach the Bible. If I introduced something other than the Word of God, the program would prosper. I am very sorry to have to tell you that, but that is the way it is. Old Balaam knew that Balak could corrupt the people by getting a religious racket going. He could appeal to them and get the children of Israel to turn to the worship of Baal. And that is exactly what happened.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor [Num. 25:4–5].
You say that is extreme surgery. It certainly is. And do you know why? Because the disease is fatal! This would turn a man away from God and send him to hell; therefore, God is performing an act of mercy to save the nation Israel.
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand [Num. 25:6–9].
You see, this was the way that Balaam was able to curse Israel. This is the doctrine of Balaam.
Our Lord tells us in Revelation that this same doctrine gets into the church, and is in the church today. My viewpoint is that the enemy can’t hurt God’s people or God’s work or God’s church from the outside. The church has never been hurt from the outside. To the church at Pergamos our Lord said, “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (Rev. 2:14). This is the doctrine of Balaam. In the history of the early church, Pergamos marked the union of the world and the church. The world came in like a flood, and the devil joined the church at Pergamos. It was not persecution from the outside, but the doctrine of Balaam on the inside that hurt the church.
This great principle is applicable in all relationships of life.
After World War II, we stationed missiles everywhere. We did everything to keep the enemy outside. What happened? We began to fall from the inside. There began a moral decay such as we had never before seen in our country. Today we find the revolutionaries are on the inside of our nation. We are being destroyed from within. Rome didn’t fall from the outside. No enemy from the outside destroyed Rome, but Rome fell from within.
Have you ever noticed that the Lord Jesus was betrayed from the inside? It wasn’t a Roman soldier who betrayed Him. It was one of His own apostles who betrayed Him. It was His own nation that turned Him over to Rome to be crucified. Jesus is always betrayed from the inside. That is still true today. That is the doctrine of Balaam and it is a damnable doctrine.
Now the covenant of the priesthood is given to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest. And the Lord tells Moses to vex the Midianites and smite them. And that closes this chapter.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.
And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor’s sake [Num. 25:10–18].
CHAPTER 26
Theme: Census of the new generation
This is the beginning of a new section of the Book of Numbers. The new generation is preparing to enter the land. The remainder of the Book of Numbers is occupied with this preparation.
CENSUS OF THE NEW GENERATION
When we compare the census taken the second year of their wilderness march with the census taken the fortieth year of their march, we find a considerable difference. The following chart, prepared by Keil and Delitzsch in their Commentary on the Old Testament shows that while there was considerable increase in some of the tribes, there was a decided decrease in others. The total decrease for Israel was 1,820. For example, the tribe of Reuben became smaller by 2,770 persons.
These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty [Num. 26:7].
If you turn back to the census in the first chapter, you will find, “Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred” (Num. 1:21). That was forty years earlier when they started out in the wilderness.
In contrast to Reuben, the tribe of Dan showed a marked increase.
These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred [Num. 26:42–43].
At the first census it was said of Dan, “Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred” (Num. 1:39). In other words, Dan increased by 1,700 persons.
However, the second census revealed that Israel was smaller by 1,820 persons. The old generation died in the wilderness, just as God had told them. “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me” (Num. 14:29).
But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun [Num. 26:64–65].
This is now the new generation. All the old generation, except Caleb and Joshua, have died. God did not hold those who were under twenty responsible for the failure and rebellion at Kadesh-barnea. This may give us some indication as to the age of accountability. I do not know when it is, and I do not mean to suggest that it is twenty, but I think it is older than many of us suspect.
This is a new generation with the exception of two men. We are going to get better acquainted with these two interesting men when we come to the Book of Joshua.
CHAPTER 27
Theme: The women’s problem; God grants their request; Moses is to prepare for death
We are in the section of the Book of Numbers which we have labeled “A New Generation.” We saw last time that when the census was made, Joshua and Caleb were the only persons living who were enlisted in the census the first time. In other words, every one twenty years and over had died in that forty-year period. Those were rigorous years out on that desert, and they had perished. Now Israel is comprised of a new generation, and this new generation will have new problems.
It has always been a problem for one generation to understand another generation because each generation faces its own particular problem. It is quite interesting that someone has divided it this way. When you are young, you criticize the old generation, and when you are old, you criticize the young generation. That seems to be human nature.
As we come to this twenty-seventh chapter of the Book of Numbers we see that the new generation is presented here with a new problem. Actually, Moses didn’t know what to do. He had to appeal to the Lord, because according to the laws of other nations the women just didn’t count. In fact, they were treated as chattel.
THE WOMEN’S PROBLEM
Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah [Num. 27:1].
If you have a lot of daughters in your family, friends, and you run out of names, and you don’t like ordinary names, here is a list I’d like to suggest to you: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah! I have never heard of a woman named any of these names, and I think I know why! But these were the daughters of Zelophehad.
And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
And Moses brought their cause before the Lord [Num. 27:2–5].
You can see the problem. This man Zelophehad died in the wilderness. He had five daughters and no sons. According to the Mosaic Law, it looked as if a son were the one who inherited the property, and the women were just left out. Certainly the laws of the other nations did leave them out. They did not count at all. Now what are they to do?
These daughters of Zelophehad are very aggressive. We are hearing a great deal today about women’s rights. Well, they certainly got their rights in the Bible. There are those who said years ago that the Bible was a man’s book. However the more I read the Bible, the more I see that the Word of God gives women their rights. And I believe that they should have their rights, by the way.
Moses didn’t really know what to do. I suppose he said to them, “Well, girls, I don’t know what to say to you. I can see that you have a just cause, but according to the laws and customs of the day you certainly would not get anything.” So Moses brought their case before the Lord.
GOD GRANTS THEIR REQUEST
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying.
The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them [Num. 27:6–7].
The Lord is on the side of women’s rights, you see. This is one of the most remarkable laws that is imaginable. We live in a day when a ruling such as this is commonplace. It is difficult for us to put ourselves back in that day when women were treated like chattel. Missionaries who work among the tribes on the Orinoco River were telling me recently that in Venezuela a little girl in the family is sold to a man even before she reaches the age of ten years. Girls are traded just as one would trade an animal. This custom still exists among primitive people. Every woman today ought to be thankful for the Word of God because it is the Bible that first gave women their rights. I think this is a marvelous thing. “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance.” Now, on the basis of that, God puts down a principle and a law for them.
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren.
And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses [Num. 27:8–11].
This is a marvelous step forward, and it was made about 1500 years before Christ came into the world. I marvel at the aggressiveness and the forwardness of these women. I marvel at the faith of these women. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). The five girls wanted to possess their father’s inheritance. It was not the custom of the day nor a written law that they could have it. Therefore, they asked by faith, and by faith God gave the inheritance to them.
There is a marvelous lesson in this for us today. We are told that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3). I believe that God hears and answers us, not only in the spiritual blessings but also in the material things. I’m of the opinion that most of us are more or less paupers because we do not come to God as his children and ask Him for things. God wants to be good to us.
In my Christian life I have always hesitated to ask God for any material thing. When I was attending seminary, I worked for a Memphis newspaper, taking in ads at night. When there was an ad to sell a car, I’d go out and look at the car. If it was a bargain, I would buy it. I would drive it a year or so, then sell it for what I had paid for it. When I graduated from seminary, I asked the Lord to give me a good second-hand car. Do you know what the Lord did? He gave me a new car. Now, why didn’t I ask Him for a new car? Perhaps we are poor because we just don’t know what to ask for.
More than this, we have possessions—wonderful spiritual possessions in Christ Jesus. He would like for us to claim these in faith. The daughters of Zelophehad came and asked for the possession that was their father’s. Today we have spiritual possessions which we should ask for. Let’s tell our Father that we want our inheritance and that we want these spiritual blessings. He wants to bless us! How wonderful He is!
MOSES IS TO PREPARE FOR DEATH
We come to a sad note here. We’ve been following Moses for a long time. Actually, because he is the writer of Genesis, we have been with him from Genesis until now. At this point he is to prepare to pass from this earthly scene.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin [Num. 27:12–14].
God is referring to the time Moses smote that rock twice after God had told him to speak to it. God says here that it was rebellion against His commandment. Because Moses did this, he is only permitted to take a look into the land; he is not permitted to enter the land.
I used to ask my classes a trick question. Did Moses ever enter the Promised Land? Most of the students would say that he did not. Every now and then a sharp student would say, “Yes, he did.” And, of course, he did. He was there on the Mount of Transfiguration with the Lord Jesus. That was after his death.
Here he only got a view of the Promised Land. God will not permit him to enter into the land. You see, disobedience keeps many of us from entering into our spiritual possessions. Disbelief will always lead to disobedience. That is exactly what happened to Moses.
And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying,
Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation.
Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;
And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight [Num. 27:15–19].
There is to be a successor appointed to take the place of Moses. He must be a Spirit-filled man. Now I want to make it clear that the laying on of hands did not make him Spirit-filled, nor did it give him any power. The only thing that can be communicated by the laying on of hands is disease germs. What this does indicate is succession or partnership in an enterprise. You will remember that the church put their hands on Paul and Barnabas and sent them out from Antioch. Did that give them power? Not at all. The power came through the Holy Spirit of God. It was to show that the church was acknowledging their association with these two men in the missionary enterprise. That is the meaning of the laying on of hands.
Joshua is to be the successor of Moses. After Moses lays down the work, Joshua will pick it up. We will learn a great deal about this man when we get to the Book of Joshua. I want to say here that I think Joshua was the most surprised man in the camp when he was chosen to succeed Moses. In one sense he was the most unlikely one to succeed Moses. Do you know why? He was an average man. No one went around saying that Joshua had great potential, great leadership ability, and all that sort of thing you hear today. Apparently Joshua didn’t have that. He was an ordinary individual. Joshua reveals what God can do with an ordinary man.
I must tell you that the Books of Joshua and Judges have always been a great encouragement to me. I love those two books because they reveal what God can do with ordinary men. If a person will be yielded to Him, God can take him and use him. That means He can use me, because He can use the ordinary. It means He can use you.
So Joshua is the chosen one. He is appointed to take the place of Moses. We will see that in due time, after the death of Moses at the end of the Book of Deuteronomy, Joshua takes over.
And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses [Num. 27:22–23].
CHAPTERS 28 AND 29
Theme: Law of the offerings
Now that Israel is prepared to enter the Promised Land by a new census which mustered the able-bodied men for warfare, and by the appointment of Joshua as commander, its spiritual life is dealt with. The offerings have already been instituted, but here, for the sake of completeness, all the national sacrifices which were to be offered during the whole year are reviewed.
Because in Leviticus we looked at these offerings in detail, we will only touch on certain points here that are particularly interesting and meaningful.
Why did God spend so much time with the details of these offerings? Very candidly, it is rather tedious. This is especially true in our day when we do not offer bloody sacrifices. And it must have been tedious for them also. I marvel at how meticulous things had to be for the offering unto God. Why is there such detail? The reason is so wonderful that I wouldn’t want you to miss it for anything in the world. It is actually the preciousness of Christ that is brought to our attention here—in fact, the abiding preciousness of Christ.
LAW OF THE OFFERINGS
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season [Num. 28:1–2].
Notice the emphasis—“My offering …my bread … my sacrifice … unto me.” You recall from the Book of Leviticus that there were two kinds of offerings. Of the five offerings, three of them were sweet savor offerings; two of them were non-sweet savor offerings. The sweet savor offerings represent the person of Christ; the non-sweet offerings speak of the work of Christ in redemption for you and me. Now here God is talking about sweet savor offerings, and He calls them My offerings. These offerings represent not what Christ has done for us, or our thoughts of Him, but they speak of what God thinks of Him.
Now what does this mean to you and me? We hear a lot today about worship and worship services. But how much is true worship in our services? How much is just aimless activity? Real worship is when we think God’s thoughts after Him. This sweet savor offering which God speaks of as My offering, My bread, My sacrifice, represents what God thinks of Christ. God is satisfied with what Christ did for you and me on the cross. What about you? Are you satisfied with what Christ did for you on the cross? Are you resting in that today? His invitation is “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Have you brought your burden of sin to Him and received Him as your Savior? Are you satisfied with who He is? If He is not the Son of God, then what He did is absolutely meaningless. True worship is a recognition of who He is and an adoration of His Person. In other words, it is thinking God’s thoughts after Him.
And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord: two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering [Num. 28:3].
That burnt offering, speaking of the Person of Christ, all went up in smoke; it all ascended to God. And this is the aspect of this sacrifice that is all important.
When we come to chapter 29, we find it is a continuation of the laws of the offerings.
God wanted His people to come to Him with joy on these wonderful, high, holy days, the feast days. The exception was the Day of Atonement.
And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein [Num. 29:7].
This was a repetition of the law as given in Leviticus. “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord” (Lev. 23:27).
The chapter concludes with the law of offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles. Offerings for their sins and trespasses are mentioned, but always this is given in addition to the burnt offerings.
There are marvelous lessons for us in these two chapters. Friend, you and I are sinners. Even if you didn’t know it, you are a sinner. If you and I pay close attention to the Word of God, we will find that we are sinners and need a Savior. We need Christ! We need a Savior who died for us and paid the penalty for our sins.
Sin is what has brought sorrow into this world. Sin has brought the tears and the broken heart. God hates sin. I’m glad He hates sin. God is moving forward today—undeviatingly, unhesitatingly, uncompromisingly—against sin. He intends to drive it out of His universe. God will not compromise with it at all. He will not accept the white flag of truce. He intends to eliminate it, and I’m thankful for that.
Because it is sin that has robbed you and me of our fellowship with Him, sin is an occasion for mourning. When was the last time you wept over your sins? Have you been before God, my friend, and wept over your sin, over the failure of your life, over your coldness and indifference? My, how we need to confess that to Him today. It is not because God is high and we are low, or because He is great and weare small, nor because He is infinite and we are finite that we are separated from Him. He says it is our sins that have separated us from Him. That is the occasion for weeping.
Let me be very frank with you. I was ordained into the ministry in 1933, and was an active pastor for thirty-seven years. I have had successful pastorates, as man judges those things. There has always been an increase in attendance, and a new interest in Bible study, thriving and growing young people’s work, and people being saved. You may ask, “Isn’t that a cause for rejoicing?” I confess to you that I don’t rejoice. I look back and I see my failure, and I see it in a very glaring way. Don’t misunderstand—I’m not guilty of shooting anybody or of committing adultery, but I failed my Savior in so many ways, so many times, and I confess that to Him. I let things come in to separate me in times when I needed His fellowship and wanted His fellowship. But I’d let these things come in the way. That is occasion for mourning, even for weeping to this day.
But God did not want His people to spend a life of mourning. There was only one day of mourning. All the others were feasts of joy. There were the sin offerings and the trespass offerings. Christ has atoned for our sins on the cross. How we needed that! But the emphasis is on the burnt offerings, the burnt offering continually every day and the burnt offerings of the feast days. God is delighted in His Son.
All of the details speak of our Savior and how wonderful He is. He is a sweet savor offering; that is who He is. He is the non-sweet savor offering; that is what He did. He was made sin for us, He who knew no sin. I am the sinner, but He died in my stead so that I might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He took my place down here and He has given me His place up there. If you are saved today, you have as much right in heaven as Christ has. Did you know that? You have His right to be there, and if you don’t have His right, then you have no business there—in fact, you won’t be there. We are accepted in the Beloved. That is the basis on which God receives us. If you are in Him, you just can’t improve on that at all. How wonderful this is.
CHAPTER 30
Theme: A vow is inviolate; a woman’s vow depends upon her father or husband; the vow of a widow or divorced woman must stand
After the law of the offerings, we have the law of the vows. The law of the vows in this chapter has special reference to women. We have seen that women have been given the right to claim their inheritance. Now we learn that women also have responsibility.
A VOW IS INVIOLATE
We had a whole chapter on vows in Leviticus and there we called attention to the importance which God attaches to vows. He warns His children that they should be careful if they are making a vow to God. God will hold a person to his vow; so the warning is not to make a vow foolishly.
I think there is a grave danger today for people to promise the Lord too much. As I neared the end of my ministry, I became very reluctant to ask people to take any kind of a vow before God, except to accept Christ Jesus as Savior. Why? Because I’ve seen multitudes come to an altar to dedicate their lives and then I’ve seen those people break their vows. God doesn’t ask us to make vows—they are voluntary—but if we make a vow, God means business with us, and He will hold us to our vow.
And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded.
If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth [Num. 30:1–2].
This is very important for Christians today. Paul has this in mind when he says, “… if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10). How do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? With your heart. And then what happens? Confession is made by your mouth. Confessing with your mouth is your vow, that is your statement of faith. The point of it is not just what the mouth says, but that the heart must believe what the mouth is saying. These two must be in agreement. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” You don’t believe with your mouth; you say it with the mouth. “And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” The heart and the mouth must be singing the same tune, in a duet together. That is exactly what is meant in this matter of vows.
A WOMAN’S VOW DEPENDS UPON HER FATHER OR HUSBAND
If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth;
And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand [Num. 30:3–4].
In other words, if a woman makes a vow while she is still single and in her father’s home, the father can be held responsible for her. If the father keeps quiet when he hears her make the vow, then that vow which she made will stand. However, if the father speaks up and says, “Wait just a minute. She has bought this dress, and I don’t intend to pay for it,” then he is protected in the matter. That vow is not binding.
But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her [Num. 30:5].
Now what happens if the woman is married?
And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered aught out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her [Num. 30:6–8].
If the married woman goes out and makes expensive purchases and obligates herself, the husband can say that he disallows it and will not be responsible to pay for it. The vow will not stand and he is not obligated. So you see that either a father or a husband could be held responsible for the vow a woman made, unless they had disallowed it.
Sometimes we see this principle bypassed today. There are women who are golddiggers. They marry a man for his money. One sees this at times when a younger woman marries an older man. After she has his name, the can go to court and get practically everything that he owns. I’ve seen that happen several times. I knew a Christian man who was lonely after the death of his wife, and who then married a younger woman who was really after the money. This man had willed his money to mission boards and Christian organizations, but the young widow was able to break the will and get the money for herself so that the Christian organizations got none of it. Also I have had men tell me about marrying women who have taken them for everything they had. Well, that’s the foolishness of mankind. God says a man does not need to permit this sort of thing.
THE VOW OF A WIDOW OR DIVORCED WOMAN MUST STAND
But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her [Num. 30:9].
A widow must stand on her own two feet. The vow that she makes stands. You notice how important these details are to God. He wants His people always to be as good as their word.
God keeps His vows, and He expects His children to keep theirs. He made a vow to Abraham. He made a promise to David. God will stand behind His vows. He has kept His promises in the past and will keep His promises in the future. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). That is the Word of God, God’s promise to you and me. And the Word of God stands. He has vowed that He will save you if you trust in Christ, and that vow stands. A dear, little Scottish woman had an unbelieving son, who returned home from college with some new ideas and told her, “Your soul doesn’t amount to anything in this vast universe.” She thought it over and replied, “I agree my soul isn’t worth very much, but if my soul is lost, God would lose more than I would lose. God would lose His reputation because He said that He would save me if I trusted Him.” Friends, God will stand by His Word. He doesn’t have to take an oath; all He needs to do is to say it, and it is truth. He wants those who represent Him down here to be that kind of a people. If they make a vow, they should stand by that vow. This kind of responsibility should be representative of the Christians in this world today.
CHAPTER 31
Theme: Judgment of Midian
Remember that we are dealing with things that pertain to the new generation which has come through the wilderness. Many of them were just little fellows when they started out. Some were grade schoolers, some were high schoolers and some had not even been born when they started the wilderness march. God is preparing this new generation for their entrance into the Promised Land.
The Midianites, you recall, joined the Moabites in hiring Balaam to curse Israel and afterwards seduced the people to idolatry and licentiousness. The only woman named in this seduction was Cozbi, a Midianite (Num. 25:6–15). After this episode God commanded His people, “Vex the Midianites, and smite them: For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor’s sake” (Num. 25:17–18).
Midian in the wilderness is a type of the world. For the child of God there is to be a spiritual separation from the world today.
JUDGMENT OF MIDIAN
We are now going into the last official acts of Moses. When we get to Deuteronomy, we will have the last private acts of Moses. One of his last official acts is this war against the Midianites.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian [Num. 31:1–31].
Now God commands Moses to make war against them. He is going to avenge Israel. They are to deal very harshly with them.
And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand [Num. 31:6].
Moses sent out twelve thousand men to go to war—one thousand from each tribe. The holy instruments, the articles of furniture in the tabernacle, were to go along, indicating that this was a spiritual warfare.
And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword [Num. 31:7–8].
The kings of Midian were slain, and we note here the death of Balaam, the prophet. God is giving them a victory over the Midianites. There is a judgment on the Gentiles here, prior to the entering into the Promised Land. This is the same thing that will consummate the age before Christ comes. For in the Millennium Israel, which is having such great problems today, will be put in the land and they will have peace.
But now there is a problem. And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods [Num. 31:9].
God gave them a tremendous victory—they did not even lose one man (v. 49).
And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord [Num. 31:14–16].
There was a great problem with the children of Israel. God had taken them out of Egypt in one night. But it took God forty years to get Egypt out of them. And even now, after they had been tricked into idolatry through the advice of Balaam to the Midianites, they still bring the Midianite women into their camp. That is the problem with worldliness. It is not wrong for us to be in the world—that is where God has placed us—the great issue is whether the world is in us, in our hearts and lives.
The important lesson of this chapter is that it calls for spiritual separation from the world. Where are you walking? Do you walk in the light? Are you in the Word of God? Are you in fellowship with Christ? That is the important thing for the child of God.
CHAPTER 32
Theme Reuben and Gad ask for land on the wrong side of Jordan
This chapter tells us about the half-hearted tribes. Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh ask for land on the wrong side of the Jordan River.
This incident has a tremendous spiritual ap plication for us, as we consider the Jordan River as a type of the death and resurrection of Christ.
REUBEN AND GAD ASK FOR LAND ON THE WRONG SIDE OF JORDAN
Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying.
Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
Even the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:
Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan [Num. 32:1–5].
Moses is very disturbed at their request.
And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?
And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? [Num. 32:6–7].
He remembers all too vividly the utter discouragement of the people when they heard the report of the men who had spied out the land almost forty years earlier.
Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them [Num. 32:8–9].
Remember this is a new generation that Moses is talking to. They were too young to remember that tragic expefience, and Moses is reviewing it for them.
And the Lord’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying.
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.
And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed [Num. 32:10–13].
Moses fears this young generation will repeat the failure of their fathers.
And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.
For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again’leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people [Num. 32:14–15].
You can well understand Moses’ fears here. After enduring the hardships and discouragements of forty years in that terrible wilderness, the thought of again failing to enter the Promised Land seemed too much to risk.
And they came near unto him, and said, will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:
But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.
For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward [Num. 32:16–19].
They offered to send their men of war to help the other nine and one half tribes to take the Promised Land. On this basis, Moses agreed to let them settle on the east side of Jordan. They not only agreed to do it, but we find in Joshua 12–16 that they made good their promise.
Moses warned them:
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out [Num. 32:23].
The way this is usually interpreted is, “Your sin will be found out.” In other words, if you sin, you won’t get by with it. You will be found out. That is not what it says at all. There are a great many sinners who get by with their sins and are never found out by anyone else.
This verse says that your sin will find you out. There will come that time when the chickens come home to roost. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). I don’t care who you are, or where you are, how you are, or when you are, your sins will find you out. In the way that you sin, that is the way it is going to come home to you sometime. That is the meaning of this statement, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”
And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about [Num. 32:33].
These tribes that chose the wrong side of Jordan did not have the opportunity of crossing over the river Jordan.
We need to realize, friends, that the river Jordan does not symbolize our death. When we get to the Book of Joshua, we’ll see that it teaches how we pass over into Canaan. In other words, there are two places for the child of God to live today. You can live in the wilderness of this world and be a spiritual pauper, or you can enter into the place of spiritual blessings, represented by Canaan. Now how can we pass over the Jordan into the place of spiritual blessing? When we see the children of Israel crossing over Jordan, we find two great lessons there. The stones that were put in Jordan speak of the death of Christ. The stones that were taken out of Jordan speak of the resurrection of Christ. You and I get our spiritual blessings by the death and resurrection of Christ. We today are to know that we’ve been buried with Him and raised with Him. We are to reckon on the fact that we are joined to Him. We are to yield to Him on that kind of basis so that you and I can appropriate the spiritual blessings that are ours.
The two and one half tribes did not cross the Jordan. Did this work out to their disadvantage? Yes. Our Lord said that by their fruits ye shall know them. When He was here on earth, one time He was trying to get away from the crowd, “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes” (Mark 5:1). Now who are the Gadarenes? They are the tribe of Gad, living on the wrong side of the Jordan River. And when Jesus came to them, He found them in the pig business, you remember. And when He healed the demon-possessed man, the Gadarenes asked the Lord Jesus to leave their country! They had gotten into a sad condition. This always happens to the child of God who fails to cross Jordan and get into the Land of Promise.
CHAPTER 33
Theme: The log of the journeys; the law of the possession of the land
Here we have a log of their journeys. We said before that we do not have a record of the happenings during their forty years of wandering, only a few isolated incidents, but here is the log of the journey, a record of the places they camped.
THE LOG OF THE JOURNEYS
These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron [Num. 33:1].
Here are a couple of verses to show you that this is not very exciting reading.
And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.
And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath.
And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah.
And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mitheah [Num. 33:25–28].
I’d call it pretty monotonous. We would like to know what happened there, but nothing is said about what took place.
If you went to visit a friend who had just returned from Europe, you would ask him to tell you about his trip. Suppose he said that they went to Rome, then they went to Milan, then they went to Florence, then they went into Switzerland to Lucerne, then to Zurich and to Geneva, and then into Gerinany into Frankfurt, and so on and on. You would want to ask him what they saw and what they did. You’d find a recital of all the places they had been a pretty boring account of their trip. That is my opinion of this chapter; it’s not very interesting reading.
And yet, just as each portion of Scripture has a great spiritual lesson, so this chapter has a great spiritual lesson for us. Although this chapter is like a road map, and not interesting to read, it reveals that God noted and recorded every step that these people took. In fact, He was with them every step of the way through the wilderness march.
We sing a song today which is entitled “I’ll go with Him all the way.” Very candidly, I don’t like it, and I think it expresses exactly the opposite viewpoint from what it should say. When I was a pastor, I used to look out on the congregation singing, “I’ll go with Him all the way,” and then I wouldn’t see many of those people on Sunday night, or at any Bible study, or when there was any work to be done for God. I wonder how far would they really be willing to go with Him? I must confess that I have failed Him. I can’t promise that I will go with Him all the way. I think we should turn that song around. He will go withme all the way, for He has said, “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5).
So here we have the log of their journey. Everywhere they went, every time they camped, He was with them. Frankly, they weren’t going with Him. That is, their hearts were in rebellion against Him a great deal of the time. But He never left them. He never did forsake them.
This is one of the great truths of the Word of God. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Jesus said the same thing in His upper room discourse, “I will not leave you comfortless” (which is, literally, I will not leave you orphans): “I will come to you” (John 14:18). How? By sending the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. If you are a child of God, you couldn’t possibly get away from Him. He wouldn’t let you go. He will go with you all the way. We may stumble, falter, and fail. We don’t follow Him as we ought. But, thank God, He goes with us all the way!
THE LAW OF THE POSSESSION OF THE LAND
The chapter closes with an order the Lord gives to Moses as Israel is preparing to enter the land.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.
And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man’s inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them [Num. 33:51–56].
Here is something many folks, especially the skeptics, raise questions about. People say they think it is very cruel and unfair for the Lord to tell Israel to wipe out the inhabitants of the land, when Israel also had been disobedient. They contend that because the people in the land were such lovely folk that the Lord’s wanting to put them out is indefensible. That is the way the liberal and the skeptic have been talking for years. The chances are that every liberal today is living on a piece of ground that once belonged to the Indians, and I don’t see them giving back their property to the Indians!
Look at this with me for just a moment. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Ps. 24:1). This is His earth. He commands what is to be done. He told Israel to go into the land and to destroy their pictures; that is, their idols. The archaeologists are digging them up today. And they were to destroy their melted images. They were to demolish their high places. These were places of pagan and heathen worship where the vilest practices took place. The Canaanites were in a very low spiritual state. Not only were they idolators, far from the living and the true God, but promiscuity and sexual sins were a way of life and a part of their worship. As a result, the Canaanites were eaten up with venereal disease.
Our promiscuous society tries to minimize the terribleness of sexual sins. We have an epidemic of venereal disease today, a plague, and it is a grave danger. It does great injury to the human race. These disease-ridden Canaanites lived at the crossroads of the world. That land is one of the most sensitive spots that there is on earth. It is that yet today; it always has been; I think it always will be. It is a strategic land and the armies of the world have marched through that land. Trade routes of the world go through that land. The Canaanites had contact with a great number of people, and they were disseminating their loathsome diseases everywhere. So God is going to put a new tenant in the land. The Canaanites were destroying His property, and they were hurting the rest of mankind; so God is going to put them out.
Don’t come to me, my friend, and say that God did not have the right to do that. It was actually an act of mercy. God destroyed the Canaanites for the sake of the coming generations. That is the same reason that God sent the Flood—God was preserving the future generations.
My friend, do not criticize God. Do not sit in judgment on God. We cannot realize all that is involved in any situation. One thing we do know—we will not experience peace on this earth until the rule of the Prince of Peace. Until that time, God will use nations in judgment upon other nations.
CHAPTERS 34–36
Theme: Borders of the Promised Land; cities given to the Levites; law regarding the inheritance of the land
BORDERS OF THE PROMISED LAND
This is an important chapter because it defines in unmistakable terms the extent of the land that God gave to Israel. Also it underscores the fact that God gave the land to Israel for an eternal possession. Regardless of who claims it today, that land belongs to Israel.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof.) [Num. 34:1–2].
He gives the south border:
Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward [Num. 34:3].
Then He points out the west border:
And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border [Num. 34:6].
And He establishes the north border:
And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:
From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad:
And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan: this shall be your north border [Num. 34:7–9].
Then He defines the east border:
And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham:
And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward:
And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about [Num. 34:10–12].
The Lord then specifies who is to be responsible for the division of the land among the tribes.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance [Num. 34:16–18].
He even lists by name each prince that is to have this responsibility. I won’t quote these verses, because it is a little monotonous to us today. But it was very important to Israel in that day. The chapter concludes by saying,
These are they whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan [Num. 34:29].
CITIES GIVEN TO THE LEVITES
As we have learned, the Levites were taken from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn. The Levites belonged to the Lord. They were not given a section of the land of Israel, but they were given cities to live in.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts [Num. 35:1–3].
The suburbs are the pasture lands which were also reserved for the Levites.
And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about [Num. 35:4].
Of the forty-eight cities which were assigned to the Levites, six of them were designated as cities of refuge.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge [Num. 35:9–13].
The Levites were to set up three such cities on the east side of Jordan and three on the west side of Jordan. A man who had unwittingly killed a person could flee to the city of refuge. This would save him from mob action or from the action of some zealous person or relative who might be emotionally wrought up at the time. This gave time for a fair trial later.
Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:
And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil [Num. 35:24–25].
Notice, however, that the protection of the cities of refuge did not apply for the willful murderer.
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die [Num. 35:30].
Now the Lord gives the reason for these commandments.
So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel [Num. 35:33–34].
LAW REGARDING THE INHERITANCE OF THE LAND
The chiefs of the families of the sons of Joseph presented a problem to Moses. If the daughters of Zelophehad should marry men outside their own tribe, then their land would pass into another tribe. So Moses tells them the Word of the Lord concerning this.
This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophebad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance [Num. 36:6–9].
The land was to stay in the tribe. No man could lose his property permanently. At the year of jubilee, all property which had been mortgaged reverted to the original family again. This was a marvelous arrangement which God made for His people. It was the way He protected them.
These are the commandments and the judgments, which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho [Num. 36:13].
This concludes the Book of Numbers. Also it concludes the public ministry of Moses—Deuteronomy will continue with the private ministry of Moses. It has given us only a glimpse into the lives of God’s people during the wilderness experience. Marked by failure, rebellion, complaining, and tears, it provides valuable lessons for our own lives as we move through the wilderness of this world.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Epp, Theodore H. Moses. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1975.
Gaebelein, Arno C. Annotated Bible. vol. 1. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Grant. F. W. Numerical Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1891.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Heslop, W G. Nuggets from Numbers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1958.
Huey, F. B., Jr. Numbers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
Jensen, Irving L. Numbers: Journey to God’s Rest-Land. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1967.
Jensen, Irving L. Numbers & Deuteronomy—Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press.
Kiel, Karl F. and Franz J. Delitzseh. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Edinburgh, Scotland: T. & T. Clark, 1873.
Kelly, William. Lectures Introductory to the Pentateuch. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1870.
Mackintosh, C. H. (C.H.M.) Notes on the Pentateuch. Neptune, New Jeney: Loizeaux Brothers, 1880. (Excellent devotional study.)
Meyer, F. B. Moses: The Servant of God. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Noordtzij, A. Numbers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1983.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Through the Pentateuch Chapter by Chapter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerchmans Publishing Co., 1957. (Excellent summary.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chimp, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
The Book of
Deuteronomy
INTRODUCTION
As we come to the Book of Deuteronomy, I should remind you that this is the last book of the Pentateuch. The first five books in the Bible were written by Moses and they are called the Pentateuch. These books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The Greek word deutero means “two” or “second,” and nomion is “law.” So the title Deuteronomy means “the second law.” We are not to infer that this is merely a repetition of the Law as it was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. This is more than a recapitulation. It is another illustration of the law of recurrence, as we have already seen in Scripture. The Spirit of God has a way of saying something in an outline form, then coming back and putting an emphasis upon a particular portion of it.
There are four Hebrew titles of Deuteronomy: (1) Debarim, meaning “The Words” or “These be the Words,” is derived from the opening expression, “These are the words which Moses spake.” (2) The Kith, or the Fifth of the Law. (3) The Book of Reproofs. (4) The Iteration of the Law.
The theme of Deuteronomy may surprise you. The great theme is Love and Obey. You may not have realized that the love of God was mentioned that far back in the Bible, but the word love occurs twenty-two times. The Lord Jesus was not attempting to give something that was brand new when He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Deuteronomy teaches that obedience is man’s response to God’s love. This is not the gospel, but the great principle of it is here. And let’s understand one thing: the Law is good. Although I emphasize and overemphasize the fact that God cannot save us by Law, that does not imply that the Law is not good. Of course the Law is good. Do you know where the trouble lies? The trouble is with you and me. Therefore God must save us only by His grace.
Moses wrote Deuteronomy. Moses was a man who knew God; he talked with God face to face. The Psalmist says, “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel” (Ps. 103:7). The children of Israel saw the acts of God, but did not know Him. Moses knew His ways. Deuteronomy is the result of this intimate knowledge, plus the experience of forty years in the wilderness.
The section dealing with the death of Moses (Deut. 34:5–12) was probably written by Joshua and belongs to the Book of Joshua. When the Book of Joshua was written, it was placed on the scroll of the Pentateuch, making a Hexateuch.
The authorship of Deuteronomy has been challenged by the critics. The original criticism was that Moses could not have written it because no writing existed in Moses’ day. That theory has been soundly refuted, as we now know that writing existed long before Moses’ time. Also the critics stated that the purpose of the book was to glorify the priesthood at Jerusalem, yet neither the priesthood nor Jerusalem is even mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy. It is amazing to see that this Graf-Wellhausen hypothesis, as it is known, which came out of the German universities years ago, is still being taught in many of our seminaries in the United States.
The Book of Deuteronomy was given to the new generation that was unfamiliar with the experiences at Mount Sinai. The new generation had arrived on the east bank of the Jordan River, and it was one month before they would enter the Promised Land. The adults of the generation which had left Egypt were dead, and their bones were bleaching beneath the desert skies because of their unbelief and disobedience. They had broken God’s Law—those were sins of commission. They had failed to believe God—those were sins of omission. You see, unbelief is sin. The Law was weak through the flesh. It was the flesh that was wrong, as wrong as it is today. This is the reason God has an altogether different basis on which He saves us.
The new generation, now grown to adulthood, needed to have the Law interpreted for them in the light of thirty-eight years’ experience in the wilderness. New problems had arisen which were not covered by the Law specifically. Also God tells His people that they are to teach the Law constantly to their children. By the way, I wonder if this isn’t the great neglect in the modern home. We talk about the failure of the school and the failure of the church today, and I agree that both have miserably failed in teaching boys and girls, but the real problem is in the home where instruction should have originated.
Moses gives to this new generation his final instructions from the Lord before he relinquishes his leadership of the nation through death. He reviews the desert experiences, he reemphasizes certain features of the Law, and he reveals their future course in the light of the Palestinian covenant that God had made with him relative to the land of promise. We will see in this book that the Mosaic Law was not only given to a people, it was given to a land also.
Finally, Moses teaches them a new song; he blesses the twelve tribes; and then he prepares to die. A requiem to Moses concludes the Book of Deuteronomy.
One Hebrew division of Deuteronomy is very good and follows the generally accepted pattern:
EIGHT ORATIONS
First Oration—1:6–4:40
Second Oration—4:44–26:19
Third Oration—27–28
Fourth Oration—29–30
Fifth Oration—31:1–13
Sixth Oration—32 (Song of Moses)
Seventh Oration—33
Eighth Oration—34
OUTLINE
I. Reviewing the Journeys, Chapters 1–4
II. Restating the Law—Love and Obedience, Chapters 5–26
A. Repetition and Interpretation of the Ten Commandments, Chapters 5–7
B. Religious and National Regulations, Chapters 8–21
1. God’s Past Dealings Are Assurance for Future, Chapter 8
2. God Knew Israel—Past Was Not Good, Chapter 9
3. God Sent Israel to Egypt; God Brought Them out of Egypt, Chapter 10
4. Promised Land Not Like Egypt; Principle of Occupancy, Chapter 11
5. Israel Has Only One Place to Worship in Land, Chapter 12
6. Warning against and Test of False Prophets, False Gods, Chapter 13
7. Diet for Israel, Chapter 14
8. God’s Poverty Program; the Permanent Slave; the Perfect Sacrifice Is Christ, Chapter 15
9. Three Main Feasts—All Males Required to Attend (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), Chapter 16
10. Sundry Laws, Chapter 17
11. Priests and Prophets; Test of True Prophet, Chapter 18
12. Cities of Refuge; Extent of Land and Extremity of Law, Chapter 19
13. Laws Regulating Warfare, Chapter 20
14. Laws Regulating Murder, Marriage, and Delinquent Sons, Chapter 21
C. Regulations for Domestic and Personal Relations, Chapters 22–26
1. Miscellaneous Laws Concerning Brother Relationships, Dress, Building Code, Planting Seed, and Marriage, Chapter 22
2. The World, the Flesh, and the Devil, Chapter 23
3. Divorce, Chapter 24
4. Punishment of Guilty; Law Protecting Widows; Punishment for Crimes; Judgment of Amalek, Chapter 25
5. First Fruits—Thanksgiving, Chapter 26
III. Regarding the Future in the Land (blessings and curses), Chapters 27–30
IV. Requiem to Moses, Chapters 31–34
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Israel’s failure at Kadesh-Barnea
Moses is reviewing the journeys of the children of Israel and interpreting a great deal of what had taken place. All of that generation is now dead, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. He is preparing the new generation to enter the land, and rehearsing the experiences of their fathers so that they might profit from them rather than repeat the failures.
These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab [Deut. 1:1].
In that same area I stood on Mount Nebo—I have pictures which I made there—and I actually could see the city of Jerusalem from that elevation. What I saw did not look like a promised land at all. It looked like a total waste, and this reveals what has happened to that land down through the centuries. When Moses looked at it, I think he was seeing a green and a good land. Today it is a desert. It looks like the desert area of California and Arizona.
(There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.) [Deut. 1:2].
Mount Sinai is in Horeb. It was a journey of eleven days from Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea, which was the entrance point into the land of promise. Israel spent thirty-eight years wandering when it should have taken them only eleven days to get into the land. Why? Because of their unbelief. Their marching was turned to wandering, and they became just strangers and pilgrims in that desert. Because they were slow to learn, they wandered for thirty-eight years in that great and terrible wilderness.
We also are slow to learn, friends. I think we would characterize ourselves by saying we have low spiritual I.Q.’s. It seems as if the Lord must burn down the school in order to get some of us out of it!
And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them [Deut. 1:3].
At the close of their time of wandering, Moses delivers his first oration to them. Obviously his words were first given orally and then were written down later. The critics formerly found fault with this, claiming there was no writing at the time of Moses. Of course, now it has been shown that writing was in existence long before Moses. Moses was the spokesman who gave the oration, yet he makes it clear that this was given him by the Lord.
In reviewing their history and in going over their journeys in detail, Moses mentions his great mistake.
And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:
How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?
Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you [Deut. 1:9, 12–13].
We find the account of this back in Exodus 18. Moses became provoked, burdened, and frustrated. He thought he alone carried the burden of Israel. The Lord permitted him to appoint elders; so a committee of seventy was appointed. This later became the Sanhedrin, the organization which committed Christ to death many years later.
Moses, in his frustration, lost sight of the fact that God was bearing Israel. Moses was God’s appointed leader; he didn’t need a board or a committee. Moses made a real mistake and he mentions it here. Very few people will mention their mistakes, but Moses does. He says it sounded so good, but it didn’t work and it caused a great deal of difficulty.
This same thing can happen in a church. I think one of the worst things that can happen to a church is a board that will not follow the pastor. In that kind of conflict, either the board should go or the pastor should go. If the pastor is standing for the Word of God and is preaching it, then it is the duty of the board to support him. If they don’t like the way the pastor parts his hair, they should get out. Unfortunately, usually they stay on, split the church, and try to crucify the preacher.
Do you want to know Moses’ estimation of the wilderness they went through?
And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea [Deut. 1:19].
I’ll take his word for it, because he was there. It was both great and terrible. The wilderness march was no nice daisy trail which they were following.
The second mistake which Moses records was the decision at Kadesh-Barnea. This was a mistake of the people. Again, it was the problem of having a board or committee.
And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us.
Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.
And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe [Deut. 1:20–23].
Here we go again! We must have a board or a committee to go in and search out the land. God had already searched it out! God had said it was a land of milk and honey. Sure, there were giants in the land, but God had said that He would take care of them. The people wanted a board; Moses wanted a board. Look what happened. This was the reason they were turned back into that awful wilderness.
The basic problem is unbelief. God had said it was a good land. The spies looked it over and agreed that it was a good land. But they said there were giants in the land. God had said that He would take care of the giants because He would enable Israel. They did not believe God.
Many times the Christian today finds himself confronted by giants in this life. I’m sure that as a child of God you have found yourself in giant country. Believe me, it is difficult to know how to handle a giant when you are just a pygmy yourself. God has given us the same promise that He is able to handle the giants for us. It is wonderful to know that. It is not our circumstances on the outside which are our real problem. It is the circumstance on the inside of us, the unbelief in our hearts, which is the cause of our problems.
Now God makes it clear to them that the whole generation which came up to Kadesh-Barnea and turned back in unbelief will die. Only two men of the old generation will be permitted to enter the land. They are Joshua and Caleb.
And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying,
Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers.
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord.
Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.
But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it [Deut. 1:34–38].
Caleb and Joshua were different from the others. They were spies who believed God and had brought back an accurate report, a good report. The fact of the matter is that Caleb will lay hold of the land that he wanted. We will find later, in the Book of Joshua, that he was a remarkable man. He walked up and down the land, and he claimed the mountain where the giants lived! “This is what I want,” he said, and God gave it to him for an inheritance.
By the way, what do you want of God, friend? Are you a parent? Are you a young person starting out in life? What do you want of God? Let me say this: If you think you can sit on the sidelines and get it, you are wrong. There are a great many folks who think they should just sit and pray and pray and pray. I certainly agree that we must pray and live in fellowship with Him, but, my friend, you are going to have to go out there and take it. Did you know that? God said He would give to Caleb the land that he had trodden upon. A great many of us today are not being blessed because we are spending too much time sitting down. That is the wrong place to be if we want the blessing of God. We are to walk. There is a great deal said in the Scriptures about the Christian’s walk and very little said about the Christian’s sitting down. We need to lay hold of God’s promises.
Joshua is the man who is to become the leader to succeed Moses. Why was he chosen? Well, he is a man of experience, and he is a man who wholly followed God. He and Caleb brought back the good report because they believed God. Faith was the essential thing. They believed God and they were willing to step out in faith. Friend, you don’t believe God by just sitting down and claiming great blessings. You have to step out in faith for Him.
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it [Deut. 1:39].
There are some very important things here that we don’t want to miss. First, the age of responsibility is older than we may think it is. Some of these folk who entered the land were teenagers at Kadesh-Barnea. We know from Numbers 14:29 that God set the age at 20, and all from twenty years old and upward died in the wilderness.
Something else to note here is that children who die in infancy are saved. How do I know? God did not hold responsible those young folk who had not reached the age of accountability when their elders refused to enter the land. He permitted them to enter the land. You see, the older generation had said they did not want to enter the land because they feared for their children’s safety—they were thinking of their children. God made it very clear to them that this was not their real reason. They were insulting God; they were really saying that God didn’t care for their children. In effect God says to them, “I do care for your children, and those little ones whom you thought would be in such danger are the very ones who are going to enter the land.” Now it is that generation of young folk who have come to the border of the land and are ready to enter the Promised Land. It is to them that Moses is speaking.
But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill. [Deut. 1:40–41].
After the children of Israel refuse to go into the land at Kadesh-Barnea, they face a terrible dilemma. They face the wilderness if they turn back—remember that Moses called it “that great and terrible wilderness.” Realizing they have sinned, and realizing they face the wilderness if they turn back, they decide to go into the Promised Land after all.
And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies [Deut. 1:42].
May I say to you that such a type of fighting is no good. Do you know why? Because they were out of the will of God. The reason they were willing to fight at this time was not because they believed God but because they were afraid. Their motivation was fear, not faith! They were motivated by fear, not by faith in God.
So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill [Deut. 1:43].
This was not faith, you see. If they had gone up at the beginning because they believed God, that would have been one thing. This now is acting presumptuously and is altogether different.
I think there is a very fine distinction between faith and presumption. In the course of my ministry, I have counseled with many people. One man told me, “You know, Brother McGee, I believed God and I thought He would bless my business. I went into business believing He would bless me, but He didn’t. In fact, I went bankrupt.” Well, friend, was it faith in God or was it presumption? When we got down to the nitty-gritty, I learned that this man had heard another business man speak at a banquet. His message had been that he had taken as his motto, “God is my partner,” and he had been very successful in business. He told about how he had taken God into partnership with him, and God had blessed and prospered him. Obviously, God led that man; I’m confident of that. However, I believe that my friend went home and presumptuously said, “Well, if God will make me prosperous, I’ll take Him as my partner in business.” God didn’t lead him, you see. Believe me, friends, there is a difference between faith and presumption.
And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
And ye returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.
So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there [Deut. 1:44–46].
Notice this. They came before the Lord and they shed crocodile tears. They wept, and they repented. Yes, but what kind of a repentance was this? Listen to Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:10: “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Did they weep because they disobeyed God? No. They wept because the Amorites had chased them. Their defeat was the reason for their weeping. You know of incidents when a thief is caught, and he begins to shed tears and repent. But wait a minute. What kind of tears are they? Does he weep because he is a thief? No, he weeps because he has been caught. There is a world of difference in that. This is exactly the case with these people.
As a result of all this, they apparently spent a lot of time at Kadesh.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Moses reviews Israel’s wanderings
This discourse of Moses gives a continuation of his review of their journeys. After they turned back from Kadesh-Barnea, the children of Israel went to Mount Seir.
Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the Lord spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days [Deut. 2:1].
I have always thought that the Lord has a sense of humor, and I think we can see it here.
And the Lord spake unto me, saying,
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward [Deut. 2:2–3].
You see, they didn’t know where to go. All they have been doing is just going around and around Mount Seir. It was sort of a ring-around-the-rosy; round and round they go. Finally God says that He is getting tired of that. He probably said, “Let’s quit this round and round business.”
I’m afraid many Christians are doing that very same thing. Because they fail to take God at His Word, they are just marking time, and are on a merry-go-round of activity.
GOD’S CARE FOR ESAU
And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a footbreadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession [Deut. 2:4–5].
Here is something else which is important for us to learn. Back in Genesis 36 we learned that Esau lived in Seir and that Esau is Edom. Jacob had received the birthright and God gave to him and his descendants the Promised Land. Esau went to Seir, and it is now clear that God has given that to the people of Esau as their possession. This is in the country where the rock-hewn city of Petra stands to this day. God clearly tells Israel that they cannot touch the possession of Esau.
There is a lesson here for the nations today. God has set the bounds of the nations (Acts 17:26). Most wars are fought because the boundaries of nations are not respected.
Another lesson to learn is that God always keeps His promises. Even to a people such as the people of Esau, God remains true to His promise.
For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing [Deut. 2:7].
Here is the overall view of their forty years. God knew all their trials and troubles because God had walked with them all those years. Moses could honestly say, “Thou hast lacked nothing.” How wonderful! It is the same as when David looked back over his life and said, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). How could he say that? Because he had never wanted! God does not give us the promise of the luxuries of life, but God provides the necessities of life. He will do that for you and for me, also.
GOD’S CARE FOR OTHER NATIONS
We have seen how God protected the boundaries of Esau. We find that He does the same for other nations.
And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession [Deut. 2:9, 19].
Israel will face giants in the land, but God encourages them by showing them that for Esau to conquer his land, he had to destroy the giants called Horims (v. 22). For the children of Ammon to possess their land, they had to conquer the giants which were called the Zamzummims (v. 20). We still have giants today. Every now and again we produce people who are 7 and 8 feet tall.
CONQUEST OF TRANS-JORDAN
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle [Deut. 2:24].
Israel passed around Moab and Ammon and did not possess their land. These nations sold them food and water. Now Moses tells of the overtures he made to Sihon, the king of Heshbon.
And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet;
(As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the Lord our God giveth us [Deut. 2:26–29].
Instead of allowing Israel to pass through his land, King Sihon came out against them with his armed forces.
But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.
Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz (Deut. 2:30–32).
God preserved His people from destruction.
And the Lord our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people [Deut. 2:33].
This land that God allowed Israel to conquer and possess had formerly belonged to the Moabites. The Amorites under King Sihon’s leadership had driven out the Moabites from this section of land and had taken over this territory. God permitted him to dispossess the Moabites, but when he led the attack against Israel, he was killed and his forces scattered. His capital was taken and the territory given to Israel. This episode is often referred to as a reminder to Israel of what God had done for them and became a source of encouragement to them. God is showing them that He is with them and will keep His promises to them.
As you know, the Lord does that for many of us today. He permits us to have a difficult experience, maybe a sad one, to prepare us for life—or to prepare us to be helpful to others.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Moses reviews Israel’s conquest of Bashan
Continuing the rehearsal of Israel’s experience in the wilderness, Moses tells of the resistance of another Amorite king and the victory God gave to Israel.
Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
And the Lord said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon [Deut. 3:1–2].
Notice how the Lord stills their fears.
So the Lord our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining [Deut. 3:3].
Og was an Amorite king, a man of gigantic stature, whose kingdom seemed invincible.
And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan [Deut. 3:4].
Og held sway over sixty separate communities.
All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many [Deut. 3:5].
The fact that Israel was able to conquer this great, well-fortified kingdom was evidence that God fought for Israel. This was a great encouragement to them as they faced giants and the cities “walled up to heaven” in the Promised Land.
Now let me call your attention to the size of this man Og.
For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man [Deut. 3:11].
If a cubit is 18 inches, this bed is 13 1/2 feet long! We think today that the king-size bed is something new. Well, it is not. Here is really a king-sized bed, friends. Apparently it was preserved as a museum piece at Rabbath among the Amorites.
POSSESSION OF THE LAND
And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites.
And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants [Deut. 3:12–13].
The conquered kingdom of Og was given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the halftribe of Manasseh which chose to stay on the east side of the Jordan River.
And I commanded you at that time, saying, The Lord your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war [Deut. 3:18].
Moses is reminding them that their being comfortably settled in their new homes does not free them from the responsibility of helping the other tribes in their conquest of the land on the west side of the Jordan River.
But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you:
Until the Lord have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the Lord your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you [Deut. 3:19–20].
PRAYER OF MOSES
Now Moses recounts his personal experience with the Lord and the reason he will not be permitted to go into the Promised Land with them.
And I besought the Lord at that time, saying,
O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?
I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.
But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter [Deut. 3:23–26].
Like a good parent, God is true to His Word. In essence He says, “That’s enough, Moses. I don’t want to hear anymore about it.”
Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan [Deut. 3:27].
Our hearts go out to this man Moses as he begs the Lord to let him enter the land which has been his goal for forty years. What a lesson this is for us, friends. Though we repent of our sin, we will have to take the consequences of it in this life whether we like it or not.
But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see [Deut. 3:28].
Moses is making it clear to this new generation that stands ready to enter the Promised Land that Joshua is the man the Lord has chosen to be their leader.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Moses admonishes Israel’s new generation
This chapter concludes Moses’ review of lsrael’s wilderness journey. They have come up the east bank of the Jordan River and are near Mount Nebo as Moses gives his final instructions to the people. Only two of the people who made the entire journey stand there—Joshua and Caleb. Most of the people are buried out there in the wilderness, or their bones are bleaching under the desert sun. The new generation is ready now to go into the Promised Land, but before they enter, Moses reviews the wilderness experiences and pleads with them to obey God who loves them.
MOSES PLEADS WITH THEM TO OBEY GOD
Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you [Deut. 4:1–2].
They are to do the Word of God—not only to hear it, but do it. Notice that they were not to add to the Law, neither were they to take away from the Law. They were to obey it as God gave it.
If Israel had kept the Law, what a blessing it would have been. But we find here a demonstration in history of a people who were given the Law under favorable circumstances but who could not keep it. No flesh will be justified before God by the Law. Why not? Is it because God is arbitrary? No, it is because the flesh is radically wrong. That is the problem.
As I have already indicated, this book emphasizes two great themes: love and obedience. Maybe you never realized that love is a great theme of the Old Testament, but it is. Here, in this fourth chapter, Moses is pleading with this new generation, and he is giving to them reasons why they are to obey God.
1. God wants to preserve and prosper Israel.
This first verse tells us that they are to obey the Lord and hearken to His statutes and judgments “that ye may live, and go in and possess the land.” Obedience to God is the only basis on which He can bless them. He desires their obedience because it is His desire to bless them.
2. Israel’s obedience would show their gratitude to God.
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments….
Keep therefore and do them….
For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? [Deut. 4:5–8].
God had so marvelously blessed them that they are to show their gratitude through obedience.
3. God’s love should prompt their obedience.
And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt [Deut. 4:37].
This is the first time in the Bible that God tells anybody that He loves them. God has demonstrated that He loves man from the very first of Genesis, but, up to this point, He hasn’t said anything about it. This is the first time He mentions it. He gives this as His motive for what He has done. He has already delivered them out of the land of Egypt, and He is going to do greater and mightier things for them. The basis of it all, the motive for it all, is that God loves them.
This is something which every person today needs to recognize. I don’t care who you are, God loves you! You may not always experience the love of God. Our sins put up an umbrella between God and us. In spite of our sin, God loves you and He loves me. He has demonstrated that love at the cross of Christ. When we receive Christ as Savior, we can experience the love of God.
4. They are to obey God because they belong to God.
“Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead” (Deut. 14:1).
Obedience to God is the first law of life, friends. Man has a natural, innate hatred of God. Man doesn’t want to obey God; in fact, he is very much opposed to God. All the way through the Word of God we find that there is a resistance on the part of man against God. We find that in man even today.
I am rejoicing in something I heard recently. After I preached in a little church, a lady came up to me and said, “I was saved listening to your program, but I have never been able to get my husband into a church. I have never been able to get him interested, and he has always resisted. Now he is beginning to listen to your program, and it is the only thing he will listen to.” If the Word of God won’t break down the resistance of a man, nothing else will do it.
If Israel had only kept God’s Law! What a blessing would have come to them!
RESULTS OF OBEDIENCE AND OF DISOBEDIENCE
Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you.
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day [Deut. 4:3–4].
He is referring to the time when Balaam was called upon to curse Israel, and he could not do it. The fact of the matter is he could pronounce only blessings. But he did make a suggestion to the king of Moab that since he could not curse Israel, the king should let his people go down and intermingle and intermarry with the children of Israel. This would introduce false worship among them which would bring God’s judgment down on them. This is exactly what happened, as we saw in chapter 25 of Numbers.
This was to be an example to this new generation. It is to be an example to us also.
There is a reward for obedience. Those who did cleave to the Lord were kept alive and would enter the land. God reminds them again that obedience brings with it a blessing.
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it [Deut. 4:5].
Obedience would bring the blessing of God. They would go into the land to possess it. And their obedience was to serve yet another purpose:
Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people [Deut. 4:6].
Israel was to be a witness to all the world. Israel was to witness to the world in the opposite way from the way the Church is to witness to the world. We are told “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel ….” (Mark 16:15). That command is given to every believer. Every believer in Christ should have some part in getting the Word of God out to the ends of the earth. Now, very frankly, the nation Israel was never asked to go as missionaries. They were to invite, “Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord.” Their obedience, their faithfulness to God, would cause the other nations to hear these statutes and to notice that God’s blessing made Israel a great nation. Then what would they do? What did the Queen of Sheba do? She came from the ends of the earth. There were no jet planes at that time. She made a long, arduous, hard trip. If a woman would come that distance under such circumstances, don’t you think some men would come to see? And they did. That was the way Israel witnessed to the world. If they would obey, God would bless them, and they would be a witness to all nations. If they would not obey, and if they would turn from the Lord, then God would bring judgment upon them.
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons [Deut. 4:9].
God gave to the nation Israel the great burden of a teaching ministry. They were to obey God, and they were to teach these things to their children and to their grandchildren.
The greatest undertaking of any nation is the education of the young. Probably the greatest failure of any nation is the failure in education. Look at America today and see the dismal failure we are making in this matter of education. Now I am not blaming the colleges and the schools. Do you know where the problem lies? It is right in the home. God tells these people, “I want you to teach your children and your grandchildren.” The failure to teach is the failure of mom and dad in the home. This was the great responsibility which God placed upon every father and mother in Israel. Friend, if you are going to bring a child into this world, you are responsible for that child. Our problem today is not foreign affairs or national economy; our problem is the home. God will hold divorced and preoccupied parents responsible for the vagrants of the world today who never knew the instruction and the love and the concern and the communication from parents. What a responsibility parenthood is! God makes this very clear to Israel. When that nation failed, it failed in the home, and God judged it.
And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude: only ye heard a voice [Deut. 4:12].
The Lord Jesus stated it very clearly: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). People were never to have any likeness of God whatsoever. The Lord Jesus became a man, but the Bible does not give us any physical description of Him. Now you will probably think I am picayunish, if you haven’t already come to that conclusion, but I do not believe in pictures of Jesus. I know that many lovely people feel that a picture of Jesus helps them to worship Him. Let me tell you what was said by an old Scottish commentator: “Men never paint a picture of Jesus until they have lost the presence of Him in their hearts.” We need Him in our hearts today, not in color on a canvas. These are tremendous and eternal truths which God is giving us in this chapter. The instructions which were given to Israel in that day are great principles for us to carry over for ourselves today, because truth is eternal.
For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger:
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you [Deut. 4:24–27].
That nation is still a witness to the world today, a witness in their disobedience. They are scattered over the world today. Why? Because they did the thing God forbade them to do. I know someone will point out that they are back in the land and they are a nation now. Yes, but they are in trouble, aren’t they? When God brings them back into that land as He predicted, they won’t be having the trouble they are having today. The nation of Israel is still under the judgment of God today because it has turned its back upon God. Judgment will come upon any nation which rejects Him. This is a tremendous lesson for us today.
When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice [Deut. 4:30].
This is the first mention of the Great Tribulation which is ultimately coming. “In the latter days” is a technical term in the Old Testament which refers to the Great Tribulation period. God sets up a condition: “If thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice.”
(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them [Deut. 4:31].
Will the Lord scatter them because He is a big bully or because He is being harsh? No, listen. God is merciful. “He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee.” The reason Israel has not been consumed is because God is merciful.
That is the same reason you and I have not been consumed. If you are saved, it is not because you are nice and sweet; it is because of the mercy of God. He is merciful to us as well as to Israel.
Moses goes on to show them the evidence of God’s great mercy to them.
Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?
Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? [Deut. 4:33–34].
God did all these things before the very eyes of their fathers. God does not want them to forget that. God has been gracious to them, and He wants them to remember it.
And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt [Deut. 4:37].
God did it because He loved them. That is the explanation. There was no good in them, but there was good in God.
God loves us today. But He does not save us by love; He saves us by grace. He couldn’t just open the back door of heaven and slip us in. He couldn’t be righteous and do that. A sacrifice for our sins had to be made. His love sent Christ to die for us, and Christ loved us enough to die so that you and I might have a pardon. The Bible does not say, “God so loved the world, that he saved the world.” It says, “… God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son …” (John 3:16). He did this that whoever—it makes no difference who it is—“believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:
These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt [Deut. 4:44–45].
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Moses restates and interprets the Law
This is now the second oration of Moses. It is a restating of the Law, and the emphasis is still on love and obedience. In chapters 5–7 we will find a repetition and interpretation of the Ten Commandments. The generation that had originally heard the Law at Mount Sinai is now dead—their bones are bleaching out there on the desert. This new generation, the Israel that is going into the land, needs to have the Law restated and also interpreted for them. Moses will interpret this in the light of the forty years of experience in the wilderness.
Some of you will say that this is a duplicate of chapter 20 of Exodus. Well, it is almost a duplicate. This shows that the Ten Commandments are important enough to repeat. They are basic, moral laws.
And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them [Deut. 5:1].
Here are the four important steps we are to take in relation to the Word of God. The first is to hear it. The second is to learn it, to become acquainted with what God is saying. The third is to keep it. That means to have the Word of God down in your heart. Remember how David spoke of this fact: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:11). The fourth is to do it. Not only should the Word of God be in your head and in your heart, but it should get down there where your feet and hands are.
You hear, as I do, a great many people say that they live by the Ten Commandments, and that’s their religion. If you quiz such people, as I have done several times, you will find that what they really mean is they have voted for them—that is, they have heard them and they think they are good. But they certainly are not keeping them and are not obeying them.
The Law actually is like a plumb line to determine the verticality of a crooked wall. The Law is a mirror that is held up to the heart. It is a headlight on a car to show the way into the darkness and to reveal the curves ahead.
God makes it very clear that He is not saving men through the keeping of a moral code. There is nothing wrong with the moral code, the Law, but there is something radically wrong with us. Paul states this in Galatians 2:16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” No one is justified by the Law. Why not? Because no one can do the works of the Law.
“Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator” (Gal. 3:19). It is logical to ask what the purpose of the Law is. The answer is that it was added because of (or for the sake of) transgressions, until the time when the Seed should come. That is, it was temporary until the Seed should come, and that Seed is Christ. “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:24–25). The Law served as a schoolmaster, a servant to take us by the hand and bring us to the cross, just as the schoolmaster brought the child to school. The Law brings us to the cross and says, “Little fellow, you are a sinner and you need a Savior.” The purpose of the Law is to show us our need for a Savior. The Law is good, friends; there is no doubt about that. The Law reveals the mind of God. The Law reveals how far short you and I come of the glory of God. The Law reveals that “all have sinned …, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Put this Law down on your life and let it bring you to Christ.
The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day [Deut. 5:2–3].
God did not give the Law to them down in Egypt. The Law was not given until they were out in the wilderness at Horeb, which is Mount Sinai. The Law was given to the nation Israel.
The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,
(I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage [Deut. 5:4–6].
You see, Israel was in a land of idolatry when they lived in Egypt, and Israel lived in an age of idolatry.
Thou shalt have none other gods before me [Deut. 5:7].
Man’s first sin was not to become an atheist; his sin was to become a polytheist. He worshiped many gods. For example, at the tower of Babel, men built a ziggurat, a tower. On the top of this they offered sacrifices, apparently to the sun. The sun and the planets were some of the first objects men worshiped when they turned away from God. After the Flood, they certainly were not worshiping thunder and lightning, because they feared them. They worshiped the sun, the creation rather than the Creator. It was for the polytheist that God said, “Thou shalt have none other gods before me.” It was not until the time of David that atheism came in. Earlier than that, men were too close to the mooring mast of revelation to be atheists. The revelation of God was still in their memory, and no one was denying the existence of God. In David’s day it was the fool who “… said in his heart, There is no God” (Ps. 14:1). That word fool means “insane.” A man who says there is no God is insane or else he is not sincere. This first commandment does not even mention a disbelief in the existence of God, it prohibits the worship of many gods.
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments [Deut. 5:8–10].
There are only two kinds of people in the world: those who hate God and those who love Him. He goes into detail when He forbids the making of any likeness of anything that could be worshiped. Later on God will say, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” [Deut. 6:5]. The Lord Jesus says that this is the greatest commandment. Over against that is the great company of those who hate God even today.
Today many people maintain that they do not worship an idol at all. Yet Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:5 that covetousness is idolatry. Anything that you give yourself to, anything that stands between you and God, becomes your god. You say you have no idol? To some people, their bankbook is their god. Other people worship the golf club. Others may let a child or a grandchild become their idol. The television screen can become your idol. Anything that takes first place in your heart is your idol.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain [Deut. 5:11].
Remember that when Paul shows that all mankind is sinful, he writes, “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Rom. 3:14). All you have to do is walk down the street today or be in any public place and you will hear the people with foul mouths. I wonder if there ever have been so many foul-mouthed, dirty-minded folk as there are at the present time. God hates it. God says He will not hold guiltless those who take His name in vain.
A friend of mine challenged me one day and said it wasn’t fair to say that man’s mouth is full of cursing. I asked him to do a little experiment with me. I suggested we stand on the street corner and hit the first man who came along—hit him in the mouth to see what would come out. My friend, you know what would come out!
The first three commandments are negative; now we come to a positive commandment.
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.
Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy catle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day [Deut. 5:12–15].
The very interesting thing is that all of the commandments are repeated in the New Testament with the exception of the commandment about the Sabbath day. Why? Because the Sabbath was not given to the church. The church has always met on the first day of the week, the day on which Christ rose from the dead. The Sabbath day has a peculiar relation to the nation Israel. Back in the Book of Exodus, God said, “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you” (Exod. 31:13). The Sabbath was given to Israel.
It is of interest to notice that in Exodus 20 the children of Israel were told to observe the Sabbath because in six days God had created the heavens and the earth. Here in Deuteronomy the Sabbath is to show the peculiar relationship between God and the children of Israel. Why was the Israelite to keep the Sabbath day? Because he had been a slave in Egypt, and God had brought him out by His great power.
These commandments have been concerned with duty toward God. Now we come to the section concerning duty toward man.
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee [Deut. 5:16].
I believe this commandment is related to duty toward God and man. The father and mother stand in the place of God to the little one who is growing up. The little one looks up to the father and the mother, and that is the way it should be. “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Prov. 1:8). Father and mother are to stand in the place of God while their children are small.
Now as these people are going into the land promised to them, they are to honor their father and their mother. A nation that does not observe this commandment will not be blessed. This very thing is a great problem in America right now, although I realize full well that not all fathers and mothers are worthy of this respect. God has something to say to parents also: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Both commandments go together.
Thou shalt not kill [Deut. 5:17].
The word for “kill” here is a very technical word, the Hebrew ratsach, and it means to murder. Thou shalt not murder. This is personal. This word has in it the thought of premeditated killing, of anger and of personal grievance. This has nothing to do with war—we will read a little later on that God tells these people to destroy their enemy in the land. This commandment does not apply to a soldier under the orders of war. A young man told me a few years ago that he did not want to go to Vietnam. He said, “I’m not angry at anyone over there. I don’t want to go over there to kill.” I answered that it was a good thing he was not angry with someone over there. If that were the case, and he went to seek that person out in order to kill him, he would be guilty of murder. We will speak more of this when we talk about our duty to government. The sixth commandment was not intended for a serviceman in combat.
Neither shalt thou commit adultery [Deut. 5:18].
We live in a sex-mad age. Every conceivable product is advertised by sex. It is around us on every hand. God’s commandment still stands today. Thou shalt not commit adultery. This is one of the great sins that is pulling our nation down today.
Neither shalt thou steal [Deut. 5:19].
It is true there are many people who can say that they never held up a supermarket or a bank, yet there can be the desire to steal in the heart. Our Lord taught that the very thoughts of our heart are sinful. Hatred in the heart makes one guilty of murder. Lust in the heart makes one guilty of adultery.
Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s [Deut. 5:20–21].
The command against covetousness shows that it is a sin just to feel an excessive desire for what belongs to another.
Moses rehearses for this younger generation the tremendous experience of receiving the Law directly from God.
And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die.
For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? [Deut. 5:23–26].
It was such a terrifying experience that they wanted Moses to get the message from the Lord and relay it to them:
Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it [Deut. 5:27].
The children of Israel promised to keep the Law, but they did not do it.
Listen now to God’s heart-cry for His people:
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever! [Deut. 5:29].
The problem was that the nation failed to keep the Law. These people were under favorable conditions, living in the land promised to them—the Law was given for that land as well as that people—but they were unable to keep the Law. That should be a lesson to us. Just as they were unable to keep it so you and I are unable to keep it.
The Law is a mirror held up to us. We are to look in it, and it will reveal to each of us that we are sinners. The mirror in the bathroom will show the smudge spot on the face, but the mirror won’t wash off that spot. The Law can show us our sin, but it cannot save us. In no way can the mirror remove the smudge spot. We must come to the basin and wash it away. The Law is the mirror that tells us to start washing. It tells us to come to Christ. It is the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, that will wash us and keep on cleansing us from all sin. William Cowper wrote, “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”
The important thing is not whether you approve of the Ten Commandments or what you think of them; the important question, my friend is: Have you kept them? If you are honest, you know that you haven’t measured up. That means you need a Savior. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). When you come to Christ, He forgives you and cleanses you from all unrighteousness. Then you stand spotless before Him.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Love and obey
As we have noted before, in the Book of Deuteronomy there has been an emphasis on two words: love and obedience—not law and obedience, as we may have supposed.
God’s love is actually expressed in law. The great principle of law is love. Therefore the principle of the Gospel itself is expressed in Deuteronomy. “… God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …” (John 3:16).
You and I express our love for God in our obedience. The Lord Jesus put it like this: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This is still the acid test today. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. Salvation is a love affair. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). The Lord Jesus cited this as the greatest commandment of all: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5). Our obedience is the manifestation of our love.
Obedience is the important thing all the way through—it is “if they keep these commandments.”
Now you may wonder what is new about love in the New Testament if love is in the Old Testament. The difference is that in the New Testament the love of God has been translated into history by the incarnation and death of Christ. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). He died for us! You see, it is one thing to express love by bringing Israel out of Egypt; it is another thing to die for them. It is one thing to say something from the top of Mount Sinai; it is another thing to come down and take our frail humanity upon Himself, to be made in the likeness of Man, and to die on a cross for our sins. I repeat, salvation is a love affair. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
We are still in the second oration of Moses. In chapters 5 to 7, he is giving a repetition and interpretation of the Ten Commandments.
THE GREAT COMMANDMENT
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged [Deut. 6:1–2].
The emphasis is on obedience. There are actually only two classes of people in the world: those who love God and those who hate God. The heart attitude of people is evidenced by their obedience or disobedience. Listen to Deuteronomy 5:29: “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” Through the prophet Isaiah, God had this to say: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men” (Isa. 29:13). Do you remember how the prophet Samuel rebuked King Saul? “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). When the Lord Jesus gave His commission to Simon Peter, He asked only one question, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” (John 21:16).
The most wonderful thing in heaven will be to see the Lord Jesus and realize fully that He loves me and that He gave Himself for me. But the next best thing in heaven is going to be that I will love everybody, and everybody is going to love me. Now that, my friend, is going to make heaven a very wonderful place!
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey [Deut. 6:3].
They had promised to keep all the commandments of the Lord, and yet they fell so short—as we still do today.
Now we come to a statement which is considered by many theologians to be the greatest doctrinal statement in the entire Scripture.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord [Deut. 6:4].
That is a tremendous statement. “The Lord” is the Hebrew tetragram transliterated YHWH or JHVH, translated in English as Jehovah. “God” is the translation for Elohim. Elohim is a plural word. Since there is no number given with it, one can assume the number is three. In the Hebrew language a noun is singular, dual, or plural. When it is plural, but no number is given, one can assume it to be three. This is, therefore, a reference to the Trinity. It could be translated, “Hear, O Israel: Jehovah, our Trinity is one Jehovah.”
Israel lived in a world of idolatry. The nations were polytheists who worshiped many gods. The message that the nation Israel was to give to the world was the message of the unity of the Godhead, the oneness of the Godhead. Jehovah, our Elohim, is one Jehovah. That is the message for a world given over to idolatry.
Today we live in a world, not so much of idolatry and polytheism, but of atheism. In our age we also are to give the message of the Trinity. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are talking about the same Jehovah. He is our Elohim, our Trinity. But He is one Jehovah.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might [Deut. 6:5].
Our Lord Jesus quotes this as being the greatest commandment of all. “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28–31).
How do you measure up to this? Many of us would have to confess that we do not measure up to this. We do not love Him with all our mind and heart and soul. I must confess that I do not measure up to this; I wish I could, but I must say with Paul, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14). I do want to say that I love Him. I wish I loved Him more than I do, but He is the object of my affection today. I can truly say that I love Him. That is what He asked Simon Peter. “Do you love Me?” I think He would ask you and me that same question today. To learn to love Him, we must sit at His feet and come to know Him. He is the chiefest among ten thousand. He is the One altogether lovely. He is our God. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68–69). He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is our God. I worship Him. I want to know Him better. What does He mean to you?
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Then the Lord Jesus reached into Leviticus 19:18, and lifted out, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” He said the second is like unto the first. Friend, there is no such thing as loving God and hating His people. Remember that when Saul was persecuting the Christians, the Lord Jesus asked him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4).
He may be saying the same thing to some Christians today. Although they profess to know and to love the Lord, He asks, “Why are you persecuting Me?” They would protest, “I’m not persecuting You, Lord; I love You!” Then the Lord would answer, “Then why do you criticize Mr. So-and-So so severely? Why are you so opposed to those who are giving out the Word of God today? Why is it that you have become a hindrance instead of a helper?” May I say to you, we must be careful about saying we love Him and then showing our hatred to other believers. It is impossible to talk about loving the Lord while you spend your time trying to destroy the ministry of someone else. That is just blatant, bald, bold hypocrisy.
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart [Deut. 6:6].
You remember that David said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:11). That is the place where you and I should have the Word of God today, my friend. It should be in our hearts.
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates [Deut. 6:7–9].
Paul says the same thing in Ephesians 6:4: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” God holds parents responsible to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. All through the Scriptures there is a great deal said concerning the responsibility of parents. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). That does not mean to train him the way you want him to go. It means that God has a way for him to go, and you are to cooperate with God. That means, parent, that you need to stay close to Him!
These words were to be kept before them at all times. We see advertising on billboards and in signs and in neon lights. It is no wonder that America today is turning to liquor and to cigarettes and to drugs. This is what is held before our eyes. It is on the television screen, on the radio, in all the advertising. Young people turn to these things because this is what greets them on every hand. God wants His Word to be taught to His people just like that. It should greet them at every turn. Why? Because the human heart is prone to forget God and His ways.
Then God warns His people that they should not forget Him after they get into the land and experience His blessings. It is a strange thing that when people are blessed, they tend to forget the One who blesses them.
Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name [Deut. 6:13].
Our Lord Jesus used this verse when He was tempted by Satan, as recorded in Matthew 4:10 and in Luke 4:8.
Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah [Deut. 6:16].
This is another verse which our Lord used when He withstood the temptation of Satan, which is quoted in Matthew 4:7 and in Luke 4:12. No wonder that Satan hates the book of Deuteronomy and levels his attacks against it!
Again God admonishes His people to diligently do His commandments that they might keep the land He is giving to them, and to explain this to their children, also.
And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us [Deut. 6:23–25].
God had brought them out of the land of Egypt. His purpose is to bring them into the Promised Land. It is just so with our salvation. God has saved us out of death and sin and judgment. He brings us into the body of Christ, into the place of blessing, into fellowship with Himself, and finally, into heaven itself. However, our salvation is still not complete. He was “delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). He is our righteousness so that we might stand complete before Him. He has brought us out; He intends to bring us in. Because of this we can say today:
I have been saved. We already have eternal life. We already stand before God in all the righteousness and merit of our Savior. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11–12).
I am being saved. God is working in my life, shaping, guiding, molding me to conform me more and more to His own dear Son. “… Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12–13). This is not working for salvation, but the working out of salvation in our lives.
I shall be saved. Don’t be discouraged with me, because God is not through with me yet. And I won’t be discouraged with you, because God is not through with you either. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
A dear little lady got up in a testimony meeting and said that every Christian should have printed on his back a sign that reads: “This is not the best that the grace of God can do.” How true that is! God is not through with any one of us. But “when he shall appear, we shall be like him.”
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Israel to be separate from other nations
When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them [Deut. 7:1–2].
This is very strong language. Remember That God had said, “Thou shalt not kill.” That is a command against personal animosity, personal hatred which leads to murder. The Hebrew word is ratsach. Here they are directly commanded to destroy these people who were living in the land. It is an altogether different Hebrew word—charam, meaning “to devote (to God or destruction).” You may think that is terrible. The liberal today hates the God of the Old Testament. I heard one call God a bully. They don’t like the idea that God would actually destroy whole nations. God also says this:
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly [Deut. 7:3–4].
Here we have the reason for God’s command. These people were eaten up with venereal disease. Had Israel intermarried with them, they would have destroyed the race. Moses didn’t understand much about disease germs, but God knows a great deal about them. These people were so polluted and corrupt that God put them out of the land. Not only that, these people were idolatrous, and they would have led Israel into idolatry. So God goes on to tell them that they are to utterly destroy their altars and break down their images. All this polluting influence is to be completely destroyed.
God gives Israel a solemn warning. If they do intermarry and turn to other gods, then God will put them out of the land. And yet, God makes it very clear to Israel that He is the God of love. He gives these commands because He loves them.
For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people [Deut. 7:6–7].
Never a great nation numerically, they would not compare to China or India or other great nations of the world.
But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt [Deut. 7:8].
You remember that God said in Exodus that He had heard their cry, that distress cry. He responded because He loved them. He delivered them from bondage for that reason. He keeps repeating this.
Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations [Deut. 7:9].
What is man’s answer to the love of God? It is obedience.
And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them [Deut. 7:10–11].
God will bless any people who respond to His love by obedience.
Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee [Deut. 7:12–13].
How wonderful it would have been if Israel had believed God!
God encourages them, and He promises them victory—
Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt [Deut. 7:18].
The faithfulness of God in the past should be an encouragement for them in the future. Isn’t it precisely the same with us?
Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.
And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee [Deut. 7:21–22].
We see God’s wisdom here. He is thinking of their safety, knowing that if the population were destroyed suddenly, the wild animals would take over the land.
But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed [Deut. 7:23].
All these nations were to be put out of the land and utterly destroyed because of their abominations. Now don’t say that God had not been patient with them. Way back in Genesis 15:16 God had told Abraham that his descendants would not come back into the land until the fourth generation “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” God gave these people 430 years to see whether they would turn to God and turn from their sins. Friends, how much more time do you want God to give them? Do you know any other landlord who will give his tenant that long a time to pay his rent? God gave them a time of mercy that lasted for 430 years. Then the cup of iniquity was full, and the judgment of God fell upon them. So let us not have a false kind of pity for these nations. Rather, let us learn from these events. God is a God of mercy and of love in the Old Testament as well as He is in the New Testament.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: God’s past dealings give assurance for the future
In this section of the restating of the Law, we come now to the portion dealing with religious and national regulations, which will be continued through chapter 21.
All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers [Deut. 8:1].
Here is the new generation, standing on the east bank of the Jordan River. They are ready to cross over into the land with high anticipation and hope. As Moses is preparing them to enter the land, he encourages them to obey God.
And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no [Deut. 8:2].
God wants them to remember the past. They should see in the past that God has been dealing with them, that He has been testing and training them.
God wants us to remember our past, too. Paul put it like this for the believer: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). We are to remember that God has led us and blessed us. Isn’t this true for you? Can’t you say that God has brought you up to this very moment? If He has done that in the past, He will continue to do so in the future. Remembering is for our encouragement. It is to give us assurance for the future.
Why did God test Israel in the wilderness? It was to humble them and to prove what was really in their hearts. That explains why God puts you and me through the mill. Sometimes He puts us in the furnace and heaps it on very hot. Why? To test us and to humble us. Little man is proud, he’s cocky, he is self-confident, and, to be frank, he is an abomination! Listen to the boasting and bragging and the pride with which little man walks the earth. So God must take His own people and put them through the mill in order to humble them and to prove them.
You know, testing really proves the metal. Tests will reveal whether or not a person is really a child of God. Our churches today are filled with affluent people who have never been tested. I can’t tell whether or not they are genuine. The man who has been tested is the man in whom you can have confidence.
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live [Deut. 8:3].
Our Lord quoted this verse when He was tempted in the wilderness (Matt. 4:4 and Luke 4:4). If the Lord Jesus had not quoted this, we would probably pass by the great spiritual lesson that is here. God has been good to us. He has blessed us in many, many ways with material things. The important lesson is that God gives us those things in order that we might see that there is a spiritual wealth, the Word of God. It is the Word of God that is the real wealth for the child of God today.
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years [Deut. 8:4].
Here is a strange, marvelous, miraculous statement! Imagine having a suit of clothes that would not wear out. I know the ladies would not like this at all. Year after year the wife could tell her hubby that she needed a new dress, and year after year the husband could say that the one she was wearing looked brand new. I tell you, after that went on for forty years, the women would be pretty far behind in the styles. However in the wilderness the styles didn’t change; so it really didn’t make any difference. Seriously, this is marvelous; it is a miracle.
“Neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.” A missionary doctor explained to me that out in the Orient where he served, the people had a sameness of diet. They did not get all the vitamins they needed; so they would show the manifestations of beriberi. One of the symptoms is a swelling of the feet. Now, you see, Israel got all their vitamins. They got all the nourishment that they needed. What did these folks eat for forty years? Why, it was manna. God fed them with manna, which was a miracle food. It provided everything they needed for the nourishment of their bodies.
Spiritual manna is the Word of God. It is a wonderful food. It will supply all your needs. I marvel at the letters I receive that attest to this. Someone will say that when I spoke on a certain chapter, that passage brought comfort to his heart. Someone else will write that he was in sin and had gotten away from God, had become cold and indifferent, and that passage from the Word of God brought him back. Someone else writes to say he listened and was saved. You see, friend, you won’t get any swelling of the feet if you will read the Word of God. In other words, the Bible will meet your individual needs, whatever they may be. This is manna.
God promised temporal blessings to the nation Israel if they would serve Him.
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass [Deut. 8:5–9].
God does not give this promise to Christians today. I would have you note this. There is a lopsided notion that if you are a faithful Christian, God will prosper you in temporal things. My friend, that is not true. God promised to prosper Israel in the land. He does not promise to prosper the Christian in the things of this world.
Now I know that there are Christians who are outstanding, successful business men. They say they took God into partnership, and God blessed them abundantly. He does do that, and we praise Him for it. But that is not what He has promised to do. This is the promise to the Christian: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). He has promised us spiritual blessings. There is no verse in the New Testament which promises temporal blessing to the child of God today.
May I also add that although God does not promise temporal blessings, He sometimes does add them. God does this for some, but not for all. There are wonderful Christians whom the Lord has blessed financially. Some of them have been a great help to us in broadcasting the Word of God by radio. But I also want to say that some of the choicest children of God today have been blessed with spiritual blessings and not with the things of this world. They seem to be the happiest, and they seem actually to do more for God than anyone else. Certainly they have been a blessing to this poor preacher and a blessing to the cause of Christ in the world.
One of the major distinctions between the nation Israel in the Old Testament and the church in the New Testament is that God promised Israel temporal blessings and He promises us spiritual blessings. If you keep this straight it will prevent a great deal of heartache. Also, it will cause a great many children of God to rejoice rather than to lapse into a backslidden condition. My friend, if you are on a low economic level, cash in on some of your spiritual blessings so that you may enjoy the riches He has promised you.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day [Deut. 8:10–11].
He continues his warning to Israel for the coming days of prosperity.
Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end [Deut. 8:14–16].
At the “latter end,” in the future Millennium, God promises to make Israel the leading nation with earthly blessings. God has not promised that to the church, my friend; so don’t appropriate that promise for yourself. The Lord Jesus said, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). The hope of the child of God today is that Christ is coming to take us out of this world. The hope of Israel is in this world. That distinction is of utmost importance.
If you try to mix these promises, it will cause utter confusion. Too many so-called theologians use a blender. They put the whole Bible into a blender, and they really mix it up! If you let the Bible stand as it is, you will see that God is very specific when He makes promises.
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day [Deut. 8:17–18].
When the nation of Israel is in the land and is being prospered, then you can know it is obeying God. When it is not prospering in that land, it is an indication that it is not obeying God. Look at Israel today and make your own decision.
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God [Deut. 8:19–20].
This is God’s warning to them. He promises to bless them if they will be obedient to Him. If they are not obedient, He will treat them as He treated those nations that were in that land before them. The fact of the matter is that God treated them even worse than the nations that preceded them. Do you know why? Because Israel had been given more light. Light creates responsibility before God.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: God knew Israel’s past failure
God is reviewing for this new generation the past of the nation Israel. Their past was not good. God did not save them because they were good. He didn’t call them because they were an outstanding nation. They were not.
God has not saved us because we are outstanding, or superior, or even good. The only kind of people God is saving is bad people. I am reminded of an incident when I was walking behind some members of the church I was serving. As we were walking through a park, a bum begged them for some money. We had encouraged our members to send such people to the mission where they would be helped. But this fellow didn’t want that—he wanted money to buy wine. When I came along, the beggar told me that the folk ahead, who had gone into the church, thought they were better than anybody else. I answered him, “It’s quite interesting that you say they think they are better than anyone else. I happen to know them, and I remember the day they came to Christ. Do you know why they came?” He looked at me in amazement. “They came because they thought they were worse than anybody else. They thought they were sinners and needed a Savior. That is why they came to Christ.” You see, he had the idea, which is commonly expressed, that the church is made up of people who think they are better than other folks. Now that may be true in some cases. If it is true, the church is certainly not a church in the New Testament sense. God saves us because we are bad, because we are sinners.
Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven [Deut. 9:1].
“This day” does not refer to a twenty-four-hour day, but to the time when they will enter the land.
A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! [Deut. 9:2].
God gives a report on the land which is worse than the report the spies had brought back. God knew the land and God knew who was in the land, yet God had told them to go in. They had refused to go in because they didn’t believe God. God knew that the people there were giants. He knew all the difficulties. He had promised to go into the land with them.
It was John Knox who said, “One with God is a majority.” My friend, if you are with God, you are with the majority. Actually, Christians belong to a minority group down here in this world. But I’ll tell you something the world doesn’t know: with God, we are a majority. One with God is a majority.
Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee [Deut. 9:3].
God takes the responsibility of putting them out of the land. God is the Landlord. He is the Creator. He has a right to do this. When I hear a fellow who is liberal in his theology complain about this, I feel like saying, “You little pipsqueak, you keep quiet. You and I are just little creatures down here.” God is the sovereign Creator; we are the creatures.
Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee [Deut. 9:4].
God is saying that He is driving the other nations out because they are wicked nations—not because the people He is putting in there are righteous. God makes that abundantly clear.
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [Deut. 9:5].
God did not come down to deliver Israel because they were a wonderful people. He knew all the time that they were a stiff-necked people, but He heard their cry in Egypt. And friend, if you recognize that you are a sinner and need a Savior, then you will need to cry to Him for salvation. He will hear you. Do you know why? Not because of who you are, but for Christ’s sake. If you will turn to Christ in faith, He will save you.
Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people [Deut. 9:6].
Do you know that God does not save you and me because we are good? We are sinners. He saves us for Christ’s sake, not for our sake. Friend, if you think that somehow or other God will find something in you that merits salvation, forget it, because you will be disappointed. God knows you, and He says He can’t find anything righteous in you at all. It is for Christ’s sake that God saves us, and God finds everything we need in Him. How wonderful that is! You see that in this passage of Deuteronomy there is the seed for the gospel of the grace of God.
ISRAEL’S PAST FAILURE
Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord [Deut. 9:7].
Moses directs them back over their past history and refers specifically to the time when they made the golden calf. If we turn back to Exodus 32:4 we read, “And he received them at their hand…,” referring to the golden earrings. The women, and the men, too, took off their golden earrings and gave them to Aaron. Those golden earrings were a sign of idolatry (generally they were worn in one ear only). These people had lapsed back into idolatry very quickly. Aaron took the golden earrings, and with a graving tool he fashioned a molten calf. And they said, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” Now God calls them to remember this. God reminded them of that again in Psalm 106:19. “They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molten image.” God asked them to remember, but they forgot.
Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you [Deut. 9:8].
Moses goes on with his narrative:
And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image [Deut. 9:12].
At the very time they were making the molten calf, Moses was on the Mount getting the commandments, and two of these commandments were against that very thing: “Thou shalt have no other gods. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Notice that God says to Moses, “They’re your people. You brought them out of Egypt.” Moses will answer that in just a moment.
Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people [Deut. 9:13].
The Lord repeats this—He knew all the time that Israel was a stiffnecked people. He knows you and me also, and can probably say the same thing about us.
Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they [Deut. 9:14].
This must have been a temptation for Moses, but he resisted it. His pleading for Israel is recorded in Exodus 33:12–17. Moses would not go up into the land without the presence of the Lord. He said, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” Moses identified himself with the people.
When Moses came down from the mount, he saw what they had done.
And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you [Deut. 9:16].
At the very moment when God was giving them the commandments, they were turning from Him—yet they were saying they would obey Him. People can be more phony in religion than in anything else. It seems to be something that is characteristic of the human nature. Even people who are really sincere are as phony as can be. We all need to pray the prayer of the psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23–24). Every child of God needs to pray this. Paul has this admonition for the believers: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor. 13:5). Check whether you are in the faith or not. I believe and I preach the security of the believer, my friend. I believe that the believer is secure. But I also believe and preach the insecurity of the make-believer. There are a lot of make-believers. We need to search our hearts, every one of us.
And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.
And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger [Deut. 9:17–18].
I want you to notice that Moses knew God. The psalmist says, “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel” (Ps. 103:7). The children of Israel saw the mountain smoke, they saw the judgment of God, they saw His glory, but they did not know Him. Moses knew Him! Moses knew His ways.
Moses understood two things about God which are revealed here. They are paradoxical, but they are not contradictory.
Moses knew that God hates sin. May I say to you that we today do not have the faintest conception of how God hates sin and how He intends to punish it. Moses went down on his face before God and fasted and cried out to God for forty days and forty nights! Why? Because Moses knew the ways of God. He knew how God hates sin.
The average Christian today does not seem to realize how God hates sin in his life. My friend, God never ignores a sin we commit. God will deal with sin in your life and in my life. I have been a pastor for a long time, and I have observed church people over the years. I want to say to you that I have watched people in the church play fast and loose with God. I have seen them cut corners and put up a front. The days melt into years, and then I have seen the hand of God move in judgment on their lives. Sometimes the judgment has been extremely severe. I can especially remember a man who came to me and actually dropped down on his knees and cried out that he just could not stand what God was putting him through. He had lost his children, lost his family. I can remember him as a young upstart, a young married man, who thought he could play fast and loose with God. God hates sin. God punishes sin.
Moses also knew the mercy of God. Moses comes to God because he trusts in His mercy. God will punish sin, but, my friend, we do not comprehend how wonderful He is. He is so gracious. He extends mercy to the sinner. He has extended His mercy to you, I am sure. I know He has to me. And the Lord extended mercy to Israel. Listen:
For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also [Deut. 9:19].
God did not hear the prayer of Moses because of who he was. God heard his prayer because He is merciful. Paul makes this clear in Romans 9:15, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” God is sovereign, and He sovereignly extends His mercy. How wonderful He is. You and I do not fully comprehend those two attributes of God: His hatred of sin and His mercy.
And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.
And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount [Deut. 9:20–21].
If this incident weren’t so tragic, it would be humorous. Moses makes the people drink their idol.
And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked the Lord to wrath.
Likewise, when the Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice.
Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you [Deut. 9:22–24].
This is a summary. There never was a day when these people were really found faithful to God. What a picture! We tend to point to them in criticism, but what about the believer today? I am afraid there are many of us, even in conservative churches, who are not faithful to God for a single day. We boast that we are sound in the faith—sound all right—sound asleep!
Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said he would destroy you [Deut. 9:25].
This was after they refused to go into the land at Kadesh-Barnea. Moses knew God. Moses knew that God judges sin.
I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stub borness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:
Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.
Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm [Deut. 9:26–29].
Moses knew how to pray. I wish I knew how to pray like that! Remember that back in verse 12 God said, “For thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves.” Now imagine Moses saying to God that He has made a mistake! Moses says, “They are not my people; they are Yours. I didn’t bring them out of Egypt; You did. They belong to You.” Moses reminds God that the people in the land would think He was unable to bring Israel into the land—that He was able to bring Israel out of Egypt, but He was not able to bring them into the land. That kind of praying moves the hand of God. Here Israel stands, ready now to enter the land which reveals that Moses knew how to pray!
CHAPTER 10
Theme: God sent Israel to Egypt; God brought them out of Egypt
As Moses has said in his prayer, Israel belongs to God; they are His inheritance. He will not destroy them because of their sin but graciously give them again the Ten Commandments, written by Himself.
At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark [Deut. 10:1–2].
Moses brought the tables of stone down and placed them in the ark. Then the children of Israel continued on their journey.
At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him [Deut. 10:8–9).
There are great spiritual lessons in this for us. As Levi was the priestly tribe, so today the church is a kingdom of priests. That is, every believer in Jesus Christ is a priest. I am not a Roman Catholic priest, but I am a “catholic” priest (as is every believer in Christ) in the sense that catholic means “general.” The New Testament priest is to offer himself to God for worship, intercession, and service (Rom. 12:1–2). And he is to exercise a gift as a priest according to 1 Corinthians 12. And every believer, as a priest, has a gift to exercise in the church.
Notice that the tribe of Levi was to have no material inheritance. God was their inheritance. God had promised to give land, a certain amount of acreage, to the other tribes. And when He blessed them, it was temporal blessing. He did not promise that to Levi. This is also the position of the believer today. Like Levi, our inheritance is in God. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul [Deut. 10:12].
Now do not make the mistake of thinking this is the gospel. It is not the gospel. You and I ought to thank God for that, because if it depended on this, you and I wouldn’t be blessed very much.
To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? [Deut. 10:13].
If Israel had kept them, they would have been blessed. When they broke them, judgment came upon them. God, for fifteen hundred years, demonstrated through Israel to the world and to you and me that He cannot save people by Law. These people under favorable circumstances, in a land geared to the Law, were unable to keep it. And if they were unable to keep it, then you and I are unable to keep it. Thank God, He saves by grace today. In fact, grace has always been His method. In the Old Testament He never saved anyone by Law. They were saved by His mercy and grace to them, looking forward to the coming of Christ to die on the cross to take away their sins.
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment [Deut. 10:18].
God loved the stranger. And He reminded these people that they had been strangers in the land of Egypt.
Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name [Deut. 10:19–20].
The Lord Jesus quoted this to answer Satan, you remember. Our Lord certainly was familiar with the Book of Deuteronomy, as probably every Israelite was in that day.
Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude [Deut. 10:22].
The evident blessing of God was upon them. He sent them down into Egypt; He brought them out of Egypt. God was responsible, and He didn’t mind taking that responsibility.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The Promised Land unlike Egypt; principle of occupancy of the land.
God talks to them here about the land they are about to enter. The Promised Land will not be at all like Egypt. And God will give them the principles required for occupancy of the land.
A CALL TO COMMITMENT
Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always [Deut. 11:1].
The response to the love of God is obedience.
Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;
And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey [Deut. 11:8–9].
They were accustomed to irrigated fields down in Egypt.
For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs [Deut. 11:10].
When I was in Egypt I was told that the rainfall there is less than one inch a year. Now that is not much rainfall! I’ve been to a place in the Hawaiian Islands where the rainfall is over 100 inches a year. That is quite a difference. Obviously, Egypt was dependent upon irrigation.
PRINCIPLE OF OCCUPANCY OF THE LAND
But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full [Deut. 11:11–15].
The land these people were going to enter would be a little difficult to irrigate because it was hilly. Of course they didn’t have the equipment for it in that day. The land would depend upon the rain from heaven. God did this purposely. He put them on a land that had to depend upon Him for rainfall. This would draw the people closer to God.
The reason that land is desolate today, as we shall see in Deuteronomy, is because the judgment of God is upon it. The minute water is put into that soil, the desert blossoms as a rose. It is water that it needs, and they are having trouble with water there even today. God told them that they would be dependent upon rain. If they would obey Him, He would bless them with the former and latter rains; that is, the fall and spring rainfall. By looking at that land you can see the spiritual condition of the people.
In an affluent society such as we live in today, where things come so easily, I am afraid that people assume God has nothing in the world to do with it. I do not understand why people think that if things come easily, they have done it; if things come with difficulty, then God must be in it. Well, God is the One who provides for all our physical needs. Whether things come to us easily or with difficulty, He still is the Provider.
For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him [Deut. 11:22].
The great principle of their occupancy of the land is given here.
Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you [Deut. 11:23–25].
You will notice that the land is a gift from God. He has given to them a land which is much greater than anything they have ever occupied. It was from the river Euphrates to the Mediterranean Sea, and from Lebanon all the way south into the desert that they had come through. This was approximately 300,000 square miles. They have never occupied more than about 30,000 square miles of it, even at the time when the kingdom reached its zenith under David and Solomon.
“Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours.” It had been given to them by God and it was theirs, but they failed to walk upon it, claim it, and enjoy it. God told Joshua the same thing. He told him that the land was right there before them and that it belonged to Israel. But He told them they had to go in and walk up and down in the land. They had to possess it.
Why is there such a difference in believers today? Some Christians are sitting on the side lines and are poverty stricken spiritually. Others are fabulously rich spiritually. God makes it clear that He has blessed all believers with spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Some believers claim those blessings; some do not. Some believers enjoy those blessings; some do not. It is a matter of appropriating that which we already possess.
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse [Deut. 11:26].
Israel was commanded to obey. Obedience was the very nub of the matter.
A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day [Deut. 11:27].
Obedience is something which has been dropped into the background today. I believe in the grace of God. I preach the grace of God. We are saved by grace, we are kept by grace, we grow by the grace of God. We are going to get to heaven by the grace of God. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, it will still be by the grace of God. But, my friend, there are great spiritual blessings today which you are going to miss if you are not obedient to Him. Jesus told us, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience offers a personal, wonderful, glorious relationship with God.
The opposite is also true. Disobedience brings with it a curse.
And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known [Deut. 11:28].
You will notice that the great issue over which God is pleading with Israel is idolatry. There was always the danger that they would turn from Jehovah, their God, and lapse back into idolatry.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Israel permitted only one place to worship
Later in the history of Israel, God chose Jerusalem as the place where the temple was to be built. They were to go there to worship God. Why didn’t God permit the worship in every other place? I think the reason is obvious. There was idolatry in the land, and they were commanded to destroy it. Because they did not destroy it, they were commanded to assemble in one place for worship. This unified their worship and brought them closer together as a nation. They were one when they went up to Jerusalem for the feasts.
Today we do not need to meet in one place to worship God. The Lord Jesus told the Samaritan woman the reason why this is true. “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21–24).
Believers do not meet in one place to worship God today; we meet around One Person and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the important thing to keep in mind today. The name of your church doesn’t make the difference. The denomination or lack of denomination of your church doesn’t make the difference. The all-important question is this: do you meet around the person of Jesus Christ? Now, friends, if you don’t, that is idolatry, because then you are meeting around something that is replacing Christ. If you are meeting to socialize or be entertained, that is idolatry. The thing that is to draw us together into a oneness is the person of Jesus Christ. How important that is!
These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God [Deut. 12:1–4].
The reason the judgments of God came upon Israel, one after the other in the times of the judges, was because the people had lapsed into idolatry. Then that great prophet Elijah leveled his message against idolatry in the land. The reason Israel went into the Babylonian captivity was idolatry. The warning in the last book of the Old Testament is about the danger of idolatry.
We should not think we are immune to idolatry today. We tend to think we are such enlightened folks that we would not fall down and worship an idol. Can we be so sure about that, friends? Anything, anything that comes between our souls and God becomes an idol. I know a young man whom I saw grow up in the church and seemingly become a sweet Christian. Later he became a member of a large corporation. Because he had wonderful ability, he began to move up in the organization. The farther he moved up in the corporation, the farther he moved away from God. Today his job comes first. I was holding meetings in a distant city where he lives, and he invited Mrs. McGee and me for dinner, for old time’s sake. He made it very clear to me that he would not be able to come to any of the meetings because of his business. Business, his position, his advancements—they had become his idol, his god. Talk about worship! He fell down before that idol seven days a week!
Anything that comes between your soul and your God is your idol.
But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come [Deut. 12:5].
Eventually, the designated place was Jerusalem. But even before that, Israel was to worship in one place only. There was to be one place for their burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, and vows. The tithes of food which they brought before the Lord had to be eaten in this one place.
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water [Deut. 12:15–16].
There was also food which they ate at home. This was not a part of their worship, but this, too, was regulated by dietary laws. In Chapter 14 we will find an extensive list of clean and unclean animals. A person did not need to be ceremonially clean to be able to eat at home. Also, in addition to the animals which were sacrificial animals, he could eat wild game so long as it was a clean animal. The stipulation given was that the blood was not to be eaten. In contrast, anything that was an offering to the Lord had to be eaten before the Lord in the one place which God would designate.
If the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Lord hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.
Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord [Deut. 12:21–25].
In Leviticus 17, while Israel was in the wilderness camp, they were told that every time an ox, or lamb, or goat was killed, it had to be brought to the door of the tabernacle and the priest would sprinkle the blood upon the altar and would offer the fat as a sweet savor to God. This was to prevent them from making any offering to devils. After they will settle in the land, it is obvious that many people will live too far away from Jerusalem to bring every animal there before they kill it for food. So the Lord tells them again that an animal may be killed for food, but they shall not eat the blood of the animal. The blood represents the life, which is the reason that Scripture puts such an emphasis on the blood of Jesus Christ.
When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods [Deut. 12:29–31].
They are told over and over again that they are to destroy the nations which are in the land so that they do not become ensnared by them. These nations were idolatrous. In the worship of Baal, as in the worship of many pagan religions, they had that most cruel practice of offering their own children. They would heat an idol red hot and then drop their babies into the arms of this red hot idol. I can’t think of anything more horrible than that. God says He hates such a practice. It is an abomination to Him. I find that God hates many things that I hate. I hope that I can learn more and more to hate what He hates and love what He loves.
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it [Deut. 12:32].
They are to give heed to these commandments which the Lord gives them. If they disobey God, God will treat them as He treats the other nations. God doesn’t watch the actions of some people and disregard others. I have never understood why some Christians think they can get by with certain things that other people do not get by with. Sin is sin. If Israel does not obey the Lord, she will not be spared. So the encouragement for them is to observe to do what the Lord commands them.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Warning against and test of false prophets
This is a very important chapter because it deals with false prophets and false gods. When we get to chapter 18 of Deuteronomy, we will find the test which would identify a false prophet. Israel had no problem in detecting the false prophets because they had a biblical, God-given test that surely would ferret them out. However, the chapter before us deals with the action that was to be taken against anyone who attempted to lead God’s people away from Him by introducing false religions.
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder.
And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him [Deut. 13:1–4].
This is pertinent for today. People ask me how I explain the fact that some of the false prophets today are accurate part of the time. Or they ask me to explain how some people seem to be healed in certain meetings. Well, I don’t explain it. To begin with, I think there would probably be a natural explanation in many instances, but even if there is something supernatural, God has warned that this can be accomplished through false prophets. It is well for us to mark that. God says that when a false prophet comes along and performs signs which come to pass, we are not to believe him if he denies the great truths of the Christian faith. That is the great principle which is put down here, and that is very important.
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee [Deut. 13:5].
Notice that any false prophet who attempted to take the people into some false cult or false religion was to be stoned to death. Does that sound extreme? Does that sound severe? Such a false prophet is like a cancer, and a cancer must be cut out as soon as possible—I know that from personal experience. God here is the Great Physician and He says the cancer must be cut out from among His people.
This reveals the mind of God concerning false prophets who lead the people to false gods and false religion. I can remember when I was a boy that the reading of the Bible in the schoolroom was a normal procedure. I don’t think it was particularly meaningful to me at that time, yet I understood it was the Word of God and that impressed me. Today we have let the unbeliever come in, the cults, and those who oppose Christianity and the Bible, and they have taken over so that Bible reading and prayer are no longer permitted in public schools.
God laid down these rules to prevent this from happening in Israel. If one appeared in Israel who was attempting to take God’s people away from the worship of God, that person was to be put to death.
Some soft-hearted and soft-headed folk will say this is too extreme. God understood how terrible it would be if false prophets were permitted to multiply and to lead Israel into idolatry. History reveals that Israel did not obey God and they did permit this to happen. If you want to know how bad it was for God’s people in that day, read the story of Ahab and Jezebel who plunged God’s people into idolatry. This brought the judgment of God upon them so that eventually the northern kingdom was carried into captivity. That is how serious it is.
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people [Deut. 13:6–9].
This is extreme. This is radical. This sounds like a foreign language to the soft and affluent society in which we live. It is a serious matter for a man to be the first one to throw a stone in the execution that would stone his own brother to death. That seems very severe, but ultimately it would save many lives. When the northern kingdom went into idolatry, what happened? Literally thousands of them were slain, and most of the survivors were taken as slaves to the brutal nation of Assyria. Wouldn’t it have been better if they had stoned the false prophets who led them into idolatry instead of a whole multitude being slain?
We see the same kind of thing in our nation today. We have so many soft-hearted and soft-headed judges who have no Christian background whatsoever. They do not think of our laws in the Christian context in which they were originally formulated—that is, obedience to law and a penalty exacted for disobedience. Our judges turn criminals loose to again prey on society. Right here in my town, a known criminal attacked seven women in one night. Several were killed, one was raped, others were hospitalized with severe injuries. Now wouldn’t it be wiser for the criminal to be given the utmost penalty than for many innocent people to be murdered? God’s way is the way that will save lives and protect a host of people. I am afraid that we have become so shortsighted that capital punishment sounds extreme to us today.
And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage [Deut. 13:10].
God exacts the death penalty. Today we feel that the death penalty is uncivilized. I guess the crowd who feels that way would call God uncivilized. I would like to ask that crowd where they got the little civilization and the little culture which they do have. All of it came from the Word of God, friends. Now we are moving away from the Word of God and folk think that is being more civilized. It is more dangerous to walk on the streets of the cities in the United States than it is to walk on the jungle trails of Africa. Why? Because we think the death penalty is uncivilized and so we have abolished it. Some time ago as I was walking by night on a jungle trail in the mountain regions of Venezuela, I felt safer than I do in Los Angeles, although they said there might be a few boa constrictors around. And I noticed that nobody locked their doors. I wondered whether they should send missionaries to us instead of our sending missionaries to them.
And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you [Deut. 13:11].
They were not to depart from the living and true God. As long as they would obey Him, there would be blessing. However, they failed to obey Him, and the judgments did come upon them—that is their story.
If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,
Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you [Deut. 13:12–14].
They were not to do anything rashly. A thorough investigation must be made and truth arrived at before any action was to be taken.
Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the Lord thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again [Deut. 13:15–16].
Again, this is severe. A city, an entire city, would be destroyed. Suppose there was someone in that city who hadn’t gone into idolatry. Had they protested? Had they just sat by and done nothing? If they had done nothing about it, they were to be judged along with the rest.
There are too many Christians today who think that it is Christian to be silent. There are so many Christians who do not take a stand on important issues even when truth is at stake. You hear the old cliché, “Silence is golden.” Friends, sometimes it is yellow—not golden—to remain silent and not to take a stand. The minority is to protest that which is wrong.
Everything in such a city was to be completely destroyed.
And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers [Deut. 13:17].
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Diet for Israel
Although Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 12 deal with the diet for God’s people, we have in this chapter regulations that may be a little clearer than those in Leviticus. The reason for this is that the dietary law recorded in Leviticus has now been tested during the wilderness march for forty years.
PAGAN RITES FORBIDDEN
Ye are the children of the Lord your God: yet shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth [Deut. 14:1–2].
These were heathen, pagan practices in that day. We see the carry-over of this among certain tribes on the earth today who still disfigure their faces. It is a part of their worship, a part of their religion. God’s people were never to do anything like that.
In my book, Learning Through Leviticus, I have gone into more detail regarding the clean and unclean animals. The diet which God gave to His people was more than just a religious ritual. There was actually a physical benefit from their observation of it. This has been tested down through the centuries.
When the plague broke out in Europe years ago, the Jewish population was hardly touched by the plague at all, while a large percentage of the Gentile population died. So the people began to blame the Jews for the plague. Of course, they had nothing in the world to do with it, but their dietary habits and living habits had protected them from the plague.
We are living in a day of diets of all sorts. Everyone seems to be interested in diet. God has not given specific dietary laws for you and me. It makes no difference whether we eat meat or don’t eat meat as far as our relationship to God is concerned. However if you observe these laws, you may stay in this world a little longer, and if you don’t, it may get you into His presence a little sooner!
Now He will make it clear what animals are included and which are excluded:
Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,
The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat [Deut. 14:3–6].
These were the clean animals which they could eat. There were two marks that identified the clean animals. These marks also teach us spiritual lessons.
The hoof of the animal was to be divided or separated. That could symbolize the walk of the believer. The separated hoof speaks of a separated life. Now I know that there is a lot of legalism which is brought into Christian conduct today. There are a great many people who don’t restrict themselves to the Ten Commandments, but they have added about twenty-five others, and they live by them. I do not believe that is what God is indicating by the separated hoof. The word “cleave” actually has two opposite meanings. Cleaving can mean to break apart or break asunder, or it can mean to be attached to something. This is true also of separation. One can be separated from something or separated unto something. The important thing is not to be separated from certain activities or habits but to be separated unto Christ. When you are separated unto Christ joined to Him, your “walk” will undergo a radical change.
The second mark of the clean animals was the chewing of the cud. The spiritual lesson here is that we should spend time in the Word of God. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Ps. 1:2). The first verse starts out with “Blessed is the man.” The blessed man delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it. That word “meditate” has the idea of chewing the cud. It is illustrated by the cow which has a complex stomach. As she grazes on the grass in the morning, it goes into one chamber of her stomach. In the heat of the day she lies down under a tree or stands in the shade, and chews her cud, which transfers that grass from one chamber to the other. Chewing the cud is rechewing the grass, going over it again. That is what we are to do with the Word of God—we are to go over and over it, meditating on it.
The unclean animals fail to meet these two requirements. Some chew the cud but do not have the divided hoof. The pig has the divided hoof but does not chew the cud. Such animals were designated as unclean and were not to be eaten.
Also certain marine life was designated as unclean:
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you [Deut. 14:9–10].
Water creatures must be characterized by two visible marks—fins and scales—to be edible.
There follows a list of clean and unclean birds. There are a great number of people who try to put themselves back under the Mosaic Law, and they know a great deal about not eating pork. So when one of them begins to chide me about eating pork, I remind them of verse 12.
Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey [Deut. 14:11–12].
A few years ago I had a doctor friend, who was a legalist, tell me repeatedly that I should not eat pork. One day while we were playing tennis, I asked him, “Did you ever eat an ossifrage or an osprey?” He looked at me with a puzzled expression and said that he didn’t even know what they were. I said, “Well, you sure better find out. I might invite you over someday for dinner and have roast ossifrage. That would be as bad as eating pork!” He said, “I didn’t know that!” So I told him he had better look it up, and I sent him to this verse and to Leviticus 11.
RULES CONCERNING THE TITHE
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always [Deut. 14:22–23].
God had promised to bless His people in a material way if they would serve Him. Out of that blessing, they were to tithe for the Lord from the produce of the land as well as from their flocks. This tithe was to be eaten before the Lord at the place of the sanctuary. This would be a special feasting before the Lord.
Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose:
And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household [Deut. 14:25–26].
If they lived too far from the temple to bring their tithe of produce or livestock, they could turn it into money, then buy their offering to the Lord when they got there.
At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates [Deut. 14:28].
If you will examine the Law carefully, you will find out that they actually paid three tithes. That is, 30% of what they made went to the Lord, not just 10%. It seems that the tenth went to the temple immediately, but also there was this tithe at the end of three years.
And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest [Deut. 14:29].
God wanted the Levites, who did the spiritual service for the nation, to be cared for. Also note that God had a concern for the poor.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: God’s poverty program; the permanent slave; the perfect sacrifice is Christ
Today we hear a great deal about poverty programs. Man has devised many programs, but they do not work. God has a poverty program that works.
Then in this chapter there is a section about a permanent slave. And, finally, we find in this chapter a type of the perfect sacrifice which is Christ.
THE SABBATIC YEAR
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release [Deut. 15:1].
Every seventh year is a sabbatical year. In that year a release was to be made.
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth aught unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release [Deut. 15:2].
God had already told them that the land was to lie fallow every seventh year. Now we learn about the release on the seventh year. The Israelite could not take a mortgage that went beyond seven years. There could be no foreclosure on a mortgage. When the seventh year came around, money that had been lent or mortgages that had been made were all to be canceled out. This was a great equalizer of the wealth. It gave every man an equal opportunity.
Socialism as it is advocated today does not take into account the fact that man is a sinful creature. If he can get something for nothing, he is not going to work for it; that’s for sure. Democracy and capitalism as we have it today allows for extremes. We have the extremely poor who do not work, but we also have the extremely wealthy who do not work. God had a system for Israel which equalized the opportunity so that it was possible for the poor man who really wanted to work to get something for himself. God’s system guarded against extreme wealth and extreme poverty.
Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release [Deut. 15:3].
This rule held for fellow Israelites. Every seventh year the debt of the poor would be canceled out and they would have an opportunity to start again.
If Israel would observe this carefully, notice what would happen:
Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it [Deut. 15:4].
Wherever one goes today, whatever nation one visits, one is impressed by the extremes of poverty and wealth. This is true in Europe, Asia, South America, the United States, wherever one goes. On one side of town there is extreme poverty, and on the other side of town there is extreme wealth. This is the result of the sin of man. One can blame certain individuals, of course, but the basic cause is the sin of man. If man had obeyed God in this respect, there would have been no poor among them; there would have been a balance of wealth.
Until the heart of man is changed, socialism; as it is practiced in the communist countries becomes the most frightful dictatorship that is imaginable. Capitalism is still so much better than socialism, but whether a nation has socialism or capitalism, the basic problem is the human heart. God called Israel to obedience. Had they obeyed Him, poverty would have been eliminated. We think that we can eliminate poverty by funding poverty programs. And what happens? We see the worst corruption we have ever seen in this nation. It has become a disgrace. Why? Because of the kind of men we are dealing with. It is not the system that is wrong; it is man that is wrong. There is no use running down one system and promoting another, because until you change man, no system will work. God is dealing with the nitty-gritty here, friends. The basic problem is with the heart of man. What would happen if the wealth of this nation were all divided equally? Well, in ten years the other fellow would have it and I’d be poor again. That is the way it would be because of what is in the heart of man. God makes it very clear that if His system had been used, the problem would have been solved.
For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee [Deut. 15:6].
This is a remarkable statement concerning the nation Israel. It is true that many Jewish financiers have become the bankers of the world. The house of Rothschild has financed quite a few nations, by the way. “Thou shalt lend unto many nations” has certainly been fulfilled. “Thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee” has not yet been fulfilled. Why? Because Israel has never obeyed God up to the present.
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth [Deut. 15:7–8].
This is a remarkable passage of Scripture. The nation never fully obeyed it, and the Jewish people don’t obey it fully today. But have you observed that the little nation of Israel receives gifts from Jewish people all over the world? That nation probably receives more gifts than any other nation ever received. One might think that Christians, certain denominations, certain churches, lead the list in charitable giving, but they do not. Jewish people today are giving millions of dollars to the little nation of Israel. You see, God taught them at the very beginning that they were to take care of their brother. This same principle was also given to the Christian believers—there are certain great, fundamental principles which are eternal truths and which God carries over from one dispensation to another. This is what believers should be doing today. But we are not even in the same league when it comes to helping our brothers. However, I don’t think that even Jews come near to what God intended for them when He gave these instructions.
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee [Deut. 15:9].
God warns that they shouldn’t rationalize away their responsibility. They could say that since on the seventh year the brother will be out of debt anyway, it will be unnecessary to help him for a year or two. God tells them to go in and help the poor brother right at that very moment.
Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land [Deut. 15:10–11].
God had told them that if they would obey Him, there would be no poor in the land. But because God knows the human heart, He tells them that there will always be poor people in the land. You remember that the Lord Jesus said the same thing: “The poor always ye have with you …” (John 12:8). There will always be poverty because of the heart of man. Candidly, many are lazy; many people are shiftless and have no initiative. On the other hand, those who are able will not normally help the poor. It is not natural for man to do that. It is supernatural for a man to share what he has with the less fortunate. Therefore, He commands His people, “Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy hand.”
Slaves were to be freed on the seventh year.
And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him [Deut. 15:13–14].
When the slave was freed, he was not to be sent away empty-handed.
THE PERMANENT SLAVE
And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
Then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise [Deut. 15:16–17].
We saw back in Exodus 21 that a man could sell himself as a slave. If his master had given him a wife—that is, a girl who was his master’s slave—when the sabbatical year came, the man could go free. But, perhaps he would choose to stay with his wife and his children and become the permanent slave of his master. Then his ear was to be pierced to signify that he had become a permanent slave.
This is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. He “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:7–8). Jesus could have gone out free. He owed no debt of sin; He was no sinner. He had no penalty to pay. But He loved us and He gave Himself for us. Just as the servant had his ear thrust through by the awl, so the Psalmist says, “… mine ears hast thou opened…” (Ps. 40:6). The Book of Hebrews takes the same passage from Psalm 40 and says, “… but a body hast thou prepared me …” (Heb. 10:5). The Lord Jesus took on Himself a human body so that He could be crucified for you and for me. It is one of those remarkable pictures which we find of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Three main feasts: Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles
Israel was given three feasts which all the males were required to attend: Passover, Pentecost (or Weeks), the Tabernacles.
THE FEAST OF PASSOVER
The Feast of Passover was instituted as a memorial to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their adoption as Jehovah’s nation. The Passover is a festival that laid the foundation of the nation, Israel’s birth into a new relationship with God.
Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there [Deut. 16:1–2].
To get the background of the celebration of Passover, turn back to Exodus 12. The children of Israel were in slavery in Egypt. Moses had been chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. Pharaoh had stubbornly refused to release them, and God revealed His power to Pharaoh by bringing plague after plague upon Egypt. On the fateful night that the final plague was about to descend upon the people, the children of Israel were to express their faith by slaying a lamb, and placing its blood outside the door of the home. Upon seeing the blood, the death angel would pass over the house, which spared the firstborn from death. Because the firstborn died in every home where the blood was absent (including his own), Pharaoh released the children of Israel.
God wanted His people to remember this tremendous deliverance and so instituted the yearly Feast of Passover.
Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee:
But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.
And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work therein [Deut. 16:5–8].
That was the Feast of Passover. It was to be observed in one place, which was in Jerusalem. All the males of Israel were to go to Jerusalem at that time.
THE FEAST OF PENTECOST
Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.
And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee:
And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there [Deut. 16:9–11].
Notice that they were to number seven weeks after Passover, which would be forty-nine; then the next day would be the Sabbath, the fiftieth day. Because the Greek word for “fifty” is pentecoste, this Feast of Weeks is known as Pentecost. It is also called the Feast of Harvest or the Day of First Fruits. It celebrated the first or earliest fruits of the harvest.
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine [Deut. 16:13].
This was another feast of rejoicing. It lasted seven days and it, too, was to be kept in the place which the Lord should choose, which was Jerusalem.
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee [Deut. 16:16–17].
These are the three feasts which were to be celebrated in Jerusalem, which all males were required to attend. Three times a year they were to travel to Jerusalem to keep these feasts. It was to be a time of rejoicing. Notice they were to come before the Lord with joy.
JUDGES IN THE GATES
The chapter concludes with commandments regarding judges.
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment [Deut. 16:18].
The courthouse in that day was not a building in the center of town or even in a courthouse square. Instead of being in the center of town, it was at the edge of town, at the gate in the wall around the city. The reason for that was that it was the place where all the citizens entered or left the city. It was the gathering place, just as the square is the gathering place in some of our little towns.
Knowing the human heart as God does, He warns against distorting justice, about respect of persons, and about accepting a bribe.
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth [Deut. 16:21–22].
A grove was connected with idolatry and with sinful worship in that day. That was the reason they were not to make groves. It was in those groves that the altars and images and idols were made to heathen and pagan gods. You can see that this is very close to the worship of the Druids in Europe. Paganism goes in for that type of thing, and God is warning His people against it.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Sundry laws
In chapters 17 and 18 we come to a section which deals with the regulations that would control a king, a priest, and a prophet. These were the three main offices in the nation Israel, in the theocracy which God had set up for these people. God laid down rules for each of these offices.
OFFERING MUST BE WITHOUT DEFECT
Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God [Deut. 17:1].
God had said that the firstborn of every creature belongs to Him. Also that every offering presented to Him was to be without spot or blemish. When you come to the last book of the Old Testament, you will find that Malachi lists the charges which God brought against His people—the sins that brought His judgment down upon them. The number one charge was that they were offering sick animals to God.
Suppose a farmer had a very fine bullock which he had decided to keep. One morning he goes out to his barn lot and finds that this animal is sick. He would say to his boys, “Hustle up, boys; we’ll put this bullock in the cart and rush it over to the temple and we’ll offer this prize bullock to the Lord.” The neighbors would say, “My, my, look at Mr. So-and-so. Isn’t he generous! He’s giving God that prize bullock.” But God, who knows the heart, says, “I will not accept it. Such an offering is absolutely meaningless.”
Do you realize that if we as believers were checked out on the way we do business with God, we would be arrested and put in the penitentiary? If we did business with the world or with other individuals in the same manner, we would be put in jail! Each of us should check up on ourselves. How honest are we with God in our financial matters? Don’t misunderstand: God is not poor—He owns all the silver and the gold. The cattle on a thousand hills belongs to Him; He doesn’t need our offering of an old sick cow. Actually, we can’t give God anything. Then why does He ask for an offering? He permits us to offer to Him because it is a blessing to our own souls, and we are not blessed when we are beggarly and stingy with God. For instance, we ought to consider what we do for missions. A great many folk today give their castoffs and their secondhand clothes to the missions and to the missionaries. Friends, God does not want our leftovers. He wants our best.
DEATH PENALTY FOR IDOLATERS
If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:
Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die [Deut. 17:2–5].
This is an absolute law against idolatry. From this and other examples that are given to us, I judge that the penalty for breaking any one of the Ten Commandments was death. Today we are so “loving” and so “civilized” that we have gotten rid of the death penalty. But the interesting thing is that we have one of the most lawless societies that the world has ever seen. Doesn’t it make you wonder if God wasn’t right, after all? Stoning was the penalty for idolatry.
You will notice that he mentions idolatry, which was common in the cultures of that day. Greek mythology and the idolatry of the Orient have many gods and goddesses who were associated with the sun, moon, and stars. Apollo was the god of the sun and Artemis the goddess of the moon in the Greek mythology. They worshiped the creature rather than the Creator.
Where did all this begin? I think it began at the Tower of Babel. That Tower of Babel was actually a rallying place for all those who were against God. Why? God had sent a Flood, and now they were going to worship the sun because the sun, according to their reasoning, never sent a flood. The very interesting thing is that they didn’t know that the sun is responsible for drawing the water up. The clouds move across the sky and rain falls. The idolatry of that day wasn’t very accurate; neither was their science. And maybe the science of our day doesn’t have the final word either. A great many people today feel that man’s wisdom and knowledge is accurate. Well, we know it has been inaccurate in the past. They worshiped the sun, the moon, and the stars because they thought the heavenly bodies were friendly to them. They worshiped these rather than the Creator who had made them.
At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death [Deut. 17:6].
Notice how carefully God protects the innocent. A man couldn’t rush to the authorities because he didn’t like one of his neighbors and accuse his neighbor of worshiping the sun god or Ashtaroth, the Babylonian god, or Baal or Aphrodite or any of the false gods. There had to be two or more witnesses to condemn a man. In our society, one witness could send a man to the gas chamber or the electric chair. I personally think this should not be permitted. God always required two or more witnesses. God is very fair in His dealings.
OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY
In the theocracy, they were to refer their cases to the priest or to the judges whom God would put over them. In a theocracy they should never have had a king. We know that later on they asked for a king and God granted their request. Remember Psalm 106:15: “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” This was said of their experience in the wilderness, but it is a truth for all time. If God would answer many of our prayers as we pray them, it would be the biggest mistake in the world. God is gracious and many times refuses our requests. He does that for me, and I’m sure He does that for you. However, God yielded to Israel’s request for a king. In fact, way back here—before they were even in the land—He was laying down regulations for their king.
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose [Deut. 17:8].
If two men disagree on an important matter, how is it to be solved when evidence seems to be equally impressive on both sides?
And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:
And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:
According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left [Deut. 17:9–11].
Because the Law didn’t cover every situation, disagreements were to be taken to the priest. Then the people were to abide by the decision given. Disobedience to the judgment of the priest was to be punished with the death penalty.
The only instance we have recorded of this being used is in Haggai 2:11. I’m sure there were many instances like this. If the Law specifically covered an issue and dogmatically gave a ruling about it, then, obviously, there was no need to take the matter to the priest. If, however, a matter had to be taken to the priest or the judge for a decision, that decision was final and was to be obeyed.
LAWS CONCERNING A KING
God knows that the time will come when they will demand a king like the other nations had. God says that their king must be an Israelite and not a foreigner.
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold [Deut. 17:16–17].
Here are the rules for the king. It is interesting to note that King Solomon transgressed these rules. First of all, he multiplied horses. When I was at Megiddo, the thing that impressed me there was not so much the battlefield of Armageddon as the ruins of the stables of Solomon. The stables of Solomon would have made any of the racetracks in this country look like a tenant farmer’s barn down in Georgia. And other stables have been excavated at several additional sites. This man, Solomon, went all out in that direction. God warned against this. The raising of horses would get one entangled with Egypt because that was the place where very fine horses were bred.
Then, Solomon transgressed by multiplying wives to himself. God put up warning signs long before Israel ever had a king: “Don’t go this way. Be careful.” Yet Solomon had many, many wives. It was his wives who turned his heart away from God.
Third, God warned against trying to corner the silver and gold market of that day. Yet that is exactly what Solomon did. David had begun it—but David was collecting silver and gold to build the temple, but Solomon continued collecting silver and gold for himself. This was the undoing of Solomon, and the grievous taxation was the direct cause of the division of Israel as a nation into the northern and southern kingdoms after Solomon’s death.
And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel [Deut. 17:18–20].
The king was to be a man of the Word of God. He was to have a private copy of the Law of God, and he was to read in it every day of his life.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Priests and prophets; the test of a true prophet
God gives rules regarding the maintenance of the priests. Then there is another warning against idolatrous practices which resort to the satanic powers. This is followed by one of the outstanding sections of the Book of Deuteronomy which deals with prophets, and there is a wonderful prophecy about the Lord Jesus, the Prophet who was to come. The section on prophets concludes with the very interesting and important test for determining true and false prophets.
THE CARE OF THE PRIESTS
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance. (Deut. 18:1).
Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them [Deut. 18:1–2].
The priests came from the tribe of Levi. All the Levites were employed in the temple service. They had no land inheritance among the children of Israel, but the Lord was their inheritance. The Lord provided for them in this particular way. It is interesting that God did not mention how a king was to get his salary, but He did give instructions about how a priest was to get his. Yet the preacher’s salary is the one thing that is always a touchy issue in the church. God just laid it on the line. He said, “This is what the priests are to receive.”
And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever [Deut. 18:3–5].
This is a great principle that God is laying down here. This is still the method God uses to carry on His work in the world. He expects His people to support the people who are giving all of their time in getting out the Word of God to the world. If people started bringing shoulders of beef and of lamb we might have T-bone steaks and lamb chops—of course I do not think He means for us to do it in this same way, but the principle is still true.
When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee [Deut. 18:9–12].
When these people would go into the land, they were not to resort to the pagan, heathen practices of the people in the land. This warning is repeated in the New Testament. Paul warns “… that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). They will be resorting to the unseen satanic world.
Now let me venture my own judgment, and you can take it for what it is worth. I believe we have now come into that period. As I write, there is a great manifestation of Satan worship. Here, in Southern California, there are churches of Satan where he is actually worshiped. In Hawaii, I saw a group of young people falling down before a picture of Krishna, which is nothing in the world but satanic worship. Some people pass this off as a fad because it is a tendency of human nature to go after fads—especially in America. However, there is a great deal of reality in Satan worship. It is not a group of stupid people, nor is it only the uneducated who are indulging in this sort of thing. There must be reality in it and, since Satan is real, I believe there is a certain amount of reality in it. But God warns against this. He says it is an abomination unto Him.
I want to add this because someone needs to say it today. There is a danger in playing with astrology. Remember that in the previous chapter we read the condemnation of the worship of sun, moon, and stars. There are a great many people today who are placing more emphasis on astrology than they are on the Bible. Stores and magazine racks are loaded with material on astrology. The media is promoting it. We see it everywhere we turn. My friend, astrology is an abomination unto the Lord. Don’t find fault with me for saying this. It is God who calls it an abomination. Why is it an abomination? It takes people away from the living and true God. It plunges them into darkness and demonism. There is reality in the world of demons. There are fallen angels and a spirit world. This thing is real, and today people are intrigued with it. They use drugs and every other means they can think of to try to make contact with this unseen world. And the satanic world is very glad to make contact with them. A child of God should let this thing alone. Any one who turns in that direction has a weak faith and is not really trusting Christ as Savior. He is turning away from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. God has given warnings about this sort of thing. His warnings have happened to be very accurate in the past. His batting average, friends, is excellent—He hasn’t missed yet. He hits a home run every time, and I am going to go along with Him.
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do [Deut. 18:13–14].
These nations in the land were judged and would be removed from the land because of this very thing. Israel has been called to be a witness to the true and living God.
PROMISE OF THE COMING MESSIAH
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken:
According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken [Deut. 18:15–17].
The children of Israel were to listen to God’s prophets. Why? Because they were telling them the truth. That was the basic reason. But the second reason was to prepare them to listen to the final messenger, the final Prophet, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some people still ask why God does not reveal Himself today. Friend, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, God put the period at the end of the sentence. God wrote finis at the end of the book. He has nothing more to say to the world than He has said in Jesus Christ. We are to hear Him. We are to hearken unto Him. At the transfiguration, God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5). Listen to Him. He has the final Word. For believers today the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate, God’s full, God’s final revelation to man. This is what Moses is saying way back here in Deuteronomy.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him [Deut. 18:18–19].
You will recall that the Lord Jesus said again and again that the words He spoke were not His own but the Father’s. For instance, in John 5:30, and several times in John 6, the Lord Jesus says that He came not to do His own will but to do the will of the Father. After the Lord’s earthly ministry was finished, he prayed in that great high priestly prayer, where He is turning in His final report to the Father. “… I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do …. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me …” (John 17:4, 8). If God were to speak out of heaven at this very moment, He would not say anything that He had not already said. He would just repeat Himself, because all He intends to say to you and to me is in the person of Christ.
That is the reason we are to let astrology alone. It is the tendency of human nature to want to explore the unknown, to know about the future. There is an insatiable desire to probe the mysterious. There is some of the spirit of Columbus in all of us. Right now we are exploring space and the depths of the oceans. We like to reach out into new areas. Not only do we do this in space, but man also likes to reach out in time. He wants to know about that mysterious future. What is beyond tomorrow? What does the future hold? All would like to know that, would they not? People are anxious about the future. There is always the question: what about tomorrow? The future is a closed door. Memory can take you back into the past, but there is no vehicle to take you into the future. Written on the door of the future are the words, “Keep Out!” Today was tomorrow only yesterday. Man is limited as to time and also space.
To satisfy this insatiable longing, there arose among the heathen, spiritualists, necro-mancers, and diviners. God warned His people against it. This was connected with idolatry and was satanic in origin. Could they tell the future? Yes, there was a certain degree of accuracy. The Greeks used the oracle of Delphi and, apparently, got a certain amount of accurate information there—but it was satanic. They say that Hitler resorted to some type of fortune teller. I understand in Washington today, fortune tellers do a land-office business. The classified ads in any city will show you that there are many fortune tellers making a very fine living by speaking of the future.
Now the future is an area in which man has never been given dominion. God alone can predict the future, and it belongs to Him. A unique character of the Word of God is that it moves beyond the present. The greatest proof to me that the Bible is the Word of God is the fulfillment of prophecy. One fourth of the entire Bible was prophecy at the time it was written, and a large portion of that has already been fulfilled. God has recorded prophecies concerning cities and nations and great world empires. Under such circumstances, there would arise false prophets, as there are today. They wanted the status and the position that belonged to the true prophet of God. How could Israel protect themselves from the false prophets? God lays down a test by which they could be certain a man was either a true prophet of God or a phony.
TEST FOR DETERMINING TRUE AND FALSE PROPHETS
There were false prophets among the people; that’s quite evident. Unfortunately, Israel would not apply God’s rules by which they could identify them. We find this passage in Jeremiah 14:14: “Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.” It was easy enough for a false prophet to speak of the coming kingdom—centuries in the future. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of the future. How could one tell which was the true prophet? Today we can know because a great deal of Jeremiah’s prophecy has been fulfilled, but how could people know at the time it was spoken? Well, God put down a very accurate test. Listen to Him:
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him [Deut. 18:20–22].
Let us take time to look at this for a moment. Isaiah is a prophet of God, a true prophet of God. How do we know? He prophesied that a virgin would conceive and bring forth a son. He clearly marked out the coming of the Lord Jesus, His birth, His life, His death. Suppose someone had asked Isaiah when all this would take place. He would have answered that he was not quite sure but that it could be hundreds of years. (Actually, it was seven hundred years.) Well, that crowd would laugh and say they would never be around to know whether he was telling the truth or not. The test of the prophets was that they had to give a prediction about a local situation that would come to pass right away, and they had to be completely accurate. They couldn’t miss in any point of their predictions. Any inaccuracy at all would immediately disqualify them as a true prophet of God.
Now let us look at Isaiah again. He prophesied the virgin birth, and we today can look back 1900 years to the fulfillment of that and know that he was accurate. But how could the people in his day know that? They could know because Isaiah went to the king, Hezekiah, with a prophecy. concerning a local current event. There was a great Assyrian army of trigger-happy soldiers surrounding the city, but Isaiah said that not one arrow would enter the city. Those Assyrians had conquered other nations and they were there to conquer Jerusalem and to carry Israel into captivity. Isaiah told them what God had said about it:
“Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord” (Isa. 37:33–34).
All of those fellows in the Assyrian army had bows and arrows. You’d think that just one of them might let an arrow fly over the wall just to see if he could hit someone. Now if one arrow was shot into the city, Isaiah would lose his job as a true prophet of God. He would be out of business. That was one of the tests which Isaiah passed. There were others where Isaiah spoke to a local situation, and it came to pass just as he had said. The true prophet had to be correct 100 percent of the time.
Now what about today? This test would disqualify everyone on the contemporary scene who claims to be a prophet by predicting the future. I grant you that some of them sometimes hit the nail right on the head, but more often they miss the nail altogether. You don’t hear of their misses; you only hear of their accurate guesses. I could give many instances of false prophecies. We have folk predicting the end of the world on a certain date, the rapture of the church on a certain date, calamities that will come to a particular section of the country on a specific date, and a host of other things. If we applied God’s test to these self-acclaimed prophets, they would be out of business in short order. A true prophet must be accurate in every detail every time.
But do you know that there are no warnings about false prophets for the church today? Why? Because there is no more prophecy to be revealed. Everything has been revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His Word. Our warning today is not against false prophets; our warning is against false teachers. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you …” (2 Pet. 2:1). The warning to us is to listen very carefully today, because there aremany sweet, soothing voices that sound very pious, but are not teaching the Word of God. Oh, how important it is for us to beware of false teachers!
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Cities of refuge; extent of the land and the extremity of the Law
The provision of cities of refuge, the protection of property rights, and the severity of the Law reveal again God’s concern for the innocent person.
CITIES OF REFUGE
In the Book of Numbers, chapter 35, we learn that the Levites were to set up three such cities on the east side of Jordan and three on the west side of Jordan.
Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. [Deut. 19:4].
And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past [Deut. 19:2–4].
A man who had unwittingly killed a person could flee to a city of refuge. This would save him from mob action or from the action of some hotheaded relative who might be emotionally wrought up at the time. In a city of refuge he would be protected until a fair trial could be held.
God makes it perfectly clear that the cities of refuge were to be protection for the innocent man. He gives an example of what He means by an accidental killing.
As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past [Deut. 19:5–6].
The Lord is specific that the cities of refuge are not to be protection for those guilty of murder.
But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die [Deut. 19:11–12].
PROTECTION OF PROPERTY
Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it [Deut. 19:14].
Here is the fact that landmarks were sacred. This was a protection of human property and establishes the rights to property.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established [Deut. 19:15].
This passage reveals to us the awesomeness of the Law. The demands of the Law were terrible, and under no circumstances was one witness sufficient. Anyone today who says that he wants to live under Law should really find out what it is.
If a false witness should arise, then the accused and the accuser were to stand before the Lord, represented by the priests and the judges. If the judges decided that the witness was false, then whatever he wanted to have done to the accused was the punishment which should be given to him. In that way, evil was to be removed from the nation (vv. 16–20).
And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot [Deut. 19:21].
That is Law, friends. There is no mercy in Law. I thank God today that the Lord is not judging me on the basis of Law. He saves me by grace. If He were saving me by Law, I would be lost forever, because I could never, never measure up to the requirements of the Law. Law is law—we have developed such a careless attitude about it today—but God enforces His Law. It was eye for eye, tooth for tooth. How I thank God that Jesus Christ paid the penalty of the Law so that there is pardon for sinners. The throne of God has become a mercy seat because Christ died and His blood has been sprinkled there—and that’s the blood of the covenant. God saves us by His grace. We have not kept the Law; we have broken it. We are all guilty before God. Christ paid the penalty; so the requirements of the Law have been fulfilled. Now God is free to save sinners by His marvelous, infinite, wonderful grace.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Laws regulating warfare
This Book of Deuteronomy is a very practical book. It touches life where we live it today. Although these laws were given to Israel, there are certain basic principles here which would contribute to the happiness and the welfare of mankind if they were incorporated into the laws of modern nations. I’m convinced that the men who originally drew up our constitution were men who were Bible-oriented. The problem today is that we have a society made up of people who are entirely ignorant of the Bible, and lawmakers who are actually stupid as far as the Word of God is concerned. The blunders they make in their policies are enough to cause us to weep and howl—all because they are so far from God and not following Him at all. This Book of Deuteronomy covers problems which Washington has been trying to solve in its own way. Our lawmakers have been wrestling with these problems for years.
They have dealt with the problem of our young men for service in the armed forces. They are troubled to know what should be the conditions on which a man should serve or not serve. Israel had these same problems. God put down certain very basic rules that would prevent a man from going to war. Very candidly, I am of the opinion that if our government had paid attention to God’s Law relative to this, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are in today.
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt [Deut. 20:1].
Here was something that was important for Israel, and I believe it is important for us today. We see little mottos which read, “Make love, not war.” That may sound good, but like so many little mottos, it is absolutely meaningless. Because we are living in a sinful world where the heart of man is desperately wicked, there are times to make war. There are times when we need to protect ourselves. There are wars in which God is on one side. Frankly, the important question any nation should consider—and certainly a so-called civilized and Christian nation—is whether this is a war that God is in. If He isn’t in it, then we shouldn’t be in it either.
And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you [Deut. 20:2–4].
This is something that is very important in warfare. Make sure that you are on God’s side. God commanded them to war against these nations and promised that He would be with them.
Now God puts down four conditions, or four excuses, which would keep a man from going to battle.
And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it [Deut. 20:5].
If a man has built a new home and has not had the opportunity to live in it, he was not to go into battle. Why not? Because his heart, naturally, would be in that new home. He had set his heart and his affection on it. He wanted to live in that new home, and he is to be given the opportunity to live in it.
And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it [Deut. 20:6].
These people were agrarian; they were farmers. Here is a man who has just gotten started in business; he had just planted a vineyard. Because he hasn’t had the opportunity to eat a grape off it yet, he is not to go to battle. His heart is in his vineyard; his interest is there. He is to stay until he gets to eat of it, until he gets established. Otherwise he might be killed in battle, and another man would reap the fruit of his labors. This is quite interesting, is it not?
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her [Deut. 20:7].
Here is a young man who is engaged to a girl and he gets drafted. He is not to be taken. He is in love with that girl; he wants to marry her. Let him stay home, and let him marry the girl. That is where his heart is, and he is not to go to battle.
Now here is the fourth excuse:
And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart [Deut. 20:8].
There might be a man who very frankly says, “I am a coward. I am afraid to fight, and I don’t want to fight.” So here are four good reasons for a man not to go to war. I could not have used the first three reasons, but that last one I could have used. If a man was afraid, fainthearted, fearful, he was not to go. I believe I would have turned and gone home.
This law was applied to Gideon’s army. You may remember that Gideon started out with quite an army—32,000 men who rallied to him to free their nation from the oppression of the Midianites who had actually impoverished them. Then the Lord told him he had too many soldiers, and that whoever was fearful and afraid could go home! When that word went out, 22,000 men picked up their gear and went home! Then God told Gideon that he still had too many men. How were they separated? They came to a stream and some of the men got down on all fours to drink. There were others who lapped up the water like a dog and were all set to go. They were eager to get to the enemy and get the job done. They wanted to free and save their nation. So they were the ones who went to battle, and the others were sent home.
In America we have had problems with our young men dodging the draft and burning their draft cards. I have great sympathy with many of these young men, but I wish instead of trying to blame the government and blame everybody else, they would just come out and say they are afraid to go fight. That is a good reason. That would have kept me out of the battle, I can assure you of that. I don’t mind admitting I’m a coward. For example, because I had to work my way through high school and college, and support my mother, I could never have proven that I was a good enough football player to earn a scholarship. But I played a little and enjoyed it. I remember how I felt just before that kickoff. When the whistle was blown—I played the backfield—standing way back there, my knees would buckle. There were times when I’d actually go down on one knee, I was so scared. But the minute I got the ball and I was hit, from then on I was all right. But I would never have made it in combat on the battlefield, I can assure you!
God says here that He wants His people to know two things before they go to war. First of all, they must be on His side. They must be fighting for what is right and know that God is with them. Secondly, they must be enthusiastic about it. There is a time when one should fight for his country, and there is a place for the flag and for patriotism. The way things are carried out by our politicians actually encourages this motley mob who burn their draft cards. But the way God does it is very wise. He had a marvelous arrangement for His people, even in time of war.
When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it [Deut. 20:10–12].
Here is another great principle which is laid down. You may remember that General Douglas MacArthur did not believe in fighting a war which we did not intend to win. This kind of compromise is the curse of our nation today, and we do it with a phony piousness. This has pervaded our churches, and today it is in our government. We pretend to be the great big wonderful brother. MacArthur warned, in his day, not to fight a land war in Asia. But if we fight a war, we are to fight to win—that is the purpose of it. And that is exactly what God says. We have no business to fight a war unless we are fighting to win it.
God has put down some very good principles here, friends, but today we have departed far from them.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Laws regardimq murder, marriage, and delinquent sons
This chapter concludes the section concerning religious and national regulations which began with chapter 8. We find here interesting and remarkable laws regulating many different aspects of the life of Israel.
If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:
Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:
And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke:
And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley [Deut. 21:1–4].
If a man has obviously been murdered and his body is found, the officials of the city are to measure to find the closest city. Then that city is held responsible for the murder. It may not be that he was slain in the city, but the city is still held responsible.
This is what they are to do:
And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:
And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord. [Deut. 21:5–9].
There is a basic truth taught in this procedure. When a crime takes place in a city, the inhabitants of that city have a certain responsibility. This is my reason for believing that ultimately there will have to be a demand made by concerned citizens that laws be enforced to get rid of the crimes that are taking place. God holds a community responsible. Even if the murder was not committed in the city, the city still is responsible. The elders of that city were to come and ask for forgiveness for the city, and forgiveness would be granted them.
In America I wonder if there ever is even a suggestion that we ask God for forgiveness for our many crimes and the many things happening in our land. It is one thing to say that things are terrible, things are awful. It is another thing to go to God and say, “Oh, God, forgive us as a nation. God, forgive us for our sins today.”
Do you know that Christ was murdered outside a city? Yes, He was. But His death could save His murderers. I think the Roman centurion who had charge of His crucifixion is one of the men who was saved.
Verses 10–17 give the law regulating marriage with a woman who was captured in warfare. Also there is the legal protection of the rights of the firstborn in the case of dual marriage where one wife was loved and the one was hated. We have seen this illustrated in the life of Jacob.
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, and he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear [Deut. 21:18–21].
Here is the law concerning the “prodigal son.” We can understand how our Lord shocked the crowd listening to Him when He told them the parable of the prodigal son. When that boy came home, the listening crowd would expect that he would be stoned. Imagine their surprise when our Lord said that the father went out with open arms to meet the boy. They had expected the boy to get what he justly deserved. He had been a disgrace. He deserved to die. But what does the father do? He puts his arms around the boy and kisses him. He says, “… let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:23–24).
Friends, aren’t you glad that we are not under Law today? When we come to God, and we confess our sins, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Instead of judgment, there is mercy for us. How wonderful and how merciful God is to accept us and receive us when we come to Him!
Now we have the strange case of one being hanged on a tree.
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance [Deut. 21:22–23].
A criminal who was executed by hanging was not to remain on the tree all night. This was because everyone who hangs on a tree is accursed. It seems strange to us that this law is mentioned here. The form of capital punishment which was used in Israel was stoning. Apparently Israel did not use hanging as a form of capital punishment. So what this really means is that a person who was put to death by stoning was then hung on a tree. This applied to criminals of the worst type, to let it be seen that he had died for his terrible crime. It would be a warning to others. The body was to be taken down from the tree by nightfall and buried. The reason was that the criminal was accursed of God.
Probably Moses did not realize, and certainly the children of Israel did not realize, the full significance of this law. In Galatians 3:13, Paul picks up this statement in the law and applies it to Christ. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” In the time when our Lord Jesus lived on earth, He was delivered into the hands of the Romans for execution. Because Rome was in control of the land, the death penalty could only be executed by Rome. Our Lord was crucified on a Roman cross, sometimes called a tree. Now Paul picks that up and says that when Christ was hanging there on the tree, He was taking our sins and was accursed of God in that condition. Because of what He had done? No. He became a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law. He redeemed us from the curse of sin. He redeemed us from the penalty of sin, and He has bought our pardon. Why? Because He was made a curse for us.
I get weary of people arguing about whether the Romans or the Jews were to blame for the death of the Lord Jesus. Actually you and I were responsible for His death. Christ was made a curse for us. This is the thing He did for us on the cross, which makes us responsible for His death.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: Miscellaneous laws concerning brother relationships, mixtures, and marriage
This chapter brings us to another division of the Book of Deuteronomy. We have seen the repetition and interpretation of the Ten Commandments in chapters 5–7. Then there are the religious and national regulations in chapters 8–21. Now we come to regulations for domestic and personal relations in chapters 22–26. God directed many of these laws to the nation; now He gets right down to the nitty-gritty where the people live with laws relative to their domestic and their personal relations.
BROTHER RELATIONSHIPS
Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again [Deut. 22:1–2].
In my day we have heard a great deal about a good neighbor policy, and we see that God had a good neighbor policy for His people in that day. I remember during Franklin Roosevelt’s administration when he came out with the “good neighbor policy,” all the pundits and reporters acclaimed it as something brand new. They hailed Roosevelt as a sort of Messiah and thought he had come up with something wonderful. May I say to you that the good neighbor policy is as old as Moses—actually much older than Moses. It goes back to the very throne of God in eternity. He is the One who says we are to adopt a good neighbor policy, and it is to be demonstrated in our everyday life.
Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again [Deut. 22:4].
They were not to assume a nonchalant attitude toward the neighbor, nor were they to pass by as if the neighbor’s problem was none of their business. They were to extend their help to the neighbor.
DRESS CODE
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God [Deut. 22:5].
Someone will say this does not apply to us today because we are not under the Law. That is true. However, all these laws which we are studying do lay down certain principles which we do well to notice. I may be out of step with the times, but I believe it is still true today that a woman looks better dressed as a woman, and a man looks better dressed as a man.
As my wife and I were driving in San Francisco, we were behind a little Volkswagen. I remarked that the wife was driving and the man was sitting next to her, and she was driving pretty fast. When they were going up a hill, they couldn’t maintain their speed, so I passed them. Do you know that I was wrong? The man was driving and the woman was sitting beside him. That man looked like a woman, and the woman looked like a man. Frankly, I don’t see the benefit of that.
God created us male and female. God is saying here that a man ought to look like a man, and a woman ought to look like a woman. We are having a great deal of trouble today because the sexes are trying to look alike and are trying to act alike. I personally feel that womanhood is paying an awful price for demanding equal rights. Men would like to treat women as women, and that means men would like to elevate them, and give them more than equal rights.
PROTECTION FOR BIRDS
If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:
But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days [Deut. 22:6–7].
It is a wonderful thing to see that God is concerned for the birds. Remember the Lord Jesus said that not even a single sparrow falls without the Father (Matt. 10:29). Actually, the language has the thought that a sparrow always falls into the lap of the Father. Just a bird—yet the Father is concerned about it! The Lord Jesus said, “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:31). How wonderful that is. If the Father is concerned about a sparrow, He is also concerned and knows all about you.
BUILDING CODE
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring no blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence [Deut. 22:8].
One must understand that the roof of the house in that day in Israel served as the front porch, the patio, the deck, whatever you wish to call it. It was the place where the family went to sit in the cool of the evening. Now God says that the area is to be protected. There was to be a railing around it so little children would not fall off and so that people would not step off the roof in the darkness.
Do you know that it is only in recent years that our nation has had building codes to protect people? God is not behind the times as a great many people seem to think He is. God has a concern about the way people build their homes. He is interested in that.
He wants your home to be dedicated to Him, and He wants that home to be a safe place. Do you have a railing around your home? Do you protect your children from the things of this world? Many parents let their children move from the home and do not even know where the children are. Many children have gone out to live on the street or in communes. The railing, the protection, is not there as it should be in the modern home.
MIXTURES
Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.
Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together [Deut. 22:9–10].
This sounds to me like a humorous thing which the Lord is saying here. Actually I saw this done over in Israel. In fact, I have a slide that I took showing an Arab plowing with an ox and an ass yoked together. So they do this over there even today. God says that Israel should not plow that way. Someone may ask, “What is wrong with that?” Well, an ox is an ox and an ass is an ass, and they do not go together. They don’t walk together—their gait is different, and they do not pull together.
Have you noticed that the Lord does not like mixtures? The same thing is true in marriage. God does not want a mixture of the saved and the unsaved. Unfortunately, I have seen quite a few marriages that reminded me of an ox and an ass yoked together—a Christian girl marries an unsaved fellow, or vice versa.
Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together [Deut. 22:11].
Do you know what happens with a mixture like that? When you wash it, the wool will shrink but the linen will not. Then you have a real problem.
Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself [Deut. 22:12].
That fringe was most generally blue. We know it was blue on the garment of the high priest. The fringe was a reminder of their relationship to God. Later the fringes became distinct badges of Judaism.
God warns against mixtures. The child of God cannot mix with the world. I hear Christians say that they go the way of the world in order to reach the people of the world. I have news for you. That is not the way to reach them. If you ever hear of anybody being reached because a Christian went the way of the world, let me know. The seeds were not to be mixed. The ox and the ass were not to try to work together. The wool and the linen were not to be mixed. The Christian is not to mix with the world, my friend.
MARRIAGE
If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,
And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:
Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate [Deut. 22:13–15].
Here was a law to protect the innocent wife, and it was to keep a wife from being falsely charged. This protected a wife from a godless and hateful husband. It was a way we do not have today, but God had made an arrangement to protect a wife under such circumstances.
But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel:
Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you [Deut. 22:20–21].
Suppose the woman was guilty. Then she was to be stoned.
Today people talk about the “new” morality and consider sex apart from marriage a great step forward. God gave a standard of morality to His people, Israel. God-given morality has always been a blessing to any nation. Any nation that has broken over at this point has gone down. When I think of this, and when I think of the condition of my country, I weep. Under God’s law to Israel, a person guilty of adultery was stoned to death, whether man or woman. If we did that here in Southern California, there would be so many rock piles it would be impossible to drive a car through this part of the country.
God honors marriage and God honors sexual purity. Adultery in Israel was to be punished by stoning. This tells us how God feels about adultery, friends. Remember that God’s love for His people is expressed in His Law. This law regarding the protection of the sanctity of marriage is a very fine example of His love and concern for the human family.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: The world, the flesh, and the devil
Chapter 23 continues this very interesting section regarding regulations for domestic and personal relationships. The world, the flesh, and the devil are the three enemies a believer contends with daily, even hourly, and moment by moment.
We are living in a day when very plain language is being used—in fact, vulgar language. God in His Word also uses very plain language, but it is by no means vulgar. Where the Bible deals with very personal issues, that section is generally avoided. However, I do not think we should avoid it, as it holds very practical spiritual lessons for us.
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord [Deut. 23:1].
This is a most unusual law, is it not? What is God trying to teach us here? I believe that this would correspond to asceticism, and God condemns it.
During the Middle Ages, men saw the corruption in Europe and in Asia and in North Africa, and they turned from the things of the world to become ascetics. They retired to monasteries to get away from the world. Very candidly, one probably couldn’t blame them for doing it at that time. But this is an extreme and God warns against it.
In Protestantism one can find that same type of legalism today. There are those who feel they are living the “separated life.” Yet I have never found one of those folk to be a joyful person. As a matter of fact, I have found some of them to be dangerous people. They act very pious and seem very shocked when anything that is worldly is mentioned before them. I have found that those same people can be the meanest gossips, and that they are not always honorable in their business relations. I have had a very bitter experience in my own life with a little group of “separated Christians” who were totally, absolutely dishonest. I believe God is warning against asceticism. He does not accept that kind of thing.
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord [Deut. 23:2].
God uses some pretty strong language here. An illegitimate child could not enter the congregation gregation of the Lord. What does that mean for us today?
You must be born again to be a child of God. There are a lot of people today who say, “I am a child of the King,” but they are not a child of the King. They are illegitimate. One can be religious and not be born again. Such a one is not a child of God at all. God makes that very clear. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a very religious man, a spiritual ruler of the people, a man who wore his phylacteries. Yet that man was illegitimate, and our Lord said to him that he must be born again. Our Lord almost rudely interrupted him to make that clear to him (John 3:3).
As I hold many meetings all over this country, I meet many pastors. One Baptist pastor told me, “There are a lot of baptized pagans today. They are hell-doomed sinners, and they think because they have been baptized they are children of God.” God says that an illegitimate son is not going to heaven—he shall not enter the congregation. God doesn’t have illegitimate children. His children are all legitimate because they have been born again.
There is a good question for you to ask yourself today. Have you been born again? Do you know Christ as your Savior? “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12–13). Do you qualify as a legitimate child of God? I don’t care how many ceremonies you have been through, or how many churches you have joined, or how religious you may be—unless you are a child of the King, you are illegitimate.
FALSE RELIGIONS
An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever:
Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee [Deut. 23:3–4].
Archaeologists have discovered that the Ammonites and the Moabites were pagan to the worst degree. They have found a great many of their little images to Baal. False religion is not to enter into the congregation of the Lord. And how can one recognize false religion? “By their fruits ye shall know them.” The evidence was that they “met you not with bread and water” in that great and terrible wilderness, and they hired Balaam to curse Israel.
Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.
Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever [Deut. 23:5–6].
This sounds harsh, but it is a warning against linking up with false religions. False religion is satanic in origin. The devil is not to enter into the congregation of the Lord. It is false religion that has damned this world more than anything else. It is possible for a beautiful church building with a high steeple and a lovely organ to be the very den of Satan. We are to beware of false religion. False religion has no place in the congregation of the Lord.
Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land [Deut. 23:7].
We saw back in the Book of Genesis that Edom is Esau, and Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Ammon and Moab were to be abhored. Why not Edom also? Because an Edomite was their brother.
For the believer, Esau represents our old nature, the flesh. We can hate the flesh, try to step on it, try to punish it, or multilate it but none of that will do any good. We are not to abhor the flesh, but we are not to yield to it. The old nature is not to control us. The flesh is in rebellion against God, but it is a part of us, and hating it will not get us anywhere.
They were not to abhor an Egyptian. Why? “Because thou wast a stranger in his land.”
Egypt in Scripture represents the world. We are told “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Again let me say that this does not mean we are not to appreciate the beauties of nature or our homes, our cars, and other conveniences that are part of the world around us. The point is that we are not to fall in love with these things. Of course we are not to despise them, but we are not to love them. You and I are strangers and pilgrims down here in this world. Just as the children of Israel were never called upon to plant flowers in the wilderness, neither are we called upon to join movements that try to straighten out the world. We are to give out the Word of God—that is our business—but we are pilgrims and strangers here, just passing through.
CLEANLINESS
Now beginning with verse 9 is a section on cleanliness. Even when they were out in the field of battle, they were to maintain a clean camp.
Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:
And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee [Deut. 23:12–13].
God is interested in sanitation. Wherever Christianity has gone, there has been an improvement in sanitary conditions.
We hear so much about pollution today. Who polluted this universe? Certainly, it was not God who did it. He gave us clean streams, clean air, clean water. It is sin, sinful man, who pollutes this earth today. If men would follow the rules which God has given, this earth would be a sanitary place.
For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee [Deut. 23:14].
God is interested in cleanliness. I think it was Webster who said that cleanliness is next to godliness. I think it is even closer than that—I would classify cleanliness as a part of godliness. God wants us clean in body, clean in environment, clean in thought, clean in action. We are to be a holy people in this world today. Say, this book is very practical, is it not?
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God [Deut. 23:17–18].
God said there were not to be harlots or sodomites among His people. God says that under no circumstance will He accept income from that which is illegal or from that which is immoral or wrong. He does not want any of it.
Now I am going to say something that I know is not popular to say. I do not believe that any Christian organization should receive money from any industry that is illegal or immoral. I thank God for the two schools that turned down a gift from a large brewery. Many questionable businesses try to gain respectability by giving to charity, as you know.
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury: but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it [Deut. 23:19–20].
Here again God is insisting that they take care of their brother. And if they lend him money, they are not to charge him usury, which is interest.
When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall he no sin in thee [Deut. 23:21–22].
A vow to the Lord was a voluntary act. No one was required to take a vow. However, once a person had made a vow to the Lord, that vow was absolutely binding, as we have mentioned before.
When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.
When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn [Deut. 23:24–25].
We will find that the disciples of our Lord did this very thing. Because they were hungry, they began to pluck the grain and eat it as they passed through a field. As we see here in Deuteronomy, this was not illegal. God said that a farmer was to extend this courtesy.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Divorce
This chapter begins with the Mosaic Law of divorce. The remainder of the chapter is devoted to people-to-people relationships in which mercy is to be shown. Friends, God is merciful, and He expects His people to exhibit mercy toward each other.
THE MOSAIC LAW OF DIVORCE
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.
And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;
Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance [Deut. 24:1–4].
Now you may wonder why remarriage was put on that kind of basis. Well, because God doesn’t agree to wife-swapping, which this would amount to. There is to be no trading back and forth.
This seems like a very easy form of divorce, does it not? It was very easy. Why did God permit it? Well, the Lord Jesus was approached with that question. “They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:7–9). Unfaithfulness to the marriage vow was the only grounds for divorce. (There is some speculation about 1 Corinthians 7 opening up another reason or basis for divorce.)
Jesus said that Moses was permitted to make this law because of the hardness of their hearts. There are a great many things which God permits in His permissive will. He permits it because of the hardness of our hearts. This is still true today in many cases of divorce. It is also true in many of our homes, and it is true in the personal lives of many individuals. God is merciful and gracious to us and permits things in our lives that are not in His direct will. It is His permissive will that manifests His grace to us. Knowing this, it would behoove some of the more spiritual brethren not to be so critical of other folk today.
When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken [Deut. 24:5].
God protects the home even in the time of war. God regards the sacredness of the marriage vow.
VARIED REGULATIONS
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you [Deut. 24:7].
God condemns slavery. There is no question about that.
When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing [Deut. 24:20–22].
God was taking care of those who were helpless, those less fortunate ones. God had a good poverty program, and the interesting thing is that it worked. We will see this a little later on when we get to the Book of Ruth.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Punishment of the guilty; law protecting widows; judgment of Amalek
This is a remarkable chapter that expresses God’s concern for protecting the innocent by punishing the guilty and by perpetuating a brother’s name in Israel. It concludes with the command to “blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
FORTY STRIPES
There were certain crimes that arose through difficulties between individuals. I think that in our legal nomenclature today we would call them misdemeanors. These would not be serious crimes which would merit the death sentence. However, they would require punishment.
If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee [Deut. 25:1–3].
Forty stripes would be the limit. Otherwise there would be the danger of killing the man. The number of the stripes, one to forty, depended on the seriousness of the crime.
This method of punishment has gone entirely out of style. It was interesting to me to hear several outstanding attorneys discussing this. They agreed that it would break up a great deal of this lawlessness if there were public floggings. That is, when a person commits a minor crime, instead of putting him in an air-conditioned jail to loaf for a few days, he should be taken out and publicly flogged. Apparently God thought that is the way it should be handled, and the answer as to whether or not it was effective is found in the fact that Israel had a very low crime level.
THE OX NOT TO BE MUZZLED
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn [Deut. 25:4].
Here is a lovely thing. God is protecting the ox. When I was in Israel, I took pictures of this very thing because they still do this over there. For a long time I watched an Arab who had his ox going round and round, treading out the corn, and, do you know, he had his ox muzzled. God had said, “Don’t do that. The ox is working for you; he is treading out your corn—let him eat.” God’s concern is a very wonderful thing.
It is interesting that Paul reaches into the Book of Deuteronomy and uses this verse in his letter to the Corinthian Christians. “For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?” (1 Cor. 9:9–11). Do you see how Paul is applying this? He is saying, “Pay your preacher.” “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14). The man who is ministering to you in spiritual things is feeding you spiritual food. You, in turn, are to feed him with material things. That is how Paul is making the application of this verse.
While I sit and talk into a microphone, making a record on tape for broadcasting on radio, I see the tape going round and round, and I feel like an ox treading out the corn. And you know, that is what I am trying to do—tread out the corn. God says not to muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. I’ll let you make your own application of that!
LAW PROTECTING WIDOWS
Now we move on to another point. You can’t make me believe that God does not have a sense of humor. God has a law here to take care of widows. It worked effectively, as we shall see in the Book of Ruth. But to me it is very humorous.
If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.
And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel [Deut. 25:5–6].
God was protecting womanhood. We hear a great deal about women’s rights, and it is interesting that God guarded their rights. We need to remember that in Israel most of the people were farmers. The land was divided among the people and each had his own piece of land. When a man died, he would leave a farm with all his wheat and corn and also his livestock of sheep and oxen. The widow was left with this farm to care for. Suppose some man from the outside, a foreigner, or a man from another tribe wanted to marry her and thus come into possession of the land. This was forbidden. She was not permitted to marry outside. Here is a case where the widow does the proposing. What she was to do was to go and claim one of her husband’s brothers, a cousin, or the nearest relative and ask him to marry her.
And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother [Deut. 25:7].
If the brother, or relative, doesn’t want to marry her, she can take him to court, you see.
Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.
And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed [Deut. 25:8–10].
If the man refused to marry her, the woman could take him to court—the city gate was where court was held in those days. She would tell the elders how it was. If he still refuses to marry the widow, there is a penalty. He is disgraced for not performing that which he should do according to the Law. It reveals the fact that he is not being true to his brother, or to his family, or to his tribe, or to his nation, or to his God. The man is disgraced.
Here is a marvelous example of how God protected the widow. We will see this law in operation when we get to the Book of Ruth. It was used effectively in that book.
Can you imagine how this would affect a family in Israel? Suppose there was a family of four sons living on a farm in Ephraim country. Suppose that night after night one of the boys went off with the lantern and when he came back to go to bed, he would be whistling. Pretty soon the family would get into a huddle and the brothers would ask him, “Where are you going every evening?” They’d do a little investigating of their own and find there was a daughter in the family that lived down the road. So the brother would admit, “I believe in the good-neighbor policy, and I have been going down there to visit that family that just moved in.” And he would admit that he was thinking of marrying the girl. Now, if those brothers didn’t care too much for that girl, can you imagine what would happen? They’d say, “Listen—before you get any notions, you go to the doctor and have a physical check-up. We want to be sure you are in good health before you marry her, because none of us want to get stuck with her.” Believe me, they got down to business. Getting married was a family affair. This was God’s way of drawing families very close together, of protecting the widows, and also of protecting the land. You see, this was the way the land would always stay in the same family. It was a very good law for them.
The next verses give a severe punishment for involvement when men strive together. Also God commands His people to be accurate in their measurements and in their weights. They are to be absolutely honest in their business dealings.
JUDGMENT OF AMALEK
In Exodus 17 we have the record of Amalek’s attack upon the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. The Amalekites were marauding nomads out on that desert.
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it [Deut. 25:17–19].
Israel had suffered an unprovoked attack by Amalek at Rephidim. That was the battle when Moses was on the top of the mountain and Aaron and Hur held up his arms in prayer to God. When his hands were up, Joshua and the army of Israel won; when his hands were down, they lost. They finally won a victory over Amalek. At that time the Lord said a very interesting thing, “… thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
As I have mentioned before, Amalek represents the flesh; that is, the fallen nature we inherited from Adam. God intends eventually to get rid of that old nature—it would be impossible to go to heaven with it. You and I have an old nature that can never be obedient unto God. We will deal with this subject quite thoroughly when we get to the Epistle to the Romans. Amalek is an illustration of the flesh. As long as we are in this life, we shall never get rid of the flesh—“Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exod. 17:16). We saw in chapter 23 that the flesh is not for us to despise. We cannot overcome the flesh by becoming ascetic or by trying to beat it down or by becoming super pious. That won’t accomplish anything. But we do need to recognize that there is a war going on in each one of us. It is a war between the spirit and the flesh.
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:17). We cannot overcome the flesh by fighting. The only way we can overcome the flesh is by yielding to the Spirit of God. Only the Spirit of God can produce the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. The Lord says that He is going to blot out the remembrances of Amalek from under heaven. I thank God that He intends to get rid of the flesh someday!
CHAPTER 26
Theme: First fruits—thanksgiving
The chapter before us presents the beautiful ceremony in connection with the offering of firstfruits. Acknowledging that all the produce of the land came from God, and as an expression of thankfulness for His goodness, the Israelites brought as an offering to Him a portion of the fruit that ripened first.
And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;
That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.
And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us.
And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God [Deu. 26:1–4].
As he presented his offering of firstfruits to the Lord, he was to review God’s gracious dealings with his people in delivering them from oppression in Egypt and in bringing them to the bountiful land He had promised them.
And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. [Deut. 26:5].
There is something here I would like to have you note. He comes to God first with confession. The Israelite would confess, “A Syrian ready to perish was my father.” Was Abraham an Israelite? No, he actually was not. What about Isaac? Well, he was not either. What about Jacob? Technically, Jacob was not an Israelite. The crowd that went down to Egypt were Syrians. Abraham was no more an Israelite than he was an Ishmaelite—since both peoples descended from him. Abraham was a Syrian as to nationality.
And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.
And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God [Deut. 26:6–10].
To the Israelite it was to be a time of true thanksgiving. Thanksgiving for us is a day when we bring a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto God—and that’s good. Most of us, and I confess I am in the category, eat a big turkey dinner. Usually friends invite us out to dinner. This past Thanksgiving was a glorious time. But how many of us really made an offering to God on Thanksgiving Day? Israel did—this was the beginning of Thanksgiving. If we go back and check the Pilgrims and the Puritans, we will find that they, out of their meager resources, made an offering unto God on that day. Wonderful as it is to make an offering of thanksgiving and praise with our lips, we ought to back it up with our purse. Praise and purse go together in God’s Word.
The second part of this chapter deals with the Israelites’ declaration of obedience to God.
When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them [Deut. 26:12–13].
If Israel would keep His commandments, He promises to make them His peculiar people and to place them above all nations of the earth.
CHAPTER 27
Theme: The future of the land: curses for disobedience
We come now to one of the most vital sections of the Book of Deuteronomy. This is now Moses’ third oration. It belongs to the next major section of the book which is regarding the future in the land. This is the third main section of the book and extends from chapter 27–30. In it we find the so-called Palestinian covenant which God made with the nation Israel.
I have called Deuteronomy 28–30 the pre-written history of Israel in the land before they enter the land. The section from Deuteronomy 29–30:10 is the Palestinian covenant.
As we begin this new section, I think we ought to say something about a covenant. That word has occurred several times already. There are different kinds of covenants. We find that individuals make covenants with each other. There are covenants of this kind mentioned in the Bible. Then there are nations that make covenants, and some of them are mentioned in the Bible. Then there are the covenants which God made with His people and with all humanity in the Old Testament. We have already studied the Adamic covenant, the Noahic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, and the Mosaic covenant. Now we have come to the Palestinian covenant.
The covenants which God makes are divided into two different classifications: conditional and unconditional. We could call them eternal covenants and temporary covenants. The eternal covenant is a permanent covenant and it is unconditional. The temporary covenant is a conditional covenant. It is important to distinguish between the two.
The covenant which God made with Abraham was an unconditional covenant. The covenant God made with Moses, the Ten Commandments, was a conditional covenant—“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then …” (Exod. 19:5). The Palestinian covenant which God made in the chapters we are about to study is an unconditional covenant.
This covenant has to do with Israel’s future. We understand that these people are now standing on the east bank of the Jordan River. They are preparing to enter the land. This is the new generation; the old generation has died in the wilderness. Moses himself will not enter into the land. We shall see that this book closes with a requiem to Moses. He dies, but the people enter the land under a new leader. Now this particular section is prophetic and has to do with their future in the land which they are about to enter. We find here some of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Word of God.
And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster:
And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee [Deut. 27:1–3].
They were told that when they crossed over into the land, the Ten Commandments were to be written in stone and displayed. Their tenure in the land, their dwelling there, would be determined by their obedience to God. That was a conditional arrangement. But the land was given to them with no conditions attached whatsoever. God has given that land to Israel, and that is an unconditional covenant. God will bring Israel back into that land because it belongs to them. That is something very important for us to realize at the present time.
Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.
And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.
Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God:
And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God.
And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. [Deut. 27:4–8].
God’s law was to be prominently displayed. In fact, it was to be put in front of them wherever they went—even on the doorposts of their homes.
And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin [Deut. 27:9–12].
When they get into the Promised Land, the blessing of the people is to be declared from Mount Gerizim. He mentions the tribes who will do the blessing.
And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali [Deut. 27:13].
The tribes who are to declare the curses are to go over to Mount Ebal. These mountains are in the area where the Samaritan woman was at the well. That well is still there today. The blessings were from Mount Gerizim and the curses from Mount Ebal.
Now a list of the curses is given. After they are in the land, their tenure there is on a condition. We might say that each generation are tenants and they are to pay rent. God is the land owner, and that rent is obedience to God. Actually, the nation is more than a tenant because God has given Israel that land as an eternal possession. However, when a generation will not obey God, that generation would be put out of the land, even though the land remained theirs as an eternal inheritance. This is the reason that that piece of real estate is the most sensitive spot on the topside of this globe. It is the belief of a great many people that right now a world war could be triggered by what takes place in that land, and certainly this is true.
There are twelve curses given here, and I am not going into detail about them as they are self-explanatory.
Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen [Deut. 27.15].
This has to do with the first two of the Ten Commandments.
Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen [Deut. 27:16].
This deals with the fifth of the Ten Commandments.
Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen [Deut. 27:26].
As you read all the verses in this chapter, you will see that they all deal with the breaking of the Ten Commandments.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: Israel’s pre-written history
This chapter continues the section regarding the future of Israel. Moses pronounces the conditional part of the covenant. The people of Israel would be blessed only as they obeyed God. Their disobedience would bring curses, which are spelled out for them here.
Then we have one of the most remarkable passages of Scripture which gives their pre-written history in the land before they had even set foot on it. There are three prophecies of their dispossession—all have been fulfilled. There are three prophecies of their restoration—two have been fulfilled. Israel’s third return to the land is yet future.
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God [Deut. 28:1–2].
“If thou shalt hearken diligently”—notice the great big “if.” This is a conditional part of the covenant. They are going to be blessed only as they obey God.
Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out [Deut. 28:3–6].
As you read this, perhaps you are struck by the fact that there are twelve curses pronounced but that there are only six blessings. If you want to know why this is so, I’ll tell you where we pick up the rest of the blessings. Our Lord stood on the mount and delivered what is called the Sermon on the Mount. How did He begin it? “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3)—then the other beatitudes follow. Beginning His message like this would make the instructed Israelite listen. He was hearing of the blessings which would come to them even after their long, checkered history. At that time they had already experienced captivity twice, and they were yet to go into another captivity that would scatter them throughout the entire earth.
There is the promise of an abundance of blessing if they will obey.
And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them [Deut. 28:13–14].
Now he returns to the curses and mentions that they all rest upon this matter of an “if.”
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee [Deut. 28:15].
Again we see that this is conditional.
Now we come to one of the most remarkable passages of Scripture. It is the history of Israel in the land, pre-written. Scripture prophesied concerning Israel’s being dispossessed out of the land three times and regathered into the land three times. There are to be three dispossessions and three regatherings of Israel.
The first of these was prophesied by God to Abraham. “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years …. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again … (Gen. 15:13, 16). They went down into Egypt for 430 years; then God brought them out of Egypt. That is what we are following now in Deuteronomy. They are on the east bank of the Jordan River, and God is bringing them back to the land for the first regathering. In the Book of Joshua, we will find them entering into the land, and in the Book of Judges we will find them settled in the land, which is a complete and literal fulfillment.
Now, before they have even entered the land, the second time they are to be put out of the land is mentioned here. This is a very remarkable chapter.
Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.
The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:
So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see [Deut. 28:32–34].
This verse was accurately fulfilled in Judah’s last king, Zedekiah, whose sons were slain before him; then his eyes were put out. Blind and helpless, he was carried away into Babylonian captivity.
The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.
The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee [Deut. 28:35–37].
This was to be the Babylonian Captivity which is now a matter of history. We have the record. We will learn of it later in our study of the Bible where we will read more prophecies about it and then will actually see it come to pass in both Kings and Chronicles.
Why did all this happen to them? It was because of their disobedience. God had given them the “if’s.” God said, “If you obey, you will be blessed. If you disobey, you will be put out of the land.”
Israel was regathered from the Babylonian Captivity. Their return to the land is recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah. The prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, tell of their return to the land. So then, this is the second prophecy concerning their return to the land. This has been literally fulfilled.
The third scattering of Israel was the result of being conquered by Rome. This is described prophetically.
Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee [Deut. 28:48].
Here in my study I have two volumes of Flavius Josephus’ history in which he tells about the coming of the Romans under Titus. Rome, known as the iron kingdom, fulfilled the prediction, “He shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck.”
The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand [Deut. 28:49].
Rome, coming all the way from the West, spoke a language that was entirely different from Hebrew. Our English is based on Latin and the European languages, but Hebrew is a language that is related to the Asian and African and Oriental languages. It is altogether different. God says the conquerors would be “whose tongue thou shalt not understand.”
It is interesting that Rome carried standards bearing the emblem of the eagle. I am of the opinion that many an instructed Israelite, when he looked over the battlements of the wall and saw the standards of Titus with an eagle on them, said, “This is it!”
A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:
And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.
And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee [Deut. 28:50–53].
Josephus tells in his history how mothers were forced to give up their babies, and the flesh of the babies was eaten. The people died, and their corpses collected inside the city. They had to throw them over the wall. May I say to you that this prophecy was literally fulfilled.
And now the Jewish people are scattered throughout the world.
And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone [Deut. 28:64].
They have never returned from that dispersion. That has yet to be fulfilled. There are three prophecies of dispossessions. There are three prophecies that they will return. They have returned twice. They have not returned the third time.
So we have six prophecies. Five of them have been literally fulfilled. What do you think about the sixth one? I can tell you what I think about it. I think it will be literally fulfilled. It is yet to come in the future.
And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:
And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:
In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see [Deut. 28:65–67].
How literally all this has been fulfilled in the persecutions of the Jews down through the centuries. This is all the consequence of their continued disobedience. They have no rest, and they have a trembling heart. In the morning they wish for evening, and in the evening they wish for morning. How sad. God is true to His Word, friends. What a lesson there is in that for us.
This should move us to tell the gospel to these people who are dispossessed from the land. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is for Jew and Gentile alike, and it is for the “obedience to the faith among all nations” (Rom. 1:5).
CHAPTER 29
Theme: Palestinian Covenant (introduction)
Chapters 29 and 30 are considered the Palestinian covenant. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer considered chapters 28–30 to be the covenant. The Scofield Reference Bible considers it to be 29–30:10 with chapter 29 as the introduction. In my notes I take chapter 29 through the first ten verses of chapter 30 as being the covenant, although the covenant proper is in the first ten verses of chapter 30. This chapter 29 is a preliminary.
RESUMÉ OF GOD’S CARE
This is now the fourth oration of Moses.
These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb [Deut. 29:1].
The covenant made in Horeb was the Ten Commandments or what we know as the Mosaic Law. The covenant which God is going to make with them here relates to the land, and it is called the Palestinian covenant. God makes this covenant with them just before they enter the land.
And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land [Deut. 29:2].
These people would have been children and teenagers when they witnessed these things. The oldest people in the nation would have been about sixty years old after wandering through the wilderness since the failure at Kadesh-Barnea. Only Joshua and Caleb remained of the old generation.
The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:
Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day [Deut. 29:3–4].
In spite of seeing all the signs, they still did not perceive. Isaiah has a great deal to say about that. Paul in Romans deals with the blindness of Israel. “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day” (Rom. 11:8). Does this mean that God will not permit them to comprehend, that God turns them off? No, it means they are already off. God has to turn us on! That is something which we need to recognize today. Until God opens the eyes and the ears of men and women, they cannot hear the gospel. Now do not misunderstand me—they can hear the words, but they cannot hear the gospel with understanding.
A writer of a magazine article classified our program of going through the Bible in five years with religious racketeers. He seems to think that if you attempt to teach the Bible you are running a religious racket! I wish the man would listen to the program to see what we are trying to do. And yet I still feel frustrated because if he did listen, he wouldn’t understand. He wouldn’t be able to comprehend. He would still feel that we are teaching the Bible on the radio for some ulterior motive. He would feel that the Bible is just being used as propaganda. Why? Because it would take the Spirit of God to work through the Word of God to open his eyes and his heart. Then he would see that the Word of God is effective in the lives of many people.
Now God says that he just left these people as they were. They had no intention to turn to Him. They had broken communication with the living and true God. Therefore, God would just leave them in their state of unbelief.
And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot [Deut. 29:5].
Imagine walking for forty years in the same pair of shoes, and their not getting old! Now Moses goes on to describe their journey through the wilderness and how this should have opened their eyes.
A great many people today say that if God would only perform a miracle before their eyes, they would believe. Well, these children of Israel saw miracles for forty years, and yet they did not believe. It is not for want of evidence that men are unbelievers. They are unbelievers not because of what they read in the Bible nor because of what they see around them. The problem is on the inside. They are unbelievers because they are innately enemies of God. They have no capacity for the things of God. What a picture God presents of the human heart! He says that it is desperately wicked and that none of us can actually conceive how terrible it really is. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7–8). Paul wrote this after God had tested Israel for about 1500 years under the Law. What a picture of humanity this is! Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Moses gives them a resumé of their history, reminding them of God’s wonderful provision and care for them. This is the preliminary to the covenant.
Remember that the Palestinian covenant is unconditional, but that their tenure in the land will depend on their obedience.
Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,
Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water:
That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day:
That he may establish thee to-day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob [Deut. 29:10–13].
As we read Moses’ warning that disobedience to the covenant will affect both the people and the land, it sounds to us like a prediction, because Israel did forsake the covenant.
So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the Lord hath laid upon it;
And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?
Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
For they went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book. [Deut. 29:22–27].
Years ago I heard the late Dr. George Gill tell about a trip he made by train, going down through Asia Minor and into Palestine. Late in the afternoon they were leaving Jerusalem and dropping down into the Dead Sea area. As they did, he was standing out on the back vestibule of the train with a very wealthy American. The American said, “I always heard this was the land of milk and honey. Why, I’ve never seen a land that is as bad as this. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Dr. Gill said, “It is interesting that you said that.” Then he opened his Bible and showed the American in verse 24 that strangers shall come from a far land and ask that very question, “Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?” And Dr. Gill told him the exact reason which Moses had given 3500 years ago. “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers.”
The land and the people go together. Actually, the whole Mosaic system is geared for that land. It is not only for the people but also for that land. That is important to see. In our Lord’s day, the Mount of Olives was covered with trees. It was a real wooded area. The enemies who came to conquer cut out all the timber and left the land desolate. God’s judgment does not fall only on the people. It also has fallen on the land.
And the Lord rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law [Deut. 29:28–29].
But even before the covenant is given, they are told what will ultimately happen.
Now friend, God hasn’t told us a lot of things, but there are certain things He has told us, and He surely has told us about that land. It lies over there right now, desolate, and they are trying to get water on it. Agricultural authorities have said that if the land could be revived by getting water to it, it should be able to support fifteen to twenty-five million people.
I have traveled in that land from Jericho to Jerusalem, back and forth several times. Anyone who travels there is bound to ask, “What meaneth all the judgment on the land of milk and honey?” Israel was put out of the land because God said, “You go into it and live in it on condition.” They did not meet His condition; they did not obey Him.
Does this mean that since Israel failed to keep the covenant, they will not go back to the land? No, God made the Palestinian covenant with these people unconditionally. We shall see that in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 30
Theme: The Palestinian Covenant
We come now to the Palestinian covenant which God made with Israel. Read it carefully. You will notice there are no “if’s” in this covenant. It is an unconditional promise of future blessing.
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee,
And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul [Deut. 30:1–2].
There are seven great promises which God makes here. He makes these statements which are unconditional. Verse 1 tells that they will be dispersed among all the nations. The nation would be plucked off the land for its unfaithfulness. That has taken place.
Verse 2 tells that there will be a future repentance of Israel in the dispersion. They are going to come back to God. Someone may ask whether their return will be on the basis of their obedience. It seems logical that if they were dispersed because of disobedience, they will return because of their obedience. No, friend, this is the order of grace, not law. They will not be returned because of their obedience, but they will be obedient because of their return. God will bring them back to the land. The regathering of Israel into her own land is the theme of at least twelve major prophecies in the Old Testament. We will call your attention to them when we come to them.
That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee [Deut. 30:3].
This verse tells that their Messiah will return. Notice that, for it is very important. This is the first mention of the return of Christ to the earth that is recorded in Scripture. (When we get to the Book of Jude, we will find that Enoch mentioned the fact that He is coming back, but that was not recorded in the Old Testament.) This is a remarkable prophecy, and it has not yet been fulfilled. Not until its fulfillment will the land be blessed and be at peace.
If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers [Deut. 30:4–5].
Here is the fourth great promise of God. Israel is to be restored to the land. This is an unconditional promise. No amount of scattering can change the fact that in the future God will bring them into the land, as verse 4 makes clear.
The fifth promise is that there will be a national conversion.
And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live [Deut. 30:6].
We find this same promise reaffirmed in Jeremiah and Hosea and stated by Paul in the Book of Romans.
The sixth thing mentioned here is that Israel’s enemies will be judged. Israel will return and then obey the voice of the Lord. That is the order of grace. And then their enemies will be judged.
And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day [Deut. 30:7–8].
Finally, the seventh wonderful thing is that Israel will then receive her full blessing.
And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul [Deut. 30:9–10].
When will the day of return be? Is it actually happening now? We cannot be dogmatic about what we do not know. It clearly states that when they return to the land, it will be in obedience to God. There will be no blessing for them in the land until the time when they return in obedience with the new heart which God will give them. This will be at the time when God returns them to the land. The present return to Israel is not in obedience to God. I believe that the return of Israel under the covenant promise is yet in the future. It is unconditional because it is God who will return them to the land.
For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it [Deut. 30:11–14].
Israel can plead no excuse that they do not know the commandment of God. God has brought it right to them, and they know it.
We also have a responsibility—we who live in the land where we can hear the gospel. My friend, you don’t have to go to heaven to get salvation. You don’t need to cross the ocean to get it. May I say to you, it’s right near you. It is as near as your radio; it is as near to you as a preacher or another Christian who will give you the Word of God. And you are responsible to act upon what you have heard. That is where your free will comes in. It is my business to get out the Word of God—I try to get it right up to your eardrums by radio, and right before your eyes by the printed page. That is as far as I can go. From then on, it is up to you.
Now notice that verses 12 and 13 are quoted by the apostle Paul in Romans. “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:6–10).
Paul does not say that Moses said this, but rather the “of-faith-righteousness” is the speaker. Paul is not making a substitution of faith here for the Law. The passage in Deuteronomy is prophetic and speaks of a day when Israel will turn to God with all their heart and soul. (See Deut. 33:10). It looks forward to the new covenant which God will make with Israel.
“And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart” (Jer. 24:7).
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:31–33).
“For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Heb. 8:8).
Christ is the One to institute this new covenant which is yet future. Righteousness by faith is indeed witnessed to by the Law and prophets. In the meantime, it is not necessary to ascend to heaven to bring Christ down. He has already come the first time and died. It is not necessary to raise Him from the dead. He has been already raised from the dead.
They had the Law for 1500 years and they knew it as a matter of rote and ritual, but it had not brought righteousness. Christ had come to them just as the Law had come. It was not something that was far off, and Christ had come among them. He died and rose again in their midst. The “of-faith-righteousness” was available to them as it is to us because it has been preached down through the ages. The Law bore witness to both the righteousness by law and righteousness by faith. It is not “the commandments” in Deuteronomy 30, but “commandment.” The “of-law-righteousness” had not brought salvation, but the “of-faith-righteousness” does bring salvation.
A careful examination of the passage in Deuteronomy 30 will reveal that Paul is not giving an exact quotation, but that he is making an application of the passage. The statement of Joseph H. Beet is pertinent, “This appeal to Moses is a remarkable example of skillful and correct exegesis!”
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it [Deut. 30:15–16].
Their stay in the land will be determined by their obedience. He outlines their history and says they will go out of that land when they disobey. But God promises to bring them back. Finally, He will return them and they shall never, never go out again. Why? Because they will obey Him? No. Because God makes good His covenant. He will bring them back, and then they will obey Him.
It is exactly the same with us. God asks us to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. After that He talks to us about obedience—“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John. 14:15).
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them [Deut. 30:20].
I repeat it again: Love and obedience is the great theme of Deuteronomy. If this was so important for the children of Israel, how important it is for you and me in this day of grace when we have been given so much more light. Since we have been given more, our responsibility is greater. One of the things I pray for more devoutly than anything else is that I may be kept close to Him today. Oh, friends, we need to be kept close to the Lord Jesus Christ. How important it is!
CHAPTER 31
Theme: Moses’ last counsels
We have come now to the last section of the Book of Deuteronomy. It is a requiem to Moses and extends from chapter 31 through 34. It begins with the fifth oration which Moses gave to the children of Israel and which is recorded in this book.
We are coming to the end of the life of Moses. The entire Bible up to this point has been written by Moses. A great deal of it has been about Moses. He has been a key person ever since the time they came out of the land of Egypt. He has been concerned with Israel for forty years, and he has left us a record of the 120 years of his life. Now he is getting ready to die.
And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.
And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan [Deut. 31:1–2].
Note the two statements about himself. He is getting old. We all get old, and most of us will not make it to 120. When we move toward that area, we are no longer vital as far as God’s program is concerned. Moses is not the essential one to bring Israel into the Promised Land. God has made it very clear to him that a new leader will take the people over the Jordan River and into the land. Moses will not be the leader much longer.
The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said [Deut. 31:3].
Moses did not choose Joshua; God selected him to be the leader to succeed Moses. I doubt whether Moses would have chosen Joshua if the choice had been left to him. Actually, Caleb seems more impressive than Joshua, and it would seem more natural for him to be the new leader. Or, (after all, Moses is human) wouldn’t he have been apt to choose one of his own sons to succeed him? That was the way the Pharaohs did down in Egypt, and it would be natural for Moses to do the same thing. So God chose Joshua to lead them over the Jordan. Moses is no longer essential.
That has a great lesson for us. It teaches us that none of us are essential to God’s program. God uses each man in his own time, but when the time of work for the man is finished, God’s work still goes on.
I can remember a pastor who was up in years telling me, “I just can’t retire because I am so essential to this work.” Since then he died in the harness, but the interesting thing is that the work prospered more after he died than it had before. We may think we are essential, but we are not. When the time comes for us to step aside, God will raise up someone else. That is what is happening to Moses here.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee [Deut. 31:6].
Moses is encouraging these people not to fear the enemy tribes that are in the land. You will notice that he encourages this generation over and over, telling them to cross over into the land. He had lived through the experience of Kadesh-Barnea. He had seen the older generation turn yellow and run back into the wilderness. So Moses over and over again encourages this new generation to go on in, assuring them that God will lead them into the land.
And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them: and thou shalt cause them to inherit it [Deut. 31:7].
This was good; this is as it should be. He encourages Joshua before all the people. By encouraging Joshua, he is also encouraging the people.
And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed [Deut. 31:8].
This was the same lesson that Isaiah had to learn. Remember that the sixth chapter of Isaiah starts, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne….” Poor Isaiah! Uzziah had been a good king, and now that he was dead, Isaiah thought things were really going to be bad. Another king would be raised up and the nation would just go to the dogs, so to speak. But what did he find when he went into the temple? He found that God was still on the throne, that the real King of Israel and of Judah was still on the throne. He wasn’t dead. He wasn’t even sick. Isaiah learned that although Uzziah had died, God was still very much alive.
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel [Deut. 31:9].
Remember that Deuteronomy began, “These are the words which Moses spoke.” There are about eight orations of Moses in the book—given orally, then written down. Moses wrote this Law. As you may know, the Graf-Wellhausen theory rejects the Mosaic authorship, considering the Pentateuch as historical documents compiled shortly before 400 d.c. The original argument for this theory was that writing was not in existence at the time of Moses. Of course archaeologists have found that writing was in existence long before Moses’ day, but the Graf-Wellhausen theory is still held by the liberal wing of the church for the obvious reason that the prediction of Israel’s declension after entering the land is so accurate that the unbeliever would like to think it was written as history rather than prophecy.
Now even at this time, when the children of Israel are ready to enter the land, you would think that God wouldn’t take them in if there was a chance of their failing. Yet He tells Moses here this is exactly what will happen. God knows human nature. He knows your being and my being. My friends, you and I would walk away from God in the next ten minutes if He didn’t keep us close to Himself.
Now notice what the Lord says to Moses:
And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.
And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a-whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? [Deut. 31:14–17].
Now I know that there are people who say today, “We are different today. We’ll not turn away from God.” But do you know that the Lord Jesus said the same thing about the church? In Luke 18:8 He said, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth” “Faith” is the faith, the whole body of revealed truth. The answer to that is no, He won’t. In fact, the way the question is couched in the Greek demands a negative answer. In the New Testament there is predicted the apostasy of the church, just as it was predicted of Israel, and you and I are living in it today. I have seen in my day that which curdles my blood. I have watched church after church, which at one time was conservative, take the emphasis off the Word of God and finally depart from the faith. And I have seen man after man, who at one time professed to be sound in the faith, turn away from the things of God. Now don’t say that you can’t do it or that I can’t do it. In these days I pray more than anything else, “Oh, God, keep me close to Thee.”
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be witness for me against the children of Israel.
For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware [Deut. 31:19–21].
Music is a very important factor. We are all greatly influenced by music. Right now some of the music that is getting into our churches is a disgrace, according to this poor preacher’s opinion. Someone needs to speak out against it. The music must say something, must have a message that will draw people closer to the Lord Jesus. Too much of our music attempts to reach the modern generation all right, but fails to meet them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the next chapter we will read the song. The interesting thing about the song is that it is rock music. Do I really mean that? Yes, it is all about the Rock, who is Christ. That is the kind of rock music that Moses taught to Israel, and that is the kind of rock music we need today.
And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying,
Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee [Deut. 31:24–26].
This “book,” you understand, was not a book such as we have today. It was a scroll or it may even have been a clay tablet. However, in Moses’ day they had scrolls and this law was probably written on a scroll.
Remember that we are in the section which we have labeled the requiem of Moses. He is getting into his final report to the nation. He calls the tribes around him just as old Jacob had called the twelve sons around him. The twelve sons have now become the twelve tribes, and they are a great nation. Moses calls them to him.
For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death?
Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.
For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended [Deut. 31:27–30].
May I say that this statement which Moses made about 3500 years ago is still accurate, still true. It has been fulfilled quite literally. It is also true of the entire human family, for God has said that mankind apart from God will utterly corrupt itself. All we need to do is look around us today and we can see that this is true.
CHAPTER 32
Theme: Moses’ final song
The Song of Moses is a great song, in fact, a magnificent song in many ways. The nation of Israel was to learn it. It was to be somewhat like their national anthem. It was a song given to them by God; every Israelite was to learn it and teach it to their children.
As I indicated before, music is a very important factor in the life of a nation. Someone has said, “Let me write the music of a nation, and I do not care who writes the laws.” In other words, the songs have more influence than do the laws! If this is true, we today are in a sad predicament. Modern music has sunk to a level that is absolutely frightening.
The first four verses of the Song of Moses are the introduction.
Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth [Deut. 32:1].
God calls heaven and earth to witness that these are the conditions under which He is putting Israel into the land. When He is ready to put Israel out of the land in judgment, Isaiah records this same call. In fact, that is the way the Book of Isaiah opens: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me” (Isa. 1:1–2). When God put Israel into the land, He called heaven and earth to witness. When God is ready to put them out of the land, about seven hundred years later, He again calls heaven and earth to witness. God is not doing this in a corner; this is not something which He does under cover. He is justified in putting them out of the land.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass [Deut. 32:2].
That is the way the Word of God is. The Psalmist says, “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth” (Ps. 72:6). I love that statement. A dear saint in Dallas, Texas, lost her husband whom she loved dearly. She told her pastor that now she understood the meaning of that verse in the Psalms. She was the mown grass, but God came to her through His Word like the gentle rain. That is the way the Word of God should come down in our lives. Here in Southern California, we go through an entire summer without rain. Normally, in the fall we have quite a rain that begins the autumn season. The earth just opens up to receive it. It washes the leaves on the trees, and everything becomes clean and sharply clear. God desires that the Word of God should come down into our hearts and lives like this.
Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God [Deut. 32:3].
How little of our literature today promotes God or has anything good to say about Him! Usually His name is taken in vain if it is used at all.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he [Deut. 32:4].
This is the song about the Rock, you see. The word “Rock” is used about seven times in the song. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Rock. Christ is the chief Cornerstone of 1 Peter 2:6. His work is perfect. Oh, how this song exalts God, and He needs to be exalted by us today.
They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? [Deut. 32:5–6].
God is the Father of Israel because of creation—He doesn’t mention redemption here. In one sense God is the Father of all mankind because He created all mankind. When God created Adam he was called a son of God, but Adam sinned. After that, none of the offspring of Adam are called the sons of God unless they have become sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ. The whole human family may be pictured as a crooked generation, a foolish people.
Now we have a wonderful stanza on the goodness of God—verses 7–14.
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance [Deut. 32:7–9].
Verse 8 is most unusual. I have never yet heard a satisfactory explanation of it. The nations of the earth are measured according to the number of the children of Israel. In other words, the bounds that the nations have are arranged according to the number of Israelites. This is something that needs a great deal of study today. It explains why the Jew and his land are the most sensitive areas on the earth.
He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye [Deut. 32:10].
For forty years in that howling wilderness, that great and terrible wilderness, God led His people and kept them. Why? They were the apple of His eye—a lovely expression.
Now we have one of the great statements in Scripture:
As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him [Deut. 32:11–12].
At the time when the little eaglets ought to be out spreading their wings, they are perfectly willing to stay in the nest and let mama and papa bring them food all day long, then take care of them at night. The day comes when the mother eagle pushes those little ones off the cliff, and they have to stretch those wings. But suppose a little eaglet does not do very well. That mother, with those tremendous wings of hers, comes right up under the little eaglet, catches him on her wings, then lifts him back up to the rock and gives him a few more worms to eat for the next few days. Then she tries him out again. This is the way God watches over those who are His own. God pushes us out of the nest sometimes, not because He doesn’t love us but because He wants us to learn to fly—He wants us to learn to live for Him.
This is a wonderful description of the goodness of Jehovah.
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation [Deut. 32:15].
“Jeshurun” is another name for Israel. Israel waxed fat, and kicked! What a picture this is of the affluent society we have in America today. And what a bunch of complainers there are—and the Christians join with them. “Thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick” means these folk were getting fat. In their prosperity, they didn’t think their Rock was important anymore.
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee [Deut. 32:16–18].
In this next section (vv. 19–25) we see the judgment of God upon His people.
And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.
And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith [Deut. 32:19–20].
God says that He will hide Himself from them. He will not manifest Himself to them.
The next section, verses 26–42, expresses God’s longing for His people.
I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:
Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this [Deut. 32:26–27].
God says He would scatter Israel into corners, were it not that He feared for them the wrath of the enemy. He says, “I don’t want them to hurt My people or destroy them, ‘Lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this.’”
For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?
For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges [Deut. 32:28–31].
What a picture we have here! God has a longing for His people. He wants to redeem them. He wants to save them.
Now we come to the final stanza of the song: the nations of the world will be blessed with Israel.
Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people [Deut. 32:43].
This concludes this magnificent Song of Moses.
And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun [Deut. 32:44].
“Hoshea” is Joshua, by the way.
And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel [Deut. 32:45].
THE FINAL EXHORTATION
And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it [Deut. 32:46–47].
Again, their tenure in the land would depend on their obedience.
And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,
Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:
And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:
Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel [Deut. 32:48–52].
Moses, the representative of the Law, the lawgiver, cannot enter into the land. Legalism is actually a hindrance. The Law is a revealer, not a remover of sin. The Law cannot save. The Law could not bring Moses into the land. Neither can the Law bring us into the place of blessing.
CHAPTER 33
Theme: Moses’ final blessing of the tribes
The last public act of Moses before his death is to gather his people about him by tribes and give a blessing to each one.
And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death [Deut. 33:1].
He begins with Reuben.
Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few [Deut. 33:6].
Moses prays that Reuben will never become extinct as a tribe in Israel.
And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies [Deut. 33:7].
Judah is the royal tribe from which the Messiah is to come.
And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again [Deut. 33:10–11].
This tribe was honored by the priesthood in the family of Aaron. They had the privilege of teaching the Law. The nation will be blessed through Levi.
Blessing is to come to Israel through the tribes of Joseph which are Ephraim and Manasseh.
An interesting blessing is in verse 24.
And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil [Deut. 33:24].
It is interesting that years ago a pipeline of oil came into the northern part of the kingdom through the land of Asher. It may be that that pipeline will be opened.
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places [Deut. 33:26–29].
Oh, if only Israel had obeyed God!
CHAPTER 34
Theme: The death of Moses
The question arises whether Moses wrote of his own death. He could have. The Lord had told him he would die. I have had funeral services for individuals who wrote out the details of the entire service before they died. However, a great many believe that this is part of the Book of Joshua. This certainly may be, since originally there were not the book divisions that we have today. The Old Testament was written on scrolls with one book following another. Therefore, this may actually be the beginning of the Book of Joshua.
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,
And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day [Deut. 34:1–6].
Why was his sepulchre unknown? Because of the fact that Moses was to be raised from the dead and brought into the Promised Land. You will remember that when the Lord Jesus was transfigured on the mount, both Moses and Elijah appeared with Him and spoke about His approaching death. So, you see, Moses did get to the Promised Land eventually. The Law could not bring Moses into the land, but the Lord Jesus Christ brought him in.
And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended [Deut. 34:7–8].
By Nebo’s lonely mountain,
On this side Jordan’s wave,
In a vale in the land of Moab,
There lies a lonely grave.
And no man knows that sepulchre,
And no man saw it e’er,
For the angels of God upturned the sod,
And laid the dead man there.
—Cecil Frances Alexander “The Burial of Moses”
Again, why was his grave kept secret? Well, after all, Satan would not want Moses to appear on the Mount of Transfiguration. God took care of this performing the burial of Moses Himself.
Although to us it may seem like a lonely death, one translation has it, “He died by the kiss of God.” It is a lovely thought that God just kissed Moses and put him to sleep. What a picture we have here!
It is with a note of sadness that we close the Book of Deuteronomy, but we will be going with the children of Israel into the Land of Promise in the Book of Joshua.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Epp, Theodore H. Moses. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1975.
Gaebelein, Arno C. Annotated Bible. Vol. 1. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Grant, F. W. Numerical Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1891.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Jensen, Irving L. Numbers & Deuteronomy—Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1967.
Kelly, William. Lectures Introductory to the Pentateuch. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1870.
Mackintosh, C. H. (C.H.M.). Notes on the Pentateuch. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1880.
Meyer, F. B. Moses: The Servant of God. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Ridderbos, J. Deuteronomy. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
Schultz, Samuel J. Deuteronomy: The Gospel of Love. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971.
Schneider, Bernard N. Deuteronomy. Winona Lake, Indiana: Brethren Missionary Herald Co.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Through the Pentateuch Chapter by Chapter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1957.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. I. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
The Book of
Joshua
INTRODUCTION
In the Book of Genesis Israel was born. In the Book of Exodus Israel was chosen. In the Book of Numbers the nation was proven. In the Book of Leviticus it was brought nigh by the blood. In Deuteronomy it was instructed. Now in the Book of Joshua it faces conflict and conquest.
The Book of Joshua completes the redemption of Israel that was begun in Exodus. Exodus is the book of redemption out of Egypt; Joshua is the book of redemption into the Promised Land.
The key word in the Book of Joshua is possession. God had given the children of Israel their land in an unconditional covenant. To Abraham He had said, “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Gen. 17:8). However, Israel’s possession of the land was conditional. There was conflict and there was conquest. They had to fight battles and lay hold of their possessions. And, as Joshua reminded them in his final message before his death, their obedience to the Word of God would determine their continued possession of the land.
The Talmud says that Joshua wrote all but the concluding five verses, which were written by Phinehas. Joshua was the successor to Moses. He was a great general. Born a slave in Egypt, he was forty years old at the time of the Exodus out of Egypt. He was eighty years old when he received his commission as Moses’ successor and one hundred ten years old at his death. Joshua had already gained prominence during the wilderness wanderings. When they were attacked by the army of Amalek, it was Joshua who organized the men into an army that fought off Amalek. Joshua served as a minister or servant to Moses. References to him in that connection reveal his loyalty to Moses and his devotion to God. At Kadesh-Barnea he was one of the twelve men who went to spy out the land of Canaan. He is one of the two spies that returned with a favorable report in full confidence that God would give them the land.
Joshua’s name means “Jehovah saves.” The same word in the New Testament is Jesus. Joshua was a man of courage, dependence upon God, faith, leadership, enthusiasm, and fidelity. He is a type of Christ in his name and in his work. As another has said, “Joshua shows that a man of average ability may become a leader in the church. Joshua received his call not in flaming letters written across the sky, but from an older man who knew God and knew Joshua, and saw that he was fitted by God to be a leader.”
The Book of Joshua has a very practical application to the believer today. The Promised Land cannot be a type of heaven since heaven is not a place of conflict and conquest. Heaven is received as a gift of the grace of God. Rather, the Promised Land represents the place to which believers are brought right here in this world today. The Book of Joshua corresponds to the Epistle to the Ephesians in the New Testament where we see that the believer is blessed with all spiritual blessings. The practical possession and experience of them depends upon conflict and conquest. These are never attained through the energy of the flesh, but through the power of the Holy Spirit in the yielded life of the believer. The Book of Joshua is the pattern, and it illustrates the method by which the believer can possess what God has given to him.
OUTLINE
I. Land Entered, Chapters 1–12
A. Commission and Command of Joshua, Chapter 1
B. Contact of Spies with Rahab, Chapter 2
C. Crossing the Jordan River, Chapter 3
D. Construction of Two Memorials, Chapter 4
E. Conditioned for Conquest, Chapter 5
F. Center of Land Attacked, Chapters 6–8
1. Conquest of Jericho, Chapter 6
2. Conquest of Ai, Chapters 7–8
G. Campaign in the South, Chapters 9–10
1. Compact with the Gibeonites, Chapter 9
2. Conquest of Five Kings of Amorites, Chapter 10 (Miracle of sun)
H. Campaign in the North, Chapter 11 (Conclusion of Joshua’s leadership in war)
I. Conquered Kings Listed, Chapter 12
II. Land Divided, Chapters 13–22
A. Command of Joshua Is Terminated; Confirmation of Land to the Two and One-half Tribes, Chapter 13
B. Caleb Given Hebron, Chapter 14
C. Consignment of Land to the Tribes of Israel, Chapters 15–19
D. Cities of Refuge, Chapter 20
E. Cities for Levites, Chapter 21
F. Command to the Two and One-half Tribes to Return Home; Construction of Altar to “See To,” Chapter 22
III. Last Message of Joshua, Chapters 23–24
A. Call to Leaders of Israel for Courage and Certainty, Chapter 23
B. Call to All Tribes of Israel for Consecration and Consideration of Covenant with God; Death of Joshua, Chapter 24
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Commission and command of Joshua
In the first twelve chapters of Joshua the Promised Land is entered. Then in chapters 13–21 we see the land divided. The book concludes with the final message of Joshua to his people.
The great theme of Joshua is possession. In this first chapter we will see what is meant by that.
The chapter opens with the Lord personally giving Joshua his commission and his command.
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying [Josh. 1:1].
The first word of this verse, Now, should be translated “And,” which connects it with the final chapter of Deuteronomy. And is a connective. The minute a speaker says and, he has to keep talking because and connects something that has gone before with something that is coming. This supports the theory that Deuteronomy 34 was written by Joshua.
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel [Josh. 1:2].
“Moses my servant is dead.” As we have Seen, Moses was not essential to lead the children of Israel into the land. In fact, he could not bring them into the Land of Promise. Moses represented the Law and the Law cannot save us. The Law is a revealer and not a redeemer. It shows us that we are sinners. The Law was never a savior. Moses could not lead Israel into the land because of his failure. The problem was not with the Law but with Moses just as the problem is with us. The Law reveals that we have fallen short of the glory of God. “Moses my servant is dead.” Only Jesus our Savior, our Joshua, can lead us into the place of blessing He has for us.
This verse tells us that the land was given to Israel. Israel’s ownership was unconditional. God promised it to Abraham and his offspring. God reaffirmed His promise again and again in the Book of Genesis. In the Book of Deuteronomy God made the Palestinian covenant with Israel which gave them the land as an everlasting possession.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses [Josh. 1:3].
God has given them the land. The land is theirs, but their enjoyment of it depends upon their taking possession of it. That part of the land upon which they walked would belong to them. Comparatively speaking, we have been told in Ephesians 1:3 that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. Unfortunately, very few Christians lay hold of the spiritual blessings that belong to them.
Years ago a certain Englishman moved to the United States. Soon after he arrived he dropped out of sight. One day his uncle in England died and left him about a five-million dollar estate. Scotland Yard went about trying to locate the man whose last address had been in Chicago. They searched for him but never found him. Later I heard that he was found one morning frozen to death in an entryway of a cheap hotel. He could not afford twenty-five cents for a room although he was heir to five million dollars! He did not claim what was his. He did not lay hold of what belonged to him.
Although God gave Israel the Promised Land, they never possessed all of it. As a matter of fact, Israel got very little of the land. Many Christians today are like Israel in that they are blessed with all spiritual blessings and yet they die like bums in a doorway without claiming those blessings as their own. What a tragedy that is. The Book of Joshua is going to tell us how to lay hold of our possessions. Because there will be conflict, we are told in Ephesians 6 to put on the whole armor of God. We have a spiritual enemy fighting against us. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). Ours is a spiritual enemy.
We will have to wear the whole armor of God. The victory has to be won. However, you and I don’t get the victory; the Lord Jesus Christ gets the victory. We will get what Israel got—deliverance and possessions. Every victory Israel gained was given by God. If you and I ever win a victory, He will win it for us. We will, by faith, enter into these wonderful possessions.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast [Josh. 1:4].
God gave Israel 300,000 square miles of land and the most they ever claimed was 30,000 square miles. They did not do very well, did they? They took possession of about one-tenth of what God had given them. That is about the same amount of spiritual possessions claimed by believers today.
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee [Josh. 1:5].
Joshua, average man that he was, needed to be encouraged. God encouraged him here in a most wonderful way. God says, “I won’t desert you. Just as I was with Moses, I’ll be with you.”
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest [Josh. 1:6–7].
Twice God says to him, “Be strong and of a good courage.” He is encouraging him.
Now notice something that is all important:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success [Josh. 1:8].
There were no written Scriptures before Moses, and God communicated to Moses by speaking with him face to face. But Moses had faithfully recorded all that God had given to him so that the first five books of the Bible were available to Joshua and the people of Israel. In it God had given them all they needed to know to enter the land. They were not to depart from it. They were to meditate on it and observe to do it.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest [Josh. 1:9].
Joshua is to take the Word of God in one hand and a sword in the other. He is to move out by faith. God encourages him again to be strong and courageous.
Friends, like Joshua, we as believers need to be strong and courageous. We need to possess our spiritual possessions by faith. Remember we are in enemy territory.
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying [Josh. 1:10].
Joshua took charge, and he didn’t do it by presumption but in confidence. He did it because God told him to do it.
God had told Moses He would be with him. When Moses returned to Egypt, after spending years in Midian, he was fearful, but God said, “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say” (Exod. 4:12). This is God’s method. When God called Jeremiah in a dark and difficult day, He said, “And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee” (Jer. 1:19). We need the kind of conviction and courage spoken about in Hebrews 13:6, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” When David first said these words, which were quoted in Hebrews from Psalm 118:6, he turned his mind and heart away from that which was seen to that which was unseen. It means that he became occupied with the living and true God. He recognized the spiritual bond that was between him and the Lord. His soul was “bound up in a bundle of life with God.” He could say, “The Lord is my helper.” David knew that the Lord could deliver him.
Joshua believed God. God had encouraged him and told him to step out. The Word of God was to be his authority. It was not to depart out of his mouth. He was to meditate on it. He was to do what was written in the Word. That is the formula of faith.
Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it [Josh. 1:11].
Israel’s ownership of the land is unconditional, but Israel’s possession of it is conditional. Israel had to take the land. The key word of the Book of Joshua is not victory—it is God who gets the victory. The key word is possession. Israel was to possess the land.
A little later on, when Israel got into the land, the manna ceased and they ate the old corn of the land. That would be corn they captured from the enemy, old corn, because they hadn’t had a chance to grow it. As you recall, they had to gather manna every day. Manna would not keep. If it was kept for more than one day, it became unfit to eat. The children of Israel had to gather manna every morning. That is why we are told in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time job. You do not go to the gas station once and tell the attendant to fill up your tank and then seal the tank because you will never need more gas. That would be presumption. In fact, it would be foolish and stupid. There are many Christians, however, who think that they can have one experience and that is it. My friend, if you are going to walk with Him and live for Him, you will need a daily filling of the Holy Spirit of God. In fact, since you fill up the physical man three times a day, it would not be a bad idea to fill up the spiritual man three times a day. We all need a constant filling of the Holy Spirit, a looking to Him, and a resting upon Him.
And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying [Josh. 1:12].
These two and one-half tribes did not cross over the river to settle there, and we find their defection very early. Moses was still alive when they came to the east bank of the Jordan, and you will find that they made a request recorded in Numbers 32:1–5: “Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest … saying … Wherefore, … if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.” This was the specific request of two and one-half tribes. They were asking for land on the wrong side of the Jordan River.
Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;
Until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising [Josh. 1:13–15].
Joshua is reminding them that Moses had given them permission to live on the east side of Jordan on the condition that their army would help the other tribes possess their land on the west of the river. This they agree to do.
And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage [Josh. 1:16–18].
Perhaps you are asking the question, Well, what is wrong with dwelling on the east side of the River Jordan? Is it so essential to cross over the river? Is not the east bank of the Jordan River part of the Promised Land? Such questions are pertinent and require that we look at the passage of Scripture in which lies the account of the crossing of the Jordan River, which we will do shortly.
Crossing the Jordan River was symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Under no condition, however, does it set forth our physical death. We often sing the old song, “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand.” To begin with, that is not a stormy stream; neither do you and I stand on the stormy banks. Christ alone was nailed to that cross and, hanging there, bore all the storms of the judgment of sin. When the storms of judgment fell on Him, they fell on us. The River Jordan speaks of sanctification, and the death of Christ was for our sanctification.
In the Book of Judges we find out that the two and one-half tribes made a big mistake staying on the wrong side of Jordan. Also, when Christ crossed the Sea of Galilee and came to the country of the Gadarenes, He found the Jews in the pig business. They started off wrong on the wrong side of the Jordan River.
Many Christians are in the pig business today and are frustrated. They ought to enter into the rest He has provided in His death and resurrection.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Contact of spies with Rahab
Here we are introduced to a woman, a very shady character. She was a prostitute, and her name is Rahab. The remarkable fact is that in the New Testament she is listed with those who are commonly called the heroes of faith. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:31). I do not like to think of Hebrews 11 as a record of heroes of faith because that puts the emphasis on humanity. I like to put the emphasis upon faith. The men and women recorded there illustrate what faith did in all ages under all circumstances in their lives. For us it means that faith can do the same thing for us, seeing “we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1).
Another startling fact is that Rahab is in the genealogy of Christ! The New Testament opens with that genealogy, and you don’t read five verses of the New Testament until you come to this woman’s name. How did she get into the genealogy of Christ? She got there by faith.
As you can see, the chapter before us introduces a remarkable woman.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there [Josh. 2:1].
Notice that two spies are sent in. You may be thinking that this is another mistake. Earlier they had sent the spies to see if they could take the land. Now they are being sent, not to see if they can take the land, but to find the best way to enter the land. The purpose is entirely different, you see.
Rahab, a citizen of Jericho, opens her home to the spies.
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to-night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate [Josh. 2:2–7].
She told her king an outright lie to protect these men. And in doing so, she actually jeopardized her own life. Now why would she put her life on the line like this? She didn’t have to. She is in a business, by the way, where anything goes. Why did she lie to her own people and protect the enemy?
Before we see the answer to that question, let me raise another question. Is it possible to condone Rahab’s action? Scripture is very clear on the fact that we, as children of God, are to obey authority and those that have the rule over us. Rahab certainly did not do that. I do not think we could call her a child of God until sometime after this experience. That would be one explanation. However, there is another explanation that I consider meaningful to us today.
A believer should certainly obey the authorities and those who have rule over us. A Christian should be the most law-abiding citizen in the land. But when the laws of a state conflict with God’s revealed will, then the Christian has no choice but to obey the command of God. This was the experience of Peter and John when the authorities attempted to silence them in their witness for Christ, “… Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19–20). The believer is to obey the Word of God today rather than the word of man. That should be our attitude as children of God.
Now we will let Rahab answer our first question: why did she lie to protect the enemy?
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you [Josh. 2:8–9].
She gives an insight into the thinking of the Canaanites at that time. The word is out that a great company of people is coming into that land. They believe they are going to take the land. The population is stirred up, and they are afraid. This is the report that Rahab gives the spies. I guess she was in a position to get all the gossip, and she could see that all of her people were terrified because of Israel’s advance.
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed [Josh. 2:10].
Notice: “We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you.” How long ago was this? That happened forty years before they arrived at the Jordan River! During those forty years God had been giving the people of Canaan an opportunity to turn to Him. How do we know that? Because God had said to Abraham that his seed would be strangers in a foreign land for four hundred years; then in the fourth generation they would come again because “… the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Gen. 15:16). That was 420 years before this. In other words, God was going to give the people of Canaan 420 years to decide whether or not they would turn to Him.
The critic declares that the God of the Old Testament was a great big bully, that He was cruel and barbaric. When God gave the people of Canaan 420 years to repent, in my opinion, that is long enough. But God extended the time by forty more years and saw to it that they heard how He had revealed Himself by delivering His people from Egypt. God did not destroy a people that had not heard about Him. He gave them ample opportunity to turn to Him. My question, Mr. Critic, is—how much longer do you think God should have given them?
In the New Testament God has not changed. He has made it very clear that those who reject Jesus Christ are going to hell. Does it shock you to hear that in this very “civilized” society that discounts the existence of hell? When God’s judgment falls, I am sure there will be some soft-hearted and soft-headed folk on the sideline who will say, “He should have given them more time.” More time? My friend, over 1900 years have gone by. God is patient; He is slow to anger; He is merciful. How much longer do you want Him to give us? He has been giving the world ample opportunity to turn to Christ.
The harlot said, “We have heard.” And notice the reaction.
And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath [Josh. 2:11].
Not only did they hear this, but they knew it was true. Even so, they did not turn to God.
There are a great many people today who know as a historical fact that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again, but they are not saved. What saves you? It is trusting Him as your personal Savior. It is to have a personal relationship with Him.
Now that’s not all Rahab said.
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee [Josh. 2:12–14].
She not only believed, but she is acting on that belief. This is her reason for putting her life in jeopardy to protect enemy spies. She heard; she believed; then she acted upon her belief.
This is salvation, friend. When you hear the Gospel, the good news of what Christ has done for you, you must not only believe it as a historical fact, you must trust Christ yourself.
So this woman trusted the fact that God was going to give them that land. She turned to the living and true God. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:31).
The spies promise to spare all of her family that is with her in the house when Jericho is attacked.
Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee [Josh. 2:18].
And if the king of the city of Jericho had turned to God, he would have been saved. In fact, the whole city could have been spared if they had believed in God.
Now we will look at the final verses of this chapter, the report of the spies.
So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us [Josh. 2:23–24].
You see, the spies’ report is entirely different from the spies who went into the land forty years earlier. It is not a question now whether or not they will go into the land. They are going in. “All the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us” is the information they got from Rahab the harlot.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Crossing the Jordan River
Crossing the Jordan River into the land of Canaan was a major turning point as far as the faith of the Israelites was concerned. Almost forty years earlier the children of Israel had faced a similar crisis, but they had failed. To slip away into the wilderness of Sinai by crossing the Red Sea required some faith. However, to invade the land of Canaan by crossing the Jordan River took a great deal more faith because, having once crossed the river, there would be no possibility of escape. Once in the land, they would have to face the enemy with their armies, chariots, and walled cities. The entire nation took this step together in complete commitment to God.
And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore [Josh. 3:1–4].
God commanded Joshua and the children of Israel to cross over the Jordan River. When they went over the Jordan River, it was quite different from their crossing the Red Sea. When they crossed the Red Sea, Moses went down to the water and smote it with his rod. All that night the waters rolled back. But when they crossed the Jordan River, it was actually a greater miracle, for it was at flood stage and their crossing caused a holding back of the waters that were rushing to the Dead Sea.
Also something new has been added. The ark is to go down far ahead of the people, three thousand feet, which is almost a mile; and it is to be carried by priests who are to come to the edge of the Jordan River and stand there.
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) [Josh. 3:15].
When the priests came to the edge of the Jordan River, the flow of water was restrained as if a dam had been put over it. The waters that were this side of it passed on down, and before long there was a dry passage. This is one of the greatest miracles recorded in Scripture.
This was the spring of the year. That land had two rainy seasons: in the fall and in the spring. The spring rains were most abundant. The Jordan was at flood stage. It is entirely possible that the people on the west side of Jordan felt that they had several days, or maybe several weeks, before the Israelites could get across the river. They probably felt that there was no immediate danger. Some of them, however, may have had a lurking fear, knowing that forty years earlier these people had crossed the Red Sea.
That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan [Josh. 3:16–17].
Note that the priests moved to the center of the Jordan River and stood there holding the ark until all of the children of Israel had passed over. The Israelites crossed the river at Jericho, but the waters were dammed up way back to the city of Adam. Now I have never been able to locate the city of Adam. What is the meaning of this city? Well, friend, it is the city we all came from in the sense that Adam is the father of the human family and by Adam came death. What was taking place at the Jordan River represented the death and resurrection of Christ and His work on the cross. It not only reached forward over 1,900 years to where you and I are, but it also reached back to Adam and the beginning of the human family. That is the picture we have here.
Now the ark is one of the finest types of the Lord Jesus Christ given in the Old Testament, although there are several that are conspicuous and outstanding. The ark had been in the very heart of Israel’s camp for forty years during the wilderness march. Every night when they came into camp, the entire twelve tribes of Israel camped about the ark. It was the very center. But now, for the first time, that which speaks of Christ goes ahead to the Jordan River and enters it first.
As has already been stated, Christ goes before us in death. Of course He goes with us in life—as we pass through this world, He is with us. But He went before us in death; and when our Lord entered death, He entered it for you and for me.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Construction of two memorials
Twelve men are appointed to take twelve stones out of the Jordan River, and twelve other stones are set up in the midst of the Jordan River as a memorial. The priests carrying the ark pass over the river, and the water of the river returns to its normal flow. God magnifies Joshua.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night [Josh. 4:1–3].
This is something that they did. And here is what happened.
And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there [Josh. 4:8].
The twelve stones taken out of Jordan and put on the west bank of the river were a reminder of God’s tremendous power on Israel’s behalf.
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day [Josh. 4:9].
That is, the stones were there when Joshua wrote this record.
Now this section has great spiritual significance for us today. In an attempt to get the full significance of this, I am quoting from Phillips’ book (which is not a translation, but is an interpretation), Romans 6:1–4: “Now what is our response to be? Shall we sin to our heart’s content and see how far we can exploit the grace of God? What a ghastly thought! We, who have died to sin—how could we live in sin a moment longer?” Now when did we die to sin? “Have you forgotten that all of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ were, by that very action, sharing in his death? We were dead and buried with him in baptism, so that just as he was raised from the dead by the splendid revelation of the Father’s power so we too might rise to life on a new plane altogether.” My friend, may I say to you that Christ went into death for you and me, and that is set before us here in the Book of Joshua. Twelve stones were put into the water of death. Those twelve stones were placed in Jordan to speak of the death of Christ. And the twelve stones taken out of Jordan and put on the west bank of the river represent the resurrection of Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ died over 1,900 years ago, and Paul makes it clear in the sixth chapter of Romans that we are identified with Him in His death. It is too bad that the word baptize was transliterated and not translated. It is a Greek word baptizo, and its primary meaning here has no connection with water. It speaks of identification. We are identified with Christ in His death; and when He died, my friend, He died for us. His death was our death. When He arose from the dead, then we arose from the dead. And we are joined today to a living Christ. It is only in the measure that we are joined to Him that you and I can enjoy all spiritual blessings. I trust that you realize that. We have become identified with Him!
Now, when the children of Israel crossed over the river, they became citizens of Palestine. They became forever identified with that land—so much so, that today, even at this hour, they speak of the Jew in Palestine. And when he is out of that land, he is spoken of as the “wandering Jew.” Let us tie this fact up with another great fact: When you, my friend, came to Christ and accepted Him as your Savior, His death became your death and His resurrection your resurrection. When you “wander” from this identity, even briefly, think of the tragic meaning.
Paul wrote a blessed truth to the Ephesians: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4–7). When He died, He died for your sin that you might have life; and when He came back from the dead, His life was then your life. Now you are joined to the living God. My friend, that is one of the great truths of the Word of God.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land [Josh. 4:19–22].
If we carry the spiritual lesson out in this passage, our conclusion can only be that we are to teach our children the Gospel. The business of parents is to give their children the Gospel. There is no privilege like that of a parent leading his child to a saving knowledge of Christ. My wife had the privilege of leading our daughter to the Lord. This is the responsibility of parents.
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever [Josh. 4:23–24].
What God did for the children of Israel He did for their benefit, your benefit, and mine. He did it that all the people of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is indeed mighty. This purpose was graphically fulfilled as soon as the Canaanites heard the news that the children of Israel had crossed over Jordan.
Some of the important things to remember in this chapter are that the ark goes before and divides the Jordan River—not the rod of Moses. The ark goes before, carried by priests. Christ goes before us through death but also goes with us through this life. Jordan is typical of Christ’s death, not ours.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Fear falls upon the Amorites; a new generation is circumcised; the divine visitor—captain of the host
In this chapter we learn that the rite of circumcision was performed; the manna ceased and they began to eat the old corn of the land; finally, Joshua was confronted by the unseen Captain of the “host of the Lord”—Joshua needed this vision at this time. These three things are important to see.
FEAR FALLS UPON THE AMORITES
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel [Josh. 5:1].
Because the Jordan River was at flood stage, the Amorites and Canaanites did not expect the Israelites to cross over. They expected them to cross over after the flood season was over. They probably thought they had quite a bit more time to prepare for battle, and it was a shock for them to discover that God had enabled Israel to cross Jordan.
A NEW GENERATION IS CIRCUMCISED
At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised [Josh. 5:2–5].
The new generation had neglected the rite of circumcision, which was the badge of the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant, you remember, gave Israel the land of Canaan. They had neglected to observe this rite during those years of wandering through the wilderness.
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day [Josh. 5:6–9].
Both in spirit and in reality the children of Israel had not kept the rite of circumcision, which was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant. The children of Israel had walked forty years in the wilderness until all of the men that had come out of Egypt, who were men of war, had died. The Lord had given them children, and they are the ones whom Joshua circumcised. At this time, God rolled away the reproach of Egypt. The “reproach of Egypt” means that during the latter years of the Egyptian bondage this rite had been neglected, and the neglect had continued during the wilderness wanderings. Therefore, the place where Joshua circumcised the children of Israel was called Gilgal, which means “a rolling.”
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho [Josh. 5:10].
It was in the spring of the year, at the time of the latter rains, that Israel performed the rite of circumcision and then celebrated the Passover. The reproach of Egypt was rolled away from Israel. God had promised to give the descendants of Abraham the land, and the promise was about to become a reality.
All of this has a spiritual message for us today. The old nature is no good. The old nature cannot inherit spiritual blessing. The old nature cannot even enjoy spiritual blessing. The old nature will not like Canaan, nor anything in the heavenlies. In Galatians 5:17 Paul says, “For the flesh lusteth [which is literally wars] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Paul found that there was no good in the old nature. He also discovered that there was no power in the new nature (see Rom. 7). The circumcision of the children of Israel recognized these facts.
And they did eat the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year [Josh. 5:11–12].
Manna was a picture of Christ we are told in the New Testament. Jesus said, “Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:49–51). Manna represents Christ in His death. He is the One who came down to this earth “to give his life a ransom for many.”
When Israel arrived in Canaan, the manna ceased, and they began to eat the old corn of the land.
THE DIVINE VISITOR—CAPTAIN OF THE HOST
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so [Josh. 5:13–15].
This is the call and commission of Joshua. It is the same as Moses’ call on the plain of Midian at the burning bush. Moses was told to remove his shoes, for the ground upon which he stood was holy (Exod. 3:5). The children of Israel had crossed the Jordan River and were camped on the other side. One morning Joshua probably got up and looked over the scene. It was an impressive sight. There were the camps of all twelve tribes of Israel around him. As he looked at it, I think he swelled with a little pride. He was the one in charge, and GHQ was in his tent now. Then he happened to look down at the edge of the camp, and he saw someone with a drawn sword. Joshua may have thought, There is someone down there who doesn’t seem to know that I am the general here. I’d better go down there and put that fellow in his place! So he walked down there and, according to our translation, said, “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” Now in good old Americana he said, “What’s the big idea? Who gave you an order to draw a sword?” Then that One, whom I believe was the pre-incarnate Christ, turned to him, and when He turned, He said, “Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come!” Notice the reaction of Joshua. He fell on his face before Him.
You see, Joshua learned that GHQ was not in his tent after all. It was at the throne of God. God was leading them. Actually, he was not captain of the hosts of the Lord; he was under Someone else. And he would be taking orders from Him. We shall be seeing this in the next chapter as he marches the army around the city of Jericho for seven straight days. If you had stopped Joshua on the sixth day and said, “Look, General Joshua, this is a silly thing to be doing,” he probably would have said, “That’s exactly what I think.” “Then why are you doing it? You are in command here.” Joshua would say, “You are wrong. I take my orders from Someone above me. I am only a buck private in the rear ranks. I am doing this because I have been commanded to do it.”
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Conquest of Jericho
Now that we have come to the actual conquest of the Promised Land, let’s look again at the events that led up to it.
The children of Israel have now crossed the Jordan River in a most remarkable manner, and they have entered the land. The Jordan is a quiet little stream in the summertime, but it is a rushing torrent during the rainy seasons. As you recall, the ark of the Lord, carried by the priests, went before them. The ark, of course, represents the presence of Christ. When the feet of the priests reached the Jordan, the waters rolled back; then they stood in the midst of the river, with the ark on their shoulders, while all the people passed over Jordan and the memorial stones were set up.
Now the people of Israel are camped on the west side of the bank of the Jordan River. What a glorious, wonderful anticipation awaits them! This is the land God had promised to give them, a land of milk and honey. It is the land they have been told to possess. Obviously, their hearts are thrilled with it. Surges of anticipation and joy go through them.
They have been conditioned for conquest by circumcision, which was the token of the covenant God made with Abraham. Part of that covenant was that they were to have that land. You recall that Joshua made sharp knives for the circumcision.
What application does this have to your life and mine? To me the sharp knives speak of the Word of God, which “… is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword …” (Heb. 4:12). It is able to divide. In our country today all the morality lines are rubbed out, but there is still black and white in the Word of God. We need to get back to Bible morality, because there is no blessing to this nation or any people until they come back to the Word of God.
Another conditioning for conquest had been the vision of the Captain of the hosts of the Lord. General Joshua is going to take orders from above.
Now the first step of conquest is Jericho, and we see that the tactic is to divide the land. By taking the cities of Jericho and Ai, the center of the land will be theirs; then they will move into the south. This method of dividing the land is a method that was followed, it seems, by great generals from that day to this. They divide the enemy, then take them piecemeal. It was used in the Civil War, in World War I, and in World War II. However, the method for taking Jericho would not be used again. Let’s look at it.
Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in [Josh. 6:1].
Jericho was prepared for the attack of the Israelites. They did not think the Israelites would arrive as quickly as they did, but they shut up the city and prepared for attack.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him [Josh. 6:2–5].
The day comes for the beginning of the campaign. Joshua follows the Lord’s instructions exactly.
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.
And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp [Josh. 6:8–11].
The city of Jericho is prepared. Undoubtedly there are soldiers on the wall and watchmen at the gate. The military brass and its staff are in the city getting reports from the wall. Finally the word comes, “Here comes the enemy.” Joshua and the army of Israel are marching toward the city. In front of the procession is the ark carried by the priests, and the priests carry horns. A watchman on the wall cries, “Here they come. Let’s get ready. They apparently are going to attack at the gate!” So the forces of Jericho gather at the gate. They are ready for battle if the gate is broken down.
Then a strange thing happens. The watchman calls down, “They’re not going to attack here. They made a turn and they are going to attack at another place!” So the army on the inside shifts, and I think they march around on the inside. They are informed by those on the wall, “They are here … they are here … they are here.” The Israelites go all the way around, and instead of attacking, they go back into camp! You can be sure of one thing: there is a huddle that night of the king and the military brass.
And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.
And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days [Josh. 6:12–14].
The next day the Israelites give a repeat performance. The watchman on the wall cries out, “Here they come again.” Then the Israelites march around the wall and go back to camp. Each day for six days they do the same thing. By the sixth day, the midnight oil had burned long and late in the Pentagon inside Jericho. The army on the outside was tired of marching around the wall. Maybe some of the children of Israel were saying, “What we are doing looks foolish!” If you had asked Joshua why he was doing this, he probably would have replied, “I take my orders from the Captain of the hosts of the Lord. This is what He has told me to do and I am doing it.”
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times [Josh. 6:15].
So on the seventh day the Israelites march around the wall again. The people of Jericho heave a sigh of relief when they get clear around. The army inside the wall has made its circuit, too, and is relieved that it is over for the day. Everyone sits down to rest—when all of a sudden the watchman says, “Wait a minute, they are going to march around again.” So the Israelites make the circuit again. They do it a third and a fourth time….
And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city [Josh. 6:16, 20].
The walls of Jericho fell down flat. I had the privilege of going to Jericho with a very special Arab guide who had worked with both John Garstang and Kathleen Kenyon; they had led archaeological expeditions in unearthing the ancient city of Jericho. Garstang and Kenyon disagreed as to the dates of the wall. But it had fallen down and was flat—that was obvious. Since this Arab guide had worked with both expeditions, I asked him what he thought as to the date of ancient Jericho. He went along with Garstang, and his reasoning was that when Garstang got there, he was probably not as scientific and didn’t do quite the job that Kenyon did. Because he disturbed everything, it would be impossible for anyone coming later to arrive at an accurate estimation. Well, I’ll let them argue that. All I’m interested in is that the Word of God says the walls fell down flat—and the evidence is there today. The faith of the believer does not rest upon the shovel of the archaeologist. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days” (Heb. 11:30).
Jericho represents the world to the believer. It is strong and formidable and foreboding—the conquest depends upon faith: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Hebrews 11 reveals how faith worked in all ages in the lives of God’s choicest servants as they met the world head-on and overcame by faith.
We hear the song, “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.” The question is—did he? No, he did not. He didn’t fight at all. He just marched around the city. Who did the fighting? God did that, friend, and I think any other explanation is ridiculous. Some say that an earthquake took place at that psychological moment when the priests blew the trumpets and all the people shouted, and the shock toppled the walls. Others say that the constant marching of the children of Israel around the wall loosened the wall and it fell down. Well, you can believe that if you want to. I like it the way it is told in the Word of God. God got the victory; Israel got the possession.
A great problem that many believers have today is that they are trying to “fit the battle of Jericho” and overcome the world. But you and I need to start taking orders from the Captain up yonder, the Captain of our salvation.
Now notice two more things briefly. The first is that Rahab was spared.
But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho [Josh. 6:22–23, 25].
True to their promise, they saved Rahab and all her family that was with her in the house.
Note also that Joshua pronounced a curse on anyone who would rebuild that city.
And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it [Josh. 6:26].
We will see when we study 1 Kings 16 that Jericho was rebuilt. And the curse came upon the man who rebuilt it and upon his son.
Before we leave this chapter, notice the explicit command of God, as relayed by Joshua, was that nothing was to be salvaged in the city but the silver, gold, vessels of bronze and iron, which were to be placed in the treasury of the Lord. No soldier was to take anything for himself.
And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it [Josh. 6:18].
We will see in the next chapter that somebody snitched at the battle of Jericho.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Defeat at Ai
The worst enemy that you have is yourself. He occupies the same skin that you occupy. He uses the same brain that you use in thinking his destructive thoughts. He uses the same hands that you use to perform his own deeds. This enemy can do you more harm than anyone else. He is the greatest handicap that you have in your daily Christian life.
There are two factors that make dealing with this enemy doubly difficult. In the first place, we are reluctant to recognize and identify him. We are loath to label him as an enemy. The fact of the matter is most of us rather like him. The second problem is that he is on the inside of us. If he would only come out and fight like a man, it would be different, but he will not. It is not because he is a coward, but because he can fight better from his position within.
Nations, cities, churches, and individuals have been destroyed by the enemy within. Russia fell to the Communists, not because of the German pressure on the outside, but because of this doctrine fomenting on the inside.
There comes out of ancient history an authentic narrative, long held in the category of mythology, that the city of Troy held off the Greeks for ten long, weary years. Finally the Greeks sailed away leaving a wooden horse. The Trojans took that wooden horse within their gates, and that was the undoing and destruction of Troy.
In a similar way churches are wrecked from within, not from forces without. The Lord Jesus Christ, in letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor, gave them certain warnings; yet not one of these churches received warning as to the enemy on the outside. He said: “… Thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam…. So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner” (Rev. 2:14–15 ASV). Also He warned: “But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev. 2:20 ASV). Christ said to these churches (in effect), “You have something within that is bringing about your own destruction.” Disloyalty and unfaithfulness in the church today is hurting God’s cause more than any enemy that is on the outside. The devil can only hurt our churches from the inside, not from the outside.
Also, my friend, an individual can be destroyed from the inside. Alexander the Great was probably the greatest military genius who has moved armies across the pages of history. There has been no one like him. Before the age of thirty-five he had conquered the world, but he died a drunkard. He had conquered the world, but he could not conquer Alexander the Great. There was an enemy within that destroyed him.
The only battle that the children of Israel lost in taking the Promised Land was a battle in which the defeat came, not from without, but from within. When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, not many enemies, but three conspicuous and outstanding ones stood in their way. They were Jericho, Ai, and the Gibeonites. These three enemies of Israel prevented Israel’s enjoyment and possession of the Promised Land. The land was there. God had told them that it was theirs. God had given them the title deed in His promise to Abraham. To Joshua He had said, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses” (Josh. 1:3 ASV). God was saying to them, “It is yours, go in, possess, and enjoy that which you take.”
What a lesson that is for us today. These people were given a land that was made up of three hundred thousand square miles, and even in their best days they only occupied thirty thousand square miles. Christians have been given all spiritual blessings. But how many of them, Christian, are you enjoying today? How many of them are really yours? You have the title to them, but have you claimed them and are you enjoying them as He intended? Think of the many Christians who are blessed with all spiritual blessings and yet are living as if they are spiritual paupers. God has made them available to us but, if we are to get them, there are battles to be fought and victories to be won. In fact, the Epistle to the Ephesians closes with the clanking of armor and the sound of battle, with the call to put on the whole armor of God.
In Joshua 7 and 8, defeat and victory at Ai represent the flesh in the believer. The sin of Achan was sin in the camp. Steps in sins of flesh are: I saw—physical; I coveted—mental; I took—volitional. There will be no deliverance until sin is dealt with in the life of a believer.
Now let us look at the text.
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel [Josh. 7:1].
This verse tells us that the children of Israel committed a trespass but it was one man, Achan, who committed the sin. The whole nation had to suffer because of what Achan did. This is interesting because many people stand on the outside and criticize the church. They talk about the failure of the church and its apostasy. I do some of this myself. But, my friend, talking about the church as a member is one thing, and standing on the outside doing nothing is quite another. If the church is failing and is in a state of apostasy (and it is), then you and I are implicated in it as members of the church. If one member suffers, then all members suffer. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26).
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few [Josh. 7:2–3].
Jericho represents the world; Ai represents the flesh. Some saints are marching around Jericho, blowing trumpets as they talk about being separated Christians. But they are as negative as anyone could be as they declare, “We don’t do this, and we don’t do that.” In fact, they do a spiritual strip-tease—they put off everything that seems to them to be worldly. They have overcome the world. But what about the flesh, friends? Some of the most dangerous people in the church are the super-duper saints who talk about having overcome the world, but they are defeated at Ai. Some of them have the meanest tongues imaginable. I was a pastor for forty years, and I could tell you story after story about the antics of the super-duper saints. The flesh has many people in tow. They think they are living the Christian life. In fact, they talk about living the victorious life, yet they do not even know what it is. The victorious life is His life. He is the One who gets the victory and not us.
The children of Israel were in the flush of victory. They had overcome Jericho. Although it was God’s victory, in a short time Israel thought of it as their victory. Joshua sent some of his men to look at Ai. After looking the city over carefully, they said, “Ai is nothing compared to Jericho.” When I was in that land, I looked at it through binoculars—we didn’t even go up to it. It is a little old place and doesn’t amount to much.
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water [Josh. 7:4–5].
Israel was defeated by the men of Ai. You and I are defeated by the flesh. We cannot use the same tactics to overcome the flesh as we use to overcome the world. The Israelites did not recognize their weakness. The apostle Paul recognized his weakness when he said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18). Have you found out, my Christian friend, that you have no strength or power within yourself? You cannot live the Christian life, and God never asks you to. God wants to live the Christian life through you. In Romans 7 Paul discovered that there was no good thing in his old nature. He also found out that there was no power in his new nature. The new nature wants to live for God but does not have the power to do it. In Romans 8 we are introduced to the Holy Spirit of God. It is only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit of God that we can live the Christian life.
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! [Josh. 7:6–7].
We have heard this song before. Joshua is singing the blues. He learned the lyrics in the wilderness with the children of Israel. Joshua did not sing this song in the wilderness, but he is singing now. He cannot understand why he lost the battle. So he tears his clothes and cries out:
O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? [Josh. 7:8–9].
Listen to what the Lord said. It is getting right down to the nitty-gritty.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? [Josh. 7:10].
He says to Joshua, “Get up off your face, and cut out all this whining in sackcloth and ashes.” There are Christians who spend their prayer time whining before the Lord. It won’t do any good, friend. We need to get at the root of the problem.
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff [Josh. 7:11].
Joshua did not know that Israel had sinned. He did not have the spiritual discernment that was in the early church. When Ananias and Sapphira lied about their property in Acts 5, the Holy Spirit brought it out immediately. The early church was sensitive to sin.
God told Joshua that sin was in the camp and he would have to deal with it.
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man [Josh. 7:14].
The tribe of Judah and the family of the Zarhites were found to be guilty.
And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken [Josh. 7:18].
Israel had to go through this long procedure in order to find the guilty party. It was difficult for them to distinguish evil in the camp. For us, also, it seems to be difficult to distinguish evil in the church. Church members seem to be the most blind to evil in their own communities. They can see evil in a night club downtown or in a liquor store or in some politician, but they cannot see sin in their family or church. How tragic that is.
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it [Josh. 7:19–21].
Notice the steps of Achan’s sin. He saw, he coveted, he took. These are the steps of the sin of the flesh. Gossip, criticism, envy, and jealousy are all sins of the flesh. They cause strife and trouble. For instance, criticism builds up your ego. It calls attention to yourself. It makes you look better than the person you are criticizing. The old sin of the flesh sees, covets, and then takes.
Now what does Achan do when he is confronted? He confesses. He lays it right out. For believers today, how are we going to overcome the flesh? We have to deal with sin in our lives.
You remember that the way we overcome the world is by faith. But that isn’t the way we overcome the flesh. We want to have fellowship with God; we want to be filled by the Holy Spirit that we might serve Him. Now how are we going to have fellowship with Him? How are we going to have power in our lives? John’s first epistle makes it clear the way we can’t do it: “… God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:5–6). If you say you are having fellowship with Him and are living in sin, you are not kidding anybody. You certainly are not having fellowship with Him, and you know it. Now suppose we say we have no sin. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). But what are we to do? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). You see, you cannot bring God down to your level. And friend, you cannot bring yourself up to God’s level. The thing to do is to keep the communication open between you and God. And the only way you can do it is by confessing your sin. John adds, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10). That is strong language, friend. God says if we say we have no sin we are lying. And I believe He is accurate. But what do we do about it? We are to confess our sins.
How are we to do that? True confession does not deal in generalities. Spell it out as Achan did: “I saw them; I coveted them; I took them.” Tell God everything that is in your heart—just open it up to Him. You might as well tell Him because He already knows all about it.
Mel Trotter told about a man on the board of his Pacific Garden Mission, a doctor, who, when he prayed would say, “Lord, if I have sinned, forgive my sins.” Mel Trotter got tired of listening to that. Finally he went to the doctor and said to him, “Listen, Doc, you say, ‘If I have sinned.’ Don’t you know whether or not you have sinned?” The doctor said, “Well, I guess I do.” “Don’t you know what your sin is?” “No,” the doctor said, “I don’t know what it is.” Mel Trotter said, “If you don’t know, then guess at it!” The next time the doctor prayed, Mel said, he guessed it the first time! It is amazing, friends, the way we beat around the bush even in our praying. Just go to God and tell Him exactly what your sin is. That is confession. There can be no joy in your life; there can be no power in your life; there can be no victory in your life until there is confession of sin.
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day [Josh. 7:25–26].
This is a serious situation, and it is emphasized for believers in the New Testament. “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13). There are many Christians who are not living. Dwight L. Moody put it in this quaint way, “People have just enough religion to make them miserable.” There are miserable saints because they do not deal with the sin in their lives. The apostle Paul said, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32). If we don’t judge ourselves, God has to step in and judge us, and His judgment is sometimes pretty serious. I can tell you from experience what the judgment of God is in my own life. And it will do no good to complain and whine like Joshua did. The thing to do is to go to God and get the miserable thing straightened out. When we confess our sin to Him and turn from it, then we experience the joy of the Lord.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Victory at Ai; Joshua reads the blessings and cursings
As we have seen in chapter 7, Israel suffered an ignoble defeat at the little city of Ai, and the reason for the defeat was sin in the camp. Now the sin has been dealt with, and God is prepared to give Israel the victory.
VICTORY AT AI
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land [Josh. 8:1].
Notice that God says to take all the men of war when they go against Ai. As we have said, Ai represents the flesh. The flesh is the greatest enemy you have, and you need all the resources you have to get the victory.
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it [Josh. 8:2].
You will recall that at the battle of Jericho they were not to take any of the prey or the spoil for themselves. But here God tells them to take what they want. Why the difference? Well, we now know that in Jericho social diseases were running rampant. Joshua didn’t know about disease germs, but God did.
Note that God tells Joshua to take Ai by ambush.
So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
(For they will come out after us, till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand [Josh. 8:7].
As we read on, we see that the strategy worked just as Joshua planned, and the city of Ai fell easily into the hands of Israel.
Because Ai represents the flesh, we learn from this episode great spiritual lessons. First of all there must be a recognition of the enemy and his potential. We must realize that the greatest enemy you and I have is ourselves. I hear folk saying, “The devil made me do it.” Well, he didn’t. It is that flesh of yours which is responsible.
Second, we must examine very carefully the reasons for our defeats. Primarily the reason for defeat is our dependence upon our own ability. You remember that the spies said to Joshua, “You will need only about two or three thousand men to overcome little Ai.” And we think the flesh will be easy to overcome. We depend on ourselves to do it. We will have to come to the same place to which Paul came when he cried, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24).
My friend, you and I cannot control the flesh. Only the Spirit of God can do that. The tragedy is that thousands are trying to control and eradicate it in their own strength. You might as well take a gallon of French perfume out to the barnyard, pour it on a pile of manure, and expect to make it into a sand pile in which your children might play. You cannot improve and control this thing we know as the flesh or the sin nature. God says you cannot. Only the Holy Spirit can control it.
Christ died not only that you might have salvation, but He died that this sin nature might be dealt with. “… God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3). This simply means that when Christ came to this earth, He not only died for your sins that you might have salvation, but He died to bring into judgment this old sin nature. Otherwise God could not touch us with a forty-foot pole, because we are evil. Christ died because I have a sin nature and you have a sin nature. The Holy Spirit could not touch us until Christ had paid that penalty. When the penalty was paid, and our sin nature was condemned, then the Holy Spirit could and did come into our lives and bring victory out of defeat. As Paul expressed it, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). The flesh, like Ai, will defeat us unless we are depending upon the power of the Holy Spirit to win the victory.
JOSHUA READS THE BLESSINGS AND CURSINGS
Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal,
As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings.
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel [Josh. 8:30–32].
We find that after the victory at Ai, Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal. Then the Israelites did what Moses had commanded, and Joshua read the blessings and cursings (see Deut. 11:26–32).
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them [Josh. 8:34–35].
Note that the entire Law of Moses was read. They did not read just a part of it; they read all of it. This was to be the law of the land, and it was time for Israel to be reminded of the conditions of God’s covenant with her.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Compact with the Gibeonites
As Joshua began the conquest of the Promised Land, he faced three formidable enemies: Jericho, Ai, and the Gibeonites. These three enemies of Joshua represent the enemies of the Christian today. Jericho represents the world; Ai represents the flesh; and the Gibeonites represent the devil.
You will recall that Joshua’s strategy was to first take Jericho, located right in the center of the land, then to take Ai which stood northeast of Jericho. To the south was an alliance of Gibeonites. Apparently they were next in the line of conquest. But the Gibeonites were clever, as we shall see.
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord [Josh. 9:1–2].
Undoubtedly these kings had planned to unite against the Israelites, but it seems that for some reason they failed to come together, and they did not succeed in stopping the invading army of Israel. This may explain the defection of the Gibeonites. Their thought was not to fight but to make a compact.
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt [Josh. 9:3–9].
The Gibeonites were very clever, and they were a bunch of liars. They pretended to be envoys from a far country when, in fact, they lived only a few miles from Jerusalem. They told Joshua that they really wanted to worship the living and true God. Then they called Joshua’s attention—if it hadn’t been noticed—to their old sacks and wineskins, their old shoes and threadbare clothing, and their moldy bread. It was all a hoax, but Joshua fell for it. God had ordered the Israelites to completely wipe out the people of the land and to make no treaties with them. Although it was Joshua’s intent to obey God, he was deceived into making peace with the Gibeonites and actually making a league with them. Notice that neither Joshua nor the men of Israel asked the mind of God before entering into this alliance.
As you recall, Jericho represents the world. How do you overcome the world? By faith. Ai represents the flesh. How do you overcome the flesh? Not by fighting it, but by recognizing your weakness, confessing to God, and letting the Spirit of God get the victory. Remember that it was God who said, “I’m going to give you Ai.”
Now we have the third enemy, the Gibeonites, who represent for us the devil. Since Ephesians in the New Testament corresponds to the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament, we find an important parallel here. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). As the men of Israel should have been beware of the wiles of the Gibeonites, so the believer today should watch for the wiles of the devil. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). Our real enemy today is not a flesh and blood enemy, but a spiritual enemy. He is Satan. Yet how many Christians even recognize him today? What does he do? He tries to trick you into following him. I am not sure that he is interested in making a drunkard or a drug addict out of you. I think he is ashamed of that crowd of his in the bars and in the sinful places of the world. He went to church last Sunday, and he will be there next Sunday. He wants to be religious, and he wants you to fall down and worship him. He is clever and many Christians are taken in by him. The devil can pull the wool over our eyes. In 2 Corinthians 2:11 Paul says, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Unfortunately, you and I are sometimes ignorant of his devices.
Now how do we overcome this enemy? James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” My friend, we need to submit ourselves to God—that’s the first thing. Oh, how we need to stay close to Him in this day in which we live! Satan is out to deceive us as believers. He works wilily. Frankly, I am amazed at the stupidity of the saints today. They are taken in by every ruse imaginable. Do you know why religious rackets are flourishing? It is because Christians are supporting them without doing any investigation. We need to resist the devil. We are to have nothing to do with that about which we are not well informed. There is danger of being linked up with him today, just as the men of Israel in their naiveté became linked up with the Gibeonites.
When Israel discovered that the Gibeonites were neighbors, and had tricked them, they still honored the treaty they had made with them.
But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them [Josh. 9:19–20].
The treaty was honored in that day, although made under these circumstances. Now you may think these folk back here in the Old Testament were uncivilized, but notice that a man’s word was very important. And that is the way God wants it today.
And the princes said unto them. Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose [Josh. 9:21, 27].
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Southern campaign: five kings conquered; the sun stood still
In this chapter Joshua conquers five kings of the Amorites, as he continues the campaign in the south. He completes the campaign in the south by the destruction of Makkedah, Lachish, Libnah, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir.
This chapter contains the account of the long day of Joshua. “Did Joshua make the sun stand still?” is a question which is asked by skeptic and saint alike. Following are some explanations of the long day of Joshua which have been proposed:
1. It is the practice of some to avoid giving any interpretation. They ignore it entirely as if it were not worthy of comment.
2. Some treat the language as poetic (v. 12). This is to adopt a non-literal interpretation which dismisses the miraculous from the incident entirely. Those who hold to this view generally refer to Judges 5:20, “… the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.” I refuse to dismiss this as poetic because we do not have enough information to state dogmatically that these are poetic statements and not matters of fact. It reminds us of the old bromide that poetic language is sometimes prosaic lying.
3. Some call this a miracle of refraction. The emphasis is placed on verse 13.
4. Some adopt the position that God stopped the entire solar system. They make Joshua’s day 23 hours and 20 minutes. The other 40 minutes is found in 2 Kings 20:8–11, where the sun went ten degrees backward for a sign to Hezekiah that his life would be extended.
5. Some adopt the position that God blacked out the sun rather than continued its shining. The Berkeley Version translates it, “O Sun, wait in Gibeon.” In the ASV the marginal reading is, “Sun, be silent.” Maunder in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia takes this position. Joshua had made a forced march all night (about forty miles), attacked the enemy from the rear—came suddenly upon them. It was July—about 105° or 120° in the shade, and there was no shade. Joshua did not want more sun—he wanted less sun.
6. The best explanation, it seems, is a combination of numbers 4 and 5. Joshua needed more light and less heat. God covered the sun with a storm of hailstones. God slowed down the earth (v. 12). “Upon Gibeon” indicates that the sun was directly over—bisecting Gibeon—and the moon was going down “in the valley of Ajalon.” Gibeon is latitude 31 degrees, 51 minutes north.
This is a miracle.
THE MIRACULOUS DEFENSE OF GIBEON
The background for all the action in this chapter is the treaty Joshua made with the Gibeonites. Of course, he should not have made this treaty, but since he did, he felt bound to it.
Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
Wherefore Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel [Josh. 10:1–4].
These kings hear of the treaty Gibeon made with Israel, and they come against these Hivites—for that is what these Gibeonites were—to destroy them.
Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it [Josh. 10:5]
So what do these Gibeonites do?
And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us [Josh. 10:6].
They send an SOS to Joshua—come help us quickly!
So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night [Josh. 10:7–9].
Joshua came to their rescue for, I think, two reasons. First, because of the treaty, he felt obligated. Second, after all he had been told to exterminate the enemy in that land. So his army took out after them. He used the tactic of surprise attack, and the Lord routed them before Israel.
Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel [Josh. 10:12–14].
We have already discussed the various interpretations of Joshua’s long day in the opening remarks of this chapter. According to Joshua 10:12, I believe God stopped the entire solar system to accomplish this miracle. The sun became silent. Joshua wanted more daylight in which to fight; so God stopped the solar system and cut down the heat of the sun by a hailstorm.
God caused the sun to stand still so that Joshua might be victorious in battle. A certain professor once said, “It is ridiculous that God would stop the entire universe for one man.” It may sound preposterous to some people, but God did it. He also sent His Son into the world to die for sinners, which was much more wonderful than stopping the sun. When God stopped the sun, He demonstrated His wisdom and power. When He sent His Son into the world to become a man and die on the cross, He displayed His love. If you were the only person that had ever been born, Christ would have died for you. The professor will say that is ridiculous also, and it is. But we have another word for it: grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
VICTORY AT MAKKEDAH
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand [Josh. 10:15–19].
Remember that these kings and their people were given 420 years to make up their minds as to whether or not they would turn to God. Also God had made it known that He was giving the land to Israel and that He would save anyone who would turn to Him. Israel had to stay out of the land 420 years until the iniquity of the Amorites was full. That time had now come. God brought the children of Israel across the Red Sea not only for their sake, but also to demonstrate His redemption through power, as He had by blood that last night in Egypt when the angel of death passed over the homes on which the blood was on the doorposts. This was not only to convince the Egyptians that there was the living and true God amidst all the idols of Egypt, but also to convince these people in the land. Remember that the harlot Rahab had said, “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you” (Josh. 2:10). She believed. Now if that woman believed, anybody could have believed God. However, these folk who are losing their lives did not believe. They had rejected God’s mercy, and judgment is coming upon them. Friend, the message has never changed. God loves the world. God loves you and gave His Son. If you will believe on Him, you will not perish. Will you perish if you don’t believe? Yes. That is what is happening to these folk. They just don’t believe God. Now that may not sound nice to you, and you’d like to have it otherwise, but this is the way it is written in the Word of God.
And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight [Josh. 10:24–25].
This is an impressive array of kings. Forty years prior to this time they caused Israelite spies to say, “We cannot enter the land. We will never be able to take it.” Joshua had the captains of his army put their feet upon the necks of these kings to strengthen the heart of these people. They were frightened folk.
There was a whimsical story that came out of World War I when a certain hero, who had captured more German prisoners than any other, was being feted by some society folk in Nashville, Tennessee. One dear talkative dowager asked the hero, “How did you feel when you brought all of those soldiers in?” He replied, “I was scared to death!” This is how the Israelites felt. God wants to encourage them. Then Joshua slew the kings and hanged them on five trees.
And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day [Josh. 10:27].
The Israelites could have left the kings in the cave and starved them to death. It was more humane to slay them, and they did. They could not turn them loose, and they had no prison in which to put them. Do you think we live in a more civilized day? What do you think about the lawlessness on every hand in our country? We are not in a position to criticize what the Israelites did. They did not have lawlessness, and they settled their problem in the only way they could with a sinful, wicked race. If these kings had been turned loose, they would have led a rebellion against Joshua that would have caused literally thousands of people to die.
After the kings were hanged, they were taken down from the trees. They were not left hanging overnight. Why? Because we are told, “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (Deut. 21:23). In the New Testament Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Christ was crucified, but they took Him down from the cross because it is written that cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree. He bore the curse of sin for you and me.
And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal [Josh. 10:41–43].
It is important to see that it is God who gave Israel victory and possession. Today our victory is in Christ. The victorious life is His life lived in us. Then we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, which are the possessions He has promised to us.
CHAPTERS 11–12
Theme: The northern campaign and the roster of conquered kings
Chapter 11 contains the campaign in the north and the conclusion of Joshua’s leadership in war.
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to-morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hock their horses, and burn their chariots with fire [Josh. 11:1–6].
Jabin of Hazor in the north seems to have been the organizer. He sends out word to all the folk in that area to come against Joshua, because it is obvious now that he has overcome in the south and he is going to move to the north. And if he moves to the north, he will invade their land—which, of course, is exactly what he did.
As we have seen, Joshua’s strategy was to split the land in two, then move into the south (which couldn’t get help, you see, from the north). Now the northern kings come together.
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them [Josh. 11:7].
Joshua’s strategy, after dividing the land in two, was to come upon the enemy suddenly. You will see that Alexander the Great and also Napoleon used these same tactics.
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle [Josh. 11:18–19].
It was a long and bitter campaign.
Now in chapter 12 we are given the names of the kings which Israel conquered. Frankly, a chapter like this is not very exciting to me. But the thing that impresses me is the detail that the God of this universe has given in items like this. We would think that He would constantly be dealing with great issues in grandiose terms, but God gets right down to the nitty-gritty where you and I live.
There is a lesson for us here. You and I sometimes hesitate to take to God in prayer the little details of our lives. We think, I ought not to talk to Him about things like that. Well, friend, talk to Him about those things. He wants to hear them.
A professor who was very liberal in his theology, said to me one time, “You take the Bible literally.” “Yes,” I said. “You certainly don’t believe that God has books up there that He is going to open and look at.” I think I shocked him when I said, “I sure do.” He keeps the record, friend. Here is a chapter about these kings. I know nothing about them, but God does. He has the record.
He has two books: the Book of Works and the Lamb’s Book of Life. Your name is written in one of them, my friend. It is written in the Book of Life when you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior. Your name will never be written there by your own effort. If your name is in this book, you have eternal life in Christ.
There is also a Book of Works. It records the details of everything you have ever done. It is going to be embarrassing for many people when they discover that all they did was give a cup of cold water that cost them nothing.
Recently a dear brother, a retired preacher with plenty of time on his hands, wrote me a twelve-page letter. I read it and much of the contents were meaningless to me. It mentioned places, people, and a church I knew nothing about. But God knows everything about that man and his life. He has it all written down. It is interesting to God. It adds real dimension to this life to realize that each little detail about His children is important to Him.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Confirmation of land to the two and one-half tribes
Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed [Josh. 13:1].
We have passed only the halfway point in this book and we find that Joshua is already an old man and stricken in years. He is not going to be able to lead the children of Israel much longer. He is the leader God used to take the land, but the wars are over. He was about eighty years old when God called him, and now he is over one hundred years old. He had led Israel for many years. Time seems to have passed more quickly since Israel is in the land. The wilderness journey, by comparison, seemed long and drawn out. Now that Israel is in the land of milk and honey, they are laying hold of their possessions, and time passes quickly.
Friend, time would not pass so slowly for some people if they were living a life for God. My, how fast the time goes when you are serving Him! When I began my last pastorate, I was still a young man, and the twenty-one years just slipped by. Suddenly I discovered I was an old man and ready to retire. The most thrilling part of my ministry, however, has taken place since I retired. In my radio and conference ministry I have seen more results than at any time in my ministry. I have seen more of the hand of God, and I have been more conscious of His leading than at any time of my life. I think Joshua felt the same way.
From all outward appearances Israel seemed to be doing very well. They went into the land and drove a wedge right into the center of it. They conquered the south and went on to conquer the north, but the Lord reminded Joshua that there remained much land to be possessed. After doing a tremendous job, my friend, that will be true of you and me. It has been true of every servant of God; he will never accomplish all that he wished. In Philippians 3:12 Paul says, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” God told Joshua that the land upon which the children of Israel walked would be theirs. They did not, however, walk on all of it. Neither will we ever be able to possess all of our spiritual possessions. I have met a few saints who think they have. They think there is nothing more for them to learn or do. They are satisfied with the life they are leading and have no desire to press on to “… the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).
The command of Joshua is terminated. He is no longer General Joshua. His next duty is to divide the land and especially to make sure that Moses’ promises to the two and one-half tribes are confirmed.
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them [Josh. 13:7–8].
Joshua’s commission (Josh. 1:6) not only included the subjugation of the land, but also the apportioning of it. He allocated not only those portions of Canaan that had already been conquered, but also those parts that were yet to be taken.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Caleb given Hebron
The nine tribes and the half tribe are to have their inheritance by lot. Caleb, by privilege, obtains Hebron. Caleb, who was born a slave, was a spy with Joshua and brought back a favorable report the first time Israel came to Kadesh-Barnea. According to Joshua 14:11 Caleb had found the fountain of youth. He had: (1) Faith to forget the past; (2) Faith to face facts; and (3) Faith to face the future.
And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.
By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe [Josh. 14:1–2].
As you will see by the map, all the way from Dan to Beersheba the land is divided into tribes. Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh are on the east bank of the Jordan River. Then starting in the south and going north we have the tribes of Simeon, Judah, Benjamin, Dan, Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali, Asher, and Dan.
As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea.
Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.
Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God [Josh. 14:5–8].
Caleb was a man who “wholly followed the Lord.” If you want a recipe for a long life and a good life, here it is.
And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in [Josh. 14:10–11].
Caleb is now eighty-five years old, and yet he can say that he is as strong as the day Moses sent him into Canaan as a spy! During the wilderness journey all of the first generation that came out of Egypt died except Caleb and Joshua. These men, along with ten other spies, brought back reports concerning the land of Canaan. The question was, “Could Israel conquer the land?” Joshua and Caleb were certain that with God’s help Israel would be victorious in taking the land. The other ten spies saw giants in the land and wanted to return to Egypt. They wanted to go back to slavery, brickyards, the lash of the taskmasters, chains, shackles, and groaning under burdens. The Lord Jesus said, “… No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). God had called Israel to go into the land of Canaan, and Caleb believed it could be done.
During those forty years I suppose that often someone would say to Caleb, “Oh, brother Caleb, isn’t it terrible out here in this wilderness! It is so hot—it’s 118° today!” Caleb would say, “I really hadn’t noticed. I guess it is pretty warm, but I was thinking about those grapes of Eschol that I saw. And I was thinking about the city of Hebron. Our father Abraham liked that place, and I like it. That’s where I am going.” Caleb, even in the wilderness, could think of the future. He had a great hope. It kept him young. Those forty years in the wilderness killed off the rest of the crowd, but they didn’t do a thing to him but make him healthy. They grew old, and he grew young. The giants in the Promised Land made the others tremble—they thought of themselves as grasshoppers. But Caleb thought of God. There was freedom from fear in the heart of this man. As John Knox said, “One with God is a majority.” God was bigger than the giants.
Caleb reminds me of Adoniram Judson, the missionary who spent twelve years in Burma without a convert. The board that sent him out didn’t sense the situation nor what a tremendous missionary they had in Judson; so they wrote him a very diplomatic letter, suggesting that he should come home. They asked him what the prospects in Burma were for the future. His reply was, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.” His confidence in God was the reason he could stay in the wilderness of Burma all those years. Although he suffered a great deal and it took a long time for revival to break out, it finally did. His time was well spent. Are you enjoying all the spiritual blessings that God has for you today? You say, “I have lots of trouble.” I know that Christians have many troubles in the course of their lives. My heart goes out to them. But I always think of the testimony of a Negro man who said his favorite Bible verse was, “It came to pass.” When puzzled people asked him what he meant by that, he replied, “When I get into trouble and problems pile up, I turn to my verse and know my troubles have not come to stay; they have come to pass.” There are a lot of things you can complain about, friend, and I do my share also, but what about your hope? What about the future? Caleb for forty years in that wilderness was enjoying all the spiritual blessings that were his.
Because Caleb believed God and was a man of faith, he said:
Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said [Josh. 14:12].
You will recall in Genesis that Abraham went to Hebron which means “communion.” It was a place of fellowship. Caleb had fellowship with God and now he wants to reside at Hebron.
And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel [Josh. 14:13–14].
Friend, someday we will be rewarded. We will not be rewarded according to the great amount of work done for God, nor according to our prominence and popularity. The important thing will be—did you wholly follow the Lord? Oh, that God’s people would learn today that the most important thing in this life is to wholly follow the Lord! Caleb, man of God that he was, took Hebron. There were giants there, but he said, “That’s the place I want. That’s the very best spot!” Oh, that you and I might press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
CHAPTERS 15–19
Theme: Consignment of land to the tribes of Israel
This section includes the apportionment of the Promised Land given to the tribes that settled on the west side of the Jordan River. Chapter 15 deals with Judah’s portion; chapter 16 with Ephraim’s portion; chapter 17 with Manasseh’s portion; and chapters 18 and 19 with the portions of Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan.
As important as this section was to the nation of Israel, it has no great significance to us. Therefore we shall lift out only the high points.
PORTION OF JUDAH
In chapter 14 we saw that Caleb was a member of the tribe of Judah and that God gave to him the city of Hebron. In chapter 15 we have more about this remarkable man. Also the boundaries of the entire tribe of Judah are given in this chapter.
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak [Josh. 15:13–14].
You see, the land old Caleb wanted was in giant country, and he was as ready to take on the giants now as when he was a young man.
And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.
And Caleb said, he that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her. What wouldest thou?
Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs [Josh. 15:15–19].
The total area of the tribe of Judah is marked out in the first of the chapter; then cities are mentioned. You’ll have difficulty finding most of them on your map because they are way down in Negev.
PORTION OF EPHRAIM
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were each counted as a tribe. Because the tribe of Levi was the priestly tribe and was given no land, the total number of tribes inheriting the land was still only twelve tribes, rather than thirteen.
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth-el,
And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance [Josh. 16:1–4].
PORTION OF MANASSEH
As you may recall, the tribe of Manasseh was divided. Half of the tribe settled on the east bank of the Jordan, but the other half crossed over and are now given their portion.
There is a remarkable instance in this chapter concerning the children of Joseph, and Ephraim in particular.
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto? [Josh. 17:14].
Ephraim was complaining because they had not been given a very large portion of land. In fact, Ephraim was given only about half of what Manasseh received. There were many people in the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua belonged to this tribe, and the Ephraimites probably felt that he would do something to help. Joshua, however, did nothing. The land they inherited was mountainous. The country is as rugged as any through which I have traveled. They were not satisfied.
And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee [Josh. 17:15].
If you travel to this area today, you will find that the hills are as bare as they are in Southern California. What happened to all of the trees? The enemies that have come into this country down through the centuries have completely denuded the hills. There is a great campaign in Israel right now to plant trees in that region. When I visited there, I planted five trees; one for myself, one for my wife, one for my daughter, one for the church in which I served, and one for a Jewish friend. Trees will grow here because the land was once covered with them.
By the way, in Christ’s day the Mount of Olives was also covered with trees. If there had been just a little clump of trees, as there is today, His enemies would not have had any trouble finding Christ and His followers in the garden. Judas was needed to lead them through the jungle of trees and point out exactly where our Lord was.
Joshua’s reply to his own tribe was noble.
And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong [Josh. 17:17–18].
Joshua says, “If you don’t like what you have, go up and possess the mountains. But remember there are giants in the land. You’ll have to work; you’ll have to fight. It’s going to cost you something.
It is time we stopped complaining and possessed more land.
A great preacher from New York City once took a vacation in northern New York state. He went to church on Sunday in a small country town, and to his surprise the young pastor was preaching almost verbatim one of his published sermons. When the young man came out of the pulpit, and was greeting people at the door, the visiting pastor shook hands with him and asked, “Young man, I enjoyed your sermon this morning. How long did it take you to prepare it?” “Oh, it took me only about three hours,” came his reply. “That is strange,” said the famous preacher, “It took me about eight hours to prepare it.”
It takes work to lay hold of spiritual possessions and blessings. Many years ago a student of mine entered the active ministry. He served in a church about three years and then came to see me. He was in distress because he said he was all preached out. I asked him how much time he spent studying and how long it took him to prepare a sermon. He told me that he did not spend much time studying and it took him about an hour to prepare a sermon. That was his problem. I spend anywhere from eight to twenty hours preparing a sermon. In order to lay hold of spiritual blessings, you are going to have to work hard. But remember that there is an enemy. There are giants in the land. Satan will trip you up if he can.
Another classmate of mine once complained to a professor about a book he was required to read. He claimed it was as dry as dust. “Well,” said the professor, “why don’t you dampen it with a little sweat from your brow?” This is a great argument for hard work. Joshua says to his tribe, “Don’t come to me and complain. There is plenty of land for you. Go and get it.”
THE TABERNACLE IS SET UP AT SHILOH
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them [Josh. 18:1].
The children of Israel pitched the tabernacle at Shiloh, a town in Ephraim. It was not, however to be the permanent place for the tabernacle because it was not the center of the land. God would choose a permanent site through David, which would one day be Jerusalem. But until the site changed, the children of Israel were to worship the Lord at Shiloh. The tabernacle remained in Shiloh during the whole period of the Judges.
DIVISION OF THE REMAINING LAND
Now Joshua gives a challenge.
And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you? [Josh. 18:2–3].
Seven of the tribes were standing around with their hands in their pockets. They said to Joshua, “What about this land? What are you going to give us?” Joshua told them, “You have been given a certain area. Go and possess your land. How long are you going to wait?”
This is also God’s challenge to us. He has made available to us all spiritual blessings, but we are slack when it comes to claiming them. God has been so good to us. Oh, how we can thank Him for His grace, His love, His goodness, and His mercy. How wonderful He is! Why don’t we move in and possess the land He has given to us?
After Joshua’s challenge, the tribes began to move out and possess the land which had been allotted to them.
PORTION FOR BENJAMIN
The tribe of Benjamin received its inheritance between the land of Judah and the tribes of Ephraim and Dan.
PORTION FOR SIMEON
Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them [Josh. 19:9].
As we saw in chapter 15, the tribe of Judah was given a special preference because it was the kingly tribe. It will be in that tribe that the capital of the nation, both religious and political, will be established. The capital city will become Jerusalem, and we will see that David is the one who made that choice.
Because the land allotted to Judah was more than it needed, the southern portion was given to Simeon.
PORTION FOR ZEBULUN, ISSACHAR, ASHER, NAPHTALI, DAN
The tribe of Zebulun received a portion of land that was landlocked in lower Galilee. The inheritance of Issachar went from Mount Tabor on the west to the southern part of the Sea of Galilee. It also included territory in the coastal region from north of Mount Carmel to the approximate area of Tyre and Sidon. The tribe of Naphtali settled in the area of eastern Upper and Lower Galilee. The territory of Dan was located between Benjamin and the Mediterranean Sea. Later some of the Danites migrated northward and settled near the northern part of Naphtali.
This section reveals how much detail God gave concerning Israel and the land. The land and the people go together. God not only gave them the land of Canaan, He also gave a particular area to a particular tribe. He gave each tribe a certain section of land. God was concerned about each individual and his possession.
In this God has a lesson for you and me today. It tells us that God is concerned about our personal lives. My friend, for Him your private life is not private—He knows you like a book. A rather godless neighbor said to me one day, “I want to go out into the desert where I can be by myself, and away from everybody.” Well, that is a normal desire. We all need to get away from people once in awhile. But I reminded him—and I don’t think he appreciated it—that he wouldn’t get away from God. I said, “You can’t run away from Him, brother. He will be right out there in the desert waiting for you.” It is wonderful, friend, to get away from people like that, if we are getting away for fellowship with the Lord.
JOSHUA RECEIVES A SPECIAL PORTION
When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:
According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.
These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country [Josh. 19:49–51].
You would think that because Joshua was a man of God, had successfully led the children of Israel against the Canaanites, and had been victorious, that the Israelites would tell him that he could pick out any spot he wanted in which to settle. But that is not what happened. The Israelites did not offer him the choice spots in which to settle. Joshua made his own choice. It was a place called Timnathserah. It was about eleven miles from Shiloh. It was a barren place, and one of the worst spots Joshua could have chosen. It reminds me of Abraham and Lot when they returned from the land of Egypt. Abraham said to Lot, “You pick any section you want and I will take what is left of this land.” Lot took the very best and left Abraham holding the bag. This incident shows the character of these men. Joshua chose land that was similar to the backside of the desert. This is certainly a revelation of his character. It also reveals something about the Israelites. They were perfectly willing to let this man of God have a small, barren place as his portion.
In my opinion it is equally as shameful to see a church or Christian organization that has been served by a faithful worker, let that worker grow old and retire without making any arrangement for a pension for him. Coldblooded business corporations take care of their employees when they retire, but God’s people often fail to do this.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Cities of refuge
The cities of refuge set before us a vivid scene which has a remarkable lesson for us. God gave to the children of Israel commandment regarding setting aside certain cities for refuge. It is interesting that many tribes and many primitive people have had this same thing. Evidently this is something that was passed on to all mankind. The cities of refuge were for the protection of one who had killed another accidentally.
In the Hawaiian Islands, on the Kona coast of the Big Island, there is a place known as the City of Refuge. It was in use back in the days before Christianity came to the Islands, when the tribes were slaying each other and even offering human sacrifices. It is there as a tourist attraction today.
God’s commandment for the establishment of cities of refuge was first given in Exodus 21:13: “And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.” Then explicit directions for the cities of refuge are given in Numbers 35—the entire chapter. “Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares” (Num. 35:11).
Now that the children of Israel are in the Promised Land and each tribe has been allotted its portion of land, the Lord speaks to Joshua about assigning certain cities to be cities of refuge.
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood [Josh. 20:2–3].
If one man killed another, it would be one of two things. It would either be manslaughter—that is, the killing of another accidentally, or it would be premeditated murder. In Israel a murderer would be stoned to death. If in our society we had capital punishment for murder, with no “ifs” and “ands” about it, and the man who was guilty was executed quickly, it would save countless lives. We wouldn’t be seeing our police officers shot down or storekeepers held up and murdered without mercy. My friend, God knows human nature. This was His law. However, if one killed another unintentionally, without premeditation, he is to be provided protection. There is an example given in Scripture of two men out in the woods, cutting down a tree. The axe head comes off the handle and strikes one of the men and kills him. Suppose the brother of the slain man says, “I know that man had it in for my brother. He did that purposely. I’m going to kill him!” That man wouldn’t have a chance unless there was a place of refuge. So the man who had been responsible for the death would be given the opportunity of running to one of the cities of refuge.
And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled [Josh. 20:4–6].
The city of refuge has a great spiritual lesson for you and me. The Lord Jesus Christ was slain. And the Scripture makes it clear that not only was the Lord Jesus Christ slain, but He is our city of refuge today. Speaking of Christ as our refuge, the writer of Hebrews says, “who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” The reference, of course, is to those who, though conscious of their own sinfulness, have availed themselves of the salvation that was secured for them by our Lord upon the cross. All who find a refuge in Him are saved forever from the judgment of a holy God.
Now who is guilty of slaying Christ? The whole world is guilty. Both Jew and Gentile stand guilty before God as having participated in that which brought about the death of His Son. But Christ came to give Himself a ransom for all. And His sacrifice on the cross has opened up, as it were, a city of refuge for all who put their trust in Him.
It is absolutely wrong to try to blame the Jew for the crucifixion of Christ. He was not crucified on a Jewish cross; He was crucified on a Roman cross. But it is useless to pin the blame on any one people. One racial group is as guilty as another. We all are in the same position. We are all guilty.
Peter, in his second sermon to his Jewish brethren, said, “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled” (Acts 3:17–18). Therefore Peter could say to them, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted.”
The apostle Paul makes it clear that the Gentiles are also guilty. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought…. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:6, 8).
According to these passages, God looks upon the whole world as guilty of the sin of manslaughter in connection with the death of Christ. To be specific, you are guilty. But you can point the finger right back at me and say, “You are guilty.” But, thank God, His death made a city of refuge, a place for you and me to come.
As the song writer, George Keith, put it,
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the
Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent
Word!
What more can He say than to you He
hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Have you fled to Jesus for refuge? There is protection there. What a wonderful chapter this is!
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Cities for Levites
The Levites were not given any land as were the other tribes. Instead they were given cities in the other tribes. They were scattered out so that they could minister to the people. Levi was the priestly tribe.
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle [Josh. 21:1–2].
Apparently they had a suburban problem in that day also. The Levites were to be given forty cities in which to dwell—all the way from Dan in the north to Beer-sheba in the south.
The division of the land is completed now.
And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand [Josh. 21:43–44].
The children of Israel now possessed the land of Canaan, but that was only a small segment of the land God had promised them. If they are to get any more land, they will have to go and possess it. The rule still stands that every place their feet stand upon will be theirs. That which the Israelites possess now, however, is free from the enemy and they can enter into rest.
The rest for us today is the rest of redemption. It is the rest that we desperately need. We live in an age of tension. There are many pressures, and if there is one thing that the average Christian needs, it is to enter into the rest God has provided.
As we shall see as we move into the Book of Judges, Israel failed to completely rid her possession of her enemies. Why? Because of her unbelief. Even Joshua could not give them the rest they needed since they failed to believe God and appropriate His power.
The writer to the Hebrews warns us about repeating Israel’s failure: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:9–11). How do you and I enter into that rest? By faith, that is the only way.
At the time of Christ, when Israel rejected Him as King and He rejected their cities, He gave a personal invitation which stands yet today) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). That rest is the rest of redemption.
Now here in Joshua 21 the people have entered into the rest—at least temporarily—which God had provided for them. My, how wonderful it must have been after the long, weary journey through the wilderness and the warfare to take their possessions, to settle down on their own parcel of ground. What a thrill it must have been to cultivate it and eat the fruits of it.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: The two and one-half tribes are sent home; they build the altar of witness
As you will recall, the two and one-half tribes did not take their inheritance in the land with the other tribes. They remained on the east side of the Jordan River. They could have the inheritance they wanted only if they sent their armies into the land to help conquer it. This is what they did and, when the battle was won, they were free to return home.
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
And said unto them. Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:
Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God [Josh. 22:1–3].
Just before the two and one-half tribes leave, Joshua calls them together and commends them for a job well done. He tells them that they have done a fine thing by helping their brethren. Then he gives them a warning.
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul [Josh. 22:5].
These tribes are warned that even though they have chosen to dwell on the wrong side of the Jordan, they are still to follow the Mosaic system. After Joshua warns them about their duty, he dismisses them with a blessing.
So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents [Josh. 22:6].
The two and one-half tribes returned home.
And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to [Josh. 22:10].
They apparently built this altar on the west side of the Jordan River. It was an altar “to see to.” That is a strange expression. Literally it means an altar “great to sight.” This means that it could be seen from a great distance. It was an imposing structure. Bible scholars searched for the ruins of this altar on the east side of Jordan. But finally an archaeologist discovered the ruins on the west side of Jordan, and they are there today, located in a prominent place, a great altar in appearance. They built this monument to remind them of something. When the rest of the children of Israel heard what they had done, they became upset and gathered at Shiloh.
And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them [Josh. 22:12].
The children of Israel believed the two and one-half tribes were building an altar upon which to offer sacrifices. They thought it was an attempt to divide the nation.
Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord?
Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord [Josh. 22:16–17].
The children of Israel accused the two and one-half tribes of building an altar to Baal. They remembered the time that Balaam had caused Israel to sin by seducing them to marry Moabite women and commit spiritual adultery. At that time God had judged them severely, and they were afraid it was going to happen again.
However, the two and one-half tribes give a good explanation for what they had done.
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,
The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save us not this day,)
That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it [Josh. 22:21–23].
They had not built an altar for the purpose of offering sacrifices. The altar was simply a reminder that they still belonged to the nation Israel. It may have been an enlarged model of the altar of burnt offering found in the tabernacle, but it was not intended for sacrifices.
And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel? [Josh. 22:24].
The two and one-half tribes were sincere in what they had done, and the nine and one-half tribes accepted their explanation.
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord [Josh. 22:31].
The children of Israel realized that they had been hasty in accusing the two and one-half tribes. They remind me of some of us who are sometimes a little hasty. We say and do things we should not say and do, and we are sincere in thinking we are defending the Word of God when in reality we are not. The children of Israel made a mistake in coming against their brethren with thoughts of war.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God [Josh. 22:34].
On the surface, the building of this altar sounds like a good idea, and many commentators have placed their seal of approval upon it. However, let’s take more than a cursory look at this altar called “Ed.” In the tabernacle was the brazen altar for sacrifices. There was to be no other. Deuteronomy 12:27 says, “And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the Lord thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the Lord thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.” Israel was told to destroy all other altars. “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves” (Exod. 34:13). There was to be but one exception, in Deuteronomy 27:4–8, where Israel is told to take twelve stones out of the Jordan River and put them up as a memorial. The two and one-half tribes never crossed over Jordan, and the river actually divided them from their brethren. This altar recognized that division. This altar was prima facie evidence that they were divided. It made way for the division later on. Right now Israel is divided east and west. It is nine and one-half tribes versus two and one-half tribes at this point, but later on it will be a north and south division with ten tribes in the north against two tribes in the south.
The brazen altar in the tabernacle, typifying the redemptive work of Christ, was a place of unity. And friend, I can meet with any man who will exalt Jesus Christ. In John 17:20–21 Jesus prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” There is an organic unity of those who are in Christ. The altar speaks of the death of Christ as a sacrifice.
As the two and one-half tribes built a bloodless altar which had divided Israel, today those who are liberal in their theology have divided the church. They have accused fundamentalists of being schismatic, but it is liberalism that has departed from the cross and the deity of Christ. They do not like an altar with blood. They have put up an “Ed,” if you please. They worship at an altar where no sacrifice is to be offered. They have a “bloodless” Christ. Like the two and one-half tribes, their conduct reveals that they have departed from the truth. Our Lord said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits …” (Matt. 7:16). Several hundred years later the Lord Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee and came to the country of the Gadarenes. The people living there were from the tribe of Gad, and they were still living on the wrong side of the Jordan River. Our Lord came upon a demon-possessed man dwelling in the tombs, and He cast the demons out of the man and gave them permission to enter a herd of pigs nearby. The Gadarenes were in the pig business! Can you imagine an Orthodox Jew in the pig business? They had failed to follow the commandments of God. They were on the wrong side of Jordan.
Liberalism has indeed divided the church. It has erected a beautiful altar, a “bloodless” Christ, one who never actually lived, one without deity, one without ability to save humanity.
My friend, have you crossed over Jordan? Have you entered into the rest of redemption which Christ offers?
CHAPTERS 23–24
Theme: The last message of Joshua
In chapter 23 Joshua calls the leaders of Israel to courage and certainty. Then in chapter 24 he calls to the tribes of Israel for consecration and consideration of the covenant of God. The chapter closes with the death of Joshua.
A deathbed message is becoming very familiar in the Word of God. You recall that Jacob called his twelve sons about him and gave prophecies concerning each of them. Then Moses called the twelve tribes—the sons are now tribes—to him and blessed them. Now Joshua, who has been their leader for forty years there in the Land of Promise, is giving them his final message before his death.
And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you [Josh. 23:1–3].
You will notice that Joshua calls the people about him and says, “I am now ready to retire; I am a senior citizen, and I have some final words for you. You have seen what God has done for you.”
Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
And the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised unto you.
Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left [Josh. 23:4–6].
Joshua is calling them to do what Moses had called them to do.
That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day [Josh. 23:7–8].
The grave danger of crossing the Jordan River, facing an enemy in a strange land, encountering the unknown on every hand, and meeting fear on every side, had kept Israel close to the Lord. Joshua recognized that now, since they had entered into rest and were enjoying prosperity and plenty, they would drift away from God. That is the story of human nature. It never changes.
At the time of this writing, I feel that the United States is facing a similar situation. After World War II, I was disturbed that God had judged Europe and even Russia and Korea. How these nations suffered, but we came through unscathed! While other nations went through a period of hardship, our nation entered an era of prosperity and affluence. I could not understand why God did not judge us. Then I realized that He was testing us with prosperity. The most dangerous period any people can go through is not the time of grave danger and suffering, but the time of peace and plenty.
This is the reason Joshua is giving Israel this charge. “God has done these wonderful things for you; now stay close to Him, and obey Him. If you do this, God will continue to bless you.” Then he warns them what will happen if they turn from their God.
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.
Else if ye do any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you [Josh. 23:11–13].
He warns that God’s judgment would be upon them.
Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the Lord your God promised you; so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.
When ye have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you [Josh. 23:15–6].
This is more of a prediction than a warning. As we well know, this prediction is now history.
In chapter 24 Joshua again gathers the people together, and they present themselves before the Lord. Joshua relays to them God’s review of their history and His gracious dealings with them.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods [Josh. 24:2].
This reveals something that we didn’t know before, although we suspected it. When God called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees, He called him out of a home of idolatry. Terah, his father, we are told here, served other gods.
This raises the question: Why did God choose Abraham and make a nation from him? Let’s consider the background. After the Tower of Babel, man totally departed from the Lord. No one served God—not even Terah the father of Abraham. When God confused the language, the people scattered in every direction, and they took with them a knowledge of the true and living God, which is the reason even pagan tribes today have a knowledge of the true God, although they do not worship Him. There was total apostasy after Babel.
Now what will God do that will be consistent with His person, His attributes, and His character? He could judge the human family and remove it from the earth. He could make the earth as bleak as the moon if He wanted to. But He didn’t. He will recover mankind. He will begin with one man. That man was Abraham, who must have had a desire in his heart to know the living and true God. When God called him, He told him to leave Ur and all his family. Now we know why. Terah was an idolater. God called him away from all that in order to deal with him and make of him a nation through which the Messiah would come into the world.
Now God formed the nation in the brickyards of Egypt. (And, friends, if God is going to make anything of you and me, He will take us through the fire to do it. He won’t use the molly-coddle of our contemporary churches, I can assure you!)
I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.
And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season [Josh. 24:5–7].
God continues to trace His care of them: delivering them from the Amorites who fought them and from Balaam who tried to curse them, bringing them across the Jordan and delivering them from the inhabitants of the land who fought against them.
And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat [Josh. 24:13].
Now the people of Israel are settled in the land. But, because they did not get rid of the civilization that was there, they are surrounded by idolatry. They are in real danger. Realizing this, Joshua calls them to a real dedication to God, a turning over of their lives completely to Him. Listen to him.
Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord [Josh. 24:14–15].
The more I know about Joshua, the better I like him. Through the years he has stood in the shadow of Moses so that we think he is a sort of miniature Moses. But Joshua is a man of great stature. God made no mistake in choosing this man. Although Joshua is an average man, this book reveals that an average man dedicated to God can be mightily used. He says to the nation, “Do you want to go back to the gods of your fathers, those pagan gods which they served? Or do you want to serve the gods of the Amorites? You can choose. But as for me and my house, we have made our choice; we are going to serve the Lord!” Friend, this was a tremendous challenge to all the tribes of Israel to consider their covenant with God.
Notice the response of the people.
And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;
For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed [Josh. 24:16–17].
You would think that because of the fantastic way God worked with Israel they would stay close to Him and serve Him. It is easy to point a finger back about 3,580 years ago and say what a sorry lot Israel was. What terrible failures they were. What about us today? How close are we staying to the living God?
If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good [Josh. 24:20].
God also has been so good to us that many people live in a lackadaisical manner without any regard as to the blessings He has showered upon them. Many people think they can do exactly as they please. It is true that He is a God of mercy, love, and comfort, but He is also a God of judgment.
And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord [Josh. 24:21].
These sound like good intentions on the part of Israel, don’t they?
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord [Josh. 24:25–26].
In other words, what Joshua wrote was put on the same scroll that contained the five books of Moses.
This brings us to the death of Joshua.
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash [Josh. 24:29–30].
Joshua was buried in that barren place he had chosen for his inheritance.
And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph [Josh. 24:31–32].
At the time of Joshua’s death he must have been held in high esteem because Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua. This was the effect of his godly influence.
Joseph was the father of Ephraim and Manasseh. When these two sons left Egypt, they brought their father’s bones with them and carried them for forty years in the wilderness. They had promised Joseph they would bury his bones in the Promised Land. Why? Because he was expecting to be raised from the dead in that land.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim [Josh. 24:33].
Aaron was the first priest to die; Eleazar was the second. The Book of Joshua is bound by death. It begins with the death of Moses and ends with the deaths of Joshua and Eleazar.
The thing that interests me in this verse, however, is the fact that they buried Eleazar in the hill that pertained to Phinehas, his son, which was given him in Mount Ephraim. The question is, “Where did Phinehas get this land?” The priests were given no land, and yet this man had acquired a nice little piece of real estate. Here is a beginning of departure from the living and true God, which will become obvious in the Book of Judges.
(For Bibliography to Joshua, see Bibliography at the end of Judges.)
The Book of
Judges
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Judges takes its title from the twelve men and one woman who served as judges during the period from Joshua’s death to the time of Samuel.
This book was written later during the period of the monarchy, judging by the phrase which occurs four times, “In those days there was no king in Israel.” It is possible that it was written by Samuel, but the actual writer is unknown.
All the judges were themselves limited in their capabilities. In fact, each one seemed to have some defect and handicap which was not a hindrance but became a positive asset under the sovereign direction of God. None of them were national leaders who appealed to the total nation as Moses and Joshua had done. The record is not continuous but rather a spotty account of a local judge in a limited section of the nation.
Backsliding and the amazing grace of God in recovering and restoring is the theme of Judges. The New Scofield Reference Bible gives the theme of the Book of Judges as “Defeat and Deliverance.” This is unusually appropriate. There is, however, another aspect which this book emphasizes: disappointment.
The children of Israel entered the Land of Promise with high hopes and exuberant expectation. You would expect these people—who were delivered out of Egypt, led through the wilderness for forty years, and brought into the land with such demonstration of God’s power and direction—to attain a high level of living and victory in the land, and in their lives. Such was not the case. They failed ignobly and suffered miserable defeat after defeat.
The Book of Judges is a philosophy of history. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).
1. Historically it records the history of the nation from the death of Joshua to Samuel, who was the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. It bridges the gap between Joshua and the rise of the monarchy. There was no leader to take Joshua’s place in the way he had taken Moses’ place. This was the trial period of the theocracy after they entered the land.
2. Morally it is the time of the deep declension of the people as they turned from God, the unseen Leader, and descended to the lowlevel of “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (compare Jud. 1:1 with 20:18). This should have been an era of glowing progress, but it was a dark day of repeated failure.
The “hoop” of Israel’s history begins with the nation serving God. Then they take certain steps downward. They did evil in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim (see Jud. 2:11). They forsook the Lord, and they served Baal and Ashtaroth. The anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Israel entered a time of servitude. Soon Israel cried out to God in their sad plight and distress. They turned to God and repented. God heard their prayers and raised up judges through whom they were delivered. Then again the nation served God.
Soon the same old story repeated itself. The children of Israel did evil, forsook God, followed their own pleasure, were sold into slavery, entered a period of servitude, cried out to God in their distress, turned to Him, judges were raised up, and Israel was delivered. The nation began serving God again, and they were once again at the top of the cycle. My friend, the hoop of history just turns over and over. You can follow that hoop right through the Bible, and it is still turning today. The old bromide “history repeats itself” is absolutely true.
The Book of Isaiah opens with God giving this philosophy of history. Isaiah outlines three steps that cause the downfall of nations: (1) spiritual apostasy; (2) moral awfulness; and (3) political anarchy, which is the final stage of any nation. These steps have destroyed nations down through history.
If you want to know just how up-to-date the Book of Judges is, listen to the words of the late General Douglas MacArthur: “In this day of gathering storms, as moral deterioration of political power spreads its growing infection, it is essential that every spiritual force be mobilized to defend and preserve the religious base upon which this nation is founded; for it has been that base which has been the motivating impulse to our moral and national growth. History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual reawakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster.”
OUTLINE
I. Introduction to Era of the Judges, Chapters 1–2
A. Condition of Nation after Death of Joshua (Revealed in Limited Victories of Tribes of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, Dan), Chapter 1
B. God Feeds into Computer of History Israel’s Cycle in Period of the Judges, Chapter 2
II. Era of Judges, Chapters 3–16
A. 1st Apostasy; Conquered by Mesopotamia; Delivered through Othniel, the Judge, 3:1–11
B. 2nd Apostasy; Conquered by Moabites and Philistines; Delivered through Ehud and Shamgar, the Judges, 3:12–31
C. 3rd Apostasy; Conquered by Jabin, King of Canaan, Delivered through Deborah and Barak, the Judges, 4:1–5:31
D. 4th Apostasy; Conquered by Midian; Delivered through Gideon, the Judge, 6:1–8:32
E. 5th Apostasy; Civil War; Delivered through Abimelech, Tola, Jair, the Judges, 8:33–10:5
F. 6th Apostasy; Conquered by Philistines and Ammonites; Delivered through Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, the Judges, 10:6–12:15
G. 7th Apostasy; Conquered by Philistines; Delivered Partially through Samson, the Judge, Chapters 13–16
III. Results of Era of Judges (Confusion), Chapters 17–21
A. Religous Apostasy (The Temple), Chapters 17–18
B. Moral Awfulness (The Home), Chapter 19
C. Political Anarchy (The State), Chapters 20–21
CHAPTERS 1–2
Theme: Introduction to the era of the judges
Mentioned are nine of the twelve tribes, in chapter 1, in their failure to win a total victory in driving out the enemy. The three tribes not mentioned are Reuben, Issachar, and Gad. It must be assumed that they likewise failed. Each tribe faced a particular enemy. At no time was the entire nation engaged in a warfare against any particular enemy. The weakness of the tribes is first revealed in verse 3 where Judah called upon Simeon for help in his local situation.
THE CONDITION OF ISRAEL AFTER THE DEATH OF JOSHUA
Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? [Jud. 1:1].
The weakness of the tribes is revealed from the word go. They asked the Lord what they should do and who would go for them against the Canaanites. The Canaanites were well entrenched in the land because the Israelites had failed to drive them out. They were a thorn in Israel’s side during the reigns of Saul and David.
And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand [Jud. 1:2].
The Canaanites, apparently, were the principal enemy.
And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him [Jud. 1:3].
At first this looks like a fine sign of cooperation between Judah and Simeon, and it was, but it was also a sign of weakness. The tribe of Judah had no business asking for help to drive the Canaanites out of their particular portion of land. With God’s help they should have been able to do it. As a result, the Canaanites were never completely driven out of the land.
And Judah went up; and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men [Jud. 1:4].
You would think that after this first step of victory the people in Judah would be confident that God would deliver their inheritance into their hands.
And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher [Jud. 1:9–11].
The town Debir was a center of culture for the Canaanite people. It is called the “town of books.” I guess the library was there.
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife [Jud. 1:12–13].
Israel first took the hill country and held it the longest. The foothills, lying between the hill country and the coast, were the scene of constant fighting between Israel and the Canaanites. When the children of Israel settled in the Promised Land, they were subject to the influence and temptations of the Canaanite religion. It was a degrading religion, and they soon lapsed into idolatry and apostasy.
Whoever took this city was promised a reward, and in this case it was Caleb’s daughter, Achsah. Grammatically, Othniel can be either Caleb’s nephew or younger brother, but his marriage to Achsah would also classify him as a son-in-law. He undoubtedly was chosen as a judge because of his relationship to Caleb. Nepotism was prevalent even in that day. If he had been the son-in-law of Joe Doakes, he probably would never have become a judge. Many men today occupy positions of prominence, not because of their ability, but because of a certain relationship or circumstance. Napoleon called himself a man of destiny. He became prominent because of the times in which he was born. If he had lived in our generation, probably he would have been unknown. So it was with Othniel.
Nine of the twelve tribes mentioned in this chapter are mentioned in connection with failure. We have looked at the tribes of Judah and Simeon, and now Benjamin and Manasseh are the next to be considered. Failure is something that persisted in each one of the tribes.
And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day [Jud. 1:21].
That is, at the time this record was written.
Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries [Jud. 1:27–30].
The report is failure for each of them.
Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:
But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them [Jud. 1:31–33].
And they chased Dan up into the hill country.
And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley [Jud. 1:34].
This is the Promised Land—God had given it to them! Yet not one tribe, apparently, was able to possess the land that God had given to it. How tragic!
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ARE REBUKED FOR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE
And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you [Jud. 2:1–3].
I believe that the “angel of the Lord” is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. God appeared in a form that could be perceived by the human senses. Although He had always met the need of His people, they had not obeyed His voice. This is the beginning of Israel’s “hoop of history.” They repeated the weary round of forsaking God, sinning, being reduced to servitude by the enemy, returning to God in repentance, being delivered by God-appointed judges, back to obedience to God.
GOD RAISES UP JUDGES
Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them [Jud. 2:16].
Each time the nation hit bottom, God raised up a judge to deliver them.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: First and second apostasy; God delivers Israel from servitude through her judges: Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar
The children of Israel intermarried with the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites among whom they lived. Israel did evil, forgot God, and served Baalim. God delivered them into slavery.
Othniel, the first judge, was raised up to deliver them. His only qualification seems to be that he was the nephew of Caleb and married his daughter.
Ehud, the second judge, was raised up to deliver Israel from the servitude of Eglon, king of Moab. His qualification was his being left-handed, which enabled him to gain the presence of the king without his concealed dagger being discovered.
Shamgar was the third judge, who was an expert with an ox goad. He used it as an instrument of war against the Philistines to deliver Israel.
All of the judges had some defect, some odd characteristic, or handicap which God used. The judges reveal that God can use any man who is willing to be used.
THE IDOLATRY OF ISRAEL BRINGS SERVITUDE
Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath [Jud. 3:1–3).
We find here that the Israelites had intermarried with the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. They married into all the tribes, even though God had strictly forbidden it.
The five lords of the Philistines and the other tribes mentioned in this passage were enemies of the Israelites. As we proceed through the Old Testament, these enemies will appear time and time again. They were indeed a thorn in the flesh of the nation Israel.
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves [Jud. 3:5–7].
Instead of driving the Canaanites from the land, Israel shared it with them. Instead of maintaining their own beliefs and worship of God, they intermarried with the Canaanites and adopted their religious beliefs. The children of Israel lapsed into a period of apostasy.
Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years [Jud. 3:8].
Israel’s idolatry resulted in chastisement. God sold them into slavery for eight years. They were oppressed to the point that they cried out to the Lord for help.
OTHNIEL, THE FIRST JUDGE
And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother [Jud. 3:9].
How gracious and compassionate the Lord is! When the children of Israel cried unto Him for deliverance, He raised up Othniel to be the first judge.
And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.
And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died [Jud. 3:10–11].
Othniel was the first and one of the better judges. There is no great criticism leveled against him. He saved his people from the oppression of Chushan-rishathaim. The only thing is that he was not capable in himself. He did not become leader of Israel because of his outstanding ability but because he was Caleb’s nephew and had married Caleb’s daughter. And yet God used him. It is amazing what kind of men God will use. Maybe that is the reason He can use you and me. This book should certainly encourage us, friend.
All of the judges were “little men.” There was not a big one in the lot. These men were used of God because they were—and I have to say it—odd characters. Their very oddness caused God to use them.
The biography of Othniel was that he was the son of Kenaz, who was Caleb’s brother. The Spirit of God came upon him, and he delivered the children of Israel from oppression. He died. In a very few verses we have the life and death of this man. He had a lot going for him, but there was no glamour or anything spectacular connected with his life. Most biographies are much like this.
I met a man on the streets of Los Angeles, California, years ago who had written several fine biographies of Christian leaders of the past. He was working on a book about a present-day Christian leader, and I asked him how the work was coming along. He told me that he was having difficulty keeping the front page from rubbing against the back page. Apart from the birth and death of the man, there was little to say about him. Engraved on the tombstone of a dentist were the words: “Dr. John Smith filling his last cavity.” That not only applies to dentists but to the rest of us as well.
Othniel was an ordinary man, but God came upon his simple life and made it something worthwhile. God can also touch our ordinary lives and make them worthwhile.
EHUD, THE SECOND JUDGE
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord [Jud 3:12].
Here goes the hoop rolling down through history again. The Israelites were serving God for awhile, then they turned their backs on Him and did evil in His sight.
Ehud was one of the judges God raised up to deliver Israel. He had very little ability. I cannot find that he did anything other than kill Eglon. He just happened to be left-handed, which gave him a marvelous opportunity to get rid of a man who was bringing all kinds of tragedy into the lives of the Israelites. Ehud was the instrument God used. His act of killing Eglon accomplished the purpose. God many times uses this method to cut out a cancer of sin in order to save the body of the people. Thousands of lives were saved because of what Ehud did.
Many people will say, “Well, our civilization would not permit something like this.” No one can say this honestly, however, because we dropped an atomic bomb which killed men, women, and children. War is a terrible thing.
The remarkable fact is that the only advantage Ehud had was that he was left-handed. Friend, we don’t have to have unusual ability to be used of God. Do you remember William Carey? He was a humble cobbler. Dwight L. Moody had little formal education. A friend gave me a cassette tape of Dwight L. Moody’s voice, taken from a record. I had never realized what a wonderful voice he had—I would not have associated such a voice with the pictures I have seen of him. Although he did not have much of an education, he certainly sounded as though he did. Also I am reminded of G. Campbell Morgan. When he preached his first sermon in a particular church, he was turned down by the pulpit committee. They told him they did not think he could ever become a preacher. I certainly would have hated to have been responsible for that judgment because Dr. Morgan became one of the truly great Bible expositors of his time. All three of these men—Carey, Moody, Morgan—unpromising though they seemed, were mightily used by God.
Also there have been many men, humble men, who have been used by God in other capacities. J. C. Penney was the son of a preacher. When his father died, his mother was left without support because the church in that day did not provide a pension for a pastor’s widow. He and his mother had to take in washing to exist. He resolved that some day he would make money to take care of his mother and also take care of poor preachers and their widows. Well, there is a place down in Florida named for Penney at which only retired preachers and their widows can live. God has used him in that way.
There is another man, a rancher, with whom I used to hunt down on the Brazos River. He told me that as a young fellow he had staked a claim way out in west Texas on land that was so bad nobody wanted it. The weather was so rough he had to move his family into town, and he would sleep at night on his saddle blanket with a slicker over him and a trench around him to let the water drain off. He said, “People think I was lucky to hit oil on that land, but I prayed that if God would enable me to keep it and make money, I’d use it for Him.” He did just that. He established a fund that has supported many a missionary in South America.
And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees [Jud. 3:13].
When the Israelites went against God’s will, He delivered them into servitude. Then what happened?
So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer. Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab [Jud. 3:14–15].
Here we go again. The hoop is rolling. Israel cried unto the Lord and He raised up a deliverer. Who was he? He was Ehud, the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. This is a good one for you, friends. The only thing that this man had going for him was that he was left-handed, a southpaw!
But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length, and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them [Jud. 3:16–23].
This is a brutal thing that took place. It certainly lacks the heroic or romantic. His name means “red hair” and he was left-handed. He made a dagger which had two edges and he hid it under his clothes on his right side. Now don’t miss that. He was left-handed and would have to reach over on his right side to pull out the dagger. In that day almost everybody was right-handed, and they were searched on the left side to see if they carried a weapon. The king’s Secret Service agents searched Ehud on the wrong side. He gained entrance by bringing a “present,” which was probably the tribute. Eglon was a big fat king. After Ehud had given him the present, he pretended he had a secret to tell him. The king sent everyone else out of the room, thinking he was going to hear a very secret message. Instead, a bloody thing was about to happen. At a convenient moment, Ehud took out the dagger and plunged it into the king. He stuck him like you would a pig. The dagger was covered by the king’s fat. Then Ehud locked the doors and left.
Ehud’s act was not a cowardly one. It took courage to do what he did.
When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth [Jud. 3:24–25].
The servants of Eglon, king of Moab, waited around outside of the king’s door. They saw that the parlor doors were locked and thought the king was asleep. They did not wish to disturb him. They kept thinking he would wake up. They waited so long they were very embarrassed. What happened? They finally opened the doors with a key and found Eglon dead.
And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath [Jud. 3:26].
All of the time the servants were waiting for their king to awaken, Ehud had an opportunity to escape. He left the land of Moab and went to another place, Seirath by name, where they could not find him.
And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years [Jud. 3:27–30].
SHAMGAR, THE THIRD JUDGE
As in the days of the judges, God still uses ordinary men who want to be used to accomplish His great purposes. God can use 1822 you if you want to be used, friends.
Now here is the third judge, Shamgar.
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel [Jud. 3:31].
In this case, it is not the man, it is the method that is remarkable. He used an ox goad, which is a very crude instrument. The Israelites just didn’t have iron weapons; so he used that which he had.
I hear people say today, “Oh, we must have the best and the latest methods.” It is fine to have good methods, but what about the message? It is wonderful to have airplanes that transport missionaries, but when the missionary gets to his field, is he giving out the Word of God? That’s what I want to know. Television is great, but notice how it is prostituted today. The important thing is not the method, but the message.
An ox goad can be dedicated to God if it is in the right hands. Remember that God used the rod of Moses. He used a stone from the slingshot of David. And all Dorcas had was a needle and thread. Also there was a boy who had only five loaves and a few fishes. All of these things were given to God. Whatever you have, friend, if you will put it in His hand, He will use it. Think of these three judges who are mentioned in this chapter. They are three little men—plus God.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Third apostasy; God delivers Israel from oppression through Deborah and Barak
DEBORAH AND BARAK
And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.
And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel [Jud. 4:1–3].
After the death of Ehud, Israel again turned to idolatry, and a new period of oppression began. The Lord sold Israel into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan. Sisera, captain of the host, had nine hundred chariots of iron. These chariots caused dread among the Israelites who had no such armaments. For twenty years Jabin oppressed Israel.
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment [Jud. 4:4–5].
Here we have a mother in Israel, Deborah, who is described as being both a prophetess and a judge. We are also told that she was the wife of Lapidoth, but I like to turn that around and say that Lapidoth was the husband of Deborah. She was quite a woman. She was raised up by God to judge Israel, and she called upon the general to get busy. He was not doing his job. He should go against the enemy that Israel might be delivered from slavery.
And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go [Jud. 4:6–8].
If there ever was a general who was a sissy, it was Barak. He should have been out in the thick of the battle, but here he is hiding behind a woman’s skirt. Barak will not go into battle unless Deborah goes along. If this prophetess went with him, he felt he would be successful in battle. No wonder God had to use a woman in that day!
And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh [Jud. 4:9].
Deborah promised to go with Barak but told him that a woman would be the heroine of the battle.
THE DEATH AND DEFEAT OF SISERA
Deborah was a forthright woman who, as we shall see, wanted deliverance for her people. Barak called together his army, and they got ready to go against the enemy. God gave them the victory.
But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left [Jud. 4:16].
They exterminated the army.
Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite [Jud. 4:17].
She was a Gentile.
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died [Jud. 4:18–21].
Since the rest of his army was destroyed, Sisera’s primary desire was to save his own life. Apparently the Canaanites had not bothered the Kenites, and Sisera believed he would be safe among these people. He went to the house of Heber, and his wife Jael offered the weary soldier hospitality. Her kindness led him to believe he could trust her. When he went to sleep, she took a tent pin and hammer and let him have it, friends. She got rid of him.This brought a great deliverance for Israel.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The song of Deborah and Barak
In the fourth chapter of Judges we saw the incident concerning Deborah. You will recall that they were dark days. In fact, it was dark all over the land. The incident concerning Deborah, Barak, and Jael took place in the northern part of Israel. God gave Israel a great deliverance. This song is one of praise to God and a rehearsal of the entire episode.
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel [Jud. 5:1–5].
Their song is very poetic, to be sure.
Deborah confesses that she is a mother in Israel and was not looking for a job at all. The fact that she took the lead is no reflection on her. She was God’s choice. History affords many such examples. There was Molly Pitcher, the wife of a Revolutionary soldier, who, at the battle of Monmouth, manned the cannon at which her husband had just fallen. Other examples are Joan of Arc, the French heroine, and Zenobia, queen of Palmyra.
Deborah was one of the outstanding judges. She far exceeded Othniel in ability. It is an evidence of decline, however, when women come into the position of authority. It is a sign of weakness and of a flabby age. We have already seen that weak-kneed general, Barak. He was a sissy. He wanted to stay way back behind the fighting lines. In fact, he wanted to stay home and did not want to fight at all. Deborah had to agree to go with him before he was willing to go and battle the enemy.
Many years ago I heard Dr. Harry Ironside tell of a woman who was preaching in a park as he and one of his friends were walking by. His friend said, “It is a shame for a woman to get up and preach like that. I deplore it. She should not be doing that.” Dr. Ironside replied, “I agree with you that it is a shame, not that a woman is preaching, but that there is not a man to take her place.”
Regardless of what you might think (and I know I may sound very out of date, especially in this day of women’s rights), America is paying an awful price for taking women into its defense system and into industry. I made this statement as far back as 1948, and I am no prophet, but I predicted a backwash of immorality if women left the home. Well, it certainly came to pass. First there was an epidemic of women shooting their husbands, deserting their children, becoming dope peddlers, and committing suicide. There are many things that are considered a menace in our country—inflation, crime, foreign aggression—but I feel that the greatest danger is that women are leaving their place in the home.
Deborah actually did not want to leave her home. However, Jabin was king of the Canaanites, and God had sold Israel into slavery to them. When the time of deliverance came, Barak, who commanded Israel’s army, did not want to go into battle. God, however, promised victory. The victory was won, but it was an ignominious victory for Barak.
After the battle Deborah and Barak sang a song that was one of the first songs of the human race.
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel [Jud. 5:6–7].
The song mentions Shamgar. He was the judge, you remember, that used an ox goad. He had judged during a time of lawlessness and grave immorality. It was not safe to walk the highways; the highways were unoccupied. Travelers walked through the byways because it was not safe to take the main route. It is becoming increasingly unsafe to travel today also. Women do not dare walk the streets at night alone. Deborah knew all about this kind of danger because lawlessness reigned in her day.
Then her song mentions the lack of leadership. Rulers had ceased to rule. There was no great man who could lead. Deborah was a mother. She had a mother’s heart. Very candidly, she did not want to take the lead, but there was no man to assume the leadership. How tragic was this situation. She wanted something better for her children than what she saw about her. Because of her desire, she became a judge in Israel. She stepped out and took the lead in a day when her nation had denied God.
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? [Jud. 5:8].
Israel denied God—as men do today—only instead of becoming atheists, they became polytheists. They began to worship many gods. Think of the multitudes today that are living without God! Deborah did not want her children to grow up this way and that is why she stepped out as she did.
Do you remember the hopes that this country had after World War II? Everyone in the United States thought they were going to have peace at last. Many people thought they would live in peace and sin, and it would be nice. They forgot to read Psalm 85:10 which says, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Friend, peace and righteousness do not even speak to each other today—I do not even think they know each other! It is interesting that God did not let us live comfortably in peace and sin. God did not let Israel live that way either. It is also interesting to note that Israel lacked a defense. They had nothing with which to meet the enemy. Deborah sang,“… then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?” Israel had no help at all.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord [Jud. 5:9].
The conditions were not all bad. There were some godly rulers. Deborah wanted them to know that she gave them her support. It was the godless crowd that she rejected.
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates [Jud. 5:10–11].
The gates were the place of assembly. Wherever people were going to meet, instead of talking about the common topics of the day, as they had in the past, they would talk about the righteous acts of God.
Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty [Jud. 5:12–13].
After Israel’s victory over the enemy, Deborah once again tells Barak to take command. But he does not take charge, and she has to continue as the leader. She found she had dominion over the mighty.
Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer [Jud. 5:14].
The tribes now join in.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart [Jud. 5:15–16].
Some of the tribes didn’t help. Reuben sent no reinforcements to the battle. They were not there to lend support when it was badly needed. They were neighbors and close by, but they did nothing. They felt like they should stay with their flocks and apparently did not trust someone else to watch their animals. They acted as if there was no war. They burned their draft cards and did not come. The tribe of Issachar, on the other hand, stood with Deborah and Barak.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches [Jud. 5:17].
Dan was busy in commerce. The folk in that tribe did not want to come to the battle. Asher continued on the seashore. You know, human nature never changes. As in Deborah’s day, many folk today have let their country down, and they should not have done that.
Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field [Jud. 5:18].
These two tribes really fought.
The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money [Jud. 5:19].
Israel had some allies that were formerly enemies. They helped at the waters of Megiddo which is near what will be Armageddon one day.
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera [Jud. 5:20].
I don’t believe this is merely a poetic expression. My feeling is that it could truly be said that heaven, that God was against this enemy.
The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty [Jud. 5:21–23].
Frankly, I cannot identify Meroz. However, one thing I know for sure and that is that I would not want to be an inhabitant of the city of Meroz. They did not come to help the work of the Lord and so they were cursed. Today, also, there are multitudes of folks who are not coming to help the work of the Lord.
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent [Jud. 5:24].
The heroine of the day was Jael, not Barak, in spite of her dastardly deed. But this was a time of war and the aftermath of war. All around was the holocaust of battle, broken bodies, and the fruit of war. Men’s souls were blackened and scarred. The foliage of civilization was removed like thin veneer. Snarled and gnarled, the trunk of barbarianism was revealed. What Jael did was an awful thing. Woman has been created finer than man. There is something fine that has gone out of life today, and I think it centers in womanhood.
Now a mother’s heart is revealed. Deborah remembers that Sisera, although he was the enemy, had a mother. And even though she extols Jael for what she did, she thinks of Sisera’s mother.
The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice. Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? [Jud. 5:28–30].
The mother of Sisera knew in her heart what had happened. She knew he had been slain. She had thought all of the time that he would be coming home, but he did not come. Even in this case, the heart of Deborah went out to this woman because she was a mother.
So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years [Jud. 5:31].
There have been mothers in the past who have overcome handicaps in evil days—evil days like those in which Deborah lived. Read the story of Augustine. He had a marvelous mother by the name of Monica, who prayed for him. He was a debauched college professor, and he finally came to the feet of Jesus Christ. There was also Susanna Wesley who prayed for her two sons, John and Charles Wesley. Now I am not talking about worshiping womanhood or motherhood, friend, but I do want to say that we are getting far away from God’s conception of it. What a picture we have in Deborah and her song!
CHAPTERS 6–8
Theme: Fourth apostasy; God delivers Israel through Gideon
Gideon is the next judge. He is called to his position in chapter 6. Chapter 7 tells how mightily God used him. He is one of the most interesting judges, although not the most outstanding. In reality none of the judges were great. They were little people, marked by mediocrity. Each one was insignificant, insufficient, and inadequate. Each one had some aberration in his life. Each one of them had a glaring fault, and sometimes that fault was the very reason God chose them and used them.
I would like to add some background to this incident with some very pertinent facts. The account of the judges was discounted by the critics for many years. They said because it was not in secular history, these events actually did not take place, and there was no situation in the past into which they could be fitted. But all of that has changed now because of the spade of the archaeologist and the scholarly work of men like Burney, Moulton, Breasted, and Garstang. These outstanding conservative scholars have given us the background for the Book of Judges.
Now we know that at this particular time in history Egypt was weak, very weak. It had been a world power, but it was weak because the pharaohs who were in office were weak men. Also there were internal problems and troubles. As a result, this nation was losing its grip upon its colonies. The nomadic tribes to the east of the Dead Sea and to the south of the Dead Sea began to push in. They pushed in because there was a drought in their land. They had experienced it there for several years. So these nomadic tribes of the desert began to encroach upon the territory of Israel. The Midianites and the Amalekites were among the Bedouins of the desert who came into the land.
The story of Gideon opens with that.
ISRAEL SINS AND IS OPPRESSED BY MIDIAN
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds [Jud. 6:1–2].
The Midianites and the Amalekites moved as a disorganized nomadic tribe. They were raiders. They would raid the crops and supplies of others. They generally took their families with them. In fact, they took all that they had with them. They would pitch their tents as they moved along. In this incident, we are not given numbers concerning them because no one in the world would have been able to number them—they were so disorganized. But by sheer numbers, and they were many, they overwhelmed the inhabitants of the land. The children of Israel fled from their homes and lived in caves and dens. There is abundant evidence in the land of Israel today that they lived in caves, especially during the period of the judges.
It is the same old story once again. Israel sinned and the hoop started moving. God had blessed the children of Israel under the administration of Deborah. When they sinned, God delivered them to Midian, and they cried out for deliverance.
For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it [Jud. 6:5].
The Midianites came up against the children of Israel. They were like a plague of grasshoppers as they came into the land. They came “without number,” which means that they had not been counted. They were such a large company that certainly the enemy could not count them. The Midianites saw that Israel had good crops, and they needed grain and foodstuff for themselves and for their animals.
The tribe of Manasseh, of which Gideon was a member, occupied the plain in which was located the Plain of Esdraelon (the place where Armageddon will be fought). Although they had occupied that territory, when these nomads came into that area, they took to the hills; they moved into the dens and into the caves up there. They had to. They saw their crops which they had left all taken by the enemy. This is the historical period into which the story of Gideon is cast.
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites,
That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice [Jud. 6:7–10].
Here goes Israel again, whining and complaining. But God is gracious and good. A prophet came and told them why they were in their present condition. They cried out to God, and God in mercy sent them another judge.
GIDEON, THE SIXTH JUDGE
Now at this juncture, God appeared to Gideon in a most embarrassing situation. We are told:
And there came an angel of the Lord. and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites [Jud. 6:11].
Gideon is not introduced to us as a hero or an outstanding man. Do you know what he is doing? He is threshing wheat by the winepress. Now the winepress is the key to this entire situation. You see, in that day the winepress was always put at the foot of the hill because they brought the grapes down from the vineyard. Naturally, they would carry the heavy grapes downhill; they carried them to the lowest place. In contrast, the threshing floor was always put up on the top of the hill, the highest hill that was available, in order to catch the wind which would drive the chaff away. Here we find Gideon, down at the bottom of the hill, threshing. Now that would be the place to take the grapes, but that is no place to take your crop in order to do your threshing. Can you see the frustration of this man? Why doesn’t he go to the hilltop? Well, he is afraid of the Midianites. He does not want them to see that he is threshing wheat. And you can imagine his frustration. There is no air getting to him down there, certainly no wind. So he pitches the grain up into the air. And what happens? Does the chaff blow away? No. It comes down around his neck and gets into his clothes making him very uncomfortable. There he is, trying his best to thresh in a place like that, and all the time rebuking himself for being a coward, afraid to go to the hilltop. I think he looked up there rather longingly and thought, “Do I dare go to the hilltop?” Gideon was having a very frustrating experience, but God was going to use this man. We will see why God used this kind of a man.
It was at that time that the angel of the Lord, which many of us believe was none other than the pre-incarnate Christ, appeared to him. We are told:
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour [Jud. 6:12].
Don’t tell me, friend, that there is no humor in the Bible. Don’t you think it sounds humorous to call Gideon a mighty man of valour? God has a wonderful sense of humor. The Bible is a serious book, of course. It deals with a race that is in sin, and it concerns God’s salvation for that race. It reveals God as high and holy and lifted up. But God has a sense of humor and, if you miss that in the Bible, you will not find it nearly as interesting.
Jesus Christ has a great sense of humor. One day He said to the Pharisees, “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Matt. 23:24). If you don’t think that is funny, the next time you see a camel, look at it. A camel has more projections on it than some of our space vehicles. I rode a camel in Egypt and found out they even have horns. They also have the biggest Adam’s apple in the world. They have pads on their knees, great big hoofs, and some have one hump, and some have two humps. Everywhere you look at them there is a projection. Can’t you see these religious rulers trying to swallow camels? God indeed has a sense of humor.
One of the funniest things the Lord could have called Gideon was a mighty man of valour because he was actually a coward. I think that when Gideon looked up and saw Him and heard Him say, “Thou mighty man of valour,” he looked behind him to see if there wasn’t somebody else there, because that term did not apply to him. And then he turned to the angel and said, “Who? Me? Do you mean to call me a mighty man of valour when I am down here at the winepress pitching grain up into the air when I ought to be up yonder on top of the hill? If I were a mighty man of valour, that is where I would be, not down here. I am nothing in the world but a coward.” The Lord does want to encourage him, of course, but the point is that it was a rather humorous title that the Lord gave to this man.
Well, God has called him now to this office to deliver his people, and He has called a most unusual man. This man is suffering from an inferiority complex.
And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites [Jud. 6:13].
Now the angel of the Lord did not say that He was with Israel at this time; He was with Gideon. Frankly, He was not with Israel because of their sin. The angel said, “The Lord is with thee”—singular—with you, Gideon. But Gideon cannot believe that God would be with him. He wants to know where all those miracles are that their fathers had told them about. He believed that the Lord had forsaken Israel. He was as wrong as a man could be. The Lord had not really forsaken them; they had forsaken the Lord.
This man is in a bad state mentally and a bad state spiritually. Actually, he not only had an inferiority complex, he was skeptical, he was cynical, he was weak, and he was cowardly. That is this man Gideon. What a wrong impression is given of him today when he is described as a knight in shining armor, a Sir Lancelot, or a Sir Galahad. Why, he was nothing in the world but a Don Quixote charging a windmill, my beloved. He was the biggest coward that you have ever seen. But this was the man that God called.
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? [Jud. 6:14].
This is the call and commission of Gideon. It is a commission of courage. It is interesting to note, however, that even at this point Gideon did not believe God. Note what Gideon says:
And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house [Jud. 6:15].
Now consider for a moment the position Gideon occupies in his own thinking. He said in effect, “You certainly are not asking me to do this. To begin with, I belong to the nation Israel. We are now under the heel of the Midianites.” It was bad enough to be under Egypt, but imagine being under these nomads of the desert, the Midianites! “We are in slavery. Here we are hiding, and here I am threshing at the foot of the hill. And you come and call me? Well, to begin with, the tribe of Manasseh (one of the sons of Joseph) is not noted for anything; we have had no conspicuous men. In the tribe of Manasseh, my family is not very well known. We are sort of ne’er-do-wells. We are not prominent folk. In my family I happen to be the very least one. You made a big mistake in calling me because you happen to have called the smallest pebble that is on the beach.” Honestly, this man felt that he was the last man in Israel to be used of God. And do you know that he was right? He was the last man in Israel that God should have called.
Our problem today, friend, is that most of us are too strong for God to use. Most of us are too capable for God to use. You notice that God uses only weak men, don’t you? First Corinthians 1:26–27 tells us that this is so: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” God used all of these judges but not because they were capable or outstanding. Does that encourage you, friend? Do you know why God does not use most of us? We are too strong. Most of us have too much talent for God to use us. Most of us today are doing our own will and going our own way. There are multitudes of people, talented people, people with ability, whom God is not using. Do you know why? They are too strong for God to use. Paul mentions this: “And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Cor. 1:28–29). There is something wrong with any Christian worker who is proud. God does not use the flesh. Anything that this poor preacher does in the weakness of the flesh and boasts about is despised by God. God hates it and cannot use it. God wants weak vessels, and that is the only kind He will use. God follows this policy so that no flesh will glory in His presence. When God gets ready to do anything, He chooses the weakest thing He can get in order to make it clear that He is doing it, not the weak arm of the flesh. That is God’s method.
Remember Moses down in the bulrushes was only a little baby. Then look at Pharaoh Ramses II, the strongest of the pharaohs, who sat on the throne. He is the one who built the great cities of Egypt. Put the one down by the side of the other—the little weak, helpless baby and the powerful Pharaoh on the throne—and whom will you take? Of course you would take the Pharaoh because he is the strong one. But God took the little fellow in the bulrushes to demonstrate that He uses the weak things of the world to confound the wise.
Also God chose a man by the name of Elijah. Elijah was not a weak man, but he had to become weak. God had to put that man through a series of tests. He schooled him in the desert and finally forced him to listen to the still, small voice of God. And Elijah did not much care for still, small voices. This is the man who liked the three-ring circus, the fireworks, the noise and the fanfare, but God had to train him and let him know that He chooses the weak things of the world. After Elijah walked into the court of Ahab and Jezebel, he told them it would not rain for several years. Then God put him out by the brook Cherith. There as he saw the brook dry up, he found out that his life was no more than a dried-up brook. Later he looked down into an empty flour barrel, but he could sing the doxology. When he did, God fed him and the widow’s family out of that empty flour barrel. Why? Because God chooses and uses weak things.
Then consider Simon Peter. Whoever would have chosen him? Why, everybody knew he was as weak as water, and our Lord said, “You are going to be a rock-man. I will make you as stable as a rock.” I imagine everybody laughed when He said that. Even Simon Peter gave up on one occasion and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). What he is really saying is this, “Why don’t you give me up and go get somebody else? I am such a failure.” But the Lord Jesus said, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Luke 5:10). In effect He said, “You are the very one I want. You are going to preach the first sermon on the day of Pentecost which will bring three thousand people to Me. I am going to demonstrate that I can use the weakest thing in the world.” God always does that, my beloved. The interesting thing is, someone has said, that Nero was on the throne while Paul was being beheaded. At first glance, it looked like Paul had lost and Nero had won. But history had already handed down its decision. Men name their sons Paul and call their dogs Nero. This is quite interesting, is it not? God is choosing the weak things of this world.
Have you ever compared that little Baby in Bethlehem with Caesar Augustus who could sign a tax bill and the whole civilized world was taxed? Which would you pick? I would take the tax-gatherer every time because he seems to have a lot of power, but God took that little Baby in Bethlehem, for He was His Son. God always chooses that way.
Although Gideon was a very weak individual, God told him that he was the one who was going to deliver Israel. Yes, God is going to use Gideon, but first He must train him. Gideon had to overcome his fear and develop courage. He needed faith to help strengthen his feeble knees and make him patient. I want you to notice some of the training that he went through. He immediately, you see, was afraid; so God gave him his first lesson.
And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shall not die [Jud. 6:23].
He said, “Thou shalt not die,” because Gideon feared that he would die after seeing God. And he told Gideon to go to his own hometown, to begin there by throwing over the altar of Baal, and burning the grove that was by it. All of this represented the worst sort of immorality.
GIDEON REPUDIATES BAAL: ISRAEL CALLED TO ARMS
Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night [Jud. 6:24–27].
And so Gideon begins his adventure. Even with God’s commission he is still afraid. Instead of obeying God in the bold daylight, he does it under the cover of darkness. But they find out who did it, and they are ready to execute Gideon. But God again delivers him.
Gideon is still hesitant. God has to overcome the fear. God has to develop courage and faith. God has to strengthen Gideon’s feeble knees. It is a patient, long ordeal. The next step is to fill this man with His Spirit—God has always given a filling of the Spirit to the man that He uses.
But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him [Jud. 6:34].
The blowing of the trumpet meant war. The minute he blew the trumpet, his people knew it meant war against the Amalekites, and they began to gather unto him.
Do you know what happened? Gideon got cold feet and went back to the Lord with a proposition.
And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou has said,
Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water [Jud. 6:36–38].
The next day Gideon went back (and I am of the opinion that he intended to do this all the time regardless of the outcome of the first test because if you put out a fleece here in California it would be damp, whereas the ground would be dry). He gave a two-way test that could not be gainsaid. He said, “Now, Lord, I will put out the fleece again. If You are really in this thing, put the dew around everywhere else and let the fleece remain dry.” I am glad he did it that way because, frankly, I would be skeptical enough to believe it “just happened” the first time. Or let us say that it was natural for it to happen one way, but it was supernatural for it to happen the other way. This man asked God to put dew on the fleece and then for God not to put dew on the fleece. How gracious God was to Gideon. We will find that God will gradually school this man until He brings him to the place where Gideon can see that there is nothing in him. Then God will use him to win a mighty battle.
Now, looking back at verses 34 and 35, we see that men for his army had come to him from everywhere. When a trumpet is blown in Israel, it means war. And frankly, friend, he was the last man you would want to gather around. He certainly was not a man prepared to lead them into battle. So God begins to move in this man’s life in a definite way, as we shall see in chapter 7.
THREE HUNDRED ALERT SOLDIERS ARE CHOSEN
Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me [Jud. 7:1–2].
Now Gideon goes out and looks at his army. He had thirty-two thousand men, and the thought in Gideon’s mind is that this is not enough. The Midianites were like grasshoppers on the hills. They were disorganized, but by sheer numbers they would have overcome the Israelites. Therefore, his men were too few, and I think Gideon was ready to blow the trumpet again. But God said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot give you the victory with thirty-two thousand men because you would boast and say that you did it in your own strength, power and might.” No flesh is going to glory in God’s presence. That is the reason God has to use weak instruments today. This is the method He continues to follow. He is going to cut down the number of the army.
Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand [Jud. 7:3].
Gideon had thirty-two thousand men and now he has lost twenty-two thousand of them! You may recall God’s condition, as put down in the Mosaic system in the Book of Deuteronomy that if anyone was drafted into the army and was afraid, he could go home.
I have often wondered why Gideon did not go home. When he said, “All of you who are fearful and afraid,” he could have said, “Follow me, because I am going home, I am more afraid than anyone here.” He had to stay, however. God had commissioned him.
Now Gideon has only ten thousand men and that is enough to make anyone afraid. But God says, “Really, you still have too many men. You have to reduce this number. I cannot give you victory with this number of men in your army.” So Gideon and his men went through another test.
So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place [Jud. 7:5–7].
Do you know what we have here? It is one of the finest lessons concerning divine election and man’s free will. This is the way they work together. God said to Gideon, “I am going to choose the men that I want to go with you, but the way I will do it is to let them make the choice. Bring them down to the water, and the ones who lap water like a dog, just going through and throwing it into their mouths, are the ones I have chosen. You can put aside those men who get down on all fours and take their time drinking. I don’t want them.”
Had we been there (ours is a great day for interviewing the man on the street), we could have had interviews with the men in Gideon’s army. For example, let us take the man that is down on all fours. We would go up to him and say, “Brother, why did you get down on all fours?” “Well,” he would reply, “I was just wondering why I didn’t go home with the other crowd. I have been thinking this thing over and I have a wife and family, and I just do not think I ought to be here. I feel like I should have gone home. I have no heart for this.” He made his choice, but God also made His choice. That is divine election and human free will. You see, God elects, but He lets you be the one to make the choice. Then we go to the man that lapped water like a dog, and went to the other side of the stream. “Why did you lap water like that?” we ask him. He says, “Where are the Midianites?” “Wait just a minute,” we reply. “Why did you do that?” He replies, “Because I am with Gideon one hundred percent!” May I say to you that these three hundred men had a heart for battle. If you had said to any one of these three hundred men, “Say, did you know that God has elected you?” he would have replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about. The thing is that I want to go after these Midianites!”
You can argue about divine election and free will all you want to, but it works. You cannot make it work out by arguing, but it sure works out in life, friend. Each one of the ten thousand men in Gideon’s army exercised his free will. God did not interfere with one of them as far as their free wills were concerned. Today God, through His Son Jesus Christ, offers you the free gift of salvation. It is a legitimate offer. It is a sincere offer from God Himself. He says, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Now don’t tell me that you can argue about election right now. You cannot. You can come to God if you want to come. If you don’t come, I have news for you—you were not elected. If you do come, I have good news for you—you were elected. That is the way God moves.
Now these three hundred men often have been misunderstood. As a student, I went down to a little church in Georgia. When I got there, a dear little lady wearing a sunbonnet said to me, “Mr. McGee, we have here just a little Gideon’s band.” They didn’t have a Gideon’s band! They had the most discouraged, lazy folk I have ever seen in my life. That is not Gideon’s band. Gideon’s band was a group of dedicated men, willing to die to deliver Israel, men who had their hearts and souls in this matter. May I say to you that these men lapped up water like a dog because they were after the Midianites and not after water. They will drink after the battle is over.
I once watched a football game, and then I listened to the interview of the quarterback of the Arkansas team. Even after the game, he was so excited and so emotional that he took no credit for himself. He gave his team the credit for winning. He said, “We were determined to win.” That is Gideon’s band, friend, and that is the thing that is needed today in the church, if you please.
ISRAEL’S VICTORY OVER MIDIAN
But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:
And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host [Jud. 7:10–14].
This is Gideon’s final lesson before he goes into battle. He goes down to the edge of the camp and eavesdrops while two soldiers are talking. They frankly believe that God is going to deliver the Midianites into the hands of Gideon and his host. God permits Gideon to hear this conversation to encourage him just prior to the battle.
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath [Jud. 7:16–22].
This is the record given of Gideon’s strategy. He divides his three hundred men into three groups. They are given three things: pitchers, lamps, and trumpets. The lamps were put inside the pitchers so that the light could not be seen, and they held them in one hand and their trumpets they held in the other hand. When they went into battle, their cry was to be, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” The interesting thing is that Gideon did not have a sword and neither did any of the three hundred men. You see they were under the rule of the Midianites, and the Midianites did not let them have an arsenal. They kept the weapons and the swords for themselves. So Gideon’s strategy employed pitchers, lamps, and trumpets.
As we have said before, the Midianites and Amalekites were among the nomadic tribes of the desert. They had raided the land of Israel and seized their crops and supplies. They had a very loose organization. They moved as disorganized nomads through the desert and did not have an organized army. They had set a few guards about the camp but most of the people were asleep, here, there, and yonder. They did not expect to be attacked at night. To begin with, it is difficult to see at night. So Gideon posted his three hundred men in three groups around the camp. At a certain time they blew their trumpets and broke the pitchers so that the light shone out. Each trumpet represented the fact that there were probably several hundred of the enemy present. Imagine the Midianites waking out of a sound sleep. The first thing they did was start whacking with their swords in every direction. The Israelites did not have swords. All they did was hold the light so the Midianites could go after each other. It was a regular riot! The Midianites soon fled over the hills into the tall timber and out of that area. This gave Gideon and the Israelites a tremendous victory.
There are some wonderful spiritual lessons in this account. First of all, I would like to go back to this matter of the dew on the fleece. We need God today to do an interior decorating job on our lives. We need to ask Him for dew on our barren lives. In Hosea 14:5 God says, “I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.” God speaks about this subject several times. “And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath” (Deut. 33:13). “The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass” (Prov. 19:12). “By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew” (Prov. 3:20). Finally, in Psalm 133:1–3, God says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” God has blessed in this way. We need that touch—that fresh touch. We need it like dew upon the rosebud and the grass in the morning. We need a tender touch.
Hosea 14:5 tells us that the lily is delicate. He, our Lord God, will come down upon us like rain upon the mown grass. Even when we are in trouble, and He has cut us down, He will come down upon us like rain. Our Lord could weep over Jerusalem, but do we weep today over sinners? The Publican could smite his breast and cry out about his sin, but what about us today? We need a touch from God that will make us strong and stable, grounded and settled. Oh that we could say with the psalmist, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise” (Ps. 57:7).
We need the dew of God upon our lives to bring purity into our lives. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:14, “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” This is what we need today. God only uses a clean cup. 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” God says this to us. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). What a wonderful picture and lesson we have here.
Now let us look at another spiritual lesson concerning the pitchers. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels …” (2 Cor. 4:7). Those pitchers represent the bodies of believers. That is what Paul means when he says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies [your total personalities] a living sacrifice … unto God …” (Rom. 12:1). That is the reason we ought not to glory in any man. Paul says that. “Therefore let no man glory in men …” (1 Cor. 3:21). That is the earthen vessel. We have this treasure in earthen vessels—pitchers. Some of us are not broken and, as a result, the light does not shine through. It is not our light that we should shine, but the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. His light should shine through us. It can only shine in a broken life. We are to shine as lights in the world. Paul told the Philippians, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14–15).
Let’s look for a moment at the trumpets. First Corinthians 14:8 says, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” This speaks of the testimony and witness of believers. The testimony and witness of believers must be certain and clear.
FORTY YEARS OF PEACE UNDER GIDEON
Chapter 8 is a continuance of the record of Gideon, the judge. Here you find events that came to pass after the remarkable deliverance that God gave Gideon over the Midianites. The children of Israel are free again and, as a result, they are prosperous. Zebah and Zalmunna, Midianite kings, have been pursued and slain. The Israelites are being blessed for the first time in a long time, and they are so grateful to Gideon for all that he has done that they want him to rule over them.
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian [Jud. 8:22].
This is the first indication given to us in Scripture that the children of Israel wanted a king to rule over them. God told them at the beginning that He did not want them to have a king like the nations round about them. But because Gideon had delivered them from bondage, they wanted him to accept the position of king. He apparently is the first one to have been offered this high position, and he turned it down. Later on we will discover that Israel asks for a king again. In fact, they insist upon having a king, and finally they demand one. Then God tells Samuel (who is the last of the judges and the first in the line of the prophets) that he is to anoint a king for them. Also God makes it clear that Israel is not rejecting Samuel, but is rejecting God. God wanted to rule over His people. The form of government for Israel was to be a theocracy. In this case, it was God who had used Gideon so remarkably, but it is Gideon who Israel wants to rule over them. They not only want Gideon to rule, but his son and his son’s son also. This means that they want a king like the nations around them.
Notice the remarkable answer that Gideon gave the people.
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you [Jud. 8:23].
Gideon certainly had learned a lesson; there is no question about it. This young man who threshed grain down by the winepress, recognized that he was a coward. He knew that it was God who had given him the victory. He knew he had no strength in himself to win the battle, but he realized God had raised him up for this purpose. Gideon was indeed a remarkable person. He is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 where the “Heroes of the Faith” are listed. In fact, he leads the list of judges. He is also ahead of David in the list. “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Heb. 11:32–34). The writer of Hebrews says that time would fail to tell everything about these men, and he wanted to tell about Gideon. God raised up Gideon to perform an extraordinary task. It teaches us that any man or woman that God uses has to be used on God’s terms. And He chooses the weak things of this world.
It seems as though each judge had some glaring weakness and in most cases God used it. Gideon’s weakness was the fact that he was a coward. At times I have felt very close to this man in my ministry. When I became pastor of the great Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles, California, in 1949, I preached my first message on Gideon. I put myself in his class. I came to that congregation in weakness. The only reason I could see that God called me was because I was like Gideon—weak and cowardly. I have rejoiced in the fact that God did for me what He did for Gideon. God certainly was with me, and I have always been grateful to Him. I have discovered that when I get in the way (and I do sometimes), then I stumble and fall. But as long as I am willing to let God have His way, it is remarkable what He will do. I give God all of the glory for my radio ministry, friend. I never sought it. I did not start out after it. Like Topsy, it “just growed.” God has blessed it, and I rejoice in it. He has been wonderful.
I wish we could end the story of Gideon here, but he had another weakness.
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech [Jud. 8:30–31].
Gideon had many wives and a concubine besides. He had a total of seventy-one sons. That is a real blot on this man’s life. Now someone will say, as they did about Solomon, “How could God use a man like this and why did He use him?” Well, Gideon took these many wives and had all of these children after the battle. And the fact of the matter is that God used him in spite of this. God did not approve of what he did. The record makes it clear that his actions brought tragedy to the nation of Israel. The next chapter brings that out. God had forbidden intermarriage outside the nation. He had forbidden the Israelites to have more than one wife. God did not create several Eves for Adam. He created only one. God did not remove all of Adam’s ribs. God took out only one rib.
Abraham, you remember, took a concubine, that little Egyptian maid named Hagar and, believe me, it caused trouble. God never sanctioned it. Through Abraham’s son Isaac came the nation Israel. The Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar. I talked to an Arab guide in Jericho who was very proud of the fact that he was a son of Abraham. He was also a Moslem. He said proudly, “I am a son of Abraham through Ishmael.” That is true. That was the sin of Abraham, and God never blessed that, friend. God did not bless Solomon’s actions in this connection, and He is not going to bless Gideon either. In fact, Gideon’s actions split the kingdom and caused real tragedy. This is the blot in his life. God does not hide anything. God paints the picture of man as it is. Now if a friend of Gideon had been his biographer, he probably would have left this part of his life out of the story, God, however, did not. He paints mankind in all of his lurid, sinful color.
CONFUSION AFTER GIDEON’S DEATH
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a-whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel [Jud. 8:33–35].
This is the same old story, is it not? The hoop of history continues to roll as it is rolling today. At first they were a nation who served God, then they did evil, forsook God, turned to Baal, and God sells them into slavery and servitude. Then they cry out to God. Then they repent, and God raises up a judge to deliver them. Here goes Israel again. As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel, turned from God and went a-whoring after Baalim. That is the sad, sordid story of Israel, and also the story of His church today. This up and down business is the story of nations, churches, and individuals. Today many of us are just rolling a hoop through this world. One day we are up, and the next day we are down. God never intended our spiritual lives to be that way.
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Fifth apostasy; Abimelech responsible for civil war
THE CAREER OF ABIMELECH, GIDEON’S SON
This chapter records the story of Abimelech, the sinful and wicked son of Gideon and his concubine. You see, Gideon should not have had a concubine. It certainly caused trouble in the nation.
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother [Jud. 9:1–3.]
This boy Abimelech is very ambitious. He had heard about the nation wanting Gideon to become ruler over them. Since he is a son of Gideon, he wants to become king. So he goes to his mother’s people, who are in Shechem, and gets them to follow him.
And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being three score and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself [Jud. 9:5].
Obviously, Abimelech is a wicked and brutal man. He does a horrible thing here.
Some Bible expositors rate Abimelech as a judge. He may have been a judge, at least it is said that he “reigned three years over Israel.” Dr. James M. Gray wrote, “The usurped rule of Abimelech, the fratricide, is not usually counted [as a judge].” He brutally murdered the seventy sons of Gideon and set himself up as king. His abortive reign reveals, I feel, the truth of the statement in Daniel: “… the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Dan. 4:17). Even today when a good ruler comes into office, many folk say, “God raised him up.” What about the wicked ruler? God permits him to come to the throne also. Do you know why? Because the principle is “like priest, like people.” That is, people get the ruler they deserve. The people of Israel wanted this boy Abimelech to rule over them; and they got the calibre of man they deserved. Friend, when we look around our world today, we find this principle is still true.
Now we find that God judges Abimelech for the awful thing he did, and He also judges the men of Shechem for making him king and starting him out on such a course. Civil war ensued because there were many people who did not want Abimelech, of course.
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son ofJerubbaal [Jud. 9:52–57].
This is a sad ending for the life of Gideon who fathered this illegitimate son, Abimelech. God lifted Gideon from a very humble position to be the deliverer and judge of His people. How sad that a man who accomplished so much good should allow this in his life of which God did not approve and which resulted in civil war in Israel.
TOLA, THE SEVENTH JUDGE
Tola and Jair become the next judges. Maybe you have never heard of Tola. If you haven’t, it is perfectly all right. He did nothing noteworthy.
And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir [Jud. 10:1–2].
What did Tola do? He died and was buried in Shamir. Not one thing is recorded about any achievements. Although he was a judge in Israel twenty-three years, there is not one thing that can be mentioned about the deeds of this man, from the day he was born to the day he died. All you have here is what is on his tombstone: “Born—died.”
JAIR, THE EIGHTH JUDGE
And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
And Jair died, and was buried in Camon [Jud. 10:3–5].
All that we are told about this man is that he had thirty sons and he bought each one of them a little donkey. He did not get them a Jaguar, Mustang, Pinto, or Cougar, he gave each boy a donkey. What a sight it must have been to see these thirty boys ride out of Gilead!
In Jair’s story I can see three things: (1) prosperity without purpose; (2) affluence without influence; (3) prestige without power.
In that day a donkey was a mark of prosperity. That was the thing that denoted a man’s wealth. For example, Judges 5:10 says, “Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.” This verse speaks about the upper echelon, or the establishment. The donkey was a mark of wealth and was the animal that kings rode upon. There has always been a question about whether or not they had horses in that day. In Scripture the little donkey is the animal of peace and the horse is the animal of war (the horse was imported into that land). But the little donkey was actually the mark of prosperity and the mark of a king.
You remember that the Lord Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a little donkey. We misinterpret Zechariah 9:9 which says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Zechariah does not mean that the Lord Jesus is humble because He is riding on a little donkey. He is humble in spite of the fact that He is riding upon an animal which only kings ride. If He had not been King, it would really have been a presumption to ride into Jerusalem on that donkey as He did and receive all of the adulation and hosannas from the crowd that day.
Jair was obviously a man of wealth and prominence to be able to afford thirty donkeys. He gave each one of his sons a donkey, so he must have had a thirty-car garage! This was the mark of a benevolent father. He was generous, and I think he spoiled his sons. He got them what they wanted. They lived in the lap of luxury and with golden spoons in their mouths. Donkeys probably came in several models, and Jair bought each son the latest thing. But did these donkeys bring glory to God? Did they make Jair a better judge? Did they bring blessing to the people? Did any one of these boys go out as a missionary? No. They lived in Gilead.
It is true that there is nothing particularly wrong with donkeys. On the other hand, there is nothing particularly right with a man who is a judge and spends a whole lot of time with many boys and donkeys. This is important for us to see. Our Lord rode into Jerusalem on a little donkey to fulfill prophecy and to present Himself as King, and the hosannas were sung. Satan was angry and the religious rulers protested as Christ rode through the gate and into the city. But all of Jair’s donkeys never lifted one hosanna. When these animals brayed, I think Satan smiled and the mob was entertained. Jair is a picture of prosperity without purpose, friend, and it is a dangerous thing. We see the same picture in the days of Noah when they were marrying and giving in marriage. This is also demonstrated in the account of Solomon sending out ships to bring back apes and peacocks—peacocks for beauty and apes for entertainment.
Years ago a high school class in the state of Washington came up with this motto for their graduating class: “Pep without purpose is piffle.” Well, it is not much of a motto but it certainly expresses present-day conditions. We have prosperity but without purpose. May I ask you what the goal of your life is? Is it pointless? Is it aimless? Have you found life pretty boring? Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, “How stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me the uses of this world.” What we need today is direction and dimension in our lives. We need a cause, and the cause of Jesus Christ is still the greatest challenge any man can have. Old Jair was some judge, wasn’t he?
Jair’s days were also marked by prestige without power. He was the outstanding man in the community. The traffic cops probably never gave any of his sons a ticket. But verse 5 does not speak of a monument for Jair. He was buried in an unknown spot. He never performed one conspicuous act. He never did a worthwhile deed. He never gained a victory. He may have had thirty donkeys, but he had no spiritual power. We are living in a day when the church has lost its power. What a picture we have in this man Jair.
Right before World War II, the city of Pasadena was having its annual Rose Parade. The float that was entered by the Standard Oil Company was covered with American Beauty roses. It was a sight to behold. The theme of the parade was, “Be prepared.” Right in the middle of the parade the Standard Oil Company’s float ran out of gas. It stopped right where I was viewing the parade. I couldn’t help but laugh. If there was one float that should not have run out of gas, it was that one. Standard Oil Company should have had plenty of gas! As I looked at the float, I saw a picture of many Christians today. They are beautiful, but they have no power in their lives. They have beauty and prestige, but no power. That was judge Jair for you. He did nothing, died, and was buried.
EIGHTEEN YEARS OF SERVITUDE UNDER THE PHILISTINES AND AMMONITES
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him [Jud. 10:6].
You would think that after all their experiences, the Israelites would learn that when they turned to idolatry, trouble came upon them. Because of their idolatry, they went into slavery again—they served the Philistines and Ammonites for eighteen years. Human nature is fallen nature. Jeremiah has said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). You and I certainly do not know the heart. It is easier for us to point our finger back to these people who lived about one thousand years before Christ and say, “You did wrong,” than it is for us to see what we are doing wrong.
How are we doing today, by the way? May I say that there is a frightful apostasy today in the church. Human nature is like that, and we are in a nation that is in trouble. We have tried every method, political scheme, and political party, and none of them has worked. What is wrong? We have gone to the wrong place for help. Only a turning to God will get us on the right path, I know that sounds square and out of date, but it sounded that way one thousand years before Christ also. The Israelites turned to other gods, refused to serve the living God, and look at what happened.
And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon [Jud. 10:7].
God can afford to remove His instrument when that instrument fails Him. A great many people think that God has to have the church, even a particular church, and that God has to have America because it is sending out missionaries. May I say to you that God does not have to have any of us. He is not dependent upon us at all. We are, however, dependent upon Him.
Israel was probably at its lowest point at this time. Things were very bad for them.
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim [Jud. 10:10].
These people finally got so desperate that they turned to God. Here we see the same old story being acted out once again. It is the hoop of history that is rolling, and it is still rolling today. So then what happened?
And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel [Jud. 10:11–16].
How merciful and gracious God is!
Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.
And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead [Jud. 10:17–18].
The Israelites lacked leadership. That is always characteristic of men, or of a generation, that has turned from God. Lack of leadership has definitely characterized our nation for the last twenty-five years. In fact, there has been a lack of leadership in the world for many years. We need vital leadership, but we cannot seem to find it. This was Israel’s experience. Now they are going to turn to a most unusual man for guidance. Under normal circumstances they would not have turned to him at all.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Jephthah, the ninth judge, and his rash vow
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah [Jud. 11:1].
The first thing that I would call to your attention is that he is an outstanding leader, but he has this black mark against him: he is illegitimate, the son of a harlot.
And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman [Jud. 11:2].
Proverbs 2:16 speaks of “the strange woman” whom the son should beware because harlots were strangers—that is, foreigners. Josephus tells us that Gilead’s wife was a Gentile. Jewish writings have called her an Ishmaelite. So Jephthah was the son of a common heathen prostitute. Illegitimacy is a stigma that brands a person from birth, regardless of who he is. This man Jephthah was exiled. He was excommunicated and ostracized. According to Deuteronomy 23:2, the Law of Moses would also bar him from the congregation of the Lord.
Being an illegitimate child is a handicap, to be sure, but many men have overcome it. There are kings, emperors, generals, poets, and popes who have been illegitimate children. William the Conqueror, for example, signed his name “William the Bastard,” for that is what he was. That is what Jephthah was also, and he overcame this handicap, as we shall see.
Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him [Jud. 11:3].
Jephthah had become a leader of a band of desperados. Here is this man with three hurdles to surmount before he can become a leader for his country: he is the son of a harlot; he has been exiled by his brethren; and he is the leader of a despised, rejected group. He is not a very likely man to be used; but, you see, God uses men like this. God moves in mysterious ways, and He chooses men that are despised in this world. God also humbles those whom He intends to use. He humbled Joseph, He humbled Moses, and He humbled David. Our Lord humbled Himself. He is “despised and rejected of men.” He is the “Stone which the builders rejected,” but which was made the head of the corner. His enemies said, “We will not have this Man reign over us.” Yet God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name.
There are those today, friend, who claim to be sons of God, but they are not. They are illegitimate in that they have not been born again. You can only become a legitimate son of God by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jephthah had been an exile, but now he is exalted.
And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:
And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead [Jud. 11:4–8].
The elders of Gilead have made Jephthah a pretty good proposition.
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The Lord be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words [Jud. 11:9–10].
Jephthah makes things difficult for the elders of Gilead, but they have to swallow their pride and accept his terms. It was humiliating for the nation to appeal to this man whom they had exiled. And he makes it very clear that if he is going to be the judge and deliver them, then he is going to rule over them. Then he takes charge of things.
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.
And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? [Jud. 11:11–12].
If you read the verses that follow this portion of Scripture, you will find an extended section where Jephthah outlines the way that the Ammonites came into the land. He makes it clear that the land really belonged to the Israelites who gained the land in a legitimate way. The Ammonites were, of course, attempting not only to drive the Israelites off the land, but were also trying to exterminate them. The same thing is happening in the land of Israel today. Especially since 1948 when Israel once again became a nation, the enemy has been trying to remove them from the land, exterminate them, actually drive them into the sea. I will not go over this section, but it will pay you to read it for the simple reason that Jephthah outlines a very sensible basis for Israel’s occupation of the land. They had a legitimate claim to it.
Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon [Jud. 11:28–29].
The king of Ammon totally rejects the paper that Jephthah apparently had sent to him. He said he would not accept what had been said. So Jephthah leads his army against the Ammonites. But when he passes through the land and gets a look at the enemy, he becomes a little fearful. Now he does something that under normal circumstances he probably would not have done. Remember that this man had spent years in exile and then suddenly he is exalted to the highest position in the land. He is made a judge. The natural reaction of a man who is suddenly elevated is excitement. In his excitement he makes a rash promise. Also remember that Jephthah did not have the light that we have today. He was one-half pagan with a heathen background. He did know God but not very well. God did not require him to make a vow.
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering [Jud. 11:30–31].
His cause was just, and God had given Jephthah every assurance that he would be victorious. This man did not need to make a rash vow like this, because God had not put the victory on that basis. It was the hand of God that had elevated him to this high position. He should have recognized that, since God had brought him that far, He would see him through. In verse 29 of this chapter we were told that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He did not need to add anything to that. Can you imagine saying, “Whatever comes out to meet me I will deliver it to the Lord?” After all, suppose it had been a friend or a neighbor. He would have no right to dedicate or offer that individual to the Lord.
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back [Jud. 11:34–35].
Jephthah made a vow to God, and he feels that he cannot retract it.
The question is: did he offer his daughter in sacrifice? Let us look at this situation closely for a moment. The Scripture is silent concerning Jephthah’s vow. It does not say whether he was right or wrong. Scripture never finds fault with him. In fact, Hebrews 11:32 says, “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets.” As you see, Jephthah is mentioned with a very fine group of men.
God’s commandment is “Thou shalt not kill” (Exod. 20:13). God also gave rather specific instructions about offering children. We read in Deuteronomy 12:31: “Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.” God says, “I won’t ask you to do that, and you are not to do that, because it is pagan and heathen.” God did not permit Abraham to offer Isaac. We need to recognize that fact. The whole point with Abraham and Isaac was how far Abraham was willing to go with God. As it turned out, he was willing to go all the way with God. Abraham lifted that knife and, as far as he was concerned, Isaac was a dead boy. But as far as God was concerned, He would not let Abraham kill his son.
The construction used in the language in verse 31 determines, I feel, the interpretation. Notice what Jephthah says, “… whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” I am going to change the reading of the last phrase just a little. It can read, “or I will offer up a burnt offering.” Now Jephthah said he would do one of two things: he would offer a burnt offering or he would offer a gift to the Lord.
Did he offer his daughter as a burnt offering? I do not think that he did. What is meant is that he set her apart to perpetual virginity. So here is Jephthah—he is illegitimate himself and he has only one daughter. He wants her to marry so he can have grandchildren. But his daughter is the one who comes forth through the doors to greet him, and he offers her up to the Lord. That means that she will never marry. You say to me, “Can you be sure of that?” Well, listen to what the girl says.
And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon [Jud. 11:36].
Notice that his daughter was obedient. She said that she would do whatever he had promised the Lord.
And she said unto her father. Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows [Jud. 11:37].
She did not understand his promise to be a burnt offering or sacrifice, but that she is not going to marry. Those are her intentions, and she is to bewail the fact of her virginity. She will not be presented as a bride to some man. Her life is to be dedicated to the Lord.
And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel.
That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year [Jud. 11:38–40].
This passage tells us that Jephthah’s daughter did not get married. Instead she dedicated her life to the Lord. The word lament in verse 40 means “to celebrate.” Every year for four days Jephthah’s daughter was remembered in a special way. She was totally dedicated to the Lord and His service. There is no indication that she was made a human sacrifice. People have argued about this story for years. I am asked that question as much as any other question: “Did Jephthah offer up his daughter in sacrifice?” No, he did not, but that is not the point. God would not have permitted him to offer his daughter in a burnt sacrifice. The significant factor is that Jephthah kept his vow. His vow was something sacred. He did not trifle with it. It was a rash statement, to be sure, but it was not an idle boast. It was not a hollow promise. The Word of God has some severe and sharp things to say relative to making a vow. Notice what the Book of Ecclesiastes has to say about vows. “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay” (Eccl. 5:2, 4–5). My friend, you will do well to promise God only what you think you can execute. I am afraid that there are many Christians who go through a little ceremony. Perhaps they go down to an altar after a service, and by lighting a candle they dedicate themselves to God. Some folk dedicate and dedicate themselves until it actually smells to high heaven! God says, “Don’t be rash with your mouth.” He says that you are a fool if you make a vow to Him carelessly. You might think that over, Christian friend, in the next dedication service you attend. Don’t rush down to the altar and offer God everything if you don’t mean what you are saying. Jephthah was an illegitimate child. His mother was a harlot. He had a sweet, lovely daughter and he wanted her to marry and have children. He unwittingly dedicated her to the Lord, but he kept his vow.
Christians today are notorious at making vows and breaking them. I noted this when I first began to move in Christian circles. As a young Christian, I went to a young people’s conference and watched eighteen young people go forward and dedicate themselves to the Lord for full-time Christian service. I wouldn’t go forward because I did not know whether I could make good my promise. May I say that out of all of those who dedicated themselves to the Lord’s service that night, not one of them entered full-time service! Have you made a vow to God? If you have, He wants you to keep it. “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim. 2:11–13). Oh, He keeps His Word. Let us keep our word. “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil” (2 Thess. 3:3). My, how wonderful He is, and how foolish we are today! Jephthah should be a lesson to us today.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Jealousy of Epfhraim: Judges Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
EPHRAIM IS PUNISHED
And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? [Jud. 12:1–3].
We have seen that the men of Ephraim also quarreled with Gideon (8:1) when he didn’t summon them to help him rout the Midianites. Now in a hostile way, they demanded that Jephthah give them the reason why he did not ask for their help in the battle. The jealousy of Ephraim was a real infection that led to a defection. Later on, when the kingdom is divided into north and south, you will find out that Ephraim is the center of all of the rebellion. And it goes back to their jealousy.
There is jealousy in the church today. It is one of our greatest problems. Paul said, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3). “Strife and vainglory” can be vanity and envy. These are two things that cause problems in churches today. When I hear some person in a church complain that it is not being run the way he thinks it should be, I wonder if he is jealous. When I find someone who is opposing the preacher all of the time, I suspect there is jealousy behind it.
Jealousy was the problem here. Jephthah had to protect himself. The men of Ephraim were going to burn his house down right over his head!
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay:
Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan; and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand [Jud. 12:4–6].
The Gileadites were successful in defeating the Ephraimites, and they seized the Jordan fords so that the Ephraimites could not escape. Then they selected a password that would be difficult to pronounce because it contained a consonant which was not in the Ephraimite dialect. The word was Shibboleth. If a person’s accent was not just right when he pronounced this word, he was in trouble. It is difficult for us to say certain words. Shibboleth was a word that was difficult for the Ephraimites to say because they could not put the “h” in it.
And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead [Jud. 12:7].
Jephthah’s death ended six eventful years.
IBZAN, THE TENTH JUDGE
The next three judges mentioned were practically zeros. They did nothing. Well, they did something, but they did not judge Israel as they should have done.
And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged Israel.
And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth-lehem [Jud. 12:8–10].
This judge is from Bethlehem. Bethlehem was one of the cities of Judah in the south, Ibzan had thirty sons and thirty daughters. I would have thought that he would have worked at getting his daughters husbands instead of getting wives for his sons. I suppose that in the seven years that he was judge he did not have time to get his daughters husbands too. He did not have time to judge Israel either. In other words, Ibzan was a man who gave all of his time to his family. There is nothing wrong with that, but it was not what he was called to do.
There is a great deal of nonsense abroad today about the subject of responsibility. I once heard the story of a preacher who was on his way to a speaking engagement and his little son wanted to talk with him. He sat down and talked to his son and missed his speaking engagement. Many people applauded him for that. Well, my friend, that man was breaking an engagement and also he was spoiling a child. You can show love and interest in your children without breaking an engagement. There is a time when certain things have to be put first. I think he would have better served the boy if he had told him, “Your daddy has a speaking engagement and that is important. You would want your daddy to keep that appointment, wouldn’t you?” I think the little fellow would have agreed. Then the father could have continued, “Now when I return, you and I will talk these things over, or tomorrow we can have a chat.” That would have done more for the boy than what the father did. All he did was make a spoiled brat out of the youngster, as I see it. I know I sound like a square, but I do not approve of judge Ibzan’s actions. He didn’t do anything. He is a picture of mediocrity, to be sure.
ELON, THE ELEVENTH JUDGE
And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun [Jud. 12:11–12].
These two verses tell us all that we know about Elon. He did nothing—he didn’t even have a large family. Apparently all that he did was twiddle his thumbs.
ABDON, THE TWELFTH JUDGE
And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites [Jud. 12:13–15].
Abdon did nothing except “out-Jair” Jair. Talk about keeping up with the Jones family! As we have seen in chapter 10, Jair had thirty sons—but Abdon had forty sons and thirty nephews besides. It must have been quite a sight to see that man ride out of town with his sons and nephews. You would have seen a parade of Jaguars, Mustangs, Pintos, and Cougars like you had never seen before. They call the little donkey the “mocking bird” or “lark” of the desert because he can really bray. Just think of all of those braying donkeys! That is all Abdon contributed. That isn’t much, friend.
We have quickly passed over the last three judges, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, because apparently they did nothing constructive as judges.
CHAPTERS 13–16
Theme: Seventh apostasy; Israel partially delivered through Samson
FORTY YEARS OF SERVITUDE UNDER THE PHILISTINES
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years [Jud. 13:1].
The repeated apostasy of Israel forms the setting for a time of oppression by the Philistines. The Philistines were probably the worst enemies that Israel had. This time their oppression lasted for forty years.
During this time we come to a judge that we cannot pass over. His name was Samson, and he was one of the most outstanding of the judges. He probably had more glorious opportunity than any man ever had. Everything was propitious for a career and a brilliant future, but he failed. That is the tragedy of this man’s life. He came to judge during the seventh apostasy and is, in one sense, the last of the judges. Israel was conquered by the Philistines and was only partially delivered by Samson. The small civil war that began in Jephthah’s day got bigger and bigger, and the Book of Judges ends in absolute confusion. During Samson’s time of leadership we are given the secret of his success, the secret of his strength, and the secret of his failure. Again, let me repeat, never was a man born with a more glorious opportunity than this man.
BIRTH OF SAMSON, THE THIRTEENTH JUDGE
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not [Jud. 13:2].
Zorah was a city between Dan and Judah, several miles west of Jerusalem. Manoah and his wife did not have any children because she was barren. So the birth of Samson was miraculous as was the birth of Isaac, or Joseph, or Benjamin.
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines [Jud. 13:3–5].
Before Samson was born, God marked him out. God raised him up to perform a gigantic task: he was to deliver Israel. The people of Israel were in a bad way because God had delivered them into the hands of the Philistines. The angel of the Lord that appeared to the mother of Samson told her what her son was to be—a Nazarite. You will recall that back in the Book of Numbers we are told what constituted a Nazarite vow. It was threefold: (1) He was not to touch strong drink or use grapes in any form. Why? Because wine is a symbol in the Scriptures of earthly joy. It is to cheer the heart. The Nazarite was to find his joy in the Lord. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” If we want to please Christ, we, too, are to find our joy in Him. In fact, joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23). Joy is one of the fruits the Holy Spirit wants to produce in your life and mine. (2) A Nazarite was not to cut his hair. Now what does that mean? In 1 Corinthians 11:14 Paul says, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” The Scripture says that long hair dishonors a man. A Nazarite, however, would be willing to bear the shame of long hair, and that is the reason a razor was not to touch his head. (3) He was not to go near a dead body. There were to be no natural claims upon him. He had to put God first, above his relatives and loved ones. The Lord Jesus said in Luke 14:26–27, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” This simply means that we cannot put anything before Christ. This is something that we have lost sight of today.
Samson was a Nazarite. He was God’s man, and that was the secret of the success he had. He was raised up for a great purpose, and his success was in God. Unfortunately he never succeeded in performing his God-appointed task. Did you notice what verse 5 said? Samson began to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. Success knocked at his door. He was a beginner, not a finisher. He began to deliver Israel, but he never finished the task.
There are many Christians like that. They make a great beginning, but they do not finish a task. Paul said to the Galatians, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Gal. 5:7). They started out with a bang and ended up with a fizzle. Many people begin to read the Bible, but many fall by the wayside. They just begin and don’t go on with it. I have been a pastor for forty years, friend, and I have known lots of people who start something and never conclude it. They never finish what they are called to do.
And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.
And the spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol [Jud. 13:24–25].
These verses tell us the secret of Samson’s strength. Samson’s strength was not in his arms, although he killed a thousand Philistines with those arms. His strength was not in his back, although he carried the gates of Gaza on his back, which was a remarkable undertaking. And Samson’s strength was not in his hair, although he was weak when it was cut. Samson was strong only when the Spirit of God was moving him. Just cutting his hair off was not actually what weakened him. His hair was the badge of his Nazarite vow. The Spirit of God was not on him when his hair was cut. Why? Because he had failed in his vow. He had not made good.
We see advertisements of body builders which show the man before and after. The before picture always features a little dried up weasel. After he takes the tonic, we see a great big muscle-bound man. Even though many people have pictured Samson as a big bruiser, he was probably one of the worst sissies in or out of the Bible. I think he was a little, dried-up milquetoast type of man. His name means “little sun.” He had long hair. He was a riddle maker. He played pranks like a schoolboy. He allowed women to make a fool of him. He was not a he-man. He was not the strongest man in the Bible. He was the weakest man. This fellow was tied to his mama’s apron strings like a little sissy, and that is exactly what he was. Then when the Spirit of the Lord began to move him, he was strong. When the Spirit was not upon him, he was as weak as water.
The people in Samson’s day wanted to know the source of his strength. They did not realize that God chooses the weak things of this world to accomplish His purposes. They marveled at Samson, “How can this little scrawny, milquetoast fellow, perform these feats of tremendous strength?” There was only one explanation—God did it.
SAMSON IS PROMISED A WIFE
It is amazing that the Spirit of God would come upon a man like this. But it is obvious that God moved through him. I feel that he was a sissy in every department of his life, and in chapter 14 we begin to see it.
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife [Jud. 14:1–2].
I submit to you that only a sissy would do a thing like that! Why didn’t he go and talk to the woman and tell her that he loved her and wanted to marry her? Why didn’t he go and talk to her father? In those days some sort of a business arrangement was always made when it came to marriage. Why didn’t he take care of that himself? Well, he is a sissy, and mamma and papa had to arrange the marriage for him. This is Samson.
Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father. Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel [Jud. 14:3–4].
Samson is going to use his marriage as a ruse in order that he might deliver Israel from the Philistines. He starts off well.
SAMSON SLAYS A LION AND GIVES A RIDDLE
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him [Jud. 14:5].
We have been told that a Nazarite was to keep away from the grapes, but not Samson.
And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion [Jud. 14:6–9].
On his way to Timnath with his parents, Samson was attacked by a lion. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him during this time of emergency and he killed the lion with his bare hands. During another trip Samson went to look at the carcass of the lion and discovered a swarm of bees and honey in it. He scooped the honey out with his hands and ate it. He also gave some to his parents, but he did not tell them where he got it. Remember that having contact with a carcass was a violation of the Nazarite law.
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle [Jud. 11:10–14].
As was the custom, Samson put on a marriage feast. The feast was held at the bride’s home. And all of the guests were Philistines. Riddles were a form of entertainment in those days, and Samson gave the guests a riddle. He gave them seven days in which to find the answer. If they guessed the riddle, then Samson would give them thirty linen garments and thirty cloaks. If they failed to guess the answer to his riddle, then they would have to give him thirty linen garments and thirty cloaks. Without knowing about the slain lion and the hive of bees in the carcass, there was no way the thirty guests could solve Samson’s riddle.
SAMSON IS DECEIVED AND SLAYS THIRTY PHILISTINES
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down. What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle [Jud. 14:15–18].
The Philistines appealed to Samson’s wife to help them find out the answer to the riddle. If she did not find out what his secret was, they threatened to burn down her father’s house with her in it. Now the strongest weapon that a woman has is her tears, and Samson’s wife turned hers on for seven days. I want to tell you that a woman who weeps for seven straight days, and at every meal, gets a little tiresome. Finally he had to give in and tell her the answer to the riddle. He was good at making wisecracks, too. He knew where these men got the answer to the riddle. Samson said, “If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.” In other words, “You got the answer from my wife.”
And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house [Jud. 14:19].
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson and he went down south to Ashkelon—Ashkelon is way down in the south. There he killed thirty men in order to get thirty changes of raiment that he needed to pay off his wager. Samson left in a pout. Notice that he doesn’t take his wife with him. He is angry with her for giving away his riddle.
But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend [Jud. 14:20].
So the father of the girl gives her to the best man at the wedding!
SAMSON BURNS THE PHILISTINES CROPS
But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her [Jud. 15:1–2].
After Samson’s anger subsided, he went to visit his wife and brought a kid as a present. Her father informed Samson that he thought Samson no longer wanted her and so he had given her to his friend. Samson did not like this, of course.
And Samson said concerning; them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives [Jud. 15:3–5].
Samson apparently felt justified in vengeance on the Philistines. He caught three hundred foxes, tied their tails together and then tied a torch on the tails, set them on fire, and let the animals loose in the fields. Of course these foxes would really take out on a run, and they would scatter the firebrands everywhere. Actually, friend, this entire episode is like a prank a juvenile would play! Samson certainly doesn’t look like God’s man here!
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
And Samson said unto them. Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam [Jud. 15:6–8].
Notice that this is personal. This has nothing to do with his commission from God to deliver Israel from the Philistines. He is just avenging himself. His actions had nothing to do with delivering Israel. His revenge was personal.
SAMSON SLAYS ONE THOUSAND PHILISTINES
After smiting the Philistines with a great slaughter, Samson really had the enemy stirred up. They began looking for him, so he let his own people bind him with ropes in order to protect them from the Philistines.
And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands [Jud. 15:14].
The men of Judah took Samson, their prisoner, to Lehi which was occupied by the Philistines. The enemy was overjoyed to see Samson being brought to them bound. Then he broke the bands as if they were nothing. Again we see the strength of this man—but not his own strength.
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith [Jud. 15:15].
Samson grabbed the closest weapon, which was the jawbone of a donkey, and attacked the enemy. He killed one thousand of them. Notice the strength of this man. He could never have done such a thing in his own power of course; it was the Spirit of the Lord upon him that enabled him to do it. He is beginning to deliver Israel. If only he had kept that goal before him! But he did not, as we shall see in the next chapter.
SAMSON’S MORAL FRAILTY
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him [Jud. 16:1–2].
What a playboy Samson was! The men of the city locked up the city and they said, “We’ll get him in the morning.”
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron [Jud. 16:3].
Samson got up at midnight and found the gates of the city locked. So what did he do? He took the gate, posts, bar, and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them away to the top of a hill that is before Hebron. That would have been about forty miles away. What he did sounds like the prank of a teenager or the trick of a college student. This boy Samson never did grow up. He has been called to deliver Israel with his mighty power, and all he does is use it for his personal advantage.
SAMSON AND DELILAH
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah [Jud. 16:4].
That is the story of Samson. That is the downfall of Samson. That is the big failure in his life. That is the weak point in his life—“he loved a woman.” No man falls suddenly into sin—he does it gradually.
There was a bank president in my congregation when I pastored a church in Texas. This man went with me to the local jail to hand out tracts and talk to the prisoners. Outwardly he was an outstanding man. One day he disappeared. He had gone on vacation. Suddenly the bank began to miss money. They could not believe that he had taken it. They tried to account for the loss in every other way, but they could not. They finally decided that he must be the one who took the money, and when he did not return from vacation, they began to search for him. After a complete investigation, they discovered that he had been taking money for years. No man falls suddenly into sin.
One of the greatest sins that destroys many a man today is this matter of illicit sex. That was Samson’s sin—“he loved a woman whose name was Delilah.” As far as we know, he made no attempt to marry her.
And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man [Jud. 16:5–7].
You may be sure that Delilah was more interested in the silver than she was in Samson. Once again the Philistine leaders had found a way to get to Samson.
Notice that he teases her at first. He begins to give her answers, but they are wrong answers. He broke the cords with no effort at all. Still his strength was not known.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies; now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.
And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man [Jud. 16:10–11].
Again he is playing with her; he is kidding her along. He allowed her to tie him up with ropes. Then when she cried, “The Philistines are upon thee, Samson,” he broke the ropes like they were a thread. Now Delilah is really exasperated. She is frustrated with her boy friend.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web [Jud. 16:13–14].
Now Samson is beginning to weaken. May I say to you, friend, this is the beginning of the end of this man. He is getting close to the truth now as he mentions his hair. But he is still teasing with her, and when she says, “The Philistines are upon thee, Samson,” he picks the whole thing up and walks away with it.
And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou has mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
That he told her all his heart, and said unto her. There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man [Jud. 16:15–17].
This time Delilah tells Samson that if he really loved her he would tell her the secret of his strength. So Samson told her that he was a Nazarite. Long hair, as you remember, was a badge of this vow. His strength was not in his hair but in the Spirit of God who came upon him. Delilah sees what a fool he really is—and he is a fool.
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
And she made him sleep upon her knees: and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him [Jud. 16:18–20].
When Samson went to sleep, Delilah had one of the Philistines come in and shave off his hair. Then for the fourth time Delilah cried out, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson!” This is the tragic time in the life of Samson. He awoke out of his sleep, thinking he would do as he had done before, but “he knew not that the Lord was departed from him.” Friend, the strength was not in his hair; the strength was in the Spirit of the Lord who was upon him.
Friend, our spiritual strength today is not in ceremonies or in rituals. The strength of the believer is always in the Spirit of God—always.
Samson, called to be a judge for his people, called to deliver his people from the oppression of the Philistines, is a carnal man. Now Ichabod (meaning “the glory is departed”) is written over his life. He never raised an army. He never won a battle. He never rallied the men of Israel to him. Sex was the ruin of this man—this man who was chosen by God!
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand [Jud. 16:21–23].
Now we are coming to the tragic end of this man. After the Philistines captured Samson, they put out his eyes—blinded him—then forced him to do the work of a beast of burden in the prison. While he was in prison, his hair began to grow. He now has become a very repentant man.
The Philistines, of course, ascribe their victory over Samson to their god Dagon and hold a feast to celebrate.
SAMSON IS AVENGED IN HIS DEATH
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport [Jud. 16:25–27].
To make their victory celebration complete, the Philistines have Samson brought from the prison. Then they make a fool of him. About three thousand men and women watch Samson being tormented.
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years [Jud. 16:28–31].
Samson was a failure. He began to deliver Israel—but he failed. He preferred to play with sin until the Spirit of God departed from him. Three significant verses tell his story:
Secret of Samson’s success—
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines (Jud. 13:5).
Secret of Samson’s strength—
And the spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol (Jud. 13:25).
Secret of Samson’s failure—
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him (Jud. 16:20).
Note the parallel between the life of Samson and that of Jesus Christ:
Comparison:
1. Both births were foretold by an angel.
2. Both were separated to God from the womb.
3. Both were Nazarites.
4. Both moved in the power of the Holy Spirit.
5. Both were rejected by their people.
6. Both destroyed (or will destroy) their enemies.
Contrast:
1. Samson lived a life of sin; Jesus’ life was sinless.
2. Samson at the time of death prayed, “O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
3. In death, Samson’s arms were outstretched in wrath;
4. In death, Jesus’ arms were outstretched in love.
5. Samson died. Jesus Christ lives!
CHAPTER 17–18
Theme: Religious apostasy—the temple
RELIGIOUS CONFUSION IN ISRAEL
In chapters 17–21 we have presented the philosophy of history that was mentioned at the beginning of this book. We have seen it illustrated in Judges as the hoop of history rolls over and over. It starts with Israel in the place of blessing. They are serving God. Then there is a departure from God and they do evil. They follow their own way. Then they are sold into slavery. In their slavery and servitude they cry out to God for deliverance. Then they turn to God and repent. Then God raises up judges to deliver them. Then Israel comes back to the place of blessing and becomes a nation that serves God. Just when everything is back in order, they lapse into sin and turn from God again. Altogether Israel went through seven apostasies. This gives us the philosophy of history. Every nation goes down in this order: (1) religious apostasy; (2) moral awfulness; (3) political anarchy. Deterioration begins in the temple, then to the home, and finally to the state. That is the way a nation falls. This period of apostasy began in the tribe of Dan in their desire to enlarge their borders. It was another lapse into idolatry. It all can be traced to the home of Micah and his mother who spoiled him. The priest, hired by Micah to tend his idols, advised Dan to proceed with a selfish plan. This was the sweet talk of a hired preacher.
IDOLATRY IN EPHRAIM
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son [Jud. 17:1–2].
Micah is an example of a spoiled brat. He is a mama’s boy. He knew that his mother had been saving some money, and he decided to steal it. His mother, not knowing who stole the money, pronounced a curse on the thief. So he confessed to being the thief, and instead of his mama turning him across her knee and applying the board of education to the seat of knowledge, she congratulated him. She said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.”
And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee [Jud. 17:3].
When Micah returned the money to his mother, she told him that she had dedicated that money to the Lord to make a graven image and a molten image. You see, they have gone off into idolatry! So she turns around and gives it back to him. You know, there are a lot of Christians today that are just that inconsistent. She was dedicating the money to the Lord but using it to make an idol! Many groups take up an offering and say it is for the Lord, then use most of it for the church social on Friday night. They say the money is dedicated to the Lord, but actually it is honoring the god of pleasure.
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes [Jud. 17:5–6].
Micah had a house of gods. His mother provided the silver for the idols, and Micah provided a shrine for them. He also made an ephod and teraphim to complete the furnishings of the shrine. Then, to top it all off, he consecrated one of his sons to be his priest. They had come to the place where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in [Jud. 17:7–10].
It must have bothered Micah a little that he had made his son a priest. So, when this unemployed itinerant preacher came by, Micah hired him. This Levite from Beth-lehem-judah became his private family priest. Here is a priest who is like a hired preacher who becomes a messenger boy of a church board or of a little group. God have mercy on the church that has this kind of a preacher. This Levite has now become a priest and has a house full of idols.
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest [Jud. 17:11–13].
This chapter is certainly a revelation of the low spiritual ebb to which the nation Israel had come. Here is a man who thinks just because he has a Levite for his preacher that that is all he needs. How tragic is that kind of thinking. Yet Micah expected the blessing of God upon him. And how many people are like that today?
IDOLATRY IN DAN
The Danites had been assigned territory that was occupied by the mighty Philistines. They felt that they needed more room in which to live. There was no king in Israel. It was a time of utter confusion. There was no leadership.
In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel [Jud. 18:1].
You will recall in the Book of Joshua that none of the tribes took possession of all the land that was coming to them. That certainly was true of the tribe of Dan way in the north. The Danites had a real problem. In fact, it was so bad they took to the hills.
And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there [Jud. 18:2].
These men went out to see what territory the tribe of Dan could take in order to extend and expand the borders of their tribe. During their travels they came to the house of Micah.
When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest [Jud. 18:3–4].
This man is nothing but a hired preacher. (God have mercy on the church that has a hired preacher who chooses to be a messenger boy for a little group rather than to preach and teach the Word of God, without fear, without favoritism, and without compromise.) This Levite has compromised. This is a period of compromise, corruption, and confusion, which are the marks of apostasy at any time. We are in a state of apostasy today. The church has compromised. It is in a state of corruption and confusion. Our problem is that it is not returning to its authority, which is the Word of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ who is revealed in the Word of God.
And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the Lord is your way wherein ye go [Jud. 18:5–6].
This is the sweet talk of a hired preacher who says what people want to hear. The five men left and thought what the Levite told them was great.
And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.
When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands: a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.
And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war [Jud. 18:9–11].
A good report is brought back by the spies who suggest that the Danites should possess Laish. So a party of six hundred warriors is formed, and they take with them their families and possessions. On the way back to Laish, they stop by Micah’s house and rob him of his idols and his priest. Then the Danites capture Laish, burn it, rebuild it, and live in it. They rename the city Dan.
And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh [Jud. 18:30–31].
Here is a picture of real apostasy, friend. Who is Jonathan? He happens to be the grandson of Moses! These people had gone a long way from God. Remember that Moses had said, speaking for the Lord, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exod. 20:3–4). And here is Moses’ grandson, a priest with an idol! This is tragic.
When I was a young man studying for the ministry, I was shocked to learn some of the things that were going on within the organized church. Because I had not been brought up in the church, it was a new world and a new life for me. I was deeply impressed with the life and ministry of Dwight L. Moody and considered him a real saint of God—which he was, by the way. Then a man who knew him and knew his family told me, “One of his sons holds an office in the most liberal organization in this country.” During those early days nothing hurt me as that did. I just couldn’t understand how a son of a man like Moody could depart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and from the integrity and inerrancy of the Word of God!
My friend, apostasy is an awful thing. And a nation’s problems begin with religious apostasy. This is what happened to the nation of Israel. Here we see Moses’ grandson serving as priest with Micah’s graven image!
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Moral awfulness—the home
As we have seen in the preceding section, the downfall of a people begins with religious apostasy. From there it moves on to the second stage, which is moral awfulness. This is graphically illustrated in the frightful episode which concludes the Book of Judges. It centers about the tribe of Benjamin. This tribe engaged in gross immorality which led to civil war. It began with the men of Benjamin abusing and finally murdering a Levite’s concubine. The other tribes try to exterminate the tribe of Benjamin. This period ends in total national corruption and confusion and with this the Book of Judges concludes: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Jud. 21:25).
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four whole months [Jud. 19:1–2].
These two verses give us another insight into the life of the children of Israel of that day, and it is a good illustration of Romans chapters 1–3. Can you imagine a Levite marrying a woman like that? Well, he did, and she played the harlot, left him, and went back to her father’s house. This Levite followed her, was warmly received by her father, and stayed several days. Then the Levite and his concubine left and headed northward. They stayed one night in Gibeah, a city of the Benjamites. An old man who was also from mount Ephraim and was sojourning in Gibeah offered them hospitality. That night, while they were being entertained by their host, some men of the city demanded (as was done in Sodom before its destruction) the Levite for their homosexual gratification. Believing it would mean final death for him, he gave them instead his concubine. They abused her all night and absolutely caused her death by raping her. This horrible act sounds like something that could have happened in our country—does it not? In fact, the parallel to our contemporary society is quite striking as you read through this section.
The Levite was really wrought up by this crime, and what he did reveals how low they were in that day. He took her and cut her up in pieces, then sent a piece to each tribe with a message of what had taken place!
The reaction of the rest of the nation to this outrage is recorded in the next two chapters.
CHAPTERS 20–21
Theme: Political anarchy—the state
Following religious apostasy, then moral awfulness, the next step downward in the life of Israel (and of every nation) is political anarchy. We see this in the last two chapters of the Book of Judges.
When the tribes of Israel received a part of this dismembered woman with the message of what had taken place in Gibeah, they were incensed against the tribe of Benjamin. They believed the law should be enforced. In that respect they had not sunk as low as we have today in our philosophy that lawlessness should be permitted and we should have as little law as possible. They gave Benjamin an opportunity to deliver up the offenders, but instead Benjamin declared war against the other eleven tribes! So the tribes assembled together and came against Benjamin.
Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh.
And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword [Jud. 20:1–2].
Apparently the tribe of Benjamin had a tremendous army. We are given an interesting sidelight here:
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss [Jud. 20:16].
I heard a liberal speak for fifteen minutes one time on the fact that David could not have been accurate enough to hit Goliath on the forehead. Consider this verse. These men were as accurate in that day with their slings as we are today with our missiles. If they could get in the range of a slingshot, it would be fatal for anyone. These left-handed men could split a hair!
This same liberal said that the reason David picked up five stones was so that he would have a reserve supply in case he missed with the first stone. Well, that liberal was wrong. Goliath had four sons in the army of the Philistines, and David had a stone for each one of them. David knew how accurate he was.
Now the men of Benjamin were overcome by sheer numbers. In fact, the tribe of Benjamin was almost destroyed.
And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour [Jud. 20:44–46].
The people in the tribe of Benjamin were judged because of their gross immorality. What a tragic thing it was for so many to die. This was the favorite tribe. Benjamin, you will recall, was the youngest son of old Jacob, and a favorite son. Benjamin was the one for whom Judah was willing to lay down his life. He occupied a place next to Judah.
Unfortunately gross immorality had taken place and had set tribe against tribe and class against class. Then what happened? It led to political anarchy. First there was religious apostasy in the temple, then moral awfulness in the home, and finally political anarchy in the state. These are the steps that any nation takes that goes down.
The final chapter in the Book of Judges deals with the mourning for Israel’s lost tribe and the provision the people made for its future.
The slaughter of the Benjamites caused Israel to be faced with a new problem. Almost the entire tribe of Benjamin had been destroyed and the other tribes vowed not to let their daughters marry any of the few remaining Benjamites. Exactly how was the tribe of Benjamin going to be preserved? Before the war, the Israelites had made another vow. They said that any who refused to come to Mizpeh and fight would be put to death. They found out that the men of Jabesh-gilead had not responded to the appeal, and so the command went out for twelve thousand men of Israel to kill the males of Jabesh-gilead, marry the women, and bring the virgins back to the camp at Shiloh. These virgins then became wives to four hundred Benjamites. A means was also found to get wives for the remaining Benjamites and to rebuild the cities that had been destroyed in the fighting.
This period ends in total national corruption and confusion. The final verse concludes the sordid story of the Book of Judges:
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes [Jud. 21:25].
Here in this twentieth century the heads of state would do well to study the Book of Judges. Back in 1928, when the depression first began, a brief editorial appeared in the staid Wall Street Journal, which went something like this:
What America needs today is not Government controls, industrial expansion, or a bumper corn crop; American needs to return to the day when grandpa took the team out of the field in the early afternoon on Wednesday in order to hitch them to the old spring wagon into which grandma put all of the children after she washed their faces shining clean; and they drove off to prayer meeting in the little white church at the crossroads underneath the oak trees, where everyone believed the Bible, trusted Christ, and loved one another.
Where did our trouble begin? Because our trouble is primarily spiritual, it actually goes back to the church. The church went into apostasy. Then our problems centered in the home with the drug problem and the generation gap. Trouble has now moved into political circles, and we have anarchy. People say, “If we could just change this or that and put in this party or that party, everything would be fine.”All of this is perfect nonsense. What we need today is to get back to a spiritual foundation. That is where we went off the track, and that is where our troubles began. We have seen in the Book of Judges the philosophy of history, and the hoop of history is still rolling. Frankly, I am disturbed because it has never changed. We today are in the midst of political anarchy. God have mercy on America!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Davis, John J. Conquest and Crisis—Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969.
Enns, Paul P. Joshua. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
Enns, Paul P. Judges. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zordervan Publishing House, 1982.
Epp, Theodore H. Joshua—Victorious by Faith. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1968. (Devotional.)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible, Vol. 2. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Grant, F. W. Numerical Bible, Vol. 2. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1891.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies, Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on the Book of Joshua. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1950.
Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; and Brown, D. Commentary on the Bible. 3 Vols. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1945.
Jensen, Irving L. Joshua, Rest—Land Won. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Jensen, Irving L. Joshua, A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968.
Jensen, Irving L. Judges & Ruth, A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968.
Lewis, Arthur. Judges and Ruth. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1979.
McGee, J. Vernon. Ruth, The Romance of Redemption. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1943.
Mackintosh, C. H. The Mackintosh Treasury: Miscellaneous Writings. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux, n.d.
Meyer, F. B. Joshua, and the Land of Promise. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (A rich devotional study.)
Pink, Arthur W. Gleanings in Joshua. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1964.
Redpath, Alan. Victorious Christian Living. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1955. (Devotional studies in Joshua.)
Ridout, Samuel. Lectures on the Books of Judges & Ruth. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d. (Excellent.)
The Book of
Ruth
INTRODUCTION
Ruth is the story of a little foreign girl who came out of paganism and idolatry in the land of Moab. She came from a people who were in many senses an outcast people, and she came into a knowledge of the Lord God of Israel, as Boaz said, “Under whose wings thou art come to trust” (Ruth 2:12).
Ruth has only four brief chapters, but it is a mighty midget with a mighty message. In fact, it has several messages. It gives a genealogy that leads to the Lord Jesus Christ, and it explains His coming from the line of David. There are commentators who take the position that the primary purpose of the Book of Ruth is to give the genealogy. While I agree that this is an important purpose of the book, I do not believe it is the primary purpose. Keil and Delitzsch make this statement: “The last words of verse 17, ‘he is the father of Jesse, the father of David,’ show the object which the author had in view in writing down these events, or composing the book itself. This conjecture is raised into a certainty by the genealogy which follows, and with which the book closes.” The Book of Ruth is very important in connection with the coming of Jesus Christ into this world. Without this little book, we could not connect the house of David with the tribe of Judah. It is an important link in the chain of Scripture that begins with Genesis and goes right down to that stable in Bethlehem and to the cross, to the crown, and to the throne of David on which our Lord will someday be seated. This is a very definite reason Ruth is included in the canon of Scripture.
However, the primary purpose of the book of Ruth is the presentation of an important phase in the doctrine of redemption. Redemption is possible only through a Kinsman-Redeemer. God could not redeem apart from a Mediator. Since only God could redeem, it was necessary for Him to become that person. Boaz furnishes the only figure for the Kinsman Redeemer aspect of redemption which is so essential for any proper theory of the Atonement. This little Book of Ruth comes down to our level and tells the commonplace story of a couple who love each other. They were ordinary folk, average folk, and their love story is a mirror in which we can see the divine love of a Savior for you and me. As we proceed into the Book of Ruth, we see this wonderful love story unfold before us.
OUTLINE
Ruth is a very brief book, just four chapters, and there are many ways of dividing it. Some outlines are excellent, but the one we shall follow seems to satisfy the content of the book more than any other. It is the geographical division.
I. In the Land of Moab, Chapter 1
II. In the Fields of Boaz, Chapter 2
III. On the Threshingfloor of Boaz, Chapter 3
IV. In the Heart and Home of Boaz, Chapter 4
CHAPTER 1
Theme: In the land of Moab
Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons [Ruth 1:1].
This verse that opens the Book of Ruth covers a great deal. In fact, it sounds like modern newspaper reporting. When I was in college I had a job working on a newspaper, the Memphis Commercial Appeal. As a cub reporter, I went out with some of the other reporters. Also I got acquainted with the city editor, who was a very nice man, and he attempted to help me all he could. Well, I tried to write up a story of an incident we witnessed one night in Memphis and presented it to the city editor. He read it, just pushed it aside, and said he couldn’t use it. Then he told me that there are two things which are always important to get into the first sentence of any article that’s newsworthy: the time and the place. In fact, he said, “Get as much in the first sentence as you possibly can.” The next time you’re reading an important article on the front page of your paper, notice how much information is included in that opening sentence. Sometimes the first sentence is an entire paragraph, and it just about tells the whole story right there. It tells you what the incident is, where it took place, when it took place, and generally how it took place.
Now the Holy Spirit of God is a very wonderful reporter. And so in this very first verse He gives the time and the place. The time: “when the judges ruled.” Those were dark days. In one sense, they were the darkest days in the history of the nation Israel. You will recall that the Israelites had been in Egyptian captivity, and God had redeemed them by blood and by power, and had brought them through the wilderness. Then He brought them into the Promised Land. And what great promise there was. You would think that this new generation, whose fathers had known the rigors of slavery in Egypt, would serve God in a very wonderful way. But, you know, they didn’t.
The Book of Judges tells a sorry and sordid story of a departure from God, of how a people began by serving the living and true God, then turned from Him to idolatry and moral corruption, then how they cried to Him when the enemy oppressed them, and how He raised up judges to deliver them.
I agree with those who are saying right now that America must have revival or she will probably have revolution. Frankly, if you want to see a sweeping revival in this country, don’t pray for revival—pray that God will put the church through the fire, and I’ll guarantee that will bring revival. It has always brought revival among God’s people in the past, and it did in the nation Israel. When they got far from God, judgment came—He sent them into slavery, or an enemy came and defeated them. Then in their suffering they cried out to God. And God was so gracious. He always raised up judges to deliver them.
The Book of Ruth fits into this period of the judges. The incidents that are recorded here take place on this black background of the judges, a time when a man like Samson was a public figure. Today when scandals have shaken our own country, think of the scandal of a Samson! During the period of compromise, corruption, and confusion, this lovely story takes place. It is light in the midst of darkness. This is the way God writes, is it not? He writes the story of salvation on the black background of sin, and He put this lovely little story on the black background of the time of the judges. This is the picture that we have before us. It is “in the days when the judges ruled.”
Not only that, but we’re told that the place was Beth-lehem-judah. Now that indeed is very interesting. Beth-lehem-judah has real meaning for a child of God today. And, frankly, Jesus Christ would never have been born in Bethlehem if the incidents recorded in the Book of Ruth hadn’t first taken place in Bethlehem. As you sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” remember that the Christmas story began way back in the incidents which transpired in the little Book of Ruth. These are the incidents that will concern us as we move into this very wonderful portion of Scripture.
The meaning of the name Beth-lehem-judah is interesting. Actually, the names in the Bible have a real meaning. Beth-lehem means “house of bread,” and Judah means “praise.” That’s a wonderful place to live—don’t you agree—in the house of bread and praise? The story of Ruth begins and ends there. And that’s the place where Jesus was born. Because the names in the Bible, and especially in the Old Testament, have specific meanings, we miss a great deal by not having a translation of the names. I wish we did. At least we have in the notes of certain Bibles an explanation of the meanings of some of the names. It adds a wealth of meaning to the Word of God, as it does in this instance.
“And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.” He lives in the house of bread and praise, but he goes to sojourn in the country of Moab. There’s something in the Word of God about Moab that’s quite interesting. It’s almost humorous. In Psalm 108:9 it says, “Moab is my washpot.” Now that’s what God says of Moab. You see, these were an outcast people. They had a very sordid and sorry beginning, and Moab just doesn’t stand out very well in the Word of God. One way to paraphrase what God says about Moab might be to say, “Moab is my garbage can.”
Now will you look at this for just a moment. Here’s a family—a certain man, his wife, and his two sons—that goes over to the land of Moab. They leave the house of bread and the house of praise and they go over to eat out of a garbage can. Did you ever hear that story before? I’m sure you immediately will be reminded of the parable that our Lord gave about a prodigal son. He left the father’s house in which there was plenty, and he went over to the foreign country, where he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating. I do not think our Lord made up that story. In fact, I do not think He made up parables. I think every parable He gave was a true incident. Probably there were many sons in that day to whom His parable could have applied. And from that day to the present that story has been repeated in literally millions of lives. I talked to a young man here in Southern California not too long ago who had run away from his home in the East. That was his story. He accepted the Lord out here, and we called his father right from my study. How his father rejoiced! That story, my friend, has been lived by many sons.
But here it’s the story of a prodigal family. When famine came to the land, they left. They got frightened. Well, their father Abraham got frightened also, and when a famine came to that land during his lifetime, he ran off to Egypt. And now here’s another famine. This is one of thirteen that are mentioned in the Bible. Every time a famine is mentioned in the Word of God, it’s a judgment from God. This is not only the time of the judges with dark days, but these are the darkest of the dark days when this incident took place. They didn’t believe God could take care of them in the house of bread and of praise, so they ran off to the land of Moab.
Now I would like you to get acquainted with this family. It is an interesting family.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there [Ruth 1:22].
The name of the man is Elimelech. His name means “my God is King” or “the King is my God.” Here is a man who has a name that’s really meaningful. Just think of the testimony he gave where he worked. When they called him, they didn’t say, “Elimelech,” in English. They said, “My God is King,” or, “God is my King.” My, that’s a wonderful name to have, isn’t it? Why, his very name is a testimony. It’s mighty bad, though, to have that name and run off to the land of Moab. He doesn’t act as if God is his King.
The name of his wife is Naomi. Now if you were to look up her name in a good Bible dictionary, you’d find that her name means “pleasant.” Well, I’d like to give her a really good name. I think her name really was Merry Sunshine. She was a wonderful person. She was the type of individual who always had a very happy outlook upon life. There are many Christians like that today. They always see the bright side. They always register that, and they live above their circumstances instead of being under their circumstances. Some people are always complaining, always finding fault, but not Naomi, not Merry Sunshine.
Elimelech and Naomi have two sons. Their names are Mahlon and Chilion. The name Mahlon means “unhealthy,” and Chilion means “puny.” She had two sickly boys. And I imagine Naomi had quite a testimony in Bethlehem because of that. Many people said, “I just don’t see how Merry Sunshine can be so radiant and so joyful when she has the burden of those two unhealthy boys.” Well, that’s her story. And we’re told that she and her husband were Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah.
“And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.” They not only went to Moab, they made their home there. Now although the prodigal son got into the pigpen, finally he said, “I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:18). Sometimes a prodigal stays in the pigpen a long time, and this family, unfortunately, stayed too long. And do you know what always happens to a Christian family—or to an individual who is God’s child—which runs off to the far country? They always get a whipping in the far country. You know, that father who received his prodigal son when he came home, could have said to the servant, “Go get me my razor strap. I’m going to whip this boy within an inch of his life. He ran off and spent my money and disgraced my name. I’ll teach him.” But he didn’t do that. He threw his arms around the boy. He told the servant to go kill the fatted calf and to bring the best robe for his son. You see, many Christians today think that God is a very stern, harsh Father and that if you come back to Him, He won’t receive you, but He’ll punish you. He won’t whip you, friend. You’ll get your whipping in the far country. That’s where the prodigal son got his, and I’ll tell you, he got a good one. And this family here is going to be taken to the woodshed. They’re going to get a whipping in the far country.
But they are, I think, a fine family. “My God is King” is the father, the head of the family. And there’s Merry Sunshine, the wife and mother, and then there are the two sickly boys, Mahlon and Chilion. They go to the land of Moab, and they go to eat out of the garbage can, and they continue living there.
Notice what happens.
And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons [Ruth 1:3].
I told you they were going to have trouble in the far country, and they did. It always happens. John says, “There is a sin unto death” (1 John 5:16). I do not know what the sin unto death is for you. For Ananias and Sapphira it was a lie to the Holy Spirit. I don’t think that’s a sin unto death today. If it were, we’d be very busy conducting funerals in the church. But I don’t think it’s the same for every Christian. When you get away from God, that’s when trouble comes.
Now the husband died. Notice what happened after he died.
And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years [Ruth 1:4].
Now the very minute that they did that they broke the Mosaic Law. You see, having gotten out of fellowship with God and going to the far country, the next step is always in apostasy; it’s to continue on in sin, and even to multiply it. And that’s what they did. They broke the Mosaic Law and took wives of the women of Moab.
Orpah means “deer” or “fawn.” It means she was the athletic type. And you wonder why an athletic type of girl married one of these sickly boys. But she did. After meeting Orpah, we come to the one we’re really interested in: Ruth. And I could give you about ten different meanings for the name Ruth. It means “beauty”; it means “personality.” And she had this characteristic—she was beautiful but she was not dumb. She is a remarkable person, and I hope that you’re going to fall in love with her because she happens to be one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ. In other words, in His humanity, He had the blood of Ruth flowing through His veins. We’re going to get acquainted with her. She married Mahlon in the land of Moab. There is a word I’d like to use to describe her, but Hollywood and the high-pressure publicity of our day have spoiled it. It would be “glamour.” Certainly, in the best sense of the word, that would apply to Ruth. And why she ever married this sickly boy is difficult to understand at first, but I think we will understand it later on.
Now this prodigal family is in the far country. Trouble has already come to them, and more trouble is going to come to this mother and wife. She has lost her husband, and her two sons have married women of Moab.
And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband [Ruth 1:5].
Now I was expecting that, by the way. I didn’t think that they’d make it through another hard winter, and they didn’t. And these two boys, Unhealthy and Puny, died. Now she has lost her entire family, and all she has left are two little daughters-in-law, foreign girls. That’s all she has. I tell you, trouble did come. And the prodigal family, like the prodigal son, got their whipping in the far country.
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread [Ruth 1:6].
The famine was over back in the Promised Land, and there was bread again in Bethlehem, the house of bread and praise. And so now she wants to return home. It’s interesting. The prodigal family and the prodigal son will long for the father’s house. And if they don’t long for the father’s house, they just don’t happen to be the children of the father. The prodigal son will never be happy in the pigpen. He just wasn’t made for a pigpen. He hasn’t the nature of a pig. He has the nature of the father, and he will eventually say, “I will arise and go to my father.” Now the pigs love pigpens. There is a story that Peter gives to us in 2 Peter 2:22, which I call the parable of the prodigal pig. “… The sow that was washed [has returned] to her wallowing in the mire.” You see, one of the little pigs got all cleaned up and told the prodigal son, “You seem to be sold on going home, and I want to go with you.” And so the pig went home with the prodigal son, but he didn’t like it up there—clean sheets on the bed and a clean tablecloth—ugh! He told the prodigal son, “Why don’t we put the food in the trough and all of us jump in and have a big time? And why do we have to have clean sheets? I like mud better.” And finally the little pig said he’d arise and go to his father. And you know where his old man was—down there in the pigpen. And the prodigal pig went back to the pigpen; he always will. And the prodigal son will always go home, friends. You can depend on that. But today it’s confusing. On the freeways of life there are prodigal sons going to pigpens and prodigal pigs going up to the father’s house, and they ought not to be. Sometimes they get into the church, and they start causing trouble. Like a pig when he gets into the father’s house, he starts causing trouble in the church. He’s a troublemaker, but eventually he’ll end up back in the pigpen. You just have to wait, you see.
So eventually this family must go home. Finally Naomi says she’s going back to Bethlehem-judah.
Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah [Ruth 1:7].
Now Naomi is going to talk to her daughters-in-law just like a Dutch uncle. She’s going to tell them what the situation is going to be when they get to Bethlehem. You see, the Moabites and the Israelites just didn’t have anything to do with each other. The Israelites had no dealings with the Moabites, just like later on they didn’t have any dealings with the Samaritans. Now here Naomi tells them that because they’re Moabites it’s going to cost them something to go up with her to Bethlehem. They’d never be able to marry again, and these were young women. It would mean perpetual widowhood and poverty for them because she had lost all of her property.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me [Ruth 1:8].
Now she had a wonderful word for them. They’d been good daughters-in-law. And you know, it’s difficult for a mother to feel that any girl is worthy of her son. But here’s one who could say of these foreign girls that they had made good wives. But she encourages them to return and go back to their own mothers and not to go up with her because of what it would cost them. And she says,
The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept [Ruth 1:9].
This is truly a womanly scene. Naomi tells them that if they stay in the land of Moab, they can remarry among their own people; but if they were to go up with her, they wouldn’t have a chance. Here are these three women standing in the crossroads in the land of Moab. When I visited the land of Moab, I thought of these three women. Around any bend of the road there in that wild country, on those roads that twist and turn, you might be able to see these three, Ruth and Naomi and Orpah. There they stand, and they’re weeping. They have their handkerchiefs out, and I call this the meeting of the handkerchief brigade. They’re all weeping.
And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people [Ruth 1:10].
Now their first decision was, “We’ll go with you.”
And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? [Ruth 1:11].
You see, the Mosaic Law said that when a man died, the nearest of kin was to marry his wife and if there were a brother he was the one to marry her. This was a very strange law indeed, and we’ll see it later on here in the Book of Ruth because this is the story of the kinsman-redeemer. So here Naomi just talks turkey to them. She tells them how it is. “If you go with me, you can never get married. My people couldn’t identify themselves with you. It’d be too costly. You’ll really be outcasts because we don’t have any dealings with the Moabites.”
Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to-night, and should also bear sons [Ruth 1:12].
And so Naomi urged them to stay in their own land. She made it very plain. She said, “Even if I had more sons, which I never will, but if I did, would you wait for them to grow up? Why, you’d be robbing the cradle. You wouldn’t want to do that.”
Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me [Ruth 1:13].
You see, God had judged Naomi’s family, and she told them they’d have to bear that. She didn’t want them to go with her for that reason.
Now here we go again.
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her [Ruth 1:14].
Now we come to the parting of the ways. As I said, you might come around the curve in any road in Moab and see these three women. And had you and I gone by in that day and seen these three women in eastern garb weeping there, we would have thought that nothing of importance was taking place. But, my friend, I’ll tell you how important it is: the decision made that day will determine whether Jesus Christ will be born in Bethlehem or not. And if the right decision is not made, you might as well send word to the wise men not to come, because He won’t be born there. It may not look important to us, but a tremendous decision was being made. We find that Orpah kissed Naomi, but Ruth clung to her. Orpah turned back, and that’s exactly what Naomi said.
And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law [Ruth 1:15].
Orpah made the decision to go back. Her decision for God had not been real, you see. She goes back to idolatry. And when she goes back, she walks off the pages of Scripture into silence and into oblivion. We never hear of her again. But Ruth made a decision for God, and when she made this decision, it was for time and eternity. And you’ll find her mentioned in the very first chapter of the New Testament. She’s in the genealogy that led to Christ. Naomi wants to test her to see if she’s genuine or not. She told her to go back to her gods, to go back with her sister-in-law.
And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God [Ruth 1:16].
She made an important decision there. It’s a sevenfold decision, and it’s a decision for God. And this is what I believe is genuine repentance, friend. This is the kind of repentance that means something. That’s exactly what the New Testament says. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” Ruth made this decision. She continues,
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me [Ruth 1:17].
Now that’s Ruth’s sevenfold decision, and it’s a real decision for God. I want you to notice this because this is very important in this day when believers make a great deal of their dedication to God, and they promise God a great deal, but they don’t carry through with it. I believe God holds us to it. What we need today are folk who make real decisions for God. The decision of Ruth was that kind of decision.
First of all, Ruth said, “Whither thou goest, I will go.” In other words, she’s saying to Naomi, “I made a decision to go with you, and I’m going with you. I’m not using this just as a passport to get into Palestine.” And the second phase of her decision is, “And where thou lodgest, I will lodge.” In other words, she would not only go with Naomi, but she’d also identify herself with her. “I accept your poverty.” She bears the same name now, as she had married Merry Sunshine’s son, and she will stick right with Naomi. Her third statement, “Thy people shall be my people—I’m forsaking my people, idolaters, and I’m identifying myself with God’s people.” And, friend, you can’t make a decision for God unless you identify yourself with God’s people. It’d just be impossible to do otherwise, you see. And Ruth knew that. She said, “You say I’ll be an outcast. All right, I’ll be an outcast, but thy people will be my people.” And then the fourth, “Thy God my God.” Now I can explain why this girl Ruth decided to marry that unhealthy boy that moved into the neighborhood who’d come from the house of bread and praise over in the Promised Land. The reason, I think, is evident. For the first time she heard of the living and true God. She met a family that knew the living and true God, and she married into that family because she had come to know the living and the true God. “Thy God will be my God.” What a decision she had made! And not only that but, “Where thou diest, will I die.” That is more meaningful to Ruth than it would be for you and me today. What she’s saying is this, “The hope of Israel is my hope.” You see, the Israelite believed that someday he would be raised from the dead to live in that land. That was the hope of Abraham. He never believed that he was going to heaven. He believed he would be raised from the dead right down here, and that’s the reason he bought the cave of Machpelah and buried Sarah there, and he himself was buried there. Isaac had that same hope, and even old Jacob, who died down in the land of Egypt, said he wanted to be buried back up there where his fathers were buried. This was because they had a hope of the resurrection of the dead. They were seeking “a city … whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10), which will be a reality on this earth someday. That’s the Old Testament hope. When the Lord Jesus said to His disciples in the upper room in John 14:2, “… I go to prepare a place for you” away from this earth, that was brand new, you see. God’s promise to Abraham was to give him an eternal home on this earth. And Ruth said not only that where Naomi died she would die, but also, “And there will I be buried.” You see, her hope is in that land—just as the hope of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been. She had now the Old Testament hope. Then the seventh part of her decision is this, “… The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.” What a decision she’d made! She said, “I didn’t make this for just a day or for an hour. I made this decision for time and for eternity.”
What we see in Ruth is genuine and real repentance. We hear a great deal today about repentance, and the average notion is that repentance means shedding a few tears. You will recall that 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation.” Note that repentance is not salvation; it leads to salvation. “… But the sorrow of the world worketh death.” What is the sorrow of the world? Well, it’s to shed tears. The worldling can shed tears. Now look yonder at the crossroads again with these three women there. Orpah shed just as many tears as Ruth did. Her handkerchief was just as damp as Ruth’s was. What’s the difference between these two women? The difference is quite obvious. Orpah shed a great many tears, but hers were not tears of real repentance. What is real repentance? The Greek word used in 2 Corinthians 7:10 is metanoia. It means “to change your mind.” It means to be going in one direction, then to change your mind, turn around, and go in the other direction. A lot of people come to a place where they’re under conviction, and they intend to change—or at least they say they do—and they shed a few tears, but they keep right on going the same way. And that’s exactly what Orpah did. She shed the tears right along with Ruth, but she didn’t turn around and go to Bethlehem and make a stand for God. No, she went back to idolatry. And a lot of folk are like that today—they just shed tears. Tears are not repentance, friend, although they may be a byproduct of repentance.
My dad used to tell about a steamboat which plied on the Mississippi River years ago when he was a boy. He said it had a little, bitty boiler and a great big whistle. When this boat was moving upstream and blew its whistle, it would start drifting downstream, because it didn’t have enough steam to do both. There are a lot of folk like that today. They have a great big whistle and a little, bitty boiler. They have never come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Oh, they’ll shed a lot of tears over their sins—they blow their whistle—and they’re very emotional. They love to give testimonies full of emotion, but their lives don’t measure up. I know several men who can make people weep when they get up and give their testimonies. They have tears in their voice, but I wouldn’t trust those men at all. I don’t think they’re born-again men at all, just emotional. They are like Orpah.
During my ministry I have learned to put less confidence in tears than I formerly did. I found out that these sob-sisters today can shed tears, but they don’t really make a decision. Sometimes a person can be dry-eyed and make a decision for Christ, and it’s genuine and real. Years ago when I was pastor in Pasadena, two couples came forward on Easter Sunday morning. One couple blubbered all over the place. They cried and wept so that we couldn’t make any sense out of what they were saying. But they made a big impression on the officers who thought this couple was really genuinely saved. They were not. I pulled them out of two cults, and the pastor who followed me told me he did the same thing. The other couple was dry-eyed. Because they didn’t shed a tear, one of the elders called me aside and asked, “Do you think they’re converted?” Well, that’s been at least twenty-five years ago, and every now and then I see that couple, and they’re still standing for the Lord. Let me just ask you a personal question: did you really make a decision for Christ, or did you just shed a few tears? Tears themselves are meaningless, and the sorrow of this world worketh death, friend, and that kind of repentance is no good. But repentance that is genuine is not to be repented of. It will lead to salvation, and you’ll be genuinely converted—as was Ruth.
Ruth makes a real decision for God. She says, “I accept the poverty. I accept being an outcast. I also accept the fact that I will remain a widow the rest of my life.” She was willing to accept all of that in order to take a stand for God. She makes her decision to go back to Bethlehem with Naomi.
Now Merry Sunshine knew Ruth—
When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her [Ruth 1:18].
She knew that when this girl made a decision, it was a real decision, it would stick; so she didn’t need to say anything else to Ruth.
And so we follow them.
So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? [Ruth 1:19].
Now they have returned. The prodigal family is coming home, but it’s not a family now. Actually, it’s just this widow Merry Sunshine, who doesn’t look like Merry Sunshine, and a little foreign girl by the name of Ruth. And the people of the city ask, “Is this Naomi? Is this Merry Sunshine?”
And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty [Ruth 1:20–21a].
Now I do not know too much about mathematics, but I do know this: it’s a long way between being full and being empty. Having zero and having everything is just about as far apart as you can put figures—or put anything. On one hand, empty; on the other hand, full. She went out full; she comes back empty. Friend, may I say this, if you’re a child of God, you have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, and you have everything in Christ. When you go out from His presence and lose your fellowship, you’re going to find out something. You’re going to find out that you get your whipping in the far country and you’re going to come home empty, and I mean empty. But, thank God, when you come home that way, just like the prodigal son did, you’ll find the Father waiting to receive you with outstretched arms. He’ll bless you in a way that He’s never blessed you before. He’ll be very good to you. That’s the thing that happened to the prodigal son. A robe was given to him, a fatted calf was killed for a banquet—all of this for the boy who returned home.
Now Naomi had told her friends to call her Mara, Gloomy Gus. She says,
why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? [Ruth 1:21b].
You’d think maybe they would change her name to Gloomy Gus, but they didn’t. And the Spirit of God leaves it that way also. “So Naomi [not Mara] returned.” The Spirit of God says that she’s going to be Merry Sunshine again.
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest [Ruth 1:22].
This is a good time to arrive in Bethlehem. We have left the land of Moab, and in the next chapter we’ll be going into the fields of Boaz near Bethlehem.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: In the field of Boaz
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz [Ruth 2:1].
Here we have Boaz introduced to us, and he is actually the hero of our story. He will be the one who will set before us the type of the kinsman-redeemer—but that’s a little later. Notice that immediately he’s identified as a kinsman of her husband. That is important to note. “And Naomi had a kinsman.” I can’t pass that by without saying that Boaz is a picture and a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it can be said of you and of me that we have a Kinsman also, one who was made like we are, yet sinless—“holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb. 7:26). He is the one who is able to save us to the uttermost. The name Boaz, by the way, means “strength.” He was a mighty man of wealth. And I’m told that you can also translate it “a mighty man of war.” And it could be said “mighty man of law” also. All three were true of Boaz. He’s a mighty man of war; he’s a mighty man of wealth; and he is a mighty man of the Law. He is the one we’re introduced to now. He was of the family of Elimelech.
And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go my daughter [Ruth 2:2].
We find here one of three very strange laws; that is, they are strange to us because we haven’t anything in our legal system today that corresponds to them. To glean grain or other produce was part of the Mosaic system. This was God’s way of taking care of the poor, and Ruth and Naomi are very poor. The very fact that Ruth says she wants to go and glean is indicative of their poverty.
Now we want to look at this strange law. It is stated in several places. For instance, we have it in Leviticus 19:9–10: “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.” You see, God told His people that they had to take care of the poor, and do it in this very unusual way. God didn’t put them on relief. He didn’t have an anti-poverty program that just gave them money. God did it, I think, in a very sensible way. They had to go and glean. The law is directed, you see, to the landowner. It is stated again in Leviticus 23:22: “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” And then the final reference is in Deuteronomy 24:19: “When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow….” It was God’s way of taking care of the poor people of that day. He didn’t put them on relief; He didn’t get them in a bread line; He didn’t make them recipients of charity. He gave them something to do. They had to work for what they got. They could go into the fields and glean, and they would have to do it by hand. It’s not like it is today in our country. Doing it by hand is not very efficient. The harvesters leave a great deal of the grain in the field, up to thirty percent. Once they’d gone through the field God wouldn’t let them go back over it the second time. He said, “After you’ve gone over it the first time, then the poor can come in and glean.” I think God’s method is a good one. Of course, it’s not up-to-date to fit into our modern, political economy, but God’s method certainly worked in Ruth’s day when thirty percent of the grain was left in the field. They tell me that there is a McCormick reaper now out in Kansas that cuts the grain and at the same time threshes it and sacks it up. If it drops just one little grain of oats or wheat, there’s an arm that reaches down, picks it up and puts it in the sack. They don’t miss a thing today! This was God’s marvelous provision for the poor in a day when the poor were not even considered at all. And, friends, God is concerned for the poor. The Word of God has been the only thing that has given the poor man a chance. You go throughout the world and check that out for yourself. A great many of us today in this country are enjoying the benefits of those in the past who have labored, and we have entered into their labors. We are greatly blessed as a people. But many of you can remember when we were poor. I was a very poor boy myself, and you may have that background also. We owe a great deal to the Word of God, because it is only the Word of God that has ever given the poor man a square deal. The politicians won’t, I can assure you of that. They are only after votes; they’re not after the poor man’s welfare. But God is, and this was God’s marvelous arrangement.
And so Ruth acts upon this law which seems so strange to us today. She came under both categories, the stranger and the poor. She asked Naomi to let her go and glean, and Naomi told her to go.
And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech [Ruth 2:3].
And if you’d seen Ruth going out that day down the road from Bethlehem, you would have seen a girl who had no idea into which field she should go. How is she going to find her way into the field of Boaz? It’s going to be very important that she get in that field. If she doesn’t, then you can tell the wise men that there’s no use coming to Bethlehem. Jesus won’t be born there. And you can tell the shepherds to stay with their flocks on the hillside because He won’t be born in Bethlehem. You see, it’s important that she go into the right field. How is she going to find the right field?
When I was in Bethlehem, I took a walk myself. I may not have walked down the exact road that Ruth did, but it couldn’t have been very far from it. And I thought of her as I walked. I think we’ve located the fields of Boaz. They’re right down at the foot of the hill from Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a typical city in Palestine of that day. All of them were built upon a hill, and this little town of Bethlehem was no exception. Evidently down at the foot of the hill in a very fertile valley were the fields of Boaz. When Ruth went out of Bethlehem that day, she had no notion where to go. Now Scripture says, “Her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz….” Well, the word hap is an old Anglo-Saxon word, coming from the same stem as perhaps or happens. Her “hap” was just a happenstance, as we call it today. From her viewpoint, it was just by chance. Actually, it was just that. Now this brings us again to the question: How did she find her way into the field of Boaz when it was so very important that she go into the right field? Did God put up a stop and go sign, a red and green light, or point an arrow into the right field? He did not. Well then, did a voice speak out of heaven? No, no voice spoke out of heaven. Well, she must have had a vision, someone thinks. But she didn’t have a vision. Well, how in the world is this girl going to get into the right field? Let’s ask Ruth. I would say to her, “Ruth, I’m sure that you had some pretty definite leading about the field of Boaz.” And she’d say, “No, I didn’t. You’d better go back and read the book of Ruth again. It says that my hap was to light on his field. I just happened to go in there.” May I say to you, from the human viewpoint, it was just happenstance. From God’s viewpoint, it’s something else. He’s going to lead her into the right field. But He’s not going to lead her in the way a lot of people talk about it today.
Some folks talk about God’s will as if they’d just had a Western Union telegram from Him or a Special Delivery air mail letter from heaven. My friend, God doesn’t lead that way today, and I don’t think He has ever led very many that way. Back in the Old Testament He led some in a very direct manner, but Ruth was not one of them. It seems to me that Ruth’s decision was more important than some other decisions that were made. God said to Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh” (Jonah 1:2). And He told Jeremiah and Ezekiel to speak out. But I want to say this to you: what He told these men to do is not nearly as important as Ruth’s getting into the right field, because Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem is dependent upon her going into the right field. Now God is going to overrule in all of this, and God is going to guide in the background. That’s the wonderful thing about the Lord’s will. I’m not sure that it’s necessary for God to give you and me a road map. Sometimes I wish He would. And I hear some people talk today as if they have a road map. They say, “The Lord’s will was for me to do this, and I knew this was the Lord’s will.” I wish I could be that clear, that sure.
Years ago, when I was pastor in Cleburne, Texas, I received two calls from other churches, one to the east of Texas and the other to the west in California. And I didn’t know which to take. I’m being honest with you. I actually got down on the floor and cried out to God to show me which call to accept. He didn’t. I had no vision. But then I heard Dr. Harry Ironside make the statement that of the decisions he had to make in his life, eighty percent (I think this is the figure he gave) were made without knowing at the time they were God’s will. He did not know until sometime later on. After hearing that, I went back home and told my wife that the atmosphere had all cleared, that I felt we were to go to California. I wasn’t sure, but I felt that was the way I was to move.
As far as God’s will for your life is concerned, if you think that He’s going to put up a green light for you at every corner or an arrow pointing or a voice out of heaven, you’re just wrong. He doesn’t do it that way. And when I hear people say that, I just know there’s something radically wrong with them, or they’re trying to kid somebody. But wait just a minute—Dr. Ironside said that afterward he knew whether it had been God’s will or not. And I think that sometimes God does let us go down the wrong road. “But,” somebody is going to say, “you could make a pretty bad decision.” You sure can. But the interesting thing is that if you have two ways before you and you take the wrong way, there’s nothing in the world that’ll keep you from coming back and starting over again. And you can be sure of one thing: If you had two ways to choose from and chose the wrong way first, then you know which is the right way. It’s amazing today how many people interpret God’s will as being the easy way. Well, it’s not always the easy way. It certainly wasn’t for Ruth.
If you’d asked Ruth if she knew she was going into the right field, she would have said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And had you asked her why she chose the field she did, I think she would have said to you, “I prayed about it. Before I left home this morning, I asked God to lead me. I really didn’t know which road to take, but I got down here and looked into one field with nice grain but there weren’t many poor people gleaning in it, so I was pretty sure that whoever owned that was a skinflint. But over on the other side of the road, my, there were a lot of poor people gleaning. And I knew that man must be a generous man, and I needed to find that kind of field because I’m a Moabitess, a foreigner, an outcast, and I didn’t want to be put out; so that’s why I chose this one.” And I suppose that when she’d gone a distance down the road, and probably hesitated a minute, that the angels on the battlement of heaven looked over and held their breath. They said, “My, I hope she goes into the right field.” She went into the right field. And I think that all heaven heaved a sigh of relief when they saw her going into the fields of Boaz. God is overruling. For Ruth there was the element of uncertainty, but on the other side there was the providential dealing of Almighty God.
One of the glorious things, as we go through this world today, is to know that our times are in His hands; to know that He is ordering the events of this universe; and to know that God has said that nothing can come to a child of His without His permission. You must remember that there was a hedge around Job, and even Satan couldn’t touch him until God gave permission. God will not give permission unless it serves some lofty and worthy purpose. It did serve a lofty and worthy purpose in the life of Job. And I’m sure that Ruth did not realize the significance of the decision she was making. She just went in, and I think she prayed and had a reasonable basis for it. For the child of God today who is frustrated because he’s looking for some sign, some experience, some light, some voice, some vision, some dream, he must realize that God is not speaking to us in that way today. God today is speaking to us through His Word. And the child of God who walks in fellowship with God, with no unconfessed sin in his life, and has not grieved the Holy Spirit, can commit his life to God. And when he gets to a place where he isn’t clear just what God’s will is for him, he can make a decision and move into the situation. Now maybe he makes a wrong decision, but God has permitted it for a purpose. As I look back on my life, there is one instance where I expected God to open up a door for me, and He didn’t open up that door. In fact He slammed the door, as it were, in my face, and I felt very bad about it. But I thank God that He did it, because now I can look back and see that it was best. It’s like what Joseph said to his brethren when they came to him after the death of old Jacob, their father. He said in Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” How wonderful that is, and may it be an encouragement to you today. Perhaps you are actually biting your fingernails and are wondering why you don’t get clear leading. You know Christians who act like they have a hotline to heaven. Now it’s wonderful that all of us have access to God, but I’m not sure that He always talks right back to us. So let’s be very careful today about the way we banter about the statement, “I know this is the Lord’s will.” We just can’t always be sure. But we can commit our way to Him, have no unconfessed sin in our lives, not grieve the Holy Spirit, and be in the center of the Lord’s will as best we know. Yes, my friend, you can commit yourself to Him in a wonderful way. And even if you got into the same predicament that Joseph did, or even that Job did, say with him, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). My friend, that’s the glorious truth that brings a joy and an expectancy to life. The providence of God makes every day a thrill for the child of God. I’m glad that He didn’t give me a blueprint because, frankly, I like to take a trip over a new road, going into an area I’ve never been before. I did that one autumn when we were in the Ozarks. My, how that road twisted and turned. And every twist and turn was a thrill—the autumn leaves were a riot of color. Nature seemed lavish, covering every hillside with polychrome pictures. And I’m so glad that God didn’t send me pictures of it all ahead of time. What a thrill life can become for us!
And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee [Ruth 2:4].
Now for some unexplained reason, Boaz was detained from getting to his fields early in the morning. He was a prosperous man, and maybe he didn’t have to be there early. But I judge by the character of the man that he was on top of every situation, and he probably had business that morning in Bethlehem. Perhaps he had to wait until the First National Bank of Bethlehem opened so he could get the payroll for his workers. But whatever the reason may have been, he didn’t get out into his field until a little later.
Notice what he did when he got out there. He said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you.” That’s capital speaking. And they responded, “The Lord bless thee,” and that’s labor answering. Say, that doesn’t sound like some of the labor leaders and capitalists of our day, does it? It doesn’t sound like the steel workers or the steel owners either. Unfortunately, capital and labor both are very far from God today. Now, frankly, I am a poor preacher, and I’m not a capitalist. My dad was a working man. I remember him in overalls most of the time because he was a hard worker. I just can’t sanction godless capitalism today. From listening to them, I get the impression that most of the labor leaders are very godless. I don’t take sides today. I just wish that we could get something of real Christianity, the real born-again type, into this area. It would certainly help the relationship. You’d hear language like this. Capital: “The Lord be with you.” And then labor answering: “The Lord bless thee.” My, what a marvelous capital/labor relationship existed there in the fields of Boaz!
Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? [Ruth 2:5].
Now we have really come to the part of our story that is exciting. This little foreign girl by the name of Ruth, willing to accept poverty and ostracism and perpetual widowhood, is out in the field gleaning. By chance, she has gone into the fields of Boaz, the most acceptable bachelor in Bethlehem. I suppose that the mothers of marriageable daughters in Bethlehem had given many a tea or invited him over for a meal. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and I imagine many had tried that route. But somehow or other he hadn’t been interested in the local girls. But then one day he goes into his fields and he sees for the first time this little widow from Moab. And I tell you, he falls for her! Now our King James translation here is rather stilted. Don’t misunderstand me—I still feel that the King James translation is our best for public use. Although the American Standard Version of 1901 is probably more accurate, it’s very hard to improve on this King James. But there are places where I think we can bring it up to date, and this is such a place. What Boaz said here is not quite, “Whose damsel is this?” May I just give you several very free translations? He says, “Well, where in the world has she been that I haven’t met her before?” That’s very free, as you can see. Or let me give it another way. Perhaps as accurate Hebrew as you can possibly get, could not be translated, but would sound like a Hebrew wolf whistle. He fell for this girl. This is love at first sight.
And maybe you’re wondering if I believe in love at first sight. May I say to you, I believe in it very strongly, I proposed to my wife on the second date we had. The reason I didn’t propose to her on the first date was because I didn’t want her to think I was in any hurry. Now don’t get any ideas if you’re a young person. It was a year before we got married. We wanted to make sure. Yes, I believe in love at first sight, but I think love ought to be tested by quite a bit of time before marriage takes place.
Boaz had a case of love at first sight. This man really fell for Ruth, and this is romance in the fields of Boaz if you please.
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab [Ruth 2:6].
His foreman tells Boaz who she is and implies, “Why, you certainly wouldn’t want to know her. She just came in the fields here.” And I think he’s halfway apologizing and assuring Boaz that he had nothing to do with her coming into the field. He explains:
And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house [Ruth 2:7].
Although it’s very clear to us that Boaz has fallen for this little foreign girl, his superintendent didn’t see that at first, and he seems quite apologetic. “This Moabitish woman came out here and asked to glean, and I couldn’t turn her down. After all, the Mosaic system permits her to come in here and glean since she’s poor and a stranger.” But he didn’t need to be apologetic, because Boaz has fallen in love with this girl. And this reveals a great deal about Ruth, of course. It reveals that she certainly lived up to her name. As you’ll remember, we did not attempt to translate Ruth into any English word because I do not think there is any one word that will quite describe her. Ruth means “beauty, personality,” and we suggested the word glamour, but that word has been absolutely ruined by Hollywood and by cheap literature today so that I just don’t know what word to use. But this scene reveals something of the attractiveness of this woman. What all the other girls and beauties of Bethlehem had not been able to accomplish, this girl did—and she didn’t even try at all. She had already taken her position as an outcast, and she did not expect any attention at all. You’ll notice her surprise when she finds out that she has attracted the attention of this man.
Now after his superintendent has apologetically given him the information he wanted, notice the reaction of Boaz. He turns and addresses Ruth.
Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens [Ruth 2:8].
Now let me pause and say that this is strange language. Here is a man that honestly would not want the poor in his fields. The Mosaic Law said he had to permit it. And I think Boaz was generous, but he just didn’t put up a sign and say to the poor, “Come in and glean.” And he didn’t invite them in. But here is an occasion when he goes out of his way to urge Ruth not to go into any other field to glean. “I want you to glean in my field.” Well now, is he interested or is he interested? Also, he adds,
Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn [Ruth 2:9].
There are two things here that are very important. He not only invites her to stay in the field, but he also puts around her his cloak of protection. He says, “I have now given orders that you can come into this field, and that you will not be hurt or harmed in any way.” Frankly, in that day it was very dangerous for a woman in Ruth’s position—a widow, a woman from Moab. She was likely to have insult upon insult heaped upon her. And not only that but she would not be safe. And Boaz, recognizing that, immediately puts his cloak of protection around her.
It was almost as unsafe on the roads of Bethlehem in that day as it would be today on the streets of our modern cities. One of my missionary friends from Africa put it like this, “It is safer on the jungle trail in Africa, where I minister, than it is on the streets of Los Angeles.” Now that’s what civilization has risen to, and especially this new civilization with its liberal approach to crime. It’s the cry-baby type that says that the poor criminal is to be brought back into society and is to be reclaimed. May I say to you, the whole point (and we need to get back to it) is to punish the criminal. That was the purpose of putting one into prison. It wasn’t intended to do anything else but to punish him. And how much reclaiming are they doing today? May I say to you, that type of thinking is almost a farce today. God knows this because He knows the human family, and He knows you and me. He knows that you and I today have an old nature, and until you and I come to Jesus Christ, we can’t be reclaimed, my friend.
Now will you notice Ruth’s reaction to this very noble and generous gesture on the part of Boaz.
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? [Ruth 2:10].
When I first wrote my book, Ruth, the Romance of Redemption, I assumed and took the position that here Ruth was actually being either naive or a coquette, that she was playing it rather cleverly by asking, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” Now, frankly, I can’t hold that position any longer. She is not being that at all. You see, she had been properly warned and made aware of her situation if she returned to Bethlehem with Naomi. And that’s the reason the other woman of Moab, Orpah, didn’t come. Orpah just wouldn’t make the sacrifice. She was not willing to be a perpetual widow and be poverty-stricken the rest of her life, and be ostracized besides. Therefore, she remained in the land of Moab. But Ruth came, realizing all of that. When she went out into the fields of Boaz, she never dreamed that anyone would ever take any notice of her. In fact, she expected that they would all turn their backs upon her, because the Jews at this time didn’t have dealings with the Moabites. As we’ll see later on, even the Mosaic Law shut a Moabite out from the congregation of the Lord. The Moabites had a very bad beginning that’s not very pretty to recount. And for that reason they are given this very low position. But this little Book of Ruth reveals something that is quite interesting: racial barriers were broken down, and God is concerned and loves even those who have upon them a stigma and a judgment.
Such is the picture of you and me today. “… While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). And Paul says you just don’t find love like that in this world today. Only God has a real concern for people. You just don’t find love anywhere else like the love God shows for sinners. But here is an exhibition of it, and that’s the reason Ruth says, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes?” She’s absolutely startled. She’s a stranger, an outcast. And I think it’s an honest, sincere question she’s raising. She can’t understand this breaking over of a racial barrier. Here is an interest that she did not expect.
Now I can answer Ruth’s question very easily. If she would just go home and look in a mirror, she’d see the reason. She’s beautiful. She’s lovely. She’s attractive. She has everything that is desirable in a woman and a wife, and for that reason this man has fallen in love with her. I can answer her question.
But there is a question I cannot answer: Why have I found grace in the eyes of God? Now don’t tell me to go home and look in the mirror, because I’ve done that. Frankly, friend, the image is something that’s not quite attractive. I don’t see the answer in the mirror. But God has extended grace toward us. And there are those who consider the theme of the Book of Ruth to be just that. The grace of God is exhibited here in the grace that was manifested to this woman. And I must concur to the extent that this is certainly a marvelous example of grace. You and I both can ask Ruth’s question as we come to God: Why have I found grace in Thine eyes? We cannot find the answer within ourselves; we’re not lovely; we’re not beautiful to Him; we are not attractive; we do not have those qualities that God adores and that He rewards and respects. We’re sinners, and we’re in rebellion against God. And yet, in spite of all that, God loves us! That is one of the great truths of the Word of God. He demonstrated that love, because “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” He extended His grace to us. And, friend, that’s the basis upon which He saves us today. He hasn’t any other reason for saving us.
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore [Ruth 2:11].
Probably the reason Boaz had not met Ruth when she accompanied Naomi back to the land, was that he was away on one of those innumerable campaigns that were carried on during the times of the judges. You’ll recall that Boaz could be described not only as a mighty man of wealth but also as a mighty man of the Law and a mighty man of war. Undoubtedly he was a soldier. So he evidently was out of town and, when he returned, he heard this buzzing about a widow who had come back with Naomi.
The things they were saying about her were quite good. Now Bethlehem was evidently given over to gossip, as most places are, and they were gossiping about this foreign girl, but what they were saying was good, which was unusual. They were amazed at her. They said, “Imagine! This little foreign girl has come back, and she’s true to her mother-in-law. She didn’t desert her when she got here. She doesn’t chase around after the men, and she is a wonderful person.” Boaz just couldn’t believe that in addition to all he had heard about her character she was as attractive as she was. But now when he sees her and finds out that all of these qualities are wrapped up in one person, I’ll tell you, that’s the reason that he has fallen for her. Just listen to him as he realizes the tremendous sacrifice she has made.
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust [Ruth 2:12].
She had come to trust the Lord God. This is the reason she had left the land of Moab and made that radical decision. She had said that the God of Naomi would be her God. She had turned from idolatry to the living and true God. This woman has come to trust God; she was one of His children. Therefore this is the wonderful testimony that she had there in the land of Israel. And Boaz says, “May a full reward be given to you. May you be recompensed for this decision.” And if Boaz has anything to do with it, he’s going to see that she gets a full reward, and he begins immediately to work toward that end. He’s in love with her, friend, and he is going to redeem her. She needs to be redeemed.
Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens [Ruth 2:13].
Ruth’s reaction here is interesting. She hadn’t expected any comfort. She hadn’t expected to to spoken to in a friendly manner. And the reason she didn’t expect any of this was that she was not like one of his handmaidens. And that was probably the reason he did notice her—she wasn’t like the other girls. You know, today we’re living in a society that talks a great deal about being an individual and having your own thoughts. Some time ago I had a bull session with a group of college students. They wanted to have it, and I met with them. That’s the age when tremendous things are taking place in their own hearts. They are in rebellion because they’re pulling loose from old ties. God made us that way purposely, by the way, but we won’t go into that. These young people were talking about being individuals, making their own decisions, and being different. And do you know what? Every one of them looked alike. They wore their hair alike, they wore the same type of clothing, and they expressed themselves in the same way. I couldn’t help but just sit there and laugh. They wondered why I was enjoying it so. It’s interesting to hear people talk about how they want to be different, and yet they want to be exactly like the crowd. But, you see, Ruth was different. And that’s the reason Boaz had fallen in love with her. Some of us should want to be a little different—not necessarily in dress—but we need to be different in other ways. If you’re a child of God you are different. Talk about doing your own thinking—it’s the child of God who thinks differently from the crowd. He has to. Christians are a minority group.
But now let’s look in on Boaz and Ruth again. My, he has invited her to lunch! Can you imagine that? We think of those days as being more or less uncivilized. They were not in the jet set back in that day. But he meets her about ten o’clock in the morning, invites her to lunch, and she has lunch with him the same day. My friend, you can’t improve on that, can you, even in our day?
And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left [Ruth 2:14].
I want to ask again: Is Boaz interested in her? My, I’ll tell you, he has fallen in love with this girl, and he’ll make every effort now to make her his wife. We’ll find that there was a big hurdle in the way.
And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not [Ruth 2:15–16].
He even says to his workmen, “I want you to show her every courtesy and consideration. Now you let her glean even among the sheaves.” You know, the poor would be very apt to try to get up to where the grain was good, and you can well understand that the owner of the field would have to keep them behind his reapers. But Boaz said, “You let her come up and glean right where you’re reaping.” And Boaz was a man of the Law. Because he knew what it said, he instructed his men not to go back and pick up a sheaf if they happened to drop one. Now he’s even going one step further. He says, “When you see that Ruth is gleaning immediately behind you, when nobody is looking, you just drop a sheaf back there and go on. When she gets up to it, she’ll call. ‘Yoo-hoo, you dropped a sheaf.’ You just tell her you’re sorry but you can’t go back and get it, and for her to keep it.”
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley [Ruth 2:17].
An ephah was a bushel. The value of it would be a pretty good day’s wage, especially for this little widow.
And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.
And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought today is Boaz [Ruth 2:18–19].
When Ruth brought in this tremendous amount of grain, Naomi said, “My, I’ve never seen anything quite like this! Where have you been today? Somebody has shown undue consideration for you.” And so Ruth just tells the whole story to Naomi. And up to this point, actually, Ruth still doesn’t know exactly who Boaz is, but Naomi does.
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen [Ruth 2:20].
The Hebrew goel, or “kinsman-redeemer,” is the second law that is so strange to us because we do not have anything that corresponds to it. But it was God’s provision for taking care of His people. You see, God gave the Law for a land and for a people. The Mosaic system was a marvelous system for that day and for that land.
Ruth certainly went into the right field, for this man was a near kinsman. And here in the Book of Ruth we see the law of the kinsman-redeemer in operation. Now you do not always see the Mosaic system in operation in Israel, but this little book highlights for us the law of the kinsman-redeemer, as well as the other two laws which we’ve mentioned that are very strange to us. One of them is the basis on which God took care of the poor. It was an unusual way. God would permit them to go into the fields and the vineyards and glean after the owner had sent his reapers and gatherers through one time. It was a marvelous way because a great deal was left. I had the privilege several years ago of holding meetings up in Turlock, California, right after the grape gathering had taken place. The owner of a very large vineyard found out that I liked grapes, and he told me just to go out into his vineyard and help myself; so the pastor and I went out there. He told us they had already gathered the grapes, and that we were welcome to whatever was left. Friends, if I’d had a ten-ton truck, I’m sure I could have filled it up with the grapes that were left there! We would look up under the vine and, my, some of the biggest, finest-looking, luscious bunches could be found. I told the pastor, “You and I are gleaning, and I think we fulfill our rightful place because we’re poor preachers, and we’re exercising that which is part of the Mosaic system.” God’s way of taking care of the poor preserved their dignity by giving them an opportunity to work for what they received.
Now here in our story of Ruth we encounter the law of the kinsman-redeemer. It is stated for us in Leviticus 25, and it actually operates in three different areas. It operates in relation to the land and in relation to individuals and in relation to widows.
Now Boaz was related to Naomi’s husband, this man whose name was Elimelech (which means, “My God is King”). I take it that Elimelech’s and Boaz’s fathers were brothers, which made them cousins, and therefore we could also say that Boaz was cousin to Ruth’s first husband. So Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz is one of their next kinsmen.
Now there’s an emphasis upon this Hebrew goel. What does that mean? Well, let’s look at this law in relationship to the land. “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land” (Lev. 25:23–24). Now how would God do this? “If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold” (Lev. 25:25). This is the law of the kinsman-redeemer in relationship to land. Now let’s see that in operation. When these people came into the land, God gave them the Promised Land; it was theirs. But they occupied it only as they were faithful to God. When they were unfaithful, God put them out of the land. He said, “The land is Mine, but I give it to you as a permanent, perpetual possession.” He gave them title to it, and they still have title to it, by the way. God put them in the land according to tribes. A certain tribe had a certain section of the land. You may have maps in the back of your Bible, which show the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. And each family within each tribe had a particular plot of land. He could never leave it. But suppose he becomes poor. Perhaps he’s had two or three years of crop failure. (Famine did come, because of their unfaithfulness to God.) And a man has to get rid of his land. Now he has a rich neighbor who sees the opportunity to take a mortgage. Well, all he can take is up to a fifty-year mortgage, because in the Year of Jubilee every mortgage is cancelled, and the land returns to its original owner. This law kept the land in a family. But it’s a long way between jubilees. A man may be middle-aged at one jubilee, and in another fifty years he’ll be gone. So if he had sold his property he would not get it back in his lifetime, but his son would get it. Now suppose he has a rich relative, a cousin for example, and that rich cousin is moved toward him, and wants to help him. Well, that rich cousin can come right in and pay the mortgage off, and restore it to the owner even before the Year of Jubilee. And I assume that in the Year of Jubilee whoever did the redeeming was also remunerated for whatever he’d put into the land. That was God’s method. It would be wonderful to have a rich uncle, wouldn’t it? It’d be wonderful to have that kind of a redeemer.
Now this applied not only to property but also to persons. “And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family: After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of this brethren may redeem him” (Lev. 25:47–48). Now a man may have been in very unfortunate circumstances. He not only lost his property, but perhaps due to drought and famine in the land, his children are hungry and he sells himself into slavery in order to feed his family. This poor fellow will be in slavery until the Year of Jubilee. If that year is forty-nine years away, that’s going to be a long time to be in slavery. He may live and die in slavery. But suppose again that he has a rich relative, and one day he sees that rich uncle coming down the road, taking his checkbook out of his pocket. He says, “Look, I don’t want my nephew to be in slavery,” and he pays off the price of this man’s slavery. He has redeemed him, you see, and the man can go free.
The kinsman-redeemer is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer. And that’s the reason the word redemption is used in the New Testament rather than atonement. Atonement covered up sins, that’s all. But redemption, friend, means to pay a price so that the one who is redeemed may go scot-free. Now Christ not only died to redeem our persons, He died also to redeem this earth. You and I live on an earth that someday is going to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and there’ll be a new heaven and a new earth. That is part of His redemption.
The only biblical example of a kinsman-redeemer is that of Boaz, which is the reason I wrote on the Book of Ruth. It reveals the love side of redemption. Here is a man who is a kinsman-redeemer, but he doesn’t have to act in that capacity. We’ll find out there’s another kinsman who was actually a nearer relative than Boaz, and he had the opportunity to take action, but he turned it down. He did not care for Ruth but, you see, Boaz loved her. That made the difference. Now God didn’t have to redeem us. We were lost sinners. If He did not redeem us, He could still be a just and holy God. But He loved us. You see, salvation by redemption is a love story. And now we have it told here in simple language illustrated by this little foreign girl from Moab and Boaz in the land of Israel.
And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also. Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest: and dwelt with her mother in law [Ruth 2:21–23].
That took about six weeks. For six weeks, every afternoon, you’d see coming into Bethlehem—not wise men, not yet; not shepherds, not yet; not Joseph and Mary yet—Boaz and Ruth. Boaz is in love with Ruth. I think he looked like a dying calf in a thunderstorm. And the little town of Bethlehem is gossiping, good gossip, “Our most eligible bachelor has fallen.” And I’m sure that Naomi with whom Ruth lived could look out the window and see them coming in every afternoon. She knows something needs to be done about this, because actually Ruth is in a most unique position. Boaz is in love with her, and he wants to redeem her.
It’s wonderful to have a Savior who loves us, who came to this earth in order that He might
CHAPTER 3
Theme: On the threshing floor of Boaz
In this chapter we’re on the threshing floor of Boaz. lt’s obvious that Ruth was not claiming what she had a right to, and so Naomi takes over. As we shall see, she is a regular matchmaker. Ruth stands in a most unusual position. And to understand what is taking place in this chapter, it’s necessary, I think, to understand the third of the Mosaic laws that we encounter here—which is so strange to us. We have seen two of them already, and now we’re introduced to the third. Also we must understand the threshing floor of that day and the significance of it. To understand that is essential.
Now if you think the laws we’ve looked at so far were unusual, you just look at this one: “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house” (Deut. 25:5–9). Now I think you’ll agree, friend, that this is an unusual law! As far as I know, the little Book of Ruth gives the only illustration of it in Scripture, but it must have been enforced many times because it was put in force when a man died childless.
Now here’s the situation. Suppose there is a man living in the hill country of Ephraim, known today as Samaria. Suppose he has several sons. One evening one of the boys gets down the lantern, polishes it up, trims the wick, and that night when it gets dark he lights the lantern, and he starts down the road whistling. One of the brothers says to the others, “I wonder where in the world he’s going.” The others say they don’t know. So late that night they hear him coming down the road whistling again. He comes in, and he doesn’t say anything. They don’t ask anything, but they’re wondering. The second night he does the same thing and, believe me, they’re curious by now. So they make a few inquiries the next day. The third night when the boy takes off and then returns his brothers are waiting for him. They say to him, “Where have you been?” “Oh,” he says, “I’ve been down the road.” And they say, “We understand that there’s a new neighbor moved in down there.” He says, “Yes, there is.” And one of the brothers says to him, “We understand that they have a daughter.” And he says, “Yes.” They ask, “Is it true that you’ve been down there to see her?” And he says, “Well, I’ve been trying to put the good neighbor policy into practice so I’ve been down there visiting them, yes.” Well, they say, “We’d like to ask specifically, have you been to see the girl?” So he says, “Well, to answer specifically, I have.” Then they say, “We want to be personal. Are you interested?” And he says, “Yes, I am, to be very honest.” And they say, “Well, we’ve taken a good look at the girl, and we don’t like her. We feel like we ought to have a family huddle because if anything happens to you, it means that one of us will have to marry the girl.” According to the Mosaic Law she could claim one of them, you see, if she’d had no children. That was the provision. And the boy says, “Well, I’m going to marry her because I asked her tonight to marry me and she has agreed to it.” “Well,” they say, “we feel like you ought to go through the clinic. We hope you’re healthy, because we’re just not going to marry her. We’re not interested in her.” Now suppose this boy goes ahead and marries the girl, then he takes sick and dies, or he’s gored by a boar, or a tree falls on him, or he drowns in the Jordan River, or he’s killed in battle. What about that? Well, she is a widow now, and she can go immediately and claim one of these brothers. And, believe me, he’s going to have difficulty turning her down. Now suppose he just stands to it and says, “I warned my brother. I told him not to marry this girl, and I just don’t want to marry her.” Then she can bring him into court. If he refuses to take her to wife even in court, she can step up to him, take off his shoe, and spit in his face! Friends, that meant he was disgraced, and a man is not apt to go that far.
So you can see, here is an unusual law which puts a childless widow in a most unique position. It changes her position altogether. She now can claim one of the brothers. In fact, that’s her duty to her dead husband. Well, frankly, I can well understand that this is something that tied the families together in that day. It made every member of the family interested in who brother Isaac was going out to see since the other brothers were always involved in a situation like that.
This law was God’s provision. And there were two objectives He had in mind that are obvious here, and there may be others. The first is that He wanted to protect womanhood. You can understand that if her husband died and left her with a farm and a vineyard and a flock of sheep, she would have difficulty. So she could claim immediately a brother or the nearest kinsman, and he’d have to make this decision. The Law was to protect womanhood. Now I’ve heard the criticism made that the Bible is a man’s book. Well, my friend, when anybody makes that statement, it is evident he hasn’t read the Book very carefully. Sometimes you wonder if the man has a chance—he doesn’t have a chance here, that’s for sure.
Now the second reason for this law is that God wanted to protect land rights. God not only gave to the nation Israel the land of Palestine, He not only gave to each tribe a particular section of that land, but He also gave to each individual family a particular parcel of land. Each family had their own land. As we have seen, a family could lose their land. But in the Year of Jubilee it would automatically return to the original owner. However, a widow might go out and marry some stranger who would gain ownership to the property. And so, you see, God protected that property. The nearest of kin had to be the one to marry her in order to make it possible to retain the title of the property in the nation and in the tribe and in the family. Now it seems to us like a very strange law, but apparently it was one that worked in the land of Israel.
In the case of Ruth, she’s a widow without any children, and the property which belonged to her husband has been lost because she and Naomi are poverty-stricken. She has a perfect right to claim Boaz since he is a near kinsman. And as Naomi has already indicated, he is a kinsman-redeemer. The fact of the matter is, this man Boaz is sweating it out. His hands are tied. He cannot claim her for his wife. It’s Ruth’s move. She has to claim him as her husband. A little later on we’ll find out that there happens to be another kinsman who is actually nearer than Boaz, and Ruth could claim him if she wanted to. Boaz doesn’t know which one she’ll claim. Therefore, Boaz must wait until Ruth makes the move. Because Ruth is not making the move, Naomi takes charge and tells Ruth,“You’ve got to let this man know that you want him as a kinsman-redeemer.”
Now we’re going to see a very strange procedure. In order to understand it, it is necessary to understand the threshing floor of that day. You see, God made a wonderful provision for these people. Since they were an agricultural people, a great many of the laws pertain to agriculture. The Mosaic system was not only for the people of Israel, but also it was for that land. It was adapted in a very particular and peculiar way to the land which we know as Palestine. Therefore, we find here a law that relates to the threshing floor and the practices of the day. Customarily a threshing floor was located on top of a hill to catch any wind that was blowing in order to blow away the chaff. It was in the opposite position from a winepress which was located at the bottom of a hill, because it was easier to carry the grapes downhill than to lug them uphill. The winepress, you’ll remember, was the place where Gideon was, as he was threshing grain. The reason he was down there threshing was because he was hiding it from the Midianites who had impoverished Israel. The angel of the Lord appeared to him—don’t tell me God doesn’t have a sense of humor—and addressed him, “Thou mighty man of valour” (Jud. 6:12). And there’s Gideon down at the winepress, scared to death, when he should be up on top of the hill. You can imagine his frustration as he pitches that grain up into the air, and with no wind blowing down there at the bottom of the hill, the chaff and grain come back down around his neck. I think he was very discouraged. Then when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Thou mighty man of valour,” I think Gideon looked around to see to whom He was talking. When he didn’t see anybody else he turned to the angel of the Lord and said, “Who? Me? You don’t mean to tell me that you think that I’m a mighty man of valour. I’m one of the biggest cowards you’ve ever seen.” Friend, that’s what he was. But thank God, He can use a coward who is dedicated to Him. And when this man was dedicated to the Lord, he could overcome the Midianites with only three hundred men. What an encouragement that ought to be to many of us today. Although the story of Ruth also takes place during the era of the judges, apparently it was at a time when Israel had returned to the Lord. Remember that while Naomi was still in Moab, she had heard that the famine (which was God’s judgment) was over. Israel had probably returned to an era of tranquility, and the threshing floor was in its proper place at the top of a hill.
But now let’s look at the threshing floor. The clay soil was packed to a hard smooth surface, and ordinarily it was circular with rocks placed around it. When I was in that land, I saw several places, especially in Samaria, where they had these threshing floors. The people were cutting the grain, not threshing it, when we were there in the spring; so we didn’t see the threshing floor in operation. But there it was on top of a hill. They still do it the same way. After the grain was all cut, it was taken to the threshing floor. In the late afternoon a breeze would come up. It would blow until sundown and sometimes until midnight. Now as long as the breeze would blow they would thresh. Sheaves of grain were spread on the floor and trampled by oxen drawing a sled. Then the people took a flail and threw the grain up into the air so that the chaff would be blown away and the good grain would come down on the threshing floor. As long as the wind would blow, they would be there on the threshing floor. When the wind died down—whether it be at sundown, nine o’clock, midnight, or whatever time it was—they held a great religious feast. And at this season of the year all the families came up and camped around the threshing floor, which meant there were many people present. After the feast was over, the men would sleep around the grain. Since the threshing floor was circular, they would put their heads toward the grain and their feet would stick out like spokes. They slept that way to protect the grain from marauders or thieves who might break through and steal.
It was a time of feasting and thanking God for an abundant harvest. Several of the feast days of Israel—the feast of firstfruits and even Pentecost—were identified with that threshing floor. They would sing psalms praising God for a bountiful harvest. You can imagine them up there on that hill at night, looking out into the heavens and singing many of the psalms. When reading the psalms, note in particular how many of them deal with this particular religious feast.
With an understanding of the law of the kinsman-redeemer as it applied to the widow, and with the scene of the threshing floor in mind, let us move on.
Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her. My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? [Ruth 3:1].
All during the harvest season Naomi had been watching out the window each afternoon and had seen Ruth and Boaz coming into Bethlehem. It had been about six weeks. Now the barley was gathered, and the wheat was gathered. Naomi notices that Ruth is very modest and is not making any claim upon this man at all. She also notices the obvious, that he is in love with her. And so Naomi asks Ruth if she should seek rest for her. And the rest, of course, is marriage. “Shall I seek a marriage for you?” You remember that at the very beginning she urged each of her daughters-in-law to stay in the land of Moab and find rest in her husband’s house. So now she says she will seek rest for Ruth.
And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor [Ruth 3:2].
She says, “This man Boaz is your kinsman-redeemer. You have a right to claim him. In fact, Ruth, you must claim him as your kinsman-redeemer. I want you to go up to the threshing floor tonight and let him know.”
Wash thy self therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking [Ruth 3:3].
She tells Ruth to wait until the religious feast is over, Naomi says, “Now, Ruth, it’s up to you to claim this man as your kinsman-redeemer.” Ruth has been doing nothing in the way of claiming him, so Naomi is going to give her some very definite instructions. She tells her to do four things. I have felt that here is a picture of the sinner who comes to Jesus Christ. These are four steps that are essential for the sinner. The first one is this: Wash thyself. If you and I are going to come to Christ, we’re told that it’s “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). That’s the reason our Lord said what He did to Nicodemus. “You may think you’re a fine, religious man, and you are, but you need a bath—a spiritual bath. You need the washing of regeneration.” And our Lord said to Nicodemus, “… Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). And, friend, if you are ever going to be fit for heaven, you must be born again. You must experience the new birth. Someone asked John Wesley why it was that he always preached on “ye must be born again” (for that was his favorite text). “Well,” he said, “I’ll tell you. The reason that I preach on ‘ye must be born again’ is because ye must be born again.” You cannot get into heaven, friend, you cannot be saved until you have become a new creature in Christ Jesus. You and I are not fit for heaven until we have been born again, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. So Naomi tells Ruth, “You’ve been working hard out in the field. Wash thyself therefore.” Now that’s the first step that she is to take.
Now the second thing that Naomi tells Ruth to do is to anoint herself. After Ruth’s first husband died, I suppose she put on widow’s weeds and made no attempt to make herself attractive. But now Naomi realizes somebody is interested in Ruth, and so she tells her to get out that little bottle of perfume that she’d packed away and to use it generously. I can even suggest to you the name of the perfume that she used—“Midnight in Moab.” And I want to tell you, that was an exotic perfume! And so Naomi says, “Anoint thee.”
Now that corresponds also to our Christian experience. When you and I become children of God, we are babes, I grant that. But also we are brought to a full-grown status where we can understand divine truth. And there is something said to the believer about the anointing that he has. You and I have an anointing of the Holy Spirit. John tells us in 1 John 2:20, “But ye have an unction [anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” That is, the Spirit of God is the one who can teach us all truth, and all of us need the teaching of the Spirit of God. That’s the only way in the world we can ever understand the Word of God, friend. The Spirit of God must teach us. And that’s one of the neglected facts today. Right now in theological circles they are fighting like mad over the doctrine of inspiration. Now knowing that the Bible is inspired of God is very important. But you can believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scripture and still be ignorant of the Word of God. Why? You must recognize that you cannot bring to this Book human intellect alone and expect to understand it. You may understand facts; you may learn certain intellectual things; but only the Spirit of God can teach you spiritual things. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:9–10, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit….” The Spirit of God is able to teach us and is able to lead us and guide us into all truth. How important it is to have the Spirit of God as our teacher. “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” We need to recognize that when we are born again we are given an anointing of the Spirit of God. It’s mentioned again in 1 John 2:27. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” This doesn’t mean that you dispense with human learning or human teachers. You and I today are the beneficiaries of that which has been bequeathed to us by the godly men of the past whom the Spirit of God has taught. And God gives teachers to the church today. But not even the teachers nor all the wealth of material from the past can enlighten you unless the Spirit of God is your teacher. And so Ruth’s second step was important. She was to wash herself and then to anoint herself.
Then the third thing: “Put thy raiment upon thee.” And I think Naomi said to her, “Ruth, remember that little party dress that you used to wear when you and my son would go out together? You looked so pretty in it. And if Boaz fell in love with you when you were wearing those black, ugly widow’s weeds, say, what’ll he think when he sees you in this little party dress? So you put on that dress now that you put away and never intended to wear again.”
This is the third step for the believer. When you and I come to Christ and accept Him as Savior, we are told that He becomes our righteousness. He not only subtracts our sin, He not only regenerates us and makes us a child of God, but He makes over to us His own righteousness. Actually, it’s spoken of as a robe of righteousness. In Romans 3:22 it is described in a very wonderful way: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” Paul speaks of it as a garment that comes down over the sinner, covering him, so that God sees us in Christ, and His righteousness becomes our righteousness. We stand complete in Him—“accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6). This is the robe of righteousness that we have today.
A book came out several years ago called The Robe. And there was an intelligent, dynamic young lady who was a member of my church. She came up to me one Sunday evening and said, “I’ve been reading a book, and it’s a thriller.” I asked her what it was. She said it was The Robe. I was a little discouraged when she said that. She asked if I’d read it, and I said, “Not exactly. I have the book, and I’ve looked through it, but I have not read it in any detail. In fact, I haven’t cared to.” And she looked at me in great amazement. She said, “Do you mean to tell me that you’re not interested in what happened to that robe?” And I said, “Frankly, no. That seamless robe which Christ wore doesn’t have a romantic history. The soldiers shot craps to see who would get it, and the fellow who won it must have been some big, burly Roman soldier. That’s a semi-tropical country, and I happen to know it can get very hot there; he probably sweated out that robe in just a few weeks and then dropped it in some corner. Then a little servant maid came along, picked it up, held her nose, and dropped it in the trash can.” This young lady was certainly shocked when I said that. She said, “That’s terrible! According to the story, that robe had such a romantic history.” I replied, “That robe had no romantic history at all. But there is one that does, and that’s the robe of righteousness which Christ puts over the sinner who will trust Him.”
And you and I cannot stand sufficient in ourselves; we stand complete in Him. Romans 4:25 tells us that it was Christ “who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification,” in order that we might have a righteousness to stand before God. “For he hath made him to be sin for us … that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). And you and I stand clothed in that robe of righteousness, and that one really has a romantic history. Now the fourth thing Naomi tells Ruth to do is to get down to the threshing floor and let Boaz know that she wants to claim him as her kinsman-redeemer.
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do [Ruth 3:4].
And, friend, that’s a very important step for you and me. That is a step that every sinner must take. Even in the church today are many folk who have joined the church, but they really never have received Jesus Christ. They never have gone down to the threshing floor and claimed Him as their Kinsman-Redeemer. And I’d like to ask: Have you really claimed Jesus Christ as your Savior? My friend, you do have to claim Him. The language of Scripture says to believe upon or believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. It must be an active faith, not a faith that stands on the sidelines and nods its head. It’s an active faith that claims Him as Kinsman-Redeemer. He is our Savior. Oh, what a gift! “… The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
Under the Mosaic Law, Ruth is not only entitled to and has a right to claim Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer, but she must claim him. And not only that, it’s obvious that Boaz wants to be her kinsman-redeemer. The incident that is taking place makes possible the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth to be born in Bethlehem, for these events before us in the Book of Ruth are taking place in Bethlehem. This girl is going to obey her mother-in-law, and there’s nothing wrong with what she is being instructed to do, as we shall see. She was asked to claim him; she had not claimed him.
Many people will tell you they believe in the facts concerning the coming of Christ into the world, but they’ve never yet accepted Christ.
Several years ago after speaking at a State Christian Endeavor convention in Fresno, California, as I walked across the auditorium with my coat slung over my shoulder, I saw a little delegation of college fellows approaching me. I recognized one of them as one of the officers of a Christian group at Fresno State College where I’d previously spoken. He said to me, “Dr. McGee, we have a young fellow here that we would like to have you talk to.” And I said, “Well, fine. What about? What’s the background?” And he said, “Well, this fellow agreed to come to the service tonight, and we’d hoped he would accept Christ, but he didn’t, and so we just wish you’d talk with him.” So I said to him, “Do you believe the Bible?” He said, “Yes.” I was amazed. I had a notion he’d be the kind of college boy who’d want to argue about it. So I said, “Do you believe the story about the flood? That’s sort of ridiculous about the flood, isn’t it?” He said that it wasn’t ridiculous to him. I said, “What about Jonah and the fish? Isn’t that ridiculous?” He said, “No, not to me.” And I said, “Well, do you believe it?” He said, “Yes.” Well, I thought I’d have a boy who’d want to argue—they generally do—and I was prepared for it. Then I said to him, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ came into this world 1900 years ago as the Son of God and that He was virgin born?” He said, “Yes.” “Do you believe He performed miracles?” He said, “Yes.” “Do you believe He died on the cross for our sins?” And he said, “Yes.” So I asked, “Do you believe He rose again bodily?” He said, “Yes.” “Do you believe that He ascended into heaven?” He said, “Yes.” Well, my gracious, the fellow believed everything that I asked him. And what do you do then? My course in personal evangelism never told me what to do next, so I just stood there, not actually knowing what step to take. Finally I just blurted out to him, “Young man, don’t you want to take Christ as your Savior?” And he blurted right back and said, “Yes, I do.” Well, the thing that had happened was that everybody, including myself, had wanted to argue with him about the Bible, but nobody ever stopped and said to him, “Get down to the threshing floor and accept Christ as your Savior.” And this young man in a very wonderful way accepted Christ as his Savior. We got down on our knees in that great auditorium which was almost empty now, and he accepted the Lord as his Savior. All he needed was just to get down to the threshing floor! And, frankly, I think there are a lot of folk like that today. Perhaps you are like that. You could be a church member, but really, have you ever gotten down to the threshing floor and personally, privately accepted Christ, claimed Him as your Savior from sin? When you trust Him, you will know what it is to pass from darkness to light.
Well, now, that’s what Naomi tells Ruth to do.
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her [Ruth 3:4–6].
Now let me say that there is nothing questionable about the thing that Naomi is asking her to do. To begin with, Naomi would never have asked her to do it had it been improper. There have been those, however, who have criticized this, not understanding the threshing floor or this peculiar law. You see, she must claim him as a kinsman-redeemer. That’s one thing. But this threshing floor was a public place. The harvesters were there with their families. Naomi is saying to Ruth, “Once they’ve finished the threshing for the evening and have had their dinner, and a time for praise to God, a religious service, then he will lie down. He’ll put his head toward the grain and his feet out. Now you go and put your feet toward his feet and pull his cloak up over your feet, and then he’ll let you know what to do.” All of it would be out in the public. The idea that something immoral is to take place is due to our ignorance of the threshing floor during the harvest season.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet [Ruth 3:7–8].
You see, he got cold—the cloak had been pulled off him. He sat up, reached down, and felt around down there, and lo, a woman was there.
And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman [Ruth 3:9].
Personally, friend, I think this is one of the loveliest things that we have in the Word of God. Do you know what she is saying to him? She is saying, “I want you as my kinsman-redeemer, and I want to tell you so.” That really changed the thinking of this man. I imagine he had been down in the dumps a little, but now he’s a shouting Methodist. Listen.
And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich [Ruth 3:10].
In other words, he said, “When you came here, it was obvious you were not husband-hunting.” She had taken a very quiet, retired place. But now she is claiming Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer and, believe me, he is not reluctant to act in that capacity. And she’s doing it in such a lovely fashion. She could have taken him into court. According to the Mosaic Law, you see, she could have called the elders of the city together and told Boaz outright, “I claim you as my kinsman-redeemer,” and it would have been a legal matter. But Naomi suggested this way of doing it. She said, “There will be no question about the legality because this man obviously wants to be your kinsman-redeemer. All you have to do is to let him know that you’re willing to claim him, that you want him as your kinsman-redeemer.” And so she goes down to the threshing floor and in this very quiet, modest way lets him know she wants him as her kinsman-redeemer. Boaz immediately wants to claim her as his wife, because that’s what he’s been waiting to hear. This man really goes into action now because the way is clear and he is free to move; she has claimed him.
Thank God we have a Savior, and our relationship to Him is a love story. He loved us and He gave Himself for us in order that He might redeem us. What a wonderful, warm experience it is to know that we have a Savior who died for us, who loves us and lives for us today.
Now notice what Boaz says.
And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman [Ruth 3:11].
And I’d have you note the reputation of this foreign girl who, under ordinary circumstances, would have been an outcast in Bethlehem, an outcast because the Mosaic Law shut out a Moabite. She’d been told that a Moabite and an Ammonite could not enter into the congregation of the Lord. She’d been coached by Naomi before they came to Bethlehem that there would be no possibility of her ever getting married, and Ruth had accepted her status. I imagine that the town gossips had looked her over very carefully at the beginning. I do not know what all they had said, but I’m sure that among other things they’d said, “My, this is certainly a pretty girl who has come back with Naomi. Certainly she will be trying to get some of our young men.” But she made no attempt to do this. Instead she developed this wonderful reputation in the town of Bethlehem.
Boaz continues.
And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I [Ruth 3:12].
How did he know about this? Well, he had already investigated. You see, Boaz was ready to move the minute Ruth gave him the green light. That was all he was waiting on. The fact that there was another kinsman nearer than he was had tied his hands.
Now this other kinsman could quite possibly be a richer man than Boaz. Suppose Boaz had said to Ruth, back during the six weeks of harvest, “Ruth, I want to be your kinsman-redeemer.” And suppose she had said, “Well, I thank you very much, but I don’t want you. I am claiming this other man when the time comes. He is a wealthier man, and I want to claim him as my kinsman-redeemer.” Poor Boaz would have really been in a bad spot. He had to wait until she gave the indication that she wanted him. Now the minute she lets him know, he tells her, “The problem is there happens to be another kinsman closer than I am, and he has priority.” In other words, he’ll have to be dealt with first. And this other kinsman, I would assume, was a brother of Elimelech, an uncle of Ruth’s first husband, whereas Boaz was probably a cousin of her first husband. And so he says, “I want to be your kinsman-redeemer, but first I’ll have to see how this other man feels about you.”
Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning [Ruth 3:13].
In other words, Boaz is not sure what he will do if the other man wants to act as kinsman, but he has a plan that he’s going to follow which he hopes will eliminate the other kinsman. And he emphasizes again and again this word kinsman. In the Hebrew it is goel, the kinsman-redeemer. He is the one to redeem Ruth’s property, because she would inherit what her husband had; and he’s the one to redeem her, you see. He has top priority. And Boaz tells Ruth to stay through the night. He did not want her to return to Bethlehem when it was dark—in that day the highways were no more safe than they are today. When we read about the period of the judges, we learn that people did not travel the main highways because they were not safe. Instead they’d take off across the fields. So what Boaz is doing is protecting this girl.
And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor [Ruth 3:14].
Now the reason for that, again, is obvious. He did not want this other kinsman to know, because if he had any ideas about claiming Ruth as his wife, this would be something that would cause him to eliminate Boaz immediately. Boaz wants to handle this case himself, and he moves into the situation.
Also he said, Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city [Ruth 3:15].
In other words, he makes her a very generous gift.
And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her [Ruth 3:16].
Other commentators, after whom I have read, seem to misinterpret her question. When Naomi asked, “Who art thou, my daughter?” they say since it was dark when she came up to the door Naomi wasn’t sure who it was. Well, she at least knew that she was “my daughter.” Of course she knew it was Ruth. We need to understand the context here. When Naomi sent her, I think Ruth was reluctant to go. I imagine she had said, “Oh, I don’t want to claim him. You told me that if I came back here no one would be interested in me. I’m a Moabite, an outcast. I don’t want to go down and claim Boaz.” And Naomi said, “Look. I know He’s interested in you, and I know he’s in love with you, and I know he wants to marry you. Therefore, you do what I say.” I think she almost had to push Ruth out of the house. So when Ruth returns the next morning, Naomi says, “Who art thou, my daughter?” Now let me put it in good ol’ American: “Are you Mrs. Boaz or not?” In other words, “Was I right?” And, of course, she was right.
And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day [Ruth 3:17–18].
Ruth, you can just sit down there in the rocking chair and wait. From here on Boaz will be the man of action. He will take care of this case. You can rest in him. The work of redemption is going to be his work.
Friend, it’s wonderful to have a Savior in whom you can rest, and know that He’s your Redeemer. Oh, what a gift He is today! He has performed all the work of redemption. You and I are invited to enter into the rest of redemption because it is finished. You’ll remember in His great high priestly prayer, He said to the Father, “… I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4). Now that work was the work of redemption upon the cross. And when He was hanging there upon the cross, you will recall that He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). And when He cried, “It is finished,” then your redemption and my redemption was finished. He paid the penalty for your sin and my sin to such an extent that you cannot lift a little finger to add to your salvation. He has done it all.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
—H. M. Hall
The work of redemption is His work, and you and I are to enter into that perfect work of redemption which He accomplished for us. And there is a wonderful peace that will come to the heart that will trust Him, recognizing that He has completed it all. Frankly, God doesn’t need your little effort and my little effort. God is not receiving anything from us toward our salvation. First of all, you and I haven’t anything to offer. You and I are bankrupt. You and I have to come to Him to receive everything. I understand that that is the offense of the cross which Paul talks about in Galatians, because there are many people today who like to talk about their character, their family, or their church membership. They feel that church membership is synonymous with salvation, that if you’re a member of a church in good and regular standing it means God has accepted you. There is nothing farther from the truth than that. God is not receiving your effort and my effort today. The work of redemption is His work in its entirety. He was lifted up upon the cross as the Son of Man. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14–15). It is on the basis of His work upon the cross for you and me that God saves us. And that is the reason He came to this earth over 1900 years ago as a man. The writer to the Hebrews says, “… A body hast thou prepared me” (Heb. 10:5). Sacrifice and offering God did not want. All of the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were merely pointing to the coming of Christ, given to prepare people for the coming of the Savior into the world. It’s our acceptance and our reception of Him that saves us. He is the Savior. Actually even our faith doesn’t save us. It is Christ who saves us. Spurgeon said, “It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It’s not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument; it is Christ’s blood and merit.” You see, faith merely enables us to lay hold of the salvation Christ has purchased for us. Now today you either trust Him or you don’t trust Him. There’s no such thing as middle ground today. You’re either resting in Him or you are trying to earn your own salvation.
And so Ruth 3 concludes with Naomi saying to Ruth, “The man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.” And she said to Ruth, “Sit still, my daughter.” There’s nothing more for you to do. When you claimed him as your redeemer, that’s all he asked you to do. The work of redemption is his work.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: In the heart and home of Boaz
Ruth has come all the way from the land of Moab into the heart and home of Boaz. And we who were at one time strangers, far from God, without hope in the world, now have been made nigh by the blood of Christ. We today are in the family of God; we are in His heart. And one of these days we are going to be in His home. What a glorious, wonderful prospect we have of someday being with Him!
In this chapter we will see the work of Boaz. He has had to stand aside with his arms folded, but now he is free to move because Ruth has claimed him as her kinsman-redeemer. And I say this reverently to you, my friend: Christ, like Boaz, is not free to move in your behalf until you claim Him as your Kinsman-Redeemer. Christ died on the cross for you; He went through hell for you; and He even today stands at the door of your heart and knocks, saying, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). But He won’t crash the door. You will have to invite Him in. God offers the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus, but you have to reach out your hand and take it by faith. By faith you receive Christ.
Boaz is ready to act in the capacity of kinsman-redeemer. Ruth is to wait and let him be the one to make all the arrangements. He is the one now who will step out into the open and claim her, actually jeopardizing everything that he has and everything that he is. But he wants her; he loves her. This is the great message of this book: redemption is a romance; because God loves us He redeemed us.
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down [Ruth 4:1].
“Boaz went up to the gate.” Why did he go there? Well, simply because the gate served as the courthouse. That’s where court convened. In our American way of life, in the past at least, the custom was to build the courthouse in the center of town, put a square around it, and actually build the town around it. In the state of Texas where I was born that was done in nearly all of the county seats.
In the days of Boaz it was different. You see, many of the towns were walled in order to protect the citizens from any marauder or enemy that would attack from the outside. The cities were very compact—streets were narrow, and houses were crowded close together. You can see that today in Bethlehem and in Jerusalem. Most of the old cities over there reveal this. Bethlehem in Ruth’s day was that kind of place, so that the gate was the place where everybody came in or went out. Like the courthouse in the old days, especially on a Saturday, if you wanted to see anybody in the county, you’d just go to the courthouse square, and the chances were you would see him. Well, here in the Old Testament times they went to the gate. Now Boaz went to the gate for two reasons. It was where court convened, and he was going to take this other kinsman to court. The second reason is that he knows the other man will come in or out of that gate sooner or later that day. So he went to the gate, sat down, and waited there for him. Now I do not know how long he waited—it probably seemed a long time to Boaz—but finally the man he wanted to see came by. Now this man was a kinsman to Ruth and was nearer than Boaz. I do not know the relationship. In these early days they did not express relationships specifically. You just couldn’t narrow it down to a second cousin or a kissing cousin. A man was either kin to you or he wasn’t kin to you. And the same word would be used for a brother or an uncle or some other relationship. I assume that this other man was a brother of Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, which made him an uncle of Ruth’s first husband. So when Boaz sees him, he says, “Ho, such a one!” Now the question arises, didn’t he know him by name? And I think the answer is yes, he knew him by name. We’ve all done something similar, I’m sure. Even though we know the person’s name, just on the spur of the moment, we may address him without using his name. And Boaz, in the excitement of the situation, fails to call him by name. I’m confident Boaz knew him. They both lived there in Bethlehem, and they were related apparently by blood. So this other kinsman came and sat down. He responded to what was almost a command from Boaz. And I think that his reaction would have been simply this: “What in the world has happened to Boaz? Here it is the harvesting season and we’re all busy in the fields, and he is detaining me. He must have something very important to discuss. This is really unusual.” So the kinsman, if for no other reason than that of curiosity, wants to know what it is that’s on the mind of Boaz.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down [Ruth 4:2].
These ten men were elders, we’re told, and they were the ones who constituted the judges. This is the courthouse, and court’s in session. You will find way back in the Book of Genesis, that the men who came to the city of Sodom found Lot was sitting at the gate. Lot had become a petty judge there in the city of Sodom. Even that far back the city gate served as the courthouse, and the men who sat in the gate were the judges. Now Boaz has called the court into session, and they’re ready to hear the case. And Boaz is ready to state it, by the way. Notice the strategy of this man. It’s quite remarkable.
And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s [Ruth 4:3].
Now notice the approach Boaz makes. Although he is primarily interested in Ruth, he doesn’t even mention her at first. And does this verse mean that Boaz was Elimelech’s brother also? Not in the Hebrew. “Our brother Elimelech” would mean “our near relative.” Apparently there was a difference between these two men’s relationships to Elimelech, or one kinsman wouldn’t have been nearer than the other. He had to be nearer than Boaz was. In his approach, Boaz says that there’s a piece of property involved. We have already seen that there was a law pertaining to property which involved the kinsman-redeemer. This law could be put into effect when a person’s property fell into the hands of others through varied circumstances. In the case of Naomi, she and her family had left during a famine. When she came back, she had nothing. She could not retrieve her property. She would have to wait until the Year of Jubilee, and I assume that was a long way off. But now what is going to happen? Will a kinsman-redeemer come forward? Boaz is calling this other kinsman’s attention, not to the person of Ruth, but to the property that belonged to Elimelech. He wants to know whether this other kinsman will redeem that property. I think that it’s a logical step. Property had to be redeemed before a person could be redeemed.
Now Boaz says,
And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it [Ruth 4:4].
In other words, Boaz gives this man the priority that belongs to him. And the question is: Does this man want to be the redeemer? Will he redeem this property in order that it might be given to Naomi before the Year of Jubilee? Now the very interesting thing is that this other kinsman responds in the affirmative. He says, “I will redeem it.” Apparently he was a generous men, and he was willing to perform the part of a kinsman in this connection. And I take it that if a man refused to be a kinsman, it brought upon him a certain amount of criticism, in fact, it brought a degree of disgrace. And I think that when this man agreed to redeem the property, Boaz’s heart must have gone way down into his sock. But he would not give up. He had prepared for this eventuality, and he was ready now to reveal his hand, and to show that there was more to this case than just a piece of property.
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance [Ruth 4:5].
It’s as if Boaz said, “Well, I forgot to tell you that there is in connection with this property a little hurdle that you’ll have to get over. You see, there is now a woman by the name of Ruth. She’s a Moabitess, and she’s connected with the property because she happened to marry a son of Elimelech. And now that both he and Elimelech are dead, she’ll be the one to inherit this land. So the day that you redeem this property, you’ve also got to redeem this woman; that is, you’ll have to step in and marry Ruth, because she’s tied to this property.” And I think Boaz made the problem very clear. And you’ll notice he let the man know the nationality of the woman involved. “She is a Moabitess.” Now the Mosaic Law says very specifically in Deuteronomy 23:3, “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” It would mean that if this man brought Ruth into the congregation of the Lord, it would jeopardize his own property. Now Boaz will not mind doing that. To tell the truth, Boaz will be delighted to do that. He loves her, and he is willing to make whatever sacrifice is involved. But this other man doesn’t even know her. All he knows is that she is a woman of Moab. Regardless of what he may have heard, he certainly is not interested in marrying her, and he makes that very clear.
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it [Ruth 4:6].
Now I assume that this other kinsman was already married. It’s quite possible that he had grown children the age of Boaz, and that his children were married. His property already would be allotted to his children. To marry this woman of Moab would jeopardize everything that he owned. He would be risking everything by marrying Ruth and bringing her into the congregation of the Lord. Very candidly, this other kinsman probably was right in what he said, that he could not redeem the property and Ruth because his own inheritance would be marred. Then he tells Boaz, “You go ahead and take my right of redemption to yourself if this is what you want to do.”
Now I have attempted to lift out of this little book some of the great spiritual lessons that are here—and there are many. The kinsman-redeemer is one of the most marvelous pictures that we have of our Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed us. In other words, as we said at the very beginning, this story is a picture of our redemption. This is the way our Kinsman-Redeemer has acted in our behalf.
Also we have a marvelous picture in this other kinsman. What does he represent? I personally think that he represents the Mosaic Law. To begin with, he’s nameless. The Law could not redeem us. It was impossible for the Law to redeem us. That’s made very clear in the New Testament. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). The Law was never given to be a redeemer. The Law was given to reveal man’s true condition. Paul calls it a ministration of condemnation (2 Cor. 3:9) and a ministration of death (2 Cor. 3:7). The Law was never a savior. The Law actually condemned us rather than saved us. It was given as an attempt to control the old nature. There was really never anyone who got saved by keeping the precepts of the Law. It was only as they brought the sacrifice that pointed to Christ that they were ever made acceptable to God. And that’s the reason the great Day of Atonement was so important. It covered the sins of ignorance for everyone in Israel. On that day their attention was called to the fact that they needed a Savior even to deliver them from the Law. Like the other kinsman, the Law was unable to save. The other kinsman said it would mar his own inheritance. And the Law would have to lower its standards if it saved you or me, friend. I hear a great many people who talk rather foolishly about keeping the Law. They say, “I live by the Ten Commandments,” or “I live by the Sermon on the Mount.” Well, do you? There are those that say, “That’s my religion.” If that is your religion, I have a question for you: How are you getting along? Are you keeping it? “Oh,” somebody says, “I’m trying mighty hard.” A very prominent businessman told me that years ago in Nashville, Tennessee. Well, you can’t find anywhere in the Sermon on the Mount or in the Ten Commandments or in the Mosaic system where it says you are to try. God says, “Do these things.” He didn’t say anything in the world about trying. You can’t come half way. This other kinsman, who symbolizes the Law, said, “I cannot redeem.” The Law cannot redeem you. You have to have somebody who will love you, friend, and somebody to pay the penalty of your sins. That’s the only way you’ll ever get saved. You cannot measure up to God’s standard. You and I are way short of God’s standard. We need today a Kinsman-Redeemer who loves us and who was not only willing to risk everything, but who actually gave His life. When He took our place, He paid an awful penalty. He died upon the cross for our sins.
In order to make a contract or agreement binding, it was necessary to follow an unusual procedure.
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel [Ruth 4:7].
You’ll recall that when we looked at this law back in Deuteronomy 25, it said that the woman was to take off his shoe and spit in his face. Well, I’m glad Boaz didn’t spit in his face here, but he did take off the shoe. And we see that Boaz has taken the place of Ruth in this entire transaction; he is acting for her. On her behalf he takes off the shoe of the other man, and this girl is now to become his wife. Now I have given names to nearly everyone in this little Book of Ruth, and I have a name for this other kinsman. He’s Old Barefoot. He lost his shoe. You know, only the Gospel has ever put shoes on our feet. “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15). The old Law, my friend, is barefoot. It cannot save you at all.
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people. Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day [Ruth 4:8–10].
First he redeems the property, you see. Then he is also the redeemer for Ruth. He acts the part of a kinsman and makes her his wife. He does it because he’s in love with her. Since Boaz depicts the Lord Jesus Christ, our Kinsman-Redeemer, it is very important to see that He has acted in our behalf. Now Boaz calls the people to witness the fact that he not only has redeemed the property, but he has also redeemed Ruth, the widow of Mahlon.
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem [Ruth 4:11].
These people of Bethlehem are rejoicing in this because—as we’ve been told twice—this girl, though a foreigner, an outsider, has made a wonderful name for herself in Bethlehem. It was obvious that she, as a Moabite, had made a tremendous sacrifice to trust God as her Savior. And she didn’t spend her time running around chasing every man in the community, and Boaz had noted that, you remember.
The impression you get from some girls today is that they start out as soon as they are able, and they chase the boys until finally they run one down and marry him. And then we wonder why those marriages don’t work out. I risk being thought archaic for saying this, but I believe it is still the prerogative of the man to do the chasing. The man is always the deliverer, and the woman is the receiver. God made them that way. And that’s why He says to the man, “Husbands, love your wives” (Eph. 5:25). He didn’t turn that around and instruct the wife to love the husband. Somebody asks, “Well, isn’t she supposed to?” Of course she is, but she’s a responder. She is to respond to him. If he loves her, then she will love him. If he treats her harshly and cruelly, she will become cold and indifferent, and love will die. In the majority of cases—and over the years I have counselled literally hundreds of cases that have to do with marriage problems—the man is to blame. You see, he is the one who is responsible because he is to be the leader.
As a man chooses a woman for his bride, and as Boaz claimed Ruth, so Christ came to this earth for His bride. He is the one who demonstrated His love by dying for us. And we are the responder—we are to respond to His love. We are to receive Him as Savior, then come to know Him. Oh, friend, that should be the ambition of every Christian—to know Him! It is sad that a great many people make a trip to Bethlehem once a year and look in a manger. He’s not there, friend. Although he did come as a baby, He hasn’t been a baby for a long time. Then at Easter they go look in an empty tomb, and He’s not there either. He’s the Man in the glory today. And Paul could write that his ambition was, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). That was the goal of this man. Oh, that we might know Him, our Kinsman-Redeemer, and love Him because He first loved us.
And now all the people of Bethlehem are joyful over the events that are taking place in the life of Boaz. And they continue to express this.
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.
And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel [Ruth 4:12–14].
The women said this to Naomi because, you see, Naomi needed a kinsman to carry on the line of Elimelech. Now it will be carried on through Boaz.
We have a Kinsman today, and that’s the most wonderful news we can have, friend. Look today at this poor, sin-stained world. It is puzzled, not knowing where to turn. And look at the faces. I’ve looked into the faces of literally thousands of people in downtown Los Angeles and elsewhere. If they are happy, their faces don’t reveal it. The children appear happy but not the older folk. Their lives seem almost aimless, without hope, without God in the world. They need a Kinsman. It’s tragic to see people celebrate Christmas or Easter or anything that relates to Christ without knowing He is their Kinsman and without having received Him as their Kinsman-Redeemer.
And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it [Ruth 4:15–16].
This child, you see, is Naomi’s grandson. And how precious he is to her.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David [Ruth 4:17].
Naomi’s neighbors, seeing her great love for the child, named him Obed, meaning “servant” or “worshiper.” Although he was of no blood kin to Naomi, he was legally her grandson. Undoubtedly, he became a little servant to Naomi in her old age and took the place left vacant by the death of her husband and two sons. Her estate, of course, would go to this son of Boaz and Ruth.
He is a worshiper of the living and the true God.
Now we’re given Obed’s genealogy. Obed is the father of Jesse. And who is Jesse? He is the father of David.
Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon began Salmon, And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David [Ruth 4:18–22].
In one sense this genealogy that concludes the Book of Ruth is just about as important as any portion of the Old Testament. Do you know why? Because this little book and this genealogy are what connect the family of David with the tribe of Judah. Without it we would have no written record of the connection. This makes the little Book of Ruth very important, as you can see, because it fits into God’s plan and into God’s scheme.
As a fitting climax for the little Book of Ruth, let us look further at the kinsman-redeemer as he pictures the Lord Jesus Christ. In what sense did our Lord fulfill that which the kinsman-redeemer represents? There were several requirements a man had to meet in order to qualify as a kinsman-redeemer. We shall look at several of them.
First of all, he must be a near kinsman. Second, he must be willing to redeem. The third requirement is that the kinsman-redeemer must be able to redeem. And the fourth, the kinsman-redeemer must be free himself. And finally, the redeemer must have the price of redemption. He must be able to pay in legal tender that which is acceptable.
Now Boaz was able to meet all of these conditions as the kinsman-redeemer of Ruth. And the Lord Jesus Christ as our Kinsman-Redeemer, and the Kinsman-Redeemer of the world, meets all these requirements also.
First of all, let’s consider that the kinsman-redeemer must be a near kinsman. That seems to be obvious and needs no proof. In fact, that is the reason Boaz could act. He said, “I am your near kinsman.” Presented to us from beginning to end is the fact that Boaz was related to the family of Elimelech. And the Lord Jesus Christ is our Kinsman-Redeemer. He is a near kinsman. He is the one who took upon Himself our humanity. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:14–16). The Lord Jesus Christ came into our human family, “he took on him the seed of Abraham,” we’re told here. We are also told that He “… can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity” (Heb. 5:2). He knew what it was to be a man. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4–5). He was born of a woman, born under the Law. You see, He came down and took upon Himself our humanity, and He became a man. And it was for the joy that was set before Him that He came down to this earth and entered into the human family. That, my friend, is one of the greatest encouragements that I could have today. If you could persuade me that God had not become man (you cannot persuade me of that, by the way, but if you could), then, I say it reverently and with some thought, I’d turn my back on God. However, you cannot persuade me of this, and I’ll not turn my back on Him, because 2000 years ago He came down and took upon Himself my humanity. And He suffered down here; He bled and died. He is able to help me today because He knows me and He knows you. He knows you better than your friends know you, than your relatives know you, than your wife or husband knows you. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows you today, and He can help you today because of that. Because God became man and took my humanity upon Himself, then, although there are many experiences in this life I cannot explain, and I do not know why certain things happen today, I accept them. Since He became a man, and since He found it necessary to come down to this earth to suffer and to bleed and to die for the sins of the world—which is in the plan and program of God—I know that life has some high and holy purpose. I’m going to get up and brush myself off when I fall again, and I’m going to continue right on through life because I know that we’re pressing “… toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).
Christ’s humanity has been expressed in a lovely little poem by Jean Ingelow:
O, God, O Kinsman loved, but not enough!
O Man, with eyes majestic after death,
Whose feet have toiled along our pathways rough,
Whose lips drawn human breath!
By that one likeness which is ours and Thine,
By that one nature which doth hold us kin;
By that high heaven where sinless Thou dost shine,
To draw us sinners in.
Anselm, one of the great saints during the period of the Middle Ages, in his book, Cur Deus Homo, that is, Why God Became Man, reduces to one well-defined point the problem of why God became a man. That point is defined by one word: redemption. The Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself our humanity and our flesh that He might be our Kinsman-Redeemer. He qualifies as our Kinsman-Redeemer on this first point: He is our near Kinsman!
Not only must a kinsman-redeemer be a near kinsman, but he must also be willing to redeem. You will recall that Naomi’s other kinsman was not willing to redeem. He very frankly told Boaz, “I’ll mar my own inheritance. I cannot redeem it. You redeem my right for yourself.” And Boaz was willing—not only willing—he wanted to redeem it, because he loved Ruth. And you and I today have a Kinsman who loves us. Why? There’s no explanation in us. Paul said in Romans 3:24: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” “Freely” means without a cause. He didn’t find any cause in us at all. But He loves us, and He’s a willing Redeemer. The writer to the Hebrews says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). And so we find that the Lord Jesus, as our Kinsman-Redeemer, was willing to redeem us. He wanted to redeem us and He loves us today. He was a willing sacrifice.
It has been suggested by some, and wrongly so, that because Jesus was a willing sacrifice, He was a suicide like Socrates. That’s a blasphemous statement, but some of the liberals have made it, as they have made other blasphemous statements. Although His death was not a suicide, He certainly was willing to die—you see, He loved us!
Many years ago down in Houston, Texas, when a boarding house caught on fire, a woman broke through the lines and went into that house. It collapsed, and she was burned to death. The headlines read: “Poor Wretch Dies: Suicide.” Later the newspaper corrected it, and printed an apology. Do you know why? It was because when workmen were digging around in the rubble, they found in a back room, a little iron bed, and in that little iron bed was a baby, her baby. She entered that burning building to save her baby. She wasn’t a suicide. She loved that baby and wanted to save her child. The Lord Jesus was a willing Redeemer, friend, very willing, and it was because He loved us.
Third, a kinsman-redeemer must be able to redeem. I am sure that Naomi had some poor kinfolk there in Bethlehem—we all have poor kinfolk, haven’t we? It might have been that one night after Naomi had come back from Moab that these poor kinfolk came over, they all got out their handkerchiefs and they wept. They said, “Naomi, we feel sorry for you, but we can’t help you. In fact, we’re in pretty bad shape ourselves. We can’t even help ourselves.” It’s nice to have folk sympathize with you, but it’s wonderful to have a kinsman who is able to write a check that doesn’t bounce, and to have that kinsman come along and say, “I’ll redeem you.” Well, you and I have a Kinsman-Redeemer. One of the things that is said about Him is that He is able to redeem. Have you ever noticed the many times in the New Testament that it says the Lord Jesus is able? He is able. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). He is our great Kinsman-Redeemer with the ability to save. That, of course, was true of Boaz. He was called a mighty man of wealth. There was never any question about his ability. And, friend, there’s never a question about whether the Lord Jesus can redeem. Job could say, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25). I can say today that I know that my Redeemer liveth, because He is right now at God’s right hand, and He stood one day upon this earth. In fact, He hung one day upon a cross that He might redeem us from sin. He is able to save. And we’re told today that God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name above every name, and that some day every tongue must confess and every knee must bow to Him (Phil. 2:9–11). He is able to save. And may I say, He is able to save you. The question is: Has He saved you? He wants to, and He will if you’ll come to Him.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barber, Cyril J. Ruth. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1983.
Davis, John J. Conquest and Crisis—Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969.
Enns, Paul P. Ruth. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Vol. 2. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Grant, F. W. Numerical Bible. Vol. 2. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1891.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Jensen, Irving L. Judges & Ruth, A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968.
McGee, J. Vernon. Ruth, The Romance of Redemption. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1943
Mackintosh, C. H. The Mackintosh Treasury: Miscellaneous Writings. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux, n.d.
Ridout, Samuel. Lectures on the Books of Judges and Ruth. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
The Book of
1 Samuel
INTRODUCTION
The two Books of Samuel are classified as one book in the Jewish canon and should be considered as such. In the Latin Vulgate they are the first of four Books of Kings. Our title identifies the name of Samuel with these first two historical books. This is not because he is the writer, although we do believe that he is the writer of a good portion of it. It is because his story occurs first, and he figures prominently as the one who poured the anointing oil on both Saul and David. Samuel, then, is considered the writer of 1 Samuel up to the twenty-fifth chapter, which records his death. Apparently, Nathan and Gad completed the writing of these books. We learn this from 1 Samuel 10:25 and 1 Chronicles 29:29.
The Books of Samuel contain many familiar features. We read of the rise of the kingdom of Israel. There is also the story of Hannah and her little boy Samuel. Recorded in these books is the story of David and Goliath and the unusual and touching friendship of David and Jonathan. We have the account of King Saul’s visit to the witch of En-dor, and 2 Samuel 7—one of the great chapters of the Word of God—gives us God’s covenant with David. Finally, we have the record of David’s great sin with Bathsheba and of the rebellion of his son Absalom.
In the Book of Judges we find that God used little people, many of whom had some serious fault or defect. Their stories are a great encouragement to those of us today who are little people. However, in 1 and 2 Samuel we meet some really outstanding folk: Hannah, Eli, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, and David. We will become acquainted with each of them as we go through these books.
There are three subjects that may be considered themes of the Books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Prayer is the first. First Samuel opens with prayer, and 2 Samuel closes with prayer. And there’s a great deal of prayer in between. A second theme is the rise of the kingdom. We have recorded in these books the change in the government of Israel from a theocracy to a kingdom. Of great significance is God’s covenant with David given to us in 2 Samuel 7. We will comment further on the kingdom in a moment. The third theme is the rise of the office of prophet. When Israel was a theocracy, God moved through the priesthood. However, when the priests failed and a king was anointed, God set the priests aside and raised up the prophets as His messengers. We will find that for the nation of Israel this resulted in deterioration rather than improvement.
The rise of the kingdom is of particular importance. First and Second Samuel record the origin of this kingdom, which continues as a very important subject throughout both the Old and New Testaments. The first message of the New Testament was the message of John the Baptist: “… Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). The kingdom of which he spoke is the kingdom of the Old Testament, the kingdom that begins in the Books of Samuel. This kingdom we find has a very historical basis, an earthly origin, and geographical borders. This kingdom has a king, and its subjects are real people.
God’s chosen form of government is a kingdom ruled by a king. Yet to change the form of our government today would not solve our problems. It is not the form that is bad—it is the people connected with it. But a kingdom is God’s ideal, and He intends to put His King on the throne of this earth someday. When Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, rules this world it will be very unlike the job men are doing today. There will be no need for a poverty program, an ecological program, or for moral reforms. Rather, there will be righteousness and peace covering this earth like the waters cover the sea.
In these books the coming millennial kingdom is foreshadowed in several respects; and in the setting up of the kingdom of Israel we observe three things that our world needs: (1) a king with power who exercises that power in righteousness; (2) a king who will rule in full dependence upon God; and (3) a king who will rule in full obedience to God. The Lord Jesus Christ, the coming King of Kings, is the very One the world so desperately needs today.
OUTLINE
I. Samuel, God’s Prophet, Chapters 1–8
A. Birth of Samuel, Chapters 1–2
1. Hannah’s Prayer and Answer, Chapter 1
2. Hannah’s Prophetic Prayer; Boy Samuel in Temple, Chapter 2
B. Call of Samuel, Chapter 3
C. Last Judge and First Prophet (Prophetic Office), Chapters 4–8
1. Ark Captured by Philistines; Word of God to Samuel Fulfilled; Eli Dies and His Sons Slain, Chapter 4
2. God Judged Philistines because of Ark; Ark Returned to Beth-shemesh, Chapters 5–6
3. Samuel Leads in Revival (Put away Idols and Turn to Jehovah); Victory at Eben-ezer, Chapter 7
4. Israel Rejects God and Demands a King; Samuel Warns Nation but Promises a King, Chapter 8
II. Saul, Satan’s Man, Chapters 9–15
A. Saul Received, Chapters 9–10
1. Saul Chosen as King, Chapter 9
2. Saul Anointed as King, Chapter 10
B. Saul Reigning, Chapters 11–12
1. Saul’s Victory over Ammonites, Chapter 11
2. Transfer of Authority from Samuel to Saul, Chapter 12
C. Saul Rejected, Chapters 13–15
1. Saul’s Rebellion against God, Chapter 13
2. Jonathan Responsible for Victory over Philistines; Saul Takes Credit, Chapter 14
3. Saul’s Glaring Rebellion and Disobedience Regarding Agag, Chapter 15
III. David, God’s Man; Saul, Satan’s Man, Chapters 16–31
A. David Anointed, Chapter 16
B. David Trained, Chapters 17–18
1. David Slays Goliath, Giant of Gath, Chapter 17
2. Jonathan and David Make Covenant; Saul Gives Daughter Michal to David, Chapter 18
C. David Disciplined, Chapters 19–30
1. Saul Attempts to Kill David Again, Chapter 19
2. Jonathan Helps David Escape, Chapter 20
3. David Escapes to Nob and Gath, Chapter 21
4. David Gathers His Men; Saul Slays Priests of God, Chapter 22
5. David Fights Philistines; Saul Pursues David; Jonathan and David Make Covenant, Chapter 23
6. David Spares Saul’s Life at En-gedi, Chapter 24
7. Samuel Dies; David and Abigail, Chapter 25
8. David Again Spares Saul’s Life in Wilderness of Ziph, Chapter 26
9. David Retreats to Land of Philistia (Ziklag), Chapter 27
10. Saul Consults Witch of En-dor, Chapter 28
11. Philistines Do Not Trust David in Battle, Chapter 29
12. David Fights Amalekites for Destroying Ziklag, Chapter 30
D. Saul Mortally Wounded in Battle, Attempts Suicide, Chapter 31
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Birth of Samuel; Samuel taken to Eli
This first Book of Samuel opens with the cry of a godly woman. While the people cry for a king, Hannah cries for a child. God builds the throne on a woman’s cry. When woman takes her exalted place, God builds her a throne.
Eli, the high priest, thinks Hannah is drunk as she prays before the tabernacle in Shiloh. When he discovers her true anxiety for a child, he blesses her. Samuel is born to Hannah and she brings him to Eli in fulfillment of her vow.
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children [1 Sam. 1:1–2].
Elkanah had two wives. Perhaps you are thinking that God approved of this. No, my friend, as you read this record you will find that God did not approve of his having two wives. The fact that certain things are recorded in Scripture does not mean that God sanctions them. He is merely giving you the facts concerning history, persons, and events. For example, you will find that the lie of Satan is recorded in Scripture, but that does not mean God approves it! God showed His disapproval when Abraham took the maid Hagar as his second wife. In fact, the fruits of his sin are still in existence. Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar, became the head of the Arab nation, and the Jews and Arabs are still at odds today. Because Elkanah had two wives, there was trouble in the family. This is evidence that God is not blessing them at this particular time.
And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there [1 Sam. 1:3].
This verse disturbed me for a long time. Why in the world did Samuel have to tell us that the sons of Eli were at the tabernacle? Later on we will find out. Going to worship God at the tabernacle was not all that you might suppose it to be. Actually it was a dangerous place to be, because these sons of Eli were “sons of Belial,” or sons of the devil, if you please.
Some churches are the worst places you can be in and the most dangerous places for you. I have heard people say concerning the Upper Room, “How wonderful to have been there with Jesus!” Would it? Do you know who was in the Upper Room! Satan! He was not invited, but he was there. The record tells us that Satan entered into Judas. The Upper Room was the most dangerous place to be in Jerusalem that night. So, going to worship God had its difficulties in Samuel’s day. Evil was present there in the persons of Eli’s sons. It is interesting that this is mentioned at this juncture in 1 Samuel.
And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb [1 Sam. 1:4–5].
Elkanah gave more to Hannah than he did to his other wife and all of their children. Why? He loved Hannah.
And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb [1 Sam. 1:6].
Who was Hannah’s adversary? It was Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife. They were not on speaking terms, and it was not a very pleasant home. Who told you that God approves of a man having two wives? They were having family trouble, and they did not have a counselor to whom they could go for help. Hannah was probably one of the most miserable persons in the world at this time, but she went to God in prayer.
And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head [1 Sam. 1:7–11].
The expression “she was in bitterness of soul” describes her deep disappointment at not having a son. So she prayed for a son and promised God two things if her desire was granted: (1) He would be a priest in the Levitical service all the days of his life, and (2) she would make him a Nazarite unto God—that is, he would be separated unto the service of God.
And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken [1 Sam. 1:12–13].
Eli was the high priest, and he saw this distraught woman come to the tabernacle and pray. He watched her mouth, saw her lips move, but could not hear any sound. Neither, apparently, could he read her lips. Notice his reaction, which is an insight into the conditions of that day. The sons of Eli drank and caroused there. Eli knew it but had shut his eyes to it—he was an indulgent father. When Hannah prayed with such zeal in her heart, Eli thought she was drunk. Do you know why? Others who were drunk had come to the house of the Lord. This place of worship wasn’t really the best place to come in that day.
And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee,
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord [1 Sam. 1:14–15].
We don’t see much praying like Hannah’s today. Would people think you were drunk by the way you pray? Our prayers are very dignified. Hannah, not wanting Eli to have the wrong impression, said:
Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad [1 Sam. 1:16–18].
Eli realized his mistake and gave a prophetic blessing. That Hannah’s “countenance was no more sad” indicates her confidence that God had heard and would answer her prayer.
SAMUEL’S BIRTH
Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord [1 Sam. 1:20].
The name Samuel means “heard of God.” As I have said previously, this Book of 1 Samuel opens with the cry of a godly woman. While the people are crying for a king, Hannah is crying out for a child. God builds the throne on a woman’s cry. When a woman takes her exalted place, God builds her a throne.
What a contrast that is to our contemporary society. For the past few months we have heard nothing on the news but abortion, abortion, abortion. Here is Hannah who wants a child, and some women today do not want their children. Of course there are times when abortion is essential for the mother’s life or even for the sake of the child, but that should be determined by expert, scientific consultation. However, the issue today is that people want to sin, but they do not want to pay the consequences for their sin. My position is that when people sin they should bear the fruit of their sin. If a child is conceived, that child should be born and should be the responsibility of those who brought him into the world. People are trying hard to get away from the fruit of sin. We need to understand this principle: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). We are living in a day of abortion. Hannah lived in a day when she wanted a son, and she dedicated that son unto the Lord. On her cry, God built a kingdom. What a tremendous tribute and wonderful monument to this woman’s cry!
SAMUEL TAKEN TO ELI
And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.
And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.
For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there [1 Sam. 1:24–28].
When Hannah took her offering to the Lord, she kept her vow to God. She said, “I have promised to bring this little one to the Lord, and here he is.” Lent is definitely a poor word to describe Hannah’s gift of Samuel to the Lord. Her decision to give him completely over to the service of the Lord is irrevocable.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Hannah’s prophetic prayer; Eli’s evil sons; the boy Samuel in the tabernacle; Eli’s sons judged
Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving is prophetic, as she mentions the Messiah for the first time.
Eli’s sons are evil and unfit for the priest’s office. An unnamed prophet warns Eli that his line will be cut off as high priest and God will raise up a faithful priest.
HANNAH’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This is one of the great prayers of Scripture.
And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation [1 Sam. 2:1].
A “horn” speaks of strength, something to hold on to. Hannah says “her strength,” but she means her strength in the Lord. She is rejoicing over the fact that God has given her a son. She is victorious over those who ridiculed her for being barren, and she is rejoicing in her salvation. There has been a present deliverance. Salvation comes in three tenses. (1) We have been saved. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath [right now] everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). That means that God has delivered us from the guilt of sin by the death of Christ. That is justification, and it is past tense. (2) God has also delivered us from what the old theologians called “the pollution of sin,” which is present deliverance. We are being saved. It is a deliverance from the weaknesses of the flesh, the sins of the flesh, the faults of the mind, and the actions of the will. This is the present deliverance that Hannah is talking about. It is sanctification and is in the present tense. (3) Finally there is the deliverance from death in the future—not physical, but spiritual death. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). This is a future deliverance. We shall be saved. That will be glorification, which is future tense. We have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. Hannah was rejoicing in her salvation.
You remember that Jonah said, “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). The psalmist repeats again and again that salvation is of the Lord. The great truth of salvation is that it is by the grace of God. That is, we have been justified freely by His grace. The word freely means “without a cause.” God found nothing in us to merit salvation. He found the explanation in Himself—He loves us.
There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God [1 Sam, 2:2].
The Lord is spoken of as a “rock” in the Old Testament. In the New Testament the Lord Jesus Christ is called the “chief corner stone” (1 Pet. 2:6). In Matthew 16:18 Christ spoke of Himself when He said, “… upon this rock I will build my church.” That Rock upon which Hannah rested is the same Rock upon which we rest today. There is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed [1 Sam, 2:3].
When we come to God in prayer, we need to be very careful, friends, that we do not let our pride cause us to stumble. We need to recognize our weakness, our insufficiency, and our inability, and the fact that we really have no claim on God. Sometimes we hear people ask, “Why didn’t God hear my prayer?” To be quite frank, why should He? What claim do you have on Him? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, you have a wonderful claim on God, and you can come to Him in the name of Jesus Christ. As His children we have Jesus’ right and claim. However, we must remember that our prayers must be in accordance with His will.
The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up [1 Sam. 2:4–6].
The whole thought in this passage is that God gives life. As Job said, “… the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Only God has the power to give life, and only He has the right to take it away. Until you and I have the power to give life, we have no right to take life away. So far only God has that power. Believe me, God will take the blame (if that is what you want to call it) for the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. He does not apologize for the fact that He intends to judge the wicked. They will go down into death and be separated from God. God does not apologize for what He does. Why? Because this is His universe; we are His creatures; He is running the universe His way.
Not long ago I talked to a young university student who had received Christ as Savior but who was still unwilling to accept many things. I said to him, “If you do not like the way God has worked out His plan of salvation, and you don’t like the things He is doing, you can go off somewhere and make your own universe, set up your own rules, and run it your own way. But as long as you are in God’s universe, you are going to have to do things His way.” It is a most wonderful thing that you and I can bow to Him and come under His blessing if we are willing to do things His way.
The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up [1 Sam. 2:7].
This verse brings up a question that many of us have: “Why are some people rich and some people poor?” I cannot understand why God has permitted some folks to be wealthy and others to be needy. I think I could distribute the wealth a little bit better than He has done it, I will be frank with you. But, you know, He did not leave that to me. That is His business and He will be able to explain it some day. I am going to wait for the explanation, because I know He has the answer.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail [1 Sam. 2:8–9].
Man, by his own effort, power, and strength, can never accomplish anything for God. Christians today need to recognize that fact. It is only what you and I do by the power of the Holy Spirit that will count. We need to learn to be dependent upon Him and rest in Him.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed [1 Sam. 2:10].
This is one of the great verses of Scripture and the first one to use the name Messiah—the word anointed is the Hebrew word Messiah. It is translated Christos in the Greek New Testament and comes to us as “Christ” in English. It is the title of the Lord Jesus. God is getting ready to set up a kingdom in Israel. Since Israel has rejected the theocracy, God is going to appoint them a king.
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest [1 Sam. 2:11].
It may sound as though Samuel was being left in a place of protection and shelter. The tabernacle should have been a place like that, but unfortunately it was not.
ELI’S EVIL SONS
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord [1 Sam. 2:12].
Eli’s boys were “sons of Belial,” meaning sons of the devil. They were not saved. Here they were, sons of the high priest, hanging around the tabernacle and actually ministering there!
There are many folk who send a son to a Christian school and feel very comfortable about it. I don’t want you to misunderstand what I am saying—I thank God for Christian schools. The problem is that since the boy is in a good place, they quit praying for him. That boy may be in the most dangerous place imaginable. Other parents feel secure in the fact that their son is in a fine church. My friend, that’s where the devil goes—to those wonderful places! Remember that the devil was in the Upper Room where Christ celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples. That room was the most dangerous place in Jerusalem that night because the devil was present. We need to remember that the boy who goes to a good church or a good school still needs prayer. He may be in a dangerous place.
This little fellow Samuel is in a dangerous place, and his mother is going to continue to pray for him, you may be sure of that.
And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand;
And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh, unto all the Israelites that came thither.
Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him. Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force [1 Sam. 2:13–16].
They were totally dishonest in the Lord’s work. They were running one of the first religious rackets.
Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord [1 Sam. 2:17].
Their dishonesty caused many people to turn from God. The Israelites saw what Eli’s sons were doing at the tabernacle and, instead of being drawn closer to the Lord, they were driven away. Friends, we need to be careful about how we live our lives and how we run our churches. This idea of shutting our eyes to sin in the church and trying to cover it up just drives people away from God. That is one of the protests of our young people today. Recently I have had the privilege of seeing over one hundred of these young people turn to Christ. I have talked with them and have seen them in action. They are against the organized church because of the hypocrisy that is in it. That disturbs me because I know it is there—just as it was in the tabernacle in Eli’s day.
THE BOY SAMUEL IN THE TABERNACLE
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice [1 Sam. 2:18–19].
While Samuel is growing up under the influence of Eli’s dishonest sons, his mother does not forget him. Hannah loves her little boy. She had promised to give him to the Lord, and she kept her word. And every year she makes a coat for him and gives it to him. There is nothing quite as tender and loving as this type of thing. I think one of the greatest joys that Mrs. McGee and I have is in selecting clothes, a little suit or something, for our grandson. Nothing is as satisfying as that. My heart goes out to Hannah as we see her here.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own home.
And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord [1 Sam. 2:20–21].
God was good to Hannah. She had five other children, but she never forgot Samuel during all those years. Every year she made him a little coat. And, in spite of the bad environment of the tabernacle, Samuel grew before the Lord.
ELI’S SONS JUDGED
Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [1 Sam. 2:22].
Eli was an indulgent father who shut his eyes to the sins of his sons. Notice their awful, gross immorality “and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation”! There is a great deal of talk today about what is called the “new morality.” I think Eli’s sons beat the crowd today in the new morality. Actually, it was not even new in their day; it goes back to the time of the Flood.
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people [1 Sam. 2:23].
The actions of Eli’s sons were an open scandal in Israel, and all Eli did was give his boys a gentle slap on the wrist!
Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress [1 Sam. 2:24].
The people were doing what the priests were doing. Eli’s sons were leading the Israelites into sin. Instead of taking positive steps to correct the situation, Eli gently rebukes them. He was an indulgent father.
If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men [1 Sam. 2:25–26].
Even in this bad environment, Samuel is growing in favor with God and man. He is dedicated to God and backed by his mother’s interest and prayer. God is going to use him.
And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?
And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? [1 Sam. 2:27–29.
God sent a prophet to old Eli who told him that God was through with him as the high priest. No longer would God move through the priest. Instead, God was now raising up a priest-prophet. It was going to be Samuel. He would minister for the Lord, and his office would be that of a prophet.
Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed [1 Sam. 2:30].
Let’s be very careful in our lives to honor God. Psalm 107:1–2 says, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” The redeemed of the Lord need to say so today.
Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them [1 Sam. 2:31–34].
All of the prophecies mentioned in these verses came to pass. As we move through the Word of God, we shall see these things happen.
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever [1 Sam. 2:35].
Who is this verse talking about? It is the Lord Jesus Christ. In Hannah’s prayer, you remember, He is mentioned as the King, the Messiah, who is to come. He has been mentioned by Moses as a prophet and now in 1 Samuel is mentioned as a priest. The Lord Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King. He is the only One who ever fulfilled all of these offices.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Call of Samuel
The story of God’s calling of Samuel is ordinarily reserved for children. Let’s bring it out of the nursery into the adult department. Not only is it a beautiful story, but it marks one of the great transitional periods in Scripture: the change from theocracy to monarchy, from priest to king. There is a total of four calls to Samuel: the first and second calls were to salvation (v. 7); the last two calls were to service (v. 10). As Alice in Wonderland, ostensibly written by Carroll for Alice Liddell (a friend’s child), was a philosophical indictment against the social order of his day, so the story of Samuel’s call is much more than a delightful story for children. It initiates a drastic change in the form of government. The period of the judges is over, and no longer will God move through the priest. He is now raising up a priest-prophet. Samuel will minister for the Lord, but his office will be that of a prophet. It is he who will pour the anointing oil on both kings, Saul and David. God will never speak directly to a king but will speak only through a prophet.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision [1 Sam. 3:1].
I want you to note the word child. Samuel was not a wee child. The historian Josephus says he was twelve years old. He probably was a teen-ager. Samuel was a young man, and he ministered unto the Lord before Eli. A four-year-old child would not be serving the Lord in the tabernacle.
This verse tells us that “the word of the Lord was precious.” That means it was scarce. God was not revealing Himself at this particular time. He is just beginning to move when He calls Samuel to be a prophet. God is moving from the use of the judge and priest to the use of the prophet. The prophet becomes the spokesman to and for the king.
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep [1 Sam. 3:2–3].
It was the duty of the priests to take care of the lamp in the tabernacle. They were to put oil in it and see that it was kept burning. Eli was old, his eyesight dim, and the lamp was about to go out.
That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down [1 Sam. 3:4–5].
Eli thought that Samuel was dreaming and told him to go back to bed.
And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again [1 Sam. 3:6].
We need to note here that God’s first two calls to Samuel were calls to salvation.
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him [1 Sam. 3:7].
Samuel did not know the Lord. God was calling him to salvation. What is the age of accountability? Whatever it is, Samuel had reached it, and God is now going to hold him responsible. In the Book of Numbers a man was not able to go to war until he was twenty. The Levites did not begin their service until they were twenty-five years old, and the priests began to serve at age thirty. When Israel turned back to wander in the wilderness because of unbelief, only those who were under twenty years of age were allowed to live and go into the Promised Land. I do not know exactly how old Samuel was, but we can be certain he was not a toddler. Is twenty the age of accountability? I do not know. I am merely suggesting that it is much older than many people think.
The question has always been, “Would God have called Samuel a fifth, sixth, seventh, or fiftieth time?” I do believe with all my heart that there is a time to be saved. It has been expressed like this:
There is a time, I know not when;
A place, I know not where;
Which marks the destiny of men
To heaven or despair.
How long may men go on in sin?
How long will God forbear?
Where does hope end, and where begins
The confines of despair?
One answer from those skies is sent:
“Ye who from God depart,
While it is called today, repent,
And harden not your heart.”
Author unknown
Apparently there will come a day when one is not able to turn to God.
When Hermann Goering was placed in prison at the time of his trial, and later when he was to be executed, the prison chaplain had a long interview with him. The chaplain emphasized the necessity of preparing himself to meet God. In the course of the conversation, Goering ridiculed certain Bible truths and refused to accept the fact that Christ died for sinners. His was a conscious denial of the power of the blood. “Death is death,” was the substance of his last words. As the chaplain reminded him of the hope of his little daughter meeting him in heaven, he replied, “She believes in her manner, I in mine.” The chaplain was very discouraged when he left. Less than an hour later he heard that Hermann Goering had committed suicide. God called this man, and he refused the call.
God may call many times, but there apparently comes a day when man’s heart is hardened. Proverbs 29:1 says, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Now I do not believe you can commit an unpardonable sin—that is, that you can do something today which cannot be forgiven by God tomorrow. But, does God withdraw His grace? No, He will never do that. But men can resist and rebel and reject until their conscience becomes seared with a hot iron. Men like Cain, Balaam, Samson, Korah, and Ahab all reached a day when they turned their backs against God. Acts 24:25 says of Felix, the Roman procurator before whom Paul was arraigned, “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” King Agrippa said to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Christ saved one thief that men need not despair, but He saved only one that men would not presume (Luke 23:39–43).
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth [1 Sam. 3:8–10].
These verses contain the third and fourth calls to Samuel, the calls to service.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin. I will also make an end [1 Sam. 3:11–12].
When God says something, it is the same as done. In the Old Testament we have what has been called “prophetic tense.” It is a past tense, but it speaks of the future. God speaks of things that have not yet happened as if they had already taken place. When God says something is going to happen, it is going to happen. God speaks to Samuel in these verses and tells him that He is about to move against the house of Eli.
Now this boy Samuel is loyal to Eli to the very end. He did not attempt to undermine him. He went to Eli and told him everything God had said to him. I want to say that if you are in God’s service today and serving under some other man, be loyal to him. Don’t tell me that you can be loyal to Christ and be disloyal to God’s man who is above you. Oh, how loyalty is needed today!
And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord [1 Sam. 3:21].
How did God reveal Himself? By the Word. God today is also revealing Himself through His Word. He is illuminating by His Spirit the pages of Scripture. That is how you and I come to know Him, and to know Him is life eternal.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: God’s judgment on Eli and his sons fulfilled
Israel, without consulting Samuel, went out to battle against the Philistines, which led to defeat. Then they brought the ark of the covenant into battle, thinking its presence would bring victory. This reveals the superstitious paganism of the people who thought there was some merit in an object. The ark was captured, the two sons of Eli were slain, and Eli died upon hearing the news.
THE ARK IS CAPTURED BY THE PHILISTINES
This chapter is a dark picture indeed. We see the spiritual condition of Israel at this particular time. God is going to bring to a conclusion the thing He said He would do to the house of Eli.
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies [1 Sam. 4:1–3].
This section of Scripture gives us a revelation of Israel’s superstition and just how far they are from God. It shows us how strong their self-sufficiency and selfishness are. With no thought of seeking God’s direction, they go out to battle against the Philistines. What happens? They are defeated. What is lacking? They think perhaps they should have taken the ark with them into battle. Knowing the history of the ark—that as it had been carried down into the Jordan River, the water had been cut off so that Israel could cross over—they took the ark of the covenant into battle. The thought was that its presence would bring victory. My friend, this reveals the superstition and paganism of these people who thought there was some merit in the object. The merit was not in that box because God was not in that box. You cannot get God into a box! The merit was in the presence and person of God.
In church work today many people are equally as superstitious. They think that God, as it were, is in a box. They say, “Look at this method. It is a nice little package deal. It is success in a box. This method will solve our problem.” So many people are moving in that direction today. My friend, that is not being spiritual. That is being superstitious. The merit is in Christ. Success is determined by whether or not we are with Him. That is all important.
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again [1 Sam. 4:4–5].
Israel is going into battle. They send to Shiloh for the ark of the covenant. Because Hophni and Phinehas are “paid preachers,” they are going to do what they are told to do. When the ark is brought into the camp, the Israelites have a great rally. They think they are getting somewhere spiritually, but this is nothing in the world but idolatry. They are worshiping a box—not God. Let us be careful in the ceremonies and rituals of our church. Are we worshiping a church? Are we worshiping a man? Are we worshiping a method? Are we worshiping a particular place? Or are we really worshiping the living and true God today?
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness [1 Sam. 4:6–8].
The Philistines understand that the ark of the covenant has come into the camp of the Israelites. They are afraid for they say, “God is come into the camp.” To them the ark is an idol. This shows that the Philistines are both superstitious and ignorant. Although they have heard of His power, they are certainly ignorant of the living and true God.
ELI DIES AND THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTS FROM ISRAEL
The Philistines and the Israelites fight, and Israel loses the battle. There is a great slaughter of the Israelites, the ark of God is captured, and Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are slain.
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out [1 Sam. 4:12–13].
Old Eli, with all his faults, was God’s high priest, and he had a real concern for the things of God.
And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to-day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? [1 Sam. 4:14–16].
When news of Israel’s terrible defeat reached the city, a great wail arose. Eli, old and blind, asks the reason for it.
And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man,and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years [1 Sam. 4:17–18].
This man maintains his composure when he is told about the death of his sons, but when he learns that the ark of God has been captured, he falls backward and dies. He was a big fat fellow. Perhaps he suffered a heart attack. Although he was a weak, indulgent father, I believe he was God’s man.
Eli’s death brings Samuel into the position of being God’s spokesman.
CHAPTERS 5–6
Theme: Judgment of God upon Philistines
Chapters 5 and 6 describe the experience of the Philistines with the captured ark of the covenant in their possession. They learned there was no merit in the ark—it was by no means a good-luck charm. Because of it “… the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them” (1 Sam. 5:6). Their idol Dagon was toppled and broken; the men developed a strange illness and many died. Deadly destruction followed the ark wherever it was taken. The Philistines, fearing for their lives, returned the ark to Israel, carried on a cart to a field of Beth-shemesh.
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him [1 Sam. 5:1–4].
When the Philistines captured the ark, they thought they had something good in their hands; but, every time they set it up in the house of their god Dagon, the idol would fall over. Now I want to submit something to you that I don’t think you will find in any commentary. When the presence of the ark of the Lord in the house of Dagon caused the idol to fall over and nothing was left but the stump, I believe this reveals God’s sense of humor. God was revealing to the Philistines that their god was powerless in His presence. I think this shows that the Lord has a real sense of humor in doing this sort of thing, because it really annoyed the Philistines. They soon saw that there was no merit in their having the ark. In fact, it was a very real danger to them.
But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god [1 Sam. 5:6–7].
Thinking these calamities might be coincidental, they send the ark to another city of the Philistines.
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people [1 Sam. 5:8–10].
I do not mean to be irreverent but everyone was passing the buck. Finally there was a meeting of the lords of the Philistines and they decided to send the ark back to Israel. God had sent judgment upon the Philistines. The Philistines had one question, “What shall we do with Israel’s ark?”
And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months [1 Sam. 6:1].
Again, I do not want to be irreverent, but having the ark was like having a hot potato. Whenever the ark was put near the idol of Dagon, it fell over. All that was left was a stump, and that is not a very satisfactory object to worship; an idol is bad enough! So the people of Gath had it and they didn’t want it; so they sent it to Ekron and they, too, wanted to get rid of it.
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords [1 Sam. 6:2–4].
The Philistines wanted to get rid of the ark, but they were not sure how to go about it. Therefore they consulted with the priests and diviners who told them not to send the ark of the God of Israel away empty. They were to send an offering, and that offering speaks of the vileness of the Philistine worship. Many people wonder why God put the Philistines out of His land. The Promised Land was right at the crossroads of the world, and those who occupied it would influence the people of the world. God put them out because of the vileness of their worship. They had turned completely from God. Here again God is giving them an opportunity to turn to Him.
The Philistine offering consisted of five golden emerods (hemorrhoids, possibly, tumors or boils) and five golden mice.
And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods [1 Sam. 6:11].
Notice that when the Philistines returned the ark to Israel, they put it on a cart. Nothing is going to happen to them for putting it on a cart. Do you know why? Very candidly, they did not know any better. God is not going to hold them responsible for this act. But Israel knew better, and we will see that God judged the Israelites because of the way they handled the ark. Why the difference? They knew better, friend.
And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh [1 Sam. 6:12].
The cows which were hitched to the cart were obviously going against their natural instinct by leaving their calves at home. This was convincing proof to the Philistines that their troubles had been caused by an act of God.
And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord.
And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord [1 Sam. 6:13–15].
The Israelites will not accept anything, you see, for themselves from the Philistines. They are, of course, to be commended for that.
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day [1 Sam. 6:16].
The Philistines see that the ark is received back, and they are glad to get it off their hands.
Now we will see that, when the ark was returned to the Israelites, they immediately had problems with it.
And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and three-score and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter [1 Sam. 6:19].
The men of Beth-shemesh do that which God had strictly forbidden. That ark belonged in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. It was to be seen only by the high priest—even he was permitted to enter before it only once a year. When the ark was transported, as it was on the wilderness march, it was carefully and reverently covered. The Philistines did not know these things, but the Israelites did know.
And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us? [1 Sam. 6:20].
It is not that they looked in the ark and saw something that they should not have seen. That is not the point. The ark was a box. That is all it ever was. The point is that it was at the ark in the Holy of Holies that God met with His people. He is not meeting with them now. They have turned from Him. Their rebellion and blasphemy are revealed in their disobedience. Because of this, God brings judgment upon them.
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you [1 Sam. 6:21].
Now in a superstitious way they want to get rid of the ark. They send messengers to Kirjath-jearim saying, “You come and get it.” In other words, Israel is not ready to receive the ark. God’s people are not prepared to return to Him.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Samuel leads in revival; victory at Eben-ezer
After twenty years, Israel is prepared to receive the ark. Israel turns from Baalim and Ashtaroth to serve the Lord.
SAMUEL LEADS IN REVIVAL
And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kiljath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord [1 Sam. 7:1–2].
After twenty years the Israelites begin to turn to God and away from Baalim and Ashtaroth. They have come to the place where they want God.
In this day in which we are living there is a renewed interest in the Word of God. I rejoice in this, because it is my firm conviction that God’s people must get back to the Bible. I believe that all sixty-six books—all the way from Genesis to Revelation—are the Word of God. I believe in the Bible’s integrity and inerrancy and in the fact that we need to get back to its teachings. We have been a long time getting back to God’s Word. Progress has been slow. How many more years will it take? Many people today are getting very tired of listening to politicians who make promises, promises, promises, and then don’t fulfill them. I want to say in their behalf that they cannot fulfill them—yet they promise. We also have all kinds of new nostrums coming from college professors and leaders in every field. There is only one thing wrong: they won’t work. Maybe in desperation America will turn to God. That is what happened to Israel after twenty years.
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only [1 Sam. 7:3–4].
This is actually the beginning of Samuel’s great ministry. Israel was deep in idolatry. They had turned from the living and true God. They had been defeated in so many battles that it had become old hat to them, and they were extremely discouraged. They were beginning to lament after the Lord. We, too, need to get back to the Lord. There is a hunger in the hearts of many people who are saying, “We are tired of eating the husks that pigs eat in the far country. We want to get back to the Father’s house.” Well, they have to come through the door of the Word of God.
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh [1 Sam. 7:5–6].
Samuel is not only the prophet of Israel, he is also the judge of the nation. Here we find Israel turning from false gods to the true God. This man Samuel is praying for them, and they confess their sins. This is the way back for God’s people. I do not think there is another way back. I hear about all kinds of methods today that will be blessed by God. Let me put it right down in bold letters and tell it like it is. What God’s people need to do is to go to God and confess their sins. They need to see themselves in the light of the Word of God. If we really see ourselves, we see that we have come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23); and then we can be assured that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will keep on cleansing us from all sin (I John 1:9).
VICTORY AT EBEN-EZER
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car [1 Sam. 7:8–11].
God gave Israel a great victory, and it was the first one they had had for a long time. These people had lapsed into idolatry; they had been in sullen rebellion. When they began to turn to God, Samuel exacted a confession of sin and a promise to return to God. As a result God gave them a signal victory over the Philistines.
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us [1 Sam. 7:12].
The name Eben-ezer means “stone of help.” “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” It was also a stone of remembrance, looking back to the past. It was a stone of recognition, a stone for the present. It was a stone of revelation, a stone for the future, “Hitherto [up to this point, up to the present time] God has helped us.”
It is customary for us to look back over the past. Remember what the Lord said through Paul to the Philippians: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). Friend, has God brought you to this point? Is He leading you today? Is He guiding you? If He has, you can say, “Hitherto has the Lord helped me.” Since He has helped you up to this moment, He will continue to do that.
God has given us memories so that we can have roses in December. As memory plays on the keyboard of the past, I am sure that all of us can say, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” Joshua could say, “… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). David could say, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Ps. 107:1–2). I personally want to say that oh, the Lord is good! He is the One who has helped us and will help us.
A businessman said sometime ago, “You know, the use of time might be likened to the terminology of banking. Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note, but today is cash. Spend it wisely.” Do you recognize God in your life? That is what Samuel meant by that Eben-ezer stone. It was a stone of revelation. It not only meant “hitherto,” it also meant “henceforth.” “The Lord is my shepherd,” said David; then looking into the future, “I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). Someone once said, “I am very interested in the future because I expect to spend the rest of my life there, and I want to be reasonably sure of what kind of a future it is going to be.” “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Dr. R. A. Torrey always said that Romans 8:28 was a soft pillow for a tired heart. We all need an Eben-ezer stone. I trust that you have one in your life.
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel [1 Sam. 7:13].
I think it can be said that from this time on the Philistines were never again as dominant and formidable a foe as they had been before the battle. This was a significant battle, and a stone now stands in memory of it. The stone was about three or four miles north by northwest of Jerusalem, in sight of the city.
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord [1 Sam. 7:15–17].
This is the story. Samuel is a prophet and a judge of Israel. He is a circuit judge. He goes from Beth-el to Gilgal to Mizpeh and back to Ramah, all areas north of Jerusalem. He “judged Israel in all those places.”
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Israel rejects God and demands a king
Hosea 13:11 can be written over the remainder of 1 and 2 Samuel: “I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.”
Samuel was a great judge and a man of God. He was brought up in the tabernacle where he saw the wickedness of Eli’s sons and how God judged them. Yet notice what Samuel does.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel [1 Sam. 8:1].
Samuel made his own sons judges to succeed him, although they were unworthy and incompetent for the job. This act was a mistake. Samuel was a great judge, a wonderful prophet, and a great man of God—but he was a failure as a father just as Eli had been.
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment [1 Sam. 8:2–3].
These were Samuel’s sons. They were totally dishonest. Strange, isn’t it? Today we see so much of that. Many pastors have said to me,
“Why is it that you can have a godly family in your church and the son or daughter can become a dissolute vagrant or go on drugs?” Many times there is no explanation for it. Well, Samuel was a great man, God’s man, and look what his sons did.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations [1 Sam. 8:4–5].
The people of Israel ask for a king. They are influenced, of course, by the surrounding nations. They give as their reason Samuel’s advanced age and the waywardness of his sons.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us, And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them [1 Sam. 8:6–7].
The fact that Samuel had made his sons judges gives these people an excuse to ask for a king. Undoubtedly this was a heartbreak to Samuel. God comforts him with the assurance that Israel’s rejection is not of him but of God himself. Samuel’s sons are the excuse, but rejection of God’s sovereignty is the real reason.
Then Samuel warns Israel what it will be like to have a king. He tells them that a king will reign over them, take their sons for soldiers, their daughters for cooks and maidservants, and part of their fields, vineyards, oliveyards, and animals for himself. He warns them that eventually they will cry out in their distress and that in that day the Lord will not hear them.
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city [1 Sam. 8:19–22].
The children of Israel are going to have their way. God is going to give them a king. What was true of Israel in the days of Moses is still true. “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Ps. 106:15). God will grant Israel’s desire for a king, but it will not be to their advantage. God’s guidance of the nation will be indirectly through the prophet. As we shall see, God will not speak directly to the king, but still through the prophet who will convey God’s word to the king. The king will accept it or reject it as he chooses.
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Saul is chosen as king; Saul is anointed as king
SAUL IS CHOSEN AS KING
Chapter 9 begins the second major section of the book of 1 Samuel. The first section dealt with Samuel; now the emphasis shifts to Saul. Saul is one of those strange individuals whom we encounter in the Word of God. Like Balaam, it is difficult to interpret him. Both in the Old and New Testaments there are several strange characters who move across the pages of Scripture in semidarkness. They come out, as it were, into the light but, like the groundhog, they see their shadow and move back into the darkness again.
Saul is not a king when we first meet him. In fact, I do not think he ever was a king in the true sense of the word.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power [1 Sam. 9:1].
Kish was Saul’s father, and he belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. Recalling the history of the twelve sons of Jacob in Genesis, the tribe originated with the youngest son, Benjamin, a favorite of his father. His mother had died at his birth and, as she was passing, she named him Benoni, “son of my sorrow.” But when Jacob looked at the little fellow, he said, “No, he is going to be the son of my right hand,” and he named him Benjamin. The boy was the favorite son and was protected by his brothers. Then in the Book of Judges, the tribe was decimated because of an episode of gross sin that took place in the tribe. It is from this tribe, Benjamin, that the first king comes.
And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people [1 Sam. 9:2].
This boy Saul was handsome. Physically he looked like a king, but he was an actor that played a part. He was not a king at heart. The people, however, were choosing their king by his outward appearance and not according to his character.
It is this emphasis on “outward appearance” that places our nation in such a dangerous position today. The most dangerous enemy we have is the television. The man that will ultimately control this country is the man who has a good television appearance. Why? Because we choose men by the way they look and the way they talk rather than by their character. If only we had an X-ray—instead of the television—that would reveal the true character of a man!
The children of Israel wanted a king, and they liked Saul. He was handsome. He was tall. He was fine looking. There wasn’t a more kingly-looking man in the nation. He could have been both a television and a movie star. He looked the part and could play the part; the trouble was he was not a king at heart.
And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses [1 Sam. 9:3].
I know that the Lord has a sense of humor. You just cannot miss it because it is in too many places in the Word of God. Saul is out looking for the asses of his father, and the asses of Israel are looking for a king. They are bound to get together, friend, and they do. The Lord must smile when a thing like this takes place. What a commentary on the human race!
And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us [1 Sam. 9:5].
Saul and his servant had looked all around for his father’s animals and could not find them. Finally Saul said, “Let’s go home because we are going to get lost too, and they will have to send out a search party for us.”
And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way [1 Sam. 9:6–8].
Here is a little explanation inserted by the Spirit of God which is helpful:
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) [1 Sam. 9:9].
There is a change of names. Men who dealt in necromancy and spiritism were called “seers.” God wanted a different name for His man, and so he is called a “prophet.” This actually makes Samuel the first of the order of prophets. Although Moses is called a prophet, Samuel is the first of the order of prophets. Samuel, of course, is the man Saul and his servant are talking about.
And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place [1 Sam. 9:14].
This does not mean that Samuel opposed Saul and his servant; it simply means that he met them on the way.
Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying [1 Sam. 9:15].
The question is often asked, “Just how did God communicate in the Old Testament when it says, The Lord spake’?” I think that when it says the Lord spake, He spoke. That is the way communication came. It came by words. It is the words of Scripture that are inspired, not the thoughts. We are given an inkling of how God communicated when it says, “Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear….” What I hear in my ears are words. That is the only thing that makes sense and that, of course, is what Samuel heard.
To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me [1 Sam. 9:16].
Many times God answers our request when it is not the best thing for us. When we keep crying to the Lord for whatever it is we want, finally He does for us what He did for Israel—He grants our request. When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they cried for meat. God gave them meat, but He sent “leanness unto their souls.” That is why prayer should be made in the name of Christ, which means that it must be according to His will and for His glory. All requests should hinge on that very important matter.
And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people [1 Sam. 9:17].
God granted their request and gave them a king. Saul was a man that impressed even Samuel. We will find out that Samuel regarded him highly and regretted the fact that he did not make good.
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to-day, and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? [1 Sam. 9:18–20].
Saul was actually not God’s choice. That is, He gave Israel the sort of man He knew they wanted. As Saul moved among the people, they saw that he was tall, handsome, and looked like a king. When they asked for a king, God granted their request.
And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? [1 Sam. 9:21].
Saul sounds a great deal like Gideon in this verse. He sounds very humble. Gideon said, “… Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Jud. 6:15). Gideon was saying, “You can’t get any smaller than I am.” Gideon was telling the truth. He was a coward and frightened to death. Israel was at war and badly outnumbered. Saul had no reason to be afraid. Israel was not at war. He had been out looking for his father’s longeared donkeys that had already been found. His mission was accomplished. The point is that there was nothing to prompt a speech like he gave. I personally feel that his was a false humility. I think Saul felt very much like he was the one who could be king.
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons [1 Sam. 9:22].
Apparently Samuel called a small group of leaders together.
And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God [1 Sam. 9:23–27].
We have here the formality they went through. Saul ate with Samuel that day, and they had a conference.
SAUL IS ANOINTED AS KING
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? [1 Sam. 10:1].
Samuel anoints Saul as king and then kisses him, which was probably an act demonstrating his personal affection for Saul.
When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? [1 Sam. 10:2].
As far as Kish is concerned, his son Saul is lost. But Saul is engaged in serious business. Samuel has anointed him king near the tomb of Rachel, which is in the territory of Benjamin near Bethlehem.
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy [1 Sam. 10:5].
This is what Saul is to encounter on his way back home.
And the spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man [1 Sam. 10:6].
Here again we have a question: Was Saul converted? Is this verse the proof of his conversion? Certainly it is not a final proof.
I do not believe that he was converted. If I sound like I am prejudiced against Saul, I will tell you why. It is not because of the material we have already covered concerning him but what is coming that makes me believe that Saul was not genuine, and certainly not genuinely converted at all.
Someone is bound to say, “But the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he was a different man.” Yes, but it does not say that he became a new man. After all, didn’t the Spirit of God come upon Balaam? And we have no proof that he was converted. What about Judas? Christ sent out twelve disciples, and we are told that all of them performed miracles. Did Judas perform miracles? Certainly he did. Would you say that Judas was converted? So let us withhold making a final decision about Saul—although I seem to have already made one.
And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day [1 Sam. 10:9].
When Saul left Samuel, I think Samuel watched him walk away and said, “My, he is a fine fellow.” But even a prophet can be wrong. The prophet Nathan was wrong when he told David to build God a house. God had to intervene, and Nathan had to correct himself. Samuel was wrong about Saul. As he looked at this young man Saul, he saw a big, husky, fine-looking fellow. He would have been able to play in the line of any professional football team. But he was no king at all.
And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another. What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? [1 Sam. 10:10–11].
The Spirit of God came upon Saul and he prophesied. Everyone who had known him before knew that something had happened to him. They asked, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” God was giving Saul an opportunity. God never withheld anything from him, and yet he failed.
And Saul said unto his uncle. He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not [1 Sam. 10:16].
He kept quiet about that.
And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh;
And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands [1 Sam. 10:17–19].
When the children of Israel asked for a king and took Saul, it meant they were turning their backs upon God. We need to note that their reception of Saul as king meant their rejection of God.
When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff [1 Sam. 10:21–22].
When the time came for Samuel to introduce Saul to the crowd as their king, he could not find him. This great big fellow, Saul, acted just like a little child. He ran and hid, and they had to find him and bring him out. Again, in my judgment, this is an evidence of false modesty. The anointing oil has been poured upon him, and if he is given an opportunity to be king and serve God, then let him step out in the open and act like a king.
And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king [1 Sam. 10:24].
And God save the people also! This was the first time this cry “God save the king!” was uttered. As you know, it is still used in modern England.
Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house [1 Sam. 10:25].
“Then Samuel told” the children of Israel about “the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book.” On the basis of this we believe that Samuel wrote the first part of the book of 1 Samuel.
CHAPTERS 11–12
Theme: Saul’s victory over the Ammonites; transfer of authority from Samuel to Saul
SAUL’S VICTORY OVER THE AMMONITES
In the previous chapter I said some rather harsh things about King Saul, although I did not seem to have sufficient grounds at the time. I had only a strong suspicion that he was not genuine. I felt that he would have made a good actor but not a good king, even though he had a good beginning.
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee [1 Sam. 11:1–3].
This was a very strong, ugly demand made by Nahash on the men of Jabesh. They needed deliverance.
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent [1 Sam. 11:4–7].
Notice how Saul identifies himself with Samuel. I do not think at this particular time that Saul’s name could have stood alone. When Saul asked the people to come and linked his name with Samuel’s name, however, the people came. They also came because of two main fears. They were afraid of Saul and also fearful of what the Ammonites might do to them.
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together [1 Sam. 11:11].
Saul divided his men into three companies. Then the Israelites went after the Ammonites and slew and scattered them so badly that not two of them were left together. Each Ammonite that survived fled by himself.
And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death [1 Sam. 11:12].
Some of the Israelites opposed the idea of having Saul as their king. Samuel ignored that opposition until the nation was united in favor of Saul. Saul’s leadership in dealing with the Ammonites took care of the resistance.
And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to-day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.
Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly [1 Sam. 11:13–15].
Now all of Israel accepts Saul as king.
You may be saying, “Well, now, preacher, you see that you were wrong. You were prejudiced against King Saul, and look, he is making good!” Yes, he certainly started off like a great king, but let’s keep reading. It is too bad that his story doesn’t end here.
TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY FROM SAMUEL TO SAUL
Chapter 12 begins with the swan song of Samuel.
And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you [1 Sam. 12:1].
This is Samuel’s swan song, his final speech. He was a remarkable man, and he was now succeeded by Saul. Although Israel’s choice was a king rather than God, He would still bless the people if they would obey. That is evident. Saul was king, and God would give him every opportunity.
And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day [1 Sam. 12:2].
Samuel was brought up in the tabernacle. His life was spent in a “fish bowl”—he was always in public view. Probably no man ever had quite the public life that Samuel had. Many times in our age a man moves into public life and the people accept him. Then suddenly someone finds out about his black past, and the hero comes falling to the ground. Such was not the case with Samuel. He was brought as a little boy, by his mother, to the tabernacle. He lived his entire life before the people. Then he put in this sad note of a fond father, “My sons are with you.” In other words, “Why didn’t you accept them?” Samuel tried to put them in position but God would not have them. They were boys who were not acceptable to Him.
Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you [1 Sam. 12:3].
This is quite a statement for a man to make who had been before the public eye for so many years, and who had been a judge. He had had many opportunities to become rich but had not yielded to the temptation. Samuel is one of the outstanding men of the Word of God—yet he was a failure as a father. Many public men are like that. Many popular Christian leaders have had children who were failures. It is difficult to understand, but that is the way the human family has been moving down through the centuries and millenniums of the past.
Samuel said that if he had done any of the things he had mentioned to any of the people, he would restore it. It would have been easy for some men who had been miffed at one of Samuel’s decisions to step out and say, “Well, you certainly were not fair with me.” But nobody stepped out.
And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they answered, He is witness [1 Sam. 12:5].
Samuel’s life could stand public inspection. It could be put under the hot spotlight of public opinion. He was truly a man of God.
Samuel continues by rehearsing Israel’s history. Many men whom God made great used this method. Moses used it, Joshua used it, Gideon used it, and now Samuel uses it. In the New Testament we see that Stephen, when he appeared before the Sanhedrin, also rehearsed the history of Israel. Samuel is reminding his people of God’s faithfulness and mercy to them. When their apostasy led to servitude and they cried to the Lord in their distress, He graciously heard and sent a deliverer. He is saying, as he did at Mizpeh, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”
Then he moves to their present state and condition.
Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you [1 Sam. 12:13].
Samuel makes it quite clear that Saul was the people’s choice. Many people believe that the voice of the majority, the choice of the people, is the voice of God. The Bible contradicts this thinking. Generally the minority are closer to determining the will of God. The people wanted Saul. God was the One who chose David. What a difference when God makes the choice!
If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God [1 Sam. 12:14].
Just because Saul is the people’s choice, God will not reject him. God is going to give him an opportunity.
But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers [1 Sam. 12:15].
Samuel is telling it like it is. If the people will serve God, He will bless them. If they do not serve Him, judgment will come.
Now God will respond to this in a dramatic and miraculous way.
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes.
Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king.
So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel [1 Sam. 12:16–18].
Elijah was not the first man that could “preach up a storm”—he brought in a thunderstorm, but Samuel did it before Elijah did. And this is God’s seal, I think, upon Samuel’s life. The thunder and rain were God’s great “amen” on Samuel’s career as God’s spokesman.
And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king [1 Sam. 12:19].
It was sin for these people to ask for a king. They were rejecting God by wanting a king to rule over them like the other nations.
And Samuel said unto the people. Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart [1 Sam. 12:20].
Friend, don’t let past sins and mistakes spoil your life. Regardless of who you are or what you have done, if you will turn to the Lord for salvation and forgiveness, God will accept and richly bless you. Don’t let the past destroy the future and ruin the present for you. Move out for God today, my Christian friend.
And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain [1 Sam. 12:21].
Hold to the Lord alone. Let the gimmicks alone. Today the church is experimenting with methods. The church does not seem to realize that only God can bless. We need to hold on to the Lord and His Word. I don’t think the Bible needs defending. It needs explaining; it needs to be proclaimed. We need the exclamation point and the declaration mark more than we need a question mark.
For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people [1 Sam. 12:22].
This is a glorious verse. Have you taken the name of the Lord? Is He your Savior? Are you resting in Him? He will not forsake you. The Lord says through the writer of Hebrews, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). How wonderful is our God! It has pleased Him to make us His people.
Why did God choose the nation Israel? When you are looking for the answer, look to God and not to the people. God did it and that is enough. Perhaps God chose you, and some of your friends are wondering why. The important thing is that God chose us and that is enough. Thank God for that. He could have passed me by, but I rejoice in the fact that He did not. This is a tremendous message Samuel is giving the Israelites! Aren’t you glad that you are on the Lord’s side? Isn’t it wonderful that you and the Lord are friends? Isn’t it great that He is your Savior? He is for you and not against you. He wants to help you. He is a mighty Helper, friend, as well as a Savior. And He saves to the uttermost.
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way [1 Sam. 12:23].
I have found in my radio ministry that many people have a gift. It is a gift of prayer, and I believe it is from God. There are some people in Southern California on beds of sickness and pain—some who will never leave their beds—who have a ministry of prayer. I wouldn’t take anything for their prayers. I need their prayers.
Now that I am retired I have more opportunity to move out across the country. I am enjoying my greatest ministry today, and it is largely because of the prayers of God’s people. For example, in Chicago a man shook hands with me and said, “You know, I have been praying for you for years.” When I hear something like this, I feel like weeping and getting down on my knees before Him. It is a privilege to pray for others.
Samuel said, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.” Each one of us has a prayer responsibility. I feel the necessity to pray for a certain group of ministers in this country, most of whom are my friends. I have been in their churches, and I know something about their problems. I pray for them regularly. I also have a responsibility to pray for my family. If I don’t pray for them, who will? I have a responsibility to pray for my radio ministry. You too have a responsibility, Christian friend. We ought to pray for one another. There are many needy people. God forbid that we should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for one another.
Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.
But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king [1 Sam. 12:24–25].
The last time I went to a football game it was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was a long time ago. I sat next to a man who was rooting for the other team, and I want to tell you he was a nut. His team would make an inch on the field and he would jump to his feet. You would think he was having a conniption fit of some kind. My, how he carried on. He irritated me because I was rooting for the other side. But as I looked at him, I could not help wishing that I had that kind of enthusiasm for the things of God. My friend, we need to serve Him with all of our hearts!
What a message there is for you and me in this swan song of Samuel the prophet.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Saul rebels against God
The real nature of Saul begins to show. His son Jonathan got the victory at Michmash, but Saul blew the trumpet and took credit for it. In presumption, Saul intruded into the priest’s office. Samuel rebuked and rejected Saul. The disarmament of Israel is revealed.
In this chapter I think I will be able to sustain the thesis that I presented in chapter 9 relative to King Saul. Saul’s outward veneer made him look like a king, but underneath he was no king at all. He was nothing but a paper-doll king.
Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear:
And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal [1 Sam. 13:1–4].
The true character of Saul is beginning to emerge. When we get a good view of him, we are going to see that he is a phony. We read in these verses that Jonathan “smote the garrison of the Philistines.” Who got credit for the victory? It was Saul. Jonathan appears to be a capable military leader. Later on we will find that he gains another great victory by using very interesting strategy. But in this particular battle Jonathan did the fighting, and Saul blew the trumpet. Saul took the credit for winning. Saul believed in the motto: “He who tooteth not his own horn, said horn will go untooted.” Saul blew his own horn. He did not give his son credit for winning the battle. He called all of Israel together and gave a phony report. The army knew Saul’s report was not true and so did the followers of Jonathan. Folks are beginning to suspect that there is a weakness in Saul’s army and that it is his Achilles’ heel. Is he humble? I said at the beginning that Saul had a case of false humility, and this fact is coming to light now.
And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits [1 Sam. 13:5–6].
Apparently the Philistines recovered from their losses and came with force against the Israelites.
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering [1 Sam. 13:8–9].
Here is another revelation concerning Saul. He presumed that because of his position as king he could offer a burnt offering. Later on we will find that another king by the name of Uzziah also presumed he could perform a priestly duty. God judged him severely—he became a leper (2 Chron. 26). Saul ignored God’s explicit instructions that only a priest from the tribe of Levi could offer a burnt offering.
And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash [1 Sam. 13:10–11].
Saul was not willing to wait for Samuel. He was impatient and presumptuous. He thought he had three good reasons for not waiting for Samuel to appear: (1) The people were scattered; (2) the Philistines were coming against him; and (3) Samuel was a little late in arriving. Saul was rationalizing, of course. He was blaming everything and everyone else.
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering [1 Sam. 13:12].
Saul “forced” himself to offer an offering and make supplication unto the Lord. May I say that he was lying. He was being falsely pious. This is the real Saul emerging.
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee [1 Sam. 13:13–14].
Saul was told in the beginning that if he obeyed God, he would be blessed, but if he disobeyed, there would be judgment. The ruler must obey the Lord. And what the world needs today is a ruler who is being ruled by the Lord. Our problems stem from the fact that we don’t have that kind of ruler. Of course we will not get one until the Lord Jesus comes back to earth; that is God’s ultimate goal for this earth. Saul has disobeyed, so God has another man to be king. He is going to bring him on the scene a little later. Even Samuel, at this time, does not know who he is.
And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual [1 Sam. 13:15–17].
The battle is about to begin. We will see here the real danger of disarmament.
There are people today who are trying to disarm America. They think that if you destroy all of the ammunition somehow or other war will be eliminated. Others believe that if a gun law is passed and honest people are disarmed, this will stop the crooks. You cannot disarm the crooks, friend. All you do is lay honest people open to violation by the unlawful ones. This is idealistic, foolish thinking.
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads [1 Sam. 13:19–21].
The Philistines had disarmed the Israelites. The Israelites were permitted, however, some farm implements. But in order to sharpen them, they had to go down to the Philistines. In this way the enemy was able to keep an accurate count of what the Israelites had in the way of weapons.
So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash [1 Sam. 13:22–23].
Only two men, Saul and Jonathan, had swords. I suppose the other men in the army carried mattocks, axes, clubs, and similar instruments. This was the way Saul’s army was equipped to fight!
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Jonathan’s victory over the Philistines; Saul’s hasty order is overridden
JONATHAN’S VICTORY OVER THE PHILISTINES
Once again Jonathan gains a great victory, but Saul takes the credit for it and reveals his jealousy. He actually would have destroyed his own son!
Chapter 14 gives us the strategy of battle that Jonathan used against the Philistines. It is said that this is the chapter which the British General Allenby read the night before he made his successful attack upon the Turks in World War I. To me this is an interesting sidelight. I am unable to give you the details of the strategy of this battle since I am not well acquainted with the geography of the region—on a trip to Palestine I wanted to go there, but our time was limited—neither am I a military man. I am sure that when General Allenby read this chapter, it was a thrilling revelation to him to see how Jonathan executed his military tactics. General Allenby was a Christian who knew his Bible.
Apparently Jonathan’s strategy was to take his men through a narrow pass. Here, with the few weapons they had to fight with, Jonathan’s army had a distinct advantage. A similar battle took place at Thermopylae, a mountain pass in eastern Greece, where the Greeks, although greatly outnumbered, were able to hold off the Persian army. In Israel’s case, this strategy certainly worked to their advantage since Israel was hopelessly out-numbered and almost unarmed.
We will pass over the details of this battle and look instead at the great spiritual lesson that is here.
And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel [1 Sam. 14:18].
Saul should not have taken the ark to the battlefield. As we have seen before in the days of Samuel, the children of Israel used the ark in a superstitious manner, thinking it would help them win their battles. Apparently Saul has the same reason.
So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven [1 Sam. 14:23].
In spite of Saul’s action in bringing out the ark, Jonathan’s strategy won the battle on the human side. God is with this young man—it is too bad that he did not live long. God saved Israel that day.
SAUL’S HASTY ORDER IS OVERRIDDEN
And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.
And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened [1 Sam. 14:24–27].
It is interesting to note that Jonathan did not know about his father’s strange order that no man was to eat until the battle was won. Actually Jonathan had already won the battle. Now we are beginning to see the real nature of Saul. Jonathan gained the victory, and Saul takes credit for it. He is not willing to give the credit to his son. His “modesty” is gone, and his jealousy is revealed.
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.
Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? [1 Sam. 14:28–30].
It was a foolish command that Saul had given. The men were weary. They had fought a battle and won. They needed something to eat. Saul said, “I will not let anyone eat anything until I am avenged of my enemies.” His modesty was absolutely gone.
And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord [1 Sam. 14:35].
He actually built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifices!
And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day [1 Sam. 14:36–37].
God is not using this man at all.
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
For, as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him [1 Sam. 14:38–39].
Saul, you see, is not willing to take the blame himself. He says that someone else has sinned. The army stood silently. They knew the victory was Jonathan’s. And now Saul was saying, “The reason God did not answer me was because someone did not obey me and broke the oath.” The army knew that Jonathan had tasted the honey, and they knew that Saul was putting up a tremendous front at this time. They stood in silence because he was the king.
Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee [1 Sam. 14:40].
The army is not saying much.
Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped [1 Sam. 14:41].
Saul believed Jonathan was guilty.
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die [1 Sam. 14:42–43].
Jonathan was guilty—guilty of doing what Saul had not wanted him to do. Saul had said, “Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day.” But was this something to die for?
And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not [1 Sam. 14:44–45].
Saul would actually destroy his own son if he stood in his way. Why? Because Saul is jealous of Jonathan. He wants all of the glory for himself. The army had remained silent through all of Saul’s rantings and ravings, but when Jonathan’s life was at stake, they no longer kept quiet.
We are now seeing the true character of Saul. Later on we will see how he will act in direct disobedience to God. He is going to do something that will bring tragedy to the nation Israel. Had not God intervened, it would have meant the extermination of the nation. Saul is revealing that he is not God’s man at all. He is actually Satan’s man. We will see in the next chapter that Saul is not obeying God any longer—he is following his own devices. Finally the Spirit of God will no longer speak to him. God will no longer give him leading, and he will turn from God to the demonic world. Then we will study that remarkable incident when Saul actually consults the witch of En-dor. It is a section with a great lesson for us in these days in which we are seeing the manifestation of demonism, the occult, the worship of Satan, and astrology. God help America today because there are many Sauls abroad!
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Saul’s rebellion concerning Agag; Samuel rebukes Saul
SAUL’S REBELLION CONCERNING AGAG
Saul’s rebellion against the command of God is revealed in this chapter. Also we see his facade in wanting Samuel’s help in covering up his sin before the people. Saul is rejected now as king, with no hope of recovery. We see Samuel’s love for Saul as he mourns for him.
Why the extreme surgery in slaying the Amalekites and Agag? The answer is found in the Book of Esther. Haman, who almost succeeded in destroying the entire Jewish race, was an Amalekite. God knew the true character of this people which was first revealed in their unprovoked and malicious attack upon Israel in the wilderness (Exod. 17:8–16).
As we continue our study in the life of Saul, we find that he is indeed Satan’s man. I trust we have not done him an injustice by identifying him as such. Personally I do not believe that he was ever saved, and I believe there was something of the hypocrite in the man—he pretended to be God’s man, but he never was. Also he tried to cover up his rebellion and disobedience regarding Agag.
Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass [1 Sam. 15:1–3].
These instructions may seem extreme to you if you are not familiar with the history of Amalek. Moses, who was there when it happened, rehearsed the episode for the younger generation in Deuteronomy 25:17–19: “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.”
If these people had been permitted to live, they would probably have caused more trouble in the future than is imaginable. Apparently Saul spared some of these people, and when we come to the Book of Esther, we will get acquainted with one of them, Haman. He tried to exterminate the Hebrew nation and would have succeeded had not God intervened. When we get God’s perspective we understand His immediate action. Very candidly, since you and I are not God and are not obligated to make God’s decisions, we cannot pass judgment upon Him.
And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites [1 Sam. 15:4–6].
We find here that Saul gathered the people together and numbered them. Then he came to a city of Amalek and warned the Kenites to leave the Amalekites before they were destroyed. The Kenites, you recall, were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law. We saw references to them in Judges 1:16 and 4:11–17. This was an act of mercy that no pagan nation would have practiced in that day.
And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt [1 Sam. 15:7].
Now up to this point Saul is being obedient.
And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly [1 Sam. 15:8–9].
He thought, what a shame to destroy everything! So he saved Agag, who was the ruler of the Amalekites. Saul had no right to spare him any more than he had the right to spare the humblest peasant among these people. This nation was wholly given to evil, and the king, above all others, should have been destroyed and judged at this time. Neither had Saul the right to save from destruction the best of the cattle. It would appear that he made his attack for the purpose of obtaining booty and spoil, and God had forbidden that. The Israelites were bringing judgment upon the Amalekites for Almighty God in this particular case.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,
It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night [1 Sam. 15:10–11].
Not only did the people choose Saul, Samuel chose him also. Samuel loved Saul. He wanted him to make good as king. I think he wanted Saul, even more than David, to be successful. Now, however, God has rejected Saul, and Samuel, who is obedient to God, must execute God’s orders. Saul has not been obedient and judgment is coming.
SAMUEL REBUKES SAUL
And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord [1 Sam. 15:12–13].
Saul says that he had been obedient, but notice Samuel’s retort to this.
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed [1 Sam. 15:14–15].
Listen to Saul as he begins to use double-talk and subterfuge in an attempt to camouflage his conduct. He had a very pious reason for sparing some of the animals. He wanted to have excellent animals to sacrifice to the Lord! This was, of course, an attempt to cover up his disobedience with pious pretense.
You can find that same kind of hypocrisy in our contemporary culture. I become rather amused when it is reported that the liquor interests donate money for beautiful gardens and scenic spots for people to visit and enjoy. They always like to make it known—and the media is apparently delighted to report—how much the liquor interests pay in taxes each year. Of course, anyone knows that the alcoholics are costing our government more than any taxes the liquor interests pay. There is the tendency to cover our evil businesses with good works. Many of God’s people try to turn their disobedience into some pious project. I am not sure but what we are all guilty of that sort of thing.
When I came out of seminary and entered the ministry, I drove an old, beat-up jalopy, an old Chevrolet. As a young preacher I was satisfied with it. I was not married, and I enjoyed driving it around, although my congregation was embarrassed by it. In fact, they felt it was sort of a joke. Then I met a young lady, and I began to pray that the Lord would give me a new car. I told Him I needed a new car so that I could be more efficient in my visitation. To be honest, “more efficient visitation” did not enter into it at all. I wanted a nice car to impress this young lady! It is so easy for human beings, believers and nonbelievers, to rationalize.
When Saul’s disobedience was discovered, you will notice, he tried to blame the people for what happened. He said, “The people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen.” However the record states that it was “Saul and the people.” He was the king and the one who was responsible.
And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal [1 Sam. 15:20–21].
Saul says that he obeyed the voice of the Lord. Notice he does not say, “My God,” or “our God,” but “thy God.” He does not take any responsibility at all for sparing the animals, yet he is the one to blame
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king [1 Sam. 15:22–23].
This is one of those remarkable passages of Scripture. This is God’s rejection of Saul as king on the basis of his rebellion and disobedience to God. This is an important message for all of us who claim to be children of God.
There is a great deal of this informal and friendly approach to the Lord Jesus Christ today. There are so many little songs that go something like this: “Jesus is a friend of mine.” We need to be careful how we use an approach like this to Him. When you say that Jesus is a friend of yours, what do you mean? Actually, you are trying to bring Him down to your level. If I would say that the president of the United States is a friend of mine, I would be bringing him down to my level. But suppose that the president announced that Vernon McGee is his friend. That would bring me up to his level. When we begin to talk about Jesus as “a friend of mine,” we are not being Scriptural. The Lord said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). Are you obedient unto Him? How dare any of us call Him friend if we are not obeying Him? To disobey Him is worse than witchcraft. It is rebellion against God. When you meet a person who is totally disobedient to the Lord, you almost have to conclude that he does not belong to the Lord at all. Now I am not saying that works enter into salvation. I am saying that if you are a child of God, if you come to the place where you know Him, you will obey him. He also said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). I am of the opinion that if you would say to the Lord, “I don’t love you,” He would say, “Forget about My commandments.” The important thing is to be rightly related to the Lord Jesus Christ. To be a child of God is to know Him personally. That is what makes Christianity different from any religion in the world. You can be a Buddhist without knowing Buddha. You can be a follower of Confucius without knowing him. You can be a member of any other religion without knowing the founder, but you cannot be a Christian, friend, without knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. And to know Him is life eternal.
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice [1 Sam. 15:24].
Notice the low motivation of this man. He said he was afraid of the people and so he obeyed their wishes. He wanted to please everyone. Many folks are like Saul. Lots of preachers try to please everybody. I heard about a prominent minister lately who has begun to compromise, and he says he is doing it be cause he wants to get along with everyone. That was Saul’s approach. It is true that he confesses that he has transgressed, but his penitence is not genuine.
Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.
And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent [1 Sam. 15:25–29].
God made Saul king, and now He is taking the kingdom away from him because of his sin. It looks as if God has changed His mind when in reality He has not at all. It is not God who has changed, but Saul. Saul has sinned and so God must deal with him accordingly.
Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God [1 Sam. 15:30].
I do not believe Saul’s repentance is genuine. Look how he is covering up his sin. He says to Samuel, “Let us go through the forms of worship together and not let the people know that I have been rejected.” He wanted to repent, but not have to pay the penalty for his disobedience. He was a hypocrite right to the end.
Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal [1 Sam. 15:32–33].
Agag came “delicately” unto Samuel because he knew he was in trouble. And Samuel killed Agag. Now that may be strong medicine for some folk today, but my friend, our God is a God of Judgment and He is going to judge wrong and evil. I am glad that God is going to judge. I don’t know about you, but I thank God that no one is getting away with evil today. There may be those, even in high places, who think they are getting away with their sin, and dishonesty, and murder, and adultery, but they are not. God is going to judge them. No one is going to get away with sin, and we need to make that very clear today. So Samuel executed the judgment of God upon this vile, wicked ruler, Agag.
Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel [1 Sam. 15:34–35].
When the Bible says that God repented, it means that His actions look as though He changed His mind. He has not. God said all along that if Saul did not make good, He would remove him. Saul sinned, and so God removed him from his position as king. God still hates sin and will judge it. Saul was the choice of the people, and he failed. Yet Samuel mourned for him. I think Samuel loved Saul a great deal more than he loved David. He hated to see this man fail and turn aside. That is why his words to Saul were so strong and harsh; they came from a person who loved him. The words of Samuel were also coming from the heart of God.
My friend, God’s love will not deter Him from judging sinners. He can love them and still execute judgment. Our God is holy and righteous and just, as well as loving.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: David anointed
God chooses David as king to succeed Saul and sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint him as king. Because Saul is forsaken of God, David is brought into court to play upon his harp to soothe the evil spirit of Saul.
Chapter 16 brings us to a new subject. We will see David in contrast to Saul. David is God’s man, and Saul is Satan’s man. In chapter 15 we saw God’s rejection of Saul. God gave Saul not just one opportunity but several opportunities to see if he would obey Him. Saul revealed that he was totally disobedient unto God. He should have made good, but he did not. The Lord did not need to wait to see the results of Saul’s kingship. He already knew. But Saul needed to know. Samuel needed to know because he loved Saul. The people needed to know because they had chosen Saul.
Today you and I need to know if we are genuine children of God. For this reason we will be tested. We need the help of the Spirit of God because we are told in Hebrews 12:6, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” The Lord tests those whom He loves. This was God’s method in Saul’s day, and it is His method today. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).
Again, why extreme surgery in slaying the Amalekites and Agag? Amalek was a son of Esau. The Amalekites fought the children of Israel when they were trying to get into the Promised Land. God said He would have war with Amalek from generation to generation and would finally judge them. The Amalekites had five hundred years to change their ways. Because they had definitely turned their backs upon God, He judged them.
Now we come to the place where God chooses David to succeed Saul as king. God is sending Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint David king. David was God’s choice. Although God had trouble with him, God has trouble with all of us, doesn’t He?
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons [1 Sam. 16:1].
Believe me, Saul had Samuel on his side. Samuel loved him and hated to see God set him aside. It hurt Samuel to give Saul the ultimatum that he had been rejected and dismissed as king. Samuel’s sorrow makes it all the more impressive.
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee [1 Sam. 16:2–3].
Samuel is afraid to go to Jesse because Saul is in no mood for opposition. He is desperate. As we move into this story, however, we find that it is God who makes the choice. He tells Samuel exactly what to do, but He does not give him any advance information. His lack of knowledge will protect him. So Samuel goes to Bethlehem and to the house of Jesse. He asks Jesse and his sons to come for a sacrifice.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart [1 Sam. 16:6–7].
All through this section we are given excellent spiritual principles. In chapter 15 Samuel said to Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). You and I demonstrate whether or not we are children of the Lord Jesus Christ by our love for Him. It is not what we say in a testimony; it is whether or not we are obeying Him. The Christian life is one of reality. It is not a life of “put-on” and pretense.
When God looks at us, friend, He looks at us from the inside. He is an interior decorator. He always checks the interior. Samuel looks at this well-built, handsome young man and feels this must be God’s choice for the next king of Israel. But God says to Samuel, “I don’t want you to look at his outward appearance. Don’t judge a man by his looks. Let me select the man this time. I will choose the king.” God sees the heart, and thank God for that. We are so apt to judge folk, even in Christian circles, by their looks, by their pocketbook, by their status symbol—the Cadillac they drive, by the home they live in, or by the position they occupy. God never judges anyone on that basis. He is telling Samuel not to pay any attention to the outward appearance. God is going to look at the heart.
So Jesse had his sons pass before Samuel one by one. Samuel made it clear to Jesse why he had come, and Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel.
Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither [1 Sam. 16:10–11].
Surely even the father of David would never have chosen him above the other seven brothers. To begin with, David was only a boy. It is believed that he was about sixteen years old—possibly younger. He was a shepherd. He was out with the sheep. He didn’t really know very much. Jesse certainly would not have chosen him above his brethren to be a king. In fact, he had ignored him entirely. He was so sure one of his other sons would be selected that he did not even invite David to the sacrifice. When Samuel found out that David was tending sheep, he said in substance, “This is important business, and I’m not about to sit down and eat until I have accomplished my mission.”
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he [1 Sam. 16:12].
When this verse says that David was “ruddy,” it means that he had red hair—and he had a temper to match his red hair, a hot temper. But in addition to the fact that he was redheaded, he was a fine-looking fellow. He had a “beautiful countenance.” God does not despise that which is beautiful. God can use beauty. He is the Creator of beauty. No one who lives on this earth can ignore the beauty in the many scenic spots in every state and country. And a sunset in any place is a thing of glory. God majors in beauty.
I resent the fact that the non-Christian world gets everything that is worthwhile and beautiful. Why is not beauty and talent dedicated to God today?
Well, David was a handsome young man, but God did not choose him for that reason. God knew his heart. He was God’s choice. God knows what you and I do not know about him. Although David failed, down underneath was a faith that never failed. David loved and trusted God. He wanted to walk with Him. God took him to the woodshed and punished him within an inch of his life, and David never whimpered or cried aloud. He wanted that fellowship with God, and God loved him. He was a man after God’s own heart.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah [1 Sam. 16:13].
Samuel anointed David king, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. At this time the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.
But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well [1 Sam. 16:14–16].
I believe Saul was completely taken over by Satan. His servants noted that he had this mental malady, this spiritual sickness. It is said that music has power to tame the savage beast. Saul’s servants suggested a contest to find out who was the best musician. David was a musician.
And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.
Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.
And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him [1 Sam. 16:17–23].
David was an unusual person in many ways. David is brought into the palace. God looks at the inner man when He chooses someone for a particular office or task. Saul is now forsaken of God, and David is brought into court to play upon his harp. Although it is not yet known, Israel has a new king.
CHAPTERS 17–18
Theme: God trains David
Chapter 17 is one of the most familiar in the Bible. This wonderful episode of David and Goliath reveals more than human bravery. It reveals that, even as a boy, David had a heart for God. He didn’t volunteer to fight the giant because his people were being shamed, but because Goliath was defying the armies of the living God! As he faced his formidable foe, he testified to his faith in God: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Sam. 17:45).
DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH, GIANT OF GATH
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines [1 Sam. 17:1–2].
Israel is at war again with the Philistines, their perennial and perpetual enemy.
And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them [1 Sam. 17:3].
These two armies were at a standstill. They were poised to enter the battle and did not want to fight. It was similar to Israel’s present conflict. At the Suez Canal Israel is on one side and Egypt is on the other. Well, here are the Philistines on one mountain; Israel is on the other mountain, with a valley between. The Philistines are the aggressors.
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass [1 Sam. 17:4–5].
If a cubit is eighteen inches, Goliath was a pretty tall man. Since one span is about nine inches, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall. He was a big boy. He could have played center or forward on any basketball team. Certainly these soldiers wanted to put the decision of the battle in the hands of Goliath and one Israelite.
And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me [1 Sam. 17:7–8].
Every day Goliath challenged the Israelites to send out a man to fight him but, after forty days, no one had accepted. David came on the scene because he had brought food to his brothers who were serving in the army. David was alarmed that no one would accept the challenge. His brothers tried to send him home, but David would not go. When Saul heard that David would go against Goliath, he tried to put his armor on him. David, however, was just a boy. He said, “I can’t fight with these because I haven’t tested them. I will just have to fight with the equipment I’m used to.” What a lesson there is for us in this. Let’s not try to be something we are not, or try to do something we are really not called to do. If God has called you to use a slingshot, friend, don’t try to use a sword. If God has called you to speak, then speak. If God has called you to do something else, well, do that. If God has called you to sing, sing. But if He has not called you to sing, for goodness sake, don’t do it. Too many people are trying to use a sword when the slingshot is really more their size.
And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine [1 Sam. 17:40].
Some people believe that David chose five smooth stones so that if he missed his first shot, he could use one or all of the others. David did not intend to miss, friend. Then why did he select five stones? The answer is found in 2 Samuel 21:22: “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.” Goliath had four sons, and David was sure they would come out when he killed their father. This is why David picked up five stones. That was the number he needed.
Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands [1 Sam. 17:45–47].
You know the rest of the story. It is so familiar. God gave David the victory, and he killed Goliath. The battle was the Lord’s, and the giant was delivered into David’s hands.
There are many great spiritual lessons in this chapter. For example, the giant represents the world; Saul, I think, represents Satan; and David represents the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are admonished, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). We are in the world but not of it. What a difference there is between David and Samson. Samson treated the Philistines as friends—he even married one of them. David treated Goliath as an enemy. The world system, the Kosmos—which includes all governments, educational programs, and entertainments—is the enemy of the believer today. The interesting thing is that David’s faith enabled him to go out to meet the giant and defeat him. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). It is the same lesson Joshua learned at Jericho: he found out that the battle is the Lord’s. David also learned that he could not use the weapons of this world to fight the battle. He had to use his own weapons, his own methods—those in which God had schooled him. The believer today needs to recognize that the world can be overcome only by his faith and confidence in God.
DAVID AND JONATHAN MAKE A COVENANT
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul [1 Sam. 18:1].
David was speaking to Saul. Saul had called David after the battle because he wanted to give him recognition for his deed. (I think Saul felt that he gave him too much recognition in light of what happened later.) As Jonathan, Saul’s son, stood there listening as David and his father talked, “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David.” The relationship of these two men was quite wonderful. We often speak about the love of a man for a woman—and that is wonderful—but nothing is as fine and noble as the love of two men for each other. They see in each other a mirror of themselves and are drawn together. Two men can be real friends. They can enjoy athletics and recreation together. They can work together and have a social life together. Jonathan was an outstanding man, as we have seen, and he loved David for his courage and his confidence in God.
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house [1 Sam. 18:2].
David now becomes a public figure, and he will occupy that position for the rest of his life.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul [1 Sam. 18:3].
The covenant that these two men made was that they would stick together. It is difficult to find another friendship equal to what these men had. There is nothing quite like it.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle [1 Sam. 18:4].
David was a peasant boy, and he did not have the clothes befitting his new public life. Jonathan shared his wardrobe with David. It was a very generous thing to do.
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants [1 Sam. 18:5].
David had that charisma that we hear so much about, which made him accepted by the public. David was actually a great man. God looked on his heart, the people are looking at the outside, and David looked good both on the inside and on the outside. Of course David was not sinless, as we shall see, but he had a real heart for God, and people loved him for it.
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward [1 Sam. 18:6–9].
Saul did not like the new song that the women were singing. Saul became jealous of David because of the people’s applause and acceptance of him. As the story progresses, Saul will attempt to remove him from the limelight by actually destroying him. As David becomes the favorite of the people, he begins to see that Saul is not as friendly as he once was.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand [1 Sam. 18:10].
This is quite a dramatic scene. As David is playing on a harp, and Saul is sitting over there playing with a javelin, David may have guessed what he had in mind. He may have hit a sour note or two, I don’t know, but suddenly Saul threw the javelin.
And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice [1 Sam. 18:11].
Saul wanted to get rid of David permanently. David dodged the javelin and then departed. He took French leave—got out of the palace and the area as quickly as he could.
Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them [1 Sam. 18:15–16].
DAVID MARRIES MICHAL, SAUL’S DAUGHTER
David is now the one who is being accepted by the nation. Saul has been wondering how he can trap him and finally decides upon a clever method. He promises David his daughter Merab for his wife on the condition that he continue to war with the Philistines, hoping he will be killed in battle. Then he fails to keep faith with David and gives Merab to another. Now we will see that he wants to give his younger daughter to David. Why? That would put David in the family where Saul could get to him any time he wanted to. I do not believe David ever loved Michal. We blame David for having several marriages, but he certainly got off to a bad start with this girl.
And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him [1 Sam. 18:20].
It says here that Michal loved David, but it was not that marital love that is needed to make a success of marriage. In the beginning it was that love of the hero and his popularity. The day will come when she will ridicule him and despise him for his enthusiasm for God.
CHAPTER 19–20
Theme: Saul attempts to kill David again; Jonathan helps David escape
This chapter begins a section which I have labeled “David Disciplined.” Saul personally attempts to kill David, then he openly gives orders that David be slain. Although several times King Saul briefly repents of his murderous intent, David’s life is in jeopardy until Saul’s death. During these days of exile—possibly a period of ten years—David is hunted like a wild animal. He is a nomad, a vagabond. Living in caves in the wilderness, he endures many hardships and privations. However, he is being tested and trained in God’s school. He takes the full course and graduates magna cum laude. He becomes Israel’s greatest king—in fact, the world’s greatest king—and a man after God’s own heart. Many of the wonderful Psalms of David are written during this rough and rugged period.
SAUL ATTEMPTS TO KILL DAVID AGAIN
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself [1 Sam. 19:1–2].
Jonathan told David to get out of the palace, because his life was in danger there, and hide himself. Saul was now openly trying to take David’s life. His friend, Jonathan, wants to help him.
And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.
And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good [1 Sam. 19:3–4].
Jonathan has a plan. He is going to try and talk to his father. Saul and Jonathan go out into the field and Jonathan says, “David has actually helped you. He is one of your followers. He is a wonderful citizen of your kingdom. You should not try to kill him.”
For he did put his life in his hand. and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past [1 Sam. 19:5–7].
Saul listened to his son, and David came back to the palace. David was wary, however, because he knew his life was in danger.
And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him [1 Sam. 19:8].
Notice Saul’s reaction to David’s success.
And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night [1 Sam. 19:9–10].
An evil spirit comes upon Saul again, and he wants to kill David. It is a very dramatic scene. David is playing his harp, and Saul is fingering his javelin. David senses his murderous mood. Saul throws that javelin with the intent of pinning him to the wall. David knows that he is no longer safe in the palace even though he is married to Saul’s daughter.
Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain.
So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth [1 Sam. 19:11–13].
Here in the beginning Michal was on David’s side. She told David that if he did not escape that very night he would be slain the next day. She knew her father meant business. So David fled from the palace, and Michal fixed up the bed to make it look like he was still in it.
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goat’s hair for his bolster.
And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? [1 Sam. 19:14–17].
When Saul found out that he had been deceived, he demanded an explanation from his daughter. She placated him by saying that David would have killed her if she had failed to help him.
So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth [1 Sam. 19:18].
Because Samuel had anointed David as king, his life too is in danger. Saul is now openly attempting to slay David. From now on David will live like a hunted animal. What will the future hold for David at this particular time? He will be on the run until the death of Saul.
JONATHAN HELPS DAVID ESCAPE
Saul knew his daughter Michal had deceived him concerning David. He knew Jonathan and David were good friends. Therefore Jonathan had to be wary, careful, and very secretive about communicating with David. That is why he used the method of shooting arrows.
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sill before thy father, that he seeketh my life? [1 Sam. 20:1].
David asked the question, “What have I done?” He had never hurt Saul. In fact, he had actually helped him. But Saul was never a king. God knew he was not a king, and he was not God’s choice. The people had wanted a king and they wanted Saul to be that king. God granted their request but, as it was during the time of Moses, He sent leanness to their souls. In the wilderness the children of Israel wanted meat, and He fattened them up with quail. He gave them what they wanted, but it was evident that they were not trusting God. If they had trusted the Lord, they would have been satisfied with manna and would not have cried out for meat, and they would have found joy and peace in their lives.
Many Christians today are way ahead of the Lord, begging Him for this, that, and the other thing. They are not willing to rest quietly and let God work things out in their lives. Many times when He grants our requests, we say, “Isn’t it wonderful that He answered my prayer?” Not always. Sometimes we beg Him for something and, after He gives it to us, we realize it is the worst thing that could have happened to us. A wealthy man in Florida told me how he lost his son. He said, “The biggest mistake I ever made was to give him everything he wanted.” Sometimes when we keep after God, He sends us what we are begging for, but the result is leanness to our souls. That was true of the children of Israel who wanted Saul as their king. He certainly is causing a problem for the nation.
David is puzzled. He cannot understand why Saul is after him.
And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so [1 Sam. 20:2].
Jonathan tells David that if his father makes a move to slay him, he will know about it.
And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death [1 Sam. 20:3].
What a statement!—“there is but a step between me and death.” It was not only that way in David’s day, it is also that way today. Whether we drive the freeways of the city or the highways of the country, you and I are within a step of death. Isaiah said that there is only a heartbeat between you and death. Death can come at any time. That is the reason we ought to be ready at any moment to move out into eternity and into the presence of God. How many folks have made every arrangement for this life but none for the next life! Are you a saved individual—that is, are you trusting Christ as Savior—so that if you should die at this moment you would go into the presence of God? Let me caution you not to put off accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior any longer.
Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee [1 Sam. 20:4].
Jonathan was a real friend to David. It is wonderful to have a friend like that. Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” A brother may sometime let you down, but a real friend never will. A friend, we are told, is one who is born for adversity. A man proves he is your friend when you are in trouble. When David was in trouble, Jonathan proved to be his friend. He would do anything to protect David.
And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even [1 Sam. 20:5].
David was expected to be at the palace at mealtime, but he was afraid to go. Instead he is asking Jonathan’s permission to disappear for three days.
If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him [1 Sam. 20:6–7].
This was the way that David was going to find out the true feelings of Saul.
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to-morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;
The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:
But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul [1 Sam. 20:9–17].
Jonathan realized that David, his brother-in-law, would probably succeed Saul upon the throne. So he requested that when David came into power his own relationship with David’s house might not be forgotten.
Plans were made so that these two friends could communicate. Jonathan would be watched to see if they made contact, so they had to be extremely careful. The plan called for Jonathan to shoot with his bow and arrows. No suspicion would be aroused if he went out often for archery because he was a warrior. David would be hiding in the field. Jonathan would go into the field with his armor-bearer and shoot an arrow. If he shot the arrow way beyond David, it meant that evil was determined against him and he should flee. If he shot the arrow closer to David, in front of him instead of beyond him, he would know it was safe to return.
On the third day Jonathan went out into the field with his bow. There would be no way for Saul to know that his son was about to deliver a message to David. The word about Saul was not favorable. Saul had made it very clear that he wanted to slay David. The arrow went flying through the air and landed way on the other side of him. That meant he was to flee. Jonathan instructed his armor-bearer to pick up the arrows he had shot and then take his artillery into the city. When the boy is gone, David and Jonathan meet and talk.
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city [1 Sam. 20:42].
David is in danger from here on. He is going to flee, but the interesting thing is the covenant that David and Jonathan make. We will find that Jonathan kept his part of the covenant. He was faithful and true to David to the very end of his life. David was also faithful and true to Jonathan and his descendants.
Later on, both Saul and Jonathan are slain by the Philistines, and David comes to the throne. The safe thing for him to have done would have been to exterminate every member of the house of Saul. That means that if Jonathan had a son he should have been killed. The fact of the matter is that Jonathan did have a son. We are going to meet him a little later on in the story. His name was Mephibosheth, and he was crippled. When Saul and Jonathan were slain, a servant took the boy and hid him. But David is going to make good his covenant. David found the boy, took him to the palace, put him at his table, fed him, and cared for him. Why? He is making good his covenant with Jonathan because his friend showed him grace.
I will have occasion later on to go into more detail concerning this subject, but right now let me call your attention to the wonderful meaning of this story. David showed kindness to Mephibosheth for the sake of Jonathan. God has shown kindness to you and me for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not because of who we are or what we have done that He saved us. Our salvation comes because of who Christ is and what He has done for us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Because His Son died for us, God extends favor to us for Jesus’ sake.
After David and Jonathan talked, Jonathan returned to the palace. I think he was a very sad man because he knew that his father was determined to slay his beloved friend.
CHAPTERS 21–22
Theme: David involves the priests; David gathers his mighty men; Saul slays the priests of God
DAVID INVOLVES THE PRIESTS
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? [1 Sam. 21:1].
David is very much alone as he flees from Saul. His young men are with him, of course, so he is not alone in that respect. He is alone in that no one in his party is wearing the livery of King Saul.
And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women [1 Sam. 21:2–4].
The thought in this portion of Scripture is simply that the only bread available was on the table of showbread, which was not to be eaten except by the priest and only at a certain time—which was at the changing of the bread each Sabbath day.
And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away [1 Sam. 21:5–6].
Although Israel had a God-given religion, and this bread was dedicated for religious purposes, there were some hungry men present who needed food. That bread would have become commonplace if it could not have been used to feed hungry mouths. That is what David was saying.
In giving David and his men the bread, the priest was breaking the letter of the Law but not the spirit of the Law. You will recall that the Pharisees challenged the Lord Jesus Christ about breaking the Law (which He did not do). The Lord refuted their accusations by referring to this incident in the life of David. Mark 2:23–28 tells us, “And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”
What the Lord was saying in His day was, “If David could do it, and it was all right, there is One here greater than David, and He can do it also.” David ate the showbread because he had need. Christ is saying that human need supersedes all ritual and ceremonial laws.
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul [1 Sam. 21:7].
There is a “Judas Iscariot” in the crowd that day at the tabernacle. His name is Doeg, and he is an Edomite. He is in Saul’s service, and he is going to betray David and the high priest. David has a great deal to say about this man in Psalm 52.
And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste [1 Sam. 21:8].
Now I would like to call your attention to the way that last clause is misquoted. I have heard it said that certain things should be done for the Lord and done quickly because “the King’s business requires haste.” To begin with, let’s understand what David is actually saying. He does not have a sword or a spear because he had to leave in a hurry. Also David is not on a mission for his king—he is misrepresenting here.
I am here to say that the King’s business does not require haste. Have you ever noticed how patiently God works? He is going to work that way in the life of David. David is going to be schooled and trained in the caves of the earth. That is God’s method. God is in no hurry. Moses was in a hurry, and he wanted to deliver the children of Israel forty years before God was ready. Moses was not ready either. God put him out in the desert and trained him and schooled him for forty years until he was ready. God brought His Son into the world thirty-three years before He went to the cross! The thing that marks the work of God is not haste but the fact that He works slowly and patiently. Oh my, how impatient we become! I am sure my wife would say, “Yes, and you are not the one to talk to people about patience because you are a very impatient man.” That is true, I am impatient. I am trying, now that I am retired, to learn the art of waiting before the Lord. That is something we all need to learn. David needed to learn it too. God has had to train His men like that. God has had to teach patience to every man He has ever used. God moves and works slowly. If you want to see the way He moves, look how long it takes Him to make a diamond or a redwood tree. God’s work does not require haste, friends. That is not God’s method.
David is saying something in this chapter that is not true, as the context reveals. David was not on a mission for the king, and “the king’s business requires haste” is in no way applicable to Christian work.
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me [1 Sam. 21:9].
It is interesting that David could use the slingshot when he was a youngster, but he has been in the king’s palace a long time. Perhaps he has lost his cunning with the slingshot. Now he needs a sword and he uses Goliath’s sword because it is available.
And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath [1 Sam. 21:10].
David got as far away from Saul as he possibly could and went to Achish. When he arrived among these foreigners, he found he was in danger. They were enemies of Israel; so David had to pretend that he was a madman. He had to put on an act. Shakespeare’s Hamlet had to do the same thing to keep from being slain.
Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? [1 Sam. 21:15].
David’s act was good and the king of Achish believed it. David would not be in danger there.
DAVID GATHERS HIS MIGHTY MEN
Chapter 22 begins that period in David’s life when he hides in the caves and dens of the earth. He is learning that the King’s business does not require haste. God is schooling and training him as He has His other men. During these years when he hides from the presence of Saul who seeks to kill him, he is hunted and hounded. He is driven from pillar to post. He is forced to hide in the forests and caves of the earth to escape the king’s wrath. During this time David describes himself in the following ways: (1) I am hunted like a partridge (1 Sam. 26:20); (2) I am like a pelican of the wilderness (Ps. 102:6); (3) I am like an owl of the desert (Ps. 102:6); (4) My soul is among lions (Ps. 57:4); and (5) They have prepared a net for my steps (Ps. 57:6).
David becomes weary during these years of running away from Saul. When Saul presses him hard, he withdraws to the cave of Adullam which is a rocky mountain fastness, southwest of Jerusalem, in a valley between Philistia and Hebron.
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men [1 Sam. 22:1–2].
A marvelous comparison can be made between David and David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, during this period of his rejection which covered about ten years. This time in David’s life compares to the present state of our Lord. You and I are living in the days of His rejection. The world has rejected Christ just as David was rejected and hunted like an animal. Saul, his enemy, was abroad; and our enemy, Satan, is abroad today. We are admonished in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” David could say that his “soul was among lions,” and we can say the same today. It is during these days that the Lord Jesus Christ is calling out of this world a people for His name. He is calling those who are in distress, those who are in debt, and those who are discontented.
These three classes of men existed in David’s day. There were those who were in distress. They were persecuted and oppressed by Saul. David was a long time in breaking with Saul. There were many who were loyal to Saul, but they were finally forced to flee because their lives became endangered. Many fled to David and joined up with him.
If you have felt the whiplash of injustice in the world, if you have felt its unfairness, if you are oppressed and have no place to turn, look to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people today are trying to find a way out of their troubles and are turning to all kinds of nostrums—some to drugs, some to drink, and some to suicide. There is One who is calling all of us today. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He wants to help you. He can help you. “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Heb. 2:18). Are you tested and tempted? Are you in distress? You need a Savior, and He is calling out those who will come to Him this day.
There were others who came to David during this time of rejection who were in debt. Debt is a cancer that destroys under any circumstance. In that day when a man got into debt he could lose his property and he could be sold into slavery. Men should have been protected, but they were not. This man Saul was permitting men to become slaves—he was not enforcing the Mosaic Law.
Sin has made us debtors to God. Remember that in the prayer Christ taught His disciples, it says, “Forgive us our debts.” God alone can forgive us. Forgiveness always rests upon the payment of a debt, and those who were in debt had to flee. David, actually, did not pay the debt, but Christ did. He paid the debt of sin by dying on the cross. He set us free. That is what the Lord Jesus Christ did for you and for me. If you realize you are a debtor to God and have no means to pay, He will pay that debt for you. You can flee to Him. What a wonderful privilege that is!
The discontented also came to David. This means that they were bitter of soul. The circumstances and experiences of life had soured them. In the past few years I have noticed a restlessness sweeping our land and the world. In some areas it has become a great flood. Masses of people march in the street and protest about this, that, and the other thing. There is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction and discontentment. My friend, life will make you bitter unless you see the hand of God, as did Joseph whose story is told in the final chapters of Genesis.
There is One to whom you can go today. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, the rejected King. He is fairer than ten thousand, and He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He also says, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). As David in exile receives these four hundred distressed, debtridden, and discontented men, what a picture he is of the Lord Jesus Christ in this age of His rejection as He is calling out of this world a people to His name.
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold [1 Sam. 22:3–4].
Fleeing to Moab is what another Bethlehem family had done several generations before David. Elimelech, you recall, had taken his family to Moab during a period of famine in Israel. Because of this, Ruth the Moabitess is in the Bible story. The father of David would be the grandson of Ruth the Moabitess, which is undoubtedly the reason the king of Moab grants the couple asylum in Moab. The very fact that David leaves the land of Israel and goes to Moab means he is really a frightened man. Personally, I do not think he should have left Israel, as God would have protected him if he had stayed. His faith wavered a bit as had Abraham’s when he went down to Egypt.
SAUL SLAYS THE PRIESTS OF GOD
And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)
Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? [1 Sam. 22:5–8].
It sounds like Saul is developing some paranoiac tendencies. He has developed a persecution complex. Maybe he is entitled to this complex, because he has discovered that his own son has not been loyal to him. He is wondering why these men in his cabinet have not revealed this fact to him—as apparently they had not. There is one man, however, who knows where David has fled and he tells Saul what he knows. We have met him before. He was at the tabernacle when David and his men ate the showbread.
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine [1 Sam. 22:9–10].
After Doeg gives Saul his information, Saul decides to go after Ahimelech the priest.
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house? [1 Sam. 22:11–14].
Saul sent for Ahimelech the priest and the other priests who were in Nob. Saul demanded that Ahimelech explain why he had helped David escape. The priest gave the king a truthful answer. He had the highest motives and was totally unaware that David was not being honest with him. Later on David felt very bad that he had deceived Ahimelech into thinking he was on a mission for Saul.
Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.
And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord [1 Sam. 22:15–17].
In his anger, Saul did not listen to reason but commanded his servants to slay the priests. They hesitated to carry out his order. But Saul had gone so far in his rebellion and sin that he would not stop at anything. So he commanded Doeg to do his dirty work for him.
And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod [1 Sam. 22:18].
This was a serious and awful crime that Saul committed. If God had not rejected him before this, He certainly would have rejected him at this point.
And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword [1 Sam. 22:19].
The bitterness and vengeance of this man Saul was terrible. Bitterness is something that we need to beware of today. We are warned about it in Hebrews 12:15 which says, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” When bitterness gets into the hearts of God’s people, it is a vicious and an awful thing. I have seen it in churches. I have seen officers of the church use their positions, not to bring glory to Christ, but to vent their spleens, bitterness, vengeance, and hatred against someone else. It is a terrible thing when bitterness takes over, and this is what happened in Saul’s case. He was definitely Satan’s man. You and I cannot be too sure about a person’s salvation—even when he is active in the Lord’s service—when you see him motivated by a vicious bitterness of heart and soul. It is indeed difficult to cull out the tares from the wheat at a time like that. Such was the case here.
CHAPTERS 23–24
Theme: God’s protection and care of David in exile
David continues to flee with his six hundred men. Jonathan contacts David and “strengthens his hand in God.” David spares Saul’s life at En-gedi.
DAVID FIGHTS THE PHILISTINES
Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah [1 Sam. 23:1–5].
The Philistines, the perpetual enemies of Israel, were robbing the people of Keilah of their grain supply. Notice that David seeks God’s will before he attempts to deliver Keilah. David is acting to protect these people, God’s people, although he continues to flee from Saul.
When Saul learns that David and his men are contained in a walled city, he rushes his army down to capture them. Again David inquires of the Lord what his course of action should be. The Lord warns him to flee because the men of Keilah will not protect him from Saul—in spite of the fact that he has been their deliverer.
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth [1 Sam. 23:13].
That is, David’s men scattered—they didn’t move out as an organized army.
SAUL PURSUES DAVID, AND JONATHAN AND DAVID MAKE A COVENANT
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God [1 Sam. 23:14–16].
Notice how faithful and true Jonathan is to his friend David and the things he says to encourage him.
And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house [1 Sam. 23:17–18].
In essence Jonathan is telling David that Saul knows what is going to happen but is fighting it. Saul is, of course, going against God’s will. He is in complete rebellion against God. Jonathan, however, is willing to execute God’s will. Jonathan’s actions reveal that he is a great man. His attitude reminds me of John the Baptist who said of the Lord Jesus Christ, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? [1 Sam. 23:19].
Saul is determined to ferret out David and is aided by the Ziphites who promise to deliver David to him.
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them [1 Sam. 23:26].
Saul has David surrounded at this point and would surely have captured him if Saul had not been called home to fight off an invasion of the Philistines. This reveals God’s perfect timing which again saves David’s life.
DAVID SPARES SAUL’S LIFE AT EN-GEDI
In chapter 24 David is still on the run. He is being hounded continually by Saul. I think this period of testing in David’s life changed him from an innocent shepherd boy to a rugged man who became God’s man and ruled over his people.
And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats [1 Sam. 24:1–2].
David had gone to a rugged place to hide. Saul went looking for David with an army of three thousand men while David had only six hundred men. Saul’s army greatly outnumbered David’s, but David made up for this imbalance by using strategy. Also, he knew the area and his men were rugged men, indeed.
And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave [1 Sam. 24:3].
Saul entered the very cave in which David was hiding and went to sleep. Saul’s men were on guard, of course, but they were outside the cave, not inside. They permitted the king to have privacy in order that he might have a good nap. So this is the situation: David and his men, and Saul, are inside the cave. Saul’s soldiers are outside the cave.
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily [1 Sam. 24:4].
David quietly slipped up to the sleeping king and trimmed off the lower part of his garment.
And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt [1 Sam. 24:5].
Right away David regretted his act because it would be a source of embarrassment to Saul. Imagine what would happen when Saul awakened, stood up, and found out he was wearing a mini-skirt!
And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord [1 Sam. 24:6].
David respected the office of king, although he may not have respected the man.
May I interject a thought at this particular point. I personally do not feel that the president of the United States, regardless of his party or character, should be made the subject of a cartoon or the object of ridicule. In a democracy, of course, he can be criticized, but to make our president a subject of ridicule, as do some cartoonists and some comedians, is entirely wrong. Now this is just my personal opinion, but I think that we ought to have more respect for the office than we do. We live in a country that has its faults, but it has been a great country for most of us, and its offices and officers should be respected.
It is interesting to note that although David is being hunted by Saul, David will not lay a hand on him. Why? Because Saul is God’s anointed. David is going to let God deal with the king. My, if we could only come to the place where we would let God handle our enemies! As a rule we want to take care of them, but God can do a much better job. We are told in Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” When we take things in our own hands, we are no longer walking by faith. We are not trusting God. What we are really saying is, “Lord, we cannot trust You to handle this the way we want it handled, so we are going to do it ourselves.” David, however, is going to let God handle Saul.
David is sorry he has cut off Saul’s skirt. His conscience disturbs him because he has made the king an object of ridicule.
So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way [1 Sam. 24:7].
Several of David’s men had no use for Saul and would have killed him in a minute, but David would not permit it.
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself [1 Sam. 24:8].
Notice once again that although David may not respect Saul personally, he does have respect for Saul’s office.
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to-day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed [1 Sam. 24:9–10].
David had demonstrated to Saul that he was not seeking his life. Saul had been told, and wrongly so, that David was out to get him. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I think David was very much misunderstood, maligned, and misrepresented by both friend and enemy. David’s act of mercy in sparing Saul’s life should have made it abundantly clear that he was not seeking the king’s life.
As David continues to reason with him, Saul actually weeps.
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil [1 Sam. 24:16–17].
Now notice Saul’s amazing Statement.
And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall he established in thine hand [1 Sam. 24:20].
This is an amazing confession coming from Saul. Saul realizes that what David has said is true and is greatly moved by the fact that he has spared his life. Then Saul acknowledges the fact that one day David will be king.
Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold [1 Sam. 24:21–22].
After their conversation Saul returns home, but David and his men go to their stronghold. David still does not trust Saul. David goes farther and farther into the wilderness to hide, because he knows there will come a day when Saul will come after him again. I am of the opinion that Saul is actually demon-possessed at this time. We are told that an evil spirit had come upon him.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Samuel dies; David meets Abigail
In this chapter Samuel dies in his retirement. David encounters Nabal and Abigail. David in anger is prevented from the rash act of murdering Nabal and his servants by the presence and diplomacy of Abigail, Nabal’s beautiful wife. Nabal dies after a night of drunkenness, and David takes Abigail to wife. She was a good influence in his life.
SAMUEL DIES
And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran [1 Sam. 25:1].
Scripture is quite brief concerning Samuel’s death. It simply says that “all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him.” Samuel had been a great man of God; there is no question about that. He was outstanding. He was the bridge between the judges and the kings. He was the last of the judges and the first in the office of prophets. There were, of course, many prophets before Samuel, but he represented the office that continued on through the Old Testament and into the New Testament.
Samuel was also a force for good and probably prevented the full force of Saul’s bitterness and hatred from being vented upon David. Samuel was a buffer between David and Saul. When Samuel died, David went a great distance into the wilderness—he went farther away from Saul than Elijah ever did from Jezebel.
DAVID AND ABIGAIL
As someone has said, “To be great is to be misunderstood.” This certainly applies to David. He was great, and he was misunderstood. Because the world does not know David, it misjudges him. When the name of David is mentioned, immediately there is called to mind his sins of murder and adultery. There are those who inquire, “How could David commit such sin, and yet the Scriptures say that he was a man after God’s own heart?” We will have an occasion to answer that question. But instead of questioning God’s choice, we ought to investigate David’s character. We will find that only those who are small will be critical of David. He is one of the outstanding characters in Scripture. To know him is to love him. I know of no man who presents such nobility of character.
David had a checkered career. He was born a peasant boy in Bethlehem, a son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah. He was brought up a little shepherd boy among seven fine-looking brothers who were older than he. He was passed by. Then one day his life changed. God had not passed him by. God knew his heart.
God does not look on the outward side of a man. God knew David’s heart. He was anointed Israel’s future king by Samuel. He slew the giant Goliath. As a musician he is called the “sweet psalmist of Israel.” He penned the most beautiful poetry written in any language or sung in any tongue. If you have any doubt about it, have you anything to compare with Psalm 23? David married the princess Michal, the daughter of Saul. He was loved by Jonathan, the son of Saul. Never did a man have a friend like Jonathan. David became an outlaw. He gathered together a band of men during this time, and they lived in mountain strongholds. He pretended he was mad, like Hamlet, on one occasion. He finally became king of Judah and then of the entire nation of Israel. We are going to see that his own son led a rebellion against him, and once again he was forced to flee. He lived to see Solomon, his son, anointed king.
Instead of looking at David and Bathsheba and seeing David’s sin, I want you to look at something else. Let’s forget for the moment Goliath and David’s heroic accomplishment and Jonathan’s loyal friendship. Instead I want you to see the very simple story of life in this chapter. It reveals the innermost recesses of his soul. It is a story about David and Abigail, and it reveals how human David really was.
And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb [1 Sam. 25:2–3].
It seems that not all of Caleb’s offspring turned out well, as we can see from this man Nabal. The name Nabal means “fool.” I don’t know how he got that name, but he certainly lived up to it. But then, aren’t we all born fools? The Scriptures say that man is born like a wild ass’s colt (Job 11:12). Look at your own life for a moment. Have you ever done anything foolish? I think all of us have done foolish things that we would rather not think about.
Nabal was a fool, but he was a rich man. He had neither honor nor honesty. He was a drunken beast. But he had a beautiful and intelligent wife. That is a rare combination in a woman but a pleasing one. The question is—how did this man get such a jewel for a wife? Dr. McConkey called the story of Nabal and Abigail “Beauty and the Beast.” Frankly, I think her parents made the match. They were impressed by this man’s wealth, and it was a case of beauty being sold for gold—traffic in a human soul. Perhaps you are saying, “That’s terrible.” It is terrible, but it happens all the time in our contemporary culture. How often it happens we do not know. It is an awful thing.
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.
And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name [1 Sam. 25:4–5].
David had been protecting Nabal’s property. He had quite an army with him, and he could have robbed this man and taken his sheep for food, but he did not. Instead he kept thieves and marauders from getting the sheep. He did many things to assist Nabal. Now that David needs food, he sends his young men to ask for help.
And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master [1 Sam. 25:9–10].
Nabal is saying that David has betrayed Saul and that he is disloyal.
Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings [1 Sam. 25:11–12].
I told you at the beginning that David is redheaded and hot-headed. He is angry now.
And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff [1 Sam. 25:13].
Someone in Nabal’s household learned of this and informed Abigail.
But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them [1 Sam. 25:14].
When Abigail heard what had happened between her husband and David’s young men, she knew what David would do. So she got together a great deal of food.
Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them [1 Sam. 25:18–20].
Abigail went out to meet David with food before he could get to Nabal because David would have killed him.
Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good [1 Sam. 25:21].
David’s intention was to kill every man that belonged to Nabal.
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid [1 Sam. 25:23–24].
Around the hill David came, riding at full tilt, flushed with anger, and probably saying to himself, “I’ll get that fellow. He can’t treat me that way.” Then he looks down the road and sees a woman coming on a little donkey. He sees all the foodstuff, and his men are hungry. He halts his band of men before this beautiful woman. For the first time David, God’s anointed, is face to face with a noble woman who means well by him. She bows before David. She gets right down in the dust and asks David to take his revenge upon her because she is Nabal’s wife. She is wise in what she does because David is not about to do anything to a beautiful woman with an appeal like she made! Then she apologizes for the fact that her husband is a fool and a brute.
Let not my lord, I pray thee, reward this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send [1 Sam. 25:25].
A “man of Belial” is a worthless person.
Now therefore, my lord. as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.
I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days [1 Sam. 25:26–28].
This was just the beginning of David’s career. Sin came into his life later on, but up to this point David’s life was as clean as a hound’s tooth. He has lived for God, and he is attempting to please God. Abigail admires him for it.
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling [1 Sam. 25:29].
Although she does not mention him by name, Abigail is speaking about Saul as the one who is pursuing David. Then she says one of the most remarkable things about David, “But the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God.”
Friend, that is exactly the position of the believer in Christ Jesus. John, in his first epistle, calls Christ “Eternal Life.” He says, “For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us” (1 John 1:2). When you and I trust Him as Savior, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of believers. Paul says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). You and I are brought into the body of believers—the body of Christ—by our faith in Christ. We are said to be in Christ. And there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. So we are bound in the bundle of life with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then Abigail said, “The souls of thine enemies God shall sling out.” David knew all about slingshots, and what he had done to Goliath was well known in Israel.
Then Abigail continues.
And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;
That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid [1 Sam. 25:30–31].
Abigail is saying to David, “Don’t hold what my husband has done against us. You are going to be king.” I can just see David sitting astride his horse, looking down at this woman who is actually down in the dust. She is a beautiful and and noble woman.
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:
And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand [1 Sam. 25:32–33].
David was thankful to this woman for her wisdom in keeping him from an act that would have caused him regret.
So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person [1 Sam. 25:35].
David accepted Abigail’s food, advice, and person.
And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, and he died [1 Sam. 25:36–38].
Nabal had a big party that night—he was a swinger. He had sobered up the next morning, and Abigail told him what had transpired the day before with David. Then “his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.” He not only had a headache, he had a heartache too. What happened to him? Did he have a heart attack? It is well that God moved Abigail to intervene. David’s hands would have been red with blood, and God didn’t want them that way.
Now what is David going to do? There is a beautiful widow who lives in the desert of Paran. She is, actually, the only woman who has been a blessing to him.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife [1 Sam. 25:39].
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he wanted Abigail for his wife. When she had intercepted David on the road, she had said, “When the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.” Well, David could not forget her. Do you know why? She had appealed to the best in him. She had advised him, and he knew her advice was right. He knew he loved her, and I think it was love at first sight.
David also recognized the hand of God. God can use beauty. That day on the road, as he thanked her for her good advice, two great souls stood in the presence of each other. Now that Nabal was dead, David asked her to become his wife, and she did. This marks the beginning of another phase of David’s life.
Now something else took place of which God did not approve.
David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.
But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim [1 Sam. 25:43–44].
Sin entered into his life, friend. He was a rugged man and he lived a rugged life, but one day he became a murderer. Since God called him a man after His own heart, does that mean He approved of his life? No. We will see that when David longed to build God a magnificent temple, God had to tell him “no.” God would not permit him to build the temple because of the sin in his life.
CHAPTERS 26–27
Theme: David again spares Saul’s life; David retreats to the land of Philistia
David again spares Saul’s life in the wilderness of Ziph. Note the contrast between Saul and David. Obviously Saul knows that David is God’s choice, but he seeks to slay him. David recognizes that Saul is the anointed king, and he spares him.
DAVID AGAIN SPARES SAUL’S LIFE
And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
Then Saul arose, and sent down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph [1 Sam. 26:1–2].
Here goes Saul on another campaign, another crusade, to try to destroy David. This is what happened. David fled into the wilderness, and Saul went after him. David was a great soldier and he knew the terrain, which made him an expert general. He also had loyal men who were willing to die for him and with him. Saul did not know the terrain. Added to that, his followers were not as loyal as they could be, and Saul certainly suspected them.
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed [1 Sam. 26:4].
David could not believe that Saul would come into territory that was unfamiliar to him. It was a military blunder of such proportions that David sent spies out to see if Saul really was in the area. His scouts reported that Saul was indeed in the wilderness.
And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him [1 Sam. 26:5].
David was in a position to observe where Saul and his men were, while he and his men were able to hide in the wilderness.
Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him [1 Sam. 26:6–7].
David and Abishai went into Saul’s camp and looked around. Saul was sleeping in a trench, surrounded by his men. At the head of his bed he had stuck his spear in the ground.
Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time [1 Sam. 26:8].
Abishai was saying to David, “If you just let me at him, I will strike him once. One blow is all I need, and you will be rid of your enemy.”
And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless? [1 Sam. 26:9].
Once again David has the opportunity to kill Saul, but he refuses. He will not raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed.
David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish [1 Sam. 26:10].
David says, “God will have to take care of him.” David is acting upon the principle found in Hebrews 10:30, “… Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.”
The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them [1 Sam. 26:11–12].
What David did was not difficult. He took Saul’s spear and cruse of water, and no one wakened because the Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall upon Saul and his men.
Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them [1 Sam. 26:13].
Now David withdrew from Saul’s camp, but he did not go back to his men. Instead he went way over on the other side of Saul’s camp and stood on the top of a hill. It was a place where he could easily escape if anyone came after him.
And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, “Who art thou that criest to the king?
And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king [1 Sam. 26:14–17].
Frankly, I think David is being sarcastic with Abner, who is Saul’s captain and should have been protecting him. David is ridiculing Abner. David is telling him that the king could have been destroyed. About this time the king and his men begin to wake up, and they wonder what has happened. Then David says, “Where is Saul’s spear and cruse of water? They are gone.” David probably held them up and said, “Look, I’ve got them. I could have slain Saul, but I did not.” And that is the important thing: David did not slay the king. He had a wonderful attitude about the whole thing. God was going to handle this affair as far as David was concerned. It may be easy for us to criticize David, but do we today let God handle our enemies? We try to take things in our own hands and try to answer our accusers and deal with them ourselves. God says, “Let Me handle the situation, and you walk by faith. Trust Me.” We are going to find out that David trusted the Lord, and He took care of Saul in time.
Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place [1 Sam. 26:25].
Although again Saul admitted he was wrong and gave up his pursuit of David, David knew it was only a temporary respite.
We find that David’s heart is becoming very discouraged. He is weary of this continual running away and hiding in the dens of the earth.
DAVID RETREATS TO THE LAND OF PHILISTIA
And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand [1 Sam. 27:1].
This is obviously a departure from the high plain of faith that characterizes the life of David. It is a period of just letting down. We find that the same thing happened to Abraham. It happened to Isaac, and it happened to Jacob. In fact, it seems that most of God’s men have had this low period in their lives.
There is a message for you and me in this chapter. Perhaps this very day you are faced with problems. Perhaps you have been in a dark valley for a long time, and you wonder if you will ever come through it. There seems to be no solution to your problems. Well, if it is any comfort to you, there are many others who have been in the same valley—it is a well-worn route. This man David walked that path long before you and I got here. This is one of the reasons David has been such a help to me in my own Christian life. I can certainly sympathize with him. It looks as though he may spend the rest of his life running and will finally be slain by Saul.
And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day [1 Sam. 27:2–6].
Here is David—discouraged, despondent—doing something he should not have done. He leaves the land of Israel and goes to live among the Philistines. There is nothing in this chapter that would reveal that David is a man of God.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: Saul consults the witch of En-dor
Saul’s interview with the witch of En-dor poses and provokes many questions. The primary one relates to Samuel. Did she bring Samuel back from the dead? Several explanations have been forthcoming: (1) Some expositors dismiss it as a fraud, taking the position that the witch was a ventriloquist; (2) others maintain that an overwhelming desire to communicate with dead loved ones makes the bereaved victims of deceit; and (3) a third group believe that the witch actually brought Samuel back from the dead. This is untenable, and it is inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.
THE PHILISTINES PLAN AN ATTACK, AND SAUL CONSULTS THE WITCH OF EN-DOR
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.
And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa [1 Sam. 28:1–4].
Once again the Philistines were gathering their armies together to fight Israel. David gave no distinct promise that he would help them in their war with the Israelites—he certainly would avoid it if he could. Saul gathered his troops together at Gilboa.
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor [1 Sam. 28:5–7].
Since God was not speaking to Saul, he turned to Satan in desperation. The witch of En-dor was probably a ventriloquist. I think she was partly phony and partly given over to spiritism.
I would like to dwell on the subject of spiritism for a moment. We are living in a day of frills and thrills in religion. One of the avenues which thrill-seekers are exploring is modern spiritism, or ancient necromancy. Of course, the strongest argument they have is the witch of En-dor. They say she brought Samuel back from the dead. The question is, “Did Samuel really come back from the dead and communicate with Saul?” If so, it is the only instance of such a thing in the Scripture.
Before answering this question, I want you to look at some important background material. Scripture positively condemns the practice of necromancy. This is what Deuteronomy 18:9–14 says about the subject: “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.” We are living in a day when there is a great deal of practice in the areas just mentioned.
In Time magazine, several years ago, two fortunetellers were listed. According to the magazine, most of the Hollywood stars consulted them in order to find out what the future held for them. We are seeing a revival of this today, but it has been going on a long time. Back in 1947 The Guardian, a publication of the Church of England, ran this article: “In spite of the large amount of fraud, fake, deceit, and thought-reading, conscious or unconscious, that the investigator of psychic research has to contend with, there remains a nucleus of genuine matter that cannot be explained with our present knowledge except by accepting the hypothesis that human personalities exist through death, and that certain persons have the power and gift of contacting them. Churches have nothing to fear from genuine psychic phenomena.” It is amazing that since then there has been a growing interest in this matter of looking at the stars. The so-called science of ESP has also been growing. Many people have purchased horoscopes. Millions of dollars are going into the pockets of astrologers annually.
May I say to you that the Word of God absolutely condemns this sort of thing, and God has judged nations in the past because of it. He even put His own people out of the land for turning from Him to these different abominations. My friend, these are the dangerous practices of the hour. The Scriptures warn us of the danger and predict that there will be an outbreak of it.
You will find in the account of Lazarus, the beggar, and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31) that the rich man was strictly forbidden to return to the living. He was told that he could not. Paul was caught up to heaven and silenced—he could not tell what he had seen (2 Cor. 12:2–4). In 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Paul says, “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Paul, writing to a younger preacher, says, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). We are seeing an increasing number of churches (they are called churches) where Satan is actually worshiped. This is something that the Word of God says will increase in the last days.
Now we find Saul going to the witch of En-dor.
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth [1 Sam. 28:8–13].
Notice that this frightens the old witch. She sees supernatural creatures coming out of the ground.
And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself [1 Sam. 28:14].
If you read the account carefully, you will realize that Saul did not see Samuel. It was the witch, who may never have seen Samuel alive, who said she saw an old man covered with a mantle. Of course they jumped to the conclusion it was Samuel. When they did, he answered as Samuel—because demons can impersonate. Saul has laid himself wide open for Satan, and Satan has moved in.
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do [1 Sam. 28:15].
Saul is abandoned by God, and he is desperately afraid of the advancing Philistines.
Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord or executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.
Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines [1 Sam. 28:16–19].
It is interesting to note that nothing new is added. Saul does not get any new information. Samuel, before his death, had already pronounced the death, the destruction, and the rejection of Saul. Certainly Saul did not gain any comfort, any direction, or any new information from his excursion into the spirit world.
This reminds me of an account related by one of the friends of Job. By the way he introduces it, you would think that he had been given some tremendous revelation. Listen to him: “Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: it stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?” (Job 4:12–17). After this man had this tremendous experience and went through these gyrations, what came out of it that was new? Nothing! “Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?” That is a self-evident truth. The spirit revealed nothing new!
It is obvious from the account of the witch of En-dor that God was not in it. To begin with, God would not call Samuel up—Saul makes it clear that God was no longer speaking to him. Was Satan able to call up Samuel? That, of course, is the question.
In Scripture we need to understand that only Christ ever communicated with the dead. He alone can speak to the dead. This man Saul had been abandoned by God. As far as he is concerned, heaven is silent. And so Saul turns to hell. Now did Samuel appear to Saul? Several explanations have been offered. There are those who dismiss the entire incident as a fraud. They do not believe anything about it was genuine. They say the witch was a ventriloquist and put on the whole show. I think she was a fraud, too, but because she was as frightened as Saul at what happened, we can’t rule out the supernatural.
Houdini, in his day, said he could duplicate 95 percent of the so-called supernatural things that spiritualism claimed it could and did do. Granted that 99 percent of it is fraud, what about the rest of it? I believe that what happened at En-dor was supernatural, but I do not believe God had a thing to do with it. There is, of course, another explanation for what happened, and that is the desire of loved ones to communicate with those that have gone before. Both Sir Oliver Lodge and Sir Conan Doyle lost sons in war and wanted to see them. I believe even these men were taken in by spiritualism. Also, many others are deceived because of their strong desire to see their loved ones who are dead.
Kipling wrote a poem that I think is the answer to this.
The road to En-dor is easy to tread
For Mother or yearning Wife.
There, it is sure, we shall meet our Dead
As they were even in life.
Earth has not dreamed of the blessing in store
For desolate hearts on the road to Endor.
Whispers shall comfort us out of the dark—
Hands—ah, God!—that we knew!
Visions and voices—look and hark!—
Shall prove that our tale is true,
And that those who have passed to the further shore
May be hailed—at a price—on the road to En-dor….
Oh, the road to En-dor is the oldest road
And the craziest road of all!
Straight it runs to the Witch’s abode,
As it did in the days of Saul,
And nothing is changed of the sorrow in store
For such as go down the road to En-dor!
—Rudyard Kipling
There are those who say that the witch actually brought Samuel from the dead. I say to you that such an explanation is neither tenable nor consistent with the rest of Scripture. We are told in 1 Chronicles 10:13, “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it.” God condemned the thing that Saul did.
There are those who use 1 Samuel 28:12 to prove that God caused Samuel to appear. “And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.” I do not hold with this theory. I believe it was an impersonation by a false spirit rather than Samuel who appeared. God no longer spoke to Saul. Worse still, Saul no longer spoke to God. The dead cannot communicate with the living. This was satanic from beginning to end.
When I say that the dead cannot communicate with the living, there is one exception. Do you want to hear a voice from the dead? Well, listen to this: “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:17–18). It is the Lord Jesus Christ who holds the keys of the grave and of death. He has come back from the dead.
I have a question for you: Why do you want to traffic with a witch or a spirit who you think can give you inside information? If that one is actually in touch with the spirit world, the information comes from hell, not from heaven—for hell is speaking to this earth as well as heaven. Any communication coming that route which looks supernatural (and it may be supernatural) comes from the pit of hell. Why not listen to the Man who went down through the doorway of death and came back? He is the only One who made a two-way thoroughfare of it. He says, “I was dead, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of the grave.” If you want any information, go to Him. If you want help, go to Him. If you want salvation, go to Him. He went down through the portal of death for you and for me, and He came out in mighty power which He makes available to His own.
CHAPTERS 29–30
Theme: David’s life among the Philistines
As we saw in chapter 27, David had become so discouraged and despondent because of Saul’s determination to kill him that he left the land of Israel. God had not told him to leave any more than He had told Abraham to leave the land. On the part of both these men it was a lapse of faith. So David stepped out of the land and moved over into the country of Philistia.
The Philistines were definitely the enemies of his people. David spent some time there and became a good friend of the king of Gath, who was one of the lords of the Philistines. Then when war broke out between the Israelites and the Philistines, David found himself in an awkward spot. Since he had become friends with at least one of the lords of the Philistines, he felt he should be his ally. But God intervened and prevented David from attacking his own people. This was a narrow escape for him. Had God not intervened, David would have done something that he would have regretted the rest of his life.
Christian friend, we do not realize how many times God intervenes in our lives. We sometimes overstep the boundaries God has set, and we are not where we should be, or we are not doing what we should be doing. When we make errors in judgment, many times God graciously intervenes to keep us from committing a terrible sin that we would regret the rest of our lives. I am sure you can look back upon your life and recall many such occasions.
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish [1 Sam. 29:1–2.
When war was about to break out, David and his men marched with the Philistines. All the lords of the Philistines knew David, and when they saw him marching with them, they did not like it—and rightly so. I am sure that if you saw a person who had been your enemy suddenly turn and be on your side, you would want to make sure that he was not going to come up from the rear and attack you. That sometimes happens even among Christian brethren today. When a formerly unfriendly person suddenly becomes friendly, you wonder if he is really your friend or whether he has some ulterior motive in mind.
PHILISTINES DISTRUST DAVID TO BATTLE ISRAEL
Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? [1 Sam. 29:3].
This Philistine lord, Achish, could find no fault with him because David had been a loyal fellow. He had never attempted to undermine him—David was not that kind of a man. I think one of the tragedies in our Christian circles is men who attempt to undermine other Christians.
And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? [1 Sam. 29:4].
This is the way the Philistine lords reasoned, and there is a certain amount of logic in it. It could have been that David wanted to make peace with Saul, and what better way to do it than to turn and fight against the Philistines during the battle with Israel? That would certainly reconcile him to Saul. Since these men did not know David, they cannot be blamed for the position that they took.
Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? [1 Sam. 29:5].
These Philistine lords had heard about David; they knew he could be a formidable foe. So I believe their position was a reasonable and logical one. Achish, however, had full confidence in David.
Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines [1 Sam. 29:6–7].
Achish is outvoted and outnumbered. The others will not have David, although Achish has confidence in him. In order to have harmony in their midst, Achish asks David to leave. This, my friend, is nothing but the providence of almighty God. It delivers David from fighting his own people.
And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king? [1 Sam. 29:8].
Although King Saul was David’s enemy at the time, David would never turn against his own people. However, David’s lapse of faith in stepping out of the land meant he was also stepping out of the will of God. This opened the way for sin to come into his life. The interesting thing is, Christian friend, that when a child of God steps out of the will of God, he will not lose his salvation, but he will have trouble.
In California, after World War II, a man came to see me. He was a young man when he was discharged from the service and was out of the will of God. While in this condition, he married an unsaved girl. His life had been a living hell from that day until the day I talked to him. His only solution to the problem was to get a divorce. I told him, “Dont get a divorce. Let her go if she wants to leave you, but stick it out, brother. This is what happened to you when you stepped out of God’s will.” You see, the child of God will not lose his salvation when he steps out of God’s will, but he may get something he will wish he did not have. You will always get into trouble when you step out of the will of God. David stepped out of God’s will and was about to commit an awful sin when God intervened.
So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel [1 Sam. 29:11].
Jezreel is in the north. If you have a good map, you ought to take a look at the geography at this point. It will make clearer a great deal of what is happening. Jezreel is near the Valley of Esdraelon. In fact, I would say it is part of it. It is here that the Scriptures tell us the last great War of Armageddon will be fought. It is being used as a wonderful fertile valley today.
As the Philistines go on up to Jezreel, David and his men start back home to Ziklag. It will not be a joyful homecoming, as we shall
DAVID FIGHTS AMALEKITES FOR DESTROYING ZIKLAG
While David and his men were away from home, an enemy from the south, the Amalekites, invaded the Philistine country and destroyed Ziklag. You will note by your map that Ziklag is way down in the south—even south of Beer-sheba—in the Philistine country.
And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire
And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.
So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives [1 Sam. 30:1–3].
Can you appreciate the position of David and his six hundred followers? They had returned to Ziklag, the city which had become their home, expecting to be reunited with their families. They returned to find it burned with fire and deserted. David and his men were distraught. They had lost their wives and children! As far as they knew, their loved ones had been slain.
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite [1 Sam. 30:4–5].
This came as a great blow and a sorrow to David. Among the missing loved ones was his wife Abigail. You remember that Abigail had been married to a very rich man whose name was Nabal (meaning “fool”). After he had died, David had taken her to wife. She was the good part of David’s life, and she was the only woman who was a blessing to him.
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his Rod [1 Sam. 30:6].
David was greatly distressed, not only because he lost his loved ones, but because his men spoke of stoning him. Because David was the leader, they blamed him for leaving Ziklag and going with the Philistines. David had made a blunder, a great blunder.
Most folk think of David as the shepherd boy who slew Goliath. Also they remember the black side of his life, the great sin he committed with Bathsheba. What they don’t realize is that David was very much a human being like the rest of us. He made many blunders just like we do. He made a mistake when he left Israel to live among the Philistines. Now his men are ready to stone him “because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters.” Notice they do not seem to be grieving for their wives. Do you know why? They think their wives have been slain but that their children are still alive. As the common colloquialism says it, David was between a rock and a hard place. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea. He was in a bad spot. He has lost his loved ones. His own followers, under this great emotional strain of having lost their loved ones, want to stone him. “But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” This is one of the most wonderful statements ever made.
Friend, there are times in our lives when the circumstances will not produce any joy or happiness. There are times when we find ourselves in dark places, like David. We look about, and the situation looks hopeless. What should we do? Be discouraged? Give up? Say we are through? Friend, if we are children of God, we will encourage ourselves in the Lord. We will turn to Him at times like this. Sometimes the Lord puts us in such a spot so we will turn to Him. He wants to make Himself real to us. It was during times like these that David wrote some of his most helpful psalms. When troubles come, you can thumb your way through the Psalms and find where David is encouraging himself in the Lord. Several times he says, “The Lord is good … Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” David found this to be true.
And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David [1 Sam. 30:7].
The ephod was a portion of the high priest’s garments which speaks of prayer. This garment went over the garment that the regular priest wore. The ephod set the high priest apart. It was the garment he wore when he went in to the golden altar of prayer. It had two stones, one on each shoulder, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel: six on one shoulder and six on the other. In other words, the high priest came to the altar of prayer bearing Israel on his shoulders. This is a picture of Christ, our Great High Priest, who carries us on His shoulders. Do you remember His story of that little sheep which got lost? What did the shepherd do? He put that lamb on his shoulders and brought him back. I do not know who you are or where you are, my friend, but I do know that the Lord is prepared to come and get you, put you on His shoulders, and bring you back to the fold. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all [1 Sam. 30:8].
With the ephod, the garment of prayer, David went to God for direction. He talked to his High Priest, the One who was his Shepherd. David appealed to his Lord, and the Lord encouraged him to go after the enemy.
So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred above behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor [1 Sam. 30:9–10].
All provisions had been taken, and these men were absolutely faint. Two hundred of them could not make the trip because they had marched double time.
And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water [1 Sam. 30:11].
On their way after the enemy, they found an Egyptian in the field. He was sick and told David he was the servant of one of the Amalekite leaders. When he got sick, they left him to die. David had overtaken this man, but he has yet to overtake the enemy. He wants to know where they are. The Egyptian servant says he will tell David what he wants to know if David promises not to return him to his master. David assures him that he will not be sent back to his master. The Egyptian tells David what had happened at the burning of Ziklag, then leads him to the Amalekites.
David makes a surprise attack upon the Amalekites as they are in revelry, enjoying the victory and the spoils they have taken.
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled [1 Sam. 30:16–17].
Only four hundred of the young men had transportation and were able to get away from David and his men. When the battle was over, David returned to Ziklag, along with the wives and children and all the flocks and herds that had been captured.
There was an argument among David’s men as to whether the men who had not participated in the battle were entitled to any of the spoils. David put down a principle here, revealing his fairness which made him the kind of man God could use. The two hundred men who were not able to make the trip and do battle were to share equally in the booty. That revealed justice on the part of David.
CHAPTER 31
Theme: Saul and Jonathan die in battle
We have now come to the final chapter of 1 Samuel. The Philistines are fighting against Israel. Thank the Lord that David is not engaged in this battle. As you recall, the providence of God intervened to keep him out of it. Because the Philistines did not trust him to fight with them, he had withdrawn and returned to Ziklag. There he found his city looted and burned and the women and children taken captive. While David and his men are hunting down the Amalekites, Israel is fleeing before the Philistines, They are being defeated in this battle because they are out of the will of God. As we have seen, when the Philistines came against Saul and he asked God for direction, God was silent. That is the reason Saul resorted to the witch of En-dor. Because of his rebellion and sinfulness, God did not answer him and is not protecting him now.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa [1 Sam. 31:1].
The battle goes against Israel from the very first.
And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchi-shua, Saul’s sons.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers [1 Sam. 31:2–3].
It is the beginning of the end for Saul. First he was hit in battle by an archer. Apparently it was someone who did not recognize that he had hit the king. It was, shall we say, a real bull’s-eye. It is also tragic that Jonathan was slain in this battle. This is remarkable because on another occasion when Jonathan was fighting the Philistines, he slew 250 of the enemy at one time. This shows how hopelessly out-numbered Israel was at this time. This could well have been a battle in which David and Jonathan would have been on opposite sides, but God had intervened.
So we find that Saul is wounded.
Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it [1 Sam. 31:4].
When Saul saw that he was mortally wounded, he felt that the enemy would come and abuse him and taunt him. I think he was right. As we have seen, Saul was a proud, egotistical man, and he did not feel that such an end was becoming to him. His armor-bearer was afraid to lay a hand on the king when Saul asked him to thrust him through with a sword. So Saul took a sword and fell upon it. It looks as if Saul was a suicide case. Was it really a suicide?
And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together.
And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they for-sook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people [1 Sam. 31:5–9].
We begin to see now, with Saul’s armor being sent around, why he tried to get David to wear it when he fought Goliath. Had David won the battle wearing Saul’s armor, the king would have gotten the credit for the victory. A case in point involves one of his sons. When Jonathan won a victory, instead of giving him credit for it, Saul blew the trumpet in the land and took the credit himself.
And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days [1 Sam. 31:10–13].
This concludes the book of 1 Samuel. Someone says, “Well, there wasn’t such a mystery about the death of Saul after all.” We are not through with this story yet. We will pick it up again in the book of 2 Samuel. We are going to find that Saul spared the Amalekites, and Samuel rebuked him for it. He told Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams.” God wanted obedience, and Saul’s heart never bowed to almighty God. It is interesting that Saul spared the Amalekites, and we are going to find that it may have been the Amalekites who actually killed Saul. “But,” someone says, “we have already read the record that says the Philistines killed Saul. An archer shot him, and he was mortally wounded. He tried to get his armor-bearer to kill him, but the man would not. Finally, Saul fell on his own sword. Isn’t that the explanation? Isn’t it a closed case? Wasn’t it all wrapped up by the Beth-shan police department?” I don’t think so. Second Samuel is going to give us some more information.
(For Bibliography to 1 Samuel, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Samuel.)
The Book of
2 Samuel
(For introductory material to 2 Samuel, see the Book of 1 Samuel.)
OUTLINE
I. Triumphs of David, Chapters 1–10
A. David Mourns the Death of Saul and Jonathan, Chapter 1
B. David Made King over Judah, Chapter 2
C. Civil War—Abner Joins with David but Is Murdered by Joab, Chapter 3
D. Ish-bosheth, Son of Saul, Killed, Chapter 4
E. David Made King over All Israel; Moves His Capital to Jerusalem, Chapter 5
F. David’s Wrong and Right Attempts to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem, Chapter 6
G. God’s Covenant to Build the House of David, Chapter 7
H. David Consolidates His Kingdom, Chapter 8
I. David Befriends Mephibosheth, Chapter 9
J. David Wars against Ammon and Syria, Chapter 10
II. Troubles of David, Chapters 11–24
A. David’s Two Great Sins, Chapter 11
B. Nathan Faces David with His Sins; David Repents, Chapter 12
C. David’s Daughter Tamar Raped by Amnon, David’s Son; Amnon is Murdered by Absalom, David’s Son, Chapter 13
D. David Permits Absalom to Return with Half-hearted Forgiveness, Chapter 14
E. Absalom Rebels against David, Chapter 15
F. Ziba, Mephibosheth’s Servant, Deceives David; Shimei Curses David, Chapter 16
G. Absalom’s Advisers (Ahithophel and Hushai) Disagree on Attack against David, Chapter 17
H. Absalom is Slain and David Mourns, Chapter 18
I. David Restored to Throne, Chapter 19
J. Sheba Revolts against David, Chapter 20
K. Three-Year Famine; Gibeonites Take Vengeance on House of Saul; War with Philistines, Chapter 21
L. David’s Song of Deliverance (Psalm 18), Chapter 22
M. David’s Last Words; David’s Mighty Men, Chapter 23
N. David’s Sin in Taking Census; Chooses Punishment and Buys Threshingfloor of Araunah, Chapter 24
CHAPTER 1
Theme: David mourns the deaths of Saul and Jonathan
In this chapter David mourns the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. The question of who killed Saul may not be answered completely in this chapter, but another suspect is added. A young Amalekite, who came out of the camp of Israel, reported to David the death of Saul and claimed credit for slaying him. David executed the young man for the crime. David’s grief over the deaths of Saul and Jonathan is touching, poetic, and dramatic, it is a striking lamentation.
Here we are introduced to another suspect in the death of Saul.
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance [2 Sam. 1:1–2].
This was a dark day in the history of Israel. War and defeat had come to these people because they were out of the will of God. There is a lesson for us in this. At the end of World War II we thought we had brought peace to the world, and we expected to rest on our laurels from then on and to enjoy life in sin, far from God. That, I am sure, is one of the reasons the world has not had a day of peace since the end of World War II. It has been continual war for us ever since. There will be turmoil and warfare for a nation, a people, or an individual who is out of the will of God, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). Isaiah said that three times. I wonder if that might not be applicable to us today.
As I have said, it was a dark day for Israel. You can see their position. King Saul was dead. Jonathan and his three sons were dead. Israel had lost the battle. The Philistines had taken all the northern area around Galilee, and now they had gained ground in the south.
David did not know what had happened in the battle. He and his men had been recovering their own loved ones from the Amalekite marauders. They had been back in Ziklag for two days without hearing a word. Finally, a man all disheveled, covered with mud and dirt and wearing torn clothes, stumbled into David’s camp. He said he had come from the war. He told David that the Philistines had won the war and that Saul was dead. Then he told David what had happened.
And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
And he said unto me. Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord [2 Sam. 1:3–10].
Is this Amalekite speaking the truth? Or did he come upon the body of Saul and, finding him dead, take the crown and bracelet and bring them to David? I am of the opinion that when this Amalekite found Saul, after he had fallen on his sword, he was still alive. When this Amalekite came by, Saul asked him to finish the job. The interesting thing is that this young man confessed to David what he had done, and it sounds as though he expected David to give him a medal for his deed and put him on a life pension.
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
And David said unto the young man that told him. Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed? [2 Sam. 1:11–14].
If this man did slay Saul, it was because Saul had disobeyed God when he refused to slay all of the Amalekites back in the Book of 1 Samuel. Had Saul obeyed God, this man would not have been alive to kill him, and perhaps Saul would have survived. David asked this young man how it was that he was unafraid to touch the Lord’s anointed. David, you remember, would not take Saul’s life even though he had opportunity. It is well sometimes to see things from God’s viewpoint. As long as Saul was king, David would not touch him. No one else had better touch him either because God is the one who put the crown on his head, and God should be the one to take it off when the time comes.
There is danger in interfering with God’s work. I could tell you some very interesting stories about folk who have attempted to interfere with God’s work, God’s program, and God’s man. God moves in and judges. He has always done it. That is why David said to this young Amalekite, “Weren’t you afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died [2 Sam. 1:15].
David judged the Amalekite for touching the Lord’s anointed.
And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed [2 Sam. 1:16].
If this man made up his story and confession, it certainly was a fatal thing to do. David told him, “If you have lied to me, then your blood is upon you, because you confessed that you killed the Lord’s anointed.” I believe the young man really did kill Saul. He did what David would never have done, and David judged him for it.
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son [2 Sam. 1:17].
David’s grief for Saul and Jonathan is revealed here, and it is genuine.
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) [2 Sam. 1:18].
Saul had taught Israel something. He made a contribution. You see, the Israelites had no iron weapons of war, so Saul taught them to be bowmen. The bow and arrow was a formidable weapon. Many of our ancestors would testify to that. The Indians used the bow and arrow to hold back their enemies and win many battles.
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! [2 Sam. 1:19].
His lamentation is written in the poetic form which came so naturally to the “sweet psalmist of Israel.”
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph [2 Sam. 1:20].
“Tell it not in Gath”—Gath was the capital of the Philistines. “Publish it not in the streets of Askelon.” Ashkelon is in the Gaza strip and is one of the five cities of the Philistines.
Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty [2 Sam. 1:21–22].
No one could say that either Saul or Jonathan was a coward.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel [2 Sam. 1:23–24].
Saul had brought prosperity to the land.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places [2 Sam. 1:25].
David and Jonathan were bosom friends. They loved each other. David’s grief is sincere.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women [2 Sam. 1:26].
It is interesting that David says, “passing the love of women,” because he was married to Jonathan’s sister. Later we will find that she betrays David. I think Michal loved him as a hero in the beginning, but the day came when she despised him.
David was not very successful in his love affairs. Abigail is the only noble woman that I have found in his retinue. I disagree with those who think Bathsheba was outstanding. I do not think she was. Although his relations with her were absolutely David’s sin, and God judged him for it, why was she parading around on the roof like that? David had his problems with women, but he could say of Jonathan that he was a man who was true and loyal to him unto death. It is interesting to note that the men who were David’s followers were loyal to him through thick and thin. He had that charisma which caused his men to stick with him. David was that type of man.
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! [2 Sam. 1:27].
This is a tremendous tribute to Jonathan in particular. David’s grief over the deaths of Saul and Jonathan is touching. It is one of the most striking lamentations in the Word of God.
We are going to see in the next chapter that David is made king over Judah. We will also meet Abner, who was Saul’s captain. Now, not all of Saul’s sons had been killed, though all of them that fought in the battle were killed. But Saul had a younger son named Ish-bosheth. Abner made him king over the eleven remaining tribes and, of course, civil war broke out. David defeated Abner and the army, and after a long civil war had weakened the nation, David finally became king of all twelve tribes. He made Hebron his home at first. Later he moved to Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, which was the place that he loved above all others.
We are coming to a section that is historical. Although many people find it uninteresting, we are going to find some of the most thrilling accounts in the entire Word of God in this section. Also we will find some marvelous spiritual lessons there.
CHAPTERS 2–3
Theme: David made king over Judah
David, by God’s direction, goes up to Hebron where he is made king over the tribe of Judah. Abner, the captain of Saul’s army, makes Saul’s son Ish-bosheth the king over the other eleven tribes of Israel. Civil war ensues.
And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron [2 Sam. 2:1].
“After this” refers to the time after the deaths of Saul and Jonathan and the period of mourning for them. Now that Saul is out of the picture, David wants to know what to do. He asks the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” Why did he ask that question? He is in Philistine country. Saul is dead, and David is to be the next king. What should his next move be? He waited until he received his instructions from the Lord. David had learned that he must wait on the Lord for direction.
God told him to go up to Hebron. Hebron is located in the south of the land, not too far from the Philistine border. God is telling him to move cautiously. He is not to go up and arbitrarily take over Israel, but to move up into the land to make himself available.
So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Naba’s wife the Carmelite [2 Sam. 2:2].
When David headed for Hebron, he took with him the two women who were his wives at this time. Perhaps you are asking, “Does God approve of a man having two wives?” No. This matter will cause David a great deal of trouble—and later he will have other wives.
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron [2 Sam. 2:3].
David’s loyal followers came with him and settled their families in the cities of Hebron.
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul [2 Sam. 2:4].
Now that David has made himself available, the men of his own tribe come to anoint him king over Judah.
And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him [2 Sam. 2:5].
David does a very wise thing. The men who buried Saul were devoted to him, and now David thanks them for it. David has a great respect for the anointed of the Lord—he had two opportunities to slay him and make himself king, but he did not do it. David’s good points are often passed over, because his sin seems to obscure them. It is like a cloud that covers the sky and shuts out the sunshine of his life. In many respects David was a wonderful man. Afterward he paid for his great sin every day of his life.
David complimented the men of Jabesh-gilead.
And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them [2 Sam. 2:6–7].
Then he asked for their support and devotion to him as king, even as they had given it to Saul. Notice that he is moving in a diplomatic and commendable manner at this time. We should recognize the fact that both Saul and Jonathan had sons, and one of them would have been the normal one to come to the throne had not God intervened. Abner, who had been captain of Saul’s hosts, moved immediately to make one of them king. Notice what he did.
But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel [2 Sam. 2:8–9].
Here is the beginning of the division of the kingdom which will come after the reign of Solomon when Jeroboam leads a rebellion. This is the first fracture. At first David is made king over the southern kingdom of Judah, but the northern tribes make Ish-bosheth, a son of Saul, their king.
Ish-bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months [2 Sam. 2:10–11].
This was an interval of civil war: war between the northern kingdom and David’s kingdom, Judah, in the south. It depleted the resources and energy of the nation. It was indeed a tragic thing.
And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool [2 Sam. 2:12–13].
Abner and Joab were attempting to negotiate a solution to prevent civil war. But as you well know (and certainly we in this country ought to know by now), when you have folk on one side who are determined on one course and people on the other side who are determined on another course, negotiation is practically valueless. It is generally an exercise in futility, and that is what happens here.
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon [2 Sam. 2:14–16].
Abner said, “Let the young men come together in battle.” Joab agreed. This was the way they were going to settle the issue.
And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David [2 Sam. 2:17].
David is a veteran of many campaigns now. He is not the innocent little shepherd we met at first. He has spent time hiding in the caves and dens of the earth, and he has collected men of war around him. He is rugged and adept at this type of warfare. So his men are able to win a victory over Abner and his “host,” an army of superior numbers.
Now I want to call your attention to something that took place which will play a prominent part later on. Abner was followed by Asahel. Asahel was a brother of Joab, who was David’s captain. Abner was Saul’s captain.
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe [2 Sam. 2:18].
Zeruiah, by the way, was a sister of David. She had three outstanding sons.
And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner [2 Sam. 2:19].
Asahel took out after Abner. He is not a match for him at all, and Abner warns him.
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still [2 Sam. 2:22–23].
Abner warned him to stop his pursuit. Asahel refused, and finally Abner turned around and drove a spear through him. Abner killed the brother of Joab. That means that in Joab’s heart there will be bitterness, hatred, and the desire to get revenge. His revenge will come later, as we shall see.
And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day [2 Sam. 2:32].
Asahel’s funeral closes this chapter. After the funeral Joab and his men “went all night” and came to Hebron at the break of day. They reported to David all that had taken place.
CIVIL WAR CONTINUES
Chapter 3 continues the account of the long civil war that weakened the nation. Gradually David gained in strength. Abner, after a falling-out with Ish-bosheth, deserted to David. Joab, David’s captain suspected Abner and, seeking revenge for his brother Asahel’s death, murdered him.
Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker [2 Sam. 3:1].
The condition of the land is one of internal strife. There is civil war. The nation’s energies are being depleted, and their resources are being exhausted. David has been in Hebron for seven and one-half years.
And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmnai king; of Geshur;
And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron [2 Sam. 3:2–5].
You can see that David had more than two wives. He had others, and this will cause a great problem for David. God did not approve, and David did not get by with this. Among the list of David’s sons is one by the name of Absalom. I am sure you are familiar with his story. Later on we will see him lead a rebellion against David. This is the son that David apparently wanted to follow him as king, but he was brutally killed by Joab in battle. It broke David’s heart when he was slain. Who is the mother of Absalom? Maacah who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. Who was the king of Geshur? If you go back to 1 Samuel 27:8, you will find that David and his men invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. I believe David was wrong in doing this. He slew these people, including the king of Geshur, and apparently took his daughter captive. She eventually became his wife. They had a son, and it was this young man who led the rebellion against David. My friend, God saw to it that David did not get away with his sin. It is important for us to note this.
ABNER JOINS WITH DAVID
This chapter tells us about a long period of civil war that in many ways is uninteresting as far as you and I are concerned. Abner, who had been the chief captain of Saul’s army, had pushed Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, onto the throne. Being an older man who had had such a high position, he was not apt to listen to the young king. He did something he should not have done.
And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to-day with a fault concerning this woman? [2 Sam. 3:7–8].
It was the exclusive right of the man who was the successor to the throne to cohabit with the deceased king’s concubines. Abner infringed on the rights of Ish-bosheth and became angry when the king rebuked him for taking Rizpah, one of Saul’s concubines, into his own harem. Candidly, the young king was justified in rebuking Abner, but Abner became so enraged that he immediately began to make overtures to David.
So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.
And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him [2 Sam. 3:9–11].
In other words, Abner made known his intention of abandoning the house of Saul and allying himself with David. He was going to help David become king over the twelve tribes. Now Ish-bosheth did not say a word to Abner. He was a son of Saul, but he had no army and no training whatsoever. He was not a warrier like his brother Jonathan. He had been brought up in the king’s palace. And he feared Abner.
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also. Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face [2 Sam. 3:12–13].
David told Abner he could come only if he brought Saul’s daughter, Michal, with him. You remember that Michal was David’s first wife. Saul had taken her away from David. Believe me, David had a checkered career. This is the reason he suffered—he let sin enter his life. But above it all was a faith in God that never failed. He wanted more than all else to have a wonderful relationship with God.
And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.
And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned [2 Sam. 3:15–16].
Abner’s overture was accepted by David. We will find now that David will become king of all twelve tribes because of Abner’s treachery.
JOAB MURDERS ABNER
All of this time Joab has not forgotten that Abner had slain his brother.
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother [2 Sam. 3:27].
So Joab avenged his brother’s death. When David heard that Joab had murdered Abner, he did not approve of it at all. In fact, he accused Joab of doing a very terrible thing. Concerning Abner’s death he said a very interesting thing.
And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? [2 Sam. 3:33].
Why did David say that? It certainly is a strange epitaph to give a person. Abner was in Hebron. Hebron was one of the cities of refuge where a murderer was safe. In that city Joab could not have touched him. But Joab quietly took Abner aside and said to him, “Come out here. I want to talk with you. You are the captain on one side, and I am the captain on the other side. It would be nice if we could get together.” So Abner stepped outside the city of refuge, and Joab killed him. That is why David said Abner died as a fool dies. He was a fool to leave Hebron.
Isn’t that a message for us today? There is a refuge for every sinner in Christ. Regardless of how high a man’s IQ is or what his position in life might be, if he is outside the place of refuge, he is lost. If the truth were told at many funerals today, the preachers would have to say about the departed person, “A fool has just died. He would not turn to Jesus Christ who is the place of refuge.” Are you resting in Christ?
CHAPTERS 4–5
Theme: David is made king of all Israel
ISH-BOSHETH, THE SON OF SAUL, IS KILLED
Troubled times for the nation Israel continue in this chapter. Internal strife and civil war followed the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. It was a time of great heartache and heartbreak for God’s people.
This section of the Word of God is usually passed over. I am confident, however, that it has been given to us for at least two reasons: (1) To show us the family of the Lord Jesus Christ and to give us His genealogy; and (2) to give us an example. Paul tells us, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition …” (1 Cor. 10:11). It has been given to us that it might minister to us in a spiritual way.
We have already seen that there had been a rebellion against David who had been made king of the tribe of Judah. He had moved to Hebron which was situated just at the edge of the kingdom in the south. Abner had led a rebellion by putting Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, on the throne. But because Ish-bosheth reprimanded and rebuked him for taking one of Saul’s concubines into his own harem, Abner left the house of Saul and allied himself with David. This was a mistake, because Joab was waiting to kill Abner in revenge for the slaying of his brother Asahel.
Now that Ish-bosheth has lost Abner, his military captain, his army is weak. He knows he cannot maintain his kingdom against David without an army. Abner has been murdered. What is he going to do?
And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:
And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) [2 Sam. 4:1–3].
The Beerothites were ejected by Saul and they fled to Gittaim. Beeroth, their town, passed into the possession of Benjamin.
And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth [2 Sam. 4:4].
Mephibosheth is an unusual name, but please remember it. The story about Mephibosheth and David is one of the most beautiful stories ever told. This boy was Jonathan’s son. As long as he lived, he was a constant danger to David because he had throne rights. Since he was Jonathan’s son, however, David would never harm a hair of his head. Later on David will go looking for family members of Saul and Jonathan, not to slay them, but to show them kindness.
And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.
And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped [2 Sam. 4:5–6].
These two underlings, Rechab and Baanah, were petty officers under Abner in the army of Saul. When they discovered that Abner was dead—and they recognized the strength and power of David—they conspired to put Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, to death. When Ish-bosheth was in bed, they slipped in upon him and slew him. It was a bloody, ugly thing that they did. It was also a mistake, by the way. By killing this man they expected to make peace with David. In fact, they thought David would reward them for their act.
For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the Lord hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed [2 Sam. 4:7–8].
They took the head of Ish-bosheth (imagine that!) to David. David was not about to accept it. David would never approve a thing like that.
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron [2 Sam. 4:12].
Rechab and Baanah were murderers—murderers of a king. David executed them summarily for their dastardly deed.
The eleven tribes in the north recognize that they no longer have any leadership and that it is foolish to carry on rebellion against David at this time. So they attempt to make overtures of peace.
DAVID IS MADE KING OVER ALL OF ISRAEL
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh [2 Sam. 5:1].
The tribes sent representatives to David. They said, “Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh.” That was true. This civil war was terrible, especially because the tribes were fighting each other.
Personally, I think the worst war that this country fought was the Civil War. Looking back at it, that war seemed almost unnecessary. Certainly slavery is wrong, but it should have been abolished by means other than war. The hotheads and the protesters in that day were the ones who got the country in trouble. That is the reason I am opposed to all hot-headed protesters—regardless of what side they are on. They are typical of the crowd that got this nation into the trouble during the Civil War. Men like General Grant, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee simply found themselves in an awkward situation. In the city of Atlanta you can still see the scars of the Civil War.
The nation of Israel, after more than seven years of civil war, is reunited under David. Now it enters the greatest period it has ever enjoyed. This period foreshadows the day when Christ will come and rule.
Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel [2 Sam, 5:2].
The tribes are rather late in acknowledging David as the legitimate and God-appointed ruler over them. They should have recognized him long before this, but they did not.
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah [2 Sam. 5:3–5].
Israel is about to enter its greatest period of prosperity and expansion. David is thirty years old when he begins to reign—still a young man. He had reigned over the single tribe of Judah for seven years and six months in Hebron. He will reign thirty-three years in Jerusalem over all Israel, all twelve tribes. David will reign for a total of forty years and six months.
DAVID MOVES HIS CAPITAL TO JERUSALEM
Notice the first move that David makes to consolidate the kingdom: he moved the capital of Israel from Hebron to Jerusalem.
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David [2 Sam. 5:6–7].
Once again, here are men who underestimated David. He was a great military leader, political leader, and king, and most and best of all he was a man of God.
Now Zion was David’s favorite spot. Mark that in your Bible. I have marked it in mine. If you have ever been to that land, you will recognize that it is the high point of the city. Actually, in David’s day, Jerusalem was down near the Kidron valley. The walls that surrounded the city in that day have been excavated down in that area. The present city of Jerusalem is nearer Mount Zion, where the palace of David was built. Later on, below Mount Zion, the temple was erected. David chose all of this. Jerusalem was David’s city. In many of his psalms he speaks of Mount Zion and Jerusalem. Frankly, it would not be my favorite city. I agree with David on many things, but not on Jerusalem. Pilate hated that city. He went there only during the feast days. That is why he was in Jerusalem when Jesus was arrested; he was there for the Passover. He was there to keep order and, when the Passover was over, he retired to Caesarea, which was located on the Mediterranean. I think I would prefer Caesarea to Jerusalem, too. As far as the Bible is concerned, however, Jerusalem is to be the great capital of this earth. I am delighted to know that I will not be living there throughout eternity. I am going to be in the New Jerusalem, which has a much greater vantage point than the earthly Jerusalem.
We need to note here that “David took the strong hold of Zion.” He took the top of the hill and not the city proper. From that vantage point he was able to take this city of the Jebusites. The Jebusites found themselves overwhelmed before they even knew that there was a battle going on.
And David said on that day. Whosoever getteth up to the glitter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house [2 Sam. 5:8].
This verse is a source of controversy. Some Bible commentators hold that this is David’s retort to the taunt of the Jebusites. Others believe it has a deeper meaning. Since Scripture gives us no explanation, we cannot know the exact meaning.
So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward [2 Sam. 5:9].
David first captured Mount Zion and established it as his fort; then he took the city.
And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake [2 Sam. 5:10–12].
He grew great, and God was with him. Hiram, the king of Tyre, recognized that David was an outstanding man, and so he worked out an arrangement with David whereby he supplied materials and workmen to build a palace.
And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David [2 Sam. 5:13].
That is the record of the facts. God did not put His stamp of approval upon what David did. We will find that God definitely disapproves of polygamy. In David’s son Solomon it resulted in the splitting of the kingdom and finally brought on the Babylonian captivity. Why? Because David and Solomon were kings and in places of leadership. Their actions were wrong. Who says they were wrong? God says they were wrong! After all, it is His universe, and He makes the rules. Although you may not like them, God’s rules are good. God not only created us, but He laid down rules and regulations for our lives which would bring to the human family the ultimate in happiness and blessing.
And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet [2 Sam. 5:14–16].
I know nothing about the first two boys mentioned in these verses, but I do know something about Nathan and Solomon. From the line of Nathan came Mary the mother of Jesus. From Solomon came Joseph, Mary’s husband. The Lord Jesus Christ received the blood line and the legal title to the throne of David through Nathan and Solomon. That is the reason this information is recorded for us here.
WAR WITH THE PHILISTINES
But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim [2 Sam. 5:17–18].
When David was escaping from Saul and went to live in the Philistine country, at least Achish considered David their man. Now that David has returned to his own nation and has been anointed king over all Israel, the Philistines are out to get him.
And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand?
And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazirm.
And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them [ 2 Sam. 5:19–21].
Some time after this defeat, the Philistines returned. Again God delivered them into David’s hand. Throughout David’s reign there never was any peace with this enemy.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: David’s wrong and right attempts to bring the ark to Jerusalem
In this chapter David does a right thing in a wrong way. He tried to bring up the ark to Zion on a cart, although God had given explicit directions for moving it. The Kohathites of the tribe of Levi were to carry the ark on their shoulders (Num. 7:9). Uzzah was smitten dead because he should have known better than to touch it. “Hands off” was made abundantly clear in God’s instructions concerning the ark. David then brought the ark up in a right way. Michal rebukes David for his enthusiasm and devotion to God in bringing up the ark.
This chapter can be labeled, “Doing a Right Thing in a Wrong Way.” I suppose this would be another way of putting the negative in that ancient epigram, “The end justifies the means.” There have been many organizations and individuals who have used that as their philosophy of life. I do not mean to suggest that this was David’s philosophy of life—it was not—but as far as this particular incident in chapter 6 is concerned, it was certainly true. I believe this is a page from one of the greatest days in the life of David.
Suppose you wanted to choose the greatest day in the life of David. What day would you choose? Would it be the day that Samuel poured the anointing oil on him as a young shepherd boy? How about the day that he slew the giant Goliath? Certainly his first romance with Michal, Saul’s daughter, who was given to him in marriage, deserves consideration. Perhaps you might choose the day David escaped from Saul. Then again you might choose the day Saul died, because that meant that David would ascend the throne. You might think it was the day that he was made king of all Israel and the crown was placed upon his head. You might even want to suggest it was the day his son Absalom rebelled against him and was slain. Or perhaps you might choose the day his son Solomon was anointed king. All of these were great days in the life of a great man.
However, I believe there are two events that stand out above all others in the life of David: the day that David brought the ark of God to Jerusalem (recorded in ch. 6) and the day David purposed in his heart to build God a house (recorded in ch. 7). These are probably the two greatest days in David’s life.
Now the ark of the covenant denoted the presence of God among His people. If you are not acquainted with the floor plan of the tabernacle, I would like to recommend my book about the tabernacle entitled God’s Portrait of Christ. I emphasize these articles of furniture and their location in the tabernacle and then in the temple. In the outer court was the burnt altar and the brazen laver. Sin was dealt with there. Then there was the Holy Place which contained three articles of furniture, all of which spoke of worship and the person of Christ: the golden lampstand, the golden altar, and the table of showbread. Then inside the Holy of Holies was the ark and over it the mercy seat. This was where God met with His people. The ark is possibly the best picture of Christ we have in the Old Testament. It is the only picture, actually, that God ever painted.
Personally I do not care for the paintings of Christ, especially the way the artists of the Middle Ages pictured Him. No one knows how the Lord Jesus looked. There are those who say He was a white man, some say He was a black man, and others say He was a swarthy man with a dark complexion. Probably His skin was bronze, but we don’t know because we have not been told. There is a picture of Him, however, in the tabernacle and especially in the ark, which was just a box made of acacia wood, of precise dimensions, and overlaid with gold inside and outside. Bezaleel was given a special ministry by the Spirit of God that he might make the ark. The ark, denoting the presence of God, became a hindrance to Israel because they looked upon it in a superstitious way. They thought there was some merit in that box, and there was not. It was just a symbol, a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was made of gold, which speaks of His deity, and of wood, which speaks of His humanity. It was not two boxes; it was one box. It was a wooden box; it was a gold box. It was both. As such, it was a marvelous example of the hypostatical union of Jesus Christ. He is the God-man, or as one of the oldest creeds says: He is very man of very man, and He is very God of very God.
You will recall that during the time of Samuel the Philistines captured the ark and became very superstitious about it. They sent it back to Israel on a wagon and left it in the field of Abinadab. It stayed in that area for seventy years. When David captured Jerusalem, he wanted to move the ark up there because he felt that was the proper place for it, and apparently it was the place which God had chosen. One of the things the king was told was, “Three times a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose …” (Deut. 16:16). When David took Jerusalem, he made it the capital—and in Kirjath-jearim, eight miles west of Jerusalem, was the ark.
David had a passion and love for God that is seldom found today. I do not go along with these folks who are everlastingly criticizing David. I only wish in my own heart that I had that love and passion for God that he had. Listen to what he says in Psalm 9:1: “I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart….” David expressed his devotion from the depths of his heart in a most wonderful way. In Psalm 108:1 he declared, “O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.” Then in Psalm 103:1 he says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” What a passion and love for God this man had! That is why he wanted to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. We will see in this chapter that he will attempt to do it, but he goes about it in the wrong way.
The ark is mentioned fifteen times in the first seventeen verses. After you read this section (and I hope that you will read it carefully), you realize that the subject is the ark of the Lord. It seemed to be a rather important subject to David and to the Lord.
At least eleven of the psalms were composed around the great event of bringing the ark to Jerusalem. You can be sure of one thing: David did not have some peculiar superstition about the ark. He knew where the Lord was, and he knew He was not in that box. In Psalm 123:1 David says, “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.” David knew where God was, but he knew that the approach to God was made through the ark which spoke of a mediator between God and man.
This has been a rather lengthy introduction, because I believe this is an important chapter. Now notice what David wants to do.
Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart [2 Sam. 6:1–3].
This is where David made his mistake. God had given specific instructions about moving the tabernacle and its furniture, but David did not follow those instructions. Someone might say, “Well, the Philistines didn’t either, and they got away with it.” They got away with it because they were ignorant. Light creates responsibility. If men have the light of the gospel, they are held responsible for rejecting it. I am not going to argue with you about the heathen in Africa, but I would like to argue with you about the heathen in my town and your town because they can hear the gospel, and their responsibility is great. If you turn your back on Jesus Christ, my friend, you can argue about the heathen all you want to, but you are lost and doomed and judged and are bound for eternal hell. That is the teaching of the Word of God. You may not like it; and, if you don’t, you ought to move out of this universe into another one. This is God’s universe and these are His rules.
So David goes to bring up the ark to Jerusalem, but he does it in the wrong way. The ark was constructed with rings on the four corners. Staves were put through those rings, and the ark was carried on the shoulders of the Levites. On the wilderness march the Kohathites put that ark on their shoulders and carried it. David simply did not follow God’s instructions.
Friend, in just such a way God wants the gospel to go out today. I sometimes wonder why He doesn’t get a better instrument than I am and why He doesn’t write the gospel in the skies. But Jesus Christ has to be carried through this world on the shoulders of those who are His own. That is God’s way of doing it today. That was God’s way of doing it in David’s day. David was wrong, so wrong. He is going to get into trouble, just as God’s people today get in trouble when they do wrong.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals [2 Sam. 6:5].
David was a musician. He believed in having lots of music, and he is going to bring the ark to Jerusalem with a great deal of it.
And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God [2 Sam. 6:6–7].
This is a pretty serious situation. The ark was on the cart, and the oxen were shaking the cart. When Uzzah tried to steady the ark with his hand, the Lord smote him and he died. Some might say that it was a small breach of conduct for such extreme punishment. Uzzah’s death so affected David that he stopped the procession and left the ark in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. David was shaken and angry with the Lord. The Lord was angry, too. God was angry because David was moving the ark in the wrong way.
And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.
And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? [2 Sam. 6:8–9].
You and I would do well, friend, to be afraid of the Lord. Psalm 111:10 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom….” Many people need to recognize that fact today. God is going to judge. I do not know about you, but I am a little weary of hearing all this love, love, lovey-dovey stuff. Sure, God is love. Certainly God loves you, but you can go on in sin, you can turn your back on Him, and you are lost. There is no way out of it. There is no other alternative. John 14:6 says, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus Christ spoke those words, and they are truth. We should fear Him and do as He tells us to do. David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he finally asked, “How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?”
So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.
And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness [2 Sam. 6:10–12].
He was determined to bring the ark to the city of David. Has he learned his lesson? How is he going to bring it up now? On the shoulders of the priests.
And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod [2 Sam. 6:13–14].
I know there are going to be many arched eyebrows at the fact that David danced, but God is the One who put it in His Word. David danced by himself. It had nothing in the world to do with sex. Any kind of a dance today (and I do not care how you try to cover it up with culture and refinement) is a sex dance. David’s dance was one of worship. Now if you could have a worshipful dance, I would be all for it, but I don’t think you can, my friend. I do not find people in love with God like this man David was. David is rejoicing before God. Personally, I would like to see more people rejoicing and praising God today. I am concerned when I see believers with long faces. God doesn’t like it, my friend. We are to come into His presence with joy. David did, you may be sure of that.
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart [2 Sam. 6:15–16].
Michal did not like to see anyone who was in love with God like that, and she despised David for it. Remember, Michal is David’s wife. Her attitude is a very serious thing as far as her relationship with David is concerned.
And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord [2 Sam. 6:17].
Those burnt offerings speak of the person of Christ. The peace offerings speak of the peace that He made by the blood of His cross and of the relationship—the wonderful relationship—which was between God and David.
My friend, let’s push aside the extraneous arguments we hear about David’s dancing before the Lord and about Uzzah being smitten dead. The record is here in the Word of God; let’s accept it as it is written. The important thing is to see the lesson that is here for us. What about your relationship to God? Let me give a personal testimony at this point. Driving down to the office this morning, feeling rather weary since I have just returned from a trip, I thanked God that He had brought me to another day. I thanked Him that I’ve confessed all my sins and am in a right relationship with Him. And I told Him that I love Him. How He deserves our love and adoration! The important thing to see in this chapter is David’s relationship with God. Here is a man who is in love with his God. He is rightly related to Him and thrilled to be able to serve Him. Oh, that you and I might have the same joy of the Lord in our lives!
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! [2 Sam. 6:20].
David “uncovered himself” in the sense that he took off his royal garments which set him apart as the king. He mingled and mixed with the people, and thanked God, and rejoiced in the fact that the ark was being brought to the city of David. Michal did not like that. She liked dignity and reverence in worship. I am always afraid of these super-duper pious folks who talk everlastingly about dedication and piety. Watch those folks, my friend. They are dangerous. I fear them like David did. What a man of God he was!
And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord [2 Sam. 6:21].
David is saying, “Because God chose me, I will rejoice.” My, I wish folk had a better time when they went to church. They would enjoy the services more.
And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour [2 Sam. 6:22].
When he says he will make himself “more vile,” he means that he will come down to the level of the most humble worshiper. He doesn’t mind being informal in his worship of God.
Because of her attitude, David “put her aside.” That is, he became permanently estranged from her, and she was childless. Obviously, Michal did not share David’s love and enthusiasm for God.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: God’s covenant to build the house of David
God’s covenant with David makes this one of the great chapters of the Bible. The message of the Bible from this point on rests upon this promise that God makes to David. David desired deeply to build a temple to house the ark of God, and Nathan the prophet concurred with him in the plan. God appeared to Nathan to correct him, for God would not let David build the temple because he was “a bloody man.” However, God gave him credit for his desire, and in turn He promised to build David a house. God promised a king and a kingdom to come in the line of David. He was referring not only to Solomon but to Christ, great David’s greater Son, and His eternal Kingdom. God confirmed this promise with an oath (Ps, 89:34–37). David understood that a King was coming in his line who would be more than a man.
Frankly, it is very difficult to understand the prophets from this point on without knowing about this covenant. One of the reasons many people find themselves so hopelessly confused in the study of prophecy is because they do not pay attention to a chapter like this. Second Samuel 7 is by far the most significant chapter thus far in the Old Testament. The New Testament opens with: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David….” That is important because the promises God made to David are to be fulfilled in prophecy.
When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he said, “… Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:30–32). You see, God is fulfilling His promise to David.
Peter began in 2 Samuel 7 when he preached on the day of Pentecost: “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne” (Acts 2:29–30; see also Acts 2:25–31, 34–36). Peter is making reference to that which God promised to David.
Paul, in the Book of Romans, says, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Rom. 1:1–3).
The New Testament closes with the Lord Jesus Christ saying, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16). These are only a few of the fifty-nine references to David in the New Testament.
The Old Testament prophets based their message of the kingdom on the promise God gave to David in 2 Samuel 7. You will find that each of the Old Testament prophets goes back to David and God’s promises to him concerning the kingdom. After all, what is the kingdom of heaven but the kingdom that God vouchsafed to David? For example, listen to Jeremiah 23:5, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” The kingdom became the theme song of the prophets.
DAVID’S DESIRE TO BUILD THE TEMPLE
And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee [2 Sam. 7:1–3].
Let us look at the background of these verses. We have seen that David took Jerusalem and made it his capital. Then Hiram, the king of Tyre, built David a palace on Mount Zion. Finally David brought the ark up to the city of Jerusalem. One night when David was in his palace, he began to think about the ark. I think it must have been a rainy night in Jerusalem. The first night I ever spent in that city, it rained, and I thought, It must have been a rainy night when David awakened and heard the pitter-patter of rain on that lovely palace that his friend Hiram had built for him. Then he thought of God’s ark in a tent. Perhaps he could even hear the flapping of the tent, and he thought, I want to build God a house.
David called in Nathan, his prophet, and divulged to him the desires of his heart. He said, “I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.” Nathan told David to go ahead with his plans. And here is a case where a prophet was wrong, and I mean wrong. Nathan said, “Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.” I would have said the same thing. The fact of the matter is, if someone came to me and said, “Dr. McGee, we want to underwrite your radio ministry on a certain station,” I’ll be frank with you, I would not say, “Well, let me go and pray about this and see whether this is what ought to be done.” I would say, “Yes, this is what we want.” But my decision might not be the will of God. I understand how Nathan felt. David’s plans sounded good. Nathan could not think of anything better than building a house for God. But he was wrong. David, as we have indicated before, was a bloody man. Long before he committed his great sin, he was a bloody man. God said, “You cannot build me a temple.” It was in the heart of David, however, and God gives him credit for it. I think we make a mistake by calling it Solomon’s temple, because it was David who gathered all of the materials and made all of the arrangements with the contractor. Solomon just carried out the plans. The only temple Solomon ever had was on the side of his head. It should be called David’s temple.
And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,
Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle [2 Sam. 7:4–6].
God had to correct Nathan. God said to him, “You are going to have to correct the word you gave to David. You go tell David that I appreciate the fact that he wants to build Me a house. I never asked him to do it. I never asked any of My people to build Me a house.” God had met with His people in a tent. In other words, God identified Himself with His people. That is why 1900 years ago Jesus Christ came to earth and took upon Himself our humanity. John says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). That word dwelt means “pitched His tent” here among us. Instead of meeting man in a flimsy tent made of linen, God met man in a flimsy tent made of flesh. He came to earth and identified Himself with us. God has always identified Himself with His people.
In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? [2 Sam. 7:7].
In other words, building the temple was David’s idea—not God’s commandment. God gives him credit for building the temple.
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheep-cote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel [2 Sam. 7:8].
God says, “You were a little shepherd boy when I chose you. And I’ve made you ruler over My people.”
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth [2 Sam. 7:9].
In God’s book David ranks as one of the greatest men who has lived on this earth. Compare David with any man who has ever ruled, and he is outstanding. If I understand the prophets correctly, it is God’s intention, when David is raised from the dead in the resurrection, to let him rule on this earth as regent to the Lord Jesus Christ during the Millenniun.
Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime [2 Sam. 7:10].
This is what God is going to do. Notice the “I will’s” of God. (1) “I will appoint a place for my people Israel; (2) I will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more.” Friend, that was a long time ago—actually, God said this over three thousand years ago, and it has not yet come to pass. But God is going to make good His promise.
And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house [2 Sam. 7:11].
God says to Nathan, “You go tell David that I will make him a house.” David said, “I want to build God a house.” God says, “David, you can’t do it. Your hands are bloody. You can’t build Me a house, but I know the desire is in your heart. I will give you credit for building Me a house, and I will build you a house.” Isn’t that just like the Lord? You can’t outdo the Lord, friend.
One of the reasons so many of us are so poor today is because we do so little for the Lord. We never get in a position where He can do much for us. We can learn a lesson from David. David wanted to do something great for God, and God did something far greater for him.
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom [2 Sam. 7:12].
This is tremendous! We have read from the New Testament that the Lord Jesus Christ was made of the seed of David (Rom. 1:3). God said to David, “I am going to set up thy seed after thee, and He will establish the kingdom.” God was not talking about Solomon. God was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever [2 Sam. 7:13].
Solomon is the subject here; he is the next in line. The kingdom, however, goes beyond Solomon and looks on to the future, “I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever.” This speaks of the throne of David. The Lord Jesus Christ will one day sit on the throne of David. That was the angel Gabriel’s message to Mary. He said, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32).
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men [2 Sam. 7:14].
Listen again to God’s “I will.” In a unique way God says, “I will be his father.” At His resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ said to Mary Magdalene, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). God is the Father of Jesus Christ because of His position in the Trinity. God is my Father by regeneration—“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). When I received Christ as my Savior, He gave me the right (the exousia) to become His son. That right is given to those who do neither more nor less than simply believe in His name. God says, “I will be his father, and he shall be my son.”
The last part of verse 14 is a very strange statement. “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.” Bishop Horsley gives an interesting translation of this: “When guilt is laid upon him, I will chasten him with the rod of men.” That is exactly what God is saying now. God says, “When guilt is laid upon Him, I am going to be His Father, and He will be my Son.” That is the unique relationship between God the Father and God the Son. But “if he commit iniquity,” that is, when iniquity is laid upon Him—when your sin and my sin were put upon Him—it is with His stripes that we are healed. He died on the cross for you and me. He was delivered for our offenses. That is the reason He died on the cross. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24)—healed from sin. Isaiah the prophet says concerning Christ, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief …” (Isa. 53:10). The One coming in David’s line would bear the sins of the world. Isaiah continues to speak of the Lord Jesus when he says, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:4–6). “With his stripes we are healed.” Healed of what? We are healed of sin. Sin is the awful disease that afflicts mankind, my beloved. That is why God says, “I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.”
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee [2 Sam. 7:15].
In other words, though the line of David sinned grievously, God would carry through to the end His purpose with David and his line. And God did just that. He brought the Lord Jesus Christ into the world.
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever [2 Sam. 7:16].
God considered this important because Psalm 89:34–37 says, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.”
“Established for ever as the moon.” Scientists are saying, after studying the rocks brought back from the moon, that the universe is probably from three to five billion years old—that’s a long time. God said He would establish David’s throne just as He established the moon. God made a covenant with David, and He will not break it.
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David [2 Sam. 7:17].
DAVID’S PRAYER
Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God; [2 Sam. 7:18–19].
Once again consider Bishop Horsley’s translation of this verse: “O Lord God, thou hast spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me in the arrangement about the man that is to be from above, O God Jehovah.” That is a remarkable statement. They were looking for One to come. He was to be of the seed of the woman. He was to be from Abraham; He was to come from the tribe of Judah; now we are told that He will be in the family of David. David is overwhelmed by the fact that Jesus Christ will be in his line.
And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant [2 Sam. 7:20].
Have you ever poured out your heart to God until you didn’t have anything left to say? That was David’s state. He had poured out his heart and was empty; he was just sitting there before Him. I like to pray while I am driving alone in my car. I tell Him everything in my heart until I can’t even think of anything else to say. How wonderful He is. How wonderful is our God.
For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them [2 Sam. 7:21].
Did God do all of this for David because he was a nice boy? He wasn’t a nice boy, friend, as we are going to see. Neither did God save you or me because we were nice girls or boys. He saved us because of His marvelous, infinite grace. He does so many special things for us, not because of our goodness, but because of His goodness. He is wonderful. We are not. We ought to praise His name. David is overwhelmed by what God has told him. It is no wonder that he could sing those beautiful psalms.
Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears [2 Sam. 7:22].
Doesn’t this verse do you good just to read it? My, what a privilege to have a God like this!
And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said [2 Sam. 7:25].
Did you know that this became David’s salvation? Listen to what he says in 2 Samuel 23:5, “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.” David rested upon what God had promised.
God has also made a promise to you. It is recorded in John 3:16. It says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Will you believe God? David believed God. Also we have seen that Abraham believed God. Moses believed God. Joshua believed God. And He wants you to believe God. Whatever your name is, He is saying to you today, “Believe Me. I’ll save you if you will trust Christ as your Savior.” That is His covenant with you and with me.
CHAPTERS 8–10
Theme: David consolidates, and enlarges his kingdom
Now that David has established Jerusalem as his capital and has brought the ark of God there, he consolidates his kingdom and befriends the only living son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth. Also he gains victories over the old enemies of Israel and enlarges Israel’s borders.
DAVID CONSOLIDATES HIS KINGDOM
And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines [2 Sam. 8:1].
The “after this” refers to the time after God made His covenant with David. David is now being fully established in the kingdom, and we find that he has a great victory over the Philistines. They were the perpetual and inveterate enemies of Israel. David drives them back, not only out of the land of Israel, but even beyond their own borders. The Philistines inhabited a great section of that land especially in the southern part.
In recounting David’s conquest of the king of Zobah, it is said:
And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hocked all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots [2 Sam. 8:4].
Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, had a kingdom that went as far as the river Euphrates. We are told that David took a thousand chariots from him. David got rid of all but a few of the horses. In the Book of Deuteronomy God made a rule for the kings that they were not to multiply horses or wives. Although David multiplied wives (Solomon multiplied both horses and wives), he is apparently trying to follow the Lord’s instructions in this matter concerning the horses.
There is a great deal of detail in this chapter. If you like to explore new areas and new lands, you will enjoy studying this chapter and tracing on a map the different areas in which David moved. He enlarged the borders of Israel. He extended them to the south in the land of the Philistines, and to the east in the land of the Moabites. He established garrisons in Syria and Edom. So we find that Syria, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, and the Amalekites all became subject to David and apparently paid tribute.
And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went [2 Sam. 8:13–14].
In the southwest, the southeast, and now to the north, David was able to push back the borders of Israel and enlarge the kingdom. There is no use to say that the borders were enlarged in the west because the border in the west was the Mediterranean Sea.
And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people [2 Sam. 8:15].
David was noted for his judgment and justice to his people. There has been a tremendous expansion and extension of the kingdom. David has brought the kingdom to its zenith and made it a world power corresponding to other kingdoms of that day.
DAVID BEFRIENDS MEPHIBOSHETH
This chapter records one of the most beautiful stories in the Scriptures. It is a story that reveals what a great man David really was. We usually think of David in connection with the sin he committed, and that is probably a natural thing to do. Suppose I had a large white screen before me. On that screen is one little black spot—some ink got on the screen. As I look at it, what is the most impressive thing about it? There is a vast area of white, but that one little black spot stands out. Or suppose you ride down the highway, as I have done in west Texas, and you see a couple of thousand sheep in a field. All of the sheep are white but one. Which sheep do you really see? So it is in the life of David. We always concentrate on his big sin, and it was big. The trouble is that we give sparse attention to the noble life and exploits of David. Someone has said, “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it behooves most of us not to talk about the rest of us.” Maybe we ought to reevaluate our viewpoint of David. There are so many bright spots in the long life of David, from that young shepherd boy who slew a giant, to an old man wise in experience who could write, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” In this chapter we shall see the gracious side of David’s character.
Chapter 9 records the story of Mephibosheth. He is the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. It is important at this point to recall some of the background of Saul. He had been the pitiless foe and bitter enemy of David. At the death of Saul, David began to marshal his forces. According to oriental custom of that day, a new king would naturally put to death all contenders to the throne of a former dynasty. Any claimant would be removed by execution. That would protect the new king from any threat. According to the code of that day, David would have been justified in putting to death any of the offspring of Saul. When Saul and Jonathan had been killed in the same battle, a little son of Jonathan’s was hidden lest David find him and kill him. The name of this boy was Mephibosheth. David could more firmly establish his throne by slaying this boy and thus remove the last vestige of danger.
And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?
And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar [2 Sam. 9:1–4].
Ziba, a servant of Saul, betrayed the hiding place of Mephibosheth, and David could have easily killed him.
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! [2 Samuel 9:5–6].
When Mephibosheth is brought before David, he falls on his face before him, expecting to be executed. Instead, David speaks kindly to him, calling him by his name.
And David said unto him, Fear not: for I surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually [2 Sam. 9:7].
David quickly puts him at ease and explains the reason he has sent for him. He restores his inheritance to him and gives him a permanent place at the king’s table—honoring him as one of his own sons!
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? [2 Sam. 9:8].
Notice the reaction of Mephibosheth to all of this. Had there been another king on the throne, he would have been slain. It would have been an entirely different story. Realizing this, Mephibosheth counts himself as “a dead dog.” But David does not call him that. He says, “You are no dead dog. You are Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. I intend to show kindness to you.”
Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.
Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shall bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants [2 Sam. 9:9–10].
That is quite a household! So this property and land of Saul’s was turned over to Mephibosheth. It rightfully belonged to him, and David sees to it that he gets it.
Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.
And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet [2 Sam. 9:11–13].
What David did for Mephibosheth was wonderful, but there are some other impressive lessons with great spiritual truths which I don’t want you to miss.
1. A child of God recognizes that he is also a cripple in God’s sight. We are told in Romans 3:15–16: “Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways.” That is the report from God’s clinic on the human race. Our feet lead us astray. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). Then the writer of the Book of Proverbs says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 16:25). Our feet get us into trouble. The way that the soul and the feet are so closely connected in Scripture is quite interesting. I do not mean to make a bad pun; I am not talking about the sole of the foot.
Remembering that David for the rest of his life had a crippled boy who ate at his table, listen to the words of Psalm 56:13, “For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from failing, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?” Psalm 73:2 says, “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped” David knew what it was to have lame feet! In Psalm 116:8 he says, “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.” My friend, all of us are actually cripples before God.
Modern philosophy and humanism present another picture of man. I once heard a liberal say that Christ came to reveal the splendors of the human soul! God says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, and it is a mess of bad things. You cannot expect any good from human nature. Paul could say, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18). Paul had no confidence in the flesh. The Law is condemnation. John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” When we come that way, He will receive us.
2. David extended kindness to Mephibosheth for the sake of Jonathan. This is another facet of this amazing incident. You see, David did not know the boy. He did what he did for the sake of Jonathan whom he loved. When David looked upon this boy, he did not see a cripple; he saw Jonathan. He had made a covenant with Jonathan. The kindness, mercy, and grace extended to a helpless person were for the sake of another.
We have seen how much Jonathan meant to David. When the news of his death reached him, he said: “How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women” (2 Sam. 1:25–26). Now God has saved you and me because of Another—the Lord Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, Ephesians 1:6 tells us that we are “accepted in the beloved.” When God sees you and me in Christ, He accepts us and saves us.
3. David said nothing about the lame feet of Mephibosheth. There is no record that David ever mentioned it or made an allusion to it. He never said to him, “It is too bad that you are crippled.” He treated him like a prince. He sat at the king’s table, and his feet were covered with a linen cloth. My friend, God forgets our sin because it is blotted out by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the only way God can forgive our sins. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:17).
4. Mephibosheth said nothing about his lame feet. What do you think David and Mephibosheth talked about when they sat at the table? They talked about another person. Do you know who it was? It was Jonathan. David loved Jonathan. Mephibosheth loved Jonathan—he was his father. Jonathan was the subject of conversation.
What should you and I talk about? Some Christians take a keen delight in talking about the old days when they lived in sin. It is too bad that when we get together we don’t talk about Another. The Lord Jesus Christ should be the main subject of our conversation.
5. Others said nothing about Mephibosheth’s lame feet. There was a large company that ate at the king’s table. One day they saw David bringing this crippled boy to the table. The gossips did not say, “Did you hear how it happened?” Instead they listened to the king. They heard David praise Mephibosheth, They had no time to indulge in cheap talk. Their hearts went out in love to this boy. You see, love “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Love “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:7–8).
As far as I can tell, David was never able to make this boy walk. If you see that you cannot walk well-pleasing to God, turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ said to the man with palsy, whose friends had let him down through the roof, “… Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee…. Arise, and walk” (Matt. 9:2–5). The apostle Paul urges: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:1–2). If you are failing in your walk, turn to Christ for help.
Christ is sending out an invitation today into the highways and byways and out into the streets of your town. He is saying, “Come to my table of salvation just as you are, crippled, and I will feed you.” He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He also says, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).
What a wonderful picture of God’s love is presented in this chapter!
DAVID WARS AGAINST AMMON AND SYRIA
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it? [2 Sam. 10:1–3].
You can see that these people had no confidence at all in David. They believed that he intended to attack them. His friendly gesture was completely misunderstood.
Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away [2 Sam. 10:4].
My friend, that was an insult! I can’t think of a way to more thoroughly humiliate David’s ambassadors than this. Some commentators believe that this was Hanun’s challenge to war—whereas David had meant it as a gesture of goodwill and peace.
When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men [2 Sam. 10:5–6].
The Ammonites see that they have made themselves odious to David and prepare for war. They hire mercenaries from Syria—at considerable cost, we learn from the account in 1 Chronicles 19:6–7.
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon [2 Sam. 10:7–10].
The Israelites were now veterans in warfare. Joab, apparently, is throwing his best forces between the approaching Syrian mercenaries and the forces of the Ammonites to prevent their joining together.
And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more [2 Sam. 10:18–19].
It was a tremendous victory for Israel. This establishes David, without doubt, as the great ruler of that day.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: David’s two great sins
We have now come to the second and last section of the Book of 2 Samuel, which I have labeled “The Troubles of David.” We have seen the “Triumphs of David” in the first section. Under the blessing of God, David has become one of the great kings of the earth. However, the sin recorded in this chapter places David under the judgment of God. From here on David will have trouble. His life will be a series of heartbreaks.
This sin causes the enemies of God to blaspheme—until this day. Leering and suggestive, they exclaim, “This is the ’man after God’s own heart’!”
The sin of David stands out like a tar-baby in a field of snow, like a blackberry in a bowl of cream. It may cause us to miss the greatness of the man. Remember that sin was the exception in David’s life—not the pattern of it.
The Word of God does not play down the sin of David; it does not whitewash the man. God doesn’t say it is not sin. God is going to call it sin, and David will be punished for it.
And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem [2 Sam. 11:1].
It was the time of the year when kings went forth to war. In other words, in that day the nations had an “open season” on each other like we do today on birds and animals. At a certain season you can shoot them; at other seasons you cannot. But, after all, isn’t that true even in modern warfare today? During the monsoons in Vietnam, the war came to a standstill because they got bogged down in the swamps, and the rain kept the planes out of the air. After the monsoons let up, the war was on again. The approach to war in David’s day may have been a great deal more modern than we think. The unfortunate thing about the two world wars is that the greatest suffering was caused by the winter weather rather than by the enemy, but they attempted to carry on the fighting. At least in David’s day there was a season for warfare. Maybe they were a little more civilized than we are. At least they recognized a time when they could enjoy comparative peace.
Now David sent Joab and the army to fight the children of Ammon. David did not go with them. Instead he tarried at Jerusalem. That was unlike David. Why did he stay? I have only a suggestion to make. After David built his palace he found it very comfortable. It was quite different from the cave of Adullam where he had spent his youth. His palace was a place of luxury and comfort. Also David loved Mount Zion and wanted to stay around that place. Prosperity is one of the things that has trapped so many men and women. Our great comfort has become a curse in our nation. David tarried in Jerusalem. That was his first mistake. He should have gone to war with his men.
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon [2 Sam. 11:2].
In that day the roof was the place where people spent their evenings. They had no front porches or patios in the rear of their homes. Even today the old city of Jerusalem is very compact, and the flat roof is the place where the family gathers. David went up to the roof of his palace and walked back and forth, apparently a little nervous. I suppose he had a great many problems on his mind. His men were in the field fighting and it may be that his conscience was bothering him. As he walked, he looked around and saw this woman bathing on the roof of her home. Although it was David’s sin—God put the blame right on David—it seems that Bathsheba was a contributing factor. She could have been a little bit more modest.
At the risk of sounding like a prude, let me say we are living in a day when women’s dress has become a great temptation to men. I wonder how many women, even Christian women, realize what they are doing when they wear certain types of apparel. I have attended services in many churches in which the soloist would get up and carry you to the gates of heaven. Then I have seen her sit down and carry you to the gates of hell. It is my opinion that this woman Bathsheba was partially guilty. What was she doing bathing in public? When I say “public,” certainly David was able to see her from his palace. I wonder if she thought there was a chance that David might see her, and she was purposely bathing on the roof.
And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? [2 Sam. 11:3].
Uriah was actually a foreigner.
And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house [2 Sam. 11:4].
This is the ugly story, and it is put in plain and simple language so that we cannot miss the point. If David had been out in the field with his men, this would never have happened. If Bathsheba had taken her bath inside her house, this would not have happened.
And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child [2 Sam. 11:5].
David has a real problem. What is he going to do? Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, is one of David’s mighty men. He is one of David’s loyal followers.
And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered [2 Sam. 11:6–7].
David pretended that he had brought Uriah back from the war for consultation to find out how the war was going.
And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king [2 Sam. 11:8].
David is doing everything he can, in this particular instance, to try and absolve himself of any guilt.
But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house [2 Sam. 11:9].
Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house. At a time of war this man would not go to his own home. This really surprised David. Also it was a rebuke to David who was enjoying the luxury of his palace.
And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from the journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? [2 Sam. 11:10].
You can see that David is trying to get Uriah in the position where David will not be blamed for the pregnancy.
And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing [2 Sam. 11:11].
Uriah was a great man. Although he was a foreigner, he was loyal to Israel. That made David’s double sin all the greater. Uriah said, “The army and my commander are out in the field. They are in danger. I am not about to come back home and enjoy luxury and comfort.”
And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to-day also, and to-morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house [2 Sam. 11:12–13].
Now David tries something else to trick Uriah into going home. David gets Uriah drunk! Yet the man still did not go home.
And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die [2 Sam. 11:14–15].
In my judgment this is the worst part of David’s sin. He deliberately plotted the murder of Uriah. This is inexcusable. The Word of God records what David did. God did not cover it up; He brought it right out in the open. These are the facts. David is guilty.
And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also [2 Sam. 11:16–17].
This chills your blood, does it not?
Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? [2 Sam. 11:18–20].
Joab’s anticipation of David’s reaction may be a cover-up to hide from the messenger the true significance of the message.
Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also,
Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him [2 Sam. 11:21–25].
This is very pious talk from David. Aren’t you ashamed of him? He is a real sinner, friend. He has done an awful thing. What should be done to him? We shall see that God is going to punish him.
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord [2 Sam. 11:26–27].
“The thing that David had done displeased the Lord”—don’t miss that. David did not get by with his sin. Up to this point in his life David has had many triumphs, but from now on, to his dying day, he will have trouble.
May I say to you, Christian friend, that you can sin. Someone asked me, “Can a Christian get drunk?” I replied, “Yes, a Christian can get drunk.” This person was shocked, but then he asked, “Can he get by with it?” That is where the rub comes. The man of the world can get by with it; the Lord does not whip the devil’s children. But He sure takes His own children to the woodshed. Will you take it from one who has been to the woodshed? I happen to know that you cannot get by with sin. David did not get by with it. The thing he did displeased the Lord. When a thing displeases the Lord, friend, He is going to do something about it.
David thinks he has gotten by with his sin, although there are a few people who know the facts. Joab, David’s captain, knows the facts. A few of David’s intimate counselors in Jerusalem who brought Bathsheba to the palace know the facts. Beyond that, no one knows, and the lips of these men are closed. They would not dare talk. David, however, wonders as he sits on his throne and looks around him. When David held court, there were probably two hundred people around him, and he undoubtedly looked into each face and silently asked himself, Do they know? After a time David probably sat back in satisfaction and said `to himself, Well, I got by with it. Nobody knows.
My friend, whether it was known in Jerusalem or not, David’s secret sin and our secret sins are open before God. Someone has put it this way, “Secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven.” God knows all about what we do.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Nathan faces David with his sins; David repents
NATHAN FACES DAVID WITH HIS SINS
The critics who say that God allowed David to get by with his great sin apparently haven’t read the whole story. Friend, we need to keep on reading. When Nathan confronts David with his sin, David repents. In spite of that, Nathan pronounces God’s judgment upon David. David must learn that a man reaps what he sows.
God’s man may get in sin, but he will not stay in sin. That is what distinguishes God’s man from the man of the world. A sheep may fall in the mud, but he will struggle out of it as soon as he can. A pig will stay in the mud and enjoy it.
God has said that men, like pieces of pottery, can be marred. One flaw can ruin a valuable piece of pottery. A valuable article is put on sale because the merchant sees a flaw in it. I am a great one for sales as I go about the country. When I see that a sale is on, I rush down to the store. Usually I find that first-grade merchandise has become second-grade merchandise because of a flaw. It is marked down because of a little defect. Now David will have to be marked down because of his sin. In chapter 11 we saw David’s sin in all of its blackness and ugliness. The Word of God does not soft-pedal it. The Word of God does not whitewash David’s actions. His sin is as black as ink, and as dark as night, and as low as the underside of Satan and the bottomless pit, and as deep as hell. David sinned.
What David did displeased the Lord, and God is going to do something about it. You see, God did something about man’s sin. He gave Jesus Christ to die on the cross and pay the penalty—sin is that heinous. It is God who says that sin is so black that it required the death of His Son. If you turn your back on God, you are lost. However, if you are God’s man and you drop into sin, God is going to deal with you.
In chapter 11 we left David sitting on his throne in smug complacency. He thought he had gotten away with his sin, but he was wrong. David is going to live to regret that he ever committed that awful sin.
The first verse introduces us to Nathan who is one of the bravest men in Scripture. David could have merely lifted his scepter and without a word could have condemned Nathan to execution for his audacity. This, however, did not stop Nathan.
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor [2 Sam. 12:1].
Nathan is going to tell David a story. It is a story that will reveal David as though he were looking in a mirror. The Word of God is a mirror that reveals us as we really are. Nathan is going to hold up a mirror so that David can get a good look at himself. There was probably a lull in state business when Nathan came. Since Nathan was God’s prophet, David said to him, “Do you have anything from the Lord for me?” He did. He told David a story about two men in one city. One man was rich and the other man was poor—a typical city with its ghetto and its rich estates.
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter [2 Sam. 12:2–3].
The story of the rich man and the poor man sounds very familiar. The rich man had many flocks and herds. The poor man had one little lamb. It was a pet and dearly loved by the family. They fed it—it was probably a fat little fellow. It was all the poor man had. What a contrast. This has been the continual war between the rich and the poor. I personally think the outstanding problem today is not the racial problem, but the conflict between capital and labor, the rich and the poor.
And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him [2 Sam. 12:4].
Nathan is telling a story that is quite familiar, is it not? The poor man had nothing but the little ewe lamb; the rich man had everything—yet he was a skinflint. I do not often discuss politics, but I would like to put down a principle in this world of sin today. I recognize that political parties say they have the solutions for the problems of the world because they want their candidates to be elected to office. I have no confidence in men. I do not believe that any politician today is going to champion the poor. This never has been done, and it never will be done. Let us not kid ourselves about that. It is quite interesting about the government poverty programs. Do they tax the rich? No! Taxes go up for the rest of us. I tell you, they are surely taking my little ewe lamb, friends.
And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die [2 Sam. 12:5].
David thought Nathan had brought before him a case for someone in the kingdom and was asking for David to rule upon it. David had a sense of right and wrong. He also had a sense of justice. He is redheaded and hot-headed. When he heard Nathan’s story, he probably sprang to his feet and demanded, “Where is this man? We will arrest him. We will execute him!”
It is interesting how easily you can see the sin in somebody else, but you cannot see it in your own life. That was David’s problem.
And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity [2 Sam. 12:6].
David sounds like a preacher, doesn’t he? It is so easy to preach to the other person, tell him his faults, analyze him, and tell him what to do. Most of us are amateur psychologists who put other people on our own little critical couches and give them a working over. That is David. David says, “Wherever that man is, we are going to see that justice is done.”
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things [2 Sam. 12:7–8].
It took courage for Nathan to say this to David. In my judgment he is the bravest man in the Bible. I know of no one who can be compared to him. He said, “David, you are the guilty one.” What is David going to do? He is going to do something unusual, I can assure you of that. Dr. Margoliouth has said this: “When has this been done—before or since? Mary, Queen of Scots, would declare that she was above the law; Charles I would have thrown over Bathsheba; James II would have hired witnesses to swear away her character; Mohammed would have produced a revelation authorizing both crimes; Charles II would have publicly abrogated the seventh commandment; Queen Elizabeth would have suspended Nathan.” Years ago, the Duke of Windsor would have given up his throne for her. We have had some presidents who would have repealed the Ten Commandments and appointed Nathan to the Supreme Court. David did not do any of these things. His actions will reveal his greatness.
God would have given David anything his heart wanted, but David longed for something that was not his. The new morality today says it was not sin. God still says this is sin, and the man after God’s own heart cannot get by with it.
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon [2 Sam. 12:9].
Nathan spells out the sins in no uncertain terms.
Don’t you imagine, friends, that the court was shocked when they heard what Nathan said to David? There were undoubtedly many present who did not know what had happened. They hear Nathan accuse David of the most brutal crime written in the books. David has done the things that God said, “Thou shalt not do.”
Is he going to get by with it?
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife [2 Sam. 12:10].
May I say, Christian friend, that when the question arises, “Can a Christian sin?” the answer is yes. But when you sin, you despise God. God says that that is what you do. When David took Uriah’s wife to be his wife, he was despising God.
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun [2 Sam. 12:11].
Evil is going to arise against David out of his own house. And friends, in the next chapter a scandal breaks out among David’s children that is an awful thing. It becomes a heart-break to this man. But you will never find him whimpering or crying out to God about it, because David knew that God was putting the lash on his back. All that David wanted was what is written in Psalm 42:1, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”
For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun [2 Sam. 12:12].
DAVID REPENTS
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die [2 Sam. 12:13].
David should have died for this crime. God spared David’s life and put away his sin, but David’s baby died. God is not going to let David get by with his sin.
Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die [2 Sam. 12:14].
And friends, the enemies of the Lord still blaspheme God because of what David did. When I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, there were many times when some unbeliever or skeptic came to me and said, “How could God choose a man like David?” They would actually leer at me while waiting for my reply. The enemy is still blaspheming. God is going to take David to the woodshed.
And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them [2 Sam. 12:15–17].
David went before God and pleaded for Him to spare the little fellow’s life. Finally they brought word to David that the child was dead.
But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat [2 Sam. 12:19–20].
David’s servants are astounded. When the child was alive, David was in sackcloth and ashes. When the child died, he should have been beside himself with grief. Instead, he got up, took a shower, and changed his clothes, then went to the house of God to worship. His servants ask for an explanation.
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me [2 Sam. 12:22–23].
David knew that the little baby was saved. He said, “I will go to him someday.” David knew that when death came to him, he would be reunited with his son.
A child dying in infancy goes to be with the Lord. Matthew 18:10 says, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” The word angels in this verse should be translated “spirits.” When a little baby dies today, that baby goes immediately to be with the Lord. That is the teaching of the Word of God. I don’t know about you, but this means a great deal to me because I have a little one up there, and I am looking forward to one day being with her.
David could rejoice when his infant son died because he knew that one day he would see him again. That was not the case when his son Absalom died many years later. Absalom was a heartbreak to David. When he died, David wept and mourned. Why? David was not sure Absalom was saved.
THE BIRTH OF SOLOMON
And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord [2 Sam. 12:24–25].
The name Jedidiah means “beloved of the Lord.” This name was given by God through Nathan to Solomon.
DAVID AND JOAB TAKE RABBAH
And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.
And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it [2 Sam. 12:26–29].
David is now back out in the field where he should have been all along. David’s kingdom continues to be extended and expanded, and David becomes a great ruler of that day. What about his sin? Did he get by with it? In the next chapter we will find out that David’s son Amnon committed an awful crime. He raped his half sister, a daughter of David. Absalom, a full brother of the girl who was raped, killed Amnon. Say, that was a scandal! Can you imagine how that news spread over Israel? The people said, “Look at the king ruling over us. He cannot even rule his own household!” Poor David.
Before we get through with the life of David, I feel like saying to the Lord, “You have whipped him enough. Why don’t you take the lash off his back now?” But, you know, David never said that. David went into the presence of the Lord and cried: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Ps. 51:1–2, 12). David wanted to be brought back into fellowship with his God.
CHAPTERS 13–14
Theme: Crimes of David’s sons—Amnon and Absalom
There is that old bromide which says, “If you are going to dance, you are going to have to pay the fiddler.” If you are going to indulge in sin, you will have to suffer the consequences. The Lord gives it to us straight in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” You are not going to get by with sin. Galatians 6:8 goes on to say, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” There is no question that David had sown to the flesh. Don’t think for one minute that now he can walk away from his sin, make a sweet little confession, and that is it. I have heard people say, “Well, the blood of Christ covers it.” It certainly does, and you don’t lose your salvation, brother. But I want to tell you that sin causes a festering sore that has to be lanced.
This brings us to chapter 13. David has made his confession of sin. God has told him, “Your sin has caused My enemies to blaspheme Me. I won’t give you up, but you are not going to get by with it.” Thank God that He will not give us up, but the chickens do come home to roost.
DAVID’S DAUGHTER RAPED BY HIS SON
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her [2 Sam. 13:1].
Although Absalom and Tamar had the same mother and father, Tamar was Amnon’s half sister. David was their father, but they had different mothers.
And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister [2 Sam. 13:2–4].
Amnon was not eating. He was so madly in love with Tamar that he had lost his appetite. His friend could see that he was not eating, but he also recognized the problem since Tamar was Absalom’s sister and Amnon was afraid of Absalom.
And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat [2 Sam. 13:5–7].
There is no use to read the next few verses which contain the sordid details of what happened next. Amnon raped Tamar. Then we are told that he hated her.
Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone [2 Sam. 13:15].
This awful thing had taken place in the house of David. When Amnon was through with her, he flung her out.
And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying [2 Sam. 13:19].
Tamar was thrown out of the house, and now she is in sackcloth and ashes.
And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth [2 Sam. 13:20–21].
David is angry about what happened but does nothing about it. David was like many other men in Scripture: he was an indulgent father who raised a bunch of kids who were bad. That has happened again and again. It started with old Eli, God’s high priest. His sons were not only immoral, they were godless and had a religious racket going. Then we come to Samuel. Since he was raised in the same atmosphere as Eli’s sons, you would think Samuel would be more of a disciplinarian and that he would have maintained some authority and control over his sons. But his sons turned out to be corrupt and dishonest. Next we come to David. He knew Samuel, and he knew Samuel’s sons. You would think he would have been more strict with his children, but he was not. He too was an indulgent father. He was angry about what Amnon did to his sister Tamar. But, after all, what kind of an example has David set for his boys? The chickens are beginning to come home to roost.
Perhaps you think I am a square because I say some old-fashioned things, but I am convinced that the main problem today in Christian homes is the lack of example and discipline on the part of the parents. My friend, if you are a Christian and you have a naughty little boy in your home, don’t spend your time lecturing him. You are not going to get anywhere that way. Give him an example and discipline—and start soon, because the day will come when he will walk out.
Another strike against David is the fact that he had multiple wives and many children. As a king with many heavy responsibilities, how much time do you think he spent in rearing his children? The problem with many of us who have been in Christian work is that we probably have neglected our families for the sake of the work. We have excused our neglect on the basis that we were doing Christian work. I must confess that if I could go back and do one thing over again, it would be to spend more time with my daughter when she was growing up. I now have grandchildren, and they are wonderful. I am enjoying them more than I enjoyed my daughter when she was a child. Do you know why? I was too busy when she was small. Now I am not so busy and I can spend time with my grandchildren.
Christian parents need to realize that they need to spend time training their children. Don’t get the impression that you are raising a little angel. There are many parents who treat a child as if he were a cross between an orchid and a piece of Dresden china. They believe that if they apply the board of education to the seat of knowledge they will break him in pieces or he will come apart. Proverbs 23:13 says, “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.”
David did nothing about the problem created by Amnon. So what happened?
And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar [2 Sam. 13:22].
This is David’s home, friends. This is David’s life at home. He did not get by with sin. God says that we will not get by with sin either. Absalom is marking time. He is waiting for the day when he can get even with Amnon. And that day will come.
AMNON MURDERED BY ABSALOM
I am not going into detail at this point, but the day came when Absalom killed Amnon. Absalom waited for two years before making his move. He invited the king’s sons to a feast in connection with sheep-shearing time. Since Absalom had shown no signs of wanting revenge, David let Amnon go and attend the party.
Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant [2 Sam. 13:28].
When the day came that Amnon’s “heart was merry with wine,” Absalom had him killed.
message David received was that all his sons were dead. Then Jonadab told him that only Amnon was slain.
Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.
And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is [2 Sam. 13:33–35].
Since Absalom actually plotted Amnon’s murder, he has to flee.
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
But Absalom fled, and went to Taimai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day [2 Sam. 13:36–37].
Absalom’s mother was a daughter of the king of Geshur, and this is one reason why Absalom fled to him. As I have pointed out before, David made a mistake in marrying this foreign woman. Remember that he had married this woman during his lapse of faith when he withdrew from the land. She bore the king two very attractive children. One was Absalom and the other was Tamar. Apparently David did not discipline this wild boy, who was the son of a pagan and a Bedouin. In a way, Absalom seems to be justified in what he did, since David did not take matters into his own hands when Amnon sinned.
So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead [2 Sam. 13:38–39].
After Absalom took Amnon’s life, he fled. David wanted to bring him back, but he did not. David mourned for him and that is all he did. He mourned for him and wished for his return. Absalom, I believe, was more like David than any of his other sons. I think it was David’s intention that Absalom succeed him as the next king of Israel. That ambition also lurked in the mind of Absalom, as we shall see.
DAVID PERMITS ABSALOM TO RETURN
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:
And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him, So Joab put the words in her mouth [2 Sam. 14:1–3].
Joab grew up in the vicinity of Tekoah and may have known this woman from earlier days.
And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.
And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth [2 Sam. 14:4–7].
Joab got her to play upon the feelings of David by telling him her sad story. Just as David had used deception, he was now being deceived.
Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth [2 Sam. 14:11].
David grants her imaginary son a full pardon. Then she makes the application to David and Absalom.
And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished [2 Sam. 14:13].
The widow of Tekoah was putting David in the place of her imaginary prosecutors. What her prosecutors could do to her remaining son, David was doing to God’s people by punishing Absalom for the crime he had committed. She is representing the people of Israel as the widowed mother. She claims to be speaking in the name of all Israel, and possibly she does express their feelings. Absalom was very popular with the people, and they probably felt that Amnon got what he deserved.
The final outcome of the incident is that in a half-hearted way David is willing for Absalom to return.
And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.
So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face [2 Sam. 14:21–24].
It is unfortunate that David did not want to see his son. It actually set the stage for Absalom’s rebellion which takes place in chapter 15. Absalom was a bad boy, but he was a good politician. We shall see this in the next chapter.
Absalom’s high-handed action of setting Joab’s standing grain on fire to force Joab to come to him is another revelation of Absalom’s personality.
And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.
So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom [2 Sam. 14:32–33].
Absalom’s prank succeeded in persuading Joab to bring him to his father for reconciliation. Although David’s kiss was a sign of complete reconciliation and restoration of Absalom’s position as the king’s son, it was given reluctantly. The fact that his father did not give him instant, wholehearted forgiveness rankled in his soul.
God had not forgiven David half heartedly. God did not say, “Well, I forgive you, but we will not have fellowship any more. I will not restore to you the joy of your salvation.” When God forgives, He forgives completely. You and I are admonished: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). Has God forgiven us? Yes! How are we to forgive others? The same way that God does. David should have forgiven Absalom. He is setting the stage for rebellion.
Oh, my friend, our God is a God who forgives. Galatians 6:1 tells us, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” It appears that many of us don’t read that verse correctly. We think it says, “If any man be overtaken in a fault, take a baseball bat and hit him over the head!” We are reluctant to forgive, and we can be very mean at times, very unloving, and critical. There are times when the truth should be spoken, but when forgiveness is asked for, it should be extended immediately.
David made a blunder in not forgiving his son as God had forgiven David. He will live to regret it.
CHAPTERS 15–16
Theme: Absalom rebels against David
ABSALOM REBELS AGAINST DAVID
David, after committing his terrible sin, found that trouble came to him thick and fast. The same way that he had sinned, members of his family sinned, and David is not through with the effects of it yet. God really took David to the woodshed.
In this chapter Absalom leads a rebellion against David. In a very subtle way Absalom begins to steal the hearts of the children of Israel. He is an attractive young fellow—probably like David in many ways. He is the heir apparent to the throne; that is, David would like for him to succeed him. We find now that Absalom is back in Jerusalem, beginning to move secretly to plot David’s overthrow. This is a dastardly deed, but the chickens are coming home to roost for David. Actually, a formidable revolution will break out which will cause David to flee from Jerusalem.
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel [2 Sam. 15:1–2].
Absalom stationed himself at the busiest gate of the city. When men with complaints came to the gate requiring justice, he listened to them with a great show of sympathy.
And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! [2 Sam. 15:3–4].
Absalom was a bad boy but a good politician; he was clever and crooked, subtle and sly.
And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel [2 Sam. 15:5–6].
Absalom is a true politician, isn’t he? This is the way many men get elected to office today. They have no qualifications other than the fact that they are good at handshaking and backslapping. There are many preachers who use this method today. They cannot preach, and they cannot teach, but they sure can slap backs. Unfortunately that is exactly what appeals to us. As far as I can tell from the Word of God, that is the way that the Anti-christ will come to power. He is going to be the greatest little backslapper that the world has ever seen. Now Absalom was a good backslapper. He stood at the gate and said, “Oh, if I were only a judge. Then you would get justice!” You can understand the appeal that that kind of statement would make. Absalom was saying, “If you vote me into office, I can solve all of your problems. I will be able to take care of all the foreign and domestic affairs.” That is what the politicians tell us today. Unfortunately, we listen to them, believe them, and vote for them. Then when they get into office, they do not produce.
Absalom, of course, is preparing for a rebellion against David, his father. This rebellion within the house of David is a terrible thing.
And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron.
For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord [2 Sam. 15:7–8].
His request seems a little unusual—he says he wants to go south to Hebron to pay a vow he made in exile, yet he was in Syria in the north while he was in exile. However, David does not question it.
And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron [2 Sam. 15:9–10].
You will recall that Hebron is where David began his reign. He was king over Judah for seven years in Hebron. Absalom, obviously, did not go to Hebron to pay a vow. He went there to begin his rebellion.
And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing [2 Sam. 15:11].
In other words, these men went along with Absalom, but they did not know that the rebellion was prepared against David.
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom [2 Sam. 15:12].
This is a rebellion that gains momentum. It begins to snowball as it goes along, and soon there is a great company standing with Absalom. Even Ahithophel, David’s counselor, is a partner to all of this. Before David actually realizes what is happening, the rebellion surfaces.
DAVID FLEES
And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword [2 Sam. 15:13–14].
David is going to flee from Jerusalem. The question arises, “Why did he flee?” David loved the city of Jerusalem. Why didn’t he make a stand in this city? I am confident that David knew God was punishing him for his sin. I know this is true on the basis of 2 Samuel 15:25–26 where we are told, “And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.” David knew what was happening to him. He knew that judgment was coming from God.
You recall in Samuel 13 that Amnon committed a crime against Tamar. David was disgraced by the awful thing that happened. This scandal had taken place in Jerusalem. You will also recall that David’s great sin involving Uriah and Bathsheba—when David should have been out fighting with his army—took place in Jerusalem. David is leaving Jerusalem this time because he knows that God is punishing him, and he does not want to see the city he built and loved become the scene of battle. In 2 Samuel 15:30 we are told, “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.” David loved Jerusalem. He did not want it to be a place of battle; yet this city was to be destroyed more than any other city because of its rebellion and sin.
Also David fled from Jerusalem because he was not ready to press the issue with Absalom. We will see in the next chapters that it was in David’s heart to spare the life of his son. He did not want harm to come to him. I think David loved Absalom above every person on earth. Leaving Jerusalem puts David’s life in grave danger, but that is nothing new for him. He had been in great danger many times. He has more concern about his relationship with God and with his son than he has about his life.
With this background, let us look at the rebellion that is taking place.
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
Whereas thou camest yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee [2 Sam. 15:19–20].
Ittai is a native of Gath in Philistia, probably a general in his own country since David later makes him a joint commander with Joab and Abishai. He feels such loyalty to David that he and his entire family insist upon going into exile with him.
And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness [2 Sam. 15:21–23].
David had many loyal followers. There were many men willing to lay down their lives for him.
THE ARK IS RETURNED TO JERUSALEM
And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God: and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation [2 Sam. 15:24–25].
David sent the ark of the covenant of God back to Jerusalem where it belonged. He recognized that what was happening to him was the judgment of God. As he left the city, he went over the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went.
And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness [2 Sam. 15:31].
Ahithophel had been a highly esteemed counselor of David. When he defected to Absalom’s side, David prayed that his counsel to Absalom would be foolish, and God answered this prayer, by the way. Notice that David didn’t ask for judgment upon Absalom.
HUSHAI IS SENT BACK
And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me [2 Sam. 15:32–33].
He may have been elderly and would require more care.
But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.
So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem [2 Sam. 15:34–37].
When David heard of Ahithophel’s defection to Absalom, he induced Hushai to go over to Absalom to defeat the counsels of this now dangerous enemy. Hushai was David’s friend and would risk being a spy for him.
ZIBA, MEPHIBOSHETH’S SERVANT, DECEIVES DAVID
And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink [2 Sam. 16:1–2].
You recall that Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s lame son. Because of David’s great love for Jonathan, he cared for Mephibosheth. Ziba, a servant of Mephibosheth, thought that the internal struggle within the house of David would give the house of Saul a chance to regain the throne—Mephibosheth was the sole heir to the throne. By telling his fictitious story, Ziba hoped to get something out of the estate of Mephibosheth. David, not having opportunity to check the facts, impetuously grants Ziba lands that had been Mephibosheth’s.
SHIMEI CURSES DAVID
And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man [2 Sam. 16:5–8].
What Shimei said to David had some truth in it. David was a bloody man, and judgment was coming upon him—there was no question about that.
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head [2 Sam. 16:9].
Abishai, one of David’s men, was all for silencing this man permanently.
Notice David’s reaction to what Shimei said.
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him [2 Sam. 16:10–11].
David was saying, “I don’t mind this outsider cursing me. I do not want to take revenge on him. The thing that is happening to me is the judgment of God. What disturbs me is that it is my own boy, Absalom, who is leading the rebellion against me.”
We have been with David as he escaped from Jerusalem; now we go back to Jerusalem with Hushai as he offers his services to Absalom.
And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? [2 Sam. 16:15–17].
Absalom is surprised that this trusted friend of his father’s did not go with him into exile.
And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the Lord, and this people. and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence [2 Sam. 16:18–19].
Hushai is saying that the man whom God and the people choose will be his man, although he is secretly planning to be a spy for David.
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel [2 Sam. 16:20–22].
Ahithophel advises Absalom to do an abominable thing, but it has great significance for Israel. Absalom’s act was a coarse and rude declaration that David’s rights had ended and that everything he owned now belonged to his son.
And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom [2 Sam. 16:23].
The word of Ahithophel was obeyed without question—just as if it had been the command of God.
The act of Absalom fulfilled what the Lord had spoken to David: “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun” (2 Sam. 12:11–12).
We now find David back out in the dens and caves of the earth. What is he going to do? Absalom is going to try to win a victory over David’s forces. David, however, is an old veteran and knows how to fight. Absalom is doing a very dangerous thing by going against his father. The tragic thing is that David loves him and wants to save him.
These were difficult days for David. I am sure by now that your heart goes out in sympathy to him. But David does not whimper or cry aloud. He says in substance, “Just as long as I know that things are right with God, I will bear these burdens that come upon me.”
David was a great man, friend. He had committed awful sin, but he is like a wonderful piece of statuary with just one flaw in it. That is the way many Christians are today. Did you ever meet one who didn’t have a flaw? We all have flaws in our lives. Thank God that He will not throw us overboard because of the flaws.
CHAPTERS 17–18
Theme: Civil war between Absalom, and David
In chapter 17, Absalom hears the counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai, David’s friend. When Absalom accepts Hushai’s argument that David and his men are veterans in the field of battle and that Absalom needs reinforcements, David is able to escape and prepare for battle. In chapter 18 the two sides engage in civil war. The battle ends with Absalom’s death. The chapter concludes with the touching grief of David over his slain son.
THE CONFLICTING COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL AND HUSHAI
As we have been following the different experiences of David, we saw first his triumphs, and now we are seeing his troubles. In fact, he is really in trouble right now. David’s own son Absalom, whom I believe he loved above everything else in this world, is leading a rebellion against him. This was a heartbreak to the king. David withdrew from Jerusalem because he did not want it to become the scene of a battle and possibly be destroyed. Instead, David left his beloved city. He sent Hushai back to Absalom so that he might give him counsel that would be to David’s advantage. Ahithophel, who had once been an advisor to David, had defected to Absalom. In chapter 17 these two advisors are giving Absalom contradictory counsel about whether or not to attack his father at this time.
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only [2 Sam. 17:1–2].
In other words, if David could be destroyed, the rebellion would be broken and Absalom would be made king. Ahithophel’s advice, of course, would be disastrous for David if it were followed. Ahithophel outlines his plan:
And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel [2 Sam. 17:3–4].
Even Absalom agreed to this heartless plan.
Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.
And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou [2 Sam. 17:5–6].
It was a good thing that Hushai was present, because he offers an altogether different strategy. He gives Absalom advice that is very good—but it is favorable to David. David is in a very vulnerable position and desperately needs time.
And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.
And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men [2 Sam. 17:7–10].
Hushai is giving Absalom good advice even though it is for David’s benefit. His advice is simply this: “You must recognize, Absalom, that you are not a man of war. Your father is a man of war. He is acquainted with the field. He is a veteran. He is rugged. He has his mighty men with him. David and his men are chafed by what has happened. They are licking their wounds right now and are like a mother bear who has been robbed of her whelps—that mama bear is really going to fight and will become twice as dangerous as she would be otherwise. You would be very foolish to attack David now. But suppose you did attack him. David has been pursued before—he is an expert at evading capture. Saul hunted him for years. David would not be among the people. He would know where to hide. He would know how to escape. Suppose you went into his host and did not find David. Soon word would circulate that you were losing the battle, and you would find that the people who had temporarily joined you in your cause would not stay with you.”
Now that Hushai has pointed out errors in judgment in Ahithophel’s counsel, he outlines another strategy.
Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one [2 Sam. 17:11–12].
He is saying to Absalom, “The important thing is that you are not prepared to go into battle. Ahithophel is not prepared for battle. Just taking a few thousand men with you will not enable you to overcome David. What you need to do is to gather all Israel together, and you yourself lead the forces into battle. That is what is expected of a king. That is the way your father came to the throne. He was, first of all, a great general. We will have to overwhelm him and his men by sheer numbers.” Hushai’s advice was good all right, but it was not for Absalom’s benefit. It was given for David’s benefit. It would give David time to reconnoiter.
Now what did Absalom and the men of Israel think of Hushai’s counsel?
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom [2 Sam. 17:14].
Absalom and his advisors felt that Hushai’s advice was better. Very candidly, friend, Hushai’s counsel was certainly better than that of Ahithophel from David’s standpoint. God was at work in David’s behalf.
WARNING IS SENT TO DAVID
While they are attempting to gather together the nation and unite them under Absalom, Hushai gets a warning to David. He is to escape over Jordan quickly. In the next few verses we see the movement of the spy system. When the message reached David, he responded quickly.
Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan [2 Sam. 17:22].
AHITOPHEL’S SUICIDE
Because Ahithophel was a proud man and a highly respected advisor, when he saw that his counsel was not followed, he considered his career over. The record says that he put his house in order, then hanged himself.
ABSALOM PURSUES DAVID
Absalom now has gotten together a great army from all the tribes of Israel, and they pursue David.
Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.
So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead [2 Sam. 17:24–26].
David spent a great deal of his life running from somebody. In this instance, of course, it is indirectly because of his own sin.
David is actually in a very difficult position. He had fled Jerusalem without any preparation whatsoever. Those who were loyal to him had fled with him.
And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness [2 Sam. 17:27–29].
David finds that he has many allies in the people round about. They know David and the warrior that he is. The rulers of these kingdoms probably have very little confidence in Absalom, knowing he is deceitful and tricky. He would not be dependable. They do, however, have confidence in David. Therefore, they bring supplies to David and his men to ease their hardship.
Absalom’s delay enables David to get supplies from his allies and ready his troops for combat.
CIVIL WAR
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also [2 Sam. 18:1–2].
David wanted to go into battle with his men.
But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city [2 Sam. 18:3].
The army refused to let David go into battle.
And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom [2 Sam. 18:4–5].
This is one of the saddest chapters in David’s life. While the chapter of David’s sin is the most sordid chapter, this is the saddest because it records the death of his son Absalom. Because they have urged him not to go with them to battle, David takes his place at the side of the gate as the army marches out. It marches out under three leaders: Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. As each of these three captains comes by, David charges him to deal gently with his son. All the army heard him give this order, I think some smiled, but others felt a bit resentful. Absalom would always be a troublemaker, and they would like to eliminate him. David, however, loved his son and did not want him to die. He said to his commanders, “Deal gently with my boy Absalom.” David’s men heard what he said.
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men [2 Sam. 18:6–7].
This was a civil war. It was a terrible thing. We had a civil war in the United States, and we know the sadness of brother fighting brother. David was a strategist and a general, and Absalom did not have anyone in his group who could match David’s ability or the ability of David’s three captains. Therefore, the children of Israel lost the battle.
For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured [2 Sam. 18:8].
The troops of Absalom became entangled in the woods of Ephraim when they attempted to flee from David’s army. They became bottled in; the forest became the cause of death for many of them rather than the sword. They had picked the wrong place to battle with David.
ABSALOM SLAIN BY JOAB
And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak [2 Sam. 18:9–10].
Apparently Absalom’s head got caught in the forks of an oak tree while he was riding his mule through the woods. He was fleeing, by the way; and, when he got caught in the tree, the mule kept right on going, leaving Absalom in quite a predicament. Under other circumstances this incident could be rather humorous. In this case it is not.
And Joab said unto the man that told him. And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle [2 Sam. 18:11].
This man is shocked that Joab would want the prince, the son of David, killed.
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me [2 Sam. 18:12–13].
The soldier said, “The king told us not to touch his son, and if I had done anything to him, you would have punished me yourself.” But Joab did not have time to argue with him. He had a matter of business to take care of immediately.
Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent [2 Sam. 18:14–17].
When Absalom was dead, the rebellion was over. Joab had no right to kill Absalom, especially after David had given the command that he was not to be touched. However, he is weary of all the trouble Absalom has caused, and he knows that the death of this boy will end the rebellion.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.
And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? [2 Sam. 18:19–22].
Joab was reluctant to let Ahimaaz bear the news of Absalom’s death to David because he did not have all the necessary information to give the king.
DAVID MOURNS FOR ABSALOM
But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone [2 Sam. 18:23–24].
This, now, is one of the most touching scenes in the Word of God. David is sitting in the gate of the city, anxiously waiting for word to be brought to him.
And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.
And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king. All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was [2 Sam. 18:25–29].
David has but one question to ask Ahimaaz, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” But Ahimaaz did not have all of the necessary information to tell the king. He did not know that Absalom was dead. And, friend, there are many messengers running about today telling the human family that God says all is well—but all is not well. Man is a sinner. He needs a Savior. Man needs to know that the Son of God died on the cross for him. Man needs to be born again. Ahimaaz did not have the message that David should have received.
And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee [2 Sam. 18:31].
Notice that David’s first question is about Absalom. His chief concern is not for who won the battle but for the safety of Absalom.
And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is [2 Sam. 18:32].
Cushi has the correct information. He is gently telling David that Absalom is dead. Then follows David’s mourning for his son. It is the most touching expression of grief in the Bible or in any other literature. It is at this point one feels like saying, “Lord, you have whipped David enough for his sin. Let up on your son David.”
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! [2 Sam. 18:33].
CHAPTER 19
Theme: David is restored to the throne
JOAB REPROVES DAVID
The news of Absalom’s death was a real heartbreak to David. He had a tender love for his son, and he was extremely grieved when the boy died. Why? There are several reasons. First of all, I do not think that David was sure about the salvation of Absalom. You will recall that when David’s first son by Bathsheba was born, he became very sick, and David fasted and prayed for him. When David heard that the little boy was dead, he arose, bathed, went to the house of God to worship, and then was ready for a good dinner. His servants could not understand his action. He made it very clear to them when he said, “I am going to him some day. He will not return to me, but it will be a great day when I go to him.” He knew where the little fellow was. When Absalom died, however, David’s heart broke. Why? He was not sure of the young man’s salvation; he was not sure where his son was. Frankly, I believe that David felt his son was not saved, and that is why he was so stricken with grief. Also, even though David was a great king, he was a poor father; I am sure David realized this. He never quite succeeded in being the father he should have been, and Absalom was evidence of this failure.
David also recognized that trouble had come upon him because of the sin he had committed. God had told him that strife would never depart from his house because of it. That is exactly what happened, and from the time of Absalom’s death I believe David was a broken man. I think part of his grief was due to his disappointment. He had really hoped that Absalom would succeed him to the throne. He did not like the idea of Absalom rebelling against him, but he did want him to be the next king.
David’s grief was such that even Joab was disturbed by it and rebuked David for it.
And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son [2 Sam. 19:1–2].
It should have been a great day of victory and a day of rejoicing because the enemy was defeated. For David, however, it was not a victory at all. Instead, it was a time of grief and sorrow beyond expression.
And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle [2 Sam. 19:3].
David’s army should have been rejoicing because they had won the battle. Instead they left the battlefield after the victory and retreated to Jerusalem as if they had been defeated. Why? Because Absalom was slain and it had broken the heart of David.
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! [2 Sam. 19:4].
My, how David loved this boy! What a tender expression this is. David had been such a poor father—he had handled things so badly—but he loved his son and was broken by his death.
Now Joab was responsible for Absalom’s death. I am not sure that David ever really comprehended just how his son died. I am sure that he heard quite a few stories relating how it occurred, but David probably did not want to pursue it too far.
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well [2 Sam. 19:5–6].
Of course Joab is pushing this situation to the opposite extreme, but certainly David would have preferred others dying rather than Absalom; that is quite evident. Joab rebukes David because he is so grieved about the death of his son who had become his enemy and would have killed David given the opportunity.
DAVID IS RESTORED TO THE THRONE
Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent [2 Sam. 19:8].
The people needed some rallying point now. Everyone was depressed. It was a bad state of affairs: the man who had led the rebellion had been slain but, instead of rejoicing, the people witnessed the greatest grief that David ever expressed. However, after Joab talked to the king, David went up to the gate to let his men know that he deeply appreciated their loyalty to him.
And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? [2 Sam. 19:9–10].
What happened was simply this: there were those who had gone over to Absalom’s side and now that he was dead, they didn’t know what to do. They decided that the best thing was to bring the king back.
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house [2 Sam. 19:11].
Apparently, even in the tribe of Judah, there had been a great defection to Absalom’s side. Now David rebukes them for their action.
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants [2 Sam. 19:12–14].
It was a unanimous desire to return David to his throne.
So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king [2 Sam. 19:15–17].
Shimei had cursed David when he went out. Now he wants to be the first one to welcome the king back.
And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed? [2 Sam. 19:18–21].
David was a generous fellow. He was a man who could forgive.
And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? [2 Sam. 19:22].
David is saying, “Why should I pay attention to this fellow? I know I am the king of Israel.” David is satisfied that God has restored him to this position. “Why should I worry about a little fellow like Shimei? Why should I put him to death? What he thinks doesn’t amount to anything.” There are many Christians today who let little things bother them. They let little people bother them, and they should not. Is God blessing you, my friend? Perhaps you are a discouraged pastor. Are you having trouble with your board of deacons? Are you having problems with a troublemaker? My friend, forget it. You are serving God. God is on your side. Live above that small irritation and serve the Lord—and make sure that is what you are doing. Forget about the other things; we need to live above them.
Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him [2 Sam. 19:23].
David’s final decision concerning Shimei was that he did not intend to punish him. In fact, David did not intend to deal with this man in any way.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace [2 Sam. 19:24].
Mephibosheth, in deep appreciation to David, would not join in the rebellion. He remained loyal to David, and during all this time he fasted and prayed for the king. It is wonderful to have friends like that, is it not?
And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? [2 Sam. 19:25–28].
Mephibosheth tells David, “If you think I have betrayed you, then do to me as you please. I have no right to ask any other favor of you at all.”
And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house [2 Sam. 19:29–30].
This, I feel, proves Mephibosheth’s sincerity.
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man [2 Sam. 19:31–32].
Barzillai the Gileadite was a patriarch from another nation who had been generous to David and had given him sustenance during the rebellion. Now David wanted this man to go back to Jerusalem with him so he could reward him for his generosity.
And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.
And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem? [2 Sam. 19:33–34].
Barzillai said to David, “I have not many more years. I have had my threescore and ten, and ten more. I know my days are numbered, and I would just as soon stay home. I appreciate your generous offer of going and living in a palace, but I have reached the age where things like that do not tempt me at all.”
I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? [2 Sam. 19:35].
Barzillai continues, “I am an old man. I can’t hear the music anymore. Food does not taste like it once did. I don’t want to come and mar the party. I don’t want to be the one to slow down the king and his enjoyment.”
Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? [2 Sam. 19:36].
Barzillai helped David because he knew David was God’s man. He had confidence in the king. This was his motivation to assist David.
It is too bad that David had not been a little more forgiving with his own son. When Absalom sinned and came back, it might have been different if he had completely forgiven the boy. If he had received him like the father received the Prodigal Son by putting his arms around him, placing a robe on him, and killing the calf for a feast, I believe David would have spared himself the awful rebellion which took place.
CHAPTERS 20–22
Theme: Revolt, vengeance, and famine within the kingdom: war with the Philistines outside the kingdom
Chapter 20 is the record of another revolt against David. After all the troubles that have come to David, you would think the Lord would let up on him; but, as He promised, the sword will not depart from the house of David. Through all of this we do not hear a whimper from David. He recognizes it as the just punishment of his sin.
Seemingly as a result of the petty jealousy of the men of Israel—because they had not been consulted in returning David to the throne—another revolt errupts, led by Sheba of the tribe of Benjamin.
SHEBA LEADS A REVOLT
And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel [2 Sam. 20:1].
Sheba is called “a man of Belial,” which means he is a rabble-rouser.
So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem [2 Sam. 20:2].
It is amazing how faithless and undependable the children of Israel were. Some people might say, “Well, that was a crude day before man was developed and civilized.” I would like to ask those people a question. Do you think things are any better today? It is interesting that the president of this country, or any public official, can make some little statement that should not have been said and, when a poll is taken, they find out that his popularity has so diminished that he cannot be elected to office again. This can happen to any officeholder regardless of his party affiliation. That proves just how fickle the mob can be; it shows how fickle all of us are. God knows our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Whose heart is this verse speaking about? The heart of a brutal dictator? No. It is speaking about your heart and mine. Wicked things are in the human heart. The apostle Paul could say in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
The ten tribes of Israel followed Sheba in his rebellion.
And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood [2 Sam. 20:3].
These are the women, you remember, that Absalom had taken.
Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present [2 Sam. 20:4].
Amasa, you may recall, was the captain of the rebel forces under Absalom. According to 2 Samuel 17:25 and 1 Chronicles 2:17, Amasa is the son of Abigail, a sister of David. This would make him a cousin of Absalom. After the defeat of the rebels under Amasa and the death of Absalom, David made Amasa captain of his army in the place of Joab.
So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri [2 Sam. 20:5–7].
In other words, this man Amasa is not moving. So Joab leads the army in pursuit of the rebel, Sheba. Also Joab brutally slays Amasa, apparently believing he also is a traitor to David.
The chapter concludes with Joab continuing after the rebel, Sheba. When Sheba sought refuge in the city of Abel, and the army was preparing to attack the city to get him, a wise woman intervened. Sheba is slain by the people of Abel. This, of course, ends the rebellion. However, it does not end the troubles of David, as we shall see.
Through all of these trials David is not crying aloud, nor is he whimpering. He knows that the Lord is dealing with him in the woodshed. Don’t think that David got by with his sin, friend. He was severely punished. However, David loved God. Underneath the faith that failed was a faith that never failed. That’s David, God’s man, a man after God’s own heart.
FAMINE FOR THREE YEARS
Chapter 21 opens with a period of famine in the land of Israel.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites [2 Sam. 21:1].
The reason God gives for the famine is rather strange, but in it there is a lesson for us.
THE GIBEONITES TAKE VENGEANCE ON THE HOUSE OF SAUL
And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,
Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul [2 Sam. 21:2–7].
This is quite a remarkable passage of Scripture. To understand it we must go back to the days of Joshua when the Gibeonites deceived him and Joshua made a treaty with them (Josh. 9). Israel had been told by God not to make a treaty with anyone.
A treaty in that day (which some folk consider “uncivilized”) was inviolate. When a treaty was made, the terms of the treaty were kept. Treaties were more than a scrap of paper. They were not made to be broken. In our day this matter of nations sitting around the conference table trying to make a treaty is almost laughable, because who will keep it? The average person has a right to be cynical about the way nations attempt to get along with each other. But when a nation is obeying God, its word is as good as its bond. Joshua made a treaty with the Gibeonites; but Saul came along and broke it. David attempted to make amends for Saul’s actions, and he succeeded.
But the other side of the coin is interesting. God did not forget that Saul, representing Israel, had broken the treaty with the Gibeonites. Because the Israelites are His people, they are not going to get by with it. The three years of famine came upon them as a judgment. Now let me make this kind of an application to this incident, which I think is valid. You and I live in a day when it cannot be said that any particular nation is a Christian nation or a nation in obedience to God. But God does deal with nations; he does judge nations. God holds nations responsible—it does not make any difference what nation it is. God judged Egypt. God judged Babylon. God judged Assyria, Greece, and Rome; and God will judge America. I am of the opinion (and will you follow me now very carefully) that we are in the process of dissolution as a nation. There are several evidences of God’s judgment upon us. Let me mention several things.
Since World War II it has been our intention to be a peacemaking nation yet to live in sin. Believe me, friend, after World War II Americans started plunging into sin. Also, we could not quit fighting. There has not been a moment since World War II that our troops have not been fighting somewhere. If it isn’t Korea, it is Vietnam. If it isn’t Vietnam, it is in Europe or on some other continent. We are talking peace today as we have never talked it before; yet there is no peace. Isaiah 57:21 says, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”
Another indication of this dissolution is that we have no great statesmen today. I recognize that there are quite a few of our boys in Washington who think that they are clever—and this type of thinking is not confined to any one party. Apparently they all feel that they could solve the problems of the world. Actually, it is rather pitiful to see this nation without great leaders. This is another evidence of God’s judgment. Do you remember what God said in Isaiah 3:12? “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” We see a continual movement in this direction in our own nation.
Right here in Southern California we have become the center of pornography. Also many of the “cults” and the “isms” originate in Southern California. Not long ago God gave us quite a shaking. I am of the opinion that the earthquake was a judgment of God. Now I know that there is a scientific explanation for the earthquake. Beneath us is the San Andreas fault, and we have several other faults. In fact, we have a whole lot of faults out here! I believe God is beginning to judge America. America is guilty of lawlessness and gross immorality, and God judges nations for that. If there is one thing 2 Samuel 21 reveals, it is the fact that God judges nations.
WAR WITH THE PHILISTINES
Next we find that David is engaged in continual warfare with the Philistines.
Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel [2 Sam. 21:15–17].
David is a great man, and his men know that there is no one to take his place. Now David is getting to be an old man, when he goes out to battle, he finds he does not have the stamina he used to have. He is easily overcome—that is an unusual experience for David! The leaders of Israel see that David is too old to engage in battle, and they tell him so. They tell him that he is needed more at home than on the battlefield.
A great battle took place, and God gave the victory to Israel.
These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants [2 Sam. 21:22].
The giant spoken of in this verse was Goliath. You will recall that when David went out to meet Goliath he took five smooth stones. I have heard it described vividly that because David thought he might miss the first shot, he had some stones in reserve. Those who teach the story that way say that the lesson for us is that we, too, should have a reserve. However, the explanation is that Goliath had four sons. They were part of the Philistine army. David knew that when he slew the giant the four sons might want to come out and fight him. Although David did not have this experience at that time, of course the sons would want revenge. If Abishai had not come to David’s aid in this his final battle with the Philistines, one of Goliath’s sons, Ishbi-benob, would have had his revenge.
However, when David was a young man fighting Goliath, he had four other stones and was ready to take on Goliath’s four sons. He was deadly accurate with the slingshot. He probably practiced several hours each day. I imagine he could put a stone in the hollow of a tree that was not big enough even for a squirrel to crawl into.
This chapter concludes David’s career as a warrior. In a marvelous way, God has delivered David from all his enemies.
DAVID’S SONG OF DELIVERANCE
In chapter 22 we have the song David sings after God has delivered him from his enemies. It is the same as Psalm 18.
And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul [2 Sam. 22:1].
This is a song that David composed, apparently, at the end of his life. As he looked back over his life, he could see how the hand of God had moved and brought him to the place of old age. I believe he composed Psalm 23 about the same time, because at this time of his life he could say, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” Paul put it this way, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). God has brought you up to this moment, friend; why in the world do you think He is going to let you down now? God’s loving care for David in the past gives him confidence in the future.
And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence [2 Sam. 22:2–3].
“The Lord is my rock.” A rock is a place upon which to rest. Christ is the rock of our salvation—He is the foundation. We rest on Him. “And my fortress.” That is for protection in life. “And my deliverer.” He will deliver us in the time of temptation. “The God of my rock.” The Lord is not only my rock, but He is the God of my rock, that is, of my faith. He is the object of my faith. “In him will I trust: he is my shield.” He protects me from the enemy. “And the horn of my salvation.” He is the One in whom I rest for salvation. He is “my high tower.” That is where I go to view the land. He is my vision. “My refuge, my saviour.” He is the One “who savest me from violence.”
We are living in a day when we do not have anything that corresponds to genius in the way of writing. There is no great vision today. In our scientific age everything is run by computers. Everything is already taped. We know that two plus two equals four, but we don’t seem to produce anything really original. How monotonous life is when God is left out of it. In contrast, David recognized God in all the experiences of his life, and his poetic expression of gratitude is a masterpiece of literature.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great [2 Sam. 22:36].
David was a rough and rugged man. He was hotheaded. But God is gentle, and David’s love for and association with God had quieted him. It had made David a gracious man: “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” You and I need to associate more with God. My, how men need God in this hour in which we are now living!
This is a great psalm. David’s psalms are wonderful. They open the heart. They open up the mind. They open up life. They let you live, friend. We hear so much about people wanting to “live.” We have comforts and gadgets galore today. Many young people are growing up in homes of affluence where they have every comfort. Many leave all of that and go out and live as vagrants. They say it is because they want to live. Well, my friend, “things” won’t enable you to live. Running off and throwing away all the bands and cords with which God has bound us will not enable us to live either. It is only when we come into a right relationship with God that we are enabled to really live.
Second Samuel 22 is a great psalm, one which David composed as he looked back over his life. Also, when we come to Psalm 23, you will find that I take the position it was not written by a little immature boy. Psalm 23 was not written by a college student who didn’t really know what life was all about. Neither was it written by a middle-aged man who had ambition to get to the top in business or politics. It was not written by someone who wanted to become famous. Psalm 23 was written by an old king who looked back upon his life and could trace the hand of God moving in it. David was a man who had tasted everything. There was nothing that the world afforded that David had not tasted, my friend. David’s conclusion was that the most wonderful thing of all was, “The Lord is my shepherd.”
This beautiful song of praise is not only great literature, it opens new vistas for us and lets us see something that is much more glorious than a sunset or the rising of the moon. It speaks of the marvelous relationship one man had with the almighty God. How we need that today!
CHAPTER 23
Theme: David’s last words; David’s mighty men
DAVID’S LAST WORDS
Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said [2 Sam. 23:l).
David was “the son of Jesse.” Jesse was a peasant, a farmer in Bethlehem—David was never ashamed of that. God lifted David “up on high”; He placed him with the great men of the world. David was the “anointed of the God of Jacob.” The same God who took that clever, conniving fellow Jacob and made him Israel, a prince with God, is the same God who took David and put him on the throne. He is the same God who saved me and the same God who saved you. He is gracious, good, and loving. Oh, my friend, how wonderful is our God!
David was also “the sweet psalmist of Israel.” He was a musician: he wrote music, he played music, and he loved to hear music. I share David’s love for music although I have no talent for reproducing music in any form. But I appreciate good music. I don’t care for what we call “rock” music—in fact, to me it is not even music. I deeply regret that this type of music is being brought into the church. Good music, elevating music, music that thrills the soul has always contributed something beautiful to man’s worship of his God.
The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue [2 Sam. 23:2].
The Spirit of God came upon David, and that is the way he wrote his psalms. Peter tells us that that is the way men wrote the Old Testament. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:20–21).
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God [2 Sam. 23:3].
It is obvious that the decisions made in our government today—regardless of the party—are not made “in the fear of God.” They are made in fear of the voters. There is little effort being made to please God in our government. I wish it could be said that the United States of America is a Christian nation. It is not.
I was rather amused by the comments being made by some men who were out of work because of a decision made in Washington by the Senate. Each man who was out of work said, “I voted for that man because he said he was going to vote for this project, and he voted against it.” Well, all the politician wanted was to be elected to office. He didn’t care anything about the men and their project. We need men who will rule in the fear of God and, until we get them, we are going to have corruption in high places.
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain [2 Sam. 23:4].
This is one of the more remarkable statements David ever made. You will recall that I said 2 Samuel 7 was one of the great chapters of the Bible. In that chapter God made a covenant with David. The Davidic covenant, upon which the future kingdom of Christ was to be founded, provided for David the promise of posterity in his house, a royal throne of authority, and a kingdom on earth established forever. God promised that the Messiah would come through the Davidic line. He is the same One promised to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He is the same One promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the One whom Moses talked about. Joshua also spoke of Him. Now God’s covenant with David concerns Him.
Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow [2 Sam. 23:5].
What David is saying is simply this: “My house is not worthy of this. We did not receive this by merit. It did not come because of who I am.” If David had gotten his just deserts, God would never have made a covenant with him. Neither would God have saved you or me if it had been on the basis of merit. And yet He made an everlasting covenant with David. God has made a covenant with us, too. It is recorded in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Now I hold on to that. God has made that covenant. I never asked Him to make it. He did not make it because of who we are. He did not wait for you or me to make a suggestion. He did it 1900 years ago. He said, “Here it is; take it or leave it.” I take it, by the way. I rest upon that. David said that his covenant was “ordered in all things, and sure.” Friend, you can depend upon God. David says, “This is all my salvation.” Well, God’s covenant with me is my salvation. It is what I desire, friend. It should be the desire of every believer’s heart, “although he made it not to grow.”
DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN
Next we are given a catalog of David’s mighty men.
These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time [2 Sam. 23:8].
These men, you will recall, came to David during the time that he was in exile. When David was being driven by Saul, he was an outcast, hunted like a partridge. He had to hide in the dens of the earth. It was during this time that those who were in distress came to him. They were persecuted and oppressed by Saul, and they fled to David. Others also came to him: those who had gotten into debt and could not pay, those who were discontented, and those who were bitter of soul. In this same way men come to Christ. They are in distress. According to their letters, many young rebels were once in distress. They write to me and tell me about their experiences with the Lord. They came to Christ with debts of sin, and He cancelled those debts. Are you discontented with life? If you are living a fulfilling life and doing all right, I guess I don’t have any message for you at all. But if you are discontented down deep in your soul, and you want to be saved and have fellowship with God, come to Christ. He will remove your guilt and give you satisfaction in your life.
These men who came to David were outstanding men in many ways. They did many remarkable things. Let us look at a few of them.
And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory [2 Sam. 23:11–12].
Defending a patch of lentils may not seem very important, but Israel needed the food. It was the custom of the Philistines to wait until an Israelite’s crop was ready to harvest, then they would come ravaging, plundering, and robbing. This year, as usual, everyone ran when they came—except one man, Shammah. He stopped, drew his sword, and defended it. One man against a troop of Philistines! “And the Lord wrought a great victory.”
And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate [2 Sam. 23:13–15].
David was brought up in Bethlehem, and he thought about the refreshing water from the well there. I know how David felt. I was raised in a little town in Texas. My dad built our house and dug our well. The water was “gyp” water. A few years ago I went back to that place. I could hardly wait to get a drink of that water. I lay down on the ground by the faucet by the well and lapped up that water. My, it was delicious! I was raised on it. It took me back to my boyhood. Now David longed for water from the well at Bethlehem. He never gave a command to anybody to go and get him water, but three of his mighty men broke through the Philistine lines to get it for him. That is the way they became mighty men.
I think of the command that the Lord Jesus gave in Matthew 28:19–20 to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Then I think back in the past to the men who broke through the enemy lines and took the Gospel to those who needed to hear. Think of the pioneer missionaries—I don’t like to mention just one man, but think of men like the apostle Paul or Martin Luther. A great company of missionaries followed after them, and they have been breaking through the enemy lines ever since and getting out the Word of God. These are mighty men of David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is another of David’s mighty men.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lion-like men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.
These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men [2 Sam. 23:20–22].
I love this one. This fellow slew a lion. That is not an easy thing to do, and he did it when there was snow on the ground. I know a lot of people who won’t even come to church when there is a little rain on the sidewalk. May I say to you, they could not have much fellowship with a man like Benaiah. He was out there when there was snow on the ground. He was a tremendous man.
Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all [2 Sam. 23:39].
Uriah the Hittite was one of David’s mighty men. This is the man he sent to the front lines to be killed. This is the blot on the escutcheon of David.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: David’s sin in taking a census
David commits another sin in taking a census. By now he should trust God instead of numbers. God again punishes David but permits him to choose his punishment. David casts himself upon the mercy of God. God sends a pestilence. David buys Araunah’s threshing floor on which to rear an altar to God. David’s refusal to accept it as a gift reveals his deep dedication and devotion to God. This spot became the place where Solomon erected the temple. Although the Mosque of Omar stands there today, Israel will sometime in the future build again a temple to the Lord God of Israel on that spot.
THE CENSUS
Actually, there are many who would not label this a sin. I call this another sin in the life of David. In God’s sight, David’s numbering the people was just as bad as his other sins. When you are guilty of breaking one part of the Law, you are guilty of all. His actions evidenced a lack of trust in God.
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people [2 Sam. 24:1–2].
At the beginning God had instructed David to number the people. God wanted it done in order to encourage David and to strengthen him. God wanted him to know that there was a great army behind him.
Friend, faith is not a leap in the dark. It is not a gamble. Faith is not even a “hope so.” Faith is a sure thing. God never asks you to believe something that is not true. Faith rests upon a rock, a sure foundation. The Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation. Faith) therefore, is not just leaping out into space.
However, there is a time in your life, my friend, when you need to live and move by faith and to recognize that you cannot live by your own effort or by numbers. Unfortunately, the church today has not learned to trust God. As a result, at the congregational meetings the spiritual victories are never mentioned. The things that are mentioned are how much we have in the treasury, how many we baptized this year, and how many members we took in. If the figures look pretty good, we consider that it is a great spiritual victory. Actually, it might have been the worst thing in the world that could have happened in that church.
David sins in numbering the people at this time. Why? He now is an old king. David knows that God has put a foundation beneath him, and he knows that he can overcome the enemy. He does not need to number the people at all. I sometimes think that the curse of the church today is to have a fellow in it who is always figuring up something, always putting it down in black and white, but knows nothing about the spiritual victory that should be taking place. That is what David does here.
And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me [2 Sam. 24:10–13].
God gives David a choice of punishment. David’s answer to the Lord is remarkable. It reveals that he is a man who knows how to trust God. I have said it before, and I will say it again: David failed, it is true; he committed sin, but down beneath the faith that failed was a faith that never failed. Basically David did trust God, as his answer to Gad reveals.
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man 2 Sam. 24:14].
God gave David a choice of three punishments. He told David to choose one of them. David did not choose any of them. Instead he told the Lord that he did not want to fall into the hands of a man. That is one of the things that I have always prayed in my ministry: “O God, never put me in a position where I am subject to a man, or men.” Fortunately, as I look back on my ministry, God never put me in the position where I had to lick shoe leather. I feel sorry today for some men in the ministry who have to go around licking shoe leather in order to continue. God have mercy on them! David did not want to be subject to man. He was willing to fall into the hands of God because he knew how to trust God. How wonderful it is when you see David doing this. The Lord decided to send a pestilence upon Israel. David knew he would be all right in the hands of God. This is the way you and I should feel when God punishes us.
My friend, those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines. From experience I can tell you that there is a tenderness in His discipline, there is a comfort in it all, and there is a blessing in it. He alone can wipe away the tears. He alone can bind up the broken-hearted. He alone can heal the wounds that are in the heart. The doctor can sew you up when you have been in an accident, but in great emotional accidents only the Lord Jesus can bind you up and put you together again. How we need Him today in our lives!
DAVID BUYS THE THRESHINGFLOOR OF ARAUNAH
Now we come to the last part of this book. David wants to build a temple for the Lord.
And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite [2 Sam. 24:18].
Notice that Araunah was a Jebusite, not an Israelite.
And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded.
And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people [2 Sam. 24:19–21].
David explains his reason for wanting the threshingfloor.
And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.
And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver [2 Sam. 24:22–24].
It is a noble thing that David does. Oh, that God’s people would learn this lesson! Some folk feel that we should not mention finances in God’s work today. I recognize that there is an overemphasis on money, but consider what David did. Araunah wanted to give David the threshingfloor. David said, “You can’t give it to me. I am going to pay for it.” Why? David continued, “Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” God have mercy on folk today who are taking a spiritual free ride. My friend, pay your way, and God will honor and bless you. This action of David’s is heart-searching. Are we attempting to give to God that which costs us nothing? God forgive us for being niggardly with Him. May we give as David gave—David, the man after God’s own heart.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Crockett, William Day. A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1959.
Darby, J. N. Synposis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth ’Publishers, n.d.
David, John J. and Whitcomb, John C., Jr. A History of Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1970. (Excellent.)
Epp, Theodore H. David. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1965.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Jensen, Irving L. I and II Samuel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968. (A self-study guide.)
Laney, J. Carl. I & II Samuel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Earlier Historical Books of the Old Testament. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1874.
Knapp, Christopher. The Kings of Israel and Judah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1908. (Very fine.)
Meyer, F. B. David: Shepherd, Psalmist, King. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (Devotional.)
Meyer, F. B. Samuel the Prophet. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (Devotional.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
Wood, Leon, J. Israel’s United Monarchy. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1980. (Excellent.)
Wood, Leon, J. The Prophets of Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979. (Excellent.)
The Book of
1 Kings
INTRODUCTION
First and Second Kings is the second in a series of three double books: 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. Originally, the double books were single books—one book of Samuel, one of Kings, and one of Chronicles. The Septuagint translators were the ones who made the divisions, and they did so more or less for the convenience of the reader. I think that it probably was a very wise decision.
Although the writer is unknown, 1 and 2 Kings were written while the first temple was still standing (1 Kings 8:8). Jeremiah is considered to be the traditional writer, while modern scholarship assigns the authorship to “the prophets.”
The theme of these two Books of Kings is found in this expression that occurs nine times in 1 Kings: “as David his father.” In other words, we are following the line of David, and each king was measured by the standard set by David. Very frankly, it was a human standard, and it was not the highest standard in the world. But we find that king after king failed to attain even to it. Thank God there were those who did measure up to it. However, we will find that this section of Scripture is a sorry and sordid section. It is history, and it reveals the decline and fall of the kingdom: first the kingdom was divided, and then each kingdom fell.
There are key verses that summarize the thrust of these two books. The first key verses describe the decline and fall of the northern kingdom: “For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day” (2 Kings 17:22–23).
The second key verse describes the fall of the southern kingdom: “And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land” (2 Kings 25:21).
In 1 Kings we have the record of the division of the kingdom and 2 Kings records the collapse of the kingdom. Considering the two books as a unit, they open with King David, and they close with the king of Babylon. They are the book of man’s rule over God’s kingdom—and the results are not good, of course. The throne on earth must be in tune with the throne in heaven, if blessings are to come and benefits are to accrue to God’s people. Yet man’s plan cannot overthrow God’s purposes, as we shall see.
First and Second Kings are actually a continuation of the narrative that was begun in 1 and 2 Samuel. These four books can be considered as a whole since they trace the history of the nation from the time of its greatest extension, influence, and prosperity under David and Solomon to the division, then captivity and exile of both kingdoms.
The moral teaching of these books is to show man his inability to rule himself and the world. In these four historical books we get a very graphic view of the rise and fall of the kingdom of Israel.
OUTLINE FOR 1 AND 2 KINGS
I. Death of David, 1 Kings 1–2
II. Glory of Solomon’s Reign, 1 Kings 3–11
A. Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom, Chapters 3–4
B. Building of Temple, Chapters 5–8
C. Fame of Solomon, Chapters 9–10
D. Shame and Death of Solomon, Chapter 11
III. Division of the Kingdom (See Chronological table of the Kings of the Divided Kingdom), 1 Kings 12–2 Kings 16
IV. Captivity of Israel by Assyria, 2 Kings 17
V. Decline and Captivity of Judah by Babylon, 2 Kings 18–25
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Adonijah’s abortive coup; Solomon anointed king
The Books of Kings continue the narrative that was begun in the Books of Samuel. In this first chapter David is a senile old man. One of his sons, Adonijah, attempts to seize the throne. David, aroused by Nathan and Bathsheba, orders another son, Solomon, anointed as king of Israel. This is a tremendous chapter that opens 1 Kings.
DAVID’S DECLINING STRENGTH AND ADONIJAH’S PLOT
We begin on a sad note.
Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat [1 Kings 1:1].
David is now an old man. It is difficult to conceive of him as an old man. We always think of David as a shepherd boy. It is hard to picture him as an old, senile man who needs nursing care.
His son Adonijah takes advantage of him in this condition. He attempts to put himself on the throne and make himself king. Of course, that is not going to fit in with God’s plan. A great deal of intrigue goes on—intrigue is one of the things that characterizes the reign of David.
Let us find out who Adonijah is. First Kings is the first time that he is mentioned in any prominent connection.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom [1 Kings 1:5–6].
Adonijah was David’s fourth son, born to him in Hebron (2 Sam. 3:4). His mother was Haggith, one of David’s wives, of whom we know nothing except that her name means “festive.”
“Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself.” That word exalted is interesting because there is a verse of Scripture that you can put right down over it: “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11). “He that exalteth himself shall be abased” is going to be true of Adonijah. He certainly exalted himself.
The Scriptures tell us many things about Adonijah. He was a very proud young man with a high regard for himself. He was conceited, and you can detect in him some of the traits of his half brother Absalom who had led a rebellion against David. Adonijah, had something not been done, would also have led a rebellion against his father. David never had a reputation of disciplining his family. He had a disorganized family life; organized chaos reigned in David’s palace, and Adonijah took full advantage of the situation. David never rebuked him. When he did wrong, I think David just smiled over his boy as an old indulgent man would do.
And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him [1 Kings 1:7].
Joab, who had been loyal to David for many years, now gives his allegiance to Adonijah. You can see his position; he is feathering his nest and preparing for the future. David is old, and in a short time he will be gone. Joab wants to be on the winning side. The only one on the scene who is making any move toward the throne is Adonijah. Joab has had tremendous influence in the palace and court of David. He has been David’s right-hand man from the very beginning, and I am confident that he was loyal to David. I do not believe he would have permitted Adonijah to touch a hair of David’s head, but he does want someone to come to the throne at this time. No other son of David seems to be a likely candidate. That is interesting because it implies that Joab would not have chosen Solomon to be king. In my judgment, David’s choice was Absalom, not Solomon, and now he will probably smile when Adonijah makes his move for the throne, because he was very much like Absalom.
Now we find that Adonijah made a banquet. That is always a good way to get some support for any project. If you want to do something, have a church banquet, and you will receive a lot of support.
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants [1 Kings 1:9].
Adonijah’s intention was to announce at the banquet that he was king. By right of primogeniture he probably had a claim upon the throne. We are told that he was older than Solomon; according to the rules and regulations of the day, the oldest son was always the crown prince and was the successor. Absalom, of course, was dead, which put Adonijah next in line.
It was a bold move to send invitations to the king’s sons, especially in light of the fact that Solomon did not receive an invitation; he was left out.
But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not [1 Kings 1:10].
Adonijah knew that Nathan would be on Bathsheba’s side. Nathan was the one who guided David during that awful period of David’s great sin. Bathsheba, of course, was Solomon’s mother. Now Nathan goes to her.
THE PLAN OF NATHAN AND BATHSHEBA
Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? [1 Kings 1:11].
Adonijah was beginning to move behind David’s back—he was not consulting the king at all. Now Nathan begins to move.
Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? [1 Kings 1:13].
David had made a promise to Bathsheba. When their second son was born (their first son had died), David promised her that he would be the next king. That son is Solomon. Now David was making no move to put him on the throne. I do not think David was enthusiastic about making him the king.
Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words [1 Kings 1:14].
Nathan is saying, “We had better alert David to what is taking place. You tell David what is happening, and I will enforce your words.” Nathan wanted to wake up this senile king to what was going on right under his nose.
And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? [1 Kings 1:15–16].
It seems as though David had not seen Bathsheba for a long time.
And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him [1 Kings 1:17–20].
David had made no move to pick a successor from his several sons. Probably Adonijah was a very attractive, handsome, capable boy, and there were many people who wanted him for their next king.
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? [1 Kings 1:21–24].
Nathan and Bathsheba wanted to know if David had chosen Adonijah to reign after him. David, of course, knew nothing about it.
Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day [1 Kings 1:28–30].
When David spoke to Bathsheba about Solomon, notice that he said, “your son,” and not “our son.” David was not too enthusiastic about this boy. I don’t think they had too much in common, as we shall soon see.
Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon [1 Kings 1:31–33].
The mule was the animal kings rode upon, while the horse was the animal of warfare. You will find in the Book of Revelation that the riding of the four horses speaks of turmoil and warfare. Also the Lord Jesus Christ will come again to his earth riding on a white horse, which speaks of warfare. He will come to put down rebellion on the earth; and before Him every knee shall bow. When the Lord came to earth the first time, He did not come to make war; He came to offer Himself as Israel’s Messiah, and as such He rode a little donkey into Jerusalem. That is the animal upon which kings ride. Now David’s own royal mount, a mule, is to be brought out, and Solomon is to be put upon it.
SOLOMON IS ANOINTED AS KING
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon [1 Kings 1:38–39].
Now there is no question as to whom David has chosen to be his successor. Solomon is to be the next king.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? [1 Kings 1:40–41].
The messenger who brought the details to Adonijah concluded with this:
And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it [1 Kings 1:47–48].
David put his seal of approval upon Solomon as king. David was an old man, and soon he would sleep with his fathers.
And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar [1 Kings 1:49–50].
Adonijah’s supporters were afraid and got out of there in a hurry. They knew they would be regarded as traitors. Adonijah, fearing for his life, ran to the tabernacle and caught hold of the horns of the altar for sanctuary.
And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die [1 Kings 1:51–52].
Solomon is being very fair with Adonijah. If Adonijah shows himself to be a loyal subject, then nothing will happen to him.
So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house [1 Kings 1:53].
Adonijah, brought into the king’s presence, submitted himself to the new king. Then Solomon dismissed him in peace.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: David’s deathbed charge to Solomon and the beginning of Solomon’s reign
This chapter records David’s final instructions to Solomon before his death and Solomon’s wise execution of David’s wishes.
DAVID’S CHARGE TO SOLOMON
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man [1 Kings 2:1–2].
First of all David said, “I go the way of all the earth.” This is the way of man. In Romans 5:12 the apostle Paul says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” By man came death, and death is passed on to all men because all have sinned. The sin of Adam has been passed down to you and me; if the Lord tarries, we will go through the doorway of death. Why? Because this is the way of all the earth, the conclusion of this life’s journey. It is not a very attractive subject. We don’t like to think about death today because it is something a little too depressing for the human race.
In Psalm 23:4 David says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” David is not speaking about the fact that he has come to his deathbed. As someone has said, “The moment that gives you life begins also to take it away from you.” David is likening life to a walk through a valley. At birth you start down through the valley, and the farther you walk the narrower it gets. At the end of the valley is death. All of us are walking through that valley today. You may be in robust health today, but you can be dead before the sun goes down.
Next David says to Solomon, “Be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man.” The Lord Jesus Christ put it like this to the crowd who had come out to see John the Baptist: “But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses” (Matt. 11:8). John the Baptist had been brought up in the wilderness. He was rugged. Our Lord was a rugged man also. I don’t like the paintings I see of Him because they make Him almost effeminate, although some of the more recent pictures have tried to make Him look more masculine. May I say to you that if you could have seen Him when He walked upon this earth, you would have seen a rugged man. He had calluses on His hands—He was a carpenter. He was God, but He was a real man. He was very man of very man and very God of very God.
Solomon was not quite like his father. David was a man. Solomon was not much of a man. David was rugged. Solomon had been brought up in the palaces—in fact, he had been brought up in the women’s palaces. Why did Solomon have a thousand women around him? My friend, the answer is quite obvious. All Solomon knew about was women. He was a sissy if there ever was one. I don’t think he and David had much in common. So David says to him, “I have made you king. I want you to play the man. I don’t think you are one, but do the best that you can.” This is the injunction David gave to this boy who had been brought up with soft clothing. Solomon was not like David. He was not like John the Baptist. He was not like our Lord, either. But now he is the king of Israel.
And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel [1 Kings 2:3–4].
David urges Solomon to stay close to the Lord and to the Word of God. His advice to this young man is very important.
There is very little attention ever given to David’s legacy to Solomon, but I believe that what David left to him enabled him to become one of the great kings of the earth. In fact, Solomon is probably one of the best known kings who has ever lived.
Eason, in his New Bible Survey (Zondervan), enumerates David’s legacy to Solomon:
1. He transferred the leadership of the nation from the house of Saul and the tribe of Benjamin to Judah and established the royal house of David. This becomes all-important as we shall see when we get to the New Testament. The Gospel of Matthew opens with the statement, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1). Then in Luke 1:31–32 the angel Gabriel said to Mary, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.” Only a descendant of David is to occupy the throne of Israel.
2. He established Jerusalem as the Holy City and as the religious center and national capital for all Jews. This has continued down to this day. When Israel took the city of Jerusalem from the Arabs in the Six Day War of 1967, they declared that they had no intention of giving it up because it is a legacy that goes back to David. Jerusalem was David’s favorite city, and he made it the capital for the nation of Israel. Solomon beautified the city by building the temple and making it the religious center of Israel. We should note, however, that it was David who made the preparations for the temple.
3. He stamped, out idolatry, practically speaking, and made the worship of Jehovah universal in the land. This was his most important contribution.
4. He made conquests of many nations which paid tribute to Israel and its king. He extended the borders of the country to Egypt on the south, and to the River Euphrates on the north and east. David is actually the one who extended Israel’s borders farther than they had ever been extended before or since. The peace during the reign of Solomon was possible because David had subdued Israel’s enemies.
5. Although an Oriental monarch with a sizable harem, David’s foreign marriages were largely political and relatively free from religious and moral corruption. Having a harem was the custom of that day, but God did not approve of David’s many wives, and it was largely due to them that he was in hot water all of the time. The many sons that were born to him by these women caused constant dissension inside the palace. It was something that caused David woe and sorrow all of his life. It was Solomon, and not David, who was influenced by a foreign wife. It is true that David committed an awful sin, but it occurred before his marriage to Bathsheba. There was not even a breath of scandal after that.
6. David was a poet and musician who endeared himself to the people as the “sweet psalmist of Israel” and gave to us at least seventy-three psalms.
7. David planned the temple, which was to exalt the religious life of the nation and the worship of Jehovah, although he was not permitted to build the Lord’s house.
8. Although there was still rivalry of a sort between the ten tribes of the north and Judah and Benjamin in the south—and had been since the death of Saul and his son—David had no serious difficulty in uniting all tribes under his rule and making Jerusalem the national capital.
9. At the time of David’s death, Israel was second to none in power and military prowess, and the people had a large measure of peace and freedom, as every man “sat under his own vine and fig tree.” The peace that Solomon enjoyed during his reign was a peace that had been made by David during his reign.
And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood [1 Kings 2:8–9].
David is revealing here what seems like a vengeful spirit, but it actually is not. Although Shimei had demonstrated that he was a traitor, because David had made an oath not to touch him, Shimei was still alive. David was a man of his word. Now, however, he tells Solomon to keep his watchful eye on him and if he reveals any of his treachery, Solomon is to deal with him accordingly. The time does come, by the way, when Solomon deals with Shimei, but only after he disobeys and reveals that he is indeed a traitor.
DAVID’S DEATH
So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly [1 Kings 2:10–12].
There is a note of sadness in the death of David. He had been a great man of God. Do you recall the first son of David and Bath-sheba? He died when he was just a few days old. David said of him, “He will never come to me, but I will go to him.” Now David has gone to be with that child.
Solomon, now that his father is gone, comes to the throne. At the change of any dynasty or ruler there is always a time of turmoil and great change.
SOLOMON’S ACCESSION TO THE THRONE
And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on [1 Kings 2:13–14].
Even though Solomon is now on the throne, Adonijah has not given up the idea about wanting to be king. He comes to Bathsheba still harboring this thought. She does not have much confidence in him and inquires about his mission. He says that it is a peaceful one. She says, “Say on”—in other words, “I’m listening.”
And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the Lord [1 Kings 2:15].
He is saying that he was more popular than Solomon and the people wanted him as king.
And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife [1 Kings 2:16–17].
He is saying, “Since the kingdom has been taken away from me, I have only one small request. I would like Abishag for my wife.” Abishag, you recall, nursed David during his last days.
And Bath-sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife [1 Kings 2:18–21].
This was an audacious request, but Adonijah knew that Solomon would not deny his mother anything. That is the reason he went to Bathsheba instead of going directly to Solomon.
And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life [1 Kings 2:22–23].
What Adonijah was actually doing was making a move toward the throne. He was doing a dangerous thing, but he was being very clever about it all. Adonijah was Solomon’s elder brother, and Solomon, of course, had been aware of his brother’s move to seize the throne before David named a successor. Although Bathsheba, in her simplicity, felt that Adonijah’s request for Abishag was reasonable, Solomon’s keen mind instantly penetrated the plot.
Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died [1 Kings 2:24–25].
Adonijah’s death was a brutal thing, of course, but his death eliminated a contender for the throne. It was necessary to execute him in order to establish Solomon on the throne. As long as Adonijah lived, he would continue to connive and plot in an attempt to seize the throne.
Now, having removed Adonijah, Solomon realized it would be necessary to remove from positions of influence those who had supported him.
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord; that he might fulfil the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh [1 Kings 2:26–27].
Abiathar, a descendant of Aaron, was removed from his priestly office and sent home in disgrace because he had participated in Adonijah’s rebellion. The only reason he was not executed was because of his faithfulness to David during Absalom’s rebellion. This ended the line of Eli.
Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me [1 Kings 2:28–30].
When Joab heard what happened to Abiathar and Adonijah, he took off for the tall timber. He ran to the tabernacle of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar for sanctuary. Solomon chose Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, to be Joab’s executioner. He went after Joab and asked him to come outside the tabernacle. Joab refused, saying, “I’ll die here if I have to die.”
And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah [1 Kings 2:31–32].
Joab had been a bloody man.
Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord.
So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness [1 Kings 2:33–34].
He was executed because of his part in a rebellion against Solomon.
Shimei was another traitor. David would not touch him because he had given his word that he would not. Solomon now puts restrictions on him.
And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither [1 Kings 2:36].
Solomon wanted Shimei to be where he could keep his eye on him. Wherever Shimei went, he sowed seeds of rebellion. Solomon wanted to watch his every move.
For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days [1 Kings 2:37–38].
Solomon commanded Shimei to build a home in Jerusalem and to remain within the city limits. He was forbidden to return and live with his own tribe. Shimei promised to be obedient to Solomon’s terms.
And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath [1 Kings 2:39–40].
Shimei went outside the city limits. He did this in direct disobedience to Solomon’s orders. Solomon was told what Shimei had done; so the king sent for him.
Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?
The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.
So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon [1 Kings 2:43–46].
With Shimei’s death Solomon had completed the charge made to him by David his father. Solomon had removed most of the contenders to the throne. Now he could reign in peace.
CHAPTERS 3–4
Theme: Solomon’s prayer for wisdom and God’s answer
In the chapters before us God appears to Solomon in a dream saying, “Ask what I shall give thee.” Solomon asks for wisdom to govern Israel. His unselfish request so pleases God that He promises him much more than he asked for. In addition to wisdom, He gives him riches and honor. Solomon’s decision in the case of two mothers claiming one child demonstrates that God had truly given him a wise and understanding heart.
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days [1 Kings 3:1–2].
One of the first things Solomon did after he became king was to marry a daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His marriage formed an alliance with Egypt. Solomon’s marriages with heathen women were terrible mistakes and finally became his undoing. Remember that Solomon was brought up in a court of women. He was not acquainted with life as was David, his father. I do not believe that Solomon ever had the spiritual capacity for God that David had nor the longing for God in his life. Solomon did, however, recognize his shortcomings. After he married Pharaoh’s daughter (and we only wish he had done this before), he went to the Lord and asked for wisdom.
After David’s reign there was a period of relaxation. The people began to offer sacrifices in high places which was actually heathen, pagan worship. It was a return to idolatry.
SOLOMON’S SACRIFICE AND PRAYER FOR WISDOM
And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar [1 Kings 3:3–4].
Solomon was perfectly willing to offer sacrifices on heathen altars—something that David never would have done. Although Solomon loved the Lord, he was not the kind of a man David was. Solomon was walking in the statutes of David, but he had that little flaw that we have already seen makes second-rate material.
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee [1 Kings 3:5].
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. Again, I must repeat that God today is not appearing to men in dreams. If you have had a dream, do not try to say that the Lord appeared to you. Just remember what you had for supper, and you will find out why you had the dream. God speaks to us today in His Word. Solomon did not have all of God’s Word in his day, so God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Ask what you will. I will grant it to you.” What is Solomon going to ask for? He has the choice of asking for anything he wants. The fact that he is going to make a wise choice indicates that he had a certain amount of human wisdom before God gave him His wisdom.
When the Lord told Solomon He would grant any wish, I think He recognized that Solomon had many deficiencies and was wholly and totally inadequate. But, my friend, who is adequate for these things? Who is adequate for living the Christian life? Not one of us. The fact of the matter is that we cannot live the Christian life, and God has never asked us to live it. He has asked that He might live that life through us. Now He is wanting to do something through Solomon. This king could have asked for riches or power. Instead, recognizing his deficiency, notice what he asks for.
And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day [1 Kings 3:6].
Solomon realized that he was attempting to fill not the shoes but the throne of David. He recognized that he was totally inadequate for the job.
And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude [1 Kings 3:7–8].
He considered himself “a little child” in experience. He felt incapable of governing this great nation. There are so many folk today attempting to serve God who do not seem to recognize their inadequacies. All of us are wholly inadequate to serve God. We should recognize that fact so that we are in a position where God can help us.
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? [1 Kings 3:9].
Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge God’s people. I want to consider this for just a moment. We always say that Solomon prayed for wisdom. That is certainly true, but what kind of wisdom did he pray for? He prayed for political wisdom. He wanted the ability to be a statesman. He wanted to know how to judge and rule over these people and make great national decisions. He did not pray for spiritual discernment. This is something that needs to be made very clear. In the books Solomon wrote, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, we will find wisdom that will guide us in this world—Proverbs is a fine book to give to young men starting out on their own. Although in the Song of Solomon he does reveal spiritual discernment, in his old age his heathen wives turned away his heart from the Lord. Solomon did not pray for spiritual discernment. Solomon prayed for political wisdom, and this God gave him throughout his life.
SOLOMON’S PRAYER IS ANSWERED
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment [1 Kings 3:10–11].
Solomon wanted to make wise decisions. In the sickening scene in every government today we see a group of men clamoring for positions. They want to be elected to an office. All of them are telling us how great they are and what marvelous abilities they have. They assure us that they are able to solve the problems. By now, friend, some of us have come to the conclusion that these boys are just kidding us. They don’t have the solution and they don’t have the wisdom. If only some men would come on the scene and say, “I don’t have the wisdom; I recognize my inadequacies. But I am going to depend on God to lead and guide me.” Something like that would be so startling it would probably rock the world. That is what Solomon said, and God commended him for it. It was a great step.
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee [1 Kings 3:12].
Solomon does stand out as being a wise ruler. When you read the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, you will find human wisdom on the highest plane. I do not mean that these books are not inspired of God. It is obvious that God through Solomon is giving the highest of human wisdom, making it clear in both books that mere human wisdom is totally inadequate to meet the issues of life.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days [1 Kings 3:13–14].
The standard, as we have indicated before, is David. That is a human standard and is not very high. But, frankly, few of the kings even came up to that standard.
And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants [1 Kings 3:15].
The burnt offerings and peace offerings point to the Lord Jesus Christ. The burnt offering speaks of who He is. The peace offering speaks of the fact that He made peace by shedding His blood on the cross. Because of who He is, He is able to bring us into a right relationship with God. The shedding of His blood makes it possible to remove the guilt of our sins.
In the last part of this chapter we have a demonstration of Solomon’s wisdom. He gives a clever solution to a real problem. There were two women. They were harlots, and they had one child between them. Each woman claimed the child as her own. They brought the matter to Solomon. How would you solve the problem? How would you find out who the real mother was? I suppose today some scientific method of determining the mother would be pursued, but Solomon had no such recourse. Solomon said to the women, “Since both of you claim the child, we will cut the baby in half, and each of you may have half of the child.” The one who was not the mother, who had no love for the child and apparently had it in for the real mother, replied, “Sure, go ahead and cut the child in half.” The real mother, however, said, “Oh, no, no. Don’t do that. Give her the child.” Solomon knew that the woman who was willing to give the child up in order to save its life was the real mother.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment [1 Kings 3:28].
This is only one example of the many wise decisions Solomon was able to make during his reign.
SOLOMON’S ELEVEN PRINCES
In chapter 4 Solomon brings the kingdom to its zenith. The things that marked his kingdom were peace and prosperity. Peace is what we would like to have, is it not? I think we could call Solomon the prince of peace while David was a man of war. But the peace that Solomon and those in his kingdom enjoyed was made possible by David, the man of war.
This has a spiritual application for us. We like to feel that God forgives sin because He is sentimental. God does not forgive sin on a low plane like that. A battle has been fought, my friend, and a great sacrifice has been made. Blood has been shed that we might have forgiveness of sin. The Lord Jesus Christ made peace by the blood of His cross. It is only through His blood that we can enter into peace.
So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:
And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute [1 Kings 4:1–6].
In the first few verses of this chapter a list of Solomon’s princes is given. Some of them apparently were the sons of the sons of David, which would mean that they were Solomon’s nephews. Azariah is mentioned in verse 5. This man was either a son of Nathan, David’s son, or a son of Nathan, the prophet.
SOLOMON’S TWELVE OFFICERS
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision [1 Kings 4:7].
Solomon had twelve officers. Each officer came from a tribe of Israel. They were in charge of providing the needs of the king and his household. This was Solomon’s method of taxation.
THE GREATNESS OF THE KINGDOM
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life [1 Kings 4:20–21].
This was a time of great prosperity and peace. The wars were over. There was plenty for everyone. And this, my friend, is just a little adumbration, a little preview, of the kingdom that is coming on this earth—the millennial kingdom.
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon [1 Kings 4:25].
There are several things we need to note here. This was a time of security and safety, something which we do not have in this world today, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). But peace is coming on the earth when the Prince of Peace comes. In Solomon’s day every man dwelt under his own vine and fig tree. That tells us that one man was not living in a mansion and another in a hovel. Each man had his vine and fig tree; he was living comfortably on his own property. It was so from Dan to Beer-sheba—that is, from the northern border to the southern border—all the days of Solomon.
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen [1 Kings 4:26].
I want to call attention to this verse. The horse was the animal of war, and God had forbidden the multiplication of horses. God gave a specific law that a king was not to multiply horses or wives: “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way” (Deut. 17:16). Solomon multiplied both horses and wives. He had stables all over the land of Israel. I visited the ruins at Megiddo; that is, the mound that overlooks the valley of Esdraelon where we believe that the great issue will be finally settled in the last days at the battle, or war, of Armageddon. It is a tremendous view, by the way. But the thing that impressed me was the ruins there of Solomon’s stables, stalls, and the troughs where his horses ate. These stables would accommodate at least 450 horses. Second Chronicles 9:25 says he had 4,000 stalls for horses! Solomon certainly multiplied horses, contrary to the wisdom of God.
SOLOMON’S GREAT WISDOM AND RENOWN
Now we are told something of the wisdom of Solomon.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt [1 Kings 4:29–30].
The east is where the wise men came from.
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about [1 Kings 4:31].
Four outstanding wise men are mentioned in this verse.
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes [1 Kings 4:32–33].
We are told that Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs. We have only a few hundred recorded in the Bible. His songs were a thousand and five. Believe me, he was a song writer. We have only one of his songs, The Song of Solomon. Solomon was a dendrologist—“He spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall.” The hyssop is a humble little plant that grows on rocks. Solomon was also a zoologist—“he spake also of beasts”—and an ornithologist since he spoke of birds. He was an entomologist: he spoke of creeping things, or insects. He was an ichthyologist: he spoke of fishes. He spoke of these things because he had studied them and was an authority in these particular realms. This, apparently, is the beginning of the sciences. Solomon was interested in these things.
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom [1 Kings 4:34].
Solomon gained a worldwide reputation for his wisdom, and many came to hear him. We have a few of the proverbs that he wrote recorded in the Book of Proverbs. As I have said before, these proverbs are extremely helpful to any young person entering adult life. There are certain proverbs that can guide a young man in life and business. You see, God is very practical with us. He gets right down to the nitty-gritty, where you and I walk in and out of the marts of trade, where we enter into the courts of the land and into social gatherings. Certain guiding principles of life are given to us in Proverbs. I am not saying that a young man can become a Christian by following the proverbs of Solomon, but he certainly will have a marvelous guide for his life.
CHAPTERS 5–6
Theme: Preparation and construction of the temple
In chapter 5 Solomon works out a business deal with King Hiram of Tyre for cedar and workmen. Also out of Israel he raises a levy of thirty thousand workmen.
Chapter 6 details the construction of this costly and ornate temple which took seven years to complete.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David [1 Kings 5:1].
Whatever King Hiram of Tyre is going to do will not be because of Solomon but because of his love, esteem, and respect for King David.
And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent [1 Kings 5:2–4].
Friend, only God can give peace, whether it is world peace or peace in the human heart. God alone can give the rest today that the human heart needs. That is why our Lord, when they rejected Him as king, could send out His personal, private, individual invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden”—that is, burdened with sin—“and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Only Christ can give that kind of rest. Now God had given Solomon rest from warfare. There was peace on every side.
And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name [1 Kings 5:5].
Although the building of the temple all stems from David, he was not permitted to build it because he was a man of war.
Perhaps we should consider some of the background relative to the building of the temple. Man has been a builder from the beginning. In Genesis 4:17 we are told that Cain “… builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.” The face of the earth is scarred by great mounds that hide the ruins of great cities and splendid buildings of the past. The spade of the archaeologist has penetrated into the depths, and you can judge each civilization by the height of the buildings. There are those who say that the cave men of the Stone Age (if they ever existed) were barbarians and uncivilized. They were not builders but sought refuge in caves. The Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, and the Romans are all counted as civilized, and it is evidenced in their architecture. Modern man claims a high degree of culture because he has built subdivisions, shopping centers, apartment buildings, and tall office buildings. Today man is building his own cave in which to live and work—like a gopher. The rest of the time he crawls on the freeway like a worm. As long as he can push a button and turn a switch, he says he is living. That is modern man.
The first buildings of impressive design were the temples. All pagan peoples had temples. Some temples were crude; others, such as the Parthenon in Greece, were the highest expression of beauty. All of this building stems from the Tower of Babel, which was a monument to man’s gargantuan resistance to God. Pagan temples have always been the highest architectural expression, but the pagans who have attended, both civilized and uncivilized, have been on the lowest spiritual level. These temples have been elaborate, large, ornate, rich, and impressive. The temples of the kings on the River Nile, Asshur of Nineveh, Marduk of Babylon, the ziggurats in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley, Baal of the Phoenicians, Athena of the Greeks and in Athens the Parthenon, Jupiter of the Romans, the Aztec temples of Mexico—all of them are manifestations of rebellion against God, “… When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations….” What did they do? They built temples, changing “… the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:21, 23). Each made a house for his god to live in. They put their gods in a box like a jack-in-the-box.
The temple Solomon built, however, was never considered in Scripture as a house in which God would live. In the Book of 2 Chronicles at the dedication of the temple, Solomon made it quite clear that God did not dwell in that place. “But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!” (2 Chron. 6:18). If you think that the temple was built as a house in which God would dwell, you have missed the entire point. It was an approach for man to God and an access to God through sacrifices.
Notice now the conception of the temple, then its construction and character. It is rather important.
The building of the temple was first in David’s mind, although God would not let him build it. First Chronicles 28:1–3 tells us part of the story: “And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.” The temple was not a dwelling place for God; it was to be His foot-stool.
It was in David’s heart to build the temple. The pattern for the building was given to David, not Solomon. First Chronicles 28:19 tells us, “All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.” In other words, David was given the blueprint of the temple even though God did not permit him to build it. David gave this pattern or blueprint to Solomon. “Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, and the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things” (1 Chron. 28:10–12). David also gathered the material: “Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance” (1 Chron. 29:2). The conception of the temple, you see, was in the heart of David. Solomon merely executed the construction of it.
Now with all David’s accumulation of material at hand, Solomon contracts with Hiram king of Tyre for cedar and fir timber for the actual construction of the edifice.
And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household [1 Kings 5:8–9].
In addition to the workmen from Tyre, Solomon employed a large work force of Israelites.
And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel: and the levy was thirty thousand men.
And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy [1 Kings 5:13–14].
This was a tremendous enterprise. After Solomon had built the temple, he went on to build other things. He had a building project that was too big, and he overtaxed his people.
Chapter 6 brings us to the actual construction of the temple. You will notice that the temple is twice as large as the tabernacle was. It was more ornate, elaborate, and costly. The simplicity of the tabernacle was lost, and there appears to be a spiritual deterioration, as we shall see.
And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits [1 Kings 6:2].
Although the temple was twice as large as the tabernacle, it may be smaller than we realize. The tabernacle was 30 x 10 cubits “and the height thereof 30 cubits.” The temple was three times higher than the tabernacle, which had been nothing in the world but a tent.
Even though the temple was small, it was like a jewel. Now a diamond is not as big as a straw stack, but it is much more valuable. That was true of the temple Solomon built.
And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.
And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building [1 Kings 6:3–7].
Let me say a word about the construction of the temple. As we have seen, it was only twice as large as the tabernacle. It was surrounded on three sides by a three-story building. This was the place where the priests lived during their course of service. In the front there was a portico that was 10 x 20 x 120 cubits—half as long as a football field. The brazen altar was 20 x 20 x 10 cubits, while the altar of the tabernacle was 5 x 5 x 3 cubits. There were ten lampstands to replace the one of the tabernacle. There were ten tables of showbread rather than one. There was a multiplication of some of the articles of furniture.
There were 30,000 Israelites used in the construction; they were drafted for the work. There were 150,000 extra workers and 3,300 overseers used in the construction of the building. Hiram, king of Tyre, furnished the material and the artifices. The temple was completed in seven years and six months. The temple was made of stone, and the sound of a hammer was not heard during the building. The cost of the building is estimated around five million dollars. It was like a jewel box. There were two pillars in it which were very impressive. Later on we will see what they mean.
I have mentioned these details by way of comparison. The temple was inferior to the tabernacle, not only in innate quality, but in that which the temple characterizes.
First of all, it was complicated. The simplicity of the tabernacle was lost. In the New Testament the temple is bypassed and the tabernacle is used for the typology. Why? Well, the temple had become very complicated. This has an application for us. We are living in a day when the emphasis is put on methods rather than on the Word of God. The church is filled with new programs and new methods.
When I first began my ministry I pastored in a little white church on a red clay hill in Georgia, surrounded by a cotton patch. We just had a back room that served as Sunday school. We didn’t have very good facilities. We did have central heating, however, as a great big old potbellied stove sat right in the middle of the church. I went by that church a short time ago. The city of Atlanta has grown all around it now. The church now has a big Christian education department and all of the latest equipment. I asked a member of the church, one who had been saved during my ministry, “Does anybody ever get saved here today?” He said, “No. Nobody has been saved.” May I say to you that there is a girl out on the mission field who was saved when it was a little old simple church. Although it was very simple, people got saved. I don’t like all of the methods employed today. I think we need to get back to the Word of God.
The second thing I want you to notice is that Solomon made windows of narrow lights. There had been no windows in the tabernacle. Now Solomon’s windows did not let in much light, but they did let in a little. The people no longer depended upon divine light as they had in the tabernacle. They depended on the natural light which came from outside.
The third indication of inferiority is that the cherubim were made of olive wood. They were ten cubits high—very impressive—but they were no longer made of solid gold. The fourth thing is that the temple was more ornate and gaudy than the tabernacle, and there was more ceremony and ritual connected with it.
This is the temple that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. The temple put up by Zerubbabel was destroyed in turn and then supplanted by Herod’s temple in Christ’s day. The temple actually pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 2:19 Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He wasn’t talking about Herod’s temple; He was talking about His body: “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body” (John 2:20–21). The temple is equated with the body of Christ.
Because this chapter is largely a record of building detail, I have not quoted much of it. However, you will find it very interesting to read. As you read of the magnificence of the temple, keep in mind that it was conceived in the mind and heart of David, as he wanted a suitable place to house the ark of the covenant. (He had no idea, of course, of building a dwelling place for God; he said it was only a footstool for Him.) Its purpose was to provide access to God by sacrifice. Also notice how complicated it is in comparison to the tabernacle. After I had written a book on the tabernacle, I was going to follow it with a book on the temple. After a great deal of study, I threw up my hands in despair. It is much too complicated to illustrate or set before us the wonderful person of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, God honored it with His presence, and the place was filled with the Shekinah glory, as we shall see in the following chapter.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Solomon’s building projects
In chapter 7 we learn that not only did Solomon build the temple, but he built his own palace, the house of the forest of Lebanon, and a palace for the daughter of Pharaoh. Also in this chapter we have details concerning the construction of the porch of the temple, the molten sea for the temple, the ten lavers of brass and the ten golden lampstands for the temple.
But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house [1 Kings 7:1].
It took seven years to build the temple, but it took almost twice that long to build his own house. It must have been a very elaborate palace.
He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars [1 Kings 7:2].
Solomon also built the house of the forest of Lebanon. That was his lodge, his second house. Perhaps that is where he went on vacation. We are told that the “length thereof was an hundred cubits,” which is half the length of a football field. The breadth was fifty cubits, which is seventy-five feet. The height of it was thirty cubits; that is forty-five feet. It was built “upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.” Hiram, king of Tyre, furnished the stone and the cedars, which were the cedars of Lebanon. There are very few of those tall, graceful cedars left today. All of that country, including Palestine, has been denuded. Apparently at one time it was heavily timbered.
And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch [1 Kings 7:8].
“Of the like work” indicates it was also very ornate and elaborate. He built a house for Pharaoh’s daughter—he seems to have put her in a favored position. He could not build each wife such a palace. If he had, he would have built a thousand palaces! That would have been a staggering building program, like a government housing development.
HIRAM, THE ARTISAN
And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work [1 Kings 7:13–14].
This man is Hiram, the artisan, and not Hiram, the king. He was a skilled worker in brass. He was the one who made all of the delicate pieces of statuary and the items that were made out of iron, brass, and gold. His work was highly ornamented, which is what Solomon wanted. Elaborate ornamentation is evidence of the affluent period and time of peace in which he lived. It is during an era of peace and prosperity that the arts develop. During Solomon’s reign there was peace and plenty.
Now we are given more detail relative to the temple.
And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz [1 Kings 7:21].
Jachin means “God shall establish,” Boaz means “in it is strength.” You will find that there are psalms which include these two concepts of strength and beauty. For example, Psalm 96:6 says, “Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.” Strength speaks of salvation—God is able to deliver those who are His. Beauty speaks of the beauty of worship. We are to worship God in the beauty of holiness. These two pillars were prominent in the temple. Spiritually, these two pillars should be in the life of anyone who is going to worship God. If you are going to worship God, you must have experienced the power of God in delivering you from sin. Then you can worship Him in the beauty of holiness. I see nothing wrong in having a beautiful sanctuary; I think it is quite proper. A beautiful sanctuary may be conducive to worship, but it does not always inspire worship and certainly is no substitute for worship. We worship Him in the beauty of holiness. That is, when we come into the presence of God, sense His presence, and realize our inadequacies, then we can see Him in all of His beauty and glory. This was Isaiah’s experience when he went into the temple and saw a vision of God seated upon a throne, high, and holy, and lifted up. When Isaiah saw himself in the light of the presence of God, he saw his own uncleanness. “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5). The pillars Jachin and Boaz speak of that which worship really is—a redeemed soul who comes into the presence of a holy God.
Realizing that I am no authority in the realm of music, I still insist that music which does not lift you into the presence of God is not music for the church. There is a great deal of music in the church which definitely does not prepare anyone for worship. I have discovered in my ministry and conference work that many times a musical number given by the choir or a soloist before the message is absolutely devastating and destructive to the giving out of the Word of God. We need to recognize that the worship of God is based on the fact that He is high, holy, and lifted up.
Solomon also greatly enlarged the laver in the temple.
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about [1 Kings 7:23].
This huge laver was supported on twelve oxen cast in brass, three oxen looking in each direction. The brim of it was ornate with lilies. The laver was for the priests to wash in. While there was only one simple laver in the tabernacle, here we have multiplication and beautification in Solomon’s temple.
Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver [1 Kings 7:38].
The purpose of these ten lavers was to cleanse such things as they offered for the burnt offering.
It takes more than size and beauty to bring cleansing to the heart. There are many churches today that conduct beautiful services, yet they do not cleanse the congregation nor bring them into the presence of God. They do not refresh the soul nor bring peace and joy to the heart. All the lavers in the world cannot cleanse one from sin. It is the water in the laver that cleanses. The water represents the Word of God. To wash in the Word of God is to apply the Word to the life.
And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the Lord: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was.
And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold [1 Kings 7:48–49].
In the tabernacle there was one lampstand which spoke of Christ. In the temple there were ten. Again there is multiplication that has an application for us. In our contemporary society there is danger in becoming overly familiar with the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, the other day I listened to a message given on the radio in which the speaker mentioned the name of Jesus over fifty times before he was halfway through his message. To keep mentioning His name over and over is like multiplying lampstands. Also I heard a man say the other day that he was going to come into the presence of Jesus and sit down and talk with Him. Maybe he will; I don’t know. But the Bible does not suggest such familiarity with the glorified Christ. A man who was very familiar with Him when He was here on earth—who rebuked Him and made suggestions to Him, and reclined on His bosom in the upper room—was John. He was very familiar with Him in the days of His flesh. But John writes of his reaction when he sees the glorified Christ in these terms: “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead …” (Rev. 1:17). I think that is where you and I are going to be when we come into Christ’s presence. My friend, let’s not keep multiplying lampstands, becoming overly familiar with Him. He is the One whom we worship and adore. He is the One before whom we fall down upon our faces.
So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord [1 Kings 7:51].
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Dedication of the finished temple
In the chapter before us the ark of the covenant is brought into the completed temple, the Shekinah glory fills the house of the Lord, and Solomon gives his message and prayer of dedication.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion [1 Kings 8:1].
When the ark is brought from the tabernacle and installed in the place prepared for it in the holy of holies, the glory of the Lord fills the temple.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord.
So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord [1 Kings 8:10–11].
In Solomon’s message of dedication he gives proper credit to David.
And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel [1 Kings 8:17–20].
The desire for a permanent structure to house the ark of God originated in the heart of David, as we have seen in 2 Samuel 7. Solomon merely executed David’s plans. I think it should be called David’s temple rather than Solomon’s temple.
In Solomon’s prayer of dedication he says that this temple is to be a place for the name of God, and a place where God’s people are to approach Him. It is not a pagan temple in which there is an idol—nor in which God lives. Solomon understands that the temple is, as David had said, the footstool of God.
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? [1 Kings 8:27].
It was merely a place for man to come and bow before Him and offer his sacrifices before Him. It served as an approach to God. It is a pagan notion to think that God can dwell in a house down here. Solomon said, “The heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.” God is omnipresent—He is everywhere. He is also transcendent, above His creation.
Now here is a section that is quite interesting. It looks forward to the day when Israel would sin against God and be sent into captivity.
If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near [1 Kings 8:46].
This, by the way, is God’s estimate of you and me—“there is no man that sinneth not.” Don’t tell me that you don’t sin. God says you do.
Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness.
And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name [1 Kings 8:47–48].
This is what they are to do when their temple is destroyed and they are captives in a strange land. This is exactly what Daniel will do over in Babylon. He will open his window toward Jerusalem and pray toward that temple, confessing the sins of his people and his own sins.
Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause.
And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them [1 Kings 8:49–50].
As we shall see, God will answer this prayer.
And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven [1 Kings 8:54].
There has always been a question about the proper posture of prayer. Should you stand, kneel, get down on all fours, or prostrate yourself before the Lord on the ground? Solomon knelt when he prayed. Although no particular posture is essential—you can pray in most any position—this is where the posture of kneeling is mentioned. I think it was Victor Hugo who said that the soul is on its knees many times regardless of the posture of the body. It is the posture of the heart that is important.
And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.
The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days [1 Kings 8:63–65].
Obviously, the altars in the temple could not accommodate all the animal sacrifices mentioned in this passage. Therefore temporary altars were erected to handle the large number of animals which were sacrificed at this time. I think that these altars reached all the way up north to Hamath and all the way south to the river of Egypt. After the animals were offered, they were taken off the altars and divided among the people. It was a time of great celebration and picnicking, you might say.
On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people [1 Kings 8:66].
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: The fame of Solomon; the visit of the queen of Sheba
God appears to Solomon a second time to encourage him, and He sets up David as a standard of measurement for him. The remainder of these two chapters gives proof of Solomon’s greatness and of the prosperity of his reign.
GOD APPEARS TO SOLOMON A SECOND TIME
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do.
That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually [1 Kings 9:1–3].
God is saying to Solomon, “I will meet with you here at the temple. This is the place for you to come, for the people to come, and for the world to come. This is the meeting place.”
And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments [1 Kings 9:4].
Now God charges Solomon, “And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked … Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.” David is a human standard, not a high standard according to God’s standards. David had a tremendous capacity for God. He loved God but he failed, fumbled, faltered, and fell. But he got up and came to God in confession. He wanted to have fellowship with God. God told Solomon that He wanted him to walk before ’Him as David his father had done—in integrity of heart.
Integrity of heart is important for us today because there is so much subterfuge and hypocrisy in Christian circles. I spoke at a church banquet some time ago where there were over one thousand people present. One of the politicians of that area got up and said a few words. You would have thought he was the most pious fellow in that crowd. But he managed to leave before the message. Do you know why? He did not want to hear it. He was not interested in God’s Word. There is so much of that kind of hypocrisy today. One sees dishonesty and hypocrisy revealed on Sunday morning. Here comes a man out of the business world. He has been careless in his life; he has not been a good example in his home. Yet he walks into church with a Bible under his arm and talks about God and God’s will, using all sorts of pious expressions. Whom is he attempting to fool? Does he think he is fooling God?
My friend, we don’t fool God. We might as well tell Him the facts because He already knows them. David walked before God in integrity of heart. When he sinned, he confessed it and asked for cleansing. Although his faith failed for a moment, beneath the faith that failed was a faith that never failed. Imperfect though he was, God set him up as a standard: “walk before me, as David thy father walked.”
Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel [1 Kings 9:5].
As long as Israel had a king, he was in the line of David. And there is One today in David’s line whose nail-pierced hands hold the sceptre of this universe.
But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people [1 Kings 9:6–7].
The Jews are certainly a proverb and a byword today. This has come to pass literally.
And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to this house?
And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil [1 Kings 9:8–9].
This also has come to pass literally. If you go to the spot where the temple once stood, you will see that it has been destroyed. The Mosque of Omar now stands there. Why is the land of Israel like it is? Why is the Mosque of Omar there? Israel forsook God, friend. That is the answer.
SOLOMON’S FAME
Next we are told that Solomon and Hiram had a little difficulty.
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord, and the king’s house,
(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not [1 Kings 9:10–12].
When Hiram saw the twenty cities, he felt that he had not been given full payment for all that he had done for Solomon in the building of the temple. Actually there was a misunderstanding, and this is the thing that caused a breach between these two men.
And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold [1 Kings 9:13–14].
This last sentence should read “Hiram had sent …”—explaining that the cities were in payment for the gold he had furnished (the timber, stone, and labor had been paid for in corn, wine, and oil).
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion [1 Kings 9:15, 17–19].
This passage describes the extension of Solomon’s kingdom and his tremendous building program.
And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon [1 Kings 9:26–28].
Solomon just about cornered the gold market in that day. He also had quite a navy. Eziongeber was situated on the eastern arm of the Red Sea. This was Solomon’s seaport. It was situated near Israeli Eilat. It is thought that his navy extended its navigation as far away as Ophir in southwestern Arabia.
SOLOMON IS VISITED BY THE QUEEN OF SHEBA
The visit of the queen of Sheba reveals that Solomon had succeeded in witnessing for God to the world of that day. Solomon’s fame had spread, and obviously multitudes were coming to Jerusalem to worship the living and true God. In the present dispensation, the church is to go to the world, but the commission to go into all the world was not given to the nation Israel. As Israel was true to God, she was a witness to the world, and the world came to Jerusalem to worship.
In chapter 10 we have a great illustration of the influence of Solomon in that day. The visit of this queen shows the effect of the reign of Solomon, as God’s representative, upon the nations of the world.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions [1 Kings 10:1].
The queen of Sheba came to Solomon because of what she had heard. She had heard of a temple where man could approach God—she wanted to know about that. She had heard of Solomon’s wisdom; so she came to test him with difficult questions.
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her [1 Kings 10:2–5].
Now the phrase, “and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord, ” should be translated, “and his burnt offering by which he went up unto the house of the Lord.” She witnesses that Solomon approached God by a burnt offering. This is the offering that speaks more fully of Christ and His substitutionary death than all the others. Hebrews 9:22 says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” The burnt offering was a testimony to the queen of Sheba.
She was also impressed with the wisdom of Solomon and with his building program: the palace, the temple and the other buildings. All around were bounty, luxury, and temporal prosperity. For a brief moment in time, God’s people were faithful and true witnesses of Him.
And so the queen responds to all that she has seen and heard:
And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard [1 Kings 10:6–7].
She had not believed half of what she had been told and came to find that the half had not been told her. And I don’t think the half has been told today concerning our Lord.
Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice [1 Kings 10:8–9].
This now is her testimony, and I think it reveals that she has come to know the living and true God.
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon [1 Kings 10:10].
She brought a great amount of wealth and gave it to Solomon.
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day [1 Kings 10:11–12].
Hiram was king of Tyre—of the Phoenicians who were a seagoing people. We see here that Solomon continued his building program. He made pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and psalteries for singers.
And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants [1 Kings 10:13].
The story of the queen of Sheba is one example of the many who came to know God at this time. Similarly, the Book of Acts records only certain conversions such as those of the Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus and Cornelius. Yet we know that literally thousands came to know Christ during that period. And there were thousands who came to know God through the temple in Jerusalem and the witness of the people of Solomon’s day.
Now we are told something of the gold that came to Solomon:
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target [1 Kings 10:14–16].
I cannot comprehend it when it says there were six hundred threescore and six talents of gold that came to him every year—he simply cornered the gold market. The kingdom had reached its zenith. Actually, David brought it to this position, but now Solomon is the one who is able to move in and enjoy the peace, the plenty, and the prosperity.
For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks [1 Kings 10:22].
All of these are luxury items: apes for entertainment (these were Solomon’s zoo); peacocks for beauty; and gold, silver, and ivory for magnificent decorations. There is a frivolous and tragic note here which is symptomatic of the condition of Solomon’s kingdom. He is called to give a witness to the world—the world is coming to his door—and what does he do? He spends his time and energy with apes and peacocks simply to satisfy a whim.
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart [1 Kings 10:23–24].
It was during this period that the kingdom reached its zenith and was characterized by very faithful witnessing. We have seen that illustrated in the life of the queen of Sheba, and now we are told that many others came to Jerusalem also. There was a real witness given to the world by Solomon—a witness for God.
And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year [1 Kings 10:25].
Frankly, the presents from these visitors enabled Solomon to build up a kingdom that was noted for its riches. Later, of course, that made Israel the subject of spoil by other nations when the kingdom was divided and weakened.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem [1 Kings 10:26].
Solomon, as he gathered horses and horsemen, expanded in a department in which God had forbidden him to expand. Solomon’s stables would make these modern race tracks look like a tenant farmer’s barn in Georgia.
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means [1 Kings 10:27–29].
Solomon really built up tremendous wealth in the kingdom. At that time he actually cornered the market on gold, silver, and precious stones.
My friend, what are you busy doing today? Are you getting out the Word of God or are you in the business of gathering a bunch of apes? Do you pay more for entertainment than you do for the Word of God? How about the peacocks for beauty? More money is spent today on beauty preparations than is given to the Lord’s work. What about gold, silver, and precious stones? Are you so busy making money that you have no time left for the Lord? Oh, my friend, we are called to witness to the world. God have mercy on us for going into the business of apes and peacocks. How frivolous!
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The shame and death of Solomon
Solomon is the most colossal failure in the pages of Scripture. “… For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required …” (Luke 12:48). He had the greatest opportunity of any man who ever lived. He began by failing to remove false religion (1 Kings 3:3). What was at first only a spot is now a plague of leprosy. He had a harem of one thousand wives, pagan women, who turned his heart away from the Lord. For this reason God stirred up enemies against Solomon and allowed Jeroboam to rise to prominence and finally split the kingdom.
SOLOMON FORSAKES GOD
But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites [1 Kings 11:1].
As far as women were concerned, Solomon was patterning his life after his father David. It is too bad he did not pattern his life after other areas of David’s life, but he did not. Remember that Solomon had been brought up in the king’s palace. He was sort of an effeminate fellow, unaccustomed to the rough and rugged life that David had known. Solomon began to gather women, just as someone else might have a hobby of gathering antique automobiles. He collected women of all nationalities.
Now these women turned the head of Solomon, causing him to go into idolatry and to permit it in the land. He violated God’s prescribed law at this particular point.
Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love [1 Kings 11:2].
I think this is the one place in Scripture where the word love can be changed to sex. That was Solomon’s motive. He had been raised in the women’s palace and had never known anything rough or manly. When he became an adult, Solomon spent his time gathering women. He was accustomed to their company. He was a dandy. He was like many men we have in our society today. God is going to deal with him in this connection. The Lord did not approve of what Solomon did, for the Scripture says:
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.
Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen [1 Kings 11:9–13].
“The Lord was angry with Solomon.” Let’s be fair with the Word of God. There are those who say, “Oh, look, God permitted Solomon to have a thousand wives.” The record gives us the number accurately; that is history. But God’s attitude toward it is also revealed: “the Lord was angry with Solomon.”
The Lord said that he would not rend away all of the kingdom from Solomon. One tribe would be left for Solomon’s son. That one tribe, I would say, was Benjamin. Solomon was a member of the tribe of Judah; naturally that tribe would also stand with him. So Benjamin and Judah were in the division that will go with the family of David. The other ten tribes in the north will follow Jeroboam.
SOLOMON IS CHASTENED
Now we come to the time at the end of Solomon’s reign. God begins to stir up trouble for this man. “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). Solomon had enjoyed peace. Now for the first time during his reign there was to be warfare.
And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom [1 Kings 11:14].
Next we are introduced to Jeroboam.
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph [1 Kings 11:26–28].
Although Jeroboam was the son of a servant, Solomon recognized that he was a young man of considerable ability and talent. Solomon, therefore, elevated him to a high position and made him overseer of his public works.
And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) [1 Kings 11:29–32].
Ahijah the prophet took Jeroboam’s new garment and tore it into twelve pieces. He gave ten pieces to Jeroboam and said to him, “God is going to give you ten tribes. The kingdom is going to be divided.”
Why would God divide Israel into two kingdoms?
Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father [1 Kings 11:33].
The prophet continues with his message. For David’s sake, God will not take the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, but He will take it out of the hand of Solomon’s son and give ten tribes to Jeroboam.
After these things, Jeroboam is forced to flee for his life.
Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon [1 Kings 11:40].
SOLOMON’S DEATH
And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead [1 Kings 11:41–43].
We will see more of the acts of Solomon and his wisdom in 1 and 2 Chronicles. He was a colorful ruler in the sense that he accumulated so much of this world’s goods. Everything in the kingdom denoted wealth, affluence, and prosperity. In the New Testament our Lord refers to the glory that was Solomon’s. There was indeed an earthly glory in his kingdom.
CHAPTERS 12–14
Theme: Division of the kingdom under Rehoboam and Jeroboam
In chapter 12 Rehoboam, son of Solomon, succeeds to the throne. Jeroboam returns from Egypt and leads ten tribes in demanding a reduction in taxes. Rehoboam under the influence of the young men of his kingdom, having rejected the counsel of the old men who were Solomon’s advisors, turns down the request of the ten northern tribes. Instead of reducing taxes, he threatens to raise them. Therefore, Jeroboam leads the ten tribes in revolt.
Jeroboam divides the nation religiously as well as politically by setting up a golden calf in Beth-el and one in the tribe of Dan. The northern tribes go into idolatry.
REHOBOAM’S ACCESSION AND FOOLISHNESS
Solomon dies, and his son Rehoboam comes to the throne.
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt:)
That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed [1 Kings 12:1–5].
Solomon had carried on a tremendous building program at great cost. After his death the people asked for their taxes to be lowered. We hear about the government costing so much today. If you want to know why it costs so much, go to the capital of any state, or go to any county seat or to our capital in Washington, D.C., and you will see why taxes are like they are. Believe me, government is a fat calf. It is really spending money and putting up many buildings. Spending requires increased taxation; this is something that is always going to cause trouble. Our problem today is one of taxation—our government costs too much. We are seeing the increase in buildings to house more committees and more workers. Before long there will probably be more people working for the government than are working in all other jobs put together. This is the movement today; there was the same problem during the days of Solomon. He kept building and in order to do it, he had to increase the taxes.
Rehoboam was asked by the people to reduce taxes. This young ruler had an opportunity to move in and make himself popular by reducing taxes. If he had done that, the people would have followed him. Where is the man today who has the nerve, after being elected to office, to fire about half of the government workers? If someone would do that and cut down taxes, he would make himself popular. Leaders are afraid to take the first step.
Rehoboam called a meeting of his wise men (only they were very unwise).
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever [1 Kings 12:6–7].
Rehoboam first turned to the wise men in the kingdom who had counseled Solomon his father. Their advice was good, but Rehoboam did not follow it.
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions [1 Kings 12:8–11].
Then he asked the young men who had grown up with him what they would advise. They too gave him advice, but it was foolish.
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat [1 Kings 12:12–15].
Rehoboam heeded what the young men told him rather than what the wise older men said. He told the people, “Instead of decreasing the taxes, I intend to increase them. Instead of being less severe with the people, I intend to be more severe.”
JEROBOAM BECOMES ISRAEL’S KING AND THE KINGDOM IS DIVIDED
So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents [1 Kings 12:16].
This is rebellion. This is the splitting up of the kingdom, and it will result, of course, in civil war.
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem [1 Kings 12:18].
All Israel stoned Adoram. That is the way they got rid of the tax collector. And when Rehoboam heard what had happened, he fled to Jerusalem.
So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day [1 Kings 12:19].
Israel rebelled against the house of David until the time 1 Kings was written. It was a rebellion that continued on until they returned from the Babylonian captivity. Rehoboam’s unwise decision in not listening to the people enabled Jeroboam to take the ten northern tribes and build a northern kingdom.
JEROBOAM’S IDOLATRY
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.
And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan [1 Kings 12:25–30].
Jeroboam put a golden calf in Beth-el and one in Dan. He put them there for the people to worship so that they would not go to Jerusalem to worship in the temple. This marks the division of the kingdom into the northern and southern kingdoms.
We will now follow the account of the divided kingdom and will find that the method used in 1 and 2 Kings is to record some history about Israel and then some history about Judah. The record goes back and forth. We will be looking at both kingdoms as we go along, but the kingdom of Judah will last longer than the kingdom of Israel. Also, almost all of the prophets, except the post-captivity prophets, prophesied during this period (see Chronological Table of the Kings of the Divided Kingdom, p. 331). The Table shows which kings of Judah and Israel were contemporary—that is, those who ruled at the same time—and which prophets prophesied during each reign.
This brings us to the end of 1 Kings 12. Rehoboam is the king of the southern kingdom following in the Davidic line. Jeroboam is the king of the northern kingdom. He has introduced idolatry into the north by building two golden calves and placing them in Beth-el and Dan so that the people would no longer go to Jerusalem to worship. There is a division—soon civil war will break out. It will continue until the northern kingdom goes into captivity. And we will find that eventually the southern kingdom will also go into captivity. This is a sad period in the life of the nation of Israel. It contains many lessons for us and for our government.
In chapter 13 we see God’s judgment against the false altar of Jeroboam and the strange incident of the man of God who was deceived by a fellow prophet.
The kingdom has now been divided following the rebellion led by Jeroboam who took the ten northern tribes and formed the kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam, a man who certainly did not have the wisdom nor the diplomacy of his father Solomon, was actually responsible for the splitting of the kingdom. The northern kingdom will eventually go into captivity in Assyria and the southern kingdom into Babylon.
There can be a great deal of confusion as we go through this section and read of king after king. You may wonder whether this king belongs to the northern kingdom or the southern kingdom, and whether he is good or bad. The chronological chart of the kings will give you that information.
When I was a freshman in college, I took a Bible course that was puerile—it was a weak cup of tea. There were certain questions that were always asked in that class. One of the questions was, “Name the kings of Israel and Judah and briefly describe the reign of each.” Well, some freshman in years gone by had made a profound discovery. He found out that if he memorized the names of the kings and wrote after each one—“a bad King”—he could make 95% on the test. What freshman would want to make a better mark than that? So that is what all the freshmen did.
You are going to find that in the northern kingdom every king was bad. There wasn’t a good one in the lot. There were only eight kings in the southern kingdom—over a two-hundred-year period—who could be called good. The rest of them were bad kings. This is a dark blot in the history of Israel. Yet, I think you would find a similar record in other lands. If you want to bring all of this down to today, how many good presidents have we had? Party allegiances aside, I believe that history will have to record that we did not do so well either. We have probably had a better percentage of good leaders than Israel, but our batting average hasn’t been very good.
The thing that makes Israel’s record so bleak is that these people had light from heaven. They had a revelation from God, and their responsibility was greater. But I also feel that the responsibility of our nation is greater than that of other nations because we have, in certain respects, more light from heaven than other nations. Unfortunately our political affairs are a black spot in the life of our nation.
I would like to look back to Solomon for a moment to see why the kingdom was rent. Here is what happened. Solomon was given a special dispensation of wisdom from God to administer the kingdom. Yet that wisdom, apparently, did not enter into his own personal life: Solomon obviously did not have spiritual wisdom or discernment. He did understand certain basic principles and concepts which enabled him to be a very wise ruler, but which did not enter into his personal, private, and certainly not his spiritual life. You begin to see early in his career that he never really broke with false religion. At the beginning, when he came to the throne, there was idolatry, and he closed his eyes to it—he took no particular, definite, positive stand against it. Then he began to engage in that which was the mark of prosperity. He sent ships out to bring back apes and peacocks. There’s nothing particularly wrong with apes and peacocks, but such an obsession is wrong if you have been called to glorify God—to witness and live for Him. Solomon had a definite weakness.
The Book of Proverbs reveals the wisdom of Solomon, but the Book of Ecclesiastes reveals his foolishness. You will not find any failure of Solomon’s or his father David’s in the Book of Chronicles. The two Books of Chronicles cover the same ground as the Books of Kings with one difference: in Kings you have man’s viewpoint; you have the history given. Chronicles gives God’s viewpoint. God forgave David; and, when God forgave him, He blotted out his sin. Written from God’s viewpoint, the sin is not mentioned in Chronicles, but God put it in Kings for men to see. Likewise God forgave Solomon his failure, and his sin is not recorded in Chronicles. In Kings we do see Solomon’s weakness—he began to multiply wives. God never approved of polygamy; His wrath was against it.
The interesting thing is that immorality and false religion always go together. John made it very clear for the Christian when he said, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). Don’t kid yourself—you cannot serve God and have fellowship with Him if you live in sin. You can fool the people around you. Unfortunately, we have Christian leaders today who live in sin. They have been proven immoral, and yet people go ahead and support them—I have never quite understood why. But they are not fooling God, and they certainly are not having fellowship with Him.
Solomon was a man who was a great failure. There are two men in the Scripture who had tremendous potential and opportunity: one was Samson, and the other one was Solomon. Both of these men failed God in a tragic way. In Ecclesiastes Solomon said, “Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:17). The glory of Solomon was a passing glory. Our could say that Solomon in all his glory is not arrayed like that little flower by the side of the road that you passed unnoticed. May I say to you that the wealth and achievements of this world are also a passing glory.
I have given this background of Solomon at this point—I guess I have more or less preached his funeral service—because now we are seeing a kingdom divided, and it is divided because of the sin of Solomon.
THE PROPHECY AGAINST JEROBOAM’S FALSE ALTAR
We are going to move rather rapidly through this section—it is history. We will be following the course of the two kingdoms, one following after the other or sometimes together or overlapping.
We find that Jeroboam, who came to the throne in the northern kingdom, was given an opportunity to really serve God. Yet his fear was that the tribes in the north would go back to Jerusalem to worship. That might reunite the kingdom, and he wanted to keep it separate. So Jeroboam set up two golden calves for the people to worship, one in Samaria and one in Beth-el.
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee [1 Kings 13:1–2].
Let me pause here a moment. It is interesting to note when Josiah reigned. It was almost three hundred years later, but the prophet of God marks him out now. He was a good king and he reigned thirty-one years. Josiah led in one of the five great revivals that took place during the period of the kings. We will consider those revivals in Chronicles. These revivals are not mentioned in Kings but in Chronicles, which gives God’s viewpoint. Revival is always from God’s viewpoint. Man is interested in numbers, but it is impossible for him to determine the real converts. God knows the hearts and knows whether a spiritual movement has taken place or not.
The prophet of God prophesied against the altar, saying that God was going to raise up a man who would destroy such altars. Josiah was the one who would be raised up to accomplish that task.
And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him [1 Kings 13:3–4].
Jeroboam was by the altar when the man of God prophesied. He was making a sacrifice to a golden calf. When the man of God was finished speaking, Jeroboam put out his hand against him. In effect, the king was saying, “Lay hold on him. He is to be slain.” When the king pointed to the man of God, his hand dried up; that is, it withered and became paralysed.
The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.
And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Entreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward [1 Kings 13:5–7].
The king changes his tune very definitely and begs the man of God to ask the Lord that his arm might be restored. The king’s hand is restored to him, and in appreciation he offers to take the man of God home with him and reward him.
And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el [1 Kings 13:8–10].
The man of God, however, will not compromise with evil and idolatry. This is quite remarkable.
This is the place to say that there is a lot of double-talk and subterfuge in supposedly fundamentalist Christian circles. I have recently read a statement issued by a certain seminary that claims to be fundamental, and is trying to build a reputation as a conservative school. I have never before read such double-talk in any statement. It claims a super piety and a super intellectualism that is nothing in the world but a denial of the things of God. There is such compromise today in Christian circles! I don’t mean that we are to become ugly and cantankerous, or to not speak to certain individuals or have fellowship with them. That is not the point. But what we do need is to have a clear-cut, honest statement of where we stand theologically.
My Christian friend, many believers are supporting organizations that they are not sure are sound. If you don’t know whether or not a ministry is giving out the Word of God, you ought to check into it. It is important, and God will hold you responsible for how you invest your money. These are evil days in which we live. They were evil days during the time of Jeroboam, and this prophet was not about to stay and have lunch with the king. He refused to become involved with him.
However, in the next several verses we find that he was deceived by another prophet into disobeying the Lord and suffered the sad consequences. Although he was wary of association with an idolatrous king, he was deceived by a man who claimed to have counter directions from God. My friend, when the church of God today gets involved in the things of the world and makes all kinds of compromises, it is a stench in the nostrils of Almighty God. We are living in days that are much like Jeroboam’s, and we need to exercise the same caution and discernment that was needed then by God’s man.
You would think that the experience Jeroboam had with the man of God would have changed him. His hand had been withered and healed. Do you think he changed?
After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.
And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth [1 Kings 13:33–34].
Chapter 14 describes the reigns of Jeroboam and Rehoboam and sets the pace for the sordid record of the kings of the divided kingdom. There was not one good king in the northern kingdom of Israel—all nineteen of them were bad kings. In the southern kingdom there were twenty kings, of which twelve of them were bad. Only eight of them could be labeled good kings. And of the eight, only five were outstanding. (See Chronological Table of the Kings of the Divided Kingdom on p. 331.)
The chapter opens with Jeroboam sending his wife to inquire of Ahijah the prophet because their son is very sick. The Lord’s reply through Ahijah is that the child will die, and in addition He gives a further prophecy regarding His judgment on Jeroboam’s family.
GOD’S JUDGMENT ON JEROBOAM
Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,
And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes [1 Kings 14:7–8].
David is the standard, you see, for the kings of both the northern and southern kingdoms from now on. Jeroboam fell far short of the man David was, and God will set him aside.
And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead [1 Kings 14:19–20].
JUDAH’S APOSTASY UNDER REHOBOAM
You would think things would be better in the southern kingdom with Rehoboam, but they weren’t.
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house [1 Kings 14:25–27].
Old Rehoboam is now beginning to go down, but he is keeping up a front. When the golden shields are taken by the king of Egypt, he substitutes brass shields.
Next we are told that there was civil war.
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days [1 Kings 14:30].
Finally, we have the death of Rehoboam.
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead [1 Kings 14:31].
CHAPTERS 15–16
Theme: Kings of the divided kingdom
In chapter 15 two of Judah’s kings are mentioned: Abijam, a sinful king, and Asa, a good king. Also the reigns of two of Israel’s kings are given to us: Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, who walked in the sins of his father, and Baasha, who murdered him and reigned in his stead.
Chapter 16 continues with the history of Baasha, then four other kings of Israel—each more wicked than his successor: Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab who compounded his wickedness by marrying the infamous Jezebel.
REHOBOAM IS SUCCEEDED BY ABIJAM
I feel that we need a double portion of the Spirit of God as we go through this section. In the last part of chapter 14 we were told that Rehoboam, a son of Solomon, reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah and Benjamin. Jeroboam reigned over Israel in the north. He is the one who led a rebellion of the ten northern tribes. Civil war continued between the two kingdoms. It was a bitter war with brother fighting brother—there is nothing quite as bad as that.
We have also noted that so far none of the kings have been good. In fact, there is never a good king in Israel, and only eight good kings in the southern kingdom of Judah in the line of David.
We find that after the death of Rehoboam, his son Abijam (also called Abijah) comes to the throne:
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom [1 Kings 15:1–2].
There is something quite interesting that you will find all through this section: every time a king is mentioned his mother is also mentioned. That is unusual. We are generally told who a man’s father was and whom he succeeded, but in this portion the mother’s name is given again and again. Why? It is because each mother had a great deal to do with influencing the life of her son. My position here is that the reason God recorded the name of the mother along with each king’s name (and these are bad kings) is because she is partially responsible for the way he turned out. Also when the king was a good king, the mother was partially responsible. She must accept responsibility for him.
You and I are living in a time when a lot of condemnation and judgment are brought against young people who become vagrants and are dissolute. I recognize that trouble can arise out of a Christian home, but generally the background of a young person has something to do with the way he or she turns out. Ordinarily these troubled young people have a mother who is partially responsible for the way they act and live—you cannot escape it, friend. Now I know that this cuts very deep and very hard, but we need to recognize that a mother has had a great opportunity to influence her little one, and if a little one has grown up to feel neglected, unwanted, and unloved, maybe the mother ought to stop and think. Instead of trying to be president of the missionary society, to sing in the choir, and to do everything else in the church, a mother would be doing more for the Lord if she would stay home some evening, take the little one up in her arms and love him and let him know how much she really appreciates him. This is something that is being neglected in our day. The biggest problem that most young couples have today is finding a baby sitter. May I say to you that we need a few more “mother sitters” who take time to train little Willie and little Susie. My friend, it takes a lot of time and love to rear a child—this is something that is very important.
I have taken some extra time on this subject because, candidly, it will occur again and again. Every time we have a bad king, his mamma’s name is given—I think God is trying to tell us something. If he was a good king, his mother’s name is also given; she will get credit for that. I just would not want to be the mother of some of the rascals we are going to find here in Scripture. It would disturb me a great deal to have a son like most of these kings.
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father [1 Kings 15:3].
Abijam walked in all the sins of his father—he followed his father’s pattern. Papa was to blame, also, for the way his son turned out; papa set the example. Abijam was not brought up in a very good home. He was a rotten, corrupt king, and his father and mother are responsible to a certain degree. We are told also that “his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.” David had become the standard for these kings. It is true that David was a human standard, but it was a standard that God accepted.
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem [1 Kings 15:4].
The line of David, friend, never ends until you come to the Lord Jesus Christ. It ended there—you cannot follow the line of David after Christ. God says, “I won’t let the lamp go out until the fulfillment of the covenant I made with David,” There will come One to sit on his throne who will rule the world—that One is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite [1 Kings 15:5].
Why did God accept David as the standard? Because of his sin? No! That was a black spot on David’s record. Although little man is in no position to sit in judgment upon God, we do it nonetheless. But if you are going to judge God about His relationship with David, understand what God really said about David. God listed David’s assets and liabilities in this verse: David did not turn aside from anything that He commanded except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. That was the black spot on David’s record. In every other matter he obeyed God. David did not live in sin. The king of Babylon did. What David did one time, the king of Babylon did every day. It was the weekend practice of the king of Egypt to do the thing David did one time. The whole thought is expressed by our Lord in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Friend, the son can get in the pigpen—we need to recognize that. God’s child can get in the pigpen, but by the same token the child of God will not stay in the pigpen. Why won’t he? The reason is obvious: he is a son of the father; he is not a pig. Pigs live in pigpens. Sons want to live in the father’s house. My friend, if you want to live in a pigpen, that is where you belong! And that tells who you are. However, if you are in the pigpen but you have a desire in your heart to cry out to God for forgiveness, He will hear you. When you turn back to Him, He will receive you. David did a wrong thing, but David confessed his sin. However, obedience to God was the norm for David. I think it behooves us to be very careful about criticizing David—he was a great man. We are not worthy (at least I am not) to tie the strings of his shoes. He was a great man of God and became the earthly standard for the kings.
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life [1 Kings 15:6].
This was a time of civil strife. It was a time of brother fighting against brother, and it seriously weakened the kingdom.
ABIJAM IS SUCCEEDED BY ASA
Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead [1 Kings 15:7–8].
Abijam did nothing outstanding during his reign—all was evil. He was a bad king. So he died and was buried with his fathers.
Abijam was succeeded by his son Asa. Now we come to the first good king, and we feel like saying, “Hallelujah, we’ve found a good king!”
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father [1 Kings 15:9–11].
You can see that there is an overlapping here of two years. Asa reigned during the last two years of Jeroboam’s reign. Asa reigned for forty-one years. He had one of the longest reigns of any king. In fact, the only two kings who reigned longer than Asa were Azariah (or Uzziah) and Manasseh.
Asa’s mother’s name was Maachah. Isn’t that interesting? Asa was a good king, and she gets credit here for the way Asa turned out. Again David is the standard of right and wrong for a king—Asa measured up to David.
Now what did he do?
And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made [1 Kings 15:12].
Asa did not go for the idea that we should be soft on homosexuals. He was opposed to homosexuality. It is not a mark of being civilized when any nation drops to the low level that we have today. God gives up any people who have a permissive society, openly allowing homosexuality. It is a mark of gross degradation—we are going down as a nation. Someone needs to speak out against this today. We need to recognize it as a sin—it is as corrupt, depraved, and degraded as any sin a person can commit. Man cannot sink any lower than this. When a person sinks this low, God gives him up. Our society is moving in that direction. Asa dealt with the problem, and he is called a good king. God has not changed His mind on this issue at all.
WAR WITH BAASHA
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days [1 Kings 15:16].
Asa made war against Baasha, king of Israel. It was continual civil war.
We are told that Asa did other things also. He had to appease a kingdom that was arising in the north and becoming dominant—that kingdom was Syria.
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me [1 Kings 15:18–19].
Asa sent Ben-hadad presents of gold and silver in order to appease him. To keep him from invading his kingdom, Asa made a league with him. This is probably the one thing he did that was wrong.
Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah: none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah [1 Kings 15:22].
Asa did all of this for protection, of course.
ASA IS SUCCEEDED BY JEHOSHAPHAT
The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead [1 Kings 15:23–24].
As we shall see, Jehoshaphat was another good king.
NADAB IS SLAIN AND SUCCEEDED BY BAASHA
Now we come back to Nadab, the son of Jeroboam:
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin [1 Kings 15:25–26].
Nadab began to reign in the second year of the reign of Asa, king of Judah. Nadab ruled for two years over Israel. We will find in this succession of bad kings that there was a great deal of sin and political intrigue in the northern kingdom.
And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon [1 Kings 15:27].
You would think that somewhere along the line there would be peace, but there was not. There was war between Asa and Baasha all their days. The continual civil war depleted the energy and resources of both the kingdoms. It also made both kingdoms subject to the powers round about them. They were invaded again and again by Egypt in the south, by Syria, and finally by Assyria in the north. These people simply would not change their ways.
BAASHA’S DEATH, AND THE REIGNS OF ELAH AND ZIMRI
Baasha reigned longer than any other king in the north up to this point. He reigned for twenty-four years. But we are told that this man is to be put down because he did evil. The word of the Lord against Baasha came through Jehu:
Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat [1 Kings 16:3–4].
This was a sad period in the life of the king. Because Baasha chose to share in the sins of the house of Jeroboam, he would also share in the severe penalty, even to the point of being devoured by dogs.
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years [1 Kings 16:6–8].
Elah had not reigned but two years until Zimri his captain conspired and led a rebellion against him:
And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead [1 Kings 16:9–10].
When Elah got drunk, Zimri went in and killed him. It seems that because of the conspirators in the northern kingdom no man was really safe. After Zimri killed Elah, he began to reign.
However, Zimri did not last very long either—only seven days.
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines [1 Kings 16:15].
Another conspiracy and another rebellion got rid of Zimri.
And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died [1 Kings 15:17–18].
These were dark days for the kingdom, and there are darker days yet to come.
TIBNI AND OMRI ARE RIVAL KINGS OF ISRAEL
After Omri’s conspiracy succeeded in establishing him as king, another problem arose. A rival of Omris also claimed to be king—his name was Tibni.
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts; half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned [1 Kings 16:21–22].
Omri put Tibni to death, and then Omri reigned. He ruled for twelve years. He was a bad king and exceeded the other kings in his evil deeds.
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him [1 Kings 16:25].
ACCESSION OF AHAB; HIS MARRIAGE TO JEZEBEL
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him [1 Kings 16:28, 30].
Omri is succeeded by his son Ahab. Omri had been the most corrupt ruler up to that time, but his son Ahab exceeded him in evil.
And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him [1 Kings 16:31].
Ahab was evil, and he had a wife that helped him with his evil ways. She was a real helpmeet in the area of evil. What Ahab didn’t think of, Jezebel did. What she didn’t think of nobody else could—she was a mean woman. The combination of Ahab and Jezebel was the worst possible. You can be sure that Mr. and Mrs. Haman were bad. Herod and Herodias were evil enough. And we know of Ptolemy Dionysius and Cleopatra—they were quite a couple. Philip I of Spain and Bloody Mary also did pretty well together. These are four of the most infamous couples in history. In particular there were also several couples where the wife was dominant in diabolical designs. For example, there was Catherine deMedici and Henry II of France; Lucrezia Borgia (she was the daughter of a pope) and Alfonso; Macbeth and Lady Macbeth; Louis XV and Marie Antoinette of France; and finally, coming down to our day, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. All of these are couples who stand out on the pages of history as being evil, but none can exceed Ahab and Jezebel—they head the list.
Jezebel was the daughter of a king who was also a priest of Baal and who murdered his brother. It is interesting to note that the name Jezebel means “unmarried” or “without cohabitation.” In other words, the marriage of Ahab and Jezebel was not a romance—it was not a love match. Rather than a true marriage, it was just a wedding. Apparently there had never been a real meeting of these two people in a love relationship. She was a masculine woman with strong intellectual powers and a fierce passion for evil. She was strong-willed and possessed a dominant personality, but she had no moral sense. She was hardened into insensibility. She was unscrupulous and the most wicked person in history—bar none.
In the Book of Revelation, our Lord gave a message to the church of Thyatira: “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (Rev. 2:20). Jezebel was a dominating and domineering woman. Christ gave this message to Thyatira because it was a period without natural affection—it was a picture of Jezebel.
How did Jezebel and Ahab ever get together? I think it was quite easy. For years I went to young people’s conferences. It was quite interesting how there could be a boy who was a bad apple and a girl who was a bad egg, and for some strange reason the bad apple and the bad egg always got together and started dating. It always happened that way, and that is the way it was with Ahab and Jezebel.
Something else happened during this period which reveals how ominous and critical those days were:
And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun [1 Kings 16:32–34].
At the time of the destruction of Jericho, Joshua said, “… Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho …” (Josh. 6:26). It had not been rebuilt until the time of Ahab and Jezebel, and the curse that was pronounced by Joshua came upon the builder, Hiel.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Three years of drought as announced by Elijah
God had to have His man present at the time when Ahab and Jezebel sat on the throne of Israel. It would have to be someone who would have the courage to stand up against them. God had that man ready. He was Elijah the prophet, one of the greatest men who ever walked across the pages of Scripture. Also he is probably the man who will return to the earth to witness in the last days—it is predicted that he will return.
ELIJAH ANNOUNCES THE DROUGHT
Elijah is introduced to us in a most dramatic way. He strides into the court of Ahab and Jezebel and makes a very brave announcement.
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word [1 Kings 17:1].
Elijah walked into the court of Ahab and Jezebel and gave them the latest weather report. He said it was not going to rain except by his word and he was leaving town—he had no intention of saying the word. Then he walked out of the court just as dramatically as he had walked in. I think-Ahab and Jezebel were taken aback because they never dreamed anyone could speak out so boldly. They will find out that Elijah has a habit of speaking out. You get the impression that Elijah was a rugged individual, and he was. But there’s something else that should be said here about him—God had to train this man. God has always had a method of training the men He uses by taking them to the desert. You will recall that that is where He trained Moses. God took Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees and placed him in a land with rugged terrain. God did the same for John the Baptist, and the apostle Paul spent at least two full years out in the Arabian desert. This is God’s method of training His men. Now He is going to take out this man Elijah and teach him several things he needs to learn.
GOD FEEDS ELIJAH AT CHERITH AND ZAREPHATH
And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan [1 Kings 17:2–3].
God was telling Elijah to get as far out in the country as he could. So he went out into the desert and came to a little stream.
And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there [1 Kings 17:4].
God used two methods of caring for Elijah out in the desert. One was the brook which was a natural means. He was to drink the water. The other was a supernatural means—the ravens were to come and feed him. Well, Elijah stayed there for awhile, and then the brook began to dry up.
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land [1 Kings 17:7].
Here is this man out in the wilderness, and he goes to the brook every morning and notices that it is going down a little bit more each day. All he had to do was put a peg in the water to note how much it went down each day. Then he could figure out how many days it would be before he starved to death or died of thirst. Having the mathematical measurement, anyone with common sense would know that on a certain day the end would come.
This is the sin of statistics. Today the condition of a church is often determined by statistics. If you go to a church meeting and observe that the offering has been good, new members have been received, and there is increased attendance, the church is considered a howling success—and that may not be the true picture at all.
I once heard the story of a preacher who got up at a church business meeting and said, “We are going to call on the treasurer to give a report so that we can know the status quo of our church.” One of the members got up and said, “Mr. Preacher, we don’t know what the status quo means.” The preacher replied, “The ‘status quo’ means the mess we are in.” Interestingly enough, the true status quo of many churches and other organizations often reveals the mess they are in, although the statistics may look healthy.
Now Elijah could have figured very closely the time he was going to die—he could have done it mathematically. But, you see, the cold figures of mathematics do not take into account the spiritual fire that is there. You cannot put the condition of the church in the form of a bank statement. You cannot measure it on a computer. Even a revival is not determined by numbers. When Elijah looked at that little brook which was getting smaller and smaller he learned a spiritual lesson. He saw that his life was a dried-up brook. He was nothing—he was just a brook, a channel, through which living water could flow. The Lord Jesus Christ says, “… Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13–14). Sometimes we sing the song, “Make Me A Blessing,” and I think that half of the folk don’t know the meaning of the words. Why, it means that you are an empty brook and that you do not have any water of life. It is only as the water of life, the Word of God, flows through you that you can be a channel of blessing. Elijah had to learn that “… God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Cor. 1:27). God was telling Elijah, “You are not a big, strong, rugged individual. You are no stronger or better than that dried-up brook. You will have no strength until the water of life flows through you.”
It is said of Hudson Taylor that when he prepared young missionaries for service in his mission, he insisted, “Remember that when you come out here you are nothing. It is only what God can and will do through you that will be worth anything.” One young missionary replied, “It is hard for me to believe that I am just nothing.” And Hudson Taylor said to him, “Take it by faith because it is true—you are nothing.” You and I are just dried-up brooks unless the Word of God is flowing through us.
And then God transferred Elijah:
And the word of the came unto him, saying,
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
And she said, As the thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die [1 Kings 17:8–12].
After the widow told her story, Elijah told her to go into her house and make the cake. He assured her that she was not going to die.
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
For thus saith the God of Israel. The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the sendeth rain upon the earth [1 Kings 17:13–14].
You know, Elijah and that widow stuck their heads down in that empty flour barrel every day and sang the doxology—and God sustained them out of an empty flour barrel. That barrel was as fertile as the plains of Canada or the corn fields of Iowa. Here is another lesson Elijah needed to learn.
It is a lesson you and I need to learn: we are nothing but empty flour barrels. I hear so much today about consecration—we are to “give our talents to the Lord.” My friend, you and I have nothing to offer God. There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee: what was the most important thing at that wedding? Was it the bride’s dress? No! It was that there were some empty water crocks there. The Lord filled them with water, and He was able to serve the guests a delicious refreshment. That was the important thing at the wedding. My friend, we are nothing but empty flour barrels and empty water crocks. We are nothing until the water of life and the bread of life have been put into us. And since we do not recognize this, we are having spiritual floor shows in many of our churches today. They have become religious nightclubs, and there is no more spiritual life in them than there is in a Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California. There is more enthusiasm and a larger crowd at many activities outside the church than there is at most church meetings. In fact, many church meetings are pretty sad and silly, if you ask me. We need to remember that we are empty flour barrels.
THE WIDOW’S SON IS RAISED BY ELIJAH
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him [1 Kings 17:17].
The widow’s son died. And what did Elijah do?
And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.
And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived [1 Kings 17:19–22].
Elijah made contact with the boy’s body three times. This is the great principle of resurrection—it involves contact with life. Today Christianity needs to be in contact with Jesus Christ. When it is not, it is as dead as a dodo bird. We need to recognize that this is one of the great miracles of Scripture: “and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.” You and I are dead bodies. We are lost sinners—dead in trespasses and sins. If we have trusted Christ, then we can say that we were crucified with Him nineteen hundred years ago; He died, and we died with Him. He was raised, and we were raised with Him. We are joined to the living Christ today—if we are not joined to Him, we are nothing. The apostle Paul expressed it this way: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Elijah had to learn that he was a dried-up brook, an empty flour barrel, a dead body. When Elijah recognized this, then God could use him. Martin Luther once said that God creates out of nothing. Until a man recognizes that he is nothing, God can do nothing with him. That is the problem with many of us today: we are too strong, we have too much ability, and God cannot use us.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Elijah versus the prophets of Baal
This is one of the most spectacular chapters in the Scriptures. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest to determine who is really God. The prophets of Baal—all 450 of them—are about an even match for this one man Elijah. He is a great man!
ELIJAH AND OBADIAH
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria [1 Kings 18:1–2].
God is ready to use Elijah. This man can now step out with boldness—he has learned that he is nothing and God is everything. He goes out to meet Ahab, and he is prepared.
And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:
For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself [1 Kings 18:3–6].
The famine was now in the acute stage. Much of the vegetation had dried up and the cattle could no longer find places to graze. So Ahab and his servant, Obadiah, set out in search of possible pasture land. Ahab went one direction and Obadiah went another. Now Obadiah was the governor of Ahab’s palace. He was a God-fearing man, and he had hidden one hundred prophets of God from Jezebel’s wrath.
And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?
And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here [1 Kings 18:7–8].
While Obadiah was looking for grazing sites, he met Elijah. Elijah told him to tell the king, “Behold, Elijah is here.” My, how we need a voice like Elijah’s today. I believe he is coming back in the last days after the church leaves the earth. This earth will need a strong voice then, and it will have one in Elijah.
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? [1 Kings 18:9–13].
Obadiah does not want to deliver Elijah’s message as he is afraid that Elijah will disappear before Ahab sees him. Obadiah is fearful for his own life, and he makes it very clear that he does not want to do what Elijah has asked.
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him today.
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah [1 Kings 18:14–16].
We have read the message three times now: “Behold, Ehjah is here.” With Elijah’s assurances that he will certainly meet Ahab, Obadiah goes to the king. And you know what this man said? He said, “Behold, Elijah is here.” And that will be the message again some day.
ELIJAH’S CHALLENGE TO AHAB
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim [1 Kings 18:17–18].
Elijah said to Ahab, “I am not the one who is troubling Israel—you are!” Elijah’s kind of preaching cannot be misunderstood. It is not double-talk; it is telling it like it is.
Before we go any further, I want to say that the liberal is always blaming the fundamentalist for causing division in the church. But who really caused it? The church held very fundamental beliefs at one time. Who brought bifurcation into the church? Who was it that led the church away from its foundation? The liberal did. I have been accused of leaving my former denomination, but I did not—my denomination left me. I still have the same beliefs that I had at the beginning. Unfortunately, my denomination has departed from those historic beliefs.
It has always been the custom of the liberal to blame any trouble in the church on the fundamentalist. The liberal is never to blame.
In the same way Ahab blames Elijah for the problem in the land. He accuses Elijah of stirring things up. The Word of God will always stir up things. The interesting thing is that rats will always scurry to a dark corner when the light is turned on.
Then Elijah challenged Ahab to a contest between himself and the prophets of Baal.
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table [1 Kings 18:19].
The contest was actually one between the Lord and Satan—between the worship of the living God and the worship of Baal. Outwardly it was a battle of Ahab and Jezebel with the 450 prophets against Elijah. Elijah, however, was worth a whole army.
THE LORD VERSUS BAAL AT MOUNT CARMEL
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word [1 Kings 18:20–21].
The people of Israel have assembled at Carmel. It is going to be quite a contest. Elijah knew what was in the hearts of the people. They were pretending to worship the living and true God, but they were also worshiping Baal. The reason the people did not answer Elijah is that they were guilty of sin. It is that type of double-talk—a two-faced way of life—that today has become so abhorrent and is a stench in the nostrils of God. The double standard of many Christians has turned off many people as far as the church is concerned. If the average unsaved man knew the church as I know it today, I have my doubts that he would ever darken the door of a church. If there ever was a place where things should be made clear and plain, simple and forthright, it is in the church. Unfortunately, that is where there is more doubletalk and beating around the bush than any place else.
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men [1 Kings 18:22].
Elijah had what I am pleased to call an Elijah complex—some of us develop that even today. Many times in my ministry I feel that I am the only one left. Then I find out that there is a preacher in a hollow in Tennessee, or on the side of a hill in Georgia, or down around a lake in Florida, or up in the mountains of California, or in the suburban areas of Chicago who is standing for God and paying a bigger price than I have ever paid. Then I just get rid of my Elijah complex and thank God that there are men standing for God and His Word in these days in which we are living. Now I recognize that there are many big-name preachers that you hear about but who are not actually standing for God. Instead they are pussy-footing around. They are trying to compromise. I heard one preacher give a certain message in one part of the country and then turn around in another part of the country and practically reverse his message. There is something wrong when you can’t give the same message everywhere. There is something wrong with the message or with the man who gives it.
Elijah says to the people of Israel, “I am the only one who is standing for God.” Now he was wrong—there were seven thousand people hiding in the hills who had not bowed the knee to Baal. I never cared too much for that crowd, but at least they did not worship Baal. Elijah did not even know about them. If Elijah had been on the radio in those days, he never would have received a letter from any of those folk. It is too bad that they did not encourage him a little bit, but they did not.
Elijah continues his message to the people and his challenge to the prophets of Baal:
Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken [1 Kings 18:23–24].
In other words, Elijah said, “Let us taste of the Lord and see whether He is good or not. If Baal is God, then let us worship him. And if he is not, then let’s kick him out. If the Lord God is the living God, we want to know.” My friend, today God wants you to know Him. Although you may have doubts, if you’re sincere and really want to know Him, He will reveal Himself to you—because God wants you to know. Faith is not groping in the dark: our faith rests upon facts. Your salvation depends on your believing those facts and trusting Christ.
Notice what is going to take place. I think this is one of the most dramatic scenes in Scripture.
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or per-adventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them [1 Kings 18:25–28].
The prophets of Baal put on quite a performance. Elijah just sits there and watches them at first with a good deal of cynicism. They begin to call upon Baal. Nothing happens. They jump on the altar—and that doesn’t help. They become fanatics. They display a lot of emotion. Their actions become almost hysterical. Finally, they begin to cut themselves, and the blood gushes out. They are sure this will stir Baal to action. Old Elijah says to them, “Say, it may be that he has gone on vacation and you will have to wait until he comes back. Or maybe he is taking his afternoon siesta and you are going to have to yell louder to wake him up.” Elijah has a big time during their performance. And all the while the people of Israel are watching.
It is John Knox, by the way, who is credited with the statement, “One with God is a majority,” and he knew the accuracy of that statement by experience. Elijah also learned this truth through experience in his day when there had been a wholesale departure of the northern kingdom from God. Under Ahab and Jezebel there was almost total apostasy—Elijah pretty much stood alone. It is true that there were seven thousand people who had not bowed to Baal, but they had retreated to the mountains. Not one of them stood with Elijah. He was not aware that they even existed until God told him. Elijah took a stand against calf worship. You might say he took a stand against new morality and rock music in the church. He took exception to many of the things that were going on and refused to compromise with the prophets of Baal. When they wrote a new “Confession of Faith” and rejected the authority of the Word of God, he was opposed to them.
It was Dr. Wilfred Funk who said that the most bitter word in the English language is “alone.” Elijah stood alone. He did not voice public opinion, friend. He was no echo—he was no parrot. He was not promoting anyone else. He was no politician. He was more concerned about pleasing God than courting the popularity of the crowd. He sought divine approval rather than public applause. He was not a clown in a public parade. He was a fool for God’s sake. He was a solo voice in the wilderness of the world. He carried on an all-out war against Satan and his hosts. He stood alone, arrayed against the prophets of Baal. Elijah chose Mount Carmel to take a dramatic stand for God.
Several years ago I stood in what is probably the exact area where Elijah and the prophets of Baal held their contest. Mount Carmel overlooks the Bay of Haifa and the blue Mediterranean Sea. It is a long ridge; and way out yonder to the east is Megiddo in the valley of Esdraelon. In this dramatic spot the lone, majestic figure of Elijah stood apart. He was detached. I think he looked bored after a few minutes of the performance by Baal’s prophets. Then that ironic smile crossed his face and you could hear the acid sarcasm in his voice. He used the rapier of ridicule. He taunted and jeered at these prophets. And finally, with wilting scorn, he waved them aside.
And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down [1 Kings 18:29–30].
Elijah is now going to have to depend on God. The altar of the Lord has been broken, and Elijah spends some time cementing it together. That was a dramatic move, friend.
What is it that has caused division in our country today? I recognize that there are many explanations being offered, but a departure from God is basic to the divisions in this nation. There was a time that there was a measure of unity, and it was a unity based on the fact that there is a living God—that is written in our constitution—and we are responsible to Him. There was a time when this nation believed that the Bible was an authority. Who divided this country? Those, my friend, who began to cut up the Word of God. That is what caused the division. It is hypocrisy today when so many are saying, “Let’s get together.” Get together on what, my friend? You cannot get together on nothing. It is like the story that is told about a man who was walking through the jungle in Africa, and he met an elephant. The elephant said to him, “Where are you going?” The man replied, “I am not going anywhere.” The elephant said, “I’m not going anywhere either. Let’s go together.” That is the only way you are going to get together with today’s crowd: you will have to agree on nothing. If you do that, you can all get together. My friend, you can’t get together unless you’ve got something to gather around that will hold you together.
The altar was the place of unity. Elijah put it back together.
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood [1 Kings 18:31–33].
Notice that Israel was one nation. It was not Israel and Judah, or Samaria and Jerusalem, but all twelve tribes as the one nation, Israel. So Elijah built an altar in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar, put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces. Finally he ordered that four barrels be filled with water and poured on the sacrifice and on the wood. Now it was a long way down to the water supply. As I stood on Mount Carmel, I wondered how long it took those who were bringing the water to get four barrels up the side of that mountain. It was a long route, but Elijah was in no hurry.
And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water [1 Kings 18:34–35].
They fetched the water once, and Elijah said, “Go down and fill it again.” And that was not enough. He said, “Do it the third time,” and they did it the third time. I think if you could have seen Elijah that day there would have been a wry smile on his face. Do you know what that wry smile was about? Why did he pour water on that altar? My friend, only God can do the impossible. A little water won’t keep the fire from falling, so he did not mind pouring the water over everything. He could have poured water for the next twenty-four hours, and the fire still would have fallen. Elijah is learning to depend on God—we have seen that. Remember, as he stood at that little brook and watched it dry up, he knew he was nothing in the world but a channel through which water could flow. He had also looked down in an empty flour barrel and sung the doxology. God fed Elijah, the widow, and her son out of that empty flour barrel for the period of the drought. And then he found out he was a dead body. He had learned that if anything was going to be done, God has to do it. He just stood up there that day, a wry smile on his face—I think Elijah had a sense of humor. And I know God has a sense of humor. Under his breath Elijah probably said, “Lord, if You don’t do it, it won’t be done.”
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word [1 Kings 18:36].
Friend, I wish we recognized the fact that if God doesn’t do it, it’s not going to be done. Do you understand Elijah’s prayer? This is one of the great prayers of Scripture—it’s not long, but it is great. He said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel …” You will notice that Elijah used the term Israel, not Jacob. Why Israel? Well, Israel is the name that was given not to twelve tribes, but to one nation. Also in his prayer Elijah said, “Let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.” You and I need to be sure that what we are doing is according to the will of God. Don’t do something that you want to do and then ask God to bless it. God doesn’t move that way. You have to go His route if you want to receive the blessing. We have no right to demand anything of God. It is true that He demands a great deal of us, but we are not to demand anything of Him. He is not a Western Union boy. He will not come at your command. We are to pray according to His will.
Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again [1 Kings 18:37].
Elijah is praying for the glory of God in this verse. That is what moves the arm of God. And do you know what happened?
Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there [1 Kings 18:38–40].
That was a pretty brutal thing to do, wasn’t it? But it sure got rid of the apostasy and the heresy.
ELIJAH’S PRAYER FOR RAIN
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain [1 Kings 18:41].
When the people turned to God, the rain came and the blessings came.
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees.
And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel [1 Kings 18:42–45].
Elijah was a great man! And so that the people might realize that the drought was not just an accident of nature but was a disciplinary measure, it ended the same way that it had begun—by the command of God’s man, Elijah. Elijah said that rain was coming, but at first nothing could be seen but blue water and blue sky. When his servant looked for the seventh time, however, a cloud as small as a man’s hand could be seen. The cloud rapidly increased in size until the heavens were black and rain flooded the parched earth.
And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel [1 Kings 18:46].
Elijah had told Ahab to hurry home because the creek would soon rise and he would not be able to cross it. But then Elijah began to run. Why? Because he is a man of like passion as we are. He is very much a human being, and we are going to see just how human he is.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Elijah under a juniper tree
Ahab reports to Jezebel that Elijah had slain all her prophets of Baal. She vows to kill Elijah. He beats a cowardly retreat to Beer-sheba, where he leaves his servant and continues on into the wilderness to crawl under a juniper tree, where he requests that he might die. Evidently Elijah is suffering from nervous exhaustion. He is physically and mentally depleted. God gives him nourishing food and plenty of sleep. Then He treats him to a spectacular display: strong wind, earthquake, and fire. Elijah loves all of this. Then comes the still, small voice. Although this is contrary to Elijah’s personality, God is in the still, small voice. He sends him back to the scene of action and danger. On the way, Elijah calls Elisha to be his successor.
ELIJAH RUNS FROM JEZEBEL
It is difficult to believe that Elijah is the same man who defied 450 prophets of Baal on the top of Mount Carmel. He seems to be a different man, but there is an explanation for his condition.
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there [1 Kings 19:1–3].
That was a threatening message Jezebel sent to Elijah. Being before the public defying the false worship in his nation had drained a great deal of his energy and strength. He did a strange thing when he heard Jezebel’s message threatening to kill him. Like Simon Peter when he took his eyes off the Lord, looked at those waves, and began to sink, Elijah lost his courage. He began to run. He went to Beer-sheba which is way down south. And friend, take it from someone who has been there, it is way down in the desert. Anyone who got as far away as Beer-sheba could consider himself safe from a ruler in the northern kingdom. But Elijah, when he reached this place in the desert, left his servant there and continued on another day’s journey.
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers [1 Kings 19:4].
You must admit that this is quite a change for the man who stood on top of Mount Carmel and defied the prophets of Baal. Now he is hiding under a juniper tree way down at the other end of the land, hiding from a woman, Jezebel. Ahab had not made any effort to arrest him or destroy him, but Jezebel hated Elijah, and she was not going to let him live if she could help it.
I think we need to note that Elijah had gone through a traumatic experience when he stood before that altar, prayed to God, and fire from heaven fell. Then there was the execution of the prophets of Baal. Next there was a tremendous rain storm, which was a great victory for Elijah. When Ahab went back and reported to Jezebel all that had happened, she sent a telegram to Elijah saying, “I want you to know that I intend to get you!” She is the most wicked woman in the Bible. Elijah got his eyes off the Lord and ran to an area that was beyond the farthest outpost of civilization. When he got to Beer-sheba, he just kept going. Finally he felt that he was out of her reach. Frankly, when I see him crawling underneath that juniper tree, I am ashamed of him. I am sure that some very pious Christian would have given Elijah a fine little lecture on how to be cheerful and optimistic and smile in his situation. They would tell him that Romans 8:28 was still in the Bible. May I say to you, I don’t think you could have gotten Elijah to smile while he was under that tree.
I heard an English divine who preached a sermon some time ago on the subject, “Brief, Bright, and Brotherly,” Elijah did not feel that way underneath that juniper tree. You can criticize Elijah, you can find fault with him, you can denounce him, and you can say that he is not trusting God as he should. Some might even say he is a disgrace to the Lord. What has happened to our prophet? Is this the man who defied the prophets of Baal? Is this the man who said, “If the Lord be God, follow Him”? What disease has smitten him? What is the diagnosis? Could you give us the etiology of it?
Let me suggest several things. There was a physical cause for the way he acted. He was overworked. He was overwrought. He was overworried. He was physically exhausted. I think he could have dropped in his tracks after that experience at Mount Carmel. He was worn out after the arduous task of standing for God in the face of such opposition.
The sin of the ministry is not finances, although many people think it is. Unfortunately, there are some preachers who are running a religious racket, but money is not the problem with the average preacher. When I was ordained, I was warned about the three sins of the ministry: pride, being boring, and laziness. I am confident that some folk are never going to get under a juniper tree. Do you know why? They are too lazy. Although there were seven thousand believers who had not bowed a knee to Baal, they were not under the juniper tree. They were hiding in caves up in the hills. They would never have been able to stand the lofty heights of Mount Carmel, and they did not see the fire come down from heaven. Elijah stood alone. He was a prodigal of his own physical strength. Some dear saint, I am sure, whispered in his ear, “You are doing too much. Take it easy.” Elijah would never have run away from Jezebel if he had not been exhausted. I think we need men today who are willing to work for God. I hear a lot of talk about folks being dedicated, but they are as lazy and careless in the Lord’s work as they possibly can be. This could never be said of Elijah. He was under the juniper tree because he was exhausted.
There is also a psychological factor involved in this situation. This is the day of hypertension, frustration, sterility, frigidity, nervous debilitation, disappointment, discouragement, despondency, let-down, run-down, and breakdown. Perhaps you have misunderstood Elijah. He was rough and rugged. He was a blood-and-thunder man. But that rugged exterior concealed a sensitive soul. He was ruled by his emotions, and he could go from elation to dejection. He possessed the finer sensibilities—he had artistic taste and aesthetic taste. His nature was emotional, and he did things that were emotional. Perhaps he suffered, as the psychologists say, from manic-depressive psychosis. A woman is probably the most delicate of God’s creatures, and a woman is emotional. She has a finer sensibility than a man. Elijah had that kind of a nature. Did you ever notice that God put a badger skin around all of the beauty, wealth, and workmanship of the tabernacle? A badger skin was the exterior of something fine and beautiful. The exterior of Elijah was like that. Now he is crying out for God to take his life. He is in bad shape.
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee [1 Kings 19:5–7].
Elijah needed rest. The Lord knew that, so He put him to sleep. Elijah slept like a baby. He also needed some good food—I don’t think he had been eating regularly. He awoke to find some bread being baked. Do you know who I think baked that bread? I believe it was the same One who prepared that breakfast on the shore of Galilee one morning after the Resurrection. It was our Lord who comforted Elijah, fed him, and then put him back to sleep. He fed him, the second time, and told Elijah, “The journey is too great for you.” This was something that Elijah had learned.
My friend, today may be a very happy day for you. You may think that you are sufficient for the battle of life. But I want to tell you that the journey through life is too great for you. You are going to need a Savior. You are going to need a helper. Elijah, as rugged as he was, needed Him.
ELIJAH AT MOUNT HOREB
And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God [1 Kings 19:8].
Strengthened by the food provided by God, Elijah continued to run. He went clear to Mount Horeb, the mount on which the law had been given to Moses.
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away [1 Kings 19:9–10].
The Lord is dealing with Elijah. He is over-wrought and needs real psychological help. I have been asked if I believe in going to a psychologist. I think there are times when a person needs to consult a psychologist. Most of us, however, could solve our problems if we crawled on the couch of the Lord Jesus Christ and told Him everything. We wouldn’t have to be running around telling everybody else about our troubles and problems if we would just talk them over with Him. We ought to tell Him everything.
And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake [1 Kings 19:11].
First of all there was a great and strong wind that split the mountains and broke the rocks. Oh, did he love a good wind storm! Then the mountain rolled and shook under his feet. He loved it—he was that type of man.
And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice [1 Kings 19:12].
After the earthquake there was a fire. After all, he was the man who brought fire down from heaven on Mount Carmel. He liked that too. But wait a minute. God was not in the strong wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire. After the fire came a still, small voice. If there was one thing that Elijah did not like, it was a still, small voice. I am sure Elijah did not have that kind of a voice, but he had to learn that God moves in a quiet way—how wonderful it is to see God moving in this way. He was teaching Elijah a great lesson. The battle was not actually won on top of Mount Carmel by fire coming down from heaven. God moves in mysterious and unostentatious ways His wonders to perform. God moves in a quiet way. God uses little things to accomplish His purpose. As someone has said, “Great doors are swung on little hinges.” God uses small things to open mighty doors. That is what Elijah had to learn.
And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away [1 Kings 19:13–14].
Many of us can identify with Elijah. Sometimes with our families or in our communities we are surrounded by unbelievers, and we get the feeling that we are the only ones on earth standing for Christ.
And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay [1 Kings 19:15–17].
God is saying to Elijah, “Go back to the north country; I have more work for you to do.” He is to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria and Jehu to be king over Israel. Then God tells Elijah about his successor, Elisha.
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him [1 Kings 19:18].
Finally, He told Elijah that there was a remnant of seven thousand people who have not bowed to Baal. God always has a remnant, my friend. He had one in Elijah’s day, and He has one today. I have been very unkind in my references to the remnant. But they were standing for God. They had not bowed the knee to Baal. They were not out in the open like Elijah; they were the silent ones, but they were true to the God of Israel.
ELISHA’S CALL
God now is preparing to take Elijah home, and He will raise up Elisha to take his place.
So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him [1 Kings 19:19–21].
Elisha now becomes the pupil of Elijah. He is being trained to take over his ministry, as we shall see.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Israel is attacked by Syria
Remember that this event occurs during the time the kingdom of Israel is divided. The ten northern tribes bear the name of Israel. Because of the repeated sin of both king and people, God is permitting their enemies to attack them. However, again God is gracious and gives them opportunity to repent and return to Him. In this chapter God delivers Israel, though pitifully outnumbered, from the mighty army of Syria.
AHAB’S FIRST SYRIAN CAMPAIGN AND HIS VICTORY
And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it [1 Kings 20:1].
God is now permitting the enemy to come in from the outside. Up to this time God had not permitted it at all. We are told, however, that God promised victory even to Ahab.
And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou [1 Kings 20:13–14].
The promise of God’s deliverance in this situation was not based upon Ahab’s fidelity but on God’s love for His people. God gave this man an opportunity to change. We hear a great deal today about lost opportunities and about opportunity knocking only once at the door of every man. I think opportunity stands at the door and keeps knocking. Now Ahab was promised a victory, and God gave him a great victory over the Syrians.
And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter [1 Kings 20:20–21].
AHAB’S SECOND SYRIAN CAMPAIGN AND HIS REBUKE FOR SPARING BEN-HADAD’S LIFE
And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee [1 Kings 20:22].
God was telling Ahab, “I have given you a victory now, but you be careful that you don’t return to the worship of Baal. I have demonstrated that I am your God—the living God. The king of Syria is going to come against you again at the return of the year.” It was not the end of the struggle; Ben-hadad was going to renew his effort to defeat Israel. This is a very vivid picture:
And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys. Therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord [1 Kings 20:27–28].
Once again God gave Ahab victory over the enemy, but unfortunately, Ahab made the mistake of sparing Ben-hadad’s life.
And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away [1 Kings 20:34].
Ahab was told to eliminate the enemy, but he did not obey. There can be no compromise, friend, with sin, God never permits that, and that is exactly what Ahab had done.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people [1 Kings 20:42].
Why is it today that judges are so lenient with criminals? It is because they have a guilt complex themselves, my friend. They feel guilty themselves, and they know they are sinners. It is almost like pointing the finger at themselves to convict someone else. It is very hard for one sinner to judge another sinner. This was the case with Ahab—that is why he spared Ben-hadad’s life.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Ahab and Naboth’s vineyard
The chapter before us is a page out of the lives of the wicked king and queen of Israel, Ahab and Jezebel, which reveals their covetous and ruthless characters.
NABOTH’S VINEYARD IS COVETED BY AHAB
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria [1 Kings 21:1].
Afew years ago I was in Samaria, and I must confess that it is one of the most beautiful spots in the land of Palestine. You can stand on the hill of Samaria where Ahab and Jezebel’s palace stood (Omri built it), and you can see Jerusalem to the south, the valley of Esdraelon and the Sea of Galilee to the north, the Jordan river on the east, and the Mediterranean Sea on the west. It is a beautiful view on all four sides. There are not many places like that. If I were living in that land, that would be the spot where I would like to have my home.
And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee [1 Kings 21:2–3].
Naboth had a vineyard in this area. And as I stood on that beautiful hill, I wondered what side it was on. We do know it was nearby. And with as lovely a palace as Ahab had, you would think he would be satisfied. But, no, he wants that vineyard. Naboth does not want to sell it for the very simple reason that the vineyard is his patrimony. It is what God had given to his ancestors, and it had been passed down from father to son. But now here is a king who wants it, and it takes a pretty brave man to turn him down.
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread [1 Kings 21:4].
Ahab doesn’t get his way, so he goes home and pouts like a little boy. Ahab, wicked as he is, is like a spoiled brat and won’t eat now because he cannot have what he wants—he can’t have that vineyard!
JEZEBEL’S MURDEROUS PLOT TO OBTAIN NABOTH’S VINEYARD
Ahab did not have any ideas about how to get Naboth’s vineyard, but Jezebel did. I can assure you that she is going to work out something that will enable her husband to get it.
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite [1 Kings 21:5–7].
Jezebel was absolutely masculine in her manner—she was a dominant and domineering woman. I would have been afraid of her myself, I must confess. She is a wicked woman, and she is going to get the vineyard. She contrives a nice little plot and arranges to have two lawless men witness against Naboth. They say that he blasphemed God and the king. Naboth is then carried out of the city and stoned to death. Can you think of anything more unjust than this? Well, it has happened many times in the history of the world. Many times the man on top who has everything has taken advantage of the little man.
Naboth was stoned to death. Did Ahab get by with it? My friend, you don’t get by with sin. I don’t care who you are—the day will come when you are going to have to settle up. And the day came when Ahab had to settle up.
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it [1 Kings 21:15–16].
So Jezebel came in and announced to her husband Ahab, “Naboth is dead, and you can have the vineyard.” It looks like Ahab has gotten by with this wickedness, doesn’t it? No, God has a man there. Thank God that there is a man around who will declare the Word of God!
ARAB’S AND JEZEBEL’S DOOM IS PREDICTED
And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine [1 Kings 21:17–19].
Remember that God has said, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). If you and I could speak with men from the past—whether they were God’s men or Satan’s—they would tell us that this is an immutable law of God; it cannot be changed.
Jacob found out the truth of this law. Pharaoh of Egypt, who killed the little Hebrew boys, thought he got by with his crime, but one day he found that his firstborn was dead. David committed an awful sin, but he did not get by with it. The same thing he did came back to him. Saul of Tarsus was a leader in the stoning of Stephen, but there came a day in Asia Minor, at Antioch of Pisidia, when he was stoned and left for dead. The fact of the matter is that he was dead, and God raised him from the dead.
Now here is the judgment that is pronounced on Ahab and Jezebel:
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin [1 Kings 21:21–22].
God says to Ahab, “I’m removing your house. Your line will not reign here.” Now God is not through:
And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel [1 Kings 21:23].
Both of these judgments very definitely come to pass.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: Ahab and the prophet Micaiah
Now in chapter 22 we will see the fulfillment of the Lord’s judgment against Ahab. While we have been following the career of this king of the northern kingdom, down in the south Jehoshaphat has come to the throne. He is a good king, but now he is going to make an alliance with Ahab.
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel [1 Kings 22:1–2].
What has happened that would cause a good king like Jehoshaphat to make an alliance with a king as wicked as Ahab? Why would he fraternize with his natural enemy? It’s an abnormal alliance, an unnatural confederacy. At this point it seems strange, but we will find out later that Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, had married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. This was a case of the “sons of God marrying the daughters of men”; that is, a boy with a godly heritage married a girl with a very wicked one. And the wicked influence prevailed. When the believer and the unbeliever get married, my friend, you can always be sure that the believer is going to have trouble. When you marry a child of the devil, your father-in-law sees to it that you have trouble.
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses [1 Kings 22:3–4].
Ramoth-gilead was one of the chief cities of the tribe of Gad, and it had been lost to Syria. The best thing to do would have been to leave things as they were—status quo. At least Jehoshaphat should have stayed out of it. He should have followed the advice given to him by the prophet of the Lord. It was too bad that the devil’s man and God’s man made an alliance. This was not Jehoshaphat’s fight anyway. Gilead did not belong to him—it belonged to Ahab, and it was Ahab’s quarrel, not his.
AHAB IS PROMISED VICTORY BY HIS LYING PROPHETS
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord today [1 Kings 22:5].
Jehoshaphat is God’s man. He wants to know what the will of God is.
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? [1 Kings 22:6–7].
Jehoshaphat wants to know the mind of the Lord, and he suspects that they are not getting it through these false prophets. He has a real spiritual discernment, and so he asks, “Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?”
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so [1 Kings 22:8].
Ahab then introduces Micaiah, the after-dinner speaker. And he does so in a most unusual way—he says, “I hate him.” Then Jehoshaphat says to Ahab, “You really don’t mean that you hate a man of God.” Someone has said that a man is not really known by his friends. Rather, he is known by his enemies. Every man ought to make sure that he has the right enemies. The best compliment that could be paid to Micaiah was for Ahab to say, “I hate him.”
In the Lord’s work I have always prided myself on the fact that I had the right enemies. I like the enemies I have because they do not stand for the Word of God. It is well to have the right enemies as well as the right friends. I can truthfully say that I thank God for my friends. I can also thank God for my enemies.
A toastmaster once said about a preacher he was introducing, “He doesn’t have an enemy.” God have mercy on him! You only had to listen to him for three minutes, and you could see why he had no enemies. He was Mr. Milquetoast—he didn’t stand for anything. Micaiah actually was the best friend Ahab ever had. Ahab just did not know it. Micaiah could say as Paul did, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16).
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah [1 Kings 22:9].
They brought Micaiah in. After all, he was very close at hand: Ahab was keeping him in prison. This is another of these great dramatic scenes:
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king’s hand [1 Kings 22:10–12].
You can just imagine those four hundred prophets running around saying to Ahab, “Go up against the king of Syria.” One of the prophets was especially dramatic. Zedekiah ran around with iron horns, pushing at everyone with them, saying, “This is the way you are going to do it.” What a scene—two kings on their thrones and all those prophets running about crying, “Go up and fight. You will win.”
DEFEAT IS PROPHESIED BY MICAIAH
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good [1 Kings 22:13].
The messenger that brought forth Micaiah said, “I’d just like to put a bug in your ear: all of the prophets are prophesying something good. They are telling the king to fight because he will win. That is what he wants to hear. You should join with them. Then you could get back into the king’s favor. Here’s your chance, Micaiah.” And, I suppose, this guard thought he was helping Micaiah.
And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak [1 Kings 22:14].
Micaiah’s answer was not only dramatic, it was humorous. He said, “Whatever the Lord tells me to say, that is what I am going to say. I will tell it like it is.” Then Micaiah came in and sized up the situation. He saw the two kings on their thrones and all of the false prophets of Baal running around the room. They were all saying nice things to Ahab. They had all read the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Micaiah had not read that book. Neither had he read The Power of Positive Thinking. In fact, he was pretty negative. There is a lot of power in negative thinking, friend. We need more of it today.
So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king [1 Kings 22:15].
Notice what Micaiah says to the kings. To him it is a humorous scene, so he joins in just for fun. I think he was as sarcastic as any man could be—just as sarcastic as Elijah could be. They were cut out of the same piece of cloth, by the way. Micaiah said, “Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” Immediately the king saw that he was being ridiculed.
And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? [1 Kings 22:16].
The king said to Micaiah, “I know you are kidding me because you have never been on the side of the false prophets.”
Suddenly Micaiah becomes very serious and solemn.
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? [1 Kings 22:17–18].
And the king of Israel says to Jehoshaphat, “I told you so—I told you he would say nothing but evil about me.”
Then Micaiah said, “I’m not through. I have something else to say to you that you ought to hear.” And he gives a parable. You could call it a parable that is the reductio ad absurdum. It is a preposterous parable, a parable by contrast. (You will not find parables like this until you come to our Lord’s teaching as recorded by Luke. Take, for example, the parable of the unjust judge: God is not an unjust judge.)
Notice what Micaiah says here:
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner [1 Kings 22:19–20].
Isn’t that ridiculous? Can you imagine God calling a meeting of the board of directors or of the church board to ask them what He should do in a case like this? God already knows what He is going to do, and He does not need any advice.
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so [1 Kings 22:21–22].
Imagine this! God says, “My, you smart little fellow! I wish I had thought of that.”
Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee [1 Kings 22:23].
This was the nicest way Micaiah could call these prophets a bunch of liars.
But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?
And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son:
And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace [1 Kings 22:24–27].
Zedekiah, the false prophet, struck Micaiah on the cheek. This was an extreme insult. In response to the insult Micaiah said by implication that the day would come when the false prophets would hide themselves in terror. That time would come when Ahab was dead and Israel was defeated. Then Zedekiah would know what the truth was.
And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you [1 Kings 22:28].
Micaiah told Ahab that he was not coming back. If he did, then the Lord had not spoken by him. Then Micaiah said, “In view of the fact that you won’t be coming back, Ahab, I want the people to witness that what I have spoken is the truth.”
AHAB’S DEFEAT AND DEATH
Israel went to battle. They listened to the false prophets, and what happened? Israel lost the battle. And Ahab proved he was a deceiver all the way through. You see, the only man in the battle who had on king’s robes was Jehoshaphat, which made him a marked man, because Ahab had disguised himself. You might say that Ahab set Jehoshaphat up as a clay pigeon to be slain in the battle. It was not Jehoshaphat’s fight at all, but he almost didn’t come out of it alive.
But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him [1 Kings 22:31–33].
Poor Jehoshaphat almost lost his life in the battle because of Ahab’s deception.
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot [1 Kings 22:34–35].
Ahab was not slain by a soldier that aimed at him. The king was not a target, and the soldier did not shoot at Ahab—yet that arrow found him. You might say it was the first guided missile. I imagine that he was just an ordinary soldier with one last arrow left in his quiver. He pulled it out, put it in his bow, and simply let it go. He didn’t know where it was going. Ahab’s death would have to be listed as accidental, but in God’s record it was providential: that arrow was aimed.
And you know, God still uses a very crude form of weapon—He’s still back in the bow and arrow days. In Psalm 64:7, we read: “But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.” There are those today who think they have escaped the hand of God. But I want to tell you that God has an arrow with your name on it; it will find you one of these days. No matter how much you try to deceive and cover up, that arrow will find you. That is what happened to Ahab.
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake [1 Kings 22:37–38].
That which God had predicted through Elijah came to pass: Ahab died, and his blood was licked up by dogs in the same place that Naboth had died. Of course, Ahab had tried to stay away from that place, but his chariot was brought into Naboth’s vineyard, and the blood was washed out of it. The dogs were right there to lick it up. The prophecy was literally fulfilled. Whatever a man sows, my friend, he will reap. Why? Because God is not mocked. You cannot get by with sin; no one gets by with it. God sees to that; He is still on the throne.
Now we turn briefly to the reign of Jehoshaphat, and we find that he made a big mistake.
And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places [1 Kings 22:43].
This was a token of compromise that God could not nor did He bless in the life of Jehoshaphat. It is quite obvious here that this man is a compromiser, and yet he is rated as a good king because he did serve God in his own personal life.
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel [1 Kings 22:44].
This was a mistake also—he should not have done this. We read in 2 Chronicles that Jehu the prophet met Jehoshaphat as he returned from his visit with Ahab: “And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God” (2 Chron. 19:2–3). Now the groves were a place of great immorality, but the high places where sacrifices offered to Baal were not taken away. Jehoshaphat had compromised.
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not [1 Kings 22:48–49].
The son of Ahab who had come to the throne in the northern kingdom wanted Jehoshaphat to join him in a business deal—it would be a peaceful mission this time—but Jehoshaphat would not compromise again. He had learned his lesson. He said, “No, thank you. I don’t care for this kind of an arrangement at all.”
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead [1 Kings 22:50].
Jehoshaphat died and was succeeded by his son Jehoram.
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done. [1 Kings 22:51–53].
Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria. He reigned for two years and followed in the footsteps of Ahab and Jezebel.
(For Bibliography to 1 Kings, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Kings.)
The Book of
2 Kings
For introductory material and outline, see the Book of 1 Kings.
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Fire from heaven protects Elijah from Ahaziah
First Kings 22:51 tells us that “Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria….” We pick up the story in 2 Kings at this point. In fact, there does not seem to be a proper division between 1 and 2 Kings. Ahaziah’s reign in Israel is begun in 1 Kings and concluded in 2 Kings.
The king and the prophet take the place of the priest as God’s instruments of communication.
In 2 Kings, the first chapter, Ahaziah, king of Israel and son of Ahab and Jezebel, fell down through a lattice and seriously injured himself.
Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease [2 Kings 1:1–2].
I would be inclined to say he fell because he was drunk. This is only a guess. Then instead of going to the Lord God for help, Ahaziah—greatly influenced by his mother Jezebel—went to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron. Ahaziah’s request for an oracle was a direct challenge to the Lord God of Israel. He wanted to know if he would recover from the effects of the accident.
But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?
Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed [2 Kings 1:3–4].
This was one of Elijah’s last missions. He went to meet the messengers and gave them this challenge. “Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron?” Then he gave them God’s unwelcome prognosis: Ahaziah would not recover; he would die. The messengers went back and reported to the king what Elijah had said.
ELIJAH IS PROTECTED BY GOD
And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite [2 Kings 1:7–8].
This furnishes us an interesting description of the physical appearance of Elijah.
Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty [2 Kings 1:9–10].
Remember that Ahaziah the king was the son of Jezebel, the woman who had tried to kill Elijah. Apparently there was still a price on his head.
Elijah is quite a man, is he not? He simply did not fit in with the compromises of court life in that day.
There is much talk today about the fact that we should learn to communicate and learn to get along with everybody. May I say to you that this is not God’s method. The compromise of the church and its leaders has not caused the world to listen to the church. As a matter of fact, the world is not listening at all. They pass the church right by. Why? The world will not listen until the church declares the Word of God. If the church preached God’s Word, there would be communication.
Elijah managed to communicate. He was heard. People listened to him. He was a pretty rough type of an individual. The king sent another captain with fifty men, and he also ordered Elijah to come down from the top of the hill. What came down was fire from heaven which consumed the captain and his men.
And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight [2 Kings 1:13].
This man asks for mercy, and God will extend mercy to him.
And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die [2 Kings 1:15–16].
Elijah boldly repeated God’s pronouncement.
So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? [2 Kings 1:17–18].
This ends the line of Omri and Ahab.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The translation of Elijah
This chapter brings us to the conclusion of Elijah’s life. He is translated into heaven in a chariot of fire. Then Elisha comes into prominence. The chapter closes with the incident of irreverent hoodlums being attacked by bears.
ELIJAH’S DEPARTURE
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.
And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho [2 Kings 2:1–4].
Elijah is trying to get Elisha to stay back. Elisha will not leave Elijah because he knows that Elijah is going to leave the earth that day. Elisha wants to be present when the Lord takes him home.
And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace [2 Kings 2:5].
The interesting thing is that people, then as well as today, were turning to all kinds of people and places for information. This is the day when the fortunetellers and those who deal with the zodiac and the occult are handing out many suggestions. People are turning everywhere except to God. You won’t get any information from these areas that you cannot get from God. The sons of the prophets had information that Elijah was going to leave, but Elisha already knew it. They could not tell him anything new.
And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground [2 Kings 2:6–8].
The Lord had parted the River Jordan for Joshua and the people of Israel at least five hundred years before this; now He repeats the miracle for Elijah and Elisha.
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so [2 Kings 2:9–10].
Now don’t miss that. Elisha actually was a greater prophet than Elijah. He had a double portion of the Spirit of God upon him.
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven [2 Kings 2:11].
This is a spectacular conclusion of a spectacular life!
ELISHA RECEIVES A DOUBLE PORTION OF ELIJAH’S SPIRIT
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over [2 Kings 2:12–14].
This man Elisha is taking Elijah’s place, and he demonstrates his faith. He takes Elijah’s robe and smites the waters just as Elijah had done. The power is not in the robe nor in Elijah; the power is in God, and Elisha knows that. Elisha had the faith Elijah had, and it is faith in the God of Elijah. He asks the question, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”
This is the important question today. Instead of looking to men or women, methods or some nostrum for help, as many people do, why not look to the Lord God of Israel? He is the living God, He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look to Him, my friend.
Elisha took Elijah’s mantle, smote the waters, and they parted. He crossed over the river to begin a new phase in his life.
ELISHA SUCCEEDS ELIJAH
And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send [2 Kings 2:15–16].
The sons of the prophets (the theological students of that day) were still watching and they saw Elisha part the waters and return across the Jordan River. They doubted that Elijah had really gone up. They suspected that the Lord had dumped him in some abandoned area. What a peculiar idea they had of God!
And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? [2 Kings 2:17–18].
Elijah was indeed gone, and there was no need to investigate. Elisha said, “I told you so!”
Then the men of the city of Jericho came to Elisha with a problem.
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake [2 Kings 2:19–22].
Elisha made the bitter waters sweet. This was his second miracle. Today you can see those waters in the valley at Jericho. I did not drink the water when I visited there because water out in the open in that land is apt to be contaminated. I am told, however, by those who were brave enough to drink it, that the water was sweet and delicious to drink.
Next followed an incident which has been criticized as much as anything in the Scriptures. This incident is pointed out with glee by the enemies of the Word of God who bemoan the brutal slaying of these poor little children.
First, let’s look at the background. Elisha was returning from Elijah’s translation when this event took place. The word had gone before him concerning what had taken place. As he went up to Beth-el, “little children” mocked him. Elisha cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two female bears came out of the woods and “tare forty and two children.”
Not only the critics but also many sincere believers have been stumped by this portion of Scripture. The scorner says, “You don’t mean to tell me that God would destroy little children like that?” What is recorded here seems to contradict other portions of Scripture.
First of all we need to recognize that when we come into the world our human minds are more or less neutral. They are neutral on practically every subject but one, and that is an innate streak of rebellion against God. Man has an inborn bias against God. Man, first of all, is skeptical about the Bible. Man will believe anybody or anything except God. If you don’t believe this statement, notice how people fall for the “scientific approach.” Let a man on television put on a white coat and pince-nez glasses, make a statement about mouthwash, deodorant, or toothpaste, and everybody runs and buys it because it is “scientific.” Well, my friend, that reveals the nature of man.
If a man is an honest doubter, he will find there is an answer to all the problems and questions that concern the Word of God. That does not mean that I can answer all of the problems, because I cannot. This is one question, however, that I can answer, and I want to spend a little time with it.
Now Elijah was succeeded by Elisha. In many respects Elisha was greater than Elijah. This will undoubtedly be a surprise to many people who consider Elijah one of the greatest prophets, and possibly one of the witnesses who will one day return to earth during the tribulation (Rev. 11:3–7). If you want to measure these two men by the miracles they performed, Elisha performed the most miracles. Elijah was the man for the public. Elisha was the one who ministered personally to individuals. Because his ministry was largely in this area, it was not quite as exciting and dramatic as Elijah’s ministry. He was a gentle man in contrast to Elijah.
Elisha was a young man at the beginning of his ministry. On this occasion he was returning from beyond Jordan where Elijah had been caught up in a chariot of fire and taken to heaven. News of this event had spread like wildfire over the countryside. Many people knew about it as Elisha returned to Beth-el. Probably the news media of the day carried the news about Elijah. I guess the Beth-el Bugle had a headline about the prophet and the chariot of fire. The Bugle would not confirm the story but they did report that there were those who had seen the event take place.
Beth-el means “house of God.” It was first mentioned by Abraham, then by Jacob. Beth-el, however, did not continue to live up to its name. At the time of the division of the kingdom, Jeroboam, you will recall, placed one of the golden calves in Beth-el for the people to worship so that they would not continue to go to Jerusalem to worship. There was also a school for false prophets at Beth-el. It was, of course, an imitation of the school of prophets in Judah. It was in this atmosphere that the children of Beth-el were educated. They were godless. They had no training. They had no discipline at home. I think Beth-el was a great deal like Los Angeles, where I live. How ironical it is: Los Angeles means “the city of angels,” and we have everything else but angels here.
Now Elisha is on his way to Beth-el.
And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head [2 Kings 2:23].
Then “little children” came out of the city. The accepted opinion is that these were precious little children. All of us are moved by children. I have a little grandson, and he has grandpa wrapped around his finger. These little ones really get to you. When you read this portion of Scripture, it touches your heart. If these “children” were beginners, primaries, juniors, or even junior high young people, I would have to admit that Elisha was rather cruel because what happened would be contrary to the teaching of the rest of Scripture.
The Lord Jesus said, “… Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). As you read the Bible, you will discover God’s tender care of the little ones.
Remember that at Kadesh-Barnea the people of Israel refused to go into the land, and they gave the following excuse: “And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?” (Num. 14:3). They felt that their little ones would be in danger. But God said to them in essence, “You should have trusted Me. You thought that I would not take care of your little ones. Well, although you will die in the wilderness, your little ones, who you thought were in danger, are going to inherit the land and dwell in it.”
“Little children” is naar or nahar in Hebrew. It is used of Isaac when he was twenty-eight, of Joseph when he was thirty-nine, also for the Sodomites who attacked the home of Lot. You will find it used in other places in Scripture, and it does not refer to little children as we think of them. For example, 1 Kings 12:8 says, “But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him.” This verse is speaking about the time Rehoboam forsook the wisdom of the older men, the wise men, and consulted with the younger men who had grown up with him. The word translated “young men” is the same word translated “little children” in 2 Kings 2:23. I am sure no one believes that Rehoboam was consulting with little juniors, or that he went to nursery school and talked things over with the little ones. They were young men. When Samuel came to anoint as king one of the sons of Jesse, you will remember that his sons were grown. As they passed by Samuel one by one, he said to Jesse, “Are these all thy children?” Well, the word children is the same word used in 2 Kings 2:23. It is used to describe Jesse’s grown sons. The youngest son, David, was not even there. The hoodlums who were taunting Elisha were young men, not little children. You will find this word used in many places in Scripture, and in every other place it is translated “young men.” This was a crowd of young fellows.
They were students of the false prophets. They were a gang that mocked and ridiculed Elisha. They said, “Go up, thou bald head.” What did they mean by that? They were telling him to do the same thing Elijah had done. They were saying, “Why don’t you take off like Elijah did?” They were ridiculing the truth in Scripture that God will take a people out of this world.
This is the same attitude, Peter says, that will appear on the earth again in the last days. This incident in 2 Kings is given to us to let us know that God intends to judge those who ridicule the second coming of Christ. Second Peter 3:3–4 says, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” During the last days on earth there will be those who will ridicule believers about the coming of Christ. They will say something like, “Well, what is the matter? You haven’t gone up yet. You are still hanging around. I thought you were going to leave us.” This is the type of thing scoffers will say to believers. Many are already saying, “Where is the sign of His coming?” For this reason we ought to be careful today in the way that we teach the second coming of Christ. We should not go out on a limb. We should not become fanatics on the subject. We should handle it with care, even in a manner in which the Word of God handles it. So 2 Kings is just a little picture of the judgment that will come upon those who will ridicule Christ’s return to earth. It is a fearful judgment.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them [2 Kings 2:24].
It is an awful thing for a preacher to deny the deity of Christ and the work He did at His first coming. It is a terrible thing to deny and ridicule the second coming of Christ. This brings a very severe judgment.
Notice that they called Elisha “bald head.” We do know something about this man: he had a bald head.
There is a great deal about judgment in the Word of God. We need, therefore, to get our facts squared away. When you understand what we are talking about in this section, there is nothing here that is out of line with the rest of Scripture. He pronounced a curse upon them. Elisha sounds like Elijah here. He also sounds like the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matt. 11:21). He went on to say; “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell …” (Matt. 11:23). That is judgment, friends.
We are living in a day when there is a great deal of pussy-footing in our legal system. The lack of the enforcement of law on the part of some judges is a scandal; it is responsible for the lawlessness on every hand. It is responsible for the shooting down of policemen. It is not safe to walk our streets any more. The minds of people in this country have been brainwashed. When are we going to wake up? When gangs of young hoodlums terrorize our neighborhoods, there should be punishment. I personally heard a leading attorney recently tell a small group, privately, that these young lawbreakers should be taken out and publicly whipped, as they used to do in the early days. He said if that were done it would break up a lot of the lawlessness. May I say to you that after the bears did their work, nobody else around Beth-el ridiculed Elisha—you may be sure of that.
CHAPTERS 3–4
Theme: Miracles of Elisha
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years [2 Kings 3:1].
Jehoram was the son of Ahab and Jezebel and successor of his brother Ahaziah, who died without having any children.
And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom [2 Kings 3:2–3].
He did not sin as Ahab had sinned, but he did cleave “unto the sins of Jeroboam” which was calf-worship.
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel [2 Kings 3:4–5].
Moab was in subjection to Israel and paid tribute. When Ahab died, Moab attempted to regain her freedom, refusing to pay the tribute. Jehoram, therefore, gathered his troops together and made an alliance with Jehoshaphat to join forces with him to bring Moab back into subjection. When they were unable to find water for their troops, their campaign not only was halted, but they were in danger of being conquered by the Moabites. King Jehoshaphat, being a God-fearing man, suggested they call a prophet of God to give them direction. (We could wish he had asked for God’s guidance before he formed this alliance with Israel’s godless king.) Elisha’s response is interesting and reveals his contempt for Jehoram.
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee [2 Kings 3:13–14].
WATER AND VICTORY
Then God promises that there will be victory—they will be given water and they will completely subjugate Moab.
Notice the remarkable way God accomplishes this.
And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches [2 Kings 3:16].
The ditches are pits to retain the water that is coming.
And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water [2 Kings 3:20].
The Moabite troops which are mustered to defend their country against Israel now look out toward the advancing armies.
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil [2 Kings 3:22–23].
Thinking that the confederate kings had come to blows and the troops had destroyed each other, the Moabites forget about warfare and each man takes off to get his share of the spoil. This, of course, gives Israel a distinct advantage.
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land [2 Kings 3:26–27].
Human sacrifice was widely practiced by the Moabites. Undoubtedly he offered the sacrifice to his god Chemosh, hoping that by offering his heir, Chemosh would save him from the enemy. However, it was a signal victory for Israel, and certainly must have impressed them with the power and graciousness of the Lord God of Israel.
Chapter 4 contains five miracles performed by Elisha. While there is a similarity between the miracles of Elisha and Elijah, the miracles performed by Elisha are more extensive.
INCREASE OF THE WIDOW’S OIL
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen [2 Kings 4:1].
Elisha apparently had known her husband. She reminds him that her husband was a true believer. When he died he left an unpaid debt which the creditor had now come to collect. If a borrower did not have personal property as security, his own person and that of his dependents would serve as security. Therefore the creditor could legally take the widow’s sons as payment.
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil [2 Kings 4:2].
Elisha recognizes his responsibility to help this little family. The Mosaic Law insists that widows and fatherless children be cared for.
Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out [2 Kings 4:3–5].
They had a regular oil well going in that house!
And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest [2 Kings 4:6–7].
This is actually a greater miracle than the widow of Zarephath’s unfailing cruse of oil in Elijah’s day.
A SON FOR THE “GREAT WOMAN” OF SHUNEM
This gracious woman, living in Shunem, entertained Elisha whenever he passed through her town.
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither [2 Kings 4:9–10].
Since then, there have been many believers who have in their homes what they call the “prophet’s chamber.” As I have traveled about from place to place, holding Bible conferences, I’ve stayed in many prophet’s chambers. I could tell you about people all across this country today, wonderful Christian folk, who have a room where preachers and missionaries are entertained and feel at home. You do not know what that means in the lives of many of God’s people today.
Now Elisha appreciated this home that was always open to him. Lying on the bed one day, he determined to somehow reward this thoughtful woman for her kindness. Elisha summons his servant Gehazi:
And he said, What then is to be done for her? and Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life [2 Kings 4:14–17].
LIFE RESTORED TO THE SHUNAMMITE’S SON
Years later when her son was a grown child, he died. Elisha restored him to life, using the same method that Elijah had used (1 Kings 17); that is, personal contact with the dead child which brought life. The great principle here is that when we are dead in trespasses and sins, personal contact with Jesus Christ brings life. In Him we have life. He is life.
POISONOUS POTTAGE
The fourth miracle in this chapter concerns food for the sons of the prophets, who were actually students—theological students. This was during a time of famine and one of the boys went out to gather any wild fruits or vegetables that he could find. They concocted a stew of what they found.
So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot [2 Kings 4:40–41].
Elisha, you see, makes it harmless.
ONE HUNDRED MEN FED MIRACULOUSLY
A man, attempting to be faithful to the Mosaic Law, brought the firstfruits of his harvest to the sons of the prophets since Jeroboam had driven the Levitical priests from the country. Because it was a small amount, the servant balked at inviting one hundred men to dinner!
And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord [2 Kings 4:43–44].
This reminds us of the times our Lord fed crowds of four thousand and five thousand with a few loaves and fish.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Naaman the Syrian
THE HEALING OF NAAMAN
Chapter 5 is one of the most interesting chapters in the life of Elisha the prophet. It reveals that he was probably as rugged as Elijah and that he had a good sense of humor. I believe the Lord has a sense of humor and likes to use men who have a sense of humor. You cannot help but smile when you read this episode although it deals with a man in a very desperate situation.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper [2 Kings 5:1].
This first verse gives us a thumbnail sketch of Naaman. He was captain of the host of Syria. Although he was a pagan, he was both a great man and an honorable man. By him the Lord had given Syria deliverance—this is a remarkable thing. I am sure that you will agree that he was a man the Lord had used. You will find that the Lord uses men in this world who are not Christian. That may seem strange to you, but you don’t have to read very far in the Word of God to find that He used men like Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and Alexander the Great. Here we are told He used Naaman. We are also told that Naaman was a mighty man of valor. All of these things mentioned count in the high court of heaven. God does not despise these things. This heathen man was used of God: “By him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria.” Even though we find all of these fine things are said of him, we have this to add, “… but he was a leper.” There are many folks in the world today about whom nice things can be said although they are not Christians. You can say that they are fine men and women and have done fine things. But you have to conclude it all by saying that they are sinners—“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). No matter how nice people might be, they are all sinners in God’s sight.
Lepers were not excluded from society in pagan nations. It is interesting that God gave Israel a law about segregating lepers because it kept the disease from spreading. Today lepers are put in a colony and kept separate from society. God put these instructions in His Book centuries before any pagan nation realized they were necessary. This is something for you to think about, friend. It is not until you come into what we would call a “civilized day” that men decided to separate lepers from the rest of society.
Leprosy in Scripture is a type of sin. One reason is that it was incurable by human means. Only God can cure sin and save a sinner. Naaman had many fine points, but he was a sinner. He tried to cover up his leprosy, but he could not cure it. Many people today whitewash sin. What they need is to be washed white, and only Christ can do that.
And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife [2 Kings 5:2].
This is one of those unknown, unnamed characters in the Bible. She was a young maid, a little Hebrew girl, and a great person. To me she is as great as Queen Esther, Ruth the Moabite girl, Bathsheba, Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel. This little maid “waited on Naaman’s wife.”
And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy [2 Kings 5:3].
This little Hebrew maid was in no position to give orders, but one day she uttered a sigh and said, “Oh, that my master would go down and see the prophet in Samaria. He would recover him of his leprosy”—Elisha, you see, had quite a reputation. Well, someone—probably his wife—heard what she said, and it reached the ears of the king of Syria.
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel [2 Kings 5:4].
The king of Syria was delighted to hear that something could be done for this very valuable man, and he immediately sent him to the king of Israel with a letter of introduction and a very handsome reward.
And the king of-Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me [2 Kings 5:5–7].
This letter from the king of Syria requesting that the captain of his army be healed of leprosy greatly disturbed the king of Israel. He exclaimed, “I am not God. I cannot heal him!” The message had been sent to the wrong person. The king of Israel read the message, but it should have gone to Elisha. I always feel like anyone who claims to have a gift of healing is almost being blasphemous, friend. The king of Israel said, “I don’t claim to be able to heal anyone.” Elisha did not claim to be a healer either, but he was in contact with the Great Physician. The king of Israel, however, came to the conclusion that the king of Syria was trying to start a quarrel with him—why else would he send the captain of his army with this impossible request?
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel [2 Kings 5:8].
Elisha said, “Send Naaman down to me.”
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean [2 Kings 5:9–10].
Naaman was from a great kingdom in the north. In fact, his nation was at that time bearing down upon the nation Israel. Syria had already gained victories over Israel, and Naaman expected the red carpet to be rolled out for him. And what happened?
Elisha told him to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times! Of course this hurt the pride of Naaman. Elisha actually received this man rudely. In fact, Elisha did not receive him at all—he did not even go to the door to receive him. You would think the prophet would bow and scrape to this great captain of the hosts of Syria. Instead, Elisha sent his servant to tell Naaman to go and wash seven times in the Jordan River. Do you think Naaman is going to accept this advice?
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper [2 Kings 5:11].
Naaman was upset because he was a very proud man. He had never received treatment like this before. The Lord is not only going to heal his leprosy, He is also going to heal him of pride. When God saves you, He generally takes out of your life that thing which offends. Pride just happens to be one of the things God hates.
We hear a great deal about the fact that “God is love,” but God also hates. You cannot love without hating. You cannot love the good without hating the evil. If you love your children, you would hate a mad dog that would come into the yard to bite your little ones. You would want to kill that mad dog. It is true that God loves man, and in unmistakable language God declares that He hates the pride in man’s heart. Proverbs 6:16–19 lists seven things that God hates. First on His list are these: “A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” Do you see what is number one on God’s hate parade? It is a proud look. God says he hates that. He hates that as much as He hates murder. James 4:6 says, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Pride is the undoing of man. It is a great sin. In Proverbs 16:18 we read, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” Finally, Proverbs 29:23 says, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Why does God hate pride? The definition of pride is “excessive self-esteem.” It is inordinate self-esteem. It is more than reasonable delight in one’s position and achievement. Paul put it like this, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Rom. 12:4). Pride is placing an excessive price on self. It is demanding more than you are worth. Have you ever heard it said, “I wish I could buy that man for what he is worth and sell him for what he thinks he is worth?” Pride is the difference between what you are and what you think you are. It was the pride of Satan that brought him down. That was his sin. Pride was also the sin of Edom. Of Edom God said, “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord” (Obad. 4).
Man’s pride runs counter to God’s plan; and, whenever they meet, there is friction. There is no compromise. It is always a head-on collision. You see, God’s plan of salvation is the supreme answer to man’s pride. God lays man low. God takes nothing from man. Paul could say of himself when he met Jesus Christ, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7). Paul gave up religion. Paul gave up everything he had been; he rated it as dung—he said, “I just flushed it down.” Christ and pride do not go together. You cannot be proud and at the same time trust Christ as your Savior. If you trust Him, my friend, you will lay all of your pride in the dust.
The story of Naaman is the finest example that we have of a man being shorn of his pride. He was a great man, to be sure. God listed all the things that marked him out as a man of character and ability. But he was a leper. He was a sinner. God not only healed him of leprosy, He healed him of his pride. Believe me, Elisha insulted him. Naaman thought Elisha would come out to him, stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. You know, that is religion. It is as if Naaman were saying, “Oh, if only I could have gotten into a healing line, and had him put his hand on me, and call upon God and pray. If only he had poured a little oil on me. That would be great.” That is religion, friend. When God heals a person, it is by faith. He lays your pride in the ground. You do not go to a man for healing; you go to God, the Great Physician.
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage [2 Kings 5:12].
This is one place where I agree with Naaman. I saw those beautiful rivers in Lebanon. I went up to the city of Byblos from Beirut, and I stopped at a place called, “Calling Cards of the Great Men of the Earth,” because it is a place where many notable men have left inscriptions on the side of a cliff. I walked along a river there about half a mile and looked at the beautiful clear water rippling over the rocks. The Jordan is a muddy little stream, friend. It is not nearly as pretty as some of the streams in Lebanon. I rather agree with Naaman. He said, “Why in the world should I go and dip in the Jordan? Why not dip in a stream with clean water?”
This has an application for us. A lot of folks hate to come to the cross of Christ. It is a place of ignominy. It is a place of shame. People don’t want to come to the cross. Instead they want to do something great. That is what Naaman wanted to do. Oh, the pride of Naaman! He said the rivers of Damascus were better, and they were. He was disgusted with the impudence and impertinence of the prophet to tell him to wash in the Jordan. But, my friend, you will have to come to the cross of Christ. You do not come to Jesus and stand before Him as a proud man. You cannot say that you have something you are resting on when you come to Him. You come, “just as I am without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me,” and shed for every person. All you have to do is accept His work on the cross.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? [2 Kings 5:13].
As Naaman was riding away in a rage, his servants attempted to reason with him, “If the prophet had asked you to do something great, you would have done it.” How many people today would like to do some great thing for salvation? You don’t have to do anything; He has already done it for us. All we have to do is receive it. We come as beggars. Naaman would have to come that way also.
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean [2 Kings 5:14].
Naaman went down to the Jordan and dipped in the water seven times according to Elisha’s instructions. I would give almost anything in the world if I could have been there and watched him. I think every time he went down into the water he would come up and look at himself. He probably said, “This is absurd. I am not getting clean—I am not getting rid of my leprosy!” Then he went down into the water again. But he did dip himself in the Jordan seven times, and he was healed.
GEHAZI’S SIN AND THE PENALTY
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.
In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way [2 Kings 5:15–19].
Now, deeply grateful for his healing, Naaman is pressing Elisha to accept these rich gifts he has brought as a token of his appreciation. But Elisha will not accept payment for what God has done.
Now Elisha had a servant named Gehazi. He hated to see that handsome reward slip by, so he took out after Naaman.
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him [2 Kings 5:21–23].
Why did Gehazi take the offering from Naaman? Greed!
And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither [2 Kings 5:24–25].
Gehazi allowed the servants to carry the gifts as far as the tower; then he took them himself and sent the servants back to Naaman so that Elisha would not see them. With the gifts safely stowed away, Gehazi rushes back to his job, acting as if nothing had happened.
And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow [2 Kings 5:26–27].
The great sin of Naaman was pride. The great sin of Gehazi was greed. My beloved, greed is leprosy of the soul.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: The floating ax head and danger at Dothan
In chapter 6 we will see two more thrilling experiences that Elisha had. Elisha was an outstanding prophet, although he was different from Elijah. Elijah’s ministry was public; Elisha’s ministry was more private (we have just seen how he dealt with Naaman, the captain of the Syrian host). Elijah was spectacular—he brought down fire and rain from heaven. Elisha was a quiet man; he shunned the spotlight. However, both prophets were God’s men at God’s time.
THE AX HEAD
Our attention will center now on Elisha. I do not think that any miracle so reveals the character of a person and a prophet as the miracle of the floating ax head.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us [2 Kings 6:1].
Now this reveals something of the popularity of Elisha. He taught in a theological seminary, the school of the prophets. The school grew, and they needed larger quarters. This was due to the presence and the popularity of Elisha. The strength, I feel, and the value of any school is the character and the ability of those who teach. It is not the methods but the men that are important, especially in a Christian school.
Now notice what they did. In order to enlarge the school they said,
Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye [2 Kings 6:2].
The students built their own school. That would be an unusual thing in our day. Today everything has to be given to the students in order to get them through school and, if it doesn’t suit them, they rebel. But these students went out to work, and Elisha encouraged them in it.
And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go [2 Kings 6:3].
This is a refreshing and thrilling verse. It is an insight into the winsome character of Elisha. It reveals that he was popular with the students. By the way, do students ordinarily want to take their teacher with them beyond the boundary of the campus? They’d like to leave him there. But these asked Elisha to go with them.
So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood [2 Kings 6:4].
Now a small tragedy takes place. I say “small” because the ordinary person would call this a trivial incident.
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed [2 Kings 6:5].
There is something here that is quite interesting. It reveals that God is concerned about the small events in our lives. You remember that Paul said to the Philippians, “Pray about everything,” and he did not mean to leave anything out.
The loss of an ax head may seem insignificant to us, but to this poor student it is not so small. The fact of the matter is, it is pretty big. In our day of gadgets when we can go down to the hardware store and get an ax head of about fifteen different shapes, this does not seem important. But in that day it was of tremendous importance because any kind of iron tool or weapon was scarce. And if you want to know something about that period, notice just one verse from 1 Samuel: “So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found” (1 Sam. 13:22). Two swords for an entire army! It lets you know something of the scarcity of weapons and of tools in that day. So you can understand that the loss of an ax head was very important to this young man—and, of course, he had borrowed it.
Most commentators, I have discovered, romp all over this student. They give him a demerit for carelessness and a demerit for the fact that he borrowed something. Well, if this man were guilty, why did not Elisha, his teacher, rebuke him? Elisha did not. Elisha absolved him from all charges. He was not careless, but actually was very careful. Obviously there was a danger of an ax head coming off, and it happened often enough so that God included it in the Mosaic Law: “And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live” (Deut. 19:4–5).
God made this law because it evidently was something that occurred quite frequently. Now this man revealed his carefulness by cutting the wood so that there was nobody out in front of him. He was standing so that if the ax head came off it would go into the Jordan River. He was aiming it in a safe direction.
The second fault they find with him is that he borrowed it. Well, I think that I am qualified to speak for this fellow here. He was a poor seminary student, and he could not afford an ax in that day—no more than I could have owned a Cadillac when I was in seminary. He just could not have done it. He had to borrow it. I do not think that this poor fellow should be criticized on these two points.
In fact, I have a question to ask. Who loaned this student an old ax with a head that would come off? That’s the fellow I would like to talk to. I imagine that fellow is the same one who today gives secondhand clothes and old Christmas cards to missionaries and thinks he is serving the Lord.
Now this boy was distressed, and he could not reimburse the owner. He would have to face him without the ax and he didn’t know what to do. Now notice Elisha’s concern. “And the man of God said, Where fell it?” Let’s stop there for just a moment because there have been those who have said, “Why did Elisha ask that question if he was a prophet? He would have known where the ax head fell.” He knew, and he knew something else also. He knew that he needed to test that young man. By the Spirit of God he needed to test him. Notice that this young man knew exactly where that ax head went into the water. Don’t tell me he was careless. Elisha is not doing it only for a test but for another reason. The Spirit of God knew that in the twentieth century there would be critics of this miracle, and, as they’ve explained away every other miracle, they would say, “Well, after all, the water was clear, and anybody could see where it was.” The question Elisha asked precludes anyone saying that the water was clear. And if you know anything about the Jordan River, you know it was muddy. I have heard many romantic, wonderful things about that river, but to me it was the most disappointing thing that I saw. You talk about polluted water! You talk about a muddy little stream! You talk about a dirty thing! That’s the Jordan River. Because it was muddy, Elisha said, “Where did it fall?” The young man knew right where it was, but he could not get it out because he could not see it. The water was not clear. Now notice what took place.
And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim [2 Kings 6:6].
This was a miracle, and I do not think that you can explain it away. This is one miracle—not sensational, not as spectacular as going to heaven in a chariot of fire—that is great in its simplicity. It is a miracle when iron swims. It is contrary to all known physical laws. I recognize that since the day that the first iron ship was launched, ships of iron and steel now float on the seven seas. And that’s no miracle. But, my friend, it was a miracle for an ax head on the bottom of the Jordan River to float to the top like a cork! I know it is not startling, not sensational; it’s simple. This is Elisha’s method. Elijah would have never done it this way. In fact, I don’t think Elijah would have bothered with a thing like that. He would have said, “Son, forget it.” But not Elisha.
An ax head, dormant on the bottom of the muddy Jordan, is raised, resurrected, if you please, restored to the owner, replaced on the handle, and it becomes useful again, utilitarian and functional. That’s really a greater miracle than these others because there is a tremendous spiritual message here for us today. Man today is like that ax head. He has slipped off the handle. He has fallen. He is totally depraved.
So Elisha cut down a stick. He cast it into the waters of death. That stick is the cross of Christ. Our Lord came down to that cross, and He went down into the waters of death for you and me. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24).
Man today can rise from the waters of death and judgment through Christ. He can be placed back on the handle of God’s plan and purpose for him, and he can be geared into God’s program. Paul testifies, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). And further, “… this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14). It is no longer necessary for any person to live an aimless and useless life. Having no purpose in life is the thing that is driving literally thousands of people to suicide. This past week a half dozen college students committed suicide, and the whole explanation was, “It isn’t worth living.” My friend, of course it’s not worth living when you are an old ax head down at the bottom of the muddy Jordan. It is not until Christ lifts you by His cross (His death for you and me) and places us back in His plan and purpose that life becomes worthwhile. A young man (not yet twenty-one years old) said to me, “My life is a failure.” I said to him, “Your life hasn’t even begun, and you are talking about being a failure!” How we need God today! The greatest miracle today, friend, is not to go to the moon. It is not even to go to heaven in a chariot of fire. Rather it is to go to the highest heaven when we are still sinners and have trusted Christ. That’s the greatest miracle there is—to be lifted out of the muck and mire of this world and to be given meaning for our lives and enabled to live for God.
Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it [2 Kings 6:7].
All you have to do is reach out the hand of faith today and take it, for He died for you. He rose again in order that He might lift you up. All you have to do from your position is to reach out the hand of faith and trust Him.
DANGER AT DOTHAN
The next episode begins with a very familiar ring. It sounds like a page out of the morning newspaper: “Then the king of Syria warred against Israel.” They have been at it for a long time; actually, it was an old conflict even at that time. The present conflict between Israel and the Arab world has a definite Bible background.
Now notice the situation.
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? [2 Kings 6:8–11].
The king of Syria was disturbed because every plan he made and every place he went was discovered by the king of Israel. He came to the conclusion that there was a spy in his camp. He called together his military and attempted to ferret out the traitor. “Which one of you is for the king of Israel?” Honestly there was no one—all of them were loyal to him.
And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber [2 Kings 6:12].
The prophet Elisha had “bugged” even the bedroom of the king of Syria and knew everything he said. And the way he “bugged” them in that day was that the Lord revealed this to him.
So the king of Syria decided to eliminate Elisha. He first sent out those to spy out where he was and they located him in Dothan. Dothan is a place north of Jerusalem about sixty miles. It means “two wells” and was a place where there was good pasture, a place where flocks were brought. At the present time and for several years Dr. Joseph Free, of Wheaton College, has been carrying on an excavation in that place. I am told that there is really not much to see there because it never was a very prominent place. But it was the headquarters of Elisha at this particular time. The king of Syria sends in the military, and they entirely Surround the place. The servant of Elisha goes out in the morning, I suppose to get water out of one of those wells (which are still there today); he looks around and sees that the city of Dothan is surrounded by the hosts of Syria. You can be sure of one thing, he is alarmed. He comes back and reports to Elisha, and he says to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do? The city is surrounded. We might just as well give up. It looks hopeless for us! What can we do under these circumstances?”
And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them [2 Kings 6:16].
And I want to tell you, that seemed rather unrealistic because here were the hosts of Syria outside, and Elisha was very much alone with his servant—and that servant was frightened to death. So Elisha prayed, and his prayer is interesting.
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha [2 Kings 6:17].
The question now arises: Is this the stated policy of God in dealing with His own?
Well, I have discovered that a great many Christians today have become great escape artists. They are sort of spiritual Houdinis. They can tell you about miraculous instances of God delivering them and leading them. But many other saints have to bow their heads in shame and say, “I’ve had no such experience, and I have had no such leading from God. It must mean that either I am out of touch with Him, or He is not for me at all.” My friend, let’s go back to Dothan. The answer, I believe, is here. Dothan is mentioned only two times in the Bible, and I think for a definite reason.
Another man approaches Dothan, a young man. In fact, he is a boy seventeen years of age, and danger and destiny await him there. Actually he is walking like a helpless and unsuspecting animal into a trap, and I feel like warning him, “Don’t go to Dothan!” But that foolish “Houdini” Christian I referred to is apt to say, “You don’t need to worry, preacher. No harm is going to come to him. He’s not going to be hurt at Dothan. He will be home next week because God will deliver him. After all, there are chariots of fire around Dothan, and he will be delivered.” But is he? Joseph’s brothers conspire against him. They want to murder him and, after they cool off just a little, the wiser of the brothers recommends that he be sold into slavery. My friend, that was worse than death in that day. It was a living hell to be sold into slavery, yet that is what is happening to this boy, seventeen years of age—and he happens to be God’s man! Where are the chariots of fire? Just because you cannot see the chariots of fire does not mean they are not there. They are there. I see more evidences of the hand of God in the life of Joseph than I see in the life of Elisha who performed miracles, yet God never appeared to Joseph, never performed a miracle for him. But I see that God used this seeming disaster, and Joseph recognized it later on at the end of his life. He could say to his brothers, “… ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good …” (Gen. 50:20). And at Dothan the chariots of fire are there, but they are going to be used in a different way.
SYRIAN SOLDIERS ARE BLINDED
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha [2 Kings 6:18].
Elisha did a very unusual thing. He asked God to smite the hosts of the Syrians with blindness, and God did just that. Then Elisha led them all the way into Samaria and told them that he was leading them where Elisha was! When they got to Samaria, he turned them over to the king of Samaria. The king wanted to slay them, but Elisha said, “Don’t do that. Feed them and send them home.”
And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel [2 Kings 6:23].
Both the power and graciousness of Israel’s God, as represented by Elisha, must have really shaken the Syrian king. He abandoned his war against Israel. However, at a later date Ben-hadad (this, by the way, is a title rather than a proper name) again besieged Samaria, as we shall see in the next episode.
BEN-HADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA
And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for four-score pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver [2 Kings 6:24–25].
The famine was so severe that a donkey’s head (imagine how little meat there would be on that, and it could only be boiled, I guess, and made into soup or stew!) was sold for a ridiculous price. They were really having inflation!
The next few verses reveal the horrible fact that they were actually eating their children because of the desperate shortage of food.
Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day [2 Kings 6:31].
We don’t know why the king considered Elisha as responsible for the horrors of the siege. Probably he thought it was in Elisha’s power to provide food in a miraculous way and was going to execute him because he did not.
The episode is continued without a break in the next chapter. This is another thrilling incident in the life of this man Elisha.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Elisha’s promise of plenty is fulfilled
Chapter 7 continues the narrative of chapter 6. Holding Elisha responsible for the siege, the king of Israel sends an executioner to slay him. However, God forewarns Elisha and gives him the good news that the famine will end on the following day.
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria [2 Kings 7:1].
A measure of fine flour actually means about four pecks, which would be about a bushel. One shekel would probably be worth about sixty-five cents. That means the inflation would be over. They would be having a real discount sale on flour. How could such a thing come to pass? How could food be brought into the city when the Syrian host was camped outside the walls allowing no one in or out? Apparently the king believed Elisha’s audacious prophecy because he spared his life at this time. However, his right-hand man scoffed at the idea.
Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof [2 Kings 7:2].
This prediction was literally fulfilled the next day.
Now the scene shifts to a pathetic group of hopeless men outside the city gates.
And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there [2 Kings 7:3–5].
Because they were lepers, they were excluded from society and were dependent upon relatives or friends bringing them food. Now that everyone inside the city was starving, of course, there was no surplus for them.
As we have said, leprosy is a type of sin. The application for us is that before we came to Christ we were in a predicament equally as desperate. We were like the lepers, sitting among the dead, having no hope and without God in the world.
The lepers, realizing they had nothing to lose, decided to throw themselves upon the mercy of the enemy. When they reached the camp of the Syrians, they found it deserted. What had happened to that great host—probably a hundred thousand or more?
For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life [2 Kings 7:6–7].
The sound of an approaching army had put them in panic. The Syrians did not march in an orderly way. When they took off, it was every man for himself. They were traveling at night and they were traveling fast.
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it [2 Kings 7:8].
In that day, the army carried with it all the food they would need. This was a long campaign—they were besieging Samaria,the city there on the hill. In their scramble to get away, they had left everything, all the supplies they had. After the Syrian army had fled, the lepers went into the camp and gorged themselves on gourmet food for as long as they could eat. Then they found and hid more gold and silver than they would ever need.
Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household [2 Kings 7:9].
Now the excitement is over, and they begin to come to themselves. “Here we are gorging ourselves when the people in the city are starving. We’ve got to go tell them the good news!”
There is a great spiritual lesson for us here. At this moment you and I are enjoying the Word of God. Today is a day of good tidings, and we sit here and enjoy it. What about getting the Word out to others? What are you doing to share the Word of God with those who are starving spiritually? You ought to be busy getting the Word of God out to needy hearts. One man told me, “I can’t speak, I can’t teach, I can’t sing, I can’t do much of anything except make money.” Believe me, God has given him a talent for making money. He simply cannot lose money. Everything he touches turns to gold. I believe his ability is a gift from God, and he certainly is using it to get the Word of God out. God expects each of us to use the talents He has given us to publish the good tidings which are the Word of God. We must not hold our peace in this desperate hour!
After the lepers told the king the good news, the children of Israel went into the abandoned Syrian camp and found enough food to feed an army of several thousand. There was an abundance of food. The super markets in Samaria had a big sale; you could buy food cheap. You did not have to buy animal heads for food anymore. You could buy filet mignon instead! The prophecy of Elisha was literally fulfilled.
CHAPTERS 8–10
Theme: Judgment of the wicked
The people of Israel soon forgot God’s marvelous deliverance and returned to their sin. So again they suffer the judgment of a famine.
ELISHA’S PREDICTION OF FAMINE
Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years [2 Kings 8:1–2].
Elisha told the Shunammite woman to leave the land and go to another place because there was going to be a seven-year famine in the land. She believed and obeyed Elisha. She took her household into the land of the Philistines and lived there during the period of the famine. The famine, once again, was a judgment of God upon the northern kingdom.
Frankly I believe that the different tragedies that have struck our land in recent years have been a warning to our nation. The earthquakes, hurricanes, storms, and other tragedies that have swept across our land have, I think, been warnings from God to stop and think and change our ways.
THE SHUNAMMITE’S LAND RESTORED
And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.
And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.
And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now [2 Kings 8:3–6].
When the famine was over and the Shunammite woman returned to her former home, she apparently found others living on her land. At the same time, in God’s providence, the king was inquiring about some of the lesser known acts of the prophet Elisha, and Gehazi was telling him about Elisha raising the Shunammite woman’s son from the dead. The king made a ruling that her property was to be restored to her as well as all the fruit of the land.
ELISHA PREDICTS HAZAEL’S TREASON
Here is another incident in the life of Elisha that is quite remarkable. You will recall that the king of Syria had attempted to capture Elisha and slay him. But now the king is an old man, and he is sick.
And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither [2 Kings 8:7].
The king thought that Elisha would restore him to health. In view of the fact that his own life might hang in the hands of Elisha, of course the king would not touch one hair of his head.
And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? [2 Kings 8:8].
Hazael went to meet Elisha. He is the captain of Ben-hadad’s hosts. There is a reference to him in I Kings 19:15 which says, “And the Lord said unto him [Elijah], Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.” So Hazael had been anointed king many years earlier; he is just waiting around for old Ben-hadad to die. You can well understand that it would be very difficult for the king’s successor—whether it be a son, a general, or someone else—to shed very many tears at his funeral because it was his funeral that would bring his successor to power. So Hazael went out to meet Elisha, but I don’t think he went with a great deal of enthusiasm. He took an impressive gift to Elisha, which was from the king.
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die [2 Kings 8:9–10].
Notice the message that Elisha gave: “You will surely live, but you won’t live.” That sounds like double-talk. Can’t you just see Hazael when he hears that the king is going to die? A smirk comes over his face, and then a smile because he is going to be king.
And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept [2 Kings 8:11].
Elisha’s knowing eyes bored into him until Hazael felt embarrassed. Then Elisha began to weep.
And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child [2 Kings 8:12].
Hazael is amazed, “Why weepeth my lord? Why are you weeping about this man who sought your life?” Elisha was not weeping for the king. Elisha loved his people. He loved his God. He loved the service God had given to him—he was a prophet. The heartbreak because of Ben-hadad had been bad enough, but Hazael is going to bring even more heartbreak to the people. Although Elijah had anointed Hazael king, and Hazael professes that he isn’t going to do evil, Elisha knows better.
And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria [2 Kings 8:13].
I don’t know whether or not he was a dog, but he did it.
So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead [2 Kings 8:14–15].
This is what Elisha foresaw. In substance he had said, “Of course the king will be glad to hear he is going to recover, and that’s what you are going to tell him, but you won’t let him recover.
The rest of this chapter will be less confusing if you follow along carefully the Chronological Table of the Kings on page 331.
And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord [2 Kings 8:16–18].
Now you can see why God doesn’t go for mixed marriages. Although Jehoram was the son of the God-fearing king Jehoshaphat, he married the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and under her evil influence, “he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.”
Now we begin to see that Israel is going downhill as a great nation. Both Edom and Libnah revolted against them. Then Jehoram died, and Ahaziah became the new king of Judah. He joined forces with Joram, king of Israel, to war against the Syrians. Joram was wounded and went back to Jezreel to be healed from the wounds which he suffered at the hands of the Syrians.
And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick [2 Kings 8:29].
In the next chapter we shall see what happened to him while he was in Jezreel recovering from his wounds.
JEHU IS ANOINTED KING OVER ISRAEL
As we begin this chapter, we need to keep in mind that Ahaziah, the king of Judah, went up to visit Joram at Jezreel because Joram was wounded in battle and was in Jezreel recovering. Apparently he was a very sick man.
And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead:
And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;
Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead [2 Kings 9:1–4].
The young prophet did the thing Elisha commanded him to do. You will notice that Elisha is not spectacular in what he does. You would think he would not have sent a young prophet to anoint a king but that Elisha would have done it himself. Samuel, you remember, had anointed Saul as king, and he also came to David and anointed him king. You would naturally think that Elisha would want to be the one to anoint the king, but he did not. He sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu king, and he did it secretly and privately. This is probably the reason he sent a young man to do it—no one would suspect the motives of a young prophet.
So Jehu was anointed king. He was one of the bloodiest rascals you will meet on the pages of Scripture, and yet he did the will of God in many respects. God said that He would cut off from Ahab every male member and none would be left in Israel.
And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled [2 Kings 9:9–10].
Jezebel will not escape God’s judgment for her wickedness.
Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.
And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.
Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king [2 Kings 9:11–13].
When it was known that Jehu had been anointed king, it put everyone in a flurry, and they began to move. They blew the trumpets and said, “Jehu is king.” Joram is sick in Jezreel and Ahaziah is there visiting him. What is going to happen in Jezreel now?
JEHU EXECUTES JORAM
Now Joram down there in Jezreel doesn’t know that God has removed him from his throne and has anointed Jehu king over Israel. As Joram and Ahaziah, king of Judah, are there visiting, the watchman reports that a company of horsemen is coming. Joram sends a messenger to meet them with the question: “Is it peace”—are you bringing good news or bad? Instead of answering his question, Jehu tells him to fall in line behind him. Now the second watchman reports to Joram.
And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously [2 Kings 9:20].
The messengers who were sent out to meet Jehu never came back to report to the king because Jehu is coming to exterminate this king. So Joram and Ahaziah themselves ride out to meet Jehu.
And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? [2 Kings 9:22].
Obviously no loyal subject would dare make such a statement about the queen mother. Joram instantly recognizes that Jehu is leading a revolt.
And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot [2 Kings 9:23–24].
As Joram was trying to escape, Jehu drew his bow and put an arrow through his heart. Notice that Joram is called Jehoram in this instance. Both names have the same meaning in Hebrew and are used interchangeably for both the king of Israel and the king of Judah.
JEHU EXECUTES AHAZIAH
Jehu had come to Jezreel to exterminate Joram. Ahaziah, as we have already seen, was visiting Joram. He was keeping bad company, by the way, with those of the house of Ahab. Ahaziah was in the wrong place at the wrong time!
But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there [2 Kings 9:27].
Jehu’s followers pursued and mortally wounded Ahaziah.
And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David [2 Kings 9:28].
JEHU EXECUTES JEZEBEL
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window [2 Kings 9:30].
Now we come to the slaying of Jezebel, the queen mother, which was indeed a frightful thing. She was a bloody, mean, terrible woman. She was a member of a royal family, the beautiful daughter of Ethbaal, king of Zidon. Probably she had been one of the most beautiful women of her day and of all history. As a young woman I think Jezebel could compare with Helen of Troy, Salome, Cleopatra, and Catherine de’ Medici. When Ahab and Jezebel married, it was the society event of the year. The best people of the two kingdoms were there. There was a surplus of royalty gathered. It was respectful and dignified—even Elijah could not find fault with the event. The common people of both realms celebrated. It should also be added that the demons of hell joined the festivities. They laughed with glee, and the devil was glad. However, crepe was on the gate of heaven and the angels wept. Instead of wedding bells, it was a funeral dirge. That was heaven’s view of this marriage. The world saw things differently, as it always does. Why is the world optimistic and heaven pessimistic? God looks on the heart. Man has only a limited view of things.
Jezebel is one of the most remarkable women in history. She was capable, she was influential, and she had a dominant personality. Her evil influence was felt in three kingdoms and extended beyond her lifetime. Her notorious life became a proverb. She poured a stream of poison into history. Scripture never mentions her again until you come to the Book of Revelation at the conclusion of the Bible.
Her name is suggestive. It means “unmarried, chaste.” You have here a veiled suggestion of an abnormality and a perversion. She was probably cold and sexless, yet she was beautiful and alluring. Strong men yielded to her seductive charms. No one resisted her, not even Ahab. She dominated him and ruled the northern kingdom.
She introduced the worship of Baal. She imported 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Astarte. She was reckless, violent, rapacious, and ferocious. She killed God’s prophets. God’s people went underground. She engineered the marriage of her daughter to the house of David. During her long reign as the consort of Ahab, her will was supreme; no person dared to oppose her—except Elijah. She is the Lady Maebeth of Shakespeare and the Clytemnestra of Greek tragedy. Her crimes were many. Blood flowed freely from her influence. None resisted her. For a time it seemed as if God was in hiding and doing nothing.
Finally Jezebel commited her crowning crime. She arranged the death of Naboth so that Ahab might possess his vineyard. Her deed was high-handed, cold-blooded murder. It was a dastardly deed, and heaven could no longer remain silent. God’s patience was exhausted, and He sent Elijah to announce His judgment. The day of reckoning came. First Ahab was killed, and the dogs licked up his blood just as the prophet had said they would. Now it is Jezebel’s turn. She will be trodden underfoot, and the dogs will eat her to the point that there will not even be enough left for a decent burial. Fourteen years had elapsed since the death of Ahab and undoubtedly Jezebel did not believe that God’s word would ever be fulfilled in her case. She was unmoved. She defied God. She stayed on in Jezreel, thinking perhaps that the death of Ahab was just a coincidence. She felt that she could get by and nothing would happen to her. But, you know, there is a law of God written in neon lights in every sphere on the crossroads of life: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). “… For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).
This is one of the most sordid and sadistic chapters in history. It is gruesome, it is ghastly, and it is a gory sight. Added to that, it is grizzly. It is one of the most revolting and repulsive scenes on the pages of Scripture. Jezebel is the queen mother. She has been living in luxury in the palace at Jezreel. The terrible prophecy of that horrible man Elijah has not been fulfilled. Suddenly out of the north came a swift chariot. It was Jehu driving furiously. He had just slain two kings, the king of Judah and the king of Israel—her own son, Joram. What does she do? She paints her eyes and arranges her hair, and looks out of a window. This proud queen still thinks she can seduce her captor—captivate him with her charms. She had a grandson twenty-three years old. She is no longer young; she is an old woman. No secret formulas for lotions, powders, sprays, and creams can make this faded queen look attractive. As she looks from an upstairs window at Jehu, she begins with flattery.
And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? [2 Kings 9:31].
Her inference is, “Can’t we get together and talk this over? Come up and see me sometime.”
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot [2 Kings 9:32–33].
Jehu is unmoved and untouched by Jezebel’s words. He is without pity or mercy. Jezebel did not awe Jehu. She had no appeal for him. He did not even respect her. He said, “Throw her down!” And the eunuchs threw her down and she broke open like a ripe watermelon. This is the most frightful, terrible, and vivid picture in all of the annals of tragedy. Hammond says that history presents no parallel to such an indignity. It is truly unprecedented. A queen mother was customarily treated with respect.
And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king’s daughter [2 Kings 9:34].
How could Jehu enjoy a hearty meal after he had done this awful thing? As someone has said, he was “a fiend in human form.” He was a rough soldier with no courtesy and certainly no chivalry. All he had was crude ambition. He did not shrink from any crime. He was depraved and degraded.
And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:
And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel [2 Kings 9:35–37].
When Jehu sent servants out to bury Jezebel, the dogs had already devoured her. The dogs had a big gourmet meal. But, my friend, there was no laughter in heaven because of this. There was no mourning, either. Perhaps in heaven it was being said—as the Book of Revelation tells us that it will be said in the future—“For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (Rev. 19:2). The horrible death of Jezebel illustrates again the truth of Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
Chapter 10 continues the judgment on the house of Ahab through the murderous heart of Jehu.
AHAB’S HOUSE IS JUDGED
And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,
Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;
Look even out the best and meetest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house [2 Kings 10:1–3].
Jehu is giving the sons of Ahab the privilege of fighting for the throne of Israel. Not one of the seventy sons is willing to tackle Jehu.
Then the elders of Israel—to save their own necks—prove their allegiance to Jehu by slaying these seventy sons of Ahab.
So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining [2 Kings 10:11].
JEHU MASSACRES THE ROYAL PRINCES OF JUDAH
And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,
Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah: and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them [2 Kings 10:12–14].
After dealing with the house of Ahab, Jehu was on his way to assume the throne in Samaria. He met forty-two sons (or nephews) of Ahaziah, the king of Judah. He slew them also. It is interesting to note, however, that one of them was spared, and he was a descendant of the house of Saul.
And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot [2 Kings 10:15].
Jehu, still on his way to Samaria, met Jehonadab, the Rechabite. The question he put to him was, “Are you friend or foe?” Jehonadab was the founder of the very strict sect of Rechabites mentioned by Jeremiah. He was undoubtedly a man of influence. Apparently he heartily approved of Jehu’s anti-Ahab policy and was willing to lend his support by being seen in Jehu’s chariot.
JEHU EXTERMINATES BAAL’S WORSHIPERS
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal [2 Kings 10:18–19].
The next thing Jehu did was to bring together all of the prophets of Baal by issuing a false statement that he would offer a great sacrifice to Baal. Jehu had no intention of worshiping Baal. When all the prophets came together, he slew them. His sacrifice to Baal was a trap and the prophets fell right into it.
JEHU FOLLOWS THE SINS OF JEROBOAM
While it is true that Jehu slew the prophets of Baal, he did not turn to the prophets of God.
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan [2 Kings 10:29].
Jehu went back to the calf worship that Jeroboam had established. He did not worship Baal, nor the gods of the Zidonians, but he engaged in the calf worship that apparently came out of the land of Egypt.
Jehu did not turn to the Lord, but because he was zealous for the Lord, God gave him an earthly reward—that is, He extended the reign of his house for four generations.
And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel [2 Kings 10:30].
Although Jehu was a very brutal man, God makes the wrath of man to praise Him!
ISRAEL IS SMITTEN BY HAZAEL OF SYRIA
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel [2 Kings 10:32].
What is happening here? The northern kingdom is getting ready to go into captivity. From now on there will be decline which will ultimately end in disaster. They will be carried away into captivity by Assyria.
The chapter concludes with the death of Jehu who had been king of Israel for twenty-eight years.
CHAPTERS 11–12
Theme: Joash, the boy king
The story of Ahab and Jezebel is not a pretty section, and you probably thought we were through with them, but we are not. While it is true that Jehu had eliminated all the line of Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel, a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel had married into the southern kingdom of Judah and was at this time the queen mother. Believe me, she took after mama and papa and was the meanest of them all. Her name is Athaliah, and she is going to perform an unbelievably terrible act.
ATHALIAH MURDERS HER GRANDCHILDREN
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal [2 Kings 11:1].
As long as Ahaziah had lived Athaliah actually had been the queen because she controlled her son. She was very much like Jezebel. Now that Ahaziah was dead, a grandson would come to the throne and Athaliah did not want that. She was afraid that she would not be able to control him, and she would lose her position. So what did she do? She slew all the line of David that she could get her hands on. Talk about a bloodthirsty act! She tried to exterminate the line of David. This was another attempt of Satan to destroy the line that is leading to the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan attempted to wipe out the line of David so that the Savior would not be born. Down through the ages the devil has tried to eliminate the Jews. In Egypt the Lord preserved Moses, and the Jews were not slain but allowed to leave Egypt. Haman, in the Book of Esther, attempted to exterminate the Jews but was foiled. Satan was behind each of these attempts. Now here is this woman Athaliah attempting to exterminate the line of David.
Although she thought she had killed all of them, she missed one, as we are told here.
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land [2 Kings 11:2–3].
She came to the throne after her son was killed and for years she was ruling alone—that was the way she wanted it. But all the while this little boy Joash was growing up.
JOASH COMES TO THE THRONE OF JUDAH
And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the king’s son [2 Kings 11:4].
When Joash (sometimes called Jehoash) was about seven years old, Jehoiada sent for the rulers, the captains, and the guard. He revealed to them that the king had a son. When they discovered that there was a son in the line of David it brought encouragement, joy, and hope to their hearts. They had had enough of this woman Athaliah anyway, and they jumped at the chance to dethrone her.
And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house;
And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king [2 Kings 11:5–7].
They were to “compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand.” Extra precautions were taken to preserve the life of this little fellow because his life would not have been worth a plugged nickel if Athaliah had been able to get to him. She would have slain him without a qualm although he was her grandson! This woman was as heartless as Jezebel. So the young boy was well protected until the time he could be brought before the people.
And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.
And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king [2 Kings 11:11–12].
This was a great day for the southern kingdom to crown a king in the line of David. Things had looked very discouraging there for a time.
ATHALIAH IS SLAIN
And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord [2 Kings 11:13].
Of course Athaliah had not been invited to the coronation of the king. She evidently was in the palace of David on Mount Zion, which was situated right above the temple area. When she heard the clamor and noise in the temple area, she went there to see what was going on.
And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason [2 Kings 11:14].
This, of course, was Athaliah’s idea of treason.
But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord
And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain [2 Kings 11:15–16].
Athaliah tried to flee. There was no way in the world for her to have her trial transferred to another district where she could be expected to receive a fair trial. They just executed her as she fled and saved an appeal to the supreme court. They got rid of her, which was, in my opinion, the proper thing to do at that time.
REVIVAL
The removal of Athaliah took a dark cloud off the southern kingdom. There was a new king, but naturally this little boy had to have counselors to rule in his stead because he was so young. One of them was Jehoiada who had engineered bringing Joash to the throne and executing Athaliah.
And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people; between the king also and the people [2 Kings 11:17].
This is the beginning of a return to God. Jehoiada the priest now leads in a movement to return to the worship of Jehovah. The worship of Baal was prevalent; it had penetrated even into Judah. Probably the people were still going to the temple of the Lord, but they were worshiping Baal at the same time.
The same thing is going on today. Many people are religious on Sunday and then live for the devil the rest of the week. There are many church members doing that today, and they wonder why the church is dead! The explanation is not found in a building; it is found in people. That is where the deadness lies at the present time.
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord [2 Kings 11:18].
This is the beginning of a great spiritual movement that is nothing short of a revival.
And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king’s house.
Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign [2 Kings 11:19–21].
What a day of rejoicing this was to have a descendant of David back on the throne and the wicked foreign usurper and her temple of Baal gone from the land!
THE REIGN OF JEHOASH (JOASH)
In the twelfth chapter we have the reign of Jehoash, and we will see that it is Jehoiada the high priest who is engineering it. This is the beginning of a great spiritual movement that I would call revival.
At this juncture I would like to have a roll call of kings. There was a total of nineteen kings who reigned over the northern kingdom of Israel. There was a total of twenty kings who reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah. Among the nineteen kings who ruled over Israel, not one of them could be labeled a righteous king. Actually the only thing you could say about them was that every one of them was a bad king—there was not a good one in the lot. In the southern kingdom of Judah there were twenty kings, and only ten of them could be considered good. Five of the kings were exceptional, and during their reigns there were five periods of reformation and revival. All of the reformation and blessing was incubated in the nest of spiritual revival. These brief periods of respite kept the fires burning on the altars that were all but extinguished at other times. Five times revival flared up and swept through the nation—not a fire of destruction but of construction and instruction. God visited His people with the heaven-sent times of refreshing. There was a turning to the Word of God and a return to the worship of God. There was power and prosperity.
When a revival comes, my friend, there will be new joy in the church. There will be renewed power in the church. There will be a new love. First, however, there must be a return to the Bible. A return to the Word of God has brought about every great spiritual revival. I personally believe that we can have a true revival today. Years ago Dr. Griffith Thomas said, “I cannot see anywhere in Scripture that revival of the true church is contrary to the will of God.” Dr. R. A. Torrey also said, “There is no such teaching in Scripture that revival is contrary to the will of God.” Dr. James M. Gray said, “We recall nothing in the epistles justifying the conclusion that the experiences of the early church may not be repeated today.” My friend, let’s do our part in getting out the Word of God so that God will be able to do a real work of grace in our time.
In chapter 12 we see Joash (also called Jehoash) as an adult.
In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba [2 Kings 12:1].
Joash (or Jehoash) began his reign as a child of seven and continued until he was forty-seven years old. His mother was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. Remember how the mother’s names are often given because mothers have a tremendous influence on their sons.
And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him [2 Kings 12:2].
Joash was taught in the Word of God. My friend, what we need today are not empty-headed politicians who are everlastingly coming up with nostrums and criticizing all other parties and politicians, thinking only they have the answer. May I say to you, we need men today who are instructed in the Word of God and who know God today. We need a spiritual renewing in this land, and it can only come through the Word of God.
But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places [2 Kings 12:3].
“Revival” did not mean that everyone had turned to God. Many were still sacrificing and offering incense in the high places. Even among the priests there were those who were not revived.
And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the Lord,
Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found [2 Kings 12:4–5].
The temple was in disrepair. It needed to be repaired. The priests took the money that was supposed to be used to repair the breaches of the temple and used it for other things.
But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.
And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house [2 Kings 12:6–8].
It is the same old story today. I think, very candidly, that you can test Christians and churches by their use or abuse of money. Many people in churches say, “Let’s make So-and-So the treasurer or put him on the board of deacons because he is a good business man.” May I say to you that you had better find out whether or not he is a spiritual man. That is the important thing.
What did they do? They had to prepare a locked box so that the money would be safe and the priests could not get their hands on it.
But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord [2 Kings 12:9].
I think this box was a good idea. Anyone can juggle figures, and I have seen officers who handle the money do just that—it is an absolute disgrace. “Joash’s chest” is used today by many organizations to raise money. I wonder sometimes if people who use it recognize its background. The chest was secured so that some deacons and preachers and other religious racketeers could not get their hands on the offerings. This was a good idea that you might want to use sometime.
TEMPLE TREASURES BUY OFF HAZAEL
Although there had been a great spiritual movement in the land, the nation was beginning to go downhill.
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem [2 Kings 12:17–18].
In other words, Joash was buying time. He was trying to buy off Hazael, king of Syria.
And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla [2 Kings 12:19–20].
We will talk more about revival when we get to the two Books of Chronicles. Joash was just forty-seven years old when he died. His servants killed him, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David. Joash had been a good king. We will find that his son Amaziah will also be a good king.
Chronological Table of the Kings of the Divided Kingdom
CHAPTER 13
Theme: The final acts of Elisha
Friend, this is a rugged portion of Scripture; yet it can minister to our hearts. This is an especially good section for the rulers of nations. We are following both kingdoms of Israel and Judah. In the north the ten tribes constitute the northern kingdom, and in the south the tribes of Judah and Benjamin constitute the southern kingdom. In the south the line of David is reigning. That is the line that will be followed right on into the New Testament to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we have seen, the line of David was almost eliminated by Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who married into the family of David.
JEHOAHAZ REIGNS OVER ISRAEL
In chapter 13 we find that Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, reigned over Israel for seventeen years. He followed in the sinful steps of Jeroboam. Actually, there is nothing very sensational or interesting about his reign. Many people feel that sin brings excitement into life. There is nothing quite as boring as sin after a while. The man who starts drinking reaches the day when he is a drunkard; and, at that point, he is as boring as anyone can possibly be. And his life loses its purpose. The same thing is true of any individual who indulges in sin. This period of history is very boring. There is excitement only when God is moving. How we need Him today on the scene!
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom [2 Kings 13:1–2].
Jeroboam is the one who instituted calf-worship in Israel. He led Israel away from the worship of the true God and led them into sin. When Ahab and Jezebel came to the throne, they went way beyond that. They began an active worship of Baal, which actually was demonism. Now Jehoahaz, like his father Jehu, does not go into Baal worship, nor sink into the depths of sin like Ahab and Jezebel did. He does go as far as Jeroboam did, however, and that is bad enough.
REPENTANCE OF JEHOAHAZ
Because of Israel’s sin, God allowed the king of Syria to come against Israel.
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them [2 Kings 13:3–4].
This man knew he was in danger and in trouble. So in fear he turns to the Lord.
(And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime [2 Kings 13:5].
Notice how gracious God is. The minute the king called upon Him, He heard and answered prayer! He delivered the people from Syria’s oppression. My friend, you and I today do not realize how good God is and how good He is to you and me today. Oh, how wonderful He is!
Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)
Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing [2 Kings 13:6–7].
We see the goodness of the Lord in the life of Jehoahaz. The king called upon God and He answered. But the king and his people went on in sin, and they continued their idol worship. The king of Syria so destroyed the defense of Jehoahaz that he was never able to properly defend his kingdom again.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 13:8–9].
Here we have the record of the death of Jehoahaz. This is the record of man: The king is dead, long live the king.
JEHOASH REIGNS OVER ISRAEL
Another king comes to the throne of the northern kingdom.
In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years [2 Kings 13:10].
Now we come to a very confusing period because the names of the kings in both kingdoms are similar, if not identical. It is difficult to know who is reigning, where he is reigning, and the circumstances of the reign. I am not so sure but what the Lord left it that way for a definite reason.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein [2 Kings 13:11].
Jeroboam was the standard. When a king reached his level of sin, God always judged.
ELISHA’S DEATH: HIS PROPHECY IS FULFILLED
It was at this time that Elisha fell sick; it was the illness that brought death to him.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof [2 Kings 13:14].
Elisha had been a tower of strength to the northern kingdom in a way that Elijah had not been. (When the news of Elijah’s translation reached the palace, I imagine there was a celebration party!) However, Elisha had been a tremendous help to the king, and he was heartbroken when the prophet became ill.
And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows [2 Kings 13:15].
When the king visits him, Elisha does not just accept his sympathy and flowers. He is still a prophet of God, and he is giving God’s message to him.
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.
And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them [2 Kings 13:16–17].
Well, Joash is not noted for his faith. Although he is weeping over the prophet who is dying, he is not a man of great faith, and he doesn’t believe God is going to give him the victory over Syria.
And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice [2 Kings 13:18–19].
Because he didn’t have the faith that God would give him deliverance, discouragement caused him to quit.
Many wonderful projects for God never come to fruition, are never executed, because a child of God meets opposition or discouragement. He gives up, and says, “The project is not in God’s will.” That is the attitude of Joash—he smote only three times. He is saying by this, “I don’t think God will see me through.” Today I see so much soft “faith.” Folk sit on the sidelines and engage in wishful thinking. They say, “Oh, I want to do something for God.” And the next time I see them, they are still sitting there. God expects you to get on the move for Him. If you believe God can use you, then get busy! Elisha gives us a very practical lesson here.
THE MIRACLE AT HIS TOMB
And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet [2 Kings 13:20–21].
Even in death Elisha was a miracle-working individual. What a tremendous tower of strength he had been in that nation.
But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet [2 Kings 13:22–23].
While God is punishing Israel with the word of Hazael, He does not allow the oppression to go too far.
So Hazael king of Syria died; and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead.
And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel [2 Kings 13:24–25].
In other words, as his faith, so was it done unto him—three times God gave him victory.
CHAPTERS 14–16
Theme: Good and bad kings of Israel and Judah
AMAZIAH’S REIGN OVER JUDAH
Now we come to the reign of Amaziah over Judah. As was indicated before, Amaziah was a good king. He reigned for twenty-nine years.
In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah [2 Kings 14:1].
The fact that there are two kings by the same name is certainly confusing. The chronological table will help clear up the confusion.
He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem [2 Kings 14:2].
Amaziah’s mother was Jehoaddan. The mothers of these kings will receive the credit if their sons are good kings and the blame if they are bad kings. Amaziah was a good king so he must have had a wonderful mother.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did [2 Kings 14:3].
Amaziah, the son of Joash, succeeded to the throne of Judah, and we are told that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord although he failed to measure up to David’s standard.
We also find that the civil war between the two kingdoms continued during this particular period.
Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers [2 Kings 14:19–22].
Amaziah fled to the city of Lachish, where there was a fortress which offered refuge, to avoid capture by conspirators.
JEROBOAM II REIGNS OVER ISRAEL
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher [2 Kings 14:23–25].
Jeroboam did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did, however, restore the border of Israel, according to Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet. This is an historical reference to Jonah who wrote the Book of Jonah. This confirms the fact that Jonah was a real person and prophet in Israel. Finally Jeroboam II died and Zachariah came to the throne. We are moving toward the end of this nation.
AZARIAH (UZZIAH) REIGNS OVER JUDAH
In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places [2 Kings 15:1–4].
In many ways Azariah (Uzziah) was a good king. However, he did something that he should not have done: he intruded into the priest’s office. For this he was smitten with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:15–21). It broke Isaiah’s heart when he died because Isaiah was afraid Azariah’s successors would lead the nation back into idolatry. Azariah’s fears were well-grounded, for his grandson did just that. We will spend more time on the reign of Uzziah when we come to Chronicles and Isaiah.
In Israel Zachariah, the last of the line of Jehu, was slain by Shallum after he had reigned for only six months. Shallum did not do very well, either. He reigned for only one month and was overthrown and slain by Menahem. Menahem reigned for ten years and did evil as had Jeroboam.
At this time Pul, king of Assyria, came against Israel, and Menahem paid one thousand talents of silver to preserve his kingdom. It was a dark period for the nation. At his death, his son Pekahiah succeeded him to the throne but reigned only two years, when Pekah, his captain, conspired and slew him.
During the reign of Pekah, Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, came against Israel and took captive the tribe of Naphtali. Pekah was slain by Hoshea. Jotham reigned in Judah, and was recognized as a good king.
JOTHAM REIGNS OVER JUDAH
Now we return to the kings of Judah and the son of Azariah (Uzziah).
Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok [2 Kings 15:33].
He is rated as a good king, and the Lord records the name of his mother.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the Lord [2 Kings 15:34–35].
He also tolerated the idolatry which would eventually send his people into captivity.
As we begin chapter 16, let me say that if you enjoy history, you will find this section intensely interesting. If you are looking for spiritual lessons, you will find some very practical things in this section. Much of this part of God’s Word is extremely helpful. Remember, all of these things happened as examples for us.
AHAZ REIGNS OVER JUDAH
Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father.
But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel [2 Kings 16:2–3].
Pekah reigned twenty years before he was murdered. In the seventeenth year of Pekah’s reign in Israel, Ahaz began his reign as king of Judah. Ahaz was not a good king.
And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree [2 Kings 16:4].
He walked in the wicked ways of the kings of Israel. He did the terrible thing of offering children as sacrifices to heathen gods—probably to Merodach (Marduk) or to Baal. This practice was about as low as a person could sink spiritually, and this is the thing Ahaz did. We are told that he “sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.” In other words, Ahaz went the whole route into idolatry and pagan and heathen worship.
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him [2 Kings 16:5].
In the prophecy of Isaiah, chapter 7, there is an extended section on this. It is a very important section, because in it is the prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Isaiah is prophesying to this man Ahaz who will not listen to God. So Isaiah challenges him to trust God. Then Ahaz appeals to Assyria for help. This opens the door for Assyria to come down and ultimately take the northern kingdom into captivity.
At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day [2 Kings 16:6].
“Unto this day” means, of course, up to the time that this record was written.
In this verse the word Jew is used for the first time in the Bible. There are those who hold that Jew applies only to those of the tribe of Judah. However, notice that here it refers to folk in the northern kingdom of Israel—in fact, up on the border of Syria. As we shall see, all twelve tribes were given that name.
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria [2 Kings 16:7–8].
And so the Assyrians are bribed. They come to Ahaz’ aid first by attacking Damascus in Syria and then by taking the city.
And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof [2 Kings 16:10].
He wanted this altar copied and erected in the temple of God. All the while Isaiah was prophesying to him and against him for what he was doing.
And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones [2 Kings 16:17].
Ahaz is showing his utter disrespect for the temple of the true and living God.
And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s entry without, turned he from the house of the Lord for the king of Assyria.
Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 16:18–20].
Ahaz mutilated the house of God and seems to have stripped it of its elaborate ornamentation.
The chapter concludes with the death of Ahaz and the record of the fact that his son Hezekiah reigned after him. It is an amazing thing that a godless man like Ahaz would have a son like Hezekiah, the story of whose reign we shall see in a following chapter.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Israel goes into captivity
These are the reasons God permitted Israel to go into captivity:
1. Disobeyed God (v. 13)—“Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
2. Doubted God (v. 14, see also 2 Chron. 36:15–16)—“Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God.”
3. Defied God (v. 15) in that they refused to observe the sabbatic year for 490 years—“To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years” (2 Chron. 36:21).
The story of this nation is the story of every individual.
HOSHEA’S REIGN
In chapter 17 we come to the end of the line as far as Israel is concerned. The ten northern tribes are carried into captivity by Assyria.
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of theLord, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him [2 Kings 17:1–2].
He is not as bad as Ahab (and Jezebel), nor as bad as Ahaziah, but he is bad enough.
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years [2 Kings 17:3–5].
We are introduced to Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. He captured the northern kingdom and exacted tribute from them. When he discovered that king Hoshea had formed a conspiracy against him and was not paying his tribute, he besieged Samaria. Samaria was the city that Omri, the father of Ahab, had built. Ahab built a palace there. It was one of the most beautiful spots in the land. Now the king of Assyria besieged it.
ISRAEL’S CAPTIVITY
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Modes [2 Kings 17:6].
There are those who say that the ten tribes are lost; that is, the tribes have popped up in Great Britain from where they spread to the United States. This is a nice theory which ministers to the pride of many folk who would like to believe that they are members of the lost tribes, but this idea of ten lost tribes is entirely man-made. You will not find it in the Word of God. For example, in the New Testament James wrote in his epistle, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting”(James 1:1). Apparently James did not think the tribes were lost. The folk who hold this theory believe the ten tribes were lost when they went into Assyrian captivity. When the Jews returned to their land, you will find that some out of all the tribes came back. Actually, a small percentage of the people returned. Several million Jews went into captivity and only about 65,000 returned to Palestine.
SINS WHICH CAUSED ISRAEL’S CAPTIVITY
For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made [2 Kings 17:7–8].
The Lord had been very patient with these people. Over a period of over two hundred years (after the division of the kingdom) the Lord had given them every opportunity and ample time to return to Him. But they did not. They continually went off into idolatry. The Word of God is very clear that he sent them into captivity because they insisted on worshiping other gods.
And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree [2 Kings 17:9–10].
On top of the hills and under the trees pagan worship was carried on. Israel indulged in this gross immorality and licentiousness.
And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger:
For they served idols, whereof theLord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing [2 Kings 17:11–12].
God had put the heathen out of the land for their immorality and idolatry. Do you think that God would permit His own people to stay in the land and do the same things? Well, He would not. He allowed Assyria to come and carry them away into captivity.
Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets [2 Kings 17:13].
God had sent the prophets Ahijah, Elijah, Micaiah, Elisha, Jonah, Amos, and Hosea to these people in the northern kingdom of Israel. To the southern kingdom of Judah he had sent the prophets Shemaiah, Joel, Isaiah and Micah. Later on He will be sending Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah. Every prophet warned the people of both kingdoms what would take place if they did not return to God and forsake their evil ways.
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God [2 Kings 17:14].
What was the basic sin? They were guilty of unbelief. The great sin of mankind is our refusal to believe God. You and I are living in a contemporary culture that has ruled God out. He has no place in our educational system. He is not appealed to by our government officials. Unfortunately, neither is He appealed to by many of our churches today. As a result, God will judge us as He judged His own people long ago.
And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them [2 Kings 17:15].
The northern kingdom was taken into captivity. What about the southern kingdom?
Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made [2 Kings 17:19].
Judah will not profit from Israel’s experience, as we shall see.
And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin [2 Kings 17:20–21].
You will recall that Jeroboam instituted calfworship in Israel.
For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day [2 Kings 17:22–23].
“Unto this day” means, of course, the day 2 Kings was written.
ISRAEL’S CITIES REPOPULATED WITH FOREIGNERS
When the king of Assyria took the northern kingdom captive, he brought in other people to inhabit the land. The area of the northern kingdom was called Samaria. The Samaritans of the New Testament are the descendants of the colonists brought in by the king of Assyria. This is their beginning.
Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt [2 Kings 17:26–29].
This brings us to the end of the northern kingdom. The land has become a mixture of peoples, and there is a great deal of intermarriage. The ten tribes will never again form the northern kingdom. They are scattered now, but they are not lost.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Revival and testing under Hezekiah
Now we come to King Hezekiah. This section is so remarkable that it is not only recorded here in 2 Kings, but also in 2 Chronicles, and in the historical section of the prophecy of Isaiah.
We have just seen that the northern kingdom of Israel was taken into captivity by Assyria. God gives three reasons why this happened: Israel disobeyed God, they doubted God, and they defied God. During the same period the southern kingdom of Judah had a very wonderful king. From this point on we shall be following only the history of the southern kingdom since the northern kingdom is out of the picture. The reason God did not send Judah into captivity at this time is because Judah did have a few good kings who were responsible for a time of revival.
Hezekiah was one of these. In fact, he was the best king who reigned in the land after David.
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did [2 Kings 18:1–3].
Ahaz, the father of Hezekiah, was a very wicked king; yet he had this wonderful son. This leads us to believe that the mother of Hezekiah was a very fine mother and a godly woman. We are told here that her name was Abi.
JUDAH’S REVIVAL UNDER HEZEKIAH
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan [2 Kings 18:4].
Hezekiah was a remarkable man. He led his people in a revival and began by attempting to remove idolatry from the land.
This verse mentions the brazen serpent that Moses put up in the wilderness (see Num. 21:1–9). What happened to that serpent that Moses had made? Well, it had been kept. Naturally it would be a tremendous memento, and it was kept in the temple. Then the day came when the children of Israel began to worship it! Instead of looking at it in faith as their fathers had, when they had been bitten by poisonous serpents in the wilderness as a judgment from God for rebellion, they began to worship it. Now it was a stumbling block. They had forgotten the meaning of it. The serpent pointed to Christ according to John 3:14–15 which says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” The brazen serpent was a symbol that was fulfilled by Christ. These people had turned the thing all around and had begun to worship the serpent instead of God.
As I have studied the seven churches of Asia Minor, I have noted that in the city of Pergamos (more correctly, Pergamum), the serpent was worshiped. It seems the children of Israel were doing the same thing. They burned incense to the brazen serpent and called it Nehushtan. Now Hezekiah broke it in pieces. It was time to get rid of it.
There is a great spiritual lesson in this. There are certain organizations, certain movements, and certain methods that God has used in the past. Unfortunately, folk did not know when God was through with them, and they refused to disband them. I could name half a dozen organizations that I am confident God raised up and which served a great purpose, but which went to seed. They continued operating for no other reason than to perpetuate jobs for those they employed. They became Nehushtan. They became brazen serpents that at one time had served a purpose and were mightily used by God. Then the day came when God was through with them.
I have been in churches where people have been using the same methods for years and years. They say, “This is the way we have always done it.” It may be that it is time to change some of those mathods—there is no monotony with God. Do you realize that Paul never gave an invitation for people to come forward after a service? Apparently Dwight L. Moody began that practice. Now most evangelists think they have to give an invitation for people to come forward, and I have seen it actually become a stumbling block. God led Moody to do it, but He may not lead you to do it. Although I was pastor in a downtown Los Angeles church and there were many converts who responded to the invitation at the Sunday services, my most solid converts were those who were saved in the Bible study on Thursday night when no invitation was given. What God leads someone else to do, He may not lead you to do. You can certainly begin worshiping the equivalent of a brazen serpent and call it Nehushtan.
I have spent some time on this subject because I think it is important. Thank God that Hezekiah got rid of the serpent. I am of the opinion that many of the long-faced saints really criticized Hezekiah. They probably said, “He has gotten rid of our marvelous, wonderful, brazen serpent.” Well, thank God he broke it to pieces, friend. If you have a few little idols lying around your church or in your life, I suggest you get rid of them. Maybe there is some method or some particular way you have of doing things that you ought to change.
He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses [2 Kings 18:5–6].
If there was none after Hezekiah to compare to him, and none before him, then we must conclude that he was outstanding. He is on a par with David. He was a great king who was mightily used of God. That is the reason that his life is given to us in three books of the Old Testament: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah.
THE FIRST INVASION OF JUDAH
And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken [2 Kings 18:7–10].
Hezekiah was a courageous king. Under his command Judah rebelled against Assyria and defeated the Philistines. During the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, took Samaria. The northern kingdom was defeated. Now there was nothing, not even a barbed-wire fence, between Assyria and Judah. King Hezekiah was in a bad spot.
And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them [2 Kings 18:11–12].
This is a review of Israel’s captivity.
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold [2 Kings 18:13–14].
Hezekiah tried to rebel against Assyria, but he was not successful. Because he did not succeed, he will have to pay.
At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria [2 Kings 18:16].
THE SECOND INVASION OF JUDAH BY SENNACHERIB
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field [2 Kings 18:17].
Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem with a great army.
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? [2 Kings 18:18–19].
Rab-shakeh attempts to frighten them by suggesting two things.
Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words). I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him [2 Kings 18:20–21].
Knowing that Hezekiah is expecting aid from Egypt, Rab-shakeh ridicules Egypt as a bruised reed that would snap and pierce his hand the moment he put any weight on it. He says, “You won’t get any help from Egypt!”
Now he attempts to knock out the second prop.
But if ye say unto me, We trust in the Lord our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? [2 Kings 18:22].
When Hezekiah took away the high places, Sennacherib thought he was taking down the altars to the living and true God. He did not understand that Hezekiah was cleansing the land of pagan altars and idols and that his action was obedience, not sacrilege. The Jews were to worship God at the one altar in Jerusalem, and they approached Him only through a bloody sacrifice. It looked to Sennacherib, however, as if Hezekiah had thrown over his God just when he needed Him most.
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them [2 Kings 18:23].
This is an insult and a strong expression of contempt for the military power of Judah.
Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall [2 Kings 18:26].
The Jews were lined up on the wall of the city of Jerusalem hearing all that was going on. The officials of Judah say; “Speak to us in the Syrian language; we can understand it.” Old Rab-shakeh said, “Not on your life—this is going on television!” He was really demoralizing the troops.
Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand [2 Kings 18:28–29].
He is getting through to the people, brainwashing them with propaganda.
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The Lord will deliver us [2 Kings 18:30–32].
He is attempting to persuade the Jews to surrender. He repeats that neither Hezekiah nor God can help them. He promises that their lives will be spared only through surrender. He is saying, “Make terms with me and I’ll leave you in peace to enjoy your own homes for a time.” Then he adds, “Even if we transplant you, it will be to a beautiful land like your own.”
Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? [2 Kings 18:33–35].
To Rab-shakeh this seemed a crushing and unanswerable argument. It was true that no god had ever delivered his people out of the king of Assyria’s power. Of course he did not know that the gods of the other countries were “no gods,” while the living God was “the Lord of the whole earth.”
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not [2 Kings 18:36].
Whatever impression his arguments may have made on the hearts of those who heard, no one said a word.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Hezekiah’s recourse to God and Isaiah’s prophecy
As we have seen, Hezekiah came to the throne at a troubled, disturbed, and uncertain time in the land. The northern kingdom had been taken into captivity by Assyria. Now the Assyrian army has come to the gates of Jerusalem. This is enough to frighten Hezekiah, but added to this, Rab-shakeh, who is the henchman of the king of Assyria, is outside the gate sending out taunts and insults. He is boasting about the great things Assyria is going to do to Jerusalem, and he ridicules the idea that God can deliver them. Poor Hezekiah wilts under all of this, which is natural because Hezekiah is just learning to turn to the Lord and trust Him.
HEZEKIAH SEEKS HELP FROM GOD
And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord [2 Kings 19:1].
Tearing his clothes and wearing sackcloth indicate Hezekiah’s deep distress and heavy afflictions. Notice that he goes into the house of the Lord. That is a good place to go when you are in mental turmoil. It is time to turn to God.
And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz [2 Kings 19:2].
I wonder if you have noted the parallel to the days in which we are living. We think of our nation as being Christian and sophisticated and of Hezekiah’s nation as being uncivilized and halfway pagan. Well, in our disturbed condition have you heard of any of our politicians, educators, leaders, or military men turning to God and appealing to Him for deliverance? No! Instead the nation looks to the “expert” and listens to the man who has a high I.Q. to give the best advice. We have listened to men like that, friend, since I was a young man, and that is a long span now. We get farther and farther into the night. Our problems are mounting. Our difficulties are overwhelming today. Nowhere, not even in the church, do you hear anyone appeal to God. Our only chance is to turn to God in this dark and late hour in the history of our nation. We are a young nation, but we are already old and on the way out. History tells us that the life of most nations is around two hundred years. Instead of turning to God, it is always, “Let’s get together. Let’s try a new approach. Let’s get a new method. Let’s work on this problem from a different angle. Let’s get an authority in psychology, or medicine, or government, or education, and they will show us the way out.” My friend, all of these experts have moved us farther into the night, and we are in trouble. We need God. No nation ever needed God as this nation needs God right now. Thank God Hezekiah had enough sense to call upon God in his hour of need! He sent a delegation to God’s prophet, Isaiah.
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah [2 Kings 19:3–5].
Notice Hezekiah says, “It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh …” He does not say “our God,” he says “thy God.” Poor Hezekiah—maybe he is not very well acquainted with God, but he has enough sense to appeal to Him at a time like this. As a matter of fact, he has no other place to go at this moment.
And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land [2 Kings 19:6–7].
This prophecy was fulfilled literally. Notice the encouragement that Isaiah gives to the king. He says, “Don’t worry about this man. He is not going to come into your city. He is just a blowhard. He is boasting and blaspheming, but God has heard him and will deal with him. There is no need for you to worry.”
Oh, if we would only learn to let God deal with our enemies. The trouble is that we deal with them, and when we do that we move ourselves from the place of faith and trust in God so that God does not move in our behalf. The result is that we come out on the short end of the deal. The Lord can handle enemies much better than we can, just as He did in this case.
THE THREATENING LETTER
So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying [2 Kings 19:8–9].
Rab-shakeh returned to his master and found him carrying on a war with Libnah. And a threatening move of the king of Ethiopia kept him from returning to attack Jerusalem immediately. So he sends this letter of warning to Hezekiah.
Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?
Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah? [2 Kings 19:10–13].
It was a disturbing message. The king of Assyria had swept aside everything in his path. How did Hezekiah think he could escape?
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord [2 Kings 19:14].
My friend, we need to spread our disturbing letters before the Lord just as Hezekiah did. Since my radio program has been on the air, I have received some wonderful letters, but I have received some of the other kind too. I learned a long time ago to turn them over to the Lord, and let Him work the problem out. He is a specialist at this sort of thing. Hezekiah did a wise thing when he spread the letter out before the Lord.
HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER
And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God [2 Kings 19:15–16].
Notice how Hezekiah approaches God. Martin Luther prayed like that. My how these men could lay hold of God! Luther would cry out to God, “Lord, are you hearing me? Lord, hear me. Lord, let your ear be open to my prayer.” Do you ever feel that God is not listening to you? This is the way Hezekiah felt.
Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them [2 Kings 19:17–18].
What this man Rab-shakeh says is true. He is not boasting when he says that Assyria has swept everything before them and has cast each nation’s gods into the fire.
Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only [2 Kings 19:19].
GOD’S ANSWER
Now God will answer his prayer through Isaiah the prophet.
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard [2 Kings 19:20].
God says, “I was listening when you were praying to Me.”
This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel [2 Kings 19:21–22].
God intends to destroy the arm of Assyria.
By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places [2 Kings 19:23–24].
God here repeats the boast of the king of Assyria that mountains do not stop him, deserts do not stop him—he digs wells for water. Rivers do not stop him—he will find ways of drying them up.
Now God addresses the proud Assyrian king. He says that the rise and fall of nations is His doing. As Isaiah had written earlier, God calls Assyria the “rod of mine anger” and the “staff … mine indignation” (see Isa. 10:5).
Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up [2 Kings 19:25–26].
That is, Assyria’s victims were unable to make an effectual resistance because it was God who had put a fear in their hearts.
But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest [2 Kings 19:27–28].
God says, “You have come into My land; you have made your boast. Now I am going to put My hook in your nose, pull you right out of My land, and send you home.”
And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof [2 Kings 19:29].
The Lord now addresses Hezekiah. Apparently the presence of the Assyrian army had prevented the farmers around Jerusalem from sowing their land. God promised that there would be enough volunteer growth to feed them, and even in the third year they would be able to sow their crops and reap them in peace. Sennacherib and his army would not be around to destroy their crops.
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it [2 Kings 19:30–32].
Isaiah is making a very bold statement, but it is the Word of the Lord. I am sure the people of Jerusalem are wondering if Isaiah is a true prophet. When Isaiah had made the prophecy that “a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,” the people probably said, “My, that is a great prophecy. When will it take place?” Well, it wouldn’t take place for seven hundred years, and none of them would be around to see its fulfillment. But now Isaiah is making a prophecy in a local situation, and they will see its fulfillment within days.
Here is the Assyrian army camped outside the gates of Jerusalem. This great army had swept everything before them. They were feared and dreaded in the ancient world. Now God says through Isaiah that they will not besiege the city of Jerusalem and that they will not even shoot an arrow into the city!
Now, you think that over for a moment. There are 185,000 soldiers around the walls of Jerusalem. Out of that number you would certainly find some trigger-happy soldier with a bow and arrow who would shoot at least one arrow over the wall. My friend, if he does that, Isaiah is not a true prophet of God. God says that not an arrow is going to fall in that city, and He says it by the mouth of Isaiah. That is the way the people of his day would know that he is a true prophet of God.
God says, “I’m going to save this city, and I will save it for two reasons.”
For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake [2 Kings 19:34].
He will do it for His name’s sake—God does many things for His name’s sake—and for David’s sake. You see, God loved David. He did many things for David’s sake.
And, my friend, David had a greater Son, a virgin-born Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will save sinners who trust Him—for Christ’s sake. And when a believer prays to the Father in Jesus’ name, the Father answers for Christ’s sake.
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses [2 Kings 19:35].
I love the way this translation reads, “… and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.” Friend, the Assyrians did not wake in the morning. Why not? They were dead. Of course it means that when the folk inside the city awoke in the morning, they found about 185,000 dead bodies outside the city walls.
SENNACHERIB IS ASSASSINATED BY HIS SONS
So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 19:36–37].
Sennacherib was slain by his sons. It is interesting that the prophecy concerning Assyria was literally fulfilled in that day.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Hezekiah’s illness and healing
This chapter is very meaningful to me because I have had an experience with illness and healing that is somewhat like Hezekiah’s experience.
Keep in mind that Hezekiah was an outstanding king. There was none like him after David. “He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did”—this is God’s testimony concerning him.
HEZEKIAH’S ILLNESS
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live [2 Kings 20:1].
Hezekiah’s illness is recorded three times in Scripture (2 Kings 20; 2 Chron. 32; and Isa. 38), and each account adds a little something to the total picture. It must have been a difficult task for Isaiah to deliver a death sentence to Hezekiah, the king. Very candidly, however, the sentence of death rests upon each one of us although we do not know the day or hour. The Scripture says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). This is a divine date. If each one of us knew the exact time we would die, would it not change our way of living? Even many Christians say, “Death is way off yonder in the future. I won’t worry about it now.” Well, we may not worry about it, but we ought to live knowing that death will be the ultimate goal.
Many years ago when a fine young minister was told by his doctor that he had a recurrence of cancer and his days were limited, he sent out a letter to some of his friends. I was privileged to be included in that list and I was shaken when I read his letter. Let me give you an excerpt from it: “One thing I have discovered in the last few days. When a Christian is suddenly confronted with the sentence of death, he surely begins to give a proper evaluation of material things: my fishing gear, and books, and orchard are not nearly so valuable as they were a week ago.” With that in mind, let us look at Hezekiah’s experience.
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,
I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore [2 Kings 20:2–3].
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. I think I understand his position. Suppose you were told that you had cancer and neither you nor the doctor knew what the outcome would be. All of my life in the ministry I have visited people with cancer. I could understand how they could have cancer, but I never could understand how I could have it. It rocked me when the doctor told me I had cancer—I could not believe it. When I had to accept the fact, I was not given any assurance at all that I would live—nor have I any assurance today. I just know that I have cancer. May I say to you, it gives you a different set of values.
My life is a little different today. Many people have wondered about my conduct in certain areas. They ask, “Why did you resign as pastor of a church when you were still active?” I have no ambition in the ministry. God gave me the privilege of being pastor of a great church in its heyday and of conducting the largest midweek service in that day and generation. I considered that a privilege. But now my ambition is to live in such a way that I will please the Lord. It has caused me to change in many different ways. Someone said to me the other day, “You are trying to kill yourself in carrying on your radio ministry and holding conferences.” You know, I am afraid if I don’t, I am going to displease Him.
When I was taken to the hospital, I had no idea what the outcome of my illness would be. The nurse had to help me get into bed because I was so weak. I was not physically weak—I was frightened; I am a coward. She asked, “Are you sick?” I replied, “No. I am scared to death!” She was a Christian nurse, and she smiled at that. I asked her to leave me alone for awhile, and I turned my face to the wall, just as Hezekiah did, and I cried out to God. I told Him that I did not want to die—and I didn’t want to die.
When we are ill I believe we should go to God in prayer and ask others to pray for us. I believe in faith healing—not in faith healers—I know God can heal. Well, an acquaintance wrote me a letter in which she said, “I am not going to pray that you get well because I know that you are ready to go and be with the Lord. I am praying that He will take you home.” I got an answer back to her in a hurry. I said, “Now look here. You let the Lord handle this. Don’t try and tell Him how I feel. I don’t want to die. I want to live. I want to live as long as I can.”
When I turned my face to the wall there in the hospital, I promised Him, “Lord, if you will raise me up, I will teach your Word everywhere I can go.” That is what I have been trying to do. I don’t want to let Him down because I don’t want Him to say, “Well, look here, preacher, I will have to call you home because you are not doing what you said you would do.” Friend, we have a different outlook on life when we are in a position like this. The doctor, a wonderful Christian man, has told me that he cannot help me, but my recovery has come from the hand of God. Of course, I told him that I wanted to know why he sends me a bill if God is the One doing the work. It is wonderful, friend, to be in a position where you have to trust the Lord. I have no other alternative. Where in the world am I going to go if I don’t go to the Lord? I am trusting the Lord and I am not being pious when I say that—it was forced on me.
Now Hezekiah was in that same position. Only God could help him. When he turned his face to the wall, he reminded the Lord that he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart, and he had done that which was good in His sight.
And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord [2 Kings 20:4–5].
The Lord had seen Hezekiah’s tears. I am sure he has seen my tears, too, and yours.
And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake [2 Kings 20:6].
This is great news that the Lord will heal him and extend his life fifteen more years!
HEZEKIAH’S RECOVERY
And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered [2 Kings 20:7].
God used natural means to raise up Hezekiah, but He also used supernatural means. This is wonderful. It is what James is saying, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14).
There are two ways a person can be anointed with oil. One is ceremonial, and the other is medicinal. A great many people seem to have missed it, but James is talking about a medicinal anointing. God is saying through James that we should be very practical. The doctor should be called, but the elders of the church should also be called to pray. And the prayer will raise up the one who is sick.
In Hezekiah’s case they put figs on the “boil”—which may well have been cancer. God said, “I am going to add fifteen years to your life, but you had better put figs on that boil.” Friend, my recommendation is not to be fanatical, but be sensible. If you have cancer, then face up to it. I wanted to know the facts and so did Hezekiah. Believe me, God laid it out before him, and God spared his life for fifteen more years.
And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day? [2 Kings 20:8].
Hezekiah asked for a sign to show that his life would be extended. The Lord has given me no sign whatsoever that my life will be lengthened. That, of course, is up to my heavenly Father, but I want Him to leave me here as long as He possibly can. If He has another plan, I will have to accept it.
It is not always God’s will to extend our lives. I notice in the early church that James was a martyr—he was executed by Herod. Peter, on the other hand, was delivered from prison. I do not know why one man was delivered and the other man became a martyr. All of that is in the providence of God. It is His will that we want. Let’s pray, “Oh God, bend me and reconcile me to your will—whatever it is.” But I am going to let God know how I feel about it. I used to visit a dear lady who was in such pain that she knew she would not get well. She said, “Dr. McGee, don’t pray for me to get well. Just pray that the Lord will take me.” That is what the Lord did, by the way. But I do not pray that way unless the person wants me to do so.
And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz [2 Kings 20:9–11].
HEZEKIAH’S FOOLISHNESS
Now we come to a phase in Hezekiah’s life that blanches my soul.
At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick [2 Kings 20:12].
He sends a get-well card and a gift.
And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not [2 Kings 20:13].
Hezekiah did a foolish thing. He let the ambassadors from Babylon see the treasure that Solomon had gathered. The wealth of the world was there, which was not general knowledge. Hezekiah was big-hearted—Babylon had sent him a get-well card, and so he gives these men from Babylon a guided tour of his kingdom.
Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them [2 Kings 20:14–15].
He rolled out the red carpet and showed them everything.
And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord.
Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord [2 Kings 20:16–17].
These ambassadors made an inventory of all the riches and took it back to Babylon with them to wait for the proper time when they needed gold. When they wanted to get the treasure, they knew where to come.
And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon [2 Kings 20:18].
This is what is going to happen to Hezekiah’s offspring.
Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days? [2 Kings 20:19].
I don’t like Hezekiah’s reply to Isaiah. It was not a confession of sin at all. Rather, he wanted peace in his day and showed little concern for his offspring upon whom the coming catastrophe would fall.
HEZEKIAH’S DEATH
And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 20:20–21].
This may seem like an awful thing for me to say, but Hezekiah should have died when the time came for him to die. Three things took place after God extended his life that were foolish acts: he showed his treasures to Babylon, which will cause great trouble in the future; he begat a son, Manasseh, who was the most wicked of any king; he revealed an arrogance, almost an impudence, in his later years. His heart became filled with pride. Second Chronicles 32:25 tells us, “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.” You see, it might have been better if Hezekiah had died at God’s appointed time.
That is why I want to be very careful. The Lord has spared me and I do not want to do anything to disgrace Him. My friend, this is a wonderful chapter. We have a wonderful heavenly Father.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Manasseh’s evil reign
Chapter 21 is quite a let-down after chapter 20, and yet there is a tremendous message here for us. Hezekiah was the best king since David—there was none to compare with him. He was like David in another way: neither of these men were good fathers. Hezekiah fathered a son who was the worst king that ever reigned in the southern kingdom. It is a heartbreak when you read about Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son, turning out the way he did. Now I cannot confirm the statement I am about to make, but I believe that the shekinah glory—the visible presence of God—returned to heaven during the reign of Manasseh. As far as we can determine, the shekinah glory was present during the reign of Hezekiah, and I can’t see any events that happened after the reign of Manasseh that would have caused the shekinah glory to leave. When God’s presence left the temple, it was a desolate place, forsaken of God. As we look at the life of this man Manasseh, we will see his total abhorrence for the temple and all the things of God.
MANASSEH’S SINS
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah [2 Kings 21:1].
Manasseh began his reign as a twelve-year-old boy. He was a rascal, but someone says, “He is young. He will outgrow it.” Well, he did not outgrow it. He got worse and worse and worse. He reigned for fifty-five years. God gave him ample opportunity to change his ways. In 2 Chronicles we find that he did finally repent. God is always patient and long-suffering. He is not willing that any should perish.
Manasseh’s mother’s name is mentioned. Her name was Hephzibah. She will have to accept the responsibility for her son. If there is any credit, she will receive that, too. She may have been a wonderful mother. I don’t know how Hephzibah raised this boy, but Manasseh was as wicked as he could be, and the damage he did to his country was irreparable.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel [2 Kings 21:2].
Manasseh was as bad as any of the pagans that God put out of the land when he brought His people into the land.
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them [2 Kings 21:3].
Hezekiah, you recall, had destroyed the pagan places of worship, and a partial revival took place under his influence. All of his work came to naught because Manasseh raised up altars for Baal, and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them—which means he worshiped the sun, moon, and stars, and all the hosts of heaven that the Greeks named Apollo and Diana, etc. Manasseh was a wicked man.
Someone says, “My, but we have come a long way today.” No, we haven’t. We are seeing a strong resurgence of astrology, and multitudes of “civilized” folk live by the horoscope. Many people still worship the host of heaven today.
And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord [2 Kings 21:4–5].
Manasseh defied Almighty God. He put up pagan altars in the house of the Lord where God had said, “Here is where I will set My name.”
And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger [2 Kings 21:6].
He even made his own son pass through the fire or into the fire. This was actually a human sacrifice. An image was heated until it was red hot and then a baby was placed in it as an offering! It was a horrible, sadistic, satanic form of idolatrous worship.
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them [2 Kings 21:7–8].
These people did not know it at the time, but they were getting ready to travel. They were headed for Babylonian captivity, because the land was theirs on one condition: obedience.
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel [2 Kings 21:9].
Not only was Manasseh as bad as the heathen, he was worse. I have news for him: God will not tolerate the Israelites’ wickedness. He will put them out of the land.
And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down [2 Kings 21:10–13].
Just as God had judged Samaria and all Israel, God is now going to judge Jerusalem and all Judah. God said he will “wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish”—God is going to do some dishwashing. Jerusalem is His land—His dish—the Israelites have made it filthy; so He is going to wipe them out of it.
You may be very clever and sophisticated and think you don’t need God, but you are walking on His earth, breathing His air, using His sunshine, and drinking His water. He even gave you the body that you have. Every now and then He washes His dishes. Nations down through the centuries lie along the highway of time in rubble and ruin. Do you know why? They did the same thing that our nation is doing today: living without God, feeling no need of God. God said that He was going to wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, and He did just that.
And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies [2 Kings 21:14].
God says that He is going to take His finger out of the dike and let the enemy come in like a flood.
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord [2 Kings 21:16].
When a man or a nation goes into sin, they don’t sin in just one respect; they sin in many respects. Now we have not only forgotten God, we have become an immoral nation. Lawlessness and murder are the order of the day. Some companies have moved away from large cities, trying to get away from lawlessness. Well, we cannot get away from it until this nation returns to God. That is the first step.
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 21:17–18].
This is the story of Manasseh. There is not much to say except that he was evil and corrupt, and he died.
AMON’S BRIEF REIGN
Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did.
And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
And he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord [2 Kings 21:19–22].
Amon is a bad one, too—he walked in his father’s footsteps. He forsook the Lord. Therefore, the Lord forsook him.
And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house [2 Kings 21:23].
Amon’s wickedness led to revolution. Today we as a nation are on the way to revolution. It is unfortunate that our leaders seem to be interested only in getting elected. It seems that they are actually willing to sell their country in order to do that. We are living in dangerous days, friend.
JOSIAH REIGNS OVER JUDAH
And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 21:24–26].
This section brings us to the last of the great kings. Josiah was not only a great king, but the greatest revival took place during the time of his reign.
CHAPTERS 22–23
Theme: Josiah’s good reign
In chapters 22 and 23 we find that Josiah, who begins to reign when he is eight years old and reigns for thirty-one years, is one of the best kings who reigned after Solomon. During his reign a great and needed revival comes to the nation. Hilkiah, the high priest, is his counselor, assistant, and adviser.
JOSIAH’S GOOD LIFE
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath [2 Kings 22:1].
Notice how young these kings are when they begin to reign. Why are they so young? Well, papa got killed. God removed him.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left [2 Kings 22:2].
The sun has come up again; the light is shining once more in the land. Josiah has come to the throne. He led a movement that resulted in the greatest revival these people ever had after David and Solomon.
It is my firm conviction today that the only thing that can save our nation is revival. It is either going to be revival or revolution. There is corruption in government on all levels. There is corruption in all organizations today. Immorality and lawlessness abound. Sex, liquor, drugs, filthy magazines, foul pictures, scandals, and riots reign. This nation is wallowing like a pig in a swine’s sty. We are like the prodigal son in a far country in the pigpen with the pigs. Without revival, revolution stares us in the face. Socialism is creeping in today. Political parties are willing to sell the birthright of this nation in order to stay in power. The church today is under the blight of apostasy. Liberalism controls the organized church. There is a brazen denial of the Word of God even in so-called evangelical circles. The Word of God has been lost in the church, and there are atheists today in the pulpit.
The first thing Christians need to recognize is that revival is personal and individual. I don’t think revival has ever begun as a mass movement. What we need today is not politicians calling other politicians crooks. We need politicians who will say, “I have been wrong. I am going to get right with God.” It would be a strange thing, and I suppose it would frighten our nation, but it’s what we need.
Josiah, the man at the top, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. The revival began with him.
THE TEMPLE IS REPAIRED
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,
Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people [2 Kings 22:3–4].
The second thing that Josiah did was to repair the temple. Apparently, the temple was not in use when Josiah came to the throne. It had become sort of a warehouse, a storage area for odds and ends.
And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house.
Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house [2 Kings 22:5–6].
He tells the people to get busy and repair the temple.
The church today is very much like the temple in Josiah’s day. It is in great need of repair. I am not speaking of church buildings—there are many beautiful church buildings. I stayed in a motel back east some time ago, and there was a church right across the street from my room. I was told that it cost one-half million dollars to build. The week I was there I noticed on Sunday morning, as I was leaving for my speaking appointment, that there were about twenty-five cars parked by the church for the Sunday morning service. There weren’t any more than twenty-five cars for the evening service, and the rest of the week the church was dark. That place needs repairing, let me tell you!
Our conservative churches today are torn asunder by strife and bickering. They are huge and attractive. But is the Spirit of God there? The church is not witnessing. True believers should be out telling people about the Lord. You frighten Christians when you talk about witnessing for Christ. We do not need any more pious platitudes, saccharin sweetness, back-slapping, and hand-pumping. Let’s let these service clubs do that. They are better at it than we are anyway. What we need today is to get the church straightened out on the inside.
THE BOOK OF THE LAW IS DISCOVERED
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it [2 Kings 22:8].
The third thing that brought revival to the nation was a return to the Word of God. They had lost the Bible, and they had lost it in the church. But they found the Word of God and put it back into their lives. The Word of God is the only thing we have as a weapon, friend. It is God’s Word that is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12). There is no short cut, no easy route, no new method to revival. We have a flood of books today on Christian experience. I have looked over quite a few of these books and find them as dead as a doornail. What is the problem? They present a method instead of presenting the Word of God. They are not saying, “Let’s get back to the Word of God.” We don’t need so-and-so’s book; we need the Bible. We don’t need the book of the month; we need the Book of the ages.
How many churches today in this land really rest upon the Word of God and preach it? Although there are still many faithful pastors, there are many who have departed from the faith. They have lost the Bible in church. Remember when Jesus was a boy, Mary and Joseph lost Him in the temple. Believe me, Jesus, as well as the Bible, is lost in the church today. Hilkiah, the high priest, found the Word of God. Did he find it out on the dump heap? No! He found it in the temple. It had been lost. A return to the Bible has to be the beginning of a revival.
I was with a fine young preacher not long ago. He was questioning me about my method of study. I found out that he had read all the latest books. In fact, he rather embarrassed me when he asked, “Have you read so-and-so? Have you seen this book and the other book?” I said no to each one. He asked, “Have you quit reading books?” I said, “Well, I’m pretty much read up, and the new books coming out don’t seem to interest me because they are presenting a method.” He said, “What do you read then?” I told him that I read the Bible. Then I asked him the pointed question, “How much time do you spend each week in the Word of God?” His answer was amazing. He spent less than one hour a week studying God’s Word! He had already told me about the problems he was having, and it was very easy to give him a remedy. He needed to get into the Word of God.
And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.
And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king [2 Kings 22:9–10].
Imagine this! Now Josiah is hearing the Word of God for the first time!
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes [2 Kings 22:11].
The fourth step toward revival is repentance. The reading of the Word of God brought repentance. When the king heard the Word of God, he tore his clothes as an expression of deep emotion. Why? Because the Word of God revealed their sin. Without the Word of God they did not realize how far they had strayed from God’s law. A return to the Word of God brings revival. It wasn’t like some of these nice little groups I often hear about today that are going to have a “revival” campaign. They have a banquet and call in all of the preachers. The object is to talk sweetly and optimistically and get everyone together. My friend, real revival does not come unless there is true repentance.
I heard of a man, a very fine Christian, who stood before a group of church officers and told them, “What this church needs is for this group of officers to get down on their faces before God and repent!” Do you know what they did? They got rid of him. They didn’t want him around. Oh, if we would really come to the Word of God, it would bring conviction. There would be weeping and rending of clothes and a real revival.
Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us [2 Kings 22:13].
Josiah is frightened because he knows they deserve God’s judgment.
The message God returns to Josiah through Huldah the prophetess reveals both God’s justice and His grace.
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched [2 Kings 22:16–17].
Now notice God’s grace to Josiah.
Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and has rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again [2 Kings 22:19–20].
JOSIAH’S FURTHER REFORMATIONS
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant [2 Kings 23:1–3].
The people said that not only would they read the Word of God, they would also walk it—they would live in the manner it prescribed.
We could have revival in many of our churches, but there must be a conviction of sin that only the Word of God can bring. When the Bible brings conviction to the heart, repentance must follow. To repent means to make things right, my friend. Repentance means to turn around and go in the opposite direction. If you are going the wrong way, you turn around and go the right way.
I heard of an evangelist who held meetings in upper New York state years ago. He preached for a week, and not one person made a move toward God. Then one night the leading deacon in the church came forward, shedding tears of repentance. That broke the meeting wide open because he was the one standing in the way of revival in that church. He apologized to someone he had wronged, and all during the night as he prayed, the Lord would convict him of something else—his life hadn’t been right. He would go over and knock on the door of the person he had wronged, and say, “I’m here to make things right.” That went on all night! Imagine getting folk out of bed in the middle of the night! By morning there was a revival going on in that town because one man repented.
Now Josiah as king has a tremendous influence. He will now put into operation a very bold plan. His repentance put him in first gear, and he started moving out.
First he put idolatry out of the temple of God.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el [2 Kings 23:4].
All of the things that pertain to the worship of false gods were burned in the fields of Kidron, outside of the city of Jerusalem. The ashes were then taken out of town so that the people could not even look to the ashes.
Then Josiah put away immorality.
And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the grove [2 Kings 23:7].
Today the church is looking upon homosexuality as permissible behavior. God says in Romans 1:26 and 27 that He gave up a people because of this unnatural thing. I’m of the opinion that God will give this nation up if we continue smiling upon the unnatural sex orgies that are taking place in our land.
Josiah had the courage to condemn the sodomites. He not only condemned their actions, he put them out of the kingdom. Unnatural sex is wrong even if the church today condones it. I know that there are groups that say, “We ought to accept this sort of thing among consenting adults and even among consenting teenagers. It is perfectly all right.” Who told them it was all right? Somebody says, “Well, I think it is all right.” Well, my friend, that judgment is no bigger than your little mind—and you may have a Ph.D. Your little mind and my little mind are not big enough to make judgments like that. God has said that sodomy will bring down His wrath. It has in the past, and He has not changed. We have changed, but God has not changed. Josiah was a brave man, and he got rid of the sodomites.
Josiah also stopped the offering of human sacrifices—children—to Molech.
And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech [2 Kings 23:10].
Josiah also broke down images, altars, high places, and groves that kings before him had brought into the land. He even went beyond the borders of Judah—as far north as Beth-el. Second Chronicles 34:33 sums it up in one verse: “And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.”
It is interesting that at Beth-el he came upon the grave of the prophet who had predicted he would do these things (1 Kings 13:2).
Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.
And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria [2 Kings 23:17–18].
Now Josiah makes a tremendous positive move. He reinstitutes the Passover.
THE PASSOVER IS REINSTITUTED
And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.
Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;
But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the Lord in Jerusalem [2 Kings 23:21–23].
The holding of the Passover is a wonderful thing. Apparently it had not been kept for a long time; they had passed it by. What does it mean? The Passover speaks of Christ. The people had forgotten all about Him. Paul says, “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). Today we are trying to have religion without Christ. The deity of Christ is ridiculed in seminaries and in pulpits. The value of Christ’s death is rejected and spurned. The efficacy of Christ’s blood is hooted down as something evil—even by some men in the pulpit.
My friend, the only thing that can save our nation is revival. Somebody asks, “Can it come?” Yes, I believe it can come. There is a “sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees” today. A flood tide came in the sixteenth century, which was led by the reformers Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli. Wycliffe and John Knox in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were the reformers before the Reformation. In the seventeenth century came another spiritual awakening known as the Puritan Movement. In the eighteenth century, a time of darkness and deism, came another great spiritual awakening led by Wesley and Whitfield. In the nineteenth century there was a mighty turning to God in Oxford, and the missionary movement resulted. Toward the end of the century great revivals were led by Moody and Finney. In the twentieth century (hear me now very carefully) there has been no great world-sweeping, earth-shaking revival. There have been a few local revivals. The twentieth century is quickly drawing to an end. Look around you today. When we had a depression in this country, we did not turn to God as a nation. We were plunged into World War II and saw the spilling of American blood that had not been equaled. That experience apparently did not teach us a thing. There was no revival. Since then we have had the Korean and the Vietnam wars. Neither did they bring us back to God.
Many people seem to think that if they get out and protest, things will change. But what we need is some real deep conviction on the inside. We need to recognize our coldness and indifference. When was the last time you confessed your coldness and indifference to the Lord? Have you told Him today that you love Him? He is your Savior, my friend, and I am convinced that even in this dark hour, as has happened in the past, we can have a revival. The story of Josiah encourages me. It was in the darkest hour in the life of his nation that revival came.
JOSIAH’S DEATH
Now we come to a heartbreak in this story of Josiah. Great revival had come near the end of the kingdom of Judah. Soon his people will go into captivity. God moved in a mighty way to reveal the fact that He can send revival in the most difficult and dark days.
Now what ended the revival?
In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him [2 Kings 23:29].
Josiah should have stayed home. He should have kept his nose out of it. This was not his fight, but he went out anyway. What happened? He was slain at Megiddo. (By the way, Megiddo in the great valley of Esdraelon is the place where the war of Armageddon is to be fought in the last days.) Josiah was a great man of God, but he was foolish. He entered a battle that was none of his concern.
This story might be a message for another nation I know about. I am afraid that we have meddled enough throughout the world today. We need to recognize that the only message that America has for the world is not democracy but the Word of God. We were blessed when we were sending out God’s Word. Today we are sending out propaganda and we have become an immoral nation. God is not in the things we do as a nation, and we are no longer being blessed.
And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead [2 Kings 23:30].
JEHOAHAZ REIGNS AND IS DETHRONED
Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.
And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold [2 Kings 23:31–33].
You would think that Jehoahaz would follow in the righteous steps of his father, but he did not. Jehoahaz was an evil king. As a matter of fact, he hardly got the throne warm sitting on it—he lasted for only three months. Pharaoh didn’t like the way he was reigning. He removed him from the throne and took him down to the land of Egypt, where he died.
JEHOIAKIM IS MADE KING
And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done [2 Kings 23:34, 37].
Jehoiakim was another son of Josiah, and he reigned for eleven years. He also was an evil king. We go from bad to worse. Jehoahaz was bad; Jehoiakim was worse.
At this time the great power of Babylon is rising in the east on the Euphrates River. Babylon is displacing Assyria. Babylon, in fact, overcame Assyria. Babylon will also overcome Egypt and become the first great world power, as we will see in the Book of Daniel. It is at this point that we ought to read the Book of Jeremiah, because Jeremiah was the great prophet during this era. He was the one calling Israel back to God and warning them that if they do not turn to God they will be taken captive and sent to Babylon. Jeremiah’s words seemed unbelievable to the people of Israel, because at this time Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon was not a formidable foe. The false prophets were telling the nation that God simply could not get along without them. Jerusalem was the city of God; His holy temple was there; they were His chosen people. He couldn’t get along without them. Well, they will find that He could get along without them. Actually, He didn’t need that temple; it would soon be destroyed.
CHAPTERS 24–25
Theme: The kingdom of Judah goes into captivity
NEBUCHADNEZZAR COMES AGAINST JUDAH
In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him [2 Kings 24:1].
Egypt’s Pharaoh-nechoh had put Jehoiakim on the throne, but he lost all Egypt’s Asiatic possessions to Babylon’s Nebuchadnezzar. Now when Nebuchadnezzar comes against Judah, Jehoiakim knuckles under for three years, then rebels against him.
And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets.
Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did [2 Kings 24:2–3].
As we have seen, Manasseh was an evil man. If the shekinah glory didn’t depart during his reign, there was nothing worse afterward that would have caused it to depart. Because these people did not depart from the sins of Manasseh, they will be going into captivity.
And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon [2 Kings 24:4].
While it is true that God will pardon all sin, the sinner will have to come to Him in repentance. There are certain sins that are not pardonable. Although Christ died for all sins, they are not pardonable because men will not come to Christ in repentance. My friend, He is the only One in the world who can forgive your sin. He died for you and paid the penalty for your sins. Who else can forgive your sins? He alone is the way, the truth, and the life.
JEHOIAKIM DIES, AND JEHOIACHIN REIGNS
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead [2 Kings 24:5–6].
The names of father and son are so similar, it is easy to confuse them.
And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt [2 Kings 24:7].
This is the exact land that God had vouchsafed to Abraham and to those who came after him. Why was Babylon, instead of Israel, in control of this area now?
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done [2 Kings 24:8–9].
This is the reason. They have continued in sin and in their rebellion against God. Remember that God had given them the occupancy of the land on one condition: their obedience. Did they still own the land? Oh, yes. God had given them the land by an unconditional covenant. But their occupancy was conditional, and they failed to meet that condition.
JEHOIACHIN IS TAKEN CAPTIVE (FIRST DEPORTATION)
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign [2 Kings 24:10–12].
The king and all of the nobility were carried away in the first group that went into captivity. This took place about 605 b.c.
And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said.
And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon [2 Kings 24:13–15].
This is a sad and sordid story.
ZEDEKIAH IS MADE KING BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done [2 Kings 24:17–19].
Zedekiah was Jehoiachin’s uncle. He did not improve the line of kings. You would think that the captivity would sober him. It did not at all. Trouble will do one of two things for an individual. It will either soften or harden you. It will either draw you to God or drive you away from God. You can never be the same after you experience trouble and suffering. The sun will soften wax, but the sun will harden clay. It is the same sun that softens one and hardens the other.
For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon [2 Kings 24:20].
Once again the false prophets said, “Look, God is on our side.” But God was not on Israel’s side because Israel was not on God’s side.
Presumption is something many people need to be careful about. I have heard people say, “I am doing this certain thing because I know it is God’s will. He has revealed it to me.” Then they go ahead and do whatever they had in mind, and they fail. God was not in it at all. I know missionaries who have gone to the field and come back to say, as one young man said to me, “I made a mistake in going out.” “But,” I said, “you told me you were in God’s will. You were sure.” He said, “I thought I was.” Well, we had better not think so, we had better be sure when we begin to talk about God being on our side. Actually we should make sure not that God is on our side but that we are on His side.
This was Judah’s problem. They were far from God, yet they felt that they were God’s people and He would protect them.
In chapter 25 we see the final deportation of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came three times against Jerusalem. He deported the royalty and the military and the skilled workmen, but he did not destroy the city until he came the third time.
We have seen that Nebuchadnezzar had made Zedekiah king of Judah, but after a few years Zedekiah rebelled, and now we see that Nebuchadnezzar comes the final time and makes an end of Judah.
THE SIEGE
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it: and they built forts against it round about.
And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah [2 Kings 25:1–2].
The exactness of the date indicates the extreme importance of this siege. It was the beginning of the end of Jerusalem.
And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land [2 Kings 25:3].
The intensity of the suffering is described for us in Lamentations.
And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him [2 Kings 25:4–6].
The enemy broke into the city, and the king with his troops tried to escape. But they were captured. The prophet Jeremiah had predicted the fall of Jerusalem, and he was considered a traitor because he told the people the truth.
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon [2 Kings 25:7].
This man was deceived by false prophets but would not listen to God’s prophet. Now he is carried away into captivity, blinded.
JERUSALEM IS BURNED
And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire [2 Kings 25:9].
Because of the rebellion of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar burned and leveled it to such an extent that when Nehemiah came to the city seventy years after the Captivity and looked upon that place, it almost seemed hopeless. But he rallied the people, and the biggest thing he had to overcome was discouragement. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar had devastated the city. The false prophets had insisted that God would not let the city be destroyed. They were indeed false prophets.
There are people today who are giving this country a false message. They are saying that Americans belong to the ten “lost” tribes of Israel. They are saying that God is on our side, and He won’t let us down. My friend, God does not need us. Where did that notion come from? God sent His chosen people into captivity. It was a sad day for them. And it ought to be a lesson for us in this day.
And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry away.
But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen [2 Kings 25:10–12].
They left those who would be of no value to them. Also they wanted the land to continue to produce so they could exact tribute from it.
And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.
And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away [2 Kings 25:13–14].
The army of Nebuchadnezzar really cleaned house. The temple was cleaned out before it was destroyed with fire. All that wealth was carried away into Babylon. We will have occasion, when we get to the Book of Daniel, to find that those vessels from the temple had been stored away and were brought out when Belshazzar had his great banquet. Jerusalem was plundered, burned, and left a pile of rubble.
Jerusalem has been destroyed about twenty-seven times. Each time the city has been rebuilt upon the rubble. The hill that is Jerusalem today is largely built upon the rubble of past cities. Many people, especially tour agents, say, “Go to Jerusalem and walk where Jesus walked.” Well, my friend, you will not be walking where Jesus walked. The city that Jesus lived and walked in is buried under tons of rubble. At some spots you have to look down twenty feet, twenty-five feet, sometimes forty-five feet to see the city where Jesus lived.
GEDALIAH APPOINTED GOVERNOR
And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you [2 Kings 25:24].
Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah to govern the people who were left in the land. They should have listened to him—and to the prophet Jeremiah—who urged them to settle down and accept this form of government. Instead of that, they assassinate the governor Gedaliah!
But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.
And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees [2 Kings 25:25–26].
A great company of them fled into Egypt and became colonists down there. By the way, Jeremiah went with this group—not willingly, but he was forced to go.
JEHOIACHIN RELEASED
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;
And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.
And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life [2 Kings 25:27–30].
Evil-merodach extends amnesty as he comes to the throne of Babylon. Although other captured kings are in his court, Jehoiachin is given a position of honor among them. It is interesting that the period of the kings should conclude with kindness being shown to this last descendant of David who had grown old in a Babylonian prison.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Crockett, William Day. A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1951.
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Davis, John J. and Whitcomb, John C., Jr. A History of Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1970. (Excellent.)
Epp, Theodore H. David. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1965.
Epp, Theodore H. Elijah—A Man of Like Nature. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1969.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1912–22.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Jensen, Irving L. I Kings and Chronicles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968. (A self-study guide.)
Jensen, Irving L. II Kings with Chronicles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968. (A self-study guide.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Earlier Historical Books of the Old Testament. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1874.
Knapp, Christopher. The Kings of Israel and Judah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1908. (Very fine.)
Krummacher, F. W. Elijah the Tishbite. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Krummacher, F. W. Elisha. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Mackintosh, C. H. Miscellaneous Writings. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
McNeely, Richard J. First and Second Kings. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1978.
Meyer, F. B. David: Shepherd, Psalmist, King. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Meyer, F. B. Elijah and the Secret of His Power. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (A rich devotional study.)
Pink, Arthur W. Gleanings from Elisha. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1972.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
Wood, Leon J. Israel’s United Monarchy. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979. (Excellent.)
Wood, Leon J. The Prophets of Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977. (Excellent.)
Note: The dates listed are those of the first printings.
The Book of
1 Chronicles
INTRODUCTION
The two Books of Chronicles are very similar in many ways. They cover the same historical ground all the way from Saul to Zedekiah. Then are the Chronicles a duplication of Kings? Emphatically, no. Greek translators gave Chronicles the title, “Things Omitted,” which is a good title, but not adequate. Chronicles include more than that which is omitted in the other historical books. Actually Chronicles is another instance of the law of recurrence or recapitulation. The policy of the Holy Spirit in giving the Word of God is to give a great expanse of truth, to cover a great deal of territory, then come back and select certain sections which He wants to enlarge upon. It is as if the Spirit of God takes up a telescope, looks out over the landscape for us, then takes a particular portion of it and puts it under the microscope and lets us look at it in detail. This is what is happening in 1 and 2 Chronicles.
We have seen the law of recurrence or recapitulation in operation before. In Genesis, the second chapter goes back over the seven days of creation, and lifts out one thing: the creation of man. For us, that is very important since we are members of Adam’s race. Also the Book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy means a “second law”) is more than a repetition of the Law. Rather it is an interpretation of the Law in the light of forty years’ experience with it in the wilderness.
Now we will see in the Chronicles that God goes over the ground which He had covered in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings in order to add details and to emphasize things which He considers important. Let me give you some examples of this. The emphasis in 1 Chronicles is David, and the emphasis in 2 Chronicles is David’s posterity. The northern kingdom is practically ignored when the division occurs between the northern and southern kingdoms. Chronicles does not record David’s sin. Why? Well, God so completely forgave it that He does not even mention it again. When God forgives, He forgets. In Kings the history of the nation is given from the standpoint of the throne; in Chronicles it is given from the standpoint of the altar. In Kings the palace is the center; in Chronicles the temple is the center. Kings gives us the political history of the nation, while Chronicles gives the religious history. Chronicles is the interpretation of Kings. All through the Books of Kings we noted the phrase, “Is it not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?” Chronicles, you see, is the interpretation of Kings. Also Kings gives us man’s viewpoint while Chronicles gives us God’s viewpoint.
Ezra is probably the writer of the Chronicles. There is a striking similarity in style and language to the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Evidently Chronicles was written during the Babylonian captivity. The two Books of Chronicles not only constituted one book in the original, but apparently also included Ezra and Nehemiah. This lends support to the Jewish tradition of the authorship of Ezra.
OUTLINE
I. Genealogies, Chapters 1–9
II. Saul’s Reign, Chapter 10
III. David’s Reign, Chapters 11–29
A. David’s Mighty Men, Chapters 11–12
B. David and the Ark, Chapters 13–16
C. David and the Temple, Chapter 17
D. David’s Wars, Chapters 18–20
E. David’s Sin in Numbering People, Chapter 21
F. David’s Preparation and Organization for Building the Temple, Chapters 22–29
CHAPTERS 1–9
Theme: Genealogies
The first nine chapters contain the genealogies, and in many senses this is one of the most remarkable passages of the Word of God.
Notice how it begins:
Adam, Sheth, Enosh,
Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,
Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth [1 Chron. 1:1–4].
These are the names of the men about whom we have read in the first eight chapters of Genesis.
As you read the genealogy, you will notice that the same policy is followed that was used in the Book of Genesis. That is, the rejected lines are mentioned first, then we are given the line that is to be followed through the Scriptures to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice that the sons of Japheth are listed, then the sons of Ham, and finally the sons of Shem. Only the line of Shem continues. It leads to Abraham. Then Abraham’s posterity is recorded: Ishmael and his sons, also the sons of Abraham by Keturah, and finally Abraham’s son Isaac. Then Isaac’s line is followed—first listing the descendants of Esau. However, the line which leads to the Lord Jesus will continue through Isaac’s other son, Jacob.
Chapter 2 begins the genealogy of Jacob, which continues through chapter 9. Coming to verse 15, we find the posterity of Jesse, and one of Jesse’s sons was David. Now we will follow his line, because the Lord Jesus will be a “son” of David.
Chapter 3 records the family of David, and we find that David had some sons we had not known about before—they were not mentioned in the Books of Kings.
And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel [1 Chron. 3:5].
Did you ever hear of Shimea and Shobab? We know Solomon, but who is Nathan? Well, if you go over to the genealogy of the Lord Jesus, which is recorded in the Gospel of Luke, you will find that the line goes through Nathan rather than through Solomon. Mary, the mother of Jesus, traced her ancestry through Nathan, while Joseph’s genealogy is traced through Solomon. In Matthew we see that the Lord Jesus gets His legal title to the throne of David through Solomon, and in Luke we see that He gets His blood title to the throne of David through Nathan. This is very important, because in the ancestry of Solomon, Jeconiah (whom the Lord calls Coniah) appears, and the Lord declares that “… no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” (Jer. 22:30). This one man produced a short circuit in the line leading to the Messiah, which is further proof that Joseph could not be the father of the Lord Jesus and that Jesus must be virgin born.
In chapter 4 the posterity of Judah through Caleb and Shelah is followed, also the tribe of Simeon.
Chapter 5 traces the tribe of Reuben to the captivity.
Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:) [1 Chron. 5:1–2].
This verse informs us that Reuben’s lost birthright was given to Joseph, not to Judah. However, Judah prevailed, and the ruler came from Judah. The record of the tribes of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh is given until their captivity. The final two verses give the reason for the captivity.
Chapter 6 traces the tribe of Levi (family of the high priests), through the sons Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Chapter 7 gives the genealogies of the tribes of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher. All of these went into Assyrian captivity.
Chapter 8 traces the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin, with special reference to Saul and Jonathan.
Chapter 9 opens with a tremendous statement relative to the preservation of the genealogies.
So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression [1 Chron. 9:1].
Apparently the genealogies of each tribe of Israel were on exhibit in the temple. They were registered until the people went away into captivity. However, the genealogies were preserved and brought back to Jerusalem. When the returning remnant rebuilt the temple, the genealogies were there. At the time the Lord Jesus was born, those genealogies were intact, and you may be sure that the enemies of Jesus went in and checked His genealogy. As we have said, the Gospel of Matthew carries Joseph’s genealogy, from whom He gets the legal title to the throne, and the Gospel of Luke carries Mary’s genealogy, from which He gets the blood title to the throne of David. As far as we know, there never was an attack made upon the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was accurate, and it was available for all to see.
When the temple was destroyed by Titus the Roman in a.d. 70, apparently the genealogies were also destroyed. However, the important thing to note is that here in Chronicles the genealogies are traced to the time of the captivity. Then after the return of a remnant of Israel, the genealogies were continued until the time the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world. After His lifetime the record disappeared. Why? Well, God was interested in making it very clear to us that Jesus was “very man of very man.” God wants us to know that Jesus Christ came in the line of Adam and that He is the last Adam—there won’t be a third one. Jesus heads up the last family here on earth. There are only two families: the family of Adam and the family of God.
Adam’s family is a lost family, and you and I were born into it. We were born sinners, alienated from God, with no capacity for God. This alienation is obvious as we look around the world today. The entire human family is in Adam’s family—and “in Adam all die.” It is a very dismal prospect that we have in Adam.
However, we have hope in Christ, the last Adam. He heads the other family, the family of God. He is called the second man because the Lord is going to make a whole lot of other men in this new family. And that genealogy goes right back to the One who is born of the Spirit. If you today can say, “I came to Christ and trusted Him. He is my Savior, and the Spirit of God has made Him real to me,” then you belong to the last Adam’s family. In this family there is life. The Lord Jesus said that is what He brought. In fact He said, “I am the life.” He also said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He makes life more than mere existence or an exciting trip on drugs or alcohol. The trip with Him will eventuate in a trip to heaven—into His very presence.
The remainder of chapter 9 is an emphasis upon the tribe of Levi.
Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims [1 Chron. 9:2].
It means that the first of the Israelites was of the tribe of Levi—first the priests, those who had the service of God, then the Levites. You see, not all of the tribe of Levi served in the priesthood. The family of Aaron served as priests. The others were more or less custodians of the temple.
Then the Nethinims are mentioned. The word Nethinims means “servants.” They could have been slaves. There is a question as to whether or not Israel had slaves. I think they did, but not of their own brethren. Essentially that is what the Gibeonites had become. They were used in the service of the temple—probably swept out the place, polished the brass, and things like that.
Let me point out another interesting verse from this chapter.
And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night [1 Chron. 9:33].
There was a great deal of singing going on, which was directed by certain Levites. (If I were an Israelite, I would certainly know I didn’t belong to the tribe of Levi, because I can’t sing.) In Israel music was developed to a very high degree. You may recall that David was very much interested in music. In fact, he was called the sweet psalmist of Israel, and the majority of the psalms came from his pen.
The chapter concludes with the genealogy of the family of Saul. It follows through Saul and his son Jonathan, which is quite remarkable.
Chapter 9 concludes the genealogy of Chronicles. It is the longest genealogy in Scripture, and there is nothing like it in the literature or history of the world. It begins with Adam and goes to Jesus Christ. It begins with the first Adam and goes to the last Adam. It is the greatest genealogical table in existence. It tells us that all of us are in the same family. Of course no one can trace his genealogy back to Adam in our day, because the genealogies were destroyed when Titus the Roman burned the temple in a.d. 70. Nevertheless, we can tell the general route by which we came from Adam. Many of us go back through Japheth, some of us go back through Ham, some of us go back through Shem, but we all go back to Adam.
It is interesting and important to note the glaring omissions in the genealogies recorded here in Chronicles. For example, Cain and his family are not even mentioned. Didn’t Adam have a son by the name of Cain? Yes, but he is not listed here because his line ended. It was destroyed in the Flood as recorded in Genesis 7. Also I think there are omissions in all of the genealogical tables—even in Genesis. This may throw light on the very important question of the age of man. How old is mankind? It is my personal opinion that mankind is older than 6000 years. I think he has been on this earth a long time. However, when God created him, he was Adam, a man, not a monkey!
Perhaps you have seen the satirical cartoon directed at the theory of evolution and man’s vaunted civilization and so-called progress. It pictures a scene of devastation. All the atomic bombs have been exploded, and man has at last destroyed himself. The last vestige of life has disappeared—with two exceptions. There are two monkeys sitting on a tree which is stripped of all its leaves and most of its limbs. There they sit, surveying this scene of desolation. All human life has disappeared. The caption of the cartoon reads, “Now we’re going to have to do it all over again!”
Of course the Scriptures assure us that mankind will not commit suicide. But what about man’s progress? He has been on this earth a long time since the days of Adam.
Psychology attempts to tabulate and classify man according to his I.Q. It is a rather mechanical device, of course, and it classifies him mechanically according to his achievements and his aptitudes. On one end of the scale is “subnormal,” on the other end is “supernormal” or “genius,” and somewhere in between is “normal.” However, God’s tests are different. All must come under His classification. Do you know what God says? God says none of them are normal—“… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
There are three universal facts in relationship to man which are true without exception:
1. Adam and all his children must die. In the beginning, God said to Adam, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). However, God did not create man to die. Scripture tells us that “… by man came death, and death passed upon all men …” (Rom. 5:12, paraphrased). It also says, “… in Adam all die …” (1 Cor. 15:22). And, “… it is appointed unto men once to die …” (Heb. 9:27). This earth on which you and I live is nothing but a great big graveyard. David said on his deathbed, “I go the way of all the earth” (1 Kings 2:2). All the freeways today eventually lead to the cemetery. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4) is the picture of man going through life. Like a monster, death stalks this earth.
There are three kinds of death: physical death, spiritual death, and eternal death. Adam did not die physically until about 900 years after he ate the prohibited fruit. But he died spiritually instantly. Death means separation. Physical death is separation of the spirit from the body. Spiritual death means the separation of man from God. And eternal death means the separation of man from God. Eternal death is separation from God eternally. That is what hell will be—a place where God never goes, my friend. There is no blessing, nor mercy, nor love of God there.
2. Another universal fact is that Adam and all his children are sinners. God says of us, “All have sinned.” The proof of this statement is that all die—“in Adam all die.” All sinned in Adam.
Abraham was a good man, but Abraham sinned—Ishmael is an evidence of that. Caleb was a good man and outstanding, but he had his concubine. And sin has driven contemporary man away from God. He is in open rebellion against God. He has gone out, as did Cain, from the presence of the Lord.
Chapter 59 of Isaiah is a chapter everyone ought to read. Let me quote just one verse: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2). Adam and his children are sinners, separated from God. Sin is a scourge, a sickness, a plague, which has infected the race. My friend, a heart condition is bad, but only a few of the human family have heart trouble. Cancer is terrible—I know it from personal experience—but a small percentage has cancer. However, all have sinned. Of course there is one grand exception to this: the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t have to die because He did not sin. He challenged His enemies, “Which of you convinceth me of sin? …” (John 8:46). No one did. He said, “No man taketh it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again …” (John 10:18). The Lord Jesus is the exception to the universality of sin. However, He is the only exception. The rest of us have sinned.
3. The third universal fact is that Adam and all his children have obtained mercy. Enoch was saved. How? By faith. Noah was a good man, but he wasn’t saved because of that. It was by faith that Noah prepared an ark to the saving of his house. Abraham was a good man, but he sinned. Abraham believed God, and that was counted unto him for righteousness. Actually that is the problem in the Near East today. Is it possible that Abraham’s sin is the cause of continual fighting between Israel and the Arab countries? Absolutely. If he, through that little Egyptian maid Hagar, had not brought Ishmael into the world, the Arabs wouldn’t be over there today. David also was a great man of God, but we all agree that David sinned. And, my, God was certainly merciful to him! God is rich in mercy. Paul said to the Ephesians, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love where-with he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Eph 2:4–5). And Peter said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3). Our God has made it possible for the children of Adam to obtain mercy.
Have you received mercy from the hand of God yet? It is there for you.
This glorious truth is only part of the message that we find here in the genealogies of the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles. It is the genealogy of the family of Adam, and you and I are in it. We all belong to the same race. We are all fallen in nature. We are all on an equality; we are born equal in the sense that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And salvation today is for all mankind.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Saul’s Reign
Here we can see the distinction that God is making between the Books of Samuel and Kings and the Books of Chronicles. In the Books of Samuel we find a great deal about King Saul. In fact, his entire history is given there. When we come to Chronicles and see God’s viewpoint, we find only one chapter given. The rest of 1 Chronicles is all about David, and it goes on into 2 Chronicles with the history of David’s family. David is the subject, not Saul. Down here from the human viewpoint Saul occupied a prominent place. That is why it is amazing here to find only one chapter devoted to Saul.
Now what is the subject of this chapter? Did the Lord pick out some outstanding performance of Saul? No. Works do not commend a person to God. The chapter is not about Saul’s works. It is about his death and how he was slain.
I am of the opinion that a great many men and women who have occupied a large place in human history will not get much of a write-up in heaven. This is certainly true of Saul!
You will recall that when we were studying 1 and 2 Samuel, we attempted to determine who had slain Saul. Who was the one that was responsible for his murder? Or did he commit suicide? The record in those books goes something like this: Saul was mortally wounded in the battle with the Philistines. Then he told his armorbearer to kill him because he didn’t want the disgrace of being killed by a Philistine. The armorbearer refused to take his sword to kill the king. So Saul fell on his own sword. Was Saul physically able to kill himself? Did he commit suicide? That has always been a question. Then a young man of the Amalekites told David that when he came upon the scene. Saul was still alive and that Saul had asked him to kill him. The young Amalekite claimed that he was the one who had slain King Saul, and he brought Saul’s crown and bracelet to David to prove his story. King David had the Amalekite slain, saying, “… Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed” (2 Sam. 1:16). Now who is responsible for the death of King Saul? We almost need to call in the FBI. But actually it won’t be necessary to call them into the case, because we will have a confession here from the one who is responsible for Saul’s death.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers [1 Chron. 10:1–3].
He was wounded by the Philistines, but he did not die from that wound.
Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.
And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them [1 Chron. 10:4–7].
I assume from this record that when that Amalekite came along, Saul was already dead. The Amalekite knew that David and Saul had been enemies, so he went into the presence of David and took credit for the slaying of Saul. The motive which he had was the hope that David would bestow some honor upon him and give him some reward for the slaying of Saul. He didn’t dream that David would react as he did. David executed him on his own confession—David said that he was condemned out of his own mouth. However, it appears that the young man was lying, and that he really did not slay the king.
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.
And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon [1 Chron. 10:8–10].
The Philistines did this terrible dishonor to Saul’s body. The temple of Dagon was in Ashdod. You remember that Samson had pulled down the pillars in the temple of Dagon when they were making sport of him there. Now this is where the Philistines brought the head and the armor of Saul.
And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days [1 Chron. 10:11–12].
Does this close the case? No, we still haven’t been told who really killed King Saul. But the final verses of this chapter will give us the confession we have been waiting for.
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it;
And inquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse [1 Chron. 10:13–14].
Now, who was it that slew Saul? It says that he inquired not of the Lord; therefore He slew him. Who is he? The Lord is the One who took his life. It is as Job said, “… the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). The Lord takes the responsibility.
God says that He removed Saul. God executed him. Do you wish to find fault with the Lord? Can God be arrested for murder? My friend, God has taken many a person. By the way, that is the reason God says you and I are never to take a human life. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Until you and I can give life, we have no business in taking life. Only God can give life; so God can take away life, and for Him it is not murder. For you and me it is murder to take a life, and we must surrender our own lives when we do it. This is the reason David executed the Amalekite when he claimed he had murdered King Saul.
Why was Saul executed? He died “for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit”—Saul turned to Satan for advice. For these reasons God took his life. In the New Testament we find that God took the lives of Ananias and Sapphira. A great many people give Simon Peter the credit (or the blame) for that. I believe that Simon Peter was the most surprised person there that day. God was the One responsible for their deaths. And Saul died because of his transgression. Many times God reaches in and takes a human life because of that.
I have lived long enough now so that I can look back and see that many times God has put a man aside. He can put a man on the shelf by putting him out of His service. He can remove him from an office. God moves in the affairs of men. God has not abdicated today. He is still running the universe. It is His universe and He will run it His way. If He wants to remove someone, that is His business, not yours or mine. He is not accountable to us, but we are accountable to Him. He is the One who calls the shots. He is the One who is the umpire, and He will make the decisions.
By the way, to whom are you listening today? Do you hear God’s voice? Or are you listening to man’s voice, even to Satan’s voice? This is the sin that causes God to move into the affairs of men.
What a chapter this is! It throws heaven’s light on a very moot subject.
CHAPTERS 11–12
Theme: David’s Reign
We have now come to the third major division of 1 Chronicles. The first nine chapters recorded the remarkable genealogies. The second division, only one chapter, was on the reign of King Saul.
From God’s viewpoint Saul did not make anywhere near the splash that many of the people in his day thought he had. He did not impress God. The Lord records his death and the reason for it but gives us nothing about the accomplishments of Saul.
Now we come to the section which deals with the reign of King David. First we will see David’s mighty men (chs. 11–12), then David and the ark (chs. 13–16), David and the temple (ch. 17), David’s wars (chs. 18–20), David’s sin in numbering the people (ch. 21), and David’s preparation and organization for building the temple in chapters 22–29.
The remainder of this book is about David and David’s reign. In fact, the genealogy that is given in the first chapters brings us up to David, and beyond into the family of David. The next book, 2 Chronicles, will follow the story of the line of David. There is practically no attention given to the northern kingdom after it rebelled and withdrew from the reign of David’s family.
It is also well to note as we go along how God puts the emphasis on certain things in David’s life and plays down others. You will notice that I called chapter 21 “David’s Sin.” It has nothing to do with his sin with Bathsheba, which is the sin which immediately comes to the minds of men when they speak of David. Rather, God records his sin in numbering the people. In God’s sight this was the greatest sin.
I believe there is a tremendous lesson for us in this. Many Christians consider certain things as sin, and other things they don’t consider sin at all. I believe that when we get into God’s presence we will find that we have had some false notions in this connection. What they thought was a great sin may not have been one and, what they thought was slight and unimportant, God put down as sin.
In David’s life everyone could point the finger at him relative to his sin with Bathsheba. And God punished him for that sin—it was a terrible sin. But God forgave him of that because he came in confession to the Lord. Although this matter of numbering the people may seem insignificant to us, we shall see that it was rather important as far as God was concerned—and we’ll see why.
This should cause all of us to get a different perspective of what sin really is. We need to recognize sin not only in the sense of acts—things to do and not to do—but also sins of the thoughts and intents. We need to study the Word of God in order to understand God’s perspective of sin.
Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh [1 Chron. 11:1].
You will recall back in Samuel, which covered this period of history, we were told that for seven years David reigned over the two tribes in the south, Judah and Benjamin, and his capital was Hebron. That is all passed over in Chronicles. Why? Because God looks at Israel as one nation of twelve tribes. From God’s perspective, David really became king when he became the king over all of Israel and all twelve of the tribes of Israel accepted him, and said, “We are thy bone and thy flesh.”
And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel [1 Chron. 11:2].
They were acknowledging the hand of God in this. David did not become king until the people accepted him as being God’s choice, which was seven years after he began to reign over Judah and Benjamin.
Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel [1 Chron. 11:3].
Now he is made king over all twelve tribes. From God’s viewpoint, this is when David began his reign.
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land [1 Chron. 11:4].
David had inspected that land. I think that he had been over that land with a fine-toothed comb and probably knew it better than the spies that had been sent in by Joshua. He knew a great deal about it, and Jerusalem was the city that he had chosen to become the capital. It was the place where the temple was to be built. It was David’s choice, and it was the Lord’s choice.
A great deal is said in the Word of God about the city of Jerusalem. Of course it is not the city of Jerusalem as we see it today. Many of you have visited Jerusalem or seen pictures of it. Excavations in recent years have revealed that the wall in early times went the opposite direction from the way it goes today. The city of David was down below, and they always looked up to the temple. Later on, when the walls were moved, and built up on Mount Zion and higher up, one looked down to the temple area. It is this way today. A great deal of the city of Jerusalem is above the temple area.
The temple area is located on Mount Moriah, which goes like a ridge right through Jerusalem today. And over there, outside the wall, on that ridge is where Golgotha is located, the place of the skull where Jesus was crucified. This is the place David chose.
And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David [1 Chron. 11:5].
David took the castle of Zion, and it was there that he built his palace. Mount Zion was very precious to David.
And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief [1 Chron. 11:6].
Joab is the number one man in the service of David. He was an adviser to David, and he was the number one man who led the army. He belonged to the mighty men of David. You will recall that we were told something about his exploits when he first came to David, incidents of how he led the army and how he fought for David. This man became the captain. You might say that he was the one in charge of the Pentagon in David’s day. He had command of all the brass—the army and navy, and whatever else they might have had. He had charge of it all.
And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David [1 Chron. 11:7].
The “city of David” is actually the Mount Zion area. Apparently it was here that David’s palace was constructed. David loved Mount Zion.
And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city [1 Chron. 11:8].
Joab was not only in charge of David’s military, he was in charge of the urban renewal program.
So David waxed greater and greater: for the Lord of hosts was with him [1 Chron 11:9].
David brought Israel up to the place where it was a great kingdom and had tremendous influence throughout the world. David laid the foundation on which Solomon was able to bring a witness to the world of that day.
DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN
David’s mighty men are those who came to him during the time of his rejection. Now that he has been elevated to the place of kingship, these men are elevated also.
There is a corollary here that we cannot pass by. Today the Lord Jesus Christ is calling out a people to His name; they are His “mighty men.” And these are the days of Christ’s rejection. His own people said, “We will not have this man rule over us.” He has not assumed His position on the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords. David also was a rejected man, although he had been anointed king of Israel. Saul was still reigning—God gave him every opportunity to make good, but he did not. During those years, David was fleeing for his life; it was the period of his rejection. And there came to him from every side men who put themselves under his command. They became David’s mighty men. In our day, Christ is rejected by the world. I don’t have to labor to make that point. If we can’t see that, we can’t see anything. You and I live in a world where the Lord Jesus Christ is rejected. But during this period He is calling out a people to His name. He is our Savior, our Lord and Master today, so we will have to wait until He comes to the place of Kingship. Then, we are told, we are to reign with Him.
Since our Lord is rejected, I don’t know why in the world some believers attempt to become the most popular people in town. They cannot be. The Lord Jesus said that since the world hated Him, it would hate us also.
If you are popular with the world today, it is time to take a long look at yourself. The late Dr. Bob Schuller used to say, “I judge a man not by the friends he has but by the enemies he has. If you have the right kind of enemies, you are all right.” My friend, if you are a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then the devil’s crowd will be your enemies. We are living in the period of Christ’s rejection, and He is calling out His mighty men.
The three men who were singled out as being the mightiest were the men who brought water from the well of Bethlehem to David. This is a tremendous story.
Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Beth-lehem.
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate!
And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord,
And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest [1 Chron. 11:15–19].
David had been brought up in Bethlehem. That was his hometown. There was a well at the entrance there and, many a time after he had been out with his sheep, he had come back thirsty and had stopped at that well to get a drink. Now the Philistines have him holed up and he cannot get to that well. He said, “I sure would like to have a drink from that well.” It was just a wish, not a command. These three men broke through the lines of the Philistines and got the water and brought it to David. The interesting thing is that he would not drink it, but he poured it out as a drink offering to God.
There are some analogies we can make from this. Jesus was born at Bethlehem, and He is that Water from Bethlehem; He is the Water of Life. There are many of the mighty men of Jesus Christ who down through the centuries have taken this Water to a thirsty world. I think of Livingstone, Judson, Henry Martin, and other wonderful missionaries of the past. Then there are all the missionaries today. I have visited them in Mexico, South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. These are the ones who have left everything to penetrate barriers in order to get the Word of God to a thirsty world. The Lord takes note of them, my friend. They are listed among the mighty men.
Notice how David’s men responded when he merely expressed a wish—he would never have given such a command. Yet our Lord has commanded us to take the Water of Life to the whole world. And what have we done with it? Are you obeying His orders?
Notice what David did with the water that was brought to him at such tremendous risk. David was unselfish—no wonder his men loved him. They were willing to suffer for him because he was willing to suffer with them. He wouldn’t take that drink because his men didn’t have water, and he chose to take his place with them.
Psalm 22:14 tells us that when the Lord Jesus died on the cross He said, “I am poured out like water….” He poured His life out like water on the ground. He took His place down here as one of us—“… unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …” (Isa. 9:6). He took our hell that we might share His heaven.
And, my friend, if we are to be rewarded by Him, we are to make a sacrifice for Him.
There is another incident in this chapter that I have always appreciated.
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day [1 Chron. 11:22].
I love that. He slew a lion. Did you notice when he did it? He did it on a snowy day. Our Lord took note of that. I also think the Lord takes note of faithful people who will come to church rain or shine.
Now in chapter 12 there is only one incident which I would like to call to your attention.
There were some men of the tribe of Gad who came to David during the time of his rejection. This is what is recorded of them:
These were sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.
And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.
And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them. If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.
Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band [1 Chron. 12:14–18].
Here is a group of men who came to David. They swam the Jordan River at flood time. They were just about to give up and David went down to meet them. He didn’t know whether they were friends or enemies and he said in effect, “If you mean to harm me, I’ll destroy you.” They said, “Oh no, David, we have come over to be on your side.” They wanted to live for David. They wanted to be on his side and in his service.
Too many Christians who want to be in the service of the Lord think that it is just a matter of being busy. However, the point is: do you want to live for Christ? That is what these men from Gad were saying to David. “We want to be on your side, David. We want to yield ourselves to you and live for you.”
We can carry this spiritual application a step further. Christ has brought you over “Jordan” by His death and resurrection, and He has blessed you with all spiritual blessings. But you have to return to the world to live the Christian life. The Lord Jesus prayed for His own, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). We are to live the Christian life here and now. My friend, the only place you ever will have an opportunity to live the Christian life is right down here on this earth. And to do this, you will have to yield to Christ. This idea today that living the Christian life is a cheap sort of thing, that it is compromise and hypocrisy, is dead wrong. You will have to swim the water. It will cost you something. You will have to go to the One who is greater than David—to the Lord Jesus—and surrender to Him. Oh, what joy it is to be in His service!
CHAPTERS 13–16
Theme: David and the ark
In this section we see God’s viewpoint of David’s first attempt to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. During the period of the judges, you may recall, the ark had been captured in war by the Philistines. Because it had caused them no end of trouble, they placed it on a new cart and sent it back to Israel (1 Sam. 6). From that time to this, the ark had remained in the house of Abinadab at Kirjath-jearim. Now David makes an attempt to bring the ark to his capital, which is Jerusalem. God took note of this because it pleased Him that David was putting an emphasis on spiritual matters.
However, David starts off on the wrong foot, as we shall see.
And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader [1 Chron. 13:1].
David now is Israel’s new king. As he comes to the throne, he has tremendous plans, he has great vision, and he wants to bring the ark to Jerusalem. So he consults with “every leader.” I feel that David made a mistake in consulting all these men. God was leading him and giving him direction; he didn’t need human advice.
As I see it, there is a serious problem developing in many churches today because there are too many men who want to have their fingers in the pie. That is, they (especially the boards of churches) want to make the decisions. The problems arise because many of those men are not spiritually equipped to make decisions. Many times their wrong decisions hurt the cause of Christ.
It seems to me that David made a mistake by consulting with all of these leaders. He got into trouble by listening to everybody.
And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul [1 Chron. 13:2–3].
This is a sidelight on the days of Saul. During that period the worship of God in the tabernacle was entirely omitted. As a result, the entire tabernacle organization was broken up. The Levites were scattered. Now word is sent out throughout the entire land that David wants to bring up the ark.
And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people [1 Chron. 13:4].
The decision is unanimous. They all want the ark brought to Jerusalem.
So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim [1 Chron. 13:5].
In 1 Samuel 7 we have the record of the ark being taken to Kirjath-jearim and left there because they had had a bad experience with it.
And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it [1 Chron. 13:6].
Of course, God did not live in the ark, nor between the cherubims, but that is the place He designated as His meeting place with the people of Israel. His presence was there.
Now they will make their big mistake. As someone has put it, this is doing a right thing in a wrong way. It was right to bring the ark up to Jerusalem, but the method of doing it was wrong.
And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart [1 Chron. 13:7].
God had given explicit directions as to how the ark was to be carried. Other parts of the tabernacle could be transported on carts, but not the ark. Notice what God had said to Moses: “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation” (Num. 4:15). The ark was never to be carried on a wagon. It was to be borne on the shoulders of the sons of Kohath. Why? Well, the ark speaks of Christ, and He is to be carried, even today, by individuals.
A lot of people would like to do it the easy way. My friend, it will require work to get out the Word of God. Many people complain about the expense. I deplore the expense myself, but I want to tell you that it will cost us to get out the Word of God. We can’t put it on a wagon. We must carry it. Each one needs to shoulder his own pack. So let’s get it out. Paul says, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Gal. 6:5). That is another way of saying that each one must shoulder his own pack.
In other words, all of us have to put our shoulders to the wheel to get the Word of God out to a world that desperately needs it. God doesn’t write the gospel in the sky; it has to be passed along by His children.
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets [1 Chron. 13:8].
David was a great musician, and this was an occasion of real joy. But it was all interrupted very suddenly.
And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God [1 Chron. 13:9–10].
Why? Because they were doing it wrong. They were not giving the right testimony. “But,” you may say, “this was certainly a severe sort of thing—a man just put his hand on it!” Well, to begin with, the ark should not have been on that cart. And the ark did not need Uzza to steady it.
Today there are many folk who are putting their hands in the Lord’s work where they should not be putting them. They are interfering with the Lord’s work. I could tell you of many instances of men, probably meaning well, but not doing it God’s way. As a result, blessing does not come. Just so in the case of the ark—the man who interfered was put out of the way.
And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day [1 Chron. 13:11].
David was displeased by it, as much as you would be, and as much as the critic is today.
And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? [1 Chron. 13:12].
Oh, how often we attempt to do things our own way, and then when we fail, we blame it on God! We say, “How am I going to do this for the Lord?” Well, do it God’s way. Turn it over to Him. That is what David finally had to do.
So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had [1 Chron. 13:13–14].
This concludes the episode. The ark is not going to be brought up to Jerusalem at this time. God is blessing the family that has it now, but David is going to turn his attention to something else.
THE PROSPERITY OF KING DAVID
In chapter 14 we see that God is prospering David and that his fame is spreading.
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house [1 Chron. 14:1].
David and Hiram were great friends. We are told elsewhere that Hiram loved David. Here at the beginning of David’s reign, Hiram wants to help him build his house, his palace.
And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel.
And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters [1 Chron. 14:2–3].
Now perhaps you are saying, “And God permitted this!” Yes, God permitted a multiplication of wives, but God did not approve of it. In fact, this will eventuate in God judging him, and it will bring sorrow to him for the rest of his life. It is wrong. This record is not given to us because God approved of it. But God wants us to know that this is exactly what happened. This is a historical record, and as we follow it we will discover God’s attitude.
At one time, during the time of David’s rejection, the Philistines thought he had become their man (1 Sam. 27). Now that he has returned to his own people and has been crowned as their king, the Philistines are out to get him.
And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.
So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim.
And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire [1 Chron. 14:9–12].
This was a great victory for David over the Philistines. And Israel hadn’t had many victories over these people.
And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.
Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees [1 Chron. 14:13–14].
David could have said, “Well, here are the Philistines back again to fight against me. I had victory before, so I’ll go out against them again.” No, he inquired of God, and God said he shouldn’t do it. He told David to retreat and to draw the Philistines to the mulberry trees. There David would have the advantage.
There are a great many Christians who actually tempt the Lord. They don’t trust Him; they actually tempt Him. They enter into some sort of a business, or an agreement, or they try to do something and, as the saying goes, they bite off more than they can chew. They claim to be doing it because they “trust the Lord.” Well, what makes them think the Lord told them to do it that way?
My friend, God expects you and me to use sanctified common sense. I have known folk who say they are acting on faith, when it is not faith but presumption. They call it trusting the Lord but, actually, they do these things when the Lord never indicated to them that they should.
God wants us to use sanctified common sense and to wait for His leading. Everything that is called faith is not actually faith. I have seen folk make shipwreck of faith in that way.
A dear lady came to the church where I served in Pasadena years ago. She said she was going to a faith healer and I advised her not to. I thought she should go to a doctor. She said, “Oh, Dr. McGee, you are so wrong. God is going to heal me. You think I ought not to go to this faith healer but I am going and I will be healed.” She went and she was not healed. She couldn’t understand it. She thought God was going to heal her. The whole affair made shipwreck of that woman’s faith and she got to the place where she completely turned her back upon God. She said, “He let me down.” No, He didn’t. He doesn’t want us to do something very foolish. He wants us to use good old sanctified common sense. She should have gone to a doctor. Her foolishness eventuated in her death.
My friend, of course we need to trust the Lord. But we need to make sure we are getting our directions from Him. Sometimes we are to go out and do battle, and sometimes we are to withdraw.
And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines [1 Chron. 14:15].
A pastor friend of mine came to tell me about a church he was going to serve; and, because I knew things about the church, I advised him not to go. He asked, “Why?” I answered, “You had better wait until you hear the ‘sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees’ before you go there.” You see, there are times when you and I are simply to wait until there is no doubt that God is preparing the way for us. This talk of stepping out on faith may not be faith at all. It may be presumption. Instead of trusting God, we may be tempting God. We need to wait for the Lord to give the signal, for that sound in the tops of the mulberry trees. We need to be careful that what we call stepping out on faith isn’t simply a foolish move. Sometimes we are tempting God instead of trusting Him.
David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.
And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations [1 Chron. 14:16–17].
This is why I said that David was one of the great world leaders. His kingdom was one of the great world kingdoms at that particular time. God was with this man. That little nation in that insignificant land became a great world power. This should not strike us as strange. There have been other instances like it in the history of the world. Venice, the city of Venice, ruled the world at one time—and it was just a city. So it is not a surprise that a little nation like Israel could be a world power. We are told the reason for it. Verse 2 told us that David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, and verse 17 tells us that the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations. It was God who brought David to world power.
As we have seen, chapters 13–16 are devoted to David and the ark—that is, of his bringing the ark up to Jerusalem to the place he had chosen. This is quite interesting in view of the fact that these chapters could be giving us a report of the business of the state, some of the many decisions that David made, treaties he signed with the surrounding nations, wars he fought, even accounts of state dinners and other state functions. It could be very much like a newscast we would see on television today. Instead these chapters tell us about the moving of the ark.
There is a lesson in this for us. It helps us to see what is the important matter in the sight of God. We get the news and a lot of propaganda on our newscasts. What do you think would be God’s viewpoint of the news today? Would the emphasis be where we find it on CBS or NBC or XYZ? Where does God put the emphasis? We should learn from this attention to the moving of the ark that God is interested in the worship of His people. The ark was the very heart and center of the worship for Israel. This is where God puts the emphasis.
History itself should teach us that all too often we put the emphasis on passing things. Once there was a busy staff in the palace of Napoleon in Paris. Today it is a museum. There are no important decisions being made there today. We think of Versailles and how beautiful it is. How important it was in the past. Great decisions were made there, but now it is just a showcase. It is something for tourists to visit—that is all. It would have been well to have known what God thought was important during those years.
Another question arises. What happened to the tabernacle? My feeling is that it was worn out. After all, it was a tent, made largely of cloth. The golden boards, the brass pillars, and the silver bases were probably taken by the Philistines. There is no record of what happened to the tabernacle other than the ark. The important thing was the ark. Why? Because crowning the ark was the mercy seat. That is the place where God met the people of Israel.
The important thing for you and for me is to have a place where we can receive mercy from God. All of us need God’s mercy. God is prepared today to extend mercy because He has a mercy seat for us. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2). That word propitiation means “mercy seat.” Christ is the mercy seat for our sins. Now this is important to God. Actually, it is not what you and I hear on television that is really important, and it is not the decisions made in Washington (although I do not belittle them), but the important decisions are God’s decisions.
As we have seen, David attempted to bring the ark to Jerusalem. Although that was the proper thing to do, he did it in the wrong way. Not only had David chosen Jerusalem as the place for the ark, but God had chosen that same place. So it was important that the ark be brought to Jerusalem. The problem was that David tried to do it in the wrong way. God had given instructions in the Book of Numbers that the ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Kohathites of the tribe of Levi. There could not be an easier way or any kind of short-cut method used.
My friend, getting out the Word of God today is not easy. Too many people think that the work of the Lord should be some kind of picnic and something very delightful. It is delightful to know one is doing His will out of love for Him—that always makes it a thrilling experience—but it does not make it easy.
God’s Word needs to be carried by God’s people. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). God blesses the proclamation of His Word. Paul goes on to say that they have to hear, but how are they going to hear without a preacher? Paul also tells us: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). God wants the human family to hear His Word through human means. He doesn’t write it in the sky. He expects us to preach it, my friend.
As we look around us, we see a restlessness. The church, having departed from the Word of God, is in as much disarray as any other institution. The theology of both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is a shambles, my friend. Why? Because both got away from the Word of God, and as a result they are not doing it God’s way. My firm conviction is that the most important matter is to get the ark of God on the move, by which I mean get the gospel going out, get the Word of God moving out to the human family. Let’s put the emphasis where God puts it.
Now here in chapter 15 David is going to move the ark in the right way.
And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent [1 Chron. 15:1].
God considers the preparation of a place for the ark—not David’s housing project—the important matter. “David made him houses in the city of David” was a housing project, and I’m sure that was considered important by a great many people.
Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever [1 Chron. 15:2].
My question is: David, why didn’t you do this the first time? Why did you have to go through that sad experience before you did it the right way?
Well, that’s the way most of us learn. The old cliché is accurate: hindsight is better than foresight. It is easy for me to tell David he should have done it right in the first place, and then McGee turns right around, and the next step I take, I do it wrong. Then I have to learn to do it God’s way. I have a notion that is the experience of most of us.
And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it [1 Chron. 15:3].
Do you remember that in days gone by when America faced a crisis our national leaders called for a day of prayer? We don’t do that any more. Instead we get the brain trust together and expect them to solve the problems. We have seen that the decisions of the brain trust in the past have been as foolish as though they had been made by children; yet we don’t change our method. That is the tragedy of America in this dark hour in which we are living.
David thought it was important to gather all Israel together to bring up the ark of the Lord. And God thought it was important. This is the reason He recorded it in Chronicles, which is His viewpoint of this historical period.
Now David prepares to move the ark the right way.
And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites [1 Chron. 15:4].
Then he gives the chief of each family and the number of men each would furnish.
And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it [1 Chron. 15:11–12].
David had prepared a place for the ark, but we are not told exactly where it was. Was it the threshing floor of Araunah? Later on he bought that place for the site on which the temple was to be built. This is on the ridge called Mount Moriah, the place where Abraham offered Isaac. The ridge goes right through Jerusalem; and Golgotha, the place on which Christ was crucified, is located on this same ridge. I am of the opinion that the place David prepared for the ark was on Mount Moriah.
For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order [1 Chron. 15:13].
You will recall that David blamed God at first; he thought He was wrong in taking the life of Uzza, but then he discovered he himself was the one who was wrong, and he is confessing that.
So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel [1 Chron. 15:14].
Have you noticed the repetition of the expression “the ark of the Lord God of Israel”? We get the impression that the ark is very important to God.
And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord [1 Chron. 15:15].
He is referring to God’s explicit instructions in the fourth chapter of Numbers.
David, we know, was a musician, and he wanted music with all of this.
And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy [1 Chron. 15:16].
David wanted the brass band, the orchestra, and all the choirs. It was to be a great day when the ark of God was brought to Jerusalem. This was the high point of David’s coming to Jerusalem. God does not even record David’s coming to Jerusalem to capture it from the Jebusites, nor does He record the great building project that David launched. Got puts the emphasis upon the spiritual, and I hope we get the message.
So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy [1 Chron. 15:25].
Oh, this was a great day!
And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams [1 Chron. 15:26].
All of these sacrifices pointed to Christ.
And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.
Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps [1 Chron. 15:27–28].
What a day this was!
I have always wanted a big orchestra, but I never did have it in any church I served. I guess the Lord just didn’t want me to have one. I believe one of the reasons the church service is so dead and the reason the world passes it by is that there is no evidence of joy. Look at people going to any church today and see if they look happy.
Look at a newscast of a crowd at a baseball game, and you don’t see a sad face in the whole lot. Even those who are losing don’t seem to be sad. They all seem to be having a good time. The tragedy of the hour is that God’s people don’t seem to be having a good time. We ought to be!
I think the world in that day heard about David bringing up the ark to Jerusalem. I think there were visitors from other countries who went home and said, “You should have been in Jerusalem with me. It was a great day, a great day!”
Have you noticed that there is nothing in the newscasts, nothing on the front pages of the newspapers, which is spiritual or which shows the joy of the Lord? They will publish a freak sort of thing, an oddball news item about religion, or something about some religious nut. Today that which is spiritual and joyful has disappeared from the life of America. That is when we as a nation have begun to die, by the way.
Now, however, we see that not everybody was in accord with David in this celebration.
And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart [1 Chron. 15:29].
Michal was King Saul’s daughter and the first wife of David. She looked at him showing his enthusiasm and joy in serving the Lord, and she thought in her heart, He is a religious fanatic!
Oh, how we need men like David in our day. It does not have to be fanaticism, but we do need the underlying river of joy flowing through the hearts and lives of God’s people. That is the great message in chapter 15.
THE ARK IS SETTLED IN ITS PLACE
In chapter 16 we find that the ark is placed in the tent David had prepared for it, and David provides for its perpetual care.
So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.
And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine [1 Chron. 16:1–3].
It was an occasion of great joy on the part of the people of Israel.
Then “they offered burnt sacrifices.” As we saw in our study of Leviticus, the burnt sacrifices typified what God sees in Christ. The burnt offering ascended to the presence of God. Also they offered “peace offerings” which speak of the fact that Christ made peace by the blood of His cross. Everything is right between God and us when we come God’s way through Christ.
The exaltation of the Person of Christ and the fact that He shed His blood is the gospel right here in the Old Testament.
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel [1 Chron. 16:4].
We need to get so involved in the Word of God that we become enthusiastic. Anyone who is enthusiastic and excited about a football game is called a fan, but a person who feels that way about religion is called a fanatic! Well, we don’t need fanatics, but we do need believers who get involved in the Word of God to the extent that they feel like thanking and praising the Lord God!
David had this organized. Asaph was the chief, and next to him was Zechariah—then a whole list of them. My, what a group of musicians he had there.
Now we see David’s glorious psalm of thanksgiving.
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren [1 Chron. 16:7].
We’ll see this psalm again because it is Psalm 105. “O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works” (Ps. 105:1–2). My friend, we need to talk about God and get His Word out. Unfortunately, many Christians today know more about the things advertised on television than they do about the Word of God. Also there are preachers among us who know more about the baseball clubs than they know about the Bible. In this computerized age we all are being pressed into a little form. My Christian friend, for God’s sake get into the Word of God and learn what liberty is in Christ!
Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people [1 Chron. 16:8].
God has been moving in the past, and He is still moving today. He is not through with this little world and I think that His hand can be seen in the affairs of the world today.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works [1 Chron. 16:9].
Singing is an important way in which to praise God. Although I can’t sing, I can make a “joyful noise unto the Lord.” I don’t attempt to sing in public, but when I get in the car by myself, I really let go with a song. It doesn’t sound good even to me, but I like to praise God.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually [1 Chron 16:10–11].
James 4:8 tells us, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you….” All we must do for salvation is to come to Christ and trust Him as our Savior. God has promised that we shall be saved. However that doesn’t insure fellowship with God. We have to follow through with “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.”
Do you seek His face continually? What is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? When you go to bed at night, what is the last thing you think about? Do you think about God all during the day? Or do you just leave God behind when you go to work or go to school or go to a social gathering?
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth [1 Chron. 16:12].
We were in the Hawaiian Islands, and one evening there was a glorious sunset. I called attention to it and said, “My, look at what God has done.” God does things in such a magnificent way. He had plenty of light, a great big sun, a lot of sky, and big mountains. He let that sun go down and put a lot of color in it just so we could enjoy it. David calls attention to God’s wonderful creation. He calls attention to God’s works.
O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth [1 Chron 16:13–14].
God made judgments in all the earth at that time. I think that He is making judgments today. His hands are moving in the affairs of men. Oh, I know that Satan is the god of this world. I know that God has given him a certain amount of rope in the present age and that he is going to be turned loose in the Great Tribulation Period. That does not mean that God is not in control. God is finally going to close in on Satan and all his works because He is the God of judgment.
Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;
And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant [1 Chron. 16:15–17].
There are many people who would like to minimize the covenant that God made with Abraham. Well, my friend, David doesn’t minimize that covenant. David says, “Let’s talk about it.” God’s covenants are still important today. God made a covenant with Abraham and He hasn’t gone back on it. God promised Abraham that He would give to him and to his offspring the land we call the Holy Land, and God is going to do it. When they get that land given to them from the hand of God, they will not need to fear the Egyptians or the Arabs or the Russians. They won’t need to fear anyone because every man is going to dwell under his own vine and under his own fig tree in peace. In other words, people will own their own property. All the land belongs to God, and God will give it to them in His time.
Just as God made a covenant with Abraham and with his offspring, so God has also made covenants with us. He has promised us all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
It is apparent that David understood that God had made a covenant with him regarding the land.
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;
When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm [1 Chron. 16:18–22].
God had His protecting hand on the patriarchs as they moved about. This has primary reference, I am sure, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but it has application for us as well. We need to be very careful about laying a hand or a tongue on God’s anointed. Before you criticize your pastor, ask yourself if you are hurting or helping the work of God.
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods [1 Chron. 16:23–25].
Today all creation is groaning in pain waiting for the redemption of the sons of God. There is a day coming when all creation will be released. Then, my friend, we shall hear music the like of which we have never heard before.
For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens [1 Chron. 16:26].
The word idol is the Hebrew elil, meaning “a thing of naught.” Idols are nothings. They are just a piece of wood, or stone, or metal. They can be animal, vegetable or mineral. In contrast, the Lord God is identified as the Creator.
Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.
Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness [1 Chron. 16:27–29].
This does not simply mean to worship Him in a beautiful church. It means to worship Him in the beauty of holiness, all that He is in His person. Most of us don’t even know what it is to worship God. Right now as we read this psalm, don’t you really feel like just saying a little “Amen” or a “Glory to God” or a “Praise the Lord”—not as little Christian cliches but from the depth of your heart? How wonderful He is!
Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth [1 Chron. 16:30–31].
That day is coming!
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth [1 Chron. 16:32–33].
The trees are going to sing. I’m waiting for that day. Someone asks, “How do you think they’ll sing?” Well, I don’t know. But when we get to that day, you and I will both know. It will be wonderful. It will all be to the praise of God.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever [1 Chron. 16:34].
God is not short on mercy. Mercy is what I need. Mercy is what you need. He has plenty of it. Why don’t you go to Him today? He has what you need.
And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord.
So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required:
And Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:
And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon.
To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel [1 Chron. 16:35–40].
They kept the way open to God. Apparently there had not been a continuation of the sacrifices and of worship during the reign of Saul. David now organizes it. The ark is in Jerusalem, and he designates those who shall minister before the ark continually.
It is interesting that we are not told who was his secretary of state, or his secretary of the treasury, or his representative at the United Nations, but we are told who were the ones who took care of the ark and who worshiped before God and carried on the spiritual matters of his kingdom.
And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever [1 Chron 16:41].
This is the reason we are to give thanks to God—“his mercy endureth forever.”
And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.
And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house [1 Chron. 16:42–43].
CHAPTER 17
Theme: David and the temple
David’s desire to build God a house so delighted the Lord that He repeats the entire episode as recorded in 2 Samuel 7.
Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord remaineth under curtains [1 Chron. 17:1].
I think it rained the night before, and as David heard the pitter-patter of the rain on his palace, he thought of the ark of God out there in a tent. Now David says to Nathan, “I want to build God a house.”
Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee [1 Chron. 17:2].
Nathan said what he thought was right. I am very sympathetic with Nathan. However, here is a case when a prophet of God was wrong. God will have to straighten him out.
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another [1 Chron. 17:3–5].
God always identifies Himself with His people, which is the reason He took upon Himself our humanity, my friend. Back in the Old Testament He met with His people in a tent because they lived in tents.
Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars? [1 Chron. 17:6].
Now when the people of Israel moved into the Promised Land and built permanent homes, there was no permanent temple built. And God says that He didn’t say to them, “Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedars?” But this desire has come into the heart of David.
Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:
And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth [1 Chron. 17:7–8].
God told Nathan to deliver a message to David. God said to David, in effect, “I don’t want you ever to forget your humble beginning. I went down and picked you up, a little shepherd boy, and I made you king over My people.” God made David great like the great men in the earth. David stands as one of the great men of history.
Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning [1 Chron. 17:9].
God says the day will come when He will put Israel in that land, and then they will have peace. They will turn to Jehovah God in that day—they are still far from that. There is quite a division in Israel today as to whether or not they should even follow the orthodox viewpoint.
And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house [1 Chron. 17:10].
Isn’t this just like our God? David had said, “I want to build God a house.” God said, “David, you can’t do it. You are a bloody man, and I can’t let you build the temple. But I will build you a house.” It was in David’s heart to build God a house, and God gave him credit for it.
And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever [1 Chron. 17:11–12].
Who is this One? Notice God’s message to the virgin Mary: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31–33). The great covenant which God made with David is to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore [1 Chron. 17:13–14].
God means this. God will build a kingdom on this earth, and Jesus Christ is coming to establish that kingdom.
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David [1 Chron. 17:15].
As we have said, this entire incident was recorded in 2 Samuel 7. And here in Chronicles He goes over it again because He considers it important.
And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? [1 Chron. 17:16].
Notice the reaction of David. “I just don’t understand your goodness, your grace, and your mercy.” My friend, I am another one who can say the same thing. Why has God been so good to me? Why has God been so good to you? Our God is not short on mercy, is He? Oh, to come to Him and have personal communication with Him—we have a communication from Him, His Word.
And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God [1 Chron. 17:17].
That is a remarkable statement. They were looking for One to come. He was to be of the seed of the woman. He was to be from Abraham; He was to come from the tribe of Judah; now we are told that He will be in the family of David. David is overwhelmed by the fact that the Messiah will be in his line.
What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant [1 Chron. 17:18].
Have you ever poured out your heart to God until you didn’t have anything left to say? This is David’s state here. He had poured out his heart and is empty. He is just sitting there before God.
O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things [1 Chron. 17:19].
Did God do all of this for David because he was a nice boy? No, he wasn’t always a nice boy. Neither did God save you and me because we were nice folk. He saved us because of His marvelous, infinite grace. He does so many special things for us, not because of our goodness, but because of His goodness. David is overwhelmed by what God has told him. It is no wonder he could sing those beautiful psalms.
O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears [1 Chron. 17:20].
My, what a privilege to have a God like this!
And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?
For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, Lord, becamest their God [1 Chron. 17:21–22].
David reviews and marvels at God’s grace to the nation Israel.
Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee [1 Chron. 17:23–24].
David believed and rested upon what God had promised.
For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.
And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever [1 Chron 17:25–27].
CHAPTERS 18–20
Theme: David’s wars
At this point somebody is going to say, “You have been emphasizing that Chronicles is God’s viewpoint. How can wars be fitted into this interpretation?” Because that is a question in the minds, I am sure, of many folk, let me make some preliminary statements.
In the New Testament James, in a very practical manner, asked the question: “From where do wars come?” He not only asked the question, but he gives the answer: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:1–2). In other words, the background of war is the sinful heart of man. It is very easy to protest wars, but we will never get rid of wars by protesting. Protesting may bring a single war to an end but another one is sure to start, because the basic problem is in the sinful heart of man.
The Lord Jesus came into our world and this is what He said, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils” (Luke 11:21–22). Why did He say that? Because there are enemies abroad. We do not live in an ideal situation. The Millennium has not come yet—nor is man able to produce it. The Prince of Peace is the only One who will bring peace to this earth. Until He comes, we will do well to keep our powder dry.
Immediately after man sinned, God said to Satan, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed …” (Gen. 3:15). Friend, you cannot remove that.
There are going to be wars until sin is removed from this earth, until all wickedness is removed. Wars are the symptom. The disease is sin. It is sin that is the problem.
David is becoming a man whom God has blessed and as a result there are enemies round about. As long as he was a little petty king, a tribal king, they paid very little attention to him. God lets us know that He took note of the fact that even David’s kingdom was in a world where there was war. Since you and I live in that kind of a world also, we do well to keep locks on our doors. Crime at home and abroad is the result of sin in the heart of man.
Now let’s look at David’s wars. The nations mentioned here were the perpetual enemies of Israel and always attacked when the nation was weak.
Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.
And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.
And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots [1 Chron. 18:1–4].
Why did David get rid of the horses? Because God had told His people that their king was not to multiply horses or wives. Later on, his son Solomon really went into the horse business, but David did not.
These were the spoils of war. I think by the time David died, Israel had cornered the gold market. The gold was there in Jerusalem.
And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass [1 Chron. 18:7–8].
You see, the materials out of which Solomon constructed the temple were accumulated by David.
Then we see that the king of Hamath sent gifts of appreciation to David for his victory over a mutual foe.
Them also king David dedicated unto the Lord, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek [1 Chron. 18:11].
David is given the victory over all of these old enemies of Israel which had fought against them when they were weak. You see, in order to become a king over that land, there were enemies to be driven out.
The child of God in our day has enemies also. In Ephesians 6:11 we are told to “Put on the whole armour of God….” Our enemy doesn’t happen to be a flesh and blood enemy. Our enemy is a spiritual enemy. That is the point Paul is making in Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This is the situation in which you and I find ourselves.
This idea that the Christian can sit down and twiddle his thumbs, that he can compromise with everything that comes along, is entirely wrong. As Christians, we need to stand for what is right. I once heard a country preacher down in Georgia say, “A lot of people, instead of standing on the promises, are sitting on the premises.” Unfortunately, that is true. We have spiritual enemies that must be overcome.
WAR WITH AMMON AND SYRIA
Chapter 19 records an incident that reveals God has a sense of humor. It also suggests that David was a hotheaded fellow, but that he did try to live in peace.
Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead [1 Chron. 19:1].
Ammon was an enemy of Israel. David didn’t want to make war. David is on the defensive as he was most of his life, as we have seen—God’s man will usually find himself on the defensive.
As we mentioned in the previous chapter, we are told to put on the whole armor of God. What is it for? To march? No, we are to put it on to stand. That is the important thing. The tragedy of the hour is that so few of God’s people will stand.
Wanting to repay an old kindness, David sent a message of comfort to Hanun upon the death of his father.
And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him [1 Chron. 19:2].
Now notice what happened.
But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? [1 Chron 19:3].
This is a very serious charge made by these men—apparently young men—who are around the king. They say, “David is not your friend. He wasn’t a friend of your father’s. These men he has sent are spies!” Now notice what they did to David’s ambassadors.
Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away [1 Chron. 19:4].
They shaved them, which was a disgrace for a Jew—he was told not to even trim his beard. Then for their complete humiliation, they cut off their uniforms. You can imagine how these fellows felt. That was not a day of nudism, and they were greatly embarrassed. Of course it was an insult that could not be ignored, and David was a hotheaded fellow.
Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return [1 Chron. 19:5].
Since these men were too humiliated to return to Jerusalem, David went down to Jericho to meet with them. David told them to stay in retirement until their beards were grown out again. And, of course, they would be given new uniforms.
Word got back to the people of Ammon what David had said when he heard how his ambassadors had been treated.
And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah [1 Chron. 19:6].
Instead of David being the one who wanted to make war, this new king of the Ammonites wanted to. He wanted to demonstrate that he could overthrow David. I am sure this was in his mind when he humiliated David’s ambassadors. So he hires an army from Syria to help him overcome David.
When David hears of this, he goes into action.
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.
Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians [1 Chron. 19:8–10].
The Syrians had the best army, so Joab chose the best of his forces to put them over against the Syrians. The Syrians were coming from the north and Ammon was coming from the south.
And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee [1 Chron. 19:11–12].
His strategy was very good. He told his brother that he would come to his aid if he were to be overcome but his brother should come to his aid in case he were overcome. They were going to concentrate their forces at the place of the most heavy attack. That was good strategy. (It was the strategy which was used by both sides in the American Civil War, by the way.)
Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that which is good in his sight.
So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him [1 Chron. 19:13–14].
Joab was a real army man, a real soldier. He would have been trained under David, and he and David were probably tops as far as military men were concerned.
And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem [1 Chron. 19:15].
He came back to Jerusalem to report.
And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them [1 Chron. 19:16].
They sent for reinforcements.
And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
But the Syrians fled before Israel: and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.
And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more [1 Chron. 19:17–19].
David did not want to go into battle. Remember we are getting God’s viewpoint of the situation, and He makes it very clear that David wanted peace with the Ammonites. He didn’t want to fight them. When he had seen an army prepared against him, he had sent Joab on the first campaign and the enemy had fled. But that didn’t end the war. The enemy went out to get reinforcements, and with allies on their side they again gathered against Israel. This time David himself went out to lead the battle. May I say to you that when David led Israel into battle, he went into battle to win!
It is a tragedy for any nation to fight a war without the determination to win. How tragic that is. My friend, we are not to fight wars just to fight wars! Our nation has found itself in very tragic circumstances because we have fought wars we did not intend to win. If we had fought to win, we would have spared thousands of lives.
Some people will read this part of the history of Israel and say that God is a bloody God. No, friend, God is not bloody. He knows the way to save human lives. That way is to subdue the aggressor and win the war.
We live in a sinful world, my friends. It is a brutal world. It is a mean world. If you like to quote Browning, “God’s in His heaven and all’s right with the world,” you are not quoting what Scripture teaches. We are getting God’s viewpoint here. All is not right with the world.
We live in a day of permissiveness. This is the day of the foul-mouthed. We no longer have personal honesty or personal integrity or human sincerity. We need to face the fact that we are in a world of sin. Laws should be enforced, and criminals should be punished. God says that as long as we are in a world like this, a strong man armed will keep his house. We are getting God’s viewpoint here, which is quite interesting.
WAR WITH AMMONITES AND PHILISTINES
Chapter 20 concludes this section on the wars of David.
The constant, persistent, enemies of Israel—and especially of David—were the Ammonites and the Philistines. There was no such thing as compromise between Israel and those enemies.
And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it [1 Chron. 20:1].
It looks as if Joab was the aggressor in this case. Although he may have been, we need to remember that David had made a friendly gesture to the young king of Ammon, but he was insulted and immediately the new king came against David in warfare. So this is just a continuation of that warfare.
There can be no compromise with the enemy. There can be no compromise with evil.
This idea today that right and wrong can walk together is all wrong. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). My friend, if you are walking with evil, it is because you have compromised with it, you have agreed with the evil. This is something that the world is forgetting. It would be amusing if it were not so tragic that there are so many people who are horrified at war when it is across the ocean but are happy to tolerate lawlessness in our streets. They say we must learn to understand and to appreciate the lawbreakers. May I say that there is a hypocrisy in our contemporary culture that is sickening beyond degree. If it is evil across the ocean, it is evil here. Evil must be opposed. Lawlessness must be opposed. Right and wrong are in opposition. There cannot be an agreement between the two.
It is during this campaign that David stayed at Jerusalem, and this is the time that he committed his great sin with Bathsheba. Notice that God doesn’t record that sin here. God has said that He forgives our sins and that He will remember our sins no more. He means that.
Now here is another persistent enemy of Israel: the Philistines.
And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.
And there was war again with the Philistines: and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.
And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant [1 Chron 20:4–6].
In this conflict with the Philistines, three men who were giants were slain by David and his men. David, of course, became famous as a young fellow for slaying the giant Goliath. The Philistines were the unrelenting enemy of Israel all during the life of David.
My friend, the believer has an unrelenting enemy also. We are fighting against spiritual wickedness in high places. If you are a child of God, you are also a soldier of God. That is the reason we are enjoined to “Put on the whole armour of God …” (Eph. 6:11). We are not to march against anyone; we are to stand. If you stand for the things of God, you are in a battle. You are in a war whether you like it or not. The wars may cease in Asia and in Africa and in Europe and in the western hemisphere, but there will still be war as long as there is evil in the world. As Paul said to the Ephesian believers, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). This is the message in chapter 20 for you and for me.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: David’s sin in taking a census
This chapter deals with the greatest sin that David committed, and it has nothing in the world to do with Bathsheba. It is the kind of sin about which folk say, “Well, I can’t see why this is such a great sin.” Everyone seems to think that the matter of Bathsheba is a terrible sin, and I’m in that number. I agree it was an awful sin. But in this chapter, as in all of Chronicles, we are given God’s perspective. God does not record David’s sin with Bathsheba in the Book of Chronicles, but He does record this sin of numbering the people because it is on the spiritual level. It won’t affect David’s salvation one whit, but it certainly is going to affect him and the nation of Israel in their personal relationship with God.
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel [1 Chron. 21:1].
Now we have found the real culprit. This was satanic. Satan was in back of this whole incident. This throws light upon David’s great sin.
David’s sin with Bathsheba was a personal sin, a sin of the flesh. In Psalm 51, he cried, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Ps. 51:1). He was referring to his sin with Bathsheba. But here “Satan stood up against Israel,” and moved David to take this census.
And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it [1 Chron. 21:2].
You recall that Moses had taken a census of the people on two occasions. In the Book of Numbers we are told that he took a census at the beginning of the wilderness march and then again at the end of the wilderness march. There was nothing wrong with that. At least, God did not find fault with that. But here it is sin. There are those who say that the reason David did this was because he was proud. Well, let’s read on.
And Joab answered, the Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? [1 Chron. 21:3].
Here is the first man to oppose the computer. David wanted statistics and there is a sin in statistics. Everything today is being computerized, including all of us, for that matter. Joab opposed getting these statistics because he felt that pride was involved in this. I am of the opinion that although pride did enter into it, pride is not the total explanation of the sin.
“Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord” (Jer. 9:23–24). God was not pleased when David took a census because David was not delighting in the Lord; he was delighting in his own might. So the thing that motivated him to number the people was the awful sin of unbelief. David was trusting numbers instead of trusting God.
Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king’s word was abominable to Joab [1 Chron. 21:4–6].
In Israel he had 1,100,000 men, and in Judah he had 500,000 men. When Moses had taken the census, he had 603,000 men. David has a million more men than Moses had!
What a contrast this is to David, the shepherd boy, when he came into the camp and saw the great giant Goliath strutting up and down defying Israel. This little shepherd boy didn’t want to take a census; he didn’t number the army. He just said, “Let me go out after him.” Why did he have the courage to do it? Well, he trusted the Lord. He went out with a sling and five stones! My friend, you don’t feel the need of God when you have one million men. When you have only a slingshot and five stones, you know you need Him.
I’m afraid that our nation is in very much this same position today. “The greatest nation on earth”—how often we hear that phrase! I imagine the people in the Roman Empire heard that until they got tired of hearing it. They did the same in Babylon and in Greece and in Egypt. Those kingdoms are long gone as great world empires. Why? Because they trusted in armies. Don’t misunderstand me. Every nation needs an army to defend itself in this evil world. We are not to be fools and fanatics who say we need no protection and no army. But that is not where our confidence should be!
Joab protests to David. He says, “David, all these men are yours. You don’t need to number them. God has given you all these people, and they will be adequate with God.” But David insisted on a census.
Today people think that with our atom bombs and hydrogen bombs we have no need for God. My friend, we do need God. People are trusting the wrong things in our day. David’s great sin was unbelief.
I realize this fact does not register with many people. Just as today we point the finger at David for his sin with Bathsheba, so we would point our finger at a church member who would stagger into the church service while he was drunk. But you could walk into our Sunday morning church service in unbelief and no one would be the wiser. And if your unbelief was known, this would not be considered a serious matter. My friend, God is telling us here that He considers unbelief the most serious matter. Satan is always behind unbelief. He puts unbelief into our hearts and minds so that we will not trust God. He is always urging us to put our trust in men, in armies, in money, in anything but God. That is the sin of statistics.
May I say that a great many folk today trust mathematics and not the Maker. They trust the computer and not the Christ. They trust in numbers and not in the name of the Lord.
David learned his lesson. Listen to him: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes” (Ps. 118:8–9). “In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion” (Ps. 71:1).
We need to ask ourselves these penetrating questions. Do we really trust God? Do we really believe God? “But without faith it is impossible to please him …” (Heb. 11:6). The Lord Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit would come into the world, He would convict the world of sin. What kind of sin? “… because they believe not on me” (John 16:9). Paul writes, “… for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). This is the sin of David, and it is real sin. David soon began to see what a terrible thing he had done.
DAVID CHOOSES HIS PUNISHMENT
And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly [1 Chron. 21:7–8].
Now the Lord is going to put before David a choice of punishment.
And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying,
Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee
Either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me [1 Chron. 21:9–12].
Now listen to David. This is tremendous. I hope you agree with me by now that David was a great man. Oh, he was human like I am and you are. He stubbed his toe, he committed sins, he had his faults, but he never lost his salvation nor his desire for fellowship with God.
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man [1 Chron. 21:13].
David knew his God. Here is a man who ordered the census because he was trusting in man. He sees now what he has done. I think David is an old man now, and he remembers that little shepherd boy who went out with his slingshot and five smooth stones. How he trusted God, and what a testimony he had then! David was as human as we are; we trust God for salvation, but we don’t trust Him for the problems of life. David now looks about at his enemies. Their numbers are great; they are giant nations. David wonders if his army is big enough. He has forgotten for the moment that his God is big enough for all the giants and all the nations that are threatening him. So David takes a census.
How many times have you and I taken a census? We didn’t really trust God, and we put our faith in something else.
But David knows his God. He says to Gad, “Don’t let me fall into the hand of man. I want to fall into the hands of God.” Why? Because David has learned that God is merciful. I am afraid that many of us have not learned that. God has “… not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him” (Ps. 103:10–11).
God is merciful in salvation. He holds out today salvation to a lost world. On what basis? Christ is the Mercy Seat. You recall that John puts it this way: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). What is propitiation? It is the Mercy Seat. He has an abundance of mercy. All you have to do if you want to be saved is to go into court with God, plead guilty, and then ask for mercy. He has plenty of mercy. That is the way He will save you. There is a pardon for you, and you must claim it.
Also there is the mercy of God in providence. I look back upon my life—oh, how good He has been! He is so merciful today, not only to me but to the whole unsaved world. Why didn’t He come in judgment last night? Because He is merciful. He will come some day but He is long-suffering, He is merciful, He keeps giving time for repentance. He pities us like a father pities his children. His mercy will extend into the future. We can lean securely on His mercy. It will never cease. It is not just a momentary happy disposition with Him. It is not some development in His character. He didn’t just read How to Win Friends and Influence People and then decide to be merciful. David could say, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Ps. 136:1). So David casts himself upon God’s mercy.
So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed. It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued [1 Chron. 21:14–17].
Notice this marvelous prayer of David. He takes full responsibility for his sin. I would say that David has changed a great deal. The time when he committed the sin with Bathsheba he wasn’t going to say a word about it. He even tried to push the blame for the death of Uriah the Hittite to someone else. David tried to cover up. Now it is different. He has learned his lesson. His soul stands absolutely naked before God. He tells the Lord, “I am responsible. I did this thing. Let the judgment fall upon me.”
DAVID BUYS THE THRESHINGFLOOR OF ORNAN
Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite [1 Chron. 21:18].
When I was in Jerusalem, I walked up and down the site of that threshingfloor. It is located on Mount Moriah, the place where the Mosque of Omar stands today. That is the old temple area. So here we learn that it was not actually David who chose that spot for the temple; God chose it. And David certainly concurred with Him.
And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the Lord.
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground [1 Chron. 21:19–21].
Ornan was threshing wheat at his threshingfloor. It is interesting that I was there just at the beginning of harvest season. Every afternoon the wind would come up. I sat in our hotel room and I could look over this area, the temple area, the site of Ornan’s threshingfloor. The wind really whistled through there, so much so that we had to close the doors to our room. In the days of David they would wait for that wind to come up, and then they would pitch the grain up into the air. The wind would blow away the chaff and the good grain would fall down upon the threshingfloor.
As I have mentioned before, Mount Moriah is the place where Abraham offered up Isaac. And at the other end of that same ridge is Golgotha, the place of the skull, where God offered up His Son. When I was there, I took a picture of the sheaf of rock which was taken out to make the roadway up to the Damascus gate. The wall of Jerusalem goes up over that ridge. It is very high. After taking that picture, I turned right around, walked ten steps, and took a picture of Golgotha—located on the same ridge, at the same elevation. It was a continuous ridge until they put the roadway through there. You see, God chose the site of Ornan’s threshingfloor on Mount Moriah because that is the place where God told Abraham to offer his son, looking forward to the time of the temple sacrifices and finally to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.
Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering: I give it all [1 Chron. 21:22–23].
This man Ornan was very generous. He offered the property, and the wheat that he was gathering in which David could use for a meal offering, also the wood and the oxen for a burnt offering. This man offered the whole thing to David. But now listen to David:
And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost [1 Chron. 21:24].
David refused to offer to God that which cost him nothing.
So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight [1 Chron. 21:25].
David paid the full price for the threshingfloor.
And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering [1 Chron. 21:26].
David now makes a sacrifice to God. The fire from heaven indicated that God had accepted David’s offering.
And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof [1 Chron. 21:27].
The sword of judgment was sheathed. But at Golgotha, that sword pierced the side of the Lord Jesus Christ. As someone has said, “I got into the heart of God through a spear wound.”
At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord [1 Chron. 21:28–30].
I want you to see something very important here. David put this altar in the place where the temple is to be built, and he offers a sacrifice. This is the place God met with His people. This is now become the place of sacrifice. You see, David understood what a lot of church members today do not understand. David put up this altar, and he offered on it a burnt offering. That burnt offering speaks of the Person of Christ. Then he offered a peace offering. This speaks of Christ as our Peace. Christ made peace by the blood of His cross. Jesus Christ is our Peace. He has sprinkled His own blood on the mercy seat for us. He is our great High Priest. He has ascended into heaven and stands at the right hand of the Father. There is no access to God except through the Lord Jesus Christ. David understood this, and he offered the burnt offering and the peace offering to God.
Now remember that there was a plague going on. David has seen the angel with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. David offers sacrifices to God and calls on the name of the Lord. What was he asking for? For mercy!
God is a God of mercy, of loving-kindness. But did you know that God doesn’t save us by His mercy? God can’t just be bighearted. He can’t be a sentimental old gentleman. You see, there is a penalty that must be paid. Sin must be dealt with. God is also righteous and He cannot save us simply by His mercy, or by His love. God can’t save you by love, friend. He loves you and He will extend mercy to you but He cannot save you that way. We are saved by grace through faith. What does that mean? That means that someone had to pay the penalty for our sins. God couldn’t just open the back door of heaven and slip us in under cover of darkness. He cannot let down the bars of heaven. Sin must be dealt with. He cannot shut His eyes to sin in order to save us. We are guilty sinners before God, and the penalty must be paid. Jesus Christ came to pay our penalty. He is the propitiation, He is the mercy seat for you and me.
CHAPTERS 22–29
Theme: David’s preparation and organization for building the temple
From this point through to the end of 1 Chronicles, we have the organization, the gathering of the materials, and the enthusiasm of David for building the temple which God would not allow him to build.
Let me remind you again that Chronicles gives God’s viewpoint, and to Him the temple is the most important project David had in mind. David had a housing project—we saw that. He built many houses in Jerusalem; it was a great urban development. However, the important thing was the building of the temple. Why? My friend, until an individual or a people are right with Almighty God, all these subsidiary subjects must sink into insignificance. When a right relationship with Him is established, then urban development is important. Then a poverty program is very much in order. It looked like David had a poverty program when, after he brought the ark to Jerusalem, he was handing out the groceries. Why? Well, because the spiritual part had been settled.
Today we hear so much about urban development and about poverty programs. The news media puts such emphasis on these things and makes people think that if these material things can be solved then the problems of the world would be solved. My friend, man is far from solving the problems of the world because he hasn’t solved the major problem, which is his relationship with God. As a result, there is corruption in urban development; there is corruption in poverty programs.
The temple speaks of that which is spiritual, of a right relationship with God. From God’s viewpoint that was the important thing that went on in David’s kingdom—rather than the continual wars, the intrigue, the petty politics such as are considered newsworthy in our day.
It is interesting to apply this to more recent history. Great Britain was the nation which ruled the world for many years. There was the saying that the sun never set on the British Empire. Great Britain controlled more of the world than any other nation ever has. They were not perfect, and one can find much to criticize, but it still is true that Great Britain had a tremendous influence for good on the entire world.
The significant factors in her history did not take place at 10 Downing Street. They didn’t take place in Parliament under the tower of Big Ben. Probably the most important thing was when a young fellow by the name of John Wesley went upstairs in Aldersgate. When I was there, I had to pause a moment and thank God for that man and his work, because we are still reaping the benefits from it. Down the street from Aldersgate is the place where Wesley began his preaching. There is a graveyard there; and, when the state church put him out, he stood on the tombstones and started preaching. The result was a spiritual movement of such magnitude that even Lloyd George said that John Wesley did more for the British Empire than any Englishman who ever lived.
Probably the newspapers and magazines didn’t think Wesley was important; yet he was God’s instrument for saving Great Britain from a revolution, and God enabled him to begin a movement which brought civilization throughout the world. We can belittle the colonial policy (and Great Britain bogged down under it with all the wrongs inherent in it), but the important thing is that this was a movement which sent missionaries throughout the world and brought a civilizing Christian influence throughout the world.
Even the most prejudiced person in the world surely must admit that those days were better than the godless age in which we are living—which is getting nowhere.
From God’s viewpoint, David’s preparations for the temple were more important than anything else David did.
Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God [1 Chron. 22:1–2].
David is determined that the temple is to be built there on the threshingfloor of Ornan.
And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David [1 Chron. 22:3–4].
The Zidonians were, of course, the inhabitants of Zidon (sometimes called Sidon). As we have seen, Hiram, king of Tyre and Sidon, was the one who provided the stone and timber for the construction of the temple.
And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death [1 Chron. 22:5].
Notice the word magnifical! As we see it from God’s viewpoint, David made abundant preparation for the temple. He knew that Solomon was young and inexperienced, and the temple of God must be exceedingly magnificent. This is my reason for saying it should be called David’s temple rather than Solomon’s temple.
Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the Lord God of Israel.
And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God:
But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight [1 Chron. 22:6–8].
Although the wars David fought were forced upon him—he was not the aggressor—God said that he was a bloody man. God is not for war—His name is not Mars. He is opposed to war. He wants peace, and His Son is the Prince of Peace who will bring peace to this earth. God would not allow David to build the temple because he was a man of war.
Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days [1 Chron. 22:9].
God said that Solomon would be a man of peace and rest because He would give peace to Israel in his days. But, as we shall see, the peace was not permanent.
However, there was One who stood before the people of Israel when the religious rulers rejected Him, and said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden …” (Matt. 11:28). He didn’t actually say, “I will give you rest,” as our Authorized Version has it, but “I will rest you.” He will do what Solomon was unable to do. He is great David’s greater Son. It is He who can bring rest and peace, solace and quietness to the human soul. God is merciful because His Son died for you. Won’t you accept His overture? He has moved heaven and hell to reach the door of your heart. He won’t come any further, but He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).
He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever [1 Chron. 22:10].
As we have seen, the Lord Jesus Christ is the final fulfillment of this promise.
It is my personal feeling that David was not much interested in having Solomon become king. Solomon was a sissy. Solomon was brought up in the palace, in the women’s court. He knew nothing of living and defending himself in the rugged terrain of that land as David his father had done. David and Solomon were far apart, and the explanation, of course, is their backgrounds. In effect, David says to Solomon, “You are going to build the temple. Oh, I want to encourage you and get you enthusiastic about it, because it is the desire of my heart to build a magnifical temple, and God won’t let me do it because I am a bloody man.”
My friend, let me pause here a moment to remind you that David did not get by with sin. He was not able to do the thing he wanted to do above everything else on this earth, which was to build a temple for God. There is many a man whom God has not permitted to reach the goal he wanted to reach, because of sin in his life. Sin drags us all down. It dragged David down.
Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee [1 Chron. 22:11].
How David was encouraging this boy—and he knew he needed encouraging! He has been brought up in the court of the women, and he’s not a very aggressive fellow.
As we shall see, Solomon reaped the benefits of the reign of David. It can be said truly of him, as the Lord Jesus put it, “… other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours” (John 4:38). Solomon entered into the labors of another, and that was his father David.
Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God [1 Chron. 22:12].
David is urging his son to follow in God’s ways. I think David detected some of his weaknesses, and I am sure Bathsheba detected some of the weaknesses in Solomon. One of those traits was his weakness in the direction of women. This is David’s advice to Solomon which we are reading. If you want to read his mother’s advice to him, you will find it in the last chapter of Proverbs.
Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed [1 Chron. 22:13].
David knew that Solomon would get discouraged. He knew that Solomon was a weakling. He tells him to be a man—be strong and courageous.
Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto [1 Chron 22:14].
David told Solomon that he wouldn’t have to stint in the building of this temple. He wouldn’t have to cut any corners. There would be no shortage of materials. David said that in the days of his trouble, the days in which he had attempted to build up the kingdom with all the labor involved, he had carried on the work of gathering the materials for the temple of God.
God had taken note of that. God had seen what was in the heart of David. That is why David is called a man after God’s own heart. God wanted this heart attitude, this emphasis on the spiritual values, above everything else.
My friend, what is really the goal of your life? What ambition do you have? We are told that today we have a generation of young people without any purpose or goal in life. They have been brought up in homes of affluence with no Christian direction. There has been no pointing to something that is worthwhile, something that is glorious and great. They haven’t had that direction in their homes, neither have they had direction in their schools. The schools are not doing their job. I may sound like a heretic and a real revolutionary, but I don’t think it would hurt to close up many of our schools today. I don’t think they are serving their purpose until they give moral training and direction and discipline to our young people.
What is the purpose of living? Why are there so many suicides among our young people? Why are so many of them dissolute vagrants wandering aimlessly all over the world? My heart goes out to them because someone has failed. Papa and Mamma have failed. The schools have failed. The churches have failed.
May I say to you that David was giving his son some direction. He told him, “You have a worthy goal—build God a house.” Let me pass on to you something that was given to me early in life. The catechism asks the question: “What is the chief end of man?” The answer is: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
Oh, I wish I could get you enthusiastic—not about baseball or football or any kind of ball, not in the things around you, not even in church work (that may sound revolutionary also)—but in the Lord Jesus Christ. I wish I could get you really interested in His person.
My friend, Jesus Christ has promised me and He has promised you that we shall be with Him forever. Since He is God, His way is going to prevail, not yours or mine. He has something glorious in view. I don’t have it because I don’t know what is out there, but I am interested in what He has for me. We should all be able to say with Paul, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). David is a man after God’s own heart because he had something high and noble and lofty in his heart.
Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work [1 Chron. 22:15].
You see, he had arranged with Hiram to take charge of all the building.
Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee [1 Chron. 22:16].
Get busy, young man! Here is a goal that is worthwhile.
David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
Is not the Lord your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people.
Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord [1 Chron. 22:17–19].
David is commanding the leaders of Israel to become involved in this project also.
Now, my friend, whoever you are (and I am speaking to you as a Christian), you may have sunk down to a pretty low level in your living. It may be that all the church work you do is gossip, or all you do is find fault with the preacher. Maybe you are not guilty of these things, but instead of “standing on the promises, you are sitting on the premises”—you are doing nothing. I’d like to alert you, stick a pin in you, and say, wake up! Come alive and make a move toward Jesus Christ. Tell Him that you want to go along with Him, that you want a spiritual emphasis in your life. Do something definite; do something positive. Don’t just sit there—do it right now. That is what David is saying to his boy Solomon. He really put a pin in him!
LEVITES ARE ORGANIZED TO SERVE AND SING
As we come to chapter 23, keep in mind that we are still in the section that is all about the temple. Again let me say that God considered this important, and here is the place He put the emphasis. David also considered it of utmost importance, and we see more of his zeal and enthusiasm for the worship of God in these arrangements he has made.
My friend, if you are a child of God, David is putting this challenge to you. Do you really put God first in your life? Is He a thrill to you? Do you rejoice in that relationship? Do you want to do something for God? Does He give direction and purpose to your life? Is it the desire of your heart to know Him and to serve Him?
Unfortunately, many of our churches feature activity without action. Like a merry-go-round, we get on and have a nice little ride, then we get off at the same place we got on. We are not going any place. David was on the move for God, and he is urging his son Solomon to get on the move and build this great temple.
So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel [1 Chron. 23:1].
David now makes Solomon king in his stead.
Perhaps you are asking, “What did David die of?” Well, he was full of days—that was his problem. And it is the problem many of us have.
And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand [1 Chron. 23:2–3].
When the Levites were numbered, as they came out of Egypt, there were about eight thousand of them. Now there are thirty-eight thousand. They have increased in numbers, as God said they would.
Not only did David gather the materials for the construction of the temple, but he also organized the Levites to serve in the temple.
Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were officers and judges:
Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith [1 Chron. 23:4–5].
David put a great emphasis on music. Think of it—four thousand praised the Lord with music!
You will recall that the Levites served in the tabernacle. The family of Aaron served as the priests, and the three families of Levites had their duties.
And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari [1 Chron. 23:6].
The Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites all had very definite assignments in caring for the tabernacle. On the wilderness march they were responsible for moving the tabernacle. They took it down and they put it up. The Gershonites carried the curtains and the coverings. The Kohathites carried the articles of furniture. The Merarites carried the boards and the bars and the pillars. As we saw in the Book of Numbers, it was quite an undertaking to take down the tabernacle in the morning and reassemble it in the evening and restore the service of it.
And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof [1 Chron. 23:26].
The Levites’ assignment to carry the tabernacle through the wilderness is over. Now they have a new ministry for the Lord.
Again, this is something that I wish we could learn. God has raised up many fine Christian organizations; then after they have served their purpose, there are folk who try to preserve them. Some of them are as dead as a dodo bird. They do not serve any good purpose. When God is through with a thing, He is through with it, my friend. It is time to get something new going. To the Levites, God is saying in effect, “We’re not going to be trotting around in the wilderness any more. Now we will have a temple and your service is going to be different.” Oh, my friend, let’s keep step with God and do something that is alive and moving!
The Levites now have a new service. The staves are removed from the ark. It will not be moved again. It is to remain permanently in Jerusalem on the threshingfloor of Ornan. David has bought the place, and the temple will be erected there. In the temple there will be a great deal for the Levites to do; so David organizes them into shifts, selected by lot. They will serve for a period of time, then they will retire—have time off. This is the way David organized the service of the temple.
DIVISION OF THE SONS OF AARON
In chapter 24, David gives the divisions of the sons of Aaron into orders to serve in the temple.
Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazer, and Ithamar.
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office [1 Chron. 24:1–2].
Aaron’s sons were priests, and this record takes us back to the time they were in the wilderness. The tenth chapter of Leviticus records the sin of Nadab and Abihu and their resulting death.
And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service [1 Chron. 24:3].
This is a very highly organized procedure that David is putting into force. David not only bought the property where the temple is to stand, he gathered the building materials, and now he organizes the priests to serve. This is my reason for saying that the temple was David’s temple, not Solomon’s temple.
Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar [1 Chron. 24:5].
There were twenty-four orders. These sons were organized into orders. One group would come and do their work under the direction of one of the sons, then another group under the direction of another son would come and replace them. I think it must have been quite interesting to watch. Not long ago I had the privilege of watching the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in London. What a ceremony, what a show that is! I have a suspicion that the kings of the past would be surprised to see how it is being done today, and I’m not sure they would be in favor of it. I think they really overdo the pageantry. However, I imagine that when the Levites changed shifts for temple service it was done with precision and order.
The families of the Levites had grown so in number that it would be impossible for all of them to serve at once. As we have seen, from the time of Moses to the time of David, the Levites had increased from about eight thousand to thirty-eight thousand. For this reason David divided them into orders.
In the next section, the sons of Kohath are divided, and following them, the sons of Merari were divided. David planned that each family would carry on the service of the temple.
SINGERS AND ORCHESTRA ARE ORGANIZED
In chapter 25, we find that David organized the singers in the same way.
Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king [1 Chron. 25:1–2].
All of this was organized before the temple was built. You will find in the marvelous sixty-eighth Psalm, a song of David, these words: “Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee” (Ps. 68:28–29). David is anticipating the time the temple will stand in Jerusalem as a testimony to the world. Long before the temple was built, the singers were gathering in Jerusalem to worship God, and this is one of the songs they sang. You see, David had brought up the ark to Jerusalem, and it was kept in a tent. Also there was an altar there on the threshingfloor of Ornan where David, you recall, had offered sacrifices—burnt sacrifices and peace offerings—unto God.
So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.
And they cast lots, ward against ward as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar [1 Chron. 25:7–8].
They were divided by lot into twenty-four groups. This would mean that twice each month there would be a change in the service. Each of these would serve only two weeks out of the year. Then they would go back to the city from which they had come and there was service for them to perform in their hometowns. These priests and Levites served as instructors and in many ways throughout the land of Israel.
I believe all this organization was one of the greatest feats of David’s reign. It is the thing which God noted and recorded here.
PORTERS AND GUARDS ARE ORGANIZED
Not only are the priests organized, but there are others. Who is going to sweep out the place? And who is going to guard it? In chapter 26 we see that David had all of this carefully planned.
Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph [1 Chron. 26:1].
They were divided in much the same way. And while all these people are serving, there will need to be someone on guard duty. There will be guards placed to watch the gates and they will be on duty twenty-four hours a day.
And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate [1 Chron. 26:13].
Every gate was covered by guards.
TREASURERS APPOINTED
They will have to have a treasurer to keep track of the finances for the temple. He will have to make his report.
And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things [1 Chron. 26:20].
The treasurers were responsible for the vast store of dedicated things which had been accumulating.
Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.
Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord.
And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren [1 Chron. 26:26–28].
OFFICERS AND JUDGES APPOINTED
The Levites were to be the judges, you see. They also were to act in official capacities in many ways. It was God’s original purpose that Israel be a theocracy with Him ruling, and with the tabernacle in the center of the community, and with the priesthood getting the decisions from God Himself. This changed because of the failure of the Levites. So God raised up judges. Then we saw the failure of the judges, and the people demanded a king. This is the reason David is now on the throne. Although Israel is now a monarchy, David is putting great emphasis upon bringing it back under God’s control.
CAPTAINS AND PRINCES APPOINTED
Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand [1 Chron. 27:1].
Twelve captains were appointed, each man serving one month of the year over a course of twenty-four thousand.
Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah [1 Chron. 27:16].
And so on—one man from each of the twelve tribes so that there were twelve princes of the tribes of Israel.
Now notice this verse:
But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens [1 Chron. 27:23].
David took the census before because he didn’t believe God; it was an act of unbelief. God told him, “Trust Me. I’ll supply all the men you need for your army.” Now David does not take a census. He rests upon God’s promise.
Chapter 27 concludes with a list of officers which are in charge of King David’s personal properties.
DAVID’S FINAL MESSAGE
In the last two chapters of 1 Chronicles, David calls together all the leaders in Israel. It is a great meeting, and it will be one of his last because he has come to the end of his life. He will have a message for Israel and a message for Solomon that the nation will hear. This is a wise move on David’s part.
And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem [1 Chron. 28:1].
These are the men who are responsible for the leadership of the nation.
Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building [1 Chron. 28:2].
Despite his age, he forces himself to stand as he delivers this important and final message to his people.
But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood [1 Chron. 28:3].
David will not get away from this position of frank confession to the people. He gives the reason God will not allow him to build the temple: he has been a bloody man.
And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel [1 Chron. 28:5].
David makes it clear that God had chosen and commissioned Solomon. He turns over all the responsibility for Solomon to God. This gives the impression that Solomon was not David’s choice.
And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father [1 Chron. 28:6].
David’s heart and soul were in the preparation for building the temple. God would not permit him to build it himself, and he acquiesced to the will of God. However, he made every preparation of material and workmen, and he encourages Solomon to build.
Now David gives the blueprint to Solomon.
Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat.
And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:
Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord [1 Chron. 28:11–13].
Just as Moses had been given the blueprint for the tabernacle, it was David (not Solomon) who had been given the blueprint for the temple.
Many models of the temple have been made, and they are very impressive. Obviously, they are not as the temple really looked. However, in the new section of Jerusalem there is a new, exclusive hotel called the Holyland Hotel. On the grounds of that hotel is a model of the city of Jerusalem. This is not a little cheap thing that has been thrown together, or something made by a person who doesn’t really know what he is doing. But it was made after years of research by Jews in that land. They have made a model of the entire city. I was thrilled to see how it looked. The fact of the matter is, I took pictures of it myself. They say that they have it looking as it did in the days of Herod. Well, the days of Herod are the days of Christ. It is the way it looked in the days of our Lord and in New Testament times. And, my friend, it just doesn’t look like the models we have had in the past. I believe it is probably nearer to how it really looked than any other model which has been made before.
The model is built in the spacious gardens in the rear of the hotel. The scale is 1:50 (2 centimeters equal 1 meter; 1/4 inch equals 1 foot). As you walk around it, it gives you a real conception of how Jerusalem looked (see reproductions on pages 408 and 422.
The model of the temple has a simplicity about it, and I believe that is how it actually was. Yet the details in Kings and Chronicles seem very complicated. It is not as simple as the tabernacle was, yet there is a simplicity about it. It was neither the architecture nor the size that was impressive, but the beauty and wealth that was bestowed upon it. Although the floorplan of Herod’s temple was the same as God gave to David, it was not nearly as expensive as David’s temple. Herod built the temple to gratify man, while David lavished the wealth of his kingdom upon it to glorify God.
David said to Solomon, “You don’t need to stint. I have gathered enough material to make it magnificent.” It was ornate, covered with gold and silver and precious stones.
It has always been my feeling that a church building should correspond to the neighborhood in which it is located. I do not like to see great cathedrals erected in poor communities and slum areas. In a rich neighborhood, you would want a building commensurate with the homes. However, today the emphasis should not be upon buildings because our bodies are the temple of God.
Of course David had no notion of making a temple for God to live in. God does not live in a box! Solomon in his prayer of dedication very frankly said, “… behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). The whole created universe cannot contain God. How could a little house contain Him? The temple was to be a meeting place. God met with man there. And the temple was for the glory and honor of God. Today God does neither dwell nor meet you in a building. He dwells in individuals by the Holy Spirit.
David assigned the proportionate weight of gold or of silver that was to go into the articles of furniture and instruments of service.
He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:
Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick [1 Chron. 28:14–15].
The thought here is that there was to be no stinting. There was nothing parsimonious about the temple. It was a great expanse and expenditure of the wealth of the kingdom of David. Keep in mind that David did this in order to honor God.
All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern [1 Chron. 28:19].
This is a remarkable verse. The pattern of the temple was from God just as much as the pattern of the tabernacle was from God.
God gave the pattern, the blueprint; God selected the site—the threshingfloor of Ornan; God inspired and encouraged David but would not allow him to do the actual building.
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord [1 Chron. 28:20].
David is enthusiastic and excited about the temple, and he is doing all he can to stimulate Solomon. He wants Solomon to get busy on it.
And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment [1 Chron. 28:21].
You see, David had everyone in the kingdom—the priests, the workmen, the princes, the Levites—all stimulated and stirred up to do this. All Solomon had to do was to carry out his orders and follow the plans David had set up for him.
DAVID EXHORTS THE PEOPLE
As we come to chapter 29, we find that the emphasis shifts from the temple to the kingdom, although he had in mind to his dying day that the center of the kingdom would be the temple.
This is David’s last message to his people. You will recall that when old Jacob was dying he called in his sons. When Moses reached the end of his life, he had a message for all twelve tribes. Now David has a message for his people as he comes to the end of his life.
Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God [1 Chron. 29:1].
When David says that Solomon is young and tender, he means that he is a sissy and inexperienced. Old David is a veteran. Although he is a gracious, generous man, he can be hard-boiled. Solomon is a novice.
Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house [1 Chron. 29:2–3].
David says, “I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God.” Oh, to have the heart of David, and put God first in our lives! These are gifts of his own individual property.
The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord? [1 Chron. 29:5].
David has set the example. There was no stinting or holding back in his giving. Then he put out the challenge to his people.
Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly [1 Chron. 29:6].
Now there is a response on the part of the people.
And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite [1 Chron. 29:7–8].
The people gave generously, and they gave with joy.
Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy [1 Chron. 29:9].
It was a great thrill to David to see his people give so willingly toward the enrichment of the temple.
My friend, I used to see a motto that read: “Give till it hurts.” That motto may be all right for the world, but it is not God’s motto. If it hurts you to give, don’t give! God wants you to give when it brings joy to your heart and life. Give hilariously, Paul said. This is what the people are doing here, and it was a time of great rejoicing.
Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever [1 Chron. 29:10].
Notice that David called God the father of the nation Israel. In the Old Testament He was not called the father of individuals. In fact, David never called Him Father. God called David His servant. That is very interesting. The Mosaic Law never made a son of God. Only faith in Jesus Christ can make us sons of God.
DAVID PRAYS
Now we have the great kingdom prayer of David.
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all [1 Chron. 29:11].
Do these words sound familiar to you? You will recall that when the disciples asked the Lord Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them a model prayer. He took them right back here to David’s prayer. “Thy kingdom come” was in the heart of David. These are words of brevity and simplicity, and they gather up the aspiration and hopes of centuries. This is one of the greatest prayers in the Scriptures and certainly in the Old Testament. It is all-comprehensive, majestic and filled with adoration, praise and thanksgiving. It repudiates all human merit and declares human dependence upon God. It reveals self-humiliation, confession, and dedication of self. It admits that all belongs to God. David recognized that the kingdom is God’s. The Lord Jesus laid hold of this to teach His disciples.
The Scriptural concept of the kingdom is both an eternal kingdom and a temporal kingdom. It is a universal kingdom and a local kingdom. It is immediate, and it is mediated. Generally speaking, it is the reign of heaven over the earth.
When God created Adam, He gave him dominion. Now what does He mean by “the Kingdom”? It is the rule of God over the earth. It is a prayer for the recovery of the earth, to bring it back under the rule of God.
I hope you don’t think that God is ruling the earth today. If He were, we would not have heartbreak, tears, disappointments, nor wars. This is the kingdom we should pray for. It will only come about in God’s way. It will come through divine protocol, and the divine aspects will be adhered to. Man will not be able to build this kingdom here on this earth; only the Lord Jesus Christ can establish the kingdom. “Thine is the kingdom.”
It is my personal feeling that the so-called Lord’s Prayer is not for public praying. It is not just something to add to the ritual of a Sunday morning service. I believe it is good for private devotion. “Thine is the kingdom” ought to be the prayer of every believer. David was looking forward to the coming of the kingdom here upon this earth. That will be a glorious day!
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee [1 Chron. 29:14].
The very interesting thing is that you can’t give God anything because it belongs to Him in the first place. But He can bless you when you give, and He will bless you. The reason some of us are so poor and narrow-minded and little is because we are not generous with God. God can only bless us when we open our hearts to Him.
O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own [1 Chron. 29:16].
Oh, how we need to recognize this!
SOLOMON COMES TO THE THRONE
Now the people, having blessed God and having offered sacrifices to Him, make Solomon king.
And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.
Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him [1 Chron. 29:22–23].
The kingdom was united behind Solomon, and he exercised royal authority before David’s death.
DAVID DIES
Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead [1 Chron. 29:26–28].
This is the record that God has given. He wants you to know how He feels about David. Maybe you don’t like David; God does. I am glad that the Lord loved David and dealt with him as He did, because David is so human. This encourages me. Vernon McGee is very human also, and I have found that God will deal with him just as graciously and just as severely as He dealt with David. The Lord is good. The Lord is wonderful! You and I cannot build Him a temple, but we can offer the temples of our bodies to Him. He doesn’t get very much when He gets me, but He does have me. Oh, what joy it is to be committed to Him!
(For Bibliography to 1 Chronicles, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Chronicles.)
The Book of
2 Chronicles
INTRODUCTION
We have seen at the conclusion of 1 Chronicles that David had assembled all the material for the temple, had arranged for the manpower, had given encouragement to the leaders of the nation Israel and to the people, organized the service of the temple, provided all the money, and told Solomon to get busy. Now in 2 Chronicles Solomon is going to get busy.
We have seen that 1 Chronicles was actually all about David. It began with those long genealogies. There was a lot of begetting from Adam right on down to David. Why was the genealogy given? Because it led to David. Why David? Because David leads to Christ, and the New Testament opens with: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David …” (Matt. 1:1). That is the reason it is given.
I will mention again that in the Books of Chronicles we are getting God’s viewpoint. In the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings we were given man’s viewpoint. This does not mean that those books were not inspired. They are inspired. But He gives first the human viewpoint, then the divine viewpoint. And the emphasis is on David. Where did David put the emphasis? He put it on the building of the temple of God.
In 2 Chronicles we will find two major themes. The first is the building of the temple. The second theme is revival. This book covers chronologically the same period as Kings but gives certain notable emphases.
The first nine chapters are given over to the reign of Solomon. Six of those chapters are concerning the building of the temple. It is pretty evident where God is putting the emphasis. The building of the temple was Solomon’s greatest accomplishment. People always think of Solomon in regard to all the wives that he had. That is quite spectacular—no question about it—but it is not where God puts the emphasis. His having many wives wasn’t in the will of God. That was contrary to the will of God, and that was a factor which brought about the division of the kingdom. Don’t tell me he got by with it. He didn’t. Sin always brings judgment. It doesn’t matter who it is that commits the sin, it will bring judgment. The only way that anyone can get to heaven is to have a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus Christ.
So the first major theme of 2 Chronicles is Solomon’s construction of the temple. That is important. God thought it was important and inspired the writer to devote six chapters to it.
From chapter 10 to the end of the book the kingdom is divided. We have seen from the Books of Kings that after the kingdom was divided there were many kings who ruled and that most of those kings were not very attractive. We have made the statement that there was not a single good king in Israel, the northern kingdom. So we find in Chronicles that there is no emphasis on the kingdom of Israel at all. The emphasis in this book is on the southern kingdom, Judah, and on David’s line. That was a pretty bad lot, too. However, there were five of those kings who were outstanding: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah, Josiah. These five kings were the means of bringing revival back to the nation. God puts the emphasis on revival, and we will spend a great deal of time talking about revival in this section.
Many years ago I belonged to a group of ministers who were praying for revival. I finally quit going because the attitude was that if we prayed hard enough, God would send revival.
May I say that God is sovereign. We are not going to make God do anything. God has a program and He is not about to change His program for you or for me. The important thing is for you and for me to get in step with God! I tell you, the will of God comes out of eternity, down through the centuries, and moves on through the centuries into eternity. God pity the little man who gets in front of that steam roller. It will go right over you, brother.
Someone will be sure to say he doesn’t like that. May I remind you that we are the creatures. The creature does not try to get God to do something. It is God who is trying to get us to do something. That is the big problem. We tend to get things backwards. It is not God’s duty to obey us. It is our duty to obey God. You may ask, “Well, doesn’t God want to send revival?” Sure He does. And aren’t we to meet His conditions? Yes, but I don’t think they are meeting His conditions. It is interesting that the spiritual movement which has come about in our day did not come by these perspicuous theologians putting down conditions and the churches following them. The spiritual movement is not even in the church today. Most of the churches are as dead as dodo birds. The movement today is not among these brainy theologians. I get so tired and weary of reading their material today. Oh, they speak ex cathedra: they have all the answers! They have answers but no action—there’s no spiritual movement.
Out of some of our seminaries today there is coming a great deal of material; these professors write with great authority. They have a lot of authority, but they haven’t any action. (And I really don’t think they have much authority.) May I say to you today, my friend, we need to learn to bow to the will of God and to come in very close to Him: cast ourselves upon Him. We’re going to see that there are certain men—even kings—whom God used in a marvelous way, because they were willing to take orders and not give orders. I believe that the biggest hindrance to revival is the church leadership. They are the ones who are holding it back—and have been for years. You may be saying, “Why, McGee, you sound like a revolutionary!” My friend, I have been a revolutionary ever since I entered the ministry, but nobody ever listened to me. I have said from the very beginning that we don’t bring revival by listening to the theologians. We need to listen to the Word of God. And that is the reason I am trying to give out the Word of God. Now let me confess that I have had some ideas myself. But I am retired now, and I have discovered that the great ideas and the great programs that I had worked out were never used by God. I am beginning to suspect that revival could not come if God followed my plans either! It is “… Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). It is not by brain nor by brawn, but by the Holy Spirit. It is hard to learn that, by the way.
The spotlight of this book is on the kings who followed in the line of David. Special prominence is given to the five kings in whose reigns were periods of revival, renewal, and reformation. The book concludes with the decree of Cyrus after the seventy years of captivity. No record is given of the period of the captivity. That was “time out” in God’s program. Remember that this is the record from God’s point of view.
OUTLINE
I. Solomon’s Reign, Chapters 1–9
II. Division of the Kingdom and History of Judah, Chapters 10–36 Reformations Given Prominence:
A. Asa’s, Chapters 14–16
B. Jehoshaphat’s, Chapters 17–20
C. Joash’s, Chapters 23–24
D. Hezekiah’s, Chapters 29–32
E. Josiah’s, Chapters 34–35
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Solomon becomes king and prays for wisdom
And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly [2 Chron. 1:1].
You will remember that I made the point that Solomon was not David’s choice. He was God’s choice. I really do not think that David wanted Solomon to be the next king. I think it is obvious that his choice would have been the boy who rebelled against him, Absalom. He loved Absalom. It broke David’s heart when Absalom was slain. It crushed him. You remember that when he sent out his army he gave specific instructions to each of his captains that Absalom was not to be hurt. David was willing to sacrifice everything for that boy. He loved him. I think that Absalom had a lot of David’s temperament. I believe in some ways he was very much like David, but he was not God’s choice. God had chosen Solomon, and God is going to bless Solomon. God chooses the weak things of this world, and God is going to use Solomon. The strength of God is revealed in weakness. David is gone now. He had been a great man but Solomon is young and tender, a weakling. God will use Solomon and will allow Solomon to do the actual building of the temple.
“Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom;” the kingdom will come to its zenith under Solomon. David put the foundation under the kingdom. “And the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.” How gracious God is!
We will see that Solomon will disobey God. He will come to the place where God will repudiate him and tell him that He will divide the kingdom. Solomon was responsible for that division. The reason God did not divide the kingdom during the reign of Solomon was for the sake of David, not for the sake of Solomon.
Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers [2 Chron. 1:2].
You see, Solomon has a meeting of the leadership of Israel here.
So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness [2 Chron. 1:3].
The tabernacle was up there at Gibeon. We must remember that the ark was brought by David to Jerusalem, and it is there in a tent. But they couldn’t come directly and immediately to God. This is tremendous! The way to God was through that tabernacle because the brazen altar was there, and that brazen altar speaks of the cross of Christ. They had to go there to approach God.
You and I must come before God in the same way. There is an idea today that anybody, under any circumstances, can just rush into the presence of God and that God has His listening-ear out. The Bible teaches that the Lord does not always hear prayers. Listen to the words of Peter: “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Pet. 3:12). God never said He would hear the prayers of those who do evil. I believe that the only prayer the sinner can pray to God is to go to Him and accept His mercy in Christ Jesus. If you wish to approach God, you must approach Him through the cross.
This is what Solomon does. He takes the leaders and they go to Gibeon where the tabernacle and the brazen altar are. He is being smart at the beginning of his reign.
But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord; and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it [2 Chron. 1:4–5].
The way to God is through the brazen altar. They couldn’t go to Him through the ark. In other words, you and I don’t come immediately to God. The way of the cross leads home. There is no other way.
And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it [2 Chron. 1:6].
A model of the Temple reconstructed by Herod (Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem; Photo by Ronald E. Pitkin).
They certainly are not stingy in their sacrifices. You will notice all the way through this period that there was an abundance of sacrifices during Solomon’s reign.
In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
Now, O Lord God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude [2 Chron. 1:7–9].
God has made good a promise not only to David but to Abraham: “Your offspring will be like the dust”—you can’t number them.
Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? [2 Chron. 1:10].
People commend Solomon and say that he was so smart to ask for wisdom. God gave him credit for asking that. But where did he get the idea? If we turn back to chapter 22 of 1 Chronicles, we read, “And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God: But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight … Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee. Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God” (1 Chron. 22:7–8 and 11–12). At least Solomon was listening to his father. When David had said, “The Lord give thee wisdom and understanding,” he remembered that. So when the Lord asked, “What do you want, Solomon?” he said, “I need wisdom and understanding.” God gives him credit for it, though.
And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee: and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like [2 Chron. 1:11–12].
God grants his request for wisdom and gives him other blessings besides. I want you to notice, though, that the request was for wisdom to rule the people. Solomon did not ask for spiritual discernment. We will see that Solomon lacked spiritual discernment in his own life. Although he was given divine wisdom to rule, he did not seem to have wisdom to order his personal life.
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance [2 Chron. 1:14–15].
The sycamore tree grows over there today, but you don’t see many cedar trees. He made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamore, and silver and gold like the stones. If you have ever been in that land or even seen pictures of it, you know that there are rocks and stones everywhere. There are more rocks in that land than any place I have ever been. Imagine Solomon making silver and gold as common place as those stones!
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means [2 Chron. 1:16–17].
You will notice that he is already getting into an area which was forbidden to him. God had told them when the day should come that they would have a king “… he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold” (Deut. 17:16–17). Solomon is amassing horses and he is becoming personally wealthy. We will find that he will also multiply wives to himself.
CHAPTERS 2–4
Theme: Construction of the temple
Solomon moves forward now according to the instructions that David his father had given him.
SOLOMON PREPARES TO BUILD
And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdom.
And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them [2 Chron. 2:1–2].
The blueprints are laid out, and Solomon begins the organization to build. Notice that building the temple is the part of Solomon’s reign that God emphasizes.
And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me [2 Chron. 2:3].
Hiram loved David, and David loved Hiram. On this basis Solomon appeals to him. I think Hiram had problems with Solomon, as we shall see. He had been very generous with David, but he finds Solomon a little difficult to deal with.
Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel [2 Chron. 2:4].
Notice that this is to be an ordinance forever. There have been criticisms of the restoration of temple sacrifices during the Millennium. Since the animal sacrifices pointed forward to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, why would animal sacrifices be resumed during the Millennium? Because God ordained it; that is answer enough. They will be meaningful, of course, and will be a reminder of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods [2 Chron. 2:5].
In our day what makes a thing great? What makes a man great? What makes a nation great? What makes a church great? God, my friend. This is something else we are losing sight of.
But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? [2 Chron. 2:6].
It was by a sacrifice that they approached God. And the only way you and I can come to God is through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The important thing to note here is that Solomon had no misgivings as to who God was, or whether God would occupy and live in that house.
I once read an article about a theologian who made the statement that what Solomon was attempting to do was build a little house to put God in a box and that the people had the idea that God should be put in a box—that He could be held there. May I say to you that Solomon had no conception like that at all; neither did the people. They were much farther advanced than a great many people are today, even in our churches. Many people call the church “God’s house.” Well, God doesn’t occupy a house. He never did. The temple was a place to make sacrifices. It was a place of approach to God. And it had to be worthy of Him. It was highly ornate, very beautiful. It was not very large compared to other buildings of that day. For instance, if you put the temple that Solomon built down beside the temple of Diana in Ephesus or the pyramids, it would be a pygmy. But it made up for its small size in its wealth—the tremendous amount of silver and gold that went into it.
Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide [2 Chron. 2:7].
You see, they had to get the skilled workmen from the outside, because the Israelites were an agricultural people, as God intended them to be. It is interesting to see that when Jewish people return to Israel in our day, they return to the soil. I have traveled from one end of Israel to the other end, and from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and some of the finest farms I have ever seen are there. I do not believe there is land anywhere any richer than the Valley of Esdraelon where Megiddo is located. It certainly is rich country. In Solomon’s day the nation Israel did not have artificers or artisans, and they had to call upon Hiram for those.
Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants [2 Chron. 2:8].
In other words, Solomon’s men would learn from them. These cedar trees are the famous cedars of Lebanon.
Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great [2 Chron. 2:9].
It won’t be large, but it will be great.
And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil [2 Chron. 2:10].
Later on we shall see there was a misunderstanding relative to this payment that Solomon was to make.
Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the Lord hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
Huram said moreover, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the Lord, and an house for his kingdom.
And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s [2 Chron. 2:11–13].
Then he goes on to describe this one whom he is sending.
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and six hundred.
And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people awork [2 Chron. 2:17–18].
These are to be the helpers, you see. These are the men who will do the common labor.
SOLOMON BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE
Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite [2 Chron. 3:1].
As we have seen, this threshing floor of Ornan is the site where centuries before Abraham had been told to offer Isaac. Then on that same ridge, right outside the city of Jerusalem, is located Golgotha, the place of the skull, where Jesus was crucified. David had bought this parcel of ground from Ornan. It is still the temple area today.
To those of us who are not in the construction business, the details of the blueprints and the building supplies are not particularly interesting. We will only cull out certain great truths which we do not find mentioned elsewhere.
Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits [2 Chron. 3:3].
It is twice as large as the tabernacle was: 60 x 20 cubits. This translated into feet would be approximately 90 x 30 feet. These dimensions are for the temple proper; around it there are to be many other buildings. It was quite imposing when all the buildings were in place, but the temple proper was only twice as large as the tabernacle.
Now let me call your attention to certain things, some of which we have seen, and some we have not seen.
The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward [2 Chron. 3:13].
These are the cherubims that looked down on the mercy seat. You will recall that back in the tabernacle which Moses was instructed to build, God gave no measurement for the cherubim. They speak of Deity, and Deity cannot be measured. But here in the temple the measurement is given, and they are undoubtedly much larger than in the tabernacle. There is a note of deterioration here, as they are attempting to measure Deity, and that cannot be done.
Let me remind you that we are seeing the temple from God’s viewpoint. What is it that God calls attention to which was not given from the human viewpoint in Kings? Well, it is the beauty of the veil.
And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon [2 Chron. 3:14].
The veil speaks of the humanity of Christ. God calls attention to that. When Christ was crucified, the veil of the temple was torn in two, since the veil represented the humanity of Christ. The rending of that veil signified that a “new and living way” was opened for all believers into the very presence of God with no other sacrifice than Christ’s. Here in Chronicles God calls attention to the beauty of the veil. It is as if He said, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).
Something else we should notice is the pillars.
Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits [2 Chron. 3:15].
This meant that these pillars went up very high (see model of the temple, pp. 408 and 422). Compared to the size of the building, they seem almost out of proportion. These pillars speak of strength and beauty.
Strength and beauty are two things which modern man thinks he has attained. We boast of our strength; yet we are powerless to maintain law and order. And as far as beauty is concerned, have you looked at modern art? My daughter majored in art, and she took me through a classroom to show me what they were doing. She would say, “Dad, isn’t that beautiful?” Well, I didn’t want to misrepresent how I felt—I couldn’t say it was beautiful. I could say, “My, I haven’t seen anything like that!” And believe me, I hadn’t.
God is interested in strength and beauty, and those pillars of the temple were very impressive. In the next chapter He again mentions this matter of strength and beauty:
To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars [2 Chron. 4:12].
God is calling particular attention to it.
And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains [2 Chron. 3:16].
He mentions these chains. What do they represent? They speak of the unity of the nation. The chains picture the unity of the individuals that constitute the tribes, and the tribes in turn constitute the nation.
God is interested in absolute unity. This is something which God’s people are losing sight of in our day. We are split and fragmented into thousands of different groups today. There are always new organizations coming into existence. I am not sure that all this is honoring to the Lord. You see, in the New Testament God has given a picture of unity that is even better than the chain. It is the body. He says His church is a body. In a body there can be many members, and some of the members are of honor and some of dishonor, but they are all in one body. That is the picture of the church.
Notice also the use of pomegranates—one hundred of them. Also we read:
And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars [2 Chron. 4:13].
Pomegranates speak of fruitfulness, and that is the emphasis here.
I didn’t specifically mention the colors that are used here. Notice that the veil was of blue and purple and crimson and fine linen. Blue is the color of the heaven above. Purple is the color of royalty, and crimson speaks of redemption through the blood of Christ. White speaks of the holy walk. All these colors are important from God’s point of view.
Chapter four gives details about the articles of furniture: the altar of brass, the huge laver, the ten smaller lavers, the candlesticks, the tables. Then there were pots and shovels and basins. The brazen altar was four times as large as the one in the tabernacle. There were additional lavers in the temple. There were other additions and changes.
The innovations and enlargements took away the simplicity of the tabernacle and the plain references to Christ. It is the tabernacle and not the temple which became the figure that was used in the Epistle to the Hebrews to depict the person and work of Christ.
CHAPTERS 5–6
Theme: The completed temple
Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion [2 Chron. 5:1–2].
After the temple was completed, the ark was brought into the temple. Zion is right up on the hill not very far from the temple area. I have walked it several times, both up and down, because it is not too far.
We don’t know the exact spot where David was keeping the ark, but it was in the city of David which is Mount Zion. That is not a very large area and it is not far from the temple area.
Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude [2 Chron. 5:6].
The thought here is that there was no attempt to count them because they represent the sacrifice of Christ. And that is something which cannot be counted or measured.
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day [2 Chron. 5:7–9].
“Unto this day” refers, of course, to the time of the writing of Chronicles. The staves were drawn out.
The ark is to move no more. You will remember that the ark was constructed in the wilderness at Mount Sinai, and then the children of Israel spent forty years wandering in the wilderness. The ark was always carried before them as they traveled. It was the ark that went first through the Jordan River when they entered the Promised Land. After they had arrived in the land, the ark was still moved from place to place. Remember that once it was even captured by the Philistines, and then it was sent back by them.
The ark had been brought to Jerusalem by David, and he had kept it at Mount Zion until the time when the temple should be completed. That time has now come, and the ark is placed into the most holy place, and the staves are removed. It is to move no more. The males of the children of Israel are to appear at the tabernacle at three feasts of the year: Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. This means that from now on they will come to Jerusalem on those feast days and appear at the temple where the ark rests.
You will remember that the ark speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ, of His person. Above the ark was the mercy seat which speaks of His work of redemption, His shedding of blood, the fact that He is now our propitiation. All of that is permanent. “… but now once in the end of the world [lit., the end of the age] hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). It is permanent, it is basic, it is established. Let me use the figure of speech here: the staves have been pulled out. There will be no other way of salvation. Peter could say to his people, “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). My friend, the staves have been pulled out. The ark is not on the move any more.
Also the withdrawing of the staves indicates rest. The Lord Jesus gives rest to those who come to Him. Also there is to be a place of rest. Our Lord spoke of that place when He said to His own men in the Upper Room, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). The place is prepared, and one of these days we will go to that place.
One of the characteristics of that place is its permanence, the fact that it is a place of eternity. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:4). This is the city of God. It is permanent, and “… the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it” (Rev. 21:22). My friend, the staves are already pulled out. How wonderful that we are not going to be on the march. We don’t have to go looking for God. As Paul said to the Romans, we don’t have to go to heaven to bring Christ down, nor do we have to go down to hell to bring Him up. He is right there for us. This is permanent; it is eternal. It will not be changed. He drew out the staves.
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt [2 Chron. 5:10].
Two things that had been placed in the ark by Moses are now missing: Aaron’s rod and the pot of manna. The manna, you will recall from the account of Numbers 17, would disappear if the people didn’t gather it. And if it was not eaten the same day, it would spoil. However a pot of manna was preserved in the ark as a memorial. Now it is gone. The manna was a symbol of Christ as the Bread of Life, who feeds those who are His own. Aaron’s rod that budded (Exod. 16) is a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. It has been actualized to us today by the historical fact that Jesus died (that’s His humanity), was buried, then rose again the third day—that’s not human; it reveals His deity. The priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ rests upon His resurrection, just as Aaron’s priesthood was confirmed by the budding of his rod, a type of resurrection.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course) [2 Chron 5:11].
You see, all the courses came up for this act of dedication. The singers were there, and the orchestra with cymbals and psalteries and harps, and 120 trumpet players!
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord [2 Chron. 5:13].
This was a great occasion!
So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God [2 Chron. 5:14].
Now as we come to chapter 6 we have the message of Solomon for this occasion and his prayer of dedication.
SOLOMON’S MESSAGE
This is a tremendous message that Solomon gives.
Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.
And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood [2 Chron. 6:1–3].
Now Solomon addresses the people.
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying [2 Chron. 6:4].
David, you see, is the one responsible for the temple.
Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:
But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel [2 Chron. 6:5–6].
In God’s sovereign will He chose Jerusalem to be the center and the capital of this earth. It will be that some day. He chose Jerusalem for the place the temple would stand. He chose David to be the king, and now one in David’s line. This is the arbitrary, the absolute will of God in making this choice.
Now, my friend, our choices are often quite different from God’s choices. For example, I would not have chosen Jerusalem. I think the most beautiful spot in that land is at Samaria where Ahab and Jezebel lived. Many folk build on a hillside so they have a view of the valley, but in Samaria you can look in every direction. On the west you see the Mediterranean Sea. On the east you see the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee. On the south you see Jerusalem, and when you look to the north you see Mount Hermon. That’s quite a view! I would choose that place for the capital. But God did not consult me or my wishes. God chose Jerusalem. This is the sovereign will of God. God says, “I have chosen Jerusalem.”
My friend, God has His will for you and for me. I actually believe that for a child of God He has a certain place, a certain house for you to live in. His will for you involves everything in your life. The great problem for you and me is to get in the will of God. We can stand off and argue all we want to about the free will of man and God’s sovereignty, but it is a fruitless waste of time. I’ll tell you something that is very profitable: it is to get to the place—in fact, on the spot that God has marked “X”—which He has chosen for you and for me. When you and I get on that spot, we will be in the right place. God’s will is the important thing.
God chose Jerusalem; God chose this man David.
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel [2 Chron. 6:7].
Solomon is saying that he has done what David wanted done; he is carrying out his wishes in building the temple.
The Lord therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel [2 Chron. 6:10–11].
This is all-important to see.
SOLOMON’S PRAYER
Now we have this wonderful prayer of dedication.
And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:
For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven [2 Chron. 6:12–13].
If you are wondering about the proper posture for prayer, Solomon kneeled down. On your knees is a fitting posture for a creature in the presence of his Creator.
Solomon begins with thanksgiving.
And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day [2 Chron. 6:14–15].
He is thanking God because He is the Creator and because of His mercy and His faithfulness. In His grace He had moved into the heart of David, into the nation, and into the heart and life of Solomon.
In our day a great many Christians need an experience with God. It seems that they are satisfied to stand off and stiff-arm the Lord. They keep Him at a distance, yet they say, “Yes, I’m a Christian.” My friend, let’s have a close relationship with Him and real fellowship.
But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! [2 Chron. 6:18].
This is an important verse, to which I have referred before. Certainly neither Solomon nor the nation Israel had any notion of “boxing God in” when they built a temple for Him. Rather the temple was to be a meeting place between God and man.
That thine eyes may be upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place [2 Chron. 6:20].
You see, this temple was the place where man could meet God.
Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive [2 Chron. 6:21].
The temple was to become the very center of the life of the nation Israel.
And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;
Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers [2 Chron. 6:24–25].
When they had sinned, they were to come back to that temple.
When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them [2 Chron. 6:26].
When there is a drought in the land because of the sin of the people, what are they to do? Come back to God in prayer.
If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillars; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be [2 Chron 6:28].
Whatever calamity might come to them, they were to return to the temple and pray to God.
Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:) [2 Chron. 6:30].
God knows us, my friend. That is the reason we ought to be doing business with Him.
Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;
Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name [2 Chron. 6:32–33].
You see, this was a great missionary project. The temple was not only for Israel—the whole world was to come there. If a stranger or foreigner would come from a far country—from the end of the earth—he could meet God at the temple.
If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near [2 Chron 6:36].
In the country to which they are taken captive, they are to turn in the direction of the temple and lift their voices to God. This is what Daniel did, you recall. Daniel opened his windows toward Jerusalem (the temple by that time had been destroyed), kneeled, and prayed to God three times a day (Dan. 6:10). And God heard his prayer.
If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.
Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place [2 Chron. 6:38–40].
The temple was to be the meeting place.
Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.
O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant [2 Chron. 6:41–42].
This is a glorious prayer. Notice that he makes it on the basis of the mercy God extended to David.
You and I are to pray because Christ has made a mercy seat for us by His shed blood. He made peace for us by the blood of His cross, and God is prepared to extend mercy to us.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: God’s acceptance of the temple
In the preceding chapter we have seen the dedication service of the temple. We have read Solomon’s message and his great prayer of dedication. In this chapter we shall see God’s response to it.
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house [2 Chron. 7:1].
This is what happened, you recall, when Moses finished the construction of the tabernacle in the wilderness. When he set it up, the glory of the Lord filled it (Exod. 40:34–35). God accepts this temple that Solomon has built.
Notice that fire from heaven consumes the sacrifice. This means that the judgment of God has fallen upon sin. God does not accept the temple because it is beautiful—and it is that. He does not accept it because of the lavish expenditure of wealth. The basis of His acceptance is the fact that it is pointing to Christ. It is His sacrifice, actually, that makes this acceptable to God. The glory of the Lord filled the temple, as we have seen in the final verses of chapter 5, and now also fire from heaven consumes the burnt offering.
These people had the visible presence of God. In the New Testament, in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, he answers the question: who are Israelites? He gives eight fingerprints of identification, one of which is that they had the glory. No other people have had the visible presence of God except the Israelites.
And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever [2 Chron. 7:2–3].
And, my friend, this is an expression that I trust will get into your vocabulary, and that you will say from time to time, “The Lord is good; His mercy endureth forever.” You recall that the psalmist said, “The Lord is good. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” If you and I are not “say-so Christians,” nobody else will be. Nobody in politics will be saying how good God is; they will be telling us how great they are and what their party is doing for the country. Candidly, none of the politicians seem to be doing much good, by the way. But the Lord is good. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord.
And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God [2 Chron. 7:4–5].
These verses have caused a great deal of criticism by the skeptics of the Bible. They love to criticize on the basis of three issues: (1) They say this offering and sacrifice was an extravagance; (2) they say it would have been physically impossible to offer that many sacrifices on the altar; and (3) they say there was no necessity for all this slaughter of animals. I’m sure the members of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals would protest this.
Now let us look at these three issues from a biblical perspective. We need to look at things in the light of the Word of God. In the first place, although the temple was the center for all this activity, I do not think that every one of those animals was sacrificed on one altar. For this special occasion they probably had erected altars all over that temple area. It was not a physical impossibility.
Now why was there all of this expenditure? Well, it was necessary in order for each area to have its own sacrifice. It was as when the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt and a lamb was slain for each home. There must have been literally thousands of lambs that were slain that night. It was not a needless waste for two reasons. The primary meaning of it is that it symbolizes the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, my friend, it was Simon Peter who said that His blood was precious. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). This is not a great expenditure because it is pointing to Christ. The second reason that it was not a “needless waste” was that the meat was used for food afterward. Although the “burnt offerings” were totally consumed by fire, other offerings, such as the peace offering, were eaten. This dedication of the temple was a time of great feasting and great celebrating.
Let’s be fair with the Bible, my friend.
I have observed the people who are always talking about the great extravagance of money spent for the Lord. It is an amazing fact that even Christian people are guilty of this kind of criticism. I knew a dear lady who was very much interested in Bible classes; she had one in her home. We had a Bible teacher come to our church. The people liked him, and they gave him a very generous offering. He stayed with us for about ten days and the church gave him $500.00 plus his expenses. This lady thought that was ridiculous; it was too great an expenditure. Also this lady was interested in music, and she was on the music committee of the town where she lived, and they brought a certain opera singer to town. He sang one night and they gave him $2,000.00. She thought that was wonderful. May I say to you, it is interesting that when something is being spent for the Lord it is just a waste, but when something is spent for the things of the world it is all right.
To anyone who thinks they were slaying too many animals for sacrifice, how many animals are slain in this country every day? There are thousands of animals slain every day in the packing houses of our country. No one raises a voice or does anything to protest that. After all, that is to satisfy us. But when something is done for the glory of God, there will always be people who will object. I don’t know about you, but I’m on Solomon’s side here. I think he did the right thing, because the sacrifices were pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ, and He shed His precious blood for me.
And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood [2 Chron. 7:6].
I wish I could get God’s people to praise the Lord and to say that God is good and His mercy endures forever. Oh, how good God has been to me! Has He been good to you, friends? Well then, say so.
Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt [2 Chron. 7:7–8].
From the entering of Hamath to the river of Egypt means from the extreme north to the extreme south of the land.
GOD’S SECOND APPEARANCE TO SOLOMON
And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land [2 Chron. 7:12–14].
I am going to spend time on this last verse because it has been so often used out of context without regard to its primary meaning. It has been quoted as a promise to us from God that if we do certain things, He will do certain things. This verse has been tailored to fit into any local situation. I don’t believe I have ever participated in an evangelistic campaign without someone at some time getting up and quoting this verse of Scripture and saying that he was resting on these promises. I believe that a careful consideration of this verse, its location and content and context, will prevent us from taking it like a capsule and swallowing it without some attention to its real meaning. We do violence to it by wresting it from its place. Just because it seems to fit into our plans and says what we want to say, we ignore its primary purpose and rob it of its vitality. It becomes, actually, a meaningless verse as it is being used in our day.
Now I want to speak very plainly to you. I am a dispensationalist. I think it is the only system that deals with the entire Bible consistently. It gives a literal meaning to the Word of God and gives it a real meaning. I am a graduate of a denominational seminary in which most of the Scripture was absolutely ignored because they had no interpretation for it. The way we were taught the Bible was sort of like going to a corncrib and taking out enough to feed the chickens—and the rest you didn’t worry about. That was because they had no interpretation for it. The problem was that no one wanted to come back for more because if you went into more sections of Scripture than just those few they taught, you might get into trouble. Although the dispensational interpretation has its problems, it solves more problems than any other interpretation that I have heard.
Let me give you examples of the position I take. I recognize that the Sermon on the Mount looks forward to the time of the kingdom and it will be the law of the kingdom. However, I also believe that it has a message for us today. I think the way the Lord’s Prayer is used in a great many churches by an affluent society is absolutely meaningless. In the Great Tribulation that prayer will really mean something to people. Although I am a dispensationalist, I am not a hyper-dispensationalist. I don’t exclude the Sermon on the Mount. I preach on it. It shows that man comes short of God’s standards. I find the Lord’s Prayer helpful. I pray it. I have written a little book on it entitled, Let Us Pray. There is an interpretation of Scripture—that is one thing. Then there is an application of Scripture, which is something else. Remember the old adage that “all Scripture is written for us, but not all Scripture is written to us.” The interpretation of a verse of Scripture will teach what it means in its setting and context. It may not be written to us at all. We can think of many commands given in the Old Testament which are not commands given to us. However, the application of all of Scripture is for us. God has something to teach us throughout the entire Scripture.
Now let’s go back to 2 Chronicles 7:14. The setting is at the dedication of David’s temple which Solomon had built. It is God’s Word to Solomon concerning that land in that day. At the dedication Solomon prayed this great prayer which we have seen. Now He remembers the prayers of His people, and He says to Solomon, “If my people, which are called by my name….” To whom is He talking? “My people, which are called by My name.” That is Israel. God is talking to Solomon about Israel. Now, if these will humble themselves, if they will pray, if they will seek His face, if they will turn from their wicked ways, then God promises three things to Israel: He will hear their prayer, He will forgive them, He will heal their land. These were definite conditions that God put down for Israel, and their history demonstrates the accuracy and literalness of these specifics.
Now when you come to the New Testament, you find that John the Baptist says, “… Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). And the Lord Jesus Christ repeated that, calling upon the nation to meet these conditions—so that the promises of God could be fulfilled. It was a legitimate offer. In our day, the people of Israel have been scattered throughout the world. They cannot have peace in that land because they have not met those conditions. This is a literal interpretation.
Now there is an application. This verse has a message for me. I can’t toss it aside just because God did not direct it to me. It contains a formula for this hour. “My people”—God has a people which we call the church or the body of Christ, those who have accepted the Savior, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). I guess one could say a lot of us are peculiar people, but this means a people for Himself. “Shall humble themselves”—the flesh is proud but we are admonished to be humble. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:1–2). We are told in Galatians 5:22–23 that longsuffering and meekness are fruits of the Spirit. Humbleness is commended for the believer today. “And pray”—certainly many, many times in the New Testament we are admonished to pray. The Lord Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray. The epistles contain numerous commands to pray. “And seek My face” is also a New Testament admonition: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1–2). “And turn from their wicked ways.” This also applies to us. God has a great deal to say about repentance for believers. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev. 3:19). Repentance is for the child of God.
Now how about God’s part? God had promised that He would hear. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22). He promised to forgive: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
“And will heal their land.” That does not apply to us. I can’t find anywhere in the New Testament where the Lord has promised to heal a piece of real estate. If God has blessed you in a business way, that is extra—a blessing that He has not promised. Nowhere does God promise material blessing to us. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. We were aliens, enemies of God, and now we have been made the sons of God. We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, and He forgives us our sins. Heaven is our home, and the New Jerusalem is our goal. We have been delivered from hell. These are our blessings. Nowhere are we promised a land or healing in our land.
May I say to you that if you would wish to lift out verse 14 and apply the entire verse to your present situation, then you must take verse 15 along with it.
Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place [2 Chron. 7:15].
If you want to follow this particular injunction, then I suggest you board the next plane to Jerusalem and go to the temple site. You would find that the temple isn’t even there—the Mosque of Omar is there now, but if you intend to follow this passage, you must go to Jerusalem because that is where “this place” is.
I don’t know why folk will lift out of context one verse of Scripture and claim it for themselves. It was never intended that way. This promise was given to Israel at the dedication of the temple. Although it has application for us, it is better to go to the New Testament and find God’s promises to us directly.
For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually [2 Chron. 7:16].
I stayed for a week in a hotel overlooking the temple area. When I would get up in the morning, I would walk out to the window—actually a big glass door—and look at this temple area. I thought, I am looking at a spot where God is also looking. This is a spot that is very dear to Him.
And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments:
Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel [2 Chron. 7:17–18].
God has promised that in the Davidic line there would not be a time when there would not be a ruler. There is no ruler around on this earth today who can claim to be in David’s line. But there is One sitting at God’s right hand who is in David’s line, and He has been told, “… Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1; see also Heb. 10:12–13).
But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations [2 Chron 7:19–20].
It certainly has become a byword today. It is no longer a sacred spot—the Mosque of Omar stands there.
And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house? [2 Chron. 7:21].
That place today is where the Mosque of Omar stands. I stood there with several folk overlooking the temple area and one of them raised the question stated in this verse. “Why, this is where God’s house was supposed to be, and look at it today. There is heathenism and paganism here as much as there is anywhere on the earth. You’d think that since this is God’s spot He would not permit this kind of thing to happen.” Well, my friend, this is exactly what God said would happen.
And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them [2 Chron. 7:22].
I was privileged to tell that individual that the Word of God says very clearly that this would happen because Israel had forsaken the Lord God. I could show him that God is true to His Word
FLOORPLAN OF THE TEMPLE
CHAPTERS 8–9
Theme: Accomplishments and fame of Solomon
These next two chapters tell something of the experience and the work of Solomon and his testimony in other areas. This man became a very energetic ruler. He attempted to carry out all the plans and purposes and promises of David.
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house [2 Chron. 8:1].
This building of the temple was a long project. It actually took half his reign to build it. This is the thing of which God took special note.
That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it [2 Chron. 8:2–3].
This is the only war that is recorded during the reign of Solomon, and it doesn’t seem to be very significant at all.
But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen [2 Chron. 8:9].
Solomon put his own people in the army and in places of leadership, while the menial tasks were assigned to descendants of the Canaanite tribes, the old possessors of the land, who had not been exterminated.
And these were the chief of king Solomon’s officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people [2 Chron. 8:10].
This is something that Solomon did which caused great difficulty later on. God notes it, but He does not commend it or bless it.
And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come [2 Chron. 8:11].
This is an interesting decision which Solomon made in reference to his wife, the daughter of Pharaoh. He built her a palace away from the city of David.
I notice that an interpretation that one gets in Israel today is that Solomon married these different women from various other countries for political advantage. Your father-in-law is not apt to make war against you. So this was one of the ways in which Solomon brought peace to the land. A man would not come up to fight against a country in which his daughter was the queen. I do not know whether this reason for Solomon’s many wives is true or not. I have a notion that it is partly accurate. Under any circumstance, it was against God’s command.
The remainder of the chapter tells more about the temple and that Solomon celebrated the feasts and appointed the priests and Levites to their courses just as David had planned it.
As we come to chapter 9, we see that it is the final chapter that concerns Solomon. We have seen that Solomon’s most important accomplishment was the construction of the temple. Now what else in Solomon’s life does God consider important enough to record a second time? It is very interesting to see that Solomon did succeed in doing what God had intended Israel to do—that is, be a witness to the world. We are told here how it was accomplished.
The way Israel was to witness was different from the way the church is to witness in our day. Israel faced in; the church faces out. Israel was to go up to Jerusalem to the temple and invite the world to come with her to worship. But the church is to begin at Jerusalem and go to the ends of the earth. In other words, the church is to take the gospel to the world, and Israel was to invite the world to come and share in the revelation of God in the temple. Israel was to bear witness to the living and true God as a nation in a world of polytheism, of many gods. And the church is to bear witness to a resurrection, and the living Savior, as individuals to all the nations in a world of atheism. Now, Israel fulfilled her God-given purpose to a certain extent, which is evidenced by the number of Gentiles who came to Jerusalem to worship and to know God through the service of the temple there. The measuring rod for the success of the church is the number of tribes and nations to whom we carry the gospel today.
Now it is the inclination of all of us who are in the church to disparage the efforts of Israel and at the same time to magnify the success of the church. Constantly we hear on every hand of the failure of the nation Israel. And at the same time the exaggerated report is given of the success of the gospel in faraway places. I remember after World War II we heard about a revival in China and then a revival in Germany. I checked with those who were in both places and they said there was no revival there. It is interesting that we always hear of revivals in faraway places.
The fact of the matter is that we are in an awful apostasy today. The days are getting darker. There are many wonderful churches and pastors who are still faithful today, but they know the difficulty of the hour in which we are living. Although there are still a few preachers and teachers who are sheltered in institutions who see the present-day situation as though they were looking through rose-colored glasses, anyone who is working out in the world knows that we are in an apostasy today.
On the other hand, Israel succeeded in a far greater measure than we often realize. We tend to measure their success by their final failure—the final apostasy of the nation which led to their captivity. There was a period when they did not fail God. A witness went forth from Jerusalem to the nations of the world. They were drawn to Jerusalem like a magnet. The high water mark was during the reign of Solomon. The nation reached a pinnacle at that time. Afterward there was deterioration, and decline set in like dry rot.
The Scriptures give us two isolated examples of the influence on the Gentiles during the reign of David and Solomon. Undoubtedly there were many others that we do not know about. Hiram, the king of Tyre and friend of David, came to know God. He made lavish gifts for the temple. He furnished material and workmen for the temple. Do you remember what he wrote to Solomon? “… Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son …” (2 Chron. 2:12). Hiram was a son of Japheth. The story of the queen of Sheba is given to us to record that Israel reached the ends of the then-known world with a witness for God. She is a representative of the sons of Ham. It is her story that is given to us in this chapter.
May I remind you that in the New Testament, when we are told about the early church and its outreach into the world, we are also given just a few examples. There is the Ethiopian eunuch who is the son of Ham. There is Cornelius who is the son of Japheth. There is Saul of Tarsus who is the son of Shem.
VISIT OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not [2 Chron. 9:1–2].
In other words, Solomon told her the secret of his kingdom. He told her that God had given him his wisdom. He told her that the temple was their approach to God because God had said it was there He would meet with His people.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her [2 Chron. 9:3–4].
In 1 Kings 10:24 we are told, “And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.” We are given just this one illustration of the queen of Sheba who came to see the wisdom of Solomon. You can see that the nation of Israel was successful in witnessing to the world.
“His ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord” was the burnt offering which he made. That burnt offering speaks of Christ. No nation on earth had anything that would compare to an offering for sin. This was the thing which absolutely amazed her. This was the offering that was pointing to Christ. David had said and written so much about Christ that I don’t think Solomon left her without an explanation of the One who was to come to take away sin.
And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:
Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard [2 Chron. 9:5–6].
This woman said, “When I heard about what God had done, I just didn’t believe it.” But she had faith enough so that when she heard about the greatness of Solomon, she made a long, arduous trip to see for herself. Believe me, it was a long, arduous trip in that day. She couldn’t go out to the airport and take a plane which would bring her there in a couple of hours. It was probably a couple of months across a hot, burning desert. She came all the way in order that she might know something of the wisdom of this man and learn about his approach to God. That was the thing that left no spirit in her. She couldn’t believe it until she had seen it. Now listen to her:
Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice [2 Chron. 9:7–8].
This woman is now praising God! When our Lord spoke of her, He said, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon …” (Matt. 12:42). There is a Sheba in southwestern Arabia and in Africa. Since the Lord Jesus said that she came from the uttermost parts of the earth, I assume she came from Africa. But her entourage reveals the wealth and luxury of the orient. The wise men never made a greater impression than did this woman. She came with great pomp and ceremony befitting an oriental monarch. It seems that the burnt offering was what impressed her the most. This was the most complete and perfect picture of Christ that was given in the Old Testament. How well did Israel succeed in giving a witness to the Gentiles? Well, this woman came to know the living and true God.
Our Lord, you recall, one day spoke to a woman at a well and said: “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father” (John 4:21). In Jesus’ day, that “hour” was coming. And that hour did come so that today we are to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. However, in Solomon’s day, the world came to Jerusalem to hear the Gospel.
SOLOMON’S SPLENDOR
And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart [2 Chron. 9:22–23].
Solomon was bearing a witness to the world in his day.
And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem [2 Chron. 9:25].
This reveals the defect in this man’s character. The king had been forbidden by the Mosaic Law to multiply horses and wives. Solomon multipled both. One of the most impressive things at Megiddo is the ruins of the stables that Solomon had there. And there are ruins of his stables in several other areas. He really multiplied horses!
And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.
And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands [2 Chron. 9:26–28].
Solomon was one of the great rulers of this world.
DEATH OF SOLOMON
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 9:29–31].
God had fulfilled His promise to Solomon. He had given him supernatural wisdom for which he had asked, and in addition He had given him riches and wealth and honor.
CHAPTERS 10–12
Theme: The division of the kingdom under Rehoboam
We have come now to the second and final division of the Book of 2 Chronicles. The first nine chapters were devoted to the reign of Solomon. Now Solomon is dead, and his son Rehoboam comes to the throne. The stupidity of Rehoboam leads to the division of the kingdom. The northern kingdom, composed of ten tribes, becomes known as Israel. The southern kingdom of two tribes takes the name of Judah. God puts the emphasis on the kingdom of Judah because this is the line of David which leads to Christ. In this section of the nation’s history are five periods of revival. These are enlarged upon in Chronicles, as we are seeing them from God’s viewpoint.
REHOBOAM COMES TO THE THRONE
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt [2 Chron. 10:1–2].
The Book of 2 Chronicles does not tell us this, but back in Kings we were told that this man Jeroboam had attempted to lead a rebellion even before the death of Solomon. He was forced to flee for his life and had gone down into the land of Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Solomon. Now he has returned with the intent of raising up a rebellion in the kingdom. If Rehoboam had been wise in his judgment and had been a little more mild and modest, he could have prevented the splitting of the kingdom; but he did not.
Now Jeroboam is back in the land, and we read:
And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee [2 Chron. 10:3–4].
Taxes were the cause of the dissension. Probably the single thing that has caused more revolution and rebellion has been this matter of taxes. It has been the downfall of many nations. It brought the Roman Empire to its knees, and excessive taxation to support the royalty was responsible for the French Revolution. Also it produced the American Revolution. Taxation without representation brought about the Boston Tea Party and the incidents which led to the revolution. If our taxes keep going up as they are, we may have another tea party, because high taxation will ultimately wreck any nation. Unfortunately, our representatives in the state and national government don’t seem to think that it is a problem. Taxes were the problem in Rehoboam’s time. Solomon had carried on a tremendous building program. It was very impressive. Not only had he built the temple, but we are told in Kings that he built all sorts of palaces and buildings. Such a big building program had to be paid for, and as a result there had been an enormous increase in taxes. This gave Jeroboam a lever whereby he could make a protest. He gathered with Israel and said to Rehoboam, “Now look here, your father made our yoke grievous.” Actually, Jeroboam was very mild in his approach. He said to Rehoboam that if he would reduce the taxes, he would go along with him. If Rehoboam had done that, there would not have been a rebellion. And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed [2 Chron. 10:5].
What they had asked was really a fair thing. Rehoboam would have had an opportunity to look at the indebtedness and decide what was the wise thing to do. The wise thing would have been to reduce taxes.
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him [2 Chron. 10:6–8].
Rehoboam definitely showed poor judgment. He should have followed the wisdom of the older men who had been counselors during the reign of Solomon. They knew the situation. Unfortunately, he turned to the young men.
And the young men that were brought up with him spake untohim, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions [2 Chron. 10:10–11].
The young men advised, “Don’t ease up. We want this picnic to continue. All of us have public jobs, and those of us who are not eating out of the public trough would like very much to get in the trough. Don’t reduce the taxes. Increase them!” This was probably the most foolish thing that young Rehoboam could have done.
The older men conceded that Solomon did overtax the people. They advised that it was time to stop the building program. It was time to put a lid on all the government spending. The time had come to reduce taxes.
By the way, have you ever heard of any government which has reduced taxes? Our politicians go into office saying they will reduce taxes. I think in my lifetime I have voted for half a dozen presidents and every one of them was going to reduce taxes. I have been voting for governors and for mayors, and they all promise to reduce the taxes. Yet our taxes continue to increase.
Rehoboam will follow this policy also.
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions [2 Chron. 10:12–14].
Rehoboam delivers verbatim to the people the heartless and insensitive judgment of the young men.
So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat [2 Chron. 10:15].
The prophecy to which this refers is given in 1 Kings 11:9–39.
And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents [2 Chron. 10:16].
Israel refers to the ten tribes. Judah refers to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. However, the name Israel sometimes will refer to the southern kingdom also because God regards them as one people.
But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day [2 Chron. 10:17–19].
King Rehoboam sent a tax gatherer to gather taxes and the people stoned him to death. Rehoboam just hadn’t realized how incensed these people were. So Israel rebelled against the house of David. “Unto this day” means up to the time when 2 Chronicles was written.
EARLY DAYS OF REHOBOAM’S REIGN
When Rehoboam goes back to Jerusalem, he finds that his kingdom has really been cut down by quite a bit. Then he does another foolish thing.
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam [2 Chron. 11:1].
First Rehoboam lost part of his kingdom by his own folly. Now he is doing another foolish thing by attempting internal warfare. He wants a civil war in Israel.
But the word of the Lord came to Shemiah the man of God, saying,
Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam [2 Chron. 11:2–4].
God intervenes and prevents a civil war.
And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.
And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side [2 Chron. 11:11–12].
Now Rehoboam turns his attention to the building of fortifications to protect himself from the northern kingdom. That which had been part of the kingdom of David and Solomon is now lost to him and becomes his enemy because of his very foolish decision to listen to the young men rather than to the wise counselors of Solomon.
And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts [2 Chron. 11:13].
You remember that the Levites had been given certain cities throughout Israel but that they had no territory as a tribe such as the other tribes had been given. Now the Levites leave all their cities in the northern kingdom, and all the priests and Levites move south to Judah and Jerusalem.
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord:
And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils [demons], and for the calves which he had made [2 Chron. 11:14–15].
All the priests and Levites who lived up in the northern kingdom moved south so that they could continue to serve at the temple. Then Jeroboam institutes demon worship. The record in Kings gives us more detail: “If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan” (1 Kings 12:27–29). The people worshiped the golden calves. Back of all this idolatry is Satan. This is Satan worship.
I had the privilege of visiting the places of the seven churches of Asia. You will recall that the Lord said to the church at Pergamos, “I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is …” (Rev. 2:13). That was a city given over to idolatry. Behind idolatry is Satan. Demonism manifests itself in many different ways.
And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon [2 Chron. 11:16–17].
There were some folk in the ten northern tribes who were still faithful to God, and they would come down to Jerusalem to worship.
Now we are told something of Rehoboam’s personal life:
And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)
And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.
And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives [2 Chron. 11:21–23].
Because the record of his many wives appears in the Bible, a great many folk assume that God approves of polygamy. No. God records this to let us know that He does not approve of it. This man Rehoboam did wrong by not listening to the counselors of Solomon but listening to the young men instead. He was wrong in trying to start a civil war. He was wrong in having many wives. This is recorded because it is history; it is what he did. It is one of the many things for which God judged him.
REHOBOAM’S APOSTASY
In the life of Rehoboam one sin led to another. Now we see that he leads his people in apostasy.
And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him [2 Chron. 12:1].
God did not approve of Rehoboam’s conduct. People read the things these men did in the Old Testament, and they say, “Look what they did and they got by with it.” That is often said about Abraham when he took Hagar and had the boy Ishmael. Friends, he didn’t get by with it. Do you know who is the big problem in the Middle East today? The sons of Abraham—the Israelites and the Arabs. Who is the Arab? Well, I had an Arab guide take me down to the city of Jericho. I wanted someone who knew about the place, and this was a brilliant fellow who had worked with Sir Charles Marsdon and Miss Kathleen Kenyon in their excavations. He was very helpful to me. We were talking about the land, and I made the statement that God had given it to Abraham and to his offspring. This Arab smiled and looked me straight in the eye and said, “Dr. McGee, I am as much a son of Abraham as any Jew who is alive today.” And he was right! He could trace his ancestry right back to Ishmael. He boasted of the fact that he was an Ismaelite, a son of Abraham. Did God approve when Abraham took Hagar? God records it as history. Then He lets you see the results. It certainly has never been a blessing. In fact, it has been a thorn in the flesh down through the centuries.
Now God records the apostasy of Jeroboam. Also He records the forsaking of the Law by Rehoboam and Israel. God condemns these things, but He records them as history.
INVASION BY EGYPT
Now God’s judgment falls upon Rehoboam. For the first time He opens up that southern kingdom to the invasion of a major nation. You see, Rehoboam had forsaken the Word of God; he had led his people in apostasy. When he did this, God did something He had not done before. Previous to this, God had put a wall around His people, and the great nations of that day were not permitted to invade that territory.
And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,
With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians [2 Chron. 12:2–3].
First, Shishak king of Egypt came up and carried away great booty. He lugged away a great deal of the gold and other wealth of that kingdom.
So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the kine’s house: he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king’s house.
And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber [2 Chron. 12:9–11].
These, you recall, are the great shields of gold that David brought and that Solomon placed in the temple. After these had been captured as booty, Rehoboam substitutes something inferior. No longer do they have shields of gold; now they have shields of brass. The judgment of God is upon them because of their sins.
This was a humbling experience for Rehoboam. He had been brought up in the affluence of the reign of Solomon and had experienced the blessing that had come. He had known nothing but wealth and luxury and expected it to go on forever. He begins to realize there may be an end to the glory of the kingdom of Solomon.
And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether; and also in Judah things went well [2 Chron. 12:12].
This reveals the amazing mercy of God. When this man humbles himself, God immediately withdraws judgment upon him and the people of Judah.
So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess [2 Chron. 12:13].
It is interesting to learn who was Rehoboam’s mother. You recall that David had been very friendly with the Ammonites—although they had made war against him. Now we find that Rehoboam, his grandson, was the son of an Ammonite woman. She undoubtedly had something to do with the character of this man. As we saw in the Books of Kings, God always mentions the mother’s name. Why? Because she bears part of the responsibility for her son. If he turns out well, she shares in the credit. If he turns out to be a wicked, evil king, she must take part of the blame.
And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord,
Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 12:14–16].
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Abijah reigns over Judah
After Rehoboam’s death, his son Abijah came to the throne. Although Abijah is not considered a good king, and the record in 1 Kings says that “… he walked in all the sins of his father … and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God …” (1 Kings 15:3), yet here in Chronicles we read of an episode during which he honored the Lord.
And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.
And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel:
Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord [2 Chron. 13:3–6].
As we have seen, there was a reason for that, a sufficient reason: the foolishness of Rehoboam.
And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them [2 Chron. 13:7].
He was not only young and tenderhearted, but he was very foolish.
This is the plea on the part of Abijah to try to bring back the ten tribes, but there is no use now because Jeroboam has made himself king, and he is not about to make peace.
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets [2 Chron. 13:13–14].
They cry unto God for help. Now notice God’s gracious response.
Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men [2 Chron. 13:15–17].
This is a great victory.
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him. Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.
Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died [2 Chron. 13:19–20].
This is God’s judgment upon Jeroboam for dividing the nation.
But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo [2 Chron. 13:21–22].
Abijah was no great king, but after him comes his son who will lead the first revival.
Chronological Table of the Kings of the Divided Kingdom
CHAPTERS 14–16
Theme: Revival under Asa, king of Judah
During the reign of Asa we will come to the first revival. I believe that God has given us a lesson on revival in this book. The road to revival is a rocky, unpaved, uphill road. However, the road is well-marked, the road maps are clear, and there are certain bridges that must be crossed.
Asa is one of the five kings whom God used to bring revival to the southern kingdom. The northern kingdom never had a revival. They had nineteen kings, and all of them were bad. There’s not one good one in the lot. Of the twenty kings over Judah, ten of them could be called good, and five of them were outstanding. These kings were Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah. During their reigns there was a period of reformation, which was incubated in a time of revival. There is a similarity among all of the kings, but there are also some striking differences.
So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years [2 Chron. 14:1].
Asa is the first of the kings in whose reign there was a revival. Solomon was his greatgrandfather, Rehoboam was his grandfather, and, of course, Abijah was his father.
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment [2 Chron. 14:2–4].
Here is the character of the man. He is absolutely outstanding.
Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest [2 Chron. 14:5–6].
He was also a man of peace. However, we find that Ethiopia made war against him.
And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah [2 Chron. 14:9–10].
Not only was Asa a man of peace, he was also a man of prayer. We have a glimpse into the private life of the king, and it is commendable.
And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah: and the Ethiopians fled [2 Chron. 14:11–12].
This is real praying. It is not flowery, but direct and right to the point. He says exactly what he means. Asa was a great man of prayer. The revival that came to the nation came because he was this kind of a king.
They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem [2 Chron. 14:15].
God gave Asa a great military victory.
ENCOURAGEMENT OF AZARIAH, THE PROPHET
On the road to revival there are three bridges which must be crossed. We come now to the first bridge, which is a knowledge of the Word of God.
And the spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law [2 Chron. 15:1–3].
The tragedy of the hour in our day is that there is not enough Bible teaching in the church. I say this very kindly, but we do not need more preachers. You can buy them like bananas, by the dozen. Bible teachers are few and far between; yet they are needed. And they were needed in Asa’s day. They did not have a teaching priest. They had priests and Levites—they were knee-deep in priests and Levites—but they did not have a teaching priest. Consequently they were without the Law, without the Word of God.
But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them [2 Chron. 15:4].
It’s just that simple, and yet it is just that complicated.
My friend, if you mean business with God, God will mean business with you. I hear people say, “Oh, I try to study. I try to pray. I try to do this but I don’t get anywhere.” My friend, who are you kidding? May I say to you that when you say that, you make God a liar. I have news for you—God is no liar. God says, “If you seek Me, I am there.” If you mean business with God, God will mean business with you. Oh, search your heart, my friend. If you really want to know God’s Word, then God is ready to meet you any time you are ready.
And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded [2 Chron. 15:5–7].
Asa is beginning to turn to God. This prophet encourages him in this, and he explains why they had had trouble and so many problems.
Now I strongly suspect that the prophet’s message applies to us as well as to Judah. I’m not speaking ex cathedra but, in studying the Word of God and seeing how God dealt with these people here, I am wondering if the root of our national problems is not the same. We have all those smart boys in Washington, and they make stupid decisions. How can such smart boys make such stupid decisions? Why is it that we cannot have law and order? Why is it that we can’t really have peace? Why is there such lawlessness today? Let me venture my opinion on the basis of the Word of God. It is because God has been left out. He is not in the government circles in Washington. They think they don’t need God because they have the smart boys. My friend, in this hour in which we are living, our nation needs God!
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him [2 Chron. 15:8–9].
God always has a remnant that will turn to Him.
So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul [2 Chron. 15:10–12].
You will notice that these people are crossing the first bridge. They are not trying to detour around it. They have come to a knowledge of God’s Word. They are turning to God and seeking Him with all their heart and soul. This characterized every one of the revivals. There was a return to the Word of God.
I am bold enough to state dogmatically that there has never been a revival without a return to the Word of God. There is no detour around the Bible. There is no substitute for it. The great spiritual movement in the days of John Wesley, my friend, was built around the Word of God. Wesley read the Bible in three languages every morning! Dwight L. Moody and the great spiritual awakening in his day led to the great Bible institute movement, one of the greatest movements in the study of the Word. It is dying out in our day. Why? Because they are getting away from the Word of God. We need more than just a superficial familiarity with the Word of God. We need more than an artificial vocabulary of the right words. Revival does not depend on an activity, nor on a service, nor on a method. It requires a real knowledge and love of the Word of God.
In our contemporary society there are movements and there are evangelists whom God is using, but I am disturbed because they are not making the study of the Word of God paramount. I find it difficult to get these movements, and even some of our schools, interested in studying the entire Word of God. My friend, we cannot have a real revival unless it is based on a thorough knowledge of the Bible. I hope revival will come. I believe this is the first bridge on the route. We’ll have to cross over this bridge first.
Now at this great assembly which Asa had called in Jerusalem, they entered into a covenant with God to seek Him with all their hearts.
That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets [2 Chron. 15:13–14].
This was making it very harsh; yet there was a ready response from the hearts of the people. This man Asa brought about many reforms at this time.
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about [2 Chron. 15:15].
My friend, if you seek the Lord with your whole heart, He will be found of you.
We have seen that the first bridge to revival is a knowledge of the Word of God. Now we come to the second bridge which is scriptural separation. The word separation is one of the most abused words in Christian circles. Asa here is practicing scriptural separation:
And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron [2 Chron. 15:16].
This is indeed interesting—his own mother was engaged in idolatry! Notice that she wasn’t just a friend of people who were idolaters, but she herself was an idolater. This is the reason Asa removed her from the place of influence.
But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days [2 Chron. 15:17].
Asa could have removed these high places, but he did not. He went only part way with God—and yet God used him. How gracious God is!
I am weary of folk who consider themselves separated and roundly criticize everyone else in the ministry whose methods are different from theirs. My friend, that is not scriptural separation at all. Separation is not an attempt to straighten out every individual and try to force men whom God is using to conform to your pattern. That is the narrowest form of bigotry. I feel that some folk ought to get separated from themselves—that would really be separation! If you want revival, the place to begin is with yourself. I suggest that you get in a room by yourself, draw a circle right around you, and say, “Lord, begin a revival, and let it start inside this circle.”
ASA’S LAPSE OF FAITH
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah [2 Chron. 16:1].
We have read in several verses that people from the northern kingdom would move to Judah because they saw that there was a revival going on under Asa. Baasha wanted to keep his people in his own kingdom and didn’t want them to be moving south to Judah.
Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold: go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me [2 Chron. 16:2–3].
Israel became a formidable enemy to Asa and Judah. So what does Asa do? He turns to a former ally that he had, King Ben-hadad of Syria. And what did that indicate? It indicated a lack of faith in God.
And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali [2 Chron. 16:4].
The king of Syria responded and sent in his troops.
And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah [2 Chron. 16:5–6].
The maneuver was successful, but now the Lord has something to say to Asa.
And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars [2 Chron. 16:7–9].
Why did God send a prophet to Asa to rebuke him? Why does God judge Asa? It is for his lack of faith.
The third bridge we must cross for revival is faith in God—not faith in methods, nor in man, nor in a church, nor in a system, nor in an organization. Revival requires faith in God.
When Baasha came against Asa in civil war, Asa turned to Ben-hadad of Syria, the ancient enemy. Hanani reminded him that he had every evidence that God would deliver him. God had delivered into his hand the army of the Ethiopians and the Lubims. Yet at this crisis point Asa demonstrated a lack of faith.
We need to clearly understand that although there is one act of faith which saves us—that is justification is by faith; the moment we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we are saved—life does not end when we are saved. My friend, we are to live by faith. Paul wrote to the Roman believers, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Then he uses one of the strangest expressions imaginable: “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16–17). What does it mean that therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith? It means we are saved by faith, and we are to live by faith.
Hanani said to Asa, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” This means that God is looking for a man or a woman who will believe in Him. By the way, would you like to be that person who believes God? I don’t mean you are to become a fanatic, but you can believe God on the good solid testimony of His Word. Do you know that you cannot possibly please God unless you believe Him? “But without faith it is impossible to please him …” (Heb. 11:6). The writer to the Hebrews also tells us that we are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses. Because of this, “… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.….” What is the sin? Unbelief. “… and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). Let’s not only be saved by faith, my friend, let’s live by faith. Many folk claim to be Christians, yet they live like agnostics.
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time [2 Chron. 16:10].
This is amazing! Asa will not accept the rebuke. Why? Because he didn’t believe it. Neither did he have real faith and dependence on God.
Living without God means spiritual death for us. There could be no way in the world for us to be used of God.
Now we will see that God struck him with a disease.
And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians [2 Chron. 16:12].
God struck him with a disease which was serious and then became critical. He turned to the physicians. There is nothing wrong in that. The point is that he didn’t turn to God in all of this. It is just as important for a believer to go to God when he gets sick as it is to call the doctor. Not only do I believe that, but I am a walking proof that God is faithful. When it was discovered that I had cancer, I not only went to the doctor, I went to God in prayer. I didn’t go to a so-called faith healer. I went to the Great Physician. When you get sick, there are two things you ought to do: you should call the doctor and you should call upon God. Probably the most practical writer in the New Testament said, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14). He said two things should be done. The first was prayer, turning to God, calling on the name of the Lord. The second was anointing the sick one with oil. Now that was not a ceremonial act, not a religious act; it was medicinal. He was saying they should call on the Lord and call the doctor. That is practical.
The difficulty with Asa was that he called the doctor, but he didn’t call on the Lord. It is amazing and very sobering to see a man who had experienced revival but now is not walking with God and is not living by faith.
My friend, to live by faith is to have faith in God. It means we take our problems and our difficulties to the Lord and turn them over to Him. It is a faith that accepts whatever answer He gives us because He hears and answers our prayers in His own way. He may not answer in our way, but He will answer according to His will. You can be sure of one thing: if you turn things over to Him, you will be in His will. If you are in His will, that is the very best answer you can get—lots better than what you may have asked for.
And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him [2 Chron. 16:13–14].
They burned a lot of candles for him.
During Asa’s reign Judah experienced a touch of revival. He went only part way with God, and yet God used him.
CHAPTERS 17–20
Theme: Revival during Jehoshaphat’s reign
This section records the second great revival period. It was much greater than the revival of Asa. Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, was a man marvelously used of God. Remember that Chronicles gives God’s viewpoint of the period of the kings and records what God considers important during the reigns of these men.
And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel [2 Chron. 17:1].
That is, he strengthened the kingdom of Judah against Israel, the northern kingdom.
And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken [2 Chron. 17:2].
You recall in the previous chapter we are told of war between Judah and Israel. Jehoshaphat is taking precautions to protect his kingdom.
And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim [2 Chron. 17:3].
Notice that it says he walked in the “first ways” of his father—not in the way David walked in his old age, but when he was a young king, trusting the Lord.
But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance [2 Chron. 17:4–5].
In the Old Testament a sign of God’s approval was material prosperity.
TEACHING THE WORD
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people [2 Chron. 17:6–9].
Do you realize what Jehoshaphat did? He started a “Thru the Bible” program! Because I sign my name J. Vernon McGee, people ask me what the “J” stands for, and I generally give them some facetious answer. So I’ll give you one: it stands for Jehoshaphat because he was the first one to start a “Thru the Bible” program. He sent out the Levites. Since they didn’t have mechanical means of communication, they had to go out personally. Jehoshaphat sent them out by the hundreds and maybe even by the thousands. They spread throughout the entire kingdom teaching the Word of God. My friend, that is the way of revival.
Until the church gets back to the Word of God, there will be no real revival. All movements in or out of the church will come to naught unless they are anchored in the Word of God. There are wonderful things that are happening today. Some are inside the church; some are outside the organized church. If they are rooted in the Word of God, revival will be the result.
Now notice the reaction to the teaching of the Word of God.
And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.
And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly: and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store [2 Chron. 17:10–12].
Jehoshaphat had to build great storage places to house all the gifts that were brought to him. You see, this man was marvelously used of God. When revival came to Judah, it had its effect upon all the nations around them. The revival spread. Even the Philistines, who were the inveterate enemies of David, became friendly and sent gifts and silver for tribute to him. It even penetrated among the Arabian people. The Arabs sent flocks of animals to him.
You will also notice that there was no war against him. Spiritual revival is a cure for war. If a nation wishes to have peace, it must turn to God. That is God’s method and always has been. If a nation is constantly at war, it is because that nation has turned away from God.
And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem [2 Chron. 17:13].
This was a time of peace, but Jehoshaphat kept an army for protection. The captains are listed in the next few verses. He is a great ruler. He has provided ample protection in case there should be an attack by the enemy, but God has given him peace.
These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah [2 Chron. 17:19].
Jehoshaphat is a great man by all measurements. But now we see him doing something that is almost unbelievable.
JEHOSHAPHAT’S ALLIANCE WITH AHAB
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab [2 Chron. 18:1].
Jehoshaphat teamed up with Ahab. He had fellowship with Ahab. I cannot think of two men more unlike than these two men.
And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead [2 Chron. 18:2].
This seems unbelievable. It is one of the strangest partnerships on record in the pages of Scripture, or anywhere else. It is almost like saying that you could have day and night at the same time or that you can have light and darkness at the same time. How these two ever came together is a mystery. They have nothing in common spiritually. Jehoshaphat is one of the most godly kings personally, and he has been used to bring revival to his nation. He loves God, and he loves the Word of God. He is what we would call a spirituallyminded man. On the other hand, Ahab is as godless as they come. He hates God. He has given himself over to idolatry and immorality. How can these two be buddy-buddy? How can they enjoy each other’s company? What is it that they have in common? Well, let’s do a little investigation here.
They had a threefold alliance and partnership. It is all based on material reasons, physical reasons. They had nothing in common spiritually.
1. There was a matrimonial alliance between the two. Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. This Athaliah was a bloody woman who walked in the ways of her parents. We have already seen that in the Books of Kings. I suppose these two men thought they could cement relations between Judah and Israel and bring about an undivided kingdom. They tried to do this by intermarrying. What they did was wrong.
This is also a significant spot in our contemporary culture. I may sound like an anti-quated preacher to a lot of folk, but I must speak out on a subject which is clearly taught in the Word of God. Here in Southern California we lead the world in divorce rates. Although I am not an authority in this field, there is one area on which I can speak loud and clear: a believer and an unbeliever—a Christian and a non-Christian—should not get married under any circumstances. Here the son of Jehoshaphat, hot out of a revival, marries that cold-blooded daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. That brought tragedy. In fact, it almost exterminated the line of David.
There is more tragedy, more heartache and heartbreak, more broken lives, more maladjusted children over this one problem of broken homes than anything else I know about. It will not work for a professing Christian to marry one who is not a Christian. If two non-Christian people get married and one is converted after they have married, that is a different situation. The apostle Paul writes specifically about that situation. However, God has much to say against a Christian deliberately walking into the trap of marrying a non-Christian—and it is a trap.
2. Jehoshaphat and Ahab had a market alliance. We are told that Jehoshaphat joined himself with Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, when he became king of Israel, and they sent ships to Tarshish. This is recorded in 1 Kings 22 and also in 2 Chronicles 20. The ships were sent for commerce in grain and gold. There was a shipwreck, and the cargo was lost. God could not bless this alliance.
3. Jehoshaphat and Ahab had a military alliance. Ahab was having problems with Syria; so he asked Jehoshaphat to enter into an alliance with him and go with him up to Ramoth-gilead. He gave a big feast for Jehoshaphat with sheep and oxen in abundance. And so he persuaded Jehoshaphat. Notice that Jehoshaphat is now sitting “… in the seat of the scornful” (Ps. 1:1). What the armies of the northern kingdom could not accomplish against the southern kingdom of Judah, Ahab accomplished by involving Jehoshaphat in a war with Syria. It reminds one of Chamberlain at Munich with Hitler and Mussolini. It reminds one of Yalta with Roosevelt and Churchill. It reminds one of Marshall in London. I’m sure there are alliances being made today, alliances which should never be made at all and which God cannot bless.
And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war [2 Chron. 18:3].
Jehoshaphat is in the family of Ahab now by this intermarrying of their children. So he is willing to make an alliance and says, “We are one. We are together.” Now remember, God had given Jehoshaphat peace. Ahab is asking him to go to war. Jehoshaphat agrees. And yet he is disturbed. He has a mind for God, and this situation gives him a certain amount of anxiety.
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day [2 Chron. 18:4].
Jehoshaphat says, “Let’s find out what God has to say about this venture.” So Ahab brings in his whole army of prophets.
Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand [2 Chron. 18:5].
Who are these prophets? They are prophets of Baal!
Now Jehoshaphat has discernment enough to know there is something wrong here.
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so [2 Chron. 18:6–7].
Jehoshaphat says, “You don’t really mean that you hate him because he gives you the Word of God!” So Ahab agreed to send for him.
There are a lot of folk in our day also who hate a man who gives out the Word of God. In the church which I served for many years was a sign on the pulpit which I saw every time I stood there to speak. It read: “Sir, we would see Jesus.” I like that. But I always felt there ought to be another verse of Scripture on the congregation’s side of the pulpit: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16).
Micaiah is one of the great men of the Bible, as we have seen in 1 Kings 22. He was a man of God who gave out the Word of God. He told Ahab the truth at the peril of his own life. This man is now called on the scene.
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them [2 Chron. 18:9].
You can imagine those four hundred prophets running around saying to Ahab, “Go up against the king of Syria.” One of them was especially dramatic. Zedekiah ran around with iron horns, pushing at everyone with them, saying, “This is the way you are going to do it!” What a scene—two kings on their thrones and all those prophets running around crying, “Go up and fight. You’ll win!”
And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good [2 Chron. 18:12].
The messenger tries to tip off Micaiah as to the situation he will face and advises him to get in step with the rest of them. He says all the prophets agree that they should go up to war so the smart thing for Micaiah to do is to agree with them. Maybe he even brought along a copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People. He told him to be sure to say the right thing to get on the good side of the king.
And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak [2 Chron. 18:13].
Micaiah is not intimidated. He is going to say what God has for him to say. You can be sure of that.
And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand [2 Chron. 18:14].
Micaiah does have a sense of humor. I enjoy that. I often say—and I say it reverently—that God has a sense of humor and there is a great deal of humor in the Bible. This is one instance of that.
Remember the scene. The two kings are sitting on their thrones. Four hundred men are running around saying, “Go up, go up.” Now with biting sarcasm Micaiah joins the parade, and says, “Go up, go up.”
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord? [2 Chron. 18:15].
Ahab says to him, “Stop kidding me. You can’t fool me. I know you don’t agree with them.” You see, Ahab wanted the Word of God, but he didn’t want it. He knew the difference between truth and falsehood, but he didn’t want to obey the truth. There are a lot of folk like that today.
Now Micaiah becomes serious. Here is God’s message: Not only will they lose the battle, but Ahab will be slain.
Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? [2 Chron. 18:16–17].
The king of Israel says to Jehoshaphat, “I told you so—I told you he would predict nothing but evil unto me!”
Now Micaiah really lets him have it. He is serious now, and he is sarcastic. Oh with what biting irony he gives this parable to Ahab!
Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner [2 Chron. 18:18–19].
This is ridiculous! Can you imagine God calling a board of directors’ meeting to find out what He should do? The Lord doesn’t ask for advice, my friend. Oh, what biting sarcasm this is! There were all kinds of suggestions. Now there comes out a wee little spirit and says he has a good idea.
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?
And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so [2 Chron. 18:20–21].
Micaiah’s ridiculous parable is a subtle way of saying that all these prophets of Baal are a pack of liars!
Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee [2 Chron. 18:22].
In other words, these prophets have not been telling you the truth. God is going to judge you.
Now Ahab is not about to pay any attention to what Micaiah says. He gives orders to put him in prison and keep him there.
Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace [2 Chron. 18:25–26].
Old Micaiah has the parting shot. Listen to him:
And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people [2 Chron. 18:27].
I love this! Before Micaiah was taken off, he said, “Look, if you come back, the Lord hasn’t spoken by me. But you are not coming back.” So he turns to the people, “He won’t be here, but you will be here. Remember what I said!” This is tremendous!
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle [2 Chron. 18:28–29].
Ahab proved he was a deceiver all the way through. You see, the only man in the battle who was wearing royal robes was Jehoshaphat, which made him a marked man. Clever old Ahab had disguised himself. You might say that Ahab set Jehoshaphat up as a clay pigeon to be slain in the battle. It was not Jehoshaphat’s fight at all, but he almost got killed!
Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him [2 Chron. 18:30–31].
The only reason he came out alive is because God intervened on his behalf.
Old Ahab is feeling very satisfied with himself. Because of his cleverness he expects to come through the battle unscathed. But notice what happens.
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded [2 Chron. 18:33].
On the Syrian side there was a soldier who ended up with one arrow left in his quiver. “He drew his bow at a venture”—he wasn’t aiming at anything. But that arrow had old Ahab’s name on it, and it got him. What happened? He died, just as Micaiah said he would.
Jehoshaphat went back home a sadder and wiser man.
JEHOSHAPHAT REBUKED FOR HIS ALLIANCE
As Jehoshaphat returns home, he is met by a prophet with a message from God.
And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.
And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord [2 Chron. 19:1–2].
“Shouldest thou help the ungodly?” is a very good question. It is something our generation, which has gone lovey-dovey on everything, should think about. My friend, God never asks you to love one who is an enemy of God. It is one thing to love a sinner. It is another thing to love his sin. We need to distinguish between the two. We are to hate the sinner’s sin. If the sinner will not change, but persists and insists on sticking with his sin, then he becomes identified with his sin. There is no alternative, my beloved. There are people who are actually God’s enemies, they are enemies of the Word of God, and they are inveterate enemies of Christianity. Years ago a very pious fellow said to me, “I pray for Joe Stalin.” Well, I didn’t, and I make no apology for it. Stalin was brought up in a school in which he was given some Bible teaching. He had an opportunity to know God. Yet he turned into an avowed enemy of God. I do not believe God expected us to pray for him. I don’t feel that this lovey-dovey hypocrisy is honoring to God. I have had folk tell me how much they love me. Several have been very extravagant in their statements, and they were the ones I found out who were not even my friends. God cannot honor this hypocritical position of running around mouthing that we love everybody when really there are only a very few people whom we do love. We are to love God’s people; this is His command. And we are to love the sinner in the sense that we should try to bring him to Christ. However, this does not mean that we are to compromise with sin!
There is another tremendous lesson here that I don’t want us to miss. God did not send Jehu to Jehoshaphat before he went up to join himself with Ahab and Jezebel. At that time He did not send him to give him a little message on separation. Jehoshaphat was a man of God. He made his mistakes. God allowed him to go through this experience with Ahab because God was going to teach him a lesson from this.
We have a great many people today who have made themselves to be like God’s spiritual policemen. They like to tell everybody else how they should be separated and with whom they should associate and with whom they should not associate. God makes it very clear that we are not to judge others in questionable matters. Remember that people are not coming before us in judgment anyway. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand” (Rom. 14:4). We fall into the error of criticizing others because they are not as separated as we think they should be. You see, God is able to make him stand. If he has a personal faith in Jesus Christ, God will hold him. I would like to put it like this. I must give an account some day for my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master. You are not. In the same way, I am not your master. The Lord Jesus Christ is your Master. You will give your account to Him. The fact that I will some day give an account to the Lord Jesus Christ keeps me plenty busy. I don’t have time to sit in judgment on you, and I trust that you do not have the time to sit in judgment on me. It is not our business; it is His business. God will rebuke me if I do the wrong thing. That’s what He did for Jehoshaphat. He taught him through this experience and Jehoshaphat learned his lesson.
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God [2 Chron. 19:3].
Jehoshaphat was a remarkable man, but the marriage of his son into the family of Ahab brought judgment from God upon him and his nation, as we shall see.
And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lord God of their fathers [2 Chron. 19:4].
Now we will see some of the reforms that Jehoshaphat engaged in here. He was a wonderful man.
And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts [2 Chron. 19:5–7].
In my judgment, this is the entire difficulty with our legal system today. When a godless man sits on the judge’s bench, he does not feel a responsibility to God. He is a dangerous judge, regardless of who he is. He is a dangerous judge because he is subject to all these vices. To begin with, he is apt to make a wrong judgment. Also he is apt to show respect of persons, and may be led to take a bribe.
Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.
And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart [2 Chron. 19:8–9].
You see how Jehoshaphat organized everything in his kingdom around God.
INVASION BY ENEMY NATIONS
It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah [2 Chron. 20:1–3].
You see, now this man has a normal reaction: he is afraid. He goes to God in prayer and sends word out to his people to join him in fasting and prayer.
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court [2 Chron. 20:4–5].
JEHOSHAPHATS PRAYER
And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? [2 Chron. 20:6–7].
Jehoshaphat is doing something that his father, Asa, did not do. Asa did not rest upon the experiences of the past, which would have given him faith. Jehoshaphat, knowing what God has promised in the past and what God has done in the past, now rests upon the promises of God. He goes over this entire situation in his prayer to God and then he concludes his prayer:
O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children [2 Chron. 20:12–13].
What a scene! What a king! He casts himself entirely upon God in a helpless situation. What a wonderful thing it is.
GOD’S ANSWER
Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation [2 Chron. 20:14].
Notice how often genealogies are used in the Scripture to identify the prophets or some of the other men who are brought across the pages of the Bible. It is very important. I wonder if you know who your great-great-great-grandfather was. I haven’t any idea who mine was. But these folk kept accurate genealogies.
Listen to the words of Jahaziel. He is God’s spokesman now.
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat. Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s [2 Chron. 20:15].
I need to remind myself of this. It is easy for me to forget that the ministry God has given me is the Lord’s. I go at it like it is mine; I begin to carry the burden and face the problems and worry about the difficulties. Every now and then I have to remind myself that this is God’s work. And since it is His (I say this reverently), He will have to work out the problems. The secret of prayer is to go to God in faith. As the hymn has it, “Take your burden to the Lord, and leave it there.” The trouble with me is that I don’t leave it there. I spread my problems out before the Lord, then I sack them up, put them right back on my back, and go on carrying them.
Oh, how wonderful God is! He says, “Don’t be afraid, Jehoshaphat. The battle is not yours—you couldn’t fight it; it is Mine.” I find myself—and I’m sure you do also—in situations from which I cannot extricate myself. God says, “Turn it over to Me. I’ll take care of it.” Oh, that you and I might learn to turn it over to Him as Jehoshaphat did!
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper [2 Chron. 20:20].
Now they are going out to meet the advancing enemy. Jehoshaphat encourages his troops to put their trust in the Lord.
God is saying to you and me, “Believe in Me. Rest in Me and believe My Word.” Don’t listen to what Mr. Ph.D. has to say; listen to what God has to say. “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever [2 Chron. 20:21].
This is an unusual way to organize an army! He didn’t get out his atom bomb; he just organized a choir to go ahead and praise the Lord—for His mercy endureth forever.
This whole chapter is thrilling to read. Now notice what happened. The Lord gave them the victory. God won the battle for them.
And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day [2 Chron. 20:26].
Berachah is a name which has been taken by several churches in this country. It is a good name for a church, by the way. It means “the place to bless the Lord” or “the place to praise the Lord.” Every church ought to be a Berachah church.
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord.
And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.
So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about [2 Chron. 20:27–30].
It is God who gives rest and peace. Our nation hasn’t learned that. We think if we make this kind of an alignment, this kind of treaty, we won’t have to fight in war. Well, we have fought two world wars in order to bring peace in the world and all we have is war. Do you know why? Because God hasn’t given us peace. Our world is not trusting the Prince of Peace. This is the reason.
The chapter ends with the market alliance Jehoshaphat had with the son of Ahab, to which we have already referred. God could not bless this alliance with the ungodly son of Ahab.
Although Jehoshaphat was a great king, he was not perfect. God says that he “… departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (see v. 32).
Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers [2 Chron. 20:33].
Idolatry was the ultimate downfall of the nation.
CHAPTERS 21–22
Theme: Lapse into apostasy and sin
We come now to a section of the Word of God that in many senses is complicated. Sin is the reason for its complication because sin is always complicated. Let me illustrate this. If I say to you that I am holding in my hand a stick that is absolutely straight, you will know exactly how it looks because it can be straight in only one way. But suppose I say that I am holding a stick that is crooked. You would have no idea how it looks because a thing can be crooked in a million different ways. In just such a way, sin allures a great many folk because it is devious. It is enticing because it seems to be unusual and strange and it is complicated. We will see this in the life of Jehoram, who comes to the throne after the death of Jehoshaphat.
JEHORAM’S EVIL REIGN
Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 21:1].
Jehoram happened to be the son who had married into the family of Ahab and Jezebel, and he learned to do evil from them. I think he was a very apt pupil, by the way.
And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.
Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel [2 Chron. 21:2–4].
He eliminated all the competition by the most dastardly means imaginable. He slew all his brothers and others of the royal family. Why did he do this?
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord [2 Chron. 21:6].
God does not bless mixed marriages, my friend.
Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever [2 Chron. 21:7].
This man was so wicked that God would have been justified in exterminating the line. But, you see, God is faithful to His promises. He would not destroy the line of David because He had made a covenant with David.
Now we find that judgment immediately begins to come upon him.
In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers [2 Chron. 21:8–10].
God makes it very clear why this judgment came upon Jehoram. The Word says that this judgment was from the hand of God. He can’t have peace because he has forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.
I get just a little impatient with people who say the Bible doesn’t teach God’s judgment on sin. What they really mean is that they don’t believe the Bible. If they would say that, I would not find fault with them. What they believe is their business. But when they try to tell me that the Bible doesn’t teach God’s judgment, when it is as clear as it possibly can be, I object. God says He judges sin, and a great many of us can testify to the fact in our own lives.
Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto [2 Chron. 21:11].
He actually pushed the people back into the idolatry from which his father, Jehoshaphat, had delivered them.
THE MESSAGE OF ELIJAH
Now God calls in an old friend whom you may have forgotten about. This is the man whom God always called in to deliver the difficult message. He was a troubleshooter, and he is the right man for the job. The man is Elijah.
And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah [2 Chron. 21:12].
There are many people who speak of Elijah as one of the prophets who did not write. He is called one of the nonwriting prophets. Of course, this means that there is no book in the Bible named for him or written by him. Although he didn’t write a book, he did write a message. And when this man Elijah wrote a message, it singed the paper! He began by citing the reason for this harsh message: “Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah …” Now let’s read the message.
But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a-whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:
Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day [2 Chron. 21:13–15].
Elijah would be the prophet who could deliver a message like this. It is a harsh message but one that God wanted delivered to this man Jehoram.
The contents of the message are not unusual. This is the kind of message you would expect Elijah to deliver. However, the circumstances are extraordinary. It raises three questions: who? when? where? Let’s first consider the “who?”—who is Elijah? This message is directed to Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat. The record in Kings tells us that Elijah was translated in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat. He was not on earth during the reign of Jehoram, and the assumption is that he could not write this prophecy. Some Bible students conclude that this is another Elijah, that he is not Elijah the Tishbite. That reminds me of the argument as to whether or not Shakespeare wrote the works of Shakespeare. As you know, some believe the author was Francis Bacon or someone else. I like Mark Twain’s comment. He said, “Shakespeare did not write Shakespeare, but it was written by another man by the same name!” I consider that a conclusive answer in Elijah’s case also. If this had not been Elijah the Tishbite, God would have made that clear. There is no impossible barrier, unless you reject the supernatural. If you do that, you will reject not only this but a great deal of the Bible. Our old friend, Elijah the prophet, is the one who wrote the message.
Now the second question is “when?”—when did Elijah write it? Did he write it after his translation? Grotius maintains that the postmark was Paradise. Well, we can dismiss that as pure speculation. There is a very simple explanation: he wrote it before his translation. You may say, “But that’s supernatural.” Exactly. That is the point I am trying to make. Prophecy is supernatural. A prediction projects into the future; that’s what makes it prophecy. We have many incidents of this. Isaiah spoke of Cyrus of Persia two centuries before he was even born. Daniel wrote of Alexander the Great. Elisha predicted the reign of Hazael over Syria. Micah named the town of Bethlehem as being the place where the Messiah would be born. Only God can prophesy with such accuracy.
The final question is “where?”—where did Elijah write this prophecy? Elijah was a prophet to the northern kingdom. This is the only reference to Elijah in Chronicles, because Chronicles is giving God’s viewpoint. Didn’t God take delight in Elijah? Of course He did. Then why isn’t Elijah mentioned in this book in more detail? It is not that God omitted Elijah and his work; God omits the whole history of the northern kingdom. Elijah was the prophet to the northern kingdom, and this is the only time Elijah spoke to a king in the south. He never spoke to Jehoshaphat for the simple reason that Jehoshaphat was a good king and did not need one of the scorching messages from Elijah. Now when Jehoram, his son, comes to the throne, there is a message waiting for him. Elijah had written it before he was translated. Elijah not only left his mantle with Elisha, he left this message for Jehoram. He said, “You’ll be seeing him; I won’t.”
This would suggest that when Elijah was translated, his message was not finished. It makes me believe that this man Elijah is one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation, chapter 11. He is going to deliver a harsh message again in a day when men have turned from God. I think this makes for a very intriguing passage of Scripture, with an unsual message delivered at this time.
What we find here is that when Jehoram came to the throne, he found a message on the front steps of the palace. It was thrown there by God’s paperboy.
JUDGMENT FALLS ON JEHORAM
Now we’ll see the accuracy of Elijah’s prediction.
Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:
And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons [2 Chron. 21:16–17].
All of these had been at peace with both Asa and Jehoshaphat. Now their spirit is stirred up. War is coming. Why? War is the result of sin. We sometimes think of war as being made out on the battlefield. War takes place right at home, friends. It begins in the sinfulness of the human heart.
And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings [2 Chron. 21:18–20].
It was good riddance of bad rubbish when he died. The place in which they buried him and the lack of respect at his burial show how this man was hated. We will see in the next chapters that his wife was one of the most hated women who ever reigned.
AHAZIAH’S WICKED REIGN
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned [2 Chron. 22:1].
The names get confusing because sometimes different names are used for the same person. Ahaziah is the Jehoahaz of 2 Chronicles 21:17. He is the only son left. All the other sons of Jehoram were killed.
Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.
Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction [2 Chron. 22:2–4].
Athaliah is really the queen on the throne. She is the power behind the throne. She is the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and the granddaughter of Omri. She never really gave up her position. Remember that she turned her husband, Jehoram, away from God. Now her son, Ahaziah, listens to her and aligns himself with the northern kingdom and with the house of Ahab—which was to his destruction. Justice with a vengeance will be wrought upon him.
He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram [2 Chron. 22:5].
This gets confusing, too, because there was a Jehoram in both the northern and the southern kingdoms. It looks as though we have the same man back again, but Jehoram, king of Judah, is dead. His son, Ahaziah, is the king, and now he aligns himself with Jehoram, king of Israel. Jehoram was wounded in this battle with the Syrians.
And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick [2 Chron. 22:6].
Azariah, king of Judah, went to visit Jehoram, king of Israel, who was recovering at Jezreel, and he probably took him a basket of fruit or something.
And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab [2 Chron. 22:7].
The interesting thing is that Jehu didn’t know that Ahaziah, this king from the southern kingdom, was up there. Notice what happened.
And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them [2 Chron. 22:8].
These “sons of the brethren of Ahaziah” were not the brothers of Ahaziah, since they had been slain by Arabian marauders (2 Chron. 21:17), but these were the sons of these brothers, and therefore Ahaziah’s nephews. The “princes of Judah” were probably distant relatives who held important offices in the court. Jehu slew them all. Now he goes after Ahaziah, who had escaped, and he is found and slain.
And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom [2 Chron. 22:9].
This is a bloody period. God records it to let us know that He judges sin. He wants us to know that man doesn’t get by with sin. How complicated it is! I said before that the way of sin is crooked and complicated.
ATHALIAH’S BRUTAL REIGN
But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah [2 Chron. 22:10].
I’ll be very frank with you. It takes a bloody person and a mean one to kill her own grandchildren! If you are a grandparent, you share my feeling about grandchildren. I know why they call them grandchildren—they are grand. The fact of the matter is, I think grandchildren are more wonderful than children. If I had known how wonderful they were, I’d have had my grandchildren before I had my children!
I do not understand how this bloody queen could slay her grandchildren, but that is what she did. She slew all but one—because she couldn’t find him.
But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.
And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land [2 Chron. 22:11–12].
If this had not taken place, the line of David would have been cut off. And God’s promise to David concerning the coming of the Messiah would never have taken place. This is how close it was.
You can see that Satan has made attempts again and again to try to destroy the line that would lead to Christ. You will recall how Satan tried to destroy the line that would lead to Christ when all the male babies were to be slain down in the land of Egypt. He tried to have all the Jews exterminated at the time of Haman. After Jesus was born, he worked through old Herod and tried to kill Jesus by killing all the baby boys around Bethlehem. Here is another instance when Satan had the line of David reduced so there was only one survivor.
This little fellow, Joash, was one year old when he was hidden. He was kept hidden away in the temple for six years. During that time the bloody queen ruled the land.
CHAPTERS 23–24
Theme: Revival during Joash’s reign
During the reign of Joash, the third period of revival came to the southern kingdom of Judah. Of course it was not much of a revival, and most of the credit for a return to God belongs to the priest Jehoiada.
JOASH IS MADE KING
And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him [2 Chron. 23:1].
The leadership of Judah was dissatisfied with the bloody queen Athaliah. So now Jehoiada, the priest, calls them to a meeting, a very private meeting, to let them know that there is a son of David who is still alive. They all pledge themselves to make this little fellow of the line of David their king.
They gathered Levites and the chiefs of Israel and laid careful plans to crown little Joash who was in the line of David. A third part of the group would act as porters at the doors of the temple on the sabbath. A third part would be at the king’s house. A third part would be at the gate of the foundation. They would not permit anyone inside the temple except the priests and the Levites. The Levites around the little king would all be armed with weapons. Jehoiada gave out spears and bucklers and shields which were kept in the temple. All of these arrangements were carried out.
Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king [2 Chron. 23:11].
This was an exciting and thrilling coup, and little seven-year-old Joash, who is in the line of David, is now on the throne of Judah.
EXECUTION OF ATHALIAH
Athaliah thought that she had killed off all tiher offspring. Why had she done such a brutal act? She had a thirst for power. She wanted to be queen.
There are certain men and certain women in this world who will do anything for power. Every group or class of people has them. There are preachers who will do that, deacons will do it, politicians and dictators will do that. There are many members of the human family who will stoop to almost anything in order to have power. They are, like this queen, craving for power.
Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord [2 Chron. 23:12].
I tell you, this woman Athaliah was taken by surprise.
And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason [2 Chron. 23:13].
From her standpoint it was high treason!
Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the Lord.
So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they slew her there [2 Chron. 23:14–15].
REVIVAL THROUGH JEHOIADA
Joash is still a little fellow, only seven years old; so Jehoiada is his regent. Jehoiada is actually the one who will make the decisions until this boy comes of age. Jehoiada is God’s priest, and he leads the nation back to the worship of God.
And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the Lord’s people [2 Chron. 23:16].
Jehoiada broke down the altars of Baal and killed the priests of Baal. He revived worship of Jehovah by setting up the order of priests and Levites for the burnt offerings. Singing was restored as it had been ordained by David. Porters watched the gates so nothing unclean entered the temple.
And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword [2 Chron. 23:21].
There is repetition over and over of the same theme. Sin always brings complications, trouble, heartbreak, the judgment of God. Revival restores peace and quiet to the land.
REIGN OF JOASH
Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba [2 Chron. 24:1].
Jehoiada, the priest, is the one who really guided and led this little fellow during the early part of his reign. However, his mother’s name is given to us, and she must have been a good mother. She apparently agreed with the return to the Lord which was taking place. Her home was in Beer-sheba. When I was down there not long ago, I thought of the mother of Joash. Beer-sheba is also the town of Abraham.
And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters [2 Chron. 24:2–3].
Joash did what was right under the coaching of Jehoiada; then we have the strange statement that he took two wives for him. Of course this didn’t happen when he was seven years old—remember that he reigned forty years. Is the implication that it was all right to have two wives? No. It was wrong. It is not recorded because God approved of it; it is recorded because that is what he did. Considering the background of that day, two wives was really a small number. This was extremely mild, especially for a king in that period.
And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord [2 Chron. 24:4].
As Joash grew up, Jehoiada grew old—he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. Apparently he lost his control over the other priests, and the temple was not restored. Although it is questionable to say that Joash led in the revival—there wasn’t much of a revival under him—it was revival. And he was the one who planned and insisted on repairing the temple of God.
And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them. Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness? [2 Chron. 24:5–6].
Apparently Jehoiada has grown old, and the priests are indifferent. They have fallen down on their job.
For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God: and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim [2 Chron. 24:7].
This tells us what had actually happened to the temple and who was responsible. God’s temple was in a terribly disreputable condition. So Joash takes the matter in his own hands.
And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord.
And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end [2 Chron. 24:8–10].
“Until they had made an end” means that they got all they needed.
Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance [2 Chron. 24:11].
Joash couldn’t trust the Levites going out and collecting the money, so he puts this chest there in the temple, and people put their contributions there.
By the way, many organizations since then have used this method. They put out what they call a “chest of Joash” and ask folk to put their offerings in it.
And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord.
So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it [2 Chron. 24:12–13].
As a result, the repair work of the temple was completed.
And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada [2 Chron. 24:14].
There were sufficient funds to remake the vessels and implements to carry on the regular services in the temple.
But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died [2 Chron. 24:15].
This gives the explanation of why the priests were negligent in carrying out the order of the king. Jehoiada was probably senile. He had experienced bringing up this boy, and I suppose he had liberties that no one else would have had with the king.
And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house [2 Chron. 24:16].
Jehoiada actually received royal honors in his death.
APOSTASY AFTER JEHOIADA
Now after the death of Jehoiada, a new era begins.
Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass [2 Chron. 24:17–18].
You see, as long as Jehoiada lived, the princes did not dare go into idolatry. Jehoiada maintained a very strong influence. Joash is a young king and probably very lenient. These princes pledge allegiance to him, but they go out and worship idols again.
Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear [2 Chron. 24:19].
In His mercy, God sends prophets to warn them, but they will not listen. So God sends a message by a man who is the son of Jehoiada.
And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you [2 Chron. 24:20].
Now notice the shocking thing that happens.
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord [2 Chron. 24:21].
My thought is that Joash had been given wrong information about this man. He was the son of Jehoiada! You would think that Joash would never have done a thing like this, but it reveals the evil influence of the princes and the despicable deeds that they were engaged in. They put him to death.
Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it [2 Chron. 24:22].
In other words, this dying man calls upon God to take vengeance upon the king for this.
JUDGMENT UPON JOASH
And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash [2 Chron. 24:23–24].
God judges them by defeat in battle. Although Joash had been a good king, he had ordered this heartless murder. God must judge him because he is the king and because of his influence upon the whole nation.
And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings [2 Chron. 24:25].
Jehoiada the priest had been buried with honor; now Joash the king is buried with dishonor.
Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 24:27].
So we see that Joash at the beginning led a revival under the influence of Jehoiada; but, after Jehoiada’s death, he apparently lapsed into a state of apostasy.
CHAPTERS 25–28
Theme: The reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz
AMAZIAH’S REIGN
Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart [2 Chron. 25:1–2].
I guess you could say he was a moderately good king.
Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father [2 Chron. 25:3].
He executed the men who had murdered his father.
But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin [2 Chron. 25:4].
He obeyed the Mosaic Law in this respect. This is an important principle. You will never be judged because of the sins of your mother or the sins of your father. You stand judged on the basis of your own sins. On the other hand you may have a very godly mother or father, but you will never go to heaven because of godly parents. You will go to heaven because of the faith that you must exercise in Christ. This is a tremendous principle that is put down here.
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield [2 Chron. 25:5].
He is getting ready for war. Also he hires an enemy—mercenary soldiers from Israel.
But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down [2 Chron. 25:7–8].
He warns Amaziah to trust God. After all, he has the example of Jehoshaphat and Asa in the past. He should know that God would not want him to hire men of Israel.
And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.
Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand [2 Chron. 25:9–11].
Amaziah obeyed what the man of God had told him. He separated the army of Israel from his own army and sent them back to Israel. Then God gave him a victory over the children of Seir. The battle was fought down by the Dead Sea.
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them [2 Chron. 25:14].
It is amazing that this man would do a thing like this, but it reveals the iniquity that is in the human heart.
Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel [2 Chron. 25:15–16].
Now civil war breaks out again.
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come let us see one another in the face [2 Chron. 25:17].
Amaziah said, “Let’s see each other eyeball to eyeball.” He was challenging Israel to go to war. Joash replies to Amaziah with a little parable.
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou and Judah with thee? [2 Chron. 25:18–19].
In other words, the parable was an insulting way of saying, “If you stay home and mind your own business, you won’t get hurt.”
But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom [2 Chron. 25:20].
Amaziah would not listen. Now God judges him.
And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria [2 Chron. 25:23–24].
Of course it was an easy victory for Israel. It was a fulfillment of the prophet’s warning, “I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.”
Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the Lord they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah [2 Chron. 25:27–28].
UZZIAH’S REIGN
Now the son of Amaziah, Uzziah, came to the throne when he was only a teenager.
Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem [2 Chron. 26:1–3].
Uzziah was a good king but not an outstanding one. There was no revival during his reign. It was during this period, by the way, that Isaiah began his ministry. He was commissioned at the death of Uzziah, as Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 6:1. As we have seen, the northern kingdom did not have a good king, not one. In the southern kingdom there were a few good kings. Five of them could be considered exceptional because during their reign there was revival and reformation. Uzziah’s reign did not produce revival, but he was a good king. The denominational seminary from which I graduated was quite liberal, but it did have a Bible course, although it was very fragmentary. One of the questions that had been asked from time immemorial was to name the kings of Israel and Judah and briefly describe the reign of each. Some ingenious freshman of days gone by had discovered that if you would write after each one of them, “A bad king,” you couldn’t make less than ninety five percent—and what freshman wants to make more than that? So what we all did was memorize the kings and write after each one of them, “A bad king.” Now when we wrote, “Bad king” after Uzziah’s name, we were wrong; Uzziah was not exceptional, but he was a good king.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper [2 Chron. 26:4–5].
UZZIAH’S SUCCESSES
And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines [2 Chron. 26:6].
Gath was one of the strongholds of the Philistines.
I visited Ashdod some time ago. It is experiencing a tremendous business boom today because they have made a harbor there. In the old days the ancient ships could come to Caesarea but not to Ashdod. Now there is a wonderful man-made harbor there, and I suppose it receives more of the goods that are being shipped in and out of Israel than any other port. It is the place where the oil pipe lines come from the Red Sea. The oil is piped, put into the tankers, and carried from there. There is building going on everywhere. Now this entire area is what Uzziah took. All of this was Philistine country. But that wasn’t all:
And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry [2 Chron. 26:8–10].
We are told that he “loved husbandry”—he was a farmer at heart, a farmer and a rancher. Down in that area from Ashdod and Ashkelon and Gath, all the way down to Beer-sheba, is great pasture land. It is today a great place for raising cattle and sheep, which is what Uzziah did. Then on up toward Carmel is the valley of Esdraelon, and that is great fruit country, especially vineyards. We are told that King Uzziah loved that sort of thing.
Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.
The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.
And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy [2 Chron. 26:11–13].
The southern kingdom of Judah was strong militarily at this time.
And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong [2 Chron. 26:14–15].
In ancient warfare they had certain kinds of machines that would hurl rocks. Also they could fix bows that would shoot arrows without being pulled by human power. And they were able to build bows of tremendous size that would shoot arrows a great distance. It is interesting to note that this man Uzziah was responsible for this new method of warfare. Now Uzziah—as we have seen with all the kings, even the good ones—has a chink in his armor. Each has a weakness; each has his Achilles’ heel. That is man even today. Regardless of what man he is, there is a weak spot in him.
UZZIAH’S WEAKNESS
Sometimes success is the worst thing that can happen to any of us, because we become lifted up with pride. Pride was Uzziah’s downfall.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense [2 Chron. 26:16].
He went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. Wasn’t that all right? No, it was all wrong for him. Why?
And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men:
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God [2 Chron. 26:17–18].
The priests could actually resist the king in this matter. The king was usurping the priest’s office; he was doing what was strictly forbidden for anyone to do except the sons of Aaron. Only the priests of the line of Aaron could enter into the holy place—the golden lampstand and the altar of incense were there.
Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar [2 Chron. 26:19].
This was instant judgment from God upon Uzziah.
And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.
And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land [2 Chron. 26:20–21].
The son of Uzziah had to take over the affairs of state, because Uzziah was in quarantine for the rest of his life.
Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write [2 Chron. 26:22].
In the prophecy of Isaiah, we read that Isaiah began his ministry at the death of Uzziah (Is. 6:1).
So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 26:23].
Uzziah’s funeral could almost be called a happy funeral. Death for a Christian should not be a dread. Paul could say to the Thessalonian believers, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). Also to the Corinthian Christians he said, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55). Funerals are not always as sad as they seem. The funeral of Uzziah was not sad. Why not? He was a leper. Uzziah had been a good king, but God records his sin also. He had intruded into the priest’s office. That was the spot on the apple. His sin was the sin of presumption. There are still people today who sin by presumption. They attempt to approach God by man’s way and not by God’s way. God has told us that we must come to Him in His way. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Uzziah had tried to come to God in his own way, and he had become a leper. This was a terrible disease. It was an awful disease physically, it was an awful disease psychologically, and it was an awful disease in every way. It entailed a great deal of suffering. Death for Uzziah was a sweet release. Uzziah was God’s man in spite of his sin, and God judged him for his sin. Remember that Paul wrote to the believers, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). Uzziah was judged of God down here, but he went to Paradise as God’s man.
There are multitudes of believers who are helpless and hopeless in a frail and feeble body. One of these days there will be a sweet release for them. What a wonderful and joyful thing it is to go into the presence of Christ! There is nothing to sorrow about in a case like that. I imagine Jotham was dry-eyed at the funeral of his father. I’m sure he loved his father, and he understood that his father was a saved man.
JOTHAM’S REIGN
Jotham is another king whom we would classify as a good king. Judah has had three good kings in a row—that was unusual.
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the Lord. And the people did yet corruptly [2 Chron. 27:1–2].
Something very strange and interesting is said about this man: “he entered not into the temple of the Lord.” There is a background for this. When his father went into the temple, he was made a leper. But, of course, he went the wrong way—he intruded into the holy place. This boy Jotham did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but he stayed away from the temple. You can’t help but feel sympathetic toward him, but he set a very bad example for the nation. As a result “the people did yet corruptly.” They did not turn to God. Here is a man with a tremendous opportunity to lead his people back to God, but he had this hang-up—perhaps a root of bitterness. His father was made a leper in the temple, and he didn’t want to go into that temple.
There are a great many people today who do just that sort of thing. They are kept away from God’s house by prejudice. I have seen a number of folk who have dropped out of God’s service because of prejudice, or an unfortunate incident which had happened years before or had involved a loved one. When I was a young man, I got acquainted with the son of a great Baptist preacher from Texas. He was really living it up in Pasadena when I met him. We used to play handball and volleyball together back in those days. When I tried to talk with him, he said, “Now listen, don’t talk to me about religion. I know as much about it as you do.” Then he told me how a group of deacons of the church had mistreated his father. He said, “I will never again darken the door of a church.” I think he was wrong and I told him that. But very candidly, there was a background for it. That is the way it was with Jotham. There was an understandable background for his action.
He built the high gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers [2 Chron. 27:3–4].
In that day the land was wooded. Today the hills are bare, for the most part. However trees are being planted now so that more of the land is becoming wooded again. Back in those days it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Jotham built castles among the trees in the hills. He was a great builder. I guess he is the man who started building subdivisions.
He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.
So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God [2 Chron. 27:5–6].
He kept his nation strong militarily as his father had done.
He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 27:8–9].
Only one brief chapter is devoted to the reign of Jotham. Here is a young man who could have been a great king, but a prejudice prevented him from being a great king and doing great things for God.
AHAZ’ REIGN
We knew that sooner or later Judah would get a bad king, and here he is. At this time the northern kingdom of Israel was on the verge of going into captivity, and the southern kingdom of Judah was brought very low by the sins of Ahaz, as we shall see.
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father:
For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim [2 Chron. 28:1–2].
Ahaz was a bad king. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and that meant evil ways. David was the human standard by which these kings were measured, and this man fell far short of that human standard. As a result we now begin to see the sad future of the southern kingdom. The northern kingdom will go into captivity to the Assyrians. God will give many warnings to the southern kingdom, but they, likewise, will follow into captivity—not to Assyria, but later on to Babylon.
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel [2 Chron. 28:3].
This means he offered his children on a red hot altar. Actually, it was an idol that was heated red-hot for human sacrifices.
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree [2 Chron. 28:4].
Ahaz went completely into idolatry and plunged the southern kingdom into idolatry.
INVASION BY SYRIA AND ISRAEL
Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter [2 Chron. 28:5].
As it were, God opens up the doors of His nation, His people, and permits the enemy to come in. Syria comes down, and for the first time the wall is breached into the southern kingdom. There are many who are taken captive. The sad part is that the northern kingdom had joined with Syria in making this attack, and so we find that many who were taken captive actually became captives of Israel, the northern kingdom. Israel took men of Judah into captivity.
For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers [2 Chron. 28:6].
God makes the reason crystal-clear.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria [2 Chron. 28:7–8].
This is the very sad plight of the southern kingdom. God permitted this to happen because Ahaz and the people had plunged into idolatry with abandon.
Now God sends a prophet to Israel to speak to them because of their extreme cruelty to their brethren.
But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? [2 Chron. 28:9–10].
God had expressly forbidden taking their brethren into slavery (Lev. 25:39–40).
Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war [2 Chron. 28:11–12].
A group of leaders in the northern kingdom took their stand against enslaving their brethren from the southern kingdom.
And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria [2 Chron. 28:13–15].
They were able to secure their release and return them to their homes.
The southern kingdom of Judah was in a really sad plight at this time. If it had not been for the fact that God intervened, they would have been almost eliminated as a nation. It did weaken them a great deal and laid them open to further invasion.
INVASION BY EDOM AND PHILISTIA
At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there [2 Chron. 28:16–18].
When God removed His protection, it was like opening the flood gates and letting the enemy come in. This was, of course, the result of the nation’s sin. Wars are the direct result of sin. In the New Testament James asks the question, “From whence come wars and fightings among you?” The answer is, “come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have …” (James 4:1–2). As long as there is sin in the heart of man, he cannot have peace. He can’t have any kind of peace—peace with God, peace in his own heart, or peace with his fellowman. There must be a settling of the sin question in order to have peace. The experience of Judah illustrates this. Because of sin on the part of the people they will not have peace.
Ahaz made another big mistake. Instead of turning to God, he turned to Assyria for help.
And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not [2 Chron. 28:20–21].
Ahaz put his trust in the king of Assyria. He sent him a generous gift from the wealth of the temple and of the palace. The king of Assyria accepted it, but he never did send any help to Ahaz. He didn’t need to. He was a powerful king, and poor Ahaz was a very weak king. Ahaz had turned from God and trusted in Assyria, and Assyria let him down. Assyria did not make good on their treaty. You cannot expect nations to be true to their treaties. Why not? Very simply, as long as men are sinners, men will be liars, which means you cannot trust them. The Bible tells us we are not to put our trust in man. We are to put our trust in God.
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz.
For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel [2 Chron. 28:22–23].
Ahaz then cut up the vessels of the house of God, he shut up the doors of the temple, and he made heathen altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 28:27].
So ends this very sad and sordid and sorry reign of Ahaz.
CHAPTERS 29–32
Theme: Revival during Hezekiah’s reign
We come now to the reign of Hezekiah and one of the periods of revival in the nation of Judah. You would think that after the reign of Ahaz there would be no hope for the nation. They were depleted of their resources, they had been defeated in war, they had been betrayed by Assyria, and you would think there would be no help for them from any quarter. However, Hezekiah came to the kingdom for such a time as this, because he is God’s man.
Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah [2 Chron. 29:1].
Both the mother and the grandfather are mentioned here, but there is no mention of his father, old Ahaz. Apparently Hezekiah had a godly mother and a godly grandfather, and they influenced this young man.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done [2 Chron. 29:2].
The Book of 2 Kings has a more succinct account of the revival under Hezekiah. “He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth …” (2 Kings 18:4–7).
When you come down all the list of the twenty-one kings of Judah who followed David, there is none greater than Hezekiah. He is the outstanding one, a man who turned to God. I believe he led in one of the greatest revivals, and there were some great ones.
I mentioned that his revival is recorded in 2 Kings. Here in 2 Chronicles, which is written from God’s point of view, four lengthy chapters are devoted to Hezekiah. Evidently God took great delight in Hezekiah. Also Isaiah the prophet has in the center of his book several chapters which are historical and not prophetic. They have to do with—yes, you guessed it—Hezekiah. Three times in the Word of God we are told about this man and the great return to God which he led.
In Chronicles we are told the positive things which he did to restore worship. In Kings we are told the negative things he had to do. He had to remove the high places and break the images and had to break in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made because the people were burning incense to it. He had to get rid of that stumbling block. He contemptuously called it “Nehushtan”—it was just a piece of brass. There had been one time when the people had looked at the serpent in faith, trusting the promise of God, then the brazen serpent had been the basis of physical salvation for those who were bitten by the poisonous snakes. Now it had become an object of worship. It had become an idol. It was a stumbling block to the people.
There are those today who worship the symbol of the cross. They feel that there is some merit in having a cross in their possession. My friends, there would be no merit in it at all. You can make an idol of anything—you can worship the spigot because it gives you water, you could worship the window because it brings you light, or you could worship the automobile because it transports you. A great many people today worship the television screen; they sit before it for hours each day. May I say to you, there is no merit in objects. The merit is in God, of course; this is written from God’s viewpoint.
Now in Chronicles we are given the positive side of Hezekiah’s reforms.
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them [2 Chron. 29:3].
Remember that Ahaz had nailed shut the doors of the temple. Nobody was using it. As soon as Hezekiah began to reign, he opened the doors of the temple. They were open for the first time in a long time. Now Hezekiah tells them to clean everything.
And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
And said unto them. Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place [2 Chron. 29:4–5].
Hezekiah says, “Sanctify now yourselves.” There had to be a return to holy living, to honesty, and to integrity. There had to be a setting-apart for God. That was something that was needed. I think we need the same thing today. We have too much of this homogenized Christianity today—mixing good and bad together.
For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs.
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel [2 Chron. 29:6–7].
He places the blame where it belongs. They have brought disaster upon themselves because of their sins.
Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this [2 Chron. 29:8–9].
Now he tells them what is upon his heart.
Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us [2 Chron. 29:10].
TEMPLE WORSHIP RESTORED
Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.
And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord [2 Chron. 29:20–21].
Hezekiah set a good example. He took a public stand for God. I believe this is one of the things that is needed today. God’s people need to take a public stand for God. We need to stand for God in our place of work and in our social gatherings.
The priests made an atonement for all Israel with the burnt offerings and sin offering. Music was again brought into the worship in the temple. There was singing and instrumental music as David had organized it. The whole congregation sang praises to God and worshiped Him.
And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly [2 Chron. 29:36].
FEAST OF PASSOVER RESTORED
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel [2 Chron. 30:1].
Here is another wonderful thing this man did. Remember that his father had carried on warfare against the northern kingdom, and many of those from Judah had been taken captive. You might think that Hezekiah would have come to the throne with a spirit of vengeance in his heart and with a spirit of getting even. But notice that after he had opened up the temple of God, restoring the worship of God and giving his own public testimony, he sends an invitation to the northern kingdom to come and worship God. What a wonderful, marvelous spirit this is!
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month [2 Chron. 30:2].
Authority for observing the Passover in the second month, instead of the first, is given in Numbers 9:10–11.
Although the invitation, which Hezekiah sent into the northern kingdom, was rejected and ridiculed by some, many responded and came to keep the Passover with their brethren.
Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.
And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord [2 Chron. 30:15–17].
The people had come from all over Israel, and some of them were not sanctified.
For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one
That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people [2 Chron. 30:18–20].
This, I think, is one of the loveliest things Hezekiah did. When he sent invitations to the people of Israel in the north, many came down out of the different tribes to Jerusalem to worship. But, you see, these people had been without the Word of God all their lives. They had been living in the northern kingdom, in the place of idolatry, and yet they had a hunger and a desire to serve God and to obey Him. When they came down for the feast, they were supposed to have been cleansed, to have prepared their hearts for the Passover, and they hadn’t done that. They went ahead and ate the Passover without knowing that they should have been cleansed. When it was told to Hezekiah, he prayed for them: “The good Lord pardon every one.” Isn’t that a lovely thing which he did for them? It was ignorance on their part. Their hearts had been seeking the Lord, but they didn’t understand that they had to be purified. The Lord listened to the prayer of Hezekiah and healed the people. This reveals that the form and the ceremony are not the important things. God is interested in the condition of the hearts of the people. What a wonderful, glorious lesson this is here.
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord [2 Chron. 30:21].
They were having such a wonderful time, that they decided to extend the feast for another week.
And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness [2 Chron. 30:23].
This was a joyous return to the Lord and to His Word.
So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven [2 Chron. 30:26–27].
Now I want you to notice this man Hezekiah. His father old Ahaz, had made idolatry the state religion in Judah. Now Hezekiah begins to rid the land of idols.
Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities [2 Chron. 31:1].
After this, there was a great period of reformation that took place. Hezekiah was the man who led in all of this.
And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God.
And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered [2 Chron. 31:20–21].
Now let’s look a little more closely at the life of Hezekiah. What kind of a man was he?
First of all, he was a man of faith. When I say faith, I mean more than what is generally thought of as faith.
A member of a certain “ism” told me that there were four things one had to do to be saved. So I asked him, “What do you think you have to do to be saved?” I won’t mention all four things, but one of them was faith. I told him, “I don’t agree with you on any of the four.” He was a little shocked. He said, “Well, certainly you believe in faith, because I know you preach on that.” I said, “But I don’t mean faith in the same way that you mean faith. You are saying that if one believes hard enough he will be saved.”
The modern conception of faith reminds me of the county fairs I used to go to when I was a boy. At each fair there was a gadget to test a man’s strength. There was a weight on a pair of scales that looked like a giant thermometer. A man would come along and hit the thing with a sledge hammer, which would knock the weight up. A fellow would come along with his girl friend, and they would challenge him to try out his strength. He would take off his coat, spit on his hands, and swing that hammer with all his might to see if he could ring the bell up at the top. He would make the supreme effort. He would really try hard.
That’s the way some folk think faith is. They say, “If I could only believe hard enough.” My friend, faith is not a psychological response to anything. Faith is not in the feelings; it is an accomplished fact. Faith is that which is wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit. It is a conviction that is born in the spirit of man.
After Peter made his great confession of faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus said, “… Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 16:17). Faith is not self-meritorious. “For by grace are ye saved through faith …” (Eph. 2:8). Faith is only the instrument. Christ is the Savior and He is the object of faith.
Spurgeon said, “It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee. It is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee. It is Christ. It is not even thy faith, though that be the instrument; it is Christ’s blood and merit.” There is no merit in faith. It is not a matter of believing enough. You could believe the wrong thing. There are many people who die as martyrs for fanatic beliefs. They can have ever so much faith, but it is in the wrong thing or the wrong person.
True faith “brings nothing so that it may take all.” Faith says, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” Faith trusts God.
Now in the remainder of chapter 31, we see Hezekiah’s further reforms. Also there will be reformation in your life when the Lord Jesus saves you, my friend. He is going to change your life.
Remember that when the man sick of the palsy was brought to Christ, Jesus told him his sins were forgiven. The crowd of scribes and Pharisees began to murmur, and call this a case of blasphemy. Jesus said, “… What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?” They had no answer for Jesus. Obviously, it is just as easy to do the one as to do the other. It is also just as difficult to do the one as to do the other. Only God can do either one of them. Only God can forgive sin. Only God can make a person get up and walk. “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house” (Luke 5:22–24).
My friend, if Christ has forgiven your sin, you have taken up your bed and you have walked. You have walked away from your old life. You have walked away from your old sin. You have been changed. If you have not walked away, you are still paralyzed with sin.
Hezekiah is a man of real faith in God, and it changed his life. And now he is changing the kingdom.
Hezekiah is not only a man of faith, he is a man of prayer. In chapter 32 it looks as if the Lord allowed Judah to pass from the sunlight of God’s blessing to the darkness of disaster. Sennacherib came down from Assyria again, and he was ready to make an attack upon the city of Jerusalem. He began by terrifying the inhabitants.
After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself [2 Chron. 32:1].
Hezekiah took steps to strengthen and fortify the city, but his confidence was in God. He encouraged his people to trust in Him.
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah [2 Chron. 32:7–8].
After this Sennacherib sent representatives to intimidate the people and break down their morale and shake their confidence in God.
Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand? [2 Chron. 32:14–15].
Also Sennacherib sent letters to demoralize them.
He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand [2 Chron. 32:17].
The record in 2 Kings gives this in more detail. When Hezekiah received the letter, he went up into the house of the Lord, and spread the letter before Him. His wonderful prayer is recorded in 2 Kings 19:14–19. Hezekiah was a real man of prayer.
And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven [2 Chron. 32:20].
Hezekiah depended upon the Lord for help, and He delivered the city in a miraculous way.
And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side [2 Chron. 32:21–22].
THE ILLNESS OF HEZEKIAH
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign [2 Chron. 32:24].
In 2 Kings 20, the record tells us that Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed and wept before the Lord.
I think I understand how he felt. It rocked me when the doctor told me I had cancer. I could not believe it. When I had to accept the fact, I was not given any assurance at all that I would live. When I was taken to the hospital, I had no idea what the outcome of my illness would be. The nurse had to help me get into bed because I was so weak. I was not physically weak, I was frightened—I am a coward! She asked, “Are you sick?” “No,” I said, “I am scared to death!” She was a Christian nurse, and she smiled at that. I asked her to leave me alone for a while, and I turned my face to the wall, just as Hezekiah had done, and I cried out to God. I told Him that I did not want to die.
When we are sick, I believe we should go to God in prayer and ask others to pray for us. I believe in faith healing (but not in faith healers); I know God can heal. Well, an acquaintance wrote me a letter in which she said, “I am not going to pray that you get well because I know that you are ready to go and be with the Lord. I am praying that He will take you home.” I got an answer back to her in a hurry. I wrote, “Now look here. You let the Lord handle this. Don’t try and tell Him how I feel. I don’t want to die. I want to live. I want to live as long as I can!”
Now Hezekiah was in that same position. Only God could help him. When he turned his face to the wall, he reminded the Lord that he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart and he had done that which was good in His sight.
They put a poultice of figs on his “boil”—it could have been cancer. Whatever it was, God healed him and gave him fifteen more years.
But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah [2 Chron. 32:25–26].
The kingdom of Judah had become very poor during the reign of Ahaz, but now it has again become wealthy.
And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels [2 Chron. 32:27].
When the ambassadors from Babylon had come, he very foolishly showed them the entire wealth of his kingdom (see 2 Kings 20:12–19). Now, here is God’s comment on this episode:
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart [2 Chron. 32:31].
This may seem like an awful thing for me to say, but Hezekiah should have died when the time came for him to die. Three things took place after God extended his life that were foolish acts: he showed his treasures to Babylon, which will cause great trouble in the future; he begat a son, Manasseh, who was the most wicked of any king; he revealed an arrogance, almost an impudence in his later years. His heart became filled with pride. Second Chronicles 32:25 tells us, “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.” You see, it might have been better if Hezekiah had died at God’s appointed time.
That is why I want to be very careful. The Lord has spared me and I do not want to do anything to disgrace Him. My friend, this is a wonderful chapter. We have a wonderful heavenly Father.
DEATH OF HEZEKIAH
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead [2 Chron. 32:32–33].
Now I would like to talk a few moments on the subject of revival. I think it is very important for us to note that God is sovereign in this matter of revival. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” says our Lord in John 3:8. Only God can send a revival. God is sovereign in this through the working of the Holy Spirit.
God is not a Western Union boy or a bellboy. You can’t just push a button and have Him come at your command. I hear some folks in their prayers command the Lord to do something. We cannot give commands to God, my friend. Remember the experience of Elijah on Mount Carmel. The prophets of Baal had screamed themselves hoarse and had yelled like fanatics, but they were not able to bring down fire upon the sacrifice. Then Elijah laid the stones in order and he put wood on there and put the sacrifice on it and poured water over it. Then he prayed to God. He was a man of like passions as we are. In effect he said to the Lord: “All we can do is just get the stones together and put a little order into them. We can put the wood here and the sacrifice on it, but You will need to send the fire.” Elijah knew the fire must come from God. God responded at that time.
As I write this, there is a spiritual movement in our land. At first I thought it was confined to young people, but I find it also includes young married couples. Young couples are seeing their children growing away from them. They are coming to realize that they must have answers to some of the problems. One young father said to me, “I thought I could always solve my problems, but I need God.” Today there is a turning to the Word of God, and I rejoice in it. I see it everywhere.
Very candidly, I never saw that in my ministry in the church. This movement is largely outside the church. I’ve seen it in meetings that we have had all over this country. Young people, and older ones too, are coming to the conferences. There seems to be a real interest in the Word of God.
There are pastors and some religious leaders who are trying to capitalize on this; so they feed these young people a bunch of garbage. They give them “hard rock” music in place of Bible study. They give them everything but the Word of God. You remember our Lord asked, “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? …” (Luke 11:11). And certainly don’t give him “hard rock!” Give him the Word of God.
I find them listening to my Bible teaching program, and I have told them, “I’m old fashioned. I teach the Bible just as it is. Why do you listen to me?” One of them said, “Well, we listen to you because you tell it like it is.” That’s the only way I know how to tell it, and I’ve been telling it that way for years, but nobody listened. Now they are beginning to listen. Are we on the verge of a spiritual awakening? I am praying that the Lord will send it. I want to be very frank with you; if it comes, He will be the One who will send it. I’m just getting my raincoat out in case the showers of blessing come. I have never seen revival in my day, and I would really like to see one. Wouldn’t you?
Let me present a challenge to you. Why don’t you make an inventory of your own personal life? If you want God to move in on your life, ask yourself these questions:
1. Am I honest?
2. Am I truthful?
3. Am I faithful? Can I be depended upon?
4. Am I pure? Am I really pure in this dirty day of filthy pictures and filthy language?
5. Am I dedicated? Am I really a dedicated child of God? Dwight L. Moody heard a man say that the world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully yielded to Him. Moody’s response was, “By the grace of God, I will be that man.” I think Moody was that man and yet, Moody, on his deathbed said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully yielded to Him.” Oh, my friend, let’s get into the position where God can move through us to give the Water of Life to a thirsty world.
CHAPTER 33
Theme: Manasseh’s evil reign
As we have seen, Hezekiah had been sick unto death, but he had prayed to God and Isaiah had prayed with him. He had some sort of boil which may well have been a cancer. God healed him and extended his life for fifteen years. That was a gracious dispensation on the part of God in answer to prayer. But when one looks at this in the full light of the history that followed, one wonders if it was the best thing that could have taken place.
First of all, it was during that fifteen-year period after his life had been spared that Hezekiah displayed the wealth of his kingdom to the ambassadors from Babylon. This opened the door for Nebuchadnezzar to come years later and take the city. He knew exactly where the gold was, and he took it by force. That was the Fort Knox of Israel. No one is attacking Fort Knox today. They tell me that the security there is unbelievable, but the gold is leaking out. The nations of the world aren’t able to get it by attack; so they are getting it in another way. Well, that gold in Israel tempted Babylon to come and take it. It had been a very foolish thing for Hezekiah to show that gold to them.
Secondly, you will notice here that Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign. This means that this boy was born during the fifteen-year period after God had extended the life of Hezekiah. Manasseh was the most wicked king of all. During his reign there was such godlessness that God had to intervene.
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel [2 Chron. 33:1–2].
It’s a strange thing, isn’t it? Hezekiah was the best king and led the nation in a revival. His son comes to the throne and is the worst king. How can you explain that? I’ll let you in on a secret: I cannot explain it.
Around me today things are happening like that which I cannot explain. Periodically I hear of a very fine Christian home with wonderful Christian parents in which a son or a daughter rebels against everything. When one looks at young vagrants across the entire land, one can conclude that they were neglected at home. They saw godless, materialistic parents who were fighting all the time, or they came from broken homes, homes that were centered merely on self and selfishness. I can understand why they rebelled against all that and just walked out. But why is it that a son or daughter will simply walk out of a lovely, Christian home and join the rebellious crowd? I really cannot explain it. I can give two possible reasons, and both of them are feeble.
The first reason is that young people are influenced by the other young people around them. All young people go through a period when they feel that their parents are stupid. I can remember after I had gone away to college I was almost ashamed to come home and to carry on a conversation with those at home. They just didn’t know enough, you see. That is a period that youth go through.
I have heard other young people tell me the same thing. One young pastor told me how ashamed he was of his dad when he went off to college. But after he had been out in the big bad world and had faced some problems, he returned home for a visit. He realized that although his dad had been somewhat stupid, he had managed to make a good living and had provided a marvelous home for his family. He said that the thing which amazed him was how much his dad had learned in those few years he had been away from home! I think all young people go through such a period, and I can understand that young people are influenced by other young folk who have left home in rebellion. That is one explanation.
Also I have noted that young folk who rebel against a Christian home, especially if they have made a profession of faith, will return to the Lord in time. The king we are looking at here, Manasseh, is an illustration of this.
The reign of Manasseh was evil beyond imagination. It is my conviction that the Shekinah glory, which was the visible presence of God, left the temple. The prophet Ezekiel saw the vision of the Shekinah glory lifted up and removed from the Holy of Holies because of the sins of the people and their rebellion. It moved out to the walls of Jerusalem and waited there. The people did not turn back to God. Then the Shekinah glory withdrew to the Mount of Olives and lingered there. Still there was no movement of the people back to God. So the Shekinah glory was caught back up into heaven. Ichabod, which means “the glory has departed,” was written over the threshold of the temple. Their house was indeed left unto them desolate.
I know that most expositors feel that the Shekinah glory left the temple during the captivity. I don’t feel that is accurate. If the Shekinah glory did not leave during the reign of Manasseh, I cannot see any other period in Israel’s history that would cause the glory, the presence of God, to leave. I believe this was the time.
Notice how long this man reigned. He reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. This man reigned much longer than others, longer than David, longer than Solomon, longer than his father. Why? Because God is merciful. God is longsuffering. He is not willing that any should perish. After all, God has plenty of time on His hands. He has eternity in back of Him and eternity in front of Him. He is in no hurry, friends. Don’t think you are going to push God, or rush Him, or move Him. I hear people say to someone to pray. They say, “If you go right to God, He’ll begin to move.” Friends, He may and then again, He may not. He will take His time. God is in no hurry. He will give Manasseh ample opportunity to turn to Him.
We are getting God’s viewpoint in Chronicles. In 2 Kings 21 we are told of the evils of Manasseh’s reign, and here in Chronicles God repeats that he “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.”
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them [2 Chron. 33:3].
He went into idolatry in a big way. He was as bad as Ahab and Jezebel, and he worshiped Baal as they had done.
Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord [2 Chron. 33:4–5].
He introduced right into the temple in Jerusalem the worship of the hosts of heaven: like the worship of Jupiter, the worship of Mercury, the worship of Venus, and the worship of all the stars. In other words, he established the horoscope there. You could have had your horoscope read in the temple in that day.
I’m sorry to say that some churches actually promote this same sort of thing. It is big business today. You can go to any dime store or magazine rack and buy a horoscope. Some folk say it is just innocent fun, but it is not that for a lot of people. They put more confidence in the horoscope than they put in God.
I recall an interview on television some time ago in which an outstanding entertainer made the statement that she had been looking at her horoscope and that she was a Virgo. The girl had been married five or six times and apparently had other affairs, and I would not think she was a Virgo by any manner of calculation! And she felt that when such-and-such a star crossed such-and-such a star, that would be a very important time for her. It is amazing that in our day intelligent people can place so much confidence in the stars.
Manasseh was very much interested in the horoscope. “And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.” And he didn’t stop with that.
And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger [2 Chron. 33:6].
He went all the way into idolatry. We are not told how far he went in causing “his children to pass through the fire.” There were degrees. He could have let them pass through the fire and only get well singed. Or he could put the baby right down in the arms of that red-hot idol. You just cannot think of anything as bad as that! This is idolatry, and Manasseh seems to have gone into it all the way.
Also Manasseh used enchantments and witchcraft and dealt with familiar spirits (lit., a divining demon present in the physical body of the conjurer). In our day along with the movement back to God we are seeing a return to satanic worship.
And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses [2 Chron. 33:7–8].
God had promised that if these people would worship Him and be faithful to Him, He would bless them. Notice what Manasseh is doing to Judah.
So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.
And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken [2 Chron. 33:9–10].
MANASSEH IS CAPTURED AND THEN RESTORED
You can be sure that when a man or a nation reaches this place, God will move.
Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon [2 Chron. 33:11].
He was actually taken from his throne and carried captive to Babylon.
And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God [2 Chron. 33:12–13].
This man had a remarkable experience. I would have given him up, I’m sure, but God did not give him up. God sent trouble—and plenty of it—to him. He was carried away as a captive to Babylon. This should have been a warning to the nation that God was now getting ready to send them into captivity because of their continual sin. When Manasseh found himself in real trouble, he sincerely came back to God. God forgave him and restored him! Yet he was very much of a weakling, as such men generally are.
When he returned to Jerusalem, he took away the strange gods and the idols out of the house of the Lord, and he repaired the altar of the Lord and sacrificed there.
Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only [2 Chron. 33:17].
In other words, the people never did truly come back to God but still sacrificed in the high places.
Apparently Manasseh reigned all this time. When he was a helpless captive in Babylon, God heard his prayer. This reveals how gracious God is! Here was a son of godly parents who went into sin to the very limit and then came back to God. That should be an encouragement to parents who are reading this today. Maybe you have a son or a daughter who has gone the very limit, and you despair that your child will ever turn back to God. I would have given Manasseh up, but God didn’t. God heard his prayer.
REIGN OF AMON
Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem [2 Chron. 33:21].
The evil which Manasseh had done had its effect on this young man, his son. I can understand why his son went off into evil as he did.
Friends of mine, folk of means, really lived it up until middle age. They were converted after their children were nearly grown. Then after they were converted, they had other children who are wonderful godly children. But the older children have gone the limit into sin.
But he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
And humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more [2 Chron. 33:22–23].
Amon followed in the footsteps of his father in his early days.
CHAPTERS 34–35
Theme: Revival during Josiah’s reign
We come now to the last great revival under Josiah. The hour is late. It is five minutes before 12:00 in the history of this nation, and yet God sends revival. This is the last revival to take place before the captivity. Judah has come to the end of the line, and it is amazing that a revival takes place. It follows after the reigns of Manasseh and Amon, two men who really plunged that nation into idolatry and sin. One would think there was no hope at all, but there is always hope. The Holy Spirit is still sovereign in this matter of revival.
I do not know whether we will have a revival in our day or not. Humanly speaking, the nation of Judah could not have revival, but the Spirit of God is sovereign, and God can move in. He can move in today. There is nothing in the Word of God that would preclude that possibility.
One man said to me, “The trouble with you men who believe in prophecy and emphasize the terrible days that are ahead is that you have no place for revival.” I disagree with that. My feeling is that he doesn’t have any place for revival. The reason I say that is because he and his group are trying to work it up themselves. My friend, you cannot work it up or pray it down. The Spirit of God is sovereign.
Our prayer today should be, “Lord, put me in the will of God.” Our prime concern is to make sure that our own lives are right before God. We are not going to get God to do something when our lives are not right in His sight. We need to straighten out our own lives before God. We need to ask ourselves these questions: Am I honest? Am I truthful? Am I pure? There is no use talking about revival as long as we are not getting right in our hearts before God. When we are right with God, then we can look to the Spirit of God to move in a sovereign way, and then we can ask Him to move according to His will.
Now we will look here at Josiah and see that God marvelously used him.
REFORMATION UNDER JOSIAH
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left [2 Chron. 34:1–2].
You hear people today asking what is right and what is wrong. And you hear some strange answers given. Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. It is what God says is right that is right and what God says is wrong that is wrong.
Remember that it was God who divided the light from the darkness. You and I cannot do that! We can go into a room and turn on the light switch, and the darkness disappears. We cannot divide it; we can’t run a line down the middle and say, “On this side I will put light and on this side I will put darkness.” God can do that, and God can say what is right and what is wrong.
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images [2 Chron. 34:3].
In the eighth year of his reign Josiah was sixteen years old, and he began to seek God. The spiritual movement today, and the turning to the Word of God, is largely among young people. Although it is not confined to them, they certainly are the majority. I meet these young folks in my conference travels and all around the world. They are interested in the Word of God. Josiah was only sixteen when he began to seek after God. He was twenty when he began his reforms in Judah. You see, revival will lead to reformation.
As I mentioned before, when your sins are forgiven, you will pick up your bed and walk. You will walk away from your sins if you are truly converted. If revival comes in our day, we will not have a divorce problem or a sex revolution. We will see a tremendous change take place. God can accomplish this, and He may do it. This section of the Word of God can be a great encouragement to us.
Josiah was a fearless reformer. After he had cleaned up his southern kingdom of Judah, he went into the tribes of Israel in the north.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God [2 Chron. 34:8].
When Josiah was twenty-six years old, he began the repair of the temple. It had fallen into disrepair under the reign of Manasseh, his grandfather, and Amon, his father.
And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem [2 Chron. 34:9].
“Manasseh and Ephraim” are, of course, tribes of Israel. At this time the northern kingdom had been taken into Assyrian captivity; only a remnant was left in the land. These tribes, which we hear called “lost tribes,” certainly were not lost in this day, as they were sending in money for the repair of the temple.
Now the temple was repaired, and they made an amazing discovery.
THE LAW OF MOSES IS FOUND
And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses [2 Chron. 34:14].
You see, there weren’t many copies in that day. There may have been a few others, but the Word of God had been lost.
And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it [2 Chron. 34:15–16].
You may be saying, “I can see that this is going to be right down your alley!” It sure is, although it is not my alley, but God’s alley—His Word is very important to Him. Notice what happens.
Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes [2 Chron. 34:18–19].
Renting (or tearing) his clothes indicated strong emotion. He was dismayed when he heard the Word of God for the first time, because he and his people had strayed so far from God’s commands.
And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying,
Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book [2 Chron. 34:20–21].
A return to the Word of God brings revival. Nothing else will bring revival. What is wrong in our day? Why don’t we see revival? The reason is simple. The church has neglected the Word of God. Churches have tried every known gimmick and every kind of method. Nothing happens. Revival does not come that way. Revival comes when people return to the Word of God and find out what God has to say.
Josiah is a shaken man, and he wants to know what God is going to do.
And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.
And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me [2 Chron. 34:22–23].
Now this is God’s message to Josiah:
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched [2 Chron. 34:24–25].
God will send judgment just as He promised. However, He has a personal word for Josiah.
And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;
Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord.
Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again [2 Chron. 34:26–28].
God intends to judge these people, but He will not do it until Josiah is gone.
Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.
And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book [2 Chron. 34:29–31].
My friend, let’s be very candid and very matter-of-fact and very direct. I believe we could have a revival today, but first there must be a return to the Word of God to find out what God wants us to do. Then I believe there will be and there must be a total commitment to God on the part of God’s people. There can be none of this halfhearted service which we see. There can be none of this business of trying to go with the world and trying to go with God. It is impossible to do both. There must be a clear-cut dedication of heart and life to God. When that takes place, the Spirit of God is free to move.
In chapter 35 we have a record of the Passover that was kept. This was a new experience for his generation, and it is interesting to note that Josiah carefully followed the procedure which is written in the Book of Moses.
So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept [2 Chron. 35:16–19].
The Passover is symbolic of the death of Christ. The nation has returned to the knowledge that there must be a redemption made for sins. You see, they had learned about the Passover because they had discovered the book of the law of Moses. This was a tremendous occasion. God says, “There was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet.”
Josiah was the man responsible for this great return to the Word of God. Now we come to the death of this man. Even godly men like this make mistakes—all human beings do.
DEATH OF JOSIAH
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house where—with I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not [2 Chron. 35:20–21].
Josiah should have stayed at home. He had no business engaging in this war.
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo [2 Chron. 35:22].
He refused to stay out of the fight. Now notice what happens.
And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.
His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations [2 Chron. 35:23–25].
Josiah had been a good king and a great king. He had led a tremendous revival, a great turning to God. But his death ended the revival. Now God’s judgment will fall upon the southern kingdom of Judah.
CHAPTER 36
Theme: The captivity of Judah
The days were numbered for the southern kingdom of Judah. Josiah was the last good king of the nation. All the kings who followed him were bad. There was not a good one in the lot. Their evil reigns hastened the judgment of God upon the kingdom of Judah. We are given only a brief word about their attitude toward God and a statement of the main events that brought about the ruin of the nation.
REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ
Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem.
Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold [2 Chron. 36:1–3].
This son of Josiah was deposed by the king of Egypt. He was a rascal and was on the throne only three months. Things are beginning to move quickly now.
REIGN OF JEHOIAKIM
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God.
Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon [2 Chron. 36:5–7].
During his reign the king of Babylon comes against the land.
REIGN OF JEHOIACHIN
Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord [2 Chron. 36:9].
He didn’t last very long—he hardly got the throne warm.
REIGN OF ZEDEKIAH
Zedekiah is Judah’s last king.
Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.
And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.
Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem [2 Chron. 36:11–14].
CAPTIVITY
Nebuchadnezzar now does more than knock at the door. He pushes over the wall and burns Jerusalem and takes Judah into captivity.
Here is God’s explanation:
And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.
And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.
And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia [2 Chron. 36:15–20].
Now the next verse cites another reason for God’s judgment. This is most interesting.
To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years [2 Chron. 36:21].
You see, God accomplished a twofold purpose. God always has many things in mind in everything that He does. First of all, they had rejected the prophets. They were living on borrowed time; God would have been justified to have sent them into captivity one hundred years before this time.
It makes me wonder if our nation is not living on borrowed time. How much longer will God put up with our sins? For the nation of Judah, their time had come. There was no more remedy. There is a time when a nation reaches this point. I wonder how close our nation is to this time.
Secondly, for 490 years Israel had not observed the sabbatic years. They had been breaking God’s law of the land, which He had given them even before they set foot upon it: “And the Lord spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land” (Lev. 25:1–5). Because of their greed, they had not allowed the land to enjoy its sabbaths. In other words, they had not allowed it to remain fallow every seventh year as God had commanded. They thought they had gotten by with it. For 490 years they had been doing it, then God said, “I’ll put you out of the land for seventy years so the land can enjoy its sabbaths.” That is the reason the captivity lasted for seventy years. This is quite remarkable.
You see, my friend, God is not mocked. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
Notice that the seventy years in exile are passed over entirely. The people are out of the land and out of the will of God. God’s clock is not spelled B-U-L-O-V-A or G-R-U-E-N; God’s clock is spelled I-S-R-A-E-L, and it runs only while Israel is in the land.
We have seen in this book that although there was a general decline of the nation, there were five periods of revival, renewal, and reformation. There is a striking feature which characterizes each period:
Asa
Return and obedience to the Word of God
Jehoshaphat
Return and obedience to the Word of God
Joash
Return and obedience to the Word of God
Hezekiah
Return and obedience to the Word of God
Josiah
Return and obedience to the Word of God
In each instance, return to the Word of God led to the repentance of the people and the temporary reformation of the na
DECREE TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE
Second Chronicles concludes with a bright hope for the future.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up [2 Chron. 36:22–23].
This is repeated in the introduction to the Book of Ezra which continues the historical record from this point. It is wonderful to see that although God had sent His people into captivity, He had not forgotten them. How gracious He is!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Crockett, William Day. A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1951.
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Davis, John J. and Whitcomb, John C., Jr. A History of Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1970. (Excellent.)
Epp, Theodore H. David. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1965.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1912–22.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Heading, John. I & II Chronicles. Kansas City, Missouri: Walterick Publishers, 1982.
Jensen, Irving L. I Kings with Chronicles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968. (A self-study guide.)
Jensen, Irving L. II Kings with Chronicles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968. (A self-study guide.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Earlier Historical Books of the Old Testament. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1874.
Knapp, Christopher, The Kings of Israel and Judah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux, 1908. (Very fine.)
Mackintosh, C. H. Miscellaneous Writings. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Meyer, F. B. David: Shepherd, Psalmist, King. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Sailhamer, John. I & II Chronicles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1983.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
Wood, Leon J. Israel’s United Monarchy. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979. (Excellent.)
Wood, Leon J. The Prophets of Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977. (Excellent.)
The Book of
Ezra
INTRODUCTION
Ezra is the writer of this book. He is one of the characters who has not received proper recognition. He was a descendant of Hilkiah, the high priest (Ezra 7:1), who found a copy of the Law during the reign of Josiah (2 Chron. 34:14).
Ezra, as a priest, was unable to serve during the Captivity. There was no temple. It had been destroyed. He did, however, give his time to a study of the Word of God. Ezra 7:6 tells us that he was “a ready scribe in the law of Moses.”
Ezra was also a great revivalist and reformer. The revival began with the reading of the Word of God by Ezra. We will see that in Nehemiah 8. Also, Ezra was probably the writer of 1 and 2 Chronicles and Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible).
Ezra organized the synagogue. He was the founder of the order of scribes. He helped settle the canon of Scripture and arranged the Psalms. Let us pay tribute to Ezra who was the first to begin a revival of Bible study. Is this not God’s program for revival?
We have had no real revival in our day. Dwight L. Moody made this statement (and he saw a revival), “The next revival will be a revival of Bible study.” Those who have tried to whip up revivals by organization, by methods, and by gimmicks have failed. Revival will come only as people come back to the Word of God.
The theme of the Book of Ezra is The Word of the Lord. There are ten direct references to God’s Word in this little book: Ezra 1:1; 3:2; 6:14, 18; 7:6, 10, 14; 9:4; 10:3, 5. The place of the Word of God is seen in the total lives of these people: religious, social, business, and political.
The key to this book is found in Ezra 9:4 and 10:3: they “trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”
Dr. James M. Gray made this statement concerning the Book of Ezra: “We already have seen that the Babylonian captivity did not bring the Jews to national repentance and so lead to national restoration. As the reading of Ezra will disclose, when Cyrus, king of Persia, gave permission to the captives to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, scarcely fifty thousand Jews availed themselves of the privilege, a considerable portion of whom were priests and Levites of the humbler and poorer class.”
The Book of Ezra is the last of the historical books, but they do not follow ad seriatum (one right after the other).
When we conclude 2 Chronicles, we see that the southern kingdom of Judah went into captivity for seventy years. We do not hear a word from them after they were captured until Ezra picks up their history. There are three historical books that are called “post-captivity” books: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Also there are three prophetical “postcaptivity” books: Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Now Ezra and Nehemiah belong together. Ezra was a priest and Nehemiah was a layman. They worked together in such a way that God’s will was accomplished in Jerusalem. Together they were instrumental in seeing that the walls, the city of Jerusalem, and the temple were rebuilt.
Haggai and Zechariah also worked together. They encouraged the people to build the temple. Haggai was a practical man, as we shall see when we get to his book. The reconstruction and refurbishing of the temple were his supreme passion. He was as simple and factual as 2+2=4. He was neither romantic nor poetic, but he sure was practical. Zechariah, on the other hand, was a dreamer. Haggai had his feet on the ground and Zechariah had his head in the clouds. For example, Zechariah saw a woman going through the air in a bushel basket. My friend, that is poetical! Haggai would never have seen that. But the interesting thing is that Zechariah would never have concerned himself about the measurements of the temple and that you must have doors in it and a foundation under it. Haggai and Zechariah went together just like Ezra and Nehemiah. The practical man and the poet must walk together; God arranged it that way.
The Books of Haggai and Zechariah should be read and studied with the Book of Ezra, for all three books were written in the shadow of the rebuilt temple, and were given to encourage the people in building. “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them” (Ezra 5:1).
In the Book of Ezra there are two major divisions. There is the return of the captives from Babylon led by Zerubbabel in the first six chapters. About fifty thousand returned. Then there is the return led by Ezra in Chapters 7–10, and about two thousand people followed Ezra.
OUTLINE
I. Return from Babylon Led by Zerubbabel, Chapters 1–6 (About 50,000 returned)
A. Restoration of Temple by Decree of Cyrus, Chapter 1
B. Return under Zerubbabel, Chapter 2
C. Rebuilding of Temple, Chapter 3
D. Retardation of Rebuilding by Opposition, Chapter 4 (Decree of Artaxerxes)
E. Renewal of Rebuilding of Temple, Chapters 5–6 (Decree of Darius)
II. Return from Babylon Led by Ezra, Chapters 7–10 (About 2,000 returned)
A. Return under Ezra, Chapters 7–8
B. Reformation under Ezra, Chapters 9–10
CHAPTERS 1–2
Theme: Decree and return of a remnant to Jerusalem
DECREE OF CYPRUS FOR THE TEMPLE RESTORATION
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying [Ezra 1:1].
Notice that right away Ezra puts an emphasis upon the Word of God.
Also, Cyrus, king of Persia, is mentioned. He was one of the most enlightened rulers of the ancient world. He was a subject of predictive prophecy. He was named before he was born—almost two hundred years before his coming as king of Persia. Isaiah 44:28 says, “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” Isaiah 45:1 continues, “Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut.”
Cyrus is a type of Christ. Daniel was a prime minister in the court of Cyrus and evidently led him to a knowledge of the living and true God. Cyrus knew what he was doing when he made a decree proclaiming that the nation of Israel could return to their land. We are told that the will of the Lord was fulfilled in that act. Here is prophecy that was indeed fulfilled.
It was during the reign of Cyrus that Daniel gave some of his greatest prophecies, including the seventy weeks prophecy concerning Israel.
At least one-fourth of the Bible, when it was initially given, was prophetic. A large portion of it has already been fulfilled. Ezra 1:1 is one of those portions of Scripture that has been fulfilled. Over three hundred prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ have been literally fulfilled. There are those who say there are also over three hundred prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ, although I have never checked that out.
The birth of Christ was predicted in the Old Testament, and four things were said in connection with it:
1. He was to be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2).
2. He was to be called a Nazarene (Jud. 13:5).
3. He was to be called out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1).
4. There would be weeping in Ramah, a little town near Jerusalem (Jer. 31:15). Matthew fits all of these pieces together and gives us the Christmas story. Fulfilled prophecy is what Matthew 2 is all about.
Ezra 1:1 is also fulfilled prophecy. The seventy years of captivity were over, the decree was given, and the children of Israel could return to their land. Very few returned, however.
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah [Ezra 1:2].
The decree of Cyrus is very important. In the first place, Cyrus said that he had been given all the kingdoms of the earth. I can hear someone asking, “What about the United States of America?” May I say that the United States was not a very interesting place in that day. It was not a kingdom. Cyrus was talking about the kingdoms that existed during his day. Cyrus was the kingpin; “The Lord God of heaven hath given me”—he was the man at the top.
He realized that God had given him his position. I wonder today how many of the rulers of this world, in this so-called civilized age, recognize that they are ministers of God? They have been put into office by God whether they know it or not!
Now I want you to notice the expression, “The Lord God of heaven.” It is a designation of God which is peculiar to Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. You see, after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Jerusalem God could no longer be identified with the temple as the One who dwelt between the cherubim. The glory had departed; “Ichabod” was written over the escutcheon of Israel. Ezekiel had the vision of the departure of the Shekinah glory. For this reason in the postcaptivity books He is “the Lord God of heaven.”
Ezekiel saw the vision of God’s glory departing from the temple at Jerusalem. It lifted from the temple and paused to see if the people of God would return to Him and turn away from their idolatry. They did not. It went over the city and the city walls and paused again. But the people did not turn to God. Then the Shekinah glory lifted to the top of the Mount of Olives and waited again. But there was no turning to God. So the glory was caught up to heaven and was not seen again.
One day there walked into the temple One who made a whip of cords, and He cleansed that temple (John 2). Although the Shekinah glory was not visible—He was veiled in human flesh—He was God. He had laid aside His glory when He came to earth, but He was very God of very God and He was very man of very man. Because His glory was veiled, He was rejected and crucified. Although man crucified Him, He is a king. In the Gospel of Matthew He was born a king, He lived like a king, He performed miracles as a king, He taught as a king, He was arrested as a king, tried as a king, and He died as a king. He was buried as a king. He arose as a king and went back to heaven as a king. He is coming again someday as a king. He is “… the King of kings and Lord of lords …” (1 Tim. 6:15). Today He is the Lord God of heaven. Don’t go to Bethlehem to look for Him. He is in heaven. He is at God’s right hand.
When the Shekinah glory was removed from the earth, God gave His people into the hands of the Gentiles and sent them into Babylonian captivity. He dissolved the theocracy of Israel and became the God of heaven. He is still that to His ancient people, and He will remain that until He returns to Jerusalem to establish His throne again as the Lord of the whole earth. Jerusalem will then be the city of the great King.
Now going back to the second verse of the Book of Ezra, notice that Cyrus very definitely said, “He hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem.” The word charged means that God had “commanded” him to do this. This is remarkable when we remember that Cyrus was a Gentile world ruler at this time! Apparently Cyrus, through the ministry of Daniel the prophet, came to a knowledge of the living and true God.
Cyrus now gives permission for the Jews who had been in Babylonian captivity to return to Jerusalem.
Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem [Ezra 1:3].
You’ll notice that God has commanded Cyrus to do this, but Cyrus did not command the people to go to Jerusalem; he granted them permission to go up.
And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem [Ezra 1:4].
Permission was granted to the people to return. Those who did not choose to return were to make an offering of gold and silver and other things of value that would assist those returning to execute this command to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem.
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered [Ezra 1:5–6].
As I have indicated before, there was actually a very small percentage of the people who went up. I don’t want to sit in judgment on them because they may have had a very good excuse for not going up. But, apparently, it was God’s will for them to go up and some did not choose to go. They had settled down in Babylon. I am of the opinion many of them were settled and enjoying the comfort and affluent society of Babylon. Many of them had become prosperous, and so they chose not to go up. They at least felt that it was not God’s will or the time for them to go up. It’s not, therefore, for me to say that these people are out of the will of God. I do know that later on, when we get to the Book of Esther, we’ll see the story of those who remained in the land; and it’s not a very pretty story. At that time they were definitely out of the will of God. One thing that can be said in their favor is that there was, apparently, no spirit of enmity or of judgment between the two groups—those who returned and those who did not. Those who remained helped their brethren who went up. They provided the things that they needed.
This has an application and is quite interesting to me. I do not feel that everyone is called today to go as a foreign missionary. I’m confident I was never called to leave my land and to go to foreign people. And I can be very frank and tell you why God didn’t call me to go. I said to a friend of mine, when we were visiting a mission field down in Mexico, and I said it again in South America when I was down there, “I can very easily see why God did not call me. I do not mean to be crude, but I do not have the intestinal fortitude to have stayed down here!” I don’t think I could have endured the slow pace. I like to see action, and you don’t see that on the mission field—things move slowly. God has some wonderful people on the mission field! However, because God didn’t call me doesn’t mean we’re not to support those He did call. We should support those who are doing a good job and back them up with our prayers and our encouragement. This goes for those who are out on the front lines in this country giving out the Word of God. In warfare it is estimated that for every soldier out on the fighting front there have to be ten people behind him getting supplies to him—food, clothing, medical care, and ammunition. This is true in God’s army today.
Now in Ezra’s day the people who did not return felt a responsibility to become partners with their brethren who went back to Jerusalem. The group that returned was of the poorer class. There were “the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites.” They were humble folk. The psalmist says, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Ps. 25:9). These are the ones who had the understanding of the times, and so they returned to their land.
Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods [Ezra 1:7].
How did Cyrus get “the vessels of the house of the Lord”? Well they were being used—desecrated—at Belshazzar’s drunken feast the night that Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians. Daniel records this: “Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone” (Dan. 5:2–4). That very night the city of Babylon was captured. The Persian kings had put away these vessels, and when Cyrus became king, they were there—God saw to this. Now these holy vessels (“holy” in the sense that they were for the use of God) are put back in the hands of the priests and Levites who are returning to Jerusalem.
Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah [Ezra 1:8].
As they were officially delivered to the Jews, we are given some details concerning them.
And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem [Ezra 1:9–11].
They represent tremendous wealth. These are sent back to Jerusalem.
RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL
Chapter 2 gives a list of those who returned to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel.
Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel [Ezra 2:1–2].
To attempt to read this list would be a real exercise in pronunciation. Hebrew names were difficult enough to pronounce before the Captivity. Then after the Captivity they really became difficult because there was the inclusion of that which was of the Persian and Babylonian languages.
Notice that in verse 2 a man named Nehemiah is mentioned. This is not the Nehemiah that wrote the book of the Bible bearing that name. Nehemiah, the writer, did not return to the land with the first group. Also a man named Mordecai is mentioned. He is not the same man who is mentioned in the Book of Esther.
As we read down the list, we see some very interesting names. For instance the “men of Anathoth.”
The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight [Ezra 2:23].
That is quite a group from that little town who went back. I have seen this little town, and it is a place of interest because it is the town where Jeremiah purchased a field. You will remember that in Jeremiah’s day the children of Israel were on the verge of being carried away into captivity. I would not call his purchase of some land at that time a good investment in real estate, would you? When Jeremiah bought this land, it did not look as though Israel had a future. But God had him buy the land as a sign that Judah would be restored. Jeremiah’s act was one of faith. God promised that His people would return to the land, and they did. These men of Anathoth had a sealed, lawful claim to the land because Jeremiah had purchased it and given it to them. They were going back to claim their possession. You can read the story in Jeremiah 32.
There are many very beautiful spiritual lessons for us in this section. We can be partners in this enterprise—some rebuild the temple, some give out the Word of God, some go as missionaries, some support those who go. And something that is quite wonderful is that someday we are to be rewarded. Every man’s work will be inspected with a reward in mind. We all will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Every believer will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Added to that, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:13–15). When I was in Corinth, I had pictures taken of me standing on the bema. Nobody judged me then; neither did I receive a reward. But one of these days I am going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I don’t want Him to blame me. I don’t want Him to say that everything I did was wood, hay, and stubble. I don’t want my labors to go up in smoke. I want there to be a little gold among my works.
The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight [Ezra 2:41].
There were 128 singers who went back to the land. The spirit of praise and rejoicing was in their hearts and lives. They had a lot to sing about. Interestingly enough, more singers returned to the land than did Levites (Ezra 2:40).
And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood [Ezra 2:61–62].
Three families of the priests could not prove their relationship to the nation through genealogical records. Because they could not declare their pedigree, they were officially excluded. However, they were permitted to go with the Jews on their trip to the land.
Today the child of God ought to know that he is a son of God. The apostle Paul could say, “I know whom I have believed.” We should have a “know-so” salvation, my friend—not a “think-so” or “hope-so.” “… for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women [Ezra 2:64–65].
This passage of Scripture gives us the total number of people who returned to the land at thistime under Zerubbabel:
CHAPTERS 3–4
Theme: Temple rebuilding begun and halted
This first group that returned to Jerusalem after the Captivity numbered only about fifty thousand. In the next delegation, led by Ezra, only about two thousand returned. There were others who came, which may have swelled the population to about sixty thousand—yet there were several million Israelites at this time. You can see that the great majority remained in the land of Babylon and in the other areas rather than return to the Promised Land.
And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem [Ezra 3:1].
Obviously there is a time lapse between chapters 2 and 3 of Ezra. Ezra 2 concluded with the children of Israel returning to the land. They took an abundance of wealth with them to rebuild the temple and restore the land. During the lapse of time they built homes, because we find later that Haggai rebuked them for building their homes and neglecting the temple. The elapsed time could have been several weeks, several months, or as much as two years.
Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God [Ezra 3:2].
The thing that most interests me is that they searched the Scriptures and they found what was written in the Law of Moses. When they found what was written, there was no controversy or difference of opinion. They not only returned to the land, they also returned to the Law of Moses. The Bible was their authority; therefore neither the ideas nor the opinions of individuals entered into their decision. Things were not done for the sake of expediency.
There is an application here for us. What men say and think is not important. The Scriptures are all-sufficient and contain all of the instruction that is needed for the guidance of those who would be faithful to God in any particular period of church history.
This is the reason I do not give talks on methods, or psychology, or sex. I preach and teach the Word of God. We need to look at the total Word of God, not just one or two familiar well-worn passages. I thank God for those familiar passages, but I think some of them have been worn out at the expense of other sections of the Word of God. When we look at the total Word of God, we won’t need a book on how to be happy though married and books like that which are going around. The Word of God has the answers. Why not go back to the source?
And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening [Ezra 3:3].
The altar erected was the altar of burnt offering. This altar, as we have already seen, speaks of the cross of Christ. The burnt sacrifice that was offered speaks of the person of Christ and His sacrifice for us. Christ offered Himself without spot to God. He died in the sinner’s stead. What they were doing when they offered this sacrifice was meeting about the person of Christ and His atoning death. That is the place of meeting today for believers.
Every believer should understand that those who have trusted Christ as Savior and have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of believers (the church) are brothers. My brother is one with whom I can have fellowship. Fellowship is not a question of the color of a person’s skin, or of his social status, or of his wealth. Fellowship has nothing to do with the fact that a person is a Baptist, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, a Nazarene, a Pentecostal, or a Roman Catholic. None of that makes any difference. Is he a believer in Jesus Christ? That is the important thing. If a person is a child of God, he and I can meet together and have fellowship. This is a very wonderful thing.
In these folk who had returned from captivity we find a marvelous unity—which should characterize all the children of God. The psalmist said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1). These people who had come back to the land were poor, humble folk. They were not seeking position; they were just trying to do the will of God.
You and I are living at the end of an age, and it is becoming to those who really have an understanding of the times to be through with pretension. “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Ps. 25:9). We need to be meek. In our churches and other organizations we are always trying to do something big. Oh, my friend, we don’t need to do that. What we need is to meet around the person of Jesus Christ, as this returning remnant was doing.
They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;
And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord [Ezra 3:4–5].
These folk have returned to the Word of God. They have put up the altar, and now they begin to build the foundations of the temple.
Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.
Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel [Ezra 3:8–10].
So far these people have only built an altar and laid the foundation for the temple, but they are so thrilled and enthusiastic that they act as though the entire temple has been rebuilt. They had a dedication service, a time of praise, and sang praises to God. It was a thrilling experience for them.
If you are as old as I am, you can remember back in the 1920s when many churches were able to complete only the basements of their buildings. They would buy a lot, build a basement, cover the basement with tar paper, and that is where the congregation would meet. Then the Depression came, and many of those churches were never finished. The congregations continued to meet in the basements with the tar-paper roofs. These have largely disappeared today because in our affluent society we must have the very latest thing in modern architecture; we would never be satisfied with a basement.
However, these Jews were delighted and thrilled with the foundation they had built. So they held a praise service.
And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid [Ezra 3:11].
Now these were the younger folk who had never seen Solomon’s temple.
But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off [Ezra 3:12–13].
There were two groups present during the dedication service. There were the young people who had never seen the temple of old. This was something new to them. In all their youth and enthusiasm they were praising God, and the Lord blessed them. The other group was composed of the old-timers. They remembered Solomon’s temple and how beautiful it was. I have a notion that some of them said to each other, “This second temple is nothing. If these young people could only have seen Solomon’s temple!” What they were saying was not very encouraging to the younger group, but it was true. One of the problems God had to overcome was discouragement that came because of the older group talking the way they did. As a result we find that Haggai the prophet told the people, “The Lord says, ‘Go ahead and build.’ God is with you. He was not in that beautiful temple of Solomon’s at the end—the glory had left it—but God is with you now. Go ahead and build!”
There are a lot of old-timers today who discourage the work of God. I feel that one of the reasons that this present spiritual movement is largely outside of the church today is because many old-timers are holding back. They only remember the old days, and they are not about to enter the new days. There is a danger of sitting in judgment upon this spiritual movement of today. I find myself critical of many facets of the program, and I am an old-timer. But let’s withhold judgment for a time. Let’s see what is going to happen. The Lord knows those who belong to Him. He is going to separate the wheat and the tares. That is His business, not ours. Let us thank God that there is a movement toward God today and rejoice in it. Let us not weep and criticize in this present hour.
I recall that when I was a student in seminary I was asked to hold some summertime meetings in Georgia. In those days it was customary to hold meetings, which they sometimes called protracted meetings. They asked me to preach, and I did. In spite of the preacher, the Lord blessed and people were saved.
I will never forget the last night of a particular meeting. Some of the young officers of the church were rejoicing with me at the way things had gone. An old-timer was sitting there listening to us. He had long whiskers, and he looked to me like Father Time. Finally he said, “You boys had a pretty good meeting, but I remember when….” Then we heard all about “when.” When he got through with his tales of the past, our meeting did not seem like anything at all. That was very discouraging; we all left a little depressed that night. Later I asked another member of the church who was almost as old as “Father Time” and she said, “The meeting he told you about wasn’t all that great. You know, he is in his dotage, and the older he gets the bigger that meeting gets. It wasn’t nearly as wonderful as he thought it was.”
ARTAXERXES’ DECREE HALTS REBUILDING
Opposition to the rebuilding program did not come from the inside but from the outside. This is a rather detailed section, and I am not going to spend much time in it except to call attention to what is taking place.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither [Ezra 4:1–2].
I will have occasion later on to call attention to the fact that not only two tribes returned to the land (Judah and Benjamin), but all twelve tribes actually went back. These people are saying that they returned to the Promised Land during the days of Esar-haddon, king of Assur (Assyria). It was Assyria, you remember, which had taken the northern tribes captive. Some of these people apparently had trickled back into the land and had mixed with the Samaritans. As a result they wanted to join up with those who had come from Babylon. The enemies’ first effort to hinder the work of rebuilding the temple is to offer to become allies.
That has always been the subtlety of Satan in his work through the liberal wing of the church. Liberalism divided the church and then said, “You fundamentalists are always fighting. Join with us.” Because we did not join with them, they call us the troublemakers. Liberalism split the church in the beginning, and now they want us to come back on their terms.
Here the “adversaries of Judah and Benjamin” said, “We have been worshiping God here all along, and you folk have just gotten back. Let us join with you, and we’ll worship Him together.” That sounds very good on the surface, but they were not genuine, as we shall see.
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us [Ezra 4:3].
The chief fathers of Israel were not very nice, were they? They absolutely rejected the enemies’ offer to become allies. The Israelites do not seem to be interested in the ecumenical movement at all. In fact, they seem actually rude. But the very interesting thing is that they were right. The important thing is to be right. When the psychological approach comes in conflict with the Bible, the Bible must prevail for the child of God.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia [Ezra 4:4–5].
Now we can see that they were enemies, not friends. As soon as they were turned down, they began to actively oppose them.
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue [Ezra 4:7].
They decided to compose a letter to the king of Persia with false accusations against the remnant that had returned to rebuild Jerusalem.
Here is a copy of the letter they sent:
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings [Ezra 4:11–13].
Their argument is that Jerusalem was a rebellious city and that Artaxerxes will have trouble with it again if he allows the city to be rebuilt.
So the king of Persia took their advice. He searched the records to see if their accusation was accurate. In his letter of reply, he said:
And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? [Ezra 4:19–22].
When this letter comes back from the king of Persia, the so-called friends who wanted to cooperate with the building program hurriedly bring the letter to the building site.
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia [Ezra 4:23–24].
They were forced to halt the building program.
CHAPTERS 5–6
Theme: Temple rebuilt, finished, and dedicated
We have seen already that the rebuilding of the temple was stopped by the opposition of the enemy. They wrote a letter to Artaxerxes which gave a false impression of Jerusalem. They called it a rebellious and bad city. The king Artaxerxes did go back in the records and find out that there had been a rebellion on the part of these people, at the very end of the kingdom—the southern kingdom of Judah. Three times they had rebelled. And finally Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed the city. But they did not investigate thoroughly. Although they found the rebellion to be true, they did not look for the decree that had been made to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.
This was a period of great discouragement. They not only stopped building; they were also tempted to walk away from the entire project. They felt this would be the best way to solve their problems.
There are many people who feel that if they could just change their location they could solve their problems. That is not always true. You cannot run away from your problems. Fortunately, this time the people did not run away. God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
Candidly, we ought to study the books of Haggai and Zechariafi (also Daniel and Esther) in connection with Ezra and Nehemiah. They belong in the same passage, and studying them together would be very profitable.
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them [Ezra 5:1].
These two prophets were called upon by God to encourage the people to resume rebuilding the temple. They knew, of course, that there had been a decree from Cyrus, king of Persia, which granted them permission to rebuild Jerusalem. And they knew it was God’s will and God’s time to rebuild the city. Haggai called them the Lord’s messengers.
These two men were not alike. The only thing they had in common was that they were both prophets of God. Haggai had his feet on the ground. He was a solid, stable individual. He was a man upon whom you could rest. He wanted the facts. He carried a measuring rod along with him and measured everything. Everything had to be all wool, a yard wide, and warranted not to rip, tear, unravel, or become run down at the heel. That was Haggai. He got right down to the nitty-gritty. He spoke, we would say today, to the conscience of the nation. His messages were ones that went deep and hurt. His type was not popular—nor is it popular today.
Zechariah was an entirely different type of individual. He had his head in the clouds. He had tremendous visions and a message to match. He appealed to the emotions of the people. He spoke to their hearts. These two men together, Haggai and Zechariah, spoke to the conscience and heart of Israel. Apparently Haggai was considered the leader, but both of them encouraged the people to resume their building program. It would be very profitable at this juncture to read the Books of Haggai and Zechariah.
Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? [Ezra 5:2–3].
When work was resumed, their enemies heard about it. We are told that Tatnai was a Persian governor of Samaria, and Shethar-Boznai was probably a high official. They come and challenge the workmen. They say, “What’s the big idea? You were ordered to stop building!”
Now the answer they give them is really not an answer at all. To begin with, Tatnai and his crowd are enemies. They are men of the world, and the Jews are not about to cast their pearls before swine. Would they understand if they said that God told them to build? After all, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him …” (Ps. 25:14)—and with no one else. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him …” (1 Cor. 2:14). They just answered “… a fool according to his folly …” (Prov. 26:4). In fact, they answered by asking a question.
Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? [Ezra 5:4].
In other words, “We didn’t see your names on the list that was given to us. If you were part and parcel of this, if you were part of the building crew, we would be glad to answer you. But since your names are not on the list, we will not answer you.” I would call that a very nice way of saying, “It’s none of your business. You have no right to ask that question of us.”
Now that kind of reply could put these builders in a very difficult position, but notice what happens.
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter [Ezra 5:5].
The wonderful thing is that you can depend on God to keep His eye on those who are His own. So off goes another letter to the king—by this time Darius is the king. Apparently about seven years had gone by.
The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace [Ezra 5:6–7].
This is another letter the enemy gets off posthaste—I think he sends it special delivery.
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands [Ezra 5:8].
As you can see, the thought in the letter is this: We didn’t go up there specifically to spy this out—we are really not their enemies—we just happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by for a little visit. And this is what we found.
Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them [Ezra 5:9–10].
They were not told the names of the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah.
And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up [Ezra 5:11].
They give them the history of the Captivity, which had occurred about seventy years before.
But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God [Ezra 5:12–13].
They gave them concrete evidence that King Cyrus had commanded them to rebuild the temple—he even sent the temple vessels back with them.
And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place [Ezra 5:14–15].
The letter concludes with this request:
Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter [Ezra 5:17].
These enemies did not believe that a decree had ever been made by Cyrus, but the letter is saying that the Jews’ claim of such a decree is the basis on which they are rebuilding. So they ask that a search be made. They are certain that no such decree exists, but that these people are doing this on their own.
CYRUS’ DECREE CONFIRMED
A great deal has been made concerning the position and the condition of God’s people. These two things are quite different, by the way. Positionally, the Jews were in the place God wanted them to be—in the land. The decree for them to return to the land was made by Cyrus, who acknowledged that he was doing it at the command of God. So these people are in the position God wanted them to be in. However, their condition is not so good. They are discouraged. They would like to walk away from the whole business. So God raised up prophets to encourage them.
It seems that God’s people today tend to get their position and condition mixed up. If you are in Christ today, you are safe. Your position is good. But how is your condition? Are you a discouraged saint? Are you anchored in Christ with a sure salvation, but you want to give up and quit? Do you want to walk away from it all? If that is how you feel, my friend, although your position is good, your condition is bad. That was the state of the Jews in the Book of Ezra.
Now the very interesting thing is that God is with His people, and His will is going to be done. We find now that a discovery was made. This is a case of the enemy getting his foot in his mouth. He should have kept quiet. Notice what happened.
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon [Ezra 6:1].
They went down in a basement somewhere and dug up old archives which were covered with dust—
And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits [Ezra 6:2–3].
Also—
And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God [Ezra 6:5].
It was all recorded there. All of this is unearthed by King Darius. He never would have known about this decree if the enemy had not mentioned it. This was a real blunder on the part of the enemies of the Jews.
Now this is the message that King Darius returns to Tatnai:
Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Aphar-sachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place [Ezra 6:6–7].
Tatnai was a governor with an important job, and he thought he could stop the building of the temple in Jerusalem. But when the decree of Cyrus was located, the present King Darius realizes that it was a law of the Medes and Persians, and it could not be altered or changed. So he makes a further decree.
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered [Ezra 6:8].
He says, “Now, look, not only are you to stop hindering the work, you are to help it along. You are to keep the taxes that you gather over there on that side of the river—instead of sending them over here to Persia—you are to give the money to these folk for the rebuilding of the temple.” God does make the wrath of man to praise Him!
And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons [Ezra 6:9–10].
What a decree this was!
Also, he decrees a severe penalty upon anyone who would hinder the work.
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this [Ezra 6:11].
At this point you would find it thrilling to read the Books of Haggai and Zechariah. They are marvelous. We designate them as minor prophets, but they are batting in the major leagues!
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia [Ezra 6:14].
The temple is rebuilt under the inspiration of Haggai and Zechariah.
TEMPLE FINISHED AND DEDICATED
And this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy [Ezra 6:15–16].
Notice that it says, “the children of Israel … and the rest of the children of the captivity.” Who is meant? Of course it means what it says: the children of Israel—not only the children of Judah and Benjamin. These folk are of the ten tribes of Israel, which some people today call the ten lost tribes. My friend, they didn’t get lost. They are here with their brethren keeping “the dedication of this house of God with joy.”
And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel [Ezra 6:17].
For whom was the sin offering? The language here is even more explicit. It was for “all Israel.” Did only people from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin return to the land? No! There were people from all twelve tribes. There were “twelve he goats,” according to the number of the tribes of Israel. Now don’t tell me that ten tribes got lost and ended up in Great Britain, and a few of them came to America on the Mayflower. That simply is not true. The record here is quite clear that none of the tribes were lost. If any of them are lost, they are all lost because they were all together after the Captivity. This will be confirmed again later on.
PASSOVER KEPT
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel [Ezra 6:19–22].
Just five weeks after the dedication of the temple the Passover was held. The Passover spoke of the death of Christ, our Passover who was offered for us. When they gathered around the Passover, they were gathering around the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Word of God.
CHAPTERS 7–8
Theme: Return under Ezra
Now we come to the second major division in the little Book of Ezra. The first six chapters told us about the return of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel—about fifty thousand Jews left Babylon at that time. The Jews had gone into the Babylonian captivity because they continually turned to idolatry, and God gave them a gold cure in Babylon. Also the Jews had disobeyed the Mosaic Law in that they had not allowed the land to lie fallow every seventh year. They probably did not think it was too important. They thought they were getting by with breaking that law, but God said, “I’m going to put you out of the land for seventy years so that the land can catch up on the sabbaths it has missed.” After the land had rested and renewed itself for seventy years, God allowed His people to return.
Then there was another wave of revival among the Jews who had been captives and were still living in Babylon. Ezra led a second group back to Jerusalem. Up to this point Ezra, although he is the writer of this book, has not figured in its history at all. In the final four chapters we meet the author. In chapters 7 and 8 we see the return of the Jews led by Ezra. In chapters 9 and 10 we see the reformation under Ezra. Revival led to reformation, and that is always the order. We will see that again when we study Nehemiah.
Ezra is one of the neglected characters of the Bible. I do not believe he has received proper recognition by Bible expositors, and certainly not from the church. I wonder if you have ever heard a sermon on the Book of Ezra. Have you ever heard this book taught? Well, it is one that is easily passed by. In the next few chapters we are going to meet Ezra and get acquainted with him.
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest [Ezra 7:1–5].
This is the Artaxerxes who gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city, which marks the beginning of the great prophecy of the “Seventy Weeks” of Daniel. We will discuss him when we get to the Book of Nehemiah.
The man here who interests me is not the king, but Ezra himself. Who is he? Ezra was a lineal descendant of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron. He belongs, therefore, to the priestly line. Had there been a temple in Jerusalem, he probably would have functioned in it as a priest—probably the high priest. But there was no temple; it had been burned and destroyed.
Apparently Ezra did not feel like returning to Jerusalem with the first delegation. There was no place for him in Jerusalem, and apparently he was ministering to those who remained in Babylon. Now a group of about two thousand Jews, led by Ezra, planned to go to Jerusalem. The temple had been rebuilt so that there was a place for him to minister. We are going to find that he was also a teacher of the Word of God.
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the grandson of Aaron, is mentioned in this passage. He first appears in Scripture at a time of licentious idolatry, where his zeal and action stopped the plague that was destroying Israel. You will recall that when Balaam the prophet was not allowed to curse Israel, he taught the king to foster intermarriage with them for the purpose of bringing the world, the flesh, and the devil into the midst of God’s people. In Numbers 25:7–11 we are told that one of the Israelites took a Midianitish woman. When Jews married pagan people, they were drawn into the worship of their gods. Judgment fell upon Israel in the form of a plague. Phinehas stayed the plague by executing the man who had taken the Midianitish woman and executing her also. Two lives were sacrificed in order to save a multitude of lives. As a reward for his efforts, God promised Phinehas that the priesthood would remain in his family forever.
I would like to add a practical word which I consider a logical application of this section to our present condition. There are many judges today who feel that capital punishment is brutal, uncivilized, and should be abolished. The original purpose of capital punishment was the protection of other human lives. When a guilty person is not executed for his crime, then hundreds have to pay with their lives. Today we are not safe in our cities because there are no longer executions. Don’t tell me that executions do not deter crime. I have discovered that when a traffic officer writes a ticket it will slow me down on a highway—don’t tell me it does not slow you. down! It is a deterrent to crime, and that is its purpose. That was the reason the Jew and his Midianitish woman were executed. Because of the death of this couple, multitudes in Israel were saved from the pollution that had broken out in that nation.
I remember hearing a whimsical story about the early days in the West when a man was asked to say something before he was hanged for a murder he had committed. This was the statement he made: “I want you to know that this is going to be a lesson to me.” Well, my friend, that was not the purpose of his hanging. It was not to be a lesson to him. It was to protect the men, women, and children who were living in that day. Why don’t we face up to the facts in life today? Why can’t we see that we are sacrificing hundreds of lives to protect one criminal? God does not do it that way, because He wants to save human life; and He knows how bad the human heart can be. God says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked …” (Jer. 17:9). There is a great lesson to be learned from the action of Phinehas, one of the ancestors of Ezra.
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him [Ezra 7:6].
Ezra “was a ready scribe in the law of Moses.” Since he was not able to execute the office of priest, he spent his time studying the Word of God. Now he is going to be able to use what he has learned. You will find out that he is labeled “a ready scribe” again and again. Ezra 7:21 tells us that Ezra had a reputation down in Babylon, even with the king, as being a scribe of the words of the Lord God. He was a teacher of the Word of God.
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king [Ezra 7:7].
There was another revival among the Jews in Babylon, and this time about two thousand people wanted to return to the land.
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him [Ezra 7:8–9].
They returned to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. It took them almost five months to make the trip. They could not go by jet stream; they had to go by foot, and it was a long, arduous trip in that day.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments [Ezra 7:10].
Ezra had prepared his heart for the day that he would return to his land. He knew it was coming because he had faith in God. So he prepared his heart and studied the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Bible) and the Book of Joshua, which were in existence in that day. It is the belief of many that Ezra wrote 1 and 2 Chronicles. Ezra not only studied God’s Word, he also did what it said. Oh, my, that is so important! It is one thing to study God’s Word and another thing to do it. Ezra also wanted to teach the Word. He wanted God’s people to know God’s statutes and judgments.
Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel.
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee [Ezra 7:11–13].
Artaxerxes made a decree which allowed Ezra and his followers to return to their land. It was not a commandment that they go, but it was permission to return according to their own particular desires and according to the leading of the Lord.
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem [Ezra 7:14–15].
Evidently Ezra had a real witness in the court, because the king and his counselors made this offering to “the God of Israel.” Ezra was given the authority to appoint magistrates and judges. They got together all of this material, Ezra was given the king’s decree, then preparation was made for them to leave. The decree reveals a tremendous reverence for God. Notice how it concludes:
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment [Ezra 7:26].
This law, of course, was in reference to the Jews after they arrived in the land. In other words, if they return to their land, they must mean business as far as their relationship to God is concerned.
Notice now the thanksgiving of Ezra.
Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem [Ezra 7:27].
Not only was the temple to be rebuilt, it was also to be beautified. I think God’s house ought to be made beautiful, as beautiful as it can possibly be according to the ability of the folk who are identified with it.
And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me [Ezra 7:28].
Ezra led a fine delegation back to the land. It was not as large as the first delegation, but a great many of the leaders were in the second group.
Chapter 8 gives the list of Ezra’s companions. Notice that Ezra made sure that the Levites went with them. The Nethinims, who were the servants, went along also.
Then we see something that reveals how human Ezra was.
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance [Ezra 8:21].
Ezra calls for a fast and a great prayer meeting at the river of Ahava. He wanted to know God’s will.
For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us [Ezra 8:22–23].
He said, “You know, I went before the king and told him that the hand of our God was with us, that He will be against our enemies and will lead us back to our land.” Then Ezra looked at the delegation gathered by the river ready to go on that long march. He looked at the families and the little ones, and he knew the dangers along the way. The normal thing would be to ask the king for a little help—for a few guards to ride along with them. Then the king would say, “I thought you were trusting the Lord.”
Sometimes some of us become very eloquent about how we are trusting God and how wonderful He is, but when we get right down to the nitty-gritty, we don’t really trust Him. Ezra is that kind of an individual. He surely is human. He says, “I was ashamed to go ask the king.” What was the alternative? He called a prayer meeting and a fast. He said, “Oh, Lord, we just have to depend on You.” You know, the Lord puts many of us in that position many, many times.
Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days [Ezra 8:31–32].
We find that the king sent a great deal of gold, silver, and vessels with this delegation. This wealth was put in the care of the priests, and they needed protection, you see. And God did watch over them, and they arrived safely at their destination. They stayed in Jerusalem three days and took the treasure into the temple—into the house of God.
Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin-offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord [Ezra 8:35].
In this verse twelve “he goats” are mentioned again. Why? It was for all Israel for a sin offering. What a wonderful, glorious thing it was for these Jews to be back in Jerusalem offering their sacrifices to God!
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Revival under Ezra
In chapter 9 we come to one of the great prayers in the Bible. In three of the post-captivity books there are three great ninth chapters which record prayers: Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9, and Daniel 9. Now here before us is the great prayer of Ezra. The occasion for it was a very sad thing which had taken place among God’s people.
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites [Ezra 9:1].
Note that the Egyptians are mentioned and so are other pagan peoples. The Hittites were a great people. Information on the Hittite nation was discovered after I was in school, and I have been interested in reading about them. Throughout Asia Minor, especially along the coast, great cities like Ephesus, Smyrna, and Troy were first established by the Hittites. They were indeed a great people, but they were heathen. The people of Israel had not separated themselves from these folk.
When the first delegation of Jews returned to the land, they met discouragement. We will learn more about this when we come to the prophecy of Haggai. We will see how he helped them overcome the hurdles of discouragement that were before them. Believe me, they ran a long line of hurdles, and through Haggai they were able to clear them. With the help of Nehemiah, the active layman, the walls and temple of Jerusalem were rebuilt; but there was discouragement on every hand. It is at times like this that you let down. It has happened to many Christians.
Someone has said that discouragement is the devil’s greatest weapon. The Jews let down their guard and intermarried with the surrounding heathen and enemies of God and Israel. That in turn led to a practice of the abomination of the heathen. The lack of separation plunged them into immorality and idolatry. In some cases I don’t think these people took the trouble to get married because the heathen of that day did not pay much attention to formality of marriage any more than the heathen in our contemporary society pay attention to it. We are told that we live in an advanced age. We have new freedom. We are a civilized people. My friend, we are not different from the pagan peoples of Ezra’s day.
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass [Ezra 9:2].
Even the leadership was involved in this. They were all the more guilty before God, because privilege always increases responsibility. The returned remnant is in a sad, sordid, and squalid condition. Now there are several things Ezra could have done in this situation. He could have broadcasted a program on patriotism, run up the Israeli flag, displayed the star of David, and held great rallies on patriotism. But he did not do that. He might have delivered a withering blow against the intermarriage and immorality and idolatry by making speeches, but Ezra did not do that either. Or he could have followed another procedure: he could have formed an organization and become involved in trying to recover these couples who had gone into this immorality. That, my friend, is how we do it today. But Ezra was not familiar with our modern way of doing things. But I want you to notice what he did. It is something that we don’t see much of in our day.
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied [Ezra 9:3].
Remember that Ezra did not arrive in his native land until about seventy-five years after the first delegation of fifty thousand led by Zerubbabel. When Ezra arrived with his delegation of two thousand, he found that the temple had been rebuilt, but not the walls of the city. And the population was in a sad, sordid condition. They had intermingled and intermarried with the heathen. Immorality and idolatry were running rampant. There was a lack of separation, and the Jews were a miserable and bedraggled lot. When all of this was brought to Ezra’s attention, and he found that it was accurate, he was absolutely overwhelmed and chagrined that God’s people would drop to such a low level.
Today we talk about the apostasy of the church—at least I do. But I wonder if we are as exercised about it as we should be. Since I have retired and am on the outside looking at the condition of the church from a different view, I must confess that I would like to wash my hands of it and say, “Well, it is no affair of mine.” But it is an affair of mine. And, friends, it is so easy for you and me to point an accusing finger at that which is wrong, but notice what Ezra did. He was so overwhelmed by the sin of his people that he tore his clothes and tore out his hair. Instead of beginning a tirade against them (which would have been characteristic of many people today), notice the next step Ezra took.
Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice [Ezra 9:4].
“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of God.” I love that. Now let me pause here for just a moment. How many people really take the Word of God seriously? I think I know the fundamental church fairly well. I know many wonderful fundamentalists. They are the choicest people. They are my crowd, and I love them. However, there are many who profess to have a love for the Word of God, and they have notebooks and marked-up Bibles to prove it. The interesting thing is that their own lives are marked up and fouled up, and they are doing nothing about it. They say that they believe the Word of God, but it has no effect upon their lives whatsoever. They do not tremble at the Bible. Like the man of the world, they say, “God is love.” And He is—it is wonderful to know that God is love. But He is more than that. Our God is a holy God. He will punish sin, and that is the thing that is troubling Ezra.
Ezra sat astonished “until the evening sacrifice” because of the transgression of those who had been carried away. Ezra was shocked by this. Does this concern us? Really, today, how much are we involved? How much do we believe the Word of God? My Christian friend, it would pay you and me to go to a solitary place and ask ourselves these questions: “Do I really believe God’s Word? Do I really obey it?” The Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God [Ezra 9:5].
What does it mean to spread out your hands to God? It means that you are not concealing anything. It means when you go to God in prayer, friend, that your mind and soul stand absolutely naked before Him. Ezra went to God with his hands outspread. He was holding nothing at all back from God. The apostle Paul put it this way, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Tim. 2:8). We need to remember that in our prayer lives.
PRAYER OF EZRA
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up into the heavens [Ezra 9:6].
Now notice what he is saying. He does not say, “For their iniquities are increased over their head, and their trespass is grown up unto the heavens.” He says, “For our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”
Today it is easy to divorce yourself from the church. The church is in a bad state. I’ll grant you that. But, my friend, it is not their sin; it is our sin. If the church is in apostasy, my friend, then we are in apostasy. “Not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, O Lord, standin’ in the need of prayer.”
Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day [Ezra 9:7].
Listen to Ezra. This is a great prayer. He knew what it was to be a captive in a foreign land. He either had been born in captivity or had been taken captive as a little boy, and he knew what it meant. That is why he trembled when he recognized that God would judge him.
My friend, there are many people today being judged of God. I could give instance after instance. Several years ago a man came to me who was eaten up with venereal disease. He said, “I thought I got by with it. Now I am going to have to die from this dirty, filthy disease.” And he did. Someone says, “Well, God should have extended mercy to him.” Yes, God would have extended mercy to him, but the interesting thing is that this man was guilty. Our God is a holy God and He judges sin. It is too bad that more of us don’t tremble at the Word of God.
And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage [Ezra 9:8].
This is a great verse. Ezra says, “We have had just for a little space grace.” The seventy years of captivity is over. God has permitted His people to return to their land, and off they go again, following the heathen—doing the very thing that had sent them into captivity in the first place.
Ezra says, “There is just a remnant of us.” These Jews obeyed enough to return to the land—most of the Jews did not return to the land; those who did were just a remnant.
“To give us a nail in his holy place”—do you know what that “nail” is? That nail is Christ. “My anchor holds within the veil.” Do you know why? Because I am nailed there. Christ was nailed on the cross down here that I might be nailed yonder at the throne of God for eternity. Consider what Isaiah 22:22–23 says, “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.” So believers are nailed up there, not on a cross, but in heaven for eternity. You see, a nail is fixed in a sure place. What a wonderful illustration this is. The Jews did not lose their salvation, but they sure lost a great deal else including the blessing of God and their reward. Many of us are saved today, but we will get no reward at all.
That He “may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.” I think this is a true picture of revival. The term revival is not actually a Bible word. I have always used this word from the pulpit in the popular sense, which means a spiritual upsurge, with sinners converted en masse, and a new interest in the things of the Spirit. Technically, revival means “to recover life, or vigor; return to consciousness.” It refers to that which has life, then ebbs down almost to death, has no vitality, and then is revived. Romans 14:9 speaks of Christ’s resurrection this way: “… Christ both died, and rose, and revived …” Obviously the word revival must be confined to believers if we are going to be technical. It means that the believer is in a low spiritual condition and is brought back to vitality and power. So here in Ezra’s day a real revival is going to take place.
Ezra’s prayer continues.
For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem [Ezra 9:9].
How wonderful God was to these people. They confessed their sin, and God is going to bless them.
And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments.
Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this [Ezra 9:10–13].
In other words, Ezra is saying, “We did not get all that was coming to us. We deserved more punishment for our sins than we received.”
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this [Ezra 9:14–15].
Only the mercy of God, the confession of sin, the sacrifice of Christ, and the grace of God could make it possible for Him to save these people, restore and revive them. God is going to do all of these things because of the prayer of Ezra. The remnant that was there will cry out to God for mercy.
When we take that position, God is ready to hear.
REVIVAL UNDER EZRA
After this great prayer meeting, there began a movement of revival. And revival always leads to reformation. When there is true revival, you don’t need a fingerprint expert to find the results.
Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore [Ezra 10:1].
An intense conviction of sin came over God’s people at this particular time, and it was certainly something that was needed.
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing [Ezra 10:2].
This man Shechaniah apparently became the mouthpiece for this group of people who recognized their sin and wanted to confess. He came to Ezra and said, “We have trespassed against our God.” That is a very candid acknowledgment. He continued, “We have taken strange wives of the people of the land.” That, my friend, is nailing it down and dealing with specifics. What they had done was absolutely contrary to the Law of Moses. They had not consulted in this grave matter “that which was written.” In other words, they had departed from the Word of God. Now he casts himself upon the mercy of God and says, “Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.”
Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law [Ezra 10:3].
There were those who now joined in confession who likewise trembled at the commandment of God. That is, they not only read it and studied it; they let the Word of God have its way in their hearts. When the transgression was called to their attention, they confessed it. They did not attempt to rationalize, excuse, or cover over their sin. They came right out and confessed it. They did this according to the Word of God.
Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away [Ezra 10:4–6].
Breaking the Law of God was a very serious thing. They went before Him with great travail of soul. What everyone went through is rather heart-rending, but the Word of God had been transgressed and the people had to repent.
Friend, that is where revival must begin. First, we must walk in the light of God’s Word. When we come to the Word of God, it brings conviction to our hearts. We see that we are coming short of the glory of God. We realize that we are openly transgressing that which God has written. When we go to Him in confession, and there is real repentance, the result will be that God’s children will be revived.
Today we are busy preaching repentance to a lost world. I am not sure that God is asking the lost world to repent. He is saying to the world, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31).
When you come to Christ as Savior, something else happens. It happened in Thessalonica. In 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Paul says, “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” “Turning to God” took priority over “turning from idols.” Repentance does not precede faith. Faith goes before and repentance follows—it follows as surely as the night follows day. If it doesn’t follow, the faith is not genuine—it isn’t saving faith. Repentance is the thing that is so lacking in the church today. Have you ever noticed that in the Bible God asks the church to repent? In the seven letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor recorded in the Book of Revelation God asks all but two of them to repent. God was talking to believers, not to unsaved people.
Personally, I do not agree with these people who are constantly asking the mayor, or governor, or the president to declare a day of prayer. They say, “Let’s have a national day of prayer. We need prayer.” Oh, my friend, what are you talking about? I cannot believe that Ezra sent out word to the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites that they were invited to a great day of prayer. Let’s face it—America is a pagan nation. Believers are a minority. This is a day when every minority is being heard except the Bible`-believers. I think one could organize a rally of a host of people in our nation for a day of prayer. But what good would it do? God is saying to the lost, “Come to me and be saved through Jesus Christ.” He is saying to His church, “Repent. Come back to Me. Come out of your coldness and indifference.” The thing that we need today is revival, and a revival will not come without repentance among believers. In Ezra’s day God’s people were no longer indifferent, you see; but in our day there is indifference in the church.
Lyman Abbot made this statement years ago, “When I was a boy, I heard my father say that if by some miracle God would change every cold, indifferent Christian into ten blatant infidels, the church might well celebrate a day of thanksgiving and praise.” The trouble with the church today is that it is filled with cold, indifferent church members—perhaps many of them are not even saved. If revival comes, friend, you are going to see this indifferent crowd either come over on the Lord’s side or else they will make it very clear that they belong to the devil.
Ezra went to God in genuine repentance and others are following suit.
And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away [Ezra 10:7–8].
They were making a real line of separation. They are under the Mosaic Law. In the church today I don’t believe you could force the issue as they are doing here. They are removing all of the chaff that they possibly can from the good wheat. It would take about “three days” to come from any section in that land, and this proclamation was directed to all those who had come out of the Babylonian captivity, who had returned to rebuild the city, the walls, and the temple. They were to come together for a time of spiritual refreshing, but repentance must precede it. Those who would not come because they felt that things were not being done the way they wanted them done, or had some other objection, were to be cast out of the congregation.
The church needs housecleaning today. I don’t mean taking from the church roll the names of the members who can’t be located either. What the average church needs to do is get rid of some of the members they can locate—those who need to repent but will not repent.
Bitterness today is like quinine in a barrel of water. It doesn’t take much to make the water bitter. I remember when I was a boy my mother would always tell me when I cut up a chicken, “Be careful and don’t break the gall bladder. You’ll ruin the whole chicken if you do.” She was right. You could spoil the entire fowl if you broke the gall bladder. God wants to get rid of that gall bladder of bitterness in His church. For instance, Hebrews 12:15 says, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Just a few complainers and critics in the church can absolutely stifle any spiritual movement. Oh, how many lives have been wrecked by bitterness!
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives [Ezra 10:9–11].
In other words, don’t just be a hearer of the Word of God but be a doer of the Word also.
We are hearing a great deal today about the need for action in the church, but what the church really needs is to get cleaned up. There needs to be confession. Even a lack of love needs to be confessed. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).
Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do [Ezra 10:12].
What Ezra asked these people to do was a bitter pill to swallow. I am confident that there was a great wrenching of the heart and a great agony of the soul as these people separated themselves from their loved ones.
It is interesting that while they were gathered together quite a rainstorm came up.
But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. [Ezra 10:13].
A rainstorm came up and everybody wanted to scatter. Now Ezra had a whole lot of sense. He said, “We don’t want to stand out here in all of this rain, especially because of the women and children. Instead of doing this in a slipshod manner, what we want to do is come back another day and do this thing right.”
Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us [Ezra 10:14].
Ezra wanted things to be done in an orderly way, and this is what they did.
And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass [Ezra 10:19].
The offering mentioned speaks of the fact that the people are united as one. They are united in this tremendous effort to set things right with God.
Following this verse is a list of those who agreed to put away their foreign wives. They entered into a solemn agreement and pledged to do it.
All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children [Ezra 10:44].
This verse tells a sad story, does it not? The sins of the fathers will be visited on the children. We see here just how thoroughly this separation was to be carried out. Ezra was God’s man for the hour. For this generation, at least, he helped preserve the testimony of the Jews for the fulfillment of God’s plan.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Darby, J.N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Dennett, Edward. Ezra and Nehemiah. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1970.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H.A. Notes on the Book of Ezra. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther: A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1970.
Kelly, William. Lectures on Ezra and Nehemiah. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Laney, J. Carl. Ezra & Nehemiah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
Luck, G. Coleman. Ezra and Nehemiah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1961.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966. (A concise commentary on the entire Bible.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
The Book of
Nehemiah
INTRODUCTION
The use of the first person pronoun in Nehemiah 1:1 gives the impression that Nehemiah was the writer. If Ezra was the writer, he was copying from the journal of Nehemiah. This book, as was true in the Book of Ezra, has copies of letters, decrees, registers, and other documents. The same man wrote both books. The writer perhaps was Ezra. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are one in the Hebrew canon. Nehemiah was a layman; Ezra was a priest. In the Book of Ezra the emphasis is upon the rebuilding of the temple; in the Book of Nehemiah the emphasis is upon the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. In Ezra we have the religious aspect of the return; in Nehemiah we have the political aspect of the return. Ezra is a fine representative of the priest and scribe. Nehemiah is a noble representative of the businessman. Nehemiah had an important office in the court of the powerful Persian king, Artaxerxes, but his heart was with God’s people and God’s program in Jerusalem. The personal note is the main characteristic of the book. I find myself coming to this book again and again because of the kind of a book that it is.
Chronologically this is the last of the historical books. We have come to the end of the line as far as time is concerned. As far as the Jews are concerned, the Old Testament goes no further with their history. The Book of Ezra picks up the thread of the story about seventy years after 2 Chronicles. The seventy years of captivity are over and a remnant returns to the land of Israel. The return under Ezra took place about fifty years after the return of Zerubbabel. Nehemiah returned about fifteen years after Ezra. These figures are approximate and are given to show the stages in the history of Israel after the Captivity. This enables us to see how the “seventy weeks” of Daniel fit into the picture in a normal and reasonable way. The “seventy weeks” of Daniel begin with the Book of Nehemiah (not with Ezra) “… from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks….” The background of the events in Nehemiah is“… the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times” (Dan. 9:25).
The following dates, suggested by Sir Robert Anderson, seem to be a satisfactory solution to the problem of the “seventy weeks” of Daniel:
Decree of Cyrus, 536 b.c..—Ezra 1:1–4.
Decree of Artaxerxes, 445 b.c.. (twentieth year of his reign)—Nehemiah 2:1–8. “Seventy weeks” begin.
The first “seven weeks” end, 397 b.c..—Malachi. (For details see Sir Robert Anderson’s The Coming Prince.)
The word so occurs thirty-two times. It denotes a man of action and few words. Mark this word in your Bible and notice how this ordinarily unimportant word stands out in this book.
The key verses for this book are: (1) “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven” (Neh. 1:4) and (2) “And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Neh. 6:3).
OUTLINE
I. Rebuilding the Walls, Chapters 1–7
A. Nehemiah’s Prayer for the Remnant at Jerusalem, Chapter 1
B. Nehemiah’s Request of the King; Return to Jerusalem; Review of the Ruins of Jerusalem, Chapter 2:1–16
C. Nehemiah’s Encouragement to Rebuild the Walls, Chapter 2:17–20
D. Rebuilding the Walls and the Gates, Chapter 3
E. Nehemiah’s Response to Opposition, Chapters 4–6 (Wall completed, 6:15)
F. Nehemiah’s Register of People, Chapter 7
II. Revival and Reform, Chapters 8–13
A. Great Bible Reading Led by Ezra, Chapter 8
B. Revival—the Result, Chapters 9–10
C. Reform—Another Result, Chapters 11–13
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Nehemiah’s prayer for the remnant at Jerusalem.
God’s chosen people were called to witness against idolatry, but too often they themselves succumbed and became idolaters. God sent them to Babylon, the fountainhead of idolatry, to take the “gold cure.” They returned repudiating idolatry. Their restoration was incomplete, however. They were not free from this time on to the time of the Roman Empire. The New Testament opens with them under the rule of Rome.
Three men played important roles in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. There was Zerubbabel, the prince, who represented the political side. Then there was Ezra, the priest, and finally Nehemiah, the layman. The king, the priest, and the prophet actually failed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and cleanse the temple, so God raised up Nehemiah, whom we designate a layman. Frankly, it is an unfortunate distinction today to talk about the clergy and the laymen. One is half of the other. We need both.
I started out in the ministry wearing a Prince Albert coat, a winged collar, and a derby hat. One of my friends told me that when I stood behind the pulpit on Sunday morning in my white collar and white shirt, I looked like a mule looking over a whitewashed fence! Then one day, as a young preacher, the realization came to me that I was no different from the men sitting in the pews. I took off all of that garb and wore what the other men were wearing.
I was playing golf one day with some friends. One of the men invited a friend who was an officer in a church. He apparently did not know I was coming. When he saw me, he said, “Oh, my, Dr. McGee is here. Now we are going to have to watch our language.” Well, do you know what I did? I called his hand in a hurry. I said, “Now listen, brother. I am no different than you are. If you want to cuss, you cuss. But let us understand one thing: whether I am here or not, God hears your language. It does not make any difference whether I hear what you say, or not.” There is a false distinction being made today between the clergy and the laity. It is equally important that both of them be in fellowship with God.
It was a layman, though, who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and cleansed the temple. I believe that even in this day God can and will raise up a layman to do a great work and put His work on a sure foundation. And it needs rebuilding today. Candidly, I am looking to God to raise up a young man who will not be a product of our seminaries. I have no objection to seminary graduates, but from time to time God raises up men who do not have that background—men like Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham. We need men like Nehemiah.
Nehemiah believed in watching and working. He also believed in working and praying. Watch and pray, or work and pray, are the words that characterize this man. He had a good government job in Persia. He was cupbearer to the king. He was a good, moral, honest man. He could have remained in Persia, but if he had, he would not have been in the record of God. We would never have heard of him. I want you to notice some of the things that mark out this man as we get acquainted with him. Let me introduce you to Nehemiah, the loyal layman.
NEHEMIAH’S CONCERN FOR THE REMNANT AT JERUSALEM
The first seven chapters of this book deal with the rebuilding of the walls. The rest of the book deals with revival and reform. The first chapter begins with Nehemiah’s prayer.
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem [Neh. 1:1–2].
When Nehemiah speaks of“Jews that had escaped,” he is referring to those Jews who had returned to the land. Nehemiah could have returned to the land, but for some reason he did not. He took a job instead. I am not going to criticize him because God uses men like this, and He used Nehemiah.
Notice that this man with an important position had a concern for God’s work. He was deeply concerned about God’s cause. One day while he was busy going back and forth in the palace, he saw one of his brethren who had just arrived from Jerusalem, who was probably bringing with him a message to the palace. Nehemiah stopped him and asked, “How are things going in the land?” This is the word he received:
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire [Neh. 1:3].
That is not a very pretty picture. What a pitiful spectacle was God’s cause and His people! The Jews were in disrepute because they had failed, and God could not afford to let that happen. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to let it happen today either. Nehemiah became extremely concerned about this report, and there are several things he could have said in reply. He could have said, “It’s too bad, brethren. Sorry to hear it. I’ll put you on my prayer list. God bless you.” There are other pious platitudes and Christian clichés he could have given, but he probably did not know about them. The important thing is that Nehemiah was concerned.
NEHEMIAH’S PRAYER
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven [Neh. 1:4].
There are several things I would like to call to your attention in this particular verse. Nehemiah was not indifferent to the sad plight of the people, and neither was he a carping critic. He could have said, “The people should have done this, or they should have done that.” Nehemiah was concerned. Looking back at the Book of Ezra, do you remember his reaction to the condition of the people? He was a priest and he, too, was concerned. Now here is a layman who is concerned.
Today the cause of Christ is in jeopardy. I wonder if those who criticize and pretend to be interested are really concerned. If the thing you are criticizing doesn’t break your heart, stop it! There is too much talk and not enough tears. You are not God’s messenger if the message doesn’t cause you personal anguish.
While I think that Ezra was an older man, I believe Nehemiah was a younger man. Ezra was probably a little boy at the time of the Captivity, but it is my opinion that Nehemiah had been born in captivity; as had many others. This is the reason, when we were studying Ezra, that I did not criticize these people for remaining in Babylon. Although they were out of the will of God, there were some very godly people who did not return to the land. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14:4, “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth …” You and I have no right to judge these people. Always we ought to be careful in judging other believers when we do not know all of the circumstances.
He “sat down and wept”—Nehemiah was on state business, but that did not keep him from sitting down and weeping. Notice that he “mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed.” This was the resource and the recourse of these men. That is what Ezra did, and now also Nehemiah weeps and prays.
Once again I must call your attention to the expression “God of heaven.” This expression occurs in the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. It is a designation of God which is peculiar to these three books. After the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Jerusalem, God could no longer be identified with the temple as the One who dwelt between the cherubim. The glory had departed. “Ichabod” was written over the escutcheon of Israel. The Lord God had returned to heaven. For this reason in the postcaptivity books He is “the Lord God of heaven.” He did not appear again until one time in Bethlehem when the angel said, “Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14). Christ had come to earth veiled in human flesh. Someday He is coming again. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30). I don’t know what that sign is, but I rather suspect it is the Shekinah glory of God coming back. However, in Nehemiah’s day He is the God of heaven, and Nehemiah addresses Him in this way.
This is a great prayer, and there will be another in chapter 9.
And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments [Neh. 1:5].
Let’s pause here just a moment and consider the word terrible. It is a word that has been greatly misunderstood and abused. Really and truly, preachers should not be called Reverend because it means “terrible.” Well, perhaps I am wrong; maybe some of us should be called “The Terrible Mr. So-and-So.” Seriously, Reverend is a word that should only be applied to God. Someone has expressed it this way:
“Call me Mister, call me friend,
A loving ear to all I lend,
But do not my soul with anguish rend,
PLEASE stop calling me Reverend.”
—Author unknown
Reverend was a title given to ministers in the old days when they were held in high regard in the community. That is no longer true, of course. In fact, it is not even true in the church today. There are some people who claim their church is different, but in most churches there is a small group who try to crucify the preacher. However, in the old days when a preacher was called Reverend, it was a term of respect, although it was a misnomer. Today I can almost always detect an unsaved man by the way he addresses me. Years ago, when I used to go to a dry cleaning establishment, the young fellow who operated it always called me “Reverend.” From the time I walked into his establishment until the time I walked out, he used that term at least twenty times. He really wore it out. He was an unsaved man. He paid little attention to what I was saying when I witnessed to him, but he liked to use the title of Reverend.
God is the reverend God, the One who incites terror. But He is also the God “who keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments.” He is a God of judgment, but He is also a gracious God.
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned [Neh. 1:6].
Notice Nehemiah’s wording in this prayer. Does he say, “I come to confess the sins which they have sinned?” No. He confessed the sins “which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.” Now this man nails it down: “I am a sinner. My father’s house has sinned. The nation has sinned.” How many times do we hear that kind of a confession of sin in our churches?
In his prayer Nehemiah made a confession: the failure of the Jews was because of sin. Nehemiah said, “Both I and my father’s house have sinned.” This man was no self-righteous Pharisaic onlooker.
We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses [Neh. 1:7].
We can see from this verse that Nehemiah believed God’s Word. He rested in it. And he knew God’s Word. He was concerned because God’s commandments were ignored.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations [Neh. 1:8].
Nehemiah not only believed God’s Word, he also believed in the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. There are a lot of preachers who do not believe that today, which may be the reason God sometimes has to use laymen. God’s truth cannot always penetrate those of us who are preachers, but He can sometimes reach a layman.
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. [Neh. 1:9].
Nehemiah said to the Lord, “You said that you would scatter us if we disobeyed you, and we have disobeyed. You also said that if we turned and came back to You, that even though we be ‘cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven,’ You would bring us back to the land.” Nehemiah believed that the Jews would return to the land. He counted on it and that is why he prayed this way.
Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer [Neh. 1:10–11].
Nehemiah is willing and wants to be used of God. But he is not running ahead of God; he prays about it. He says, “If you want to use me, I am making myself available.” When Nehemiah spoke about the king in his prayer, he called him “this man.” We will see him going to ask the king if he may return to the land. Nehemiah does not want to run ahead of God, and so he goes to Him first in prayer.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem
NEHEMIAH’S REQUEST TO RETURN TO JERUSALEM
In this chapter we see that Nehemiah requests permission from the king and returns to Jerusalem. He reviews the ruins of the city and encourages the people to build the walls.
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence [Neh. 2:1].
Notice it is at this particular point where the “seventy weeks” of Daniel begin: “in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king.” This is an important date in prophecy.
This man Nehemiah is a delightful fellow, as we are going to see. I would have loved to have known him. He is the kind of a layman that you want to get acquainted with. He has a political job—that of cupbearer to the king. His function is to taste anything brought to the king. For example, if a glass of wine is brought to the king, Nehemiah tastes it first. If he suffers no ill effects, then the king will drink the wine. His job as cupbearer is dangerous, as you can see.
The job of cupbearer demanded that Nehemiah be in the king’s presence much of the time. Naturally he would become a friend of the king. I think that many times when the king had to make a decision he would ask his cupbearer, “What do you think about this matter?” In time the cupbearer became sort of an advisor, a member of the king’s cabinet. Probably because of his job Nehemiah stayed in the land of his captivity, hoping that someday he might be able to use his position to help his people. Maybe that is why he asked his brethren how things were in Jerusalem.
Nehemiah is preparing to make a request of the king, but he is not quite ready. On this particular day he does not feel well. Since he received the bad news about the Jews in the land, he has been fasting, mourning, and praying. I think his eyes were red. He did not look his usual happy self. Never before had he looked sad. Usually he was a bright, cheerful fellow. The king noticed that Nehemiah was not himself.
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid [Neh. 2:2].
Nehemiah did not know that his feelings showed. He had tried to conceal the way he felt but apparently was not able to. So the king asked him a point-blank question, “Why are you sad? You are not physically ill, so it must be sorrow of heart. Something is troubling you. Tell me what it is.” At the king’s question Nehemiah became very much afraid.
And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? [Neh. 2:3].
Nehemiah said, “Let the king live for ever.” The cupbearer could always say that whole-heartedly since he tasted what came before the king! He hoped the king would stay in good health, and he hoped he would also.
Then he blurted out what was troubling him, “Why shouldn’t I be sad, O king, my master? The city of my fathers and the sepulchers where they are buried lie in waste and the gates are consumed with fire.”
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven [Neh. 2:4].
This is the first verse in this book where the word so occurs, but it will occur thirty-two times. Nehemiah uses this word as a shortcut to get around a lot of protocol and flowery verbiage that does not mean anything. You will find that this man gets right to the point. He does not beat around the bush. He said, “So I prayed to the God of heaven”—right in the presence of the king. The king had said to Nehemiah, “You evidently want to make a request of me. What is it that you want to ask me?” So Nehemiah shot up a prayer to the God of heaven. It was a brief prayer and I think it was something like, “Oh Lord, help me say the right thing. I am in a very tight spot!”
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it [Neh. 2:5].
Nehemiah asked the king to grant him a leave of absence that he might go to Jerusalem to help rebuild it.
And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time [Neh. 2:6].
There is a reason for that parenthetical insertion: “(the queen also sitting by him,).” Not only was Nehemiah a young man, I think he was a handsome young man with a very good personality. I imagine there were times when court business could become quite boring. The king would become involved with some petty political matter and would have to settle it with a great deal of discussion. The queen would become bored and start a conversation with the cupbearer. She might have said, “Where did you go this weekend?” And Nehemiah would say that being a Jew he went to the synagogue on Saturday. Then on Sunday he took a little trip in a boat up the Euphrates River and did a little fishing. The queen and Nehemiah probably had many conversations along this line.
So when Nehemiah asked the king for permission to return to the land, the queen probably nudged the king in the ribs and said to him, “Let him go if that is what he wants to do.” The king thought about it for a moment and then asked, “For how long shall thy journey be?” The king probably started to say, “This is a busy season. It is going to be difficult to get along without you, Nehemiah. I don’t know if we can spare you or not.” About that time the queen nudged him and said, “Let him go.” Finally the king said, “How long will this take and when will you return?” Obviously the king liked Nehemiah, too, and he wanted him to come back. At this point Nehemiah could go into detail but he does not. He simply says, “So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.”
There is a lot of wasted verbiage today. The other day I listened to a television program concerning the work of one of our government committees which was hearing witnesses concerning a certain matter. A certain lawyer was speaking. I listened to him for fifteen minutes—and he could have put his entire testimony in two sentences. He certainly did string it out. He took advantage of the fact that he was appearing before this committee and that he was being televised. He used a great deal of excess verbiage. Nehemiah did not waste words. He got right to the point.
Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah [Neh. 2:7].
Nehemiah realized that his trip would be a difficult one through dangerous country. He asked the king for letters of introduction and explanation to the governors along his route so they would give him protection as he traveled through their lands.
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me [Neh. 2:8].
Now Nehemiah trusted the Lord, but as a government official he didn’t mind asking the king for his official assistance and protection along the route.
NEHEMIAH’S REVIEW OF THE RUINS OF JERUSALEM
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me [Neh. 2:9].
It looks as if half the army of Persia accompanied Nehemiah on his journey. God had opened the heart of the king to protect Nehemiah, and he knew that the hand of God was upon him. He went on his journey well protected. You remember that when Ezra had asked the king for permission to return to the land, he wanted to ask the king for protection; but he had been so eloquent in telling the king how God would take care of him and lead him that he was ashamed to ask for an escort. He was afraid the king would say, “Aren’t you trusting the Lord?” Nehemiah, however, felt that he had the right to ask for protection because he was a government official.
Friend, God is not going to lead all of us alike. He led Ezra one way, and he led Nehemiah another way. He will lead you one way and He will lead me another way. I made a mistake at the beginning of my ministry by trying to imitate a certain preacher. He was highly successful and a great man of God. One day an elder of my church, who had known me ever since I was fourteen years old, said, “Vernon, I want to have lunch with you.” I went to the bank where he was vice president, and from there we went to his club for lunch. All he said to me as we sat there was, “You know, we would rather have an original Vernon McGee than an imitation anybody else.” That was all he said and that was all he needed to say. From that day to this I have not tried to imitate anyone. And Lord help the man who would try to imitate me! What a tragic thing it is for one man to try to duplicate another man. God will not lead us alike. Ezra went back to the land with no support whatsoever. Nehemiah returned to the land with half of the Persian army. God will use both ways.
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel [Neh. 2:10].
When Nehemiah reached his destination, there was already opposition. There are three fellows we are going to meet. There is Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, whom we will meet later on. These three men were the enemies of God and His people. They had tried to hinder the building of the temple, and now they want to hinder the rebuilding of the wall. When Nehemiah came with a tremendous entourage of servants and soldiers, everybody in the country heard of it. They wanted to know who in the world he was. They were told that he was cupbearer to the king of Persia, and that he was coming to help the Jews. When that word got around, the enemy was grieved. They didn’t like that.
It is always interesting to see how news is received. It usually depends upon who you are whether news is good or not. The gospel is not good news to its enemies. In fact, it is anything but good news.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days [Neh. 2:11].
In this verse we note the word so again. At this point Nehemiah could have written two or three chapters about his journey to Jerusalem and the thrilling experiences he had on the way. Instead he simply says, “So I came to Jerusalem.” Mark it down every time he uses the word so. He is cutting down on a great many words.
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon [Neh. 2:12].
After arriving in Jerusalem Nehemiah did not want to stir up undue alarm, so he went out at night under the cover of darkness to make his inspection and see what the real condition was. He had no entourage of servants with him. It was no parade. He was a layman—this is the way a businessman would do it.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass [Neh. 2:13–14].
There was so much debris that Nehemiah could not ride horseback through it. He had to dismount.
Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned [Neh. 2:15].
Nehemiah had circled the entire city. He was finished with his inspection.
And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work [Neh. 2:16].
Nehemiah used caution and good judgment in doing God’s work. I love to see certain laymen today who are doing things for God. If I may be personal, we have here in California a group of men who comprise the “Thru the Bible Radio” Board. They meet regularly and they are always a great encouragement to me. I am no businessman and, very candidly, I need advice. It is marvelous what these men do. I just listen to them as they discuss certain things. Every once in a while one of them will take me to lunch and say, “Now look, here is something I think is important as far as the radio ministry is concerned.” It is usually something I have never thought of before. Now this man Nehemiah intrigues me—I am anxious to follow his story through and see what action he will take.
NEHEMIAH’S ENCOURAGEMENT TO REBUILD THE WALLS
Now having made the proper survey and evaluation of the work to be done, he called a meeting.
Then said I unto them. Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work [Neh. 2:17–18].
Nehemiah called a meeting of the leaders in the surrounding area of Jerusalem. He told them how God had led. He told them about his leave of absence and why he had come to Jerusalem. He had already made his inspection. He knew what the situation was and he said to the group, “Let’s do this job. God is with us.” They all responded to his enthusiasm and said, “Let us rise up and build.”
Nehemiah was a real leader, a God-inspired leader. The leaders responded to this man. Again here is his familiar word so. “So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” He could have elaborated a great deal and told us how this group gathered together and responded to his leadership, but Nehemiah did not do that. He is a very modest layman who stays in the background.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? [Neh. 2:19].
Here is the enemy—three men. This is not a nice little trio to have around you, friends. I suppose that every man of God not only has wonderful men around him, but he also has a few men like Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. The enemy will use different methods to try to discourage you. Generally, ridicule is the First method the enemy tries.
When I was converted, I worked in a bank and I had gone the limit into sin, I must confess. I was in grave sin. I shall never forget the reaction when I made the announcement that I was resigning and that the Lord had called me into the ministry. I did not know anyone could be ridiculed like that. I remember how discouraged I was when I left that place. I felt like giving it all up and going back and saying, “Look fellows, I was kidding you. I just want to come back and be one of you again.” But I soon found that I was frozen out. I had lost a lot of my so-called friends. It was during the days of prohibition, and they were only interested in drinking rot-gut liquor and running around. I went back to school and, oh, how discouraged I felt. The enemy started out by using ridicule. He doesn’t do that to me anymore. That is the first phase of the devil’s warfare against you, friends. He will have folks make fun of you as a Christian. At times you will find the going extremely rough. It was true of Nehemiah. The three leading enemies used the weapon of ridicule at first to deter the people from attempting the Herculean project of rebuilding the walls and gates.
Then answered I them, and said unto them. The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem [Neh. 2:20].
Notice what happened. I cannot help but love Nehemiah, and I hope you do too. He said, “Get out of my way. We are going to work. God is with us in this.” How wonderful—and God was indeed with them.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Rebuilding the walls and the gates
This chapter brings us to the rebuilding of the walls and gates. It was one of the greatest building projects ever undertaken. What Nehemiah did was a tremendous thing. It was a wonderful way in which God was moving. You see, God had led Ezra and Zerubbabel back to the land to rebuild the temple. Their task was a different one from Nehemiah’s. He was a layman, and his work was to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. God accomplishes His work in different ways with different men. God always moves like that, friend.
Many of us in the ministry started out trying to imitate someone. Well, it doesn’t work. We just have to be ourselves. Have you ever noticed what God can do with one nose, two eyes, one mouth, and two ears? He can make a billion faces, and no two of them will be alike. He certainly can come up with a variety of faces. He also makes an infinite number of fingers and no two fingers are alike, and the fingerprints are all different. God does it like that because He wants each one of us to be himself.
The story of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem is given to us in a most wonderful way. Ten gates tell us the story. It begins with the sheep gate and ends with the sheep gate. Sometimes the question is asked, “Were there other gates in the wall of Jerusalem?” I do not think there were at that time, although there could have been. These ten gates were selected to tell the story of the gospel. They give God’s plan of salvation. I have written a booklet entitled The Gospel in the Gates of Jerusalem, which goes into more detail concerning these gates.
SHEEP GATE
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel [Neh. 3:1].
At the sheep gate is where it all began. This is the gate where the Lord Jesus entered into Jerusalem. We have on record one occasion when He came through this gate and came to the pool of Bethesda (John 5:2). Frankly, I think He used the sheep gate to enter Jerusalem every time until His triumphal entry—when He entered through the east gate. There are those who make the mistake of identifying the east gate with the golden gate. I have heard people say that because the east gate is sealed up today, it will not be opened until Jesus Christ comes through it. The east gate is not the golden gate; the golden gate is the gate that leads to the temple. That is the gate which will be opened for Him and which will lead Him right into the Holy of Holies.
The sheep gate is the gate through which the animals were brought for sacrifice. This is the gate our Lord used. I think He was acting out, as it were, a walking parable. He was illustrating what John the Baptist said about Him, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29b). He is the Lamb of God in His Person and in His work. He takes away the sin of the world. Therefore, the sheep gate symbolizes the cross of Christ. This is where you begin with God. The cross is the only place you can begin with God. God does not ask us for anything until we come to Christ and accept Him as Savior. God has only one thing to say to the world and that is, “What will you do with my Son, who died for you?” Not until you answer that question will He ask you about your life and your service. If you turn Him down and you do not want to accept His Son, then He does not ask you for anything. He doesn’t want your good works, nor does He want your money. He does not want anything from you. Instead, He has something to give you. His Son died for you. It is the sheep gate which sets that concept before us. It all begins at the sheep gate.
And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri [Neh. 3:2].
Jericho is the place of the curse, and its men worked right next to the sheep gate. That is interesting to me. The men of Jericho came up to Jerusalem from down in the Jordan valley. They built right next to the sheep gate. If you came around the Mount of Olives on the road to Jericho, you would be at the place where these men worked. The pinnacle of the temple and the temple area is at that spot.
Jericho is the city upon which a curse was pronounced. Joshua said, “… Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho …” (Josh. 6:26). In the days of Ahab there was a man who rebuilt this city, and the curse came upon him and his sons. It was the city of the curse.
You and I live in a world today that has been cursed by sin. I don’t have to labor that point—all you have to do is look around you. Man has gotten this world in a mess! Man just does not seem able to solve his problems. There are non-Christian men in high places who are saying that the problems today are beyond the solution which man can offer. We live in a cursed world. Only Christ’s death on the cross can remove the judgment of sin from your life and my life, because (Ezek. 18:4 tells us), “… the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” My friend, that is a judgment on you. It is a judgment on me. Christ can bear that for you because of His death on the cross. If you have not trusted Him, you can trust Him now.
FISH GATE
Next we come to the fish gate.
But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof [Neh. 3:3].
It was to this gate that fish were brought in from the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. There were many fish eaters in those days. The fish gate was one place you would not have any problem locating, friends. Your nose would lead you right to it. Now, what does the fish gate symbolize? Well, the Lord Jesus said to the men who followed Him, “… I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19).
After the disciples learned the facts of the gospel, Jesus said to them, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). That is, don’t go yet. Wait until you are baptized by the Holy Spirit, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and then filled by the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost they were filled, and they became fishers of men. Today that is what God is saying to His own. He is not asking any unsaved man to be a fisher of men. How could He? An unsaved man would not know what God is talking about. But God is saying to His own, “I want you to fish for men.”
I believe that we are to fish for men in different ways. I disagree with people who insist that those who fish must go from door to door. I don’t think every person can do that. I think there are some people who are called to witness a little differently. For example, prayer evangelism is one way of effectively reaching people today. We all have different gifts; God made all of us differently. There are different ways to spread the gospel. However, I am of the opinion that all of us need to go through the fish gate one way or another. You should have a part in getting out the Word of God. Jesus says, “I want you to follow Me, and I’ll make you a fisher of men.”
When we come to Nehemiah 3:4, we begin a list of individuals who worked to rebuild the walls. It is wonderful that their names have been recorded in the Book of Life. To read this section is an exercise in pronunciation. Frankly, you cannot be dogmatic about the pronunciation of these names. You can follow a self-pronouncing Bible, but no one can guarantee its accuracy. However, these individuals are known to God. They helped build the walls of Jerusalem. Someday they are going to be rewarded for their labor.
And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord [Neh. 3:5].
These nobles thought they were too good to do this type of work—or perhaps they had some other excuse. You suspect that they had lily-white hands and would not think of lifting stones to repair the walls of Jerusalem. My friends, if you have seen the stones in the walls of Jerusalem, you marvel at the work which individuals must have put forth to build them, and maybe you have a little sympathy for the nobles of the Tekoites. They just would not put their necks to the work. It took a lot of manpower to move those stones. It took a lot of grunting and groaning to build those walls. This work created a lot of sore backs, sore hands, and sore feet. In fact, a person was sore all over from this hard labor. However the nobles were shirkers and fell down on the job.
It is interesting to note that the nobles were right next to the fish gate, which speaks of witnessing. These men were not witnesses for God at all. I don’t know about you, but I would not want to be in that group. I would hate to have it reported in the eternal Word of God that I did not do what He called me to do. In our day I am afraid that there are many people in the church who are not doing what God has called them to do. I am talking about saved people, not the unsaved. These Christians are not doing anything. They are not serving God. In Proverbs 11:26 it says, “He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him….” Corn represents the Word of God, and it is a terrible thing to hold back the Word of God from those who are hungry. Have you ever stopped to think about that? Read this verse carefully: “He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him….” We are also told that there will be certain people in eternity that will rise up and call an individual blessed. I think there will be people in hell that will rise up and curse some folk who are in heaven because they withheld corn from them. Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” If we are going to be in His will today, somewhere along the line we are going to have to become involved in a movement that is getting out the Word of God to hungry hearts. None of us can do it alone. It must be a team effort.
OLD GATE
Next we come to the third gate that is mentioned. It is the old gate.
Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof [Neh. 3:6].
I asked a friend the first time we visited the city of Jerusalem and saw the gates, “Which one is the old gate? They all look old to me.” The old gate was one that had been there from the very beginning. Jeremiah 6:16 tells us the message this gate has for us: “Thus saith the Lord. Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls….”
We are living in a day where people are interested in the thing that is new. They must have the latest model automobile, the latest fashion, and the latest thing for the house. One day a man whose fetish was to have the latest style in clothes said to me, “I notice that you are wearing a narrow lapel, and today it is the style to wear a wide lapel.” The lapel on a coat does not make any difference to me, but it does make a great deal of difference to many people. Concerning my home, another man said to me, “You have an old place, don’t you?” My home is about twenty-five years old, and I still think of it as new. In the south I lived in a house that was one hundred years old, but in Southern California my house is already old. We are living in a day when things are changing radically and rapidly. The conditions under which our grandfathers proposed to our grandmothers were vastly different from those under which young folks in this present day deal with the matter of marriage. Morality is changing. People talk about “new morality,” but it was old even in the time of Noah.
It is this constant search for something new that is leading us to frustration. It is the thing that has taken many folks down the garden path to a dead end street with no purpose in life whatsoever. Jeremiah says that we need to ask for the “old paths,” because there we will find rest for our souls. Instead of running to psychiatrists and trying this and that new method, what we really need to do is come to the One who says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will rest you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30). My friend, in Christ we find rest. The human heart needs something greater than this mechanical, electronic, push-button age in which we live. We need to get back to the old paths.
Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths [Neh. 3:8a].
Does this impress you as being unusual? The stones in the walls of Jerusalem, as I have said, were tremendous; their weight was enormous. Now goldsmiths were accustomed to sitting at benches and working with little pieces of gold. They were not used to working with large stones. Although it was hard work for them to rebuild the wall, they did it. God took note of that and recorded what the goldsmiths did. In our day there are folks who are making real sacrifices for God and it is difficult for them. Remember, my friend, God takes note of it.
Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall [Neh. 3:8b].
An apothecary is a druggist. They are the pill-rollers. They don’t make pills any larger than you can swallow; yet these folk were working with great big stones. These men were really rock-and-rollers now! God took note of them also and recorded it in His Word. I like to see people today who are really putting their necks to the work, those who have to grunt and groan in the Lord’s work and are really doing something for Him.
I know several pastors, real men of God, who are killing themselves in the work of the Lord. I had a wonderful friend in Southern California who had a heart attack and died. He was a man of God, and he actually killed himself in the work of the Lord. I know of others today who are doing the same thing. I said to a pastor up north, “Look, brother, I know something about what you are going through. You are overworking. You are doing too much. You have to slow down.” My friend, if you have a good pastor and he is working too hard, go to him and put your arms around him (I hope that won’t give him a heart attack!), and tell him you are praying for him. He may be one of the goldsmiths or the pillrollers. Tell him not to overwork. Men of God are needed today.
And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters [Neh. 3:12].
You ought to take note of this. We have the women’s liberation movement today, and they had it in Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s day. They said, “We are going out and help build the walls of Jerusalem. Men do it. We are going to do it too.” Apparently Shallum the son of Halohesh did not have any sons, so his daughters went to work helping him build the walls of Jerusalem. God took note of it and recorded it.
VALLEY GATE
The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate [Neh. 3:13].
The valley gate is the one that led out of the city of Jerusalem down into the valley—it could have been on any side of the city, because you have to go down into a valley to get out of Jerusalem. This is the gate through which many of us are called to go.
When I think of this gate, I think of the valley of the shadow of death. All of us are walking in that valley. David spoke of it in Psalm 23. As you walk down that canyon, it keeps getting narrower and narrower until—if the Lord doesn’t come—you will walk out right through that gate.
This gate also has a practical side. It is the gate of humility, the gate of humbleness. God sometimes has to lead us through trials and difficulties in order to teach us some lessons. We are told that faith develops in us different virtues, and one of them is lowliness of mind. In the Epistle to the Colossians it is called “… humbleness of mind …” (Col. 3:12). This is something that you cannot cultivate in your own human strength.
Humility has to come from the inside. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I am reminded of the man who said to his friend, “I have been trying to be humble and at last I have succeeded.” The friend said, “Well, I know you are proud of that.” The man replied, “I sure am.” Humility is not attained by human effort. We have to be humbled by the Spirit of God.
The story is told about a minister in Scotland who while in seminary was the leading student in his class. Once during his student days he was invited to preach in a certain church because of his fine scholastic record. Since he was a star pupil, he entered the pulpit with great pride. When he stood before the congregation to preach, it was confusion. He found out that it was easy to put a sermon on paper in his study, but to get up and deliver it was another thing. He became frightened. He forgot everything he knew. He left the pulpit at the close of the sermon in great shame and humility. A dear little Scottish lady had watched his every action and met him as he left the pulpit. She said, “Young man, if you had only gone into the pulpit as you came down, you would have come down as you went up.” God has to put us in the school of humility. Humility is a fruit of the Spirit. The valley gate is one that many of us need to go through.
DUNG GATE
But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof [Neh. 3:14].
This is an important gate for the health of the city, but not much is said about it. Today the dung gate leads to the wailing wall in Jerusalem, but in Nehemiah’s day it was located at the southwest angle of Mount Zion. The dung gate was where the filth was carried out, where the garbage was taken away. In 2 Corinthians 7:1 Paul says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Paul dealt with this subject in the Christian life as much as any other. You and I need to recognize that we need to confess our sins to God. Honest confession is the means by which we get out the garbage. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
GATE OF THE FOUNTAIN
But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king’s garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David [Neh. 3:15].
I believe that the gate of the fountain refers to what our Lord meant when He said to the woman at the well, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
At the Feast of Tabernacles Christ stood up and said, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). In the next verse John explains His statement: “(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John 7:39). In Romans 8:9 Paul says, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The gate of the fountain, therefore, teaches the fact that every believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God, and that he needs an infilling of the Spirit. When a believer is filled with the Spirit, he is not just a well, but a fountain of living water which will gush out to be a blessing to other people. All of us should be a blessing to others in these days in which we live.
WATER GATE
As we read down through this chapter, we come to the seventh gate.
Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out [Neh. 3:26].
The water gate was the gate used to bring water into the city. An aqueduct brought some water into the city but not all of it. The remainder was carried in through the water gate.
What does the water gate have to say to us? I believe it symbolizes the Word of God. When we get a little farther along in this book, we will see that it was here that Ezra put up a pulpit. When Ezra erected a pulpit at the water gate, he read from the Word. The place he chose was symbolic; it was no accident. The New Testament makes this clear when it speaks of the washing of water by the Word. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). In His prayer in John 17:17 the Lord said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The water gate pictures the Word of God. We are washed by the water of the Word. It is through this gate that we are trying to spread the Word. We all need to be water boys, helping to bring the water to those who are thirsty.
The psalmist asked the question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” How is he to get clean? “By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Ps. 119:9). The startling thing about the water gate is that it was not repaired. Apparently when the other gates and walls were torn down, the water gate remained intact. That was unusual. It did not need any repairs at all. Does that tell you anything? The Word of God, friend, does not need any repairs. It is intact.
There are many people today who try to prove that the Bible is the Word of God. There are also those who try to prove that the Bible is not God’s Word. My ministry at the beginning was an apologetic ministry. I tried to prove that the Bible was the Word of God. I learned, however, that I do not need to prove it; I am to give it out, and the Spirit of God takes care of that. I have already come to the definite, dogmatic conclusion that the Bible is indeed the Word of God. I don’t think it is—I know it is. And I know what it can do for you today. Therefore it does not need my weak support. The Bible will take care of itself.
When I first became a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, California, the late Dr. Bob Shuler was still pastor of the Trinity Methodist Church. He said to me one day, “You don’t need to defend the Word of God. It will take care of itself. It is like having a lion in a cage in your backyard. You don’t need to have guards to protect the lion from the pussycats in the neighborhood. You just open the door and the lion will take care of himself. He will also take care of the pussycats.” The Word of God is like that today. It needs to be given out. It does not need any repair, certainly not my weak repair. All the Lord asks me to do is to give it out.
HORSE GATE
From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house [Neh. 3:28].
Now the horse was an animal ridden by a warrior. Zechariah 1:8 speaks of a man riding upon a red horse. Behind him there were red horses, speckled, and white. Revelation 6:4 says, “And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.” These symbolic horses are powers making war.
The Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a little donkey. He was not meek because He rode upon that animal; it was the animal ridden by kings. It was not considered a humble little animal in that day. Men only rode horses during a time of war. The horse was the symbol of war.
The horse gate speaks of the “soldier service” of the believer today. In Ephesians 2:6 Paul tells us that God has “… raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.” That great truth is in the first part of the book. In the second part of Ephesians we are told to “…walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1). Our heads are up in the heavenlies, but our feet are down here on the ground where we have to walk. Not only that, in Ephesians 6:11 we are told to “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” There is a real battle to be fought. It is a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12 continues: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We are not fighting against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces in this battle. As I write this, there is an increasing interest in the Word of God. There are also a great many adversaries. Paul said the same thing in his day: “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9).
I never realized that certain folks were my enemies until I began to give out the Word of God. It is amazing that you can be attacked by certain men who ought to support God’s Word. These men claim to be Christians, and you would think that, if they didn’t have something good to say, they wouldn’t say anything; but they have been very critical of my Bible teaching ministry. Because there are many adversaries, we need to put on the whole armor of God. And we are told to take the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. That is the only weapon we want to use.
In 2 Timothy 2:3 Paul said to a young preacher, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” This verse speaks of the fact that as believers we are going to have battles to fight. If you are not in a battle today, apparently you are not standing for the Lord, because the battle is waxing hot in many places. If you take a stand for the Lord, somebody is going to try to cut you down. Many of God’s children are having a real struggle in this hour in which we live.
EAST GATE
After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate [Neh. 3:29].
The next gate we come to is the east gate, a gate that fills us with anticipation and excitement. Obviously, this gate was located on the east side of the city. It was the first one that was opened in the morning. The east gate in modern Jerusalem is sealed. There are those who seem to think that it is the gate through which the Lord Jesus Christ will come when He returns to earth. He may do that, but Scripture does not say that He will. Scripture indicates that He will enter through the golden gate, which is not in the wall of the city but in the temple.
Although the east gate is now sealed, it was the first gate opened each morning, because it was facing in the direction of the rising sun. All during the night the watchman was on the wall, walking up and down, making his rounds. Early in the morning he comes around to the east gate and watches the horizon for the first sign of daybreak. Perhaps there were people in the city who were disturbed that night, fearing there might have been an enemy out in the darkness, and they could not sleep. Maybe they paced up and down most of the night. Finally they ask, “Watchman, what of the night? Isn’t it ever going to end?” The watchman replies, “Well, it is still dark out there, but the morning is coming.” After a while there is that glimmer of light in the eastern horizon. Finally the watchman gives the signal and says, “It is light out here; I can see that there is no enemy. And the sun is coming up.” What a sigh of relief goes up from that city!
We as believers ought to be gathered at the “east gate” because there is a glimmer of light on the horizon—the sun may be coming up before long. But before the sun comes up, the Bright and Morning Star will appear. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17). This event is what we call the Rapture. “Caught up” is a translation of the Greek harpazo, and one of the synonyms is the word rapture. When someone says that the Bible does not teach the Rapture, they are just arguing semantics. The Scripture says that He is going to take His own out of the world before the sun comes up. And there is a little glimmer of light today. I have no date to suggest concerning the time of the Rapture. Unfortunately, there are men today who are saying that between now and a.d. 2000 the Lord will come. I would like to know where they get that idea. They act as if they have a private line to heaven that the rest of us do not have access to. Scripture tells us, however, that our Lord is coming, and I believe that the next event is the Rapture of the church. We ought to be gathered at the east gate my friend, in this day when it is so dark. It is comforting to know that there is a little glimmer of light, and we have a hope.
After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber [Neh. 3:30].
This verse is interesting in that all this man Meshullam did was repair the part over against the chamber where he lived. My friend, you may not be able to witness to the world; you may not be able to reach your neighborhood; but you can reach your family. You can give the Word of God to your family. It is wonderful to have a saved family, and it is your responsibility to get God’s Word to them. One man said to me concerning his family, “I feel I should get them saved.” I disagree with that. His business was to see that they heard the gospel. Then their decision was between them and the Lord. Meshullam just repaired over against his chamber. Apparently that was all God expected him to do, and He recorded it.
GATE MIPHKAD
After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith’s son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner [Neh. 3:31].
What is the gate Miphkad? Miphkad means “review” or “registry.” When a stranger came to Jerusalem, he had to have a visa—not like those we have today, but he had to stop at this gate and register. It was also a gate of review. When the army had been out fighting a battle and returned, they passed through this gate. It was here that David reviewed his soldiers returning from battle. How he loved them, and how they loved him! Most of them would gladly have laid down their lives for him. When they passed through this arch, David was there to thank his battle-scarred men for their unselfish loyalty and daring.
As we saw in I Thessalonians 4, at the time of the Rapture we are going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Some people say, “Oh, that is going to be wonderful.” Well, it is. But did you know that after the Rapture we are going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ? “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
This is not the same judgment as that at the Great White Throne mentioned in Revelation 20:11–15. Only believers will be present at the judgment seat of Christ, because this judgment does not concern salvation but reward. Believers will receive rewards for things done in the body. You will not be there if you are not saved. You will be rewarded according to what you have done, whether it be good or bad. And Paul says, on the basis of that, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11). In effect, Paul says, “I want to keep busy because I am going to have to turn in a report about whether I am working eight hours a day, or if I am giving the Lord sixty minutes in every hour, twenty-four hours every day, seven days a week.” Under the Law the Jews only gave God one day, but our Lord says that regardless of what we do, we are to do it unto Him. He does not care if we wash dishes or dig ditches. Someone has said, “You can dig a ditch so straight and true that even God can look it through.” And He is going to “look it through” someday, my friend. He is going to take a close look at how you lived down here. That is the picture of the gate Miphkad. David knew his battle-scarred men and what they had done. Every once in a while he would call one out of the ranks and say, “I have a reward for you.” There are going to be many unknown Christians who will be called out before the judgment seat of Christ and rewarded. We think of the preachers, the missionaries, the officers of the church, and the Sunday school teachers receiving great rewards, but I think that some of the greatest rewards will go to some of the unknown saints who live for God in this day. Miphkad can be a wonderful gate for you and me to come to someday. The prospect of it should cause us to examine our lives a little more closely.
And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants [Neh. 3:32].
We have been through ten gates, and now we are back at the sheep gate. We have been all of the way around the walls of Jerusalem, and we are right back where we started. As you will recall, the sheep gate symbolizes the cross of Christ. We began with the cross of Christ and we end with the cross of Christ. It is Christ’s cross that is all important.
As we stand at the sheep gate, I would like to tell you the story of the late Dr. MacKay, the great Scottish preacher who was holding meetings in London. After a service a young man came to him and said, “Dr. MacKay, I would like to speak to you for a moment.” Dr. MacKay replied, “Well, I must take the train back to the place where I am staying, but you may walk with me to the train.” On the way as they walked, the young man said, “What you say about trusting Christ is not clear to me.” Dr. MacKay went over the plan of salvation once again, but the young man said, “I am sorry, but I cannot seem to feel that I understand savingly. It does not seem to get through.” The preacher heard his train coming and he asked the young man if he had a Bible. He said, “No, I don’t.” Dr. MacKay said, “Here is my Bible. Take it and turn to Isaiah 53:6 and read that verse. When you come to the first ‘all’ you bend down low and go right in there. Then, when you get to the last ‘all’ stand up straight and you will come out right.” So the young man took his Bible and Dr. MacKay rushed down to get his train.
The young man stood there holding the Bible, a little puzzled. He moved over under a street light and turned to Isaiah 53:6. Now what did he say to do? He said at the first “all” to bend down low. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way ….” The young man thought, That sure is a picture of me. He continued to read the verse: “… and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all”. He stood there puzzled. Oh, yes, I am to stand up straight and come out. I see it now. I am to trust Christ. The Lord God has laid all of my sins on Jesus. Now I can stand up straight—He has forgiven me!
The next evening Dr. Mackay arrived early and sat on the platform looking for the young man. The service started and he had not located him yet. He had his Bible and, after all, Dr. MacKay, being Scottish, was not about to part with that Bible. Finally he saw the young man come in, and Dr. MacKay went to meet him and get his Bible. He said, “Young man, did you do what I said?” The lad replied, “Yes, I did. I read Isaiah 53:6. I bent down at the first ‘all’ and stood straight up at the last ‘all.’” Dr. MacKay asked, “And what happened?” The lad replied, “I know now that Jesus is my Savior and I have trusted him.”
My friend, we begin at the sheep gate, and we come out at the sheep gate. I think that throughout eternity we are going to talk about the sheep gate, where Jesus died over 1900 years ago for your sins and mine.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Nehemiah’s response to opposition from without
In the preceding chapter we saw that Nehemiah—an ingenious fellow—used a special strategy to get the wall around Jerusalem built. As we moved around the wall, we saw that different people were allocated a certain section of wall to repair so that the wall was going up all the way around the city at the same time. In this chapter we will see that they managed to build it about halfway up. The enemies found that the weapon of laughter did not stop the work, so now they are going to employ a new method to try to stop the building.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews [Neh. 4:1].
Laughing at them hadn’t stopped them—the work progressed—so now the enemy will use the weapon of ridicule before others. They mock that which was precious to God but despised by Sanballat.
And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? [Neh. 4:2].
The questions which the enemy asked were pertinent questions. They were questions the children of Israel were asking themselves. They wondered if they would be able to complete the task. Ridicule is one method the enemy will use.
Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall [Neh. 4:3].
Tobiah the Ammonite—he is a wisecracker—comes through with a sarcastic remark. It had a touch of humor in it, by the way. Now a fox is a very light-footed animal. A fox can walk over ground and not leave much of a track. A fox can run on a wall and not disturb a thing on it. What Tobiah is saying is that these feeble Jews are building a wall that even a light-footed fox would knock down. After all, some of the builders were goldsmiths, druggists, and women. My, how the enemy ridiculed them! Believe me, this was discouraging for these people who had been working so hard.
What is Nehemiah going to do? The resource and the recourse of this man is prayer. Notice what he does.
Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders [Neh. 4:4–5].
These men who tried to hinder the building were God’s enemies as well as the Jews’ enemies. This is a prayer under the Law. Under the Law, the Jews had a perfect right to ask for justice. They were correct to ask that a righteous judgment be made. God intends to do that, friend; that has never changed.
However, the Lord Jesus Christ has reversed it for those of us who are believers today. Today we are told not to pray for revenge. We are definitely told in Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” In Romans 12:19 Paul wrote, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” There are certain matters that we should turn over to the Lord and He will handle them. If we attempt to handle them, it means that we are not walking by faith.
There are certain things that I think we are to take care of. It is quite evident from Scripture that there are times when a rebuke should be given. We find that Paul told the Corinthians that they were to deal with the things in their church that were wrong. Paul told Timothy, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). Reprove means “to convict.” Rebuke means “to threaten.” Exhort means “to comfort.” The child of God is to use the sword of the Lord, which is the Word of God. That sword needs to be pushed into that thing which is corrupt and wrong in our lives. It is also to be used to apply the balm of Gilead to a broken heart. There are times when a rebuke should be delivered. God help the preacher who is not faithful in that connection. We are living in a day when people grasp to themselves teachers with itching ears. They want a flowery message that just washes itself out into nothing. They don’t want to hear a message that deals with their indifference and the sin in their lives. As a result, a great many churches—even some so-called Bible churches—have nothing to offer but that which is sweet. While it is true that there is a lot of Scripture that is sweet, there is some of God’s Word that is bitter. Many people feel that the bitter side should not be heard.
Under Law, my friend, the people could pray that justice be brought to pass upon their enemies. We need to remember that those who are the enemies of the people of God are also the enemies of God Himself.
However, the life of God’s people is not simply a life of prayer; it also is a walk and a warfare. So what did these people do?
So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work [Neh. 4:6].
Nehemiah ignored the sarcasm of the enemy, prayed to God, and continued to build. So the opposition of ridicule was overcome by the people.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth [Neh. 4:7].
When the enemy saw that laughing at them and ridiculing them are not going to stop the building of the wall, they begin to move in another direction. They are angry now.
And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them [Neh. 4:8–9].
Once again we see that prayer is Nehemiah’s resource and recourse. His motto is now “pray and watch.” “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God.” It is fine to use pious platitudes when we back them up with something. I know many people who will say, “Let us pray about it.” Have you ever heard someone say that? What I want to know is, what are you going to do after you pray? When I was a pastor, I asked a man to do something. He said, “Well, I will pray about it.” I replied, “Wait a minute. If that is your way of saying no to me, say it right now to my face, and I will find someone else to do it. I don’t think you need to pray about this matter. Either you can do it or you can’t do it. Either you will or you won’t. Which is it?” To tell the truth, he wouldn’t do it. He was just putting me off, and our conversation enabled me to find someone else for the job. There are many people today who simply mouth pious platitudes.
Nehemiah could have uttered a pious platitude. He could have said, “We are trusting the Lord. We won’t do anything.” That is the easy way out. That is what many people are doing today. They say they are trusting the Lord, but what are they doing about it? If you really trust the Lord, you will be doing something. Nehemiah knew that the enemy was plotting to come against him, so he set a watch. This is what God expected him to do, of course.
Not only was there trouble without; there was trouble within.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish: so that we are not able to build the wall [Neh. 4:10].
This is the time to be careful, because the Devil can hurt you most severely from the inside. One of Satan’s greatest weapons against God’s people is discouragement.
I received a letter some time ago from a young missionary couple serving in the jungles of South America. It was their first term of service, and they were very discouraged. From their letter it sounded as though they were ready to come home. They said, “You do not know what it means to us to listen to your radio program late at night down here in this foreign land, among people whose language we do not yet understand.” The Devil, of course, was using his weapon of discouragement.
We, too, were discouraged and were ready to take our program off that particular station in South America. Then the Lord undertook in a marvelous way, and we were able to continue broadcasting the program. We were so glad, because we know the Bible teaching is an encouragement to these young folk. Oh, how wonderful the Lord is to us, friend! The Devil uses discouragement in all our lives.
And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you [Neh. 4:11–12].
The enemy took advantage of the Jews’ discouragement, and they planned a surprise attack. “We are going to take them when they are not looking for us.”
What will be Nehemiah’s strategy against a surprise attack?
Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows [Neh. 4:13].
Nehemiah put every man in the position where he could defend his own family, which made him more comfortable when he was building, of course. With his family at home, some distance away from him, a builder did not know whether or not they were safe. So Nehemiah put them with their families and armed them well.
And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses [Neh. 4:14].
“Remember the Lord” was to be their motto, their rallying cry. As you may remember in the Spanish-American War, our nation’s battle cry was “Remember the Maine.” In World War I it was “Remember the Lusitania.” In World War II it was “Remember Pearl Harbor.” Napoleon always reminded his soldiers of some past victory to stir them up to fight. When Paul the apostle wrote his swan song to a young preacher named Timothy, he gave him a rallying cry. The correct translation of 2 Timothy 2:8 is, “Remember Jesus Christ!” That is the rallying cry of believers today. “Remember the Lord” was the rallying cry for the Jews in Nehemiah’s day.
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work [Neh. 4:15].
The Jews could go back to work now. The enemy had retired. They found they could not surprise the Jews.
Nehemiah is an ingenious fellow. He still has more strategy. I like him—I wish I had him around today.
And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon [Neh. 4:16–17].
I love this. Each builder had a trowel in one hand with which to build, and in the other hand he carried a sword with which to defend himself. These two weapons or instruments should be in the hands of believers today. The trowel represents the fact that believers should build themselves up in the most holy faith. That is for the inside.
I disagree with folks who say that when a person is saved he should jump right in and start witnessing. I really don’t think new converts ought to be used in a ministry. They first need to learn from experience that Jesus saves and keeps and satisfies. It is wonderful to hear that So-and-So was saved yesterday, or last week; but let us hear from him in a year or two years from today to see if he has been built up in the faith. You see, we need to be built up. The trowel needs to be in our hand. Also we need to hold the sword of the Spirit. That is also important. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God with which we defend ourselves. We need the trowel in one hand and the sword in the other.
Spurgeon put out a magazine years ago called The Sword and the Trowel—I think it is still in existence. I was in Spurgeon’s church some time ago and stood in his pulpit. What a great man of God he was, and an example of one who believed that you ought to hold the trowel in one hand and the sword in the other.
For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us [Neh. 4:18–20].
Nehemiah said, “I will watch. When you hear the trumpet, come to that spot, and we will meet the enemy head on.”
So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared [Neh. 4:21].
I don’t know what union these men belonged to, but they certainly worked longer than eight hours. They worked from the rising of the sun until the stars appeared in the sky. Believe me, they were tired and weary in the work of the Lord.
Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day [Neh. 4:22].
To men who had come from far away places, like Jericho, Nehemiah said, “Stay close by, because we want you to be ready to guard at night.”
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing [Neh. 4:23].
I was just about ready to say to Nehemiah, “Boy, I’ll bet you got dirty during all that time.” But Nehemiah says, “Of course when we took a bath we took off our clothes.” (You see, there is humor in the Bible, friend. Even in a crisis like this, the Lord inserted a little humor.) Otherwise they never removed their clothes—day or night. They were on guard all of the time. Oh, to be so clothed today with the armor of God!
There are trying times ahead. Real difficulty is going to arise which will cause Nehemiah to become angry and which almost disrupted the work of the Lord.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Nehemiah’s response to opposition from within
While engaged in this important project of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah has been met by opposition in many forms. My, the Devil is subtle. First the enemy laughed at the Jews. Then the enemy ridiculed them. Finally there was open opposition. It was so intense that Nehemiah had his builders put a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other hand while they worked on the wall. Nehemiah and his associates worked so hard that they did not take their clothes off except to bathe.
Now we see opposition coming from within. This is where the Devil strikes his greatest blow. In the history of the church we have seen that when the Devil could not destroy the church by persecution, the next thing he did was to join it! The Devil had already caused discouragement among the Jews, and now he goes a step farther and causes conflict within.
And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards [Neh. 5:1–4].
Human nature really does not change. Even though we are living today in an electronic, mechanical, technological, and space age, problems are about the same as those during Nehemiah’s day. I think that all of our technical devices merely multiply our problems and make them very thorny and difficult to solve. Because the Jews were so busy building the walls, they did not have the opportunity to carry on their personal business. They had to buy corn—food for their families, and in doing so they had to mortgage their property. Some of them had to mortgage their property in order to pay their taxes—taxes were high in that day. They were borrowing money from their own brethren.
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards [Neh. 5:5].
For a long time this problem had been growing, but up to this time Nehemiah did not know about it. These folks wanted to build the walls of Jerusalem, so they very quietly mortgaged their property to their brethren. There were those who were in the lending business, you see.
The foes outside had not been able to harm as long as there was love and harmony within, but now there is conflict. This problem had also come into the early church, you remember. Ananias and Sapphira had conspired to deceive their brethren and were judged by God with sudden death. Their conspiracy had to do with money. I do not know why money is such a temptation, but it is.
I am well acquainted with a church that has been giving out a false financial statement for some time. The old bromide “figures don’t lie, but liars will figure” is still true. There is a certain way that even a CPA can present a financial statement that looks good, but in reality the whole truth has not been told. That happens in many churches today. That is the way the Devil gets into churches. I have always noticed that he comes in this way. This is what Nehemiah had to deal with.
The Scripture gives us some advice in Philippians 1:27–28: “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.” The word conversation in this passage means “your way of life.” Paul says, “You let harmony be inside. Be honest in your dealings. Don’t give false reports or belittle a brother. Tell the truth. When you tell the truth, it will produce harmony.” Good old practical James had something to say about this subject, too, in James 3:16, which says, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” That is what happened with Ananias and Sapphira. They lied about their dealings with the church and brought in confusion. In Nehemiah’s day some Jews had borrowed money. When they couldn’t pay back the money, they actually had to sell their sons and daughters into slavery. It was only for a certain period of time, but long enough to wreck their lives in some cases. Those who had borrowed money were charged interest. We always think of “usury” as excessive interest, but it really means regular interest. The interesting thing is, though it might be legitimate in the business world today to charge interest, it was not legal for the children of Israel to do it. God said that the Jews were not to charge their brethren interest.
Up to this point Nehemiah has kept his cool. He has been able to go right along with his people and be patient with them, but now Nehemiah is angry.
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words [Neh. 5:6].
Nehemiah was not just a little angry, he was very angry.
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them [Neh. 5:7].
“Then I consulted with myself”—this is something for him to decide; so he thinks the matter through.
And I said unto them. We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer [Neh. 5:8].
Nehemiah openly rebuked the nobles and the rulers for their actions. Nehemiah exposed those who had done wrong in the presence of the group, which is the right thing to do when such a thing occurs. Also, the church congregation should be warned if there are those in it who are not being honest in their dealings and are moving in an underhanded way. Evil should be brought out into the open.
Nehemiah exposed the underhanded dealings of his brethren. He was angry. Somebody says, “You should not get angry.” Paul says, “Be ye angry, and sin not …” in Ephesians 4:26. It depends upon the reason; for your anger. If you become angry because of your own personal welfare, it is wrong. If you become angry because God’s program, God’s glory, and God’s name are being hurt, then you can “be angry and sin not.” Nehemiah was not quiet about the sin he uncovered. He did not acquiesce. He was not passive. He spoke right out.
We ought to be stirred up to a righteous anger when we see something wrong in the church. We should not mollycoddle the wrongdoer and shut our eyes to his sin. Many people say, “We just don’t want to disturb things.” You don’t? My friend, you had better do something because the Devil has moved in on you, and he will divide you. We need courage today. We need conviction. The church no longer has a good name in the world, and the world is passing it by. The spiritual movement that is emerging is largely outside the organized church. Christians have been playing church. The controlling group in the church has been having a good time, but they are not reaching the lost, and the world is passing by uninterested.
A preacher in the North said to me, “It makes me angry to think that you cannot reach out and touch the lost today because they know about the hypocrisy, the pious platitudes, and the dishonesty inside the church.” But there are those in the world who are longing to know the truth. They want to know if we are being honest in what we have to say. Some of the brethren deal with wrongs in the church by sweeping them under the rug with the excuse that they want to maintain a “Christian” attitude by being sweet and nice. That’s not acting like a Christian—it is acting like a coward!
Nehemiah brought the sin of his brethren right out into the open and nobody was able to answer him. They had to keep quiet while he was there, but they will cause all the trouble they can. They are also going to cause Nehemiah a lot of trouble when he goes back to the palace in Shushan. Nevertheless, he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and he served God in his day and generation.
Also I said, it is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? [Neh. 5:9].
Christ is a reproach today in the world. Is He a reproach because of the conduct of the church? Because of the conduct of believers? Because of the conduct of you and me? This is a question we need to ask ourselves. Nehemiah said, “Look, you are causing the enemy to blaspheme because of what you are doing!”
I likewise, and my brethren and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury [Neh. 5:10].
Nehemiah said, “I was in a position where I could have benefited financially.” This was the real test of Nehemiah. He did not use his position for gain. In our society the grasping person is after the last farthing. Many a man is putting the dollar ahead of God. You can put a dime so close to your eye that you cannot see even the sun. There are many folks looking at the world like that.
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them [Neh. 5:11].
Nehemiah appealed to the wealthy Jews to restore what they had collected and not to collect any more payments.
Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise [Neh. 5:12].
I love this fellow Nehemiah. He says, “I don’t believe your verbal promises. I want you to sign on the dotted line.” Although they were God’s people, He knew better than to take them at their word. They had to put their oath in writing.
I think one of the biggest mistakes I ever made in the ministry was to believe some Christians. I hate to say that, but I say it from experience. We should be able to trust the word of a Christian. An outstanding Christian businessman—whom I know to be honest—said to me, “McGee, I have gotten to the place where I don’t even like to do business with Christians. I would much rather do business with the man in the world because I automatically watch him. But the Christian—I assume he will be honest, but that is not always the case.”
Nehemiah was a practical man. He said, “All right, you have promised to return what you have taken. I don’t believe you. Sign on the dotted line. That is what I want you to do.”
Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise [Neh. 5:13].
I think that if something as strong as this statement of Nehemiah’s were read from the pulpit in our day, the congregation would say, “Amen.” It takes just one bad apple to spoil the whole barrel of apples. One skunk in a field full of cats will give them all a bad name. It would be well to mark out the man who is causing trouble, to get the bad apple out of the barrel, and remove the skunk from the field of cats. This is what Nehemiah did. He actually pronounced a curse upon them. What a picturesque scene! What a dramatic scene! Nehemiah “shook out his lap.” Remember that he was a government official and wore a uniform. He shook out his long robe in front of the crowd and said, “This is the way God will shake you out, and I will shake you out, if you don’t make your promise good.” That is the way to talk to people like this! To the Galatians (5:12) Paul could say, “I would they were even cut off which trouble you.” He wished the legalizers would be absolutely cut off because of the damage they were doing to the Galatian believers. This is strong language!
Now we will be given a glimpse of the personal life of Nehemiah.
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor [Neh. 5:14].
He had a right to draw a salary, but he did not.
But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God [Neh. 5:15].
The governors before Nehemiah received their salaries, but Nehemiah chose not to accept a salary. I love this man!
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work [Neh. 5:16].
Nehemiah did not go into the real estate business. He stayed out of land speculation. He gained no mortgages on land by lending money or grain. He did not take anything on the side.
Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us [Neh. 5:17].
He regularly entertained one hundred fifty table guests. He also entertained Jews from surrounding nations who had come to live in the city but had not yet found a place to live. Apparently he did all of this at his own expense. He was different from the other governors.
Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people [Neh. 5:18].
He did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because he had a heart for his hardworking brethren.
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people [Neh. 5:19].
He was a wonderful man. His concern was for his people, but they would forget him. It is a sad thing, but many a famous person has learned that the world forgets. People have short memories. But Nehemiah asked God to remember him. He said, “Think upon me, my God.” How wonderful to know that, while God does not remember our sins, He will always remember our good works. And He even records them in a book!
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Wall finished in spite of crafty opposition
We have seen that Nehemiah encountered just about every form of opposition imaginable in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Satan has thrown in his pathway many things from his bag of tricks to cause him to stumble and fall and fail in his endeavor. Satan does the same thing to us today, only many times in our experience he succeeds and we fail. God does not want us to fail. In fact, He has made every arrangement so that we do not need to fail—yet we do. But Nehemiah did not fail.
In this chapter we find that the wall is about finished.
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) [Neh. 6:1].
Notice the honesty of this man. He adds, “Though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates.” Nehemiah is like Nathanael because there is no guile in him whatsoever—he is not being subtle or clever. Unfortunately, there are many people in their church work who don’t tell you everything they should tell you about certain matters. Many times their reports are not full and complete. They are slanted. They are built up and filled in, and the entire truth is not told.
I have always appreciated honesty in my doctor. The first thing he told me when he suspected that I had cancer was, “Dr. McGee, I am going to tell you the truth because, if I don’t, you won’t have confidence in me.” From that day to this, he has laid it on the line. When there didn’t seem to be any hope for me, he told me the plain facts. He did not attempt to paint a rosy picture. He did not attempt to cover up. He told it like it was. I have always appreciated it. Honesty is something that is badly needed in business, in social gatherings, and in the church. Of course we should not be blunt or crude. If you are introduced to a lady, you don’t have to tell her that she is beautiful if she is not. You can’t kid her anyway—I think she knows. We simply need to be more honest in our dealings with one another.
Now when the enemy, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and others hear that the wall is completed, Nehemiah honestly admits the report is a bit exaggerated. The gates are not set up. The honesty of Nehemiah is a tremendous thing. He tells it like it is.
That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? [Neh. 6:2–3].
The enemies now reverse their tactics. Since they could not stop the work, they now propose to get together with Nehemiah and work out a compromise. Their intention is not to promote the welfare of Nehemiah. This is the old satanic method of “When you can’t fight them, join them.” Today it is called the ecumenical movement.
The place they were going to meet was on the plain of Ono. Nehemiah properly turned down their invitation. He said, “Oh, no,” to Ono because “they thought to do me mischief.” They were plotting against him, probably planning to slay him. There was no use going into great detail with the enemy; he simply sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” The enemy wanted to compromise, but Nehemiah said, “No!”
There are those in the church today who want to compromise. They feel that you are bigoted and dogmatic if you don’t meet with them and try to work out a compromise. I quit meeting with folks like that a long time ago. Today I meet only with those who want to meet around the person of Christ. You would be amazed at some of the churches in which I have held meetings. Although I am in total disagreement with the organizations and some of their doctrines, I will meet with anybody around the person of Christ, but I am not prepared to meet with the enemy at all.
Looking back a few years, I believe William Jennings Bryan made a big mistake in meeting Clarence Darrow in Cleveland, Tennessee, to debate the subject of evolution. I think Bryan walked all over Darrow. Any unbiased person who reads the debate will have to come to the conclusion that Bryan was on the winning side, but I believe that the very fact that he met with Darrow was wrong. It was really a losing battle, and it has certainly been demonstrated since then that it was. You cannot win over an enemy by meeting with him like that. That is my conviction.
Although I am an ordained minister, I don’t belong to any denomination or organization. As a result, I can meet with any person or group who believes the Word of God, believes in the deity of Christ, and believes that He died for our sins—regardless of the label they use. It makes no difference to me. But I do not meet with the enemy. Nehemiah was doing a good work, and he did not have time to come down and waste his time with the enemy. God’s people do not need to compromise. Nehemiah had an uncompromising attitude, and I admire him for it.
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort: and I answered them after the same manner.
Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in hand [Neh. 6:4–5].
The enemy was persistent. He always is. Did they really want to be friendly and compromise with Nehemiah? The fact of the matter is that Nehemiah’s presence was desperately needed in Jerusalem in order to complete the building of the wall. The letter from the enemy was couched in polite language, but it was a hook with bait on it. Notice that it contained a threat.
Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words [Neh. 6:6].
Old Gashmu is ever with us. He is the fellow who is the worst gossip of all. I have discovered that sometimes the worst gossip is a man and not a woman.
This letter—accusing Nehemiah of attempting to rebel against Persia and set up a separate state—was made public, either by being posted or by being read aloud. It was designed to discourage those who were working on the wall. It accused Nehemiah of wanting to become king.
And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together [Neh. 6:7].
Not only did they accuse him of claiming kingship. They also accused him of hiring prophets to support what he said! These were awful things to circulate about Nehemiah. The letter indicated that they wanted to find out if these things were really true because they were going to report it to the king. They are exerting pressure on Nehemiah to meet with them.
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart [Neh. 6:8].
Nehemiah’s reaction to the enemy was, “You actually did not hear the things you are accusing me of; you made them up yourself.” This was a nice way of calling them liars.
For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands [Neh. 6:9].
In facing this problem, Nehemiah went to the Lord. He said, “The enemy is doing this to weaken me and to hinder Your work. Strengthen my hands.”
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in [Neh. 6:10–11].
Shemaiah, a false prophet, pretends to have a great interest in Nehemiah’s safety. He says he wants to reveal a plot against the governor’s life. The temple was the only place where Nehemiah would be safe. He is asking him to do a very cowardly thing. What he did not reckon on was Nehemiah’s spiritual insight.
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear [Neh. 6:12–14].
Nehemiah is in the thick of plots and schemes to destroy him. Well, he dealt with this crowd that pretended to be his friends, but he is still in a difficult spot. He is caught between a rock and a hard place. He turns around and finds himself in the middle of another plot, but he turns to God. The land was once again cursed with false prophets. It seems that they were the most determined enemies of God’s servants.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days [Neh. 6:15].
Without fanfare of trumpets, great ceremony, or ribbon cutting, the wall is finished.
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God [Neh. 6:16].
The work was finished in fifty-two days. Only God could have done this through them. But even though the wall is now completed, there is still danger.
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear [Neh. 6:17–19].
The enemy still persists in his opposition by circulating letters to the nobles of Judah. Tobiah had evidently married a daughter of one of the nobles! All of this time there was this playing “footsie” with the enemies of God. Tobiah had a “telephone” right into the walls of Jerusalem so that everything Nehemiah did or said was reported to Tobiah. Also, “they reported his good deeds before me.” That is, these kinfolk by marriage would come to Nehemiah and say, “Nehemiah, you are too hard on Tobiah! He is really a lovely gentleman.” Then they would begin to tell of his good works. “And uttered my words to him”—they were acting as liaison officers, which means they were a bunch of tattletales. Everything Nehemiah would say, and all that went on in Jerusalem, was reported to Tobiah. And “Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.” Tobiah would respond with threatening letters.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Nehemiah’s register of the people
As we begin this chapter, we see that the wall has been completed. Now the people begin to protect the city of Jerusalem. Many of the homes have already been built, but inside the city there is still much work to be done. They are still clearing out the debris. It is necessary to protect the city because the enemy that tried to thwart and hinder the rebuilding of the walls would now like to destroy the city.
Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed [Neh. 7:1].
After the wall was finished, Nehemiah set the doors at the different gates, and then he appointed these men to protect the city. The porters were the watchmen. They were the ones who took care of the wall. They were on guard duty all around the wall, letting those on the inside know what was going on outside. If an enemy or some danger approached, they would sound the alarm. They watched both day and night—it was a twenty-four-hour job. The standards for this job were high, but we will find that some of the rules that were set up were not enforced as they should have been. The guards of the wall were not to be indifferent to who came and went inside the city walls.
At this point I want to say something that I trust will not be misunderstood. We are told today that we are not to be indifferent to those who come and go in our fellowship, because we are not to fellowship with all who are professing Christians. Notice what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:11: “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” Today, although we are to give doctrine top priority—for instance, we cannot make those who deny the inerrancy of Scripture our brothers and fellowship with them in worship—Paul is not dealing with doctrine when he says we are not to keep company with one who is a fornicator. He is talking about that man or woman in the church who will not deal with that sin in his or her life. Fellowship has been based on doctrine. We break fellowship with those who do not agree with us on doctrinal issues. But Paul is stating here that conduct is a basis for breaking fellowship—as well as doctrine.
There was a preacher in Southern California who got into trouble on a morals charge. He moved to another area and the same thing happened. Yet the people in his new church had been warned about him. They had been willing to overlook his sin because his doctrine was right. His conduct about wrecked the church—in fact, it almost wrecked two churches. We seem to have a lopsided view. We emphasize doctrine, and that is as it should be; but what about morals? When Paul writes not to keep company with a brother who is a fornicator or covetous, he is not referring to doctrine. What about a man who is money hungry? What about a man who is not honest in his dealings? Are we to have fellowship with him?
Let us also understand that breaking fellowship with another believer on a point of doctrine does not mean that we are to sit in judgment upon him. To a young preacher Paul writes: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19). You don’t know and I don’t know who are really God’s children, but God knows His own. You and I are not called upon to carry a crusade against them, because God will judge them. We are just to break fellowship with them; we are not to sit in judgment upon them. The point is that we as believers are to be on our guard. An apt motto for us is: Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
In addition to appointing porters to guard the city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah appointed singers. I am not in that group, I can assure you. In the next chapter we are going to find Nehemiah saying, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” The spirit of praise is the spirit of power. This means that we should be a rejoicing group of folk, but joy is often absent from the contemporary church. It is not made up of a happy group of people. Oh, they will laugh at a good story and enjoy a banquet, but Bible study is not a joy to them. If you could stand where I have stood for many years, you would see how apparent this is in the faces of the congregation. The troublemakers in the church are generally the ones who do not enjoy Bible study.
In Ephesians 5:18–19 Paul describes the mark of a Spirit-filled Christian when he says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Although I can speak, I can’t sing. However, I can sing in my heart. If I have any music in me that is where it is—it has never come out. But my heart does sing at times, and I often long to be able to sing with my voice also.
The word psalms in this verse means “to praise.” Oh, how sweet is the name of Jesus. The word hymn means “to ascribe perfection to Deity.” Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. This is what we are to sing about—how wonderful He is! This will bring joy into your life.
I was sitting in the study of a fellow pastor some time ago and noticed this motto on his wall: “Joy is the flag that is flown in the heart when the Master is in residence.” When you are walking in the will of God, and you are in the center of His will, and you are having fellowship with Him, you will have joy in your life. How wonderful it is!
Having porters and singers made for a great city, but that is not all. Levites were also appointed. They were ministers. God calls ministers. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” How true that is. If God has called you to be a minister, He will make room for you. That is, He will give you a place to serve.
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many [Neh. 7:2].
Hanani was not Nehemiah’s blood brother. You will recall, at the beginning of the Book of Nehemiah, that while he was serving in the court of Artaxerxes one of his brethren from Jerusalem came and told him about the condition of the Remnant that had returned. He was one of Nehemiah’s fellow-lsraelites rather than a blood brother. Hanani apparently was one of the leaders in Jerusalem, and it had been he who informed Nehemiah as to the conditions in Jerusalem, as we read in chapter 1. So Nehemiah already knew this man. That is why he said, “I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem….” Did Hanani receive this position because he was an educated man and had been to seminary? Is that the way your Bible reads? Well, mine does not read that way either. He was one of the men placed in charge over Jerusalem because he “was a faithful man, and feared God above many.” He was “faithful,” not “educated.”
I wish I could get this point over to our seminary students today. Now don’t misunderstand what I am about to say. We need an educated ministry. The desire for an educated ministry was the origin of our school system in the United States. Education is necessary, but it is possible to go to seed in that direction. There are many men in the ministry who lack character—yet they are educated. Someone has made the statement, “You can even educate a fool.” That is true, and there are many educated fools in this world, not only in the ministry but everywhere else. But the thing that God wants is faithfulness. In 1 Corinthians 4:2 Paul says, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” Can your pastor depend on you? Can your fellow Christian depend on you? Are you faithful? Education is profitable if you are faithful. It is not worth anything if you are not faithful.
And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house [Neh. 7:3].
Each entrance to the city was to be watched during the day. At night, when anything could happen, all were to maintain watchfulness. Each one was to watch at least his own household. So God holds us responsible for at least our own households. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark. 13:37). That should be the attitude of each believer.
Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded [Neh. 7:4].
Not all of the building inside was completed at this time. It was possible that a man might become interested in building his own house and forget to watch. The whole spirit of building the walls and gates had been with the trowel in one hand and the sword in the other. My, how we need both of them in the Lord’s work today!
The remainder of this chapter is a genealogical record.
And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this [Neh. 7:5–7].
This is the same genealogy as found in Ezra, the second chapter. Why in the world would God waste so much printer’s ink giving us the same genealogy again? I will tell you why. The Word of God says, “… the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance” (Ps. 112:6). God says, “I know these folks and I want you to know that I know them.” He has listed their names in one place, then made a carbon copy. I have been told that in some of the bureaus in Washington they make fifteen copies of everything, and God has His carbon copies also. It is as though God says, “You may not find these names interesting, but I do. These are My folk.” This genealogy is just a leaf out of God’s memorial book. There are quite a few genealogies found in Scripture. In Genesis 49 the twelve tribes are listed. In 2 Samuel 23 we find the list of David’s mighty men. The first few chapters of 1 Chronicles are lists of names. Nehemiah 3 gives us another listing. Romans 16 is made up of a roster of names. Hebrews 11 also lists those who were faithful. These are just names to us, but God remembers each person and records his name in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two [Neh. 7:17].
Who in the world was Azgad? He was a man who was carried away in the Babylonian captivity. During the seventy years, plus a few more, his family had been multiplying. There were 2,322 descendants and each one of them could say, “I am related to Azgad.” When one was challenged to prove he was an Israelite, he could say, “Azgad was my great-great-great-great-great grandfather. I know who I am.”
There are people today who say, “Well, I think I am a child of God. I hope I am a child of God.” My friend, you can know that you are a child of God. First John 5:12 says, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have Him and you have life. If you don’t believe what He says, then you are calling Him a liar. If you have put your faith in Christ, you have life on the authority of God’s Word. And God has written it down. The son of Azgad could say, “I know who I am. Look here, my name is written down.”
And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel [Neh. 7:61].
There were those who could not prove they were Israelites. They said, “We think we are Israelites. We hope we are. We try to be.” Thinking, hoping, and trying to be Israelites did not make them such. It did not help them. They had to know who they were. When they could not show their genealogy, they were put out.
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood [Neh. 7:64].
They could not declare their genealogy. You not only need to be saved, you need to know it, my friend.
And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim [Neh. 7:65].
The discerning of the priesthood in that day was by the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate of the priest. It was the way in which the high priest ascertained God’s will. It was God’s provision in that day, but today we determine God’s will through His Word. And it tells us how we can have eternal life.
So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities [Neh. 7:73].
This is the last verse of the chapter. The children of Israel are back in the land now. Under the leadership of Nehemiah a tremendous work has been done. But his work is not finished. There is more to do.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Great Bible reading led by Ezra
In the previous chapter we saw that, after Nehemiah had made adequate preparations to guard the city, he appointed singers. He wanted Jerusalem to be filled with the joy of the Lord. Then he conducted a great Bible reading, which was essential to revival.
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel [Neh. 8:1].
Ezra is called to bring forth the book of the Law of Moses. There is going to be a great Bible reading.
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month [Neh. 8:2].
Notice that only those who could “hear with understanding” gathered. That means there must have been a nursery for the crying babies. Maybe Nehemiah took care of them, I don’t know; but proper preparation was made so that those gathered would be able to concentrate on what was being read.
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law [Neh. 8:3].
I don’t know where I could find a congregation who would listen to me read from the Bible from “morning until midday”—I always had trouble getting them to listen for forty-five minutes. Their impression of my sermons was similar to that of the two little old ladies who were walking out of church one Sunday morning. One of them said, “My, that preacher certainly preaches a long time.” Her friend replied, “No, he really doesn’t preach a long time, it just seems like a long time!” To most people forty-five minute sermons seem like a long time. These Israelites who gathered to hear God’s Word read were really interested, however. They had been in captivity for seventy years and had never before heard the Word of God. It was a new experience for them.
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam [Neh. 8:4].
With Ezra stood these thirteen men.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up [Neh. 8:5].
When Ezra opened God’s Word, everyone stood up, and they remained standing throughout the reading. While they listened from morn to midday they did not have soft-cushioned pews upon which to sit.
First of all there was praise to God.
And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground [Neh. 8:6].
This means that the people went down on all fours and touched the ground with their foreheads. That is the way they worshiped in that day. “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.”
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place [Neh. 8:7].
Here is another list of very important individuals. These are the men who will explain God’s Word to the assembled people.
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading [Neh. 8:8].
This great assembly of all the people was gathered by the water gate inside the walls of Jerusalem. The men mentioned in verse 7 were stationed throughout the crowd. Ezra, the scribe, would read a certain portion of the Law and then he would stop while each of these men stationed out in the congregation would ask his group, “Did you understand what was read?” Probably most of them nodded in the affirmative. Maybe some of them raised their hands and said, “We do not quite understand what that means.” So the man assigned to his group would explain that portion of the Law to them. Then Ezra would read another section of the Law. Then he would stop while the people would ask questions, and their teacher would answer them.
I wonder what would happen if we had a great Bible reading in our churches today. Someone could stand up and read God’s Word. You could have people stationed throughout the congregation to explain any questions that might arise from what was read. Suppose the first chapter of Ephesians was read. You would not have to read very far before a real problem would appear. Ephesians 1:4 says, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world….” This would raise questions right away. What does Paul mean? Is he teaching the doctrine of election? What is the doctrine of election? Perhaps a great Bible reading in our churches would lead to revival. This one in the Book of Nehemiah did.
The reading of the Law, and the asking and answering of questions caused the people to understand the Law. They stood in their places and, when something came up that they did not quite understand, they would have it clarified. I personally believe that the entire Bible should be taught in this way, and that every unclear verse should be explained. I do not agree with this business of taking a text and preaching the gospel from it. That is the reason there has been such a lack of interest in the Word of God. I am not sure but what it is handling the Bible deceitfully to take a text or a theme, then launch out into the deep with no thought of ever coming back to the Scriptures to explain them. I believe God intends for us to read the Bible and attempt to explain it as we go along.
There is another lesson in Nehemiah 8:8. There are many methods used in preaching. There is the psychological approach, and the scholarly approach, and many go off on other tangents. A dear saint said to a president of a seminary that she was listening to me teach the Bible by explaining it verse by verse. He replied in a very casual manner, “Well, that is one way of doing it, I guess, but it certainly is not the scholarly and proper way to preach.” Well, that is the way the Lord is leading me to do it, and I believe it is the scriptural method. Here it is: “They read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” We need to understand what God is saying in His Word.
I have occasion to speak in many places, and I have heard the Scriptures read in just about every way imaginable. Every now and then some brother gets up and reads the Word with great emphasis. He reads it as if it is the Word of God. But too often some fellow gets up and ducks his head as he reads so that nobody can hear him past the third pew. Or else he mumbles the words. Nehemiah 8:8 says that the law was read distinctly. That is how God wanted it done. Ezra and the other men did not have a course in homiletics or public speaking, but they believed it was the Word of God, and they read it like it was the Word of God. It is my understanding that this is the way God expects us to conduct a church service. I don’t care how loud the soloist sings, or how sweetly the organist plays, or how flowery the message, if the Bible is not read distinctly, and the sense of it is not given so that the people understand, the service is of no avail whatsoever. God wants understanding to come from the reading of His Word.
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law [Neh. 8:9].
Many of these people had never before heard the Word of God. The clear reading and teaching of the Law caused them to be convicted of sin. It caused a great emotional outburst and the tears of repentance to flow. Possibly it also caused them to weep for joy because they were so moved.
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength [Neh. 8:10].
This is social service for you. This is the social gospel. My friend, if the Word of God means something to you and you get something from it, it will make you want to go out and do something nice for someone. It will also make you want to do something for God.
They tell a whimsical story in California which is a switch from the boy scout doing his good deed by helping an old lady across the street. They say that in one of these retirement areas for senior citizens someone came up with a new type of vitamin which was so effective a little old lady helped two boy scouts across the street! My friend, I tell you, the Word of God is a vitamin that will make you do a good turn for someone.
“Send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared.” They were to do something for the poor. “Neither be ye sorry”—rather they were to rejoice because the joy of the Lord was to be their strength. In Philippians 4:13 Paul said to believers, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Then in Philippians 4:4 he said, “Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice.” Paul was telling believers that the very source of power was “joy.” The secret is prayer, but the source of power is joy. The Word of God should make you joyful. That is one reason why I feel there is something wrong if a church service does not make you happy and bless your heart.
For over a period of twenty-one years in downtown Los Angeles, California, we had the privilege of having what was said to be the largest midweek service in America. Anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 people attended the class. After the service I followed the custom of going out on the front porch and shaking hands with the folk as they were leaving. I could always tell whether the Bible study had been a blessing or not. Sometimes folk would come out and sort of mumble as they shook my hand. I could tell right away that it had not been a blessing to them. Then others would be radiant as they shook my hand, and say, “Oh, I am rejoicing in the Lord.” And I would know that the Bible study had accomplished its purpose.
The Word of God is supposed to bring you joy. That is one of the reasons John wrote his first epistle. In 1 John 1:4 he says, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” God doesn’t want you to have a little fun; He wants you to have a whole lot of fun reading and studying His Word. Studying the Bible ought to bring joy into your life. If it doesn’t, face up to it, friend; something is radically wrong with you. You ought to go to God in prayer and say, “Lord, I want your Word to bring joy into my life. Whatever cloud there is, I want it removed that I may experience the joy of the Lord when I study the Word.” That will make church-going a really happy affair.
Have you ever seen a crowd going to a football game? My, it is like a holiday, with all of the rejoicing that goes on. Have you ever watched people coming into church on a Sunday morning? Boy, what a duty! What a burden! There are lots of folks with burdens, but the burdens should be lifted in the service. People should come out of the service with joy in their hearts.
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them [Neh. 8:12].
I hope this Bible study makes you happy. I read three letters recently. One was from a discouraged missionary to whom the Word of God is bringing joy. Another concerned a home which was about to fall apart. The Word of God brought joy. The third letter was from a man who had bitterness in his heart against me. He apparently was influenced by some people who are my enemies, but the Word of God began to work in his life. The Bible can have an effect on all of us if we will let it.
And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law [Neh. 8:13].
The initial study of God’s Law caused many of the leaders to come to Ezra the following day for more instruction. During Bible conferences I am not much impressed when someone says to me on Sunday night, “This has been a great day. I have been greatly blessed.” I look for them on Monday night, and if they don’t come, I wonder if they were sincere on Sunday night.
And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim [Neh. 8:14–16].
This is a celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. The dwelling in booths was to be a reminder to them of the fatherly care and protection of God while Israel was journeying from Egypt to Canaan.
Here in Nehemiah’s day they are obeying the Law that had been read to them. They had heard the Word of God and are doing what it commanded. My friend, it is one thing to read and study the Bible and have it bring joy to you, but that joy will end unless you obey what you have read and let it have its way with you.
In the following chapter we will see that the result of this great Bible reading was revival.
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Prayer and revival
You will recall that while studying the Book of Ezra I mentioned that several books contain a great ninth chapter. Ezra chapter 9, Nehemiah chapter 9, and Daniel chapter 9—all have to do with the subject of revival.
Now let us be clear about what is meant by the word revival. It is a word that is greatly misunderstood. It means “to recover life and vigor.” It also means “to return to consciousness.” It refers to that which has life which ebbs away, sometimes even to death, where there is no vitality, and then it revives. Paul speaks about the resurrection of Christ in Romans 14:9. He says that Christ revived. “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” This is a good use of the term revival.
Obviously our use of the word revival is confined to believers. It refers to believers in a poor spiritual state who were brought back to vitality and power. Revival is used that way in this chapter. However, I am sure that many of you have discovered that this term has been broadened in its meaning to refer to people coming to Christ. Actually one is dependent upon the other. You can never have a period of soul-winning unless God’s people are revived.
In this chapter we will see a period of revival which followed the reading of the Word of God. This reading probably went on for quite a period—how long I do not know. Ezra the scribe read from the pulpit by the water gate, and the people wept and mourned. Having never heard it before, they were bound to show emotion at the reading of God’s Word. It had a tremendous effect upon the people at the time, and it led them to do certain things. They recognized how far short they had fallen from the standard God had set for them. We also saw in the Book of Ezra that it had an effect on Ezra himself. We need to recognize that there cannot be any revival apart from the Word of God. As I have mentioned, Dwight L. Moody thought the next revival that would come after his day would be a revival of God’s Word. I wish our contemporary evangelists would pay more attention to teaching the Bible rather than to methods, sentiment, emotional appeals, and the “bigness” which is not necessarily a token of revival.
Notice what God did for these people.
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sack-clothes, and earth upon them.
And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers [Neh. 9:1–2].
They confessed their sins—their own and the sins of their fathers.
And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God [Neh. 9:3].
The Word of God revealed to them their sinfulness. Fasting, sackcloth, and ashes demonstrated their sincerity. Confession and worship followed.
In this day the younger generation is very critical of my generation, and rightly so. If they are returning to God’s Word, they will lose their critical attitude and start confessing how much we have failed; but they will first confess their own sins.
You and I are in no position to confess anything until we confess our own sins. If you don’t feel that you have any sins to confess, my friend, you need to come to the Word of God. The children of Israel read the Law for one-fourth of the day; then they did something about what they had read—they confessed their sins. You cannot bring God down to your level. Many people try to do that. Neither can you reach that state of perfection that will raise you to God’s level. If you say that you have, then you deceive yourself. I didn’t say that; the Bible says it: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8–9). If you read the Word of God, you will see that you are a sinner. When you recognize that fact, you will want to confess your sins.
Confession means to agree with God’s Word instead of offering excuses or attempting to rationalize our actions. Confession is calling what we are doing or thinking exactly what it is: sin. When we do that we have confessed our sins, and God is faithful and just to forgive us. You will recall that in the Upper Room Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. That is what He is doing today at God’s right hand in heaven. He cleanses us. You cannot walk down our streets today without your mind getting dirty, or your eyes getting dirty, or your ears getting dirty. Perhaps even your feet and hands get dirty. So we go to God in confession. After the Feast of the Passover Jesus rose from supper and began to wash the feet of His disciples. “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). There are many people attempting to serve God today who are not walking in the light of God’s Word. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:6–7). It is not how you walk, but where you walk that is important. When you walk in the light of the Word of God, you will see that you fall short of His glory. When you see that, you will come to Him in confession. If you don’t, He says to you, “If I wash you not, you have no part with me.” That is, you will have no fellowship with Him. Therefore, the children of Israel spent one-fourth of the day reading the Bible and spent another fourth of the day confessing their sins.
After teaching the Epistle to the Romans, I received about a dozen letters from folks who confessed that they had been talking against me; and one person said that he had hated me at one time. These people did not need to confess their sins to me, although I do believe that if you have wronged someone, you should talk to them and get the matter straightened out. The point is that the Word of God had an effect on the lives of these people. If it has an effect on you, it will cause you to go to God in confession. This is the road to revival; there is no other road.
Now I believe that after the confession of sin was made (and I think it was private confession), these people straightened out the wrong they had done. On the day of Pentecost Peter did not bring in revival by getting up and confessing how he had denied the Lord Jesus. Dr. Luke and Paul both tell us that our Lord appeared to Simon Peter privately. It was a private matter that had to be taken care of by those involved. You don’t take a bath in public; at least I hope you don’t. And we are not to confess in public either. It should be a private affair. Simon Peter confessed privately, and I am sure he got things straightened out. Public confession is just a wave of hysteria; it is not revival. It certainly has not brought revival in our day. We need to recognize that we cannot disassociate ourselves from others. Notice that Nehemiah says that when they stood up they confessed and they said, “We have sinned.” It is important to see that it was that kind of confession.
Revival begins as an individual affair. There are those who have thought that Charles Finney was on the fringe of fanaticism. I used to think that too, but, after reading what he has said, I have changed my mind. He said that a revival is not a miracle, but the conditions for revival must be met. You can draw a circle, get inside that circle, and say, “Lord, begin a revival in this circle,” and that is where it will have to be. After all, Elijah was a one-man revival. And there have been other men who have met these conditions for revival.
These folk met the conditions for revival, and great blessing came.
Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God.
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise [Neh. 9:4–5].
This type of confession will not lead to some public demonstration where the individual gets up, calls attention to himself, and tells everyone what a sinner he is, which makes him very important in the eyes of folk, I have discovered. After hearing the Word of God, they made their confession; then they praised and exalted God. This is what we need to do. How we need to exalt God in our services and praise Him! A pastor was telling me that their midweek service got pretty boring, saying the same prayers every week; so one Wednesday he decided that, instead of making the same old requests, they would praise God! He said, “It almost brought revival.” When we begin to praise and exalt the high and holy name of God, it will bring revival.
Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee [Neh. 9:6].
Have you ever stood on the seashore and watched those great waves pound against the rocks? Has it caused you to worship God? Have you had this experience as you stood in a forest? I have walked in the northern woods of Canada—oh, how thrilling it was! The vaulted ceiling of those tall trees was my temple, and I worshiped God. He is the Creator. He made all of those trees. He made the universe.
Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;
And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day [Neh. 9:7–10].
The Israelites praised God because of the way He had led their fathers in the past. They glorified God concerning Abraham and how He preserved him in the land of Canaan. They praised God for the way He brought their nation out of the land of Egypt, led them by miracles through the wilderness, and protected and preserved them.
Have you ever thanked God that you live in this country? My grandfather on my father’s side lived in Northern Ireland. He was Scottish and an Orangeman, but he lived in Northern Ireland. The people were fighting, so he moved to this country. I thank God for my grandfather, and I thank God that he came to this land. I don’t want to live in Northern Ireland. I don’t care how people feel about the old sod over there; I am thankful I am an American. And Nehemiah’s people were glad they were Israelites.
They recognized that not only was God their Creator, He was their Redeemer. They were thanking God for the redemption that came to them when He led their people out of Egypt.
These are two things for which you and I are to thank God. He is the Creator; this is His universe. We thank Him for it. Also we ought to thank Him that He saved us; He redeemed us. By the way, have you told Him that you love Him? My, we need to do that! Don’t wait until Sunday morning when you are in church to sing the doxology. Right where you are now you can praise God from whom all blessings flow. He is the Creator; He has given me everything that is material and physical. I thank Him for it. Also He has saved me, a sinner! How I thank Him for that. How wonderful He is.
Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.
For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works [Neh. 9:34–35].
Look how God blessed the nation of Israel. Yet the kings, princes, priests, and fathers of the nation did not obey God’s commandments. God has also blessed the United States. Our forefathers who founded this country certainly believed that the Bible was the Word of God, and they founded our nation on morality. We have much for which to thank God. But they sinned, and we continue to sin. How long will God’s patience continue?
Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it [Neh. 9:36].
The Israelites recognized that the judgment of God was upon them. Will the judgment of God come upon our nation? I don’t think we can escape it, my friend.
And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it [Neh. 9:37–38].
The terms of the covenant will be seen in the next chapter. And each leader of the nation was asked to put his personal seal on this covenant. The people had resolved to obey God’s Word.
What kind of a covenant have you made with God? I have heard people say that they will not sign any pledge—not even to give a certain amount of money—because they might not be able to fulfill it. May I say to you, if you buy a house, or anything on which you are to make payments, they are certainly going to make you sign on the dotted line. I don’t know why people can sign up for everything else in life, but they are afraid to sign up with God. My friend, if you mean it, sign up with Him. Oh, how many folk have failed Him, but He is gracious. If we mean business with Him, He means business with us.
In chapter 10 we read that the Israelites are making a covenant with God. They are signing on the dotted line. Have you ever made a covenant with Him? Have you ever promised the Lord anything? A covenant is a serious matter, but I believe the Lord likes to know that we really mean business with Him.
In this chapter we find that Nehemiah, the governor, and twenty-two priests are listed first. They sign the covenant. Individual Levites sign the names of their families on the covenant. Also, forty-four chiefs of the people are listed.
They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes [Neh. 10:29].
Their covenant is to keep the Law, and they list specifically three items to which they covenant. Obviously, they list these because they had not been keeping these items of the Law.
And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons [Neh. 10:30].
This seems to have been a perpetual problem with Israel. They are now covenanting that there will be no intermarriage with the heathen.
And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt [Neh. 10:31].
The second thing to which they covenant is that there will be no trade on the sabbath day or on any of the holy days. Also, the seventh year, which was the year of release in the sabbatical system, is to be faithfully observed.
The final item to which they covenant is in reference to the firstfruits and provision for the sacrifices. Let me just lift out excerpts from the remainder of the covenant.
Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering ….
And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God ….
And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord:
Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle …
And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil ….
… and we will not forsake the house of our God [Neh. 10:32–39].
CHAPTERS 11–13
Theme: Reform
Chapter 11 contains another great list which continues into chapter 12. These people were willing to do whatever God wanted them to do. Note the few verses from this chapter.
And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities [Neh. 11:1].
The people cast lots. One out of every ten persons would stay in Jerusalem. The other nine would move to other cities. I guess the person who drew the shortest straw stayed in Jerusalem, and the other nine went out to make their homes in other places. This could be a situation in which there would be a lot of complaining. It would be a perfect opportunity for people to say, “Why did God let this happen to me? I would rather live in a small town or in the country.”
And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem [Neh. 11:2].
There were many people who wanted to move out to the suburban areas even in that day. But for those who were willing to dwell in Jerusalem, they just thanked God for them. These folk are strangers to us, but God knew each one; and He records their names because they had willing hearts.
Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants [Neh. 11:3].
In the following verses are the names of those who were willing to live in Jerusalem. God takes note of the willing heart!
Chapter 12 continues the list begun in chapter 11. The people listed here are those who just praised God.
Years ago, when I was a pastor in Pasadena, California, I used to visit a lady who was going blind and was partially confined to a wheelchair. You would think this dear lady needed to be helped and comforted. To tell the truth, I don’t think she did, but I needed help in those days. I was a young preacher, and I went by to listen to her. Do you know why? She would praise God. My, how she could praise the Lord! Chapter 12 lists those who praised God, and I imagine that her name is somewhere in the list—we don’t have the latest list. God, I am sure, keeps a continuing record.
The bulk of this chapter is devoted to a dedication of the walls of Jerusalem. This was a thrilling occasion!
And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi [Neh. 12:27–28].
They brought together all the musicians. They had a great music festival. Listed here are the names of those inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They are meeting together to dedicate the walls of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah brought people from all over the land to this dedication because Jerusalem was the city where the temple was.
So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me [Neh. 12:40].
Next Nehemiah lists the priests. They were all there.
Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off [Neh. 12:43].
The strangers, visitors, tourists, and others passing through that land who heard the great shout of praise and joy probably said, “What in the world is going on over there?” Undoubtedly they went to find out. What a testimony this was to the pagan world around them!
On one occasion when I was in Oakland, California, I passed by a stadium where a baseball game was being played. Someone hit a home run, and a great shout went up from that place. It must have been an exciting game, and I wished that I was there watching it. That was a natural reaction, you see. I thought at the time, My, if I could only get that kind of a shout to go up when I preach, the whole community would hear it, and I have a notion that many people would investigate to find out what caused it.
One of the reasons people pass by the church today is because they think we are a dead and boring lot. And nine times out often they are correct. There ought to be more of the joy of the Lord in our services today—real joy. In the Epistle to the Philippians we will find that the very source of power is joy. And remember that Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
If you are a crybaby Christian, you are not going to have much of a testimony. A dear lady once told me, “My husband is unsaved, and, Dr. McGee, I just can’t reach him.” Then she began to blubber. She continued, “I speak to him at breakfast in the morning. I weep and tell him how much I love him and want him saved.” Then again at supper she did the same thing. I got to thinking about that. Would you want to have breakfast and dinner with a weeping woman? I don’t know about you, but I would not. It certainly would not help the digestion. I have a notion her husband was plenty sick of it. Later I told her, “I have a suggestion. Why don’t you quit talking to your husband at breakfast and dinner.” “Oh,” she replied, “You mean I should quit witnessing?” I told her, “Yes, quit witnessing in the way you have been doing it, and start witnessing a new way. Start praying for him. Stop weeping before him—‘the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ ”
In chapter 13 we see again the demonstration that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. It is the price of Christian liberty and Christian freedom, too.
Somewhere between chapters 12 and 13 Nehemiah returned to his job in the palace at Shushan. Remember that he had only asked for a leave of absence. He had been back in Persia for awhile—maybe a year or two—when he asked for another leave of absence so that he could go to Jerusalem. He made a shocking discovery. The people were not keeping the separation that they should have.
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude [Neh. 13:1–3].
The story of Balaam can be found in Numbers 23–24. The Israelites read the account and decided that the thing to do was to obey the Word of God. They had intermarried with Ammonites and Moabites, which God had forbidden. The children of Israel realized they must put them out of the land.
And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah [Neh. 13:4].
Oh, oh! Here was the high priest, through the marriage of his son or daughter, allied to the house of Tobiah. The high priest himself had disobeyed God in this important matter of separation. God had strictly forbidden intermarriage with the heathen. God, I think, had given them a very humorous illustration of it; in fact, a real cartoon, which was that they should never plow with an ox and an ass hitched together. You see, an ox is a clean beast and an ass is an unclean beast. They are not to be yoked together. The believer and the unbeliever should not be yoked together, either.
I know a man in business today who is paying an awful price for a partnership that he made before his eyes were opened to this principle. We should not be unequally yoked together in marriage or business.
And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests [Neh. 13:5].
The priest had turned over the temple storage room to Tobiah. They no longer brought the offerings of the people to the storage place. Instead they cleaned it out, put down a nice shag rug, some lovely furniture, a king-sized bed, and invited old Tobiah to come in. They told him he could have the room any time he wanted it.
But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber [Neh. 13:6–8].
All this happened while Nehemiah was away. I love this man Nehemiah. He said, “We are going to get rid of Tobiah. He is not going to be in the house of God!” Remember that our Lord commended the church at Ephesus when He said to them, “… thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (Rev. 2:2). So Nehemiah went to the temple, got Tobiah’s suitcase, and pitched it out of the window. He said to Tobiah, “You are not staying here any more. You will receive no more free rent.”
Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense [Neh. 13:9].
Nehemiah had the chambers fumigated! Once again the rooms were put into order for their original purpose in the service of God. But Nehemiah did not stop there.
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field [Neh. 13:10].
The Levites who served in the temple had not been properly supported; so they had to get a job working in the fields. God’s service, therefore, had been neglected. I believe today that many ministers are being asked to do more work than they can handle. Many a minister is having to neglect the study of God’s Word because his church wants him to be an administrator and practically everything else. He needs help with the responsibilities of the church so that he will be free to study and pray. I love Nehemiah—and I think now you will discover why. He said the preacher ought to have a raise. He tells them, “You are going to bring in the tithe that belongs here and see that these men are taken care of who are in the service of God.” My! I love a layman like that—and God approved it, by the way.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof [Neh. 13:14].
Nehemiah asked God to record what he had done, and the Lord did just that; here it is in His Word.
Nehemiah also found out that the people were doing something else—they were breaking the Sabbath day.
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem [Neh. 13:15–16].
They came in from the seacoast bringing fish.
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? [Neh. 13:17].
The nobles are the ones who permitted this.
Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath [Neh. 13:18].
Nehemiah reminded the people of God’s wrath which had previously been visited upon the nation for doing just what they were presently doing.
And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath [Neh. 13:19–21].
Just before the Sabbath, at sunset, Nehemiah commanded that the gates be shut. The merchants came with their wares thinking they could sell them. Nehemiah crawled up on the wall to see if the merchants had come, and there they were waiting outside the gates. They came on the first Sabbath that the gates were closed, and they came on the second Sabbath and the gates were closed. Then Nehemiah told them, “If you come here again, I will come out after you.” They knew he meant business, and they came no more.
Now another transgression comes to Nehemiah’s attention.
In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves [Neh. 13:23–25].
Nehemiah discovers Jews who had married women from heathen nations. Nehemiah “contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair!” When it says that he “cursed” them, it doesn’t mean that he swore at them, but that he pronounced a curse upon them. And he made them swear that they would not continue to intermarry with foreigners. He was using extreme measures, but they were needed.
Revival, you see, will always lead to reformation. When there is a revival, everything that needs cleaning up will be cleaned up. The only way that our nation can solve the problems that it faces is by a revival among the people of God.
Nehemiah concludes by saying:
Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good [Neh. 13:29–31].
These verses summarize Nehemiah’s great contributions to the spiritual well-being of his people. All foreigners were removed from positions of honor and responsibility, and the priests and Levites were given back their proper occupations. The offerings for the temple were resumed. Nehemiah’s final words are, “Remember me, O my God, for good.” Our Lord wonderfully answered his prayer by recording his work in His Word, which is a permanent remembrance. God remembers him for good. And I remember Nehemiah for good. I hope you do, too. He was a great layman of God.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barber, Cyril J. Nehemiah: The Dynamics of Effective Leadership. Neptune, New Jersey Loizeaux Brothers, 1976.
Campbell, Donald K. Nehemiah: Man in Charge. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1979.
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Dennett, Edward. Ezra and Nehemiah. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917, Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1970.
Getz, Gene A. Nehemiah: A Man of Prayer and Persistence. Ventura, California: Regal Books, 1981. (Character studies on Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and David have also been published. Excellent for individual or group study.)
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A.Notes on the Book of Nehemiah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1925.
Jensen, Irving L. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther: A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1970.
Kelly, William. Lectures on Ezra and Nehemiah. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Luck, G. Coleman. Ezra and Nehemiah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1961.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Seume, Richard H. Nehemiah: God’s Builder. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1978.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
The Book of
Esther
INTRODUCTION
It is uncertain who wrote this book, but Mordecai could have been the writer (see Esth. 9:29). “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esth. 4:14).
The Book of Esther in one sense is the most remarkable in the Bible, and that is because the name of God is not mentioned in this book at all. There is not even a divine title or pronoun that refers to God. Yet the heathen king is mentioned 192 times. Prayer is not mentioned—it wouldn’t be, since God is omitted. The Book of Esther is never quoted in the New Testament. There’s not even a casual reference to it. But the superstition of the heathen is mentioned, and lucky days, and we’ll be introduced into a pagan, heathen court of a great world monarch who ruled over the then-known world. This is indeed an unusual book.
It is an unusual book for another reason: it is named for a woman. Actually, there are only two books in the Bible named for women. (Some want to include the epistles of John. I disagree with that, so don’t submit that one to me.) Ruth and Esther are the two books named for women. I’ve written on both of these books: Ruth, the Romance of Redemption and Esther, the Romance of Providence. Redemption is a romance; it is a love story. We love Him because He first loved us, and He gave Himself for us because He loves us. The Book of Esther is the romance of providence. God directs this material universe in which we live today by His providence. In fact, it’s the way He directs all of His creation.
Back in Deuteronomy, before God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, He outlined their history for them. He told them about the Babylonian captivity, and He also told them that Rome would destroy the city of Jerusalem and the people would be taken into captivity. It actually happened that way. But in Deuteronomy 31:18 God says this: “And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.”
In the Book of Esther God has hidden His face from them. But we can say, “God standeth in the shadows keeping watch over His own.” So the Book of Esther gives us a record of a group of people out of the will of God.
Now, when Cyrus made the decree—after the seventy years of Babylonian captivity—that the people might return to the land, not all of them returned. Less than sixty thousand returned, and we had the record of that in Ezra, Nehemiah, and in the two prophetic books of Haggai and Zechariah. But what about the largest segment that did not return to the land? (We have a similar condition today. We speak of the nation Israel. Well, there are probably two million who have returned there, but there are about sixteen million who are scattered throughout the world today. So that, actually, the majority are not in the land at all. That is evident, and I use it merely as a parallel to illustrate what it was in that day.) Several million of these people did not return to the land after the decree of Cyrus. They should have. God had commanded them to. Now they’re out of the will of God. The question is, do we have any record of these people, this large number, that did not return to the land? Yes, and that record is in the Book of Esther. It is recorded here. In other words, we just have one page out of their history, one small item of their experience, and one scrap and shred of evidence in their voluminous record. And the little Book of Esther becomes all important for that reason.
In this we see God in a new way. Although they are not in His will, we see God directing them. How? By His providence.
What is providence? Well, all the great doctrines that we have today are taught in certain books of the Old Testament. You have redemption taught in the Book of Exodus, and the love side of redemption taught in the Book of Ruth. And the Book of Job teaches repentance. And resurrection is taught in the Book of Jonah. So the great doctrines of our Christian faith are taught in certain books of the Old Testament. Now, the Book of Esther illustrates providence. These people in a foreign land, out of the will of God, have not obeyed His orders because His orders were to return to the land of Israel. They remained. They disobeyed. They forgot God; they were far from Him. They did not call upon Him in time of trouble. When they first came into the land of their captivity, they could say, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” They couldn’t sing; they sat down and wept when they remembered Zion. But now they’ve forgotten Zion. In fact, it’s in rubble and ruins, and they don’t want to go back there. They have made a covenant at the beginning, “… let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem …” (Ps. 137:6). They’ve forgotten, and their tongue is silent in this book. They’re not praising God at all, nor are they praying to Him. That makes this, you see, a very remarkable book. But what about God? Well, He hasn’t forgotten them. How can God direct them if they’ve rejected Him? Well, God does it by His providence. And the Book of Esther teaches the providence of God. Now, what is providence? Will you forgive me if I’m theological for just a moment? If you want a definition, here’s a theological definition: Providence is the means by which God directs all things; both animate and inanimate; seen and unseen; good and evil toward a worthy purpose, which means His will must finally prevail. Or as the psalmist said, “… his kingdom ruleth over all” (Ps. 103:19). In Ephesians 1:11 Paul tells us that God “… worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Our God is running the universe today, friends, even though there are some who think that it has slipped out from under Him. Emerson was wrong when he said, “Things are in the saddle and ride mankind.” Things are riding mankind all right, but they are not in the saddle. God is in the saddle.
There are three words we need to keep in mind before we can properly understand the providence of God in relationship to the material universe and to man in particular.
The first word is creation. We understand by “creation” that God, by His fiat word, spoke this universe into existence. Do you have a better explanation? If you do, I would like to hear it. Frankly, I become a little annoyed with some of the college teachers today who are not experts in the field of science but speak as though they were experts about how evolution formed man. Will you please tell me where all of the “goo” came from out of which the earth and man evolved? When did the earth begin? Did it begin out of nothing? Don’t tell me that it has always existed, because if you do, then you have an infinite universe. If you have an infinite universe, then you have to have somebody who is infinite to run things. We are on the horns of a dilemma. There are only two explanations for the universe: One is speculation—evolution comes under that heading, and prior to evolution there were other theories—all of them have been or will be exploded. They are speculation.
The second explanation is revelation. The only way that you and I, certainly as Christians, will ever understand how this universe began is by faith. We understand that God brought this universe into existence, and the only way that you and I know this is by revelation. “… Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Either you believe in creation or you believe in speculation. There’s no third explanation for the universe. That’s creation.
Then the second word is preservation. And that’s a tremendous word. It is by God’s preservation that the universe is held together. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Christ “upholds all things by the word of his power.” Colossians 1:17 says, “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” What is the “stickum” that holds this universe together? What is it that makes it run just like clockwork today so that a man can be sent to the moon and it is possible to plot exactly where the moon will be? Scientists can send a little gadget out toward Mars and they know exactly where Mars will be. You think it is remarkable that man can do things like that, but I think it is remarkable that we have a universe that runs like clockwork today. Who runs it? The Lord Jesus Christ runs the universe. He upholds all things by the word of His power.
The third word is providence. This is the word we will consider in the Book of Esther. Providence is the way that God is directing the universe. He is moving it into tomorrow—He is moving it into the future by His providence. Providence means “to provide.” God will provide. Remember what Abraham said on top of Mount Moriah, when he and his son Isaac had gone to this mountain to sacrifice to God. They had everything they needed except a sacrifice. “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together” (Gen. 22:7–8). Nineteen hundred years later, God provided a Lamb on that same mountain ridge that goes through Jerusalem. On Golgotha the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. He was the Lamb that God provided. He was “… the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). God provides.
Providence means that the hand of God is in the glove of human events. When God is not at the steering wheel, He is the backseat driver. He is the coach who calls the signals from the bench. Providence is the unseen rudder on the ship of state. God is the pilot at the wheel during the night watch. As someone has said, “He makes great doors swing on little hinges.” God brought together a little baby’s cry and a woman’s heart down by the River Nile when Pharaoh’s daughter went to bathe. The Lord pinched little Moses and he let out a yell. The cry reached the heart of the princess, and God used it to change the destiny of a people. That was providence. That was the hand of God.
The Book of Esther provides us with the greatest illustrations of the providence of God. Although His name is never mentioned, we see His providence in each page of this wonderful little book.
OUTLINE
I. The Wife Who Refused to Obey Her Husband, Chapter 1
II. The Beauty Contest to Choose a Real Queen, Chapter 2
III. Haman and Anti-Semitism, Chapter 3
IV. For Such a Time as This, Chapter 4
V. The Scepter of Grace and the Nobility of Esther, Chapter 5
VI. When a King Could Not Sleep at Night, Chapter 6
VII. The Man Who Came to Dinner but Died on the Gallows, Chapter 7
VIII. The Message of Hope That Went out from the King, Chapter 8
IX. The Institution of the Feast of Purim, Chapters 9–10
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The wife who refused to obey her husband
This chapter out of the history of a pagan nation is inserted in the Word of God for a very definite purpose: to teach the providence of God. We shall see this as we turn the pages of this story. It begins with the law of a heathen kingdom and a difficulty—a matrimonial difficulty. It was a very personal affair that arose in the kingdom, but it had international repercussions.
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) [Esth. 1:1].
First we should understand that Ahasuerus is not the name of the man, but the title. It means “high father” or “venerable king.” As the word Caesar is a title and does not identify the man, so Ahasuerus does not identify this Persian king in secular history. There is quite a divergence of opinion concerning his identity.
The viewpoint that I hold is that Ahasuerus of the Book of Esther is Xerxes the Great of Persia, because he is the one who actually brought the kingdom to its zenith. Xerxes is the man who made the last great effort of the East to overcome the West, and it was a tremendous effort. A volume published by the British Museum in 1907 entitled The Sculptures and Inscriptions of Darius the Great on the Rock of Behistun in Persia establishes with the “Cyrus Cylinders” translation that Ahasuerus and Esther were the parents of the Cyrus of Isaiah 44:28; 45:1.
Xerxes reigned over a kingdom, a great empire, from India to Ethiopia. It extended through the Fertile Crescent which was the very heartland of the world.
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him [Esth. 1:2–3].
This banquet would pale into insignificance anything that man might attempt in our day. There were 127 provinces in his kingdom, and out of each of these he brought a delegation (how many, I don’t know), so that he had present probably one or two thousand people for this banquet. This is what we would call a very swanky affair. It cost millions of dollars. It was a banquet to end all banquets. It was a great event in the history of the world. How can God get in on a scene like this? Well, He will by His providence. “God stands in the shadows, keeping watch over His own.”
When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days [Esth. 1:4].
For 181 days Ahasuerus boarded these fellows. He had a perpetual smorgasbord for six months! The father of Louis XV of France was talking with the preceptor and the exchequer of the kingdom about this banquet, and he said that he did not see how the king had the patience to have that kind of a banquet. The exchequer, who was handling the finances for Louis XV, said that he did not see how he financed it.
This banquet revealed the wealth, the luxury, and the regal character of this oriental court. As I have indicated the reason for it seems obvious. He had called in all of his princes and all of his rulers from every corner of his kingdom that he might win their wholehearted support for the military campaign to capture Greece and to make himself the supreme ruler of the world of that day. And, of course, he almost succeeded in that attempt. I am confident he would have succeeded had not God already predicted that the operation would eventuate in failure, that the power would move from the East to the West.
Xerxes wanted his princes and rulers to know that he was able to pay for the war he was contemplating. He displayed the wealth of his kingdom by giving this great pagan feast. The banquet was pagan from beginning to end. It was a godless thing. There are those who try to find spiritual lessons here. Very candidly, I see none whatsoever. What I do see is God’s introducing us to a pagan court where decisions are made that affect the world. It looks as if God is left out, but God wants you to know that He is overruling these circumstances, and He is going to accomplish His own purpose.
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace [Esth. 1:5].
Xerxes brought the banquet to a climax in the last seven days. Apparently he brought in a tremendous population of people for the final seven days in the court of the garden.
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble [Esth. 1:6].
The silver, the gold, the jewels, and the beautiful hangings tell us of the wealth of this kingdom. It is a gaudy display. The ruins of those palaces still testify to the richness of Persia. A few years ago this same kingdom of Persia celebrated its twenty-five hundredth anniversary in the same place. Television coverage and current magazines showed something of the tremendous wealth. The banquet cost millions of dollars. There was a great deal of criticism of it because of the poverty in that land. But the banquet Xerxes put on was costly beyond imagination. Judging from secular history, the purpose of Xerxes in giving this banquet was to win support for his forthcoming military campaign. He wanted everyone to know he could afford a war. He used a feast to convince his princes and rulers.
We have seen this method used on a comparably small scale in our day. Several years ago, when one of the great automobile concerns came out with a new model, they brought all of their dealers from over the world to Detroit for a convention. It was made up of drinking parties and banquets and was held with the idea of selling the dealers on the new model that was to come out. So it was with Xerxes, only he was bidding for their support in a new campaign. Human nature does not change. In the Medo-Persian Empire, Xerxes was getting ready to go to war, but first he put forth a great selling effort.
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king [Esth. 1:7].
This banquet, pagan from beginning to end, ended in a drunken orgy.
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure [Esth. 1:8].
This verse tells us that “the drinking was according to the law; none did compel.” Even these pagan Oriental rulers, who had absolute sovereignty, never forced anyone to drink, although they themselves were given to it, as was this man Xerxes, as we shall see. But today we are more civilized and a man either has to drink or get out. Some businessmen tell me that it is almost impossible today to go to some business meetings and not participate in a cocktail party. One executive in a company told me that the president of the concern called him to his office and rebuked him because he had not participated in drinking at a company cocktail party. You would think that this president would want sober men for his executives. But, you see, we are civilized, and we compel people to drink.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus [Esth. 1:9].
Vashti made a feast for the women’s auxiliary. The men brought their wives, but they did not go to the same banquet in that day. It was a breach of social custom for men and women to attend the same feast. It was different from our present-day banquets. The women were kept in separate quarters. The banquet for the men was serious business, and apparently they did not mix sex and business. Xerxes was selling a war; so Vashti entertained the women at another banquet.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king [Esth. 1:10].
This verse tells us that the king got drunk. He overstepped himself. You did not have to drink at these banquets, but if you wanted to, you could have all you wanted. It seems that the king was not a teetotaler. The king was “high” on the seventh day. Here the question arises concerning not only this king but any king or ruler: Is he a fit ruler if he is engaged in drunkenness? We are told that the Oriental people today are asking if America with all of her drunkenness is in a position to be the leader of the nations of the world. This is a question that America must answer within the next few years. If it continues as it is today, drunkenness will ultimately destroy our land.
We find Xerxes under the influence of alcohol, doing something that he would never have done if he had been sober. He commanded his chamberlains who served in his presence to bring Vashti to the banquet.
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on [Esth. 1:11].
The king had displayed his wealth and his luxury, and he had demonstrated to them his ability to carry on the campaign he had in mind. Now, under the influence of alcohol, he does something that is contrary to the proprieties of that day. He will display Vashti, who is a beautiful woman to look at. He decides that he will bring her into the banquet court before that convention of men. He would never have done this had he not been drunk. It was a very ungentlemanly thing to do. In fact, it was positively crude. He wanted everyone to see Vashti, his treasure, his crowning jewel, as it were.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him [Esth. 1:12].
The king said to his guests, “I have a real surprise for you. I want you to see my queen. She is going to stand before you with the crown royal upon her head. She is very beautiful.” In a few minutes one of the chamberlains whispered in the king’s ear, “She won’t come.” Don’t tell me that women did not have rights in that day! Vashti turned down the king’s request. Imagine having to get up and say, “I’m very sorry, gentlemen, but we will have to change the program of the evening. Our main attraction did not arrive. The queen will not be here this evening.” That started the buzzing throughout the banquet. The guests began to say, “What kind of a king is he that he cannot even command the queen?”
Although I feel that Vashti was perfectly justified in refusing to come at the king’s commandment, I think she should have thought the thing over. She should have considered the fact that her refusal might cause a scandal that would hurt her husband in his position. Under the circumstances she should have gone to the banquet. She should have obeyed the king.
Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? [Esth. 1:13–15].
This situation called for a crisis meeting of the cabinet. The men named in this passage were the princes who met with him privately and personally, just as the cabinet meets with the president of the United States. Now this whole thing might sound silly to us today, but in that day it was no incidental matter. The queen had refused to obey a commandment of the king. The cabinet had to take care of this crisis. Here they are preparing for a great campaign, and the queen will not do what the king asks her to do. What should be done with her? It seems that there was no law which they could exercise.
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus [Esth. 1:16].
We’ve heard much about the fact that back in those days women were chattel. In many cases that was true, but apparently Vashti had a lot of freedom, and there was no law which could force her to obey the king’s command to come to the banquet. The cabinet was going to have to come up with a severe and harsh law to take care of the situation. About this time a little fellow named Memucan speaks up. He’s the spokesman, and a henpecked husband. How do I know he is henpecked? He is afraid that, when the deed of the queen comes to the attention of all women, they will look with contempt upon their husbands. Memucan is Mr. Milquetoast. If the queen gets away with this, he would not want to go home. I don’t think he had much to say in his own home. I think his wife made most of the decisions. This, perhaps, is one of the reasons he spoke out at this cabinet meeting.
There are many men who take orders from others in their employment—they never get a chance to express themselves. Then they go home and their wives won’t let them express themselves either. I have known such men who speak out when they serve on church boards. They talk and talk, but they make no contribution to the welfare and development of the church. They talk but have nothing to say. They make suggestions that have no merit. Memucan is this kind of a man.
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath [Esth. 1:17–18].
This man, Memucan, is one of the princes, you see. He says, “I will have a fight over this matter when I go home.” In fact, I think he came to the conclusion that if something was not done, he would not go home.
Perhaps you have heard of the henpecked husband who came to the office one morning and boasted, “Last night my wife was down on her knees to me.” One of the fellows, knowing the situation, was a little skeptical. He said, “What were the circumstances, and what exactly did she say to you?” He looked a little embarrassed and admitted, “Well, she was down on her knees, looking under the bed, and she said, ‘Come out from under there, you coward!’ ”
There is also the story about the man who told the people in his office that his wife said that he was a model husband. He told this to a hard-boiled secretary and she did not commend him. Instead she said, “Why don’t you look up the word model in the dictionary, and you won’t be so proud of it.” He took her advice. A “model,” he found out, was a small imitation of the real thing. That is what Memucan was. He was henpecked; he was Mr. Milquetoast. He said loud and clear, “Something must be done to protect our homes in this matter.” And actually it was a real crisis because the king and queen set an example for the kingdom.
Notice Memucan’s proposal.
If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she [Esth. 1:19].
I trust that you realize the setting for the Book of Esther is a pagan court. A pagan law is being enacted which has nothing to do with the Mosaic Law, neither is it Christian by any means. It is a new law, but it is the law of the Medes and the Persians.
And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people [Esth. 1:20–22].
The queen is set aside. No more is she to be the queen. It happened because she refused to obey the king. A decree went out. It declared that in the kingdom a wife was to honor her husband, and he was to rule. Apparently, this had not been true before in the empire of the Medes and Persians. Now it is law, and it cannot be altered or changed.
This law reveals the character of Xerxes as he stands in profane history. You will remember that he took his army, the largest that had ever been marshaled, as far as Thermopylae. Also he came with a fleet of three hundred ships which were destroyed at Salamis. This man, in a fit of madness, went down to the sea and beat the waves with a belt for destroying his fleet! Now a man who will do that evidently has something radically wrong with him. It seems that he was a man who suffered from some form of abnormality, as most of the world rulers have—and still do. Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Hitler were men of abnormal mental processes. Nebuchadnezzar, great man that he was, represented as the head of gold, suffered from a form of abnormality known as hysteria. We find him moving through these cycles in the Book of Daniel.
Any man today who even wants to be a world ruler ought to be examined by a psychiatrist! However, forms of abnormality have not kept men from achieving greatness in the history of the world. This is true of Xerxes. He was a man of tremendous ability. Yet in unreasoning anger he allowed this banishment of his lovely queen. It became the law of the Medes and Persians, an edict which could not be altered. Although later the king himself wanted to break the law, he could not. The law of the Medes and the Persians could not be broken.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The beauty contest to choose the real queen
After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her [Esth. 2:1].
This verse begins, “After these things” After what things? Well, the things that had taken place in the first chapter, and the campaign to Greece where Xerxes was soundly defeated. After his defeat he returned in deep dejection to his palace. Added to his misery was the absence of his queen and the fact that the law of the Medes and Persians could not be altered—even by the king himself. Vashti could never again be his queen.
We must turn to secular history for the campaign of Xerxes against the Greeks, since the Bible gives us no record of this campaign. He led a great army against the Greeks. The secret of the strength of the Persians was in numbers, but the individual Persian soldier was not as well trained as the individual Greek soldier. The Greeks emphasized the individual, and as a result one Greek soldier could have taken care of ten Persians. So at the battle at Thermopylae, only a few men could get in the narrow pass. As a result, the Greeks won a signal victory over the Persian army. It was an unfortunate defeat for Xerxes, but God was overruling. The power was about to pass from Persia to Greece.
After his defeat and in his loneliness he paces up and down in the palace every day. He is thinking of Vashti, but the law that he has made concerning the queen cannot be changed. He has set aside this beautiful woman, and he can never have her again. The servants know his state of mind, and they are watching him. They know that something must be done.
Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them [Esth. 2:2–3].
Members of the king’s cabinet, occupying high positions, notice how moody and lonely the king is. They make a suggestion that there be conducted a beauty contest and that the entire kingdom be searched for women who were beautiful. They were to be brought in from near and far. I am sure that the number of women chosen was in the hundreds.
And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so [Esth. 2:4].
The king was to be the judge, the sole judge, of this contest.
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite [Esth. 2:5].
The story in the Book of Esther to this point has just been the window dressing—the stage props. We have had a glimpse into a heathen court. We have been introduced to the happenings there for a very definite purpose. It explains the beauty contest and how Esther came to the throne. Because she became queen, she was able to intervene and intercede in behalf of her people. An entire people would have been exterminated at that time had she not been in that position on the throne. We will begin to see the hand of God moving in the palace.
Up to this point there has been nothing spiritual in the palace. It was as godless as anything could possibly be. Drunken orgies were often held, but God is going to overrule. We are going to see His providence. He is arranging the events so that at the proper time He will have someone to intervene in behalf of His people, the Jews.
Somebody is going to raise the question about this beauty contest and say, “It looks as if God approves of beauty contests.” No, I don’t think He does. But, my friend, when a child of God gets out of God’s will, He permits many things to happen of which He does not approve. And He will overrule through these events. God’s overruling power is one of the important lessons in this little Book of Esther. Many Christians today are living on the fringe of God’s will. They are not really being directed by the will of God. They are not what we call in the will of God. Yet God directs them by His providence. Esther is an illustration of this.
Actually our story begins with “a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai.” He was of the tribe of Benjamin. The question that immediately arises is: What is he doing here? He belonged to the royal family of Israel. He was from the family of Saul.
Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away [Esth. 2:6].
God had permitted His people to return to their own land, as He had prophesied through Isaiah. Cyrus had given a decree to permit them to return, and those who were in the will of God did return to Palestine. However, very few returned to their homeland. The greater number of them had made a place for themselves in the land of their captivity—they had learned shopkeeping from the Gentiles—and elected to remain. They liked it. When they were free to go, they did not want to return to their homeland. Many of them, out of the will of God, chose to remain, and Mordecai happened to be one of them. He should have been back in the land of Israel but—of all places—notice where he is: in the palace. He has a political job.
You may remember that Joseph also had a political job in Egypt; yet he was in the will of God directly. Daniel in the court of Babylon was also in the will of God. But Mordecai is not in the direct will of God. You will see that the Book of Esther is the book of the providence of God. As I have said, a popular definition of providence is this: Providence is how God coaches the man on second base. And this man Mordecai is going to be brought “home,” although he is out of the will of God, and although he is not looking to God for help. Even at a time when you would think he and his people would turn to God, they do not. There is no mention of God or of prayer in this book at all because these people are out of the will of God.
Both Mordecai and Esther come on the pages of Scripture in a poor light, although they are very high-type individuals, as we shall see later on in the story. Mordecai was taken captive, probably at a young age, in the second deportation of captives that left Jerusalem. That was during the reign of Jeconiah (better known as Jehoiachin). The first deportation that left Jerusalem was made up of the princes, the nobility, the upper class—Daniel was with that group. The second captivity took out those, shall we say, of the upper-middle class. This man Mordecai was in that group.
After the third deportation, when Jerusalem was finally destroyed, only the poorest class was left in the land. Mordecai had a young cousin whose parents may have been slain when Nebuchadnezzar took the city, for multitudes were slain.
And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter [Esth. 2:7].
Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, which means “star.” She certainly was a star and a very beautiful woman, according to Scripture. Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. Her one great asset was beauty. When the announcement was made that there was to be a choice of another queen for Ahasuerus, immediately Mordecai became interested. His position in the palace no doubt gave him the opportunity to see the different girls that were brought from all over the kingdom to enter the contest. I am sure he compared them with Esther and decided that none of them were as beautiful as his adopted daughter.
So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women [Esth. 2:8–9].
You can see the providence of God moving into this situation. Mordecai took his young cousin Esther and entered her in the beauty contest. I must say that at this particular juncture I do not have much respect for this man. Before the story is over, I am going to change my mind, and I will eat my words, but right now I despise him for what he is doing. To begin with, he is disobeying God. God had told His people not to intermarry with the heathen. He is definitely breaking the Mosaic Law by entering this girl in the beauty contest on the chance that she might become the next queen. The girls who did not win the contest would automatically enter the harem of the king. If Esther lost, she would be forced to become a concubine. She would be exposed to an awful life, but Mordecai is willing to take that risk.
We can see God taking command of the situation. Esther was brought to the king’s house. She pleased Hegai, the keeper of the women. She obtained kindness from him, and he gave her everything she needed to help make her even more beautiful.
Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it [Esth. 2:10].
Remember that the Jews were a captive people and anti-Semitism always has been a curse in the nations of the world. And it had been in this nation. You cannot read the account of Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem without realizing his hatred for these people. It was he who brought them to Babylon, but he is no longer on the scene, and a new nation has charge of them. Yet the anti-Semitic feeling remains. Mordecai, being very sensitive to that, warns Esther not to reveal her nationality. This silence is tantamount to a denial of her religion, because religion is the thing that has identified these people down through the years. The moment Mordecai and Esther denied their nationality, that moment they denied their religion. By remaining in the land of captivity they were out of the will of God. It is of interest to note that today, when men and women are out of the will of God, they have very little to say about their faith in Christ.
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her [Esth. 2:11].
When you are in the will of God, you can rest in the fact that God is causing all things to work together for good. Mordecai is not resting in God, because he is out of God’s will. He is pacing up and down, nervously biting his fingernails, wondering how things will turn out. He wonders if he has not made a terrible blunder and mistake by entering Esther in this beauty contest. He is absolutely frightened at what he has done. He is worried sick. He cannot sleep at night. This is Mordecai’s condition. When you are out of God’s will, you are not apt to rest on your laurels and say everything will be all right. At this point he has not, nor can he, put it into God’s hands. I am not sure that he knew anything about the providence of God. However, God is overruling in this.
May I remind you of my definition of providence? Providence is the way God leads the man who will not be led. We see God beginning to move at this particular point. It is no accident that Esther is given the most prominent place and that she is shown every favor and given every consideration. There are no accidents with God. Notice the type of beautification that went on.
Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) [Esth. 2:12].
May I say to you that if your wife takes a few hours in the beauty salon, you ought not to complain—these girls spent a whole year there! The first six months they went to the spa for reducing and oil treatments. Then the next six months they went to the perfumers. I suppose they even swam in cologne in that day in order to be prepared to go into the presence of the king. You can see the tremendous emphasis that was placed on the physical, and this is typical of a pagan culture. The farther away America gets from God the more counters we have in our department stores for beauty aids. Have you noticed that? And with the multiplicity of beautifying treatments, it is rather disappointing that we don’t have more beauty than we do. But these girls went through an entire year of beauty-conditioning for the contest.
Women have not changed much over the years. A great deal of makeup was used to make the women in this contest beautiful. A lot of makeup is used today. I hope no one is going to take issue with me about the use of makeup or about whether Esther should have entered this contest. Very candidly, I don’t think she should have entered the contest, and we are going to find out that she did not need makeup. There are many extremists on the subject of makeup. A dear lady once came to me when I was pastor in downtown Los Angeles, California. She thought that some of the girls were using too much makeup. She did not think a Christian ought to use it, and she put me out on a limb when she asked me what I thought about the subject. I said, “Well, it depends on the woman. Some women would be greatly improved if they used a little makeup, and I think we should all do the best we can with what God has given us.” She took that personally, and I want to add that she had reason to. I felt like saying to her, “A little makeup, lady, would improve you a great deal.”
In Esther’s case God permitted all of this by His providence. Her entrance into the contest and her acceptance by the man in charge of the contestants were all ordered by God. Hegai, keeper of the women, thought Esther looked like a winner, so he put her up front. It was a step forward in God’s program. It was not an accident. God’s providence was overruling in her life.
Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house.
In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name [Esth. 2:13–14].
After one year of preparation, the time came for each maiden to go to the king’s chambers. For her visit she could have anything she wanted in the line of clothes or jewelry. Soon it would be Esther’s turn to go to the king. She was taking an awful chance. If she did not win, she would become one of the concubines of the king of Persia, which certainly would have been a horrible thing for this Jewish maiden. This is the reason Mordecai is biting his fingernails. He knows they are out of the will of God, and he knows the terrific chance this girl, whom he raised, is taking. But God is going to overrule.
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her [Esth. 2:15].
When it was Esther’s turn to go to the king, it was decided that she was a natural beauty. It would have been like gilding a lily to send her to the beauty parlor. She was already beautiful and lovely. Everyone who saw her said, “There is the winner!” She stood out above everyone else. Is the hand of God moving? Yes! He is moving by His providence. He is going to put her on the throne next to the king, because, if she is not there, the whole nation of Israel is going to be destroyed. If that happens, God will be violating His Word, and God never does that.
So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti [Esth. 2:16–17].
When the king saw Esther, he did not have to look any further for a queen. The contest was over as far as he was concerned. He had found the one to take Vashti’s place, and Esther was made queen.
How did she become the winner? Was it by accident or chance? I don’t think so. Her selection was by the providence of Almighty God. We will see in the next chapter that it was essential for God to go before and make arrangements to protect His people. He did this by making Esther queen. For this reason we were introduced to the pagan palace, the banquet, and the drunken orgy that took place. God wants us to see His overruling in the affairs of men and Satan. This should be a comfort to God’s children in this hour in which we live.
We are told that the king loved Esther. I must confess that I am not impressed by it at all. Those of you who have read my book on Ruth know the emphasis put upon the romance of Boaz and Ruth, the loveliest love story, I think, that has ever been told. It is a picture of Christ’s love for His church. But I have to say that I do not find that quality in the story of Ahasuerus and Esther. This is an old, disappointed king who almost had reached the end of the road. I am reminded of the story of a foreigner who came to this country. He asked, “What is this, these three R’s that I keep hearing about in this country?” Some wiseacre gave him this answer, “At twenty it is Romance; at thirty it is Rent; and at fifty it is Rheumatism.” Well, it was rheumatism with the king. This is an old king marrying a lovely young girl. He is an old pagan with no knowledge at all of what real love in God might mean to a couple. I must say that I cannot see anything here to wax eloquent about or to say that this is a picture—as some have done—of Christ and His church.
However, the event is of utmost importance. It is thrilling to see this girl, belonging to a captive people, suddenly become queen over one of the greatest gentile empires the world has ever seen. The wave of anti-Semitism that was imminent would have blotted out these people, and God’s entire purpose with Israel would have been frustrated; but when danger strikes, Esther is in a unique position. God moved her into that place.
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king [Esth. 2:18].
You will remember that this book opened with a feast. Now we have another feast, Esther’s feast. Since the king has a lovely queen to take Vashti’s place, he suspends taxes for one year. If such a thing were done in our day, it would rock the world! It is interesting to see that the king did have the authority to suspend taxes for a year. We all would rejoice if they would conduct some kind of contest in Washington, D.C., that would help reduce taxes!
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate [Esth. 2:19].
Mordecai has a new position—not a job, a position. He is sitting in the king’s gate. This means that he is a judge, for the courthouse of the ancient world was the gate of the city. Most of the cities were walled, and out through the gate all the citizens would pass sooner or later. Court convened at the city gate, not at the courthouse in the town square. You may recall that the city gate was the place Boaz went to have a legal matter settled. Also, it is said of Lot that he sat in the gate, which meant that he had gotten into politics in Sodom and had a judgeship.
Look at Mordecai. Isn’t it interesting that when Esther becomes queen the next thing you know Mordecai is a judge, sitting in the gate? That is nepotism, or getting your kinfolk into office. I do not know whether Mordecai was made judge because of his ability or because Esther whispered in the ear of the king, “This man Mordecai has been just like a father to me. He is a man of remarkable ability, and I think you ought to give him a good position.” And the king may have said, “Well, that is interesting. We’ve just had an opening for a judge here at the east gate, and I’ll give him that position.” This is a very human book, you see, and politics haven’t changed one bit, have they?
Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him [Esth. 2:20].
This girl is a rather remarkable person. Even married to the king, she still takes instructions from the man who reared her. And I will say that I believe Mordecai is one of the outstanding men in Scripture to whom we have paid very little attention. He apparently was a man of remarkable ability.
At this point something takes place that seems extraneous, and yet it is upon this incident that the whole book hinges. As someone has said, “God swings big doors on little hinges.” Again we see the providence of God; He is moving behind the scene here.
In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on king Ahasuerus.
And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.
And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king [Esth. 2:21–23].
This is an interesting incident. Mordecai was sitting at the gate. Crowds were coming and going through the gate. He heard two men talking, and he heard them mention the name of the king. He cupped his ears so he could hear what they were talking about and discovered they were plotting to kill the king. So Mordecai immediately got word to Esther about the plot.
This is a very familiar picture: an Oriental potentate and fellows with long mustachios, hiding behind pillars, plotting against the king. Actually, intrigue in an Oriental court was common; there always seemed to be someone who was after the king’s job. Mordecai’s new position gained him a vantage point so that he was able to overhear the plot.
After Mordecai told Esther about the plan to kill the king, Esther told her husband. I suppose she said to the king, “You remember that I recommended Mordecai as a judge, and you can see that he is already doing an excellent job. He has discovered a plot against your life.” The FBI investigated and found it to be true. These fellows were then arrested. They didn’t have a long, drawn out trial that spent taxpayers’ money. The king ordered them to be put to death, and they were executed by hanging. This was to discourage others who might attempt to plot against the king. Of course, they were very uncivilized in that day, but they did not go in for lawlessness and pampering criminals. This entire incident was written down in the chronicles of the king, in the minutes, if you please, of the kingdom of Persia.
It is interesting to see that something was omitted here. Mordecai was not rewarded or recognized for his service. I suppose he brooded over it many times, wondering why in the world he had been ignored. He wasn’t even given a boy scout badge or a lifesaver button for saving the king’s life. Certainly he deserved that much. Why was this incident passed by? God is overruling. By His providence, God is directing this entire affair.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Haman and anti-Semitism
This is a chapter in the life of the Jew that has been duplicated many, many times. When you read this chapter, you can almost substitute the name of Pharaoh instead of Haman, or you can substitute the name of Hitler or Nasser—in fact, there are many names that would fit in here. There never has been a time since Israel became a nation down in the land of Egypt to the present moment that there has not been a movement somewhere to exterminate them.
After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him [Esth. 3:1].
Here we are introduced to a man by the name of Haman. He is one in the long line of those who have led in a campaign of anti-Semitism. He is promoted by the king to the position that would correspond to prime minister. He was an Agagite. If you turn back to 1 Samuel 15:8, you will find that Agagite was the royal family of the Amalekites. Saul should have obeyed God and destroyed the Agagites. If Saul had done what he had been commanded to do, his people would not have been in this situation, because the Agagites would have completely disappeared. God could see down through history and He knew what was coming. Saul’s failure to exterminate the Agagites almost led to the extermination of his own people. But again, God is behind the scenes, keeping watch over His own.
No weapon is going to prosper against Israel. Many people thought that Hitler might become a world dictator but that sending our boys to Europe was premature. I think we should have provided equipment and arms and let Germany and Russia slug it out. When they got so weak they could no longer fight, then we could have stepped in. There are those who said we should not have entered the Vietnam War. I agree with that. I think this idea of always shipping our manpower abroad is entirely wrong. We thought we stopped Hitler, but it was God who stopped him. God is going to stop Haman, too. Now we are beginning to see why God has moved Esther to the throne. If she had not been there, this anti-Semite Haman would have exterminated the Jews. That certainly was his intention.
And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence [Esth. 3:2].
The king sent out word that he had a new prime minister. Everyone was to bow before him and recognize his position. Now we have seen already that Mordecai is a judge at the gate. He has a political job, which means that he is one of the officials of the kingdom, and he must bow to Haman. But we are told that he did not bow to Haman. Friends, I am prepared to change my mind about Mordecai. I feel like throwing my hat up in the air because he refuses to reverence Haman. I think all of the other flunkies in the king’s service went down on all fours when Haman passed by—in that day they didn’t just bend to the waist when they bowed.
I see now for the first time the hand of God beginning to move in the life of Mordecai. You may say, “But he is out of the will of God. How can God move in a case like that? He should have returned to his own land.” Right! For reasons of his own he did not return but, being a Jew, his place was back in Palestine. It is clear that he is out of the will of God, but he is still recognizing God. Though he makes no appeal to Him anywhere in the Book of Esther, he does recognize God. Do you know how I have come to this conclusion? God’s law to the Jews was explicit. They were not to bow to anything but God Himself. They were not to make an image or ever bow to an image. They were not to bow down to anything or anyone. And so when this man Haman comes by after his promotion, everybody who has a political job gets down on his face before him—except one man, Mordecai. Believe me, he is obvious when he is the only one left standing!
Mordecai and Esther were not faithful enough to return to Jerusalem, but they were willing to jeopardize their lives in order to save their people. Therefore, I’m sorry for what I said previously about Mordecai.
Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew [Esth. 3:3–4].
He was asked why he didn’t bow, and for the first time Mordecai reveals that he is a Jew. Up to this time he has told no one. And you will remember that he had instructed Esther, when she entered the beauty contest, not to let anyone know her race. Even her husband did not know it. But now Mordecai tells them, “The reason I am not bowing to Haman is because I am a Jew.” The minute he says that he is also telling them his religion. He worships only the true and living God; he bows to no idol, to no image, to no man. He had been taught in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” He was to declare to the world, the ancient world, the world of idolatry, the unity of the Godhead. Today in a world of atheism, we are to declare the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mordecai took a stand, and now the others know why. The Jew was known in the world of that day as a worshiper of the one and true God.
I feel like saying, “Hurrah for Mordecai!” I apologize for what I previously said about him. He is beginning now for the first time to take a stand for God, and it is going to cost him a great deal. I do not think he dreamed it would be so far-reaching as to touch all of his people, but he recognizes that it probably will cost him his job, and even his life.
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai [Esth. 3:5–6].
In this passage Haman reveals that he is a small man. He should have ignored Mordecai. As Mordecai is beginning to stand out as a man of God, this man Haman begins to stand out in all of his ugliness as a man of Satan. The first thing we notice is his littleness. We are going to note all the way through the story that Haman is a little man. You will hear him later on crying on his wife’s shoulder. He will say something like this, “I’ve got everything in the world I want; I can have anything in the kingdom, but that little Jew won’t bow to me.” It is a small man who will let that sort of thing bother him, and he is permitting it to disturb him a great deal.
Haman is going to attempt to do a terrible thing. He is going to try to destroy all the Jews that live in the kingdom of Ahasuerus. I am sure he knew nothing about God’s promise to Abraham to bless those who blessed the Jews and curse those who cursed the Jews. But God makes good that promise. We have only to turn back the pages of history to find that the Jew has attended the funeral of every one of the nations that tried to exterminate him. Hitler tried to exterminate them. He thought he would get rid of them; yet today Hitler and his group are gone, but the Jew is still with us. Yes, God has promised to take care of His people. The fact that they have not been exterminated is in itself miraculous. God has indeed preserved them. And we will see Him do it in the book of Esther.
In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar [Esth. 3:7].
Each day Haman’s irritation grows. Every time he goes through the gate everybody goes down on his face except that little Jew Mordecai, and it disturbs him. He resolves to do something about it. When Haman discovered that Mordecai’s refusal to bow to him was based upon his religious convictions, he decided that a nationwide massacre of the Jews would solve his problem.
Haman had the magicians cast the lot called Pur to decide which day of the year the Jews would be destroyed. What the magicians and Haman did not realize was that God was the One who disposed the lot. God overruled in this situation. The lot fell in the last month of the year, which allowed time for Haman’s plot to be discovered and stopped.
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
If it pleases the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries [Esth. 3:8–9].
Haman brought it to the attention of Xerxes that there were some people living in his kingdom who were different. They were unusual; they followed the Mosaic Law. They were a people who should be exterminated. He convinced the king that the Jews were defying the king’s laws and that their liquidation would bring a lot of wealth into his treasuries from their confiscated property. You will remember that Xerxes had recently been engaged in war, a costly one. He needed money to pay for the bills incurred. Perhaps Haman’s idea would bring in enough money to take care of the deficit. The king, of course, was interested in that plan. Most politicians are interested in ways to raise more money, and this seemed like a way out for the king.
Xerxes had so little regard for life, as most potentates of that day did, that he did not even inquire who the people Haman wanted to exterminate were. Haman doesn’t know that Esther, the queen, happens to belong to that nationality. Xerxes himself does not know that his queen is Jewish and that he is signing away her life at this time.
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy [Esth. 3:10].
Xerxes took a ring off his finger and gave it to Haman. It was his signet ring. The signet on the ring was pressed down in soft wax and that became the signature of the king. An order that had that signet stamped on it became the law of the kingdom. So Xerxes carelessly takes off his ring, hands it to Haman, and says in effect, “I don’t know who they are and I don’t care who they are, but if you feel they ought to be exterminated, then you go ahead and take care of the matter.” What little regard Xerxes had for human life! He had dissipated the wealth of his kingdom against Greece, and it is variously estimated how many men perished in that campaign. Some feel that as many as two million men died in that war. It didn’t seem to bother him one bit that so many had given their lives for a mistake that he had made.
And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey [Esth. 3:11–13].
This decree to destroy the Jews goes out as a law of the Medes and Persians. It took quite an effort to get this word out because, as you will recall, this empire stretched from India all the way across Asia down through the Fertile Crescent and Mediterranean Sea. It included some of Europe and all of Asia Minor and reached into Africa, through Egypt, and to Ethiopia. It was a vast kingdom. In it were people speaking many languages, a minimum of 127 languages. Also we have to take into account that there were tribes speaking various dialects in these provinces. This law had to be translated into these many tongues. This was quite a government project. The scribes had the job of translating and making enough copies of the law. This was a huge undertaking. When enough copies were made to cover the entire kingdom, they went out by camel and donkey, runner and messenger. On a certain day the Jews were going to be exterminated. This law was giving anti-Semitism full rein and permitting a great many people to do what apparently was in their hearts to do. On this designated day it would be legal to kill Jews.
This decree went out as a law of the Medes and Persians. We were told again and again at the very beginning of this book that a law once made was irrevocable. This law could not be changed; it could not be repealed. Another law, we will find out, was issued that counteracted it; yet this law had to stand on the books.
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed [Esth. 3:14–15].
The city of Shushan was perplexed. The Jews were not traitors. They had committed no great crime. Why should extreme measures be used like this to try to exterminate them? Although they may not have liked the Jews and considered them foreigners with differing customs, the city’s inhabitants did not want to exterminate them. They could not understand Xerxes’ permitting a decree like this to go out. At the palace late that evening you could see the riders getting their orders. Literally hundreds of men must have been pressed into service because of the extent of the kingdom. You could see these different riders being given copies of the new decree that had become law. One company started riding the road to the south, one to the north, another to the west, and to the east. They rode all night. When they came to a little town, they would nail on the bulletin board of that town the decree for the people to read the next morning. Then the riders kept going. When their horses got tired, they were given fresh horses to carry on the job. All over the kingdom is spread the decree that the Jews are to perish. They are “hastened,” we are told, by the king’s commandment. Yes, the city “Shushan was perplexed,” but it didn’t bother the king. He and old Haman sat down together and had cocktails that evening. What the king did not realize was that the decree was going to touch his queen.
My friend, anti-Semitism is an awful thing—and it is with us today. Certainly no Christian should have any part in it.
Anti-Semitism had its origin down in the brickyards of Egypt, under the cruel hands of Pharaoh, where the Jews became a nation. From that time on, the great nations of the world have moved against them. It was the story of Assyria, and it was the story of Babylon that took them into captivity. In this Book of Esther we see how they fared in Persia. Rome also must plead guilty, and the Spanish Inquisition was largely leveled at the Jews. Then under Hitler in Germany it is estimated that six million Jews perished.
What is the reason for the thing that we call anti-Semitism? Let us analyze it briefly. There are two things that are behind it. The first reason is a natural one, and the second reason is supernatural.
The natural reason is simply this: They are unlovely. Now do not misunderstand me. There was a Christian Jew in Memphis who was a very personal friend of mine. He was a wonderful person. Let us face the facts. A godless person, Jew or Gentile, is unlovely. I know of no person more unlovely than a godless Gentile, nor do I know of a lovelier person than a Christian Jew. God saw us unlovely, undone, and unattractive; but by His sovereign grace He makes us new creatures in Christ. That same grace reached down and called the Jews a chosen people.
Then there is a supernatural reason why the Jews are hated. In the providence and design of God, those who have been the custodians of His written Word have been the people of the Jewish race. Our Bible has come to us through them. God chose them for that. They transmitted the Scriptures. Satan hates them because they have been the repository of the Scriptures and because the Lord Jesus Christ, after the flesh, came from them. Paul put it like this: “Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came …” (Rom. 9:5). There is no way of escaping it. And because of this, there is a supernatural hatred of Jews. This is certainly clear in the Bible. We know that God has chosen them as His people and as His nation. They are hated by Satan and, as a result, the nations of the world at times are fanned into fury against these people.
The law made by Xerxes could not be revoked. We have already seen one law that set aside Vashti the queen. That law could not be changed. Even the king could not change it.
The law ordering the extermination of the Jews was signed by the king. It became the law of the Medes and Persians. There was no way it could be changed. How will God save His people? Another decree will have to be made. Somebody is going to have to intervene. God, by the way, has been preparing for this very thing.
When we first began the study of this little book, we talked about the providence of God. We looked at a scene at a pagan palace where a drunken orgy was taking place. Several thousand people were attending a banquet. A family scandal is revealed, and the queen, who refused to obey the king, is set aside. What does this have to do with God’s saving His people? It has everything to do with it. God was moving, and He is going to continue to move in a mighty way. He has placed a person right next to the throne. She is going to be the means of saving the Jews. God moves in the affairs of men by His providence.
God’s providence is illustrated in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Caesar Augustus signed a tax bill that decreed that all the world was to be taxed. When he signed that bill, he did not know that he was fulfilling prophecy. He did not know that the tax bill would cause a maiden in Nazareth to go to Bethlehem, where her first child would be born. I think Caesar Augustus would have laughed and said, “I don’t know anything about babies, but I do know about taxes.” Micah 5:2 foretold the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Caesar signed a bill that caused Mary to be in Bethlehem at just the right time to give birth to the Lord Jesus Christ. God was in Caesar’s palace. God was in the palace of Xerxes. “Standeth God in the shadows keeping watch over His own.”
CHAPTER 4
Theme: For such a time as this
The terrible decree is going out to every corner of the kingdom. Now notice Mordecai’s reaction:
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth [Esth. 4:1–2].
When Mordecai heard about the decree to annihilate the Jews, he put on sackcloth and ashes. My, what a performance! He believed the decree; he knew it could not be changed. I would guess that there were roughly fifteen million Jews at that time in the kingdom. It would have been a terrible slaughter, so unnecessary and uncalled for. Because one petty official would not bow down to Haman, an entire race was to be exterminated. This was satanic, of course.
And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sack-cloth and ashes [Esth. 4:3].
Do you notice that there is no call to prayer? You see, these people are out of the will of God. The decree of Cyrus, prophesied by Isaiah, had permitted them to return to Israel, but they did not return. They are out of God’s will, and consequently there is no call to prayer whatsoever. But they go through the remainder of the ritual: fasting, putting on of sackcloth and ashes, and great mourning.
They believed the decree that had gone out from Xerxes. It was the law of the Medes and the Persians, which was unalterable according to these historical books and also according to the Book of Daniel. And you remember that even Xerxes himself, when he had put aside his beautiful queen, could never take her again because the decree had been made that she was to come no more before the king. Even he could not change his own law after it had been made. And so when this decree of death came throughout the empire, the Jews believed it and mourned in sackcloth and ashes.
Conspicuously absent today (the church, I think, is responsible for it) is conviction concerning sin—not only in the hearts and lives of the unsaved, but in the hearts and lives of believers. The average believer says, “Yes, I trust Christ.” But he has no real conviction of sin in his life at all. It is absent in contemporary church life. When is the last time that you heard a sinner, saved or lost, cry out to God for mercy? At the beginning of my ministry I saw a great many tears, I saw people cry out to God. I do not see that today. Even in evangelistic crusades there is a lot of “coming forward,” but there is that lack of weeping over sin in the lives of folk. Why? They just don’t believe God means it, my friend. They do not believe that God intends to enforce judgment against sin and the sinner who will hold to it and not turn to Christ.
Mordecai knew and believed the seriousness of the decree. He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes. He went out into the center of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry. Jews all over the kingdom mourned, fasted, wept, and wailed. They all believed the seriousness of the decree.
So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not [Esth. 4:4].
Queen Esther, feeling perfectly safe and secure as queen, was embarrassed by the conduct of Mordecai, her adoptive father. Here he was, out in the city, walking up and down, moaning, wailing, and groaning. So what does she do? She sends him a sporty new suit of clothes. They were gay, gaudy, expensive, and fine. The colors were probably bright. But, you see, all the bright colors and new clothes will not change the king’s edict. Mordecai would not receive the clothes. They would not remove the stigma.
There is an application here. The covering of religion will not remove the fact that man is a guilty sinner before God. Neither will religion alter the fact that the wages of sin is death.
People deal with sin in many different ways. Some try the gaudy clothes method. They refuse to believe that man is a sinner. They reach out for any garment that might hide from them the reality of sin. Others put on the gaudy clothes of reformation. They say that sin is just a little mistake, and they try to cover it. They think sin can be reformed.
Someone has said that the modern pulpit has become a place where a mild-mannered man gets up before a group of mild-mannered people and urges them to be more mild-mannered. Friends, I cannot think of anything more insipid than that. No wonder the world has passed by the church. We don’t need reforming; we need to be regenerated. We need to be born again.
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, was religious, but our Lord said to him, “… Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). We need a new nature because we have a sinful nature, and that sinful nature is not going to heaven, my friend. You have to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him. He died on the cross for you. He took your place and has already paid the penalty of your sin. All you have to do is accept what has been done for you. If you go to heaven, it will be because you trusted the One who died for you.
There is another kind of gaudy clothes that people wear known as “education.” They say that sin is selfishness. All you have to do is educate and train folk and they won’t be selfish. I had a sister who was younger than I was. My Dad used to bring us a sack of gum-drops when he came home from work. He would tell me that I was to divide the candy with her. I always took the first piece, and she would protest because sometimes it worked out that I also took the last piece. That always gave me one more gumdrop than she had. So a rule had to be made that one time I would take the first piece of candy and the next time she would take the first piece. Sometimes I took the first piece when it was really my sister’s turn. May I say that all of the instruction and education given to me never kept me from being selfish. And don’t try to kid me, it hasn’t helped you, either.
Many years ago, Dr. Shaler Matthews from the University of Chicago’s School of Religion came up with this definition of sin: “Sin is the backward pull of an outworn good.” Think that one over for awhile. If you take away all of the modifiers, you see that he is saying that sin is good! And that is what religion finally winds up telling you. May I say to you that you need a new garment. You need the righteousness of Christ. That is the only thing that will enable you to stand before God.
Now Mordecai was not about to accept any gaudy clothes from his daughter, the queen. When the clothes came back to her, she knew that something serious was going on. Esther knew that it was not something minor that caused her father to return the clothes.
Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was [Esth. 4:5].
Esther wants some answers. She wants to know what has caused Mordecai to put on sackcloth and ashes.
So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate [Esth. 4:6].
Of course as queen she could not have gone to him herself. So she sends a messenger.
And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai [Esth. 4:7–9].
Mordecai sent a message back to Queen Esther which said in effect, “The reason that I am in sackcloth and ashes is that our people, you and I, have come under an awful decree of death.” Then he gave the messenger a copy of the decree so that Esther could read it for herself. I wish that folk who say that the Bible does not teach that man is a sinner would read what God’s Word says. It is all there in black and white. If they will read it, they will see that God declares we are sinners and are under His sentence of death.
So the messenger returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message and a copy of the king’s decree.
Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai [Esth. 4:10].
After Esther heard Mordecai’s message and read the decree, she sent him another message.
All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days [Esth. 4:11].
In other words, “That’s too bad. I am sorry to hear it. I didn’t know about it before.” And she adds, “But I have not been called into the king’s presence now for thirty days. I do not know his attitude toward me—and you know what the law is.” As was the case in every kingdom of that day, anyone who dared go into the presence of the king without being summoned would be summarily, automatically, put to death—unless the king extended his sceptre to him. Xerxes was noted for his fits of temper; he could have put his queen to death if she had gone in without being called. So she sent back word to Mordecai, “If I go in, it may mean death to me.”
And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words [Esth. 4:12].
Then Mordecai returned to her this memorable message:
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? [Esth. 4:13–14].
We must remember that there had been another queen and a decree which had set her aside. Esther was probably taking warning from that, but, if she thinks the decree will protect her, she is wrong. The decree is that all of the Jews are to be slain, and she is Jewish. Mordecai puts it on the line: “Just because you happen to be the queen does not exempt you from the execution because it will reach every Jew in the kingdom, and it will also reach the queen.” We will find out later that Xerxes did not know that she was a Jewess.
Mordecai went on to say that if Esther held her peace then deliverance would come from another source. Some day when I see Mordecai (and I do expect to see him), I would like to ask him what he had in mind when he said that deliverance would arise from another place. I have thought this over, and I ask you the question: “What other place was there to which they could turn?” Where could deliverance come to them except from God? He was their only hope at this time, and I am confident that Mordecai had that in mind. God would move in another direction. He must have known that deliverance would come because he was acquainted with the promises that God had made to Abraham.
So Mordecai challenges Esther. Xerxes was a world ruler. Would deliverance come from the north, east, south, or west? There was not a person on the topside of the earth who could have delivered her. So he said to Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” I think Mordecai now detects that the hand of God has been moving and that Esther is on the throne for a purpose.
We begin to see God by His providence moving now in the affairs of the nation. It is obvious that Esther did not accidentally win a beauty contest. She was not accidentally the one who became queen. She is there for a very definite purpose, and God has been arranging this all the time. He is prepared for this event. God knows what is coming. That is why, friends, we can trust Him. When we put our hand in His hand, He has the power to hold us. He knows what is going to happen tomorrow and next month and next year. He will care for us. All we have to do is trust Him.
Mordecai is becoming a noble man now in my estimation. He is revealing that he is taking a stand for God. He is willing to die for God. Watch Esther now. She is a queen, every inch a queen.
Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him [Esth. 4:15–17].
These are the words of a noble woman. She tells Mordecai to gather all of the Jews in the city together to fast. She and her maidens would do the same. She would go to the king for help, and she was willing to perish if need be. Once again you will notice that nothing is said about prayer. Why doesn’t she pray? Because she is out of the will of God. Why don’t the Jews pray? They, too, are out of God’s will. When Jonah was on the boat running away from God, nothing is said about prayer. He was out of the will of God. He shouldn’t have been on that boat. It is hard to pray when you are out of God’s will. It is possible that some of the Jews prayed, but it certainly is not mentioned.
Esther’s decision to go before the king is a very brave act. But, beloved, there is One more noble. He vaulted the battlements of heaven, came down to earth, and took upon Himself our human flesh. He did not say, “If I perish, I perish.” He said “… the Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The sceptre of grace
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house [Esth. 5:1].
The king was sitting on his royal throne opposite the entrance to the palace. Around him were his court attendants dressed in all of their finery. Imagine the color! In addition to that were the awnings, the tapestries, the gold and silver and marble of the throne room. The king was probably conducting state business when Esther stepped out from an alcove, or from behind a pillar, and stood there in her royal apparel. And I want to say, friends, that she was beautiful.
And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre [Esth. 5:2].
Esther had prepared herself to appear before the king. You will remember that when she came the first time before the king and won the beauty contest that she required none of the fine clothing or elaborate accessories that the other girls had required. By her natural beauty she had won, and the king had fallen in love with her. But this time I am sure that she spent a great deal of time on her dress. We are told that “Esther put on her royal apparel,” which means that she put on the finest that she had. It meant that she looked the best that she could. In fact, if I may use the common colloquialism of the street, she knocked the king’s eye out! I tell you, she was lovely.
When she stepped into that royal court and waited—it was certainly a dramatic moment—the king looked at her. The question is: Will he raise the sceptre or will he not? And in that moment I am confident this Hebrew girl prayed, although there is no record of it. She must have recognized how helpless and hopeless she really was. And then the king held out the golden sceptre to her, and possibly smiled. Then she advanced and put her hand on the sceptre, which was the custom of the day.
What a picture we have here. In this book I have been emphasizing the law of the Medes and Persians and comparing their law to the Law of God. God’s Law says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die …” (Ezek. 18:20). And, friends, God has never changed that. It is as true now as it ever was. That is God’s Law. It is immutable. He could not change that without changing His character.
There is another side to the story. We see that in holding out the sceptre to Queen Esther, the king was giving her her life. May I say to you, our God holds out the sceptre to mankind today. It is true that “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). It is true that we are “… dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). It is true that “… the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4). But, you see, our God had to overcome that tremendous law, and the only way in the world He could overcome it was for Him to come to this earth Himself, and take upon Himself our sins, and pay that penalty—for that law was not abrogated, and it is not abrogated today. When God saved you, my friend, it was because Somebody else paid the penalty for your sins. He died a substitutionary death upon that cross for you and me. As a result of that, God holds out to the earth the sceptre of grace, and He says to any individual, “You can come to Me. You can touch that sceptre of grace. You can receive salvation from Me.”
Now Esther has come into the presence of the king, and he recognizes immediately that she would never have made this effort if an emergency had not arisen.
Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom [Esth. 5:3].
He knows she did not come to him in this manner because of some petty problem. He knows she did not come to ask for money to buy a new hat or to suggest that they go out to dinner at the local restaurant. He knows something is troubling his queen. He sees that she is trembling and greatly distressed. He wants her to feel comfortable, and so he says, “It shall be given thee to the half of the kingdom.” This is not an idle expression. To make her feel at ease, he hands her a blank check and invites her to fill in the amount.
And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him [Esth. 5:4].
Esther does not make her request known right away. She simply invites the king to lunch and asks him to bring Haman too. She wants Haman present when she lets the king know that the thing he has demanded is not only the death of the Jews but her death also.
What Esther did was an audacious and brave thing. She knew she was the only help for her people. After all, God had placed her in the position of being queen by His providence. I am sure that Esther would never have said that she was there by the will of God. In fact, she does not even mention the name of God. But she did go into the presence of the king knowing that it might mean her death. The die is cast.
My friend, we are all going to stand before the King of kings some day. Every believer will stand before Him to see whether or not he will receive a reward. This judgment will be at the Bema seat of Christ. There is another judgment where only the lost will appear. This will be at the Great White Throne, where they will be judged according to their works.
As the king held out the sceptre to Esther, and she stepped up and touched it, so God holds out the sceptre of grace to us today; and He asks us to come and touch it by faith, accepting what He has to offer. He is not gracious to us because we are beautiful. My mirror tells me I’m not beautiful, and both of us are ugly on the inside, too. Sin comes out of the human heart. We hear much about the fact that we should take care of all the pollution—and I am all for it—but I want to start where all the trouble begins, which is the human heart. He is holding out the sceptre of grace to all who will receive His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared [Esth. 5:5].
You can see the feeling of the king in this verse. He said, “You tell Haman that Esther has invited us to dinner and that he is to come that he may do as Esther has said.” The king has been very generous to Haman. He has made him prime minister. He gave Haman his ring and let him send out the request that he wanted to slay the Jews. But when the comparison is made with Queen Esther, Haman must obey her. She is the queen. So this puts her in a very favorable light indeed. The king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed [Esth. 5:6].
At the banquet Esther is obviously nervous, and the king can see that there is something that is deeply troubling her. He asks her what her request is and offers her up to half of the kingdom. As we have seen, this idiomatic expression means she can have anything she wants. He sees that she is still anxious, so he hands her this blank check.
There is a lesson here. God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, has given us a blank check. Paul could say in Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God has given us a blank check, but the amount is not filled in, even though He has signed it. How wonderful it is to have such a King. But He is more than a King. He is our Savior. He is the Savior of the world. He is holding out the sceptre of grace to a lost world.
Why is this cruel king being so gracious and patient with Esther? Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” In the story of Esther, the Lord is moving the king in a definite way.
Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is:
If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said [Esth. 5:7–8].
Esther still does not have the courage to express her request to the king, so she says, “I am having another banquet tomorrow. We have just had a smorgasbord today, but you come back tomorrow and I will prepare a real banquet. Then I will let you know what my request is.” You can see the fear that is in the heart of this girl. There was nothing more for the king and Haman to do but to finish the meal and then depart.
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai [Esth. 5:9].
Haman came out from the banquet very happy that he only had been the guest of the king and queen. His ego has been greatly expanded. He had made such a hit with the queen that she invited him back the next day for another banquet. This section illustrates that “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). The Greeks also have a proverb. It goes something like, “Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.”
As Haman left the banquet, all the functionaries of the kingdom bow before him—except one, Mordecai, a judge, who stands erect. You would think that a man in Haman’s position would ignore a little thing like Mordecai’s refusal to bow to him. But he is not going to ignore it. He is full of indignation against Mordecai, but he restrains himself for the time being. He thinks, “I’ll get even with you in a few days.”
Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.
And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king [Esth. 5:10–11].
Haman is certainly playing the fool. He wants to do a little bragging. As you may have noticed, when a man starts bragging, there are usually three areas he talks about. First he boasts about his riches, the money he makes. Then he talks about his fine children—or grandchildren (that’s what I do). Then he will generally boast about his promotion and high position. Haman went all the way. He boasted in all three areas.
Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow am I invited unto her also with the king [Esth. 5:12].
There is another thing that men boast about. They like to boast about being great with the ladies. He had had lunch with the queen today, and tomorrow he was going to have dinner with her! Haman was very human as well as being a rascal and villain. He does not know what is in store for him. He would do well to turn down the queen’s invitation, but this man will not do that.
Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate [Esth. 5:13].
There is one little fly in the ointment. He cannot get over the fact that Mordecai won’t bow to him. All of the things on the credit side of the ledger don’t mean a thing when compared to the indignity given him by Mordecai. Someone has said that you can always tell the size of a man by the things that irritate him. If little things irritate him, he is a little man. If it takes big things to irritate him, he is a big man.
My friend, what bothers you? Do little things like that annoy you? Oh, don’t let insignificant things mar your life. That is the mark of littleness. Yet most of us must confess that it is the small things, the “little foxes that spoil the vines” as far as our own lives are concerned.
Haman revealed himself to be a little man. After all, Mordecai was only a judge, a petty judge, in the kingdom. Haman was the prime minister. Ignore the fellow! Not Haman. “All this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew, sitting at the king’s gate.”
Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made [Esth. 5:14].
Zeresh, his wife, and his friends suggested that he build a gallows for Mordecai. So late that evening they built a gallows fifty cubits (that’s about seventy-five feet) high! Think of that! Remember that the meaning of the name Mordecai, is “little”—he was a short fellow. To erect a gallows seventy-five feet high on which to hang a short fellow reveals the resentment, the hatred, and the bitterness in his heart. However, with this happy solution Haman goes to bed.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: When a king could not sleep at night
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king [Esth. 6:11].
The fact that the king could not sleep seems to be a very small thing, but God uses small things. Also, I am of the opinion that the king had many sleepless nights. As Shakespeare said, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” There were nights when I am sure the king felt that his life was in jeopardy. But this night that the king could not sleep was the most eventful night in the history of the empire because it is the turning point in the Book of Esther.
Have you noticed that God uses the little things to carry out His program? Years before in Egypt God brought together a woman’s heart and a baby’s cry when Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby Moses in the Nile River. By this he changed the destiny of a nation. A supposedly unimportant thing occurred at the palace of Shushan—the king could not sleep. So he commanded his servants to bring the uninteresting records of the kingdom to him. They were read before the king. Evidently the reading of these records was conducive to sleep. They were the king’s sleeping pill. The fatal hour had come, and now we are going to see the hand of God begin to move.
A servant was summoned who began to drone off this record, which is like a log or the minutes of the kingdom. I do not mean to be unlovely, but to me the most boring thing in the world is to listen to minutes. Have you ever heard any minutes that were interesting? I never have. I have been on all kinds of boards, and I’ve gotten off every board I could get off because I don’t like to listen to the minutes. They are boring. On the nights that the king could not sleep, he would say, “Bring in the minutes. Let’s read them again.” Soon the king would drop off to sleep.
On this particular night the servants just happened to turn to a certain place in the minutes. Did I say happened to turn? Little things are beginning to pile up and reveal God’s hand in the glove of human circumstances. God is moving. He is overruling. It was no accident that Esther became queen. It was no accident that she presented herself to the king and found favor in his sight. It was no accident that he accepted her invitation to a banquet. Now he is unable to sleep, and it is no accident that the servant began to read at a certain place.
And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him [Esth. 6:2–3].
You talk about the Mafia; these two fellows belonged to the Mafia of that day. Mordecai overheard these two men plotting, the kind of plotting that we always think of in connection with the Persian Empire—shadowy figures behind pillars, plotting in low tones of putting a dagger in the king. Mordecai passed that word on to Queen Esther, and she notified the king. That incident was recorded in the chronicles of the kingdom. When the chamberlain read this, the king became alert for a moment. He rose up in bed and said, “By the way, you didn’t read there—or I must have missed it—was this man Mordecai rewarded?” The chamberlain looked down and read the next set of minutes and replied, “No, he was never rewarded.” The king said, “The man who saved my life must be rewarded!”
While all of this was going on in the palace, there is a knock at the outside door.
And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
And the king’s servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? [Esth. 6:4–6].
Just at the time the king discovered Mordecai had never been rewarded for saving his life, Haman was heard coming into the outer court. The king said, “Who is in the court?” It was Haman. He hadn’t slept too well either. He had come to the king’s house to get permission to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. Apparently Haman had the privilege of coming into the king’s presence at any time. When Haman came in, the king brought him into the conversation without giving him any background. He had come to ask for the life of Mordecai at the same moment the king is prepared to reward him!
These circumstances reveal the providence of God. In the shadows God is keeping watch over His own. Although these people are out of the will of God, in the land far away from where God wants them, they are still not out from under His direct leading. These providential dealings could not have been accidental.
When Haman walks into the king’s presence, he is greeted with the question, “What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour?” Haman thought the king was talking about him. After all, he had been made prime minister. He had been given the ring of the king—he had paid a certain sum of money, true, but he was able to get permission to exterminate the Jewish people en toto—and certainly there is no one else in the kingdom that he can think of that the king would delight to honor. But the king was thinking of Mordecai.
And Haman answered the king. For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,
Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:
And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour [Esth. 5:7–9].
The true nature of Haman is revealed in his answer. I am sure you can see what is in his heart; Haman had his eye upon the throne. It was his intention, when the time was right, to eliminate the king. That is the story of the Persian monarchs anyway. It was difficult for a man to stay on the throne very long. Even in Israel’s history, as recorded in 1 and 2 Kings, if it were not so tragic, it would be humorous to see how short a time some of the kings ruled. Some of them only made it through two months. When a king sat on his throne and looked around him, he didn’t know who was his friend and who was his enemy. He couldn’t imagine because he realized that any man who was lifted up would attempt to slay him in order that he might become king. Obviously this was in the heart of Haman.
Haman was thinking, “To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? You let me have the apparel of the king, put the crown on my head, let me ride the king’s horse, let it be announced by a herald when I go through the streets.” What is he doing? Haman is preparing the people for the day when the crown and the royal apparel will be his. I am of the opinion that the king would suspect this type of thing, for he recognized that Haman was thinking of himself and certainly not of Mordecai.
Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken [Esth. 6:10].
There was nothing that could have been asked of Haman that would have been more displeasing, more ignominious, or more distasteful than to put the royal garments on Mordecai, put him on the king’s horse, and lead him through the streets proclaiming that this is the man that the king delighted to honor! To accord him this honor was mortification beyond words to Haman. He hated Mordecai.
Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour [Esth. 6:11].
Instead of leading Mordecai through the streets in honor, Haman had intended to hang him on the gallows. The humiliation of Haman at this point is absolutely unspeakable. You can imagine the feeling that he had as he led this horse, with the man who would not bow to him seated on it, through the street. He had a gallows at home, seventy-five feet high, on which to hang him!
And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
And while they were yet talking with him, came the king’s chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared [Esth. 6:12–14].
Finally the ordeal was over. Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning, and having his head covered. Shame beyond shame. He told his wife and friends everything that had happened. Zeresh was a nice little wife, was she not? She suggested that the gallows be built, and now she is telling Haman, “I told you so. You’re beginning to fall.”
It is not exactly comforting to have your wife and friends suggest that probably tomorrow will be your last day! Things are happening thick and fast. Haman no sooner gets home and explains to his wife and his wise men what had happened than there is a knock at the door. The king’s servants tell Haman to hurry up, the banquet is ready that he had promised to attend. He had looked forward to this dinner, you remember, and had boasted about the fact that he was the only one whom the queen had invited with the king to attend her banquet. He is going to be late for the dinner that he had been looking forward to, but the events were taking place so fast he couldn’t keep up with them. Things are beginning to happen to his disadvantage. He has no control over circumstances. Do you know why? Because God is overruling everything and seeing to it that Haman’s plot does not succeed.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: The man who came to dinner but died on the gallows
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom [Esth. 7:1–2].
Haman went to the banquet with mingled feelings. He is thrilled that the queen has invited him to dinner, but he is still mortified at the honor given to Mordecai. I am of the opinion that at this moment Haman does not quite understand why Mordecai had been honored and he was passed by.
Now Esther has, if I may use the expression, screwed up her courage, after the second day, to tell the king the thing that is in her heart. She could not do it before, but now she is ready—even though she is nervous. Once again the king renews his overture to the queen. He says, “Queen Esther, what is your petition, and it shall be granted to you.” Once again he offers her up to half the kingdom. This is the third time the king has asked the queen what is on her mind.
Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage [Esth. 7:3–4].
When Esther spoke, it was a frightful thing that she revealed. Both the king and Haman were startled because neither of them knew her nationality. Her request was that her life and the lives of her people be spared. When Mordecai had entered her in the beauty contest and also when she had become queen, he had instructed her not to tell her nationality, not to reveal to anyone that she was a Jewess. So she had kept this fact to herself all of this time.
Haman, as you remember, had gotten an edict from the king that all the Jews in the kingdom were to be destroyed. He did not know that the queen was a Jewess. She now identifies herself with her people. So far removed that she did not even want to be known as a Jewess, she now takes her place with her condemned people. For her to do this in that day was also to identify herself with her religion and with her God, because they both go together.
She said to the king, “Although the king would have suffered a great loss, I would have kept quiet if we were just going to be sold into slavery. But that isn’t the problem—we are to be slain on a certain day!” She wanted him to know that the Jews had been betrayed and were to be destroyed as a people.
The king was absolutely amazed. Who would dare attempt to destroy the queen? And who would dare attempt to destroy her people? What she said was as shocking a statement as the king ever expected to hear. The queen and her people were going to perish.
Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? [Esth. 7:5].
The king is startled. He doesn’t dream that there is any such thing taking place in his kingdom. He apparently does not recognize even yet who the people are to be slain. Frankly, this man had little regard for life. If you read the secular campaign of Xerxes which he made into Europe against Greece, you will find that he threw men about as if they all were expendable. He lost thousands and thousands of men in that campaign, and it did not disturb him one bit. Human life was very cheap in that day. The thing that now disturbs him is that they are the people of Esther. His queen is in mortal danger. So the king asks, “Who is he? Where is he? Who would presume to do such a thing?”
I still don’t think it has yet dawned on Haman what is really taking place. He did not know that the decree to slay the nation Israel would affect the queen. He did not know she was Jewish. There he was at the banquet table, reclining on a couch—the prime minister, with the full confidence of the king.
Ahasuerus has asked who hatched this plot, and Esther now reveals her bravery. She is putting her life on the line by answering the king’s question.
And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen [Esth. 7:6].
Haman has no answer for that. He is dumb-founded to learn that Esther is Jewish.
God is moving behind the scenes. God is watching over His own. No weapon formed against Israel will prosper. God is going to bless those who bless the Jews and curse those who curse the Jews. The providence of God is going to keep the children of Israel.
The king is so startled at the sudden turn of events that he leaves the banquet table and goes into the garden. After all, he is implicated to a certain extent. And so he leaves to think this matter over.
And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king [Esth. 7:7].
The king needed to think things through. He simply could not believe that Haman would do such a thing. But the queen had begged and pleaded for her life because of Haman. He believed his queen. The king needed time to cool off a little so that he could think clearly about Esther’s plight and about Haman, his trusted adviser and prime minister.
While the king was walking in the garden, Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen. This man who was so glib in asking that others be put to death now becomes like a slave. He grovels at the feet of the queen. He realizes that the king is not going to let this thing pass and that evil is determined against him. He knows that the queen is his only hope. He is mad with fear, and so he gets down on his knees to plead for his life in a craven way.
Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face [Esth. 7:8].
As Haman was begging for his life, he could see that he was getting nowhere. He knew he was going to be punished for the evil he had done, so in his madness he began to pull himself up on her couch. You will recall that it was the custom to recline on couches while dining. About this time the king returned and, seeing Haman and the queen, said, “Will he force the queen also before me in the house?” Haman, coward that he was, was clawing in terror at her couch. He was beside himself with fear. The king says in effect, “What in the world is this man trying to do there pawing at my queen?”
Notice that King Ahasuerus does not have to issue an order at all. He just came in from the garden, saw what was taking place, made the statement, and those who are standing by know what to do. It is interesting to note that the servants did not make a move until the king spoke. They were simply standing by, watching. You see, the queen had not yet called for any help. She was too frightened and filled with fear to call for help. But when the king spoke, these great big fellows stepped up and took Haman. They not only placed him under palace guard but also under house arrest.
And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified [Esth. 7:9–10].
The king did not waste any time. He was not only the arresting officer, he was also the supreme court. Haman died the same night on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. This is a revelation of a great truth that runs all the way through the Word of God. Paul annunciated it for believers in Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Is it not interesting that the very gallows that Haman had prepared to hang an innocent man on is the gallows on which he is hanged?
Jacob had this experience. He deceived his father. Oh, he was a clever boy. He put on Esau’s clothes. Old Isaac smelled them and said, “It smells just like my son Esau.” They didn’t have any of these lovely deodorants in that day, and I want to tell you, when Esau came in, even if you did not hear him, your senses told you he had arrived. And so Jacob put that goatskin on his hands, and blind old Isaac reached out and said, “It feels like him.” Jacob thought he was clever. He is God’s man, but God did not let him get by with it. One day when he was old and the father of twelve sons, they brought to him the coat of many colors, dipped in the blood of a goat, and they said, “Is this your son’s coat?” Old Jacob broke down and wept. He too was deceived about his favorite son.
Paul knew a great deal about the operation of this law in his own experience. He is the man who apparently gave the orders for the stoning of Stephen—they put their clothes at his feet. He was in charge. But he did not get by with it. You may say, “Well, he was converted. He came to Christ and his sins were forgiven.” Yes, they were forgiven, but chickens always come home to roost. Whatever a man sows, that is what comes up, friend. Paul had a harvest, and his seed did come up. On his first missionary journey he went into the Galatian country and came to Lystra, where they stoned him and left him for dead. Paul had experienced the truth of these words, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” God is not mocked.
This man Haman is experiencing the same thing. He learned it the hard way. Here is a man who went to a banquet and found out it was a necktie party, and they hanged him. Psalm 37:35–36 says, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Listen to what the psalmist says. It is interesting. Little man, you can have your day. You can be a villain if you want to be one. You can run against God’s plan and purpose for you, but you won’t defeat God, because you are going to pass off the stage. That is what happened to Haman.
You and I stand guilty before God as sinners. We deserve exactly the condemnation of a Haman. You may say, “I never committed a crime like that.” Who said you did? But you just happen to have the same kind of human nature that he had, which is in rebellion against God, which is opposed to God. And in that state, while you were dead in trespasses and sins, Christ died for you, took your place on the cross. My friend, if you will trust Him, He will be your Savior.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The message of hope that went out from the king
Although Haman is dead, the threat of death still hangs over every Jew. The decree he sent forth that Jews may be slain on a certain day is still in effect. Because the decree is a law of the Medes and Persians it cannot be changed. That presents a real problem. What is the solution? This chapter will answer that question.
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king: for Esther had told what he was unto her.
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman [Esth. 8:1–2].
For the first time Esther let it be known that Mordecai was her adoptive father—Mordecai, the man whose refusal to bow to Haman occasioned this terrible decree.
This passage indicates that the king was quite free with the use of his ring. It was a powerful and important ring. It could be pressed down into wax and make a law that would destroy a people. This was the ring he passed on to Haman when he was prime minister. It is the ring he now passes on to Mordecai. I feel that the ring is in good hands now, but the king certainly seems to be careless in passing it around.
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews [Esth. 8:3].
Esther cried to the king for help, but nothing could be done to change the decree. It could not be changed in any shape or form. Even the king could not change the law.
Again the king is gracious and extends his sceptre.
Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king.
And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces:
For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? [Esth. 8:4–6].
Esther makes it quite plain to the king that the judgment against Haman is of no avail unless something is done to save her people. Something must be done to save them.
Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews [Esth. 8:7].
It is true that the king gave to Esther and to Mordecai the house of Haman, but that did not spare the Jews at all. Things were still no better for the Jews than they were before Haman’s death.
Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse [Esth. 8:8].
Mordecai now acts swiftly.
Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language [Esth. 8:9].
Again the scribes are called in to make copies of the new decree in every language in the kingdom.
And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries.
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar [Esth. 8:10–12].
The original decree is not altered in any way. It cannot be. It stands. But now another decree is made and sent out just as the first one was. It is signed by the king. The entire power of the king, as evidenced in his army and his officers, is now on the side of the Jews. This changes the entire picture, you see. When this new decree comes to the Jews, their hearts are filled with joy and gladness.
As we read this record, we can see the picture. It must have been late in the evening that Queen Esther had gone into the presence of the king to plead for her people. Now the new decree is written and signed with the king’s ring. The kingdom was polyglot—many languages were spoken. You can see that all the amanuenses were summoned to write the decree in the languages of the 127 provinces—and probably there were hundreds of copies for each language.
The kingdom employed all means of communication common to that day. Heralds were sent on horseback, on mules, on camels, and on dromedaries—across the Arabian Desert, up the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, down into India, and some into Africa. The heralds were riding in every direction getting this decree out as quickly as possible into every village and hamlet in the kingdom. This new decree provides a way of escape for the Jews. If they receive the message in time—and believe it—they can save their lives.
This is probably one of the most wonderful pictures of our salvation in Scripture. It is not an illustration that is used very much today, but it is a picture straight from God. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). God has sent out a decree. It says, “… the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:4). This does not only refer to certain people on skid row or some criminals; it refers to everyone. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, italics mine). “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isa. 64:6, italics mine). God cannot save us today by perfection because we cannot offer it. God cannot save us by imperfection because He cannot lower His standard. We belong to a lost race. That is the predicament of humanity. That is the problem of the human family. We like to think that the problem is somewhere else, in someone else’s heart, but it is right in our own hearts. Out of the heart proceed all the evil things. The world is polluted. It is not only the rivers and the air; the human heart is polluted. God has to judge. Men are sinners and need a Savior. Many people don’t like to hear that. Many churches today have become liberal, and liberalism is based on weakness. The men in the pulpit do not have the courage to stand up and tell people that they are sinners and need a Savior. Of course, it is an unpopular message. All of us would rather be flattered. But it is God’s decree, and it stands unalterable. It means eternal death to ignore it.
But thank God, another decree has gone out from the throne of God. It is: “… be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). We are ambassadors in this world today. An ambassador is the highest ranking representative appointed by a country to represent it in another country. The ambassador represents both a friendly country and a friendly potentate. Our God is friendly. You don’t have to do anything to reconcile God. He has done it for you. Christ has died for you and for me. What can we add to what Christ has already done?
You cannot do anything to soften God’s heart. His heart is already soft toward us because Jesus has already paid the penalty for our sin. Now we can say that “… If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). God is on our side, friend. The decree has come out, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31). If you put your trust in Christ, you will be saved. That is the provision that King Ahasuerus made for the Jews. All they have to do is believe the new decree and act upon it. It will rescue them from certain death.
God has a way to save sinners. You are not good enough to go to heaven, and you never will be. God has to work you over. You and I have to come to Him and accept the salvation that provides for us a robe of righteousness that is perfect. Christ gives us His righteousness! You cannot improve on that! God could not take us to heaven as we are; we have to be born again. This is what our Lord said to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, “… ye must be born again” (John 3:7). In 1 Peter 1:23, God puts it this way, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” It is because folk hear and believe the Word of God that they are born again and their lives are being changed.
I don’t talk to people about “committing their lives to God” as if they had something to commit. Do you think He wants your old life? My friend, He wants to give you a new life. He wants to regenerate you. He wants to save you.
The Jews in Esther’s day had to recognize that a decree had been made to destroy them. Also they had to believe that the king was on their side and had issued another decree to save them. We too must believe that the King of kings is on our side. I am an ambassador for Christ, and, therefore, on behalf of God I must say to you, “… be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). He is reconciled to you.
So the second decree from the king went out.
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace [Esth. 8:13–14].
There was a need for haste, and there is a need for haste today. I am not trying to frighten you, but this may be the last time you will have an opportunity to accept Christ as Savior. Now is the accepted time to believe Christ. The only time God wants you to be in a hurry, friend, is to accept His Son.
And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad [Esth. 8:15].
The royal apparel Mordecai is now wearing is certainly different from the sackcloth and ashes he wore only a short time before. His appearance in the city undoubtedly reinforced the joy produced by the king’s new decree. Notice the contrast between the two decrees; Haman’s decree produced sorrow, and the king’s decree produced joy.
Salvation can bring real joy into your life. You can go to a nightclub and spend one hundred dollars, and I will grant you that you can have a good time. If you are an unsaved person, you will have a good time because you can watch the show, get drunk, and eat like a glutton. Yes, you’ll have a good time that night, but you won’t in the morning. You will feel bad, and in it all you will never know what real joy is. Only when you come to Christ will you experience real joy.
The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour [Esth. 8:16].
Light is what God offers you. Jesus is the Light of the world. He also is the gladness, and joy, and honor of the world. The thing that gives dignity to sinners is to receive the Savior, who is God manifest in the flesh, who died for them. That will lift sinners out of the muck and mire. It will enable a sinner to walk through this world with his head held high, rejoicing. My, how we need to rejoice! Are you joyful today, Christian friend, with that gladness that comes from deep down in your heart? If you are not filled with joy, come to Christ and He will give you something to be glad about.
And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them [Esth. 8:17].
For fear of the Jews many of the people became Jews, that is, they accepted their religion. The nation Israel was a better witness to the world than we give it credit for.
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Institution of the Feast of Purim
The day of the Jews’ execution is at hand.
Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people [Esth. 9:1–2].
The Jews prepare themselves for the attack. The king’s new decree is protecting them, so they get everything ready to defend themselves.
It is interesting to note that Herodotus, the Greek historian, records that Ahasuerus (Xerxes) returned home after his defeat in the Greek campaign, about 480 b.c. and that his wife, Amestris, was a cold and vindictive queen. That would be Esther, of course; and to an outsider it is understandable that she would appear vindictive and cold. After all, she stepped in and put an end to Haman’s evil activities, and she was also able to save her people from their enemies at that particular time.
There are people who feel that it was brutal and cruel for a court of law to sentence many of Hitler’s henchmen to prison, but those henchmen were rascals of the first order. Their treatment of the Jews in concentration camps was absolutely inhuman. To many people on the outside it did not look as though Hitler’s men should be treated with such harshness, but those who knew the inside story knew that they got justice.
And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater [Esth. 9:3–4].
Now Mordecai, one of their own, is by the side of the king. Haman, who would have put the Jews to death, is gone. The very throne that had once condemned the Jews now protects them.
The very throne of God protects us today. The apostle Paul says, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:33–34). Notice how He justifies: (1) Christ died; (2) He is risen again; (3) He is even at the right hand of God; and (4) He also makes intercession for us. These are the reasons no one can condemn a believer. How wonderful this is! Today there is a Man in the glory—He knows exactly how you feel, and He knows exactly how I feel. And in that position He is interceding for us. Things have changed for us sinners. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14–16).
I have a Savior who is despised by the world. A lot of dirty, blasphemous things are being said about Him. But, my friends, He is the Man in glory. He is the King of kings. He is the Lord of lords. He is the Lily of the Valley. He is the One altogether lovely. He is the Chief among ten thousand. And some day He is coming again. We ought to get in practice bending our knees to Him, adoring and praising Him. That is very important. He should become sweeter to us with each passing day. In fact, there is a song entitled “Sweeter As The Years Go By.” That is the way it should be for each one of us. Do you rejoice more as a Christian today than you did one year ago? Or ten years ago? I thank God that I am a happier Christian today than I was ten years ago.
Now suppose that some Israelite living during the time of Queen Esther had said, “Well, I don’t believe the new decree that has come from the king. I don’t think the king is that good. I am going to protect myself the best way I can. I am going to make a little Maginot Line and hide in back of it. I will make a fortress and defend myself.” But, my friend, it was death for the Jew who did not believe the king’s decree.
Notice that the Jews had to have faith in the king’s message. Like them, we must have faith in God’s message, which is the gospel. The gospel means “good news.” First Corinthians 15:3–4 gives us God’s message in a nutshell: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” God has sent out a decree to a lost world. Men and women are saved by faith and not by the works of the law. John 1:12 says of the Lord Jesus, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” The main thrust of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost was: through Christ is the remission of sins (see Acts 2).
The gospel is what saves men today. The gospel is what Someone has done for us. It is not a request on God’s part for you and me to do something. On the contrary, the gospel is what He has done for us. If we do not place our trust and faith in Christ, there is no hope for us at all. Now, you may break some bad habits, you may forsake evil, you may go to church, you may be baptized, and you may take part in the Lord’s Supper; and you may still be miserable. The only way to have real peace is to take God at His Word and believe His message. When you believe it, there is salvation.
The Jews who did not believe the king’s decree had no hope at all. But the Jews who accepted the king’s decree were joyful and glad, we are told. Why? Their faith in the king’s decree brought deliverance.
And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far [Esth. 9:20].
Many people have asked the question, “Who wrote the Book of Esther?” I believe this passage gives us at least a suggestion that Mordecai was the author.
Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,
The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year [Esth. 9:26–27].
In our day the Feast of Purim is commemorated by the orthodox Jews first in their synagogues. It is a celebration of gladness, and it is concluded by the reading of the Book of Esther. As they read it, they spit as the name of Haman is mentioned. I understand that they can use one or two expressions: “Let his name be blotted out,” or “Let him be accursed.” Then the following day they come together for a joyful service because it is a feast that celebrates the fact that God has delivered them (and they include subsequent deliverances such as that from the German atrocities) according to the promise that He made to Abraham. God had said, “… I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee …” (Gen. 12:3).
And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed [Esth. 9:28].
The Book of Esther concludes with this interesting sidelight in chapter 10:
And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed [Esth. 10:1–3].
You and I have a Savior who is going to bring real peace to this world someday.
It is interesting to note that there are three prayers the Jews pray at the time of the Feast of Purim. In the first prayer they thank Jehovah that they are counted worthy. In the second prayer they thank Him for preserving their ancestors. In the third prayer they thank Him that they have lived to enjoy another festival.
We as Christians see in the Passover Feast a spiritual meaning—“… Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). He is the salvation of God for us. In the Feast of Purim we see the keeping power of God, His providence, His sovereignty. As the writer of the Proverbs puts it, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord” (Prov. 16:33). He will keep His nation Israel; He will keep His church; and He will keep the individuals who are His. He is able to save to the uttermost those who come unto God through Him.
It is a sad commentary on the present generation that most Christians know only a distant, providential oversight. They do not learn to walk with God in close fellowship, obeying God’s Word.
“He knows and loves and cares,
Nothing this truth can dim:
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.”
My friend, He wants to lead you by His eye. We need to move closer to Him today. Most believers know only of the distant providence of God which leads from way out yonder those who won’t be led.
How many Christians today are walking in their own will! Things are going nicely. The sun is shining in the sky and the stones are removed from their pathway. They think they can work everything out by themselves; so they don’t look to God. Then one day the winds begin to howl, the waves begin to roll, the way seems dark, and all of a sudden they cry out to Him, “Lord save me; I am perishing! Show me the way.” Then if they get through that crisis, they say, “The Lord led me.” My friend, only by God’s providence did He lead you. You were actually not in the will of God.
So much is said today about the dedication of life and heart. I get so weary of hearing, “Come and dedicate your life to God.” My friend, I am not asking you to do that. You can get down on your knees right now and dedicate your heart and life, and tomorrow you can be entirely out of God’s will. At that point you revert to being moved again by the providence of God. Oh, He wants to lead you today—He wants to guide you directly. I don’t care who you are, or where you are going, He will overrule you. You may be a Hitler, or a Stalin, or even a Judas Iscariot. God overruled Judas, and He will overrule you, friend. But you can know the luxury and joy of coming to Him—not just in one act—but moment by moment, day by day, seeking God’s will for your life. You can begin to walk out—from wherever you are now—in the will of God. What joy there is in walking in His will!
However, if you slip out from under God’s direct dealings, you have not slipped out from under His providential dealings. God ever stands in the shadows, keeping watch over His own.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1970.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A. Notes on the Book of Esther. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1921.
Jensen, Irving L. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther: A Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1970.
McGee, J. Vernon. Esther, the Romance of Providence. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1951.
Sauer, Erich, The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966. (A concise commentary on the entire Bible.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
Whitcomb, John C. Esther: Triumph of God’s Sovereignty. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1979. (An excellent treatment.)
The Book of
Job
INTRODUCTION
Job is a very remarkable and marvelous book. It is the first of the poetical books which also include Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations. The reference “poetical books” denotes form rather than imaginative or capricious content. Neither does the term poetical mean that it is rhythmic. Hebrew poetry is achieved by repeating an idea or “parallelism.” The dialogue in the Book of Job is poetry. All the conversation is in poetic form. If you have ever read Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, you know that they are examples in secular literature of this Hebrew form.
The author of Job is unknown. It has been suggested that the writer was Moses. Other suggestions have included Ezra, Solomon, Job himself, and Elihu. Elihu, mentioned in this book, is one of the miserable comforters of Job. The idea that Elihu may be the author is based on Job 32:16–17: “When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;) I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.”
This is not said in the context of conversation, but the author is expressing his own thoughts in first person. Then the conversation resumes, and it is Elihu who is speaking. This indicates that Elihu may be the author of the book.
Another interesting thing about this book is that we do not know the period in which Job lived. And we do not know where he lived. I know that it says he was in the land of Uz, but we honestly don’t know where the land of Uz was located. We cannot fix it at any particular spot. It is interesting that the time and place, which are so essential to other books, are not given here.
I would suggest that Job was written during the patriarchal period. It is possible that Job knew Jacob. The fact that the Book of Job makes no reference to the Mosaic Law nor to any of the events recorded in the Book of Exodus would seem to indicate that it was written before Exodus.
Here are the arguments which lead us to place Job in the time of the patriarchs:
1. The length of Job’s life span. “After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days” (Job 42:16–17). We know that at the time of the patriarchs people had long life spans such as that of Job.
2. Job acted as the high priest in his family. Since there is no mention of the children of Israel or any other priesthood, evidently this took place before they came into existence.
3. Eliphaz was descended from Esau’s eldest son. “These are the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau” (Gen. 36:10). This would make it seem that Job was a contemporary of Jacob.
This book is a great philosophical work. There are many problems that are raised and settled by this book:
1. The Book of Job raises the issue of why the righteous suffer. I really should say that it gives one of the reasons why the righteous suffer. I do not believe that this is the primary teaching of this book, although there are a great many Bible scholars who take that position.
2. Job was written to rebuke the slander of Satan against mankind.
3. Job was written to reveal Job to himself.
4. The Book of Job teaches patience. James says, “… Ye have heard of the patience of Job …” (James 5:11). Was Job patient? I’ll be honest with you, it is difficult to see how this man was patient. We’ll consider this when we get to the end of the book.
5. I think the primary purpose of the Book of Job is to teach repentance. If you want to disagree with this right now, just stay with us until we get to the end of the book and then draw your own conclusions.
You see, when men want to talk or write about repentance, they always pick a character who has had a sinful beginning. For example, they will point out Manasseh, the most ungodly king of Judah. We studied about him back in the historical books of the Old Testament, and we saw that he repented. May I say to you, that is the kind of repentance we like to think of.
There was Saul of Tarsus, the greatest enemy the Lord Jesus Christ ever had. He repented. There was St. Francis of Assisi, a dissipated nobleman of his day, and he repented. There was Jerry McAuley, the drunken bum on skid row in New York City, and he repented.
God didn’t pick a man like that in order to teach repentance. He could have! But God selected the best man who ever lived in the time of the Old Testament, possibly the best man who ever lived with the exception of Jesus Christ. God chose this man and showed that he needed to repent. When we get to the end of this book, we find the words of Job himself. “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5–6). This ought to teach every believer today—it should teach everyone who reads this—that no matter how good we think we are, we need to see ourselves as God sees us. All our righteousness is as filthy rags. We need to repent.
This is a great philosophical work and has been acclaimed so by many. Tennyson called this book “the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature.” Speaking of the Book of Job, Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish philosopher said, “I call that one of the grandest ever written with pen.” Martin Luther said that this book is “more magnificent and sublime than any other book of Scripture.” And Dr. Moorehead said, “The Book of Job is one of the noblest poems in existence.”
The prose section of the Book of Job is a gigantic sweeping drama that encompasses earth and heaven. This does not mean it is fiction. Job is referred to as a historical character in the Scriptures (see Ezek. 14:14, 20; James 5:11), and Paul quotes from the Book of Job (1 Cor. 3:19).
Many writers have used Job as the basis for their plots, including H. G. Wells and Archibald MacLeish in his one-time Broadway hit, J. B. In his play MacLeish attempted to make an analogy between the Book of Job and modern man. Very candidly, I think he missed it, although he mentioned the human predicament today, and he knew about that. I don’t think he quite knew about Job and the great purpose of that book. His play speaks of the despair and also the hope of modern man, but beyond that I think the analogy breaks down. The Book of Job reveals a man who was very conscious of God, but who could find nothing wrong with himself, one who was very egotistical about his own righteousness and maintained it in the face of those who were around him. Job felt that before God he was all right. In fact, he wanted to come into the presence of God to defend himself. When Job did that, he found that he needed to repent!
This is not a description of modern man by any means. The psychiatrists have told man today that his problem is that his mother didn’t love him as she should have. In my opinion, the thing that is wrong with this generation is that mother didn’t paddle as much as she should have. But we are told that mother and father have neglected the boy and the girl. Now I admit there may be some truth to that, and perhaps this is a part of the problem. However, we cannot shift the blame to others. Modern man refuses to take the blame for his deficiencies, inabilities, and sins. He tries to put the blame on somebody else. He will not accept responsibility for himself and his own actions.
Now, there is One who bore all of our sins. Until you and I recognize that we are sinners and need to turn to Him, my friend, we are only putting the blame on the wrong person. I think it is pretty low for any man to put the blame for his sins on his mother. That is a terrible thing, and yet that is what we find today.
Modern man is in a real predicament, and he is in great despair. He is blaming his sin on others, and he can find no place to go to find that comfort which he craves. Instead he has surrounded himself with materialism and secularism. I knew a man once who must have had twenty-five different buttons at the headboard of his bed. He could turn on lights all over the place, have a bell ring, open and close doors, and turn on outside lights—all from his bed. I had never seen anything like it. That to him was a great security. Many of us do that. We each have our own “security blanket,” and we snuggle up to it.
However, the problem with modern man is that he doesn’t have God in his consciousness. He doesn’t know that there is a Savior to whom he can go. That is different from Job. Job was very conscious of God and trusted Him. The fact is that God will put Job through the mill, as we shall see, and will finally bring him into His very presence. God stripped Job of all his securities in order to bring him to Himself.
Modern man is being put through the mill even in an affluent society. Despite all his gadgets and comforts of life, he is adrift on a piece of driftwood out in the midst of a vast ocean, and he doesn’t know where he is or where he is going. That is rather frightening. Actually, it is beginning to force some folk to think that somewhere there is a Someone. We have a song today that says to “put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee.” Well, that is getting pretty close, but it still misses the point that modern man must come to Him as a sinner and must accept Him as Savior. People today talk about commitment. What is your commitment, by the way? You cannot just say, “Lord, Lord,” and expect Him to be your Lord and Master. First He must be your Savior! He died for you. If you don’t begin with Jesus Christ at the cross, you will not begin with Him anywhere.
I have spent time on this because I think it is important. Job had a consciousness of the presence of God all the way through his troubles. He was not adrift in the sense that modern man is adrift. What Job could not understand was why God permitted him to be put through the mill. Job did not recognize that he needed to repent—until God dealt with him.
OUTLINE
I. Drama (Prose), Chapters 1–2
A. Scene I: Land of Uz. Job’s Prosperity and Serenity, 1:1–5
B. Scene II: Heaven. Satan’s Slander of God and Job, 1:6–12
C. Scene III: Land of Uz. Job’s Loss of Children and Wealth, 1:13–22
D. Scene IV: Heaven. God and Satan, 2:1–6
E. Scene V: Land of Uz. Job’s Loss of Health and Wife’s Sympathy, 2:7–10
II. Dialogue (Poetry), Chapters 2:11–42:6
A. Scene VI: City Dump, 2:11–37:24
1. Job’s Loss of Understanding from Friends, 2:11–13
2. Job vs. Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, 3:1–32:1
3. Job vs. Elihu, 32:2–37:24
B. Scene VII: Jehovah vs. Job, 38:1–42:6
III. Epilogue (Prose), Chapter 42:7–17
Scene VIII: Land of Uz. Job’s Blessings Doubled.
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Drama in heaven and on earth
LAND OF UZ
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil [Job 1:1].
The land of Uz was somewhere in the Middle East, but beyond that there is nothing specific known about it. The historian Josephus gives us a glimmer of light on its location. In Genesis 10:22–23 Uz is listed as a son of Aram, a son of Shem. In Genesis 22:20–21 Huz (or Uz) is the firstborn of Nahor who was Abraham’s brother. Josephus tells us that Uz was the founder of the ancient city of Damascus. Damascus is, in fact, the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world. So I think we can say that Job lived somewhere in the Syrian desert.
That same desert is the place where the Lord sent the apostle Paul for his “postgraduate studies.” God schooled and disciplined many of His men out on that desert. My friend, your land of Uz and my land of Uz may be in different places geographically. It could be any place on this earth. That is not the important matter. The important thing is that there are certain lessons God wants us to learn in that place.
We are told that Job was perfect. What does it mean when it says he was perfect? It means he was perfect in his relation to God in the sense that he had offered the sacrifices (as we will see in v. 5). In those days the sacrifice was a burnt offering.
Then we read that he feared God. He had a high and holy concept of God and, as a result, he hated evil. You can see that he is different from modern man who is without any knowledge of God.
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east [Job 1:2–3].
He had a wonderful family of ten children. He was very wealthy, and they all just lived in luxury and ease. He had camels for transportation. He must have been in the trucking business of that day. He also had she asses for milk. That was considered a delicacy in that day. It’s one delicacy that I’m willing to miss, by the way.
This man lived in the lap of luxury. The last part of verse 3 would indicate to us that he was Howard Hughes, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and the oil men of Texas all rolled into one.
And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them [Job 1:4].
They were living in the lap of luxury and certainly had it easy. But notice that in the midst of all that plenty and ease there was a fear in the heart of Job.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually [Job 1:5].
The thing that interests me is that he didn’t feel that he needed an offering. He felt that he was right with God. But he thought that maybe these sons and daughters weren’t as close to God as they should be, so he offered sacrifices for them. He was the high priest in his own family.
Now this is the end of scene one. It is a gorgeous scene of a wealthy man with a lovely family living with an abundance of everything. But he had one fear in his heart. It is a fear that a great many folk have today about their sons and daughters. He recognized that he couldn’t cope with that problem himself, so he went to God.
My friend, there are a great many parents who are distraught today because they have a son or daughter who has left home and gotten into trouble, and is maybe even on drugs. Many of these parents have never been able to go to God themselves as Job did. As a result, they carry with them problems that they cannot solve. Job knew where to go with his fears. He offered a burnt offering for his children. That burnt offering speaks of Christ. This man is a man of God.
HEAVEN
Our next scene opens in heaven, and what a scene it is. Neither Job nor any of the other people in this book knew that this took place at all. But this scene will enable us today to understand and interpret some of the things which happen to God’s people. I don’t say that it is the total explanation, but it is a part of it.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before theLord, and Satan came also among them [Job 1:6].
Now this is the scene in heaven. The sons of God, His created intelligences, come before Him. I must confess I know very little about them. I think they are numberless, as numberless as the sand on the seashore, which means you and I cannot count them. And they are not human beings; they do not belong to our race. Yet these are God’s created intelligences, and they are responsible creatures. They must come to report to God as a matter of regular routine. That is something I suppose we would expect. But there is also something here that is rather shocking. We are told that “Satan came also among them.” That is a surprise.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it [Job 1:7].
By the way, Satan must also make a report. That is amazing, isn’t it? Do you think he came from hell? No, he didn’t. Friends, hell hasn’t been opened up yet. No one is in hell today. It will not be opened up until the Millennium takes place on this earth. Hell is the place prepared for the Devil and his angels, but they are not there yet. The fact of the matter is that Satan has as much access to this earth as you and I have, and more so.
This earth is the domain of Satan. He has not been in hell. He says that he has been going up and down—east, west, north, and south—on this earth. Remember that Scripture calls him “… the god of this world …” (2 Cor. 4:4) and “… the prince of the power of the air …” (Eph. 2:2). So that we know that he has great access and freedom on this earth today. We are warned by Peter, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). My friend, this is a warning, and this is exactly what we are told here in the Book of Job. Satan himself said that he has the freedom to go up and down this earth.
You remember that when Satan tempted the Lord Jesus he offered to Him the kingdoms of this earth. The Lord Jesus never said, “You don’t have them to offer.” He simply refused the temptation. Apparently those kingdoms are accessible to Satan, and he has that kind of freedom.
When you look at this earth today, it does look like Satan is running things, does it not? God is overruling all things, but He has given Satan a period of freedom. We are told that this world in which you and I live is controlled by Satan. He must be overcome, and we can only overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. Now this is quite a revelation, isn’t it? And it is contrary to modern thinking.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? [Job 1:8].
God gives a good report of Job. He says he is an outstanding man. It would seem that Satan has been trying to get at Job. I draw that conclusion from Satan’s next statement.
Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land [Job 1:9–10].
Apparently Satan had been trying to get through to Job and made the discovery that he couldn’t get through to him because there was a hedge about him. He tells the Lord, “You have put a hedge around him, and I can’t touch him.”
I believe that there is a hedge about every believer today, and I do not think that Satan can touch you unless God permits it. And if God permits it, it will be for His purpose. That is what this book teaches us.
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face [Job 1:11].
Now Satan casts this slur upon Job. I think he despises mankind. He suggests that Job is really a timeserver to God. And Satan has no use for you or me. He says we are timeservants and that if God took down that hedge and took everything from us, we would curse God.
Mind you, there are a lot of people in the world who would curse God. There is no question about that. All one needs to do is listen to men on the street here in Southern California. I hear God cursed nearly every day.
One day I walked by a construction site where one of the foremen was attempting to make some sort of an adjustment. It didn’t work and the piece fell down. My, he began to curse God. Now he may go to church on Sunday and carry a big Bible under his arm—I don’t know about that. But I do know this, he cursed God. We hear that constantly today. Men are not rightly related to God, my friend.
This man Job had a hedge around him, and when Satan found he couldn’t touch him, he said, “I’d like to get to him.” Satan hates mankind. Why in the world anyone wants to serve Satan is more than I know, because he despises us. I wouldn’t want a master like that. I want a master who would love me and be sympathetic toward me. And that is the kind of Master I do have.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord [Job 1:12].
We learn here that sometimes God permits Satan to take away from us those things that we lean on. I know that when our little security blanket is taken away from us we feel so helpless, incapable and lost in this world. Many of us cry out to God at such a time.
Notice that God is going to permit Satan to take all Job’s possessions from him. Believe me, Satan would destroy us if he could. He has slandered both God and Job, inferring that God is not worthy to be served and loved for Himself alone, but that He must pay Job to love Him. Satan is the enemy of God and man.
BACK IN THE LAND OF UZ
And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house [Job 1:13].
Job’s children were having a high, old time, friends. They were going around from one brother’s house to another, and it was a banquet every day. They were really living it up.
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee [Job. 1:14–15].
Here Job has been having a rather nice life, and then suddenly things begin to happen. He didn’t even know he had enemies like this, but now the Sabeans come in and take away his cattle.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee [Job 1:16].
“The fire of God.” That is interesting. I kid a friend of mine who is an insurance agent. You know the policy always states they are not liable if your house is destroyed by “an act of God.” We always blame God if something is destroyed. They were saying the same thing in that day. Why didn’t he say, “The fire of Satan”? Who did it? Why, Satan did it! Why don’t the insurance policies say, “If God permits Satan to destroy my house”?
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee [Job 1:17].
We talk about the crash of the stock market. I tell you, Job had real stock, and it was all taken away. Everything was wiped out.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee [Job. 1:18–19].
Here is a tragedy beyond tragedies. All of his children are slain. A real Texas-style tornado hit that house and all his children are killed. What would you do in a case like that? Notice what Job does:
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly [Job 1:20–22].
Watch this man and listen to his testimony. Here is a viewpoint of life and a philosophy of life that Christians need today toward material things. You and I came into this world with nothing. We were naked as jaybirds when we came into this world. And we are going to leave the world the same way. Remember the old bromide, “There are no pockets in a shroud”? My friend, you can’t take anything with you.
The story is told that years ago all the relatives were standing outside the bedroom door of the patriarch of a very wealthy family. They were waiting for the old man to die and for the family lawyer to come out. When he came, he announced to them all that the father had died. Immediately one of the more greedy ones asked, “How much did he leave?” And the lawyer replied, “He left it all. He didn’t take anything with him.”
That is the way it will be with all of us. It makes no difference how many deeds you have or how strong your safety deposit box may be, what you accumulate or how much insurance you have. When you go and when I go, we’re going just like we came into this world. It is very important for us to get this into our philosophy of life. You may be living today in an expensive home, or you may be living in a hovel. You may have a big bank account, or you may not have anything to count at all. You may have a safety deposit box filled with stocks and bonds, or you may not even have a safety deposit box. It makes no difference who you are. We’re all going to leave the same way we came into this world. Whatever you have, you are simply a steward of it. Really, in the final analysis, it does not belong to you, does it?
This man Job falls down, and he worships God. Oh yes, he rent his mantle, he shaved his head, and you could have heard this man weeping half a mile away. He has lost everything, even his sons and his daughters. But he says, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
My friend, whatever you have, the Lord gave it to you. And He can take it away if He wishes. He is going to hold you and me responsible for how we use the things He permits us to have. That is the reason that in 2 Corinthians Paul calls us all “stewards.” A steward handles what belongs to someone else. God is going to ask us how we used His material things. Everything down here is His, and you are just using them. When you leave, you won’t be taking them with you.
Job understood this, and he did not lose his faith. He is still holding on to God. “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Heaven, God, and Satan; land of Uz; down to the dump of the city
HEAVEN, GOD, AND SATAN
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord [Job 2:1].
The created intelligences make their regular report again. Notice that they all had to report to God. You and I are going to have to report to God some day. Remember that the Christian is going to stand at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), and there we are going to report on our stewardship on earth. We are going to give an account to Him. (As believers we will not stand at the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11–15, which is where the unbeliever must give his account.) All the creatures of God must come to make their report to Him.
Remember, my friend, He is God. We are not operating freely today. We hear the cry all around us, “We want liberty.” How much liberty do we have? A grasshopper can jump higher than a man can jump, size for size. If we could jump like a grasshopper, we could jump over the tallest building. God created us with certain limitations. We are creatures. He is the Creator. We must all answer to Him.
When these sons of God came to present themselves to Him, notice that Satan also had to come to give his report. He is not beyond the jurisdiction of God. Although God already knew what he would report, Satan had to appear before God and tell the Lord what he had been doing.
And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it [Job 2:2].
In other words, Satan again reports that he has been down in his bailiwick. He was running this place down here. I believe he still runs it, friends. Just look around you and see who runs this world.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause [Job 2:3].
Now this shows us clearly that what the Lord allowed Satan to do with Job was done without a cause in Job. People are always saying, “Why does God let this happen to me?” Perhaps the answer from the Lord is, “There is no reason for it in you. I am not spanking you. I am not punishing you. I just want to bring you closer to Me.” That is what He did with Job. It was without a cause in Job.
Sometimes we point our finger at some believer and say that God is whipping him, which may not be true at all. It may be that God is testing him in a way He cannot test you or me, because He couldn’t trust us with that much trouble. Very frankly, I would never want to go through what Job had to suffer!
The Lord calls Satan’s attention to Job again. “Job is still serving Me. You said that if I would permit you to take everything away from Job, he would turn his back on Me—but he hasn’t done that. He has maintained his integrity.”
And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life [Job 2:4–6].
You know, Satan is accurate about most of us. There is a chink in our armor. We have our Achilles’ heel—that certain weakness. When we get right down to the bare bones, we all cave in. But God has given us a promise: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can stand. We need to recognize that.
My friend, wherever you are and whatever you are going through, God is able to sustain you. That is a great comfort. We do not know what a day may bring forth. It could be tragic beyond words or it could be a delightful, wonderful day. Whichever it is, God says, “I will enable you to get through it.” God will see to it that our armor stands up. That is a wonderful thing to know.
Satan is a liar. Satan says that Job will give anything for his own body and that if he is allowed to touch his bone and flesh, Job will curse God.
LAND OF UZ
So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes [Job 2:7–8].
This man is being tested in every part of his life. Satan is attempting to break him down, of course. He has lost his finances, he has lost his family, and now his physical body is being attacked.
There is seemingly no human explanation for the troubles of Job. It is not a punishment for his sins, and the whole thing would be senseless without proper insight. That is the reason God gives the explanation to us at the beginning of the book so we will be able to understand. What was happening to Job was for a lofty and worthy purpose. There was a good and sufficient reason in the internal counsels of God. When all the facts were in and all the facets considered, God had a purpose in it. It was discipline. We can say that it was good for Job.
When father whips little Willy, he says, “This hurts me more than it hurts you.” Little Willy answers, “Yes, but not in the same place.” This experience was for Job’s ultimate good. Remember that God’s ways are not our ways, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9).
We try to deliver our children from suffering; we do all we can to prevent it. We give them everything we can afford to make life pleasant for them, and we spoil them. We have raised a spoiled generation.
A day came when Job realized that something good was coming out of his experience, but at first he did not understand at all. Not only was it for the good of Job, but it was for the glory of God. Remember that God’s character had been impugned by Satan. I think all the created intelligences in heaven shuddered when they heard Satan cast that aspersion on God. His implication was: You’re not worthy to be loved. You have to pay Job to love You and serve You. You have paid lovers.
How about it, friend? Are we just time-servers? Are we paid lovers? God is good and God is merciful to us. We rejoice in His goodness. But it is when we are under trial that we reveal our true metal. The fires always burn out the dross, you know, and testing reveals that which is genuine. We are to be lights in this world. Light is for the darkness, and God puts us in the darkness so that our lights will shine.
God has not promised an easy life to any of His children. On the contrary, we are told that the way will be rough. If we suffer with Him we will reign with Him. If there is no pain, there will be no pomp. If there is no suffering, no struggle, then there will be no sceptre either. It is difficult for us to bow under the awful hand of Almighty God. This is why Paul wrote, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11).
What kind of trouble did Job have? We are told that he had sore boils and that he scraped himself with a potsherd, that is, a piece of broken pottery. There has been a great deal of speculation among Christian doctors about what Job’s illness might have been. Dr. Cedric Harvey was an English doctor in London who suggested that Job was actually a victim of psychosomatic dermatitis. Now there is a good one for you. The Word of God says he was covered with boils, and this Christian doctor says he had psychosomatic dermatitis. That shows what becoming a doctor can do for you.
Psychosomatic dermatitis is a disease of the skin induced by anxiety. Well, I don’t think that is the explanation of it, but the doctor couldn’t be there to diagnose it personally anyway, so I can contradict him. Dr. Harvey has written about this in a medical magazine. He goes on to say that a study of the book points up Job’s insomnia, terrifying dreams, general state of anxiety, all now generally accepted as symptoms of psychosomatic dermatitis. Remember this the next time you have to scratch yourself. At least you will know the name of your disease.
Dr. Charles J. Brim, a New York heart specialist, diagnosed Job’s illness as pellagra, a vitamin deficiency disease. Now you can take your choice between these two diagnoses. As a matter of fact, it has even been suggested that he had cancer. I hope you won’t mind if I just say he had boils. Whatever it was, this man was in real trouble.
Satan moved in on Job to take away from him all that any man rests upon in dignity in this life. Now we are introduced to his wife. Listen to her!
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die [Job 2:9].
Satan wants to get him so beaten down that he doesn’t even want to call himself a man.
His wife’s suggestion to curse God and die is strange advice coming from a wife. Apparently she wanted to be a widow. However, it might be a tender suggestion, because she could see the suffering that he was going through. Satan removed everything else that Job had. Why didn’t he remove his wife, too? I think the reason is that his wife wasn’t any help to Job. It would seem that she actually would do the devil’s bidding.
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips [Job 2:10].
Job did maintain his integrity.
This is now the actual beginning of the book. We have shown how Job has been attacked and how he has maintained his integrity. Now the friends of Job come to visit and “comfort” him. Now his integrity will really be attacked. This is where the dialogue begins.
DOWN TO THE DUMP OF THE CITY
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him [Job 2:11].
Now we are introduced to the three friends, and we need to get to know them. Eliphaz was a Temanite. Teman was a grandson of Esau according to Genesis 36:10–11. Bildad was a Shuhite. Shuah was a son of Abraham according to Genesis 25:2. Zophar was a Naamathite. Naamah was in northern Arabia. These facts lead us to place the time of Job at the time of the patriarchs and it also gives to us the general location where Job lived, although we do not know the specific spot.
These men came to mourn with Job. Since I am going to say some very ugly things about his friends, I think I ought to say what I can that is good about them. They were real friends to Job until this happened to him. This experience alienated them from Job, and the reason it did was that they did not know God nor did they know why God does certain things.
This is a good reason why even today many of us should be very careful about trying to explain why certain things happen to other people. We have no right to say that God has let something happen to So-and-so for such-and-such a reason. We may think it is a good reason, but the problem is that we really don’t know the reason.
These friends of Job were just as sure of their reasons as people are today. They thought they knew why certain things happen, but they were entirely wrong.
However, note that they were real friends to Job.
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept: and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great [Job 2:12–13].
They had heard that their friend Job was in trouble, but they didn’t dream it was as severe as it really was. The last time they had seen Job he was in a beautiful home with his fine sons and daughters around him. They had seen the wealth of Job spread there upon the landscape. Now they had come to visit him. They probably at least expected to find him in his luxurious home, but here they find him out at the dump heap of the town where they emptied the garbage, and he is scraping himself with an old broken piece of pottery. He doesn’t have anything at all. Everything is gone. Poor Job.
These friends mourned and wept and howled. For seven days they just sat there and didn’t say a word. They sat with Job for seven days and seven nights! I would say they were friends. As far as they knew how, they tried to comfort him by just sitting there with him for seven days. Although they mourned for him during this full time, they were in no position to comfort him for three reasons: (1) They did not understand God; (2) they did not understand Job; and (3) they did not understand themselves.
As they sit for seven days of mourning, Job is under their critical gaze, and they shake their heads in a knowing manner. They are all brilliant men. They are all philosophers, men who do a great deal of thinking. During all those seven days they are thinking, and they all come to one conclusion. They come to it from different angles, but the conclusion is the same: Job must be an awful sinner for these things to happen to him. God must be punishing him. He had better get his life straightened out. This is the conclusion of each of them.
Finally Job just can’t stand it any longer. They are beginning to shake their heads in a knowing way with a smirk on their faces. They seem to say, “Aha, brother Job, it finally comes out. You’ve been living in sin, and you gave the impression that you were such a pious individual. Now we know that this has come to you because your sin is out at last.” Well, Job just can’t take that. He can take everything else that has happened to him but not a false accusation. So the dialogue begins. Job is the first to speak. Listen to the heartbreak of this man in the chapter that follows.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Job’s first discourse—his complaint
We have seen that Job is being made a test case; he is a guinea pig. Satan has challenged God. He has said to God, “You have put a hedge around Job and have given him everything. But if those things are taken away from him, he will curse You to Your face!” Satan was casting a slur upon mankind and a blasphemy upon God. The intelligences of heaven must have cringed and certainly blushed when they heard this highest creature, whom God had created and who had fallen, cast such a slur upon the Almighty God.
God permitted Satan to get at this man Job. Satan began to move into this man’s life. We have seen how he took one thing after another away from him in order to break him down. Before we go into the dialogues, I think we ought to pause and see the background of all this again.
You and I belong to a lost race. It is difficult to think that you and I are living down here among a bunch of liars and cut-throats and thieves and murderers. We say, “But I’m not like that.” I’m afraid you are—all of us are. We belong to that kind of race. That is the reason God cannot take us to heaven as we are. After all, if God took the world to heaven as it is today, we wouldn’t have anything but just the world all over again. I don’t know how you feel about it, but I see no reason just to duplicate this all again. And God apparently sees no reason to do it either. Therefore He is not taking us to heaven as we are. That is the reason the Lord Jesus had to say to a refined, polished, religious Pharisee, “… Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). If it is any comfort to any of us, we are all in the same boat. We talk about “normal” behavior today. A psychologist is great at that. How in the world does he arrive at “normal” behavior? What he does is to plot a chart, and where the majority of people are, that is what he calls normal. At one end are the abnormal and the other end are the supernormal—there are a few who fall at either end of the chart. How does he know that the mass of people in the middle are normal? I don’t think they are. God says we are all in sin.
This creature called man is frail, feeble, and faulty. It is easy to upset the equilibrium of any man. It can happen to any of us. It is easy to depart from the pattern and to tip the scale. Statistics reveal that one out of ten people spends time in a mental institution, and the number keeps increasing.
God has placed certain props about man to make man stand straight and upright. The Book of Ecclesiastes puts it like this: “Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions” (Eccl. 7:29). God has clothed man with an armor of protection, a security, if you please. God has given certain aids to all men, godly and ungodly alike. He makes it rain on the just and on the unjust. The wicked get just as much sunshine and air to breathe, and their health is just as good as those who are the godly, the believers in Christ. The Devil knows that if he can get to a man, remove the props, strip man of every vestige of aid, take away his security blanket, he can upset man and turn him upside down, destroy his morale, rearrange his thinking, brainwash him. Therefore, God has placed a hedge about a man to keep the Devil away. Sometimes Satan is permitted to crash the gate, and he will strip a man down to his naked soul. God permitted the Devil to brainwash Job.
The Book of Job presents the problem. It states the stripping of a man’s soul. It does not give the solution, although answers are suggested. You must go to the New Testament for the real answer. It is sort of like the algebra book I had at school. The problems were in the front of the book and the answers were in the back. The Bible is like that. You get the problem here, but you must turn over to the New Testament to get the answer.
In many respects the Old Testament is a very unsatisfactory book. Nothing is actually solved in it. As someone has put it: The Old Testament is expectation; the New Testament is realization.
In chapters 1 and 2, the Devil has been brainwashing Job. He has stripped Job of every vestige of covering. We need to look at this because it will help us as we enter this dialogue that Job has with his friends.
1. Satan stripped Job of material substance. One of the basic needs of man is material substance. An animal is already born with a coat on. When you and I came into the world someone had to furnish us with a coat. Later on, we had to buy our own coat. We have to have food and clothing and shelter. Man needs flocks, herds, barns, and lands. He needs to have things about him. He needs a home. Scripture tells us that God has given us all things richly to enjoy. God wants man to enjoy the things that He has put in this world. Although the curse of sin is on this world, God has provided for man in a very wonderful way.
Physical things can be spiritual blessings. Prosperity is a gift of God. There is nothing wrong in building bigger barns. The danger lies in depending on these things, leaning upon them as if that is all there is to life.
Actually, I think the prosperity and the affluence of the United States has been giving us a bad conscience for a long time. We have spent billions of dollars passing out crumbs to other countries in order that we might enjoy what we have. It has been to no avail because all we are doing is salving a bad conscience. Our gadgets and our conveniences and our comforts have created almost a prison for us. On holiday weekends I am amazed to see droves of people fleeing to the desert or to the seashore to get away from their electric blankets, their TV sets, their push-button kitchens. They want to rough it, they say. They feel as if they are in prison. The Christian today needs to get alone and take an inventory of himself: Am I trusting in things or am I trusting in God?
Job lost all. He went from prosperity to poverty. Job was moved, but he wasn’t removed from the foundation.
2. God permitted Satan to take away Job’s loved ones. You and I need loved ones to prop us up. I think the reason the Lord makes little babies so attractive is so that we will cuddle them and hug them. That is what they need. The biggest thrill I ever had in my life was to hold in my arms our first child, and the Lord took that child. The greatest thrill I have today is to hold our little grandsons. How wonderful it is. God has made us that way.
When the child grows older, he still goes to parents for love and sympathy. He hurts his little finger and runs to mama to kiss it. You know that doesn’t do it a bit of good, but it sure helps him. Without this kind of love the child develops conflicts and complexes. I believe the psychologist is right about that.
Then the time comes for the little eaglet to be pushed out of the nest. The teenager becomes less dependent on the parent, and then one day the love is transferred to someone else. Finally the love passes on to his own children. But we always need loved ones.
Poor old Job lost all of his children in one day—seven sons and three daughters!
3. Health is a great factor in the well-being of man. I notice that when the paper lists suicides it often says, “So-and-so had been in ill health.” There are countless numbers of saints who have been bed-ridden and laid aside from normal activity by ill health. Perhaps they have learned to trust God in a way that you and I have not. Satan was permitted to take away Job’s health. That was a tremendous blow to him.
4. Then Job lost the love and sympathy of a companion. God gave Adam a helpmeet. A “helpmeet” means the “other half” of him, the responder, the other part of him. I think God has a rib for every man; that is, He has a wife for him. God has instituted marriage for the welfare and happiness of man. Many a man who stands at the forge of life today, faithful and strong, facing the battle and daily grind goes home and pillows his head on the breast or in the lap of a wife who understands him, and maybe he even sobs out his soul to her. How wonderful that is! Job had lost the sympathy and the compassion of his wife, as we have seen.
5. Job’s friends came to mourn with him, but he found that they were just a mirage on the desert. When he saw them coming, he thought they were an oasis, but they were only a mirage, and he finally calls them “miserable comforters.” We are going to see why.
Now what else can the devil do to Job? He has removed all his props. Now Satan will move in and destroy Job’s whole set of values. This is the thing we need to watch as we study the dialogues that ensue.
6. Job loses his sense of worth and the dignity of his own personality. What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? God pity the young people today who throw away their lives for a pill or to please a group of evil-minded companions. It is God who attaches real value to man. The Lord Jesus said, “… Ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7). Yet He tells us that the Father knows all the sparrows and when they fall. Do you know what proves we are of more value? It is that Christ died for us. That tells us how much we are worth. We are worth the blood of Jesus Christ!
It was during the Dark Ages that Mueritus, a brilliant scholar, fell sick and was picked up on the highway. The doctors, thinking he was a bum, began talking about him in Latin. They said, “Shall we operate on this worthless creature?” Mueritus understood Latin very well. He raised up and answered them in Latin, “Do not call a creature worthless for whom Christ died.” Remember that the Devil tries to cause us to lose our sense of worth and the dignity of our own personality.
7. Job will lose his sense of the justice of God, and he will become critical and cynical before it is over. In studying this book we need to realize that it is inspired just as all the Bible is inspired, but not all that the characters say is true. This is an illustration of what I mean: the Devil was not inspired to tell a lie to Eve when he said, “… Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4), but the record of his lying is inspired. Some folk believe that every statement they find in the Bible is true, but we need to notice carefully who is making the statement. In the Book of Job we will find these men saying things that are not true.
8. Job will also lose his sense of the love of God. The man who said, “… the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21), is the same man who later cried, “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me” (Job 6:4). Then in chapter 9 we hear his cry as, “Oh, that there were a daysman to stand between us.” In other words, “Oh, that there were someone to take hold of the hand of God and take hold of my hand and bring us together!” We will need to go to the New Testament to find the answer to this cry of Job: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Thank God you and I have Someone who is our daysman!
I have spent time on this because it is very important to get this background in order to understand the dialogue which begins here and continues through chapter 37.
There are three rounds of speeches: (1) By Job, then Eliphaz, and Job answers him; (2) by Bildad, and Job answers him; and (3) by Zophar, and Job answers him. This is repeated three times with one exception—Zophar does not give a third speech. The dialogue is in the nature of a contest.
First Round
Chapter
Job
3
Eliphaz, First Discourse
4-5
Job’s Answer
6-7
Bildad, First Discourse
8
Job’s Answer
9-10
Zophar, First Discourse
11
Job’s Answer
12-14
Second Round
Eliphaz, Second Discourse
15
Job’s Answer
16-17
Bildad, Second Discourse
18
Job’s Answer
19
Zophar, Second Discourse
20
Job’s Answer
21
Third Round
Eliphaz, Third Discourse
22
Job’s Answer
23-24
Bildad, Third Discourse
25
Job’s Answer
26-31
Job’s friends have been sitting with him for seven days. Finally Job explodes, under the critical and accusing eyes of his friends, with his tale of woe and a wish that he
JOB’S FIRST DISCOURSE
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
And Job spake, and said,
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it [Job 3:1–5].
This is a very beautiful speech, very flowery, but when you add it all up, boil it down, and strain it, he is simply saying, “I wish I hadn’t been born.” How many times have you said that? I’m of the opinion that many of us have said it, especially when we were young and something disappointed us. This is what Job is saying, only he is saying it in poetic language.
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? [Job 3:6–12].
Job is saying loud and clear, “I wish I had never been born.” It is interesting, my friend, that this attitude never solves any problems of this life. You may wish you had never been born, but you can’t undo the fact that you have been born. You may wish that you could die, but you will not die by wishing. It is all a waste of time. It may help a person let off some steam. That seems to be what it does for Job now.
For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves [Job 3:13–14].
They built great monuments or great pyramids for themselves.
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light [Job 3:15–16].
He wishes he had been stillborn. Job complains that this oblivion has been denied him. He describes death as the great equalizer. All sleep equally.
There are two things Job is saying in this chapter. He wishes that he had never been born. However, having been born, he wishes that he had died at birth. These are his two wishes in this chapter, and he finds no relief from his misery.
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters [Job 3:17–24].
He pictures death as being preferred to life. He says that life is such a burden. He doesn’t want to live. He would rather die. Job says he would welcome death like a miner who is digging for gold and gives a shout of joy when he finds it. He is in a desperate, desolate condition.
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came [Job 3:25–26].
Job had been dwelling in peace and prosperity in the land of Uz, and things had been going so well with him. He was living in the lap of luxury. Everyone was saying, “Look at Job. He certainly has a wonderful life.” Job says, “At that very moment, I was living in fear. And the thing that I dreaded has come upon me.” His tranquility even in his days of prosperity was disturbed by the uncertainty of life.
I think that is a fear of a great many people today. They fear that something terrible is going to happen to them. Our problem is that we grab for our security blanket instead of grabbing for the Savior. We ought to be using our Bible for our blanket instead of turning to other things. We need to rest upon the Word of God.
One would almost get the impression that Job has lost his faith. He actually has not. This is the bitter complaint of a man who is tasting the very dregs in the bottom of the cup of life. Trouble has come upon him and he does not understand at all why it should have come.
It is a monologue of complaint as his friends sit around him. The language is tremendous, but Job does not have the answer. It is black pessimism.
CHAPTERS 4–5
Theme: The first discourse of Eliphaz, the voice of experience
Job’s three friends had been sitting with him for seven days, and they have been wagging their heads as if to say, “Mmm, it finally caught up with you!” It seems that Job could take all his suffering, but he couldn’t take this attitude from his friends. He broke out in a monologue of complaint and whining. It is black pessimism and has no answer to the problem at all.
Now his three friends will begin to talk to him. The first will be Eliphaz and then Bildad and finally Zophar. The names of these men actually give us just a little pen picture of them.
Eliphaz means “God is strength” or “God is fine gold.”
Bildad means “son of contention.” He is a mean one, by the way. He is actually brutal and blunt and crude in his method.
Zophar means “a sparrow.” He twitters. He has a mean tongue and makes terrible insinuations to Job.
The dialogue that takes place is a real contest. These friends are actually going to make an attack on Job, and he will respond. This is what we might call intellectual athletics. This type of thing was popular in that day. Today people go to a football game or a baseball, basketball, or hockey game—something athletic where the physical is demonstrated. In those days people gathered for intellectual contests. I think that by the time this dialogue was under way a great crowd had gathered, listening to what was taking place.
We want to think that those people were not civilized; yet they put the emphasis on the intellectual. And we consider ourselves to be such civilized people who have advanced so far, but we put the emphasis on the physical. We are not as superior to these ancient people as we would like to think.
Job has just broken out with a complaint. He is in the deepest, blackest pessimism that a man can be in. The Devil has stripped him of everything. He has nothing left to lean on, no place to turn. Even God seems very far removed from him at this particular time.
Eliphaz is the first to speak. His is the voice of experience. He is a remarkable man, and he relates a strange and mysterious experience. The key to what he has to say is found in verse 8, “Even as I have seen.” Everything he has to say rests on that. He is the voice of experience. He has had a remarkable vision and has heard secrets that nobody else has ever heard.
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? [Job 4:1–2].
He begins in a diplomatic sort of way, but one gets the feeling he has his tongue in his cheek. This is a sort of false politeness. He says to Job, “Do you mind if I say something?” Then he adds, “Regardless of whether or not you mind my saying something, I’m going to say it.” And he does.
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled [Job 4:3–5].
He is saying to Job, “In the old days when you were in prosperity and plenty and in good health, you were a tower of strength to everybody else. You could advise them. You could speak to them and tell them what to do. You knew how to help those who were in trouble. But now something has happened to you, and you have folded up. You’re just a paper doll; you’re just a paper tiger. You were never real at all. The advice you gave to others—can’t you follow it yourself?”
I would say that that is the problem a great many of us have today. Isn’t it interesting that we can always tell the other person what he should do when troubles come to him? It is like the cartoon of two psychiatrists meeting one day. One looked at the other and said, “You are fine. How am I?” We are always analyzing the other fellow, telling how he is.
Eliphaz accuses Job of being an expert at that. In a very sarcastic manner he says, “Now it has happened to you, and what have you done? You folded up.”
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? [Job 4:6].
“Isn’t your own advice good enough for you? It helped others; now it ought to help you.”
Now Eliphaz makes an insinuation to Job. But he does it in a polite way. We will find that Job’s other two friends are more blunt and crude, especially old Zophar.
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? [Job 4:7].
He accuses Job of having a chink in his armor, of having an Achilles’ heel. He says this would not have happened to Job if there hadn’t been something radically wrong in his life, something that he is keeping secret. This is the argument. He is making an insinuation, and it’s not true of Job. I hear this verse quoted even today, and it’s not interpreted accurately, my friend.
Now we know this insinuation is wrong and is not true of Job, because at the beginning of the book God gave us that scene in heaven so that we might know Job and understand his character. These friends will be miserable comforters because they do not understand God, they do not understand Job, and they do not understand themselves.
There are too many people who try to deal with spiritual matters who are not qualified to do so. Very candidly, that is one of the reasons I am reluctant to counsel folk. My feeling is that if a person is a child of God—unless it is a technical matter, a theological matter, or some physical difficulty—it can be settled between the soul and God. We don’t need to go to the third person. After all, we have an Intercessor with God. Job cried out for a daysman, an intercessor, and today we know we have that. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Now He’s the One to whom a great many Christians ought to be going instead of a minister or a psychologist. And if the problem is physical, go to the doctor—and with that go to God also. As Eliphaz could speak from experience, I can also speak from experience and say that God does hear and answer prayer relative to our physical condition and relative to our spiritual condition. It is wonderful to see the way God will deal with Job before He is through with him.
Eliphaz is not going to be very helpful to Job.
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same [Job 4:8].
Eliphaz is speaking from a very high pulpit and is looking down at Job when he says this. He insists there is something hidden in his life which he has not revealed. He is saying that Job is reaping what he sowed.
By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed [Job 4:9].
This man is wrong. God disciplines His children, but He never destroys them. Eliphaz is like so many of us who give advice. We can tell someone else how he ought to do things, in a nice way, phrased in very attractive language, but what we say may not be accurate.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad [Job 4:10–11].
He is saying that those who sow evil seed are going to reap a harvest of evil, and they are going to perish like the young lions that have broken teeth and like the old lions that can no longer stalk their prey.
Now Eliphaz will say that this was impressed on him because he had a vision. He really tries to make your hair stand on end while he tells of this dream.
Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof [Job 4:12].
Draw closer now. Cup your ear and don’t miss a thing of what is happening.
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake [Job 4:13–14].
Doesn’t this sound mysterious? Isn’t it blood-curdling? The vision took place at night, in the dark.
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying [Job 4:15–16].
My, how Eliphaz builds this up! It sounds so scary. It sounds so frightening. This is going to be something nobody’s ever heard before.This is something nobody ever knew before, because this man has had a vision. He has seen things. He has had a dream. It was dark and a spirit passed before him. What did it say?
Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? [Job 4:17].
Now I don’t know about you, but I must say I am disappointed. I thought that if a man had had such an experience he was really going to come up with something profound, something that none of us had ever heard before.
This is nothing new. I think he really exercised himself a little bit too much to come up with so little. It is like the old saying about the mountain that conceived and travailed and brought forth a mouse! I think that is what Eliphaz did. He’s in great travail here, and you expect him to give birth to a great statement, a profound truth. He comes up with this: Shall a mortal man be more just than God? Of course not. Any of us knows that, and we didn’t need a dream or a frightening nightmare to learn it. I don’t think it was worth missing a night’s sleep to come up with something so trite, so evident. There is really nothing profound here at all. Yet this is the voice of experience, and there are a lot of folks with the voices of experience today.
I’m in that very difficult spot myself as a retired preacher. Retired preachers can become a nuisance by giving advice—especially to young preachers. When I was young, I can remember how retired preachers would come up, put their arm around me and say, “Son, this is the way you should be doing it.” The interesting thing was that they had not done it that way themselves. I find myself doing the same thing now. This very morning I met a young man who is candidating in a church I recommended to him. Before I could even think, I found myself telling him how he ought to do it. Finally I bit my tongue, got back in my car, told him that I would pray for him, and left it there. My, there is a danger in the voice of experience. May I say that Eliphaz was not being helpful to Job.
Let me hasten to say that I don’t want to give the impression that Eliphaz and these other men are not stating profound, wonderful truths. The point is that they are not helping Job.
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? [Job 4:18–19].
Even God’s angels act rather foolishly. How much more foolish are we who live in houses of clay. There is not a better description of our bodies than that. We live in houses of clay. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul called our bodies a tent, a feeble, frail tent which the wind will blow over. We live in houses of clay, and before long our houses fall in on us.
They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom [Job 4:20–21].
No matter how strong or beautiful our bodies may be, they are of brief duration. Eliphaz is stating truths that are remarkable coming from a period so early in history, but they are not helpful to Job. You see it is easy to give out truth that is not pertinent, that is not geared into life. We don’t need just any truth, but the truth that meets our need.
All of these friends will say some true things, some wonderful things. I enjoy reading this, and I hope you enjoy it. But it doesn’t meet the need of Job. One feels like stopping these men and saying, “Don’t talk any further because you’re going down the wrong road. What you say is not helping this man.”
Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? [Job 5:1].
That is still a good question. To whom will you turn for help? I’m afraid saints are not able to help you. Apparently the patriarchs had already gone on at the time of Job. Probably Abraham and Isaac had died, possibly Jacob was still living. Abraham wasn’t able to help; Isaac wasn’t able to help—no one who had lived in the past was able to help. Well, which saint are you going to turn to?
For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation [Job 5:2–3].
He is saying that he has seen the foolish and the wicked prosper but finally they are brought down. That, by the way, is true. David was troubled by the prosperity of the wicked and writes, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found” (Ps. 37:35–36). David wondered why wicked men prospered while the godly men did not. He watched and noted that finally God brought down the wicked men.
It seemed like a long time before God brought down Hitler and got rid of him. It seemed long while we were living through it, but it was only a few years. Why doesn’t God move against evil men today? Well, friend, God moves slowly. God will bring down the ungodly in His own time. He has all eternity ahead of Him.
Eliphaz is classifying Job as one of the foolish ones who took root and was flourishing before he was brought down.
His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;
Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward [Job 5:4–7].
We don’t need to pour his last statement into a test tube to find out it is true. Man is born unto trouble. I don’t think it is even debatable that the human family has adversity, calamity, sorrow, distress, anxiety, worry, and disturbance. All one needs to do is pick up the newspaper and read a partial report of the human family: fires, accidents, tragedies, wars, rumors of war. The song says, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,” but really everyone does know because all people have trouble. We do not all have the same color, we are not all the same size, or the same sex, or have the same blood type, or the same I.Q., but we all have trouble. No one is exempt or immune or can get inoculated for trouble. Tears are universal. In fact, the word sympathy means “to suffer together,” and that is the human symphony today—the suffering of mankind. In fact, a Hebrew word for man is enash, meaning “the miserable.” That’s man. There is nothing sure but death and taxes, we are told. We can add to this another surety: trouble. “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” The sparks fly upward according to a universal law, the law of thermodynamics. It isn’t by chance or by luck. The updraft caused by heat on a cool night causes the sparks to fly upward.
Trouble and suffering and sin are basically the result of disobedience to God. “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked” (Isa. 48:22). Man is trying to build a Utopia in sin, but it won’t work. We cannot have the Millennium without the Prince of Peace. Man is trying to achieve peace in the world without the Prince of Peace. Therefore trouble comes to man, and the righteous do suffer, and the children of God do have trouble today.
Sometimes trouble comes to a child of God because of a stupid blunder. A woman once told me, “My husband is my cross.” Well, no matter how bad he is, he is not her cross. She is the one who said yes. It was her stupid blunder. Your cross is something you take up gladly, my friend.
Trouble sometimes is a judgment of the Father upon His child. We are told, “… for if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). But if we do not judge ourselves, God will have to judge us.
Trouble is sometimes a discipline of the Father. We are told in Scripture, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). Moses who was living the life of Riley in the court of Pharaoh chose “… to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25). It was a discipline for Moses. God could not have used him as a deliverer if he had not had forty years training down in the desert of Midian. Also Saul of Tarsus, the proud young Pharisee, came to know Christ, and God said of him, “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). God really put him through the mill! Trouble is a discipline of the Father.
Trouble comes to us sometimes for the purpose of teaching us to be patient and to trust God. Practical James says, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3).
At other times trouble comes to us because God is putting the sandpaper on us to smooth the rough edges. We will see that Job comes to the realization that God is doing that for him: “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). He saw that God was putting sandpaper on him to smooth him down.
Then sometimes God permits trouble to come to us to get our minds and hearts fastened on Him. This is an explanation, I think, for many of us today.
There are good reasons, my friend, for trouble coming to a child of God. Therefore Eliphaz is accurate when he says, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:
To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.
But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth [Job 5:8–16].
What he is saying here—and he is saying it really in a beautiful way—is that God is faithful and God is good and God is just. While this is true, it doesn’t reach the root of the problem of this man Job. Eliphaz actually is not even talking to Job.
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty [Job 5:17].
I have heard this verse quoted again and again. Isn’t it true? Of course, it is true, but Eliphaz was using it as a personal dig against Job. Chastening is not always the reason that God’s people suffer, as we have seen. Sometimes one can use this verse as a little dagger to put into the heart of a friend. It is a nice way of saying, “You are having trouble because you’ve done wrong and God is correcting you.” Well, that could be, but it may not be. Who are you to make such a judgment? Do you have a telephone into heaven? Has the Lord revealed some secret to you? There are people who like to speak ex cathedra, and they are not even the Pope! Some people think they have the last word on everything. Listen, friend, you cannot always speak to the problem of someone else, and someone else cannot always speak to your problem either. Although the statement of Eliphaz is true, it does not apply to Job.
For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole [Job 5:18].
What a wonderful picture of God that is.
He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee [Job 5:19].
You will notice this use of seven again in Proverbs 6:16 and, in fact, quite often throughout the Bible. It is not just a poetic expression. It means seven—not the number of perfection—the number of completeness. For instance, the seventh day was the completion of one week. Seven is the number of completeness here, as he gives the total spectrum of the trouble of man.
In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh [Job 5:20–21].
God will deliver you in these seven troubles: (1) In famine he shall redeem thee from death; (2) in war from the power of the sword; (3) from the scourge of the tongue. During the war in Vietnam we were given a body count in the daily news. I wonder what the body count from gossip would be in this day. The tongue has probably killed more people than war has. We need to pray that God will deliver us from the evil tongue. A woman in a church I served had a very evil tongue. I remember praying, “Oh God, don’t let her hit me with that tongue.” I found out that she did use her tongue against me. She was mean, but God protected me from being hurt by her. (4) God will deliver from the fear of destruction when it cometh—that is the typhoon, the tornado, the storm. When I was a boy it seemed like I spent half my life in a storm cellar in West Texas. God did deliver us, but He expected us to go to the storm cellars.
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth [Job 5:22].
(5) He delivers from famine. Have you ever stopped to think that generally wherever the gospel has gone, whether or not it has been widely accepted, you find one of the prosperous areas of the world? These nations are the “haves.” I do not think that is an accident. I have often thought that with the food we send to “have not” countries should be prizes like we get in boxes of Crackerjacks. And the prize should be the Word of God. Blessing attends the reading of the Word. (6) Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.
Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season [Job 5:23–26].
(7) The last trouble is death. Eliphaz speaks of death, not as an awful hideous monster, but as something welcome. There is a leveling out in death.
Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good [Job 5:27].
This concludes the first discourse of Eliphaz. It has not met the need of Job. It hasn’t touched him at all. As a matter of fact, Job is dismayed; he is alarmed, and he cries out for pity. He cries out for mercy and for help because Eliphaz was of no help to him at all.
CHAPTER 6–7
Theme: Job’s answer to Eliphaz
But Job answered and said,
Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! [Job 6:1–2].
Job is making a plaintive plea. He says, “I can’t even tell you how terrible my grief is. I can’t explain to you this awful thing that has happened to me.” You can see that Eliphaz had not helped him at all. Just to say, “You have some secret sin and the thing for you to do now is to confess and get right with God,” is not always the correct thing to say. Job is saying, “You need to recognize what my question is.” Eliphaz had missed the point altogether. He said a lot of nice things, good things, true things, but he didn’t help Job. It is like giving the answer, “Christ is the answer,” when you don’t know what the question is.
Job needs more than has been given him by Eliphaz. He is crying out like a wounded animal.
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? [Job 6:3–5].
Job says, “I am crying out and you can see my misery and you show no pity at all. You act as if I’m not in trouble. I wouldn’t be crying out if I weren’t.” He points out that the longeared donkey out in the field doesn’t bray for something to eat when he is eating grass. So Job is saying that he wouldn’t be crying out if there were nothing hurting him. He says, “I’m hurting and I’m hurting bad.”
Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat [Job 6:6–7].
“Sorrowful meat” is loathsome food.
Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! [Job 6:8–9].
He has hit bottom. He finds no help anywhere. He actually questions the justice of God. He is miserable. He wishes God would destroy him, get rid of him, let loose His hand, and cut him off. He wants to die.
Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? [Job 6:10–11].
He is saying, “I have nothing to live for.”
Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? [Job 6:12].
“I am weary. I can’t stand any more.”
Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? [Job 6:13].
Now listen to his cry.
To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty [Job 6:14].
My friend should have shown pity, should have sympathized with me. But he didn’t.
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away [Job 6:15].
The meaning in the Hebrew is that they were like a mirage in the desert.
This is beautiful, poetic language. It is as if he says that he looked down the road and saw his three friends coming and said to himself, Oh thank God, here come my friends. They will understand me and they will sympathize with me. Their sympathy would be like an oasis in the desert, but it was only a mirage.
Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place [Job 6:16–17].
He says they are like a pool that is covered with ice and snow. It is deceitful. You think you can walk on it, but when you step on it, you fall through. That is the type of friends they have turned out to be.
What a picture Job gives us!
I’m not sure but what Job’s cry is the cry of the human predicament in our day. Man with all his comforts and his gadgets—oh, how lonesome, how restless, how unhappy he is! He is Enash, the miserable one. He needs more than gadgets; he needs God.
Now Job will say, “If you have something to tell me, tell me. I’m teachable.”
Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? [Job 6:24–26].
He says, “What you have said is good, but it doesn’t touch my case at all. You’re not diagnosing my condition.”
I heard of a person who went to a doctor, and his case was diagnosed as arthritis. It turned out to be a cancer, but by the time the patient got into the hands of a cancer specialist, it was too late to do anything for him. That is the problem of Job. He says, “You have come and you have attempted to diagnose my case, but your diagnosis is wrong. You have said it is hidden sin, and it isn’t that at all. Now if you diagnose it accurately and you have something helpful to say to me, say it and I’ll listen to you.”
Remember that these three friends didn’t really know God, they didn’t really know Job, and they didn’t really know themselves. They didn’t understand the true situation, and all three will come to the conclusion that Job had sinned and won’t confess the truth. Since he won’t confess his secret sin, he is being judged.
Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me [Job 7:1–3].
Job has no relief from his sorrow or from his pain. He is a very sick man, and his friends seem to ignore that. They have not offered him any comfort. Even his wife, his helpmeet, has suggested suicide to him. When his world caved in, he became a distraught and frustrated man to be pitied.
When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope [Job 7:4–6].
Job apparently felt he had an incurable disease and that the end was coming and was not far off. He probably did have such a disease. In all this his friends paid no attention to his problem. They have come to him but have not ministered to his need. They just didn’t understand. It has been said that a friend is one who knows you and still loves you. These friends didn’t really know Job. He says that at least his physical condition should have called forth some sympathy from them.
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity [Job 7:13–16].
It seems that his fever drove him to periods of delirium and hallucinations.
What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? [Job 7:17–19].
He wishes he could just die in peace. He wishes that God would let him alone. He senses that he is being tried, but he hasn’t any notion what is really behind all of this.
His reaction is the reaction of many. “Just leave me alone in my misery.”
I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be [Job 7:20–21].
They have raised the question of Job’s sin. Job doesn’t claim to be guiltless. He admits he has sinned. But why should he be selected for this special attack as a notorious sinner? Why should his life be a burden when he is not that kind of a sinner? Why doesn’t God show mercy on him? Why doesn’t God pardon his sin and restore him?
While he admits that he is a sinner, he says that he is getting more than he deserves.
We can see in Job a breaking down of his integrity. When a man’s integrity is broken down, he becomes an easy mark for Satan. This is the thing that happens to many a man today who attempts to fight life alone. He begins to hit the bottle or he drops into sin. Satan has a chance to attack him because the man’s integrity has broken down. This is the situation with Job. Will Job break under all of this?
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Bildad’s first discourse
The next man who makes his attack upon Job is Bildad. He is what we would call a traditionalist. Bildad is a man who rests upon the past. His argument is: “For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers” (Job 8:8). It is as if he picks up the old rocks and stones of geology, looks at them and tells what happened years ago and from them predicts what will happen.
Actually, the evolutionist is really a traditionalist, which a great many people do not recognize. The evolutionist rests upon the past and assumes certain premises which he cannot prove. There are only two explanations for the origin of this universe: one is creation and the other is speculation. Evolution is speculation. It digs up a bone, attempts to date it and classify it as belonging to a certain period, and then relate it to the development of man. But who knows? This Book of Job is going to raise that very question. In Job 38:4 God asks Job, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” Bildad will use the argument of “when I was young,” and “we’ve been doing it this way.” He knew a lot of old sayings and proverbs and pious platitudes, but he actually offers nothing new at all. He is a more crude fellow than Eliphaz. He breaks in upon Job and hurts him a great deal. He doesn’t help Job at all. This is Bildad who is supposed to have been his friend.
BILDAD RESTS HIS ARGUMENT ON TRADITION
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? [Job 8:1–2].
These men really get in some good ones. This is real repartee. This is a real rap session they are having here. They are brilliant men, by the way. Notice that Bildad puts the knife into Job and twists it a little. He says, “Job, listening to you is just like listening to the wind blowing. You’re a windy individual.” Actually, I would say they are all a little windy, including Job. We will see a little later that there is something wrong with Job, too.
So this remark by Bildad was good for a laugh at the expense of Job. A crowd had gathered around by this time. This was as interesting to people as a football game or a basketball game would be today. They were interested in an intellectual contest as we seem to be interested in physical contests. I wonder who are the more civilized people!
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? [Job 8:3].
He is really saying, “Job, you are getting exactly what you had coming to you. You try to defend yourself, but it means that there is some great sin in your life and you are getting exactly what you deserve.”
If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression [Job 8:4].
Now that is an awful thing to say. He is suggesting that the reason Job’s children were destroyed was because they were sinners. I can’t think of anything anyone could say that would hurt more than that. Bildad had no right to say that. We know (because God let us in on it from the beginning of the book) that his children were not destroyed for that reason.
If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous [Job 8:5–6].
Job, if you were lily white, as you have given the impression, God would hear your prayer and heal and restore you. But as it is, there must be something radically wrong.
Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase [Job 8:7].
By the way, that is what is going to happen. When all of this is over, Job will greatly increase—God is going to double everything he had.
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers [Job 8:8].
Bildad is going back to give the old evolutionary theory. He is going to say that everything works according to set laws. He will put down quite a few of those laws which are old sayings.
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) [Job 8:9].
“We are but of yesterday and know nothing” is a true statement. Of course, Bildad doesn’t really feel that he knows nothing; he means that Job knows nothing. However, the statement was true of Bildad, it is true of the evolutionists, and it is true of you and me. We are but of yesterday. Man is a “Johnny-come-lately” in God’s universe. He hasn’t been around very long. God has not seen fit to tell us what He was doing back in the millenniums before man arrived on the scene. Frankly, I’m not interested in the eternity past, but I am very interested in what He is going to be doing in the millions of years from today, because I expect to be around then.
Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? [Job 8:10].
Bildad says that the past will teach us. Men try to take a few rocks and a few bones and then pretend they know all about the origin of the earth and its development. May I say to you that man is assuming more than he could possibly know.
Notice how different is the philosophy of the apostle Paul. He pointed to Christ and to the future: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). The only way we can learn about eternal things is from the Word of God.
Now Bildad gets more candid and more crude.
Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb [Job 8:11–12].
He tries to get very scientific here, but any third grader would know the answer. I’ve learned the answer here in California. I need to water my flags out by my back fence or they will not grow. That is not very profound wisdom. Who doesn’t know this!
So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish [Job 8:13].
Now he is accusing Job of being a hypocrite! He says Job has been covering up something. He says to Job, “You’ve been a hypocrite, just putting up a front.”
Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure [Job 8:14–15].
That’s as good as leaning on a spider’s web. When trouble comes, it won’t hold you.
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evildoers [Job 8:20].
Now, wait a minute—is that actually true? God has certainly helped me although I have been an evildoer. He saved me, my friend. Will God “cast away a perfect man”? No, He won’t. But where is the perfect man? There is none. The Scripture is clear on that score: “… There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). Although what Bildad says is true, it is not true when you pour it into the test tube of life and pour the acid of experience upon it.
Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought [Job 8:21–22].
He is telling Job that he has come to nothing because he is a great sinner. That is not very helpful for a man who is in the position of Job! You see, Bildad does not know God. He does not know Job. Neither does he really know himself. He is a traditionalist. He thinks that by scientific examination he can tell you how the world began. He is a smart boy, but he doesn’t know. He cannot put himself in the place of God.
In the following chapter we will see that Job answers Bildad, and he does it very well, although he is getting awfully weary of these rounds of conversation.
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Job’s answer to Bildad
Job makes it very clear that Bildad has not met his need at all. He was not even talking in the field of his problem. At this point he makes it clear that he makes no claim to perfection, and he knows that he cannot defend himself before God. What he needs is someone on his side to present his case. We will hear Job’s longing for someone to be his mediator and his intercessor. In other words, we will hear Job’s heart-cry for Christ.
Then Job answered and said,
I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? [Job 9:1–2].
That is, much of what Bildad had said is true. The problem is that his words haven’t met the need of Job, they haven’t spoken to the problem of Job. “I know that in a general way your words are true,” says Job, “but the question is ‘How can I be just with God?’”
Job surely needed the gospel at this point. He needed to know how a man could be just with God. Job says he wants some questions answered, and his friends are not answering the questions.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? [Job 9:3–4].
Job says, “I don’t pretend. If you think I am trying to put up a front before God, you are wrong. I know I cannot contend with Him. He could ask me a question and I would never be able to answer.” Job wants an answer to his questions, and he wants God to answer him. God is far removed from him.
Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea [Job 9:5–8].
Here is a tremendous picture of God as the Creator. Job knows Him as the Creator but knows nothing about His tender mercy at this time.
Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number [Job 9:9–10].
We can see that Job knew something about the stars. However, he is not attempting to say that he is in the situation of his misery because he was born under a certain star. That is without a doubt one of the most foolish things men say. Shakespeare had the answer to that when Mark Antony said, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Job knew the stars did not account for his situation. He recognized God as the Creator of the stars.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not [Job 9:11].
Job knows God as the Creator of the universe, and he also knows God is a spirit, and Job cannot see Him at all.
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? [Job 9:13–14].
Job knows that he wouldn’t stand a chance if he came into the presence of God. If God should speak to him, he wouldn’t know what to answer.
If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice [Job 9:16].
Job couldn’t believe that He was really listening to him.
For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? [Job 9:17–19].
Job asks, “How in the world can I plead my case before Him?”
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse [Job 9:20].
Job says, “If I try to pretend I am perfect, my own mouth will condemn me.” However, we will find later on that Job has a high estimation of himself. He is not the man who said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). Job does not say that he is a perfect man before God, but he does contend that he is a pretty good man—in fact, a righteous man. Yet he recognizes that before God he would not be able to defend himself.
There are many men today who, because they do not know the Word of God, feel that they will be able to stand before God and meet His standards and are actually well-pleasing to Him.
I remember an oilman in Nashville, Tennessee. He was one of a group of businessmen with whom I used to play volleyball three times a week. He was a godless man although he was a church member. He and I were always on opposite sides, and he didn’t like me to beat him. One night he had really been beaten, so he began to argue with me in the locker room. He said, “I heard you speak (I had a morning devotion on the radio in those days) about a religion that calls men sinners who need to come to Christ. I don’t believe that stuff. I believe in helping people. In my business I give men jobs. I pay them money so they can buy beans to put on their tables. I think that is better than any religion you have to offer.” How do you answer a man like that before a group of men all gathered in the locker room? Some of the men were church members, but most of them were godless and unsaved men. It was difficult to know how to answer that—until about a year later when we were in the locker room and that man was not there. He was in jail. He had been arrested for the way he had been conducting his business. He defrauded not only the government but also his own employees. I shall never forget that another of the men mentioned his name and said, “Well, I don’t think he’d have much of a chance before God. He didn’t do so well before Judge So-and-So the other day. They found out he really wasn’t putting beans on the plates of his employees, but he was really taking them off their plates.” That really shook those men. Very candidly, I saw several of them in my church services, and I even had the privilege of leading one of those men to the Lord. But the point is that men have a misconception of God. They think they are good enough to stand before Him. Job is saying in effect, “If I come into God’s presence, He will think of something in me that I am not aware of, and I won’t be able to answer Him.”
JOB’S HEART-CRY FOR CHRIST
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment [Job 9:32].
Job is saying in effect, “If He were a man, I could talk to Him.” This is the reason God became a Man, my friend—so man could talk to Him and walk with Him and realize that he cannot meet God’s standards. The only Man who ever met God’s standards was the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is what makes some of the contemporary plays and literature such a curse. They insinuate that Jesus was not only a man, but that He was a sinful man! Liberalism has been saying this for years. However, they cannot find in the Word of God that there was any sin in the Lord Jesus Christ. They find the sin in their own dirty hearts, because Jesus was without sin.
Because Jesus was a Man, I can go to Him. He died for me on the cross! And He shows me by His life that I cannot meet God’s standards, that I need a Savior. By His death He can save me. This is what poor old Job was longing for.
Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both [Job 9:33].
Job’s complaint was that there was no mediator between him and God. His cry is this: “Oh, if there were only Someone who could put His hand in the hand of God and who could put His other hand in my hand and bring us together. If He could do that, then I would have a mediator.” In the New Testament Paul wrote to a young preacher, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).
The song that says, “Put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee” is only half true. The Man of Galilee has another hand, and that hand is in the hand of God. Jesus is God, my friend; He is the God-Man. What a glorious, wonderful truth that is. Oh, how Job longed for Him!
My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul [Job 10:1].
Because Job has no mediator, no man to represent him before God, he will just speak in the bitterness of his soul. He is weary of life, and he is going to say exactly how he feels. He is plain and honest about his sad plight and his wretched condition.
I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me [Job 10:2].
God is going to answer him on this before we are through the book. God is going to show Job something about himself, something that all of us need to find out about ourselves.
Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? [ Job 10:3].
Job cannot understand why he must suffer so while there are wicked men who are not suffering. By the way, that was the problem that confronted David. That is a problem that has confronted me. As a pastor I have wondered sometimes why God would let certain wonderful, godly men suffer while at the same time godless men—even men in the church—seemed to get by with sin. They seem to get by with it for a time, but I notice that in time God deals with these people. Even so, there are times when we all ask this question. You see, this book faces up to the questions of life. It is right down where the rubber meets the road.
Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? [Job 10:4].
Job bewails his condition and his sad plight. He wonders whether God really sees him in his true condition.
Here is another reason that God became a man down here: now I have the assurance that there is a Man in the glory who understands me. Because He was a Man like I am, He knows exactly how I feel. There is not a pulsation that ever entered the human breast that Jesus Christ did not feel when He was here on this earth. My friend, He knows how I feel. He knows how you feel.
Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,
That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand [Job 10:5–7].
Job now begins to defend himself. He is not willing to admit that there is a great sin in his life. He says that he finds himself in a pretty awkward situation. “God knows that I am not wicked, and yet I cannot get out of His hand. I must go through all this—and I don’t see why I should be put through this.”
Job was a man who needed a little humility, and God is going to give him that humility. Have you ever noticed that humbleness and patience are qualities that God doesn’t hand over to you on a silver platter with a silver spoon for you to lap it up? You don’t become humble that way. Patience and humility are a fruit of the Holy Spirit produced in your life through trying experiences. God is going to produce both humility and patience in this man Job.
In the New Testament we hear about the patience of Job. James writes, “… Ye have heard of the patience of Job,” but he also adds, “and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11). It wasn’t that Job was naturally a patient man—that quality would have increased his self-confidence and his conceit. Actually Job was not patient. We have seen that his patience broke down, and he is crying out to God in impatience. But when we see the “end of the Lord, ” that is, the outcome of the Lord’s dealing with him, then we see that God was making him patient, and God was giving him humility. It is God who does this, you see.
I should have been as though I had not been: I should have been carried from the womb to the grave [Job 10:19].
Job is back at the thing he started with and will stay with it part of the way through this book. During this time of testing, death was something that he desired. He felt that death would put him out of his misery. It would get him away from this scene. He would welcome it as sleep, as something that would put him in a place of unconsciousness.
Now if you think you can draw something from this book to sustain the doctrine of soul sleep, you are entirely wrong. Job will say before we get through this book, “For I know that my redeemer liveth … yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25–26). My friend, this book does not teach soul sleep at all.
But at this point, Job is wishing that he had never been born. He wishes for complete oblivion. That is something you can wish for, too. Job was not the only one who did that. Elijah wished it. Jonah wished it. The only thing is, it won’t do you one bit of good. To wish you hadn’t been born is a complete waste of time. And, by the way, wishing you were dead won’t help either. No one ever died by wishing. I always suspect that most of us who say we wish we were dead don’t really mean it. We are just talking. When people face death, they really want to live. I suspect that if Job had really faced up to it, he didn’t really mean he wished he were dead either. But right now he is pouring out his soul, and there is a breaking down of the dignity of this man. God is going to need to get through to his heart.
A lot of God’s saints today have proud, hard hearts. Sometimes God must deal with us as He dealt with Job.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Zophar’s first discourse
Now we meet the last of Job’s friends. His name is Zophar, and he is the legalist. He assumed (and rightly so as far as he goes) that God works according to measure, according to law. He pretends to know what God will do in a given circumstance.
He is different from Bildad who was the traditionalist. Bildad said you can go back and look at what has happened in the past and learn from it. He had a scientific mind. He is like the scientist who thinks he can look at rocks and tell you how old the earth is. Zophar has a scientific mind, too, but he puts the emphasis on the laws. If one would bring him up to date, he would be more or less an atheist. His philosophy is that the universe is run by laws. It is obvious that we cannot have law without somebody who makes the law. Nevertheless, Zophar assumes this physical universe is following laws.
Zophar is like the fellow who says, “Ask me another.” He is the I-have-all-the-answers type. He is the voice of legalism. He holds that God is bound by laws and never operates beyond the circumference of His own laws. He is probably the senior member of the group, and he speaks with a dogmatic finality that is even more candid and crude than that of Bildad.
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? [Job 11:1–2].
He is saying that Job is covering his sin with words. Job has tried to make it clear that a man in his condition—suffering as he is—is not apt to put up a front. Zophar simply ignores that and says that Job is trying to talk his way out of his situation. It is true that there are men who are able to talk their way out of a situation and who are clever at manipulation by words. That is the way some lawyers win cases in court. It is really not a matter of justice being done but rather the cleverness of the lawyer and his manipulation. This is not true of Job.
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? [Job 11:3].
Zophar goes a step farther and actually accuses Job of lying. “Should thy lies make men hold their peace?” He has accused him of being a hypocrite, and now he accuses him of lying. That is even more crude than Bildad had been. Bildad had said that Job was a hypocrite but had never called him a liar.
Zophar is now going to assume the pious position of being on the inside with God. He thinks he knows what God will do under a certain circumstance. Of course, while he is on the inside with God, Job is on the outside, unable to know what God is doing. So Zophar feels that Job ought to listen to him because he has the final word and that his word is, in fact, the word of God.
For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee [Job 11:4–5].
Since God wasn’t speaking, Zophar speaks for Him.
I received a rather crude letter the other day. It was from a man who was rebuking me for a position that I held, which to him indicated I was not only a very ignorant and dogmatic man, but that I had no spiritual discernment whatsoever. Then he proceeded to give me his interpretation. When he finished, he said, “Now I am going to see whether you will listen to the Holy Spirit or not.” Isn’t that interesting? That man claimed to be the voice of the Holy Spirit. If I didn’t listen to him, it meant I wasn’t listening to God.
As I read his letter, I felt confident that he was totally unaware of the fact that he was doing the very thing he had accused me of doing! Supposing the man did have some inside information that I do not have access to, he certainly was not proceeding in a way that was helpful to me. In fact, his letter was not at all helpful to me and ended up in the “round file,” which is the wastebasket. I put it there because it had no message for me.
I don’t think Zophar had a message for Job.
And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth [Job 11:6].
And what he says to Job is really a blow, not a comfort. He tells Job that he is not even getting half of what he really has coming to him. Now that is a pretty hard statement. He says the fact that Job is suffering as much as he is shows that Job is a lot worse than his friends even dreamed he was.
Zophar is not very helpful to a man in Job’s condition! We must remember that all this time Job is a sick man and is in desperate pain. He actually thinks he may expire at any moment and at times he hopes that he will die.
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? [Job 11:7].
That is a great statement. It is a marvelous statement. But who doesn’t know that? Job will tell him later that everyone knows that. No man can discover God; God is revealed. The only way you can know about God is what He is pleased to reveal of Himself to us. I have come to the conclusion that He has revealed very little of Himself to us. In fact, the little that He has revealed to us has some of us so awestruck and some so confused that we can see why He hasn’t revealed more of Himself to us.
You cannot “find out God” by starting out like a Columbus in search of Him. Nor can you find God by going into space in a sputnik. I recall that the Russians published in their paper the fact that they hadn’t discovered God in the early days of space exploration, and so they assumed He was not there. We can put little gadgets out in space, but they won’t find God. To think they could find Him is absurd!
Man cannot look through a microscope or out into the heavens through a telescope and discover God. God must reveal Himself to man. This is a profound statement that Zophar makes, but it is nothing new to Job.
It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea [Job 11:8–9].
He gives a lofty discourse about God which is tremendous. It just doesn’t touch the need of Job.
If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?
For he knoweth vain men; he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?
For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt [Job 11:10–12].
Of course, he is speaking of Job here—not of himself! He feels that he is the man who has the answer.
If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles [Job 11:13–14].
Again he comes at Job on the basis that Job is hiding something, that there is secret sin in Job’s life. All three of Job’s friends assume that Job is covering up something. Job actually isn’t aware of anything that he should put away; yet there is something as we shall see later.
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:
And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning [Job 11:15–17].
Zophar is saying, “If you would just deal with the sin that is in your life and quit fighting it, God would hear and answer your prayers and restore you.”
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost [Job 11:20].
He concludes by saying to Job, “You are going to come to the time when the judgment of God will be upon you unless you confess your secret sin.” He predicts the absolute and complete judgment of Job.
That concludes Zophar’s address which in reality is an attack upon Job. All three friends have now had their little say. Job’s answer will be one of the lengthiest discourses in the book.
CHAPTERS 12–14
Theme: Job replies to his three friends
This lengthy reply that Job makes in this section concludes the first round of discourses. Remember that in Job’s day folk enjoyed intellectual competition—men pitting their minds against each other. Today it is not brain but brawn in athletic contests.
And Job answered and said,
No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you [Job 12:1–2].
Now there is a sarcastic statement and a pretty good one. Job says, “You fellows think you have all the answers. You are the people, and wisdom will die with you!” They were talking as if Job were a simpleton and they had all the answers.
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? [Job 12:3].
Job knows as much as they know. The problem is that they have not spoken to the situation as it really is. There is something important in these discourses that I want to call to your attention so you can be watching for it. Instead of leading Job to self-judgment, the three friends only minister to a spirit of self-vindication in Job. In other words, they make an attack on Job which forces him to come back with a defense of himself.
They did not introduce God into the scene. They did not speak of a God of mercy and a God of grace, but a God of law. Although He is a God of law, He is also a God of grace and mercy. They brought in experience and tradition and legality, but they didn’t bring in the truth. When they brought their incriminations against Job, it caused him to defend himself and to declare that he was right. The minute Job started justifying himself he was not justifying God. Up to this point it looks as if Job is saying that God is wrong and that God is the One to be criticized.
This is a position which many people take today, even many Christian people. The friends should have led Job to condemn himself and to vindicate God. God has recorded all these discourses in His Word to reveal this truth. The utterances of Job will prove how far he was from that true brokenness of spirit and humility of mind which flows from being in the divine Presence. His friends never brought him to the place where he said as Paul said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing,” (Rom. 7:18) or, “… by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).
There are too many Christians today who boast of who they are and what they have done and how much they give. It looks as if God is on the receiving side and they are on the giving side. It looks as if they, rather than God, are superior. My friend, we are not witnessing correctly for God—no matter how many people we buttonhole and tell about Jesus—unless you and I take the place where we are condemned and God is vindicated, and God is to be praised and honored. This is a tremendous lesson in this book.
I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease [Job 12:4–5].
Job is a very sick man, but he is standing up to these three men. He tells them, “You fellows are in a comfortable position and you are able to give advice to me, but I am slipping, I am falling, and you have no word for me at all.”
For years I served as a pastor and I realize now how a professional attitude enters into our lives. I would go to the hospital to visit a sick person, perhaps a dying person. I would pat him on the hand and say, “God will be with you,” and I would pray for him and say, “God will lead you.” Then I’d walk out. Well, the day came when I went to the hospital, not to visit someone, but to lie on that bed myself. When someone came to pray with me and walked out, I didn’t walk out. I stayed there. My friend, I want to say to you, that is quite a different position to be in. Now I was in the other fellow’s shoes. Now I was in bed and I was facing surgery. That is the time you need someone to help you and to comfort you. That is what Job is needing.
For the rest of the chapter, Job goes on to say that his friends do not have such superior wisdom. They are not the only ones who know about God. Job also knows about the power of God in the affairs of men.
Job now is bitter and sarcastic. His friends are not helping him at all, and he longs to appeal to God directly.
Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you [Job 13:1–2].
He knows all the truths which his friends have expounded to him. They haven’t told him anything new that he had not known before, and they have not helped him.
Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God [Job 13:3].
Job would like to bypass his friends and appeal to God directly. He wants to reason with God. Oh, If only someone had been there to tell Job about the grace and the mercy of God and how God wanted to help him.
But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value [Job 13:4].
He repeats that his friends have not been able to diagnose his case and that they are not helping him. They are like a doctor who has a patient with diabetes and says the cure would be to take out his lungs. They missed the whole point.
O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom [Job 13:5]
He tells them the best thing for them to do would be to keep quiet. He tells them that that would be smarter than what they were saying.
Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? [Job 13:6–7].
He really speaks back to them. He says that when they are accusing him of committing some awful sin and that God is judging him, they are talking deceitfully for God. They are not representing God as they should. Job knows they are not God’s direct representatives. They could have helped Job if they had brought him to the place where he could see himself as he really was. Instead, they put him on the defense. As a result, he is actually making a good case for himself. All of this makes it look bad for God. It looks as if God is to blame in all this.
Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons [Job 13:8–10].
Job says that God is going to judge them for misrepresenting Him.
Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? [Job 13:11–14].
In the midst of all this, the faith of Job stands inviolate. He has experienced the onslaught of his friends who, by now, have actually become strangers to him, as we shall see.
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him [Job 13:15].
This is Job’s great statement of faith. Job’s friends, you see, were accusing him of some gross secret sin such as immorality or dishonesty or some other sin of the flesh. Job is not guilty of anything like this. But here we begin to see the root of his problem. Job says that he will go into the presence of God and will defend himself there.
My friend, the minute you go into the presence of God to start defending yourself, you will lose your case. When you stand before Him, you can only plead guilty, because He knows you. You can’t go into the presence of God with an attorney who by some clever routine can clear you of the accusation. No attorney can annul God’s statement that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, that there is none righteous, no, not one, and that the soul that sinneth shall die. God just doesn’t change that at all. No smart lawyer can get you out of that. Nor are you going to stand before some softhearted and softheaded judge. You are going to stand before the God of this universe who is the moral Ruler. No one can maintain a case before Him. The thing to do is to go in and plead guilty and cast yourself upon the mercy of the court. You will find that God has a mercy seat. It is a mercy seat because the blood of Jesus Christ is on it. Christ paid the price for your sin. My friend, that is the only way you can escape the penalty.
You can see that Job desperately needs someone to represent God to him and keep him from trying to defend himself before Him. Someone needs to show him that he can cast himself on the mercy of God. This book has a tremendous message for us, as you can see.
He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him [Job 13:16].
There are glimmers of light that break through on this man’s soul. He says, ”He shall be my salvation.” By the way, notice that it is the teaching of the Old Testament as well as the New Testament that God is our salvation. David held on to this fact, because David committed an awful sin. Of course he didn’t live in sin, but he needed a Savior. He wrote, “He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved” (Ps. 62:2). Salvation is not like a coin that you carry around in your pocket and might lose. Salvation is God. Today salvation is Jesus Christ. You either have Him or you don’t have Him. You either trust Him or you don’t trust Him. There are no other alternatives, friends. You stand on one side or the other. Either you are for Him or you are against Him. “… there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). He is the only “out” for the human family. It is marvelous that Job, who probably lived in the patriarchal age of the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had a glimmer of light.
Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears [Job 13:17].
Job says, “Listen to me!”
Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified [Job 13:18].
Job thinks he has a good case even before God. He says that he knows he shall be justified, but he does not claim that on the grounds that Someone else obtained that justification for him.
There are people today who say, “Oh, I don’t mind coming before God. I can stand on my good works.” I have news for them: they have already been condemned before God. My friend, we are all sinners. We live in a world that is in rebellion against God because our hearts are evil. Not one of us is so important that God needs us in His program here on earth. He could get along without us very nicely. But, thank God, He loves us and He made a way for us to be justified. The Judge had mercy on us and sent His own Son to pay our penalty. That is the reason He can justify us.
Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost [Job 13:19].
This is interesting. At the beginning Job said that he wanted to die. He wished he had never been born. Now he says that if he holds his tongue he shall give up the ghost. All right, Job, if you want to die, why don’t you quit talking? You will notice he doesn’t do that. He is going to talk. This is the way of little men—we all have a lot to say.
Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid [Job 13:20–21].
Job is a frightened man.
Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me [Job 13:22].
He is telling God what to do. I’m afraid many of us do that. I hear so many people say they have unanswered prayers. No, there are no unanswered prayers. God always answers prayer and many times He answers “no.” At least He has said “no” to most of my prayers, but that is an answer.
We must admit that a lot of our praying is really giving orders to God. We pray as if we are a top sergeant talking to a buck private in the rear ranks. We say, “You do that,” or “You do it this way.” But God doesn’t move that way.
Job tries to tell God how He should handle his situation. But God says, “I am not moving according to your plan. I have a plan, and I am going to work it out in your life.”
I had the privilege of speaking to a group of Christian college students at a state college, and I was rather amazed to hear some of these young people arguing about prayer. They said, “What’s the use of praying because you can’t change God.” They felt there was no need for prayer. That reminded me of Job here. Their idea of prayer was that God should be the One who would come at their beck and call.
I tried to make it clear to them that the purpose of prayer is not to change God. Where did we ever get that idea? Do we think we can change God by prayer? God has already made His plan, and He has all the information. Neither can we tell Him anything in our prayer that He doesn’t already know. The primary purpose of prayer is to change us. We often see a little motto—and I think it is partially true—that reads: “Prayer Changes Things.” I think it does change things, but the important thing is that prayer changes us, my friend.
God is not a Western Union boy. Don’t get the idea you just call Him to come and deliver a message for you or to you. That is what Job was trying to get Him to do here. I’m not pointing an accusing finger at Job, because I have done the very same thing.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? [Job 13:23–25].
Very candidly, Job is asking for a showdown with God. That is what he wants. He wants to know how many sins and iniquities he has so he will understand why he is being treated as he is. He says he is just like a leaf that has been driven to and fro and has been stepped on.
Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten [Job 13:27–28].
Job feels that he is just rotting away. He cannot see any point to his suffering at all.
JOB’S ELEGY ON DEATH
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble [Job 14:1].
There is nothing any truer than that; trouble is the common denominator of mankind. All of us have had trouble. As Eliphaz had said, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Trouble is a language that the whole human family knows.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not [Job 14:2].
Job says that death is inevitable and that we must depart from this world. Life is like a shadow. When the sun goes down, what happens to the shadow? It is gone.
And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? [Job 14:3].
Like a flower that has been cut down, or as a shadow that disappears, is my life. And yet God sees me and deals with me.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one [Job 14:4].
Then he goes on to state a great truth. We were all born sinners. David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. 51:5). How could any of us be a sinless creature when we had a sinful father and a sinful mother? You cannot bring a clean thing out of an unclean. That is a universal rule.
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass [Job 14:5].
Job says that as a human being he feels that he is pretty well hemmed in. David wrote, “… though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death …” (Ps. 23:4). Was he referring to his death bed? No. From the very minute of birth when we start out in life we are walking through a canyon where the shadow of death is on us, and we keep going until it gets narrower and narrower and finally leads to death. We are always walking in the shadow of death! Someone has put it like this: “The moment that gives us life begins to take it away from us.”
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
But man dieth, and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? [Job 14:7–10].
A man may have made a tremendous success down here, been a famous person, and then he is gone. Where is he? There may be a few monuments around for him. Maybe a street or two are named after him. What good is that? What does that amount to?
Here is a breakthrough that reveals the faith of Job.
If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands [Job 14:14–15].
It has always been a big question with man. “If a man die, shall he live again?” Even in death Job knows that God is going to call him, and he will answer that call. In other words, God is not through with us at our death. Death is not the end of it all. We will hear Job say again later on: “… I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25–27).
This entire chapter is a great elegy on death. I recommend that you read it in its entirety.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Second discourse of Eliphaz
These men are pitting their minds one against another. Instead of seeing brawn pitted against brawn in athletic events, these folk liked to witness intellectual battles. We have completed one round of discourses. All three of the friends have spoken and Job has answered each of them. Now we start on the second round of discourses. We could say this is the second inning if we were talking about baseball, or we could call it the second half if we were talking about basketball or football.
Remember that Eliphaz is the spiritualist. He has had a dream and a vision. He feels that he has had a remarkable experience and should be heard.
Many of the testimonies we hear in our day have little value because they rest truth on experience. First of all we should have truth, which is the Word of God; then experience should come out of that. Many experiences do not coincide with God’s Word. I have heard testimonies given by so-called Christians who have had a “great experience” that is no more scriptural than the telephone directory.
Eliphaz bases his words on experience, and it is mighty hard to deal with a fellow like that.
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? [Job 15:1–3].
My, they are really slugging it out with words in this intellectual foray. He says, “My goodness, Job, you certainly are windy. You’re just doing empty talking.” Again you can see that he is not helping Job. Actually, he is attacking Job to try to break him down and make him confess. That is not the way to treat a man in trouble like Job is.
Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee [Job 15:4–6].
Eliphaz says that Job is his own accuser. He is really going after Job, as you can see.
Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? [Job 15:7].
You speak as if you know something, Job.
Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us? [Job 15:8–9].
Again he is arguing from a wrong premise.
He tries to put Job in a very bad light. He does not bring Job to the place where he can see that he is a man who has a great lack and a great need. There is no comfort for Job from his friend.
With us are both the gray-headed and very aged men, much elder than thy father [Job 15:10].
Eliphaz defends himself and the two other friends by telling Job of their advantage of maturity over him. He says that wisdom is on their side and not on the side of Job. This is his argument here.
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? [Job 15:14].
It is true that all men are sinners, but Eliphaz and his friends say this with the basic premise that Job has committed an awful, terrible sin and that he ought to bring it out in the open and confess it.
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight [Job 15:15].
What he says about the heavens is also true. When the Lord Jesus Christ died, He did not die only to redeem mankind; but in His plan of redemption there is to be a new heaven and a new earth that will come because He has redeemed us. It is a true statement that the heavens are not clean in His sight.
How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? [Job 15:16].
That is also a true statement. If the heavens are filthy and need redeeming, how much more does man need redeeming! Although it is true, it is no more applicable to Job and his condition than it is to any other human being.
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him [Job 15:20–21].
Here again is the suggestion that Job is wicked and is hiding something from them.
We must admit, however, that these men did not have a contemporary false psychology which says there is really nothing wrong with man, that man has made a few mistakes, and his sin is really one of ignorance, but it really is nothing that couldn’t be cured by rubbing a little “salve” on it. These men had a truer concept than our modern men who teach that man is a superior creature because he is the product of evolution, and so is not responsible to a Creator. Although these men did not have the answer to the problem of Job, many of the things they said were absolutely true.
Eliphaz, instead of being a comforter, is a debater. He is not adding anything new but is playing the same old record over again. He has no new information since his first speech.
CHAPTERS 16–17
Theme: Job’s answer to Eliphaz
We will now hear Job answer Eliphaz for the second time. This is very much like a debate. First we hear one side, and then we hear from the other side. Actually it should not have been this way, because these men had come to be Job’s comforters. Instead of being comforters they have become debaters. They are really attempting to beat him down, attempting to gain an intellectual victory over him. But they are not winning the debate. My feeling is that it is a standoff. Eventually a young man who has been standing by enters in and picks up the argument. Finally, God will break in on the scene. That, of course, is what Job needs and what Job wants.
Eliphaz has just played the same old record over again. He is the dreamer. He has had a vision. He is a spiritualist. He claims to have some inside information that no one else has, but he didn’t get any advance information after his first speech. He just comes up with the same old thing.
Then Job answered and said,
I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all [Job 16:1–2].
Job says, “You haven’t said anything new to me. You haven’t said a thing that I haven’t already heard. Besides, you are miserable comforters.”
These men, I am confident, were friends of Job, but they ended up in a debate. Job has his chance to give a rebuttal after each man speaks, which is what we have here now.
Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? [Job 16:3].
Job is saying, “I would have thought you would have been ashamed to speak as you have. Those are vain words, empty words. They do not meet the need.”
Unfortunately, a great many sermons are like that. Some of them are not even Biblecentered and cannot be used by the spirit of God. Unless the spirit of God can use a sermon, it will come to naught. It will be a vain, empty thing. There is a lot of preaching in the world today that is absolutely meaningless as far as worship of God and expounding His Word are concerned. The same can be said for a lot of the singing—and the entire service—in some of our churches. The fault may lie with the preacher, but it doesn’t always rest there; sometimes the congregation, the listeners, can be responsible for the breakdown that takes place.
I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you [Job 16:4].
Job is telling them that if their situations were reversed, he could have given a little speech of condemnation against them.
Paul was concerned about this type of thing, and he wrote to believers in order to counteract it, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). Don’t go to debate with such a person. Don’t go to preach at him. Restore him in the spirit of meekness, which was illustrated by our Lord when he washed the feet of those who were His own. He is still doing that today. When you and I confess our sins, “… he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He still washes feet; that is, He still cleanses his own. But He also set us an example. If you are going to wash someone’s feet, you can’t put yourself above him, look down upon him, point your finger, and begin to preach at him. You will need to kneel down and take the place of a servant to wash feet. That is quite a bit different from arguing with the person.
It’s too bad that these friends didn’t come to Job in that way, but they didn’t. They came preaching at him. Realizing that, he tells them that if he were in their position, he could do the same thing. He could shake his head at them and heap up words against them.
But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief [Job 16:5].
Job says that he would approach them in a different way. He says he would want to strengthen them. He would want to comfort them. He would want to “wash their feet,” that is, restore them to fellowship—which is what they should have done for him.
Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? [Job 16:6].
Job is not helped at all.
But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face [Job 16:7–8].
Job says, “You’ve made an old man out of me—you have filled me with wrinkles.”
He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked [Job 16:9–11].
These men are the same as the ungodly. They are supposed to be friends to Job, but they treated him like an enemy. And do you know that there are Christians today who can be meaner to you than many of the unsaved people? There is nothing meaner than a Christian when he is mean. So Job classifies his friends as ungodly. You see, they think they are defending God, but in doing so they are unfair and even brutal in their accusations against Job.
I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark [Job 16:12].
Job recognizes that God has permitted this to happen to him. Many times when I was a boy and would go hunting, I would see the dog catch a rabbit. He would grab the rabbit by the nape of the neck and shake it—oh, how he would shake it! Apparently Job had seen that, too. Job said that that was how God was shaking him. God does that sometimes, friends.
His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground [Job 16:13].
Thinking of the bitterness of gall, he is saying that his bitterness is poured out of him.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant [Job 16:14].
He says that God has been walking up and down on him like a giant. Job feels that God has made a door mat out of him, as it were. You couldn’t find any more vivid description than Job gives us here.
Great writers of the past, novelists, poets, and essayists, have read and reread the Book of Job. Its language is superb. Its descriptions are magnificent. I would recommend it to you for your reading so that it becomes a part of you. The beauty of the language here is wonderful.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death [Job 16:15–16].
Have you noticed how close to death Job was? He wished for it, and yet he avoided it. He stood right on the threshold of death during all of this time. I think he felt that at any moment he might die. He was a sick man, a very sick man.
Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure [Job 16:17].
Now again we see emerging the thing in the heart and life of Job that needed to be dealt with. You see, his friends have not been leading him to a place where he would judge himself. Instead, they actually ministered to a spirit of self-vindication. They put him on the defensive. The minute Job started to defend himself, he put God at a disadvantage. Job justified himself instead of justifying God. The problem was that his friends condemned Job instead of leading Job to condemn himself. They were using the wrong approach with him.
The minute a person begins to defend himself, he puts himself in the position which John very candidly stated. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us … If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10). That makes God a liar. It puts God in the place of being blamed. It takes God from the position of being the Judge and puts Him down as the One who is judged, the guilty one, the criminal. A person then is bringing a charge against God.
There are actually many people who sit in judgment upon God. That is what Job is actually doing here. He is justifying himself by saying, “Not for any injustice in mine hands”—the minute he says that, he is also saying that God is wrong in letting this happen to him.
Job says, “Also, my prayer is pure.” I have heard that same statement coming from Christians. Friend, I doubt whether any of us pray a pure prayer. That is the reason I always tell the Lord, “I am asking this in Jesus’ name”—because I know that Vernon McGee would not get through on his own. Job thinks he would get through.
O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place [Job 16:18].
Now Job cries out in spectacular language. He asks the earth not to cover up his blood. If the blood of Abel cried out to God, then certainly Job thinks his blood ought to cry out to God.
Friend, God does not cover up blood. And God sees the blood that Christ shed, especially when you reject it.
Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high [Job 16:19].
The Bible all the way through teaches that God keeps a record of us. There are those today who like to pooh-pooh such an idea. They say, “Can you imagine God up there sitting at a desk keeping books?” Friend, who said He is keeping books? God doesn’t need to do that. If a mere man can make a little machine called a computer, don’t you think God can have a way of keeping records that surpasses anything we can imagine? I am of the opinion that everything we have ever said, everything we have ever done, is recorded. I don’t know about you, but I can say for myself that I don’t ever want to see the record that is made of me. I am very happy that some of it is blotted out under the blood of Jesus Christ. Oh, thank God for that!
My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God [Job 16:20].
This is the picture of Job as he sits there in that desolate place with tears streaming from his eyes. His friends stand around him and look at him in scorn and call him a hypocrite and accuse him of being a liar. They don’t know him, they don’t know God, and they don’t know themselves.
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! [Job 16:21].
Here is another of those cries of Job. How wonderful it is for believers to know that we have an Intercessor. We have an Advocate. We have an Attorney who represents us before God. Everything has been taken care of for us. We have One who pleads for us before God. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Friend, He would like to be your Advocate if He isn’t already.
My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me [Job 17:1].
Job knew about halitosis—bad breath—and he didn’t have the mouthwashes we have today! What it really means is that he is very sick. The grave is ready for him. It is as if he were saying that he has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peeling. He thinks he is dying.
Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? [Job 17:2].
Here Job is dying, and his friends stand around and mock him. What a picture this is! These men who had come to comfort him are actually debating with him and condemning him. My friend, it is possible to be a hardboiled Christian and not be very helpful to the poor sinners in this world.
We need to recognize that there are times for harsh words. God will be very harsh with Job, but He also is going to comfort him. God is going to help him and God is going to restore him. Oh, that you and I might see that God is a God of judgment, but that He is also the God of mercy and the God of grace.
Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me? [Job 17:3].
Job says that at least they could shake hands with him.
For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his childen shall fail [Job 17:4–5].
And he pleads that he does not want to be flattered. He doesn’t want them to come to “butter him up.” He continues in this vein and then concludes that he is on his deathbed.
If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness [Job 17:13].
He never expects to leave that dump heap outside the city—he thinks it is his deathbed.
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust [Job 17:14–16].
He says that corruption and decay are closer to him than his father or mother. His parents had brought him into the world, but now he is closer to death than he is to them. His body, which is so weary and so sick, is ready to return to the dust.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: The second discourse of Bildad
This is now the second round for Bildad, the Shuhite. This is his rebuttal. The interesting thing is that he really hasn’t anything new to contribute at all. You will recall that he is a traditionalist. He has a lot of old sayings and proverbs that he strings along like a string of beads. He will do that again here. He has a whole series of epigrams and pious platitudes and slick clichés. Some of them are good, but none of them throw light on Job’s case.
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? [Job 18:1–3].
To state it very bluntly Bildad is saying, “Job, if you would shut up, then we could speak. You should quit talking and start listening. You have been doing the talking when you should have been listening to us.” Actually, all of them, Job and his friends, could have refrained from talking and been listening. But they were not prepared for the voice of God at this time. God is preparing Job to hear His voice, and later he will listen.
Bildad asks Job why he holds them in such contempt and why they are vile in his sight. The answer is obvious. This is the way they have been looking at Job. That is why I say that at this point it is a stand-off between Job and his friends. I think they have been glaring at each other during this debate. These men who had come to him as his friends are no longer his friends.
He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? [Job 18:4].
Bildad is asking, “Do you think God is going to run His universe just to suit you?” Bildad, you remember, is a traditionalist, and he rests everything on the past. He feels that anything that was true in the past is also good enough for today. That is the method which he uses.
“Job, can you not show some sense so that we may come to an understanding here? Do you think that your contempt for us as incompetent and your rage at divine dealings with you are going to release you now from the trap you are in?”
Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine [Job 18:5].
Nothing truer could be spoken, but it does not apply to Job.
The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.
The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare [Job 18:6–8].
“Job, you have been caught in a net like a fish, and it is not because we have done anything. We are supposed to be here to help you, and you don’t listen to us. You are in that position because there is some secret sin in your life. You have walked into a trap.”
The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.
The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way [Job 18:9–10].
The gin means a trap. “A trap will take you. You have been caught like a bear in a trap because you have been fooling around with the bait. If that weren’t true, you wouldn’t have been caught.”
You can see that Bildad gives these little pious platitudes and works them like a geometry problem. First you take all the steps of the proof, then you come to the conclusion, and that’s it. However, life is not quite like that. For one thing, it is easy in life to begin with some wrong premises. If the premises are accurate, one can come up with a good deduction. But if the premises are wrong, the conclusion will also be wrong. If A equals ten and you make it equal fifteen, you will not arrive at the correct answer to your problem—even if you use the right methods.
These men are all trying to put down their formulas, but they are putting the wrong premises into their formulas. Bildad comes up with a hard and fast rule which states that Job has walked into a trap, that it has been his own doing, and that it could not be otherwise. Another translation would be, “For he is sent into the net by his own feet and he walketh on the meshes.”
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
His strength shall be hunger-bitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.
It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.
His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.
It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street [Job 18:11–17].
He is saying that disease shall waste the body of the wicked. The fire of God will destroy his habitation, and his name shall be blotted out. His family shall perish—he will have neither son nor grandson. His desolation shall astonish future generations. All of this is true of the wicked, but it is not applicable to Job. A statement can be absolutely true, and yet have no application to an individual situation.
This is the reason, I feel, that a great deal of so-called “counseling” today is dangerous. I think there are many fine Christian psychologists; I know some of them, and I would recommend them. But, candidly, many psychologists often have premises which are not accurate, and for that reason they are not able to counsel.
These men are trying to counsel Job, but they are not able to do so. Bildad says the wicked are going to be judged. The wicked will be blotted out. That is true. Look in our own day to the fate of Hitler and Stalin and other dictators. As they lived, they died. Although his statement is true, Job is not that kind of man by any means.
He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world [Job 18:18].
That is a figurative expression of the wicked, but it does not apply to Job.
He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted [Job 18:19–20].
Any man likes to have sons and daughters and grandchildren. They are a source of pride and satisfaction. Sometimes the wicked have more offspring than anyone else. Job, at this time, does not have one child left to him. They have all been slain. It is actually cruel for Bildad to talk in this way to Job. We shall see later on that God is going to make it up to Job and give him more children.
Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God [Job 18:21].
So we see that Bildad gives a description of the wicked. He shows the position of the wicked and the end of the wicked. He classes Job with the wicked and tells him that he is at the end of the road. He says, “This is the way it is, Job, and the description fits you.” Of course, if one looks at the circumstances, one must admit that it looks as if Job does fit this description. These friends simply could not believe that what had happened to Job could have happened for some other reason. They believe that he is wicked and that he is hiding some secret sin, and they will not accept any other reason for his suffering.
When Job answers them, he is going to say, “Can’t you conceive it possible that God has entangled me in His net and left His action unexplained? There must be an explanation for it, but your explanation may not be right.”
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Job’s answer to Bildad
As you can see, the mistake Job is beginning to make is this: he knows they are wrong, but their being wrong does not make him right. His attitude is wrong also. He has a wrong conception of God at this time, although light breaks in from time to time.
Then Job answered and said,
How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? [Job 19:1–2]
If this had been a physical combat like a football game, the coach would have said, “The opposition tore down our defense.” Job’s so-called friends have been breaking down his defense.
These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me [Job 19:3].
The more they talked, the more alienated from Job they became. They were not right, but neither was Job. Job thought that, because they were wrong, he would be right. If Job’s conscience and his life had been open in the presence of God, what position should he have taken? Let me make a suggestion: I think that he should not have replied to his friends at all. Unfortunately, most of us think we must defend ourselves.
I thank God for giving me the gift of preaching and teaching, but I will be very frank with you and say that it is a dangerous gift to have, because it puts you up where you can be shot at and where you can be criticized. People have asked me from time to time, “Why don’t you defend yourself? Why don’t you write a little book to defend yourself?” The answer is that I don’t need to. As someone has stated it, your friends who know you don’t need an explanation, and your enemies wouldn’t believe you anyway.
I have learned that in time things pretty much answer themselves. I don’t think a person needs to defend himself in these cases. My suggestion would be that Job should not have answered these friends at all. He should have simply bowed in sweet submission. I think he should have listened to what they had to say, then told them good-bye and shown them the front gate of the city. But Job was determined to vindicate himself.
I can think of some men whom time has vindicated. William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was accused very cruelly. He sought to defend himself, but he needn’t have done so. Time has shown the truth of the matter. The late Dr. M. R. DeHann was severely attacked when he was pastor of a church. There were those who sought to defend him, but he really didn’t need any defense. Time has justified his actions and revealed the fact that those charges made against him were false indeed.
I personally think that Job should have taken the position of silence and that he should not have come out with this defense of himself. He has become alienated from them. If he had kept silent, he would not have had ten reproaches from them. Apparently he doesn’t see that.
And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself [Job 19:4].
“No one knows any error in me but myself.” His friends are not able to point it out and the implication is that he isn’t aware of any error himself. Someone has said that the Lord did not make us perfect, but He made us blind to our errors. Although I don’t think the Lord is responsible for that, I think the statement is probably true.We are not perfect, but most of us are blind to our faults. Job is a man who is blind to a great many of his faults.
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net [Job 19:5–6].
Bildad has said that Job had walked into a net, but Job maintains that God has done this and that God hasn’t given an explanation for it. Couldn’t it be that God has done this for some reason that He has not explained to Job? Of course, but the friends are determined that their explanation is the right one.
Now he pleads with his friends.
Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies [Job 19:7–11].
He says that God is treating him very harshly and that there must be an explanation for it. The purpose of God must be different from the explanation that his friends give to him, but Job confesses he doesn’t know what that purpose is.
He goes on to tell how his brethren have forsaken him, his acquaintances are estranged from him, his friends have forgotten him, the maids that lived in his house count him as a stranger, his servants will not answer his call, and his wife is a stranger to him. Even the young children have despised him. He is so thin that his bone cleaves to his skin, and “… I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.” (Job 19:20). He asks his friends for their pity.
Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! [Job 19:23–24].
Job wishes that his words were written out and put in a book. He would be willing for his worst enemy to write them. He would like them engraven in the rock so he could say, “Look, this is what my enemy says about me, and he has to praise me.”
Would you want your worst enemy to write your biography? I’m not sure that I’d want even my best friend to write mine. I am satisfied to let my biography stand on God’s books where it will be accurate, which is the important thing.
Now Job will express his great faith. His friends have been attempting to break him down, which is actually the Devil’s subtle attempt. The Devil, through his friends, has been able to bring Job to the place where he is not humble but is still trying to vindicate himself before God. However, Job has not hit rock bottom yet. These friends have not broken him down completely. He has a living, real faith in God, and here he utters one of the great statements in the Bible. It is not only that the statement is great, but it is great because the man who said it is a sick man who is ready to expire. He has lost everything; he is under the discipline of Almighty God, and he feels the lash upon his back. Still he is able to say:
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me [Job 19:25–27].
When Job became ill and was in the shock of all his troubles, he said he wanted to die. He was not speaking of annihilation. He was speaking of the death which would get him away from his troubles. I think that is obvious. He knew he would be raised again. He knew that in his flesh he would see God. He knew that even if the worms destroyed his body after death, yet in his flesh he would see God. He believed in the resurrection of the dead.
Friends, these bodies of ours are going to return to the dust. The bodies of the dead in Christ will be put to sleep, but the spirit will go to be with Christ immediately. How wonderful this is!
Job again cries out to his friends, having made this great statement.
But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment [Job 19:28–29].
“Don’t you fear the judgment of God for the things you have been saying to me?” In spite of all their accusations, Job has kept his faith. He believes the Redeemer is coming and that he himself is numbered with the redeemed.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: The second discourse of Zophar
Zophar is the last man to speak in this round. We are in the second round of the debate, and Zophar is the third man in this round. We find that there will be a third round and that it is going to be a brief one. Zophar won’t even get in on the third round. It will simply end in a standoff before Zophar has another chance to speak.
Remember that Zophar is the legalist. He believes that God works according to law and order. That is true, of course, but that throne of law and order in judgment has become a throne of grace. Zophar knew nothing about that.
I suppose today we would say that Zophar has the scientific mind. He thinks you pour life into the test tube and it will always come out a certain way. He is the one who says that things can never be changed, that all things continue as they have from the foundation of the world. He knows nothing of the grace of God.
He comes on strong. He is actually less impressive this time around than he was before, although he is more brutal and cruel than he was before. He is a hard slugger. He hits Job hard because he realizes this may be his last time around. Although he introduces nothing new, he pours out all that he has to pour out. He rests upon his seniority, and he resorts to the same legalism. He holds to the theory that Job is a very wicked person because of the law that the wicked must be punished. That will be his emphasis here.
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer [Job 20:1–3].
He sounds like a politician running for office. He says he is capable of answering. I never heard of a man running for office who didn’t say he was more qualified than his opponent; he doesn’t mind telling you that. When a man says that, he does lack modesty! Now this man Zophar comes on like a politician. He is going to present his case with the same type of an argument which he had used before. He says that he is going to repeat an age-established fact. Well, what is it?
Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth [Job 20:4].
Here it is. Here is his specific conclusion, which he poured into the test tube of the past and found to be true.
That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? [Job 20:5].
This is his age-established fact. May I say to you, how short is short and how long is long? How long is the moment of the hypocrite? Sometimes it seems that the wicked hang on for a mighty long time. But it is true that finally they do come to judgment.
Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? [Job 20:6–7].
He can get dramatic, too. “Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds.” The language is tremendous in this book. As I have said, people will read the Book of Job for its expressive language, even though they may not read any other book in the Bible.
Eventually the wicked perish. Some of our contemporary young people hear about Hitler and they do not simply say, “Where is he?” but they even ask, “Who was he?” They don’t even recall him. I remember that when I was a little boy, people spoke of Kaiser Wilhelm as though he were the Devil incarnate. He is gone. All of them are gone. They had a long moment, but now they are gone.
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods [Job 20:8–10].
Very candidly, it seems to me that man is the greatest failure in God’s universe. Consider the brevity of man. They tell us how old the rocks are—even the rocks that came from the moon. Man hasn’t been around that long; he is a Johnny-come-lately in the universe. Friends, if there is not an eternity ahead of us, man is the most colossal failure that God has ever made. His life is brief. He flies away as a dream.
Dr. Bill Anderson, a great preacher in Dallas, Texas, was a tremendous inspiration to me when I was a student. He met one of his deacons on the street and somewhat surprised him with this unusual question. “Suppose when we get to heaven into the presence of God, we find that the Christian life wasn’t essential to our getting there. What would be your viewpoint?” This deacon looked him straight in the eye and said, “If we get to heaven and find that all this business of the Christian life was nothing in the world but our own imagination, I’m going to say to the Lord that it was very much worthwhile. It was worth it all.”
Now while I believe that is true—that the Christian life is worth it all for the here and now—even then there is a little tug of disappointment at our hearts if that is all there is. Why? Because we want eternity. God has set eternity in our hearts, because it is there, and man is going to move on into eternity.
Zophar is calling Job not only wicked, but a hypocrite. His whole speech describes the fall of a wicked man. He says such a man may attain eminence, but that just simply means that his fall is going to be greater. His implication is that that is what has happened to Job.
His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
There shall none of bis meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods [Job 20:11, 15, 19–21].
He suggests that such a man is like fuel which will be consumed. He is like an evil vision which will disappear. His evil is like a sweet morsel that he keeps under his tongue, but it will turn to gall within him. It is like food that he eats, but God will compel him to disgorge his unjustly amassed fortune and will force him to make restitution to his victims.
When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating [Job 20:23].
Although nothing could escape his greed, he will be reduced to poverty. Worst of all, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him.
All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.
The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath [Job 20:26–28].
“A fire not blown shall consume him.” In other words, he will become a raging flame, and all his prosperity will go up in flames—there will be no avenue of escape.
He sums it by saying,
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God [Job 20:29].
His implication, of course, is that the “wicked man” is Job. That is a pretty bitter dose for a man in Job’s condition, but Job is ready to answer him. He is going to defend himself, and he comes on strong, as we shall see.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Job’s sixth answer
Job is still able to come back with an answer. I think it would have been better if he had not tried to answer Zophar’s brutal accusation, but he is going to defend himself again.
He tells them that he is growing weary of their false charges. He appeals his case to a higher court. He agrees with them that the wicked will be punished but insists that this does not apply to his case.
But Job answered and said,
Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on [Job 21:1–3].
Job wants their attention and sarcastically says that he is going to console them.
As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled? [Job 21:4].
He is not taking his complaint to men; he is appealing to God.
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth [Job 21:5].
In other words, “Shut up!”
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf [Job 21:7–10].
Job is now going to point out a fallacy in their argument. The wicked do not always suffer in this life; in fact, they may prosper. They are not always cut off; sometimes they attain old age, their property remains intact, and their children are able to inherit it.
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave [Job 21:11–13].
They may have a whole flock of children. They dance and are gay and rejoice. They have a good time, and they live it up. You may say that their fall is going to be apparent, but you are mistaken. Like others, they go down to the grave but without catastrophe striking them beforehand.
Job had been a rancher, and he points out that some of the wicked people are very prosperous cattlemen with big, prosperous families. I can remember when I was a boy in West Texas that some of the biggest drunkards in the neighborhood were also the biggest ranchers in the area. Where are they today? They are gone. Their sons apparently are following right in their footsteps, and they are going to disappear also. But they do prosper. Job calls attention to that.
You will remember that this was also an observation of David. He said, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree” (Ps. 37:35). However, David found, too, that God finally moves in judgment against the wicked.
We can look around in our own country today. We know certain family names that stand for money, and they have no reputation for godliness. We find them in politics and in high society. They don’t seem to suffer as other people suffer. Maybe sometimes this causes you to wonder. It is as Job is saying here, the wicked do prosper.
Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? [Job 21:14–15].
They are godless. They don’t want God. They insultingly say that they don’t need God nor desire to know His ways. What could God give to them that they can’t get for themselves?
Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me [Job 21:16].
Job is saying, “I don’t belong in that class. I am not one of the wicked. What you lay down as an inevitable truth does not always work out to be true. Besides, even if it were true, it does not apply to me!”
How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger [Job 21:17].
Those exclamation marks should probably be question marks—but either way, he is saying that the wicked have no more problems than the average person has.
They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty [Job 21:18–20].
However, death is no respecter of persons, and the time comes when death knocks at the door of the wicked. There comes a time of judgment when “he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.” So Job shows his friends that their proverbs are not always true, but that doesn’t mean that God is not going to judge the wicked someday.
One time I heard a friend of mine say to a man who was apologizing for being drunk, “Don’t apologize. You go ahead and drink it up now, boy, because in this life is the only place you can get it. Where you are going, they don’t serve it. I don’t blame you for getting all you can here.” The wicked might as well enjoy every pleasure available to them, because this is their last chance. The wicked are going to be judged eventually.
Job is confident that God will judge the wicked—there is no question about that.
Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath [Job 21:29–30].
The judgment of the wicked may not be until the Great White Throne judgment, but judgment will come eventually. God will permit the sinner to live it up down here if that’s what he wants to do. You see, God is gracious. God is long-suffering. The goodness and the forbearance and the long-suffering of God should lead us to repentance.
I know that today we look at the rich who are enjoying life. The jet set goes from the United States to Europe and to Mexico from resort to resort. My, they really live it up, and God permits them to do it. But remember this: “The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.” We don’t hear much said about that in these days.
This is the answer of Job to Zophar. May I say that it is a good answer. But we see that Job is still justifying himself. There is no thought of repentance in this speech by Job.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: The third discourse of Eliphaz
Here we come to the third inning, if you please. This is the third time that these men get into the arena to battle an intellectual battle. This kind of thing is not so attractive today. We had debate teams and that type of contest when I was going to college, but it was no more popular then than it is now.
Today we build bigger and better stadiums all over this country. It is a mighty poor city that doesn’t have a gleaming, multi-million dollar stadium for athletic events. However, very little money goes for the intellectual and even less for the spiritual exercise. Here in Job it is an intellectual battle and a spiritual battle. You know, very few of us have ever been out on the football field carrying the ball or charging or blocking. Very few of us have ever gone up to bat in a major league, but all of us are out in the arena of life in a spiritual battle. This does not seem important to most people. They would rather go and sit in the bleachers and watch somebody else carry the ball. Well, my friend, you and I are fighting a spiritual battle. Paul tells us that we are wrestling and that the wrestling match is going on right now.
This kind of intellectual and spiritual battle excited the people in that day. We think they were uncivilized then. We are the ones who build the multi-million dollar stadiums for physical combat and fail to emphasize the intellectual combat.
You will remember that Eliphaz is the man who had the remarkable experience. He had a strange and mysterious vision. He is a spiritualist. He is the one who says, “I have seen.”
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? [Job 22:1–2].
The very nature of the question reveals that a man cannot be profitable to God. He is asking, “Job, you sure think a lot of yourself, but what do you suppose God thinks of you?” He thinks Job is acting as if God might derive some benefit from his behavior and that if God were not restraining him, he might become too strong for God—that God is holding Job back for this reason. Well, Eliphaz is certainly off target. And it is certainly not comforting to a man who at this moment does need help and light from heaven.
Eliphaz’ question applies to some church members I have known who think they are profitable to God. Some folk seem to think they make a real contribution to God down here and that He is rather fortunate to have them on His team. They seem to think that when they get to heaven, heaven will really be improved because of who they are. We need to recognize that man is not profitable to God. We are all unprofitable, which means we are like a bunch of spoiled fruit. Jesus told a parable about service and He concluded, “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10).
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? [Job 22:3].
These men do sense a little chink in the armor of this man Job. It will be glaring and apparent in just a few chapters. The trouble is that they do not really make a correct diagnosis of the man, and they certainly do not know the remedy. They are not able to comfort him and bring him help as they should. The fact that Job claims to be a righteous man doesn’t cause God to jump up and down with glee and throw His hat into the air.
I have a feeling that there are a great many professing Christians who rest so much upon themselves and who they are that they really are not trusting Christ. Let me emphasize that we bring no pleasure to the Almighty because we have been good little Sunday school boys and have pins for perfect attendance. A great many folk think that the Lord is delighted with that sort of thing. I don’t think so. We need to recognize who we are, and we need to recognize our utter dependence upon God—our great need of Him. We are to be looking to Him instead of trying to impress Him with who we are and what we are doing.
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment? [Job 22:4].
Eliphaz asks Job, “Are you so righteous and so perfect that God has to be afraid to deal with you?” We need to understand that when God says Job was “perfect” it means he stood in a right relationship with God through sacrifice—we know he offered sacrifices for his sons and daughters. And certainly God was not afraid to deal with Job. Obviously, this man is having a very rough time.
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry [Job 22:5–7].
Eliphaz is indulging in a very mean thing here. Unfortunately there are some Christians today who indulge in this same type of thing. You see, when this tragedy struck Job, it caused many people to say, “I wonder what it is in his life?” Since they weren’t able to pinpoint anything, the gossip began. Folk began to manufacture reasons. Before long they could spin quite a yarn out of a little piece of thread. That is exactly what Eliphaz is doing.
He has already accused Job of acting as if God might derive some benefit from his good behavior. Now he turns around and tells Job that his wickedness couldn’t be greater. Eliphaz thinks he had just better tell Job all the things of which he is guilty. He is guessing, because none of these things are true. It is pure gossip. But look at the accusations he levies against Job.
Such treatment cannot help Job. It puts Job on the defensive. Instead of leading Job to defend God, it leads Job to defend himself. If Job becomes convinced that he is not guilty of these false accusations, then it leads him to think that God certainly must have made a imstake and that there is something wrong with God. That is the alternative way of thinking about it. The accusations of Eliphaz lead Job to this kind of defense.
Listen to the stories the gossips tell about Job. They make him sound like a real Mr. Scrooge!
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee [Job 22:8–11].
Eliphaz implies that these are the things Job has done, and now the word is getting out. He goes on to warn Job that God is on high and takes note of all these things.
Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! [Job 22:12].
“Job, you have been doing these things as if God doesn’t see you, but God does see you. Although you thought you were getting by with it, it is obvious now that you didn’t get by with it.” The entire argument rests upon the premise that Job has some secret sin in his life which nobody knows but God, and now God is dealing with him in judgment. This is the explanation for his illness and all the tragedy that has happened to him—according to the argument of Eliphaz.
He thinks Job conceives of God as One who does not know what is going on.
And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven [Job 22:13–14].
“Job, you don’t see Him, but He sees you and knows about you.”
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? [Job 22:15–17].
It is always the same old argument which we heard at the beginning. He rests everything upon some experience that he has had. He can say, “I have seen the wicked.”
Now Eliphaz gives a gospel plea here, but it is something which Job didn’t need, because he occupied a redeemed relationship. He could say, “I know that my redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25).
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee [Job 22:21].
That is a marvelous, wonderful invitation, but it does not apply to Job. It is like many of the invitations given in churches today—there sits a congregation of redeemed folk (at least they think they are saved), and an invitation for salvation is given. It is almost meaningless in such circumstances and borders on the ridiculous. To ask Job to accept Christ when he had already accepted Christ is not the answer to his problem.
“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace” is a gracious invitation and a good invitation. It is the invitation which God gives to us. The Lord Jesus said the same thing in the New Testament, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Eliphaz said this was the way to have peace with God. Also Paul says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
“Thereby good shall come unto thee” is true also. However, we must remember that “good” means what will be good for us. Sometimes that means discipline when we need it.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles [Job 22:22–23].
These men just keep harping on the one theme: “Job, there is some secret sin in your life. Deal with it and turn to God.” They are treating him as if he is not even related to God at all.
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God [Job 22:24–26].
Eliphaz is assuming that God is Job’s enemy, but God is not Job’s enemy. This is an attitude which is still one of the greatest deterrents in the preaching of the gospel. Men are sinners—this should be made very clear—but God today is not at enmity with this world. God is reconciled to this world. You and I don’t need to do anything to reconcile God; Christ did this for us. God is reconciled and has His arms outstretched to a lost world, saying, “You can come to Me, but you must come My way. You must come by the One who told you ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.’” If you come His way, you can come with boldness into the presence of God. God will meet you with a great welcome and abundance of spiritual blessing. Eliphaz is not representing God accurately, as you can see. Neither is he any help or comfort to Job.
CHAPTERS 23–24
Theme: Job’s seventh answer
This is the seventh time that Job answers his friends, and he expresses a deep longing for God. He would like to present his case before God. He is beginning to sense that he is in the sieve of God’s testing and that God will bring him through his trials.
Then Job answered and said,
Even to-day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning [Job 23:1–2].
Job says, “You fellows see my condition, and you have heard my complaint. Actually, my condition is worse than it looks, and it is worse than I can tell you.”
Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! [Job 23:3].
Job has a longing to come into the presence of God. It would be wonderful if his friends knew how to bring him into the presence of the throne of grace. He doesn’t need a throne of judgment; he has already been there. And he has already been to the woodshed for discipline—there is no question about that. Now somebody needs to bring him into the presence of God.
I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments [Job 23:4].
Job says that he wants to go into the presence of God, because he wants to defend himself. My friend, no one can go into God to defend himself. We all must go before God to plead guilty before Him. Every one of us is guilty. We will find that when Job does get into the presence of God, he will not defend himself. He will change his tune altogether.
I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me [Job 23:5].
Job wonders what God would say to him. He wonders where he can find Him. I can assure you that any man who has that longing for God in his heart is going to find Him. God will meet him.
Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him [Job 23:6–9].
God is not found by running around here and there. He is near, nearer than a hand, nearer than breathing. He is right close to you. Job says he has been running up and down trying to find God.
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold [Job 23:10].
Now a little light is beginning to break on the soul of Job: “I am being tested for a purpose. I don’t know what it is, and I don’t understand it, but God is using this in my own life.”
Friend, have you discovered in your own heart and in your own life that trouble will strengthen the fiber of your faith? Haven’t you found that it has given you a moral character that you never had before? Have you experienced God’s strength and comfort in the time of the storm? You know that God has never promised that we would miss the storm, but He has promised that we would make the harbor. And that is good enough for me.
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food [Job 23:11–12].
Job has had a desire for the Word of God and apparently has been following God’s Word. Here again is where God will teach us. Job did not understand or did not correctly interpret the Word of God. You know that some of the lessons in the Word of God cannot be learned just by studying them. They are learned by experience. Many of God’s truths must be taught to us in that way.
As Job’s answer continues through chapter 24, we see that he gets a little long-winded.
Eliphaz gave him the invitation, “Acquaint thyself with Him.” So Job expressed his desire to find God. Job knows Him as Redeemer—he has called Him that. But he doesn’t understand what is happening to him, and he needs the comfort and the help and the light from heaven, which has not been forth-coming from his friends.
Eliphaz had made a stab at trying to ferret out the secret sin which he thought was in the life of Job. The effect this has had upon Job is that it has put him even more on the defensive. In fact, it causes him now to raise another question: “Why is God so exacting with me? He apparently condones the actions of others who are really sinners and who are out in the open with their sins.” This is the thrust of his argument in chapter 24.
Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof [Job 24:1–2].
Job now lists the open sins of other people. Some are dishonest. They remove the landmarks from the land.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together [Job 24:3–4].
They are not honest in their dealings, and they take advantage of other people, even those who are in need.
They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked [Job 24:6].
The corn crop of the wicked makes just as many bushels to the acre as does the crop of the righteous. Job is asking, “Why does this happen?”
They have committed murder, they have robbed, they have committed adultery; yet this whole evil group is permitted to go down to the grave like all others.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned [Job 24:19].
Not only do they go down to the grave like others, but it seems that they are immune from justice in this life. In fact, it looks as if they are actually favored. Job looks at his own condition—he is sick and destitute, and he looks over at the wicked and sees them getting along nicely. He says, “I just don’t understand it. I want to know why I am ferreted out, why I am the one who is being treated in this way.”
And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth? [Job 24:25].
Job’s friends have not helped him. In fact, they have given him another cause for complaint.
As the pastor of churches and in my ministry I have heard one question, I would be willing to say, almost a thousand times: “Why does God let this happen to me?” One hears it over and over again. That is what Job is asking here. Why does God let this happen to me? Job’s premise is: I am such a fine fellow and that crowd over there is wicked, so why me? It is the same question that comes into the minds of many people. Job does not understand God, and we will find that Job doesn’t understand himself, either. And yet Job has a great faith in God with the limited knowledge that he has.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Bildad’s third discourse
We are now going to have the final word from Bildad. Fortunately, it is brief. I think the light is beginning to dawn on Bildad. He is a very thoughtful and intelligent man. Perhaps he is beginning to think, If Job is guilty, why doesn’t he break under all this bombardment of argument that we have given to him? He has still maintained his integrity. He stood up against it. Remember that Bildad is the traditionalist. He believes God follows certain laws. Things have been done this way for a thousand years, so why would there be a change? He is the scientist who pours life into the test tube, and says, “See, this is what happens every time.” The Law of God is that He will punish sinners. And yet he wonders why Job doesn’t break if he is a guilty sinner.
There are men today, both theologians and scientists, who speak so learnedly, especially about the creation of the earth. They seem to know exactly what God did under certain circumstances two billion years ago. We have a whole brainwashed generation, but I am, perhaps, one of the biggest skeptics you have ever known. This gross assumption of knowledge is simply not justified. My friend, they don’t even know what is going to happen tomorrow, so how can they speak with such authority about what happened two billion years ago? I think they are simply kidding themselves and those who listen to them. I get a little weary of them all. Does anyone really know exactly what the first chapter of Genesis means? I think that if Moses were here today and could hear some of these scientific explanations, he would smile and say, “My, what those boys have learned since I wrote Genesis! They seem to know more than I knew about it.”
Both Bildad and our contemporary intellectuals need to remember that God’s ways are past finding out.
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places [Job 25:1–2].
He has an exalted notion of God, which is good.
Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? [Job 25:3].
A better translation would be, “Whom doth not his light pass?” In other words, God is the Supreme One.
How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? [Job 25:4].
Now here is a good question. It is a question he should have asked at the beginning. Although he has asked the right question, he doesn’t have the right answer.
Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight [Job 25:5].
Well, we have been to the moon now, and we have found that it is a pretty dirty place. It is covered with dust and dirt, volcanic ash—not a nice place to have a picnic. It is not as romantic up there as it is down here when the moon is shining and you’re out with your girl for the first time. Mars seems to be no cleaner. The stars are not pure in His sight.
How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? [Job 25:6].
There are those who don’t like to face that. I like it. People today talk about us having come from a worm. We haven’t come from a worm, friends; we are worms. That is what we are now in God’s sight.
How can a man who is born of woman be clean in God’s sight? That’s the question. It is a good question. It is the supreme question. Bildad did not have the answer. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has the answer to that question.
CHAPTERS 26–31
Theme: Job’s eighth answer
This is Job’s longest speech. It includes chapters 26 through 31. Job professes his faith in God his Creator, and we begin to see his real problem.
But Job answered and said,
How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? [Job 26:1–3].
“Bildad, you don’t have an answer for me. Zophar, you didn’t have the answer. Eliphaz, your answers didn’t help me. You all had a lot of talk but no answers.” They all have said many things that were good, but they were of no direct meaning nor did it communicate anything to Job) because none of them could answer the question of the why of Job’s suffering.
To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee? [Job 26:4].
“To whom hast thou uttered words?” You have finally come up with the right question, Bildad, but you have no answer; so who has been helped by all this talk?
Now Job really launches into his discourse. In it he will lay his soul bare. He has a lot to say, and some of it is really great. He moves into the area of the Creation and God as the Creator.
Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing [Job 26:5–7].
Much has been made of the fact that He “stretcheth out the north over the empty place.” Folk have attempted to point out that there is a void in the north, that there are no stars in a certain place in the north. In fact, it was called a “hole in the north.” However, since we have these very powerful telescopes, and especially the radio telescopes, we find that we cannot point a telescope in any direction in God’s universe without finding it filled with stars—other universes. Job is saying that God reached out in space and covered it—He can cover the empty place.
Also space is a creation of God. Here is one star which God has created. Billions and billions of light years over yonder is another star, and God has also created that one. What keeps them from rubbing together or banging into each other like cars do on our freeways today? Well, God put space between them. What is space? Maybe some people would answer, “Nothing.” Friend, it is something. I don’t know what it is, but it is something, and God created it to hold heavenly bodies apart. It is like a lubricant that He uses to keep the universes from banging into each other.
Listen to the apostle Paul. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present [that’s time], nor things to come [that’s future], Nor height, nor depth [that’s space], nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38–39). “Nor any other creature” is literally “nor any other created thing.” Space is one of God’s creations. Friend, that gives us something to turn over in our minds. What is space?
It takes a long time to go to the moon. What is all this expanse between the earth and the moon? Don’t tell me it is nothing, because it is something. What is it? I don’t know; I’m no authority on that. I simply know that we call it space, God created it, and it is out there serving His purpose.
He “hangeth the earth upon nothing.” Who in the world told Job that? Remember that Job lived back in the age of the patriarchs, and yet this man knew that this earth is hanging out in space. That God suspends the huge ball of earth in space with nothing to support it but His own fixed laws is a concept unknown to ancient astronomers.
Job understood that He “hangeth the earth upon nothing.” There is no foundation under it. If it fell, what direction would it go? We talk about gravity, but that is a pulling down toward the center of the earth. When you get out far enough into space, there is nothing pulling on anything. So where is down and where is up? And what keeps it hanging there in space? We get an answer in Colossians 1:17: “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” The word consist is the Greek sunistemi, meaning “to hold together.” By Christ it all is held together. We are moving now into a great section of the Book of Job.
Job had a tremendous view of God as the Creator. Out there on the ash heap he was able to look at the stars at night, and he had spent time doing that in the past.
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand? [Job 26:13–14].
God has garnished the heavens with stars. Probably the “crooked serpent” that Job mentions is a constellation out in the heavens. He is calling attention to the greatness of God as He is revealed in the heavens by His wonderful creation.
We see that Job knew God as a Creator; Job understood Him as a Redeemer; but Job did not know God as a Sustainer and the One who loved him. He did not understand that God would not let anything happen to him unless it would minister to him.
JOB CONDEMNS THE WICKED
We are approaching some of the really basic material of this book. The Book of Job reaches right down where we are, into the center of our lives. Beneath the suffering which Job went through there is a great lesson for him to learn. That is the reason I say that the main lesson of the Book of Job is not why believers suffer. Suffering is not the main issue of the book. Behind it all is the great teaching of repentance, repentance in a child of God.
When a sinner comes to God, is he to repent? Paul told the jailer at Philippi, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). Paul made no mention of repentance, but repentance is in that word believe, because when a sinner turns to Christ in faith, he also turns away from sin. In the case of the Philippian jailer, it was probably his idolatry from which he turned. That would be his repentance. Turning to Christ is the important part.
Many a child of God today and many a lost sinner are self-sufficient. Anyone who is self-sufficient needs to repent, as this book will reveal. This is the great lesson of the Book of Job.
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit [Job 27:1–4].
I would like to give a translation here which may be helpful in bringing out the meaning. “As God liveth, who hath taken away my right, and the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul (all the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils); my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, nor my tongue utter deceit.” Job makes it very clear that he is undaunted and that he is determined. Zophar hasn’t answered, and so Job keeps on talking, and he says, “I will never admit the charges that you three so-called friends have brought against me.” On the contrary, he says:
God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me [Job 27:5].
He is stubborn, isn’t he? All his friends have been able to do is to make him more and more defensive. In defending himself there is no brokenness of spirit, no humility of mind. It makes it look as if God is the One who is unrighteous, while Job is perfectly all right. He says, “I will not remove mine integrity from me.”
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live [Job 27:6].
Listen to him! These friends have not led him to self-judgment but have only ministered to a spirit of self-defense. Job is vindicating himself. You see, God is not on the scene here. Job is being rather foolhardy in all this, because before it is over we will see that Job is down in dust and ashes before God.
There is a lesson for us to learn in all this. I certainly will grant that many things which his friends said to Job were truths. Also I am of the opinion that these men had the best intentions. Although they said things that were true, I don’t think that they had the truth. They talked about experience and tradition and legality, but they never gave Job the truth. Having failed to do that, they built up the man’s ego.
Let me repeat this because it is so important. They thought that Job had committed some secret sin, and they were trying to bring it out into the open. Job had not committed some great, secret sin, and he knew that they were wrong. Since they were wrong, Job assumed he was right. That is where Job made his mistake. The fact that his friends were wrong in no way made Job right. Job should have been in the presence of God where there would have been a brokenness of spirit. One of the purposes of trouble in our lives is to lead us into that brokenness of spirit before God.
Someone has said that trouble is like the sun. The sun shining on wax will melt it. The same sun shining on clay will harden it. That is the way trouble affects different people. Some will respond with a broken spirit. They just melt before the presence of God. Job isn’t to that place yet. He is hard now, hard as nails in his own integrity.
“My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.” This is the position and condition of a lot of church members today. They feel exactly the same way. The assurance of salvation is wonderful to have, but, my friend, you can be a hardboiled sinner, thinking you have assurance of salvation, when all you have is a great big ego. You feel that you have it made. Well, Job thought he had it made, and he is going to find out otherwise very shortly.
Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous [Job 27:7].
Job is putting everyone who disagrees with him over on the other side. They are his enemies. They are wicked and they are unrighteous. I tell you, that is a dangerous position for any man! Now Job is going to talk about the wicked and what is going to happen to them. Job will give a little lecture now. In the midst of all his own trouble, this man is going to give a lecture about the wicked.
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal [Job 27:8–11].
Job is saying that the wicked may prosper but God will eventually judge them.
The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place [Job 27:19–21].
Riches will make no difference. If a man has been wicked, his life will go out like a flame that is blown out, like a candle blown out by a wind coming through a window. The time will come when—
Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place [Job 27:23].
Can you remember a time when millions saluted Mussolini? There came a day when people actually walked across his dead body and that of his paramour as they lay in the mud after their execution. The wicked shall be judged. There will come an end to their wickedness and to the glory they seem to have. But that doesn’t answer Job’s problem.
Job is still full of words.
POEM OF CREATION
He continues his discourse with one of the most beautiful poems of creation that you can find anywhere. It may not seem like poetry to us, but it is Hebrew poetry and it is beautiful. He deals with things that are absolutely wonderful. If we were studying poetry, I would spend a long time here.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and place for gold where they fine it.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
He setteth an end to darkness, and scarcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death [Job 28:1–3].
God has put silver and gold and iron and precious stones into the earth. It is difficult to find these things. I personally do not think that men have found the vastness of the treasures that are really in this old earth on which we live. I think this chapter is saying that clearly. It also suggests that there are precious stones which have never yet been discovered, which might be more valuable than the diamond.
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire [Job 28:4–5].
Not only does the earth turn up precious stones, but also it produces food—bread for us to eat.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires; and it hath dust of gold.
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it [Job 28:6–8].
The birds fly over the earth and its mountains. There are veins of minerals down in the earth that the birds fly over and know nothing about, neither can the vulture see them. There must be precious stones and veins of riches and wealth which are completely unknown and untapped.
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots [Job 28:9].
God can cause the earthquake. He can change the topography of the land. He can expose those veins of riches in the earth that He wants to have exposed.
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light [Job 28:10–11].
Job has been talking about the minerals and the precious stones in the earth. There are things which are of even more value: wisdom and understanding. Job knows that God has placed the minerals in the earth, but where is the source of that precious commodity—wisdom?
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me [Job 28:12–14].
Job is telling his friends that they have not found wisdom.
I would like to voice an opinion on the basis of this passage. I do not believe that all of this probing of the ocean floor and space and every crevice in the earth is going to tell man anything relating to real wisdom and real knowledge concerning the origin of the earth. Man cannot find it there. He will not learn how it came into existence nor who put it into existence.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof [Job 28:15].
We are paying billions of dollars to bring back rocks from the moon. Those are mighty expensive rocks, friend. But they are not telling man what he would like to know.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies [Job 28:16–18].
The wisdom that Job hoped his friends would bring to him is a wisdom beyond the understanding of man.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold [Job 28:19].
Even the Bureau of Standards just can’t evaluate it.
Whence then cometh wisdom? and Where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears [Job 28:20–22].
We have heard about it, but even death ought to tell us something. It ought to tell us that there is something on the other side, and it ought to tell us that there is something we don’t know. Men just step through the doorway of death, my friend, and they are not able to get word back to us. Houdini, the great magician, left a code with his wife before he died so that he could communicate with her after he was gone. Spiritualist after spiritualist came to Mrs. Houdini, claiming to have a message from him. She would say, “Give me the code.” Not one of them was able to come up with the code, which means that no one heard from Houdini after he died. We just don’t get word back from over there. That should tell us that there is something which we do not know today.
He goes on to say something very interesting:
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder [Job 28:26].
For many years the critics said this was an incorrect statement; that everyone knows you see the lightning before you hear the thunder. But after it was discovered that sound waves do not travel as fast as light waves, they realized that the lightning is the flash from the crash of the thunder that takes place. How amazing that the writer of the Book of Job knew that it was the “lightning of the thunder”!
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding [Job 28:28].
Job’s friends were not able to probe this man’s problem at all. We are going to see his secret sin revealed, but it is not anything that his friends suspected.
He is suffering from a bad case of perpendicular “I-itis.” This is a very bad disease. It is a case when the little pronoun “I” becomes so important that all we can talk about is “I, I, I.” We find that Job is filled with pride. This shows us that even a good man needs to repent. We will find in this chapter of twenty verses Job uses the personal pronoun “I” or “me” fifty-two times. Mark them in your Bible. You will be amazed. Job is wrapped up in himself. That is his big problem. We will see how it had affected his life. It affects the life of anyone when he gets all wrapped up in himself. Someone has said, “When you’re wrapped up in yourself, it makes a mighty small package.”
This chapter does not contain any form of a confession by Job. It is really his boasting. He has “I” trouble. There are many of us who have it, too. The perpendicular pronoun is the hub of the wheel of life for all of us. Everything is a spoke that goes out from us. We see no brokenness of spirit. There is not that broken and contrite heart, no admission of guilt, no confession, no feeling of guilt or failure.
His friends were not able to help him. They failed to see the real problem. They didn’t know Job, and they didn’t know themselves, and they certainly didn’t know God. They believed that God sent trouble to Job only as a punishment, and they thought Job was just holding out. They roughed him up and were miserable comforters to him. Each one used a different approach, and yet they all came to the same conclusion.
We can sum up the methods of his friends. Eliphaz was the voice of experience. He used what would be called today the psychological approach. This is the approach of the power of positive thinking. It adopts a cheerful attitude. Bildad was the traditionalist and he used the philosophical approach. That would be the approach of several of the seminaries today. They use the philosophical approach, but that doesn’t help anyone. Zophar was a religious dogmatist. He thought he knew all about God. He sounds like some of us fundamentalists, by the way. All of us would fall into the category of one of these friends. As we have seen, not one of his friends had been able to help him.
Now I do want to say on Job’s behalf, as we move into this chapter, that he was a “perfect” man according to the standard which God had set up, which was sacrifice. He was a very wealthy man. He had all that it took to make this life agreeable. He had what it took to make him important in the world. We have seen that he was a religious man. He feared God. He had a concern for his children. He didn’t put up a false front. He could be weighed on the scale of God’s balance and not be called a hypocrite. So the insinuation of his friends was base and low. He was a genuine saint of God, a quickened soul, a child of God. His earthly cup of bliss had been full and running over. Then why should this man suffer?
Actually, the suffering is only incidental—although Job would never have told you that. The suffering in Job is about as important as the fish in the Book of Jonah, in which the real problem is between Jonah and Jehovah. Here the real problem is between Job and Jehovah. Even Satan, the enemy, is secondary.
The real problem is Job. He did not know himself, and he did not know God. Socrates has said, “Know thyself.” That is important. Job didn’t know himself. He was self-righteous and self-sufficient. He received all kinds of compliments from people, and there was a little of the self-adulation. There was a spiritual egotism in this man’s life. We will see this clearly when God confronts him.
Job now is going to tell us about himself. He reviews his past. Chapter 29 is Job’s “This is my life.”
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me [Job 29:1–2].
Job reminds me of a little tea party I heard about:
I had a little tea party
This afternoon at three.
’Twas very small—
Three guests in all,
Just I, Myself, and Me.
Myself ate all the sandwiches,
While I drank up the tea.
’Twas also I who ate the pie
And passed the cake to Me.
—Author unknown
When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness [Job 29:3].
Those were the good old days for Job.
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle [Job 29:4].
Here is a man who from his youth served God.
When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! [Job 29:5–7].
He was prosperous. Everything he touched turned to gold. Not only was he a prosperous man, but he was also a man of influence.
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth [Job 29:8–10].
The children would run and hide from him because he was such a great man. The old men would rise when they saw him coming, they would take off their hats and bow to him. When he came, all the others quit talking. Even the princes and the nobles were silent. They waited for Job to speak. Nobility didn’t speak in his presence unless he asked them to do so.
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me [Job 29:11].
He was voted the most valuable citizen by the city clubs of Uz in Chaldea. He was the outstanding citizen of the town.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him [Job 29:12].
He provided pensions for the aged. He helped the poor.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy [Job 29:13].
He took care of the widows. My, this man was thoughtful!
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem [Job 29:14].
Job was adorned with good works. And people came to him for advice.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame [Job 29:15].
He was chairman of the board at the blind school, and he was a benefactor of the crippled children’s home. My friend, this man Job was outstanding! How we need citizens like this.
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out [Job 29:16].
He made a thorough investigation before he gave to a cause. This is something which many believers do not do today. Job supported only that which he knew to be a worthy cause.
And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth [Job 29:17].
He believed in civic righteousness and law and order. He was influential enough to bring it to pass. What a man he was!
Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch,
My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand [Job 29:18–20].
Job said to himself, “I’ve got it made. I have everything I want for retirement. I’m going to die in my nest. I’ll multiply my days as the sand and live to a ripe old age.” I tell you, he thought he had everything. He had a wonderful family. He had good health. One can’t think of anything that Job did not have.
Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
After my words they spake not again: and my speech dropped upon them.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain [Job 29:21–23].
All the group sought out his advice. Before they would make a decision, they would contact Job and ask his advice. The governor of the state and the supreme court would talk things over with Job before they made a decision. I tell you, he was an outstanding man of great influence. They would hang on every word that Job said.
If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners [Job 29:24–25].
Job sat at the very top of the totem pole of life. He dwelt in honor, affluence, and influence. He was a plutocrat and a tycoon. He was an ideal man, the goal toward which humanity is striving today. He lived the good life. He knew what abundant living really was.
But Job lived in a fool’s paradise. He was in a Cinderella world; and when the clock struck midnight, his chariot turned into a pumpkin. Remember what he said in chapter 3: “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came” (Job 3:25–26). The bomb fell on his nest. He had dreaded something like this. He had feared that all of this material substance could be wiped out and taken from him in a moment, and it was. He had nothing to fall back on. Even his friends didn’t cushion his fall. In fact, they made him fall with a terrible, resounding crash.
Job has been putting on his self-righteousness. Listen to him again in verse 14: “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.” Fifty-two times he has used “I” and “me.” We hear no confession, no admission of failure. We see nothing of a broken and contrite spirit in Job.
Chapter 30 continues his description of his present wretchedness and suffering.
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock [Job 30:1].
“I have told you how it used to be, but now—now these young scoundrels come around and throw rocks at me. They have no use for me. Let me tell you about the fathers of these kids. I wouldn’t even have hired them to watch over my flock.”
Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste [Job 30:2–3].
He goes on to deride these scoundrels who now have no use for him.
And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face [Job 30:9–10].
They are making up dirty little ditties about Job, and they ridicule him in song. He knew what it was to be the object of derision led by young hoodlums.
I don’t know about you, but I am tired of listening to Job. First he was boasting about the outstanding man he had been. Now he is courting sympathy. “I was such a great fellow and now look at me.” And who is to blame for this, my friend? Why, God is to blame.
There are a lot of Christians in that same position today. It is possible to be blaming God but to do it in a very pious way. “I had all those blessings. I was so active. I did kind things for people. But look at me now.” Well, whatever it is that has happened, it is because God is good, never because God is not good. Whatever happens is because God is working out something beneficial in the life of a believer.
Job finally says,
My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep [Job 30:31].
His singing voice is the harp. All he can sing now is the “Desert Blues.” The organ is his speaking voice, and he says all it can do is weep. He has a tear in his voice all the time. That is his condition now. He is asking for sympathy and certainly is a man to be pitied.
However, you will notice that there still is no brokenness of spirit. God has been put at a great disadvantage in this man’s life. He is a proud man. He justifies himself instead of justifying God. In fact, he blames God. What is the problem of Job? It is pride. It is the same thing that caused Satan to fall. It was the sin in the Garden of Eden. It is that awful thing that eats like a cancer into the human heart. That awful sin of pride is there in the hearts and lives of all of us.
JOB CONCLUDES HIS SELF-DEFENSE
Now chapter 31 concludes Job’s lengthy defense. It has been quite a slugging match! The three friends of Job, lined up against him, have attempted to beat him down into admitting that he had committed a great sin. Their logic, as we have seen, is that God would not have permitted him to suffer so, if he had not committed some terrible sin.
After going three rounds with him, they gave up, which is evident by the fact that the last man, Zophar, did not answer Job. When he did not step forward to make his rebuttal, Job continued to speak. Believe me, they had teed him off, and he came out of his corner fighting.
In defending himself he must accuse God—it boils itself down to that. He is implying that God is wrong in punishing him. Probably the most foolish thing any person can do is to justify himself, inasmuch as God must impute sin. The minute you begin to justify yourself, God immediately will have to point the finger at you and say what you are. Real wisdom, and the correct position, is to condemn ourselves utterly and to cast ourselves upon God. When we do that, God becomes our justifier. There is nothing but wrath for the self-righteous. And there is nothing but grace for the self-judged. This is very important for us to remember in our own lives.
Humility is a quality that we admire and look for in others. A clipping from the New York Times regarding a contemporary boxing match underscores this fact: “…Ability to wear the trappings of humility is an occupational requirement in certain lines of work, particularly in politics and championship boxing. He who scorns them invites the vengeance of an outraged public….We like our champions humble. After they have flattened some poor gaffer for our amusement, we want them to come to the microphone like Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano and say, ‘He put up a good fight.’Muhammad Ali outrages us by coming to the microphone and calling a bum a bum.”
May I say to you, it is a characteristic of human nature to be proud. Boxers are not the only ones guilty of pride. It just may be that they are a bit more brazen about it, but pride characterizes the human family.
The Book of Job is teaching us that when we come before God, He wants us to be real before Him. We can’t put up a defense for ourselves. There is no possible use to try to build ourselves up as if we were some great person or had done some great thing. Nothing is more sure than that God will break down every such type of arrogance. The Day of the Lord will be against everything high and lifted up. So it is wisdom for us to take the low and broken place today, for it is the low place that gives us our best view of God and His salvation.
There is a great deal of this “coming forward” in response to an altar call which does not lead to real salvation, because of the fact that some folk come in pride.
I wonder if you have ever noted in the Word of God the references to this matter of being contrite and how God approves of it. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18). You see, real repentance involves taking that position. We need to recognize that just as David did. Listen to him in that great penitential psalm when he made his confession: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17). My friend, when you come to God to do business with Him, you do not come to God to trade with Him on equal terms and turn in your little goodness to Him. We need to recognize that we approach God through contrition. This is taught all through the Bible.
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isa. 57:15). This matter of being humble and contrite is not a problem for the politicians and the boxers alone; it is a problem for all believers today, especially those who are in the Lord’s service. I think that we can say that egotism and self-conceit are more detestable when they show themselves in the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who “…made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant …” (Phil. 2:7). How unlike Him is pride in the lives of those who name His name and say they are believers. To reveal a hateful, unsubdued, self-displaying Christian profession and Christian service is atrocious. And in this final section Job is not very attractive.
Job has been doing a good job of patting himself on the back. He has told what an outstanding, influential, good man he was and then makes a play for sympathy for his present condition. As he concludes his discourse in this chapter, he is still claiming that he is a very good fellow.
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? [Job 31:1].)
Job makes it very clear that he had lived a clean life. He didn’t run around and chase women. He wants them to know he has not been guilty of ordinary sensual sins.
For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? [Job 31:2–3].
He is still pointing his finger at others who commit such things, and he says they are to be judged. He cannot see why he should be judged so severely when he is such a wonderful fellow. He is about to break his arm patting himself on the back.
Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity [Job 31:4–6].
He is boasting of his integrity. Well, he is going to come into the presence of God before long, and he is going to really see himself—then he won’t see much integrity.
If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges [Job 31:7–11].
He says that if he has been unfaithful or untrue, let his wife be taken from him. He hasn’t lived in sin as some other folks do. And I believe that all these things Job is saying are completely accurate. He was really a good man. But he has this terrible blind spot: pride. His friends have led him into a defense of himself and he just can’t let up. He must boast about his goodness.
We see this same sort of thing today among Christians. For a child of God to boast and to live in pride is just as bad as getting a gun and murdering someone. Pride among Christians is one of the things that causes our churches to be so cold today. People sit in the pews and think that they are just all right. My friend, if you are in Christ Jesus, you are saved, but regardless of who you are, your life is not measuring up to God’s standard—and neither is mine.
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? [Job 31:13–14].
Job was an employer, and he says that he was good to his employees. He was a capitalist who was good to labor. There should be more who could say that today. Of course, in our time the shoe is on the other foot, and labor is not too nice to the consumer today. Anyway, the point is that Job could say that he had been considerate of others.
If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone [Job 31:16–22].
Job had certainly helped the poor. He had a poverty program long before anyone else ever had one. He took care of the orphans. He goes over all this ground again. He is boasting of all the things that he has done. I believe he really did them, too, but he is lifted up with pride about it. That is where he is in trouble. He is constantly saying, in effect, “I have been so good that God is unjust in treating me as He is. God is wrong.”
My friend, we need to get to the place where we can praise His name above everything and can see ourselves down in the dust before Him.
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul [Job 31:29–30].
Job says that he didn’t rejoice when his enemy stubbed his toe and had trouble. He was not spiteful.
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me [Job 31:33–36].
He says he has not done anything in secret. He wishes his enemies would write out what they think of him, and he would be glad to wear it like a necktie or like a crown on his head so everyone could see it. He would walk up and down the streets and say, “Look, this is what my enemy says about me, and it is all praise for me.” How Job is boasting! He has discussed everything about his life, but he has not made a confession of his pride.
Job is righteous in his own eyes, but Job is not righteous before God.
CHAPTERS 32–37
Theme: The discourse of Elihu
There is a crowd standing around listening to these men talk. When Job is finished with his discourse, it is one of the members of this audience, Elihu, who picks up the discourse and carries on from then until God breaks into the discussion. During this time a storm gathers on the horizon. By the time we get to the end of Elihu’s discourse, the storm breaks upon the group, and they all run for cover. Only Job is left there in the storm. It is then that God will deal with Job personally.
Now the three friends of Job are through. They fade into the distance. Frankly, I heave a sigh of relief. I am thankful they are through talking, and I hope they’ve gone home.
To all intents and purposes, Job has won the debate. But he hasn’t won. Here stands a young man with something to say. He hasn’t opened his mouth so far, which is unusual for a young man, but this is a very intelligent young man.
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes [Job 32:1].
That, of course, is accurate—Job was righteous in his own eyes.
The three friends had not been able to give an answer to Job. They failed to meet his need in all their reasonings and in all their arguments. Eliphaz was the one who had referred to experience. Zophar was the legalist. Bildad put his arguments on the basis of human authority. None of them had been able to come up with a solution for Job. They had said many things that were true—they came up with a number of great truths—but they did not answer Job’s problem. At the end of it all, Job remained righteous in his own eyes.
There was a value in this controversy. It is important for us to see that when two parties are divided over any issue, they can never reach an understanding unless there is a brokenness and a submissiveness and a willingness to be subdued and not to contend for self on the part of one or both of the parties involved. We find a lot of high-mindedness today, inside and outside the church, which is the cause of a great many of the problems that we have today. Job was a high-minded man. He has been touchy and tenacious and easily provoked, but his friends have been equally so. They have not been able to come to any kind of an understanding.
I think we ought to say on behalf of the friends of Job that they found no answer because there was no answer. Only God can answer a self-righteous individual. We will find that finally God did break in with an answer for Job. To anything else the unbroken heart can find a ready reply, but not to God, of course. Job’s friends had no answer.
Now Elihu is going to break into the conversation. He doesn’t have an answer for Job, but he comes closer than the others had come. And I do think that he prepares the way for God finally to break in upon this scene. Then God will give Job some information from “Headquarters” that all of us need.
Notice that Elihu is a Buzite (descended from Buz, Gen. 22:21), evidently a tribe of Arabs.
Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God [Job 32:2].
Elihu speaks because he is angry, and he is angry on two counts. Job had spent his time justifying himself rather than God. This meant that he was actually saying, “God is wrong. God has made a big mistake with me.” This aroused the anger of Elihu.
Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job [Job 32:3].
This was the second reason for his anger. The friends had not been able to put their finger on Job’s real problem, and yet they were condemning Job.
Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he [Job 32:4].
Things apparently were different in that day from what they are today. A modern young man would already have broken into the conversation. We find in our society that little Willie has center stage. I have noticed this with my grandson. I tell you, he is on center stage, up front all the time. We listen to him, and I’m not sure that that is wise.
When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled [Job 32:5].
Elihu had waited. He thought these older men would come up with something very wise. I can remember when I was a young preacher that I was frightened to death of the gray heads in the congregation, because I thought they knew a great deal—probably much more than I did. However, I soon learned that length of days did not always indicate knowledge or depth of wisdom.
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom [Job 32:6–7].
Notice this interesting comment:
But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding [Job 32:6–8].
Elihu doesn’t have the same position with the Holy Spirit that believers have today. Apparently the Holy Spirit did not indwell believers in the Old Testament, but He did come upon certain men for the performance of certain functions. For example, Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of God (Exod. 31:2–3) who gave him the skill and the wisdom to make the articles of furniture for the tabernacle. The spirit of God came upon many men in the Old Testament. David prayed, “… Take not thy holy spirit from me” (Ps. 51:11), which would indicate that the Holy Spirit could depart from an Old Testament believer. There is no teaching in the Old Testament that men were indwelt by the spirit of God. Elihu recognizes that only the inspiration of the Almighty can give understanding to man. This means that there is only one sure authority, and that is the Word of God.
Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment [Job 32:9].
The “inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding”—he recognizes that only God could provide an answer in Job’s case.
Elihu is preparing the way for God to answer. Although he himself does not really have the answer, he recognizes that these other men did not have the answer either.
Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.
Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words [Job 32:10–12].
This, of course, is absolutely true.
Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man [Job 32:13].
It disturbed Elihu because he felt that these men should have been able to answer Job. It disturbed him because Job stands vindicated, and in this position he feels very cocky and self-confident.
The literal meaning of the word contrite is “bruised.” Now it is true that Job has been battered and bruised. He has been in the ring with Satan, and he has had three rounds with his friends. This man Job is coming out bruised, there is no question about that. But contrition comes from within a man. It is grief and penitence for sin.
David understood that, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17). Job had been bruised, but he still was not contrite. However, God is not through with him yet.
Only God has the answer for self-righteousness, pride, and arrogance. Sometimes people come to me with this story: “I have a son who has gone to college, and he knows everything now. How can I answer a boy like that?” The answer is that only God can deal with a son who thinks he knows it all.
The minute that you and I become self-righteous we can be sure of one thing: we will be brought into the ring with God, and He is going to bruise us. He must treat us in that way, because it seems to require bruising to bring us to a realization of our sin and to a spirit of humility.
It was that spirit of humility which was demonstrated in the life of John Wesley. There is a somewhat humorous anecdote about his humility. It is said that Wesley was crossing a narrow bridge when he met an enemy right in the middle of it. It was impossible to pass, and his enemy drew himself up to his full height, and said, “I never give way to an ass!” Wesley looked at him for a minute, and then he answered, “Well, I always do,” and he just backed off the little bridge and let the man go by. I guess that would be the best answer one could give in a case like that. Not many men would have been willing to back off, but Wesley was.
When I think of a really contrite spirit, I think of the confession of Horatius Bonar. He said, “I went to God to confess my coldness, my indifference, and my pride. After I had finished, I went back again to God and I repented of my repentance.” My friend, that is true contrition to repent of your repentance! You see, it is very easy for us to be proud even of our repentance.
Elihu expected Job’s friends to continue the debate.
When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)
I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion [Job 32:16–17].
Here we have the suggestion that it was Elihu who was the author of the Book of Job. Notice that he is using “I” when he gives this explanation, and it sounds as if he were writing the book.
For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. [Job 32:18].
He is saying here that he is constrained from saying more. He really would like to say more, but he will not say it. Apparently the spirit of God held him back.
Unfortunately, many of us are high-minded. We are touchy and tenacious. We are easily provoked. We are ready to get into this business of vindicating ourselves, and we don’t want anyone to rebuke us at all. There is not that softness of tone or delicacy of touch. We pour no oil on the troubled waters. We do not have that broken heart and weeping eye. We parade our own experience like Eliphaz. We indulge in a legal spirit like Zophar. We introduce human authority like Bildad. We do not demonstrate the spirit and the mind of Christ.
Remember that Proverbs 15:1 tells us that “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Most of us forget that—or perhaps I am just talking about myself.
THE CREATOR INSTRUCTS THROUGH DISCIPLINE
Now Elihu has something to say.
Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth [Job 33:1–2].
He is going to insist on several great truths.
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life [Job 33:3–4].
My friend, this is a great truth. God is my Creator.
Elihu is going to speak by the spirit of God. He says that the other men haven’t been able to answer Job, and now he is going to try.
Peter, in his first epistle, wrote, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (I Peter 4:11). I would like to write these words in the chapels of every seminary in this country. If a minister is not speaking for God (I don’t mean to be crude, but I am going to say it anyway), he should shut up! He has no business talking. After I had been speaking in the San Francisco Bay area, a man said to me, “You sound very dogmatic.” I said, “Yes, I’m glad it got through to you that I am dogmatic.” “Well,” he said, “there are other ways of looking at the Bible.” I discovered that he was a legalist. He said, “Have you ever thought that there might be another explanation?” I told him, “Yes. There was a time when I thought there were several ways a man could come to God. But after many years of study I have come to the conclusion that the way God saves is by grace, and I am dogmatic about it. I am dogmatic about quite a few things in the Word of God—because the Word of God is dogmatic. I am dogmatic about the deity of Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God. I am dogmatic about the fact that He is virgin born, that He performed miracles, that He died in a substitutionary death, that He rose bodily from the grave, that He ascended to heaven, that He is seated today at God’s right hand, that He is the living Christ right now, and that He is coming back someday. Brother, I am dogmatic!” The fellow looked at me and said, “Then I guess there is no use of my talking with you.” I said, “If you have a different viewpoint, you would be wasting your time, I can assure you,” My friend, let me say it as Peter said it, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” Of course there is such a thing as dogmatic ignorance. But the point I am making is that when you are quoting the Bible, if you are not sure it is the Word of God, then you have nothing to say at all. Unbelief is always dumb. It has nothing to say. I don’t mean that it doesn’t talk—it talks a great deal. But any ministry is powerless, valueless, and fruitless unless a man is speaking as the oracles of God.
If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay [Job 33:5–6].
Job has been wanting a man to represent him before God. This young fellow, Elihu, is willing to do that. He says, “I’m made of the same clay you are made of.” He wants to stand as a mediator between Job and God. Obviously, he is not the man, but it reveals the great need for the incarnation of our Lord. He must be a Mediator so He must be God, but He must also be of the same clay as we are.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me [Job 33:7–9].
Elihu had been listening to all the preceding conversation and had heard that Job considered himself innocent and that he found fault with God. Now Elihu tells Job that God is greater than man and not responsible to man.
Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,
He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man [Job 33:10–12].
He makes the great statement that God is greater than man. It is a simple statement; yet it is great because so many folk take the place of God. Many Christians propose to tell you why certain things happen. Some Christians speak as if they have a private line into heaven—they get the latest right off the wire. I doubt that sincerely. There is a great deal that none of us know.
Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters [Job 33:13].
Job needs to understand that God didn’t need to report back to any board. He is not responsible to any group, nor is He subject to public opinion.
My friend, God is not responsible to either you or me. He doesn’t have to give an answer to us. He is not accountable to us. Some people say, “Oh, why does God let this happen to me?” I don’t know why, my friend; all I know is that God is not accountable to you. He doesn’t have to tell you the reason why. He doesn’t have to tell me the reason why. He has asked me to trust Him. He has never promised that He would take me out of the darkness, but He says, “Put your hand in My hand and I will lead you through the darkness.” He has not promised to explain everything to us. He has asked us to trust Him!
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed [Job 33:14–15].
We must recognize that since we have the completed Bible, we do not need to trust any dream that we have had. However, way out on the frontier where the gospel has not gone, I think you will find that God still uses this method.
Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man [Job 33:16–17].
The problem with Job was that he had an awful disease—it was cancer of the spirit: pride. Oh, the proud heart of man! And I see it in my own life. Do you see it in yours? How we need to grovel in the dust and put on sackcloth and ashes because of the kind of folk we are. Elihu says here that God instructs men through discipline.
Job’s false reasoning is a very simple thing. He did not understand the character of God; so he did not understand God’s dealings with him. But God was dealing with Job, and He wanted to “hide pride” from him. He wanted to take pride out of that man’s life. Job was a good man; he was a great man. But he was a low-down sinner just like you are and just like I am. Because we are sinners, pride creeps into our lives. For example, we get angry with individuals who dare criticize us. God “withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous …” (Job 36:7). We are in His hands, and we are under His eye continually. We are the objects of His deep and tender and unchanging love, but we are also the subject of His wise and moral government. He doesn’t want spoiled brats as His children!
Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living [Job 33:29–30].
God often instructs men through discipline. God uses it to deliver his soul from going into “the pit.”
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.
If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom [Job 33:31–33].
God still wants to do the same thing for believers today. We need to consider the exhortation given us in Hebrews: “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him” (Heb. 12:3–5). Then drop down to verse 11: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11). There are three distinct ways in which we may meet the chastening of our Heavenly Father: (1) We can despise it as though His hand and His voice were not in it. We can ignore God. (2) We may faint under it. When we do that, it is real defeat. Job had had both these reactions, by the way. But what are we to do? (3) We are to be exercised by it so that it will produce the fruit of righteousness in our lives. God does permit trouble to come to His own, and He chastens every son whom He receives. That is the great purpose that is behind all that has been happening to Job. God is going to bring it to a tremendous consummation.
GOD NEVER DOES WICKEDLY
Now as we continue listening to Elihu in chapter 34, notice that for a man of his day he has real spiritual insight. He certainly is defending God in this matter. Up to this point the Lord was at a distinct disadvantage, because it looked as if the Lord were either punishing Job because of some great sin in his life, or, if there were no great sin in his life, then God was unjust. It looked as if the Lord would have to prove him to be a great sinner, but God didn’t have to do that, as we shall see.
If Job could only have been shown by his friends that God was dealing with him—not in the sense of punishing him for his sin, but that God was using all of these instruments in attempting to take pride out of his life and reduce him to a plane where he could trust God, where he could respond even as little Samuel did, “… Speak; for thy servant heareth” (I Sam. 3:10). Job was so busy defending himself that he couldn’t see that God was using circumstances, people, the Sabeans, storms, even Satan himself as God’s marvelous agencies to bring this man to a very gracious and a very wise end. God’s mercy was actually being displayed. His mercy endureth forever! Job had lost sight of that, which removed him from God.
We need to recognize that God moves in our lives as believers. We get occupied with men and things and circumstances, and we look at them in reference to our lives instead of walking with God. We do not live above our circumstances but under them, and then our circumstances weigh us down.
A wonderful man of God, who is now with the Lord, was my friend in the ministry. He used to kid me and say, “McGee, your trouble is that you live under your circumstances and you don’t live on top of them.” Although he was kidding me, what he said was true. Actually, God permitted me to have cancer, and now I can see a purpose in it. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not being pious and saying, “I praise the Lord for my cancer.” I do not. I’d get rid of it in the next minute if I could. But the point of it is that I recognize God has used this in my life.
When we let circumstances come between us and God, God is shut out, and as a result of that we lose the sense of His presence. We get to the place where there is worry and distress instead of peace in our souls, and we do not feel His fatherly hand upon us. We become fretful and impatient and irritable and faultfinding. We get far away from God and out of communion with Him. We do not see the hand of God in all our circumstances. All the while He wants to bring us back to Himself in brokenness of heart and humbleness of mind. This is the “end of the Lord,” that for which He is striving in your life and in mine.
Elihu is the one who concludes man’s attempted ministry to Job. Now Job will experience the direct ministry of God. There will be a threefold effect on him: it will change his relationship to God and to his friends and to himself. My friend, we all need to be changed within ourselves. The Lord will chasten for this purpose. God doesn’t mind doing that, because it will bring us to that place of humility before God so that He can use us. God uses chastening for this purpose in our lives.
Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
Hear my words, O ye wise men, and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge [Job 34:1–2].
Now Elihu turns to the three friends and has a word for them.
For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat [Job 34:3].
As we taste something that we eat with our tastebuds, so also the ear tastes—it tastes words or “trieth words.” Music is delightful to the ear; we taste it with our ears.
Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good [Job 34:4].
Just as we like to taste something good, let’s hear something that is good.
For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment [Job 34:5].
Job has been saying that he is righteous and that God hasn’t given him a fair trial. In other words, God is not fair to me.
Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression [Job 34:6].
Job maintains that he has an incurable disease and didn’t do anything to deserve it.
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? [Job 34:7].
Job despised the chastening of the Lord. He felt that God had no right to treat him so. This attitude removed him far from God. Then he began to faint under the chastening—we are not to faint when we are rebuked of Him. God is doing all this to accomplish a good purpose in our lives.
Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men [Job 34:8].
Job has joined the protesters outside of heaven. He is in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men. It is as if he is marching up and down with a placard that reads: “God is wrong and I am right.” A lot of folk are doing that. Job has joined with those who are in rebellion against God.
For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God [Job 34:9].
Job might as well have said, “I have been serving God and being a nice little boy, and I expected to have a Sunday school pin. At Christmas I expected God to put a nice gift in my stocking. Instead, God put ashes in my stocking, and I don’t think that God has been very nice to me in doing that.” That was the attitude of Job, and it is the attitude of a lot of Christians today.
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity [Job 34:10].
Again he is saying that God does not do wrong. Remember that Paul asked, “Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid” (Rom. 9:14). My friend, it may sound ugly to say this, but if you say that God is wrong, then you are wrong. God is always right and you and I are the ones who are always wrong. No matter what God does, He is right. He doesn’t have to report to you or me. He doesn’t need to ask our permission to do something.
It is interesting today to find people who are willing to let criminals have their freedom to live as they choose, but they don’t want God to have the freedom to run the universe the way He chooses. My friend, He will run it right, and He is not bound by your standards or my standards.
Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment [Job 34:12].
Now that is something you can write down in your little book and keep it there. God does not do wickedly. He will not permit a wrong act. If you want to go back in the Old Testament and find fault with God for getting rid of the Amorites, that is your privilege. But that doesn’t make God wrong. He was right. Maybe you say, “I just don’t see it.” Well, maybe I don’t either. But I know that God extended His grace to them for four hundred years and gave them time to repent, and only after that period of time did He wipe them out. God is always right. Reason from that point.
You see, our whole system of human thinking is based on reasoning from experience to the truth, and that is the reason so few of us ever arrive at truth. God reasons from truth, and He is the truth. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am … the truth”(John 14:6). When Pilate asked, “… What is truth? …” (John 18:38). Truth was standing right before him. Jesus is the Truth. We need to learn to reason from the truth to experience, which is what God does.
Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath [Job 34:13–14].
The point is that God has a care, God has a concern for man.
Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more [Job 34:31].
If God has chastened you, then you ought to learn your lesson and not continue in your old way. Maybe God is attempting to develop something in your life. He won’t let anything happen to you unless it accomplishes a worthy purpose.
That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more [Job 34:32].
If you have done iniquity, and you know the purpose of God’s chastening is to get you away from sin, then for goodness’ sake, learn the lesson and turn from the sin.
Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom [Job 34:34–35].
What is said of Job could be said of most of us. We do a lot of talking, but a great deal of it is “without knowledge” and “without wisdom.” We are living in a day when we have what is known as rap sessions. I meet with a lot of groups, especially young people, who want to have a rap session. I welcome the opportunity, but I hear a lot of asinine and foolish things said. It wasn’t only Job who spoke without knowledge. A lot of folk today speak without knowledge and some of them have a Ph.D. degree. A degree is no guarantee of knowledge or wisdom.
My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God [Job 34:36–37].
What Elihu is saying is that he hopes God will try Job until Job will be able to defend God instead of defending himself.
GOD IS TEACHING JOB A LESSON
Elihu spake moreover, and said,
Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s? [Job 35:1–2].
The minute Job says that he is right and that he is suffering in spite of being right, God must be wrong. That is the inference one must draw from that type of reasoning.
Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? [Job 35:5–6].
This is the question that Job was raising. He was saying, “My little life is not affecting God.” The wonder of it all is that it does affect Him. A sin is something that is almost infinite. Abraham sinned in the case of that little handmaid Hagar, and the world is still paying for that sin in the conflicts of the Middle East. He took the Egyptian at the suggestion of Sarah, but Abraham and Sarah were wrong. How wrong were they? The results of their wrong have gone on for four thousand years. Sin is an awful thing, and it does affect God.
Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man [Job 35:8].
You are always a witness, my friend. You are a preacher, regardless of who you are. The mother of a drunken man asked me to talk to her son. Once when he went wobbling down the street, I detoured him into my study. I told him what a low-down, dirty ingrate he was and how he disgraced his mother, breaking her heart. He just sat there and took all of it. Then I said, “You preach by your life. You are a preacher.” He stood up to fight me. I could call him anything in the world except a preacher. Well, my friend, you are a preacher! Your wickedness will hurt somebody, and your righteousness may help somebody.
By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night [Job 35:9–10].
That is so wonderful! It is God who gives songs in the night. The only place of happiness is with God. Have you ever noticed the expression, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ …” (Eph. 1:3)? What does that word blessed mean? It means “happiness.” God is happy and He wants us happy. When Moses came down from the mountain, his face was shining because there was now forgiveness. There was now sacrifice for sin, and God would deal with man in grace.
John writes, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). He is the One who gives songs in the night. The night clubs have songs. They are the blues and you pay for them and you have a headache the next morning. It is God alone who can bring happiness to you. That is so important. And Elihu had learned that way back there in the patriarchal period.
After we finish the discourse of Elihu, we will find that God will break through to Job. A storm will come up and break over Job, and out of that storm God will speak to him. It is through the storms of life that God wants to speak peace to you and me. Oh, let us not let circumstances come between our souls and our God!
GOD IS THE GREAT TEACHER
Elihu also proceeded, and said,
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf [Job 36:1–2].
Elihu is defending God. He has—as all of us have—a limited knowledge of God. We are dealing with an infinite God, and we don’t have all the answers.
That is the difficulty for a great many people today. A man said to me, “I can’t believe.” I asked, “What is it that you can’t believe? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross and that He rose again?” Yes, he believed that. “Well,” I said, “then why can’t you trust Him?” “There is so much else—creation, Jonah, Noah, and the miracles.” Also he had all kinds of personal problems. Then he challenged me, “You made the statement that we are unbelievers because of our sin, but I want to be a believer.” May I say that he is committing the real sin, and it is this: he is letting what he doesn’t know disturb him from what he does know. My friend, if you know enough to trust Christ, these other things will adjust themselves.
Let me illustrate. As I write, I am sitting in a chair. Now there is a great deal about this chair that I do not know. To begin with, I don’t know who made it. I don’t even know the company that made it. I don’t know much about the materials in the chair—what kind of wood it is, what kind of covering it has. I really know very little about this chair. But, friend, I know enough to sit down in it and trust myself to it.
Do you know that Christ died for you? Do you know He rose again? All right, then trust Him as your Savior. These other doubts will take care of themselves in time, I can assure you. If it were necessary for me to know more about this chair, I think I could find out. But all I need to know is just enough to sit in it. I know very little about an airplane, and I am even fearful when I get on one, but I walk aboard, sit down, and trust myself to it. That is all God asks us to do when we trust Christ. Too many of us let what we don’t know disturb what we do know.
Now Elihu is quite limited in knowledge, as we shall see.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker [Job 36:3].
Paul said the same thing years later. He asked, “… Is there unrighteousness with God?” His answer was, “God forbid” (Rom. 9:14). God is righteous in all that He is and does.
Although Elihu is ascribing righteousness to God, he is also making it clear that God is so far removed from man that, actually, man cannot know Him. There is an element of truth in that, by the way. But what is it today that is separating us from God? Notice what Elihu is saying.
For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee [Job 36:4].
That is, only God has perfect knowledge.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted [Job 36:5–7].
The whole sense of what he is saying is simply that God is far removed from us. He is separated from us, and we cannot communicate with Him because He is so far from us. Elihu is wrong in that. And many folk today are wrong in that concept.
Listen to the words of Isaiah concerning that which separates man from God. It is not because of distance. It is not because God is great and we are small. It is not because He is infinite and we are finite. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2). He continues to describe their situation: “For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity” (Isa. 59:3–4). God says these are the things that separate man from God.
Today there is no reason for you and me to be separated from God. The sin question has been settled forever. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, and today we can come to God through Him. The great cry of Job was for someone to make a connection for him with God. Elihu came nearer to this than anyone else, but he didn’t make it. That is the reason God finally broke in on Job.
Then Elihu states that God is the great Teacher.
Behold, God exalteth by his power; who teacheth like him?
Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? [Job 36:22–23].
Elihu felt that he couldn’t communicate with Him, but he does say this: “No one can teach like God.” As you know, this was the thing that marked out the Lord Jesus Christ when He came to this earth. He was the greatest Teacher of all. Even His enemies said, “… Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). The teaching of the Lord Jesus is the greatest teaching that the world has ever known right down to this present hour.
It is a strange thing that people today who reject the Lord Jesus Christ still try to use His teachings. They talk about loving your neighbor. They talk about mercy. They talk about the Sermon on the Mount. You don’t hear them trying to foster the teachings of Plato or Aristotle even though they were smart boys. No, the Lord Jesus still stands as the greatest Teacher. Elihu asked, “Who teacheth like Him?”
ELIHU CONCLUDES
Chapter 37 concludes what Elihu has to say. I am going to lift out only three verses from this final chapter:
Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.
Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart [Job 37:22–24].
Again, he is inferring that God is so far removed from man that we just cannot communicate with Him. He is way up yonder, and we are way down here. However, we have already seen that it is not the greatness and majesty of God that has separated man from Him; it is man’s sin.
This chapter clearly shows us that Elihu cannot be a prophet or a mediator for Job. That is one of the reasons that I have never specialized in counseling. If you want to know the truth, I don’t know enough to be a counselor. I feel that a man who is going to pose as a counselor is sitting in the place of God. The friends of Job tried to be his counselors. They were trying to take the place of God in this man’s life. Their problem was that their own knowledge was not adequate. We need to recognize counseling for what it is. It arises out of the experience and wisdom of another human being. The great breakdown in counseling is that no one is all-knowing, no one is omniscient. No counselor can know all the facts or have all the wisdom that is necessary.
As you know by now, I have cancer and it is necessary for me to have a good doctor. I wanted the very best, and I have a wonderful doctor. The thing I like about him is that he is not all-knowing or all-powerful. He isn’t afraid to tell me, “I don’t know.” I like that. It makes him a human being. He does not put himself into the place of God. He is a fine Christian and is attempting to serve the Lord, so he doesn’t try to usurp God’s place.
Elihu really almost tried to move into God’s place. He wanted to be a mediator for Job. But he breaks off here with the fact that he really doesn’t know God as he should. He doesn’t know how to approach God, and he is far removed from Him. That is why it is necessary for God to break through.
You will notice in verse 22 that he gives a little weather report. He says, “Fair weather cometh out of the north.” Why do you suppose he said that? I think that during most of the discourse of Elihu a storm was forming over the horizon. It grew darker, and the storm began to advance. The wind was probably howling, and a few drops of rain were beginning to fall. It became a formidable storm, and the people were running for shelter. I think that after he finished his discourse, Elihu also took off and ran for shelter.
Job was left, alone.
CHAPTERS 38–42
Theme: Jehovah and Job
We last saw Job left all alone. Now God breaks in on this man in his weakness. God meets him right at the point of his own inadequacy. God is so great!
JEHOVAH VS. JOB
The mark of a good teacher is that he begins where a student has left off. He will begin where the student is and will move up to where he wants to bring him. God is a teacher. He will teach Job here. The Lord Jesus Christ is also a teacher, the greatest teacher. He wants to teach us today.
Notice here as God teaches Job that He begins right where they left off—in nature. A storm is coming up, and God breaks in as the Creator. He begins there, and He will bring this man to where He wants to bring him.
The Lord Jesus also taught that way. I don’t think the parables of the Lord Jesus were imagined. He would just stop and observe the lives of the people of that day, and that would be His parable. He would meet them where they were. For example, “… Behold, a sower went forth to sow” (see Matt. 13:3–9). There were little hills all through Palestine and, wherever He walked, He would see the sowers sowing the grain. Or, “… The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal …” (Matt. 13:33). That was a common experience, and Jesus had watched women do that over and over again. The Lord Jesus began his teaching where the people were, and then He brought them to where He wanted them to be.
We find this teaching principle all through the Word of God, which is the greatest teaching available to man. It begins where we are and teaches and brings us to where God wants us to be.
I tried to use this principle in my conference preaching. Whenever I came to a different city, I would buy the paper for a few days before the conference. Then I would begin speaking at the conference with some reference to a local situation—the race for mayor, some famous person visiting there, or some kind of scandal in that city. I would try to start with a casual remark about it, probably something humorous. Why? Because that is where the people lived.
So we find God breaking in right where Job is. I want to confess as we come to this part of the book that if I felt totally inadequate up to this point, now I don’t even know what to say. I feel like just simply being quiet, closing my Bible and stopping. But we cannot do that, so we will simply read what God says, and I will make a few comments as we go along.
JEHOVAH SPEAKS TO JOB
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said [Job 38:1].
God answers Job out of the whirlwind, out of that storm that has now broken upon Job. God is speaking to him as the Creator.
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? [Job 38:2].
We will find that Job will finally be willing to say that he has uttered words without knowledge. That, my friend, is an awful sin. I think we have a lot of it today. Those talk programs on television not only commit this sin but most of them are the most asinine things imaginable. They accomplish nothing at all, but they make for entertainment and are prepared by some light-headed folk. God says, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?”
One man said he liked the dictionary because the stories in it were so short. Well, there are a great many people who pull a few words out of the dictionary and attempt to put them together. Whether they make sense or not doesn’t seem to be the point as long as they are using big words.
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding [Job 38:3–4].
This is the verse that I have always wanted to put in the front of every book on geology, but they won’t let me do it. It makes no difference whether the book was written by a Christian or a non-Christian; I think it should be put in the book. “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” By the way, where were you? That is a good question.
What is it that holds this universe in space? And it is not standing still. You and I are on a little earth that is as unstable in itself as anything can be. There is nothing under it to hold it up. I don’t even know which is under—what is down or up—as far as the universe is concerned. Why doesn’t it start going in some direction? Why does it just go around and around? What keeps it going around and around? Apparently it has been doing this for millions of years. The question is, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?”
A geologist once took me up to a ridge in northern Arizona—I thought it was a ridge, but it was just sand. I couldn’t understand why sand was piled up there. He kicked away the sand and under it was a petrified log. I asked, “My, where did this come from?” He said, “California.” I said, “Who hauled it in here?” He answered, “It floated in here.” Now if you look at that Arizona desert, it is hard to imagine that there was ever any water that could have floated that log. But, apparently that is what has happened. That log had floated in from California.
I asked, “When did that happen?” He said, “Well, about 250,000 years ago.” And he said it like he had been there when the log arrived. Now it may be that he was right. I am not contradicting him and saying that he was wrong. I am saying that there are a lot of folk today who seem to know what took place millions and millions of years ago. God asks, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof [Job 38:5–6].
The Book of Job apparently comes from the period before any word of Scripture was written. God begins with Job at the point where He began with all men at that particular time—at the point of creation. Paul began at this same point when he talked about the revelation of God to all mankind. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:18–20).
It is all important for us to see that God was speaking to Job and to all men in that day through His creation. They were close enough to creation that there was no atheism. Instead, there was polytheism. They actually worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. This is what Paul went on to speak of in the first chapter of Romans (Rom. 1:21–23).
I am not going to attempt to develop this section here. It has to do with creation. It has to do with this physical universe that you and I live in today. And, as Paul says in Romans, creation speaks of God: the person of God, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Creation reveals the greatness of our God. How great Thou art! This is the impression we are bound to get, as God speaks of the fact that He is the Creator and He knows much that man does not know.
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? [Job 38:7].
Actually, man is a “Johnny-come-lately” in God’s universe. There was a joy in creation even before man was created.
My friend, if you are His son, you are going to have joy in your life. God wants you to have joy. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ …” (Eph. 1:3). Blessed! The word is happy. God is happy. He’s joyful and He wants us to be joyful. I hope that the joy of the Lord is your portion today. He wants it to be.
There are a couple of interesting verses here:
Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? [Job 38:22–23].
Some fantastic interpretations have been drawn from these verses of how snow and hail will be used in warfare, but I am not about to get out on a limb with this. I do know that snow is what defeated Napoleon. Revelation 8:7 tells us that God will use hail in one of the judgments of the earth. But here God is simply making the point to Job that His creation is beyond the understanding of man. Only God can know these things.
He goes on to talk about the starry heavens:
Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? [Job 38:31–33].
What do we know about those tremendous stars out yonder in the heavens? I do not know how much the ancients knew about them, but apparently they knew a great deal more than we give them credit for knowing. It is my understanding that the Egyptians were able to accurately measure the distance to the sun. Therefore they must have had considerable knowledge.
Have you known God through His creation? Can you really know God through creation? I think God is making it very clear to Job that the creation reveals His greatness. One can know about God through His creation, but creation will not bring a man to a saving knowledge of God.
Chapter 38 has shown God in His past creation. Chapter 39 will reveal God in nature—God as the sustainer of His creation. This is His revelation through His creation right at the present.
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? [Job 39:1].
God is the God of nature. Things happen in nature today because God makes them happen. Without God, nature would be dead; nothing would happen. There would be no spring, no summer, no fall, no winter, no storms, no movement in this universe. It would all come to a dead standstill if there were no Creator and Sustainer behind it. Think that one through. That is the point that God is making to this man Job. He is revealing His greatness.
Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,
Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it [Job 40:1–2].
“Job, are you in a position to give God a lesson? Actually, Job, you have been speaking without knowledge.” Job has been attempting to instruct God. He has been attempting to tell God something, and he is in no position to do that because he has been uttering words without knowledge. Now God wants an answer from Job.
Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further [Job 40:3–5].
Job says, “I should have kept quiet. Now I see I am vile.” Is this the man who said that he would maintain his integrity regardless of what happened? Is this the man who declared that he was a righteous man and that therefore there must be something wrong with God to let this happen to him? This same man is now saying that he is vile.
As someone has said, if we could see ourselves as God sees us, we couldn’t stand ourselves. When we get into the presence of God, we will acknowledge that we are vile.
This appearance of God to Job had a threefold effect upon him. It had an effect upon his relationship to God, his relationship to himself, and his relationship to his friends. This is the man who has spoken without knowledge. His words were without wisdom. Now he wishes that he had kept his mouth shut. He becomes suddenly silent. He lays his hand over his mouth.
Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? [Job 40:6–8].
The storm breaks in all of its fury, and God speaks out of the whirlwind. He continues His appeal to Job. God is asking Job, “Are you trying to say to Me that I am wrong?” Of course, God is not wrong. Eventually Job is going to be able to say to God, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee” (Job 42:2). Job is going to come a long way.
Actually, Job is already advancing. He had not known himself but has now come to the point where he has discovered that he is vile. When a man discovers that, he has come a long way. This is the first step Job takes as he comes to God.
The Lord again appeals to Job on the basis of His creation. “Job, look around. There are a lot of things that you don’t know. How can you judge Me and My moral government of this universe?”
Many folk today come up with some asinine statements concerning God. I have heard Christians say some very foolish things about the Lord. Friend, we ought to be very careful what we say about Him. We should keep our words in the context of the Word of God.
It is quite obvious that Job actually did not know God. He has uttered words without knowledge. And when the Lord breaks in upon him, He asks him some more questions.
Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? [Job 41:1–2].
“Job, what do you really know about this great monster of the sea?” Today they are making a study of the great whales off the coast of California. They are doing many things, trying to find out about them. We’ve come a long way since the days of Job, and we still don’t know all about those big fellows that are in the water.
What do we know about dinosaurs? I have heard this whimsy about the guide in the museum who gave a lecture to the crowd. When they came to the dinosaur he said, “This dinosaur is two million and six years old.” A man came up to him and said, “Wait a minute. I’ll accept the two million years, but where do you get the six years?” The guide answered, “Well, when I came to work here, that dinosaur was two million years old. I’ve been here six years now. So the dinosaur is now two million and six years old.”
I ask again: what do we really know about dinosaurs? You can ask any real scholar in any field and he will admit that he is no authority—he hasn’t mastered his field. He will frankly say that he is just beginning to learn.
May I say to you that no man is in any position to pass judgment on God. That is what God told Job way back yonder at the dawn of history.
JOB REPENTS
Now notice the effect upon Job:
Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee [Job 42:1–2].
Is that the kind of God you have? Can He do anything?
There is the old saw about God: “Can God make a rock so big that He can’t lift it?” That is like the question to Mr. Milquetoast, “Are you still beating your wife?” You see, there is no answer because you are caught whether you answer it yes or no. The question about God has no answer because God never does anything foolish. He always does that which is in the context of His character. He is always true to Himself. So you cannot tell God to do something that He cannot do. Do you know why not? Because, my friend, you are in no position to do that. God is not your errand boy. God is not going to jump through any hoop just because you hold it up.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not [Job 42:3].
Job admits he has been talking about things he doesn’t know anything about. That is the way it was with our bull sessions in the college dorm. We would finish studying at night and would meet in some room and say, “What are we going to talk about?” I used to say, “Let’s talk about something we don’t know anything about. Then the sky’s the limit. We can say anything we want to say.” This is what Job has been doing. He has been talking about things he knows nothing about. He talked about things too wonderful for him, which he knew not. He has been talking without knowledge.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes [Job 42:4–6].
Now this man Job has a new conception of God. He is not in a position to question God in anything that He does. He is to trust Him. He is in a new relationship.
First, Job saw himself as he really was, and he came into a new relationship with himself. He saw himself as vile; he abhorred himself. Now he sees himself in a new relationship to God. He repents in dust and ashes.
Here are the steps of real repentance. This is the repentance that is in faith. First, you must see yourself as vile. Secondly, you must abhor yourself. Perhaps you have seen birds feeding on carrion in the wilderness. When you quit trusting yourself and quit trying to live on the old dead carcass of self and you turn to the living God, that is real repentance. What a wonderful thing it is!
Job recognizes the sovereignty of God. He confesses his sin and repents. God has accomplished His purpose in the life of Job. Job evidently realizes that the reason God has permitted him to suffer is to bring him to repentance. He sees himself in the light of the presence of God. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:6–7).
EPILOGUE
Finally, we find that Job also comes to a new relationship with his friends.
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job [Job 42:7–9].
Instead of fighting against his friends or debating them, he is now going to pray for them. He is going to offer a sacrifice for them. We are not to argue religion today or to fight among ourselves. What is it that we are to do? Paul writes, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness …” (Gal. 6:1). Job has a new relationship with himself, with God, and with his friends. Now God does something for Job.
And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before [Job 42:10].
Now, how did God give Job twice as much? He used human means.
Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold [Job 42:11].
This is the way he got started. These friends staked him to a new beginning and, believe me, Job was a good business man. God gave him twice as much as he had had at the very beginning.
So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
He had also seven sons and three daughters [Job 42:12–13].
All of the animals were doubled. But it says here, “He had also seven sons and daughters.” Someone will say, “God didn’t double them.” Yes, He did. You see, Job did not lose those sons and daughters who died. They were still his. He was yet to be with them. He is with them today.
We do not lose our loved ones in death. I have a little one up there. I used to tell people that I have two daughters, and they would look around and see only one. They would think there was something wrong with me. But, you see, I have one in heaven. Very frankly, I am not at all worried about my little one in heaven. I worry about the one on earth.
And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren [Job 42:14–15].
Now, friend, if you have quite a few daughters in your family and you are trying to think of a new name, I have a suggestion for you. Jemima would not be so good to use because there is a pancake mix sold in the United States called “Aunt Jemima.” But how about Kerenhappuch? Wouldn’t you like that for a name for a little girl? Or do you like Kezia?
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
So Job died, being old and full of days [Job 42:16–17].
We are told that after this Job lived 140 years. This puts him back in the age of the patriarchs. Even after all this had happened to him, he lived to see his sons and his sons’ sons, even four generations. When he died, he was old and full of days.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Archer, Gleason L. The Book of Job. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1982.
Blair, J. Alien. Job: Living Patiently. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1966.
Darby J.N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Ellison, H. L. A Study of Job: From Tragedy to Triumph. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.
Epp, Theodore H. Job—A Man Tried as Gold. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, n.d.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Garland, D. David. Job—A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Jensen, Irving L. Job—A Self Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
Mackintosh, C. H. Miscellaneous Writings. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1976.
Ridout, Samuel. The Book of Job. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1919. (Very fine.)
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966. (A concise commentary on the entire Bible.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
Zuck, Roy B. Job. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1978. (A fine summary—see the Everyman’s Bible Commentary series.)
The Book of
Psalms
INTRODUCTION
The title in the Hebrew means Praises or Book of Praises. The title in the Greek suggests the idea of an instrumental accompaniment. Our title comes from the Greek psalmos. It is the book of worship. It is the hymn book of the temple.
Many writers contributed one or more psalms. David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” has seventy-three psalms assigned to him. (Psalm 2 is ascribed to him in Acts 4:25; Psalm 95 is ascribed to him in Hebrews 4:7.) Also he could be the author of some of the “Orphanic” psalms. He was peculiarly endowed to write these songs from experience as well as a special aptitude. He arranged those in existence in his day for temple use. The other writers are as follows: Moses, 1 (90th); Solomon, 2; Sons of Korah, 11; Asaph, 12; Heman, 1 (88th); Ethan, 1 (89th); Hezekiah, 10; “Orphanic,” 39 (David may be the writer of some of these). There are 150 psalms.
Christ (the Messiah) is prominent throughout. The King and the kingdom are the theme songs of the Psalms.
The key word in the Book of Psalms is Hallelujah, that is, Praise the Lord. This phrase has become a Christian cliché, but it is one that should cause a swelling of great emotion in the soul. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
Psalms 50 and 150 I consider to be the key psalms. Psalm 50, a psalm of Asaph, probably tells more than any other. Psalm 150 is the hallelujah chorus—the word hallelujah occurs thirteen times in its six brief verses. It concludes the Book of Psalms and could be considered the chorus of all other psalms.
The Psalms record deep devotion, intense feeling, exalted emotion, and dark dejection. They play upon the keyboard of the human soul with all the stops pulled out. Very candidly, I feel overwhelmed when I come to this marvelous book. It is located in the very center of God’s Word. Psalm 119 is in the very center of the Word of God, and it exalts His Word.
This book has blessed the hearts of multitudes down through the ages. When I have been sick at home, or in the hospital, or when some problem is pressing upon my mind and heart, I find myself always turning to the Psalms. They always bless my heart and life. Apparently down through the ages it has been that way. Ambrose, one of the great saints of the church, said, “The Psalms are the voices of the church.” Augustine said, “They are the epitome of the whole Scripture.” Martin Luther said, “They are a little book for all saints.” John Calvin said, “They are the anatomy of all parts of the soul.” I like that.
Someone has said that there are 126 psychological experiences—I don’t know how they arrived at that number—but I do know that all of them are recorded in the Book of Psalms. It is the only book which contains every experience of a human being. The Psalms run the psychological gamut. Every thought, every impulse, every emotion that sweeps over the soul is recorded in this book. That is the reason, I suppose, that it always speaks to our hearts and finds a responsive chord wherever we turn.
Hooker said of the Psalms, “They are the choice and flower of all things profitable in other books.” Donne put it this way, “The Psalms foretell what I, what any, shall do and suffer and say.” Herd called the Psalms, “A hymn book for all time.” Watts said, “They are the thousand-voiced heart of the church.” The place Psalms have held in the lives of God’s people testifies to their universality, although they have a peculiar Jewish application. They express the deep feelings of all believing hearts in all generations.
The Psalms are full of Christ. There is a more complete picture of Him in the Psalms than in the Gospels. The Gospels tell us that He went to the mountain to pray, but the Psalms give us His prayer. The Gospels tell us that He was crucified, but the Psalms tell us what went on in His own heart during the Crucifixion. The Gospels tell us He went back to heaven, but the Psalms begin where the Gospels leave off and show us Christ seated in heaven.
Christ the Messiah is prominent throughout this book. You will remember that the Lord Jesus, when He appeared after His resurrection to those who were His own, said to them, “… These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44). Christ is the subject of the Psalms. I think He is the object of praise in every one of them. I will not be able to locate Him in all of them, but that does not mean that He is not in each psalm; it only means that Vernon McGee is limited. Although all of them have Christ as the object of worship, some are technically called messianic psalms. These record the birth, life, death, resurrection, glory, priesthood, kingship, and return of Christ. There are sixteen messianic psalms that speak specifically about Christ, but as I have already said, all 150 of them are about Him. The book of Psalms is a hymn book and a HIM book—it is all about Him. As we study it, that fact will become very clear.
In a more restrictive sense, the Psalms deal with Christ belonging to Israel and Israel belonging to Christ. Both themes are connected to the rebellion of man. There is no blessing on this earth until Israel and Christ are brought together. The Psalms are Jewish in expectation and hope. They are songs which were adapted to temple worship. That does not mean, however, that they do not have a spiritual application and interpretation for us today. They certainly do. I probably turn to them more than to any other portion of the Word of God, but we need to be a little more exacting in our interpretation of the Psalms. For example, God is not spoken of as a Father in this book. The saints are not called sons. In the Psalms He is God the Father, not the Father God. The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit and the blessed hope of the New Testament are not in this book. Failure to recognize this has led many people astray in their interpretation of Psalm 2. The reference in this song is not to the rapture of the church but to the second coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom and to reign in Jerusalem.
The imprecatory psalms have caused the most criticism because of their vindictiveness and prayers for judgment. These psalms came from a time of war and from a people who under law were looking for justice and peace on earth. My friend, you cannot have peace without putting down unrighteousness and rebellion. Apparently God intends to do just that, and He makes no apology for it. In His own time He will move in judgment upon this earth. In the New Testament the Christian is told to love his enemies, and it may startle you to read prayers in the Psalms that say some very harsh things about the enemy. But judgment is to bring justice upon this earth. Also there are psalms that anticipate the period when Antichrist will be in power. We have no reasonable basis to dictate how people should act or what they should pray under such circumstances.
Other types of psalms include the penitential, historic, nature, pilgrim, Hallel, missionary, puritan, acrostic, and praise of God’s Word. This is a rich section we are coming to. We are going to mine for gold and diamonds here, my friend.
The Book of Psalms is not arranged in a haphazard sort of way. Some folk seem to think that the Psalms were dropped into a tub, shaken up, then put together with no arrangement. However, it is interesting to note that one psalm will state a principle, then there will follow several psalms that will be explanatory. Psalms 1–8 are an example of this.
The Book of Psalms is arranged in an orderly manner. In fact, it has been noted for years that the Book of Psalms is arranged and corresponds to the Pentateuch of Moses. There are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy sections, as you will see in the outline which follows.
The correspondence between the Psalms and the Pentateuch is easily seen. For instance, in the Genesis section you see the perfect man in a state of blessedness, as in Psalm 1. Next you have the fall and recovery of man in view. Psalm 2 pictures the rebellious man. In Psalm 3 is the perfect man rejected. In Psalm 4 we see the conflict between the seed of the woman and the serpent. In Psalm 5 we find the perfect man in the midst of enemies. Psalm 6 presents the perfect man in the midst of chastisement with the bruising of his heel. In Psalm 7 we see the perfect man in the midst of false witnesses. Finally, in Psalm 8 we see the salvation of man coming through the bruising of the head. In Psalms 9–15 we see the enemy and Antichrist conflict and the final deliverance. Then in Psalms 16–41 we see Christ in the midst of His people sanctifying them to God. All of this will be seen as we go through the Book of Psalms.
Spurgeon said, “The Book of Psalms instructs us in the use of wings as well as words. It sets us both mounting and singing.” This is the book that may make a skylark out of you instead of some other kind of a bird. This book has been called the epitome and anatomy of the soul. It has also been designated as the garden of the Scriptures. Out of 219 quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament, 116 of them are from the Psalms. You will see 150 spiritual songs which undoubtedly at one time were all set to music. This is a book which ought to make our hearts sing.
OUTLINE
I. Genesis Section, Psalms 1–41 Man seen in a state of blessedness, fall, and recovery (Man in View)
A. Perfect Man (Last Adam), Psalm 1
B. Rebellious Man, Psalm 2
C. Perfect Man Rejected, Psalm 3
D. Conflict between Seed of Woman and Serpent, Psalm 4
E. Perfect Man in Midst of Enemies, Psalm 5
F. Perfect Man in Midst of Chastisement (Bruising Heel), Psalm 6
G. Perfect Man in Midst of False Witnesses, Psalm 7
H. Repair of Man Comes through Man (Bruising Head), Psalm 8
I. Enemy and Antichrist Conflict; Final Deliverance, Psalms 9–15
J. Christ in Midst of His People Sanctifying Them to God, Psalms 16–41
II. Exodus Section, Psalms 42–72 Ruin and Redemption (Israel in View)
A. Israel’s Ruin, Psalms 42–49
B. Israel’s Redeemer, Psalms 50–60
C. Israel’s Redemption, Psalms 61–72
III. Leviticus Section, Psalms 73–89 Darkness and dawn (Sanctuary in View) Tabernacle, temple, house, assembly and congregation in almost every psalm.
IV. Numbers Section, Psalms 90–106 Peril and protection (Earth in View)
V. Deuteronomy Section, Psalms 107–150 Perfection and praise of the Word of God
PSALM 1
Theme: Two men, two ways, two destinies
This is the psalm which opens the Genesis section. It begins with man instead of the material universe. This psalm talks about the blessed man, or the happy man. The blessed man is contrasted to the ungodly. It is also a picture of Christ, the last Adam, in the midst of ungodly sinners and the scornful. We sometimes think of the Lord as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and for some strange reason many of the pictures that have been painted of Him reveal Him as a very sad-looking individual. It is true that Isaiah says He is a Man of Sorrows, but why don’t you read on? In Isaiah you will find that Christ did not have any sorrows and griefs of His own. Isaiah 53:4 says, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” It was our griefs, not His own, that He was carrying. He was the happy Christ. This is a picture of Him.
PRACTICE OF THE BLESSED MAN
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful [Ps. 1:1].
This verse states the practice of the blessed man. A little bit further in this psalm we will see the power of the blessed man, and finally his permanency. In this first verse we see the negative side of the practice of the blessed man. We are told what the happy man does not do. Here we see three positions or postures. Blessed is the man, or happy is the man, who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. The person who does these things is not a happy person. He goes through three stages. First he associates with the ungodly, then he gets in with sinners, and finally he joins in with the scornful.
There is definitely regression, deterioration, and degeneration here. The blessed man does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Counsel means “advice.” He does not listen to the ungodly. Have you ever noticed that even the Lord Jesus never referred to His own reason or His own mind as the basis for a decision? Whatever He did was based on the will of God. He never said to His disciples, “Fellows, we are going into Galilee again. I have been thinking this over, and I am smarter than you fellows, and I think this is the best thing to do according to my point of view.” That is not the way He approached His disciples. He always said, “I am going to Jerusalem because it is the will of my Father.” He spent time with His Father and knew what His will was and moved into certain areas on that basis.
My friend, it is one thing to listen to counsel, and good counsel is fine, but certainly not the counsel of the ungodly. We are to walk by faith. Listening to the counsel of the ungodly is not walking by faith. Who are the ungodly? They are the people who just leave God out. There is no fear of God before their eyes. They live as though God does not exist. Around us today are multitudes of people like this. They get up in the morning, never turn to God in prayer, never thank Him for the food they eat or for life or health. They just keep moving right along, living it up. They are ungodly—they just leave God out.
The ungodly counsels the man, and now we find him standing in the way of sinners. It is the sinner who takes him from there. Sin means to “miss the mark.” They don’t quite live as they should. They are the ones the Scripture speaks of when it says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). Again the Scriptures say, “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes …” (Prov. 16:2). The sinner may think he is all right, but he is a sinner God’s Word says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts…” (Isa. 55:7). Also it says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). The Father laid on the Lord Jesus all the weight of our guilt. We are sinners. That’s our picture.
The next step down from standing in the way of sinners is sitting in the seat of the scornful. The scorners are atheists. Now the sinner gets the young man to sit down. We are told that the third stage is that he sits in the seat of the scornful. The scornful is the atheist. He not only denies God, but he exhibits an antagonism and a hatred of God. This we see on every hand today. The scornful—they’re the ones who are absolutely opposed to God. They don’t want the Bible read in the public schools; they don’t want it read anywhere for that matter. They deny the Word of God. May I say to you that there is nothing lower than to deny God. The drunkard in the gutter today is not nearly as low as the man who is denying God. And if you want to know God’s attitude, here it is: “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly” (Prov. 3:34). God is opposed to the scornful, and He will scorn them. That’s a very frightful picture, by the way, presented here.
Now this is the negative side. This is what the happy man does not do. In the next verse we see what the happy man does do.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night [Ps. 1:2].
You remember our Lord told about a man possessed with a demon, and when the demon went out of him the man cleaned up his life. He was swept and garnished—he had a new paint job. He was all cleaned up and he thought he was all right. But that demon still owned him. The demon wandered around, got tired of traveling, and returned. When he came back he brought some friends with him—seven other spirits more wicked than himself. And we’re told that the last estate of the man was worse than the first. Many folk think that if they clean up their lives a little, that is all that is necessary. But notice, “his delight is in the law of the Lord.” The delight of God’s man is in the law of the Lord. In other words, he finds joy in the Word of God. I wish I could get the message over to folk that the Bible is a thrilling Book. It’s not a burden; it’s not boring. It is real delight to read and study the Word of God. Blessed is the man—happy is the man—whose delight is in the law of the Lord. Today the tragedy that has come to man—the tear, the sigh, the groaning, the heartache, the heartbreak, the broken homes, the ruined and wrecked lives—are the result of God’s broken laws. The Word of God makes it very clear. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:3). His commandments for believers today are not only the Ten Commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
The idea that being saved by grace means that you can be lawless and live as you please is not the picture given to us in the Word of God. We are not to be lawless. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). Liberty is not license by any means. Of course we don’t keep the Ten Commandments to be saved, but that doesn’t mean we are to break them. It means, my friend, that you cannot measure up to God’s law. He demands perfection, and you and I don’t have it. We have to come to God by faith. After we are saved by faith, we are to live on a higher plane than the law. We are to have in our lives the fruit of the Spirit, which is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. We have the discipline and guidance of grace.
“His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate.” Meditate is a very figurative word. It pictures a cow chewing her cud. I’m told that the cow has several compartments in her tummy. She can go out in the morning, graze on the grass when the dew is on it in the cool of the day. Then when it gets hot in the middle of the day, she lies down under a tree and begins to chew the cud. She moves the grass she had in the morning back up and now she masticates it, she goes over it again. That is what we do when we meditate. We go over what we have read. Thomas a Kempis put it rather quaintly: “I have no rest, but in a nook, with the Book.” Way back in 1688 Bartholomew Ashwood said, “Meditation chews the cud.” My, how that is needed today in the lives of believers. Remember that James spoke of the man who beholds his natural face in a mirror, then “… straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:24). We are to meditate on the Word of God (which is God’s mirror that shows us what we really are). We are to allow the Word to shape our lives.
“And in his law doth he meditate day and night.” My friend, God has no plan or program by which you are to grow and develop as a believer apart from His Word. You can become as busy as a termite in your church (and possibly with the same effect as a termite), but you won’t grow by means of activity. You will grow by meditating upon the Word of God—that is, by going over it again and again in your thinking until it becomes a part of your life. This is the practice of the happy man.
POWER OF THE BLESSED MAN
Where does he get his power?
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper [Ps. 1:3].
The happy man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. The word rivers is the superlative in the Hebrew; it is a hyperbole for abundance. The blessed man is planted, given plenty of water, and becomes a tree. God’s trees are “planted” trees. They are not wild-growing trees by any means. I think this picture refers to being born again. Isaiah 61:3 says, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” God does not use wild-grown trees. His trees are born again, taken up and set out in God’s garden—set out by the rivers of water.
What does “rivers of water” mean? That is the Word of God. Somebody asks, “Are you sure about that?” Oh, I know it, because Isaiah 55:10–11 tells me, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God wants His Word to come down like rain. The radio is a fine way to do this—it scatters God’s Word everywhere. We are to get out the Word of God. And it will produce something—it will cause trees to grow.
It provides drink and sustenance. It is also cleansing, and you can see this washing of water with the Word expressed by the psalmist in Psalm 104:16, which says, “The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted.” Now the psalmist does not say that God’s trees are saps, he says that they are full of sap. That “sap” is the Word of God—the trees of Lebanon which He has planted are full of the Word of God.
Each tree “bringeth forth his fruit in his season.” It is interesting to note that God’s trees don’t bring forth fruit all of the time. They bring forth in their season, and the power is in the Word of God. I have heard the statement made in this day of activity and nervous action that the primary business of a Christian is soul-winning. I disagree with that. The Word of God does not say it. Second Corinthians 2:14–16 says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” Well, I am not, but I do know this: I am called to give out the Word of God. It is the business of the Holy Spirit to bring people to Christ. We are experiencing multitudes of people coming to Christ through our radio program. I am amazed at it, but we don’t do it. We just give out the Word of God, and when we do, our God causes us to triumph. Suppose nobody accepted Christ? Then we are a savour of life to those who are saved and a savour of death to those who perish. My responsibility is to give you the Word of God, and it is your responsibility to do something about it. When I was a pastor, I used to tell folk when I gave an invitation to receive Christ, “If you leave here unsaved, it’s too bad because you can’t go into God’s presence saying you had not heard the gospel. I really have become your enemy because you cannot tell God that you had never heard His Word.” It is your business to give it to the unsaved, my friend, and it is his business what he does with it. But he will have to be accountable to God. God tells us to get out the Word of God, and that is what I’ve been trying to do for many years. Some are saved, and some are not saved.
At Dr. George Truett’s fiftieth anniversary as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, a very prominent lawyer came up to him after the morning service. He said, “George, you and I came to Dallas in the early days, in the horse-and-buggy days. I want to make a confession to you. As a young lawyer, I used to come in to hear you. You were a young preacher in those days, but you disturbed me. Many a time I went home after a Sunday night service and I couldn’t sleep.” But he said, “George, today you have become the greatest preacher in America, but I can sit and listen to you now, and you don’t bother me at all.” And he laughed and walked away.
I’d hate to be that lawyer. As brilliant as he is, he won’t have much of a case to offer when he stands before Christ someday because he happened to have listened to one of the greatest preachers America ever produced. Dr. Truett was called the prince of the pulpit. For fifty years that lawyer listened to him. And at the end of fifty years he said, “You don’t bother me at all.” But Dr. Truett had discharged his responsibility.
The primary business of a Christian is not soul-winning, but getting out the Word of God, my friend. It “bringeth forth his fruit in his season.” There is a time to get fruit. I have a little tangerine tree that overdid itself one year. It was loaded with tangerines. I know I picked two bushels off that tree, and there still were two more bushels there. But a month later there wasn’t one tangerine on that tree. It only brings forth its fruit in its season. There is a season for fruitbearing. That is the reason there ought to be a long time of preparation, of sowing seed, of helping it to fructify. Just to hand out a tract here and there may have its value, but, my friend, we are in the business of giving out the living Word of God, and it needs to be tended. It takes time and care because fruit comes forth only at the right season.
He also says: “His leaf also shall not wither.” Now the leaf is the outward testimony of the Christian. That is something that should be out all the time. God’s trees are evergreens—they never lose their testimony. A friend of mine, while taking a course at a seminary in New York one summer, went to one of those famous churches in New York City one Sunday. He said, “I walked down on Sunday morning to this great church and saw over the entrance, carved in stone, these words: The Gate of Heaven. Then I saw underneath it a temporary sign: Closed During July and August.” Too often this happens in the lives of individual believers, but it should not, my friend. You are always an evergreen. Your leaf is the outward testimony that you have in this world for Christ. All God’s children are evergreens.
In addition to this he says, “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Back in the Old Testament God promised material blessings to His own. Those blessings are not promised to the believer today. If you have them, you can thank Him for more than He has promised. John Trapp put it like this: “Outward prosperity, if it follows close walking with God, is sweet. As the cipher when it follows a figure adds to the number, though it be nothing by itself.” The important thing is to have Christ. That’s number one. All material blessings are zero. If you don’t have One before your zeroes, you have only a goose egg, friend. But if you put that One, who is Christ, before your material blessings, then you are blessed indeed. But remember that He has not promised material blessings in this age.
PERMANENCY OF THE BLESSED MAN
Notice the insecurity of the ungodly.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous [Ps. 1:4–5].
Two men, two ways, two destinies. One is a dead-end street; it leads to death. The other leads to life. God says what is right and what is wrong. We are living in a day when folk are not sure what is right or wrong. God is sure. His Word does not change with every philosophy of a new generation.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish [Ps. 1:6].
Perish simply means “lost.” It is a word of finality, if you please. The wicked are going to perish; Proverbs 10:28 tells us: “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” We are admonished: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13–14). The wide, broad way is like a funnel in that you enter at the big end and, as you continue, it becomes narrower and narrower and finally leads to death. You enter the narrow way by Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. As you continue, the way becomes broader and broader; and this way leads to life. In John 10:10 Christ says, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” What a glorious picture of the blessed and happy man is presented in the first psalm!
PSALM 2
Theme: Drama of the ages—man’s rebellion against God
A noticeable feature in the Book of Psalms is the systematic arrangement. The first psalm presents the perfect man, the happy man. (And I believe it pictures the Lord Jesus Christ as the last Adam.) Now in contrast to the perfect man, the blessed man in Psalm 1, we see the rebellious man in Psalm 2. We call this the Genesis section of the Book of Psalms, and the parallel is striking. Genesis begins with the perfect man, the happy man, in the Garden of Eden. But he became the rebellious man who ran away from God, was no longer seeking Him, who had no capacity for Him. Now here in Psalm 2 we find the children of Adam—mankind.
Psalm 2 has been called the drama of the ages. It contains a decisive declaration concerning the outcome of events and forces that are in the world today. This psalm is divided more like a television program than a play. It is presented as if there were a camera on earth and one in heaven. We experienced something like this when we were treated to on-the-spot moon exploration by camera. It was quite exciting and dramatic.
When we come to the second psalm we find that the Spirit of God uses two cameras in a dramatic way beyond the imagination of man. First, the camera on earth comes on, and when it does, we hear the voices of the masses. We hear little man speaking his little piece and playing his part—as Shakespeare puts it, “A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage” of life. Little man. Then the camera on earth goes off, the camera in heaven comes on, and we hear God the Father speak. After He speaks, the camera shifts to His right hand, and God the Son speaks His part. Then the camera in heaven goes off, the camera on earth comes on again, and God the Holy Spirit has the last word.
CAMERA FOCUS: MANKIND
Now let’s watch this presentation. First, the camera on earth comes on, and we see mankind. He is put before us here in the first verse with this question:
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [Ps. 2:1].
Why do the heathen (Gentiles) rage, and the people (Jews) imagine a vain thing? The word vain here means “empty.” It means that this which has so enraged the Gentiles, and which has brought together mankind in a great mass movement, a great protest movement, will never be fulfilled, will never be accomplished. It is an empty, futile thing that has brought mankind together.
Well, what is it?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying [Ps. 2:2].
“The kings of the earth set themselves” are the political rulers, “and the rulers take counsel together” are the religious rulers. Not only do you have the masses of mankind in this protest movement, but also the establishment has joined in with it. Here are the rulers, both religious and political, joining together.
Now what is it they are protesting? Whom are they against? “Against the Lord, and against his anointed.” The word anointed here means “Messiah”—that is what it is in Hebrew. When the word is brought over in the Greek New Testament it is Christos, and in English “Christ.” Here is a great worldwide movement that is against God and against Christ.
Now when did this movement begin? Scripture lets us know about this. Over in the fourth chapter of the Book of Acts, when the first persecution broke out against the church, we’re told that the apostles, Peter and John, after they had been threatened, returned back to the church to give their report: “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God …” (Acts 4:24).
We need to pause here just a moment because this is one of the things the church is not sure about today: “Lord, thou art God.” Many people are not sure He is God. They wonder. The early church had no misgivings or questions.
“… Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?” (Acts 4:24–25). As you can see, they were quoting Psalm 2. “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ” (Acts. 4:26). Now this is the Holy Spirit’s interpretation: “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together” (Acts 4:27). Here is this movement, beginning, we are told by the Holy Spirit, back yonder when Pilate joined up with the religious rulers and Herod in order to put Jesus to death. This is a movement against God and Christ. It has been snowballing as it has come down through the centuries, and it will break out finally in a worldwide revolution against God and against Christ.
Now somebody says to me, “You really don’t think the world is moving in that direction, do you?” May I say to you, I think it is. Someone comes to me and asks, “Dr. McGee, do you think the world is getting better?” I say, “Yes, I do.” Somebody else comes and says, “Dr. McGee, don’t you think the world is getting worse?” I say, “Yes, I do.” “Well,” you may say, “what in the world are you trying to do? Go with both crowds?” No, both are true. That is the same thing the Lord Jesus said in His parable of the tares (Matt. 13:24–39). The Lord Jesus said that He Himself is the sower and that He is sowing seed in the world. Then He said an enemy came in and sowed tares. The servants wanted to go in and pull up the tares. When I entered the ministry that is what I wanted to do. I was the best puller-upper of tares you’ve ever seen. But I soon found out that we’re not called to pull up tares (I sure found that out the hard way!). That is the reason I don’t try to straighten out anybody else. I’m having enough trouble with Vernon McGee, so I don’t worry about the others. He will take care of them. But what He said was that the wheat is growing, the tares are growing, they are both growing together, and He will do the separating. He will take care of that.
Today the good is growing. Did you know that there is more Bible teaching going out today than in any period in the history of the world? We brag about the few radio stations that carry our Bible study, but other radio programs have been giving out the Word lots longer than we have. Across this land are many radio stations that are dedicated to the ministry of broadcasting the Word of God. The Word is going out today through many more avenues than it has ever gone out before. The wheat is growing. But I want to tell you, brother, the tares are growing also. Evil is growing. There is an opposition against God and Christ today that is unbelievable. I could give you many incidents of the enmity that I’ve encountered.
Somebody says, “I just can’t quite buy that. I believe that over there on the other side of the Iron Curtain atheism is growing, but not on this side.” Well, it is growing on the other side, and it is rather amazing. Did you know that you and I have seen in our lifetime (those of you who are as old as I am) a nation appear whose basic philosophy, basic political economy, is atheism? There has been nothing like that in the past. No nation of the ancient world, that great pagan world of the past, was atheistic. Not one. Somebody says, “I thought they were.” No, they were the opposite. They were polytheistic. They worshiped many gods. None was atheistic. You see, they were too close to the mooring mast of revelation. Noah knew a man who knew Adam. When you are that close to it, you do not deny God. In Noah’s day the world was filled with violence, but there wasn’t an atheist in the crowd. When God gave the Ten Commandments, He didn’t give any one of them against atheism. He gave two against polytheism: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exod. 20:3–4). He gave these two commandments against polytheism, none against atheism. Why? There were no atheists.
Now when you get to the time of David, you meet atheists, and there were a great many atheists by that time. David labels them, though. He says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God …” (Ps. 14:1). The word fool in the Hebrew means “insane.” The insane, the nutty individual, is the one who is the atheist. Of course he may be a Ph.D. in a university. The Bible says he is insane. It is insane for a man to say there is no God.
There is, I believe, as much opposition to Jesus Christ on this side of the Iron Curtain as there is on the other side of the Iron Curtain today. I believe that with all my heart. Somebody says, “Wait a minute. I hear many talk about Jesus, and how wonderful Jesus is.” Have you ever stopped to think that the Jesus of liberalism, the Jesus the world thinks of, actually never ived? The Jesus of the Bible and the Jesus of liberalism are two different individuals. And the Jesus of liberalism never lived at all.
Let me give you an example of what I mean. For many years when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles the leading liberal in this country pastored a church nearby. Actually I had great respect for him because he was one liberal who was honest. For instance, he would just come out and say he did not believe in the virgin birth. And if you don’t believe it, I’d like for you to say it and not beat around the bush. He had a question-and-answer program on radio, I had a question-and-answer program on radio, and listeners would feed questions to both of us to set us in opposition. Every year we went through that same little ritual during the Christmas season. I always enjoyed it. So one time we both were invited to a banquet, and (I think it was done purposely) we were seated together. I got there first and sat down. I saw his name there. In a minute he came in. I felt somebody put his arm around me and say, “You know, Brother McGee, you and I ought to be much closer together. We preach the same Jesus,” and he sat down. I said to him, “Are you sure we preach the same Jesus?” “Oh, don’t we?” “I don’t think so. Let me ask you some questions. Was the Jesus you preach virgin born?” “Of course not.” “Well, the one I preach is virgin born. The Jesus you preach—did He perform miracles?” “I do not believe in miracles.” “Well, the Jesus I preach performed miracles. The Jesus you preach—did He die on a cross for the sins of the world?” “Of course He died on a cross, but not for the sins of the world.” “The Jesus I preach died a substitutionary, vicarious death for the sins of man. Do you believe that Jesus rose bodily?” “Oh, no, of course not.” “Obviously then, you and I are not preaching about the same Jesus. Now I want to ask you a question.” You see, these liberal men have called some of us fundamentalists “intellectual obscurantists.” (Now whatever that is, it’s terrible!) So I said to him, “Look, what are the documents or where are the documents for the Jesus you preach?” He laughed, just laughed and passed it off. “Of course we don’t have any.” “Now isn’t that interesting. We have documents for the Jesus we preach, and you don’t—yet you call us intellectual obscurantists. I’d like to know who is an intellectual obscurantist!”
May I say to you, my friend, the Jesus that the world believes in today doesn’t even exist. He never lived. The Jesus we preach is the Jesus of the Bible, and that is the One against whom there is opposition in the world today. There is a tremendous build-up, a mighty crescendo of opposition against God and against Christ in this day in which we live.
Now how does it manifest itself? Exactly as He said it would. Notice again the second psalm. Hear what they are saying:
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us [Ps. 2:3].
What are some of the bands God has put on the human family? Marriage is one. God has made marriage for the welfare of mankind. Whether you are a Christian or not, God has given marriage to mankind. Today they not only want to get rid of it; they are getting rid of it. I was rather shocked two or three years ago. (I’m a square. I’m not really keeping up with it today, so I don’t follow along in the way they are going in this modern thinking, relative to God, relative to man, and relative to the Word of God.) So I was startled at a young people’s conference when the sweetest little girl got up in our question-and-answer period and said, “Dr. McGee, why does a young couple have to get married if they love each other? Why can’t they just start living together?” God gave marriage, and God intends for it to be followed. But they say, “Let’s break their bands asunder.”
Also, “Let’s cast away their cords from us.” The Ten Commandments are cords. When somebody accuses me of saying that we don’t need the Ten Commandments, they are wrong. We are not saved by keeping them—I tried it, and it won’t work—but I’ll say this: God gave them, and He gave them to protect mankind. They are thrown out the door today, and right now we are experiencing lawlessness in this country because of the fact that crime is not being punished. There has been a terrible toll of lives that would not have been sacrificed had laws been enforced. You see, we are living in a day when the prevailing philosophy is “Let us break their bands asunder, let’s cast away their cords from us. We want to be free and do as we please.” God says we can’t make it that way. It won’t work. We’ve got old evil natures that need to be restrained. But mankind is moving toward getting rid of all restraints today.
It is disturbing as we look at this world in which we are living. In the political world there is confusion. In the moral realm there is corruption. In the spiritual sphere there is compromise and indifference. And in the social sphere there is comfort. This affluent society never had it so easy, and their goal is to make it easier. We are living in that kind of a day. It is disturbing, and I’ll be honest with you, I do worry about it a little.
CAMERA FOCUS: GOD THE FATHER
The question arises, How doesGodfeel about this?
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision [Ps. 2:4].
What kind of laughter is this? Let me say at the outset that it is not the laughter of humor. He is not being funny.
Do not misunderstand me—there is humor in the Bible. The devil has really hit a home run by making people think that going to church is quite an ordeal. We are living in a day when folk think you can’t have fun in church. I think the Bible is full of humor. Those of you who study with us through the Bible know we find a lot of it. There used to be a dear maiden lady at a church I served who never found any humor in the Bible. When I gave a message which cited some humorous incident, she used to come down, shake a bony finger under my nose and say, “Dr. McGee, you are being irreverent to find humor in the Bible.” I said to her, “Don’t you wish you could?” She’s gone now to be with the Lord, and I certainly hope she’s had a good laugh since she has been there because she has gone to the place where she can have a good time. She needs to have a good time—she never had one down here. There are too many Christians like that today. My friend, it is going to be thrilling to be with Him some day. We’re going to have a wonderful time with Him. It’s going to be fun, and I’m looking forward to that. God has a sense of humor, and there is humor in His Word.
“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh …” Since this is not the laughter of humor, what is it? Well, look at it from God’s viewpoint—little man down there parading up and down, shaking his midget fist in Heaven’s face and saying, “Come on out and fight me! I’m against you.” God looks down at the puny little creature. It’s utterly preposterous. It is so ridiculous! He looks down and laughs. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” It is so utterly ridiculous, my friend. Little men putting themselves in opposition to God won’t be around very long. Mussolini did a lot of talking, and we haven’t heard from him lately. Stalin did the same thing, and he is gone. Little man plays his brief role here on the stage of life, then his part is over. How ridiculous and preposterous for him to oppose God!
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure [Ps. 2:5].
This is the judgment that is coming upon this earth.
What effect will man’s opposition have upon God’s program? God is going forward to the accomplishment of His purpose. What little man does down here won’t deter Him, detour Him, or defer Him at all. God did not read something in the morning paper that He didn’t already know about. There is nothing that has surprised Him at all. He is moving according to His purpose. He has, I believe, a twofold purpose in this world. I think He has a heavenly purpose; I think He has an earthly purpose. Right now He is working on His heavenly purpose. The writer to the Hebrews expresses this: it is “… bringing many sons unto glory …” (Heb. 2:10). God today is calling out of this world a people to His name. That is His present purpose. However, God has another purpose, and it is stated here:
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion [Ps. 2:6].
God is moving forward today undeviatingly, unhesitatingly, uncompromisingly to the establishment of that throne on which Jesus Christ will sit on this earth. I hear folk say, “If the Lord delay His coming.” Where in the world did that idea come from? He is not delaying anything. He is going to come on schedule—His schedule, not mine, because I don’t know when He is coming. He is running on schedule and nothing will stop Him, nothing can cause Him to change His plan.
CAMERA FOCUS: GOD THE SON
Now the camera in heaven shifts to God the Son on His right hand. God the Son speaks, “I will declare the decree.” Those of you who have studied theology know that the Lord Jesus executes all the decrees of God.
I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee [Ps. 2:7].
This is a verse that the Jehovah Witnesses use a great deal. I wish they would listen long enough to find out what it means. It would help them a great deal to find it has no reference to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ—which they would see if only they would turn to the New Testament and let the Spirit of God interpret. This verse was quoted by the apostle Paul when he preached in Antioch of Pisidia. This was, I believe, one of his greatest sermons; and he was talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ: “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee” (Acts 13:33).
The reference in the second psalm is not to the birth of Jesus. He never was begotten in the sense of having a beginning. Rather, this is in reference to His resurrection. Christ was begotten out of Joseph’s tomb. Jesus is the eternal Son of God, and God is the eternal Father. You cannot have an eternal Father without having an eternal Son. They were this throughout eternity. This is their position in the Trinity. It hasn’t anything to do with someone being born, but it does have something to do with someone being begotten from the dead. It has to do with resurrection. I’m afraid the Jehovah’s Witnesses have not heard this, but they could find, with a little honest searching, that the New Testament makes it very clear Jesus Christ is not a creature. He is the theanthropic Person. He is the God-man. Psalm 2:7 sustains this doctrine. God the Father continues:
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession [Ps. 2:8].
The scepter of this universe will be held by a Man with nail-pierced hands. He is the One who is yet to rule.
This verse is often used in missionary conferences. I suppose I have heard a dozen sermons on missions using this verse of Scripture—and probably you have—but it ought never go to a missionary conference. It hasn’t anything to do with missions. I remember listening to a graduate of Union Seminary in New York City bring a missionary message using this verse. I was then a student in seminary. As a student I did something that was very impolite, very rude. I think I’ve got more sense than to do it today. I went up to him after he had preached the message, and I asked, “Doctor, why didn’t you use the next verse?” He acted as if he didn’t hear me, although I am sure he did, and began talking with somebody there. I said to him the second time, “Doctor, why didn’t you use the next verse?” This time he turned his back on me, and just ignored me. Well, I should have left, but I didn’t. I walked around in front, and I said to him, “Doctor, why didn’t you use the next verse?” He looked me right straight in the eye and said, “Because it would have ruined a missionary sermon.” And it sure would have!
Notice the next verse, the verse that follows it:
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel [Ps. 2:9].
Do you think this is the gospel of the grace of God we are to preach today? It is not. This passage hasn’t any reference to Christ’s first coming. This speaks of His second coming, when He comes to this earth to judge.
This is the way He will come the second time—to judge the earth. He has not asked me to apologize for Him, so I won’t apologize. He says that He intends to come to this little planet and put down the rebellion that has broken out—and He will break them with the rod of iron. Maybe you don’t like that. Well, you take it up with Him. He said it, and He is going to do it just that way.
Now I have a question to ask you, if you think He ought to do it the way some of our political leaders are suggesting. Suppose Jesus came back to this earth tomorrow, like He came some two thousand years ago, the man of Galilee, the carpenter of Nazareth, the gentle Jesus. Suppose He went to the Kremlin and knocked at the door. Whoever keeps the store over there would come and say, “Yes?” He would say, “I’m Jesus. I’m here to take over.” Do you think they would say, “My, we have been waiting for you”? No, they’d put Him before a firing squad in the morning. My friend, how do you think He could take over if He came to Russia today? He would have to break them with a rod of iron, would He not? Apparently that is what He is going to do. Now suppose He goes to France. They don’t want Him. Suppose He went down to Rome. I was there just a few weeks ago. I went over the Tiber and listened to a man speak. Although I could not understand what he was saying, I was told that he was telling the world how they ought to do it. He would like to take over. Suppose our Lord would go and knock on the door of the Vatican. The man with the long garment would come to the door, and the Lord Jesus would say, “I’m here to take over.” What do you think he would say? I think he would say, “Now look, You’ve come a little too soon. I’m having trouble with some of my priests, but I’m going to work that out. I don’t need You.” I don’t think he would want Him. Suppose He came to this country. Suppose He went to the Democratic headquarters, or the Republican headquarters, and said, “I’m here to take over.” They would say, “We’re getting ready for a presidential campaign, we’ve already got our candidates; we don’t need You.” Now maybe you think their reaction would be different. Maybe you are saying, “Oh, they would take Him.” Then why don’t they take Him? They will not because they won’t have Him! Suppose He went to the World Council of Churches today, and He said to Protestantism, “I’m here.” Would they receive Him? Then why don’t they receive Him today? When He comes the second time He will come exactly as God said: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” He intends to put down the rebellion when He comes to this earth the next time. Oh, my friend, this namby-pamby way of thinking that our God is not going to judge! You and I are living in a world that is moving to judgment day, and God is going to judge.
CAMERA FOCUS: GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The camera in heaven goes off. The camera on earth comes on. Now God the Holy Spirit speaks:
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling [Ps. 2:10–11].
One of the most startling things I have encountered in studying the Bible the past few years is a little thing like this: God, in the history of this world, has always gotten a message to the rulers of this world. Always. No exception. Down yonder in the land of ancient Egypt, there was a Pharaoh on the throne, and there was boy Joseph in prison. God kept him in prison so that at the right moment He could bring him out to make him the prime minister of Pharaoh at one of the most crucial periods in the history of the world. That is the way God does it. Down yonder when the first great world power, Babylon, came into existence, God put the man Daniel at the side of Nebuchadnezzar. He not only became his prime minister, but also he brought him to a saving knowledge of the living God. And God kept him there until Cyrus, the Persian, came to the throne. And Cyrus even made his decree in the name of the living God. Napoleon said that he was a man of destiny, that he was told God had raised him up. It is interesting how God has gotten His Word to the rulers of this earth and to those who are in high places. God the Holy Spirit says to the rulers: “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”
Also He says:
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him [Ps. 2:12].
The late Dr. George Gill used to tell us in class, “ ‘Kiss the Son’ is the Old Testament way of saying, ‘… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …’ (Acts 16:31).” “Kiss the Son.”
Do you remember who kissed Him? Have you ever noted what our Lord said to Judas after he kissed Him? The theologians today argue about predestination and election and predetermination and foreknowledge, and that this man Judas could not help what he did since it had been prophesied he would do it. Now I’m going to let the theologians handle that. I’m just a poor preacher who doesn’t know very much; so I stay away from those problems and let the theologians solve them. However, after I listen to them awhile I have a sneaking feeling they haven’t solved them. Notice what the Bible says, and it is well to listen to the Bible rather than to the theologians. Remember at Jesus’ betrayal when Judas led the mob out to apprehend Jesus in the garden, he said, “I’ll identify him for you by kissing Him.” So he came to Jesus and kissed Him. Have you noted what Jesus said to him? “And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? …” (Matt. 26:50). Why did He say that? Didn’t He know why Judas had kissed Him? Of course He did. Then why did He call him friend? What did He mean? Let me suggest this. “Judas, you have just kissed Me, which has fulfilled prophecy, and has satisfied all the theologians who are going to come along. Now you are free to turn and accept Me, free to turn that kiss of betrayal into a kiss of acceptance. You can do that, Judas. You are a free moral agent.” And the Spirit of God says, “Kiss the Son. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
My friend, the Spirit of God today is in the world saying to mankind, “Kiss the Son before it is too late. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ before it is too late.” He is coming some day, and He is going to establish His kingdom here upon this earth. He is going to rule, and He is going to put down all rebellion. He will bring peace and harmony to this little earth.
When I first went to Nashville, Tennessee, as a pastor, some friends, thinking they were doing me a favor, called me and said, “We have tickets for the symphony orchestra that’s coming to town, and we want to take you as our guest.” Well, I love music, but I know nothing about it; and I can’t sing it—I always help congregational singing by keeping quiet. Frankly, I can’t think of anything more boring than a whole evening of symphony! But I had to go because they were polite and I wanted to be polite, so I accepted graciously and went along. I had never been to a thing like that before, and I was impressed by what I saw. We went in, took our seats, and in a few moments the musicians began to drift out from the stage sides. They were in shirt sleeves for the most part, and each man went up to his instrument and started tuning it. The fellows with the fiddles too big to put under their chins sawed back and forth—oh, it sounded terrible. The fellows with the little ones they put under their chins squeaked up and down with those. The ones with the horns—oh my, nothing was in harmony. It was a medley of discordant, confused noise. Then after they got through with that kind of disturbance, they all disappeared again—went out through the wings. Another five minutes went by, when all of a sudden the lights in the auditorium went off, the lights on the platform came on, and the musicians walked out. This time they had on their coats. My, they looked so nice. Each one came out and stood or sat at his instrument. Then there was a hush in the auditorium, a spotlight was focused on the wings, and the conductor stepped out. When he did, there was thunderous applause for him. He bowed. Then he came up to the podium and picked up a thin little stick. He turned around again to the audience and bowed, then turned his back to the audience, lifted that little stick—total silence came over that auditorium, you could have heard a pin drop—then he brought that little stick down. And, my friend, there were goose pimples all over me. I never heard such music in all my life. Oh, what harmony, what wonderful harmony there was!
Today I live in a world where every man is tooting his own little horn. Every little group wants to be heard. Everybody wants to tell you what he thinks. Everybody is playing his own little fiddle, and I want to tell you, it’s a medley of discord. Everything is out of tune. But one of these days the spotlight is going on, and the Lord Jesus Christ will come. When He comes to this universe, He is going to lift His scepter, and everything that is out of tune with Him is going to be removed. Then when He comes down with that scepter—oh, the harmony that will be in this universe! I’m thankful today that I do live in a universe where I can bow to Him, and I can bring this little instrument of my body, my life, into tune with Him. I can bow to Him, I can acknowledge Him, I can make Him my Savior and Lord.
PSALM 3
Theme: A morning prayer: the trials of the godly in Israel
Psalms 3–7 form a bridge, which I think of as a stairway between two messianic psalms. Psalm 2 is the prophetic rejection of God’s anointed, and Psalm 8 is His ultimate victory as Man. The psalms between furnish the glue that holds these two messianic psalms together. They primarily describe the godly remnant of Israel during the time of the absence of the Messiah from the earth, especially during that time which our Lord labeled the Great Tribulation period. In these five psalms we have the record of Israel’s trials, sorrows, confusions, problems, and sins. We also see their confidence in God, the promises of God, and their prayers for deliverance.
Trials and sorrows are shared by all godly people, regardless of who they are or in what period of history they live. The comfort given in these psalms is for all of God’s children. There are three ways to look at these psalms. The primary interpretation, of course, concerns the personal experience of David. Then there is a direct application to the godly remnant in the nation of Israel during the Great Tribulation. There is also an application to God’s people everywhere at any time in the history of the world. If we look at the psalms from this point of view, they will become more meaningful to us.
Psalm 3 is called “A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.” (The historical record is in 2 Samuel, chapters 15–18.) This title tells us about the contents of this psalm. It tells us what went on in the heart of David when he had to flee from Jerusalem when Absalom his son rebelled against him. This psalm came out of the personal experience of David. He was in a difficult situation. He had become an outcast and a fugitive from his own city Jerusalem, which is called the city of David. He had been driven from the people he ruled. Absalom, his son, was in rebellion against him and seeking his life. Absalom’s intention was actually to put his father to death. Your heart cannot help but go out to David during this heartbreaking experience.
As David fled, the enemy was on the sidelines cursing him. Abishai, one of his mighty men said, “Let me run a spear through him.” David said, “Oh, no.” The prophet Nathan had told David that God would punish him for his sins. In 2 Samuel 12:11 Nathan said to David, “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour….” Why would this happen? Because David had sinned greatly, and he was not going to get away with it. God has graciously forgiven David and restored him, but David has to reap the results of his sin; and it is in his son’s rebellion that he does it. We find that David’s enemies have increased on all sides and that the hearts of the men of Israel followed Absalom. The Scripture tells us, “… The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom” (2 Sam. 15:13). Absalom was an attractive young man. He was a clever politician who was able to promise the people many good things which he would not have been able to deliver.
During the time of Absalom’s rebellion there were many others who rose up against David. He went out of Jerusalem barefoot and weeping. He passed over Kidron. It looked as if there was no help for him at all.
With this background in mind, let us look at Psalm 3.
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me [Ps. 3:1].
David is speaking right out of his heart, friend, as he leaves Jerusalem.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah [Ps. 3:2].
Many said that David would find no help from God, that God had forsaken him. But God did not forsake him. When someone says to me, “I cannot understand how God put up with a man like David,” I always feel like saying, “Well, if God put up with David, maybe He will put up with you and me.” Be thankful that we have this kind of a God, friend. He puts up with folk like David, and He will forgive any believer who comes to Him in repentance. This doesn’t mean that David did not pay for his sin, because he did.
At the end of the second verse we find the word Selah. There has been a great deal of discussion as to the meaning of this word. It occurs about seventy-one times in the Psalms. I believe the Psalms were set to music, to be played by an orchestra and sung by great choirs. I am sure that Jerusalem became famous throughout the world, and people came from near and far to hear the music and the singing of these psalms. I think selah was probably a musical rest, a musical pause. For the common layman who does not understand much about music it means, “Stop, look, and listen.” That is the type of sign you have at railroad crossings. I remember the days when my dad would drive a buggy into Snyder, Texas, and I would sometimes go with him. He would always stop at the railroad crossing. There wouldn’t be a train within ten miles of the place, but we always stopped, looked, and listened. When we come to these marvelous psalms, we should stop, look, and listen. Selah reminds us to do that. That is what we should do when we come to the Word of God.
The word selah probably ends the first stanza of this psalm. Now David says:
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about [Ps. 3:5–6].
This has been called “a morning psalm.” This is a good psalm with which to start the day. In spite of all the problems and troubles that David had, he trusted in the Lord. He could sleep at night. He wasn’t able to get an aspirin tablet or a sedative to put him to sleep. He simply trusted in the Lord, pillowed his head on the promises of God, and went to sleep.
“I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.” Then David says that he would not be afraid if ten thousands of people set themselves against him. Even though the whole world was against him, David says he will not be afraid.
Cromwell is considered by many to be the bravest man who ever lived. Someone asked him, “What is the explanation of your bravery?” Cromwell replied, “Because I fear God, I have no man to fear.” Martin Luther also took that position. If there were more fear of God today, there would be less of this licking of men’s boots. There are some men who go around with their tongues black because they spend so much time licking the boots of men. Why do they do it? There is no fear of God in them. The thing that gives you courage is to fear God. If you fear God, then you have no man to fear. David trusted in God.
Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly [Ps. 3:7].
It really hurts to get hit on the cheekbone. When you get hit there, it will really knock you out; and David had probably experienced that. He says that his enemies had been smitten on the cheekbone. God had also broken the teeth of the ungodly—they were not able to bite David anymore.
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah [Ps. 3:8].
Salvation unto the Lord—belongeth is a word which was inserted by the translators. This is a great Scripture. The Lord is the author of salvation. David never thought of salvation as a coin that you could put in your pocket and lose. He never thought it was something he would have to work out. Salvation was the gift of God. “Salvation … unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.”
Then comes the word selah. We are to stop, look, and listen. David has said some wonderful things about God in this psalm. For example, in verse 3 David calls Him his “shield.” As a shield, God covers those who are His own. In Ephesians 6:16 we are told to take the shield of faith, as believers. David knew something about what the shield would do—he used it a great deal. God was also his “glory.” That is, David believed in the presence of God. The cloud of glory, you remember, was spread over Israel. It was a visible sign of the presence of God in the midst of His people. Today we walk by faith, and the glory of God is with us, friend; He makes Himself real to those who are His own. God was also the “uplifter” of David’s head. How could that be? God promised to build David a house and give him a blessing, a glory, and a kingdom. David said, “He is going to lift my head.” We may be down, my friend, but He is going to lift us up. This is a marvelous psalm, is it not?
PSALM 4
Theme: An evening prayer: the plea of the Son of man and those who plead in His name
This brief psalm divides itself like this: a cry—verses 1–3; a correction—verses 4–5; a confidence—verses 6–8.
The psalm has a musical inscription “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.” Apparently a neginoth is some sort of instrument; it is the belief of many that it is a stringed instrument. Probably this psalm was played as a solo on a neginoth.
The psalm begins with a great cry—the refuge of the people of God in the time of trouble is always prayer. And God is their shield, as we have seen.
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer [Ps. 4:1].
Distress indicates pressure—the pressures of life are great. They are great in our day, and we need the encouragement that we find in the Word of God. “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Ps. 145:18). Again in Psalm 50:15 we read, “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” In Isaiah 65:24 God tells us, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Psalm 18:6 is very personal: “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.” In Psalm 55:16 we are told, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.” Psalm 86:7 says, “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.” Finally, Psalm 91:15 says, “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” The Bible is just filled with these wonderful promises. The cry of the psalmist in Psalm 4 is that God be with him.
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah [Ps. 4:2].
Leasing is falsehood.
But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him [Ps. 4:3].
How wonderful He is! God will hear our prayer.
Then he gives two verses of correction, which is sort of a warning.
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah [Ps. 4:4].
Stand in awe is better translated tremble, and do not sin. We don’t see much trembling today.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord [Ps. 4:5].
Paul expressed this thought to the Ephesian Christians: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Eph. 4:26).
Now notice his confidence and the assurance of faith.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us [Ps. 4:6].
Many folk say, “Nothing is right anymore.” How we need the Lord to lift up the light of His countenance upon us!
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased [Ps. 4:7].
David was like the rest of us—his heart failed in the time of trouble. Around him were unbelievers, his own people, who were mocking him, “God is not going to do anything for him.” But God did do something for him. “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” David found that God was good to him. And God is good to us, my friend.
Notice how this evening psalm concludes:
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety [Ps. 4:8].
My friend, do you need a sleeping pill at night? Have you ever tried Psalm 4? It is lots better than any brand of sleeping pill you have used.
Oh, how wonderful these psalms are for us today, and how much they will mean to God’s people in that coming day of trouble.
PSALM 5
Theme: A morning prayer: a cry of the godly in the time of great trouble
Psalm 5 is included in the section which forms a stairway between two messianic psalms. This group of psalms (3–7) actually tells a story. They are, first of all, a picture of a personal experience of David. Secondly, they reveal prophetically the picture of the nation Israel during the Great Tribulation Period. Also they have very real applications for us today, for they involve great principles. They have messages for God’s people in all ages and in all times.
This is a psalm written by David, and it has as its inscription: “To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth.” Psalm 4 was on neginoth, a stringed instrument, and this one, nehiloth, is generally believed to have been a wind instrument, a flute. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, set most of these psalms to music. Possibly a choir also sang this psalm to the accompaniment of flutes. Arthur Pridham states the tone and general character of this psalm very nicely: “It is a prayer of faith, sent up from a heart in which the discernment of God as the shield and rewarder of them that seek Him, is found in union with a very deep sense of the prevailing evil and ungodliness which daily present themselves to the contemplation of the faithful. Vexing of soul because of the abundance of iniquity is thus a leading feature in its general expression.” Pridham also makes this very interesting statement: “Hence patience is wrought in tribulation. Joy abounds in the sure hope of a deliverance, which is deferred only by the councils of unerring love.” This pretty well sums up this very magnificent psalm.
It is called a morning psalm, and notice how it begins:
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up [Ps. 5:1–3].
Now let me give you a little different translation: “Give ear to my words, O Jehovah, give heed to my meditation. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King, and my God; for to thee do I pray. Jehovah, in the morning shalt thou hear my voice; in the morning will I come before thee, and expectantly look up.” This psalm is a morning prayer—in the morning his voice would be lifted unto God. The morning is a mighty good time to lift your heart to God in prayer.
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple [Ps. 5:4–7].
A little different translation at this point I think will be helpful for a better understanding of this passage. “For no God art thou whom wickedness can please. The evil man cannot dwell with thee. The arrogant shall not dare to stand before thine eyes. Thou hatest all workings of iniquity. Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: the man of blood and deceit Jehovah abhorreth. As for me, through thy great mercy will I enter thy house. I will fall down, facing thy holy temple in fear.”
This is the comfort of the godly. When you look about you today, you may have (as I do) a sinking feeling as you see the evil that is abroad and the iniquity that abounds. It is something that makes you sick at heart. What is the comfort of the godly in days like these? The psalmist tells us. The hatred that he has in his heart for evil reveals that he is on God’s side. God also hates it. It also makes God sick to look down on this sinful world of today. Wickedness does not please God, nor will it please those who know God. Evil cannot dwell with Him, for “… God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Habakkuk said it like this (when the Lord told him that the Chaldeans were going to invade God’s land): “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity …” (Hab. 1:13). Wickedness may prosper for a time, but the day is surely coming which will bring destruction and eternal shame to those who practice lies and iniquity. God has made it very, very clear that there is a day of judgment coming, and evil is not going to prevail. God spells it out in Revelation 21:8 which says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore-mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Now I may sound like an antiquated preacher referring to a passage like this, but I believe that the judgment of God is coming upon this earth.
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue [Ps. 5:8–9].
A different translation is: “Jehovah, lead me in thy righteousness because of my foes.” He is saying, “My enemies are watching me. They want me to stumble and fall, but I want to glorify You.” Therefore he is praying to God that He will not let him stumble and fall, and that He will lead him. He prays, “Make thy paths straight before me, for in their mouth is nothing trustworthy; they are inwardly full of depravity; their throat is an open sepulchre.” By the way, this is quoted in Romans 3:13 by the apostle Paul. “They make their tongues smooth”—they are glib of tongue. They don’t seem to know what the truth is, and they seldom tell it.
Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield [Ps. 5:10–12].
Or to translate it another way: “Destroy them, O God, let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against Thee. And all who seek refuge with Thee shall rejoice; forever shall they shout for joy because of thy protection, and they shall exult in Thee and love Thy name, for Thou, Jehovah, will bless the righteous: with favour wilt Thou surround him as with a shield.” Prayer is this man’s resource and recourse when he looks at the wickedness all about him. He prays for that guidance which will enable him to walk in a way that will not bring disrepute upon the name of God.
In verse 10 the psalmist asks the Lord to destroy the enemy. This is the first imprecatory prayer recorded in the Psalms. Later on I will have time to develop that subject. There are certain prayers that David prayed where he asked God for justice; he asked God to intervene and bring judgment. Some of them are very harsh. Isaiah prayed that way in Isaiah 64:1–2, when he said, “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!” Judgment must fall some day upon the transgressors. Scripture makes it very clear that God will take vengeance.
The Lord, you remember, told the parable concerning the widow who took her case to an earthly judge, saying, “… Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily …” (Luke 18:3–8). And David in his day prayed for vengeance.
For a Christian to pray these prayers during these days I think is absolutely sinful. You say, “You don’t mean that!” I certainly do mean it. This is where I think a proper interpretation of Scripture is essential. There are many people who want to get rid of this portion of the Word of God. There are even people who say this is not even God’s Word because it is no expression for a Christian today. Well, who said it was? This is going to be for God’s people during the Great Tribulation. In that day these people under law will pray this kind of prayer as they did in the past under law. And God intends to hear His people, and He intends to bring vengeance upon their enemies. We are to do things differently during this age. Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” This is difficult to do, I will grant you that, but that is what the Lord asks us to do. In Romans 12:19 we are told, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” God says that He will take care of any reprisals. When we get hit in the nose, it is human nature to want to hit back. But when we take matters into our own hands, we are not walking with Him by faith. God wants us to trust Him to take care of our enemies.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was here on earth and was so brutally treated, He did not strike back. He wants those who are His own in the church today to take that same position. But God has said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” God intends to take care of it some day.
This is a marvelous psalm. What a comfort it will be to God’s people in the time of severe persecution!
PSALM 6
Theme: A cry for mercy
The man in this psalm has looked all about him and has seen the wickedness on every hand. He has also looked in his own heart and recognized that he is not perfect before God at all. If the previous psalms and prayers had to do with morning and evening, this psalm has to do with the darkest night. This psalm is addressed to “The chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith.” We are introduced to a new term sheminith. It means “upon the octave,” and there are those who believe it should be sung by male voices. Psalm 5 is an imprecatory psalm, and Psalm 6 is a penitential psalm, a cry of repentance, and plea for mercy.
O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?
Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake [Ps. 6:1–4].
The psalmist sees his own need. When he does, there is a wonderful cry of repentance. Next we have his confession.
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies [Ps. 6:5–7].
I think we have here a picture of David, and I think we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. I think it is also a picture of Israel in the last days, and a picture of believers right now—you and me. What a psalm this is! This is a cry for mercy out of the very depths of despair. Only mercy can save us. We are told over and over again in the New Testament that God is rich in mercy. He has had to use a lot of His mercy on me, but He has some left over for you. He has plenty of mercy, and we certainly need it.
Isaiah 52:14 says of the Lord Jesus, “… his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.” In Psalm 69:3 the Lord says, “I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” Again in Psalm 42:3 the Lord says, “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” In Psalm 38:10 He says, “My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.” Finally, in Psalm 88:9 the Lord says, “Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.” In all of these expressions,and I have given you only a very small segment, the Spirit of Christ speaks prophetically of His own suffering through which He would pass in the days of His humiliation.
His people, the nation Israel, that remnant in the Great Tribulation, will also pass through suffering. Today many of God’s saints are passing through it. The great comfort is that Hehas been through it. These are the things that He has suffered, that He endured. Regardless of what you are going through today, Hehas already been through it, and He can comfort you. How wonderful it is to have a Savior like the Lord Jesus Christ.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping [Ps. 6:8].
Here is the answer to prayer:
The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer [Ps. 6:9].
In Hebrews 5:7 we are told concerning the Lord Jesus, “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.” That is our confidence today. God will hear and answer our prayer when we are in deep trouble. Isn’t that a comfort to you, friend? You may be in a very hard place right at the moment. If you are, this psalm is for you.
PSALM 7
Theme: A cry for revenge
Someone has suggested that over this psalm should be written: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25).
Notice that the inscription is “Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.” Although we cannot be dogmatic on the meaning of shiggaion, it is thought that it means “crying aloud.” This is David crying aloud in song. How I would love to have heard him sing this psalm. This psalm is a loudcry. I think it reveals prophetically the persecution and the final suffering of the God-fearing remnant of Israel during the time of the Great Tribulation. It is the outcry against the “man of sin,” a theme that is carried into the next psalm. Notice David’s confidence in prayer:
O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver [Ps. 7:1–2].
Arno Gaebelein’s translation reads: “Jehovah, my God, in thee I seek shelter. Save me from my pursuers, and rescue me, lest like a lion he tear my soul rending in pieces, and no one to deliver” (The Book of Psalms, p. 40). Who is that lion? That is Satan, whom Peter says is on the prowl. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
Then he speaks of unjust persecution:
O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) [Ps. 7:3–4].
Unjust and innocent suffering in this world is something I don’t understand. I don’t propose to understand it, but I want to say this to you: I know Somebody who does understand it, and He is going to explain it to us one day. There are things in my life and things in your life that we don’t understand. I can’t explain your trouble, because I don’t even know why I have had to go through certain things; but He is going to explain it someday.
Now we come to the wonderful part. This is not the darkness of night as we saw in Psalm 6, but this is morning light.
Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded [Ps. 7:6].
He cries for God to avenge and vindicate him.
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day [Ps. 7:11].
At the time I am writing this, we are in a time of the “new morality,” which is really just old immorality. God doesn’t go along with it; He is not changing His standards to conform to modern thought. Because of this, we can sing with David:
I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high [Ps. 7:17].
My friend, God will deal with sin and wickedness, and He will finally eradicate it from His universe. Praise the Lord!
PSALM 8
Theme: A messianic psalm emphasizing the humanity of Christ and His ultimate victory as Man
Messianic psalms are so called because they are quoted in the New Testament in direct reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 8 is quoted three times in the New Testament. In fact, the Lord Jesus Himself quoted from this psalm. In Matthew 21 we have recorded what is called the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. The children in the temple were saying, “… Hosanna to the son of David” (Matt. 21:9). The chief priests and the scribes said, “Do you hear what they are saying?” It was at this time that Jesus said, “… Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Matt. 21:16). Our Lord was quoting Psalm 8:2. He was telling the chief priests and the scribes that it would be a good idea if they read this Scripture so that they would understand why the children were saying this.
The second quotation from this psalm is found in 1 Corinthians 15:27, the resurrection chapter: “For he hath put all things under his feet” (v. 6). It is quite obvious that this psalm does not refer to our day, as Paul explains: “For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.”
We today do not see all things put under Him, that is for sure. However, the most complete quotation is found in Hebrews 2:5–8, which makes it very clear that Psalm 8 refers to our Lord Jesus Christ: “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.” Again it is called to our attention that you and I live in a day when all things are not put under Him. Obviously Psalm 8 looks to the future.
Read Hebrews 2:9: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Psalm 8 is talking about Jesus.
Now this second great messianic psalm begins with the statement: “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” And the psalm closes with “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
This is not a reference to the present hour in which we are living. God’s name is not very excellent in the world today. Not long ago on the golf course I heard an old man, who was standing right on the threshold of eternity, use the name of the Lord in vain in a way that was absolutely uncalled for. Walking down the street I heard a very nicely dressed, refined looking, gentle-woman, who looked like a grandmother, swear. My, how she could swear! God’s name, is not very excellent today. The fact of the matter is that people today are not saying very much about God. I notice on the newscasts that God is never mentioned. He makes the news, too, but He is never brought into the picture. God is recognized in insurance policies that insure houses that are destroyed by fire or by an “act of God”! Do they think the Lord is running around destroying houses? That is the only publicity God gets today. It is all bad as far as He is concerned. He is being left out and left out purposely. His Word is not wanted in the schools. These broad-minded liberals, who believe that everybody should be heard, think pornography should be permitted because the liberties of people should not be curtailed. Well, friend, don’t I have a share in that liberty? I would like to have prayer in schools for my grandchildren. How about you? I would like some public recognition of God. I would like to have prayer in public places. Have I no liberties any longer in this land of ours? No, God’s name is not excellent today.
The other night I watched a thrilling travelogue on television. Some men climbed to the top of Mount Everest, and the wind at the top was terrific. That old mountain was really talking back to them, letting them know that man is nothing. But there was no mention of God. Mountains are just a bunch of dirt, rocks, and a few trees; they do not talk or become violent or make men feel little. It is the God who made the mountain who does that. It was God on top of Mount Everest who let those men know how really insignificant they were. But the men did not learn how great God is; they just talked about nature. May I say to you that God’s name is not excellent in the world today. Not at all.
This first verse in Psalm 8 is a prophecy. It looks to the future, a glorious future. It is a messianic psalm in which we see God’s Man. It emphasizes the humanity of Christ and His ultimate victory as Man. In Psalm 2 we saw man in rejection and man’s rebellion against God. In Psalm 8 we see that man finally gains control of this earth, and the day will come when God’s name will be excellent in all the earth.
At this point I should mention that this psalm is addressed to “the chief Musician upon Gittith.” Both Psalm 81 and Psalm 84 are also dedicated to “The chief Musician upon Gittith.” What does that mean? The “gittith” has generally been interpreted as a musical instrument, a type of lyre. A Jewish scholar said that the word gittith was taken from the name Gath, and it was an instrument known in Gath. You will recall that David found shelter in Gath when he was escaping from King Saul. He probably learned to play this strange instrument at that time and later introduced it to Israel. The Vulgate and the Septuagint translate the word gittith as “winepress.” I think there is significance in that also, as Psalm 8 reveals the winepress of suffering that the Lord Jesus went into for you and me. As Man He tasted death for all men; He tasted the bitterness of the winepress. Later on, Isaiah will tell us that the Lord Jesus is coming from Edom. He says: “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment” (Isa. 63:3). The juice of the grapes on His garments is not His own blood but that of His enemies. You see, if the blood of Christ means nothing to you now and you are not saved, you will have to be judged. It is either His blood or yours, my friend. That is the position of man in the world today.
Psalm 8 is a psalm of David. There are those who try to read into it “the death for the son,” supposing that David wrote it at the time of the death of Bathsheba’s infant son or on the occasion of the death of the giant Goliath. I mention all of these theories because this is a psalm that apparently has a great and deep meaning. I had a professor once who gave this psalm the title: “Stars and Sucklings.” This psalm goes all the way from the heavens—the moon and the stars—to nursing children. Also this psalm goes along with Psalm 19, another nature psalm, which speaks of the Scriptures and the sun. But the sun is not mentioned here in Psalm 8 at all.
O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger [Ps. 8:1–2].
The Lord made the truth of this verse clear when He said on earth, “… Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3). It was children who cried, “… Hosanna to the son of David …” (Matt. 21:15) during His so-called triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Actually I do not consider it a triumphal entry. We must wait until He comes to earth again; then He will have a real triumphal entry. This is just a little picture of the fact that He is coming to earth again; and, when He does, He will establish His kingdom. In the meantime we must be converted and become as little children. I think this means that you and I must be born again and become little children. Like little children, we put aside all of our boasting and come in simple faith. How tremendous is the faith of a little child.
In this psalm we see the Lord as Creator. You have nature, the creation, and you have man, the creature. You have a relationship here.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained [Ps. 8:3].
“Which thou hast ordained” means that God put them in their places. In Southern California I often look at the moon and a star that is very bright when it gets over into the southwest—which means it is located out yonder over the South Pacific. I have often wondered why it is there. I know only that it is there because Jesus wants it to be there. He put it there. In my study I have certain things placed here and there. I have a book in a certain place—because that is where I want it. Now the stars are not arranged according to the way I want them—I might move that one out in the southwest—but they are placed where our Lord Jesus wants them to be. He is the One who is ordaining.
The heavens are the work of His fingers. It is interesting that when the Word speaks of salvation, it refers to the bared arm of the Lord: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1). But when it speaks of the creation of the heavens and the earth, it calls it His finger-work. As John Wesley put it, “God created the heavens and the earth and didn’t half try.” Creation was His finger-work, like the crocheting that a woman does.
God put His glory above His creation. It is great to us, and there is a glory in creation, but we don’t worship His creation. We worship the Creator. His finger-work tells out His glory and His power.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? [Ps. 8:4].
There are those still working on the problem of, “What is man?” Man is a complicated creature. He is a human being. He belongs to the human race, and there are people still trying to figure out how he got here. The Bible says that God created us and put us on earth. Then man went afoul, he turned aside, he disbelieved God, and he disobeyed Him. Why would God be mindful of man? Why didn’t God just wipe man out and get rid of him?
Man is a great failure. We don’t like to hear that. We want to hear about success. Sometimes I think the most difficult job in the world is to be a cancer specialist. Since I have had cancer, I have gotten pretty close to that group, and they are pessimists, as I see it. They don’t have many success stories in their field. Well, man doesn’t have a success story; he is really a miserable failure. He has gotten his world in a mess. The psalmist asks, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” I will tell you why man is important. Some two thousand years ago the Lord Jesus Christ visited him. He made a trip to earth and died on a cross to let us know that He loved us. He did not save us by love; He saved us by grace because we did not have anything to offer—we were not worth saving. Yet God the Son came to this earth. I don’t know if there are any other planets which are inhabited—there may be—but I know that Christ has not been there to die on a cross. He came only here for that purpose.
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour [Ps. 8:5].
When the Lord Jesus made Old Testament appearances, He came as the Angel of the Lord; but when He came to Bethlehem, He came much lower than that—He came to the level of man.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet [Ps. 8:6].
Man was given dominion over the works of God’s hands, but man lost that. Man does not control this universe today. Science thought it had things under control, but now we find that science has polluted this earth; and it looks as if our earth will become a big garbage can. Science is responsible for polluting this earth. If you have been worshiping science and want to get out of the garbage can, you need a God who can help you.
“Thou madest him to have dominion … thou hast put all things under his feet”—but they haven’t been put there yet, and won’t be until Jesus returns.
All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas [Ps. 8:7–8].
God made it all. He is the Creator. God made the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea. God made it all. He is the Creator. He made you and me. In Romans 1:20 Paul says, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead: so that they are without excuse.” We can see God’s handiwork by simply looking around.
O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! [Ps. 8:9].
Not today, but someday the name of the Lord will be excellent in all the earth. In our time, we live in a universe that is groaning, travailing in pain, waiting for the redemption (Rom. 8:22). But God is above all creation. He has set His glory above the heavens. And up yonder is that Man who over two thousand years ago came down to this earth to be born in Bethlehem. He is seated now in glory at God’s right hand. Only by faith will we be able to see Him.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). What a glorious prospect this is for the child of God!
Once again I would like to remind you that this is a messianic psalm. It emphasizes the humanity of Christ and His ultimate victory as Man. We have just stood on the fringe of this glorious psalm, friend, that sings praises to our Savior.
PSALMS 9–10
Theme: Satan’s man
We were climbing an ascending stairway between the first two messianic psalms (2 and 8). Psalm 8 was the pinnacle, and now we are starting down the mountain on the other side. The descent will be through seven psalms that tell out a prophetic story. We will get glimpses of the suffering of the Jewish remnant at the end time and also a glimpse of the “man of sin,” also called “the lawless one,” who is yet to appear upon the earth.
Psalm 9 and Psalm 10 are very closely connected. There is a certain alphabetical structure, an acrostic, that is not seen in our translation, but which can be seen in the original. As a result, you will find that the Septuagint and the Vulgate put these two psalms together and consider them as one. This psalm is addressed to “the chief Musician upon Muth-labben.” What does this word mean? It means “death for the son,” a subject that some authors identify with Psalm 8 as we have seen. I think it is generally accepted to be the inscription for Psalm 9. This psalm is ascribed to David, the sweet singer of Israel. There are those who see the death of Goliath in this psalm. Others identify it with the death of Bathsheba’s son. It means “death of the son, the firstborn”; and I rather think that it refers to what happened in the land of Egypt when Israel was delivered from slavery through the death of the firstborn of Egypt.
It begins with a note of praise.
I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High [Ps. 9:1–2].
This psalm begins with praise just as Psalm 7 begins with praise. As in the seventh psalm, so in Psalm 9 the praise is in anticipation of the coming victory so beautifully predicted in Psalm 8, when all things will be put under the feet of Him who was made a little lower than the angels. In fact, the first section of this psalm is a prophetic forecast of what earthly conditions will be when the Son of Man has received the throne in righteousness and in peace. In view of the future deliverance, we have this great song of praise in which all earthly people will join in that day. We have a picture of this in the Book of Revelation when that great company out of the nation Israel, the church, and the twenty-four elders will share in a time of great praise unto God.
When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right [Ps. 9:3–4].
Once again we move into the time of the kingdom that is mentioned in Psalm 8, when all things will be put under His feet. John Knox put it like this: “One with God is a majority.” He was not so much concerned about having God on his side as he was making sure he was on God’s side. The important thing to David was that his cause was right. Let’s make sure, my friend, that we are on God’s side.
Now he speaks of the coming judgment.
Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever [Ps. 9:5].
“Thou hast rebuked the heathen” is better translated, “Thou hast rebuked the nations.” What a psalm this is!
O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them [Ps. 9:6].
This is a strong declaration of the judgment that is coming.
The question arises, Is there enough preaching today about judgment? I would say that there is enough preaching of a certain kind of judgment, but there are very few sermons on the subject of hell. Lately I have had the opportunity to hear more sermons than I have heard for years, and I notice two things about them. Most sermons are designed to comfort God’s people. In fact, many sermons are geared for those who seem to have some sort of a complex or are just looking for a shoulder to cry on. However, a sermon I heard the other day was on the subject of hell; but the bitterness of the preacher came through. I feel that before a man preaches on hell he ought to search his own heart to make sure that the subject affects him—that his heart is broken because men are lost. An unbeliever made the following statement about Dwight L. Moody when he was told that Moody preached a sermon on hell: “I don’t like to hear sermons on hell, but if there is any man who can preach on that subject, it is Dwight L. Moody.” May I say to you, not only should there be sermons on hell, but the right kind of men should preach them. I suppose one of the reasons I don’t preach more sermons on hell is because I think I should be deeply moved in my heart when I do talk about this subject.
The psalmist makes it clear that all the enemies of Israel are to be conquered. This is God’s victory for the remnant that will be on His side. I think what we have here is the death of the son, the firstborn, in Egypt. This takes us right down to the place where anti-Semitism was born—it started in the land of Egypt. A new king in that land enslaved God’s chosen people, and he tried to exterminate the whole race which would frustrate the grace and purpose of God in redemption. Ever since that time the nations have been Israel’s enemies. They will continue to hate Israel until the day of deliverance comes. At this present moment there is a feeling of hatred toward the Jews.
In this next passage the kingdom and the throne of righteousness is established.
But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness [Ps. 9:7–8].
“He shall judge the world in righteousness”—that is important. It is my feeling today that we are short on judges who will follow the law and assess a penalty when a penalty should be assessed. We have too many judges who are softhearted, and I sometimes think softheaded, who are trying to be popular. Righteousness is what is needed today. The One who makes the right is God. Right is not necessarily what you think or what I think. It was God who divided the light from the darkness. I have never been able to separate them. I have never gotten up before daylight, waved a wand, and brought up the sun. God does that. He is the One who declares what is right. If you don’t think so, you are wrong. That is just the way it is. It is as simple as that. Someone has to make the rules. God makes the rules for this universe, and He is running it. God is going to be around for a long time, and I think He has that prerogative.
Now, moving down a few verses, we have a picture of the condition before Christ comes to establish His kingdom.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the sates of death [Ps. 9:13].
“Have mercy upon me, O Lord”—I don’t know about you, but I need mercy from God. You may question that since I said there will be justice when He comes. But, you see, justice has already been established in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ when He bore our sins, and He has been made unto us righteousness. What I need today is mercy, and mercy is extended to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation [Ps. 9:14].
And we need more folk to rejoice in God.
The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken [Ps. 9:15].
The heathen is better translated “nations”—“The nations are sunk down in the pit that they made.”
Look at the nations of the world today. Even the great nations of the world, including our own nation, have sunk down into a pit. We seem to be caught. This is the condition of the world at the present hour.
The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah [Ps. 9:16].
This is a tremendous verse!
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God [Ps. 9:17].
A cry goes out: “The wicked shall be turned into hell [Sheol, that is, unto death], and all the nations that forget God.” This is a great principle that God has put down.
For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever [Ps. 9:18].
“The needy shall not alway be forgotten”—they are today. Oh, there are poverty programs, but the man at the top always seems to get it before it reaches the poor. The poor will receive justice when the Lord Jesus comes. You know, we poor people ought to be more interested in the Lord. There are so many people in poverty who are turning to political parties and certain political candidates for help. Unfortunately, they are not going to receive much help. What the candidates are trying to do is to get into office. The Lord Jesus is not running for office—He is King of kings and Lord of Lords. He is not anxious to please any party or any group on this earth. When Christ came to earth the first time, He came to do God’s will. Since He is God, when He comes again He is going to do His own will. My friend, “the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.” They are expecting a great deal from man, but only God will meet their need.
Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight [Ps. 9:19].
“Let the nations be judged”—the nations are yet to be judged, according to our Lord (Matt. 25:31–6), “… and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” (Matt. 25:32).
Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah [Ps. 9:20].
There are some today who feel that they are operating in the position of God. Remember that the inscription of this psalm is “Muthlabben,” meaning death for the son. If you consider the son to be Goliath or Pharaoh, both of them are little pictures of the Anti-christ who is yet to come. He will be Satan’s man, and he will put himself in the position of God. God will ultimately put him down.
Now when we come to Psalm 10, we still see Satan’s man, the man of the earth, which closely identifies Psalm 10 with Psalm 9.
Notice how the wicked one is described:
Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth [Ps. 10:1–3].
There are two things that characterize the wicked in these verses: pride and boasting. Do you want to know who the wicked are as you look around the world? They are those who are filled with pride, the “great” of the earth, who have no place for God in their lives. Also they do a great deal of boasting. I don’t know how you feel, but I am not impressed by politicians and world leaders who are always boasting that they will solve the problems of the world. They remind me of what Aesop said about a mountain that travailed and brought forth a mouse! They boast of doing great things, but they accomplish practically nothing. What a picture we have here of the wicked and the “wicked one,” the Antichrist, who will be the false messiah. He is identified in this psalm. Pride identifies him.
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts [Ps. 10:4].
“God is not in all his thoughts” is better translated: “All his thoughts are: there is no God.” Antichrist will be an atheist.
In the time of David there began to emerge for the first time in history those who were atheists. There were no atheists at the beginning because they were too close to the mooring mast of revelation. After all, Noah knew a man who knew Adam. When you are that close to the time of creation, you are not apt to deny the existence of God. When the Ten Commandments were given, there was no commandment against atheism; but there was one against polytheism—the worship of many gods. The first commandment is: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The second commandment is: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exod. 20:3–4). There are two commandments against polytheism, and none against atheism because there were no atheists. However, David will mention atheism several times.
The Antichrist at the end times will be characterized by atheism, filled with pride and boasting.
His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity [Ps. 10:5–6].
This also characterizes man in our day—boasting of his prosperity and self-sufficiency. He feels no need of God.
Now notice something else that will characterize Antichrist:
Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it [Ps. 10:13].
Not only does he not believe in God, but he despises Him. It is inconsistent to despise Someone who does not exist; apparently He has to exist to build up this kind of bitterness and hatred.
When he says, “Thou wilt not require it,” he is saying that there is no judgment. There is a great multitude of people emerging in our contemporary culture who are saying there is no God, or, if He exists, He is too far away for them to bother with; and they are confident there will be no judgment. My friend, if you take that position, anything goes. It is that philosophy that is behind the movement to abolish capital punishment or any kind of punishment or any kind of imprisonment for a criminal. The argument I hear is that methods used today do not reform criminals. Whoever said that the purpose of punishment and prisons was to reform? It never was intended to reform; it was intended to deter crime. God gave these laws to protect the innocent. And God’s judgment is inevitable upon the earth. The closer we get to it, the less man believes it is coming.
God is probably the most unpopular Person in the world right now. Why? Because the wicked are in the saddle. We are moving toward the time when the sin of man will lead to the “man of sin,” this final Antichrist.
The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress [Ps. 10:16–18].
“The man of the earth” is Antichrist.
These are remarkable psalms, my friend, because they amplify a great many truths which we get historically and prophetically in other portions of the Word of God.
PSALM 11
Theme: Testing of the righteous
This is a wonderful little psalm of David, ascribed to the chief Musician. We are not told under what circumstances it was written, but obviously it came out of the persecution and trials in the life of David. I am going to give an extended quotation from J. J. Stewart Perowne because I think it is a remarkable statement to be coming from a man who was liberal in his theology.
The singer is in danger of his life; and timorous and faint-hearted counsellors would fain persuade him to seek safety in flight. But, full of unshaken faith in God, he rejects their counsel, believing that Jehovah, the righteous king, though He tries His servants, does not forsake them. Not the righteous, but the wicked have need to fear. The Psalm is so short and so general in its character, that it is not easy to say to what circumstances in David’s life it should be referred. The choice seems, however, to lie between his persecution by Saul and the rebellion of his son Absalom. Delitzsch decides for the last, and thinks the counsel (v. 1), “flee to your mountain,” comes from the mouth of friends who are anxious to persuade the king to betake himself, as he had before done when hunted by Saul, to “the rocks of the wild goats” (1 Sam. 24:2). It is in favor, to some extent, of this view that the expression in v. 3, “when the foundations are destroyed,” points to a time when lawful authority was subverted (The Book of Psalms, p. 166).
This is one time when I agree with a liberal. I think this psalm has reference to the time he fled from Absalom.
Here is another expression from the heart of this great king:
In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? [Ps. 11:1].
This is the advice psychologists will give you today. They will tell you that what you need to do is get away from your problems. Go off somewhere—what you need is a rest. Flee from your present circumstances, as a bird to the mountain. My friend, getting away from it all does not solve a thing. Years ago, in my southland, the lady of the house was complaining to her wonderful housekeeper about wanting to get away from it all. Her housekeeper said, “What are you trying to get away from? This beautiful home? Your lovely children? Your wonderful husband? No matter where you go, you are going to have to lug yourself along.” You can never run away from yourself. How true that is! People would tell David, “Flee as a bird to your mountain,” but that was not the way to solve his problems.
In our mechanical society and very monotonous culture it is very tiring to sit in an automobile for seven hours on a freeway. Flying in an airplane is a wonderful experience; but after you have been across the country and around the world, flying gets monotonous. You are way up in the air where there is not much to see or do. Actually, I think it is a good thing for a person to get away from the busy life and the noise of the city and the traffic to find a restful place to relax. But if you are trying to run away from your problems or from some situation that you ought to face, this is not good advice. You should not run away because of fear. Many who were counseling David to run away and to get out of the country were afraid for his life, because Absalom, this son of his, was trying to kill him.
For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart [Ps. 11:2].
Those who were following Absalom were willing to kill David if they had the opportunity. There was great bitterness on both sides. When Absalom came in battle against his father, David did not leave the land. David retreated in order to reconnoiter and then came against his son with his army. David gave specific instructions to his three captains: “Remember my boy Absalom and don’t harm him. I want him safe.” Absalom made a big mistake in fighting his father and the veterans who were with him, because David was a seasoned warrior and knew all the tricks of the trade. He knew how to fight in the woods and the mountains. Absalom and his men were not as experienced, and they lost. Not only was there bitterness on Absalom’s side, it was also on David’s side—although not in David’s heart—but Joab, one of David’s captains, when he had the opportunity, put a dart through the boy and killed him. There was bitterness on both sides.
The death of his son broke David’s heart. I don’t think he ever recovered from that. When Absalom tried to take over, David fled from Jerusalem. Law and order had disappeared. No longer was there worship of the living and true God.
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? [Ps. 11:3].
This is still a good question to ask. Today the authority of the Word of God is being challenged on every hand. As I write, we have the “new morality,” which is sin that the Bible has condemned from the very beginning. The problem is, What can the righteous do? I will tell you what they can do. Listen to the psalmist:
The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men [Ps. 11:4].
God is watching us today. He is testing us. And the only place we can turn is to Him. When the foundations are taken out from under us, the righteous have God to cling to.
Abraham reached that place. When it says that Abraham believed God, it means that Abraham threw his arms around God and just held on. He believed God. And these are days when we can believe God and hold on to Him. It is time for many of us who cannot sing the Hallelujah Chorus to at least say it. How wonderful is our God!
The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth [Ps. 11:5].
“The Lord trieth the righteous” is better translated “the Lord tests the righteous.” God knows who are His own, and He will test His children. He tests me and He may be testing you. And that doesn’t mean He hates us. He is testing us for our good and His glory.
“But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” If you think God is just lovey-dovey, you had better read this and some of the other psalms again. God hates the wicked who hold on to their wickedness. I don’t think God loves the devil. I think God hates him, and He hates those who have no intention of turning to Him. Frankly, I do not like this distinction that I hear today that, “God loves the sinner, but He hates the sin.” God has loved you so much that He gave His Son to die for you; but if you persist in your sin and continue in that sin, you are the enemy of God. And God is your enemy. God wants to save you, and He will save you if you turn to Him and forsake your iniquity. Until then, may I say, God is not a lovey-dovey, sentimental, old gentleman from Georgia.
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup [Ps. 11:6].
The cup of iniquity is filling up in our day. And God is allowing it to fill up; He is doing nothing to hinder it. The wicked are prospering. He makes it rain on the unjust as well as the just. In fact, it looks to me like they are getting more rain than anybody else. This is their day.
For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright [Ps. 11:7].
The Lord loves righteousness. In time of trouble when the foundations are removed, we are to look from earth to heaven—the upright will behold His face. What a wonderful picture this is!
PSALM 12
Theme: The godly in the midst of the godlessness of the Great Tribulation
Prophetically, this psalm is like the preceding ones. It refers ultimately in its final fulfillment to the days of the Tribulation which will come upon Israel’s godly remnant—also upon godly Gentiles—in that day.
In the opening verses we find a description of the apostasy in those days. You see, there is to be an apostasy in Israel as well as in the church.
Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men [Ps. 12:1].
It is easy to develop an Elijah complex today and say, “I am the only one left. I am the only one standing for God today.” Many people develop that complex. It is not accurate, but it can happen when you see godlessness on every hand.
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak [Ps. 12:2].
This is a day when Christians need to speak the truth. That is, we should not say one thing to a man’s face and another thing when his back is turned. That is double-talk. It is being two-faced.
The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? [Ps. 12:3–4].
The psalmist goes after the proud in this psalm. They say, “We are going to say what we please.” We are seeing that apostasy in the church is noted by pride like this. Jude predicted the coming apostasy, “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” (Jude 16). In other words, those in apostasy are a bunch of liars.
Now we see those who are God’s people.
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him [Ps. 12:5].
Or, better, the Lord says, “I will set him in safety at whom they puff.” Today the enemy huffs and puffs like the wolf did in the story of the three little pigs. Two little pigs lost their homes because the big bad wolf blew them down. But the last little pig had a house that stood up under the huffing and puffing. The story of the three little pigs illustrates what David is saying here. God says, “I will set him in safety at whom they puff. I will hide him in the clefts of the rocks. I will put him in a place of safety.”
The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times [Ps. 12:6].
Now the wicked boast and use flattery. You cannot believe what they say. But the words of the Lord are pure. That is one reason why we need to spend more time in the Word of God. It is the fortress into which God wants to put us.
Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted [Ps. 12:7–8].
We are living in a day like this, and it will be especially true during the time of the Great Tribulation. Listen to the prophet Isaiah when he says, “Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified [they said that in mockery]: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed” (Isa. 66:5). This is a wonderful picture given to us which describes the temple worship in Jerusalem at, I think, the end of the age. The Lord Jesus said in His day, when the enemy came to arrest Him, “… this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). We go through times when the enemy has the upper hand, but God won’t let something happen to His own unless it will accomplish some worthwhile purpose in their hearts and lives.
PSALM 13
Theme: David’s desperate plight
This is a rather doleful section of the Book of Psalms. As we have said, Psalm 9 through Psalm 15 deal with that time of trouble which is coming—the Great Tribulation—and ones who figure during this time: Antichrist, and the Jewish remnant which will be true to God. It will be a time of great testing.
David has written this psalm out of his own trying experience, but it has a contemporary interpretation. Also it has a prophetic or chronological interpretation, reaching down into the end times after the church is removed from the earth.
David is being pursued as he writes this psalm—probably by King Saul. He may have been hiding at this time in the cave of Adullam while the Philistines were teamed up to hunt him out. Day after day he found himself in a desperate situation. In weariness of body and soreness of mind and heart he cries out to God:
How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? [Ps. 13:1].
David sounds extremely pessimistic here. He feels that God has forsaken him, that he is on his own. What you have here, as Delitzsch describes it, is a long, deep sigh. “It comes finally from a relieved breast, by an already much more gentle and half-calmed prayer.”
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? [Ps. 13:2].
David is asking, “How long will this continue?” At this time David is a very weary man. Then he turns in prayer to God. This is his resource and his recourse.
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death [Ps. 13:3].
David was in grave danger when he wrote this. He was afraid to go to sleep for fear that his enemy would kill him. Yet, he needed rest badly. So he asked the Lord to protect and give him sleep.
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved [Ps. 13:4].
The enemy would rejoice if he could get to David. The rejoicing of the enemy would not only be against David but also against God, so he prays that the enemy will not get the upper hand. After having heaved this awful sigh of sorrow, he continues in prayer, and he finally settles back in wonderful faith and trust in God. This is a beautiful psalm.
But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation [Ps. 13:5].
David did not think he was smart enough to get out of his predicament on his own. He took precautions, of course, but he knew only God could deliver him. God was his salvation.
I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me [Ps. 13:6].
My friend, wherever you are and whoever you are and however you are, you can still sing praises to God. As I write this, it is easy for me to praise Him. I just got a good report from my doctor about my physical condition. The Lord has been good to me and it is easy to praise Him, but I think of a man in Southern California who for years ignored God. Then he was stricken with cancer. He is flat on his back, but he has turned to the Lord through our radio program. Although he is in bad condition, a friend of mine who visited him told me, “It will rejoice your heart and humble you to visit this man and to see that in the midst of trouble he talks about how good God has been to him, how God has saved him, and how wonderful He is.” When you can praise God in a spot like that, you have arrived. He may be farther along than I am.
And so in this psalm we have seen the desperate plight of David which mirrors the plight of God’s people in the Great Tribulation.
PSALM 14
Theme: Depravity of man in the last days—atheistic, filthy, rebellious
This psalm is linked to the other psalms, especially Psalm 12. In that psalm you will recall that we saw the corruption of the last days. The godly man had ceased, it seemed; and the godless were in control. Corruption, wickedness, and lawlessness abounded. You may think it is a picture of this day, but if I may use the common colloquialism of the street, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Wait until the Great Tribulation comes. By the way, I hope you don’t see it, because God’s own—those who are in the body of believers—are not going through the Great Tribulation. He has already said that He would keep them from “the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). The church, by which I mean the true believers, will leave before that time. This psalm certainly sets before us the corruption and wickedness of the last days, the end of the age.
Notice the marvelous arrangement of this psalm made by Bishop Horn. He divides this psalm into three parts: the corruption of the world, the enmity against the people of God, and the longing and prayer for salvation. This is the picture of Psalm 14. It is brief but very important.
THE CORRUPTION OF THE WORLD
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good [Ps. 14:1].
The Hebrew word for “fool” in this verse is nabal. This may ring a bell in your thinking, because there was a man by the name of Nabal who was married to a lovely woman by the name of Abigail. His story is told in 1 Samuel 25. His name certainly characterized him accurately. He acted a fool. The word nabal may be translated “simple, silly, simpleton, fool, or madman.”
I have a very intelligent friend who has been very successful in dealing with atheists. He was in a group of men one day when an atheist said, “I don’t believe there is a God. Man doesn’t have a soul, and when he dies, he dies like a dog.” This man went on raving like a madman. My friend waited until the group began to break up and then approached this man. He said, “I understand you said that you are an atheist.” Upon hearing these words the man launched into another tirade about his belief that there is no God. My friend said, “I would like to ask you a question. The Bible says, ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.’ The word fool means insane or mad. Either you were not sincere when you talked about God as you did and you were just talking for the benefit of the crowd, or you are a fool and a madman. I would like to know which one it is.” The man turned and walked away. Knowing what we do about the universe today, only a madman would say that there is no God. Man has found that the universe works more accurately than any clock or watch he has been able to make. And there is no watch running around that “just happened”—some watchmaker made it. The universe that is timed more accurately than a watch tells us that there is a universe-maker. The fool has said in his heart that there is no God, and now the fool begins to appear on the scene. We have already had a glimpse of him in Psalm 10:4, where we read, “God is not in all his thoughts.” A better translation of this is, “All of his thoughts are, ‘There is no God!’” He exhibits the very depth of human depravity.
There are many people with Ph.D.s teaching in our universities today. Many of them are atheists. I want to say this carefully—the lowest that a man can sink in human depravity is to be an atheist. That is what the Word of God says. If you do not believe there is a God, you are a madman; you are crazy. You do not have any real sense. Having a high I.Q. is not enough. I used to teach with a man who had a Ph.D., and he didn’t have sense enough to get out of the rain. I played golf with him one day when it began to rain. He looked at me and asked, “What shall we do?” He was really asking for information. What would any sensible person do when it starts pouring down rain? I said to him, “I think we had better get in out of the rain!” Even I knew that, but he didn’t seem to know. So, you see, a scholastic degree doesn’t prove a man’s intelligence! “They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” I believe you will find that most atheists are also great sinners. Gross immorality is generally one of their characteristics. A man who mixes with the college set told me, “It is amazing the number of Ph.D.s who claim to be atheists and who are living in gross immorality. And some of them actually live in filth—and I mean material, physical filth”
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God [Ps. 14:2].
And what did He find?
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one [Ps. 14:3].
Paul quotes this verse in Romans 3:12, “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Paul is not only speaking about atheists; he is speaking about everyone. This is a picture of you and me, friend. I am not an atheist, and I don’t imagine you are, but we are sinners. We do not do good. The condition of man is corrupt, and the first three verses tell us the depths to which man can go.
ENMITY AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF GOD
They are not only against God, but they are against the people of God.
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.
There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge [Ps. 14:4–6].
There is a lot of pretense upon the part of rich politicians today. A college professor, who is a friend of mine and who is liberal in his theology and in his politics, calls these politicians “limousine liberals.” He said, “They don’t know anything about what the poor man goes through, and yet they pretend to be liberal.” They are like the rich man who always lets some crumbs fall off his table for the poor man to keep him satisfied (see Luke 16:20–21). I find no rich man today giving up his riches to help the poor. What little you and I accumulate he will tax to death; yet he somehow escapes taxation himself. God certainly knows human nature, does He not? This is a picture of them.
THE LONGING AND PRAYER FOR SALVATION
Now here is a note of triumph.
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad [Ps. 14:7].
This verse looks forward in anticipation to that glorious day when out of Zion will come salvation for Israel. In that day Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad. You cannot misunderstand this verse. Anyone who says that God does not have a future purpose for Israel is admitting that he doesn’t know very much about the Psalms. He may try to avoid what is so clearly stated in other passages of the Word, but how can he deny that the heart cry and the joy of the psalmist is in the future when God establishes a kingdom on earth with Israel at the center?
PSALM 15
Theme: Description of those who will be in the presence of God
This is another brief psalm which will conclude the section which began with Psalm 9. If you review these psalms you will see a definite development. Psalms 9 and 10 picture Satan’s man, who is characterized by pride, boasting, and self-sufficiency. Psalm 11 deals with the testing of the righteous. In Psalm 12 we see the godly in the midst of godlessness and the ultimate godlessness of the Great Tribulation. Psalm 13 mirrors the plight of God’s people in the Great Tribulation. Psalm 14 shows us the depravity of man in the last days, with his atheistic attitude and his filthy and rebellious ways. Now Psalm 15 tells us about those who shall enter the kingdom. It describes those who are going to be in the presence of Jehovah.
Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? [Ps. 15:1].
There is only one holy hill; the Bible calls it Zion, which is in the land of Israel. He is talking about those who will enter the millennial kingdom, the kingdom Christ will establish on earth with Israel as the center.
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not [Ps. 15:2–4].
“In whose eyes a vile person is contemned”—that is, despised. In our contemporary culture the opposite is often true; the vile person is honored, and the godly man is despised.
“He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not” means that he will go on record for the truth and will not change his story to protect himself.
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved [Ps. 15:5].
In this psalm David is saying exactly what James said: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). I like the way John Calvin put it: “Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is not alone.” Who is going to stand before God? Those who have had a faith in God that has produced a life of righteousness. At the time I write this, there is a great deal of talk about the soon coming of Christ, and yet I don’t see much change in the lives of folk who say they are expecting Him. My friend, if you really believe Jesus is coming soon—or even if you believe you will someday stand before Him to give an account, you will make sure that you live your life in such a way that it will count for God. This is the real test that will prove whether or not you love Him and look for Jesus’ return.
This is a tremendous psalm!
PSALM 16
Theme: The resurrection of the Messiah
Psalms 16 through 24 form another segment that belongs together. In our songbooks today songs of like themes are grouped together—songs of praise, songs of repentance, etc., are in certain sections of our books. Well, this is how the Psalms are arranged in this songbook. The theme of these nine psalms is the prophecy of Christ blended with the prophecy of the faithful remnant.
Psalm 16 gives us the song of resurrection. This is the third messianic psalm. It touches on the life of Christ (v. 8), the death of Christ (v. 9), the resurrection of Christ (v. 10), and the ascension of Christ (v. 11). The resurrection of Christ is quoted from this psalm in the New Testament in three different places.
This psalm is called a “Michtam of David.” The word Michtam is of uncertain origin. Martin Luther translated it as “a golden jewel,” which I think is close to the actual meaning. Psalms 56 through 60 are also called Michtam psalms.
The messianic meaning of this psalm is fully established by the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, as we shall see.
Let us call this psalm the Golden Jewel of David because he is looking forward to the One coming in his line, the One of whom he could say, “This is all my salvation.”
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust [Ps. 16:1].
This reveals the wonderful voice of the Lord Jesus Christ when He said He had come to do the Father’s will and had committed Himself completely to the Father (John 5:30). Christ purposely took a place of subjection on earth when He took upon Himself our humanity. Little man—and all of us are pretty little—becomes proud and tries to lift himself up. We have men in high positions today—politicians, statesmen, men of science, educators, and ministers, who almost take the place of God. But actually we are pretty small potatoes here on this earth. We don’t amount to much. We were created lower than the angels (Heb. 2:6–7). I have to take that position, but Christ did not have to take it. He willingly became man. I am glad that I am a man, but I also need to recognize what man really is. I rejoice in what God is going to do for me, and with me, and to all those who believe in Him.
The psalmist says, “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.” What a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ! It was a picture of David, and I trust it is also a picture of you and me.
O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee [Ps. 16:2].
Have you ever ridden along in your car, walked in the mountains or by the seashore, looked up and said, “You are my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Lord”? Have you ever told Him that? I have a little grandson, and you cannot imagine what it means to an old man to have his grandson crawl up in his lap, put his little arms around him, and say, “You are my grandpa.” It is quite wonderful. And we have a heavenly Father who made us in His image, and I am of the opinion He likes us to come to Him and tell Him, “You are my Lord.” Have you told Him that lately? Don’t be like the proud spoken of in Matthew 7:22–23: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” These people called Him “Lord” and did not even know Him. When I call Him “Lord,” I want to mean it.
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight [Ps. 16:3].
You see, He is the Lord to His saints on the earth—this privilege does not extend to everybody, as the next verse indicates.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips [Ps. 16:4].
“Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another …” (you will notice that “god” is in italics in most Bibles because the word was supplied by the translators). It means that they “hasten after another” whom they think is God.
What a picture this is. The pagan had what he called his gods; in David’s day they were Dagon and Baal. I am amused at folk who say they have no creed. A man said to me, “I don’t believe in having a creed.” I replied, “Yes, you do. Your creed is that you don’t believe in having any creed.” You cannot help but have a creed.
There used to be a church in downtown Los Angeles that had one whole side exposed to the street. On it there was a sign which said, “No creed, but Christ.” Well, that was their creed and a good one, although it was over-simplification, and they weren’t quite telling the truth to make a statement like that.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage [Ps. 16:5–6].
How wonderful—“the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.” The Lord came to earth and took His place, walking in a world of sin and sorrow. He was a perfect stranger down here. He rejoiced in Jehovah. There was peace and joy in His life.
He said, “My portion and my cup.” What is the difference between a “portion” and a “cup”? My portion is what belongs to me—whether or not I enjoy it—it’s mine. My cup is what I actually appropriate and make my own. For example, what is put on my grandson’s plate at the dinner table is his portion. But frankly, he scatters it around and does not eat all of it; he only appropriates so much. He has a “portion” given to him, but his “cup” is what he actually consumes.
Many people in the world who have been blessed by God with all spiritual blessings do not enjoy them. Their cups do not run over. They don’t have much in their cups. God wants us to enjoy life. Jesus said, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He also said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11). Some of us have a little fun sometimes but not all the time. We need to be full of life and joy all of the time.
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons [Ps. 16:7].
What do you think about at night when you cannot sleep? The psalmist thought about the Lord.
Now we come to the verses that are quoted in the New Testament.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption [Ps. 16:8–10].
This is the psalm of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This was the heart of Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost. “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [sheol was the Hebrew word, meaning “the unseen world”], neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day [from where Peter was preaching in the temple area, they could see the tomb of David, and Peter undoubtedly pointed to it]. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption” (Acts 2:25–31). Peter said clearly that Psalm 16:8–10 spoke of the resurrection of Christ. There are several liberal expositors—Perowne is one of them—who say that Psalm 16 has no reference to the resurrection of Christ. When a liberal makes that statement, I have to consider what Simon Peter said. When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, several thousand people turned to Christ and were saved, which brought about a revolution in the Roman Empire. With this in mind I feel like saying to the liberals, “How many are coming to the Lord through your ministry?” That is the real test. Simon Peter said that Psalm 16 refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and I am taking his word for it.
Peter also said more on the day of Pentecost: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:32–36). Obviously Psalm 16 refers to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul also quoted from this psalm. In Acts 13:35–37 he says, “Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.” You see, Paul also said it was the psalm of Jesus’ resurrection.
What we have in this psalm is quite remarkable. In verse 8 we have the life of Christ. “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” That, my friend, was the pathway He followed down here, and it is the pathway I want to follow.
Then in verse 9 we have the death of Christ: “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” He died there upon the cross, knowing that God would raise Him from the dead.
Then we have the resurrection of Christ in verse 10: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [that is, the grave]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Then we have the ascension of Christ in verse 11:
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore [Ps. 16:11].
As you can see, this is a wonderful resurrection psalm, and it is so used in the New Testament. The resurrection of Christ is definitely prophesied in this great messianic psalm.
PSALM 17
Theme: A prayer of David when in great danger
Psalm 17 is entitled, “A Prayer of David.” The question is, When was it written? It seems to be a prayer that came out of his wilderness experience. It probably concerns the time when Saul and his men were almost upon him and came close to taking him. This psalm reveals David’s trust in God, but in the final analysis it speaks primarily of the Lord Jesus Christ. This psalm can also be a prayer for us today when we find ourselves in similar situations of trial, anxiety, or danger. As we study this psalm, keep in mind that we are in a new series that speaks of Christ in prophecy. After all, this is a HIM book; it is all about Him.
Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips [Ps. 17:1].
This is a prayer of David—probably when he is being pursued by Saul—and his life is in danger. This prayer comes from his heart, and he says what he is really thinking. There will be no “put-on” in it; he is not going to speak with “feigned lips.” In other words, there will be no insincerity in what he is saying.
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal [Ps. 17:2].
He is willing for the Lord to balance things off. “Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.” I don’t know about you, but I am not asking for justice from God; I am asking for mercy. What most of us need from Him is mercy.
Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress [Ps. 17:3].
It is interesting to note that when God tested David, He did find something and, when He tested me, He also found something. I have a notion that when He tested you, He found something also. These words must first of all be applied to Christ.
When the psalmist speaks in verse 1, of the prayer that did not go out of “feigned lips” it is a perfect picture of our perfect Lord. Peter says of the Lord, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). Peter goes on to say about Him, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Pet. 2:23).
Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer [Ps. 17:4].
The “destroyer” is none other than Satan. Because of his presence in the world, every child of God should be alert. David was in enemy territory, and he was aware of that when he was hiding from Saul. And we are in enemy territory—the earth is Satan’s bailiwick. To the church in Pergamos the Lord said, “I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat [Satan’s throne] is …” (Rev. 2:13). I don’t know where you live today, but some of us think that Satan’s throne is very close to Los Angeles.
Our Lord didn’t fall into Satan’s trap as we often do.
Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech [Ps. 17:5–6].
Delitzsch translates verse 6 like this: “As such an one I call upon thee, and thou hearest me.” David knew he was heard. The Lord Jesus Christ identified Himself with His own. When He prayed, God heard Him. We can be sure, my friend, that He hears and answers our prayers when we are in trouble.
Shew thy marvellous loving-kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings [Ps. 17:7–8].
Years before God had used a similar expression when He said to Israel, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself” (Exod. 19:4). This is a picture of where we are placed—in the shadow of His wings. Years later the Lord Jesus said of Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:37). Notice it is “under her wings”—this is also the picture David is giving us.
From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
They are enclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places [Ps. 17:9–12].
David is crying out to God. He knew that God had heard his prayer.
Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness [Ps. 17:13–15].
Here is David, hiding in a cave, and he calls out to God to deliver him. David knows that God is going to deliver him and that one day he will be in His presence. At the moment, however, the enemy seems to be so strong and powerful.
You and I as God’s children look out on a world that is against us. We are like the little boy playing in a vacant lot who saw a big old weed growing there and decided to pull it out of the ground. As he was pulling, a man happened by, stopped, and watched him. The little fellow would pull on one side and grunt, then get on the other side and pull. Finally,with one great supreme effort the little fellow pulled, the roots of the weed gave way, and he fell back with a bump. For a few moments he sat there, shocked. The man who had been watching him said, “Son, that was a mighty big pull.” The boy replied, “It sure was ’cause the whole world was pulling against me.” My friend, that is the position of the child of God today, but we have a resource and a recourse by coming to our Heavenly Father. This is what our Lord did when He was on earth, and so did David when he was in real danger.
What a psalm to help those who are in trouble today—especially when we find we have enemies who are against us. Most of us who stand for God have enemies—we have enemies just like a dog has fleas! They seem to be a part of the Christian’s life.
PSALM 18
Theme: David’s praise when God delivered him from the hand of Saul
This is another wonderful psalm written by David. Many of the liberal expositors have found nothing in this psalm but David’s experience, and they have said some wonderful things about it. I would like to quote from Perowne as an example:
In this magnificent hymn the royal poet sketches in a few grand outlines the tale of his life—the record of his marvelous deliverances and of the victories which Jehovah had given him—the record, too, of his own heart, the truth of his affection towards God, and the integrity of purpose by which it had ever been influenced. Throughout that singularly chequered life, hunted as he had been by Saul before he came to the throne, and harassed perpetually after he became king by rivals, who disputed his authority, and endeavored to steal away the hearts of his people—compelled to flee for his life before his own son, and engaged afterward in long and fierce wars with foreign nations—one thing had never forsaken him, the love and the presence of Jehovah. By His help he had subdued every enemy, and now, in his old age, looking backward with devout thankfulness on the past, he sings this great song of praise to the God of his life (The Book of Psalms, p. 192).
Everything this expositor has said is true; he has given the local, contemporary interpretation of this psalm. This psalm is a duplication of 2 Samuel 22; and, when we studied that book, I touched upon it lightly but will deal with the contents a little more closely here.
There is a deeper meaning to this psalm than the expositor gave us. Some of the utterances that are called poetic figures are more than figures of speech. These utterances speak of the Son of God, the Anointed One of God, Christ our Savior in His sufferings. Someone has labeled this psalm “All the way from the jaws of death to Jehovah’s throne.”
We are living today in a world where a lot is said about love, and many think the subject of love is foreign to the Old Testament. Notice how this psalm opens:
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength [Ps. 18:1].
When was the last time you told the Lord you loved Him? To tell Him you love Him is one of the most wonderful things you can do. Praise toward God begins because He loves us and has provided a salvation for us. He preserves us and by His providence watches over us.
Notice that the Lord is called “my strength.”
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower [Ps. 18:2].
He calls the Lord his strength, his rock, his fortress, and his deliverer—in all of this He is his Savior, you see. Then he says again that He is his strength, He is his shield, his horn, and his high tower. He is my shield—He protects me. He is my horn, my power. By laying hold of the horns of the altar a person would be safe from his attackers. That is how we need to hold on to our God today. The Lord, our Savior, is our horn. He is our high tower. A high tower is also a good place for protection and a good place to get a vision and a perspective of life. Many of us need to go to the high tower. This verse contains excellent names for our God.
The word that interests me a great deal is the personal pronoun my. David says, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.” It is one thing to talk about the attributes of God and say He is omnipotent, but the important thing is to say He is my strength. It is one thing to say He is a shepherd. David could have said, “The Lord is a shepherd,” and He is, but it is altogether different to say, “He is my shepherd.”
I think I can illustrate what I am talking about. One day I went out to the airport to pick up my wife and grandson. She brought him back on a plane so that he would not have to travel from the East coast in a car. There were lots of little boys and girls at the airport. They were all precious children, and as I looked at them I smiled. Then all of a sudden here comes one that is different. Do you know what makes him different? He is my grandson. There were lots of grandparents there, and, oh, how sentimental we grandparents can become! Their grandchildren were just as special to them as mine was to me—all because of the little possessive pronoun my.
Can you say, “The Lord is my shepherd; He is my high tower; He is my horn; He is my shield; He is my strength; He is my deliverer; He is my rock; He is my fortress”?
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies [Ps. 18:3].
Worship comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word worth. Worship is that which is extended to the one who is worthy. David sang, “I will call upon the Lord”—why? Because He “is worthy to be praised.”
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid [Ps. 18:4].
Once again the psalm reaches out and touches the Lord Jesus Christ. Bishop Horne saw something else in this psalm. Let me quote from him:
Let us suppose King Messiah, like His progenitor of old, is seated upon the throne. From thence let us imagine Him taking a retrospective view of the sufferings He had undergone, the battles He had fought and the victories He had gained. With this before our minds, we shall be able in some measure, to conceive the force of the words “With all the yearnings of affection I will love Thee, O Jehovah, My strength, through My union with whom I have finished My work, and am now exalted to praise Thee in those who are redeemed.” Whenever we sing this Psalm, let us think we are singing it in conjunction with our Saviour, risen from the dead; a consideration, which surely will incite us to do it with becoming gratitude and devotion. (Quoted in A. C. Gaebelein, The Book of Psalms, p. 82.)
What a picture! Friend, this happens to be a psalm we can join Him in singing.
Listen to him now, as he recounts his experiences—and I think this presents the life of David in a limited way, but more especially the life of the Lord Jesus who said, “The sorrows of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.”
The sorrows of hell [Sheol, the grave] compassed me about: the snares of death prevented [were round about] me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears [Ps. 18:5–6].
Notice again “my God.” And what happened? God responded. And what happened when the Lord Jesus was brought back from the grave? The next few verses tell us. (In the following section the first person possessive pronoun changes to the third person, and it refers to the Lord.)
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth [Ps. 18:7].
He was angry with sinful men for what they had done to His Son. The Gospels tell us that when the stone was rolled away from the sepulcher there was an earthquake. What else took place in the heavens which corresponds to the following verses we do not know.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place: his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies [Ps. 18:8–11].
There was darkness on the day that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. Who did all of this?
The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire [Ps. 18:13].
This psalm began using the pronoun my. Then it changed at verse 7 and talked about what God has done. Now in this next verse it is “He and me.” That may be bad grammar, but that is the way it is here—He and me!
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me [Ps. 18:16–17].
“He delivered me from my strong enemy.” Oh, how you and I need a personal, vital relationship with God! Let’s come to grips with Him. He has delivered us from the enemy. Do you need help today? Do you need a partner today? I want to recommend One to you. He will never desert you. He will never leave you alone. He will never forsake you. He says, “…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). That is the reason that I depend on Him more than I depend on anyone. That is also the reason you should depend on Him instead of depending on any human being. Psalm 118:8 says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”
He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man [Ps. 18:48].
“The violent man” I think is Satan.
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore [Ps. 18:49–50].
God extends His mercy to us today. This marvelous psalm closes on a note of praise to God. Oh, that there might be praise in your mouth and mine, in your life and mine, in your heart and mine, toward our God! Praise to God. “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Ps. 107:1–2). If the redeemed do not say the Lord is good, nobody else in the world will. The redeemed ought to say so. We need some “say-so” Christians.
PSALM 19
Theme: The revelation of God in His creation, in His commandments, and in Christ
This can be called a great psalm of creation. It has been divided by many scholars into two parts: creation and the revelation of Jehovah in the Law, that is, in His Word. I have attempted to divide the psalm into three parts: creation of the cosmos, the commandments, and Christ—I feel that He has a special place here in the subject of redemption, salvation, and the grace of God. We will find God revealed in His creation, in His commandments, and in His grace in Christ. This is all that God saw fit to give to man, and I do not think He has exhausted all the things He could tell us about Himself.
This is another psalm of David, and it is so called in the inspired text. Also there is a division right in the text: the first part (vv. 1–6) uses El for the name of God, meaning the “Mighty One.” He is the Mighty One in creation—“In the beginning Elohim [Elohim is the plural of El] created the heavens and the earth” (see Gen. 1:1). Elohim is His name as the Creator. The second division begins at verse 7, “The law of the Lord is perfect”—and His name is Jehovah. It is so used seven times in this section, and the last time two other names are added, Jehovah, Tzuri, Goeli, meaning “Jehovah, my Rock, my Redeemer.” (Common sense scholarship does not try to explain the difference in names by contending that it was written by two different authors. If the same common sense had been used in the study of the Pentateuch, some scholars would not have come up with the “Jehovist and Elohist” writers of the Pentateuch theory. The same writer wrote it, using the two names for God. The Psalms flood light on many sections of the Bible. I trust they bless your heart and life.
GOD IN CREATION
This is a morning psalm. It speaks of creation in the first six verses. Psalm 8 was a creation psalm, and in it we saw the moon and the stars. It was a night psalm. Psalm 19 is called a day psalm because it is the sun that is brought before us.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof [Ps. 19:1–6].
Now I want to share with you the translation made by Dr. Arno C. Gaebelein, who was one of my teachers, and in whom I have great confidence. He was well acquainted with the great Hebrew and German scholars who made a thorough study of the Book of Psalms: “The heavens declare the glory of God and the expanse maketh known the work of His hands. Day unto day poureth forth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge—there is no speech and there are no words, Yet their voice is heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and to the end of the earth their words; in them hath He set a tent for the sun. And he is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, He rejoiceth as a strong man to run the course. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuit unto the ends of them, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof” (The Book of Psalms, p. 89).
This is a marvelous psalm. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Paul says it this way in Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” The heavens tell out the wisdom of God, they tell out the power of God, and they tell out, I think, something of the plan and purpose of God. From the beginning creation has been the primitive witness of God to man, His creature.
In all the creeds of the church, including the Apostles’ Creed, creation is ascribed exclusively to God the Father. But when you come to the New Testament, where there is an amplification even of the act of creation, you find that it is not exactly accurate to say that God the Father is the Maker of heaven and earth. The Trinity was involved in the creation of the earth. In fact, the word Elohim is a plural word in the Hebrew, and it speaks of the Trinity. The New Testament tells us that the Lord Jesus was the agent of creation, and the Holy Spirit came in and refurbished and revamped it: “… the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). The apostle John tells of another beginning: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1–3). This is the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:16, speaking about the Lord Jesus, says, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” The Lord Jesus was the agent in creation. The first chapter of Ephesians tells us that all the members of the Trinity were involved in our redemption: God the Father planned it, the Son paid for it, and the Holy Spirit protects it. This applies to God’s creation as well: God the Father planned this universe; the Son carried out the plan, and He is the One who redeemed it; and the Holy Spirit today is moving and brooding over this creation.
It is interesting to note that the sun is prominent and likened to a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. When I was in Jerusalem, every morning I could see the sun come up over the side of the Mount of Olives. What a thrill it was to see the light breaking on Jerusalem—the walls of the city, the high places first. It touched David’s tomb on Mount Zion, then touched the tops of the buildings, and then moved to the temple area. It was thrilling, and it was a picture of another bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. Some day He is coming in glory to this earth, but before He comes, He is going to take His church out of the world. He is the Bright and Morning Star. The Bright and Morning Star always appears before the sun rises. What a picture we have here in creation! There is nothing quite like it. This wonderful, wonderful psalm pictures creation.
GOD IN HIS COMMANDMENTS
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward [Ps. 19:7–11].
Again let me give you Dr. Gaebelein’s translation: “The Law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are altogether righteous. More to be desired than gold, than much fine gold, and sweeter than honey, and honey-comb. By them thy servant is warned, in keeping them the reward is great” (The Book of Psalms, p. 91).
Now notice what he says about the commandments:
1. They are perfect. The Law cannot save us because it is perfect and we are not. We cannot measure up to it, but there is nothing wrong with the Law. Paul, who set forth the grace of God, says this about the Law, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin” (Rom. 7:12–14). There is nothing wrong with the Law, but it is an administration of death to us because there is something radically wrong with us. The Law was given to show us that we are sinners before God. The Law is perfect.
2. “The testimony of the Lord; is sure.” Don’t bank on God changing to the “new” morality. God is not reading some of the new views of psychology, and He is not listening to the decisions that some judges are handing down. God is going to punish sin—He says that is what He is going to do. The testimony of the Lord is sure. Judgment is coming. The commandments reveal that.
3. “The statutes of the Lord are right.” Someone says, “There are certain commandments I don’t like.” Well, maybe you don’t like them, but God does. They are right. What makes them right? In a college sociology class years ago, I had a professor who was always saying, “Who is going to determine what is right? How do you know what is right?” I didn’t know the answer then, but now I know that God determines what is right. This is His universe; He made it, and He made the rules. Maybe you do not like the law of gravitation, but I advise you not to fool with it. That is, if you go to the top of a ten-story building, don’t step off, because God will not suspend the law of gravitation for you. It operates for everyone, doesn’t it?
4. “The commandment of the Lord is pure.” I tell you, it is pure. It will do something for you—ennoble you and lift you up.
5. “The fear of the Lord is clean.” We are told that this word fear means “reverential trust.” I believe it cleans more than that. It means fear. We do well to fear God, my friend. I loved my Dad, but I sure was afraid of him. He kept me in line, and I think, in the final analysis, that is what kept me out of jail. I knew that when I did wrong there would be trouble. The fear of the Lord is clean; the fear of the Lord will clean you up. Fear of my Dad made me a better boy, but I still loved him.
6. “The judgments of the Lord are true.” Do you want to know what truth is? Pilate wanted to know. He asked our Lord, “… What is truth? …” (John 18:38), and Truth was standing right in front of him in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. “The judgments of the Lord are … righteous.” They are right. Whatever God does is right. This is a tremendous section. We ought to learn to love all of the Word of God—all of it. Several people have written to me because they think I am opposed to the Ten Commandments. Why, the Ten Commandments are wonderful; I am not opposed to them. I am opposed to Vernon McGee—he can’t keep them. If you can keep them, then you can ask God to move over; and you can sit beside Him because you have made it on your own. But God says you cannot keep them, and I agree with Him. He told me I would not make it on my own, and I agree with Him. I have to come as a sinner to God.
THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST
This brings us to the grace of God in Christ.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer [Ps. 19:12–14].
“Who can understand his errors?” Who can? I use subterfuge a great deal. My wife says I rationalize. In fact, I am pretty good at that. I can give excuses, but God won’t accept them. God says that you cannot understand your errors. Just take His word for it that you are a sinner.
“Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” Secret faults are the problem with a great many folk today. They are secret from themselves—they think they are not sinners.
“Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins … and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” Do you know what “the great transgression” is? It is the rejection of Jesus Christ, the One who is set before us in this psalm.
Now listen to the psalmist. This is a verse that you hear many times in a believer’s prayer. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Who was David’s strength? Christ! Who was his redeemer? Christ. He is also my strength and my redeemer. He becomes that through the grace of God. What a wonderful psalm this is!
PSALM 20
Theme: Plea of Israel for the success of the Messiah
This psalm is not classed as one of the messianic psalms, but I have labeled it such because it is a prophecy of the Messiah and His work of redemption. I think it is closely linked with the two psalms that follow it. In Israel these psalms were sung together in a liturgical way. Some scholars think they were chanted by the leaders of worship, the Levites, and by the assembled worshipers who responded antiphonally.
Bishop Home said, concerning this prayer psalm: “The Church prayeth for the prosperity of the King Messiah, going forth to battle, as her champion and deliverer; for His acceptance by the Father, and for the accomplishment of His will” (quoted in A. C. Gaebelein, The Book of Psalms, pp. 93–94). Bishop Home would have hit the nail right on the head if he had said “the remnant of Israel” instead of “church.” This psalm really deals with Israel.
This is another psalm that tells out the grace of God.
The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee [Ps. 20:1].
“The day of trouble” is when we want Him to hear us, isn’t it?
This is a psalm of David. How did old Jacob get in here? By the grace of God. God never was ashamed to be called the God of Jacob. I would have been ashamed of Jacob because of some of the things he did. Maybe you have been ashamed of him, too, but God was not. God saved Jacob by His grace.
Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion [Ps. 20:2].
What sanctuary is this verse talking about? The church? No! The sanctuary in Jerusalem. Where is Zion? Maybe you are thinking of Zion, Illinois, or Zion, Utah; but David is not talking about those places—nor any church. Zion is in Israel, of course. Nothing could be clearer.
Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah [Ps. 20:3].
Dr. Gaebelein translates it like this: “He shall remember all Thine offerings, and accept Thy burnt offerings. Selah.” Notice that he is not referring to our offerings, but to Christ’s offering. He offered up in the days of His flesh, not only prayers and tears (Heb. 5), but finally His own body.
“Selah”—here is something for you to meditate on, to think about, in these days when there is so much trouble.
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.
Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand [Ps. 20:4–6].
The Father is going to hear the prayers of the Lord Jesus. Remember that He said, “… Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always …” (John 11:41–42). Christ is probably the only One whom the Father always hears and always answers.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call [Ps. 20:7–9].
The “king” is for Israel. For us today He is Savior, and we pray in the name of Jesus.
“Save, Lord” is Hosanna in the Hebrew. This is a great Hosanna psalm. May God make it real to our hearts.
PSALM 21
Theme: The ascension of Christ
This is another psalm which I consider messianic, although it is not on the list of messianic psalms that I gave in the introduction, nor is it quoted verbatim in the New Testament as referring to Christ. However, I don’t think you can read it without coming to the judgment that it has reference to Him. In fact, Israel, from the beginning said this psalm spoke of the Messiah. The Targum, which is the Chaldean paraphrase of the Old Testament, and the Talmud teach that the king mentioned in this psalm is the Messiah. The great Talmud scholar, Rabbi Solomon Isaaci, known as Rashi, born in a.d. 1040, endorsed this interpretation but suggested that it should be given up because of Christians making use of this psalm as an evidence that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. I feel that this is a very good testimony to the fact that this psalm does refer to the Lord Jesus.
It is interesting to note that this psalm is used by the liturgical churches that observe certain days such as Ascension Day. They use this psalm as commemorating the Ascension, that is, the return of the Lord Jesus to glory and His presence there as our Great High Priest. I don’t know why those of us who are fundamental in the faith have paid so little attention to the ascension of Christ. We observe Christmas and Easter and the Day of Pentecost, but we forget the ascension of Christ. To me that is a great day. Well, this psalm gives us the opportunity to give some thought to our Lord’s ascension. We will see Him as king in heaven, and we will see the judgment that is to come upon those who have rejected Him.
This is another psalm of David, according to the inspired text, and includes Christ’s coming reign as king on the earth. This psalm was undoubtedly used in temple worship. Dr. J. J. Stewart Perowne has made this comment: “Each Jewish Monarch was but a feeble type of Israel’s true King: and all the hopes and aspirations of pious hearts, however, they might have for their immediate object the then reigning Monarch, whether David himself or one of his sons, still looked beyond these to Him, who should be David’s Lord as well as his son” (The Book of Psalms, p. 207). That is quite a testimony coming from a man who was liberal in his theology.
Now notice how this psalm opens.
The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! [Ps. 21:1].
Although David is speaking of his personal experience, the primary interpretation refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“The king shall joy in thy strength.” In Hebrews 12:2 it was said of the Lord, “… who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,”—and He ascended into heaven—“and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This verse speaks of the joy of our Lord in having wrought our salvation for us. He rejoices in the power and strength that have been bestowed upon Him. He has gone to heaven, and the angels and principalities have been made subject to Him. Today He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him (Heb. 7:25). This is a wonderful psalm.
Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah [Ps. 21:2].
When the Lord made His final report to His Father in His High Priestly prayer in John 17, He said, “… Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee” (John 17:1). This prayer, and all of the Lord’s other requests, have been and will be answered, as we see in this prayer. This is the prayer of ascension. He is at God’s right hand. “Thou has given him his heart’s desire.” When He was here on earth, the Lord could say, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). This prayer will be answered in the future when we are with Him. He came to earth to make this possible. The Father has not withheld the request of His Son’s lips. “Selah”—this is something we ought to meditate about.
He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance [Ps. 21:4–6].
Now notice Dr. Gaebelein’s translation of these verses: “He asked life of Thee, Thou gavest it Him: length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in Thy salvation; Honour and majesty hast Thou laid upon Him. For Thou hast made Him most blessed for ever: Thou dost delight Him with joy in Thy presence” (The Book of Psalms, p. 98).
The Lord Jesus Christ came to give His life a ransom for many down here. On earth you find Him in humiliation, and you find Him pleading again and again in prayer. He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane. Psalm 102:23–24 says of the Lord: “He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.” He asked for life. He died in the very prime of life. He was thirty-three years old. He prayed, “… Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). In Hebrews 5:7 we are told: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.” How was He heard? He died! But God raised Him from the dead. Now He lives in His glorified human body for ever and ever. He is now at God’s right hand. “His glory is great in Thy salvation.” Oh, the glory that should accrue to Him because He saved you, and He saved me!
For the king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them [Ps. 21:7–9].
Dr. Gaebelein translates it: “Thy hand shall find out all Thine enemies; Thy right hand shall find out those that hate Thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of Thy coming” (The Book of Psalms, p. 99). Not only is He a God of salvation but, because of His death upon the cross for sinners, He is also a God of judgment. Those who have rejected Him are His enemies. You don’t believe in hell? The Bible teaches it. If you don’t believe there is a hell, you are in disagreement with the Bible.
A man once came to me and said, “I don’t believe in hell.” I replied, “Do you know that you are in disagreement with the Bible?” He said, “I don’t care. I don’t believe there is a hell.” Well, I told him, “You will someday. The day will come when you will find that it is true.” Hell is not a pleasant subject. Who said that it was? God does not take any delight in the lost. God’s judgment is called His strange work. His wonderful work is salvation. He wants to save. If you won’t come to Him His way, or if you don’t want His salvation, then there is nothing but judgment that remains.
“Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.” This verse is clear. Fire is fire, and judgment is judgment.
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power [Ps. 21:10–13].
In this marvelous psalm we see Christ’s cross and suffering. He endured the cross “… for the joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:2). His prayers have been answered. Now the King is in heaven. We see Him there crowned with glory and honor. He is there on behalf of His people. He is there in unspeakable joy and waiting for His manifestation and kingly glory.
I would like to give you another picture of the Lord Jesus Christ today. The first time He came to earth He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Somebody says, “Every picture I have ever seen of Him is a solemn, serious looking Christ.” I don’t care for the pictures that have been painted of Christ, and I know He doesn’t look like that today. He is sitting at God’s right hand, and His heart is filled with joy. He wants to communicate that joy to you and me. Oh, that we might get a glimpse of Him today! When the Lord was on earth, His enemies conspired against Him, but He trusted in Jehovah. In John’s vision in Revelation 12 the dragon, representing Satan, wanted to devour the manchild, representing Christ. (The woman is Israel.) Before the dragon could devour the manchild, He was caught up to God and to His throne. That is where He is right now.
Also this psalm gives us a picture of judgment, which is amplified greatly in the Book of Revelation. That is a serious picture that is given to us there. Paul the apostle mentions it also in 2 Thessalonians 1:7–8: “And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a picture of the Lord’s coming in judgment upon His enemies. 2 Thessalonians 1:9–10 goes on to say, “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”
This is a glorious psalm of the Ascension of Christ. What is your relationship to Him today? If He is not your Savior, if you have not trusted the One who came down here to die, then judgment is coming upon you someday. But today He is filled with joy up yonder at God’s right hand, because He has wrought out your salvation and mine. This wonderful ascension psalm makes very clear the glorious grace of God in Christ Jesus.
PSALM 22
Theme: The crucifixion of Christ
There are several Scriptures with which I never feel adequate to deal. This is one of them. When we come to Psalm 22 I feel that we are standing on holy ground, and we should take off our spiritual shoes. This psalm is called the Psalm of the Cross. It is so named because it describes more accurately and minutely the crucifixion of Christ than does any other portion of the Word of God. It corresponds, of course, to the twenty-second chapter of Genesis and the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah.
We have many messianic psalms which are pictures of Christ. The first psalm, for instance, is a portrait of Christ in His character—who He is, His life, His practice. But in Psalm 22 we have an X-ray which penetrates into His thoughts and into His inner life. In this psalm we see the anguish of His passion; His soul is laid bare. In the Gospels is recorded the historical fact of His death, and some of the events which attended His crucifixion; but only in Psalm 22 are His thoughts revealed. It has been the belief of many scholars that actually the Lord Jesus, while on the cross, quoted the entire twenty-second psalm. I concur in this, because the seven last sayings that are given in the Gospels either appear in this psalm or the psychological background for them is here.
It is the custom in many churches to conduct a Good Friday service in which seven ministers bring messages from the seven last sayings of Christ from the cross. In the course of fifteen years, I have heard over one hundred men deal with these seven words. It is always a spiritual feast to hear how each man develops the subject, and always there are many new and profitable thoughts presented. However, we shall attempt to encompass all seven sayings in one message. And instead of standing beneath the cross and listening to Him, we are going to hang on the cross with Him. We shall view the crucifixion of Christ from a new position—from the cross itself. And we can look with Him on those beneath His cross, as He was hanging there, and see what went on in His heart and in His mind. We shall see what occurred in His soul as He became the sacrifice for the sins of the world. As He was suspended there between heaven and earth, He became the ladder let down from heaven to this earth so that men might have a way to God.
We were there, if you please, on that cross as He was made sin for us—He “… who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). We were as truly on that cross when He died as we today are in Christ by faith. Peter put it like this: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Pet. 2:24). Healed from sin!
“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?”
Psalm 22 opens with the plaintive and desperate cry of this poor, lone Man, forsaken of God.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? [Ps. 22:1].
There has been an attempt made to play down the stark reality and the bitter truth that He was forsaken of God. I hold an article written by a local minister who takes the position that Jesus was not forsaken. He attempts to translate, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” to mean, “My God, my God, for this was I kept.” His authority is the Peshitta, or the Syriac version. However, the Peshitta is not a good manuscript. It never has been used by any reputable translator, for it is not a good translation. Evidently it was made by some who had gone into a heresy at the very beginning. The value of it is that in many places it throws light on the customs in Palestine during that period. I have used it in that connection on several occasions, but never would I accept the translation. Actually, the Hebrew is very clear, and the Greek is very clear, and the Aramaic is very clear—in each language the cry means that Jesus was forsaken of God.
Now we have here—and this is something I want to emphasize from the very beginning—a record of His human suffering. We see Him hanging there as a man, “… the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We get more light on this by turning to the Spistle to the Hebrews: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [a little lower than the angels? Yes, made a man. Why?] for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9). That is what we are looking at—the One who left heaven’s glory and became a Man. He became a Man to reveal God, yes, that is true; but most of all to redeem man. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).
He could save no one by His life; it was His sacrificial death that saves. “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham….For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them [help them] that are tempted” (Heb. 2:15–16, 18). We see the Man Christ Jesus on the cross as the perfect Man. He had learned to rest upon God. He had learned to trust Him in all that He did. He said, “… I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). But yonder in that desperate and despairing hour He was abandoned of God. There was no place to turn, either on the human plane or on the divine. He had no place to go. The Man Christ Jesus was forsaken. No other ever has had to experience that. No one. He alone.
Why did God forsake Him?
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel [Ps. 22:3].
Why was He forsaken of God? Because on the cross in those last three hours, in the impenetrable darkness, He was made sin.
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord
passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
He was forsaken for a brief moment. The paradox is that at that very moment God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. And the Lord Jesus Himself said, “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me” (John 16:32). The Father was with Him when He was in prison, the Father was with Him when He was being beaten, the Father was with Him when they nailed Him to the cross. But in those last three hours He made His soul an offering for sin, and it pleased the Father to bruise Him (see Isa. 53:10).
Forsaken. My friend, you do not know what that is; and I do not know what it is to be forsaken of God. The vilest man on this earth today is not forsaken of God. Anyone can turn to Him. But when Christ takes my sin upon Himself, He is forsaken of God.
“Why hast thou forsaken me?” It is not the why of impatience. It is not the why of despair; it is not the why of doubt. It is the human cry of intense suffering, aggravated by the anguish of His innocent and holy life. That awful and agonizing cry of the loneliness of His passion! He was alone. He was alone with the sins of the world upon Him.
“Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” (Ps. 22:1). Roaring? Yes. At His trial He was silent, “… as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7). When they beat Him, He said nothing; when they nailed Him to the cross, He did not whimper. But when God forsook Him, He roared like a lion. It was a roar of pain. Have you ever been in the woods when dogs attacked an animal? Have you heard the shriek of that animal? There is nothing quite like it. And that is what the writer is attempting to convey to us here. I think that shriek from the cross rent the rocks, for it had been His voice that had created them. Now the Creator is suffering! On that cross He cried like a wounded animal; His was not even a human cry, but like a wild, roaring lion. It was the plaintive shriek and the wail of unutterable woe as our sins were pressed down upon Him.
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people [Ps. 22:6].
What does He mean when He says, “I am a worm”? He has roared like a lion; now He says, “I am a worm.” It is because He has reached the very lowest place. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isa. 53:3). “I am a worm.” The interesting thing is that the word used here for worm means the coccus worm, which was used by the Hebrews in dyeing all the curtains of the tabernacle scarlet red. When He said, “I am a worm,” He meant more than that He had reached the lowest level. It was He who had said, “… though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow …” (Isa. 1:18). Only His blood, my friend, can rub out that dark, deep spot in your life.
Lady Macbeth, sleepwalking that night, went up and down rubbing her hands, insane with the guilt of murder. She says, “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” And she was right; they could not. She seemed to be continually washing her hands as she rubbed them together, and she cried, “Out damned spot! out, I say!” (Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1).
My friend, there is only one thing that will take the spot of sin out of your life, that is the blood of Christ. The blood of the Lord Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses from all sin. Only His blood.
“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM”
Will you look at that victim on the cross? His suffering is intensified by that brutal mob and hardened spectators that are beneath Him. Look through His eyes and see what He sees.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him [Ps. 22:7–8].
Some criminals have been so detested that they have been taken from jail and lynched by a mob. But while the criminal was being executed, the mob would disperse. Tempers were cooled, and emotions were assuaged. But not this crowd! I think the lowest thing that ever has been said of religion was said of these Pharisees when the Lord Jesus Christ was dying: “And sitting down they watched him there” (Matt. 27:36). You have to be low to do that. In fact, you cannot get lower than that! The venom and vileness of the human heart were being poured out like an open sewer as they remained there and ridiculed Him in His death. After a snake has put its deadly fangs into its victim and emitted its poison, it will slither away in the grass. But not this crowd—not the human heart in rebellion against God.
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do …” (Luke 23:34). If He had not said that, this crowd would have committed the unpardonable sin. But they did not—He asked forgiveness for their sin. We know that the centurion in charge of the execution was saved; and a whole company of Pharisees, including Saul of Tarsus, who probably were in this crowd, were saved.
“WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON!”
Now as He looks over the crowd He sees not only eyes of hate and antagonism, but He sees eyes of love. He sees His mother with John down there. “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother …” (John 19:25). As Jesus looks at her, do you want to know what went on in His heart? He went back to Bethlehem at the time He was born, and He says to the Father:
But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.
I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly [Ps. 22:9–10].
“… Woman, behold thy son!” (John 19:26). Yonder at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, she had asked Him to do something to show that He was the Messiah, that she was right when she said He was virgin born. She wanted Him to reveal Himself at this wedding. His answer to her at that time was, “… Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4). But there hanging on the cross: “… Woman, behold thy son!” His hour has come! The reason for His coming into the world is now being accomplished. This is the most important hour in the history of the world!
Then His attention moves back to those who are doing the crucifying.
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round [Ps. 22:12].
Describing these soldiers that were crucifying Him, He says they are like the bulls of Bashan; but He does not stop with that, for He is being devoured by wild animals—that is what His tormenters had become:
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion [Ps. 22:13].
He is talking about Rome now—Rome crucified Him. He compares them to a roaring lion, for the lion was the picture of Rome.
Now notice His condition:
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels [Ps. 22:14].
This accurate description of crucifixion is remarkable when you consider that crucifixion was unknown when this psalm was written. The Roman Empire was not even in existence, and it was Rome that instituted crucifixion. Yet here is a picture of a man dying by crucifixion!
“I am poured out like water”—the excessive perspiration of a dying man out in that sun.
“All my bones are out of joint”—the horrible thing about crucifixion is that when a man began to lose blood, his strength ebbed from him, and all his bones slipped out of joint. That is an awful thing. It was terrible, terrible suffering.
Then He says something that is indeed strange, “My heart is like wax.” He died of a broken heart. Many doctors have said that a ruptured heart would have produced what John meticulously recorded. “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34). Let me paraphrase that. “I saw that Roman soldier put the spear in His side and there came out blood and water—not just blood but blood and water.” John took note of that and recorded it. May I say to you, Jesus died of a broken heart.
“I THIRST”
As He is hanging there ready to expire, with excessive perspiration pouring from Him, He suffers the agony of thirst.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death [Ps. 22:15].
Down beneath the cross they hear Him say, “I thirst.”
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet [Ps. 22:16].
“Dog” was the name for Gentiles. The piercing of His hands and feet is an accurate description of crucifixion.
I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture [Ps. 22:17–18].
He was crucified naked. It is difficult for us in this age of nudity and pornography to comprehend the great humiliation He suffered by hanging nude on the cross. They had taken His garments and gambled for ownership. My friend, He went through it all, crucified naked, that you might be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and so be able to stand before God throughout the endless ages of eternity.
“FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT”
But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog [Ps. 22:19–20].
The word darling is better translated “my only one”—“This is my beloved Son …” (Matt. 3:17). “Deliver my soul from the sword; my only one from the power of the dog.” Jesus is saying, “… Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit …” (Luke 23:46).
Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns [Ps. 22:21].
One of the most remarkable statements is this: “thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.” To express intensity in the Hebrew, the plural is used—horns of the unicorns; but the thought is one horn.
For many years it was thought that the unicorn was a mythical animal, but recent investigation has revealed that it was an animal a size smaller than the elephant, very much like the rhinoceros, sometimes called a wild bull. Vicious and brutal, every one of them was a killer. And the thing that identified them was the fact that they had one horn. “Thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns”—uni means “one”—one horn. To me, my beloved, that is remarkable indeed; because the cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified was probably not the shaped cross that we see today. We think of a cross made of an upright with a crosspiece. Nowhere does Scripture so describe it.
There are two Greek words that are translated by the English word cross. One of them is the word stauros. You find it used in several places. For instance: “… Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matt. 27:40). The word cross is stauros, meaning “one piece.” It is interesting how accurate Scripture is, but how tradition has been woven into it in our thinking. Paul used the word stauros when he wrote: “For the preaching of the cross [stauros] is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).
The second Greek word is xulon, which is translated by the English “cross” or “tree.” It simply means a piece of wood. Paul also used this word: “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree [xulon], and laid him in a sepulchre” (Acts 13:29).
They took Him down from the tree! Does he mean an upright with a crosspiece? Now I am perfectly willing to go along with the popularly accepted shape of a cross, but for the sake of accuracy and to appreciate the exactness of this psalm, we need to brush aside tradition for a moment. Jesus said, “thou has heard me from the horns of the unicorns [the cross].” “… Into thy hands I commend my spirit …” (Luke 23:46).
Another thing that amazes me is that this word xulon, translated “tree” or “cross” is mentioned in the twenty-second chapter of Revelation as the tree of life! I believe that the tree on which Jesus died will be there, alive, throughout the endless ages of eternity, to let you and me know what it cost to redeem us.
Now when we come to verse 22 of this psalm, we see a radical change, a bifurcation. We have had the sufferings of Christ described for us; now we see the glory that should follow.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee [Ps. 22:22].
I think that He said this entire psalm on the cross. He did not die defeated; for when He reached the very end He said, “This is the gospel that will be witnessed to. I will declare thy name unto my brethren.” And I see Peter in the midst of the Sanhedrin, composed of both Pharisees and Sadducees, saying to them, “… there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “I will declare thy name unto my brethren.”
“TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE”
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever [Ps. 22:25–26].
The thief on the cross said, “… Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Christ says, “I’ll pay my vows”—“… Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). The redeemed shall be there to praise, and the thief He was taking with Him that very day. Although he was a man unfit to even live down here, according to Rome’s standard, the Lord Jesus makes him fit for heaven by His death on the cross.
“IT IS FINISHED”
There is a seventh word; it is His last.
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this [Ps. 22:31].
“To a people that shall be born” includes you, my friend.
They shall declare His righteousness—not your righteousness, for God says it is filthy rags in His sight. How will they declare His righteousness? “That he hath done this.” Some would translate it, “It is finished,” the last word He spoke on the cross. And when He said it, it was but one word—Tetelestai! Finished! Your redemption is a completed package, and He presents it to you wrapped up with everything in it. He doesn’t want you to bring your do-it-yourself kit along. He does not need that. When He died on the cross, He provided a righteousness that would satisfy a holy God. All He asks of you is that you receive this package, this gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
If you reject it, God must treat you as He treated His Son when He cried, “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). I am not here to argue about the temperature of hell: it will be hell for any man to be forsaken of God. Jesus Christ went through it that you might never have to utter that cry.
Psalm 22 reveals the heart of our Savior as He was made a sin offering in our behalf. He completed the transaction in triumph. He offers to us a finished redemption. We never shall be worthy of it; we cannot earn it: we cannot buy it—we must receive it as a gift. Over nineteen hundred years ago the Lord Jesus Christ did all that was needed to save us.
It is done. Tetelestai. Finished!
PSALM 23
Theme: Christ as the great Shepherd
Psalm 23, which is so popular, would be meaningless without Psalm 22, which leads me to say that we have a trilogy or triptych of psalms that belong together. They are Psalms 22, 23, and 24, and they are called the shepherd psalms. These three psalms present the following picture of our Lord: In Psalm 22 He is the Good Shepherd. The Lord Jesus Himself made the statement, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Now here in Psalm 23 He is the Great Shepherd. Notice this title in the great benediction at the conclusion of the Epistle to the Hebrews: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20–21). Psalm 23 reveals Him as the Great Shepherd. Next, we see Him in Psalm 24 as the Chief Shepherd. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet. 5:4).
To put it succinctly, in Psalm 22 we see the cross, in Psalm 23 the crook (the Shepherd’s crook), and in Psalm 24 the crown (the King’s crown). In Psalm 22 Christ is the Savior, in Psalm 23 He is the Satisfier; in Psalm 24 He is the Sovereign. In Psalm 22 He is the foundation; in Psalm 23 He is the manifestation; in Psalm 24 He is the expectation. In Psalm 22 He dies; in Psalm 23 He is living; in Psalm 24 He is coming. Psalm 22 speaks of the past; Psalm 23 speaks of the present; and Psalm 24 speaks of the future. In Psalm 22 He gives His life for the sheep; in Psalm 23 He gives His love to the sheep; in Psalm 24 He gives us light when He shall appear. What a wonderful picture we have of Christ in these three psalms!
Now let us zero in on Psalm 23, probably the most familiar passage there is in the Word of God. No portion in writing of any time or of any work has been so widely circulated. Jews, both Orthodox and Reformed, know this psalm. Christians of all denominations are acquainted with this psalm. The world has caught its beauty.
Much has been written about this psalm, although its six verses are short and simple. It is like the Gettysburg Address as far as brevity is concerned. Someone has said, “I do not care how much a man says, if he says it in a few words.” Someone else has said, “If folk who do not have anything to say would refrain from saying it, it would be a better world.” Psalm 23 has few words. There was a business executive years ago who had a little motto on the wall of his office for all to see. It said, If you have anything important to say, say it in five minutes. Well, it only takes about forty-five seconds to read Psalm 23. It is brief. It is not the language of philosophy. It is not the language of theology. It is not a legal or scientific document. It is sublimely simple and simply sublime.
Before we look at the text itself, there are some things we should consider about this psalm. It is agreed that David is the author, but the question has always been: Did he write it when he was a shepherd boy or when he was an aged king? It is important to know the answer. Dr. Frank Morgan has called this “The Song of the Old Shepherd.” I like that, and I agree with him. David the king never forgot David the shepherd boy. In Psalm 23 you do not have the musings of a green, inexperienced lad but the mature deliberations of a ripe experience. You see, David, when he came close to the end of his life, looked back upon his checkered career. It was then that he wrote this psalm. The old king on the throne remembered the shepherd boy. Life had beaten, battered, baffled, and bludgeoned this man. He was a hardened soldier, a veteran who knew victory, privation, hardship. He knew song and shadow. He was tested and tried. Therefore in Psalm 23 we do not have the theorizing of immaturity but fruit and the mature judgment born of a long life.
This psalm begins by saying, “The Lord is my shepherd.” By what authority do you say my shepherd? Is this psalm for everybody? I don’t think so. Since Psalms 22, 23, and 24 go together and tell one story, you have to know the Lord Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep before you can know Him as the Great Shepherd. You must know the Shepherd of Psalm 22 before you can come to Psalm 23 and say, “The Lord is my shepherd.”
REVELATION OF THE SANCTUARY OF THE SHEPHERD’S SOUL
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters [Ps. 23:1–2].
Notice “my shepherd … I shall not want … He maketh me lie down … he leadeth me.” This is a “he and me” psalm. The emphasis is upon the fact that there is nothing between the man’s soul and God. “The Lord is my shepherd.”
Verse 1 is a declaration and a deduction. It is one thing to say, “The Lord is a shepherd”—many people say that, and it sounds good. But can you make it personal and say, “The Lord is my shepherd”? By the authority of His redemptive work, His death and resurrection, you can trust Him and call Him your Shepherd. It is also easy to say, “The Lord will be my shepherd,” but David did not say that either. He said, “The Lord is my shepherd.” This is his declaration.
“I shall not want”—notice that David does not say, I have not wanted, but “I shall not want.” What is it that I need? Well, I need safety. I’m a sheep, a stupid little animal. Therefore, my Shepherd sees to it that I won’t want for protection. He protects me. When a little sheep says, “I shall not want” and “I shall never perish,” it is because it has a wonderful Shepherd. “I shall not want” looks into the future and gives assurance to the child of God. The security of the believer rests upon the Shepherd. And the believer’s deduction rests upon his declaration.
A friend of mine who moved to Oregon once heard me talk about sheep. He said to me later, “Dr. McGee, you gave me the impression that sheep are nice, sweet little animals. You made them appear so helpless. I want to show you some sheep.” He invited me to dinner. He gathered several sheep together, and after dinner we went out to look at them. As we watched them, he told me, “These sheep are stubborn, hardheaded, and pig-headed animals. Besides that, they are dirty and filthy.” I said, “That’s a picture of the human race.” They do set us forth!
Not only do sheep need safety, they need sufficiency and satisfaction. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” That is sufficiency. Folk that know sheep tell us that a hungry sheep will not lie down. When sheep are lying down in green pastures, it means they have their tummies full. And Christ is our sufficiency. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
“He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Sheep are frightened by turbulent water. And they don’t like stagnant water. They don’t want to drink where the hogs drink. All of this applies to the human family. We need rest in our day—not so much physical or mental rest, but rest of the soul. Remember what David said in Psalm 55:6: “Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” He wanted to get away from it all. But he found out that getting away from it all did not solve his problems. He had to learn to put his trust in the Lord, rest in Him, and wait patiently upon Him. The Lord Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will rest you” (Matt. 11:28).
RECORD OF THE THOUGHTS OF THE SHEPHERD’S MIND
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me [Ps. 23:3–4].
“He restoreth my soul.” David knew what that was. David had sinned—he was that little lost sheep that had strayed from the fold, and his Shepherd had restored him.
“He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” He leads, but we must follow. The Lord Jesus said to the religious rulers who were actually His enemies, “… I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:25–27). Sheep will follow their own shepherd. That is the way you can tell the one to whom the sheep belong. In Jesus’ day the shepherd never drove his sheep; he led them. That is no longer the case. When I have visited the land of Israel, I very seldom saw a shepherd walking ahead of his sheep. But in the time of Christ, the shepherd was with his sheep day after day. They knew him and they followed him. Our Shepherd leads us in right paths, and it is up to us to follow Him.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Here is courage and comfort. Death is the supreme test of life. This is not just talking about the deathbed. Our human family lives in the shadow of death. When a person is born, he starts down a great canyon, and that canyon is the valley of the shadow of death. You are in it constantly. In Los Angeles they say that when you cross the street, you better move in a hurry because we have only the quick and the dead. If you are not quick, you will be dead. All of us walk in the shadow of death. As someone has said, the moment that gives you life begins to take it away from you. All of us are in death’s valley. The shadow of death is on us. But, all the while I walk through that valley, I will fear no evil. This is the encouraging comfort He gives. If one of our loved ones dies as a child of God, this is our courage and comfort.
“I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” We can know that our Shepherd is with us at all times, and even at the time of death. And I want Him with me when my time comes to die.
“Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” A rod was for defense, and a staff was for direction. He gives us gentle reproof and severe rebuke. He has a rod for our defense, but He also has a staff for our direction. He has a staff for the little old sheep that are bound to stray. That comforts me. Now that I am getting to be an old man, I look back on my life and I realize that indeed that rod is a comfort. He used it on me several times, and I thank Him for it because it got me back into the fold. We all need that.
REFLECTION OF THE HAPPINESS AND HOPE OF THE SHEPHERD’S HEART
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever [Ps. 23:5–6].
These two verses reflect the happiness and hope of the Shepherd’s heart. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” Here we have felicity, fruitfulness, and fullness. All of that is undergirded with joy. What is that table today? I think it speaks of the Lord’s table. At the time this psalm was written it spoke of God’s promise to Israel of physical blessings; to us He promises spiritual blessings.
“Thou anointest my head with oil.” That oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. We need that anointing today. We cannot face life alone. “My cup runneth over.” This is symbolic of joy. We need to be undergirded with joy today. The Lord says, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The Lord wants our joy to be full. It reminds me of the little girl who said, “Lord, fill up my cup. I can’t hold very much, but I can run over a whole lot.” Oh, how this world needs Christians who are running over!
This brings us to the final verse of this psalm. Our Shepherd brings us all the way from the green pastures and the still waters to the Father’s house. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” In John 14:2–3 the Lord says to us, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” You know, we are not pedigreed sheep, and sheep are not worth much anyway, but we do have a wonderful Shepherd. Can you say at this moment, “The Lord is my shepherd”? If you can, all the wonderful promises of this psalm are yours. If He is the Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep and He is your Savior, this psalm is for you.
PSALM 24
Theme: Christ as the Chief Shepherd
This is the psalm of the crown. It speaks of the coming of the Chief Shepherd. Tradition says it was composed by David and sung when he brought up the ark from Kiriath-jearim to Mount Zion (1 Chronicles 13:1–8). It was sung in an antiphonal way. It has been suggested that it was sung by the chorus of the procession and by solo voices. Josephus, the Jewish historian, says that seven choirs of singers and musicians marched before the ark as it was brought to Mount Zion where David had prepared a tabernacle for it until the temple was built. I think it will help us to appreciate the thrill of this psalm if we use the possible arrangement as suggested by Delitzsch and Gaebelein.
The psalm divides itself into two sections: the companions of the King who enter the kingdom (vv. 1–6), and the coming of the King to set up the kingdom (vv. 7–10).
It must have been wonderful to have heard this psalm sung in David’s day.
COMPANIONS OF THE KING WHO ENTER THE KINGDOM
Chorus of the Procession
The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods [Ps. 24:1–2].
“The earth is the Lord’s.” David speaks of Him again as the Creator. This earth belongs to Him. The earth does not belong to the Democrats or the Republicans. It does not belong to the president, whoever he might be. It does not belong to the Communists. There are so many people today who want to run this earth, but it belongs to God.
ld;He founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.” On the third day of creation God said, “… Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:9–10). When God gathered the waters together, submerged land appeared out of the water. It was life out of death, and it speaks of resurrection.
Soloist
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? [Ps. 24:3].
Who shall stand in his holy place? The answer is in the next verse.
Answering Soloist
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully [Ps. 24:4].
If the only ones who are going to ascend into the hill of the Lord are those who have “clean hands and a pure heart,” and those who have not “lifted up” their souls “unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully,” I guess I won’t be there. That leaves me out. But I am going to be there, because I am going to be there in Christ. He has undertaken to present me before the throne of grace in His present priestly office because I have trusted Him as my Savior.
Chorus and Solo Voices
He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah [Ps. 24:5–6].
Now picture this procession as it enters Jerusalem singing:
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in [Ps. 24:7].
A voice from the gates inquires: “Who is this King of glory?” And the chorus answers.
Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in [Ps. 24:8–9]
Another voice from the gates inquires: “Who is this King of glory?” And again the chorus answers—probably the full choir and orchestra.
Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah [Ps. 24:10].
I think this passage illustrates two events. First of all this is a picture of when the Lord returned to heaven. It is also a picture of His coming to earth again. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.” Who is He? The world does not know, but this psalm gives us the answer. The King of glory is “The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” Then the gates are told to open up so that the King of glory might enter in. Well, He is not “in” today. The world has rejected Him. “Who is this King of glory?” He is the Lord of hosts, He is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. And He is the King of glory. The psalmist writes “Selah” at the conclusion—that is, think on this for a little while. This will bless your heart, my beloved.
PSALM 25
Theme: Plea for mercy and deliverance
This psalm brings us to a new section. It begins a new series of fifteen psalms—25 through 39—which primarily record David’s personal experience, but look also to the future when the godly remnant of Israel is in trouble. For the comfort of believers today they contain the balm of Gilead. The preceding psalms can be described as dramatic and, in my judgment, sensational. But the following fifteen psalms are more personal, quiet, and intimate. They have a wonderful message and impact for our lives today. They are applicable to the past, the present, and the future. Some of these psalms may not be so familiar, but they have much to say to us. We will only be hitting the high points, but there are many things to be learned. Often when I could not sleep, or when I was away from home and in a strange place, probably feeling a little lonely, I found myself turning to the book of Psalms, and particularly to this section, because it came out of the experience of a man who was going through a time of trouble. It has a prophetic element, and looks into the future to a time of trouble for the faithful remnant of Israel, but it provides comfort to saints of all ages.
Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me [Ps. 25:1–2].
This is a prayer that reveals the dependence that David had upon God. One day Israel will also experience this. The time will come when that remnant of Israel will find themselves in a position where there is no one upon whom they can depend but God. And it is good for us to come to that place also.
When David says, “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul,” he is getting right down to business. This is not just his voice talking, it is his soul speaking. He continues, “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.” Have you ever been in a place where everything seemed to be failure rather than success? You did not want to go down in crushing defeat, either in your personal life, or your business life, or your home or church life. “Let not mine enemies triumph over me.” What a prayer! Is this how you pray?
Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause [Ps. 25:3].
Now listen to his pleading.
Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths [Ps. 25:4].
There are two ways a man can go. He can go God’s way or his own way. God gives us a choice. We can walk in the path of our choosing. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). What a glorious thing it is to be able to call out to God and ask Him to show us the way we should go.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day [Ps. 25:5].
The psalmist is calling on God to show him the way, to teach him the way. This leads me to say that this is what is known as an acrostic psalm. That is, it is built upon the Hebrew alphabet. Each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Unfortunately, in English we miss it.
Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old [Ps. 25:6].
The psalmist speaks not only of the kindnesses of God but also of His loving kindnesses. It is difficult for me to distinguish between the two, but I think what a little girl once said in Sunday school is a good definition. She said, “When you ask your Mother for a piece of bread with butter on it, and she gives it to you, that is kindness. But when she puts jam on it without you asking her, that is loving kindness.” I don’t know of a better way to describe the difference. David could say this during a time of trouble, as will the godly remnant of Israel in their time of trouble. And this speaks to our hearts today. What was good for the saints of the past and will be good for the saints of the future is also good for us. I do not see how anyone could read the Psalms, or study the Epistle to the Romans, without seeing that God has a plan and purpose for the nation of Israel in the future. He is not yet through with His people.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord [Ps. 25:7].
David asked God not only to remember His tender mercies and loving kindnesses, but now he asks Him to forget something. He says, “Remember not the sins of my youth”—forget them. Then he prays to God for goodness and mercy. God is rich in both of these. He has enough for you today, and there will be some left over for me. I don’t know about you, but I am going to need a whole lot of mercy; and I would like to have a lot of goodness, too. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6).
EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE IN GOD
In the second section of this psalm David expresses his confidence and trust.
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way [Ps. 25:8–9].
God’s goodness, His love, and His righteousness are revealed in His provision for salvation for you and me.
For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great [Ps. 25:11].
God forgives us for Christ’s sake, never for our sake. You and I do not merit forgiveness. We know that God forgave David; and, if we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, He will forgive us, too. An old blasphemer came to me one time with a sneer on his face and asked, “Why did God choose a man like David, who was such a big sinner?” I said to him, “You and I ought to take a great comfort in that. If God would save David, there just might be a chance that He would save you and me.” Concerning His people in the future, God says of Israel in Jeremiah 31:34, “… I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant [Ps. 25:14].
There are so many people today who are just question marks as far as their Christian lives are concerned. They don’t understand this or that verse of Scripture, and they don’t understand why God does certain things. Their lack of understanding is almost a dead giveaway. They are constantly in a questioning state. But “the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.” When we walk with the Lord, many times we do not need to ask a question; we just put our hand in His and walk along. My daughter and I often used to go for walks. She was a regular question-box. She had to ask questions about everything along the way. Finally she would grow tired, I would pick her up, and she would put her arms around my neck. Question time was over. She just accepted everything from then on. I think many of us should forget about some of the questions we have and simply put our hand in His and walk with Him.
TROUBLE AND DELIVERANCE
As we come to the final section of this psalm, we are faced once again with that time of trouble that is coming for Israel in the future.
Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses [Ps. 25:15–17].
What a prayer this will be for the faithful remnant of Israel during the time of trouble that is coming. Also it is a good prayer for you and me when we experience times of trouble.
Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins [Ps. 25:18].
When we are in trouble we are more apt to confess our sins!
Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee [Ps. 25:19–21].
Now hear the conclusion:
Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles [Ps. 25:22].
This glorious prayer is, you see, primarily for the nation Israel and for the day of trouble that is coming upon the earth.
All of us who are God’s children have trouble during our lifetimes. This is a prayer for us. O God, deliver us out of all our troubles.
Years ago, down south, a black deacon got up and gave a testimony about a verse of Scripture that was meaningful to him. He said the verse was, “It came to pass.” Everyone looked puzzled, so the preacher said to him, “How is it that that particular verse means so much to you?” “Well,” the deacon said, “when I am in trouble, I always get my Bible and read, ‘It came to pass,’ and I thank God that my troubles came to pass, and they did not come to stay.” That may not be the exact interpretation of those words, but it expresses the truth of Scripture, and that is exactly what Psalm 25 is saying. “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.” I am sure that you can see that the primary interpretation is for the nation Israel, but we certainly can also pray this prayer for ourselves.
PSALM 26
Theme: Plea on the basis of personal righteousness
In Psalm 25 David confessed his sins, and David was a great sinner. But in this psalm David talks about his righteousness. David did have righteousness. I don’t know about you, but I have perfect righteousness—but it’s not Vernon McGee’s. First Corinthians 1:30 tells us, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” He has been made unto me righteousness as well as redemption. This is on the plus side of the ledger, and I stand complete in Him, accepted in the beloved. That is what it means to pray in His name. It is to present His work, His merit, and who He is with our requests.
Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart [Ps. 26:1–2].
This is a marvelous psalm that speaks of David’s walk. David committed a great sin, but David did not continue to live in sin. What David did once, the king of Babylon did every day. David’s sin stands out like a lump of coal in a snowman because the rest of David’s life was an example of godliness. He became a measuring stick for the kings who followed him. Every king was judged by whether or not he walked in the steps of his father David. If he followed David’s example, he was accepted and proclaimed a good king.
This psalm reminds us of the first psalm. Notice how it reads: “Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord.” It was because of his faith in the Lord that David did not slide. Not that he was so strong—he knew he wasn’t—but he knew that when he trusted the Lord, the Lord would sustain him.
For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked [Ps. 26:3–5].
This psalm is similar to Psalm 1 in content. David says, “I have walked in thy truth.” This is a positive statement. Psalm 1 presents the negative side. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly” (v. 1). Furthermore, David states that he has “not sat with vain persons,” nor “with dissemblers.” David did not sit with false persons. As Psalm I put it, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (v. 1).
I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord [Ps. 26:6].
A man’s faith needs to be backed up by a good life. How important this psalm is in this connection—maybe the reason this section of psalms is not so popular today is because they emphasize a life that is pleasing to God.
My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord [Ps. 26:12].
“My foot standeth in an even place.” That means that he is sure-footed now. He is established on the Rock. The “even place” speaks of that. When you are on the side of a slippery hill, you are apt to fall. A lot of Christians are in that position today. They are playing with evil. They get close to it. It reminds me of a little boy in the pantry. His mother heard a noise in the back of her kitchen and asked, “Willie, where are you?” The boy replied, “I am in the pantry.” She asked, “What are you doing?” He said, “I am fighting temptation.” That was not the place for Willie to fight temptation!
Many Christians today flirt with sin. Some time ago I received a letter from one of our radio listeners who wanted counsel. She wrote about how her husband had died, and a close friend of her husband became the one to handle the estate. It was necessary for her to meet with him often; and before long—as she put it—the chemistry between them began to react, and they began to care for each other. She felt uneasy about the situation and asked what she should do. In my reply to her, I wrote: “You are in a burning building. Jump out as quickly as you can.” I advised her to leave that town and relocate. Later I received another letter from her that said after a couple of weeks of rationalizing she had followed my suggestion and moved to another town. Looking back on it, she said, “I know I would have fallen if I had stayed there.” My friend, it is well to have your feet on even ground. Where are you standing today? The reason a great many people fall is because they are fighting temptation in the pantry!
PSALM 27
Theme: Prayer
This is a deeply spiritual psalm and one that is very familiar to many of God’s people. The moment you read the first verse your face will probably light up with recognition. It divides itself naturally into two major divisions. The first six verses speak of the provision God makes for the encouragement and confidence of His own. The remainder of the psalm is a prayer for help and sustenance. It is not a psalm for the super-duper saints but has a message for many hearts and lives. It is a prayer of David and opens on this grand note:
FOUNDATION FOR PRAYER
The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? [Ps. 27:1].
This again is a “He and me” psalm. “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” “He is my light.” He is a holy God. He is the One who directs and guides me by the light of His Word. Later the psalmist will say, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105).
He is “my salvation,” which speaks of the love of God, because it was His love that provided a salvation for us. That salvation, of course, is only through Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God didn’t so love the world that He saved the world; God so loved the world that He provided a salvation for sinners. And we have to come to Him on that basis. That salvation is conditioned, as Simon Peter put it: “… There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). This is the same salvation that David is talking about. “The Lord is my light and my salvation”—my light, my salvation.
“The Lord is the strength of my life.” God not only gives life, He also empowers us to live that life on earth. Is He the light of your life, the one who loves you and gives you strength, my friend?
“Of whom shall I be afraid?” John Knox said, “One with God is a majority.” When Cromwell was asked why he did not fear anyone, he said, “I have learned that if you fear God, you have no one else to fear.”
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell [Ps. 27:2].
David was probably looking back upon that time of his life when he was in much danger. He started out as a shepherd boy, and his life was in danger when he protected his sheep from a lion and a bear. That is something that a person does not do every day. I don’t know about you, but I just don’t meet a lion or a bear very often. When I do, they are on the other side of a cage. But there are people like lions and bears walking our streets today, many of them seeking to devour us. Also there is that old lion spoken of in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident [Ps. 27:3].
David’s confidence was in God, and this is the provision that God has made for His own today. Have you ever noticed that every time the Lord Jesus would break through to speak to His apostles after His resurrection He would say, “Fear not”? You and I have a resurrected Savior. Fear comes to us many times. I have a natural fear of heights; and when I am flying in that big bus in the sky, I say to the Lord, “You are with me. My confidence is in You.”
MEDITATION ON PRAYER
One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple [Ps. 27:4].
This is a rich verse. David had whittled his life down to one point: “One thing have I desired of the Lord.” Also Paul did that with his life. He said, “… but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14). In this day, whittle down your life, as you would whittle down a pencil, until you can write with it. Our lives are very complicated, so just keep whittling. Most of my life I felt like Martha in the kitchen. She was encumbered with much service (see Luke 10:40). Poor Martha reached for a pot to cook something in it; then she reached for a pan to boil something in it, and she reached for another container to put the potatoes in, and by that time something fell out of the cupboard. She became frustrated trying to do everything at once. How complicated life has become for many of us. We are frustrated, under tension and pressure all the time. It is wonderful to whittle your life down to what is important. It is a relief to reduce your life to the lowest common denominator. I hope you won’t mind my speaking out of personal experience, but the happiest time of my ministry began when I retired from the pastorate; the most spiritually profitable time of my life began at that moment. I have seen more folk turn to Christ in this brief interval than in any other period of my life, and I have never rejoiced so. Do you know why? I have whittled my life down to the one thing I want to do—teach the Bible. That is all I am doing. My life has been whittled down to that, and I am enthusiastic about it. I believe this is what God wants me to do.
Now notice the “one thing” in David’s life was “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” Now I don’t think David intended to take his sleeping bag into the tabernacle and stay there. But he wanted the ark, which was God’s meeting place with His people, with him in Jerusalem. He went to great lengths to bring it to Jerusalem and erected a tabernacle for it and planned an elaborate temple for God. Why? Through that he had access to God. That was the “one thing” in David’s life.
We have access to God through Christ, and this is the thing we ought to rejoice in. He is the One who will enable us to whittle our lives down to that one point. Paul gives us the eight benefits of being justified by faith in Romans 5:1–5. The second benefit Paul mentions is access to God: “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” What a wonderful thing it is to have access to God!
This is the one thing that was the aim of David’s life. “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” In the house of God was the mercy seat. David needed mercy, and I need mercy—and I am sure you do also. In the house of God was an altar that spoke of the cross of Christ. This provided for David access into the presence of God. You and I can approach God through the Lord Jesus today. We have access into this marvelous grace. What a privilege is ours to have access to God!
No wonder this psalm has been such a wonderful blessing to God’s people. Now notice this fifth verse:
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock [Ps. 27:5].
Where was the secret place of the tabernacle? It was inside the Holy of Holies. No one could go there but the high priest. Do you know what was in there? The ark of the covenant, which was only a box overlaid with gold; but upon the ark was the elaborate lid, which God designated as the mercy seat because blood was sprinkled upon it. Now in our day because the Lord Jesus has shed His blood, we have a mercy seat to which we can go. And that is where He hides us. What a secure place we have!
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord [Ps. 27:6].
When we get this wonderful picture and recognize what He has done for us, it will put a song in our hearts. This leads him to pray the next verse.
DECLARATION OF PRAYER PROPER
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me [Ps. 27:7].
You see, in that secret place there was mercy. And God has prepared that secret place for us today where we can receive the mercy of God.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord will I seek [Ps. 27:8].
David puts the invitation in the Lord’s mouth. When God said, “Seek ye my face,” David said, “I have already responded. My heart said unto Thee, ‘Thy face, Lord, will I seek.’” My friend, God has a longing for you. Do you respond to that? It is awful to live with a person who does not express his love. Marriage is not an arrangement whereby a woman gets a living and a man gets a cook. Marriage is a love relationship; if it is not that, it isn’t anything. Our relationship to God should be like that. David’s heart responded when God said, “I love you.” David said, “I love You.” When God said, “I want to have fellowship with you,” David said, “I want to have fellowship with You.”
Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation [Ps. 27:9].
When David sinned, he found out what it was like for God to hide His face from him. He lost his fellowship. He lost his joy. But he prayed, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.”
The next verse has been misunderstood.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up [Ps. 27:10].
This verse has been misunderstood by critics. Even Delitzsch suggested that this verse could have been written by someone else. The reason that possibility is considered is because David’s father and mother did not forsake him. But I do not think that is what David is saying here. You will notice that this is a temporal clause—“When my father and my mother.” It would be better translated “Had my father and my mother forsaken me, then the Lord will take me up.” I wish the new revisions of the Bible would call attention to that fact. Probably your father and mother have not forsaken you—but should they do so, then the Lord would take you up.
Some wiseacre said, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then theboy scouts will take me up.” I am afraid that many parents are letting organizations, including the church, raise their children. Even though you may be a member of a good Bible church, your children are yours. You are the one who should lead them to the Lord, not the Sunday school teacher or the preacher—you. And you are the one who should give them your time and attention.
Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies [Ps. 27:11].
David is saying, “I want a good testimony before the enemy, because I know he will criticize me. I want You to watch over me, Lord, and help me not to embarrass You by what I do.”
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty [Ps. 27:12].
I was brought up in a denomination that has since gone into liberalism. And I was a preacher in a denomination that has gone into liberalism. I always prayed to the Lord, “Do not let me fall into a position where I am at the mercy of church leaders or a church board.” I was an active pastor from about 1930 to 1970. During that entire time of forty years, God never let me get into a position where I was at the mercy of men. That is what David is praying in this verse. My heart goes out to many ministers today who find themselves at the mercy of a church board or some hierarchy. I urge them to pray like David did, “Don’t deliver me into the will of my enemies. Don’t let them get me down and pin my shoulders to the mat, Lord.” I think He will hear and answer that prayer.
REALIZATION OF PRAYER
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living [Ps. 27:13].
Even in the world today you can see the goodness of the Lord. How wonderful He is.
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord [Ps. 27:14].
There is a lot of heart trouble today among believers. It is known as faintheartedness, or the coward’s heart. All of us have a little touch of it. How can this be cured? “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage.” When we do that the Lord will strengthen our hearts. He is really the great heart specialist.
PSALM 28
Theme: A cry in the time of trouble
This wonderful little psalm contains a cry—David is in trouble here. And it is prophetic of Israel during the Tribulation. It is a prayer for judgment upon his enemies and praise for the deliverance he knows will come. This psalm is actually preliminary to the next one.
Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit [Ps. 28:1].
Israel knew about the “Rock.” This Rock Israel rejected, as Moses lamented, “… then he [Israel] forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation” (Deut. 32:15). A rock is something to stand upon. It provides a sure foundation. The believer in our day also knows about that Rock. The apostle Paul wrote, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle [Ps. 28:2].
The “holy oracle” was the mercy seat, which was in the tabernacle. The mercy seat Christ has provided is what you and I need to cling to today.
Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications [Ps. 28:6].
God hears and answers prayer. As a result, David now says:
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever [Ps. 28:7–9].
God is power; He is mighty. And He is a shield for protection. He is power and protection. But you say, “Is He my power? Is He my protection?” He is if your heart trusts in Him. If you trust God, He will help you. He will hear and answer prayer.
What happens when He answers prayer? “With my song will I praise him.” Oh, my friend, let’s not forget to thank Him and praise Him when He answers our prayers!
He is “the saving strength of his anointed”—the “anointed” is the Messiah, Christ, who is so often mentioned in the Psalms as the coming Deliverer for Israel.
He concludes with this plea, “Save thy people,” or another translation is “Shepherd thy people.” The anointed One is their Shepherd who will “lift them up forever” when He comes. It reminds us of what Isaiah wrote, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isa. 40:11).
PSALM 29
Theme: The voice of the Lord in a thunderstorm
The psalm before us is a nature psalm. It is not the first nature psalm, as we have already read Psalm 8: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained,” which is a psalm to be read on a good clear night. Then we read Psalm 19, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.” Then he likens the sun to a bridegroom coming out of his chamber That is a daytime psalm. Now we come to a psalm that describes a storm. In this psalm is the gloom of the tempest, the clap of thunder, the flash of lightning, and terror on every side. Several years ago a hurricane which they named Camille hit the Gulf Coast. She hurled her might on the other side of New Orleans, around Gulfport, Mississippi. Camille caused millions of dollars worth of damage. In an apartment in that area, several couples decided to have a hurricane party. It was a great big beer bust, and I suppose they all got drunk. I understand that most of them were killed when the storm hit. It is too bad to go into eternity like that. I wish they had read Psalm 29 instead. My friend, if you are frightened in a storm, rather than trying to get your courage from a bottle, I suggest you read this magnificent psalm. It has a message in the time of storm.
The structure of this psalm is quite interesting. This is Hebrew poetry of the highest order. Ewald said of this psalm, “This psalm is elaborated with a symmetry of which no more perfect specimen exists in Hebrew.” Delitzsch called it “The Psalm of seven thunders.” Perowne said this about it: “This Psalm is a magnificent description of a thunderstorm. Its mighty march from north to south, the desolation and terror which it causes, the peal of thunder, the flash of lightning, even the gathering fury and lull of the elements, are vividly depicted.”
So Psalm 29 is a song of Hebrew poetry describing a storm. Hebrew poetry is not attained by rhyming. When we think of poetry, we think of rhymes. We like the sentences to end in words that sound alike. Here is an example of one of our modern ditties: “I shoot the hippopotamus with bullets made of platinum. If I used lead ones, his hide were sure to flatten ’em!” That is not exactly Shakespeare, but it is our kind of poetry. Hebrew poetry is attained by what is known as parallelism, which is repeating a thought in a different way and generally amplifying and enlarging upon it.
The psalm sweeps along with all the freedom and majesty of a storm. There is sort of a lilting triumph here, a glorious abandon, a courageous exultation.
The first two verses are the prologue: “Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” David lifts our thoughts to the very highest.
Now, the epilogue is the last two verses: “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” The storm with all its fury lashed across the land, but Jehovah was still in control. And, my friend, in the storms of life He is still in control.
Before we look at this psalm in detail, let me say a word about the subject (which is developed in vv. 3–10). Seven times the voice of the Lord is mentioned: “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters … the voice of the Lord is powerful … the voice of the Lord is full of majesty … the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars” and so on.
Notice the setting of this psalm. David wrote it. He was an outdoorsman. He was not bottled up in an office. He was not held down to a throne. However, when this storm came, he was not outside; he was in Jerusalem, a city that was beautifully situated. David was in his cedar palace built on Mount Zion, the highest point. He could view the whole land. He could look to the northeast and see the clouds beginning to gather and watch as the storm was getting ready to break. I think most of us are acquainted with the geography of the Holy Land. If you are not, turn to the map in the back of your Bible that shows the location of Jerusalem.
As you look at your map, you will see that the Mediterranean Sea is on your left to the west. Up north there are two ranges of mountains: the Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon. There is Mount Carmel up there at Haifa and Mount Hermon, the Sea of Galilee on the east, the Valley of Esdraelon, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Then there is Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim in Samaria and the rugged terrain lying immediately north. Bethel, Ai, and Anathoth are just north of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem you look to the west and see Joppa, to the east you see Jericho, and to the south you see the wilderness of Judea, frightful and ominous. David and Amos knew how to survive in that wilderness—a bishop from San Francisco several years ago didn’t know; and he perished there. From David’s palace on Mount Zion, the highest point in the city of Jerusalem, he could look over this landscape.
PROLOGUE
Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness [Ps. 29:1–2].
Notice that the psalm is addressed to the “mighty.” I agree with Bishop Horn that “the prophet addresses himself to the ‘mighty ones of the earth,’ exhorting them to ‘give’ God the glory and to submit themselves to the kingdom of the Messiah.”
SUBJECT
Now we come to the substance of the psalm. The thunderstorm sweeps over the entire land.
We have three strophes, or stanzas, here.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty [Ps. 29:3–4].
That is the beginning of the storm. Way up in the northwest there is distant thunder and lightning. The storm is gathering. The storm begins to move down toward Jerusalem and the voice of Jehovah is the thunder. In the palace David sees the gathering storm. He hears the wind begin to blow. The clouds become black and angry. They hide the sun and it is dark at midday. There is the low rumble of thunder and the flash of lightning which is streaked and forked. This is not a summer shower. This is not an ordinary storm. It is like the hurricane Camille I mentioned earlier. The storm breaks on the Mediterranean Coast. The waves roll high and break with the sound of a cannon on the shore. The angry waves mount up, and then the storm strikes inland. You can see its mighty march from north to south. Jerusalem will not escape it—it comes closer and closer. “The voice of the Lord is powerful.” You can now hear that thunder. It shakes everything. “The voice of the Lord is full of majesty”—it is awe-inspiring.
The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon [Ps. 29:5].
As the thunder rolls and rumbles, Lebanon is shaken. The trees are struck by lightning. Mighty Mount Hermon is shaken like a dog shakes a rabbit. As the storm draws nearer to Jerusalem, its approach is majestic and awe-inspiring. It rolls along with the rhythm of the thunder and lightning over the hills. Here it comes, as it begins to roll.
He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire [Ps. 29:6–7].
The lightning is near Jerusalem now. It pops and crackles like heavy guns in a battle. The storm breaks with all its fury. In Jerusalem the streets are deserted. Shutters are slammed. A hush settles over the city. It is the hush before the sledgehammer blow comes. Only the barking of a dog in the Kidron Valley can be heard. Suddenly it comes. Rain descends in torrents. Savage winds hurl themselves against the walls of Jerusalem. A shutter breaks loose. It bangs and makes a tremendous noise. David has been through this before. He waits patiently and listens to the voice of Jehovah.
The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh [Ps. 29:8].
Now David sees the storm passing over. It moves away, and the rains let up, and the winds die down. The storm is departing, and the people begin to open their shutters. The storm is departing from Jerusalem and advancing upon the wilderness of Judea to the south and west. Kadesh is down there. Soon the storm is spent in the wilderness of Sinai. The air is fresh, and David can hear the roar of water down in the Kidron Valley.
The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory [Ps. 29:9].
The storm did accomplish some good. Animals were frightened, causing some that were carrying young to give birth—there was no prolonged pain. It also caused some people to go to the temple who had not been there for a long time. They went to the temple to call upon God. The storm has died away and has disappeared in the south.
EPILOGUE
The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever [Ps. 29:10].
God was in charge of this storm all of the time, just as He was in charge of the flood.
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace [Ps. 29:11].
The power of God in a storm is great, and it is He who gives strength during a storm. God can strengthen and enable us to go through the storms of life and know what peace is afterward. The storm with all of its fury may lash across the land, but Jehovah is still in control. In every storm of life He is in control, and He will bless His people with peace.
As we have gone through the Psalms, I have called attention to the fact that the Great Tribulation lies ahead for Israel, but God will see His people through it. Armageddon is ahead for these people. The enemy will come from the north and will cover the land, but God is in the storm, and He is in control. What a message this is for Israel.
This psalm has a message for us. We belong to a new creation. We do not belong to the old creation. We belong to the last Adam. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). That is the reason I do not keep the Sabbath day—it belongs to the old creation. You hear the question: “When was the Sabbath day changed?” It was never changed. We have been changed and are now joined to a living Christ. Our new day to worship is the first day of the week, the day of resurrection. Adam was given dominion over creation, but he lost it. Christ has recovered it, and the old creation furnishes us with a pattern, an illustration, and the message is here for us today.
There are storms in the new creation, spiritual storms, storms that threaten to destroy us. If you are God’s child, you have been through storms, or you are in a storm even now. The last Adam, Jesus Christ, is master of storms. He went through storms with His own. Once when He and His disciples were in a boat, a storm came up on the Sea of Galilee. “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:37–40). In this instance the Lord quieted the storm, but He does not always do that. Sometimes He just whispers to us, “We are going to make it to the harbor.” That is important.
I can think of many people who are in the storm today. There is a little Eskimo mother way up yonder in Alaska. She listens to our Thru the Bible Radio program. She lost a son in Vietnam. She is snowed in in the winter, and she wrote to tell me that listening to the Word being taught is helping to carry her through this difficult time. She is in a storm, but God will see her through it. One of these days the storm is going to be over.
I know of a family in Southern California which is going through a storm. A broker in San Francisco wrote and told me that he would have lost his mind if it was not for the fact that the Lord Jesus stood by him. I was in Flagstaff, Arizona, sometime ago and, while I was there, a storm gathered. By the time I was ready to leave on the train (I thank the Lord I was not flying), oh! the thunder, lightning, and the rain were furious. But before I arrived at my destination, the storm passed, and the moon came out. It was so wonderful, so beautiful. Are you going through a storm? There are two things you should remember: the storm will end, and the Lord will see you through it.
PSALM 30
Theme: Hallelujah for healing
This is a psalm and song at the dedication of the house of David. It is a song of praise and worship. After the storm of life is over, there is a song. Some Bible scholars have thought that David wrote this when he brought up the ark to Jerusalem and placed it in the tabernacle he had erected for it. Others have thought that it was written for the dedication of the threshing floor of Araunah, the area where the future temple was to be built. Still others believe it has a prophetic aspect and was David’s expression of praise and thanksgiving when God promised to build him a house (2 Sam 7:11). It is interesting to note that in the modern Jewish ritual it is used at the Feast of Chanukah, the Feast of Dedication, which dates back to the time of the Maccabees.
I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me [Ps. 30:1–2].
It is my belief, and the belief of many others, that David was once as sick as Hezekiah, and God raised him up. We have no record of what his sickness might have been, but these verses tell us that God healed him. I like this psalm because God did the same thing for me. In fact, I consider this my psalm, because after having cancer, the Lord has permitted me to live. “O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.” Perhaps I should organize a chorus and call it “The Cancer Chorus,” of those folk all across the country who have been attacked by the awful monster of cancer and God has sustained them.
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit [Ps. 30:3].
I don’t know about you, but I could sing, or at least say, this psalm. It has a great deal of meaning to me.
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness [Ps. 30:4].
We “give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” God didn’t heal me because I am some special little pet of His. He didn’t heal me because I am a teacher of the Bible. He did it because He is a holy God and He maintains His holiness. He recognizes my sins, and He has saved me by His grace. He hasn’t lowered His standard one bit. Again I say, Hallelujah for healing; I praise Him, my Great Physician. I don’t have to praise some great man or woman who claims to be a healer. I didn’t go to a person like that. I went directly to the Great Physician. Oh, my friend, if you are sick, take your case to the Great Physician, and then call in the best doctor you can get—because our Great Physician gave him all the skill and wisdom he has (whether or not he recognizes that fact). God is holy. We ought to be thankful that we have a holy God who deals with us in grace.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. [Ps. 30:5].
“His anger endureth but a moment.” The storm will be over. Even if God judges me, His anger endures only for a moment. The Lord has taken me to the woodshed on two or three occasions. My dad used to take me to the woodshed, and I was accustomed to it. He died when I was fourteen years old. Shortly after that, I came to know the Lord as my Savior; and He has been taking me to the woodshed ever since. It is not pleasant to be punished, but His anger does not last forever; it only lasts for a moment.
I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication.
What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? [Ps. 30:8–9].
I told the Lord the same thing David did. I said, “Lord, I would love to stay in this life and teach Your Word. I am going to be with You a long time when I get to heaven, but I would love to stay on earth a little while longer.” David talked like that, and I feel akin to him.
Friend, you will find a psalm that fits you. I believe that every person can find a psalm that will be just his size. This one is my size.
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever [Ps. 30:12].
There is nothing I could say to improve this verse. What David said, I want to say. I hope it is what you want to say, too. David’s life had changed. He went from sickness to health, from mourning to gladness, and from silence to praise.
PSALM 31
Theme: A prayer of deliverance from trouble
Most of the psalms are very unfamiliar; yet they comprise one of the richest portions of God’s Word. My feeling is that if proper emphasis were given in this section, it would give a different perspective to Scripture, especially relative to God’s purposes in the nation Israel.
Practically all of the psalms we have looked at so far have been written by David, and he probably composed the music that went with them. Each psalm has a special meaning for each of us. Here again we see the troubles of the godly. So far in the Psalms there has been a lot of that; but, after all, the godly do have a lot of troubles—at least the ones I know have troubles. Psalm 31 speaks particularly of the past troubles of David. Also it looks to the future and refers prophetically to the troubles that will come to the nation Israel in the Great Tribulation. Finally, it speaks of the present troubles that we have. This psalm has a message for you and for me. At night when I cannot sleep, I generally turn to the Psalms, particularly to this section. Here I find great comfort and help.
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness [Ps. 31:1].
“Deliver me in thy righteousness.” David knew that God could not lower His standards in order to save sinners. Sin required a penalty; and, if the sinner did not pay it, someone else would have to pay it. God has a plan, and He can save sinners because Someone else has paid the penalty for sin. That Person is His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of this, David goes on to say:
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me [Ps. 31:2].
We need a strong rock—not just some little pebble. “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:15–18). The Rock upon which the church is built is Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). The Savior, Jesus Christ, is the strong Rock upon which we can rest. I am reminded of the little Scottish lady who was talking about her salvation and her assurance of it: “There are times when I am frightened and I tremble on the Rock, but the Rock never trembles under me.” It is a strong Rock.
Now David is not yet through with the Rock. He has more to say. Maybe you could call this the first “rock” music, although it is a little different from the kind we hear today.
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me [Ps. 31:3].
Is the Lord God your Rock? Is that where you are resting today? Is He your fortress? A fortress is for protection. You need that.
“Therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me”—not because I am David the king, but for His name’s sake.
Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength [Ps. 31:4].
“Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily [secretly] for me.”
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth [Ps. 31:5].
At the scene of our Lord’s crucifixion we are told, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46). When Stephen, the first martyr, was stoned to death, we are told in Acts 7:59, “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” It is interesting that down through the history of the church many martyrs have used that same expression. For instance, when the sentence of degradation was being executed upon John Huss, the bishop pronounced upon him these horrible words: “And now we commit thy soul to the devil.” And John Huss, in great calmness, stood there and replied, “I commit my spirit into Thy hands, Lord Jesus Christ. Unto Thee I commend my spirit whom Thou hast redeemed.” When Polycarp was being burned at the stake in Smyrna, these were also his words. Bernard used them; Jerome of Prague used them; Luther and Melancthon and many others have also used them. In fact, Martin Luther said, “Blessed are they who die not only for the Lord, as martyrs; not only in the Lord as believers, but likewise with the Lord, as breathing forth their lives in the words, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities [Ps. 31:7].
Dr. Gaebelein changed this verse a little: “Thou hast seen my troubles; Thou hast seen my soul in adversities.” I like that better. Twice the psalmist says it. There is great comfort in knowing that God sees you in your trouble. Remember that God said to Moses when He wanted to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt: “… I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians…” (Exod. 3:7–8). The Lord had seen the affliction of His people. He had heard their groaning. He knew their condition, and He came down to deliver them.
The Gospels record the time the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat when they were hit by a storm. It was the dead of night, and the waves were rolling high. They thought it was the end for them. But Mark says, concerning the Lord, “And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them …” (Mark 6:48). I like that. He sees you and me today. He knows our troubles. What a comfort this is.
Now we come to a prayer.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly [Ps. 31:9].
Are you in trouble, friend? Instead of whining and telling everybody else about it, why don’t you go to the Lord? Say, “Lord, I am in trouble!” That is what David did.
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me [Ps. 31:15].
“My times are in thy hand” is an interesting expression. Many people go to fortune-tellers and have their palms read. They are told that this line means this and another line means something else. All of it is perfect nonsense, but it affords a living for some people; and for others who are trying to get rid of money it provides another way of getting rid of it. But our times are in Christ’s hands. “My times are in thy hand”—and those are crucified hands. I can see my sin in His hands. And they are the tender hands of a Shepherd. He picked up a lost sheep and put it on His shoulders. My care and protection are in those hands. Some future day He is coming with blessing, and those hands will bless. I rejoice that my times are in His hands.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake [Ps. 31:16].
“Make thy face to shine upon thy servant” is a lovely expression. A Hebrew commentator back in ancient times said, “The face of God is his Anointed, the Messiah.” You see, God is a spirit. I don’t know how He looks or how He feels or how He acts. But the Lord Jesus came down here to show us the Father. He is the face of God. Through Him we know God. It reminds me of the little girl whose mother took her upstairs and tucked her in bed for the night. Soon after she left her, the child began to whimper, and she called to her, “You go to sleep. God is up there with you.” But the little girl wanted someone to stay with her. Once again her mother told her, “God is up there with you.” To this the little girl replied, “I know, but I want somebody with a face!” My friend, that is what all of us need. All of us little children down here want Somebody with a face to be with us. Jesus Christ is God with a face. How wonderful!
Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! [Ps. 31:19].
How great is the goodness of the Lord! Have you ever told anyone how good God is? Psalm 107:1–2 says, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” I find that people like to talk about their neighbors or their children or their father and mother or relatives or their boss or their preacher, but not many people like to talk about the goodness of God. My, how good He is! When was the last time you told someone how good God is?
PSALM 32
Theme: A psalm of instruction
This psalm has been called a spiritual gem; yet it has been misunderstood. The title is: “A Psalm of David, Maschil.” Maschil means “to give instruction” or “to understand.” This Hebrew word is used especially as it relates to the future of Israel. I can’t help but think of the seminaries today that have gone intellectual, depending on high-powered personalities and promotional programs and that type of thing to sell themselves. They emphasize the intellectual. It would be nice if they would turn to this psalm and find out that God has a future for Israel, but it requires a little spiritual gumption to get the point.
I want you to see how the word maschil is used in connection with the nation Israel. In Daniel 11:33 we read, “And they that understand [maschil] among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.” Again, in Daniel 11:35 we read, “And some of them of understanding [maschil] shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.” Daniel 12:3 says, “And they that be wise [maschil] shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” In Daniel 12:10 we read, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise [maschil] shall understand.”
In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus, in speaking of the time of the trouble coming in the future for the nation Israel, says in Matthew 24:15, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand [maschil]:).” The Lord was saying that when they see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, it is time to run for their lives. I don’t know what the abomination of desolation is. I have read quite a few books by men who thought they knew what it is. It took some of them two or three chapters to make it clear that they didn’t know what it is. I can say it in one sentence: I don’t know what it is. I am not looking for the abomination of desolation; I am looking for the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that at the end of Matthew 24:15 the Lord said, “… whoso readeth, let him understand.”
In the Book of Revelation, chapters 6–18, we are told more about the Great Tribulation period. In Revelation 13, which tells us about two beasts and the world dictatorship that is coming, we read, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev. 13:18). Numerous books have been written about the number 666. Do you want to know what that number means? I can give you an answer: I don’t know! Those who have written the books about the number 666 don’t know either—they just think they know. It will be a day when God will reveal Himself to His people. Psalm 32 is a maschil psalm. It will be instruction for God’s people in a future day. Right now it is a psalm of instruction for us.
Psalm 32 has been called a penitential psalm, that is, a confession of David. I disagree with that. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of confession after Nathan said to him, “Thou art the man” (2 Sam. 12:7). In that psalm he asks for forgiveness. In Psalm 32 is the record of the confession, the forgiveness received, and the blessedness of his complete restoration. In Psalm 51:12–13 David says, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” David promises if the Lord will forgive him for his sin that he will teach sinners His ways. That is what David is doing in Psalm 32—instructing. So Psalm 32 is not a penitential psalm, but one of instruction.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered [Ps. 32:1].
David is giving instruction here. He is telling us that he had made his confession to God, was forgiven, and had found complete restoration. He found shelter in God and was given a song of deliverance.
The word blessed in this verse means “happy.” We have seen this word before in Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Ps. 1:1). The blessedness in Psalm 1 is that which only a perfect man can enjoy. I don’t know about you, but I am not perfect. Psalm 1 actually speaks of the Lord Jesus who was the perfect man. “Blessed is the man that walketh not … that standeth not … and that sitteth not” (Paraphrase mine). That tells what the perfect man does not do. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord …” (v. 2). That Law condemns us. It did not condemn the Lord Jesus Christ. The law written in commandments and ordinances cannot give man blessedness. It demands a perfect obedience which man cannot attain, and thus it pronounces a curse on him. Galatians 3:10 tells us, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” There is no man who can honestly say that he measures up to God’s Law. If you can say that you measure up to the Law, then you can ask the Lord Jesus to move over from the right hand of God because that is your seat—you are perfect. Friend, neither you nor I are perfect, but the Lord Jesus Christ is perfect.
In Psalm 32:1 it is the blessedness of a man whose sin has been forgiven. Christ died for our sins; and, in His death as substitute for sinners, He met and satisfied the righteousness of God. So now the holy God can be a just God and a Savior—He can be just and the justifier of all those who believe in Jesus. When faith is exercised in Christ, it is counted for righteousness. In Romans 4:5 we read, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” In this way thousands of Old Testament believers, beginning with Adam and Eve who looked for the Seed of the woman, were saved in anticipation of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. David is expressing the blessedness, the happiness of a man whose sins had been forgiven.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile [Ps. 32:2].
God does not impute sin (or make sin over to the sinner) who trusts in Christ. That sin was put on Christ, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). “He knew no sin, but was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:17, paraphrase mine). What a wonderful thing God has done for us in Christ!
David relates his experience in trying to hide his sin.
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long [Ps. 32:3].
He had sat on the throne, looked around at the crowd, and said, “Nobody here knows what I have done. Nobody knows about my sin. I have hidden it pretty well.” But David’s conscience bothered him. In fact, this verse tells us that even his bones bothered him. He began to lose weight, and his friends around him became uneasy. They felt that he needed to see a doctor—that he was probably suffering from some serious disease. But he just kept going through this agony from day to day.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah [Ps. 32:4].
If you are a child of God, you can sin, but you cannot get by with it. That is the difference between the saved and the unsaved man. If you are a man of the world, you can get by with your sin temporarily, but a child of God cannot. The hand of God was heavy upon David day and night. Paul says, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32). If we do not judge ourselves, then God is going to judge us. God takes His own child to the woodshed for punishment.
Sometime after David’s sin, the prophet Nathan came to David to reprove him, and he said, “David, I have a little story to tell you.” This is the story: “… There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man …” (2 Sam. 12:1–7). Then David confessed his sin.
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah [Ps. 32:5].
This is good instruction for you and me, is it not? If you are out of fellowship with God today, David in this verse tells about the way back. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him [Ps. 32:6].
When David refers to the “floods of great waters,” I think he is referring to the flood of Noah’s time. Noah was in the ark when the Flood came, and that flood which destroyed others simply lifted him up because he was in the ark. The waters of judgment could not reach Noah. There is going to be another time of great judgment coming upon the earth, but it will not be a flood of water; it will be fire. What can you do at a time like that?
Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah [Ps. 32:7].
This verse ends with the word Selah, which means “to stop, look, and listen.” Think over what has been said. Selah is a musical rest, and I have a notion the orchestra did not play at this time, nor did the chorus sing. It was a time of silence so you could think over what had been sung. Think it over, friend. Have you lost fellowship with God? Do you need a hiding place? Well, God can be your hiding place.
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye [Ps. 32:8].
You have to be very close to the Lord if you are going to be guided with His eye.
Now God uses a humorous comparison.
Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee [Ps. 32:9].
There are many Christians who do not orbit in the will of God. They are way up in space; yet God will guide them by His overruling providence, as we learn in the little Book of Esther. He compares a believer who will not be led by God to an old hard-headed mule. It reminds me of the man in Texas who visited his friend who owned a little donkey. They hitched it to the wagon intending to take a ride and visit some mutual friends. Before they got in the wagon, the owner reached into the wagon, took out a two-by-four, and hit the donkey over the head. The man asked his friend, “Why in the world did you do that?” His friend replied, “I do that to get his attention.” Many of us are like that donkey. That is why Scripture says, “Be ye not as the horse or as a mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with a bit and bridle.”
This psalm closes on a high note.
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart [Ps. 32:10–11].
Whoever you are and wherever you are, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can lift up your heart in great joy to God.
PSALM 33
Theme: A song of praise from a redeemed people
In this psalm we find the praises of redeemed people. God is worshiped as the Creator and as providential Ruler. He is praised for His majestic and matchless grace For the first time musical instruments are plainly mentioned in the text itself. This is one of the orphanic (orphan) psalms because the author’s name is not given. It is one in this segment of psalms that David may not have written.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright [Ps. 33:1].
We are to rejoice in the presence of God. This is a beautiful psalm of praise. It sounds like David, and it is possible that he could have written it.
Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings [Ps. 33:2].
The psaltery is a stringed instrument resembling a zither.
Sing unto him a new song: play skilfully with a loud noise [Ps. 33:3].
We are to sing a new song unto the Lord. What is that new song? Several psalms speak of a new song that will be sung in the future. I think when the time comes to sing that new song there will be new singers also. I am going to have a new body, and I think I will be able to sing. I hope the Lord will let me sing in heaven. Revelation 5:9 says, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” The psalmist exhorts us to sing a song of praise to God because He is our Creator, but the new song we will sing in heaven will be because the Lord Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. In Revelation 14:3 we read, “And they sung as it were new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” A new song will be sung in the future. In this verse we are also told that we are to
“play skilfully.” Friend, I believe that if you are going to sing before a group of people you should sing well. Church music is in a sad state today. I visit many churches and hear many people sing who do not have a gift for singing. You may not be a trained musician, but you should be dead sure that you can sing and that your voice is a gift of the Spirit which He can use for the profit and building up of the church. Otherwise your effort will be an exercise in futility. And don’t try to hit a high “C” when you cannot even hit a high “A” or “B”—that is an exercise in futility also!
For the word of the Lord is right: and all his works are done in truth [Ps. 33:4].
Notice the Word of God and the works of God, meaning His creative works.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth [Ps. 33:6].
The Word of God is powerful! I once saw a demonstration by a singer who broke two or three glasses by hitting a high note. God used His voice to create, not destroy. He brought the universe into existence by His word. He said, “… Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen. 1:3). There is power in light, electrical power and electronic power. Do you realize that all of that came into existence when God spoke? God spoke into existence all created things. Vegetation, animal life, and man were all created by God’s word. What tremendous power there is in His Word! I don’t know how He did it, but I do know that God did it, and that is the important thing.
The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect [Ps. 33:10].
The United Nations has selected to put up a verse like Isaiah 2:4 which says in part, “… and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” They have used the wrong verse because it doesn’t look to me like they are doing much beating—they are beating each other but not swords into plowshares. Instead, Psalm 33:10 should be written over the United Nations: “The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen [nations] to nought.” That would be appropriate. Witness the past: the League of Nations, and before that, the Hague Conference on Peace, all came to naught. Do you know something else? I know I will be criticized for saying this, but the United Nations is also going to come to naught, because they have left God out.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance [Ps. 33:12].
This is a verse I would love to put up in Washington so that the president and all of Congress could see it.
The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men [Ps. 33:13].
God sees the United Nations. He sees the president of the United States. He sees the Congress. He sees you. He sees me. No one escapes His eye.
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength [Ps. 33:16].
Napoleon said that God is on the side of the greatest battalion, but he demonstrated he was wrong, because at the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon had the greatest battalion and lost. God is not on the side of the one who has the biggest bomb, either.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy [Ps. 33:18].
How wonderful this is!
For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name [Ps. 33:21].
When we trust in the name of God, our hearts will rejoice. May I make a suggestion? Why don’t you saturate yourself with the Psalms? Instead of running around attending all of the conferences which tell you about new methods of running the Sunday school, running the church, or doing this or that, why don’t you stay home and read the Psalms? When you are saturated with this portion of God’s Word, it not only will bring comfort to your heart, it will solve 99.4 percent of the problems of the church. Oh, that it might become meaningful to you personally and be translated into shoe leather! This is a rich area of the Word of God.
PSALM 34
Theme: A song of praise for deliverance
This psalm has an explanation, which is part of the inspired text: “A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.” This provides me with a fine opportunity to illustrate something that the critic has used to discredit the Word of God, which has led many uninstructed folks away from believing in the integrity and the inerrancy of Scripture. The occasion for this psalm goes back to an incident that is recorded in the life of David. You will recall that King Saul was after David. This young man was fleeing for his life and hiding in one cave after another. He was in that region of wilderness down toward the Dead Sea, and not many people can survive in that area. I have been driven through it, but I would not want to drive through it alone. David was able to survive in that wilderness, but he did grow weary; and his faith got very weak. He thought he was going to be destroyed, so he went west to the land of the Philistines. The king of the Philistines received David at that time, but some of his men distrusted him. “And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath” (1 Sam. 21:11–12). David realized that he was in real danger there in enemy territory, so he acted like an insane man. The king was disgusted at having an insane man in his presence, and he sent him away. So David’s life was spared at this time. When David escaped and returned to the wilderness of Israel to hide, I think he was lying there in the safety of a cave, thinking, I should have trusted God.
Now if you turn back to 1 Samuel 21 and read the record, you will note that the king of Gath is called Achish, and in Psalm 34 he is called Abimelech. The critic sees this and says that it is quite obvious this is not an inspired psalm of David, and that this is an error in the Bible. The problem with the critic is that he looks only where he wants to look. Abimelech is a general title of royalty, just as Pharaoh was a general title in Egypt.
When I was teaching in a Bible institute a young fellow brought this problem of Achish and Abimelech to me. He said he believed in the inspiration of the Scriptures, but this was obviously an error, and he was greatly distressed by it. Of course, it was simply a lack of knowledge on his part. Remember, when you think you find an error in the Bible, the problem is not with the Bible but with you. That is the problem the critics have today.
As we consider this psalm, think of it in the light of David’s experience.
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth [Ps. 34:1].
When you are in trouble, do you feel discouraged and defeated? David did. He kept running, running, running, and it looked like it would never come to an end. He lost heart and was discouraged. He thought, One of these days I will be killed. Yet he says, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” My friend, I do pretty well in praising the Lord on a good sunshiny day and when things go right, but it is not so easy when things become difficult. Yet David could say, “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad [Ps. 34:2].
David’s attitude was a testimony for the Lord.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together [Ps. 34:3].
I have thought about putting this verse on the letterhead we use at our Thru the Bible Radio headquarters. I want you to join with me in magnifying the Lord. We are going to find out in one of the psalms that the Word of God and the name of God are just about the same. Both are important. We want to get out the Word of God because it will magnify the name of the Lord. I would like to say with the psalmist, O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together, in getting out the Word of God today.
The first three verses are sheer praise to God; they are the Hallelujah Chorus. Now he gives us the reason for his praise.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears [Ps. 34:4].
How wonderful!
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles [Ps. 34:5–6].
How thankful David was for God’s deliverance. And, friend, I thank God for the way He has led me. I am sure you do, too.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them [Ps. 34:7].
The Angel of the Lord is mentioned only three times in the Psalms. He is mentioned in Psalm 34:7 and in Psalm 35:5–6 and that is all. I am not going to go into any detail about this subject, but I believe the Angel of the Lord is the preincarnate Christ. You do not find the Angel of the Lord in the New Testament because the Lord is no longer an angel, but a Man. When He appeared in the Old Testament as an angel, He was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. In this verse the psalmist tells us that the “angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” In Hebrews 13:5 the Lord Jesus says, “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” In Matthew 28:20 the Lord says, “…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Now David extends an invitation:
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him [Ps. 34:8].
David says, “If you don’t believe what I have said is true, taste for yourself and see that the Lord is good.” Blessed or happy is the man who trusts in the Lord. There is nothing like it.
David had been hunted by Saul for a long time. He had hid in caves and had become a rugged outdoorsman. He had seen the sight mentioned in the following verse.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing [Ps. 34:10].
David had seen hungry little lion cubs whining for something to eat. He also had seen that those who had sought the Lord had not lacked any good thing. If a lioness can take care of her little cubs, God can take care of you and me. David learned that by experience. This is putting Christianity into shoe leather, and we need it in shoe leather. I am tired of Sunday morning Christianity. People come to church, sing a few hymns, listen to the sermon, and sing the Doxology. That just about ends it for many folks. I love what a broker in San Francisco wrote—it was one of the nicest things anyone had said: “You do not sound like you are speaking behind a stained glass window.” I thank God for that. There is nothing wrong with speaking behind stained glass windows—I did that for forty years—but I would rather that it sounded as if it came from the marketplace, the schoolroom, the office, and the workshop. David had experienced God’s care. He knew it was real.
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile [Ps. 34:13].
This is something that I need to learn. Perhaps you also need to learn it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry [Ps. 34:15].
God hears and answers prayer. It may not be the answer we were expecting, because sometimes He says no.
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth [Ps. 34:16].
There is a lot of sentimental rot today in dramatic productions of some old low-down sinner who deserts his wife and baby so he can live a life of sin. Maybe he becomes a thief or a murderer, but one day he comes home and finds his little child sick. He gets down by the side of the bed and prays. This kind of story brings boo-hoos all over the audience. I don’t know about you, but it turns my tummy. Do you know why? God says, “I don’t hear the prayer of a man like that.” Such a person has no right to go to God and ask Him for anything except salvation. You don’t even have to ask for forgiveness. He’s got forgiveness for you. All you have to do is confess yourself a sinner and trust Christ as your Savior. He will automatically forgive you. “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31).
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit [Ps. 34:18].
If a person is willing to take the place of humility, come to the Lord as a sinner and trust Him, the Lord will be near to him. Now if that old reprobate who got down by the bed and prayed for his sick child will acknowledge his sin and accept Jesus Christ as his Savior, then God will hear his prayer for his child. The Lord is near those who have a broken heart.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all [Ps. 34:19].
No one is free from trouble—regardless of who he is. But when we are God’s children we can expect God’s deliverance. Oh, how good He is. Let’s bless Him at all times, even as David did.
PSALM 35
Theme: A plea for deliverance from his enemies
This is a psalm that David wrote during the days of his persecution by King Saul. First Samuel 24 probably contains the background for this psalm. It is David’s powerful appeal to a righteous God to execute judgment upon the enemies of God and the persecutors of His righteous people.
There are folk who say that this is not the kind of prayer a Christian should pray and that the Lord Jesus did not talk like this. However, the Lord Jesus did give a parable about a widow who went to a judge saying, “Avenge me of mine adversary.” That judge took a long time to do it, but he finally saw that the widow got justice. It is a parable by contrast. God is not an unfeeling, hardhearted judge. God is gracious, wonderful, and eager to help His children, and we are to turn over to Him our grievances. And Paul gives believers this admonition: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). You and I are not to take vengeance. We are to turn that over to God—it is His department. He will handle it better than either you or I will handle it.
I want to speak quite frankly. I have turned several people over to the Lord when what I wanted to do was smack them in the mouth. There is no use beating around the bush—I have that feeling sometimes. I know a man who is a liar; yet he pretends to be an outstanding Christian and carries a big Bible under his arm! God told me, “Vernon, don’t hit him in the mouth. That would be wrong—you wouldn’t be walking by faith. You trust Me. Vengeance is mine. I will repay.” So I turned that man over to the Lord. I think the Lord will spank him. We need to learn to walk the pathway of faith.
When David wrote this psalm, he was in trouble. He was running away from Saul. Yet when David had an opportunity to kill Saul, he refused to do it. Saul knew that David had spared his life, and in 1 Samuel 24 Saul even said to him that he knew God had given the kingdom to David and admitted that David was more righteous than he was. Yet he continued to treat David as an enemy instead of bringing him home in peace.
David’s imprecatory prayer is not only personal but prophetic. David’s persecution pictures the remnant of Israel during the Tribulation period. The cry for righteous judgment will be answered when the Lord Jesus Christ comes the second time. He will execute judgment and will deliver God’s elect.
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them [Ps. 35:4–5].
David wanted to turn it over to the Lord, you see.
Here is the second mention of the “angel of the Lord”—the first was in Psalm 34:7. Again let me say that I believe the Angel of the Lord is none other than the preincarnate Christ. He is the deliverer and the executor of judgment.
Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall [Ps. 35:6–8].
This sounds extreme! It is an imprecatory prayer. I do think it is inconsistent for a Christian to pray a prayer like that today since God has told us to turn things over to Him. But if you think God is not going to take vengeance on evildoers, you are mistaken. He will do it without being vindictive. He will do it in justice and in righteousness and in holiness. We do well in turning over to God our grievances because He is going to make things right. This is a great psalm, a great comfort and solace for the soul of man.
Now listen to David after he has prayed that prayer.
And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? [Ps. 35:9–10].
At this time in David’s life he was a very poor man. While he was in exile there came to him men who were in debt, men who were in distress, and men who were discontented. These were his companions, and they shared his rugged existence and his poverty. But God was with them, and He “delivered the poor from him that was too strong for him.”
With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth [Ps. 35:16].
A mocker in that day was a court jester who was hired to amuse the guests at a banquet. In this case they would make fun of David for running away and hiding from Saul. They probably would say, “He could slay the giant Goliath, but he is afraid of King Saul.”
Hypocritical mockers are about us today, and you will find them in the church. I was a pastor for a long time, and I have seen them. Since I am no longer a pastor, I am in a position to say some things that need to be said. Mockers hurt the testimony of the church. The church is the bride of Christ; God still has a purpose for her, and somebody needs to do some cleaning up on the inside. We are not to judge the world, but we are to judge the things inside the church. There are those who ridicule God’s men, and they lie about God’s men—doing it in a most pious way. They are hypocritical mockers. They are jesters in the court of God, ridiculing God’s men.
My friend, it is good to know that although the righteous do suffer ridicule and even affliction, and although the enemy rejoices over their suffering, the end is always deliverance. In God’s kingdom the righteous will have their share.
PSALM 36
Theme: A picture of the wicked
This psalm has the inscription of David as the “servant of Jehovah.” The psalm gives us a view of the human heart, which is wicked. You may not believe this, but every human being has a wicked heart. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Fortunately God has a remedy for heart trouble.
The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes [Ps. 36:1].
The Septuagint translation, which is the Greek translation made by the seventy in Egypt, of this verse reads, “The wicked hath an oracle of transgression in his heart.” What is that oracle of transgression in the heart? It is the old nature that everyone has, the Adamic nature. In Matthew 15:19 the Lord Jesus Christ says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” It’s an ugly brood that comes out of the human heart.
“There is no fear of God before their eyes” is quoted by Paul in Romans 3:18. This is a revelation of the wicked. “The wicked hath an oracle of transgression in his heart.” That old evil nature has a hold on mankind. To those who say, “Let your conscience be your guide,” I want to say, “Your conscience is not your guide.” The Holy Spirit is your guide. Your conscience is like a barometer that will let you know if what you have done is right or wrong. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide. Your conscience is that which will prick you after you have done something wrong.
For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful [Ps. 36:2].
Matthew Henry, in his commentary, makes a very interesting statement in this connection. He says that sinners are self-destroyed. “They are self-destroyers by being self-flatterers; Satan could not deceive them, if they did not deceive themselves. But will the cheat last always? No, the day is coming when the sinner will be undeceived, when his iniquity shall be found hateful.” I think that one of the things the lost will have to live with throughout eternity is an old nature that he is going to learn to hate. That is the thing that will make his own little hell on the inside of his skin!
The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good [Ps. 36:3].
On the golf course I met a man, a fine-looking man who had retired from an excellent position. All that came out of his mouth was iniquity. In every breath he uttered he took God’s name in vain. “The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit.”
He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil [Ps. 36:4].
In his bed he plans the evil he is going to do the next day. This is a frightful picture! Now we have a picture of what God is:
Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings [Ps. 36:5–7].
What blessed, wonderful words these are. This is the God that man rejects. This is the God whom men do not fear. The wicked do not know this God, and they have no idea what it is like to be under His wings. That is the place where the righteous take refuge. I like to talk about the wings of Jehovah. In Exodus 19:4 God told Israel, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.” Under His wings there is protection, security, rest, and the warmth of God’s love. Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:37). This is the God that many people are rejecting today!
Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise [Ps. 36:11–12].
David prays that God will continue giving His mercy and grace to him so that he will not fall under the hand of the wicked. This is something that every believer should pray. We live in a wicked, mean world. My prayer has always been, “Oh, God, don’t let me fall into the hands of the wicked.”
PSALM 37
Theme: A promise of future blessing
This is a psalm of David. It is an experience of David and a promise of future blessing to the remnant of Israel written in the form of an acrostic. Each verse in this psalm begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. There are forty verses in Psalm 37, which means that two verses would begin with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For example, two verses of this psalm begin with Aleph, two verses with Beth, two verses with Gimel, etc., right through the alphabet. That is the way we instruct our children. I still remember a book I got when I was a little fellow: “A is for apple, B is for baby, C is for cat,” etc., with illustrating pictures for each. This psalm is constructed in a similar way. It has been a great blessing to God’s people down through the years, although it is often misapplied.
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb [Ps. 37:1–2].
The prosperity of evildoers troubled David a great deal. It is a subject that is dealt with in Psalm 73 and one that is presented elsewhere in the Old Testament. Why do the godless people seem to prosper? In the Old Testament, God promised believers earthly and material prosperity. He has not promised that to believers today. Our hope is in heaven, not on earth. But the hope of Israel was upon the earth. The man of that day looked about and saw the ungodly prosper. He could see the fields of the ungodly being watered by the rain and flourishing, while down the road a poor righteous man was having a hard time. It was difficult to understand the reason for this.
David came to the conclusion, as Asaph did in Psalm 73, that someday the wicked would be cut down just like the grass. A few years ago I had people in my congregation who could not understand why God would permit Hitler to do the things he was doing. Why, he almost won World War II. Why would God permit a man like Mussolini to do some of the things he did? But where are these men today? Just give God time. He will deal with the wicked. It is the end of the ungodly that we need to consider. If it disturbs you when you look around today and see the wicked prospering, there are several things you can do to solve your problem.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed [Ps. 37:3].
This was a promise to God’s earthly people. He told them, “Don’t worry about the wicked. You trust in Me, and I will take care of you.”
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart [Ps. 37:4].
This was a promise for Israel, but it also applies to us today. I am not sure that He is going to bless your business, but He has already blessed you with spiritual blessings, and He will shower on you all of the spiritual blessings you can contain. Then notice what we are to do. We are to delight ourselves in the Lord.
Now, there is something else that we can do.
Commit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass [Ps. 37:5].
“Commit thy way unto the Lord.” Many Christians criticize and find fault with God—they have not committed their way to the Lord.
“Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Give God time. He will work things out in your life. God is good, my friend. The heathen concept of God is as a terrible Being. Their idols are hideous. Many Christians view God that way. They think of Him as sort of a villain who will turn on you at any moment. He never will—He is your Friend. He loves you. He wants to save you, but you have to commit your way to Him.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass [Ps. 37:7].
Here is another thing to do: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.” How wonderful it is. When the wicked prosper, don’t fret. When the ungodly bring their wicked devices to pass, don’t let it disturb you. Don’t get “uptight” about it.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil [Ps. 37:8].
“Cease from anger”—don’t lose your temper.
If you do evil, don’t think you can get by with it. If you are God’s child, you will find yourself in deep trouble if you try to get by with evil.
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth [Ps. 37:9].
God will see to it that those who wait upon the Lord will one day inherit the earth. The wicked are going to be cut off.
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace [Ps. 37:11].
Someday the meek shall inherit the earth. The day will come when God will put His people on the earth. I heard a preacher say, “God is going to save so many people that there won’t be enough room for them on earth, so He made heaven to take care of the overflow.” Heaven is not for the overflow; it is for the church. Israel will inherit the earth. To make a statement like that preacher did is to hopelessly confuse the purposes of God.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation [Ps. 37:14].
The Scripture makes it clear that if you take the sword, that is the way you will perish.
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked [Ps. 37:16].
Having traveled a lot in the course of my ministry, I have been in the homes of very poor saints and also in the homes of some very rich saints. It has been my experience that the happiest saints are those who do not have so much. God seems to see to that.
But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away [Ps. 37:20].
The wicked are going to perish. Don’t concern yourself with their prosperity. That is God’s department, and He will take care of it.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way [Ps. 37:23].
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,” that is, they are established by the Lord on a foundation that is the Rock—and the Rock is Christ.
“He delighteth in his way.” Does God delight in you today? God could point to Job—who was not sinless by any means—but God took delight in him.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever [Ps. 37:29].
This verse again tells us that God is going to make good His promise to Abraham and to the children of Israel. He promised them earthly blessings. He did not promise that to you and me. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings. You will be confused if you believe God has promised you earthly blessings. It is true that many Christians are blessed with material things, but that is surplus. It is an added blessing; and, if God has blessed you that way, you have a tremendous responsibility. I feel sorry for some of the rich saints who are not using their money the way God wants them to use it.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off [Ps. 37:37–38].
The “perfect man” is one who is perfect toward God in that he trusts God and rests upon His salvation. The end of the upright man is peace. God will see to that.
“The end of the wicked shall be cut off.” The transgressors will be destroyed and the wicked shall be cut off. Mark that down. It is as sure as the law of gravitation.
PSALM 38
Theme: A penitential psalm involving physical disease
This is entitled “A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance” and is classed as a penitential psalm. It is David’s confession and concerns physical sickness. David is very ill. His body is wasting away. We have no record of his having this illness, but we have seen before that he thanked God for his healing.
O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure [Ps. 38:1].
David, in deep distress, prays that God will not judge him in anger.
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore [Ps. 38:2].
This is real conviction.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin [Ps. 38:3].
David’s physical sickness is the result of sin.
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me [Ps. 38:4].
You and I cannot carry our burdens, friend, and we especially cannot carry the burden of sin. We must give that burden to God.
My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart [Ps. 38:5–8].
Disease, the result of his foolishness, is followed by mental anguish. In the first church in which I served, there was a doctor in the congregation. He called me into his office one day and showed me this psalm. He said, “There are many people who believe that David had a venereal disease. I was told that in medical school, but I do not agree with it.” He asked me what I thought. Well, I agreed with him that I would not accept that diagnosis.
Regarding the prophetic aspect of this psalm, some have interpreted it as being a description of the condition of Christ on the cross, that when Christ bore our sins, He also bore our diseases and actually took in His own body all the diseases of mankind.
This could not be true, because disease is the result of sin, and there was no sin in Him. Concerning His birth, Luke 1:35 says, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” He was holy—He was not born with a sin nature. Of Christ’s earthly life the Father said, “… Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Toward the end of His life on earth the Lord Jesus said, “Which of you convinceth me of sin? …” (John 8:46). Jesus was holy, harmless, and separate from sin. He could not be the spotless Lamb offered for our sin if He were diseased—disease is the result of sin.
Christ was holy when He went to the cross. For the first three hours that Christ was on the cross, man did his worst; but in those last three hours God did His best, for Christ took upon Himself the sin of the world. It is at this point that we need to be careful. It was the sin of the world that Christ took. When we are told that He bore our diseases, it is the disease of sin. Simon Peter confirms this in 1 Peter 2:24: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed”—healed of what? Our diseases? No! We are healed of sin. He bore our sins on the cross and took care of the sin problem for us. He did not have a diseased body. Disease is the result of sin, and there was no sin in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an awful, blasphemous thing to say that Jesus Christ was diseased when He hung on the cross.
Those of us who have endured illness and disease in our bodies can identify with David in this psalm. And it is the proper thing to do to first take your case to the Great Physician—and then make an appointment with the best doctor you can find. Let’s be practical about this. All the skill and wisdom a doctor has comes from God, whether or not he acknowledges it.
PSALM 39
Theme: A psalm for funerals
This remarkable psalm reveals to us the frailty, weakness, and the littleness of humanity. It sets before us the vanity of human existence. This psalm has been used at funerals a great deal, and it can be used so properly. There are those who have considered it probably “the most beautiful of all elegies in the Psalter.” Dean Perowne has said: “The holy singer had long pent up his feelings; and though busy thoughts were stirring within him, he would not give them utterance. He could not bare his bosom to the rude gaze of an unsympathizing world. And he feared lest, while telling his perplexities, some word might drop from his lips which would give the wicked an occasion to speak evil against God. And when at last, unable to repress his strong emotion, he speaks to God and not to man, it is as one who feels how hopeless the problem of life is, except as seen in the light of God” (The Book of Psalms, p. 295). He speaks of this frailty and sinfulness, this weakness and littleness of mankind, with deep conviction. Candidly, human life is, without a doubt, the most colossal failure in God’s universe. Apart from a relationship with God, my friend, it is rather meaningless. All is vanity—that is what you have to say under the sun. Without the Son of God it means nothing at all.
This is a psalm of David, and it is dedicated “To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun.” Who is Jeduthun? Perhaps he wrote the music for this psalm. He was one of three musical or choir directors connected with Israel’s worship. Asaph and Heman were the other two men. David, the sweet singer of Israel, had associated with himself these three men in the ministry of music.
Now notice the beautiful words of this psalm.
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me [Ps. 39:1].
This psalm concerns a subject that David would rather not talk about with the man of the world. “He would not quite understand it, so I put a zipper on my mouth.”
I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred [Ps. 39:2].
But David wanted to say something, and finally he opens his heart before God.
My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue [Ps. 39:3].
He speaks now to the Lord:
Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am [Ps. 39:4].
David recognizes the frailty of man and asks, “What is the purpose of life? What is it that gives meaning to existence?” This is a current question being asked by young people today and they are asking it with a bang. After World War II my generation wanted to settle down in peace. We wanted a nice little bungalow, one or two cars in the garage, and a chicken in the pot. We wanted to live in an affluent society and shut our eyes to everything else in order to escape responsibility. Things did not turn out the way we wanted them to. We got tied up in traffic snarls. Our lives became filled with tension. The young generation came along (even those who came from Christian homes), looked around and asked “Is this what life is all about? What is the meaning of life?” This was David’s question.
Christians can live in such a way today that there is no meaning to life. If you are a Christian parent, are you living a life that is turning your children on to Jesus Christ, or are you turning them off to everything that is Christian? There are many vagrants drifting over the face of the earth who have left home and gotten into a lot of trouble because of the poor examples set before them. Many of them have come from “good homes”—from all outward appearances they were good homes—but these young folk looked at the lives of their parents and said, “They have no meaning.”
Oh, this psalm is relevant to the contemporary generation. David prayed, “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is”—give me purpose and meaning.
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah [Ps. 39:5].
This verse ends with the word Selah—stop, look, and listen; think this over, friend. The brevity of human life on this earth ought to tell us something. If this life is all there is to human existence, it is a colossal failure. I would rather be a dinosaur or a redwood tree and hang around for awhile, because compared to them man’s life is just a handbreadth.
Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them [Ps. 39:6].
William Thackeray, an English novelist and a Christian, wrote a novel called Vanity Fair. I enjoyed that book. It is a brilliant satire on a little group of people, a clique that had its status symbols, played its little parts, and committed its little sins that are an awful stench in heaven. They lived and died with their littleness and their bickerings. That’s life! “Surely every man walketh in a vain shew … he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.” Nothing has changed. Think of the Christians who gather fortunes down here and leave it for godless offspring, or they leave it to unworthy so-called Christian work. We see a great deal of this. The psalmist saw it and asked, “What is the purpose of it all?”
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee [Ps. 39:7].
David turned to God—“my hope is in thee.” Friend, if you don’t turn to God, you will not find the meaning of life.
Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish [Ps. 39:8].
David wanted to be a good example.
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it [Ps. 39:9].
He did not want to express his thoughts to the crowd, because they are rather pessimistic.
Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand [Ps. 39:10].
He was feeling the discipline of God in his life—and it was for a purpose. Oh, my friend, how we need to get a proper perspective of life! The grave is not its goal. Longfellow wrote, “Dust thou art, to dust returnest, was not spoken of the soul.” Man is going on a long journey. Eternity is ahead. What glorious anticipation there should be!
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were [Ps. 39:12].
We are just pilgrims and strangers down here, but we don’t think of it that way. We want to fix up our little corner of the earth and think it is going to be permanent. We want to wrap ourselves in a blanket of false security. May I say, at best we are pilgrims and strangers on earth, and that is the way we ought to live our lives. We are on a journey, and we seek a city “… whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10). Oh, to have a hope today! The psalmist says of God, “My hope is in thee.”
O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more [Ps. 39:13].
That is, enable me to so live that my life will cause men and women to think on eternity. Enable me to live a life that will not turn folk away from God but draw them to Him. We hear a lot today about personal witnessing, but what about the testimony of our lives? Are people turning to God because of the way we are living, or are they turning away from God? I am confident that our lives are doing one or the other.
PSALM 40
Theme: A messianic psalm predicting the crucifixion of Christ
Two messianic psalms, 40 and 41, conclude the Genesis section of the Psalms. They are called messianic psalms because they are so quoted in the New Testament, which makes them especially important.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry [Ps. 40:1].
This is a proper psalm to follow Psalm 39. All of these psalms go together; that is, you will note a continuity. There are those who feel that this psalm expresses the experience of David in his flight from Absalom, and that is accurate to a point. But this psalm is quoted in the Epistle to the Hebrews in a most remarkable way. In this psalm the One who celebrates in praise and thanksgiving the Resurrection, the triumph and Ascension is the Lord Jesus Himself. This is truly a messianic psalm. It reveals that the death of Christ was not a defeat at all. It was a great victory. When He says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry,” He is referring to His cry from the cross.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings [Ps. 40:2].
Christ’s agony and death is likened to a horrible pit, a pit of destruction. We cannot conceive how terrible the death of Christ on the cross really was.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord [Ps. 40:3].
This verse mentions a new song—we have read about a new song before—it is the song of redemption.
“Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” What are they going to see? They will see the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies [Ps. 40:4].
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the example of a man who puts his trust in God, who does not respect the proud, and who does not turn aside to lies.
Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered [Ps. 40:5].
God has revealed what He thinks of us by sending His Son to die on the cross. At the time I am writing this, I often hear speculations as to the possibility of life on planets other than our own. I am certainly no expert in this field, but I think it may be possible that other planets are inhabited. But I can guarantee this: there will not be a cross on any of the planets out there in space. It was only here that the Son of God died on a cross. How wonderful! “Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are toward us.” My, how the cross reveals God’s love for us!
Now the following is quoted in the Epistle to the Hebrews:
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest [Ps. 40:6–9].
This is a marvelous psalm that follows the preceding one which reveals the frailty of man.
“Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened.” Now notice how this is quoted in Hebrews 10:5, “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” Now, wait a minute. Is this misquoted? Critics of the Bible say, “Oh, here is an error, a contradiction in the Bible. In Psalm 40:6 it says, ‘… mine ears hast thou opened …’; and in Hebrews it says, ‘… a body hast thou prepared me.’ ”
The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible. He wrote the Old Testament and the New Testament. He wrote both Psalms and Hebrews, and He has a perfect right to change His own writing. When He does, there is always a good reason.
Now let’s consider the background. In Exodus 21 there is a law concerning servants and masters. If a man became a slave to another man, at the end of a certain period of time he could go free. Suppose during that period he met another slave, a woman, they fell in love and married and had children. When it was time for the man to go free, he could leave, but his wife and children could not go with him because she was a slave. What could this man do? He could decide that because he loved his master and his wife he would not leave. “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever” (Exod. 21:6).
The psalmist is referring to this custom when he says, “mine ears hast thou opened.” When the Lord Jesus came to this earth, did He have His ear thrust through with an awl? No, He was given a body. He took upon Himself our humanity. He identified Himself with us and He became a servant. And He became a sacrifice. “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire”—God did not delight in all the animal offerings in the Old Testament, but they pointed to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now notice what Isaiah says on this subject. “The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back” (Isa. 50:5). This verse is prophesying the humiliation of the Servant (Christ) who would come to earth. When the Lord Jesus came down to this earth and went to the cross, His ear wasn’t “opened” or “digged”; He was given a body, and that body was nailed to a cross. My friend, He has taken a glorified body with nail prints in it back to heaven, and He will bear those nail prints and scars throughout eternity that you and I might be presented without spot or blemish before Him. You see, He did more than have His ear bored through with an awl; He gave His body to be crucified because He loved us and would not return to heaven without us.
My friend, this is a marvelous messianic psalm that reveals the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ because He loved us.
PSALM 41
Theme: A messianic psalm predicting the betrayal of Judas
This messianic psalm was written by David probably at the time he was betrayed by Ahithophel, his trusted counselor. Ahithophel sided with David’s son Absalom when he led a rebellion against his father. Finally Ahithophel committed suicide by hanging himself (2 Sam. 17:23). Ahithophel foreshadows the betrayer of Christ, Judas Iscariot, and is so quoted by our Lord Himself.
This psalm opens with a blessing.
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble [Ps. 41:1].
It opens with “blessed” and closes with “blessed.” It begins with, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor,” and ends with, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.” The word blessed as we have already seen, means “happy,” so that the Genesis section of the Psalms (Psalms 1–41) begins with “happy” and closes with “happy.”
Now notice the section that makes this a messianic psalm:
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me [Ps. 41:9].
Jesus quoted this verse in reference to Judas, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18). This verse was fulfilled in Judas, the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus. Peter also referred to it in Acts 1:16, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” We have something more here:
But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them [Ps. 41:10].
This verse is a reference to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Raise me up, that I may recompense them.” In this Genesis section we have seen the death of Christ and His resurrection as well. But I want to make something startlingly clear: The death of Christ saves no one; it is the death and resurrection of Christ that saves. Paul explicitly defines the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Without the resurrection of the Lord there is no gospel.
Almost everyone has an opinion about the Lord Jesus. Jesus asked His disciples, “… Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:13–16). Who do you say that Christ is? Many modern plays about Jesus leave Him on the cross or in the tomb. Thomas Jefferson left Him in the tomb in his moral teachings about Jesus. He concluded his book with a stone closing the tomb. There is no gospel there. That stone was rolled away and the Lord left the tomb. He was raised from the dead.
Because of the resurrection we can say:
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen [Ps. 41:13].
This verse ends with a double amen. “Amen, and Amen” means that God put the finishing touches on our salvation when Christ rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Christ finished the work of salvation for us. You don’t have to add anything to it, but don’t take away from the gospel by omitting the Resurrection. Without that there is no gospel.
This is the final psalm in the Genesis section. It has been well stated that the Book of Genesis is the entire Bible in miniature; that is, all the great truths of Scripture are germinal in Genesis. This first section of psalms covers the entire Book of Psalms in the same way. While the Book of Genesis concludes with a “coffin in Egypt,” this Genesis section of Psalms closes on the high note of resurrection.
EXODUS SECTION
RUIN AND REDEMPTION (ISRAEL IN VIEW)
PSALMS 42–72
Psalms 42–72 comprise the Exodus section. As in the Book of Exodus, we will see God’s people in a strange land, a suffering people away from the Land of Promise. The heel of a dictator is on them. You hear them groan and moan, and you hear the whip of the taskmaster falling upon them. They are in great trouble, which increases rather than decreases. Finally Israel’s cries and groans are heard, and the Lord arises on behalf of His suffering people. He makes good His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then the Lord delivers them out of the land of Egypt. For example, in the first seven psalms (42–48) we find conditions as they were at the beginning of the Book of Exodus. But these psalms do not refer to the past; they look to the future and reveal the experiences of the remnant of Israel in the days that lie ahead. We will see God’s chosen people away from Jerusalem; they are separated from the holy place and out of touch with Jehovah, just as they were in Egypt.
In the Genesis and Exodus sections of the Psalms there is an interesting contrast of the names of God. In the Genesis section the name Jehovah occurs 272 times, while the name Elohim occurs only fifteen times. In the Exodus section the name Elohim occurs 164 times, and the name Jehovah occurs only thirty times. What is the significance of this? These two personal names of God have different meanings. Elohim speaks of the fullness of God’s divine power. The name Jehovah is involved in redemption. Jehovah is the One who keeps Israel.
We will find that David did not write as many of the psalms in this section as he did in the last one. David wrote nineteen of the psalms, and seven of them were written by the sons of Korah who were connected with the Levitical family. All of the psalms in this division are a prophetic picture of Israel in the last days.
In Psalms 42–44 we see the children of Israel in Egypt with Pharaoh ruling over them. Psalm 43 mentions the Antichrist, and Israel is mourning because of the oppression of the enemy. We find them crying out to God to deliver them, and deliverance comes to them. Psalm 45 is the great millennial psalm which speaks of the Lord Jesus coming to reign on the earth.
Something important for God’s people to see is that the primary and fundamental interpretation of these psalms is applicable to the nation of Israel. They look to the future during the time of trouble called the Great Tribulation. Therefore, we need to be careful when we lift out a verse from one of the psalms to ask the question, “How does it really apply to us?” We can apply many of the psalms to our needs today. God’s children, who are in trouble, can find real solace and comfort in them, but we must never forget that their primary application is to Israel. I think it is a terrible thing to exclude Israel from the plan and purpose of God for the future as many people do. It is almost like writing off a certain portion of God’s Word, and saying, “Yes, I believe in the inspiration of Scripture that applies to me, but if it supposedly applies to other people that I am not concerned about, it is not the Word of God.” There is danger today in that type of thinking.
Let us keep in mind that when the psalmist speaks of Israel he is not referring to the whole nation of Israel, for the entire nation is not in view. We see this distinction also in the word church. Is the church made up of all the names of people on membership rolls in every church regardless of the denomination? I don’t think so. The church is made up of a body of believers who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. You don’t become a member of the true church by joining a visible church and having your name put on a church roll or by going through a ceremony of some kind. Only a personal relationship with Christ can make you a member of the true church. We should always make a distinction between the organized church and what is generally called the invisible church. The remnant of the nation of Israel is not the entire nation, just as all members of the organized church do not make up the invisible church, or body of believers. It is the believing remnant of Israel that we will be looking at in this Exodus section of the Book of Psalms.
PSALMS 42–43
Theme: Heart cry of the God-fearing remnant
This psalm presents the future suffering of the godly remnant of Israel during the Great Tribulation period. When Israel was in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12), God first redeemed them by blood. The blood of the Passover lamb was sprinkled on the doorposts of the houses by those who believed God. At night the death angel passed over the homes, and if blood was there no one died. This was redemption by blood. The second phase of redemption was at the Red Sea, and there it was redemption by power.
The inscription of this psalm is “Maschil, for the sons of Korah.” Maschil means that it is a psalm of teaching, a psalm of understanding. You may recall that Korah led a rebellion during the period of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. God executed him because of his rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron, but his sons were spared. God made it very clear (Num. 26:9–11) that his sons did not die in God’s judgment, but they continued their service before God. They are the ones who wrote these first few psalms of the Exodus section, which is quite wonderful.
Prophetically, this gives us a picture of the Great Tribulation period.
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? [Ps. 42:1–2].
Rather than going back to Egypt, I want to apply this to the future because there will be a time when these people, the Israelites, will be out of their land again. There are several excellent Bible expositors who believe that the present regathering of Jews in the land of Israel may eventuate in their dispersion again—that they will be put out of the land—perhaps in our day. The godly remnant is not in the land today. There are two groups in the land of Israel right now: one group we call the orthodox Jews who are waiting for their Messiah, expecting Him to come and wanting to rebuild the temple. The other group is not concerned with religious matters. They contend that a new era has begun. They have Egypt, the Arabs, and the United Nations to deal with.
The godly remnant of Israel, God’s people, have a longing for God, as do God’s people of all ages. They picture David. I think David could easily have said these words hiding in a cave overlooking a valley. He could have heard hunters and the barking of the dogs and, in a few minutes, a rustle in the bushes. David’s men on guard duty became alert. There is a little spring near the opening of the cave, and soon a little deer, foaming at the mouth, his sides lathered, plunges his head into the water and takes a good deep drink. He waits a moment, listening, then he takes another drink.
Therefore the psalmist could say, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” Is that the way you feel about God? There are those who claim that if you become very legalistic and keep the Ten Commandments you are pleasing to God. My friend, man is alienated from God; he needs more than the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments show us that we are sinners, and we are in rebellion against God. We have no desire or capacity for Him. We need, therefore, to be born again. We need to be brought into the family of God and to the place where we can say, not just as a verse in Scripture but from our hearts, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”
This will be especially meaningful to the remnant of Israel, but it is meaningful right now to many of God’s children.
My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? [Ps. 42:3].
There was much weeping in the brickyards of Egypt and will be in the future. This will be the taunt during the Great Tribulation period: “Where is your God? When is Messiah coming?”
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance [Ps. 42:5].
He rebukes himself for his despondency and encourages himself to trust in God.
O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me [Ps. 42:6–7].
This is the language Jonah used in his prayer. “For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me” (Jonah 2:3). Jonah went down into the jaws of death. During the Great Tribulation Israel will think that destruction is upon them, but God will deliver them.
Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? [Ps. 42:8–9].
Do you feel like that sometimes? I am sure that many of us do.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God [Ps. 42:11].
In his desperate hour he turns to God. In their desperate hours the remnant will turn to God. There will be no help from the east, the west, the north, or the south. My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 43 is closely connected with Psalm 42. The godly remnant calls on God to act in their behalf.
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man [Ps. 43:1].
This is the remnant of Israel speaking. The Antichrist is a liar. He will make a covenant with these people and then will break it in the midst of the “week.” When this happens, their cry will be, “Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.” I don’t know if you have ever prayed this prayer or not, but I have said, “O God, don’t let a dictator arise in the United States.” There is grave danger of that. We need to ask God to deliver us from deceitful and unjust men. I certainly don’t want him ruling over me, and we have had quite a few like that in our history. I am afraid the condition of our nation is due to the leadership and internal problems.
O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles [Ps. 43:3].
“Send out thy light and thy truth.” What is the psalmist praying for? Jesus said, “… I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). He also said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). These statements of the Lord Jesus Christ were not lost on His hearers, because if they knew He was the light and the truth, they would also know He was the Messiah who had come to deliver them. “Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.” He wants to go back to Jerusalem. He wants to worship in the temple and to be brought back to God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God [Ps. 43:5].
Their prayers will be answered, and their long expected Messiah will return. At that time Ezekiel’s prophecy will be fulfilled: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezek. 36:26–28).
PSALM 44
Theme: Israel’s cry during the Great Tribulation
We come now to another maschil psalm, a psalm of instruction, and it is from the sons of Korah.
Although it is impossible to determine the historical condition in Israel that called forth this prayer, we do know the prophetic interpretation. This will be the final experience of the faithful remnant of Israel before their Messiah returns to deliver them.
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old [Ps. 44:1].
Gideon said the same thing. “And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (Judg. 6:13). In that day of trouble, just when God is on the verge of delivering them again, Israel will refer to God’s help in the past. God has intruded in history before, and He will do it again.
How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out [Ps. 44:2].
This refers to the time of Moses and Joshua. God evicted the inhabitants of Canaan because of their gross sin and planted His chosen people there.
For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them [Ps. 44:3].
It was God who gave the land to the children of Israel. They did not capture it because of their own strength or cleverness.
For our personal application, “Thy right hand” is the mighty bared arm of God in salvation, revealed nineteen hundred years ago at the cross.
Then listen to this heart cry that comes from him:
Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob [Ps. 44:4].
I hope you understand that “Jacob” is the man Jacob, and Jacob became the nation of Israel. When he cries, “Thou art my King, O God,” he is talking about Israel’s King. Our Lord Jesus is Israel’s King, and He will return to deliver His suffering people. Of course there is application for us, but let’s keep the Psalms in correct perspective so that they will be more meaningful to us.
Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me [Ps. 44:5–6].
In that day of tribulation the godly remnant is going to ask for revenge. They will be under Law, and they will have a right to do that.
Today we are to pray for those who deceitfully use us; we are told even to love our enemies. That is a very difficult thing to do, but we can turn our enemies over to the Lord. We are not to avenge ourselves because the Lord says, “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay …” (Rom. 12:19). There are many people we should turn over to the Lord, not only for salvation, but for reasons of vengeance. I am not talking about people who have caused us some personal grievance, but those who are trying to hinder the giving out of the Word of God. It is a terrible thing to try to blacken the name of a man or woman who stands for the things of God. You should be careful before you criticize your pastor. Make sure your facts are true. To some people a pastor represents God’s cause on earth. They will judge God largely by what he says. If you discredit him, you discredit God in their eyes. I think this is why many young people have turned away from the Bible and the church. Many of them have grown up in Christian homes, and their parents have served “roast preacher” each Sunday. It is wrong to discredit a man who is giving out the Word of God. If things seem to be wrong, we should ask God to intervene rather than to try to take matters into our own hands.
Israel is in deep trouble. The enemy is raging against them; that “little horn” that Daniel mentioned “… shall wear out the saints of the Most High …” (Dan. 7:25). These are Jewish saints, and Antichrist makes war against them to overcome them. They are warned not to fight back. They refuse the mark of the beast, and they are killed in large numbers. In their distress they cry out to God. I think this will be the darkest moment in the history of the world.
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter [Ps. 44:22].
This verse is not a picture of the church right now, would you say? There are many believers suffering for Christ’s sake; but by and large, the church is not under persecution. However, the remnant of Israel will be persecuted; and it is the remnant that is in view here. I want to keep that clear.
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever [Ps. 44:23].
Here is a cry for God to wake up. Well, God is not asleep. It is in their desperation that the remnant cries out. During the time of the Maccabees, between the Old and New Testaments, the enemies of Israel came to the foreground. As far as the past is concerned, it was the time that Israel suffered more than at any other time in their history; but it will be nothing compared to the suffering they will endure during the Great Tribulation period. During the Maccabean period there was a group of priests called the “wakers.” They were the ones who cried out to God saying, “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?” During this time people felt like God was asleep. But John Hyrcanus, one of the great Maccabees, a high priest, put an end to this practice. He asked the people, “Does the Deity sleep? Hath not the Scripture said, ‘Behold, the keeper of Israel slumbereth and sleepeth not?’” You don’t have to ask God to wake up even though there are times when you feel like it. In that future day the remnant will feel that He is asleep and say, “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?” When that day comes, God will not be asleep. He will be ready to move. He will not cast off His people forever.
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake [Ps. 44:24–26].
From the darkest moment in the history of this world comes a cry from the remnant for God to redeem them for His mercies’ sake. This is a plea for help and justice.
PSALM 45
Theme: The coming of Christ to establish His kingdom on this earth
This is a messianic psalm and is so quoted in the Epistle to the Hebrews. This is another maschil psalm, that is, for instruction, written by the sons of Korah, and is inscribed “To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim,” which means “lilies.” It is a picture of Christ as the Messiah—He is the Lily of the Valley as well as the Rose of Sharon. In translating this, the Targumim adds, “Thy beauty, O King Messiah, is greater than that of the children of men.”
This very wonderful psalm speaks of the second coming of Christ. This changes the tenor of the Psalms from the cry of a people in the anguish of tribulation to the glorious triumph of their coming King, as it is described in Revelation, chapter 19. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of it also (Matt. 24:29–30), and it is the hope of the world.
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer [Ps. 45:1].
“My heart is inditing” means bursting forth or overflowing. There is something he must say and wishes he could tell it, because his tongue moves faster than his pen. That is true of many of us. Have you ever been excited about something and have tried to put it in a letter to a friend, and when you read it over you see how inadequate it is and wish you could tell it instead of write it? I had that experience a few minutes ago—I couldn’t say what I wanted to say to a friend in a letter; so I called him by phone. Well, the psalmist couldn’t call us by telephone, so we have Psalm 45 in printed form.
MESSIAH, HIS PERSON AND POWER
Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever [Ps. 45:2].
This is a lovely psalm which is occupied with the person of Christ. Paul mentioned that: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). My friend, we need to behold Him more.
In this psalm we are seeing Him, not as a Savior, but as a King.
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty [Ps. 45:3].
This is a picture of Christ coming forward, not as Savior, but as the King at His second coming. Israel expected Messiah to come to earth with a sword. The first time He came to earth He came without a sword. You will recall that when Jesus was arrested, one of His disciples drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. And Jesus said, “… Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52). In our day they are looking for the Messiah who will bring peace, without a sword, but Psalm 2:9 says of the Lord, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Psalm 2 speaks of Christ’s coming to earth the second time. In fact, it is quoted several times in the Book of Revelation in respect to His second coming. When He returns, He is going to find the world in rebellion. The Antichrist will be in power. He will be persecuting God’s people, both the remnant of Israel and that great company of Gentiles who turned to God.
“Grace is poured into his lips”—that is emphasized, but there will also be condemnation and judgment. I think we ought to be realistic, not idealistic. He will have to come in power and wrath against a world that is in rebellion against Him.
And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things [Ps. 45:4].
“Terrible things” means awe-inspiring things.
Notice, the Lord is riding to victory, and here are the three planks of His platform: truth, meekness, and righteousness. Do you know of any candidate today who uses these three planks in his platform? The candidates don’t sound meek to me, and I wonder about the truth of their statements, and righteousness—well, the whole motive is to get elected, not to do right. How this poor nation needs a candidate who will speak truth, who exhibits a little meekness, and who goes all-out for righteousness. These are eternal principles of our Lord’s kingdom. No president, leader, dictator, or king has ever come to power on this platform in the history of this world. This King is different. The character of Christ is truth; His words are truth—yet men call Him a liar. But all men are liars, not Christ. You won’t hear the truth today in the halls of Congress, or in the marts of trade, or on Wall Street, or in our industrial complexes, or on our college campuses, or read it in the newspaper, or hear it on TV or radio—because all news is slanted. Unfortunately you can’t even hear the truth in many of our churches. But our Lord is coming to power on the platform of truth and humility. Someone has said, “If you wish to astonish the whole world, tell the truth.” That is the way our Lord is coming to power—it will be startling.
Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee [Ps. 45:5].
This is a portrait of the King coming to earth.
MESSIAH, HIS GOVERNMENT AND GLORY
This is coronation day, and it is the key of this psalm.
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre [Ps. 45:6].
He is going to rule in righteousness. How the world needs a righteous ruler! Regarding His return to the earth, the Lord Jesus Himself said, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory” (Matt. 25:31). Not until then will we have peace on this earth. That is the need of the world. When Betsy Boss made the first American flag, George Washington expressed the wish that it would wave for a thousand years. We have recently celebrated our two hundredth anniversary, and already we are growing old as a nation. But the government of God is eternal.
Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows [Ps. 45:7].
The Anointed One is Messiah, of which Christ is the Greek form. It is not a name, but it is His official title. The first time He came, He came as Prophet—the messenger and message of God—which refers to the past. In our day He is our Great High Priest at the right hand of God; that is His present ministry. But His second coming will be as King, the Messiah. This is for the future.
“God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness.” It is unfortunate that we tend to think of Him as a Man of Sorrows. I believe that He was the most joyous person on this earth when He was here.
That this is a messianic psalm referring to our Lord Jesus Christ is fully attested by the quotation of these two verses in the Epistle to the Hebrews: “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:8–9). The critic who attempts to apply this psalm to Solomon or some unknown king fails to note that He is addressed as God. It is not conceivable that Solomon or any other king would be addressed as God. The entire first chapter of Hebrews presents our Lord Jesus in His exaltation, being the express image of God, far superior to angels, and seated at God’s right hand.
All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad [Ps. 45:8].
He came to this earth that our joy might be full. And it was for “the joy that was set before him” that He endured the cross. Oh, how we as believers need to rejoice! The tribe of Judah, which means “praise,” led the children of Israel in the wilderness march; yet they complained, they whined, they sang the desert blues when they should have been praising God. This is the same thing the church is doing in our day. My friend, believers should be praising God—not complaining! At Christmastime we sing the song, “Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King.” That is not a Christmas hymn at all; it refers to Christ’s second coming and should not be relegated to a seasonal section of our hymbook.
Moving down in this wonderful psalm, we have a scene at court:
Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir [Ps. 45:9].
The church is not mentioned by name in the Old Testament, but I believe you see it in type or in figures of speech. I think most of the brides in the Old Testament are pictures of Christ and His bride, the church. Examples of this are Eve, Rebekah, and Ruth. Who is the queen in this verse? I believe she is a picture of the church, although she is not specifically identified, and Christ will lift her to the throne.
Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house [Ps. 45:10].
We are to leave the world. We are not to love the world. We have been saved out of it. We are to cling to the Lord.
So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him [Ps. 45:11].
The church is to be made beautiful. All sin will be removed. What a prospect this is!
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever [Ps. 45:17].
This verse speaks of the millennial kingdom. But the kingdom goes on into eternity after the Lord has made a few adjustments, which includes Satan being loosed for a time and then his being cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. This is a glorious psalm, and when it is put in proper perspective, it has great meaning for us today.
PSALM 46
Theme: God is our refuge, a song of the Millennium
The next three psalms form a little cluster of prophetic pictures of the kingdom that is coming on this earth. Psalm 45 presented the coming of the King to establish His kingdom here upon this earth, the millennial kingdom. The following three psalms set before us this kingdom.
This psalm is “To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.” The word almah is used in Isaiah 7:14 which says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Evidently the word alamoth means “with virgins” and in this instance speaks of maidens’ voices. This psalm is one of deliverance and will refer us to another great song of deliverance and victory that was sung when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. We are told that they sang the song of Moses, but who led the singing? I don’t think Moses was a better song leader than I am, and I am no good at all; so Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Moses and Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand and led the singing. The women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. As Moses and the children of Israel sang, “… Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (Exod. 15:21). So the song leader and the soloist on that occasion was Miriam, the sister of Moses. It was the celebration of a great victory.
Now when the future remnant of Israel is delivered from their enemies by the coming of Christ, they will celebrate a great victory. It is important to see this psalm in its proper setting. It belongs after Psalm 45 and with Psalms 47 and 48. To consider these psalms apart from each other is like the little boy who was asked to give a definition of a lie. In his explanation the little fellow put together two Scripture verses that were totally unrelated. He said, “A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble.” He misinterpreted the Scripture. We smile at the little boy, but we do the same thing by taking this psalm out of context.
Psalm 46 is a wonderful soprano solo. It is not the blues but a hallelujah chorus in which we see the sufficiency of God, the security of God, and the supremacy of God.
THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah [Ps. 46:1–3].
This is a very wonderful promise. Someone may challenge it and ask, “But how do you know it is true?” Well, it is true because the Bible says so. But it is more than theory with me. I have tried it and found it to be true. We are told, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Ps. 34:8). Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). In times of trouble you can count on God. Christians fail to trust God in times of trouble because they know nothing about His sufficiency. They have not learned that He is sufficient. We need a God who does not fail us. God is sufficient in any circumstance.
“Though the earth be removed”—the removal of the earth would be the most extreme circumstance I can think of. Has the earth ever been taken out from under you? Have you ever been suspended in space? Most people think they are the only ones who have ever had trouble. Everyone has trouble, but God’s people find God sufficient in time of trouble. Psalm 46 was Martin Luther’s favorite psalm. When he wrote that great Reformation hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” he probably had this in mind. God is our refuge, and our strength, and a very present help when we are in trouble. Men down through the ages have found this to be true.
THE SECURITY OF GOD
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High [Ps. 46:4].
Some expositors consider this river symbolic. I believe the river is a reality that speaks of the supply and the refreshment that God gives even today, and that river is the Word of God. In Psalm 1 we were told that the blessed man was planted by the rivers of water, which is the Word of God. Also the Scriptures mention a river that flows out from the house of God (Ezek. 47). And in the Book of the Revelation John saw “…a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God…” (Rev. 22:1).
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah [Ps. 46:5–7].
“The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved” is looking back on the convulsions of the Great Tribulation period. At the darkest hour, when the enemy came in like a flood, “he uttered his voice, the earth melted.” Now the faithful remnant who were delivered sing His praises, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
THE SUPREMACY OF GOD
Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire [Ps. 46:8–9].
The Messiah has come to the earth in judgment. He is the One who makes wars to cease, breaks the bow, cuts the spear, and burns the chariot in the fire. This picture sets before us the last days on earth, when the One who is “… the stone cut out of the mountain without hands …” (whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in his vision in Dan. 2:45) will deal an annihilating blow upon this earth. We are told that after the Battle of Armageddon is over, the wreckage of warfare and the dead will be strewn everywhere. The works of God ought to tell man that there is a God. The prediction of peace on earth is here a blessed reality. The King has come and has put down all unrighteousness on the earth.
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah [Ps. 46:10–11].
“I will be exalted among the heathen [nations], I will be exalted in the earth”—this is God’s purpose for the earth.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” With the knowledge of this blessed truth we can be calm in time of trouble. There are storms blowing outside today. We are living in a mean old world, a wicked world. Tremendous changes are taking place. There are even convulsions in nature today. He tells us to be calm in the time of storm. Christ, you remember, was in a storm with His disciples, and He went to sleep. When they roused Him from His sleep, He had more trouble calming the disciples than He had calming the storm. Many of us are like those men. We don’t know what it is to wait patiently before Him.
This is a psalm that will be a great blessing in the future, but it also is a comfort and a blessing for all of God’s people today.
PSALM 47
Theme: Praise and worship in the Millenium
This is the second of the little cluster of prophetic pictures of the millennial kingdom, which is established by the Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming. This is a continuation of praise and worship of Christ who is now King over all the earth.
O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth [Ps. 47:1–2].
“The Lord most high is terrible [awe-inspiring]; he is a great King over all the earth”—you see, Christ is reigning as King over all the earth; and as such, He is praised and worshiped.
My friend, before Christ can reign on this earth, He will have to put down all rebellion, self-conceit, arrogance, and the lawlessness of man against God. In Psalm 46 we saw the celebration of His coming in judgment, and now in Psalm 47 His kingdom is established and He is reigning on the earth.
He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah [Ps. 47:3–4].
This is the appropriate time to sing, “Joy to the World!”
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men—their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
—Isaac Watts
As you can see, this is not really a hymn that speaks of the birth of Christ; but it speaks of His second coming. There is going to be joy on the earth when He comes.
“Clap your hands; … shout unto God with the voice of triumph!” What a wonderful day that will be!
Not long ago I preached in a church where the people clapped their hands and were rather vociferous. Later someone asked me if all the noise did not disturb me. I replied, “No, it helped a great deal because they were right with me.” I think that what many people call reverence today is really deadness. There is a lot of reverence in the cemetery—no one disturbs anybody or anything. I believe we need a little life in our services.
God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted [Ps. 47:5–9].
Let me give you Dr. Gaebelein’s translation of this passage. “God is gone up amidst shouting, Jehovah amid the sound of a trumpet. Sing Psalms unto God! Sing Psalms unto our King, sing Psalms! For God is the King of all the earth—sing Psalms for instruction. God reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness. The willing hearted of the people have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham; for unto God belong the shields of the earth; He is greatly exalted” (The Book of Psalms, p. 207).
“God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet”—that is, He has ascended amid shouting. And the fact that He ascended means He made a previous descent. The Lord came to earth nineteen hundred years ago, was born in Bethlehem, finished His work of salvation on earth, and then ascended to heaven—I think Psalm 24 refers to that. But in this psalm another ascension is spoken about. When Christ comes to earth the second time, He will establish His kingdom and be going back and forth to the New Jerusalem. I think that between the New Jerusalem and this earth there is going to be a freeway much busier than any of the California freeways—with one exception: there will be no traffic tie-ups. You will be able to move back and forth with freedom. Probably the Lord will descend and ascend at stated times during the Millennium and will display His visible glory upon the earth.
What a glorious, wonderful prospect this psalm predicts!
PSALM 48
Theme: Messiah’s final victory upon the earth
This is the last of the group of three millennial psalms. It celebrates the final and complete victory of the Messiah.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
God is known in her palaces for a refuge [Ps. 48:1–3].
Once again, I would like to give Dr. Gaebelein’s translation. “Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is the Mount Zion, the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God in her palaces hath made Himself known as a high tower” (The Book of Psalms, p. 208).
When it says Mount Zion, it means Mount Zion; and when it talks about the city of God in the holy mountain, it refers to Jerusalem.
Note the mention of “the sides of the north.” This is an interesting expression. It probably speaks of a way of ascent and descent to this earth. There is a remarkable prophecy in Isaiah which mentions Satan in connection with “the sides of the north”: “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:13–14). The “sides of the north” is apparently the route. Satan actually hoped to overthrow God!
This now is the conflict which is the last great battle that will take place on the earth:
For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away [Ps. 48:4–5].
Notice Dr. Gaebelein’s translation through verse 7: “For lo! the kings were gathered, they passed by together. They saw it and were amazed; they were terror stricken, they started to flee, trembling came upon them there, pains as a woman in travail. With the East wind Thou hast broken the ships of Tarshish” (The Book of Psalms, p. 209). I believe it describes the time after the thousand years of peace when the devil is released for a season: “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them” (Rev. 20:7–9).
As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah [Ps. 48:8].
The people have heard and read all about this from their prophets, and now they are seeing the literal accomplishment of it all. It is the promised deliverance that down through the centuries God has assured them was coming. Finally it is realized.
We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness [Ps. 48:9–10].
In their millennial temple they will worship Him and meditate upon His lovingkindness to them.
This psalm concludes with a great hallelujah chorus.
Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death [Ps. 48:11–14].
With great joy they will walk about Jerusalem, noticing every part of it, and praise Him who is their God and guide of their lives. What praise this will be!
PSALM 49
Theme: The end of those who boast themselves in riches
Psalm 49 concludes this first segment of the Exodus section of Psalms. We have seen the vindication of God’s ways in connection with the wicked and the righteous. We have seen that God leads His people who are away from Him and out of the land. He has made known His intention of bringing His own to Himself and keeping them during the time of great trouble, just as He brought His people out of the land of Egypt when they were in bondage under a dictator.
Psalm 49 is designed to contrast the ways of God in dealing with the wicked and the righteous. It does not exactly philosophize about the uncertainty of riches, the shortness of life; it is not just a sweet little dissertation which bids us bear bravely our perils and our sufferings, and tells us that virtue is its own reward, and that justice will triumph at the end. Rather, this psalm shows us not only the vanity of riches but the end of those who boast themselves in riches. This psalm may sound a bit revolutionary to you according to the thinking of today, but it is one that should be given special consideration in the days in which we live.
Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp [Ps. 49:1–4].
Or, as Dr. Gaebelein has translated them: “Hear ye this, all ye peoples, give ear, all ye inhabitants of the age, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth speaketh wisdom, and the meditation of my heart is understanding. I will incline mine ear to a parable. I will open my riddle upon the harp” (The Book of Psalms, p. 211).
What the psalmist is doing in this psalm, and will also do in the next one, is issuing a call to God’s creatures to “hear.” We are going to see this same thing when we come to the first chapter of Isaiah. We have already seen this in the Book of Deuteronomy. You will recall that when the Lord was ready to put His people in the land which He had promised, He called heaven and earth to witness that He was not only giving His people the land, but the conditions under which He was giving it to them. He used the form of a song. “Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth” (Deut. 32:1). This is the beginning of the song of Moses. In this song God calls heaven and earth to witness the conditions under which He is putting them in the land. At least eight hundred years later God is ready to put His people out of the land because of their sin. Again, in the Book of Isaiah, God calls heaven and earth to witness that putting His people out of the land is just and righteous (Isa. 1:2).
Now here is God’s call to hear something that may be troubling you also, and it begins with a question:
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? [Ps. 49:5].
Immediately you wonder who is asking the question. Is it the psalmist? Or is this question asked by the self-confident rich? Perhaps it is asked by the righteous who suffer unjustly at the hands of the wicked, or asked by the people today who are in want. I believe it is the question of a poor man. I was a poor boy, and I confess that I have always considered the rich with a little bit of suspicion. I question their motives. Why does God permit some people to become so rich? What is going to happen to them? Why do they get by with so much and seem not to have the same trouble as other men? There is a clique today in this country that is made up of the rich and influential. At election time they talk to us and tell us how wonderful, intelligent, and lovely we are because they want us to vote for their candidates. The question is, Why does God permit them to get by with so much? Why doesn’t God do something about it? Let’s see what this psalm has to say about this subject.
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him [Ps. 49:6–7].
No matter how rich a man is, he cannot buy salvation. He and I go to the counter for salvation. I have nothing with which to buy salvation. The rich man has money, but he cannot buy salvation with it. We are both on the same par. The rich man is excluded from redemption if he is deluded into thinking that he can either buy, do something, or give something to obtain his salvation. Romans 4:5 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
Now we come to a parenthesis.
(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) [Ps. 49:8].
They don’t have enough money to buy their salvation—no one has enough to buy his salvation.
That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption [Ps. 49:9].
Those who are rich will die just like everyone else. I think it was on the basis of this psalm that the Lord Jesus gave the parable about the rich man and Lazarus, the poor man, as recorded in Luke 16:19–31. No man, regardless of how rich he is, can redeem his (or another’s) soul so that he can have eternal life.
For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others [Ps. 49:10].
I don’t care who you are, or how much wealth you have accumulated, some day you will die and leave it all behind. You can take all your treasures and put them in a safety deposit box, or in a vault, or bury them in the earth; you can say, “This is mine. Nobody can take it away from me.” You are right—no one can take it away from you, but there is Someone who can take you away from it. He is the Lord. One day death will knock at your door, and at that time you will be as poor as anyone. As the old bromide puts it, there is no pocket in a shroud.
Years ago when one of the Astors died, some of the eager relatives were waiting outside. When the lawyer came out, they asked, “How much did he leave?” The lawyer replied, “He left it all” He did not take anything with him. That is the first thing the psalmist observes—the rich “leave their wealth to others.” Friend, you may be rich while you are here on earth, but you cannot buy salvation, nor can you extend your life on earth forever. Someday you will have to leave, and that bundle you made here will have to stay. That is one reason we encourage people to leave what they have accumulated to Christian work to get the Word of God out to needy hearts. That is what is important.
Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names [Ps. 49:11].
Many people try to perpetuate their names. I think it is interesting that the Rockefeller name is on buildings all over the world. People say, “My, wasn’t he generous.” In one sense that is pretty cheap advertising. I have never been able to pay enough money to have my name put in marble on a building—I don’t want it there either. The point is that a name on a building doesn’t mean much. One of these days the buildings are going to come down, and the individual will be forgotten.
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish [Ps. 49:12].
Men who have held high positions will go into the grave and return to dust just like everyone else.
This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah [Ps. 49:13].
Now here is a very interesting expression:
Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling [Ps. 49:14].
The word grave in verse 14 is “Sheol,” or “the world of the dead.” The rich, like sheep, are laid in Sheol. The literal rendering is: death is their shepherd. In contrast to this David said, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Ps. 23:1) and He is life. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). The false shepherd is death. “Death shall feed on them.” That is interesting. A shepherd should feed his sheep, but here is a shepherd who is eating his sheep.
We are also told that “their beauty shall consume in the grave [Sheol] from their dwelling.” A person may spend a fortune in a beauty parlor. A person may put on all kinds of lotions, powders, and creams; but what they look like after a few years in the grave is not a pretty sight. I have seen several like that. Death is not a beautiful thing by any means.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave [Sheol]: for he shall receive me. Selah [Ps 49:15].
“Selah” indicates a pause at this point so that you can think over what you have read. God alone is able to redeem your soul. The important thing in this life is not whether you are rich or poor. In the final analysis, when you move out into eternity, the important thing is whether or not you are redeemed, whether or not you are a child of God through faith in Christ:
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased [Ps. 49:16].
Rich people today are getting away with murder, and with adultery, and with all kinds of things, and they are elected to office. Poor people are not getting ajust deal in this world today. One of the reasons I cast my lot with the Lord Jesus is because He is going to judge the poor in righteousness. Some day I know I am going to get a fair deal.
For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish [Ps. 49:17–20].
This is an interesting passage. We hear a great deal today about the theory that man has evolved from beasts and animals. The fact of the matter is that the Bible teaches the opposite. God created man in an upright position. God created man in His image. Man fell, and man can so live apart from God that he is like an animal in his life, and he is like an animal when he dies. Man does not evolve upward; he devolves downward. He is not on the upward trail at all. His inclination is to go down. That is natural with anything in this life. Everything, in my judgment, contradicts evolution. Nothing goes upward by itself; it all gravitates downward. The law of gravitation in the physical world pulls everything down. There is also a moral law of gravitation, which is immorality, and it will pull a man down.
My friend, let’s not be disturbed when we see the wicked prospering.
PSALM 50
Theme: A psalm of judgment
This is the first psalm of Asaph, a musician and one of the three great song leaders in the temple. Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were the three.
This is a great psalm of judgment. It reveals God coming in righteousness to judge His people and to judge the wicked.
The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him [Ps. 50:1–3].
The introduction to this psalm proclaims that the mighty God is coming. What a glorious anticipation this should be for the child of God. Some day we shall see our Lord! That is the prospect for every believer.
He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people [Ps. 50:4].
When God is getting ready to judge, He wants plenty of witnesses to be there to make sure that He is righteous in all that He does. He says:
Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice [Ps. 50:5].
Those saints who have made a covenant with God by sacrifice are the Jews, the children of Israel.
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah [Ps. 50:6].
The Lord Jesus Christ is going to be the judge. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).
Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God [Ps. 50:7].
If you had lived in Jerusalem when the temple was there and people worshiped in it, you probably would have asked, “Lord, are you criticizing these people? They come regularly to the temple, (which is the equivalent of every Sunday morning and evening service plus prayer meeting on Wednesday night). They are as busy as termites serving around the temple.” Sure they were, but just going to church is not the most important thing. Of course it is important, but it will not establish a relationship with God. You had better establish that relationship through Christ so that your churchgoing can be pleasing to God.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills [Ps. 50:8–10].
God says, “Did you really think you were giving Me something when you brought sacrifices to Me? Why, all the animals belong to Me anyway.” This reminds us of the words of Jeremiah the prophet: “For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you” (Jer. 7:22–23). The prophet Micah said something similar: “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow my self before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Mic. 6:6–8).
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof [Ps. 50:12].
If the Creator were hungry, He certainly would not need to tell the creature about it!
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me [Ps. 50:15].
God asks His people to come to Him. But God intends to judge the wicked. He is saying, “I didn’t intend to let you get by with sin.”
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver [Ps. 50:21–22].
My friend, God is not speaking only to Israel, He is speaking to us in our day also. He unmasks hypocrisy. Because God is silent does not mean that He approves. There is a day of reckoning coming. God says, “I will reprove thee, and set them [your sins] in order before thine eyes.”
But God never ceases to be gracious. The way of salvation is mentioned.
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God [Ps. 50:23].
“To him that ordereth his conversation [his way] aright”—who confesses his sins to God—will be shown the way of salvation.
PSALM 51
Theme: David’s great penitential psalm
The superscription on many of the psalms is actually a part of the inspired Word of God. The title of Psalm 51 is self-explanatory, and it is essential to the understanding of this psalm. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.” The reference, of course, is to the great blot on David’s life. It is not our intention to go into the lurid details of David’s sin. Suffice it to say that David broke two of God’s commandments. He broke the seventh commandment: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” He did with Bathsheba. He broke the sixth commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.” He broke it indirectly in that he arranged for Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, to be put in the front of the battle that he might be killed. And this was a dastardly and cold-blooded deal on the part of David, because Uriah was one of his mighty men and one of his most faithful followers—or he would never have gone into the front of the battle at David’s command.
Now after this disgraceful incident, David did nothing, and he said nothing. Actually, both incidents would be considered business as usual down in Egypt, or in Babylon, or in Philistia, or in Edom, or in Moab. What David had done was a common practice and was more or less accepted. As a great preacher of the South said years ago, “When you put together a bunch of crooked sticks, they seem to straighten each other out.” Have you ever noted that? And in this case when many monarchs engaged in things like this it gave it an air of not being as bad as it was. But it was as bad as God said it was.
On the surface it looked as if David had gotten by with it. But let’s put down one thing: David was God’s man, and David was not going to get by with it. The fact of the matter is, during the interval when he kept quiet, he was a tormented man. He told us later what really went on in his heart. Over in Psalm 32, David says this: “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long” (Ps. 32:3). I think if you’d been in the court of David during that period when he was silent, you would have seen him age. This man went through awful anxiety. “For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer” (Ps. 32:4). This describes his feelings during that interval.
Then God sent Nathan to David demanding an audience regarding an urgent matter. And Nathan approached the subject by telling David a story: “And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity” (2 Sam. 12:1–6).
Then we come to one of the most dramatic moments in the Word of God, and it reveals Nathan as one of the bravest men in Scripture: “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man …” (2 Sam. 12:7). Nathan pointed his finger at David and said to him, “You’re the man!”
When he said that, there were three courses open to David. He could deny the charge. He could say, “Nathan is entirely wrong and is attempting to smear me.” Or he could have merely pointed his scepter at Nathan, without saying a word because the guards would have understood, and would have led Nathan out and summarily executed him. David would not have needed to say anything. And, I suppose, if it had been carried to any kind of tribunal (which in those days it would not have been), the “supreme court” would have handed down a decision that undue pressure was used by Nathan to extract a confession from David, and David would have been freed from all charges.
There was a third course open to David, and that was to admit the charge. David followed the latter course. He made confession of his sin. Now David was not just a man; he was the king. And the king can do no wrong; he is above reproach. No one points the finger at the king. But Nathan did. And the very interesting thing is that David confessed.
Now continuing with this encounter, let’s pick up at verse 10, with Nathan giving him God’s message: “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die” (2 Sam. 12:10–14).
This now is the background of Psalm 51, because after this, David went into the privacy of his own chamber and made the confession which this psalm records.
All the great men of God have confessed their sin before God. Augustine wrote his confessions. But Psalm 51 is one of the greatest confessionals that has ever been written.
Psalm 51 divides very nicely into three divisions: (1) Cry of Conscience and Conviction of Sin—verses 1–3; (2) Cry of Confession of Sin and Clemency (Compassion) of God—verses 4–8; (3) Cry for Cleansing and Communion—verses 9–19.
CRY OF CONSCIENCE AND CONVICTION OF SIN
Let us now listen to David’s confession:
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me [Ps. 51:1–3].
Sin is always complicated. It never is simple. And there are several words that David uses to describe his sin. In the Scriptures God uses many more words than this to describe sin, by the way. Sin is that which is complicated; it is goodness that is simple. Let me give you an illustration. Suppose I were holding behind me a stick and I told you it was a crooked stick. How do you think it would look? No two people would think it looked like it really does. No two would agree because it could be crooked in a million different ways. But suppose I say that I hold a ruler behind me that is perfectly straight. Everyone would think of it in just one way. It can’t be straight in more than one way. It is sin that is complicated; it is goodness that is simple.
David, first of all, called his sins transgressions. To transgress is to step over the boundaries of God. God has put up certain boundaries in this life. He has certain physical laws. He has certain moral laws. He has certain spiritual laws. Any time man attempts to step over any of them, he’ll have to suffer the consequences. To do this is always called transgression.
Also David called his sin iniquity. And iniquity means that which is altogether wrong. You can’t excuse it; you can’t offer some sort of an apology for it; you can’t in any way condone it. That’s iniquity. Then there are two words translated with the English word sin. In verses 2 and 3 it is the Hebrew word chattath, meaning “sin offering.” In verse 4 it is chata, translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word hamartia, meaning “to miss the mark.” That’s all—just miss the mark. We don’t come up to God’s standard, and it is in that sense that all of us today are sinners. None of us come up to the standard of God. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
Then the word evil that is used here by David means that which is actually wrong. In our day we even have ministers who are trying to condone all kinds of immorality, but let it be understood that the Bible is still very clear on what is right and what is wrong. There are questionable areas on which the Bible is silent, I grant you, but there is also clear-cut black and clear-cut white. God is unmistakably certain on these things. Evil is that which is actually wrong. David uses this word to speak of the fact that he was wrong. He admitted it.
There is a dispellsational aspect to this psalm, but I am not going to deal with that here. Actually, you cannot cram this psalm into one dispensation. It voices the experience of a man who is a member of the human family. This is the experience of a man in any dispensation—at any time since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden and on until eternity begins on this earth.
The experience of David is that he has come under deep conviction of sin. You and I cannot enter into the horror of the guilt of David. To him his sin was repugnant. He hated it, and he hated himself because he did it. He felt dirty all over. His conscience was outraged. And he had a feeling of guilt as big as the Rock of Gibraltar. There was anguish of soul in this man. Conscience was pointing an accusing finger at him, and there was a cry of conscience within, telling David he was wrong.
Now I know someone will say, “But conscience is not a good guide.” That’s true. But let’s notice that conscience has a function; the function of conscience is not to tell us what is right or what is wrong. That is not the purpose of conscience. The purpose of conscience, and the function of it, is to tell us that we are right or that we are wrong. It doesn’t tell us what is right and wrong. Let me give you an example in the New Testament. Paul uses it in his letter to the Corinthians: “Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof” (1 Cor. 10:25–26). Then he goes on to say: “Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other …” (1 Cor. 10:29). What Paul is saying is this: “As far as God is concerned whether you eat meat or you don’t eat meat makes no difference. But if you go into the home of someone and meat is served to you, don’t ask them where they bought it. If you knew they bought it at the heathen temple, then your conscience would tell you that you were wrong in eating it—because you may have a wrong influence. But if you don’t know, if your host doesn’t tell you, then it’s not wrong for you to eat it.” Conscience, you see, doesn’t tell you what is wrong; it tells you that it is wrong. There are some folk who have a conscience about one thing and some have a conscience about something else. And it is dangerous for any person to violate his own conscience.
Now David’s conscience was speaking to him, and the cry of his conscience was a conviction of sin. He was wrong, and there was no explanation he could offer at all. Listen to him:
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me [Ps. 51:3].
The king said he was wrong.
CRY OF CONFESSION OF SIN AND CLEMENCY (COMPASSION) OF GOD
The second division is the cry of confession of sin, and the clemency and compassion of God.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest [Ps. 51:4].
David has been criticized because he made this statement. There are those who say he should not have said it was a sin against God; he should have said it was a sin against Bathsheba. Wasn’t it? It sure was. Also it was a sin against his family, for he had a family at that time. It was a sin against them, and David should have said that, so the critics say. They also say that it was a sin against society and Jerusalem at that time, and it was. It was a sin against the nation of which he was king. He was breaking God’s commandment. But, my friend, in the final analysis sin is always against God. Bathsheba is gone. I do not know where her family is. The society of that day has disappeared. Actually, the nation is no longer under the line of David. But that sin still stands on the escutcheon of the Word of God and against God.
Let’s read the historical record again, as it is very important. This is what God said to David: “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife” (2 Sam. 12:10). “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die” (2 Sam. 12:13–14). For three thousand years now the enemy, the critic, has been pointing his finger at the Word of God and saying, “You mean to tell me that David is a man after God’s own heart?” I heard this on Pershing Square in Los Angeles several years ago. A man had gathered around him a crowd—he was a disheveled, dirty-looking fellow, with a leer in his voice and on his face. He said to them, “Now they say God is holy!” Then he gave a suggestive laugh and made some filthy statements about David, and said, “They say He is a holy God!”
God said to David, “David, you’ve hurt Me.” One night I went with some friends to Bughouse Square in Chicago (that corresponds to Pershing Square in Los Angeles, and that’s a better name than Pershing Square, by the way), and there was the worst filth I’ve ever heard. I never have heard a man as filthy as he was. And who was he talking about? David. God said, “David, you’ve given great occasion to My enemies to blaspheme, and because of that the child will die, and the sword will never leave your house.” And it never did. To his dying day David paid for his sin. Not only that child died, but the son he loved, the one he wanted to succeed him as king, also died. When David heard that his son Absalom had been killed in battle, he wrapped his mantle about his head, walked to the top of the wall, up those winding stairs, and as he went up he wept, “… O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Sam. 18:33). David did not think Absalom was saved; he wanted him to live. My friend, David paid for his sin.
Now notice that David makes it very clear that this sin goes back to a sin nature.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me [Ps. 51:5].
David, as well as the rest of us, came into the world with a sin nature. Paul, recognizing this, says to believers today, “Brethren, if a [Christian] man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). And Goethe said that he saw no fault committed which he too might not have committed. And Samuel Johnson said, “Every man knows that of himself which he dares not tell his dearest friend.” Even Seneca, a pagan philosopher of Rome, said, “We must say of ourselves that we are evil, have been evil, and unhappily, I must add—shall be also in the future. Nobody can deliver himself; someone must stretch out a hand to lift him up.” And the Word of God confirms this. Even the writer of Ecclesiastes says, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Eccl. 7:20). Also in the Book of Proverbs we read, “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness” (Prov. 30:12). There are people who think they are all right, but they are not sensitive to sin. They are like the man in the far North who, as he got colder, wanted to rest. He felt very comfortable sitting down. But those with him knew what was happening to him—he was freezing to death. They wouldn’t let him sit down but kept him moving so he would not die. Today there are many sitting in our churches so cold and so comfortable that they do not realize that in God’s sight they are sinners. We not only need a Savior, but we need cleansing. Paul says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). David, you see, went right down to the root of the matter. He confessed that he had a sin nature.
David’s confession continues:
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom [Ps. 51:6].
God is not interested in what you have been on the surface. You may be baptized and be nothing more than a baptized sinner, still unsaved. You may be a member of a church, but, my friend, that is all exterior. You still could be lost. He says He desires truth on the inside.
The psalmist goes on:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow [Ps. 51:7].
Follow me now very carefully. Here is without doubt one of the greatest passages in the Word of God. There are those who say that the reason David was forgiven was because he confessed his sin. If you say that, you’ve told only part of the story. That’s not the reason. Turn back to the historical record: “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Sam. 12:13). God took the first step: He sent Nathan. I think David would still be sitting over there keeping quiet if Nathan had not come in. Maybe he couldn’t have kept it much longer—I don’t know. But he didn’t make the first step; God made the first step.
And how was God able to forgive him? Because He had revealed Himself. Now follow this closely. God revealed Himself to the nation Israel: “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation” (Exod. 34:6–7). Somebody asks, “Doesn’t it go any further than that?” It sure does. It will keep going, but that is as far down as any man will be able to see—the third and fourth generations. A man may see his sin carried down that far. But I want you to notice here two things that are conflicting and contradictory. God says He forgives iniquity and He shows mercy. Then He turns right around and says, “that will by no means clear the guilty.” There is a paradox. Listen to David again: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Hyssop was a little plant that grew on rocks in damp places. An interesting sidelight is a statement from a scientific journal that penicillin was found growing on hyssop. However, hyssop had to do with something penicillin can’t cure: sin. Back in the Old Testament hyssop was used for three purposes. First, when God took the children of Israel out of Egypt, He said, “There is one thing you must do at the Passover. You are to take a lamb, slay it and take its blood in a basin out to the front door and, with bunches of hyssop, apply the blood to the doorposts and to the lintel, then go back inside.” Second, when God was giving instructions for cleansing a leper, He told about taking two birds. One was to be slain; the live bird was taken with hyssop, dipped in the blood of the slain bird, and then let fly away. This portrays the death and resurrection of Christ. But the application of it was by hyssop. Third, when the people of Israel were on the wilderness march and one of them sinned, they couldn’t stop and put up the tabernacle and offer a sacrifice. So provision was made for purification of sin by killing a red heifer, burning it (with hyssop added), gathering the ashes and taking them along on the wilderness march. When a man sinned, the ashes were put in water, then hyssop was used to sprinkle them on him. There was the application of a sacrifice that brought forgiveness.
You have to go to the cross to find the interpretation. On the cross the Son of God said, “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Why did He say that? I’ll tell you why. Because God cannot by any means clear the guilty. He can’t. He never will. And when the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross, was made sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him—when He was delivered for our offenses—God had to treat Him as He must treat sin. God spared Abraham’s son; but God did not spare His own Son when He had my sin and your sin upon Him. He had to slay Him, because God cannot pardon the guilty. Let’s be clear on that. He does not operate like our Supreme Court. God hates sin. God will punish sin. By no means will He clear the guilty. And His Son died.
On the cross Jesus also said, “… Father, forgive them …” (Luke 23:34). Forgive them! How can He forgive them? How can He extend mercy to thousands? How can He forgive iniquity? How can He forgive David? And how can He forgive you and me? “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). And every time you find forgiveness in the New Testament, the blood of Christ is close by. God never forgives sin apart from the death of Christ. Never. Never. God is not forgiving sin because He is big-hearted. He forgives because His Son paid the penalty. And now with open arms He can say to you, “I can extend mercy to you because My Son died for you.” Oh, David knew the way into the heart of God. David says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” It is the application of the death of Christ to the life.
CRY FOR CLEANSING AND COMMUNION
Notice now David’s cry for cleansing and communion.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities [Ps. 51:9].
Blot out—David needed a spot remover. In getting ready to make an extensive trip, every little book and folder I read advised, “Be sure to take along a spot remover because you are going to get gravy on your suit.” How in the world did they know me? But I appreciate their advice because I know I’ll need a spot remover. All of us do. David needed a spot remover.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me [Ps. 51:10].
The word for “create” here is the same word as is in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”—bara, out of nothing. “I need a new heart,” David said. “Create in me a new heart,” and the word create means “out of nothing.” In other words, there was nothing in David’s heart that God could use. He was not asking for renovation or reformation. He was asking for something new. Sometimes we hear the invitation, “Give God your heart.” May I ask you, “What do you think God wants with that old dirty, filthy heart of yours?” He doesn’t want it. God is not asking anybody to give Him his heart. He wants to give you a new one. That’s what He wants to do. “Create in me a new heart” is what David is asking for. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Let God give you a new heart.
David has another request:
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me [Ps. 51:11].
The Spirit of God came upon David as king that he might be God’s man. By the way, no Christian today can pray that prayer, because if you are indwelt by the Spirit of God, He will never leave you. You can grieve Him, you can quench Him, but you can never grieve Him away or quench Him away. We are told, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). Therefore no child of God can lose the Spirit of God. However, the Holy Spirit can be inoperative in a Christian’s life, and that is what happened to David. He is asking that the Spirit of God may continue to work in his life.
Then he says,
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit [Ps. 51:12].
David did not lose his salvation. He lost the joy of his salvation, and he wanted communion with God restored. For he found out, as the prodigal son found out, that there is not nearly as much fun in the far country as there is in the Father’s house.
He wanted all this for a purpose:
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise [Ps. 51:13, 15].
He wanted to praise God again.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar [Ps. 51:19].
He not only wanted to praise God, he wanted to please God.
The Lord Jesus went to dinner in the home of a Pharisee. A woman who had been saved came in there from the street. But Simon the Pharisee only knew her in the past, and he would have passed by on the other side rather than meet her on the street. But according to the custom of the day, when he had guests she had a right to come into his house and even stand and observe. She got to the place where our Lord was reclining (they used couches rather than chairs in that day), and she stood at His feet behind Him, weeping. She washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with ointment. Simon, His host, became critical. He began to find fault. And our Lord really rebuked him. He said, “When I came here you didn’t even furnish Me water to wash My feet. You didn’t even extend to Me the common courtesies. But this woman has not ceased to wash My feet with her tears. She’s been forgiven. You have not” (Luke 7:44, paraphrase mine). Then He said to him, “… Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little” (Luke 7:47). We think we are all right. My friend, God cannot clear the guilty, and He says you and I are guilty before Him. The only way he could save you and me is to give His Son to die. For the worst sinner in the world that is all that is needed. And this is the way you and I are saved also. “… To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” To whom much is forgiven—oh, He loves much.
What is the measure of your love? Well, it is your estimate of your own sins. Is it possible that you do not confess your sins? When was the last time you wept over your sins? When was the last time you cried out in the night because of your failures? Thank God, there is forgiveness with Him. But there needs to be confession on our part.
PSALM 52
Theme: Antichrist, the mighty man of mischief
Psalm 52 begins a series of four psalms (52–55) which give a prophetic picture we get nowhere else of the coming of Antichrist, the Man of Sin, who will be a world dictator and dominate Israel during the Tribulation. Our Lord referred to him in the Olivet discourse. The prophet Daniel and the apostle Paul both speak of him.
These four psalms are maschil, or instruction, psalms. They give us deep spiritual truths concerning the future. Many wild things are being said today in the field of prophecy. There is fanaticism in the great department of eschatology, the doctrine of future things; and some things are being said that should not be said. Because of the anxiety and uncertainty of this day and age in which we live, many folk are turning to the Word of God. Prophetic conferences are springing up everywhere, sponsored by churches that never before were interested in prophecy. Many speakers are attempting to be sensational by making prophetic statements that have no foundation in the Word of God.
Now here this cluster of four psalms gives us accurate instructions relative to this “Man of Sin,” the Antichrist who is coming.
Let me remind you that the superscription of the psalm is inspired; it is part of the psalm itself. It was written, “To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.” In other words, here is a man who betrayed David. David was hurt and betrayed by many men who professed to be his friends. We will see one of them in this particular section.
Boasting is a mark of the Antichrist.
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually [Ps. 52:1].
Here is a man who is boasting of his sin. When David sinned, he kept quiet because he was under deep conviction. When the man of the world sins, he loves it and boasts about it. A mark of the Antichrist is that he will brag about his sin. This is the big difference between the child of God and the child of the devil. The child of God may sin just like the man in the world, because they both have an old nature. The difference is that the man of God will not boast about it. He will hang his head in shame. He will hate himself. But the sinner brags about what he does, and the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, will be the epitome of that type of man. And all the sinners will love him for it, you see.
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully [Ps. 52:2].
God will tolerate the Man of Sin for a short period of time. For seven years the Antichrist’s tongue will devise mischief.
Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah [Ps. 52:3].
You have heard it said of some people that they would rather tell a lie even when it would have been easier to tell the truth. That will be true of the Antichrist.
Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue [Ps. 52:4].
This psalm has given us two names for the Man of Sin. In Psalm 52:1 he is called “mighty man.” In this verse he is called a “deceitful tongue.” You will not be able to believe a word he says. This is another one of his characteristics.
God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah [Ps. 52:5].
The word destroy means “to beat down.” The Antichrist will be a world dictator whom no one can stop, no one except God. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will beat down the Man of Sin.
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him [Ps. 52:6].
When God brings the Antichrist into judgment, when He beats him down, and the one whom the peoples of the earth once feared will be laughed at, he will be the laughingstock of the universe.
Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness [Ps. 52:7].
He will be a very rich man. Our country has come to the place where only a rich man can win an election to office. The politicians talk a great deal about Abraham Lincoln, but I doubt if he would be able to make it to the presidency in this day. The Antichrist will be able to make it to the top at the beginning because he will be a rich man.
In the midst of this, the child of God will be able to say:
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints [Ps. 52:8–9].
This brief psalm gives us a prophetic picture of the Antichrist and of the believing remnant who will suffer under his persecution, then will worship and praise God when he is dethroned.
PSALM 53
Theme: The fool, foreshadowing Antichrist, denies the existence of God
This psalm is the same as Psalm 14 as far as the translation is concerned, but there is something very interesting about it. It begins:
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good [Ps. 53:1].
This psalm is “To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.” Mahalath has to do with sickness and sorrow, and it corresponds to the mournful condition of the last days when Antichrist is the ruler. He, of course, will be an atheist. The difference between Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 lies in the way the name of God is used. In Psalm 14 the name Jehovah is used four times and the name Elohim is used three times. Psalm 53 uses the name Elohim seven times. That is significant. Elohim is God’s name as Creator. Now notice at what point atheism breaks through. It is relative to creation. The Bible, which is God’s revelation, is denied and is no longer considered trustworthy, infallible, and inerrant. The first chapters of Genesis are branded as folklore and myth, even by some men who claim to be believers. Evolution is adopted as the explanation for the origin of all things. Many years ago an educator, who was president of one of the largest universities in this country, said, “We no longer take anything for granted, not even the existence of God.” This is the spirit of Antichrist. He will deny the existence of the Father and the Son. First John 2:22 tells us the mark of the Antichrist: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
If you are going to come to God, you will have to come by faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). A number of years ago the Beatles (a rock music group) said, “We are more popular than Christ!” Of course that is not true. Such popularity lasts for only a short time. It is interesting how the Lord Jesus Christ has moved back into the spotlight, having been out of it for so long.
Atheism is a characteristic of Antichrist. In the last days the forces of atheism will be headed up by him. Of him Paul wrote: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4).
This psalm ends with an expression of longing on the part of the believing remnant.
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad [Ps. 53:6].
How can anyone say that God is through with the nation of Israel after reading this verse? “When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” To deny that God has a future purpose for Israel is to deny the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture. Yet men who say they are believers attempt to spiritualize this. A great company of Amillennialists (I studied in an amillennial seminary, and I know that crowd pretty well) have spiritualized the Book of Revelation instead of interpreting it literally. In my judgment, to spiritualize Scripture is practically to deny its inspiration. Now, my friend, God is not through with the nation of Israel. Listen to this verse again: “Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” I think that even a child could understand what is being said here—that “Zion” means Zion, “Jacob” means Jacob, “Israel” means Israel, and “God” means God. This verse means exactly what it says. And God will answer this prayer. He will again deal with Israel as a nation.
PSALM 54
Theme: A cry of faith in the time of Antichrist
This marvelous little psalm is wedged in here, in the midst of all the troubles of the Great Tribulation, so that we can hear the cry of faith on the part of the remnant of God’s people and of a great company of Gentiles, too.
Now note the historical background: “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?” From this introduction we discover several things. The neginoth was a stringed musical instrument. Maschil means that this is another psalm of instruction, a psalm of David. The Ziphims absolutely betrayed David. The Ziphims are also called Ziphites, and the record of their betrayal is found in 1 Samuel 23. When David learned that these people had told Saul where he was, he cried:
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth [Ps. 54:1–2].
David was betrayed. And we are told that in the Great Tribulation period brother will betray brother. It will be a time again of awful betrayal.
It was a godless crowd that betrayed David. During the Tribulation period the godless Antichrist will be in power, and the Jewish remnant will suffer greatly under this Man of Sin.
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah [Ps. 54:3].
David was in deep distress, as will be the remnant during the Tribulation of the future.
This brief psalm concludes with an expression of confidence in the help of God.
Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies [Ps. 54:4–7].
We know from the historical record that God did deliver David from the treacherous Ziphites, and the faithful remnant can rest in the confidence that God will deliver them also. God will surely keep His promises.
PSALM 55
Theme: The darkest days under Antichrist
This psalm concludes this little cluster of four prophetic psalms that picture the Antichrist. Notice that this is another maschil psalm, which is a psalm of instruction. It pictures what I believe to be the darkest moment of the Tribulation period. The Antichrist, the Man of Sin, is fully portrayed here in a remarkable way, a way that many who are even students of prophecy have never considered.
This psalm is inscribed “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.” We are not told the exact background of this psalm, but I think we can make an educated guess. You will recall that David’s own son, Absalom, led a rebellion against him. David was forced to leave Jerusalem. He found that many people were following his son, and he knew there would be trouble. In order that Jerusalem, his beloved city, would not be destroyed, he left it. He went back to the caves of the earth to hide. As David left his city, weeping, word was brought to him that Ahithophel, a member of his cabinet and close friend, had gone over to Absalom’s side. He had betrayed David. We are told in 2 Samuel 15:30–31, “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” And that is exactly what God did—He turned the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Keep these things in mind as we hit the high points of this psalm.
Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise [Ps. 55:1–2].
David is like the squeaking wheel that gets the grease. David says, “I am making a noise to Thee, Lord. I am crying out to Thee because I am in a desperate situation. I have been betrayed by a friend.”
Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me [Ps. 55:3–4].
David did not know but what he would be slain at that time, especially when those who had been so close to him had deserted him.
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest [Ps. 55:6].
At first, David was advised to fly away to his mountain, but he would not do it then. But now all seems lost. Even Ahithophel, his trusted advisor, has betrayed him. Does that remind you of something? It reminds me of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ. Also, it foreshadows the time when the nation will be betrayed by Antichrist.
Many of us have had the bitter experience of betrayal. I was a pastor for many years, and during those years I have had some wonderful people on my staff; but one or two of them have turned out to be like Ahithophel and Judas Iscariot. They betrayed me. When someone in whom you have placed your confidence betrays you, it hurts.
But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance [Ps. 55:13].
David is speaking, I believe, of his “familiar friend,” Ahithophel. This is also a picture of the Antichrist who will betray the nation of Israel. He will pretend to be their friend, will make a covenant with them and then will betray them.
We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company [Ps. 55:14].
These are people who will pray with you and who will pray for you when you are with them. But when your back is turned, they will put a knife in it. There are people like that all around us. And if the Antichrist appeared tomorrow, he would have a following before the sun went down.
What David says next is imprecatory, I grant you, but listen to him:
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them [Ps. 55:15].
“Let them go down quick into hell” is literally, “Let them go alive down to Sheol!” In our contemporary society we often hear the frightful expression, Go to hell. That is an awful thing to say, and David almost said that relative to Ahithophel. In contrast to him, our Lord Jesus prayed for them who despitefully used Him and instructed us to do likewise.
As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice [Ps. 55:16–17].
What a picture that gives of David’s distress—“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud.” My friend, one good thing your enemy will do for you is to cause you to pray more than you have ever prayed before!
Now notice this picture of Antichrist—oh, is he a liar! Remember that the Lord Jesus said the devil was a liar from the beginning (John 8:44), and Antichrist is right out of the pit of hell.
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords [Ps. 55:21].
Ahithophel, pretending to be a friend to David, was plotting against him. He was a little adumbration of Antichrist.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved [Ps. 55:22].
Dear Christian friend, let me say to you: Turn your enemies over to God. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). Turn over those who would betray you to the Lord. I was a pastor for over forty years, and I feel I can speak about this subject with some experience and knowledge. I have found that the Lord does a better job in dealing with my enemies than I can. He knows just how to do it. Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will take care of everything. During the days of the Great Tribulation, Israel will finally turn to the Lord because there will be no place else for them to turn.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee [Ps. 55:23].
What about you today? What about me? How are we going to live in the world today? Are we going to hate people and criticize them for what they do to us? Are we going to cry when we are betrayed and wronged? No! Let’s start trusting in the Lord. That’s the way out.
PSALM 56
Theme: David’s fear and trust
This psalm brings us to another delightful cluster of psalms (56–60) known as the michtam psalms. What does michtam mean? It speaks of that which is substantial, or enduring, or fixed. Michtam literally means “engraven” or “permanent.” This word pictures that which is unmoveable, steadfast, stable and enduring. In Psalm 57:7 when David says, “My heart is fixed,” that is a michtam.
Delitzsch called Psalm 56 “the cheerful courage of a fugitive.” You will recall that in Psalm 55 David wished that he had the wings of a dove so that he could fly away and lodge in the wilderness (Ps. 55:6–7); in this psalm his desire is realized. The enemy is outside. However, David is in great danger; the wicked are on every side. But through it all God delivered him. The historical background of this psalm has to do with the Philistines capturing David at Gath. David’s experience is a picture of the Great Tribulation period. All of these psalms have a prophetic undertone. Between the historical (David’s experiences) and the prophetical (Israel’s experience in the future), is a real message for us today. All of the Psalms have a message for our own hearts.
This psalm is inscribed “To the chief Musician upon Jonathelem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.”
Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High [Ps. 56:1–2].
Now let me give you Dr. Gaebelein’s translation of these verses—he was a Hebrew scholar. “Be gracious unto me, O God, for man would swallow me up; throughout the day fighting he oppresseth me. They are watching me and would swallow me up the whole day; for many are they that fight against me in pride” (The Book of Psalms, p. 232). David is surrounded by the enemy. He seems to be on a hot seat. What is he going to do in a bad spot like this?
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee [Ps. 56:3].
Was David afraid? He certainly was. A couple heard me make the statement that when I travel by plane I do not enjoy the trip because there is fear in my heart. They thought there was something wrong with my faith in God. My friend, fear will bring out faith in your life. Listen to David, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” These people who sit back comfortably and say, “I haven’t any fear,” may mean that they are insensitive to the circumstances and problems that really exist. Or they may have a foolish sort of faith. David admitted he was afraid, but he trusted the Lord to take care of him.
Can you have fear and faith at the same time? The Scripture says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Perfect love casts out fear. Love will do it. But you can have faith and still be afraid. I hope this will comfort some folks, because there are many foolish things being said which are not scriptural.
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? [Ps. 56:8].
“The Lord counts my wanderings.” The Lord knows about every trip you take and about every trip I take. I have thought about this many times while I have been studying the Psalms. Since I have been retired, I have gone from place to place for speaking engagements. Sometimes I ask my wife, “What did I speak about when we were in a certain place in Florida, or when we were in Texas, Washington, or the Hawaiian Islands?” I had forgotten, but the Lord has written all of that down. If I just had access to His book, it would be a great help.
“My tears have been put into thy bottle.” A note in The New Scofield Bible concerning this subject says, “Sometimes, in olden days in the East, mourners would catch their tears in bottles (water skins) and place them at the tombs of their loved ones”—to show how much they had grieved. Let me add to that something John Bunyan, the tinker of Bedford, said, “God preserves our tears in a bottle, so that He can wipe them away.” When I read that, I wished I had cried more. We need to weep more. Matthew Henry said, “The tears of God’s persecuted people are bottled up, and sealed among God’s treasures.”
In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word [Ps. 56:10].
Someone wrote to me and said, “You make too much of the Bible. You are everlastingly talking about the Word of God.” That is what David did also. There are so few people who are praising His Word that I am going to try to make up for them.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me [Ps. 56:11].
How wonderful it is to have a resource and a recourse to God.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? [Ps. 56:13].
David said, especially after his great sin, “I want to walk before God so that I won’t slip up again.” As far as the record is concerned, he did not slip up again, either. The king of Babylon committed that kind of sin every day of the year; it was commonplace for him. But it was not the practice of David. He said, “I want to walk before God.” Today we are enjoined to walk in the Holy Spirit. “… Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). God has given us more than a walking stick. He has given us the indwelling Holy Spirit. To walk in the Spirit means to utterly and absolutely depend on the Spirit of God. This gets right down to where the rubber meets the road. As we will see in our study of Galatians, we are to get down from our highchairs and start walking. We learn to walk in the Spirit as we learned to walk physically, by trying it. Of course we will fail time and time again, but we are to get up, dust ourselves off, and start out again. You will learn to walk in the Spirit if you keep at it and commit yourself to Him every day.
PSALM 57
Theme: A cry for mercy
This is the second michtam psalm, and it has an added title—Al-taschith, meaning “destroy not.” As we get into this psalm we will see that it has real meaning. It is inscribed “To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.”
David spent time in the caves along the Dead Sea by Engedi. It is below sea level and a hot spot during the summer; in the winter it is a delightful place. It is rugged country. The cave of Adullam is in that area also. It is the belief of many expositors that this psalm has reference to that cave of Adullam where David meditated on many of the psalms that he composed. In them we see that his sufferings foreshadowed the sufferings of Christ and those of the godly remnant during the time of Jacob’s trouble. Also these psalms speak to us today, which is the wonder of the Word of God.
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast [Ps. 57:1].
I don’t know about you, but my prayer is the same as David’s, “O God, be merciful to me.” I want God to be merciful to me. I don’t want Him to be just with me and righteous. If He is, I am going to get a whipping. I want Him to be merciful and gracious to me. He is that kind of a God—rich in mercy. He has enough for me—and I am going to require a lot of it—but there will be enough for you also.
“In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge”—or as Dr. Gaebelein has it, “in the shadow of Thy wings will I find shelter.” David experienced this shelter. The nation of Israel did not, however. In Matthew 23:37 the Lord Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Israel has not as yet come under His wings. Are you ready to come under His wings? In other words, be obedient to Him, to love Him—Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15)—and to walk in the Spirit?
Now notice these wonderful statements:
He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth [Ps. 57:3].
This will be literally fulfilled for the faithful remnant when Christ returns in power and great glory; and they will say, “… Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isa. 25:9).
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword [Ps. 57:4].
Satan goes up and down this world like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8), and he has a lot of little lions helping him, by the way.
Remember that these michtam psalms have to do with that which is permanent and enduring, that which is substantial and lasting.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise [Ps. 57:7].
Then notice this beautiful expression:
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early [Ps. 57:8].
“I will wake the morning dawn” is Dr. Gaebelein’s translation. What a beautiful expression! The night of sin and suffering is over. Satan’s rule is finished, and the morning has come. The Sun of Righteousness has risen with healing in His wings. How wonderful! What assurance we find in this psalm.
PSALM 58
Theme: An imprecatory prayer against the enemy
Notice that this is another al-taschith as well as another michtam psalm. It means that there is something substantial and enduring here, and it means “destroy not.”
Now it begins with a question, and who is asking it? I believe it is God who is speaking, using the pen of David.
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men [Ps. 58:1].
Or, as Dr. Gaebelein translates it: “Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye judges speak it? Do ye with uprightness judge the children of men?”
The day is going to come when the Lord is going to call on the judges to turn in their report. God is asking, “Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye judges speak it?” They will have to answer these questions.
This is another imprecatory prayer. David’s enemies are all around him.
The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord [Ps. 58:3–6].
David prays for six destructions to come upon his enemies in this psalm: (1) “Break out the great teeth of the young lions.” We have already found that the enemy is like a lion. There are those who say that a Christian cannot pray this way. I have prayed that the Lord would absolutely deal with Satan. He is like a roaring lion, and I hope God breaks his teeth. I don’t consider that unchristian at all. David is speaking of his enemies, and he is under law; so he is asking for justice.
Now he uses another figure of speech:
Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces [Ps. 58:7].
(2) Wickedness was like a flood! He asks that this flood of wickedness might just melt away. (3) “When he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.” The enemy is like a marksman who is shooting at him. What a picture we have here!
As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun [Ps. 58:8].
(4) “As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away.” There is a certain snail in that country called a “slimeworm” which actually melts away in the heat of the sun. David is saying, “The enemy leaves a slimy trail, but evaporate him! Get rid of that slimy trail through the world.” (5) “Like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.” That is, may they not come to fruition in the things they plan in the evil womb of their mind. May it come to nought.
Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath [Ps. 58:9].
(6) “Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away”—the twigs of the bramble bush are gathered together and put under the pot to heat it, then a wind comes along and blows them away. David says, “Oh, God, remove them before they can do their dirty work, before they can burn and sear.”
This is a tremendous prayer.
PSALMS 59–60
Theme: God’s people surrounded by enemies
Psalm 59 is closely linked with the two preceding psalms. It is also an al-taschith (“destroy not”) and a michtam of David. Again in this psalm we see David surrounded by his enemies, and prophetically it describes the suffering remnant during the Tribulation, surrounded by enemies.
The inspired title of this psalm places it at the time Saul sent messengers, and they watched the house to kill David. The historical record is found in 1 Samuel 19.
Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord [Ps. 59:1–3].
As is typical with David’s psalms, it concludes with an expression of faith and trust in God’s deliverance.
But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy [Ps. 59:16–17].
In the case of David, God did deliver him. My friend, God will not forsake those who are His own. The believing remnant of Israel will be delivered by the coming of Christ Himself, and He will judge the nations of the world.
Psalm 60 is the last of these michtam psalms and describes the time David was victorious over his enemies, the Edomites. The Edomites were soundly defeated and never rallied after that.
Prophetically it is the picture of the deliverance God will give to His people, the remnant of Israel, after the suffering of the Great Tribulation.
O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again [Ps. 60:1].
Now here is the answer:
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth [Ps. 60:6].
And how will it be accomplished?
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? [Ps. 60:9].
“Who will bring me into the strong [or the fortified] city?” That is the question; now notice the answer:
Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? [Ps. 60:10].
God will restore His saints. In any age He will restore them—though they be in trouble and difficulty and even sin. My, isn’t God good!
PSALM 61
Theme: Cry and confidence of the godly
The theme throughout this new cluster of psalms (61–68) is the cry and confidence of the godly. As you listen to the pleadings of the godly in these eight psalms, you will find beautifully described their steadfast confidence in the Lord. You will also see the Lord Jesus Christ in these psalms, as well as derive great help for yourself. Psalm 61 is “To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David.” This is a psalm that you can play with a stringed instrument and would be appropriate for a guitar, because of the mournful undertone. It is a prayer from David’s heart. This makes it different from the modern prayers we so often hear, which make our prayer meetings so stereotyped. All many of us do is turn in to the Lord a grocery list of the things we want. We ask Him to take them down off the shelf and give them to us so we won’t have to go through the checkout stand and pay for them. I think that attitude has killed prayer today. I believe in the organization, the mechanics, and the arrangement of prayer, but I also believe prayer should come from the heart. You seldom hear that deep heart cry in prayer any more, but you will find it in David’s prayer.
Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I [Ps. 61:1–2].
David says, “From the end of the earth will I call upon Thee.” When you pray, have you ever felt that God is way up in the heavens and you are way down here? David feels that he is at the end of the earth and God is way off yonder. He is trying to get closer. He wants to get to a Rock that is higher than he is. The reason I am opposed to this modern viewpoint of prayer is because the Jesus who is presented is not a superstar at all. He is just a man like I am. He is a rock that is no higher than I am. I need to be led to the Rock that is higher than I. The Word of God tells me that that Rock is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 10:4), and He is a lot higher than I am! What a picture we have here of the Lord!
For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy [Ps. 61:3].
What a comforting picture of God! He is a shelter from storms. He is a strong tower to protect us from our enemies.
I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah [Ps. 61:4].
Once again the word wings is mentioned in connection with God. The Lord Jesus also used this illustration when He spoke of gathering Jerusalem to Himself as a mother hen gathers her little ones under her wings to protect them.
For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name [Ps. 61:5].
David made vows; he promised God something. We ask things of God. Did you ever promise Him anything? (I have promised more than I have delivered, I know that.) You go to God continually and ask Him for something. Why don’t you promise to do something for Him? David did, and God heard his vow.
Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations.
He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him [Ps. 61:6–7].
Here he goes again asking for mercy. David needed the mercy of God. I believe that the closer we get to God, the more we realize that we can’t bring Him down to our level, but we will see Him high and lifted up. Then we will be in the same position as Isaiah was when he had a vision of the Lord sitting upon His throne. We will recognize our uncleanness and our need of His mercy.
So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows [Ps. 61:8].
Make your vows and then get close to God. Sing His praises, and He will help you fulfill your vows.
PSALM 62
Theme: The only psalm
This is called the “only” psalm, not because there are no others—there are 149 others—but because the word only is significant. “Truly [better translated only] my soul waiteth upon God … He only is my rock and my salvation … they only consult to cast him down … wait thou only upon God … He only is my rock.”
The superscription here is “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.” Psalm 39 was also written to Jeduthun. He was one of the chief musicians. His name is mentioned several times in the Psalms. Apparently he led the orchestra and the choir when this psalm was used.
This is a simple psalm. It is one of simple faith. It reveals a faith and confidence in God that is akin to a child’s faith in his parents.
Perowne gives us a wonderful statement concerning this psalm: “Scarcely anywhere do we find faith in God more nobly asserted, more victoriously triumphant; the vanity of man, of human strength and riches, more clearly confessed; courage in the midst of peril more calm and more unshaken, than in this Psalm, which is as forcible in its conception, and its language, as it is remarkable for the vigorous and cheerful piety it breathes” (The Book of Psalms, Vol. I, p. 442).
Although the inspired text does not give us this information, tradition tells us that this psalm came from the greatest heartbreak of David’s life—the rebellion led by his son Absalom.
We turn to the historical record, and read this language: “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up” (2 Sam. 15:30). That was a tragic time in the life of David. It was his dramatic moment, his time of crisis. Thomas Paine spoke of times that try men’s souls. This time had come to the old king.
Absalom, David’s son, is marching into Jerusalem. His entry is forcing a time of decision. There are some who are choosing David; others are choosing Absalom. It is a time when David has found who are the loyal and disloyal in the ranks. The betrayers and followers are well-marked. An important man is Ahithophel (related by marriage through Bathsheba to David), an astute statesman, a man of sagacity, of wonderful ability, a counselor upon whom David had leaned. Ahithophel has deserted and gone over to Absalom. It was a great grief to David when he found that this trusted man had deserted him. Then Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came and said that his master, the son of Jonathan, whom David had befriended, had also betrayed him.
As David fled from the city, barefoot and weeping, there stood Shimei, a Benjamite, still loyal to former King Saul. From a heart of bitter hatred for David, he threw stones and heaped cursings upon the old king as he fled.
We see Absalom entering Jerusalem in triumph, and the same crowd that once shouted to the rafters for David is now shouting deliriously for Absalom. Centuries later the children of these people were the ones who shouted “Hosanna” to the Lord Jesus Christ, and shortly after cried, “Crucify him.” David knew the sting of the voice of the mob, and Psalm 62 is the song of David in that hour of ignominy.
Here we find a man who has committed his way to God, one who is traveling in the spiritual stratosphere; a man who is living above the storms, shocks, and stresses of this life. And as we read this psalm which comes from his heart in this hour of darkness, this time of testing, this hour of defeat, we are amazed to find not one note of discouragement, nor suggestion of fear, nor word of distress. There is neither rancor nor bitterness welling up in the heart of the psalmist. He sings forth a song of salvation, a paean of praise, an opus of optimism. It is a song of sanguinity, a thesis of trust, and a work of wonder. How could David write such a Hallelujah chorus out of an experience so dark?
THE TEST OF FAITH
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation [Ps. 62:1].
No doubt there were those around David—fanatics of those days—who urged that he stand his ground and thereby exhibit his faith, for he was God’s anointed and God should overrule this whole matter. Not David! He said that his life was in God’s hands, and it seemed best that he leave. David lived above the hue and cry of little men. He did not listen to pious shibboleths, for while little men cried for a miracle David avowed to walk in the dark, trusting God. O for a faith like that! A God-given faith! What others called defeat, to David was but a test of faith. David can retreat from Jerusalem and it is still going to sound like a victory.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved [Ps. 62:2].
Zadok, the high priest, is come out to go with David. He is faithful and has brought the ark, a symbol to the Israelites of God’s presence in their midst, and he is following David when the old king turns and, seeing the ark, commands Zadok to carry it back to the city, for “… if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him” (2 Sam. 15:25–26).
If I can but make this great truth clear so that it will live for you! Here is a man so wholly committed to God that he turns aside from any thought of merit in the ark, clinging only unto God and saying to Zadok that if it is God’s will for him to come back to this city, he will be allowed to come back; if not, then he is in God’s hands. He refuses to attempt to force God to do anything but determines to go the way God leads, regardless of the path. O, to live like that today!
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence [Ps. 62:3].
David tells them that they are just running over him “as a bowing wall … and as a tottering fence.” He says, “How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you.” Here he is thinking of Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, who did a dastardly thing, thinking he would gain favor with David. He said his master had deserted, which was not true.
Then he thinks of Ahithophel, his best friend and wisest of his counselors. Ahithophel went over to the other side in David’s darkest hour. Here in this psalm David is speaking of Ahithophel prophetically as Judas Iscariot. Ahithophel was in the inner circle and was the man that David leaned upon.
David says that they are running over him as a mob runs over a fence, but he says it is all right if it is God’s will.
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah [Ps. 62:4].
Let us understand David’s action under the bitter attack of Shimei. While David was on the throne, Shimei bowed like the rest of them; but, when he was free to express his heart of hatred, we find him cursing David and hurling rocks after him as he fled from Jerusalem. David had a loyal captain by the name of Abishai, a son of Zeruiah, who said to the king, “… Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head” (2 Sam. 16:9).
My friend, if you want an example of what the Scripture means by “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19), listen to David as he replies to his captain: “And the king said … so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?” (2 Sam. 16:10). In other words, David tells him “God has permitted him to curse me; you let him curse me.” Have you ever stopped to think, my friend, that God has given you certain enemies for a definite purpose to test you that you might become a better Christian? Do not become alarmed at the presence of enemies and difficulties that God has permitted to cumber your path. He is not bearing hard on you. Would that we would trust God to the extent that we would not cry out at a time like that!
THE TIME OF FAITH
When is the time of faith? Is it on a sunshiny day when there is not a cloud in your sky? Is it a time when everything is going exactly right, with nothing to mar your outlook? David’s answer is that the best time to trust God is at the crisis moment of your life—
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him [Ps. 62:5].
This is a Bible definition of prayer.
I once had a little card sent to me bearing a message that seemed rather important, so I kept it. Here it is: “True prayer is the Holy Spirit speaking in the believer, through the Son, to the Father.” That is prayer; it is real prayer. “My expectation is from him.” David is saying here that he is not making some wild prayer, some audacious statement, that he is not demanding that God do anything—“My expectation is from him.” David is expecting God to put into his heart the thing that He wants done; therefore, he will be praying for the thing that is best.
We wonder again if some pious person around David might not have suggested to him that he was in such a tight place that they should have a prayer meeting. To this David would have said to them that his whole life was a life of prayer, “My expectation is from him.” Here is the illustration that Paul had in mind when he said, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Now by this Paul did not mean that you are to get on your knees and remain there twenty-four hours a day. But Paul did mean for you to get on your knees and pray and then live in the expectation of that prayer for twenty-four hours every day. So David is not going to call a prayer meeting. In fact, the amazing thing is that this psalm has no prayer in it at all. But we find that the entire psalm is in the atmosphere of prayer. He is a man so committed to God that his life and actions are that of prayer.
Now we see this old king going out of Jerusalem; we hear him weeping. But these exterior things fade away when we glimpse the depths of his heart, for he is a man who is committed to God and he will go with God regardless of what the outcome might be. Other men would have become bitter, but not David. He is saying something here that is tremendous: “My soul, wait thou only upon God; … my expectation is from him.”
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved [Ps. 62:6].
That is the central truth of the psalm. That is the central truth of David’s life. That is the dynamo that ran his life. That is the thing that caused him to stand head and shoulders above other men on the horizon of history. It has caused him to cast a long shadow down the corridor of time. “He only is my rock.”
When we come to the New Testament, we can see what the Lord Jesus means when He says this tremendous thing: “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matt. 21:44). Christ is that Rock, that Stone. There is coming a day when the Stone cut out without hands will fall on this earth. Today, you and I can fall on this Stone, and those who fall on it will be saved.
A little Scottish woman got up in a testimony meeting and gave this as her testimony: “You know, sometimes I tremmel [tremble] on the rock, but the rock never tremmels under me.” Are you on this Rock? Whosoever falls on this Rock shall be saved. This is what Paul meant when he said, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). David said, “He only is my rock. He is the One I am trusting. O, the throne is toppling, Jerusalem is in convulsions, the people have turned against me, but I am on the Rock!” David has learned that glorious lesson.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah [Ps. 62:7–8].
This is a very personal psalm. Notice that God is “my salvation … my glory … my strength … my refuge.”
THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity [Ps. 62:9].
He has learned that one cannot trust the mob, for they are fickle. He has found that men of high degree, such as Ahithophel, are not to be trusted. They cannot be leaned upon. And this is the first thing that a new Christian must learn—not to look to men but to God. Many new Christians have become discouraged, disappointed, and disillusioned, for they have their eyes set upon a man. A young Christian told me recently that he had gotten his eyes on a man, and it had all but made shipwreck of his faith. David knew all of the time that he could not trust men, so his faith was fixed utterly upon God. He rested upon a Rock that could not be moved.
Then he tells us that we cannot trust in material things either:
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them [Ps. 62:10].
And now hear the conclusion: Why is it that you can trust God?
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God [Ps. 62:11].
Friend, you can trust God because He can do anything that requires power. He has all power, and He can do anything He wants to do! Power did not reside in David. He was simply a great king because God made of him a great king. Now He has permitted men to force him to leave Jerusalem; and, if it is not God’s will that he return, then he will not go back. But he is resigning all to God for He alone is the One who has all power.
The mad rush to gain power is the destroying element in the world at this hour. In the effort to gain power, the bomb has been created. This form of power wreaks destruction. It is man’s effort at power. But David says he has discovered that with real power there is another element that goes with it always:
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work [Ps. 62:12].
If you have power, you ought to be able to exercise mercy. David is saying that his God who can exercise power is a God who can also exercise mercy. To Zadok he said that he wanted him to take back the mercy seat and place it in the temple, for he would find mercy with God.
At the very heart of Old Testament religion was the mercy seat. At the heart of the Christian faith today is mercy. “Come every soul by sin oppressed, there’s mercy with the Lord.” I think that is what Brother George Bennard meant when he wrote: “I’ll cling to the old rugged cross.” Mercy!
Friend, let me make a suggestion. This psalm simply states this precious relationship with God. David just pours out his heart to God. He talks to God and tells Him, “You are my salvation; You are my rock.” So many people get uptight in a prayer meeting or in a church service. They feel oppression in prayer—they want to say the right things and use the right words. Public prayer is all right, but let me suggest that you go aside and be alone with God. Perhaps you can drive along in your car, or maybe you can find a good quiet corner in a room in your home. Find a place where you can be quiet before God. Then “take the lid off.” There is a time to “gird up your loins,” and there is a time to take off your girdle and just let yourself go before God. When I was in Pasadena, a ladies’ group put a shaggy rug in my study. It was the first shaggy rug I ever had, and I liked it very much. I used to get down on that rug, on my face before God, and pour my heart out to Him. It did me good, and it will do you good. It is the best tonic you could have.
PSALM 63
Theme: Thirst for the Water of Life
This is “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.” This is a special psalm. It is an ointment that is poured out upon all kinds of sores. It is a bandage for bruises. It is a balm to put upon wounds to help them heal. It has been a marvelous psalm for the church. It speaks of the thirst for the Water of Life. Chrysostom said that it was ordained and agreed upon by the primitive fathers that no day should pass without the public singing of this psalm, and in the primitive church this psalm was sung every morning or every time there was a public gathering. They always began the morning service with it.
This psalm is the expression of wonderful thoughts.
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary [Ps. 63:1–2].
These two verses were translated by Dr. Gaebelein thus: “O God, Thou art my God; early do I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh pineth for Thee, in a dry, thirsty land without water; as I gazed upon Thee in the Sanctuary, to see Thy power and glory” (The Book of Psalms, p. 251). It is faith, and faith alone, that can speak like this. God, the Eternal One, transcends all human thinking. He is the Creator. He is the Redeemer. He is my Father. It was He whom David sought. He knew what it was to be thirsty. He had hidden in caves down by the Dead Sea, and it is some of the driest land I have ever seen. California, Arizona, and New Mexico haven’t anything that can touch that dry land around Engedi. It is a place where you can get thirsty! If you are ever over there, make sure that you have water with you. David’s soul thirsted for God. Do you feel that way about Him? Do you have a love for Him, or has He become a burden to you? Oh, that we might thirst for Him!
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips [Ps. 63:4–5].
David is saying that he would rather have fellowship with God than have a gourmet dinner.
When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice [Ps. 63:6–7].
David thought about God—meditated upon Him—during the night when he couldn’t sleep. My friend, meditating upon God’s goodness is a lot better than counting sheep!
My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me [Ps. 63:8].
Oh, that our souls might follow hard after Him!
This is a great psalm. Remember, it is the psalm of the morning and was sung at every service of the early church. Maybe we can’t sing it in our day—I don’t know.
PSALM 64
Theme: The evil may win, but God will judge them
This psalm also has a historical background in the life of David, although we can’t locate it exactly. Prophetically, it looks yonder in the future to the day when Israel will be in Great Tribulation and the godly remnant will use this psalm. Someone might say, “My, there certainly are a lot of psalms for the Day of Jacob’s Trouble.” Yes, there are, and the people are going to need every one of them. Also, this is a very fine psalm for you and me.
Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity [Ps. 64:1–2].
Once again, David is asking God to hide him. David prayed this kind of a prayer time and time again. His refuge was prayer. It was the only refuge he had. Prayer is the only refuge Israel will have in that day of tribulation.
This brief psalm concludes with David expressing his confidence in God. His God was his only hope.
But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, arid shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory [Ps. 64:7–10].
As I look at the world today, I have come to the conclusion that our hope is no longer in statesmen or politicians; our hope is no longer in science or education—they are all more or less failures. We are going to have to do what David did and what Israel will do in the future—start looking up. God is our only hope today.
PSALMS 65–66
Theme: Songs of the Millennium
“To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.” It is known as a restoration psalm—“… of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). The “restitution of all things” does not mean that everyone is going to be saved. Those who hold the doctrine of restitutionalism use this verse to support their theory. Exactly what are the “all things” which are to be the subject of restitution? In Philippians 3:8 when Paul said, “… I count all things but loss …” did he mean all things in God’s universe? Obviously not. So here, the “all things” are limited by what follows. “The times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” The prophets had spoken of the restoration of Israel. Nowhere is there a prophecy of the conversion and restoration of the wicked dead.
Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed [Ps. 65:1].
Sion is the same as Zion, and this verse is not speaking about a heavenly Zion. It is a geographical spot down here on earth. I have been to that place. I saw the sign that pointed the way to Mount Zion, and I went up there. And I didn’t go to heaven that day, I assure you of that. It is a long hard pull up that elevation. When David speaks of Sion, he means that place.
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple [Ps. 65:4].
As a redeemed people, they express their happiness.
Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.
Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing [Ps. 65:9–13].
Everything sings! This is a beautiful picture of the Millennium, when the desert blossoms like the rose and the earth at last is at peace.
Psalm 66 is “To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm.” Did David write it? We are not told, but he could have. We are not given any historical background for it at all, but many have guessed at what prompted its writing. It is a psalm of praise unto God and a wonderful psalm of worship.
O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard [Ps. 66:8].
This verse looks forward to that day in the future when Israel will be restored to the land. Ezekiel tells us that in that day they will offer sacrifices. What is the explanation of it? Just as they offered sacrifices in the Old Testament that pictured the coming of Christ, in the future they will offer sacrifices that will look back to Christ’s coming. Every lamb will point to “… the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
PSALM 67
Theme: Blessing and praise for the Millennium
This is one of the shortest prophetic psalms. It has only seven stanzas. Now I believe that numbers in Scripture have a meaning, but I also think you can go to seed in that direction. Seven seems to be not so much the number of perfection as the number of completeness; and, in a sense, when something is complete, perfection is always implied.
This psalm reveals the ultimate and final desire and purpose of God for this earth. It is a great psalm of the kingdom. It has been labeled by some The Expositor’s Bible, for example) as a missionary psalm. They give as its theme the outmoded, postmillennial interpretation of the church converting the world. Well, this is not a missionary psalm as such. Actually, the church is not in view at all. I do not believe we see the church in the Psalms except as a figure of speech or in a symbol. For example, we noted in Psalm 45 the church as “… the queen in gold of Ophir.” This is a picture of the church with the Lord Jesus when He reigns on earth. Psalm 67 is a prophetic psalm. It looks beyond this age to the kingdom age. During the millennial kingdom you will see a converted world, a renovated world, a world in which God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him. The curse will be removed and we will be able to sing songs of praise—even I will be able to sing the Hallelujah Chorus.
Now there is a difference between interpretation and application of Scripture. I am afraid that in wanting to be esoteric and intellectual, many theologians and Bible teachers have forgotten one of the simplest rules for the understanding of Scripture. And the simple rule is this: All Scripture is for us, but not all Scripture is to us. This psalm is for us, and not to us; and it gives us the perspective of missions. Now someone is going to say, “How can you possibly get missions into a psalm that looks beyond the church?” A great principle of hermeneutics (the science of interpretation) points out the difference between interpretation and application. Interpretation is definitive; it is like a mold—it is basic. That is, Scripture means one thing. It does not mean everything under the sun that you want it to mean. But there can also be an application, and the application may be elastic, although it must rest upon the interpretation if it is going to be accurate.
I can illustrate this in a simple way. A diamond, to be of practical value, must be cut, mounted in a proper setting, and worn on any finger it fits. Several years ago I was in Washington, D.C., for the first time. I went to the Smithsonian Institution, and among other things I saw the Hope diamond. I made an interesting observation. Many people were passing by the space exhibit, but everyone stopped to look at the Hope diamond. I suppose that reveals the covetousness in the hearts of all men. However, that diamond could not be worn on any finger, so it’s of no practical value. If our country were invaded or some other terrible thing were to happen, I am told that the case in which the diamond rests would sink into a vault somewhere in the basement of that institution. As far as I can see, it is not doing anyone any good. It is of no personal worth at all. It is just a big diamond, ill-starred and ill-fated. To be useful it must be put in a setting. Scripture likewise must be put in a proper setting, which is interpretation. Then it must be placed on the finger of experience, and that is application. There is an old bromide that says, If the shoe fits you, put it on. If you come to one of these psalms and it speaks to your heart (and God can speak to you in all of them), then it has a message to apply to your life. For example, in the Book of Revelation the Lord Jesus spoke to seven churches in Asia. His message had a local interpretation and a local application. He concluded His messages by saying, “Hear!” That word is for the fellow who has ears. If you have ears, He is also talking to you. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 3:13). There is an application for us in every one of the seven messages to the churches.
Psalm 67 is not a missionary psalm, I repeat, but it does contain some great principles that relate to God’s missionary program for you and me.
Let us now summarize several interesting aspects of this psalm. “Bless us” is used three times. “Praise thee” is repeated four times. There are three persons or groups mentioned: (1) God is referred to fifteen times, and the Trinity is there. (2) The nation of Israel, which is the “us,” is mentioned six times. (3) The “nations” are mentioned nine times—and that means foreigners, different peoples and races, different strata of society, and you and me.
Notice how this psalm begins.
God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah [Ps. 67:1].
This verse is a reference to the Trinity. It is a reference to the great threefold Trinitarian blessing that God gave the nation of Israel when He prepared them for the wilderness march. That blessing is found in Numbers 6:24–26, which says: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee [refers to the Father]: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee [refers to Jesus]: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace [the work of the Holy Spirit].”
As we have noted before, some of the teachers of Israel refer to the “face of God” as the Messiah; and this is the Messiah, that is Jesus, the Christ, God the Son, our Savior. So here we have the threefold blessing of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The conclusion to this blessing is found in Numbers 6:27, which says, “And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” This Aaronic blessing will be fulfilled in the Millennium.
That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations [Ps 67:2].
There will be no blessing for the earth until Israel is actually back in the land; and I do not mean as they are today, but in that day when the Lord puts them in the land. When that happens, Israel will be able to do what Isaiah speaks about in Isaiah 49:13, “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.” Verses 14–16 go on to say, “But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” That is what God says concerning His people Israel. Either God meant what He said, or He did not; and, as far as I’m concerned, He meant it.
Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah [Ps. 67:3–4].
This is the marvelous promise God gave to Abraham: I will make you a blessing unto all peoples (Gen. 12:1–3). At His first coming the Lord Jesus made it very clear that salvation was of the Jews. At the Lord’s second coming the earth will be converted. The greatest time of salvation, I believe, will be in the future. It is not possible for this passage to come true during this age; not until the Millennium will it come to pass. For Isaiah says, “And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles” (Isa. 66:19). The day is coming when the world will be converted.
Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee [Ps. 67:5].
What is the goal of God? Is it that we should get Israel back to the land? It would indeed be foolish just to be interested in getting them back into the land; but it would be no more foolish than to try to convert the whole world, for the church will not bring in the kingdom by preaching, I can assure you of that. Romans 11:25 makes it very clear: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” For how long? “… Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us [Ps. 67:6].
The curse of sin will be removed from the earth, you see.
God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him [Ps. 67:7].
I want to make a comment that I believe is important. Suppose I should ask you, “What is the primary objective and purpose of missions?” What would your answer be? Someone might say, “The purpose of missions is to save souls.” My response to that is that to save souls is not the purpose of missions. It is true that missions should result in the saving of souls, but that is not the primary purpose. Someone else might say, “We should preach the gospel to every creature in order that we might obey the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those are our orders. We are to preach the gospel everywhere. We are to get the Word of God out to people around the globe.” While this is true, it is not the primary motive of missions. It is close but, honestly, I don’t think that is quite it. Let me again quote verses 5 and 7 together: “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee…. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him” (that means reverential trust in God). What is the final goal of missions? “Let all the people praise thee.” The chief end of missions is to glorify God. That is the engine that is to pull the train of every mission program and of every Christian enterprise. The engine is to glorify God, and that which follows it is this: preach the gospel, get the Word out so people can be saved. The whole purpose is to glorify God. I wonder if we have lost that objective today? It is in the catechism I had to learn: Question: “What is the chief end of man?” Answer: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” That is the purpose of man on earth. Why do you and I exist? Are we here only “to eat the meat and fish and leave behind an empty dish”? Is that all man is supposed to do? No, man is to glorify God. We glorify Him when we get His Word out. We glorify Him when we preach the gospel. We glorify Him when people are saved. But the purpose is to glorify God.
PSALM 68
Theme: Song of deliverance that ushers in the kingdom
Here is a psalm of deliverance and victory. Whereas we saw the kingdom in Psalm 67, here we see the King in His glory and strength.
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him [Ps. 68:1].
This is a reference to Numbers 10:35. Each day when Israel was ready to begin the wilderness march, Moses would say, “… Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” What a wonderful way to begin the day’s march!
The preceding psalm was a singing psalm, and this is another singing psalm—a song of triumph and glory!
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JÄH, and rejoice before him [Ps. 68:4].
“Sing unto God, sing praises to his name”—here, again, we see that man is to glorify Him, and God is moving toward that day when the earth will glorify Him. Men don’t glorify God today; they take His name in vain.
Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold [Ps. 68:13].
The word pots should probably be changed to “sheepfolds.” Deborah used that same Hebrew word in her prophetic song: “Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? …” (Jud. 5:16). You will see that this was addressed to Reuben, because Reuben did not go out to battle. Evidently in both passages the word is used to describe an indifferent, an inactive, and a selfish condition. In this psalm it seems to have the same meaning—Israel was undecided and inactive. “Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove”—the dove was a sacrificial bird and is a type of Christ. What a picture this gives us. Though they be negligent, though they are not moved by enthusiasm, yet the sacrifice of Christ will cover them.
This psalm could actually be called the psalm of the Ascension since we have a verse that is quoted in Ephesians 4:8: “… When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them [Ps. 68:18].
When the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven after His death, I think He did two things. First, He took with Him to heaven all those saints of the past who were in paradise. God had saved them on credit up to that time, but our Lord paid the redemptive price for them when He died on the cross. He took them (the spirits of just men made perfect) into the presence of God. Secondly, He gave gifts to men on earth so that today He carries on His work through those to whom He has given those gifts. Every person who is in the body of Christ has a gift—not all have the same gift, of course. As you can see, this is a marvelous verse.
But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea [Ps. 68:21–22].
These verses speak of a glorious victory for the future. The one referred to as the “hairy scalp” is the Antichrist. In spite of what the Antichrist will try to do. he will fail. God will bring His people from even the depths of the sea. This is Israel’s restoration.
There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali [Ps. 68:27].
These verses are talking about the children of Israel. There are those today who believe that Great Britain is the ten lost tribes of Israel. Perhaps they think little Benjamin really refers to Big Ben in London. May I say to you that there are interpretations that are as wild as that today. Little Benjamin simply means the tribe of Benjamin. It does not mean anything else. But notice that little Benjamin has a great God.
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God [Ps. 68:35].
We also are little but have the same great God, and He gives us the strength and power we need. Blessed be God!
PSALM 69
Theme: The silent years in the life of Christ
This is a great messianic psalm. It is another psalm of David, and it is unique because it deals with the silent years in the life of the Lord Jesus. It is also called a shoshannim, or lily, psalm because He is the Lily of the Valley as well as the Rose of Sharon, and He is altogether lovely. Next to Psalm 22 it is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament. Psalm 22 deals with the death of Christ; Psalm 69 deals with the life of Christ. I was drawn to this psalm when I was a student in college, and from that day to this it has been a favorite of mine. Psalm 22 is number one on the Hit Parade of the New Testament as far as quotes go, and Psalm 69 is second on the Hit Parade. It is quoted in the Gospel of John, in Romans, in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts. Very candidly, I think there are many references to it which are not actual quotations. It is classified as an imprecatory psalm because verses 22–28 are what is known as an imprecatory prayer. Yet from that section the New Testament writers often quoted.
This psalm tells us about the silent years of Christ’s childhood and young manhood, of which the Gospels tell us practically nothing. Dr. Luke tells us about an incident in the life of our Lord when He was twelve years old, and then we learn nothing else about Him until He is about thirty years old. What about that period of time? This psalm fills in some of the details. We see some of Christ’s dark days in Nazareth and His dark hours on the cross. His imprecatory prayer is actually a cry for justice. This is the psalm of His humiliation and rejection. We begin with Him way up north at Nazareth. We hear the heart sob of a little boy, a teenager, a young man:
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul [Ps. 69:1].
Notice how He suffered. His physical suffering on the cross was bad enough, but I think some of the things He suffered in His life on earth were almost unbearable. I am confident that multitudes of us would have ended our lives if we had gone through what He did during His lifetime.
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
(“The Ninety and Nine”—Elizabeth C. Clephane)
During our Lord’s last three hours on the cross He became the Lamb of God that took away the sin of the world. It was then that He was made sin for us. Although He suffered all during His lifetime, as we shall see, there is no salutary or saving value in those sufferings as far as we are concerned. He took the place of humiliation, and He took it voluntarily. The limitation of Christ as a human being was a self-limitation. You and I would like to know more than we now know; we would like to expand our knowledge and our understanding. In contrast to this, when the Lord Jesus became a man, He contracted Himself, He humbled Himself. In this state He cries out:
I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me [Ps. 69:2].
These are the floods of suffering which started when the Lord was born in a stable, which was probably part of an inn. The stable was a better place to be born because no one could see what took place that night except the cows, the oxen, and the sheep. They were better than the leering crowd that filled the inn. But in the stable He began His life in suffering.
Now we go to Nazareth where He was brought up. We are told:
I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God [Ps. 69:3].
During those thirty years there were times when His eyes were red with weeping. The next verse tells us why.
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away [Ps. 69:4].
This verse is quoted in John 15:25, “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” The Lord quoted this verse and applied it to Himself. The enemies of the Lord hated Him without a cause; that is, there was no justification for their hatred. Romans 3:24 says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Being justified freely is the same as being justified without a cause; the Lord did not find any merit in me. The Lord didn’t say, “That fellow McGee down there is such a nice fellow, I’ll justify him.” You can be sure He didn’t say that! Rather, He said, “He is a poor lost sinner.” He justified me without a cause within me. Now this psalm tells us that they hated Jesus without a cause—they hated Him without a cause that I might be justified without a cause. What a wonderful truth this is!
O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee [Ps. 69:5].
How in the world can this verse apply to the Lord? You must remember that He came to earth as a human being. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. But the last few hours on the cross He became sin for us. That was the thing He was resisting in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed, “Let this cup pass.” What cup? The cup of sin, which was my cup and your cup of iniquity. The sin that was put upon Him was awful for Him—it comes naturally for us—but because He was holy, His suffering was terrible.
Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face [Ps. 69:6–7].
There are two reasons He is bearing this: (1) They hated Him because of who He was, the same way the sinner hates the righteous person today. (2) He came to take a lowly, humble place on earth.
I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children [Ps. 69:8].
This verse tells me a lot I would not know otherwise. Mary had other children, which confirms the record in the Gospels. Perhaps one day her boys, Judas and Joses, said to her, “Mother, we heard somebody down the street talking, and they said that Jesus is not really our brother. They said that nobody knows who His father is.” He became an alien unto His mother’s children. Do you think it was a happy home in which He was raised? It may have been a very unhappy home.
Note how it reads: “An alien unto my mother’s children”—not His father’s children because Joseph was not His father. He was “an alien” because they were half-brothers and half-sisters. You see, this verse teaches the virgin birth of Christ.
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me [Ps. 69:9].
This is a verse which our Lord also quoted—in reference to the temple. In the temple the Lord found men who sold oxen, and sheep, and doves for offerings. He also found money changers there. He made a scourge of small cords and drove them all out. “And [he] said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:16–17). My, these men were religious and as busy as termites; in fact, they were doing just about as much damage as termites would. Oh, they were busy, but they were far from God.
When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach [Ps. 69:10].
When He would fast or weep, His brothers would ridicule Him for it. They would tell Him that He was just putting on an act.
I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them [Ps. 69:11].
Do you know what that proverb was? The word that circulated around was that He was illegitimate. You know what people would call Him today.
They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards [Ps. 69:12].
Those who are “sitting in the gate” are the high officials of the town, the judges. You see, the best people in Nazareth also spoke against Him. Nazareth was a little town that would not accept the Lord Jesus because it would not believe the fact that He was the Son of God.
“I was the song of the drunkards”—the drunkards at the local bar made up dirty little ditties about Him and His mother. This was His life in Nazareth. It was not nice. Do you know why He endured all of this? He was raised in a town where He was called illegitimate in order that I might be a legitimate son of God. There is nobody in heaven who is going to point a finger at Vernon McGee and say that he is not God’s son. Do you know why? Because the Son of God bore that for me on the cross; He paid the penalty for my sins. My friend, you have no notion what He endured for thirty years in order that you might have a clear title as a legitimate son of God.
But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation [Ps. 69:13].
This verse is quoted in 2 Corinthians 6:2 which tells us, “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
The Gospel records tell us that our Lord prayed, but this psalm tells us what He prayed:
Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee [Ps. 69:14–19].
We see His distress but also His assurance of deliverance and victory. Neither the deep nor the pit could hold Him. He was saved out of them.
The next two verses tell of our Lord’s dark hours on the cross:
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink [Ps. 69:20–21].
This, now, is His imprecatory prayer:
Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap [Ps. 69:22].
This is quoted by Paul in his Epistle to the Romans: “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back alway” (Rom. 11:9–10). Now there are some folk who consider the imprecatory prayers unchristian. But since it is quoted in the New Testament in reference to those who have rejected Christ, I see nothing unchristian about it. I feel that the imprecatory prayers have been greatly misunderstood. When we put them back into the position where they belong, we see they are judgment being pronounced upon the lost.
Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents [Ps. 69:25].
This is quoted by Peter in Acts 1:20 in reference to Judas Iscariot.
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous [Ps. 69:26–28].
“Let them be blotted out of the book of the living” raises a question. There has been a great deal of debate on Revelation 3:5 which says, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Apparently there is the book of creation, and when we are born we are recorded in that book—“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16). Also there is a book of life for those who are saved. And there is the book of works. It would seem that the blotting out has to do with the works of the person who is already saved. There is no suggestion of a name being blotted out of the book of salvation. There have been many other explanations for this passage. Another one is this: When you are born, you are put in God’s book of the living. I take it that you are a candidate for salvation. When you are blotted out of that book, you have crossed over the line and are no longer a candidate for salvation. Now here in Psalm 69 the “book of the living” is obviously the book of creation; and “not be written with the righteous” means that they will not be written in the book of salvation.
This psalm ends with a glorious song of praise.
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving [Ps. 69:30].
The first time the Lord came to earth He came in humiliation. He is coming back to earth in exaltation. Those on earth will be the redeemed ones—they are the only ones that will be on this earth. And the only ones who will be in heaven are the redeemed. Friend, there are just two kinds of people in the world today. There are lost people and saved people—redeemed sinners and unredeemed sinners. You can distinguish quite easily which group you are in.
Then there is a verse about God’s poverty program.
For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners [Ps. 69:33].
God is going to bring justice to this earth some day, but justice will not be realized until He returns.
Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein [Ps. 69:34].
What a Hallelujah chorus this will be when everything that moves praises Him!
PSALM 70
Theme: Urgent cry for deliverance
This is a lovely little psalm of David. Its contents can also be found in the last five verses of Psalm 40. One of the critics has said, “It is a fragment accidentally inserted here.” I will agree with the critic if he will take out the word accidentally. It is called a song of remembrance. Why repeat it here? Because my memory is not very good, and God knew it wouldn’t be. I can imagine that God said, “By the time McGee gets to this point in the Book of Psalms he will have forgotten all about Psalm 40, so I’ll repeat it.” There are some things to remember here.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord [Ps. 70:1].
This is a cry for immediate help. I like that.
But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying [Ps. 70:5].
I fall into that class of the poor and needy, and He wants me to know that He is my helper, my deliverer. My friend, God is for the poor and needy, and He is our helper in this day.
PSALM 71
Theme: A psalm for old age
This psalm is an elegy, and it is a psalm for old age. It is obvious that the psalmist, possibly it was David, was an old man when he wrote this.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth [Ps. 71:4–5].
He prays and trusts.
Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth [Ps. 71:9].
This is a good psalm for us senior citizens. I find that this psalm means a little bit more to me than it did twenty years ago.
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only [Ps. 71:14–16].
Now notice another definite reference to old age:
Now also when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come [Ps. 71:18].
Now, friend, if you are a senior citizen, let me say this to you: Don’t go into a corner and sit in a rocking chair. God hasn’t forsaken you, and right down to your dying days He has kept you on this earth for a purpose. To be candid, I am praying, “Lord, don’t let me sit down in a rocking chair permanently.” I love to sit in a rocking chair. Many of my friends across the country have a rocking chair in their homes with my name on it. They always drag it out when I come to visit. I enjoy a rocking chair—but I don’t want to stay there all the time. I want to be active for the Lord right down to the end of my life.
I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed [Ps. 71:22–23].
As we grow old, let’s not talk about our aches and pains, let’s rejoice in the Lord and sing His praises.
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt [Ps. 71:24].
It is all right to reminisce if we are talking about God’s goodness. The psalmist says, “My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long.”
This is a wonderful psalm for us old folk!
PSALM 72
Theme: The King and the kingdom are coming
This is called “A Psalm for Solomon.” The critic claims that Solomon wrote it, but I don’t believe it, because the concluding verse says this: “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” This is a psalm of David written for his son, Solomon.
This psalm concludes what we call the Exodus section of the Psalms. The Book of Exodus concludes with the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle, and this is a prophetic psalm in which the Messiah Himself comes and establishes His glorious kingdom on earth. Notice that He is the God of righteousness:
Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness [Ps. 72:1–3].
Also verse 7:
In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth [Ps. 72:7].
Righteousness is the plank in the platform that no political candidate has ever had—as far as I can tell. The Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness some day. This psalm describes His glorious kingdom.
His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen [Ps. 72:17–19].
Apparently God gave to David this great vision of the kingdom and the reign of Christ when the whole earth will be filled with His glory. This is what David had prayed for; so he says—
The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended [Ps. 72:20].
David says, “My prayers are all ended; I am through praying.” What David had prayed for will be realized. He had nothing more to pray for!
LEVITICUS SECTION
DARKNESS AND DAWN (SANCTUARY IN VIEW)
PSALMS 73–89
As I said in the beginning, we are dividing the Book of Psalms according to the Pentateuch. The first forty-one psalms we call the Genesis section. Psalms 42–72 are known as the Exodus section. Now we come to Psalm 73 which brings us to the beginning of the Leviticus section. It corresponds to the Book of Leviticus because in this section—even in Psalm 73—the sanctuary is prominent. You see, the Book of Leviticus is the book of worship for the tabernacle and later for the temple. It is one of the greatest books in the Bible. Now as we come to this Leviticus section of the Book of Psalms, we find the emphasis upon the sanctuary and, in particular, on two aspects of the house of God. The Book of Leviticus emphasizes two things: that God is holy and that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins—the key words are holiness and sacrifice. These two words will also figure largely in this Leviticus section of the Book of Psalms.
PSALM 73
Theme: Perplexity about prosperity
In this section are very wonderful psalms, and we begin with psalms of Asaph. Like David, this man was a musician. The first series of eleven psalms (73–83) was written by Asaph.
Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart [Ps. 73:1].
Immediately our attention is drawn to the fact that “God is good to Israel.” Does that mean that He is good to every Israelite? No! His goodness is limited to those who are of a clean heart. Who would they be? Those who have come with their sacrifices, those who have a desire to serve God and walk with Him. My friend, if you are saved, you want to walk with God and fellowship with Him. You want to have a clean heart. That follows just as day follows night. You cannot come to Christ and accept Him as your Savior and continue to live as you did before. If you do, I cannot believe that you were saved in the first place. That is the explanation, and I feel that we need to hold to that rather tenaciously in our day. We are in the presence of God on the basis that He has cleaned us up. When we receive Christ, we have forgiveness of sins; we are washed—it is a washing of water by the Word of God. We are not only washed by the blood of Christ, but we are washed by the Word of God. The Word of God sanctifies us, and then we want to walk well-pleasing to Him.
Now this man Asaph who came into God’s presence and could say, “God is good to Israel,” had a problem. I think his problem may be your problem also—it certainly has been mine. The problem is this: “Why does God permit the prosperity of the wicked? Why is it that God’s people seem to suffer more?” Many times, as a pastor, I found myself puzzled. I saw God’s people tried. I saw God’s people suffer. I saw the prosperity of the wicked, and it was hard for me to understand it.
It was brought home to me when our first child was born. In the hospital God took that child. I only heard the cry of that little one. All she ever did in her life was cry. I shall never forget the day she died. Across the hall from where my wife was, there was a very wealthy couple who had a baby boy, and their rich friends came to celebrate with them. As I drove into the parking lot in my old beat-up Chevrolet, they all drove up in Cadillacs. They went into the hospital with their champagne and celebrated the birth of the little boy. He was a precious looking little baby—all they desired, I guess. I shall never forget that night. It was summertime, and I went out on a balcony that was there and cried out to God. To be honest with you, I don’t know to this good day why God took our baby and left the baby across the hall. They have money, and, boy, they live it up! I have seen write-ups about them, and they have been in trouble several times. Their little boy is now an adult, as my daughter would be. After all these years, I still don’t have the answer. You may be thinking, You are a minister, and you don’t have the answer? No, I don’t have the answer. Then how can you comfort others? Well, I’ll tell you how. Although I don’t have the answer, I know the One who does, and He has told me to walk with Him by faith. He tests me by putting me in the dark. Then I’ll reach out my hand and take His. In His Word He tells me that I can trust Him. Someday He will explain the whys of life to me.
Asaph had a problem like that. Asaph has already said that God is good to Israel—that believing remnant of which he was a part—but this question really bothered him.
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked [Ps. 73:2–3].
Asaph said, “I looked around me at my nation, and I noticed that the wicked among my people were the ones prospering, and the godly were not.”
For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm [Ps. 73:4].
“There are no bands in their death”—there are no pangs or pains in their death.
They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment [Ps. 73:5–6].
I think again of the wealthy couple with the little boy baby; oh, how arrogant they were and filled with pride!
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish [Ps. 73:7].
These folk have everything. As I think of it, I don’t think they have had the fun that I have had in this life, because when I got a new something or other, it sure was a joy to me. It wasn’t a joy to them because they had it all along. “Their eyes stand out with fatness”—I hadn’t thought of that until I studied this psalm. They had puffs under their eyes—they had been drinking too much and had too much night life. The mother of that little fellow would have been beautiful if her face had not shown so much sign of dissipation.
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily [Ps. 73:8].
They don’t mind walking on the poor. They insist that our children have to go to public schools, but their children do not. Everyone else must obey the law, but they somehow are exempt. As you look around you, this is something that can make you bitter.
They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth [Ps. 73:9].
My, listen to these rich people on television today. They are the ones who make the news. “Their tongue walketh through the earth,” and I know of nothing that enables it to walk better than television.
Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them [Ps. 73:10].
God’s people are taxed to death. We are told that some rich folk pay no taxes at all. My, they really have it made!
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? [Ps. 73:11].
They are not interested in God, and they don’t think He knows anything about them.
Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches [Ps. 73:12].
Does that ever bother you? It bothers me.
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency [Ps. 73:13].
Asaph says, “I have attempted to live for God, and it looks like it does not pay.”
For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me [Ps. 73:14–16].
This problem worried Asaph. It gave him sleepless nights. Why do the wicked prosper?
Now we come to the answer:
Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end [Ps. 73:17].
When Asaph went into the temple of God, he understood the “end” of the wicked. He gained insight into the end reserved for the wicked. This is the reason the Lord Jesus gave a parable about a rich man and a poor man to illustrate afterlife. It is recorded in Luke 16:19–31. It tells us that the day is going to come when God will judge the rich. That rich fellow ended up in a place of torment even though the liberal preacher pushed him right into heaven at the funeral. Nice things were said about him. They praised him for his gifts of charity, but his end was a place of torment. The poor man wasn’t even given a decent burial—his body was thrown onto a dump heap. But God’s pallbearers were waiting for him—they were angels—and they took him right into Abraham’s bosom. You have to stay close to God today, friend, or you will become bitter and cynical as you see the injustice in the world. Asaph found his answer in the sanctuary. I don’t know the answer to your question because I don’t know the answer to mine, but I know Someone who does. He didn’t say He would tell me right now. He said, “You trust Me. I’ve got the answer.” Someday in His presence He is going to explain it all to us. Also I know that He is going to show me that what He did was best. I don’t understand that either, but that is what He is going to do.
Until then—
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand [Ps. 73:23].
I told you that He will take your hand. He took mine when my little girl died. He said, “Walk with me.” That is the lesson I learned, and this is the lesson the psalmist learned.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory [Ps. 73:24].
I am with Him today. My life verse is Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Don’t tell me that He won’t, because He will; and that is the message of this psalm. “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” I can’t ask for anything better than that. So, no matter what happens, whether I understand it or not, I will simply trust Him; and, if you don’t mind, I will go on with Him.
PSALM 74
Theme: A cry for deliverance when the temple is defiled by the enemy
In this psalm the temple is before us again, and this time it is being profaned. It is a maschil psalm, not of David but of Asaph, who is a Levite and a musician in the tabernacle.
O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? [Ps. 74:1].
The psalmist asks, “Why have You done this to us?” Then he cries out:
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt [Ps. 74:2].
He gives us the geographic location. The psalmist obviously is talking about the land of Palestine and the nation Israel.
Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary [Ps. 74:3].
Notice that it is the “sanctuary” that the enemy had profaned.
Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs [Ps. 74:4].
What has happened? This is prophetic of that terrible invasion by the forces of Antiochus Epiphanes. (He was a Syrian, in the family of one of the four generals who divided up the empire of Alexander the Great after his death). In 175 b.c. he plundered Jerusalem, profaned the temple by pouring the broth of a sow all over the holy vessels, and placed an image of Jupiter in the holy place. This was called the transgression of desolation in Daniel 8. In a.d. 70 the destruction by Titus the Roman who profaned the temple and leveled it to the ground was also a fulfillment. However there will be further fulfillment of Asaph’s prophecy after the temple is rebuilt. During the Tribulation the final abomination of desolation will be revealed which will profane the holy place. You will notice that in spite of all of this persecution and discouragement a godly remnant will say:
For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth [Ps. 74:12].
Now hear their prayer:
Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name [Ps. 74:18].
In other words, Israel is saying to God, “The enemy has taken us, and many of the people of our nation have been foolish—they have not turned to You.” But there is a faithful remnant.
O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever [Ps. 74:19].
The psalmist cries out, “O God, save us in the midst of trouble.” He looks forward to that day of God’s deliverance. No matter how bad your trouble is, my friend, He will also deliver you. He has delivered His people out of much worse situations than we have been in, and He will do even greater things for them in the future.
Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily [Ps. 74:22].
This is a call to God to move in victory; it is a prayer that recognizes God’s ability to do it.
This psalm is a prayer of Asaph. It is a maschil psalm, instructing you and me that we can trust God in all our troubles.
PSALM 75
Theme: A song of deliverance
This psalm is “To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.” Psalm 74 was a prayer of Asaph. Psalm 75 is a song of deliverance, a song of the triumph that will come; therefore, it is a psalm of faith.
Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare [Ps. 75:1].
Ultimately, God is going to protect His name on earth. What a wonderful, glorious truth this is which is put before us in this psalm!
When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly [Ps. 75:2].
This verse should read, “For I will take hold of the set time; I will judge in uprightness.” This means that when the Lord comes it will be at a set time. When our Lord walked on earth, He took the place of self-humiliation. It was as a man on earth that He said, “But of the day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matt. 24:36). The Lord is coming at that appointed time. You cannot rush Him. He will come at the predetermined time. No man knows the date or the hour, although there are a few prophetic teachers across the country today who seem to have a private wire to heaven and seem to know when the Lord is going to return. But I don’t—and, of course, they don’t either. The important thing to note is that there is a set time when the Lord Jesus is going to return.
For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south [Ps. 75:6].
Where will help come from? Not from the east, west, or south. You will notice that no mention is made of the north, because that is the direction the enemy will come from. Only God will be able to driver His people. Psalm 75 is a prayer of thanksgiving to God before the event even takes place! How wonderful these psalms are! I trust they are a blessing to your heart.
PSALM 76
Theme: Prophecy of the Messiah upon the throne
As we study these psalms, I trust that you ~have your Bible open before you, and that you will read the entire text. These psalms are not only the Word of God, but their arrangement is important. I am not going to insist that the arrangement is inspired, but you will miss a great deal of the message if you ignore the arrangement because they do tell a story. There is a message that develops in each series of psalms. You recall that Psalm 74 was a cry for help—“Arise, O God.” Psalm 75 was a song of thanks for God’s deliverance out of the clutches of the northern power. They couldn’t get help from the east or west or south, and the north was where their trouble was coming from. Russia will come from the north to invade the land of Israel, which we believe will be during the Great Tribulation Period. Now Psalm 76 shows the Lord Jesus reigning in His kingdom as King-Priest, the true Melchisedek. Man on this earth is in subjection to Him.
In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.
In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion [Ps. 76:1–2].
Reading from Dr. Gaebelein’s translation, which I have used from time to time, these verses say, “In Judah God is known; in Israel His Name is great. In Salem is found His Tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion” (The Book of Psalms, p. 298). Salem is the ancient name for Jerusalem and means “the habitation of peace.” Four geographical places are mentioned. None of these places have to do with California or any state in the union, or any other country. Judah, Israel, Salem (Jerusalem), and Zion are all in Israel in the Mideast. The fact that this psalm has a blessing for us lies in its application, not in its interpretation, and I believe that all Scripture is for us.
There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah [Ps. 76:3].
This is the day the prophet spoke of when he said, “… they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:4). Until the Lord Jesus Christ reigns, you had better not apply that verse to the United Nations, because it doesn’t fit. Isaiah is speaking about the peace that will come to this earth when Christ comes back. Until the sin of the human heart is either dealt with in redemption or judgment, there can never be peace on earth.
Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey [Ps. 76:4].
Dr. Gaebelein translates this, “Thou art shining forth gloriously above the mountains of prey.” The “mountains of prey” refer to Jerusalem. That city has been besieged twenty-seven times. It has certainly been a mountain of prey! The enemies have been there.
The Lord is going to judge the arrogant and the proud who have walked on earth and those who have come against the city of Jerusalem.
The stout-hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands [Ps. 76:5].
Or, as Dr. Gaebelein has it, “Spoiled were the stout-hearted; they fell asleep in their sleep.” “They fell asleep in their sleep” is an interesting expression. How can you do that? It means that the stouthearted were no longer alert or aware. The apostle John writes that the whole world lies asleep in the arms of the wicked one (1 John 5:19). And the Devil doesn’t want the world to wake up. He says to Vernon McGee, “Hush! Don’t give out the Word so loud. You’ll wake them up.” But, friend, I’m trying to wake up the babies by telling them that judgment is coming and also that there is salvation in Christ.
You will also notice that “… none of the men of might have found their hands.” Waking out of sleep, they were like the Midianites in the days of Gideon when they were awakened by the sound of trumpets and saw the lights. They knew they had been taken, “… and all the host ran, and cried, and fled” (Jud. 7:21).
At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep [Ps. 76:6].
When the Lord comes again, at His rebuke both the chariot and the horse will be brought down into a deep sleep. At that time the Lord will shine forth gloriously. Isaiah 60:1 speaks of that day, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” We sometimes sing a song with these words at Christmas. Actually, this verse has no fulfillment at Christmas, at the birth of Christ. It will be fulfilled when the Lord comes again to this earth. It will be a great day, but it is still in the future. Isaiah 4:5 tells us more about this day: “And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.” The glory that will be there will be the person of Christ.
The day of vengeance of our God will come.
Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah [Ps. 76:7–9].
These verses can be translated, “Thou, Thou, must be feared, and who can stand before Thee when Thou art angry? From heaven Thou didst thunder forth in judgment—the earth feared and became silent, when God arose to judge, to save all the meek of the earth.” In Revelation 6:17 John says, “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
When the Lord comes again to earth, all things are going to be put under His feet.
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain [Ps. 76:10].
“For the wrath of man praiseth Thee, Thou restrainest the remainder of wrath.” God says that He lets man go only so far. However, during the Great Tribulation it seems that the Lord will remove all restraint and let man go to the limit. Today man is being restrained. The Restrainer is the Holy Spirit. Who else can restrain evil in the world today? God is going to make the wrath of man to praise Him.
Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared [Ps. 76:11].
The satanic raging against God and against His anointed, He will restrain. And, as Psalm 110:3 puts it, “Thy [His] people shall be willing in the day of thy [His] power.” His people vow and pay their vows. The Gentile nations are in submission to Him. “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him” (Ps. 72:10–11).
What a day that will be! My, this is a great psalm.
PSALM 77
Theme: Perplexity about the mercy and goodness of God
This psalm is “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.” You will remember that Jeduthun was the chief musician. Asaph wrote this psalm for him either to play or to sing. It reveals a time of deep soul-searching because of the perplexity in the minds of the people in that day. Faith has its problems, but faith can find the solution. The answer again is in the sanctuary. History reveals that God does not forget.
I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted [Ps. 77:1–2].
A good time to seek the Lord is in the day of trouble. I received a letter from a man who had lost his position. He would never listen to our program until he was out of a job and had nothing to do. It was then that he got right down to the nitty-gritty and trusted the Lord as his Savior. It is well to cry to the Lord in the time of trouble.
“And he gave ear unto me.” God will hear you, my friend, when you are in trouble. You can go to Him. He is real. Sometimes I hear a soloist sing, “It’s real; it’s real; I know it’s real ….” The way they sing it and the way they live makes me wonder if it actually is real with them. My friend, it is real—not because I say it, or because it is written here, but because you find it out by experience. He has already told us to taste of the Lord and see whether He is good or not. Try this thing out.
“My sore ran in the night, and ceased not”—I don’t think he was speaking of a physical sore but an open sore of the soul.
Here is another wonderful thing he did:
I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search [Ps. 77:6].
It is a wonderful thing to be able to sing in the night. I don’t mean that you sing out loud and wake everybody up out of sleep. “I remember my song in the night.” The night is the time when you wake up and worry. Problems loom large—everything in the dark looks bigger than it really is. That is the time to remember your song in the night.
Now he raises some perplexing questions:
Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah [Ps. 77:7–9].
I would say that a practical atheist said these things, but I have asked the same questions. Maybe you have, too. Do you realize that there are many of us believers who practice atheism? We, and I include myself, act as if God does not exist, as if He does not hear our prayers, as though He has thrown us overboard. We live as though God is no longer favorable and has stopped expressing His grace. My friend, God is good! He wants to be gracious to you and to me. Regardless of what you have done, God wants to be good to you.
Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? [Ps. 77:13].
You will remember that as we began this Leviticus section of the Book of Psalms I pointed out that it is called such because it is anchored in the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies. “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary” is a reminder to us who are believers to not forsake “… the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is …” (Heb. 10:25). We are enjoined today to meet with God’s people. God does not want you or me to go off in a corner and enjoy the Word of God by ourselves. We are to share the Word with others so that we can grow together. I don’t believe in super-duper saints. God won’t let you get way ahead of your brothers and sisters. We are in the family of God and will have to share the Word and the blessing with each other. Therefore the way of God is in the sanctuary. If you are going to find the answers to your questions, you will have to meet with God’s people.
I received a letter the other day from a Christian mother. She wrote: “God has given me and my husband five wonderful children to guide for Him. All of the children are saved except for the baby, who is seventeen months old. We are fortunate enough to be members of a Bible-teaching church, where the pastor is led by God instead of man. He is one of those precious men of God who has been rebuked and has had his life threatened because of his boldness for God. Our cup runs over with joy as we see God work in the hearts of people and change their lives.” It is good to hear of a church like this. We hear a great deal of criticism of churches, but there are many Bible-believing churches still at work today. If you attend a church where the Word of God is preached and taught, you should fellowship there and grow with the congregation. You will find the answer to many of your questions. The way in which the Devil works is subtle. His attack today is not a frontal one. He attacks the men who stand for the Word. This is something of which we should take note.
Now here is a scene that has to do with the sea.
The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.
The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known [Ps. 77:16–19].
This passage refers specifically to God’s leading the people of Israel across the Red Sea.
Thou leddest thy People like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron [Ps. 77:20].
My friend, this has an application for us. God is able to deliver His people today from the flood tide of atheism and lawlessness and immorality. What a great, loving Shepherd He is!
PSALM 78
Theme: The history of Israel from Moses to David
This psalm is a maschil of Asaph, a psalm of instruction, covering Israel’s history from Egypt to the time of David. In it we see the failure of the people and the faithfulness of God. It is a wonderful psalm, and it calls upon God to hear and answer.
First, it is the call of God to His people. He asks His people to listen to Him.
Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth [Ps. 78:1].
This is a long psalm, and we can only hit the high points; but I urge you to read the entire psalm in your Bible. It will bless your heart.
The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law [Ps. 78:9–10].
This is a direct reference to when Ephraim did not go to battle, and God took note of it. In a larger sense, Ephraim is typical of the conduct of all Israel and of all of God’s people. It was Israel then; it is the church today. And God’s faithfulness is unchanged.
And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? PS. 78:17–19]
Let me translate this a little differently to bring out the meaning: “And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the Most High in the wilderness. And they tested God in their heart by asking food according to their desire. Yes, they spoke against God; they said, ‘Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?’” This represents the type of unbelief that is seen among believers today. It is practical atheism on the part of God’s people.
Now notice what God did:
Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full [Ps. 78:25].
“Angels’ food” is better translated food of the mighty—“Man did eat the food of the mighty; He sent them food to the full.” He gave them all that they needed, yet they were doubting God and criticizing God.
This psalm of instruction concludes with this allusion to David:
He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands [Ps. 78:70–72].
David is a type of Him who is David’s Lord and David’s Son. God was faithful to them, and He is faithful to us today, my friend.
PSALM 79
Theme: Future of Israel in the Great Tribulation
This psalm is a prayer—not for you and me to pray, but for God’s people, the nation Israel, in the Great Tribulation, which is the terrible day of trouble that is coming to them.
This is another psalm of Asaph, a great musician, who was probably the writer and arranger of them. He was contemporary with David and probably served as his assistant.
O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps [Ps. 79:1].
Although this psalm was prophetic at the time it was written, it accurately pictures the siege of Nebuchadnezzar and the subsequent Babylonian captivity. Also the Maccabean period brought such a calamity. This prophecy’s ultimate fulfillment will be during the Great Tribulation.
Prior to the Babylonian captivity, the false prophets were saying that God would never allow their destruction and captivity. However, the city that the false prophets had said could never be taken was taken, and the inhabitants were carried away into captivity. The temple they said could never be destroyed was destroyed. The city, of course, was Jerusalem, and the people were the children of Israel. This happened several times, and it caused these people to cry out to God. The temple, the sanctuary, is the very center of things. Remember that this section of the Psalms corresponds to the Book of Leviticus which has as its theme the worship centering about the tabernacle and later the temple.
The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth [Ps. 79:2].
This horrible carnage was difficult for the people of Israel to understand. Why was God permitting this to happen to them? The false prophets had been continually telling them that it could not happen to God’s people. Although the prophet Jeremiah had been faithfully giving God’s warning of judgment to come, he had been discredited and labeled as a traitor to his nation. The Israelites could not understand why God had not protected them. This is still a question in our day. I understand that a great many Jews have become atheists because of the terrible persecution and suffering of their people in Germany during Hitler’s dictatorship. Of course it is difficult for them to understand it. Maybe they have the same questions the psalmist has. But have they been faithful to God? Are they back in proper relationship with Him? Have they accepted their Messiah? Are they turning to Him? The answer, of course, is no. God has judged His people in the past and is judging them in our day. I feel that great judgment has come upon the church and will increase in the future. Judgment has come upon the nations of the world, nations like our own.
Hear their cry:
How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? [Ps. 79:5].
The Jews cry out, “Aren’t You going to let up on us, O Lord?”
Then they cry to God for forgiveness:
O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low [Ps. 79:8].
They pray, “Don’t remember our former iniquities.” But how will He be able to rub them out and forget them? Only through the death of Christ. When Christ is rejected—whether it be by Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, bond or free, male or female, black or white, red or yellow—there is judgment. You have to meet Him in judgment or redemption; there are only two ways.
Now listen to the plaintive cry of these suffering people:
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake [Ps. 79:9].
The children of Israel had been making the boast that God was among them and would deliver them. God had not delivered them, and they were being subjected to ridicule. The heathen were making fun of them.
Notice the note of thankfulness on which this psalm ends:
So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations [Ps. 79:13].
In that coming kingdom their sorrows and their tears will be gone forever, and so there will be praise from generation to generation.
PSALM 80
Theme: Prayer to the Shepherd of Israel
In this series of psalms there is a continuation of thought, a prophetic development. The Septuagint version has the inscription: “the Assyrian,” which has led some expositors to place this psalm in a later time. However, because it is definitely a psalm of Asaph, a contemporary of David, we know it was written during the time of the Davidic kingdom. The inscription is “To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim-Eduth,” which means “lilies.” We have seen before that a beautiful lilies’ psalm mentions the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a plea to the Shepherd of Israel to lead them again.
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth [Ps. 80:1].
The “Shepherd of Israel” is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. We have had a simile of the sheep and the Shepherd before.
“Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock” refers to the wilderness journey of the tribes of Israel when they advanced toward the Promised Land to take possession of it. Jehovah, the Shepherd of Israel, was their leader. Joshua was their human leader, but he acted under the Captain of the Host of the Lord. The psalmist appeals to God who had met with these people in the Holy of Holies.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us [Ps. 80:2].
Why would Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh be mentioned? I think the answer can be found in Numbers 2:17–24. If you read this portion of Scripture, you will find that in placing the tribes around the tabernacle, these three tribes were immediately behind the ark in the order of the march. It was the ark that led the children of Israel through the wilderness. Just as God had led them once before, the cry comes to lead them again.
Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved [Ps. 80:3].
This same refrain is repeated three times in this psalm (vv. 3, 7, 19). It is sort of a chorus.
O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? [Ps. 80:4].
This is a brief elegy here. It is a lament, a sad part of the psalm, and includes verses 4–6. The psalmist feels God is angry because He does not answer the prayer of His people.
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure [Ps. 80:5].
This is one of the most remarkable verses in the Word of God. God has given His people “tears to drink” and tears for their bread—all they had to eat was tears. These are the tears of suffering. No nation has suffered as the children of Israel have suffered—and survived. Most other nations, had they been treated like the Jews, would have been exterminated and would have disappeared from the face of the earth. Israel has been drinking tears down through the centuries. Why? Israel has rejected the Shepherd. When the Lord was here, He beheld the city of Jerusalem and wept over it. Luke 19:41–44 tells us what He said as He wept, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” This is a tremendous passage of Scripture and gives the reason the Jews have had tears to drink. On His way to the cross Jesus turned to some of the women in the crowd who were weeping and said, “… Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children” (Luke 23:28).
Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved [Ps. 80:7].
That “face to shine” is none other than the face of Israel’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now here is another remarkable verse:
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it [Ps. 80:8].
God brought the nation of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. God cast the heathen nations out of the land of Palestine and planted Israel, His vine, there. Israel built a temple in which to worship God. Then they were told that their temple would be destroyed and they would be put out of the land. Why? For the same reason that God put the heathen nations out of the land—they turned their backs upon God. The responsibility of Israel was greater than that of the heathen nations, because God had granted to them a privilege that no other nation had, which was the visible presence of God.
Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land [Ps. 80:9].
This verse is speaking about Israel, the vine that God brought forth out of Egypt and planted in the Promised Land.
The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river [Ps. 80:10–11].
The question arises:
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? [Ps. 80:12].
For years, after God planted His vine, He put a hedge about the land. The people lived in the land for a good six hundred years. God did not permit any of the great nations of that day to destroy them. Egypt came against Israel and had victories but did not destroy them. The same was true of Syria and the Hittite nation. But the day came when God removed the hedge and let the enemies of Israel come in. Why? Because Israel had rejected the Shepherd of Israel.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself [Ps. 80:17].
At God’s right hand is the place of power. Who is at God’s right hand? It is Israel’s Messiah. David wrote, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1). The Lord Jesus applied this to Himself when His enemies challenged His messianic claim (Matt. 22:44).
Back in Genesis 35 is the account of Rachel when she gave birth to her second son along the roadside that leads into Bethlehem. Benjamin was the baby, but she didn’t call him that. When she looked upon that little fellow to whom she had given birth, she called him Ben-oni, which means “son of my suffering.” But when Jacob looked upon him—I think the baby had eyes like his lovely Rachel—he said, “No, we won’t call him Ben-oni, we’ll call him Benjamin, because he is the son of my right hand.” Benjamin is a picture, a type of our Lord Jesus who came to earth the first time as the Son of suffering. But today He is at God’s right hand. Of Him the Father said, “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” And someday He will be returning from that position to this earth.
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name [Ps. 80:18].
A better translation would be: “So will not we go back from Thee, revive us, and we will call upon Thy name.”
Now here is the chorus for the third time:
Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved [Ps. 80:19].
In other words, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine upon us.” This is a wonderful, wonderful psalm!
PSALM 81
Theme: A song of deliverance
This psalm, like so many of the others, is linked to the one that preceded it. In other words, we have a continuous story. The prayer in the preceding psalm was not a prayer for Christians; it is for the time of Jacob’s trouble at the end of the age. The great prayer for us today is, “… Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). And in the meantime we’re to ask Him to help us get out His Word.
It is a song of deliverance. It begins on a high note. It is a soprano solo. It is inscribed “To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.”
Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob [Ps. 81:1–4].
I think the key to this passage is in the blowing of the trumpet at the new moon. This is all very proper because the new moon appears before the Sun of Righteousness arises with healing in His wings. He is coming to deliver them. It is a beautiful picture of the Feast of Tabernacles. Israel had four feasts that came at the beginning of the year: the Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of First Fruits, and then the Feast of Tabernacles. This psalm sounds like the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Trumpets. “For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.” It was a great day. And its fulfillment is still in the future.
Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god [Ps. 81:8–9].
The Lord reminds them of the past.
I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it [Ps. 81:10].
This is a promise to Israel, and we should leave it that way, but there is a spiritual lesson for us in this verse. God did not lead me out of Egypt; but He did save me out of sin, which is the “Egypt” of this world. Now God says, “Open wide your mouth, McGee, and I will fill it with spiritual blessings.” And He has done just that. God has been good to me.
But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me [Ps. 81:11].
In other words, “Israel would have none of me.” They still have not turned to God. There is not much difference between the Israel side and the Arab side as far as their relationship to God goes, and there is not much difference between that land and the United States. In fact, I think the United States is in the worst spiritual condition, yet we are telling the world how things ought to be done. Because of our own failure I believe our nation should be in sackcloth and ashes. As a people, as individuals, we need to turn to God.
PSALM 82
Theme: God judges the judges of His people
This is a psalm that has been misunderstood. A critic who denies the deity of Christ will turn to this psalm and ridicule it. This is another prophetic psalm that looks to the future for God’s earthly people, Israel. We see in connection with this the glory of the Lord—and it is wonderful when these two are brought together. This gives us a prophetic description of the judgment which God will execute during the Tribulation period when He saves the faithful remnant.
He begins on that note:
God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods [Ps. 82:1].
“God standeth in the congregation of the mighty”—this hasn’t happened yet, but He will stand there during the Millennium.
“He judgeth among the gods.” Whom is He calling gods?
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah [Ps. 82:2].
It is important to understand this verse of Scripture. Notice who are “the gods.” God is calling the judges “gods” because they stand in His place and walk in His shoes, if I may use that expression.
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked [Ps. 82:3–4].
When the Lord Jesus Christ comes as the Judge of this earth, He is going to defend the poor, the fatherless, the afflicted, and the needy. One of the big arguments against capital punishment is that rich people never have to pay the penalty of their crimes, and poor people have to pay in full. The argument is that because of the inequality the penalty should be abolished. God is saying to the judges, “I want you to defend the poor and the fatherless.” The current discussion of giving the poor an equal opportunity is not new; it is as old as the Book of Psalms. When the Lord Jesus, as Messiah, reigns on this earth, He will defend the poor and the fatherless, the afflicted and the needy. Today judges are standing in God’s place, and they are to do the same thing.
Now here is an interesting verse:
They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course [Ps. 82:5].
Certainly the world today is being shaken and is in great turmoil, and one of the great problems has been the judges of the earth. It is very easy for a judge to be like Pilate, to wash his hands, and say, “I don’t believe in that uncivilized method of punishing people by capital punishment.” He thinks he can escape in that way. But when those who have broken the law come before him, he ought to remember that justice is blind. If a rich man has committed a crime that deserves capital punishment, it should be meted out just as it would be to a poor man who committed the same crime. Unfortunately, very few rich people have to pay for their crimes.
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High [Ps. 82:6].
What does He mean, “Ye are gods”? The Lord Jesus Christ Himself quoted this verse when the Jews questioned His deity. They accused Him of blasphemy because He made Himself God. In John 10:33–37 we read, “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.”
Jesus was telling these Jews that they were sitting in judgment and, when one sits in the place of judgment, he is taking the place of God. Many saints are guilty of that type of thing. They sit in judgment on other saints. Paul says, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Cor. 4:3–5). Paul is saying that he is going to stand before God someday; and, because of that, he doesn’t even judge himself. My friend, when you start judging someone, you are acting for God, and you are a god when you have taken that position of judging. I am fearful of our nation with so many godless people seeking office. They know nothing of the background of this country which was founded upon the Word of God; they are not in spiritual tune with the founding of this nation.
Years ago I was greatly impressed by that judge in New York City who presided at the trial of a husband and wife who were charged with being spies. This judge was a Jew, and he said that the night before he handed down his judgment was spent in prayer. I was impressed with that. Why? He was going to hand down a harsh judgment; he was going to stand in the place of God when he made the decision. That judge was actually standing in the place of God when he judged the lives of these two people who would have to pay for their crime against the government. A man in that position ought to be a godly man. He should be a man of prayer. The big problem in our contemporary society is not so much with the criminal as it is with the judges and the breakdown of law and order. It is strange that the breakdown of law and order has begun with the law profession and not really with the criminal element.
Any time that you pass judgment on a person, you stand in the position of God. Parents ought to recognize that. What does God say to a little fellow growing up in a home? He says, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Col. 3:20). But wait a minute—what if his parents don’t tell him to do the right things and don’t bring him up the way they should? There are many parents like that today. God says, “I am going to hold them responsible. They are in My place. They occupy that position because I have said to that little boy, ‘My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother’” (Prov. 1:8). God help the father or the mother who does not lead their child in a godly pathway. Someone has asked the question, “What is worse than going to hell?” The answer given by a great preacher in the South years ago was this: “To go to hell and recognize the voice of your son and ask, ‘Son, what are you doing here?’ and hear him answer, ‘Dad, I followed you!’ ”
This is a tremendous psalm. God says to the judges, “Be sure you judge accurately. Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.”
But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes [Ps. 82:7].
God reminds the judges, who stand in the place of God, that they are still human beings, and the day is coming when they will have to stand before God and be judged.
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations [Ps. 82:8].
This will be a prayer of the nation Israel. I feel that I could join in that prayer. “O God, judge this earth. O God, You are going to inherit all the nations. This earth is Yours. You judge it.” I believe this is a prayer all of us can pray in this day in which we live.
PSALM 83
Theme: A cry for judgment
This is “A Song or Psalm of Asaph.” This is the last psalm of the Asaph series and a rather puzzling one. The fact of the matter is that you cannot fit it into the history of the nation of Israel. Since you cannot, the idea is to guess at it, and there have been some wild guesses. This is an imprecatory prayer, a cry for justice. The psalmist prays for God to deliver His people from their enemies.
Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head [Ps. 83:1–2].
Whoever the enemy is here, he hates God. But isn’t that always the case with the enemy?
They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance [Ps. 83:3–4].
This refers to those who have plotted the destruction of the nation Israel. There are those who have tried to fit this psalm into the time of Jehoshaphat, and others who have attempted to fit it into other historical periods. The important thing for us to note is that the enemies of God express their hatred toward Him.
Now we begin with the section of this psalm that is difficult to fit into history.
For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah [Ps. 83:5–8].
“Assur” is Assyria. “The children of Lot” would be Mcab and Ammon. The names in this portion of God’s Word are His enemies. There is no place in history where they seem to fit in; and that makes it a very remarkable section, because it appears that these verses look to the future. Apparently these nations which were in existence at one time will appear again in the future.
At the present time Israel is surrounded by Arab nations who are apparently joined together not so much as Arabs but as Moslems. They are opposed to the nation Israel. It looks as though the nations mentioned in these verses will come back into existence during the last days. They are not in existence now, and there is nothing to which they correspond. This fact makes Psalm 83 a very remarkable passage of Scripture.
The remainder of this psalm is an imprecatory prayer. It asks for God’s judgment. It is retrospective in the sense that the psalmist is saying, “Judge as You have done it in the past.”
Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
Which perished at En-dor: they became as dung for the earth [Ps. 83:9–10].
In the Book of Judges we read how God judged those nations. There are those who say that God will not judge that way in the future. He won’t? He has judged that way in the past. God has not changed. What He has done in the past, He will do in the future. For that reason this is impressive.
Let me remind you that this is not the way we, as believers today, should pray. We should pray for our enemies—not that God would punish them, but that they might be converted, that they might turn to God.
This is a prayer for Israel to pray:
O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind [Ps. 83:13].
Do you remember reading about the great big wheel that the oxen used to pull around to beat out the grain and crush the stubble? The psalmist is saying, “Deal with our enemies that way, O Lord.”
As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire [Ps. 83:14].
In other words, “Be like a forest fire!”
Now note the conclusion:
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth [Ps. 83:18].
I am convinced that the only way this world is going to know that God is God is for Him to move injudgment. The goodness of God ought to lead men to repentance, but it doesn’t. If men were at all sensitive to the presence and person of God, it would lead them to His presence, but it actually drives them farther away from God. We are an affluent nation now. When we were a frontier nation, pioneering, fighting our way across to the West, we depended on God, but today we think we don’t need Him. However, it looks to me as if we need Him desperately.
PSALM 84
Theme: A deep desire for God’s house
This is a psalm in which the Levitical emphasis is prominent. It is a psalm for the sons of Korah. The sons of Korah served in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Let’s go back to 1 Chronicles 26 to see the background of this family. “Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph” (1 Chron. 26:1). Then it gives a long list of that family of the Korhites. Now Korah, you may recall, led the rebellion against Moses, and he was judged for it. But now, by the grace of God, these descendants of his are serving in the tabernacle and in the temple of God. Then 1 Chronicles 26:12–13 says, “Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord. And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.” A man was assigned to every gate. Lots were cast for the jobs. Strong, robust Levites guarded the tabernacle, and later they watched over every entrance to the temple. So the tabernacle and the temple are prominent in this psalm.
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God [Ps. 84:1–2].
Is this your heartcry today? Do you love to meet with God’s people? I recognize that you don’t get much fellowship in some churches today. In fact, you get more gossip and criticism than you get anything else. However, the place for fellowship is a church, and there are some wonderful churches throughout our land. I hope there is one in your neighborhood, where the Word of God is preached and Christ is exalted. If there is, that is where you should seek the fellowship of believers. That is where you will grow and be blessed.
Now this is lovely. These sons of Korah serving in the tabernacle and later in the temple saw this:
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God [Ps. 84:3].
I think the sparrows built nests around the temple. The man who wrote this psalm, as he looked up and saw them, said, “I want to dwell like that. I want to live that close to God.” The Lord Jesus said to consider the little sparrows. They are not worth anything. In fact, you would like to get rid of them the way they chatter around and mess up everything. They are dirty little birds. The Lord Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father” (Matt. 10:29). Not one sparrow falls but what the Father sees it. Actually, the language is stronger than that. He says that the sparrow falls into the lap of your Father. He knows all about it.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed [Ps. 84:9].
The psalmist can say, “Behold, O God our shield.” God is our shield. “And look upon the face of thine anointed.” This is a reference to the Messiah. Christ, the Messiah, revealed the face of God on earth.
The sanctuary, as we saw in the Book of Leviticus, was the very center of the life of Israel. There was a day when the church was the center of the social life in this country. It is not even the center of religious life today, but it should be.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness [Ps. 84:10].
He says, “A day in Thy courts is better than a thousand days anywhere else. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness,” and that’s what the sons of Korah were—doorkeepers. He says, “I would rather have my job than to be a rich man living far from God.” There are some folk who look at their watches on Sunday morning to see if the preacher is going overtime. The psalmist says, “I’d rather spend one day in God’s house than a thousand anywhere else.” What a glorious psalm this is, and what a rebuke it is to many of us.
PSALM 85
Theme: Future restoration of Israel
This psalm is “To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.” Certain critics have attempted to identify this psalm with the return of the people to the land under Ezra and Nehemiah. Actually it has no reference to that at all. The reason critics do this is because they do not recognize the fact that the Psalms are prophetic.
We are in a section where we have several writers of the Psalms and the amazing thing is that these psalms have been put together to tell a story. Although I do not insist upon the inspiration of the arrangement, it certainly looks as if God had the oversight of it. We have seen that they appear in series—a cluster here and a cluster there—that present a prophetic picture. This psalm looks to the future, and I have no confidence in any translation or interpretation made by a man who does not believe this is the very Word of God. I feel like a certain minister in Southern California who says, “We might as well trust a lunatic for a lawyer, a quack for a physician, a wolf for a sheepdog, or an alligator for a babysitter, as to trust a modernist’s translation of the Word of God or proclamation of the Word of God.” I say amen to that. My feeling is that we need expositors who believe the Bible is the Word of God and God knows the future as well as He knows the past.
Now note this prophetic picture:
Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob [Ps. 85:1].
Many critics assume that this verse refers to the return of the Jews to their land from the Babylonian captivity, but in reality only a small remnant returned to the land at that time. Less than sixty thousand people came back. The bulk of the people did not return. Rather than referring to the return after the Babylonian captivity, it looks forward to the kingdom age when God brings all of His people back into the land.
Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah [Ps. 85:2].
What a glorious picture this is! It can only refer to the future. It certainly did not depict the condition after the Babylonian captivity. If you think it does, read the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Why, Malachi severely rebukes the people because their hearts are far from God. Oh, they were going to the temple and bringing sacrifices, but their hearts were far away from God. This psalm presents an entirely different picture.
Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger [Ps. 85:3].
This looks forward to the time when the judgments are over for Israel. The worst time for this nation and for the world is still in the future. The Great Tribulation is going to be global in its extent, and it will be a time of judgment. Satan will be turned loose, and the Holy Spirit will not be restraining evil. The lid will be taken off. The fellow who wants to paint the town red will have to have a brush that is big enough and plenty of paint to do it. God is going to let men go the limit, and then He is going to judge them.
For the child of God in this day, the judgment for sin is over. The sin question was settled when Jesus died on the cross for our sins. As the song writer put it, “The old account was settled long ago.” But there is something that does trouble me: it is the fact that I will have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, as will every believer, to give an account of my life and my works. Our works are going to be tried by fire. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:13–15). I’m not sure about some of my works. No wonder that Paul didn’t even judge himself because God alone can judge. I hope He will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” but I’ll have to wait and see.
During the Great Tribulation there is going to be brought together into a focal point everything in the way of judgment and evil, which is the reason I don’t want to be here when it happens. And I don’t think I will be here. To say that the church goes through that period is to miss entirely what is meant by the Great Tribulation.
Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? [Ps. 85:4–5].
The day is coming when the suffering of these people will cease. As we saw in a previous psalm, their history has been one of tears to drink and tear-sandwiches to eat—that was their diet. The day is coming when it will be over. God will come and wipe away all of their tears.
Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? [Ps. 85:6].
Today we need revival in our churches for several reasons. One reason is there is a lack of joy in the lives of believers. It should be there, but it is not.
Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation [Ps. 85:7].
This is something into which all of our hearts can enter. God hates evil and will judge it, but He is also a God of mercy and salvation to those who turn to Him.
I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly [Ps. 85:8].
When God’s final judgment of sin takes place, His people will no longer turn to folly. They will not return to their sins because sin will be removed from the universe.
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land [Ps. 85:9].
There is no glory in Israel today. I love to visit that land, but I see nothing in the way of glory there, only a pile of rocks. Of course there are many places which are sacred to us as Christians.
Now this is one of the most remarkable verses in Scripture:
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other [Ps. 85:10].
“Mercy and truth” haven’t met each other in our day. “Righteousness and peace have kissed each other”—they aren’t even on speaking terms today. One of the reasons we cannot have peace in this world is because we do not have righteousness in the world. Things have to be right, my friend, before there can be peace in the world. Things are not “right” today—they are not right in my neighborhood, or anywhere, and maybe things are not right in our lives. Until things are right, there will be no peace on earth. This is a great verse!
Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps [Ps. 85:13].
When the Lord Jesus Christ reigns, He will reign in righteousness.
PSALM 86
Theme: David prays for the future kingdom
We have come now to another Davidic psalm, and it is a prayer of David.
It is remarkable in that it introduces another name for God. We have seen in former psalms that the names Elohim, which speaks of God as Creator, and Jehovah, which speaks of God as Savior, have been used. In this psalm another name for God appears seven times. It is Adonai, of which the English translation is “Lord.” Adonai is the name of God which the pious Jew used (and still does) instead of Jehovah. When an orthodox Jew comes to the name Jehovah—the sacred tetragram YHWH—he doesn’t pronounce it. In fact, the pronunciation has been lost, and today scholars debate about whether it should be pronounced Jehovah or Yahweh or something else. The orthodox Jew, considering the name Jehovah too sacred to voice, substitutes the name Adonai. Adonai refers to God as our Savior, the One who is the holy God, the One who has been able to extend mercy unto us.
Because Adonai occurs seven times in this psalm, it is considered a messianic psalm by some scholars. However, I do not think it could be called a messianic psalm in the strict sense of the word because of the nature of the prayer. For an example:
Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name [Ps. 86:11].
There is no way that you can apply this verse to the Lord Jesus. He would never need to pray a prayer like this, because He came to do the Father’s will. But this verse can apply to you and me. We need to be taught God’s way and His truth. Our hearts need to be united to fear His name. Christ came to do the will of His Father, and He did it. It is different with us. F. W. Grant has made a remarkable statement in this regard: “This is indeed what is everywhere the great lack among the people of God. How much of our lives is not spent in positive evil, but frittered away and lost in countless petty diversions which spoil effectually the positiveness of our testimony for God! How few can sav with the Apostle [Paul], ‘This one thing I do.’ We are on the road—not at least, intentionally off it—but we stop to chase butterflies among the flowers, and make no serious progress. How Satan must wonder when he sees us turn away from ‘the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them,’ when realized as his temptation, and yet yield ourselves with scarce a thought to endless trifles, lighter than a thistledown for which the child spends all his strength, and we laugh at him. If we examined our lives carefully in such an interest as this, how we would realize the multitude of needless anxieties, or self-imagined duties, of permitted relaxations, of ‘innocent trifles,’ which incessantly divert us from that in which alone is profit. How few perhaps would care to face such an examination day by day of the unwritten history of their lives.”
There are many Christian workers today who are not in open sin, but they sure are lazy. They kill time doing this and that, and they are busy here and there, but the main business remains undone. They are not guarding the stuff, and they are not alert in serving the Lord. How we need to pray, “Unite my heart to fear thy name.”
The psalmist’s prayer that preceded it is, “Teach me thy way, O Lord, ” which is, I think, the solution for a wandering, divided heart. The first thing that the apostle Paul said after he was converted was, “ … Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? …” (Acts 9:6). The psalmist had the answer, “Teach me thy way, O Lord.” And the Lord has promised to teach His children, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” (Ps. 32:8).
“I will walk in thy truth” should be our response, which means we should walk in the light that the Word of God gives us. Then He will receive the praise of our whole heart. When our heart is united and devoted to Him, the greater our praise will be.
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore [Ps. 86:12].
PSALM 87
Theme: Zion, the city of God
This psalm is “A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.” Actually, I think it is a psalm by the sons of Korah. It is a song that deals with Zion, the city of God, and speaks of the glorious future of Jerusalem. The nations will come to Jerusalem to worship. I hear people today sing, “We’re marching to Zion, that wonderful city of God.” I am afraid that song is meaningless, because Zion is a geographical spot on this earth. When I was with a tour in Israel, several of us were in a car together riding toward Zion, which is the highest elevation in the city of Jerusalem. None of us could sing very well, but we sang as we rode along, “We’re marching to Zion, that wonderful city of God.” Actually we were riding, not marching, but at least we were headed for Zion.
His foundation is in the holy mountains [Ps. 87:1].
That is where the government of the world will one day be. Isaiah 2:2 tells us, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” Zechariah 2:10–11 says, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.”
Remember that we are still in the section that is known as the Leviticus section, and the tabernacle and temple are the very heart of it.
The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah [Ps. 87:2–3].
This same view was expressed before in Psalm 48, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Ps. 48:1–2).
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there [Ps. 87:4].
“Rahab” is not the harlot of Jericho, but Egypt (see Isa. 51:9; Ps. 89:10). It represents the southern world power, and “Babylon” represents the northern. The name Rahab means “tumult” and Babylon means “confusion”—the tumult and confusion of these nations will end when Christ is reigning in Zion. It is very interesting to see that Zion will be the birthplace of many nations. When the Lord Jesus Christ is there, the world will come up to Jerusalem, and many nations will be converted. Notice it mentions “Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia.” This is all tremendously interesting when we remember that as the gospel left the land of Israel and started down the highways of the world, the first convert was the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8). He was born again out there in the desert. But the psalmist here has reference to, I believe, the entire nation of Ethiopia, which will be converted in that future time.
And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her [Ps. 87:5].
The King of kings will make Zion the capital of the earth.
The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah [Ps. 87:6].
There will be many who will turn to the Lord in that day, recognizing that they were deceived by the Antichrist. What a glorious time this will be!
PSALM 88
Theme: Confidence in God in the midst of suffering
This is “A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.” It is a doleful psalm. Psalm 87 was all glory; this psalm is all gloom. It is a lamentation. It is the darkest wail of woe in the Book of Psalms.
O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee [Ps. 88:1].
The one ray of hope in this psalm is that He is the “God of my salvation,” and the psalmist is holding on to that. It is mere speculation, of course, but this psalm has been applied to Job and to Uzziah who had leprosy and to Jeremiah in the dungeon and to Hezekiah when he was sick. But no matter who is in view, this psalm describes great suffering. Yet in all of his suffering and affliction he maintains his confidence in God as the God of his salvation. That is the great theme of this psalm.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted [Ps. 88:15].
He is in a tough place. Wrath, death, the grave, and darkness are summed up together by the sufferer.
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness [Ps. 88:16–18].
Unlike other psalms which begin with deep distress but end with the joy of deliverance, this psalm closes with the word darkness. Hengstenberg has this comment: “The Psalm ends with an energetic expression of its main thought—the immediate vicinity of death. The darkness is thickest at the end just as it is in the morning, before the rising of the sun.”
PSALM 89
Theme: Psalm of the Davidic covenant
This is the final psalm in the Leviticus section. The New Scofield Reference Bible calls it the psalm of the Davidic Covenant. I like that because it is what the psalm is all about. This great psalm was written by Ethan the Ezrahite. It is a maschil, which means it is one of instruction. Ethan was probably a singer who belonged to the tribe of Levi. The writer is not identified for us—purposely, I think—because it is the faithfulness of God that is exalted in this psalm. The faithfulness of God is mentioned ten times, which makes it obvious that the psalmist is emphasizing His faithfulness. The word covenant is mentioned four times, and with it God says, “I have sworn” three times. Also “I will not lie” occurs four times. It is quite a contrast to the previous psalm which was all gloom and no glory. This one is all glory and no gloom. It is a psalm of great excitement, and it rests upon the covenant that God made with David. When we were studying 2 Samuel, we spent quite a bit of time in chapter 7 which records God’s covenant with David. If you want to know how important it is, you will find it referred to again and again in the writings of the prophets, and here is a psalm devoted to it.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations [Ps. 89:1].
Is God good to you? I am sure He is. He certainly is good to me, and because of that “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever.” Although I can’t really sing, I am going to tell it out the best way I know how. The mercies of the Lord are wonderful! “With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness”—I’m glad he didn’t say “sing” this time, because singing excludes me; but I can use my mouth to make known His faithfulness. My, how faithful He has been to me!
Notice the pronoun is “thy”—it is God’s faithfulness. It is praise to God for His faithfulness to David. Then down in verse 24 we read, “But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.” The pronoun has changed because it is God speaking. All the references in this psalm, regardless of the pronoun used, refer to the faithfulness of God.
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens [Ps. 89:2].
God is faithful. Our salvation rests upon the death of Christ and the faithfulness of God in saving those who put their trust in Him. It is what God says that is important.
It reminds me of the little Scottish lady I have told you about. She had sent her boy away to school, and he had come home a skeptic. She was fixing breakfast for him one morning and telling him how God had saved her, how sure she was of it, and how wonderful His salvation was. Finally the son could stand it no longer. He blurted out, “Your little soul doesn’t amount to anything! It is very small compared to this great universe. God could forget you and wouldn’t even miss you.” On and on he talked. Then there was silence. This little Scottish mother kept quiet for a while. She finished serving him breakfast and sat down to eat. Then she said, “Son, I have been thinking about it. Maybe you are right. It may be that my soul doesn’t amount to anything, but if I lose my soul, God is going to lose more than I will lose.” Her son asked, “What do you mean by that?” Her reply was this, “If I lose my soul—you’ve just said it doesn’t amount to much—so I wouldn’t lose much, but God would lose a great deal. He would lose His Word, His reputation, because He said He would save me!”
She was right. And God would lose His reputation if He did not make good His covenant to David. But God is faithful.
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant [Ps. 89:3].
God says He made a covenant with David.
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints [Ps. 89:5].
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1), but the faithfulness of God has more glory connected with it than that. “O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.” His faithfulness toward us deserves our praise!
O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? [Ps. 89:8].
We certainly get the impression that he is talking about the faithfulness of God.
I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him [Ps. 89:20].
God says, “I will make good what I promised David at the time I anointed him.”
God rests upon what He has promised David:
But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted [Ps. 89:24].
The “horn” speaks of his strength.
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth [Ps. 89:27].
God’s covenant to David was that He would be sending One in his line. The covenant centers on the Lord Jesus Christ. Of Him God says, “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” Look at this—it is wonderful. When God sent the Lord Jesus into this world, He came as the only begotten Son, and by His incarnation yonder at Bethlehem He became the Son of God. Thus He was revealed in His life of humiliation—God manifested in the flesh. And after He died a sacrificial death—for that is the reason He came from heaven—He became in resurrection the firstborn, the first begotten from the dead. He is speaking of the resurrected Christ: “Also I will make him my firstborn”—the resurrected Christ, the One who came back from the dead after He had died on the cross. It simply means that the scepter of this universe is in nail-pierced hands.
But we are told here that He is “higher than the kings of the earth.” This means that He is Lord of lords and King of kings! The psalmist now is talking about the Lord Jesus. Therefore again He says:
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him [Ps. 89:28].
Now we must correctly divide the Word of Truth. Verses 29–32 cannot speak of Christ, but of David’s posterity. Suppose that David’s children forsake God. What will God do?
If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes [Ps. 89:30–32].
Does it sound as though God is through with His children if they are not faithful to Him? No!
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail [Ps. 89:33].
Oh, my friend, I may be faithless; but my God is faithful. What wonderful assurance!
Next God takes an oath concerning the covenant He made with David:
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me [Ps. 89:34–36].
At this very moment there is One sitting at the right hand of God who is coming to earth to sit on that throne of David. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David.
It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah [Ps. 89:37].
David will have a Son who will sit on the throne of this universe. That fact is as established as the moon is established in the heavens, and it looks like the moon is going to be there for a long time. God will make good His covenant with David.
Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth? [Ps. 89:49].
To these people who had gotten away from God at this time, it looked as if God had forgotten His covenant. But He hadn’t forgotten His covenant. God is faithful. God has the Man to sit on David’s throne.
NUMBERS SECTION
PERIL AND PROTECTION (EARTH IN VIEW) PSALMS 9–106
This begins the fourth section, the Book of Numbers in the “Pentateuch” of the Psalms. It opens with a prayer of Moses. It is the only psalm of Moses that we have. Moses was the first writer of the Bible, and you would naturally think that his psalm would be the first one. If you or I had arranged the Psalms, we probably would have placed it at the very beginning. But we did not do the arranging, and I am of the opinion that God supervised even the arrangement because Psalm 90 falls into place in such a wonderful way.
The Book of Numbers records the great tragedy of a generation dying in the wilderness, never reaching the goal, which was the Promised Land. How appropriate it is to begin this Numbers section with Psalm 90, the prayer of Moses.
PSALM 90
Theme: The prayer of Moses
The setting for this psalm is out there on the desert during Israel’s wanderings. You recall that when the people of Israel came from the bondage of Egypt, they were led first to Mount Sinai where God gave them the Law. Then they went up to enter the Promised Land; but, instead of entering it, they turned back to that frightful desert. For thirty-eight years they wandered in the desert—until that generation died. Moses saw a lot of people die—over two million of them—and his psalm is the psalm of death.
To me it is a remarkable psalm. It was Martin Luther who wrote: “Just as Moses acts in teaching the law, so does he in this Psalm. For he preaches death, sin and condemnation, in order that he may alarm the proud who are secure in their sins, and that he may set before their eyes their sin and evil.” My friend, that is the teaching of this psalm.
Notice how majestic and sublime it is as it opens:
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God [Ps. 90:1–2].
The word everlasting is figurative in the Hebrew. It means “from the vanishing point to the vanishing point.” God is from the vanishing point in the past and reaches to the vanishing point in eternity future. Just as far as you can see, from vanishing point to vanishing point, He is still God. How majestic is this thought! Man is just one of God’s creatures, an offspring, as it were. In the Book of Genesis Moses wrote, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:27). Then in Genesis 2:7 Moses said, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” This psalm regards man as a created being, not as an evolved animal. He is a creature in a class by himself. He has a body that was taken from the ground, a body by which he is going to earn his living down here by the sweat of his brow until the day comes when it returns to the dust out of which God created it. That’s the picture of man.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men [Ps. 90:3].
God returns man’s frail body to the dust, saying, “Go back to where you came from.”
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night [Ps. 90:4].
Suppose, my friend, you live as long as Methuselah lived—almost a thousand years—that would be like just a watch in the night. It would be like the flight of a bird through a lighted room, coming out of the darkness through one window and going out another window into the darkness again. Even if you could live one thousand years, you wouldn’t be very much. Life is so brief compared to eternity.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth [Ps. 90:5–6].
This is a picture of man. In the wilderness Moses saw over one million people die. He probably attended more funerals than anyone else. Man’s body was taken from the ground, and Moses saw that body put back into the ground from which it had come.
This leads me to another subject. I have received several letters asking me what I think about cremation. I do not believe in cremation. I don’t mean that God cannot raise up your body if you are cremated, but cremation is not a good testimony for a believer. Many unbelievers in Southern California want to be cremated and have their ashes scattered over the ocean. I knew an undertaker in Pasadena who was a pilot. He told me that many people wanted their ashes scattered over the ocean, and that was one of the services he provided. What is the motive of folk who want to be cremated and their ashes scattered over the ocean? Many of them don’t want their bodies resurrected; they think that God will not be able to get their bodies back together again.
Christian friend, you give a testimony when you take your dead loved one who is in Christ and you bury him in the ground. In John 12:24 the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” This is the picture of the Lord’s death and resurrection. When you bury your loved one, you are planting that body, expecting his resurrection some day. In the early days the cemetery was called two things: (1) an inn, a place where people sleep for a time, and (2) a field, a place where seed is planted. You do not burn up your seed! When you bury your dead, you are planting seed. Your testimony is that you believe God meant what He said when He promised resurrection, and you are looking forward to being reunited with that loved one some day.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance [Ps. 90:8].
Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer used to say that secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven. The angels are watching you; they see what you do down here.
For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told [Ps. 90:9].
In the Hebrew this verse is figurative: “We spend our years as a moan.” We go through life moaning. If you do not know the Savior today and have no hope for eternity, you just don’t have anything to live for, do you? You don’t have purpose in life or any direction.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten: and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away [Ps. 90:10].
Threescore years and ten is seventy years. Fourscore years is eighty years. If you make it to eighty years, you sure are going to have a lot of rheumatism and arthritis. I am finding this to be true already. What a picture this gives of us down here! If you live for eighty years, it is going to be uphill all the way. We talk about coming to the “sunset” of life, but that is when you start going uphill, not downhill. We just pass our days as a moan. It is well to have a future, and that is what the believer has when he puts his faith in Christ.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom [Ps. 90:12].
It is Christ who is made unto us wisdom. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). If you have Christ, you have wisdom and hope.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it [Ps. 90:17].
Oh, to do something in this life that will have value in eternity!
My friend, Moses out there in the desert, pausing day after day in the wilderness march to bury someone, got a perspective on life that many of us do not have. What a beautiful and practical psalm this is!
PSALM 91
Theme: Song of life and light
As Psalm 90 was a psalm of death, so Psalm 91 is a psalm of life; it is a messianic psalm and gives a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. However it reveals a wonderful place of protection and security for us. It is a psalm that is very popular among God’s people, both old and young of all ages. Many have been greatly blessed by it.
Psalm 90 was a picture of the first man, Adam; and in Adam all die. It was a psalm of death. But Psalm 91 is a picture of the Lord from heaven, a truly messianic psalm and a psalm of life.
This is a psalm that was quoted by Satan. It is one he knows very well, as we shall see.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust [Ps. 91:1–2].
This is beautiful language, my friend. “I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress.” The One who is depicted for us in these verses is the same Man who was the blessed Man in Psalm 1—the Lord Jesus Christ—the perfect, holy, sinless Man. He always dwells in the secret place of the Most High. My problem is that I am there sometimes, but my stay is like it is in motels—only for a night or two at a time.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence [the pestilence that destroys].
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day [Ps. 91:3–5].
A young man in my congregation claimed this verse as his when he went into military service. He felt that it brought him through combat safely.
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday [Ps. 91:6].
Another young man took this verse with him when he was in the Navy Air Corps. He was a very fine young man, and he retired as a commander. This was the verse he claimed as his.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked [Ps. 91:7–8].
I believe these verses can be used by God’s people, and many times God has made them real to His people; but they actually picture our Lord. I want to give you the statement of Dr. A. C. Gaebelein, a Bible teacher of the past generation. He had this to say about this passage: “Let us think of Himself first of all. There was no sin in Him, and that which is the result of sin, disease and death, had no claim on Him. In every way He was the perfect Man, and because He trusted in God His Father, walked in perfect obedience, the great fowler, Satan, could not catch Him nor the pestilence of destruction. Covered by His feathers, under His wings, the perfect Man on earth found His constant refuge. He knew no fear; that which befell others could never come nigh unto Him. And His own follow Him in the life of trust and obedience, claiming also the preservation and protection” (The Book of Psalms, p. 347). I pause to intrude with this: I think that the two young men I mentioned, who claimed verses from this psalm, had a perfect right to do so, and God made them real in their lives. Dr. Gaebelein continues: “Yet how true it is ‘our body is dead on account of sin.’ Fanaticism may claim all these statements as having an absolute meaning for the trusting child of God, experience teaches often the opposite. Because we are the failing and erring creatures of the dust we need discipline and have to pass through the tests of faith. Yet in it all the believer can be in perfect peace, knowing that all is well. ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust’ is the summit of true faith and confidence in God” (The Book of Psalms, p. 347). This is quite a wonderful statement, is it not?
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling [Ps. 91:9–10].
This pictures Christ, you see.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone [Ps. 91:11–12].
This is the passage that the Devil quoted, and the interesting thing is that Satan knew this psalm applied to the Lord Jesus. He knew something a lot of theology professors don’t know today. During the Lord’s temptation, Satan said, “For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee.” This statement is recorded in Luke 4:10; it seems that the Devil quotes Scripture for his purposes. Well, I don’t think he can quote it, but he can misquote it, and in this case that is just what he did. He left out the words, “in all thy ways.” The Lord Jesus Christ came to do the Father’s will, and that meant to walk in His ways. He would have stepped out of the will of God if He had attempted to make the stones into bread, or if He had accepted the kingdoms of the world from Satan, or if He had cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. To do any of that would have been out of the way of God. The promise is: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Now in verse 14 there are two “becauses,” and they are very important:
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him [Ps. 91:14–15].
You see, the perfect Man went into the jaws of death. He went down into the lowest parts of the earth, which meant death and the grave. Deliverance came on the third day when God raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory. God says, “I will set him on high.” What a picture we have of Christ in this psalm!
PSALM 92
Theme: Song of praise for the sabbath day
This psalm bears the inscription: “A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.” It is a song of praise that naturally follows a messianic psalm. It tells of praise and worship and adoration—that’s what the sabbath was given for. However, worship in this psalm is connected with an earthly sanctuary and actually looks forward to the day when, once again, an earthly sanctuary will be established in Jerusalem and God’s redeemed people will worship there. The worship of believers today is a little bit different. The Lord said to the Samaritan woman, “… Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father ….But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:21, 23). Believers today are made into a kingdom of priests unto God, not to serve Him in an earthly sanctuary, but to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The psalm opens on this glorious note:
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High [Ps. 92:1].
Do you want to do a good thing today? Do you want to do a good turn? All right, give thanks to the Lord right now wherever you are and sing praises to His name.
To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night [Ps. 92:2].
You can thank Him in the morning; you can thank Him at night for His lovingkindness and faithfulness. I always thank Him in the morning. I must confess that I sometimes forget to thank Him at night, but I always thank Him early in the morning for a new day and for His lovingkindness that has brought me to a new day. At night, when you go to bed, you can thank Him for his faithfulness in bringing you through the day. I think it is quite an undertaking to bring Vernon McGee through any day. It is wonderful to have a God who will do that!
A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this [Ps. 92:6].
The New Scofield Reference Bible says, “A stupid man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this.” They do not know about, nor understand, God’s lovingkindness or faithfulness.
This is a millennial psalm which looks forward to the future, when the time of worship will once again be on the sabbath day. I don’t worship on the sabbath; I worship on the first day of the week, because my Lord was dead on the sabbath day, but He came back from the dead on the first day of the week.
But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore [Ps. 92:8].
“Most high” is a millennial name for our God. This psalm is a great millennial psalm, but some verses look back in retrospect to earthly conditions. Man is pictured as brutish. He does not walk uprightly. He does not look up to God. He thinks he does, but he does not. He actually looks down and grovels in the filth of sin. He is a fool. He lacks good sense. He cannot understand because God says, “… [his] foolish heart was darkened” (Rom. 1:21). The brutish man denies God, and he lives like a brute. He lives like an animal—like a pig. Many people live as though God does not exist. They just eat, and sleep, and rest, and play, and work. That’s it—that’s life for them!
But what a beautiful picture we have brought before us here:
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [Ps. 92:12].
The palm tree has been an emblem of victory, and the cedar tree denotes strength and seriousness. This is a picture of the righteous who are walking in fellowship with God even today.
PSALM 93
Theme: Millennial psalm of sheer praise
This is a brief psalm with only five verses. This little psalm, tucked between psalms 92 and 94, is a song of sheer praise because the King is reigning. It is a millennial kingdom psalm and speaks of the Lord who has come to reign gloriously over the earth.
The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved [Ps. 93:1].
“Jehovah reigneth”—this is the Lord Jesus. He is clothed with majesty. This is a psalm that will really have meaning when He comes to reign on this earth. All rebellious opposition will be broken down, and all those who have opposed God will be dethroned on the earth.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves [Ps. 93:3].
The flood tide of sin is over. Satan’s head has been crushed.
The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever [Ps. 93:4–5].
What a wonderful time of rejoicing this will be!
PSALM 94
Theme: A call upon God to intervene against the wicked
Psalms 94 to 100 form a series of psalms that tell a consecutive story. These seven glorious psalms are kingdom songs celebrating the reign of the Messiah. They are a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ and His reign on earth following the time of the Great Tribulation and all the trouble that comes upon man during that period.
Psalm 94 is a call upon God to intervene in righteousness against the wicked. It is a cry from the remnant in the time of trouble preceding the kingdom.
O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself [Ps. 94:1].
“Shew thyself” or “shine forth, O God.” Many people say, “O, if the Lord would only come.” Well, He is coming, friend; but He is coming on His schedule, not on mine or any man’s schedule. Then when He comes, He will take care of all those things that caused us suffering. For the present He simply says, “Take my hand, and walk in faith.” Vengeance belongs to the Lord. He will repay. God will take care of things and set them right. There are a lot of things that need to be straightened out; and, when He comes to earth again in power and great glory, He will make things right. In the meantime, we are not to avenge ourselves. Turn those matters over to Him.
Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? [Ps. 94:8–9].
Once again God is speaking to the stupid and foolish man. God is Spirit. He does not have ears like we do, but He hears. He does not have eyes like we do, but He sees. The sinner down here on this earth seems to think he is getting away with sin. God sees; God hears, and He is able to keep a record of what man does. My friend, there are only two places for your sins: either they are on Christ, or they are on you. If they are on Christ, the judgment is passed; if they are not, you have only judgment to look forward to in the future. Those who are in Christ have the glorious prospect of life with Him to look forward to in the days ahead. My friend, if you have not yet come to Christ, you will have to stand before God in judgment.
When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up [Ps. 94:18].
The psalmist says, “I would have slipped, but God held me up.”
And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off [Ps. 94:23].
The psalm concludes with the confidence that God has heard and will judge the wicked.
PSALMS 95–99
Theme: Songs of joy
Psalm 95 is just a delightful hymn of praise.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods [Ps. 95:1–3].
Then He is worshiped as the Creator:
In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker [Ps. 95:4–6].
Psalm 96 is another wonderful psalm of praise when the Lord Jehovah, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, shall reign over the whole earth.
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth [Ps. 96:1].
We have already seen that this “new song” is the song of redemption. The Book of Revelation says we will sing it.
Here we have idolatry mentioned:
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens [Ps. 96:4–5].
Idolatry is referred to here because the Millennium will end all idolatry. There are men today who think themselves wondrously wise by turning to all kinds of religions. May I say to you that the day will come when atheism, deism, polytheism, and all of the cults will be done away with.
Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength [Ps. 96:7].
The Lord Jesus Christ will fulfill prophecy, end idolatry, and banish Satan; then all creation will rejoice.
Psalm 97 is similar to Psalm 96 because its message is, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof [Ps. 97:1].
This is not a hymn of Christ’s first coming to earth but of His second coming to earth.
Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods [Ps. 97:7].
“Gods” should be translated angels—compare Hebrews 1:6—“And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”
Psalm 98 is the second stanza of the new song of worship.
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory [Ps. 98:1].
Psalm 99 is a song to the King whose throne is a throne of grace and mercy.
The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved [Ps. 99:1].
This is another great psalm of praise to God, the Mighty One. If you haven’t formed the habit of praising God, you should. If you are going to heaven, you had better tune up, because you are going to spend a lot of time praising Him in heaven and the best place to tune up is down here. We are going to come to a psalm that says that the Lord is good—let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. That psalm looks to the future when we will praise Him during the Millennium. It is not the Millennium yet, but there is no reason why we should not praise Him today. Do you know why we should praise Him? Because He is wonderful, He is faithful, and His loving-kindness endures forever. He will always be good to me, and He will always be good to you. Doesn’t this do something for you?
PSALM 100
Theme: Chorus of the hymn to Him
This psalm is the grand finale of that wonderful little cluster of psalms that began with Psalm 94 and closes with this psalm. In this section we have seen the Lord Jesus Christ as King. Jehovah is King. In Psalm 93 we saw that, “The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty …” (Ps. 93:1). This phrase speaks of the future and the time that the Lord will come again to earth. The first time He came to earth He did not come in majesty. He came, as George Macdonald put it, “a little baby thing that made a woman cry.” He is coming to earth the next time, as we are told in this psalm, “clothed with majesty.” Psalm 94:1 begins, “O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth….” When the Lord comes to earth again, He will make things right. We could not do it because we would be vindictive; the Lord will not reign that way. He will vindicate, but He will not be vindictive. Then Psalm 95: “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” Psalm 96: “O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.” Psalm 97: “The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice ….” Psalm 98: “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things….” Psalm 99: “The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble….”
Now we come to the great doxology, Psalm 100. This is the Hallelujah chorus at the conclusion of this series. It is the glorious finale of this very precious cluster of psalms. Listen to it:
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing [Ps. 100:1–2].
Once again I would emphasize the fact that God does not want you to come before Him to worship with a long face. There are times when we have long faces; problems beset us, temptations overcome us, or we come to God in repentance, asking Him for forgiveness. We cast ourselves upon Him. But none of that is worship. You worship God when you come to praise Him. He wants you to be happy. At the time of this writing most of the bars have what is called a “happy hour.” I wish we had a “happy hour” in church, without the liquid. Let’s tune up and get ready to worship the Lord. “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.” That includes everybody. That is universal praise. There is a time coming when the entire world will be able to sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” This is a wonderful psalm of praise—praise Him, worship Him, glorify Him. Now that I am a retired preacher I find myself becoming an expert on telling young pastors how they should conduct their services. There is one criticism I want to make concerning my own ministry, and that is that I did not have enough praise included in the services. We ought to praise God more. We ought to worship God more. We ought to come joyfully into His presence.
This psalm is just like a great doxology. There are many doxologies in the Word of God. Believers can sing the one in Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” God has been good to us. He has given us all spiritual blessings, but some of us do not avail ourselves of them; we are keeping them in cold storage, waiting for a rainy day. Well, it is a rainy day today—regardless of how bright the sun is shining. Start using the blessing God has for you! Here is another wonderful doxology in the first chapter of the Revelation: “… Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever” (Rev. 1:5–6). My, I don’t know about you, but that just carries me into the clouds! The whole world is called upon to shout aloud their praises unto Jehovah and to sing the mighty Hallelujah chorus, because in that day the whole world will know Him.
In this next verse is something quite interesting—the homogenizing of God as the Creator and as the Redeemer.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture [Ps. 100:3].
There are a lot of people who do not know that the Lord is God. Many Christians are not aware of this fact. In the early Christian church when the first persecution broke out, the apostles came back to the church in Jerusalem and reported what was happening. Their report moved the church to pray, and they began their prayer by saying, “Lord, thou art God …” (Acts 4:24). Someone says, “That is easy to say.” Yes, but the question is, Do you believe it today? There are many Christians who act as if He is not God.
“It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves”—God is the Creator. We ought to worship Him because He is the Creator! He made this universe!
Not only do we worship Him as Creator, but “we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” How do you become a sheep? You must be redeemed. This is a case where the Shepherd died for the sheep; the sheep did not die for this Shepherd. What sheep are being talked about in this psalm? The sheep are Israel. The Lord is their Shepherd too. The Lord Jesus told them that He had “other” sheep that were not part of the flock of Israel. “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:14–16). The Lord is the Shepherd of Israel; He is also my Shepherd and yours—if we belong to Him.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name [Ps. 100:4].
This is the way God wants you to come into His presence. Someone told me the other day that he attended the services of one of the great churches of the past and had never witnessed a place that was so dead. Do you know what the problem was? People were not coming to church with praise in their hearts. They did not come to the service with thankfulness in their hearts to God. They did not enter His gates with thanksgiving. If you go to church on Sunday to worship, make sure you go with thanksgiving and praise in your heart. If you fail to do that, you are not going to be very helpful to your church.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations [Ps. 100:5].
I don’t know who you are, or why you are, or where you are, but I do know that God is good to you, and He is good to me. Oh, how good He is!
“His mercy is everlasting.” He hasn’t run out of it. Perhaps since He extended so much mercy to me, you thought He had exhausted His supply. He hasn’t. He has a lot left for you. His mercy is everlasting. Like the flour in the barrel belonging to the widow that Elijah helped—it never runs out.
“His truth endureth to all generations.” My, what a great psalm of praise this is!
PSALM 101
Theme: Song to the King who rules in righteousness and judgment
This is a Davidic psalm. It begins a little nest of six psalms (101–106) that speak of praise to the King. Guess who is the subject of the hymnbook? It is all about Him again, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the King of righteousness and peace, and He is going to reign on this earth. This is a psalm that could not fit into David’s reign at all, so it must be a prophetic psalm. It looks into the future to the Man whom God told David about—the Man who would be coming in David’s line. It wasn’t about Solomon or any other in the Davidic line until Jesus was born in Bethlehem, because He was of the house and lineage of David. The Lord Jesus is the Man about whom the psalmist is singing.
I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing [Ps. 101:1].
This psalm begins, as others have done, with singing praises to God. “I will sing of mercy and justice [rather than judgment].” Now mercy and justice don’t get along together today. It is difficult for man to hold them in balance, but God can do it. And we can sing of mercy and justice, because it is “unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.” He is the King of righteousness and He is the King of peace. What a wonderful One is presented here!
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart [Ps. 101:2].
I don’t remember David ever walking like that. The One whom we see here is the Redeemer, the only-begotten of the Father. The King speaks as the Son of Man. Notice that He was the Son of Man on the earth. In His work as the Redeemer He was the only-begotten of the Father, but He took His place in subjection to God’s will. He occupied a lower place while He was on earth, but He took it willingly. We attempt to get a higher place. He took a lower place in order that He might bring us to a higher place. Before His incarnation Christ said, “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:7). While our Lord was on earth, He stated that His meat and drink were to do the will of the Father who sent Him, and He did perfectly His Father’s will. He waited patiently for that hour called “My hour” when He wrought out your salvation and mine. Today He is at God’s right hand and is still doing the will of His Father. He is waiting for that hour when the Father will send Him into the world again, because the Father has said, “… Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1). We are told that “… when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). This verse has caused a great deal of discussion. What does it really mean? It means that after He reigns on this earth, subject to the Father, He is going back to His place in the Godhead, a member of the Trinity. But when He is on this earth it is said of Him, “… I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Heb. 2:12).
Now notice how Christ is going to reign—and David never reigned like this:
A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord [Ps. 101:4–8].
Dr. Gaebelein translates these verses a little more clearly: “A perverse heart shall depart from Me, an evil person I will not recognize. Whosoever slandereth his neighbor, I will destroy; him with a lofty look and proud heart I will not suffer. Mine eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Me; He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve Me. He that is given to deceit shall not dwell within My house, he that speaketh lies shall not be established in My sight. Morning after morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all workers of iniquity from the City of Jehovah” (The Book of Psalms, p. 379). This is a picture of Christ’s reign here on this earth. During the Millennium you will not be able to take your case to the Supreme Court, for the very simple reason that Christ is the Supreme Court. He is the only One who will judge. The Father has turned over all judgment to His Son, and He will judge everyone every morning. They will have to toe the mark. The Lord is going to be a dictator when He reigns on earth, and everyone will do His will.
Then they will sing a new song to the King who rules in righteousness and judgment.
PSALM 102
Theme: Prayer of trouble and sorrow
This is a messianic psalm that pictures the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane. The writer of this psalm is not mentioned. Since there have been all sorts of guesses as to who wrote it, I will guess that it was David. The inspired inscription of this psalm is “A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.” This psalm pictures the affliction and humiliation of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. As we will soon find, the Holy Spirit has marked out this psalm as messianic in the New Testament.
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee [Ps. 102:1].
Dr. Gaebelein’s translation is: “Jehovah, hear My prayer and let My cry come unto Thee!” Here is a case where Jehovah prays to Jehovah! He came in humiliation; yet He was Jehovah manifested in the flesh. In Genesis we find a remarkable statement: “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Gen. 19:24). In other words, Jehovah on earth asks Jehovah in heaven to bring down judgment. Dr. Gaebelein adds this comment: “But here in humiliation, facing His great work as the sin-bearer, the fellow of Jehovah (Zech. 13:7) cries unto Him ‘that was able to save Him out of death.’ We have here in prophecy ‘the prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears’ of Gethsemane (Heb. 5:7)” And He was heard. But we find here that the wrath of the holy and righteous God fell upon Him because He bore your sins and my sins.
What a glorious and wonderful psalm this is!
Now here we see the deepest woe and agony that man can have:
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me [Ps. 102:8].
This expresses the depth of despair.
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down [Ps. 102:10].
The words indignation and wrath are the strongest terms you can use in the Hebrew language. The Lord endured this. Why? He did it “… for the joy that was set before him …” (Heb. 12:2).
But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come [Ps. 102:12–13].
He will have mercy upon Zion! And so it was “… for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame …” (Heb. 12:2). He died, you see, for the nation Israel. John 11:51 mentions that it was necessary for one to die for the nation. And Christ did die for that nation.
And He is going to build Zion again when He appears in His glory—which will be at His second coming.
When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory [Ps. 102:16].
Our Lord knew that through His sacrificial death Zion would ultimately be redeemed.
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.
But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end [Ps. 102:25–27].
The Holy Spirit quotes this passage in Hebrews 1:10–12, and we would not have known that Psalm 102 was a messianic psalm if it hadn’t pleased the author of the Bible, the Spirit of God, to reveal the meaning of this section in the first chapter of Hebrews. Psalm 102 applies to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is His prayer of trouble and sorrow. This is the King in Gethsemane—His humiliation before His exaltation, as set forth in Hebrews 5:7, which says, “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.” Because He suffered for us, He can sympathize with us. I like to think of Psalm 102 as the psalm of Gethsemane.
PSALM 103
Theme: A great psalm of praise for the tender mercies of God
When Gustavus Adolphus entered Augsburg after his victory at Leipzig, he had this psalm read. It looks forward to a new day; in fact, it looks beyond the Millennium into eternity where it will find the fullness of fulfillment. In the past the nation of Israel turned to this psalm, today the godly Israelite turns to this psalm, and in the future he will also turn to this psalm. Individual believers today find it a real source of strength and light. It is a psalm of thanksgiving for things, and a psalm of praise for a Person—that Person is Christ. I suppose it was sung antiphonally. The psalm begins as a solo and ends in a symphony of universal praise. I have divided the psalm like this: (1) Admonition for the present; (2) Declaration concerning Jehovah; (3) Declaration concerning man; and (4) Proclamation for the future.
ADMONITION FOR THE PRESENT
Psalm 103 begins with an admonition for the present, and notice how personal it is.
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits [Ps. 103:1–2].
Twice we are told to bless the Lord, twice in the first two verses. This is a psalm that gets way down where we live; it reveals something to our hearts. The Polychrome Bible translates the first verse, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is deepest within me, bless his holy name.” We are told to praise and glorify the Lord; yet when I read this psalm I recognize that the best I can do just doesn’t quite make it. My soul goes out to Him but not like it should. My friend, I want to put up a warning signal. There is a real danger today of going to church, observing the ritual, and parroting pious platitudes. This is the thing God warned His people about in Isaiah 29:13, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” It is nothing more than lip service. There is no submission to God’s Word and His demands. They just follow the precepts of men. We see this in Judaism and Romanism; and it is pretty easy for Protestants to point a finger at them and say, “Look how dead their religion is!” My friend, how dead is your church and your personal worship? Oh, if only my praise could be pure and from the depths of my heart! That is what I long for and what we should all long for. There is a lot of chanting and ritualism today in church. It is easy to say that liberalism rejects all of the great truths of God’s Word, but if we simply go to church and mouth these truths, it can also be said of us, “Men worship Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” This psalm says, “All that is within me, bless his holy name.” The flesh cannot do this. I am going to make a confession to you: I can’t worship the Lord like I want to. Do you know why? This old flesh of mine can’t rise to that level. It is only by the Holy Spirit that you and I can worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.
Let’s not forget “all His benefits.” He has been so good to us—how evident this is as we look back over the years.
DECLARATION CONCERNING JEHOVAH
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases [Ps. 103:3].
I am of the opinion that this verse speaks of the kingdom age (there are many people who disagree with me), and I am very frank to say that this refers to physical as well as spiritual diseases. God has made it quite clear what He is going to do during the kingdom age. Isaiah 33:24 says, “And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.” I have been told that many of these “faith healers” emphasize salvation. I don’t think they emphasize salvation at all. Instead they put it on the end of their services like a caboose. My friend, there can be no healing until the sins are forgiven. Disease is the result of sin; and, before healing can take place, the sin question must be settled. Christ was delivered for our offenses. He was raised for our justification. Not until we are justified by faith in Christ can we be forgiven. In 1 Peter 2:24 (a quote from Isaiah 53:5) we read, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” Healed of what? Healed of your sins, my friend. That is the important thing.
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies [Ps. 103:4].
We ought to recognize the fact that many of God’s choicest servants have been ill and afflicted and have never been healed in this life. The apostle Paul was one of these. He had a thorn in his flesh. It may have been eye trouble. If anyone should have claimed healing, it seems to me he should have. Fanny Crosby was blind to her dying day. John Milton was blind. What about these people? Do you have the audacity to say that something was wrong with these people because they were not healed? It is wonderful to be healed, but that is not always God’s plan. Understand one thing: some of God’s choicest servants never experienced healing at all.
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s [Ps. 103:5].
I was very amused one day when I saw a “faith healer” on television. In fact, I was shocked because the picture I had seen of her looked very much like that of a high school girl. What I saw on television was not a high school girl—God had not renewed her youth. That will take place during the Millennium. In fact, I have a new body coming to me. I don’t have it yet, but one day in the future it will be mine.
The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel [Ps. 103:6–7].
God made known His ways to Moses, but all that the children of Israel saw were the miracles. They did not have much understanding. There are many people like them today who recognize certain truths, but they don’t enter into the way of God. Oh, how important that is.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy [Ps. 103:8].
What we need above everything else today is God’s mercy.
DECLARATION CONCERNING MAN
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities [Ps. 103:9–10].
My friend, if God would deal with us according to our sins and according to our iniquities, none of us would be saved.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him [Ps. 103:11].
Oh, how we need his mercy!
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us [Ps. 103:12].
The psalmist does not say, “As far as the north is from the south.” That is quite a distance; but when you start moving from the east to the west, there is no end. When you start going west, you keep going west. When you go north, you eventually reach a point where you start going south, but when you go west, you never stop going west. That is how far God has removed our transgressions from us!
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him [Ps 103:13].
God is so good to us, and we do not seem to recognize it.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust [Ps. 103:14].
Dr. George Gill used to put it like this: “God remembers that we are dust. We forget it, and when dust gets stuck on itself, it is mud.” That is a picture of man.
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more [Ps. 103:15–16].
We won’t be here on earth very long, friend. Someone said to me the other day, “I notice you are getting a little gray.” I replied, “I notice that you are, too.” Do you know what God is trying to tell us? When God puts gray in your hair, He is saying, “You are not going to be here much longer.” When you get arthritis and you have trouble getting up in the morning, that is a warning from God. He is saying, “You won’t be around much longer. You need to get straightened out.”
PROCLAMATION FOR THE FUTURE
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children [Ps. 103:17].
It is a wonderful thing to look into the future and know that God will always be merciful to us.
Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul [Ps. 103:22].
How glorious it will be when all creatures in His dominion will bless Him. This is universal worship when, as Dr. Gaebelein expresses it, “the mighty Hallelujahs will sweep the earth, will sweep the heavens, will come downward and upward, when all creation will join in, when everything which has breath will shout ‘Hallelujah.’”
But in the meantime, let’s not forget to “bless the Lord, O my soul.”
PSALM 104
Theme: Praise to the God of creation
This is a psalm of nature, or as The New Scofield Reference Bible puts it, “Praise to the God of creation.” It begins:
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty [Ps. 104:1].
This psalm speaks about the God of creation. It is a hymn to God in nature because He is Creator.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain [Ps. 104:2].
On the first day of creation God said, “… Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen. 1:3). The second day of creation is pictured in these words: “Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain”—just as you would stretch out a tent. In the day this psalm was written, travelers, such as those with a camel caravan, would arrive at their stopping place for the night and stretch out their tents. Well, that is the way God stretched out; the heavens. As He did this, He put a layer of water above (and sometimes it comes down pretty fast), and the clouds are His charfots.
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind [Ps. 104:3].
On the second day of creation God said, “… Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters” (Gen. 1:6).
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains [Ps. 104:5–6].
On the third day of creation “… God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so” (Gen. 1:9). He had put waters above them—the clouds that go over carry quite a bit of water—now He divides the land and the waters.
At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them [Ps. 104:7–8].
On the fourth day God did not create the sun and moon; He simply said, “… Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen. 1:14). The sun and moon are to regulate time here on this earth. We have this in verse 19:
He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down [Ps. 104:19].
Ancient people learned that the sun and moon regulated seedtime and harvest on the earth. In the ruins of an Indian building in Arizona are two holes which were made in a wall. For a long time no one could figure out why they were there. They finally discovered that when you could look through both of those holes and see the moon it was time to plant corn. God gave us the moon for seasons—He says so. The sun and the moon move according to schedule. Don’t tell me that we are living in a meaningless universe.
What did God create on the fifth day? That was the day animal life appeared.
So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein [Ps. 104:25–26].
“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life …” (Gen. 1:20). It became alive with living creatures and everything that is in the ocean.
Now, what about man?
Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth [Ps. 104:30].
Man now is going to be put on the earth—his home is ready for him.
The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works [Ps. 104:31].
When His creation was finished, God looked upon it and saw that it was good.
He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being [Ps. 104:32–33].
Man is on the earth, created to praise God. He has been put on earth, and he has an address: he lives at No. 1, Garden of Eden.
My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord [Ps. 104:34].
However—
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 104:35].
Man has sinned. So what will God do? He is going to remove him from the earth, my friend. Unless you are willing to turn to Christ, I can assure you of one thing: this earth will not be your permanent dwelling place. God will remove you to another place, and He has another address for you.
PSALMS 105–106
Theme: Historic psalms
Psalms 105 is a hymn to God in history from Abraham to Moses. I am confident that it was written by David because the first part of this psalm is the same as 1 Chronicles 16:8–22, which tells about the time David brought the tabernacle into Jerusalem. This psalm is a recitation of Israel’s history.
O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth [Ps. 105:1–5].
He goes back in history and begins with the descendants of Abraham, and the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then He follows them through Joseph, down into the land of Egypt.
Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham [Ps. 105:23].
Then when His people were oppressed by the Egyptians—
He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.
They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham [Ps. 105:2–27].
Now here is an interesting comment—
Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them [Ps. 105:38].
“Egypt was glad when Israel departed”—they certainly were. They were glad to get Israel out of their hair after those plagues. Then God brought His people into the land. The psalmist recites Israel’s history as something to sing praise about.
My friend, there is something wrong with you if you cannot look back through your life and find something to thank God for. As the final verse of this psalm says, “Praise ye the Lord.”
Psalm 106 is another historic psalm, and a long one; it ends the Numbers section. It follows the children of Israel through the wilderness. It begins:
Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 106:1].
This psalm also speaks about the confession of sins.
We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly [Ps. 106:6].
When you look back over your life, you have something to thank God for if you have turned to Jesus Christ as your Savior and asked Him to forgive your sins. You can thank God for your salvation. These psalms are marvelous, are they not? This psalm shows us Israel’s failure and God’s faithfulness. We ought to become saturated with these psalms.
DEUTERONOMY SECTION PERFECTION AND PRAISE OF THE WORD OF GOD PSALMS 107–150
Psalm 107 begins the Deuteronomy section of the Book of Psalms. Dr. Gaebelein makes this comment: “The fifth book written by Moses begins with a great retrospect in the plains of Moab, in which inspired Moses reviews God’s gracious dealings with His people. They were then facing the land of promise, into which they were soon to enter. In the opening Psalm of this Deuteronomy section the remnant of Israel is seen prophetically regathered and about ready to enter the land. They are looking back over their age long experiences, how He led them, dealt with them, humbled them, preserved and kept them” (The Book of Psalms, p. 399).
Believers of all ages have shared experiences such as these in their personal lives, and they are applicable to you and me.
PSALM 107
Theme: God is good
This is a psalm that has been greatly misunderstood. I feel that an excellent commentator like Matthew Henry, who had wonderful things to say about this psalm, missed it because he did not see the prophetic aspect of it. I trust by now that you are seeing the deep meaning in these psalms when they are put in their proper context. It is the song of the wandering Jew when he reenters the Promised Land. Also this psalm has a special meaning for us in our day and has blessed the hearts of saints down through the ages.
This is a psalm I would like to see set to music. It divides itself naturally into four stanzas, and the chorus is repeated three times (vv. 8, 21, and 31).
THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD—HE DIRECTS PILGRIMS
My suggestion would be that this be sung as a tenor solo.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy [Ps. 107:1–2].
We need more “say so” Christians. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Don’t go around complaining and criticizing. If you are a Christian, tell others how good God is. He is good, but He doesn’t have a good name in the world today. God’s reputation is bad—a reputation is what people think about you. God does not have many friends in court among the multitudes of people in the world—no champion, or defender, and few to testify on His behalf. There are few to take the witness stand and say a good word in His behalf. If you doubt that, look around. Consider the pagan and heathen religions. Their conception of God is terrifying. He is pictured as a god that will destroy, not save; a god that is difficult to approach, and takes no personal interest in his creatures, nor does he love them. The average person today lives in a land with a veneer of civilization, a modicum of education, with a little Christian culture smeared on like face cream. To him God is not a Person to be cultivated; He is kept at arm’s length. He is not considered a good neighbor, and He is very hard to please. Most people think of God as sort of a policeman, waiting around the corner to catch them in some wrongdoing. A little girl accidentally gave the average conception of God when she recited a Scripture verse and got it a bit confused. She said, “If God be for you, you are up against Him.” That is the thinking of many people.
If anyone is going to say that God is good, it will have to be His redeemed ones.God is good. That is not an axiom; it is a proposition that is subject to proof. It is not a cliché, nor a slogan; it is not propaganda. It is true.
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south [Ps. 107:3].
The Lord is gathering people from the east, west, north, and south. Who are they? God is talking about Israel.
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation [Ps. 107:4–7].
Remember that Psalm 107 begins the Deuteronomy section of the Psalms and corresponds to the Book of Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch which was written by Moses. This section deals with the perfection and praise of God’s Word. In Deuteronomy 28:64–65, God already told the Israelites that they would be scattered because of their sins: “And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind.” This has been the picture of the Jews down through the ages when they disobeyed God and were out of their land. But God is going to gather them together once again and make good His promise to establish them in the land. This is a wonderful picture of the providence of God in the lives of His people.
It speaks of me also. God reached down in the wilderness of this world and saved me. He will do the same for you, if He hasn’t already done so. This is a glorious picture of the providence of God in the lives of His ancient people—God is not through with the nation Israel. In fact, God is not through with you and He is not through with me. This section has a message for us.
THE PARDON OF GOD—HE DELIVERS PRISONERS
Let’s make this a soprano solo. It begins on that high note of praise. In fact, it begins with this wonderful chorus:
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! [Ps. 107:8].
The chorus is at the beginning of this section rather than at the end.
As we move down into this psalm, we will notice that God delivers prisoners, and we will see a picture of a man in prison. It describes Israel in the time of trouble, the Great Tribulation that is coming. If a man is in prison at that time, God will deliver him and bring him back into the land. Think of the multitudes in prison in Germany during World War II, and all of them did not get out. I wonder how many of them thought of this psalm at that time?
Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron [Ps. 107:10].
This is a description of the prisoner’s helpless condition.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder [Ps. 107:14–16].
Remember how God brought Simon Peter out of prison and how He delivered Paul and Silas at night. Also He has delivered us from the prison house of sin, and God has given us a pardon. God has a pardon for everyone, my friend. Someone might say, “If there is a pardon, why am I not forgiven?” Well, even in prison today a pardon must be accepted. I remember Dr. Harry Rimmer telling about a case in Pennsylvania in which a man was granted a pardon from prison by the governor, but he would not accept it. The prison officials were in a dilemma. What do you do when a man is granted a pardon and he will not accept it? Finally, an appeal was made to the judge, and he said, “The man will have to stay in prison.” A person has to accept the pardon before he can be free.
The Lord has a pardon for you. In the Lord Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of sins and a pardon for our iniquities, but we have to accept it. Have you accepted your pardon yet? Are you delivered from sin and from the penalty for sin?
This psalm is a marvelous picture of God’s mercy, and think what it is going to mean to Israel in the future! Many of them will be in prison, and God will deliver them and bring them back into their land.
THE PROTECTION OF GOD—HE DISSOLVES PROBLEMS
This should be a bass solo. It opens with that same chorus:
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! [Ps. 107:21].
And, my friend, let’s do it!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing [Ps. 107:22].
God wants you and me to bring an offering of praise and thanksgiving when we come to Him. As a result, “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb. 13:10–15).
You do not have to wait to go to church to give God a sacrifice: that is, the fruit of your lips giving praise to God. What can you thank Him for? You can thank Him for His protection. He has brought you to this present hour.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep [Ps. 107:23–24].
This matter of being a sailor in the days of the psalmist was a dangerous business. A man who went on a voyage couldn’t be sure if he was coming back or not. He was more apt to commit himself to God than folk who board a great ship or a plane in our day. Many folk give it no thought at all, or they adopt the philosophy of fatalism and believe their day to die is predetermined. However, it is wonderful to be able to commit ourselves to God at a time like that.
THE POWER OF GOD—HE DELIGHTS HIS PEOPLE
Here now is the final stanza.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! [Ps. 107:31].
This is a chorus, and we can all join in it because we need God’s power in our lives today. It is said of Thomas Aquinas that one day he walked in on the pope while he was counting the money of the church. The pope said, “Sir Thomas, no longer can the church say to the lame man, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” Thomas wheeled around, started out of the room, and without looking back he replied, “That is right, sir. And no longer can the church say to the lame man, ‘Rise up and walk.’ ” Today we are problem conscious, not power conscious. The early church was conscious of the power of God.
Many years ago the Standard Oil Company had a float in the Pasadena Rose Parade. It was a beautiful float—and I shall never forget it—decorated with American Beauty roses, the likes of which I had never seen before. Right in the middle of the parade the float ran out of gas and had to be towed. Everyone laughed, because the Standard Oil Company float is the last one that should have run out of gas! It certainly should have had gas, and enough of it for the parade, but someone had forgotten to fill the tank, and there it was. As I looked at that poor, helpless float, and I heard everyone laughing, I felt sorry, because it was like the church of today. We are beautiful, decorated in style with all of our buildings, our programs, our services, and our propaganda, but we have no power. Power is what the church needs, and power is what each individual believer needs. One reason we are powerless is that we are not praising the Lord as we should.
Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders [Ps. 107:32].
We need to praise God—praise goes before power. It puts gas in the tank and sends the rocket up yonder.
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord [Ps. 107:43].
A little girl has defined lovingkindness. She said, “If you ask your mother for a piece of bread and butter, and she gives it to you, that is kindness. But if she puts jam on it without you asking her, that is lovingkindness.” My friend, the lovingkindness of God is lavished upon us who belong to Him.
PSALM 108
Theme: Israel’s praise and possession
This is another psalm of David, and it is a very wonderful psalm. The first half is the same as Psalm 57, and the last is like Psalm 60. For this reason it has come under criticism and has been judged as a sort of patchwork. However, it is not that at all. If the portions of other psalms have been joined together, God has a purpose in it.
O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory [Ps. 108:1].
This is Israel’s remnant, redeemed, brought home, praising and exalting the Lord. We saw this in the previous psalm. God is going to bring Israel back into the land. He will gather them from all over the world; and, when they are back in the land, they will praise and glorify God.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth [Ps. 108:7].
These, I believe, are the words of the delivered remnant of Israel. They see themselves receiving their inheritance and dividing the land among the tribes. What a time of rejoicing that will be!
PSALM 109
Theme: Messianic—the humiliation of Christ
This psalm, “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David,” is a messianic psalm. It pictures the humiliation of Christ and is an imprecatory psalm. It has been called a Judas Iscariot psalm, because Simon Peter quoted from this psalm in reference to Judas: “For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take” (Acts 1:20). A “bishopric” is an overseership, and Simon Peter held an election to choose a man to take the place of Judas.
Now notice how this psalm describes Judas Iscariot.
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow [Ps. 109:6–9].
This indicates that Judas was married and had children.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places [Ps. 109:10].
You cannot find anything more dreadful than this imprecatory prayer, which was applied to Judas. As far as I know, no one is defending Judas Iscariot. (I have a notion, however, that certain contemporary judges and organizations would have declared Judas innocent and Jesus guilty!) The Word of God is very clear on the subject—Judas was a guilty man, and he was a lost man. This psalm makes the condition of being lost frightening. It is a terrible thing to be lost! In fact, the Lord Jesus said, “… but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born” (Matt. 26:24). The Lord Jesus made it very clear that the condition of the lost is a terrible thing. In John 3:36, where He gave that wonderful invitation, He also gave the other side of it; He contrasted light and darkness: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” I don’t know how you can make that verse any stronger. The teaching that somehow or other folks who are lost are going to have a second chance, and that there is a larger hope, and that God may have another way, is completely foreign to the Word of God, which says that the wrath of God abides on the person who has not trusted Christ. Jesus Christ endured God’s wrath for us on the cross. He did it for us, and our only way of salvation is to trust Him. If we do not, God’s wrath will be upon us.
PSALM 110
Theme: Messianic—the exaltation of Christ
This psalm, like Psalm 109, is a messianic psalm. It speaks of the exaltation of Christ and begins with the ascension of Christ.
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool [Ps. 110:1].
This psalm is remarkable because it sets forth the deity of Christ. You could not in any way consider this psalm and still deny His deity. This psalm is referred to many times in the New Testament (Acts 2:34, 35; Heb. 1:13; Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:21; 10:12–13).
At the time the enemies of Jesus were making their final onslaught upon Him, the Herodians, a political party, tried to trap Him by forcing Him to make a political statement that would mark Him as a traitor to Rome. When they failed to do that, the Sadducees, a liberal religious party, tried to trap Him with a ridiculous question regarding the Mosaic Law. When they failed, the Pharisees, a religio-political party, tried to trap Him. Jesus’ answer puzzled the Pharisees; so while they huddled again to plan further strategy, Jesus asked them a question: “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions” (Matt. 22:41–46). Notice that Jesus asked a straightforward question: “What think ye of Christ?” The Pharisees answered that He was the Son of David. Upon hearing this answer, the Lord pointed them to Psalm 110 to show them their insufficient knowledge of that particular portion of Scripture which the Jews interpreted as messianic. This psalm, written by David, shows Jehovah talking to Messiah. David calls Messiah “my Lord”; and any Jew who admitted Messiah was David’s descendant was faced with this psalm, where David calls Messiah his “Lord” and claims that He is superior. This showed that Messiah would be more than a king who would merely be a political ruler upon a throne. Also since David called Him “Lord” in this psalm, how can He be his son? The Lord cannot be his son by natural birth; it had to be by supernatural birth. This psalm is telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, was virgin born.
“The Lord said unto my Lord ….” This is an equal speaking to an equal. This is God speaking to God, if you please. Hebrews 1:13 says, “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” This sets forth the deity of Jesus Christ, and it could not be given to us in any stronger fashion. When folk say that the Bible does not teach the deity of Jesus, they are not acquainted with this section of the Word of God, I can assure you.
The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies [Ps. 110:2].
This verse speaks of the coming of Christ to the earth to rule in Zion. Concerning this time Isaiah said, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3). Jerusalem will be the center of the government on earth. God does have a purpose for Israel in the future.
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth [Ps. 110:3].
During “the day of thy power” there will be the greatest turning to Jesus Christ that the world has ever seen. Spurgeon used to say, “God will have more people saved than there will be lost.” It may not look like it today; so don’t press your nose up against the window and be discouraged. God may not be doing so well today, but He is not through yet. He has a host of saved folk behind Him, and He has a great many ahead of Him. He has great plans for the future.
The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek [Ps. 110:4].
Here is another very important truth: the Lord Jesus is a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. This is developed in the Epistle to the Hebrews, because it is one of the greatest truths in the Word of God. At this point let me lift out just one portion from Hebrews: “As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb. 5:6–10). The priesthood of the Lord Jesus is superior to the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament. These verses show both the deity and the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall judge among the heathen [nations], he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries [Ps. 110:5–6].
You see, Christ is coming again in judgment. As Psalm 2:9 makes clear, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head [Ps. 110:7].
I like what Dr. Gaebelein says about this verse; so let me quote him: “The passage places before us once more the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord. The humiliation is that He drank of the brook in the way. We are reminded of the three hundred warriors of Gideon, who went down on their knees and lapped water like dogs and who were later used and exalted through victory. But He went deeper than that. He drank of the deep waters of suffering and death. And therefore God has highly exalted Him. What a wonderful Psalm it is!” (The Book of Psalms, p. 415).
PSALM 111
Theme: Hallelujah for the works of God
This is a hallelujah psalm for the works of God. And in the Hebrew it is a perfect acrostic, which we don’t see in our English translation. This begins a series of three hallelujah psalms (111–113). This psalm praises God for His works and also for His redemption, which is the “new song” that will be sung in heaven. The old song is the song of creation; the new song is the song of redemption. Both are in this psalm.
Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation [Ps. 111:1].
“Praise ye the Lord” means Hallelujah. Now notice the works for which He is being praised:
The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion [Ps. 111:2–4].
The idea today of attributing the origin of this universe to natural causes takes away the glory from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is robbing Him of His glory. It is as bad as denying the Lord’s redemption or denying Him as Savior. If you accept Him as Savior, you also accept Him as Creator.
Now the psalmist mentions the redemption that we have, which is part of the hallelujah chorus:
He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name [Ps. 111:9].
Here we find the word reverend. The holy God is the reverend God. That title should never be applied to a man. No preacher should be called “Reverend.” This is a title for God alone.
God has a redemption for His people.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever [Ps. 111:10].
Oh, my friend, let’s praise the Lord for His works. “The works of the Lord are great!” They are great in His creation and display His omnipotence and His eternal wisdom. They are even greater in His redemption, which reveals His righteousness, honor, and glory. Finally the day will come when redemption will be consummated and all things will be put under His feet; then the redeemed nations and creation itself will sing His praise. Hallelujah!
PSALM 112
Theme: Hallelujah for the righteousness of God
This is another of the wonderful hallelujah psalms, and it also is written as an acrostic in the Hebrew—which, of course, we miss in our English translations. All twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet are included in this psalm.
The emphasis is on praising God for His righteousness. Because of His righteousness, God must judge sin. Aren’t you glad that God is who He is? Suppose He were the Devil and attempted to deceive us and destroy us? It is a horrible thing to even contemplate. But God is good. God is righteous, and for that very reason He has to deal with sin. The day will come when He will make things right, and I want Him to make things right. I would like the things in my own life to be straightened out, wouldn’t you? This is something to praise Him for.
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments [Ps. 112:1].
Don’t despise His commandments. They are a mirror and will let you see who you really are. After broadcasting a series on the Ten Commandments, I received several letters from people who listened to the broadcasts. One man said, “I saw what an awful sinner I was. It was the thing that was separating me from God.” A lady wrote and said that her sin was swearing. She would take God’s name in vain. Then she turned to the Lord and had a remarkable conversion. It is all because she saw herself in God’s mirror. That is what His commandments will do. Don’t despise the commandments; but if you are honest, you know that you cannot be saved by keeping them. They reveal that you need a Savior.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever [Ps. 112:3].
God will never run out of righteousness. He has a good supply of it. Our God is righteous.
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous [Ps. 112:4].
“There ariseth light in the darkness.” Why? Because God is gracious, compassionate, and righteous. We really do not know how good God is. If we did, we would sing the Hallelujah chorus more often.
Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance [Ps. 112:6].
God is not going to lose sight of His own throughout eternity.
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour [Ps. 112:9].
God is interested in the poor, and He has the only poverty program that is going to work. Unfortunately the Democrats, the Republicans, the Communists, and other groups are not interested in His program. They are going to solve the problem themselves. The real problem is that they do well by themselves, instead of doing well by the poor.
The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish [Ps. 112:10].
The day is coming when wickedness will end—it will be gone forever. Hallelujah!
PSALM 113
Theme: A hallelujah chorus to God as Creator and Redeemer
This psalm to the majesty of God opens the Hallel psalms (113–118), which were sung at the Passover feast, the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles, and probably at all feasts of Israel.
This is a precious and delightful psalm of praise and worship.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord [Ps. 113:1].
We should not take the Lord’s name in vain; we should praise the Lord. It is a praise that will never be exhausted because it is to creation’s Lord, to creation’s Redeemer.
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! [Ps. 113:2–6].
God is so high and lifted up that He has to stoop down in order to look into the heavens!
Now notice what God is going to do:
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill [Ps. 113:7].
He is the Savior, the Redeemer!
That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 113:8–9].
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! It is time, my friend, to praise the Lord.
There is one thing I hope to accomplish in this study of the Book of Psalms, and that is to get folk to praise the Lord. Oh, that God’s people would praise Him! My friend, tell somebody today that God is good, then back it up with your experience of His goodness.
PSALM 114
Theme: God leads His dear children along
This is another of the Hallel psalms (which begin or conclude with a Hallelujah). Psalms 113–118 were called the Egyptian Hallel psalms, and they were used at the Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles and Dedication. Apparently they were sung during the time the Passover was being celebrated. Some Bible scholars think three of them were sung at the beginning and three at the end. Others think they were sung intermittently during the Passover feast.
The psalm before us is a call to praise the wonderful God at whom we have been looking in Psalms 112 and 113. In Psalm 113, for instance, He is the Creator, He is the Redeemer, and He will be the Redeemer of creation. Because of this, we are to praise God. The Hallel psalms are for the purpose of praising God.
Notice that this psalm looks back to the time Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage.
When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language [Ps. 114:1].
When Abraham first went into the Land of Promise, he was a stranger. God told him that his people would go down to the land of Egypt where they would become a nation. Israel began as a nation in Egypt, and anti-Semitism was born in Egypt. The Bible tells of their sufferings, their hardships, their persecutions, and their troubles in Egypt. Then God remembered His covenant with them, heard their cry, looked upon the children of Israel, and had respect unto them. God delivered them from Egypt, and this psalm begins with the wilderness march.
Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion [Ps. 114:2].
God is speaking now of the whole nation being a tabernacle. God’s original intention was that Israel would be a nation of priests—not just one tribe—which means they were to be priests for the world. I think that that is what will happen in the Millennium when Israel will serve in the earthly temple.
The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back [Ps. 114:3].
The children of Israel not only crossed the Red Sea, they also crossed the Jordan River (Josh. 3:13–17).
What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? [Ps. 114:5].
The God of creation (whom we saw in Psalm 113 with His omnipotent power) rolled back the Red Sea, and He also held back the waters of Jordan. These were miracles, and I don’t think they can be explained on any other basis. When the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea they had been delivered from Egypt by blood—blood on the doorposts. When they crossed over Jordan they were separated from the wilderness and brought into the Promised Land. These are the two stages of redemption, and they illustrate the two stages of our redemption. The Lord Jesus, on the cross, has delivered us from the penalty of sin—that is for the past. He delivers us from the power of sin in the present—provided we meet His conditions—and He will deliver us from the presence of sin, which has not yet been realized. The crossing of the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan picture the two stages of redemption.
Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters [Ps. 114:7–8].
You can see how appropriate the reading of this beautiful little psalm would be at the celebration of the Passover. It is a call to remembrance of God’s mercy and power on behalf of His people.
PSALM 115
Theme: Glory to God because He is the opposite of heathen idols
This great psalm was sung in the Upper Room at the time our Lord commemorated the Passover with His disciples and instituted the Lord’s Supper. It is thrilling to realize that the Lord Jesus Himself sang this and the other Hallel psalms.
We are not told who the writer is, but it is felt that it was written by someone who was celebrating the Remnant’s return from the Babylonian captivity. It can be divided into three stanzas: (1) the congregation singing (vv. 1–8), (2) the Levites (vv. 9–11), and (3) the congregation (vv. 12–18). You may disagree with me, but it seems to me that it was divided like this.
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake [Ps. 115:1].
The nation Israel is here taking a very humble place, and they are trusting God. They had not been trusting Him, but they are here in the Great Tribulation and are moving toward the Millennium. You can see that singing this during the three feasts was bound to make an impression upon them.
The heathen round about them were ridiculing them, saying, “Where is your God?”
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? [Ps. 115:2].
In other words, “You say He is your God: Why doesn’t He deliver you?”
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased [Ps. 115:3].
God allowed them to suffer because of their sin. It was according to His will, His plan, and His purpose. Israel is beginning to accept their circumstances from God.
Now listen to his apology against idolatry:
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands [Ps. 115:4].
Israel’s God is in heaven. He is the Creator. He is a spirit. Man did not make Him. The gods of the heathen, on the other hand, were made out of silver and gold; they were the work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not [Ps. 115:5–6].
The heathen made their gods with all of the sense organs, but the gods don’t use them; indeed, they cannot use them.
They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat [Ps. 115:7].
In other words, the gods of the heathen cannot help them. Isaiah gave possibly the finest satire against idolatry that you will find in the Scriptures. He says, speaking of men who are idolaters, “He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god” (Isa. 44:14–17). When the idol is made, the man has to carry it on his back into town. Do you see the picture? .A man is carrying his god. God says to man, “I am the Lord. I will carry you.” Does your God carry you, or do you carry your god? To many people their religion is a burden, something that they have to carry on their shoulders. Does God carry you, or do you try to carry Him? If you have to carry your god, that is a modern form of idolatry.
The enemy has ridiculed God’s people; now the Levites will answer those who ridicule:
O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield [Ps. 115:9–11].
Some folks ask me, “What is the answer to atheism? What is the answer to materialism? What is the answer to all of the immorality around us?” Well, don’t bother visiting a psychiatrist and lying on his couch. He doesn’t have the solution. The answer is simple, so simple that many people have passed right by it: trust the Lord. That’s the solution. In the midst of all the atheism, the materialism, and the immorality, trust the Lord. Rest in Him. Draw near to Him. Cast yourself upon Him. Oh, this is a wonderful psalm! It will bring you very close to the Lord.
Beginning with verse 12 the congregation answers. This is, more or less, an antiphonal psalm.
The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron [Ps. 115:12].
God will bless you, too. He will bless your friends, your house, your church, and your community, if only you will turn to Him. The thing that is so wonderful is that He is mindful of us. God has not forgotten me, and He has not forgotten you. I don’t know your name and address, but He knows it. When I am in an airplane and look down and see all the subdivisions of a city, I think of the thousands of people who live there, and who knows them? Society is very impersonal. You are a number where you work and live; you are a number where you attend school, and you are a number to your government. But God knows you. God not only knows your number, He knows your name, and He knows all about you. Trust in Him.
He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great [Ps. 115:13].
This is a categorical, dogmatic statement. Either you believe what it says, or you don’t believe it. If you believe it, what a difference it will make in your life!
The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth [Ps. 115:14–15].
He is the Creator.
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men [Ps. 115:16].
Apparently God did not intend for man to live on the moon. When man journeys to the moon, he is more or less using God’s property. He has given the earth to man.
The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence [Ps. 115:17].
While we are here on earth we are to praise the Lord—here is where it counts.
But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord [Ps. 115:18].
Those who know Him will bless Him from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah! You don’t mind saying that, do you? Even if you are a dignified Presbyteriar or an Episcopalian, you should not mind praising the Lord. It won’t hurt any of us to do that. Many of us have tensions and hang-ups. One of the best remedies is to open your heart to the Lord and praise His name. Talk to Him. It will help a great deal.
PSALM 116
Theme: A love song because God swallows death in victory
This is one of the great psalms in Scripture. Some expositors place it next to Psalm 23 in greatness. It is a psalm of thanksgiving. Man is in distress and calls upon God, and God hears in mercy. It is a love song. It is a Hallel psalm. It is a simple psalm that speaks of the past sufferings of Christ in the presence of death. The night He was arrested and the day before He died the Lord sang this psalm. I wish I could have heard Him sing it! Some folk say they wish they could have heard our Lord speak; I would love to have heard Him sing! It was “… for the joy that was set before him [that He] endured the cross …” (Heb. 12:2) and He sang that last night with great joy!
It is a psalm that speaks of the future, of the deliverance of the faithful remnant during the Great Tribulation period. Also it speaks of the present and has a message for modern man, for the believer in this hour in which we live. This is what God wants us to know. It is a gracious word for those in distress and trouble. It will relieve your anxiety and dispel your doubts. The Lord Jesus sang this psalm the night before He was crucified. In verses 1–5, God hears. In verses 6–13, God helps. In verses 14–19, God is holy.
GOD HEARS
I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications [Ps. 116:1].
“Ilove the Lord”—remember that this is a love song. Have you ever told Him that you love Him? I feel that the most important thing in the Christian life is right at this point. Do you love the Lord Jesus? Do you love His person? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Is there any communication with Him? Have you talked to Him today? Is He vital and real to you? The world is tired of that which is phoney, and aren’t you tired of it too? The Scripture says, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). The Lord said to Simon Peter, “… Lovest thou me?” (John 21:15–17). “… Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5). To the church in Philadelphia the Lord said, “I will make them to come and worship before thy feet. and to know that I have loved thee” (Rev. 3:9). Philadelphia represents the Bible-believing church today.
Now what is the basis for all of this? “I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice.” Are we to pray audibly? Well, it says, “he hath heard my voice,” and that implies audible prayer. I like to talk to the Lord as I drive along in my car. (And, believe me, we need to talk to the Lord as we drive in Southern California these days!)
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell [sheol] gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow [Ps. 116:3].
This is the desperate situation of our Lord on the cross. He knew what He would go through—He sang about it the night before He died. Actually the sentence of death was upon us, but it became His sentence. He did not have to die. He laid down His life for you and me. No one took His life from Him.
Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul [Ps. 116:4].
He cried out to the Lord, “Save Me.” His prayer was heard.
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful [Ps. 116:5].
God is merciful, but God is righteous. He cannot just arbitrarily forgive sin. He has to be right when He does it. God is the moral Ruler of this universe. He has to be right; He has to be holy; He has to be just, but He also wants to be merciful. The only way was to pay the penalty for the sin of man. Now He says, “Come on, I can receive you.”
GOD HELPS
The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee [Ps. 116:6–7].
After a difficult, frustrating, pressure-filled day, we need to seek out a quiet place where we can confess our sins, read the Word, and talk with God. That is the sanctuary of the soul. Oh, how all of us need this—“Return unto thy rest, O my soul.” This will enable us to walk out and face the world for God.
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord [Ps. 116:13].
Apparently this was the Passover cup being passed at this time. As they passed it around the group they would sing, “I will take the cup of salvation.” They knew the Passover cup was pointing to the One who was coming. Our Lord sang this in the Upper Room. I have wondered if this was the cup about which He said, “You take this cup and drink it. I’ll not take it until I drink it new in the kingdom, because I have a cup to drink tomorrow.” Then out in Gethsemane He prayed that the cup would pass from Him. His holy nature rebelled against being made sin. Yet “… for the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross…” (Heb. 12:2), and He took that cup joyfully the next day on the cross.
GOD IS HOLY
This brings us to the last section of this psalm which tells us that God is holy. His holiness is important. It is the reason He had to die for us.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints [Ps. 116:15].
Precious was the death of Christ to God. Precious will be the deaths of those who lay down their lives as martyrs during the Great Tribulation period, and many will do so. I am not sure but what we can apply this today. The death of God’s children is precious in His sight.
O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine hand-maid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord [Ps. 116:16–17].
The only thing that you can give God is your thanksgiving. That is all He wants from you. God wants His children to be thankful. Have you ever thanked Him for your salvation? Have you thanked Him for this day? Oh, to come to the light of a new day—what a privilege it is!
Forgive me for a personal illustration. When my daughter married and left home, it was a very difficult time for me. When I watched her drive off with a “strange” man, I went back over her short life. In my ministry I have been away from home a great deal. After World War II when Youth for Christ was really moving, I honestly believed that revival was going to come to our nation. For two years I never was at home on Saturday night. I spoke for Youth for Christ from border to border and from coast to coast. I averaged five nights away from home each week. I recalled one time at the railroad station, as my daughter, a little tyke then, said to me, “Daddy, either we come down here to tell you good-bye or to come and get you.” Then she looked up at me and asked, “Can’t you stay home more?” Thinking of that, I wrote a letter to her in which I said, “I feel like I have failed you.” A short time later when my wife and I were in the Hawaiian Islands, I received a letter from her. She wrote, “You did not fai me. I thank you for all you did for me.” My friend, I would rather have that thank-you than a check for a million dollars. There is nothing that she could give me that I want—just that: “I thank you.” Oh, how valuable that is!
My friend, you have nothing that God wants—nothing tangible. The psalmist sings; “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving.” I’m going to thank Him. In case we miss the import of this, the writer to the Hebrews says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb. 13:15). Oh, my friend, the only thing we can give to our God is our thanks, and how precious that is to our Heavenly Father!
PSALM 117
Theme: Hallelujah for the universal praise of God
This is another Hallel psalm, and it is the shortest in the series. Let me remind you that the Hallel psalms (113–118) were sung at the three great feasts of the nation Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
At the Feast of Passover the cup was passed seven times, and between each passing those gathered would sing one of these hymns. Some expositors say that Psalms 113 and 114 were sung before the meal, and then Psalms 117 and 118 were sung after the meal. It doesn’t matter how you arrange them, the important thing is that they were sung. Psalm 118 was the last psalm they sang. Matthew 26:30 tells us, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
This is not only the shortest psalm, it is the shortest chapter in the Bible. Because of that there is a danger of passing over it altogether.
O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people [Ps. 117:1].
“Praise the Lord” is “hallelujah.”
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 117:2].
These are remarkable verses that we should not pass over hurriedly. “Praise the Lord, all ye nations” is obviously prophetic. It looks to the future when all nations and races and tribes and tongues on every continent and in every nation will join together in praising Jehovah and will worship Him as Lord. Is there anything like that in the world today? Do you see any evidence of it in your neighborhood? Can you see that the world is turning to God? There was a time at the turn of the century, during the good old Victorian era and during the Gay Nineties, when it was thought that the Millennium was about to be ushered in. That was the heyday of postmillennialism, and a premillennialist in that day had to run for cover. They would have ridden anyone out of town on a rail who would have been pessimistic enough to say that a time of Great Tribulation was going to come upon the world! “Praise the Lord, all ye nations.” I have a question to ask: Where are the nations that are singing praises unto Jehovah today? Where are the nations who worship and adore Him and are in submission to Him? The answer is easy—there are no nations today that fit that description. The message of the prophets was that one day the nations would praise and worship the Lord. In Zechariah 2:11 it says, “And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people ….” Then in Zechariah 14:16 we read, “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Evidently the worshiping of all nations is connected with the turning of Israel to God.
The next question is, When will all of this find fulfillment? I think the answer to that is in this little psalm before us. When will the nations praise Jehovah? Notice what it says in verse 2: “For his merciful kindness is great toward us.” Who is the “us” in this phrase? It is Israel. The day is coming when God is going to be gracious to Israel. That day is in the future, at the end of the Great Tribulation period, when the Lord comes to earth for the second time and establishes His kingdom. Then He will be gracious to Israel and to all the nations on the earth. At that time Micah says (referring to God), “Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old” (Mic. 7:20). Then in Isaiah 54:7–8 we read, “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” So, my friend, you can see that this psalm has reference to a future day when all the nations are going to praise the Lord.
Is there any inkling of this subject in the New Testament? Yes, Acts 15 records the meeting of the council at Jerusalem, which was made up of Jewish believers; and they could not understand why the prophecies of the Old Testament were not being fulfilled. At the end of the conference James got up and said, “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14). My friend, that is what God is doing in our day—taking out a people from among the Gentiles. He is making up His church from all races and tribes and tongues and bringing them together into one body. Now notice how James continues, “And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this”—after what? After He takes the church out of the world. “I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things” (Acts 15:15–17). As you can see, the psalm before us looks to the future when every creature on this earth will render praise unto God.
It simply is not true that the nations today are praising God. You may see some evidence of it in your little corner of the world; but, in my little corner in Southern California, there is no evidence that everyone will turn to God. However, the time is coming when “God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him” (Ps. 67:7).
Psalm 117 is a tremendous psalm. It is like an atom bomb in the midst of the psalms, and when this little bomb explodes, you won’t find a postmillennialist or an amillennialist anywhere, for it will blow them all away. The fulfillment of this psalm will come during the Millennium when Christ reigns on this earth—and not before. Oh, what a glorious time that will be! “Praise ye the Lord”—Hallelujah!
PSALM 118
Theme: The hymn Christ sang with His disciples before His death
This wonderful psalm is the last of the Hallel psalms; for this reason we know it was the psalm which our Lord sang with His disciples the night before His death.
In the Upper Room that night there was an air of informality but also of awe, an air of sadness and of joy and of anticipation. Our Lord ate the Passover feast with His disciples; then on the dying embers of a fading feast, He reared something new. Out of the ashes of the past, He took frail elements—bread and grape juice which will spoil in a few days, the weakest things in the world—and He raised a monument. It is not of marble, not of bronze, silver, or gold; it is bread and juice. That’s all. But it speaks of Him. We know from the Old Testament that a lamb was to be eaten at the Passover feast. But in the Gospel record we hear nothing about the lamb, only the bread and fruit of the vine. Do you know why? It is because the Lamb was there serving them. He was on the way to the cross as the Lamb of God to die, and the bread and juice were to speak of Him until He comes again.
Psalm 118 is the psalm they sang together on that fatal night. The Gospels tell us, “When they had sung an hymn, they went out …” (Matt. 26:30). It is Psalm 118, which makes this psalm very important to us.
It is said that at the Passover feast, the cup went around the circle seven times. The seventh time it came to Him, our Lord said, “I’ll not drink this cup with you,” and He passed it on. “I’ll drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” He had already said that He would take the cup of salvation—and He took it yonder on the cross. Christ is the Lamb of God who shed His blood, and the cup is the new covenant of His blood. He drank the bitter cup that our cup might be sweet. Oh, how good God is to us!
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 118:1–3].
And let Vernon McGee now say that His mercy endureth for ever. And let you say that His mercy endureth for ever. Let us all “give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good.”
Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? [Ps. 118:4–6].
This is the song that our Lord sang. He went to the cross without fear. And He cried out, “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). The mystery of it all is “… that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself …” (2 Cor. 5:19).
The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man [Ps. 118:7–8].
Have you learned to put your confidence in the Lord, rather than in man? It is a marvelous lesson to learn. A prominent Los Angeles attorney and outstanding jurist told me, “When I was a young Christian, my Christian life was almost ruined. I had my eye on a man, and that man failed me. I found out then that I had made a mistake. I cannot put confidence in men.” The psalmist says that it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. On the night that our Lord sang these words He looked around at eleven men. One of them had already gone to betray Him. Those eleven men were going to forsake Him—they would be scattered like sheep that night. Don’t put your confidence in men, my friend, they will let you down. Put your trust in the Lord.
It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them [Ps. 118:9–12].
“All nations compassed me about”—Rome was a polyglot nation, and Rome nailed our Lord to a cross. The day He died on a Roman cross, that nation was doomed. Its days were numbered. That great world empire that had existed for a millennium would pass off the stage of human events. (It will, however, come back by the way of Antichrist.)
The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation [Ps. 118:14].
In this wonderful section we have praise for deliverance. It is a song of salvation.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord [Ps. 118:15–17].
This is a reference to our Lord’s resurrection. Also there is something else here: Israel is going to survive as a nation.
The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death [Ps. 118:18].
That is, Christ came back from the dead. And Ezekiel 37 makes it clear that God will open the graves and bring out the nations of the world.
Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter [Ps. 118:19–20].
What is the gate of the Lord? Christ made it very clear when He said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). That door was the door to the sheep-fold. The Lord also said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation [Ps. 118:21].
Now we have another figure of speech:
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner [Ps. 118:22].
The stone in this verse refers to Christ Himself. Our Lord in Matthew 21:42 made that clear: “… Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?” First Peter 2:6–8 says, “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” The stone is the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it [Ps. 118:24].
What day is the psalmist talking about—some twenty-four-hour day? No. The word day can be used for a period of time, it can be used for a twenty-four-hour day, and it can be used for a peculiar type of thing—most anything. For example, we could say that this is the day of the automobile. Now what day is the psalmist referring to here? Well, he is talking about the day “which the Lord hath made,” the day of salvation. That day has already been two thousand years long, and “we will rejoice and be glad in it.” We rejoice in the day of salvation.
Now here we have the believing cry, Hosanna—“Save now” is the word hosanna. It is the word the multitudes used when our Lord came riding into Jerusalem:
Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord [Ps. 118:25–26].
“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord” was quoted by our Lord after He cleansed the temple for the final time, then wept over Jerusalem. His words were, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me hence-forth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23:38–39).
God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar [Ps. 118:27].
This is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, a sacrifice for you and for me.
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 118:28–29].
My friend, I wish I could somehow express to you the fact that you and I ought to praise the Lord. In my flesh I am cabined and contained and have all kinds of hang-ups. I wish I could open up like a flower and express my praise and thanksgiving to my God! Oh, my friend, to fall down and worship Him, to praise His name and glorify Him is all important. He loved us and gave Himself for us. May our love today go out to him in adoration and praise.
PSALM 119
Theme: Praise to the Word of God
We come now to the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It has in it 176 verses, and every verse (with the possible exception of two verses) is praise to the Word of God. Oh, that you and I might put an emphasis upon the Word of God. As believers, we need to put the emphasis where God puts it. In our day there is too much emphasis upon programs and methods and ceremonies and church activities. Our emphasis should be on the Word of God, because that is the only thing He has promised to bless. He has never promised to bless me or my ministry or any other ministry, but He has promised to bless His Word.
The mechanics of this psalm, the arrangement of it, is indeed interesting. It was written with a great deal of care. It is an acrostic, but an acrostic that is a little different from any that we have seen before. Instead of having one verse that begins with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet (there are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet), there are eight verses for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, beginning with Aleph, Beth, Gimel, and so forth, which gives us 176 verses in this psalm.
There are Bible students who feel that numbers in the Bible are very significant. I don’t want to labor the point, but I do find it interesting that eight is the key number in this psalm, because under each letter of the Hebrew alphabet there are eight verses. The number eight in Scripture seems to be the number of resurrection. It was on the eighth day that our Lord came back from the dead—He was dead on the seventh day, the sabbath, and the eighth day, the first day of the week, He was resurrected. Many people think that God is through with Israel, but He is not through with them. Paul made that very clear in Romans 11:15: “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” God is definitely not through with Israel. Just as the Lord Jesus came back from the dead, these people will be brought back as a nation in the Millennium. God would, in a very special way, save nations—oh, the multitudes that are yet to be saved! Spurgeon used to say, “God is going to win. There will be more saved than there will be lost.” I believe that with all my heart, although as I look around me today I don’t see it happening.
Many people get excited when they visit the land of Israel today, thinking they are seeing the fulfillment of prophecy. While it is true that Jews are returning to the land of Israel, it is not a fulfillment of Scripture, because they are returning in unbelief; they are not turning to God. I read recently of Jewish immigrants to Israel who were shocked by the atheism and lack of observance of the Jewish religion in Israel. It is true that there is no more a turning to God in Jerusalem than there is in my hometown or your hometown. But when God fulfills His prophecy, He will bring the Jews back to their land and it will be a resurrection of the nation, life from the dead. And, my friend, if you receive life from the dead—if you receive eternal life—it will come through the Word of God. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). We are begotten by the Word of God that reveals Jesus Christ. God’s Word will bring life to you, it will bring liberty to you, it will bring joy to you, and it will bring blessing to you.
This psalm has meant a great deal to believers down through the years. Late in life John Ruskin wrote, “It is strange that of all the pieces of the Bible which my mother taught me, that which cost me the most to learn, and which was to my childish mind most repulsive—the 119th Psalm—has now become of all the most precious to me in its overflowing and glorious passion of love for the Law of God.”
William Wilberforce, the statesman who was converted in the Wesleyan movement, wrote in his diary, “Walked from Hyde Park corner, repeating the 119th Psalm in great comfort.” What a wonderful statement. If you can’t sleep at night, don’t count sheep; count the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and read the verses of this psalm. It would mean a great deal to you.
In this wonderful psalm God’s Word is designated by several terms: word, saying, way, testimonies, judgments, precepts, commandments, law, statutes, and faithfulness.
As we go through this psalm, I will lift out certain verses. We will begin with Aleph which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet
ALEPH
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord,
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart [Ps. 119:1–2].
Oh, that we would seek God with the whole heart—not halfheartedly. I get a little discouraged with some folk who start out with our “Thru the Bible” program with a great deal of zeal at first. Then they begin to let down, and before long they drop by the wayside. They are not like the man in Psalm 1:1, of whom it is said, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Blessed is the man that walketh not, standeth not, sitteth not, but just keeps on walking—walking in the Spirit. “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”
BETH
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word [Ps. 119:9].
One thing that every young man should learn about today is the Word of God. They are taught everything else in school except the Bible. It is against the law to teach the Bible in school, but we need to get the Word of God to them.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee [Ps. 119:11].
Many people believe that this verse only means that Scripture should be memorized. I think memorizing God’s Word is a wonderful thing, but some of the meanest little brats I have seen in Sunday school were the ones who could stand up and quote one hundred verses of Scripture. When the psalmist wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart,” I think he meant, “I obey it.” That is the important thing. It is a wonderful thing to be able to stand up and by rote recite verse after verse—I’m not criticizing that; I’m in favor of Scripture memorization programs—but we also need to obey the Word. That is what the psalmist means by hiding it in your heart.
GIMEL
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law [Ps. 119:18].
This is the verse I used to begin the “Thru the Bible” program years ago when I first taught it in a little weather-beaten church on the side of a red clay hill in Georgia. I used this verse as a theme for many years. This is a good one—“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law [thy word].”
DALETH
In the Daleth section we read:
My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word [Ps. 119:25].
The tendency today is to pull downward. Everything pulls us down. Television—a marvelous intrument that could be used for God—does nothing but pull us down. Everything is geared that way. “My soul cleaveth unto the dust”—we gravitate in that direction. Not only will our body fall downward, but our soul is pulled downward in the world. How can we overcome it? “Quicken [revive] thou me according to thy word.” This is another reason I have a five-year program of going through the Bible. If folk will stay in the Word of God for five years, it will keep them out of a lot of sin. The Word will revive us and lift us up.
HE
In the He section we read:
Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end [Ps. 119:33].
Oh, to follow on with God, running the race with patience, looking unto Jesus.
VAU
Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word [Ps. 119:41].
God’s mercy is channeled to us—the pipe that brings it to us is the Word of God. Therefore, the psalmist says:
And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved [Ps. 119:47].
Does it give you joy to read the Word of God? Do you love the Bible? If you don’t love God’s Word, ask Him to give you a love for it. I did that for years. I prayed, “Lord, give me a love for your Word.” I was not brought up in a home where I heard the Word of God, and it took me a long time to become interested in it.
ZAIN
Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope [Ps. 119:49].
In other words, “Fulfill thy promises to me, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.”
CHETH
Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words [Ps. 119:57].
This is literally, “My portion O Lord!” Spurgeon comments: “The poet is lost in wonder while he sees that the great and glorious God is all his own! Well, might he be so, for there is no possession like Jehovah himself.”
At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments [Ps. 119:62].
Have you ever thanked God in the middle of the night for His Word? Well, wake up tonight and do it.
TETH
The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law [Ps. 119:69–70].
Critics of the Bible need to go on a diet, or they may die of heart trouble. We need to stay close to the Word of God. It is marvelous for heart trouble!
JOD
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments [Ps. 119:73].
God made us. He knows exactly what we need. One of our basic needs is His Word, and that is what the psalmist is talking about here. I notice that some of the manufacturers of automobiles say, “When your car needs repair, take it to us. We made it, and we know how to fix it.” Well, that may be good advice also. I know for sure that you need to take yourself to the Lord and to His Word. He made you, and He knows what is good for you.
CAPH
This psalm speaks of one persecuted but not forsaken—
For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes [Ps. 119:83].
“A bottle in the smoke” undoubtedly refers to a wine skin “bottle” hung up in the fire, which would become blackened, parched, and cracked. What a picture of the one who endures long and severe persecution! But he was not forsaken because the Word of God was his stay.
LAMED
For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven [Ps. 119:89].
I have preached on this verse many times. “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven”—His Word is in heaven; that is where the original copy is. I believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of that copy, and I hold a good copy of it right in my hands. Actually it is settled in the heavens. Now heaven and earth may pass away, but where He is, it will never pass away.
MEM
O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day [Ps. 119:97].
He meditated in God’s Word because he loved it, and then he loved it even more because he meditated in it.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation [Ps. 119:99].
When I taught a course in Bible at a Bible institute, I used to tell my students, “Don’t you ever give me this verse or I’ll give you an F in the course!” Seriously, humble believers who sit at the feet of Christ are often more skilled in the Word than a man who has a D.D. or a Ph.D. after his name.
NUN
Now here is a verse you may have heard all your life—
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path [Ps. 119:105].
Each of us should use the Word of God personally, practically, and habitually as we make our way through this dark world.
SAMECH
Now, again, let me lift out only one verse from this section:
I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love [Ps. 119:113].
How much time do you spend reading the newspaper, or reading trash, in comparison to the time that you spend reading the Bible? God is telling us, through the psalmist, that He hates vain thoughts. If you spend time in the Word of God, the day will come when you will not be interested in a lot of the trash that is published.
AIN
It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law [Ps. 119:126].
This is a good prayer for us to pray today. I pray this prayer, “Lord, the world has forgotten you, and the world has forgotten your Word. Help us get it out today, and make the world conscious of your Word.”
PE
Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them [Ps. 119:129].
“Thy testimonies are wonderful”—full of wonderful revelations, commands, and promises. As Spurgeon has well said, “Jesus the eternal Word is called Wonderful, and all the uttered words of God are wonderful in their degree. Those who know them best wonder at them most.”
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple [Ps. 119:130].
Since I come under that classification, I want to know the Word.
TZADDI
Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments [Ps. 119:137].
“Righteous art thou, O Lord”—we can rest in the truth of that when we cannot see the reasons for our trials and troubles. We may be confident of this sure and certain fact that God is righteous and His dealings with us are also righteous.
KOPH
I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes.
I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies [Ps. 119:145–146].
When God saves you, He wants to put you on a new diet, a diet of the Word of God.
RESH
Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word [Ps. 119:154].
The word quicken is better translated “revive.” So the psalmist is saying, “Revive me according to Thy Word.” The only thing that can revive us is God’s Word. Dwight L. Moody said that the next great revival will be a revival of the Word of God. I hope that that is true, and we are seeing more and more interest in the Bible.
SCHIN
Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word [Ps. 119:161].
The psalmist had more respect and awe for the Word of God than he did for the rulers of this world.
TAU
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments [Ps. 119:176].
As long as the Word of God is in your heart, my friend, as long as there is a longing deep within you to come to God, the Shepherd is out looking for you. He will put you on His shoulder and bring you back into the fold. Psalm 119 is a glorious psalm. It glorifies the Word of God which is the foundation of all liberty. And it reveals the Savior—“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Oh, what liberty the Word of God will give to your heart and life!
PSALM 120
Theme: The living conditions of the pilgrim
This brings us to a new series in the Book of Psalms, a package of fifteen psalms (120–134), each called “A song of degrees” in our Bibles. What we have here is, as Martin Luther translated it, “the gradual psalms, songs of the higher choir.” An outstanding Hebrew scholar has translated it, “Songs of the pilgrim caravans” or “on the homeward marches.” These fifteen psalms were traveling songs, and I think they were used in two different ways. When the captives returned from Babylon, they sang them on the way to Jerusalem. This same use of the term “going up” is used in Ezra 7:9, which says, “For upon the first day of the first month began he [that is, Ezra] to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.” This verse is speaking of Ezra’s “going up” from Babylon to Jerusalem. However the most common use of these psalms was during the three times each year when they went, as God had commanded, up to Jerusalem to worship. God had required the males to go; and, when they went, they took their families along. As they started to Jerusalem from all over the civilized world—they were scattered at this time—they would sing these psalms. One day it would be one of the psalms, the next day another psalm; and as they came closer and higher, as they approached Jerusalem, they continued to sing them until they came to the final psalm, 134, when they would be standing in the sanctuary of the Lord singing His praises. This is the reason they are called songs of degrees or ascents and songs of the pilgrim caravans. You will recall that we have one incident, recorded by Dr. Luke, in the life of the Lord Jesus between the time of His virgin birth and the beginning of His ministry at the age of thirty years. The Lord, who was then twelve years old, went with His parents to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the feasts. A day’s journey from Jerusalem, all of the caravans would meet so that they could go to Jerusalem together. It was a time of fellowship, of renewing friendships, talking over old times, and telling others how things were going. Then they would journey together to Jerusalem, singing these psalms. The place where the caravans met is still pretty well known today, and it was one day’s journey out of Jerusalem. When the feast was over, the parents of the Lord Jesus found He was missing, and they had to return to the city to look for Him. The account is found in Luke 2:41–50.
Now you may be wondering if we can be sure these psalms were used this way. Yes, Psalm 122:3–4 gives us this information: “Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.” Yes, they were sung three times during the year—at the Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles—as they traveled toward Jerusalem to return thanks to God, to worship Him, and to offer sacrifices.
There is a spiritual meaning in these fifteen psalms. It is interesting that many writers of the Talmud pointed out the fact that life is like this—it is an ascent. We come to God as sinners who are away from Him, separated, and alienated. We come to Him for salvation, and having come for salvation, we go on to sanctification as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ; it is a constant going up. We are to be climbing in a spiritual way. My friend, you and I ought to be farther along today than we were last year.
Now we begin this journey with Psalm 120, and in this psalm we are looking at the pilgrim and we will find out where he lives.
In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war [Ps. 120:1–7].
This is one of the most marvelous we have read, and it is relevant to hour, especially for the nation pilgrim in this psalm said he lived in Kedar.” Who was Mesech? He was one of the sons of Japheth. Genesis 10:2 tells us of “The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.” From the sons of Japheth came the gentile nations, and Israel today is scattered among the Gentiles throughout the world. They dwell in “Mesech.” “Kedar” was the son of Ishmael. Does that tell you anything? The pilgrim was living among the Arabs. That is rather up-to-date, is it not?
Notice that in verse 2 he cries, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.” It doesn’t sound as if he is living in a good neighborhood, does it? They had mean tongues. The man who sojourned in Mesech had been maligned and lied about. I do believe that no people have been lied about, maligned, and persecuted as much as the Jews. We hear much about minority groups today, and the interesting thing is that the Jew has been able to make his way among all nations and peoples, but he has been criticized the entire time. Anti-Semitism has been real down through the ages; yet the Jew has been able to survive all of it. The Jews are a minority group among the Gentiles and among the people of the world; and they have lived in the place of gossip, quarrels, tensions, problems, and burdens. Also this can be said of you and me.
Now, not only did the pilgrim live among people with mean tongues, but he lived in a world of war: “My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” That is rather up-to-date also, is it not? It is a wonder the higher critics, who like to give a late dating to Scripture, haven’t suggested that this psalm was written in the present century. It certainly describes the Jews’ current situation.
Now it is time to pack up his troubles in his old kit bag and start toward Jerusalem. However, the pilgrim leaves his burdens at home. He leaves his Mesech and his Kedar and starts for Jerusalem to worship his God. Jerusalem is the city of peace. It is not that today; it is rather a dangerous place to be, but it was different in the days of the pilgrim, and it will be different in the future.
PSALM 121
Theme: The pilgrim sees the hills of Judea come into view.
This psalm is the next “song of degrees” or song of ascents as the pilgrim travels to Jerusalem to worship. We had a glimpse into his home situation which he had left as he started on his way. Now in this psalm he can see in the distance the hills of Jerusalem.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help [Ps. 121:1].
I think it would be well to change this verse because it is obviously a question rather than a statement. This man is not looking to the hills for his help; he is looking to God. “Shall I lift my eyes unto the hills? From whence cometh my help?” His answer is in the next verse:
My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth [Ps. 121:2].
His help comes from God, and not from the hills.
As the pilgrim draws near to Jerusalem, and it makes no difference if he comes from the north, east, south, or west, he will have to go through hills. The first time I went to Jerusalem, I came from the east, across the Jordan River; and I traveled through some pretty rugged country. The second time I went to Jerusalem, I came from Tel Aviv by bus and found that the hills were “hillier” than they were on the east. I have also approached Jerusalem from the north and south—no matter from what direction you approach Jerusalem, you are in the hills.
As the pilgrim comes to the place where he can see the hills of Judea, he sees places of heathen worship on the tops of the hills. That is where the heathen erected their altars. He says, “Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? From whence cometh my help?” It doesn’t come from the tops of those hills. Jeremiah commented on this subject when he said, “Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel” (Jer. 3:23). This is in the song of the pilgrim as he draws near Jerusalem.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep [Ps. 121:3–4].
“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved” means that God won’t allow you to totter. Those of us who are senior citizens begin to totter just a little—I notice that I am not as surefooted as I once was.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore [Ps. 121:6–8].
I would like to give you a different translation of verses 3–8 which will bring out something not seen in the King James Version. “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: thy keeper will not slumber. Behold, neither slumbereth nor sleepeth the keeper of Israel. Jehovah is thy keeper. Jehovah is thy shade upon the right hand: the sun shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall keep thee from all evil. He shall keep thy soul. Jehovah shall keep thy going out and thy coming in from henceforth and forever” (Translation mine). This pilgrim is not looking to the hills for strength. He is looking to the Lord for help. Jehovah is his keeper.
You will notice that in verses 7 and 8 we are told that “the Lord shall preserve thee.” This has to do with the wonderful keeping power of God. He preserves you. Peter said it like this, “Who are kept by the power of God …” (1 Pet. 1:5). There are two ways to preserve fruits or vegetables—in sugar or in vinegar. Many Christians are preserved both ways. Those preserved in sugar are nice sweet folks. The others are preserved in vinegar, and that speaks for itself.
The pilgrim is moving toward Jerusalem. He travels through the hills and camps along the route. Howard Johnson, the Holiday Inn, and the Ramada Inn hadn’t built any motels yet; so the travelers going to Jerusalem had to camp along the way. And they were looking to Jehovah to keep them. What a glorious assurance that is! The psalm says, “My help cometh from the Lord. He won’t let me totter and fall.” There are other references to this in the Scriptures: Proverbs 3:26 says, “For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” He won’t let you fall. Psalm 37:24 says, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” In 1 Samuel 2:9 Hannah said, “He will keep the feet of his saints….” One of the last benedictions in the Bible occurs in the little epistle of Jude. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling [stumbling], and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 24–25). He is able to keep us. He is the keeper of Israel and the keeper of His own today.
Notice that He keeps us both day and night. He doesn’t slumber or sleep. When they camped for the night and were sleeping in a strange country, God didn’t sleep—He was still watching over them.
“The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.” They traveled at certain seasons when the sun was really hot—I know how hot that sun can be over there. But He said He would keep them in the scorching heat. But what about “the moon by night”? Well, I don’t know exactly what is meant by that. However, I do know that the word lunatic comes from the Latin word for moon—luna, and it arose from the widespread belief that the rays of the moon affect the minds of men. I can remember that when I was young I used to take a girl out on a date and the moonlight had an effect on us. But God can keep you—He can keep you in the sunshine and the moonlight. “The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
PSALM 122
Theme: The pilgrim comes within sight of Jerusalem
This is the third song of degrees. In Psalm 120 we saw the Jew in distress; he was in a neighborhood that was unfavorable to him—he was being talked about and lied about. He leaves that, takes his family, and goes up to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the feasts of the Jews. In Psalm 121 he comes within sight of the Judean hills. He continues traveling until he reaches the wonderful city of Jerusalem. This is where the tribes come to celebrate the feasts of the Lord.
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord [Ps. 122:1–4].
The weary pilgrims after their long journey stand at last in the gates of their beloved Jerusalem. They lift their eyes to the temple—there it stands with its shining gold glittering in the bright sunlight. A glad cry passes from lip to lip, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!”
This beautiful psalm is also a prophecy. It is a millennial psalm looking forward to the time when all the tribes will go up to Jerusalem and assemble themselves for worship.
They have been out of their city for a long time. They actually do not have full possession of it today. They cannot build their temple on the temple site because the Mosque of Omar is there. All of the sacred places are pretty well covered by Gentiles. In Hosea 3:4–5 we read, “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.”
There is going to be a millennial Jerusalem. And what will the returning tribes find? Dr. Gaebelein describes it this way: “A magnificent city compacted together, not only architecturally, a vast, a great, a beautiful city, but compacted together spiritually. Her warfare is over. She is no longer in strife and in danger of attack” (The Book of Psalms, p. 447). This will be the city of Jerusalem in the Millennium.
What a glorious prospect this psalm pictures!
PSALMS 123–125
Theme: The pilgrims see the temple, then Mount Zion, and finally stand in the security of Jerusalem
These are also a part of the pilgrim psalms and form a little cluster of three psalms that tell a story. Psalm 123 has been called “the eye of hope” because the temple comes into view, and the children of Israel turn their eyes to God in hope. The temple was a means of approach to God.
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens [Ps. 123:1].
The psalmist is making it very clear that God is not confined to the temple; He is not in a “box” in Jerusalem. The critic is wrong when he says that Israel considered Jehovah God a local deity who lived in their little temple in Jerusalem. The psalmist makes it abundantly clear that Israel did not believe any such thing. He addresses Him: “O thou that dwellest in the heavens.” The pilgrim comes within sight of the temple, but it causes him to lift his eyes to heaven, knowing that God dwelt in the heavens. The temple was only a means of approach to God.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us [Ps. 123:2].
When you are working for someone, you watch the clock and you watch the boss. You are sure to be working when he is watching you. How many of us live as though God is looking at us all the time? Well, He is. We are always under His eye.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt [Ps. 123:3].
The children of Israel have been despised in the world, and now they are coming to Jerusalem. They are asking for mercy, knowing they are sinners and need God’s mercy. They have not come to Jerusalem to pat themselves on the back.
Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud [Ps. 123:4].
Israel has now come to Jerusalem—the eye of hope. They are looking to the One who dwells in the heavens. I wonder if we are looking in that direction today?
Psalm 124 is a historical psalm. As Psalm 123 is the “eye of hope” looking to the future, so Psalm 124 is the eye of the past, reviewing the history of God’s mercy to them in the past.
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us [Ps. 124:1–3].
As the Israelites look back over their history, it is obvious that God has moved in their lives and made it possible for them to go up to Jerusalem to worship. For this they are giving thanks to God.
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul [Ps. 124:4].
These would be the waters of the Red Sea and the waters of the Jordan River and the waters of circumstances in which they found themselves many times.
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth [Ps. 124:6].
They know it is God who has helped them.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth [Ps. 124:8].
The children of Israel are worshiping the Creator, “who made heaven and earth.” This is a wonderful little psalm.
Now in Psalm 125, as the pilgrim sees Mount Zion, his heart is encouraged for the future. For our own hearts we can bring this up to date and say, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). This has been called a “Song of Security” and is a prediction of Israel’s national restoration.
They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever [Ps. 125:1].
The pilgrims have come from all over the land and beyond the land. As they came they saw the mountains of Judea. Then they saw the hills around Jerusalem, and now they can actually see Mount Zion. They are moving toward Jerusalem and can see the city clearly.
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever [Ps. 125:2].
This is a wonderful psalm with blessed assurance that all who put their trust in Jehovah are like the unmovable, never-changing Mount Zion.
PSALM 126
Theme: A song of joy after their return from Babylonian captivity
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream [Ps. 126:1].
It seemed too good to be true that they were able to return to Jerusalem. It was like a dream—they couldn’t believe it.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen. The Lord hath done great things for them [Ps. 126:2].
Now they want to give a testimony to the world.
The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad [Ps. 126:3].
The remnant of Israel that returned to their land after the Babylonian captivity does not exhaust the meaning of this psalm. It also looks forward to their national restoration when their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, returns.
Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him [Ps. 126:4–6].
Let me quote Dr. Gaebelein’s comment at the conclusion of this psalm. “Beautiful is the ending of this Psalm of prophecy. We must think first of all of Him who came in humility and sowed His precious seed with tears, our Lord Jesus Christ…. Only His Father knows the many tears which He shed in His presence in secret prayer…. And it is perfectly proper to apply this to ourselves also. So let us weep and scatter the seed! ‘Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not’ (Gal. 6:9)” (The Book of Psalms, p. 456).
PSALM 127
Theme: The vanity of building without God
This is another great pilgrim psalm. It has been called “The Cotter’s Saturday Night Song,” which is probably as good as any name. It is a mighty crescendo. Here you come to the crest of the psalms. We are at the highest elevation when we reach the temple area and Mount Zion in Jerusalem, but this psalm carries us right into the heavenlies. This is a psalm that is applicable to us in our day, and it reveals an utter dependence upon God.
This psalm has been used on several important occasions. It was used at the inauguration of President Eisenhower. Two Bibles were used. One of them was George Washington’s Bible, and it was opened at Psalm 127.
The inscription “A Song of degrees for Solomon” does not appear in the Septuagint Version. There are those who hold that the expression “my beloved” refers to Solomon, but the son of David mentioned here is not Solomon; He is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep [Ps. 127:1–2].
The word vain is used three times in these verses. My friend, everything is vain unless God is in it. Everything is dependent on Him and on His blessings. An old German proverb says, “Everything depends on the blessing of God.” I wish we looked at things like that. This is why this psalm has been called “The Cotter’s Saturday Night Song.” The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt. 6:31–34).
In this psalm we find a reference to children. When the pilgrim went to Jerusalem, he took his family to worship with him.
Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward [Ps. 127:3].
Here is the pilgrim, his wife, and his children, all of them are in Jerusalem to thank God.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate [Ps. 127:4–5].
His children will defend him. It is a comforting thing to have a child who will defend you and to have a whole little army of them is quite wonderful. The psalmist who wrote this knew nothing about the population explosion.
PSALM 128
Theme: Home sweet home
Luther called this a “Marriage Song.” It describes a happy family life and then gives the invocation of the Lord’s blessing. It is God’s picture of a happy family, and notice its foundation:
Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways [Ps. 128:1].
What is it that makes a family happy? What foundation must be laid? There are all kinds of conferences for the family, especially the young family. They are to adopt certain methods and adjust themselves to certain procedures. My friend, you can never have a happy home until the fear of the Lord is in that home, until the members of the family walk day by day in the ways of the Lord. This idea of working things out psychologically simply will not work. It reminds me of the man who, when asked how he had lived so long, said it was because he had lived an outdoor life. He explained that when he and his wife got married they decided that every time they had a quarrel he would go outside. So, he said, “I have lived an outdoor life.” Well, my friend, that is not the solution. There must be the fear of the Lord in the home.
For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee [Ps. 128:2].
The husband works and provides for his family.
Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table [Ps. 128:3].
If there is a family altar, this is it. I do not like the present set-up of many family altars where it is a hit-and-miss proposition. The family comes together in a hurry, a few verses of Scripture are read, and then everyone starts out in a different direction. They are like the cowboy who mounted his horse and rode off in every direction. That seems to be the way the family altar is conducted in many instances. In this passage the husband, wife, and children gather about the table.
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord [Ps. 128:4].
You cannot get away from the fact that, unless there is that reverential fear of God and obedience to Him, there will not be a happy home. Children know if their parents love the Lord, and if they serve Him, and if they obey Him, and if He is important in their lives. There is no substitute for the godly life. You can go to all of the conferences you want to, but you will never have a happy home until your relationship with God is right. When you get rightly related to God, it will amaze you how many of your problems will fall into place and take care of themselves.
The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel [Ps. 128:5–6].
An interesting statement has been made in reference to this psalm, and I would like to pass it on to you. It says, “Before the fall, paradise was man’s home. After the fall, the home was man’s paradise.” Home can be either paradise or the exact opposite of it.
This is a wonderful little family psalm.
PSALMS 129–130
Theme: Burned but not consumed
In Psalm 129 the pilgrim reviews his youth and the hand of God upon him. It is also a picture of Israel burned but not consumed. The burning bush seen by Moses is the emblem of the miraculous preservation of God’s people. What a picture we have here!
God has delivered the pilgrims, and they are in Jerusalem to worship.
Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me [Ps. 129:1–2].
Israel was not destroyed because God had preserved them.
Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord [Ps. 129:8].
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you” should be incorporated not only into the home but also into business today. A man’s religion and his right relationship to God should be an integral part of both his home life and his business life. Boaz was a businessman. When he spoke to his workers, he said to them, “… The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee” (Ruth 2:4). You don’t find capital and labor talking like that to each other today.
Psalm 130 is closely linked to the preceding psalm. It has been called a Pauline psalm because it speaks of that which has to do with the mercy of God. God has delivered man out of the depths of sin and death, and He has done it not on the basis of man’s works. On a certain occasion Martin Luther was asked what were the best psalms. He answered by saying “Psalmi Paulini,” the Pauline psalms. When they wanted to know what the Pauline psalms were, he replied, “The thirty-second, the fifty-first, the one hundred and thirtieth, and the one hundred and forty-third.” He explained that these psalms teach us that the forgiveness of sins is vouchsafed to all who believe without having any works of the law to offer. Therefore, they are Pauline psalms.
This psalm has been inscribed “De Profundis”—out of the depths.
Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? [Ps. 130:1–3].
Thank God that He is not going to judge us according to our iniquities. If God judged us that way, we would all be lost. It is because of His mercy that He saves us.
But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning [Ps. 130:4–6].
The grace that saves us as Gentiles will save the nation of Israel also. The day is coming when Israel’s cry out of the depths will be answered. Christ will return unto Zion and will turn away ungodliness from Jacob: “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom. 11:26–28). During the Great Tribulation they will wait for the Lord to deliver them more than the watchers for the morning. You and I also are to wait for the rising of the Bright and Morning Star, the Lord Jesus Christ, when He comes for His own.
PSALM 131
Theme: Childlike faith and simplicity of the pilgrim
This is another pilgrim psalm, a brief but very precious one. Notice that it is written by David.
Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me [Ps. 131:1].
Do you remember Michal who was David’s wife and Saul’s daughter? She despised David and mocked him because of the way he took the ark into the tabernacle (2 Sam. 6:12–23). David told his wife that he would probably be even more contemptible in her eyes, because he was going to humble himself even more and get down in the dust before his God. Remember, he was king. We need to get down before our God today. When was the last time you got down on all fours before God? Very few of us practice that. It is the best exercise there is. It certainly will help you spiritually, and it may help you physically.
Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever [Ps. 131:2–3].
Let me quote Dr. Gaebelein’s comment on this beautiful psalm: “Here we find the description of an humble, a broken and contrite spirit. It has well been said, ‘All virtues together are a body of which humility is the head.’ How many Scriptures teach the great importance and value of such true humility” (The Book of Psalms, p. 462). Then he cites several references in Scripture: “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off” (Ps. 138:6). “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isa. 57:15). “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5). “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Pet. 3:4). “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). And the Lord Jesus Himself said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest [literally, I will rest you]” (Matt. 11:28).
The figure of a weaned child is very interesting. Dr. Gaebelein comments, “As the weaned child no longer cries, and frets, and longs for the mother’s breast, but rests still and is contented, because the child knows it is with its mother; so the soul is weaned from all discontentment, ambitiousness and self-seeking, or any kind of selfishness, waiting on the Lord, finding rest and contentment only in Him” (ibid., p. 463).
PSALM 132
Theme: A messianic psalm looking forward to the time Christ will be King in Jerusalem
This is another pilgrim psalm that speaks of a rest on the promises of God, and faith becomes all important. There has always been a question about the authorship of this psalm. David is mentioned four times, but I do not believe he wrote it. Those of real scholarship question that David wrote it. Delitzsch says, “It is suited to the mouth of Solomon.” Perowne says, “It is perfectly natural that Solomon should write a song for such an occasion, speaking of the earlier efforts made by his father to prepare a habitation for Jehovah.” It is his belief that this psalm was composed by King Solomon when the ark of the covenant was removed out of the tent of habitation that David had prepared for it in Jerusalem, and which was now being moved into the temple that Solomon had built. This idea seems to fit in better with the contents of this psalm, and the only mention we have of the ark in the Psalms is here.
We need to note, however, that the son of David in this psalm is not Solomon, but the greater Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ. With this as a background, let us look at this psalm. Now that the pilgrims are there in Jerusalem, they have come to the temple where the mercy seat is above the ark, the place where they can approach God.
Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions:
How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids.
Until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob [Ps. 132:1–5].
You will recall that in 2 Samuel 7 it was in David’s heart to build God a house. You can see from this passage that this was the overwhelming ambition of his life. His one great, pulsating thought was that he might build a temple for the ark of God.
Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength [Ps. 132:8].
This evidently was the song that they sang when the ark was moved into the temple that Solomon had built, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple as it had the tabernacle of old.
The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David: he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne [Ps. 132:11].
This is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Can we be sure of this? Yes, because David’s children did not measure up to the description of the One who one day would sit upon the throne of David. In the Books of Kings and Chronicles you follow the line of David, and you will see one sinner after another sitting upon the throne. Very few were good kings, and only five of them saw revival come to the nation.
If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore [Ps. 132:12].
But, you see, David’s children did not keep God’s covenant and testimony. That is the reason they were put out of their land and sent into captivity in Babylon. Even though the line of David sinned, God’s covenant was not destroyed, and the time will come when the fruit of his body will sit upon his throne. That is what the New Testament speaks about when it opens with, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1). The Lord Jesus is the “Son of David” about whom the psalmist is writing.
For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread [Ps. 132:13–15].
This prophecy is not fulfilled in Jerusalem in our day. I walked up on top of Mount Zion one day with a friend, and when he saw what was there, he said, “I wonder if it was worth the walk?” I told him, “I guess David and the Lord thought so, but there is something in the future that they can see and we do not see.”
It is apparent that this is a psalm that the pilgrims would sing as they came to Jerusalem and the temple where God promised He would meet with His people.
PSALM 133
Theme: Rejoicing in the fellowship of believers
This psalm is “A Song of degrees of David.” It is short, but it is a beautiful gem. It has been called “A Psalm of Brotherhood,” and it certainly is a psalm of fellowship. Not only did this pilgrim come to Jerusalem with his wife and children, but he is with friends. They are having a wonderful time of fellowship together. Remember that these pilgrims came from all over the then-known world, and they had been suffering persecution among unbelievers. What a joyful experience it is for them to be with their own people who are worshiping God with them.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! [Ps. 133:1].
As believers, we are told to endeavor to “… keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). Believers are one in Christ. My friend, let’s avoid being in a little exclusive clique. Unfortunately, we have a lot of cliques in our churches today. Many people would rather be big fish in little ponds than little fish in big ponds. How much better it is for all believers to “dwell together in unity!”
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments [Ps. 133:2].
This verse refers to the time that Aaron was anointed high priest. It also speaks of the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Someone has said that in this verse you have the fragrance of a lovely rose. This precious ointment was put on the priest to indicate that he was a priest unto God. We see that this is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only is He King; He is also our High Priest. It is said of Him in Psalm 45:7 that He is anointed “… with the oil of gladness above [His] fellows.” In Ezekiel 39:29 we read, “Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.” Ezekiel speaks of a future day, and like that ointment that ran down on Aaron, so will God pour out His Spirit. This is the meaning, by the way, of Joel’s prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Israel of a coming day, which was not fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. However, in our day we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, which puts us in the body of believers; and Christ is our Great High Priest. Since this is true, we should attempt to keep the unity the Holy Spirit made.
The psalmist concludes by saying that for brethren to dwell together in unity is—
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore [Ps. 133:3].
This psalm is a beautiful little gem.
PSALM 134
Theme: The pilgrim’s final song of praise
This is the final psalm in the pilgrim’s progress. We have arrived. And in this psalm the pilgrim stands in the temple and lifts his voice in praise with the multitude. This is the grand amen, a threefold amen.
Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord [Ps. 134:1–2].
Again I remind you that this pilgrim has come from a place where he was under suspicion. People criticized him, maligned him, and lied about him. His neighborhood was not good. But now he has arrived in Jerusalem; he is standing in the sanctuary lifting up his hands and blessing the Lord.
The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion [Ps. 134:3].
The pilgrim blesses God and, in turn, he is looking for the blessing of God to be upon his life. This is a great worship psalm and one that should be incorporated into our worship.
Let me venture a suggestion. The curse of being a retired preacher is that you always want to tell the other fellow how to conduct his service—whether you did it like that yourself or not. I know something about retired preachers, because several of them used to be in my congregations. Now I find myself one of them. As I look back on my ministry I realize my services were too formal. I believe worship today is entirely too formal. I do not believe that there should be fanatical outbreaks during the worship services, but there are some of us who cannot sing to express our thoughts. I have to stand in services just like a dummy. I can’t sing—I can’t carry a tune. My wife doesn’t want me even to try to sing when I am standing with her in a service. She tells me that everybody turns and looks at me with not very pleasant looks when I try to sing. Sometimes I would just like to say, “Praise the Lord—Hallelujah” or “How wonderful is our God. God is good.” We need some informality in our services and the freedom to express ourselves. Oh, my friend, let’s not be stiff and stilted when we worship our God. Let’s praise Him from our hearts.
PSALM 135
Theme: Praise the Lord
We leave the pilgrim psalms now and come to songs of praise.
This is a hallelujah psalm. It begins with “Praise ye the Lord,” and it ends with “Praise ye the Lord.” This psalm is in a parentheses of “Hallelujahs.” In it Israel praises God for the deliverance of the past. It is a great call to praise God.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.
Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant [Ps. 135:1–3].
We do not say enough that God is good. My friend, have you told anyone today that God is good? Oh, He is good! This is a call to praise Him.
Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries [Ps. 135:6–7].
It is God who makes the weather. The weatherman does not make the weather, and the proof is that he does not always give us the correct report. He is not in touch with headquarters. He is in touch with a lot of scientific gadgets, and every now and then he comes up with an educated guess; but God makes the weather. He is the Creator. Not only does He make the weather, but He runs the universe as it pleases Him. Maybe you don’t like it; if you don’t, why don’t you move out? Why don’t you go to another universe or start one of your own and run it your way? This is God’s universe, and if you are not satisfied with it, I suggest that somehow you become reconciled to it and accept the Creator because He is also the Redeemer of man today. We have many questions that God has not answered. And frankly, my friend, God does not have to answer our questions. He asks us to trust Him and live a life of faith.
The psalmist compares the living God with idols.
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them [Ps. 135:15–18].
My friend, you are going to be like your god. What do you worship? You worship something. It could be gold or silver; it doesn’t have to be in the shape of an image or an idol either. Many people today worship gold and silver. That is covetousness and modern idolatry. Whatever your god is—if it is not the living and true God—he may have a mouth, but he cannot speak. He may have ears, but he cannot hear you. Only the living God can hear you. Because you will become like your god, it is a good idea to worship the true God. We ought to bless His name.
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 135:21].
He is worthy to be praised. This is a tremendous psalm!
PSALM 136
Theme: Thanks to God for His mercy
This is another hallelujah psalm. It praises God’s mercy in creation, in redemption, in fighting enemies, and for the future glory.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 136:1].
The Lord has plenty of mercy. He will never run out of it.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 136:2–3].
Every verse in this psalm mentions the mercy of God. It exalts God’s mercy. In Ephesians 2:4 Paul says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” I want mercy from God, and He is rich in it. I receive many letters from folks who tell me they have committed some sin. They ask, “Do you think God will forgive me?” Friend, He is rich in mercy. Have you called on Him? If you really want forgiveness, He will give it to you. He deals with us according to His mercy.
This is praise to God the Creator. And notice that every verse has the refrain: “for his mercy endureth for ever.”
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 136:5–9].
The next section is praise to God for His mercy in delivering Israel from Egyptian bondage. And with every step of God’s deliverance he repeats: “for his mercy endureth for ever.” He concludes with God’s mercy in giving them their land:
And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercv endureth for ever:
Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 136:21–22].
The concluding section of this glorious psalm is as meaningful to you and me as it is to the people of Israel:
Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever [Ps. 136:23–26].
I don’t know about you, but I feel like saying “Hallelujah” again. How wonderful is our God. Learn to fall down before Him and worship Him. He is worthy. When you get down in the dust (and you have to get down to get up), He will lift you up with His mercy.
PSALM 137
Theme: Singing the Lord’s song in a strange land
Reading through the Book of Psalms is like driving on a divided highway through some lovely section of the countryside. We pass through new and beautiful scenery with a spectacular landscape on each side.
The beginning of each psalm is like coming to an intersection. We casually observe the highway marker, but we proceed at the same speed, and we have the feeling of sameness. On each side of the highway marker the view is very much the same. That is true especially after we leave Psalm 119. As we are traveling along the highway all of a sudden we come to Psalm 137. When we come to this psalm we begin to slow down because we see down the highway that three flares have been thrown down. In fact, these three flares are telling us to Stop—Look—Listen.
By way of introduction, will you note these three flares. The first one is marked STOP.
As we come to this psalm we find that it is designated an imprecatory psalm. Somebody says, “Well, a flare with that word on it wouldn’t make me stop because I wouldn’t know what it meant anyway.” May I say to you that imprecatory simply means that it is a psalm that pronounces a curse. It is a psalm that voices a prayer or a wish for vengeance. Listen to this concluding verse: “Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones”! That is a red flare, let me tell you! It is a shocker, and it causes a great deal of difficulty. Many folk detour around it. In fact, it would be very easy for me to avoid it, but I feel that this psalm is one that we should stop and look at.
There are several ways men have of dealing with this psalm. The liberal critics deal with it very simply: they reject it. They say that it does not belong in the Bible. It expresses feelings that are contrary to what they think it ought to say. Therefore they reject it. Of course, the method of the higher critic is to take out of the Bible what he likes and reject what he does not like. He is like the simple-minded country boy who bought a cow. After he had bought the cow he learned it cost something to feed the front end of the cow, but he got the milk from the back end of the cow. He decided to concentrate on the back end, and forget about the front end so he could make more money. You know what happened—his cow died. But he was a “higher critic.” Higher critics take what they like and reject what they do not like. This philosophy does not satisfy, nor does it solve the problem at all.
Then there is another way of dealing with this. There are those who say, in a naive sort of way, “I believe the Bible from cover to cover”—yet they are ignorant of what is between the covers! This is the reason those of us who are conservative are accused of being anti-intellectual. Multitudes of conservative folk claim to believe the Bible but are ignorant of it. This is the reason I put such an emphasis on teaching the Word of God. It is one thing to say you believe it; it is another thing to know what it says.
This leads us to the third viewpoint. It is to believe the Bible from cover to cover, and attempt to understand it. It is to determine what God’s meaning is, to discover what He had in mind when He recorded certain things. I want to know what I am believing, and be able to give a reason for the hope that is in me. Therefore with this attitude let us come to Psalm 137, an imprecatory psalm. Although it expresses something here that sounds very terrible on the surface, let’s look at it and see what it really says.
The second flare tells us not only to stop, but to LOOK. That is, Psalm 137 deals with a particular portion of the history of God’s chosen people. It is an historical psalm—which is very unusual. The historical books of the Old Testament do not record the history of the nation Israel during the seventy years of captivity in Babylon. There is no record of that captivity. It is true that Jeremiah prophesied about it, but he did not go with the captives to Babylon. Ezekiel was in Babylon, but he was prophesying to the captives there. We can only draw by inference the conditions of the people. He was concerned more with his visions than he was with history. Also Daniel was in Babylon during that period; but he was in the court, prophesying to the gentile rulers. We have no record from him at all concerning the captives. The seventy years of Babylonian captivity are a period of silence. It is a vacuum. It is a void as far as the historical books are concerned. The two Books of Kings and the two Books of Chronicles bring us right up to the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem. The next historical books, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, pick up the story after the seventy-year captivity is over and the people are back in their land. The captivity in Babylon is passed over, because in God’s plan His clock stops when His people are out of their land. For this reason we have no record of this period. This fact gives great emphasis to Psalm 137 because it is a bridge over the “Grand Canyon” of silence. It is like a vista point along the highway where you can pull off the road and look at scenery you have never seen before. We don’t see very much, but we see something of this silent period.
Then the third flare that has been thrown down is LISTEN. It is a question that has been raised: “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Ps. 137:4). I’m not sure that this question can be answered for these people. I’m not sure today that it can be answered for you and me unless we are willing to meet certain conditions. How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
Psalm 137 records the tragic yet tender experience of these people during the seventy years of captivity. You will find in this psalm bitter hatred and deep love. You will find a people that are overwhelmed and overpowered by their emotions. They feel very deeply about what is recorded here.
THE CENTRAL EXPERIENCE
Notice first of all the central experience of these people.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion [Ps. 137:1].
The location is all important—“by the rivers of Babylon.” These people have had an experience that no other people have had. From the land of Goshen to the ghettos of Europe they have known what it is to be away from their homeland, to be in a strange land. They know what it is to go all the way from the brickyards of Egypt to Babylonian canals. They know what it is to spend time in slave labor camps. By the rivers of Babylon was one place where they were persecuted, where they performed slave labor, a place where they suffered. By the rivers of Babylon.
The question arises: What were they doing there? To begin with, they had no business being there. God had put them in the Promised Land, and God had promised to keep them there as His witnesses as long as they were true to Him. What are they doing by the rivers of Babylon?
The rivers of Babylon are, of course, the canals. I think it is well accepted today that these are the people who dug those canals off the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Those canals threaded through that section to irrigate the land. These are the people who from sunup to sundown wearily dug through that dry desert terrain. “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down.” What a picture of deep dejection. What a picture of despair. What a picture of dire desperation. “There we sat down.” What else could they do? “Yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.” How woebegone can you get!
The Psalms are songs of praise. The Psalms express joy, wonderful faith, hope, and confidence. But not this psalm. This is the psalm in which they throw in the crying towel. “Yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.” This is no psalm of praise. This is a psalm of deep indigo, as blue as you can possibly get. “We wept, when we remembered Zion.”
What a contrast between Jerusalem and Babylon! Jerusalem yonder in the hills, beautiful for situation. Babylon, down on a dry plain. The people are not there because they want to be there. They are there because their city has been destroyed. They are there because the Babylonians, a people stronger than they, had invaded their city, taken them captive, and herded them like animals, and put them on slave labor. Now they are homesick. “We wept, when we remembered Zion.”
Why are they there? They are there because they have sinned. If you want the explanation from another weeping one of that period, turn to Jeremiah. He was a crybaby, but don’t find fault with him because, you see, when God chose a man to pronounce His judgment upon them, He chose a man with a tender heart. It was Jeremiah who told them their city was to be destroyed. It was Jeremiah who said they were going into captivity. God didn’t use a brutal man to give that brutal message. He didn’t choose a harsh man to give a harsh message. He chose a man with the heart of a woman. Jeremiah says, “My eyes were a fountain of tears. This message broke my heart.” God sent that kind of a man so they would know how He felt about it. Listen to him in Lamentations. “Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed …” (Lam. 1:8). Why are these people down there on the banks of the canals in Babylon? They have grievously sinned. That is the reason they are there.
Now listen to them:
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof [Ps. 137:2].
They have no heart for singing. They have quit singing now. They will not have a choir there. There won’t be any song service there. They are wailing instead of singing. They have put their harps upon the willows; they won’t be needing them anymore. They couldn’t sing the songs of Zion by the rivers of Babylon! It was yonder at the temple in Jerusalem where they went to sing praises to God. Now by the rivers of Babylon they hanged up their harps. These instruments of praise they put up on the willow trees—weeping willows.
Today there are multitudes of Christians who have put their harps on the weeping willow trees. They have lost their song. They have no harp, but they are harping just the same about this and that.
Christian friend, have you lost your song? Maybe you can remember the joy you had when you first came to Christ. Have you lost your song today?
THE CRITICAL EXPERIENCE
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a songs: and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion [Ps. 137:3].
Now the people of Babylon had heard about the singing in Israel. The Israelites were world famous—as we shall see in a moment—for a very definite reason. And when it was heard that they were being brought to the canals outside the city of Babylon, that they were colonized there and put in slave labor camps, the ‘Tanner Bus’ company started running a tour out there because people wanted to see them. You see, Israel was world famous because in Jerusalem there was a temple to the living and true God. When visitors came to Jerusalem they found a people, not worshiping an image, but serving the living God, approaching Him through redemption and forgiveness of sins, and singing praises unto Him. They had never seen anything like it. They had never heard anything like it. The news of it spread throughout the world. The Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth when she heard of it. She thought the report couldn’t be true. During Israel’s feast seasons the people would gather together in Jerusalem, and they would sing these psalms. Probably all of the psalms were set to music. David arranged a choir and an orchestra with hundreds of musicians. It is estimated that there were times when one hundred thousand people gathered in and around that temple singing praises unto God! To hear them was a sensational experience. But now the temple was burned, Jerusalem lay in rubble, and the people were doing slave labor in Babylon. Many travelers came to Babylon saying something like this: “I was in Jerusalem during a feast day those people had. They were there from all over the world. They gathered around their temple over one hundred thousand strong. When that sacrifice was burned and the smoke ascended, out from the throats of those people rose a psalm that lifted me off the ground into the heavens! I have never heard anything like it!” (These people have been musicians, whether you like it or not, through the centuries—all the way from David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, to Meyerbeer, Offenbach, Fritz Kreisler, Felix Mendelssohn, George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman, Irving Berlin and to the present crop.)
When these people met together and sang praises to God, the world heard about it. God intended the world to hear about it. Now that they were captives in Babylon, the Babylonians said, “We’re going out there and listen to a concert!” When they got out there the Babylonians saw the harps hanging on the willow trees; they saw these people sitting in deep dejection—instead of singing they were weeping. And with a sneer they said to them, “Sing us a song of Zion. We’ve been hearing about you. We thought you people could sing!” They taunted and ridiculed them, “Heist us a tune. Let’s hear it.”
Listen to them.
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? [Ps. 137:4].
With a sob in their soul they said, “We’ve lost our song. You mock us when you tell us to sing you a song of Zion. Our Zion is back yonder in ashes and rubble and ruin. We can’t sing anywhere but back there. How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”
The interesting thing is that the Christian is to sing in a strange land. The people of Israel were not; they were perfectly right in refusing. To begin with, they couldn’t sing. Neither did God ask them to sing where they were. They were to sing the songs of Zion at Zion. The child of God today is a pilgrim and stranger in this world. Centuries before this time the people of Israel were going through the wilderness, with slavery in Egypt behind them, on their way to the Promised Land. In the lead were the Levites carrying the ark, and they were singing. Immediately behind them came Judah, the tribe whose name means “praise.” They went through the wilderness with praise on their lips. Today this is the way in which the child of God is to go through the wilderness of this world. Every Christian today should have a song in his heart. I don’t say a song on his lips—David made it very clear that we’re to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. It’s best for some of us not to sing aloud. I don’t sing in public; I sing privately for my own amusement, usually in the car alone. But we are to sing in a strange land. God has given us a song, the song of redemption.
Now there are reasons for people losing their song: First of all, there is the natural tendency. That is, the psychological factor. Psychologists tell us that some folk are sanguine in their nature. That is, they are smiling, joyful all the time regardless of the circumstances. Other people are the opposite. They are filled with melancholy. Some races are like that. The Scottish have a reputation of being the dour Scots. I do not know, but I think I must have enough Scottish blood to give me a pessimistic view of life. Conversely, the contribution the black race has made in our midst is that they are generally an optimistic race. Under very extreme circumstances they have revealed that. I heard the story of the black woman who was so radiant, regardless of circumstances, that they asked her what was her secret. She said, “Well, when I works, I works hard. When I rest, I sits loose, and when I worries, I goes to sleep.” Isn’t it wonderful to have that kind of nature that when you worry you go to sleep! But a great many folk today don’t look joyful. Some of us don’t feel like smiling all the time. We’re not made that way.
The second factor is that discouragement and disappointment come to a great many Christians. Life buffets some people more than it buffets others. You know some Christians that seem to have more trouble than anyone else. Shakespeare calls it “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Some people seem to get more of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. When I first came to Los Angeles, I went out and stood on a street corner, watching the faces of those who went by. Folk had come there from everywhere. They had come largely to improve their condition, for entertainment, and for relaxation. But you will see as many unhappy faces on the streets of Southern California as you will see any place in the world. As I watched, in the midst of the many unhappy faces, I saw the face of a woman that just stood out. I had never seen a face that had tragedy marked on it as hers did. I wondered about it. I was startled when the next Sunday morning I looked out at the faces in my congregation, and there she sat. I was even more startled when that morning after the benediction she came to me and said, “I must talk to you.” And when she told her story I agreed that her face should have looked just as it did—the saddest face I have ever seen. The discouragements of life sometimes beat in upon even children of God, and they lose their song.
Then there is the third reason. Sometimes folk lose their song because of sin. You remember that David in his great confession, recorded in Psalm 51:12, cried, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” David never did lose his salvation, but he certainly lost the joy of it. That is what he asked God to restore. And in Psalm 32 he spoke of that awful, oppressive period when his sin was unconfessed. He said that his bones ached and he could not sleep. What a picture!
It was said of the Lord Jesus Christ that He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. But before you make Him out a sad person—for He was not—note that Isaiah makes it very clear that He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isa. 53:4). When all the sorrow and all the grief of your sin and my sin was put upon Him, He was a Man of Sorrows. But He had none of His own, for He had no sin of His own. He was made sin for us, and He was made our sin offering, completely identified with your sin and mine.
Why are these people by the rivers of Babylon? I can answer it now. They have sinned. Why have they lost their song? They sinned, and sin will rob you of your song.
THE CROWNING EXPERIENCE
Notice now in conclusion the crowning experience of these people.
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy [Ps. 137:5–6].
And under the taunting of that mob of curious Babylonians who said, “Come on, let’s hear something,” they said, “We can’t sing.” Then they made a pledge to God. They said, “O Jerusalem, if I ever forget you, may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. I’ll never, never, never forget Jerusalem.”
This is the ray of hope that is here. This is repentance. This is a pledge of allegiance. This is saying, “We’ll become obedient now to God, and we want back in the will of God. We want to go back to Jerusalem.” This is their confession. “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem….”
Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof [Ps. 137:7].
Edom, their eternal enemy, was there at the time Jerusalem fell, and Edom got in the cheering section for Babylon. They got up there and shouted, “Tear it down! Destroy it! We want to get rid of that wicked city!” They remember that now—these people who had survived that experience—and what they are asking for is justice. It is a cry for justice.
Someone is going to say, “But that is not the Christian spirit.” I grant you, it is not. But these people are under law; they are not under grace. They are under law that provided justice. We may have misunderstood our Lord when on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do …” (Luke 23:34). Do you think He is dismissing all of the sins of these people? If you do, you are wrong. All He is saying is, “Father, forgive them for this particular thing of crucifying Me. They don’t know what they are doing here.” That crime is not to be held against them, but they are still sinners. And they will have to come to God as sinners, as one of them did—Saul of Tarsus, who was probably there at the time. He had to come to Christ and receive forgiveness of sin.
Somebody may remark that Stephen when he died said, “… Lord, lay not this sin to their charge …” (Acts 7:60). That is true. Stephen is exhibiting the attitude believers should take. Paul expresses it: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). What is the Christian spirit? The Christian spirit is this: avenge not yourself. Does that mean that nothing is to be done about it? No. God says this to you and me as Christians: “Have you been harmed or hurt? Don’t you hit back. I want you to turn that over to Me. I’ll handle it. Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” God is saying that He will not let them get by with it. You see, when you and I take matters in our own hands, we are forsaking the walk of faith. What we are really saying is, “Lord, I can’t trust You to handle this. I’ll handle this one myself.” In other words, we really want to hurt Him in return. But God is saying, “You walk by faith. Turn this matter over to Me. I’m the God of justice.” My friend, justice must prevail. It has to prevail.
Someone still protests, But this isn’t like the New Testament. What do you mean it isn’t like the New Testament? I read this in Revelation 6:9–10: “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” A cry for vengeance is not contrary, you see, to the New Testament. My friend, justice must prevail. Our God is just. Things must be made right.
How deeply do you feel about evil? Do you hate a mad dog that comes into the yard to bite one of your children? If you don’t love your children, then you wouldn’t mind even bringing the mad dog into your home and urging the children to pet him on the head. But if you love your children, you will hate that mad dog.
It is said of our Lord when He comes the next time: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness …” (Ps. 45:7). You can’t love righteousness without hating wickedness. You can’t love God without hating Satan. You can’t love that which is right without hating that which is wrong. How deeply, really, do you feel about evil?
These captives, down by the river in Babylon, felt very deeply, and all they were asking for was that justice might prevail.
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us [Ps. 137:8].
This is the law of retribution. It is still a principle for the child of God today. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). He won’t reap something else, but he will reap the identical thing that he sowed.
What these people are saying is, “O God, let that thing happen to them that happened to us—” the law of retribution. Our Lord said it: “… they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52).
Now we come to the real difficulty.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones [Ps. 137:9].
This Israelite, sitting yonder by the canals of Babylon, dejected, despondent, being jeered and taunted to sing, says, “I can’t sing.” His mind goes back to the destruction of his beloved city and of God’s temple. He thinks again of what took place. He can see that Edomite in the cheering section, urging the Babylonians on. He sees how the Babylonians had destroyed his city. And then happened that frightful, awful thing. His wife was holding their precious little one. That great big brutal Babylonian soldier came to her, wrested the baby out of her arms, took it by the heels, and—with her screaming—hit its head across the rock, dashing its brains out! Remembering that, he says, “Because there is a just God in heaven, somebody will do that to the Babylonians.”
Whether you and I like it or not, it is already a matter of history that Cyrus the Great through his general did exactly to the Babylonians what the Babylonians had done to the people of Jerusalem.
Is this psalm for the Dark Ages? Is it outmoded in this enlightened day? Has man grown more civilized and loving so that this psalm is no longer relevant?
Today on every continent strife is being fomented. And the most tragic casualties are the children. Man’s inhumanity to man makes this psalm very up-to-date. And there is coming a day when all hell will break loose in this world. I thank God there is a God in heaven who is a God of justice and righteousness, and He is going to put an end to sin. Also I am thankful that He is a God of mercy, that He is not like men, but is merciful. The cross yonder reveals His love; it reveals His holiness. My Savior took upon Himself my sin. God so loved me that He gave His Son to die in my place, because He must judge sin.
Oh, today, in this day of grace He is merciful. But don’t let it deceive you—He is also holy, and He is righteous. Those who will not receive the Savior, those who will spurn His grace, those who will turn their backs on His mercy, will be judged. He makes no apologies to us in the twentieth century for doing that, because He has been patient with us. He has been gracious so long.
Have you availed yourself of His mercy?
PSALM 138
Theme: A sonq of wholehearted praise
We come from Psalm 137, where we saw the harps hanging on the willow trees, to the psalm before us where the harps are again in the hands of the godly and are being used for the praise and worship of Jehovah. In the previous psalm the children of Israel were in captivity, down by the irrigation canals in Babylon. There they put their harps on the willow trees and wept when they remembered Zion. But in Psalm 138 we have a wonderful prophetic hymn of praise which looks into the future when the believing remnant will take up their harps again and sing praise unto God.
This is a psalm of David. Because there is a reference to the temple (which was not in existence in David’s day), David’s authorship has been questioned. Well, the word temple could be translated “tabernacle” just as easily; and I believe it is speaking of the tabernacle and the days of David. After all, in the inspired text it is inscribed as a psalm of David.
I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee [Ps. 138:1].
Let me give you Dr. Gaebelein’s translation: “I will give thanks unto Thee with my whole heart, before the gods will I sing praises unto Thee.”
Notice “I will praise thee with my whole heart.” One of the things that impressed me on a visit to Jerusalem was seeing the Jews at the Wailing Wall (Israel has access to the wall again). I saw many of them standing there, some of them with a little book in their hands going through a ritual, some of them actually butting their heads against the wall, and some of them actually wailing, which touches the heart. But a great deal that I saw was just like ritualistic “churchianity”—nothing but lip service. However, in that future time when the Jews have been through the period of Jacob’s trouble, the Great Tribulation, and have been delivered out of it, there will no longer be lip service. It will be real heart worship—“I will praise thee with my whole heart.” My friend, you and I need to examine our own hearts to see how we are worshiping God. Do we worship Him with our whole heart? One of the things which impressed me about Horatius Bonar was what he said when he went to God to repent of the coldness, the indifference, and the sin in his life. He said, “Then I went back to God and repented of my repentance.” His first confession was merely lip service, and he repented of that. I think some of us ought to go to God in prayer on Monday morning and ask Him to forgive us for going to church on Sunday. We should pray, “Lord, forgive me for going to church yesterday. I sang the hymns, but my heart wasn’t in it. I prayed, but it was a mere formality. I listened to the Word of God, but it had no effect on me. I criticized the preacher and others who were there, but I did not criticize myself. God, forgive me for going to church like that.” This would be a good thing for many of us to pray.
“Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” Luther and Calvin explain that the “gods” were angels of God—I don’t think they were that. Others think that he was talking about the idol gods of the nations, and certainly he could be referring to them. However, anything in your life that is in place of God or is between you and God, is your god. We saw this word gods back in Psalm 82:6, and there it referred to the judges, those who are in the place of God, that is, His representatives on earth. I have always been mindful of the fact that as a teacher, preacher, and minister of the Word of God, I have a responsibility to God. Someday I will have to answer to Him, because it is my job to make the gospel clear. If those who know the Lord don’t make the gospel clear, who will? When I look back upon my ministry, I see much failure, and I have many regrets; but some day I will be able to look into the face of God and say, “Lord, I preached Your Word the best I could.” That is a great comfort, because I have been His representative here on this earth. So, you see, when David said, “Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee,” he could have meant several things, and we cannot be sure exactly what he had in mind.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name [Ps. 138:2].
A better translation of the last part of this verse would be, “Thou hast magnified thy saying according to all thy name.” In other words, God’s Word is as good as He is. There is an old saying that a man is as good as his word. Well, God is as good as His Word. His character is behind what He has said. “Thou hast magnified thy saying in accordance with all thy name,” or, “Thou hast fulfilled it in such a manner as to bring out all that Thy name implies.” This is a very wonderful statement.
Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off [Ps. 138:6].
Dr. Gaebelein translates it, “For Jehovah is high, and regardeth the humble, but the proud He knoweth afar off.” He is high and He is over all; yet He will condescend to the lowly. There is so much said in the Word of God about God’s regarding the humble. Proud modern man doesn’t seem to be an expert at displaying humility. In James 4:6 we read, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” We are told, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6). There is a great deal said about humility in Scripture. It is something God takes note of and recognizes. David took a humble place. We read his words in Psalm 131:1, “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” In Isaiah 57:15 we are told, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” In 1 Peter 5:5 we read, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 3:4 tells us, “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” All of these verses reveal how God regards humility.
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands [Ps. 138:8].
This is the Old Testament way of saying, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
PSALM 139
Theme: A song of praise to the attributes of God
This psalm is “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.” This is a theological psalm in that it reveals something of the attributes of God in relation to His creation. It reveals His omniscience, His omnipresence, and His omnipotence. These are what I call four-cylinder words, but they simply mean that God is all-knowing (omniscient), He is everywhere present (omnipresent), and He is all-powerful (omnipotent). God can do anything that is the object of His power. Sometimes the ridiculous question is asked, Can God make a rock so big that He cannot lift it? The answer to that is that God never does anything ridiculous.
This is a psalm that will answer several pertinent questions for us.
THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me [Ps. 139:1].
This speaks of the omniscience of God. He knows you. He knows me. He is the greatest psychologist. When you have a problem, it is not necessary to climb upon the psychiatrist’s couch and tell him everything. Why don’t you climb upon the couch of the Lord Jesus and just tell Him everything? You might as well tell Him because He knows all about you anyway. The psychiatrist still won’t know you even after you have told him everything you can think of.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether [Ps. 139:2–4].
That word that was on your tongue—perhaps you wanted to rip out a good strong oath, but you didn’t do it because of the presence of someone. God saw it on your tongue. He knows everything. “There is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.”
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it [Ps. 139:5–6].
You may ask, How can God do that? I don’t know, and the psalmist says he doesn’t know. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” Actually the omniscience of God is not an occasion for terror but for comfort. He saved me and yet He knew me—that is the amazing thing about it. There are some people whom you accept and receive, and then in some way they disappoint you. You thought you knew them, but you really did not know them. God knows us and yet He will save us. How wonderful He is! God knew David, and David let Him down. But God knew something about David’s faith that we could not see. He could see David’s heart, and beneath the faith that failed was a faith that never failed. The Lord knew what Simon Peter was going to do. He even knew that Judas would betray Him. Even though we don’t understand it, that is the omniscience of God. He knows everything.
THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD
Let’s look at the omnipresence of God for a moment. No matter where you go, you cannot get away from God.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there [Ps. 139:7–8].
“Hell” is Sheol (not hell), the region of the unseen and unknown. God is there. No matter where you go, He is there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea [Ps. 139:9].
You won’t get away from God even if you go to the moon. To me it was thrilling to hear those first three astronauts who went around the moon read the first chapter of Genesis on Christmas Eve. You don’t run away from God, my friend, even if you go to the moon!
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee [Ps. 139:10–12].
A man once said to me, “Do you think we ought to confess our sins in detail to God?” I said, “Of course. Spell them out. He already knows about them anyway. He was present when you committed them; so you better agree with Him on the subject. Let Him know that you recognize it as sin.” My friend, to confess your sin is to agree with God—God says it is sin and you agree with Him that it is sin.
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb [Ps. 139:13].
From the time we are conceived in the womb we never get away from the presence of God in this life.
He reinforces this truth in the next verse:
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well [Ps. 139:14].
God is everywhere, and man is a fabulous creature who has the attention of God constantly.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them [Ps. 139:15–16].
Before the body was formed David says he was a person. He was a person as he was being formed in the womb. Even before the members of his body were formed, he was a person. The personhood is declared to take place at the very moment of conception.
This is very important in our day because of the question of abortion. I heard a minister of the liberal persuasion say that the Bible has nothing to say about abortion, and therefore we can make our own decision or do as we please. However, the Bible does have something to say about it, and here is a clear-cut reference. While the body was being formed, David said he was a person, a human being. God had the blueprint of his members before they came into existence. The person was there.
Now hear it straight: abortion is murder unless it is performed to save the mother’s life. Abortion to get rid of the little unformed fellow before he has an opportunity to utter a cry in order to cover up sin or escape responsibility merely enhances the awful and cruel crime Do not blame me for this charge. Blame David—he wrote it. Blame the Holy Spirit—He declared it.
The Bible has the answer to all the problems of life if we consider all of it, and it does not always give the popular interpretation. It is well to get God’s viewpoint.
THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee [Ps. 139:17–18].
My friend, God loves us! And the God whc loves us is omnipotent—all-powerful!
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men [Ps. 139:19].
We have both the wicked and the godly mentioned in this psalm. God says that He will judge the wicked, and He will hear the prayer of His people. Praise God that He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere.
PSALM 140
Theme: A prayer for deliverance from evil men
As we have gone through the Book of Psalms, we have come to groups of psalms that have been like a cluster of grapes, or like a stalk of bananas, in that they were all related to the same bunch. Psalm 140 has no visible connection with the marvelous theological one hundred thirty-ninth psalm that preceded it. Psalm 140 sets before us in prophecy the last days when the godly remnant of Israel will face the Antichrist—that false messiah, the Man of Sin. It is a prayer of David, asking and praying for protection because evil men are about him. David was under some kind of pressure at this time, and we believe it was from the madman King Saul, who was the adumbration of the man of violence about whom the apostle Paul wrote in the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians.
This psalm has an application for you and me today. Many of us could pray this prayer.
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man [Ps. 140:1].
In this verse is a designation of the Antichrist. He is called the “evil man” and the “violent man.” But John says there are many antichrists. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18). I am sure that many of us have come in contact with evil men. David’s prayer is that he might be preserved and delivered from these evil men. That has always been my prayer in the ministry: “Oh, God, do not let me fall under the influence or the power of an evil man.” It is also dangerous for a minister to be under the influence or power of any one man or under the power of a little clique in a church. It is not only dangerous; it is dynamite.
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adder’s poison is under their lips. Selah [Ps. 140:2–3].
Paul speaks of the human race in the same manner (Rom. 3:10–18). Human beings have tongues filled with poison. The tongue can destroy as much as any atom bomb. It can ruin a man’s reputation and blacken his life.
Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings [Ps. 140:4].
This is David’s prayer, and it is also a prayer that the remnant will pray during the Great Tribulation. This is not a prayer for Christians in this day of grace. However, for the people who are in the Great Tribulation Period and back under law, I see no reason why they shouldn’t pray this prayer for divine judgment and for divine wrath.
Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again [Ps. 140:8–10].
The psalmist is praying against that wicked man, the Antichrist. As I have said before, this is not the kind of prayer a believer should pray. Rather, we should follow the instruction in Romans 12:19–21, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” In other words, don’t let yourself become bitter. Don’t get carried away with enmity and revenge, which will separate you from a walk of faith. God will take care of things. It has been my experience that when we keep our hands off, God will generally move in and deal with those who attempt to thwart and hinder God’s work. Vengeance belongs to God. Turn the case over to Him. Then you can do something good for the individual who has injured you. God puts us in an unusual place.
Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him [Ps. 140:11].
There is sure victory if we do not forsake the path of faith. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The wicked tongue is not going to be established or survive. The lie will finally be made known. Satan was a liar from the beginning, and he has a lot of his urchins running around today following his example. Someday they will all be exposed as liars.
PSALM 141
Theme: A prayer to be delivered from evil
This psalm was written by David. It has something to do with his personal history. He sends out an SOS. His prayer arises from some unknown experience but probably comes from the time that he was fleeing from Saul. The application is to the remnant of Israel in the final struggle against evil, but it also has a message for us today.
Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice [Ps. 141:1–2.
One commentator has said, “David was in love with prayer.” He was a great man of prayer. He mentions the fact that prayer is like sweet incense. Today, when we pray and praise in the name of Christ, that prayer is like the sweet incense that went up out of the tabernacle when Aaron, the high priest, sprinkled incense on the golden altar. “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense.”
However, to be sweet incense, that prayer would have to be backed up by an obedient life. The Lord Jesus made it abundantly clear that if we expect God to hear and answer our prayers, we must live lives that are obedient to Him. The idea that we can live any way we want to and expect God to answer our prayer is a big mistake. The Lord said, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” But He did not stop there. He continued, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:14–15). If you expect Him to answer your prayers, you must be obedient. We need to pray in the name of Christ, yes, but also we need a life to back it up.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips [Ps. 141:3].
David says, “Oh, Lord, don’t let my lips and my life contradict each other.” He learned this lesson by bitter experience. And we need to pray, “Don’t let me pray one thing on Sunday and live something else on Monday.”
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities [Ps. 141:4–5].
There are many men who work and make their living in this evil world. There is no question that they rub up against evil every day; and, as the saying goes, the boat should be in the ocean, but it is tragic when the ocean is in the boat. When a man lives in the world, and acts like the world, and lives like the Devil’s child all week, he cannot expect the Heavenly Father to answer his prayer on Sunday. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” God has not promised to hear the prayer of the wicked. Instead we are told that “… the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). First John 3:22 says, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his id sight.” David wanted the Lord to keep the door of his lips. He did not want to incline his heart toward any evil thing. We must follow his example if we want our prayers to be powerful before Almighty God.
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity [Ps. 141:8–9].
David prays that he will not fall into the trap of the wicked. The Devil attempts to trip us up all the time, and he uses all kinds of devices. Unfortunately, we are not aware of many of his traps. We are not even as wise as the carnal Christians in Corinth to whom Paul said, “… we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). Some of us seem to be woefully ignorant of Satan’s devices. Oh, my friend, let us pray to be delivered from evil so that our prayers may be potent prayers.
PSALM 142
Theme: The beginning of David’s suffering
Notice that this is a maschil psalm, that is, a psalm of instruction. It is a psalm from which you and I can learn something. This, again, is a great prayer of David. Where was he when he prayed this prayer? The inspired text gives this inscription: “Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.”
I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication [Ps. 142:1].
We are not told which cave he was hiding in at this time. The cave of En-gedi is mentioned in 1 Samuel 24. I passed by En-gedi when I was in that land. They have made a new road down by the Dead Sea which goes all the way from Jericho up to Masada. It is very interesting country. The road has opened up that area to tourists. When I saw En-gedi I realized that it would be a very good place in which to hide.
Also there is the cave of Adullam, which is the cave where David went to hide the first time he left Israel to escape from King Saul. Both of these caves are known. My guess is that he was in Adullam when he wrote this psalm. We know that it was at this time that “… every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him …” (1 Sam. 22:2). About four hundred men came to him at this time.
Now notice his prayer at this time:
I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble [Ps. 142:2].
In other words, David laid out before God everything that was in his heart and life. That is the way you and I should pray. This idea that we should “pray around” something, or rationalize in our prayers, or pray “all around Robin Hood’s barn,” is wrong. We ought to get right down to the nitty-gritty and tell God everything in our lives. David said, “I shewed before him my trouble.” My friend, you can tell Him about your temptations; you can tell Him about everything.
Years ago Fénelon wrote a wonderful thing along this line, which he has entitled “Tell God”:
Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you to conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself as to others.
If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back: neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration, just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.
My friend, David had that marvelous relationship with Almighty God, and he told God all that was in his heart.
Notice that David said, “I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.” David as a young man was anointed king of Israel. In the court of King Saul that mad king threw a javelin at David, trying to pin David to the wall, but he missed, and David had to flee for his life. He complained that he was hunted like a partridge. It was open season on him all of the time, and he had to keep running. Out of that situation this young man lifts his heart and cries out to God.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily [secretly] laid a snare for me [Ps. 142:3].
They tried to trap David. David looked to the Lord for help, and God guided him.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul [Ps. 142:4].
This was David’s situation when he first left the court of Saul, but afterward, as we have seen, four hundred men joined him. He knew God was responsible for this support.
I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living [Ps. 142:5].
There are two things we ought to note. He hid in the cave—if he had not hidden, Saul would have killed him. But, you may say, he was trusting the Lord. Yes, he was trusting the Lord, but the Lord expected him to use good old sanctified common sense.
PSALM 143
Theme: David’s urgent appeal for help
This is another marvelous prayer of David. It is an urgent appeal for help. David had no inhibitions, and he opened his heart to God. Oh, that we could learn to pray like that!
Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness [Ps. 143:1].
David appeals to the faithfulness and righteousness of God for an answer. Isn’t this exactly what believers are to do when they sin? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “He is faithful and just [or righteous].” Like David, we appeal to God on the basis of His faithfulness and His righteousness. This psalm is a very wonderful prayer, and it can fit into your experience and mine.
This is also the plea of the nation Israel. This is their hope when they cry for help from God in their day of calamity. And God will not disappoint them.
God is not through with Israel. In Micah 7:20 we read, “Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.” In Exodus 2:24–25 we are told, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.” Why did God have respect unto Israel? Because He is faithful and righteous.
In Romans Paul tells us what Israel’s problem is today. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). This is also the trouble the Gentiles have. They are working at a religion. They are trying to do something to please God. My friend, He has already done something for them. He sent His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for sin. You please Him when you accept what He has done for you. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4).
I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah [Ps. 143:6].
I have watched it rain out on the desert on that sandy soil when it has rained and rained and rained, and that thirsty land just drinks it up. David says, “My soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land.”
Now hear David’s cry:
Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit [Ps. 143:7].
David is saying to God, “You are my only help.”
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness [Ps. 143:8–10].
This reveals David’s trust in God as his only refuge and his only hope.
“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God” should be the daily prayer of every child of God.
PSALM 144
Theme: Praise and prayer to God because of who He is
This is another one of the psalms written by David. Some of the contents are similar to those in Psalm 18, which began, “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Ps. 18:1–2). Further down in the psalm David said, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears” (Ps. 18:6). This psalm was written out of one of David’s experiences when he was delivered out of the hand of King Saul. Also it is prophetic, looking forward to that coming day when the children of Israel will suffer during the Great Tribulation. In this time of great distress they will turn to God in prayer. Also this psalm is applicable to all the saints during the centuries between David’s time and the Great Tribulation period.
Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight [Ps. 144:1].
What does David mean? There will be those who will immediately jump at this and say, “Look, the God of the Old Testament is warlike.” My friend, if you had lived in David’s day, you would have been a lot more comfortable knowing that you were protected from the enemy surrounding you and knowing that you could defend yourself.
It is entirely incorrect to say that the Lord Jesus Christ was a pacifist. He gives peace to the human heart, and peace with God through the forgiveness of sins; but He also said, “… a strong man armed keepeth his [house] palace…” (Luke 11:21), which is what David is saying in this psalm. It is true that our Lord is the Prince of Peace, but He has made it very clear that there will be no peace on this earth until He returns. In the meantime it is more comfortable to know that our nation has enough armaments to protect us. I only hope we don’t get some fanatic in power who will get rid of our protection, maintaining that we can depend on the goodness of human nature to take care of us. That type of thinking brought many a nation down into the dust. Some of the Greek states tried it. They had an outstanding civilization, but they are in ruin and rubble today because they could not protect themselves.
My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me [Ps. 144:2].
David says that God is his goodness. If you and I have any righteousness, it is Christ. David says that God is also his Goodness, his Protector, his Fortress, his High Tower, his Deliverer, and his Shield. Although it is comforting to know that our nation has an arsenal to protect us, I also want to make sure that God is my protector, that He is my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, and my shield.
“Who subdueth my people under me” is David speaking as a commander.
Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! [Ps. 144:3].
Why should God take note of little man? Frankly, man does not amount to very much.
Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away [Ps. 144:4].
“Man is like to vanity” means that man is nothing without God, that life is purposeless without Him.
When I was a pastor in Nashville, a man walked into my study one day holding a rusty old gun—it looked like a .45 to me. He said, “If you can’t give me a reason to live, I am going to kill myself.” I replied, “Well, you sure are putting me on the spot; I can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t kill yourself, but I do want to tell you that you are not going to solve your problem by taking your life. All you will be doing is removing your problem from earth and taking it to a place where there is no solution, because you will fix your eternal destiny. But here and now you can make a decision for God which will add purpose to your life, and you won’t be in such a hurry to end it. Then, when you do die, you will go home to be with Christ, your Savior.”
Life without God is quite empty. I have a newspaper clipping which tells about a Swedish man who inherited what is said to be the largest fortune in the world, $5 billion—that is a lot of money! But that man took his own life. His $5 billion dollars didn’t keep him here. He found life rather purposeless. My friend, without Jesus Christ, without God, “man is like to vanity” and emptiness. Without God life has no purpose.
Now listen to David plead with God.
Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke [Ps. 144:5].
This is a call for God to break into human events, for God to intrude into human history. This is confirmed in Isaiah 64:1–2 which says, “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!” God is going to intrude into human history one day. I don’t want to take a fanatical position and say that He is going to do it tomorrow, or even in this century, but the fact is that He is going to do it.
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them [Ps. 144:6].
When the Lord comes again, He is coming in judgment. The whole tenor of Scripture, including the New Testament, is that the Lord is coming in judgment one day. There is no more vivid and dramatic picture of this than the one given in Revelation 19:11, where John saw heaven opened and beheld a white horse, “… and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” That is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ coming forth as a conqueror to conquer. Maybe you don’t like this picture, but it is the picture that the Word of God presents.
At that time, the psalmist says:
I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee [Ps. 144:9].
Not until after the Tribulation will the children of Israel be able to sing this new song unto their God.
PSALM 145
Theme: Praise for what God is and for what He does
This is the last psalm that mentions David as the author. He may have written some of the psalms that do not name an author, but we cannot be sure. This psalm is an acrostic, which means that each verse begins with one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Immediately we run into a problem which the critics have latched onto—there are twenty-two Hebrew letters and only twenty-one verses in this psalm. The psalm begins with Aleph, the first letter of the alphabet, and ends with Tau, the final letter in the Hebrew alphabet; the missing letter is Nun. Some critics say that Nun was left out by some transcriber. I don’t think that is the case at all. I believe it was left out for a very definite reason. From Psalm 145 to 150 we find that every one of them is a hallelujah psalm. It is an increasing crescendo. Why would one verse be left out of Psalm 145? I think it speaks of the fact that our praise is imperfect. I like what F. W. Grant has written relative to the omission of this one letter: “I cannot but conclude that the gap is meant to remind us that in fact the fulness of praise is not complete without other voices, which are not found here, and that these missing voices are those of the Church and the heavenly saints in general.” You don’t get all of the hallelujahs until you get to the nineteenth chapter of Revelation: “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God …. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever …. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth (Rev. 19:1, 3, 6). There is the missing hallelujah. The praise in this Psalm 145 is not quite complete—nor is it in any of the psalms. At the occasion of the birth of Jesus, the angels said, “Glory to God in the highest …” (Luke 2:14). Why? Because Jesus was born in Bethlehem and there would be peace. But there hasn’t been peace. We have never been able to sing the Hallelujah chorus perfectly yet. But there is coming a day when Christ will return to this earth. The day that He comes forth will be a great day, and then the Hallelujah chorus will be sung correctly and completely.
I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever [Ps. 145:1–2].
“Every day will I bless thee”—this is not for only one day in the week when we go to church but for every day. There are days when we don’t feel like blessing Him. We sometimes sing, “We praise Him for all that is past, and trust Him for all that is to come.” We can change that around and sing, “We trust Him for all that is past and praise Him for all that is to come.”
This is a marvelous psalm of praise!
The Lord is gracious. and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy [Ps. 145:8].
We have a kind God. David had experienced the kindness of God, and it motivated him to show the same kindness of God to others.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth [Ps. 145:17–18].
Whoever you are and wherever you are, if you mean business with God, you can come into His presence through Christ. “The Lord is nigh [He is near] unto all them that call upon him.” There are many folk who are stiff-arming God. That is one reason they go through a church ritual—they are escaping a personal confrontation with Him.
One of the great doctrines that the Reformation brought back to us was the doctrine of the “priesthood of believers.” If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have direct access to God. If you are unsaved, God invites you to come to Him for salvation. God is available.
PSALM 146
Theme: A Hallelujah psalm, praise to God for His goodness
The five psalms that conclude this great hymn book are all hallelujah psalms. Notice that they begin with “Praise ye the Lord” and end with “Praise ye the Lord, ” which means, of course, “hallelujah.” No longer do they tell anything of persecution or suffering; there are no prayers for help or deliverance from the enemy; there are no imprecatory prayers. The nignt of sin and suffering is over. Weeping is past and joy has come in the morning of the Millennium (See Ps. 30:5).
Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul [Ps. 146:1].
Not only should we praise God with our lips, but we should genuinely praise Him from the heart.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help [Ps. 146:3].
This verse describes the powerlessness of man. No lasting help can come from any human being whose body will one day return to the dust from which it was made, whether he be a prince or a common man.
Dr. A. C. Gaebelein told of a visit he had from an orthodox Jew. I’ll let him tell it in his own words: “He stated that he had read the New Testament and found the title of Jesus of Nazareth so often mentioned as ‘the son of man.’ He then declared that there is a warning in the Old Testament not to trust the son of man. As we asked him for the passage he quoted from this Psalm, ‘Trust not … in the son of man in whom is no salvation.’ We explained to him that if our Lord had been only the son of man and nothing else, if He had not been Immartuel, the virgin-born Son of God, if it were not true as Isaiah stated it, that He is the child born and the Son given, there would be no salvation in Him. But He came God’s Son and appeared in the form of man for our redemption. His argument showed the blindness of the Jew. The statement is given in this Psalm, that man is sinful, that there is no hope in man, he is a finite creature and turns to dust. There is but One in whom salvation and all man’s needs is found, the God of Jacob, the loving Jehovah” (The Book of Psalms, p. 500–501).
In the closing verses of this psalm, “the Lord,” meaning Jehovah, is mentioned eight times.
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:
The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous [Ps. 146:5–8].
God is the One who is in the helping business.
The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 146:9–10].
As Jehovah, He is Redeemer. As Creator, He is Elohim. The Psalms make this abundantly clear. “Praise ye the Lord”—Hallelujah!
PSALM 147
Theme: A hallelujah chorus because of God’s goodness to the earth and to Jerusalem
Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel [Ps. 147:1–2].
As you can see, this has not yet been accomplished, but has a future fulfillment.
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds [Ps. 147:3].
God will do this for those who have passed through the horrors of the Great Tribulation. And, friend, He does it for you and me.
He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names [Ps. 147:4].
What a contrast! He who cares for our broken hearts is the same God who not only knows the number of the stars—a number so vast that no human figures can express it—but has a name for each one!
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat [Ps. 147:12–14].
The King has come to Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Peace. At this time the prediction of Isaiah will be fulfilled, “O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isa. 54:11–13).
He hath not dealt so with any nation:and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 147:20].
The nation of Israel is unique. They are the only people given the title “Chosen People.” They are the only ones made custodians of the revelation of God. In His Word God says He has an eternal purpose for them.
We are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for the time that God will fulfill His promise to them.
PSALM 148
Theme: A hallelujah chorus of all God’s created intelligences
In this psalm praise begins with the heavenlies. What great hallelujah chorus this will be when all God’s created intelligences in heaven and in earth will praise Him!
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light [Ps. 148:1–3].
The praise starts in the highest heaven, the third heaven, where it includes believers, I think.
Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven [Ps. 148:11–13].
Not only in the heavenlies, but on the earth as well, will His created beings praise Him. This is moving now to a mighty crescendo when heaven and earth will praise God!
PSALM 149
Theme: A hallelujah chorus because the kingdom has come through redemption by blood, and judgment by power
Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints [Ps. 149:1].
We have already discussed the “new song” that is spoken of in the Book of Revelation. The new song will be about the fact that the Lord Jesus is our Redeemer.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King [Ps. 149:2].
He is our Redeemer and let us remember that He is our Creator. We should praise Him for that. When we climb to a mountaintop or walk down by the ocean, we can praise Him. When we are flying by plane is a good time to praise the Lord.
Now notice that we have here the judgment of the nations.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upofi them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 149:6–9].
Let’s keep in mind that when the Lord Jesus returns to this earth, He will not be welcomed by the nations of the world. He is coming to judge this earth. When He returns to this little planet, He will put down the rebellion that has broken out; and He will break them with the rod of iron. As it is said in Psalm 2 “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; judgment day thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). Oh, my friend, let’s not be deluded by this namby-pamby way of thinking that our God is not going to judge. You and I are living in a world that is moving to a judgement day.
PSALM 150
Theme: The grand finale of the hallelujah chorus, with choir and orchestra
Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trupet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord [Ps. 150:1–6].
WHAT IS WORSHIP?
First of all we will consider the object of worship. This will require that we answer, in a general sort of way, the question: What is worship? To do this we shall deal with one statement found in Psalm 150:1: “Praise ye the Lord.” In this first aspect the emphasis is on “Praise ye the Lord.” He is the object of worship.
The Psalms put the emphasis upon two things: the fact that He is the Creator, and the fact that He is the Redeemer. God made this earth on which we live, as well as the universe. This lovely sunshine that you are enjoying is His. He is the Creator. There is not a thing at your fingertips today that He did not make. He is worthy of our worship because He is the Creator. He is also worthy of our worship because He is the Redeemer. He is the only Creator, and He is the only Redeemer. You see, God works in a field where He has no competition at all. He has a monopoly on the field of creation and on the field of redemption. Because of this, He claims from all of His creatures their worship, their adoration, and their praise.
And the Scriptures say that God is a jealous God. I can’t find where He asks me to apologize for Him for this. He has created us for Himself. He has redeemed us for Himself. On the human level, marriage is used to illustrate the believer’s relationship to Christ. A husband, if he loves his wife, does not share her with other men. He is jealous of her. Her love is to be for him alone. So believers, called in Scripture the bride of Christ, are created solely for Him. He alone is to have our adoration; He alone is to have our praise. You will recall that John, on the Isle of Patmos, felt constrained to fall down and worship the angel who had been so helpful in bringing all of the visions before him, but the angel rebuked him and said, “… See thou do it not … worship God” (Rev. 22:9). He does not want even His angels worshiped; He does not want Mary worshiped; He wants none worshiped but Himself. He alone is worthy of worship. And Scriptures say there is coming a day when everything that has breath will praise the Lord. He has created everything that it might praise Him.
WHO IS TO WORSHIP?
God is the object of worship, but this question follows: Who can worship?
The psalmist said: “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord” (Ps. 150:6). The emphasis now is upon ye. He is saying to mankind, “Praise ye the Lord.” God apparently created man for the purposes of fellowship with Himself and that man might praise Him. There is no other reason for man’s existence. What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
God created the universe that it might glorify Him. It was not brought into existence for you and me. In the ages past—how far back we do not know—Job said: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). They were praising God. And the psalmist said: “For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens” (Ps. 96:5). He made the heavens that they might be a musical instrument to sing forth His praises throughout the eternal ages of the future. Although man was created for that high purpose, he got out of harmony, he got out of tune with God. He got out of fellowship with God. Perhaps Shakespeare expressed it when he gave to one of his characters in The Merchant of Venice these lines:
There’s not the smallest orb which thou behold’st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
(Act V, Scene 1)
Today you and I are living in a created universe that is actually singing praises to God. But man is out of tune. Man is in discord. God’s great purpose is to bring man back into the harmony of heaven.
Let us move on now into the realm of music, about which I know nothing, but have made careful inquiry. I am reliably informed that on every good pipe organ there are four principal stops. There is the main stop known as Diapason; then there is the Flute stop; another which is known as the String stop; and then that which is known as Vox Humana (the human voice). I am told that the Vox Humana stop is very seldom in tune. If you put it in tune while the auditorium is cold, it would be out of tune when the auditorium is heated. And if you put it in tune when the auditorium is heated, it would be out of tune when the auditorium got cold. My beloved, it is hard to keep Vox Humana in tune.
This great universe of God’s is a mighty instrument. One day Jesus Christ went to the console of God’s great organ, His creation, and He pulled out the stop known as Diapason. When He did this, the solar and stellar spaces broke into mighty song. Then He reached over and pulled out the Flute stop, and these little feathered friends, called birds, began to sing. Then when He reached out and pulled the String stop, light went humming across God’s universe, and the angels lifted their voices in praise. Then He reached over and pulled out the Vox Humana—but it was out of tune. The great Organist was not only a musician, He knew how to repair the organ, so He left the console of the organ yonder in heaven, and He came down to this earth. Through redemption, the giving of His own life, He was able to bring man back into harmony with God’s tremendous creation. And, my beloved, today the redeemed are the ones to lift their voices in praise. Only the redeemed are in tune. The psalmist sings: “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Ps. 107:1–2). And, brother, if the redeemed don’t say so, no one will! Oh, to be in tune with heaven! Today sin has intruded into this world and has taken man out of God’s choir; but individuals can come back in—and many have—through Jesus Christ, the son of David (David, the sweet singer of Israel). The Lord Jesus Christ has brought man back into a redemptive and right relationship with his Creator and Redeemer so that man can lift his voice in praise to Him.
WHY WORSHIP?
Now we want to answer the question: Why worship?
At this point we move our emphasis over from “Praise ye the Lord” to “Praise ye the Lord.” We move the accent over to the verb, to that which is active. “Praise ye the Lord.”
Very few people actually worship God. There really is no such thing as public worship. It was the great Chrysostom who put it like this: “The angels glorify; men scrutinize; Angels raise their voices in praise; men in disputation; They conceal their faces with their wings; but man with a presumptuous gaze would look into thine unspeakable glory.” Oh, today, how many actually go to the church to worship? Somebody, in a very facetious manner, said that some people go to church to eye the clothes, and others to close their eyes. I wonder how many go to church for the purpose of worshiping God. Worship is divine intoxication. If you don’t believe that, there is a fine illustration of it in the Book of Acts. On the Day of Pentecost Simon Peter got up and preached a sermon. We talk a great deal about that sermon, but actually it was an explanation to the people that these Spirit-filled men were not drunk. Drunkenness was not the explanation. How many would get the impression that we are intoxicated with God today? We need an ecclesiastical ecstasy. We need a theological thrill in this day in which we live.
There are three words that we must associate with worship, and these three words denote an experience of the human heart and the human soul as it comes into God’s presence to worship.
The first of these words is prostration. In the Orient people are accustomed to get down on their faces; in the West we talk a great deal about having a dignified service. Now don’t misunderstand me. I am not contending for a posture of the body. Victor Hugo once said that the soul is on its knees many times, regardless of the position of the body. I am not trying to insist on a posture of the body, but we do need to have our souls prostrated before God. The two prominent Bible words are the Hebrew hishtahaweh, meaning “to bow the neck,” and the Greek proskuneo, meaning “to bow the knee” to God. And today we need to bow before God in heaven. The Book of Revelation does not tell us much about heaven, but one thing we are sure about—every time we read of someone in heaven they are either getting down on their faces to worship God, or getting up off their faces from worshiping God. And, friend, if you don’t like to worship God, you wouldn’t like heaven because that isthe thing with which they are occupied. Most of the time they are worshiping God, prostrating themselves down before Him. Beloved, we need that today.
When my spiritual life gets frayed and fuzzy at the edges and begins to tear at the seams, I like to get alone, get down on my face before Him, and pour out my heart to Him. Friend, when was the last time you got down on your face before God? When was the last time that you prostrated yourself before Him? Oh, it would do us good. It would take us out of the deep-freeze. It would deliver us from the shell in which we live. It would create within our hearts a different attitude if we would learn to prostrate our souls before God.
The second word that goes with worship is the word adoration. It is a term of endearment. There is passion in that word. “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness …” (Ps. 96:9). Worship is a love affair; it is making love to God. Michal, the first wife of David, resented his devotion to God. When King David brought the ark into Jerusalem, the record tells us: “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart” (2 Sam. 6:15–16). She despised him. Sure she did. She discovered that David loved God more than he loved her and that he was making love to God. Worship without love is like a flame without heat; it is like a rainbow without color; it is like a flower without perfume. Worship should have a spontaneity. It should not be synthetic. It should have an expectancy, a tenderness, and an eagerness in it. My friend, some types of worship compare to going downtown, sitting in a department store window, and holding the hand of a mannequin in there. It has no more life in it; it has no more vitality in it than that! Oh, to have a heart that goes out to God in adoration and in love to Him!
A young fellow wrote a love letter to his girl. He waxed eloquent and said: “I would climb the highest mountain for you. I would swim the widest river for you. I would crawl across burning sands of the desert for you.” Then he put a P.S. at the end: “If it doesn’t rain Wednesday night I will be over to see you.” A whole lot of so-called worship is like that today. It will not take very much to keep us away from God.
In a marriage ceremony there is something I occasionally use. I think how sacred it is. The two being joined in marriage say, “With my body I thee worship.”
The hero swam the Hellespont every evening to be with the one he loved. One evening he did not come. She knew something had happened, and the next day she found his lifeless body washed ashore. Oh, my friend, to have a heart that goes out to God in adoration. Gregory Nazianzen said, “I love God because I know Him; I adore Him because I cannot understand Him; I bow before Him in awe and in worship and adoration.” Oh, have you found that adoration in your worship?
Then, last of all, there is exaltation in worship. And I do not mean the exaltation of God—we put God in His rightful place when we worship Him. When you and I are down on our faces before Him, we are taking the place that the creature should take before the Creator. I am not speaking here of the exaltation of God; rather, I am speaking now of the exaltation of man.
Humanism with its deadening philosophy has been leading man back to the jungle for about half a century, and we are not very far from the jungle. It is degrading to become a lackey, a menial. And think of the millions of people who got their tongues black by licking the boots of Hitler! Humanism did that. They turned their backs on God. And when man turns his back on God, he will worship a man, No atheist, no agnostic, has ever turned his back on God who did not get his tongue black by licking somebody’s boots. There is nothing that will exalt man, there is nothing that will give dignity to man, like worshiping God.
Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote a sermon in the 1920s entitled “The Peril of Worshiping Jesus.” In this message he said that men have tried two ways to get rid of Jesus: one by crucifying Him, the other by worshiping Him. The liberal doesn’t like you to worship Jesus. My friend, I worship Him. He is my Lord; He is my God. I do not find it humiliating to fall down before Him. There is nothing as exalting and as thrilling as to get down on your face before Jesus Christ. In Acts, chapter 9, the record tells us that Paul fell into the dust of the Damascus Road, and the Lord Jesus dealt with him there. Then notice that He told him to arise—stand up on his feet. Only the Christian faith has ever lifted a man out of the dust and put him on his feet. In the first chapter of Revelation we read that John, on the Isle of Patmos, saw the glorified Christ. John says, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not …” (Rev. 1:17). The creature now can come to the Creator. Man, who has been lost in sin, who has gone down and down, can come up and up and worship Christ.
During the seventeenth century Muretus, a great scholar of that day, was going through Lombardy when he suddenly became ill and was picked up on the street. They took him to the hospital, and, thinking he was a bum, the doctors said something like this, “Let’s try an experiment on this worthless creature.” They were speaking in Latin and had no notion their patient could understand them. But Muretus answered them in Latin, “Will you call one worthless for whom Jesus Christ did not disdain to die?” My friend, it is only Jesus Christ and the worship of Him that has lifted man up.
Man is yet to be restored to his rightful place some day, and brought back into harmony with heaven.
The Great Psalm 150 begins with the Son of God pulling out the stop Diapason: “Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. ”
Then the Flute stop is pulled out: “Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.”
Then the String stop is pulled out: “Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.”
Then listen, my beloved: “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.” In the beginning God breathed life into man—soul and spirit—but man departed from God. Now there is coming a day when everything that has life, everything that has breath, shall praise the Lord. Even now in this day in which you and I are living we can lift our hearts and lives to Him in adoration and praise.
In my first pastorate, one of my officers thought he was doing me a favor by inviting me to the performance of a symphony orchestra. Now, I know nothing about music, and I do not understand it, but to be nice I went along. I sat there, and I learned something. Before the concert began, one hundred fifty or so musicians came out on the platform. Each one picked up his little instrument and began tuning it. I have never heard such bedlam in my life! Every musician was making his own particular little squeak, regardless of anyone else. Such a medley of noise—it sounded like a boiler factory. Then they all disappeared, and in a few moments they came back out, and the lights went off in the auditorium. It got very quiet. Then the spotlight was focused on the wings, and out stepped the conductor. He came to the podium, turned and bowed. There was great applause. Then it grew quiet again. He lifted the baton—you could have heard a pin drop—then he gave the down beat. My friend, you have never heard such music! Everything was in tune; everything was in harmony.
About me in this world I hear nothing but bedlam. Every man is playing his own little tune. But one of these days out from the wings will step the Conductor, the Lord Jesus Christ. And when He lifts His baton, out yonder at the end of God’s universe those galactic systems will burst forth into song. Every bird, every angel, and then man, will join the heavenly chorus.
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.”
In the meantime, while we are waiting for His return, you and I can bow before Him and bring our little souls into the harmony of heaven.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Alexander, J. A. The Psalms. 1864. Reprint. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1964.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1970.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Book of Psalms. 1939. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1965. (The finest prophetical interpretation of the Psalms.)
Grant, F. W. The Psalms. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1895. (Numerical Bible.)
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A. The Psalms. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; and Brown, D. Commentary on the Bible. 3 vols. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1945.
Jensen, lrving L. The Psalms. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1970. (A self-study guide.)
Morgan, G. Campbell. Notes on the Psalms. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1947
Olson, Erling C. Meditations in the Psalms. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1939. (Devotional.)
Perowne, J. J. Stewart. The Book of Psalms. 1882. Reprint. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Psalms. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1948. (Excelllent.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. The Treasury of David. 3 vols. Reprint. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974. (A classic work and very comprehensive.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966. (A basic tool for every Christian’s library.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each paragraph. Highly recommended.)
The book of
Proverbs
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Proverbs is one of the books classified as the poetry of Scripture. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon all belong in the same package because they are written as Hebrew poetry.
Solomon is the writer of three of these books of poetry: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Proverbs is the book on wisdom. Ecclesiastes is the book on folly. Song of Solomon is the book on love. Love is the happy medium between wisdom and folly. Solomon was an expert on all three subjects! The Word of God says about him: “And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five” (1 Kings 4:32). We have only one of his songs out of 1,005 that he wrote. And, actually, we have very few of his proverbs. “And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom” (1 Kings 4:33–34).
In the Book of Proverbs we read the wisdom of Solomon. A proverb is a saying that conveys a specific truth in a pointed and pithy way. Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience. A proverb is a truth that is couched in a form that is easy to remember, a philosophy based on experience, and a rule for conduct. A proverb has been called a sententious sentence, a maxim, an old saying, an old saw, a bromide, an epigram.
The key verse is found in the first chapter: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7).
The Orient and the ancient East are the homes of proverbs. Probably Solomon gathered many of them from other sources. He was the editor of them all and the author of some. This means that we have an inspired record of proverbs that are either Solomon’s or from other sources, but God has put His stamp upon them, as we shall see.
Dr. Thirtle and other scholars noted that there is a change of pronoun in the book from the second person to the third person. The conclusion of these scholars was that the proverbs which used the second person were taught to Solomon by his teachers, and the proverbs using the third person were composed by Solomon himself.
There is a difference between the Book of Proverbs and proverbs in other writings. The Greeks were great at making proverbs, especially the gnostic poets. I majored in Greek in college, and I took a course that was patterned after the Oxford plan, in that I would read a great deal of Greek and then report to my professor every Monday morning. I read the entire New Testament in Greek while I was in college and then, when I got to seminary, we went over it again. The writings of the gnostic poets were among the writings that I had to read in Greek. They are very clever in the Greek language because so many of them are a play upon Greek words.
There are some characteristics and features of the Book of Proverbs that I think we should note:
1. Proverbs bears no unscientific statement or inaccurate observation. For example, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). This is a remarkable statement, because it was about 2,700 years later that Harvey found that the blood circulates and that the heart is the pump. In contrast, in an apocryphal book called the Epistle of Barnabas, mention is made of the mythical phoenix, a bird that consumes itself by fire and rises in resurrection. Such a fable does not appear in the Book of Proverbs nor anywhere else in the Bible. It is strange that this is an ancient book containing hundreds of proverbs and not one of them is unscientific today. That in itself ought to alert any thinking person to the fact that the Book of Proverbs is God-inspired.
2. Proverbs is a book on a high moral plane. You simply will not find in its pages the immoral sayings which occur in other writings. Justin Martyr said that Socrates was a Christian before Christ—which, of course, would be an impossibility. And his admirers say that he portrays a high conception of morals. However, Socrates also gave instructions to harlots on how to conduct themselves! The best that can be said of him is that he was amoral.
3. The Proverbs do not contradict themselves, while man’s proverbs are often in opposition to each other. For example: “Look before you leap” contrasted with “He who hesitates is lost.” “A man gets no more than he pays for” contrasted with “The best things in life are free.” “Leave well enough alone” has over against it, “Progress never stands still.” “A rolling stone gathers no moss” versus “A setting hen does not get fat.” The proverbs of man contradict each other, because men’s ideas differ. But there is no contradiction in the Book of Proverbs because it is inspired by God.
While the Book of Proverbs seems to be a collection of sayings without any particular regard for orderly arrangement, some of us believe that it tells a story, which we will notice as we go along. It is a picture of a young man starting out in life. He gets his first lesson in Proverbs 1:7, which is the key to the book.
The advice that is given in the Book of Proverbs transcends all dispensations. Whether one lives in Old Testament or New Testament times, old Jerusalem or new Jerusalem, its truths are still true. It is a good book for anyone.
Someone may raise this objection: “There is nothing in it about the gospel.” Just wait a minute, it is there. The One in this book whose wisdom it is, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
The book is not a hodgepodge of unrelated statements, nor is it a discourse of cabbages and kings. It is a book that makes sense, and it does have an arrangement and an organization. Solomon has something to say about his own teaching: “And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs” (Eccl. 12:9).
Here is something that will make the Book of Proverbs a thrilling experience for you: There is in Proverbs a thumbnail sketch of every character in the Bible. I am going to suggest a few of them; you will enjoy finding others. Also I think you will find there is a proverb that will fit all your friends and acquaintances—but perhaps you had better not mention to them the proverb that fits some of them! There is a proverb that will fit every one of us, and we can have a good time going through this book.
Dr. A. C. Gaebelein has written this helpful analysis of the literary structure of Proverbs.
The literary form of these Proverbs is mostly in the form of couplets. The two clauses of the couplet are generally related to each other by what has been termed parallelism, according to Hebrew poetry. (Hebrew poetry does not have rhyme or meter as our poetry does. Hebrew poetry consists of a parallelism of ideas.) Three kinds of parallelism have been pointed out:
1. Synonymous Parallelism. Here the second clause restates what is given in the first clause. (It expresses the same thought in a different way.)
“Judgments are prepared for scorners, And stripes for the back of fools”
[Prov. 19:29].
2. Antithetic (Contrast) Parallelism. Here a truth, which is stated in the first clause, is made stronger in the second clause by contrast with an opposite truth.
“The light of the righteous rejoiceth, But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out”
[Prov. 13:9].
(You can see that the second statement is stating the same truth but from the opposite point of view by way of contrast.)
3. Synthetic Parallelism. The second clause develops the thought of the first.
“The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; He that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own life”
[Prov. 20:2].
OUTLINE
I. Wisdom and Folly Contrasted, Chapters 1–9
II. Proverbs of Solomon, Chapters 10–24 (Written and set in order by himself)
III. Proverbs of Solomon, Chapters 25–29 (Set in order by men of Hezekiah)
IV. Oracle of Agur, Unknown Sage, Chapter 30
V. Proverbs of a Mother to Lemuel, Chapter 31
CHAPTER 1
You may not consider the Book of Proverbs a very thrilling story, but it is. I hope we can get in step with the spirit of God in this book, because it has a real message for each one of us. It is particularly slanted to young men—and applies to young women also. It has a special message for youth. This is a day, as every day has been, when young people are looking for answers to the questions of life.
I want you to notice as we get into this book that it is not just a haphazard sort of thing. It has a definite message. I know a great many people who feel that we can just reach in and lift out a proverb here and there. I think it is all right to do that, but the point is that when we take it out and look at it, we should also put it back where it belongs and look at it in its context. The diamond belongs in its setting, and in this case the setting is the Book of Proverbs.
Some people are inclined to read the Book of Proverbs very much like the man who said, “I enjoy reading the dictionary, but the stories certainly are short.” Maybe you feel that way about Proverbs, but I hope you will see it differently as we study the book.
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel [Prov. 1:1].
This certainly identifies the writer as King Solomon. Evidently Solomon gathered together many proverbs from other sources. He was the editor of all and the author of some. Also we are told that he wrote more proverbs than appear in this book.
The first section of the book is a contrast between wisdom and folly. This includes chapters 1–9.
THE BOY IN THE HOME STARTING OUT IN LIFE
As the boy starts out in life, these are the instructions that God gives him.
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion [Prov. 1:2–4].
There are ten words used in this section which seem to be synonymous—and, of course, they are related—but they are not the same. I would like to take each of these words and put it under the microscope. We will find that they are not synonyms. Nor are they piled up to make an impressive beginning. Every word of God is pure, we are told, so let us look at some of these.
“To know wisdom.” What is meant by wisdom? The word wisdom in the Scriptures means “the ability to use knowledge aright.” It occurs in this book alone thirty-seven times. It is an important word in the Bible. It means the right use of knowledge. There are a great many brilliant people who have knowledge; yet they lack wisdom. They don’t seem to use their knowledge aright.
Let me add something more here. Wisdom in the Old Testament means Jesus Christ for the believer today. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Notice that wisdom is number one. Christ is the wisdom for the believer today. And to know wisdom is to know Jesus Christ. Paul gave as his ambition: “That I may know him …” (Phil. 3:10). Oh, that the same ambition to know Christ might grip your soul and my soul today! We need that.
Wisdom, therefore, is Christ. Wisdom is the ability to use our knowledge aright. To know Christ is not to play the fool; it is to be a wise man. I saw a bumper sticker the other day which read: “Wise men still seek Him.” Friend, you may not be brilliant, but when you receive Christ and come to know Christ, then you have wisdom.
“Instruction.” The word instruction appears twenty-six times in Proverbs. Sometimes the same Hebrew word is translated by the word chasten. Now that is interesting. Let me give an example of this. Proverbs 13:24 says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Here, “to chasten” actually means “to give instruction.” Therefore, the word instruction means you teach by discipline. That is a forgotten truth today. Our contemporary society is certainly out of kilter and out of step with the Word of God. For example, we are told that lawbreakers are put in prison to discipline them and to reform them. That never was the purpose for dealing with criminals according to the Word of God. The purpose there was to judge them, punish them. No other reason was ever given. On the other hand, when you are dealing with a son, you discipline him, because that is a part of his instruction. You are to chasten him. You are to teach him by disciplining him. Your purpose is not to punish him. We often hear it said, “That child should be punished!” No, that is not the purpose of turning little Willie across your knee and paddling him. I hope you do paddle him. But why do you do it? To punish him? No, to teach him by discipline. Our purposes are all confused today—we discipline criminals and punish our children. We need to get back to God’s purposes. Our schools today are practicing the “new methods” of teaching. What about the old method of teaching by discipline? That is absolutely out. I believe the board of education being applied to the seat of learning is desperately needed—both in the home and in the school.
A man asked a father, “Do you strike your children?” The father answered, “Only in self-defense.” That’s about what it has come to in our day—the children are bringing up the parents! They are disciplining the parents and telling them what they ought to do. I heard recently of a young man who gave his mother and father a lecture on how they should be and what they should do. Yet that young man was under a court order: he had been arrested and was out on bail! I believe the parents needed a lecture, but he wasn’t the one to give it. They should have had a lesson on how to discipline their son, and it should have been given to them years earlier.
Instruction is to teach by discipline. God, our heavenly Father, is excellent at teaching in that way. I think I have learned most when He has taken me to the woodshed. Those lessons were very impressive.
“To perceive the words of understanding.” Understanding means intelligence. We have another word: discernment. We need to recognize that God expects us to use our intelligence. He expects us to use a great deal of sanctified common sense.
In verse 3 is the word justice. Justice is righteousness, and it means “right behavior.” I remember a sociology professor in college who used to teach us that right was relative. He used to ask with a smirk, “Well, what is ‘right?’” I didn’t know the answer then, but now I know that right is what God says is right. It is God who separates the light from the darkness. I can’t make the sun come up, and I can’t make the sun go down. Only God is running His universe. He makes light; He makes darkness. God is the One who declares what is right, and God declares what is wrong. So you may ask, “Is it right to do this or that?” If God says it is right, it is right. Or you may ask, “Is this wrong?” It is wrong if God says it is wrong. Right and wrong are not relative terms except in the minds of the contemporary average man. The prevailing feeling is that what the average man does becomes the norm; it becomes the standard. That is one of the reasons there is so much dishonesty and gross immorality today. Right and wrong have become relative terms. God says they are not. Just like light and darkness, they are absolutes.
“Judgment.” Judgment means that you and I are to make judgments. It is the same as making a decision. The believer comes to crossroads in his life. He must make decisions about which way to go.
Before I came to California, I had a call to a pastorate in the East, and I had a call here to the West Coast. I honestly didn’t know which way to go. I had to bring it to the Lord, and I had to test out a few things. After I had made a test, I found I was to come to California, and I thank God for it. We have to make decisions, and we should make them as the children of God.
“Equity.” This refers to principle rather than conduct. The child of God is not put under rules, but we are given great principles which should guide us. For example, Romans 14:22 puts down the great principle: “… Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” The believer should have enthusiasm for what he does. There is too much Christian conduct which is like walking on eggshells. People say, “I don’t know whether I should do this or not.” My friend, the principle is that if you cannot enter into it enthusiastically, you ought not do it at all. What we do, we ought to do with anticipation, excitement, and joy. We should be fully persuaded in our own minds that that is the right course of action. We ought not have a compunction of conscience after we have done it. Happy is the man whose conscience does not condemn him in the things which he allows. If you look back on it and say, “Oh, I wish I hadn’t done that,” then it was wrong for you to do. In questionable matters about which the Scriptures are silent, this is a great principle that will guide you in your conduct. If you can look back on what you did yesterday and say, “Hallelujah, it was a great day for me,” then you know that what you did was right for you to do.
Another principle is that we ought to bear each other’s infirmities, rather than simply pleasing ourselves. We should ask ourselves, Is this thing I am doing an offense to my neighbor or to my brother in Christ? These are great principles of conduct that should guide the believer.
“Give subtilty to the simple.” Being prudent is the meaning of giving subtilty to the simple; it is to act prudently. It means to be wise in what we do. A child of God ought not to act foolishly.
I remember counseling a young couple who went to the mission field. They just shut their eyes to reality, as it were, and went to the mission field. I personally urged them not to go, because I could see they were not fitted for it. They came back as casualties. They had actually made shipwrecks of their lives by going to the mission field. They had not been prudent. They had not shown wisdom in their particular circumstances.
Remember that the Lord Jesus said, “… be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16).
“To the young man knowledge.” Knowledge is information that is useful. I remember a motto on a bulletin board in the science lab of the college which I attended. I have forgotten all the formulas I ever learned in chemistry, but I have never forgotten the motto. It was this: “Next to knowing is knowing where to find out.” That is one reason it is good to have the Bible handy and to learn to read it—if you don’t know, you surely can know where to find out.
“Discretion.” This means thoughtfulness. This is for the young man and young people in general who are thoughtless. I am very frank to say that I was a very thoughtless young man, and I confess that I am still that way. It is always a pleasure to find a thoughtful Christian. I have several wonderful Christian friends here in Southern California. Presently I am getting ready to take a trip to the East, and at this time of year it is a little cool back there. One of these friends came by and brought me a lovely sweater. That was thoughtful. There are many wonderful Christians who are thoughtful, and it is a characteristic all of us ought to have.
The Book of Proverbs will help us see that these wonderful qualities should be incorporated into our lives.
THE CHALLENGE
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels [Prov. 1:5].
This has been the characteristic of all great men. They never reached the place where they felt that they had learned everything.
I listened to a young man on television the other night who had skyrocketed to fame on rock music. The thing that characterized him was his arrogance. He knew it all. I don’t think anyone could tell that young man anything. Proverbs says that a wise man will hear and will increase learning.
“A man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” That is actually the challenge of this whole book. Solomon says that if you are smart, you will listen to what is being said in this book. The Spirit of God has a lot of choice things to say in the Book of Proverbs. They are great truths, expressed in short sentences.
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings [Prov. 1:6].
Another proverb carries this same thought: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but, the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:2). I love that. God has given the gospel message clearly to be declared from the housetops. But there is a great deal of truth in the Word of God that is like diamonds. God has not scattered diamonds around on the ground. Jewels and that which is valuable have been hidden away for man to look for and to find. The gold and the diamonds and other precious things must be mined; oil must be drilled. That is the way that God does it. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.
The Word of God deserves all the study that you can possibly bring to it. The Lord Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life …” He didn’t say you are not to search the Scripture. He said search the Scriptures. You just think that you have found eternal life, because you haven’t really searched them. You have been reading the Bible, but you haven’t found the real message that is there. The real treasure there is Christ. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). My friend, if you haven’t found Christ in the Bible, you simply have not been mining for diamonds—you haven’t been digging deep enough. “To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.” In other words, God has put these great truths here in His Book. The tragedy of the hour is the ignorance of the Word of God in both pulpit and pew. There needs to be a serious, concentrated study of the Word of God. Somehow there is an idea today that one can read over a passage once and then you have it all. I trust you will see that you cannot get the nuggets out of the Word of God without study.
When I am in Florida I always enjoy going to the home and laboratory of Thomas A. Edison at Fort Myers. There is a museum there now. The thing that has always amazed me is his search for synthetic rubber. Firestone and Henry Ford had their homes right next to Thomas A. Edison, and you can understand why they were interested in the project and were working with him. There were several hundred test tubes in his lab. Edison was taking everything that was imaginable and testing it to see if he could get synthetic rubber from it. Do you know he found some of it in dandelions, of all things. That would be the last place I would look for synthetic rubber! But that was the test he was making.
As I stood in that laboratory and looked at those hundreds of test tubes and thought of the hours that he and his helpers had spent there, testing this and that and the other thing in order to try to find it, I thought, My, how little attention is given to the Word of God where one could do some real testing and some real study. The challenge of the Book of Proverbs to us today is: Dig in! It is the challenge to do serious study. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
KEY TO THE BOOK
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction [Prov. 1:7]
There is an interesting contrast here: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” They do not learn from it.
I heard a little bit of nonsense to illustrate this. A man driving down the highway had a flat tire, so he pulled over to the side of the road. It happened he was parked by an insane asylum, and one of the men from the asylum was on the other side of the fence. He was watching the man as he changed the tire. He didn’t say anything but just stood there and watched. As the man took off the wheel of the car, he placed all the nuts that he had taken off into the hubcap. Then he accidentally tilted the hubcap so all the nuts fell out and went down into a sewer, and he couldn’t retrieve them. He stood there scratching his head wondering what in the world he was to do. The man behind the fence who had been watching him said, “Why don’t you take a nut off each of the other wheels and put them on this wheel? You could drive safely down to the filling station, and there you can buy nuts so that you can fix your wheel.” The man looked at him in amazement. “Why didn’t I think of that?” he asked. “You are in the institution and I am out, and yet you are the one who thought of it.” The onlooker answered. “I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid!” Well, this Book of Proverbs is attempting to get you and me out of a position of being stupid in life today. I think we shall find it to be a great help to us. This book has quite a bit to say about stupidity, as we shall see.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck [Prov. 1:8–9].
That is the important home relationship. There are many who are reading this who have come from homes in which they had a godly father and a godly mother. They were instructed by them, and they have never gotten away from the things taught them in the home. On the other hand, may God have mercy on the parents who are not instructing their little ones in the things of God!
TEMPTATION OUTSIDE THE HOME
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not [Prov. 1:10].
Now the movement is outside the home. When the little fellow goes away, who is the first fellow he meets? Generally that contact will be with a sinner, because most of the human race falls into that category—they have not come to Christ. All of us are sinners, but the boy will meet the unredeemed sinner who is really living in sin. So what should his attitude be? “Consent thou not.”
You remember that I said you would find a proverb which would fit characters in the Bible. Probably you can also find a proverb to fit every one of your friends—although you may not want to tell them what it is! This is a proverb that fits someone in the Scriptures. Wouldn’t you say it describes Joseph when he was taken as a slave down into the land of Egypt and was enticed by Potiphar’s wife? He did not consent to her. This proverb is an example of his experience.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil [Prov. 1:11–13].
The sinner has a plan and a program to get something for nothing. He lives off someone else and makes someone else suffer in order that he might prosper.
Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse [Prov. 1:14].
This is the philosophy of the hour: Let’s all live out of the same purse. Generally those who hold this philosophy are doing nothing themselves. They want the working people to share what they have worked for, but they don’t have any contribution to make to it at all. That is a false philosophy, but it is one that is common among young people today. It is the thinking and the mood of the present hour. Use all kinds of methods, even crooked methods, to get something for nothing.
After my father was killed in a cotton gin accident when I was fourteen years old, my mother took my sister and me back to Nashville, which was her home. I had to go to work: I couldn’t continue in school because we had no finances at all. I got a job at a wholesale hardware company. They sold practically everything, including candy. I worked in the mailing department with several other boys. I want to tell you, they were mean fellows. They had figured out a way to get into a box of candy and take out just one piece and never be detected. Since it was a wholesale place, there were about fifty boxes, and by taking one piece from each box they could fill up several boxes for themselves. I must confess that I cooperated that first day, and then my conscience bothered me that night. I thought, This is not right. I was stealing.
The next day I made things right, but I couldn’t return the candy because I had already eaten some of it. After that, the management would let me buy a box of six candy bars wholesale. I would sell them a nickle a bar to the men and women who worked there in the office. That last candy bar was my profit because the whole box had cost me twenty-five cents wholesale. That was the way I got my candy. I had to work for it, and I felt that was the best way to do it.
It is so easy for a young man to fall in with a group that is doing shady things. And it is easy to join in with a group who “goof off” at work, as they say today. They do not return a full day’s work for a full day’s wages. It is so easy to cooperate in that type of thing. That is why the young man is given this advice when he leaves home.
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path [Prov. 1:15].
This is the kind of separation on which the Bible is very clear. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord …” (2 Cor. 6:17) was referring to idolatry, but it certainly can be applied here. Solomon said, “Get rid of that crooked crowd that you’re with.”
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives [Prov. 1:16–18].
When you get into that type of thing, it will eventually lead you to your own destruction. You will be caught in your own net.
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof [Prov. 1:19].
This is the condemnation of the beginning of covetousness. We live in a materialistic age today. I have an article here that is written by a Ph.D., a college professor. He takes the position that colleges must get away from the teaching of crass materialism. Therefore, they must return to religion, as he expresses it. You see, there are a few who are beginning to wake up. Covetousness is the great sin of the hour. That is what the proverb is condemning here.
INVITATION TO THE SCHOOL OF WISDOM
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets [Prov. 1:20].
Wisdom is urging the young man to come to school and really learn something. Come to her college.
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? [Prov. 1:21–22].
Simplicity is stupidity. She asks, “How long will you be stupid?” A young man (who is in his twenties now) told me he had been on drugs for three years. He kept repeating, “Oh, how stupid I was, Dr. McGee.” Well, here is the question: How long are you going to be stupid? When are you coming to the school of wisdom?
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you [Prov. 1:23].
Now I will drop down to the end of the chapter:
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them [Prov. 1:32].
It is spiritual suicide to turn from Christ.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil [Prov. 1:33].
What an expression this is! I wonder if this could speak of our nation? We are an affluent society; we measure every man by his bank account, the home he lives in, the car he drives. Are we enjoying the prosperity of fools? Are we living in a fool’s paradise?
CHAPTER 2
Let me remind you that the Book of Proverbs is not a haphazard book. It tells a story, a connected story. It is the challenge given to a young man that he be a wise young man. He is exhorted to hear, to increase his learning. He is to start learning from his father and his mother in the home; he gets his basic lesson before he enters school. Even after he gets his Ph.D., that basic lesson will still be good for him. It is this: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
The way to find out about the Lord is through His Word. There are a great many people who say that a person must be very intelligent and have a high I.Q. in order to understand the Word of God. Nothing is further from the truth. God does not say that is essential. However, in this chapter where the young man starts out, it will be made clear that if he is to know the will and Word of God, he will have to study. He can’t just dilly-dally around and pick the daisies along the highway of life; he must apply his heart unto wisdom. Therefore, he must study the Word of God.
SOURCE OF TRUE WISDOM
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee [Prov. 2:1].
“My son”—obviously, this is advice being given to a young man. He started out as a little boy in the home. Now he has grown up enough to go out and face life, and he is given this advice by some wise person. Perhaps this is his first lesson in school—unfortunately he would not learn this in our modern schools.
“Receive my words (sayings).” The sayings of God are to be received. His commandments are to be hidden or stored up. Store them up with your valuables. I know a man who goes to his safety deposit box regularly each week. He goes to count what he has stored there. He loves to go where his wealth is. He has stored up some stocks and bonds, and he just loves to go and look them over. I know a lady who owns precious jewelry. She loves to take it out often and admire it. She enjoys just looking at it. She keeps it stored up. That is the way the Word of God should be stored up, hidden, laid up. “Hide my commandments with thee.”
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding [Prov. 2:2].
“Incline thine ear”—keep your ear open. Something is to enter the head through the ear gate, but its final destination is the heart. When the Word of God gets into the heart, it brings understanding.
He still is not through with this injunction, this urging, this challenge.
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding [Prov. 2:3].
The apostle Peter said it this way: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). Have you ever watched a little baby when his mamma is fixing the bottle? He wiggles everything he has—his hands, his mouth, and his feet—in anticipation. I tell you, he desires the milk in his bottle. The child of God should be that way about the milk of the Word of God. This is one of the things I have noted about the spiritual movement in our day. Where it is present, you see a renewed interest in the Word of God. I notice many young people today carrying notebooks and Bibles, and they take notes on everything. I speak around the country in many places, and I can tell if there is a real moving of the Spirit of God. It is evidenced by this desire for the Word of God. “If thou criest after knowledge”—and remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
“Liftest up thy voice.” If students want to have a protest movement in college, I would like to see this kind of protest movement carried on: “We want understanding!” This, you see, is advice for the young man: “Lift up thy voice for understanding.”
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures [Prov. 2:4].
Out here in the desert of California there are quite a few silver mines. Stories are told about the early days when men came all the way across the country for the silver. Silver was found in the area of Death Valley, and many a man died there while trying to get to the silver. That is why it was named Death Valley. Even after the men got to the silver, they had to make all kinds of sacrifices to market it. That is the way we should go after knowledge, knowledge of the Word of God. Seek her as silver, just as if you were out mining, looking for something very valuable.
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God [Prov. 2:5].
This is talking about something that is more than devotional reading. I really don’t believe in devotional reading, because I know individuals and families who have been doing that kind of reading for years, and they are as ignorant of the Bible as the goat grazing on the hillside. You cannot learn the Word of God by getting in a pious frame of mind and then reading a few verses of Scripture. The way to get it is to lay it up, to incline your ear, to apply your heart, to cry after it, to lift up your voice, to seek it as silver, to search for it as if it were a hidden treasure. When you go at it like that, you will learn something. You will understand what is “the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”
I used to teach Bible when we had a Bible Institute here in Southern California, and I had several hundred students. It was always amusing to me to hear the very pious students on the morning before an exam say, “Dr. McGee, we’re not prepared for the exam today. We had a prayer meeting last night.” I would ask them, “What did you pray about?” They would tell how they prayed for China or Africa or some far-off place. I would answer, “You know, the most important thing in the world for you last night was not to pray.” They would look at me in amazement—“We’re not to pray?” I said, “Right. There is a time to study.” Then I would show them Proverbs 2 and tell them, “Last night was the time for you to do the digging, the searching it out. There is nothing here about a prayer meeting.” They were in school to learn the Word of God. I never excused them from an exam on the pretext that they had a prayer meeting instead of a study time.
There were others who had been brought up on devotional reading. They would read a few verses and then put the Bible under their pillows. I used to tell them, “You can’t learn the kings of Israel and Judah by sticking your Bible under your pillow and expecting that during the night that knowledge will come up through the duck feathers into your brain! You cannot learn the Word of God that way!”
I remember in seminary we were assigned a certain theology book. It was a boring book—certainly not like a mystery story. We had a difficult test coming up, and one of my classmates complained to the professor, “Doctor, this is the driest book I’ve ever read!” The professor’s answer was, “Then dampen it with a little sweat from your brow.”
There is no hocus-pocus way of learning the Word of God. There is no easy, pious way of learning it. There is no substitute for just digging it out. And it doesn’t require a high l.Q. Notice the next verse:
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding [Prov. 2:6].
If you want wisdom, ask Him for it. “… Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Then how are we to know them? “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:9–10). They are revealed to us by the Spirit of God. He is here today to be our Teacher. When I was a young Christian, one of the most wonderful things I learned was this truth that the Spirit of God would open up the things of God to me. This is the reason that some folk who don’t have a Ph.D. or a Th.D. degree have a knowledge of the Word of God which others do not have.
When I was a young preacher in Nashville, Tennessee, a 6:00 a.m. radio program was made available to the ministers in town. None of the other ministers wanted it, but I was young and single, so I didn’t mind getting up at that hour. I tried to teach the Word of God, but nobody seemed to be interested in it except one person. She was a lady who would pass my church every morning. Sometimes I would be out there changing the bulletin board as she would come by on her way to work. She would say, “Dr. McGee, I heard you this morning,” and she would stand and discuss with me those things that had been on the program. She had real spiritual discernment. She told me that she only finished grade school, but I am here to tell you that that wonderful Christian lady knew more theology than the average Christian of any church in that city with whom I had come in contact. She knew how to discuss the Word of God. She had a Bible, and the Lord gave her wisdom. I have never seen a Bible more worn than the one she carried. She used it. She read it. And she understood it because she was willing to let the Spirit of God be her Teacher. “The Lord giveth wisdom.”
Dr. Harry A. Ironside made a statement years ago: “It is to be feared that even among those who hold and value much precious truth, diligent Bible study is on the wane.” I am afraid this is still true, although at the time I am writing, there is a renewed interest in Bible study. “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” How can we hear Him speaking? As I so often say, the Bible is the Word of God. He speaks to us by means of this Book.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints [Prov. 2:7–8].
Many Christians are out in the fog today; they wonder where to turn. It is obvious that the problem is that they are so far from the Word of God. This Book gives us what He is saying. The Word of God is like a foghorn. It “preserveth the way of his saints.” That is what He will do, and He will not do it haphazardly. You must come to the Word of God.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path [Prov. 2:9].
It is sad to see so many men in public office today, guiding the destiny of nations, who are not being guided by the Lord. The Lord wants to guide them. Oh, if only they would go to Him for wisdom! For the man who has a deep-down desire to live in the power of the truth revealed in the Word of God, God will be a “buckler.” He will be a defense for His own, keeping them safely as they tread the paths of judgment, preserving their way.
Sometimes folk write to me and say, “I see that you hold the truth.” I like that, but that is not the really important thing. What is important is that the truth holds me. There is a big difference between those two. We are told that in the last days there will be vain talkers and deceivers. I don’t want to be in that category. I don’t want to speak with great, swelling words. I don’t want to boast of a great knowledge of prophecy or dispensational teaching or ecclesiastical truth or philosophy or psychology. We have too much of that around already. What we need are people who “understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.”
THE YOUNG MAN’S ENEMIES
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things [Prov. 2:10–12].
“When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul” you won’t be deceived so easily. You won’t be taken in if you stay close to the Word of God.
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths [Prov. 2:13–15].
My prayer from the very beginning of my ministry has been: “Lord, don’t let me be taken in by evil men!” They are all around us, friend. We are going to learn here in the Book of Proverbs that the child of God has two enemies: the “evil man” and the “strange woman.”
As the young man starts out in life he is warned of the evil man. Associating with him is always a danger for a young man. After my father died, when I was sixteen years old, I went to Detroit, Michigan, to work for Cadillac. I got into the wrong crowd in those bootleg days. We would go over into Windsor, Canada, every Saturday night, and I was introduced to a new world. It was with evil men. After a few weeks of that (and I was under conviction day and night), I got homesick and went back home. There a minister explained to me how I could have peace with God and be justified by faith. But I shall never forget the evil man. The young man should beware of him.
Then there is someone else the young man is warned about. She is the “strange woman.” A better translation is the stranger woman.
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it [Prov. 2:16–22].
Who is the strange woman? In Israel, God had made a law that no Israelite woman was to play the prostitute. I am confident that if any woman did that, she was automatically put outside the bounds of Israel, and she was classed with sinners—and later with publicans. The stranger was the Gentile who came in. She recognized that there would be a place for her to ply her trade. So the “strange woman” would be a foreigner, the stranger, who came into Israel to practice prostitution. The young man is warned about her. He is told what might happen to him. “None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.” They will lose their health.
An elder in a church back East told me that he almost wrecked his life with just one escapade. He said, “I went out on the town one night with the boys, and that one night I picked up a venereal disease. Back in those days it took years to get rid of the result of that. It almost wrecked my life.” God warns against that.
In our contemporary culture when sex without marriage is accepted behavior, we are finding that venereal disease is reaching epidemic proportions. When I was a young fellow, I belonged to an organization whose leader was a very fine doctor. He called in a group of us fellows because he saw that we were doing a great deal of running around. He said he just wanted to have a friendly talk with us. Well, he scared the daylights out of me. People today say that we don’t want to frighten our young people. Well, I thank God for what the doctor told us and for the fact that he did scare us. That is exactly what the writer here in Proverbs is doing. He warns the young man about the evil man and the strange woman.
CHAPTER 3
The steps of the young man are now steps of responsibility. He has left the home and has moved out into life, out where he is coming in contact with reality. The advice that is given to him is that his steps need to be ordered according to the Word of God. Oh, how important that is! That is the reason a jeweler I know in Dallas, Texas, gave out the Book of Proverbs to thousands of young men. It contains good advice, wonderful advice.
“Wisdom” here is depicted to us as a woman. However, wisdom is for us personified in the Lord Jesus Christ. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom …” (1 Cor. 1:30). The young man actually needs Christ.
THE BOY IS TO LISTEN TO GOD’S LAW
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments [Prov. 3:1].
This also is directed to “My son.” We are on Jewish ground here—we need to understand that. Nevertheless, it has a great importance and significance for us today.
“Let thine heart keep my commandments.” Isn’t that an interesting statement? This is more than simply submitting to duty. I hear so often that it is “our duty” as Christians to do this and to do that. My friend, maybe you won’t like for me to say this, but it is not a duty. It is the loving devotion to the will of God. Remember what the psalmist wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:11, italics mine). Also we are told regarding a young priest named Ezra: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7.10, italics mine). There needs to be that preparation of the heart. Then, remember how the Lord Jesus talked to His own there in the Upper Room. He spoke so intimately, so personally, so wonderfully of things that had never been revealed before. He told those men, “… If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). My friend, do you love Him? If you do, then He wants to talk to you. Let’s not put it on the basis of duty. A man said to me the other day, “I feel that since you are on the radio, it is your duty to say this.” Brother, just forget the duty part of it. I love the Lord Jesus, and I really am trying to do what I think He wants me to do. He says for me to give out His Word. He’s sowing seed today—that’s the picture of Him—and I’m sowing seed under His direction. I do it because I love Him. “If a man love me, he will keep my words.”
Peter certainly came to understand this. He denied the Lord, and how terrible that was. After the Resurrection, the Lord prepared a breakfast on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. When Simon Peter came into His presence, did the Lord ask him, “What do you mean by denying Me?” Is that what He said? Oh, no! He asked, “… Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? …” (John 21:17). If you love Him, my friend, it makes life so much brighter and richer and more wonderful.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart [Prov. 3:3].
“Mercy” is loving-kindness. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. What is loving-kindness? It is grace; it is more than kindness. The teacher asked a little girl the difference between kindness and loving-kindness. The little girl answered, “Well, if you go in and ask your mama for a piece of bread with some butter on it, and she gives it to you, that’s kindness. But if she puts a little jam on it without your asking her, that is loving-kindness.” My friend, God puts a little jam on it for us—loving-kindness and truth, let not these forsake thee: “bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.”
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man [Prov. 3:4].
How wonderful this is!
Now the next two verses are very familiar.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths [Prov. 3:5–6].
In a service where folk are invited to give their favorite verses, these verses are invariably quoted. I’m sure I have heard them given in a thousand meetings. I sometimes wonder if those who say them realize that they come out of such a rich vein of truth. We need to remember that these verses are directed to the man who diligently studies the Word of God, to the young man who listens to God’s law. It is as Paul wrote to Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Having studied the Word of God and knowing something about the loving-kindness, the grace and truth of God—holding on to these things—“trust in Jehovah with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Let’s pause and look at that for a moment. This is a very solemn admonition; yet it offers such wonderful assurance of guidance into a way of peace. What a contrast this is to Proverbs 28:26: “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool ….” A man was telling me the other day that he was witnessing to some young folks who are in the drug culture. He told a young man, “God loves you, young man.” The fellow answered, “I don’t need God to love me. I love myself. I don’t need to trust in God. I trust in myself.” I wish the man had given him this verse: “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.”
On the other hand, it is a wonderful thing to trust in Jehovah with all your heart, to be totally committed to Him. Total commitment to Him is sorely needed in our day.
I find myself coming back to this again and again: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.” I may be in an airport and learn that the time of my flight has been changed or delayed by stormy weather. I just wasn’t built with wings, and I have never cared too much for flying. (By the way, I don’t expect to have wings in eternity either.) I generally go over to a corner of the airport and say, “Lord, I want to trust You with all my heart. Now just help me to sit down here and rest in You.” That’s when I need Him. “Trust in Jehovah with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding.” I go to the window and look at the sky, and I make a prognostication. But He says to me, “Don’t lean on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Me, and I shall direct thy paths.” He has led me through life.
I must confess to you that I didn’t trust Him like that until I had cancer. I took every day just as it came. Shakespeare, in Act IV of Julius Caesar, said: “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” That was the way I took life. I don’t take it that way anymore. Every time I come to a new day, I like to go and look up at the sky and say, “Lord, thank You for bringing me to a new day.” It may be a gloomy day or a bright day, whatever the day, I thank Him. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” It took me a long time to learn what that meant in life.
Remember that the Lord Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, said, “… if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light” (Matt. 6:22). That is an amazing thing. If you have committed yourself to God and you are going down a certain path, doing a certain thing, it is amazing how everything else drops into place. Then your whole body is full of light. Your whole life is full of light at that time.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones [Prov. 3:7–8].
It could be translated this way: “It shall be healing to thy sinew and moistening to thy bones.” I think that it will actually improve your health to trust in the Lord. It is wonderful to rest in Him rather than in yourself.
“Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” The apostle Paul advised young Timothy, “… Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19). It will get you away from sin, away from those things which corrode not only your spiritual life but your physical life as well.
MATERIAL BLESSINGS HAVE A SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine [Prov. 3:9–10].
This represents total commitment. Remember that when God told Israel about the land He was giving to them, He said, “The land is Mine; I am giving it to you.” Israel was to bring a tithe (I think they actually brought three tithes to the Lord). At the very beginning of the harvest they brought the firstfruits. That was to acknowledge that God was the owner of it all. It was an evidence of total commitment.
Don’t tell me you are totally committed to the Lord until your pocketbook is committed too. The Lord gave you everything. Some folk may say, “I have worked hard. I earned this.” But who gave you the health to work? Who gave you the work to do? Who made it possible for you to make money? My friend, God did all that for you. Acknowledge Him. That is the evidence of total commitment.
Someone may complain that this sounds very mercenary. No, this is real spirituality. May I say that genuine spirituality is not the length of the prayer that you pray; it is the amount on the check that you write. That is the way one can determine spirituality.
I have learned during my years as a pastor that the person who did the most talking was the one who did the least giving. This is always true. The people who want to run the church don’t do much for the treasury. You may be sure of that. However, God promises His blessing to those who honor Him with their substance.
THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth [Prov. 3:11–12].
God is going to chasten you as you go along through life if you are His child. Remember that God does not whip the devil’s children, but He certainly does spank His own. That is a good evidence that you belong to Him.
In the Book of Job it says, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole” (Job 5:17–18). Now remember that chastening is not punishing. We have confused punishment with chastisement. The criminal is to be punished; the child is to be corrected. I believe the judges in our land have this thing all mixed up. I have seen a judge take his own little son and slap him across the face when he should have corrected him. Then he turned and let off the criminal whom he should have punished. Criminals are to be punished. Our children are to be chastened—that is, corrected and disciplined. That is what God does for His own children.
HAPPINESS IN FINDING WISDOM
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding [Prov. 3:13].
Happy is the man who findeth Christ—He is wisdom for us in our day.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold [Prov. 3:14].
Now wisdom is portrayed as having a school. The characterization is feminine because she is in contrast to the stranger woman.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour [Prov. 3:15–16].
In the Old Testament God did promise long life for those who served Him.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her [Prov. 3:17–18].
It requires study and effort and time to grasp the Word of God. The Spirit of God does not open the Word of God to lazy minds, but to those who are alert and want to learn and know the will of God and the Word of God. One of the great problems today is that many people are not willing to make the sacrifice to study God’s Word. A great deal of laziness is covered with pious jargon and pious platitudes. Many folk have developed a neat little vocabulary that sounds good and covers up a woeful ignorance of the Word of God. In these days there is no excuse for being ignorant of the Word of God. It requires work, it is true, but the ways of wisdom are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew [Prov. 3:19–20].
You and I live in a universe that is tremendously orderly. There are a number of folk who work in the space program who are believers. Many of them listen to our program and support it, and we rejoice in that. It is strange to me that everyone who studies the laws of nature and probes into the secrets of the universe is not brought to the realization that we live in a universe that couldn’t have just happened. If it did just happen, how and when did it happen? Where is the chicken that hatched out the egg? This universe is so orderly that man can take a rocket, put men in it, send it out through space to the moon, land on the moon and come back. Man thinks he is so smart. But what he has done is to discover the laws of God that keep the entire universe running like a computer. My friend, if this universe just happened by chance, it would not operate so precisely. The reason the space program folk can work that little computer and send the rocket to the right place at the right time is because God has established very precise laws. God by wisdom made them. I do not mean to be irreverent when I say that our God is no dummy. We need to recognize the intelligence of God. I believe He would appreciate it if we showed more intelligence, more knowledge of Him and His ways. This we can do in His school, the Word of God. That is the only place.
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion [Prov. 3:21].
“Let not them depart from thine eyes”—the word them refers to God’s knowledge.
So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck [Prov. 3:22].
You see, life and grace come through this wisdom of studying the Word of God.
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet [Prov. 3:23–24].
Man today has certain fears about life. These fears come to all of us. What is the solution? The Word of God is the answer to all of that. Since we spend most of our time either walking or lying down, the assurance is given that we will walk safely and our sleep shall be sweet. How wonderful it is to discover that the truth of God will hold us—it is not that you and I hold the truth, but the truth will hold us.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken [Prov. 3:25–26].
These verses have meant a great deal to me because I have a fear of flying. When I sit there in a plane, I wait for the plane to fall! I think the next minute will be it. So these verses have been a great encouragement and help to me.I take them with me when I travel by plane, and I use that mode of transportation a great deal.
“Be not afraid of sudden fear”—don’t be afraid of the next minute. God is taking care of me at the present moment, and He will take care of me in the next moment.
“For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from falling.” I say to the Lord, “This morning when I was in bed, before I got up, I didn’t really need You as much as I do right now. Here I am, 38,000 feet in the air, and I’m just a little frightened. Now this is the test: give me the confidence, the assurance, that You are going to keep my foot from falling.”
Now this is a marvelous proverb that we are coming to—in fact, there are several of them.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it [Prov. 3:27].
My dad didn’t like the organized churches and was opposed to them because of a very bitter experience when he was young. But I always felt he had a desire to be obedient to God. Let me give you an example. When I was a boy, we were riding down a west Texas road in a buggy. A gate had come open and a man’s cows had run out. My dad stopped, drove the cows back in, shut the old wire gate, and put the wire over the top to close it. He got back in the buggy and didn’t say anything to anyone. He never mentioned it to the man who owned the cows.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee [Prov. 3:28].
How many people today say to me, “I’m going to support your program. You can count on me—but I do have to wait until my ship comes in.” Those people have a bank account and could write a check immediately. I use this as an illustration because I hear it so often. But people use this same excuse in all relations of life. They say to others, “I can’t help you right now, but you come back tomorrow”—and they have the money in their pocket! We are told in Romans 13:8: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another …” (italics mine). This kind of love reveals whether a man is a child of God or not.
Do you know that when you and I owe money to another person, that money we have is not ours? It belongs to the other man. To use it for our own purposes is actually dishonest. That is what he is saying here.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee [Prov. 3:29].
In relationship to your neighbor, don’t do things that would be to your advantage and his disadvantage. And don’t try to keep up with the Joneses by undermining the Joneses.
How wonderful it is to have a neighbor say to you, “I’m going to be gone for a few days, will you sort of keep an eye on my place?” That gives you an opportunity to reveal your relationship to God in a very practical way.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm [Prov. 3:30].
Under the Mosaic Law it was a sin to strive with another without adequate grounds. Under grace we are told, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). We leave the pathway of faith and trust in God when we take matters into our own hands. If we have been treated unjustly, we should turn the matter over to God and let God deal with the situation and with the individual involved.
I have learned over a period of many years as a minister that if someone does harm you, you should go to God about it; let Him know that you have been hurt. Then turn the one who has hurt you over to God. Tell the Lord, “This is Your business, You said that You would take care of it” I have watched over a period of years, and I can say that God does deal with such people. These proverbs are wonderful and they are true. They are helpful not only for the young man but for the old man and for women and girls—they apply to the whole human race.
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways [Prov. 3:31].
“The oppressor” is the violent man.
For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous [Prov. 3:32].
There are certain people who are actually an abomination to the Lord. In fact, later on in this book we will find some of the things God hates; He mentions them here in Proverbs. We’ll be getting to that.
The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just [Prov. 3:33].
“The wicked” are the lawless. This proverb reminds me of King Ahab. The Lord certainly judged the house of Ahab! This proverb fits him like a glove.
Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly [Prov. 3:34].
God seems to hate the scorner, the arrogant, and the conceited person.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools [Prov. 3:35].
This fits quite a few people—maybe some that you know.
Through the centuries there are many folk that envy the rich. And many have discovered, as did the psalmist, that God judges the rich.
CHAPTER 4
Although the child is now a young man who has entered the big bad and mad world, he is still counseled to remember the instruction of his father.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding [Prov. 4:1].
“Ye children” includes the young and the old, male and female.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother [Prov. 4:2–3].
Solomon wrote this, and he is talking about his own father. Notice that he says, “I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.” There are those who feel that the father’s heart was wrapped up in his boy Solomon. I don’t see it like that. In my opinion the historical books reveal that Solomon was not the first choice of his father. This boy, reared in the women’s palace, was more or less of a sissy. I think he was a sort of playboy, and David did not have much in common with him. Solomon says, “I am my father’s son, but it was my mother who really loved me and taught me.” However—
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live [Prov. 4:4].
David probably gave him a great deal of advice. When Solomon was made king, David said to him, “Play the man!” I think he said that because he felt that Solomon was not manly. He said, “Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.” David had learned by experience that you had better obey the Lord. Probably David was not as kind in teaching his son as he could have been. I have never felt that David was a success as a father. Unfortunately, that has been true of a great many famous men.
The life of David was something that Solomon could emulate. Perhaps you are saying, Yes, but look what David did. Well, David’s great sins were committed before Solomon was born, and David had turned from that type of life altogether.
Now Solomon is giving advice to a young man, and he is really laying it on the line.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee [Prov. 4:5–6].
Wisdom is depicted as a lady who keeps a school and sends out her catalog. Remember that there is another woman, the stranger woman, who is also bidding for the interest of the young man. Wisdom is urging him to come to her school so that he might be wise.
Notice that he says that wisdom will “preserve” and “keep” the young man.
The great difference in contemporary educators is pinpointed in this verse. Do they love wisdom? In other words, do they love the Word of God? It was Pascal who said that human knowledge must be understood to be loved. But divine knowledge must be loved to be understood. So if you are going to understand the Word of God, you must bring to it love and a mind that is willing to be taught. Then the Spirit of God can open up the great truths to you. How important it is to see this. He says, “love her, and she shall keep thee.”
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding [Prov. 4:7].
Notice the way he speaks of wisdom. It is not just knowledge; it is not simply having a computer mind. It is wisdom and intelligence to use knowledge properly and to have a love for it. That is something that the souls of men need today.
The reason education is not satisfying is because of the way it is dished out. The most impressive thing here is that we are to get wisdom. How important it is.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee [Prov. 4:8–9].
The interesting thing here is that wisdom is to be loved like a woman is loved. When we get to the New Testament, this is changed—Christ has been made unto us wisdom, and we are to love Him.
The real difficulty in our day is not that there are problems in the Bible. The real difficulty is that in man there is not that love and longing for God and for the things of God. When love is present in the heart, this Book will begin to open up, because the Spirit of God will become the Teacher.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many [Prov. 4:10].
This sounds to me like it is Bathsheba talking to Solomon.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life [Prov. 4:11–13].
This is a wonderful call to the young man to seek wisdom. “Take fast hold of instruction”—it is something that should have top priority. It is like saying, “Learn all you can learn.”
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away [Prov. 4:14–15].
We have noted before that the warning in this book is against the evil man and the stranger woman. That woman is a prostitute, of course. I think we shall see that this also has a spiritual application.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence [Prov. 4:16–17].
This portrays for us how the evil man and the stranger woman live. They can’t even sleep unless they have done some evil thing. You read of crimes and say, “I don’t see how a man could do a thing like that; I don’t see how a woman could live that kind of a life. How can they stand to live with themselves?” My friend, these folk couldn’t live with themselves if they didn’t do these wicked things. We do not know how desperate and how deep into sin the human heart can go. There is nothing which the human mind and heart cannot conceive in wickedness. We need to realize that out in this world we are rubbing shoulders with many people who are not always nice. Of course there will be some wonderful people, but we need to be careful of the kind of people we meet.
When I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles and rode to work on the freeways, I would pray. (When you ride these freeways in Southern California, you do well to pray for your safety, but actually, I prayed about something else.) My prayer would be something like this: “Lord, I’m going to meet new people today. Some of those people I will be able to help. Some of them would like to hurt me. Help me to be able to tell the difference. Help me to put my arm around the man who needs my help, but help me to avoid the man who would put a knife in my back.” I think it is important that we recognize the kind of world in which we live.
I have learned that there are certain men who will become true friends, bosom friends, and I thank God for them. It is men like that who made my radio ministry possible. Then there have been men who have tried to destroy it—yet they profess to be Christians. It is difficult to understand their thinking. The human heart is not to be trusted. We need to be very careful; we need to have discernment as we meet mankind in our daily walk.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day [Prov. 4:18].
You will meet wonderful saints like this. Then notice the contrast:
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble [Prov. 4:19].
There are two ways that are set in contrast. One way is the way in which the righteous go. It is described as a “shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” There is another way, the way the lawless go. It is a way of darkness. It reminds us of the broad way that our Lord described, which I believe has been misunderstood.
I can remember when I was a boy that we would be taught about the broad way and the narrow way. Now if they had asked me which way I wanted to go, I would have said immediately, “I think you could have a lot more fun on the broad way.” Unfortunately, I think that is the impression most often given. However, that is not accurate at all. The picture is altogether different.
The broad way is a wide one today. That is where the mob is. The crowd is having a “vanity fair” down that way all the time. The carnival is going on. (By the way, that word carnival comes from the world carnal, which has to do with the flesh.) Down there is the place where they indulge the flesh, and they call it the way of liberty. We hear today that we are living in a new age in which we can do as we please. That is certainly a broad way—that is, at the entrance. But notice that this broad way gets narrower and narrower and narrower. The way of the lawless is the dark way. “The way of the wicked is as darkness.” There are the bright lights at the entrance, but down a little farther there are no lights. The people don’t even know what they are stumbling over. That is the broad way that the Lord Jesus described. It is just like going in at the big end of a funnel and then finding that it gets narrower and narrower until finally it ends in destruction.
In contrast, the narrow way is very narrow at the entrance. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way …” (John 14:6, italics mine). It is so narrow that it is limited to one Person: Christ. No one can come to the Father but through Him. You just can’t find a way any narrower than that. Peter said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). The entrance is narrow, but after the entrance the way gets wider and wider, leading to an abundant life here and on into the light of heaven itself. My friend, we need to enter into the narrow end of the funnel, and that end is labeled, The Lord Jesus Christ.
That is exactly the picture we get from our verses here in Proverbs. There are two ways. There is the path of the just, and there is the way of the wicked. We will hear more of this in this book. The broad way is described in chapter 16: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 16:25).
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh [Prov. 4:20–22].
The psalmist said this about the Word: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:11, italics mine). God’s words are the words of life. It has been said of the writings of a great man of the past that if his words were cut, they would bleed. This can truly be said of the words of God. They are living words—if you cut them, they will bleed. “For they are life unto those that find them.” They will bring life and light to you. They bring instruction and direction and joy. All this comes through the Word of God.
Now here is one of the great verses in the Book of Proverbs:
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life [Prov. 4:23].
Another translation of this verse is: “Keep thy heart above all keeping”—with all diligence. This is the most important thing to watch over. “For out of it are the issues of life.” The life of the flesh is in the blood, and it is the heart that pumps that blood. William Harvey back in the seventeenth century discovered the circulation of the blood which revolutionized medical science. Yet here in Proverbs which was written about 2,700 years earlier, there is a recognition of the importance of the heart for the maintenance of life. And the heart symbolizes the center of one’s innermost being. The Lord Jesus said that it isn’t what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of a man. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19). Some of the meanest things in the world come out of the human heart. The heart is the seat of the total personality. If you want to know how important the heart is, get your concordance and look up all the references to the heart that are in the Bible. We are to keep our hearts with all diligence. What we hear is important. What we study is important. What we see is important. We should recognize that out of that heart will come all of the great issues of our lives.
Let’s not miss the fact that the Book of Proverbs, written long before Harvey made the discovery of the circulation of blood, makes a statement about the heart that centuries later science demonstrated to be true. In the Book of Proverbs (and this can be said of the entire Bible) you will find no unscientific or inaccurate observation.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee [Prov. 4:24].
The issues of life will proceed from the heart, but it is the mouth and the lips that will do the speaking. Someone has put it like this: “What is in the well of the heart will come up through the bucket of the mouth.” How true it is that sooner or later the mouth will reveal what is in your heart.
Our mouths give us away. Mrs. McGee and I were having lunch in a little town in the Northwest and were talking to each other. We noticed that the waitress seemed very much interested and pretty soon she interrupted us. “Aren’t you Dr. McGee?” I answered, “Yes, how did you know me?” She said, “I’ve never seen you before, but I listen to you on the radio.” Later my wife told me, “You had better be very careful what you say. You are recognized by people when you have no idea that you are being recognized.” How true that is, but the care has to begin with the heart. What is in the well of the heart will come up through the bucket of the mouth. Our mouths will give away what is being harbored in our hearts.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil [Prov. 4:25–27].
Oh, how careful a young man needs to be! A man told me the other day that he ruined his whole life by being arrested when he was a young man. He has a record against him, and that record has confronted him again and again down through the years. In this day when the use of drugs and liquor is so prevalent, especially among young folk, how careful he should be. How tragic it is to see multitudes of youngsters who are destroying themselves because they do not “ponder the path” of their feet.
CHAPTER 5
Read this chapter carefully and you will find that the young man is counseled to live a pure life for the sake of his home. This is the kind of sex education that God gives. I like this education from God better than some of the things that I am hearing today, even in Christian services. God is saying that a pure life should be led for the sake of the home later on. A lot of the problems in the homes today don’t begin there. They began way back in the premarital sex life of the individual.
GOD’S SEX EDUCATION
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge [Prov. 5:1–2].
“My son.” This is addressed to the young man again. This is wisdom bidding the young man to come to her school to learn of her. In the previous chapter the warning was against the evil man. In this chapter the warning is against the “strange woman,” literally, the stranger woman, because the woman was a stranger, one who came from outside Israel. She was generally a Gentile, and she was a prostitute. No Israelite woman was to become a prostitute. According to the law a prostitute was to be stoned. However, as Israel got farther from God, they also sank into more and more immorality. Thus it happened that some of the Israelites did become prostitutes as is indicated in Proverbs 2:17, “Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.” In that case the woman is still considered a stranger, a foreigner, because she is a stranger as far as her relationship to God is concerned.
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them [Prov. 5:3–6].
There was an infamous gangster in the penitentiary in Atlanta. One of the officers there told me that this man had contracted syphilis, which had not been cured and went on to cause paresis and eventually insanity. That man was a blubbering idiot before he died. The officer told me this: “This man was responsible for the ruin of many a girl. But it is interesting that he didn’t get by with that sort of thing. Some girl along the route got even with him.” God’s Word here is warning against that kind of thing.
Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed [Prov. 5:7–11].
What a warning is given here to this young man. This gives a true picture of the end result of venereal disease. At last there is mourning when the flesh and the body are consumed. Here in California venereal disease has reached epidemic proportions.
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly [Prov. 5:12–14].
Remember that God is not mocked. What you sow is what you shall reap. God describes here what will be the end result of such a life. I believe that our society is already reaping what it has been sowing. The gross immorality in our land stems from the lack of instruction in the Word of God.
Now God tells about the relationship that should exist between husband and wife. Here we see marriage brought to a very high plane.
THE HOLINESS OF MARRIAGE
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee [Prov. 5:15–17].
In other words, your offspring should be from your wife, not from a stranger.
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love [Prov. 5:18–19].
These verses describe love in marriage, and the Word of God makes it very clear that physical love and sexual love in marriage are to be sanctified and brought to a very high level. There was a time when speaking of these things was taboo. They were not mentioned as though they were immoral or some sort of a dirty thing even among married folk. Do you notice how God describes physical love in marriage? God lifts it to the very highest plane. Remember that marriage was designed by God Himself and was given to the human family for the welfare and good of mankind. A part of the immorality of our day is the attempt to get rid of marriage.
For the child of God the Christian home is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church. You just cannot have a relationship higher or holier than that. That is why it is alarming to see that even Christian couples in the church are breaking up. This hasn’t happened in only one or two cases but it is happening many, many times. This ought to cause the church to get down on its knees before God and find out what is wrong. It is an indication that the Word of God is not getting through to people. It is not influencing and swaying the lives of those members of the church.
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). God calls marriage a wonderful relationship. It is high and holy and not to be treated as something that is unclean. But notice the other side of the picture: “but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
When I was the pastor of a certain church, a man of the congregation came to me and announced he was leaving his wife and son and was going to run off with another woman. They were all church members—whether or not they were Christians only God knows. I was a young preacher at that time, and I really laid it on the line to him. He rose in indignation and said, “Are you trying to rob me of my salvation?” I answered, “Brother, if you have salvation, I am not trying to rob you of it. But I do want to say this to you, and I want you to remember it: If you are not God’s child, you are acting according to the way the devil’s children act. If you happen to be a child of God, one of these days God will take you to His woodshed and He will whip you within an inch of your life. I am not sure but that He may even take your life.” The fellow just sneered, and he went ahead and married the other woman. The years have gone by, and those two are the loneliest, saddest, most frustrated, most unlovely people I know. I am confident they would both say, “If only I could go back and do it over.”
Peter admonishes husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge “… and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7). This is a real test. When a husband and wife are so living before each other that they have joy and confidence and can kneel together and pray together and love together, that home represents the relationship of Christ and the church. I want to tell you, my friend, that God can and will bless such a home. Oh, how important this is!
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings [Prov. 5:20–21].
This is an interesting verse. “The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.” We need to recognize that God is seeing us all the time. God is always watching us.
A man was put in a foursome for golf with three of us who were preachers. He was glad to get away from us when he found out who we were. He had ripped out an oath, and after he learned that we were preachers, he began to apologize. I said to him, “Brother, don’t pay any attention to us. We are just three men like you are. But you are speaking that way before God all the time. I don’t care whether you are on the golf course or in a bar or where you are, you are saying these things before God.” The ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah and God ponders—He wonders why we act and say what we do. I think that God must get really puzzled by some of the things we do and say.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray [Prov. 5:22–23].
God says that there is a day coming, a day of accountability, a day of retribution. A payday is on the way. Man thinks he is getting by with sin. God says that no one is getting by with a thing. Man’s own iniquities shall take him, and he will be held with the cords of his sins.
CHAPTER 6
This chapter covers many different subjects. It starts with some advice that is good for the business world today, for Christians or non-Christians. These are simply some good business principles. You see, God has given a lot of good advice for all mankind, the saved as well as the unsaved.
GOOD BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth [Prov. 6:1–2].
He mentions two things which are good advice any time. Beware of signing a friend’s note. And never become a partner with a stranger. The unsaved man can follow this advice in his business, and it will be helpful to him.
The second verse would indicate that the fellow has been boasting. Apparently one of the reasons a man will co-sign a note with another man is that he wants to be the big shot. He wants to appear outstanding in the financial realm. We are to beware of that.
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend [Prov. 6:3].
Don’t be afraid to go to him and get things straightened out. Be sure that you hold on to your friends, and be sure that you beware of your enemies. That is exactly what he is saying here and will repeat it in other places.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler [Prov. 6:4–5].
Don’t sleep on it; get the thing straightened out. You are just like a bird caught in a trap if you have signed a note. That is the warning.
Now he will present the positive side. Not only should one be prudent in what he does in his business and prudent in what he says in the business world, but he is also to learn something from the ants.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest [Prov. 6:6–8].
The little ant is quite a teacher. Aunt Ant can reveal great truths to us. One truth is that she is as diligent in business as anyone possibly can be. This is something that the child of God can learn from the little ant. The ant is busy doing what is the most important thing in her life—she is getting food for the winter, caring for the future, and she is busy about it.
I think one of the great sins among Christians today is laziness, and many of the lazy ones can be found in full-time Christian service. All of us need to ask ourselves what we do with our spare time. Do we read the Word of God? Do we study the Word of God? I think that laziness is one of the curses of the ministry today. A young man came to me and said, “I feel like I’m through as a preacher. I’ve been a pastor here at this place for three years, and I have run out of sermons. I feel like a dried-up well.” Of course, then he became very pious, “I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation.” “Well,” I asked him, “How much time do you spend in the Word of God? How much time do you spend studying it?” I couldn’t get a very definite answer from him, but he inferred that he spent less than an hour a week in the study of the Bible! He was a great promoter, always out doing something while the important business remained undone. I told him, “Unless you change your ways, you ought to get out of the ministry. It is a disgrace to go to the pulpit on a Sunday morning unprepared. You should have something to say from the Word of God.” The ant has a lesson for that boy. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.”
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man [Prov. 6:9–11].
THE WICKED MAN
We come now to a description of a wicked man, a son of Belial.
A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers [Prov. 6:12–13].
Have you ever noticed this in a person? Everything he does and every gesture he makes is suggestive. Everything he says has a filthy connotation. There are Christians who are borderline cases in this respect.
I knew a preacher like that, and I got away from him years ago. I have known some laymen who are the same way. Everything they said had a double meaning. I know of a so-called Christian group of folk who, at their meetings, tell jokes with a double meaning. There is always that little suggestive thing in them. This is something that God is speaking against.
Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy [Prov. 6:14–15].
“Frowardness” is perverseness. Notice that he “soweth” or casts forth discord. Here is a person who is supposed to be a child of God, and yet every movement of his body is suggestive.
In my office I have a picture of a man who has meant a great deal to me. He was not a great preacher, but he was a great man of God. I have spent many hours with that man in the past. He always reminds me of the pureness of speech. Never have I heard him say anything that was suggestive or that had one bit of smut in it. His life was just as clear and clean as the noonday sun. That is the type of men we need today. We don’t need more of the bright young fellows with the latest thing in haberdashery and the latest haircut. You see them eyeing the girls even though they are married. Their wives cannot be quite sure about them. But we say, “My, they have good personalities!”
May I say something to you, and I am going to say it very clearly. We are loaded with folk in Christian service today, and we are getting nowhere. Do you know why not? Because God is not mocked. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. 6:7–8). God is not fooled. Our God demands a holy life. Do you know why? Because He is holy. He is that kind of God. And that is the kind of person God is going to be interested in and bless. Oh, we need to recognize that we are dealing with a holy God! I have a wonderful preacher friend who is in what is known as the holiness movement, because the emphasis is on holiness of life. I said to him one day, “The criticism I have of you folk is that you have lost your holiness, and you are the ones who should be bearing down on that for the benefit of us who have gotten very far from God.” My, what an emphasis is needed on holy living among God’s people today!
SEVEN THINGS GOD HATES
It is unbelievable to some folk that God could hate. They consider Him as only a God of love. The reason they have this kind of reaction is the result of following a deductive reasoning based on the syllogistic method of reasoning. The major premise is that God is love. That is true. The minor premise is that love is the opposite of hate, and that is also true. Then the conclusion they draw is that God cannot hate anything, but that is not true. God is love, but He hates evil.
We can see this same thing in our human relationships. You love your little child, but you hate the fever that is racking his little body. You love your child, but you hate the mad dog with the frothing mouth that comes into your yard and attempts to bite your little child. If you love your child, you will hate the mad dog. As long as there is a world of contrasts, a world in which sin has entered, we will love the right and hate the wrong. Or, on the other hand, if you love sin, then you will hate righteousness.
The Word of God tells us to love the good and hate the evil. When we get to the Book of Ecclesiastes, we will find that it says that there is “A time to love, and a time to hate ….” (Eccl. 3:8).
Now we find that there are seven things God hates. This is His list:
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren [Prov. 6:16–19].
God definitely says that He hates these things, and we ought to put them on our “hate list” also. This isn’t the first time God has stated that He hates something. If you will turn back to Deuteronomy, you will read, “Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth” (Deut. 16:22). God hates any kind of idol or anything that would take His place in our hearts. God’s hate is mentioned again in Psalm 45:7, the great millennial psalm: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness ….” One follows the other as the night follows the day. God said to the early church in the Book of Revelation: “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (Rev. 2:6). You see, my friend, God loves, but also God hates. It is like the flavor of sweet and sour developed by Chinese and European chefs to a fine art. God is love but, by the same token, God is hate. And Scripture adequately states the case.
The number seven in the Bible indicates not perfection but completeness. God has a complete hatred of these things, and they are all the works of the flesh. They are things that reveal the total depravity and the utter degradation of the human species. God has gone on record that He hates them. God denies the thesis of liberal theology that He is some sentimental and senile old man who weeps but never works, that He simply shuts His eyes to the sins of mankind and is tolerant of evil, that He forgives because He hasn’t the intestinal fortitude to punish sin. God says, “I love,” but He also says, “I hate.”
The idea that we are to be charitable to the guilty is abroad in our land because we don’t have the courage to go through with a strong program of punishment. That is the thing that is corrupting and wrecking our society today. God is willing to punish the guilty. God is not afraid of public opinion. God doesn’t run from any appearance of offending men. God is no coward. God says that by no means will He clear the guilty. His laws are inviolate and inexorable.
Now let’s look at this ugly and hateful brood. These belong on the hate side of God’s ledger:
1. “A proud look.” The literal is eyes of loftiness. It is the attitude that overvalues self and undervalues others. This is pride. It is that thought of the heart, that little look and that turn of the face, that flash of the eye which says you are better than someone else. God says, “I hate it.” It is number one on His list—He puts it ahead of murder and ahead of drunkenness. God hates the proud look.
It is strange that in churches today one can get by with a proud look and no one would say a thing about it. Do you know that the first overt act of sin in heaven, the original sin, was pride? It was when Satan, Lucifer, son of the morning, said in his heart, “… I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:13–14). And he is the one who came to man in the Garden of Eden and said, “… ye shall be as gods …” (Gen. 3:5).
It is quite interesting that behind all psychological disturbances and psychosomatic disease there is the trunk of a tree from which the abnormality springs. Do you know what that is? It is a lack of being a complete personality. It is wanting to be somebody important, wanting certain status symbol—one of which is independence of God. It is wanting to be one’s own god. It is making the little self to be God. That is the reason a salvation by works appeals to men. Little man likes to say, “I’m going to earn my own salvation. I’ll do it myself, and I don’t need You, God. I certainly don’t need to have Your Son die for me. When I come into Your presence, I want You to move over because I am just as good as You are, and I’m going to sit down right beside You.” My friend, a work-salvation is the result of folk who are psychologically sick. God resists the proud, and He has respect unto the lowly. He says that he will bring down the high looks. God said to Job, “Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place” (Job 40:12).
In the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3, italics mine). This is what the psalmist says: “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me” (Ps. 131:1). We need to take the lowly place and say, “Oh God, I am weak. I can’t make it. I need You.”
The other day I saw a young man walk into a group of young men. He was a big, swaggering, baby boy—that is what he was. He wanted to be accepted by his peers; so he walked in, looked around, and began to curse like a sailor. I thought, Poor little fellow! What a poor little baby he is, trying to make himself acceptable with the other fellows. Why doesn’t he simply go before God and tell Him the truth? Psychologically man adopts all this phony stuff. How much better off he would be to say to God as the psalmist said, “Lord, my heart is not haughty. I don’t want to make claims that are not genuine. I don’t have any righteousness.” When you go to God for His salvation, that is when you become a real, full-fledged personality. Listen to what God said through Isaiah: “… but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isa. 66:2). If you are willing to come to God on that basis, God will receive you. He hates a proud look.
2. God hates a “lying tongue.” Have you ever noticed that there is far more said throughout the Bible about the abuse of the tongue than is said about the abuse of alcohol? The abuse of the tongue is something that is common to all races and all languages. People talk about a tongues movement. There is a big tongues movement today. Do you know what that is? It is the lying tongue. How tragic it is!
The psalmist (probably David) said, “I said in my haste, All men are liars” (Ps. 116:11). Dr. W. I. Carroll used to tell us in class, “David said in his haste that all men are liars. I’ve had a long time to think it over, and I still agree with David.” I’ll admit that I agree with David, too. Again the psalmist said, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue” (Ps. 120:2). In David’s prayer of confession, he said, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (Ps. 51:6, italics mine). God is the God of truth. “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth” (Ps. 31:5, italics mine). How wonderful that is. How different from the lying tongue!
3. The third thing God hates is “hands that shed innocent blood.” A murderer is particularly odious and objectionable both to God and to man. God says the murderer should be punished because he took that which God said is sacred—the human life. The popular idea today is completely opposite. After a man has been killed the murderer is brought to trial, then suddenly the murderer’s life is considered to be precious. God says that human life is precious and that when a murderer kills a man, he is to forfeit his own life. That is the teaching of the Word of God.
4. The fourth thing God hates is “an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations”—thoughts of iniquity. I think all mankind has evil thoughts. The Lord Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19). It is an ugly brood that comes out of the human heart. By the way, have you ever confessed to God what you have in your mind and in your heart? We all need to do that. We need to be cleansed.
God is dealing with the anatomy of evil and iniquity. It includes the eyes, the tongues, the hands, the heart, and the feet, as we shall see next.
5. “Feet that be swift in running to mischief.” The heart blazes the trail that the feet will follow. Isaiah put it like this: “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths” (Isa. 59:7). These are the things on God’s hate list.
6. “A false witness that speaketh lies.” It is not an uncommon thing today for people to perjure themselves. It seems to be one of the common sins of our time. It is a thing which God hates.
7. “He that soweth discord among brethren.” There is a beatitude, given by our Lord, that looks at it from the positive side: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). There are multitudes of folk sowing discord, and they are not all politically motivated. They are in your neighborhood, and chances are they are in your church. You may even have one in your home, and there is a possibility that he even may be sitting where you sit. My friend, causing trouble between family members or brothers in Christ or fellow workers is something that God hates.
This list of seven sins is like a mirror. We look into it, and we squirm because we see ourselves. May I ask you to take a good look at yourself in this mirror of the Word of God. After you and I see ourselves as we really are, let us go to God and make a confession of these things. Let us be honest with Him and ask Him for His cleansing.
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee [Prov. 6:20–22].
The young man has grown and has gone away to school, but he is reminded not to forget the things that were taught him by his father and his mother. The things He has learned in the home are very important. He is to keep them constantly before him.
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life [Prov. 6:23].
WARNING AGAINST SEX SINS
Now he comes back to the great sin in our contemporary society—the sex sins.
The warning again concerns the strange woman, the prostitute. It is that which can wreck the life of a young man more than anything else. The sex sins, the sins of adultery are the great sins of our day. No one can calculate the lives that have been absolutely wrecked and ruined because of them. Oh, how many marriages are broken up today because of them! Hollywood, novels, popular songs all play on the same old theme, the triangle. There is the married couple and the third party, man or woman, who is breaking up the marriage. Proverbs has much to say about them.
To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids [Prov. 6:24–25].
Notice that the young man is not to lust after her beauty in his heart. We have just learned, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). Also notice how the young man is warned against her flattery, her beauty, her fluttering eyelids. Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:27–28). The whole sinful thought begins down in the human heart.
For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life [Prov. 6:26].
How many men have been ruined like that? I think we would all be shocked if we knew how many office “wives” there are. We have no idea of the number of people who are blackmailed today because of illicit sex. We hear of only a few. Just recently it was disclosed that a doctor in San Francisco had another wife and family in Southern California. Everyone who knew him thought that he was leading a moral, upright life. All the while he was keeping up two homes. This same kind of thing has happened in the lives of ministers! How does it all get started? The Lord says it begins in the heart—He made us and He knows us. “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart.” It begins there.
Now he asks a few pointed questions:
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? [Prov. 6:27].
The answer to that is obvious.
Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? [Prov. 6:28].
We know of fanatics who try this, but it always burns their little tootsies to walk on hot coals.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent [Prov. 6:29].
If a man commits adultery, he is not innocent. He has no plea whatsoever. Now notice the illustration—
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry [Prov. 6:30].
If a man steals because he is hungry, our sympathy goes out to him. A man was arrested for stealing in my community recently, and it was found that he had some little children at home who were hungry. In a case like that you don’t judge him, you want to help him. “Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry.”
But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house [Prov. 6:31].
He can mortgage his house to repay it.
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul [Prov. 6:32].
Again I draw an illustration from my own locality. A man walked into another man’s room the other day, drew a gun, and shot the man dead. Why? Well, when the story came out, the man was exonerated. His home had been absolutely destroyed by the lust of the man he killed. “Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.”
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away [Prov. 6:33].
Committing adultery is something that will scar his soul for life. As a pastor (and I’m sure many other pastors know cases like this) I know a wife whose husband had an affair years ago; he repented of it, came back to her, and asked to be forgiven. She forgave him. But I happen to know the home, and I can see that it is not a happy home. Adultery is something you don’t rub out. If you commit it, you lack understanding. You’ll wreck your home; you will wreck your life.
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts [Prov. 6:34–35].
Oh, my friend, what tragedies result from adultery!
CHAPTER 7
This chapter continues the subject of chapter 6. The whole thought is to beware of a woman with easy morals.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman [Prov. 7:1–4].
Now having said that, he is going to get right down to cases.
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words [Prov. 7:5].
He takes an illustration out of life.
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
In the twilight in the evening, in the black and dark night [Prov. 7:6–9].
This young man is taking a walk on the wrong street
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows [Prov. 7:10–14].
Notice that she is religious! She leads him to believe that she is right with God—“I have peace offerings with me … I payed my vows.”
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee [Prov. 7:15].
In other words, I’ve been looking for you all my life, and at last I have found you!
I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed [Prov. 7:16–20].
She assures him that the man of the house is out of town and won’t be back until a certain day.
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life [Prov. 7:21–23].
What a picture this is!
Now he gives the warning—
Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death [Prov. 7:24–27].
This warning is to be taken literally, and there is also a spiritual application for you and me today. The Scriptures have a great deal to say about spiritual adultery. God called it that when His people left Him and went after idols. They were snared by idolatry, and they were brought into subjection. They departed from the living and true God. They were to be joined to Him, but they had separated from Him. They were actually playing the harlot; they were being unfaithful and untrue to Him. That is spiritual adultery.
Today we have many cults and “isms” and all types of false religions around us. Here in Southern California we are larded with this type of thing on every hand. For example, one says, “You don’t need any longer to follow Christ as you are following Him. You don’t need to trust Him alone as your Savior. What you need to do is join our group and do certain things.”
You would be amazed at the letters that come to me. Some time ago I was teaching Galatians, and at that time I made the statement again and again, “Faith plus nothing equals salvation.” I emphasized that you must be absolutely, utterly cast upon Jesus Christ as your Savior. Oh my, did I get the letters! A great many people wrote some very ugly things. Among other things they wrote, “You said that the Mosaic Law is something that we should get rid of.” I did not say anything of the kind. What I said was that the Law cannot save you. The Law was never given to save. The Law is good, but there is something wrong with us, and only Christ can save us. When we turn from our own efforts, from our own works and turn to Him, we can be saved.
Then there were others who wrote to tell me how wrong I was. “You should have said it is necessary to be baptized in a certain way.” Others said, “You should have told them to join a certain group.” Others said I should have taught that we must all keep the Mosaic Law—even if a person trusts in Christ he still must keep the Law.
May I answer this by saying that the believer is joined to Christ. Christ has said we are to keep His commandments if we love Him, and His commandments are not grievous. We are to love one another. We are to be filled with the Spirit of God. We are to witness to the world. Those are His commandments today. We are joined to a living Christ; we live on a higher plane. The fruit of the Spirit should be evident in our hearts and lives.
Today there is that flattering “ism” and that flattering cult, made up like a woman of the street. She is flattering and she is calling men and women. This old gal is busy today. She knocks at your door and hands out tracts. She meets you everywhere. She is a prostitute—she wants to take you away from Christ. She wants to bring you into her system. Oh, my friend, that spiritual prostitute is out on your street today; she even comes into your home by way of radio and television, trying to lure you. We are told that to follow her is like an ox going to slaughter. It is like a fool going to the correction of the stocks. Oh, that we might not settle for anything less than the person of Jesus Christ!
In my judgment this is the finest picture we have of cults, “isms,” and all false religions. Like the prostitute, they are all dressed up—attractive, alluring, offering something to man that will actually destroy him and send him down to hell, and take him away from Jesus Christ, the lover of our souls.
CHAPTER 8
The young man has been examining the literature of the different colleges; and the school of wisdom and the school of fools are bidding for his application. In this chapter it is wisdom that sends out an invitation to him with a note of urgency. Pressure is put upon the young man now. The school bell is going to ring before long, and they want this young man enrolled.
WISDOM CALLS TO THE YOUNG MAN
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? [Prov. 8:1].
As we have seen, the young man has been lured and enticed to leave the school of wisdom. Believe me, the cults and “isms” are out on the streets and ringing doorbells.
God’s people should be out doing the same thing. I am very thankful for the very fine organizations that especially work with the young people today. They are out ringing doorbells. They are out doing personal witnessing. That’s good. Wisdom and understanding should be putting forth their voice.
She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man [Prov. 8:2–4].
This is what we are trying to do by radio. We are sending out a call to come to the school of wisdom. We want you to come to wisdom in the person of Christ. It is Christ who has been made unto us wisdom.
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart [Prov. 8:5].
Are you willing to take that position—to admit that you are not adequate, to say you are a sinner and that you really don’t have intellectual problems? Sometimes I think it is a joke to listen to folk with “intellectual” problems. A young fellow came to me and said, “I have intellectual problems about the Bible.” Do you know what he really had? He had a sin problem, and he didn’t want to give up his sin. I have discovered that if a person has a sin problem and will turn to Christ with that problem, it is amazing how often the intellectual problems will be solved.
Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things [Prov. 8:6].
What a picture we have here!
For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them [Prov. 8:7–8].
Many people talk about errors and problems in the Bible. There are several books written about problem Scriptures. I recognize that to an intelligent person there are problems in the Bible. I had a lot of problems with the Bible at the beginning of my study, and I still have a few. But the problem is not in the Word of God. The problem is in the mind and heart of man. God says there is nothing twisted or perverse in the words of wisdom.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge [Prov. 8:9].
You see, if it is really wisdom, it is going to be simple, and it will appeal to the simple. I’m thankful that God did not make the gospel appeal only to folk who have a high I.Q. If He had, many folk would be left out completely. This is a message to the simple. And it really is a simple message.
It is very interesting that some things which men call deep and profound are not really that at all. When I went through school, I had the viewpoint of a lot of other young fellows that I knew it all. We had a brilliant man come to lecture at our seminary. I’ll be very frank with you, he was speaking right over the top of my head. I went to the man who was considered the most brilliant professor in the school and said, “I’m not getting very much out of those lectures. I must confess that they are over my head. I always had the viewpoint that I could understand anything that any man had to say, but I am not getting what he is saying.” I shall never forget his answer. He said, “Mr. McGee, you know that when water is clear, you can see right to the bottom of the pool even if it is sixty feet deep, but when the water is muddy, you can’t even see to the bottom of a hoofprint in the middle of the road. Some men are not deep; they are muddy.” Well, that answered it for me. My friend, if you have an intellectual problem with something you read in the Bible—let me be very frank with you—the problem is not with the Bible; the problem is with you.
Let me refer you to a passage in the New Testament, which I think is profound, although it is very simple: “And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:13–14). You may be thinking, If they cannot understand because there is a veil over their minds, they are not responsible. And a great many folk today are claiming that there is a veil over their minds and they are not able to understand the Bible. But notice the next verses: “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away” (2 Cor. 3:15–16). What does it mean by “it” when it says “when it shall turn to the Lord”? Well, it refers back to the last principal subject, which is the “heart.” It is saying that when the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. You see, the problem is not head trouble; it is heart trouble.
Let’s get right down to where the rubber meets the road, right down to where we live. Don’t say that there are intellectual problems which keep you from the Lord. The problem is sin in your life—there are things in your life that you do not want to change. You are not willing to bow your heart and your head and come to Jesus Christ. That is the problem. Notice that when the heart shall turn to the Lord an amazing thing happens—the veil shall be taken away. The problems are resolved.
A great man of the Middle Ages said, “I had many problems until I came to Christ.” We may call them intellectual problems, but they are really heart problems. The Word of God is clear. The gospel message is so simple it cannot be misunderstood. But there can be deliberate, willful resistance to the gospel. That is a problem of the heart.
That is why we can actually use the Word of God as a sort of Geiger counter. A Geiger counter will tell a man where there is uranium. And the reaction to the Word of God will tell a man where there is a believing heart. There are some individuals who love the Word of God, and the arrow of the counter jumps up and down. There are others who have a pious expression and fundamental vocabulary but who register as dead. They actually resist the Word of God.
Many times people have asked me to deal with folk who resist the Word of God. I tell them that my job is simply to give out the Word. The Lord Himself will deal with them. During my years in the ministry I have seen how the Lord does deal with such people. I have seen Him move into families and deal with this one and that one. I recall a very arrogant young man who was questioning the Word of God. Then he left his wife and ran off with another woman. There was sin in his life; that was his problem. I emphasize this because God’s Word is clear. There is nothing twisted or perverse in the words of God.
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it [Prov. 8:10–11].
When you and I come to the place, as Job did, where we get our priorities straight, when we put a proper evaluation on the things of this world and realize that wisdom is better than rubies, then we will put God first in our lives. It is as the Lord Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WISDOM
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions [Prov. 8:12].
The Word of God is going to make it clear that wisdom is a person, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate [Prov. 8:13].
We might translate it as “the mouth of perversions do I hate.” This is something that is quite real today; it is right down where we live. Wisdom is manifest. It is the character of God, and that character has been revealed in Christ. Evil, pride, arrogance, and an evil way are hateful to Him. If we belong to Him, we will hate these things also.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth [Prov. 8:14–16].
In the Psalms and in the prophecy of Daniel it is repeated that “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” How tremendous it is to realize that God overrules down here in the affairs of this world. Regardless of how godless a nation is, God is overruling, and His will is being accomplished. He rules in the kingdoms of men.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me [Prov. 8:17].
Solomon learned this early in his life. He discovered that when he sought God, God gave him wisdom. He had sought God early—as soon as he became king. He knew it was God who had given him a unique wisdom. And God is prepared to give us wisdom if we are willing to meet the conditions: a diligent study and love of the Word of God early in our Christian life.
Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver [Prov. 8:18–19].
These are not stocks or bonds or real estate, but wonderful spiritual gifts He bestows.
I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures [Prov. 8:20–21].
WISDOM PERSONIFIED IN CHRIST
From this point on, I think you will discover that the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old [Prov. 8:22].
This is the Lord Jesus; this is wisdom personified.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was [Prov. 8:23].
“I was set up” is I was anointed from everlasting. This is the One who is the subject of John’s prologue: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1–2). He was begotten, not in the sense of having a beginning of life, but as being one nature and substance with the Father. Way back yonder in eternity He was God, and He was in the beginning with God. He was in the beginning that has no beginning, because “in the beginning was the Word.” He was already past tense at the time of the beginning.
He is the One and the only One who can make this clear to us. The Lord Jesus said, “… no man knoweth the Son, but the Father …” (Matt. 11:27). We could not know the Lord Jesus, had not the Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit to open our hearts. A saved person can rest in and adore the person of Christ. We are living in the midst of great unbelief in our day, but let the skeptic be skeptical. My friend, our relationship is a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the Word. “… the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). What a tremendous statement!
Wisdom is Jesus Christ.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth [Prov. 8:24–27].
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3).
“When he set a compass upon the face of the depth.” It is interesting that the scientists used to speak of a square universe, but God has always said it is a circle. You and I live in a world that is round, and we are going around our planetary system. And we belong to a galactic system which is a circle. All of these circles are circling around!
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth [Prov. 8:28–29].
Have you ever stood by the seashore and wondered why the water doesn’t run over? Why does it stay where it is? It says, “he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment.” God has made a law that keeps the sea right where it is.
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men [Prov. 8:30–31].
Without the Lord Jesus was not anything made that was made. All things were made by Him. He is the firstborn of all creation. He is superior to all. Why? Because by Him the Father brought all things into being, for He is the uncreated God, and He was “rejoicing always before Him.” These wonderful delights and joys come to us through the amazing grace of God. How wonderful all of this is!
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not [Prov. 8:32–33].
Wisdom is Christ, and there must be a love for Him.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord [Prov. 8:34–35].
“Whoso findeth me findeth life.” If you have Christ you have life.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death [Prov. 8:36].
My friend, if you hate Christ, you love death. What a picture this is! Wisdom is Christ.
CHAPTER 9
We have come now to the place where wisdom has opened school. The young man is matriculated into the school of wisdom, and we are thankful for that. Everything is prepared, and we are able to look into this school. The school bell is about to ring.
THE COLLEGE OF WISDOM
Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled [Prov. 9:1–5].
Wisdom has builded a house. This is the College of Wisdom. Note there are seven pillars. Those seven pillars represent to me completeness. The school offers a complete education all the way through to the graduate course and the Ph.D. degree.
Let’s not minimize the importance of a good education. There are some who like to point out the Lord Jesus chose for His disciples twelve men who were not educated men. I have had many letters, one in particular from a man who took me to task for using the title of Doctor. He pointed out that none of the twelve had a doctoral degree. May I say that an earned doctoral degree represents years of hard work, and I believe that the person who has earned the degree is entitled to use the title. I will freely admit that one does wonder at some things in our educational system. I know a young man who is working on his master’s degree in history. He is told to forget about dates and individuals, in order to get the flavor of a particular age—the life-style and the attitude of that period! Now I admit that that is a pretty slippery type of education. I believe that facts are important. And I know we still have some very fine schools, which are working on that principle.
As far as the education of the apostles is concerned, anyone who spent three years with the Lord Jesus Christ was not uneducated. They learned a great deal from the greatest Teacher the world has ever seen. And, of course, the apostle Paul was well educated in the schools of his day. No one could say that he was an ignorant man. Let’s remember that wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ, and He can give you a complete education.
“She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.” Now it is time to come to school and start feasting on the courses that have been prepared.
“She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city.” What a picture is given here. May I remind you that we have the same invitation in this age. A wedding feast has been prepared, and the invitations go out to all the invited guests saying that all things are ready. Many of the guests decline the invitation. Then the servants go out into the highways and byways with the invitation to the wedding feast (Matt. 22:1–14). It is interesting that wisdom must go out into the highways and byways to invite people to come in. And we are to go out on the highways and byways. Our message today is: God is reconciled to you; now you be reconciled to God. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). In our day the Word is probably going out more than it ever has in the history of the world. The invitation is going out to the ends of the earth to come to the school of wisdom, that is, to come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding [Prov. 9:6].
There are those who will not hear. They are the scorners. There is no use wasting your time with them. In practically every church you will find a little group that will resist the Word of God. Are we to keep on giving the Word of God to them? No. The Lord Jesus said not to cast our pearls before swine. Now notice the next three verses. Some Bible expositors think they do not belong here, that they have been inserted. But, my friend, this is exactly where they do belong.
He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning [Prov. 9:7–9].
If you give the Word of God to some people, they will actually hate you for it. This is a pattern that has been true down through the ages. There are people who are so shallow, empty, and ignorant that they will not receive the Word of God at all.
In our day we hear about the man who is liberal in his theology and how broad-minded he is. Did you know that it is the “broad-minded” liberal who has put religion out of our schools? They call the fundamental people bigots. I’d like to know who is the real bigot! Frankly, I don’t mind evolution being taught in our schools if they will permit me to teach the Bible alongside it. But the broad-minded liberals will not allow that. Regardless of the degrees they hold, they are ignorant. They have narrow minds when they are not willing for the Word of God to be taught. The general rule is that the less a man knows, the more he thinks he knows. I have never met a liberal yet who didn’t think he was a very smart cookie. He thought that he knew and understood it all; yet he doesn’t understand. The more a man really knows, the more he will recognize his ignorance and his limitations. One of the truly great preachers whom I have known—and I think he had one of the best minds of any man I have ever met—often said, “The more I study the Bible the more I recognize how ignorant I am of it.” My friend, you cannot study the Bible without realizing how ignorant you are of it.
However, the scorner has no interest in learning the Word of God. You waste your time by giving it to him.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding [Prov. 9:10].
Perhaps you are saying, We’ve had this verse before. Yes, when the little fellow was in the home, the first lesson he was given was the fear of the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7). Now he has entered the college of life and the college of wisdom; he is in his freshman year of the university of understanding, and this is his first lesson: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” That is where we all start. If you haven’t started there, you haven’t started, my friend. A man is a fool (which is what this book will say) to live without God in this world.
In our contemporary society we are so concerned with safety—safety on the highway, safety in the home, security for old age. We carry insurance for all these things, and we make sure our premiums are paid up. That is the wise thing to do. But, my brother, what about eternity? Are you making any plans; do you have insurance for that? Oh, how foolish it is to live this life without God! “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it [Prov. 9:11–12].
If you want to be smart, then make preparation for your soul for eternity. If you are going to be a scorner and ridicule all of these things, well, you are coming up for judgment. This may sound crude, but somebody ought to say it: you are on your way to hell. “If thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.” If you are determined to go on in your own way, you will be the loser.
The town atheist in a place where I preached said to me, “You know, preacher, I don’t buy this stuff about eternal life and trusting Jesus and all that sort of thing. It may be all right for some folk, but I don’t care for that.” I answered, “Let’s suppose you are right and there is no eternal life, then you and I will come out at exactly the same place. But suppose I am right and you are wrong. Then, my friend, you are in a pretty bad spot.” Another atheist said, “I would be content if it weren’t for the awful fact that the Bible may be true.” Yes, it may be! And if it is, it will be an awful fact for anyone who turns his back on God.
THE SCHOOL OF THE FOOLISH WOMAN
A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing [Prov. 9:13].
You see, foolishness runs a school also. There are a lot of those around today.
For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city [Prov. 9:14].
She doesn’t have to go out on the highways and byways to invite folk in; they come to her. Thousands are going to schools like this!
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell [Prov. 9:16–18].
Oh, how many so-called wise men have turned in there and found a tragic end! It was Lord Byron who wrote toward the end of a life of debauchery:
My days are in the yellow leaf;
The flowers and fruits of love are gone;
The worm, the canker, and the grief
Are mine alone!
Byron had everything this world can offer—good looks, genius, fame, wealth, and yet he said, “the worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone!” That is what the school of the foolish woman did for him.
A famous movie star here in California had been married to several of the beauties of the world during his life. The other day, as an old man, he committed suicide, leaving this note: “I am bored with life.” How tragic.
May I say to you, foolishness still runs a college, and there is a long waiting list of those who clamor to enter. “But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.”
CHAPTER 10
PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, WRITTEN AND SET IN ORDERED BY HIMSELF
This begins the second major division of the Book of Proverbs. Here we see that the young student is given some guidelines for his life. These are lessons that you and I also are to learn in the school of Christ.
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother [Prov. 10:1].
“A wise son maketh a glad father.” Have you ever noticed that when a father has a son who has gone to school and made good grades or been outstanding as an athlete or in some other accomplishment, the old man goes around and brags about his son and tells everyone about him? “My boy has his Ph.D. and is teaching in college.” “My boy is on the football team.” But suppose the boy failed or didn’t make the team. Then the father becomes very quiet and doesn’t say anything about him at all. He just keeps his mouth shut.
“But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” It is the mother who grieves at a time like that. The father just keeps quiet about it and ignores it. What a picture of life this is! A boy can be a wise son or a foolish son—either one.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death [Prov. 10:2].
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing”—men who have accumulated a great fortune have had to leave it here. They couldn’t take it with them, and they never really enjoyed it while they were alive.
“Righteousness delivereth from death.” Christ has been made unto us not only wisdom but righteousness. And “… whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked [Prov. 10:3].
You will remember that I have mentioned that I think there is a proverb for everyone, and a proverb that fits certain characters in the Bible. When we remember that “The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish,” we think of Joseph. He was sold into Egypt and must have felt that he had come to the end and that God seemed far away. Yet he had faith in God. We know that God did not forsake him. God so arranged it that eventually he was brought out of prison and was made the prime minister of the land of Egypt.
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich [Prov. 10:4].
What a difference there is in people. Some wonderful Christians are so generous, and others are so stingy! It is interesting that the tight individual has that kind of life—he seems uptight all the time. By contrast, the generous man has a full life.
Don’t you think this verse would fit Abraham? He was a generous man. He told his nephew Lot, “Take any part of the land you want, and I’ll take what is left.” It is a very generous man who will divide real estate like that! Abraham had the right to do the choosing. He certainly knew that the choice land was the well-watered plain of Jordan. Lot must have thought Abraham was very foolish not to move down there, but since Abraham had given Lot the opportunity to choose, he chose the rich land down there in the plain. With a very slack hand, very selfishly, he chose the best for himself; but, in the end, he lost everything.
“But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” There are two words that won’t go together in the Bible: faith and laziness will not mingle. A lazy Christian is not a Christian with real faith in God. The one who is diligent is the one who will work, the one who will labor. This reminds me also of the apostle Paul. When the Lord called him, He certainly did not get a lazy individual.
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame [Prov. 10:5].
Here is another proverb of contrast. The boy who is called “wise” is the one who works in the summer. The lazy boy is the one who sleeps during the time of harvest. He is not the one who is going to get the job done.
My young Christian friend, you need to recognize that God wants to train you and school you. When I was young, I was the pastor in a little church. I wasn’t satisfied; I wanted to do more for God than I was doing there. I have a wonderful wife who encouraged me to finish working on my doctor’s degree and devote time to studying the Bible. I was redeeming the time; I took advantage of that period. How I thank God for it! After I became very busy pastoring a large church and carrying a radio and conference ministry, someone asked me, “You are so busy all the time, when are you able to do your preparation?” Well, back in a little town in Texas I had five years, and I spent that time studying. And the day came when God enabled me to use that preparation. I would say to any young person today who wants to be used of God: begin to prepare yourself Remember that “he that gathereth in summer is a wise son.”
These statements in the Book of Proverbs are tremendous, eternal truths. They are truths not to send you soaring into the heavenly places, but to equip you for the sidewalks of your own town. If they are not working for you, there is nothing wrong with them, but there is something wrong with you.
Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked [Prov. 10:6].
What a picture we have here of two men in the Old Testament. “Blessings are upon the head of the just” reminds me of Samuel. “But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked (lawless)” reminds me of Saul.
The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot [Prov. 10:7].
I think of this in connection with certain individuals who a few years ago were famous, but today they are fading out. I am of the opinion that men of this generation will be forgotten in the next fifty years. Yet the memory of men such as Dwight L. Moody, who accomplished something for God, lives on.
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall [Prov. 10:8].
“Prating” is literally word-mouthing—he is the one who is always talking. He is wise in his own conceit. By contrast, the wise in heart will receive commandments. Remember there was a king by the name of Nebuchadnezzar who listened to the counsel of Daniel and prospered. There was another king by the name of Belshazzar. He was a fool. A royal banquet one night marked the end of him and his kingdom (Dan. 5).
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known [Prov. 10:9].
This is expressed in our proverb today: Honesty is the best policy.
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall [Prov. 10:10].
Here is something that is quite interesting. The eye and the mouth shall be in agreement. When you see a man say something and wink, it means he doesn’t mean what he said. His mouth and his mind are not in agreement. When they are not in agreement, it will cause a great deal of sorrow.
Whom does this verse fit? How about Judas? The kiss of Judas certainly was a kiss of betrayal. The kiss is meant to denote affection, but it certainly didn’t mean that for him.
In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding [Prov. 10:13].
The whole world came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, but “a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding” characterizes his son Rehoboam. He would not listen to the advice of the wise old men; he listened to the young men who had grown up with him (1 Kings 12). As a result, he brought division and civil war to his nation.
Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction [Prov. 10:14].
All the time the wise man is gathering up knowledge, the foolish man has one foot on the banana peel and the other one in the grave.
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin [Prov. 10:16].
This proverb makes me think of Cain and Abel. “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life.” Abel raised sheep, and he brought a little lamb for his sacrifice. “The fruit of the wicked (the produce of the lawless) is sin.” That was Cain—in rebellion he brought the fruit of the ground. The apostle Paul expressed it this way in Romans 8:6: “For to be carnally minded is death …”—and this is directed to the Christian. “Death” for him means separation from God in the way of fellowship. God is not going to fellowship with a carnally—minded person. When the proverb says “the labour of the righteous tendeth to life,” it is fellowship with God. Abel was a saved man. “The fruit of the wicked (lawless) to sin” characterized Cain.
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth [Prov. 10:17].
This would apply to Absalom, David’s son. He wouldn’t accept reproof. He made a big mistake in attempting to seize the kingdom from his father.
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool [Prov. 10:18].
What a terrible thing it is to have someone pretend to be your friend and later you discover that he is really your enemy. That person is actually a fool. You catch on to him after a while. Anyone who slanders is also a fool.
God had given a specific commandment regarding this. “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people …” (Lev. 19:16). It goes on, “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him” (Lev. 19:17). Don’t flatter a man when you actually hate him, but neither are you to slander the man.
This describes a man in Scripture. Remember that Joab pretended to be a friend to Abner. He lured him out of the city, and then he killed him.
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom [Prov. 10:21].
I think again of Samuel, the great judge of Israel, in contrast to Saul, the king who played the fool.
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it [Prov. 10:22].
There are those who live in pleasure and think they are living it up. But as they get closer to the end, they find life unbearable. I watched a banquet, a political affair, that was televised. All who attended the banquet were rich, and they were there for the purpose of supporting the party with a contribution. The thing I noticed was that there wasn’t a happy face in the crowd. The camera panned the entire audience. I thought, My, here they are at a banquet and jokes are being told, but I don’t see a single happy face.
“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” The contemporary Christian by his indifference to moral and doctrinal wrong, and by his laxness in his way of living, is missing a great deal that God has for him.
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom [Prov. 10:23].
This is good advice to the young man!
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him [Prov. 10:26].
Did you ever send a lazy boy on an errand, and then you stand first on one foot and then on the other waiting for him? That’s just like “vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes.”
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened [Prov. 10:27].
This certainly was true in Old Testament days. God promised long days to those who obeyed Him. Perhaps you are thinking, Doesn’t He promise that today? No, He promises us eternal life. That will be a better quality of life as well as quantity.
The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth [Prov. 10:30].
Let’s look at history with that in view. All of the great world leaders, the kings and the captains, have disappeared. The pharaohs, the caesars, Alexander the Great, Napoleon—they are all gone. “The wicked shall not inhabit the earth.” Neither will communism prevail and, interestingly enough, neither will democracy, because God has a form of government that is to be a monarchy. There will be no dictatorship equal to the dictatorship of Jesus Christ when He takes over the rulership of this earth. And “the righteous shall never be removed.”
CHAPTER 11
As we have seen, the young man is in college now, and wisdom—which is Christ—is the Teacher. Wisdom had to go out on the highways and byways to get her pupils, but she has a class now, and she is teaching by proverbs.
The literary form of these proverbs is mostly couplets. The two clauses of the couplet are generally related to each other by what has been termed parallelism, according to Hebrew poetry. Hebrew poetry is attained by repeating or contrasting a thought. There are three types of parallelism: synonymous parallelism that restates the thought of the first clause; antithetic parallelism which gives contrasting truths; and synthetic parallelism in which the second clause develops the thought of the first.
This chapter will actually give the young man some good advice about business.
A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight [Prov. 11:1].
God does enter into business; you can take Him into partnership with you. However, you can’t form a partnership with Him if you are crooked. If you are honest, He would like to be your partner.
The Christian businessman is to be honest and a man of integrity. I am thankful that there are so many of these wonderful Christian businessmen. I have played golf with such a man. He lives in Chicago but had come down to Florida to attend our Bible conferences. Although we became well-acquainted, I didn’t come to know much about him in his business dealings. I was so pleased when another man who knows him well told me that this man is known far and near for his honesty and integrity. And he is a successful businessman. It is wonderful to find there are still men like this.
When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom [Prov. 11:2].
The other besetting sin is pride. Immediately here in his freshman course the young man is warned about pride. This proverb contrasts pride and humility. Always with pride comes“shame.” There is a great deal in Scripture, and especially in this Book of Proverbs, about pride.
The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them [Prov. 11:3].
This simply means that if a person wants to walk in the truth, if that is the desire of his heart, the Spirit of God can be counted upon for guidance and direction. The contrast is: the “perverseness of transgressors [the treacherous] shall destroy them”
The other evening I talked with a young man who has the same problem that I had when I was going to school, which was finances. He asked me, “How do you tell the will of God; how do you know the way you should go?” My answer was this: “I had the same problem that you have. Always for me it narrowed down to only one way, and it would become very simple. The way that opened up was the way that I could go. If the door were closed, it was closed. If I didn’t have the money to go to school, I simply would not go. But it seemed the Lord would always open up just one door to let me go in. That happened to me again and again, and I always interpreted it as an open door from the Lord. I believe that if you mean business with God, He will open up the door. That has been my experience.”
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death [Prov. 11:4].
Doesn’t this remind you of the Lord’s account of the rich man and the beggar named Lazarus? Both of them died. The riches of the rich man didn’t avail him anything in the day of wrath. But righteousness delivered the beggar; it took him right to Abraham’s bosom.
Those who trust riches certainly have their priorities upside down. There is nothing wrong in wealth, but we need to recognize that it has limitations. Money will buy almost anything in this world, but it can buy nothing in the next world.
The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness [Prov. 11:5–6].
Perhaps it will mean more to us if we translate “wicked” by the word lawless.
When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead [Prov. 11:7–8].
“When a lawless man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.” Doesn’t this remind you of Haman in the Book of Esther? And Mordecai was the righteous man “delivered out of trouble.”
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered [Prov. 11:9].
Hypocrite comes from two Greek words meaning “to answer back.” The hypocrite is one who answers back, and the word was used for actors in Greek plays. When one actor would give the cue to the other actor, he knew it was time for him to say his little piece. It was play-acting. To say a man is a hypocrite in religious matters means that he is a phony. He is the man who will say “Hallelujah, praise the Lord” insincerely. He is just playing a part; he is not praising the Lord in his heart.
“An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour.” He will pretend to be your friend, but he will knife you when your back is turned in attempt to cover up the sin in his own life. Whom do you think of in the Bible in this connection? Wouldn’t it be Potiphar’s wife and the way she maligned Joseph? She brought false charges against Joseph to cover up her own sin. She was the guilty party, but she covered it over by accusing Joseph. Who would believe the story of a slave against the story of the wife of an official of Pharaoh? There was no need for Joseph to even open his mouth, because he didn’t have a chance to defend himself.
Unfortunately, sometimes in the church we find an hypocrite who will say terrible things in order to protect himself. I have always been afraid of the man who is nice to his preacher to his face but who criticizes him behind his back. I have always felt that I needed to watch out for that kind of man. He is covering up something in his own life. Time has demonstrated to me that this was often a correct estimation of the situation. This proverb is referring to this kind of hypocrisy.
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked [Prov. 11:10–11].
I place David and Saul beside these proverbs. When David was king of Israel, Jerusalem became a great city. When King Saul died, there was not much mourning for him.
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace [Prov. 11:12].
I believe David is an example of this proverb, too. Did you ever stop to think of the tremendous effect the life of David had upon Solomon? Even though David had committed sin with Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, David’s life was a wonderful life except for that blot on it. You remember when David had to flee from the city when Absalom rebelled against him, that Shimei, of the family of Saul, cursed him. Old Joab, David’s captain, wanted to go over and run a spear through him. David said, “No, he is speaking out of his heart. This is God’s judgment upon me.” “A man of understanding holdeth his peace.”
There will be times when you will find folk are actually cursing you, maligning your character. Just keep quiet. The Lord will take care of it, as He took care of this situation with David.
These are wonderful principles in this book. They are good for young people to study. There seems to be a real spiritual movement among the young people of today. I would like to see them study the Book of Proverbs. It would bring them to Christ, because He is the One who runs the school of wisdom and He is made unto us wisdom. Proverbs would give young people a lot of common sense. It seems to me we are short on common sense today. We seem to have a lot of high I.Q.’s and a lot of low common sense quotients.
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter [Prov. 11:13].
A talebearer is one who tells something in order to hurt someone else. Sometimes the thing he is saying is true, but he still ought not to say it to others. If he knows that a brother has sinned, he ought to go to him personally and deal with him privately about it. He should not run around and tell everyone else about it.
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety [Prov. 11:14].
Perhaps a more understandable translation is this: “Where no management is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” Regardless of how smart you are, you need good advice. You will remember that God gave Daniel to be an adviser to Nebuchadnezzar. He helped his king a great deal. Daniel was also an adviser to Cyrus, and he was a great help to him.
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure [Prov. 11:15].
One who goes surety for a stranger shall smart for it, and he will get smart from the experience. He will learn that he made a big mistake.
However, there was One who was surety for a stranger. Do you know who that was? Well, listen to the apostle Paul, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). He assumed your debt of sin, and mine. He had to pay the awful penalty. His experience is described prophetically in Psalm 69:4: “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.” And again, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7). The penalty was exacted, and He became answerable for it. The “… wages of sin is death …” (Rom. 6:23) and Christ paid it for me. What a wonderful thing that is! Dr. H. A. Ironside in Notes on the Book of Proverbs, p. 121, wrote:
He bore on the tree the sentence for me;
And now both the Surety and sinner are free.
He took my place.
A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches [Prov. 11:16].
This reminds me of Ruth in the Book of Ruth. She was a widow, she was poor, and she was a woman. Yet she retained her honor. Boaz could say to her, “… for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:11). The whole town of Bethlehem knew her. Not only did she maintain her honor in relationship with the opposite sex, but in every way she retained honor. The second part would apply to Boaz. “And strong men retain riches.”
The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered [Prov. 11:21].
Here is quite a contrast between sin and righteousness. Deceitfulness and lawlessness are going to be judged—there is no escape. And the righteousness which a believer has is the righteousness of Christ. Because we have that, we will not come into judgment but will pass “… from death unto life” (John 5:24).
Now here is a choice proverb—
As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion [Prov. 11:22].
Have you ever seen a pig walking around with a gold ring in its snout? Well, there are a lot of them out here in Hollywood, California. They are beautiful women with no discretion.
The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath [Prov. 11:23].
The only way to have peace and joy is to be rightly related to Christ.
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself [Prov. 11:25].
This is a paradox. Dr. Ironside put it like this:
Bunyan’s quaint rhyme, propounded as a riddle by Old Honest, and explained by Gaius, is in itself a suited commentary on these verses:
A man there was, though some did count him mad,
The more he cast away, the more he had.
He that bestows his goods upon the poor
Shall have as much again, and ten times more.
The Lord has said that if one sows sparingly, he shall also reap sparingly. That is a general principle. It certainly also applies to giving to the work of the Lord.
He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it [Prov. 11:26].
This verse reminds me of Joseph down in Egypt. He didn’t withhold the corn. He gathered it faithfully for seven years and then he was able to feed the world, including his own father and brothers and their families.
It also reminds me of Nabal—“he that withholdeth corn” certainly applies to him. He was a fool, and that is what his name means. He was married to a beautiful woman, Abigail. Why she married him, I don’t know, except that he was a rich man. David, during the years he was hiding from Saul, had taken care of Nabal’s sheep and had helped him on many occasions. So when David and his men were hungry, he called on Nabal for food. Nabal turned him down flat—in fact, he insulted the messengers whom David had sent. (Red-headed David would not take that lying down! He went after the man, but on his way Abigail came to meet him with an offering of peace.) This proverb fits Nabal like a glove.
Also I believe we could give this proverb a spiritual application. The corn is the Word of God. Many preachers are withholding the corn. They preach on political issues and social questions instead of teaching the Word of God. God have mercy on preachers who are withholding the corn from their people!
We all are to give out the corn today—this is not just for the preachers. Are you sitting on the sidelines, withholding corn from those around you? You could be a great impetus in getting a teaching of the Word of God into your area. Oh, my friend, “He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him.” But what a thrill it is to have someone come and thank you for bringing them the Word of life! “Blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it”—or giveth it without money and without price.
He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him [Prov. 11:27].
This is another evidence that “… whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch [Prov. 11:28].
When our Lord gave parables, which I believe he drew from real life, He told about a farmer who had such a bumper crop that he decided to tear down his barns to build bigger barns. He would give all his attention to that. There is nothing wrong in building bigger barns, but the Lord said that he was a fool, because he was so interested in building big barns down here that he didn’t think of building anything for eternity. That is the danger of riches. No one can buy his way into heaven.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise [Prov. 11:30].
Many years ago a survey was conducted on the sons of preachers, because P. K.’s (preachers kids) come in for a lot of criticism. It was found that several United States presidents were sons of preachers, including Woodrow Wilson. Also some of our outstanding scientists were sons of preachers. Generally the children of saved folk turn out very well.
Today there seems to be a flurry of little courses on how to achieve harmony in the home. I wish we could get past that smattering of knowledge and the little surface coating that is being applied today. A little course in psychology about being sweet and nice in the home is not the answer. We need a return to the Word of God and to living a godly life in the home. A lot of our family problems would evaporate if we had righteousness in the home. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.”
“He that winneth souls is wise.” Today a great deal of attention is being given to personal witnessing. That is good. I believe it is one of the finest things that is taking place in our day and generation. The Word of God has been saying all the time, “he that winneth souls is wise.”
Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much: more the wicked and the sinner [Prov. 11:31].
Judgment is coming. There can be no doubt about that.
CHAPTER 12
In the school of wisdom, the boy is still in his freshman year, but the instruction is very important.
Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish [Prov. 12:1].
The man who loves instruction is a man who has a true estimate of what is top priority and what is really of superior value. That means that he will listen to instruction. However, I must say that after getting folk to listen to the Word of God, one of the great problems is getting them to obey what it says. Obedience is absolutely essential.
A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn [Prov. 12:2].
Psalm 1:5 tells us that “… the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” Regardless of fame or riches or standing high in the estimation of men, the ungodly man will come to a sorry, sad ending. God is certainly going to judge such men. “A man of wicked devices will he condemn.”
A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved [Prov. 12:3].
Our Lord gave a parable that deals with this. In the Sermon on the Mount, He told about a man who built his house on a rock, and another who built his house on the sand (Matt. 7:24–27). The rock, of course, symbolizes Christ, the solid foundation of the Word of God.
Now here in his freshman course, the young man is given advice about choosing a wife.
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones [Prov. 12:4].
Think of the wonderful wives who are mentioned in the Old Testament. Eve must have been a wonderful person in spite of the fact that she listened to the serpent. Sarah was a model wife according to 1 Peter 3:6. The mother of Moses, Jochebed, was undoubtedly a remarkable woman.
Then there are others who were not so good and could be described as “rottenness in his bones.” Job’s wife was not much of a help to him. It is interesting that Satan took away from Job everything that he leaned upon except his wife, which must mean that Satan knew she wasn’t very much help to Job. Then there was bloody Athalia whose mother was the wicked Jezebel. So there are many illustrations in the Scriptures of this proverb.
Ogden Nash gave advice on how to make marriage a success in a little poem that he wrote:
To keep your marriage brimming
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you’re wrong, admit it;
Whenever you’re right, shut up.
That is good advice, by the way.
The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand [Prov. 12:5–7].
Again let me change the word wicked to lawless, which is probably more accurate. You can see that God believes in law and order. He has a great deal to say about lawlessness.
A man shall be commanded according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised [Prov. 12:8].
“Shall be despised” is literally “shall be exposed to contempt.” I think of Gideon and his son. Gideon is to be commanded according to his wisdom. Abimelech, his son, was exposed to contempt.
He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread [Prov. 12:9].
This proverb is rather confusing, but it seems that a contrast is being made. Another translation reads: “Better is the poor that provideth for himself” The thought appears to be that the one who is looked down upon as being lowly, but whose needs are met, is far happier and more to be envied than he who delights in appearing prosperous while feeling the pinch of poverty.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel [Prov. 12:10].
As I have mentioned, my father was killed in an accident in a cotton gin when I was fourteen years old. I was at the age when a boy thinks his dad is a hero, and, frankly, I have never gotten over it. I remember one time we were driving on a dirt road by horse and buggy from Ardmore to Springer, Oklahoma. Ahead of us was a man in his buggy who was drunk and was beating his horse. We couldn’t get around him, and my dad got out of our buggy and talked to the man about beating his animal. Of course the man, being drunk, was offended and took a swing at my dad, but he missed him. So my dad hit him and knocked him down. He took the whip away from him and told him to get back in his buggy and let his horse alone. Then we followed him as he went on ahead of us. This incident impressed me, and I am delighted to find in Scripture a proverb like this: “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.”
A man who owns several dogs told me that he always judges a man by the reaction of his dogs to that man. Dogs seem to know character. They know whether they would be mistreated by an individual. It is interesting that the animal world seems to be able to judge human character better than some of us do.
He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding [Prov. 12:11].
This proverb is saying to stay on the job, keep busy, and don’t do so much running around.
All the way through this chapter we have contrasts like this:
The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit [Prov. 12:12].
There is repetition in this section for emphasis. After all, repetition is the best kind of teaching, if you can get by with it. If you keep saying a thing, your pupil will never forget it.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise [Prov. 12:15].
You know to whom this refers, I am sure. It is Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. He refused the wise counsel of the older men in his kingdom, which resulted in his own downfall and civil war in his nation.
He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health [Prov. 12:17–18].
My friend, if your pastor is preaching the truth, there are times when he is going to put the sword right in your heart. And if you are not willing to accept it—well, the hypocrite always covers up with hatred and bitterness. This is the reason I am always a little afraid of a man who is highly critical of his pastor—that is, if he is nice to his face but is sticking a knife in his back.
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief [Prov. 12:19–21].
All of these verses have to do with the tongue, the lying tongue and the lips of truth. They are put in contrast. The Word of God has more to say about the tongue, more judgment on the abuse of the tongue, than it is has to say about the use and abuse of alcohol. Yet it is interesting that a lying tongue and a gossip can get by in Christian circles today, whereas a drunkard would be rejected.
Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight [Prov. 12:22].
One of the things that should characterize a child of God is his truthfulness.
A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness [Prov. 12:23].
A prudent man will not say things that are going to hurt someone. But you have probably been in a crowd where there is some foolish person, a big-mouthed person, who says something that casts a reflection on another person—of course, someone who is not present in the crowd. The prudent man would not say it, but the heart of the fool will say things like that.
The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute [Prov. 12:24].
I believe that in our contemporary society this has been somewhat turned around. It is not always the diligent who are elected to office, and I’m not sure it is the slothful who are paying the taxes. At least I don’t want to come in under the category of being lazy, and I certainly pay taxes. I have asked God for light as I have studied these proverbs, and I have come to realize that some of them should be considered in the light of eternity. I believe that the measuring stick for this proverb is eternity rather than a local situation. Aren’t we told that someday we are going to rule with Christ? But Scripture does not teach that all believers will rule equally; there will be gradations. I personally would be very embarrassed if I found myself on the same plane as the apostles, sitting next to the apostle Paul. I don’t belong there. However, I do think that the diligent are to rule with Christ.
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad [Prov. 12:25].
Job said to his friends, “How forcible are right words! …” (Job 6:25). Right words can bring comfort and cheer and encouragement to those who are grieving or who have a problem or have bitterness of spirit. We certainly are not to beat down a person who is having problems. We are to give him a good word.
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them [Prov. 12:26].
It would be clearer to translate it this way: “The righteous searcheth out his neighbor.” The righteous man wants to help his neighbor, while the lawless man will try to hurt his neighbor. The righteous man will come to talk to a neighbor and face him if he finds he is wrong. That is the most helpful thing he can do.
Nathan was the best friend David had; yet it was Nathan who had the courage to point his finger at David and say, “… Thou art the man …” (2 Sam. 12:7). When there are things in our lives that need to be straightened, it is wonderful to have a good friend who will reprove us in love.
One of the best friends I ever had was a man who helped me through school. When I first started in the ministry, the Lord was gracious to me and let me be pastor of a church that had been my home church, where the people loved me and were very sympathetic with me. I was pretty much of an amateur to be pastor of such a large and prominent church in that day. They were good to me.
I went to a conference at Winona Lake and heard a man speak who I thought was great. I came back and tried to imitate him. I even tried to imitate his accent! My church members discovered that. They just sat there and smiled, very few said anything about it, and I received no harsh criticism. However, this man who had helped me through school invited me to lunch. He said just one thing that I shall never forget, and it was a good proverb. “Vernon, we would rather have a genuine Vernon McGee than an imitation anybody else.” That was all he said. Friend, that is all he needed to say. From then on, I went back to being Vernon McGee—that may not have been good, but it was better than trying to imitate somebody else. How forcible are right words! The righteous will search out his neighbor and help him—that is exactly what this man did for me. But the wicked (the lawless) seduceth them. He goes over and pats him on the back and then crucifies him when his back is turned. These proverbs gear right down into your neighborhood, right down into your church, right down into your place of work, don’t they?
The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious [Prov. 12:27].
I find this proverb quite humorous. This fellow went out and shot a deer, but he was too lazy to skin the deer and cut up the meat and cook and eat it. You must be pretty lazy to be that kind of hunter. It’s like the fisherman who will fish but won’t clean the fish to eat them.
“But the substance of a diligent man is precious.” In other words, he takes care of what he has.
Remember when Ruth went out to glean in the field and Boaz was so generous with her that she had a surprising amount; then she beat out the grain that she had gleaned. She could have come home and thrown the gleanings down in front of Naomi and said, “Look what I have done. I worked hard all day for this. Now you can beat it out.” She didn’t do that. This reveals the kind of spirit that was in her.
Men, it won’t hurt you to help with some of the work at home. You can even do the dishes now and then. I have learned that, since I am retired and at home more, I have become a member of the “Honey-do Club.” It is, “Honey, do this,” and “Honey, do that.” When I was a boy I used to tell my mother, “When I grow up I’m never going to wash dishes again.” Well, I must be in my second childhood, because I’m washing dishes again.
In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death [Prov. 12:28].
A wonderful vista opens to the child of God! Physical death is ahead of us if the Lord tarries, but eternal life is out yonder.
CHAPTER 13
We continue in this section where we are learning some of the great principles of life.
A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke [Prov. 13:1].
Although Solomon was not David’s favorite son, Solomon did at least listen to him. He is an example of a wise son who heard his father’s instruction. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, is an example of the scorner who did not listen. He is an example to us of the dark side or the negative side, as we have found in many of these proverbs. But there are other examples that we could find in Scripture.
A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction [Prov. 13:2–3].
There is a type of talking today which is gossip; it is foolish talking. It borders on being risqué—telling things that have a double meaning. The double entendre joke even gets into Christian circles today. And when they do, they seem to dwell on this matter of sex.
I have noticed that many of these folk take courses on sex, and then later on I hear that their home was broken up. The husband has run away with another woman and all that sort of thing. I believe much of this trouble is a result of such borderline living and borderline speaking. That is the thing we are warned about here, and the young man is told to beware of it.
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat [Prov. 13:4].
You will remember that the apostle Paul put it right on the line to the Thessalonians. There were some pious souls there who said, “We’re looking for the Lord to come,” and they quit work. Paul wrote, “… if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). Let’s not be doling out food to those who will not work. We are to work. And if you really believe that the Lord is coming, it will make you a better worker.
A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner [Prov. 13:5–6].
This refers to truth in the inward parts. This is the background of practical righteousness. God hates that which is false; He cannot tolerate it. The child of God should recognize and deal with any sin in his life. This old nature of ours is inclined to lie. It just comes naturally to us to lie. God says He hates that, and He will have to deal with that type of thing.
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches [Prov. 13:7].
Here is another example of the old nature that we all have. If we are poor we want to put up a front, to keep up with the Joneses. We pretend to have more than we actually have. Some people drive a Cadillac automobile simply to impress other folk, even though they really can’t afford it. Some live in a neighborhood they really cannot afford.
On the other hand, there are people who are really very wealthy but are always talking about how poor they are. A member in one of my former churches was a very wealthy man, but he probably gave less than anyone else. He was always talking about how high prices were and how much things cost him. And he would say he’d be broke if things didn’t get better.
Both sides are an abomination to God because each is hypocritical. It is putting up a front that we don’t need to put up. We don’t need to try to keep up with the Joneses; neither ought we to act as if we don’t even know the Joneses. We are to treat them as neighbors, and then we ought to be just what we are.
The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out [Prov. 13:9].
In the study of the history of the kings of Israel, I called attention to this principle at work. One line after another became kings in the northern kingdom. Then, suddenly, they were cut off, often in a violent manner by murder. This is what God says: “The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.” It happens again and again in this world. The end of Hitler was not pretty. And the end of Stalin evidently was not either.
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom [Prov. 13:10].
When you find contention in a group, in a neighborhood, in a church or church group, the basis of it will be found to be pride. It is always that. As someone has said, it takes two to make a quarrel—always.
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase [Prov. 13:11].
This is another proverb that should be considered in the light of eternity; that is the yardstick that you must put down alongside this. Many wealthy men apparently knew that they had very foolish offspring; so they established trust funds and put legal chains around their estates so their offspring could not get to it. Such an arrangement is made so that their offspring can live off the income, but they cannot touch the estate itself. As a result there are many rich sons in the world today, men who never made a dime in their lives, they wouldn’t know how to work for a living at all; yet they are heirs to tremendous fortunes. But they have been protected so that they cannot touch the principal of their estates. If they could, they would foolishly spend it all.
Now this proverb needs to be looked at in the light of eternity. What are true riches? What is wealth really? Is it those stocks and bonds? Well, the individual is going to lose them someday. Death took them away from the original owner. Nobody came in and stole them; he stole away! He went off and left them. And that’s going to happen to those who own those stocks and bonds today.
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life [Prov. 13:12].
You can just keep hoping for something that doesn’t come to pass—that will make the heart sick. This is the reason we ought to be in step with the will of God in our lives, because we hope for a great many things that will not be realized in our lives at all. How much better it is to accept the reality of the situation in which God has placed us!
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard [Prov. 13:13–15].
All through Proverbs there is this contrast between righteousness and wickedness. God hates pride; He hates lawlessness; He hates hypocrisy. He has no use for this type of thing that arises out of our human nature. That is the reason that God will not accept anything that we do in the old nature. It is only what He can perform through our new nature that is acceptable to Him. One thing is sure: He is not going to take Vernon McGee’s old nature to heaven. I’ll be glad to get rid of it. In heaven you and I will be forever parted from that old nature which produces all the sins that are inherent in each of us.
God makes what He wants very clear in Isaiah 66:2: “… to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” That is the way we must all come to God if we wish to be accepted of Him. We cannot come in pride. And we dare not despise His Word nor His commandments.
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health [Prov. 13:17].
We have had men in our government who have had access to government secrets, to that which is “top drawer” as far as the policy of this country is concerned, and some of these men have been homosexuals. When the enemy discovers this, it makes it possible for them to use these men. The same is true about men who have a weakness for alcohol. “A wicked messenger falleth into mischief” We need men of high integrity in our government. It is important whether a man drinks or not. I think it is tragic that so many men high up in government positions use alcohol. I think that is a part of our problem as a nation today. We need to recognize that these basic proverbs which seem so simple are so important to our lives as individuals and as a nation.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes [Prov. 13:24].
This is real child psychology. The child of God today is told the same thing. “Children, obey your parents,” but the father is told, “… provoke not your children to wrath …” (Eph. 6:1, 4). That is, don’t whip them or discipline them when you are angry or talking in a loud voice. Wait until a time when you can calmly sit down with your child and talk with him and explain why he is being disciplined. That is very important. This is the reason my father’s discipline was so good. He often did not deal with me until maybe a day had gone by. And I thought several times I had gotten by with it, but I hadn’t. He very calmly dealt with me, and I knew he was not doing what he did because he was angry. Discipline is very important.
CHAPTER 14
The Book of Proverbs is an important section of the Word of God. Here we find the wisdom of God distilled into small sentences. We see that they fit individuals who are mentioned in the Bible. Also they fit folk whom we know, and they fit you and me.
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands [Prov. 14:1].
“Every wise woman buildeth her house.” This is not talking about the physical building of a home. I think Sarah is an example of a wife who built her house. She was the wife of a patriarch, and she built up the house of Israel. I think we can say that Jochebed, the mother of Moses, built her house. Although she was a slave in a foreign land, to save her son she hid him, watched over him, and finally became his nurse in the service of Pharaoh’s daughter. She is the one who taught him about the Lord and the promise of the Lord to Israel. She was a wonderful mother, and she built her house.
“But the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Several women in the Scriptures did that. Because of their wickedness, the house they built was destroyed. Let me point out one passage in particular. “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly” (2 Chron. 22:2–3). The counsel of his mother really brought the house of Ahab low. This is indeed a true proverb. You can take these into the laboratory of life and see them work out even today. I know of several examples of women whose personal sins have destroyed their homes.
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him [Prov. 14:2]
This tells us that our walk will reveal our relationship with God. We are told by the apostle John, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6). Our walk should be in obedience to the Father just as the walk of the Lord Jesus was.
You will remember that Samuel laid this matter before King Saul: “… Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). Obedience to the Lord is the important thing. Without that, your religion is phony and false.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them [Prov. 14:3]
This reminds me of David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17:41–49). “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride.” This is a picture of Goliath. He did a lot of boasting as the champion of the Philistines. When David volunteered to fight him, Goliath reacted this way: “And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field” (1 Sam. 17:43–44).
“But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.” Now notice David’s answer: “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Sam. 17:45).
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox [Prov. 14:4].
This is a very interesting proverb. In several portions of Scripture the ox is used as an example to us. Also the ox was a beast of sacrifice, symbolic of Christ in sacrifice.
Now the ox was a strong animal. In fact, he was the tractor and the sedan of the families in that day. They used the ox to ride to market, and they used the ox to plow their fields. I suppose he was rather a dirty animal in the sense that his crib needed to be cleaned out, and that was an unpleasant task because he was a big animal. Of course, the way to get rid of cleaning the crib was to get rid of the ox. That would give them a clean crib, but they would be deprived of the “strength of the ox.”
This has a tremendous spiritual lesson for us. Sometimes we try to solve problems in the church and try to clean up divisions in the church by throwing out the ox. Often there is a group or clique in the church, busy as termites and with about the same result, who want to get rid of those people who insist on having Bible teaching in the church. They are going to clean the crib, they think, so they throw out the ox. I believe this has happened to church after church in our country. After a while it becomes evident that it was the oxen who pulled the plow. They were the ones who contributed financially; they were the ones who sent out the missionaries; they were the ones who paid the bills. So before one tries to do any cleaning, it is very important to find out who are the oxen in the Lord’s work.
I play golf with a wonderful Christian man. He gives to our Bible-teaching program because he believes in teaching the Bible. We have wonderful fellowship together, but we disagree on a lot of things. When we are playing golf, I like to concentrate on the game. He is always talking to me about my work, saying, “Why don’t you do this, and why don’t you do that?” Sometimes that is a little irritating. I could get rid of him—that would be getting the crib clean—but I would be throwing out the ox! I would lose a friend who is very right in much of the advice he gives me. And he pulls the plow with me in trying to get out the Word of God. How absolutely foolish it would be to clean the crib by throwing out the ox.
A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies [Prov. 14:5].
The Lord Jesus has been called the faithful and true witness. That is the kind of witness we ought to be, too.
We hear a great deal today about being a witness for Christ. There are courses given on how to be a witness for Christ. It is wonderful to take a course that will enable you to go out and ring doorbells and tell people about the Savior. But remember, there are two kinds of witnesses: the faithful and the false. If you tell someone that Jesus saves and keeps and satisfies, are you telling the truth? You answer, “Of course, it is the truth.” Yes, the facts are true, but have you proven it to be true in your own life? Or are you being a false witness?
Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour [Prov. 14:9].
Jezebel is a prime example in the Word of God of one who made “a mock at sin.” We are told to turn away from people who do that and have nothing to do with them.
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy [Prov. 14:10].
Every heart has some secret joy or sorrow that no one can share. No one. We may try to share it, but they do not understand. I remember some folk asked me to tell them about my operation for cancer. I told them how in the hospital I had turned to God and how at that time He had made Himself real to me. They didn’t like that. I could see they turned me off. Later I said to myself, Probably that is a secret that I can’t share with anyone else.
Have you ever had some wonderful, joyful experience, and you attempted to tell it to your loved ones? When I was a young man, some time after my dad had died, I wrote a poem. At that time I was living with an aunt, and there were several relatives there. I came in and said, “Look, I’ve written a poem, and I want to read it to you.” I read it, and it brought great joy to me, but it didn’t bring any joy to them. They turned me off when I started reading it. In fact, that experience caused me to stop writing poetry. If I were a budding poet, I was lost to the world forever, because they sure put a stop to my poetry right there! There are some things we can share with others, and there are some things we cannot share.
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death [Prov. 14:12].
This is a verse which should be applied to the cults and “isms.” They sound so reasonable and so nice and so attractive. Recently a friend said to me, “Why is it that this certain cult keeps growing as it does?” I said, “Because it appeals to the old nature of man. It appeals to the flesh. It tells you that if you are a nice sweet fellow and follow certain rules, you are going to make it.” My friend, “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man,” but notice the end of this proverb: “but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The end is eternal separation from God. How important it is to be in the right way! The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge [Prov. 14:15–18].
The viewpoint of the world is that the Christian is a person who has a low I.Q., is very naïve, and will believe everything that is said to him. The real child of God—and the only kind of child of God is a real one—is not simple in that sense. He doesn’t believe anything and everything.
Have you ever noticed that the disciples were constantly questioning the Lord? The man we call “doubting Thomas” was constantly raising questions. Simon Peter asked many questions: “Lord, where are You going? Why can’t I follow You?” Philip, the quiet one, asked Him, “Show us the Father. That’s all we need.” Judas (not Iscariot) asked, “How is it You will show us these things and not show them to the world?” These fellows were always raising questions.
If you are a child of God, you will not be gullible. You’re not going to swallow everything you hear. Faith is not a leap in the dark. Faith is not betting your life on something. Nor is it the little girl’s definition, “Faith is believing what you know ain’t so.” My friend, faith rests upon a solid foundation. God says if it is not on a solid foundation, don’t believe it. “The simple believeth every word.” The prudent man, the wise man, tests what he hears.
The fear of the Lord causes a wise man to test what he hears. He will not be taken in. He won’t believe what the preacher says just because the preacher says it. He will cheek what the Word of God says. I want to say to you right now that you should not believe anything I say just because I say it. I am not the oracle of Delphi; I do not speak ex cathedra; I am not a know-it-all. You test what I say by the Word of God. There is a lot of sweet-sounding speech going out from churches and from the media. Oh, my friend, don’t believe everything you hear. Test it by the Word of God.
The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends [Prov. 14:20].
That seems to be becoming more and more true. I doubt if a poor rail-splitter like Lincoln could run for the presidency in our day. A candidate has to be rich.
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he [Prov. 14:21].
How do you feel toward those who can do nothing for you in return? Do you do something for them?
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury [Prov. 14:23].
Some people just talk; they don’t do. People can almost be classified as either talking people or doing people.
The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly [Prov. 14:24].
The riches here are not necessarily material riches. There are a great many happy people who are rich, not in the things of this life, but in those things that are spiritual. That is the most important of all.
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies [Prov. 14:25].
The Lord Jesus said it this way: “… if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matt. 15:14).
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death [Prov. 14:27].
To teach the fear of the Lord was the object of the Holy Spirit all the way through the Book of Proverbs.
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones [Prov. 14:30].
How true this is! Envy will not only rob you of your joy and fellowship with the Lord, but it will affect you physically.
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people [Prov. 14:34].
I wish this verse were inscribed over the United Nations instead of the verse about beating their swords into plowshares, which will not happen until Christ reigns on this earth. When Christ returns, then they will learn that righteousness does exalt a nation. Today the nations do not believe that righteousness exalts them, but history bears testimony to it. The pathway of history is strewn with the wrecks, the debris, and the ruins of nations that didn’t follow this principle. “Sin is a reproach to any people.”
CHAPTER 15
This chapter contrasts goodness and evil and emphasizes first the role of the tongue, then of the heart.
THE TONGUE
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger [Prov. 15:1].
I’m sure that the people who come to your mind at this proverb are Abigail and Nabal. We have seen several proverbs that are applicable to them. Abigail was the beautiful, lovely wife and woman. Nabal, her husband, was the fool but a very rich man. Someone has written a book called “Beauty and the Beast,” and it is the story of Nabal and Abigail—Abigail is the beauty and Nabal is the beast. You will recall that when Abigail heard that her husband had sent an insulting answer to David, who had in kindness and consideration taken care of his flocks, she hurriedly ordered the servants to gather a great deal of food for David. Then she went to meet David and fell down on her face before him. She recognized him as the future king, and she spoke to him of the fact that his life was bound up in the bundle of life with God—a beautiful expression. She gave a soft answer, and it did turn away wrath. On the other hand, grievous words stir up anger—which certainly was true of the words of Nabal.
You will notice many illustrations of this as you go through the Word of God. We find that the Lord Jesus Himself used the strongest language in the entire Scriptures in His denunciation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23. There can be a proper time to “put it on the line,” and Jesus certainly could do that. But notice how gracious He was to those who needed the grace of God. He told the poor woman in sin, “… Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). What a gracious thing to say to her. So we find illustrations of this again and again in the Word of God. There is a time for the very gracious, soft answer. There is also a time when the answer needs to be strong.
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness [Prov. 15:2].
We are back again to the tongue. I’ll repeat what I have said before—there is more said in the Bible about the abuse of the tongue than about the abuse of alcohol. That does not mean we commend alcohol; I think the greatest curse of this country right now is not dope or drugs but alcohol. Somehow people tend to point an accusing finger at the drug addict, but they excuse the alcoholic as being sick and needing help. He certainly does. The Word of God condemns drunkenness but even more severely condemns the abuse of the tongue. That little tongue will tell people who you really are. It will give you away. I have a little booklet entitled Hell on Fire. It is a scriptural title, dealing with the tongue, that dangerous little instrument.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good [Prov. 15:3].
You may look to the right hand and to the left hand and think that nobody is watching you. Even Big Brother may not be watching you, but God is watching. God sees you.
Remember that when Moses saw an Egyptian beating one of his brethren in slavery, he looked this way and he looked that way, and then he slew the Egyptian. He forgot to look up! He didn’t think anyone knew. God knew. Your life and my life are an open book before God. What is secret sin down here is open scandal in heaven. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit [Prov. 15:4]
Here is the tongue again. It can get us into a lot of trouble. It can get us out of trouble, too. It can be a blessing or a curse.
A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent [Prov. 15:5]
There is so much said in the Book of Proverbs about listening to advice and instruction. It has been said that you can’t tell a fool anything. That is true. You can tell him, but you can’t get through to him for the very simple reason that he is not listening to instruction.
In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble [Prov. 15:6]
This contrast is not dealing with material riches. The treasure that is in the house of the righteous consists of things like joy, peace, love, sympathy, comfort—wonderful treasures. They are the great treasures of life. The contrast is with the revenues of the wicked which are trouble.
The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so [Prov. 15:7]
This changes the word from tongue to lips, but the meaning is still the same. The wise disperse knowledge.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight [Prov. 15:8]
This is a fundamental principle. The wicked cannot do good or think right. It is impossible for them to do so. Let’s skip down for a moment and see another verse that states the same truth. “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words” (v. 26). The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord and so are the sacrifices that he brings.
The reason they are an abomination is that he is wrong, wrong on the inside and wrong on the outside. He is all wrong, and whatever he does is wrong. The problem is that he has not learned to come in humility, recognizing his lost condition, coming to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Someone has said, “A person who trusts so much as a single hair’s breadth of his works for salvation is a lost soul.” That is true. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” A person may be religious. He may go to church and go through certain formalities, but that has no value as far as God is concerned. I do not understand why people think that if they do certain religious things, that will make them right with God. The heart must be changed. God does interior decorating before He can do any exterior decorating. He is not interested in your exterior decorating until He has done a job of interior decorating in your life.
The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness [Prov. 15:9]
We have seen what God thinks of the sacrifice of the wicked and of the thoughts of the wicked; now we see that the way of the wicked is also an abomination to the Lord. But He loves the person who follows after righteousness. Remember that it is Christ who has been made unto us righteousness (see 1 Cor. 1:30).
Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die [Prov. 15:10]
A man hates to be told that he is wrong. There are some people who will not accept any kind of advice or admonition.
THE HEART
Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? [Prov. 15:11]
The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13). God is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. “Hell” or Sheol, the unseen world which none of us has seen, and which the man of the world does not believe exists, is open before God.
Only God can make that unseen world real to a child of God, which will give him a true perspective of this life. The man who lives with the idea that this life is all there is has a different set of values and a different list of priorities from that which the child of God has. When we talk to people who are not the children of God, it is important to get their perspective of life, to see how they are thinking. But only God can reveal what is on the other side in the unseen world. You and I can’t do that. Only the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and make them real to us and to them.
Jesus Christ walked on this earth in the flesh over 1,900 years ago. He stepped through the doorway of death, but He was made alive on the third day. For forty days He revealed Himself to His disciples. Then He went back to glory, and He sent His Holy Spirit to us. Only the Holy Spirit of God can make Him real to us. The Lord Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would “… take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:15). It is very important for us to be aware of this.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken [Prov. 15:13]
It is known that laughter and good cheer and joy actually add to a man’s health and to the length of his life. They bring to life a wonderful dimension that cannot be there if we live in sorrow and pessimism.
The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness [Prov. 15:14]
Here he is emphasizing the heart rather than the head of man. He is not talking so much about the accumulating of certain facts but about spiritual discernment or, as someone has put it, “sanctified common sense.” There is a dearth, a famine, of that in the land.
Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith [Prov. 15:16–17]
A good illustration of this is found in the life of Daniel. He was taken as a slave into Babylon when he was just a young man. He showed remarkable ability, so he was put with the wise men to be trained for government service. He was to be given a certain diet which he refused to eat because it was forbidden to the Jews by the laws of God. He asked instead for a diet of cereal. He did this because of his fear of the Lord. He wanted to serve God. My, how God honored that man! He made him prime minister to Nebuchadnezzar, the first great world ruler. When the Persians took over, God again made Daniel the prime minister to the second great world ruler, Cyrus the Great. God honored His servant.
A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife [Prov. 15:18]
This takes us back to verse 1. A man who is crude and rough in his dealings will stir up strife.
However, it is also true that preaching the Word of God will stir up strife. Remember that the Lord Jesus was the most controversial person who has ever been on this earth. Wherever the truth is preached, strife will be the result, because there are folk who don’t want to hear it. Remember that we said the Word of God works like a Geiger counter. If you run it over a congregation, you can learn who is a genuine Christian and who is not.
A young preacher having trouble in his congregation came to me about it. I told him about my experience when I was a boy. When I would go to the barn at night to feed the horse or the cow, I would light a lantern and carry it with me. When I would open the barn door and step in, two things would happen: The rats would scurry and run for cover, and the birds which were roosting on the rafters would begin to sing. Light had those two very different effects. And when the Word of God is preached you will see the rats run for cover and the birds begin to sing.
We do need to keep in mind that we are not to exaggerate the offense of the cross—just preach it.
A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother [Prov. 15:20]
The father brags about his boy when he is making good. If the boy is failing, you won’t hear a word out of his dad.
A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! [Prov. 15:23]
It is not only what you say but when you say it. Sometimes the right word at just the right time will do the job. Many of us could testify that the right word said to us at the right time in our lives changed the whole course of our lives. That has certainly happened to me.
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words [Prov. 15:26]
We have already seen that the sacrifices of the wicked, the ways of the wicked, and the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. The wicked must be turned from his wicked ways. He must be turned to God.
The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous [Prov. 15:29]
Peter writes the same thing. He says that God hears the prayer—that’s interesting—of the righteous; but His ears are closed to the prayer of the wicked (1 Pet. 3:12).
The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat [Prov. 15:30]
I tell you, one good way to lose weight is to hear a bad report, to get some bad news.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility [Prov. 15:33]
The important lesson for man to learn is to come with humility to learn of God. We all need that lesson.
CHAPTER 16
This is a very rich and important section—short sentences drawn from long experience, tested in the crucible of time and of suffering. They are made rich and real to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. The proverbs are for all time, although they were written specifically to the young man who was an Israelite under the Mosaic Law. However, they widen out and speak to all of our hearts in a very definite way: to rich and poor, male and female, black and white. This is a book that can reach down and touch us all.
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord [Prov. 16:1]
Dr. H. A. Ironside translates this: “The purposes of the heart are of man: but from Jehovah is the answer of the tongue.” Our human proverb that would go along with this is, “Man proposes, but God disposes.” As the Word of God says “… it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). You may plan, and I may plan or arrange things, but when the time comes to speak or act, God is the One who is going to have the last word. We may make a great boast, but only God can give the final answer.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits [Prov. 16:2]
“All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes.” We have seen this before in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
If you have ever dealt with lost people and have spoken to them about their salvation, or if you have been a preacher or a teacher, you know the answer that you get most of the time: “I don’t need to be saved. I’m all right. What is wrong with me? I’m willing to stand before God. I’m an honest man.” It is that sort of thing on and on. A man is clean in his own eyes. I have had that thrown back at me even as a challenge.
There are even a great many Christians who think that their walk is perfect before God. The whole issue is wrapped up in this one verse of Scripture: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We need to hold up the mirror of the Word of God to our lives, and it will reveal that things are not quite right, that we don’t measure up to God’s standard. You may measure up to the standard of the chamber of commerce, and it may make you Man of the Year; your club may reward you and give you a plaque; your church may pat you on the back; and your neighbors may say that you are a great guy. But, my friend, when you see yourself in the light of the Word of God, then you see that you have a need and that there are spots on your life. You will see that you have come short of the glory of God. Your way may be clean in your own eyes, but it is not clean in God’s eyes. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). Now John is speaking to Christians. There are a great many folk sitting in a church pew as comfortable as you please. In fact, they tend to point their finger at other folk and say, “They’re not so good, but I am. I’m really all right.” I think some of the saints today have, in effect, asked God to move over. They want to sit next to Him and look down to judge their fellow Christians.
The way of a man may seem clean in his own eyes, but Jehovah weighs the spirit. God searches you. Have you ever seen a pair of scales that can weigh spirits? Well, I’ll tell you one—the Word of God. It is a mirror. It is a set of scales to measure you, and it says that you come short, that you don’t measure up.
Some folk have misunderstood what I said in our study of the Epistle to the Galatians. They write to me and say, “You said that the Mosaic Law is no good today, that the Law is inoperative.” I didn’t say that. What I said was that the Law cannot save you. The Law is good; Paul said it’s good. It is a mirror. It reveals to you that you have come short of the glory of God. My friend, if you look at the Law of God and still say that you are measuring up to it, then you haven’t really seen the Law yet. You don’t really know what the Law is saying. The Law demands perfection, and you and I cannot produce it. Therefore we need a Savior. That is what the Law will do: it is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. It will take you by the hand and bring you to the cross and say, “Little fellow, what you need is a Savior!” The Law is good, but it will not save you. If the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes—even with the Word of God before him—may I say, there is none blind like those who will not see. Jehovah weighs the spirits.
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established [Prov. 16:3]
The word commit is literally “roll.” You just roll your affairs over upon the Lord, and He will take charge. That’s actually the way I got saved. When I was a lad, I ran away to Detroit, got into sin, came home, and was troubled by my conscience. Then a preacher told me that God wasn’t angry at me—that Jesus bore my sins and that being justified by faith I could have peace with God. At that time I just rolled my sins onto Christ. There are times, even to this day, when I can’t sleep at night, that I like to just roll over in bed and say, “Lord Jesus, I am resting in You.” Roll over. Rest in Him. Commit thy works unto Jehovah.
Are you worried about tomorrow, next week, next year, or the unforeseeable future? How is it all going to work out? Why don’t you just turn it over to Him? Roll it over onto Him. What a picture this is!
The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil [Prov. 16:4]
My friend, here is some strong medicine. This proverb is a pill that will send you on a trip, I mean a real mind-blowing trip. Jehovah hath made all things for Himself. Have you ever wondered why the ocean is salty, or why it has a tide? You may answer that it is according to certain laws of nature. But who made the laws? Why is the ocean salty? Because God wanted it that way! The Lord Jesus is the Creator, and He wanted it that way. Someone may say it is because there is salt in the land that has been filtered out by the water in the ocean. By the way, who put the salt in the land to begin with?
I don’t care what you do with evolution or how far back you try to carry it, eventually you come to the place where somebody had to make something to get the whole thing started. You know who started it? God did. And not only that, He made all these things for Himself.
What is the chief end of man? I learned that in the catechism a long time ago, and the answer is good. The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. I don’t care who you are or where you are, God created you for His glory. Somebody says, “What about the drunkard in the street? What about that crooked man? That lost man—what about him? You mean he’s for the glory of God?” My friend, this is a strong pill—are you ready to swallow it? All of that is for the glory of God. “Oh,” you may say, “I don’t like that.” I don’t remember that God ever asked anyone whether or not he liked it. He has never asked me that.
Very frankly, there are certain things that I don’t understand, and I think I could make some very fine suggestions to the Lord. But the Lord says, “Vernon McGee, I didn’t make this universe for you. This universe exists for Me, and you exist for Me; and you are going to be for My glory whether you are good or bad, saved or lost.” God is accomplishing His purpose today. Don’t you think it is about time you got in step with God? He is the One running the thing.
So many people want to make sure that they are going with the crowd, going with the thing that is popular, going with the thing that will work out. Friend, I don’t know how things are going to work out in this world, but I do know this: Ultimately it’s all going to be for the glory of God. “Even the lawless for the day of evil.” God is going to make the wrath of man to praise Him (Ps. 76:10). How is He going to do that? I don’t know. Let’s wait—He will show us someday. Are you willing to trust Him and commit your way to Him and get in step with Him?
The very wonderful thing is that God is moving this universe according to His plan and purpose. The Greeks had a proverb: “The dice of the gods are loaded.” That is exactly what God is saying in this proverb. Whether you like it or don’t like it, God is saying to you, “Don’t gamble with Me. Don’t act as if I don’t exist. You can play house as if I don’t exist, as if this is your universe and you are going to work it out your way. But I want you to know that if you start gambling with Me, you will lose. You see, this is My universe, and I make the dice to come up My way, not your way. My dice are loaded—I already know how they are coming up, and you don’t.” The thing for us to do is to get in step with God.
A man, the Scriptures say, is a fool to live without God. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God …” (Ps. 14:1). “… he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6).
This is a pill, is it not? And it is one that is hard for men to swallow.
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him [Prov. 16:7].
I have wrestled with this proverb a great deal, and I have searched what other men have had to say on this. Do you mean to tell me that if your ways please Jehovah, you will not have an enemy? Well, if that were true, then God wouldn’t have an enemy, and He does have an enemy.
My interpretation is that if your ways please Jehovah, then your enemy may hate you; and, by the way, he will hate you. But the interesting thing is that, when the chips are down, these folk will admit that God is using you. That’s the important thing. One of the nicest things that has been said about me in Southern California was said by a man who very frankly says he hates me. He said, “I hate him, but he teaches the Word of God.” I say, “Thank you, Mr. Enemy, you are carrying out this proverb. You have to make that kind of acknowledgement if you’re honest.” I love this proverb, by the way.
A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work [Prov. 16:11].
This is a word for the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall [Prov. 16:18].
I have that underlined in my Bible.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud [Prov. 16:19].
Here again is a thrust made against that which God hates—pride. Pride is number one on God’s “hate parade” (Prov. 6:16–19). This is the thing that brought down the archangel whom we know as Satan today. He was Lucifer—son of the morning—probably the highest creature God created until sin was found in him. What was that sin? It was pride: he attempted to lift himself above God, because he was such a great creature whom God had created and given the power of free choice.
Free choice is a very dangerous weapon which God has put in the hands of some of His creatures. Now some creatures follow an instinct. For example, the ducks leave Canada in the wintertime and fly down to South America. In the summer they fly back up to Canada. Back and forth they go. They are moved by instinct, but man has a free will. Man can stay in Canada in the wintertime (I don’t know why he would), and he can go south in the summertime. But where there is free choice, there is also the possibility of pride and rebellion against God.
There are so many in Scripture who illustrate this matter of pride. This is the thing that was the undoing of that man Haman in the Book of Esther. And Absalom—imagine him rebelling against his father, David! Goliath, the giant, boasted in his pride. And Ahab was filled with pride.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones [Prov. 16:24].
“Pleasant words.” We all like to hear something good, don’t we? We read the newspaper and always get the bad news. It’s too bad more people don’t read the Bible. It is filled with good news. That is what the gospel is—good news.
Also, we should learn to say it with pleasant words now—instead of trying to say it with flowers when it is too late.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death [Prov. 16:25].
You will recognize that we had this proverb before (Prov. 14:12). Then why is it repeated? It is because the Lord doesn’t want us to miss this one. Repetition reveals its importance.
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire [Prov. 16:27].
We probably all know someone who fits this proverb. I had a friend who professed to be a Christian, but almost every time I would see him he would start in, “Dr. McGee, have you heard …?” Then he would go on with the latest and the juiciest gossip that was going around. Was he a godly man? I don’t know. I cannot sit in judgment on him. We need to guard our own tongue and lips so that we do not do the same.
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends [Prov. 16:28].
We said before that some people will believe anything if it is whispered to them. There are those people who go around and whisper things—separating friends.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness [Prov. 16:31].
This is a good motto for the senior citizen.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord [Prov. 16:33].
I have this verse written over the Book of Esther. In his pride Haman cast lots to determine the day of destruction of the Jewish people. But God intervened and delivered His people; and the Jewish Feast of Purim (meaning “lots”) is a celebration of that providential day.
Let me say again that “the dice of the gods are loaded.” Don’t gamble with God. Don’t take a chance with Him. Remember that it is God’s universe, and it is all for His glory. It’s for His purpose. Do you want to cooperate? Do you want to get in step with God or continue in rebellion? It is not your will, but God’s will that shall prevail. Oh, that you and I would get in step with Him and be at peace with Him, being justified by faith!
CHAPTER 17
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife [Prov. 17:1].
This verse is very similar in thought to Proverbs 15:17: “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” The last part of the verse pictures a scene of religious activity, but activity does not always denote the working of God. A church can have a lot of meetings, a lot of organization, and a tremendous amount of activity, but all of this may cause a great deal of confusion and frustration.
I think of Elijah in the court of Ahab and Jezebel. There certainly was plenty of activity going on in Ahab’s palace, including a lot of religious practices, but nothing really pertaining to God. Elijah stepped in and proclaimed that it wasn’t going to rain until God said so, and He wasn’t in the mood to say so. Then Elijah walked out. Where did he go? He went far off to the Brook Cherith where he stayed a long time alone with God. God was training him out in the quietness of the desert. “Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith.”
God took Moses out of the palace of Pharaoh (another scene of great activity and religious organization) and put him in the desert of Midian and taught him there. Both Moses and Elijah had “a dry morsel, and quietness therewith.”
It is nice to get off at times and be by yourself. My wife and I are busy at many conferences, and we have had to cut down on the number of them in order to get some quietness and rest. When we get home from a series of conferences, we go nowhere but just outside on our patio. I tell my wife, “Come on out here, and let’s sit down together and get acquainted with each other. I’ve been married to you a long time, and it’s time I was getting acquainted with you.” It’s a good thing for us to do. God wants us to have times like that. They are very important for our spiritual refreshment.
A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren [Prov. 17:2].
A servant who is faithful is better than a son who is not faithful. It is better to have a servant in whom you can have confidence than a son you cannot trust.
I think here of Abraham and his faithful servant Eliezer, and of David and his son Absalom. Abraham told the Lord that Eliezer was his only heir and that he wanted a son (Gen. 15:2). He felt it was much better to have a son, and God answered his request. But if the son is not dependable, if he is going to be like David’s son Absalom, who openly rebelled against him, then certainly it is much better to have a good, faithful servant. And David had a number of faithful men who stayed right with him.
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts [Prov. 17:3].
To get pure silver, the mined ore must be put into the fining pot and heated until it melts so that the dross can be removed and the pure metal remain. The same thing applies to gold; it is put in the furnace, and the dross is drawn off. And the Lord puts His servants into the fire so that He can develop something in them. He tries our hearts in order to strengthen us. He wants to produce better sons and daughters for His use.
We are more precious to God than gold or silver. Therefore, we should not be discouraged when we are tested. “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:6–7). God uses this method.
God had a purpose in allowing Job to go through the furnace of affliction. God had a purpose in giving Paul a thorn in the flesh. God had a purpose in permitting the period of martyrdom that came to the church. Persecution actually molded the church, and it has never been as rich spiritually as it was during that period.
I think one of the problems among Christians today is our affluence. This was one of the problems in Israel. Moses described it in Deuteronomy 32:15: “But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” I’m afraid we may have a lot of fat saints today. They have everything, and yet they become complainers, faultfinders, critics. They really are no help to the cause of Christ. So God must put the saints that He is going to use into the furnace in order that He might develop them for His use.
I received a letter from a lady who prayed that she might know the Lord Jesus better, that she might grow in grace and the knowledge of Him. What did the Lord do? He gave her cancer. Someone may say, “That’s no way for God to do.” But that is the way He sometimes does it, friend. You are listening to a preacher who knows all about it. I know why God gave me cancer. One mean letter sent to my wife and me said that God gave us cancer because we won’t obey God and we’re ignorant, and because of the kind of folk we are. Well, some of that may be true. But He didn’t do it in a mean spirit, the way the letter was written. He did not do it because He hates us or because He is mean. God did it in a loving way, and you don’t know how precious He has become to us because of it.
Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers [Prov. 17:6].
Here is a verse I am sure many of you can appreciate. “Children’s children” are grandchildren. It is a verse for grandfathers. “The glory of children are their fathers!” Children look to their fathers. I have always been grateful for a daughter who has loved and respected her father. We have always been able to communicate, even though she has the same kind of temper that I have—a short fuse. Every now and then we have a blowup, but then I go to her or sometimes she comes to me. We don’t ever let the sun go down on our disagreement. But “children’s children are the crown of old men!” The proverb is right. Now I am an old man with grandsons, and I could bore you to tears talking about them. Perhaps you have heard of one old man saying to another old man, “Have I ever told you about my grandson and shown you pictures of him?” The other man replied, “No, you haven’t, and I want to thank you for it!” If I had known how wonderful grandchildren can be, I would have had them before I had my children! They are a pride and joy to have around, and they draw families together. The child looks to the father, but the grandfather looks back to the grandchild; that is where his affection centers.
A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool [Prov. 17:10].
Somebody says, “You know, poor Mr. So-and-So, he’s a wonderful child of God, and look at the trouble he has had!” God reproves his saints, sometimes by sending trouble into their lives. God is coaching them, because they are wise men. The wise man will listen to reproof.
The fool won’t listen to reproof. Even if God laid an hundred stripes on his back, it wouldn’t do him any good. When you see someone prospering who is ungodly, the reason may be that he is such a fool that no matter what God would do to him, he would not change. The Lord Jesus told about the man who took down his old barns to build new barns for his crops. He was prosperous and was expanding his business. There is nothing wrong with building a new barn. The thing wrong was that the man was a fool. I didn’t say that—Jesus said it. He was a fool because he did nothing about eternity. The chastening of the Lord would not have changed him. During the Great Tribulation the world will go through such intense suffering and judgment that people will gnaw their own tongues. But do you think they will turn to God? No. A hundred stripes will not do any good when they are applied to a fool.
This leads me to repeat that I believe we have a wrong philosophy about prisons today. A prison is not for the purpose of developing men and putting them back into society. There may be some place for that, but a prison is primarily a place of punishment, not an institution for discipline. Discipline is for a child—your own child. Punishment is for the one who has committed a crime.
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? [Prov. 17:16].
I have known a lot of boys from wealthy families who had no heart for college at all. They shouldn’t have been in college. It wasn’t that they were not able to pass the courses, but they didn’t want to go to college in the first place. Their hearts were not in it.
I do not agree with the philosophy that every person should have a college education. I think that every person should have access to a college education, but I do not think that young folks should be forced to go to college. A lot of young people don’t have a capacity for it, nor do they have the heart for it. This has nothing to do with being rich or poor. It involves the desire to learn. I believe that every poor boy who really wants to learn should have the opportunity. The door ought to be opened for him. On the other hand, there are a lot of rich boys who should not be in college at all. I was a poor boy, and I thank God for a wonderful Christian elder who took an interest in me. If it hadn’t been for that man, I could never have gone to college. I thank God for opening the door to college for this poor boy.
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity [Prov. 17:17].
This verse reminds us of Jonathan who was such a wonderful friend to David. “A friend loveth at all times.” Jonathan loved David when he was playing his music in the palace as well as when he was hiding for his life, trying to escape King Saul. Although Jonathan was the son of Saul and heir to the throne, he loved David.
It is a wonderful thing to have a friend like that. If someone doesn’t love you at all times, that person is not your friend. It is one of the disappointments of life to have someone profess to love you and be your friend, then when the chips are down, you find that he really does not love you after all. He was a Judas Iscariot or an Absalom, who betrayed you.
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy [Prov. 17:21].
This has been repeated several times in Proverbs. The father of a son who is making good is a father full of joy. He will talk constantly about his boy. If he has a son who is not doing well, he becomes very silent, and no one hears about the boy.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones [Prov. 17:22].
There are a lot of folk today who are actually sick with a heart sickness. It is not heart trouble. It is a heart sickness, a lack of joy. They live down in Mudville. They are the mighty Casey who struck out at bat. This description applies to many Christians.
God wants us to have a merry heart. He wants us to have a big time! Our fellowship at church should be a place of fun. We should laugh and rejoice and praise God when we go to church. We are simply too stiff and stilted in our churches.
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment [Prov. 17:23].
There are many different ways of bribing, and there is so much bribing going on in our world today.
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding [Prov. 17:28].
This proverb has humor in it. It says that it pays to keep your mouth shut.
An Arkansas farmer had a son who was simple. Folks would say he was “not all there.” They drove into town with a load of apples, and the father left the son to sit and hold the reins of the horses while he went off on an errand. “Now, son,” said the father, “don’t you say anything to anybody because if you do, they will find out you are a fool.” The boy promised he wouldn’t open his mouth. A man came up to the wagon and asked, “How much are your apples, son?” The boy never said a word. The man asked two or three times, but the boy just sat there and looked at him. Finally the man said, “What in the world is wrong? You act like a fool.” Then he walked away. When the father returned, he asked the boy, “How did things go?” The boy answered, “I kept my mouth shut, but they found out I was a fool anyway.”
CHAPTER 18
Our young man who has entered the school of wisdom is progressing. I hope the rest of us are coming along with him and are learning the spiritual truths that are in these proverbs.
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom [Prov. 18:1].
Let me give a translation which I think will be helpful: “A man having separated himself for his own pleasure rageth against all sound wisdom.” The important thing here is the subject of separation, and this is the wrong kind of separation.
The great division in the human family is between saved people and lost people. That is the division that God sees. He does not make divisions like we do into categories of black, white, yellow, or red. God is really “color-blind.” Now the Bible does teach a separation of the saved people from the lost people: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:17). God makes it very clear that His people are to separate themselves from that which is unclean. He is referring particularly to the idolatry, the immorality, and the filthy conversation of the unsaved. There should be a separation from that. By the way, this is real segregation: segregate yourself from the evil. That is important to do. There are many saved folk who emphasize separation. They form cliques and groups and practice the wrong kind of separation. They make up their own little commandments, which are not actually in the Bible. They follow them and feel that they should separate themselves from other believers, and they feel that this makes them very special people in the sight of the Lord. They think they are superior. Generally they are not. They manifest many evidences of the flesh working in their lives. That is a wrong kind of separation.
There is another group of strong separationists, and they are among the unsaved. We find that this is what is referred to in this proverb. This is the person who has separated himself for his own pleasure. He refuses to listen to anything that is wise. Jude speaks of them as being apostates and says this: “These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit” (Jude 19). They withdraw themselves from any group or individual who might reprimand them and begin their own little group and become very obnoxious. Generally they are apostates: they separate themselves from the truth. They certainly cause a great deal of sorrow in this world.
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself [Prov. 18:2].
A professor sent me a collection of modern proverbs. Some of them fit the proverbs we are studying from the Bible. This is one that possibly fits here: “If I stop to think before I speak, I won’t have to worry afterward about what I said before.” That certainly is true.
When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach [Prov. 18:3].
Another modern proverb is: “Some persons cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” I think that is a good one and would apply to the crowd mentioned in this verse. These are some people who also bring great sorrow into the world.
The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook [Prov. 18:4].
Every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus stood in the temple when the water was poured out at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles and said, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly [inmost being] shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38). Then John interprets this for us. “(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John 7:39). The child of God should learn to speak in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is so important in presenting the Word of God and talking about the things of God.
It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment [Prov. 18:5].
Do not compromise with an evil person or a lawless person in order to overthrow a righteous person. This applies to individuals. I believe it also applies to nations. I wonder if perhaps our nation has been guilty of compromising with wicked nations. We have interfered in too many places, and we have gotten ourselves into serious difficulties. These proverbs are practical, and they can be geared right into life.
A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly [Prov. 18:6–8].
“The words of a talebearer” or the words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels that go down into the depth of the soul. We are back again to the subject of the fool. Remember that the Lord Jesus has told us that we are not to call anyone a fool (see Matt. 5:22). However, God calls some people fools because He knows them.
We find again that the fool is a source of trouble. He is the one who is always stirring up contention, issuing complaints, finding fault.
We can give another fitting modern proverb: “Be considerate. Most people know how to express a complaint, but few utter a gracious compliment. The bee is seldom complimented for making honey; it is just criticized for stinging.” How true!
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe [Prov. 18:10].
The name of Jehovah is also the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is called Jesus because He saves His people from their sins. And He is called Christ because He is the Anointed One. He is the Lord of our life and our salvation. The Lord is a strong tower. You can run into it and be completely safe. This is a verse that many have used in speaking to children, and I have used it myself and found it very effective. It speaks of security and reminds us that no one can pluck us out of His hands. What a beautiful picture this is!
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit [Prov. 18:11].
There are basic differences between Israel and the church which we need to recognize. Material wealth was one of the promises of God to His people Israel, but He did not promise that to us. God promised them a full basket, and He made good His word. He also said He would take away their wealth as a judgment. The church is not a continuation of Israel, even though that is sometimes preached today. The church is not the next grade above Judaism. You can make a comparison, of course, and there are many likenesses. The contrasts, however, are greater. The church has not been promised material blessings. God has blessed us as believers “… with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, italics mine). The child of God needs to be fortified. He needs to get into the strong tower. He needs to be in this strong city and have the high wall around him. What is it? Well, it is a knowledge of the Word of God. We need to recognize that we are living in very difficult times and we are being tested. Oh, how important is a knowledge of the Word of God! My friend, don’t try to substitute these little courses that teach you how to witness and how to get along with your wife. They may have a certain value, but they are only surface stuff. There is no substitute for digging into the Word of God. My friend, learn to read the Word of God. If you don’t understand it, read it again. If you don’t understand it the second time, go over it once more. Then if you don’t understand it the third time through, something is wrong, and you need to go to the Lord and tell Him you’re not getting it. Ask Him to help you. The Spirit of God is our teacher. I know I am telling you this accurately because He hasn’t yet let me down in this matter of understanding His Word.
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him [Prov. 18:13].
How often people try to pass judgment on someone else when they don’t really know the person or the problem or the situation under which that person lives. How important it is to have all the facts before we express an opinion!
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? [Prov. 18:14].
You can break your leg and recover from that; but, if your spirit is broken, you are completely broken. Only God can encourage you at a time like that. Remember at the time of Nehemiah’s governorship over the people of Israel, and even after they had rebuilt the walls, they still had not heard the Word of God. When the Word of God was read to them, they saw how far they were from God and they began to weep. Nehemiah told them not to weep because it was a time of rejoicing. He said, “… the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). How important it is for us to know that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Sitting in the pastor’s study of a church in Salem, Oregon, I noticed this little motto (it’s a contemporary proverb) on the wall: “Joy is the flag that is flown in the heart when the Master is in residence.” I like that. When the Lord Jesus Christ becomes first choice in your life, when He has top priority, then you will not have that broken spirit that we hear so much about today. Give God the first choice. Give of your time, your effort, your thoughts, your companionship, and your money, and see what happens. Have you tried that?
A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men [Prov. 18:16].
I hope you will nail this one down. Some critics have compared this verse with Proverbs 25:14 and have pointed it out as an apparent contradiction in the Bible; however, when we get to that chapter, we will find out that it is a contrast and not a contradiction at all.
This verse speaks of gifts, and as I have mentioned before, I believe every believer in Christ has a gift. Gifts of the Spirit is a message we have in print that develops this subject.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof [Prov. 18:21].
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”—think of that! Your tongue can be used to give out the gospel, and this will give life. It can also be used to say things that would drive people away from God, which makes it an instrument of death. The little tongue is the most potent weapon in this world. The Bible has much to say about the tongue, and we find a lot about it in the Book of Proverbs.
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord [Prov. 18:22].
I have actually laughed at the thought that these two verses are side by side in the Word of God. The Spirit of God put them together. The tongue is used when the fellow proposes to the girl. He asks her to marry him, and that is the proper way for it to be done; and death and life are in the power of the tongue. You may wish you had bitten off your tongue before you asked the fatal question. It’s like the story of the old bachelor who had never met a woman whom he wanted to marry because he thought they all talked too much. He found what we used to call an old maid, one who seemed very quiet. He fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. The minute she accepted the proposal, she started talking. She talked about where they would go and how they would fix their house and on and on. Suddenly after an hour or so she realized that she was doing all the talking and that he was quiet. “Why don’t you say something?” she asked. He answered, “I’ve said too much already!”
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.” I want to say that I have always thanked the Lord for my wife. It is wonderful to have a good wife—and to have someone who is able to put up with me!
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother [Prov. 18:24].
If you want to have friends, then show yourself friendly. By the way, are you a friend to your friends?
“There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Do you know who He is? He is closer to you than a brother can be. Jesus is the One, and He says, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). When I hear folk singing “Jesus is a Friend of Mine,” I want to go up to them and ask, “Are you obeying His commands?” Jesus says, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” If you are not obeying Him, I take it that you’re not one of His friends.
Jesus is a friend who will stick closer than a brother. He is our Savior. He loved us enough to die for us. He is the one who says, “… lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world …” (Matt. 28:20) and “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). Also He has given us this promise: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). There isn’t anything you can do to improve such an arrangement. We have a wonderful Friend who sticks closer than any brother.
CHAPTER 19
Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool [Prov. 19:1].
The Lord has forbidden us to call anyone a fool, but the Spirit of God has really been using that word. Apparently there are quite a few fools in the human family.
Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord [Prov. 19:2–3].
There is an antithetic parallelism all through these proverbs. Here is a contrast between those who are the children of God and those who are not. The one is in the path of truth; the other, who is in the path of self-will and ignorance, God calls a fool.
We have a modern proverb: “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” This is a false proverb. Sometimes people—even officers of the church—pride themselves on being ignorant of the Bible. In board meetings I have heard church officers speak out saying, “Well, that is theological; that is biblical, and I don’t know much about that” I had to bite my lip from saying, Why in the world don’t you know it? You are a mature man, an officer in the church, and you should not be that devoid of spiritual understanding!
Someone sent me this proverb: “No man is uneducated who knows the Bible, and no one is truly educated who is ignorant of its teachings.” Although the world does not accept this, I believe it is true. I do not think a man can be truly educated if he is ignorant of the Bible. Certainly one cannot be a mature Christian and be ignorant of the Bible. A knowledge of the Word of God should be a characteristic of the child of God.
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour [Prov. 19:4].
Wealthy people seem to have a lot of friends. Their houses are full of guests so long as the refrigerator is filled and the bar is well stocked and there is music and entertainment.
It is interesting to note that the Word of God admonishes the child of God to seek out the poor man. You will remember that James, in a practical way, speaks of a man who comes into your assembly “… with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool” (James 2:2–3).
Unfortunately, it is true that the poor man has his problems in many of our churches. A couple was telling me about their personal experience. They are poor and not able to buy the latest in style, and what they wear looks pretty worn. They went to a church that has a reputation of being a very conservative, evangelical church. My, they were snubbed. What happened to them is terrible!
Human nature has not changed down through the centuries. The old nature is still being revealed. My mother used to ask me before she went out, “Is my petticoat showing?” Now my wife asks me the same thing. There are a lot of folk who are stepping out, going to church, and moving in the society of their particular group whose old nature is showing. And it shows in matters like separating the poor from their society. God lays it on the line, doesn’t He? “The poor is separated from his neighbour.” When they find out you are a poor boy, they don’t want you around.
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape [Prov. 19:5].
Drop down to verse 9 and see that it is almost the same statement. “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish”. A false witness is not going to “escape.” He will be found out. He will be called to account for what he has said. Not only that, he is going to “perish.” God tells us that in Revelation 21:8.
We think of Ahab and Jezebel in connection with the episode of Naboth’s vineyard. The record is in 1 Kings 21 and 22. Because Naboth would not give up his vineyard to the king, arrangements were made to have false witnesses bring an untrue charge against him and then stone him to death. Ahab thought he got by with this crime, but Elijah met him and told him that where Naboth’s innocent blood had been shed, the dogs would lick his blood. What happened was this: Ahab went into battle against Syria, with Jehoshaphat in alliance with him. He put Jehoshaphat out in front wearing his royal robes, but Ahab disguised himself as a common soldier to escape notice. But a trigger happy soldier on the enemy side “drew a bow at a venture”—he didn’t even know who he was aiming at, but that old arrow had Ahab’s name on it. When it went out from the bow with a zing it said, “Ahab, where are you? I’m looking for you.” And it found him. He bled like a stuck pig, and he died. The blood ran out of the wound in the chariot, “And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake” (1 Kings 22:38). You say that is crude and frightful. I agree. But, my friend, lying, false witnessing, and gossip in God’s sight are really frightful, and God hates them. “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”
Many will entreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts [Prov. 19:6].
“Many will entreat the favour of the prince”—we don’t have a prince, but we write letters to our congressmen and our governor, and sometimes even to our president when we want legislation passed.
“Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.” That is certainly true. A man will have plenty of friends as long as he is giving out gifts.
All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him [Prov. 19:7].
The brethren of the poor may not hate him as we think of hateful behavior. Often they just don’t have anything to do with him. They ignore him. A prosperous man may see his ne’er-do-well brother drive up in an old jalopy, so he says to his wife, “Let’s get into the bedroom and lock the door and make him think that we’re not home.” That is what it means to hate your brother. The poor don’t do very well in this world, by the way.
We hear so much from the people who campaign for office about how they are going to help us poor folk. The only thing they ever help me with is more taxes. Every time we have an election my taxes go up. Every politician promises to give us some relief. No one has yet, and I don’t think anyone will. My feeling is that the problems have mounted so that no man can solve them. No man, I don’t care who he is, is able to solve the problems of the world today.
Do you know what we need? We need politicians to call us back to God. We need someone to say, “Look, I don’t have the answer to the world’s problems. Let’s turn to God for the answer. Let’s serve Him, let’s pray to Him.” Since we have tried everything else to solve our problems, wouldn’t it be well for us to try God for a change? It would be far better for us to listen to God than to listen to so much television. We have heard everybody else and all their opinions on the talk shows. They have strutted across the stage of human events, and it hasn’t been very impressive. We need to turn to God and listen to Him.
A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping [Prov. 19:13].
Our last proverb about this matter said that when a man finds a wife, he has found a good thing. That is, he finds the other half of him, and she is to be a helpmeet for him. She is not to be a servant. Where do people get the idea that the wife is to obey the husband? The wife is to submit herself to her husband provided he is the right kind of man. If he is not, I don’t think God has asked her to submit herself. The only instructions I find about submission apply to the Christian home. A wife is to submit to a Christian husband who loves her just like Christ loves the church. When a woman has that kind of husband, she can submit herself to him.
This proverb almost makes one laugh even though it tells of a tragic situation. Think of the poor husband who has a foolish son and also has a wife who is contentious. You can imagine what kind of a home he lives in. That is why it is so wonderful to find the right kind of a wife.
House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord [Prov. 19:14].
If you have a good wife, you got her from the Lord. You ought to thank the Lord for her, by the way. Have you ever done that? Thank the Lord for your good wife, because He is the One who gave her to you.
Young men, this should tell you something. Do you want a good wife? The one who gives away good wives is not the father of the daughter. Many a father is glad to get rid of his daughter. But our Heavenly Father has a lot of good wives to give away. Keep in touch with Him, and He will lead you to the right one. He wants to give you the right kind of wife. This is a very practical proverb. Don’t you agree?
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying [Prov. 19:18].
Start with your discipline when the children are young. Don’t wait until it is too late. A man who was saved later in life told me, “My wife and I were saved recently, and we are thanking God for it, but we have lost our children. We used to live like the devil, and we can see that in our children today.” They had waited until too late to give their children the proper training.
Start when the children are young. Don’t mind if little Willie cries when you paddle him. On the other hand, every father needs to be very careful in the way he deals with his child. No one has the right to be brutal in his dealings with his children. Dr. Ironside has translated the proverb this way: “Chasten thy son while there is hope, but set not thy soul upon slaying him.” Don’t be afraid to discipline, but a brutal punishment is not to be permitted. Brutality can only tear down the child and destroy his spirit. As a matter of fact, even the law of the land can, and should, step in whenever there is brutality to children.
God has given very definite commands for Christians. He tells children to obey their parents (Eph. 6:1). But then he says to the fathers, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath …” (Eph. 6:4). Don’t wade into them when you are angry. They know you are angry and that you are just venting your anger and frustration. At that time you will probably punish too hard—in fact, you can be brutal. The command is to bring them up in the “… nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4), that is, the discipline and the instruction of the Lord.
There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand [Prov. 19:21].
Man can come up with many explanations, many solutions, but God is the only One who can give you the right kind of advice. Many can make a computer, but only God can put sense into it.
The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar [Prov. 19:22].
This is a strange proverb, isn’t it? “The desire [or charm] of a man is his kindness.” How many folk do you know like that? They are kind, generous, lovely people. Then we are brought back to the poor man, the poor relative, who comes for dinner and stays for a couple of years to live with you. Well, it is better to have him than to have a liar.
The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil [Prov. 19:23].
The fear of the Lord does not mean that you are cringing, constantly in dread, living a life of terror. This proverb makes it clear that the real fear of God means that you can rest satisfied. It means that you recognize Him, you have looked to Him, you have accepted Him, and you want to follow Him. Now you can rest satisfied.
A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again [Prov. 19:24].
An alternate translation is: “A slothful man burieth his hand in the dish.” Here is another proverb that is humorous. This man is so lazy that he can put his hand down into the dish to eat, but he is too lazy to bring it back up to his mouth. When you get to that place, you’re lazy! Unfortunately, we often see this in the spiritual realm. The Word of God is our food. I know Christians who will hold the Bible in their hands but are too lazy to read it.
Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools [Prov. 19:29].
Judgment is coming—that is quite obvious. God is not soft on the guilty. The pleasures of sin are for a season, but the wages of sin last for all eternity.
CHAPTER 20
We are still in this long section which sets before us the wisdom of Solomon. It is specifically directed to young men but actually applies to every Christian. In fact, the unbelievers can learn a great deal from these proverbs. The reading and study of the Word of God will have a definite effect upon the life of anyone. It will either bring you to God or it will drive you from Him. Your reaction to the Word of God cannot be neutral.
This is the first time there is a warning concerning alcohol or booze—I like the word booze because it has all the connotation of the evil that liquor has done down through the ages. I suppose that alcohol has wrecked more nations, more businesses, more homes, more individual lives than any other single factor.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise [Prov. 20:1].
There has always been a controversy about the “wine” in the New Testament being an intoxicant. It is my firm conviction that the Lord Jesus did not make an intoxicating drink at the wedding in Cana of Galilee (see John 2). Anyone who attempts to make of Him a boot-legger is ridiculous and is doing absolutely an injustice. Folk like to present the argument that in the warm climate of Israel all one had to do was to put grape juice in a wine skin and in time it would ferment. Yes, but in the miracle at Cana, the Lord Jesus started out with water, and in the matter of a few seconds He had “wine.” My friend, it didn’t have a chance to ferment. And we must remember that the wedding in Cana was a religious service, and everything that had to do with leaven (which is fermentation) was forbidden. This is the reason that at the time of the Passover and the institution of the Lord’s Supper the wine could not have been fermented. Fermentation is the working of leaven, and leaven was strictly forbidden in bread and in everything else. The bread and drink could not have been leavened. Intoxicants are condemned in the Word of God, and here is a verse for it: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
Today many folk are being trapped by this type of thing. America is becoming a nation of drunkards. I am not impressed when the news media lets us know the tremendous amount of taxes that comes from the liquor industry. What they forget to tell is the cost of the hospitals, the mental institutions and the accidents—the people who have been maimed for life—as a result of drinking drivers. That kind of cost is not reported. I understand that any derogatory news is suppressed because one of the biggest advertisers is the booze industry. We hear about how bad drug abuse is today; but remember, alcohol is a drug!
A law enforcement officer told me that at the beginning of the drug craze the liquor interests helped to fight the drug traffic, because they were afraid it would hurt their business. They would much rather have a kid become a drunkard addicted to alcohol than to have him become a drug addict. That is really generous and big-hearted of the liquor industry, don’t you agree? However, young people began making comparisons. I have had young folk in youth groups tell me they don’t feel they should be reprimanded for smoking marijuana by a crowd that sits around drinking cocktails. And I agree with the young folk. Let the adults stop drinking liquor before they talk to our young people about the evils of marijuana. The hypocrisy of those outside the church is lots worse than the hypocrisy inside the church!
Drunkenness was the undoing of Noah, and it has been a problem from that day to the present hour. Alcohol is valuable for medicinal purposes, but the minute it is used as a beverage it becomes dangerous. The number of alcoholics is increasing every year. It is one of the greatest tax burdens we have to bear. But you don’t learn of that through the news media. In fact, it is dangerous to lift your head against this hydra-headed monster. I predict that it will not be missiles but liquor that will destroy our nation.
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling [Prov. 20:3].
One of the marks of a Christian should be that he does not prolong tension and strife. Someone has said that the only persons we should try to “get even with” are the people who have helped us. In other words, repay good with good. But don’t try to get even with your enemies. Do not respond with evil for evil. Instead, be yielded to God, for God has said, “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). It is on that basis that God tells us not to avenge ourselves. It is actually a departure from the pathway of faith to attempt to take matters into our own hands. God can do it lots better than we can.
The child of God should remember what Paul said to the Philippian believers: “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5). Matthew Arnold translated moderation as “sweet reasonableness.” “Let your sweet reasonableness be known unto all men.” That is the meaning of the proverb—“It is an honour for a man to cease from strife.” How important it is!
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing [Prov. 20:4].
Israel has a moderate climate, and winter is the season for preparing the soil for the spring planting. The sluggard, the lazy oaf, would say it was too cold, so he would stay by the fire. He would say he’ll wait until it gets warmer. The problem would be that when it got warmer it was already too late to plow. That would be the time to be doing the planting. There is a note of humor in this verse.
It reminds me of the man whose house had a leaky roof. The reason he didn’t fix it was because he didn’t want to work on it when it was raining, and when it wasn’t raining it didn’t need fixing.
We come now to a set of proverbs that at first seem totally unrelated. However, there does appear to be a relationship based on words that speak of goodness or moral principles.
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? [Prov. 20:6].
The theme here is “goodness.”
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him [Prov. 20:7].
The word here is “integrity.”
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes [Prov. 20:8].
“Scattering away all evil” is cleaning up his kingdom.
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? [Prov. 20:9].
The words here are “clean” and “pure.”
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord [Prov. 20:10].
Falseness is contrasted to goodness.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right [Prov. 20:11].
The emphasis here is upon goodness even in children.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them [Prov. 20:12].
The thought here is to use your head. God has given you ears, and He has given you eyes. Look and listen—that is not only good advice before you cross a railroad track, it is good when you are facing life every day.
All the way through this group of proverbs we see two great principles. First of all, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” Well, can you, my friend? I am sure that neither you nor I can say that. No man by his own efforts can claim to be pure. Even the little baby in the crib cannot claim that. Those little ones reveal temper while they are still infants. At first my little grandson seemed to me to be free from sin. He was so wonderful! Then I found that he had a temper—he would get red in the face and even hold his breath! I had to realize that he was subject to the total depravity of man like the rest of us. Of course I told my wife, “I believe he’s beginning to show some of the characteristics of his grandmother!” No man in his natural state can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin.” My friend, if you would be heaven bound, you must first be heaven born. “… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The Lord Jesus said that to a religious man, a good man. No man can call himself good or pure or right or clean until he has come to Christ for salvation and been clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Then he is accepted in the Beloved. But there is still that old nature that will stay with us until we enter into glory.
But notice from the proverbs that goodness does count, integrity does matter to God. Purity is worth something. A child of God should be walking in a way which commends the gospel of the grace of God.
Here is a good question which I have heard asked for many years: If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Suppose you were brought before a court on the accusation, “This fellow is a Christian.” Would there be enough evidence there to convict you? Or Would you be able to get off free? Would they look at your life and find you are not living like Christian should? Would they find you do not walk in integrity? Would they find no goodness, no desire for purity?
The second thought in these proverbs is this: God has given you eyes to see and ears to hear. Use them. Stop, look, listen. Don’t go blindly through life, seeing but not seeing. Use your eyes. Open your ears. God has given you a certain amount of common sense, a certain amount of “gumption.” Listen to the news God has for you. You cannot make yourself pure. Only God can make you pure. God can give you a standing before Him that removes all the guilt of your sin and enables you to walk in integrity in this world.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread [Prov. 20:13].
He is saying, “Go to work.” You will remember this is the same thing that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. He said that if a man doesn’t want to work, neither should he eat (see 2 Thess. 3:10). Those people were so excited about the possibility of the Lord’s return that they were just waiting for the Lord. It is wonderful to be looking for Him and waiting for Him. But that doesn’t mean that just sitting down and gazing into space is the way to wait for Him. A true anticipation of the coming of the Lord will cause a person to put his nose to the grindstone and work harder than ever before.
It is nought, it is nought, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth [Prov. 20:14].
This is a humorous one, and I hope you can see the humor in it. A fellow goes in to buy an automobile, for example. He says to the man who is selling it, “I don’t think this car is worth buying. The tires are almost worn out. The motor doesn’t sound too good. There’s a rattle back there. But I’ll give you so much for it.” The owner says, “All right, I’ll sell it for that.” The buyer says, “Well, I don’t think it’s really worth that, but I’ll take the car.” He gets in the car and drives it home and calls out his wife and the neighbors, “Look what a bargain I got!” That is human nature, isn’t it?
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel [Prov. 20:15].
Our sense of values is all wrong today. Man is measured by material things, rather than by the knowledge he has.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman [Prov. 20:16].
When you deal with certain people, you had better have them put up a little collateral. If you don’t, you are sure to be taken in.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel [Prov. 20:17].
A person may think he is getting by with deceit, and it may seem sweet to him. No one gets by with a thing—God will see to that.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips [Prov. 20:19].
The man who flatters you to your face and then goes off and gossips about you is the man you had better keep your eye on—even if he is a deacon in the church.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness [Prov. 20:20].
If you have a father and a mother of whom you can boast, then boast of them. If you cannot say something good about them—and a lot of folk can’t—then don’t say anything. That is what this proverb is saying.
This is where Ham made his mistake. Noah, his father, got drunk, and Ham exposed his father. He should have kept silence. There are certain things that you just don’t run around telling everyone.
Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? [Prov. 20:24].
How can a man understand his own way? We have never passed this way before—only the Spirit of God can lead us. God told Moses that he needed Him to lead him. And you and I need His leading also.
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry [Prov. 20:25].
Don’t make a vow until you are sure of what you can do. Don’t publicly dedicate your life to God until you have thought it through. God doesn’t want that kind of a sentimental decision. I’m afraid there is too much of that today.
The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly [Prov. 20:27].
“The spirit of man is the candle [or lamp] of the Lord [Jehovah].” Notice it is called the candle or lamp of Jehovah, not the light of Jehovah. The spirit of man is only the lamp, the vessel that holds the light. Man is just a lamp, and until we are filled by the Holy Spirit, we don’t become a light. Remember the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They were just lamps. Without the oil, they could not have light.
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head [Prov. 20:29].
This proverb is saying, “Act your age.” The young man is the one to be the athlete. The old man had better not try to act young. He will just make a fool of himself. He had better act his age. He should reveal a little wisdom, because that is what gray hair should indicate.
CHAPTER 21
This is one of the great chapters in the Book of Proverbs.
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will [Prov. 21:1].
A man may be a pharaoh in Egypt, a king of Babylon, a caesar of Rome, an Alexander the Great, a Napoleon, a Joe Stalin, an Adolph Hitler, or any great ruler of the future. Regardless of how powerful a man may become politically, it can be stated as an axiom that no man can act in independence of God. Many of these rulers thought they could, and men today may still think they can. But the truth is that no man is free from God. No man can act independently. We have a Declaration of Independence in this country. Right now it is being used to declare our independence from God. We believe in liberty; so we’ve declared we are free from God! However, we are not free from God. We cannot act independently. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,” and God is going to turn him just as He turns the course of a little babbling brook that runs down a mountainside. “As the, rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” No king nor ruler nor any individual can act independently of God.
I wish we had more men in public office who express a dependence upon God and show it in their lives. I wish they would quit telling us that they have the solution for all the problems of the world. They haven’t. It is a misrepresentation for any man to say that. No man is independent of Almighty God, and we need to recognize our dependence upon Him. Oh, may this country be called back to a dependence upon God before it is too late. We need a new declaration, but this time it should be a declaration of dependence upon Almighty God. The only way such a change can come about is by the people of this nation returning to the Word of God. That is why it is so important for us to proclaim God’s Word.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts [Prov. 21:2].
Here again is this matter of man’s selfrighteousness. Man rationalizes, but God scrutinizes. God looks at the heart. We attempt to paint up the surface so that we have the outside looking nice. We boast, “I’m a member of a church. I teach a class and serve on a committee. I’m always busy working for the church.” That may all be true, but God “pondereth the hearts.” The prophet Jeremiah pointed out that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Have you gone to the Lord Jesus and spoken to Him about your desperate condition? He is the Great Physician, and He is the heart specialist. He gives you a new heart. He was the first One who went into this business of heart transplants. He will give you a heart that can be obedient to Him.
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice [Prov. 21:3].
Here we have the tremendous truth stated for us again that there is no value in simply going through a religious ritual. Remember that the Old Testament sacrifices were given because they pointed to Jesus Christ. No one was more faithful about going through those rituals than the Pharisees, the religious rulers of Jesus’ day. But He denounced them in withering language. He blanched them. He scorched them. He told them they looked like beautiful monuments on the outside but inside were full of dead men’s bones. Why? Because sacrifices and offerings were not pleasing to the Lord when righteousness was lacking. He said He wanted mercy, not sacrifice.
Religious ritual can suggest that you are trusting in Christ when the fact is that you are not trusting in Him. A true acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ will so transform a person that he will bring forth good works. I tell you, this gets down to the marrow and to the bone of our souls. God looks at the heart. I repeat the question I asked earlier in our study: If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin [Prov. 21:4].
“An high look.” Maybe you walked into church on Sunday morning and saw Mrs. Jones or Mr. Smith, and you just turned your head so you wouldn’t have to speak to them. I was in a group recently where there was a man who had said some unlovely things about me. He acted as if he didn’t see me at all—the high look. Maybe nobody noticed the high look. Maybe the person who was given the high look was unaware of it, but God saw it. God calls it a sin. In His sight it is as much a sin as to go out and get drunk. One is just as bad as the other, although we don’t measure it that way. We think the one is terrible and the other doesn’t matter.
“The plowing [or tillage] of the lawless is sin.” This is an interesting proverb. You might see a man out plowing his field and think, My, he is an industrious man. He certainly should be rewarded for being so industrious. God says that when an evil man with an evil heart is doing anything—even plowing—it will not be acceptable in His sight. That means a sinner cannot give anything to God. He cannot perform a good work. Not only is the high look and a proud heart sinful, but what otherwise would be meritorious is sin in a man who is in rebellion against God. I do not think that God will bless a gift from an unsaved person. Years ago, a brewery in Dallas, Texas, gave gifts of $50,000 each to a Christian school, a denominational college, and a hospital. The school and the college returned the money. I think they did the right thing. God wouldn’t use money like that.
Notice what Paul wrote to the nation of Israel: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:1–3). When a person goes about to establish his own righteousness, God says it is sin. The righteousness of man is filthy rags in the sight of God.
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment [Prov. 21:5–7].
God can use riches that are accumulated in an honest way. There is no sin in being rich. The important thing is how the money was accumulated. If the getting of riches is by lying and robbery, God will see to it that the riches will not be enjoyed. Do you get the impression that there are certain rich men today who are not really having a good time? Their riches are not what they really need.
The story is told of an Arab who was lost out in the desert. He was about to die of thirst and starvation. The poor fellow saw a package that had dropped off a caravan. He thought it might contain food or a can of beverage. He hungrily tore open the package and eagerly looked to see what it contained. He dropped it in great disappointment, and said, “It’s only pearls!” Of course they were worth a fortune, but that was not his need.
My friend, God says that you can get rich, but it won’t do you a bit of good unless you make money in the right way and use it for His glory.
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right [Prov. 21:8].
Let me give you another translation: “The way of a guilty man is very crooked: but as for the pure, his work is right.” Your life will demonstrate what kind of a person you really, are. If you are right with God, that will be revealed in your life.
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house [Prov. 21:9].
This is the man who did not know what true happiness was until he got married—and then it was too late!
Down in Nashville the retired pastor of a church and I would repeatedly go down to the jail to get out a man who was a member of the church. He would be arrested over and over again for drunkenness. One time the retired preacher said something to me that I shall never forget: “If I were married to the woman that he is married to, I would drink also.” Of course it is just as bad for a woman to be married to the wrong husband. My wife and I mentioned just the other night that we felt very sorry for a certain woman because she is married to a man like that.
We have examples of this in the Scriptures. Job didn’t do so well with a wife. David was married to a daughter of Saul.I don’t think there was any fellowship or any real love in that marriage. She ridiculed David when he so joyously brought the ark to Jerusalem. She told him he made a fool of himself, dancing before the ark. She called his behavior disgraceful. Believe me, if you show some enthusiasm for God, there will be a great many people who will be embarrassed. It is tragic if it is your mate who is embarrassed.
When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge [Prov. 21:11].
We need to note these things so that we learn lessons from the experience of others around us.
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard [Prov. 21:13]
This is what God has said. Either it is true or it is not true. I believe it is true, and I think we can find illustrations of this in public life in our day.
A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath [Prov. 21:14].
Remember that when Jacob was returning home after his years in Haran, he knew he had to face Esau for the first time after he had tricked him out of his birthright and his blessing. So he sent gifts ahead in order to pacify Esau. He didn’t need to do that, because God had already taken care of Esau’s attitude. But men have found that a gift in secret will pacify anger.
We can easily fall into this type of thinking: “I am going to be generous because then I’ll be rewarded.” Or, “I am going to forgive someone because if I do that, it will make me feel better.” Jane Mershon wrote a little rhyme which illustrates this type of thinking:
If I forgive an injury,
Because resenting would poison me,
I may feel noble; I may feel splendid,
But it isn’t exactly what Christ intended.
No, it isn’t what Christ intended. We are to forgive because God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us. That is the reason we are to be kind and tenderhearted and forgiving. Our motive for forgiving is not to make us feel better.
It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead [Prov. 21:15–16].
It is my understanding that God is saying here that you cannot rehabilitate criminals. They need to be regenerated. These fellows need the Word of God. We need to go into crimeridden areas and preach the Word of God. We are going about things from the wrong direction according to God.
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich [Prov. 21:17].
In our contemporary society the entertainer has been glorified, and as a result the great moral principles of life have been turned upside down. At one time, even in the court of a king, a jester, an entertainer, was called a fool. I don’t think that has been changed in God’s sight. However, by our popular standards, the entertainers are the sacred cows. We hear them on talk shows glorifying themselves and each other. God still says, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” I can think of several entertainers who have committed suicide. One man made this statement, “I am bored with life.” Another said, “Life is not worth living.” A comedian was dying, and his friends gathered around waiting for him to say something funny. He looked at them in stark fear and dread and said, “This is not funny.” We have things turned upside down. Television is like the wilderness of Moab. There is really nothing to see. It becomes very boring.
The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright [Prov. 21:18].
Justice demands the punishment of the guilty in order that the guiltless may be delivered; but, by the grace of God, Jesus Christ, the Righteous, became a ransom for the wicked. He is the “upright,” and you and I are the “transgressors.”
A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof [Prov. 21:22].
He is saying that wisdom is superior to brute force. A man may be able to build a seemingly impregnable fortress, but there will come along a man who is smart enough to figure out how to invade it. The ancient city of Babylon is a classic example. Belshazzar sat inside the walls of Babylon thinking he was perfectly safe. In fact, there was an inner wall around his palace. He was certain the walls of Babylon could never be penetrated, and, of course, guards were stationed all along the walls. But the general in the camp of the enemy used his wisdom and figured a way to get into Babylon. A branch of the Euphrates River went through the city, more or less like a canal. He diverted the water back into the mainstream of the river, then he was able to march his army on the riverbed under the wall where the river had flowed. The Medo-Persian army spread into the city, and the city was taken before the Babylonians knew what was happening.
Napoleon made the statement that God is always on the side of the bigger battalions. He was wrong. He should have won at Waterloo. He was a very brilliant general, but he was not quite smart enough. He had the ability to move artillery speedily, but he got bogged down in the mud. It was old General Mud that really stopped Napoleon as he went toward Warsaw. The cavalry stumbled over the artillery that was stuck in the mud. This proverb is saying that men may depend upon riches or upon brute force, but neither will be a good enough protection.
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles [Prov. 21:23].
Again he mentions using the tongue aright. He has already said that if you want friends, you must show yourself friendly. So of course you are to do some talking, but you are to watch what you say. We do need friends, and the Book of Proverbs has a great deal to say about friends and enemies. Emerson put it like this:
He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare,
And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere.
How true!
Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath [Prov. 21:24].
Have you noticed that there are two subjects which seem to appear over and over again? One is the use and abuse of the tongue. The other is pride. The uncontrolled tongue, the lying tongue, the gossiping tongue, and the proud look—God says He hates them all.
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour [Prov. 21:25].
“Slothful” is the lazy man. There is quite a bit said about him.
He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not [Prov. 21:26].
The lazy man spends his time in covetousness, and he tries to use devious devices to get money without working. There are a lot of folk who are doing that. By contrast, the righteous man is not thinking so much of getting as of giving, and God will bless him. That is the thought here.
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? [Prov. 21:27].
The “wicked” man is the lawless man. A lawless man is one who has not bowed himself to God and come God’s way. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man” (Prov. 16:25)—that is the lawless way. He goes his way and ignores God’s way. In fact, he repudiates God. This doesn’t mean such a man may not be religious. He may join the church, attend regularly, sing the hymns, and put on quite a front. He may even give, but he does it with a low motive. “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination”
A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way [Prov. 21:28–29].
There were false witnesses in the trial of the Lord Jesus. Wouldn’t you hate to have been one of those false witnesses? We read in Matthew’s record, “Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days” (Matt. 26:59–61). The other false witnesses bore testimony, but it wasn’t pertinent at all. These last two really lied. Jesus’ response is given in the next chapter: “And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.” In other words, “You are right.” “And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly” (see Matt. 27:11–14). John’s record tells us that Pilate took the Lord Jesus inside the hall of judgment and privately asked for His cooperation so he could let Him off. But he was too much of a politician to release Jesus against the wishes of the Jews. Finally, he gave in to the pressure of the mob, but all the while he knew that the witnesses against Jesus were false.
This is the trial that stands on the pages of history as being the most ignominious of all. Wouldn’t you hate to have been one of those false witnesses? “A false witness shall perish.”
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord [Prov. 21:30].
This is a remarkable verse of Scripture. It is so remarkable that I want to put beside it a New Testament verse that may have escaped your attention: “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor. 13:8).
Because I attended a liberal college and a liberal seminary, I used to become very alarmed by the inroads liberal theology was making. When I began my ministry, I thought it was my duty to sort of ring the fire bell every Sunday morning to defend the Word of God. Then this verse came to my attention. “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.” I began to realize that God is able to defend Himself, and He is able to defend His Word. “We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” Since I wanted to do something, I was to do it positively—accentuate the positive and leave the negative alone. I didn’t need to defend the Bible; all He asked me to do was to proclaim it.
I had a letter from a man which I filed in the round file, known as the wastebasket. I didn’t even read the whole letter, because he was trying to show me that the Bible is not the Word of God and used an asinine argument. I just thought, Ho-hum, let’s go on to something else because this man has a hangup of some sin in his life. I have learned that if a man will turn to Christ, if he wants to get rid of his sin, if he does really desire to have a Savior, it will be amazing how the problems about the Bible that disturb him will be smoothed out.
The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord [Prov. 21:31].
David learned this. He wrote, “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident” (Ps. 27:3). Asa had also learned this truth. “And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee” (2 Chron. 14:11). How wonderful it is to trust God.
That does not mean that we are not to be prepared. Jesus said that a strong man armed keeps his palace, and his goods are in peace. “But safety is of Jehovah.” Keep your powder dry, but be sure your faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ and that you are resting in Him.
CHAPTER 22
Solomon, who had all that money could buy, puts material wealth in true perspective.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold [Prov. 22:1].
“Good” in most Bibles is italicized, which means that it was supplied by the translators. “A name is rather to be chosen”—the proverb is not speaking of the name you were called by your parents when you were born, but the name you earn by the kind of person you are.
We know that David had a group of men, known as his mighty men. And they were great men. They had made a name for themselves. For example, we are told about Benaiah. “And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow” (2 Sam. 23:20). A lot of people won’t even go to church when it snows, but this man slew a lion in the time of snow! We are told, “These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men” (2 Sam. 23:22). He was up there in a class with the top three of the highest echelon of David’s mighty men. He had a name. “A name is rather to be chosen than great riches.”
The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all [Prov. 22:2].
This means that before God all men are on the same plane. If you want to talk about a universal brotherhood of man, be very careful what you say. The Bible doesn’t teach that. The Bible does teach that we are all members of the human family and that we all have a depraved nature, a nature that is alienated from God. We even need to protect ourselves from each other, because we cannot be trusted. The Bible does say that He “… hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth …” (Acts 17:26), and we all stand equal before Him on that basis. But we become the sons of God—not just because we are human beings—but by faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus said to the religious rulers of His day, “Ye are of your father the devil …” (John 8:44). So actually there are two families in the world: children of God and children of the devil. Obviously, the universal fatherhood of God does not exist.
Now notice that the proverb says: “The Lord is the maker of them all.” We are all His by creation. God is the Creator of all but not the Father of all.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished [Prov. 22:3].
Do you want to be a smart man? Then make arrangements for the future. There are many men today who will help you make arrangements for the future. There are all kinds of insurance companies and agencies. There are people willing to make arrangements for your old age, for the care of your children, and all that sort of thing. But I’m thinking of the next step. What about that? What about your eternal future? The Scripture calls a man a fool who has not made preparation for eternity.
When I was a young man in Nashville, Tennessee, I was very far from the Lord for awhile. I remember a fine young couple, who belonged to rich families. At a dance one night they announced their engagement, and then later they were married. Of course they made the society page of the newspaper. They had bought a very lovely southern home with those white columns out in front. They had searched everywhere for antiques, and they furnished that home beautifully. On their wedding trip they went to the Great Smokies in East Tennessee and North Carolina. Going up into the mountains, they went around a curve and were hit and knocked off the high-way down a precipice. The car caught fire, and they were both killed. The parents of the couple simply locked the door to their lovely home and left it unoccupied.
For years after I was saved, I would go by that house and reflect on all the preparation they had put into that house; yet they had not lived in it for one hour. And they went into eternity totally unprepared. Oh, how important it is for us to be making preparation for eternity!
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it [Prov. 22:6].
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets [Prov. 22:13].
Here we have the lazy man again. This verse has its humor in it, too. Believe me, the lazy man is full of excuses. It’s too cold outside so he cannot go out to plow. Here is his new excuse: “There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.” I think he was lyin’ about the lion!
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him [Prov. 22:15].
These instructions for child rearing are repeated for emphasis. Children need discipline. Proper discipline will not provoke the child to anger. Neither will it be simply the venting of our own anger. Proper discipline will help the child overcome his foolishness.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set [Prov. 22:28].
When God brought the children of Israel from Egypt, He gave them a land. Sometimes we forget that He also gave to each tribe a particular section of that land. And He gave to each family in each tribe a particular parcel of that land. Each family was to put up boundary markers for their own parcel of land. These boundary markers were generally piles of stones.
Down in front of my house in the sidewalk there is a little brass circle at one end of my lot and another little brass circle at the other end of my lot, marking where my lot begins and where it ends. This whole area used to be an avocado grove, and I have a notion that the markers were put in when it was converted into a subdivision. It was done to make sure that I stay within my own lot.
God gave Israel definite rules regarding their markers: “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it” (Deut. 19:14). These markers went from generation to generation and were very important. When a man got old and feeble and his eyesight began to fail him, his neighbor might want to slip over and move the marker a couple of feet to increase his own parcel of land. God said that kind of thing was forbidden. It would be totally dishonest, of course.
Now I am going to make a spiritual application of this. You may think I am a square when I say this, but I believe that today we have seen the landmarks of the Christian faith removed. They have been removed by what was first called modernism, and now is called liberalism. These folk with a liberal viewpoint say, “This old landmark, this doctrine that was taught in the days of the apostle Paul, is no longer relevant. We have learned so much that we don’t need the doctrine of the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. We can do away with that. And we can do away with the doctrine of the deity of Christ.” These distinguishing doctrines of the Christian faith have been pretty well washed out by a great many of the old line denominations on the basis that we must come up to date. Now I want to say this: Instead of moving forward and removing landmarks, we need to start moving backward to get back to many of the ancient landmarks.
Those ancient landmarks made this nation great. The landmarks of moral values, the spiritual truths, the biblical basis—all have been removed. We look around us today and hear everyone telling what he thinks the solution is, and it is always a sociological or psychological solution. I haven’t heard any of our leaders suggesting a biblical solution. I say that we need to get back to the good old landmarks which our nation had at the beginning.
This chapter concludes with a word of commendation for the man who is diligent.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men [Prov. 22:29].
God says that He intends to reward the diligent man. You remember that the Lord Jesus said that in eternity His commendation would be: “… Well done, thou good and faithful servant …” (Matt. 25:21). His commendation will not be based on the amount of work you have done, or on the number of people to whom you have witnessed, or how hard you have worked, but on how faithful you have been to the task He has given you. He may have given you the task of being a mother to a little one in the home. Moses’ mother was faithful in that way, and her name is recorded in the Word of God. The reward will be for faithfulness.
The apostle Paul put it like this in Romans 12:10–11 (and I’ll give you a little more meaningful translation of my own): “As to brotherly love, have family affection one to another; for your code of honor, deferring to one another. Never flag in zeal, be aglow (fervent) with the Spirit, serving the Lord.” It all adds up to being faithful to God—and that is what we should be.
CHAPTER 23
Our young man has been attending the school of wisdom for quite some time now. I think we will have a graduation ceremony soon.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat [Prov. 23:1–3].
I can state this in very commonplace language: Don’t make a pig of yourself when you are invited out to eat—especially if you are invited to a place that serves you gourmet food, the type of food that you are not accustomed to eating. In fact, it would be better, he says, to cut your throat than make a pig of yourself! In other words, be temperate in all things. Use moderation and self-control, even when you eat.
In our day the theory is that some folk eat, not because of real hunger, but because of a psychological factor. Some people eat when they are under tension, when they are uptight. We should be relaxed and enjoy our meals but eat in moderation.
Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven [Prov. 23:4–5].
You have probably noticed that the United States dollar has an eagle on it. Believe me, that eagle will fly away if you’re not careful with it. I find that the eagles on my dollars take off all the time. We cannot depend on riches.
The whole thought here is this: There is nothing wrong in being rich. There is nothing wrong in working to be rich. However, don’t make that the goal in life. Wealth should not be the very object of our hearts. Some men have a lust, a thirst, a covetousness to make the almighty dollar, and the dollar becomes their god. A child of God is not to do that.
A wealthy man told me, “I do not make money for the sake of money. I make money for what it can do. At first I made money for what it could do for me. Now I make money for what it can do for God.” There is nothing wrong in a man becoming wealthy. The wrong comes when there is the overweening desire of the heart for money. That is covetousness; actually it is modern idolatry.
In the United States we do not find people bowing down to worship idols. However, we do find people busily engaging their whole lives in the worship of the almighty dollar. When I pastored a church in the downtown financial district of Los Angeles, I found that men, even including some Christian men, were far more zealous in coming down early on a Monday morning to watch the stock market open than they were on Sunday morning to attend church service. I met such a man rushing to the stock market display at the brokerage on a Monday morning. He met me, greeted me cordially, and told me what he was going to do. I mentioned to him that we had been missing him at church. He said, “Well, you know, I haven’t been feeling very well.” That is interesting. He didn’t feel well enough to come to church, but he was well enough to, worship his god very early on a Monday morning. That’s covetousness, and that is what the proverb is talking about. That is a false god, and that false god is an eagle that will fly away at any moment.
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words [Prov. 23:6–8].
Here is good advice for the young man, especially for the young preacher. On several occasions I have been warned by ministers with whom I have had Bible conferences. They have said something like this: “Now you will be invited to dinner by so-and-so, but you be very careful what you say if you go there because they are name-droppers, as you will find out. They will ask you certain questions, and they will use your answers against you later on.” Well, when I am relaxed at a meal and talking with friends, I can easily say something that can be misconstrued.
Not too long ago I had such an experience. A couple used certain things that I had said about a personal friend of mine. I was just kidding, because I love that man. He is my brother in the Lord, and we play golf together. He said to me, “What in the world are you saying about me?” I told him, and he laughed. He said, “Those people took what you said and gave it a twist.” But he said that he had been over to see them and had said something about me that would be coming back to me. And it did! He kids me too, and they had twisted what he had said about me. These were the kind of folk that Solomon had in mind when he wrote, “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye.” When you are invited out to dinner, make sure that you know the people with whom you are to dine. They may not be as cordial as you think they are.
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless [Prov. 23:10].
Now we have this remark about the old landmark again. If you have lost your faith—well, you’d better not pass that on to your children, because they will really pay for it. You probably had a good background and Christian parents, but your children will have no background to protect them.
Dr. J. Gresham Machen once said, “America is coasting downhill on a godly ancestry.” I agree with him, and it was my generation that had the godly ancestry; but we did not pass it on to our children. It was my generation that produced the younger generation that we are blaming for everything.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die [Prov. 23:13].
Now we have been over this before. Remember that Paul adds to this that the parent is not to correct the child in a fit of anger. The correction is to be for discipline, not punishment. If the discipline doesn’t help to develop the character of that child, it is no good.
We should not tell our children that we are punishing them. It would be better to tell them that we are disciplining them. Paul tells the fathers not to provoke the children to wrath, but “… bring them up in the instruction and discipline of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). We need to remember that it is the discipline and the instruction of the Lord. That is important.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags [Prov. 23:19–21].
Be very careful of the company you keep, young man. Birds of a feather flock together. Evil companions produce evil manners. This is a special warning to the young people.
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old [Prov. 23:22].
The young man is almost ready to graduate from the school of wisdom. His parents may be getting old. His dad may be a square, he may even be a bit senile, but the old folks still have a lot more sense than the young man has.
You would hear an example of this if you could only talk to Absalom. He would tell you that his dad had more sense than he had. He thought he could win a rebellion against his father, King David, but old David was a warhorse. When that boy moved out to the battlefield, he made a mistake. He should never have left Jerusalem, because David knew his way around on the battlefield, and it was fatal for that boy.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding [Prov. 23:23].
You and I do not need to buy truth with money. It is available to us without money and without price. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1). Christ is all of this for the child of God. He is truth and wisdom and understanding. The brilliant young Pharisee, Saul, who became the apostle Paul, tells us about it: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways [Prov. 23:26].
Someone may say, “Dr. McGee, I thought you said that God doesn’t want our old dirty, filthy hearts.” That’s right. He can’t use them. But when He says, “My son, give me thine heart,” He is not talking to the unsaved man; He is talking to His son. He is talking to the one to whom He has given a new heart, a new nature, who has been born again. Now He says to that one, “I want you to come to Me and I want you to yield yourself to Me. If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
If you have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, you can sing:
Take my poor heart, and let it be
Forever closed to all but Thee.
Take my love, my Lord; I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit [Prov. 23:27].
If anyone thought I was wrong in saying the stranger was a harlot, then here is a parallelism that shows the two are synonymous. That should answer that question.
She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men [Prov. 23:28].
The lives of two men illustrate this. There is the story of Judah in the Book of Genesis. That is a sorry chapter which tells his story when he went in to a harlot. Then there is the story of Samson. If he were here today, he would say, “I found out that a harlot is treacherous—she can betray you without a qualm.”
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine [Prov. 23:29–30].
Here again is a warning against this matter of drunkenness. We have heard many warnings about wine and women—but there is no song. Because—
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again [Prov. 23:32–35].
What a picture of drunkenness this is!
CHAPTER 24
This is the last chapter of the proverbs of Solomon which he wrote and arranged. After this we come to proverbs of Solomon that were arranged by the men of Hezekiah. Evidently Solomon wrote a great many proverbs. We have only a very small percentage of the total number. These are tremendous truths that have been placed in a very small compass. They can grip and direct our lives.
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief [Prov. 24:1–2].
This has been presented to us before. We find a repetition of the things which are important. For example, a great deal has been said about the use of the tongue and about pride and about being a fool. They are things that are constantly emphasized, because they are translated into life. We find these folk, not only on the sidewalks of New York, but in your town and my town. That is the reason I said you will find a proverb to fit every person you know. We have already found a great number which fit different characters in the Bible.
Psalm 73, a psalm of Asaph, deals with the same subject as our verse here in Proverbs. Asaph writes, “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked …. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men …. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth” (Ps. 73:3–9). Asaph was disturbed about that. I am of the opinion that you have been disturbed by it also. I certainly have had these feelings. I remember as a poor boy that I couldn’t understand why I had to be poor and drop out of school to work when I was only fourteen years of age. I looked about me and saw other boys who were well able to go to school but were dropping out because they hated it. I had a real question about it, because I had such a desire for an education.
Now Solomon deals with this matter: “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.” Why? A day of reckoning is coming. Asaph said he didn’t understand why the wicked prospered—“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end” (Ps. 73:17, italics mine). God will deal with them.
As we look out upon the world, we see a great deal of injustice, and there is very little that you and I can do about it. We have been in a generation that has protested about everything. They have attempted to equalize a great many things in this world. I don’t think all of the protesting has solved any problem, because the problem is in the heart of man. It is the heart of man that must be changed. God is the One who is going to level this thing off someday. We can trust Him to do that.
You and I need to recognize our place in life. It is going to make us happier people if we realize that God has put each of us in our own particular place to fulfill a purpose here on earth. I look at wicked men who are prosperous, and I don’t understand it. I have told God a dozen times that I don’t understand it. Don’t you be afraid to tell it to God just as Asaph did. The important thing is for you to go on with God, trusting Him to work it all out.
We need to learn to look at things from God’s point of view. The Bible is full of instances of wicked men who came to a bad end. It starts with Cain in the Book of Genesis. Even a man like Lot, although he was a saved man, chose to live in the city of Sodom and prospered there, but there came a day when he wished he had not moved to Sodom. It was a sad mistake for him to do that. So if you will go through the Word of God, you will find people who prospered for a time and then see how judgment has come time and time again. This is very important for us to understand.
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches [Prov. 24:3–4].
This is a wonderful picture of what we are to do. A man builds a house, and then he fills that house with furniture, with lovely pictures and tapestries, with beautiful personal items and valuable things. It is a pleasure to see a home like that, a beautiful home that is tastefully furnished.
You and I ought to be building us a house down here, a house of wisdom, a house of knowledge. We should begin to store our minds and our hearts with all kinds of wonderful furniture, vases, pictures, and lovely things. This was the thing that Paul admonished Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). And you and I should be filling our hearts and lives with the Word of God. Oh, my friend, let’s be working toward a beautiful mansion; let’s not be satisfied with a hovel.
When I was down in South America visiting with a missionary, he took me to some of the homes in his area. Many of them were what we would call a “lean-to” made out of old boards. Many of them were decaying, dilapidated places. Inside there was no place to sit, not even a chair. There would be a blanket or a sheepskin in a corner where the family would sleep; there was no bed. The cooking was done on the outside. I thought how tragic it was. Frankly, it made me sick just thinking of the poverty of those people down in South America. But, my friend, up here in North America I know many Christians who should have spent their lives building a lovely home—a spiritual home—and filling it with all kinds of wonderful treasures out of the Word of God. Instead, all they have is a little hovel. And when I look inside—oh, the ignorance! There is nothing there; it is absolutely bare.
In talking to a group of preachers just the other day, they agreed with me on this: the greatest tragedy in our churches today is the ignorance of the church members. Oh, the poor little empty houses they have! “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety [Prov. 24:5–6].
There are many resources for us to use today. Not only do we have people to whom we can turn for counsel, but we also have the Word of God. I don’t believe in this method of opening the Bible to look at some verse at the time of making a decision. That is not good. The Word of God is not a roulette wheel for us to turn and hope it stops at the right place. We need to know what the whole Bible says. We need to read Moses and Joshua and Samuel and David and Micah and Zechariah and Matthew and Paul and John. They are all our counselors. We can appeal to all of them at any time of decision.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small [Prov. 24:10].
He is saying something here that is rather important: It takes a man to do a man’s job. We use the old bromide, “Never send a boy to do a man’s work.” God uses these times of real stress and strain and testing to develop our spiritual character. That is the way He enables us to grow. It is in the hour of trial that you and I manifest the spiritual strength that we have.
It is a great comfort for us to know that many of God’s men turned and ran when their test came. Elijah had been so brave on the top of Mount Carmel, but when he heard that Jezebel was after him with the intention of killing him, he took off and ran for the wilderness until he got down to Beer-sheba. He left his servant there and continued on in the desert, climbed under a juniper tree, and said, “… Lord, let me die” (cf. 1 Kings 19:4).
When David was hunted by King Saul, he didn’t have a moment of peace. David said that he was hunted like a partridge in the mountains and that one of these days they would catch him and put him to death. He became very discouraged. But both David and Elijah learned in that hour that the Lord would and did strengthen them.
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? [Prov. 24:11–12].
Now there is somebody you could help, and you know you could. There is somebody to whom you could witness for Christ, and you may be the only one to whom he would listen.
Recently I talked with a man who feels that he has been responsible for the suicide of a loved one. He says that he knew he should have done something. I’m of the opinion that he should have, but he didn’t do it. A man can be under great conviction because he neglected to do something at a time when he should have done it.
The Lord God is the One who ponders the heart. In such an instance when we know we have failed to do something that we should have done, there is nothing left but to turn to the Lord and say, “Lord, forgive me. I failed. I come to You now asking You to strengthen me and help me.” The Lord will hear that kind of prayer. He will deliver a man from being overwhelmed by the grief and guilt of his failure.
We do well to mark the importance of this proverb and reach out to people who are in need of our help.
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief [Prov. 24:16].
“A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” Seven is the number of completeness. It means man just keeps on falling. But the just man will get up again. Do you know a man like that? Simon Peter was one. But then notice that “the wicked shall fall into mischief.” That is Judas. This proverb perfectly illustrates those two disciples of our Lord. Peter was a man who was constantly falling. We may say that he failed when he tried to walk on the water. I don’t really think that he failed, because he did walk on the water. He walked on the water to come to Jesus, but when he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at those rolling waves, he began to go under; he began to sink. But remember that the Lord rescued him and he walked back to the boat with Jesus. But Peter certainly fell the night the Lord Jesus was arrested. He denied his Lord three times. Again and again and again Peter failed the Lord. But he always got up and went on with the Lord.
A man came to me when I was a pastor in Pasadena. He said, “I have failed so many times and I am ashamed to go back to the Lord and tell Him again that I have failed and want to start over.” I told him, “You may be ashamed, but the Lord is not. He is ready to start you out again.” Then he asked, “How many times do you suppose you can fail and still come back?” I told him, “I don’t know, but I am working up in the hundreds myself, and I still go to Him.” It is so important for us to understand that we can go back to our Heavenly Father and tell Him that we stumbled and got dirty again. He will put us right back into His service. How wonderful it is to have a Heavenly Father like that!
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth [Prov. 24:17].
When you hear that something bad has happened to someone you haven’t really liked very much, don’t you say, “I’m glad that happened to him?” Now, don’t tell me you have never said that, because human nature is like that. If you haven’t said it, you’ve thought it. God says, “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth.” That is not the way to solve the problem. Why?
Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him [Prov. 24:18].
If you rejoice when your enemy falls, the Lord may turn around and start prospering that man. Then you really will be miserable. So there is a very practical reason for not rejoicing when your enemy falls.
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked [Prov. 24:19].
You may think, We have just read that. Yes, it is the same thought as verse 1 of this chapter. Then why is it repeated? Again, it is to show us how important this is. The Lord wants us to learn this.
Have you noticed that some of the parables and certain of the miracles of our Lord are repeated? For example, the feeding of the five thousand is recorded in all four Gospels. Each of the Gospel writers adds details which are peculiar to his Gospel. The miracle was of such importance that it is recorded for us four times. And the teaching of this proverb needs to be repeated because of its importance.
From verse 23 to the end of the chapter there is sort of an appendix which is introduced by, “These things also belong to the wise.”
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment [Prov. 24:23].
Here is something else the young man should learn before he graduates: “It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment”—that is, it is not good to show partiality in judgment. This is an important matter in daily living and something which is needed today. Men in public office need to know this. Employers need to know this. Anyone in any position of authority needs to know this. There should not be a system of favorites, but justice should be equal to all.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him [Prov. 24:24].
There is a great deal of that today. Wicked men are commended. Often the wicked man is called a righteous man. That is one of the worst things that could take place.
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work [Prov. 24:29].
This repeats what we have been hearing over and over again. It is the same message which Paul wrote to the Romans: “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man [Prov. 24:33–34].
This young man is going to graduate from college. He may know a lot and he may have other good qualities, but if he is lazy, he will find that to be the greatest handicap he could have in life.
CHAPTER 25
This is a new division of the Book of Proverbs. These are still proverbs of Solomon, but they were put together by the men of Hezekiah. The Septuagint calls them “the friends of Hezekiah.”
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter [Prov. 25:1–2].
This is the way the proverb states what the Lord Jesus said: “Search the scriptures …” (John 5:39). Paul wrote the same thing: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
We are to “search out a matter.” Even then we need to recognize that there are a great many things that God has not revealed to us at all. I doubt if we would be able to understand them if He did. They are inscrutable; they are beyond the comprehension of man. As He made it very clear: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9).
However, what God has revealed to us, we should study; we should consider it. It is important that we recognize our need to search the Word of God and to study it.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable [Prov. 25:3].
Sometimes we don’t understand what our rulers are doing. They probably have justification for it, because they know things that we do not know. Neither can we understand God’s ways, but we are never to sit in judgment upon what God does, because whatever God does is right—it is the proper thing to do.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness [Prov. 25:4–5].
I think one of the worst things that can happen to any individual is to have an evil adviser, someone who leads you into difficulty and trouble and sin. I thank God for a man in my life who led me away from that, because there was a man who had led me in the wrong direction. Think how important this is to the man in high position. A man who makes a decision in business that would affect a great many employees or a man in government whose decision would affect a great segment of the population needs to have the right kind of advisers around.
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen [Prov. 25:6–7].
“Put not forth” could be translated “display not.” You will remember that the Lord Jesus gave a parable to illustrate this great truth, and He did it because the religious rulers of His day were paying no attention to this proverb at all. When a great and important man invited many of his friends for dinner, he had reserved places at the table for certain ones he wanted to honor. But when the dinner bell was rung, there was a mad rush to get the best places at the table. They almost turned the thing over, I imagine, as they rushed in to get the most prominent places. The Lord Jesus was present there that day and apparently waited until everyone else had gone in. Then He said something to correct them: “When you’re invited to a dinner, don’t try to get the best place. You should purposely take the lowest place. Then when the one who has invited you comes in and sees you taking the lowest place—if you are his honored guest—he may say to you, ‘Come on up here.’ Now, if someone else has taken that place, the host would have to tap him on the shoulder and say, ‘You go down and take the lowest place’” (cf. Luke 14:7–10).
There are people whom we call “pushy” today—they are pushing themselves. We have people who are pushy in Christian circles. They are ambitious. They want to get ahead in Christian things. That is a tragedy. Maybe you can’t blame a man in the business world for trying to get ahead, but in Christian work it ought not to be.
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame [Prov. 25:8].
Now, again, the Lord Jesus gave a parable about this. He said in essence, “When a king is ready to go forth to war, he ought to sit down and see whether he’s going to be able to get the victory. And if he sees that he can’t carry on the warfare, then he ought to send an ambassador to make a peace treaty with the enemy” (cf. Luke 14:31–32).
We have an example of this in the Old Testament in King Josiah. He was a good king, and he led the last great revival that Judah had. There was a great turning back to God under his leadership, but he made one grave mistake. Somehow just one flaw sometimes spoils the life of an otherwise great man. Josiah was a great man and an outstanding man of God, but he made this bad mistake. Pharaoh Nechoh, king of Egypt, came to make war, not against Josiah at all, but against an altogether different enemy. But when Josiah came out against him, Pharaoh Nechoh told Josiah, “Now look, I didn’t come up to fight you. I don’t want to fight you.” But Josiah (he was a young man) had gone out to fight. I guess he thought it was the Lord’s will. (A great many of us blame the Lord for the mistakes in our decisions.) Josiah got into real trouble and lost the battle. In fact, he was killed in the battle there at Megiddo where the war of Armageddon will be fought. Josiah made a big mistake by meddling when he should not have done that at all. That is the thing the Lord wants us to see in this proverb (cf. 2 Kings 23:28–30).
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away [Prov. 25:9–10].
You could cause a great deal of trouble by criticizing your neighbor to the man down the street. If your neighbor has faults, go and talk to him personally.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver [Prov. 25:11].
Isn’t that a lovely one? That is just a beautiful simile. “Apples of gold”—we do have a Golden Delicious apple today, but apparently the fruit referred to here is the orange. Oranges, as well as other citrus fruits, were common and native to Israel. Today they grow some of the finest oranges in the world. An orange is a beautiful fruit. Someone will think I am promoting oranges because I live in California, but oranges were plentiful in Palestine at the time of Solomon.
As we go through the Word of God, we find that certain individuals said in a wonderful way just the right word at the right time. Sometimes it’s a good word. Sometimes it’s a word of rebuke. But the words were necessary, and they were “fitly spoken.” The words fit into the picture. They were the proper thing to say.
This is something that most of us ought to pray about: what we should say and at what time. We need to recognize that many times we say the wrong thing at the right time, or sometimes we have the knack of saying the right thing but at the wrong time. And there are times when we probably ought not to open our mouths at all.
I’m sure we all know some dear Christian who has a reputation of being able to say just the right thing at the right time—“a word fitly spoken.” There was a dear saint of God who lived in the country in middle Tennessee years ago. She had a reputation for always saying something very nice to the preacher at the end of every morning service. Very frankly, people would linger to hear what she had to say, because there were times they couldn’t think of anything good to say about the sermon that they had heard. And one time they had a visiting preacher who was just a little worse than any they had ever had before. I tell you, people were interested that morning. What in the world could she say nice to that preacher about the sermon he had preached? So when she went out, she said to him, “Pastor, I want you to know that I did enjoy your sermon, because this morning you had one of the most wonderful texts in Scripture.” Now that is “a word fitly spoken.” It was like oranges in a picture frame of silver. The golden orange and the silver frame blend very well, as you know.
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear [Prov. 25:12].
You have seen a woman’s beautiful earring. In our day some men are wearing earrings, although I never saw one that I thought was attractive; but you have seen a woman beautifully wear an earring. That describes the effect of a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.There are times when a person should be reproved and rebuked. We are living in a day when if we rebuke someone, especially if it is done publicly, people will say, “My, you certainly have lost that individual. You’ll never be able to win him.” Friend, if he’s the right kind of individual, you’ll win him. And if he’s the wrong kind, you wouldn’t be able to win him anyway. There are times that a reproof should be made.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters [Prov. 25:13].
In that land it gets really hot at the time of harvest. And in that day they would go up to Mount Hermon and pack some of the snow and bring it down. I tell you, the snow was good. How wonderful it tasted! That is what a faithful messenger is. No wonder the Lord is going to say to some,“… Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).
We all like to have around us faithful people. A man wants a faithful wife. He appreciates faithful children. An employer wants faithful employees. A pastor wants a faithful staff and a faithful congregation. And the people want a faithful pastor. Faithfulness is a wonderful quality. It is like a good, cold drink on a very hot day to have someone with us who is faithful.
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain [Prov. 25:14].
Some men boast of gifts they don’t have. When I was a pastor, I would get letters from men who would tell me how wonderful they were. I remember one man wrote me, and he said he was an evangelist, a Bible teacher, a singer, and a pianist. He could do everything, and he wanted to hold a meeting at our church. I read the letter to the officers of the church, and they began to laugh. They said to me, “Why don’t you invite him?” I said, “I’d never invite that man for two reasons. The first reason is, if he’s the kind of man he says he is, after our people had heard him, they’d never want to hear me again! The second reason is I have a notion that he is a man who is boasting of a gift he does not have.” What a picture this is!
And this is the picture of the apostates in the last days. Jude describes them in the most vivid language. He speaks of them as being clouds without water, fruit trees without fruit, “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame …” (Jude 12–13).
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it [Prov. 25:16].
In the Old Testament, honey illustrates natural sweetness. There was no honey permitted in the bread or meal offering, because that offering speaks of Jesus Christ in His humanity. There was no natural sweetness in Him.
Have you ever met someone who was so sweet, who said so many sweet things it almost made you sick? Notice what it says here. Don’t take in too much honey because it will make you sick at your tummy.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee [Prov. 25:17].
Oh, this is a good one! Don’t spend too much time at the neighbor’s, or else you may overhear a conversation in the kitchen where the lady of the house says, “I wish that old gossip would go home and stay home.” It’s better not to wear out your welcome at a place. That is what he is saying here.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint [Prov. 25:19].
For example, Judas was a bad toothache, and he was foot trouble—he was both of them. You have probably met someone like that in your life.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee [Prov. 25:21–22].
We find that the Lord Jesus repeats this principle, and Paul does, too. It is very important.
The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue [Prov. 25:23].
We are living in a day of sweetness and light when we are not supposed to rebuke anyone for anything. Every now and then I get a letter from some lovely saint who rebukes me for being hard on certain groups and certain movements. May I say that I believe that is what I should do. “The north wind driveth away rain.” An angry countenance will take care of a backbiting tongue; it will take care of those who are teaching falsely today. I think they should be dealt with, and I intend to continue to speak out when it is important to speak out.
It would be wonderful if we could have sweetness and light all the time, but we are living in a world in which there are serpents along the pathway of life. There are pitfalls in our path: there is false doctrine and false teaching of the Word of God. And I want to speak out, but I hope I do it in a spirit of love. I have no intention of hurting any individual, but I do try to give out the truth of God. I find ample justification for that in the Word of God and here is one verse for it.
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house [Prov. 25:24].
We have had this pointed out to us several times already. Solomon, who had so many wives, must have had a lot of trouble with some of them. Maybe that is why he mentioned this so often. I have wondered if he had some backseat drivers when he would go for a ride in his chariot.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country [Prov. 25:25].
Have you heard from home lately? Or have you written home to mother? That is important. But there is something far greater in this verse than first meets the eye.
There has come good news from a far country. The Lord Jesus said, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father”(John 16:28). In that brief period of time, as John Wesley said, God was contracted to a span, and He wrought out your salvation and mine. That is the good news that has come to us from a far country. By the way, have you received Him? Have you accepted Him? He is the Water of Life. He is “cold waters to a thirsty soul.”
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring [Prov. 25:26].
When I was a little boy and went along on a hunting expedition, we never carried water with us in a container. We would come to a creek or a spring. Sometimes it would be limpid water (in that day pollution was not a big problem), but every now and then we found a spring that was green with scum. What a disappointment that would be.
This is the comparison he makes with a righteous man, a man who has stood for truth, who finally bows before the wicked. How many times that happens in business. How many times that happens in politics. A man of integrity, in order to get into office, will bow before the wicked. And it even happens in the church. A man who has stood for pure doctrine, for things that are right, will begin to compromise and cut corners. That is the heartbreak of the day. It is just like coming to a spring when you are thirsty and finding it covered with scum and pollutants. What a verse this is!
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory [Prov. 25:27].
A little honey is good, but a lot of honey makes you sick. For a man to be ambitious for self glory, especially in the ministry of God, makes you sick. We see this around us in the church—there is an inordinate ambition among some Christians today. It makes you sick at your tummy to see that type of thing.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls [Prov. 25:28].
This refers to a man or woman who cannot control his emotions, who is not self—controlled. And you know that self—control is a fruit of the Spirit. Now there is a time for a person to let go. There is a time to stand for something and to speak out with great emotion. But, my friend, we are to recognize our need to control our own spirits.
CHAPTER 26
This first section deals with the fool. The Bible, especially Proverbs, has a great deal to say about the fool. This does not refer to the person who is mentally deficient. God is not talking to the person who is simple-minded or who has some mental aberration. The fool that God is talking to is a man who may be brilliant. In fact he may have his Ph.D. degree.
David wrote, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God …” (Ps. 14:1). A fool is a man who, though he may be brilliant, is an atheist. The Hebrew word for fool means “insane.” The man who says there is no God is an insane man.
Intermarriage within a family can sometimes produce very brilliant offspring but can also produce mental deficiency. In the early days of a church I pastored in Tennessee one of the pastors had married into the governor’s family where there had been much intermarrying. As a result, there was insanity in the family. The pastor had two daughters, and they were brilliant. They were old ladies,when I was a young pastor there, living way out in the country, up in the hills of middle Tennessee. I was holding meetings in that area, and they wanted me to come by to see them. I have never met two women who were more brilliant than those ladies. They knew all about me, about the church I was serving, about the Bible, literature, music, current events. It was amazing. But there was something odd there. The pastor who went with me had warned me not to be surprised at what I would see. When we went in, we had to shoo the chickens off the chairs so we could sit down. Then we had to be rather careful where we sat. While I was sitting there talking to them, a cow stuck her head in from the kitchen door. There was a horse in the bedroom, and there were goats all around—I didn’t see them, but I sure could tell they were there. The sisters had a mental aberration, you see.
Now that is not the kind of thing the Lord means when He calls a person a fool. He means someone who has rejected Him. God calls that insanity.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool [Prov. 26:1].
One of the marks of a fool is that he doesn’t mind sacrificing his honor. Candidly, he has none.
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come [Prov. 26:2].
Predictions that certain things will come to pass do not always happen. By the way, we have a lot of so-called prophets in our midst today. They keep telling us what is going to happen in the next few years. Some of it may come to pass, that’s true, but they are not getting their information from God—because sometimes they are wrong, and God’s prophet is never wrong (see Deut. 18:20–22).
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back [Prov. 26:3].
That is a good one. The horse and the ass can be trained. They will respond. The only thing a fool will respond to is real discipline.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit [Prov. 26:4–5].
When I was a boy, our town atheist enjoyed pointing out contradictions in the Bible. This was one that he used. My friend, there is no contradiction here at all. These two proverbs simply set before us two possible lines of conduct in response to a fool.
I get many letters from many kinds of people. I answer some of the letters, and some of the letters I do not answer. I must make a decision about them. I conclude that some of the letters I get come from fools. If I were to answer such a letter according to its folly, I would make myself a fool. If you lay yourself wide open to a fool, you are a fool yourself.
I had this experience recently. I received a letter from a brilliant man who had some impressions about me that were entirely wrong.I thought I should try to correct him and tell him the truth, so I responded according to verse 5. I answered his letter. Then I received a letter back from him, and I have never seen such a foolish letter. It made me feel like a fool for having written to him in the first place. I do not intend to answer his second letter. I am using verse 4 for my decision. So you see, there are two lines of conduct set before us,and we need to determine whether we should respond or should not respond.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage [Prov. 26:6].
You make a mistake if you send a message by the wrong individual!
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools [Prov. 26:7].
I would like to extend this to the interpretation of parables. There are interpretations of parables in the Bible that are taught by some professors which tempt me to say, “So is a parable in the mouth of fools.”
As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool [Prov. 26:8].
Giving honor to a fool is simply giving him ammunition.
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools [Prov. 26:9].
A thorny branch in the hand of a drunken man will probably wound him as well as others. The same is true of a fool who has the position of a teacher. He will hurt himself and those who listen.
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors [Prov. 26:10].
We can be very sure of the ultimate outcome. God will take care of things and handle all these matters.
Here is something rather frightful.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly [Prov. 26:11].
I know of nothing as harsh as that. It is repulsive and sickening even to think of this. This is the viewpoint that Peter presents to us concerning the hypocrite: “But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet. 2:22).
Remember that when the prodigal son was in the pigpen, he knew that he was in the wrong place, and he returned to his home. Suppose when he returned home, he brought along with him one of the pigs from the pigpen. The little pig would not enjoy the father’s house. Eventually he would go to the pigpen. Eventually, all the hypocrites in the church will be revealed, and there are many who only pretend to be sons of God—there is no question about that.
A man told me that the reason he did not join the church was that the church was filled with hypocrites. I said, “No one knows that better than I do. But that is no reason why you shouldn’t be in the church. You can’t hide behind a hypocrite. You should be in there revealing what is genuine.”
I have talked about hypocrisy in the church before, and I receive letters from folk who don’t like me to mention it. But the Bible teaches that there is a security for the believer, and also there is insecurity for the make-believer. It is to the hypocrite that the proverb refers.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him [Prov. 26:12].
There is something worse than a fool and that is an egomaniac, one who has a high opinion of himself.
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth [Prov. 26:20].
Bitterness is repeatedly stirred up in certain groups because there are certain ones in there who keep putting a little wood on the fire. If no one were fueling it, the fire would go out; the strife would cease.
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife [Prov. 26:21].
There are certain folks who cause strife as soon as they start attending a church or join a church. You will find them in the Lord’s work today. They seem to stir things up all the time. They are never really interested in the Word of God, although they may pretend to be.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly [Prov. 26:22].
A better translation is, “The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” People like to hear those choice little bits of gossip. They like to hear them, but they are hard to digest and will finally make them sick. A real child of God does not wish to hear things that are ugly.
Now here we have one of the longest and strongest sections against hypocrisy, and it refers to hypocrisy among God’s people.
Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin [Prov. 26:23–28].
There are folk who make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, but who are not really God’s children. We call them hypocrites because they are pretending to be what they are not. They are phonies. But they should not disturb those inside or outside the church for the very fact that a counterfeit necessitates a genuine and valuable original. No one counterfeits pennies or even one-dollar bills, as far as I know. They do counterfeit twenty-dollar bills. They only counterfeit that which is valuable. So we should not be surprised to see counterfeit Christians. This cluster of proverbs describes the phony and warns against him. He is the man who is two-faced. He will flatter you, yet in his heart he will hate you.
It was Tacitus who made the statement, “It is common for men to hate those whom they have injured.” Dr. Ironside puts it like this: “Conscious of having wronged another, and being determined not to confess it, the dissembler will store his heart with hatred against the object of his wrongdoing. To hide his wretched feelings, such a one will flatter with his lips while all the time he is plotting the ruin of his victim.”
An example of flattery and hypocrisy in the Bible is Haman. Remember how he flattered. This man plotted to destroy an entire people, including the queen upon the throne. He was an evil man. He flattered the king, and yet it was obvious that he was planning to overthrow the king.
Hypocrisy is found in Christian circles, and we need to recognize it. There is no use covering over this. There is probably no place in the world where there is so much cover-up as in the church. We try to act as if there were no wrong there. We think that if we ignore it, it will go away. We feel defeated if anyone mentions the fact that there is hypocrisy. We feel that we in ourselves are defeated if we acknowledge that even in our hearts there is this root of bitterness sometimes. Christians need to face up to these sins, and the proverbs are good at making us face up to them.
CHAPTER 27
This chapter deals with the subject of friendship.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth [Prov. 27:1].
There is a philosophy of procrastination that is very familiar to all of us. It puts off until tomorrow what could be done today. South of the border, our Mexican friends have a word for it: “mañnana”—tomorrow. That is the easy route. There is a Spanish proverb that says, “The road of by-and-by leads to the house of never.” Usually when one says, Mañnana, it really means, “Never.” It is not that there is no intention of doing the thing in question. It is just put off. We have another proverb that puts it very bluntly, “The way to hell is paved with good intentions.” The English have a proverb that says, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” The Word of God puts it like this: “… To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 4:7, italics mine). And again, “(… behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Cor. 6:2, italics mine). Isaiah writes, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord …” (Isa. 1:18, italics mine). The tendency of man is to want to wait for another time. Remember that the governor Felix trembled when he heard the gospel from the apostle Paul. Paul, though a prisoner, talked to him about his soul’s salvation, and Felix responded, “… Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25). As far as we know from the Word of God, that “convenient season” never came for Felix. Also, Pharaoh in Egypt was always going to let the children of Israel go tomorrow, not today. Finally his repeated postponements cost him his oldest son and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.
Today is always the day of salvation. You do not know what tomorrow will bring.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips [Prov. 27:2].
Goliath should have listened to this proverb. He paraded in front of the army of Israel every day, flexed his muscles, told them how great he was and what a miserable bunch of cowards they were. Eventually he got into trouble with a boy named David.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both [Prov. 27:3].
If you have a fool angry with you, you are in trouble, because a fool has no discretion. He will say and do anything.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? [Prov. 27:4].
Envy is jealousy. “… jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame” (Song 8:6).
You will remember what jealousy did in the family of Jacob. The brothers sold Joseph into slavery because of their intense jealousy.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [Prov. 27:5–6].
This is a contrast of which we have many examples in the Bible. Paul rebuked Simon Peter when he withdrew from eating with the Gentiles. Peter needed that rebuke, and he accepted it from Paul. There was no ill feeling between them.
It is a wonderful thing to have a friend who will call attention to your faults in a helpful way. That’s the reason a preacher needs a good wife. She can keep him humble and tell him what is wrong with him. I have come out from a service puffed up like a balloon. When we get into the car, my wife pushes a pin into the balloon. I recognize that she is the one who is right rather than the one who was flattering me.
Now the contrasting thought is, of course, exemplified in Judas who betrayed Jesus with a kiss.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet [Prov. 27:7].
This is the reason we have gourmet cooking in our day. We are a pampered people who have so much to eat that the food must be prepared in unusual ways or the foods must be exotic and unusual to whet our appetites. Some people need hummingbird wings or peacock tongues served to them before they can really enjoy their food. That is why cooking reached such a high degree of perfection in the European countries like France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. The ruling class had such plenty that they got tired of eating plain food. A tenderloin steak or filet mignon or strawberries and ice cream were just not good enough for them. So the chefs of that day had to concoct unusual and tasty foods for them.
Contrast this with the hungry man. Food, all food, any food tastes good to him.
One can also apply this to the Word of God. We are to eat it, chew it, ruminate on it. Actually, this is what it means to meditate on the Word of God. May God give us an appetite, a real hunger for His Word!
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place [Prov. 27:8].
There are many folk in churches and in other Christian works who are like round pegs in square holes or square pegs in round holes. They just don’t fit in. The reason is that God has given to every believer a gift: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Cor. 12:7, italics mine). And God has a particular place for every believer to exercise the gift he has been given: “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Cor. 12:18). We should get into that place and exercise our gift. In the New Testament we have examples of folk who apparently didn’t exercise their gifts. For instance, Paul spoke of a young man by the name of Demas: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica …” (2 Tim. 4:10). He went back into the world. As far as we know, he never did fit into the place that God had for him.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off [Prov. 27:9–10].
I have always felt that this is a California proverb. When I first came to California, I was shocked at the few people who attended funerals. I had come from Texas, where people came from far and near to attend a funeral. The largest crowds I ever addressed were at Texas funerals. When I came to California, I conducted a funeral for a dear saint of God who lived alone. She had brought her husband out here from the East because he was sick, and she spent much of her time caring for him until he died. She didn’t have many friends, although she had become active in the church to a certain extent. I thought the place would be crowded for her funeral, but there were about fifteen people there. Her family and friends were back in the East. “Better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.” We all need friends, and it is better to make friends among our neighbors than depend on family and old friends who are great distances from us.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished [Prov. 27:12].
This is one of the great benefits of the study of prophecy: We know what is coming. Frankly, I would be very discouraged and pessimistic if I had to look to men to solve our problems today. I don’t think man has the solution. We are moving to a crisis and a catastrophe—I don’t think there is any question about that. Any man is very foolish to think that he can solve the problems of the world. The Word of God makes it clear that there is trouble ahead, and the judgment of God is coming upon this old world.
There is another thought in connection with this proverb. I will state it in rather terse language: Buy insurance. The Lord intends for you to make plans for the future. “A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself.” He prepares for the difficult day that is coming. Some people have the idea that a man ought not prepare for retirement, ought not to carry insurance. The foolish reason given is that we ought to trust the Lord. Let me say that when the Lord has given us means for providing for the future, we should avail ourselves of them.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him [Prov. 27:14].
There is a great deal of irony in this statement. There are those who make such loud protestations of love and affection that you know there is some motive behind it all. Watch out for the man who is praising you more than you ought to be praised.
A scriptural illustration of this is the way in which Absalom won the hearts of the men of Israel (see 2 Sam. 15:1–6). He got up early and came to the city gate to talk to the men who came to the king with a controversy. Absalom flattered them and pretended to love them and show an interest in their cases. But his true interest was in gaining their support when he seized the throne. (Politicians have been following this same procedure from that day to this!)
I always tell this to young preachers when I am speaking in seminaries: “Young men, regardless of what church you go to, there will always be a dear saint in that church who will tell you what a wonderful preacher you are. Generally it is a sweet old lady; sometimes it is a man. The Lord puts them there to encourage young preachers. They will tell you that you are the greatest preacher they have ever heard. They will have you think you are another apostle Paul, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham all wrapped into one individual. It’s wonderful that such a person is there to encourage you, but don’t you believe what you hear. It’s not true.” A modern proverb goes something like this: Flattery is like perfume. The idea is to smell it, not swallow it.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend [Prov. 27:17].
It is a wonderful thing to have a friend with whom you can sharpen your mind. You can discuss certain things with him with real profit. I used to have such a friend, and we could sit down and talk about spiritual matters. I always came away refreshed and strengthened, and I always had learned something. It is wonderful to have a friend like that.
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man [Prov. 27:19].
It is wonderful to have a friend to whom you can open your heart, knowing that he will not betray you. A friend is one who knows you and still loves you.
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied [Prov. 27:20].
We never see enough. We want to keep on seeing. That’s the reason some of us love to travel around the world.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise [Prov. 27:21].
Be careful of praise. Make sure it has the right effect upon you. Dr. Ironside (Notes on the Book of Proverbs, pp. 390–391) has this comment: “There is no hotter crucible to test a man than when he is put through a fire of praise and adulation. To go on through evil report, cleaving to the Lord, and counting on Him to clear one’s name is comparatively easy, though many faint in such circumstances; but to humbly pursue the even tenor of his way, undisturbed and unlifted up by applause and flattery, marks a man as being truly with God”
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? [Prov. 27:24].
“Riches are not for ever”—in our materialistic age we need to recognize the truth of this. You won’t be taking your riches with you. There is no pocket in a shroud.
“And doth the crown endure to every generation?” Dynasties rise and fall in this world of changes. God is the only One on whom we can depend. He is the only unchangeable Friend.
This has been a great chapter on friendship.
CHAPTER 28
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion [Prov. 28:1].
Sin, regardless of the viewpoint of men toward it, puts a person into a state of continual fear and self-condemnation. I was speaking to a group of young people about sin, just sin in general. A young fellow and girl in the group were living together. I had never even mentioned that as a sin, but it was interesting to hear how that young man began to defend himself—it would have been amusing if it had not been so serious. When sin was being discussed, his conscience began to prick him, and then he began defending himself. “The wicked flee when no man pursueth” No one had pointed a finger at him. I would not have known of his sin if he had kept quiet. The discussion was about sin, not his particular sin.
There is a psychological term that is used: a guilt complex. We all have a guilt complex. A Christian psychologist, who was on the faculty of the University of Southern California, said to me, “We all have a guilt complex. It is as much a part of us as our light arm. No one can get rid of a guilt complex just by wishful thinking.” Many people try to do that. He went on with an even more interesting statement: “We psychologists can shift the guilt complex from one place to another, but we cannot eliminate it”.
“The righteous are bold as a lion” If a man is not guilty, he can stand up and speak out. If his own mind is free from guilt, he is not afraid of the thoughts and minds of other men.
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination [Prov. 28:9].
“The law” means the Word of God. It includes everything that had been written up to the time of Solomon: the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, and many of the Psalms.
The thing that God is saying here is very important. If you want God to hear you, you must hear Him first. He has made it very clear that He does not listen to the prayer of the godless man. It is just sentimental twaddle to talk about the prayers of the godless man being answered in time of trouble. Tear-jerking stories tell of a sick little daughter whose father in a very sentimental way calls upon God to raise her up. I would suggest that he call a godly friend to pray to the Lord for his little girl, because God will not hear the prayer of the ungodly man. He says He won’t. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Pet. 3:12). Here in Proverbs it says that his prayer is actually an abomination to God.
Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession [Prov. 28:10].
This is a law of God that is operative in this world. You can find this again and again as you go through the Word of God. For example, David by his sin brought scandal into his own family and his own home.
The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out [Prov. 28:11].
Riches will minister to pride and conceit. They seem to go along together. You hear of rich people giving testimonies at banquets, especially prominent banquets. You hear that the great men of this world give their testimony at the president’s prayer breakfast. Did you ever hear of them reaching down and asking some poor little vegetable variety Christian to give his testimony? But notice what God says, “The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out” The poor man, poor in this world’s goods but rich in faith, can listen to the testimony of the rich and know that it is hollow, that it lacks reality. Even if it is real, it will often lack the ring of discernment and of understanding of spiritual things. I have been present at banquets where they, have called upon a prominent businessman or a so-called Hollywood convert to give a testimony. I have noted the people who have real spiritual discernment bowing their heads in embarrassment at the things which were being said. This is a very practical proverb, and one that is often passed over.
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy [Prov. 28:13].
This is a great proverb. It seems a common practice today for Christians to try to cover their sins. You will find in the average church that there is a Band-Aid of silence wrapped over the cancer of sin. People don’t like to talk about it; in fact, they don’t admit its existence. They like to think they are very good. But we are told here, “But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” And we have the New Testament version of this in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This does not refer to a public confession of sin; confession is between you and the Lord, and sin should be dealt with. Trying to appear sinless before your little group of friends is a big mistake. If you confess and forsake your sin, you shall have mercy. How wonderful!
Happy is the man that feareth always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief [Prov. 28:14].
This is what it means to walk in the fear of the Lord. Remember that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” (Prov. 9:10). It means that our hearts are open toward God all the time. It is the opposite of “he that hardeneth his heart” The man who fears God is one who is listening to God. He is one who is trying to walk in a way that is pleasing to God. He is walking in humility before the Lord. He walks in recognition of his weakness and of his utter dependence upon God. This is the meaning of “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
I must pause here to say that I have received letters that read: “You have pointed out the faults of the church members, and you have given the criticism of the Christians who are in the churches today. Don’t you have a word of encouragement for them?”
May I say that I attempt to teach the Word of God. We are living in days of apostasy—pastors in our churches across the land and missionaries on the foreign field are quick to acknowledge the present-day apostasy of the church. I recognize that we need encouragement, and the Bible has much to say that is encouraging to the true believer. I call attention to the local church when the Word of God makes it very clear that reference is being made to folk who are making only a profession of being Christian. I feel that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. A great many folk in and out of the church are tremendously discouraged by what they see in the lives of some Christians, and it is causing them to turn away from religion. A rebellious young man told me, “I’ve turned off religion.” Well, knowing something of the boy’s background, I almost felt like saying, I don’t blame you. I couldn’t say that to the young man, so I tried to point out to him that there are many wonderful saints in the church. Often they are in the background, and he hadn’t noticed them. They are folk with whom he could have wonderful fellowship.
I felt that I should pause in our study to insert this explanation in case you may be thinking that I am too critical of the contemporary church.
Actually, the one who wrote these proverbs didn’t spare any of us. Many of the proverbs fit us just like a garment!
A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him [Prov. 28:17].
A man who is consciously guilty of having committed a horrible crime must bear a fearful load on his conscience. Often it will finally drive him to suicide. There are many cases like that today. The prime example from the Bible is Judas Iscariot who was driven to suicide because of the awful, dastardly crime which he had committed.
An FBI man told me that sometimes a crime will go unsolved for years. They will have no inkling at all of evidence nor any way to trace the guilty one. Then a man or woman pops up who has to talk, who feels impelled to make a confession. Sometimes the person is already in prison for another crime. He will confess the unsolved crime that the police are still working on. Why does he do that? Because the crime is on the mind and heart of the guilty one. There is no escape from it. God has made us that way as a means of bringing us back to Himself.
Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer [Prov. 28:24].
A young person may think, I’m going to inherit what my dad owns, so I’ll just take a little of it now. God says that that is a crime. The Lord Jesus rebuked the religious rulers of His day because they taught that as soon as a person had said to his father or mother, “It is Corban” or “I have dedicated to God that which would relieve your need” (see Matt. 15:5–6; Mark 7:11), he thereby consecrated all to God and was freed from using it for his parents. This, Jesus declared to be contradictory to the command of God. You see, it is so easy because of a relationship to deny support or to take something that does not belong to us. That is what our Lord condemned.
Incidentally, if you are a parent, you should not ignore acts of theft in the home.
CHAPTER 29
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy [Prov. 29:1].
God has so many ways of reproving a man; yet the man can keep going on in sin. In my own experience I have known so many folk who were warned before judgment fell upon them; they ignored the warning, and judgment fell upon them in this life.
In Dallas, Texas, one night I was walking down the street with a friend. A big crowd was gathered around out in front of a theatre. There was a wrecked automobile there and, believe me, it was really in a sad condition. When I got back to the seminary, one of the students told us the story of that car. It had been driven by a high school student and his girl friend. They had stopped to invite another girl to call her date and go out with them. She said, “No, I can’t go with you tonight,” but she asked them to come with her to a Bible class. They finally agreed to take her to her Bible class, but they would not go in with her. On the way over, this girl presented Christ to them. She told them that she had accepted Christ through the Bible class and that they needed Him, too. They just laughed, and let the girl out of the car. Five minutes later as they were speeding down the street, they were both killed instantly when they collided with another car.
There are many examples of this in the Bible. We think of Korah, and Dathan and Abiram, Belshazzar, Jezebel, and others. “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn [Prov. 29:2].
We’ve seen before that when the wicked are in power, they never solve the problem, but one righteous man is able to bring blessing to a nation. That is what we need in this nation of ours above everything else. We don’t need men who say they have solutions for every problem. No one has the solutions for the problems of this world, and if anyone says he does, he must say it with his tongue in his cheek. What we need today are righteous men who will stand for the right at any price. I believe just one such man is better than a whole party, regardless of what party it might be.
When the wicked rule, everyone suffers. Incidentally, for whom did you vote?
The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it [Prov. 29:4].
David was a good king. He was a righteous ruler over men, a ruler in the fear of God. Yet David made the confession that his house was not sound. Only Christ is the King who by judgment will establish the land. The coming of Christ to this earth is the only hope the world has. Thank the Lord that the church will leave before He comes to judge the earth. That is the promise that He has given.
Politicians today are influenced by the giving of gifts. That has always figured in the politics of both parties. The Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness.
A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet [Prov. 29:5].
Applause for a man who is doing a good job is certainly in order. Merit should be recognized. I think there is a time to stand up and cheer for an individual. But when flattery is used, it is like the overdose of honey that we have read about in this book. It seems there are some people who are just given to flattery. They do not really tell the thing that is upon their hearts.
When I was a pastor, there was a man who was always making requests and asking favors. I knew the minute my secretary said that he was on the phone that he wanted something. He always began the same way: “Oh Dr. McGee, I was listening to you on the radio this past week, and I want to tell you I never heard a message like that. I hope you are putting that message into print.” The more flattering the things he said, the bigger the favor he was going to ask. Flattery is a dangerous thing because sometimes people believe it. It is tragic when we believe flattery.
The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul [Prov. 29:10].
We might translate it like this: “Men of blood hate the perfect, but the just seek [or care] for his soul.” The bloodthirsty man has murder and hate in his heart. The Lord Jesus said that if you hate your brother, you are guilty of murder.
Cain was a murderer, and the murder began in his heart. It shows how far and how quickly man fell. Remember that God created Adam and Eve perfect. When they fell, the only thing they could bring into the world was a sinner. They brought forth sons and daughters in their own likeness. Cain was one of them. He was a boy born with murder in his heart—he hated his brother.
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards [Prov. 29:11].
You talk with a fool, and he will tell you everything. A wise man will hold back. He will be very careful what he says.
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked [Prov. 29:12].
Parents need to discipline a child faithfully and set an example before him, because a child will imitate his parents. And the people will imitate their rulers and men in high position. The conduct of a ruler will be reflected in those who are under him. That is the picture we have here.
Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul [Prov. 29:17].
Again we have before us the importance of discipline.
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he [Prov. 29:18].
“Vision” is actually spiritual understanding. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer to give him understanding of the Word of God.
We read in 1 Samuel 3:1: “… And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.” The Word of the Lord was precious, or rare. There was no understanding of the Word of God, and, therefore, it was precious in those days. God had to raise up Samuel, a seer, to meet that need.
You may remember that Joshua was disturbed because some of the men prophesied in the camp. But Moses said, “… would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Num. 11:29).
Spiritual discernment is one of the gifts that God has given to the church—that is, an understanding of the Word of God.
This chapter concludes the collection of proverbs that were copied out by the men of Hezekiah. It concludes all the proverbs which are attributed to King Solomon. However, I believe that the final chapter of Proverbs was also written by Solomon and that he is King Lemuel.
CHAPTER 30
In this one chapter are proverbs by an unknown sage, named Agur. The first verse tells us all we know about his parentage.
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal [Prov. 30:1].
None of these named are people whom we know. Agur is an unknown seer and unknown writer. The proper names here are like all Hebrew names in that they do mean something. “Agur” means gatherer and “Jakeh” means pious. Some versions translate the names as common nouns: “The words of a gatherer, the son of the pious.”
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? [Prov. 30:4].
It is interesting to note that these are some of the questions God asked Job. Who is able to answer such questions? The Lord Jesus said, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). This is why I constantly say that the Lord Jesus is the only authority on this matter of creation and the origin of the universe. Very candidly, I don’t think any of us has the correct explanation of the origin of the universe. Scientists do not—the very fact that they come up with the evolutionary theory means that they do not have the answer to origin. The reason that we spent so much money to go to the moon was to get rocks so that we might find out about the origin of the universe!
The first verse of Genesis tells us that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. That is how it all began. But then the next verse: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2) is considered by some to describe the act of creation. My friend, I don’t think that God has told us how He did the creating. I believe this second verse suggests the gap theory—that God created the heaven and the earth and then there followed a space of time. Something happened to that original creation. The earth became without form and void. I recognize that this theory has been largely abandoned, but I still hold it in spite of what these sharp young men are writing today. My contention is that God has not told how He created. We just don’t know—neither scientist nor theologian knows. I like the question God asked Job: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? …” (Job 38:4). That is a question which God can ask every individual. No one has the answer.
Also I like the question Agur asks. “Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?” Just think—God holds the winds just like we might hold some article in our hand. What a picture that is! Man knows very little about these things. In that same passage where the Lord Jesus said He was the One who came down from heaven, He also said, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth …” (John 3:8). This is a tremendous thought.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him [Prov. 30:5].
Nothing will clean you up like the Word of God. Every Word of God is pure. It is better than any soap; it is a miracle cleanser.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar [Prov. 30:6].
This should make us cautious in our handling of the Word of God. God doesn’t mind calling a man a liar if he is one.
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain [Prov. 30:7–9].
“Remove far from me vanity and lies” means I don’t want to live among those who are vain and are flattering and are lying. It is like living in a rattlesnake den to live with folk like that. And then he says, “Give me neither poverty nor riches.” Let me take the middle of the road. I don’t want to be an extremist either way.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness [Prov. 30:12].
There are some church members who are like that. They are pure in their own eyes. They feel that they don’t need a Savior. They are just religious.
Also there are people who are high up in business and politics who feel that they are pure—they are not guilty of wrongdoing. Even the down-and-outer may be pure in his own eyes. But none of them is washed. The only way that any of us can be clean is to be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.
There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough [Prov. 30:15].
Now he goes on to list four things that are never satisfied:
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough [Prov. 30:16].
First is “the grave.” You and I live in a funeral procession. All of us do. It began outside the Garden of Eden with the death of Abel, and it has been coming down through the centuries. This old world on which we live is a great big cemetery. The grave is never satisfied.
“The barren womb” There are so many women who cannot have children for one reason or another. (I think they would make such wonderful mothers of adopted children.) They are never satisfied. Such a woman wants that precious little one to put his chubby arms around her neck and call her mother. And the same holds true for fathers.
“The earth that is not filled with water.” We don’t ever get enough rain out here in California. We need more rain.
“The fire that saith not, It is enough.” We have too much fire and not enough rain. I sometimes wonder when we are going to burn off all the mountains of California. I thought we would have run out of burnable mountains long ago, but they still burn every summer.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it [Prov. 30:17].
Terrible judgments are pronounced against those who turn against father and mother. God have mercy on the young people today who have turned against their parents who are believers in Christ.
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid [Prov. 30:18–19].
Agur, the writer, didn’t understand these things, and I don’t either. Have you thought of this when you watch an eagle fly? Have you been intrigued by a serpent on a rock? Then there is the way of a ship at sea. I went across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary many years ago, and it was a wonder to me how that great ship of iron could float. And then the way of a man with a maid. Today we hear so much about sex; yet in spite of that, have you noticed how awkward the young boy is when he meets a girl? They are both a little embarrassed when they meet.
I well remember my first date when I was about fourteen, before I was saved. I didn’t want to miss anything so I started to date early. I was walking with this girl, taking her to a movie. In those days men wore garters to hold up their socks. Well, mine came loose, and it was dragging. Oh my! You talk about embarrassment! I never was so embarrassed in all my life. I didn’t have sense enough to just stop and step aside to fix it. I just went down the street dragging that garter. After a while a crowd followed us, and that made it even worse. The girl got red in the face, and I got red in the face. I don’t think we said anything to each other for a couple of hours after that happened. The way of a man with a maid. Agur says that he doesn’t understand these things, and I don’t understand them either.
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness [Prov. 30:20].
We are living in a day when this has come to pass. There are those who are living in sin, and they will argue that they are not living in sin. I understand one little girl born out of wedlock was given a name that means purity. Well, in the first place the child was not pure because all children are born with a sinful nature. In the second place, the name of the child would not change the fact that her mother was an adulteress. God says that adultery is sin, and God has not changed His mind. He hasn’t learned anything new from this generation. God knew the sins that our generation would commit, and He has already written about them in the Book of Proverbs.
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat [Prov. 30:21–22].
“For a servant when he reigneth”—that was Jeroboam who was a servant and became the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Then “a fool when he is filled with meat” is typified by the rich fool our Lord told about who built bigger barns. With financial success like that, he was eating gourmet food, of course. He was a fool and he was “filled with meat.”
The third thing is—
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress [Prov. 30:23].
“For an odious woman when she is married” doesn’t require a comment—I think we all get the picture.
“And an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.” Sometimes a very poor person, who has been walked on, suddenly becomes rich. There is no one who is more overbearing than such a person.
Now we are going to visit a zoo to look at some of the animals there. Did you know that animals have a message for us? God created them for His many purposes. One of those purposes is to give a message to us.
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise [Prov. 30:24].
God says we can learn from the animal world. The first group is made up of small creatures, little bitty animals. In fact, the first is an insect, the ant.
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer [Prov. 30:25].
Now we are going to find two groups of animals listed here. The first group is an illustration of the way to God for the sinner. The second group is an illustration of the walk of the saints before God.
Those little creatures, the ants, are wise, and we can learn from them. We have already seen in Proverbs 6:6–8: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise; Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Ants do gather grain. I have seen them do it in Texas and in Palestine. A little ant will carry a grain of wheat or oats that is bigger than the ant. They store up food during those brief and bright days of harvest. The ant is an example to us of wisdom in preparing for the future with material things.
Some people think that Christians should not have insurance but that they ought to trust the Lord for their future. Friend, I think we should have everything that is available to us. If the Lord has given us means of caring for our future, we should have insurance and a savings account and a home, if it is possible. We should make a will to provide for the future of our loved ones. That is what the ant teaches us. He takes out insurance for his future by storing his food in the time of harvest.
There is a deeper message here. There are so many people who make no arrangement beyond death. They may go to the undertaker and arrange for their funeral. I saw the advertisement of an undertaker which read: “Lay away plan: pay now and go later.” That is not the kind of arrangement beyond death that I mean. I am speaking of eternity. We are here for a few fleeting moments of time, and then there will be the endless ages of eternity. Isn’t it foolish to care for the physical body and neglect the soul? Isn’t it foolish to make no preparation for eternity?
The wicked emperor of Rome, Hadrian, said something like this when he was dying: “No more crown for this head, no more beauty for these eyes, no more music for these ears, and no more food for this stomach of mine. But my soul, oh, my soul, what is to become of you?” It is a certainty that we shall die. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). It is possible to live for this life only, to eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. A person can spend his time building bigger barns, but God tells us to be prepared to meet our God.
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks [Prov. 30:26].
Now the conies are the next animal we visit. The “conies” are not to be confused with the conies of England, which are actually rabbits. These “conies” are the hyrax syriacus. They have long hair, a short tail, and round ears. They are “feeble” and defenseless. They are not able to burrow in the ground, which makes them vulnerable little creatures; so they hide in the rocks to find a place of safety. They are included in the Leviticus list of unclean animals.
The coney has a message for man. Like the coney, man is poor, helpless, and unclean. We are sinners, and we need to recognize our pitiful plight. This is why David prays, “… Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Ps. 61:2). We sing this in the hymn “The Rock That is Higher Than I” by E. Johnson:
Oh, then to the Rock let me fly,
To the Rock that is higher than I.
That Rock is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands [Prov. 30:27].
The locust is a creature of destruction. Joel had a great deal to say about the locust plagues. We find locusts again in the Book of Revelation. They devour all the leaves and the vegetation. On one of my visits to Palestine, they were not having a real plague of them, but there were quite a few locusts, especially around the Sea of Galilee. They were doing a good job of destroying everything in their way. They are creatures of destruction.
“The locusts have no king.” They have no visible head or leader, yet they go forth like soldiers in their respective regiments. They move so methodically that they seem to be acting under definite instructions and strict discipline.
To us as believers they furnish an example of subjection to one another and subjection to our unseen Head in heaven. To the world the body of believers must look like disorganized, fragmented, unrelated groups of people, with no leader and no bond of union. But, my friend, we do have a Leader. Christ is the unseen Head of the church. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Cor. 3:3). Not only is Christ the Head of all who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, but the Holy Spirit is indwelling every believer, welding us together in one great family, “… every one members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). This is what the locust is teaching us.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces [Prov. 30:28].
The Hebrew word for “spider” is shemameth and refers to a little house lizard. Delitzsch says, “The lizard thou canst catch with the hand and yet it is in kings’ palaces.” Somehow or other it can work its way into houses, and it has an affinity for find tapestry and palatial mansions. It has fanlike feet which exude a sticky substance so that the lizard can actually hold onto a marble wall or a tessellated ceiling.
This teaches us about faith, the kind of faith that takes hold of the promises of God. It is the faith that enters into the very heavenly places. It lays hold of the fact that the Spirit of God Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the sons of God. It is the faith that says, “… I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
Now we come to the second group.
There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any [Prov. 30:29–30].
The lion goes straight ahead and doesn’t detour. He is not afraid of the pussycats in the neighborhood—they don’t frighten him. A lion is known for its unflinching boldness, and this should characterize the Christian as we earnestly contend for the faith. I think of the apostle Paul who in the face of suffering and persecution said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
I think that the curse of the church today lies in pussyfooting preachers and mealymouthed deacons.
It is said of Cromwell that he was a man without fear. When asked why, he said, “I have learned that when you fear God you have no man to fear.”
General “Stonewall” Jackson, a Christian man, got his appellation because one day in battle the men of General Cox were ready to retreat. General Cox looked over at him and then said to his men, “Look at General Jackson; he’s standing like a stone wall.” He was a man of course, like a lion. That is the way the walk of the believer should be.
The next animal is a greyhound.
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up [Prov. 30:31].
The greyhound we are speaking of here is not the Greyhound Bus! The Christian is to be like a greyhound in that he is to gird up his loins and run with patience the race that is set before him. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:1–2).
The other animal mentioned in this verse is the goat. The mountain goat is a climber who lives way up in the top of the mountains. He finds both pleasure and safety in his high retreat.
The lesson is plain to see. The believer who walks on the high places, as did Habakkuk, will be able to rejoice in the day of trouble. “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places …” (Hab. 3:17–19).
CHAPTER 31
The final chapter of Proverbs is designated as the words of King Lemuel. A popular title would be, “Advice on how to choose a wife”
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him [Prov. 31:1].
I believe this chapter was written by Solomon. There is no king named Lemuel. The name that God gave to Solomon is Jedidiah, which means “beloved of the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:25); the name Lemuel means “devoted to the Lord.” My guess is that this was the pet name that Bathsheba had for Solomon.
I have a notion that every man reading this can remember a pet name that his mother had for him. You would almost be ashamed to say what it was, wouldn’t you? Probably Solomon’s mother had a pet name for him, and I think it was Lemuel. Around the palace you probably could have heard her calling, “Lemuel.”
This was a mother’s advice to her son. It makes a great Mother’s Day sermon, by the way.
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? [Prov. 31:2].
Bathsheba is asking, “What can I say to you?” She needed to say something, because she saw in this boy Solomon some of the characteristics of his father David. She well remembered the sin of David. I don’t think it was her sin; I think it was David’s sin. In the first chapter of Matthew it says, “… and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias” (Matt. 1:6). Bathsheba’s name is not even mentioned. I believe God is making it clear that it was David’s sin. She sees the temptation that Solomon faces; so she gives him words of advice. “What, my son? What can I say to you, son of my womb? You’re my precious boy, the son of my vows”—she had dedicated him to God.
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings [Prov. 31:3].
She knew David.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted [Prov. 31:4–5].
We are told that every day in Washington there are many cocktail parties for our government officials. Republicans and Democrats both have this in common—the party membership doesn’t make any difference. It is tragic to have drinking men in high positions of government!
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more [Prov. 31:6–7].
She tells Solomon to use wine for medicine.
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy [Prov. 31:8–9].
Oh, Solomon, be honest and just and fair!
Now she goes on to tell him how to choose a wife. This is good advice. It is God’s advice.
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies [Prov. 31:10].
“Virtuous” here means a woman of character, a woman of strength, a woman of real ability. She is not to be a shrinking violet. She is not to be like Whistler’s mother, always sitting in a rocking chair. (A whimsical story is told that Whistler painted another picture of his mother, because he came in one day and found her sitting on the floor and said to her, “Mother, you’re off your rocker”) I don’t think you will find many mothers sitting in rocking chairs. They are busy. This is the picture of a busy mother:
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil [Prov. 31:11].
She will be faithful. “He shall have no need of spoil.” She will not be a spendthrift with her husband’s money. She will be a helpmate or a helpmeet for him. God never intended woman to be a servant of man. She is to be his partner, and a real partner. When God made Eve to be a helpmeet, He made the other half of Adam. Adam was only half a man until God made Eve and gave her to him.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life [Prov. 31:12].
She is a real helpmeet.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands [Prov. 31:13].
She doesn’t mind working.
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar [Prov. 31:14].
She looks for bargains to spend the money wisely.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens [Prov. 31:15].
She knows how to keep a house. She runs a night shift and is a wonderful mother.
I do not recall any time when I was growing up as a boy that I got up in the morning and found my mother in bed. I just thought about that the other day. Later on when she became old, it was different, of course. But when I was a boy, by the time I got out of bed, she was up, and breakfast was usually ready and on the table.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms [Prov. 31:16–17].
She is a woman of ability. She runs her household well.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night [Prov. 31:18].
She proves the adage, “Man’s work is from sun to sun, but a woman’s work is never done.”
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy [Prov. 31:19–20].
She is a generous person.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet [Prov. 31:21].
I was remembering that my mother kept my pants patched when I was a boy.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness [Prov. 31:26].
She is both wise and kind in her advice and admonitions.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised [Prov. 31:30].
Young man, first you should look for a wife who is a Christian. Then I hope that you get a good-looking one in the bargain—it’s nice to have both together. “A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” This is of prime importance.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates [Prov. 31:31].
I guess this is the reason we have Mother’s Day, a day to honor our mothers. However, there are many mothers who are not worthy of the tribute given to mothers on Mother’s Day.
This Book of Proverbs has been a book for young men. Also it is a wonderful book for young ladies. In fact, we all can learn from the wisdom in this remarkable book.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Arnot, William. Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth. London, England: T. Nelson and Sons, 1864.
Bridges, Charles. An Exposition of Proverbs. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1959.
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A. Notes on the Book of Proverbs. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1907. (Very good.)
Jensen, Irving L. Proverbs. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
Kelly, William. The Proverbs. Oak Park, Illinois:Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Kidner, D. The Proverbs. Chicago, Illinois: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, 1964.
Mackintosh, C. H. Miscellaneous Writings. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Moorehead, W. G. Outline Studies in the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1894.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981. (A fine summary of each chapter.)
The Book of
Ecclesiastes
INTRODUCTION
Solomon is the writer. This fact is very well established among conservative expositors, and there is no other reasonable explanation for the book.
Solomon also wrote the Books of Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. We will find Ecclesiastes to be quite different from the Book of Proverbs. In Proverbs we saw the wisdom of Solomon; here we shall see the foolishness of Solomon. Ecclesiastes is the dramatic autobiography of his life when he was away from God.
Ecclesiastes indicates a preacher or philosopher. I rather like the term philosopher because it is less likely to be misunderstood.
To correctly understand any book of the Bible, it is important to know the purpose for which it was written. We need to back off and get a perspective of the book. We need to put down the telescope on the Word of God before we pick up the microscope. The necessity for this is more evident here than in many of the other books of the Bible.
This is human philosophy apart from God, which must always reach the conclusions that this book reaches. We need to understand this about Ecclesiastes, because there are many statements which contradict certain other statements of Scripture.
Actually, it almost frightens us to know that this book has been the favorite of atheists, and they have quoted from it profusely. Voltaire is an example. Today we find the cynic and the critic are apt to quote from this book. And it is quite interesting to note the number of cults that use passages from this book out of context and give them an entirely wrong meaning.
Man has tried to be happy without God; it is being tried every day by millions of people. This book shows the absurdity of the attempt. Solomon was the wisest of men, and he had a wisdom that was God-given. He tried every field of endeavor and pleasure that was known to man, and his conclusion was that all is vanity. The word vanity means “empty, purposeless.” Satisfaction in life can never be attained in this manner.
God showed Job, a righteous man, that he was a sinner in God’s sight. In Ecclesiastes God showed Solomon, the wisest man, that he was a fool in God’s sight. This is a book from which a great many professors, Ph.D.s and Th. D. s, and preachers could learn a great lesson. In spite of all their wisdom, in spite of all attempts at being intellectual, unregenerate men in the sight of God are fools. That, my friend, is something that is hard to swallow for those who put an emphasis upon their I. Q. and the amount of knowledge and information that they have accumulated.
In Ecclesiastes we learn that without Christ we cannot be satisfied—even if we possess the whole world and all the things that men consider necessary to make their hearts content. The world cannot satisfy the heart, because the heart is too large for the object. In the Song of Solomon we will learn that if we turn from the world and set our affections on Christ, we cannot fathom the infinite preciousness of His love; the Object is too large for the heart.
The key word is “vanity,” which occurs thirty-seven times. The key phrase is “under the sun,” which occurs twenty-nine times. Another phrase which recurs is “I said in mine heart.” In other words, this book contains the cogitations of man’s heart. These are conclusions which men have reached through their own intelligence, their own experiments. Although Solomon’s conclusions are not inspired, the Scripture that tells us about them is inspired. This is the reason for the explanatory: “I said in mine heart,” “under the sun,” and “vanity.”
OUTLINE
I. Problem Stated: “All is Vanity,” Chapter 1:1–3
II. Experiment Made, Chapters 1:4–12:12 (Seeking Satisfaction in the following:)
A. Science, Chapter 1:4–11
B. Wisdom and Philosophy, Chapter 1:12–18
C. Pleasure, Chapter 2:1–11
D. Materialism (Living for the “Now”), Chapter \2:12–26
E. Fatalism, Chapter 3:1–15
F. Egotism, Chapters 3:16–4:16
G. Religion, Chapter 5:1–8
H. Wealth, Chapters 5:9–6:12
I. Morality, Chapters 7:1–12:12
III. Result of Experiment, Chapter 12:13–14
CHAPTER 1
The Book of Ecclesiastes is a dramatic autobiography of King Solomon’s life when he was away from God. As the Book of Proverbs reveals Solomon’s wisdom, the Book of Ecclesiastes reveals his foolishness.
This is not a book without rhyme or reason—not just a bunch of verses stuck together. It begins with the problem stated: All is vanity in this world. Then we will find that experiments are made. Solomon will seek satisfaction through many different avenues, in many different fields. He will try science, the laws of nature, wisdom and philosophy, pleasure and materialism, as well as living for the “now.” He will explore fatalism, egotism, religion, wealth, and morality. Then in the final verses of the book he will give us the result of his experiments.
Keep in mind that the conclusions in each experiment are human, not God’s truth. This is man under the sun.
Do not misunderstand what is meant by “inspiration” when we say that the Bible is inspired by God. Inspiration guarantees the accuracy of the words of Scripture, not always the thought that is expressed. The context should be considered, and attention paid to the person who made the statement and under what circumstances the statement was made. For example, in the betrayal of Christ by Judas, the record of the event is inspired, but the act of Judas was not God-inspired; it was satanic. Also the statements that Solomon makes, while he is searching for satisfaction apart from God, are not always in accord with God’s thoughts. Inspiration guarantees that what Solomon said has been accurately recorded in Scripture.
PROBLEM STATED
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem [Eccl. 1:1]
That description doesn’t fit anyone except Solomon, as far as I can tell. David did have other sons, but Solomon was the only one who was king in Jerusalem. He is the philosopher here. We know that he had been given wisdom.
I think that the wisdom God gave Solomon was a little different from what we think it was. We imagine that he was given spiritual insight, but Scripture does not tell us that he even asked for that. He had prayed: “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” (1 Kings 3:9, italics mine). Apparently God gave him what he asked for: wisdom to rule. He was wise in political economy and probably did a marvelous job of ruling the nation. He brought in an era of peace. Other nations of the world went there to study and to behold the wisdom of Solomon. He gave a testimony for God through the temple with the altar where sacrifice was made for sinners. These were some of the things that the Queen of Sheba learned when she came from the ends of the earth. But in the area of spiritual discernment, Solomon was probably nil.
Now we find Solomon, away from God, launching out with his experiments “under the sun.” The man under the sun is a great deal different from the child of God who has been blessed “… with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity [Eccl. 1:2].
“Vanity” here speaks of emptiness. It is to waste life without any purpose or any goal. It means to live like an animal or a bird lives. There are a great many people who live like that.
I was in a hotel in the Hawaiian Islands where the jet set come. They fly all over the world spending a few days or weeks in Hawaii, then at Acapulco in Mexico, and then the Riviera in France, then to Spain, North Africa, South Africa, and so on. They are world travelers. I watched these folk and listened to their conversation at the dinner table, out in the hotel lobby, and in the elevators. The thing that impressed me about them was how purposeless their lives really are. They talked about people they had seen in other places. They talked about plays they had seen. They would ask, “Where are you going from here?” Someone would say, “Wasn’t that place where we were last year a bore!” There was no aim, no goal, no purpose in life. This is also the conclusion of Solomon. Vanity of vanities. Emptiness of emptiness. It is just like a big bag of nothing.
Solomon in the Book of Proverbs gives us gems of wisdom. In Ecclesiastes he gives us globules, not of wisdom, but of folly. Then in the Song of Solomon love is the subject. Wisdom, foolishness, and love—Solomon was an expert in all three fields. He knew how to play the fool; he was wise in government; and his love life was quite a story. Solomon was the wisest of men, but no man ever played the fool more thoroughly than he did. He is the riddle of revelation. He is the paradox of Scripture. The wisest man was the greatest fool. The Book of Ecclesiastes will reveal this.
“Vanity of vanities; all is vanity” is life without God. It is man walking and talking “under the sun,” trying to get something out of life.
There is another class of people whom I meet in motels and hotels as I travel. These are the conventioneers. This is the day of conventions. I have listened to them and watched them. They are different from the jet set, but they, too, are looking for something. They have the big cocktail party or beer bust. Then they have a huge banquet with a big show. They try it all, but there is that note of bitterness. There are dregs left in the glass of life.
Now we will find man experimenting. He is going to squeeze the juice of life out of the dry rocks of this mundane existence down here.
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? [Eccl. 1:3]
Let’s keep in mind this is “under the sun”; it is man’s viewpoint. God is not giving His viewpoint here.
EXPERIMENT MADE
His experiments comprise the body of the book, extending from verse 4 through chapter 12, verse 12.
Now the first thing he tries is in the realm of science. He makes a study of the laws of nature. It is interesting that Solomon tried this. Men today still go into the scientific fields of study and spend years, in fact a lifetime, studying these laws of nature. This book is remarkable in giving us these laws of nature.
SCIENCE
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever [Eccl. 1:4].
The earth “abideth for ever” and has a stability that man does not have because man is temporary. Contemporary man is a little different from the man of the past and probably he will be a great deal different from the man of the future, but man is temporary. The continuity of mankind is maintained through births. Most of us were not here a hundred years ago, and we will not be here a hundred years from today. In fact, many of us won’t be around much longer. However, mankind will continue through succeeding generations. Solomon has noted that: “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh.” Man is a transitory creature. Looking at life in terms of this life only, man is the most colossal failure in God’s universe. He has been around only a few years. There are redwood trees in Northern California that were here when Christ was on earth, but they are newcomers compared to rocks around us which geologists tell us have been here millions, maybe billions, of years. Although no one knows how long the earth has been here, it was here before man got here, and it will be here after most of us leave. My friend, this adds a certain dimension to life that is rather discouraging and disappointing. Man is not what he thinks he is.
Now we see some very remarkable statements. Here is a revelation that Solomon made a study of the laws of nature and knew a, great deal about them. It is quite interesting that these are basic in our day as far as science is concerned.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again [Eccl. 1:5–7]
It is very interesting that these accurate observations come from the days of Solomon. Dr. Arthur T. Pierson comments on this fact:
There is a danger in pressing the words in the Bible into a positive announcement of scientific fact, so marvellous are some of these correspondencies. But it is certainly a curious fact that Solomon should use language entirely consistent with discoveries such as evaporation and storm currents (vv. 6–7). Some have boldly said that Redfield’s theory of storms is here explicitly stated. Without taking such ground, we ask, who taught Solomon to use terms that readily accommodate facts that the movement of the winds which seem to be so lawless and uncertain, are ruled by laws as positive as those which rule the growth of the plant; and that by evaporation, the waters that fall on the earth are continually rising again, so that the sea never overflows. Ecclesiastes 12:6 is a poetic description of death. How the “silver cord” describes the spinal marrow, the “golden bowl” the basin which holds the brain, the “pitcher” the lungs, and the “wheel” the heart. Without claiming that Solomon was inspired to foretell the circulation of the blood, twenty-six centuries before Harvey announced it, is it not remarkable that the language he uses exactly suits the facts—a wheel pumping up through one pipe to discharge through another?
There are three very interesting statements in verses 5–7.
1. “The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down.” There is a monotony in nature, but also that which you can depend upon. You can count on the sun coming up and you can depend on it going down—we still use that terminology although we know that the coming up and going down of the sun really is caused by the rotation of the earth. We are standing on a pretty solid piece of earth, and it looks to us as if the sun comes up and the sun goes down. The terminology has accommodated man in all ages. The amazing thing is the precise, regular way that the sun appears and disappears; it is obeying certain laws.
2. “The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north.” Today we know that the wind follows certain patterns. Even with our modern gadgets we are not able to predict it well enough to forecast the weather as we would like to. Here in Southern California where we have a monotony of good weather, the weatherman misses the exact prediction about half the time. I have watched this very carefully over the years. The Lord Jesus said, “The wind bloweth where it listeth”—that is, where it wants to blow. It is blowing according to laws. “And thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth …” (John 3:8)—we can’t tell where it is coming from and where it is going. As I am making this study of Ecclesiastes, we have had quite a bit of disturbance across the country. Here in Southern California we never get rain in June or July or August—but we’ve been having showers! I couldn’t believe it when I got in my car the other night and had to use the windshield wipers. The weatherman tells us that there is a low pressure here and a high pressure there. There is movement; winds are blowing. “The wind bloweth where it listeth.” Or, as Solomon put it, “The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north.” At one place the wind is moving south, and in another place it is moving north. In Arizona they even had flooding in desert communities, all because of the wind. It is obeying certain laws as it is blowing. How did Solomon know that? He didn’t have the gadgets which we have nor the background on which to base his conclusions.
3. “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full.” Solomon is tacitly speaking of the law of evaporation, of the elevation of moisture into the air. Then the wind comes along, blows that moisture over the land, and it pours out on the earth. The whole process follows certain definite, specific laws. There is nothing haphazard happening, although we may think so. Including verse 4, we have four remarkable statements concerning the laws of nature that make sense and fit right into what men know today. Compare this with other writings that come from one thousand years before Christ. You will find a great deal of false conclusions and superstitions in contrast to the accuracy you find in the Word of God.
Here is another remarkable observation—
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing [Eccl. 1:8].
This may not have seemed true before, but since the advent of television it is obvious. Many people watch television for hours day after day. Why? Because the eye is never satisfied with seeing; the ear is never filled with hearing. Most of us love to go to new places and see new scenes. This is one of the enjoyments of life. It is one of the things we can enjoy in this big, wonderful country. I get kidded because I come from Texas, but I must say in all honesty that I have never been in a state that I didn’t like. They are all wonderful. We live in a wonderful country and in a wonderful universe.
Man cannot exhaust the exploration of the universe. The more he learns, the more he sees that he should learn. The more he learns, the more he sees how much more there is to learn. This is frustrating. The physical universe is too big for little man. Yet man alone of all God’s creatures—as far as we know—is able to comprehend the universe. When a dog bays at the moon, I don’t think he knows the distance to the moon, and I don’t think he cares. I don’t think he recognizes that he live in a vast universe. I believe that the world of a dog is a very small world. It is no bigger than a bone most of the time. But the eyes and ears of man are never satisfied; he wants to explore.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us [Eccl. 1:9–10].
People think we have come up with something new when we have manufactured a new gadget. I remember what a novelty the telephone was. In West Texas we were on a party line, and when the telephone would ring, you could hear a dozen receivers being taken off the hook. That was the best way to make a public announcement in those days! You say, “Well, television is new, how can it be said that there is nothing new under the sun?” Let me illustrate this.
My grandfather courted my grandmother on an old horsehair sofa in a very staid living room in Mississippi. He proposed to her there. She accepted, and they were married. My dad courted my mother on a train—he met her in a day coach. They traveled by horse and buggy to Tyler, Texas, where they were married. I proposed to my wife down in Texas, as we were sitting in a car. My little grandson may propose to his wife in an airplane or maybe even in a space capsule. You may ask, “Isn’t that new?” No, not really. The feeling that my granddad had when his proposal was accepted is the same feeling that I had, and I don’t think my little grandson will feel any differently. There is really nothing new under the sun. The environment may change, and there may be new gadgets around, but there really is nothing new under the sun. Man stays the same. Only the stage setting may vary a bit from age to age.
It is said that the atom bomb is new, but the atom has been around for a long time. Actually, the atom is older than man, although man did not know it existed during all that time. All man has accomplished is to make the little atom a very difficult neighbor. The nosy human should have let sleeping dogs lie, but we probe around. Perhaps you are asking, “Well, isn’t the computer new?” Not really. God created us with computer brains and electric nervous systems. A mechanical computer brings to man no deep and abiding satisfaction. Man has learned that none of these gadgets contributes anything really new to him.
There is one exception. There is one thing that is new—the New Birth. This is something that comes when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. This, my friend, is about the only thing new that will come your way.
There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after [Eccl. 1:11].
Solomon had tried to find satisfaction in the study of science, but he had to come to this conclusion. Man tries to be important. He tries everything in the world to keep himself before the public, but it isn’t long until he passes off the stage. “There is no remembrance of former things.”
Do you remember who were the popular entertainers of fifty years ago? Do you remember the popular athletes of fifty years ago? Could you name the president of the United States of fifty years ago? Our memories aren’t very long. The Scripture says that we spend our time down here as a tale that is told and we can’t go back over it again.
You see, this man Solomon is making tremendous experiments, and he is making them in the laboratory of life. He is trying everything that is available to man. In his day and position he was able to go into any field that he chose. Not many men even today would be able to do what Solomon did. He first gave himself to the study of the laws of nature, as we have seen, but he found nothing he could learn in nature, in science, which was new in the sense that it would bring new life to him.
Solomon’s next experimentation will be in the area of wisdom and philosophy.
WISDOM AND PHILOSOPHY
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith [Eccl. 1:12–13.
Solomon spent a lot of time studying the philosophy of the world. He lived nearly a thousand years before Christ, and since we live two thousand years on this side, three thousand years have elapsed. Man has come up with a great deal of gadgetry in that time, but actually man doesn’t know any more about philosophy and wisdom than he knew three thousand years ago. There has been no improvement in philosophy and wisdom, neither do they satisfy the heart.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit [Eccl. 1:14].
All systems of philosophy lead up a blind alley. You can make the same experiment yourself. You can spend your time in studying this subject, and you will find it is actually a waste of time.
We are living in a day when educators are declaring that all the past methods of education were just a waste of time. I wonder how good our present method is. I think that it is also a waste of time. Man can never learn the really important thing—he cannot know God by wisdom and philosophy. His knowledge of God comes only through revelation. Philosophy generally leads a person to a pessimistic viewpoint of life.
You cannot take natural man—man who is a lost sinner alienated from God—and give him an education, expecting that education to solve the problems of his life. It will not do that. Philosophy and psychology cannot change human nature, nor can they correct the old nature of man.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered [Eccl. 1:15].
“That which is crooked cannot be made straight”—as the twig is bent, the tree inclines. The tree grows crooked because the twig was bent. You and I start out in life with an old nature. We can educate it and do many things to improve it, but, as the Lord Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” It will always be flesh, my friend. That is the reason we must have a new nature—“… that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
For a time we thought that education would solve the problems of life. Now higher education, in fact all education, is coming under the scrutiny of a great many thoughtful people. A committee to study higher education has come up with a novel explanation of our present conditions. They say the rebellion and the general immorality in our schools is taking place because the young people today are more inquiring and more interested in politics and what is happening in their world. I agree that people are more aware of the many terrible things that are happening. The media gather news from the four corners of the earth and broadcast it the same evening. This makes us more aware of what takes place in the world than ever before. There was a time when it took six weeks to complete all the information after an election; so it took that long to find out who had been elected president. Today they can tell you who is going to be elected before they have the election! So I agree with the fact that young people are more aware today. But I heartily disagree with the implication that the things happening on our campuses are actually an improvement because the young people are so well informed. There is a deterioration on our campuses. We have come to the day when evil is called good, and good evil. Only an educated man could come up with the conclusion that the deterioration on campuses is not deterioration but actually improvement! If you believe fairy stories, you may want to believe that, but we need to face reality. Education cannot solve the problems of life. Neither can psychology provide the answer. In our day there are clever men and women who have come up with little psychological clichés to explain and solve the problems of life. They coat them with a little Bible, like a bitter pill that is covered with a sugar coating, to make them appear as the biblical solutions. My friend, the Word of God in its entirety contains for the Christian the answers to the problems of life. There are no easy solutions. Studying the Word of God requires a great deal of time and effort and mental “perspiration.” Oh, how that is needed among Christians!
Solomon discovered that wisdom and philosophy did not provide the answers to the problems of life.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge [Eccl. 1:16].
I believe that Solomon was led to a certain amount of arrogance, a certain amount of conceit, since he was wiser than the others. Paul writes that “Knowledge puffeth up …” (1 Cor. 8:1). It can inflate an individual like a balloon if he feels that he is a little smarter or better educated than those around him. Remember that education is based on experience, and experience cannot be trusted. Experience must be tested by the Word of God. Unfortunately, many folk today are testing the Word of God by their experience. My friend, if your experience is contrary to the Bible, then it is your experience, not the Word of God, which is wrong.
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit [Eccl. 1:17].
“To know madness and folly”—it is interesting that wisdom and playing the fool are not very far apart. Many smart men in the history of the world have played the fool. Solomon is the notable example of that. King James of England, the one for whom our King James Version of the Bible is named, certainly was not capable of translating. He was called James the fool, because that’s what he was, although he thought he was a very smart individual.
Our nation has produced a generation that thinks it is very intelligent and very smart. Yet we cannot even solve the problems that are about us, much less the problems of the world. Solomon gave his heart to know wisdom and also to know madness and folly. He did both.
“I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.” In other words, it was not worth the effort.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow [Eccl. 1:18].
Joy and satisfaction do not increase in ratio to the increase of knowledge. Someone has said that when ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise. There is a certain amount of truth in that. In much wisdom there is much grief. The more we know, the more we increase our problems. Life has become more tedious, has produced more tensions, and all of our scientific gadgets about us are making life almost unbearable. A Christian friend said to me the other day, “I think I will lose my mind if I don’t get away from these computers that are controlling life today. The machines that we think are so wonderful and practically worship are drowning us in pollution and driving us to madness.” How accurate Solomon was in saying “in much wisdom is much grief,” and Solomon did not live in the machine age. He did not see the Industrial Revolution, but he knew what he was talking about.
CHAPTER 2
In this chapter we will find Solomon following another course to find satisfaction in life. This is a popular route for modern man who seeks satisfaction in pleasure.
PLEASURE
I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity [Eccl. 2:1].
Solomon probably tried everything known in the way of pleasure. We are a sex-mad people. And what do we have to show for it? Well, we certainly have low morals, and we have venereal disease in epidemic proportions. Today the church has entered the field also. I suppose most pastors have a sermon on sex; some of them have a whole series. There are many who feel that the church should have a course to teach our young people about sex. I think that is a tragic mistake. This generation is getting sex right up to their ears—all they need and more. Now Solomon was an expert in the area of sex. He had one thousand wives and concubines, and they were all available to him. A man who had a thousand women around him is some sort of an expert. Solomon tried that way to seek satisfaction. Also he went in for drinking and for entertainment. I suppose he could have put on a performance that would make Las Vegas look like it was penny ante or just a sideshow in a small circus. Solomon went all out for pleasure. “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure.” But notice his conclusion: “Behold, this also is vanity”—empty.
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? [Eccl. 2:2].
He probably had a comedian or court jester to entertain him and tell him the latest jokes— probably many of them questionable. He said, “I found this to be a great waste of time.”
I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life [Eccl. 2:3].
“Under the heaven”—remember that Solomon is a man probing and making experiments apart from God.
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards [Eccl. 2:4].
These were hobbies with Solomon. Even today the ruins of the stables of Solomon can be seen right in Jerusalem and in several other places. At Megiddo a tourist guide will show you ruins of the troughs where the horses ate. Solomon had stables all over that land, although the Mosaic Law had expressly forbidden a king to multiply horses.
I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees [Eccl. 2:5–6].
He had irrigation.
I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me [Eccl. 2:7].
He had a ranch out at the edge of town where he raised cattle. You may be wondering how he could afford all this. Well, Solomon had cornered the gold in his day. He had plenty of spending money, and he built in all the comforts of life.
It is now known that snow was brought down from Mount Hermon so that he could have cold drinks in the summertime. I think Solomon tried everything that a man could try for pleasure. I doubt that modern man could have anything that Solomon did not have.
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts [Eccl. 2:8].
He brought in the best nightclub acts from Las Vegas. He had all kinds of music—from symphony to rock, but it didn’t satisfy his heart.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour [Eccl. 2:9–10].
Mrs. McGee and I are out in conferences a great deal of the time. In the evenings after a service we need to get away from everyone for a while, and one of the things we like to do is just go walking through a shopping area. I have said to her, “Would you like sometime to be able to buy everything that you see and want?” She answered that she wondered how it would feel to be able to do that. Well, Solomon did just that. Anything his little heart desired, he bought. As he looked out upon this world, there was nothing that it withheld from him.
You would think that all men in that position would be happy. Well, I don’t know why, but they are not. I am told that we have more suicides here in Southern California than the average for the country. One would think it would be the bums on skid row, the down-and-outers, who would be the ones to commit suicide. Life certainly wouldn’t seem to be worth much to them. Actually, those are not the ones with the high suicide rate. It is the rich, the famous, the Hollywood movie and television stars, the folk who seem to have made it. They are the ones who commit suicide. Why? They have come to the same conclusion that Solomon did. He had tried everything in the way of pleasure and concluded:
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun [Eccl. 2:11].
What a statement from a man who had everything! A great many people will not take Solomon’s word for it; they have to make the same experiments—although not to the extent that Solomon did. Eventually they arrive at the same conclusion. They say, “Life is empty.” Solomon said, “All was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”
Throughout the remainder of this chapter Solomon moves into another area. I wish I had a better word for it, but I simply call it materialism.
MATERIALISM
This is living for the now, and this should be understood by people today because we say we are the “now generation.” It is a materialistic concept. It is a living for the here and now, living for self, selfishness. Each of these words describes a facet of this type of living.
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done [Eccl. 2:12].
In other words, no one could live it up more than Solomon did. He said they would have to repeat what he had done and would find it very monotonous.
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness [Eccl. 2:13].
It is better to be a wise man than to be a fool. It is better to be an educated man than to be an ignorant man.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all [Eccl. 2:14].
“The wise man’s eyes are in his head”—I’ve heard my parents and my school teachers say to me, “Use your mind. Use your head. Use your eyes.” That is what Solomon is saying. A wise man uses his head and his eyes, but “the fool walketh in darkness.”
“I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.” Regardless of how smart you are, you don’t really get too far away from the fool, because you both are going to be carried out feet forward and laid to rest somewhere. You both will end up in the same way.
Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity [Eccl. 2:15].
You would think that a smart fellow would find another way out. “Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.” It is interesting that modern man with all his tremendous inventions and scientific advances has not been able to extend human life very long. Oh, I know that the average life span has been extended by ten years or more. But put that ten years down by a thousand years, or put it down beside eternity, and what do you have? You don’t even have a second on the clock of eternity, my friend. Man really hasn’t done very much for himself here on this earth.
For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise men? as the fool [Eccl. 2:16].
They die just the same way.
You may be innately intelligent. You may have a high I.Q. You may have been educated, even have several doctoral degrees, but none of this will help you when it is your time to die. Neither will any of that stop you from dying. When it is your time to go out the door, you will go, and there is nothing in this world that can keep you from it.
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit [Eccl. 2:17].
Let me repeat: “Vanity” means that which is empty, meaningless, purposeless. With “all the work that is wrought under the sun” what has been done?
Thomas A. Edison is an example. He worked in a laboratory and developed many things such as the electric light bulb and the Victrola. All of our recording instruments really go back to the work of Edison. He was a genius, but he died just like everyone else. What good did it do him after all?
His laboratory is preserved in Fort Myers, Florida. If you are ever down there, it is worth the time to visit the Edison home and laboratory. He worked in that laboratory day and night. He had insomnia of the worst kind, so he had a little bed in his lab where he would lie down for little naps. He worked day and night, trying out many, many things that never worked out at all. I don’t get the impression that life was a thrill for him. I think that Thomas A. Edison found life very boring.
Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me [Eccl. 2:18].
I have to go off and leave all of this someday. Have you ever stopped to think about that? What good is it going to do you? Oh, how many folk have worked all their lives to accumulate a little of this world’s goods, then they leave it to some godless relative. Some folk intend to leave it to a Christian organization so that their money can propagate the gospel after they are gone, but have you ever stopped to think how many Christian organizations have become apostate and have departed from teaching the Word of God?
For example, Mr. John Harvard, who founded Harvard University, was a fundamental believer, and he left his money to propagate the fundamental Christian faith. Today you wouldn’t find fundamental faith within ten yards of Harvard. They have departed from the faith. The money which Mr. Harvard left has come to be used for the very opposite of what he intended.
People today leave money to so-called Christian organizations, but they have no assurance that the organizations will remain true to the faith.
We know that Solomon faced this same kind of problem, and 1 Kings 12 tells us what happened. He left the kingdom to his son, and it was his son’s foolish arrogance that divided the kingdom. What a tragedy that was.
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity [Eccl. 2:19].
Solomon saw that it was a waste of time to work for something and then to turn it all over to a fool.
Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun [Eccl. 2:20].
Notice again that this is “under the sun.” It is the view of the man apart from God. This is not the man in Christ seated in the heavenly places of Ephesians 2:6. This view under the sun always leads to pessimism.
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity [Eccl. 2:23].
Solomon found out that it didn’t do any good to worry about it, because there was nothing he could do about it.
There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit [Eccl. 2:24–26].
If you are living just for self—whether you are God’s man or an unregenerate sinner—it will come to naught. It will lead to bitterness in your heart, and you will be holding nothing but dead leaves in your hands at the end.
CHAPTER 3
In this chapter we see that Solomon adopts a certain philosophy of life known as fatalism. This was common among pagans; Buddhism is a fatalistic system; Platonism is fatalism. In our day certain cults give the impression of having a glorious faith in God, but actually the “faith” is fatalism.
The philosophy of fatalism is very popular in modern America. It is my custom to conclude my Bible conferences on Thursday evenings and fly back home on Fridays. On Friday afternoons I board a plane in some distant city and find myself with almost 100 percent male passengers. Who are they? Well, they are married men for the most part who are salesmen or representatives of certain companies. Their families live here in Southern California, and every Friday they get on a plane to come home. Most of them are tired. Their faces show the effect of a week’s work. Many of them who are carrying attaché cases will open them up and begin to work out a final report to hand in at the office if they get back in time. Or they will probably put it in the mail when they get home so it will be there for the president of the company to see on Monday. They take their drinks, and after they have their cocktails, they begin to laugh. I can sense that it is the liquor that is laughing. Every now and then, if I sit by one of them and there is an exchange of viewpoints, I find out that they have a fatalistic viewpoint of life.
On one occasion I came home on a plane that passed through some very rough weather. The man next to me looked unconcerned. I said to him, “You didn’t seem to be frightened when we went through that bad weather.” His response was, “No, there’s no use being frightened. What is going to be will be. You can’t change it. If it’s time for your number to come up, it will come up—there’s nothing you can do about it.” There he sat, gritting his teeth with a philosophy of life that is very popular. It is called many things, but basically it is fatalism. A great many folk are facing life with that viewpoint.
FATALISM
Now we find Solomon seeking satisfaction in fatalism.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace [Eccl. 3:1–8].
This is Solomon’s viewpoint as he expresses it. In our day we hear the expression, “Take life as it comes.”
There is “a time to get, and a time to lose.” You played the stock market, and you lost your money. Well, that’s the way it was to be.
You were a traveling man away from home, and a certain woman was easy to get, and you invited her up to your room. Your philosophy was that there is “a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.” Taking life as it comes is a philosophy of fatalism.
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? [Eccl. 3:9].
What’s the use? Why fight it? If you can’t fight them, join them. That is the kind of cliché that is bandied about among men today. This is the way men operate, especially godless men in the business world. Money is made on this kind of basis.
I think that you will find that men who live like this are not filled with joy. They are difficult to live with. I imagine their wives have real problems. They have a cocktail in the evening, and then they become sociable for several hours. After that it is better to stay out of their way.
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it [Eccl. 3:10].
Solomon has looked around—“I see people in trouble everywhere; so if I’ve escaped a little of it, I just consider myself lucky—that’s all.”
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end [Eccl. 3:11].
God has allowed men to “set the world in their heart” so they will see that the world does not satisfy—their hearts are still empty. Many men start out with the philosophy that they are going to get all they can out of life. They say, “Life is like an orange, and I’m going to squeeze it for all it’s worth.” Solomon did that, but it didn’t satisfy him at all.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life [Eccl. 3:12].
There is another group in this crowd: the dogooders. A man on a plane said to me, “Well, I think a man ought to do good as much as he can. That’s what I try to do.” Let me tell you that he wasn’t doing much good, but that was his philosophy of life.
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God [Eccl. 3:13].
This fellow said, “I see nothing wrong in drinking.” And from his point of view, there wasn’t anything wrong. This is the fatalism of modern man.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him [Eccl. 3:14].
They talk about God’s will as primary, but with this viewpoint a man will say, “If it’s not God’s will for me to be saved, I won’t be saved.” You see, fatalism leaves no place for the mercy and grace of God. Fatalism says that God does not hear and answer prayer. My friend, it is God’s grace and mercy and love that make life exciting and bring joy into life and give peace to the human heart.
We come to another philosophy at this point, which we call egotism or egoism. It is excessive love of self; an individual’s self-interest is the summum bonum of life.
EGOTISM
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there [Eccl. 3:16].
He is saying that all men are wicked. You can’t trust anybody. This is a cynical, although I must confess a rather accurate, viewpoint of the human race.
I was speaking at a conference at which the director said, “Now we want to treat all of you folk who are here as Christian ladies and gentlemen.” That was the last thing he should have done, because they didn’t act like ladies and gentlemen, I assure you.
A friend of mine says that when some men do business, they trust the other individual until he proves himself untrustworthy. He says that he has learned to treat people as crooks until they prove that they are not. Now that is a cynical attitude. Unfortunately, it is reasonably accurate, and I must say that my friend is a successful businessman. He faces the reality as God has said it: “… All have sinned …” (Rom. 3:23).
Solomon goes on in this vein of thought—
I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts [Eccl. 3:17–18].
That’s not very encouraging!
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again [Eccl. 3:19–20].
You recognize, I am sure, that there are several cults which build on this statement. However, we must remember that this is the viewpoint of man under the sun, living for self-interest.
Living for self, enjoying life for self, is the reason men get involved in some projects which are good. For example, many men get interested in athletics and give themselves to it. Others give themselves to art, others to literature, others to music, and many different things. These things are not wrong, but they are selfish; they gratify man’s selfish desires.
This viewpoint does not accept the optimist’s conclusion. You see, evolution says that man was a beast but that he now has become a man. Egoism or egotism or self-interest says that man is a beast, which causes the individual to despise others. This philosophy produced the caste system in India and the class system in other parts of the world. It leads to vanity and the feeling of being better than the other man. It has a pessimistic viewpoint of death: man dies as an animal dies. I heard a man say, “Man dies just like a dog dies. When you’re dead, you’re dead—and that’s all there is to it.” Since he expects to die like an animal dies, he is going to live for himself in this life and get all he can out of it. This type of teaching is in the contemporary schoolroom. Evolution is a form of it, although it says man was a beast, and this says man is a beast. It is only a difference of time periods. Both agree that you are going to die like an animal, that you have no soul nor spirit; so you might as well live like an animal.
It is interesting to observe animal behavior with this in mind. I watched a family of little kittens the other day. Believe me, they had no regard for each other. They played together all right, but when food was given to them, they didn’t mind pushing one little fellow out. The owner of the cats had to personally feed that little kitten—his brothers and sisters would have been perfectly willing to let him starve to death. Don’t they have any compassion? No. Their egoism is their philosophy of life. You see little birds in a nest acting the same way. Each little fellow is taking care of himself. That is the viewpoint of the animal world. The reason man is beginning to react like an animal is because he is being taught in our schools that he is an animal.
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? [Eccl. 3:21].
Solomon recognizes that man is different from the beast, for the spirit of man goes upward while the spirit of the beast goes downward—because he is only an animal.
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? [Eccl. 3:22].
In other words, this life is all we are going to get. Again, this is a modern teaching—call it whatever you wish—that the only thing worthwhile is to identify oneself with his environment and live like an animal lives. By the way, this is the ancient version of the “hippie” philosophy which came out of our schools a few years ago.
CHAPTER 4
This chapter continues the record of Solomon’s search for satisfaction through the philosophy of egotism.
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter [Eccl. 4:1].
Does this sound to you like any political philosophy in modern America? The egoist rebels against the establishment. He is opposed to it. However, whatever system exists, whoever is ruling, the poor are oppressed. Frankly, the poor always get the bad deal—there is no question about that. They are the ones who are oppressed. So the protest movements begin at this particular juncture.
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive [Eccl. 4:2].
You have heard the expression: “I wish I were dead.” Then, “I’d rather be red than dead” is just reversing it, but both are rebellion against the establishment. Death appears to hold no terror for him whatsoever.
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun [Eccl. 4:3].
Here is the other side of the coin: It would be better for future generations if they were never born. “I wish I had never been born” is the way we hear it.
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit [Eccl. 4:4].
It is interesting that the egoist rebels against the establishment, against the oppressor, against that which is wrong, but what about the man who is doing right? What about the man who is trying to do something about it? Well, he says that is no good either. It is a waste of time. This is really a pessimistic view of life!
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh [Eccl. 4:5].
Does this mean a foolish man is a cannibal? No, it means that he is not willing to do anything to protect himself. He will not work for himself. We have developed quite a society like that today; people want everything given to them.
Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit [Eccl. 4:6].
Candidly, this is a very good point. Of course this man wants to do “his own thing,” but I would say it is better to have it that way than to have the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun [Eccl. 4:7].
Anyway you go, it is wrong. There is no way out. This is the worst kind of pessimism. No wonder that campuses which major in an egoistic philosophy have the highest incidence of suicide. It is the old sore that has broken out in corruption. Behind all of it is the same pessimism of a philosophy of egoism which teaches that all comes to naught.
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail [Eccl. 4:8].
What a picture this is! Even if you work for somebody else and help them, you are just wasting your time.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour [Eccl. 4:9].
Now he is going to give some reasons for teaming up with someone else, but it will be a selfish reason—you may be sure of that. He says that two are better than one “because they have a good reward for their labour.” You’ll be able to acquire more by teaming up with someone than by trying to do it alone.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up [Eccl. 4:10].
Solomon made the discovery that attempting to live just for yourself doesn’t mean you can go it alone. You need someone to help you and stand with you. “Woe to him that is alone when he falleth.” That is the reason they tell us to team up if we go on a hike rather than going alone. In case of an accident it is well to have someone else around. This is a problem of the many retired folk who live alone. They may fall and break a hip and be unable to get to the telephone. Sometimes it is a day or two before a neighbor looks in on them. So it is better that two be together. If one falls, the other can render help.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? [Eccl. 4:11].
And then one member of a team can give warmth to the other member of the team. I remember as a little boy, I always liked to sleep with my dad in the wintertime because he would warm me up. It was cold. Ours was not a warm house, and we slept in rooms that were unheated. It made quite a difference to sleep with my dad.
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken [Eccl. 4:12].
If two is company, then three is a crowd, and sometimes it is well to have a crowd, especially if someone is coming against you.
We have problems with crime on our streets today. Often it is the person who is alone who is the victim of crime. I am told that in Washington, D.C., a woman is not permitted to go alone to a public restroom. There must always be another to go along with her. It is tragic that we live in such a day. In spite of what the liberals say, we are in need of law and order in our day. The Bible teaches clearly that unregenerate man has a sinful nature. It should be obvious that “civilized” man has not lost his sinful nature and needs restraint rather than liberty. The liberty being exercised in our day is the liberty to hold people up on the street, liberty to mug them, liberty to make obscene calls, liberty to blare out music that only one or two people want to hear, liberty to express oneself in any way. My friend, liberty is not license. You have liberty to swing your fist, but where my nose begins is where your liberty ends. We need to change many of our concepts today.
The self-centered man will not find satisfaction in this life. To be alone in your work may satisfy for a while, but finally you get tired of it. I don’t like to travel alone. I go to many conferences in my work, and I take my wife with me everywhere I go. Most of us find that we don’t like to go alone.
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished [Eccl. 4:13].
Solomon was both—a wise child and a very foolish king.
For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor [Eccl. 4:14].
We should be interested in what happens in federal and state governments because it is going to affect our living. A great many people become poor because the politicians become rich and influential. Certainly folk have a right to protest against that. The corruption that has arisen in our country is wrecking business, making many people poor, and retired folk suffer from it.
I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit [Eccl. 4:15–16].
“The second child that shall stand up in his stead.” It is interesting to notice that Solomon was a second child. He was the second child of Bathsheba. He was not the child whom David would have chosen to be the next king. Solomon apparently had noted that since Isaac was not the first child and Jacob was not the first child, God has a way of choosing seconds. If you feel that you are second-class today, remember that you are first-class with God.
The second thing to notice is that later on things seem different from what they were at the time. “They also that come after shall not rejoice in him.” Someone, such as a president, may be very popular during his day. Then, as time begins to recede from him, when the glamor boys and publicity men are no longer heard, and the news media are no longer building him up, we can see that his time in office was not a blessing to the nation but actually a time of deterioration. “There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him.”
CHAPTER 5
Now Solomon tries something else, and this is something that may interest you a great deal. He tries to find satisfaction in religion, and he does not find it. I am going to say several things which may be startling to you, but don’t reject them until you think about them just a little.
Did you know that religion has damned more people in this world than anything else has? Take a look at what the pagan religions have done for people in the past and in the present. Look at the condition of India. These people do not have a lower mentality than other peoples of the world. It is their religion that keeps them down. Consider China. As I write, China is in the grip of a terrible dictatorship, but it has made China a nation to be reckoned with. Their pagan religions did not do even that much for them. The Moslem world is fractured and is in sad condition. South America is as rich in natural resources as North America; yet most of the people remain in a miserable condition, and its religion tries to keep it that way. Look at what liberal Protestantism and liberal Romanism have done to this country. When this country began to give up its belief in God and its respect for the Bible, when liberalism came into the pulpits of our nation, then deterioration began in our land.
My friend, if you have a religion, I suggest you get rid of it and exchange it for Christ. I personally do not think one can call Christianity a religion. There is no ritual whatsoever given with Christianity. Have you ever stopped to think of that? This is the reason we can have all kinds of churches with different forms of worship—for instance you can sing the doxology if you want to, but you don’t have to. Christianity was never given a form to follow. Why? Because Christianity is a Person. To be a Christian means that you trust Christ. Religion has never been very helpful to man.
SEEKING SATISFACTION IN RELIGION
Listen to what Solomon is saying now—this is terrific!
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil [Eccl. 5:1].
Going to some churches is not only a waste of time; it is wrong. It is wrong to give your approval to a liberal pulpit. It is wrong when you do not give your support to a fundamental pastor who is giving out the Word of God. Solomon tried being religious. He went up to the temple, but he warns, “Have as little to do with it as possible; keep your mouth shut. Go and sit, but for goodness’ sake don’t commit yourself to anything.”
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few [Eccl. 5:2].
He is warning, “Do not make any decision under the stress of emotion.” Cry at the movies, but don’t do it in church. Don’t sign a pledge. If you are going to rent an apartment or a house, it’s all right to sign for that, but don’t commit yourself to God in writing. In other words, make it a religion; go through the form but avoid reality.
My friend, Solomon is not the only one who tried that. There are a lot of unhappy people in our churches today. They never get involved; they just go through a nice sweet little ritual. There is nothing as deadening as that!
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words [Eccl. 5:3].
There are a lot of things being said in church that should not be said.
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed [Eccl. 5:4].
Don’t go forward at an invitation unless you are really doing business with God. I recall conducting a service after which I was severely criticized because I would not let young people come forward. It was obvious to me that it would have been merely a display. I felt it was better to let them make a decision for Christ right where they were sitting. Oh, how many folk have come forward in a meeting when it has meant nothing to them at all! “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.” Don’t break your vow—not to God. You can’t promise God things, fail to make good on them, and then expect to maintain a vital relationship with Him.
There is a lot of pious talking and pious promising that is absolutely meaningless because it is never carried out.
Do you know that God actually gave a law concerning vows? Read Leviticus 27. I deal with this chapter in the second volume of my book, Learning Through Leviticus. My friend, when you make a vow to God, you had better mean what you say, because God is going to hold you to it. There is many a person who is no longer a missionary, many a preacher who is out of the pulpit, many a Christian who has been put on the shelf because they promised God that which they didn’t mean at all. It is not a religious ceremony when you are dealing with God. You are dealing with a Person who hears you and expects you to keep your promise.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? [Eccl. 5:5–6].
After making a vow to God, we are not to say, “It was an error—I should never have said it; I didn’t really mean it.” We are dealing with a living God. It seems there are many people who don’t know that. As a result, they stand way out on the fringe of the things of God. God is a reality, and we need to be very careful in our dealings with Him.
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God [Eccl. 5:7].
In “dreams and many words there are also divers vanities”—that is, all kinds of emptiness. They are no substitute for a personal relationship with God. So many people say, “I have had a dream,” or, “I have had an experience.” And they are putting their trust in that. There are many people today who use an experience to test the Word of God. It must be the other way around: All experience must be tested by the Word of God. We are instructed to try the spirits to see whether they are of God or not (see 1 John 4:1). Too many people go out on a tangent of experience and live by that. That is merely religion. That is an appeal to the emotion, an appeal to the aesthetic sense.
My friend, does your faith in Christ rest upon experience, or does it rest upon the naked Word of God? Do you have religion, or do you have Christ?
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they [Eccl. 5:8].
In our country we have heard much about corruption in the poverty program. There are so many today who are attempting to get rich at the expense of the poor. God will judge that. “For he that is higher than the highest regardeth.” God sees what is going on. I think that any Christian who is in a program in which he sees corruption should get out of the program. If you see corruption in a program, believe me, God sees the corruption in the program, and God will deal with it in judgment.
The history of this world bears that out. God watches what governments do to the poor. Governments that have exploited the poor have fallen. An example is the French Revolution. It wasn’t a nice, pretty thing by any means. It was an awful thing. I think it was the judgment of God upon the corruption of a nation in which a few were living at the expense of the many poor.
God has much to say about the relief of the poor. When the Lord Jesus comes to reign during the kingdom age which we call the Millennium, then they will find that there is One reigning who really means business when He says that He is going to do something for the poor. There will be justice and righteousness for them. I don’t think that He will put them on any kind of dole system. But each person will make his contribution and will receive justice at His hands.
This brings us to a new section in Solomon’s experiments to find satisfaction in life. As we have seen, he tried science, the study of natural laws. He tried wisdom and philosophy, pleasure, and materialism. He tried living for the “now.” He tried fatalism. He tried egoism, living for self. Then, of all things, he tried religion.
Now we will see Solomon engage in another experiment. Solomon was in a position to pursue and enjoy wealth better than anyone else. He was probably the richest man who has ever been on this earth. He gave himself over to the accumulation of gold, and he could buy anything that he wanted. The riches of Solomon was the factor that finally brought the downfall of the nation. The greed of the surrounding nations was aroused. They wanted to move in to get some of that wealth. God had put up a wall of protection around Israel, but that wall crumbled, and God allowed the nations to come into Israel and help themselves.
SEEKING SATISFACTION IN PURSUIT AND ENJOYMENT OF WEALTH
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity [Eccl. 5:10].
The president of a great corporation comes to the end of the year and sees a tremendous profit, but that actually does not satisfy him. A man may have a big bank account, which offers him some measure of security, but it will not really satisfy him. Wealth will not bring satisfaction in life.
Wealth is not wrong in itself. The Scripture never condemns wealth. It condemns the love of money. Not the money itself, but the love of money is a root of all evil (see 1 Tim. 6:10). To accumulate wealth for wealth’s sake is wrong. The miser thinks dollars are flat so they can be stacked; the spendthrift thinks they are round so they can be rolled. Both are entirely wrong.
Man’s attitude toward money is the issue. There is nothing wrong with our profit system itself. The wrong is in the people who are in it. It is the love of money which is wrong. The love of money makes people try to get rich for riches’ sake.
We see men who are held together, bound together in an arrangement just to make money for money’s sake. I was interested in hearing a comedian tell about a play he had a part in producing. He was thanking all those who had participated and was telling how they had all cooperated. It was a very lovely speech with no trace of humor in it. When he got to the end, he said, “And we have all been held together in this endeavor by one thing”—he paused a moment—“greed!” Yes, greed was the ingredient that held them together to make the production. That is the ingredient that holds big business together. It holds the Mafia together. It holds a great many organizations together.
I must confess that I believe it is wrong for one man or one organization to accumulate so much money when others are in poverty and need. This may sound radical, but I do believe that eventually something must be done about that. Look at India for an example. The maharaja has become immensely wealthy while the masses are poverty-stricken. God condemns that kind of thing. He condemns it because of the love of money and the use which is made of it. In our own country greed is the thing that is wrong with godless capitalism and godless labor. Greed—the love of money. It would be so wonderful if man would make money for the glory of God. It would be wonderful if man labored for money for the glory of God. It would be so wonderful if money were put to its proper use. The only cure for greed, of course, is to have Christ in the heart!
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? [Eccl. 5:11].
Growth just for the sake of growth is no good at all. This is true of a business or even of a Christian organization or church. I have learned it by personal experience.
For years I was the pastor of a large church. Just to grow for the sake of growing so one can have a big church is nothing in the world but a big headache. There is no fun in it. There is no joy in it. The Lord taught me that to grow for the glory of God is to be my one purpose in life. I keep this goal before me: Vernon McGee, you do this one thing, get out the Word of God.
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep [Eccl. 5:12].
The laboring man may not have too much to eat. That keeps him from being a glutton, and he probably sleeps a lot better by not over-eating. The rich man has an abundance. In fact, he has gourmet food all the time, and he gets pretty tired of it. He loses his appetite for it. Besides that, he has to worry about his riches, which keeps him awake at night. When we were in Hawaii with one of our tours, we were permitted to stay in a lovely hotel because of the size of our tour. I noticed how unhappy the people in the hotel seemed to be. They were people who had come to Hawaii to have a good time, but they were always worrying about their things. One woman spent thirty minutes getting her jewels in a safe-deposit box. When I got to the desk, the girl said, “She’s been here before and she’ll be back a dozen times to cheek on them or take out a piece to wear and bring it back again.” You know, I was glad my wife didn’t have that kind of problem. That rich woman had a real problem—probably one hundred thousand dollars worth of jewels to worry about. Riches multiply anxieties. Maybe that is one reason the Lord didn’t let me become rich!
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt [Eccl. 5:13].
Riches actually hurt rather than help a great many people. Sometimes the poor man is happier than the rich man. However, the apostle Paul said that he knew both how to abound and how to be abased (see Phil. 4:12). Frankly, I’d like to try both.
But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand [Eccl. 5:14].
He is saying that a man can accumulate a fortune and leave it to a son, and the boy will run through it—he will spend it all. Today men have become pretty wise about that. A man doesn’t leave the money to his son directly, but in a trusteeship so that someone else doles out the money to the boy in small amounts to preserve the family fortune.
There are a lot of prominent men today who never made a dime in their lives. The reason they are rich is because they inherited it. They lack discernment in the use of the money; yet they are in positions of influence. This is one of our problems today.
I think that eventually there will be a division in our nation which will not be between races, but will narrow down to the rich and the poor. That has always been the line of demarcation. I believe many rich people sense this, which explains why so many of the wealthy are politically liberal in their thinking. They already have their money, and no one can touch it; so they are willing to bring in liberal programs which will be supported by the taxes that you and I pay. The wealthy do not pay for those programs. That is a real problem. Solomon understood and spoke into that kind of situation. Solomon learned that wealth does not satisfy, nor is it the solution to the problems of life.
CHAPTER 6
This chapter concludes Solomon’s pursuit and enjoyment of wealth in his search for satisfaction.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease [Eccl. 6:1–2].
A friend told me that when he was in a hotel in Florida, he saw John D. Rockefeller, Sr., sitting and eating his meal. He had just a few little crumbs, some health food, that had been set before him. Over at a side table my friend saw one of the men who worked as a waiter in the hotel sitting with a big juicy steak in front of him. The man who could afford the steak couldn’t eat one; the man who could not afford the steak had one to eat because he worked for the hotel. It is better to have a good appetite than a big bank account!
If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he [Eccl. 6:3].
The rich man can eat only three meals a day, he can sleep on only one bed at a time, and he cannot live longer than the poor man—no matter how many doctors he may have—and he takes nothing with him when he leaves. There is no pocket in a shroud. Job was a rich man, and he said that he had come here with nothing and he was going out the same way. It is rather empty to give one’s life to the pursuit of that which does not bring happiness here and has no value hereafter. Some people spend their lives in this kind of an emptiness.
CHAPTER 7
This is the last experiment that Solomon tries. He has made experiments in everything under the sun to see if any of it would bring satisfaction and enjoyment to him. He tried science, the study of the natural laws of the universe, which made some contribution but did not satisfy him. Then he went into the study of philosophy and psychology. They didn’t satisfy. He went the limit on pleasure and materialism. He tried fatalism, which is such a popular philosophy of life today. He tried egoism, living for self. Then he tried religion—no religion can satisfy, because only Christ can satisfy the heart. Wealth was another thing which Solomon tried. He was the wealthiest man in the world, but he found that wealth did not bring satisfaction in and of itself.
Now we will see him try the last experiment: morality. Today we would call him a “do-gooder.” I would say that this is the place to which the majority of the people in America are moving. (I think the majority would still be classified as do-gooders.) They are going down the middle of the road on the freeway of life. This group can be described as the Babbitts, doing business in the Big City, under a neon sign, living out in suburbia, in a sedate, secluded, exclusive neighborhood, and taking it easy. Their children go to the best schools. They move with the best crowds. They go to the best church, the richest church in the neighborhood, the one with the tallest steeple, the loudest chimes, and the most educated preacher, who knows everything that man can possibly know, except the Bible (of course, if he did know and preach the Bible, he would lose his job). This is the kind of do-good society Solomon now tries.
SEEKING SATISFACTION IN MORALITY THE GOOD LIFE
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth [Eccl. 7:1].
That is true, by the way. There is nothing wrong with that statement. A good name is better than precious ointment. It is gratifying to a man to have people say he is a wonderful neighbor and that they have never had an argument with him, that he won’t discuss religion or politics, or won’t get involved in any kind of bad situation. He just smiles and goes right down the middle of the road, never veering to the right or to the left. He is a respectable person, recognized in the community. He joins different organizations of the town and does business with all kinds of people. Some day at his funeral the preacher will say all kinds of good things about him to try to push him into heaven. Solomon says a good reputation and a long eulogy at your funeral are what we should strive for down here. But will that satisfy the heart?
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart [Eccl. 7:2].
All of this life of morality and do-goodism is done in a dignified manner. People go to a club meeting and listen to a man come and talk about pollution. They don’t do anything about it, but they sit and talk about it in a very dignified way. The next week someone talks to them on civic problems. They sit and listen to that, and again nothing will be done. Then they all go to the funeral of one of the men in their fraternal lodge and hear nice things said about him. Nobody is particularly moved; no one will miss him too much. This is just how life is in our hometown.
That kind of life cannot satisfy the needs of man. To me, that life would be blah. I am glad I have never lived like that, and I don’t live like that today. It is not really living. I think this is the worst situation of them all. Frankly, I cannot blame a lot of young people who are rebelling against that kind of society.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better [Eccl. 7:3].
People today do anything to avoid sorrow. We have it arranged now so that you can laugh all the way to the cemetery. Reality is so covered over with flowers and soft music and a preacher saying a lot of easy things, nice things, that everyone goes home and says, “My, that was a nice funeral”—and forgets the grim reality of death as soon as possible.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth [Eccl. 7:4].
They don’t get more than fifty yards from the cemetery until someone tells a joke and they all have a good laugh. This is living in the presence of death. Somehow it doesn’t occur to these folk, as they see their friends slipping out of this life, that they, too, are moving along to death. Doesn’t it occur to them that it might be well for them to cheek to see where they are going? Are they saved? Are they lost? Are they rightly related to God? They don’t consider that important. They give to the Community Chest and are active in Red Cross. They are involved citizens in the community. They wouldn’t dare confess Christ and take a public stand for Him.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity [Eccl. 7:5–6].
Solomon’s point is this: Why not try both groups? Listen to the rebuke of a wise person, then go down and listen to a rock band and enjoy that also. One may be better than the other, but it is easier to go with both groups. This is the picture through the remainder of this chapter.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools [Eccl. 7:9].
Don’t get angry at anything. Be a nice fellow, stay friends with everyone because that will help business. Go the easy way, walk softly. Don’t be an extremist, be willing to compromise. Go with one crowd to be popular with them, and the next night go with a different crowd to be popular with them. You see, the do-gooder in this chapter is the man who lives like hell on Saturday night and then goes to church and passes for a Christian on Sunday. A man who had been stone drunk on Saturday night saw me on Sunday morning and said, “I want you to know that I am a Christian. What do you think I am, a pagan?” And that’s what he was, a pagan.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun [Eccl. 7:11].
In the Book of Proverbs we see that “wisdom” is another name for Christ. Christ has been made unto us wisdom. Oh, how this do-gooder needs to have Christ!
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it [Eccl. 7:12].
“Money is a defence”—this man wants plenty of money, but he doesn’t want Christ.
“Wisdom giveth life to them that have it.” And you can’t buy life with money. Medical science may be able to extend your life for a few years, but it doesn’t give eternal life here and out yonder in eternity. Only wisdom, which is Christ, can do that.
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee [Eccl. 7:21].
Don’t be disturbed by reports that somebody who knows you well says you are a crook. If you take the middle of the road, in the long run the community will applaud you.
My friend, seeking satisfaction in life by just trying to be a do-gooder is living like a vegetable, not a man! Yet this is the lifestyle of the majority in modern America. They will go to the burlesque show on Saturday night and to church on Sunday morning! What hypocrisy! We have seen our youth rebelling against this type of living. There are two thousand of them over on the island of Hawaii. I had the privilege of ministering to some of them, and quite a few turned to Christ. They have tried everything else. But why didn’t they find Christ in their homes in which their parents were church members? They saw that there was something radically missing in their homes and in their churches. They have seen the hypocrisy, the emptiness of the life of the moralist, the do-gooder.
I believe it is easier to reach a godless atheist than a hypocritical churchgoer. The godless atheist may respond when he hears the gospel for the first time, but the hypocritical churchgoer has heard the gospel again and again and has become hardened to it. That is the real tragedy.
CHAPTER 8
This chapter continues with the man who is lukewarm. He blows neither hot nor cold. The moralists and the do-gooders say that they are living by the Golden Rule, but they don’t seem to have any idea of what the Golden Rule is and what it requires. Solomon observes that there doesn’t seem to be much difference between the wicked and the righteous.
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed [Eccl. 8:1].
Only Christ who is real wisdom can change a man’s life. He can come into a life and bring excitement, joy, and peace. He can give us all the things that are needed today to deliver us from living a mediocre existence.
I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him [Eccl. 8:2–3].
He is saying, “Be careful what you do. Don’t get into trouble.”
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? [Eccl. 8:4].
Now the king can take a stand for what he believes because he has the liberty to do so. My friend, why don’t you live like a king and take a stand for Christ?
I talked to a young vagrant who had adopted what was then called the hippie life-style. I asked him, “Why in the world do you take up this life-style? Why are you dressed like you are?” He said, “Man, I want liberty; I want freedom. I want to live as I please.” I said, “Let me ask you this one question: If you changed your garb and went back to your crowd, would they accept you?” He thought a moment and then said, “I guess they wouldn’t.” So I asked, “Then you don’t have much liberty, do you?”
Young people feel that they must have the approval of the crowd, of the pack, so they really don’t know what liberty is. A great many of them take drugs for no other reason than to be accepted by the crowd. I asked the young man, “Do you think that I don’t have freedom because I dress as I dress?” He answered, “Yes, I would say that.” Then I told him that I have a freedom which he didn’t have. I told him that I don’t dress like this all the time. I can dress any way that I please—and I do. I don’t conform to a pattern. I have liberty. I said, “You and I are living in a world where there is rebellion against God—that is the direction mankind is moving. But I can bow my knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. I can call Him my Lord and my Savior. That is real freedom. I am not going in the direction of the crowd. I have made my choice. Young man, if you want real freedom, come to Christ. Jesus said, ‘If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed’” (John 8:36). That is freedom.
It is hard for people to understand that the do-gooder is just as much in rebellion against God as the criminal in the jail and that he is bound as securely by the rules of his group and the patterns they set. He is bound to a life-style that goes down the middle of the road.
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it [Eccl. 8:8].
If he continues taking that cocktail to conform to the group he associates with, one of these days he is going to be an alcoholic. (Oh, there are millions of them in our country, and they are all do-gooders!) And finally death will come to him—“neither hath he power in the day of death.”
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil [Eccl. 8:11].
What a picture of that which is happening in our contemporary society! When judgment is not executed, men do more and more evil work, because evil is in the hearts of men. Even men who call themselves Christian continue in sin, saying, “Look, I’ve been in sin for five years, and God has done nothing about it!” Well, that already reveals His judgment upon you. He has done nothing about it because He is way down the road waiting for you. In fact, He can wait until eternity—you can’t. “… Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). God grants you today so that you can turn to Him.
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity [Eccl. 8:14].
Solomon observes that when you look at the surface of things, there does not seem to be too much difference between the wicked and the righteous. It seems that it really doesn’t make any difference whether one is wicked or righteous because both come to the same end.
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun [Eccl. 8:15].
“Eat, … drink, and … be merry”—he concludes that the best thing to do is to enjoy life and to enjoy the labor “which God giveth him under the sun.” That is the most empty philosophy of life that anyone can have.
CHAPTER 9
We have labeled the moralist as the do-gooder. This is where we see him in action. We have seen that this is the man who says, “I believe that if you pay your honest debts and live a good life, God will accept you.” He is like the average American who travels down the middle of the road on the freeway of life. He is Babbitt on Main Street in Big City, doing business under a neon sign, but living in the sedate, secluded, and exclusive neighborhood in the suburbs. He is the one who feels that he is going to heaven on his own propulsion. “I am working out my own salvation, and I’m really a pretty good fellow after all.” He has a hard philosophy of life and very little real joy. Oh, he has his “happy hour” each evening when he has his cocktail, but he comes to some very doleful and pessimistic conclusions.
We have seen that many of the teachings of the Book of Ecclesiastes are quite radical. They present the philosophy of man under the sun. They do not present the Christian viewpoint, nor do they represent God’s viewpoint. They tell us the inevitable conclusions that are reached by the man under the sun. I find it a doleful book, and I find this chapter especially so. This book of the Bible is like a black sheep in a flock of sheep. One can take many passages out of this book which seem to contradict the other portions of Scripture. They express ideas that are contrary to some of the great teachings of Scripture, which explains why this book has been a favorite among atheists. Volney and Voltaire quoted from it frequently. It fosters a pessimistic philosophy of life like Schopenhauer had. Some of the modern cults predicate the main thesis of their systems on this book.
How did this book get into the canon of Scripture? Well, it is obvious that one must go back to the purpose of the author. What is his thesis? What is he demonstrating? Is he trying to set forth Christian principles? We must always remember that Solomon is speaking of life apart from God. He has tried to make an experiment to see how to be happy without God. These are the conclusions that he has come to “under the sun.” This is the way the man of the world looks at life. So then it is no surprise that unbelievers would quote from this book.
Let me give you an illustration to help you to understand this book. Halfway between high tide and low tide is what they call the mean tide, which is sea level. There is a realm of life below sea level; there is a realm of life above sea level. Actually, they are like two different worlds. In the world below sea level there are certain chemical elements in a world that is aqueous. Above the sea level there are different combinations of chemical elements in a world that is gaseous. Below sea level are the fish with fins. Above are the birds with wings. There are two ways of life. The mockingbird does not tell the tuna fish that he is all wrong because he doesn’t have feathers. The monkey and the barracuda could actually have a big debate on which direction is sea level. The monkey would say that sea level is down; the barracuda would argue that sea level is up.
Now Ecclesiastes is “under the sun.” The Christian life is in the heavenly places where God is. Man under the sun will have a different view of life from the view of God who is above the sun. We are looking at two different worlds, two different ways of life. Life under the sun is a mundane existence apart from God. It views a future and an eternity without God. The Christian life is a contrast to this in every way, because man has been saved by the grace of God and is a display of His grace.
So there are two different spheres, and the laws and principles of one will not apply to the other. They are as far apart as that which is below sea level and that which is above sea level. Because this is true, it is a waste of time to tell the non-Christian, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). That man is not even in Christ; he is not risen with Christ. Therefore he cannot seek those things which are above. He first needs to be born again, to become a new creature. You see, it is no use talking to a non-Christian as if he were a man in Christ, because he isn’t. It would be like trying to teach a mud turtle to fly. The mud turtle likes the mud; he is not even interested in flying.
As we have seen, Ecclesiastes is the record of experiments that Solomon made with life. He tried everything “under the sun” to see if he could find satisfaction for his soul. Everything must be interpreted in that light.
Solomon tried the pursuit of knowledge and came to the conclusion, “… of making many books there is no end” (Eccl. 12:12). He tried pleasure and the outcome was, “I hated life.” He tried riches and came to the conclusion “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver” (Eccl. 5:10). Then he tried religion and concluded that it will make one become a lunatic or a racketeer, a crank or a crook, a nut or a bum. Then he tried fame and a good name; he tried morality. All he could say was that it was all vanity and vexation of spirit.
Thackeray wrote a wonderful novel called Vanity Fair. It is the story of a girl named Beeky, and it is set in the time of the wars of Napoleon. It tells of the littleness and of the sin in the lives of the characters as they lived their lives apart from God (Thackeray was a Christian). He concluded the book by saying, “The play is over. We put the puppets back in the box. All is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
By the way, you could do the same thing with the entertainment and pleasure capitals of our country. They are places of fame and riches and also places that have a monopoly on sleeping pills and narcotics. Life is empty without God and without Christ.
Augustine gave us that often-quoted expression, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and the heart of man is restless until it finds its rest in Thee” (Confessions, Bk. 1, See. 1). The human heart is so constructed that you could put the whole world in it and still it would not be filled.
Quotations from Ecclesiastes have been used to support socialism. There is only one answer for statism or regimentation. Christ is the answer, the only answer. All other routes lead to emptiness and frustration. With Him there is life abundant.
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them [Eccl. 9:1].
He is not worried about the future. Eternity is a realm he doesn’t even think about because he knows nothing about it.
All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath [Eccl. 9:2].
It looks to him as if it doesn’t make any difference which direction you go. They all come out the same way anyhow. Remember, this is not God’s answer. This is the way it looks to man under the sun as he observes the lives of people around him.
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead [Eccl. 9:3].
Why should anyone work at all? Life is just a big lottery, and you are the victim of your circumstances. The fellow who was lucky enough to get his share of it, ought to share it with you. The philosophies of our day are not saying anything new. Karl Marx didn’t say anything new—Solomon was way ahead of him.
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion [Eccl. 9:4].
If you follow along this basic premise, it is eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die. Then, whether you are a fool or a wise man doesn’t make much difference. It’s still better to be alive than dead, even if you are a fool while you are alive—“for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten [Eccl. 9:5].
This is where the idea of a “soul sleep” arises (see also v. 10). All of this is the observation of the man under the sun. This is the way it looks if death is the end and there is nothing after death. That is why he says it would be better to be a living dog than a dead lion.
God has told us what happens after death. The body is put into the grave, and it is the body that sleeps in the grave. Scripture makes it very clear that the soul of the child of God goes to be with the Lord: “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:6–8). The soul, the real person, goes to be with the Lord—absent from the body, present with the Lord. The bodies you and I are living in are only our earthly tabernacles or tents, and we’ll move out of them someday. So you see, soul sleep is not even a Christian viewpoint.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun [Eccl. 9:6].
I told you that this is a doleful chapter. It looks as if life is futile, purposeless and without meaning. If death is the end of everything, then man is just like an animal. The evolutionist says that man once was an animal, and this man under the sun says man is like an animal now. The end result of both is the same. Man dies like an animal.
How different it is for us who know that we have come from the creative hand of God and that we are going back to God.
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works [Eccl. 9:7].
The do-gooder who thinks that death is the end of it all finds his joy in the “happy hour.” “Drink thy wine with a merry heart.” This is about the most monotonous life in the world.
Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment [Eccl. 9:8].
He dresses up and keeps up a good front.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun [Eccl. 9:9].
Enjoy your marriage, he advises. There are many non-Christian couples who are enjoying their lives together—I have met several of them. Oh, they have their problems and their dark days, but their attitude is, “Let’s make the best of it.”
Now here is another verse on which the theory of soul sleep is based.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest [Eccl. 9:10].
It is certainly true that the body in the grave can no longer hold a hammer in its hand. The brain is no longer able to study or perform any mental chores. Solomon is speaking only of the body. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” He is talking about the hand, not the soul. It is the hand that will be put into the grave. If you are a child of God, you will go into the presence of the Lord. If you are not a child of God, you will go to the place of the dead until you are raised to be judged at the Great White Throne. This life does not end it all. This book does not teach soul sleep.
Now he will deal with social injustice and the minority groups.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all [Eccl. 9:11].
The observation of the man under the sun leads him to believe that life is a matter of time and chance. It is nothing but a big lottery. If you happen to be born black, you will have your problems. If you are born white, you will have your problems. If you are born yellow, you will have your problems. It’s all chance, and there is nothing you can do about it. That is the thought here.
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them [Eccl. 9:12].
If time and chance are the regulators of life, then you are just as helpless as the fish caught in a net. This is an awful viewpoint, the worst kind of fatalism. This is the philosophy of the men I mentioned who fly home at the end of the week, coming back to Southern California from Dallas, Kansas City, Chicago, and Seattle. They sit in the airplane and grit their teeth in the midst of the turbulence of a storm and say, “If the plane is going to go down, it will go down. If my number comes up, there is nothing I can do about it.” A man is just like a fish caught in a net. For the do-gooder, there is no other explanation. He is forced to come to this fatalistic philosophy.
Now Solomon gives a little parable:
There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it [Eccl. 9:14].
Come a little closer, Mr. Marxist, and listen to this parable. Do you want to lift up the burden of the downtrodden? Do you want to defend a minority group and the cause of the underdog? Is that the thing you’re interested in? Well, may I say to you, there will arise a dictator. “A great king” will come against a people that let down their defenses and spend all their time with social problems which unsaved men cannot solve. (They’ve had probably six thousand years or longer, and they have not yet solved the problems of life. How much longer do you think God ought to give man to work these out?) “A great king” will take over such a city when socialistic methods are adopted.
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man [Eccl. 9:15].
Who was that man who came and brought deliverance? His name was Wisdom, and Wisdom is another name for Christ. He came to this earth in poverty. Jesus could actually say, “… The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). He was a poor man.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools [Eccl. 9:16–17].
Eventually the voice of the Lord Jesus will prevail. When He comes, His voice will be like the shout of the archangel and like the sound of a trumpet. There is a babble of voices in this world today, but there is coming a time when His voice will prevail in this world.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good [Eccl. 9:18].
Here is his conclusion of all he has said in this chapter. “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.”And Christ is better than atomic energy.
“Wisdom is better than weapons of war.” Years ago I crossed the ocean in the H. M. S. Queen Mary, and I shall never forget the morning when we came into Southampton. I got up early to watch it. It was a tremendous feat to bring that great ship into port. The pilot had brought her across the trackless ocean. How had he done it? He had done it by the principles that were set down by a little-known Greek philosopher years ago working in geometry. That’s the way it was done. “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.”
“But one sinner destroyeth much good.” There is a tremendous influence exerted by the life of one individual. And the influence is more potent when it is in the wrong direction. History will bear this out.
Adam sinned and his sin has affected the entire race of mankind. Achan sinned, and because of him an entire nation went down in defeat. They had to deal with the sin of Achan before they could achieve a victory. Rehoboam’s sin split the kingdom of Israel. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira brought the first defect into the early church, and from that day on the church has not been as potent as it was in the beginning.
You and I have an influence, either for good or for bad. No matter who you are, you occupy a place of influence. “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Rom. 14:7). Every person is a preacher. No one can keep himself from being a preacher.
I made that same statement to a man, an alcoholic, who lived with his mother in a house down the street from the church. His mother was brokenhearted over her boy, and she asked me to talk to him about Christ. One day I got him into my study. He had been drinking, but he was not what you would call drunk. I told him he was breaking his mother’s heart, and I told him how low down and good for nothing his life was. He was not moved; he just sat there and took it. Then I asked him, “Do you know that you are a preacher?” At that he stood up and drew back his fist—he was going to hit me. “You can’t call me a preacher!” He would allow me to call him any kind of name but not a preacher! My friend, all of us are preachers. You are preaching to those around you by the life that you live.
I personally believe that the do-gooder, the man who boasts of his moral life apart from God, is the greatest detriment. He actually stands in the way; he blocks the way to God, because his message is, “Live like I do. I live without God. I just do good.” There is nothing quite as deadening as that.
You are a preacher, whoever you are. It may be in a very small circle, but you are affecting someone. You are a preacher in your own home. This reminds me of a father who kept a jug of whiskey hidden in the corn crib. It was his habit to go out there every morning and get himself a drink. On a snowy morning he went out to the barn as was his habit, but this time he heard someone behind him. He turned around and found that it was his little son following him, stepping in the footsteps in the snow where his father had walked. The father asked, “What are you doing, son?” The boy answered, “I’m following in your footsteps.” He sent the boy back into the house, and then he went out to the corn crib and smashed that jug of whiskey. He realized that he didn’t want his boy to be following in his footsteps. Someone in your home is following in your footsteps. Where are you leading him?
You may be influencing a wide circle of human society. You may have influence in the business world. You have influence in your neighborhood and in your community. You have influence in your Sunday school. Somebody is looking at you and watching to see whether or not you mean business with God. Does your going to church mean anything more to you than going to a drive-in to pick up a hamburger? Does your life suggest that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun? You have influence.
You remember that Peter preached a mighty sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Andrew just sat on the sidelines and could say, “That is my brother. I brought him to Christ.” That was Andrew’s influence. You, today, are pointing men to heaven or to hell. Now, if you want to go to hell, that’s your business, but you have no right to lead a little boy there. You have no right to lead your family and those who surround you there. Even if you want to go, it’s awful to lead others. Influence—“One sinner destroyeth much good.” Think about it.
CHAPTER 10
We see here that the injustice of life suggests the adoption of a moderate course.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour [Eccl. 10:1].
Life is full of illustrations of this truth. One night on the town can mean a lifetime in the darkness of disease or even death. An officer in a church I served years ago told me, “I was brought up in a Christian home, and I really never did run around, but when I went away from home and got a job, I went out with the fellows one night. That is the only night in my life that I went out, and that is the night I got a venereal disease. I had to postpone marriage for several years, and I had to break off an engagement with a sweet, lovely girl.” Just one dead fly will ruin the ointment of the apothecary. How tragic!
A mother spends twenty-one years teaching a son to be wise, and some girl will come along and make a fool out of him in five minutes. What a picture! A little folly, a little foolishness—that is all it takes. It can be the thing that can ruin a life and spoil the lives of others.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left [Eccl. 10:2].
The right hand is the hand of strength. A wise man’s heart is at his right hand. Whatever he does, he does it with all his heart. He doesn’t do it reluctantly. The fool’s heart is at his left hand. He just does things in a half-hearted way.
My friend, whatever you do, do it with heart. If you are going to serve God, do it with joy and excitement. Don’t make the Christian life a drudge. Make it something worthwhile. Whatever you do, do it with excitement.
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool [Eccl. 10:3].
A fool does not have to carry a placard on himself that says, “I am a fool.” The fact of the matter is that all he has to do is open his mouth. Sometimes he doesn’t even have to open his mouth to prove that he is a fool.
Sometimes at community meetings people will get up to express a viewpoint. A man will make a thoughtful suggestion, and I will think, My, I didn’t know my neighbor was so intelligent. Then a fellow gets up to speak, and the minute he opens his mouth, I look at my friend sitting next to me and arch my eyebrows. The Bible calls him a fool, and he tells everyone what he is.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences [Eccl. 10:4].
The man under the sun is going to take the position of yielding in order to pacify. In other words, “If you can’t fight city hall, join them.”
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place [Eccl. 10:5–6].
This is one of the things that has happened in our day and age: a dignity has been given to sin. There was a time when sin was down on the sidestreet. It was considered dirty and filthy, and it savored of that which was low and foul. But today sin has moved up on the boulevard. Sin is committed with great dignity, and it has been given a prominent place. It is given a prominent place on TV shows.
I noticed the other day that they interviewed a stripper on a TV show, that is, a girl who takes off her clothes in a nightclub. When I was a young fellow in my teens, living a life away from God, we would sneak off on Saturday night to go to such shows. It was dirty; it was filthy. Today they call it an art form! Today sin is handled in such a dignified way. “Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.”
Have you heard interviews with the ordinary citizen or with the ordinary Christian? These are the people who are making the finest contribution to their community and to their society. Are they the ones who are interviewed? No, they occupy a low place. You never hear of them. The attention is focused on the ones who are the sinners and oddballs.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth [Eccl. 10:7].
To work hard, save your money, and study late do not always mean that you will become a success. The fool next door may inherit a million dollars. Sometimes it is the fool who rides the horse, while the prince walks as the servant.
I know many wonderful Christians—across this land I have had the privilege of meeting some of the most wonderful people who are humble folk. Many of them live in humble homes; some of them are financially well-to-do. But they are ignored. They are “princes walking as servants upon the earth” today. What a picture!
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him [Eccl. 10:8].
If you think that you can get by with sin, especially if you are a child of God, you are very foolish. God may not act immediately, but all you need to do is wait; God will eventually judge you for it. I have watched that over the years. Christians do things that are wrong and seem to get by with it, but somewhere down the line God begins to move in on them, and He takes them to His woodshed.
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby [Eccl. 10:9].
Removing stones in that day was removing the markers of property lines. This is saying again that one cannot get by with sin. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. If you try to cheat someone out of his property, or anything else, God will see to it that you will get hurt. This is the reason the Lord tells us that we are not to avenge ourselves. The Lord says, “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay …” (Rom. 12:19). The Lord is the One who will settle the accounts.
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct [Eccl. 10:10].
If the hoe gets dull, you will sharpen it, if you have any sense at all. A dull hoe makes digging that much harder. Unfortunately, many people are not willing to do the thing that will sharpen the hoe.
A young man told me the other day that God had called him to preach, and he wanted to take a short course to prepare himself. I said, “Young man, don’t do that. Sharpen your hoe. Sharpen your sword. Don’t go out untrained. Take the time for sharpening.” It is foolish to take out a dull hoe and expect to cut down many weeds. Sharpen the hoe and then move in on the weed patch. This Book of Ecclesiastes has some great lessons for us to learn. It is an unusual book.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better [Eccl. 10:11].
We need to understand the practices of the East if we are going to understand this verse. It is very similar to Psalm 58:4–5: “Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.” The same idea is found in Jeremiah. “For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord” (Jer. 8:17).
The adder is a very deadly reptile. We have all seen pictures of the Indian fakirs (and I believe it would be just as correct to spell it fakers) who play a doleful sort of tune on a horn to charm the cobra. The cobra does a sort of dance; I suppose one could call it the cobra hula dance. The cobra will not strike as long as the tune is being played on that horn. Now I don’t know about you, but if I had one of those horns, and a cobra came along, I’d be a long-winded person—I’d play as long as I possibly could. But there will come a time when the cobra or the adder will not listen, and finally he will strike. When he does strike, it means death.
The “serpent” in the passages we have quoted probably is not referring to literal snakes. I think it is referring to that person, “babbler,” who will deceive you, who will betray you, a Judas Iscariot. After all, that’s what Antichrist will be to the nation of Israel in the Great Tribulation Period.
Even among people in the church you will find those who will say things that are not true. “Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a blabber is no better.” He may pose as your friend, but he is going to bite you like a serpent no matter how nice you are to him.
This was the kind of sorrow that David felt when his friend Ahithophel turned against him. Ahithophel had been his counselor and his personal friend, but he left David and went with Absalom when Absalom rebelled. That broke David’s heart. I think David was a broken man after the rebellion of Absalom. Up to that time, I doubt that there had ever been a ruler like King David in his prime. After that time of rebellion David became an old man. He pours out his heart in Psalm 55, and this is the picture we get.
Solomon is saying that in view of the possibility of this happening, one should be very careful. I would say that that is the philosophy of life of the average person today. He is the do-gooder who walks in the middle of the road. He has been told to be careful with So-and-So, who can repeat what he says and twist it. So when Mr. Do-gooder faces these people, he adopts a very sweet attitude toward them, but he is very careful what he says.
Sometimes it seems that we actually should confront the kind of person who takes facts and twists them and point out to them exactly what they are doing. However, I know from experience that if you point them out, you will be attacked in a most vicious manner.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself [Eccl. 10:12].
“The lips of the fool will swallow up himself” and those who are around him as well. That is why one should be careful in making friends and choosing the right kind of friends. When I taught school, I always advised the freshman class, “You are going to make friends here that will be friends with you for life. You may even meet your mate here (and of course some of them did), so be careful about the friends you make.”
When my daughter went away to college, I gave her that same advice. I told her she would have the greatest opportunity of all her life to make some wonderful friendships. But I advised her to be careful in choosing her friends. There are some people who will try to destroy you.
There are people who are like the adder or the serpent. If you are nice to them and can keep them charmed, things will go well. But be very careful how you act in their presence. This is good advice, my friend, but it is a middle-of-the-road course, as you can see.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? [Eccl. 10:13–14].
How true this is. Have you ever noticed that if you have a group and you throw out a topic for an open discussion, there will generally be some loquacious person in that group. (I believe that now they call such sessions “rap” sessions. When I was young, we called them “bull” sessions.) Usually some person who likes to talk will take over the discussion, and often he will say foolish, absurd things. The group begins to wish that one person would keep his mouth shut.
This is one reason why I am not very fond of open discussions. When I have a question and answer period, I always encourage people to write out their questions. If you don’t do that, you will almost invariably find one babbler in the group, one talker who comes under this category of being a troublemaker. Someone has described such a person as one whose brain starts his mouth working, and then the brain goes off and leaves it.
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city [Eccl. 10:15].
Today we would say the fool doesn’t know enough to come in out of the rain.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! [Eccl. 10:16].
They give themselves over to pleasure instead of ruling the people properly and being a blessing to the land.
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! [Eccl. 10:17].
The big problem in our country is not drugs but liquor. The number of alcoholics in this country is now in the millions. Probably we cannot get an accurate figure on the number of alcoholics because of the liquor interests, but it is a real cause for alarm. There are too many cocktail parties in Washington where the political decisions are being made. “Blessed art thou, O land, when … thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!”
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through [Eccl. 10:18].
This is an indictment of laziness, of the refusal to work. I’m afraid that is becoming a way of life in our country today. A common greeting is, “Take it easy” and “Have a good day.” In other words, do as little as possible and have as much fun as you can.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things [Eccl. 10:19].
Many of the rich have moved to the middle of the road. They want to be liberal and yet they want to be conservative.
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter [Eccl. 10:20].
“Curse not the king.” Regardless of our president’s political party or his views, I do not feel that he should be caricatured or made an object of ridicule. In the New Testament Peter says, “… Honour the king” (1 Pet. 2:17).
CHAPTER 11
This chapter gives the best course to follow for the do-gooder, for the moral man, the man who wants to live the good life and wants to go down the middle, neither hot nor cold, neither right nor left.
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days [Eccl. 11:1].
Don’t be afraid of doing good, although the reward may be late in arriving.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth [Eccl. 11:2].
When you are doing good, be sure to help more than one person. Help quite a few people, because you may get into trouble yourself at some later time, and there will be many people who will be willing to help you.
The Lord Jesus told a parable along this line, and it is recorded in Luke 16. There was an “unjust” steward who was really a crook. He made friends for himself by reducing their debts to his master, so that when he lost his job he could go to them for help.
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be [Eccl. 11:3].
If rain is predicted, you had better carry an umbrella. After a big redwood tree falls, it is hard to move it. What is he saying here? It is best to have a clear understanding of a situation at the very beginning before you launch a venture because, after it begins, it is very difficult to make any change.
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap [Eccl. 11:4].
That is, act wisely in what you do. If a man wants to sow seed, he had better wait until there is no wind. If a man wants to reap a harvest, he will not begin if rain is threatening.
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all [Eccl. 11:5].
The formation of the fetus and the physical birth of a baby are still great mysteries today. Spiritual rebirth is an even greater mystery. You do not know how the Spirit will move. The Lord Jesus said that. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). There is a great deal that we do not know.
I believe his point is simply this: Don’t let what you don’t know disturb what you do know. Let me give an example. Any person knows enough to sit in a chair. There is an empty chair in my study right now. I don’t mind getting up and going over there to sit down. Now there are a lot of things I don’t know about that chair. I don’t know anything about its construction—who made it or how it was made—but I do know that I can sit in that chair and it will hold me up. That is really all I need to know about the chair. So don’t let what you don’t know disturb what you do know.
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity [Eccl. 11:7–8].
Some day you will get old, my friend. Life for the senior citizen is not always as pleasant as the advertising folders say it is going to be.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity [Eccl. 11:9–10].
Remember, young man, now is the time to make your decisions in every category of life. It is very important that you make the right choices now. How many men have lived wasted lives and are living them today, because they made the wrong choices in their youth.
Your youthful days are empty if they are not lived right. Life is a gift that is given to us by God, given one day at a time, in fact, one second at a time. It is a precious gift, and it is to be used for the glory of God. What is the chief end of man? The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
CHAPTER 12
We have seen the experiments that Solomon made in life. He is probably the only man who ever lived who was able to experiment in all of these different areas, attempting to find a solution and satisfaction apart from God. Throughout Ecclesiastes the key expression has been “under the sun.” He tried nature and natural science as his first experiment.
A great many people today feel that they will solve their problems by getting back to nature. There is a great exodus out of the cities and into the suburbs and beyond the suburbs to a little cabin by a lake or by a river or up in the mountains. “Let’s get away from it all. Let’s get back to nature.” Well, this didn’t solve Solomon’s problems, and it will not solve our problems. So Solomon tried wisdom and philosophy; he tried pleasure and materialism; he experimented with fatalism; he tried living life for self. He turned to religion and found ritual but no reality. Then he tried to find the answer in wealth. Finally Solomon tried the good life, the life of the moralist, which he found to be an insipid sort of existence. I think that is why the young people today rebel against it.
Solomon now comes to his final conclusion in this chapter.
POETIC PICTURE OF OLD AGE
This chapter is going to have something for the young person and for the senior citizen. Both ends of the spectrum of life meet here.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them [Eccl. 12:1]
In view of the fact that nothing under the sun can satisfy the human heart, Solomon says, “Get back to God.” While you are young, make your decision for God. It is going to be obvious why this should be done.
Solomon will paint a picture of old age, and it is not a pretty picture. Nevertheless, it is your picture and my picture in old age. When I first preached on this chapter of Ecclesiastes, I was a very young preacher, and I wondered if it would really be like this. Now I am here to testify that the description of old age in Ecclesiastes is accurate.
One often hears the liberal and the skeptic say, “I believe in a religion of the here and now. I’m not interested in a religion of the hereafter.” Well, here is a religion for the “here,” which means to get rightly related to God and live for Him. Why? Well, let’s look at this picture he paints of old age—a tremendous picture.
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain [Eccl. 12:2]
Does he mean that the sun, the moon, the stars, the lights are all going out? No, he means that you don’t see them as you used to.
Mrs. McGee and I took a walk when we were in the Hawaiian Islands, under a full moon, and it was beautiful. I said to her, “My, isn’t that a beautiful moon? But you know, it doesn’t seem as romantic as it once did. How do you feel?” She replied, “No, I don’t think it is as romantic as it once was. I used to think Hawaii was the most romantic place in the world.” Well, my friend, when you get old, the luster dims.
Time flies, and one sad experience follows another—“he clouds return after the rain.” When you get old, you can go out and have a great day but, believe me, you must take three or four days to rest up afterward. I have learned that.
I used to have a heavy schedule of conferences and just kept on going and enjoying every minute of it. Now Mrs. McGee and I find that we need to change our whole lifestyle. Conferences are becoming wearing on us. “The clouds return after the rain.”
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened [Eccl. 12:3]
This is the description of the body, the physical body, in old age. “The keepers of the house shall tremble.” Those are the legs. The old person begins to totter.
My staff and my close friends try to kid me by saying, “Oh, you’re looking so strong and so well.” Yet I notice when I get in and out of a car, they are at my elbow to help me. Do you know why? Because my legs don’t move quite as fast as they once did.
When I get up in the morning and come down the steps, I groan. My wife gets after me and asks, “Why do you groan?” I tell her it is scriptural to groan. Paul tells us, “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened …” (2 Cor. 5:4). So I tell her that I want to be scriptural. But honestly I groan because my knees hurt when I come down the steps. “The keepers of the house shall tremble.”
I find that I stumble more than I used to, and I must be more careful when I climb a ladder. An old person gets himself a walking stick, and I’ve been thinking about that, too.
“And the strong men shall bow themselves.” Those are the shoulders. They are no longer erect. My wife told me the other day, “You’d look lots better if you would stand erect like you used to stand. When you were young, you had broad shoulders, and now you are all stooped over.” Well, friend, the “strong men” are bowing themselves. They don’t stay back like they once did. The shoulders begin to round off, and I can assure you it is more comfortable that way.
“The grinders cease because they are few.” The grinders are the teeth. You are going to lose your teeth as you get older. You will need to have some bridges put in or full dentures. I haven’t had to resort to false teeth yet—I’m thankful I still have my own—but they have all been capped now for years.
“Those that look out of the windows be darkened” refers to failing eyesight. The other night in a restaurant a man came up to me, we shook hands, and I talked with that man for two minutes before I even recognized who he was. I just couldn’t place him. I met another friend at a meeting. We talked a while and after he left, I asked my wife who he was. She told me his name. It was a man whom I had known for years. I said, “To tell you the truth, I didn’t know him. He surely has changed.” She said, “Yes, I think he has, but you have, too.” So you see that the windows get darkened. Even with my trifocals, I don’t see as well as I did. Things don’t look quite as bright as they once did.
And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low [Eccl. 12:4]
“The doors shall be shut in the streets” means that the hearing is failing. My wife tells friends, “You’ll have to speak a little louder. He’s getting hard of hearing.” I’m not really, by the way. She says that I often don’t hear what she says. Maybe sometimes it is that I don’t want to hear. Several years ago I had a neighbor who wore a hearing device. His wife would get after him when he got out to trim trees or prune his fruit trees. He would be up on the ladder working, and she would come out and rebuke him for it. All he did was take out his hearing aid. She would talk to him for fifteen minutes, and he wouldn’t hear a word she said. Finally she would say, “I don’t think you are wearing your hearing aid,” and he wasn’t. He would just keep on doing what he wanted to do.
Well, noise, even out on the street, is not as loud as it once was. “The doors shall be shut in the streets.” And “when the sound of grinding is low.” The grinding is literally the grinding women. They don’t seem to make as much noise as they used to.
“He shall rise up at the voice of the bird.” I can remember when I was a boy that even a loud alarm clock wouldn’t wake me up in the morning. When my wife and I were young, we didn’t mind the noise of children. We didn’t mind the noise of music coming from the neighbors. We could sleep in motels and hotels, and none of the noises bothered us. Now even the little chirp of a bird disturbs us! Now when we travel and we come to a motel or hotel I always ask, “Can you give us a quiet room?” We are getting old, and we rise up at the voice of the bird. Any little noise disturbs our sleep.
“And all the daughters of music shall be brought low.” You don’t find too many older people singing in the choir anymore. The voice gets thin, and it gets harder to carry a tune. I remember dear brother Homer Rodeheaver. What a marvelous music director and song leader he was! I remember him as a young man when he traveled with Billy Sunday. How he thrilled me when I heard him as a boy. He played the trombone, sang, and led the singing. What a voice he had! Then I invited him to come to the church I pastored in downtown Los Angeles. He was in his seventies by then. I would help him up, and he would go tottering up to the platform. He was still a marvelous song leader; I don’t think anyone could ever excel him. But every now and then he would sing a stanza, and my feeling was that he would have done better to read the stanza. It was no longer the glorious voice that we had heard years before.
Even the people who once had beautiful singing voices lose the quality of their voices as they get older. Those of us who never could sing very well should realize that we had better praise the Lord in our hearts. That is the reason I never open my mouth in a song service. I don’t dare. I couldn’t sing when I was young, and now it is positively frightful. “The daughters of music shall be brought low.”
Now he continues on as he speaks of old age. And now, to me, it gets to the place where it’s tragic, because we’re looking at the psychological effects.
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets [Eccl. 12:5]
“They shall be afraid of that which is high.” I never did enjoy flying, but I was getting over my fear and began to enjoy it. Then old age slipped up on me, and I find today I have the same old fear of flying that I had at the very beginning. Little things disturb me, little things that didn’t disturb me at all when I was younger.
“And fears shall be in the way.” We just don’t enjoy things as much as we once did. We have always enjoyed traveling and have conducted many tours to the Bible lands and to the Hawaiian Islands. I have noticed that as we and our friends get older, we find traveling much more difficult. We worry and wonder about things we never even thought of before.
When we were young, my wife and I would start out in an old jalopy to go across the country. We never made any reservations. It didn’t worry us if we stopped at motels and found that they were all filled. It didn’t bother us if we had to sleep on the side of the road. But today there is always a nagging fear. When we get ready to make a trip, I have all the reservations made well in advance, and I a go over the road map again and again and again. “Fears shall be in the way.”
“The almond tree shall flourish.” blossoming almond tree is white. And the senior citizen is going to turn white on top, or else there won’t be anything left on the top—it is one or the other.
“The grasshopper shall be a burden.” How can a little grasshopper be a burden? Well, when old age comes little things that never used to bother now become a burden. We love our grandchildren dearly and enjoy having them with us, but after a while, we are glad to see them go home again. Strength fails, endurance fails, patience fails. Many little things become a burden.
“Desire shall fail.” Romance is gone. You can try to act as if you are just as young as you were, but you don’t fool anyone. I remember listening to an evangelist who had married a young girl. He hopped on the platform, jumped in the air, and said, “I’m just as young as I ever was.” He wasn’t fooling anybody but himself, and he died shortly after that.
“Because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.” That “long home” is eternity. Death is getting near.
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern [Eccl. 12:6]
Here is a list of the organs of the body. At the end, they no longer function. The “silver cord” is the spinal cord. The “golden bowl” is the head, the bowl for the brain. The functioning of the brain decreases in its efficiency as one gets older, and at death it ceases to function at all. The pitcher is the lungs. “The pitcher is broken at the fountain.” The wheel is the heart—“the wheel broken at the cistern.” It is no longer pumping blood through the body. All of this is a picture of the deterioration of old age leading to death. Life cannot be sustained without the functioning of these organs.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it [Eccl. 12:7]
There is no soul sleep. I wish the people who try to use verses from this Book of Ecclesiastes to support their idea of soul sleep would just read on until they get to this verse. The body sleeps, but the spirit, or the soul, returns unto God who gave it.
Let me repeat that the New Testament assures us that to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:8). The soul immediately returns to God. This body is just a tabernacle, or a tent, that we live in. It is just the outer covering. The soul goes to be with God.
When President Adams became an old man, someone asked him how he was getting along. His reply was something like this: “Oh, I’m doing fine, but this house I live in is growing very feeble, and I think I’ll be moving out of it before long.” That was true. He did move out of his old house shortly after that.
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity [Eccl. 12:8]
Young man, life is empty if you are just living for the here and now. One day you will find that all you have in your hand is a fistful of ashes, and you will have eternity ahead of you.
When as a child, I laughed and wept, Time crept;
When as a youth, I dreamed and talked, Time walked;
When I became a full grown man, Time ran;
When older still I daily grew, Time flew;
Soon I shall find in traveling on, Time gone.
—Author unknown
The psalmist writes: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Ps. 90:12), and Wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thinking of old age, someone has written this bit of whimsey:
Thou knowest, Lord, I’m growing older.
My fire of youth begins to smolder;
I somehow tend to reminisce
And speak of good old days I miss.
I am more moody, bossy, and
Think folk should jump at my command.
Help me, Lord, to conceal my aches
And realize my own mistakes.
Keep me sweet, silent, sane, serene,
Instead of crusty, sour, and mean.
—Author unknown
May the Lord, give us the grace to grow old gracefully!
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd [Eccl. 12:9–11]
We should not by any means despise the wisdom of the past, nor should we refuse to be taught.
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh [Eccl. 12:12]
Education will not solve the problems of life.
THE RESULT OF THE EXPERIMENT
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man [Eccl. 12:13]
“Fear God.” This is the message of the Book of Proverbs as well as the message here. In view of the experiment made “under the sun,” the wise thing is to fear God, which means to reverence, worship, and obey Him.
“And keep his commandments” would mean to meet God’s conditions for salvation—in any age—grounded on faith in God. For Cain it meant bringing a lamb. For Abraham it meant believing the promises of God. For the people of Israel it meant approaching God through sacrifice in the tabernacle and in the temple. For us it is to “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31).
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil [Eccl. 12:14]
“For God shall bring every work into judgment.” God will judge every man, for every man is a sinner who is guilty before God. Christ bore our judgment; He died a judgment death. Our sins are either on Christ by faith in Him, or else we must come before the Great White Throne for judgment.
“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Why? Well, for a very definite reason: because in the matter of salvation your chances of being saved are greater; and in the subject of service you’ll have something to offer to God. Statistics show that more come to Christ when they are young.
This does not mean that old people cannot accept Christ and be saved. On one of our radio programs we gave an invitation for those who wanted to accept Christ to put up their hands. A lady walked into the room, where her ninety-year-old father was listening to the program, and she saw that he sat there in the rocking chair listening to us with his hand in the air. When she questioned him, she found that he had accepted Christ Jesus as his Savior. How wonderful! It is never too late.
The second reason why Solomon makes a special appeal to young people is that they have a lifetime to offer to God in service to Him. The men who have had real service, who have had something to give to God, have been young men: Joseph, Moses, Gideon, David, Jeremiah, Saul of Tarsus, Timothy—and oh, the host of young missionaries in the past few centuries, such as Robert Moffat, who was “wee Bobby Moffat” when he came to Christ as a child and became a great missionary to South Africa.
My friend, there is no answer to the problems of life “under the sun.” Jesus Christ is the only solution for the problems of life. The Lord Jesus has given His promise to people of any and all ages: “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers.
DeHaan, Richard W. The Art of Staying Off Dead-End Streets. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Radio Bible Class, 1974. (A study in Ecclesiastes.)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Goldberg, Louis. Ecclesiastes. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1983.
Gray, James M. Commentary on the Whole Bible. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H.Revell Co., 1906.
Jennings, F. C. Meditations on Ecclesiastes. Sunbury, Pennsylvania: Believer’s Bookshelf, 1920.
Jensen, Irving L. Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1974. (A self-study guide.)
Kaiser, Walter C. Jr. Ecclesiastes: Total Life. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1979.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. I. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
The Song of
Solomon
INTRODUCTION
The first verse of this little book identifies Solomon as its writer: “The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.” Solomon also wrote the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
This book is actually not a story at all; it is a song. We read in 1 Kings 4:32: “And he [Solomon] spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five”. Solomon wrote three thousand proverbs, but it is quite interesting that if you count the proverbs in the Book of Proverbs, and even include the Book of Ecclesiastes, you come up with quite a few less than three thousand. So we have very few of all that Solomon wrote. However, we can say two things about those that we do have: first, we have the best that he wrote—surely we would have that; second, we have those that the Spirit of God wanted us to have.
This verse also tells us that “his songs were a thousand and five” Think of that—more than a thousand songs! That makes him quite a song writer. He would have fit in on Tin Pan Alley any day. It is interesting to note that the Word of God is very specific when it says that he wrote one thousand and five songs. It doesn’t simply give us a round number. Probably those which have been preserved for us are those five. Most of Solomon’s songs, of course, we do not have. In fact, we generally say that we have only one song. But the Song of Solomon is also called the Book of Canticles. A canticle is a little song, and that means that in this book we have several canticles, several little songs. There is a difference of opinion as to how many songs there are. The old position is that there are five, and I agree with that. I notice that The New Scofield Reference Bible states that there are thirteen. That is an excellent Bible, but I will continue to accept the old division of the book into five songs.
“Beloved” is the name for Him; “love” is the name for her.
“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies” (Song 6:3).
“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned” (Song 8:7).
The Song of Solomon is a parabolic poem. The interpretation, not the inspiration, causes the difficulty. There are some who actually feel it should not be in the Bible; however, it is in the canon of Scripture. The Song of Solomon is the great neglected book of the Bible. The reader who is going through the Word of God for the first time is puzzled when he comes to it. The carnal Christian will misunderstand and misinterpret it. Actually this little book has been greatly abused by people, who have not understood it. When Peter was puzzled by some of Paul’s epistles, he wrote, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:16). I think this is also true of the Song of Solomon.
Origen and Jerome tell us that the Jews would not permit their young men to read this book until they were thirty years old. The reason was that they felt there was the danger of reading into it the salacious and the suggestive, the vulgar and the voluptuous, the sensuous and the sexual. On the contrary, this is a wonderful picture of physical, human, wedded love. It gives the answer to two erroneous groups of people: those who hold to asceticism and think it is wrong to get married, and those who hold to hedonism and think that the satisfying of their lusts is of primary importance. This book makes it very clear that both are wrong. It upholds wedded love as a very wonderful thing, a glorious experience.
Sometimes young preachers are counseled not to use the Song of Solomon until they become old men. A retired minister advised me not to preach on it until I was sixty years old. Do you know what I did? I turned right around and preached on it immediately—that’s what a young preacher would do. Now that I am past sixty years, I think I am qualified, at least as far as the chronology is concerned, to be able to speak on it. This book means more to me today than it did forty years ago. The elaborate, vivid, striking, and bold language in this book is a wonderful, glorious picture of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I know of no book that will draw you closer to Him or be more personal than the Song of Solomon.
If you were to compare the Song of Solomon with other Oriental poetry of its period—such as some of the Persian poetry—you would find the Song of Solomon to be mild and restrained. Reading the Persian poetry, on the other hand, would be like reading some of the modern, dirty stuff that is being written today.
By contrast, the Jews called the Song of Solomon the Holy of Holies of Scripture. Therefore, not everyone was permitted inside its sacred enclosure. Here is where you are dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. That is one reason I hesitate to discuss this book. It will be abused by unbelievers and carnal Christians. But if you are one who is walking with the Lord, if the Lord Jesus means a great deal to you and you love Him, then this little book will mean a great deal to you also.
The Song of Solomon is poetic and practical. Here God is speaking to His people in poetic songs which unfold a story. We need to take our spiritual shoes from off our feet as we approach this book. We are on holy ground. The Song of Solomon is like a fragile flower that requires delicate handling.
There have been four different and important meanings found in this book:
1. The Song of Solomon sets forth the glory of wedded love. Here is declared the sacredness of the marital relationship and that marriage is a God-given institution. This little book shows us what real love is. The Jews taught that it reveals the heart of a satisfied husband and that of a devoted wife.
Today we see a great movement toward “sexual freedom”, which many people seem to think is good. One young man who had lived and believed in “free love” told me that he had come to realize that such a life is the life of an animal. He said, “For several years I lived like an animal. If you want to know the truth, I don’t think sex meant any more to my group of friends than it means to an animal.” The younger generation today is geared to sex; their life-style is one of sexual expression. But I am of the opinion that they actually know very little about it. All they know about sex is what an animal knows. A dog out on the street knows as much as they do. Something is missing—there is a terrible void in their lives.
This generation may have a great deal of experience with sex but knows little about love. They know the Hollywood version of love; yet they think they know it all. The story is told of the father who wanted to talk to his young boy about sex. He beat around the bush and finally blurted out, “Son, I’d like to talk to you about some of the facts of life.” The boy said, “Sure, Dad, what would you like to know?” The boy knew the raw facts about sex, so he thought he knew more than his dad knew. There was a veteran movie queen who had had five husbands. She knew about sex, but she didn’t know anything about real love; so she committed suicide. Reading our modern novels and plays is like taking a trip through the sewers of Paris! There is a stark contrast between the ideas of our generation and the glory of wedded love as it is portrayed in the Song of Solomon.
2. This little book sets forth the love of Jehovah for Israel. That is not a new thought which is found in this book alone. The prophets spoke of Israel as the wife of Jehovah. Hosea dwells on that theme. Idolatry in Israelis likened to a breach in wedded love and is the greatest sin in all the world, according to Hosea.
The scribes and the rabbis of Israel have always given these two interpretations to this book, and they have been accepted by the church. However, there are two other interpretations set forth by the church.
3. The Song of Solomon is a picture of Christ and the church. The church is the bride of Christ. This is a familiar figure in the New Testament (see Eph. 5; Rev. 21). However, in this book God uses a picture of human affection to convey to our dull minds, our dead hearts, our distorted affections, and our diseased wills, His so great love. He uses the very best of human love to arouse us to realize the wonderful love that He has for us. This book can lead you into a marvelous, wonderful relationship with the Lord Jesus which you probably have never known before. My friend, what we need today is a knowledge of the Word of God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I am afraid that very few of us are experiencing this today.
4. This book depicts the communion of Christ and the individual believer. It portrays the love of Christ for the individual and the soul’s communion with Christ. Many great saints of God down through the years have experienced this. Paul could say, “… the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Samuel Rutherford could spend a whole night in prayer. His wife would miss him during the night and would get up and go looking for him. Even on cold nights she would find him on his knees praying, and she would take his big overcoat and throw it around him. Men like Dwight L. Moody and Robert McCheyne came into a real, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not some kind of second experience, as some people try to describe it. It is more than an experience. It is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ—seeing how wonderful He is, how glorious He is. We need to come to the place where it can truly be said of us that we love Him because He first loved us. To open up this little book will be like the breaking of Mary’s alabaster box of ointment, and I trust that the fragrance of it will fill our lives and spread out to others.
People are being deluded today. They feel that living the Christian life is like following the instructions for putting together a toy. The instructions for a little truck or house will say to take piece “A” and put it down by piece “D” and then take piece “C” and fit it between them. I want to tell you, some of those instructions are really complicated! I know, be- cause I buy them for my little grandsons. It almost takes a college degree to be able to put some of those gadgets together. Some people think that the Christian life is like that. They have the impression that if you get together a little mixture of psychology, a smattering of common sense, a good dash of salesmanship, and a few verses from the Bible as a sugarcoating over the whole thing, that makes a successful formula for living the Christian life.
My friend, may I say that what we need is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We need a hot passion for Him. The Lord is not pleased with this cool, lukewarm condition which exists today in the churches among so called dedicated Christians. Too many who are called dedicated Christians are actually as cold as a cucumber. Some are even unfriendly and arrogant in their attitudes. What we all need is a real, living, burning passion for the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This little book is going to be personal. It is not for the ear of the unsaved man. It is for the blood-tipped ear of the man who has a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Since the Song of Solomon is a series of scenes in a drama which is not told in chronological sequence, I will make no attempt to outline the book. What we find in this little book is the use of antiphony; that is, one character speaks and another responds. We have many characters: the young bride (she is a Shulamite), the daughters of Jerusalem, the bridegroom, and the Shulamite’s family. In the family there is the father (who is dead), the mother, two daughters, and two or more sons.
One interpretation of the story given in the Song of Solomon came out of the German rationalistic schools of the nineteenth century. (It was from these schools that liberalism first crept into the church. Actually, liberalism was and is simply unbelief.) These people tried to interpret the story so that the Shulamite girl was kidnapped by Solomon; at first she did not want to go with him, and then finally she did.
To a child of God who sees in this book the wonderful relationship between Christ and the church, such an interpretation is repugnant. Men like Rutherford, McCheyne, and Moody—this was their favorite book—could not accept this kidnapping interpretation. Neither could the late Dr. Harry Ironside. So he got down on his knees and asked God for an interpretation. Much of what I am going to pass on to you is based on Dr. Ironside’s interpretation.
The setting of the drama is the palace in Jerusalem, and some of the scenes are flashbacks to a previous time. There is a reminder here of the Greek drama in which a chorus talks back and forth to the protagonists of the play. The daughters of Jerusalem carry along the tempo of the story. These dialogues are evidently to be sung. Several lovely scenes are introduced at Jerusalem which find a counterpart in the church.
The Shulamite girl says, “Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept” (Song 1:6). The elder daughter of this poor Shulamite family is a sort of a Cinderella, and she has been forced to keep the vineyard. She is darkened with sunburn from working out in the vineyard. Apparently this family lived in the hill country of Ephraim, and they were tenant farmers. We would call them croppers or hillbillies. We get this picture from a verse in the last chapter: “Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver” (Song 8:11).
I think that is the setting where the first scene takes place. The girl is sunburned and she feels disgraced. In that day a sunburn meant you were a hardworking girl. The women in the court wanted to keep their skin as fair as they possibly could. It was exactly the opposite of our situation here in California. Here the young girls go down to the beach and lie out in the sun all day in order to get a suntan. Today, it’s not a disgrace to have a suntan; in fact, it is a disgrace if you don’t have one!
Not only was this girl sunburned from working out in the vineyard, but she says that she was unable to keep her own vineyard. That means she hadn’t been to the beauty parlor. Apparently she was a naturally beautiful girl, but she hadn’t been able to enhance her beauty or groom herself.
She was an outdoor girl, a hardworking girl. Apparently her brothers also made her watch the sheep. “If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents” (Song 1:8). So she worked in the vineyards and also had to herd the sheep.
The place where she worked was along a caravan route there in the hill country. Perhaps some of you have traveled in that land, and you know how rugged it is. A tour bus goes up through there today, and the tourists take a trip into that part of the country. I have been through that rugged territory twice, and I have pictures of some Arab girls working in the fields. I think that is exactly the way it was with the Shulamite girl.
When she would look up from her work, she would see the caravans that passed by going between Jerusalem and Damascus. We see her reaction: “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?” (Song 3:6). She would see the caravans of merchants and also the caravans that carried beautiful ladies of the court. They were the ones who didn’t have a sunburn. They had a canopy over them as they traveled on camels or on elephants. The girl would see the beautiful jewels and the satins. She never had anything like that, and she would dream about it, you know.
She also would smell the frankincense and the myrrh as the caravans passed by. We shall see how this is a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus both in His birth and in His death. They brought Him myrrh as a gift when He was born; when He was dead, they brought myrrh to put on His body. There are wonderful spiritual pictures here, truths that will draw us to the person of Christ.
One day while the girl was tending her sheep, a handsome shepherd appeared. He fell in love with her. I must run ahead enough to tell you it is a picture of Christ and the church. This is what he said to her, “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters” (Song 2:2). Again, he says, “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead” (Song 4:1). This is beautiful poetic language. It is a picture of the love of Christ for the church. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.
Finally she gave her heart to the shepherd: “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song 2:3).
Remember that the word love is used when it is speaking of the bride, and beloved is the word that refers to the bridegroom.
The Lord Jesus has given us an invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will [rest you]” (Matt. 11:28). Do you know what it is to rest in Jesus Christ? Is He a reality to you? Do you rest in Him? How wonderful this relationship can become to you! I am not talking about religion or about an organization. I am talking about a personal relationship, a love relationship with Jesus Christ.
After she gave her heart to him, they were madly in love. There is nothing quite like marital love such as they experienced. “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the liles” (Song 2:16). How wonderful! They had that wonderful, personal relationship.
Apparently he took her to dinner one time as he traveled through the country. (All she knew of him was that he was a shepherd, but evidently a very prominent one.) “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song 2:4).
He was a most peculiar shepherd. He didn’t have any sheep that she could see. She asked him about his sheep: “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon …?” (Song 1:7). Where are his sheep? He is an unusual shepherd.
Then one day he announced that he was going away but that he would return. This is an obvious parallel to the words of the Lord Jesus: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1–3).
The days passed and she waited. Finally, her family and friends began to ridicule her. They said, “You are just a simple, country girl taken in by him.” This is exactly what Peter said would happen in our time: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Pet. 3:3–4).
Yet she trusted him. She loved him. She dreamed of him: “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not” (Song 3:1). Now let me ask you a very personal question. Do you really miss Christ? Do you long for Him?
One night she lay restlessly upon her couch when she noticed a fragrance in the room. In that day it was a custom that a lover would put some myrrh or frankincense in the opening to the door handle. She smelled the perfume and went to the door. “I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock” (Song 5:5). She knew that he had been there. She knew that he really hadn’t forgotten.
Are there evidences of the fragrance and the perfume of Christ in your life today? Oh, my friend, don’t ever be satisfied with religious gimmicks. Why not get right down to where the rubber meets the road? What does Christ mean to you right now? Is the fragrance of Christ in your life today?
Now she knew that her lover was near. The Lord Jesus said, “… Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). Paul could say while he was in prison that the Lord stood by him. The Lord Jesus has promised, “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5).
One day she is in the vineyard, working with the vines. “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes” (Song 2:15). She is lifting up the vines so that the little foxes cannot get to the grapes. In that land, they raise the grapes right down on the ground. They do not string them up as we do in this country. So she is lifting up the vines and putting a rock under them so that the little foxes will not get to the grapes.
While she is doing this, down the road there comes a pillar of smoke. “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders ofthe merchant?” (Song 3:6). The cry is passed along, “Behold, King Solomon is coming!” But she is busy, and she doesn’t know King Solomon. Then someone comes to her excitedly and says to her, “Oh, King Solomon is asking for you!” And she says, “Asking for me? I don’t know King Solomon. I’ve never met him, why would he ask for me?”
“The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song 2:8–10). And so she is brought into the presence of King Solomon. Do you know who King Solomon is? Why, he is her shepherd, and he has come for her.
This is the promise of the Lord Jesus: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28). Paul writes, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17). The Lord Jesus has promised that He is coming again for us. “For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song 2:11–13). One of these days He is going to call us out of this world.
By the way, how much are you involved in the world? Would it break your heart if He were to come right now and take us all out of the world? I have a feeling there are some people who are so satisfied down here, who are doing so well in this affluent society, that if He should come for them, they would go crying all the way to heaven because they have so much here in this life. He says to her, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock.” That is where the Lord puts us—in the cleft of the rock until the storm passes. “In the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely” (Song 2:13–14). What a glorious thing!
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song 2:4). Salvation is a love affair—we love Him because He first loved us. That is the story that this little book is telling.
CHAPTER 1
It is important for you to read the beautiful story of this book before you come to the text. I have given this in some detail in the introduction.
There are five canticles or brief songs in the book. They depict the experience and the story of a country girl, a Shulamite, up in the hill country. A shepherd came one day, and she fell in love with him, and he fell in love with her. He left her but promised to return. He didn’t return as soon as she had expected. One day it was announced that King Solomon had arrived and wanted to see her. She couldn’t believe it. When she was brought into his presence, she recognized that he was her shepherd-lover.
Some interpreters feel that this is a connected story told in sequence. I personally do not hold that view. I think the scene shifts, and there are flashbacks to earlier times. However, the primary concern for us in our study is the application of this book to you and me as believers. It is a picture of the beautiful love relationship between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The song of songs, which is Solomon’s [Song 1:1].
I suppose one could liken this book to a piece of folk music, or more likely to an opera. These canticles are put together to give us a glorious, wonderful story. This is one of the methods God used in speaking to His people. It rebukes asceticism, but it also condemns lust and unfaithfulness to the marriage vow. This is no soap opera. It is not a cheap play in which the hero is a neurotic, the heroine is erotic, and the plot is tommyrotic. Rather, it is a beautiful song of marital love.
HIS KISS
In this first song, we find the bride and the bridegroom together in a wonderful relationship.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine [Song 1:2].
The kiss in that day was the pledge of peace, a token of peace. Solomon’s very name means peace. He was a prince of peace and he ruled in Jerusalem, the city of peace. The Shulamite girl is the daughter of peace.
The kiss indicates the existence of a very personal, close relationship, such as the Lord Jesus has with His own. He is able to communicate His message personally to you and me through the Word of God. That is why there needs to be a return to a study of the Word of God—more than just learning the mechanics of the Bible, or even memorizing the Word, but a personal relationship with Him so that He can speak through His Word to our hearts. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” He has spoken peace to us, you see. He alone can speak peace to the human heart.
In the Old Testament we have seen types of Christ. A. Moody Stuart has written: “Moses and the prophets have come, Aaron and the priests have come, and last of all, David and the kings have come; but let Him now come himself, the true prophet, priest, and king, of all his people.” And Bernard, one who had drawn very close to Christ, commented: “I hear not Moses for he is slow of speech, the lips of Isaiah are unclean, Jeremiah cannot speak because he is a child, and all the prophets are dumb; Himself, himself of whom they speak, let him speak” (The Song of Songs: An Exposition of the Song of Solomon, p. 95).
The one who has ears to hear and has heard Him speak peace—peace through the blood of His cross by forgiveness of sin—can take the next step. If you have been reconciled to God by redemption in Christ, He entreats the kiss of the solemn, nuptial contract. It is the kiss which seals the marriage vow between Christ and the believer.
We find this same custom in our marriage ceremonies today. When I perform a marriage ceremony and both couples have said “I will” and “I do,” I say, “Lift the bride’s veil and give the marriage kiss.” The kiss is a solemn thing; it seals the marriage covenant.
In redemption, the Lord Jesus not only gives us deliverance, but He also gives us freedom. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). What kind of freedom is that? It is the freedom now to come to Him and to say, “I present my body as a living sacrifice to You” (see Rom. 12:1). It is the freedom of dedication, which brings us into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Are you such a child of God? Are you a trembling soul who is afraid to lay hold of His grace? He wants you to appropriate it for yourself. In Ephesians we are told that He is rich in mercy and He is rich in grace, and He wants to share with us the riches of His glory.
I don’t know how you feel about this, but I know that I need His mercy, and I need His grace. His invitation is, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). This is a real rest. It is not rest for just one day on the Sabbath. This is a rest for the seven days of the week. It is resting in His finished redemption. Then He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:29–30). Being yoked up with Him is a wonderful, glorious relationship. And He is the One who carries the load for you.
Erskine expressed it poetically:
His mouth the joy of heaven reveals;
His kisses from above,
Are pardons, promises, and seals
Of everlasting love.
HIS LOVE
“For thy love is better than wine.” In that day wine typified the highest of the luxuries this earth offered. It was the champagne dinner, which included everything from soup to nuts. It speaks of that which brings the highest joy to the heart. Paul wrote, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Oh, to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we might experience that excitement, that exhilaration, that ecstasy of belonging to Christ and of having fellowship with Him!
Friend, I am talking about something that neither you nor I know very much about, do we? We play at church. We talk about being dedicated Christians simply because we are as busy as termites, and often have the same effect. We need to come to that attitude of which Peter wrote: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8).
Habakkuk stated it like this: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3:17–18). Have you arrived at that place? No wonder it says, “Thy love is better than wine.”
I do not mean to be irreverent, but do you get a kick out of life? Well, this is the way to get it. Wine is excess and may lead you to alcoholism. Wine will give a temporary lift, I grant you, but it will let you down. My friend, allow the Spirit of God to come into your life. He will shed abroad in your heart the love of God. That is one reason we need the Holy Spirit.
Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee [Song 1:3].
The “ointment” is the perfume. When He began His life on earth, myrrh was brought to Him as a gift. When He died, myrrh was brought to be put on His body. There was a fragrance in His entire life on earth from His birth to His death. Oh, the fragrance of His love for us when He died upon the cross!
HIS DRAWING POWER
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee [Song 1:4].
This is a wonderful passage of Scripture. It is the expression of one who is in love with Him, who desires a close fellowship with Him. But then comes the awareness that we can’t reach that state; we cannot attain to it because it is too high for us. That is the position from which we say, “Draw me.”
Bonar expressed his love in these lines:
I love the name of Jesus,
Immanuel, Christ the Lord,
Like fragrance on the breezes,
His name abroad is poured.
What does the name of Jesus mean to you? If you know that you have never experienced that wonderful relationship, then listen to the bride, and give her response, “Draw me.” If you are a child of God, then say, “Draw me.” Let Him lift you up and bring you to this place which you cannot reach yourself. Recognize that in yourself you cannot rise to that level. Francis Quarles has expressed this thought beautifully:
But like a block beneath whose burden lies
That undiscovered worm that never dies,
I have no will to rouse, I have no power to rise.
For can the water-buried axe implore
A hand to raise it, or itself restore,
And from her sandy deeps approach the dry-foot shore?
So hard’s the task for sinful flesh and blood,
To lend the smallest help to what is good;
My God, I cannot move the least degree.
Ah! if but only those who active be,
None should thy glory see, thy glory none should see.
Lord, as I am, I have no power at all
To hear thy voice, or echo to thy call.
Give me the power to will, the will to do;
O raise me up, and I will strive to go:
Draw me, O draw me with thy trebletwist;
That have no power, but merely to resist;
O lend me strength to do, and then command thy list.
God tells us that His power is available to us. He says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He will answer the heart cry, “Draw me,” Lord. There is an excitement and an ecstasy of being brought into the presence of Christ by the Spirit of God. He can make Christ real to us.
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him …” (John 6:44). The Lord Jesus said to His own, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you …” (John 15:16)—“I am the One who went after you.” We did not seek after God; God sought after us. He is still seeking us today. We can only rouse ourselves to say, Lord, “draw me.” We need the Spirit of God to give to us the Water of Life. If we will drink of that Water of Life, we will have rivers of living water gushing up within us and flowing out from us.
“We will run after thee.” The idea here is not that we ask to be drawn because we are lazy and indifferent, but we are helpless. We have the desire—the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We want to run after Him, but He will have to give us the legs to do it. He must give us that enablement, that divine enablement. He must draw us. “Wherefore … let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:1–2). “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa. 40:31).
HIS CHAMBERS
So when we cry, “Draw me, we will run after thee,” He responds—“the king hath brought me into his chambers.” The chamber is the secret of His presence, His pavilion, like the Holy of Holies within the sanctuary. It is the secret place away from the noise and the crowd. It is the place in the cleft of the rock which He has made for us, where He can cover us with His hand and commune with us. It is like Christ’s invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Oh, what a privilege to fellowship with Him!
Yet we withdraw and cry out with Isaiah,“… Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5). But “the king hath brought me into his chambers”… He is the One who has provided a redemption. He is the One who took the coals from the altar and touched our lips. He is the One who made the supreme sacrifice.
“ We will be glad and rejoice in thee.” We need more joy in our churches, and we need more joy in our lives. Jesus said, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, italics mine). And John wrote, “… These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4, italics mine). The Lord means for us to live life to the hilt.
Oh, let’s quit playing church, and let’s quit saying, “I belong to a certain group, and I have had an experience.” The point is, is Christ close to you today? “The king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.”
At this moment there are probably millions of people across the country who are crawling up onto a bar stool. Well, if I were in their situation, I’d crawl up there too. They need something to face life. Many a man feels he needs that drink in order to face his business. Many a person needs that drink in order to face a lonely evening. Life is too much for them. It is too complicated. May I say to you, if you are a child of God, you can always know that God loves you. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. He wants to make His love real to us. He wants to manifest His love to us. That is a lot better than crawling up onto a bar stool. “… Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).
If we would read on in Ephesians 5, we would find the next verse going on to say, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). I have always been glad that Paul didn’t write, “Singing to yourselves,” because I can’t sing. But I can speak it. I can say it. It wouldn’t hurt for you to say it either. In fact, it would be good to hear a “Praise the Lord” from all of us believers. Oh, we need to praise the Lord in this day. “We will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine.”
“The upright love thee.” Who are the upright? They are those who belong to Him. They are those who have said to Him, “Draw me.” He has placed them on their feet, and they are to run the race of life, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith.
The Christian life is a love affair. We love Him because He first loved us. He loved us enough to give Himself for us. Now He says to us, “I want your love.” That seals it. If you don’t love Him, then don’t go on pretending. Be honest and chuck the whole thing. It is all meaningless if you do not love Him.
Now listen to the believer’s loving response, as we find it in Psalm 63: “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Ps. 63:1). My friend, are you thirsty for God? The Lord Jesus said,“… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).
“To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary” (Ps. 63:2)—this is the bride’s secret place of communion.
“Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips” (Ps. 63:3–5). Oh, friend, let’s get our lips busy praising Him!
“Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice” (Ps. 63:7). You remember that the Lord Jesus said that He wanted to gather the people of Jerusalem under His wings like a hen gathers her chicks (see Matt. 23:37). This gives to us a picture of His love and the great desire to protect the helpless ones from harm.
“My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped” (Ps. 63:8–11). What a glorious picture of a believer’s devotion to Christ!
THE SUNBURNED SLAVE GIRL
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept [Song 1:5–6].
“The tents of Kedar” were made of the skin of the black sheep and the black goats. In that land even today one can see many of these nomad people who have black tents.
When the bride says here that she is black, she is not referring to her race. She was a Jewish girl from the area of Shunem. She explains the blackness herself. Her family were tenant farmers on one of the vineyards owned by Solomon, and they made her work out in the vineyard. She is sunburned—“I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me.” She is black, but she is beautiful. Black is beautiful, we hear today. It certainly can be. Black is beautiful when the heart is right with the Lord. The pigment of the skin is of no importance whatever. The condition of the heart is the important matter.
It is interesting that most of the rays of the sun do not bother our skin. It is the ultraviolet segment of the sun’s rays that burns our skin. Those rays can come through clouds, so that we can get sunburned on cloudy days, even when we are unaware of it. Since I have had cancer, my doctor warns me about sunlight. He tells me to keep my head covered, even on the cloudy days. He warns me against going out into the sunlight. The ultraviolet rays can burn, and they can cause cancer.
A great many people think they can come into the light of the holy presence of God without a covering. I tell you, no one can come into the holy presence of God without the covering of the righteousness of Christ. That is our protection—which is another meaning of being covered with His wings. You and I need to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ to come into the presence of God.
Let’s get back to our girl who is blackened with sunburn. She has been working outside because her mother’s children were angry with her, and they made her keep the vineyards. Then she says, “But mine own vineyard have I not kept.” This is the bride’s portrait of herself. She has some natural beauty, but she has nothing to commend her because she hasn’t been able to take care of herself. She has had no time to go to the beauty parlor. She hasn’t been able to have her hair styled. She hasn’t been able to get a facial. She hasn’t been able to get whatever it would take to enhance her beauty. That has been neglected because she has been made to work so hard.
Mankind is not beautiful in the presence of God. Sometimes we tend to think that the reason God is interested in us is because we are such nice, sweet little children. Actually we are ugly; we are sunburned. We are not attractive to Him as we are, but He says that He is going to make us His beautiful bride. That is the wonderful picture given to us in Ephesians 5. The example given to husbands is the love of Christ for the church. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25–27). You see, Christ is taking us to the beauty parlor. He will fashion us into His bride, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish!
THE PASTURE
Now the story moves on. The Shulamite speaks to the shepherd whom she has just met.
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? [Song 1:7].
He seemed to be an unusual shepherd in that he didn’t have any sheep that she could see. So she raised a question concerning his sheep. The shepherd seemed to be evasive. Now let’s look beneath the surface and see something very precious.
The Lord Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine… And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:14, 16). We all tend to raise questions, as the Shulamite girl asked the shepherd, about “the other sheep,” the heathen. Are they lost? We want to know about the doctrine of election. We want to know about this one or that one—is he saved, or isn’t he saved? We tend to pass judgment on those who are around us. Instead of questioning another’s position in Christ, we need to make sure that we are His sheep. That is our direct concern.
The shepherd answers her.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents [Song 1:8].
And this would be the answer of the Lord Jesus to us.
“Feed thy kids”—the little lambs need to be fed, and all of us, my friend, come under that classification. Peter put it this way, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2).
“Feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.” Believers need to feed themselves beside the shepherds’ tents, because that is the place where the grass would be unusually green. Of course it is the Word of God on which we are to feed. We cannot feed others and tell them about the joy of the Word of God unless it is a joy to us. Herbert puts it this way:
My soul’s a shepherd too, a flock it feeds
Of thoughts and words and deeds;
The pasture is thy word, the streams thy grace,
Enriching all the place.
We need to feed upon the Word of God, then we need to get the Word out to others, you see. The Bride of Christ, who is to be presented to Him in the future, is to get the Word of God out today. As the body of believers, we are failing to do this.
“If thou know not, O thou fairest among women”—there are many things for which we do not have the answer. When I was a young preacher, I tried to get the answer to everything. I was given some good advice: “Don’t let what you don’t know disturb what you do know!” Do you know that Christ died for your sins? Do you know that you are trusting in Him? Are you resting upon Him? You can say, “… I know that my redeemer liveth …” (Job 19:25). You can say, “… I know whom I have believed …” (2 Tim. 1:12)—Paul could say that, but I don’t find Paul saying that he knew all about the doctrine of election. So let’s not permit what we don’t know to disturb what we do know. That is what the shepherd is saying to this girl. Don’t worry about what you don’t know. Just be sure to feed your sheep. That is your responsibility.
There is a bedridden lady in Ohio who hears our radio broadcasts. She contacts about one thousand people each month, and she asks them to listen to the Bible being taught by radio. She is a real missionary! Now I am sure that she is puzzled by many things and has questions to ask about things she doesn’t know, but so far I have never received a letter from her with a question in it. She isn’t spending her time asking questions. She is spending her time getting out the Word of God. That is exactly what the shepherd tells the girl. He says, “You don’t need to know about all these other sheep. You just feed your sheep.” Be sure you get the Word of God to them.
THE BRIDE’S ADORNING
The shepherd uses a comparison as he goes on to say:
I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots [Song 1:9].
As I have mentioned before, when the word love is used, it is the bridegroom speaking to the bride. When the person is addressed as beloved, it is the bride who is speaking to the bridegroom.
“I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.” When Moses and the children of Israel came to the Red Sea in their flight from Egypt, they found that any retreat was blocked by Pharaoh’s chariots which were rapidly approaching. It was a fearsome army with horses and chariots and banners flying above the chariots. It was an overwhelming sight. The bridegroom is saying that he is overwhelmed by the beauty of this country, hill-billy girl. She has none of the graces of the court. She has never been to a beauty parlor. She really has never taken care of herself. But she has a striking natural beauty.
He goes on to describe the things that he notices.
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver [Song 1:10–11].
“Thy cheeks are comely.” Her neck is beautiful. How lovely this is and how intimate. He says that he intends to cover her with jewelry. He sees her cheeks comely with jewels, her neck with chains of gold. He speaks of the parts of the body that appeal in a love affair. I am sure there are many of you ladies who noticed the eyelashes of your husband—of all things! You noticed his physique. You husbands noticed the cheeks and the eyes of your wife, and even the little ears, like shells—and all that sort of thing. He is speaking of this girl who will be his bride.
Now in the spiritual sense, the bride is the church, and the bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ. Does He find any beauty in the church? Friend, He found all of us lost sinners. The Shulamite girl had a natural beauty even though it had been neglected, but we don’t even have that. There is nothing about us that could be appealing to Christ. We bring nothing to Him; He provides everything for us.
The same picture can be applied to Israel. When He came down to deliver the children of Israel, He didn’t say, “I’m going to free you because you’re such a superior people, superior to the Egyptians.” They weren’t. Actually, they were small and inferior. Neither did He say, “You have been so faithful to Me.” They had been unfaithful—completely faithless, living in idolatry. They had deserted God. They had turned their backs upon God and were engaged in gross immorality. Then what was it that appealed to God? Why did He waste His time with them? The answer is given by God to Moses: “… I have heard their groaning” (Acts 7:34). That appealed to God. The answer lies totally in His love and grace. It was the lost condition that caused Him to provide a salvation for Israel. And He said that He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is faithful to His Word. When He says He will do a thing, He intends to make that promise good.
And it was our wretched, lost condition that caused Him to provide a salvation for us, for the church. God tells us that we will be saved if we will do nothing more than put our trust in Christ!
“We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver”—this is a picture of what our heavenly Bridegroom will do for believers. The passage in Ephesians 5 makes this so very clear. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for the church. He did it so that He might sanctify and cleanse the church with the washing of water by the Word. That is a real miracle soap, by the way. He did this so that He might present the church to Himself, a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle but holy—set apart for Him—and without blemish. What has happened to the church? He has redeemed us. He has paid the price for us. He has subtracted our sins and has added His righteousness. We are covered with the righteousness of Christ, we stand complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved.
FEASTING AT THE ROUND TABLE
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof [Song 1:12].
Some have translated this, “While the king is on his circuit.” They interpret it to mean while he is out going through the kingdom. Others have translated this, “While the king is at his banquet,” which I think is probably the best translation that could be given. Very literally it is, “While the king sitteth at his round table”—that is the circuit. It is actually a round table where he either sits or reclines with his guests around the banquet table.
The translation is important because this verse carries with it a deeper spiritual meaning. The bridegroom brings in all of His invited guests to the banquet table. We can go down through history and mark those who have accepted the invitation to the banquet of the Bridegroom. When He was born, the shepherds came down from the hilltops to see Him in the stable. Then wise men came out of the East to present Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. John Milton expressed it like this:
See how from far upon the Eastern road,
The star-led wizards haste with odours sweet;
O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,
And lay it lowly at his blessed feet;
Have thou the honor first thy Lord to greet.
David had the round table in mind when he wrote, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Ps. 23:5).
A towheaded boy in southern Oklahoma heard the invitation and, thank God, accepted it. I have been sitting at His table for a long, long time. Are you sitting at that round table? You have an invitation to come. Jesus says to you, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Say, why don’t you come and sit at the round table? Sir Lancelot may have had the privilege of sitting at King Arthur’s round table, but that was nothing compared to Christ’s round table!
“While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.” The spikenard is the fragrance of Christ’s life—how wonderful it is! This same fragrance should be in our lives by association with Him. Sitting at His table will do this for us. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper is a very important service if it is a time of real communion with Him. If it is merely a form and ritual to you, forget it—it is of no value.
I received a letter from a lady in Miami who wrote, “I had never heard anyone say that we should tell the Lord Jesus we love Him. I had never said it, but I have loved Him. Ever since I heard you say that we should tell Him, at morning, noon, and night (I have been making up for lost time), I tell Him that I love Him.” Then she added, “The Word of God has taken on a new color—a new meaning.” How wonderful! We need the fragrance of Christ in our lives.
THE BUNDLE OF MYRRH IN THE BOSOM
Now the bride makes a statement which is quite intimate—but don’t be afraid of it and run from it.
A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts [Song 1:13].
The original permits us to translate this several different ways: “It shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.” What is “it”? Well, it is the bundle of myrrh.
For the believer, the bundle of myrrh represents Christ. You recall that one of the gifts the wise men brought to Him was myrrh. When Christ died, Joseph and Nicodemus brought myrrh to put on His body. The myrrh speaks of His entire life from birth to death. My friend, Christ should lie heavy upon your breast and upon your heart at night. When you wake up during the night, what do you think about? Do you begin to worry about the next day? I must confess that I do a lot of that. But it is wonderful to be able to turn that off and to turn to Him at night when I’m anxious or worried. We need to follow the admonition in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren [when you get to the end of your rope], whatsoever things are true [that is Christ], whatsoever things are honest [that is also Christ], whatsoever things are just [that is the Lord Jesus], whatsoever things are pure [He is pure], whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (italics mine). In other words, meditate upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
A bundle of mellifluous myrrhe,
Is my Beloved best
To me, which I will bind between
My breasts, while I do rest
In silent slumbers.
—Troth-plight Spouse
A friend of mine said it this way: “When I go to bed at night, the last thing I do is pull up the covers, look up and say, ‘Lord Jesus, I love you.’” Isaac Watts wrote it like this:
As myrrh new bleeding from the tree,
Such is a dying Christ to me;
And while He makes my soul his guest,
My bosom, Lord, shall be thy rest.
Oh, friend, let’s think upon the Lord Jesus Christ. How wonderful He is!
Erskine wrote it this way:
From this enfolded bundle flies
His savor all abroad:
Such complicated sweetness lies
In my Incarnate God.
My Christian friend, you miss so much when you are satisfied with some little course on how to live the Christian life or on going through some little ritual. Oh, to have Him as the very object of your life, the One who brings in the excitement, the ecstasy, the fellowship, and the joy. His grace and His love and His mercy are all yours—just open the door. Jesus is knocking right now.
THE CLUSTER OF CAMPHIRE
The bride continues to speak of her delight in her bridegroom.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi [Song 1:14].
The “camphire” mentioned here is the cypress. In some versions it is translated “henna flowers,” and the flowers of the cypress are that color. Scholars have done a great deal of study of different plants mentioned in this book. The cypress is a tree that grows in profusion in Palestine and in Turkey. As I traveled in that area, I was most impressed by the great rows of cypress trees. Here is a statement about the cypress from Kitto, which I would like to pass on to you. The camphire “is now generally agreed to be the Henna of the Arabians. The deep color of the bark, the light green of the foliage, and the softened mixture of white-yellow in the blossoms, present a combination as agreeable to the eye as the odour is to the scent. The flowers grow in dense clusters, the grateful fragrance of which is as much appreciated now as in the time of Solomon. The women take great pleasure in these clusters, hold them in their hand, carry them in their bosom, and keep them in their apartments to perfume the air.”
Now notice the comparison of camphor or cypress to the bridegroom—what a lovely thing it is: “My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi.”
En-gedi, another place that I have visited, is down by the Dead Sea. It is one of those wonderful oases in the desert, because there are springs there. You may recall that the area around En-gedi is a wilderness where David hid from Saul. It is a good hiding place—I don’t see how anyone could be found in those barren hills. But at En-gedi many kinds of lovely spices are grown. It is a very interesting spot in the midst of that desolate desert, and the bridegroom is like a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of En-gedi. He is like a row of those stately trees with that lovely fragrance.
Christ as our Beloved is represented here as being full of attractive beauty and an aromatic fragrance. I emphasize the deity of Christ very often, but I wonder sometimes if I give a lopsided view of Him. Have you ever stopped to think how lovely He was in His person? He came and took upon Himself our humanity, and He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. There was no sin in Him. How wonderful He was! There was nothing lopsided about His personality. You may recall that in the Old Testament the meal offering typified the even quality of Christ’s personality. It was well-beaten flour—never coarse or lumpy.
Frankly, most of us are lumpy—I don’t mean physically, but psychologically. All of us are a little “off” in one way or another. We all have our peculiarities. One man talking to another made the statement, “You know we all have our peculiarities.” The man replied, “I don’t believe that. I don’t think I have any peculiarities.” The first man said, “All right. Let me ask you a question. Do you stir your coffee with your right hand or your left hand?” He answered, “I stir it with my right hand.” “There,” he said triumphantly, “that’s your peculiarity. Most people use a spoon!” So, you see, we may not stir our coffee with our hand, but we all have peculiarities. We are lumpy; He was not.
He is the perfect human in His incarnation. He is lovely. He is the bundle of camphor. He is the One of whom John could say with enthusiasm and deep expression, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). If you will hear Him, your soul shall live. Or, as the psalmist says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good …” (Ps. 34:8). The Lord Jesus was a sacrifice—He“… hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” (Eph. 5:2). He typified the burnt offering that ascended up to heaven. It all speaks of the fact that God is completely satisfied with what Jesus did for you and for me. He is satisfied with Jesus. He said, “… This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). He has never said that about Vernon McGee, and probably He has never said it about you. But He has declared that He is satisfied with Jesus.
Friend, are you satisfied with Jesus? I don’t think many people are. If they were, they wouldn’t be running here and there over the face of the earth, trying to find satisfaction in something else. People run to hear this thing and that thing, always searching for something that is new. We can even become so engrossed in the mechanics and the details of Bible study that we lose sight of the person of Jesus Christ. How wonderful He is! “My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi.”
There is another interesting symbol in the “bundle” of camphire. There is a great emphasis in the Scriptures on the oneness of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only begotten Son of the Father. He is the one good Shepherd. He is the one true Vine. He is the one Light of the world. He is the one Servant of the Father. He is the one Sacrifice for sin. He is the one Way, the one Truth, the one Life. Yet in His perfect unity there is a fullness that is absolutely inexhaustible. He is also a cluster of fragrant flowers. There is a oneness in Him; but, oh, in Him there is everything. Innumerable graces crowd harmoniously together in the Lamb of God. In Him we can find the faith of Abraham, the persuasiveness of Jacob, the meekness of Moses, the zeal of Elijah, the holiness of Job, the love of John. They are all full and perfect in Him. In Him are found truth, righteousness, wisdom, love, pity, friendship, majesty, might, sovereignty, lowliness, patience, faith, zeal, courage, holiness, and all the graces. If I have left out any of His qualities, they ought to be included in this list because He is everything. He is all in all. And He is ours. That is the wonder of it all.
BEHOLD, THOU ART FAIR
Now after the bride has expressed her adoration of the bridegroom, he says this to her:
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes [Song 1:15].
And her instant response is in the following verse:“Behold, thou art fair, my beloved.”
She is the one who said, “Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me.” But he says to her, “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair.”
My friend, we as the bride of Christ have sinned. We can confess with Daniel, “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments” (Dan. 9:5). This is the confession of every person if he is a child of God. But our Lord Jesus intercedes for us: “… thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word” (John 17:6). That is our High Priest pleading for you and me. Because we are in Christ, the Father sees no iniquity in us, as God would not see the iniquity of Jacob or perverseness in Israel and would not permit Balaam to curse them. God went down and dealt with His own people; He wouldn’t let them get by with sin. But God would not let a heathen prophet curse Israel. He saw Israel in Christ. That is the way He sees us today. “Behold, thou art fair.”
The secret of this beauty is in this: “Thou hast doves’ eyes.” Doves are common emblems of chastity and constancy. Her eyes are fixed upon the bridegroom, and all her beauty is the reflected beauty of the bridegroom. Jesus said, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light” (Matt. 6:22)—and also full of beauty. “But if thine eye be evil [or double], thy whole body shall be full of darkness …” (Matt. 6:23). A believer who has an eye for anything equally with Christ has no beauty in His sight. Jesus laid it on the line: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37). It is important for you to answer this question: Do you have your eye fixed upon the Lord Jesus today?
I hear a great deal about “dedication” as I attend many conferences around the country. Folk are always talking about how dedicated they are and how they want to manifest Christ, but these very people are actually lazy. Their service is slipshod. You see, dedication is not something to talk about; dedication to Christ is something you reveal. It will be manifested in your life. If your eye is upon Him, then His beauty will be reflected in you.
The bridegroom has told the bride how wonderful she is. Now she turns right around and says the very same thing to him.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir [Song 1:16–17].
The Bridegroom is beautiful to those of us who believe. He is altogether lovely. Augustine wrote: “He is fair in heaven, fair in the earth; fair in the virgin’s womb [He was that holy thing], fair in the arms of His parents, fair in the miracles, fair in His stripes … fair in laying down His life, fair in receiving it again; fair on the cross, fair in the sepulchre.” This was the way Augustine, that great saint of God of the past, described the Lord Jesus.
“Yea, pleasant”—the word is the Hebrew naim, and it is used to describe the wonderful melodies of the sanctuary: “… sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant” (Ps. 135:3). Christ is pleasant; He is lovely. Why would anyone want to run away from the Lord Jesus! He is so wonderful. The word is also used to describe a chosen earthly friend. David said of his loyal friend, Jonathan, “I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me …” (2 Sam. 1:26).
What can we say of the One who is greater than Jonathan? Can you say that Jesus is pleasant to you? It is sweet to be with Him. He is the One who can bring rest to us. Are you satisfied with Him? God the Father is satisfied with Him. “Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant.”
“Also our bed is green.” The “bed” is the English translation for lack of a better word. It is actually the reclining couch where they sat around the banquet. Especially at the time of a marriage feast the banquet couch would be strewn with flowers and green leaves. I think this would be the meaning of the green “bed” if the setting is in Jerusalem.
However, it may be that this is referring back to the time when they first met and is speaking of the green grass where the sheep were. Maybe they just sat on the grass while the sheep were grazing, and that is where they first got acquainted with each other. It would signify the place of communication.
This reminds us of David’s psalm: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures …” (Ps. 23:2). When the sheep lies down in green pastures, he is satisfied. He has eaten enough and is full. It is the answer to Christ’s invitation to come to Him and rest. He invites all those who are weary and heavy laden to come to Him. The green pastures are there for us. Christian friend, if you are tired and weary, you can rest in Him.
It has been expressed this way by A. Moody Stuart: “‘Heavy laden’ and hopeless thou art, seeking peace afar off and passing Him who is near, like Hagar in the desert, with the last drop drained from the now shriveled water-skin, thou art ready to lie down and die. But open thine ears and thou wilt hear one say, ‘Come unto Me and I will give you rest’; open thine eyes and thou wilt see the well and the green sward around it; and with a full heart thou wilt answer him, ‘Behold Thou art pleasant, also our couch is green.’” What a beautiful picture this is!
Do you remember where He reclined? When He first came to this earth, they put Him in a manger. The last place they laid Him was in the tomb of Joseph. He went to that place so that you and I might sit with Him in green pastures.
CHAPTER 2
THE ROSE OF SHARON
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys [Song 2:1].
In my printed notes on this verse I have said that here the bride speaks of herself, that she is not boasting, but comparing herself to the lowly and humble flowers of that land. Some of the newer translations indicate that she is the one who is speaking here. Well, I want to say that I no longer believe that this is her voice, but that it is the voice of the bridegroom. If she is the one who is speaking, this is actually a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and His reflected beauty. “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys” is a statement that none of the sons of men could be making. I believe these are the words of the Lord Jesus, not the words of the bride. Many of the older translators have tried to make it clear that it is the king speaking. In the old English Bibles this is said to be the voice of Christ, the bridegroom. In the French and Italian and Portuguese Bibles this is designated as the voice of Christ. Many of the church fathers applied these words to the Lord Jesus.
These words describe the Lord Jesus. He says, “… for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). If you put a statement like that on my lips, or your lips, or the lips of the angel Gabriel, it wouldn’t be humility at all; it would actually be pride. It is true humility from the lips of the Lord Jesus because He stooped in order that He might become meek and lowly. He came down from heaven’s glory, and anything beneath heaven is humility on His part.
So here He says, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” These are two very interesting flowers. I suppose that among all the flowers the rose has always been—especially in the East—the one that tops the list. And the rose of Sharon is an unusually beautiful flower. The valley of Sharon is that coast valley that goes all the way from Joppa up to Haifa. I have traveled the length and breadth of it several times. It is beautiful at any season of the year. It is a valley where you can see a great many flowers. I took pictures of them, especially the poppy fields. You have probably heard that the finest citrus fruit in the world is grown in Israel. Sharon is the valley where most of it is grown. The rose grows in profusion in that valley. It is the very beautiful flower that speaks of Him.
I do not think roses originally had thorns. I don’t think they were intended to be thorny. But as we know them today, they still have thorns. Even the very beautiful rose reminds us that the earth is under a curse and brings forth thorns and thistles (see Gen. 3:18).
An ancient author wrote: “If the king were set over flowers, it would be the rose that should reign over them, being the ornament of the earth, the splendor of plants, the eye of flowers, the beauty of the field.”
Now here is something quite interesting. When Jesus said, “… I am the bread of life …” (John 6:35), He was saying that He is something that is necessary. Bread is the staff of life. We need it to keep us going. It is a necessity of life. He is that food to the perishing sinner. Thousands have reached up a dying hand, a feeble hand, in faith, and have taken the bread. And they have eaten, and they have lived. Jesus also said, “I am the true vine …” (John 15:1). As the true vine, He gives the glorious, wonderful joy of the Lord. The Scripture says, “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts” (Prov. 31:6). Christ gives joy—not the alcoholic beverage, but the real joy of the Lord. However, when He says that He is “the rose of Sharon,” He is presenting Himself not as a necessity but as an object of pure admiration and delight to the children of men. What a wonderful human being He was! We need to behold Him and let Him occupy our thoughts. He is the One of truth and honesty and purity and beauty upon whom we are to think.
As He walked along with His disciples through the fields, He said, “… Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin” (Matt. 6:28). I think He would say to you and me today, “Consider the Rose of Sharon!” In other words, consider Him. We find this same invitation in Hebrews: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (Heb. 3:1). Consider Jesus Christ.
THE LILY OF THE VALLEYS
“I am … the lily of the valleys.” This may be a reference to the valley of Esdraelon. This valley has beautiful flowers in it, too. Actually, there is a profusion of flowers in all the valleys—along the coast south of Joppa, in the Jordan valley, around the Sea of Galilee. What is the lily of the valleys? There have been questions as to which flower is meant. Apparently it was the iris. The iris grows wild over there, and one can still see a great many of them. I am of the opinion that it does refer to that humble plant, the iris. He is the beautiful, stately rose and the humble iris. “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”
As the lily among the thorns, so is my love among the daughters [Song 2:2].
Bonar expressed it in this way: “Close by these lilies there grew several of the thorny shrubs of the desert; but above them rose the lily, spreading out its fresh green leaf as a contrast to the dingy verdure of these prickly shrubs—‘like the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.’” In other words, among “daughters” (meaning here, the daughters of Jerusalem) the bride stands out as a lily among thorns.
Christ is the lily of the valleys—He is pure, He is lovely, He is beautiful, therefore His bride is a lily also, because she bears the image of His loveliness and reflects it to men. This is what the church is to do today. We are to reveal to a world that is filled with thorns, briars, and thistles, the beauty of Christ.
THE APPLE TREE IN THE WOOD
Now the bride speaks of her beloved using the “trees of the wood” in her comparison—
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste [Song 2:3].
“The apple tree among the trees of the wood” is a picture of Christ.
Now you may wonder what kind of tree she is talking about. Actually, apples are not grown in that land. I suppose they could be grown, but they would not be very good. The climate is much as it is here in Southern California. We can grow apples, but they are not very good apples, because apples require a colder climate. The “apple” referred to here is actually a citron fruit, probably an orange tree. I have three orange trees in my yard here in Pasadena, and they make very good shade trees. They are a tree of beauty, and when they blossom, I sit on my patio and enjoy the fragrance of the orange blossoms in spring. No wonder they are used for weddings! And the luscious fruit which the tree bears is both beautiful and healthful.
There are citrus groves in the valley of Sharon, which are said to produce the finest citrus fruit in the world. It has always grown there. The citrus was transplanted to California years ago; it didn’t grow here naturally. But it is native to Palestine. There the green of the citrus groves is beautiful to see.
Notice that she says, “I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” The orange tree affords thick shade like the “… shadow of a great rock in a weary land” (Isa. 32:2) and refreshing fruit. Christ is like this wonderful fruit tree in contrast to the fruitless trees of the woods.
THE BANQUETING HOUSE
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [Song 2:4].
In this is the story of the Shulamite girl whose heart was won by a shepherd who later came as King Solomon to claim her and who takes her back to the palace in Jerusalem. Now he takes her to the banqueting house.
In this there is a beautiful picture of the church which will be the bride of Christ. It also reveals the personal relationship which is possible between the Lord Jesus Christ and each individual believer.
“He brought me to the banqueting house.” This probably looks forward to that day of the final banquet which is called the “marriage supper of the Lamb.” You and I as believers will be there by the grace of God. That is when full satisfaction will be made. But already He has brought me to the table of salvation, and He has brought me to the table of fellowship with Him. He prepares the table before me, the table of the Word of God, and He tells me to eat and be full. He brings me to a table of good things. How good and gracious He is!
We can go back to the birth of the Lord Jesus and see that already He has brought joy unspeakable to a group of people. There were old Simeon and Anna back in the temple who were waiting for Him. They had great hope that He would come during their lifetime. One day Joseph and Mary brought the little boy Jesus into the temple. My, that day the temple became a banqueting house for those two old people who had looked for the salvation of the Lord.
Even before that, God had brought Joseph and Mary to the banqueting house. When the angel announced to Mary that she should be the mother of the Savior, she realized that she who was in the line of David would be the one who would bear this child. Notice what she says in her Magnificat: “He hath filled the hungry with good things …” (Luke 1:53), using exactly the same picture as we have in the Song of Solomon: “He brought me to the banqueting house.” What a picture we have here!
You recall in chapter 1, verse 4, the girl’s prayer was, “Draw me, we will run after thee.” We cannot know the ecstasy of this experience unless the Spirit of God gives us discernment and opens our eyes to behold Christ in His beauty and glory. Oh, my friend, let’s not be satisfied with eating scraps or, like the prodigal son, getting down to eat with the pigs when God has prepared such a banquet for us!
THE BANNER OF LOVE
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” That banner is still floating over us today. The banner in that day had many meanings. Armies would carry banners with them when they went to war. I think all the various meanings of banners are included when she says, “His banner over me was love.”
The banner of an army, as, for example, the banners of the Roman legions, was an emblem of conquest. The Son of God still goes forth to war. There is a battle today for the souls of men. I remember how I resisted Him. I shall never forget the excuses I made for not going to a young people’s conference. I thought they were a bunch of sissies who were going there, and I didn’t want to go with that crowd. I wasn’t interested. But, you know, He opened up the way, and the first thing I knew I was there. Before I knew it, I had made a decision in my heart for Him. His banner over me was a banner of conquest.
The banner is also an emblem of protection. When the Lord Jesus came into this world, the Father testified, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17), and the enemies of Jesus could not touch Him until His hour had come. He was protected. When the time had come, they took Him and crucified Him. We will never understand how terrible that was. He cried out in that hour, “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). His enemies thought that since God had forsaken Him they could do as they pleased with Him. They mocked saying, “He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God” (Matt. 27:43). But God was still pleased with His Son; He delighted in Him, and He raised Him from the dead. He delivered Him from death. And now that banner of salvation and protection is over all those who are His. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [that is, be on guard duty over] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). He will protect you.
The banner is also an emblem of enlistment. You can enlist as a soldier. By the way, His army is entirely a volunteer army. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What if you don’t love Him? Then forget it! This is a banner for enlistment on a voluntary basis. “His banner over me was love.”
LOVESICK
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love [Song 2:5].
The Holy Spirit of God has brought the saved soul into a personal relationship with Christ that is satisfying. I repeat: God is satisfied with Jesus and what He did for you. Are you satisfied? Do you find joy and satisfaction and delight in the person of Christ? Spend time in this Song of Solomon. Great men of God down through the ages have spent time in this book, men like Moody and McCheyne. Personally, I have spent too little time in this book, but it has become very meaningful to me.
When I went to Nashville, Tennessee, to pastor a church, I succeeded a great man of God. I always loved to go out to visit him. I never talked to that man without learning something new from the Word of God. One day he told me, “Vernon, the other night I was lying in bed, and I thought how wonderful Christ is. It just seemed to me that there was glory all around my bed. Don’t misunderstand—I was not seeing things. It was just so wonderful to contemplate the person of Christ. Finally my body was so worked up that I couldn’t go to sleep, and I had to cry out to God, ‘Oh Lord, turn off the glory. This old body of mine can’t stand any more of it.’” Imagine the experience of Paul when he was caught up to the third heaven! You see, most of us haven’t even gotten our foot in the door yet. We know so little about what it is to have this kind of fellowship with Him. Of course it will have its final fulfillment when we come to “the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Erskine, who has written many wonderful things, expressed it like this:
The love, the love that I bespeak,
Works wonders in the soul;
For when I’m whole it makes me sick,
When sick, it makes me whole.
I’m overcome, I faint, I fail,
Till love shall love relieve;
More love divine the wound can heal,
Which love divine did give.
More of the joy that makes me faint,
Would give me present ease;
If more should kill me, I’m content
To die of that disease.
This wonderful love of God is a paradox. We long for it, and yet the glory of it all is more than we can bear.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me [Song 2:6].
“His left hand is under my head”—He is able to save us to the uttermost. “His right hand doth embrace me”—He is able to keep us from temptation and protect you and me down here.
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please [Song 2:7].
What is it that will wake Him up? What is it that would disturb Him in His fellowship with you? It is the sin and waywardness in your life. Not only are we to be satisfied with Him, but, oh, that He might be satisfied with us!
We have come now to the second song. Apparently, Solomon has been away on a trip. The bride has been looking forward in great anticipation to his coming home. What a wonderful thing it is to see the excitement of the bride as she looks forward to the coming of the bridegroom. We will find its final fulfillment, I believe, in the anticipation of the church for the return of Christ to take the church out of the world.
THE VOICE OF THE BELOVED
The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills [Song 2:8].
“The voice of my beloved!” The Lord Jesus had this to say concerning His voice: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28). “The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh …” Have you ever considered that at the Rapture of the church it is the voice of the Son of God that is to be heard? The church is made up of those people who have heard about Him. We have heard of His death and burial and resurrection. We have trusted Him. We listen to Him today, so when He comes we are going to know His voice. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice.” The sheep know who He is.
When the Lord Jesus comes to take His church out of this world, “… the Lord himself [He will come personally] shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God …” (1 Thess. 4:16). The “shout,” the “voice,” and the “trump” are all His voice. “The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh.” What a picture of the Rapture!
Contrast this to the coming of the Lord Jesus to rule and to reign on this earth. Then it will not be the sound of a voice but a tremendous sight of glory. The appeal is not to the ear as it is in the Rapture; the appeal is to the eye when He comes to the earth. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30). But at the Rapture it will be the “voice of my beloved!”
“Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.” This is poetic language, of course. This is a song, and God is trying to speak to us through it.
There is a great deal said about the feet of Jesus. In fact, I developed a series of messages several years ago about the members of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. I spoke of the eyes of Jesus that were stained with tears. I spoke of the lips of Jesus, and I spoke of His hands. I spoke of the feet of Jesus.
“He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places” (Ps. 18:33). Aijeleth Shahar, which means the “hind of the morning,” is the title to Psalm 22. It reveals the Lord Jesus Christ in the day of His sorrow, in His suffering and death upon the cross. It is a picture of the hind of the morning. All night long the dogs had been following the hind. They had torn at his flesh. They had attempted to destroy him. “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet” (Ps. 22:16). But when the sun comes up, what do we find? He is the hind of the morning, standing on the mountain peak. He has been delivered out of death. He is coming back, my friend. He is skipping upon the hills; He is leaping upon the mountains. I can’t think of a more wonderful, more poetic picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in His return to earth.
I like the way Erskine expresses it:
When manifold obstructions met,
My willing Saviour made
A stepping-stone of every let,
That in his way was laid.
He took stumbling blocks and made them into stepping stones. He made a way for us, and He is the way for us. We have the picture of Him coming again, this One who is the hind, or the roe, or the young hart who is leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills.
Now He is drawing closer—
The voice of my Beloved sounds,
Over the rocks and rising grounds;
O’er hills of guilt, and seas of grief,
He leaps, he flies to my relief.
BEHIND OUR WALL
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice [Song 2:9].
Today He stands behind the wall. He has gone to be at God’s right hand, and we are way down here. It is like the time He went to the mountain to pray after He had fed the five thousand, and His disciples were down on the Sea of Galilee in a storm. That is the way it is today. I am down here in a storm; He is up yonder at God’s right hand.
He is on the other side of the wall, and everything under the sun is trying to keep us from Him: the world, the flesh, and the devil. But He still says to us the same thing that He said to Zacchaeus: “… Make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). He still tells us that he wants to come in and sup with us, as He went into the home of that old publican and had fellowship with him. He will come to you if you will invite Him in. This is the One of whom John the Baptist said, “… there standeth one among you, whom ye know not” (John 1:26). And today the world does not know Him. He is behind a wall—a wall of indifference, a wall of rebellion against God, a wall of sin. What a picture!
THE SONG OF HIS RETURN
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away [Song 2:10–13].
“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. He did it because He is going to come to take the church out of this world. He is going to present it to Himself as a church that is purified—all of us believers need that purifying. He sanctifies and cleanses us with the washing of water by the Word. That is the reason we have Bible study. He wants to present to Himself a glorious church, without a spot or wrinkle. He wants it to be holy and without blemish. That is why He calls, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
“For, lo, the winter is past”—it is cold down here in this world.
“The rain is over and gone”—the storms of life will then have abated. Are you having a hard time today, Christian friend? Christ said you would: “… In the world ye shall have tribulation …” (John 16:33). Don’t be upset if you are having trouble. It is one of the marks that you belong to Him, that you are a child of God. But when He comes, all the trouble will be over. He will wipe away all tears from your eyes. Every broken heart will be healed. Every sorrow will have vanished away when we are in His presence. “The winter is past, the rain is over and gone.”
“The flowers appear on the earth.” When the Lord Jesus comes for His own and takes them out of this world to the beautiful home which He has prepared, I believe it will be to a beautiful garden of flowers. I like to think that in the New Jerusalem there will be a profusion of flowers.
“The time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle [turtledove] is heard in our land.” “The time of the singing of birds” is another very lovely expression. There is going to be a great deal of singing when we come into His presence.
Have you ever noticed that there is a great deal of singing that opens the story of the Gospels? Dr. Luke is the writer who starts farther back in the account of the birth of Christ than any of the other gospel writers, and he recorded the songs. There is the song of Zacharias, the song of Elisabeth, the song of Mary, the song of Anna, and the song of Simeon. There were a lot of songs connected with His birth. The church began singing, and the joy of these people is what called attention to them in the Roman world. Some day when we come into His presence we will sing a new song to the Lord, for He has done wondrous things! I can’t sing it now because God didn’t create me with a voice that could sing, but when I have a new body, I’m going to sing that new song. Until then I can lift my heart in the praise that is due Him. The very singing of the birds of the air and the bursting buds of the flowers of the earth should remind us of the debt of joyful gratitude we owe for His great salvation. Kingwellmersh expressed it poetically:
O sing unto this glittering glorious king,
O praise his name let every living thing;
Let heart and voice, like belles of silver, ring
The comfort that this day did bring.
It is interesting to note that in our older Bibles “the time of singing” is rendered “the time of pruning.” The season of the singing of birds is also the season of the pruning of the vines. The branch that is pruned for fruit and the song that is pruned for beauty are expressed in the same way by the Hebrew writers, which makes it difficult to determine whether “singing” or “pruning” is intended. Pruning the vines is exactly what the Lord Jesus said he was going to do. He said, “I am the true [genuine] vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth [or prunes] it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:1–2). My friend, you and I are living in the time of pruning, but the time of singing is ahead of us. What a picture this is!
“The voice of the turtle [turtledove] is heard in our land.” The turtledove is the wild dove which is common today. I saw them in Israel. They looked very similar to the doves in California, only I think they were somewhat smaller. The dove has always been the emblem of peace. The reason for that is that the dove went out and brought back an olive leaf to Noah after the waters of the Flood had receded. That spoke of peace, because the judgment was over.
Also the turtledove speaks to us of our salvation which is complete because the judgment is past. It is past because Christ bore the judgment for us. He has endured it in our behalf. I am saved, not because of who I am, but because of what Christ did. My friend, your sins are either on you or they are on Christ. If your sins are on you, you are yet to come up for judgment. If you have trusted Christ, your sins are on Him. He bore them for you, and the judgment is past. By faith you appropriate the salvation. The turtledove speaks of the peace that He has made for us.
This is the reason that not just a few of the saints will go to meet Christ at the Rapture. There are some folk who believe that only the super-duper saints will go. However, the hope of every believer is to be taken with Christ when He comes for His church. We will go to be with Him, not because we have been super-duper saints, but because He has made peace by the blood of His cross. The turtledove is symbolic of this.
The “turtle” is the turtledove of the morning. Where I live, the turtledove is the first bird to get up in the morning. It heralds a new day that is coming. I love the way Isaac Watts has expressed it—evidently he spent a great deal of time studying the Song of Solomon:
The legal wintery state is gone,
The mists are fled, the spring comes on;
The sacred turtle-dove we hear
Proclaim the new, the joyful year.
And when we hear Christ Jesus say,
Rise up my Love, and come away,
Our hearts would fain outfly the wind,
And leave all earthly joys behind.
“The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell”—these are signs of springtime. “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” First Thessalonians 4:16 tells us that “… the dead in Christ shall rise first.” The Lord Jesus said, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
THE DOVE IN THE CLEFTS OF THE ROCK
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely [Song 2:14].
The psalmist made this plea: “O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked …” (Ps. 74:19). Will the Lord deliver us? We are told He will hide us in the clefts of the rock, and that Rock symbolizes Christ. He is the Rock upon whom the church is built. He bore our judgment, and we can rest in Him. That should bring us not only satisfaction but also security. If you are on the Rock today, you are safe. Even if you do not recognize the assurance of this, you are still safe. A little Scottish lady was speaking with great assurance about her salvation. Someone said, “You act as if you were safe and secure on the rock.” She answered, “I am. Sometimes I do tremble on the Rock, but the Rock never trembles under me.”
The dove is also an emblem for the Holy Spirit. He descended like a dove on the Lord Jesus. And everyone who is in Christ has that dove-like Spirit dwelling in him. “… if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). And true believers are like doves in their simplicity and their gentleness. Our Lord admonished us to be “… wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). Now, I suspect that a dove is a rather stupid bird. The other day as I was driving along, I accidentally hit a dove. The crazy dove stood there on the highway without making a move until the car was about to hit him. I regretted doing that, but I said, “You stupid little bird for staying there like you did!” You see, you and I need not only to be as harmless as doves, but we had better be as wise as serpents in our world today—or we’ll get run over also.
The dove is a timid bird. The Lord says, “They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord” (Hos. 11:11). The dove needs a hiding place in the clefts of the rock. Christ is a beautiful picture of the Rock who was wounded for us. As someone has said, “I got into the heart of Christ through a spear wound.” Augustus M. Toplady’s wonderful hymn is based on this thought.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power ….
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
THE LITTLE FOXES
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes [Song 2:15].
They could put up a fence or a wall that would keep out the big foxes, but they had trouble with the little foxes. Those little fellows could sneak through. They were the ones that would sneak in and destroy the grapes and tear up the young vines. This has a message for us. “Foxes” are both subtle sins and fox-like men who corrupt others. Both were resolutely dragged into the light of day by John the Baptist. Regarding the subtle sins, he said, “… He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise …. Exact no more than that which is appointed you.…Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:11, 13–14). Then John the Baptist pointed his finger at Herod whom our Lord called “that old fox” (see Luke 13:32) and told him that he had no right to be married to another man’s wife. I tell you, a preacher doesn’t make himself popular when he says that kind of thing! Old Herod had John the Baptist killed by chopping off his head.
However, it is the young foxes that get into the contemporary church and cause trouble. The little sins spoil the fellowship among believers and spoil a Christian’s life. For example there are the little sins of omission. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Here is one of those little foxes. This is the sin of omission. How often we see something that we should do for God, but we don’t do it. How often have we sinned in this way? We are told that the Lord Jesus went about doing good.
I read
In a book
Where a man called
Christ
Went about doing good.
It is very disconcerting
To me
That I am so easily
Satisfied
With just
Going about.
—Author unknown
How often we have intended to write a letter, but we didn’t write it. How often we have intended to do something for missions, but we neglected to do it. How many times we should have been praying for someone, but we neglected to pray. We think of the words of the prophet Samuel: “… God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you …” (1 Sam. 12:23). These are little sins of omission. They are the little foxes that spoil the vineyard.
Here is another of those little foxes. “… Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). How often do we take a step on our own, but we try to call it a step of faith. We know it is not really faith; we know we just want to have our way. That is a sin. It is a little fox. It gets in and spoils the work of God. We have a tendency to lean on that very lame and broken reed and try to hold ourselves up with it and maintain a pious attitude. We say, “I am doing this because God is leading me,” when we know it is not true. We say it so lightly. Romans tells us that whatever we do that is not of faith is sin.
Showing partiality is another little fox that is seen among God’s people. James lowers the boom on that: “But if ye have respect [show partiality] to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). I have had this happen to me just as James described it. I went to a certain church just to visit, not wanting to be recognized. I wanted to hear the preacher. When I went in, the usher was absolutely insulting to me. He said, “You wait right here.” Then he came back and said, “Well, I don’t have a seat for you. You’ll have to stand here in the back.” He looked at me for a moment, then said, “Oh, you’re Dr. McGee! I’ll get a chair and let you sit right here!” How tragic it is to see in some churches a well-known or a wealthy man acknowledged in the service and some poor man, who probably is more godly, absolutely ignored. That is a little fox that really wrecks God’s work in our day.
Then there is the little fox of not giving freely to God. It is not the amount of the giving that is the only thing that is wrong about it. It is the attitude of giving, the hypocrisy of it all. We sing songs such as, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small”—then we put a quarter into the collection plate! We actually sing lies. We pretend we have given ourselves and all that we have to the Lord. Oh, my friend, it is the little foxes that are destroying a lot of the grapes today.
THE NIGHT BEFORE DAYBREAK
The next wonderful statement follows closely after the song of the bridegroom’s return, which is symbolic of the Rapture, that is, Christ’s coming again for the church.
My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the liles [Song 2:16].
This Song of Solomon expresses the highest spiritual state of the relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and the believer. There is no other book of the Bible which portrays this relationship any better than this little book, and there is no higher plane than this right here: “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” This is one of the deepest, most profound of all theological truths which our Lord Jesus put into seven simple words: “… ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:20). The bride says, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.”
The Lord Jesus said in effect, “Down here I took your place when I died on the cross. I am in you. Now you are to show forth My life down here in this world.” (Of course we can only do that in the power of the Holy Spirit.) But we are in Him up there—seated in the heavenly places, accepted in the Beloved, joined to Him, risen with Christ. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). How wonderful! Oh, my friend, if you are a child of God, why don’t you tell Him that you love Him?
You and I live in a day when we may not have very much of this world’s goods; yet we are rich. We don’t glory in men; we glory in Christ. “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:21–23). We belong to Christ. He is ours. He belongs to us. He is our Savior. He is our Shepherd. We ought to draw very close to Him and appropriate these wonderful spiritual blessings that are ours. It is a high level of spiritual life when you and I can say, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.”
“He feedeth among the lilies.” This again refers to the flower-strewn couch upon which He reclines at the banqueting table. It speaks of satisfaction, of fellowship, of joy, of everything that is wonderful. This world is seeking these things. This world is looking for a good time. This world wants to “live it up.” Well, let’s have a good time and live it up by sitting at Christ’s table and rejoicing in Him. This is a high spiritual level. I’m afraid that many of us do not “… attain unto it” (Ps. 139:6). Therefore we have to cry out as the bride did, “Draw me, we will run after thee.” We can’t run, we cannot run the race that is set before us until we not only see Jesus but appropriate His power in our lives. “My beloved is mine, and I am his.”
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether [Song 2:17].
We come back to that picture of Christ as the hind of the morning. Remember that we saw Him on that bright morning (v. 8) standing on the mountain peak in triumph. All during the night the hunters had been after His life, and the fierce dogs had been leaping at Him. How terrible it was! He went down through the doorway of death, but He came up through the doorway of resurrection. Now, in light of that, although you and I are presently living in a dark world, we can look forward to the daybreak. My friend, let the redemption that you have in Christ, and all that He has done for you, be meaningful to you. Rest upon that. Let that be your comfort; let that be the pillow for your head during the dark hours of this life—“until the day break, and the shadows flee away.”
CHAPTER 3
As we begin chapter 3 we are still in the second song, but I would say that we have come to the second stanza of it. However, this does begin a new section, which is set in an altogether different scene.
At the beginning of this book we were up in the hill country of Ephraim where we saw a girl and her family who were tenant farmers. Now Solomon has won her heart and has brought her back with him to Jerusalem.
THE MIDNIGHT SEARCH
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not [Song 3:1–2].
Now the scene has shifted to the palace in Jerusalem to which the king has taken her. She has been left alone—the king, perhaps, being away on business. What is recorded here is a dream that reflects the anguish of their separation in which she finally goes out to look for him in the streets of the city.
“By night on my bed I sought him.” This has a marvelous spiritual application to our relationship with Christ. When we have a big day ahead of us, we think we must have a good night’s sleep. If sleep is preferred to Christ, we may get in our eight hours, but we have lost Him who is far better than rest. A. Moody Stuart has put it like this: “But if Christ is first and best and most necessary, if he is more to us than food or sleep, he is often, though not always, quickly found, without actual loss either of the time or of the sleep which we were willing to sacrifice for his sake. Our sleep is then sweet unto us and refreshing, for the Lord himself is dwelling in us, and resting with us.”
“I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets.” The getting out of bed and going about the city in her search indicates a determination to seek the Lord.
“I sought him, but I found him not.” This is her honest confession. A great many folk never find Christ because they never seek Him. Oh, how many Christians sit in a church pew every Sunday and never face honestly the fact: “I found Him not.” However, He has promised that He will be found of those who seek Him with their whole heart. Or, as James put it, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you …” (James 4:8).
The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? [Song 3:3].
The watchmen seem to have been helpful in directing her to the Beloved. At least, it was only a short distance from them that she found Him.
It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me [Song 3:4].
Oh, my friend, what a tremendous reward for her search—“I found him whom my soul loveth!” Again I quote A. Moody Stuart (p. 231): “I found him—I, a man, found the Lord of Glory; I, a slave to sin, found the great Deliverer; I, the child of darkness, found the Light of life; I, the uttermost of the lost, found my Saviour, and my God; I, widowed and desolate, found my Friend, my Beloved, my Husband! Go and do likewise, sons and daughters of Zion, and He will be found of you, ‘for then shall ye find, when ye search with all your heart.’”
“I held him, and would not let him go.” Maintaining unbroken fellowship with Christ requires effort on our part. It is easy to let other interests crowd into our lives so that we lose the sense of His presence. Stuart has well said, “Unheld, the King will go away; He is willing to be held, yet not willing to remain without being held.” (This, of course, has no reference to a believer losing his salvation, but of losing his fellowship with Christ.)
“I … brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.” When she found Him, she went right back to the place where she had been born, where she had met Him. Many of us need to get back to that first love. Do you remember when you came to Christ? Do you remember how much He meant to you then?
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hids of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please [Song 3:5].
Now that wonderful fellowship with Him is restored.
THE ENTRANCE OF SOLOMON WITH HIS BRIDE
This last part of the chapter is a little gem in itself. It depicts the return of the king for his bride. This little Shulamite girl had waited a long time for the return of the shepherd to whom she had given her heart. One day she is out in the vineyard working. Down the road there comes a pillar of smoke, and the cry is passed along from one group of peasants to another, “Behold, King Solomon is coming!”—but she has work to do. Then someone comes to her excitedly, saying, “Oh, King Solomon is asking for you!” Mystified, she says, “Asking for me? I don’t know King Solomon!” But when she is brought into his presence, she recognizes that he is her shepherd-lover who has come for her.
He places her at his side in the royal chariot and the procession sweeps on, leaving the amazed country folk speechless at the sudden change in the position of her who had been just one of them.
How beautifully this pictures the glorious reality of the return of Christ, our Beloved, when He comes for His own. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17).
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? [Song 3:6].
This is a description of Solomon as he rides into Jerusalem with his bride. The glory that was Solomon’s is beyond description. We will get a glimpse of it in the next few verses.
We as believers are to go through this world as witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. As witnesses we are made new in Christ. Each of us is like the bride who is brought before the Bridegroom and the fragrance of Christ should be upon us as we witness to the world—“perfumed with myrrh and frankincense.” How wonderful the Lord Jesus is! The myrrh speaks of His death and the frankincense of His life. Both were sweet; both were glorious.
Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel [Song 3:7].
His “bed” is the traveling couch in which the King is carried by bearers.
“Threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.” They are living in days of danger. These are the guards, and they are there for his protection. They are the Secret Service men who have charge of his person to watch over him.
May I say that I think that we need to guard the person of the Lord Jesus. In other words we need to declare our belief in the deity of Jesus Christ, that He was God manifest in the flesh. We must reject the teaching of liberalism. We must reject anything that makes Him just a human Jesus. He was God manifest in the flesh.
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night [Song 3:8].
Notice that the guards all have swords. The Scriptures tell us that our sword is the Word of God. They are “expert in war.” And we need to know how to use the Word of God. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and that is the weapon of a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem [Song 3:9–10].
He has a chariot made out of the cedars of Lebanon. “The bottom thereof of gold”—imagine, the floor made of gold!
“The midst thereof being paved with love, for [or from] the daughters of Jerusalem.” Solomon’s chariot is adorned by the needlework of the women of Jerusalem. What beauty there is. But, also, what tremendous emotion and love is displayed there.
Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousal, and in the day of the gladness of his heart [Song 3:11].
It says, “his mother crowned him.” If you go back to the story in 1 Kings 1, you will find that David didn’t really want to crown him. Another son of David, Adonijah, was carrying on a bit of strategy and was trying to get to the throne himself. David was an old man, and he didn’t do anything at all about the situation. His favorite son, Absalom, had been, killed, and David just didn’t seem to have much heart for Solomon. So Nathan the prophet went to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, and said, “We’d better get busy or Adonijah may become the new king.” So Bathsheba and Nathan went to King David, and King David said, “Well, bring him in. We’ll make him the king.” That is the way Solomon was made the king of Israel. I like the way it is stated here: “his mother crowned him.” It was his mother who was interested in him. I really think that David was not much interested in making Solomon the new king, even though he was David’s son.
“Behold king Solomon.” This is a picture of Christ. Behold Him. Behold Him in His birth. Behold Him in His life. Behold Him in His death. Behold Him in His resurrection. Behold Him in His glory today. And behold Him as the One who is coming again for His bride.
CHAPTER 4
This entire chapter except the last verse is the song of the bridegroom. It expresses Solomon’s love for this girl whom he had met up in the hill country and had brought to town, as it were. I suppose that she wore shoes for the first time. Now she is wearing lovely dresses, and she sits at the table of Solomon. What a privilege she had, and she was rejoicing in it.
As we read this chapter, we should see that the Spirit of God is trying to show us Christ’s love for us. It is expressed through this very wonderful and personal relationship. It shows to us the love of Christ for the church and His love for the individual believer. This is the love song of the Bridegroom, or the love song of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is obvious that He speaks of the church when He says, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee” (v. 7). This is Christ speaking of the church, of each believer; He is speaking to you and me. Does that mean then that we are going to have to become perfect? Oh, no. In Ephesians Paul says, “… as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25–26). He’s already cleansed us by the blood; through His sacrifice we have the forgiveness of sin, so that there is no charge brought against us. But He is also going to sanctify us and cleanse us by the Word of God. “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). He will be the One who will make the church without spot or wrinkle—we will be seen in Christ. Now He can look at the church and say, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee” because He removed the spot from the church and from each believer.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead [Song 4:1].
We find here a very minute description of this girl. It describes the parts of her body, if you please. Now there are two extreme viewpoints of marriage. One is that the emphasis is put upon sex. The other is that there is no emphasis put on sex, that marriage is such a high, holy state that sex doesn’t enter into it at all. But when the emphasis is placed completely on sex, then the relationship becomes more like that between two animals. True marriage lies between these two extreme viewpoints. When the bridegroom holds the bride in his arms, their love, their physical love, is consummated.
Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks [Song 4:2–3].
This is how the bridegroom sees the bride. I’m sure every young fellow has looked into the eyes of some girl and told her what beautiful eyes she has. I met my wife when she was a young school teacher. She had black hair, black as a raven’s wing, and dark brown eyes. Today there is some gray in that hair. I tell you, when I met her, I thought her hair was beautiful, and I told her so. I told her she had beautiful eyes. Now I never told her she had beautiful big toes, because I really don’t think her big toes are beautiful. But I do think she is beautiful.
This reveals to us that the Lord Jesus not only loves us but the Lord Jesus knows us. We need to quit kidding ourselves, because we are not kidding Him at all. This means that we can go to Him and tell Him everything. There is no use in trying to cover up, no use in trying to use subterfuge, no use in trying to beat around the bush. We can tell Him everything that we have on our hearts. We can tell Him all about our weaknesses, about our sin, about all the things that are in our hearts and lives. That is the way to deal with them.
Do you have an inferiority complex? Then tell the Lord Jesus about it. He is the only One who has an answer for that. An eminent Christian psychologist here in Southern California years ago told me, “You can’t get rid of an inferiority complex. All that the psychologist can do is to shift an inferiority complex from one place in the personality to another. The only place where anyone finds a solution to it is at the cross of Christ.” I believe that is where people should go with their complexes. Augustine said that our hearts are restless until we come to the Lord. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). Maybe you don’t even need to get rid of your inferiority complex. It may help you to find your strength in Him. It may keep you from being a proud, arrogant Christian. It may help you to give all the glory to Him.
Do you have a bad habit which you would like to change? Then go to Him and confess it. He is rich in mercy. I think that for years I must have gone to Him two or three hundred times to tell Him about something. He was rich in mercy to me, which means He has a whole lot of it. Although I failed again and again, I kept going back in repentance. It was wonderful to go to Him. Do you know what happened? When the time came, He gave me the victory in His way. Our Lord moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. He doesn’t follow my rules or your rules. He doesn’t do it through some gimmick which men have worked out. He helps in His own time and His own way.
May I say to you, He knows us intimately. He knows every tiny detail of our lives. We should never be afraid to go to Him and tell Him everything.
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense [Song 4:6].
This is the place where we need to go for the solution to our problems. “The mountain of myrrh” is symbolic of the cross of Christ, because myrrh speaks of His death. That is where you will find comfort and salvation and help and hope.
“The hill of frankincense” refers to His life, but not simply His earthly life. Paul writes, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Cor. 5:16)—now we know Him as the glorified Christ.
The solution to your problem is in knowing Christ. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). That, my friend, is the reason that I keep saying the answer is in the Word of God. It is ignorance of His Word that causes people to search elsewhere for answers. It makes a person vulnerable to false teachers who trade on and take advantage of those who are ignorant of the Word of God. But it is through the Word of God that we get acquainted with Jesus Christ and learn to sit at that round table in the banqueting hall which we have seen here in the Song of Solomon. There we can feast with Him, and find satisfaction and joy in Him.
You and I do not realize how much He really loves us. Listen to Him:
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! [Song 4:9–10].
The bridegroom speaking of the bride typifies the Lord Jesus speaking of believers, those who are His own. This is how much He loves us today. Oh, it would break your heart and my heart if we knew how much He loves us. Only the Spirit of God can make this love real to us. Some folks write out a little motto and stick it on their car bumper and then drive around with it. It says, “Jesus loves you.” I wonder, how do you know He loves you? Have, you experienced that love yourself? Are you conscious of His love right now? Oh, my friend, He loves you! Fall in love with Him.
Now the bride speaks:
Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits [Song 4:16].
Remember how the Lord Jesus taught His disciples in the Upper Room in that wonderful discourse that is found in John 13–17. In the midst of it, in John 14, we find that the Lord Jesus is interrupted again and again by the disciples asking Him questions. The last one to interrupt Him was Judas. Have you ever noticed the question which he asked the Lord? “Judas saith unto him, not Iseariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” (John 14:22). He is saying in effect, “Lord, it is wonderful to be here. You are revealing these wonderful truths about Yourself to us, but what about the world outside?”
Now the bride is getting the message. “O north wind”—that north wind is cold, and it may cause the bride to get very cold. But, “Awake, O north wind.” Why? That this spice, this wonderful fragrance might be blown out to others and they might enjoy it. Dr. Ironside adds: “It indicates her yearning desire to be all that he would have her to be.” The north wind, he continues, is “that cold, bitter, biting, wintry blast. Naturally she would shrink from that as we all would, and yet the cold of winter is as necessary as the warmth of summer if there is going to be perfection in fruitbearing. It takes the cold to bring out the flavor of apples. And it is so with our lives. We need the north winds of adversity and trial as well as the zephyrs of the south so agreeable to our natures. The very things we shrink from are the experiences that will work in us to produce the peaceable fruits of righteousness. If everything were easy and soft and beautiful in our lives, they would be insipid; there would be so little in them for God that could delight His heart; and so there must be the north wind as well as the south.”
It is this kind of life that the Lord Jesus uses to reach the world. He has not forgotten the world.
The bride says to her beloved, “Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.” This is an invitation he will accept. And in that Upper Room the Lord Jesus said to His questioning disciples, “… If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).
CHAPTER 5
In this chapter there seems to be a certain amount of conflict in the mind of the bride about whether they should spend time in fellowship and communion or in going out to discharge their responsibilities. Both are essential. We need to be doing both. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus, but we also need to follow those feet as they go out on the hillsides looking for the lost sheep. We need to follow those feet out into the world, which is a field in which to plant the seed of the Word of God.
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved [Song 5:1].
He is inviting her to join with him in fellowship. Our Lord says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). That is the fellowship we need. And in connection with fellowship, John writes, “… These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). Not only does He want us to have fellowship, but He wants us to have a good time. Are you having a good time as a Christian?
Wonderful letters come to me in response to our radio broadcasts. There are people in hospitals and in rest homes who tell about their sufferings and the diseases with which they are afflicted. But they also write about the wonderful fellowship they have with the Lord Jesus. The tears came to my eyes when I read a letter from one dear lady, who wrote, “At night when the nurse tucks me in I cannot sleep but lie awake for another hour or two. During that time I pray for you until I go to sleep. Then I wake up about 4:30 in the morning and I pray for you again.” Then she continues in her letter to tell how wonderful it is to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus. That is beautiful!
THE WAKING SLEEP
Now we come to the fourth canticle, or the fourth song. These are like folk songs. Now it is the bride who speaks.
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night [Song 5:2].
She says her heart is awake. She is on the alert, watching for him.
“The voice of my beloved”—he has been busy out in the night while the bride crawled into bed.
The church needs to hear this message today. All believers need to hear this message. Let’s get out of bed and get busy. If the Lord has given us health, let us start moving out for Him.
I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? [Song 5:3].
Now she starts to rationalize. She is already in bed. She has washed her feet to go to bed, and she doesn’t want to get out of bed and get her feet dirty.
My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him [Song 5:4].
Her “bowels,” that is, her emotions, were moved for him.
I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock [Song 5:5].
The background for this was a lovely custom that they had in that day. When a man was in love with a girl and wanted to express his love, he would go to her home and instead of leaving a calling card, he would leave a fragrance. The door was so constructed as to leave an opening so that one could reach through to the inside and remove the bar unless it was locked as well as barred—which was the case on this occasion. When there was no response from the sleeping bride, the bridegroom placed myrrh on the inside handle of the door to let her know that he had been there. When she finally came to open the door, the wonderful fragrance was transferred to her fingers. He had left the sweetness of his presence.
The bride is a picture of the church today. The church doesn’t go very far from home. Very few get out from under the shadow of the church steeple. Most folks don’t even get off the church steps. As a result, they have lost fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Actually, that is one of those little foxes which destroy the grapes. We lose our fellowship when we step out of the will of God. That is what it means to quench the Spirit (see 1 Thess. 5:19). It is quenching the Spirit to refuse to go where He wants us to go or to do what He wants us to do.
I think that if we today would get up off our beds, begin to move out and start doing something for God, we would find the sweetness of His presence on the handle of our own bed chamber. We would experience the sweetness of His fellowship.
This is the briefest of the songs, but what a little gem it is!
THE SORROWING SEARCH FOR THE BELOVED
Now we come to the fifth song. In this love story King Solomon has brought this humble Shulamite girl from the hill country of Ephraim to the palace in Jerusalem. In these songs the bride reveals how impressed she is by everything there—the palace, the throne, and the banquet table of the king. Her song includes her worship and adoration of the king.
But when he came to rouse her to come with him as he was out doing his work as a shepherd, looking for the sheep that were lost, she didn’t want to get out of bed. When she finally did go to the door, he was gone. She opened the door and called to him, then she went out to look for him.
I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer [Song 5:6].
You see, the fellowship had been broken.
I personally believe that there are a great many Christians who have done one of two, things: they have grieved the Spirit by sin in their lives, or they have quenched the Spirit by not being obedient to Him. That breaks fellowship with Him and causes us to lose our joy. It does not mean that we lose our salvation, but we will surely lose the joy of our salvation. It does not mean that we have lost the Holy Spirit. He still indwells the believer. We can grieve Him, but we cannot grieve Him away. However, we certainly can lose fellowship with Him, and many Christians are in that position.
Sometime ago a man said to me, “You speak of the reality of Christ in your life. I don’t have it.” That was a dead giveaway that he was quenching the Spirit of God. He was out of the will of God. I know the man quite well, and I believe the problem was that he was doing what he wanted to do instead of doing what he knew was the will of God. A person can try to mask the truth and say that he is doing the will of God. If he does not have the joy of the Lord, it is a giveaway that he is actually doing his own will.
The bride here has lost her fellowship. I tell you, if you are not doing something for the Lord, you haven’t lost your salvation, but you surely are missing sweet fellowship with Him.
The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me [Song 5:7].
Do you realize how impotent and powerless we are if we attempt to go out on our own? We may go out with a great deal of enthusiasm, but enthusiasm will never replace fellowship with Him. Today there is a lot of enthusiasm for knocking on doors and witnessing to people. There are certain people who ought to be doing that; there are others who had better not. I have a friend in another state who, when I am there, asks me to play golf with him. I enjoy playing with him, but I have discovered that he is a man who lacks tact even though he has a zeal to witness for the Lord. I have seen him make waitresses angry. I have seen him make strangers that we meet angry. He says to me, “You know, there is surely a lot of opposition to the gospel today, isn’t there?” Well, I couldn’t help but say to him, “I don’t think there is as much opposition as you think there is. It might have something to do with the way we present the gospel.”
Then I called his attention to the way the Lord Jesus witnessed to the woman at the well. One of the most hostile persons that the Lord Jesus ever approached was that Samaritan woman who came down to the well. She was defiant. Have you ever noticed how He approached her? He didn’t approach her as if He had something to cram down her throat. He asked her for a drink of water. He took the lowly place by asking her for something. Then He very courteously said, “Oh, I could have given you living water if you had asked for it.” Finally she did ask for it, but He didn’t offer it until she asked for it.
Before we attempt to cram the gospel down the throats of people, we need to give them a little appetite for it. They should see something in our lives that will make them want to know about the Lord Jesus.
However, it is true that there is an opposition to the Word of God, and we find it coming sometimes from unexpected quarters.
“The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me.” This girl is having a difficult time. She is being hurt by those who should have been protecting her.
This same situation occurs in Christian circles. Many a preacher in our society finds himself deserted by a board that has turned against him because his preaching bothers their consciences. Many times opposition to the gospel comes from those who should be protecting it.
Now this girl, the bride, meets the daughters of Jerusalem. Here we find antiphonal singing. The bride sings one part, and the daughters of Jerusalem sing an answering part. This sounds very much like an opera.
The bride says:
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love [Song 5:8].
“If you find him, tell him how much I miss him. Tell him how much I love him, and let him know that I am looking for him.” Her heart is sick and her whole being is yearning after him. The garden has lost its fragrance; the myrrh and frankincense don’t mean much to her now; and the beauty of the flowers has withered.
Now in this antiphony the daughters of Jerusalem answer:
What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? [Song 5:9].
Their answer sounds rather skeptical. In effect they are saying, “This one that you say means so much to you, why is he more to you than you might expect another to be to us?” “What is thy beloved more than another beloved?” Who is this Jesus anyway? What makes you think Jesus is different from anyone else? There have been other great religious leaders. Why do you think that Jesus is different from them? Why do you think that He is who He claims to be? Jesus was only a man. That is the kind of skepticism we hear.
May I say to you, there has been a lot of discussion about Jesus. There has been more controversy about Him than any person who has ever lived. He is the most controversial figure in history. Let me ask you a question. If someone today tried to show that Julius Caesar was a real rascal, would you get all excited about it and rise to his defense? If someone tried to show that Julius Caesar was a saint, would you be all excited about that and try to argue about it? It wouldn’t excite me. I’d let anyone think whatever he wanted to think about Julius Caesar. I wouldn’t argue with him. But the minute you mention Jesus Christ, the whole human family chooses sides. It is interesting that God forces us to make a decision about His Son. He wouldn’t let Pilate off without making a decision. Pilate tried to evade any involvement. He called for a basin of water and washed his hands, saying, “… I am innocent of the blood of this just person …” (Matt. 27:24). How wrong he was! The oldest creed of the church, which has been recited for over nineteen hundred years by multitudes of people, includes these words: “Crucified under Pontius Pilate.” Pontius Pilate, you didn’t wash your hands; you made a decision. God forced you to make a decision. Pilate thought that he was the judge and that Jesus was the prisoner. He didn’t realize that Christ was the judge and he was the prisoner. And still in our contemporary society every man must make a decision.
“What is thy beloved more than another beloved?” In anthologies of religion, great religious leaders are listed who are called founders of religions: Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Ghandi, Buddha, and all the rest. According to Tertullian, the early church father, the Christians in the early church would rather have died than have Jesus put down on a place with the heathen deities of the Roman Empire. They refused to even take a pinch of incense and place it before the image of Caesar. They just wouldn’t do it, because their Beloved was different; He was God.
THE BEAUTY OF THE BELOVED
Now the bride is going to answer. She is going to respond to their skepticism. You would think that they had her cooled off and that she would tone down what she says about the bridegroom. But it didn’t work that way. Actually, she now waxes eloquent concerning him.
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem [Song 5:10–16].
There is something here that is very obvious, and that is that she describes him in minute detail. Do you know what that means? It means that she knew him. She knew him intimately.
My friend, if you are going to defend the Lord Jesus Christ today, if you are going to witness for Him, you must know Him. Not only do you need to know who He is, but you need to know Him enough to be able to wax eloquent on His behalf. When I say be eloquent, I don’t necessarily mean eloquent in language. I mean full of enthusiasm, excitement, love, and zeal for His person. You and I need not only to know Him, but we must love Him. That is the challenge that we find here. The bride knew Him. She knew Him and she loved Him. She says that He is the chiefest among ten thousand.
Many people have written about the person of Christ because He is altogether lovely even in His humanity. Dr. C.I. Scofield, the man who wrote the first notes for The Scofield Reference Bible, wrote about the Lord Jesus in a tract he entitled, “The Loveliness of Jesus.” Let me share part of it with you:
All other greatness has been marred by littleness, all other wisdom has been flawed by folly, all other goodness has been tainted by imperfection; Jesus Christ remains the only Being of whom, without gross flattery, it could be asserted, “He is altogether lovely.”
My theme, then, is: The Loveliness of Christ.
First of all, as it seems to me, this loveliness of Christ consists in His perfect humanity. Am I understood? I do not now mean that He was a perfect human, but that He was perfectly human.
In everything but our sins, and our evil natures, He is one with us. He grew in stature and in grace. He labored, and wept, and prayed, and loved. He was tempted in all points as we are—sin apart. With Thomas, we confess Him Lord and God; we adore and revere Him, but beloved, there is no other who establishes with us such intimacy, who comes so close to these human hearts of ours; no one in the universe of whom we are so little afraid. He enters as simply and naturally into our twentieth century lives as if He had been reared in the same street. He is not one of the ancients. How wholesomely and genuinely human He is! Martha scolds Him; John, who has seen Him raise the dead, still the tempest and talk with Moses and Elijah on the mount, does not hesitate to make a pillow of His breast at supper. Peter will not let Him wash his feet, but afterwards wants his head and hands included in the ablution. They ask Him foolish questions, and rebuke Him, and venerate and adore Him all in a breath; and He calls them by their first names, and tells them to fear not, and assures them of His love. And in all this He seems to me altogether lovely.
He is altogether lovely. Now the important question is this: Is He altogether lovely to you? Are you able to speak of Him with the enthusiasm the bride had for her bridegroom? We must know Christ intimately if we are to witness of Him. And we must love Him. When one comes to Christ it is not a business transaction. He is wonderful, and I do not think that we laud Him, glorify Him, lift Him up, worship Him, and bow before Him with thanksgiving enough. He is wonderful any way that you look at Him.
Let me quote again from Dr. Scofield’s essay:
The saintliness of Jesus is so warm and human that it attracts and inspires. We find in it nothing austere and inaccessible, like a statue in a niche. The beauty of His holiness reminds one rather of a rose, or a bank of violets.
Jesus receives sinners and eats with them—all kinds of sinners. Nicodemus, the moral, religious sinner, and Mary of Magdala, “out of whom went seven devils”—the shocking kind of sinner. He comes into sinful lives as a bright, clear stream enters a stagnant pool. The stream is not afraid of contamination but its sweet energy cleanses the pool.
I remark again, and as connected with this that His sympathy is altogether lovely.
He is always being “touched with compassion.” The multitude without a shepherd, the sorrowing widow of Nain, the little dead child of the ruler, the demoniac of Gadara, the hungry five thousand—what ever suffers touches Jesus. His very wrath against the scribes and Pharisees is but the excess of His sympathy for those who suffer under their hard self-righteousness.
Did you ever find Jesus looking for “deserving poor”? He “healed all their sick.” And what grace in His sympathy! Why did He touch that poor leper? He could have healed him with a word as He did the nobleman’s son. Why, for years the wretch had been an outcast, cut off from kin, dehumanized. He lost the sense of being a man. It was defilement to approach him. Well, the touch of Jesus made him human again.
A Christian woman, laboring among the moral lepers of London, found a poor street girl desperately ill in a bare, cold room. With her own hands she ministered to her, changing her bed linen, procuring medicines, nourishing food, a fire, and making the poor place as bright and cheery as possible, and then she said, “May I pray with you?”
“No,” said the girl, “you don’t care for me; you are doing this to get to heaven.”
Many days passed with the Christian woman unwearily kind, the sinful girl hard and bitter. At last the Christian said:
“My dear, you are nearly well now, and I shall not come again, but as it is my last visit, I want you to let me kiss you,” and the pure lips that had known only prayers and holy words met the lips defiled by oaths and by unholy caresses—and then, my friends, the hard heart broke. That was Christ’s way.
As I read this essay from Dr. Scofield, my thoughts turn back to the very beginning of the Song of Solomon in chapter 1, verse 2: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.” He wants to bestow His love, His affection, His care, His grace, His mercy upon us today, and we are as hard as that poor sinning girl.
Again, I quote from Dr. Scofield:
Can you fancy Him calling a convention of the Pharisees to discuss methods of reaching the “masses”? That leads me to remark that His humility was altogether lovely, and He, the only one who ever had the choice of how and where He should be born, entered this life as one of the “masses.”
What meekness, what lowliness! “I am among you as one that serveth.” He “began to wash His disciples’ feet.” “When He was reviled He reviled not again.” “As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Can you think of Jesus posing and demanding His rights?
But it is in His way with sinners that the supreme loveliness of Christ is most sweetly shown. How gentle He is, yet how faithful; how considerate, how respectful. Nicodemus, candid and sincere, but proud of his position as a master in Israel, and timid lest he should imperil it, “comes to Jesus by night.” Before he departs “the Master,” Nicodemus has learned his utter ignorance of the first step toward the kingdom, and goes away to think over the personal application of “they loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” But he has not heard one harsh word, one utterance that can wound his self-respect.
When He speaks to that silent despairing woman, after her accusers have gone out, one by one, He uses for “woman” the same word as He used when addressing His mother from the cross.
Follow Him to Jacob’s well at high noon and hear His conversation with the woman of Samaria. How patiently He unfolds the deepest truths, how gently, yet faithfully He presses the great ulcer of sin which is eating away her soul. But He could not be more respectful to Mary of Bethany.
Even in the agonies of death He could hear the cry of despairing faith. When conquerors return from far wars in strange lands they bring their chiefest captive as a trophy. It was enough for Christ to take back to heaven the soul of a thief.
Yea, He is altogether lovely. And now I have left myself no room to speak of His dignity, of His virile manliness, of His perfect courage. There is in Jesus a perfect equipoise of various perfections. All the elements of perfect character are in lovely balance. His gentleness is never weak. His courage is never brutal. My friends, you may study these things for yourself. Follow Him through all the scenes of outrage and insult on the night and morning of His arrest and trial. Behold Him before the high priest, before Pilate, before Herod. See Him brow-beaten, bullied, scourged, smitten upon the face, spit upon, mocked. How His inherent greatness comes out. Not once does He lose His self-poise, His high dignity.
Let me ask some unsaved sinner here to follow Him still further. Go with the jeering crowd without the gates; see Him stretched upon the great rough cross and hear the dreadful sound of the sledge as the spikes are forced through His hands and feet. See, as the yelling mob falls back, the cross, bearing this gentlest, sweetest, bravest, loveliest man, upreared until it falls into the socket in the rock. “And sitting down, they watched Him there.” You watch, too. Hear Him ask the Father to forgive His murderers, hear all the cries from the cross. Is He not altogether lovely? What does it all mean?
“He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.”
“By Him all that believe are justified from all things.”
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.”
I close with a word of personal testimony. This is my beloved, and this is my friend. Will you not accept Him as your Saviour, and beloved and friend?
That is the end of the quotation, and I want to add my own “Amen” to it. That means I agree with every word of it. My Beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand. He is the One who is altogether lovely.
Was it merely the son of Joseph and Mary who crossed the world’s horizon more than nineteen hundred years ago? Was it merely human blood that was spilled on Calvary’s hill for the redemption of sinners? What thinking man can keep from exclaiming, “My Lord and my God”?
“This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem” (v. 16). She knew Him. She loved Him. She makes Him known.
CHAPTER 6
FROM SKEPTICS TO BELIEVERS
Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee [Song 6:1].
The daughters of Jerusalem are not so skeptical and cynical now. They are willing to go with the bride to help her find him. They want to see this one whom the bride has told them about. They conclude that he must be wonderful, and they want to see him for themselves.
The Bible tells us that whoever seeks will find. The Lord Jesus has said that if anyone would come to Him, He would in nowise cast him out.
My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies [Song 6:2–3].
She has located the bridegroom. What assurance, what satisfaction, what joy she has!
God is satisfied with Jesus. He has said, “… This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Luke 9:35). He is satisfied with the work which Christ accomplished for us on the cross. He says that if we will come to His Son, we will not perish but have everlasting life. What an invitation has gone out!
THE KING’S DELIGHT IN THE BRIDE
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.
Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.
There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her [Song 6:4–9].
“Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah”—the beautiful expressions throughout this section are the bridegroom’s response to the long, intense, sorrowful, and patient search for his presence. A. Moody Stuart gives us this helpful background: “Tirzah was the royal city of one of the ancient kings of Canaan, and afterwards for a time of the kings of Israel. The word signifies pleasant, and the situation of the city, as well as the town itself, was probably remarkable for beauty …. ‘Beautiful as Tirzah’—how gracious the address to the slothful, sorrowing, smitten Bride! but ‘whom he loveth he loveth unto the end,’ though we change, He is ‘the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.’”
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? [Song 6:10].
This shows us how the Lord views the Rapture of the church. It is natural that we look at the Rapture from the viewpoint of our expectations: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16). But the Lord looks at it from His side. He will be calling His own. When the church comes into His presence, the angelic hosts will see one of the greatest sights that will be beheld in all of eternity. This will be the most thrilling event for us and for Him, too. Then they will say about the church, “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” This same union of Christ and the church is pictured for us in the lives of Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac was walking in the field when he looked up and saw the caravan of camels coming. Rebekah was on one of the camels in that caravan. She got off the camel and came to meet her bridegroom. What a glorious picture of the time when you and I will go into the presence of the Lord Jesus.
THE RESPONSE OF THE BRIDE
I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.
Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib [Song 6:11–12].
I just can’t resist intruding here with a little anecdote. A friend of mine who is a preacher went to speak to a group of unbelievers. They were a group that included college professors. Many of their theories were way out in left field. They really understood very little about the real issues of life. I asked my friend, “What do you think you accomplished by going to that group?” He answered, “I don’t know that I accomplished very much, but I was certainly scriptural. I went down into the garden of nuts.” There’s no question about that!
Seriously, the bride had something very different in mind. It is interesting that this is the third garden we see in the Song of Solomon. A. Moody Stuart calls our attention to this: “The first garden is in spring, full of flowers and tender grapes with nothing mature; the second garden is in autumn, full of spices and ripe fruits with nothing imperfect; and this third garden is in the end of winter, but with the immediate prospect of a new spring …. It is still winter, but the winter is on the very point of bursting in a new spring, and the Bride descends into the garden of nuts to watch the first sproutings of the valley, the earliest blossoming of the vine, and the budding of the pomegranate.”
Stuart compares this to the experience of the disciples of our Lord after His ascension as they wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. In a sense they go into the garden to watch for a fresh outbreak of a new spring. The entire Old Testament is a new treasure to them since Jesus had “… expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). While gathering and breaking open those old treasures of the past, the Spirit came in an unexpected manner and with unexpected power, which could not be described more exactly than in the words of the Song, “or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.”
My friend, the Word of God is a garden, a whole garden of unopened nuts. There are innumerable kernels in the Word of God waiting to be opened and enjoyed by the bride of Christ.
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies [Song 6:13].
The statement is made that the bride of Christ will be for the demonstration of God’s grace throughout the ages: “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). All of the created universe is going to see us. None of us is worthy to be there, but we are going to be there because we are in Christ. It is because He loved us and gave Himself for us. We will be there for His glory and for our good. I can’t think of anything better than that!
CHAPTER 7–8
PORTRAIT OF THE BRIDE
In the first nine verses of chapter 7 the bridegroom tells of his delight in his bride, using one beautiful figure after another. Harry A. Ironside makes this comment: “It is a wonderful thing to know that the Lord has far more delight in His people than we ourselves have ever had in Him. Some day we shall enjoy Him to the fullest; some day He will be everything to us; but as long as we are here, we never appreciate Him as much as He appreciates us. But as she listens to his expression of love, her heart is assured; she has the sense of restoration and fellowship.”
SATISFACTION OF THE BRIDE
She says all she needs to say about her beloved in one verse:
I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me [Song 7:10].
Twice before we have heard the bride say, “My beloved is mine, and I am his,” but A. Moody Stuart draws our attention to the fact that this is an expression of far greater fullness. Although it implies the outgoing of desire from the heart of Christ, it expressly declares what is much more precious: that the believer knows the strength of Christ’s desire toward him. Stuart puts it this way: ‘I know’, saith the Lord, ‘the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of good and not of evil’; the Lord who thinks them knows them, but he toward whom they are thought is often ignorant, or doubtful, or unbelieving regarding them; and most blessed are the souls that can respond, ‘We have known and believed the love that God hath to us.’” We are objects of His desire—what wondrous grace!
THE VERY BROTHER
O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised [Song 8:1].
“My brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother” refers, of course, to a brother born of the same mother, implying the nearest possible relationship. It is this kind of a brother the Lord Jesus has become to us—“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:16), becoming flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone.
“I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.” A great many true believers are afraid or ashamed to openly confess that they love Christ. Oh, my friend, don’t say you love Him if you don’t, but if your life reveals that you do love Him, folk will not despise you for speaking of it.
I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate [Song 8:2].
“I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.” Stuart has well said, “It is our part to give Christ the best entertainment in our power, to spare nothing on him, to gather all for him and present all to him, that is choicest and best. But the full reference of these words is to the final ‘marriage of the Lamb when his wife shall have made herself ready,’ and when Christ ‘shall drink the fruit of the vine new with her in his Father’s kingdom.’”
THE RELYING WEAKNESS OF LOVE
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee [Song 8:5].
“Leaning upon her beloved.” The final stage of the true believer’s life is characterized by weakness, by dependence, and by love. In youth we “… mount [ed] up with wings as eagles …” (Isa. 40:31) when His banner over us was love. In manhood we ran without being wearied—even when (as Stuart says) we sought Him sorrowing through the streets of Jerusalem—but in our declining years we are more apt to lean heavily upon Him in childlike trust. And when we finally recognize our utter dependence upon Christ and the truth of His statement that without Him we can do nothing, then He can use our service.
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame [Song 8:6].
“For love is strong as death.” Death, with all its terrors, was the price of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ to lost men, but it did not deter Him—He loved us and gave Himself for us, enduring the cross and despising the shame. Also death has been ten thousand times before the bride of the slain Lamb, and she “… loved not [her life] … unto the death” (Rev. 12:11); for, “… neither death, nor life … shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38–39).
“Jealousy is cruel as the grave”—the all-devouring grave knows no pity. Stuart reminds us that it was jealousy cruel as the grave that moved Elijah, who was very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, to slay the prophets of Baal at the brook Kishon and let not one escape. And “it was jealousy that stirred Paul to utter the righteous and holy, yet tremendous curse—‘if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.’ This jealousy, with its grave-like cruelty, our protesting and suffering forefathers knew better than we; and it produced a remarkable but noble mingling of ardent love to Jesus with tenderness of conscience and manly boldness, which made little account either of their lives or those of others, when placed in competition with the honour of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“The coals thereof are coals of fire.” This reminds us of the love that burned in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ when He said, “… The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:17). Stuart adds: “Ascending to the right hand of the Father, he kindled within the hearts of his disciples the same divine fire that burned within himself; sending down the Holy Ghost to rest upon them as flames or tongues of fire: and the fire of love burned more mightily within them, than the visible flames that encircled their heads.”
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned [Song 8:7].
“Many waters cannot quench love.” Oh, how many times we have failed Him; yet our repeated failures have not quenched His love, nor has it been drowned by the floods of our sins.
“If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” The word contemned means to be loathed, despised. God is not asking for our money or our service; He is asking for our love. If we don’t love Him, He despises the so-called Christian work we try to do and the money we put in the offering plate.
THE LITTLE SISTER
We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? [Song 8:8].
The “little sister” is, many Bible teachers feel, symbolic of the church of the Gentiles. “What shall we do for our sister” was the thorny question in the early church. Acts 15 records the Council at Jerusalem which was convened to resolve the conflict between the Gentile converts and the Hebrew converts who had no intention of giving up the Mosaic system.
“In the day when she shall be spoken for.” Well, who would speak for her? Nobody would want her. Gentiles were outcasts. But the day came when this sister was spoken for by the great Bridegroom of the church who called her to Himself. My friend, He did not choose us because we were attractive, but because He saw our lost condition and loved us.
Now that the “little sister” is accepted by Christ, what kind of reception will she get from the elder sister?
If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar [Song 8:9].
“If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver.” Since the Gentiles were being accepted by God, they were being “… builded together [with the Hebrew Christians] for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). The Jewish church faced the question: what should be built on it? Circumcision, ceremonies, different rites and ordinances—yokes which neither the Hebrew fathers nor children were able to bear? James expressed the feeling of the elder sister: “… my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God” (Acts 15:19). The council agreed not to force Gentile believers into the Mosaic system, but to accept them as they were and do everything possible to build them up in the faith.
I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour [Song 8:10].
This is the rejoicing of the “little sister.” When the gentile church received the good news of the council’s decision, “… they rejoiced for the consolation” (Acts 15:31). Recognized now as a wall in God’s temple, they greatly rejoiced in the privilege. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19–22).
“My breasts like towers”—the little sister, symbolic of the gentile church, soon nourished many sons and daughters with the sincere milk of the Word. The Gentile church grew with amazing rapidity so that the little sister now has become both more beautiful and more honored than the elder.
There is a missionary message in this parable of the little sister. You and I need to recognize that the little sister includes all nations in our day. In many parts of the world there are folk who have never responded to the call of the Bridegroom simply because they have not heard His voice. And “… how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14).
THE TRANSFER OF THE VINEYARD
Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver [Song 8:11].
“Solomon had a vineyard.” Solomon is symbolic of Christ. The bride, which is the united church of Jews and Gentiles, tells the story of the vineyard. First it was under the charge of its original keepers, the nation of Israel, and next it was committed to her own care. It is the same parable that Jesus told in Matthew 21:33–46 about a certain householder who planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, then rented it out to vinegrowers while he went on a long journey. At harvest time he sent his servants to receive the produce, and they were beaten or killed. Finally he sent his own son. “But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?” (Matt. 21:38–40). The answer is that he will come and destroy the husbandmen and will give the vineyard to others.
My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred [Song 8:12].
“Those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred”—they are to be paid for their work. “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14).
“Thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand,” promising, unlike her predecessor, that full revenue shall be the Lord’s; yet she tends it with her whole heart as if it were her own—“my vineyard, which is mine, is before me.”
Historically the early church kept the vineyard just that way. But, unfortunately, the church in our day presents a different picture. Oh that you and I, as members of the bride of Christ, will be faithful in the portion of the vineyard God has allotted to our care!
Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices [Song 8:14].
The bride is saying to the Lord of the vineyard, “Return!” Over in the Book of Revelation the last thing she says is, “… Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
My friend, I don’t believe you can honestly say that unless you know Him, unless you love Him, and unless you make Him known. Can you look up and say, “Come, Lord Jesus, I want you to come”? Paul said that God will give a crown to those who love His appearing. And to love His appearing means to love Him—even as a bride eagerly anticipates and prepares for the coming of the bridegroom, her beloved.
Let us conclude this marvelous Song of Solomon with the lines of Herbert:
Come, Lord, my head doth burn, my heart is sick,
While thou dost ever, ever stay:
Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick,
My spirit gaspeth night and day.
O show thyself to me,
Or take me up to thee!
Yet if thou stayest still, why must I stay?
My God, what is this world to me?
This world of woe? hence all ye clouds, away!
Away! I must get up and see.
O show thyself to me,
Or take me up to thee!
We talk of harvests; there are no such things,
But when we leave our corn and hay.
There is no fruitful year, but that which brings
The last and loved, though dreadful, day.
O show thyself to me,
Or take me up to thee!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Glickman, S. Craig. A Song for Lovers. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1976. (A fine treatment of Song of Solomon.)
Gray, James M. Commentary on the Whole Bible. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Hadley, E. C. The Song of Solomon. Sunbury, Pennsylvania: Believer’s Bookshelf, n.d.
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on the Song of Solomon. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1933. (An excellent treatment.)
Jensen, Irving L. Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1974. (A self-study guide.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Song of Solomon. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Miller, Andrew. The Song of Solomon. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. I. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
The Book of
Isaiah
INTRODUCTION
Beginning with Isaiah and continuing through the Old Testament, there is a section of Scripture which is called the prophetic portion of the Bible. That does not mean that prophecy begins with Isaiah, because there are prophecies as far back as the Pentateuch, which was written by Moses. Although the predictive element bulks large in this section, the prophets were more than foretellers. They were men raised up by God in a decadent day when neither priest nor king was a worthy channel through which the expressions of God might flow.
These books of prophecy also contain history, poetry, and law, but their primary message is prophecy. Each writer, from Isaiah to Malachi, is a prophet of God. Today we make an artificial division of the prophets by designating them as the major prophets and the minor prophets. All of the prophets are in the major league as far as I am concerned—I don’t think you can put any of them back in the minors. This artificial division was determined by the length of the book, not by content. Some of the minor prophets are like atom bombs—they may be small, but their content is potent indeed.
These prophets not only spoke of events in the distant future, but they also spoke of local events in the immediate future. They had to speak in this manner in order to qualify for the prophetic office under God according to the Mosaic code. Codes for the priest, the king, and the prophet are given in the Book of Deuteronomy. Note the code for the prophet: “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:20–22). If the local event did not transpire exactly as the prophet predicted, he was labeled a false prophet and was so treated. You may be sure that the message of the false prophet is not in the library of inspired Scripture. The prophetic books are filled with events that are local and fulfilled.
If you had lived in Isaiah’s day, how would you have known that he was a true prophet? You would have judged him on his local prophecies. He not only spoke of events far in the future, like the first and second comings of Christ, but he also spoke of local things that would happen in the near future. If his local predictions had not come to pass exactly the way they were given, he would have been recognized as a false prophet and stoned.
The prophetic books are filled with local prophecies already fulfilled. All of the prophets gave local prophecies to prove that they were genuine. Remember that a sharp distinction needs to be drawn between fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy. When any prophecy was first given, it was of course unfulfilled. Since the time the prophecies were given, a great many of them have been fulfilled. One of the greatest evidences that these men were speaking the words of God is that hundreds of their prophecies have been fulfilled—fulfilled literally.
Man cannot guess the future. Even the weatherman has difficulty in prognosticating the weather for twenty-four hours in advance, although he has the advantage of all sorts of scientific and mechanical devices to assist him. The fact of the matter is that no weatherman that you and I listen to so intently would survive as a prophet in Israel!
The law of compound probability forbids man from consistently foretelling the future. Each uncertain element which he adds decreases his chance of accuracy 50 percent. The example of hundreds of prophecies which have had literal fulfillment has a genuine appeal to the honest mind and sincere seeker after the truth. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the infallible proofs of plenary verbal inspiration of Scripture.
Let me illustrate: Suppose I make a prophecy that it is going to rain tomorrow. I would have a fifty-fifty chance of being right. It is either going to rain or it is not going to rain—that is for sure. Now I will add another element to my prophecy by predicting that it will begin raining at eleven o’clock in the morning. That reduces my chance of being right another 50 percent, but I still have a 25 percent chance of being correct. But I don’t stop there. I not only say that it will start raining at eleven o’clock, but I also say that it will stop raining at three o’clock. I have reduced my chances again and have only a 12 1/2 percent chance of being right. If I keep adding uncertain elements until I have three hundred prophecies, you know they would never be literally fulfilled. No man can guess like that. Only the Holy Spirit of God could give such information. A man would not have a ghost of a chance of being right that many times, and yet God’s Word has over three hundred prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ, which have been literally fulfilled.
Why did God give so many prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ to earth? There is a logical and obvious answer. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth was an important event. God did not want the children of Israel to miss Him. God marked Him out so clearly that Israel had no excuse for not recognizing Him when He was here on this earth.
Let me use a homey illustration: Suppose I am invited to your hometown. You ask me, “When you arrive at the airport, how will I know you?” I would write back and say, “I am arriving at the airport at a certain time on a certain flight. I will be wearing a pair of green-checked trousers and a blue-striped coat. I will have on a big yellow polka dot necktie and a pink shirt with a large purple flower on it. I will be wearing one brown shoe and one black shoe and white socks. On my head you will see a derby hat, and I will be holding a parrot in a cage in one hand, and with the other hand I will be leading a jaguar on a chain.” When you arrive at the airport, do you think you would be able to pick me out of the crowd?
When Jesus came to earth more than nineteen hundred years ago, those who had the Old Testament and knew what it said should have been waiting at the inn in Bethlehem or waiting for the news of His birth, because they had all the information they needed. When the wise men appeared, looking for the Lord Jesus, the Israelites at least should have been interested enough to hitch a ride on the back of the camels to take a look themselves. Oh, how tremendously important His coming was, and how clearly God had predicted it!
The prophets were extremely nationalistic. They rebuked sin in high places as well as low places. They warned the nation. They pleaded with a proud people to humble themselves and return to God. Fire and tears were mingled in their message, which was not one of doom and gloom alone, for they saw the Day of the Lord and the glory to follow. All of them looked through the darkness to the dawn of a new day. In the night of sin they saw the light of a coming Savior and Sovereign; they saw the millennial kingdom coming in all its fullness. Their message must be interpreted before an appreciation of the kingdom in the New Testament can be attained; the correct perspective of the kingdom must be gained through the eyes of the Old Testament prophets.
The prophets were not supermen. They were men of passions as we are, but having spoken for God, their message is still the infallible and inspired Word of God. This is substantiated by writers of the New Testament. Peter tells us: “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Pet. 1:10–11).
“Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:15–21).
It was William Cowper who said, “Sweet is the harp of prophecy; too sweet not to be wronged by a mere mortal touch.”
Most of the prophets moved in an orbit of obscurity and anonymity. They did not project their personalities into the prophecy they proclaimed. Jeremiah and Hosea are the exceptions to this, which we will see when we study their books. Isaiah gives us very little history concerning himself. There are a few scant references to his life and ministry. In Isaiah 1:1 he gives the times in which his life was cast: during the reigns of Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, all kings of Judah. In Isaiah 6 he records his personal call and commission.
The days in which Isaiah prophesied were not the darkest days in Judah internally. Uzziah and Hezekiah were enlightened rulers who sought to serve God, but the days were extremely dark because of the menace of the formidable kingdom of Assyria in the north. The northern kingdom of Israel had already been carried away into captivity.
Isaiah 36–39 records the historical section of the ministry of Isaiah during the crisis when the Assyrian host encompassed Jerusalem. Beyond these few personal sections, Isaiah stands in the shadow as he points to Another who is coming, the One who is the Light of the world.
There are those who believe that Isaiah belonged to the royal family of David. This is supposition and certainly cannot be proven. Likewise it has been stated that he is referred to in Hebrews 11:37 as the one “sawn asunder.”
Whether or not this is true, the liberal critic has sawn him asunder as the writer of the book. They have fabricated the ghastly theory that there are several Isaiahs. According to this theory the book was produced by ghost writers whom they have labeled “Deutero-Isaiah” and “Trito-Isaiah.” The book will not yield to being torn apart in this manner, for the New Testament quotes from all sections of the book and gives credit to one Isaiah. The critics have cut up Isaiah like a railroad restaurant pie, but history presents only one Isaiah, not two or three.
A friend of mine, who has made quite a study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, tells me that Isaiah is the scroll the scholars work with the most. There is a great section of Isaiah intact, and only one Isaiah is presented. It is quite interesting that the Lord let a little shepherd boy reach down into a clay pot, in Qumran by the Dead Sea, and pick out a scroll that confounds the critics. The Lord will take care of the critics.
Let me illustrate how ridiculous the double or triple Isaiah hypothesis really is. Suppose a thousand years from today some archaeologists are digging in different parts of the world. One group digs in Kansas, another in Washington, D.C., and another group digs in Europe. They come up with the conclusion that there must have been three Dwight Eisenhowers. There was a General Eisenhower, the military leader of the victorious Allied forces of World War II in the European theater. There was another Eisenhower who was elected president of the United States in 1952 and 1956. There was still another Eisenhower, an invalid and victim of a heart attack and of a serious operation for ileitis. This illustration may seem ridiculous to some people, but that is exactly how I feel when I hear the critics talk about three Isaiahs. Of course there was only one man by the name of Dwight Eisenhower who fulfilled all the requirements without any absurdity. The same is true of Isaiah.
The prophecy of Isaiah is strikingly similar to the organization of the entire Bible. This similarity can be seen in the following comparison:
Bible
Isaish
66 Books
66 Chapters
39 Books—Old Testament
39 Chapters—Law, Government of God
27 Books—New Testament
39 Chapters—Grace, Salvation of God
There are sixty-six direct quotations from Isaiah in the New Testament. (Some have found eighty-five quotations and allusions to Isaiah in the New Testament.) Twenty of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament have direct quotations. Isaiah is woven into the New Testament as a brightly colored thread is woven into a beautiful pattern. Isaiah is discernible and conspicuous in the New Testament. Isaiah is chiseled into the rock of the New Testament with the power tool of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah is often used to enforce and enlarge upon the New Testament passages that speak of Christ.
The historic interlude (chs. 36–39) leaves the high plateau of prophecy and drops down to the record of history. Even the form of language is different. It is couched in the form of prose rather than poetry.
The third and last major division (chs. 40–66) returns to the poetic form but is in contrast to the first major section. In the first we had judgment and the righteous government of God; in the last we have the grace of God, the suffering, and the glory to follow. Here all is grace and glory. The opening “Comfort ye” sets the mood and te
It is this section that has caused the liberal critics to postulate the Deutero-Isaiah hypothesis. A change of subject matter does not necessitate a change of authorship. It is interesting that for nineteen hundred years there was not a word about a second Isaiah. John refers to this section as authored by Isaiah (see John 1:23). Our Lord likewise referred to this section as written by Isaiah (see Luke 4:17–21). Philip used a chapter from this section to win an Ethiopian to Christ (see Acts 8). There are numerous other references which confirm the authorship of Isaiah.
Isaiah prophesied many local events. When Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian army, Isaiah made a very daring prophecy: “Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it” (Isa. 37:33). Also see Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the sickness of Hezekiah in Isaiah 38.
There are other prophecies which were not fulfilled in his lifetime, but today they stand fulfilled. See, for instance, his prophecies concerning the city of Babylon: “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged” (Isa. 13:19–22).
Further fulfillments relative to Babylon are recorded in Isaiah 47. Excavations at Babylon have revealed the accuracy of these prophecies. More than fifty miles of the walls of Babylon have been excavated. The culture of this great civilization is still impressive but lies in dust and debris today according to the written word of Isaiah. This is one of many examples that could be given. Others will come before us in this study as we proceed through the book.
The New Testament presents the Lord Jesus Christ as its theme, and by the same token Isaiah presents the Lord Jesus Christ as his theme. Isaiah has been called the fifth evangelist, and the Book of Isaiah has been called the fifth Gospel. Christ’s virgin birth, His character, His life, His death, His resurrection, and His second coming are all presented in Isaiah clearly and definitively.
OUTLINE
I. Judgment (Poetry), Chapters 1–35 Revelation of the sovereign on the throne
A. Solemn Call to the Universe to Come into the Court Room to Hear God’s Charge against the Nation Israel, Chapter 1
B. Preview of the Future of Judah and Jerusalem, Chapter 2
C. Present View of Judah and Jerusalem, Chapter 3
D. Another Preview of the Future, Chapter 4
E. Parable of the Vineyard and Woes Predicated for Israel, Chapter 5
F. Isaiah’s Personal Call and Commission as Prophet, Chapter 6
G. Prediction of Local and Far Events, Chapters 7–10 (Hope of future in coming child)
H. Millennial Kingdom, Chapters 11–12
I. Burdens of Surrounding Nations (Largely Fulfilled), Chapters 13–23
1. Burden of Babylon, Chapters 13–14
2. Burden of Moab, Chapters 15–16
3. Burden of Damascus, Chapter 17
4. Burden of the Land beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia, Chapter 18
5. Burden of Egypt, Chapters 19–20
6. Burden of Babylon, Edom, Arabia, Chapter 21
7. Burden of the Valley of Vision, Chapter 22
8. Burden of Tyre, Chapter 23
J. Kingdom, Process, and Program by Which the Throne is Established on Earth, Chapters 24–34
K. Kingdom, Mundane Blessings of the Milliennium, Chapter 35
II. Historic Interlude (Prose), Chapters 36–39 (This section is probably a prophetic picture of how God will deliver His people in the Great Tribulation, see 2 Kings 18–19; 2 Chron. 29–30.)
A. King Hezekiah and the Invasion of Sennacherib, King of Assyria, Chapter 36
B. King Hezekiah’s Prayer and the Destruction of the Assyrian Hosts, Chapter 37
C. King Hezekiah’s Sickness, Prayer, and Healing, Chapter 38
D. King Hezekiah Plays the Fool, Chapter 39
III. Salvation (Poetry), Chapters 40–66 Revelation of the Savior in the Place of Suffering (There is a threefold division marked by the concluding thought in each division, “There is no peace to the wicked.”)
A. Comfort of Jehovah Which Comes through the Servant, Chapters 40–48 (Polemic against idolatry—Help and hope come only through the Servant)
B. Salvation of Jehovah Which Comes through the Suffering Servant, Chapters 49–57
1. Redeemer of the Whole World, Who Is God’s Servant, Chapters 49–52:12
2. Redemption Wrought by the Suffering Servant, Who Is God’s Sheep (Lamb), Chapters 52:13–53:1
3. Results of the Redemption Wrought by the Redeemer, Who Is God’s Only Savior, Chapters 54–57
C. Glory of Jehovah Which Comes through the Suffering Servant, Chapters 58–66
1. Sin Hinders the Manifestation of the Glory of God, Chapters 58–59
2. Redeemer Is Coming to Zion, Chapters 60–66 (Nothing can hinder God’s progress—He will judge sin)
CHAPTER 1
Theme: God’s charge against the nation Israel
Chapter 1 is God’s solemn call to the universe to come into the courtroom to hear God’s charge against the nation Israel.
Isaiah lived in a time of tension. In many respects it was a time of crisis in the history of the world. World-shaking events were transpiring. Catastrophic and cataclysmic judgments were taking place. There was upheaval in the social order.
A new nation had arisen in the north; it was moving toward world domination. Assyria, the most brutal nation ever to put an army on the battlefield, was marching to world conquest. Already the northern kingdom of Israel had been taken into Assyrian captivity. The southern kingdom of Judah was in a precarious position, and an Assyrian army, 185,000 strong, was just outside the walls of Jerusalem.
In this dire, desperate, and difficult day Hezekiah entered the temple and turned to God in prayer. God sent His prophet with an encouraging word. He asserted that Assyria would never take Judah, the army of Assyria would never set foot in the streets of Jerusalem, and they would never cross the threshold of any gate of the city of the great King. But God was preparing another nation, Babylon, the head of gold down by the banks of the River Euphrates; this nation would eventually take Judah into captivity unless she turned to God.
God was giving Judah another chance. In order to establish the justice of His cause, God called her into court; He held her before His bar of justice. He gave her opportunity to answer the charge, to hear His verdict, and to throw herself on the mercy of His court. God invites us into the court to see if He is just. It is well for this day and generation to go into the courtroom and see God on the throne of judgment in this sensational scene.
In the thinking of the world, God has been removed from the throne of judgment. He has been divested of His authority, robbed of His regal prerogative, shorn of His locks as the moral ruler of His universe; He has been towed to the edge of the world and pushed over as excess baggage. This is a blasphemous picture of God! He is still the moral ruler of His universe. He is still upon the throne of justice; He has not abdicated. He punishes sin.
Isaiah records the principles upon which God judges the nations. God raises up nations, and He puts them down. The kingdoms of this world today are Satan’s, but God overrules them. God has permitted great nations to rise, and He has permitted Satan to use them; but when it is time in God’s program for certain nations to move off the stage, He moves them off—Satan notwithstanding. Even God’s own people, the Jews, are a testimony of the fact that He rules in the affairs of the nations of this world.
There is an expression that keeps recurring in my thinking from the Song of Moses which the children of Israel sang as they crossed the Red Sea. The expression is, “Jehovah is a man of war.” Yes, He is! And He will not compromise with sin. He will not accept the white flag of surrender. He is moving forward in undeviating, unhesitating, and uncompromising fury against it. There would be hope today for man if he could say with Isaiah, “I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne” (Isa. 6:1).
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah [Isa. 1:1].
First of all, note that this is a vision “concerning Judah and Jerusalem.” I am sure that we will not make the mistake of locating either one anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. There is, however, a marvelous application for America today—one that we need to hear and heed.
“In the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.” Uzziah, the tenth king of Judah, became a leper because he intruded into the holy place, which even a king was not permitted to do. However, Uzziah is classed as a good king. Jotham, his son who followed him, was also a good king. But Ahaz, the grandson of Uzziah, was a bad king. Finally, Hezekiah, the last king mentioned, was a good king. He was the king who asked that his life be prolonged, and God granted his desire. Asking this was probably a mistake on Hezekiah’s part, because many bad things took place during his last years that actually were the undoing of the kingdom.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me [Isa. 1:2].
God begins this prophecy in a majestic manner. This is God’s general judgment against Judah. He is calling the world, if you please, to come into the courtroom and listen to the proceedings as He tries His people. God does not do anything in a corner or in the dark. This language is strangely similar to the way Deuteronomy 32 begins: “:Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.” When God put the nation Israel in the land, having taken them out of the land of Egypt, He put down the conditions on which He was “homesteading” them in the Promised Land. He called the created intelligences of heaven and earth to witness these conditions.
Now, after five hundred years, God says, “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” He is ready to take them out of the land and send them into Babylonian captivity. He calls the created intelligences of heaven and earth to witness that He is just and right in His dealings. His charge against them is rebellion. The condition upon which they were allowed to dwell in the land was obedience. They were disobedient; and, according to the Mosaic Law, when a man had a rebellious son, that son was to be stoned to death. God’s charge against them is a serious one. As His children, they had rebelled against the Mosaic Law in this connection. In the Book of Deuteronomy note the law concerning an incorrigible son: “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear” (Deut. 21:18–21).
This was what the Law did with a prodigal son. The crowd that heard Christ tell of the prodigal son was dumbfounded when He said that the father told the servant to kill the fatted calf instead of killing the son! When the prodigal son got home, he asked his father for forgiveness, and even before he finished his confession, his father had thrown his arms around the boy, kissed him, and forgiven him. Instead of stripes, the son was given a wonderful feast. God is not only just, but also merciful; but the rebellion of a son is a serious thing. Scripture has a great deal to say about it.
In order to emphasize His charge and break the tension of the courtroom, God indulges in a bit of humor. I trust that you recognize humor in the Bible—it will make you enjoy it a great deal more. I think that when we get into eternity, and get past the time of sin on earth and are finished with the program God is working out at this present time, we are going to have a good time. I think we are going to have many laughs and enjoy many hilarious situations. It does not hurt Christians to have the right kind of humor. God has put a lot of humor in the Bible. A lady, who was a member of a church I pastored, was upset every time I found humor in the Bible. She would make a trip down the aisle and tell me that I was being irreverent. She has been home with the Lord for a long time, and I do hope she has had a couple of good laughs, because she certainly never had them down here. The fact of the matter is, she acted like she had been weaned on a dill pickle. Unfortunately, she never found humor in this life, and she didn’t seem to enjoy the Christian life as God has intended us to enjoy it.
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider [Isa. 1:3].
This verse is a splendid piece of satire. The two animals that are used for illustrations do not have a reputation for being very intelligent. Neither the ox nor the long-eared donkey has a very high l.Q. The expression “dumb as an ox” is still often used. The donkey does not wear a Phi Beta Kappa key. I should qualify that statement: I admit that I have met a few who do! However, even these animals have intelligence enough to know who feeds them.
When I was a pastor in Texas, there was a grassy vacant lot across the street from the church to which a very poor man with many patches on his overalls would bring his little donkey. While the donkey was grazing, many of the little boys and girls in the neighborhood would ride him, and even the preacher rode him once in a while. When I would get on his back, he wouldn’t pay any attention to me—or to anyone else. Late in the afternoon the donkey’s owner would come for him. When he came tottering along, the donkey would prick up his long ears. He knew his owner. He knew who was going to feed him that night.
On the contrary, a number of folk today do not have intelligence enough to know that God provides for all their needs. They don’t know that God feeds them. They do not even recognize that He exists. What a commentary on this sophisticated generation that no longer needs God. The story is told of a little boy, reared in a Christian home, who was having his first visit away from home. Although he was only going next door for the evening meal, he was eagerly anticipating the experience, and at five o’clock he was dressed and ready to go. When it came time for all of them to sit down at the table, the little fellow, who was accustomed to hearing the giving of thanks at the table, bowed his head and shut his eyes. But the home to which he had been invited was not a Christian home, and they immediately began to pass the food. Because he didn’t want to miss anything, he opened his eyes and looked around. The little fellow was just a bit embarrassed, but not having any inhibitions, he raised the question: “Don’t you folks thank God for your food?” Then the host was a bit embarrassed but confessed that they did not. The young lad was thoughtful for a moment and then blurted out, “You’re exactly like my dog: you just start in.” There are many people like that today. Multitudes of people live just like animals.
God said, “The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib, but my people do not know.” We hear today that man has descended from animals. Who says he has? Man acts like animals act; in fact, it could be said that some animals are smarter than some men. Instead of man descending from animals, maybe animals descended from men; maybe they have evolved into something better than man. Man has dropped pretty low. I think what the Lord said, when He opened court, reveals that.
He continues His charge in verse 4:
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward [Isa. 1:4].
We see God as the Judge of all the earth and of His own people Israel. It seems a strange thing to think of God as a judge, because in the thinking of the world today God has been removed from the throne of judgment. He has been divested of His authority. He has been robbed of His regal prerogatives and shorn of His locks as moral ruler of the universe. He has been driven to the edge of the world and pushed over as excess baggage. Don’t think I am being irreverent when I say that modern teaching has given us a warped conception of God. He is characterized as a toothless old man with long whiskers, sitting on the edge of a fleecy cloud with a rainbow around His shoulders. He is simple, senile, and sentimental. He is overwhelmed with mushy love that slops over on every side, dripping honey and tears. He does not have enough courage or backbone to swat a fly or crush a grape. His proper place is in the corner by the fireplace, where He can either crochet or knit. This is the world’s conception of God, but that is not how the Bible describes Him. God is going to judge this universe just as He judged His own people. That ought to be a warning not only to nations but also to individuals.
Israel is described as “a people laden with iniquity.” This phrase throws a world of light upon the personal invitation that the Lord Jesus gave in the New Testament. He said,“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”(Matt. 11:28). Now we know what He meant—“laden with iniquity.” The people of Israel were laden with sin. Today His invitation goes out to those who are laden with sin to bring that burden and load to Him and find rest, the rest of redemption.
In this verse God spells out Israel’s condition. They are backslidden, they have turned away from God, and they are a people laden with iniquity. Now He is going to spell out in detail the charge that He has made against them.
This brings to mind the philosophy of human government upon which God operates. This system is presented to us in the Book of Judges, and you see this cycle of the history of human government working itself out in the nation. In the Book of Judges we saw Israel serving God, being blessed of God, and prospering. They began, in their prosperity, to turn away from God, and they finally turned to idolatry. They were in rebellion against God; in fact, they forgot Him. Then God delivered them into the hands of the enemy. In a short time they began to cry out to God for deliverance. When they turned to God, He delivered them from their enemies and put them back in the place of blessing. This picture follows all the way through Scripture, and history corroborates the fact that there are three steps in the downfall of any nation. There is religious apostasy, then moral awfulness, and finally political anarchy. Many people don’t pay any attention to the cycle until the stage of political anarchy is reached, and then they cry out that the government should be changed and a new system adopted. Well, the problem is not in the government. The problem in Jerusalem was not in the palace, but the problem was within the temple. The trouble begins when there is spiritual apostasy.
Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers [Isa. 1:5–7].
What God says in these verses is absolutely true. There is moral awfulness and political anarchy, but God is holding back. This still is not the charge that He is bringing against them.
And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah [Isa. 1:8–9].
In other words, if there had not been a faithful remnant, God would have destroyed Israel as He did Sodom and Gomorrah. But there has always been a remnant of God’s people. There is a remnant today: there are Christians scattered throughout the world.
Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give car unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah [Isa. 1:10].
Now God is spelling it out. The whole problem is spiritual apostasy.
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats [Isa. 1:11].
God specifies His charges against His people. He has put His hand upon a definite thing, and He is going to prove that particular point in which they are wrong. He puts His finger on the best thing in Judah, not the worst. He shows them what is exceedingly wrong. Israel has a God-given religion and a God-appointed ritual in a God-constructed temple, but they are wrong in that which represented the best. They are bringing sacrifices and going through the ritual according to the letter of the Law, but their hearts are in rebellion against God. Their religion is not affecting their conduct. Frankly, that is a problem among believers today. A great many of us have reached the place where we have a form of godliness, but we deny the power thereof.
When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting [Isa. 1:12–13].
Even doing that which God has commanded becomes wrong when the heart is not in it and when it does not affect the believer’s conduct.
If the Lord Jesus were to come into your church next Sunday, would He commend you? Would He compliment you for your faithfulness to Him? Would He tell you how much He appreciates your attendance at the services and your giving to Him? I think not! The One who has “feet as burnished brass,” whose “eyes are as a flame of fire,” and from whose mouth there goes “a sharp two-edged sword,” would not commend us (cf. Prov. 5:4; Dan. 10:6; Rev. 1:14–16). I think He would tell most of us that all of our outward form, all of our lovely testimonies and loud professions, are making Him sick. Would He not tell us that we need to repent and come in humility to Him? Surely this is a warning to the churches of America. Fundamentally, our difficulty today is spiritual; and, until the professing church repents and has genuine revival, there is no hope for America.
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not bear: your hands are full of blood.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow [Isa. 1:15–17].
God says, “You are nothing in the world but a bunch of phonies. You come into My presence as if you are really genuine. You go through the sacrifices, but they have become absolutely meaningless to you.” God has spelled out His charge against them. They are guilty of spiritual apostasy. It has led to moral awfulness and to political anarchy in the nation. God has called Israel into court and has proved His charge against them. Israel is like a prisoner standing at the bar waiting for the sentence of judgment. God can now move in to judge them.
But even at this late date God is willing to settle the case out of court. He says to Israel, “Don’t go into court with Me, because you are going to lose.” The Judge has something else to say, and we stand amazed and aghast at what He says next:
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool [Isa. 1:18].
God is saying to Judah, “Do not force Me to render sentence. Settle your case out of court.” In Matthew 5:25 the Lord Jesus said, “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him …”—don’t wait until he takes you to court. God says that He has a secret formula, a divine alchemy, a potent prescription, a powerful potion, a heavenly elixir that will take out sin. It is not a secret formula like the newest bomb, but it is more potent. You will find it in Isaiah 53 as the One who was more marred, who suffered more, who died differently, who was wounded for our transgressions. Because He paid the penalty, the Judge is able now to extend mercy to us. The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, keeps on cleansing from all sin.
This is God’s charge against His people, and this is the basis on which they may turn to Him. If they will turn to Him, He will preserve the nation—He will give them almost one hundred years—then if they don’t turn to Him and change their ways, He will send them into captivity.
We see an application of this to our own country. In my beloved country I see political anarchy. It is obvious to most of us that men cannot solve the problems of this nation, and certainly not of the world.
The historical Gibbon gives five reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire in his book, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. As the first step towards decline, he lists the undermining of the dignity and the sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. The second step includes higher and higher taxes, and the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace. The third was the mad craze for pleasure and sports becoming every year more exciting, more brutal, and more immoral. The fourth step was the building of great armaments when the real enemy was within: the decay of individual responsibility. The fifth was the decay of religion, fading into mere form, losing touch with life, and losing power to guide the people.
You see, a nation’s decline begins with spiritual apostasy, which is followed by moral awfulness, and results in political anarchy.
Is there spiritual apostasy in this land of ours? Every informed Christian is aware that modernism has taken over most of the great denominations of America today; and, in this dire day, modernism, by its own confession, has failed. Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, one of the mouthpieces of liberalism, is quoted as saying that liberal Protestantism has been inclined to sacrifice every characteristic Christian insight if only it could thereby prove itself intellectually respectable, but that liberalism finds itself unable to cope with the tragic experiences of our day.
I find in my file an interesting article clipped from the Wall Street Journal several years ago: “What America needs more than railway extension, western irrigation, a low tariff, a bigger cotton crop, and a larger wheat crop is a revival of religion. The kind that father and mother used to have. A religion that counted it good business to take time for family worship each morning right in the middle of wheat harvest. A religion that prompted them to quit work a half hour earlier on Wednesday so that the whole family could get ready to go to prayer meeting.” America’s problem is the same today; it is a spiritual problem.
Dr. Albert Hyma, when he was professor of history at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said, “The United States of America in the past fifty years has been dominated to a large extent by persons who do not understand the spiritual heritage bequeathed by their own ancestors.” Dr. J. Gresham Machen said, “America is coasting downhill on a godly ancestry, and God pity America when we hit the bottom of the hill.” Friend, we have hit the bottom of the hill, but God is saying to us, “Come, let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” There is a way out for America, but, if we go the same direction as other nations, our time is limited.
Aaron Burr was a grandson of the great Jonathan Edwards, who, upon an occasion, conducted meetings at Princeton, where Aaron Burr was a student. There was a great spiritual movement in the school. One night Jonathan Edwards preached on the subject, “The Mastery of Jesus.” Aaron Burr was deeply stirred, and he went to the room of one of his professors to talk to him about making a decision for Jesus. The professor urged him not to make a decision under any sort of an emotional appeal, but to wait until after the meetings were over. Aaron Burr postponed making a decision and went on to murder a great American and to betray his country. When he was an old man, a young man came to him and said, “Mr. Burr, I want you to meet a Friend of mine.” Aaron Burr said, “Who is he?” The young man replied, “He is Jesus Christ, the Savior of my soul.” A cold sweat broke out on the forehead of Aaron Burr, and he replied, “Sixty years ago I told God if He would let me alone, I would let Him alone, and He has kept His word!”
There is a way out for America, and there is a way out for you and for me. Someone has stated it this way:
Philosophy says: Think your way out.
Indulgence says: Drink your way out.
Politics says: Spend your way out.
Science says: Invent your way out.
Industry says: Work your way out.
Communism says: Strike your way out.
Fascism says: Bluff your way out.
Militarism says: Fight your way out.
The Bible says: Pray your way out, but
Jesus Christ says: “I am the way (out) ….”
After the Lord brings His charges against Judah and offers them salvation and a way out of their trouble, He continues gently with a warning.
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it [Isa. 1:19–20].
The government of God and the grace of God are two aspects emphasized in the Book of Isaiah. During the remainder of chapter 1 God is attempting to move Judah back to Himself. He is giving the people a warning.
Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord Of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city [Isa. 1:24–26].
Judah’s destiny depends upon the people’s response to God’s offer of forgiving grace. If they are willing to turn from their sin and obey God, He will bestow His favor upon them materially and spiritually and protect them from their enemies.
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen [Isa. 1:27–29].
This has to do with idolatry because the idols were placed under the oak trees, and a garden was planted around them.
For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them [Isa. 1:30–31].
God has been misrepresented in the sense that He has been pictured as losing His temper and breaking forth in judgment. That is never a true picture of God. The fact is that our sin is like a wick, and when we play with the spark of sin, the fire will follow. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Prophecy concerning the last days: the kingdom and the Great Tribulation
Isaiah chapters 2 through 5 constitute one complete prophecy. These chapters look beyond the present time to the last days concerning Israel (the total nation of twelve tribes). As we move through these chapters, God makes it clear that He is speaking of all the tribes of Israel which will be brought back together. God always thinks of Israel as one nation.
The last days of Israel need to be distinguished from the last days of the church. God is not talking about the church in these chapters. There is no way of making what He says applicable to the church. We can be sure of this fact, because in the New Testament Paul says that the church was a mystery which was not revealed in the Old Testament at all. In writing to the Romans, Paul makes this very clear: “Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25). Now if Isaiah had known about the church, it would not have been a new revelation in Paul’s day. From Paul’s day to the present time the church has been God’s agency through which He is giving His message to the world.
However, the church will be removed from the world at the time of the Rapture. Isaiah’s message looks beyond the time of the church to the day when God will begin to move in a new way. We call it the Great Tribulation Period, at the close of which He will set up His kingdom.
PREVIEW OF THE FUTURE FOR JUDAH AND JERUSALEM
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem [Isa. 2:1].
When Isaiah speaks of Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem, he means exactly these people and places. Judah means Judah, Israel means Israel, and Jerusalem means Jerusalem. If Isaiah uses figures of speech, he will make it perfectly clear that they are figures of speech. The prophet will let you know when he is making a different application. Beware of the fallacy of spiritualizing prophecy in conformity to some outmoded theological cliché which fits into some church’s program.
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it [Isa. 2:2].
“It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains.” Again let me say that this is not speaking of the last days of the church. The last days of the church pertain to the time of spiritual apostasy. Paul makes this clear in his pastoral epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith …” (1 Tim. 4:1). You can see that the “latter times” of the church and the “last days” of Israel are not identical, nor are they contemporary, although there is some overlapping. Certainly they do not refer to the same period of time. It is important to note this. The “last days” in this verse refer to the Great Tribulation Period. The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear, when His disciples asked Him, “When shall these things be?” (Luke 21:7 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem) that by the “last days” He meant the Great Tribulation Period. The Great Tribulation ends with the coming of Christ to earth and the setting up of His kingdom. The first section of Isaiah, chapters 2–5, deals with the Great Tribulation Period and the kingdom that shall be set up on this earth.
“The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains.” This pertains to the nation of Israel after the church has been removed. The word mountain in Scripture means “a kingdom, an authority, or a rule.” Daniel makes this clear in his prophecy. “The Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains”—that is above all the kingdoms of this earth. The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. One of the reasons that today Israel is such a hot spot and such a sensitive piece of real estate is because it is the very spot that God has chosen to be the political and religious center of the world during the kingdom age. Speaking of those days Daniel says, “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:35). God’s kingdom will be exalted above the kingdoms of this world.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain [the kingdom] of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem [Isa. 2:3].
Both government and religion will center in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus Christ will sit upon the throne of David. One of the primary concerns of those who inhabit the earth will be to discover and do the will of God. They will seek to learn His ways and walk in His paths.
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore [Isa. 2:4].
“He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people.” The period of the reign of Christ on the earth during the Millennium is another trial period for mankind. And there will be a great many judged during that period; and, of course, multitudes will be saved during that time also.
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks”—the rule of the Lord upon earth at this time will be righteous, and He will compel the nations to practice justice and fairness with each other. For the first time all countries will dwell together in peace. Only during the kingdom age will the people be able to beat their swords into plowshares. Joel 3:10 tells us that during the Tribulation just the opposite will be true: the people will beat their plowshares into swords. In fact, we are living in times like that right now. The idea of disarming nations and disarming individuals is, in my judgment, contrary to the Word of God. In the New Testament the Lord Jesus said, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace …” (Luke 11:21). If you are going to have peace and safety, you must have law and order. The prophecy of beating swords into plowshares will be fulfilled during the Millennium, when the Lord Jesus is reigning. Then you will be able to take the locks off of your doors, and you will be able to walk the streets at night in safety. You will not be drafted, because there will be no more war. There will be no more need for weapons for defense. The kingdom that the Lord is going to establish upon earth will be one of peace. He is the Prince of Peace.
It is futile, nonsensical, and asinine for any man or nation to promise to bring peace upon the earth today. The United Nations, which was founded to help bring peace on earth, is one of the greatest places to carry on battles. It has proven how impotent it is. It cannot bring peace on earth. It has only increased dictatorship on the earth. We do not have peace in the world. If you are a child of God with your thinking cap on and begin to think God’s thoughts after Him, you will find that you are living in a big, bad, evil world. If you expect to see a brotherhood of all men, you are doomed to disappointment, because man is not capable of bringing peace to this earth. There will be no peace as long as there is sin in the hearts of men and an overweening ambition to rule over other people.
O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord [Isa. 2:5].
In view of the future that is coming, certainly we should walk in the light of the Lord. This is the only way of peace. When you leave God out, you will never have peace.
Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.
Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:
And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not [Isa. 2:6–9].
Judah adopted new ideas from the heathen and incorporated them into their own religion. They embraced all kinds of ways from Assyria and Babylon. Before long they had joined the rest of the nations in worshiping the creature more than the Creator.
Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty.
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low [Isa. 2:10–12].
God intends to break down the proud man—the man who thinks he can rule himself and the man who thinks he can rule the world without God.
And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan [Isa. 2:13].
The cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan represent, I believe, the pride of man.
And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up [Isa. 2:14].
This has reference to government and society.
And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall [Isa. 2:15].
This is a reference to the military, which will be judged.
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures [Isa. 2:16].
Commerce and art are going to be judged.
And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lordalone shall be exalted in that day [Isa. 2:17].
God is going to put down all of the pride and pomp of men.
And the idols he shall utterly abolish [Isa. 2:18].
God is going to get rid of all false religion.
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth [Isa. 2:19].
The Book of Revelation repeats what man will do in that day of judgment: “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:15–16).
All you see on television today has to do with the political economy, government, commerce, art, the pomp and pride of man—and the religion of man. The day is coming when all of man’s pride is going to be brought low, and the Lord Jesus Christ will be exalted on earth. Today He is not being given His proper place in government, in society, in business, in art, or in the pomp and ceremony of the world—or even in the religion of the world, He is left out today. When He comes again, men are going to run for the caves of the earth. I don’t know whether men were ever cavemen or not, but a day is coming in the future when men are going back to the caves.
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth [Isa. 2:20–21].
“When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth” is the time of the Great Tribulation.
Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? [Isa. 2:22].
Don’t put your confidence in man. You and I exhale, but we don’t know whether we are going to inhale the next breath. That is the frailty of man—if he misses one breath he is out of the picture. Multitudes today going about their daily business will have fatal heart attacks and disappear from the earth’s scene. Don’t put your confidence in man. Put your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ today.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The cause of Israel’s undoing: weak government; loose and low morals
This is a continuation of the prophecy begun in chapter 2 (chs. 2–5 constitute a complete prophecy). In this section on judgment, chapter 3 reveals God’s judgment leveled particularly against the nation of Israel. Although it has application to other nations, the interpretation is definitely to Israel. Further along in this judgment section we will see God’s judgment of surrounding nations, which are among the most remarkable prophecies in the Word of God, and many of them have been literally fulfilled. However, we find that God’s judgment against Israel is more severe and intense than against any other nation. Why? Well, Israel was the nation God had chosen in a peculiar way, and it enjoyed a particularly close relationship to God. Privilege creates responsibility.
Because privilege always creates responsibility, I believe God will judge the United States more severely than He will judge any of our contemporary nations—like China, for example. The United States has been privileged to know the Word of God as no other nation has—except Israel.
Israel as a nation had more light than any of its neighbors, and light rejected brings severe punishment, as will be illustrated in this book.
The subject of God’s judgment may be offensive to you, but please don’t hide your head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Let’s face reality whether we like it or not. God does judge sin. Not only will He judge sin in the future, He has judged it in the past. And He makes no apology for it.
The prophecy before us is a picture of Isaiah’s day, and it has been fulfilled. However, its fulfillment does not exhaust its meaning, because the conditions described will prevail again at the end times and will bring down the wrath of God in judgment—not only upon Israel but upon the nations of the world.
The first fifteen verses deal with the subject of weak government and women’s dress. These seem to be totally unrelated subjects, but we shall see that they are not as far removed as they appear to be. Weak government is caused by a lack of leadership, as evidenced by women rulers—and we will see what he means by this.
WEAK GOVERNMENT
For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water [Isa. 3:1].
This verse confines us to Jerusalem and Judah.
Although man does not live by bread alone, he surely needs it. This famine is a judgment of God. There are thirteen famines mentioned in the Word of God, and every one of them is a judgment from Him upon the nation of Israel.
The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator [Isa. 3:2–3].
God is going to remove not only bread and water but all the men of leadership. Qualified men for high positions are lacking, and this is a judgment from God.
This can be brought up to date. Have you been impressed by the fact that there are no great men on the contemporary scene? There are quite a few men who are passing themselves off as great, but they would have been pygmies in the days of Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, or the men who wrote the Declaration of Independence. I am not taking sides with any political party when I say this, but today there are many ambitious men, young and old alike, who have practically no qualifications as statesmen. One hundred years ago they would have been called cheap politicians, but today they are called statesmen!
We have men of war, but we have no great generals. Our army would not be in the situation it is in today if it had strong leadership. There is lack of leadership in our judicial system. We have an alarming crime wave because we have pygmies sitting in the seats of judgment. Where is the prophet, the prudent, and the ancient? We have no statesmen at all today. What we have is a group of clever politicians who know how to compromise. I am not talking about a certain political party. I am simply saying that it is always the mark of a decadent age and the judgment of God when a nation is not producing great men.
Moving into the field of the arts—what greatness do you see on the television screen? I get rather bored with the television talk programs. Generally the master of ceremonies comes out and says, “I am going to introduce you to a great artist, a genius.” And some little peanut comes out on stage, strums a guitar—doesn’t play any music at all—just yells at the top of his voice. And he is hailed as a genius! Another man comes along who is introduced as a great literary light, and all that he has written is a dirty book. My friend, we lack greatness in this day, but we are not willing to admit it because we have become a proud nation.
Where is greatness in the field of education? We used to believe that the educators had the solution to the problems of the world. Today it is obvious that educators cannot control even their own campuses.
It is said that we used to have wooden ships and iron men, but now we have iron ships and wooden men. I would go further than that and call them paper doll men. Our leadership is just a string of paper dolls!
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them [Isa. 3:4].
As far as ability is concerned, men in high positions today should be wearing diapers. Juvenile adults are our rulers, and they are totally incompetent. That is exactly what brought Israel down to ruin in that day. Their leaders had the mental level of children, and God sent them into captivity. He judged them.
And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable [Isa. 3:5].
My friend, it sounds as if Isaiah were talking about our day, but the same was true in his day. The child, the little college student, is saying, “Listen to me. I have something to say.” I have been listening to them for years, and I haven’t heard them say anything yet. One class is set against another class. “The people shall be oppressed, every one by another.” We have groups of minorities who want to inflict their ways on others. Christians are a minority also, but certainly we are not being heard.
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory [Isa. 3:8].
“Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen”—that’s what the prophet says. We don’t have many of God’s men in our day standing up, pointing at our nation, and saying, “Our cities are ruined,” although it is as true as it was in Isaiah’s time.
“Because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.” This is the key to the chapter, and it is the key to the ruin of Israel and of any other nation. God judges nations by their relationship to Him.
The problem with the United States of America is that God has been run out of Washington, D.C. God has been ruled out in every area of our lives. A few little men think they can rule the world. How we need to be humbled, and I think we have been humbled. Russia has humbled us. China has humbled us. And little Vietnam humbled us. We are being humbled all over the world; yet we don’t wake up. We continue merrily on our way, coasting downhill on our godly ancestry.
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves [Isa. 3:9].
Sin is out in the open. What used to be done in the backyard has been moved to the front yard. What was done under cover, is now done in the open. The boast is that we are more honest now. No, we’re not more honest; we are the same hypocrites that our fathers were. They were hypocrites because they hid their sin, and we are hypocrites because we are sinning out in the open and trying to say that the sin is good! This is exactly what Israel was saying.
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings [Isa. 3:10].
God promises to deliver His own people.
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him [Isa. 3:11].
This is another way of saying, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.”
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths [Isa. 3:12].
“Children are their oppressors.” The greatest problem in our day is juvenile delinquency. The greatest increase in crime is among young people, and the age drops every year.
“Women rule over them.” Oh, “women’s lib” will not like Isaiah, and they won’t like me any better. “O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” Whether women rulers are meant here or effeminate men is not clear. I think it is a little of both. The women’s liberation movement is another sign of a decadent age. When women act like men, they are not coming up to a high level but are descending to the male level. The woman has been given a greater amount of tenderness, but when she becomes as blasé and brutal as a man, she actually becomes worse than he is. And that is the downfall of the nation. That was true in Israel’s case, and it will be true in our own nation. Go to Italy and see the ruins of Pompeii, and then consider what removed the Romans from the earthly scene. The nation that once ruled the world collapsed—not because they were attacked by someone on the outside, but they fell from within.
Listen to Him now as He pleads with His people:
The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses [Isa. 3:13–14].
“The ancients” and “the princes” are the leaders of the nation. God lays the blame on the adult leadership. The juvenile problem did not originate with young people.
In Isaiah’s time there were a few who were trying to get rich and rule over everyone else. “The spoil of the poor is in your houses.” Godless capitalism and godless labor are big problems in our nation, and one is as bad as the other. The whole difficulty is that we are away from God. God is standing up ready to plead or ready to judge, and He will let the nation determine which it will be. We can have it either way. He will do one or the other.
WOMEN’S DRESS
Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet [Isa. 3:16].
What a picture of womanhood! The problem, of course, is in the heart. In 1 Peter 3:1–4 we read, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation [or, conduct] coupled with fear. [This doesn’t mean that she is to take abuse from him, but she is to live a godly life before him.] Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; [if you are trying to hold your husband with sex, you’ll lose him]. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
When I counsel with young couples I always tell them that there are three cords that hold marriage together, and a threefold cord is not easily broken. There is the physical cord, and that is important. Also there is the psychological cord—the same interests. Third, there is the spiritual cord—the same love for God and His work. If a wife is trying to hold her husband with only her physical attraction, the time will come when he is no longer interested. This is what Peter is saying. A wife’s attraction should be more than the way she dresses and styles her hair. Her beauty should be in the way she lives her life with a gentle and quiet spirit.
Isaiah pictures the women of his day as haughty and sexy, “mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet.”
Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts [Isa. 3:17].
He is talking about a disease. Do you know that there is an epidemic of venereal disease in our nation right now? So many of our young girls look appealing, but they are like serpents along the way, as many a man is finding out to his sorrow.
In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon.
The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
The rings, and nose jewels,
The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils.
And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty [Isa. 3:18–24].
Women’s dress is the barometer of any civilization. When women’s dress is modest it tells something about the nation as a whole.
In these last few verses twenty articles of women’s wear are mentioned by name. There certainly is nothing wrong with a woman dressing in style—if the style is not immodest. I feel that all of us should look the best we can with what we have, even though some of us don’t have too much to work with. God is not condemning the women of Israel for dressing in the style of their day. He is talking about the inner life. They were haughty and brazen. Real adornment is beneath the skin, not from the skin outward. Women’s dress is the key to a nation’s morals.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground [Isa. 3:25–26].
There was a Roman medal which showed a woman weeping; the insignia beneath her read, Judea capta. It represented the captives of Israel. Because Israel did not heed the warnings God gave them, they went into captivity.
As I write this, the terrible loss of our young men in Vietnam is still fresh in our minds. But now we are a nation at peace, and we feel very comfortable. But, my friend, the bombs are yet to fall on our nation, which I believe will be God’s judgment upon us.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Conditions that did prevail during the Babylonian captivity and will prevail at the establishment of the kingdom
This chapter is a continuation of one complete prophecy which began in chapter 2 and will conclude in chapter 5. In these chapters we actually have a synopsis of the entire Book of Isaiah, because he touches all the bases here that he will touch upon in the rest of the book.
Chapter 4 is the briefest chapter in the book; it is only six verses long. We have set before us a description of the conditions which prevailed at the time of the Babylonian captivity and also of the conditions which will exist during the Great Tribulation Period right before the setting up of the messianic kingdom.
The structure of the chapter is very simple. The first verse is the only one that depicts conditions during the time of the Great Tribulation, or the last days. The remainder of the chapter sets before the reader the preparation that will be necessary for entering the kingdom. This section, of course, is entirely anticipatory.
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach [Isa. 4:1].
These conditions will prevail because of the frightening casualties of war. That has been true of all wars, and these conditions will exist in the time of the Great Tribulation. In other words, because the manpower population will be so decimated by war, there will be a surplus of women, so much so that seven women will be willing to share one man in that day! And all of them will be willing to hold down a job. I suppose a man will do nothing in the world but keep books for the women and make sure that they turn in their proper share. It is an awful condition that will prevail. After World War II we experienced, to an extent, a manpower shortage in this country and also following our involvement in the Vietnam War. At that time, when I heard that there was something like a surplus of 80,000 women, I kidded my wife that she had better take good care of me as there just weren’t enough men to go around!
In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel [Isa. 4:2].
“In that day” refers to the Day of the Lord. This phrase will occur again and again in Isaiah (and in all the prophets), and it will be mentioned in the New Testament. Joel particularly will have something to say about it. It begins as every Hebrew day always begins—at sundown. It begins with darkness and moves to the dawn. It begins with the Great Tribulation and goes on into the millennial kingdom.
There is also a reference in this verse to the Lord Jesus Christ for He is “the branch.” There are eighteen Hebrew words translated by the one English word branch. All of them refer to the Lord Jesus. In this verse the word branch means “sprout.” Later, we are going to be told that He is a branch out of a dry ground. He is something green that has sprung up in the desert.
And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem [Isa. 4:3].
There will be those of God’s people, both of Israel and the Gentiles, during the Great Tribulation, who will survive that period. (Those who are martyred will, of course, be resurrected at the end of that time.) In Matthew the Lord Jesus expressed it in a way that may seem strange, but He is looking at the end of the Tribulation when He says, “… he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13). Well, they were sealed at the beginning to make sure they got through it. The Shepherd is able to keep His own sheep, and therefore they are going to endure unto the end. We have the same thought in Revelation 7 which speaks of that great company, both Jew and Gentile, who were sealed at the beginning of the Great Tribulation and came through that period.
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning [Isa. 4:4].
Zechariah 13:1 tells us, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”
God’s people must be prepared to enter the kingdom. This brings up a very pertinent question. Each year as we stand on the threshold of a new year, we say we are going to do better. We have been saying the same thing for years. My question is, “Are you fit today for heaven?” Suppose God took you to heaven as you are right now. Would you be fit for heaven? I cannot answer this question for you, but God is going to have to do a great deal of repair work on Vernon McGee to make him ready for heaven. That is what life is all about: it is a school to prepare us for eternity. Many people make a sad mistake to think that this life is all there is. Preparation is made on earth for eternity. Suppose God took you to heaven as you are. Would you be a square peg in a round hole? I am afraid I would be. Beloved, it does not yet appear what we shall be. He is going to have to make some changes.
And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence [Isa. 4:5].
The glory of God will be upon every house in the kingdom, not just upon the temple. What a glorious thing that will be!
And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain [Isa. 4:6].
Security will come to the nation Israel in that day—at last. Today Israel does not have peace. Therefore this prophecy is not being fulfilled. The Jews are not back in the land with every man dwelling under his vine and fig tree in peace.
Note that peace always follows grace, mercy, and cleansing. The problem has never been with a political party. The real problem has never been with a foreign country. The problem is in the human heart. We war because it is in our hearts. Man is a warlike creature because he is a sinner and he refuses to deal with that question. There will be one war right after the other until the heart of man is changed.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The song of the vineyard; the six woes that follow
This chapter brings us to the end of the section which was begun in chapter 2. The first seven verses are the song of the vineyard which tells of the sins of the nation Israel and the coming captivity. The balance of the chapter gives the six woes or the six specific sins which bring down the judgment of God upon the nation. The penalty for each sin is listed.
THE SONG OF THE VINEYARD
Those who can read the song of the vineyard in Hebrew tell me that it is without doubt one of the most beautiful songs that has ever been written. There is nothing quite like it; there is nothing to rival it. It is a musical symphony, and it is absolutely impossible to reproduce in English. It is truly a song and comparable to any of the psalms.
The vineyard is the house of Israel (v. 7). Thus, the vineyard becomes one of the two figures in Scripture that are taken from the botanical world to represent the whole nation of Israel. The fig tree is the other figure that is used.
Before His death our Lord gave a parable of the vineyard which obviously referred to the whole house of Israel (see Matt. 21:33–46). In Isaiah the prophet announces the imminent captivity of the northern kingdom into Assyria and of the southern kingdom into BabyIon. In Matthew the Lord Jesus Christ showed that God had given Israel a second chance in their return from the seventy-year Babylonian captivity, but the nation’s rejection of the Son of God would usher in a more extensive and serious dispersion.
Now listen to the song of the vineyard:
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill [Isa. 5:1].
“My beloved” is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world.
“A very fruitful hill”—there is nothing wrong with the soil. The problem is with the vineyard itself, that is, with the vine. Verse 7 makes it quite clear that the vineyard is the house of Israel; it is Judah. It is not the church or something else. This is clear; we do not have to guess at these things.
God is again inviting us into court to consider His charges against Israel. And, my friend, the minute you listen to Him and to His charge against Israel, you will find yourself condemned.
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes [Isa. 5:2].
God took the nation Israel out of Egypt and placed them in the Promised Land. He expected them to produce the fruits of righteousness and required them to glorify His name. They failed ignominiously.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard [Isa. 5:3].
God asks these people to judge, to equate the difference between God and Israel. Very candidly, friend, when you look at your own life, are you ready to complain against God? I know how I whined and howled when I got cancer. I thought the Lord was being unfair. Then I had the opportunity of lying alone on that hospital bed and looking at my life. My friend, God wasn’t wrong—I was wrong and I needed to face up to it. We need to get rid of the idea that somehow we are something special. God is not going to do anything to us that is unjust. He is not going to do anything that is wrong. You and I are wrong; God isn’t wrong.
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? [Isa. 5:4].
God states that He made every provision on His part for them to produce the fruits of righteousness. Their failure under these circumstances becomes serious indeed.
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it [Isa. 5:5–6].
This is a clear prediction of the forthcoming captivities of both the kingdoms. For over five hundred years God had kept the great nations of the world off the land bridge of three continents—Palestine. He put a wall around the children of Israel. God would not let anybody touch them, though many times He could have judged them. But God says, “You are my vineyard. I have hedged you in, but now I am breaking down the wall.” First Syria, then Assyria, then Babylon—they all poured into Israel’s land and laid it waste. And in spite of everything that has been done in that land today, it is still a pretty desolate looking place. God has judged it.
“I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.” For over a thousand years, the former (fall) and the latter (spring) rains did not fall. That is why that land is so desolate today. The former rains, I understand, have begun, but not the latter.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry [Isa. 5:7].
You don’t have to guess whom the prophet is talking about. The vineyard refers to the whole house of Israel, and this verse makes that crystal clear. And in that vineyard God “looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.”
THE SIX WOES
Once again God is going to spell it all out. Six woes are mentioned here, and each one tells of a certain sin for which God is judging Israel. If you want to apply these to your life or to the life of our nation, you can do it. But the interpretation is for Israel; it has already been fulfilled for them. We can certainly make application to our own hearts and lives, however.
Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! [Isa. 5:8].
This is the first sin of Israel. What is it? This sin is the lust of the eye; more specifically, it is covetousness. Colossians 3:5 tells us: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Covetousness is idolatry. It is a big business expanding at the expense of the little man. That is what happened in Israel—the little man was squeezed out. It was done so that great fortunes might be accumulated. The only excuse for such expansion is the insatiable greed for more property and possessions. God will judge the people for that.
It is a sad story that we have here. The picture is one of a great complex of farms. In Isaiah’s day the people were agricultural people. They built big corporations, big complexes. This was not done for the good of the little man, the small operator. It was done to accumulate wealth. Anything to which you give yourself completely becomes your religion. Many people today are worshiping at the altar of covetousness.
Covetousness is a mean-looking god. It has the face of a silver dollar or a dollar bill. It is one thing that brought down Israel and for which God judged them. Instead of following God’s instructions, they were beginning to take all of the richness from the soil. We are doing the same thing today. We are living in a world which is actually depleted of its energy. We are frantically searching for oil, for any kind of energy that can be used. Why? Because men are covetous, and that covetousness is depleting the earth of its riches. That is a judgment of God.
In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.
Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah [Isa. 5:9–10].
God is simply saying that even though they expand their lands, the yield will not be great because there will be a famine which will decimate the crop. Extended holdings will not produce a bumper crop at all.
The earth you and I are living on is running short of energy. We are running out of oil. We are running out of arable lands. This subject of ecology is an important matter. Pollution is destroying much of the earth. One of these days we are going to be on a desolate planet. We are quickly running out of energy. If you are planning on taking a trip, you had better go now, because there is going to be a shortage of fuel. It may not happen in our lifetime, but there are those who believe that it will be in our lifetime. This is the judgment that God made on the nation Israel in that day.
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands [Isa. 5:11–12].
This is the second woe, the second sin. Drunkenness and pleasure on a national scale are the sins mentioned here, and they lead to the deadening of all spiritual perception.
I notice that the news media do not release today, as they did a number of years ago, the number of alcoholics that we have in this country. The last report I got, which was several years ago, was that there were ten million alcoholics in the United States. They do put in the paper what is done with the tax money the liquor industry pays. It goes to take care of the alcoholics and to maintain police forces who take care of the accidents caused by drunk drivers! Of course, no one can pay for the lives of the innocent victims taken in such useless accidents. No one knows how many decisions are made in our government by people who have just come from a cocktail party. These are the things that lower the morals of a nation. They destroy a nation and eat at its vitals like a cancer. Such a nation is on the verge of falling prey to an enemy without.
Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst [Isa. 5:13].
The majority of the people in this country think it is rather sophisticated to drink, that it is the thing to do. I was very much interested in an article in which the man being interviewed was the director of a therapeutic community for drug addicts in New York. One of the questions he was asked was, “Is there anything parents can do to prevent children from turning to drugs?” This man, whose answers indicated that he probably was not a Christian, said that of paramount importance is an attitude in the home of not using drugs, pills, or alcohol as a means of solving life’s problems. He went on to say that he didn’t mean that taking an occasional social drink was taboo (of course, he would not go so far as to say that!), but that the old rule, “Monkey see, monkey do,” is just as valid on this issue as it is on any other. He said that youngsters who grow up in an atmosphere of drug abuse will be among the first to try marijuana or pills when confronted with their own problems.
Father, mother, if you continue to drink cocktails—and I see it in many restaurants as I travel across the country—don’t be surprised if your Willie or Mary gets on dope. They will probably move in that direction. After all, why do you drink? The problem of young people on drugs started in the home where parents drink in order to face life. That is what destroys the home and the nation. Drunkenness is one of the things that brought down Israel. What about our nation?
Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it [Isa. 5:14].
The word translated “hell” in this verse is actually “the grave.” It is not a reference to the lake of fire as we think of hell today. It is the Hebrew word sheol. It means that “the grave demands.” You find this same word in Proverbs 30:16 which says, “The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.” Death, or the grave, (both satisfactory translations of sheol) is never satisfied. This is the question to ask when you stand at the grave of someone: Where is he? Job asked this question, “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” (Job 14:10). That is the question everybody is going to have to ask.
Hell at first did not have the idea of a locality, but in time it was thought that since God was in heaven or above, hell or the grave must be below or down. In the New Testament the word hades is the same as the Old Testament sheol. The Lord Jesus used this word when He said, “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell [hades] …” (Matt. 11:23). The Lord was not talking about a literal descent into the heart of the earth. He simply meant that Capernaum was going to be brought down, and all you have to do is look at the ruins of that place today to know that what He said was true. We always attach strong moral connotations to the terms of direction, up and down: up towards God and down towards hell. Here Isaiah is saying that the nation of Israel will be brought down. They are going to be taken into captivity, they are going to be brought down to the grave, and the glory of the nation will be turned into dust because of her drunkenness and pleasure.
Rudyard Kipling was a prophet as well as a poet when he wrote in his “Recessional”:
“Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre.”
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope [Isa. 5:18].
This can be translated: “Woe to those whose wickedness is helped by words of lying, who in their pride and unbelief the wrath of God define.” You can make a poem out of it, you see. This is the third woe, or the third sin. This is the picture of a nation giving itself in abandon to sin without shame or conscience.
That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! [Isa. 5:19].
In other words, they challenge God to do anything about their sin. It is interesting to note that no penalty is mentioned. The very silence here is frightening: the penalty is too awful to mention. The history of the deportation of the nation to Babylon tells something of the frightful judgment of God upon a people who sin with impunity against Him and defy Him. God will judge them.
Do you remember Psalm 137? In that psalm Israel prayed against Babylon. They prayed that there would be an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. They said, “Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones” (Ps. 137:9). That is horrible beyond words, but that is the judgment that came to Israel. My friend, God is a God of love, but when you reach the place where you defy Him and turn your back on Him, there is no hope for you. Judgment comes. There are just too many instances in history to deny this fact, unless you want to shut your eyes to them.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! [Isa. 5:20].
This is the fourth sin against which the fourth woe is leveled. It is an attempt to destroy God’s standards of right and wrong by substituting man’s values which contradict His moral standards. This is the confusion that comes upon a nation when they abandon God after He has blessed them in the past for their acknowledgment of Him. England is a present-day example of this, and America is fast deteriorating in the same direction.
We have this confusion in our standards of marriage today. I listened to a very beautiful little girl tell her story on a television interview program. She was living with a man to whom she was not married, and the reason she gave was that she was being honest—she did not believe in being a hypocrite. I have news for her: she is not only a hypocrite and dishonest, she knows that what she is doing is wrong and that she should be married. God says she is living in adultery. God calls him an adulterer and her an adulteress. I don’t care, my friend, what you might think about it—that’s what God says.
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! [Isa. 5:21].
This is the fifth woe, the sin of pride. God hates this above all else. Proverbs 6:16–17 tell us, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” Pride was the sin of Satan according to 1 Timothy 3:6, “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Pride is number one on God’s hate parade.
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! [Isa. 5:22–23].
This is the sixth and last woe. Here a people have become so sodden with drunkenness that they have lost their sense of justice. Injustice and crookedness prevail, and the righteous man is falsely accused. No nation can long survive which drops so low in morals that it loses its sense of values.
Ours is a day when people are saying that wrong is right and right is wrong. In my younger days I was in a little theater group, and I remember memorizing a line from The Great Divide: “Wrong is wrong from the moment it happens ’til the crack of doom, and all the angels in heaven working overtime cannot make it different or less by a hair.” My friend, wrong is still wrong.
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel [Isa. 5:24].
“As the fire devoureth the stubble.” Though the process of deterioration and rottenness is slow and unobserved, the penalty comes like a fire in the stubble. It is fast and furious and cannot be deterred. It is the anger of the Lord bursting forth in judgment. It moves the frightful judgment of God in the last days.
In Matthew 12:20 the Lord Jesus Christ said, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.” He was quoting from Isaiah 42:3. There are certain sins that bring their own judgment; drunkenness is one, and drug abuse is another. I could give many instances of men I have seen engaged in these sins, and the sin worked in their own lives, in the lives of their families, and in their bodies until it destroyed them. God didn’t have to do a thing. The smoking flax will break into flame, and that bruised reed will die. The very sin that we commit is the sin that will destroy us.
When I was a young man in Nashville, Tennessee, I went to a dentist who was also a good friend. One day he told me something which had happened in that town several years before. He told me that one of the most reputable doctors in the city had headed up a dope ring. It was difficult for the law to reach him because of his position. One day the doctor tightened up on the dope in order to get a higher price. For a brief period of time he cut off the supply of dope. This, of course, pushed the price up higher. During that time both his son and daughter were exposed as addicts. He knew nothing about their problem until he cut off the dope supply. That man had the shock of his life, and it apparently led to his death, which occurred shortly afterward. God doesn’t have to put His hand in and judge every time. In many instances He just lets sin take its course.
The sin of drinking is all around us today. God doesn’t do anything about it. He doesn’t have to. Drunkenness will bring its own judgment. Judgment will come to the individual, and it will come to the nation. Those of us who have been in the ministry for a long time have seen drinking increase through the years, and I have seen some heavy drinkers be converted and turn to the Lord. But some of them would leave a bottle in the icebox, just in case. That is what leads many back into the awful sin of drinking. That is what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:12 when he says, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.” In other words, make no arrangements with the flesh to do what it wants to do. Don’t leave a bottle in the refrigerator. Take the bottle out and break it. Many of us kid ourselves about our sins, but some of these sins touch all of us, I am sure.
Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still [Isa. 5:25].
“Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people.” This is a strange verse for many who want to talk about just the love of God. The love of God is real, and you cannot keep Him from loving you; but God hates sin, my friend. If you are going to love sin, still He will love you, but you can expect His judgment. The anger of the Lord is kindled against His people—not against the neighbors.
“But his hand is stretched out still.” If Israel had gone to the Lord and trusted Him, He would have delivered them. The judgment of God is in the Book of Isaiah but so is His grace. The government of God and the grace of God—they are not in conflict. If you are going to continue in sin, if you refuse the grace of God, then you will know what the government of God is.
In the rest of this chapter we see an accumulation of the judgment of God.
And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof [Isa. 5:30].
Take a good look at the land of Israel today. Many people who have traveled to Israel come back and say, “It certainly is wonderful. We are seeing the fulfillment of prophecy. The land is being reclaimed.” They go on and on about how prophecy is being fulfilled. I don’t see it that way at all. I see a people still in darkness. I see a people far from God. I see a people who are not living in peace and who need God. They are living in fear and are in great danger in that land today. My heart goes out to them. This is the judgment of God.
Consider the following poem:
OUR PRAYERLESS SIN
We have not wept for thy grief,
Israel, scattered, driven,
Shut up to darkened unbelief
While we have heaven.
We have not prayed for thy peace,
Jerusalem forsaken;
Thy root’s increase, by God’s great grace,
We age-long have partaken.
How trod thy street our Saviour’s feet;
How fell His tears for thee;
How, loving Him, can we forget,
Nor long thy joys to see.
Zion, thy God remembers thee
Though we so hard have been;
Zion, thy God remembers thee,
With blood-bought right to cleanse, may He
Remove our prayerless sin.
—Selected and revised
God is punishing His own people.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: The call and commission of Isaiah to the prophetic office
Chronologically, as well as logically, the Book of Isaiah begins with this chapter, which constitutes the crisis in the life of Isaiah and brings him into the prophetic office. Prior to this, we have no record of his life or relationship to God. His ministry began at the death of King Uzziah.
THE VISION OF THE LORD SEEN BY ISAIAH
In verses 1–4 are the time, place, person, glory, and holiness of the Lord in the vision seen by Isaiah. Now notice the time, the place, and the Person:
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple [Isa. 6:1].
Isaiah opens this chapter on a very doleful note taking us to the funeral of Uzziah. Uzziah has been a good king. Now he is dead. It is the belief of many that he was the last great king of the southern kingdom of Judah and that after his death the glory of the Lord was no longer to be seen. I am not sure but what that is true. Uzziah brought the Philistines, the Arabians, and the Ammonites into subjection. He had ruled for fifty-two years, and the nation had been blessed materially during that period according to God’s promise. As F. Delitzsch says, “The national glory of Israel died out too with King Uzziah and has never been recovered to this day.” I heartily concur with that statement.
In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah is thinking, Good King Uzziah is dead, and things are going to the bowwows now. Israel will be taken captive. Prosperity will cease. A depression will come, and famine will follow. In that frame of mind Isaiah does what every person ought to do—he goes into the temple. He goes to the proper place, the place where he could meet with God. Psalm 29:9 says, “… in his temple doth everyone speak of his glory.” In God’s temple Isaiah makes the discovery that the true King of the nation is not dead.
“I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple”—God is on the throne.
Isaiah has already told us not to put confidence in man, whose breath is in his nostrils. When man exhales, he doesn’t know for sure that he ever will be able to inhale again. A man can have a heart attack and die, just like that. Don’t put your confidence in man. Old King Uzziah is dead. Yes, it is true, and the throne looks pretty bleak right now but behind the earthly throne is the heavenly throne. Isaiah sees the Lord sitting upon a throne.
That is a vision that some of God’s people need in this day. I see no reason for being pessimistic. This is the greatest day in the history of the world. I would rather live right now than in any other period of time. Somebody says, “Oh, look at the terrible condition of the world. Look at our nation and the deteriorating condition in our cities.” Well, the Lord said it was going to be that way. He said that tares were going to be sown in among the wheat. And He was going to let them both grow together. My business today is sowing the seed of the Word of God. I know that it is going to bring forth a harvest. And it is heading up today—there is no question about that. We don’t need to be disturbed. God will take care of the harvest. Our business is to sow the seed, that is, to get the Word of God out to needy hearts.
This is a great day in which to live. Do you know that the Word of God is going out to more people than it ever has before? Even my radio broadcast is reaching more people in a half hour than I was able to reach in all my years of preaching behind a pulpit. And the message is going around the world! I realize the world conditions are alarming. The tares are really growing, but we have a good stand of wheat also. The wheat is growing right along. It is thrilling to be sowing the Word of God in this day!
When Isaiah goes into the temple, he finds that the Lord is still on the throne. And some of us need to be reminded that God is still on the throne in our day. He still hears and answers prayers. He is still doing wonderful things. Isaiah also makes another discovery when he goes into the temple. He finds out that God is high and lifted up and that His train fills the temple. That is the second thing we need to discover about God. God is high and lifted up, and He will not compromise with sin.
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly [Isa. 6:2].
Seraphim are around the throne of God. This is one of the few mentions of these created intelligences in Scripture. Practically nothing is known concerning them. Seraph means “to burn.” It is the word used in connection with the sin offerings and judgment. Apparently the seraphim are in contrast to the cherubim. The seraphim search out sin, and the cherubim protect the holiness of God. Never is the word seraph connected with the sweet incense or sweet savor offerings, those offerings which speak of the person of Christ. The seraph is active, and the cherub is passive. We will find both of them in the Books of Ezekiel and Revelation as the “living creatures.” The seraphim in Isaiah’s vision are protecting the holiness of God. He is “high and lifted up.”
God will not compromise with evil. I thank Him for that. He will not compromise with evil in your life, nor in my life, because evil and sin have brought all of the sorrows in this world. Sin is that which puts gray in the hair, creates the tottering step and the stooped shoulder. It is the thing that breaks up homes and lives, and fills the grave. I am glad that God does not compromise with it. God says that He hates sin and He intends to destroy it and remove it from this universe. Today our God is moving forth uncompromisingly, unhesitatingly, and undeviatingly against sin. He does not intend to accept the white flag of surrender from it. He intends to drive sin from His universe. That is what God says. He is high and lifted up. My friend, you and I are going to have to bow before Him. When Isaiah saw God on the throne, it brought him down upon his face. Oh, how desperately the church needs another vision of God, not just of His love, but of His holiness and righteousness! Because God is holy, He moves in judgment against sin—and He has never asked me to apologize for Him. So I won’t. God is angry against sin, and He will punish those who engage in it. He says He will.
He also says that He is your Friend and will save you. But you have to come His way. You have to put your faith and trust in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory [Isa. 6:3].
This pictures the holiness and glory of our God. He is high and lifted up; and, if we would see Him today in that position, we would be delivered from low living. It would also deliver some folk from this easy familiarity that they seem to have with Jesus. They talk about Him as if He were a buddy and as if they could speak to Him in any way they please. My friend, you cannot rush into the presence of God. He doesn’t permit it. You come to the Father through Christ. This is the only way He can be approached. You can never come into the presence of the Father because of who you are. You come into His presence because you are in Christ. The Lord Jesus made that very clear when He said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” If you are His child, you can come with boldness to the throne of grace, but you cannot come to Him on any other basis.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke [Isa. 6:4].
“The voice of him that cried” is the voice of the seraphim as they proclaim God’s holiness.
What effect is this going to have on Isaiah?
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts [Isa. 6:5].
Isaiah was God’s man before he had this experience, but it still had a tremendous effect on him. The reaction of Isaiah to such a vision is revolutionary. He sees himself as he really is in the presence of God—undone. It reveals to him his condition. When he had seen God, he could see himself. The problem with many of us today is that we don’t walk in the light of the Word of God. If we did, we would see ourselves. That is what John is talking about in the first chapter of his first epistle: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth [keeps on cleansing] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If we walk in the light of His Word, we are going to see exactly what Isaiah saw—that we are undone and men of unclean lips. You have never really seen the Lord, my friend, if you feel that you are worthy, or merit something, or have some claim upon God.
Job had an experience similar to Isaiah’s, and his reaction was “I abhor myself.” Job was a self-righteous man. He could maintain his integrity in the presence of his friends who were attempting to tear him to bits. They told him that he was a rotten sinner, but he looked them straight in the eye and said, “As far as I know, I am a righteous man.” From his viewpoint he was right, and he won the match against them. But he was not perfect. When Job came into the presence of God, he no longer wanted to talk about maintaining his righteousness. When Job really saw who he was, he said, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5–6). If you walk in the light of the Word of God, you will see yourself, and you will know that even as a child of God you need the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you from all sin.
You will find that other men had the same reaction when they came into the presence of God. John, on the Isle of Patmos, wrote, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead …” (Rev. 1:17). When Daniel saw the Lord, he said, “Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength” (Dan. 10:8). That was also the experience of Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul the apostle. After Paul met the Lord, he no longer saw himself as a self-righteous Pharisee, but as a lost sinner in need of salvation. He then could say, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7). He saw his need of Jesus Christ.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar [Isa. 6:6].
This “live coal” has come from the burnt altar where sin had been dealt with. In the next chapter we will see the prediction of the birth of Christ, but it is not the incarnation of Christ that saves us, it is His death upon the cross. For this reason, Isaiah needs the live coal from off the burnt altar, which is symbolic of Christ’s death. This living coal represents the cleansing blood of Christ that keeps on cleansing us from all sin.
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged [Isa. 6:7].
Isaiah is a man of unclean lips, and the condition for cleansing is confession: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). I believe it would be more accurate to say that this glowing coal is symbolic of none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the One high and lifted up on the throne, and He was the One lifted up on the cross. It is absolutely essential that He be lifted up, because He came down to this earth and became one of us that He might become “… the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
And so the lips of this man Isaiah are cleansed. I take it that this act of putting the coal on his lips was just an external manifestation of what happened in the inner man. It is what proceeds out of the heart of a man that goes through the lips; and, when the lips are cleansed, it means that the heart is cleansed also.
There was a man in the New Testament who also was “undone.” His name was Paul, and he cried out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). When Paul said this, he was not a lost sinner but a saint of God, learning the lesson from God that he needed to walk in the Spirit because he could not live for God by himself. Living for God can only be accomplished by divine grace. Man’s responsibility is to confess his sinfulness and his inability to please God. Therefore, we need to have the redemption of Christ applied to our lives again, and again, and again.
After Isaiah’s lips are cleansed, something happens:
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me [Isa. 6:8].
It is interesting that up to this time Isaiah had never heard the call of God.
I think many Christians have never felt like they were called to do anything for God because they have never been cleansed. They have not seen this great need as Christians. God is not going to use a dirty vessel, I can assure you of that. It is true that God does bless His Word even when it is given out by those who are playing around with sin, but in time God judges them severely. I don’t dare mention any names, but I have known certain ministers who for awhile enjoyed the blessing of God. Then they got into sin, and it wasn’t long until the judgment of God fell upon them.
Isaiah heard God’s call: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” I don’t need to call attention to the fact that you have both the singular and the plural in this verse, and I believe it sets forth the Trinity. Isaiah’s response was, “Here am I; send me.” Isaiah heard God’s call for the first time and responded to it, as a cleansed individual will do. There are too many people today who are asked to do something in the church who first of all ought to get cleansed and straightened out with the Lord. They need to have their lips touched with a living coal. They need to confess the sins in their lives, because their service will be sterile and frustrating until that takes place.
Now notice the commission to Isaiah:
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not [Isa. 6:9].
The message Isaiah is told to give is very, very strange. “This people” means, of course, the nation of Israel.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed [Isa. 6:10].
At first glance it looks as if the prophet is being sent to those who are blind, deaf, and hardened people, but I think I can safely say that God never hardens hearts that would otherwise be soft. God simply brings the hardness to the surface; He does not make the heart hard. He does not make blind the eyes of those who want to see, but apart from His intervention they would never see. Nothing but the foolish blasphemy of men would say that God hardens or blinds.
Isaiah’s job was to take a message of light to the people. Light merely reveals the blindness of the people. In darkness they do not know if they are blind or not. Matthew 13:14–15 records the words of our Lord: “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
Let me illustrate this. When I was a boy in Oklahoma, I used to have to milk a stubborn old cow. When it grew dark early in the evenings, I would have to take a lantern out to the barn with me. When I reached the corncrib two things would happen. The rats ran for cover—I could hear them taking off—and the little birds that were roosting up in the rafters would begin to twitter around and sing. The presence of light caused one to flee and the other to sing. Now, did the light make a rat a rat? No. He was a rat before the light got there. The light only revealed that he was a rat. When the Lord Jesus came into the world, He was the Light of the world. In His presence two things happened: He caused the birds to sing and the rats to run.
Let me illustrate this same thought with another story. Years ago there was a big explosion in a mine in West Virginia, and many men were blocked off in the mine because of the cave-ins. After several days a rescue party dug through to the trapped men. And one of the first things they managed to get through to them was a light. After the light came on, a fine young miner said, “Why doesn’t someone turn on a light?” The other miners looked at him startled, suddenly realizing that he had been blinded by the explosion. But it took a light to reveal that he was blind.
God blinds nobody. He hardens no heart. When the light shines in, it reveals what an individual is, and that is what Isaiah means. That is exactly why the Lord Jesus Christ quoted this passage.
Paul wrote, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:14–16). I have often said, as I have given an invitation to receive Christ, “If you have rejected Christ—if you come into this church as a lost person and are leaving a lost person—I am no longer your friend, because you cannot now go into the presence of God and say that you never heard the gospel.”
You see, the light of the gospel revealed that they were blind, and they rejected Jesus Christ. He didn’t make them blind, but He only revealed their blindness.
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ”—we always triumph. There are those who like to boast of the number who are being saved, but I would much rather boast of the fact that thousands and even several millions of people are hearing the Word of God. My business is sowing the seed, the Word of God. It is the business of the Spirit of God to touch the hearts of those who hear.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Prediction of the virgin birth of Immanuel and of Assyria’s invasion of Judah
Verses 1 and 2 of this chapter speak of the civil war between Judah and Israel with Syria allied to Israel, resulting in a state of fear in Judah. Verses 3–9 tell us about the conduit of the upper pool where Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub meet Ahaz, king of Judah, with an encouraging word from the Lord. Verses 10–16 speak of the confirmation by the sign of the virgin birth to the house of David when Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign. Verses 17–25 tell of the coming invasion of the land of Judah by Assyria, which is predicted as a judgment.
And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it [Isa. 7:1].
In 2 Kings 16:2 we read, “Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father.” The prophecy of chapter 7 follows the call and commission of Isaiah in chapter 6, which took place at the death of Uzziah. Jotham, his son, succeeded him to the throne; and he reigned sixteen years. In 2 Kings 15:32–34 we are told, “In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.” Jotham was a good king, as was his father Uzziah. Ahaz, Jotham’s son, succeeds him, and he does that which was evil.
Ahaz will reign for sixteen years, and he will be a very bad king indeed. There will be a time of civil war during his reign. It will be a time of great distress in Israel. If you want to know just how bad things were, the record is in 2 Kings 16:3–4: “But he [Ahaz] walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.” Ahaz is a bad egg, I can assure you of that, and he is frightened because Israel in the north teamed up with Syria, and they are coming against him. Although they do not prevail at first, Ahaz has every reason to believe that they finally will prevail.
And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind [Isa. 7:2].
Ahaz cannot expect the blessing of God upon him or the nation. As a result, the alliance of Rezin, king of Syria, with Pekah, king of Israel, terrifies him and his people. Previously both Syria and Israel had attempted to take Judah. Alone they could not prevail, but together Ahaz is confident that they will be able to take Jerusalem. In spite of the fact that Ahaz is a godless king, God is not yet ready to let the people of Judah go into captivity. As we already know from history, Judah is not going to go into captivity in the north, but many years later they will be taken captive to Babylon.
Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field [Isa. 7:3].
Because God is not ready to deliver the kingdom of Judah into captivity, He wants to encourage the king so he will not make an unwise and frantic alliance with Egypt. So God tells Isaiah to meet with Ahaz.
There are several things we need to look at in this verse. First of all, Isaiah is to meet Ahaz “at the end of the conduit of the upper pool.” The place where he is to meet the king is suggestive. It is from this conduit that the life-giving waters pour for thirsty Jerusalem. It is here that the people can quench their thirst. You can’t get much satisfaction from a pipe filled with water—you must have a spigot on it somewhere. You must go to the place where the water comes out of the pipe.
Now this is symbolic of the fact that you are not going to get any blessing out of that house of David, but way down at the end of his line One is coming as the “water of life.” That One was the Lord Jesus Christ. He came in the line of David to bring the water of life.
Isaiah is to meet the king at the upper “pool.” The word for “pool” is berekah from the root word meaning “blessing.” I can assure you that in that land a pool of water is a blessing. This same word is used in Psalm 84:6, “… the rain also filleth the pools [berakah],” everywhere else is rendered “blessing.” This is a very interesting thing.
Notice also that it is “the upper pool.” Upper is the word used over thirty times for the Most High. You may recall that it was said of the one who came out to minister to Abraham that he was the priest of the Most High God (see Gen. 14:18). Now the blessing of the Most High God was given “at the end of the conduit” when Jesus came into the world.
“In the highway of the fuller’s field.” The highway is a path which is elevated above the surrounding land to keep the traveler’s feet clean. The spiritual application of the word highway is made clear in Proverbs 16:17: “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil ….” This highway is the way of holiness. Isaiah will use this same figure in Isaiah 35:8: “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness.” This very interesting symbolism refers to the One who is the way, the truth, and the life. The psalmist wrote in Psalms 84:5: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.” That is, blessed is the one who has the One who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Notice also that the meeting was to take place in the “fuller’s field.” The fuller’s field was the place where folk went to wash their clothes. It was the laundry of that day. Applying this to our own lives, if we want to get our lives cleansed, we must come to the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “… ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3).
So you see, it is no accident that Isaiah is sent to this very interesting place for his meeting with Ahaz. It has a wonderful spiritual meaning for us.
Isaiah is told to take his son Shear-jashub with him. That is quite a name for a boy, but it is nothing compared to the second son whom we shall meet in chapter 8. Shear-jashub means “a remnant shall return.” The interesting thing is that God has always had a remnant that was true to Him.
And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.
Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,
Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:
Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. [Isa. 7:4–9].
The tenor of the message is to let Ahaz know that he need not fear the alliance of his two enemies in the north. God has determined that their venture will be a failure. The problem is, how will Ahaz know it? To begin with, he is a skeptic, a doubter, and an unbeliever. How will he be convinced that what Isaiah is saying is true?
God has never asked anyone to believe anything that does not rest upon a foundation. Faith does not mean to move blindly into some area and say, “Oh, I am trusting God.” That is very foolish. God never asks us to do that. For example, in our salvation we do not bring a little lamb to offer as a sacrifice; our faith rests upon the historical facts of the death, the burial and the resurrection of the Son of God. God never asks us to take a leap in the dark. He asks us to believe and trust something which rests upon a firm foundation, and it is the only foundation, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). If any person is an honest unbeliever and sincerely wants to know God, he will come to a saving faith. Folk with whom I have dealt who say that they cannot believe are not being honest. For example, a young fellow in San Francisco told me, “Oh, I want to believe; I am searching for the truth.” There he was, living with a girl in an adulterous relationship and saying that he was searching for the truth! The fact of the matter is that no man’s eyes are blindfolded unless he himself chooses to be blindfolded. If a person really wants to know God and will give up his sin and turn to Christ, God will make Himself real to him. In our day the problem is that a great many folk do not really mean business with God.
That is the problem with King Ahaz—he doesn’t mean business with God. Listen to him—
Moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying,
Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above [Isa. 7:10–11].
God knows that Ahaz does not have faith, and He is willing to give the king faith; but Ahaz is nothing but a pious fraud—and there are a lot of those around today. Listen to his false piety:
But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord [Isa. 7:12].
Isn’t that sweet of him? He sounds so nice, but he is one of the biggest hypocrites you will find in Scripture. This sort of thing is sickening, and I believe God feels that way about it.
And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? [Isa. 7:13].
I hope you won’t mind my telling a little story. One day, in a Sunday school class for junior boys and girls, the teacher was telling the story about the Good Samaritan. As she related the parable, she was painting a vivid picture. She told how the man fell among thieves, how he was beaten up, and blood was gushing out from the wounds in his body. She told about the priest, and the Pharisee, and finally she came to the Good Samaritan. She wanted to clinch her presentation by making an application to the lives of the children. She first asked a little girl, “What would you have done?” She said, “Oh, I would have stayed and nursed him for a few days.” The next little boy didn’t want to be outdone, so he said, “And I would have brought him a box of candy.” The teacher went around the class with her question, and finally came to a little girl who had a very distressed look on her face. The teacher said to her, “What would you have done?” She said, “I think I would have thrown up!” Believe me, the teacher had painted a gory picture, and that little girl was being honest.
I think God feels that way about our piosity. My friend, don’t think you are being pious when you say, “Oh, I won’t test God.” God says, “Test Me. Try Me, and see if I am not good.” I actually feel fatigued when I talk to some folk who say that they are just going to step out on “faith.” Oh, my friend, wait until God puts a rock underneath you. Wait until God gives you definite leading before you make a fool of yourself and bring criticism upon the cause of Christ.
God says to this unbelieving king, “I’m not asking you to believe My message just because Isaiah said it. I want to put a foundation under it. I want to give you a supernatural sign so you will know that the message is from Me.” But Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign. So God is going to give a sign—not to Ahaz—but to the whole house of David.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [Isa. 7:14].
God puts a foundation under His prophecy; and, if you want to know whether or not the virgin birth is true, you can find out if you read the four Gospels. For example, in Matthew we read, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:18–23).
Isaiah 7:14 has become one of the most controversial verses in Scripture because of the prophecy concerning the virgin birth. Unbelievers have quite naturally discounted it and have sought desperately, but in vain, for a loophole to reject the virgin birth. The battle has been waged about the meaning of the Hebrew word almah, which is translated “virgin.”
The fact that the angel quotes this prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 to Joseph as an explanation for Mary’s being with child before her marriage to him is satisfactory evidence that the prophecy referred to an unmarried woman who had a son without physical contact with any man. The word used by Matthew (see Matt. 1:23) is the Greek word parthenos, which definitely means “virgin.” The same Greek word was used for the Parthenon, the Greek temple to the goddess Athena, which the Greeks characterized as being a virgin.
When the Revised Standard Version of the Bible was first published, the Hebrew word almah was translated “young woman,” with “virgin” in the footnotes—of course, it should have been reversed. Their argument was that almah meant only a young woman. While it is true that there are places in the Scriptures where it is translated “young woman,” it is evident that it means “virgin.”
For example, when Abraham’s servant went to Haran in search of a bride for Isaac and he prayed that God would direct him to the right girl, this is how Rebekah was described: “And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her …” (Gen. 24:16). The word damsel is the Hebrew word naarah, meaning “young woman,” but that she was a virgin was made clear also. Then when the servant was rehearsing this experience of praying for God’s guidance, he said, “Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water …” (Gen. 24:43), the Hebrew word almah is translated “virgin.” I don’t think that anyone could misunderstand what is being said here. When the word almah was used, it referred to a virgin young woman, that is, one who had had no sexual relationship with a man.
When the liberal theologian says that the Bible does not teach the virgin birth of Jesus, I feel like asking him if his papa had talked to him when he was a boy about the birds and the bees. He can deny that he believes in the virgin birth of Jesus, but he cannot deny that Isaiah and Matthew are talking about the virgin birth of Jesus.
Notice again Isaiah’s prophecy: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah said that His name would be Immanuel, but you cannot find any place in the Gospels where He is called by that name. Immanuel means “God with us.” They called Him “Jesus” because He would save His people from their sins. But, friend, He cannot save the people from their sins unless He is Immanuel, “God with us.” Everytime you call Him Jesus, you are saying, “God with us.” He is God. He is God with us and God for us. He is our Savior, born of a virgin. Have you put your trust in Him?
When Isaiah gave this prophecy in 7:14, someone probably came to him and said, “When will this take place?” I have a notion that Isaiah looked down through the centuries and said, “It will be a long time.” Then how would the people of his generation know the prediction was true? The virgin birth of Christ would come to pass, just as Isaiah said it would, because God had spoken through Isaiah on many other things that were fulfilled during the days in which he spoke them. One of them was his prophecy about Hezekiah and the Assyrians, which we shall see in the historic section of Isaiah. The Assyrians once gathered outside the walls of Jerusalem, and they were 150,000 strong. Things looked bad for Jerusalem. It looked as if the city would fall. So Hezekiah went into the temple, got down on his knees, and fell on his face before God. He cried out for deliverance, and God sent Isaiah to him with a message. Isaiah told Hezekiah that he didn’t have to worry. The Assyrians would not come into the city, nor would they take it. In fact, Isaiah told the king that not even one arrow would be shot into Jerusalem. There were 150,000 soldiers outside the walls of Jerusalem and each soldier had a quiver full of arrows on his back and a bow in his hand. You would think that out of that many soldiers there would be one that was trigger-happy, one who would shoot an arrow over the wall just to see if anyone would yell. If just one soldier had shot one arrow over the wall into the city, Isaiah would have rightly been declared a false prophet. But no arrows were shot; the city was spared. What Isaiah had told Hezekiah came true. And the New Testament bears witness to the fact that the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ came to pass exactly as Isaiah had predicted.
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good [Isa. 7:15].
Jesus was reared as a poor peasant in Palestine. This food was the simple diet of the poor.
For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings [Isa. 7:16].
This verse would be fulfilled by the time the Messiah came. This seemed unlikely in Ahaz’ day.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The birth of the prophet’s second son as a sign; prediction of Assyria’s invasion of Immanuel’s land
Chapters 7–12 constitute a series of prophecies given during the reign of Ahaz. Some have attempted to identify the virgin’s Son of chapter 7 with the prophet’s son in chapter 8. The names preclude that possibility, and the additional information in chapter 9 makes it an impossibility for the two to be identical. The prophet’s son is a sign (see v. 18).
This chapter is rather significant as it contains the prediction of the invasion of Immanuel’s land by the king of Assyria. God had kept the flood tide of foreign invasions walled off from His people for over five hundred years. Now He opens the floodgates and permits an enemy to cover the land like a flood. The people are looking to a confederacy rather than looking to God for help.
This chapter concludes with a warning against spiritualism as the last resort of people who have rejected God’s counsel and turned in desperation to the satanic world. The end will be trouble, darkness, and anguish.
THE BIRTH OF THE PROPHET’S SECOND SON AS A SIGN
Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz [Isa. 8:1].
If you thought Shear-jashub was a strange name for a boy, try this one on for size! Maher-shalal-hash-baz is a remarkable name for a boy in any language. How would you like to carry this cognomen through life? That’s what Isaiah’s son had to do. I don’t know what his nickname was. They may have shortened his name to Maher, or Hash, or even Baz. There is a reason, however, why God wants Isaiah to give his sons these unusual names. The reason is found in verse 18 which says, “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.” Both sons are signs, and their names carry a message.
Maher-shalal-hash-baz means “hasten booty, speed prey.” This simply means that God is against those who are against His people. Paul puts it like this: “… If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
This boy’s name is also a message for Ahaz, the man on the throne. He is a godless man, and God is trying to reach him. He tells Isaiah to get a great tablet and write on it with a “man’s pen”—or, the stylus of a frail, mortal man. He is then to hang it up in a prominent place like a billboard so that everyone can read it. God wants this boy’s name written down so that the most humble person in the kingdom will see it, read it, and understand it. God is trying to reach Ahaz, first through Isaiah’s first son, Shear-jashub (“a remnant shall return”), and then through Maher-shalal-hash-baz (“hasten booty, speed prey”). This second son’s name is to assure Ahaz that God will take care of the enemies of His people.
And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah [Isa. 8:2].
Uriah means “Jehovah is my light.” Zechariah means “Jehovah remembers.” Jeberechiah means “Jehovah will bless.” This is an interesting combination, is it not? Thus, the one witness says by his name, “Jehovah is my light,” and the other says, “Jehovah’s purpose is to bless.” The offspring of these is the grace of God—that is, He will never forget His people.
In all of Isaiah’s actions there is a message for the people. He is acting out and writing out his message so that the people will understand it. The Book of Isaiah is a picture parable. Our Lord used this method also. The reason is that people will look at a picture. It is somewhat like television. It is amazing how many of us will sit in front of the television screen and watch things from that idiot box which under different circumstances we wouldn’t waste our time on. Because God knows the inclination of mankind, He tries to get a message across to these people by using a picture.
And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz [Isa. 8:3].
“The prophetess” in this verse is Isaiah’s wife, Mrs. Isaiah. She conceives and bears a son, and the child’s name is given to him before he is born.
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria [Isa. 8:4].
Before this child is able to say “Mommy” and “Daddy,” the Assyrians will invade Syria and Samaria. The enemy in the north that is planning to come against Judah is going to be taken away into captivity. It will not be due to the brilliant military ability of Ahaz to work out a strategy that will bring victory. The victory will be due to the sovereign grace of God—God is making this perfectly clear.
The Lord spake also unto me again, saying,
Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;
Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks [Isa. 8:5–7].
This is another remarkable passage of Scripture. The people “refuseth the waters of Shiloah,” which means “sent.” They refuse the peace God offered them, a peace here typified by this gentle, rippling brook. In contrast, we see in verse 7 “the waters of the river, strong and many.” This is evidently the Euphrates River where Assyria was located. These waters came down like a flood. In other words, the flood waters of the Euphrates represent the judgment of God and are contrasted with the gentle waters of Shiloah. God is giving a message to His people through these two rivers. As Shakespeare put it in his play As You Like It, there are “tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”
Shiloah is a softly flowing little spring. It doesn’t amount to much today, but it did in Isaiah’s day. It flows between Mount Zion and Mount Moriah. There is a message in that little stream, a message that you will hear if you have a blood-tipped ear. It is a message sweeter than the rippling music of the stream itself. It is the story of grace, of Mount Zion, which stands in contrast to Mount Sinai, which is symbolic of the Mosaic Law. Moriah is where Abraham offered his son, where David bought the threshingfloor of Araunah, and where Solomon put up the temple. And down at the end of that great shaft of rocks is Golgotha, where Christ was crucified. This speaks of grace. Moriah is where God provided Himself a Lamb. He spared Abraham’s son, but He did not spare His own Son.
So here God is speaking grace to this man, Ahaz. He is saying to him, “I’ll spare you, if only you will turn to Me.”
And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel [Isa. 8:8].
God will permit Assyrians to overflow the land of Judah, but He will never permit them to take Jerusalem.
PRONOUNCEMENT AGAINST A CONFEDERACY AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR GOD
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces [Isa. 8:9].
This is a warning against nations who form an alliance against God’s land. Beginning with Isaiah 13, we are going to have a series of messages to the nations that were contiguous to Israel, or at least had dealings with them in that day, and we will find that the judgment of God will come upon them. That section which goes all the way from Isaiah 13 to Isaiah 35 is a most remarkable section in God’s Word. Most of it is fulfilled prophecy. God says that the nations will never deter His purpose here on earth. It is interesting that the nations of the world no longer seek wisdom or counsel from God. God does have a purpose, and His purpose will prevail. If a nation goes in the other direction, judgment will come upon it.
Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid [Isa. 8:10–12].
Judah is not to be alarmed by the confederacy of Syria and Samaria. Fear had caused those in the north to unite, and God urges His people, “neither fear ye their fear.” In other words, they are not to turn to an ally among the nations, which probably would have been Egypt. Later on they will ally themselves with Egypt, which brings great tragedy to the land.
Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem [Isa. 8:13–14].
They are to fear God above and look to Him. He will be either their salvation or a stone of stumbling. Cromwell was once asked why he was such a brave man. He had the reputation of being one of the bravest men who ever lived. He said, “I have learned that when you fear God, you have no man to fear.” Paul said in 1 Cor. 1:23, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” The Lord Jesus said that either you will fall on this stone—and He is that stone—fall on Him for salvation, rest upon Him who is the only foundation, and you will be saved; or He, the stone, will fall on you, judge you, and it will grind you to powder (see Matt. 21:44). You have two options: you can either accept Him or reject Him.
“Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself” is a strange injunction. Peter used this: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). This is what God’s people need to do. Today there is this light thinking about God, a lack of reverence for Him and for His Word. There are those who sometimes ridicule things that are sacred, making light of things that should not be made light of. You and I need to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, because there are multitudes of people today who are not convinced that “… the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab. 2:20). If they believed, my friend, that He is in your church on Sunday morning, they would not be at the beach, at some picnic area, or out mowing the back lawn. They would be with you in church. You and I haven’t convinced them, have we?
PRONOUNCEMENT AGAINST SPIRITUALISM AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE WORD OF GOD
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? [Isa. 8:19].
We are seeing a resurgence of spiritualism today. More than fifteen years ago I wrote, “God forbids His people to dabble in this satanic system. When a people turn from God, they generally go after the occult and abnormal” (see Lev. 20:27; Deut. 18:9–12).
There is a great turning today to the occult, to the spirit world, and to demonology. There are churches of Satan in Southern California and in the San Francisco Bay area. The members worship the Devil; many are worshiping Satan today. Even Christians are dabbling in the occult. Many of them talk about casting out demons. My friend, I am not in that business. I preach the gospel of the grace of God and the Word of God. That will take care of all the demons. I say that we need to let the occult alone because it is dangerous, and it is growing by leaps and bounds. Some people don’t believe there is any reality in it, but it is real, just as Satan is real. God warns us against it. Let us heed that warning.
And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness [Isa. 8:21–22].
These final verses reveal the final issue of pursuing a life of disobedience which will lead you into spiritualism. The result is dimness, darkness, and despair. Disobedience will take you there every time.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Prophecy of the Child coming to David’s throne and the dark days attending His first coming and preceding His second coming
This chapter is one with which Christians are generally familiar because of the prophecy concerning the coming Child, who is Christ. Handel’s use of this chapter in The Messiah has added to the familiarity of the church with this particular passage. I am always thrilled when I listen to a presentation of Handel’s work, especially when they sing, “And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
The material presented in Isaiah 7–12 contains prophecies that Isaiah made during the reign of Ahaz. Ahaz was the one bad king that reigned during the period in which Isaiah prophesied. Isaiah began to prophesy at the death of Uzziah, who reigned for fifty-two years and was a good king. The next king was Jotham, Uzziah’s son, who was also a good king. The next king was Ahaz, the grandson of Uzziah and the son of Jotham, who was a bad king and a phony besides. It was during the reign of Ahaz that Isaiah made these prophecies concerning the Messiah. It was a dark period in the history of the nation.
THE HOPE OF ISRAEL
In verses 1–7 we find that the hope of Israel is in the Divine Child in both His first and second comings.
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations [Isa. 9:1].
The translation of this verse is not established. Actually, contrary meanings are suggested. This poses no problem to the reverent mind but reveals a divine purpose in permitting both to be possible.
“And afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.” Others have translated it: “But in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” It is difficult to see how both translations, “more grievously afflict” and “made it glorious,” can be sustained, but I believe it is enigmatic for a reason. The first translation would refer to the near fulfillment when God did afflict the northeastern portion of the land comparatively lightly in the invasions of the Syrians and later brought heavier suffering upon them in the carrying away of the people into captivity by the Assyrians (see 2 Kings 15:29).
But the other translation, “hath he made it glorious,” refers to the far fulfillment in the first coming of Christ. He did “make glorious” that area. Galilee was the despised area because it was a place where Gentiles had congregated. The Lord Jesus passed by Jerusalem, the snobbish religious center of the day. Jesus was neither born nor reared in Jerusalem. Nazareth was His hometown; and, when Nazareth rejected Him, He went down to Capernaum, which is on the Sea of Galilee in the despised periphery of the kingdom. Zebulun and Naphtali were located in the north, with Naphtali along the west bank of the Sea of Galilee and Zebulun adjoining Naphtali on the west. Nazareth was in Zebulun, and Capernaum (Jesus’ headquarters) was in Naphtali. As far as I can tell, the Lord Jesus never changed His headquarters from Capernaum. In fact, that explains why He pronounced such a severe judgment upon Capernaum—it had access to light as no other place had.
Matthew 4:12–16 tells us, “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” You will note that Matthew omitted the questionable clause. Otherwise, we would have the Holy Spirit’s own interpretation of the passage. I believe that the double meaning is intended by the Holy Spirit. Both are surely true.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined [Isa. 9:2].
Regardless of the way verse 1 is translated or interpreted, it is obvious that the people in despised Galilee were in the darkness of paganism and religious tradition. That is one place where the Old Testament and paganism from the outside mingled and mixed. When the Lord Jesus began His ministry in that area, the people did see a great light. They saw the Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). This was fulfilled at the first coming of Christ. I think it is safe to say that the first two verses refer to our Lord’s first coming.
But to what period do the following verses refer? It is the belief of certain outstanding Bible expositors, among whom are Dr. F. C. Jennings and Dr. H. A. Ironside, that there is a hiatus, an interval, between verses 2 and 3, so that while the first two verses refer to Christ’s first coming, verse 3 refers to His second coming, as we shall see.
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil [Isa. 9:3].
The nation had been greatly multiplied and the people were more religious, but the joy was gone. They had a lot of religion, but they never had Christ. It was a period of great manifestation but no real joy.
The hiatus between verses 2 and 3 has already been two thousand years long. Why didn’t Isaiah give any prophecy about this period? Because during this interval God is calling out the church which was unknown to Isaiah. In Romans 16:25–26 Paul says, “Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” Paul makes it very clear that the prophets passed over that which they did not see, as Isaiah does in the chapter before us. In Isaiah 63 we will come to a place where with just a comma Isaiah passes over a period of time that is already two thousand years long. The people in Isaiah’s day had no revelation concerning the church, but today the church has been revealed and the interval is filled in. This makes it clear that the rest of this chapter refers to the nation Israel, and the nation that was “multiplied” was the nation over which Ahaz was king. Notice that Paul says it was “made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” So, you see, the revelation of the church was for a different congregation. Isaiah was speaking only to one nation, his own nation of Israel.
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian [Isa. 9:4].
When will the burden be broken? It will be broken when Christ comes again. Why is it that Israel today cannot enjoy peace? Why are they plagued along every border? They are having all this trouble because they rejected the only One who can bring peace, their own Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. The power of the oppressor will not be broken until the Lord comes the second time.
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire [Isa. 9:5].
What a sad thing it was when those fine young Jewish athletes were killed during the Olympic Games in Munich a few years ago. They were murdered by terrorists; and, when their bodies were sent back to Israel, their loved ones and the whole nation mourned. What is in back of all this? Israel has a Messiah whom they have rejected. He is the Prince of Peace, and He is the only One who can bring peace to this troubled and persecuted people.
While these verses complete the thought of verse 3, they also look beyond the immediate time to the Great Tribulation Period which is coming in the future.
Now we see the prediction of their Messiah’s coming:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this [Isa. 9:6–7].
How will this come about? “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Is this a reference to the first coming of Christ? Most Christians seem to think it is, because they quote it at Christmas time. However, I feel sure that it refers to the second coming of Christ when He will be “born” to the nation of Israel. This is a complete prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming, as Isaiah 53 is of His first coming. These verses continue the thought which we picked up in verse 3, and they look forward to the second coming of Christ.
The question arises of how “a child is born” at His second coming. First of all, let me clearly state that He was not born “untous, ” the nation Israel, at His first coming. They didn’t receive Him. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). Although He was born at Bethlehem the first time, He was not received by the nation—only a few shepherds welcomed Him. The wise men who came to worship Him were Gentiles from a foreign land. If you read verse 6 carefully, you will see that it was not fulfilled at His first coming, neither were verses 3, 5, and 7.
To say that Christ will be born to the nation Israel might be better stated. Actually, Israel will be born as a nation “at once,” which is made perfectly clear in the final chapter of Isaiah: “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed [that is the Great Tribulation], she brought forth her children” (Isa. 66:7–8).
Israel is to be “delivered of a man child” in the future, not by His birth, but by Israel’s birth. This will be the new birth of the nation Israel when Christ comes again. Israel will be born at the second coming of Christ.
I see no objection to calling attention to the fact that the child is born—that is, His humanity. The son is given, which will be true at His second coming. In other words, it will be the same Jesus who was here nearly two thousand years ago.
“The government shall be upon his shoulder.” The shoulder speaks of strength. The government of this world will be placed on His strong shoulders at His second coming; it was not at His first coming.
Notice the names that are given to our Lord:
“Wonderful”—this is not an adjective; this is His name. In Judges 13:18 we see the preincarnate Christ appearing as the Captain of the hosts of the Lord: “And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?” “Secret” in this verse is the same word as is translated “Wonderful.” In Matthew 11:27 the Lord Jesus said, “… no man knoweth the Son, but the Father …” The people did not know it, but He was Wonderful, and people still don’t know it today. There are Christians who have trusted Him as Savior but really don’t know how wonderful He is.
He is going to put down rebellion when He comes to earth the second time, and He is going to reign on earth. His name is “Wonderful!”
“Counsellor”—He never sought the counsel of man, and He never asked for the advice of man. “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?” (Rom. 11:34). God has no counsellor. The Lord Jesus Christ never called His disciples together and said, “Now, fellows, what do you think I ought to do?” You don’t read anything like that in Scripture. The Lord called them together and said, “This is what I am going to do, because this is My Father’s will.” And Christ has been made unto us wisdom (see 1 Cor. 1:30). Most of us are not very smart. We must go to Him for help.
“The mighty God”—The Hebrew word for this name is El Gibbor. He is the one to whom “all power is given.” He is the omnipotent God. That little baby lying helpless on Mary’s bosom held the universe together. He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” He is the Mighty God!
“The everlasting Father”—Avi-ad, Father of eternity. This simply means that He is the Creator of all things, even time, the ages, and the far-off purpose of all things. As John said, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). In Colossians 1:16 Paul said, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” Then in Hebrews 1–2 we read, “God … Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds [ages].” The translation of the Greek word aionshould be “ages” instead of “worlds,” and that is the thought in this title of His—Father of eternity.
“The Prince of Peace”—Sar-Shalohim. There can be no peace on this earth until He is reigning. His government is not static; there is increase and growth. No two days are going to be alike when Jesus is reigning. He is going to occupy the throne of David. This is a literal throne which He will occupy at His second coming. Justice will be dominant in His rule. God’s zeal, not man’s zany plans, will accomplish this.
THE HELP OF ISRAEL
The remainder of the chapter, verses 8–21, covers the local situation in Isaiah’s day and will be partially fulfilled in the immediate future, but it also looks forward to the time of the Great Tribulation for a full and final fulfillment. God will continue to punish this nation and all nations that have turned their backs on Him, until He comes again. Modern men don’t like to hear this—they would rather listen to something comforting. Check your history books and see what happened to Israel and other nations who left God out. They have had a sad, sordid story, and I am afraid that you and I live in a nation that is getting ripe for judgment. If we escape, we will be the only nation in the history of the world that has escaped.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Judgment of Assyria after she executes God’s judgment on Israel; the Great Tribulation and Battle of Armageddon
Once again I would like to remind you that this is a series of prophecies which began with chapter 7 and goes through chapter 12. They are prophecies which were given during the reign of Ahaz, a wicked king. On a black background Isaiah gives his predictions, speaking into a local situation, but also he looks down through the ages of time to that day when God is going to set up His kingdom here on earth.
This is another remarkable chapter in God’s Word. Great principles and gigantic programs in God’s dealings with men and nations are set forth. The chapter opens with a brief discussion on the courts of that day. The injustices of the courts of the nation are reflected in the culture of the people and the chastisement of God.
God will use the Assyrians as we shall see, to judge His people. And Assyria is a symbol of the future “king of the north” who shall come up against Immanuel’s land in the last days. This prophecy reaches beyond the immediate future of Isaiah’s day and extends down to the last days of the nation Israel. Isaiah identifies the period by the designation, “in that day.” The chapter concludes with the awesome picture of the approach of the enemy from the north to the Battle of Armageddon.
UNJUST JUDGES WILL BE JUDGED OF GOD
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed [Isa. 10:1].
“Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees”—that is, hand down unrighteous decisions. They should represent justice, but they do not give justice. These first few verses may appear at first to be a discourse of Plato or one of the moralists. The one notable exception is that behind human justice is the justice of God. The judge and throne down here on earth are to reveal His justice and are answerable to Him.
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! [Isa. 10:2].
This verse is very much up-to-date. I think we are seeing the working out of this in our contemporary culture, because the courts are to hand down justice and mirror the justice of God, and they don’t. Lawlessness abounds. People sink into degradation. The idea of freedom has been distorted. Every criminal who is arrested ought to be given a fair trial but in order that my family and your family can walk the streets in peace, criminals will have to be punished. Many who are guilty of crimes are set free by a softhearted, softheaded judge. That judge is not giving justice to me and my family or to you and your family.
We hear a lot about justice today, and that is what I want. I want the criminal punished so that I can walk the streets in safety, and so that I can live in my home in safety. In our land it is no longer safe for women to walk on the streets at night. It is not even safe for men in many places. What is the problem? The problem is in our courts—that is where God puts His finger down. The courts are not administering justice.
Now God mentions the poor and the widows and the fatherless; they are the ones who need justice. One of the leading political analysts in this country recently stated on a telecast that every program that has been devised to help the poor has hurt the poor. What is wrong? The only One who will give justice to the poor is God. Judges are supposed to represent God on earth. Today many godless men are judges. They are in no position to judge at all until they recognize that they are representing God.
One of the wonderful things about the founders of our country was the way they believed. Although Thomas Jefferson, for example, was a free thinker, he had great respect for the Bible. He was not what we would call a Christian, but he held God’s Word in high esteem and respected the statements made in it. We have gotten so far away from God and His Word that our courts and government don’t even recognize Him. It is a farce to have a man put his hand on the Bible and take an oath in a court of law today, because most judges do not believe it is the Word of God. The lawyers, the jury, and the men who are taking the oath probably do not believe it is God’s Word. When you don’t believe it, you might as well take an oath on a Sears and Roebuck catalog. Some of them may have more respect for that than they do for the Bible.
God is dealing with principles; and, until a judge represents God, he cannot represent the people. We have gotten so far from this concept that I am sure I sound like a square! And that’s what I am.
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? [Isa. 10:3].
God is saying to the judges, “You are to represent Me, and the day is coming when I am going to judge you.” I feel that every judge ought to recognize the fact that he is one day going to stand before God and give an account of how he has handled his responsibility here on earth. Judges in our day seem to have bleeding hearts; they want to show mercy to the poor criminal. Well, they should be meting out justice to both rich and poor. In the day of reckoning, the unjust judges will stand before the Just Judge.
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still [Isa. 10:4].
This distortion of justice works itself out in all strata of society. It affects all men and brings about deterioration and degradation. Today we are at a new low as far as morals are concerned.
JUDGEMENT OF ASSYRIA AFTER SHE EXECUTES GOD’S JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL
Now we come to the key to the entire passage. Here God makes one of the strangest statements in the Bible, and it is too much for a great many folk. My friend, if you don’t like it, take your objections to God, because He is the one who said it.
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation [Isa. 10:5].
This is the key verse of the entire passage, and it sheds light on the whole purpose of God, for this verse says He will use Assyria as a rod to chasten His people Israel. This is an amazing thing. Just as you take up a switch to paddle a little fellow who has done wrong, so God is using Assyria as a switch. He is using Assyria to discipline His people. The destruction which Assyria will wreak is what the hand of the Lord God will wreak. This is difficult for modern man to swallow.
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets [Isa. 10:6].
God goes so far as to say that He is responsible for sending Sennacherib, the Assyrian, against Israel and for sending the norther kingdom of Israel into captivity.
Assyria is a symbol of another kingdom in the north whom God will use in the last days. Many Bible expositors believe this verse has reference to the “beast” which will come out of the sea, mentioned in Revelation 13, who would be the ruler in the Roman Empire. I prefer to be specific and think it is a reference to Russia. Have you noticed that ever since World War II the Russians have won every diplomatic battle? They have won, and they have our country on the ropes today. I wonder if God may not be using them. You might say, “You don’t mean that God would use godless Russia?” Well, He used godless Assyria to spank His people in Isaiah’s day. God may be using Russia to humiliate us today, and she may have already done that. When we fought in Vietnam, we were not fighting the North Vietnamese; we were fighting Russia. It was a very nice, polite war, and it was embarrassing. It was tragic and horrible. Was God permitting our humiliation in an attempt to bring us to our senses? It didn’t seem to work—we have not turned to God.
Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? [Isa. 10:7–8].
If you had asked the Assyrian if he was being used as a rod to chasten Israel, he would have laughed at you. If you had asked Russia’s dictators if they knew they were rods in the Lord’s hands, they would have given you a great ha-ha! They would think such talk was ridiculous. Neither did the Assyrian have any notion that he was prompted of God, nor would he admit it. The Assyrians were having great victories on every hand, and their pride blinded them to their true status. Because they were resting on their own strength and supremacy and were victorious everywhere they turned, they were like Little Jack Horner who sat in a corner, put his thumb in the pie, pulled out a plum, and said, “What a smart boy am I.” There are some rulers of nations who are like Little Jack Horner today, but God overrules, though He may be using them to accomplish His purpose.
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks [Isa. 10:12].
When God gets through using Assyria to punish His people, God will deal with the Assyrians and judge them. They do not escape, either; history is a testimony to the fact. God judged them. Isaiah shows that God controls and judges all the nations of the earth.
Now He asks a very pointed question:
Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself gainst them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood [Isa. 10:15].
Imagine an axe out in the woods. You are walking through the woods and hear something patting itself on the back and saying, “Look at this big tree I cut down.” You walk over to the axe and find nothing but the axe. You say to the axe, “What do you mean, you cut down the tree?” The axe replies, “The tree is down, and I did it.” You say that is silly. Somebody had to be using the axe, and that is exactly how it was with Assyria and other nations of the world. God uses nations. That is the reason it is so important today for men in our nation to recognize God, men who look to God for leading and guidance. But we have a divided nation today. In fact, we are lots more divided than we will admit. We have this minority group, that minority group, and the other minority group. However, the real minority is God. Although He is in the minority, John Knox said, “One with God is a majority,” and if you are with God, you are with the majority. We need to be sure that we are on God’s side today, because He is running the universe. As a nation we are a Johnny-come-lately. A two hundred-year-old nation is a baby compared to many of the other nations in history, and we have just about had it. The Assyrians are only instruments in the hand of God.
THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE REMNANT
Now we have a vision of the Jewish remnant during the Great Tribulation:
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth [Isa. 10:20].
In this verse Isaiah begins to look beyond the immediate circumstances which concern the Assyrian to “that day.” As we have seen, “that day” is the day of the Lord, which begins with the Great Tribulation Period.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt [Isa. 10:24].
This is a word of comfort to Judah that she shall be spared from captivity by the Assyrians.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing [Isa. 10:27].
THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Again Isaiah moves beyond, “in that day.”
He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:
They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem [Isa. 10:28–32].
This is a remarkable section of prophecy. It gives certain geographical locations, all of them north of Jerusalem, and it shows the route taken by Assyria and of the future invader from the north, who I think will be Russia. The invader comes from the land of Magog (see Ezek. 38–39).
Now notice the places mentioned: “Aiath” is about fifteen miles north of Jerusalem. “Migron” is south of Aiath and is the pass where Jonathan got a victory over the Philistines (see 1 Sam. 14). I understand that General Allenby secured a victory over Turkey in the same place. “Geba” and “Ramah” are about six miles north of Jerusalem. “Anathoth” was about three miles north of Jerusalem. This is the home of the prophet Jeremiah. “Laish” is in the extreme north of Palestine, in the tribe of Dan. “Madmenah” (dunghill) is a garbage dump north of Jerusalem. “Gebim” is probably north of Jerusalem. The exact site is not known. “Nob” is the last place mentioned, and it is north of the city and in sight of Jerusalem.
This passage clearly charts the march of the enemy from the north, which brings a state of paralysis and defeat to Jerusalem.
Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled [Isa. 10:33].
God intervenes and delivers His people. I believe this is a reference to the second coming of Christ to establish His kingdom.
And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one [Isa. 10:34].
I believe the “mighty one” is Christ when He comes to the earth.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: The Person and power of the King; the purpose and program of the kingdom
Chapter 11 is a continuation of the prophecy begun in chapter 7 which will conclude with chapter 12. There is progress and development through this section of prophecies which were all given during the reign of Ahaz. In the preceding chapters we have seen a time of judgment, a time that the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation Period. Chapter 11 is one of the great messianic prophecies of Scripture. It speaks of the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom and the type of program He will have. In chapter 12 we will have the culmination of this section where we will see the worship of the Lord in the kingdom.
THE PERSON AND POWER OF THE KING
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots [Isa. 11:1].
It is interesting that it says “a rod of the stem of Jesse.” David is not mentioned; the one who is mentioned is David’s father. Of course that means He is in the line of David, but why does Isaiah go back to Jesse? Well, the royal line did begin with David. Jesse was a farmer, a sheepherder who lived in a little out-of-the-way place called Bethlehem. But by the time of Jesus, the line of David had sunk back to the level of a peasant. It no longer belonged to a prince raised in a palace, but it belonged to One raised in a carpenter shop. Isaiah, therefore, very carefully says that the rod comes “out of the stem of Jesse.”
Branch means “a live sprout.” This is the second time we have had a reference to the “Branch.” The first time it was mentioned was in Isaiah 4:2. There are eighteen words in the Hebrew language translated by our English word branch. This is one of the titles given to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 53 He is “a root out of a dry ground.” Delitzsch, the great Hebrew scholar, wrote, “In the historical fulfillment even the ring of the words of the prophecy is noted: the nehtzer (Branch) at first so humble, was a poor Nazarene” (see Matt. 2:23). Christ had a humble beginning, born yonder in Bethlehem, a city of David, but a city of Jesse also.
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord [Isa. 11:2].
This is the sevenfold spirit which rested upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The plentitude of power is the sevenfold spirit: (1) of the Lord; (2) of wisdom; (3) of understanding; (4) of counsel; (5) of might; (6) of knowledge; and (7) of the fear of the Lord. The number seven in Scripture does not necessarily mean perfection. The primary thought is fullness, completeness. John 3:34 tells us, “… for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” In Ephesians 5:18 we are admonished, “… be filled with the Spirit.” Some of us just have a few drops at the bottom, others are one-fourth filled, and some are half-filled. Very few Christians you meet are really filled with the Spirit. A little girl once prayed, “Lord, fill me with the Spirit. I can’t hold very much, but I can run over a whole lot”. Very few Christians are just brimming full, running over on all sides. The Lord Jesus was the exception to that.
1. “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.” The Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity went forth in the power of the Spirit. When He comes again, He is going to rule in the power of the Spirit.
2. “The spirit of wisdom.” He has been made unto us wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30). He is the only One who can lead and guide you and me through this life. We are no match for the world today. The Lord Jesus Christ could say, “… for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). Satan cannot find anything in Christ, but he can always find something in us. We need the Spirit of wisdom, and the Lord Jesus Christ is that Spirit of wisdom.
3. “And understanding,” which means spiritual discernment. It is distressing to find that so few Christians have any discernment at all. I am amazed the way some people will follow a certain man purely on a human basis. They like his looks, or the sound of his voice, and they never really comprehend what he is saying, or if what he is saying is true to the Word of God. Christians need the Spirit of understanding. That is one thing for which I have always prayed, and I seem to need it more today than ever before. We need to be aware of who is for the Lord and who isn’t.
Not long ago, while driving a car in another city, I was listening to the radio. A man who was preaching blessed my heart, but he went on to say that if he did not get support he would no longer be able to broadcast. I said to myself, “You would think the people in this city would have enough spiritual discernment to support him.” He is so much better than many who are being supported. I spoke to a pastor in that city about the man whom I had heard on the radio. He told me that he was a wonderful man, very humble, and a great Bible teacher, but he simply was not getting the support he needed. The Christians in that city need the spirit of understanding. My friend, have you ever prayed for the spirit of understanding? Ask God to give you the understanding that you lack.
4. “The spirit of counsel.” All of us need counsel. Did you ever notice that the Lord Jesus Christ never asked anyone for advice? He never asked for counsel; He gave it.
5. “Might”—that is, power. Oh, how we need power. Paul says, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection …” (Phil. 3:10, italics mine). We need that today.
6–7. “The spirit of knowledge” and “of the fear of the Lord.” I think these come through a study of the Word of God.
THE PURPOSE OF THE KINGDOM
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked [Isa. 11:3–4].
“The wicked” should be “the wicked one.” Satan will have his heyday on earth during the Great Tribulation. There will be no deliverance for the world at that time, humanly speaking. Even Israel will cry out, but help will not come from the north, the south, the east, or the west. Help will come from above. At that time the Messiah will come and establish His kingdom. The reason for the Lord Jesus coming to earth is quite evident: this earth needs a ruler. The world has not voted for Him, and it would not vote for Him, but God has voted for Him. And since this is God’s universe, God will establish Him on earth and He is going to judge—not after the sight of His eyes. There won’t be a lengthy court case, where, in the end, the criminal is turned loose. The whole thing is rather terrifying: there will be two judgments, one for believers and one for unbelievers. At the beginning of the Tribulation believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Then 1,007 years later there will be the Great White Throne judgment for the lost.
One day I am going to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that is phony in my life will be brought out in the open, and so I have been trying to get rid of that which is phony. I want things to be crystal-clear, because someday the Lord is going to turn a light on my life and everything will be exposed. What a light that is going to be. It is rather terrifying.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins [Isa. 11:5].
The thing that will gird the Lord’s reign will be righteousness and faithfulness. The purpose of the reign of Christ on this earth is to bring in a reign of righteousness and justice as well as to restore the dominion lost by Adam.
THE PARTICULARS OF THE KINGDOM
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox [Isa. 11:6–7].
During the time when the Lord reigns on earth the calf and the young lion will lie down together. The only way they can lie down together today is if the calf is inside the lion!
“The lion shall eat straw like the ox.” That seems ridiculous to us. Anybody knows that a lion does not eat straw. But a Bible teacher, who has a very sharp mind, once said, “I will tell you what I’ll do. If you can make a lion, I will make him eat straw.” The One who made the lion will be able to make him eat straw when the time comes.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea [Isa. 11:9].
This kingdom shall extend over the entire earth.
THE PROGRAM OF THE KINGDOM
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious [Isa. 11:10].
The key to this verse is the phrase “in that day.” “That day” begins with the Tribulation Period and extends on into the kingdom. The Gentiles shall have a part in the millennial kingdom.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea [Isa. 11:11].
God shall restore the nation Israel to the land. They were established the first time in the land when Moses led them out of Egypt, and Joshua brought them into the land.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth [Isa. 11:12].
What is the “ensign”? That ensign is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. It will not be some banner that will be lifted up, but He will be the rallying center for the meek of the earth in that day. That will be the day when the meek will inherit the earth. That is God’s plan. That is His program, and He will bring it to pass.
And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt [Isa. 11:16].
A great super highway will extend from Assyria to Egypt over the great land bridge of Palestine. Apparently the nations of the world shall come over this to Jerusalem to worship (see Zech. 14:16–18).
CHAPTER 12
Theme: The worship of the Lord in the Millennium; the kingdom age
We have been following a series of prophecies beginning with chapter 7 and concluding with chapter 12. The series began with the judgment of God upon His people. In Isaiah 11 we saw that the kingdom would be established on earth and that the Lord Jesus would reign personally.
Here in chapter 12 we reach a high note. The Tribulation is past, and the storms of life are all over. Now Israel has entered the kingdom, and we find them worshiping and singing praises to God. And we find Israel at the temple, not at the wailing wall. Israel is at the wailing wall today, which is one of the proofs that Israel’s return to the land at the present time does not fulfill prophecy.
This brief chapter reads like a psalm—for that is what it is. It is a jewel of beauty. Here is set before us the praise of a people under the direct and personal reign of Christ. It is pure praise from redeemed hearts to God because of His salvation and creation. The curse has been removed from the earth, which is an occasion for praise to God for His display of goodness in creation. You and I have not seen anything like this in nature because of the curse that rests upon it. Today nature has a sharp fang and a bloody claw. During the kingdom age that will change entirely.
PRAISE OF JEHOVAH FOR HIS SALVATION
And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me [Isa. 12:1].
Once again we have the expression “in that day,” which marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation Period and goes through the coming of the kingdom that Christ is going to establish upon the earth.
This verse expresses the thought that the night of sin is over and the day of salvation is come. Israel has gone through the terrible night of the Tribulation, and now the light has come. The Tribulation is over, and they enter the peace and joy of the kingdom. This is an occasion for praise! The thing that will characterize the kingdom age is pure joy.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation [Isa. 12:2].
Note that they will not say that God provided salvation but that He is salvation. Salvation is a Person, not a program, or a system, or a ritual, or a liturgy. Salvation is a Person, and that Person is the Lord Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are praising Him for His salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation [Isa. 12:3].
The “wells” speak of abundance. His salvation gives satisfaction and joy to the heart. During the kingdom period there will be a time of great joy, which is what the Lord wants for His own. He wants us to be happy now. Our salvation should cause us to rejoice and sing praises to the Lord. I do not think we are ever witnesses to Him until we have that joy.
PRAISE OF JEHOVAH FOR HIS CREATION
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted [Isa. 12:4].
“In that day,” of course, refers to the Millennium, the light part of the day. The “day of the Lord” opened with the night of sin. Our day begins with sunrise, but the day in the Old Testament began with sundown. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps. 30:5). The time of the Millennium is the morning of joy and the time of thanksgiving to God for salvation—but not only that it is to thank Him for the fact that He is the Creator. His mighty and expansive “doings” are to be declared among the people, and His name exalted. The “doings” of God include not only His work in creation, but everything He does.
“In that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord”—hallelujah is the word.
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth [Isa. 12:5].
God has done great things. When the six days of renovation and creation came to an end, God looked upon His work and said that it was good. When God says it is good, it is good! I think it would be well for us to thank Him for a perfect salvation and thank Him for creation, even though sin has marred it. In my backyard I notice that the gophers have been burrowing under the fence, and ants get into the house, but in spite of these annoyances there is the singing of the birds and the beauty of the flowers and trees. Even though the earth has been cursed with sin, it is still beautiful. Just think how beautiful it will be when the curse is removed. We will have an occasion to sing praises to God in that day as well as today.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee [Isa. 12:6].
This is one great throbbing and pulsating outburst of a redeemed soul who is giving to God all that a poor creature can—his hallelujah! We talk of our dedication to God, but we don’t even know what dedication means. In that glorious day Israel will know its meaning, and we will too.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Destruction in the Day of the Lord and in the immediate future
Chapter 13 brings us to an altogether different section. The tone changes immediately. Chapters 13–23 contain “burdens” imposed on nine surrounding nations. A burden is something that you bear, and these burdens are judgments of God upon these nine nations. You could substitute the word judgment for “burden” and it would be just as accurate. This is a remarkable passage of Scripture, because most of the prophetic judgments have already been fulfilled. They are now facts of history. Each of these nations had some contact with Israel, and most of them were contiguous to her borders or not very far away. Israel suffered at the hands of some of them—and is suffering today—and will suffer again in the future.
You will find some names in this chapter that are strangely familiar. Egypt is one of them. While some of these judgments will take place in the future, the chief characteristic of this section is that much has been fulfilled and stands today as an evidence of fulfilled prophecy. All of this adds singular interest and importance to these eleven chapters. In this section the Assyrian is no longer the oppressor; another set of nations headed by Babylon takes his place.
It was not pleasant to the prophet to deliver this type of message. This was not the way to win friends and influence people. But God’s prophets were not in a popularity contest.
Babylon is the subject of the first burden. It is suggestive of many things to the reverent student of Scripture. First of all, the literal city of Babylon is the primary consideration. This is indeed remarkable, as Babylon in Isaiah’s day was an insignificant place. It was not until a century later that Babylon became a world power. God pronounced judgment upon Babylon before it became a nation!
This section does not end with the “burdens” on nine surrounding nations but extends through six woes in chapters 28–33 and concludes with the calm and blessing after the storm in chapters 34 and 35. These last two chapters again give us a millennial picture.
In chapter 13 we will see the punishment of Babylon in the Day of the Lord. I believe this looks forward to the Great Tribulation Period for its final fulfillment.
PUNISHMENT OF BABYLON IN THE DAY OF THE LORD
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see [Isa. 13:1].
The literal city of Babylon in history is in view in this chapter and also in chapter 14. It became one of the great cities of the ancient world. In fact, it became the first great world power and is so recognized in Daniel’s prophecy. Nebuchadnezzar was the “head of gold” of Babylon. He was the king of the first great world power.
The city of Babylon will be rebuilt in the future. Babylon is the symbol of united rebellion against God, which began at the Tower of Babel and will end in Revelation 17 and 18 where we will see religious Babylon and political Babylon ruling the world. During the Great Tribulation Period Babylon will go down by a great judgment from God. This possibly is the first mention of it in Scripture.
I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness [Isa. 13:3].
In this verse the word sanctified means “set apart for a specific use by some agency.” God says, “I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger.” God has “sanctified” or raised up Babylon for a specific purpose. He did the same thing with Assyria. In Isaiah 10:5 God said through the prophet Isaiah, “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.” God used Assyria to punish His people, and then He judged Assyria. This is what He is going to do with Babylon. Anything can be sanctified if it is set apart for God. Assyria and Babylon were set aside to punish Israel. They were instruments in His hands for a specific purpose.
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle [Isa. 13:4].
This verse explains what we mean by“sanctified ones.” Babylon will come against the southern kingdom of Judah (as Assyria did against the ten northern tribes of Israel) and take it into captivity.
They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land [Isa. 13:5].
The Babylonians will be the “weapons of his indignation.”
Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty [Isa. 13:6].
This prophecy looks beyond anything that now is in history and projects into the Great Tribulation.
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt.
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it [Isa. 13:7–9].
During the Great Tribulation God will again use the power (called Babylon here) to judge these people, just as He did in the past. The Tribulation is spoken of as a time of travail, with men in travail. The Day of the Lord opens with this time of travail.
Now this identifies it as the Great Tribulation:
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine [Isa. 13:10].
This is prophesied again by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Revelation 8:12 tells us, “And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.”
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible [Isa. 13:11].
“I will punish the world for their evil”—We are living in a world today that is moving toward judgment.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir [Isa. 13:12].
When Christ died for you and me on the cross, that added value to us.
Verses 13–16 go on to tell us that the Tribulation will be a time of worldwide destruction when no “flesh would survive” except for the fact that God will preserve a remnant for Himself.
DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON IN THE DAY OF MAN
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it [Isa. 13:17].
Who are the Medes? Media and Persia became a dual nation and a mighty empire that conquered Babylon. Isaiah is speaking of that which was going to take place in the immediate future. He identifies those who will destroy Babylon:“ the Medes.”
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah [Isa. 13:19].
This prophecy has been fulfilled. Babylon was the greatest kingdom that has ever existed upon this earth. The Macedonian empire was great; the Egyptian Empire was great, as was the Roman Empire. At one time Great Britain could have been named a great nation, but I don’t think anything can compare to the glory of Babylon. God’s Word calls it “the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency,” and that excellency God overthrew as He did Sodom and Gomorrah. All you have to do is to look at the ruins of ancient Babylon to recognize that that has happened.
It was a great city that was never rebuilt. Other great cities have been rebuilt. This is especially true of Jerusalem. Rome was destroyed and rebuilt. Cities in Germany were bombed out—absolutely obliterated—and were rebuilt. Frankfurt, Germany, was leveled, and it arose out of the ashes a great city. But Babylon did not arise. God said that it would never again be inhabited. It is true that Babylon will be rebuilt in the future, but not on the ancient site of Babylon. It will be built in a different place.
Babylon represents confusion, and the future Babylon will be a great commercial center, a great religious center, a great political center, a power center, and the educational center of the world again.
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there [Isa. 13:20].
How can Babylon be destroyed and yet appear in the last days as a literal city again? Already the site of the ancient Babylon is seven to nine miles from the Euphrates River. The river ran in a canal right through the ancient city of Babylon. The ancient site will never be rebuilt, but Babylon will be rebuilt on another site. The ruins of ancient Babylon stand as a monument to the accuracy of fulfilled prophecy.
Several archaeologists of the past who have excavated Babylon say that they were never able to get the Arabians to stay in the camp beside the ruins. The Arabians would always go outside the area and stay. They were superstitious. It is interesting that God said they would not pitch their tents in Babylon.
But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged [Isa. 13:21–22].
“Wild beasts of the desert shall lie there.” Lions have been found making their homes amid the ruins.
“Satyrs shall dance there.” Satyrs are demons. Satyrs shall dance in Babylon. If you want to go to the dance of the demons, Babylon is the place to go. I hear of folk here in Southern California who worship Satan. One young fellow who claims to belong to a church that worships Satan came to me after a meeting and attacked me in a very vitriolic manner. He insisted that demons are real, and he worshiped them. I agreed that demons are real, but I cautioned him about worshiping them. Then I asked him if He had ever danced with the demons. He looked at me with amazement and said, “No!” So I told him where their dance hall is. I told him that demons dance in the ruins of Babylon. I said to him facetiously, “Why don’t you go over there? Brother, if you are going to go halfway, go all the way.” Babylon was the headquarters for idolatry in the ancient world. Apparently demons have this spot as a rallying place.
The future Babylon will become a great center on earth. The Man of Sin, the willful king, called the Antichrist, will reign in that place. It will be destroyed just as the ancient Babylon was destroyed. Babylon is a memorial to the fact of the accuracy of fulfilled prophecy and a testimony to the fact that God will also judge the future Babylon.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: The millennial kingdom established after the final destruction of Babylon; the origin of evil and its judgment; and the burden of Palestine
This chapter is a continuation of the burden of Babylon begun in chapter 13. The burden of Babylon is actually a judgment on Babylon. Babylon was the first of several nations upon which the judgment of God was to fall. All of the nations to be judged had something to do with Israel—either by physical proximity or political involvement. Great issues are at stake in chapter 14. The origin of evil and its judgment and final removal from this earth is the theme of this section.
Local situations and nations are the expression of these worldwide themes and eternal issues. This chapter looks at nations and the problems of life through the telescope rather than placing them under the microscope for inspection.
This chapter opens on a joyful note because of the final judgment of Babylon. The millennial kingdom is established with all fears and dangers removed. No enemy of God is abroad. The judgment here and elsewhere in this Book of Isaiah is explained. We will see here God’s plan and purpose for the earth.
This chapter is a mixture of light and darkness. The chapter changes from the ecstasy of the kingdom to the punishment of hell. Satan and the problem of evil are brought before us. There is an extended section on the final destruction of Babylon. This chapter of great subjects and strong contrasts closes with the insertion of the burden of Palestine, which was probably brought about by the sudden demise of King Ahaz (see 2 Kings 16:19–20).
THE FUTURE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL AND THE PEACE OF THE KINGDOM
For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob [Isa. 14:1].
This verse reaches down to the end times. God has said again and again that the nation Israel will be restored to her land. Now I do not think you see the fulfillment of the prophecies there today. When God restores them to the land, Israel will not have any problems with other nations. They won’t need to turn to Russia, or the United States, or to the United Nations for help. The Lord Jesus will reign there.
There are many people who say they believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, but they will turn right around and say that this passage is not literal. When you deny its reality and the fact that it is literal, you deny the inspiration of Scripture. “For the Lord Will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel”—He has said that too many times for anyone to say, “I didn’t quite get it.” Or, “It means something else.”
And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids:and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors [Isa. 14:2].
My friend, this has not yet been fulfilled. “The people” in this verse are Gentiles. The Gentiles are going to return them to Palestine. But the Gentiles up to this point have actually hindered them. Even Great Britain, when they had a mandate in the land, would not let the Jews return after World War II. But the Jews went in anyway, because they had to go somewhere. How the multitudes went to that land is a real saga of suffering. As I write, Russia is hindering the Jews from returning to Palestine. Other nations are not concerned for them either. Now the Jews throughout the world are interested in helping their brethren return to the land, but Gentiles are not helping them. I take it, therefore, that we are not seeing the fulfillment of Scripture.
And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve [Isa. 14:3].
The Jews have sorrow in that land today, and they are in fear. I walked through the streets of Jerusalem and through the streets of some other cities in Palestine some time ago, and there were soldiers everywhere. Why? The nation is fearful. Even if things were settled, they would still be in fear. There is no rest from sorrow for them.
That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! [Isa. 14:4].
I think “Babylon,” in this passage, represents the great enemy in the last days who will be headquartered in Babylon. It represents all the enemies of Israel. Babylon was an inveterate hater of this nation.
The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth [Isa. 14:5–6].
These verses speak of the final judgment at the end of the Great Tribulation Period. Judgment has to take place. This earth must be judged. There is too much injustice here. Someone is going to have to handle the judgment, and I thank the Lord that it won’t be me. I am thankful that we don’t have to look to men in these matters. The Lord Jesus will do the judging.
The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us [Isa. 14:7–8].
What is described in this passage has not yet taken place. After the war of Armageddon and the coming of Christ, rest and peace come to the earth. Instead of sorrow there is singing. Weeping is only for the night. The morn of joy has come.
THE FINAL RULER OF THE WORLD CAST INTO SHEOL
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations [Isa. 14:9].
“Hell,” in this verse, is Sheol. It can mean the grave or the place of torment. Evidently the latter meaning is in view here.
All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee [Isa. 14:10–11].
All the pomp and glory of man is removed.
THE ORIGIN OF SATAN AND EVIL
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! [Isa. 14:12].
“Lucifer” is none other than Satan. Lucifer, according to Ezekiel 28, is the highest creature that God ever created. But he was a Judas Iscariot—he turned on God. He set his will over God’s will. In Luke 10:18 the Lord Jesus says, “… I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” In 1 John 3:8 we are told, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Then in Revelation 12:7–9 we are told, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” This is a picture of this creature Lucifer at the very beginning.
What was the sin of this creature created higher than any other? Well, what is sin in its final analysis? I’m not speaking philosophically, but theologically—what is sin?
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High [Isa. 14:13–14].
These are the five “I wills” of Lucifer. He was setting his will over against the will of God. This is sin in embryo. This is the evolution of evil. There is no evolution of man, but there is an evolution of sin. It began by a creature setting his will against the will of God. As a free moral agent, the creature must be allowed to do this. It is nonsense to talk about a creature who has a free moral will, who can do anything he wants to, but is restricted in his movements in a certain area. Lucifer had a free will.
This is man’s original sin: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). Murder is sin, not just because God says it is, but because it is contrary to the will and character of God. Anything that is contrary to the character and will of God is sin, regardless of what it is. I think that some people can even displease God by going to church.
Imagine little bitty puffed-up creature man, who says to God, “I won’t do what You want me to do. I am going to do it my way.” That is exactly what man is saying today. Well, friend, you are not going to do things your way, because God’s will is going to prevail in the final analysis. Therefore, the prayer of all God’s people should be, “… Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Anything contrary to His will is sin, regardless of what it is.
The sin of Satan was overweening pride. He did not go out and get drunk, and he didn’t steal anything. He went against God’s will. He was created as an angel of light; he was the “son of the morning,” a perfect being. He was given a free moral will—he could choose what he wanted. But he was lifted up—so lifted up by pride that he set his will against the will of God. It wasn’t the purpose of Satan to be different from God; he wanted to be like God. In other words, he wanted to be God. He put his will above the will of God, and any creature who does that puts himself in the place of God.
There are many men like Lucifer today. They put their wills above the will of God and take His place. That is what sin is all about in the human family. There are only two ways: God’s way and man’s way. That is what the Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). My friend, you live in God’s universe today. You breathe His air and enjoy His sunshine. He never sends you a bill for either one or for the life He furnishes. You are His creature. You owe Him a great deal. You are to obey Him.
In his natural state, man is unable to obey God; that is why we have to come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ as lost sinners. Then we are given a new nature. That is what it means to be born again.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? [Isa. 14:15–17].
God is yet going to judge Satan, and that judgment will be severe. Satan is finally going to be cast into the lake of fire which was prepared for him.
God is working out a great plan and purpose that is far beyond the thinking of anyone here on this earth. It is not for you and me to question it. Rather, we need to trust Him, because He is prepared to extend to us mercy, grace, and love.
THE FUTURE REBELLION OF BABYLON
All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house [Isa. 14:18].
Babylon was controlled by Satan. You remember that Satan offered to the Lord Jesus the kingdoms of this world (see Luke 4:5–7). Babylon belonged to him. Back of Babylon and all the kingdoms of this world is Satan. In the future, Babylon will evidently become the rallying point for all the nations which are against God.
For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord.
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts [Isa. 14:22–23].
If you have ever seen pictures of the ruins of Babylon, you realize how literally these verses have been fulfilled. In the future, Babylon will be rebuilt (though at a different site). It will once again be a place of world rulership, and it will be a Tower of Babel lifted against God. And again God will come down to judge, and that will be the final judgment. The reason that these great truths have been given to us is so that we will know what is coming in the future.
The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders [Isa. 14:24–25].
“The Assyrian” represents the king that is coming from the north.
Verses 19–27 give a detailed account of the coming judgment of Babylon and all that it represents. It has been only partially fulfilled in the past, but it has been fulfilled quite literally.
THE FIERCE REPUDIATION OF PALESTINE
In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden [Isa. 14:28].
There is inserted at this point the burden of Palestine which was precipitated by the death of Ahaz. Ahaz had reigned for sixteen years and had been an evil king. The people felt he would be followed by an evil king, but they were delighted to be rid of him. There was a bare possibility that a good king might follow him—and they did get one, by the way.
Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent [Isa. 14:29].
Two more good kings ruled after Ahaz, but the worst kings are yet to come. The people are to understand that just the rule of man will not bring about an improvement in the world. In this country we seem to feel that if we change presidents or parties there is going to be an improvement. We have done that, and there has been no improvement. God tells Palestine not to rejoice just because Ahaz is dead. Things are not going to get any better at all.
Before the kingdom blessings prevail, there will be a severe judgment of God upon that land. It will be more severe than that of the surrounding nations, because this nation had light, and light creates responsibility. Isaiah is looking into the future when there will be the Great Tribulation Period and the Antichrist’s rule.
There are those who do not feel that the burden mentioned here is much of a burden, but it is called a burden, and it is about Palestina. The name Palestina is quite interesting. It refers to those who gave that name to the land, the Philistines. They had come up the coast out of Egypt, and they slipped into the land. They were there when Israel arrived. Apparently the Philistines had not been in the land during the days of Abraham, because the Canaanites were then in the land. But when the children of Israel returned four hundred years later, the Philistines had come into the land. In the Books of Zephaniah and Zechariah are specific prophecies against Ashdod and Ashkelon, two Philistine cities. They were to be destroyed, and it was literally fulfilled. Verses 30–32 describe the judgment in detail, and it is fierce!
CHAPTERS 15–16
Theme: The Burden of Moab
This brief chapter records the third burden, the burden of Moab. Chapters 15 and 16 deal with Moab. This seems strange in light of the fact that there were only two chapters that dealt with Babylon, and Babylon was the first great world power. Compared to Babylon, Moab may seem to us like it was very small potatoes. But in Isaiah’s day—in fact, as early as the time of David—this land was very important, and it was a great kingdom.
Moab was the nation which came from Lot through the incestuous relationship with his elder daughter. Moab, the illegitimate son of this sordid affair, was the father of the Moabites. These people became the inveterate and persistent enemies of the nation of Israel. Balak, their king, hired Balaam, the prophet, to curse Israel, for he feared them when they passed through the land of Moab.
The lovely story told in the Book of Ruth concerns a maid of Moab. This maiden of Moab was a very wonderful person. I am in love with Ruth and have been for a long time—not only the Book of Ruth, but also with my wife whose name is Ruth. David was part Moabite, for his father Jesse was a descendant of Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth. David had relatives in Moab, and he took his father and mother there when Saul was pursuing him.
Today the nation of Moab has disappeared, but who are the modern Moabites? I feel that Moab is representative of those who make a profession of being children of God but actually have no vital relationship with Him (see Heb. 12:8). Like Felix and Festus, the Moabites were “almost persuaded.” They were not very far from the kingdom, but they never quite made it. They were neighbors of God’s people but never became followers of God.
The modern “Moabite” is easily discovered. He is in our churches today. He parades as a Christian. He is the one Paul describes in 2 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. from such turn away.” Jude 16 also describes him: “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.” The modern Moabites are ungodly. They pretend to be godly, but they are not. They flatter you with great swelling words when they think they can get something from you, but drop you the minute they find that they cannot get anything from you.
Moab was a dangerous friend to have. It was never a trusted ally of Israel.
THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION OF MOAB
The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence [Isa. 15:1].
“In the night”—the burden of Moab came suddenly. This expression is repeated twice to emphasize the suddenness of the storm which struck the nation. The storm came at night, and their night of weeping never ended. Assyria destroyed this nation in a way that is unbelievable and almost unspeakable. They seemed to wipe Moab off the face of the earth.
“Kir” is Kerak on a mountain peak about ten miles from the southeast corner of the Dead Sea.
He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off [Isa. 15:2].
There are several places mentioned in this verse with which I do not think we are acquainted. “Bajith” means house and apparently refers to the temple of Chemosh which was in that land. “Dibon” was a town on the east side of Jordan where the Moabite stone was found. “Nebo” is the mountain from which Moses saw the Promised Land. “Medeba” was a city that belonged to Reuben (see Josh. 13:16).
All of these cities and places belonged to Moab during Isaiah’s day. They were going to be destroyed because, although the Moabites professed to know God, they spent their time in heathen temples dedicated to pagan gods, saying that they were worshiping the living and true God.
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly [Isa. 15:3].
When I was in Amman, Jordan, I had a very funny feeling. It is a weird sort of place. It is a very poor land now, but in Isaiah’s day it was a rich country. I felt as if the judgment of God was still on that place.
THE SYMPATHY OF THE PROPHET FOR ZOAR
The judgment upon Moab was so serious that even Isaiah was moved:
My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction [Isa. 15:5].
Although Moab was the enemy of Israel, Isaiah’s heart goes out to them in sympathy because of the terror that has come upon them. This reveals the heart of God. In spite of people’s sin today, God still loves them and will extend His mercy to them if they will but turn to Him.
The rest of the chapter gives a detailed description of the further ravaging of the land of Moab. It has been literally fulfilled.
THE FINAL OVERTURE OF MERCY OFFERED TO MOAB
Chapter 16 opens with a last call to Moab to avail herself of the mercy of God which He has provided for her.
Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion [Isa. 16:1].
A lamb was to be sent from Moab to Israel for an offering on the altar there. The lamb was the animal of sacrifice which best depicts Christ, “… the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). If they sent a lamb, Moab would signify that they recognized the God of Israel. They did not send a lamb. The Moabites wanted to be religious without acknowledging the fact that they were subject to a higher will and were sinners in the sight of God. This was their great sin.
For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon [Isa. 16:2].
I crossed that little river of Arnon. It is not much of a river, and it certainly could not separate the Moabites from the Assyrians. They were taken there.
And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness [Isa. 16:5].
In Acts 15:16 James mentions that the “tabernacle of David” is “fallen down,” but that after God has called out the Gentiles to form the church, He will turn again and rebuild the tabernacle of David. This is what Isaiah is talking about here.
THE FIERCE PRIDE OF MOAB
We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so [Isa. 16:6].
The reason that God had to reject and judge Moab was that their pride had led them to reject God’s proffered offer of mercy. God would have delivered them, but instead they trusted in their own righteousness.
THE FULFILLMENT OF JUDGMENT WITHIN THREE YEARS
This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.
But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble [Isa. 16:13–14].
When God deals with the nations that have to do with Israel, He uses a calendar. He never uses a calendar with the church. Within three years the Moabites were to be destroyed, and within three years God used Assyria to destroy this nation. It was the judgment of God upon them because of their pride.
Lucifer, the son of the morning, was also lifted up with pride. He wanted to lift his throne above the throne of God. He wanted to establish his own self-contained kingdom and be independent of God. Basically, this is the position of all liberal theology. Pride is the thing that causes people to reject God’s Word and His revelation. Most people want a do-it-yourself religion. They want to do something to be saved, because it ministers to their pride. Many accuse church members of being hypocritical, selfish, and some actually anti-God. All this rests basically on the pride of the human heart: “we have turned every one to his own way” (Isa. 53:6).
Judgment came upon Moab. This out-of-the-way nation, entirely forgotten today, has had a message for us.
CHAPTERS 17–18
Theme: The burden of Damascus and Ephraim; the burden of the land beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
THE BURDEN OF DAMASCUS AND EPHRAIM
Damascus was the leading city of Syria, and it still is that today. Many have called it the oldest living city in the world. There are, of course, several places that make the same claim. In Greece, the city of Mycenae claims to be the oldest, but there is not much there today except a very good Greek restaurant! By the Jordan there is a sign giving the kilometers to “Jericho, The World’s Oldest City.” I guess about every country in the world claims to have the oldest city. I have been waiting for my native state of Texas to make the same claim—I am sure they will dig it up some day. However, Damascus does have a good claim to it. It was Vitringa who wrote, “Damascus has been destroyed oftener than any other town … it rises again from ashes.” But “Damascus” in this chapter refers to the entire nation of Syria.
Ephraim is the name of a tribe of Israel, it is the name of a city, it is the name of a mountain, and it is the name of a man. Ephraim is often used in Scripture to refer to the ten northern tribes of Israel. The prophets used it in that way: “For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer …. Ephraim is joined to idols …” (Hos. 4:16–17).
Therefore, we have here in chapter 17 the burden of Damascus and Ephraim, or in other words, the burden of the nations of Syria and Israel. Because of the confederacy between Syria and Israel (often for the purpose of coming against Judah), Israel is linked with the judgments pronounced on Syria. Partners in crime means partners in judgment.
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap [Isa. 17:1].
“It shall be a ruinous heap”—there will be those quick to point out that this has not been fulfilled, inasmuch as the present-day city of Damascus claims to be the same as the original city. As I have said before, there is a far-off fulfillment of all these prophecies and a local or contemporary fulfillment also. There are two possible explanations for the problem presented by this prophecy:
1. Historians are not always accurate in their identification of such things as the locations of ancient cities. One man wrote a profound history not long ago and then made the statement that the biggest liars in the world have been historians. In the area of present-day Damascus there happen to be many ruins of a city, and any one of these ruins could be the original Damascus. Damascus is like a great many of the ancient cities in that when it was destroyed in one place, they did not always rebuild on the same site, but shifted it somewhat to another location. (Other cities, such as the sacred city of Jerusalem, were rebuilt on exactly the same site because of the significance of the location to the people.) We will just leave this problem to the archaeologist who hasn’t come up with the answer yet as to which of the ruins is old Damascus.
2. Damascus has withstood the ravages of war throughout history and has never ceased being a city, although it has shifted locations. It probably is the oldest city in the world. It thus far has survived every catastrophe that has come upon the earth, particularly in a land that has seen army after army march through it. But it will not survive during the Great Tribulation Period. It will be destroyed; and, as Isaiah says here, it will cease being a city. It will become a ruinous heap.
Both of these explanations show the accuracy of the prophecy that Isaiah gives here.
The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid [Isa. 17:2].
“The cities of Aroer” is a suburban area near Damascus. This entire area would be destroyed. This probably has happened in the past, and it will happen again.
The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts [Isa. 17:3].
The northern kingdom of Israel must bear her share of the burden or judgment of Damascus because of the alliance they have. Both were besieged by Tiglath-pileser, as recorded in 2 Kings 15:29, and were finally deported by the Assyrian, Shalmaneser, as recorded in 2 Kings 17:6. This certainly was a partial fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy; and, as far as many are concerned, it is the total fulfillment. But I feel that all of this is looking even to a future day. Certainly this has been fulfilled partially at least, but oftentimes in the Word of God we find that God is letting us know by giving an earlier partial fulfillment, that a prophecy will be completely fulfilled.
In the remainder of this chapter we find that the judgment is going to be carried out. I will not go into much detail here.
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips [Isa. 17:10].
Isaiah is talking to the northern kingdom of Israel, and what he says has been literally fulfilled. It has its spiritual application also, as all of this does. The land of Israel in our day has been planted with pleasant plants and slips. I had the privilege personally of setting out five trees in Israel. The forests of the cedars of Lebanon have almost been removed, but there are many trees in that land. The Mount of Olives was covered with trees, but while the Turks controlled Palestine, practically all the land was denuded of its greenery. After World War I England began a movement to plant trees in that land, and the present government of Israel has continued this policy, so that literally millions of trees have been set out.
THE BURDEN OF THE LAND BEYOND THE RIVERS OF ETHIOPIA
Chapter 18 deals with the fifth burden, that of the land “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.” The exact nation that Isaiah had in mind has not been clearly established, so there have been many interpretations. Some have thought that he is talking about Egypt, but the description does not fit that country. Also, Egypt is the subject of the next chapter, where we see that God is not through with that kingdom. Prophecy literally has been fulfilled concerning her. Those who say that chapter 18 is referring to England and the United States weary me with that interpretation. I feel like yawning, as that is certainly not sound interpretation of the Word of God!
I believe that Ethiopia best suits the text and tenor of Scripture. But which Ethiopia is intended? There are two mentioned in Scripture. The word for Ethiopia is Cush. There is one in Asia (see Gen. 2:13), and there is one in Africa. I believe we are talking about the Ethiopia that is in Africa. It is the land “beyond the rivers,” and the rivers of Ethiopia are the Nile River.
Now God calls the world’s attention to Ethiopia:
Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia [Isa. 18:1].
“Woe” is an unfortunate translation. Actually, it is the same word that is translated as “ah” in Isaiah 1:4, where it is a sigh, or as “ho” in Isaiah 55, where it is a form of address that demands attention. Here God is saying, “Ho, to the land—Hear Me, listen to this!”
“Shadowing with wings” might better be translated “rustling with wings.” This is quite interesting. A missionary to the land for quite some years told me that Ethiopia is noted for its birds. It is called “the land of wings.” This helps to confirm that the land in question here is Ethiopia.
That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! [Isa. 18:2].
Some have held this sea power to be England or the United States, but “vessels of bulrushes” would not characterize the boats of any modern nation! Dr. F. C. Jennings, in his profound work on Isaiah, makes a good case for the steamboat, but since modern ships use oil, this seems to have no place in our day.
“A nation scattered and peeled” is Israel. This is patently evident, and most of the sound students of the Word of God concur in this.
All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye [Isa. 18:3].
Many students of the Word consider the “ensign” mentioned here to be the ark of the tabernacle, which was later transferred to the temple. It disappeared at the time of the Babylonian captivity, and there is a tradition which says it was carried to Ethiopia. I have been told that there is a church in that land that claims to have the ark. I don’t know if that is true or not, but an ensign will come out of that land.
In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion [Isa. 18:7].
This is evidently a reference to the time when the kingdom of Christ will be established on this earth and the Ethiopians will come again to Jerusalem to worship. There is no judgment spoken against them. In Psalm 87:4, evidently in reply to what he is doing in Jerusalem, the Ethiopian answers that he was born there. God has wonderful things to say about Ethiopia!
CHAPTERS 19–20
Theme: The burden of Egypt—through gloom to glory
Chapters 13–23 present eleven judgments against nations that surrounded the nation Israel. The burden of Egypt is the sixth burden. Egypt is certainly one nation we would expect to find on this list. This is one of the greatest passages that illustrate the accuracy of the Word of God. Certainly fulfilled prophecy is proof that the Bible is the Word of God. No nation figures more prominently on the pages of Scripture than Egypt in its relationship to Israel. Egypt has a longer history than any nation mentioned in Scripture, including Israel. In fact, it was down in the land of Egypt that the nation Israel was born. Seventy souls from the family of Jacob journeyed there, and four hundred years later they left Egypt with at least a million and a half people. Egypt was an old nation at that time. It has had a continuous history right down to the present day. It is in existence today and plays a prominent part in world events. And it has a glorious future predicted in this chapter. This chapter contains all the elements which enter into the history of the nation—its past, present, and future.
Egypt came into prominence early in Scripture when Abraham ran away to Egypt and got into difficulties. Later Joseph was sold into Egypt, and during a famine Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt with their families. There Israel became a great nation as slaves in the brickyards. Later on, after the children of Israel returned to the Promised Land, two of their kings, Ahaz and Hezekiah, made an alliance with Egypt and found her an unreliable ally.
During the intertestamental period, between Malachi and Matthew, Israel suffered grievously at the hand of Egypt. When the Lord Jesus Christ was born, He was taken down into Egypt. The gospel made many converts in Egypt during the first three centuries of the Christian era. Out of that section of North Africa came three great saints of the church—Athanasius, Origen, and Augustine—and others also. In our day, Egypt has been a thorn in the side of the new nation of Israel.
FULFILLED PROPHECY CONCERNING EGYPT
The burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it [Isa. 19:1].
The idolatry of Egypt is the chief target of God’s condemnation. We will pick up this theme again when we get to the Book of Ezekiel where God says that every idol would disappear from Egypt. Perhaps no people were ever given over to idolatry more than the Egyptians, with the possible exception of Babylonia, which was the fountainhead of idolatry. What Paul said in Romans 1:21–23 fits Egypt like a glove: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.”
History bears testimony to the fact that Egypt was originally monotheistic, that is, they worshiped one God; but they gradually lapsed into the basest sort of idolatry where every creature under heaven was worshiped, including the bull, the frog, the scarab (a bug), the fish, and all sorts of birds. When Moses was ready to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt, God had to carry on warfare, which I call the battle of the gods, in which God through Moses brought down plagues upon Egypt. Jehovah struck at all forms of idolatry in Egypt—from the sun in the heavens and the River Nile to frogs and lice in the land. Each plague was directed against one of the gods or idols of Egypt.
Now God comes down again in a cloud like a chariot to destroy the idols of Egypt. It is interesting to know that idolatry has long since disappeared from the land, though the people dwell in the ignorance and superstition of the Moslem religion. I have visited Egypt twice, and there is no darkness like the darkness in the land of Egypt. Isaiah’s prophecy has been fulfilled.
And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom [Isa. 19:2].
At about the time of Isaiah several pharaohs arose who could no longer control this great kingdom, and the army no longer obeyed them. The people no longer respected the government. This caused the setting up of weak city-states that were self-governing for a period of time. For this reason there were great cities such as Thebes and Karnak in Upper Egypt, and in Lower Egypt there was another cluster of great cities. There was a break-up of cities also at Memphis, known in Scripture as Noph.
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits and to the wizards [Isa. 19:3].
The proud nation of Egypt had advanced its civilization much further than other nations. There is not a nation under the sun today that does not owe a great deal to the civilization of Egypt. There came a time when Egypt turned to idols and finally in desperation resorted to spiritism. You find that at the time of Moses, for instance, the magicians who were called in could actually duplicate some of the miracles that Moses did. The time came when they could no longer duplicate what Moses did, but what they did at first reveals the fact that they were not fakers; they actually had satanic powers.
“The spirit of Egypt shall fail.” The time came when the nation was brought down to a low level.
And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts [Isa. 19:4].
This “cruel lord” cannot be positively identified from history, as Egypt was attacked and subdued by a series of invaders who eventually reduced the nation to poverty.
And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up [Isa. 19:5].
The “sea” in this verse refers to the River Nile which was the main artery of the nation and a large body of water. “The rivers” are the canals that were built especially at the mouth of the river. That delta area had to be kept open in that day because so much soil was being brought down by the River Nile.
And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither [Isa. 19:6].
It is quite interesting that even today those “brooks,” those outlets to the sea there at the delta, are filled up. It had been a wonderful place like the Garden of Eden, but it is not that now by any means. Those who have traveled to the land of Egypt are amazed to see that there is no great growth of vegetation along the banks of the Nile. There is no forest or heavy foliage such as is common along other great rivers.
Now notice what God says specifically:
The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more [Isa. 19:7].
The “paper reeds” are the papyri which were used in that day as paper is used today. It was one of the main industries of Egypt, and it added a great deal to the wealth of Egypt. After clay tablets, papyrus became the writing material of man. The Phoenicians introduced papyrus all over the civilized world of their day, and the main source of this writing material was raised along the Nile River. You won’t find it there today. It no longer grows along the banks where it was indigenous. If you go there today, you will find papyri in front of the museum beside the pool that is there, and you see it growing at some of the wealthy homes, especially in the British colony at Cairo. It is a luxury plant; it is no longer the common plant which grew plentifully along the River Nile. God said it would cease. You can try to find a natural explanation for its dying out, but I believe that God had something to do with it.
The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish [Isa. 19:8].
Fishing was another great industry in Egypt, as the Nile River abounded in fish. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they missed the fish they had eaten in Egypt. Of course, there were no fish in the desert. God gave them flesh to eat when He sent them quail; but, very frankly, they didn’t care too much for quail on toast. They much preferred the fish in Egypt. The fish have disappeared, and to this day fishing is not one of the industries along the Nile. This prophecy was literally fulfilled. When I was in Egypt, I particularly watched for people fishing in the Nile. I don’t think I saw over two or three people fishing! In Florida you see hundreds of people fishing along the canals, but you don’t see fishing like that in Egypt. God said that the fishermen would mourn and lament—because they wouldn’t catch anything.
Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded [Isa. 19:9].
Egypt raised flax, and they wove it into remarkable linen. It even excelled the linen made in Ireland in our day. I have been told that while the Irish linen mills get about 180,000 feet of strands per pound, the Egyptian mills got 300,000—almost twice the amount. It was very much like silk. It is said that a fisherman could take a net made of that fine twined byssus linen and pull it through the ring on his hand! It was this Egyptian linen that was used in Israel’s wilderness tabernacle. The people had brought that wonderful linen with them.
Now God said that that industry would disappear, and it certainly has disappeared. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled.
And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish [Isa. 19:10].
The entire fishing industry was to disappear. This has been fulfilled literally. Dr. F. C. Jennings writes, “Egypt’s wealth, as already said, practically consists in her river, because of its volume here called a sea.” All of that has disappeared.
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? [Isa. 19:11].
The royal line of the pharaohs intermarried so much—actually brother married sister—that it produced offspring who were morons. God said:
The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof [Isa. 19:13].
“Noph” is Memphis as we know it.
“They have also seduced Egypt.” We all know the sordid story of Cleopatra (a Greek) who became queen of Egypt.
The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit [Isa. 19:14].
This is a vivid picture of the reduction of Egypt to a base kingdom.
Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do [Isa. 19:15].
According to this verse there would be the failure of industry and commerce. They would die, and poverty and wretchedness would overtake the nation. Isaiah has predicted that there will be failure of false religion, failure of material resources, and failure of spiritual power. When these disappeared, the prophecy that Egypt would become a base kingdom was fulfilled. All you have to do is to go to Cairo today to have this confirmed.
UNFULFILLED PROPHECY
In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it [Isa. 19:16].
The phrase, “In that day,” places this section in the future. “In that day” Egypt will be afraid like women; that will be their condition when they go into the Great Tribulation Period.
And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined against it [Isa. 19:17].
You may be thinking that this verse is being fulfilled in our day when we see buildings in Egypt, like the museum in Cairo, sandbagged and protected against a bomb attack.
In that day five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction [Isa. 19:18].
This entire section looks toward the Day of the Lord for a complete fulfillment.
In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord.
And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them [Isa. 19:19–20].
“An altar to the Lord” has been interpreted by some of the cults as the pyramid. The pyramid is neither an altar nor a pillar, but a monstrous mausoleum for the burying of kings and queens. What will be “a sign”? What will be an ensign? The cross will yet be the place to which Egypt will look instead of to a crescent.
And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it.
And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them [Isa. 19:21–22].
Egypt has a glorious future. The nation will enter and enjoy the kingdom with Israel. It may not look like this could be possible in the present hour. Only God can do this.
In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians [Isa. 19:23].
This freeway will not be for soldiers and armies but for those going to Jerusalem to serve Christ the King.
In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land [Isa. 19:24].
Note the exalted position of Egypt in the Kingdom.
Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance [Isa. 19:25].
A blessing is yet to come to Egypt, a despised and debased nation.
The one great thought in chapter 20 is that in three years Israel would be invaded. Chapter 19 closed on the high note of future blessing for Egypt in the millennial kingdom, and this chapter predicts coming events in the near future, which will prove the reliability of Isaiah as a prophet of God.
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it [Isa. 20:1].
Tartan was a general in the Assyrian army, mentioned in 2 Kings 18:17. Ashdod was a city in the northern kingdom of ten tribes. Sargon succeeded Shalmaneser (see 2 Kings 17:3).
This is the only place the name of Sargon is mentioned in the Bible. As recent as one hundred years ago historians maintained that Sargon never lived, because they could find no reference to him in secular history. However, archaeologists discovered that the Assyrian form of his name is Sharrukin. Abundant historical materials concerning his reign have come down to us.
At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot [Isa. 20:2].
Isaiah was to become a walking parable to Israel as a warning not to become confederate with Egypt. Probably Isaiah was not asked to go in the nude. Clothing was and is so essential to the customs of the East and nudity is so revolting that it is obvious that this was not intended. Isaiah was to lay aside his outward tunic of mourning. This would attract immediate and startling attention to the prophet. It would enable Isaiah to make his point publicly. It is well to note the words of F. Delitzsch at this point, “What Isaiah was therefore directed to do was simply opposed to common custom and not to moral decency.”
And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia [Isa. 20:3].
Isaiah was to walk through Israel to let them know what would happen to Egypt. As he walked, we are told, he would be for a sign and wonder for the people.
So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt [Isa. 20:4].
Since Egypt could not protect herself (nor could Ethiopia), she would not be a reliable ally for Israel. Both Egypt and Ethiopia were invaded by Sargon of Assyria, and this shame which Isaiah had predicted came upon Egypt.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Three burdens: Babylon “desert of the sea,” Edom “Dumah,” and Arabia
Isaiah is enumerating eleven “burdens,” or judgments. In this chapter we are going to consider burdens seven, eight, and nine, which are against Babylon, Edom, and Arabia. These burdens are set forth by expressive symbols, and in the day they were given I am sure they were as clear to the people as the noonday sun. In fact, they were as clear to the people in Isaiah’s day as the expressions “stars and stripes” and “Old Glory” are to every American. The insignia in this chapter are not quite so clear to us today, and as a result there has been some disagreement among Bible expositors about their meaning. They can be identified as Babylon, Edom, and Arabia, and each one will be considered separately as we go through this chapter. All were enemies or potential enemies of Israel. Each brought a particular misery upon God’s people. Each has been judged in time.
This chapter is a neglected part of the Word of God. To prove this, let me ask you a question. When was the last time you heard a sermon or Bible study on this chapter of the Bible? I have a notion that you have never heard a study on Isaiah 21. This is another section of Scripture which confirms my position of a premillennial, pretribulation, dispensational interpretation of the Word of God. It is the only interpretation which would satisfy a passage like this, which is the reason all other systems stay clear of this chapter and other portions of God’s Word with like teaching.
The remarkable thing in this chapter is that symbols are used. Now I believe in a literal interpretation of Scripture, but when symbolism is used, it always pictures reality. That is an important thing to remember. Many expositors call a teaching of Scripture symbolism in an attempt to make it disappear. Like a magician says, “hocus-pocus,” and it’s gone—so don’t worry about it. My friend, let’s not try to evaporate this section of Scripture, but let’s study it to see what God is saying.
The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the dessert, from a terrible land [Isa. 21:1].
“The desert of the sea” is a strange expression. It is like saying “the dryness of the water,” or “how dry the water is.” This may not be too peculiar to us since we have “dry ice” and “cold heat.” Dr. F. C. Jennings translates this verse, “As sweep the whirlwinds through the south, so comes it from the desert, from the land that strikes with terror.” This is a good interpretation of the verse, but it does not identify the nation. But if you keep reading, the nation is identified in verse 9: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” So we know “the desert of the sea” is Babylon. Before Babylon became a world power, her doom was again predicted. We have already seen that. The first burden in chapters 13–14 was against Babylon. Babylon became so awe-inspiring and frightful, and represented so much in Scripture, that we have this further word concerning its doom. It was the first place of united rebellion against God at the tower of Babel, and it represents the last stronghold of rebellion against God. We find this in Revelation 17 and 18. Religious Babylon is presented in Revelation 17, and commercial Babylon is set forth in Revelation 18.
The expression, “desert of the sea,” is a paradoxical phrase. Babylon was geographically located on a great desert plain beside the Euphrates River. It was irrigated by canals from the river. Jeremiah gives this description of Babylon, “O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness” (Jer. 51:13). The desert and the sea form a weird amalgamation here. This same fusion of desert and sea is made by John in Revelation. “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns” (Rev. 17:3). This is the desert where John beheld the mystery Babylon: “… Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters” (Rev. 17:1). It was in the desert that John saw the “many waters.” These two verses are symbolic, but they carry through the same pattern. We will find it again in Jeremiah.
Babylon, with its glitter and glamour and as the fountainhead of idolatry and false religion, was a mirage upon the desert. Isn’t this tremendous!—“desert of the sea”—what a picture! Babylon was not a wonderful place. It was a mirage in the desert. It wasn’t a spring or an oasis at all, but a place filled with idols and false religion. There was no life-giving water there for the souls of men. This is something that every pastor, every radio preacher, every church, and every church member ought to turn over in his mind. Is my church or am I a life-giving fountain, or am I just a mirage upon the desert of life?
A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease [Isa. 21:2].
God commands the two-fold nation of Media-Persia to destroy and spoil the city. “Go up, O Elam [Persia]: besiege, O Media.” That is exactly what happened. This is a prophecy that was given before the invasion took place.
Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure bath he turned into fear unto me [Isa. 21:3–4].
Once again Isaiah is moved with great feeling and emotion when he learns of the coming devastation. This is the heart of God revealed, desiring to show mercy and loath to judge even so frightful a foe. God’s love is as evident here as in the tears of Jeremiah. No one can rejoice in the judgment of God. God says that His judgment is His “strange” work. He does not want to judge you; He wants to save you, but the choice is yours. He doesn’t want to judge nations either, and that choice is up to them.
Prepare the table, watch in the watch-tower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield [Isa. 21:5].
This verse reads as if it were an eyewitness account of the destruction of Babylon as recorded by Daniel (see Dan. 5). Remember, this was recorded about two hundred years before it transpired. In the midst of the banquet of Belshazzar, the Median general, Gobryas, detoured the river that flowed through the city and marched his army on the dry river bed underneath the walls of the city. He took the city by surprise and shock. This is something that God said would take place.
And he cried, A lion: My Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground [Isa. 21:8–9].
The watchman on the walls of the city tells the people inside what he sees. He says, “As I look out on the desert, here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horses.” They are messengers, and their message is “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” The watchman brings word to the king of Babylon that it has fallen (see Jer. 51:31–33). All of Babylon’s graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground. This is a sigh of sorrow as well as relief. Babylon was the source of all idolatry.
O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you [Isa. 21:10].
Harvest is the time of judgment. In John 4:35 our Lord said, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” Our Lord said this at the end of the age of law, when judgment was coming against Israel who had had the Law for almost fifteen hundred years. Harvest is the time of judgment.
There is a book I would like to recommend to you at this point, because we are going to study some more about Babylon in the Books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Hislop’s book, The Two Babylons, would be a valuable addition to your library.
BURDEN OF EDOM
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? [Isa. 21:11].
Who is “Dumah”? Dumah is a symbolic word. Isaiah played upon words to bring out a deeper meaning. We have already seen that. He used words to carry a message to the people. “Dumah” is Edom with the E removed. You take the E off Edom, and you have Dumah which means “silence.” Our word dumb is closer to the intent and purpose of Isaiah. Edom is still a land of deathlike silence.
Seir means “rough or hairy.” Esau was the first Seir man (see Gen. 25:25). He was hairy, and he dwelt in Mount Seir (see Gen. 36:8). Seir also means “storms.” It was a land swept with storms. “Silence and Storm.” What a play on words, and what a message!
Edom is obviously the country involved. Out of the land of silence and storm comes this inquiry, which is twice repeated: “Watchman, what of the night?” In other words, “How much of the night is gone?” How long will it be before God’s glory will be revealed when the“…Sun of righteousness [shall] arise with healing in his wings…” (Mal. 4:2)?
The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come [Isa. 21:12].
You see, both morning and night are coming. What will be glory for some will be doom for others. What will be light for God’s people will be night for Edomites, the men of the flesh who have rejected God.
BURDEN OF ARABIA
The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim [Isa. 21:13].
“Arabia” seems clear enough, but again this is a word with a double meaning. It can be made to mean evening by changing the vowel points. The Hebrew language is a language of consonants with no vowels. Instead it had vowel points, which are little marks above the consonants. Scholars have added vowels to the Hebrew words to make them more readable. In this verse the meaning is quite obvious: it was evening in the history of Arabia. It was later than they thought. Arabia was the land of the Ishmaelites, the Bedouin tribes of the desert—the modern Arabs. It is interesting that God speaks of them. Abraham’s sons, Ishmael and Isaac, never did get along. Their descendants don’t get along today either. The Arabs and the Jews are still at each other’s throats. If Abraham could see what is going on now, I wonder if he would think the sin he committed was a small sin. My friend, sin never ceases working itself out in the human story.
The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail [Isa. 21:14–16].
There was a coming judgment upon this land and its people. This chapter of poetic beauty and heart sorrow should not end on this note. It may be “evening” here, but God’s day is reckoned “the evening and the morning”—“… the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1:5).
The morning is coming; the night of weeping will soon be over, and the new day will dawn. Man’s evening of failure, sin, and darkness will end, and God’s morning will be ushered in by the coming of the Sun of Righteousness.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: The burden of the valley of vision (Jerusalem); the history of Shebna and Eliakim
This burden evidently refers to Jerusalem, as we shall point out under the comments on the verses. The burdens began way off at a distance in Babylon, and they have continued to come nearer to Jerusalem. Now the storm breaks in all of its fury upon the Holy City.
BURDEN OF JERUSALEM
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? [Isa. 22:1].
The “valley of vision” refers to Jerusalem, as verses 4, 8, 9, and 10 imply. The expression, “valley of vision,” is another of Isaiah’s paradoxical statements. Mountain of vision would be understood, because the mountain is the place of the far view. Moses stood on Mount Nebo to view the land of promise. Our Lord looked over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. But in Scripture a valley symbolizes a place of sorrow, humbleness, and death. Because the vision here is one of sorrow and coming battle, the valley is the proper place for this vision.
Curiosity and fear send people to the housetop to inquire about the approaching danger. See the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in Isaiah 36 and 37. In the last siege our Lord warns these people to leave the housetops and flee (see Matt. 24:16–17).
Therefore said I, Look away from me: I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people [Isa. 22:4].
“My people” are, of course, the people of Israel.
Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall [Isa. 22:9–10].
Hezekiah actually took these precautions in defending Jerusalem (see 2 Chron. 32). One of the things he did was to put a wall around the fountain so that the city would not run out of water. You can still see it in the land today.
This section refers to the future. As Dr. F.C. Jennings puts it, “The history eventuated in the deliverance of Jerusalem, the prophecy in its capture; therefore the history does not fulfill it.”
Just what siege and enemy is in the mind of the prophet? Persia is mentioned by name, but Jerusalem was in ruins while Persia was in power. Apparently all the enemies who have come up against Jerusalem are before us here, from the Assyrians who only laid a siege but did not enter the city, to the last enemy from the north who will threaten the city but will not enter. The interval between these two has seen this city captured more than any other. This is the burden of Jerusalem.
BRIEF FROM THE CASE OF SHEBNA AND ELIAKIM
The unusual insertion at this point of an historical document out of the archives of Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah is worth noting.
Many have seen a picture of the Antichrist in Shebna, while Eliakim sets before us none other than the Lord Jesus Christ who will supplant the Antichrist in this world.
Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say [Isa. 22:15].
Shebna was secretary of the treasury, a cheap politician under Hezekiah. Apparently he was misappropriating funds (see 2 Kings 18:18; 19:2; Isa. 36:3; 37:2).
What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? [Isa. 22:16].
Shebna was building a tomb to perpetuate his name. It was ironical, as he was to die and be buried in a foreign land (vv. 17–18).
And I will drive thee front thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down [Isa. 22:19].
Shebna, I think, is just an adumbration of Antichrist.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah [Isa. 22:20–21].
Eliakim was the statesman who succeeded Shebna. Eliakim was an unselfish man. He and Shebna are in contrast here. Isaiah has brought together these men who are more than paradoxes—they are opposites. Shebna pictures the Antichrist, and Eliakim pictures Christ. The language is typical.
And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open [Isa. 22:22].
This verse reminds us of the words of Christ in the New Testament: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth” (Rev. 3:7). How wonderful it is, my friend, to place our lives in the hands of Him who is able to close or open any door!
And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.
And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons [Isa. 22:23–24].
Our salvation likewise hangs on Him.
In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it [Isa. 22:25].
“In that day” refers to the Great Tribulation Period, as we have seen, and this verse refers to Shebna as he pictures the Antichrist. A great many people will put their trust in the Antichrist who is to come. They will look to him for help. They will think he is Christ, but he will be just a nail that will fall.
My friend, have you ever had that experience? You drive a good nail into the wall, hang a heavy coat on it, and it comes down. The Lord Jesus Christ is the nail in a sure place. Shebna was a nail that came down, and so will all others who are like him. Are you hanging everything you’ve got on the nail that is in a sure place? Many people are not. They are hanging everything they have on something that is not sure. For instance, they make investments. A man told me, “I trusted a lawyer, and he made a mistake.” He wasn’t a nail in a sure place. Some folk have even trusted a preacher and have found that he was not a nail in a sure place. Only Christ is a nail in a sure place. I hope you are hanging your life and everything you have on Him.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: The Burden of Tyre
In this chapter we come to the eleventh and last burden against the nations. A burden, as we have seen, is a judgment, and these judgments were leveled against the nations around Israel. Each one of these great nations represents or sets before us some principle, philosophy, or system which God must judge. Let me give a recapitulation of these eleven nations and what they represent.
1. Babylon represents false religions and idolatry. Idolatry in our land is covetousness, which is the overwhelming desire to have more and to give ourselves to the accumulation of the material things of the world.
2. Palestine represents true religion which has become apostate. Today you find that the same thing has happened in many churches. They go through rituals, they even repeat the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. From all outward appearances they seem to be resting upon the Bible, but in reality they deny everything that is in it. They are apostate, which means they are standing away from what they once believed.
3. Moab represents formal religion; that is, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.
Many of us today could be identified with one of these three. Some of us are giving our lives to the accumulation of material things, and our eyes are filled with the things we want. We are covetous.
Some of us have been brought up in Bible-believing churches but have turned away from heir teachings. Others of us go to church and follow forms, ceremonies, and rituals, which are beautiful but dead as a dodo bird.
4. Damascus represents compromise. That is the position that most churches (even fundamental churches) are in today. Thank God for those churches that are standing true!
5. Ethiopia represents missions. How we need to be involved in getting out the Word of God!
6. Egypt represents the world. Israel was told to stay out of Egypt—that is where Abraham got into trouble. And we are admonished, “Love not the world.” Many of us are having trouble with the world.
7. Persia (Babylon) represents luxury. My, how most of us love luxury in our affluent society.
8. Edom represents the flesh. Many people serve the flesh today.
9. Arabia represents war. There are two groups of people in our contemporary society: the hawks and the doves. Both are of the world, and the only difference I see in them is that the peace group tells us they are for peace, but they are willing to fight for it!
10. Valley of vision, which is Jerusalem, represents not religion but politics. Some think that in politics will be found the solutions to the problems of the world.
11. Tyre represents commercialism (big business). I would say that the great sin of America today is commercialism, believing that the almighty dollar can solve all our problems. When a problem comes up, Congress votes for a little more money, and people for whom it is intended never get it, of course. Every poverty program has hurt rather than helped the poor. Why? Because godless men, just don’t have the right solutions. The poor haven’t learned that yet, because they are also far from God. It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who has any love for the poor and really knows how to help them.
Now let us look at the burden of Tyre. Tyre and Sidon were the two great cities of the Phoenicians. Sidon was the mother city, and she was soon surpassed by her proud and rich daughter, Tyre.
The ships of the Phoenicians entered all ports of the Mediterranean Sea and even penetrated the uncharted ocean beyond the Pillars of Hercules. The vessels of Phoenicia brought tin from Great Britian—in fact, the meaning of Brittania is “the land of tin.” The Phoenicians were aggressive and progressive people. Carthage, in North Africa, was settled by them. Carthage, the great enemy of Rome, was a Phoenician city, and Cyprus owed its prosperity to trading with Tyre. There were also other centers that the Phoenicians founded—Tarshish for instance. You remember that when Jonah tried to flee from the Lord, he bought a ticket for Tarshish. Tarshish was on the southern coast of Spain. Who founded it? The Phoenicians did. It is also of interest that the Phoenicians invented the alphabet.
Hiram, king of Tyre, was one of the great friends of King David. When we get to Ezekiel 26, we are going to see a remarkable prophecy concerning Tyre, which had an exact fulfillment. God said that Tyre would be destroyed by Babylon and would be taken into captivity for seventy years just as Judah went into captivity for seventy years. The people of Tyre returned to their land, as did Israel, after the captivity and rebuilt their city on an island in the Mediterranean Sea about half a mile from the old city. God said that the ruins of the old city would be scraped (see Ezek. 26:4), and, later, Alexander the Great scraped the ancient site of Tyre to make a causeway to the island city. He was wise enough not to attempt a battle by sea, because the Phoenicians were experts with ships; so he built a causeway from the old city on the mainland to the new city on the island. I’ve walked down that causeway and it is filled with broken pieces of pottery. I could have filled tubs with pieces of pottery, but, of course, no one is allowed to do that. I put one little piece in my pocket, because it looked as if there was plenty to spare. Where did all the pottery and pillars and rubble come from? It came from the ruins of ancient Tyre. Alexander the Great literally scraped the surface of the old city to build his causeway, and you cannot tell where the site of the old Tyre used to be—it’s all out there in the causeway. When Alexander took the city, the prophecy of Ezekiel was fulfilled exactly as God said it would be: “And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it, saith the Lord God” (Ezek. 26:14). My friend, today there is a little Turkish town near there, but the site of ancient Tyre is still in ruins.
If an atheist wants to disprove the Word of God, I suggest that he do more than stand on a street corner and blab about the fact that he doesn’t believe in God. I challenge him to go over to the ancient site of Tyre and rebuild the city. However, I warn him that others have tried to do it and have failed.
In fact, there is a ready-made city, the rock-hewn city of Petra, that is all ready to be moved into. The only problem is that God said it would not be inhabited. Anyone can try to start a colony there, but he won’t succeed. A German unbeliever took a group of people to Petra and tried to start a colony, but it didn’t last long. You won’t succeed either, friend. God said that Tyre won’t be rebuilt and that Petra won’t be inhabited.
DIVINE RESPONSIBILITY FOR TYRE’S DESTRUCTION
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them [Isa. 23:1].
The picture here is that of ships coming home to Tyre from Tarshish where there is a colony of the Phoenicians. Word is brought to them that Tyre has been destroyed. As they sail near, they see the smoke of the city. Then they see that the city has been leveled and the harbor blocked. It will no longer be a great commercial center.
Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished [Isa. 23:2].
“Zidon,” or Sidon, was about thirty miles up the coast from Tyre. Tyre and Sidon go together like pork and beans go together. They were the two leading cities of the Phoenicians. The prominent sea merchants of Sidon had made Tyre the great city it was. It is interesting that the prophecy concerning the destruction of Tyre was literally fulfilled. But destruction was not predicted for Sidon, and Sidon continues as a city today. Currently Sidon is the place to which oil is brought to be loaded on shipboard and taken to other parts of the world.
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations [Isa. 23:3].
Sihor means “black” and refers to the Upper Nile, the silt of which flooded Egypt and made it fertile. The wealth of Egypt had flowed through the port of Tyre, and now that is ended, and there is going to be a depression—a real one!
Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins [Isa. 23:4].
There is a suggestion here that Tyre is the daughter of Sidon. Historically this is accurate.
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre [Isa. 23:5].
The destruction of Tyre ruined the commerce of Egypt in that day.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle [Isa. 23:6].
The fall of Tyre caused universal mourning, even to a colony that was way over on the southern coast of Spain. Some of the inhabitants of Tyre escaped in ships to Tarshish, when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city.
this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn [Isa. 23:7].
Any great commercial center is a city which is also a fun center because there will be many things in that city that are pleasing to the flesh. Now the Tyrians are urged to flee as far as possible because this city which was formerly a “joyous city” has come to an end.
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? [Isa. 23:8].
“The crowning city” means the giver of crowns. You see, Tyre established crown colonies. Great Britain has done the same thing in more recent times. A crown colony is under the legislation and administration of the crown rather than having its own constitution and representative government.
The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth [Isa. 23:9].
It was the Lord of hosts who had determined the destruction of Tyre. He offers no apologies for making the arrangement.
HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY FOR TYRE’S DESTRUCTION
Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength [Isa. 23:10].
The “river” is the Nile. As the Nile has overflowed her banks, the colony of Tarshish is now free to do as she pleases since Tyre has fallen and is no longer able to control her.
“There is no more strength” means that there is no girdle that holds her up or binds her.
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof [Isa. 23:11].
Have you noticed this threefold description of Tyre? In verse 7 Tyre is called a “joyous city.” In verse 8 Tyre is called a “crowning city.” In verse 11 Tyre is called a “merchant city.” All three of these are apt descriptions of Tyre.
And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest [Isa. 23:12].
What is suggested in verse 4 is plainly declared here. Tyre is the daughter of Sidon. Sidon was the older city, and rich merchants from there had founded Tyre and given her prestige. The joy of prosperity was to disappear. Both Tyre and Sidon would suffer.
“Pass over to Chittim”—probably some thought that by fleeing to Cyprus they might make a fresh beginning. In this, too, they, were to be disappointed. God was responsible for what happened to them, although He used human instruments.
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin [Isa. 23:13].
When Assyria was a great nation, Chaldea (Babylon) was just a hick town. Now Babylon is the ruler of the world.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste [Isa. 23:14].
RECOVERY OF TYRE—PARTIAL AND COMPLETE
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot [Isa. 23:15].
Tyre was to go into captivity for seventy years.
And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord Will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth [Isa. 23:17].
At the end of seventy years Tyre was to return and begin once again her world commerce. Once more she would become a great commercial center, and she would commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. The prophet compares Tyre to a harlot plying her unholy trade. That is the way God speaks of these great commercial centers.
Now we move down the ages to the last days, the time of the Great Tribulation. Here we find that Tyre will again be a great nation and will enter the Millennium.
And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing [Isa. 23:18].
“Her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord.” Now it is all dedicated to the Lord. “And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour” (Ps. 45:12).
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Coming—the Great Tribulation
This brings us to a new section, although the theme is still judgment. Chapter 23 concluded the judgment against the nations. We have seen God’s judgment snowballing from nation to nation, and now it comes down to the final judgment that is coming upon the earth, which our Lord Jesus Christ labeled the Great Tribulation Period. Both F. Delitzsch and F. C. Jennings consider this section thoroughly eschatological; that is, it refers to the final judgment from God which will come upon the whole world. In contrast to the judgments upon the nations in chapters 13–23 which have largely been fulfilled, this final judgment is entirely future.
WORLDWIDE JUDGMENT FROM GOD
Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof [Isa. 24:1].
“Earth” in this verse is the Hebrew word erets and could mean either the land of Israel or the whole world. The whole world conforms better to the context in this chapter. Actually, the judgment could be said to be twofold, referring not only to the land of Israel, but to the entire world.
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left [Isa. 24:6].
God promised Noah that He would never destroy the earth again with a flood. Note here that the judgment is fire—“burned.” Second Peter 3:6–7 says, “Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS
In verses 13–15 we see that the saints are preserved through the Great Tribulation Period.
When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea [Isa. 24:13–15].
The remnant will be small, and they will lift up their voices to glorify God. Now in the time of testing, during the Tribulation, they will be able to glorify the Lord, “even the name of the Lord God of Israel.” So there is to be a remnant at that time, which will be of Israel, and also out to the very “isles of the sea,” which will include the whole earth, of course.
UNIVERSAL AND UNPARALLELED SUFFERING
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously [Isa. 24:16].
“My leanness, my leanness”—when the prophet sees the awful character of the destruction of the Great Tribulation, he cries out, as Dr. Jennings translates it, “My misery, my misery.” It is going to be a terrible time.
Our Lord described this period of time in just as striking language when He said, “For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:21–22).
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth [Isa. 24:17].
This verse states that there are three dangers that will be upon the inhabitants of the earth in that day.
1. “Fear”—there is no freedom from fear here. From the time of the Atlantic Truce, drawn up by Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, politicans have talked about bringing freedom from fear to the world. How about it? Is the world free from fear today? Mobs are marching. Dissatisfaction and fear are everywhere. And fear will be multiplied during the Tribulation.
2. “Pit”—is danger of death. Hanging over the world today is the threat of the atom bomb, and it spells frightful death to the population of the world. God says He won’t let the population be destroyed. The Lord Jesus said, “Except those days be shortened, no flesh would be able to survive,” but He is going to shorten those days.
3. “Snare”—is deception. What the Lord Jesus Christ said as He began the Olivet discourse fits right into the Great Tribulation Period. In Matthew 24:4 the Lord said, “… Take heed that no man deceive you.” It will be a time when people will believe that they are entering into the Millennium. We get the impression today that some of the great world leaders think they are going to bring in the Millennium. Well, they are going to bring in nothing but the Great Tribulation Period, and the Antichrist will take over. The world will think they are entering the Millennium, when in fact they are entering the Tribulation. One of the things that will characterize the Antichrist is deception. He will be a deceiver. After all, that is what his papa, the Devil is.
How many people there are who are being deceived today! They are deceived about life. How many people are even thinking about eternity? Not many. Most people think only of the here and now. Science is now rejecting the creation account—they don’t want it. This is a great day of deception. You can be deceived by science; you can be deceived by politicians; you can be deceived by the news media; you can be deceived by the military; and you can be deceived by all of the malcontents who are protesting today. The only help available is the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to Him. He has been made unto us wisdom, and He is the only hope. During the Tribulation people will be deceived; the Antichrist will be able to look at the world and privately say, “Suckers!” And that’s what they will be. The Devil has said that about the human race for a long time, and that is what we are unless we turn to Christ.
And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake [Isa. 24:18].
Those who don’t go down into the pit of death will be snared. The Book of Revelation says that one fourth of the population is going to be taken out at one time in a great judgment, and at another time one third of the population will die.
TRIBULATION SAINTS ARE RAISED FROM THE DEAD
This is a marvelous passage of Scripture that speaks of resurrection.
And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited [Isa. 24:22].
They shall go down into death; then they will be raised from the dead. I believe the meaning of this is that the Tribulation saints will have part in the first resurrection. They will be raised from the dead (see Rev. 20:4).
The Great Tribulation will end with the coming of the King (see Rev. 19:11–16).
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously [Isa. 24:23].
“The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed”—even nature is going to respond to the King when He comes to rule. Christ Jesus is the only One who can end this period known as the Great Tribulation.
CHAPTERS 25–27
Theme: Coming—the kingdom
After the Lord Jesus comes and ends the Tribulation, He establishes the kingdom. Chapters 25 and 26 bring us into the kingdom age. The King is coming, and there will be the kingdom of heaven upon this earth. This has been predicted throughout the Old Testament. And when John the Baptist began his ministry, his message was, “… Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2). Then the Lord Jesus took up the theme, “… the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17).
But He was rejected as King. You can’t have a kingdom without a king. When He was rejected as King, He could then say to individuals, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). This is still His invitation today. It is a message to be sent out to individuals in our day asking them to exercise their free wills. Whether you know it or not, you are making a decision today. You are either accepting Him or rejecting Him. There is no neutral ground. Our Lord said, “He that is not with me is against me …” (Matt. 12:30).
This wonderful twenty-fifth chapter is a song, a song of three stanzas. This chapter, like chapter 12, is a paean of praise, a song of undiluted joy.
PRAISE TO GO FOR DELIVERANCE FROM ALL ENEMIES
O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth [Isa. 25:1].
This is praise to God for deliverance. This is a song of sheer delight, wonder, and worship. This comes from a heart full to overflowing, for the worshiper has come into a new knowledge of who God is and what He has done.
This is not the average song service that you have in church on Wednesday night. Some of the saints sit there and wonder why they came in the first place. Those who are singing this song are those who are eager to worship God because of His faithfulness and because He is true. These are the attributes of Deity, and they are foreign to humanity. The psalmist says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Ps. 118:8). Faithfulness is the fruit of the Spirit, not the work of the flesh. Truth is the very opposite of man. In Psalm 116:11 David said, “I said in my haste, All men are liars” (italics mine). I remember Dr. W. I. Carroll commenting, “I have had a lot of time to think it over, and I still agree with David.”
For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built [Isa. 25:2].
All of the past is gone now. They are delivered from the enemies of the past. They no longer need a wall around a city to protect them.
Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee [Isa. 25:3].
Does this mean worldwide conversion? I believe it does, for this is the Millennium. Man will turn to God in that day. The greatest turning to God is in the future when the night of sin and Great Tribulation will be past. Weeping shall endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. That is what we have here. There will be boundless joy during the kingdom age.
Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low [Isa. 25:5].
They recall the awful blasphemy of the last days personified in one of whom it is written: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4). The Antichrist will be put down as are all the enemies of God.
PRAISE TO GOD FOR PROVISION OF PRESENT NEEDS
And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined [Isa. 25:6].
“Fat things” have to do with physical provision certainly. The redeemed earth will produce bountifully. (Eating fat things in that day will not be a problem—you won’t have to worry about putting on weight!) However, the “fat things” are likewise the wonderful spiritual feast in that day. I think there will be Bible classes held during the Millennium. I don’t know, but maybe the Lord will let me teach one of them.
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it [Isa. 25:8].
This verse is quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54, which says, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
PRAISE TO GOD IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE JOYS
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation [Isa. 25:9].
As we come to the final stanza, attention is drawn to the person of God. It is with Him that men have to do. The world will be deceived by Antichrist, but the real Christ, the real Messiah, the real Ruler of this earth will come. His salvation is going to be vital to man in that day. Man “will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Now this is a strange verse:
For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill [Isa. 25:10].
Why is Moab introduced here? I will be very frank with you; it is difficult to say. When Moab is up, God is down. When God is up, Moab is down. In the kingdom Moab is down, and God will be on top. As you may remember, Moab represents a form of godliness but denies the power thereof.
And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust [Isa. 25:12].
All the pride of man will be brought down. This is the period when the meek shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5). The meek are not doing too well in our day!
Chapter 26 continues the kingdom theme.
THE KINGDOM
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks [Isa. 26:1].
This is their prospect. In that day this song will be sung in Judah. They don’t have this song today, friend. It is obvious that the present return to Israel is not a fulfillment of prophecy.
With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness [Isa. 26:9].
“With my soul have I desired thee in the night.” I wonder if you and I recognize the great need for communion with Christ. In the little book of the Song of Solomon, the bride said, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth …” (Song 1:2). That was the kiss of pardon and of peace and of passion. Then the bride, recognizing that she can’t rise to the heights she desires, says, “Draw me, we will run after thee …” (Song 1:4). Isaiah is expressing the same thought here. “With my soul have I desired thee in the night.” My friend, do we have that passion for God? I hear a lot of pseudo-love today, and a smattering of spirituality. I see people pretending to be pious and hear them quoting platitudes. I get tired of hearing, “Oh, I love the Lord, and I want to serve Him.” My friend, when you lie on your bed at night, do you have a desire for God? Do you really want Him? Do you have a real passion for Him? Are you able to say, “Draw me, and I will run after thee.”
In the time of the Millennium they will be saying, “With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea; with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.”
I confess that many times I find myself running from Him. I find myself running ahead of Him, out of His will, and then the tensions come. I am frustrated, and I say, “O, I’ve left Him. I’ve gotten away from Him. I am not close to Him.” I don’t see many people crying out for God today. I don’t mean to be critical, but I don’t see much of it today, and when I do detect it, what a blessing it is to my own heart.
Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them [Isa. 26:16].
In the past the remnant turned in prayer to God. Now they go back in retrospect to those difficult days:
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord [Isa. 26:17].
In the Great Tribulation the nation Israel was like a woman in childbirth, so great was their suffering. The prophet is now looking back over that period (which is yet future). He saw it from the other side of the river of time.
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen [Isa. 26:18].
“We have as it were brought forth wind”—that is, the suffering produced no fruitful results. This period did not change the heart of the wicked. They continued to blaspheme the God of heaven.
Today the suffering that comes to you, like a birth pang, will either bring forth something worthwhile, or it can just be wind. I am afraid many of us have suffered for nothing, simply because we do not see that all things work together for the glory of God. Remember that Isaiah is talking about the coming Millennium, and we could be living in a state similar to the Millennium if we would only seek Him early.
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead [Isa. 26:19].
Chapter 27 concludes the threefold song of the coming of the kingdom which we have in chapters 25–27.
SONG OF THE VINEYARD
In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea [Isa. 27:1].
“In that day”—projects us immediately into the future. As we have said, this is a technical expression that refers to the Day of the Lord. It is a day that begins, as the Hebrew day did, with the evening, the time of the Great Tribulation, and it goes on into the millennial kingdom. I personally feel that it goes on into eternity, as that will be a sunrise that will never end.
“The Lord with his sore and great and strong sword.” The Lord’s sword is the Word of God. In describing the coming of the Lord Jesus, Revelation 1:16 says, “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” With that sword He will smite the nations. An amillennialist will say, “You say you take the Bible literally. Is this a literal sword?” Well, I’ve discovered that the tongue is really a sharp thing. And Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword …” I take it that the Word of God is meant here. It is by His Word—that’s all He needs. By His Word He created all things, and by His Word shall He judge.
Whom is He going to judge? “Leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent.” In that day, at the beginning of the kingdom, the Lord Jesus will bring judgment upon the serpent, leviathan, who is Satan. In Revelation 20:1–3 we are told that Satan will be shut up in the bottomless pit for one thousand years. In Revelation 12:9 we read, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Job 41:15 says of him, “His scales are his pride …” The scales are for his protection, and Satan thinks he is invulnerable, that he cannot be touched. This is his pride. He doesn’t realize, even today, as I understand it, that he can be judged. He probably thinks he is beyond the judgment of Almighty God.
There are a great many people today who think that there is no judgment coming. They laugh at the idea. That is the thinking of Satan, my friend.
F. Delitzsch has suggested that “the piercing serpent,” or literally “swift-fleeing serpent,” represents the Tigris River and thereby the nation of Assyria. The “crooked serpent” represents the winding Euphrates and thereby the nation of Babylon. “The dragon that is in the sea” represents the Nile River and thereby the nation of Egypt. This would not militate against “levithan,” meaning Satan, but would enforce that interpretation, since Satan was the power behind these kingdoms.
In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine [Isa. 27:2].
Actually, I believe that chapter 27 begins with verse 2 and that verse 1 belongs with the previous chapter. However, that is a technical point with which I will not get involved. There is a change of subject at this point.
“In that day sing ye unto her.” This is the Millennium, and we all can sing now—even I will be able to sing.
“A vineyard of red wine” speaks of abundance, fruitfulness, bounty, and joy. What a contrast this is to Isaiah 5! In Isaiah 5 we had the song of the vineyard, but it was a dirge. That vineyard was Israel, and God was going to bring judgment because she hadn’t brought forth fruit. Here we are in the Millennium, and there is an abundance of fruit. Why?
I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day [Isa. 27:3].
The Lord is the husbandman here, and never again will He ever let the vineyard out to others. He is the husbandman who keeps an eye continually upon it. He watches it night and day so that no enemy may enter. This ought to say something to those who believe that God is through with Israel. Scripture makes it clear that He is not through with Israel.
Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me [Isa. 27:5].
The enemy can make peace with God even in the kingdom, for God never ceases to be merciful. Thank God for that! He is rich in mercy, which means that He has plenty of it. I need a lot of it myself. He is rich in grace. We will find out that ten million years from today His grace will still be available to us. I think we will need it even in heaven.
“That he may make peace with me.” This is the only place in Scripture where it is even suggested that man can make peace with God. Of course here it has to do with obedience to the King and not the acceptance of Christ as Savior. Man cannot make peace with God about the sin question. God has already done that. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (italics mine). When you are ready to agree with God and trust Him for what He has done through Christ on the cross, then you will have peace. You won’t have it until then. This verse is not talking about our day but about the time of the Millennium.
SMITING OF ISRAEL AND HER ENEMIES
Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? [Isa. 27:7].
This verse poses a question that has been partially answered already in the Book of Isaiah: Why does God judge Israel more than other nations? Light creates responsibility. In view of the fact that Israel had more light, her sin was blacker and her punishment was greater. She received more stripes than the nations who smote her. In Amos 3:2 we read, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Her punishment was severe, but God did not destroy Israel as He did some other nations. Psalm 118:18 tells us, “The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.” God will not allow Israel to be destroyed.
By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up [Isa. 27:9].
It was not the suffering for sin that atoned for Israel’s sin. The sin of Jacob was purged by a blood offering, and the sin of the nation will be expiated by the blood of Christ. Just as you were saved as a sinner, that is the way it will take place in that day. Those who say that God is through with Israel simply have not read passages of Scripture like this:
Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.
When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour [Isa. 27:10–11].
However, the cities that Israel built are to be destroyed like any city that man builds apart from God. The great ruins in the world are the result of the judgment of Almighty God. Why? Because they rejected light. They not only rejected light, they rejected the person of the Son of God.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem [Isa. 27:12–13].
This section reveals that God definitely intends to restore the nation Israel to the Promised Land, and I have no argument with those who deny it. I just want to say this: It is not a question of whether Israel is going to be restored to the land. It is a question of whether or not you believe the Word of God. If you believe God’s Word, what are you going to do with a passage like this? You cannot spiritualize it, because the prophet talks about Assyria, Egypt, Israel, and Jerusalem. These are literal places. Israel is going to be literally restored. If you have a high view of the inspiration of Scripture, then believe what God says.
This prophecy has never been fulfilled in the past. Its fulfillment is yet future. My friend, when God moves the Jews into the land, God will move them. When they come, they will worship Him. Just as He called you and me, He will call them. We are not seeing the fulfillment of this today.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: The immediate invasion of Ephraim by Assyria is a picture of the future and a warning to Jerusalem
This chapter brings us to an entirely new section. The prophecies which were totally future are included in chapters 24–27 inclusively. From chapters 28–35 we have prophecies which have a local and past fulfillment, and also there are those that reach into the future and cover the same period as in the previous section. This new section is identified by six woes, and it culminates in the great war of Armageddon in chapter 34, followed by the millennial benefits brought to the earth in chapter 35.
Now the chapter before us is a fine illustration of the combination of the near and far view, the past and future events, the local and immediate, and the general and far distant prophecies. We will see that which has been fulfilled and that which is yet to be fulfilled.
The northern kingdom of Israel, designated here by the term Ephraim, was soon to go into Assyrian captivity. This was a preview of the coming future day, but it was to be a warning to the southern kingdom of Judah. The first part was fulfilled when Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, invaded Ephraim in 721 b.c., overthrew the northern kingdom, and took the people into captivity.
THE IMMEDIATE CAPTIVITY OF EPHRAIM
The first woe is against the northern kingdom.
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! [Isa. 28:1].
Ephraim and Israel are synonymous terms for the ten northern tribes, also called Samaria. The picture here of drunkards is both literal and spiritual. They were in a stupor as far as spiritual understanding was concerned. To be spiritually drunk is to be filled with pride.
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand [Isa. 28:2].
The Assyrian is designated here as a strong one, a destroying storm, and a flood of mighty waters.
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet [Isa. 28:3].
Maybe you don’t like this, but God does not apologize for it; He simply tells us that this is what He did. The prophet picks up the future of the drunkard here. A high level of civilization had been developed in the northern kingdom with its comforts and outward beauty expressed in homes and gardens and trees. All you have to do to confirm this is go to the hill of Samaria and see the palace built by Omri and Ahab. This is the place where Ahab and Jezebel lived. It seems that the Lord always gives the wicked and the rich the best places to live, and I think it is poetic justice. It is not going to be so good for the wicked and rich in the next world; so they have it pretty good here. The hill of Samaria is one of the most beautiful spots in the land. When I stood there I could see the Mediterranean Sea, the Jordan valley, Mount Hermon in the north covered with snow, and the walls of Jerusalem in the south. My friend, you could not ask for a more beautiful place to live. If a real estate man develops that hill and sells lots, I hope can buy one and build a little house there. It’s a great place, but God judged these people in the northern kingdom, and He brought down their high civilization.
THE FAR DISTANT JUDGMENT
Now the prophet begins to move into the future. The expression “in that day” refers to the Day of the Lord, which begins with the Great Tribulation and extends on through the Millennium.
In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people [Isa. 28:5].
This looks into the future to the millennial kingdom which is coming. The thing that caused the downfall of Ephraim, the northern kingdom, was their pride—they wore a crown of pride. But in that future day when God brings them back to the land, it will be crown of glory.
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment [Isa. 28:6–7].
A businessman recently told me some of the things that go on in big business. I don’t suppose there is a day that goes by that he doesn’t make deals with men who make big investments for large profits. He told me about one of these men who was beginning to indulge in sin. He was not faithful to his wife and he was drinking heavily. He has recently made certain judgments about investments that have caused this businessman to withhold loaning money to him. He told me that when a man begins to drink and indulge in sin he loses his sharpness in business. He said, “Because I am a Christian I may be biased, but I have found over the long haul, over a period of years, that this is factual. I have learned it through bitter experiences.”
Now God is making this same observation regarding the northern kingdom: “they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.”
But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken [Isa. 28:13].
Sections like this have caused some expositors of the past to call Isaiah “the prophet of the commonplace.” Teaching is a slow, patient, and continuous work. This is the way that even spiritual truth is imparted. God does not impart it in a flash to a lazy and lethargic soul. As the people lapse into apostasy in any age, it becomes increasingly difficult to impart spiritual truth.
There are many Christians today who are not satisfied with their Christian lives. To be brutally frank, they are ignorant of the Word of God. Then they hear about a wonderful two-week course that will give them the answers to all their problems. They will learn how to handle their marital problems, how to get along with their mother-in-law, how to guide their children aright, and how to become model employees. My friend, let me say this to you very candidly. Neither a little course nor some great emotional experience will solve your problems. There is no shortcut to success in the Christian life. There is only one way to grow as a Christian, and it is so commonplace and ordinary that I hesitate to say it. The Word of the Lord was given unto Israel precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a little. It was the daily grind of getting into God’s Word. What happened? Israel did not follow through. They fell backward; that is, they were in a backslidden state. There are many Christians in the same condition today. It is not that they are weaker than anybody else; it is simply that they do not spend enough time in the Word of God. I realize that this method is not very exciting, but line upon line and precept upon precept is the only way you are going to grow in the Christian life.
THE WARNING TO JUDAH
Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem [Isa. 28:14].
The judgment coming to Israel in the north should be a warning to Judah in the south. Ephraim speaks to Jerusalem, Jerusalem speaks to us today, and the Word of God speaks to all of us. It looks as if God wrote this Book, not yesterday, but tomorrow. In fact, it is way ahead of tomorrow’s newspaper.
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves [Isa. 28:15].
What is this covenant with death and Sheol? Daniel tells us about a future covenant which Israel will make with the Antichrist, the prince who is coming, the Man of Sin, the godless man, the willful king, the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the land, the one who is controlled by Satan (see Dan. 9:27).
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste [Isa. 28:16].
What is the answer today to the falsehood in the lives of people and the deception that is abroad which will continue to snowball right on down into the Great Tribulation Period? Well, God has already put that answer down. It is a foundation; it is a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. One who believes in it doesn’t need to be in a hurry. He can rest in Him. First Peter 2:6–8 speaks of Him: “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Simon Peter makes it very clear that this stone is Christ.
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place [Isa. 28:17].
Judgment for these people is going to come gradually. I think it comes that way today. Sometimes it comes suddenly. But gradual judgment is worse than sudden judgment, for usually the process is so slow that you don’t detect it.
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it [Isa. 28:20].
Have you ever gone to a hotel or a motel and found that the covers on the bed were not quite long enough? They don’t come up to your neck, and if you pull them up, then your feet stick out. Have you ever slept in a short bed, where your feet hang over the edge, or you have to prop your head up, or you have to sleep at an angle? That’s not so good, is it? God says to these people, “I am giving you a short bed. The cover won’t be quite long enough.” From then on the judgment of God will come. It didn’t come to Judah for about one hundred years, but it finally came.
THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON HIS PEOPLE
The remainder of this chapter is almost the parable of the wheat and the tares. He talks about the different kinds of grain, the hard grains and the soft grains, and the different methods of threshing it.
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? [Isa. 28:25].
The grains are “fitches” (sometimes translated fennel or dill), “cummin, wheat, barley, and rie.”
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen [Isa. 28:27–28].
A farmer has to be careful about the way he harvests soft grains. Each grain is different.
Now he says that this is the way God judges. Judgement is spoken of as the harvest. The individual or nation actually determines the character of the judgment which is to fall upon them. In other words, if you are hard and resist God, you are a hard grain. You are a hard nut to crack, and the judgment is going to be severe for you. A man came to me and told me that he had lost his wife and two children before he came to himself. He said, “God had to knock me down three times because I was such a hardened sinner.” God will, thresh you; and, if you are hard, the judgment will be hard.
The Lord Jesus put it like this in Matthew 13:30, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” In Matthew 13:41 the Lord goes on to say, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.” How tremendous this is! We ourselves determine our own judgment. If we only will listen to Him, He will put us over where the wheat is and spare us the severity of His judgment.
CHAPTER 29
Theme: Jerusalem—prophecies of immediate future and reaching on into the kingdom
The prophecies in this chapter are confined to Jerusalem but extend from the invasion of Sennacherib through the time when Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles until the last invader (see Zech. 14:1–7) shall have destroyed Jerusalem and, finally, to the establishment of the kingdom when the Messiah shall come and His feet shall touch the Mount of Olives.
It will prove profitable to compare this chapter with our Lord’s discourse on Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37–24:2 and with Luke 13:34–35; 21:20–24.
JERUSALEM—HISTORY AND PROPHECY
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices [Isa. 29:1].
It is necessary to establish the fact that Jerusalem is the city designated under the title of Ariel. Ariel means “lionlike.” The word occurs in 2 Samuel 23:20 which says, “And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab ….” A lionlike man is an “Ariel” man. The word also carries the meaning of “the lion of God.” In Ezekiel 43:16 the same word is translated “altar” and, under certain circumstances, could mean “the altar of God.” Both designations are a fitting title for the city of Jerusalem. It is further identified here as “the city where David dwelt.” The lion is the insignia of that family. Our Lord is called the “… Lion of the tribe of Juda” (Rev. 5:5). Likewise Jerusalem was the place where the temple of God was, and the altar, of course, was there.
This is a remarkable prophecy concerning Jerusalem. The prophecy began to be fulfilled in Isaiah’s day and has continued right down to today. If you walk down the streets of Jerusalem, you will see this prophecy being fulfilled, and it will continue to be fulfilled.
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel [Isa. 29:2].
This is judgment upon Jerusalem.
And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly [Isa. 29:3–5].
This prophecy was given before Nebuchadnezzar came up to the city of Jerusalem and destroyed it, which marked the beginning of the “… times of the Gentiles …” (Luke 21:24). Our Lord said that Jerusalem would be trodden down of the Gentiles until the Time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. The Gentiles have marched through her streets and still do today.
Jerusalem has been besieged and captured more often than any other city. I have in my files a list of twenty-seven sieges that have been leveled against this city throughout history. Almost every time it was taken, it was destroyed. That is why it is not quite accurate for people to say, “Go to Jerusalem and walk where Jesus walked.” You are not going to walk where He walked, because Jerusalem is much higher today than it was in His day. For example, the pool of Bethesda was about fifty feet down from the level of the ground today. The Lord Jesus walked down there. It is quite evident that Solomon’s temple was probably more than one hundred feet beneath where the Mosque of Omar stands today. The city has been destroyed many times, and each time it was leveled off and rebuilt on the wreckage. That is what Nehemiah did—out of the debris and wreckage he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. Rocks did not have to be hauled in for repair work because there are more rocks over there than they could ever use. I heard a few years ago that stones were being shipped from Indiana to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. That report was proven false, but how foolish it would have been. There is no place on the topside of this earth that is as rocky as Jerusalem and the surrounding area. It is a rugged terrain. That is one reason Jerusalem was so difficult for the enemy to take.
Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion [Isa. 29:6–8].
The final siege of Jerusalem will be the worst of all (see Zech. 14), but God will intervene at the last moment and deliver His people from extermination. All the dreams of the enemies of God to bring in their own kingdom will be frustrated, and God will put them down. He will build His own kingdom and establish it Himself, just as He said He would do.
JERUSALEM—MEANING AND MESSAGE
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered [Isa. 29:9–10].
Ihave said that Isaiah is the prophet of the commonplace, and what he says fits into our contemporary culture. Did God actually make them sleepy? How did He do it? He kept giving Israel light; and, as He gave them light, they kept rejecting it. They would not accept the truth that He gave them. They could not see it, which revealed that they were blind. That is the way God puts people to sleep and the way He reveals that they are blind. Even the prophets and princes did not anticipate this deliverance from God. They were as blinded to the future as the enemies of God. They were as men who were dead drunk.
And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned [Isa. 29:11–12].
The attitude of the people, including God’s people, before their final deliverance by God was that prophecy was too obscure to be understood, that it was a sealed subject about which they could know nothing. This is the present-day attitude of many church leaders and preachers. I have heard seminary professors and ministers say, “Well, you know, the Book of Revelation is a sealed book. Nobody can understand it.” Those who insist that Revelation is a sealed book and that we are not supposed to understand it are saying exactly what the people in Isaiah’s day were saying about prophecy. Or, people today will say that they are too busy, that they don’t have time to study the Word of God. All kinds of excuses are offered by Christians for their own ignorance of the Scriptures.
The word revelation is from the Greek word apokalupsis, which means “unveiled” God took the seal from the Book of Revelation so that it can be understood. In one sense Revelation is the simplest book in the Bible, but you must have an understanding of the sixty-five books that precede it. It is the last book of the Bible, and certainly it is not the place you should begin reading. No book is so organized, and I found it to be the easiest book in the Bible to outline. It is nonsense to say that it is symbolic, a sealed book that we are not supposed to understand. That is what they were saying in Isaiah’s day. God will judge you for that kind of thinking because when He gives light and you will not open your eyes, you become blind to the light. Listen to what God says of Revelation in Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 22:10 says, “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.” It is not a sealed book.
Wherefore the Lord said, For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men [Isa. 29:13].
If you had lived in Isaiah’s day, you would have wondered what Isaiah really meant because the people were going to the temple. It was crowded—anytime a sacrifice was offered you would find people there. There was a place for the men, a court for the women, and a court for the Gentiles. Why was God finding fault with these people? They were all coming to church, but they went through all of the ritual with their mouths. It was as if they could say the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed, but it did not mean anything to them. They did not believe what they were saying; they did not accept God’s Word. God said that their hearts were far from Him. That is the reason He judged them, and that is the reason He is going to judge us today.
The curse of the world today is religion. God would like you to get rid of religion and come to Christ. Religion is the greatest barrier for many people today. I made that statement to a man not long ago. Immediately he countered by saying, “I want you to know, Dr. McGee, that I am a religious man. I am religious by nature.” He had a fallen nature, but he had a religious nature. I think I shocked him when I told him that he ought to get rid of his religion and that I was not a religious man. He said, “I cannot believe that there is a preacher who is not religious. If you are not religious, what are you then?” I told him that I am a sinner who came to Christ and that I have a personal relationship with Him today. It is not a religion but a relationship. Do you have Christ, or don’t you? That is the important thing.
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? [Isa. 29:15].
Things are so serious for His people that He puts in another “Woe” here. This chapter contains two woes because (1) the people act as if God does not see or know, and (2) they act as if they are getting by with it.
JERUSALEM—HONOR AND GLORY
Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? [Isa. 29:17].
Now we see into the future. The time will come when there will be honor and glory in Jerusalem and in the land. God is not through with that city. Today it looks like a layer cake with one city built on top of the other. God has judged them, and He will judge them again. But Jerusalem will be rebuilt once again, and then it will be the city of God.
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness [Isa. 29:18].
The deaf are going to hear, and the blind are going to see.
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel [Isa. 29:19].
You have heard the old bromide, “No one is so blind as those who will not see.” Today, as in Isaiah’s day, there is a willful blindness. In that day, in the Millennium, they are going to see.
Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine [Isa. 29:22–24].
What are they going to do with the name of God? They are going to make it holy—they are going to set it apart as something wonderful. Today, God’s people, by their lives, should sanctify the name of God. It is a holy name—but do we treat it that way?
CHAPTERS 30–31
Theme: Judah admonished not to turn to Egypt for help against Assyria; exhorted to turn to the Lord
These two chapters present largely a local situation, although a larger prophecy of a future time grows out of it. The local prophecy has been literally fulfilled. The southern kingdom of Judah heard and heeded the prophet’s warning and did not join with Egypt in order to be delivered from the Assyrian. The northern kingdom of Israel made the mistake of ignoring the prophet’s warning, and they went into Assyrian captivity (see 2 Kings 17:4). This is one time when the southern kingdom profited by the experience of the northern kingdom.
ADMONITION NOT TO SEEK ALLIANCE WITH EGYPT
Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin [Isa. 30:1].
This is the fourth woe. It is a woe because it is a warning. God says in effect, “Don’t go to Egypt for help, because it won’t be a good thing for you to do. Help down there is a mirage on the desert.”
For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still [Isa. 30:7].
EXHORTATION TO TURN TO JEHOVAH FOR DELIVERANCE
God says, “Turn to Me, and I will deliver you” (see v. 15). This is a marvelous verse, one of the gems of Scripture:
And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him [Isa. 30:18].
Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t say, “We are at the end of the age, and the Lord is going to come this year or next—or at least before the year two thousand.” God says, “Let Me work this out. I have not given you any dates.” Learn to wait upon the Lord. This matter of looking for the Lord Jesus to come to take His own out of the world is a matter of waiting. And we are told that they who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. You cannot rush God. He is in no hurry. Maybe things are not working out the way you think they should; maybe you and I would like to rearrange them, but let God work things out. He has eternity ahead of Him; and, when you and I get in step with Him, life will be much easier for us down here.
DECLARATION THAT GOD WILL DEAL WITH THE FINAL ASSYRIAN
For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it.
For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it [Isa. 30:31–33].
The Assyrian here is the final enemy of God in the Great Tribulation. “Tophet” was a place in the valley of the son of Hinnom where the most abominable idolatries were practiced. Little children were offered as sacrifices! It speaks in this passage of the worst spot in the lake of fire.
“The king” mentioned represents the beast and the false prophet: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).
In chapter 31 the prophet warns God’s people again not to look to Egypt for help but to trust the Lord to defend Jerusalem. So pressing is the danger, and so evident is the likelihood of the Israelites turning to Egypt, that Isaiah continues to warn Judah of the futility of such a measure. In the future Israel will turn to the wrong ally. They will accept the Antichrist, and God is warning them about it here. God will judge those who turn to outside help instead of to Him.
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! [Isa. 31:1].
This is the fifth woe. It is pronounced on those who go down to Egypt for help.
This has a message for you and me. Woe to you and woe to me when we turn away from God and turn to some materialistic or human help. Don’t misunderstand me—He doesn’t intend that you launch out into space and hang there. God expects you to be reasonable. But in the final analysis God wants top priority as far as giving help is concerned. My friend, where do you go for help? To your banker? To your preacher? Every now and then I receive a letter from someone who asks me what he should do in a given situation. Well, I don’t know what to do with many problems that arise in my own life! Although it is nice to ask others for advice, in the final analysis we must go to God for help. The psalmist wrote: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7).
Materialistic philosophy says that it is smart to trust in the stock market or your investments, that it is smart to look to “Egypt.” Most of us have some “Egypt” upon which we depend for help. The real source of Israel’s difficulty was that they did not look to God, nor did they seek Him. Since they did not trust Him, they turned frantically to some outside, physical display of power.
As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it [Isa. 31:5].
The Lord will defend and preserve Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah, as we shall see. God assures them that it is a sure thing that the Assyrians will not take the city of Jerusalem.
Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited [Isa. 31:8].
“Not of a mighty man”—God says it is not because you are going to be strong enough to drive them away. You won’t. God will deal with the Assyrians. Jerusalem’s confidence should be in the Lord.
This is a great chapter to read for our own help and strength.
CHAPTER 32
Theme: The coming King, the coming Tribulation, and the coming Spirit
This chapter is a bright note between the fifth and sixth woes; it is a ray of light to God’s people in a dark place in that day.
It has been some time since the person of the King has been before us, but we find Him introduced again at this point, for there can be no Millennium or blessing to this earth without Him.
THE KING WHO IS TO REIGN
Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment [Isa. 32:1].
This verse projects into the kingdom age. The King is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The character of His reign is righteousness. The world has never had a kingdom like this so far.
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land [Isa. 32:2].
The Lord is not only King, He is also a Savior-King. He bore the winds and tempest of the judgment of sin for us. He is a Rock for our protection. He was set before us in Isaiah 26:4 as the Rock of ages. This is another aspect of His ministry under the figure of the rock. He is a place of hiding for believers in our day also.
And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken [Isa. 32:3].
In other words, there will be spiritual understanding given to all of God’s people. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face …” (1 Cor. 13:12). True spiritual values will then be ascertained and made obvious. And that which should have top priority will have top priority. In our day moral values are gone. One of the great problems in this country is that we have lost the sense of moral values. For many years now our schools have been teaching the evolutionary theory which makes man an animal. Moral values are not taught. If you advocate law and order and a high state of morality, you are considered a square, a back number, and somehow not as smart as are the sophisticated and clever crooks. Therefore, the feeling is, “Let’s not listen to that old stuff.” Well, the “old stuff” is going to be the future stuff also, because the earth will have a King reigning in righteousness. Then the moral values will come back into place.
The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful [Isa. 32:5].
I love this—it is about as up to date as we can get. We have today what is known as the limousine liberals. The rich, for the most part, are liberal. Why? They already have their wealth which is not being taxed, but the middle man is being taxed unmercifully to pay for new projects that the rich are promoting. You can be sure of one thing: the rich man could afford to be liberal. Lazarus sat on the floor and caught the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. That rich man was liberal—he was very liberal with his crumbs—but that was all.
In our day a “vile person” is called “liberal.” In that day a vile person will no longer be called liberal, because he will be seen for what he really is. He is a villain, and his heart will work iniquity. The human heart is desperately wicked. Everything in that future day will be seen in its true colors. There will be no false values. Every man will be seen for what he is. There will be no “putting on a front” or assuming what they are not. The mask of hypocrisy will be removed. This, of course, applies to everyone—not only to Christians. The biggest hypocrites are actually not in the church. They are all those who pretend to be something they are not.
All of this will take place when the King comes who will reign in righteousness.
THE PRECEDING TIME OF TROUBLE
Before Christ, the King, comes to reign, there will be a time of trouble, which will be the Great Tribulation.
Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech [Isa. 32:9].
Why does he say this? Because naturally women are more sensitive than men, and they sense danger before a man does. My friend, every man before he goes into a business partnership or any kind of partnership should let his wife meet the person who is to be his partner. She is apt to give him a true evaluation of his nature and character. In my home I try to maintain my place as the head of the house, but I have discovered over a period of years that I am no judge of human character. Time after time my wife has said to me, “Well, you misjudged that person.” Either I put confidence in someone when I should not have, or I failed to recognize that certain people are really wonderful folk. So I have learned that the best thing to do is to listen to her, especially in the evaluation of character. Now God says that in the days prior to the Tribulation Period women will become so insensible that they will not recognize the danger that is coming. It is quite interesting that there will be women living in pleasure in that day to such extent that they will have no sense of coming judgment.
THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT
Now we come to the third division: the promise of the Spirit to be poured out in the last days.
Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest [Isa. 32:15].
Here is a case where you need to pay attention to the development of prophecy in the Word of God. When will the Spirit be poured out? The Spirit will be poured out during the Millennium when Christ reigns. That is going to be the greatest time of spiritual blessing and turning to Christ, for at that time He will be reigning in person. That doesn’t mean that every knee is going to bow to Him at that time. Every knee will bow to Him eventually, but the kingdom will be a time of testing. Joel mentions it: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28–29). This looks forward to the coming kingdom. This prophecy was not fulfilled at Pentecost nor any time since then.
In Acts 2:15–21 Peter quotes from Joel 2:28–29 and explains the passage. Peter did not say that Pentecost was a fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel, but that Pentecost was similar to what Joel described. The people who were filled with the Holy Spirit in Peter’s day were ridiculed as being drunk early in the morning. Now that could happen in Los Angeles today, but people did not get drunk in the morning in Peter’s day. Peter was saying that what was happening at Pentecost was similar to what would take place during the millennial kingdom.
What Joel and Peter described will take place during the kingdom age when the Lord pours out His Spirit upon all flesh. On the Day of Pentecost it was poured out on only a few people, but it was similar to that which will occur during the Millennium.
Joel’s prediction was of tremendous phenomena: “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:30–31). My friend, these tremendous signs have never yet taken place.
Notice also that Joel predicted, “…and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams…” (Joel 2:28). Today our young people are not fulfilling this prophecy, and our old men are in a retirement place playing golf. These things did not happen on the Day of Pentecost, neither are they happening today. This prophecy looks forward to the coming kingdom. There is always a danger of pulling out a few verses of Scripture and trying to build on them a system of prophecy. We are just to let the Word of God speak to us—line upon line and precept upon precept—as He wants to do it. This is the way God gives it to us.
CHAPTER 33
Theme: The final woe is pronounced on all who spoil God’s people and land
This chapter, in particular, pronounces a judgment upon those who seek to destroy God’s people and lay waste His land. It refers to the Assyrians in the immediate purview but extends to the final enemy of the last days. The chapter is geocentric. The land is the thing of primary importance.
PRAYER OF THE REMNANT FOR DELIVERANCE
Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dearest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee [Isa. 33:1].
This is Isaiah’s way of expressing the great spiritual principles, which God put down from the time man sinned. It is stated well in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
The “spoiler” here is Sennacherib who came against Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah (Isa. 36–37). I believe this is the unanimous conclusion of all sound scholars. However, it does not limit this chapter to the Assyrians. God says in effect, “You spoil My people, and I’ll spoil you.” God promises to take vengeance on behalf of His people. For this reason we as believers should always let God handle all of our revenge. God says that we are not to avenge ourselves, but He will repay. Turn it over to God. He can do a better job than we can do.
Now this is also a picture of that final day of consummation after God has brought together again the restored Roman Empire, and Anti-christ will destroy the land of Israel again. God will take care of him at the second coming of Christ.
Now in view of that, we hear this prayer:
O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble [Isa. 33:2].
This is the prayer of the godly remnant then and in the future.
PLAINTIVE CRY OF AMBASSADORS WHO FAILED
Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man [Isa. 33:7–8].
You would think that we would have learned a lesson today, but we have not. A great peace conference was held at the Hague; and, while it was going on, Germany began World War I and broke all of the treaties. At the end of that war the League of Nations was formed; and, when President Woodrow Wilson went to be our representative, the idea was to make the world safe for democracy. What they forgot, however, was to make democracy safe for the world. Peace didn’t come. It led to World War II. Now the United Nations is making the world ready for World War III. We talk about peace, but we are not doing it God’s way.
PETITION FOR ALL TO CONSIDER GOD’S DEALINGS
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might [Isa. 33:13].
Two groups of people are addressed here: “Ye that are far off” are the Gentiles, and “ye that are near” are the people of Israel. The call is to recognize God.
The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? [Isa. 33:14].
“Sinners in Zion” are those of Israel who are not Israel. There are godless Israelites just as there are godless Gentiles.
“The devouring fire” does not refer to the lake of fire mentioned in the Book of Revelation, but rather to the fact that “our God is a consuming fire.” He is a holy God, and He intends to judge in that day.
Today there is a tremendous godless movement abroad. It is growing by leaps and bounds. That is the reason we are giving out the Word of God. We don’t know how much longer we can do it, but we are going to continue as long as the Lord allows. God is going to bring judgment, and God’s people need to be concerned about getting His Word out. Judgment is not a pretty subject. It is not one that will make friends, but these are the words of Isaiah, and Isaiah’s message is God’s message, and He would like the human family to hear it.
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil [Isa. 33:15].
The one who has been declared righteous by his faith in Christ is called to walk in righteousness. In that awful day we find that where sin abounds, grace will much more abound.
PRAISE TO GOD FOR FINAL DELIVERANCE
Now we come to the fourth division, where there is praise to God for final deliverance.
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby [Isa. 33:20–21].
Babylon could boast of the Euphrates River, Assyria could boast of the Tigris and upper Zab, and Egypt could boast of the Nile, but Jerusalem was a landlocked city with neither river nor harbor. However, Zechariah gave an amazing prophecy which leads us to believe that God will provide a harbor for Israel during the Millennium (see Zech. 14:4–8). It is my understanding that the earthquake he describes will open up a deep valley to the Mediterranean Sea, and Jerusalem will be a seaport town during the Millennium.
The literal fulfillment of the prophecy also has a spiritual application. “The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams.” The Lord Himself is the source of Israel’s defense and blessing.
And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity [Isa. 33:24].
This is a glorious prospect which is held out for Jerusalem. The eye of faith looks beyond the immediate hard circumstances to the glorious prospect of the future. This is the day when the King will be in Jerusalem. The Prince of peace will then bring peace to the earth.
CHAPTER 34
Theme: The final world clash—the Battle of Armageddon
This chapter brings to an end the section which in my outline I call the “Kingdom, Process, and Program by which the Throne is Established on Earth.” Judgment has been the theme all the way through this section. We have looked at six woes and followed a progression in this matter of prophecy. We saw a local situation into which Isaiah spoke and then watched him move into that broader area, as he looked down through the centuries to the time of judgment that was coming in the future, which the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation. Beyond that we saw the coming of the King.
However, in our day we are not looking for the King, we are looking for our Savior. We are “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). After He takes the church out of the world, those who remain will go through the frightful Tribulation Period, which will end with the war or the campaign of Armageddon.
This chapter is in contradiction to the philosophy of the world. You see, man expects to so improve the world by his own efforts that he will build a Utopia. He plans to bring in a millennium, although he may call it something else. Man thinks he is capable of lifting himself by his own bootstraps. The basic philosophy of evolution (and evolution is a philosophy rather than a science) is that there is improvement as we go along. It is onward and upward forever! Or, as the slogan has it, “Every day in every way I am getting better and better.” Man has woven this philosophy into the fabric of life; he thinks we are moving into something which is great and good.
The Word of God also looks forward to a wonderful future for this earth, but it is not the consummation of man’s efforts. Everything that man has built apart from God is coming under a frightful judgment. All of man’s work is contrary to God and must come into a final conflict. That conflict is set before us here as the Battle of Armageddon. The sin of man will finally be headed up in the Man of Sin, who will attempt to bring in a kingdom for himself, and that kingdom is the Great Tribulation period. It can only be ended with the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom.
This chapter looks entirely to the future. The Assyrians have disappeared, F. Delitzsch has made this statement, which I think is quite accurate: “We feel that we are carried away from the stage of history, and are transported into the midst of the last things,” and these chapters are the “last steps whereby our prophet rises to the height at which he soars in chapters 40 to the end. After the fall of Assyria, and when darkness began to gather on the horizon again, Isaiah broke away from his own time—the end of all things’ became more and more his home… It was the revelation of the mystery of the incarnation of God, for which all this was to prepare the way.”
Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it [Isa. 34:1].
In Isaiah 1:2 God called heaven and earth to witness His judgment upon His people Israel. In this chapter God calls only the nations of the earth to witness His final judgment upon the nations.
For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter [Isa. 34:2].
Observe carefully the words chosen to depict this judgment: indignation, fury, utterly destroyed, and delivered to the slaughter. They are the strongest possible expressions that could be used. The judgment is universal, and it is severe. It is not only the “…time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7), but it is the time of the earth’s travail. Our Lord spoke of this as a time of suffering that will be unparalleled in the history of the world. The seals, trumpets, and vials in the Book of Revelation all intensify and confirm this. Whether you believe it or not, the earth is moving toward the judgment of God. Instead of a wonderful day coming for sinful man, a time of judgment is coming. As we look around us at our contemporary civilization, everything we see is going to come under the judgment of our Almighty God.
Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood [Isa. 34:3].
This description is to me the most terrible and repulsive in the Bible. I can’t think of anything worse than this. It confirms what the Lord Jesus said when He was here and what the Book of Revelation teaches about a coming judgment upon this earth.
I realize that a great many people doubt this, which reminds me of an incident when a tropical hurricane broke on the Gulf coast several years ago. I traveled along that area several years later, drove for miles and saw entire sections of cities that the storm had taken out. Even after several years, nothing is there. I also saw places where jungle in the area was absolutely removed. I was told about an apartment house in the area where a group of people were living fast and loose. When they heard the warnings about the storm, they decided that they would not leave. They didn’t believe the storm was going to be severe; so they had a big beer bust. Instead of evacuating, they all got drunk. They ridiculed the storm forecast, and they were all killed. You can do the same thing concerning the judgment that is coming on this earth. God says that judgment is coming, and it is coming.
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their hosts shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree [Isa. 34:4].
When you see a little leaf fall from a tree, you can attempt to glue it back on the branch, but it won’t stay and it won’t live. Just as surely, judgment is coming, and you can’t keep it from coming. There is only one thing you can do: make sure that you have a shelter. Listen to God and remember that the Lord Jesus is the shelter in the time of storm which is coming upon the earth.
IDUMEA, REPRESENTING ALL GOD’S ENEMIES
For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment [Isa. 34:5].
God bathes that sword in heaven—that is important to see. When you and I take the sword down here, it is for vengeance or some ulterior motive. When God takes the sword, it is for justice and righteousness upon the earth. His sword is bathed in heaven, and it is going to fall in judgment.
Idumea is Edom, and Edom is Esau, and Esau represents the flesh. Esau represents all in Adam who are rebellious against God and His people. God said, “…Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Rom. 9:13). God will judge Edom because they are against God, against His people, against His Word, against everything that is right and good.
INTENTION OF THE LORD
For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion [Isa. 34:8].
This is the day of the Lord’s vengeance. We will see this again in Isaiah 63:1–6. You can’t do anything to stop it, just like there is nothing you can do to stop Niagara Falls from flowing. God says that things have to be made right upon this earth. To make them right He has to put down the evil and rebellious man upon this earth. Many people will not bow to God; but, since this is God’s universe, where will they go? He has only one place for them, which is called hell. You may have your own concept of it, but it undoubtedly is lots worse than a place of literal fire. God’s Word is inviolable and the Lord Jesus said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). My friend, it is wise to read the weather report and when a storm is forecast to make arrangements to escape it.
CHAPTER 35
Theme: The blessings of the Millennium, a picture of the kingdom
As we come to this chapter, we can thank God that the war of Armageddon is not the end of all things. Chapter 35 is a poetic gem. There is a high sense of poetic justice in this chapter which concludes the section on judgment. The fires of judgment have now burned out, and the sword of justice is sheathed. The evening of earth-trouble is ended, and the morning of millennial delights has come. This section closes on the high plane of peace, having been through suffering to peace, through the night to the dawn, through judgment to salvation, through tears to joy in the morning.
The calm of this chapter is in contrast to the storms of judgments of the previous chapter and even those that preceded it. We can say with the writer of the Song of Solomon, the winter is past, and the flowers appear on the earth.
MATERIAL EARTH WILL BE RESTORED
First we see that the material earth will be restored and the curse of sin lifted. This is the body of the earth.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose [Isa. 35:1].
We are informed today that the deserts of the world are being enlarged each year; they are not being reduced in size. Drought and soil erosion are hastening this process. Today pollution is filling the earth. All of this will be reversed for the Millennium. The smog will be lifted, and the curse of sin will be removed. The familiar and beautiful statement, “the desert shall … blossom as the rose” is an apt and happy picture of the earth’s future. If you are familiar with the great desert area of the southwestern section of our country, you will be impressed with this statement. This outline was written while we were crossing the southeast section of Colorado where the drought has been so severe and where the vast grasslands have been eroded by sandstorms. During the Millennium all of this will be reversed.
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God [Isa. 35:2].
Paul tells us that creation is groaning and travailing in pain (see Rom. 8:22), while in the Millennium all creation will rejoice.
MEN WILL BE RENEWED
The bodies of men will be renewed, as will the psychological part of man.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees [Isa. 35:3].
Creation is waiting for us to get our new bodies.
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you [Isa. 35:4].
In the midst of the storm of judgment, God’s people can rejoice because they will know that God will come and save them. The church has the added hope and joy of never experiencing the Great Tribulation Period.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert [Isa. 35:5–6].
Sickness and disease and all affliction are the result of man’s sin. These will be lifted in the kingdom.
And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there [Isa. 35:7–9].
What a beautiful picture we have here of the earth during the kingdom age.
MEMBERS OF GOD’S FAMILY WILL RETURN TO ZION
Here we see the spirit of earth; that is, man will be renewed spiritually.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away [Isa. 35:10].
Can you think of anything nicer than this? This not only includes Israel, but it will include the redeemed who enter the Millennium upon the earth. In Zechariah 14:16–17 we read, “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.”
We can say with that old Puritan, Richard Baxter, “Hasten, O Saviour, the time of Thy return. Delay not, lest the living give up their hope. Delay not, lest earth shall grow like hell, and Thy Church shall be crumbled to dust. O hasten, that great resurrection day when the graves that received but rottenness, and retain but dust, shall return Thee glorious stars and suns. Thy desolate Bride saith, Come. The whole creation saith, Come, even so come, Lord Jesus. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain, waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.”
Thus ends the first major division of the Book of Isaiah with all the blessing of the Millennium.
HISTORIC INTERLUDE
We have come to the second major division of the Book of Isaiah. This section is unlike that which precedes it and that which follows it. This section leaves the high plateau of prophecy and drops down to the record of history. Even the form of language changes from poetry to prose. The first section dealt with the government of God and the method by which God judges. In the last section we will see the grace of God—salvation instead of judgment. Between these two sections is this historic interlude of four brief chapters. Why are they wedged in between the two major sections of this book? This is a reasonable question which requires investigation and rewards the honest inquirer. There are several significant factors which are worthy of mention.
1. Sacred and secular history are not the same. F. C. Jennings, in his fine work, Studies in Isaiah, says, “Divine history is never merely history, never simply a true account of past events.” This means that there are great spiritual truths couched in sacred history that are seen only by the eye of faith. The Holy Spirit must teach us the divine purpose in recording spiritual history. I want to note several suggested reasons for this:
a. These incidents might seem trite to the average historian who records great world movements, but events that concerned God’s people were important according to the standards of heaven.
b. These chapters note the transfer of power from Assyria to Babylon. Babylon was the first great world empire and was the real menace to God’s people. Babylon was to begin the period designated by our Lord as “…the times of the Gentiles…” (Luke 21:24).
c. This section is a record of a son of David who was beset by enemies and who went down to the verge of death, but was delivered and continued to reign. In this he foreshadows the great Son of David who was also beset by enemies, was delivered to death, but was raised from the dead, and who is coming again to reign. Hezekiah was only a man who walked in the ways of David, another weak man. Hezekiah lived to play the fool. Our Lord was greater than David, and as the crucified and risen Son of God, He is made unto us “…wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). There are other great spiritual truths which are noted in the chapter outlines.
2. The second significant factor in this historic section is that these particular events are recorded three times in Scripture—2 Kings 18–19, 2 Chronicles 29–30, and here in Isaiah. The fact that the Holy Spirit saw fit to record them three times is in itself a matter of great importance. The records are not identical but are similar. Some scholars think that Isaiah is the author of all three, or at least also of the one in the Book of Kings. Surely the Spirit of God has some special truth for us here which should cause us not to hurry over these events as if they were of no great moment.
3. Three significant and stupendous miracles are recorded in this brief section:
a. The death angel slays 185,000 Assyrians (Isa. 37:36–38).
b. The sun retreats ten degrees on the sundial of Ahaz (Isa. 38:7–8).
c. God heals Hezekiah and extends his life fifteen years (Isa. 38:1–5).
4. This section opens with Assyria and closes with Babylon. There are two important letters which Hezekiah received:
a. The first was from Assyria, which Hezekiah took directly to God in prayer. God answered his prayer and delivered His people (Isa. 37:14–20).
b. The second letter was from the king of Babylon, which flattered Hezekiah and which he did not take to the Lord in prayer. As a result, it led to the undoing of Judah (Isa. 39:1–8).
Chapter 36 tells about King Hezekiah and the invasion of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Chapter 37 tells about King Hezekiah’s prayer and the destruction of the Assyrian hosts. Chapter 38 records King Hezekiah’s sickness, prayer, and healing. Chapter 39 finds King Hezekiah playing the fool.
CHAPTER 36–37
Theme: Hezekiah and Assyria
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had come down like a flood from the north, taking everything in his wake. He had captured every nation and city that stood in his path, or they had capitulated to him. Flushed with victory, he appears with the Assyrian hosts before the walls of Jerusalem. He is surprised and puzzled that Hezekiah would attempt to resist him. He seeks for some explanation, as Hezekiah must have some secret weapon. Rab-shakeh, his representative, ridicules all known possibilities of aid. Arrogantly he demands unconditional surrender. The chapter closes with the terms and threats reported to Hezekiah.
ASSYRIA THREATENS TO INVADE JERUSALEM
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them [Isa. 36:1].
You will recall that Isaiah began his prophetic ministry when King Uzziah died, and he continued it through the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and now Hezekiah. Hezekiah was one of the five great kings of Judah. During the reigns of these five kings (Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah) revival came to the land of Judah. Hezekiah was actually a great king. Second Chronicles 29:1–2 tells us, “Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.”
Although Hezekiah was a good king, he exhibited weakness when he attempted to stave off the invasion of Jerusalem by bribing Sennacherib (see 2 Kings 18:13–16). He stripped the gold and silver from the temple to meet the exorbitant demands of the king of Assyria. It was to no avail, however, as the army of Assyria was outside the gates of Jerusalem. Payment did not help at all. This policy was not something new then, and it is still with us. Our nation, since World War II, has followed a very weak policy. We have used the almighty dollar to try to buy friends throughout the world, and we don’t have many friends today. You cannot get friends by buying them. Our problem is that we haven’t learned who our real Friend is. He is the One to whom Hezekiah finally had to turn, the Lord God.
And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field [Isa. 36:2].
Sennacherib did not condescend to come personally, but instead he sent an army under Rab-shakeh. They are parked now outside the gates of Jerusalem, and General Rab-shakeh is attempting to put fear into the hearts of Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem so that they will surrender.
Hezekiah sent out a delegation to meet with him.
Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder [Isa. 36:3].
Hezekiah sent forth this embassage of three to receive the terms offered by Sennacherib.
ASSYRIA DEMANDS SURRENDER OF JERUSALEM
And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? [Isa. 36:4].
Rab-shakeh arrogantly expresses surprise that Hezekiah would even dare resist, and he wants to know about the secret weapon in which Hezekiah trusts. He suggests first of all that it might be Egypt.
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him [Isa. 36:6].
The Assyrian host was then on the way to Egypt to capture that kingdom and was incensed that Jerusalem blocked the way. The facts were that Hezekiah had hoped for help from Egypt as had Ahaz his father before him. But Hezekiah wouldn’t get any help from Egypt—Rab-shakeh was right about that.
Then he suggests another possibility:
But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar? [Isa. 36:7].
Next Rab-shakeh asks, “Is it true that you are depending upon your God?” Here is where his lack of spiritual discernment gave him a wrong cue. He says, “Don’t you know that Hezekiah had all the high places destroyed?” He thought the worship at the heathen altars out yonder on those hilltops was the same as the worship of the living God in Jerusalem. He thought Hezekiah had destroyed the worship of the people so that they had no gods to turn to.
Many people today have no spiritual discernment. Every now and then someone will write to me or say, “All churches are the same. They are all striving to get to the same place.” These people are like old Rab-shakeh. They don’t seem to know the difference. When they say that it does not make any difference what you believe as long as you are sincere, they contradict the words of our Lord. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
Now the third possibility suggested by Rab-shakeh reveals the haughty attitude of the Assyrian:
Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? [Isa. 36:8–9].
There was the bare possibility that Hezekiah was depending on his own resources and manpower to defend Jerusalem; so Rab-shakeh offers to make things just about equal by giving Hezekiah two thousand horses! He, of course, is ridiculing them.
The fourth possibility suggested by Rab-shakeh is the most subtle of all:
And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? the Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it [Isa. 36:10].
He suggests that Jehovah of Israel has sent the Assyrian against Jerusalem and that He is therefore on the side of the Assyrian.
It is interesting to note that in World War I the Germans thought God was with them, and we thought God was on our side. I doubt seriously that God was on either side. In this particular case the true God used the Assyrian to destroy His people, but He is not going to let the enemy take Jerusalem.
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall [Isa. 36:11].
Now Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah ask Rab-shakeh to speak in the Syrian language. All this time he has been speaking so loudly in the Hebrew language that the soldiers on the walls of Jerusalem could hear. He was great at giving out propaganda; enemies always do that. He was yelling out his ideas at the top of his voice so that the soldiers on the wall would get the word to the people in Jerusalem; he wanted to get it past these emissaries. Of course, their protest only caused Rab-shakeh to talk a little louder.
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? [Isa. 36:18–20].
Arrogantly Rab-shakeh boasts that none of the gods of other people have delivered them. Why should the Israelites expect Jehovah to deliver Jerusalem? He placed Jehovah on a par with heathen idols.
REPRESENTATIVES REPORT ASSYRIA’S BITTER TERMS
Finally the emissaries bring the word to Hezekiah, the king:
Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh [Isa. 36:22].
The messengers return to report these doleful words to Hezekiah.
“Clothes” speak of the dignity and glory of man. The saying is that clothes make the man. Well, “clothes rent” indicates humiliation and shame. This is a dejected and discouraged delegation that brings to Hezekiah the message from the king of Assyria.
REACTION OF HEZEKIAH TO THE REPORT
Now notice what Hezekiah does when this report reaches him.
And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord [Isa. 37:1].
His reaction to the report of his messengers reveals a man of faith. In his extremity he turns to God and goes to the house of the Lord.
And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. [Isa. 37:2].
Hezekiah now sends his messengers to Isaiah the prophet. This is another act of faith. He wants a word from God.
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth [Isa. 37:3].
The message to Isaiah is ominous, black, and pessimistic. It is a day of trouble, rebuke, and blasphemy.
It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left [Isa. 37:4].
He speaks of the Lord as “thy God,” not as “our God.” Why didn’t he say “our God” to begin with? However, he will correct this in his prayer in verse 20.
ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE LORD THROUGH ISAIAH
So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me [Isa. 37:5–6].
God gives assurance to Hezekiah that the blasphemy of the Assyrian has not escaped His attention. Likewise, God cannot, nor will not, ignore it.
Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land [Isa. 37:7].
He would not be killed near Jerusalem but in his own land. This had literal fulfillment, as we shall see. God declares the destruction of Assyria.
THREATENING LETTER TO HEZEKIAH
When Rab-shakeh got back to his army, he learned that the king of Assyria had left Lachish and was going to war against Libnah. A rumor came that the main force of the Assyrian army was being attacked by the Egyptian army. Rab-shakeh withdrew from Jerusalem temporarily to assist the main force of the Assyrian army, but to “save face” he dispatched a letter from Sennacherib to Hezekiah saying, “I’ll be back!”
The message of the letter was another attempt to shake Hezekiah’s faith in God’s deliverance.
Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria [Isa. 37:10].
He repeats the same words of Rab-shakeh.
Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?
Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar? [Isa. 37:11–12].
Here he goes beyond the former word and boasts that no gods of any nation had delivered their people out of the hand of the Assyrian.
Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? [Isa. 37:13].
He quotes historical facts that were difficult to answer.
HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER
Now notice the action of Hezekiah—I love this!
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord [Isa. 37:14].
When Hezekiah received the letter, he went to God directly and spread the letter before Him. Then follows one of the truly great prayers of Scripture.
And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying,
O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth [Isa. 37:15–16].
No instructed Israelites believed that God was a local deity who dwelt in the temple—just a little box in Jerusalem! King Solomon had prayed: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded” (1 Kings 8:27). Every Israelite recognized that He was the God of heaven, the Creator of heaven and earth.
Hezekiah pleads with Him to hear and deliver His people from the threatening Assyrian:
Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God [Isa. 37:17].
Hezekiah shows God the letter and calls attention to the fact that it is directly against God.
Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,
And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them [Isa. 37:18–19].
Hezekiah acknowledges the truth of the letter. There was no need to deny or ignore it. When we deal with God, it is wise to tell Him the truth, especially about ourselves, and not try to conceal anything.
Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only [Isa. 37:20].
GOD’S ANSWER THROUGH ISAIAH
God says that He has heard the blasphemy of the Assyrian. Notice how He will deal with him:
Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest [Isa. 37:29].
Now God gives this word of comfort and assurance to His people:
And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof [Isa. 37:30].
The primary thought is that the children of Judah would continue on in the land a little longer.
Note the boldness of this prophecy:
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it [Isa. 37:33].
If one of the 185,000 Assyrians had accidentally shot an arrow over the walls of Jerusalem, God’s Word would have been inaccurate! How wonderful are the promises of God!
By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord [Isa. 37:34].
This is specific and was also literally fulfilled.
GOD DESTROYS THE ASSYRIAN ARMY
Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses [Isa. 37:36].
In the morning the men who were stationed on the walls of Jerusalem saw an amazing sight! The enemies they so feared were now lifeless corpses.
So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh [Isa. 37:37].
Now let’s see what happened to the king of Assyria.
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead [Isa. 37:38].
Secular history confirms the fact that Sennacherib was murdered by his sons. It was about this time that the great kingdom of Assyria began to disintegrate and eventually was taken over by Babylon. God has already let Isaiah know that He was preparing a kingdom down on the banks of the Euphrates River, which would be the one to take the southern kingdom into captivity. God knew that though He delivered His people by this tremendous miracle in the days of Hezekiah, soon the day would return when He again would say, “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward” (Isa. 1:4).
CHAPTER 38
Theme: Prayer of Hezekiah when told he is to die; promise of healing—miracle of the sundial; Hezekiah’s Poem of praise
This chapter deals with King Hezekiah’s illness, prayer, and healing. It is well to keep in mind that while Hezekiah was beset by the danger of the Assyrian host, he was plagued by a “boil.” His deliverance from death must have been prior to the destruction of the Assyrian host. It was while the siege was going on, and the answer to prayer must have encouraged his heart relative to Isaiah’s prediction of the coming deliverance of Jerusalem. Hezekiah reigned twenty-nine years. He reigned fifteen years after this event; so his sickness was in the fourteenth year of his reign, and we are told that Sennacherib came up against Jerusalem in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign (see Isa. 36:1). All of this happened in the same year—the sickness of Hezekiah and the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrians.
PRAYER OF HEZEKIAH WHEN TOLD HE IS TO DIE
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live [Isa. 38:1].
It is interesting the way this chapter opens. We have seen that “in that day” is a technical expression that speaks of the Tribulation and millennial days. This verse does not open by saying, “In that day,” but by saying, “In those days.” What “days” is Isaiah talking about? He is talking about those days in which he and Hezekiah lived. Hezekiah was sick unto death. He was having trouble with a “boil” that was just about to kill him. On top of that he was having trouble with the Assyrians. There are those who believe that Hezekiah’s “boil” was either cancer or leprosy, or something similar. Whatever it was, it was a terminal disease, and his time to die had come.
The sentence of death was delivered to Hezekiah by Isaiah. It is true that this sentence of death rests upon each one of us, although we do not know the day nor the hour. But we do know this: “… it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). This is a divine date. If each one of us knew the exact time, our life-style would change.
Some years ago I received a letter from a fine young minister who had been told by his doctor that he had cancer and that his days were limited. He sent out a letter to some of his friends, and I was privileged to be included in that list. Here is a brief quotation from his letter so that you might know the thinking of a man under the shadow of death: “One thing I have discovered in the last few days. When a Christian is suddenly confronted with a sentence of death, he surely begins to give a proper evaluation of material things. My fishing gear and books and orchard are not nearly so valuable as they were a week ago.” I conducted this young preacher’s funeral. And many years later I had the experience of having cancer myself. My doctor told me he thought I had only about three months to live. I can bear witness to the accuracy of the young preacher’s statement. It was amazing how certain things suddenly became very unimportant. One of those things was my home. I thought I would not be living in it but a few more weeks, and it certainly became unimportant to me; but where I was going became very important. Well, God had other plans for me, for which I am indeed grateful. I thank and praise Him for each new day He gives to me.
When Hezekiah was confronted with death, what did he do?
Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord [Isa. 38:21].
We have seen Hezekiah in prayer before when he spread Sennacherib’s letter before the Lord.
And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore [Isa. 38:3].
This is a time when a man can weep. I wept when I was told I was going to die. I am sure the young preacher wept when he heard the news from his doctor. You are bound to weep at a time like that. But Hezekiah also prayed on the basis of his life. This man had a good reputation before God, and under the Mosaic Law this was the accurate thing to do. Second Kings 18:5 says concerning Hezekiah: “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.” Hezekiah was an outstanding man. He was not boasting when he made that claim.
PROMISE OF HEALING—MIRACLE OF THE SUNDIAL
Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years [Isa. 38:4–5].
God did hear and answer his prayer and extended his life by fifteen years. He did it, not for Hezekiah’s sake, but for David’s sake.
That is not the basis upon which our prayers are heard today. Our prayers are heard for the sake of David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 16:23–24 the Lord says, “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (italics mine). You and I can go to our Heavenly Father with our requests in the name of Christ. To pray in the name of Christ means that you are in Christ, and you are praying for His will to be done. It means that it is to please Him. Sometimes He will heal and sometimes He won’t. He is the One to decide.
And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city [Isa. 38:6].
God ties in His deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian with the deliverance of Hezekiah from death. God’s answer to one request will encourage the believer’s heart that He will answer the other requests. To be honest with you, I have been greatly strengthened in my own faith since God heard and answered the prayers of a host of radio listeners concerning my health.
And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken;
Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down [Isa. 38:7–8].
God gave him a sign, which was an assurance that He would answer his prayer.
F. C. Jennings (Studies in Isaiah, p. 438) translates the verse like this: “Behold, I will cause the shadow of the steps to return, which is gone down on the steps of Ahaz with the sun, backward ten steps. And the sun returned ten steps by the steps which it had gone down.” You see, the translation of “degrees” can also be “steps.” Dr. Jennings comments: “We can now transport ourselves in spirit to Hezekiah’s palace, and into his chamber. There lies the king, still prone on his couch, but with his face no longer turned to the wall, but joy and hope brightening his eye as he looks out of the window to the gardens, in the midst of which, and in full view, stands an obelisk, or column, with a series of steps leading up to it, and at least ten of these are lying in the column’s shadow; for the sun has gone so far down as to throw the shadow over that number of steps. But look again, the once darkened steps are now in clearest sunlight—’tis the sign for which the king had asked!”
HEZEKIAH’S POEM OF PRAISE
The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness [Isa. 38:9].
The verses following are a fine thesis on death by one who was very near to it. Many believe that Hezekiah composed Psalm 116 at this time.
Now the question arises: Was Hezekiah right in asking God to extend his life?
The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord [Isa. 38:20].
At this time there was a great welling up of praise in the heart of Hezekiah. His song of praise to God was evidently set to music and sung.
However, after this experience Hezekiah became rather proud and arrogant. In the Book of Chronicles, which is God’s viewpoint of history, we are told: “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem” (2 Chron. 32:25). Here is evidence to the fact that maybe he should not have asked for an extension of life because it led to pride in his life—he was raised up!
When I became ill, I remembered the story of Hezekiah. I went to the Lord and said, “If you will let me live, I will promise to do your will, and I will continue to get out your Word.” That is the reason I have over-extended myself in conferences and meetings. I didn’t want to let the Lord down. But He has made it pretty clear to me that I should not kill myself by overdoing, since He has extended my life. Now I am trying to be reasonable in what I do.
After experiencing a miracle like Hezekiah did, there is a danger of withdrawing from the Lord. You would think that it would draw one closer to Him, but instead there is a grave danger of getting away from Him.
Was he right in asking God to extend his life? Should he not have died when the time came? There is another consideration which leads me to believe that he should have died when he was so ill. Manasseh, his son, was twelve years old when he began to reign, which means that he was born after Hezekiah’s sickness. Manasseh was the worst king who reigned in either kingdom. I consider Manasseh worse than Ahab and Jezebel put together. I think that it was during his reign that the Shekinah glory departed. If it didn’t depart during his reign, I can’t think of any reason it would depart afterward. Manasseh was very much like Antichrist, the Man of Sin who is yet to come.
In the next chapter we will see that Hezekiah played the fool after his experience in healing.
Now how did God perform the healing of Hezekiah? Did he have Isaiah pray over him? Or did Isaiah lay his hand on him so hard that he fell backward? No. Notice what Isaiah did—
For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover [Isa. 38:21].
In other words, he did the two things that James recommends: “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14). This anointing is not religious nor ceremonial. The oil is for healing; it is medicinal. And the elders are to pray for the one who is sick. What God said through Isaiah and through James is the same. When you get sick, pray and call for the doctor. God expects us to be sensible.
CHAPTER 39
Theme: Hezekiah and Babylon
The transfer of the enemy of Judah from Assyria to Babylon is one of the outstanding features of this section. At this time Babylon was a struggling city on the banks of the Euphrates, unable to overcome Assyria. However, Babylon was to become the great head of gold in the times of the Gentiles, and that makes this chapter significant.
This chapter reveals the great blunder of Hezekiah’s life and also his human frailty and weakness. It is after the hour of great spiritual triumph that our worst defeats come.
HEZEKIAH RECEIVES THE BABYLONIAN EMBASSAGE
At that time Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered [Isa. 39:1].
Merodach-baladan is a meaningless king to us, but his name is full of meaning. F. C. Jennings calls our attention to the fact that Merodach means “a rebel” and baladan means “not the Lord.” Behind this king, of course, is Nimrod, the founder of Babylon, and Satan, who is the archrebel against God and is the “god of this world.”
These ambassadors brought a letter which flattered Hezekiah. They said, “The king of Babylon has been concerned about you. He heard that you were sick and have recovered; so he sends a gift to rejoice with you.”
And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not [Isa. 39:2].
At this time Hezekiah had not lost very many of the riches that David and Solomon had gathered. He made the mistake of showing his silver and gold, for he was immensely wealthy. We are told in 2 Chronicles 32:27–28, “And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.”
It is interesting how Hezekiah received the embassage from Babylon. They gave him a gift and a get-well card from the king. Instead of taking the letter and opening it before the Lord like he did the letter from the Assyrians, he just put it aside. They had flattered him, and so he gave the visitors the VIP treatment. He took them on a tour of the grounds of Jerusalem. Solomon had cornered the world’s gold market, and also he had cornered the market on quite a few other things. All of it was stored away in Jerusalem. Hezekiah foolishly showed this great wealth to his visitors, who went back to their king and told him that when he was strong enough, they knew where he could get all of the gold, silver, and jewels that he would need to carry on warfare.
Hezekiah made a big mistake, and Isaiah heard about what he had done.
Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon [Isa. 39:3].
Hezekiah thought it was wonderful, but Isaiah recognized the danger.
Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them [Isa. 39:4].
It was a very foolish thing that Hezekiah had done.
Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:
Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.
And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon [Isa. 39:5–7].
Hezekiah played the fool. He should never have shown his treasures to strangers. Isaiah’s prophecy was literally fulfilled (see 2 Kings 24–25; Dan. 1).
Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days [Isa. 39:8].
Hezekiah’s reply to Isaiah is very strange. He said in effect, “I am glad this prophecy won’t take place in my day.” He was grateful that these things would not come to pass in his days, but what about his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren? It did take place in their day.
Hezekiah’s life was extended for fifteen years. Was it good? It was not good. He lived to play the fool. Three terrible things took place during those years.
This chapter concludes the historic section.
CHAPTER 40
Theme: Comfort, a message from God; creation, a revelation of God; consideration, a call from God
Chapter 40 brings us to the final major division of the Book of Isaiah. There is a sharp contrast between the first and last sections of this book. The first section was a revelation of the Sovereign upon the throne, while this final section is a revelation of the Savior in the place of suffering. In chapter 6 we saw the crown; in chapter 53 we shall see the cross. The theme in the first section was the government of God; in this section it is the grace of God.
The opening words, “Comfort ye,” set the mood and tempo for this final section. The message from God is comfort rather than judgment which we saw in the first section.
The change of subject matter has led the liberal critic to postulate the Deutero-Isaiah hypothesis. Because the subjects are entirely different, they suppose that they were written by different writers—two Isaiahs. Well, a change of message certainly does not necessitate a change of authorship. The message has changed but not the messenger. Many authors write on subjects that are entirely different. For example, I have a booklet on Psalm 2, which is God’s judgment, and one on Psalm 22, which is God’s salvation—two entirely different subjects, but written by the same individual.
In this section of Isaiah the thunders and lightnings of Sinai are subdued, smothered by the wonderful message of grace which comes from God.
COMFORT, A MESSAGE FROM GOD
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God [Isa. 40:1].
All of the “woes” and the “burdens” of the first section have been lifted because there is now a burden-bearer, One who later on will fulfill everything that Isaiah said about Him. He will be the One to give the invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28). The Lord Jesus Christ lifts burdens.
“Comfort ye, comfort ye” is a sign of yearning from the pulsating heart of God. Our God is the God of “all comfort.” That is the way Paul speaks of Him in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” The Holy Spirit is called “the Comforter.” The Lord Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). He is today our Comforter.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins [Isa. 40:2].
It has been suggested that when there was an indebtedness or mortgage on a house in Israel, the fact was written on a paper, a legal document, and put on the doorpost so that all their neighbors and friends would know that they had a mortgage on their place. Another copy was kept by the one who held the mortgage. When the debt was paid, the second copy, the carbon copy, was nailed over the other doorpost so that all might see that the debt was paid. This is the meaning of “she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” The sins of Jerusalem were paid for by the One who suffered outside her gates. This is the difference between the dealings of God with His people in the Old Testament and with us in our day. It actually separates Christianity from all pagan religions and from the Mosaic Law. The difference is all wrapped up in that little word propitiation. In the heathen religions the people bring an offering to their gods to appease them, and that is what propitiation means. Many people think that that is what it means in the Bible, that they have to “do” something—because God is angry—to win Him over. The people in heathen religions are always doing that because their gods are always angry and difficult to get along with. Their feelings are easily hurt, and they are not very friendly. The fact is that sin, man’s sin, has alienated him from God, but it is God who did something. And today God is propitious. You don’t have to do anything to win Him over. Propitiation is toward God, and reconciliation is toward us. God has done everything that needs to be done. Today we are asked to be reconciled to God, not to do something to win Him over. God is already won over; that is what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. We need only accept what Christ has done. This is the word of comfort for a lost world today.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God [Isa. 40:3].
All four writers of the gospel records—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—quote this verse as applying to John the Baptist. Since it appears four times in the New Testament, I’m not going to argue about it. I say that it refers to John the Baptist.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field [Isa. 40:4–6].
Luke quotes this as applying to John the Baptist.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever [Isa. 40:7–8].
Man is compared to the grass of the field. The question is, How can there be comfort in being reminded that we are like grass? Hence in California grass is beautiful after the spring rain; but not many weeks later, after the sun has beat upon it for a few days, it begins to wither and die. Man is just like that.
You say, “Well there is no comfort in that!” Yes, there is. Man is faint, frail, and feeble, but the Word of God is strong, sure, and secure. God’s Word is our hiding place, a foundation upon which we can rest; it is our sword and buckler, high tower, protection, security, and salvation. In 1 Peter 1:23–25 we read, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” It is only the gospel that gives eternal life to man who naturally is just a transitory creature on this earth.
Now note the wonderful message—
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! [Isa. 40:9].
“Good tidings” is the gospel, and the “good tidings” of John the Baptist was “Behold your God!” Until you have seen Jesus Christ as God manifest in the flesh, you haven’t really seen Him. You must come to Him as He is—not just as a Man, but as God, Immanuel, God with us. If He is just a human, He cannot be my Savior; but He is Immanuel, and He is my Savior. How wonderful this is!
Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him [Isa. 40:10].
Now Isaiah, as he generally does, draws together the first and second comings of Christ. This verse looks forward to His second coming. Actually, the gospel includes both the first and second comings of Christ. We are apt to get sidetracked and put all the emphasis on Jesus’ first coming or on His second coming. Well, let’s put our emphasis on both Comings, which is the totality of the gospel.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young [Isa. 40:11].
The Lord Jesus took the title of Shepherd when He came the first time. “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He also said, “… I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15).
CREATION, A REVELATION OF GOD
The next verse introduces the section that speaks of the greatness of God as Creator.
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? [Isa. 40:12].
Who has done that? To begin with, when you get out into space, you don’t weigh anything; so who is doing the weighing today, and where is it going to be weighed? This verse makes me feel like singing “How Great Thou Art”!
Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? [Isa. 40:13–14].
God knows no equal nor is there anyone to whom He can go for advice. Someone has asked the rather facetious question, “What is it that you have seen that God has never seen?” The answer is very simple. God has never seen His equal. I see mine every day.
To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? [Isa. 40:18].
You and I know very little. All we know is what He has revealed in the Word of God, and I don’t think He has told us everything. To begin with, we can’t even comprehend what He has told us.
Isaiah is contrasting God to idols. “To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?” Look around you at the pictures of Him. Personally, I don’t care for any picture of Jesus because they are not pictures of Jesus. I don’t become very popular when I say this. Stores that sell such pictures and people who are rather sentimental think I am terrible. But, my friend, we don’t need pictures of Him. I agree with the old Scottish philosopher who said years ago, “Men never thought of painting a picture of Jesus until they had lost His presence in their hearts.”
Now here is the first rather ironical attack that Isaiah will make against idolatry—
The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains [Isa. 40:19].
The rich make a very ornate idol. They have a rich god.
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved [Isa. 40:20].
The poor can have only a crude idol; he whittles out a god from a piece of wood. How preposterous idolatry is!
Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? [Isa. 40:21].
It is utterly ridiculous to compare God to some dumb idol.
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in [Isa. 40:22].
The Old Testament does not teach that the earth is flat; but scientists in the days of Columbus taught this theory. Those so-called scientists did not pay attention to the Word of God in that day, and they missed something. And I think scientists are missing something today. It is clearly stated in this verse that the earth is a sphere, a circle positioned in an even greater universe, and that God’s throne is far beyond the penetration of the most powerful telescopes as they search out the limitless vault of space.
CONSIDERATION, A CALL FROM GOD
In the light of all of this, God calls us to consider.
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? [Isa. 40:27].
God knows about the difficulties and problems of His people. If you belong to Him, He is able to quiet the storms of life, but sometimes there are lessons for His own to learn in the storm. When you find yourself in the midst of a storm, instead of sitting and weeping and criticizing God, why don’t you look around and find out what lesson He wants you to learn? God will not let you go through trials unless He has something for you to learn.
The lesson may be this:
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding [Isa. 40:28].
We have a great God. He never gets tired. He is not like man.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint [Isa. 40:30–31].
There are three degrees of power here, and several expositors have likened them to the three stages of Christian growth that you have in 1 John 2:12–14. These three stages of growth are: (1) the young Christian shall mount up as an eagle; (2) the adult Christian shall run; and (3) the mature Christian shall walk.
This reminds me of the black preacher down in my southland who preached a very wonderful sermon, in which he said, “Brethren, this church, it needs to walk.” And one of the deacons said, “Amen.” He continued, “Brethren, this church needs to run.” And the deacon said, “Hallelujah.” Then he said, “Brethren, this church needs to fly.” And this deacon said, “Amen and hallelujah.” Then the minister said, “Well, it’s going to cost money to make this church fly.” To this the deacon replied, “Let her walk, brother, let her walk.”
My friend, regardless of who you are, if you are going to move with God through this earth, it will cost you something. But God will furnish you strength whatever your condition. If you need strength to walk, He will give it to you. If you need strength to fly, He has that for you also. This is a wonderful chapter revealing the comfort of God as our Creator, as our Savior, and as our Sustainer.
CHAPTER 41
Theme: God overrules individuals; God overtures Israel to trust Him; God overturns idols
This chapter continues the thought of chapter 40 in setting forth the greatness of God. The emphasis here is not upon God as Creator so much as upon His dealings with man. The greatness of God is revealed in both creation and human history.
There are also some things in this chapter that are rather enigmatic. It seems that there is a bare profile of prophecy in the background, but the theme is that God will protect and lead His children through the world which is fraught with pitfalls and dangers. Therefore, comfort is here for the child of God.
GOD OVERRULES INDIVIDUALS
Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment [Isa. 41:1].
The whole world of individuals is moving toward judgment.
The showdown is coming between light and darkness, between God and mammon, between faith and unbelief. God is now calling upon individuals to turn to Him and accept the salvation He has to offer. God is propitious. He is not demanding anything of you. He is simply asking you to accept the grace and salvation that He has to offer.
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow [Isa. 41:2].
“Righteous man from the east” is a strong expression. There are those who feel that this is a veiled suggestion of Cyrus. Cyrus will be mentioned by name shortly, but this is not the place. I believe that the word actually refers to a quality—righteousness—rather than to a person. It could be a reference to the rule of righteousness which Christ will establish at His return to earth. We find this thought developed in this section.
They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage [Isa. 41:6].
Since God is coming to right the wrongs and relieve injustices, individuals who are right with God can be of good courage. There is hope for the little man who trusts God. He doesn’t have to worry about the future.
GOD OVERTURES ISRAEL TO TRUST HIM
Here again we have a reference to idolatry.
So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering:and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved [Isa. 41:7].
In an emergency some folk hammered themselves out a god, that is, a temporary idol. But now God says:
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend [Isa. 41:8].
God now turns to Israel to comfort them in their distress. God says, “Instead of hammering out an idol, why not turn to Me?” After all, He knows they are sinners. He still calls them Jacob, and Jacob was the crooked one. It is God who made him Israel, a prince with God. And God wants to do that for the sons of Jacob.
Abraham is called the “friend” of God, and God wants to bring these people into a right relationship with Himself.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness [Isa. 41:10].
This verse has been a real pillar of strength and a source of comfort to God’s children of every age.
As he moves on, he says that if they oppose God it will be the very height of folly, because they are moving toward the day when all these adjustments will have to be made.
Now note this remarkable verse:
For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee [Isa. 41:13].
Here is God’s gracious overture to trust Him—what comfort! God wants to take us into His confidence. He wants to enable us to walk with Him, have fellowship with Him, and know Him. My, what mankind is missing today! Some people can even get so involved in church work that they miss all this.
Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel [Isa. 41:14].
You may think you are something, but you are a “worm”—a nobody. It is only God who can make any of us important. Only God can make man a somebody. Little man frets and struts across the stage of life, as Shakespeare put it. He huffs and puffs like the old wolf around the little pigs’ houses. Where is man going, and exactly what is he getting out of what he is doing? Some people see the futility of it all and take their own lives. Where else can they turn? The only place man can turn is to God. Oh, what man is missing! God’s fellowship, His salvation, His goodness, His grace—all of these are yours if you but turn to Him.
Then He talks to them about the material blessings of the Millennium—they will be there. And God would like to talk to you and me about the spiritual blessings which are available to us now and those we will have in eternity.
GOD OVERTURNS IDOLS
Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob [Isa. 41:21].
This is a challenge to idolatry. Now who is an idolater? Have you ever considered the possibility that you may be? Anything you put between your soul and God is your idol—regardless of what it is. It is anything to which you are giving your time and your energy; it could actually be your religion. Anything that you allow to take the place of a personal relationship with God is your idol.
What can idols do? Can they explain the origin of the universe? Are you satisfied today with the explanations that evolution has given? Of course there have been several explanations, but God says, “Bring them all out.”
Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come [Isa. 41:22].
Man doesn’t know his beginning or the origin of the universe. He simply doesn’t know—I don’t care what theory he is following. I predict that the evolutionist will be embarrassed in the next fifty years or so, because evolution will be just one of the many theories which will be left along the highway of time with the other wreckage. There have been many explanations of the origin of the universe which were called scientific at one time but are exploded today. Evolution will be exploded in time. Then man will turn to another theory. Man doesn’t know his origin, and he doesn’t know the future. Man is a very ignorant creature. Have you ever stopped to think how little you know?
There are many Ph.D.’s who don’t know very much either. I heard of a man working on his Ph.D. degree who was studying the eye of the mosquito. Now there is an unusual subject! One day as he was doing his research, it suddenly occurred to him that he did not want to spend the rest of his life looking a mosquito in the eye. And I can understand that—I wouldn’t mind taking one or two looks, but after that I think it would become monotonous! This man came to the conclusion that he should do something else. He found the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior, was granted his degree, and he decided to dedicate his life to something worthwhile. Today he is a minister of the gospel.
It is quite interesting that man can be very well-educated, even have his doctor’s degree, and still know very little. He knows nothing about his origin or where he is going, and no idol can give him that information. So it is well to turn to the One who does have the answers. This doesn’t mean He will give you all the answers, but it is nice to know Him who knows the answers. I have never learned much about science, but I did learn a motto that was posted in the science building of the college I attended, which read: “Next to knowing is knowing where to find out.” Now there are many things I don’t know, but I know the One who knows everything. If there is something I need to know, God will tell me.
Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you [Isa. 41:24].
Man cannot explain his past, and he does not know his future apart from God. That makes all of man’s effort apart from God a very vain thing, an empty thing. During my first pastorate a man came to me and said, “If you can’t give me a good reason for living, I am going to solve all of my problems by taking my life.” What do you do with a man like that? He had an old rusty .45; it was a big old gun. I said to him, “Now look, if you can show me you can solve your problems by taking your life, I will get you a better gun than the one you have so you can do it right. Candidly, if you are not going to turn to Christ—if you are not going to bring Him into your life—you might as well use your gun. I see no reason why you shouldn’t.” Well, he was really taken aback. He expected me to give him arguments on reasons for living. That fellow put down his gun and left. Although he didn’t turn to Christ at that time, he did later on. And he found that Christ had the answer to his problems.
Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion [Isa. 41:29].
“Confusion” is the end result of idolatry or any philosophy which is anti-God or atheistic. It does not have the answers to the problems of life. These man-made systems cannot satisfy the human heart. The answer is found in the One who brings good tidings of great joy.
CHAPTER 42
Theme: The Servant of Jehovah—Jesus; the scourge of idolatry—images; the servant of Jehovah—the nation
In each chapter Isaiah is gradually working up to his condemnation of idolatry.
We find in this chapter that the nation Israel is called the servant of Jehovah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Servant of Jehovah and is so called in the Gospel of Mark. He made it very clear: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). And in Matthew 12:17–21 there is an application of this prophecy to the Lord Jesus.
THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH, JESUS
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles [Isa. 42:1].
“Behold” is a word that is a bugle call to consider the Lord Jesus Christ.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth [Isa. 42:3].
This verse characterizes the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus when He was here. “A bruised reed shall he not break.” The Lord didn’t move in with a club against sin. He simply let sin bring its own judgment. “The smoking flax shall he not quench”—the man who keeps on in sin will find that it will break out in flames finally. The wages of sin is death; it always is that. You can’t change it.
This is a marvelous section as it presents the Lord Jesus as God’s Servant.
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house [Isa. 42:6–7].
Christ performed these miracles as credentials of His Kingship when He was here the first time. He came as the Light of the world. As old Simeon prophesied, “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:32).
THE SCOURGE OF IDOLATRY—IMAGES
Now Isaiah begins God’s polemic against idolatry.
I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images [Isa. 42:8].
God will not share His glory with another.
Now he talks about the scourge of idolatry, and the judgment of God which it will bring.
I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools [Isa. 42:15].
The physical earth will be affected by His judgment.
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them [Isa. 42:16].
This is the way God leads His own. You and I are blind to the future, but He is not, and He will lead all who put their trust in Him.
They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods [Isa. 42:17].
The idolaters, you see, are warned that judgment is coming.
THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH, THE NATION
Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? [Isa. 42:19].
He identifies the blind servant here as His own people Israel.
This is God’s condemnation of His own people—
But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore [Isa. 42:22].
The nation Israel is the subject in this verse. They are “a people robbed and spoiled.” Why? Because they turned away from God, and they have turned to idols.
Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law [Isa. 42:24].
The people and nation are identified as Israel. God scattered them—but He will also regather them.
Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart [Isa. 42:25].
The chastening of the Lord did not cause the nation to repent and return to Him. Did this thwart the purposes of God? The answer, of course is no, as we will see in the following chapter.
CHAPTER 43–44
Theme: Retrospect—creation, redemption, preservation of Israel; Prospect—future judgment, deliverance, redemption of Israel; promise of the Spirit; polemic against idolatry; prophecy concerning Cyrus
This section of Scripture, and particularly this chapter, reveals that God is not through with the nation Israel. It is tantamount to unbelief to deny that God has a future purpose for the nation of Israel. In the New Testament Paul asks the question, “… Hath God cast away His people?” And the answer is, “God forbid …” (Rom. 11:1). That is a very dogmatic answer. God is not through with these folk, as He makes clear in the chapter before us.
RETROSPECT—CREATION, REDEMPTION, PRESERVATION OF ISRAEL
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine [Isa. 43:1].
This statement is as clear-cut as could be made. God addresses the nation Israel in this entire section, and I do not think you could misunderstand Him unless you deliberately wanted to misunderstand.
He speaks of their origin: “the Lord that created thee.” God took a sad specimen like old Jacob, whose name means “crooked”—he was a supplanter—and made a nation out of him.
God took the dust of the ground, breathed into it the spirit of life, and it became a living human being. And that human being rebelled, but now God makes sons of God out of those who will trust Christ. That is my beginning, and it was a very bad beginning. I don’t accept the evolutionary theory that I evolved from a monkey; I came from something worse than a monkey! I came from a rebellious sinner who on the physical side had been taken from the ground. That first man passed on to me a fallen nature which will never be reformed or repaired. But God has given me a new nature.
Beginning with Jacob, God created a nation. Then He redeemed them by blood and power from Egypt, and they became Israel, a prince with God. They belong to God because of creation and because of redemption.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee [Isa. 43:2].
This is a promise which specifically applies to Israel and the manner in which God delivered them in the past, for example, when they crossed the Red Sea and the Jordan River.
It also has a marvelous spiritual application for all of God’s children in all times. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.” Sometimes in my experience I get into what I could call “deep water” when I can’t touch bottom. But I have the assurance that God is going through the experience with me. I think I’m going to drown, but He has promised, “they shall not overflow thee,” and He intervenes and delivers me.
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee [Isa. 43:3].
He does not lower His high standard in salvation. How could God give Egypt and Ethiopia a ransom for Israel? The answer is simple. God says in effect, “I used these nations to discipline you. I gave them, that is, I permitted them to treat you as they did, and now I will judge them.”
In Proverbs 21:18 we read, “The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.” Have you ever wondered why God permitted the enemy to cross your path and cause you all the trouble he did? He did it in order to bring you into line and in order to develop you spiritually. God gave him for your deliverance. Proverbs 11:8 says, “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.” God has let several people really mistreat me, and I talked to Him about it. I thought God was treating me wrong, but I noticed that the Lord paddled these individuals, and I must confess that I was rather satisfied about it. The Lord used these people to straighten things out in my life, and then He straightened them out.
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life [Isa. 43:4].
We cannot imagine how much God loves Israel. We cannot imagine how precious we are to God.
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth [Isa. 43:5–6].
God states in clear-cut language that He will regather the nation Israel. In Jeremiah 31:10 He reaffirms this: “Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.” God says, “Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations.” What He means is this: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye liberals. Hear the word of the Lord, ye amillennialists, and ye postmillennialists, and ye premillennialists—some of you haven’t been quite sure whether or not I am through with Israel.” We are to listen to Him. Regardless of what the world situation might be, God says He intends to regather Israel. We have His word for it.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me [Isa. 43:10].
God has no competitor or equal. He alone is God. He alone holds this unique position.
I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour [Isa. 43:11].
It is interesting that of all the religions of the world only Christianity guarantees salvation. Others put down quite a program, but they certainly do not guarantee salvation. God says, “Beside me there is no saviour.”
God now opens up the subject of idolatry.
I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God [Isa. 43:12].
God is saying, “As long as you will not go into idolatry or turn to that which will lead you away from Me, I will bless you.”
PROSPECT—FUTURE JUDGMENT, DELIVERANCE, REDEMPTION OF ISRAEL
Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? [Isa. 43:13].
The word let in this verse means to hinder. No creature can slip out of the hand of God or escape out of His reach.
Thus saith the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships [Isa. 43:14].
The ultimate destruction of Babylon is foretold.
I am the Lord, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King [Isa. 43:15].
Surely it is inescapable that the nation Israel is the subject. God takes responsibility for bringing them into existence. Let every anti-Semite take note of this. He is their King. This is another affirmation of the deity of Christ, for He is their King. When the Lord Jesus came to earth and made His claim to Kingship, Israel knew that He was claiming to be Immanuel, “… God with us” (Matt. 1:23). The instructed Israelite understood that.
We have seen that God claims Israel because He created them. Now He speaks of the fact that even the beasts of the field honor Him.
The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen [Isa. 43:20].
I have a notion that even the animal world is a little more conscious of God than His creature man, who has fallen into sin.
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins [Isa. 43:25].
God is saying that He intends to forgive them on the same basis that He has forgiven us.
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me [Isa. 43:27].
This evidently is a reference to Abraham. Surely Scripture records his failures and sins. We have only to mention the matter of his lying to Pharaoh about Sarah, his wife.
Thy teachers means “interpreters.” Those who interpreted God to the people had faults and sins. Remember Samson, Samuel, and David.
Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches [Isa. 43:28].
This is the present condition of Israel. They have no peace today because they have departed from the living and true God.
This is not, however, their final state.
Chapter 44 continues the theme of chapter 43. However, the last chapter closes with the dark mention of coming judgment. This chapter moves into the light of the coming kingdom and the promise of the Holy Spirit.
There is in this chapter a brilliant and bitterly devastating satire against idolatry. This is the recurring theme of this particular section. The human heart has a way of turning from God to some idol. Today, we do not go after graven images, but anything to which a person gives himself instead of the true God is an idol. It can be a career, the making of money, seeking for fame, pleasure, sex, alcohol, self-adoration, or business. These are our idols, O America! The high point of the prophet’s polemic against idolatry will come in chapter 46. There we shall have occasion to consider this subject further and to examine the real distinction between God and an idol.
PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT
God calls to Israel as His chosen one and assures her of His help. Then there is this remarkable prophecy of the Holy Spirit:
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring [Isa. 44:3].
This, I believe, is a reference to the pouring out of the Spirit, which corresponds to Joel 2:28–32. If you read Joel’s prophecy very carefully, you will find that it was not fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. When Peter quoted from it, he did two things: First, he said, “this is that”—he did not say it was a fulfillment (see Acts 2:16). The crowd there in Jerusalem was ridiculing the disciples because they were speaking in different languages of the “… wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11). The people were accusing them of being “… full of new wine” (Acts 2:13), instead of the Holy Spirit. So Peter says in substance, “This should not amaze you, because this is similar to what will take place in the last days.” Now how do we know it wasn’t fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost? There are several reasons: (1) Joel said, “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood …” (Joel 2:30–31). This did not take place on the Day of Pentecost. (2) The record in Acts tells us that the Spirit was not poured out on all people, but Joel said: “… I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh …” (Joel 2:28). In Acts there were first 120 disciples, then 3,000 believers—not ever “all,” and after nineteen hundred years it still is not all. There were probably a half million to a million people in Jerusalem at that time, but by no stretch of the imagination can anyone say that Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled at that time. But the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy is coming in the future. This is the reason I continually say that the greatest days for God are in the future.
POLEMIC AGAINST IDOLATRY
In verses 9–20 we have a brilliant polemic against idolatry. The way the prophet deals with the subject is devastating. Those who make images are witnesses to the senseless character of their gods. An image does not even have the five senses of a human being. An idol can’t hear, see, talk, smell, or feel. Paul called them “nothings,” and that is what they are. They cannot help anyone.
Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? [Isa. 44:10].
The prophet asks the question, “Why do you spend all of your time making a god? You ought to be ashamed. You have everything mixed up. You don’t make a god; God made you!”
Now he goes on to describe idol making—
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint [Isa. 44:12].
The artificer of metals works hard in forging a god from some metal, but this labor weakens him and reveals that he is but a man. After all of his labor, talent, time, and money that he puts into making a god, what does he get? Nothing! He gets a beautiful little “nothing.”
The origin of a man-made god begins in a forest; yet it is God who made the tree to begin with! Only God can make a tree.
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto [Isa. 44:15].
The chips and scraps from the production of a god are used to kindle a fire for the man to warm himself and to bake bread. This is the only practical and helpful contribution that comes from the making of a god. In fact, the scraps are helpful, but that idol is no good to you at all. It cannot warm you; it cannot cook your food; it cannot help you; it cannot save you. An idol cannot do anything for you. God is calling Israel’s attention to how absurd idolatry really is.
My friend, many of us give ourselves to those things that take us away from God. They don’t help us, they don’t lift us up, they don’t bring us joy, and it is a fact that they can never save us.
PROPHECY CONCERNING CYRUS
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid [Isa. 44:28].
Keep in mind that this verse really belongs in the next chapter. This is a remarkable prophecy concerning Cyrus. He is named here about two centuries before his birth. He is designated as “my shepherd.” This is the only instance where a pagan potentate is given such a title. We shall develop this in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 45
Theme: Calling of Cyrus before he was born; creation of the universe; continuance of Israel
This chapter continues the theme of the preceding chapter. This chapter begins with Cyrus as the last chapter closed with him. It is rather unfortunate that the final verse of chapter 44 is not the first verse of this chapter, but I am sure you understand that chapter and verse divisions were made of men. It is said that a monk of the Middle Ages, marked off the chapters while riding a donkey through the Alps. Each time the donkey came to a halt, he came forward with his pen, and that marked the end of a chapter. Of course, this is a fable, but it looks as if certain places were certainly divided that way. In fact, there are times when I get the impression that perhaps the donkey did some dividing on his own!
Let me repeat the final verse of chapter 44, since it properly belongs here:
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid [Isa. 44:28].
Cyrus was named and identified almost two hundred years before he was born. This unusual prophecy has caused the liberal critic to construct out of the web of his imagination the figment of “the great unknown” writer of this section of the Book of Isaiah. The fact that Isaiah could name a man two centuries before he appears is too strong a tonic for the weak faith of an unbeliever.
The question is, “Why was Cyrus marked out like this two centuries before he was born?” I believe there are three reasons. Primarily it was for identification. When Cyrus did appear on the scene, there would be no misunderstanding about whom Isaiah had spoken. Also, Cyrus would be the man responsible for a decree that would return the nation Israel to her land.
Another reason why Isaiah called Cyrus by name through the revelation of God was so that his accuracy could be demonstrated. If in two hundred years Isaiah would be accurate about Cyrus, he also would be accurate in his prophecy concerning the One born of a virgin, Immanuel, God with us, who was to come seven hundred years later. The instructed Israelite should have been prepared for Christ’s coming.
Notice that God calls Cyrus “my shepherd,” and says that he “shall perform all my pleasure” and shall rebuild Jerusalem.
Remember that God used Assyria to take the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity. Then He used Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and take the southern kingdom into captivity. The men God used to do this were wicked, and God judged them for what they had done. But Cyrus is different. God calls him “my shepherd” who shall “perform all my pleasure.”
When we get to heaven I believe there will be two things that will be a surprise to all of us; (1) the folk who will be there whom we didn’t expect to make it—and I think Cyrus is going to be one of them, and (2) the folk whom we expected to be there who won’t be there. And, my friend, the reason any of us will be there is because Christ is our Savior.
It is interesting to note that God says that Cyrus “shall perform all my pleasure”—not only God’s will, but also His pleasure. After all, both Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar performed God’s will in taking Israel and Judah into captivity, but Cyrus will perform God’s pleasure, and that is a little different.
CALLING OF CYRUS BEFORE HE WAS BORN
Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut [Isa. 45:1].
This is a remarkable prophecy. Cyrus did not appear in the pages of history until two hundred years after Isaiah spoke of him. Cyrus came out of the East, from Persia. The ruins of his tomb have been found in Pasargadae, Iran, and you cannot read the inscription without recognizing that he was a humble man who trusted God. Most of the great rulers of the past were braggarts and most of them were liars. Everything they said you have to take with a grain of salt. The records they left magnified their greatness (sort of like the ones left by modern politicans) and cannot be trusted. But Cyrus was different. He made no great claims; he did not boast, and yet, he conquered the world!
Also note that God calls Cyrus “his anointed,” a title that applies only to the Lord Jesus. Why did God give such a title to Cyrus? Because he carried out the will of God and delivered the Israelites from captivity and permitted them to return to the land of promise. Also he encouraged the Israelites who did not return to send rich gifts of gold, silver, and precious things with those who did go back. In that respect Cyrus was a gentile messiah of Israel and a vague foreshadowing of the One who was to come.
“The two leaved gates” is evidently, a reference to the numerous gates of Babylon which shut Israel out from returning to Palestine. Cyrus opened those gates and said that the Israelites could walk out. They were free to return to their homeland.
Now God says this of Cyrus:
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel [Isa. 45:3].
The rich treasures of Babylon, which the kings of Babylon had taken as spoils of war from all nations, especially from Jerusalem, fell to Cyrus.
For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me [Isa. 45:4–5].
God chose Cyrus before he knew the Lord. It is reasonable to conclude that Cyrus came to know the living and true God. “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah” (Ezra 1:2).
CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE
Here is a remarkable statement relative to the creation of the universe before all time.
God says:
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil. I the Lord do all these things [Isa. 45:7].
Zoroastrianism began in Persia. It teaches that Mazda is the god of light. God says He creates light, and that it is no god. The Persians were getting very close to the truth. Many have wondered why they worshiped one god in the midst of idolatry. Well, you must remember that they came in contact with the nation Israel, and Israel was a witness to the world. In Zoroastrianism darkness was Ahriman, the god of evil. God takes responsibility for creating the darkness also.
“And create evil”—the word evil does not mean wickedness in this instance, but rather “sorrow, difficulties, or tragedies”—those things which are the fruit of evil, the fruit of sin. This is the Old Testament way of saying, “The wages of sin is death …” (Rom. 6:23). If you indulge in sin, there will be a payday for it!
By the way, let me introduce something else at this point, since we are living in a day when it is said that good and evil are relative terms, that whatever you think is good, is good. The argument is put forth: The Bible says “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not steal” (Exod 20:13, 15), But what is the Bible? Who should obey it? Or why should we listen to the God of the Bible?
The Lord has another very cogent argument. God says that if you indulge in sin, you will find that sin has its payday. It pays a full wage, by the way. This is what God is saying through Isaiah. God has so created the universe that when you break over the bounds that He has set, you don’t need a judge, a hangman’s noose, or an electric chair; God will take care of it.
He says, therefore, that He is the One who creates light and darkness. He is answering Zoroastrianism which worshiped the god of light. God says, “I want you to know that light is no god; I created it.”
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? [Isa. 45:9].
Why fight against God? You are going to lose anyway. The Greeks had a proverb that went something like this: The dice of the gods are loaded. That is exactly what God says in His Word. He says, “Don’t gamble with Me. Don’t strive with Me. Don’t think that you can fight Me. Settle your case out of court.” “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). My friend, don’t gamble with God, because when He rolls the dice He knows exactly how they are coming up—you don’t. This is tremendous!
Now the Lord makes some other claims.
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded [Isa. 45:12].
It is interesting that God says He “stretched out the heavens.” This is no accident. It was Sir James Jeans, a Christian astronomer in Great Britain, who advanced a theory that today most astronomers follow. I notice here in Pasadena that some of the men connected with Cal Tech, who work in the field of astronomy, take the position that you and I live in a universe which Sir James Jeans called an expanding universe. It gets bigger every minute. The planets and worlds and galactic systems are all moving out away from each other. God says, “I stretched out the heavens.” That is the way He did it, although He hasn’t told us exactly how He did it—or how He could take nothing and make something out of it. Regardless of what theory you adopt, you have to move back to the place where there is nothing and then there is something. If you can tell me how nothing becomes something, then I will listen to you. Until you can answer that you can talk about tadpoles and monkeys all you want and I’ll just sit and smile at you. I’m a skeptic; I don’t believe you. Only God has a reasonable answer. God says, “I created it.” By His fiat word He brought the universe into existence. Do you have a more intelligent answer than what God has given to us in His Word?
CONTINUANCE OF ISRAEL
This brings us to the third division: the continuance of Israel for all time and eternity. God won’t let us forget this subject.
But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end [Isa. 45:17].
Those who believe that God is through with Israel should take a long look at this passage. Israel’s salvation is everlasting. God says, “Yes, you are going to be judged, Israel. You are going to Babylon, but you are going to return to the land. Rebellion is still in your heart, but ultimately I am going to save you.”
Again He gives them an invitation—it was wide open then and it is wide open today.
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else [Isa. 45:22].
This is the verse that an ignorant man used which was responsible for the conversion of Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon was on his way to church one Sunday morning when a snowstorm hit London. Because he couldn’t make it to his church, he stopped at a little church along the way. The storm was so severe that the preacher did not make it to this little church, so a man got up and said a few words. Spurgeon never knew the man’s name; he only knew that he was an uneducated man. He chose Isaiah 45:22 as his text, and what he lacked in lightning, he made up for in thunder. He said, “This verse says, ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved.’ ” He began to talk about the verse. “God says you should look to Him and be saved.” By that time he ran out of ammunition. He had said all he could say about the verse, so he went into the thunder department and began to roar and pound the pulpit, “Look to God, all the ends of the earth, and be saved.” He looked way back in the congregation and saw the young fellow Spurgeon sitting there with a very miserable look on his face. The man said to Spurgeon, “You look to Jesus, and you will be saved.” Spurgeon was a very brilliant man, but he did what this ignorant man suggested—he looked to Jesus and was saved.
CHAPTER 46
Theme: Pronouncement of judgment against idols
This chapter contains one of the finest satires against idolatry that is found in the Word of God. It opens with the announcement of defeat against the idols of Babylon in particular. This seems strange since Babylon had not yet come to the front as a world power and was not the enemy of Israel. Nevertheless, Babylon was the source of all idolatry, and it is fitting that after announcing the defeat of the idols of Babylon the prophet proceeds to denounce all idolatry with an injunction to Israel not to forsake the true God.
PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT AGAINST IDOLS
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast [Isa. 46:1].
Bel and Nebo are gods of Babylon. Bel is the shortened form of Baal and is found in the first part of Beelzebub—which is one of Satan’s names. Nebo means “speaker or prophet.” When Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra, the people thought Barnabas was Bel or Jupiter and Paul was Nebo or Mercury because he did the talking.
Behind the idols of that day was satanic worship, which is becoming rather popular in our contemporary society. The Word of God repeatedly warns us that our warfare is spiritual warfare.
God contrasts the helplessness of the idol, which is a burden to carry, to His own love and strength.
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb [Isa. 46:3].
God, says, “I have been carrying you, Israel, as a woman carries a child in her womb.”
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you [Isa. 46:4].
This is the real distinction between that which is true and that which is false. God had not only been carrying the nation Israel, but He had carried each individual from the cradle to the grave. Let me ask you the question, “Is your religion carrying you, or are you carrying your religion?” God carries our sins. “He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isa. 53:4). He also carries our cares, our burdens: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). And God carries us today: “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them” (Deut. 33:27).
Now notice how He speaks of idolatry:
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? [Isa. 46:5].
The reason that it is so difficult to explain God is because He is infinite and we are finite and live in a finite universe. There is nothing with which to compare Him. He cannot be reduced to our terminology without losing all meaning. He cannot be translated into human language. This explains one of the reasons why God became a man. The only way we can know God is through Jesus. He revealed God.
This is a brilliant satire on idolatry—
They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship [Isa. 46:6].
This is a metallic image that excels the wooden image in beauty and value. The wealth of man is expended in making an idol. If a man doesn’t have much money, he has a cheap god. If he is rich, he has a rich god. It actually amounts to men worshiping their own workmanship, which is self-worship. It is a form of humanism.
Now here is the real test:
They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble [Isa. 46:7].
They lug their god around on their shoulders and put him in the corner when they get home! Listen to what God says to them—
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me [Isa. 46:9].
There is a lot of modern idolatry about. Face up to it. Do you receive anything when you go to church? For many folk church-going is a real burden to them. It is like a useless god they have to carry around.
Oh, my friend, God wants to communicate to you. He has something for you. He doesn’t want you to carry Him; He wants to carry you.
CHAPTER 47
Theme: The decline and fall of Babylon
This is the third time in this book (chs. 13–14; 21) that we have considered the prediction of the doom of Babylon. There was also a suggestion of the fall of Babylon in chapter 46, which opened with God’s judgment upon the idols. The time given to this subject is remarkable in view of the fact that Babylon at this time was a very small and insignificant kingdom. It was almost a century before it would become a world power. It had been in existence since the days of the Tower of Babel and had influenced the world religiously. Babylon was the fountainhead and the mother of all idolatry. Again I recommend for your study Alexander Hislop’s book, The Two Babylons. All through the Old Testament books of prophecy a great deal is said about drunkenness and idolatry. These are the two things that will bring the downfall of any nation.
There is a spiritual meaning for us of the present who have nothing to do with Babylon of the past or of the future. The Babylon of the past lies under the rubble and ruins of judgment. Its glory is diminished by the accumulated dust of the centuries. We can see this Babylonian tendency today in the political realm as represented in the United Nations. Babel is the place where all the political power of the world comes together, which will finally be under the willful king, the Antichrist. We see the commercial combine coming to pass in the breaking down of economic barriers among the nations of Europe. We see the religious combine in both Romanism and the World Council of Churches. We will see all of this prefigured in ancient Babylon.
DECLINE OF BABYLON
Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate [Isa. 47:1].
“Come down” is the command of God to Babylon, the same as a dog is called to obedience. It is like saying, “Down Rover, down Fido.” That is the way God is going to talk to the great world power Babylon when the time comes for it to be brought low. God will say, “Down Fido, down Babylon.” That is the way the Lord Jesus dealt with the storm on the little sea of Galilee. When the Lord spoke to the waves and the wind, He literally said, “Be muzzled,” like you would muzzle a dog. The same thought is here in Isaiah.
Babylon is called a virgin because she had not yet been captured by an enemy. Babylon was just now coming to power, although it had a very ancient history, going back to Nimrod (see Gen. 10) and to Babel where the Tower of Babel (see Gen. 11) was located. All the ziggurats in that valley were patterned after the Tower of Babel.
He predicts the tremendous humiliation of Babylon—
Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers [Isa. 47:2].
This depicts the indescribable humiliation to which Babylon was finally subjected. She had mistreated the people of Israel, and the day came when she was brought low.
Nudity is becoming rather popular today. Men play with the subject like a child playing with a new toy, but it degrades humanity. It was no accident that God clothed mankind. A person who wants to go without clothes has a hangup—a real hangup. For Babylon nudity was part of her humiliation.
Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man [Isa. 47:3].
DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL TO BABYLON
Here we see that God delivered Israel into the hands of Babylon—
I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke [Isa. 47:6].
God is making it clear to them that the reason Babylon was able to take His people was because He permitted it and not because Babylon was so superior. They had a great sense of power, and they gave themselves credit for overthrowing Israel. They were wrong. God delivered His people into the hands of Babylon because they had sinned against Him. He was judging His own people. This is the message of the little prophecy of Habakkuk.
And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it [Isa. 47:7].
God’s judgment of His people deceived Babylon. They thought it was by their might and power that they had taken God’s people.
Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children [Isa. 47:8].
Babylon was arrogant, lifted up, and careless, not believing that a frightful fall was coming. Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, looked over the beautiful and glorious city of Babylon, and said, “This is great Babylon that I have built,” giving no credit to God. God sent him out to the field like an ox to eat grass, having a form of amnesia—probably the psychiatrist would call it hysteria today. For a long time he did not know who he was, and he lived like an animal. It was God’s judgment upon him.
DETAILS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me [Isa. 47:10].
There is always a grave danger of a nation or a man being lifted up by pride and feeling that he is able to make it on his own. We are living in a country today where men can become rich, not by doing some great service or by making a contribution to mankind, but by being in an industry that brings men down—degrades them instead of building them up. Think of the millions of dollars that are being made through entertainment and the multitudes who are getting rich through the sale of liquor. We are in many questionable businesses as a nation, and our methods of business are not always honorable. We attempt to cover up these things, but God sees, and He will judge as He judged Babylon.
DILEMMA OF BABYLON
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail [Isa. 47:12].
God satirically urges Babylon to turn to the witchcraft in which she has trusted and which has gotten her into trouble. In substance God asks, “You thought it was so great, why don’t you trust it to get you out of trouble?”
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee [Isa. 47:13].
Confusion characterizes Babylon at this time. The city lives up to its name—Babylon means “confusion,” and confusion besets them. That great city depended upon its economic strength and its total gross product. But something happened to that nation, and it was dying within. We are living in a country today that depends upon its economic strength, but something is also wrong with us, and we won’t face up to it. Our problem is moral. As a nation we have departed from the living and true God. The ancient city of Babylon, which at first glance seems so unrelated to us, has a message for us. The stones of the debris of Babylon are crying out a warning to us.
CHAPTER 48
Theme: Last call to the house of Jacob; longing call of God to the remnant
All three of these last sections conclude with the phrase, “no peace … to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). The Messiah brings peace, but those who reject Him will never know peace. Turning to idols is turning from the Messiah. As we have seen, this section has majored in a denunciation of idolatry. Idolatry is a road that leads to Babylon. God, in this book, is traveling the lonely road to Calvary.
LAST CALL TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB
Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness [Isa. 48:1].
There are those who say that Judah and Israel are different. God contradicts that thinking in this verse. Don’t try to change the name God has given them. The whole house of Israel is addressed here, and they belong to the chosen line through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The apostate nation back then and in our day should listen to this final injunction to turn back to God. They speak of the God of Israel as if they knew Him. Actually, they neither know Him nor serve Him. They have a religion without any strength whatsoever. They will not find the solution to their problems by turning to the United States, or to Russia, or to the Arab nations. Help will come when they turn to God. That is their solution and our solution.
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is his name [Isa. 48:2].
They boast of being citizens of Jerusalem and of being children of God, but they only have a name; they are actually strangers to God.
Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass [Isa. 48:4].
From the very beginning, when God took Israel out of Egypt, He knew they were stiffnecked people. My friend, God did not choose them because they were superior, nor did He choose us because we are superior. God chose them and us because of His grace and because He saw our great need.
LONGING CALL OF GOD TO THE REMNANT
He is pleading with His people to listen to Him.
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last [Isa. 48:12].
It would seem that God is no longer addressing the nation as a whole but confines His word to the remnant labeled, “my called.”
I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous [Isa. 48:15].
This is the heartcry of God.
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his spirit, hath sent me [Isa. 48:16].
It is Isaiah who becomes God’s messenger. He is pleading with them, and as He pleads you can hear the Lord Jesus Christ. Delitzsch appropriately says, “Since the prophet has not spoken in his own person before; whereas, on the other hand, these words are followed in the next chapter by an address concerning Himself from that servant of Jehovah who announces Himself as the restorer of Israel and light of the Gentiles, and who cannot be therefore either Israel, as a nation,” or Isaiah, it can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
God has never been able to bless the nation Israel to the fullness of His promise, and you and I have never been blessed as much as God would like to bless us. Whose fault is it? Is it God’s fault? No! It is Israel’s fault and the fault of you and me.
Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me [Isa. 48:19].
Then he concludes this section, as the three sections of this last major division of Isaiah conclude:
There is no peace, saith the Lord, Unto the wicked [Isa. 48:22].
This is the solemn benediction of this section where God’s Servant is set over against all the idols of the heathen. He alone gives peace. If a person is away from God, living in sin, he cannot find peace in the world today. We have several thousand years of recorded history which tell us that anyone away from God hasn’t had peace.
CHAPTER 49
Theme: Discourse of Christ to the world; discussion of Jehovah with Israel; digression—judgment of Israel’s oppressors
In this third and final division of the Book of Isaiah there is a threefold division which is marked off with the words, “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.” We have seen in the first division the comfort of Jehovah which comes through the servant. Now chapter 49 begins the second division, which I call salvation of Jehovah which comes through the suffering Servant.
We are now beginning to move toward a definite revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the suffering Servant of God. We have been moving toward that revelation from the very beginning, but at first we saw Him more as a silhouette in the background as the Servant who brings comfort to God’s people. The closer we get to chapter 53, where we have that wonderful revelation of the cross of Christ, the more clear He will become to us.
Israel was the servant of Jehovah, but as such Israel had failed. Now God speaks of another Servant, and that Servant is the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophetic Scriptures spoke primarily of Israel as God’s servant; yet the final meaning is found in the Person of Christ. A classic illustration is in Hosea 11:1, where it is recorded: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” This was fulfilled in Christ (see Matt. 2:15). The nation failed, but the One who came out of the nation will succeed.
DISCOURSE OF CHRIST TO THE WORLD
As we open this chapter, we are listening in on a discourse by Christ as truly as the twelve apostles listened to Him in Galilee. In this chapter we see Christ moving out to become the Savior of the world. In this movement Israel is not forsaken, for her assured restoration to the land is reaffirmed.
There is nothing to correspond to this remarkable discourse of our Lord Jesus Christ in the religions of this world. Here is One who is looking at a world, and He is looking at it as the Servant of God, who has come as the Savior of the world. Every religion is confined to an ethnic group or to several ethnic groups. Generally they do not move beyond the borders of a tribe, a people, or a nation so that most deities are local deities. However, the Deity in the Word of God is the living God, the Creator of the universe and the Redeemer of mankind. This fact makes the discourse before us remarkable indeed.
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name [Isa. 49:1].
Christ is calling upon the nations of the world to hear. He was given the name of Jesus before He was born, and this name is to be proclaimed throughout the world because it is the name of the Savior, and the world needs a Savior.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me [Isa. 49:2].
The sharp sword that went out of His mouth is the Word of God, and the explanation of His enemies when He walked on this earth was, “… Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). And the revelation of this One concludes with these words: “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations …” (Rev. 19:15). It is the judgment of the nations by the Word of God.
Notice the identification:
And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified [Isa. 49:3].
This will be true of the nation Israel, and it is true of Christ.
Now this is a remarkable statement:
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord; and my work with my God [Isa. 49:4].
Though the Lord was rejected, and it may look as if He labored in vain, His confidence is in God. Even the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was a victory; in fact, it is the greatest victory the world has seen up to the present time. The emphasis in this section, therefore, is on the suffering Servant.
At His first coming He did not gather Israel, as they rejected Him. At His first coming He did something far more wonderful—He wrought salvation for the world. Therefore, God’s purposes were not thwarted by man’s little machinations.
And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength [Isa. 49:5].
I submit this to you as being one of the most remarkable passages in the Word of God.
Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee [Isa. 49:7].
Paul said it like this: “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” (Rom. 11:12). The rejection of Christ by Israel meant that the gospel went to the ends of the earth. Just think how great it will be some day in the future when God regathers Israel!
DISCUSSION OF JEHOVAH WITH ISRAEL
From this section, the discussion of Jehovah with Israel regarding their restoration, I shall lift out only a few verses:
Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages [Isa. 49:8].
God heard the prayer of Christ, and He whom the nation crucified will be the One before whom kings will bow, and every knee must bow and acknowledge His Lordship.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted [Isa. 49:13].
God’s purposes in the earth center in the nation Israel. When they are back in the land, then both the heavens and the earth can rejoice. Today, however, everything is more or less out of place as far as the world is concerned. Israel should be in their land, in the place of blessing, serving God. They are not. The church should be in heaven with Christ, but the church is still in the world. The Devil should be in hell, but he is walking around the earth seeking whom he may devour. The Lord Jesus Christ should be sitting upon the throne of the earth, ruling the earth, but He is at the right hand of God. There are many things that have to be shifted around and put in the right socket. Then the lines of Robert Browning as written in “Pippa Passes” will be true: “God’s in His heaven: All’s right with the world,” which at the moment just do not fit the world in which you and I live.
Even the people of Israel think they are forsaken of God—
But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me [Isa. 49:14–16].
What beautiful assurance God gives them that they are not forsaken of Him! Israel may forsake Him—as they are doing yet today—but God will never forsake them.
My friend, if you still have doubts that God will restore Israel, I submit this section to you for your careful study.
DIGRESSION—JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL’S OPPRESSORS
Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders [Isa. 49:22].
God assures Israel that the Gentiles will assist Him in the final restoration of the nation to the land. Heretofore, the Gentiles have scattered them, which makes this a rather remarkable prophecy even for today. Great Britain did open the land for the Jews; yet Great Britain was the country that issued the mandate which forbade them to enter the land—so they came by ship without permission, and they have been hindered in one way or another since that time. It has taken persecution to push them out of other countries, and at the time I am writing this they are being blocked from leaving Russia, which probably has the third largest Jewish population in the world. Russia doesn’t want to get rid of them; yet it subjects them to a great deal of anti-Semitic oppression. However, in that day, that is, in the end times, God will bring them back into their land, and He will use Gentiles to move them back!
CHAPTER 50
Theme: The reason for the rejection of Israel: Israel’s rejection of Christ
Israel’s rejection of Christ is the real hurdle that they must get over before there can be blessing for them. He came as their Messiah; He actually was one of them. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). He came to His own people, and His own people did not receive Him.
GOD THE FATHER STATES THE REASON
Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away [Isa. 50:1].
Under the Mosaic Law (see Deut. 24:1) a man could put away his wife on the slightest pretext. A cruel and hardhearted man would take advantage of this to get rid of his wife. God asks Israel if they know on what grounds He set them aside. Certainly God is not cruel or brutal. Israel is spoken of as the wife of Jehovah—this is the theme of Hosea. It was not a whim of God that caused Israel to be set aside, but God makes it very clear that their sin brought about their rejection.
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst [Isa. 50:2].
“When I came”—when did Jehovah come directly to His people, not through His prophets but Himself, to Israel and expect such a welcome? It was not when He descended on Mount Sinai to give them the Mosaic Law. He looked for no welcome then but insisted that they keep their distance. But He came again as a man, a humble man, and there was no reception of Him at all. Israel did not welcome Him at His birth; they didn’t receive Him when He began His ministry. They rejected and killed their Messiah. Simon Peter on the Day of Pentecost put it like this: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:22–24). God makes it very clear that because they rejected their Messiah, they have been set aside.
GOD THE SON SPEAKS OF HIS HUMILIATION
The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine car to hear as the learned [Isa. 50:4].
The title by which Christ, the perfect Servant, addresses God is revealing. It is “Jehovah Adonai.” The Lord Jesus Christ made Himself known to His people as “Jehovah Adonai.” He came meek and lowly to do the Father’s will.
“He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” means the Lord Jesus was studying the Word of God. The question is asked, What did the Lord Jesus do the first thirty years of His life? Generally the answer is that He worked as a carpenter. But that is only half the truth. The other half is that He studied the Word of God. How tremendous! If He needed to study the Word of God, what about you? What about me? I think we need to get with it!
It is nonsense to say, “Oh, I believe the Bible from cover to cover; I will defend it with my life,” when you don’t study it! If God has spoken between the pages of Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21, then somewhere between God has a word for you and for me. If God is speaking to us, we ought to listen.
The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back [lsa. 50:5].
This speaks of the Lord’s true submission in His crucifixion. In Exodus 21:1–6 we are told that when a servant wanted to become a permanent servant, his master would bore or pierce a hole in his ear. “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever” (Exod. 21:6). He could wear an earring after that, and I am convinced that he did. It indicated that he was a slave for life to his master.
Now the reason he would become a slave forever is twofold. First, he loved his master; and second, he had married a slave girl and he refused to go without her.
Do you see how this was applied to the Lord Jesus? The psalmist, referring to this custom, wrote, “… mine ears hast thou opened …” (Ps. 40:6). Now notice how this is quoted in Hebrews 10:5: “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” In the psalm it says, “mine ears hast thou opened,” and in Hebrews it says, “a body hast thou prepared me.” When the Lord Jesus came down to this earth and went to the cross, His ear wasn’t “opened” or “digged”; He was given a body, and that body was nailed to a cross. He has taken a glorified body bearing nail prints back to heaven. He did more than have his ear bored through with an awl; He gave His body to be crucified because He loved us and would not return to heaven without us!
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting [Isa. 50:6].
This was literally fulfilled when Jesus was arrested. Matthew, Mark, and John all record the fact that He was spit upon, scourged, buffeted, and smitten. This is something we don’t like to think about and would like to pass over, but it was literally fulfilled.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT SUGGESTS MEN TRUST THE SON
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God [Isa. 50:10].
This is the wooing word. The Holy Spirit speaks a soothing and imploring word to trust and rest in God’s Servant.
He turns from this and gives a warning word:
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow [Isa. 50:11].
First it is the wooing word as He implores them; then He gives a warning word to those who walk in the light of their own fire, rejecting the One who is the light of the world.
Some time ago a man said to me, “McGee, I heard you on the radio, and I disagree with you about salvation. Let me tell you what I think about it.” Well, he was ready to build a fire, and he wanted both of us to sit there and warm ourselves by his fire. I knew it was a phony fire, which would give off no heat or light. So I frankly said to him, “I don’t mean to be ugly or rude, but I don’t want to hear what you think, because what you think and what I think are quite meaningless. It is what God says that we need to know.” And we need to walk in the light of the Lord Jesus. He is the Light of the World. If we reject Him who is the Light of the World, then we generally walk in the light of our own little fire down here. The Holy Spirit gives this warning: You will lie down by that little fire of yours in sorrow, which means you will be eternally lost.
CHAPTER 51
Theme:Israel’s origin from past history; Israel’s outlook for the future; outline of Israel’s present conditions
It is impossible to read this chapter without realizing that God has a future purpose for the nation Israel—just as He has a future purpose for the church and for you and me.
Let me remind you that the final verse of chapter 50 concluded with a warning, which might lead you to an amillennialist interpretation. And God doesn’t want us to hold the view that Israel as a nation has been set aside permanently and that when He speaks of Israel, He means the church. My friend, when God says Israel, He means Israel. If He had meant the church instead of Israel, somewhere along the line He would have said, “I hope you understand that when I say Israel I mean the church.” No, He makes it very clear that He means Israel. Just as Israel has had a past rooted in a very small beginning, just so today they are small and set aside. But this does not mean God has forsaken them.
To illustrate this I use the figure of a train. God is running through the world a twofold program: One of them is expressed in the words, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion” (Ps. 2:6)—that train will be coming through later, but now it is on the side-track. On the main track He is “… bringing many sons unto glory” (Heb. 2:10), which refers to believers (or the church). When this train has come into the Union Station on time, God will put back on the main track the program of Israel and the gentile nations which are then upon the earth. And He is going to bring that train through on time also.
God’s time piece is not B-U-L-O-V-A or G-R-U-E-N, but I-S-R-A-E-L. In this chapter God turns on the alarm to awaken those who are asleep that they might know that the eternal morning is coming soon. In Romans 13:11–12 we read, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
ISRAEL’S ORIGIN FROM PAST HISTORY
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged [Isa. 51:1].
Hearken unto me,” is God turning on the alarm. This is a call to every sincere heart in Israel that longs to be righteous and desires to know God. He says, “Wake up! Hear Me! I have a plan.”
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him [Isa. 51:2].
God is saying, “I called Abraham when he was over in Chaldea in idolatry, and look what I’ve done through him! Now I want to move in your heart and life.”
ISRAEL’S OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people [Isa. 51:4].
“O my nation” is Israel. This is a word of glorious anticipation for them.
My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust [Isa. 51:5].
“My righteousness is near”—righteousness is Christ. He is made unto us “righteousness.”
“The isles” are all the continents which are inhabited by the human family. God says, “I have a salvation which I will send out to them.”
“On mine arm shall they trust—the arm of God, as we shall see in Isaiah 53, is His salvation. The question is asked, “to whom is the [bared] arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1). God wants that bared arm of redemption in Christ to be revealed to the lost world. Therefore He is sending out this message that this bared arm will deliver Israel in the future.
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing, unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away [Isa. 51:11]
“Zion” is a geographical location (in Jerusalem) on earth. We need to understand that God means what He says here.
The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name [Isa. 51:14–15].
Just as God brought their father Abraham from the ends of the earth, God intends to bring Israel back to the land. This is what the prophet Jeremiah is saying: “But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land” (Jer. 23:8). The day will come when Israel will no longer remember the deliverance out of Egypt, so great will be their deliverance in the future. My friend, this is tremendous! You can’t just set it aside and ignore it. God is saying, “Wake up! This is what I’m going to do.”
OUTLINE OF ISRAEL’S PRESENT CONDITIONS
The present conditions of Israel ought to tell us something. God is still telling us to wake up.
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out [Isa. 51:17].
All you have to do is look at Jerusalem today. It is a city in turmoil. I have no desire right now to stay there permanently, although it was a favorite spot of David, and it is also God’s favorite spot on earth. But God has yet to make it beautiful. He has yet to bring His people there. God is saying, “Wake up, O Jerusalem. I am going to make you a great city.”
Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again [Isa. 51:22].
God has been pressing the cup of fury to their lips because of their rejection of Christ, but the day is coming when He will remove the cup. The day will come when God will take away judgment and bless them. How can you say that God is through with the nation Israel? Even poetic justice demands that after all these years of judgment upon the land and upon the people, God should bless them. God will get the victory, and that is what He is telling us here.
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over [Isa. 51:23].
The enemies of Israel will not escape the judgment of God. Every nation that has majored in anti-Semitism has fallen: Egypt, Persia, Rome, Spain, Belgium, and Germany. This chapter should alert the believers today that God will yet choose Israel, and that the events in the Near East indicate that we are fast approaching the end times, although no specific prophecy is being fulfilled in this hour.
CHAPTER 52
Theme: Invitation to the Redeemed Remnant of Israel; institution of the kingdom to Israel; introduction of the suffering Servant
As we have been moving through Isaiah, we have seen in the shadows or in the background the Servant of Jehovah. Now as we approach chapter 53 we will see very clearly that the Servant of Jehovah is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the preceding chapter, the “alarm clock” chapter, the alarm was going off—“Awake, awake!” Now again in the chapter before us we have the alarm sounding.
INVITATION TO THE REDEEMED REMNANT OF ISRAEL
Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean [Isa. 52:1].
When God says, “O Zion,” He doesn’t mean Los Angeles, or Pocatello, Idaho, or Muleshoe, Texas. He means Zion, which is a geographical place in the land of Israel. It is actually the high point in the city of Jerusalem. It was David’s favorite spot. Blessing is going to come upon Jerusalem, and it will no longer be an unattractive place. I was not impressed when I saw Jerusalem for the first time. I came up from Jericho and made that turn around the Mount of Olives by Bethany; then I was within sight of the temple area, the wall, and the east gate—that was a thrill. It was late in the afternoon and a shadow was over the city. I could hardly wait until the next morning to enter the city and visit around. Well, the next day was a great disappointment to me. That city is not beautiful in my opinion. Yet the Word of God says it is beautiful for situation; so that’s God’s viewpoint. I will agree with Him that the situation of it is beautiful, but not the city. However, He makes it clear here that it will be beautiful some day—because of our Lord’s work of redemption. You see, Christ will redeem this physical universe, which now is groaning and travailing together in pain. All the world will become a beautiful spot because of redemption in Christ. He will redeem our bodies; we will get new bodies, and when this takes place, all creation will be redeemed. Redemption is not only of the person but of the property. This is the type of redemption that God permitted in the Mosaic Law, which serves as an illustration of it.
Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion [Isa. 52:2].
Today the Arab is there. All the sacred spots are covered with churches—Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and the Church of All Nations—they are all over the place! Jerusalem needs to be released from religion. It needs to be turned loose from the sin and the low degree of civilization that is there right now. Release is coming some day, and it will come during the Millennium. For twenty-five hundred years that city has been captive and trodden down of the Gentiles, but the day is coming when the shackles of slavery will be removed.
For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money [Isa. 52:3].
Since God received nothing from those who took His holy city captive, He will give nothing in return. He will take it from them and restore it again.
For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause [Isa. 52:4].
Jacob went down to Egypt by invitation, but his children were made slaves. The Assyrians, and others likewise, have oppressed them. That will end when the Millennium begins.
Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed [Isa. 52:5].
God received no gain from the years of His people’s rejection. Therefore He says:
Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I [Isa. 52:6].
This is a lovely thought! When the Lord was here over nineteen hundred years ago, they did not know Him. If they had only known the day of His visitation! Well, they will know Him when He comes again, and He will say, “Behold, it is I.” This expression is rendered freely by Lowth: “Here I am.” The world has rejected Christ; it doesn’t know Him. One day He will say to the Christ-rejecting world, “Here I am,”; and it will be too late then for multitudes who have rejected Him to turn to Him.
INSTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem [Isa. 52:9].
One of the things you will note about the present-day Jerusalem is the lack of a joyful song. It is even true of the churches there. I listened for it but never heard a joyful song. Around the Mosque of Omar (which stands on the temple site) everything is in a minor key. If you go to the wailing wall, wailing is what you will hear and the Jews are knocking their heads against it. But in the Millennium everybody is going to have fun—they will “Break forth into joy” and they will sing together. It will be a joyous time!
Even today I don’t think God likes to see us saints walking around with long faces, complaining and criticizing. He wants us to have joy. The apostle John wrote, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4, italics mine)—not just a little fun, but fun all the time!
The Millennium is the time when God answers the prayer which our Lord taught His disciples: “Thy kingdom come …” (Matt. 6:10). The tears and the sorrow will be gone; no longer will there be weeping on the earth. Instead there will be joy, and they will know that the millennial kingdom has come.
INTRODUCTION OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT
My friend, somebody will have to travail if you are going to rejoice at a birth, a new birth and a new world. Therefore we have here the suffering of the Servant.
Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high [Isa. 52:13].
Several of the administrations in Washington over the past few years have used the word prudent to excess. They speak of being prudent in their conduct. There is some question about whether they were prudent or not. If you think the Democrats have been prudent, ask the Republicans. If you think the Republicans have been prudent, ask the Democrats. You will find out that nobody has been prudent. Man today has not dealt prudently; but, when the Lord Jesus Christ comes, He will deal prudently. That is the picture we have here.
“He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.” Paul writing to the Philippian believers says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9–11).
Now we see the suffering Servant—
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men [Isa. 52:14].
This is a picture of the crucifixion of Christ, and this statement prepares the way for chapter 53. I want to be careful, because it is not always a sign of orthodoxy to dwell upon the sufferings of Christ upon the cross; sometimes it is only being crude.
During that time of darkness when men could no longer do anything, the Son of God was working on the cross. It was during those three hours in blackness that the cross became an altar and the Son of Man, the Lamb of God, paid for the sins of the world. After the three hours of darkness, the crowd must have been startled when the light broke upon the cross. He did not even look human—just a bloody piece of quivering human flesh. It was unspeakable. We will see in the next chapter that there was “no beauty that we should desire him” (Isa. 53:2). That is the reason God put the mantle of darkness down on the cross. There was nothing there to satisfy the morbid curiosity of man.
“His visage was so marred more than any man.” When I was a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, there was a wonderful elder on the church board who was a captain in the fire department. He always talked about the importance of having a first aid kit, and he taught classes in first aid. He asked me a dozen times if I had a first aid kit in my car, and because of his urging I finally got one. Early one morning there was a fire alarm and the firemen responded to the call. On the way to the fire, the hook and ladder truck on which he was riding was hit by a milk truck and flipped over. The men riding on it were dragged along on the asphalt. I received a call about five o’clock in the morning and was told that he was in the hospital. He was still alive when I arrived, and his father was sitting beside his bed. When I looked at him I saw that his face was so marred that I didn’t even recognize him. All I could see was a mouth and I could tell that he was breathing—that was all. He didn’t last very long. In an hour’s time he was gone.
Many times since then I have thought of the fact that the Lord Jesus was marred more than any man, which means He had to be marred more than the captain of the fire company. He was just a piece of quivering human flesh. That is what my Lord went through on the cross!
I don’t feel that we should move into the realm of being crude in describing Him, because the next verse says:
So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider [Isa. 52:15].
“So shall he sprinkle many nations” could be translated, “So shall He make with astonishment many nations.” This carries the thought that His death will startle people when they properly understand it. The death of Christ should never become commonplace to anyone. His death was different. We have not explained it properly unless it startles people.
This prepares us for the profound mystery of the next marvelous chapter.
CHAPTER 53
Theme: The suffering of the Savior; the satisfaction of the Savior
Those who are acquainted with God’s Word realize that Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 give us a more vivid account of the crucifixion of Christ than is found elsewhere in the Bible. This may be a shock to many who are accustomed to think that the four Gospels alone describe the sad episode of the horrible death of the Son of God. If you will examine the Gospel accounts carefully, you will make the discovery that only a few unrelated events connected with the Crucifixion are given and that the actual Crucifixion is passed over with reverent restraint. The Holy Spirit has drawn the veil of silence over that cross, and none of the lurid details are set forth for the curious mob to gaze at and leer upon. It is said of the brutal crowd who murdered Him that they sat down and watched Him. You and I are not permitted to join that crowd. Even they did not see all, for God placed over His Son’s agony the mantle of darkness. Some sensational speakers gather to themselves a bit of notoriety by painting, with picturesque speech, the minutest details of what they think took place at the crucifixion of Christ. Art has given us the account of His death in ghastly reality. You and I probably will never know, even in eternity, the extent of His suffering.
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night that the
Lord passed thro’
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
—Elizabeth C. Clephane, “The Ninety and Nine”
Very likely God did not want us to become familiar with that which we need not know. He did not wish us to treat as commonplace that which is so sacred. We should remind ourselves constantly of the danger of becoming familiar with holy things. “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord” (Isa. 52:11).
Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ was born, lets us see something of His suffering that we will not find anywhere else. Before going any further, we should pause a moment to answer the question that someone, even now, is doubtless asking: “How do you know that Isaiah is referring to the death of Christ? Isaiah wrote seven hundred years before Christ was born.” Well, that is just the question that the Ethiopian eunuch raised when Philip hitchhiked a ride from him in the desert. The Ethiopian was going from Jerusalem back to his own country, and he was reading the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. We are even told the very place in the chapter where he was reading (see Acts 8:32).
When I was a little boy in Sunday school, I was given a picture of the Ethiopian eunuch sitting in his chariot, holding in one hand the reins and in the other hand the book he was reading. Well, with a little thought we would realize that it couldn’t have happened that way.
This man was an official of the government of Ethiopia. He was going across the desert in style. I am sure that he was under some sort of a shade as he sat there reading. He had a chauffeur who was doing the driving for him.
As the Ethiopian was reading Isaiah 53:7–8 his question to Philip was, “… I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?” (Acts 8:34). How can we be sure that Isaiah was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ in the fifty-third chapter? Listen to Philip. He will answer the Ethiopian’s question and our question as well. “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35).
Also Christ Himself in John 12:38 quoted from Isaiah 53 and made application to Himself. And the apostle Paul in Romans 10:16 quotes from this same chapter in connection with the gospel of Christ. My friend, Scripture leaves no doubt that Isaiah 53 refers to Christ. Even more than that, it is a photograph of the cross of Christ as He was dying there.
The first nine verses will tell us of the suffering of the Savior. The remainder of the chapter tells the satisfaction of the Savior. You will find that these two themes belong together—suffering and satisfaction. Suffering always precedes satisfaction. Too many folk are trying to take a shortcut to happiness by attempting to avoid all the trying experiences of life. I want to tell you that there is no short route to satisfaction. This is the reason I condemn short-term courses that claim they have the answers to all of life’s problems and will equip you with the whole armor of God. Well, that’s not the way God does it. There is no short route. Even God did not go the short route. He could have avoided the cross and accepted the crown. That was Satan’s suggestion. But suffering always comes before satisfaction. Phraseology bears various expressions: through trial to triumph; sunshine comes after the clouds; light follows darkness; and flowers come after the rain clouds. That seems to be God’s way of doing things. Since it is His method, then it is the very best way. Perhaps you are sitting in the shadows of life today. Trials confront you, and problems overwhelm you, and the fiery furnace is your present lot, and you have tasted the bitter without the sweet. If that is your case right now, then let me encourage your heart and fortify your faith by saying that you are on the same pathway that God followed, and that it leads at last to light if you walk with Him. “… weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).
Now with this in mind, let’s look at the suffering Savior.
THE SUFFERING OF THE SAVIOR
This chapter opens with the enigmatic inquiry:
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? [Isa. 53:1].
The prophet seems to be registering a complaint because his message is not believed. This which was revealed to him is not received by men, and this is always the sad office of the prophet. When God called this man Isaiah, back in chapter 6, He told him, “You are going to get a message that the people won’t hear. When you tell them My words, they won’t believe you.” That certainly was Isaiah’s experience.
God’s messengers have not been welcomed with open arms by the world. The prophets have been stoned, and the message unheeded. That is still true today. After World War I, when everyone was talking about peace and safety, it was very, very unpopular even to suggest that there might be another war. Public opinion then demanded that we sink all the battleships and disarm ourselves, because our leaders told us that the world was safe for democracy. There were a few prophets of God in that period, standing in the pulpits of the land. They were not pacifists, but they did not care for war either. They declared in unmistakable terms that God’s Word said there would be wars and rumors of war so long as there was sin, unrighteousness, and evil in the world. They stated that war was not a skin disease, but a heart disease, and they were proven correct when we entered World War II. When others declared that Christ was a pacifist, they called attention to the fact that He had said that a strong man armed keepeth his palace. I can recall that the church I attended as a boy had just such a minister. He was a faithful servant of Christ, and he sought to please God rather than men. But his message was largely rejected, and he was not popular with the crowd—they preferred the liberal preacher in the town. But time has now proven that he was right, and current events demonstrate that he was a friend of this nation, not an enemy. He was a prophet of God and could say with Isaiah, “Who has believed our report?” There are a few prophetic voices lifted up right now in America. They are trying to call this nation back to God before it is too late, but the crowd is rushing headlong after another delusion.
Personally I am overwhelmed by the marvelous response to our Bible teaching program on radio. But every now and then we are reminded that we are in a Christ-rejecting world. Our program has been put off the air by several radio stations because they did not like our message. One radio manager called in to say that he did not like the kind of “religion” I was preaching. He wanted to know if it weren’t possible to give something a little bit more cheerful, because mankind was on the up-and-up and getting better and better. They weren’t sinners, and things were not as bad as I seemed to think they were. This man’s call, and others like it, simply serve to remind us that we are in a Christ-rejecting world, and we must accept it as such and keep on going. We rejoice today that we have as large an outlet as we do. I believe that there are many prophetic voices in our nation today trying to call us back to God before it is too late. In spite of that, the majority of the people are following any Pied Piper of liberalism who has a tune they can jig by and who makes them feel like everything is going to be all right.
Paul said the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. From ideas publicly expressed we are given to know that there are many to whom the preaching of the cross is foolishness. I admit there is a lot of foolish preaching, and I offer no apology for it. But God said they would identify the preaching of the cross with foolishness. This message is a challenge to those folk, for there is a reason for their thinking as they do. God says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Would that they would give God a chance to talk with them!
It must be remembered that God does not use man’s methods and ways to accomplish things. God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and the foolish things to confound the wise. If we were to call in a specialist in a time of illness, we certainly would not expect him to use the same home remedies normally used by us. His procedure might appear foolish to us, but we would follow it faithfully. Then should we not accord to God the same dealing of fairness as we do to the specialist?
But we still have to say with Isaiah, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?”
There is a very definite reason why men do not believe in God’s gospel. Men like to think of God as sitting somewhere in heaven upon some lofty throne. The ancients spoke of the gods whose dwelling was not with mankind. The Greeks placed their deities upon Mount Olympus, and the Romans had Jupiter hurling thunderbolts from the battlements of the clouds. It is foreign to the field of religion that God has come down to this earth among men and that He suffered upon the shameful cross. That is too much to comprehend. The modern mind calls that defeatism—they do not care for it. A suffering deity is contrary to man’s thinking.
However, there is a peculiar fascination about this fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. There we see One suffering as no one else ever suffered. There we behold One in pain as a woman in travail. We are strangely drawn to Him and His cross. He said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Suffering has a singular attraction. Pain draws us all together. When you and I see some poor creature groaning in misery and covered with blood, our hearts instinctively go out in sympathy to the unfortunate victim. Somehow we want to help. That is the reason the Red Cross makes such an appeal to our hearts. Our sympathy is keen toward those who are war’s victims, or the victims of twentieth century civilized barbarism. Pain places all of us on the same plane. It is a common bond uniting all the frail children of suffering humanity. Therefore look with me upon the strange sufferings of the Son of God. Let Him draw our cold hearts into the warmth of His sacrifice and the radiance of His love.
Isaiah enlarges upon his first question by asking further, “To whom is the [bared] arm of the Lord revealed?” “Bared arm” means that God has rolled up His sleeve, symbolic of a tremendous undertaking. When God created the heavens and the earth, it is suggested that it is merely His fingerwork. For instance, Psalm 19:1—“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.” That word handiwork is literally “fingerwork.” Dr. T. DeWitt Talmage used to say that God created the physical universe without half trying. When God created the heavens and the earth, it was without effort. He merely spoke them into existence. When He rested on the seventh day, He wasn’t tired; He had just finished everything; it was completed. But when God redeemed man, it required His “bared arm,” for salvation was His greatest undertaking. One of the objections offered to God’s salvation is that it is free. If by that is meant that for man it is free, then this is correct. Man can pay nothing, nor does he have anything to offer for salvation. The reason that it is free for man is because it cost God everything. He had to bare His arm. He gave His Son to die upon the cross. Redemption is an infinite task that only God could perform. Salvation is free, but it certainly is not cheap.
Now we have brought before us the person of Christ. We are told something of His origin on the human side.
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him [Isa. 53:2].
Christ was a root out of a dry ground. This means that at the time of the birth of Christ the family of David had been cut off from the kingship. They were no longer princes; they were peasants. The nation Israel was under the iron heel of Rome. They were not free. The Roman Empire produced no great civilization. They merely were good imitators of great civilizations. There was mediocre achievement and pseudoculture. The moral foundation was gone. A virile manhood and a virtuous womanhood were supplanted by a debauched and pleasure-loving citizenry. The religion of Israel had gone to seed. They merely performed an empty ritual, and their hearts remained cold and indifferent. Into such a situation Christ came. He came from a noble family that was cut off, from a nation that had become a vassal to Rome, in a day and age that was decadent. The loveliest flower of humanity came from the driest spot and period of the world’s history. It was humanly impossible for His day and generation to produce Him, but He came nevertheless, for He came forth from God.
Let me use a ridiculous illustration. Christ coming where He did and when He did would be like our walking out in the desert in Arizona, without a green sprig anywhere, and suddenly coming upon a great big head of iceberg lettuce growing right out of that dry, dusty soil. We would be amazed. We would say, “How in the world can this head of lettuce grow out here?” It would be a miracle. The coming of Christ was just like that. His day could never have produced Him. Evolution has always tried to get rid of the Lord Jesus, because it cannot produce a Jesus. If it can, why doesn’t it? The interesting thing is that He is different. Therefore He is the root out of a dry ground.
Now the prophet focuses our attention immediately upon His suffering and death upon the cross.
“He hath no form nor comeliness [majesty]; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” Some have drawn the inference from this statement that Christ was unattractive and misshapen in some way. Some even dare to suggest that He was repulsive in His personal appearance. That cannot be true because He was the perfect man. The Gospel records do not lend support to any such viewpoint. It was on the cross that this declaration of Him became true in a very real way. His suffering was so intense that He became drawn and misshapen. The cross was not a pretty thing; it was absolutely repulsive to view. Men have fashioned crosses that look very attractive, but they do not represent His cross. His cross was not good to look upon; His suffering was unspeakable; His death was horrible. He endured what no other man endured. He did not even look human after the ordeal of the cross, as we saw in the previous chapter. He was a mass of unsightly flesh.
Naturally, we are eager to learn why His death was different and horrible. What is the meaning of the depths of His suffering?
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted [Isa. 53:4].
He was “smitten of God, and afflicted.” The prophet was so afraid that you and I would miss this that he mentioned it three times: “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.” “He hath put him to grief.” Consternation fills our souls when we recognize that it was God the Father who treated the perfect Man in such terrible fashion.
Candidly, we do not understand it, and we are led to inquire why God should treat Him in this manner. What had He done to merit such treatment? Look for a moment at that cross. Christ was on the cross six hours, hanging between heaven and earth from nine o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon. In the first three hours man did his worst. He heaped ridicule and insult upon Him, spit upon Him, nailed Him without mercy to the cruel cross, and then sat down to watch Him die. At twelve o’clock noon, after He had hung there for three hours in agony, God drew a veil over the sun, and darkness covered that scene, shutting out from human eye the transaction between the Father and the Son. Christ became the sacrifice for the sin of the world. God made His soul an offering for sin. Christ Jesus was treated as sin, for we are told that He was made sin for us who knew no sin. If you want to know if God hates sin, look at the cross. If you want to know if God will punish sin, look at the Darling of His heart enduring the tortures of its penalty. By what vain conceit can you and I hope to escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That cross became an altar where we behold the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world. He was dying for somebody else—He was dying for you and me.
Listen to the prophet:
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all [Isa. 53:5–6].
The phrase “with His stripes we are healed” may cause questions in your mind. Of what are we healed? Are we healed of physical diseases? Is that the primary meaning of it? I am going to let Simon Peter interpret this by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. First Peter 2:24 says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” Healed of what? Peter makes it quite clear that we are healed of our trespasses and sins. Now notice that marvelous sixth verse. It begins with “all” and ends with “all.” “All we like sheep have gone astray”—not some of us, but all of us. What is really the problem with mankind? What is your basic and my basic problem? It is stated in this clause: “We have turned every one to his own way.” That is our problem. Man has gone his way, neglecting God’s way. And the Scripture further says: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). Another proverb admonishes: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:6). Although our Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), we have turned every one to his own way.
“And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity, of us all.” Isaiah is making it clear that when Christ died on the cross He was merely taking your place and mine. He had done nothing amiss. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. He was the Substitute whom the love of God provided for the salvation of you and me.
Surely our hearts go out in sympathy to Him as He expired there upon the tree. Certainly we are not unmoved at such pain and suffering. We would be cold-blooded, indeed, if our own hearts were not responsive. It is said that when Clovis, the leader of the Franks, was told about the crucifixion of Christ, he was so moved that he leaped to his feet, drew his sword, and exclaimed, “If I had only been there with my Franks!” Yet, my friend, Christ does not want your sympathy. He did not die to win that. He didn’t die to enlist us in His defense. Remember that when He was on the way to the cross and the women of Jerusalem were weeping for Him, He said, “… weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.… For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:28, 31). He did not want their sympathy and He does not want ours.
Someone may be thinking that He died a martyr’s death. He did not die a martyr’s death, for He did not espouse a lost cause! He did not die as martyrs who in their death sang praises of joy and confessed that Christ was standing by them. Compare His death to that of Stephen’s. Stephen in triumph said, “… behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). Our Lord didn’t die like that. He was forsaken of God. He said, “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). His death was different. He died alone—alone with the sins of the world upon Him.
Someone else may feel like saying what a wonderful influence the death of Christ should exercise upon our lives. As we contemplate His life and death, most assuredly we ought to be persuaded to turn from sin. However, that has not been the experience of men. By the way, how did it work in your life? That view will not satisfy as an explanation of this verse: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” None of these will suffice to explain His death, for He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. He took our place.
THE SATISFACTION OF THE SAVIOR
Tthis point let me quote verse 3 which speaks of Christ’s grief.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not [Isa. 53:3].
Christ is identified as “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” and the inference is that Christ was a very unhappy Man while He was here upon this earth. To fortify this position a few isolated incidents are quoted which speak of His weeping. Now I want to correct this impression if I can. In verse 4 it says that “he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” Notice that it was our sorrows and our griefs that He bore. He had no grief or sorrow of His own. He was supremely happy in His mission here upon earth. In the Epistle to the Hebrews it is said of Him “… for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross” (Heb 12:2, italics mine). These pictures that show Him looking long-faced and very solemn misrepresent Him. Even on the cross He joyfully took our place. He made that cross an altar upon which He offered a satisfactory payment for the penalty of your sins and mine. Willingly He died there, for in verse 7 we read “as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
Perhaps you are saying to yourself, “Preacher, that does not make sense to me. I do not believe that, nor do I care for that sort of religion. I do not want God to make a sacrifice for me. I did not ask Him to do it.” Well, it is true that you did not ask Him to do it, but let me ask you a very plain and fair question. I am sure that you will agree that man has gotten this world into a very sad predicament today. The wisdom of man has failed to settle the issues of this life. Had you ever thought that man may be wrong about the next life when he dismisses God’s remedy with a snap of the fingers? Vain philosophy and false science have not solved the problems of daily living. Since they are wrong in so many other areas, they may also be wrong about the Bible.
Suppose for a moment that God did give His Son to die for you and that He did make a tremendous sacrifice. Grant that the cross is God’s remedy for the sin of the world and that it is the very best that even God can do. Suppose also that you go on rejecting this gracious offer of salvation. Do you think that you can reasonably expect God to do anything for you in eternity? If God exhausted His love, His wisdom, and His power in giving Christ to die and patiently has waited for you to turn to Him, what else can He do to save you? What else do you suppose God can do for you, or for anyone, who rejects His Son? He would come again at this moment and die again if that would be the means to save you! It is no light thing to turn down God’s love gift to you.
This does not end the gospel story. We do not worship a dead Christ; we worship a living One. He not only died, He rose again from the grave in victory. He ascended back into heaven. At this moment He is sitting at God’s right hand, and the prophet says:
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities [Isa. 53:11].
We have a living and rejoicing Savior, for His suffering led to satisfaction. He took our hell that we might have His heaven. He is happy, for down through the ages multitudes, yes, millions, have come to Him and found sweet release from guilt, pardon for wrongdoing, and healing from the leprosy of sin. Christ said there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, and that number can be multiplied by millions. Think of the joy and satisfaction of Christ today! We have a happy Christ, a joyful Christ, and it is going to be fun to be in His presence.
You can bring added joy to His heart by accepting the gift of eternal life that He longs to give to you. He is not asking anything of you—He wants to give you something. It is for “… him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). All you have to do is accept Him right where you are. He invites you to the foot of the cross where you will find forgiveness for your sins. May this be your prayer and mine:
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand—
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
Upon the cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me:
And from my stricken heart with tears
Two wonders I confess—
The wonders of redeeming love
And my unworthiness.
—Elizabeth C. Clephane, “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”
What a marvelous prayer this is for a sinner to pray! It makes it very clear that all men will not be saved, that all men must accept the Substitute or they will be lost. It also makes clear that the total depravity of man is taught in the Bible, that we are in no condition to save ourselves. All without exception are involved in guilt, and all without exception are involved in sin, and all without exception are guilty of straying, and all without exception have turned away from God, and all without exception have chosen their own way.
CHAPTER 54
Theme: The regathered and restored wife of Jehovah; the rejoicing and righteous restored wife of Jehovah
This is the logical chapter to follow Isaiah 53, because it is the song that accompanies salvation and the future glories of Israel. You see, the Redeemer is coming to Zion, and some day they will behold Him.
THE REGATHERED AND RESTORED WIFE OF JEHOVAH
He is speaking directly to Israel saying they should sing.
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord [Isa. 54:1].
I can’t sing. If you can, that’s wonderful. But some day I am going to be able to sing. Redemption brings a song into the world. The world produces the blues; the redeemed sing of blessings. The world has its rock; the redeemed sing of redemption. The world plays jazz; the redeemed have the reality of joy. Only the redeemed have a song of joy. The redeemed will sing the song of redemption whether on earth or in heaven. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9–10). What a picture we have here! You see, it is the church mentioned in Revelation, but in Isaiah 54 it is the nation Israel. The church is called a chaste virgin while Israel is characterized as the restored wife.
“Sing, O barren.” In the past Israel has been as a barren wife. Sarah’s life was this in miniature. She was barren, childless, an old women eighty years old with no children. God caused the barren to bring forth a son, and just think of the millions that have come from her!
So the first word after the crucifixion in chapter 53 is “Sing.” It is a call to Israel to sing. But the Jews are not singing over in their land today. In the past Israel has been as a barren wife, but in the future her travailing will be over. Her travailing so far has produced only wind—like the mountain that travailed and brought forth a mouse! But her future is glorious because she will have many children in the future.
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes [Isa. 54:2].
The nation Israel has never occupied the entire land given to them by the Lord. The land God marked out for them in Joshua 1:4 is about 300,000 square miles. Even in Israel’s heyday, when they reached their zenith under David and Solomon, they only occupied 30,000 square miles—that is quite a difference. Now God says they are going to lengthen their cords and strengthen their stakes. And they are going to be safe in the land. They won’t need to be afraid of the Arab in that day. During the Millennium, Israel will occupy the total borders of the land. Also, the city of Jerusalem will push out into the suburban areas, and there will be no traffic jams.
For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited [Isa. 54:3].
The Gentiles have occupied most of the Land of Promise—they have it today. But they will have to withdraw to their own borders. The problem in the world today is not only that individuals are trying to step over into somebody else’s territory, but nations are trying to expand their borders. This causes problems. People just keep wanting more and more and more, which is what produces wars.
For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called [Isa. 54:5].
God will own them then as His redeemed in that day.
For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God [Isa. 54:6].
Israel is today like a wife that has been divorced for adultery. That is the figure of speech that is used.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee [Isa. 54:7].
In that day not only Israel, but all of us are going to look back at what we thought was terrible down here in this life, and it will seem as Paul described it “a light affliction, which is but for a moment.” And it will work for us an “exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” We need to get our eyes focused on things which are not seen rather than things that are seen (see 2 Cor. 4:17–18).
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee [Isa. 54:10].
If you feel that God is going to break His covenant which He made with Abraham, Isaiah would have you know that you are wrong. God will not break His covenant; He will never break it.
THE REJOICING AND RIGHTEOUS RESTORED WIFE OF JEHOVAH
O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires [Isa. 54:11].
Now God begins to comfort Israel that she might rejoice.
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children [Isa. 54:13].
This is the day when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth. This brings peace.
In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee [Isa. 54:14].
Following righteousness is freedom from fear.
Now notice this marvelous verse of Scripture.
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord [Isa. 54:17].
Even in the past and in the present, God has been opposed to anti-Semitism. No enemy of God’s chosen nation has ever prospered. The witnesses to this truth are Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, and Hitler. There are a lot of anti—Semites in this country who ought to read this verse. This verse is a promise of God.
CHAPTER 55
Theme: Invitation to the world; the ways of God; institution of the Word of God
The work of the suffering Servant in chapter 53 makes possible the offer of salvation in this chapter. In chapter 54 the invitation was confined to Israel. In this chapter the invitation is extended to the entire world. The gospel went first to Israel and then to the Gentiles. I think this is what Paul meant when he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). This does not mean that the Jew has top priority today, but he shouldn’t have bottom priority either; he is on the same par as everyone else. The Jew did receive the gospel first. Peter on the Day of Pentecost preached to an all-Jewish congregation—there wasn’t a Gentile in the lot. Now this invitation goes out to the world. This is remarkable because there have been very few religious leaders who have had a global view. The work of the suffering Servant in chapter 53 makes possible now the offer of salvation to a lost world.
God’s invitation has yet to find its complete fulfillment in Israel. Today it is worldwide, with only one condition, as we shall see. This is not a mechanical offer locked in the airtight compartment of God’s election, but it rests upon the free-flowing will of each hearer. He is urged—in fact, he is commanded—to seek the Lord.
INVITATION TO THE WORLD
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price [Isa. 55:1].
The chapter opens with the heart cry of God to every one to pause and consider His salvation.
“Ho” is like a startled cry for help in the night. He wants every weak soul to behold His mighty bared arm of salvation.
The invitation is ecumenical. I don’t believe in the ecumenical movement that men talk about today, but I do believe in God’s ecumenical movement, which is that the invitation of the gospel is to go out to the world. However, it is limited to one class: “Ho, every one that thirsteth.” This invitation is to every man, woman, and child on the topside of the earth. It means every man of every station in life, in all strata of society, from every race, tribe, tongue, condition, and color. All are included. The invitiation is “Ho, every one.”
But notice that it is limited to only certain ones—“every one that thirsteth.” It is for those whose thirst has not been slaked by the man-made cisterns and bars of this earth. The invitation is to drink deep and long of the eternal springs. Dr. F. C. Jennings has written: “Let us listen then, as if we had never heard the melody of this tender and gracious invitation before. Who are the guests here invited? All who thirst! All that is needed to be welcome then, is—not to need (for that is true of all)—but to want what is offered. Am I utterly dissatisfied with myself? I thirst! Am I dissatisfied with all the world can offer me, and of which I have tasted? I thirst! Is my spirit altogether dissatisfied with all the formalism of religion? Then do I thirst! Blessed thirst! It is the only prerequisite to enjoyment!” (Studies in Isaiah, p. 645).
This is the invitation: “Ho, everyone that thirsteth.” If you say, “I am not interested. I am not thirsty. I am satisfied with the things of this life,” then it is not for you, my friend. It is not for you until you are thirsty. Here in California you will be riding along in the desert and all of a sudden you will see on a billboard the picture of a bottle pushed down into some cracked ice. My, it looks good! There is only one word printed on the sign—“THIRSTY?” The company that put up the sign hopes you are thirsty. They want you to stop at the next service station and buy a coke or whatever they are selling. If you have your thermos bottles filled with iced tea, or orange juice, you say, “I am not thirsty,” and drive on. But if you are thirsty, you will pull off at the next service station and get your drink.
At the crossroads of life God has put up a sign: “THIRSTY?” Ho, every one that is thirsty. Are you tired of this world? Have you found that it does not satisfy? Do you long for something better? God says, “I have something for you.” Then He mentions a variety of things and says that you can buy these things without money. A bottled drink used to cost a nickel, now you have to pay forty cents and by the time you read this, the price may have gone even higher. But God’s offer is without money. Why? Because back in Isaiah 53 the Lord Jesus paid the price for it on the cross. This is God’s invitation to you, “Come ye, buy, and eat.” Not only drink, but He offers the bread of life, too.
Notice that there are three types of drink offered:
1. “Waters”—the plural form is used. In the Hebrew the plural expresses a superlative degree. This water is too wonderful to be expressed by the singular form. “Waters” also speaks of abundance, of quantity as well as quality. This is water for the soul. This is the kind of water that the Lord Jesus offered—and He used the same symbolism—when He stood in the temple area that day and cried, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). Now we know where the fountain is—that fountain is Christ, who is the Water of Life and our Savior.
2. “Wine” is the second type of drink offered, which symbolizes joy. In Proverbs 31:6 we read, “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.” And 1 Thessalonians 1:6 says, “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost” (italics mine). Joy is what you have when Christ is not only your Savior but when He becomes the Master of your life. When you come to know Him, you have joy. In 1 John 1:4 John says, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (italics mine). I saw this motto in a preacher’s study in Salem, Oregon: “Joy is the flag that is flown in the heart when the Master is in residence.” That is a marvelous drink that will put genuine joy in your heart!
3. “Milk” is the third type of drink offered. Milk is essential for growth and development, especially for babies. The dairy industry has been trying to tell people: “Everybody needs milk.” Well, the milk of the Word of God is essential for spiritual growth. Now, since I am a teacher of the Word of God, that makes me a milkman. I give out the milk of the Word. Peter said it like this, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). Have you ever seen a little baby while his mama gets his bottle ready? That hungry little fellow, lying in his crib, is wiggling his feet, his hands; in fact, he is wiggling all over. With his mouth he is making all kinds of commotion and a great deal of noise! Why? Because he desires milk. And a child of God ought to want the milk of the Word of God with equal longing! My friend, if you are a believer, there is something wrong with you if you don’t like to study the Word of God. The greatest problem in our churches today is that we are entertaining, we are giving nice little courses in this and that and the other thing, we are giving banquets and dinners, and we are putting folk on committees. We are doing everything but giving them the Word of God. Many church members are stillborn—they have no spiritual life. My friend, if you are a believer, you ought to want the sincere milk of the Word of God.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [Isa. 55:2].
Many folk, even Christians today, are spending money for so-called Christian enterprises that don’t feed anybody. I hear some groups today calling money bread—I rather like that expression. The Word of God is “bread” also. A lot of Christians put their money into that which is not bread, although they think it is. It would be well to investigate where you give your money. It may be that you are buying a load of sawdust, which won’t satisfy your heart and life.
The question is asked, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?” The pleasures of this world are expensive. You have to pay for them. Not only are they expensive, but they never satisfy. They are counterfeit. They are sawdust and cannot satisfy the soul. Then where is happiness? You won’t find it in money. Jay Gould, an American millionaire, had plenty of that. When he was dying, he said: “I suppose I am the most miserable devil on earth.“ You won’t find happiness in pleasure either. Lord Byron had fame, genius, money, and lived a life of pleasure; yet he wrote in his poem ”On My Thirty-sixth Year”: “The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone.”
Why don’t you come to the table where you can get some water, wine, milk, and bread that satisfies? That’s where we all need to be today.
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David [Isa. 55:3].
God was merciful to David, and He will be merciful to you and me today. I heard a man speaking in Pershing Square in Los Angeles one day, deriding and ridiculing the Bible. One Sunday evening I saw him in church when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles. After the service he came to talk to me, feigning a humble approach, and said, “Pastor, I have a question to ask you. Why did God choose a man like David?” Then he leered at me, and I knew exactly what the old rascal was thinking. I said, “I’ll tell you why God chose a man like David. It was so that you and I would have the courage to come to Him. If God would take David, He might take you, and He might take me!” The sure mercies of David—how wonderful they are!
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people [Isa. 55:4].
Jesus is called the true witness for us in our day.
Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee [Isa. 55:5].
“Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not”—at that time Isaiah didn’t know about the United States of America, but we are included in his prophecy.
THE WAYS OF GOD
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near [Isa. 55:6].
The way of God and the way of man are put in contrast and conflict. The objection is often made that this is not a legitimate gospel call for today since man is not asked to seek God, but rather God is seeking man. This certainly is accurate, but nonetheless this call is for today, as the human aspect is in view here. Human responsibility is not defeated by the sovereign purposes and election of God. Therefore the Lord Jesus could say, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). You can sit on the sidelines and argue that you are not one of the elect; but the minute you come, you are elect. And the coming is up to you.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon [Isa. 55:7].
The problem people have today is not mental. You may say, “I have great intellectual hurdles to surmount before I can come to Christ.” No, you don’t. You have only one—that is sin in your life that you don’t want to give up. That is the one thing that keeps men from God. “Let the wicked forsake his way,” and when you do, then you will be ready to turn to Him. That is when you really get thirsty.
Now God says—
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord [Isa. 55:8].
God’s way is different from man’s way. The gospel is God’s way. It is not man-made. No man could ever have devised it. “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11–12). The gospel came down from heaven. It is God’s gospel.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts [Isa. 55:9].
The gospel could come only by revelation, since man’s reason never follows the redemption route.
INSTITUTION OF THE WORD OF GOD
When the gospel is given out, the emphasis is placed on the accuracy and the reliability and the importance of the Word of God.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it [Isa. 55:10–11].
In this closing section there is a prominence given to the Word of God. The only place where the gospel is found is in the Word of God. Salvation is a revelation of God, and the Word of God is likened to the rain that comes down from heaven. You see, the gospel is not asking you to do something. Neither is the gospel something that man has thought up. Man does not work his way up to God by some Tower of Babel effort, but he receives God’s revelation which comes down from heaven like rain. The rain causes the earth to become fruitful. The seeds germinate and fructify and bring forth abundantly. The Word of God is also the seed; and, when the rain and seed get together in the human heart, there will be fruit.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands [Isa. 55:12].
The rain causes the earth to respond with a green blanket of praise to God. During the Millennium the earth will respond with a note of praise to the Creator and Redeemer. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Rom. 8:22).
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off [Isa. 55:13].
This verse looks forward to the Millennium when the earth will be redeemed from the curse of sin. The curse of sin is expressed by the thorn and brier. When Christ died, He not only redeemed sinners, He also redeemed a sin-cursed earth.
CHAPTER 56
Theme: Grand particulars of the future kingdom; predicament of the present kingdom
The chapter before us follows a pattern that goes back to that marvelous fifty-third chapter, which tells of the salvation of the Lord provided for lost mankind by the sacrifice of His Son upon the cross.
Now Isaiah the prophet returns to the nation of Israel and is speaking to his own people. What we have in this chapter is not a retreat to Mount Sinai (as some seem to think) but rather a victory march through the arch of triumph into the Millennium. It is a forward movement which is the logical outworking of what has preceded. It pertains particularly to Israel and radiates out into a widening circle of global benefits. This all rests on the New Covenant which God has made with Israel. It will be the blessing for the earth in the future. At that time the Mosaic Law, which the Lord Jesus lifted to the nth degree in His Sermon on the Mount, will be enforced on the earth because Christ will be reigning. It will be His will and it will be His law.
The emphasis in this chapter is on ethics, not on events. The emphasis is on practice, not prophecy. All of this should influence our living today. The study of prophecy is not to entertain the curious or to intrigue the intellect but to encourage holy living. Remember that the apostle John wrote: “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). The study of prophecy gives us a purifying hope.
Isaiah now is looking forward into the kingdom age, the Millennium. The Lord Jesus is reigning. As we said, our Lord lifted the Mosaic Law to the nth degree in His Sermon on the Mount, which makes it absolutely impossible for anybody to be saved by keeping the Law. For instance, He said, “… whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [a word of contempt], shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matt. 5:22). On that kind of basis, very few of us would escape. How, then, are we going to be saved? Well, we have a Savior who saves us. But when He is reigning on earth, there will be no hijacking of planes, no kidnapping, no murdering, no mugging. We will be able to walk in safety down Glory Boulevard and Hallelujah Avenue in Jerusalem; the earth will be a safe place in that day. Every man will dwell in peace under his own vine and fig tree, which means he is going to be a capitalist. Everyone will own property and will not be taxed for it. That’s going to be great, isn’t it!
GRAND PARTICULARS OF THE FUTURE KINGDOM
Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed [Isa. 56:1].
“My salvation is near to come”—apparently the prophets expected the establishment of the kingdom immediately. Although they made allowance for the possibility of an interval, they speak of it in the immediate future. “Salvation” is the national salvation of Israel. This is what was in the mind of the apostle Paul in Romans 11:26 when he said, “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Anticipation of the coming salvation was to be an incentive to do justice—just as our hope of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is an incentive today to lead a holy life.
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil [Isa. 56:2].
This, you see, is for a people who are back under the Sabbath. The Sabbath will be restored to this earth during the Millennium. During this present day of grace we are definitely told: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days” (Col. 2:16). Therefore, you and I are not under the Sabbath—which ought to be evident to everyone. But God intends to restore it to the earth when Christ reigns, for the law will go forth from Jerusalem.
Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree [Isa. 56:3].
The Gentile in that day is not to feel that he is an outsider because of God’s peculiar arrangement with Israel. On the contrary, he is invited to step up and share the blessings. A eunuch could not serve as a priest under the Mosaic economy. In other words, a physical handicap will shut no one out in that future day.
For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off [Isa. 56:4–5].
The handicapped, the strangers, and all outcasts are invited to accept God’s gracious overture of a position that is better than a son or daughter and a security that is everlasting. This the Law did not give. He is talking about the Millennium, of course.
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant [Isa. 56:6].
The stranger will be given a new heart that he might love the Lord in that day.
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people [Isa. 56:7].
This is the verse from which the Lord quoted when He cleansed the temple the second time. It was God’s original intention that the temple was to be for all peoples irrespective of their race, tongue, class, or condition. It had long ceased to function as such in Christ’s day.
Also the present-day church is as far removed from its primary objective as the temple. The church has become like a suburban country club. It has moved from the downtown area and into the suburban area where it is serving good meals and has good volleyball and basketball teams. But there are few personal workers bringing the lost to the Lord.
The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him [Isa. 56:8].
The kingdom is to be worldwide in its extent and will include members of every family of the human race. God says in that day they are going to go out after folk. I believe that the greatest time of turning to Christ will take place during the Millennium.
PREDICAMENT OF THE PRESENT KINGDOM
Now that we have seen the marvelous view of the future kingdom, Isaiah returns to the predicament of the kingdom in his day. And we see the same things as we look around us today.
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest [Isa. 56:9].
Our vision is now shifted from the lofty contemplation of the glorious future kingdom to the sorry condition of the then existing kingdom. God was permitting the nations of the world to come in like wild and ferocious beasts, and they were robbing and pillaging His people. Assyria had already broken in, and Babylon was soon to break in; later others would come to plunder and destroy. If you have ever seen pictures of the walls of Jerusalem and the wailing wall, you can see that they are built of stones from different periods of civilizations. It is quite evident that the city has been destroyed repeatedly. History tells us that Jerusalem has been destroyed at least twenty-seven times, and today it is built upon debris. To go down to the place where Christ walked this earth you would have to dig thirty to fifty feet below the present surface. God permitted nations to come against Israel. Why? Because Israel failed Him so.
Note this remarkable verse—
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber [Isa. 56:10].
This is a picture of the prophets and priests who spoke for God in that day. God permitted the enemy to take Jerusalem because of the weak and inadequate leadership of the people. They were blind. They were ignorant. They were dumb dogs. In the New Testament Paul warned the people to beware of dogs (see Phil. 3:2). What did he mean? Well, he’s not talking about being wary of a stranger’s dog that barks at you. He is referring to false teachers and preachers who are not declaring the full counsel of God. In Isaiah’s day every shepherd had a dog to help him watch the sheep. The dog would lie down at night and keep one eye open. The minute a dangerous animal or a human being came to harm or to steal a sheep, the dog would bark. Watchmen—the prophets and the priests who should have been warning God’s people and giving out the Word of God—were ignorant of it. They were like dumb dogs who did not bark when there was danger. It was easier for them to keep quiet.
Liberalism, in my judgment, came into being because of the cowardly position that many ministers took. When you preach the Word of God, you step on toes. I know this—I have been doing it for years. I try to be as nice as I can about preaching the Word, but it is strong and this verse is very strong. The man who stands in the pulpit and won’t give out God’s Word is a dumb dog! I didn’t say that, but Isaiah did say it, and Isaiah wrote at the direction of the Holy Spirit of God. A dumb dog is a man who won’t give out the Word of God. He lies down and sleeps. He cannot bark. He loves to slumber. It is much more comfortable for the pastor to try to please his people.
Over the years I have received many letters from pulpit committees asking me to recommend a pastor. Then they list the qualifications they want him to have. The top priority qualification is personality. They want a friendly pastor who knows how to communicate to all age groups—a man that the senior citizens will love and the young people will love. Some of the letters don’t even ask for a man with the ability to teach the Word of God! As a result, there are a lot of dumb dogs in pulpits. I am sorry to say this, but it is true, and Isaiah said it before I did.
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter [Isa. 56:11].
“They are greedy dogs.” They are concerned with their own personal interests rather than the welfare of their people.
One day I had lunch with a preacher friend of mine who is retired. He said to me, “McGee, you are making your message on the radio a little strong, aren’t you? Suppose people turn against you and won’t support your program?” I replied, “Then I’ll go off the air and just tell the Lord about it. If He intends for me to stay on the air, He intends for me to give out His Word. Very frankly, I think that this is His problem, not mine. I’ll just give out His Word.”
Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant [Isa. 56:12].
These people drowned their sad plight and condition in drink, and they faced the future as drunkards and blind optimists. There are many people today who are facing life like that. They drown their troubles in drink. In our nation today, my friend, we have an alcohol problem among adults and young people—and even children! I am seeing more drunkards today than I have ever seen before in my long life. When I was on a plane the other day, I was seated near a dear old grandmother. She was the sweetest looking little thing, and I just wished she were my grandmother. I was thinking, Well, she is one person on this plane who won’t be ordering a cocktail. And, do you know, she ordered a Bloody Mary! Oh, boy, she tossed them down! Obviously she was accustomed to that sort of thing. The morality of our nation is gone, my friend. And a great many Christians don’t want to hear about it; they would rather listen to soft, sweet music.
Well, you don’t get into trouble when you play soft music, but you do when you give out the Word of God. But Isaiah told it like it was, and that’s what I intend to do also.
CHAPTER 57
Theme: Contrast between the righteous and wicked; comfort for the righteous; condemnation of the wicked
Now I grant you that today the wicked have it easy—they are the ones in comfort. They are the ones with the money, and they seem to be on top. But when we get to the end of the age, it will be comfort for the righteous and condemnation for the wicked.
This chapter marks the end of the second section of the final division of Isaiah, which I have labeled, “The salvation of Jehovah which comes through the suffering Servant.” Those who come in humility and accept it are made righteous. Those who reject it, proceed on their wicked way to judgment. This chapter brings us to the crossroads where the way that leads to life goes one way and the broad way to destruction goes another way. The destination and division are right here.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come [Isa. 57:1].
“The righteous perisheth.” Many of God’s wonderful saints are being taken away today through the doorway of death. God is removing them from a lot of trouble that is going to come in the future. When I started my ministry, I worried about myself. Then I had a child and I worried about her. Now I have two grandsons, and I worry about them. I no longer worry about myself or my daughter, but I do worry about those two little fellows because their lot in the future is going to be rough.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness [Isa. 57:2].
“He shall enter into peace”—he shall have peace in his heart. “They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.” If death comes to him while he is in bed, he will be removed from the Great Tribulation and will be taken into the presence of Christ. They will have peace regardless of what may come to them.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore [Isa. 57:3].
Now God addresses the wicked. Even their ancestry is bad—note the label given their mothers!
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood [Isa. 57:4].
They have been the persecutors of the righteous. Up to this point God has not intervened. Look around you today. Attacks are being made upon the righteous. They are not having an easy time. The attacks are coming hard and fierce, and the wicked seem to get by with it.
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? [Isa. 57:5].
The wicked in the last days are the idolaters who have turned their backs on God. They are guilty of gross immorality and murder. Adultery and murder are two of the terrible sins of our day also—coupled with covetousness, which is idolatry. This is the condition of the wicked at the present time.
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these? [Isa. 57:6].
They will even worship the smooth stones in the brook that once slew a giant. They worship everything except the living and true God.
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice [Isa. 57:7].
Now idolatry, associated with the groves on the mountain tops, gives place to scenes of the vilest immorality. It is a picture of the last days.
Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it [Isa. 57:8].
In the past, sin was committed in secret, but at the present time sin has become brazen and flaunts itself. Somebody asked me, “Don’t you think there was as much immorality in the past as there is now?” I agreed that there may have been as much, but it was kept secret. Men were ashamed of their sin, but today they are not. The other day I listened to a pretty little girl on television talk about the man she lives with who is not her husband. She was commended by others on the program for not being a hypocrite. She may not be a hypocrite, but she is a sinner in God’s sight. What would not even have been whispered about a few years ago is done in the open today. Sin has become a way of life. There are no longer high standards. The wheat and the tares are growing together exactly as the Lord said they would.
We see the contrast between the righteous and the wicked all through this section.
COMFORT FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
In the second division Isaiah speaks of comfort for the righteous.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones [Isa. 57:15].
God in the last days comforts His own because of who He is—“the high and lofty One.” He is the God of eternity. How feeble man is with his threescore years and ten down here. Man doesn’t last very long on earth. The eternal God promises to take those who do not trust in themselves, but trust in Him, and He covers them as a mother hen covers her brood. What peace and security there is for those who belong to God! This verse looks beyond our day to the time of the Great Tribulation; we are coming here to the end of the age.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made [Isa. 57:16].
He is the eternal God, but He will not always be angry with sin, because sin is to be removed.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart [Isa. 57:17].
God explains why He punishes the wicked. The wicked are covetous, and they go on in rebellion against God. I am sure that any intelligent person knows that a holy God will one day stop rebellion. God will have to punish those with rebellious and proud hearts.
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners [Isa. 57:18].
For those who will forsake the wickedness of their ways, He will heal and save them. He is a gracious God toward the righteous.
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him [Isa. 57:19].
God alone can speak peace to the heart of the sinner.
CONDEMNATION OF THE WICKED
Each one of these last three divisions can be marked off at the place where God says, as He did in Isaiah 48:22, “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.” I think this is something that is quite evident. Man’s history is one of warfare and constant conflict. It is not only true among nations, but also between individuals—although they call it competition. You will find it in the business world, the social world, and in the religious world. You will find conflict in practically every town, every hamlet, and in many homes in our country. God says that there is no peace for the wicked. You cannot make peace in the human heart apart from God. So far no one has been able to do it.
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt [Isa. 57:20].
This is probably one of the most picturesque descriptions of the wicked in Scripture. Like the troubled and restless sea, the wicked person can find no rest or peace in his wicked ways. He continues on like a hunted criminal looking for deliverance and safety. Several years ago an eighty-year-old man walked into the police station in Jackson, Mississippi, and said, “For fifty years I have been carrying on my conscience a murder. Another man has already paid the penalty for it, but I’m the one who is guilty. I have to make the confession of it.” They found that, according to law, when another man had already paid the penalty, they couldn’t execute the actual criminal or even hold him because another man had served the sentence. Probably the worst punishment this man had was fifty years of misery with a guilty conscience. He had had no peace of heart and mind at all.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked [Isa. 57:21].
If the world can have peace today without God, then it is a contradiction of the Word of God. You cannot contradict God’s Word. The wicked cannot have peace in the world, and they don’t have it today. God says that the wicked will have no peace. That is an axiom of God, and it is like the law of gravity—it works.
CHAPTER 58
Theme: Exposure of Israel’s wicked ways; explanation from God for rejecting religious acts; God’s concern for their welfare
This chapter brings us to the final division of the prophecy of Isaiah—“The Glory of Jehovah which comes through the suffering Servant.” We move on in this section to the glory of the kingdom. Inward wicked ways and outward religious forms delay the grace and glory of God and hurt the cause of Christ as much as anything. Men who are religious and are church members and yet curse like pagans, men who are dishonest in business, immoral in their social lives, yet talk about being good enough to meet God’s standards, actually block the grace and glory of God.
The explanation is given here as to why the glory was withheld. The people were supercilious and cynical about their relationship to God. They were observing forms and dared to question the actions of God toward them. They sat in judgment upon God and His methods. A lot of people still do this today. In spite of their outward observance of religion they indulge in their own wicked ways.
This same spirit was manifested after the Babylonian captivity, which reveals that the captivity did not cure them. In Malachi 3:13–14 we read, “Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?” They were criticizing God for not blessing them—yet look how religious they were! They went to the temple and they made sacrifices. It was brazen effrontery and audacity to question God! This is the spirit of the natural man with his outward show of religion. His heart is far from God, and his way is wicked. The veneer of godliness is nauseating to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said to the Laodicean church, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:16). This is the attitude of the Lord Jesus to a lot of churchianity in our day.
EXPOSURE OF ISRAEL’S WICKED WAYS
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins [Isa. 58:1].
The prophet is commanded to cry aloud a message that is always unpopular, which is to point out the transgressions and sins of a people who think they are very religious. This will bring down the bitter displeasure and caustic invective upon one’s head. Only a very brave man will do it. I would say that the basic weakness of liberalism in the pulpit is its aim to please the natural man without telling him the real truth about his fatal disease. The medical profession today would be guilty of gross negligence if they followed the same procedure with the physical part of man that religion plays with the spiritual part of man. When the doctor told me I had cancer, I tried my best to get him to say that it was something else. He said, “I am going to tell you exactly what is wrong with you. I will tell it exactly like it is. If I don’t, you won’t have any confidence in me.” God is telling it exactly like it is. And He wants His servants to tell mankind that they are suffering from the fatal disease of sin, which is going to eventuate in eternal death, eternal separation from almighty God.
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God [Isa. 58:2].
I think there is an element of God’s biting satire in this statement. These people were attending the temple worship regularly. They were going through the ordinances punctiliously. They were meticulous in following the forms of worship. They actually enjoyed going to church; yet their lives bore no resemblance to those of Christians. What was true in that day is also true today.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours [Isa. 58:3].
These people are petulantly complaining. They ask the reason for fasting and self-infliction if God doesn’t take note of it and pat them on the back for the ritual. Yet their hearts are far from God. They evidently had made fasting an important part of their religion. God never gave them fast days; He gave them feast days. It is true that they were to afflict their souls in connection with the great Day of Atonement, and in times of sin they were to fast. Fasting was the outward expression of the soul, but they had made it a form which ministered to their ego and pride. They boasted of the fact that they fasted. Fasting was to be a private matter between the soul and God—not a public show. Our Lord condemned them for abusing the fast. When He was here He said, “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward [which was to be seen of men]” (Matt. 6:16). They needn’t expect anything from God, for they didn’t do it because of the relationship with Him. The Lord Jesus said to those who are His own: “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matt. 6:17–18). Real religion is a personal relationship with Christ, and it is as secret and private as anything can possibly be. Do you go around and tell others about your intimate relationship with your wife or your husband? Of course you don’t. My friend, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is a precious secret between the two of you. You witness for Him, but you don’t reveal your intimate moments with Him. My friend, are you boasting about your religion, or about going through a certain ceremony or ritual? Shame on you! They are nothing in the sight of God—unless they reveal what is within your heart. Oh, how we need reality rather than ritual!
I am of the opinion that many folk in that day questioned Isaiah’s message. They probably said, “Isaiah, what in the world are you talking about? You criticize these people who are very religious, who go regularly to the temple and make their sacrifices!” But, you see, God knows the heart. Their religion was only superficial. They had no real relationship with God.
EXPLANATION FROM GOD FOR REJECTING RELIGIOUS ACTS
In this next section God explains His reason for rejecting their show of religion.
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high [Isa. 58:4].
God explains why He cannot accept their fasting. They thought it gave them special acceptance with Him.
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? [Isa. 58:5].
God had not commanded their fasting, and their acts of worship were entirely outward and did not reveal the condition of the heart.
This is largely the condition of the contemporary church. I don’t say it is the condition of your church—there are many wonderful churches. But, by and large, the organized church has only a form of godliness.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [Isa. 58:6].
This is tremendous—it gets right down to the nitty-gritty, right down where the rubber meets the road. God says in effect, “If you really want to fast, let Me tell you what to do: Instead of fasting and going around with a pious look, stop your sinning. Stop your gossiping. Stop the things that reveal the wickedness and the evil in your hearts. Demonstrate your faith in Me by your conduct. Start being honest in your dealings. Be truthful in what you say. Instead of seeing you in sackcloth and covered with ashes, I’d like to see you clean on the inside.”
My friend, I am of the opinion that the Lord could stop many church services today and say, “Listen, let’s cut this out. Why are you going through this form? You are not getting close to me. You are not pleasing Me. When you leave this service, you gossip, you have bitterness in your heart, you are not moral in your conduct, and you are living loose lives. You think you are pleasing Me by your religious form. I want you to know that you are not pleasing Me. That is the reason I am rejecting you.”
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? [Isa. 58:7].
They were turning their backs on the poor and needy. They even refused to show kindness and love to their own flesh and blood. Their religion was as cold as the north side of a tombstone in January! They didn’t have a heart for God. When you have a heart for God, my friend, you will also have a heart for other folk. You will want to be helpful to them and be a blessing to them. You cannot be hateful and fundamental in your theology at the same time. All of the criticism and unloveliness today is harmful to the cause of Christ. Isaiah has a tremendous message for us!
God told His people that He didn’t want their so-called worship—they were just going through a form. They were just “playing church.” He told them that they might think they were having fun, but it was going to become a burden to them because they would become weary trying to keep up a front before the world. God said to them, “Come clean. Demonstrate in your lives that you have reality.”
Do you see why Isaiah is not popular? You will never find liberalism dealing with this part of the Bible. They like to turn to the Sermon on the Mount and pick out a few verses, such as: “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7). That is great, but the important thing is to confess your sin to God and allow Christ to live His life through you. Religion is a great cover-up today. Oh, how we need a personal relationship with Christ!
GOD’S CONCERN FOR THEIR WELFARE
God wants His people to turn to Him in a real way.
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward [Isa. 58:8].
God could not manifest His blessing and glory to a people who practised their religion so badly. This is one of the reasons the world today is not convinced that God is in His holy temple. The world is passing by the church. Why? They don’t believe God is there. And I suspect they might be right. God says here, “I can’t manifest myself because of your lives.” How many of us are blocking the way! The story is told that when Alexander the Great returned from one of his campaigns, he rushed to find his old teacher, Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher. It so happened that Aristotle was taking a bath when his visitor arrived. Alexander told him about his campaign and then said, “Now what can I do for you?” The old philosopher was not at all impressed with this young upstart and continued his bathing. Alexander repeated the question, “Now what can I do for you?” Finally old Aristotle replied, “Well, you can get out of my light!” Perhaps we are saying to God, “What can I do for You?” I think God would answer, “You can get out of My light!” Let’s allow His light to shine through us. That’s the important thing.
Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity [Isa. 58:9].
God wanted to hear their prayers and He wanted to bless. He wanted to open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon them, but their hearts weren’t open to receive it. We say, “Our prayers are not answered.” Why? Is it because God does not want to answer them? No! The problem is that our hearts are not open to receive the blessing God really wants to give us. God says, “The minute you cry to Me, here I am.”
When I was a boy, I had typhoid fever and double pneumonia at the same time. I lived in a little country town, and one night the country doctor thought I was going to die. My mother sat by my bed all night. I was delirious most of the time, but I can still remember coming out of it and calling her name, “Mama?” She would say, “Here I am.” What a comfort that was for a little boy. And today what a comfort to know that when we go to God in prayer, He is there. He says, “Here I am.” In effect, God says, “It’s up to you from now on. If you come in the name of My Son, make a request that is in My will, and your heart is right, I’m going to move right along with you.” When we have prayers which are not being answered, the problem is with us.
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day [Isa. 58:10].
God asked them to practice one specific thing that He might bless them. He only picked out one thing. He could have picked out a dozen things, but He chose only one. God promised to bless them if they would show reality in their religion.
And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not [Isa. 58:11].
God wanted to bless them, you see.
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words [Isa. 58:13].
God gave the sabbath to the nation Israel. God said, “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever …” (Exod. 31:17).For something interesting, read the entire passage of Exodus 31:12–18. Now God turns to this specific thing that He commanded them as a people.
For us today it is a little different. We are told: “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it”(Heb. 4:1). The word for “rest” is sabbath—we should not come short of entering into His rest. “For he that is entered into his rest [that is, the sabbathl, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Heb. 4:10).Now have you entered into His sabbath, which is the rest of redemption? Have you come to the place where you completely, fully trust Christ—that He has done everything necessary for your salvation and you are resting in His finished work? Or do you feel compelled to do something in order to earn or not lose your salvation? My friend, He wants us to fully trust Christ. To enter into His rest will mean not only great blessing for us, but it will open up an avenue of service for us. The thing that brought the apostle Paul to a life of missionary activity was to enter into the rest of redemption.
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it [Isa. 58:14].
The horizon here is extended, and the vista of the future opens before us. They may delay the approaching glory, but they cannot destroy God’s plan for the coming manifestation of His glory.
CHAPTER 59
Theme: Condemnation of Israel; confession of Israel;coming of the Redeemer to Israel
This remarkable chapter continues God’s charges against Israel, and He spells them out. Their sins had brought about their sad state. Religion had become a cover-up for their sins. God refused to hear because of their iniquities, not because He was hard of hearing. Many people today think God has a hearing problem. God hears us all right. The problem lies with us.
Their sins are referred to thirty-two times. Many words are used to describe their sins: iniquities, sins, defiled with blood, lies, perverseness, vanity, mischief, adder’s eggs, spider’s web, viper, works, violence, evil, wasting, destruction, crooked paths, darkness, transgressions, departing, oppression, revolt, conceiving, and uttering falsehood. There are twenty-three separate charges brought against them. What a picture this is! For Israel there will be a time of national confession of sin. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem. We are told about it in Zechariah 12:11–14: “In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. ”
CONDEMNATION OF ISRAEL
Behold, the Lord, s hand is not short. ened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear [Isa. 59:1].
The reason that Israel was not saved in lsaiah’s day was not due to any weakness in the “mighty bared arm of Jehovah” which we saw in Isaiah 53. The Lord’s hand was not shortened. Neither was it due to any faulty connection in His communication with man. Likewise in our day it is not the mental hurdles that man has to surmount nor any of his many problems, but his sin separates him from God.
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear [Isa. 59:2].
Let me quote the comment of Alexander Maclaren in The Books of Isaiah and Jeremiah:“It is not because God is great and I am small, it is not because He lives for ever, and my life is but a hand-breadth, it is not because of the difference between His omniscience and my ignorance, His strength and my weakness, that I am parted from Him: ’Your sins have separated between you and your God.’And no man, build he Babels ever so high, can reach thither. There is one means by which the separation is at an end, and by which all objective hindrances to union, and all subjective hindrances, are alike swept away. Christ has come, and in Him the heavens have bended down to touch, and touching to bless this low earth, and man and God are at one once more.”
Now throughout this first section God spells out their sins. It is rather a discouraging picture of the human family—and of you and me.Then we have a confession of Israel, which is coming in the future when the Redeemer comes to Zion.
CONFESSION OF ISRAEL
Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness [Isa. 59:9].
The change of pronoun here indicates that there is another speaker. Instead of “your” and “their,” it is “we” and “our” and “us” now. This is Israel’s confession. They confess they are in darkness. They confess that their religious rituals have all been a pretense.
Many folk need to do this in our day. I played golf with a dentist and a broker some time ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both of these men told me how they came to know the Lord. Both of them had been members in rich liberal churches. They were both wealthy men. One of the men told me that one day he simply got tired of being a hypocrite, so he went to the Lord and confessed that he was a hypocrite and wanted reality. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. Oh, how this is needed today! It could actually bring revival to our churches.
Now notice Israel’s confession:
We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men [Isa. 59:10].
You see, they are in darkness. What a picture of the man who does not have a personal relationship with God!
But when Israel will make this confession—and they will make it in the future—to these specific charges, they also will repudiate their sins. My friend, our confessions to God should be specific and then the sins repudiated. Each sin should be confessed privately to God.
I have no heart to go through this list of Israel’s sins—I have problems enough with my own.
COMING OF THE REDEEMER TO ISRAEL
Notice that the pronoun changes again. The Redeemer will come to Zion.
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord [Isa. 59:20].
Many people ask, “Will the whole nation be saved?” No, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6). Those saved will only be a remnant. And there appears to be only a remnant in the church who are actually saved.
But the Redeemer is coming some day to Zion, and at that time there will be a great confession of sin. Zechariah 12:10 tells us about it: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever [Isa. 59:21].
God has made a covenant that the Redeemer is coming to Zion. There will never be a time when this promise will be entirely forsaken, for this is God’s purpose. It will be fulfilled in His good time.
CHAPTER 60
Theme: The Redeemer and Gentiles come to Jerusalem; the return of Israel to Jerusalem; Jerusalem’s realization of all God’s promises
The last part of Isaiah, I have a notion, is virgin territory to a great many folks because no school of prophecy dwells on this particular section of Scripture. In this chapter we see the Sun of Righteousness rising upon Israel; it is that which Malachi said would come to pass in the last days. When He comes, it will be like the sun rising into midnight darkness. In that day the nation Israel will reflect the glory light here upon the entire earth. The church, in the meantime, has gone to be with Christ. To attempt to make the nation Israel and the church synonymous is an interpretation that bogs down when you get into an area like this. It is an unsatisfactory interpretation which does not meet the dimensions of these prophecies. I emphasize this because it has caused so much confusion. Certain schools of Bible interpretation place little importance on prophecy because they neglect sections like this great chapter in the Word of God.
This third and final division of the Book of Isaiah presents the Redeemer on the cross (ch. 53). Following that there has been a definite progress and development which speaks not of the government of God (as the first part of Isaiah did), but rather of the grace of God.In the first section the emphasis was upon law; here it is upon grace. We find here—as we found also in the first section—that there is love in law. Also in this section we find that there is law in love.
The chapter before us brings us to the full manifestation of the Millennium. Chapter 59 closed by saying that the Redeemer will come to Zion. Now as we move along in chapter 60, He has come. In the Hebrew language there is what is known as the prophetic tense—when the prophet goes beyond the event and looks back at it as if it were history. Isaiah speaks of many future things as having already taken place. For example he begins by saying, “Arise; shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” And you can understand that for God to say a thing is going to happen, He is already on the other side of it—for Him it is just the same as having taken place. In other words, prophecy is the mold into which history is poured.
THE REDEMEER AND GENTILES COME TO JERUSALEM
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee [Isa. 60:1].
The Light now has come of which Malachi has spoken: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings …” (Mal. 4:2).
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee [Isa. 60:2].
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the world—that was one of His claims when He was here. When He comes to the earth the second time, He is that Light.
“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth.” The coming of the Light is necessitated by the night of spiritual darkness that has covered the earth—and covers the earth today. In spite of the preaching of the Gospel for nineteen hundred years, there is a wider circle of darkness today than ever before. Light must precede the future blessings. The Sun of Righteousness must rise to bring the millennial day. The preaching of the gospel was never God’s intention to bring in the Millennium, because it takes the Light to bring in the Millennium. And who is the Light? The Lord Jesus. We need the presence of the Redeemer in Zion, and He is going to bring the Gentiles from afar.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising [Isa. 60:3].
I believe that the greatest revival—that is, the greatest turning to God is yet in the future. In Romans 11:15 Paul says, “For if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” It will be the resurrection of the nation Israel and the resurrection of the world. You and I live on a little clod of earth in space that is just a glorified cemetery!
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see:all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side [Isa. 60:4].
Rebellious and scattered, they are going to come back to the Land of Promise—but in obedience to God. The women who are weaker than men are carried, like women in the East often carry their children, on their hips.
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee [Isa. 60:5].
Here you see the tremendous movement of all peoples toward Jerusalem—by land, by sea, and by air—which will be an occasion of astonishment.
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah, all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord [Isa. 60:6].
Again wise men, not only from the East but from all over the world, will come with gifts of gold and incense for the Redeemer. Notice that they are not bringing myrrh. Why? Because myrrh spoke of Christ’s death at His first coming. At His second coming they bring no myrrh. This is a remarkable verse!
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory [Is. 60:7].
Flocks are brought to Jerusalem for sacrifice. The sacrifices will be reinstituted in the millennial temple. This may be difficult for some to accept, but the Old Testament is very definite at this point. Read, for example, Ezekiel 40–44. These sacrifices, I believe, will point back to the death of Christ as in the Old Testament they pointed forward to His death. They will have the same meaning.
THE RETURN OF ISRAEL TO JERUSALEM
Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? [Isa. 60:8].
If there is any prophecy in Scripture that suggests the airplane, this is it, but I think the direct reference is to ships of the sea. It does not refer to what is happening today, although I understand that Jews who have come from farther East than Israel thought this prophecy was being fulfilled as they were brought by American airplanes to the land of Israel; but it does not quite meet the dimensions of the prophecy.
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee [Isa. 60:9].
“Tarshish,” as used here, evidently refers to all seagoing nations whose ships will be used to return Israel to the Land of Promise. The nations who once destroyed Israel will assist in her recovery. At that time Russia will send the Jews back to their land. Instead of demanding payment, they will send the Jews off with gifts as the Egyptians did. After all, Israel only collected their back pay from the Egyptians, and they had a great deal coming, because they had been in slavery for four hundred years.
Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought [Isa. 60:11].
The nations of the world that are saved are going to come to Jerusalem in the Millennium.
For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted [Isa. 60:12].
The Lord Jesus made it clear that His judgment upon the nations would be based on their treatment of the Jews (see Matt. 25:31–46).
In the Millennium every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (see Phil. 2:10–11). In the Millennium all mankind will be forced to bow to Jesus. The force, of course, will be the force of public opinion in that day. In their hearts there will be those who won’t want to bow, but they will go through the motions. Then when Satan is released at the end of the Millennium, those with rebellious hearts will naturally gravitate toward him, which will be the last rebellion. Then the eternal aspect of the kingdom will be introduced. I believe at that time certain radical changes will take place. It won’t be a patched-up earth, but a new earth and new heavens will come into existence. God is going to make all things new, and He is going to let me start over again. I am looking forward to that! I haven’t done so well since I began my life in Texas many years ago. I would like to start over. God is going to make all things new. He is not going to retool the old nature; He is going to give me a new nature, and He is going to give a new nature to everyone who has trusted in Him. What a glorious, wonderful day that will be!
JERUSALEM’S REALIZATION OF ALL GOD’S PROMISES
Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations [Isa. 60:15].
As Isaiah said in chapter 2, Jerusalem will become the center of the earth. A great deal of blessing will come in that day.
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob [Isa. 60:16].
The riches of Jerusalem, which were taken away by the nations, will be restored with interest.
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness [Isa. 60:17].
It is interesting that we see so many objects of brass in that land today. The markets of Egypt and Lebanon sell many brass objects, but in that future day they will be replaced by silver and gold objects for sale. In other words, precious metals will become commonplace again. Now notice some other wonderful things which will take place:
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended [Isa. 60:19–20].
Jesus, the Light of the world, will be there. He is also the Light of the New Jerusalem. The universe no longer will need street lights on the corners. After all, the suns and stars are street lights out in space. God did not light up the universe very well because sin had, come in, but in that day He is really going to light things up!
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time [Isa. 60:22].
Human strength will be increased in that day without resorting to vitamins! The Lord Jesus called attention to the fact that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. In my own experience I find that my flesh just doesn’t keep up with me! I would like to go much faster, but my body holds me back. However, in that future day all of this will be corrected—corrected here on earth as it will be corrected for the heavenly people.
CHAPTER 61
Theme: Distinction between the first and second coming of Christ; delights of the Millennium
This chapter is of peculiar interest in view of the fact that the Lord Jesus opened His public ministry in Nazareth by quoting from it. This chapter continues the full blessings of the Millennium with Israel as the center of all earthly benefits. The last section projects us into the total benefits of the Millennium.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND COMINGS OF CHRIST
Here in the first three verses we have one of the most remarkable passages of Scripture, and it helps us to correctly interpret the Bible.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn [Isa. 61:1–2].
Now here we are given a system of biblical interpretation. If I were to read this without knowing the New Testament, I would not be sure about whom he is talking. Who is it who says, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me”? If He is the Lord Jesus, does it refer to His first or second coming? Well, in the New Testament we have God’s interpretation. When the Lord Jesus went into the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, He read this section: “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:16–9). Now, my friend, if you will look again at Isaiah 61:1–2, you will see that He is not even through the sentence. Why didn’t He keep reading? The rest of the sentence is “and the day of vengeance of our God”—why didn’t He preach that? Notice this: He closed the book. That was a deliberate action. “And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:20–21). Isaiah’s prophecy up to that point was fulfilled by Christ’s first coming. Isaiah had not made the distinction between the first and second comings of Christ, but the Lord Jesus made the distinction. In Isaiah’s prophecy a little “and” separates the first and second comings of Christ. You might say that this little and is more than nineteen hundred years long! The prophets wrote of the first and second comings of Christ; they saw these two great events, but they did not know the length of time that lay between them. The apostle Peter confirms this: “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Pet. 1:10–11). Peter says that the prophets spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory of Christ—we see this in both the first and second sections of Isaiah.
Let me illustrate the problem the prophets had as they looked into the future. Behind my home in Pasadena, California—several miles from the foothills—looms Mount Wilson upon which Mount Wilson Observatory and the antennas of several radio stations are situated. Behind Mount Wilson I can see another mountain, Mount Waterman. It looks as if the two mountains are right there together, but I’ve been up in those mountains and I know there are at least twenty-five miles between them. It is impossible to see that distance between them unless you are there.
Now the prophet was way down in the valley looking into the future. He saw the first and second comings of Christ. Perhaps Isaiah was a little confused. In one breath how could he say that the Lord was going to bind up the brokenhearted, and open the prisons, and at the same time announce the day of the vengeance of our God? How can both be true? If the prophet had stood where we stand today, he would have understood. We are in the valley between the first and second comings of Christ. We can look back to the first coming when He came to fulfill Luke 4:20–21 and to die on the cross as our Redeemer, as we saw in Isaiah 53. Somewhere beyond that mountain peak is the next one, the second coming of Christ. Before He comes again, however, the church will be removed from the earthly scene. In John 14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
“To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God.” When He comes to earth the second time to establish His kingdom, it will be with vengeance. We will see that in chapter 63 where He is treading the winepress of the wrath of God. It is not a pretty scene—God didn’t say it would be pretty. But Christ is going to put down the rebellion that is here on this earth. You see, this little earth is still under His control. Emerson was wrong when he said that things are in the saddle and ride mankind. The Lord Jesus Christ is in the saddle, and He is in control. He is the King, and He is coming some day to put down all rebellion; that will be “the day of vengeance of our God.”
“To comfort all that mourn.” Immediately after announcing the day of vengeance, He says He is going to comfort all that mourn—those who mourn over their sin, who long in their hearts for a better day, and who want to be obedient unto Him.
Not only will He comfort all who mourn but all that mourn in Zion—
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified [Isa. 61:3].
I believe that Isaiah knew his geography, and when he said “Zion,” he meant Zion—not Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Florida, or South America. Zion, the highest spot in Jerusalem, was well known to Isaiah.
Now, speaking specifically of the Jews, he says, “to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” You can see that beyond the “day of vengeance,” which will be amplified in chapter 63, is the peace and the prosperity of the Millennium.
Isaiah makes a play upon words with “beauty” and “ashes”—it is like saying in English that God will exchange joy for judgment or a song for a sigh. After the sighing and the judgment there will be joy and singing.
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations [Isa. 61:4].
The land of Israel is yet to receive a face-lifting, which will restore its Edenic beauty. What is happening in our day in Israel is wonderful. It has caused Dr. W. F. Albright, a great Hebrew scholar, to take the position that he now believes in prophecy—since a nation that has been out of their land for twenty-five hundred years is back in their land. It apparently has made a believer out of him. But let us be very careful not to call it the fulfillment of this prophecy. The “face-lifting” that this verse is talking about will take place at the beginning of the Millennium, and we are not at that place in time right now.
And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers [Isa. 61:5].
This is a real picture of prosperity.
But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves [Isa. 61:6].
“Men shall call you the Ministers of our God.” Israel is going to be a priesthood of believers during the Millennium. It was God’s original intention that the entire nation would be priests. In Exodus 19:6 God said of Israel, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Because of their sin this was never attained, but it will be attained in the Millennium.
For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them [Isa. 61:7].
In other words, everlasting joy shall be Israel’s portion. It will be fullness of joy! What a great day that will be.
For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them [Isa. 61:8].
Their lives then will adorn their religious ritual. We have looked at several passages which spoke of the fact that Israel went through all of the rituals, but God condemned her for it because her heart was not in it. Things will be changed in that future day.
And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed [Isa. 61:9].
Anti-Semitism will end, and pro-Semitism will begin because they are genuine witnesses for God. In our day neither Israel nor the church is fulfilling what God intended—although I believe we are following God’s program, and it is working out as He said it would. He warned us that the day would come when we would have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.
DELIGHTS OF THE MILLENNIUM
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels [Isa. 61:10].
“Iwill greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God”—my, they’re going to have fun then! I wish that in our day more Christians had fun going to church. I wish they enjoyed it more. I wish the study of the Bible was a thrilling and exciting experience for all of us. It ought to be, and God intended that it should be.
“For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” The Messiah continues to speak here, and as He does, all who are His can join in the psalm of praise. They will greatly rejoice in the Lord. The problem in our day is that a great many Christians can’t rejoice in the Lord because they are out of fellowship. They have sin in their lives, they are way out of the will of God, and they are going on in their self-will.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations [Isa. 61:11].
Not only will there be material benefits and physical improvements, but the true blessings will be spiritual in that day.
CHAPTER 62
Theme: The ambition of the Messiah for Israel; the anticipation for the Millennium; announcement for that future day
The yearning of the Messiah for these anticipated joys is before us in this chapter, and there ought to be a yearning in the hearts of believers for these joys. There is a danger today of believers looking for the coming of Christ to take us out of the world so we can get away from our problems; we use it as an escape mechanism. People get into real difficulty, and then they want the Lord to come and get them out of it. When I was attending seminary, one of my fellow students was a Canadian. He was a great fellow, but he did not have much of a sense of humor, and other students, myself included, enjoyed kidding him. On certain nights after dinner he would go outside, look up into the sky, and say, “Oh, if only the Lord would come!” He would say this on the nights just before he had Hebrew class the following day. Hebrew was a difficult class, and when he said he wished the Lord would come, what he was really saying was that he wished the Lord would come because he didn’t want to study Hebrew. However, at graduation time, he received his degree one day and the next day he was married to a beautiful girl who had come down from Canada. The night before graduation this fellow went outside, looked up into the sky, and said, “I hope the Lord doesn’t come for a few more days.” Yes, that is the way it is with many of us. When things are bad, we want the Lord to come right away because we are on a hot seat and we want to get off it.
THE AMBITION OF MESSIAH FOR ISRAEL
For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth [Isa. 62:1].
The reason Jerusalem can’t have peace today is because her Messiah is not there. He is seated at God’s right hand longing to rule that city in righteousness. You can call it the holy city if you want to, but it is anything but holy as it is now. However, it will be holy some day and the zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will perform it. Man won’t make the kingdom, and the United Nations won’t do it—that is obvious now. I don’t think that anyone can bring peace into the world but this One. Only the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish it. The heart of the prophet Isaiah, as well as the heart of every godly soul on earth, enters into this longing. All of creation and all believers are groaning in their present state as they contemplate the future. Christian pilgrim, are you weary of the earthly journey, and do you desire the fellowship of the Father’s house? That is a question each believer should consider.
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name [Isa. 62:2].
A new heart, a new situation, a new earth, a new righteousness demand a new name. I don’t know what the new Vernon McGee will be like, but I’ll be glad that the old Vernon McGee is gone. We will be new, and we are to be in the New Jerusalem. What a wonderful picture is given here of the future.
Redemption involves not only the church, but the nation Israel and this earth. Now we are all groaning and travailing, waiting for that grand day of deliverance.
Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God [Isa. 62:3].
Israel is also going to have a new position.
Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee,and thy land shall be married [Isa. 62:4].
I have heard people sing that song about “Beulah land, sweet Beulah land,” and I knew they did not have the foggiest notion what “Beulah land” meant or where it was. Let’s see what this verse is talking about.
Israel has been “Forsaken”—this is the picture and name of Israel since the crucifixion of Christ. When you look at that land today, the word that comes to your mind is forsaken—desolate. That is the description of the land right now, but in the coming kingdom Israel shall be called Hephzibah, which means “delightful.” It is going to be a delightful spot. I have made the statement before that I don’t like Jerusalem as it is today, but it will be delightful in that future day.
“And thy land Beulah”—Beulah means “married.” In other words, the King is present to protect it, and His presence means joy.
For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee [Isa. 62:5].
God will delight over Israel as a bridegroom delights over a bride.
THE ANTICIPATION FOR THE MILLENNIUM
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence [Isa. 62:6].
This longing is contagious. The thirsty soul longs to drink. Every right-thinking person can pray for the peace of Jerusalem and long for that day when there will be peace.
And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth [Isa. 62:7].
God says that He “… ill overturn, overturn, overturn … until he comes whose right it is …” to rule (Ezek. 21:27).
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THAT FUTURE DAY
Now let’s drop down to the announcement of the Lord for that future day—
Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him [Isa. 62:11].
This announcement is pertinent for the present hour, as this verse indicates. The salvation of Israel is part of God’s overall plan of salvation. We ought to present the gospel to every Israelite. The Messiah is their Savior today. And the second coming of Christ means the second coming of Christ to establish His kingdom on earth for these people.
And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken [Isa. 62:12].
Israel cannot be called a holy people today. They are not redeemed today. Jerusalem is a forsaken city right now, but the day will come when things will be different. The experience of God’s salvation will work a transformation in the nation Israel and also in the physical earth. The people will be called an holy people, and the land will be greatly desired. The contrary is true today. What a glorious future we have!
CHAPTER 63
Theme: The winepress of judgment; in wrath the Savior remembers mercy
The content of the first six verses of this chapter is certainly in contrast to the preceding section. It really seems out of keeping with the tenor of this entire section of Isaiah, but judgment precedes the kingdom, and this has always been the divine order.
When Isaiah 53:1 described Christ at His first coming “there was no beauty that we should desire Him,” but here there is majesty and beauty, which identifies it with His second coming. Also, the day of vengeance has been identified already with Christ’s second coming rather than His first coming, as the Lord Himself clearly stated. Compare Isaiah 61:2 with Luke 4:18–20.
I find no delight in the first part of this chapter, because we see the wrath of Christ likened to a winepress in His coming judgment. Then the second part of the chapter reveals the loving-kindness which Christ manifests toward His own.
THE WINEPRESS OF JUDGMENT
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save [Isa. 63:1].
The form used here is an antiphony. Those who ask the question concerning the One coming from Edom are overwhelmed by His majesty and beauty. He comes from Edom and the east, and we are told elsewhere that His feet will touch the Mount of Olives on the east. “Edom” and “Bozrah” are geographical places, and are to be considered as such, but this does not exhaust the mind of the Spirit. Edom is symbolic of the flesh and the entire Adamic race, and here we see the judgment of man.
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? [Isa. 63:2].
In that day men would get into the winepress barefooted to tread out the grapes. The red juice would spurt out of the ripe grapes and stain their garments. That is the picture you have in this verse, and that is why this question is asked. The spectators see that there is blood on His beautiful garments just as if He had trodden the winepress.
Now listen to His answer—
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment [Isa. 63:3].
Notice that it is their blood, not His.
The early church fathers associated these first six verses with the first coming of Christ. They mistook the winepress as the suffering of Christ on the cross. Such an interpretation is untenable, as the blood upon His garments is not His blood but that of others. It is the day of vengeance. It is identified already with the second coming of Christ rather than with His first coming. The Lord Jesus made that clear in Luke 4:18–20 when He read Isaiah 61:2. The Lord Jesus shed His own blood at His first coming, but that is not the picture which is presented here. He was trodden on at His first coming, but here He does the treading. This is a frightful picture of judgment.
Now we are told the reason for His judgment—
For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come [Isa. 63:4].
He has come to save forever His redeemed ones from their vicious oppressors. This is His judgment upon the earth, and it is defined as the day of vengeance.
And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me [Isa. 63:5].
The Lord Jesus Christ wrought salvation alone when He was on the cross, and judgment is His solo work also.
And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth [Isa. 63:6].
This is the end of man’s little day upon the earth. The King is coming to the earth in judgment. There are those who will say, “This is frightful. I don’t like it.” Then, like the proverbial ostrich, they will put their heads in the sand and read John 14 or some other comforting passage of Scripture. However, we have to face up to this verse. The next time the Lord comes it will be in judgment. Can you think of any other way He can come and set up His kingdom? Suppose the Lord Jesus came the second time the way He came the first time, as the Man of Galilee, the Carpenter of Nazareth who walked the countryside telling people that He had come from heaven. Suppose He knocked on the door of the Kremlin. Do you think those people are ready for Him? I don’t think they are. I think they would put Him before a firing squad before the sun came up. No nation and no church today is prepared to turn their affairs over to Jesus. If they are prepared, why don’t they do it? He was rejected when He came nearly two thousand years ago, and He has been rejected ever since. I can’t think of any other way for Him to come the second time but in judgment.
Now others may say, “This verse is in the Old Testament. You have a God of wrath in the Old Testament, but when you get to the New Testament, He is a God of love.” One of the reasons that the Book of Revelation has never been popular with the liberal is because it is filled with judgment. The Book of Revelation is in the New Testament, and the language is the strongest in the Bible (except what came from the lips of the Lord Jesus who spoke more of hell than anyone else). The Book of Revelation speaks of Christ’s coming to put down the unrighteousness and rebellion and godlessness that is on the earth. Consider this one segment of the Book of Revelation: “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus” (Rev. 16:1–5). You see, immediately the critic will say, “God is not fair; He is not righteous to do this.” God lets us know that when He judges like this, He is indeed being righteous. “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments” (Rev. 16:6–7). God is right in what He does—whether we think so or not. After all, to compare you and me with this tremendous universe would make it obvious that we don’t amount to very much. Your opinion and my opinion, even when they are put together, aren’t worth very much. It is what God says that is important. When God says He is righteous, but we don’t think He is, that means that we are wrong. God is righteous in what He does. “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory” (Rev. 16:8–9). You would think that all of this would cause them to turn to God, but they didn’t react that way. Instead it just brought out what they really were—just as the plagues of Egypt did in Pharaoh’s day. “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain” (Rev. 16:10). I have quoted this extensive passage from the New Testament to show the agreement between the Old and New Testaments. Don’t let anyone tell you that we have a God of wrath in the Old Testament and a God of love in the New Testament! The God of love is the One making these statements in both the Old and New Testaments, because there is love in law—in fact, there is law in love.
Judgment is frightful, but He is coming in judgment when He returns to this earth, and He has not asked me to apologize for Him.
IN WRATH THE SAVIOR REMEMBERS MERCY
In this section we see that in wrath the Lord Jesus remembers mercy to those who are His.
I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses [Isa. 63:7].
The entire content and intent changes abruptly at this point. It is like coming out of darkness into the sunlight of noonday. It is like turning from black to white. Our God is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders, and this is only one aspect of His many attributes. He is good, and He exhibits loving-kindness. He is also a God of mercy. If these attributes were not in evidence, we would all be consumed today—you may be sure of that! He has to come in judgment to take over this earth. It seems to me that He has given men an extra long time to turn to Him.
For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour [Isa. 63:8].
His “people” here are believing Israelites and also a great company of Gentiles who will turn to Christ during the Great Tribulation. (Of course here the church has already gone to be with Him and has been in His presence for some time.)
“Children that will not lie.” It sounds as if He had high hopes of them, but they disappointed Him. Certainly He expects you and me to live lives well-pleasing to Him, and He specifically admonished us, “Lie not one to another.”
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old [Isa. 63:9].
How tender are these words. I believe that the angel of the Lord is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. We are told that in His love and pity He redeemed and carried them. He entered into the sufferings of His people.
Now there has been some question about whether “in all their affliction he was afflicted” should be positive or negative. We have good manuscript evidence for the translation given to us here. But we also have good manuscript evidence for the negative: “in all their affliction he was not afflicted.” Which is true? Well, both are true, but I personally like the negative much better. Let me give you my reason. When the Lord went through the wilderness with the children of Israel, He wasn’t afflicted when they were afflicted. For example, when they were bitten by the fiery serpents, He wasn’t bitten. In all their affliction He was not afflicted. He was like a mother or a father who just stood by and waited for them. He didn’t go on without them. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire were there. God was waiting for them. For forty years through that wilderness experience He was patient with them, patient like a mother.
When I was a pastor in Pasadena, my study was right by a street that led to a market. I used to watch a mother who had two children. One child she carried, and the other little fellow often walked along by himself. Sometimes the little fellow would stop, and his mother always waited for him. Sometimes when he would fall down, or stray a little, doing something he shouldn’t do, she would wait patiently for him. I often thought to myself, That is the way God has been doing with me all of these years. I fall down, or I get in trouble, and God waits for me. That is the way He does with His people.
But they rebelled, and vexed his holy spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them [Isa. 63:10].
I think the Holy Spirit gets rather tired of you and me! But He is patient with us. Thank God for that!
Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy spirit within him? [Isa. 63:11].
I think this is a direct reference to Israel, but at the same time it is a picture of the entire human family. Some expositors do not feel that the reference here is to the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, because the Old Testament does not contain a clear-cut distinction of the Holy Spirit. However, I believe that the Holy Spirit mentioned here is the Holy Spirit that today dwells in believers. Although in the Old Testament we do not have a clear-cut distinction of the work of the Holy Spirit, I believe this is definitely a mention of it.
The Holy Spirit is the One—
That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? [Isa. 63:12–13].
Once again God refers to the history of their deliverance out of Egypt. Then He continues their history of how He has led them.
Here the prophet and the people plead with God to look upon their great need and desire.
Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting [Isa. 63:15–16].
God was the Father of the nation Israel, but there is no thought in the Old Testament that He was the Father of the individual Israelite. It is a corporate term rather than a personal one in the Old Testament. In the New Testament it becomes personal, not corporate. As Abraham was the father of the nation and not of each individual Israelite, so God, too, was, the Father of the nation.
O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance [Isa. 63:17].
This is a pleading prayer, asking God to intervene for them.
We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name [Isa. 63:19].
They needed to surrender completely to God. This should be the attitude of the Christian today—complete yielding to God. Most of us are afraid to yield to God because we are afraid He will be hard on us. God wants to be gentle with us if we will give Him a chance. But remember that He also is the God of judgment. He is the One who is coming to earth some day to tread the winepress of the fierceness of His wrath.
God is not trying to frighten you; He is just telling you the truth.
CHAPTER 64
Theme: God’s control of the universe recognized; man’s condition in the universe confessed
This chapter continues the pleading of the hungry hearts for the presence of God in life’s affairs. No child of God today can be immune to such ardent petitions. The Christian can cry with the same passionate desire, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (See Rev. 22:20).
This, too, is a neglected section of the Word of God. We have attempted to emphasize this section so that you can see why we hold the premillennial viewpoint and why we believe Christ is coming before the Great Tribulation Period. The church will be taken out of the world before the Tribulation. The Lord will come at the end of the Tribulation to establish His kingdom. This is not just a theory. This is what we find in the Book of Isaiah. We have looked at Isaiah almost verse by verse, and the prophet has presented a very definite program. The Word of God simply does not give isolated verses to prove some particular theory of interpretation, but whatever your or my theory is, it has to fit in place. Some of the theories I hear today remind me of the lady who went into the shoestore to get a pair of shoes. The salesman asked, “What size do you wear?” The lady replied that she could wear a size four, but a size five felt so much better that she always bought a size six or sometimes a seven. There are some theories, as far as the Word of God is concerned, that require a size change because they simply don’t fit.
GOD’S CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE RECOGNIZED
Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence [Isa. 64:1].
The prophet is a representative of the believing remnant of Israel in that future day. Again he is using the past tense, which is called a prophetic tense. That is, God sees it as having already taken place, and He gives the prophecy to Isaiah from the other side, looking back at the event.
The prophet is pleading with God just as the remnant of Israel will do in that day of the Great Tribulation. This Scripture is not written to us—the church is not in view here. It is addressed to the remnant of Israel, but as believers we can identify with them. Our prayer today should be for the return of the Lord. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” But it is clear in this section that Isaiah is predicting Israel’s prayer during the Great Tribulation Period.
As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! [Isa. 64:2].
Just as fire makes water boil, so the presence of God would make the nations tremble. Today the nations are not conscious of the existence of God. There are people who wonder how we can sit down with godless nations like Russia or China. The reason is that we are just about as godless as they are. In our day the nations of the world are not turning to God, nor do they recognize Him. However, as the end of the age approaches, I believe there will be a very real consciousness that God is getting ready to break through. There was that consciousness throughout the world at the time of the birth of Christ, and several Roman historians have called attention to that fact.
When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence [Isa. 64:3].
The very mountains melt—that is, become molten—at His presence. The enemies then will cry for the mountains to hide them from “… the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:16).
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him [Isa. 64:4].
Paul expresses this same thought in 1 Corinthians 2:9 when he says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Paul goes on to say, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10). First Corinthians 2:9 is obviously a quote from Isaiah, but verse 10 tells us that in our day the Holy Spirit will reveal these things unto us. In that day of the Great Tribulation they will have to wait until Christ comes. And even for us it can be said, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12).
All through this section we can identify with these people, for we have a hope also. We are looking for Him to take us out of the world, and they will be looking for Him to come and establish a kingdom here on the earth.
My friend, it seems to me that the only folk who miss this distinction are the theologians. Failure to recognize that Christ is going to take the church up to meet Him in the air and that He is coming down to the earth to establish His kingdom gives us some upside down theology.
Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved [Isa. 64:5].
Here begins the acknowledgment of sins and, at the same time, an expression of confidence in the redemption of the Savior.
MAN’S CONDITION IN THE UNIVERSE CONFESSED
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away [Isa. 64:6].
This verse is familiar because it is used very frequently to establish the fact that man has no righteousness per se; that is, man has no righteousness in himself whatsoever. This is not only true of Israel but it is also true of the entire human family. Both Jew and Gentile alike have sinned and come short of the glory of God. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” It does not matter what we might consider to be good works. It may sound pretty good to give a million dollars to feed the poor and hungry or to care for little orphans and widows, but in God’s sight anything that the flesh produces is as filthy rags. You cannot bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing. A lost sinner is unable to do anything that is acceptable to God—he must first come to God His way. This is very difficult for man to accept—especially the unsaved man who is depending upon his good works to save him.
But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand [Isa. 64:8].
God is our Father by creation, but man lost that image. You and I can become sons of God in only one way, and that is through Christ. The New Testament revelation of the sons of God is not by creation at all, but on an entirely different basis. In John 1:12–13 we read, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
“We all are the work of thy hand” is a recognition that God is our Creator. He is the Potter, the One who creates. Now, a man that makes a vessel or a pretty vase is, in a sense, the father of it. In this same way we speak of George Washington as being the father of our country.
Paul makes this distinction in his speech in Athens: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:28–29). Man is the offspring of God in that he was created by Him, but not all men are the born again sons of God. Paul is saying that, since God has created us, we ought not to make an image and say that it is a likeness of God. In doing so we would be attempting to create God, and God has forbidden that.
Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation [Isa. 64:10].
The description given in this verse was not true in Isaiah’s day, but it came to pass shortly afterwards when Babylon came against Jerusalem. Second Kings 25:9–10 tell us, “And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.” Isaiah’s prophecy was literally fulfilled.
Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste [Isa. 64:11].
Isaiah writes as if this has already taken place, but it didn’t happen until about one hundred years after Isaiah. The temple was destroyed at the same time Jerusalem was destroyed.
Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore? [Isa. 64:12].
The prophet closes this chapter with a question: Will God refuse to act? The remainder of Isaiah’s prophecy is God’s answer to this question. God rejected Israel only after they rejected Him, but it did not thwart His plan and purpose for them and for the earth. God has carried through with His program which is yet to be finalized.
CHAPTER 65
Theme: Redeemer’s reason for rejecting the nation; reservation of a remnant; revelation of the new heavens and the new earth
In chapter 64 we noted the fervent prayer of the prophet and the people pleading with the King to break through all barriers and come to earth. Chapters 65 and 66 contain God’s answer to that plea. God makes it very clear that their sins and unfaithfulness are responsible for His judgment upon them, but that their sins have not frustrated His promises and purposes concerning the coming kingdom. God has preserved a remnant through which He will fulfill all of His prophecies. Again He gives a vision of the kingdom and a prospectus of the eternal position of Israel in the new heavens and new earth. This will take us to the end of the Book of Isaiah which goes down in a blaze of glory.
REDEEMER’S REASON FOR REJECTING THE NATION
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name [Isa. 65:1].
He is speaking here of the Gentiles to whom the gospel has now come. When Paul came to Philippi he had had the vision of the man in Macedonia. However, when he got over there, he found, not a man looking for him wanting to hear the gospel, but a woman by the name of Lydia who was holding a prayer meeting down by the river. Although she may not have recognized her need, Paul brought the gospel to her.
Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10:20: “But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.” That is the way it happened to us, my friend. Our ancestors were heathen barbarians. They were not down on the shore with their hands held out, saying, “Oh please, send us missionaries!” They didn’t want them; they even killed some of those who did come. Today the heathen are not begging for the gospel—nobody’s begging for the gospel. God has responded to people who didn’t even call upon Him. I never asked to be saved—He just saved me. I was like the black boy down South who said, “I ran from Him as fast as my sinful legs would carry me and as far as my rebellious heart would take me, and He took out after me and ran me down.” That is the way it happened for all of us who have been saved.
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts [Isa. 65:2].
Now He is talking to the Jew, to the nation Israel. God first gave the gospel to him; it was given “to the Jew first.” Again, in Romans 10:21, Paul says, “But to Israel he saith, All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” God rejected them only after they rejected Him. In Acts 13:46 we read: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” That is the way it all came about. In other words, if Jerusalem refuses the gospel, Ephesus will receive it. If Los Angeles rejects the gospel, then maybe Bombay, India, or some out-of-the-way place is going to hear. The flood tide of God’s grace will spill over somewhere in this world. Thank God for that.
A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick [Isa. 65:3].
This is the reason that blessings were withheld from Israel: they were continually going into idolatry and rebelling against God.
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day [Isa. 65:4–5].
This is just a partial list of the reasons for Israel’s rejection. They were breaking the commandments God gave to them.
Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom.
Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom [Isa. 65:6–7].
Israel walked in pride. They practiced the externalities of a God-given religion, but their hearts were far from God. They practiced iniquity as easily as they practiced the rituals of religion. In so doing, they blasphemed God.
RESERVATION OF A REMNANT
Aremnant is reserved through which all of God’s promises are to be fulfilled. God always has had a remnant.
Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it; so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all [Isa. 65:8].
In spite of their sins, God would not totally exterminate them because of the believing remnant. The remnant is compared to a cluster of wonderful grapes that has been passed over in the vineyard.
And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there [Isa. 65:9].
“A seed out of Jacob” could refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in one sense I think it does, but more particularly it refers to the remnant out of Israel that is to be saved. For the sake of the remnant God will make good His promises.
And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me [Isa. 65:10].
You see, there was to be a place, a place of safety for the little flock, for the remnant.
But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not [Isa. 65:11–12].
But for the remainder of the nation that went headlong without heeding the Word of God there remains nothing but punishment. I do not understand how intelligent people who believe in the existence of God can fail to realize that there must finally come a judgment and a straightening out of things. If they continue on in sin they will be judged, as surely as God judged the bulk of the nation Israel.
Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit [Isa. 65:14].
Just as God made a distinction between the nation as a whole and the remnant, He makes the same distinction in the contemporary church. The church is a vast organization with a tremendously bloated membership. The question is asked as to whether the church will go through the Great Tribulation Period. Well, there is a church that will go through the Great Tribulation. It is called an old harlot in Revelation 17. It is just an organization and does not belong to Christ. It is not His bride at all. The true believers in the body of Christ will be taken out before the Great Tribulation Period. We need to recognize that there is a distinction to be made between that which is merely outward and that which is genuine.
REVELATION OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind [Isa. 65:17].
Here the creation of the new heavens and the new earth seems to precede chronologically the setting up of the kingdom. But I think when we examine it closely we find that the remnant has already entered the kingdom. The others have been judged and do not enter the kingdom. The Lord Jesus made this clear in Matthew 25:34 when He said, “… Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” The others were to be cast into outer darkness and would not enter the kingdom.
Now at the end of the millennial kingdom—that is, at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ, after that final rebellion—the creation of the new heavens and new earth takes place. You see, after the Rapture and during the Millennium tremendous changes in the earth will be made. The desert is going to blossom as the rose. But when you get to the new heavens and the new earth, there will not be any sea and there actually will not be any desert. It will be a new earth. We will have traded in the old model and gotten a new one.
I deal with this subject further in a little book I have called Three Worlds in One. The message comes from 2 Peter 3 where we find that there are three worlds. There is the world that was—that which was destroyed by the waters of the Noahic flood. Then there is the present world, which is going to be destroyed by fire. And finally there will come into existence the new heavens and the new earth.
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy [Isa. 65:18].
Here Isaiah is definitely speaking of the millennial blessings as well as the eternal blessings. The millennial kingdom is a phase of the eternal kingdom, but it is also a time of judgment. I do not think you can bring in a new heaven and a new earth until God’s program of judgment is completed. When judgment is over, then we are ready for all things to be made new. I believe that after the Millennium there is something even more wonderful in store for the child of God. Man’s potential will be greatly increased. Jerusalem will be a city of joy. It is not that today. It has a Wailing Wall and very few smiling people. But the day will come when God will make it a city of joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying [Isa. 65:19].
What a change there is going to be for Jerusalem!
There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed [Isa. 65:20].
The longevity of life that predated the patriarchs will be one of the features of the kingdom. People will live a long time. There won’t be any need for senior citizen homes because there won’t be any senior citizens. All of us will be young!
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them [Isa. 65:21].
Prosperity is another feature of the kingdom. It will be a time of real blessing.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat:for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands [Isa. 65:22].
There will be permanence and stability.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord [Isa. 65:25].
This is not what happens today, my friend. If the wolf and the lamb lie down together, it is the wolf feeding on the lamb. A wolf likes lamb chops. But in that day they will be together, and the lion will eat straw. I like to tell the story of the young upstart who publicly questioned Dr. George Gill in a meeting, saying, “Who ever heard of a lion eating straw? Anyone knows that a lion never eats straw!” Dr. Gill, in his characteristically easygoing manner, said, “Young man, if you can make a lion, then I will make him eat straw. The One who created the lion will equip him to eat straw when He wants him to do it.” In other words, in that day the sharp fang and the bloody claw will no longer rule animal life. The law of the jungle will be changed to conform to the rule of the King. There will be nothing to hurt or harm or make afraid in the whole world. It will be a new world then, will it not?
CHAPTER 66
Theme: The Creator, Ruler, Redeemer, Judge, Regenerator, and Rewarder; the Lord decides the destiny of both the saved and the lost
Today our prayer is, “Thy kingdom come …” (Matt. 6:10). In Isaiah 66 the kingdom has come.
THE CREATOR, RULER, REDEEMER, JUDGE, REGENERATOR, AND REWARDER
Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? [Isa. 66:1].
“The earth is my footstool”—this little earth on which you and I live is not very important. It is only a footstool for God!
“Where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?” Any temple down here on this earth could not contain Him. Solomon recognized that. In his prayer of dedication for the first temple, he said, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). Therefore, the eternal character of the kingdom seems to me to be the very presence of God. You won’t need a temple there. I think that the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21) will be a place to which the people on earth will come to worship and visit.
Listen to the God of creation, the God who is high and holy and lifted up:
For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word [Isa. 66:2].
The God who created this vast universe, who is above it and beyond it, condescends to dwell with the humble and contrite of heart. Oh, what condescension on the part of God! In that day the meek shall inherit the earth; in fact, they will inherit all things.
He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations [Isa. 66:3].
Apparently the sacrificial system will be dispensed with after the Millennium. To offer an ox without spiritual comprehension is the same as murder. Everything in eternity must point to Christ—or that which was once commanded becomes sin.
Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed [Isa. 66:5].
God will make the distinction between the true and the false—that which is real and that which is not. Christ said to let the wheat and tares grow together, that He would separate them. Now that time has come. The Pharisee who was meticulous in his religious practice is to be cast out. The publican who stood afar off and repented will be received.
A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies [Isa. 66:6].
God will finally deal with the enemies of Israel—they are His enemies also.
Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child [Isa. 66:7].
The Great Tribulation will be a time of travail. Israel will go through the Great Tribulation after Christ is born in Bethlehem—“before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child” who is Christ Jesus. This is a remarkable verse.
Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God [Isa. 66:9].
God will make sure that all He has promised is accomplished. The 144,000 Jews who are sealed at the beginning of the Great Tribulation will come through it—not just 143,999, but everyone of them will be there. How wonderful!
Now he can say:
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her [Isa. 66:10].
What a time of blessing it will be.
THE LORD DECIDES THE DESTINY OF BOTH THE SAVED AND THE LOST
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory [Isa. 66:18].
All nations must appear before Him. The Lord Jesus mentioned this in Matthew 25:31–32. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” At that time a great company of Gentiles are going to be saved as well as many from Israel. The nations are going to come and worship in Jerusalem.
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain [Isa. 66:22].
God’s purposes and promises for Israel are as eternal as the new heavens and the new earth.
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord [Isa. 66:23].
The redeemed of all ages will worship God throughout eternity. That will be the most engaging and important business of eternity.
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh [Isa. 66:24].
In other words, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). That is going to be their condition throughout eternity—no peace, no rest, no contentment, no God. The Book of Isaiah closes with this third warning that there is no peace for the wicked. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Criswell, W. A. Isaiah. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1977.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Ironside, H. A. Expository Notes on Isaiah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1952.
Jennings, F. C. Studies in Isaiah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Isaiah and Jeremiah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press. (A self-study guide.)
Kelly, William. An Exposition of Isaiah. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1896.
Martin, Alfred. Isaiah: The Salvation of Jehovah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1956. (A fine, inexpensive survey.)
Martin, Alfred and John A. Isaiah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1983.
McGee, J. Vernon. Initiation Into Isaiah. 2 vols. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1957.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982. (Highly recommended.)
Vine, W. E. Isaiah. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1946.
The Book of
Jeremiah
INTRODUCTION
Jeremiah, the prophet of the broken heart, is the writer of this book. It is one of the most remarkable books in the Bible. Every book in the Bible is remarkable, but this book is remarkable in a very unusual way. Most of the prophets hide themselves and maintain a character of anonymity. They do not project themselves on the pages of their prophecy. But Jeremiah is a prophet whose prophecy is largely autobiographical. He gives to us much of his own personal history. Let me run through this list of facts about him so that you will know this man whom we will meet in this book.
1. He was born a priest in Anathoth, just north of Jerusalem (Jer. 1:1).
2. He was chosen to be a prophet before he was born (Jer. 1:5).
3. He was called to the prophetic office while he was very young (Jer. 1:6).
4. He was commissioned of God to be a prophet (Jer. 1:9–10).
5. He began his ministry during the reign of King Josiah and was a mourner at his funeral (2 Chron. 35:25).
6. He was forbidden to marry because of the terrible times in which he lived (Jer. 16:17–4).
7. He never made a convert. He was rejected by his people (Jer. 11:18–21; 12:6; 18:18), hated, beaten, put in stocks (Jer. 20:1–3), imprisoned, and charged with being a traitor (Jer. 37:11–16).
8. His message broke his own heart (Jer. 9:1).
9. He wanted to resign, but God wouldn’t let him (Jer. 20:9).
10. He saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity. He was permitted to remain in the land by the captain of the Babylonian forces. When the remnant wanted to flee to Egypt, Jeremiah prophesied against it (Jer. 42:15–43:3); he was forced to go with the remnant to Egypt (Jer. 43:6–7);and he died there. Tradition says that he was stoned by the remnant.
Jeremiah was a remarkable man. I call him God’s crybaby, but not in a derogatory sense. He was a man in tears most of the time. God chose this man who had a mother’s heart, a trembling voice, and tear-filled eyes to deliver a harsh message of judgment. The message that he gave broke his own heart. Jeremiah was a great man of God. Candidly, I don’t think that you and I would have chosen this kind of man to give a harsh message. Instead we would have selected some hard-boiled person to give a hard-boiled message, would we not? God didn’t choose that kind of man; He chose a man with a tender, compassionate heart.
Lord Macaulay said this concerning Jeremiah: “It is difficult to conceive any situation more painful than that of a great man, condemned to watch the lingering agony of an exhausted country, to tend it during the alternate fits of stupefaction and raving which precede its dissolution, and to see the symptoms of vitality disappear one by one, till nothing is left but coldness, darkness, and corruption” (Studies in the Prophecy of Jeremiah, W. G. Moorehead, p. 9). This was the position and the call of Jeremiah. He stood by and saw his people go into captivity.
Dr. Moorehead has given us this very graphic picture of him: “It was Jeremiah’s lot to prophesy at a time when all things in Judah were rushing down to the final and mournful catastrophe; when political excitement was at its height; when the worst passions swayed the various parties, and the most fatal counsels prevailed. It was his to stand in the way over which his nation was rushing headlong to destruction; to make an heroic effort to arrest it, and to turn it back; and to fail, and be compelled to step to one side and see his own people, whom he loved with the tenderness of a woman, plunge over the precipice into the wide, weltering ruin” (pages 9, 10).
You and I are living at a time which is probably like the time of Jeremiah. Ours is a great nation today, and we have accomplished many things. We have gone to the moon, and we have produced atom bombs. Although we are a strong nation, within is the same corruption which will actually carry us down to dismemberment and disaster. It is coming, my friend. Revolution may be just around the corner. I know that what I am saying is not popular today. We don’t hear anything like this through the media. Instead, we have panels of experts who discuss how we are going to improve society and how we can work out our problems. Today God is left out of the picture totally—absolutely left out. If the Bible is mentioned, it is mentioned with a curled lip by some unbeliever. The ones who are believers and have a message from God are pushed aside. I know that. That is why I say to you that I think we are in very much the same position that Jeremiah was in. For that reason I know this book is going to have a message for us today.
Another author has written, “He was not a man mighty as Elijah, eloquent as Isaiah, or seraphic as Ezekiel, but one who was timid and shrinking, conscious of his helplessness, yearning for a sympathy and love he was never to know—such was the chosen organ through which the Word of the Lord came to that corrupt and degenerate age.”
“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets” (Matt. 16:13–14). There was a difference of opinion, and none of them seemed to really know who He was. Folk had some good reasons for thinking He was Elijah and also good reasons for thinking He was John the Baptist. Now there were those who thought He was Jeremiah, and they had a very good reason for believing it, because Jeremiah was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. The difference between him and the Lord Jesus was that the Lord Jesus was bearing our sorrows and our grief, while Jeremiah was carrying his own burden, and it was breaking his heart. He went to the Lord one time and said, “I can’t keep on. This thing is tearing me to pieces. I’m about to have a nervous breakdown. You had better get somebody else.” The Lord said “All right, but I’ll just hold your resignation here on My desk because I think you’ll be back.” Jeremiah did come back, and he said, “The Word of God was like fire in my bones; I had to give it out.” He did that even though it broke his heart. God wanted that kind of man, because he was the right kind of man to give a harsh message. God wanted the children of Israel to know that, although He was sending them into captivity and He was judging them, it was breaking His heart. As Isaiah says, judgment is God’s strange work (see Isa. 28:21).
Jeremiah began his ministry about a century after Isaiah. He began his work during the reign of King Josiah, and he continued right on through the Babylonian captivity. He is the one who predicted the seventy years’ captivity in Babylon. He also saw beyond the darkness of the captivity to the light. No other prophet spoke so glowingly of the future. We will have occasion to see that as we study his marvelous prophecy.
The message of Jeremiah was the most unwelcome message ever delivered to a people, and it was rejected. He was called a traitor to his country because he said that they were to yield to Babylon. Isaiah, almost a century before him, had said to resist. Why this change? In Jeremiah’s day there was only one thing left to do: surrender. In the economy of God, the nation was through. The times of the Gentiles had already begun with Babylon as the head of gold (see Dan. 2).
Characterizing Jeremiah’s message is the word backsliding, which occurs thirteen times. It is a word that is used only four other times in the Old Testament, once in Proverbs and three times in Hosea—Hosea’s message is also that of the backsliding nation.
The name that predominates is Babylon, which occurs 164 times in the book, more than in the rest of Scripture combined. Babylon became the enemy.
OUTLINE
I. Call of Prophet during Reign of Josiah, Chapter 1
II. Prophecies to Judah and Jerusalem Prior to Zedekiah’s Reign, Chapters 2–20
A. Twofold Condemnation of Judah, Chapters 2–3:5
1. They Rejected Jehovah
2. They Reared Their Own Gods
B. Charge of Backsliding during the Reign of Josiah, Chapters 3:6–6
C. Warning Delivered in Gate of the Lord’s House, Chapters 7–10
D. Israel Disobeyed God’s Covenant Made in Wilderness, Chapters 11–12
E. Parable in Action—the Linen Girdle, Chapter 13
F. Backsliding Nation Judged by Drought and Famine, Chapters 14–15
G. Jeremiah Forbidden to Marry, Chapters 16–17:18
H. Message to King in Gate, Chapters 17:19–27
I. Sign at Potter’s House, Chapters 18–19
J. Jeremiah’s Persecution, Chapter 20
III. Prophecies during Reign of Zedekiah, Chapters 21–29
A. Answer to Zedekiah Regarding Nebuchadnezzar, Chapters 21–22
B. Bright Light in a Very Dark Day, Chapter 23
C. Parable of Two Baskets of Figs, Chapter 24
D. God Spells out Seventy-Year Captivity, Chapter 25
E. Message in Temple Court during Reign of Jehoiakim, Chapter 26
F. Parables of Yokes, Chapters 27–28
G. Message of Hope to First Delegation of Captives, Chapter 29
IV. Prophecies Regarding Future of Twelve Tribes and Judah’s Near Captivity, Chapters 30–39
A. Coming Great Tribulation, Chapter 30
B. The “I Will” Chapter, Chapter 31
C. Jeremiah Imprisoned, Buys Real Estate, Chapter 32
D. Coming Kingdom as Promised to David, Chapter 33
E. Zedekiah’s Captivity Foretold, Chapter 34
F. Rechabites Obey God, Chapter 35
G. Jehoiakim Destroys Word of God, Chapter 36
H. Jeremiah Imprisoned, Chapters 37–38
I. Judah Goes into Captivity; Jeremiah Released from Prison, Chapter 39
V. Prophecies to Remnant Left in Land after Destruction of Jerusalem, Chapters 40–42
VI. Prophecies during Jeremiah’s Last Days in Egypt, Chapters 43–51
A. To Remnant in Egypt, Chapters 43–44
B. To Baruch, Chapter 45
C. To Egypt, Chapter 46
D. To Philistia, Chapter 47
E. To Moab, Chapter 48
F. To Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, Chapter 49
G. To Babylon, Chapters 50–51
VII. Fulfillment of Prophesied Destruction of Jerusalem, Chapter 52
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Call of prophet during reign of Josiah
It will help our understanding of the prophlets to weave them into 1 Samuel through 2 Chronicles, the historical books which cover the same period of time. The prophets prophesied during the time period covered by those historical books—with the exception of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, who prophesied after the Exile (and fit into the time period of the historical Books of Ezra and Nehemiah).
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin [Jer. 1:1].
Here is a reference to “Hilkiah” who is the father of Jeremiah. He was the high priest who found the Book of the Law during the time of Josiah. It was the finding of the Law of the Lord as given to Moses that sparked the revival during the reign of Josiah. Revivals are not caused by men; they are caused by the Word of God. Never a man, but the Book. The Word of God is responsible for every revival that has taken place in the church. It is true that God has used men, but it is the Word of God that brings revival. The record of this revival and its effect is found in the historical books in 2 Kings 22 and in 2 Chronicles 34.
“Anathoth” was the hometown of Jeremiah. It is a few miles directly north of Jerusalem.
To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign [Jer. 1:2].
Josiah was eight years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for thirty-one years. Jeremiah began his ministry when Josiah was twenty-two years old. Apparently Jeremiah was about twenty years old himself, so both of them were young men and were probably friends. Jeremiah prophesied during eighteen years of Josiah’s reign, and he was a mourner at his funeral (see 2 Chron. 35:25).
Josiah had done a very foolish thing—even men of God sometimes do foolish things. He went over to fight against the pharaoh of Egypt at Carchemish although the pharaoh had not come up against Judah at all. For some reason Josiah went out to fight against him in the valley of Esdraelon or Armageddon at Megiddo, and there Josiah was slain. Jeremiah mourned over his death because Josiah had been a good king. The last revival that came to these people came under the reign of Josiah, and it was a great revival. After the death of Josiah, Jeremiah could see that the nation would lapse into a night out of which it would not emerge until after the Babylonian captivity.
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month [Jer. 1:3].
This and the preceding verse give to us the exact time of the ministry of Jeremiah—from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah and continuing through the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity.
We know that when Judah went into captivity, Nebuchadnezzar allowed Jeremiah to stay in the land: “Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee” (Jer. 39:11–12). Of course Jeremiah didn’t want to go to Babylon with the others—they had rejected his message and were being led away captives as he had predicted. Since Nebuchadnezzar gave him his choice, he chose to stay in the land with the few who remained. However, those fugitives took off and went down to Egypt, doing it against the advice of Jeremiah and taking him with them. In Egypt Jeremiah continued faithfully giving them God’s Word.
Second Chronicles 36 fills in the history which is omitted. Jehoahaz, a son of Josiah, is not mentioned in Jeremiah’s record. He reigned for three months—he didn’t even get the throne warm before they eliminated him. Then the king of Egypt placed his brother Eliakim on the throne and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He reigned for eleven years. Jeremiah warned him not to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. However, Jehoiakim did not listen to the advice from Jeremiah and was taken captive to Babylon. After the removal of Eliakim, the king of Babylon put Jehoiachin on the throne in Jerusalem. He reigned three months and ten days. He is not mentioned here either because he, too, barely got the throne warm and then was eliminated. Nebuchadnezzar took him captive to Babylon. After that it was Zedekiah, the brother of the father of Jehoiachin, who was placed on the throne at Jerusalem. He reigned eleven years. When Zedekiah rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed Jerusalem, slew the sons of Zedekiah, put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and took him captive to Babylon.
All of this sounds very brutal, and it was brutal. But we must remember that Nebuchadnezzar had been very patient with the city of Jerusalem. Also the people there refused to listen to God’s warning through Jeremiah.
Jeremiah continued his ministry to the remnant that was left at Jerusalem. After they forced him to go to Egypt with them, he still continued his ministry in Egypt until the time of his death. We can say that two things characterized the life of Jeremiah: weeping and loneliness. They are the marks of his ministry.
Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Jer. 1:4].
The “word of the Lord” came to Jeremiah. I can’t emphasize that too much. If you are not prepared to go along with that, you might just as well put the book down. It will have no message for you. This is the Word of God. I don’t propose to tell you how God got it through to Jeremiah, but He did get it to him, and it is recorded for us as the Word of God.
Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations [Jer. 1:5].
I am glad that Jeremiah’s mother did not practice abortion—he would never have been born. Many people today are asking, “When is a child a child?” May I say to you, a child is a child at the very moment he is conceived. Read Psalm 139. David says, “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth” (Ps. 139:15). That is, he was formed in the womb of his mother; and, at that moment, life began. I am told by a gynecologist that there is tremendous development in the fetus at the very beginning. Abortion is murder, unless it is done to save a life. That is the way the Word of God looks at it. God said to Jeremiah, “Before you were born, I knew you and I called you.”
Now why did God say these things to Jeremiah? My friend, God is going to ask Jeremiah to give a message to the people of Judah that will be rejected. Jeremiah is going to be imprisoned because of his stand for God. His message will break his own heart because he loved his people, and he hated to tell them what was going to come to them.
But God wanted a man like this, a tender man, to bring His message. To the court of old Ahab and Jezebel, God had sent a hard-boiled prophet by the name of Elijah. But before the kingdom of Judah goes into captivity, God wants His people to know that He loves them and that He wants to save them and deliver them. For this reason He chose this man Jeremiah.
Therefore God is saying these things to Jeremiah to encourage him. He said, “I want you to know, Jeremiah, that the important thing is that I am the One who has called you, I have ordained you, and I have sanctified you.”
Sanctification simply means “to set aside for the use of God.” Those old vessels that were used in the tabernacle and temple—old beaten-up pots and pans which were used in God’s service—were called holy vessels, sanctified vessels. When they looked as if they should be traded in for a new set, why were they called holy? Because they were for the use of God. Anything that is set aside for the use of God is sanctified.
God says, “Before you were born, Jeremiah, I set you aside for My use. So don’t worry about the effect of your message. You just give the message.”
Frankly, God expects the same of me. I feel very comfortable as I prepare these messages. I’m not pulling any punches; I’m giving the Word of God just as it is. That is my responsibility. I say this kindly, I am not responsible to you; I am responsible to God, and I turn my report in to Him. It is just too bad if what I say does not please you. I’m sorry; I wish it did. When I was still in the active pastorate, people would often say, “My, how people love you!” But you know, in every church there was a little group of dissidents—cantankerous troublemakers who were not always honest. However, if you are giving out the Word of God, you are responsible to God and set aside for that ministry.
God goes on to say, “I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” This gave authority to Jeremiah. It offered him encouragement that would help him through many a dark day.
Now here is Jeremiah’s response:
Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child [Jer. 1:6].
Jeremiah was probably about twenty years old at the time, but this verse would not lead you to think so. Actually, he was not a child as we think of a child. “Child” here is the same word that is translated “young man” in Zechariah 2:4: “And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man ….” Jeremiah was actually a young man. What he is saying in effect is, “I’m a young, inexperienced fellow. I am not capable of doing such a job. I am not prepared for this.”
Have you ever noticed that the man whom God uses is the man who doesn’t think he can do it? If you think you can do it today, then I say to you that I don’t think God can use you.
A young preacher came in to see me who was absolutely green with jealousy of another man in the same town. He said to me, “I’m a better preacher than he is. I’m a better pastor than he is. I’m a better speaker than he is. I want to know why God is using that man and He is not using me! My ministry is falling flat.” So I told him, “You think you can do it. I happen to know the other man, and he really doesn’t believe that he can do it. God always uses that kind of a man. God chooses the weak things of this world.”
Jeremiah felt inadequate, unfit, unequipped. Listen to God’s answer to him:
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak [Jer. 1:7].
“Whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” While there are more liberal pulpits in our country, it is the fundamental churches which are really growing in the size of their congregations. It is in the Bible-believing churches where things are really moving today. The problem in the liberal churches is that the man in the pulpit doesn’t believe what he is saying. He is giving out theories and ideas. He holds panel discussions where he tells what he thinks. God says, “You give what I command you to give, and give it with that authority.” May I say to you, when you are giving out God’s Word, it’s very comfortable, it’s very wonderful. I love Jeremiah, and I would love to have comforted him. He surely has comforted me.
Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord [Jer. 1:8].
“Be not afraid of their faces.” One of the comfortable things about my ministry of teaching the Bible on the radio is that my listeners cannot get to me when I say something that displeases them. I heard from a man in Oakland, California, who is now a wonderful Christian. He wrote that he had belonged to a certain cult which believed in certain rituals and gyrations that he had to go through in order to be saved. He would hear our broadcast when he was driving to his work as a contractor. He said, “You made me so mad. You kept telling me I was a sinner. If I could have gotten to you, I would have punched you in the nose.” He is a big fellow; so I think he could have done it. That is one reason it is comfortable to be on radio, because when I stay true to the Word of God, I will say things that people don’t like to hear. The interesting thing is that this man kept listening morning after morning, and one day he turned to the Lord Jesus and said, “I am a sinner, save me.” He accepted Christ as his personal Savior. That is the joy of giving out the Word of God. That is why God says to go ahead and give out His Word with courage and with conviction—it will never return void; it will accomplish God’s purpose.
Our pulpits today desperately need men to speak with authority what God has written down in His Word. That is all He asks us to do. It is a simple task in one way, and in another it is a most difficult task.
God says to Jeremiah, “Be not afraid … for I am with thee to deliver thee.” He is saying, “Look, I am on your side!” John Knox said, “One with God is a majority.” That is always true. As Christians we may feel that we are in the minority, but we really are in the majority.
Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth [Jer. 1:9].
“I have put my words in thy mouth.” This is very important. God has inspired the words of Scripture—not just the thoughts and ideas of Scripture. For example, the Devil was not inspired by God to tell a lie, but the record in Scripture that the Devil told a lie are inspired words.
This idea is too often misunderstood in our day, which is the reason I cannot commend certain so-called translations of the Bible. They may be good interpretations, but they are very poor translations—because the very words of Scripture are inspired.
Let me illustrate the importance of accurate translation. There was a girl who aspired to be a singer, and the time for her recital had come. After her recital performance she went back to the dressing room where she was met by friends. She eagerly asked, “What did my teacher say?” A very diplomatic friend replied, “He said that you sang heavenly.” She said, “Did he really say that? Did he say that in so many words?” “Well, that was not exactly the word he used, but that’s what he meant,” the friend responded. “But I want to know exactly the words he used. Did he say that I sang heavenly?” she persisted. “Well,” the friend answered, “he meant that, but what he really said was that it was an unearthly noise.”
You see, it is very important to realize that the words of Scripture are inspired by God. God said to Jeremiah, “I’m going to put My words in your mouth.”
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant [Jer. 1:10].
Jeremiah prophesied during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. All these kings had various bureaus and government projects. They were all going to improve Jerusalem. They were going to deal with the ecology and get rid of the slums. They each had a poverty program. But none of them paid much attention to Jeremiah—they ignored him. Now almost three thousand years have passed by. Could you mention any of those government projects today? Can you tell me anything worthwhile that was done by Zedekiah? Can you mention anything that Jehoiachin or Jehoiakim did? Not a good thing is mentioned. Yet in their day everybody thought they were doing the right thing, the popular thing. Jeremiah was ignored. But whom do we read today? We read Jeremiah.
The Book of Jeremiah is the Word of God, my friend. It has survived and is going to survive through our day. America is a nation that no longer hears God. They don’t listen to Him in Washington, D.C. They are not hearing Him in the classrooms of our universities today. And they are not hearing God in the military. The scientists do not listen to Him. But God is speaking and His Word will survive.
God is telling Jeremiah that He is going to put him in charge of giving His Word to the nation of Judah. And poor little Jeremiah wants to retire before he even gets the job!
God now gives Jeremiah two tremendous pictures concerning his call to the prophetic office.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree [Jer. 1:11].
The almond tree was known as the “waker” or the “watcher.” It was actually the first tree to come out of the long night of winter and bloom in the spring. Like the almond tree, Jeremiah was to be an alarm clock—an awaker. He was going to try to wake people up, but they didn’t want to be awakened. No one who is asleep likes to be wakened. An alarm clock is one of the most unpopular things in the world. In my college dormitory every alarm clock was battered up; I threw mine against the wall many a morning. Jeremiah is going to be a “waker” to the nation of Judah.
Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it [Jer. 1:12].
God said, “That’s right. I will give you a word that will wake them up. It will shake them out of sleep.”
And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north [Jer. 1:13].
What was the “seething pot”? In Jeremiah’s time Egypt and Assyria were no longer a danger to the southern kingdom of Judah, but around the Fertile Crescent in the north was a boiling pot: the rising power of Babylon, which was to eventually destroy Judah. It was to be Jeremiah’s job to constantly warn his people what was going to happen to their nation.
Then the Lord said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah [Jer. 1:14, 15].
A century earlier God had delivered Jerusalem, and now all the false prophets were running around saying that He was going to do it again.
All of God’s prophets of the past—Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah and Nahum, all those who had been contemporaries of Isaiah—had now passed off the scene. I think Zephaniah and Habakkuk were still living. Ezekiel and Obadiah were also contemporary with Jeremiah, but they are not going to prophesy until the captives are actually in Babylon. Daniel, too, will be prophesying later on. But at this time, Jeremiah stands alone, and he is to utter these judgments that are to come upon the nation.
What will be the reaction to his message?—
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee [Jer. 1:19].
The Lord says, “Go ahead, Jeremiah, they’re going to resist you, they won’t listen to the message, but you give the message.” Jeremiah feels incapable and unworthy of the office of prophet, and he has offered that as an excuse. But God says, “I’m going to put My words in your mouth, and you will be giving My words.”
I do not believe that any man ought to stand in the pulpit and give a message until he is sure that he is giving the Word of God. If he has any doubts or if he feels that he should give his own ideas and preach a liberal, social gospel—he ought to stay out of the pulpit. Regardless of how much homiletics, or hermeneutics, or theology, or sophisticated training he has had, unless he is confident that he is giving the Word of God, he ought to stay out of the pulpit. That is very important. Jeremiah could be confident that he was giving out the very words of God.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Twofold Condemnation of Judah
In the first chapter we saw the impressive call and commission of Jeremiah. God called him when he was a young man, probably about twenty years of age. We know also that the king Josiah was twenty-one or twenty-two years old when God called Jeremiah. So here we have two young men in the land of Israel, the young king and the young prophet.
Jeremiah made it very clear that he felt incapable and unworthy of such a calling. He felt that he could not measure up to the office of a prophet, and he offered that as an excuse. God answered him that He would put His words into Jeremiah’s mouth. He would be giving God’s words, not his own.
Chapters 2 through 6 were given during the first five years of Jeremiah’s ministry. And since he began to prophesy in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, these messages were given in those five years before the finding of the Book of the Law in the temple. The messages in chapters 7 through 9 have to do with the cleansing of the temple and the discovery of the Book of the Law, which took place in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah. Then in chapters 10 through 12 are the messages which came in the period of reform and revival after the finding of the Book of the Law. We will discover that the revival was a surface sort of thing because there was not proper emphasis placed upon the Word of God.
Friend, we need to remember that there will never be a real revival until there is a real emphasis placed upon the Word of God.
In order to orient ourselves for this period of history, we need to study the historical books along with the prophetic books. Therefore we will turn back to the thirty-fourth chapter of 2 Chronicles to fit the messages of Jeremiah into this particular place in history: “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left” (2 Chron. 34:1–2). Here is an outstanding king who reigned during the twilight of the kingdom of Judah.
“For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images (2 Chron. 34:3). Jeremiah’s first five years of prophesying were during this period.
“And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God” (2 Chron. 34:4–8). It was during this time of cleaning out and repairing the house of the Lord that Hilkiah the priest found a Book of the Law as it had been given to Moses. In those days probably there were only two copies—one was for the king and one was for the high priest. You see, before Josiah had come to the throne, Judah had sunk to a new low under the wicked and godless reins of his grandfather, Manasseh, and his father, Amon. They had no regard for God or His Word, and the one or two copies in existence were finally lost in the rubbish which collected in the neglected temple.
Jeremiah’s first message (2:1–3:5) is to this people who had forsaken the living God. It would be difficult to find any portion of Scripture that would surpass it in genuine pathos and tenderness. It is the eloquent and earnest pleading of a God who has been forgotten and insulted. His grace and compassion toward the guilty nation are blended with solemn warnings of dreadful days to come if hearts are not turned back to Him. This is one of the great discourses in the Word of God. The young king Josiah was truly seeking the Lord, but he didn’t have the Word of God! He did know, however, that idolatry must be put down. Now he has a young man, a young prophet, who will encourage him in his resolve.
THEY REJECTED JEHOVAH
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord [Jer. 2:1–3].
God is doing something quite wonderful. He is asking Israel to remember the springtime of their relationship to Him when He called them out of the land of Egypt—how they followed the pillar of fire at night and the pillar of cloud by day. Out in that frightful and terrible wilderness they sought the Lord. God now reminds them of that. After God had blessed them and given them a good land, they turned from Him. As Hosea had said of the northern kingdom, “Ephraim waxed fat and wicked.” In their comfortable and sophisticated society, they turned away from the living God to serve idols.
One cannot help but note that there is an analogy between Judah and our own nation. God is left out today. Our nation was founded by men and women who believed that the Book was the Word of God, and everything they did was based on that Book. As one of our outstanding historians has observed, our nation is controlled by men who do not know its spiritual heritage. We have turned away from God. We are going after the idol of the almighty dollar. The best news out of New York is a vigorous stock market. The best news out of Washington is that which will put more money in our pockets. Money is the god of the present hour. The Ephesians chanted, “…Great is Diana of the Ephesians” (Acts 19:28). The cry of America is, “Great is the almighty American dollar,” and God is left out.
“I remember thee.” God says, “I remember you.” They had forgotten Him, but God had not forgotten them. Oh, how gracious God is!
Listen to His longing: “Israel was holiness unto the Lord. Don’t you remember back there how you were? You belonged to Me. You followed Me and you were led by Me.”
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel [Jer. 2:4].
Although the ten tribes had been conquered by the Assyrians, they were still around. They hadn’t wandered over to Great Britain or America. He addresses the house of Jacob and all the families of Israel. (And they are the same people today, by the way.) God’s message was to them in that day although they were in the Assyrian captivity.
Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? [Jer. 2:5].
Without doubt this is one of the great passages of Scripture. Notice the wonderful way in which God approaches them: “What did I do wrong that you have turned from Me?”
In our day, my friend, what is wrong with God that we are not more interested in Him? Why are we not serving Him? Is there unrighteousness with God? Is God doing something wrong today? He asks, “What iniquity have your fathers found in me?”
Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? [Jer. 2:6].
People just didn’t go through that country, and there are not many who go through that country today. I have been at the edge of it, and that is as far as I have wanted to go. Yet God kept His people in that frightful wilderness for forty years, and He took care of them.
And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination [Jer. 2:7].
Today we hear a great deal about ecology and the fact that we need to clean up the land. That is good—it needs cleaning up. But let’s recognize that there is a lot of moral filth around and a lot of degradation and deterioration in character. This is the thing that the Lord God is talking about here. They had polluted God’s land. God intended that they be a witness to Him; instead, they are as bad as the people before them.
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit [Jer. 2:8].
God puts the responsibility on the spiritual leaders. And I believe that the problems in my country began in the church. No nation falls until it falls first spiritually. There is first of all a spiritual apostasy, then a moral awfulness, and finally a political anarchy. That is the way every nation makes its exit as a great nation.
“The priests said not, Where is the Lord?” There are too many folk today who are supposed to be Bible teachers and preachers and witnesses for Him, even among the laymen, who do not know the Word of God. I am sorry to say that, but it happens to be true. As a result of not knowing the Word of God, they don’t really know God. It is necessary to know the Word of God in order to know Him.
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children’s children will I plead [Jer. 2:9].
God says, “I have not given you up. I am still going to plead with you.” How wonderful that is.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water [Jer. 2:13].
Israel had committed two evils. First of all, they rejected Jehovah, the fountain of living waters. Second, they hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that couldn’t hold water.
Oh, how many people today have hewn out a little cistern for themselves, and they drink from their own cistern! Of course they are not finding satisfaction. For example, every man who has made a million dollars thirsts for more—he wants to make the second million. The same is true of fame. There is never enough to satisfy.
God goes on to deal with these people, mentioning their backsliding for the first time.
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts [Jer. 2:19].
In chapter 3 we will find that backsliding is mentioned in one chapter as many times as it is mentioned in the rest of the Bible; so it must be rather important to God.
THEY REARED THEIR OWN GODS
The remainder of chapter 2 is a polemic against idolatry, which continues in chapter 3. Rather than quote this section, I want to recommend that you read it in your Bible, read it all the way through. As you become familiar with the prophecy of Jeremiah, you will be surprised how wonderful it will become to you.
It is interesting to see that when man rejects God, he always will make an idol. When people make their own god, they make it as they want it. They make a god whose demands they can meet. In other words, it is actually a projection of the old nature of man.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Josiah begins reforms in the nation
In Jeremiah’s first message, begun in chapter 2, God has condemned Judah on two scores: they have rejected Jehovah, and they have reared their own gods. The first five verses of chapter 3 will continue on this theme. The messages found in chapters 2 through 6 were given during the first five years of Jeremiah’s ministry before the Book of the Law was found. During this time, however, Josiah, a young man like Jeremiah, was seeking the Lord and instituting certain reforms in the nation. Primarily, he was trying to clean up the idolatry in Judah. The nation had forsaken the living God and had gone over into idolatry. You can see that the combined efforts of this young king and the young prophet Jeremiah had a tremendous effect upon the nation.
Judah had gone over to idolatry because it was the easy way and the popular way, but it was a pathway that led to the lowering of their standards and brought them down to a low moral level.
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord [Jer. 3:1]
Judah had sunk to a very low level—there was gross immorality in the land. She had played the harlot; yet God asks her to return to Him.
Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness [Jer. 3:2]
Idolatry is not simply making a little idol to worship. Anything that a man gives himself to wholeheartedly is idolatry. The Bible teaches that covetousness is idolatry, because when a man covets something, he gives his time, his energy to that—he is dedicated to it. Especially in these last days we see a great many people who are dedicated to sin, and the energy they put into sin is tremendous. But, you see, the minute a man turns away from the living God, he will turn to something else. It will be something he has made, and it becomes his god, his idol.
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan has made this very fine statement about the nature of idolatry and the worship of the true God:
… When a man makes a god according to the pattern of his own being, he makes a god like himself, an enlargement of his own imperfection. Moreover, the god which a man makes for himself will demand from him that which is according to his own nature. It is clearly evident in Mohammedanism. Great and wonderful and outstanding in his personality as Mohammed was, yet the blighting sensuality of the man curses the whole of Islam today. Men will be faithful to those gods who make no demands upon them which are out of harmony with the desires of their own hearts.
When God calls men, it is the call of the God of holiness, the God of purity, the God of love; and He demands that they rise to His height. He cannot accommodate Himself to the depravity of their nature. He will not consent to the things of desire within them that are of impurity and evil. He calls men up, and even higher, until they reach the height of perfect conformity to His holiness. God’s call to humanity is always first pure, and then peaceable; first holy, and then happy; first righteous, and then rejoicing (Studies in the Prophecy of Jeremiah, p. 36).
God said that Jeremiah’s generation in Judah had gone wholeheartedly into idolatry, and as a result there was gross immorality in the land. When He says, “Lift up thine eyes unto the high places,” you must understand how grossly immoral those high places were. A high place was a grove of trees where an idolatrous altar had been built. All kinds of sex orgies and drunken revelries were carried on there. Judah had sunk to a very low level.
The comparison to our own nation today is obvious, is it not? America has forsaken the living and true God, which is evident in the moral condition of this country. What lawlessness, dishonesty, and corrupt speech we find everywhere! We have even taught our children the use of very foul language.
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed [Jer. 3:3]
God tells them that He has already begun to judge them by withholding rain. Even today that land is dry. Their greatest need is water—even more than oil. They didn’t find oil in the Negeb, but they found water, and that is much more precious to them. I believe that when the Jews return to Israel under the blessing of God, they are going to have all the water they need. God has said that He will supply it.
I think that we can see God’s judgment upon our own nation in the many national calamities which we have suffered over the past several years. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to wake us up and bring us back to Him.
CHARGE OF BACKSLIDING DURING THE REIGN OF JOSIAH
We come now to the second message of Jeremiah. It begins in verse 6 of chapter 3 and extends all the way through chapter 6. In this message God charges the people with backsliding. The word backsliding is used seven times in this chapter, and that is more than half the number of times in the entire book. In Jeremiah we find this word more often than in the rest of the Bible put together. He and Hosea are the ones who use it.
Backsliding does not simply mean “to slide backwards” as we usually think of it. God gives us a vivid picture of what He means by backsliding when He tells us, “For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer…” (Hos. 4:16). Do you have any idea what it is like to try to load calves into a truck or wagon? When I was a boy, we lived next door to a southern Oklahoma rancher. He had two sons who were my friends. (They were mean boys, and I ran with them—but, of course, I was a good boy!) Sometimes we would go out to the ranch and help load the heifers. Do you know what they do when you try to get them up the ramp? They set their front feet and make themselves as stiff as they can. They brace themselves so that you cannot move them at all. When we would try to move them, they would start slipping backwards. That is God’s picture of what it means to backslide.
Backsliding is a refusal to go God’s way, a refusal to listen to Him. And when we do as the heifers do, when we set our wills against God’s will, we wind up going backwards every time. If we rebel against the Lord and His will, we only get farther and farther away from Him.
The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah, the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot [Jer. 3:6]
God tells Judah to take a lesson from Israel which had already gone into captivity. He tells them to take notice of the fact that Israel had done exactly what they are doing. “Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer.” But God had tried to get Israel to return to Him, and they would not return. As a result they were taken off into captivity. What happened to Israel should serve as a lesson and should be a warning to Judah.
In verse 1 of this chapter God said, “Yet return again to me, saith the Lord.” He says, “Though you have played the harlot, you belong to Me. If you come back to Me, I’ll receive you.” That is the reason any prodigal son or any prodigal daughter or any prodigal family or any prodigal church or any prodigal nation can always come back to God. God will receive you. The prodigal son didn’t get any kicks when he came home. He had gotten those in the far country! He received kisses instead. He had nearly starved in the far country, but his father prepared a banquet for him when he came home.
But Israel had not returned to God. They went into idolatry, and God sent them into captivity. Now He says to Judah, “Let this be a lesson to you.”
And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it [Jer. 3:7]
God says, “I gave Israel an opportunity to turn to me. I would have taken her back, but she wouldn’t come. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.” The sin of Judah is compounded. I think her captivity was much worse than that of the ten northern tribes, and the reason is self-evident: Judah had Israel’s captivity as an example and refused to profit by it.
The tragedy in this country is that we have a Bible, but very few are reading it. I get a little weary of hearing people say, “We live in a land where we have an open Bible, and we can read the Bible.” Well, thank God for that, but who is reading it? How many people are really reading it? Judah did not turn to God even though they had an example. You and I have the Word of God today, and therefore I believe God will judge this country more harshly than He will judge nations such as the Soviet Union. They don’t have Bibles over there, but you and I do. I believe God will judge us according to the opportunities He gives us.
And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks [Jer. 3:9]
They made idols of sticks and stones.
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord [Jer. 3:10]
The revival under King Josiah was a revival—there is no question about it. Many people turned to God. But it was so popular that for many it was nothing but a surface return to God. By and large, as far as the nation is concerned, it was a superficial experience with God.
I believe that there is a renewed interest in the Word of God today, and I think more people are being saved than at any time during the years of my ministry. But let’s be very careful—it is not a revival. A great deal of it is quite surface. Don’t be deceived by the large crowds in places or by the number who are reported to have accepted Christ. Just divide that number by two, and you’ll probably get the number of those who have been genuinely converted. We see a great surface movement as well as that which is genuine.
And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah [Jer. 3:11]
God is making it clear that the sin of Judah is worse than the sin of Israel. The northern tribes didn’t have the same opportunity as the southern tribes. They did not have the temple nor did they have a copy of the Word of God. Therefore the judgment on Judah was greater. I believe the judgment on us will be greater also.
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever [Jer. 3:12]
God tells Israel that He will bring them back into the land if they will turn to Him. How gracious God is! How wonderful He is!
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord [Jer. 3:13]
Today the big problem is a lack of confession of sin. I find that repentance is lacking in much of the so-called spiritual movement of today. An example is a book I read recently which disturbed me. The author constantly used the first person pronoun, and the Lord received none of the glory. He told what God had done for him, how He had made him a millionaire, a big success. But I didn’t find anywhere a statement that God had saved him from sin. We need to confess our iniquity.
My friend, do you say that you are a Christian? What do you mean by that? Perhaps you say that you have trusted Christ. Trusted Him for what? You may say that you trust Him as your Savior. Fine! I’m glad to hear that. Did He save you from sin? Remember that He died on the cross to save you from sin, not to give you a new personality or to make you a millionaire. He died to save us all from our sins. He was delivered for our offenses—we were all very offensive to God. The word of God through Jeremiah is “acknowledge thine iniquity,” and it is directed to us as well as to Judah.
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion [Jer. 3:14]
Oh how gracious God was!
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding [Jer. 3:15]
My friend, if you have a Bible-teaching pastor, you ought to run over and put your arm around him. You ought to protect him, because he is valuable. Such men are few and far between.
And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more [Jer. 3:16]
“In those days” is a reference to the millennial kingdom. All the way through the Book of Jeremiah we will find these rays of light. Have you ever been out on a cloudy day when all of a sudden the sun breaks through and you see a rainbow? This is how it will be throughout Jeremiah—we will have these glorious prophecies of the future.
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers [Jer. 3:17–18]
This is a glorious prophecy. It is like a little gem.
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me [Jer. 3:19]
“Thou shalt call me, My father.” No individual Israelite ever called God his Father. He was a Father to the nation of Israel, and He said “…Israel is my son…” (Exod. 4:22). But, he never called David His son; He said, “…David my servant” (Ps. 89:3). He never called Moses His son; He called him, “Moses my servant…” (Josh. 1:2). It is only in this day of grace that we are called the sons of God. How privileged we are today! “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). Those who do no more and no less than simply trust in His name become the sons of God. Is He your Savior from sin? If He is, you are not only a saved sinner, you are a son of God. How wonderful that is!
Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God [Jer. 3:22]
The Lord says that He will heal. I can tell you that you have a little sore in a very prominent place if you do a lot of backsliding my friend. God says, “I will heal you if you will come to Me.”
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel [Jer. 3:23]
In Psalm 121 David says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1–2). Help does not come from those high places on the hills. Salvation comes from the Lord.
We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God [Jer. 3:25]
Judah did not confess their sins. Jeremiah confessed their sins for them and for himself, also.
You know, it wouldn’t hurt for us to have a little confession of sin today. We hear so much about special gifts and about God’s blessing in special ways. That is wonderful. We should thank God because He has blessed us. But have you ever heard a confession that we come short of the glory of God? Have you gone to Him yourself and told Him how far you fall short of His glory? We need to be humble before Him.
Judah was not humble before God, and God had to send them into captivity. I often wonder whether the Lord is getting ready to chastise us. We need to be humble before Him.
CHAPTERS 4–6
Theme: Jeremiah deals with backsliding of the people
We are in that period of time when Josiah the king was carrying on a reformation, but it was before the Word of God had been found in the temple. Therefore it was reformation and not revival. That which was taking place was very shallow. Josiah was sincere, and he was certainly moved toward God. He listened to Jeremiah. But the people were not turning back to God in any genuine sort of way, even though Jeremiah had struck home in some of the prophecies he had given.
We are in the second message which Jeremiah gave (it began in ch. 3 and continues through ch. 6). He deals with the backsliding of the people. “And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord” (Jer. 3:10). They were turning to God in a merely outward manner. They were going to the temple and were going through the rituals, but their heart was not in it at all. It was something Josiah was trying to produce. This reveals that there can be reformation without revival. Reformation without revival is never a genuine change.
I am not quite sure that what we are seeing around us as I write this book is true revival. This renewed interest in the Word of God could become revival, but it may be merely an experience jag that a great many people are on at the present. It remains to be seen whether they are genuinely converted or not.
Although in Jeremiah’s time there was reformation rather than a real turning to God, it was enough to prompt Jeremiah to give a tremendous prophecy in Jeremiah 3:16–18. He says that “in those days” all the nations will gather to the house of God in Jerusalem. Even that fact should have alerted Judah not to make their temple worship ritualistic, but they did not respond. Yet the Lord continues to plead with them. ld;Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.rd; (Jer. 3:22).
At the beginning of chapter 4 we find an expression of the Lord’s response to any movement on the part of the people toward Him.
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove [Jer. 4:1].
He is vitally interested in them, and He wants to bring them back into a right relationship to Himself He tells them that He will not remove them from the land if they will but turn to Him.
And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns [Jer. 4:2–3].
In other words, reformation is no good. You can sow the seed on the ground, but the ground must first be prepared for it. There is no use sowing seed on thorny ground. Our Lord expressed it another way, “… neither cast ye your pearls before swine …” (Matt. 7:6). I believe there are certain times and certain places where there is no point in giving out the Word of God. There are times when men attempt evangelism because it is spectacular and sensational. God says, “Break up your fallow ground.” As Dr. H. A. Ironside has put it, “The plowshare of conviction must overturn the hardened soil of the heart.”
In the remainder of this section, there will first be an impeachment of the people. God will pronounce a judgment upon them and will call to them to return to Jehovah. Finally,there will be a clear foretelling of judgment. Believe me, Jeremiah will not mince words about that.
My feeling is that there ought to be more of the message of the prophets rather than the message of comfort in our own day. The fallow ground needs to be broken up. We are a nation in danger. We say we are one of the greatest nations in the world, but we could fall overnight. Babylon the great fell in one night; Alexander the Great died in a night, and his entire empire crumbled; the Roman Empire fell from within, and we can go down just like that. Our greatness does not depend upon our atom bombs or the almighty dollar. We are decaying from within. There is deterioration, moral deterioration. Somebody needs to be saying something about it, but very little is being said. It seems to me that we are sowing seed on ground that is thorny. The Lord warns us against doing that.
God continues to offer to Judah an opportunity to come back to Him.
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings [Jer. 4:4].
They were going through the outward form of circumcision. Circumcision was a badge that showed they belonged to the nation Israel, but God hadn’t given it just as a form or a ceremony. Circumcision has been shown to have a very definite therapeutic value, but the important thing was its spiritual value. Their hearts needed to be turned to God.
Now Jeremiah lets them know that there will come a power out of the north—that will be Babylon—which will eventually destroy them.
Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned back from us [Jer. 4:6–8].
Judah had seen the ten tribes of the north go into captivity. Now Jeremiah is asking them to take warning from that. God is raising up a power, a new power in the north, and that power will come down and will finally destroy them.
The natural man cannot produce any righteousness at all. That is why Jeremiah calls the people to a circumcision of their hearts. But we see here that the people refused to turn to God; and, when a nation or a church or an individual rejects God, God rejects them. Remember that the Lord Jesus came and offered Himself as the King to Israel. When they rejected Him, He in turn rejected them. He said to them, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:38). Read that whole chapter of Matthew 23—if that doesn’t make you blanch with fear, nothing will. Don’t talk about the gentle Jesus! They rejected Him as their King, and then He rejected them.
Friend, you are free to reject God—that is your free will. But remember, if you reject God, God will reject you. He is gracious; He is good; He is patient and longsuffering; He gives you ample opportunity to turn to Him. But it is sobering to see what happens to any privileged people who refuse God, be it Israel or be it the church. God finally refuses them, and then all other men count them as reprobate, refuse, and worthless.
We have too many people today who give a pretense of being a follower of the living and true God. Many of them are members in the churches today. We often hear the expression that we are a Christian nation in America. I say we are not a Christian nation. There is no emphasis on the Word of God, and we are not following the living and true God.
The Reader’s Digest published an article quite some time ago entitled, “The Book Almost Nobody Reads.” Of course, they were referring to the Bible. I agree with that title. But notice what was said: “In short, one way to describe the Bible, written by many different hands over a period of 3,000 years and more, would be to say it is a disorderly collection of 60-odd books which are often tedious, barbaric, obscure and teeming with contradictions and inconsistencies. It is a swarming compost of a book, an Irish stew of poetry and propaganda, law and legalism, myth and murk, history and hysteria.” Now that is a lie, my friend! The man who wrote the article knows nothing about the content of the Word of God.
I say to you that we are in the same kind of position today as were those people in the days of Jeremiah. The nation at that time had rejected God, but the people were still making a pretense of following Him. Such a people will find themselves rejected by God and by the world. America is following that same path. We are not loved by the world today. After World War II we were the pious people who were going to bring democracy to the world. What have we done? We have brought lawlessness into our own land. Do you think we should bring lawlessness into the trails of the jungle as we have into the streets of our cities? Is that the kind of civilization we are going to bring to people?
We find ourselves despised by other nations. God said it would be that way. No people can pretend to be God-fearing, be hypocritical about it, and still expect the world to look up to them. God has ordered it that way. I know it is not popular to say this—Jeremiah wasn’t very popular in his day, either. I am not expecting to win any popularity contest. The chamber of commerce will never elect me to be the man of the year. They would rather give me the boot, I am sure. But I must tell you honestly the message of this Book: A people who turn away from God will find that God turns away from them.
Now let me lift out some high points as we go through this message.
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge [Jer. 4:22].
It is interesting to note that our government uses the help of those they call the intellectuals. Perhaps it was Franklin Roosevelt who started this with his “brain trust”—this idea of going to Harvard or some other prestigious university and getting the advice of some of the boys with high IQs. Oh, we are wise in doing evil! We think we have been real clever cookies in our dealings around the world. We think we are big business. We are big in everything but righteousness, my friend. We are not very big on knowing God. God says that those who pretend to know Him and don’t really know Him are foolish.
The man who wrote the article that I just quoted was no more competent to write about the Word of God than I am to write about the Congressional Record or the Smithsonian Institution! I know nothing about those things. These famous intellectuals who are not real believers are not capable of writing about the Word of God. They do not know God, and you must know Him in order to know His Book. It is interesting that you can read a human book and understand it without knowing the author of the book. A human book by a human author can be understood by another human being. But if you want to know the Bible, you need to know the Author and have Him as your Teacher. Only the spirit of God can make the Word of God real to you.
JEREMIAH SPELLS OUT SPECIFIC SINS
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it [Jer. 5:1].
You remember the story of old Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, who went through the streets of Athens with a lantern. They asked him what he was looking for, and his answer was, “I am looking for an honest man.” He never did find one. I think you would have the same trouble in Los Angeles and maybe also in your town.
“If ye can find a man…I will pardon it.” Why didn’t Abraham keep on pleading with God for Sodom and Gomorrah? He stopped praying after he had asked God to spare the city for ten righteous men. God would have saved the city for one righteous man. He had to get that one man, Lot, out of the city before He could destroy it.
Look at how God speaks of His people—
They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife [Jer. 5:8].
What is the big sin in our nation today? It is sexual sin, only we don’t call it that. We call it “the new morality.” But God still calls adultery sin. In fact He uses sarcasm of the first water: He says, “Every man is neighing like a horse for his neighbor’s wife.” What a picture of our contemporary culture!
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich [Jer. 5:27].
In our generation we have seen a great many kids walk away from their homes because of the conditions which exist in them. I have talked to many of these young people, and I believe this verse gives a valid evaluation of what has happened.
JUDAH REFUSES TO LISTEN
Now Jeremiah concludes his message in chapter 6.
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely [Jer. 6:13].
The entire nation was obsessed with covetousness. And covetousness is the great sin in America. There is the coveting of gold and silver, riches, fame, and the neighbor’s wife. Those are the things men covet.
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace [Jer. 6:14].
There was a reformation on the surface. There was a little healing, but it was like pouring talcum powder on a cancer and then saying it is healed. People were saying “Peace,” when there was no peace. And we hear a great deal about peace today, but I think that in reality we are getting ready for the final conflict.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it [Jer. 6:19].
In rejecting the Word of God, they have rejected God. And when men reject God there is always something that follows—
Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them [Jer. 6:30].
Reprobate is actually the same word as reject. Therefore, it could read, “Rejected silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.”
God says to the people of Judah, “You have rejected My law, and I will reject you and when I reject you, the men of the world are going to reject you also.” Interesting, isn’t it? It worked out that way in Jeremiah’s day, and it is working that way in our day. We have spent billions of dollars to buy friends throughout the world; yet we are not loved by this big, bad world because we have rejected God and God will reject us. This is a very solemn message, and we ought not to treat it lightly.
CHAPTERS 7–10
Theme: Warning delivered in the gate of the Lord’s house
We have seen in chapters 2–6 the prophecies which Jeremiah delivered during the first five years of his ministry. As a young man around twenty years of age, he delivered those severe predictions, condemning his people and pronouncing judgment upon them.
Now the prophecies in chapters 7–10 were given after the Law of the Lord had been discovered in the temple during the time of cleansing ordered by the young king Josiah. Josiah was greatly concerned about his people, which revealed that he had a personal relationship with God as a young man. He and Jeremiah, being approximately the same age and both zealous for God, were probably good friends. Hilkiah the priest, who was evidently the father of Jeremiah, is the one who found the law of the Lord. The temple was cleaned out and repaired and back in use, which was, of course, a very wonderful thing. Now Jeremiah stands in the gate of the Lord’s house and gives a prophecy to his people. This is the way chapter 7 opens—
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord [Jer. 7:1–2].
“Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house.” There are some who think this is very similar to the prophecy that is found in chapter 26 of Jeremiah. The prophecy is similar, but you will notice that it was delivered in the court of the house of the Lord—he was no longer standing by the gate but had gone into the court—and it was given during the reign of another king. However, the message is very much the same; Jeremiah had not changed his viewpoint.
Now that the temple has been repaired and the Book of the Law has been found, the people are returning to the temple in droves. Coming back to the temple is the popular thing to do, and they are talking about returning to God. Young Jeremiah hears the conversation of the people, and he gives the following message—
PLEA TO AMEND THEIR WAYS
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place [Jer. 7:3]
It is evident that, although they are going to the temple and are returning back to temple worship, there is no real change in their lives. They are still living as they did when they were worshiping idols. It is only an outward revival at this time. The time would come when it was more real, but at this point it is only a surface movement.
Now we see the attitude of the people, which was the thing that concerns Jeremiah.
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these [Jer. 7:4].
You can imagine how the people felt about all of this. They were exclaiming, “My, look at the temple! Isn’t it beautiful? Didn’t they do a good job of repairing it? Isn’t it nice to get back to the temple; it’s just like old times!” You see, there was enthusiasm about the temple, but there was no genuine turning to God. This is the thing that Jeremiah noticed. So he said, “Don’t trust these lying words that you’re saying. You act as if it is the greatest thing in the world just to return to the temple.”
If you will turn back to 2 Chronicles and read chapters 34 and 35, it will be very helpful for you to understand what is going on at this time in history. What happened was truly wonderful. Hilkiah gave the Book of the Law to Shaphan, who read it before the king. The king gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, and they had the Law read to all the people. Then they made a covenant with God to walk before Him. They celebrated a passover in Jerusalem: “And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept” (2 Chron. 35:18–19). They reinstituted the services in the temple with all the sacrifices and feasts. That was good and wonderful. Then what was the problem? The problem was that they were not changing their ways. They lived just as they had lived before. He refers back, not to the Ten Commandments, but to that which the Lord gave them after the Ten Commandments, instructions in Exodus 21–23, which dealt with everyday life in Israel and their relationships to one another.
Will ye steal, murder and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? [Jer. 7:9–10].
Although the people were talking about how wonderful the temple was, they were still worshiping Baal. Their philosophy was that, since the temple was repaired and they were at least tipping their hat to God on the Sabbath day, He would protect them. Now it is true that when people genuinely turn to God, He will protect them, but they were resting on a fact that did not apply to them. They had taken up quite an offering for the rebuilding of the temple, and people who had given generously felt this was all that was necessary for God’s blessing.
I know of no book that fits into the present hour with a message for us better than this Book of Jeremiah. After World War II there was a little wave of revival. There were several evangelists out at that time, and the crowds came. During that time I began my Bible studies which were said to have the largest attendance of any midweek service in America. During that time we would hear pastors say that church attendance had doubled and tripled. They were putting chairs in the aisles and building new buildings. Churches were moving out to the suburbs. One pastor I know built a very wonderful church out in suburbia, and he was packing them in—two thousand people in a service. He said, “The trouble was that when I got a new church, I didn’t get new people. The same people should have been made new, but they were not.” It was the same old people in a new church. They mistook growth in numbers for spiritual growth and development. This is the point that Jeremiah is making.
Now Jeremiah says something further. In fact, our Lord quoted him in His day—
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord [Jer. 7:11].
This is the same charge that the Lord Jesus used when He cleansed the temple centuries later. In the days of Jeremiah he called it a den of robbers because the people were spending the week robbing their brethren and then would piously come to the temple. There was no change in their business habits or in their relationship with one another.
People today still think there is something valuable in great religious splurges and conventions. This type of thing doesn’t appeal to me, because I am not an organization man, nor am I a joiner. I have never enjoyed organizations and conventions. Some people love them. The problem is that some people mistake enthusiasm for a moving of the Spirit of God. Now I will probably be as unpopular as Jeremiah when I say that kind of thing is not revival. Nothing is true revival unless it transforms lives.
The Wesleyan movement in England changed lives. It just about put the liquor industry out of business in England. It changed conditions in factories and resulted in the enactment of child labor laws. It was a spiritual movement that reached into the lives of the people. I want to see a spiritual movement today that will reach into the ghetto. When the government reaches into the ghetto with so-called social reform as we have it today, there is crookedness and misappropriation of funds, and nothing is made right. What we need is true revival, which is the only thing that will really change the ghetto.
That was the message of Jeremiah in his day. You can see how popular that young man would have been as he stood there in the gates of the temple and delivered God’s message. I can picture him there—a lonely fellow, heart-broken at the message he is giving to his people. But he is giving it faithfully, and it does bring partial revival.
JUDGMENT FOR IDOLATRY
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee [Jer. 7:16].
God says, “Jeremiah, you don’t need to pray for these people until they turn to Me.” This is an awesome verse. God says that it is no longer useful to pray for the people. The nation has gone too far away from God. Unless they will turn to God, there is no hope for them.
I believe there are times when we do not need to pray for folk to be blessed. I visited a member of my church in the hospital and prayed for him, then a man in the other bed asked me to pray for him. I asked him whether he was a Christian, and he said he believed in God. I told him that didn’t make him a Christian, and then I explained the gospel to him and asked him to put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said he could not accept that, but he wanted me to pray for him. I told him, “Brother, I will pray for you, but not the way you want me to pray for you. You want me to pray that you will get well and that God will bless you. I am going to pray that you will be saved—that is the only prayer I can pray for you.” I believe we do too much praying for people to be blessed of God when we ought to be praying that those people will be saved.
This is what God is saying to Jeremiah. “Don’t stand there in the temple and pray that these people will not go into captivity. Pray that they will turn back to Me. You are giving them My message, and that is the important thing to do.” This gets right down to the nitty-gritty, doesn’t it? God is not as interested in your ritual on Sunday as He is in your behavior on Monday. The place to judge whether a Christian is genuine or not is not to watch him in church on Sunday but to see him at work on Monday.
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you [Jer. 7:23].
God clearly states for them again that what He wants is their obedience. Coming to the temple is wonderful, but it is no substitute for obedience.
It has been said that some people go to church to eye the clothes and others go to close their eyes. That may be true in a great number of cases. Their purpose is not really to worship God. Their lives have not been changed. They still gossip, still crucify other Christians behind their backs, still live their lives out in the world—just as Jeremiah’s people were still going to the altar of Baal—living without a testimony for the Lord. There is a certain testimony given by going to church, but it is the testimony you give out in the world that counts. This is very real and very personal, isn’t it?
Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee [Jer. 7:26–27]
Jeremiah did not have people come forward and declare themselves for God. His message went unheeded; yet it was his responsibility to deliver the message. God told him to do the job, to give out His Word, even if there was no response to it. It is not important for us to be able to count noses and see a response to our message. The important thing is the report we must give to God, to be faithful in giving out His Word and backing it up with our lives.
Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath [Jer. 7:29].
God calls them “the generation of his wrath.” Judgment will come to Jerusalem.
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart [Jer. 7:31].
“Tophet” was the high place of the valley of Hinnom, where the children were sacrificed upon the heated brass arms of Moloch.
NO ONE REPENTED OF HIS WICKEDNESS
Chapter 8 continues Jeremiah’s message as he stands in the gate of the Lord’s house.
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? [Jer. 8:9].
Their crowning sin is that they are rejecting the Word of the Lord.
This is the crowning sin of America also. The prevailing feeling is that if our economy is all right, we are all right. However, many folk are beginning to realize that the economy can be all right and we can be all wrong.
After World War II we hastened to get the atom bomb into our arsenal of weapons. Of course we need to protect ourselves, but we forgot that any nation, any church, or any individual disintegrates from the inside. It is not what happens on the outside, but what happens on the inside that is the crucial issue.
Jeremiah enters deeply into the feelings of his people, sharing with them this wail—
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? [Jer. 8:20–22].
Although God had made adequate provision for their restoration, they refuse the remedy.
JEREMIAH SHARES GOD’S HEARTBREAK
Chapter 9 begins with an expression of Jeremiah’s personal heartbreak as he sees his people spurn the tender solicitude of God.
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! [Jer. 9:1].
This is the effect it had on Jeremiah. How did he give his message? Was he a hard-boiled kind of man who liked to criticize others and rule them out? No, he stood there and gave his message with tears streaming down his face. The message that he gave broke his heart. Centuries later, people of Israel saw Jesus weeping over the city of Jerusalem when He had a harsh message to deliver to that city and were reminded of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, and some of them even thought Jesus was Jeremiah who had returned to them.
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men [Jer. 9:2].
He longed to get away into a wilderness place where he would not have to see the sin of his people which was bringing his nation to ruin.
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord [Jer. 9:23–24].
These are two wonderful verses of Scripture. They can stand alone and are often quoted alone. However, we need to remember that they were spoken to a people who had rejected the Word of God.
As a nation, what are the things we glory in? Obviously, we trust in human wisdom, in riches, and in power. We need to be reminded that our strength is not in the brain trust in Washington. Our strength is not in Wall Street, the stock market, and the economy. Our strength does not lie in the cleverness of politicians. Our strength is not found in the fact that we have nuclear weapons. Any strength that we have must lie in our spiritual values, our moral values, our character, and our purpose. And these things are not even taught in our schools and colleges today. We have brought forth a generation that is rude, a generation that has no sense of moral purpose. In fact, we have lost our way—as Jeremiah said to his people—on the dark mountains. In our day America is just coasting along; and, when you start coasting, you are going downhill.
I know it is not popular to say these things. I am afraid I am not making friends and influencing people—but neither did Jeremiah. I am going to stand with him, because I believe there is still hope for revival in our land.
“Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.” What we need desperately is a group of leaders who know something other than the present godless philosophy. We need people who know God, who know His Word and are obeying it. The great need in this country today is a return to God. We need to set aside our hypocrisy and our sophistication and our illusion that we are such a smart people. We brag about our achievements when our great need is to walk in a way that will glorify God.
Chapter 10 concludes Jeremiah’s message in the gate of the Lord’s house, and it begins a section (chs. 10–12) of reform and revival after finding the Book of the Law.
The finding of the Book of the Law had a tremendous effect on King Josiah. He realized how far the people had fallen from God’s intention for them. It moved that man, and he was tremendously changed. He brought his people into a covenant with God that they would serve Him.
THE FOOLISHNESS OF IDOLATRY
In this chapter we see that the people were substituting something for God. People have always had substitutes for God. Anyone who is not worshiping the true and living God has some substitute for Him. It may be that the person himself becomes his god—there are a great number of people who actually worship themselves. Others worship money and are willing to be dishonest to become rich. Others worship fame and will sell their honor in order to obtain some unworthy goal. There are many substitutes for God, and Jeremiah talks about this:
Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them [Jer. 10:1–2].
People today are still doing what they did in the time of Jeremiah, trying to regulate their lives by the zodiac. They want to know what sign they were born under and all that nonsense. It is given out through our news media as though it were genuine!
God warns, “Learn not the way of the heathen.” My friend, the astrology that is being promoted today is something which has been picked up from the pagan world.
For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not [Jer. 10:3–4].
There are some folk who interpret Jeremiah’s denunciation of idolatry to be a condemnation of the modern Christmas tree. That is utterly preposterous and ridiculous. Jeremiah is not talking about Christmas trees—nobody in his day had a Christmas tree! He is talking to his people about worshiping idols.
“The customs of the people are vain”—they are empty. Obviously Jeremiah is talking about idolatry. He is ridiculing with bitter irony the idolatry of his day. He reminds them that they go out to the woods, cut down a tree, shape it into an image, deck it with silver and gold, fasten it with nails—and that’s their god! It is like worshiping a scarecrow! Now, my friend, if at Christmas time you fall on your knees before your Christmas tree and worship it, Jeremiah’s warning could have reference to you. But I don’t know of even an unsaved pagan in the country who worships a Christmas tree. They use it as a decoration, then throw it out with the trash when Christmas is over. Rather than worshiping a Christmas tree, the danger I see is the worship of self at Christmastime—getting everything possible for self.
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might [Jer. 10:6].
The Lord cannot be compared to anything. How ridiculous it is to turn from the true and living God to worship the things around you and get your leading from the zodiac!
Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens [Jer. 10:11].
The gods of the heathen did not create the universe. Our God, the living God, created it.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion [Jer. 10:12].
The stars are up there in their places because God put them there. He placed them where He wanted them. He didn’t ask you or me how we wanted them arranged. This is His universe, and He is the only One who is worthy of our worship. We may smile at the people of previous centuries who cut down a tree to make a god. We call ourselves intelligent and civilized; yet our people spend millions of dollars to try to discern their future by the zodiac, going to fortune tellers and palm readers and all that sort of thing. If people today are so intelligent, why don’t they worship the living and true God and get into reality?
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps [Jer. 10:23].
No man can walk aright apart from the revelation of God in His Word. The minute a man turns from the Word of God, he is on a detour. That is our natural course. In fact, we begin that way. I used to take my little grandson for a walk around the block when he was learning to walk. He was a wonderful little fellow, but he wore me out because he wanted to walk up the sidewalk of every house we passed; and when we came to a driveway, he would want to run out in the street, and when we would get to a corner he would want to go the wrong way. I have never seen a little fellow who wanted to go in as many wrong ways as he did. One day when we finally got home, I said to him, “Kim, you’re just like your grandfather. When he gets away from the Word of God, he always goes down a detour.” My friend, “it is not in man … to direct his steps.” We are dependent upon the omniscient God for direction in every area of our lives.
CHAPTERS 11–13
Theme: Israel disobeyed God’s covenant made in the wilderness
In chapters 11 and 12 Jeremiah delivers this tremendous message after the Law has been read to the people. I must remind you that following the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, God went on to pronounce certain judgments if the Law were disobeyed. These are the things that Jeremiah emphasizes, the aspects of the Law which condition the way we live our lives—the way you treat your neighbor, the way you conduct your business, and the kind of social life you are living. Are you one of these church members who is actually worshiping sex? I know men who have left their wives to marry some little girl who didn’t have anything upstairs but had a whole lot downstairs, and they think they can still serve the Lord! Jeremiah makes it clear that if you have done that, you’ve gone down a detour and are far away from God.
Many people talk about being fundamental and correct in their doctrine (I hope you understand that I insist upon that), but what is equally important is the kind of life that you are living. How honest are you? How clean are you in your living? That is what Jeremiah is insisting upon here. Most of us, if we were honest, would get down before God and confess our need to walk with Him, to be close to Him. But the people didn’t do it in Jeremiah’s day, and there won’t be many who do it in our day either.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem [Jer. 11:1–2].
“This covenant”—When the Law was found and read to the people, King Josiah called in the leaders and they made an oath that they were going to follow the Word of God.
And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Cursed he the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant [Jer. 11:3].
Before they found the Book of the Law, the people did not know the Law. Now they know it and their responsibility is great: God says, “Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant.”
I have said many times that I would rather be a heathen in some dark corner of the earth bowing down before an idol, than to be a member of a church where the pastor faithfully preaches the Word of God and to have done nothing in response to it. May I say, I have more respect for that heathen man, and God may yet bring the gospel to him. But that church member who has heard the gospel and rejected it—God will certainly judge him.
Now this chapter closes with the fact that Jeremiah is actually rejected by his hometown, Anathoth.
But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand [Jer. 11:19–21].
God tells Jeremiah, “There is no use speaking to Anathoth anymore. They have rejected Me, and they want to kill you. Don’t bother to prophesy to them any longer.”
There are churches today who no longer stand for the things of God or teach the Word of God as they once did. And some people think it is terrible that their memberships are dwindling and that the churches are being deserted. What is terrible is that the Word of God is not being taught in their pulpits. Jeremiah stopped giving the Word of God in Anathoth. He went somewhere else, because the people were going to kill him; they had rejected the Word of God.
What a picture we have here! It cost this man Jeremiah something to stand for God. It broke his own heart and alienated his hometown from him. In John 4:44 we read, “… Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.” Our Lord had to leave his hometown of Nazareth and move his headquarters to Capernaum. That is what young Jeremiah had to do also.
Jeremiah is delivering a message to these people unlike any we hear today. Today we say, “Come to Jesus, and He will give you a new personality, and He may even make you rich. You’re going to get along real well.” That’s not what we learn from Jeremiah and his life. Jeremiah says that it will cost you something to turn to God—but it will be worth everything you have to pay.
In spite of the fact that Judah made a covenant to serve God, the revival in the land proved to be a largely surface movement. There is no question that the words of Jeremiah had their effect and that there were some who in genuineness turned to the Lord. Jeremiah had preached, “Then the Lord said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them” (v. 6).
However, things in the nation were deteriorating. After the revival, interest in spiritual things began to wear off, and the people returned to their old ways. Even King Josiah made a grave blunder. He went out to battle against the king of Egypt, Pharaoh-nechoh, and they fought at Megiddo. Josiah was fatally wounded, and Jeremiah mourned for him: “And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations” (2 Chron. 35:25).
Jeremiah wept because he knew that the people not only would return to idolatry but they would sink even farther into immorality. And, of course, they did. Jeremiah had to give the people a message that they didn’t want to hear. They rejected his message and were plotting to kill him, so that he had to leave his hometown of Anathoth. Had Josiah still been alive, he would have protected Jeremiah, but Josiah was gone now.
Jehoahaz came to the throne but reigned for only three months. Pharaoh-nechoh then raised Jehoiakim to the throne of Judah. Jehoiakim had to pay a tax to Egypt, so he taxed the land heavily. It wasn’t very long until Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptian king and Jehoiakim became a vassal of Babylon. This lasted for three years, and then Jehoiakim rebelled against the king of BabyIon, ignoring Jeremiah’s warning not to do so. Jeremiah had also warned earlier against the alliance with Egypt as a source of false confidence, but the kings of Judah paid no attention to him and continually became more corrupt.
JEREMIAH’S QUESTION
As we come to chapter 12 we have entered a very evil period in the life of the nation, and the only light remaining is this man Jeremiah. Josiah has been slain, Jeremiah has been forced to leave his hometown, and evil men have come to the throne. Conditions seem only to get worse. At this point Jeremiah—and I believe every honest Christian—has doubts come into his heart. Dark thoughts come into his mind, and he wonders why God permits certain things. Every pastor who has ever stood for the things of God at times wonders why God does not move. He looks around and sees that it is his very best people who are suffering; the most spiritual folk seem to be having more trouble than anyone else. We all wonder why God permits this. Even David questioned God when he saw “… the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree” (Ps. 37:35). Listen now to Jeremiah as he talks to the Lord:
Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins [Jer. 12:1–2].
“Oh, they talk about You, Lord, but they’re far from You, and they prosper. Why do You permit that?” That was Jeremiah’s question. That’s my question too. I’d like to ask God that today: “Lord, why do You permit it?” I don’t have the answer, and I don’t think Jeremiah or David ever had the answer either. God allows the wicked to prosper, and we see them spreading themselves like a green bay tree. Why doesn’t God prosper those who are really interested in supporting fine Christian missionaries? I’ve asked Him that, and I don’t have the answer.
But thou, O Lord knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter [Jer. 12:3].
Jeremiah says, “Why don’t You judge them? They are the ones who should be judged.”
How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end [Jer. 12:4].
“How long shall the land mourn”—in other words, “Lord, why don’t You move?” God’s answer to Jeremiah and to you and me today is one that we must accept—it’s the best we have. God says, “I know what I’m doing. You trust Me, rest in Me.” Remember Jeremiah began this passage, “Righteous art thou, O Lord.” My friend, what God is doing today—however peculiar it may seem to us—is right, and we will be able to see and understand that someday. That is where faith must enter in. We walk by faith and not by sight.
Jeremiah alone stands for God. Jehoiakim, a corrupt ruler, is on the throne. Things are getting worse, and he wonders what is going to happen. God has already assured Jeremiah that He will take care of the situation. In chapter 11 verse 16 “The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.” Paul refers to this in Romans 11 saying that the good olive tree has been cut off and set aside. That is exactly what God did to these people. And today, out of that same root, He’s bringing forth a wild olive tree. That is you and me: the church has been grafted into that root which is Christ. He is the “…root out of a dry ground…” (Isa. 53:2), and He brings life. God says to Jeremiah, “I’ll take care of this. I’ll be the One who will deal with this.” God has a plan which extends far beyond the circumstances that Jeremiah could see.
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? [Jer. 12:5].
You’ll forgive me, I’m not trying to be irreverent, but this is actually what God is saying to Jeremiah: “If you are troubled now by what things are going to happen, well, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Things are to get lots worse, Jeremiah. And if you’re troubled now, what are you going to do when it really gets bad?”
Friend, things may look bad to us today, but they are going to get worse. I hope the knowledge of that will help draw you closer to God. He does not explain all the details to us as we might wish He would, but He does tell us that we can trust Him to always do the right thing.
Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour [Jer. 12:9].
Don’t tell me God doesn’t have a sense of humor. Although this verse refers to Judah, I’d like to make an application to Jeremiah. You see, every crow thinks his offspring is blacker than any other crow, but when an egg hatches and the bird is speckled, different from the rest, a problem develops. The surrounding nations considered Judah a speckled bird, and Judah considered Jeremiah a speckled bird. The people said to him, “We thought you were for us, but you’re not. You’re speckled.” Well, my friend, I’m a speckled bird, too, and if you’re standing for God, you are a speckled bird.
And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land [Jer. 12:15].
Why is it that the rich are prospering? God says, “Jeremiah, I’ll take care of that. And I’ll tell you what is going to happen: They are going into captivity. But I have remembered the land, and I’m going to bring them back into the land.”
PARABLE IN ACTION—THE LINEN GIRDLE
Chapter 13 is another great chapter. I think it is interesting because, even when conditions are so terribly serious, you just can’t help but smile. God is giving a parable to Judah, and it is the parable of the girdle!
Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water [Jer. 13:1].
I just can’t help but smile at this. I don’t think that Jeremiah was putting on weight. In fact, I would think he had been losing weight. God told him to get a girdle and wear it. But it wasn’t because he was getting fat—a girdle wasn’t worn for that purpose in that day. You see, today a girdle is used to try to achieve an hourglass figure when it is more like a barrel! In that day a girdle was something worn to bind up the flowing garments to ready oneself for service.
The girdle is a sign of service. The Lord Jesus spoke of His servants having their “…loins…girded about…” (Luke 12:35). That is, they are to be ready for service. You remember that He girded Himself with a linen cloth and began to wash the disciples’ feet. This had a twofold meaning: He, the great Servant, was preparing them for service by washing their feet so they could have fellowship with Him. For if you don’t have fellowship with Him, you can’t serve. Service is fellowship with Christ. It is not teaching a Sunday school class, singing a solo, or preaching a sermon. Service is fellowship with Christ. It is being cleansed and used for what He wants to do. God doesn’t use dirty cups or dirty vessels.
Now Jeremiah is told to do something very interesting with this girdle:
And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying,
Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me [Jer. 13:3–5].
There has always been a lot of debate as to whether Jeremiah actually went down to the Euphrates and hid the girdle. I think he did. There was traffic in the day going to and fro between nations, and I think Jeremiah actually made this trip. He did this very strange thing, and when he came back, people probably said, “Where have you been, Jeremiah?” He would reply, “I’ve been down to Babylon.” “What have you been doing down there? Did you go as a representative of the king, or did you go down there on a business trip?” Jeremiah would have to answer, “No, I went down there to hide a girdle!” Now, my friend, I think the crowd laughed at that.
And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing [Jer. 13:6–7].
Jeremiah was to wear the girdle and not wash it but let it get dirtier and dirtier. I think it finally got so dirty that he couldn’t bear to wear it anymore. Then God told him to bury it in Babylon as an object lesson. When he returned and dug it up, he found “it was profitable for nothing.” What does this strange action mean?
Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem [Jer. 13:8–9].
God is saying that because the people of Judah are continually sinking into iniquity they will reach the place where there is no hope for them. He is going to send them into Babylonian captivity. The object lesson was impressive. God uses some very funny things to teach His people.
Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness [Jer. 13:16].
God says to His people, “It’s getting night-time now. It’s going to be dark, and you won’t know where to go because you are lost in the mountains.” Yet He still asks them to turn to Him.
The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive [Jer. 13:19].
God tells them exactly what is going to happen. He makes it very clear what He will do.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil [Jer. 13:23].
It is impossible for an unsaved person to do good. All of the do-gooders are not really pleasing God. Until a man does his work in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory and honor, he is simply doing the work for himself for selfish reasons. No genuine goodness can come out of an evil heart.
CHAPTERS 14–15
Theme: Backsliding nation judged by drought and famine
Up to this point Jeremiah has been prophesyin during the reign of Josiah. Now we find him delivering a prophecy during the reign of Jehoiakim. King Josiah during the last part of his reign did a very foolish thing. He fought against Nechoh, a pharaoh of Egypt, and there at Megiddo Josiah was killed. Jeremiah mourned for him; he had been his friend. After the death of Josiah, the nation began to drop back into idolatry; in fact, its plunge downward was swift and terrible, as we shall see in this section.
DROUGHT
God’s first warning to the nation was drought.
The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up [Jer. 14:1–2].
The drought was apparently a very severe one. There had been a drought during the reign of Ahab, and at that time Elijah was the messenger from God. Now there is a drought, and Jeremiah is the messenger to the southern kingdom of Judah.
Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads [Jer. 14:4].
The ground is barren and cracked for want of rainfall.
Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass [Jer. 14:5].
Even the cattle would leave their offspring because there was no water to drink and no grazing land. It would mean death to the calf and to the mother also. All of this revealed the fact that God was judging them. This is one of the thirteen famines mentioned in Scripture, and all of them were judgments of God upon the land. Just as the land was barren and unfruitful, so were the lives of the people because they had rejected the water of life. God was showing them that what was happening to the physical earth was also happening in a spiritual sense to their hearts.
Jeremiah goes to God to confess the sins of the people.
O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee [Jer. 14:7].
Notice that Jeremiah takes his place with his people as being one of the sinners. There is no boasting here. He does not show any signs of a critical attitude toward the people. He says, “We have backslidden, and we have sinned.” It is so easy for God’s people to be critical of others. They pray almost like the Pharisee whom our Lord Jesus told us about in Luke 18:11–12. “I thank You, Lord, that I am so good. I am a separated Christian and I do this and I don’t do that. I am a nice, sweet Sunday school Christian. Now Mr. So-and-So over there is a dirty old man, and Mrs. So-and-So never does anything for You, and Miss So-and-So is a real gossip.” That is not identifying oneself with the people of God! You will notice that Jeremiah didn’t pray that kind of a prayer. He identified himself with God’s sinning people and said, “We have backslidden, and we have sinned.” My friend, if you can take your place before God, confessing your own sins as well as the sins of your people, then you can speak to them about the judgment of God. But until you can do that, you shouldn’t try to speak on God’s behalf.
As we move on through this chapter, we see that the darkness has gathered, and the people are stumbling on the dark mountains.
Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place [Jer. 14:13].
The false prophets were predicting peace and prosperity—everything was going to be wonderful.
Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart [Jer. 14:14].
You see, Jeremiah is very much alone now that King Josiah is dead. And he is wondering—Am I giving the correct message, or are the other prophets right? He is not quite sure; so he goes to God about it. God reassures him, “I want you to know that the false prophets are lying. I didn’t send them. You are the one giving My message.” You can see that this will put Jeremiah right back on the firing line.
Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease:for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow [Jer. 14:17].
The message was breaking the heart of Jeremiah. He was weeping as he gave the message to his people. God wanted the people to know that His heart was breaking. Jeremiah was not only giving the message from God, but he was expressing the feelings of God as well.
We all need to realize that we are witnesses for God. If you are a child of God, you are a witness for God, and you are saying something by your life. We need to be very careful when we speak the Word of God that our lives conform to it. We are not to be giving out the Word in a coldhearted manner. There must be feeling in it. If there is not, then there is something radically wrong with us.
INEVITABLE JUDGMENT
In chapter 15 we see that Jeremiah is a brokenhearted man who wants to go to God to pray for his people. That was very right and fine. However, God has something interesting to say to him:
Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth [Jer. 15:1].
The people have gone too far, and judgment must come upon them. They have gone over the borderline where there is absolutely no possibility for reprieve. They will not escape captivity. The Lord tells Jeremiah that he shouldn’t think that God is not hearing his prayers. There was nothing wrong in Jeremiah’s prayers. God says that even if Moses stood before Him, He would not listen. You will remember in Exodus 32 that Moses was a marvelous intercessor for the people. When God threatened to destroy the people, Moses had stood before Him as their intercessor. God answered his prayer and spared the people. But now, even if Moses were acting as the intercessor for the people, it wouldn’t do any good. Samuel was another who had prayed for the people. Judgment had been averted again and again because of Samuel. But God says that even if Samuel were to pray now, there could be no averting of the judgment. The people had stepped across the borderline, and judgment was inevitable.
Now we can understand why Jeremiah is giving a message of nothing but judgment.
For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?
Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward: therefore willI stretch out my hand against thee, anddestroy thee; I am weary with repenting [Jer. 15:5–6].
“Thou art gone backward”—that’s backsliding.
“I am weary with repenting.” They have come to Him over and over with their weeping and their promises to do better, but they continually go right back into the same old sin. God is tired of it all, and He says the time has now come when He intends to judge them.
JEREMIAH’S PERSONAL DISTRESS
You can see that this message would not increase the popularity of poor Jeremiah. King Josiah was his friend, but not King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim was an evil man. Jeremiah was the fly in the ointment for Jehoiakim. He considered Jeremiah nothing but a troublemaker.
In spite of the fact that Jeremiah is a weeping prophet who must deliver this very difficult message, he really had a sense of humor. He went to the Lord and cried out:
Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me [Jer. 15:10].
Jeremiah says, “Nobody likes me, I don’t lend money on interest and I don’t borrow money on interest, yet everyone curses me.” We still have an adage today that says if we want to lose a friend, lend him money.
I have seen what the lending of money can do to Christian friends. I remember a man who lent money to his friend who had some project in mind and thought he could double the money in a hurry. Actually, he lost all the money and couldn’t pay back his friend. That broke up a good friendship and wrecked their relationship. So if you want to start losing your friends, lend them money! Jeremiah says, “You’d think I had been lending money around here—nobody wants to have anything to do with me.”
During this difficult time, Jeremiah turns to the Word of God—remember that the law of the Lord had been found in the Temple and was available to him.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts [Jer. 15:16].
He found his consolation in it. He ate it and he digested it and it became a part of him. Oh, how we need to get into the Word of God today. We don’t need just a little surface learning of a few rules, or just a little guideline of a few steps to take. We need to digest it so that it becomes part of our being. It will bring joy and rejoicing to the heart just as it did for Jeremiah. Only the Word of God can do this.
I received a letter from a man who heard our broadcast when I was in Galatians. He heard one word: Father. That arrested his attention. May I say to you that God is still using His Word today. Oh, how important the Word of God is!
Jeremiah is in real difficulty. Remember that his hometown rejected him and got rid of him. His own family rejected him. His life is actually in danger.
And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible [Jer. 15:20–21].
God says, “You just stay on the firing line, and I will take care of you.”
CHAPTERS 16–17
Theme: God forbids Jeremiah to marry
The days are becoming increasingly difficult. The nation of Judah is coming to the end of its rope. As nearly as I can judge, it is within ten years of the destruction of Jerusalem at this particular time.
The word of the Lord came also unto me, saying,
Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.
For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land;
They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth [Jer. 16:1–4].
God reveals to Jeremiah the horror that is to come. He tells Jeremiah not to get married, and I think the reason is quite obvious. If you will turn to Psalm 137, which was written after the Babylonian captivity, you will see the fate children suffered. In the last two verses it says that Babylon will be destroyed and they will do to her just as she had done to Judah: “O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones” (Ps. 137:8–9). When Nebuchadnezzar took the city of Jerusalem, the conquerors seized little children and dashed their heads against the stones! God asked Jeremiah not to get married because He wanted to spare Jeremiah this anguish.
Under certain circumstances it is best not to bring children into this world. I sometimes wonder about the times in which we live. My heart goes out to the little ones today. I look at my own grandchildren and, actually, tears come into my eyes. They may live out their lives through some terrible times, so I pray for them and ask the Lord to protect them. A great deal could be said about this. There is a time when it would be better not to have children.
Here is a bright note—
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
But, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers [Jer. 16:14–15].
In this dark moment in Judah’s history, God let Jeremiah see a brilliant future. It is as if he looks down the dark tunnel of the future and sees the light at the other end. It is interesting that this theme recurs throughout the writings of the prophets. It never got so dark but what the prophets didn’t see the light that was coming, and the darker the night was, the brighter the light appeared to be. God says the day is coming when He will bring them back from captivity, back home to their own land.
Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord [Jer. 16:21].
It is my personal opinion that God is going to have to teach my country that He is the Lord. I get the impression that America doesn’t know God is out there. When He does make Himself known, I am afraid it will be very impressive.
MESSAGE OF THE UNMARRIED PROPHET
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond:it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills [Jer. 17:1–2].
There was evil in everything they did. It even permeated their religion.
Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord [Jer. 17:5].
It might be well for us to put that up as a motto today. Sometimes we think we can depend on certain men or on certain political parties to work out the problems of the world. You and I are cursed people if we put our trust in men and what men can do. This is the day to trust God.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is [Jer. 17:7].
We shall be blessed if we trust Him.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit [Jer. 17:8].
This is the same thought that we find in the first psalm: Blessed is the man whose “…delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:2–3).
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [Jer. 17:9].
This is true of your heart and my heart. Unfortunately, we all have heart trouble.
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings [Jer. 17:10].
Only God can make a heart transplant. Man is now doing that sort of thing in the physical sense, but God has been doing it in the spiritual sense for a long time. When we come to Him, He gives us new life—we are born anew and given a new nature. Sometimes we who are ministers use the expression, “Give your heart to the Lord.” Well, what would God want with that old, dirty, filthy heart of yours or mine? He doesn’t want it. The heart is deceitful. He wants to give you a new heart. He is a heart specialist; He is the Great Physician.
Now we will conclude this chapter with a great verse:
A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary [Jer. 17:12].
This is the hope of man. All men have hearts which are deceitful, dirty, filthy, and wicked. But there is a sanctuary. “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” A sanctuary is not only a place of worship; it is a place of safety, a place of peace. God gave to His people certain cities which were to be cities of refuge, sanctuaries where they would be protected.
My friend, these are difficult days. It is dangerous to walk the streets of our cities. Even in our homes we are not safe from a bomb that may come from the other side of the world. Where can we go to be safe? There is a sanctuary, and it is the high throne of our God. That is the place where you and I can go. And He asks us to come. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Heb. 10:19–22).
CHAPTERS 18–19
Theme: Sign at potter’s house
Now we go with Jeremiah down to the potter’s house. For folk who are sophisticated and hardened in sin it is difficult to get them to listen to the Word of God; so God has a sign for the nation of Judah, and He has an object lesson for you and me.
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel [Jer. 18:1–6].
One Sunday evening a potter, who also was one of our radio listeners, came to put on a demonstration for the congregation at an evening service. He brought in a potter’s wheel which was operated by a foot pedal, and on that wheel he put clay. While I was giving the message, he molded the clay into a vessel. It was a very simple experiment, but I never repeated it—the congregation that evening was so intent on watching the potter that I don’t think anyone heard my message!
Many years before this, when I was a seminary student, traveling from my home in Tennessee to the seminary at Dallas, Texas, I had to cross the state of Arkansas, and always passed by a large pottery plant near Arkadelphia. One day we took time out (several other fellows were traveling with me) to stop and see the pottery being made.
There were two very impressive and striking sights there that I have not forgotten. Behind this plant was as ugly a patch of mud as I’ve ever seen. It was shapeless and gooey. It looked hopeless to me. Out in front of the plant they had a display room, and in that room were some of the most exquisite vessels I have ever seen.
Then we went inside the plant, and there we saw many potters at work. There they stood, bent over many wheels which were power-driven. They didn’t even have to use foot pedals; so they could give their full attention to working with that helpless, hopeless, ugly, mushy, messy clay. They were intent on transforming it and translating it into objects of art. The difference between that mass of mud out back and those lovely vessels in the display room were these men, the potters, working over their wheels.
Now it was to such a place that God sent this man Jeremiah. He sent him down to see a sermon. Actually it is a very simple sermon. It is easy to make identification in this very wonderful living parable that Jeremiah gives us. We have no difficulty in identifying the potter, and we have no difficulty in identifying the clay. In fact, God does it for us. God is the Potter, and Israel is the clay in particular here. Also it is very easy to make application to mankind in general and to each individual personally. Each individual is the clay. If I may be personal, you are clay on the Potter’s wheel. Regardless of what else may be said about you, you are clay today on the Potter’s wheel—as is every man who has ever lived on this earth.
The figure of the potter and clay is carried over in the New Testament. We find Paul in his epistle to the Romans using the same simile: “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Rom. 9:21). Then Paul used the other side of this very wonderful figure of speech when he wrote to Timothy: “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21). So we see that this figure is carried all the way through the Word of God.
Now notice what the potter did. He was fashioning a vessel, and it became marred in his hands. It wouldn’t yield. The clay has to be just the right texture. Maybe it was too hard or too soft. So he pitched it aside. Then later he picked it up and made it into another kind of vessel.
There are two things we want to see in this section: the power of the potter and the personality of the clay.
POWER OF THE POTTER
Like a giant Potter, God took clay and formed man, the physical part of man. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). God was the Potter.
Now let’s go down to the potter’s house and stand with Jeremiah as we watch the potter at work. The potter has a wheel, an old-fashioned one. He works the pedal with his foot to make the wheel turn. As he pedals, his hands are deftly, artistically working with the clay, and attempting to form out of it a work of art.
Note, now, the first principle: God is sovereign.
The potter is absolute. That is, he has power over the clay and that power is unlimited. No clay can stop the potter, nor can it question his right. No clay can resist his will, nor “say him nay,” nor alter his plans. The clay cannot speak back to him. You remember in the delightful little story we heard in the nursery about the gingerbread boy that talked back. But the clay can’t talk back.
I recall a very whimsical story of a little boy who was playing in the mud down by a brook. He was attempting to make a man. He worked on him and had gotten pretty well along when his mother called him. They were going downtown and he must come along. He wanted to stay, but she insisted that he come. By this time he had finished his mud man except for one arm. But he had to leave. While he was in town with his mother and father, he saw a one-armed man. He eyed him for awhile. Finally he went up to him and said, “Why did you leave before I finished you?”
The clay on the potter’s wheel can’t get up when it wants to. The clay on the potter’s wheel can’t talk back. The clay on the potter’s wheel is not able to do anything. It can only yield to the potter’s hand.
Nowhere, I repeat, nowhere will you find such a graphic picture of the sovereignty of God than in this. Man, the clay upon the potter’s wheel, and God, the Potter. You won’t find anything quite like this.
And our contemporary generation resists it because this is the day of the rights of man. We are hearing a great deal today about freedom, and every group is insisting upon its freedom—freedom to protest, freedom to do what it chooses. We seem to have forgotten about the rights of God. Today men will permit a racketeering gangster to plead the fifth amendment because we must protect his rights. God has incontestable authority. His will is inexorable, it is inflexible, and it will prevail. He has irresistible ability to form and fashion this universe to suit Himself. He can form this little earth on which we live to suit Himself. And, my friend, you, an individual, and I, an individual, can be nothing but clay in His hands. He has power to carry through His will and He answers to no one. He has no board of directors. He has no voters to whom He must respond. He has absolute authority. He is God. You and I live in a universe that is running to please God. And the rebellion of little man down here on this speck of dust that we live on is a “tempest in a teapot!” Our little earth, as we see in the pictures taken from the moon, is just a speck in the infinity of space. And, my friend, God rides triumphantly in His own chariot.
You will find that the Word of God has some very definite things to say concerning Him: “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who are thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hath thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Rom. 9:19–21).
It was Bengel who wrote this: “The Jews thought that in no case could they be abandoned by God, and in no case could the Gentiles be received by God.” And Dr. Lange, the great German expositor, said: “When man goes the length of making to himself a god whom he affects to bind by his own rights, God then puts on His majesty, and appears in all His reality as a free God, before whom man is a mere nothing, like the clay in the hand of the potter. Such was Paul’s attitude when acting as God’s advocate, in his suit with Jewish Pharisaism.”
God is absolute!
PERSONALITY OF THE CLAY
Now for a moment let’s look at the personality of the clay. I realize someone will be saying, “Believe me, you have a mixed metaphor here! You mean to tell me that clay has personality?” Clay is formless, it’s shapeless, it’s lifeless, it’s inept, it’s inert, it’s incapable, it’s a muddy mess. The psalmist wrote, “…he remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). Dr. George Gill used to say in class, “God remembers that we are dust, but man sometimes forgets it, and he gets stuck on himself. And when dust gets stuck on itself, it’s mud.” We do sometimes forget this, but God remembers we are dust. I look at the clay on that wheel down at the potter’s house. That clay has no wish; it has no rights; it has no inherent ability. It is helpless, and it is hopeless.
The Scriptures confirm this. Listen to Paul in Ephesians 2:1. Although he is writing to the Ephesians, it can apply to you and me as well: “you…who were dead in trespasses and sins” (italics mine). That’s man. Then he amplifies this later on in the same chapter: “…having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). That clay on the potter’s wheel is no different. Then Paul said to the Romans, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
You and I need to recognize that our God is a sovereign God and that we are the clay. We were dead in trespasses and sin, without strength. God is the Potter with the power. “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:16). God is the One who is in charge. None of us has any claim on God. “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Rom. 9:15).
When Moses pleaded with God, God said to him, “Moses, I’m going to hear you, but I’m not going to hear you because you are Moses; I am going to hear you because I extend mercy.” That is the reason God heard him. God is not obligated to save any man. God is free to act as He wishes. He is righteous, and He is holy. This is a lost world, and it could remain like that, and no one would have the right to raise a question.
Now look at the other side of the coin. Let’s talk now about the power of the clay and the personality of the potter. This is the other side. “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” There is not only a principle here which is that God is sovereign, but also there is a purpose here.
POWER OF THE CLAY
Look now at the power of the clay. That clay on the potter’s wheel is like Browning’s “dance of plastic circumstance.” This wheel is the wheel of circumstance. That’s what it is!
I do not believe that life’s big decisions are made in a church sanctuary. I believe they are made out in the work-a-day world—in the office, in the school, in the workshop, at the crossroads of life—there is where the Potter is working with the clay. There is the place He is working with you, my friend.
You and I live in a world that seems to have no purpose or meaning at all. Multitudes of people see no purpose in life whatever and find confusion on every hand. Someone has expressed it in a little jingle:
In a day of illusions
And utter confusions,
Upon our delusions
We base our conclusions
—Author unknown
How true that is of life today!
Look away, for a moment, from the potter’s wheel. Behind him we see shelf upon shelf of works of art. Those objects of beauty were one time on the potter’s wheel as clay—clay that yielded to the potter’s hand. Once they all were a shapeless mass of mud. What happened? That lifeless clay was under the hand of the potter, and as the wheel of circumstance turned, he molded and made them into the vessels that now stand on display.
I outlined the Book of Jeremiah for our Thru the Bible Radio program while my wife and I were down at Fort Myers in Florida. We had an apartment there for a few days. Every morning we would eat breakfast in the apartment, and I would work for a few hours on Jeremiah; then we would go over to one of the islands to hunt for shells. I discovered something. There are literally thousands of varieties of shells. I didn’t dream there were so many. Anything God does He does in profusion. My wife bought a book on shells, and we identified many of them.
In my hand I am holding a little shell that I picked up on Sanibel Island. It is a beautiful little shell. I had been working on the eighteenth chapter of Jeremiah that morning, and when I found this, it occurred to me that the Lord was trying to say something to us. God started with just some little animal, a tiny mollusk, and around it He formed this shell. I thought, Well, since the great Architect has spent all that time with a little shell in the bottom of the ocean, what about man today?
Look again at those works of art which the potter has lining the shelves behind him. Don’t speak disparagingly of the clay! I’m sorry for what I said about it. It has marvelous capacity and resilience. This, my friend, and I am saying it reverently, this is what the Potter wants—clay. He doesn’t want steel. He doesn’t want oil. He doesn’t want rock. He wants clay. He wants something that He can put in His hand to mold and fashion. This is the stuff He is after—clay. God wants to work with human beings.
Someone may say, “Yes, but here is where the analogy breaks down. The distance between God and man is greater than between the potter and the clay.” I disagree with that. Actually God is nearer man than the potter is to the clay.
This is what I mean: the clay on the wheel down at the potter’s house to which Jeremiah takes us has no will. I do! That clay cannot cooperate with the potter. I can! I quoted the Genesis account of the creation of man for a purpose—God created man in His own likeness. He took man physically out of the dust of the ground; He made man. Then He breathed into his breathing-places the spirit of life, and man became a living soul. Man today has a free will, and he can exercise it. That clay has no will. But you and I do have a will; we can cooperate with the Potter.
Now I want to ask the Potter a question. What’s Your purpose in putting me on the potter’s wheel? Why do You bear down on me? Why do You keep working with me? Why, Potter, do You do this? I’m not being irreverent, but I am like the little gingerbread boy, I talk back. Why, O Potter, do you do this? What are You after?
Well, I go back to the potter’s house. Follow me now very carefully. I do not discover the purpose, but I learn something more important than the purpose for my life. I learn that the potter has a purpose, which is more important to know. I watch the potter there. He is serious. He means business. He’s not playing with the clay. This is his work. He is giving his time, his talents, his ability to working with the clay.
Notice again in verses 3–4: “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” My friend, this is not a cat-and-mouse operation. This is not the potter’s avocation. It is his vocation. This is not his hobby. This is not something with which he is amusing himself. He knows what he is doing. This tells me that God is not playing with me today. He is not experimenting with us. He has purpose. And, friend, that comforts me. This is the second great principle we see here: the Potter has a purpose.
As a sightseer, I stand with Jeremiah, and I say, “What’s he going to make?” Jeremiah says, “I don’t know. Let’s watch him.” The sightseer cannot tell as he watches, but the potter knows. He has a plan. He knows what he is doing. The clay does not know his purpose.
But, friend, someday we will know. When He puts us on the plastic wheel of circumstance, He means to accomplish something. He has a purpose. The psalmist says, “… I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:15). Someday I’ll be like Him! “… it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). That’s going to be a fair morning. That’s going to be a new day. And God will be vindicated—He was not being cruel when He caused us to suffer. Some day, some glorious someday, we’ll see that the Potter had a purpose in your life and in mine. Notice how Paul writes to the Ephesians. He began the second chapter with the doleful words which I have already quoted: “And you hath he quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). And if that is all, then I’m through too. But, my friend, there is more: “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). In the ages to come we’ll be a demonstration, and we’ll be yonder on display. We will reveal what the Potter can do with lifeless clay. He gets the glory. It will be wonderful to be a vessel in the Master’s hand.
PERSONALITY OF THE POTTER
In conclusion let us consider the personality of the potter. This is the most important and wonderful thing of all. To do this we must take one final look in the potter’s house.
I say to Jeremiah, “The potter is a kindly looking man.” Jeremiah answers, “He is. He doesn’t want to hurt the clay. He wants the clay to yield because he wants to make something out of it.” I gaze into the face of the potter. Oh, how intent he is. How interested he is in the clay.
Oh, what a Potter God is! If I could only see my Potter! But Scripture says I cannot see God. Philip asked the question, which I certainly would have asked, when he said to Jesus, “… Lord shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us” (John 14:8). The Lord Jesus said to him, “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father…” (John 14:9).
My friend, let us look at the Potter very carefully now. See the Potter’s feet as He is working them on the pedals, turning, turning that wheel of circumstance. See the hands of the Potter as He deftly, artistically, oh, so intently and delicately, kindly and lovingly works with the clay. I look at Him. Those feet have spike wounds in them. And there are nail prints in those hands.
That’s not all.
I turn over to Matthew’s gospel and read: “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me” (Matt. 27:3–10).
Two verses startle me: “And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.” They probably did not know what they were doing when they called it the field of blood, but I hope you don’t miss it. This Potter is more wonderful than any other potter. He shed His blood that He might go into that field and take those broken pieces and put them again on His potter’s wheel to make them again another vessel.
Just this past week I talked with a woman who has a broken home and a broken life. Is God through with her? Is He through with us when we make a failure of our lives? Oh, no. He’s not through with us—that is, if the clay will yield to Him. All that is necessary is the clay yielding to the Potter. He paid the price for the field, it’s a field of blood. You may look back on your life and say, “Oh, what failure! I don’t think God could use me.” My friend, He is working with those broken pieces today, and He’ll work with you if you’ll let Him. He has already paid the price for your redemption. You can’t make anything out of yourself for Him, and I can’t either, but He can take us and put us on the wheel of circumstance and shape us into a vessel of honor.
We are the clay; He is the Potter.
THE SIGN OF THE BROKEN VESSEL
In the first verse of chapter 19 God sends Jeremiah to get a potter’s earthen bottle and tells him to take elders of the people and of the priests with him as witnesses.
And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee [Jer. 19:2].
“The valley of the son of Hinnom” was at this time the place where the horrible worship of Moloch was conducted. God spells it out for them—
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled his place with the blood of innocents;
They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind [Jer. 19:4–5].
Because of these things, God says that the valley of the son of Hinnom would soon be known as the valley of slaughter, because as they had killed their children as offerings to Baal and Moloch, God would allow their enemies to kill them there (see vv. 6–9).
After pronouncing this frightful judgment upon the people of Jerusalem, God directed Jeremiah to break the clay bottle in the sight of the witnesses—
And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury [Jer. 19:11].
Returning from Tophet, or the valley of Hinnom, Jeremiah went to the court of the Lord’s house and gave this final word:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words [Jer. 19:15].
He had warned, pleaded, and entreated, but their hearts were unrelenting. The clay had resisted the hand of the Potter too long. Very soon the enemy would come and shatter the nation in pieces.
CHAPTERS 20–22
Theme: Jeremiah’s persecution and prophecies during Zedekiah’s reign
When Jeremiah went down to Tophet and broke the bottle as the Lord had told him to do, the message he gave to the people of Judah was that they were going into captivity. Josiah, the great and good king, is dead, and he has been followed by Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim. Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, is now on the throne. He is the worst and the weakest of all the kings who ever ruled Judah. It is during his reign that the Babylonian captivity prophesied by Jeremiah will take place.
We will now see a change take place in the life and ministry of Jeremiah. When he gives out the Word of God, he’s adamant, he’s strong, and he’s hard-nosed, but personally, as a man, he has a very tender heart. When his beloved friend Josiah died, Chronicles records that Jeremiah wept for him. The three evil kings who followed Josiah reject the ministry of Jeremiah in a very definite way. He is given a cold shoulder, and his message is absolutely ignored, but he has not been persecuted personally. As we come to chapter 20, we will find Jeremiah being personally and physically persecuted for the first time.
Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.
Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord [Jer. 20:1–2].
Notice with whom the persecution originates: it began in organized religion. Today the Word of God is being hurt and hindered the most by the organized, liberal church which has rejected the Word of God. They will align themselves with some very shady characters boasting of their brotherhood, their love for everyone, and their broad-mindedness. But when it comes to accepting a fundamentalist, someone who stands for the Word of God, I have found that their broad-mindedness and love disappears. There is more opposition to the furtherance of the gospel originating in the organized church than there is in the liquor industry or in any political group that I know of today. This physical persecution of Jeremiah began in the organized religion of his day.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor-missabib [Jer. 20:3].
“Magor-missabib”—that’s quite a name, and it means “ terror on every side.” Jeremiah is telling Pashur that there is terror in store for him and for everyone connected with him.
For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword [Jer. 20:4].
This is now the prophecy that Jeremiah will emphasize again and again: the southern kingdom is going into captivity, and nothing can stop it. God has said that it would not help if even Moses or Samuel were alive. It is too late. The people have gone too far in their rejection of God as has been revealed by the actions of the present king and the two who have been on the throne ahead of him.
We need to consider what has happened to Jeremiah. He has been ignored and rejected, but up to this point he has not been persecuted physically. But now he is, and because of all this—remember that his message is breaking his own heart—he decides he will turn in his resignation to God. Your heart cannot help but go out to this man. He is not indifferent to what is happening. He feels all this very deeply, and it is sapping his strength. I think he may even have been on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay [Jer. 20:9].
What Jeremiah is saying is this: “The message is breaking my heart, and all it has earned for me is the persecution of the religious rulers and the rejection of the people; therefore I’m resigning.” But when he attempted to resign he found that the Word of God was in his bones like a fire. He says, “I had to speak out. I couldn’t forbear.”
Such urgency to speak should be the mark of any man who is giving out the Word of God. How do you really feel about it? Is your ministry just a job you have, or is your heart really in it? If you love the Word of God and you really want to give it out, then you would feel pretty bad if you didn’t have that privilege and opportunity. Unless it really means something to you, I don’t believe you should be attempting to give out the Word of God.
You can understand the conflict that is going on in the heart of Jeremiah, and he indulges in something that seems to have been a habit with God’s men in the Old Testament. He does something that Jonah did, that Job did, and Elijah did. He begins to sing an old song that won’t do him any good. It’s the blues, the religious blues: “Why was I born?” A lot of folk sing that song. Listen to Jeremiah:
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be the blessed.
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad [Jer. 20:14–15].
Oh boy, does Jeremiah hate himself and wish he had never been born!
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame? [Jer. 20:18].
Behold, it’s the old story: Why was I born? Elijah crawled up under a juniper tree and said, “Let me die!” (see 1 Kings 19:4). Job wanted to die and cursed the day he was born. Old Jonah got pretty downhearted about everything, and he also wanted to die. Well, to wish that you had not been born is about as foolish as anything you could wish. My friend, you have already been born, and there is nothing you can do about it. You can sing the blues that you want to die, but you will never die by wishing it—no one ever has. Jeremiah is way down, is he not? You wish that you could put your arm around him, pat him on the back, and encourage him somehow. He is so discouraged; yet he wants to give out the Word of God.
Chapters 21 through 29 contain the prophecies delivered during the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. This will bring us right down to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity. There is not a harsher message than the one Jeremiah gives here in chapters 21 and 22.
ANSWER TO ZEDEKIAH REGARDING NEBUCHADNEZZAR
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying.
Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us [Jer. 21:1–2].
It is interesting that when Zedekiah got into real trouble he went to the man he knew was giving the Word of God. He went right past Pashur and his crowd—he didn’t seek help from organized religion. I find that a great many people today belong to a liberal church, but they listen to a Bible broadcast on the radio. For some strange reason they feel they can reconcile those two things. My friend, when you are in trouble nothing is going to satisfy you but the Word of God.
Zedekiah comes to Jeremiah but he doesn’t get any comfort from him at all. Jeremiah tells him that Nebuchadnezzar is coming and he will destroy the city unless there is a turning to God. Jeremiah really lays it on the line to him.
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death [Jer. 21:8].
That is exactly what God says to you today about His salvation provided in the Lord Jesus Christ. God says that He gave His Son to die for you, to pay the penalty of your sin. He arose so that you might have righteousness. If you are to be saved, you must be in Him. You get into Him by the baptism of the Holy Spirit when you put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior. When you do that, you become a child of God. God says, “This is My way that I offer to you. You can take it or leave it. I set before you life and death.” That is the way God has put it. God also pleads with tears in His eyes.
Now the choice before the people of Judah was to stay in the city and die or to surrender to the king of Babylon and live.
He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire [Jer. 21:9–10].
King Zedekiah didn’t follow through. He was a weakling and the worst of the kings. He does not turn to God at all. He evidently thought something like this: Well, look, God didn’t let Nebuchadnezzar destroy this city when Jehoiachin was on the throne and he was about as bad as I am. Why should it happen now?
JUDGMENT OF JEHOIAKIM
Chapter 22, therefore, contains what I feel is the harshest judgment that is pronounced in the Word of God. It is harsher than the judgment pronounced by God upon Cain or by the Lord Jesus upon Judas. It is frightful, and at the same time one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Word of God.
Before we consider the judgment against Coniah, or Jehoiachin, there is first the judgment against his father, Jehoiakim. He was an evil ruler also, but during his reign there was prosperity. The rich were getting richer, and the poor were being ground underfoot. It is very interesting that the Word of God has so much to say about the poor. God pays so much attention to them, both in the Old and New Testaments, that we cannot ignore it.
This begins God’s message concerning Jehoiakim:
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work [Jer. 22:13].
Men were getting rich through wrong methods. The poor were being underpaid.
That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? [Jer. 22:14–15].
“Thy father”—Jeremiah is referring back to Josiah, the good king, and this is what he says about him:
He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord.
But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it [Jer. 22:16–17].
Josiah had “judged the cause of the poor and needy” but in Jehoiakim’s day the rich were getting richer by wrong methods, and the poor were getting poorer.
God has a great deal to say on this subject. Jeremiah called attention to the fact that the rich men were heaping up wealth by the labor of others and treading down the poor. In their pride and in their arrogance they built themselves palaces and lived as though God had forgotten their iniquitous means for the acquisition of their wealth. In the New Testament we read: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you …” (James 5:1–3). There are two things for which God condemns the rich: the way they get their money, and the way they spend their money or the way they use it.
Have you noticed that everything is slanted for the rich man? I find that I am paying more taxes than some men who are worth a million dollars. You would think I am a millionaire judging from the taxes I must pay! The tax laws are geared to protect the rich. The politicians gear everything in favor of the rich, those who have given to their political campaigns. That is what the rich people support. Most of them don’t give to the work of the Lord; they don’t give in order to get out the Word of God. God notices that. He notices when the rich get rich at the expense of the poor, and He notices when they spend their wealth on themselves, building palaces to live in.
Very frankly, it is sinful to live in a mansion when there are so many people in such poverty. I do not believe a Christian should do that. There are a lot of poor Christians who need help from the wealthier Christians. And I am not sure that Christian organizations should have plush and luxurious accommodations either.
May I say also that there is too much of a tendency for religion to cater to the rich. I often hear preachers boast that they have a millionaire or two in their congregation. I’d like to know what they are doing to get the Word of God out.
I played golf with a man who is reported to be worth twenty million dollars. I was told he might be interested in supporting our radio broadcast. After he asked me about it, I told him all about the broadcast and the needs of the program. He was interested, and he assured me he listens to the broadcast. Do you know how much support he has given the program? Not one dime. I give this isolated case as an example, but I would hate to be a Christian who left a million dollars when I died and have to face the Lord to account for what I had done with my money. I do not think this means we are not to enjoy what the Lord gives us—the comforts that He has made possible—but if He has given you wealth, He is going to hold you responsible for using it for His glory.
“He judged the cause of the poor and needy … was not this to know me? saith the Lord.” God says, “Josiah knew Me, and he knew that he could not be My follower and not have a concern for the poor and needy.” God says that He has a concern for these people.
Do you know who are the two groups of people that are the hardest to reach with the gospel? They are the very rich and the very poor. God wants to equalize that because He wants them to hear the gospel and be saved. He wants the rich way up at the top to help those way down at the bottom. And He is concerned that both be reached with the Word of God.
The fundamental social problem in America today is not a racial or a class struggle. It is a question of the rich and the poor. Communism would never have risen in the world if it were not for the struggle between the filthy rich and the very poor. And it is this inequality that God says He judges.
JUDGMENT OF CONIAH
Now we come to the very frightful and harsh judgment against the man Coniah.
As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;
And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans [Jer. 22:24–25].
“Coniah” is Jehoiachin who was also called Jeconiah. Why does God call him Coniah? It is because the “Je” in Jeconiah stands for Jehovah. God is saying, “Don’t identify Me with that man!” He goes on to say, “Why, if he were the ring on My finger, I would throw him away!”
Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?
O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah [Jer. 22:28–30]
God cries to the whole earth to be His witness: No descendant of Coniah will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah. This is one reason that Joseph could not have been the father of Jesus. Joseph was in the line of Jeconiah, and God says no child of that line will sit on the throne of David.
Does that mean the throne of David would be vacant from then on? Listen to another prophecy: “For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel” (Jer. 33:17). There will be Someone on the throne of David, but He will not be a descendant in the line of Jeconiah. In Jeremiah 36:30 we read: “Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.” I remind you that Jehoiakim was the father of Jeconiah. God cut off that line.
Now the remarkable thing is that there are two recorded genealogies of Jesus Christ, and there is a reason for that. The one recorded in Matthew chapter 1 leads to Joseph. It comes from David, through Solomon and Jeconiah, to Joseph. Joseph’s line gave to Jesus the legal title to the throne. But Joseph was not the father of Jesus. Jesus is not a descendant of that line. The second genealogy is in Luke 3:23–38. This is the genealogy of Mary, and it does not come through Solomon but comes through another son of David, Nathan. There is no curse and no judgment on that line. The Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born, and He came through Mary’s line. That is where He got the blood title to the throne of David. I find this to be one of the most remarkable things that has occurred in this world?
That is why God calls the earth to listen: “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.” He wants the earth to see that this is the way He has worked it out. God’s purposes will not be thwarted. He is able to bring judgment upon whomever He wills; yet He was able to fulfill His promise that the coming Messiah would be a descendant of King David.
CHAPTERS 23–24
Theme: Bright light in a dark day and parable of two baskets of figs
Every cloud has a silver lining, so the song says, and the dark clouds of the previous chapter also have a silver lining. It never got so dark that the prophets could not see light at the end of the tunnel. After chapter 22, which has the harshest judgment in the Bible against Coniah, the sun breaks through. However, we’ll have two more verses before we see the sun—
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord [Jer. 23:1].
The “pastors” here are not preachers. He will speak about the religious rulers later on. Here the pastors refer to the kings, the politicians, the people who are ruling, the ones who are responsible for the laws of the land. God says, “Woe be unto them.”
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord [Jer. 23:2].
God said He was going to judge them, and He did.
Now the sun breaks through:
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord [Jer. 23:3–4].
God says, “The day is coming when I intend to take over, and when I do, the poor will be taken care of.” This refers specifically to the return of the Jews to their land after the present dispensation has closed and the church has been raptured. At that time the King whom they once rejected will tenderly set over them faithful shepherds. It will be an altogether different type of government from what we have in the world now.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth [Jer. 23:5].
There is a King coming in David’s line. The king Coniah and all of his line, although they are in David’s line, shall be rejected and cut off. However, no one can destroy God’s purpose, although they may think they can. God knows what He will do. We know from the New Testament that through another line, the line of Nathan, another son of David, came a peasant by the name of Mary, a girl up in Nazareth, who bore Jesus, the Messiah, the King. When Jesus presented Himself to the world, He said, “… Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). Since you can’t have a kingdom without the king, in effect He was saying to the people, “Your King is here!” The people rejected the King, but He had the last word. He said that someday the King would come back and set up that kingdom.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS [Jer. 23:6].
Have you ever heard of this as a plank in apolitical platform? I have never heard a candidate claim that he is righteous and that he will follow God’s plan and program for government.I’ve heard politicians make almost every other claim under the sun but that one! They wouldn’t dare make it. But righteousness will characterize the kingdom when the Lord Jesus Christ reigns.
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
But, the Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land [Jer. 23:7–8].
This is one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Word of God. The oldest religious holiday celebrated today is the Jewish Passover. Regardless of whether the Jew is reformed or orthodox, he remembers the Passover, because it is the celebration of the miraculous deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt. Now God is saying, “The day is coming when I will bring them back into their land that they will forget the deliverance out of Egypt and they will remember this new deliverance which I intend to accomplish.” It will be that tremendous! Obviously God is not through with the nation Israel, my friend.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.
They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you [Jer. 23:16–17].
The false prophets persisted in prophesying peace. God repudiates them. Today there are dreamers who are talking about how they are going to bring in world peace, and all of them are talking along that same line. God says, “You won’t do it—you can’t do it.” God said through Isaiah, “There is no peace … unto the wicked” (Isa. 48:22). The problem is not that the people don’t want peace; the trouble is that the heart of man is desperately wicked. We don’t realize how bad we really are. Wicked men in power today cannot bring peace on this earth. If they could, it would be a contradiction of the Word of God.
God turns now to the religious rulers.
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied [Jer. 23:21]
He has already said you can’t trust the political rulers. They cannot bring in peace. They ignore the poor. Now God says that He did not send the bunch of prophets that were filling the land in that day. God denies that their message comes from Him. God rejected both the political rulers and the religious rulers.
Today I believe that God would say the same thing to the world. Who is seeking God in our day? The religious rulers of the world are out for religion. They are religious up to their eyebrows and are so pious, but how many of them are seeking out the living and true God?
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour [Jer. 23:30]
The contemporary liberal theologians are casting reflections upon the Word of God, saying it is not truly the Word of God, thereby stealing it out of the hearts of the people. I would cringe if I were one of the godless college professors or godless preachers who is wrecking the faith of believers. God says that He is going to do something about it someday. God is in no hurry—don’t be deceived because God’s judgment against an evil work is not executed speedily. That day of judgment is coming. It is in the hearts of the sons of man to do evil. They think they are getting by with it. God says, “I have eternity ahead of Me, and I am still running this show. The time will come when I will judge the religious rulers.”
Chapter 24 is a sort of appendix, relating a vision given after Jeconiah had been carried away into captivity. Therefore it was during the early part of Zedekiah’s reign. In a vision Jeremiah was shown two baskets of figs (the fig tree is a well-known symbol of Judah). One basket contained good figs and the other very bad figs. They symbolized two classes of people in Judah.
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up [Jer. 24:5–6].
Notice that God had sent them away into captivity “for their good.” He promises to watch over them and eventually restore them (a remnant) to their land. That their restoration to the land does not refer to the return under Ezra and Nehemiah is clear from the final words “and not pluck them up.” Obviously they have been plucked up again. The reference is to their restoration during the Millennium when “they shall return unto me with their whole heart” (v. 7).
The bad figs represented Zedekiah and those who remained in Jerusalem and finally went down to Egypt in defiance of God’s Word.
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them [Jer. 24:9].
Secular history gives us the accurate fulfillment of this prophecy which Jeremiah faithfully delivered to his people.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: God spells out seventy-year captivity
This chapter deals with a prophecy which was given about seventeen or eighteen years before that of the previous chapter. (Keep in mind that the Book of Jeremiah is not arranged in a chronological order.) The son of Josiah, Jehoiakim, was on the throne. He was very different from his godly father, as 2 Kings 24:4 records: “…he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon.”
Jeremiah makes this pointed charge:
And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear [Jer. 25:4].
Because they will not hear God’s Word, the land will be invaded by Babylon.
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations [Jer. 25:9].
“Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant”—God calls Nebuchadrezzar His servant! (The variant spelling Nebuchadrezzar is probably more nearly correct than the common Nebuchadnezzar.) He was God’s instrument of judgment.
A great many people wonder why the land of Israel is not a land flowing with milk and honey today. There is a desperate need for water in that land. God said He would make it a perpetual desolation, and He intends to let the world know that He not only judged the people but He also judged the land. There is a judgment of God upon that land specifically just as the curse of sin is on the entire earth—the earth does not produce what it is capable of producing because of the curse of sin upon it.
Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle [Jer. 25:10].
God will take away from them all the fun they have been having. Neither will there be any more marrying and giving in marriage. “The sound of the millstones” will cease, which means that business and commerce will end. “The light of the candle”—they won’t enjoy evenings at home anymore.
And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years [Jer. 25:11].
When God is dealing with the nation of Israel, He deals with the calendar. He spells out time in relation to their history. When God deals with the church, He does not give any times. Therefore you and I are not able to say when the Lord Jesus is coming. We have no right to say even that He is coming soon—we have not been told the time of His coming.
The seventy-year period of time is very significant. When the people of Israel were about to enter the land, the Lord told them that every seventh year was to be a Sabbath in which the ground was to lie fallow (see Lev. 25). Not only did God promise blessing if His Word was obeyed, but He warned of judgment if it was not. If they walked contrary to Him, He would walk contrary to them. Notice that God foresaw their disobedience: “Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it” (Lev. 26:34–35). For approximately 490 years the sabbatic year was not kept—seventy Sabbaths had been neglected. God says through Jeremiah that for seventy years they will live in a strange country while their land has its rest. Then after the lost sabbatic years have been made up, Israel will be permitted to return to the land. Listen to Jeremiah:
And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations [Jer. 25:12].
At the time of Jeremiah this was a prophecy. It is now history. God has done that. There is no argument here.
THE WINE CUP OF FURY
At the time this prophecy was given, Nebuchadnezzar had already deported to Babylon Jehoiachin with all his nobles, soldiers, and artificers. Those who remained under Zedekiah were all paying tribute (taxes) to Babylon. All the kings after Josiah were evil. Jeremiah had pronounced final judgment—Nebuchadnezzar would come and destroy Jerusalem and take all but a small remnant into captivity. He has told them that the captivity will definitely last for seventy years. But that does not conclude his prophecy.
He gives them now a picture using the figure of the wine cup of the wrath of God. This is a figure of speech that several of the prophets used. They spoke of the sin of man as he continues in rebellion against God.
For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
Then took I the cup at the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the Lord had sent me [Jer. 25:15–17].
Now he lists the nations.
To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day [Jer. 25:18].
First, of course, Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, the kings and the princes are mentioned. Although this especially relates to the sin of Israel, it is not confined to God’s own people. All the nations of the world are guilty. Like a wine cup gets full, there is a filling up of the wrath of God.
After Israel, he mentions Egypt:
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people [Jer. 25:19].
Then He mentions Uz and the land of the Philistines and Ashkelon and Azzah and Ekron and Ashdod and Edom and Moab and Ammon and Tyre and Zidon and “the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea” (v. 22). They all are to take the wine cup of the wrath of God. Man’s sin and continuous rebellion against God is like a wine cup which is filling up with God’s anger. When it is full, the judgment of God will break upon the earth.
Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you [Jer. 25:27].
He makes them drink that cup, which is, of course, the judgment of God. All of the nations in the area of Israel and beyond it were to be judged of God because they had gotten so far away from Him. This reveals the fact that all the nations of the world are responsible to God.
Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth [Jer. 25:30].
The judgment would not be confined to Israel. Babylon, you see, will be God’s instrument of judgment, and we know from history that Babylon did become the first great world power which dominated all the nations of the civilized world at that time.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth [Jer. 25:32].
This is descriptive of the tremendous movement of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, as he moved out over the civilized world of his day and brought even Egypt and Tyre and Sidon—these great powers—under his sovereignty. The verses that conclude this chapter give a graphic description of the day of the Lord’s anger with the nations and their “shepherds,” or kings.
CHAPTERS 26–28
Theme: Message in temple court during reign of Jehoiakim and parable of yokes
You may recall that in chapter 7 Jeremiah was told to stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and speak to the people. Here he is told to stand in the court.
Thus saith the Lord; stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word [Jer. 26:2].
This is a message that he had already given in the time of Jehoiakim. Now it is repeated at the time of Zedekiah. Chapters 26–30 record the message which delivered the final words of God to these people before the captivity.
I am of the opinion that the people were still coming to the temple as usual. There was this outward show of worship, and there was prosperity in the land at that time; nobody seemed to be complaining. It looked as if God were being petulant to make such prophecies, but in actuality the people were far from God, and there was awful sin in the land. Jeremiah was to continue to cry out against this.
If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings [Jer. 26:3].
“That I may repent me of the evil.” When God repents, it does not mean that He has changed His mind. He means that the people have changed. If the people will change, God will not judge; He will bless. It looks as if God had changed His mind, but the fact is that God will always punish sin and will always pardon the sinner who will come to Him. That never changes. When a sinner, who has been under the judgment of God, turns to God and is blessed and saved, it looks as if God has changed His mind. However, in fact, it is the sinner who has changed his mind. God tells them that if they will change, then He will not destroy them; He will not judge them.
And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;
Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth [Jer. 26:4–6].
“Then will I make this house like Shiloh”—meaning that it would be destroyed.
“And will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth”—Jerusalem has been a burden to this world, and it is at the present moment. At the time I am writing this commentary, Jerusalem does not even belong to the nation Israel; it is like a pawn on the chessboard of the earth controlled by Russia and America. God said that He would make it a burden to all nations, and He certainly has done that.
JEREMIAH THREATENED WITH DEATH
Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die [Jer. 26:8].
Things are getting bad. They have resisted the message of God through Jeremiah, and now they want to kill Jeremiah. Now this gets rather complicated because there are three groups in this section: the princes, the priests and the prophets, and the people.
Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears [Jer. 26:11].
The priests and the prophets were of one mind; they had determined his death. They never changed their minds about that at all. However, the princes decided they had better hear Jeremiah, and the people who had been of the same mind as the priests and prophets came over on the side of the princes.
Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.
Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you [Jer. 26:12–3].
He makes it clear why God is threatening to judge them.
Let’s keep in mind that it was considered blasphemy when Jeremiah prophesied that the city and the temple would be destroyed. This branded him as a heretic. The false prophets were saying that God would never let the temple fall. It was His temple, and Jerusalem was His city. God would not let that happen. Jeremiah said, “You are entirely wrong. You are disassociating religion from morality.”
This is a problem with a number of people who are very fundamental in their belief. They make the Word of God almost a fetish. I don’t believe there is anyone more fundamental in his doctrine than I am. People say that I lean backwards, I am so fundamental. But I do want to say that it is entirely wrong to divorce morality from your faith, be it ever so fundamental. One can make religion and the Word of God a sort of good-luck charm.
It reminds me of the story of a soldier who carried a New Testament in his pocket. The bullet hit the book in his shirt pocket, and that saved his life. Well, the book didn’t stop the bullet because it was a New Testament—t could have been any kind of a book. How foolish to make the Word of God a sort of fetish.
Oh, my friend, we can’t divorce our manner of life from the teachings of the Word of God and still expect His blessing. This is what the false prophets were doing. And in our day many folk are saying, “Because I am fundamental in my doctrine, no harm can come to me.” Well, it can come to you. When you and I get away from God, He will judge us.
I point out again how interesting it is that the priests and the false prophets did not change their minds about putting Jeremiah to death. The princes did, and that is the thing that saved the life of Jeremiah. The princes were willing to hear him. It has been my experience that when a spiritual authority becomes corrupt and debased it is far more evil than when the politicians become corrupt and debased. When the civil authority is corrupt, that is bad; but when the religious authority becomes corrupt, that is a lot worse. Let me remind you that it was the priests who put the Lord Jesus to death on the cross. It was the religious rulers who insisted that He must die; they were the ones who persuaded the people to shout, “Crucify Him!” And the religious leaders in Jeremiah’s time were determined to kill him.
This reveals another fallacy: We hear the expression, Vox populi, vox Dei, that is, “the voice of the people is the voice of God.” There are a lot of people in America who believe that. They consider public opinion as the authority. However, the mass of people is a fickle crowd that will follow one TV personality after another. It will elect a man to office if he has charisma even though he may be the biggest fool in the world and utterly corrupt in his life. The voice of the people is the very worst basis for authority. I thank God that He is not going to let the world vote the Lord Jesus into office! If God were to put it up to a public vote, Jesus Christ would never enter into His kingdom. I rejoice that God will send the Lord Jesus to this earth to put down rebellion.
During those last troubled days of the kingdom of Judah, God is saying that the people are wrong, the princes are wrong, the priests are wrong, and the prophets are wrong. Jeremiah isn’t even sure of himself; he is only sure that he is giving out the Word of God.
The Word of God is the only and final authority. People today are turning to the signs of the zodiac and the horoscope—we have mentioned the utter foolishness of that. But we find some Christians, often ministers and leaders, who feel that they are a final authority. I appreciate this Book of Jeremiah. It helps me, because I confess that the more I study the Word of God the more aware I am of my own ignorance of it. It disturbs me that so many men think they know it all and are the final authority.
It is said that Socrates made the statement that he was the wisest man in Athens. When asked on what grounds he made such a claim he replied that he was the wisest man because he realized that his wisdom was worthless!
The only claim I can make today is that I know I am ignorant of the Word of God. A Persian proverb puts it this way:
He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a child. Teach him.
He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows and knows that he knows is wise. Follow him.
—Author unknown
I will accept the first three statements, but not the last one, because I don’t think we do know. This is also Jeremiah’s position—all he knows is the Word of God. Although the false prophets insist that nothing is going to happen, Jeremiah believes God, and he knows something is going to happen.
In chapter 27 the message is to go out again to all the nations that they are to yield to the king of Babylon. This time his message is illustrated—
Thus saith the Lord to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,
And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah [Jer. 27:2–3].
God reminds these nations that He is the Creator and He gives power to whomever He chooses—
And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him [Jer. 27:6].
Although God clearly told these nations to yield to the king of Babylon, they did not obey. Had they done as He said, they would have saved literally thousands of human lives—
And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand [Jer. 27:8].
HANANIAH, THE FALSE PROPHET
Chapter 28 prophecy of the yokes. One of the false prophets, Hananiah, refutes the prophecy of Jeremiah and claims to give the true Word of the Lord:
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord’s, house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:
And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon [Jer. 28:2–4].
Well, Jeremiah made it clear that Hananiah was not a prophet of God and that he was giving the people a lie. Hananiah actually took the wooden yoke from off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it, saying, “Thus saith the Lord; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years (v. 11).”
As a judgment upon him, God said to tell him that he would die within the year. Notice what happened:
Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.
So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month [Jer. 28:15–17].
He died, just as God said he would.
You would think this would alert the people and they would say, “Look, Jeremiah is the one who is calling the shots. Jeremiah is the one who is giving us God’s Word.” However, they were not convinced, but went on in their rebellion against the Word of God.
Judah listened to the wrong voices, and we have done the same thing in our own recent history. Since the time of World War II we have not had any true leaders in this country. Someone once asked Gladstone, the great English jurist, what was the mark of a great statesman. He gave this answer: “A great statesman is a man who knows the direction God is going for the next fifty years.” My friend, we certainly have not had leaders like that. As a result, we have missed a great opportunity as a nation for leadership in the world, and the great middle class of our nation has been corrupted. We are headed down, just as England went down, and just as Judah went down. We have refused to listen to the Word of God.
CHAPTER 29
Theme: Message of hope to first delegation of captives
JEREMIAH’S LETTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon [Jer. 29:1].
Chapter 29 records Jeremiah’s letter to the people who had been taken into captivity when Jehoiachin was king (see 2 Kings 24:10–6). The complete captivity of Judah came eleven years later (2 Kings 25:1–).
This is God’s instruction to them:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished [Jer. 29:4–6].
That is, settle down in Babylon. Don’t think you will be released any moment. Go ahead and plan for your future—et married and establish homes, because you are going to be there a long time.
And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace [Jer. 29:7].
“Seek the peace of the city” in which you are living, and pray for it. They were not to rebel or instigate revolt. They were to settle down and be law-abiding citizens.
For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place [Jer. 29:10].
God tells them the exact number of years they will be in captivity, then assures them that He has not forsaken them but will restore them to their homeland.
LIES OF THE FALSE PROPHETS
There were false prophets in Babylon who refused to accept Jeremiah’s letter as a message from God. They wrote letters to Jerusalem claiming that God had appointed a new priest and that Jeremiah was to be silenced.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord [Jer. 29:30–2].
Of course, God pronounces a judgment against these false prophets.
God speaks very impressively in history. He has told Judah that what is happening to them is happening because of their sin. He will always judge sin. God has not changed. Many people would like to think that the God of the New Testament is different from the God of the Old Testament. He is the same Person; He hasn’t changed one bit. He hasn’t grown old. He hasn’t even learned anything new. He is the same God.
Not only has God spoken in history, but He has spoken in His Word. Listen to Simon Peter: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20). “Knowing this first”—this is primary stuff, something we should learn in the first grade. There are two ways this verse has been understood which are incorrect. One is that when you study prophecy, you need to consider the whole of prophecy; you cannot take one prophecy by itself and study it to the exclusion of others. That is a true statement, but it is not what this passage is teaching. Then there are those who say you have no right to interpret prophecy on your own. Well, that not only takes away the freedom of the first amendment from me, but it also removes the free will that God gave to me. This is not what Peter is saying. He is not speaking at all about the end result of God’s revelation; what he is talking about is the origin of it. No writing of Scripture was of private interpretation at its origin. The prophets who wrote and spoke in olden times are not giving you the result of their observations. They are speaking what God told them to speak.
When you and I approach the Word of God, we must come to the place where we are ready to lie in the dust. I do not mean to simply acknowledge that we are nothing, that we are sinners; but we must be willing to lay into the dust our opinions, our self-will, and our own viewpoints—to put it all down and listen to what God has to say. This was the problem with the priests and prophets and princes in Jeremiah’s day. It is our problem today. Every man has his own little viewpoint, is doing his own little thing, carrying his own little placard of protest—and he’s doing it out of limited knowledge.
God has all knowledge—He has all the facts, knows all the background. It is unbelievable that some people presume to sit in judgment of Him. Little man stands up and says, “Lord, if You’re up there—and I’m not sure You are; I’m pretty hard to convince because I have a giant intellect, and my intellect says You may not even be up there—but if You’re up there, I just want to say that You are wrong.” Oh, my friend, what arrogance! If a little, old ant were to crawl into my house and onto my chair and look at me and say, “Look, I don’t like the way you built this house; I don’t like the way you plant flowers and trees around here; and I don’t like what you eat,” do you know what I would do to that ant? I would flick him off my chair and step on him. That would be the end of that little ant! But God is so gracious to man. He doesn’t step on us. He has given us a second chance.
CHAPTER 30
Theme: The coming Great Tribulation
Chapters 30–39 form the fourth major section of the Book of Jeremiah, and they contain prophecies concerning the future of the twelve tribes of Israel and the near captivity of Judah. The prophecies in this section are not in chronological order.
The message in these chapters comes from Jeremiah to Judah in the darkest days she has ever had. It never got so dark that he didn’t have a wonderful message of encouragement, however.
This is the situation: the army of Nebuchadnezzar is outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem, and they mean business. This time Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the city and burn the temple. Jeremiah has been arrested and shut up in the courtyard. Literally, he is in jail. It has been seven years since he had his conflict with the false prophets. Events have moved along rather quietly, but every day reveals the accuracy of Jeremiah’s message. The false prophet sHananiah had said that the power of Babylon would be broken within two years. Seven years have gone by, and Nebuchadnezzar is outside the city wall. His power is not going to be broken; instead he is about to break Jerusalem. The vessels of the Lord’s house are not going to be restored to the temple. Jeconiah will not be returned to the city. Things have gone from bad to worse. They are out of the frying pan into the fire. The life of the nation of Judah has gone down. With Jerusalem already under the shadow of Babylon, God’s prophet is held captive by the rebellious spirit of a sinning nation which refuses to hear the Word of the Lord.
Can any hour be darker? Can any circumstances be more calculated to fill the heart with despair? Yet it is at this time that the prophetic note of Jeremiah’s message goes all the way from the basement to the top floor of the Empire State Building. He is no longer singing low bass; now he’s going to sing high tenor, if you please. He is going to reach the heights. He has come all the way through darkness into the light. The night cometh, but also the morning is coming.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book [Jer. 30:1–2].
He is writing his prophecy now. After all, he’s in jail; he won’t be in the pulpit on Sunday morning.
For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace [Jer. 30:3–5].
Believe me, the people had gotten the message from Jeremiah that there would be no peace. The false prophets had said, “Peace, peace,” and there was none.
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it [Jer. 30:6–7].
Jeremiah sees the great Day of the Lord coming of which the other prophets, including Isaiah, also spoke. They said it is to be a day of darkness and not of light, that the people will go through the night of the Great Tribulation Period before they will see the brightness of day. In effect God is saying, “You haven’t seen anything yet. The Great Tribulation Period will be far worse than what you are going through now.”
THE COMING KINGDOM
For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them [Jer. 30:8–9].
Out of that awful time of trouble, the people of Israel will return to the land. David will be raised from the dead and will rule over them as they enter the kingdom age.
Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwelling-places; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof [Jer. 30:18].
This is the sure promise of the Lord. When will these things take place?—
The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it [Jer. 30:24].
“In the latter days”—this is a prophecy which is to be fulfilled in the future. It refers to the kingdom age which is, of course, still future in our day.
CHAPTER 31
Theme: The “I Will” chapter
Chapters 30 through 33 constitute one very bright and encouraging song. Up to this point Jeremiah’s emphasis has been upon judgment, but his message now is in sharp contrast to that. E. W. Hengstenburg calls these chapters “the triumphal hymn of Israel’s salvation.” They were written at the darkest moment in the history of Judah.
As the last king of Judah, Zedekiah corresponds to Hoshea who was the final ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel. But, of course, the northern kingdom of Israel has long since departed and gone into captivity. At this moment Nebuchadnezzar’s army is outside the wall of Jerusalem, ready to destroy the city and burn the temple. The promises of the false prophets have been proven false. Seven years earlier Hananiah had said that Babylon would be broken within two years. But Nebuchadnezzar is not broken; he is alive—too much alive for the people of Judah.
Jeremiah’s message is a message of encouragement. In chapter 30 he spoke of the Day of the Lord opening with the Great Tribulation Period. In verse 7 of that chapter he called it “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” But beyond the Great Tribulation is coming the restoration of the land and the return of the people to it.
I have labeled chapter 31 “the ‘I will’ chapter,” because “I will” occurs fifteen times, and the One who says it is none other than God. When God says “I will” fifteen times, He is telling us what He is going to do.
At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people [Jer. 31:1].
This prophecy has not yet been fulfilled; that time has not come. The present return of Israel to the land cannot be interpreted as being the fulfillment of this prophecy—because they have not returned to God. I am told there is real persecution of Christians in that land today. They talk about religious freedom, but it does not really exist. The people have returned to the land, but they have not returned to the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee [Jer. 31:2–3].
We have here the reason God is going to restore the people to the land. I believe with all my heart that God intends to restore the nation Israel to that land in His own time and in His own plan and in His own purpose. The basis for that is given right here: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” This verse ranks high among the many favorite statements in the Word of God.
There are those who will ask, “How can God love these people?” That is a good question, but let’s widen it out just a little and ask, “How can God love us today?” He has said, “…God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). Not only does God love Israel, He loves the world—He loves you and me. It is easy to point a finger at the Jews and be critical of them, but God says, “I have loved thee [Israel] with an everlasting love.” There is nothing you can do with that—God has said it. Instead of pointing the finger at others, we need to turn it around and point at ourselves. In God’s sight we are as great sinners as anyone who is still unbelieving. It took the death of Christ to provide a redemption for you and me. Don’t limit it to a few and say, “How can God love them?” My friend, how can God love me? How can God love you? We should be amazed that He loved any of us.
Frederick W. Faber has expressed this very well in a song:
How Thou canst think so well of us
Yet be the God Thou art,
Is darkness to my intellect
But sunshine to my heart.
“I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” “Everlasting”—I must confess that I know very little about the meaning of that word. I once asked a little boy, “How long is everlasting and how long is never?” He simply answered, “I reckon it’s a pretty long time.”
“Love”—what is love, by the way? The only explanation I have for why God loves us is that it is not because of anything He sees in us but it is because of who He is. He finds the explanation in Himself. John wrote “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us…” (1 John 4:10). Now that is love. Cramer commented on what John said: “The love of God toward us comes from love, and has no other cause above or beside itself, but is in God, and remains in God, so that Christ Who is in God is its Centre” (in Studies in the Prophecy of Jeremiah, G. Campbell Morgan, p. 167). God loves you and me, my friend, and I really cannot tell you why.
Again, let me quote Faber:
Yet Thou dost think so well of us,
Because of what Thou art;
Thy love illumines our intellect,
Yet fills with fear our heart.
I am overwhelmed by the love of God. If He were to change His mind tomorrow, I would be eternally lost and so would you. But He says His love is everlasting, and that’s a pretty long time.
I have a great many amillennial friends who believe that God is through with the nation Israel. May I say to you, if He’s through with Israel, then He’s through with you and He’s through with me. But He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” It doesn’t make any difference what you and I think—God is not through with Israel.
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither [Jer. 31:8].
It is going to be such a big undertaking to bring the people back to the land you might think that He would leave the blind and the lame behind and just bring the best physical specimens. God says, “Nothing of the kind. I am going to bring them all back.”
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn [Jer. 31:9].
“I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” God never said that He was Father to any individual Israelite. He said, “Moses, My servant” (see Josh. 1:2), and “David, My servant” (see Ps. 89:3). But when He speaks of the whole nation as a corporate body, God says, “I am a father to Israel” (see Exod. 4:22).
Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock [Jer. 31:10].
I am grateful that the Lord has given to me a radio ministry that reaches around the world each day. I am delighted that I can say what God also says, that I want the isles of the earth to hear the message. I want all mankind to hear that He scattered Israel. It was a judgment upon them, but He loves them with an everlasting love, and He is going to bring them back to the land.
He loved Israel and He judged them. This is a bittersweet message. All through Jeremiah you have a note of joy, but you also have a note of sorrow. It is like the Chinese dishes that are called “sweet and sour.” God judged Israel, but He also said, “He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.” And a shepherd really watches over his flock.
God is not through saying what He will do:
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord [Jer. 31:13–14].
I don’t know about you, but this makes me feel like saying, “Hallelujah!” and throwing my hat in the air. This is what God says He is going to do for Israel; let’s allow Him to say it, for it’s what He wants to do.
Yet Israel’s immediate condition was tragic. They had rebelled against God, and they were backslidden.
How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man [Jer. 31:22].
There are those who believe that this verse refers to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, and I see no reason to rule that out.
Beginning at verse 31 we have the new covenant that God intends to make with Israel—all twelve tribes. And if you think that ten of the tribes are lost, God does not. He is going to make this covenant with all twelve tribes.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people [Jer. 31:31–33].
This new covenant is going to be different from the one given to Moses at Mount Sinai. The grand distinction is that it will be engraved upon the hearts of the people and not upon cold tables of stone.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more [Jer. 31:34].
Their sins will be forgiven.
Notice how God confirms this covenant to Israel:
Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:
If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever [Jer. 31:35–36].
This covenant will never be changed or abrogated. Just as we cannot change the course of the moon or pull it out of the sky, so His covenant with Israel cannot be changed. On a trip to the moon we brought back two hundred pounds of rock. If we kept doing that for a few million years, maybe we would eventually move the whole thing to earth—but I don’t think we’re going to do that! God says this is an everlasting covenant that He will make with them.
CHAPTERS 32–33
Theme: Imprisoned Jeremiah buys real estate; coming kingdom as promised to David
In chapter 32 Jeremiah is in prison, and Jerusalem is under siege by Nebuchadnezzar; yet Jeremiah buys a piece of real estate in Anathoth!
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house [Jer. 32:1–2].
Notice how Jeremiah pinpoints the time: it was “the tenth year of Zedekiah,” the year Nebuchadnezzar breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed it. It was a dark day indeed.
Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it [Jer. 32:7].
The Lord told Jeremiah that he would have the opportunity to buy a piece of land from his relative, Hanameel.
And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver [Jer. 32:9].
At the darkest hour in Judah’s history, Jeremiah buys real estate—this was the time to be selling real estate! I imagine that the real estate men in Jerusalem and the surrounding country were dumping all the real estate they possibly could. Why did Jeremiah buy this piece of land at this time? It was to show the people he believed God when He said that they were going to return to the land. This is very remarkable.
But Jeremiah had a question which was too hard for him to answer, and in the following verses he brings this question to the Lord in prayer.
Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord, saying,
Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee [Jer. 32:16–17].
Jeremiah’s question is too hard for him to answer, but it is not too hard for God.
In verses 18 through 23, Jeremiah recounts the way the Lord has protected and provided for Israel down through her history, but now the situation is very grave.
Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
And thou hast said unto me, O Lord God, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans [Jer. 32:24–25].
Jeremiah is no hypocrite. He trusts the God who made heaven and earth, the God who had so wonderfully cared for Israel. But now the Chaldeans are right outside the city and are going to take it; yet God told Jeremiah to buy a field. He obeyed, but it didn’t make good sense to him. So he brings his question to the Lord.
My friend, there is nothing wrong with asking why. If you have a doubt or a question, talk to the Lord about it. That is what He wants us to do. Just don’t put up this pious hypocritical front that we sometimes see. While he says he trusts the Lord, he is crying and complaining and asking why. Let’s be honest like Jeremiah. He obeyed the Lord, but he admitted his doubts, taking them to the Lord in prayer.
God answers Jeremiah’s prayer in verses 26 through 44.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? [Jer. 32:26–27].
The Lord begins by putting down the axiom that nothing is too hard for Him.
And now therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
And they shall be my people, and I, will be their God:
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me [Jer. 32:36–40].
God is delivering the city over to the Chaldeans, and in His own time He will deliver the city from the Chaldeans.
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them [Jer. 32:41–42].
Now Jehovah is delivering Judah unto judgment. In a future day, He will deliver them in mercy—this is His promise.
When we go to God and let Him know how we feel, He will encourage our hearts as He did for Jeremiah. Oh, my friend, He wants you to come to Him.
The day is very dark for Judah, but God allows Jeremiah to look down through the tunnel to where light can be seen at the other end. In chapter 33 God confirms and reaffirms the covenant that He made with David. There is a day coming when He will restore the people to the land of Israel and to fellowship with Himself.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying [Jer. 33:1].
Jeremiah is still in jail, you see.
Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not [Jer. 33:2–3].
This last verse I have heard quoted frequently at testimony meetings. It is a very wonderful verse, but I think it is more meaningful if it is remembered in the context of this chapter. Despite the fact that he is in prison, this man was told by God to buy a piece of real estate. Jeremiah acted by faith and bought the real estate, but he has a great many questions in his mind. Why was God permitting Judah to go into captivity? Frankly, I think it is an example of great faith when a believer has these moments of doubt. Someone will ask, how that can be. My friend, if you are walking with God and are in fellowship with Him, He is so wonderful and He does such wonderful things that there will be times when you do not understand what He is doing. Our question is bound to be, “Why are You doing this?” Don’t you have questions like that?
I have had questions like that. I remember one evening going to the hospital to see my wife and our firstborn baby. The nurse said to me, “The doctor wants to speak to you,” and she looked very serious. The doctor said to me, “The little baby died.” He hadn’t told my wife, so he and I went in and told her and we wept together. I walked out (I never shall forget) to an open-air porch there at the hospital. It was summertime, and I looked up at the heavens and the stars. I had a question. Do you know what that question was? Why? Why? I still look up and ask that same question. Over the years I have learned to put my hand in His and just keep walking in the dark. Many times I talk this over with Him, and I tell Him about my doubts, but I also tell Him that I trust Him. I’m glad that Jeremiah was that kind of a man. And there are other men in Scripture who also had questions they asked God. In the Book of Habakkuk, we find that Habakkuk had a lot of questions. In fact, his book is just a great big “WHY?”. Jonah also had some questions to ask the Lord. My friend, such questions are not a revelation of a lack of faith, but it is hypocrisy to pretend that we have accepted God’s ways and are walking in complete submission to Him when actually we are having questions deep inside. I believe that God wants us to be completely honest with Him above everything else. And this is His promise to us: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Now God is going to reaffirm the covenant He made with David in 2 Samuel 7. He made a covenant with David that there would be one to sit on his throne forever. This covenant became the theme song of every prophet, so much so that they all sound like a stuck record. They all refer back to this covenant and rest upon it. Listen to Jeremiah:
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land [Jer. 33:14–15].
“In those days” refers to the day which is coming, the Day of the Lord.
“The Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David.” There hasn’t been a righteous branch so far except One, the One who was born in Bethlehem.
“He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.” We haven’t had any ruler like that yet.
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness [Jer. 33:16].
“The Lord our righteousness” in the Hebrew is Jehovah-tsidkenu. If you and I have any righteousness it is in Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness.
For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel [Jer. 33:17].
Where do you think this man is today? There is not an Israelite on topside of the earth who can make the claim to David’s throne. The One who has that claim is sitting at God’s right hand as the psalmist explained: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1). God is busy calling out a people to His name, getting things ready to put His Son on the throne of this universe.
And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying,
Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me [Jer. 33:19–22].
At the time this prophecy was given, Zedekiah was on the throne of Judah. He was as corrupt as any man ever was. Nebuchadnezzar will put out his eyes and carry him intocaptivity. You would think that this would put an end to the line of David. It would end the line of any other nation, I can assure you. There is no one around to claim the throne of the king of Babylon. There is no one to take Alexander the Great’s place. There is no Pharaoh in Egypt today. But there is One in David’s line who can claim his throne. God says that He intends to put Him on the throne of this universe someday. This is a great prophecy and one which is very difficult to ignore or to spiritualize. I think God means exactly what He says.
CHAPTERS 34–36
Theme: Zedekiah’s captivity foretold; Rechabites obey God and Jehoiakim destroys Word of God
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying,
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.
Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword:
But thou shalt die in peace:, and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord [Jer. 34:1–5].
Jeremiah is to prophesy that the city of Jerusalem is to be burned with fire by the king of Babylon and that Zedekiah himself will be taken captive.
This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;
That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother [Jer. 34:8–9].
Zedekiah made an agreement with the people that all the Hebrew servants should be set free.
And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids [Jer. 34:15–16].
The Lord said that the covenant was “right in my sight” (see Exod. 21:2).
But Zedekiah did not make good on his covenant, and the Lord said of him, “ye turned and polluted my name.” In other words, Zedekiah profaned the name of God. By truly granting liberty to the people, Zedekiah, as king of Judah, could have demonstrated to the world that he was different, that he served the living and true God. But it was just a pretense; he didn’t make good on his promise. He not only brought himself into disrepute, but he profaned the name of God.
It is the life of the child of God that the world will always look at. God’s name and the furtherance of His Word is hurt more by those who profess to know Him than by all the godless professors in our colleges today. The lives of those who name the name of Christ can hurt His cause more than those who are unbelieving. God says, “You have polluted My name; you have profaned My name.”
The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;
I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.
And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which are gone up from you [Jer. 34:19–21].
“Which passed between the parts of the calf.” This is the way men made a covenant or a contract in that day. They took a sacrifice and cut it in half, putting half of the animal on one side and half on the other. The men then went between and joined hands. This is also the way God made His covenant with Abraham. It is like going to the notary public in our day. Zedekiah, the princes, the priests, and the people had all violated God’s covenant in not granting liberty to the servants, and therefore God pronounces this judgment upon them.
In chapter 35 we find the Rechabites who are part of the believing remnant, and they are in sharp contrast to the nation as a whole. God has given us this account to remind us that there has always been a remnant—He will never leave the world without a witness to Himself. Even in the darkest time in history the world will ever know—the Great Tribulation Period which is yet future, when the 144,000 will have been forced underground—there will still be two witnesses who are going to stand for God. That is just the way God is going to have it. Even at the time when Satan is being allowed to run the whole show, God says, “I will keep two witnesses around, and they will be inviolate—you won’t be able to touch them—until their mission has been accomplished.”
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink [Jer. 35:1–2].
The Lord tells Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites to the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.
And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever [Jer. 35:5–6].
On the basis of a command that had been given to their family many years before, the Rechabites refuse the wine that Jeremiah gives to them.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord.
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me [Jer. 35:13–15].
God draws this sharp contrast between the Rechabites who faithfully obey the commands of their earthly father and the children of Judah who have failed to hearken to the commands of their loving heavenly Father. In the remainder of the chapter He goes on to pronounce judgment on the people of Judah and blessing upon the Rechabites.
Chapter 36 reveals the attitude which Jehoiakim had toward the Word of God and the messages God sent to him through His prophet, Jeremiah.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day [Jer. 36:1–2].
God told Jeremiah to record all His words in a book; so Jeremiah dictated all of God’s words to Baruch who wrote them down for him. Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch to take the roll into the house of the Lord and read it in the hearing of all the people. When the princes heard what had taken place, they sent for Baruch and had him read the roll in their presence.
Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.
And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.
So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.
Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.
And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth [Jer. 36:19–23].
That shows you what Jehoiakim thought of the Word of God: he took it and just flung it into the fire! He didn’t care for it. He didn’t accept it. He didn’t believe it.
I am not impressed that the Bible is still the best seller of all books. Who is actually reading the Bible today? Ignoring the Bible is really no different from throwing it into the fire as Jehoiakim did. Here is a sad little jingle that someone sent to me that illustrates the condition in our country today:
“Maw, I found an old, dusty thing high
upon the shelf. Just look!”
“Why, that’s a Bible, Tommy dear, be
careful. That’s God’s Book.”
“God’s Book?” the young one said, “Then,
Maw, before we lose it
We’d better send it back to God, ’cause
you know we never use it.”
Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words [Jer. 36:24].
There was no fear or remorse because of what they had done.
If you think God is going to stop here because Jehoiakim has destroyed His Word, you are wrong.
Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned [Jer. 36:28].
God tells Jeremiah to write it all over again and to send a message to Jehoiakim:
Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost [Jer. 36:30].
This is exactly what happened to Jehoiakim. He has no one to sit upon the throne of David today. The Lord Jesus who does have claim to that throne did not come in his line. Mary was born in the line of Nathan, another son of David, and it is through her that the Lord Jesus has blood title to the throne of David. No one in the line of Jehoiakim will ever sit on that throne.
CHAPTERS 37–39
Theme: Word of God destroyed; Jeremiah imprisoned but then released; Judah begins captivity
We move now into a new section of the book which places the emphasis on the historical events. Jeremiah could be saying, “I told you so,” but he is too much involved. He is crushed and broken by the message which he has had to give to the people and now by its fulfillment as the city that he loves is destroyed and the nation he loves goes into captivity. Jeremiah has been faithful in revealing God and acting as His witness. If you want to know how God feels about all that is taking place, look into the face of Jeremiah with the tears streaming down his cheeks.
Over thirty years of ministry have gone by for Jeremiah. We saw him start as a young man of about twenty years of age, a young priest who was called to be a prophet of God. Now he is in prison, and the army of the king of Babylon is outside the walls of Jerusalem. They have been there for a long siege of eighteen months duration. Jeremiah gives some of this history in chapter 52, and more is recorded in 2 Kings and in 2 Chronicles.
This is now the third and final time that Nebuchadnezzar has come down against Jerusalem. The other two times he had taken a certain number of the people captive and had placed Zedekiah on the throne as his vassal. Zedekiah wanted to get out from under the king of Babylon, so he made an overture to Pharaoh of Egypt. Pharaoh decided to come up to try to relieve Zedekiah. Of course, what he planned to do was to put Judah under the rule of Egypt. When Pharaoh came up to Jerusalem, the commanders of Nebuchadnezzar turned aside, and instead of besieging the city they withdrew. At this point it looked as if the prophecies of Jeremiah might be wrong. So God gave to Jeremiah this very strong word:
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
Thus saith the Lord; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire [Jer. 37:7–10].
The destruction of Jerusalem was determined by God. Even though it looked as if Babylon’s armies had been frightened away, they would be back.
There are five recorded imprisonments of the prophet. The imprisonment described in this chapter was due to the fact that Jeremiah had said to the king that he was not to make an alliance with Pharaoh but was to surrender to Babylon.
And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people [Jer. 37:11–12].
While the city is being relieved, Jeremiah comes out of Jerusalem to go up to his hometown of Anathoth. Now notice what happens—
And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans [Jer. 37:13].
He made the accusation against Jeremiah that he was going over to the enemy.
Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison [Jer. 37:14–15].
Poor Jeremiah was not only put in prison, but he was put in the dungeon—for how long, we are not told. The next verse says only that it was for “many days.” This was a time of great suffering for Jeremiah, but God had not forgotten. He moved the king to call for him.
Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon [Jer. 37:17].
Then Jeremiah takes this occasion to plead for his life:
Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there [Jer. 37:20].
The king didn’t release him, but at least he saved his life.
Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison [Jer. 37:21].
Jeremiah will remain in prison now until the armies of Babylon take the city of Jerusalem.
JEREMIAH NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH
When we come to chapter 38, Jeremiah is still confined to the court of the prison, and he faithfully relays God’s Word to his people even though his personal safety is endangered.
The princes of Judah consider him a traitor to his country and a demoralizing influence among the people; so they get permission from the king to silence Jeremiah by putting him in the dungeon.
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire [Jer. 38:6].
Again God sent someone to his rescue (vv. 7–13). This is a thrilling rescue—I hope you will read the text carefully. After this, Zedekiah the king secretly asked Jeremiah to tell him what the Lord was saying to him now. And he promised to save Jeremiah from those who were seeking his life.
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house [Jer. 38:17].
Again he said, “Surrender! You can’t resist this man.”
But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.
But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live [Jer. 38:18–20].
Jeremiah is pleading with Zedekiah to surrender to save his own life and the life of his people. His refusal to follow the course of action which Jeremiah presents will doom his nation.
Zedekiah is a coward at heart. He tries to make peace with everybody and to please everybody. He is a typical politician. As a result, he pleases nobody.
But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me:
And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back [Jer. 38:21–22].
A study of this period of Judah’s history reveals that womanhood was pretty much corrupt. When womanhood becomes corrupt in any nation, there is very little hope for it on the moral plane. This is the picture here.
The foolish king will not heed the warning of God through Jeremiah. Instead he will continue to listen to the optimistic forecast of the false prophets.
In chapter 39 the awful carnage that Jeremiah had been predicting takes place.
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.
And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up [Jer. 39:1–2].
In the following verses we see the fall of Jerusalem. King Zedekiah and the army attempt to escape from the city by night, but the army of Babylon overtakes them and delivers them to Nebuchadnezzar their king.
Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.
Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon [Jer. 39:6–7].
The last chapter of the Book of Jeremiah gives a view of this horrible time in retrospect. It mentions the things that evidently were impressed upon the mind of Jeremiah. There he mentions again the fact that the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then blinded Zedekiah.
JEREMIAH RELEASED BY THE ENEMY
It is interesting to note that Nebuchadnezzar instructed his men to release Jeremiah from prison and to treat him well.
Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee [Jer. 39:12].
God was still taking care of His faithful prophet.
Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people [Jer. 39:14].
This begins that period which our Lord called “the times of the Gentiles.” He said, “… and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). I insist that Gentiles are still trodding down Jerusalem. The Gentiles are still actually in control, and Israel doesn’t really control the holy places in that land—except the Wailing Wall where they can go and weep. The words of the Lord Jesus are still true.
It is difficult for our contemporary generation to accept the fact of the judgment of God—that the judgment of God can come upon a nation, upon a family, upon an individual. Jeremiah had proclaimed the Word of Jehovah for forty years. He had denounced the sins of the people and had called these people to repentance. God had been very patient with them, and His very patience had deceived them. It enabled the false prophets to say, “See, the words of Jeremiah have not come to pass.” But now his words have come to pass, and it is too late. God is patient with people and will let them go on and on until there comes a time when there is no remedy. Judah is an outstanding example of this. God pleaded with them through Jeremiah right up to the last moment. They spurned God, and the day finally came when Nebuchadnezzar leveled the city.
Humanity—all of mankind—does not like to hear that God is going to judge. It is hard for people to believe that God ever gets angry. Some folks try to say that it is the God of the Old Testament who is a God of wrath, that the New Testament gives a different picture of God. May I say to you there is more said about divine wrath and anger in the New Testament than there is in the Old. Read Matthew 23 and listen to the frightful things said by the gentle Jesus: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.… Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt. 23:29, 33). Then read the Book of Revelation where the bowls of the wrath of God are poured out. There is nothing to equal that in the Old Testament. Don’t try to say that the God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath and the God of the New Testament is a God of love. I tell you that He is always in every age both the God of love and the God of wrath. God punishes sin. You will always find divine judgment and divine mercy side by side. The throne of God is a throne of grace, a place to find mercy and help, but that very same throne will judge this earth some day. Man today finds this very difficult to understand.
God’s laws are inexorable, and judgment is the penalty for disobedience of those laws. It seems so difficult for men to understand this in the moral and spiritual sphere when it is perfectly obvious in the natural sphere. If you don’t believe that is true, I suggest you go to Yosemite Valley where there is a sheer surface of a rock several thousand feet high called El Capitan. If you step off El Capitan, you know what will happen. In nature there are certain laws that are inexorable. If you obey them, you may live; if you disobey them, you will die.
We think it is such a wonderful feat for men to walk on the moon, and it is. But do you realize that it was possible only because those men were obeying all the natural laws of God? They didn’t dare break them. When they started for the moon, they didn’t aim for the moon; they aimed for the position the moon would be in when they would arrive there. They knew exactly where it would be at the time of their arrival because the movements of this universe are governed by laws. If those fellows had ignored those laws of space and movement, they would have been lost out there in space and would be dead.
Human history should teach us the same lesson. All we need to do is walk down through the corridor of time and look at the debris and the ashes and the wreckage of the great civilizations of this world. They testify that God is a God of vengeance, a God of punishment, a God of judgment. When nations turned from high ideals and lofty moral planes to base ideals, they went down and passed off the stage of human history. It is about time for the intellectuals in this country to begin to read history correctly and to see that God moves in human history.
Now I admit that I feel like a square for saying this, but I don’t feel bad about it because Jeremiah was also a square in his day. From our perspective in the twentieth century we can see that the king, old Zedekiah, was pigheaded! And the intellectuals, the sophisticates, the ones who had ruled God out, were stupid! So I don’t mind being called an intellectual obscurantist, because I find that I am in very good company. I am going to be like Jeremiah was—just a man who believes God.
CHAPTERS 40–42
Theme: Jeremiah prophesies to remnant left in land
In these three chapters we find Jeremiah speaking to those who were left in the land of Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem. They were the very poor, the blind, the crippled, the lame, and another group which would be called the criminal element, a hard group of people. Jeremiah chose to stay with the people in the land. He had a message for them.
JEREMIAH RELEASED
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.
And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.
Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.
And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go [Jer. 40:1–4].
Nebuchadnezzar permitted Jeremiah to do what he wished to do. He could have gone with the captives to Babylon, but, interestingly enough, Jeremiah did not want to do that. I think he would have been given special privileges if he had gone, but Jeremiah couldn’t bear to see his brethren suffer as they did there by the canals of Babylon where they sat down and hung up their harps and wept when they remembered Zion. Jeremiah did not want to go with them. They had rejected his message, and they had rejected him. In Babylon God would raise up another prophet, Ezekiel, who would speak to them. Jeremiah chose to remain in Judah with the poor remnant which were left there.
Who really loved that land? Jeremiah. Who was the real patriot? Jeremiah. Who really had the best interests of the people at heart? It was Jeremiah. This is quite obvious now.
You will remember that Jeremiah had urged them to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. I believe that if they had obeyed God and gone willingly, they would not have gone into captivity. They probably would have received the kind of treatment that Jeremiah received from Nebuchadnezzar, and they probably would have been permitted to stay in the land.
Now in verse 8 we are introduced to Ishmael who plots to murder Gedaliah whom Nebuchadnezzar had made governor over the cities of Judah.
GEDALIAH MURDERED
In chapter 41 we have the bloody record of the slaying of Gedaliah with the Chaldeans and Jews who were with him. Then Ishmael captures the people of the city (Mizpah), intending to take them to the land of the Ammonites. They are overtaken by Johanan. Then Johanan, fearing the reprisal of the king of Babylon because his governor Gedaliah had been killed, plans to escape with the whole remnant of the people to Egypt.
JEREMIAH CONSULTED
In chapter 42 we see that before leaving for Egypt Johanan and all the captains come to Jeremiah. It is interesting that the people turned to Jeremiah under these strange circumstances. They needed to know what to do. Should they stay in the land or leave the land? Where should they go?
Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do [Jer. 42:1–3].
This sounds very nice, doesn’t it? You would think that these people would actually walk with God now. They promised to obey the voice of the Lord.
Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you [Jer. 42:4].
They came to Jeremiah, and they knew that they could depend upon Jeremiah to speak the truth.
Any person who is attempting to speak for God, no matter whether his medium be the pulpit, radio, or even a soapbox, should lay aside all attempts at being clever and subtle. He should give forth the Word of God with no attempt at being sophisticated and saying smooth words to please the people. When the pulpit majors in positive thinking and ignores the negatives, it becomes weak and is only a sounding board just to say back to the people what they want to hear. Paul wrote to Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3–4). Unfortunately, I think that is much of what the modern pulpit is today. That is the reason it has become extremely weak and has no message for this hour in which we live. When the pulpit can give out God’s Word as Jeremiah did, with nothing being held back, letting it say what God means for it to say, then the Word of God will become effective again in our day.
Now Jeremiah is going to tell the remnant exactly what God says they are to do—
And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you [Jer. 42:9–10].
God assures them that He will not continue to judge them if they will obey Him. After all, God wants to bless; judgment is His strange work.
Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land [Jer. 42:11–12].
Jeremiah delivers the Word as the Lord gave it to him. It was a good word, an encouraging word. You would think by now they would know that Jeremiah spoke God’s Word, because it had been proven true. You would think they would believe God, but God knows they won’t. He adds this warning—
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it [Jer. 42:18–20].
Experience has taught them nothing. They still will not obey God. They will not hear the message from Jeremiah. God has told them not to go down into Egypt. So where will they go? They go to Egypt.
CHAPTERS 43–44
Theme: Prophecies to Remnant in Egypt
We have come now to the sixth and last section of prophecy of the book. This contains prophecies during Jeremiah’s last days in Egypt and extends from chapters 43 to 51. Chapters 43 and 44 contain his words to the remnant in Egypt.
JEREMIAH’S MESSAGE REJECTED
And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon [Jer. 43:1–3].
These people go through the same routine again. They say that God hadn’t really told Jeremiah to say that. The problem is that he is not saying what they want him to say. They had hoped he would tell them to go to Egypt. Instead, God tells them not to go into Egypt.
But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
Even men, and women, and children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they even to Tahpanhes [Jer. 43:5–7].
Johanan and the captains forced the remnant into Egypt, including the prophet Jeremiah. So they return to Tahpanhes, a place near where they had begun as a nation in the land of Goshen in Egypt. They forced Jeremiah to go with them against his will, but he still is speaking to them.
JEREMIAH’S WARNING TO THE REMNANT IN EGYPT
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah [Jer. 43:8–9].
They are back down in the brickyards of Egypt. We can see that disobedience to God does not help them to advance—they are right back where they started.
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.
And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword [Jer. 43:10–11].
They ran off to the land of Egypt to escape from Nebuchadnezzar, but God is going to permit Nebuchadnezzar to take the land of Egypt. They are worse off than if they had obeyed God and stayed in the land. They will be right back under Nebuchadnezzar; but now they are out of the land, and Nebuchadnezzar will put them into slavery.
THE REMNANT IN EGYPT REJECTS GOD
Chapter 44 records the absolute refusal of the remnant in Egypt to obey God.
Again God patiently explains that He is the One responsible for the invasion and desolation of Judah.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers [Jer. 44:2–3].
Again God gives the reason for His punishment.
Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;
In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? [Jer. 44:7–8].
What a revelation of God’s love! He still pleads with them to return to Him.
Their insolent reply is an example of the utter depravity of the human heart.
As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee.
But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil [Jer. 44:16–17].
There is nothing left for them now but judgment.
CHAPTER 45
Theme: Prophecy to Baruch
Baruch was a friend who acted as sort of an assistant to Jeremiah. He was the one who wrote the words of Jeremiah on the scroll which was sent to King Jehoiakim, and the king cut the scroll with a knife and pitched it into the fire (ch. 36). When Jeremiah was in prison and bought the property in Anathoth, Baruch carried out the transaction for him. He had the papers signed and carried through with all the necessary work for the purchase of the land (ch. 32). Finally, Baruch was taken down into Egypt with Jeremiah according to chapter 43:6.
The prophecy to Baruch which we have here in chapter 45 was actually given during the reign of Jehoiakim. That is the reason we said at the beginning of the book that although there is a certain semblance of chronological order in the Book of Jeremiah, it is not arranged chronologically. Although the prophecy was given back during the reign of Jehoiakim, it is recorded here, and I think there is a reason for that. I believe it is recorded here as an encouragement to Baruch. The Lord had already revealed to him what would happen to him if he identified himself with Jeremiah the prophet. This should be an encouragement to him when he was forced to go to Egypt with the remnant of Judah.
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch;
Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest [Jer. 45:2–3].
Things were pretty bad during the reign of Jehoiakim, but that was nothing compared with what was going to follow. The really bad time would occur after the era of Jehoiakim.
Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land [Jer. 45:4].
Even though things were going to get very much worse, God wanted Baruch to know that He was the One who was responsible for it. God assumed responsibility for what would happen to the land of Judah; therefore, Baruch could go along with the program.
And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest [Jer. 45:5].
This prophecy was given to Baruch when he was still a young man. God told him that he couldn’t expect to arrive at some high goal for himself at this tragic time in the history of the nation. He would live through very troubled times, but he would come through it with his life because God would preserve him. Now Jeremiah and Baruch, his friend and associate, are old men in Egypt. They have seen how God did preserve them through the troubled times in which they lived.
CHAPTERS 46–48
Theme: Prophecy to Egypt, Philistia, and Moab
Jeremiah is in Egypt, having been taken there against his will by the remnant who disobeyed God and went to Egypt. Now Jeremiah gives prophecies to the different nations round about.
God tells them what will happen to Egypt. The remnant which left from Judah went down to Egypt because they thought they would have peace and plenty there. God says, “I have news for you: the war is going to move down to Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will take Egypt, too”—which he did.
They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed [Jer. 46:17].
In other words, they can’t depend on Pharaoh any longer. Egypt will go down in defeat.
O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant [Jer. 46:19].
The survivors of Judah made a big mistake to put their trust in Pharaoh and in Egypt. They should have put their trust in God. They should have believed and obeyed the Lord. Yet, in spite of all that, Jeremiah includes a wonderful prophecy of comfort to them.
But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the Lord: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished [Jer. 46:27–28].
My friend, after you read these two verses, if you believe the Word of God to be true, you must believe that God is not through with the nation Israel. God tells them He must punish them but that He will not make a full end of them. Here is one of the many answers to the question “…Hath God cast away his people…” (Rom. 11:1). If we believe the Word of God, we must let this Word stand and accept it at face value.
Chapter 47 gives the prophecy of Jeremiah against the Philistine country.
This little remnant from Judah began to look from one nation to another. Where should they go? On which nation might they depend? Some of these nations were their enemies. Should they go to them for refuge? The answer is no because the land of the Philistines will be conquered also.
In chapter 48 we see a prophecy against Moab. Moab ceased from being a nation.
And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the Lord [Jer. 48:42].
The present-day Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the east bank of the Jordan River occupies the same land that the country of Moab and the people of Moab once occupied. Yet God is not through with the people of Moab. I don’t know where they are today; I doubt whether anyone could locate them. But God is able to locate them—
Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the Lord. Thus far is the judgment of Moab [Jer. 48:47].
God will bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days. Evidently Moab will enter the Millennium. However, at the time of Jeremiah, there was no use for the people to flee to Moab. They wouldn’t be safe there either.
CHAPTER 49
Theme: Prophecies to nations surrounding Israel
We have seen that the people who had been left in Judah made the mistake of going down into Egypt. They went there in disobedience to God, and they went out of the frying pan into the fire. The war was over in the land of Israel. No enemy would want to come in to take that land now. The cities had been absolutely run over, burned, left with nothing but debris. Only the ashes of a former civilization were left there. The remnant should have stayed. They could have built up their land, but instead they ran off to Egypt. God knew that Egypt would be the area of the next big campaign of Nebuchadnezzar. When he took Egypt, he would take these people for the second time. They would be captured again and would suffer again. They thought they were running away from war. They thought they were going to a land where they would have plenty to eat. They thought only of safety and full stomachs.
My friend, when our attitudes and actions and goals are not based on a desire to live for God, when God’s truth is no longer our guide, we have sunk to a low level which won’t bring peace or plenty. This has been the experience down through the annals of history. History has great lessons to teach us if we will but listen.
This chapter continues God’s prophecies through Jeremiah concerning the judgment which was coming to the nations surrounding Israel.
PROPHECY TO AMMON
The remnant of Judah need not look to Ammon for shelter, because it will be destroyed. There is no nation of Ammon in our day, but notice what God says—
And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the Lord [Jer. 49:6].
Ammon is to be restored.
These are remarkable prophecies, remarkable verses of Scripture.
PROPHECY TO EDOM
There is more space given to the prophecy directed to Edom—probably because Edom was related to Israel. Esau and Jacob were brothers, and the two nations Edom and Israel have come from these two men. Edom and Israel have not been friendly down through the years. Edom had become a great nation, for God had said that He would make a great nation out of Esau.
Concerning Edom, thus saith the Lord of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him [Jer. 49:7–8].
Edom was in the territory that is south and more to the east of the Dead Sea, an area between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of’Aqaba. Edom was in for a judgment from God. They had become a great nation and had furnished advisors to other nations. The rock-hewn city of Petra was such a secure place that it acted as a depository for the great nations. Both Babylon and Egypt carried a bank account there. This was a place where they could store their treasures and feel safe about them. The city was hewn out of solid rock on both sides, and there was only one little entrance into this rock-hewn city. It was a tremendous place in its day, but God took away all the greatness which it once enjoyed. Their greatness depended largely on the nations round about them that looked to them because they felt Petra was so secure.
For I have sworn by myself, saith the Lord, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes [Jer. 49:13].
Bozrah is Petra and Edom. That rock-hewn city is still there today, completely deserted. It is a ready-made city, and if you are looking for an apartment, I can tell you where you can get one that is rent free. Those rock-hewn apartments are lovely, and you could move into one tomorrow if you wished to do so. It’s all there today, and you can have it. No one will come around to collect the rent. No one will try to sell you any of the property.I caution you, however, that you won’t stay there very long. People who tried to live there just didn’t stay. Some years ago the Germans tried to colonize Petra. The colony that was sent into Petra didn’t make a go of it, and before long the people scattered.
Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord [Jer. 49:16].
The great sin of the Edomites was pride, and for this they were judged. They were in a place that was remarkably protected. The entrance to Petra was through a deep and narrow defile, called the Sik, which was about a mile in length. It was just sort of a cleft in the rock in the valley known as the Wadi Musa. The nation had a history of about one thousand years. Then the Nabataean Arabs took it. The Greeks made two fruitless expeditions against it but found it to be an impregnable city. It was inaccessible for modern men until the airplane. We have had the experience of going into the city of Petra with some of our tours and have found it a remarkable place.
The city was influenced by Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. One can see it in the architecture and the remnants of their civilization. God judged Edom and brought her down.
Now God says this concerning it, and Ezekiel has a more complete prophecy—
Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.
As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the Lord, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it [Jer. 49:17–18].
This is a prophecy which has been literally fulfilled. The city is still there. It cannot be destroyed since it is hewn right into the rocks. God said it would not be inhabited, and it isn’t. Every now and then an Arab pitches his tent there for the night, but he’s on his way the next day. The Arabs have very superstitious feelings about the city. Although the Germans didn’t have superstitious feelings, they couldn’t colonize it either. The Word of God says that “neither shall a son of man dwell in it.” It is a ready-made city; yet it will not become an abiding place for men.
This is even more remarkable when you place this prophecy beside the prophecy against Tyre. God had said that Tyre would be scraped so that there would be absolutely nothing left of it, but that it would be inhabited after that. Tyre is an inhabited city today. In contrast, Petra is a city that has never been destroyed yet is without an inhabitant.
Therefore hear the counsel of the Lord, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them [Jer. 49:20].
The city has become desolate, and the nation of Edom has disappeared.
PROPHECY TO DAMASCUS
Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail [Jer. 49:23–24].
Damascus is said to be the oldest inhabited city. There are many other cities that make the same claim, but Damascus probably has some right to it. Here is a prophecy against Damascus stating that the city would be destroyed. It has been destroyed, and it has shifted its position several times. However, the name Damascus continues on with the city, and today it is the capital of Syria.
PROPHECY TO KEDAR, HAZOR, ELAM
Then there is a prophecy against two very prosperous places, Kedar and Hazor. We know very little about them. They were told that Nebuchadnezzar would smite them, and he did. Then there is also a prophecy against Elam.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might [Jer. 49:35].
Elam is to be destroyed but will be restored in “the latter days” (v. 39).
All of these nations are to suffer the same fate as Israel, so that there is no place for the remnant of Judah to flee for safety. They could turn to no one for help. They looked every place but up. Their only help was in the Lord, but they did not turn to Him. He had given them direction, but they would not receive it.
They, of course, decided to go to Egypt—to their ultimate destruction.
CHAPTERS 50–51
Theme: Prophecy to Babylon
Here is the prophecy against the nation which at that time was the top nation of the world. It was the first great world power but would also be destroyed. Judgment would come to Babylon.
The word that the Lord spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces [Jer. 50:1–2].
When this was written, it looked as if Israel would disappear from the face of the earth and that Babylon would continue as a world power. Yet God says that Babylon would be destroyed.
In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord their God [Jer. 50:4].
Israel will survive. This prophecy looks forward to the last days when Israel will turn to God.
God says he will judge Babylon; she shall be conquered by the Medo-Persians—
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain [Jer. 50:9].
It was by a clever maneuver that Gobryas was able to invade Babylon.
Because of the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues [Jer. 50:13].
That this verse has been literally fulfilled is obvious to every tourist who visits the ruins of ancient Babylon.
Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria [Jer. 50:17–18].
The destruction of Babylon will come suddenly and take her unaware.
I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the Lord [Jer. 50:24].
You can read the account of this in Daniel 5.
Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left [Jer. 50:26].
You can look at Babylon today; it is a heap of ruins. It was utterly destroyed.
The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance of his temple [Jer. 50:28].
The report of the destruction of Babylon is to be announced in Zion.
A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the Lord; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein [Jer. 50:38–40].
The destruction of Babylon is compared to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy:their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon [Jer. 50:42].
This is exactly what happened when Gobryas, the Median, entered the city.
Chapter 51 continues the prediction of God’s judgment on Babylon.
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so she may be healed [Jer. 51:6–8].
Babylon was to be destroyed suddenly—that, of course, was literally fulfilled.
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyeth all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the Lord [Jer. 51:25–26].
And it certainly is desolate today.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant [Jer. 51:36–37].
Note that this utter desolation is to follow, not some future overthrow, but the sack of the city resulting from the turning aside of the waters of the river. The Euphrates River, which flowed directly through Babylon, was diverted from its course, which left an entryway at each end for the warriors of the enemy to enter under the walls in the dry riverbed. By this maneuver they were able to appear suddenly in the streets and take the city by surprise.
CHAPTER 52
Theme: Fulfillment of the prophesied destruction of Jerusalem
We have already briefly looked at this chapter because it is a review in retrospect of the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of Judah. What Jeremiah had first given as prophecy he now writes as history. He recounts again the capture of King Zedekiah and tells how his sons were slain and his eyes put out by the king of Babylon.
Jeremiah also tells us what happened to Jehoiachin after he had been captured and taken to Babylon:
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,
And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.
And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life [Jer. 52:31–34].
Jehoiachin died in Babylon. Jeremiah had prophesied that no king from this line would again sit on the throne of David; this ends the line of David through his son Solomon. The Son of David who will sit on that throne through all eternity was born through another line, the line of Nathan. Mary was born in that line, and it is in that line that Jesus Christ has claim to the throne of David. This is why the Book of Jeremiah ends with these important details about the royal line.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. Jeremiah. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982. (Excellent, comprehensive treatment.)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1917.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A. Notes on Jeremiah. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1946.
Jensen, Irving L. Jeremiah: Prophet of Judgment. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Jensen, Irving L. Isaiah and Jeremiah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press. (A self-study guide.)
Meyer, F. B. Jeremiah: Priest and Prophet. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1894. (A rich devotional study.)
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982. (Highly recommended.)
HELPFUL BOOKS ON BIBLE PROPHECY
Hoyt, Hermann A. The End Times. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1969.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. Things to Come. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Basis of the Premillennial Faith. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1953.
Ryrie, Charles C. What You Should Know About the Rapture. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
Sauer, Erich. From Eternity to Eternity. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954.
Unger, Merrill F. Beyond the Crystal Ball. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1973.
Walvoord, John F. Armageddon, Oil; and the Middle East Crisis. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.
Walvoord, John F. The Millennial Kingdom. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959.
Walvoord, John F. The Rapture Question. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957.
Wood, Leon J. The Bible and Future Events. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973.
The Book of
Lamentations
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Lamentations normally and naturally follows the prophecy of Jeremiah. In this little book the soul of the prophet is laid bare before us. These are the lamentations of Jeremiah.
Dr. Alexander Whyte, one of the great expositors of the Word of God of days gone by, has said: “There is nothing like the Lamentations of Jeremiah in the whole world. There has been plenty of sorrow in every age, and in every land, but such another preacher and author, with such a heart for sorrow, has never again been born. Dante comes next to Jeremiah, and we know that Jeremiah was the great exile’s favorite prophet.”
Jeremiah began his ministry during the reign of Josiah. Both he and Josiah were young men, and they were evidently friends. It was Josiah who led the last revival in Judah. It was a revival in which a great many hearts were touched, but on the whole it proved to be largely a surface movement. Josiah met his untimely death in the battle at Megiddo against Pharaoh-nechoh, a battle that Josiah never should have been in. Jeremiah, however, continued his prophetic ministry during the reigns of the four wretched kings who followed Josiah: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. His was a harsh message as he attempted to call his people and his nation back to God, but he was never able to deter the downward course of Judah. He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem; and as he saw it burn, he sat down in the warm ashes, hot tears coursing down his cheeks.
The Book of Lamentations is composed of five chapters, and each chapter is an elegy, almost a funeral dirge. These elegies are sad beyond description. In them we see Jeremiah as he stood over Jerusalem weeping. This book is filled with tears and sorrow. It is a paean of pain, a poem of pity, a proverb of pathos. It is a hymn of heartbreak, a psalm of sadness, a symphony of sorrow, and a story of sifting. Lamentations is the wailing wall of the Bible.
Lamentations moves us into the very heart of Jeremiah. He gave a message from God that actually broke his heart. How tragic and wretched he was. If you were to pour his tears into a test tube to analyze them from a scientific viewpoint and determine how much sodium chloride, or salt, they contained, you still would not know the sorrow and the heartbreak of this man. He has been called the prophet of the broken heart. His was a life filled with pathos and pity. His sobbing was a solo. Ella Wheeler Wilcox has written a piece of doggerel that goes like this:
Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone:
For this sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But it has trouble enough of its own.
Tears are generally conceded to be a sign of weakness, crying is effeminate, and bawling is for babies. Years ago when I was pastor of a church here in Pasadena where I still live, the playground for our summer Bible school was right outside my study window. One little boy brought his even younger sister, and it was interesting to watch how he hovered over her and watched after her. Neither one of them was very big. But one day she fell on the asphalt and scratched up her knee. She began to cry, as a little child would. He tried to give her a sales talk in order to quiet her down. Oh, she shouldn’t cry, he said, only women cry. Well, I don’t know what he thought she was, but nevertheless it worked, and she stopped crying.
This man Jeremiah had a woman’s heart. He was sensitive. He was sincere. He was sympathetic. He was as tender as a mother. Yet he gave the strongest and harshest message in the Bible: he announced the destruction of Jerusalem, and he pronounced judgment, counseling the people to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. His message did nothing but get him into all kinds of trouble.
Now what kind of a man would you have chosen to deliver such a rough, brutal, tough message as that? Would you have wanted Attila the Hun or a Hitler or a Mussolini? Of one thing I am sure: none of us would send Casper Milquetoast to give the message! But God did choose such a man, a man with a tender heart.
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan tells the story about Dr. Dale of Birmingham who used to say that Dwight L. Moody was the only man who seemed to him to have the right to preach about hell. When someone asked Dr. Dale why he said that, he replied, “Because he always preaches it with tears in his voice.” That is the type of man God wants today. We have too many who are not moved by the message they give.
David Garrick, one of the great Shakespearean actors of the past, told about the day he was walking down the street in London and found a man standing on the corner just yearning over the people. Garrick said, “I stood on the outside of the crowd, but I found myself imperceptibly working myself in, until I stood right under that man, and there came down from his breast hot tears.” He went on to say that there was a woman there, pointing her shaking, withered finger at the man who spoke, and she said, “Sir, I have followed you since you preached this morning at seven o’clock and I have heard you preach five times in the streets of this city, and five times I have been wet with your tears. Why do you weep?” That preacher was George Whitefield, a cross-eyed man who was burlesqued on the English stage and denounced from almost every pulpit in the country. David Garrick went on to say, “I listened to George Whitefield, and as I listened to him I saw his passion and his earnestness. I knew that he meant that without Christ men would die. As I listened to him, he came to the place where he could say nothing more. He reached up those mighty arms, his voice seemed almost like a thunderstorm as he said one final word: ‘Oh!’” Why, he could break an audience with that word! When George Whitefield said “Oh!” men bowed before the Holy Spirit like corn bows under the wind. Garrick went on, “I would give my hand full of golden sovereigns if I could say ‘Oh!’ like George Whitefield. I would be the greatest actor that the world has ever known.” The only difference was that George Whitefield was sincere—he was not acting. Jeremiah was that kind of a preacher also.
I am afraid that we have developed a generation in our day that has no feeling, no compassion for this lost world. There is little concern for getting out the Word of God. There is little attention given to moral fiber or a high sense of duty.
Several years ago in a Reader’s Digest article, young people were counseled that their highest chances of success in life would be found “by engaging in work you most enjoy doing, and which gives fullest expression to your abilities and personality.” If Jeremiah had read that article and heeded its advice, he probably would have gone into some other kind of business. But Jeremiah could say that it was the Word of God that he rejoiced in: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jer. 15:16). How wonderful this man was!
The young people today who have been trained—even many in Christian work—are simply looking for a job where they can punch a clock, go home to watch TV, and forget all about it. They hold their feelings and emotions in reserve and are unwilling to become really involved in getting out the Word of God.
I don’t always understand Jeremiah, but I admire him and look up to him. Mrs. Elizabeth, Cook wrote this about him:
A woman’s heart—tender and quick and warm;
But man’s in iron will and courage strong.
His harp was set to weird, pathetic song,
Yet when time called for deeds, no wrathful storm
From throne or altar could his soul disarm—
His disheartening battle fierce and long.
This is Jeremiah, the man who had a sorrow.
Jeremiah reminds us of Another who sat weeping over Jerusalem. The only difference is that Jerusalem was in ruins and the temple already burned as Jeremiah gazed upon the debris. Jesus wept over the same city about six centuries later because of what was going to happen to her. To Jeremiah the destruction of Jerusalem was a matter of history. To Jesus the destruction of Jerusalem was a matter of prophecy.
The key verse in the Book of Lamentations explains the reason Jerusalem lay in ruin: “The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity” (Lam. 1:18).
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Elegy 1
The first elegy in Lamentations opens on a doleful note. Jeremiah is singing in a minor key.
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! [Lam. 1:1].
The great city of Jerusalem has fallen. What is the explanation? Jeremiah makes two tremendous statements that will help us understand.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward [Lam. 1:8].
“Jerusalem hath grievously sinned”—this is the first explanation for the fall of the city. Her nakedness was revealed—what a picture!
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger [Lam. 1:12].
People don’t like to hear about the fierce anger of God today. That aspect is often left out of the gospel message, and I have observed this particularly in the religious programs that are shown on TV, even by so-called gospel churches. In one Christmas program I saw, they did say that Christ was born of a virgin and that He was God manifest in the flesh—I rejoiced in that. But the program was a travesty of the gospel because it said that Christ came to give you a new personality, to bring peace and love—and oh, how insipid it was! It was a message for comfort and for compromise. The excuse that is often given for such an approach with the gospel is that it is trying to reach the man of the world. Jeremiah, too, was trying to reach a lost world, and he wasn’t very successful; but at least he gave God’s message as God had given it to him. God judged Judah because of her sin, and He still will judge sin today.
The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity [Lam. 1:18].
Jeremiah mourned the destruction of Jerusalem alone. He stood among the ashes weeping. Why had the city been destroyed? The city had sinned. The second explanation is “The Lord is righteous.” God did it, and God was right in what He did.
This is difficult to understand, and I must say I feel totally inadequate to deal with this. I merely stand at the fringe of the sorrow of this man and find I cannot enter in. I can merely look over the wall into his garden; I am not able to walk up and down in it. He has revealed two things to us, the bitter and the sweet: Jerusalem has sinned, yet God loves Jerusalem. “Jerusalem hath grievously sinned,” and “the Lord is righteous.” God loved them, He said, “with an everlasting love.” He brought this upon them because He is righteous.
A statement from G. Campbell Morgan may help us to understand this. Of the revelation of God’s anger, he said: “This is a supreme necessity in the interest of the universe. Prisons are in the interest of the free. Hell is the safeguard of heaven. A State that cannot punish crime is doomed; and a God Who tolerates evil is not good. Deny me my Biblical revelation of the anger of God, and I am insecure in the universe. But reveal to me this Throne established, occupied by One Whose heart is full of tenderness, Whose bowels yearn with love; then I am assured that He will not tolerate that which blights and blasts and damns; but will destroy it, and all its instruments, in the interest of that which is high and noble and pure” (Studies in the Prophecy of Jeremiah, p. 248).
You and I are living in a universe where there is a God, a living God, a God whose heart goes out in love and yearning over you. But I want to say this to you: if you turn your back on Him, He will judge you even though He still loves you. He is the righteous God of this universe. I am not sure I understand all that, but I know it is what He says in His Word. Someday He will make it clear to us that hell is actually there because He is a God of love and a God of righteousness and a God of holiness. The whole universe, including Satan himself, will admit that God is righteous and just in all He does. My friend, God is so great and wonderful and good we dare not trifle wih Him.
Jesus could say to the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of His day, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” Why did He call them hypocrites? Because “…ye devour widows’ houses…” (Matt. 23:14)—that was one of the reasons. My friend, if your Christianity does not affect your heart, your life in your home and in your business, and your social life, then you are a hypocrite. I didn’t say it; He said it, my beloved. And He is the One who wept over these men. My eyes are dry, but His eyes are filled with tears for you and for me today. Oh, my friend, don’t turn your back on the God who loves you like this! It will be tragic indeed if you do.
God does what He does because He is a righteous God. He cannot shut His eyes to evil. When His own children disobey Him, God must discipline them, even though it breaks His heart. Jeremiah reveals to us the heart of God: when Jeremiah weeps, God is weeping; when he sorrows, God is sorrowing. When we don’t understand what is happening, the important thing is to trust in knowing that God is righteous in what He does. Although it broke His heart, He was right in letting Jerusalem be destroyed and in letting the people go into captivity.
G. Smith wrote a poem about Jerusalem that gives us some insight into this man Jeremiah:
I am the man sore smitten with the wrath
Of Him who fashion’d me; my heart is faint,
And crieth out, “Spare, spare, O God! Thy saint”;
But yet with darkness doth He hedge my path.
My eyes with streams of fiery tears run down
To see the daughter of my people slain,
And in Jerusalem the godless reign;
Trouble on trouble are upon me thrown.
Mine adversaries clap their sinful hands
The while they hiss and wag their heads, and say,
“Where is the temple but of yesterday—
The noblest city of a hundred lands?”
We do confess our guilt; then, Lord, arise,
Avenge, avenge us of our enemies!
Jeremiah cries out—he wants to know why, and God assures him that He is righteous, right, in what He is doing to Jerusalem.
Another anguished question that Jeremiah has is this: “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” (v. 12). In other words, How much are the people involved? Do they really care?
Man does not want to accept the fact that God is angry with sin. Instead, the fact that God is love is played for all its worth. I agree that God is love, and the church certainly needs to learn to take the love of God into the marketplace of life. We have often failed to do that, but I feel that it has led to an overemphasis on the love of God in this generation. God is righteous, and God is holy, and God is just in what He does.
The question remains: How do you feel about your sin and God’s anger toward it? Is it nothing to you? Jeremiah sat weeping over the city. There were not many others weeping with him. Oh, we are told in Psalm 137 that the captives who had been taken to Babylon sat down and wept when they remembered Zion. They cried out for vengeance, and I feel they had a perfect right to do that, but was there any genuine repentance? Or was it the repentance of a thief who is merely sorry he has been caught but does not repent of his thievery? The people who were carried into captivity wept. But Jeremiah, who did not go into captivity, wept also over the debris, the wreckage, the ashes, and ruins of the city. He was a free man, but he was moved, he was involved, and he was concerned.
Again, may I refer to the religious programs we have on television in our day. They are often finished, polished, and professional in their presentation. I think it is a credit to the church to do something in a professional way—that is good and right—but I am concerned that there was one word I did not hear: the word sin. Their message did not emphasize at all that God is righteous and He must punish our sin.
The Virgin Birth, the deity of Christ, His death and resurrection are all important, but the question is: Why did He die? That is the question raised in Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?…” Our Lord said that while He was hanging on the cross. We find the answer to that question in the same psalm: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Ps. 22:3, italics mine). He is holy. He is righteous. Christ died on that cross because you and I are sinners, hell-doomed sinners.
Look at the cross today—“Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” (v. 12). He didn’t have to die. He suffered as no man has had to suffer. God forsook Him, but God will never forsake you as long as you live. He forsook Christ so that He would not have to forsake you. May I ask you, is it nothing to you?
McCheyne was a wonderful man of God in the past who had a real experience with the Lord. He wrote a poem about Jehovah-Tsidkenu, which means “the Lord our Righteousness” (see Jer. 23:6; 33:16), and Dr. H. A. Ironside quoted it in Notes on the Prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (pp. 315, 316).
I oft read with pleasure, to soothe or engage,
Isaiah’s wild measure, or John’s simple page:
But e’en when they pictured the blood—sprinkled tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.
Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
I wept when the waters went over His soul;
Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu: ’twas nothing to me.
When free grace awoke me by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me—I trembled to die.
No refuge, no safety in self could I see;
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.
My terrors all vanished before that sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came,
To drink at the fountain, life-giving and free;
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.
My friend, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” Have you come to Jesus just to get a new personality? To bring a little peace into your soul, or to create a little love on your altar? Is that the reason He died on the cross? Will you hear me, my friend? He died on the cross to save you from hell.
The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal Christ as Savior, and He has come to convict the world of sin. What kind of sin? Murder? Thievery? Yes, but something is worse than that: they sinned “…because they believe not on me” (John 16:9, italics mine). God has a remedy for the thief. The thief on the cross was saved. I think Paul was guilty of murder, that he was responsible for the death of Stephen, but he got saved. Moses also was a murderer. God has a remedy for the murderer, the thief, and the liar, but God does not have a remedy for the man who rejects Jesus Christ. That is the greatest sin you can commit.
Rejection of Christ is a state rather than an act. You can never commit the act of rejecting Christ, but you can gradually come to the place where Christ and what He has done for you is absolutely meaningless. Jerusalem, reached the place where God told Jeremiah, “Don’t be disturbed that they are not listening to you. If Moses or Elijah or Samuel were here to pray for them, I would not answer their prayers either. It is too late; they have crossed over.” There are many living in our sophisticated day who have crossed over to that place.
Now we cannot judge when a man has reached the point of having totally rejected Christ. I have seen the conversion of many folk whom I’m sure I would have considered to be hopeless cases. One man I know of who lived in the San Francisco Bay area was on drugs and was guilty of several crimes, but he was marvelously and wonderfully converted. So neither you nor I are the ones to say that someone has stepped over that line, but it does happen.
Jerusalem had rejected God. An individual can reject God. What does Jesus Christ mean to you? What does His death mean to you? “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” (v. 12).
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Elegy 2
The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation [Lam. 2:5].
God took full responsibility for what Nebuchadnezzar did. God allowed him to destroy the city of Jerusalem. God used him as a rod, just as He had used the Assyrians against Israel for their punishment.
Have you ever stopped to think in your own personal life why God permits certain people to cross your path? Do you wish that you had never met certain people? Are there people whom you would call your enemies? Someone may have caused you sorrow, but it is all for His purpose. God has permitted all that for a definite purpose. Learn to recognize the hand of God in your life.
The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast [Lam. 2:7].
The very temple which God had blessed—He had given the instructions for building it, His very presence had been there at one time—now He says, “The day came that I abhorred that temple.”
Churchgoing folk need to investigate their own lives. If you go to church, is that something that God takes delight in? Or is it actually something that hurts His cause? Is your frame of mind right when you go, or are you critical? Can the spirit of God use you? I think that it can even be sinful to go to church. Do you know where the most dangerous place was the night Jesus was arrested? Was it down with that bunch of rascals who were plotting His death? No, my friend, the most dangerous place that night was in the Upper Room where Jesus was! Do you know why? Satan was there. He put it into the heart of Judas Iseariot to betray Him, and he also got into the heart of Simon Peter to deny Him. Just because you are going to church doesn’t mean you are pleasing God.
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground [Lam. 2:10].
All the people went through the outward gyrations of grief, but notice how Jeremiah was affected:
Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city [Lam. 2:11].
“Mine eyes do fail with tears”—he cried so much he couldn’t even see. “My bowels are troubled”—this thing tore him to pieces, it wrecked his health. He was involved; it broke his heart.
How many of us are willing to be really involved in God’s work? Are we willing to endanger our health? Are we willing to give ourselves over to God?
All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? [Lam. 2:15].
The enemy without is elated at the misery of Jerusalem.
I am sometimes severe in my comments about the condition of the church in our day. I am retired from the active pastorate—although I am not retired from the work of God—and I need to ask myself how involved I am with my brethren who are in the ministry. When I see the problems in the church today, is it nothing to me? Do I just sit on the sidelines as a critic, or does it bring sorrow to my heart? I can say that I have been moved, and I want to be an encouragement to the many wonderful Bible-teaching pastors in our country. It is too easy to be harsh in our criticism when it means nothing to us at all.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Elegy 3
Each one of the chapters in this little Book of Lamentations forms an acrostic. That is, there are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and each of the twenty-two verses in each chapter begins with the succeeding letter. However, in this chapter there are sixty-six verses, which means that there are three verses that begin with each letter of the alphabet.
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old: he hath broken my bones [Lam. 3:1–4].
This man Jeremiah has seen and gone through great trouble. His health is wrecked because of his concern for Jerusalem. Jeremiah was not unmoved by the destruction he had seen come to the nation. He did not run around saying, “I told you so!” Actually, he was heartbroken. His response also shows us how God feels. God is not removed; He goes with those who are His own. The Lord Jesus said, “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). Whatever you are going through, you can be sure He is there.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him [Lam. 3:21–24].
If I were to give a title to these last three chapters of Lamentations, it would be, “When Tomorrows Become Yesterdays.” Jeremiah is now looking back upon the past. He had predicted the judgment that came upon Jerusalem, and Jeremiah sits in the rubble and ruin of Jerusalem weeping as he writes this lamentation.
These verses are the only bright spot in all of the five lamentations. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” In spite of the severe judgment of God—and many thought it was too severe—Jeremiah can see the hand of God’s mercy. They would have been utterly consumed had it not been for the mercy of God. If they had received their just deserts, they would have been utterly destroyed—they would have disappeared from the earth.
Was Judah’s deliverance from such a fate due to something in them? No, it was all due to the faithfulness of God. He had promised Abraham that He would make a nation come from him—and this was the nation. He had promised Moses that He would put them into the land. He had promised Joshua that He would establish them there. He promised David that there would come One in his line to reign on the throne forever. The prophets all said that God would not utterly destroy this people but that He would judge them for their sin. God is faithful. He has judged them, but He will not utterly destroy them. A faithful remnant has always remained, and ultimately they will become a great nation again.
Will God judge America? A great many people think not, but I think He will.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Elegy 4
This fourth lamentation is a meditation. Sitting amidst the debris and ashes of Jerusalem, Jeremiah describes the horror of the destruction of his city and the carrying into captivity of the people by Nebuchadnezzar. It is so terrifying that I might be tempted to shun giving such a doomsday message. But we need to face up to the fact that God is a righteous God as well as a God of love. God judges sin, and He is righteous in doing so. Judah did not receive full judgment because of the mercies of God. Habbakuk said, “…in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2). God never forgets to be merciful. There is always a way out for God’s people if they will come God’s way.
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! [Lam. 4:1–2].
Jeremiah is comparing gold to the young men of Zion. The fine young men of Judah who were like gold vessels are now like earthen vessels of clay. They have been broken. That is the terrifying thing about warfare: it eliminates the finest young men of a nation.
We are a proud people in this country. Even Christians are told that they need to think well of themselves. I heard of a Christian psychologist who teaches that you should get up every morning, look in the mirror, and say, “I love you!” Well, a lot of the saints don’t need to be told that—they already love themselves! The apostle Paul says that we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. If we don’t think of ourselves more highly than we ought, we will find that we are merely clay vessels. In 2 Timothy Paul likens the believer to a clay vessel. However, the issue is not of what material the vessels are made, but how they are being used. Are we vessels for the Master’s use or for our own use?
At the wedding in Cana of Galilee the Lord Jesus had the servants bring out those old beaten water pots, which had apparently been stuck back in a corner until after the wedding. He used those old pots to supply the crowd with drink. He could use those pots, but He had to fill them with water. The water is the Word of God. When we, as old water pots, get filled with the Word of God, God can use us.
The young men of Judah had not been serving God, and they were now just broken pieces of pottery. What a tragic picture this is!
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them [Lam. 4:4].
The siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar was a horrible thing. The people suffered inside the city. Instead of surrendering, they held out and saw their little babies die. Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth say: “I have given suck and know How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you” (Macbeth, Act 1, scene 7). That is a bitter awful thing! But don’t point your finger back to the terrible things these people did, for today, my friend, abortion is the murder of little children.
They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills [Lam. 4:5].
They had lived in luxury, they had had big supermarkets, but now the shelves of the supermarkets are bare. They no longer can enjoy the conveniences they once had—in fact, they don’t have any at all.
Have you ever stopped to think what could happen to the place where you live? Suppose those supermarket shelves which now groan with food were all empty next week when you do your shopping. Suppose you flipped the switch in your home and the lights did not come on. Suppose there was no heat, no air conditioning, no gas for the automobile. A howl of despair would go up in this nation. We would be a helpless people. That’s what happened to Jerusalem. God judged them.
For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her [Lam. 4:6].
God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, but God judged Jerusalem more severely. Why was that? Because the sin of Jerusalem was worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by homosexuality. That is an awful sin, but there is something worse than that. It is worse for a man to sit in the church pew and hear the gospel and do nothing about it. That might be true of someone reading this book. Jesus Christ died for you. God is merciful to you today, and you have turned your back on Him. When God judges, your judgment will be more severe than for the heathen in Africa or in the islands of the sea. Don’t worry about the heathen out there; worry about yourself. How have you responded to God’s offer of grace in Jesus Christ?
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire [Lam. 4:7].
Boy, they looked good, didn’t they? Religion today looks good. We have new churches today—new sanctuaries and nice Christian education buildings where we have a place to play volleyball and basketball. We’ve got a baseball team. We have a nice room for banquets. It all looks good on the outside. Now Jeremiah is saying that a Nazarite was one who took a voluntary oath, and many did it. They were complimented; they looked good, you know. But it was all on the outside; their hearts were not changed. While it is wonderful to have beautiful churches—I’m not opposed to them; I’m excited about them—it is tragic when the people on the inside are not new creatures in Christ Jesus. They are still doing the same old sins. That is the picture Jeremiah gives us of the people of Judah.
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field [Lam. 4:9].
Even though Jeremiah has witnessed the awful destruction of Jerusalem and those who had died, he says he would rather be dead than alive, for the condition of those who remained was so terrible.
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people [Lam. 4:10].
The same thing took place when Titus destroyed Jerusalem in a.d. 70. The people got so hungry that mothers had to give their own babies to be eaten! We look back and think how horrible this was but today many mothers are having abortions, actually murdering their babies. If we don’t want a baby, we must take responsibility for our actions before a baby becomes a reality. God has made us capable of having babies and when one has been conceived, it is His intention for that child to come into the world. The moment the child is conceived, he is apersonand to abort a pregnancy is murder of a human being.
For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her [Lam. 4:13].
Because the false prophets and the priests did not tell the people the truth, they are guilty of murder—that is God’s estimate of it. A preacher who won’t preach the Word of God and tell the people how they might be saved is put in this classification. I didn’t say that—God said it. God says if you don’t give out the Word of God, you are guilty.
The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders [Lam. 4:16].
The people paid no attention to the priests who were giving out the Word of God. Jeremiah was a prophet of God, and they paid no attention to him at all. God judged the people for that.
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us [Lam. 4:17].
This is something the modern nation of Israel needs to learn. God did not put them back in the land in 1948; the United Nations made them a nation, and since that time they have never known one minute of peace. There have been war and threats of war continually. They have not turned to God, and God did not put them back into the land.
Don’t misunderstand me, I think the return of the Jews to Israel was a tremendous thing. Dr. W. F. Albright has made this statement: “It is without parallel in the annals of human history that a nation carried into captivity for seventy years should return to resume its national life, and that after nearly six hundred years, this same nation should again be scattered worldwide for nearly two thousand years and retain its identity.” To see how God has dealt with this nation has caused many to turn to Him.
The Lord says that the problem was that Judah was looking to Egypt for help, and Egypt was not a help; they were an enemy. The United States should recognize that it is not the war machines we need to give to Israel. We need to give them the Word of God, the Word which they gave to us so many years ago.
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen [Lam. 4:20].
What a picture of that people as they are today! They are scattered among the heathen.
The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins [Lam. 4:22].
After the judgment, God has promised that He will permanently place them in the land.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Elegy 5
This fifth and final lamentation is a prayer of Jeremiah.
Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach [Lam. 5:1].
Judah had lost the honor and respect which she had had among the nations.
They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.
They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood [Lam. 5:11–13].
Their women were ravished, and their princes hanged; they had lost everything. The young men who survived were put into slavery to work for Nebuchadnezzar.
The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning [Lam. 5:15].
The joy of their hearts had ceased.
Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.
Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old [Lam. 5:19–21].
This is the prayer of Jeremiah for his people. We could learn a lesson from this: before it is too late, we had better turn to the Lord.
Daniel Webster made this statement many years ago, and it sounds like a prophecy: “If religious books are not circulated among the masses and the people do not turn to God, I do not know what is to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be. If God and His Word are not received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendency. If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will. If the power of the Gospel is not felt through the length and the breadth of the land, anarchy, misrule, degradation, misery, corruption, and darkness will reign without mitigation or end.” What a picture! Today we live in a day when you cannot read the Bible in the schools, but pornography is permitted because we must be free to do what we want to do! Well, can’t some of us have the Bible in our schools, especially when it is desired by the majority?
When our great nation was founded during the period from 1775 to 1787, the following statement by Benjamin Franklin was still widely accepted: “The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of the truth that God governs in the affairs of men.” Unless a marked change takes place in the United States of America, it’s doomed just as sure as was ancient Babylon.
Dr. Machen said, “America is coasting downhill on a godly ancestry.” Now we have reached the bottom of the hill. What a message Lamentations would have for us today, but it will not be selected as the Book of the Month or the Book of the Year. It is unfortunate that we will not listen.
(For Bibliography to Lamentations, see Bibliography at the end of Jeremiah.)
The Book of
Ezekiel
INTRODUCTION
Ezekiel was a priest (Ezek. 1:3), but he never served in that office because he was taken captive to Babylon during the reign of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:10–16), who was the king of Judah who followed Jehoiakim. It was during the eleven-year reign of Jehoiakim that the first deportation took place when Daniel was taken captive. Jehoiachin then came to the throne and reigned only three months. In 597 b.c. the second deportation took place, and Ezekiel was taken captive.
Ezekiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah and Daniel. Jeremiah was an old man at this time. He had begun his ministry as a young man during the reign of young King Josiah. He had remained with the remnant in the land and then was taken by them down into Egypt. Therefore his ministry at this time was confined to the remnant in Egypt. Daniel had been taken into the court of the king of Babylon and had become his prime minister. Ezekiel, then, was with the captives who had been brought down to the rivers of Babylon. The captives had been placed by the great canal that came off the River Euphrates, which was several miles from Babylon itself. Ezekiel’s ministry was among those people.
Psalm 137 is the psalm of the remnant in Babylon: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof” (Ps. 137:1–2). But at the same time Ezekiel writes: “The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God” (Ezek. 1:1). What a contrast! While these people had already put their harps on a willow tree and sat down to weep, this man Ezekiel was seeing visions of God!
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were all prophets, but each had a particular and peculiar ministry to a certain group of people, and apparently they never came into contact with each other. From the record in the Book of Daniel you would not gather that Daniel ever visited his people in Babylon where Ezekiel was; yet he had a great concern for them and he actually defended them. But did Daniel and Jeremiah know each other? Well, we know from his book that Daniel was acquainted with the prophecies of Jeremiah. I have a notion that as a young man in his teens he listened to Jeremiah in Jerusalem. Ezekiel also was a young man when he was taken captive, and he too had probably heard Jeremiah, but had no personal acquaintance with Daniel.
The message of Ezekiel is the most spiritual of all the prophets because he dealt particularly with the Person of God. Someone has said, “Ezekiel is the prophet of the Spirit, as Isaiah is the prophet of the Son, and Jeremiah the prophet of the Father.”
During the first years of the captivity the false prophets were still saying that the people were going to return to Jerusalem and that the city would not be destroyed. The city was not destroyed even at the time of the second deportation. It was not until about 586 b.c., when Nebuchadnezzar came against the city the third time, that he burned and destroyed Jerusalem. Therefore for a period of about ten years, these false prophets were saying that the people would return and the city would not be destroyed. Jeremiah had sent a message to Babylon saying the city would be destroyed, and Ezekiel confirmed his message. He warned the people that they must turn to God before they could return to Jerusalem. When the time came, a very small remnant did turn to God, and they returned to Jerusalem very discouraged.
Ezekiel began his ministry five years after he was taken captive at about the age of thirty. In many ways, he spoke in the darkest days of the nation. He stood at the bottom of a valley in the darkest corner. He had to meet the false hope given by the false prophets and the indifference and despondency begotten in the days of sin and disaster. The people would not listen to his message. Therefore, he resorted to a new method. Instead of speaking in parables, as the Lord Jesus did, he acted out the parables. He actually did some very interesting stunts. We read in Ezekiel 24:24, “Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.” The people would not listen to his words, so he would act them out, and he attracted a great deal of attention that way.
We have folk who use this very same method today. We have placard carriers, flagpole sitters, and walkathons. People do these things to attract attention and gain publicity. This, too, was Ezekiel’s method. One time he walked into a house, locked himself in, and then started digging himself out. When he came out, he came out in the middle of the street! Here in Pasadena, California, it is nothing new to be digging in the middle of the street, for the city workers keep digging up the streets all the time. But in Ezekiel’s time, when a man came up out of the middle of the street one day, people naturally gathered around and said, “What’s the big idea?” Ezekiel had a message for them, and he gave it to them (see Ezek. 12:8–16).
Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord. There were three prophets of Israel who spoke when they were out of the land. They are Ezekiel, Daniel, and John (who wrote from the island of Patmos). All three of these men wrote what is called an apocalypse. They all used highly symbolic language; yet they saw the brightest light and held the highest hope of all the prophets. Ezekiel saw the Shekinah glory of the Lord leave Solomon’s temple, but he also saw the return of the glory of the Lord which was projected into the future and will come to pass during the kingdom age, or the Millennium.
The meaning of Ezekiel is seen in this coming of the glory during the kingdom age. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow. As Peter said of the prophets, they saw the sufferings and they saw the glory that would follow (1 Pet. 1:11). I think Ezekiel saw it better than any of the other prophets.
OUTLINE
I. Glory of the Lord; Commission of the Prophets, Chapters 1–7
A. Display of the Glory, Chapter 1
B. Prophet’s Call and Endowment with Power for the Office, Chapter 2
C. Prophet’s Preparation; Office as Watchman, Chapter 3
D. Judgment of Jerusalem, Chapter 4
E. Sign of Prophet Shaving Hair, Chapter 5
F. Sword to Fall Upon Jerusalem; Remnant to be Saved, Chapter 6
G. Prophecy of Final Destruction of Jerusalem, Chapter 7
II. Glory of the Lord; Complete Captivity of Jerusalem and Israel; Departure of the Glory, Chapters 8–24
A. Vision of the Glory; Temple Defilement by Idolatry Explains its Destruction, Chapter 8
B. Shekinah Glory Prepares to Leave Temple, Chapter 9
C. Shekinah Glory Fills Holy Place; Leaves the Temple, Chapter 10
D. Prophecy Against Rulers of Jerusalem, Chapter 11
E. Ezekiel Enacts Destruction of Jerusalem, Chapter 12
F. Prophecy Against Pseudo Prophets and Prophetesses, Chapter 13
G. Prophecy Against Idolatry of Elders; Certain Destruction of Jerusalem, Chapter 14
H. Vision of the Vine, Chapter 15
I. Jerusalem Likened to Abandoned Baby Adopted by God, Chapter 16
J. Riddle of Two Eagles, Chapter 17
K. Wages of Sin is Death, Chapter 18
L. Elegy of Jehovah over Princes of Israel, Chapter 19
M. Review of Sins of Nation; Future Judgment and Restoration, Chapter 20
N. King of Babylon to Remove Last King of Davidic Line Until Messiah Comes, Chapter 21
O. Review of Abominations of Jerusalem, Chapter 22
P. Parable of Two Sisters (Samaria and Jerusalem), Chapter 23
Q. Parable of Boiling Pot, Chapter 24
III. Glory of the Lord; Judgment of Nations, Chapters 25–32
A. Against Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, Chapter 25
B. Against Tyre, Chapters 26–28
C. Against Egypt, Chapters 29–32
IV. Glory of the Lord and the Coming Kingdom, Chapters 33–48
A. Recommission of the Prophet, Chapters 33–34
B. Restoration of Israel, Chapters 35–36
C. Resurrection of Israel, Chapter 37
D. Repudiation of Gog and Magog, Chapters 38–39
E. Rebuilt Temple, Chapters 40–42
F. Return of the Glory of the Lord, Chapters 43–48
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Display of the Lord’s glory
Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of the Lord may very well be a key to all of the visions in the entire Word of God; it certainly is the key to the rest of the Book of Ezekiel. Many people think of the Book of the Revelation as resting upon the prophecy of Daniel and the Olivet Discourse of our Lord. That is true, but I believe it rests primarily upon the apocalypse of Ezekiel; you will find a striking similarity between the vision in Ezekiel 1 and chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation.
This vision is a very difficult one to deal with. John Calvin said, “If anyone asks whether the vision is lucid, I confess its obscurity, and that I can scarcely understand it.” I am certainly a Calvinist in the sense that I must concur with his statement—neither do I understand Ezekiel’s vision clearly.
However, there is one thing that I am confident this vision is not: it is not a vision of the present mechanical age. Ezekiel’s vision of the wheels within wheels is not a prophecy of the airplane! When the old propeller planes were first developed, several prophetic teachers were saying that this vision was a prophecy of the airplane. Today we have jet planes and they have no wheels within wheels, and we must set aside that interpretation. Such interpretations are juvenile. Silly and senile chatter like that is what has brought prophecy into disrepute.
What we do have in this first chapter of Ezekiel, I believe, is a vision of the glory of the Lord. In the Book of Isaiah we have the principles of the throne of God; in Jeremiah we have the practice of that throne; but in Ezekiel we have the Person who is on the throne. I want to hasten to add that we do not have God Himself exposed in this vision—you do not have a window display of Him. When I began my ministry I considered this to be a vision of God, but it is not that. It is instead a vision of the glory of God, a vision of the presence of God.
We see here a vision of the chariot of God as He rides triumphantly and irresistibly through time. There is one feature of this vision which shocked me when I discovered it: the chariot is vacant. I had taken for granted that God was there. There are four living creatures, the cherubim, connected with the chariot; yet they are distinct from it. Above all, there is a throne, and on the throne there is a Man. This is the highest vision of God that we are given, and it is most difficult to understand. We will note just a few of its impressive aspects:
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God [Ezek. 1:1].
“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year” would seem to indicate that Ezekiel was thirty years of age. However, it is the belief of many scholars that this is geared to a little different calendar. I will not go into any detail on this as, frankly, it gets a little intricate, and I do not feel that it is essential.
“I saw visions of God.” While the captives in Babylon had sat down and wept by the rivers of Babylon (see Ps. 137:1), Ezekiel was seeing visions of God. What a contrast—seeing visions and weeping!
In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity [Ezek. 1:2].
We have not quite come to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem which took place during the reign of Zedekiah.
The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him [Ezek. 1:3].
“The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest.” Ezekiel belonged to the tribe of Levi, apparently the priestly branch, and probably to the sons of Kohath. We are told that he was “the son of Buzi.”
“Chebar” was the main canal that came off the Euphrates River, which watered that area. Evidently, the Jewish captives were put there to till the land. This area was removed by quite a few miles from Babylon, and that may be the reason that Daniel and Ezekiel did not have the opportunity to meet together for a meal. Daniel may have visited the area, but I doubt that Ezekiel would have been permitted to visit Daniel.
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire [Ezek. 1:4].
“Behold, a whirlwind came out of the north.” I know that many people have made a great deal of this idea that there is a great vacant space up yonder in the north and that this is the direction that leads to the presence of God. Our modern radio electronic telescopes with their big dishes have shown that there are stars out there—it is not vacant. However, “the north” is used in Scripture to point to the throne of God. In Isaiah 14:13 we read (speaking of the fall of Satan): “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.” I believe the idea is that, instead of pointing to the north pole, we are to look up—God’s throne is out yonder, not relative to any direction at all. After all, its location is not something you and I can understand. We are told, “… look up … for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). That is the direction in which our attention should be focused today.
Also in Psalm 75:5–7 we read: “Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” The only direction that is not mentioned is north, and I would say the thought is that it is up—God’s throne is out yonder, even beyond space.
This whirlwind out of the north, then, indicates a tremendous movement from the throne of God—it is a judgment from God.
“And a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.” This is the first thing we observe—a light flashing forth, revealing and also concealing. Obscuring and yet bringing out where it can be seen, it is a light brighter than the sun. Perhaps it could be compared to the inside of an atomic blast. It was incandescent, like lightning.
The Word of God says that “… our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), and that “… God is light …” (1 John 1:5). Paul said that at the time of his conversion he saw “… a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun …” (Acts 26:13). All of this speaks of the unapproachable presence of God (see also vv. 13–14).
Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man [Ezek. 1:5].
This verse and also verse 26 (“the appearance of a man”) speak of the incarnation of Christ, the fact that God became a man. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [pitched His tent] among us …” (John 1:14). Isaiah 52:7 tells us, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” God came to earth a Man, walked the dusty trails of Palestine, and finally spikes were driven into His feet.
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle [Ezek. 1:10].
These four faces (compare this with Rev. 4:6–8) remind us of the four Gospels in which Christ is revealed in four aspects: His kingship (Matthew) symbolized here by the lion; His servanthood (Mark) symbolized by the ox; His perfect humanity (Luke) symbolized by the face of a man; and His deity (John) symbolized by the flying eagle.
These four living creatures resemble the description we have of the cherubim who were in the Garden of Eden to guard the way of the Tree of Life. They were not shutting man out from God; they were keeping the way open. What did Adam and Eve see when they looked back as they left the garden? They saw a slain animal whose skins they were wearing. And they saw the cherubim overshadowing, keeping open the way to God. It is the blood that makes an atonement for the sin of man. When Moses made the mercy seat, there were cherubim above which looked down upon the blood of the sacrifices—the same thing Adam and Eve had seen. Through the blood is the only way man can approach God. The Lord Jesus said, “… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went [Ezek. 1:12].
God is moving forward undeviatingly, unhesitatingly toward the accomplishment of His purpose in this world today. Nothing will deter Him—nothing can sidetrack Him at all.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning [Ezek. 1:13–14].
The Scripture tells us “… God is light …” (1 John 1:5). This is a tremendous vision of the glory of God, a vision out of the person of God. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the light of the world …” (John 8:12). What does this reveal to us? It reveals the righteousness and holiness of God. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We would be scorched by the holiness of God if we had not been redeemed by the blood of Christ and covered with His righteousness.
God is not exposed in this vision—He is portrayed. It is still true that no man has seen God at any time. Moses said, “… Shew me thy glory,” and God hid him in the cleft of the rock so that Moses saw only the glory of God, not the person of God. The Lord told him, “… Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exod. 33:18–23).Man has been forbidden to make a likeness of God (see Exod. 20:4). We do not know what He looks like. We do not even know how the Lord Jesus who became a man looked. But there is in the human heart a longing to see God; I think every idol witnesses to that desire. Although idols are perverted and profane representations, they reveal that men want to see God. Yet God has not chosen to reveal His Person to man.
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel [Ezek. 1:15–16].
Again may I emphasize that this is not a prophecy of the present mechanical age or even of the invention of the wheel. I am sure that in the beginning man felled a tree, cut off part of the trunk, and found that he had a wheelbarrow. When he put two wheels on it, he had a cart. Then when he put four wheels on it, he had a Ford automobile! If that is what you want to see in this vision, may I say to you, that is silly and senile, that is garbage and rubbish. We need to read further to gain an understanding of these wheels within wheels.
As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four [Ezek. 1:18].
God is a God of intelligent purpose. You and I are not living in a universe that is moving into the future aimlessly and without purpose. God has a purpose for every atom which he has created, and he has a purpose for you, my friend, in His plan and program. The very fact that you and I are alive today reveals that we are to accomplish a purpose for God. God is intelligently carrying out His purpose in the world.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels [Ezek. 1:19–20].
Now we can see more clearly that these wheels speak of the ceaseless activity and energy of God. Our God is omnipotent. The Lord Jesus said, “… All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18). God is moving forward, and He will accomplish His purposes.
In Revelation 4 we again read of these four living creatures of Ezekiel’s vision. They are set to guard the throne of God, and in guarding the throne they do two things: (1) they protect the throne in the sense that they do not allow man in his sin to come into the presence of God; and (2) they indicate the way that man is to come. “I must needs go home by the way of the cross, there’s no other way but this” (“The Way of the Cross Leads Home” by Jessie Brown Pounds). The cherubim show the way.
However, I think that Ezekiel saw something infinitely greater. He saw the cherubim over the world, extending mercy to this little piece of dirt that is flying through space. Someone has said that man “is nothing in the world but a rash on the epidermis of a second-rate planet.” But God made the whole world a mercy seat when Christ died down here, and God is hovering over this world today, ready to receive any sinner who will come through Christ to Him.
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about [Ezek. 1:26–27].
I see here an amber throne in the azure blue—a sapphire-studded throne flashing like a diamond and colored like a rainbow. The light blinds and obscures. The throne is filled with energy, like a missile on launching. It is moving like a chariot. It is not leaving the earth; it is coming to the earth. I see the cherubim over the world. I see a cross, a Lamb, and the blood. I see a mercy seat: there is mercy with the Lord. In the hymn “Only Trust Him” by J.H. Stockton we sing:
Come, ev’ry soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord.
In Romans 9:15 Paul wrote, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” We are also told, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:20). God is saying to us—not only to the house of Israel, but to the whole world—“You can come to Me”
As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake [Ezek. 1:28].
“This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” Ezekiel saw more than Moses saw, more than David, Isaiah, or Daniel saw. He saw a vision of the glory of God—not His Person, but His glory. The presence of God was there. When the Lord Jesus came to this earth and took upon Himself our humanity, His glory was not seen. Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord.
“And when I saw it, I fell upon my face.” This vision had a tremendous effect upon Ezekiel, and it should have this effect upon us: “Oh, God, I am undone. I’m lost and I need You. I turn to You and accept You.”
We find throughout the Old Testament that when men came into the presence of God, they went down on their faces. This was true of Isaiah who said: “… Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5). In the presence of the Lord, this man found himself horizontal with the ground. That was the position Daniel took also. It was the position John took on the isle of Patmos: “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead …” (Rev. 1:17).
What a picture of our holy God we have here! I must say that I stand merely on the fringe, thankful that I’m hidden in the cleft of the rock. Someday I am going to look upon the face of my Savior. I do not know what He looks like, but I am looking forward to that day.
CHAPTERS 2–3
Theme: Ezekiel’s call, preparation, and office as a watchman
EZEKIEL’S CALL
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee [Ezek. 2:1].
Apparently after the vision Ezekiel had seen, he was not standing up, but was down on his face. He will now receive a call and commission and an endowment with power for the office to which God has called him.
“Son of man”—God addresses him as “son of man.” This title is found exactly one hundred times in the Book of Ezekiel. Daniel, also, is called the son of man. Only these two men in the Old Testament were called by this title. This is also the title that the Lord Jesus appropriated to Himself; eighty-six times in the New Testament He used this title for Himself. It speaks of Him in His rejection, His humiliation, and His exaltation; He is the Son of Man.
Ezekiel did pass through a great deal of suffering. If someone were to ask me whose position I would rather not have—Daniel’s, Jeremiah’s or Ezekiel’s—I would say I would rather not have Ezekiel’s. Certainly Daniel was in danger in the court of Babylon—just ask the lions down there in the den where Daniel spent a night with them! If God had not intervened, Daniel would have been lion food. But I would prefer his job to Ezekiel’s because he at least had luxurious quarters there in the palace of the king of Babylon. Also, Jeremiah at this time was pretty much retired, although he had been in grave danger during his active ministry until the deportation of the people into captivity. However, this man Ezekiel was sent to do a hard job, a very difficult job. He had the job of speaking to an apostate people. He was sent to people who thought they were God’s people, but actually they were in rebellion against God.
The Spirit of God now comes upon Ezekiel and prepares him for this office:
And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me [Ezek. 2:2].
The Spirit of God gave Ezekiel the power to do the job He had given him to do. I believe that when God calls you to do a job He will give you the power to do that job. In fact, God’s work can only be done with the power of God. If God has called you to do a certain thing, He’ll give you the power to do it. The best position you can come to is to recognize that you are not able in your own strength to do the job the Lord has given to you. Moses finally came to the realization—after forty years in the wilderness—that he could not deliver the people. God said to him, “I can do it through you.” God called him to deliver the people, and he was able to do it—not because there was anything in Moses, but because there was a great deal in God.
This is so practical for us today: it works in the ministry, in the pew, and on the mission field. A young couple once came to me saying they had been called to the mission field. I questioned them carefully because I frankly did not feel they were called, although I could not be sure and certainly did not want to stand in their way. They went to the mission field but came back a casualty. As I talked to them, I found they were bitter and felt that God had let them down. They had been willing to go, willing to be martyrs; yet God had not used them. I asked them, “Did it ever occur to you that if you had been called to the mission field, He would have given you the power to do the job?” They had never looked at it from that viewpoint. My friend, we need to recognize that, if we are called of God, He is going to give us the power to do the job. The important thing then is to make sure that we are truly called of God to do a certain thing.
Ezekiel was called to do a harder job than any man I can think of. God is going to tell him about his job. I think that if God had told me something like this when I entered the ministry I would have said, “Now wait a minute, Lord, I’m handing in my resignation right now. I think I’ll continue in my job as a bank clerk and see if I can work myself up in the banking world.” I’m glad He didn’t tell me what He told Ezekiel, because I must confess I am a coward and I come from a long line of cowards. I admire this man Ezekiel. Notice what God tells him about his job:
And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God [Ezek. 2:3–4].
This is a tremendous statement that God makes: “I am going to send you to these people—they are ‘a rebellious nation.’” The word rebellious occurs again and again in the Book of Ezekiel. They are a people in rebellion against God.
The word that is translated “nation” is not the word that God generally used for His chosen people. The word in the Hebrew is goi, and it is the word that Israel used to speak of the Gentiles, the pagans, the heathen. What has happened is that Israel has sunk to the level of the heathen people who lived round about them. God says that they are “a rebellious nation”—they’ve rebelled against Him—and they are “impudent children.”
My friend, the hardest people to reach with the gospel today are church members—those who are in church and who have rejected the gospel and rejected the Word of God. Although they are in church, they are actually against God. They think that being a Christian means to be nice little boys and girls. They play at church—it’s a nice game for them. They seek to be sweet and to keep their noses clean. They want to live a life on the surface which is very sedate and comfortable. They don’t want anyone coming in and telling them they are lost sinners who need to be saved and to become obedient to God. They are hard people to reach, and my heart goes out to my brethren who are in the ministry today—they are sitting on a hot seat. And I would counsel any young man who is considering the ministry to be sure about his call. If he is not sure of his call, maybe he should sell insurance or something else rather than go into the ministry. To be in the ministry today is not easy if you are going to stand for the Word of God.
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them [Ezek. 2:5].
God says to Ezekiel, “I am calling you to go to these people, and whether they hear you or whether they don’t, they are going to know that there was a prophet of God among them—I’ll make sure of that.” After Ezekiel was gone, the people would say that he was certainly a prophet of God, although they disagreed with him.
I’ll be frank with you, all I want after I’m gone is for people to say that I preached the Word of God the best I knew how. That is what is important.
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house [Ezek. 2:6].
Apparently Ezekiel was going to be in danger, but God says, “Be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words.” The Lord really lays it on the line to Ezekiel just what his job was going to be like.
PREPARATION OF THE PROPHET
In chapter 3 we have the preparation of the prophet for a hard job, a difficult assignment. Jeremiah was a different type of individual from Ezekiel. Jeremiah was the prophet of the broken heart, tears often streaming from his eyes. At that crucial moment in history God needed Jeremiah to let His people know that it was breaking His heart to send them into captivity. Now the people have gone into captivity, and they are bitter and rebellious. However, at this time the temple had not yet been burned or the city of Jerusalem destroyed. It would not be until seven years after this delegation of captives arrived in Babylon that that destruction would occur. Therefore, the false prophets were still telling the people that they were God’s people and they would go back home. They said to this man Ezekiel, “Who do you think you are to tell us these things? We are God’s people, and we are going back to our land. We will not be in captivity a long time.” But God had told Ezekiel, “You tell them they are not going back. They are going to be in captivity for seventy years just as Jeremiah said. They are going to be in Babylon seventy years, and they are going to work hard there along the canals, working in the fields and building buildings. It is going to be a hard lot for them.”
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel [Ezek. 3:1].
“Son of man”—again, this is the title the Lord gives Ezekiel in this hard job, in the suffering he would experience.
“Eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.” This is quite a diet—he is to eat the Word of God. The Word of God should become part of us, my friend. No man ought to preach the Word whose heart is not in it and who doesn’t believe every word he says. Otherwise, he should get out of the ministry. The pulpit is no place for flowery speech and high-flown excess verbiage. The pulpit is the place to declare the Word of God.
So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness [Ezek. 3:2–3].
For a good diet study the Word of God. May I ask you, do you love the person of Christ? Maybe I ought to first ask, do you love the Word of God? You will never love Him unless you love the Word of God.
A seminary professor asked me one time, “What theory of inspiration do you hold?” I said to him, “The theory I hold is no theory at all—love the Book.” You have to love the Word of God before it will ever become meaningful to you. The Word of God reveals a Person to you and then you fall in love with Him. Ezekiel said, “It was in my mouth as honey for sweetness”—he loved the Word of God.
And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel [Ezek. 3:4–5].
Ezekiel was not sent to speak to foreigners but to his own people. He would not go as a missionary who has to learn a foreign tongue and a hard language—God sent him “to the house of Israel.”
Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted [Ezek. 3:6–7].
“Ezekiel, I am sending you to a congregation that is impudent and in rebellion against Me. They won’t hear Me, and they are not going to hear you, either.”
Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house [Ezek. 3:8–9].
The Lord tells Ezekiel, “You are to go ahead and give them My Word, and I am going to make your head hard.” Now God didn’t make Jeremiah’s head hard. Jeremiah had a soft heart, and he couldn’t stand up against all the trouble he faced. At one time he even went to the Lord and resigned. Ezekiel is not about to resign. God says, “The children of Israel are hardheaded, and I am going to make your head harder than theirs.”
A man came to me one time and said, “You know, our preacher really talked hard to the board the other night, and I don’t think a preacher ought to talk that way to the board.” “Well,” I said, “what kind of a board is it?” He replied, “They’ve caused the pastor a lot of trouble.” I told him, “That’s the kind of problem Ezekiel had, but God made his head harder than Israel’s. I just hope your preacher’s head is harder than anyone’s on the board.”
HIS OFFICE AS WATCHMAN
Now God tells Ezekiel what he is to do and how he is to warn Israel.
Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul [Ezek. 3:15–19].
God gives to Ezekiel the job of being a watchman to warn His people. They may not want it, but he is to warn them. God says to him, “If you do not warn them that they are going to die in their sins I am going to hold you responsible. However, if you warn them and they continue in their disobedience and die in their sins, you will not be responsible.”
My friend, I would hate to be in the place of a minister who does not give out the Word of God. I’d hate to be in his position and stand before the Lord Jesus someday in judgment. A man who has the Word of God should have the intestinal fortitude to declare the Word of God. This was Ezekiel’s responsibility, and God chose the right man for the job—he was as hard as a hickory nut.
The watchman held a very important position in the ancient world, in that day of walled cities. The cities were walled for protection, and the gates were closed at nightfall. A watchman then ascended the wall to begin the vigil of the long, dark night. With a trained eye he peered into the impenetrable darkness which surrounded the city. With a trained ear alert to every noise, he listened for the approach of danger, for the approach of an enemy.
The Word of God has quite a bit to say about the watchman. In Isaiah 62:6 we read: “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night ….” And then in Psalm 127:1 it says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
In the Hebrew culture, the watchmen functioned in three watches of the night; that is, they had three shifts: from dark until about midnight; from midnight until cockcrow, which was probably about two or three o’clock; and from then until dawn. The watchman in the morning watch was the one who announced the dawn. The Romans had the night divided into four watches.
We might think that the practice of having watchmen belongs to a backward age and a day that is past, that at the dawn of civilization it was satisfactory but it’s not needed today. However, we are finding out again that we need watchmen. The police who patrol all during the night in our cities are watchmen. I personally feel they should have more support from the citizens and from the legal profession. We should stand behind them. I know that some of them individually are not what they should be, but we should respect their office and respect the fact that they do protect us during the night. But if we continue on the lawless path on which we are now, I am afraid that the day will come when they will not be able to help us at all.
The Book of Isaiah teaches us that the watchman had not only a responsibility, but also a visibility. He was to be able to distinguish the enemy out there in the darkness. Today, the minister is to be the watchman for his community. He should be able to give a warning of danger—he is responsible to give, that type of message.
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand [Ezek. 3:20].
This verse has been used to argue that a believer can fall from grace, a teaching which is not found in the Word of God. Galatians 5:4 is the only place where you will find the expression “… fallen from grace.” There it is not speaking of salvation but of those who have been saved by grace but have fallen down to a legal level and are attempting to live by the law instead of living by grace. The great teaching of Galatians is that we are saved by grace and are to live by grace.
Here in Ezekiel we have a man who is living under the time of law. His life was determined by righteous acts. Under normal circumstances the righteous acts he might perform might look very good. But under time of stress and strain he might turn from God, and he would be judged for it. We are not to construe that he was once saved. He will be tested at the end of his life as to whether he is a child of God or not.
Today you and I are living under grace, and righteousness is determined in a little different way. We are constituted righteous by faith in Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace through faith. In Romans 4:5 we are told “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted [reckoned] for righteousness.” The true believer today may fall into sin, but he will not deliberately practice and live in sin: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit [practice] sin …” (1 John 3:9). If a believer falls into sin, a gracious provision is made—we have an Advocate with the Father, and we can come to Him in confession of our sins.
The emphasis in Ezekiel is not so much upon this man living under law but upon the responsibility of the watchman. The watchman is to warn the man who has turned from good works to living in a way that conforms to the standard of the enemy.
And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee [Ezek. 3:22].
Having been told he is to be a watchman, God now tells Ezekiel to leave these people. For seven days he has sat among them overwhelmed by how far they have apostatized and turned from God. God calls him to leave them.
Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face [Ezek. 3:23].
The subject of the glory of God will appear again and again in the Book of Ezekiel. What is glory, by the way? Some will say that glory is something you cannot see, that it is intangible. I feel that is entirely wrong. Glory is something that produces a sensation on all five of our senses. Glory has size. How big is it? Is it long or square or round? May I say, glory has the size of the infinity of space. The Word of God tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). The glory of God is seen in this tremendous universe that you and I live in. Glory also has a beauty to it: “… whose glorious beauty is a fading flower …” (Isa. 28:1). Glory is beautiful. My, heaven is going to be a beautiful place. How lovely it’s going to be! Glory has to do with adornment. We read in Scripture that He was “… glorious in his apparel …” (Isa. 63:1). He is really dressed up and lovely in the garb that he wears. There is a majesty about glory. Psalm 8:1 declares, “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.” This is the majesty of God; it is bright and light, precious and pure. Finally, glory also sets forth honor and dignity. Daniel said, “O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour” (Dan. 5:18). The very name of God suggests His dignity, His glory. Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord.
Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them [Ezek. 3:24–25].
The usual interpretation of this verse is that the enemy binds Ezekiel so that they can take him out of the house. However, Ezekiel wanted to stay in that house and he would not go although they had bound him.
Instead of speaking a great deal, Ezekiel is going to act out the parables which God gives to him. This is one of them: he goes into his house and locks himself in. Why? To show that God has rejected this rebellious people.
And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house [Ezek. 3:26–27].
Ezekiel’s job is to say, “Thus saith the Lord God.” Back in chapter 2, verse 7 we read, “And thou shalt speak my words unto them.” This man is to give God’s Word to these people, and that is the only time he’s to speak to them. He is to be dumb at other times. He had only the Word of God to give them.
CHAPTERS 4–5
Theme: Judgment of Jerusalem; sign of the prophet shaving his hair
In chapters 4 and 5 Ezekiel is going to use certain signs and act out certain parables before the people. At this time Jerusalem was not yet destroyed, and the false prophets were telling the people of Israel that they were going to have peace. They were saying that the Jews already in Babylonian captivity would return to their land shortly, but Ezekiel is going to confirm the word of Jeremiah, who had told them they would not be going back and that Jerusalem would be destroyed.
G. K. Chesterton writing in the early twentieth century said, “This is the age of pacifism, but it is not the age of peace.” Throughout history man has engaged in fifteen thousand wars and he has signed some eight thousand peace treaties; yet during five or six thousand years of history he has never enjoyed more than two to three hundred years of true peace. Man is a warlike creature, whether he likes to think so or not. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” May I say to you, there is only one Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.
JUDGMENT OF JERUSALEM
Ezekiel is going to show these people that there is not going to be any peace and that Jerusalem is going to be destroyed.
Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and portray upon it the city, even Jerusalem [Ezek. 4:1].
“A tile” in that day meant a brick. This was their writing material; the Babylonians used clay bricks on which they kept their records. Many, many of these bricks have been found, and they have writing upon them. They are almost square, about fourteen by twelve inches in size.
What Ezekiel was to do was to draw the city of Jerusalem on the brick (I do not know just how he did it), and then he was to break the brick to show that the city was going to be destroyed.
Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel [Ezek. 4:3].
Now Ezekiel was to take an iron pan and put it between himself and this picture of Jerusalem which he had made to show that God had put a wall between Himself and the city of Jerusalem. The destruction of the city was inevitable; it could not be stopped. What a tremendous way in which to bring God’s message to these people!
The sign of the tile portrayed the siege of Jerusalem. The second sign of the pan showed the hardships of divine judgment, that the people were to go through terrible suffering. A third sign describes additional punishments to come upon Jerusalem. It is the sign of the defiled bread:
Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.
And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.
And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them [Ezek. 4:9–13].
These instructions would be overwhelming to most of us, but they were especially difficult for Ezekiel to follow because he was a priest and had never eaten anything unclean:
Then said I, Ah Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth [Ezek. 4:14].
However, this was to be a sign from the Lord of the famine the people would experience at the time of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. Despite the continued promises of the false prophets, the city and the people were going to be lost. These various signs described the horrors that were to come.
SIGN OF THE PROPHET SHAVING HIS HAIR
Chapter 5 opens with Ezekiel acting out yet another sign to the people:
And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber’s razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts [Ezek. 5:1–3].
This must have looked something like one of our modern commercials for an electric razor—only they didn’t have electric razors in those days! Just what was the meaning of this? Ezekiel was to shave his head and his beard, which was unusual for a priest to do. I imagine the people gathered all around to watch as Ezekiel shaved himself out there in the open.
After he shaved, Ezekiel carefully divided the hair into three parts. One third of the hair he took and burned inside the city. This represented the people who were going to be besieged and burned with fire inside the city at the time of its destruction—this is exactly what happened to them. The second third of the hair he took and smote—he really worked it over. This depicted what was to happen to those people who lived through the siege—they fell by the sword. The last third of the people were scattered out; this group included those who went down to Egypt taking Jeremiah with them. The small remnant of God’s people who eventually returned to the city is pictured by the few hairs that were bound up in Ezekiel’s skirts.
A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them [Ezek. 5:12].
This is the message that Ezekiel brought, and he made its meaning very clear.
So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it [Ezek. 5:17].
Ezekiel’s warning to the people went unheeded. The destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering endured by the people should be a warning to us of the reality of divine judgment. But we are so far removed from it, and very few people are really acquainted with the Word of God today. (The greatest sin among Christians is ignorance of the Word of God.) God gave this warning to the people of Jerusalem, but it has a message for us also, as does all Scripture. My friend, when the judgment of God begins, it is going to be too late to make your decision. Today, if you will hear His voice, He says, “(… behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Cor. 6:2, italics mine). The real “Now Generation” are those who have not postponed their decision but have already accepted God’s salvation.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Sword to fall upon Jerusalem; remnant to be saved
The book of Ezekiel is a very orderly book, and up to this point we have had prophecies which largely concerned Jerusalem. However, the prophet will now turn his attention to the whole land of Israel: judgment is going to come upon the whole land.
Ezekiel is with the second delegation of people who were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. They were slaves of the government of Babylon working in the agricultural area by the river Chebar, the great canal running off the Euphrates River. Most of the people, however, were still back in the land, and Jerusalem had not yet been devastated. The false prophets continued to assure the people that everything was going to be all right and that the captives would be able to return shortly. Meanwhile, Jeremiah was saying that the captivity would last seventy years, but they paid no attention to him. They listened to the false prophets because their message sounded better and was very optimistic.
I have found the same attitude among people throughout the years of my ministry. After I preached a series of messages on the judgments of God found in the books of the prophets, one very prominent man in my church at that time withdrew from the church. He said, “I go to church to be comforted, and I am not being comforted.” He did not want to hear the Word of God. I discovered later that in his business dealings he did not need to be comforted; the judgement messages were good for him—they were digging in right where he was! Another lady stopped coming to my church, saying, “There were times when Dr. McGee made me feel very bad. Now I go to church, and the preacher makes me feel very good.” Frankly her church was a cult, and its message concerned how to make friends and influence people. It emphasized the power of positive thinking: just feel good about it, and it will be good. May I say to you, that is not the message of the Word of God.
In chapters 6 and 7 we have two messages of judgment. Ezekiel now is going to speak on that which concerns all of the land, and his message is that the idolaters are to die and the land is to be desolated.
SWORD TO FALL UPON JERUSALEM
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 6:1].
This verse opens the first of the two messages; the second message in chapter 7 begins the same way: “Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying” (Ezek. 7:1). The people would not accept what Ezekiel said, but Ezekiel told them, “I’m not telling you what I think, and I’m not telling you what I hope or what I’d like to see come to pass. I’m telling you what God says.”
It is also interesting to note that both of these messages conclude with “and they shall know that I am the Lord.” God sent this judgment upon them so that they would know He was the Lord; one of the purposes of judgment is that men might know that God is a holy God.
This world needs to know that God is a holy God. We have had a great deal of emphasis upon the fact that God is love. While it is true that God is love, it is only half the story. We need to look on the other side of the coin: God is holy, and God will punish sin. If you turn in disobedience from Him, if you deny Him and do not accept His salvation, there is only one alternative left—judgment. Men today try to excuse themselves; they do not want to recognize that they are sinners. They attempt to write God off and bow Him out of His universe by saying He does not even exist.
A brilliant young Hebrew, who was a chaplain at the University of Pittsburgh a number of years ago, attempted to show that God did not exist. His argument was based on the premise that the God of the Hebrew Bible is depicted as the faithful protector of His chosen people, but at least six million Jews had died at the hands of the Nazis. He wrote, “To believe in the God of the covenant today you must affirm that their Creator [that is, of the nation Israel] used Adolph Hitler as the rod of His wrath to send His people to the death camps, and I find myself utterly incapable of believing this. Even the existentialist’s leap of faith cannot resurrect this dead God after Auschwitz.” This young rabbi speaks of the death of God as a cultural event. Wistfully and sadly he comes to the conclusion that there is no God because the God of the covenant is a God who would protect Israel and would never let anything happen to them. May I point out that he never takes into consideration, as Ezekiel did, that there might be something wrong with the people upon whom the judgment came. They had turned their backs upon God and had denied Him. They had been given a special privilege, and that privilege created a responsibility which they did not measure up to.
Ezekiel is telling the people that it is God who is sending this judgment that He might confirm to them that He is a holy God. His judgment is an awful thing. Paul wrote, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11). Because Ezekiel was made aware of God’s holiness at the beginning of his ministry, he devoted his life to the ministry of “persuading men.”
Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them [Ezek. 6:2].
The judgment is to come upon the entire land.
And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places [Ezek. 6:3].
“Mountain” in Scripture, if used figuratively, speaks of government, but you need to determine if it is being used literally or figuratively. I believe Ezekiel is speaking of that land, the good old terra firma—right down where there’s plenty of dirt.
“I will destroy your high places.” In that land under every kind of tree there was a heathen altar around which the grossest immorality took place. This is what the heathen, the Gentiles did, but now this nation, God’s chosen people, had given themselves over to the same idolatry. God says to them, “Judgment is coming upon you.”
And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars [Ezek. 6:4–5].
It is too bad that the Jews in Germany did not read the Book of Ezekiel rather than turning to a man like Hitler, which the entire nation did at the beginning. Israel should have turned to the living and true God and been acquainted with His method of dealing with men. You cannot trifle with God, my friend. Judgment does come.
America struggles to bring peace to the world; but, instead of solving our problems, they continue to mount up. Why? Because God judges. Do you think God is a senile old man with long whiskers, sitting on a cloud and weeping crocodile tears? My friend, God is a holy God. In chapter 1 Ezekiel saw a vision of a holy God: those wheels within wheels depicting the energy of God as He moves forward to accomplish His purposes, and the fire and whirlwind showing that God does move in judgment upon this earth in which we live. To understand God in this way may be a bitter pill, but when we take the bitter pills the doctor gives us, they do help us. We need to swallow this bitter pill: we are dealing with a holy God, and He is not wrong; we are the ones who are wrong. Are you willing to admit that?
God is saying, “I am going to judge Israel, and it is not going to be easy.” I am afraid Israel was not at all willing to admit their wrong.
REMNANT TO BE SAVED
Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries [Ezek. 6:8].
There were some among these people who remained faithful to God. The nation as a whole went away from God, but there was a believing remnant. This is true of the church today. Liberalism has taken over the bulk of the organized church, but there are many of God’s people left. God takes note of the faithful ones.
And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a-whoring after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations [Ezek. 6:9].
“And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives.” What is this remnant going to do? They are going to be a witness for God.
“Because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me” would be better translated “when I shall have broken their whorish heart which has departed from me.” They are people who belong to Him, but they have played the harlot, they have committed spiritual adultery. The organized church which will remain after Christ takes His true church out of the world is also called a harlot in Revelation 17. That is the most frightful chapter in the Word of God—it presents a terrible picture.
“They shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.” This was one of the results of judgment, but we do not see this result in our world today. This means simply that there will be more judgment, and that judgment is coming during the Great Tribulation Period. The people at that time will gnaw their tongues because of the judgment of God. You would think there would be a great wave of repentance, but there will not be among that crowd.
In Ezekiel’s day there were those who loathed themselves—they repented because they were still close to God. That will be true of God’s people always. If you do not hate yourself whenever you serve the Devil, then you must not be one of God’s people.
And they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them [Ezek. 6:10].
“And they shall know that I am the Lord”—this is said three times in this chapter, and it is another result of judgment. Again, we do not see this result happening in our own day. Instead of recognizing the hand of God, people are saying that He is not even there. They argue that if He did exist, He would always help them. Oh, my friend, where do we get that idea? God is judging sin. People rebel against this; they do not want a God who judges. You can make a God after your own likeness if you want to, but the holy God is still out there. You might wish He would go away, but He is not going to go away. He will continue to judge.
Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols [Ezek. 6:13].
I happen to know that the persecution under Hitler drove many wonderful Jews to God. There is a great company of believers today in Europe as a result of that. We forget about them, and very little is said about them. I received a letter once from a wonderful girl whose parents died in those gas chambers, and she testified to the fact that the horrible experience had been the means of her salvation. We need to recognize the hand of God—He is a holy God. If He did not spare His own Son, but let Him die when He became sin for us, why in the world do sinners think they will escape His judgment?
“Their altars, upon every high hill”—God spells out the reason He judged them in the land. My friend, the judgment of God is still upon that land. Many folk like to speak of it as “the land of milk and honey.” Don’t kid your-self—it is not the land of milk and honey today. The people are not turning to Him, and His judgment is still on that land.
So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 6:14].
I do not know about “the wilderness toward Diblath,” but I do know what it is like between Jerusalem and Jericho right now, and I am not interested in buying real estate there. If it were not for their need of protection, I think Israel would be willing to turn it back to the Arabs and let them have it!
“They shall know that I am the Lord”—again, this is one of His tremendous purposes in judgment.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Prophecy of the final destruction of Jerusalem
Chapter 7 contains the second of two messages of judgment against the entire land of Israel. Through chapter 5 Ezekiel’s messages had concerned Jerusalem, but now the whole land is in view. Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed and, although most of the inhabitants had been removed from the land, many people still remained there. However, the events which had already taken place did not cause them to turn to God.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 7:1].
Ezekiel is passing on to the people of Israel what God has to say. The first message, given in chapter 6, opened with the same words.
Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land [Ezek. 7:2].
Judgment was to come upon that land, and of course it would include the people of the land. The land of Israel and the nation Israel are always considered together in the Word of God.
A new element is added to Ezekiel’s prophecy in this message—this is now the prophecy of the final destruction of the land and of Jerusalem. The final deportation will take place, and the city will be destroyed.
Now is the end come upon thee, and I send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations [Ezek. 7:3].
This message is in the form of marvelous Hebrew poetry, and throughout this chapter I would like to quote to you a translation by the late Dr. A. C. Gaebelein (The Prophet Ezekiel, p. 48). He has translated this quite literally in poetic form. This then is his translation of verses 1–3.
And the Word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, And thou Son of Man, thus saith Jehovah unto the land of Israel:
An end cometh! The end
Upon the four corners of the land.
Now cometh the end upon thee
And I will send mine anger upon thee,
And I will judge thee according to thy ways,
And I will bring upon thee all thine abominations.
God says to Israel, “I am going to judge you according to your ways.” The judgment or the punishment will fit the crime.
We need to ask ourselves: How serious is it to be a professed witness for God and yet really be a phony? How serious is it to be a church member and not be saved? That brings the issue right down to where the rubber meets the road for us in this day. I have said many times that I would rather be a Hottentot in the darkest corner of Africa, bowing down to an idol, than to be a church member sitting in the pew, professing to be a Christian, yet not knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior! I will not argue with you about what God will do with the Hottentot—the Lord has His plan for him. I will talk about church members who are not truly saved. That is the issue in our day which corresponds to what Ezekiel is talking about. Ezekiel says that such a man’s responsibility is great, because he has heard the Word of God, and he has turned his back upon it. The more he hears, the greater his responsibility grows, I can assure you of that.
And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord God; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.
An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.
The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains.
Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.
And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways, and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth [Ezek. 7:4–9].
Again, let me give you Dr. Gaebelein’s translation (The Prophet Ezekiel, p. 48) of these verses:
And mine eyes shall not spare thee,
Neither will I have pity:
Because I will bring thy ways upon thee
And thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee:
And ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah!
An evil—an only evil!—behold it cometh.
An end is come—the end is come!
It awaketh against thee. Behold it cometh!
O inhabitant of the land, thy doom is come unto thee
The set time is come, the day is near,
The day of tumult.
And not the joyous shouting upon the mountains;
Now will I soon pour out my fury upon thee
And accomplish mine anger against thee.
I will judge thee according to thy ways,
And I will bring upon thee all thine abominations.
Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity.
According to thy ways will I render unto thee,
And thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee,
And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, who smiteth.
This is a tremendous passage of Scripture which, I dare say, few deal with today—it is totally unknown to multitudes of church members. Someone will argue, “Well, it belongs way back in the Old Testament, and that makes it different.” My friend, Ezekiel’s language is tame compared to the Book of Revelation and to the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 25. Ezekiel’s words here are those of a sissy compared to many passages in the New Testament. The God of the New Testament is the same Person as the God of the Old Testament, and He will punish sin in any age.
I mentioned in the previous chapter a young Jewish rabbi who wants to dismiss God altogether because he cannot reconcile what happened to the six million Jews in Hitler’s Germany. All I want to say is that ought to be a warning to the church of God today. Will God judge? Yes, He will! It is no wonder that Paul said, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11).
Many are playing church today, making it a cheap sort of thing. They speak of their “allegiance,” their “dedication,” but do not have a full commitment to Jesus Christ. That is the tragedy of this moment. Our problem is not that we do not have enough church members—the problem is we have too many who are not genuine Christians. There was a great preacher in New York City many years ago who made this statement: “One cold church member hurts the cause of Christ more than twenty blatant, blaspheming atheists.” Ezekiel’s message was not popular in his day, nor is it today.
Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.
Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs: neither shall there be wailing for them.
The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.
They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof [Ezek. 7:10–14].
Here is Dr. Gaebelein’s rendering of this passage (The Prophet Ezekiel, pp. 49–50):
Behold the Day! Behold it cometh!
Thy doom advanceth:
The rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.
Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness;
None of them shall remain; yea none of their multitude
Nor their wealth; neither shall there be eminency among them.
The time is come, the day draweth near;
Let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn,
For wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
For the seller shall not return to that which is sold,
Even though he were yet amongst the living.
In the vision touching the whole multitude thereof
It shall not be revoked;
And none shall through his iniquity assure his life.
They have blown the trumpet and made all ready,
But none goeth to the battle;
For my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
The thing that characterized these people was that they were a bunch of protesters—they were pacifists and wouldn’t go to war. They refused to stand for that which was right, my friend. The judgment came, and when the enemy came in, he didn’t have any silly notions about pacifism. I mentioned before G. K. Chesterson’s comment, “This is the age of pacifism, but it is not the age of peace.” It is true that men today are weary of war, but as long as there is iniquity in the human heart God has said, “There is no peace … to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). Isaiah repeated that truth three times in his prophecy.
They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumbling-block of their iniquity [Ezek. 7:19].
Dr. Gaebelein’s translation is (The Prophet Ezekiel, p. 51):
They shall cast their silver in the streets,
And their gold shall be as an unclean thing;
Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them
In the day of Jehovah’s wrath;
They cannot satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowls,
Because it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.
Too often in America we have felt that the almighty dollar could solve every problem of life. We have spent billions of dollars throughout the world in pursuit of peace. We haven’t done a very good job, but we sure have spent a lot of money. It is very comfortable to have a few dollars on hand, but they will not solve life’s problems. This is what God is saying here to the people of Israel who felt that their accumulated wealth would protect them—it did not.
As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.
My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it [Ezek. 7:20–22].
Dr. Gaebelein continues on page 51:
And the beauty of their ornaments, they turned it to pride,
And the images of their abominations, their detestable things made they of it.
And I shall give it to the hands of strangers for a prey,
And to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall profane it.
For I will turn my face from them,
And they shall defile my secret place,
And robbers shall enter into it and profane it.
This is an awesome description of the judgment of God, but if you want to read something even more awesome and which still lies ahead for the world, read Revelation 18 and 19, which describe the destruction of commercial Babylon. It speaks of a day in which men trust in big business and the stock market and depend on the success of Fifth Avenue. It is a day in which the boys in grey flannel suits make business successful, and the government assures that everything in life will go all right. But it wasn’t all right, and it didn’t save them. When they needed deliverance, it could not deliver them.
Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled [Ezek. 7:23–24].
These verses are translated on page 51 by Dr. Gaebelein for us:
Form a chain,
For the land is full of bloody crimes,
And the city full of violence.
Therefore will I bring the worst of the nations,
And they shall possess their houses;
And I will make the pride of the mighty to cease,
And their sanctuaries shall be defiled.
“The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence”—what an accurate picture of our own day!
“Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses.” There are many today who want to believe that God will never permit Russia to destroy America. Where do we get that idea? God permitted Babylon, a pagan nation, to destroy His own people. Can America come down? People will say, “Oh, no. We are sending missionaries. We are such nice, lovely people.” My friend, it is not safe to walk the streets of America. There’s violence; there’s crime. Until a nation will become a law-abiding people, God cannot bless them.
You see, people do not like to read Ezekiel’s message; they would rather read John 14. Don’t misunderstand me—I love John 14, too. But we must remember that Ezekiel 7 is in the Bible also. I do not know where we got the idea that one chapter was a little bit more important than another to read. We need to at least give Ezekiel 7 equal time and let him present his case.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Vision of the glory; temple destroyed because of defilement
We now come to the second major section of the prophecy of Ezekiel. In this division of the book the complete captivity of Jerusalem and Israel will become a reality, and the glory of the Lord will depart from the temple in Jerusalem.
VISION OF THE GLORY
In chapter 8 Ezekiel has another vision of the glory of the Lord. The vision transports Ezekiel to Jerusalem, and God’s glory appears in the temple at Jerusalem. The question always arises: Was Ezekiel actually transported to Jerusalem? I will give you my viewpoint, but this is an issue on which no one can be dogmatic and on which few agree. One answer to the question is that Ezekiel simply saw a vision and he saw it there by the river Chebar. A second explanation is given that Ezekiel literally went to Jerusalem and walked around and saw all that he records here. I do not accept either of these interpretations.
I believe that Ezekiel’s experience was very similar to the experiences that the apostles Paul and John had. Paul said that he had been caught up to the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:1–3). It is my feeling that that occurred at the time he was stoned in Lystra in the Galatian country and was left for dead. I believe he actually was dead and that God raised him from the dead, and that at that time he was caught up to the third heaven. John also, as recorded in Revelation 4, was caught up into heaven. In this I feel John is a picture of the rapture of the church, in which all true believers will be caught up to be with the Lord. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation frequently mention “the church,” but after John’s experience in chapter 4, the church (the “called-out body”) is no longer mentioned. She is now the “bride” of Christ, the church which is no longer on the earth but is with her Lord. Therefore, I see John’s being caught up into heaven as a picture of the Rapture.
Ezekiel was actually caught up as Paul and John were, but I do not think that the people at Jerusalem and of the surrounding area were aware that he was there. We are not dealing with the natural, and I cannot offer you a natural explanation. God caught him up, and what happened was supernatural.
And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me [Ezek. 8:1].
Ezekiel was sitting among the elders. I imagine it was a pretty doleful crowd there.
Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber [Ezek. 8:2].
This is very similar to a part of Ezekiel’s vision recorded in chapter 1. That tremendous vision of the glory of God is the basis of every vision in the Book of Ezekiel, and I personally think it is the basis of the Book of Revelation.
And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain [Ezek. 8:3–4].
“And he put forth the form of an hand.” God is a Spirit; He doesn’t have a hand like I have. But when the Scripture tells me that the fingerwork of God is in the heavens then I am able to understand, because I could not understand how God could make the world without a hand. Scripture uses our own finite terms to aid our understanding of the infinite.
“And he took me by a lock of mine head.” You will remember that Ezekiel had shaved himself—his face and his head—but that had been about a year before this, and his hair has had time to grow out. God took him by the hair of his head.
“And the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem.” Ezekiel was actually caught up and removed by the Spirit of God to Jerusalem. Whether or not his body went along with him is a point I will not argue about, but I rather think it did. Ezekiel’s withdrawal to Jerusalem is not something new in Scripture. Elijah also was caught up (2 Kings 2), and in the New Testament we read of Philip: “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). Philip was removed bodily, and that is exactly what happened to Elijah and possibly to this man Ezekiel.
“To Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.” I believe this “image of jealousy” may be a reference to the idol which Manasseh put in the temple (see 2 Kings 21; 2 Chron. 33) which was an abomination and a blasphemy. Perhaps that old idol had been pushed into a corner and forgotten for awhile, but now in Ezekiel’s day it has been pulled out, and the people who should have turned to God in repentance are again worshiping that idol.
In chapters 8–10 of Ezekiel we are going to see the gradual withdrawal of the glory of the Lord from the temple and from Israel. I feel that the glory actually departed back during the reign of Manasseh and that Ezekiel is given a vision of that here. I know that most expositors of Scripture feel that the glory left at the time of the Captivity, but I do not feel that is accurate. If the glory did not leave during the exceedingly evil reign of Manasseh, I cannot see any other period in Israel’s history which would cause the glory, the presence of God, to leave.
In this chapter we do not have the complete vision of the departure of the glory. Here we see the glory, and then, because the people did not turn back to God, the glory lifted up from the temple and went out over the city to the east and waited there. It will not be until chapter 10 that we will see the final departure of the glory.
I do not think there is any evidence after the reign of Manasseh that the glory of the Lord was in the temple. This vision was given to Ezekiel to show that God is merciful. He was loath to leave and was ready to save the people of Israel if they would turn to Him. God is merciful, and God is love. But He is also a righteous and just God who cannot permit evil in His universe. He cannot permit that which is contrary to Himself.
Today, God cannot save us by our righteousness or our perfection—we have none to present to Him. He cannot accept anything less than righteousness. He therefore had to provide a redemption for man, and we must come His way through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not, we have an old nature that is in rebellion against God, and God is not going to permit that in His universe, anymore than a policeman should harbor a criminal in his home.
TEMPLE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF DEFILEMENT
Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry [Ezek. 8:5].
The temple is defiled. The people are no longer worshipping the living and true God but are breaking the first two commandments.
And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here [Ezek. 8:7–9].
If Ezekiel is over there just in his spirit, how in the world could he crawl through a hole? How does a spirit dig a hole? If he were a spirit, he wouldn’t need to dig a hole. I believe he was there bodily, and he dug a hole and was apparently brought down into a basement or a cave. What does he find down there?
So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about [Ezek. 8:10].
These people are worshiping the creature rather than the Creator—this is as low as they could go. Man will turn to this type of thing when he has absolutely repudiated the living and true God. This is what they were doing in Egypt at the time of the Exodus; they were worshiping every kind of beast. That is the reason the plagues upon Egypt were aimed at the different gods of Egypt. In Romans 1 we read: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God … Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever …” (Rom. 1:21, 25). This means that Israel has sunk down to the level of the nations round about her, and she is no longer a witness for the living and true God. For this reason, He will destroy the temple.
And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth [Ezek. 8:11–12].
You see, they have dismissed God. They said He was not watching them. And those today who say that God is dead are really trying to say that God is not looking at us, that we are not responsible to Him, we owe Him nothing and may do as we please. That is what Israel was doing. They were apparently worshiping this idol, and they were doing it in secret. Talk about a secret lodge—they sure had one in the temple there.
My friend, in this day the believer’s body is God’s temple on earth. Is He pleased by what He sees going on in our minds and hearts?
He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these [Ezek. 8:13–15].
“There sat women weeping for Tammuz.” This was an awful thing that was going on. Tammuz was the Babylonian Dumuzi, the god of spring vegetation. He died in the fall and winter and went down to the netherworld to be revived again each returning summer. The worship of this god was practiced in Phoenicia and spread to Greece, where Adonis was Tammuz’ counterpart. These weeping women were celebrating the death of this god; his worship was actually the worship of nature and connected with it were some vile and immoral ceremonies.
And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east [Ezek. 8:16].
The greatest of all the abominations was the worship of the sun. This was happening right in the temple between the porch and the altar. They can sink no lower than this.
Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose [Ezek. 8:17].
“And, lo, they put the branch to their nose.” There are many ways of interpreting this; Jewish commentators of the past have said that it speaks of shocking, low, and degrading religious rites. Perhaps it could be compared with a man “thumbing his nose” today. This is what they were doing to God!
God now expresses His anger—
Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them [Ezek. 8:18].
Israel has stepped over the line—they can go no lower than this. God will now judge them.
My friend, God loves you and will save you if you will come to Him by faith and trust Christ as your Savior. God also judges, and He is a holy and righteous God, and He makes no apology for it. We can say with Paul, “… Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid” (Rom. 9:14). God is right in everything He does; if He judges, He is right to do so. It will be quite a revelation to this generation when it is shown that it is wrong and God is right. God will judge sin.
CHAPTERS 9–10
Theme: Shekinah glory prepares to leave temple; Shekinah glory fills the holy place; Shekinah glory departs
SHEKINAH GLORY PREPARES TO LEAVE THE TEMPLE
In chapter 9 the Shekinah glory prepares to leave the temple at Jerusalem. I believe that from the days of Manasseh there was the coming and going of the Shekinah glory. God is merciful; He doesn’t, in a petulant mood, give up on people. God is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish.
And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side [Ezek. 9:2–3].
“Six men came from the way of the higher gate.” These six men are angels—I see no other explanation for them. Angels are used by God in the judgment of this world. They are associated with the nation Israel and have nothing to do with the church. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came—not angels—and when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to take the church out of the world, there will be no angels with Him. However, when He comes to the earth to establish His kingdom, He will send forth His angels. We read in Matthew 13:41, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.” Then in Matthew 16:27: “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Finally, Paul wrote: “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:7–8). After the third chapter in Revelation, there is no mention of the church which had been previously mentioned frequently. Why? The church is gone from the earth, and angels have taken over the judgment upon the earth.
“And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub.” That is, it had gone up from the Holy Place. The “cherub” were above the mercy seat. This is where the glory had been, but now it lifts up. The glory was a token of the presence of God, and it is now departing.
And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof [Ezek. 9:4].
God has said, “Mark out the men who want these abominations and are seeking after them. I am going to judge them.” But this man with the inkhorn marks out those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations.” These are the remnant which God will save in that city.
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not [Ezek. 9:9].
It was as if the people were saying, “God is blind, and He can’t make it to the earth.” That is the same as those who say today that God is dead. It may be easy to say that God is not out there and He doesn’t know what is going on in the earth, but when you really think about it, it is absurd. My friend, just because you haven’t seen God and have seen no evidence of Him is no proof that He does not exist. I have never been to Tokyo, Japan, but I believe there is a great city by the name of Tokyo in Japan. I have never been there, and I can act as if it’s not there, but the fact remains that it does exist. Just because a man has had no intimate relationship with God does not mean that God does not exist. The people of Israel were trying to say that God had forsaken the earth. Why? Because they had forsaken God.
And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head [Ezek. 9:10].
The destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and the burning of the temple were frightful things. Why did God do it? He has said, “I will recompense their way upon their head.” God is running things, my friend; and, if you are out of step with Him, it might be well to get in step with Him. If I saw a lion coming down the street toward me, I wouldn’t meet him head on. I would turn and be going the same direction as he was going and as far ahead of him as I could go! You can defy God if you want to, but may I say to you, the chariot of the Lord is riding triumphantly, and God have mercy on you if you get in His way.
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me [Ezek. 9:11].
There were those who were picked out for judgment, and there was the remnant which was to be saved. Our God is merciful when men will turn to Him; that fact makes His judgment actually more frightful.
SHEKINAH GLORY FILLS THE HOLY PLACE
In chapter 10 we continue Ezekiel’s vision of the departing glory of the Lord. God has supernaturally transported Ezekiel to Jerusalem to let him see these things and then return to report to the major portion of the people of Israel who were already in captivity in Babylon. They were being told there by the false prophets that everything was fine in Jerusalem and they would return there shortly. Ezekiel will be able to go back and tell them why God is going to destroy the city and permit judgment to come upon them. We saw in chapter 8 that there was sufficient proof of the sin in the life of the people in Jerusalem—God made that evident to Ezekiel.
We need to see the fact that God judges; it is one of the evidences we have of the living God. We do not get by with our sin, and the very fact that we don’t get by with it is proof that God exists. The “wheels within wheels” which Ezekiel saw speak of the energy of God as He moves in the affairs of men.
The glory of the Lord was above the cherubim—between the cherubim in the Holy of Holies in the temple. The nation of Israel had what no other nation had and, indeed, that which the church does not have today: the visible presence of God. In the ninth chapter of Romans, Paul lists about eight different points of identification which were unique to the nation of Israel, and one of them was “the glory.” These people had the Shekinah glory, the visible presence of God, that which Ezekiel saw in his vision in the first chapter.
The glory began its departure in the previous chapter, and will now continue to depart. It moved out from the temple and hovered over it. Now we read:
Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight [Ezek. 10:1–2].
The man clothed with linen is to scatter these coals from off the altar. The blood of the sacrifice was taken from the altar and put on the mercy seat. These coals speak of judgment. The people had refused the grace and mercy and redemption of God; now they must bear the judgment.
It is just as simple as this: God sent His Son because He loves you. Because He is holy, He had to pay the penalty for your sin and mine; He had to die on the cross. Christ is the propitiation, He is the mercy seat for our sins—not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. There is a mercy seat which you can come to, but, if you reject it, the judgment of God must come upon you. Christ bore your judgment, and that is the only way God forgives you. It is not because you are a sweet little boy or a nice little Pollyanna glad-girl. You are a sinner and in rebellion against Him. The best that Christians can say today is that we are saved sinners; we are not superior people at all.
Judgment is now going to come to Jerusalem, the city that is the center of the earth. It is the very navel of the earth—that is what God calls it. It will be the center of the millennial kingdom, and it will be the eternal center of the earth. It is today the most sensitive piece of real estate on topside of the earth. Someone has put it like this: “Palestine became the nerve-center of the earth in the days of Abraham. Later on, the country became the truth-center because of Moses and the prophets. Ultimately, it became the salvation-center by the manifestation of Christ. His rejection led to its becoming the storm-center, as it has continued to be throughout many centuries. The Scriptures predict that it is to be the peace-center under the messianic kingdom, and it will be the glory-center in a new universe yet to be experienced.” We are seeing through the vision of Ezekiel the departure of the glory from that city, but God has an eternal purpose in this city.
Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory [Ezek. 10:4].
The Shekinah glory had been confined to the Holy Place, the place which denoted the approach of these people to God. However, now the glory leaves the Holy Place there between the cherubim and hovers over the temple to see if the people will return to God.
And the sound of the cherubim’s wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man’s hand under their wings [Ezek. 10:5–8].
Again, this “hand” denotes the activity of God in performing certain things. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork [actually, fingerwork]” (Ps. 19:1). The universe is the fingerwork of God, but God’s work in His redemption of man was greater than that in creation. Isaiah said, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1, italics mine). He used His bared arm. The only way that I can understand the work of God is to use terms with which I am acquainted. I use my fingers to do certain things, my hands to do other tasks, and my arms to do even heavier tasks. The greatest thing God has done is to perform the wonderful redemptive love act at the cross of Christ—that was His bared arm; but when God created the universe He just used His fingers, or, as John Wesley put it: “God created the universe and didn’t even half try.” Ezekiel says here that the hand of God is moving in judgment.
And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone [Ezek. 10:9].
Have you ever watched a wheel when it is going around? There’s that flashing light, you know, like that of a precious stone. These wheels are in ceaseless activity and speak of the fact that God is busy. The Lord Jesus said, “… My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). The Lord Jesus has been very busy on our behalf ever since He ascended back to heaven.
And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went [Ezek. 10:10–11].
God has never had to come back to pick up something He has forgotten. He doesn’t need to deviate from one side to the other; He never detours. He goes straight forward today toward the accomplishment of His purpose in the world.
And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle [Ezek. 10:12–14].
This, of course, is highly figurative, and I do not want to press this point, but I believe we have the messages of the four Gospels set before us. In the face of the eagle is pictured the deity of Christ—that’s John’s Gospel. In the face of the lion is pictured the kingship of Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah—that’s Matthew’s Gospel. In the face of the man is pictured the humanity of Christ—that’s Luke’s Gospel. Finally, the face of the cherub (sometimes it is the ox) pictures the servanthood of Christ—that’s Mark’s Gospel. He shed His blood that you and I might have eternal life—He made a mercy seat. In the temple the cherubim looked down upon the blood of the, sacrifice.
And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar [Ezek. 10:15].
Ezekiel refers to his first vision recorded in chapter 1.
THE GLORY LEAVES THE TEMPLE
Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims [Ezek. 10:18].
The glory of the Lord lifts up from the temple.
And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above [Ezek. 10:19].
The cherubim mounted up, and the glory moved out and stood at the east gate.
This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar and I knew that they were the cherubims.
Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward [Ezek. 10:20–22].
I believe this vision pictures the fact that God would become incarnate, or, as John put it, “And the Word was made flesh …” (John 1:14).
CHAPTERS 11–13
Theme: Prophecy against Jerusalem’s rulers; Ezekiel’s enacting Jerusalem’s destruction; prophecy against pseudoprophets, prophetesses
In chapter 11 there is a prophecy against the rulers who were still in Jerusalem. Although most of the people had been carried into captivity, Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed. Zedekiah was still on the throne. Not only were the rulers in rebellion against God, they were in rebellion against the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.
Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord’s house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiab, princes of the people [Ezek. 11:1].
Specific individuals are named who were princes of the people.
Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh [Ezek. 11:2–3].
In other words, these rulers were saying, “This city is our cup of tea—it’s ours now. Most everybody has left, and we are going to continue. We’re going to have peace and plenty and prosperity.” Theirs was materialism of the worst sort.
Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
And the spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them [Ezek. 11:4–5].
God knows even what we are thinking. He knows our thoughts afar off.
Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain [Ezek. 11:6].
Apparently the rulers have slain those who stood for God.
Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 11:10].
God’s purpose in judgment is that the people might know Him.
This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel [Ezek. 11:11].
God says that He is going to judge them.
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord: unto us is this land given in possession.
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come [Ezek. 11:14–16].
God says, “There will be a remnant who will see Me. When they do, I’m going to be a little temple, a little sanctuary, and they will be able to approach Me.” This was God’s arrangement during the time the temple was destroyed. Daniel and many others were among those who sought the Lord during this period.
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God [Ezek. 11:17–20].
God would return the people to the land. Who was it that came back? Those who were seeking God. There were less than 60,000 in the remnant which returned at the end of the seventy-year captivity.
But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 11:21].
The judgment of God is coming. It is a great tragedy today that the ministry ignores the fact that judgment is coming upon this earth. God’s judgment is one of the sure proofs of His existence.
Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city [Ezek. 11:22–23].
The glory of the Lord moves from Jerusalem out to the Mount of Olives east of the city.
Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me [Ezek. 11:24].
Ezekiel is brought back to Babylon where he began.
Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me [Ezek. 11:25].
He returns to tell the people that the false prophets have lied to them. He has seen the vision—Jerusalem will be destroyed, and full captivity is near at hand. He will be able to tell them why God will judge them. The people are not going to listen to Ezekiel, but he is to continue to be a sign unto them.
EZEKIEL’S ENACTING JERUSALEM’S DESTRUCTION
Chapter 12 opens a section in which Ezekiel continues to proclaim that judgment is, imminent, but the people will not believe. The important thing here is the proclamation of the Word of God; Ezekiel is to make sure that he gives the Word of God—
The word of the Lord also came unto me, saying [Ezek. 12:1].
Five times in this chapter (vv. 1, 8, 17, 21, and 26), Ezekiel says, “The word of the Lord came unto me, saying.” Do you get the impression that Ezekiel is trying to tell these people that he is giving them the Word of the Lord? He is giving them nothing short of that.
Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house [Ezek. 12:2].
Of course, God had warned Ezekiel before about these people, but He is reminding him because Ezekiel may get discouraged. God said way back at the beginning of Israel’s history, “Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day” (Deut. 29:4). These people had their eyes closed and their ears stopped. Ezekiel was not the only prophet who confirmed this truth about these people—Isaiah (Isa. 6:9–10) and Jeremiah (Jer. 5:21) did also. In addition, the Book of Acts closes with this statement: “Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Acts 28:26–27). These people had closed eyes and ears.
Today, when people say they cannot believe, it is not a mental problem, it is a matter of the will of the heart—they do not want to believe. Some say they have certain “mental reservations,” mental hurdles which they cannot get over. My friend, your mind is not big enough to take even one little hurdle. The problem is never in the mind but in the will. There is sin in the life and a man does not want to turn to God; he does not want to believe Him.
Israel is just a miniature of the world; that is, the condition of Israel described here is the condition of the world today. In her spirit of unbelief she was a little microcosm of the entire world. That is why we need to look carefully at what the Book of Ezekiel has to say.
I remember talking to a college professor who told me that he appreciated my ministry and what I had to say about the Bible, but that he had certain mental reservations. I had to bite my tongue—I do not believe he was so far ahead of me intellectually that he could see so much more than I! You know what his real problem was? He was having an affair with a former student from one of his classes. She was his “intellectual problem”—he did not want to forsake the sin in his life. Blindness in part had happened in Israel, and this is true of our world today.
Because of Israel’s unbelief, Ezekiel is not only going to give the people a parable, he is actually going to act it out. Ezekiel was a very brilliant man, but I think he also had a real sense of humor. I would love to have seen his face when he went through some of these mechanics! I think he might have been somewhat of a ham actor and been greatly amused as he did these things.
Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel [Ezek. 12:3–6].
I tell you, this is a good one! Here’s what Ezekiel does: He goes into his house (the houses then were right on the street, by the way); he packs his baggage like he’s going on a trip, digs through the wall, and comes up out in the street. You can imagine the effect that would have—a man coming out through the wall bringing his suitcases with him! People would haveto stop and look.
Here in Pasadena, California, where I live, digging up the street is not anything new. Actually, the city here plays a game with all of us. They dig up one street, and so you decide to get smart and use another street. So the next day they find out what new street you’re using, and then they go dig up that street too! It gets to be quite a puzzle, like a maze, finding your way around dug—up streets. But I have a notion that when this man Ezekiel came up in the middle of the street with his suitcase, it was something new, and people stopped to ask, “Where are you going? What’s the big idea?” Ezekiel had an answer for them:
And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me, saying,
Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes [Ezek. 12:8–12].
Zedekiah was on the throne in Jerusalem, and the false prophets were saying to the captives, “Look, Nebuchadnezzar has made two sieges of Jerusalem, and he’s carried away captives, but he did not destroy the city, he did not burn the temple, and he did not execute the king. You are going to be able to return soon. There’s nothing to worry about.” But Ezekiel says, “I have news for you: What I have just done is a picture of what is happening back in Jerusalem. The king over there, the prince (that’s Zedekiah), thinks he’s very clever. He thinks he will be able to slip out of the city during the siege, but he won’t. When he leaves the city, he won’t even see the ground.”
Do you know why Zedekiah didn’t see the ground? Read the historical record in 2 Kings 25:1–7; Nebuchadnezzar put out his eyes. Zedekiah was a deceptive, wicked fellow, and he had broken his treaty with Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king, was more honorable than the man on Israel’s throne. There is nothing that hurts the church more today than a dishonest Christian, particularly when it is a layman who is active in the Lord’s work but in the business world has a poor reputation. Zedekiah was like that, and Ezekiel’s message was a bitter pill for those captives to swallow when the false prophets had said, “It’s so wonderful back in Jerusalem.”
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein [Ezek. 12:17–19].
This is quite a stunt Ezekiel is going to pull. He is to bring his table out into the street and sit there, trembling as he eats. Then the people will come and say, “What’s the matter with you? Have you got a chill, or is it something you ate?” Ezekiel will give them God’s message: “I want you to know what’s happening over yonder in Jerusalem. There’s a famine over there. There’s fear over there. God is destroying the city.” What an awesome message he has to bring.
Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision [Ezek. 12:22–23].
Ezekiel is saying, “God has been patient, but it’s all up now. The captivity is coming, and God is not going to wait any longer.”
Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 12:28].
Everybody wants to believe that the future out yonder is beautiful. My friend, the only beautiful thing that lies ahead is the fact that someday the Lord Jesus will take His church out of the world—that is the only hope we have. This world is not going to get better, and we are not going to have peace. In all of recorded history there have only been two to three hundred years of what could actually be called peace—man is not building the new world he thinks he is.
PROPHECY AGAINST PSEUDO PROPHETS AND PROPHETESSES
In chapter 13 we have the prophecy against the false prophets, the pseudoprophets and prophetesses. Notice that the women were also getting involved in this. Have you ever noticed how many cults and isms have been founded by women or how women play a very prominent part in them? It may not be popular to say that, but it was true in Ezekiel’s day and it is true in ours.
Ezekiel continues to give the Word of the Lord:
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord:
Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! [Ezek. 13:1–3].
What was the problem? These prophets prophesied “out of their own hearts.” God have mercy on the man who stands in the pulpit and gives his own viewpoints and does not give the Word of God. Now it is possible to make a mistake in interpretation, and I have sometimes made mistakes. However, let me make it clear that I am attempting to interpret the Word of God. These men were merely giving what they thought: how to make friends, influence people, think positively, be self-reliant, and think of yourself as a wonderful individual, not as a sinner. This was their message: “Everything is all right in Jerusalem.”
Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? [Ezek. 13:17–18].
Ezekiel is to resist the false prophetesses—“Set thy face against the daughters of thy people … and prophesy thou against them.”
In Genesis 10:8–9, Nimrod is called a mighty hunter before the Lord. Actually, he was a hunter of the souls of men. That is also what these false cults do—they hunt out the souls of men.
The women were involved in this also. In 2 Peter 2:1 Peter said, “But there were false prophets also among the people [that is, Israel], even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Today we have many women who are involved in spiritualism with its mediums and fortune-tellers and necromancers and witches. There are quite a few in Southern California—I always thought we had them, but now they openly claim they are witches.
“Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes.” What these women were doing was giving out amulets, a little something to put on your arm, to keep you from getting sick or to protect you from harm. “And make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls!” They give you a handkerchief which they have prayed over, and it will help you get well (as if there were merit in that rather than in the Lord)! My friend, what you see about you today is not new. It is as old as the human race. When Ezekiel clearly denounced it in his day, it was “the word of the Lord” not his own word.
CHAPTER 14–16
Theme: Prophecy against the elders’ idolatry; vision of the vine; Jerusalem likened to an abandoned baby adopted by God
Chapter 14 is divided into two major sections: the prophecy against the idolatry of the elders and the certainty of the destruction of Jerusalem. Both sections open with, “The word of the Lord came unto me” (vv. 2, 12). The Lord continues in this chapter to outline why He judged the city of Jerusalem as He did. The principles that are put down here are operative today also. God still judges nations.
PROPHECY AGAINST THE ELDER’S IDOLATRY
In these verses Ezekiel will call the elders of Israel to repent. I have noticed throughout both the Old and New Testaments repentance is God’s message to His own people, those who profess to belong to Him. “Repent and turn to God”—that will be Ezekiel’s message here.
Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me [Ezek. 14:1].
The elders come to Ezekiel, and oh, how pious these fellows are! They pretend they want to listen to the prophet. It is like coming to church with a big Bible under your arm, pretending you want to serve the Lord.
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them? [Ezek. 14:2–3].
In effect the elders say, “Oh, brother Ezekiel, we don’t worship idols!” It was true they had not made idols, but the Lord said, “These men have set up their idols in their heart.”
Samson was also a man who pretended to be God’s man, and the Spirit of God did come upon him at times. The Holy Spirit—never his hair—was the secret of his power. But there came a day when he went out and “… he wist it not …” (Lev. 5:17)—he knew not that the Spirit of God had departed from him. He had kept toying and playing with sin and at the same time wanting to be God’s man. How many people today in the church keep toying and playing with sin and think they are getting by with it? My friend, they are not getting by with it. Judgment is inevitable. They may go through the form and ritual of religion, keeping up a false front, but they actually have idols in their hearts.
Ezekiel is told by the Lord that these men are phonies. They pretend they want to hear his message, but they do not hear it at all. When he turns around, they will put a knife in his back.
Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols [Ezek. 14:4].
God says He will judge these men. The Lord Jesus called the religious rulers of His day hypocrites. He used that frightful, awful word more than anyone. Ezekiel is speaking to the spiritual leaders of the people. How tragic this is! God is going to judge them. God will always judge phony religion. I believe that whenever a church or an individual departs from the truth, God will judge.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations [Ezek. 14:6].
God has laid it on the line that these men are phonies, not genuine, having idols in their hearts, sin in their hearts. Again, someone might say about Samson, “My, isn’t that terrible about Samson!” I’d hate to live like that man did and have that judgment come upon me.” However, I am afraid that there are folk who sit in the church pew and yet would like to live in sin, to taste the fruits of sin. The very thing they condemn outwardly is the thing in their heart they would like to do. This old nature we have is bad, but God says, “Repent. Come to Me.” He is gracious to Israel. He is giving them an opportunity to become genuine, but they will not.
CERTAIN DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
The false prophets were still running around saying, “God will spare Jerusalem. It is His city—He loves it. He says His eye is there.” They could quote an abundance of Scripture about it. It is possible to quote an isolated Scripture or two to support false doctrine today. However, you cannot take a verse here and there; you must look at the whole picture presented in Scripture. When you do, you will not be able to support false theories. These prophets were wrong, and God is saying very explicitly that Jerusalem is to be judged.
The word of the Lord came again to me, saying,
Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it [Ezek. 14:12–13].
God says to Ezekiel, “The city is a rebellious city which has continuously rebelled against Me. I have given them opportunity to return to Me, and they will not.”
God is very definite, and He means what He says. Judgment is unavoidable. Listen to just how serious He is:
Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 14:14].
If Noah were in the city of Jerusalem, the Lord says, they would not listen to him. Just imagine what a warning Noah would have been to those people! But the people in Noah’s day did not listen to him, and the people of Jerusalem would not have listened to him had he been there.
I get rather amused over the excitement about the search for Noah’s ark. I think they may find it, but let me ask you: How many believers do you think its discovery will make? If Noah himself were here today, who would believe him? They would call him a square and an old fogey! (One thing nice about being a square is that you don’t go around in circles as do a lot of other people. Some of those going around in circles really think they are big wheels, too!)
They wouldn’t have listened to Noah, and they wouldn’t have listened to Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar listened to Daniel, however. What a tribute that is to Daniel! Yonder in the palace of the world’s first great ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, is Daniel. The Babylonians knew Daniel, and they knew he was God’s man. The Lord says that the Israelites would not have listened to Noah or Daniel or Job!
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it [Ezek. 14:17].
God says that He intends to bring a sword upon the land. He is going to allow Nebuchadnezzar into the land, and he will destroy it.
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness [Ezek. 14:20].
Noah would not have been able to save his own family in that city—“they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.” Daniel saved a couple of empires, but if he had been in that city he could not have helped them at all. That is the reason that God got Daniel out of Jerusalem. God’s people wouldn’t hear him, but an old pagan king in Babylon listened to Daniel and made him prime minister.
How many churches are there today where the people will really listen to the Word of God? I do not think there are many. That is one reason that this hour God is permitting His Word to go to the world via radio and why He is allowing the Word to reach groups of people that many Christians had given up on. My friend, if the folk in churches are not going to listen to the Word of God, He is going to go out yonder where people will receive it. Daniel would not have done any good in Jerusalem, but he was made top man in Babylon and there a pagan king listened to him. My friend, God is going to let people hear the gospel who are willing to listen to Him.
VISION OF THE VINE
Chapter 15 is the parable of the vine that would not bear fruit. The vine is one of the figures of the nation Israel. In Isaiah 5 the vine set before us is the nation Israel. We do not need to speculate about that because Isaiah said, “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel …” (Isa. 5:7).
Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? [Ezek. 15:2–4].
God makes a very interesting application here. Just what is the purpose of a vine? The Lord Jesus also used the vine as a picture of believers today in John 15. He said, by the way, that Israel was no longer a vine, but “I am the true [genuine] vine …” (John 15:1). The Lord Jesus was not talking about salvation in that chapter. Again, I ask you: What is the purpose of a vine? It is to do one thing—bear fruit—nothing else. What God is saying here in Ezekiel is that you do not go to the furniture store and ask for a Louis XIV bedroom set made of grapevine wood! The salesman would look at you in amazement and say, “We do not have anything made of grapevine wood. It’s not good for anything like that. It’s just good for bearing fruit.” Furthermore, God says, if a vine will not bear fruit, the only thing it is good for is burning. In John, the Lord Jesus said that if a believer does not bear fruit, you do not lose your salvation, but you are removed from the place of fruit bearing. God sets men aside in many, many ways if they do not bear fruit. The Lord Jesus said, “Herein, is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit …” (John 15:8).
The people of Israel were not bearing fruit, and God said, “There is nothing left for me to do but to burn Jerusalem.” That is the reason He did it—the people were supposed to represent God, and they had failed to do it.
If you have been given great privilege as a Christian today, then you have a great responsibility. Have you ever thought of that poor fellow in Africa or China or Russia who has not had the privilege of hearing the Word of God? We who have heard His Word have a great responsibility. God wants us to be bearing fruit today.
JERUSALEM LIKENED TO AN ABANDONED BABY ADOPTED BY GOD
Chapter 16 contains yet another parable—the parable of an abandoned little orphan, a dirty and filthy little child, for whom it would seem there is nothing that can be done.
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 16:1].
Ezekiel is not going to let us forget that he is giving us the Word of the Lord. We may not accept it, but it is still His Word.
Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations [Ezek. 16:2].
Who is the little orphan? Who is the little dirty, filthy child who has been thrown out? Who is this illegitimate child? It is the city of Jerusalem.
And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite [Ezek. 16:3].
This does not speak of the origin of the nation Israel; it is not speaking of Abraham and Sarah. The origin of the city of Jerusalem is in view here. The history of Jerusalem is that it was an Amorite city. We read in Genesis 15:16, “But in the fourth generation they [that is, the children of Israel] shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” Jerusalem was a Hittite city also. The Hittites were a great nation, and they controlled that land at one time. This is the background of Jerusalem, and it is nothing to brag about at all.
And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born [Ezek. 16:4–5].
She was an illegitimate orphan child who was just thrown out—abandoned and not cared for.
And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.
I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.
Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine [Ezek. 16:6–8].
God says to Jerusalem, “I adopted you and made you My child.”
Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.
I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck [Ezek. 16:9–11].
He says, “This is what I did for Jerusalem.”
I think the application to our lives is quite obvious: you and I have a pretty bad background. Adam and Eve became sinners, and you and I were born in iniquity. David said, “… in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. 51:5), and David is no different from you and me. What do you have to boast about? Even if your ancestors did come over on the Mayflower, they were just a bunch of sinners saved by the grace of God. That is our origin, our background—we were dead in trespasses and sin.
What did God do for Jerusalem? God said to her, “Live” (v. 6). To us He has said, “… Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). He has made a covenant that if you will trust Christ, He will save you. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The Lord took that little illegitimate child, dirty and filthy in its own blood, and He said, “Then washed I thee with water.” Likewise, we can know the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. “I throughly washed away the blood from thee”—the Lord Jesus bore my guilt on the cross; there is no blood guilt on a child of God today. “And I anointed thee with oil”—He anoints the child of God today with the oil of the Holy Spirit. “I girded thee about with fine linen”—we can be covered with the righteousness of Christ in order that we might stand in the presence of God.
What happened to this city? God says that when she became grown, a beautiful young lady, she played the harlot. She went over into idolatry and turned her back on Him. God have mercy on the Christian who will sell himself to the world for a bowl of pottage. Yes, Esau did sell out cheap, but many Christians also sell out cheap to the world today. The Devil could buy a lot of us, my friend. We so easily find ourselves going off again and again away from God and away from fellowship with Him. Oh, to be true to God in this hour in which we live!
When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:
That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.
When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate [Ezek. 16:53–55].
Verses 53 and 55 (as well as ch. 37) have been used by several cults to teach the doctrine of restitutionalism; that is, that everybody ultimately will be saved. Again, this is a case of resting doctrine on a few isolated verses of Scripture which will result in weird and unscriptural doctrine. In these verses and in Ezekiel 37:12, where God says, “I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves,” God is not talking about the resurrection of the wicked to eternal life. In both instances He is talking about the restoration of a city or a nation, and it has no reference to the people who lived there years ago. Here in Ezekiel 16 He is saying that the city of Sodom is to be rebuilt. Now, personally, I don’t see anything there to attract anybody, but there is tremendous development today along the coast of the Dead Sea in that area. And in chapter 37 the Lord is speaking of the restoration of a nation, the nation of Israel.
Actually, in the Old Testament we do not have the divine revelation concerning the future state that we have in the New Testament. God had no plan to bring back from the dead the saints of the Old Testament and to take them out yonder to a place prepared for them. He has told us that that is His plan for us, but nowhere did He tell the Old Testament saints that. He told them there was to be a heaven down here on this earth, and that is the resurrection Abraham looked for. There is to be a restoration of the nation. You cannot read what is New Testament development of this doctrine into this Old Testament passage. However, every Old Testament passage will conform also to New Testament teaching. The New Testament makes it very clear that there will be a twofold resurrection: the resurrection of the saved, and the resurrection of the lost who are lost when they are raised from the dead. Therefore, these verses deal only with the restoration of a nation. We must read them in their context and not draw any more from them than is there.
This chapter concludes in a most glorious way: God is going to make good His covenants with the nation Israel. The sin of these people, their rebellion, their constant departure from Him, their backsliding, will not annul, abrogate, or destroy God’s covenant with them.
Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.
Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.
And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord:
That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 16:60–63].
God says that not only will He make good on the past covenants but He is also going to make a new covenant with them. Unfortunately, these passages of Scripture are not studied very much at all. When they are, they make it very clear that God still has a future purpose with the nation Israel.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Riddle of the two eagles
RIDDLE OF THE TWO EAGLES
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel [Ezek. 17:1–2].
“Put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel”—because they would not listen to him, Ezekiel had to come to these people in a strange and unusual way.
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree [Ezek. 17:3–5].
This great eagle is none other than Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar, the present king of Babylon. The eagle is a figure that is used as a symbol for Babylon elsewhere in Scripture. Jeremiah used it in Jeremiah 48:40 as he wrote of Nebuchadnezzar: “For thus saith the Lord; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab” Then in Jeremiah 49:22 he wrote, “Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs!” Daniel saw the Babylonian Empire rising up out of the sea, and it was in the form of a lion with eagle’s wings (Dan. 7:4). Therefore, what we have here is a picture of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who is going to come and crop the top of the tree.
Who is the tree? It is the nation Israel and, specifically, the royal house of David. Nebuchadnezzar is going to clip it off and bring it to naught. That is exactly what he did with Zedekiah.
There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation [Ezek. 17:7].
The other eagle is Egypt which was still a great power at this time. Zedekiah had been put on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar, and they made a covenant together. However, Zedekiah broke that covenant and turned to Egypt. That is pictured here by the branches which lean toward Egypt. The vine is planted in the soil of Egypt, seeking to draw strength from her, but there will not be any strength because Egypt will go down. Nebuchadnezzar took Egypt and destroyed it and made it subject to himself.
Now this is the message which grows out of Ezekiel’s parable:
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon.
And hath taken of the king’s seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? [Ezek. 17:12–15].
The interesting thing is that Nebuchadnezzar kept his side of the covenant. God’s people broke the covenant, but the pagan nation kept their side of it. What a picture! In some churches you will find people still carrying their Bibles, but their hearts are far from God and you cannot believe what they say. On the other hand, there are businessmen who, although they are unsaved, are men of integrity.
Nebuchadnezzar is going to come and destroy Zedekiah:
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape [Ezek. 17:18].
God says, “I intend that Zedekiah be judged for this.” My friend, I sure would hate to be some Christians who are someday going to be taken to the woodshed for the lives they have lived down here. God will certainly judge.
And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it [Ezek. 17:24].
Sometimes God allows a godless nation to harass and actually destroy a people who claim to be God’s people but have departed from Him. There has been a great breakdown in morals in America, and apostasy is in earnest. We have not had much peace in this world, either internally or externally. There is trouble everywhere. God says that we will not get by with our sin—there will be a judgment.
CHAPTERS 18–19
Theme: Jerusalem an example of “the wages of sin is death”; elegy of Jehovah over the princes of Israel
In chapter 18 God will show that in His judgment He deals specifically and individually with each person.
The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying [Ezek. 18:1].
Again, it is clear that Ezekiel is not giving his own opinion. This is God’s Word.
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? [Ezek. 18:2].
The children of Israel had a proverb they used, and it is mentioned twice by Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 31:29 we read, “In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” And then in Lamentations 5:7 we find, “Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.” I believe the people had built this proverb upon a passage back in Exodus: “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exod. 20:5). The problem is that the proverb they drew from this verse is incorrect. That is the danger in lifting out one verse of Scripture without considering its context. This is a false proverb: The fathers ate the grapes, and the children paid the penalty. That is true to a certain extent, but God judges the individual, father or son, according to his conduct. This is not a judgment for eternal life, but a judgment in this life according as a man obeys or disobeys Him.
As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel [Ezek. 18:3].
The word live or some form of it occurs thirteen times in this chapter, and the word die occurs fourteen times. We have life and death presented here, but it is not eternal life or eternal death that God is talking about. God is speaking of the way in which He judges individuals in this life. We need to look at this entire chapter from that viewpoint.
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die [Ezek. 18:4].
God says here that all souls belong to Him. If the sins of the fathers come upon the children, it is because the children have followed the wickedness of their fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. We read in Deuteronomy 24:16, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die”—God will judge each individual.
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 18:5–9].
“Hath not eaten upon the mountains”—he has not engaged in idolatry. This man is a just man who has walked in God’s statutes and kept His ordinances. “He shall surely live, saith the Lord God.” He is talking about this life, not eternal life. God will bless him in this life—this is the blessing of the Old Testament.
If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things [Ezek. 18:10].
However, the just man may have an ungodly son.
Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him [Ezek. 18:13].
God will judge that son—not the father.
Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like [Ezek. 18:14].
On the other hand, a son may decide not to follow in the footsteps of his wicked father. There were several instances of this in the history of Israel. Old Ahaz was a wicked king, but his son Hezekiah led in a revival. Josiah was a wonderful man, and he had a very wicked father.
That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity [Ezek. 18:17–18]
God is saying that each man is judged in this life for the way he lives his life. Remember that He is not speaking of eternal life but about judgment here and now. He wants Israel to know this is the basis on which he intends to judge them.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him [Ezek. 18:20].
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” We have this twice in this chapter—here and in verse 4.
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? [Ezek. 18:31].
The teaching of this chapter answers the new psychology we have today. Psychology argues that the reason a person is a brat or an oddball is because his mother didn’t treat him right but neglected him and didn’t love him. My friend, you stand alone. You are a sinner because you are a sinner yourself. There’s an old bromide that is rather crude, but it certainly expresses it well: Every tub must sit on its own bottom. Every individual will stand before God, and he won’t be able to blame his papa and mama at that time. Ezekiel makes it very clear that the Israelite will be judged in this life on the basis of the life he lived, whether he was a believer or not.
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye [Ezek. 18:32].
Again, this refers to physical death. God does not take any delight today in seeing anyone die. That is something that is foreign to Him; He didn’t intend death for mankind. Remember that the Lord Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, even though He was going to bring him back into this life. By man came death, not through the working of God, but because of man’s sin.
ELEGY OF JEHOVAH OVER THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL
In chapter 19 we have two lamentations: the lamentations over the princes of Israel (vv. 1–9), and the lamentation over the land of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel (vv. 10–14).
Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.
And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men [Ezek. 19:1–3].
This is not the lamentation of Ezekiel, as some Bible commentators have attempted to say. This is the lamentation of the Lord, actually the lamentation of the same One who later wept over Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37–39). He is the One who is here weeping over the princes of Judah. The princes were a group of people in that land who had very few who were concerned about them. But God was concerned. Who shed tears over them? God did.
By the way, who is concerned about you today? I suspect there are very few. Are the people where you work really concerned about you? Are the people in your church really concerned about you? Is your family concerned? A successful businessman once told me, “I honestly wonder who really cares about me today. Everybody, including my family, is only interested in what they can get out of me.” How sad that is! But God is concerned about you, and He is concerned about me. That’s quite comforting in this tremendous universe in which I live. I could get lost in it, I am so small. But He has His eye out and has a concern for each one of us.
The princes of Judah were people for whom not too many in that day wanted to shed tears. They were Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin, two kings who were about as sorry as they come. God alone is concerned over them.
When He begins to speak of the “lion,” He is speaking of the lion of Judah. “Judah is a lion’s whelp …”—that is the way Judah was marked out by Jacob in Genesis 49:9 as he gave his prophecies concerning each of his twelve sons. In Numbers 23:24 we read, “Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion ….” The Lord Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Juda in Revelation 5:5: “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.
And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.
But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them [Ezek. 19:10–12].
This now is the lamentation over the land of Judah. These people came into that land, and God blessed them. They were like a vine planted in the land. Now He has plucked up the vine, and they are carried away into captivity. This is a sad song depicting the sordid history of the nation.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Review of Israel’s long history of sins; future judgment and restoration
Chapters 20–24 contain the final predictions concerning the judgment of Jerusalem. There are two things to which I would like to call your attention in this section. First, notice how long and drawn out is God’s message to these people. Right down to the very day that Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city, God was willing to spare them. God would have removed Nebuchadnezzar from the city as He had done previously to the Assyrians and would not have permitted him to destroy it. However, the people did not turn to God, and the judgment came. Right down to the last moment there was mercy extended to them. Second, the very day that the siege of Jerusalem began, the wife of Ezekiel died, and God told him not to mourn or weep for her at all. I consider this man Ezekiel a sharp contrast to the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah had a woman’s heart, and he wept; the message he gave broke his own heart. Because He wept, the Lord Jesus was compared to Jeremiah. I’ll be honest with you though; Ezekiel is almost like an actor playing a part. He goes through his part, but he is not moved by it. He seems to be pretty hardboiled all the way through. Ezekiel was simply a mouthpiece for God.
REVIEW OF ISRAEL’S LONG HISTORY OF SINS; FUTURE JUDGMENT AND RESTORATION
In chapter 20 we have a retrospect of the nation’s sins. Again, it is Ezekiel giving not his word, but God’s Word. He was very much like a Western Union boy who brings you a message. It may be a message of joy, it may be a message of sorrow, but the Western Union boy just delivers the message—you are the one who is moved by it.
And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me [Ezek. 20:1].
More and more they are beginning to turn to this man Ezekiel—they come now to get a word. This occurred in approximately 590 b.c. The destruction of Jerusalem took place shortly after, somewhere around 588-586 b.c. I do not think we can be dogmatic about these dates.
Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying [Ezek. 20:2].
He is not giving his word; he is giving God’s Word.
Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers [Ezek. 20:3–4].
These people are coming to complain and to criticize God. They say He is unfair to judge them and unfair to destroy Jerusalem. It is beginning to penetrate their thinking that it is really going to happen.
Ezekiel is going to go over this ground again with them, because God does not mind stating His charge or reviewing His reasons for the judgment He is to bring.
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God [Ezek. 20:5].
God goes back to the very beginning when He called these people out of the land of Egypt, delivered them out of their slavery there, and brought them into the wilderness.
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them [Ezek. 20:13].
The generation that went into the wilderness rebelled against God, and He let them die in the wilderness.
Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth [Ezek. 20:21–22].
The next generation was rebellious also.
Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 20:25–26].
This is a strange passage of Scripture, and there is a difference of opinion among commentators as to what it means. I feel that the thought here is the same thought Paul had in 2 Corinthians 2:15–16—“For we are unto God as a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life ….” When God gave these people His Word and they rejected it, He gave them over to their own way. The very law that was good became bad, because it condemned them and judged them. The same thing is true of the gospel today. If you listen to the gospel and reject it, it would actually be better if you had never heard it. If you reject it, the gospel becomes a savor of death unto you. You can never go before God and say that you had not heard it.
Considering this tremendous condemnation, you would think God was through with these people. But tucked in here and there throughout the Book of Ezekiel we find marvelous, wonderful passages of promise. At the darkest time in their history, the light of prophecy shone the brightest.
As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out [Ezek. 20:33–34].
God tells them that He intends to bring them back into the land. God’s purpose with Israel will yet be fulfilled. He will someday be declared right by those who had said He was not right.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein [Ezek. 20:45–47].
“Prophesy against the forest of the south field”—some commentators feel this refers to Judah, and others think it means the Negeb. At least, it is south. If you were to see the Negeb, you would wonder what happened to the forest. Well, my friend, God judged it; He said He would remove it. That land was once the land of milk and honey, but you cannot come to that conclusion when you look at it today. Not only is it not the land of milk and honey, they do not even have enough water there.
This is a remarkable prophecy. God is not through with these people or with that land.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Babylon removes last Davidic king until Messiah comes
It is important to study the Book of Ezekiel because it is so often neglected and its message is very pertinent for this hour in which we are living today. Although the words of Ezekiel were spoken many years ago, it was the Word of God as he has almost monotonously repeated: “The word of the Lord came unto me, saying.” Since it is the Word of God, it has an application for us in this day and in this nation. The liberal argues that, like the Book of Revelation, the Book of Ezekiel cannot be understood and does not have a message for us. Ezekiel’s visions are tremendous, and I do not propose to have the final word on their interpretation. I just stand in awe and wonder. But in this section of the book we are down to the nitty-gritty where the rubber meets the road, and I am sincere when I say that Ezekiel is not difficult to understand and he is very practical for us.
Chapter 21 is one of the most important chapters in the Book of Ezekiel as it makes it very clear that the king of Babylon is going to remove the last king of the Davidic line until Messiah comes.
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 21:1].
Ezekiel will repeat this three times in this chapter. There is only one alternative for you: either you agree that the Lord said this, or you take the position that Ezekiel is lying. I believe that the Lord said this to him and that Ezekiel is not giving his viewpoint. I do not think that Ezekiel’s feelings entered into his message very much. Jeremiah was overwhelmed by his feelings; they entered into every word he spoke. I do not think that is true of Ezekiel. In the beginning of his ministry when God gave Ezekiel his commission, He told him that he was going to speak to a rebellious and hardheaded people. God also said at that time He would make Ezekiel’s head harder than theirs. I think maybe a little of that hardness got down to his heart, and so he could really lay it on the line to these people. You actually love the man for this, for, if his feelings had entered into it, this man would have been crushed by the message that he had to give.
Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked [Ezek. 21:2–3].
Judgment is impending and apparently now is inevitable. Up to this point, the mercy of God has been extended, but now judgment is coming and there is no alternative.
“Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I am against thee.” This is the first time He has said this about His city of Jerusalem.
“And will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.” This sounds strange, does it not? Who are the righteous? The ones who say they are righteous? In our day they are the ones who are church members but are not saved at all, the ones who go through the ritual, who are religious. A great many people have the band-aid of religion over the sore of sin. They need to pull that old band-aid off and get that sore lanced, before it destroys them. It’s a cancerous sore, and you simply do not cure cancer by putting a band-aid over it. Neither do you cure sin by becoming religious. God said, “I’m cutting it off now; I’m moving in with the sword, and I intend to destroy the city.”
Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north [Ezek. 21:4].
He is going to draw out the sword from its sheath—all the way from the south to the north.
That all flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more [Ezek. 21:5].
“It shall not return any more”—the time for judgment has come.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 21:6–7].
God asks Ezekiel to do something here, and I am not prepared to say whether Ezekiel’s feelings are in it or not. He didn’t do it naturally—God told him to do it—so I would say that he is acting the part. However, in doing so, he is revealing the heart of God.
The people have complained about Ezekiel’s giving parables to them. In Ezekiel 20:49 we read, “Then said I, Ah, Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?” In effect, they were saying, “We don’t get his message.” They didn’t want to get it; they didn’t like to be told that things were wrong. We sometimes think that the parables of the Lord Jesus are obtuse and difficult to understand. They are not, if you want to understand them. The religious rulers in His day understood what He was saying—that is the reason they hated Him. They understood He was speaking judgment against them.
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 21:8].
Just in case you didn’t get the message, Ezekiel repeats it again.
Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree [Ezek. 21:9–10].
God is going to judge the city. This is a frightful and fearful word which comes from the lips of God, the One who had yearned over Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus, too, wept over Jerusalem because He loved the city: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:37–38). If you want to know how terrible that judgment was, read what happened when Titus the Roman came in a.d. 70 and leveled that city—just as Nebuchadnezzar is about to do in Ezekiel’s time.
God makes it clear what He is going to do, and the message is not a brand new one by any means. In the Book of Isaiah we find: “For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many (Isa. 66:16). And again we read, “Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth” (Isa. 24:17). Ezekiel is to sigh because of the judgment that is coming. The Lord Jesus said of the day that is still coming, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:26). Ezekiel is to sigh and weep because God has now drawn the sword of judgment. Judgment lies ahead in our day, my friend. That is not a popular message, just as it was not in Ezekiel’s day.
The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying [Ezek. 21:18].
Believe me, he will not let us forget this!
Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city [Ezek. 21:19].
In other words, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to decide which way he was going to come to Jerusalem. Now, do you think he’s going to turn to the Lord? No, he is pagan. He is going to use divination and necromancy:
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver [Ezek. 21:21].
These are methods which were used in that day and are actually used today also.
“He made his arrows bright” would be better translated as, “he shook his arrows to and fro.” This was sort of like rolling dice or looking at tea leaves. He dropped his arrows down to see which direction they pointed to determine which direction he should take to Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar was entirely a pagan and heathen king. God, however, will overrule his actions—that is important to remember.
And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end [Ezek. 21:25].
“Thou, profane wicked prince of Israel”—he is speaking of Zedekiah. “Whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end”—the time for judgment has come; this is the end time.
Scripture has a great deal to say about the end of this age. The correct translation of Ezekiel’s phrase would be, “in the time of the iniquity of the end.” Daniel also used this expression, “… the time of the end …” (Dan. 11:35). The disciples asked the Lord Jesus, “… Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3), and the Lord answered that question for them. Paul also spoke of it a great deal in 2 Thessalonians. This man, Zedekiah, then is a picture of that future wicked prince, the false messiah, the Antichrist, who is coming at the time of the end.
Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high [Ezek. 21:26].
Zedekiah is to be brought low, and there will not be another king to sit upon the throne of David “until Shiloh come,” until the Messiah comes.
I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him [Ezek. 21:27].
This is a remarkable prophecy. “Until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him,” that is, the Lord Jesus. From Zedekiah down to the Lord Jesus there has been no one in the line of David who ever sat on that throne. Ezekiel is saying that no one would ever be able to do so. The Lord Jesus is the only One who will. Right now He is sitting at God’s right hand, waiting until His enemies are made His footstool when He comes to this earth to rule.
This remarkable prophecy began back in Genesis 49:10, when Jacob was giving the prophecies concerning his twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. He said there: “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” “The sceptre” means the king. The Hebrew word for “until He come” is very similar to the word, Shiloh. It speaks of the Lord Jesus—this is the way He was introduced in Scripture. This is the reason that John the Baptist said, “… Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). Why? Because it was “at hand” in the Person of the One who had come, the One of whom all the prophets had spoken.
Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end [Ezek. 21:29].
Ezekiel is speaking of the judgment of the Ammonites, but we also have again the expression, “when their iniquity shall have an end,” suggesting the end of this age. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Paul writes: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” The Lord Jesus Christ will put down this enemy in the last days.
And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.
Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the Lord have spoken it [Ezek. 21:31–32].
Ezekiel’s generation was going to go into captivity—that would be the end as far as they were concerned. It would be their children who would return back to the land of Israel.
CHAPTERS 22–24
Theme: Review of Jerusalem’s abominations; the parable of two sisters; the parable of the boiling pot
We continue in this section which contains the last prophecies concerning the judgment that was coming upon the nation Israel (chs. 20–24). In the beginning, Ezekiel’s messages were directed to the first two delegations which had gone into captivity. They were holding on to the belief that God would never destroy the temple; it was His sanctuary, and His glory had been there.
They believed that God would not allow Nebuchadnezzar to touch it. The false prophets encouraged the captives in their unbelief, making them think it was not necessary for them to come back to God, or to give up their idolatry and other evil ways.
There is something very subtle that happens often in our day which I think we need to be very careful about. A great many men are eulogized today even before they die, but particularly at their funerals; though they were godless blasphemers, some preacher tries to push them right into heaven with his words of praise. Unless we have God’s mind on the matter, we need to be very careful what we say about folk. Otherwise, an unbeliever may measure his goodness by the life of someone who is praised (he knows how great a sinner that man was!), and may be led to believe that he does not need the Savior. It is tragic today that gospel messages are frequently given to a crowd of saints, but not given at a time and place the worldly and unsaved man is present. Too often, the preacher trims his message to please the crowd—that is what the false prophets of Ezekiel’s day did.
Ezekiel has really been laying it on the line in these final prophecies. In chapter 20 he gave a prophecy concerning the Negeb, the southern part of Israel around Beersheba. In that prophecy God said, “I’ll kindle a fire in thee.” I have been through that area, and it is as baldheaded as a doorknob; there is no vegetation of any size whatsoever. I never saw a tree any larger than my arm in the entire place. There used to be a forest there, but God judged it, and He did a pretty good job of it. Then in chapter 21, there was the remarkable prophecy that there would be no one to sit on David’s throne until the Lord Jesus came. That is what the angel was talking about when he said to Mary, “I am going to give to Him the throne of His father David.” You see, even at Christmastime it’s nice to have Ezekiel around to add to our understanding. The background the prophets give us is so needful today.
REVIEW OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF JERUSALEM
Chapter 22 lists the abominations of the city of Jerusalem.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations [Ezek. 22:1–2].
“The bloody city”—this is what Ezekiel calls Jerusalem. Isaiah said the same thing in Isaiah 1:21, “How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.” The Lord Jesus wept over the city and said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee …” (Luke 13:34). After all, didn’t they slay Him also? They turned Him over to the Romans who did the killing job. It was Stephen who said to the Jews, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers” (Acts 7:52). At the death of Christ, the crowd cried out to Pilate, “… His blood be on us, and on our children” (Matt. 27:25).
The leaders of Israel were involved in apostasy and gross sins:
There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof [Ezek. 22:25].
1. Her false prophets were saying, “Everything is fine. We’re getting along nicely.”
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them [Ezek. 22:26].
2. Her priests blatantly violated the law of God.
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain [Ezek. 22:27].
3. Her princes were “like wolves ravening the prey.” Paul has warned the church about wolves in sheep’s clothing (see Acts 20:29), and we do have them in the church today.
Why was Jerusalem called a bloody city? Because of the prophets, the priests, and the princes.
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 22:30–31].
There was not a man to be found in the land who could stand in the gap. I thank God He did find a Man to stand between my sin and a holy God. That Man is the Lord Jesus Christ, and God sees those who belong to Him in Christ. I am thankful for the Man who stands in the gap today!
PARABLE OF TWO SISTERS
Once again, in chapter 23, Ezekiel goes way out on a limb, he goes way out into left field, and he tells the people another strange parable. It is the parable of two sisters: one was named Aholah, and the other was Aholibah. I think that when he began to give this parable, the people actually smiled and said, “Where in the world is this fellow going with a story like that?”
The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying [Ezek. 23:1].
Ezekiel didn’t make this story up—God gave him this message.
Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity [Ezek. 23:2–3].
The two sisters were no longer virgins but had become harlots. What in the world is Ezekiel talking about?
And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah [Ezek. 23:4].
“Samaria is Aholah”—that is, the northern kingdom of Israel is Aholah. “And Jerusalem Aholibah”—Jerusalem and Judah in the south is Aholibah.
The meaning of Aholibah (Jerusalem and Judah) is, “My tent is in her.” Who is saying this? God is saying, “My tent is in her.” In other words, in the southern kingdom, in Jerusalem, was the wonderful temple of Solomon. It was patterned after the tabernacle in the wilderness, and it was the place where the people approached God. That was wonderful.
Aholah means “her own tent.” The northern kingdom rebelled and separated from the southern part of Israel. Old King Jeroboam put up two golden calves, one in Beth-el and one in Samaria, and tried to keep his people from going south to worship in Jerusalem.
It was very easy for the prophets and the people of the southern kingdom to say that God will judge those golden calves in the north—and He surely did. However, He is going to judge the southern kingdom also, because they were going through the ritual of a dead religion; they thought they were right with God, but they actually were living in sin.
One of the things that is cutting the nerve of the spiritual life even of fundamental Christians and fundamental churches today is the lives of some church members. Of course you are saved by grace—that is the only way you and I can ever be saved. If God is not going to save by grace, then I couldn’t possibly be saved, but that does not mean that I am not to live for Him. That doesn’t mean that He will not judge you and me. That does not mean that our lives cannot kill the spiritual life in a church.
Ezekiel attracted a little attention with his story about these two girls, Aholah and Aholibah. This incident reminds me of the whimsical story which comes out of my southland about a poor tenant farmer who had a little donkey. He hitched the donkey up to a wagon in which one line was leather and the other was a cotton rope. One day he was going to give a friend a ride into town. The friend got into the wagon, but the farmer went and got a two-by-four out of the wagon, took it up to the front and hit his donkey on the head! The friend was thunderstruck; he couldn’t believe what he saw. “Why in the world did you do that?” he asked. “Well,” the farmer said, “I always have to get his attention before I start.” Ezekiel was dealing with a lot of hard-headed people, and he tells this parable to get their attention. Sometimes preachers are criticized for using sensational subjects for their messages, but I have great sympathy for them. How else are you going to get people to listen today? Ezekiel used some unusual methods.
She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men [Ezek. 23:12].
This refers to an historical event which took place when Old King Ahaz was on the throne in the southern kingdom. He went up to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, and he saw there an altar he thought was the prettiest altar he’d ever seen. So he sent Urijah the priest to get the pattern of it in order to make one just like it (2 Kings 16:10–18). He wanted to “improve the worship,” you know—he went in for that type of thing. Well, God took note of that, and He judged the northern kingdom for it.
Now the Babylonian invasion of the southern kingdom is about to take place—there’s no alternative to it. God is judging both the northern and the southern kingdoms because they have turned away from the living and true God; one went brazenly into idolatry, and the other pretended to worship the Lord.
My friend, it might be well for all of God’s people to heed Paul’s warning: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith …” (2 Cor. 13:5). Someone may ask, “Don’t you believe in the security of the believer?” Yes, I do, but I also believe in the insecurity of make-believers. We need to examine ourselves. When you go to church do you really worship God? Do you draw close to the person of Christ? Do you really love Him? He doesn’t want your service unless you do. In John 21 He asked Peter, “Lovest thou me?” When Peter could say that he did, then the Lord said, “Feed my sheep.” Only then could the Lord use him.
PARABLE OF THE BOILING POT
In chapter 24 we have the parable of the boiling pot and the death of Ezekiel’s wife. God will use both of these to speak to the people.
Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day [Ezek. 24:1–2].
This is the first time that Ezekiel has dated his message. At this very moment Nebuchadnezzar was breaking through the wall of Jerusalem. There was no television in that day to let Ezekiel know what was happening. There was no satellite to convey this message from Jerusalem to Babylon. The only way he could get this message was by God revealing it to him. The liberal theologians have always had a problem with this verse; one of them has said: “This verse forces on us in the clearest fashion the dilemma either Ezekiel was a deliberate deceiver, or he was possessed of some kind of second sight.” He certainly was possessed of second sight—God’s sight, by the way. The liberal doesn’t recognize it as that, of course.
Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it [Ezek. 24:6].
Again, Jerusalem is called “the bloody city.” There is a pot, and there is scum in the pot. The pot is the city of Jerusalem; the citizens are in that pot. Their sin is the scum that’s in the pot.
Sometimes we hear somebody say concerning another group of people, “They are the scum of the earth.” Do you want to know what God says? He says your sin and my sin is the scum of the earth. Listen carefully: We are all in the same pot. The pot of Jerusalem is the pot of the world for you and me today. I get a little weary of all this talk about different “ethnic groups.” We’re all in the same pot, and we are the scum of the earth—that is, our sin is the scum of the earth. I don’t know how you could say it more strongly than that.
Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down [Ezek. 24:15–16].
Apparently, the prophet had married a lovely, young Israelite girl, and they loved each other. But down there in captivity, she became sick and died. I imagine it was a heartbreak to Ezekiel, but again he must act a part:
Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men [Ezek. 24:17].
God told him, “Don’t act like you’re mourning at all.” And the people didn’t understand it. The people came to Ezekiel and said, “What in the world does this mean? Your wife has died, and you are not mourning at all! What kind of man are you?”
All of this Ezekiel is doing to get a message through to the people. Verse 24 is the key to this entire Book of Ezekiel:
Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God [Ezek. 24:24].
At that very moment, Jerusalem was being destroyed, and later on word came to the captives about its destruction: “And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten” (Ezek. 33:21). Into the camp came these stragglers; they must have looked terrible. They said, “We’ve escaped from the city. The false prophets were wrong. The city is burned. The temple has been leveled, and the city is debris and ashes.”
Ezekiel was right in not mourning. The reason they were not to mourn is found in verse 27:
In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 24:27].
“They shall know that I am the Lord.” Jerusalem was God’s city, and the temple was His house. They were God’s witness to the world. And when the people of Israel failed, God said, “I will destroy even My own witness on the earth. I want you to know the city is destroyed. The rest of your people are being brought into captivity. But there’s no use weeping, there’s no use howling to Me now. I have done this—I am responsible for it.”
To each of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus said, “You had better be careful of your witness to the world, or I will come and remove your lampstand.” The lampstand of all seven of those churches has been removed, my friend. Not one of those churches remains today. This ought to be a message to us: If you are a Christian and are not going to stand for God today, He will remove your lampstand—there will be no light.
This is a strong message; it is not the lovey-dovey, sloppy stuff we hear so often. This is Ezekiel, and he is speaking for God. He has said again and again, “The word of the Lord, came unto me, saying.” If you want to argue with his message, take it to the Lord, but remember He’s right and we are the ones who are wrong.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Prophecies against the nations: the Ammonites, Moab, Edom, the Philistines
This brings us to a new section (chs. 25–32) which deals with the prophecies concerning the nations around Israel. All of these nations, as far as we are concerned today, have long since disappeared from the face of the earth, and the prophecies about them have been literally fulfilled.
Up to this point, Ezekiel has been giving out prophecies concerning Jerusalem and the land of Israel because the final deportation of the children of Israel has not yet arrived. To the very last, the people held on to the faint hope, at the urging and encouragement of the false prophets, that God would not destroy Jerusalem, and the land of Israel would remain. After all, wasn’t it God’s method of communication to the world? When the destruction of Jerusalem occurred, the people were startled; they were dumbfounded. I imagine the word came when the headline in the Babylonian Bugle read: JERUSALEM DESTROYED! And the opening line read something like this: “On this day Nebuchadnezzar with his armies entered the city of Jerusalem, having breached the wall.”
Ezekiel was proved accurate in his prophecies, and from here on he will not be giving any prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, because he is not writing history; he is writing prophecy. So now he turns to the surrounding nations. What will be their fate?
There is a tremendous message for us in this chapter. There lies God’s city in ruins. I see standing over that city a man by the name of Jeremiah. Tears are coursing down his cheeks; he is a man with a broken heart. He is the one who mirrors the One who will be coming to earth in five hundred or so years. He, too, will sit over Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives and will weep over the city knowing that destruction is coming again because its people will have turned their backs on the living and true God.
I see another prophet. He is not weeping, and I will tell you why. At this same time his lovely wife died, and the Scriptures make it clear that he loved her. This prophet is Ezekiel, and he is told not to mourn. On the surface he is hard-boiled.
God said that He would be that way. Jeremiah and Ezekiel reveal the two sides of God in this matter. This is something we need to see today. God is tenderheated. Like Jeremiah the Lord Jesus Christ is merciful and kind. He was not willing that any should perish, so He died in the cross for us. But listen to Him speaking to the cities that rejected Him: “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell” (Luke 10:13–15). That is strong language coming from the gentle Jesus! He also said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them” (Luke 11:44). The Lord denounced them in such a way that it makes your hair curl! There are two sides to God, and He is the same today. We get a warped view of Him when all we hear is, “God is love, God is love.” It is true that God is love, but don’t lose sight of the fact that God is also holy. He is righteous and He will judge. You are not rushing into heaven on the little love boat today. You will go to heaven only if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, who shed His blood and gave His life on the cross. Then you will have eternal life and will be covered with the righteousness of Christ, standing complete and acceptable in Him. If you reject His salvation, there will be nothing left but judgment.
We have a warped view of God today. In this connection I always think of a judge who lived in west Texas many years ago. He had a reputation for making quick decisions. Other judges just didn’t move as fast as he did. A friend asked him one day, “What is the secret of your making quick decisions?” “Well,” he replied, “I’ll tell you what I do. I just listen to the defense, and then I hand in a decision.” The friend was startled. He asked the judge, “Don’t you ever listen to the prosecution?” The judge said, “I used to, but that always confused me.” And there are a lot of confused folks running around talking about the love of God, but we must never forget that He is also a God of judgment. Maybe that is the reason Ezekiel is a closed book, a sealed book to so many people. Liberal ministers encourage this by saying, “Nobody can understand the Book of Ezekiel.” Well, you cannot understand it until you study it, that is for sure. We have had a remarkable principle laid down for us so far, and I hope we don’t miss its message for us.
Now we come to the judging of the nations around Israel. I am not going to spend much time with them because they have long since passed off the stage, but they are important because they are to return. Only God can bring them back, and he says He will do that.
PROPHECY AGAINST THE AMMONITES
The Ammonites had a very bad beginning. They were a nomadic race descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his younger daughter (see Gen. 19:33–38). Their country lay along the Dead Sea. God said they would be made subject to Nebuchadnezzar, and they were.
Now God Gives the Reason for His Judgment against Them:
And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity [Ezek. 25:3]
The Ammonites applauded the enemy that destroyed Israel. They were allies. But the same enemy destroyed Ammon. In Jeremiah 49:6 we read concerning them, “And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon,saith the LORD.” God judged them so that they might know that He is the Lord.
Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 25:7]
PROPHECY AGAINST MOAB
The Moabites were more civilized than the Ammonites, but they too were descended from an incestuous relationship—between Lot and his older daughter (Gen. 19:33–38). Moab was situated on the east of Israel but along the northern part of the Dead Sea. This is the land that Ruth the Moabitess came from. She was an ancestor of King David, which makes her also an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ—her name appears in His genealogy (Matt. 1:5).
Notice the reason God will judge Moab:
Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen;
Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim [Ezek. 25:8–9].
PROPHECY AGAINST EDOM
Edom is the nation that came from Esau, whose beginning is found in Genesis 25. The little Book of Obadiah details the judgment against Edom and the rock-hewn city of Petra. God gives His reason for judging Edom:
Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;
Therefore thus saith the Lord God: I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword [Ezek. 25:12–13].
Edom’s treatment of His chosen people is the cause of God’s judgment.
PROPHECY AGAINST THE PHILISTINES
Thus saith the Lord God; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them [Ezek. 25:15–17].
The Philistines have disappeared; they are no longer in that land. This judgment against them has been so literally fulfilled that the unbelieving critic wants to place Ezekiel’s prophecy at a much later date so it can be considered history!
My friend, we will do well to take note of the fact that God judged the nations who had sinned against Him and His people.
CHAPTER 26
Theme: Judgment against Tyre
JUDGMENT AGAINST TYRE
Chapters 26–28 give us prophecies against Tyre and Sidon. Tyre and Sidon belong together like pork and beans, or ham and eggs. You never think of one without the other. These chapters are a marvelous example of the exactness of the literal fulfillment of prophecy.
Tyre was the capital of the great Phoenician nation which was famous for its seagoing traders. They plied the Mediterranean and even went beyond that. We know today that they went around the Pillars of Hercules and the Rock of Gibraltar, and into Great Britain, where they obtained tin. They established a colony in North Africa. Tarshish in Spain was founded by these people. They were great colonizers and went a lot farther than we used to think they did in their explorations.
Tyre was a great and proud city. Hiram, king of Tyre, had been a good friend of David and supplied him with building materials. Solomon and Hiram did not get along as well as David and Hiram had. Apparently Hiram was a great king. But also the center of Baal worship was there in Tyre and Sidon. Jezebel, the daughter of a king and former priest, married Ahab, king of Israel, and introduced Baal worship into the northern kingdom.
Now let’s look at the tremendous prophecy God gives concerning Tyre and Sidon.
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste [Ezek. 26:1–2].
Tyre was destroyed at the same time Jerusalem was destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar took Tyre.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up [Ezek. 26:3].
When God says, “Behold, I am against thee,” you can be sure He is against that place. Just as the waves break on the shore, God says, nations will come against Tyre, that great commercial center that had been invincible.
And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock [Ezek. 26:4].
Nebuchadnezzar came against the city and destroyed it, but he didn’t scrape it.
It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God; and it shall become a spoil to the nations [Ezek. 26:5].
God said it would be a fishing village—not the proud commercial capital—and that is what it is today.
And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 26:6].
“Her daughters” are, I believe, the colonies that she established. She had established one on the island of Cyprus, by the way. Cyprus means “copper”, and she obtained copper from there. The Phoenicians were the traders who brought these metals into the ancient civilized world.
For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.
He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee.
And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers.
By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach [Ezek. 26:7–10].
Nebuchadnezzar breached the walls of ancient Tyre, just as he had at Jerusalem, and this prophecy was literally fulfilled.
With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground [Ezek. 26:11].
It is very interesting to note that verses 7–11 clearly predict that Nebuchadnezzar will take the city, and the pronoun he is all through that section. But now, beginning with the next verse the pronoun changes to they. God had said that the nations were coming and here is that prediction:
And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water.
And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.
And I will make thee like the top of a rock:thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 26:12–14].
Now this prophecy waited centuries for fulfillment. For three hundred years the ruins of Tyre lay there, and they were very impressive. Although Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the city, this second prophecy had not been fulfilled. Who was going to take up the stones and even scrape the dust into the ocean?
Well, out of the west there comes Alexander the Great, symbolized as the he goat in Daniel’s prophecy. You see, after the return of the Tyrians from Babylonian captivity, they decided to rebuild their city on an island and forget all about the mainland. Since they were a seafaring power, they could better protect themselves on an island. Well, when Alexander got there, he saw the ruins of the city, but the inhabited new city was out yonder on the island out of his reach. He had plenty of time and he had plenty of soldiers, so he decided to build a causeway to the city. Where did he get the material to construct it clear out there in the ocean? He took the building material of old Tyre, the stones, the pillars, and even the dust of the city, and built a causeway over which his army marched right into the new city of Tyre. He destroyed the city, and from that day to this it has never been rebuilt.
My friend, this is a remarkable prophecy! As I mentioned, the critics try to explain away the prophecy regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of the city by saying that Ezekiel wrote it after it had happened, but it is impossible for them to claim that Ezekiel wrote after Alexander the Great! Only God can prophesy with such accuracy.
I have walked out on the isthmus that Alexander made from the mainland to the island and have seen the ruins. The ruins are being excavated and there were all kinds of broken pieces of pottery and artifacts around. Ezekiel’s prophecy was literally fulfilled. You cannot look at the ruins of Tyre and say that the Word of God is guesswork.
Sidon stands today as it always has, but Tyre is gone. Nobody has tried to rebuild it. Lebanon hasn’t tried. God’s Word says that Tyre will never be rebuilt. If you can rebuild Tyre, you can contradict God’s Word, but I advise you to invest your money somewhere else.
CHAPTER 27
Theme: Lamentation for Tyre
LAMENTATION FOR TYRE
The preceding chapter gave us the prophecy concerning the destruction of Tyre, and we saw that the prophecy was literally fulfilled. The ruins of Tyre stand today as a witness to the accuracy of the Word of God. This was an impressive city in Ezekiel’s day. Even though he may never have been there, he gives a lamentation for Tyre in this chapter. He laments the fact that this great city will fall. It was a great city—I don’t want to minimize its beauty and magnificence. This is a sad and beautiful chapter in which Ezekiel likens Tyre, the capital of the Phoenician Empire, to a great ship that is wrecked. I cannot think of a better picture for a seagoing people.
What was it that brought Tyre down?
The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord God; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty [Ezek. 27:1–3].
What brought Tyre down? The same thing that brought down the rock-hewn city of Petra also brought down the great city of Tyre: “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee …” (Obad. 3). Pride in the glory, pomp, and prosperity is the thing that has brought down many great nations of the world and reduced them to ruins. This chapter speaks of how extensive the kingdom of Phoenicia was. It begins with Chittim (Cyprus), meaning copper, which was one of their colonies, and extends all the way to Tarshish, which means smelting plant or refinery. Tarshish was sort of a jumping-off place for the Phoenicians. Jonah bought a ticket to that city, but he never saw it—instead he saw the interior of a big fish!
The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas [Ezek. 27:25].
Tyre was a great commercial center. Merchants came from all over the world to buy and sell. You could find just about anything you wanted in Tyre. In verse 17 it says that Israel traded in her markets. “Minnith” was perhaps olives or figs made into some kind of preserves. You could buy anything and everything in the markets of Tyre.
If you want a picture of Tyre as the great commercial center, you will see it depicted in a prophecy of Babylon in the future when it will become the commercial, religious and political center of the world. It will be the capital of the Antichrist. “The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after …” (Rev. 18:12–14).
This also is a picture of London, Paris, Rome, New York City, and Los Angeles. You can buy anything you want in these cities. If you have the money, you can buy it. Today is the age of materialism, just as it was in the days of Tyre.
Tyre was like a great ship. Everything the people needed was on board, and the music was playing. There was laughter, and the wine and champagne flowed. It was all there. Then it all disappeared. God judged it. Now here is the lamentation and the weeping over that great city. That is exactly what is going to happen in the last days. In those last days the stock market will fail, and everything you have in your safe deposit boxes won’t be worth a dime, and everything you thought was valuable will suddenly become dust and ashes in your hands. What a tragic day it was when Tyre fell; what a tragic day it will be when the same thing happens in the future!
Be careful. Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. I think people ought to enjoy the affluent society we have today. I see nothing wrong in it, provided it does not become an obsession or an idol. Unfortunately, it has become that to many folk. Even in many of our good churches there is really very little Bible teaching. We play games. We pat each other on the back, and we have “fellowship”—we love to talk about that. And we quote a Bible verse now and then to make sure we are religious and pious, and we go through the little ceremonies of the church. They did that in Tyre; they did it in Jerusalem, and God destroyed them. He destroyed them because they had an opportunity, a privilege, and a responsibility that they shrugged off.
And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? [Ezek. 27:32].
Tyre was like a great ship that had gone down at sea.
In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall [Ezek. 27:34].
All will be swallowed up by the sea.
The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more [Ezek. 27:36].
As I walked through the ruins of Tyre I heard no music nor laughter. I could not see the buildings or the gold and silver. All I saw were broken pieces of pottery and the wreck and ruin of what had once been a great city. And the God of heaven says, “I judged you.” There must be a message in this picture of Tyre for our day and generation.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: Judgment against the prince of Tyre; judgment against the king
JUDGMENT AGAINST THE PRINCE OF TYRE
In this chapter we find the judgment of the prince and king of Tyre and Sidon. The prophecy looks beyond the local ruler to the one who is behind the kingdoms of the world—Satan.
The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God [Ezek. 28:1–2].
Again the word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel, and this time there are two messages: one for the prince of Tyre and one for the king of Tyre. In back of the great kingdom, the great commercial center, the great political center, and the great stronghold of Tyre, we are going to find the one who apparently also controls all the kingdoms of this world. He is Satan. He offered the kingdoms of the world to the Lord Jesus during his temptation in the wilderness: “And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine” (Luke 4:5–7). The Lord rejected Satan’s offer, but not because He didn’t recognize his ownership—Christ knew that Satan did have the kingdoms. Ultimately Christ will rule over the kingdoms of the world—but not as the vice-regent of Satan! Today, however, the Devil is still the prince of the power of the air. He is the one who is in back of the kingdoms of our world, whether we like it or not.
Here is, I believe, a type of Antichrist. Actually, it takes two persons to fulfill all that Scripture says about the Antichrist (and John says there are many). One will deny the Person of Christ—be His enemy; the other will imitate Him. There will be a religious ruler and a political ruler. Now here in Ezekiel we have, I believe, the combination set before us.
This is the vicegerent of Satan: “Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God”—this is exactly what the Antichrist is going to say. The apostle Paul says this of him: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4). And this prince of Tyre says, “I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas.”
But God says, “Yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.”
Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee [Ezek. 28:3].
Here is another reference to Daniel. Ezekiel and Daniel, you remember, were contemporaries. This young man Ezekiel had great respect for Daniel, who was prime minister in Babylon, and who really stood for the Lord. I personally think that Ezekiel had the hardest job. He lived with and preached to the captives. As I said earlier, I would have much preferred to live in the palace and spend one night in the lions’ den than to work with the captives, but Ezekiel had no choice in the matter.
Ezekiel refers to Daniel’s wisdom. Ezekiel says that this prince of Tyre was a smart boy. If you don’t think there were wise men in that day, you are wrong. I think the wise men in that day would make the so-called intellectual crowd that centers in Harvard today look like beginners in kindergarten. These great men in Ezekiel’s day were really wise men.
Now I believe that this prince of Tyre represents the religious ruler aspect of the Antichrist. And I think he comes out of Israel. You see, the Antichrist, the political ruler, comes out of the sea of the nations of the world. I think he will be a Gentile. His advisor, the religious ruler, will come out of the land. The religious ruler will be like a prime minister to the political ruler, like Daniel was in Babylon, or like Joseph in Egypt, or Disraeli in England. Perhaps I should not make that kind of comparison, but I think it serves to illustrate the two positions.
JUDGMENT AGAINST THE KING
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 28:11].
Ezekiel is not going to let anyone forget that he is not giving his own opinion, but he is telling forth God’s message.
We have had a lamentation of the city of Tyre. We have talked about the prince of Tyre, and now we come to a lamentation of the king of Tyre. Immediately we pass beyond the local king of Tyre—there were many of them. It wasn’t safe to be a king in those days. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. The glory did not last long. It was like the bromide sic transit gloria mundi, which is Latin for “thus passeth the glory of the world.”
In back of the kingdom of Tyre is Satan. Ezekiel 28 is one of the few passages in the Word of God that gives us the origin of the Devil and of evil. I don’t want to press this too much, but read carefully these words—
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty [Ezek. 28:12].
Satan was the wisest creature God ever created. Keep in mind that Satan is a created being. He was created perfect in beauty. If you think of Satan as a creature with horns, a forked tail, and cloven feet, you are wrong. You have been reading the literature of the Middle Ages which has its origin in Greek mythology that goes back into Asia Minor. There was a great temple of Apollo in Pergamum; also there was one in Corinth, and in Ephesus, just to name a few. This is a description of the god Pan, or Bacchus, the god of pleasure. He has horns, he runs through the grape vineyard, he is the god of the grape, the god of wine. From his waist down he is represented as a goat. The creature with horns, a forked tail, and cloven feet is right out of Greek mythology.
The Word of God does not present Satan in that manner. The Bible presents him as perfect in beauty. If you could see him, you would find that he is the most beautiful creature you have ever seen. I have heard many people say how good looking the men of certain cults are. When I was a boy, I heard such a man. He was in one of the cults. He had silver gray hair and was a fine looking man—in fact, he was very handsome. Some women would almost swoon at his presence. People treated him as if he were a god, a claim that he almost made. Do you know what he was? He was a minister of Satan; I don’t mind saying it. When I was a boy, with no instruction in the things of God, he almost led me astray. Oh, how terrible the ministers of Satan are!
Paul has something to say about the ministers of Satan. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness …” (2 Cor. 11:13–15).
Ezekiel says of this one: “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” What was it that brought him down? We will see that when we come to verse 15.
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created [Ezek. 28:13].
“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God”—no king of Tyre has been in the Garden of Eden!
“Every precious stone was thy covering”—can you imagine what a beautiful creature he was!
“The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee.” Not only could he sing, he was a band; he was music itself. Do you know the origin of music on this earth? Go back to Genesis 4:21, and you will see that it originated with the progeny of Cain. And when I hear some of the music of my contemporaries, I am confident that it came out of the pit—it couldn’t come from any place else! Satan was a musician.
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire [Ezek. 28:14].
Satan was the “anointed cherub that covereth”—that is, he protected the throne of God. This is not the Eden which was on earth, but apparently is a picture of heaven itself. Satan had access to heaven, of course.
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee [Ezek. 28:15].
Satan protected God’s throne. He had the highest position a created being could have. What was it that brought him down? Ezekiel doesn’t tell us, but Isaiah 14:12–15 has already told us: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” The thing that brought him down was pride! Satan wanted to lift up his throne. He wanted to divorce himself from God and be God. He was in rebellion against God.
Now, let me say this: If you are one of the saints today who thinks you have arrived, that you are perfect, and you have set yourself up as a standard, remember that Satan was the angel of light; he was perfect—but he fell. Since he fell, what about you? What about me? We are only frail human beings.
God cannot tolerate rebellion, so what is He going to do?
By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire [Ezek. 28:16].
Satan will be judged for his sin. He is only a creature. I don’t know about you, but this is comforting to me. I frankly would not be able to overcome him. I am no match for him. I am thankful, therefore, that God is going to deal with him.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee [Ezek. 28:17].
“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty”—pride.
“Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” You see, Solomon, the wisest man, played the fool. And here we see that the greatest creature whom God ever created, perfect (filled with all that could be learned), played the fool. Oh, my friend, God’s children can do the same today!
“I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” God is going to make a spectacle of Satan someday.
All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou he any more [Ezek. 28:19].
At some time in the future God is going to get rid of Satan in His universe, and we pray for that day to come.
In verses 20–24 judgment is pronounced on Sidon, but not complete destruction. He says that there will be blood in the streets, and that is exactly what happened. It is a matter of history. It is interesting to note that Tyre,the prominent city and capital city, was destroyed, scraped like a rock, never to be rebuilt; yet Sidon, about fifteen miles from Tyre, was also judged, but not destroyed. That city exists today; it is the place where oil is brought in from the Near East. It comes by pipeline and is loaded onto ships. Sidon is a thriving port, whereas down the coast is Tyre lying in ruins, with only a little fishing village there. God says that Tyre will never be rebuilt. God knew what He was talking about.In this chapter He has made the prophecies clear-cut: Tyre would be destroyed and never be rebuilt; Sidon would be judged but not destroyed. Today after approximately twenty-five hundred years, Tyre is gone and Sidon lives on.
Thus saith the Lord God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.
And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God [Ezek. 28:25–26].
God says, “I intend to regather Israel.” Satan cannot disturb His plan and program with the children of Israel. Neither can any theologian today dismiss God’s plan to restore Israel to the land in peace. One reason that so many theologians are believed when they say that God is through with the nation Israel is because God’s people are not acquainted with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the minor prophets. The theme song of these prophets is that God is not through with Israel as a nation. For this reason they should be studied. They throw new light on the Word of God so that it is no longer a jigsaw puzzle, but everything falls into place.
CHAPTERS 29–30
Theme: Prophecy against Egypt, lamentation for Egypt
PROPHECY AGAINST EGYPT
Many conservative commentators take the position that the prophecies concerning Egypt are of more interest than the one concerning Tyre. I must confess that I do not concur in that—the prophecies concerning Tyre are remarkable. Also the ones concerning Egypt are interesting, and we will find a remarkable prophecy in this chapter. Egypt was a great nation, and it had not been destroyed. It had maintained its integrity down through the centuries. It was one of the most ancient nations. It did not need to put up a wall of defense. After all, the desert was a pretty good defense. There was only one entrance, and that was through the Nile River valley. All Egypt had to do for protection was put up a good defense there. You will find that the cities of Egypt were not walled—walls were not necessary.
Now God says that the Egyptians will go into captivity for forty years.
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt [Ezek. 29:1–2].
God takes a very definite position against the land of Egypt. It was this nation that had reduced His people to slavery in the brick-yards and had introduced them to idolatry. Egypt had been a thorn in the flesh of Israel for years; yet Israel was constantly running to Egypt for help. For some reason the children of Israel seemed to lean upon Egypt. Now God says He is against Egypt and it will be destroyed.
Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself [Ezek. 29:3].
The crocodile, apparently, is the “great dragon” or sea monster here. Pharaoh is likened unto the crocodile that says, “This is my river.” It is interesting to note that Egypt worshiped all manner of birds, beasts, and bugs. You will notice that the plagues against Egypt (Exod. 7–11) were leveled against the gods which Egypt worshiped. I think that in spite of how terrible the plagues were, they also reveal that God has a sense of humor.Imagine worshiping Heka, the frog-headed goddess, and then waking up one morning and finding frogs all over your bedroom. What are you going to do? Start killing off your goddess? I think the Lord must have smiled at that.
The Pharaoh mentioned here is Pharaoh Hophra, also called Apries in the Greek. He was the grandson of Pharaoh Nechoh, who defeated King Josiah of Judah at Megiddo; in fact, Josiah was slain in that battle. Kings Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah all turned to Pharaoh Hophra when Jerusalem was besieged. The Egyptian army came up, went through Phoenicia, and forced the Chaldeans to raise the siege of Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah announced the doom of Pharaoh Hophra: “The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him: And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the Lord” (Jer. 46:25–26).
You may find it interesting to note that the critic has made an issue of the fact that the prophecy of the destruction of Egypt was not fulfilled at this time. It was fulfilled seventeen years later. However, if you read the prophecy carefully, you will see that, although the prophecy was given through Ezekiel at this time, nothing is said about immediate fulfillment. Egypt was destroyed seventeen years later as God said it would be.
Now notice what God says will happen to Egypt:
Yet thus saith the Lord God; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered [Ezek. 29:13].
Seventeen years later, to be exact, the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, came and took the Egyptians into captivity. They were in captivity for forty years, not seventy years like Israel.
And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom [Ezek. 29:14].
Now notice carefully this next verse—
It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations [Ezek. 29:15].
Egypt had been the great power of the ancient world. They came out of the dawn of history as a great nation. Their monuments and tombs reveal the fact that they had a civilization that was second to none. It is believed today by many historians that the Greeks got a great deal of their information from the Egyptians. Egypt was a great nation, but God said, “I am going to let Nebuchadnezzar take you. Not only that, you are going to be in captivity for forty years, and at the end of that time you are going to return to your land, but you are going to be a base kingdom—in fact, the basest of the kingdoms.” My friend, on our tours we visit many lands in the Near East, and we can see how accurate God’s prediction was. No one can go to Cairo without his heart being sick when he sees the poverty and the low levels to which the people have sunk.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 29:19–20].
Babylon, you see, was to conquer all these nations—including Tyre, Egypt, and, of course, Israel. Babylon was the first great empire.
LAMENTATION FOR EGYPT
This brings us to chapter 30, which is considered a lamentation. Ezekiel speaks of the desolation of Egypt, and it is indeed a desolate nation.
The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying [Ezek. 30:1].
Here we go again. This phrase has been repeated I don’t know how many times. Ezekiel doesn’t want there to be a doubt in any mind whose word this is.
Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! [Ezek. 30:2].
This is a time of wailing and mourning, a lamentation.
For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen [Ezek. 30:3].
A cloudy day was unusual. They don’t have many clouds in the land of Egypt because they have less than an inch of rain in that section.They depend upon the river Nile for the water they need. By the way, they worshiped the crocodile of the Nile, as well as everything else in the animal world.
“The time of the heathen” is better translated the time of the nations, and we are certainly living in that day when the nations are really stirring throughout the world.
And the sword shall come upon Egypt,and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down [Ezek. 30:4].
At times there was an alliance between Egypt and Ethiopia, although a great deal of the time there was enmity and warfare between the two nations. It is believed by many conservative scholars that Moses, when he was Pharaoh’s daughter’s son, would have been the next Pharaoh, and that he actually led an expedition against Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword [Ezek. 30:5].
At this time there was an alliance among these nations, but they would all become subject to Nebuchadnezzar, who was actually a world ruler. In fact, he is the head of gold in Daniel’s prophecy (ch. 2) of the four great world kingdoms.
Thus saith the Lord; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 30:6].
Not only Israel, but all of these other nations had looked to Egypt for help, and they will all be judged together.
And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the Lord have spoken it [Ezek. 30:12].
These rivers, as we have seen before, are actually the different branches down in the delta of the Nile, and there were many of them. There were also canals in that very rich fertile area. Near there was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites settled when they first came to Egypt.
“I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked.” Egypt fell later on to Alexander the Great, and when he died his generals took over the nations he had conquered. Cleopatra, who was not an Egyptian but a Greek, ruled over Egypt.
“I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers.” “Strangers” are foreigners. Egypt came under the control of foreign nations, and the canals were allowed to fill up. Although I have never gotten into that delta section, a friend of mine whom I met in Cairo had just come from there, and he told me that it is really a swamp in that section. God had said that He would make the land waste, and that is what it is today.
Now here is another remarkable prophecy—
Thus saith the Lord God; l will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt [Ezek. 30:13].
“I will cause their images to cease out of Noph.” Noph is Memphis, and in Ezekiel’s time it was the great city of Egypt. It was a very wealthy city, and it had idols in profusion—up and down both sides of the streets were idol after idol. They were the city’s decoration! No other place has ever had idols like Memphis had them. Here God says that He would make the idols to cease out of Memphis.
I have walked over what is supposed to be the ruins of Memphis, and all that is left of the idols is one great big statue of Raamses. It lies on its back, and a building has been erected around it to house the statue. That is the only thing left in Memphis. God did exactly what He said He was going to do. He made the idols to cease.
“There shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt.” There is no royal line in Egypt any more. Neither can any of the rulers be called great men. They all have had to look to other nations for aid and support.
And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No [Ezek. 30:15].
“I will pour out my fury upon Sin”—which is Pelusium, now completely buried in the sand.
“I will cut off the multitude of No”—this is Thebes, which was a great city in the upper Nile. The ruins are there, but its greatness is all gone.
In the next verses God continues to speak of these great cities of Egypt which have now disappeared altogether.
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand [Ezek. 30:21–22].
God states once again that Egypt will fall. The pictures of Egyptian rulers always show them holding the scepter in their hands. The scepter was a token of their power. God says, “I have broken the arm of Pharaoh.” It is hard to hold a scepter with a broken arm! And God goes on to say, “It shall not be bound up to be healed.” Babylon was going to conquer Egypt, and Pharaoh would be powerless to stop it. All of this was literally fulfilled.
CHAPTERS 31–32
Theme: Judgment against Pharaoh; Pharaoh’s greatness and glory; Pharaoh’s fall; lamentation over the fall
JUDGMENT AGAINST PHARAOH
These two chapters conclude the section regarding the judgment of Egypt (chs. 29–32). It is interesting that Ezekiel devotes four chapters to Egypt and also Isaiah and Jeremiah and the minor prophets deal with Egypt. Egypt looms large in the history of the nation Israel. It is rather ironic that Egypt is such a thorn in the flesh to Israel at the present time. Egypt, in fact, is a dog in the manger. Israel didn’t want the Baby in the manger; so it got the dog in the manger!
In chapter 31 we see the fall of Pharaoh. It is described in a parabolic form and represents both Pharaoh and his subjects. Verses 1–9 give the greatness and glory of Pharaoh in Egypt; verses 10–14 give the fall of Egypt in the parable of the tree; and verses 15–18 give the lamentation over the fall of the tree and the crisis which came to the nations of the world because of it. It had the same effect in that day as it would at the present time if the United States were destroyed overnight. That would certainly change the situation in the world, I am sure.
I trust you have seen how important the Book of Ezekiel is. It is a book that reveals the glory of the Lord and the fact that our God is a holy God who will judge sin. Now God is merciful, and He is kind. He loves mankind; He wants to save the human family, and He is not willing that any should perish, but He also judges sin. He intends to judge, and He will not spare you if you reject His gracious offer. That is what happened to Israel, and that is what happened to Egypt. Egypt was judged on the basis of the light she had, and she had been given a great deal of light.
THE GREATNESS AND GLORY OF PHARAOH
Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness? [Ezek. 31:2].
God recognized the greatness of Egypt—probably over a couple of millenniums this vast kingdom had dominated the world. It was the breadbasket for the world because it did not have to depend on the rainfall. The Nile River overflowed each year to water their crops. It was a nation of tremendous power.
Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs [Ezek. 31:3].
God says, “I liken Assyria, that great nation in the north, to a great cedar tree.” Now there is more than one tree in a forest, because one tree won’t make a forest. Assyria stood way above the other trees and dominated. But God brought Assyria down. This message should have gotten through to Pharaoh and his people. Pharaoh, too, is a great tree. He has dominated everything. The people of Egypt are great, but now they are going to be brought low. As we saw in chapter 29, Egypt is going to become a base kingdom. Well, for a period of over two thousand years now it has been a base kingdom. It will never be a world empire again.
THE FALL OF PHARAOH
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height [Ezek. 31:10].
The phrase, “Therefore thus saith the Lord God,” indicates the divisions in this chapter. In this division we see that Pharaoh is lifted up in pride. Pride is in the human heart, and his greatness blinded him to the danger that he was in.
I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness [Ezek. 31:11].
At this point in history who is the mighty one of the nations? It is Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. I don’t think Ezekiel is speaking about Satan because Satan has had Egypt for years, so this wasn’t something new. If you want to confirm the fact that this “mighty one” was Nebuchadnezzar, read the Book of Daniel. Daniel said to king Nebuchadnezzar, “You are the head of gold”—the greatness of this man has not been exceeded.
“I have therefore delivered him,” he is talking about Pharaoh of Egypt. God is going to deal with him; He is going to drive him out because of his wickedness.
And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him [Ezek. 31:12].
Egypt would be taken, and it would be a shock to the world.
LAMENTATION OVER THE FALL OF PHARAOH
This is a very remarkable section of the Word of God. If you are a student of the Word, I recommend that you spend a great deal of time here.
Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him [Ezek. 31:15].
The word “grave” in this verse is sheol. This verse speaks of Pharaoh who is going to go down in defeat and be killed. Sheol, although at times does mean the grave, means here the unseen world, the unknown region, or the abode of the dead—not just the grave where the physical body is placed after death. It is the place where the spirit goes. You remember that Solomon spoke about the fact that the body returns to the earth, and the spirit goes to God: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Eccl. 12:7). The human body is nothing in the world but dust. Speaking of man the psalmist says, “For he [God] knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). Sometimes we forget we are only dust, and when dust gets stuck on itself, it becomes mud! We need to remember that as far as our bodies are concerned, they are dust. When we put our bodies in the ground, they will go back to dust. The Lord Jesus spoke of the fact that when a believer dies his body sleeps. And Paul speaks of the physical body as sleeping in 1 Thessalonians 4:13.
Where do the spirits of the lost go? They, too, go to sheol, the unseen world. We know from a parable—which is also a true-life story which Jesus told (Luke 16:19–31) about two men who died—that sheol is divided into two compartments. One is called the place of torment, and that is where the rich man went. The other is called Abraham’s Bosom, which is the place where the beggar went when he died. The place of torment is not to be confused with hell or the lake of fire of the New Testament. Apparently sheol was a temporary “abode of the dead,” as the Lord Jesus emptied the section called paradise or Abraham’s Bosom when he ascended (Eph. 4:8–10). The section called the place of torment will not be emptied until all who are there will stand before the great white throne for their final judgment (Rev. 20:11–15).
With this background in mind, notice that Ezekiel gives a picture of Pharaoh going down into sheol. Remember that God is not speaking of Pharaoh’s body here. The grave receives the bodies, but the immaterial part of man, that which has endless being, goes to sheol.
“I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him.” When he died, the entire world mourned. Up there in Lebanon, which was in the great nation of Phoenicia, there was great mourning. The nations of the world mourned when Egypt went down. All were dependent upon it—their economy rested upon it, and its allies were protected by it. What a picture this is!
I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth [Ezek. 31:16].
“When I cast him down to hell [sheol] with them that descend into the pit [the grave].” Now the tree, representing Pharaoh, is cut down. And where does Pharaoh go? To sheol. Now notice what he discovers:
To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether [lower] parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 31:18].
When Pharaoh got to sheol, he found other rulers that had been slain were there too.
He discovered something else: there is democracy in death. We talk a great deal today about integration. There is nothing that will integrate the rich and the poor, the black and the white, the male and the female, those at the top of the social ladder and those at the bottom of it, like death! Death will bring them all to the same level, not only the placing of their bodies in the grave, but also their spirits.
Probably one of the startling things to some people will be the realization that they haven’t died as an animal dies. An atheist said to me, “When a man dies it is just like a dog that dies. He simply ceases to exist. There is no life after death.” Well, he is going to be surprised when he moves into sheol and finds out who all is there. It will be quite a company of people who did not believe that there was an afterlife or a judgment to come. They will all be on the same par. This is total integration! The spirits of all those who have rejected the Lord Jesus will be there—not because they are sinners but because they have rejected Christ as their Savior. It is the sin of rejecting Christ that will take them to sheol and finally to the Great White Throne of judgment and the lake of fire. The Lord Jesus made this clear when He said, “Of sin, because they believe not on me” (John 16:9). How terrible it is not to trust Christ as your Savior.
This passage of Scripture opens up a new area altogether. Someone has called this the “Dante’s Inferno of the Bible.” And it is like that. The lost do go to a definite place. The Lord Jesus called it a place of torment and a place where the lost wait for judgment. Some people say, “Oh, I am going to appear before God all right, but I will get things straightened out there because I have been a pretty good fellow.” But when they stand in the presence of the One who was crucified for them, they are going to find out that their puny works did not amount to much. They will discover that they have a fallen nature with no capacity for God, and no interest in Him at all. Where else could God put them? Do you think He could take anyone to heaven with Him who is in rebellion against Him? My friend, this is a very important passage of Scripture.
In chapter 32 the lamentation continues—
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers [Ezek. 32:2].
“Thou art as a whale in the seas” is better translated “thou art like a monster, the crocodile.” The Egyptians worshiped both the lion and the crocodile.
“Thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.” You see, back there they had an ecology problem. Old Pharaoh was muddying the water.
Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net [Ezek. 32:3].
“Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net over thee”—“just as you put nets in the Nile River to get fish, that’s the way I am going to catch you, you monster of the Nile River, you crocodile!” It is as if God is saying, “I am going to pull you out and move you to a place where you won’t live in a palace. You will find yourself on the same plane with your subjects.” Death surely does level out humanity, does it not?
For thus saith the Lord God; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee [Ezek. 32:11].
The king of Babylon will take Egypt.
Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised [Ezek. 32:18–19].
Now Pharaoh will find that the other rulers are down there in sheol—
Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword [Ezek. 32:22].
“Asshur” is Assyria. And he finds somebody else is there—
There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit [Ezek. 32:24].
“There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave.” You see, the body was put in the grave, but they have gone to another place, to sheol, the unseen world. Our Lord Jesus called it the place of torment for those who are lost. The saved are in the section which He called Abraham’s Bosom; then later to the repentant thief on the cross He called it paradise: “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”
Here are others Pharaoh finds in sheol—
There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living [Ezek. 32:26].
And Edom is there also—
There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit [Ezek. 32:29].
Now listen to this—
For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 32:32].
Ezekiel only gives us a glimpse of that unseen world called sheol. Remember, we see only a fleeting view of this place. Don’t try to build a skyscraper, or a merchandise center, or a mall, or a shopping area, on a place that only has a foundation big enough for a tool shed! In other words, you can’t build a theology on this, because all we have had is a little peek into the unseen world. And it is all God intended for us to see.
CHAPTER 33
Theme: Recommission of Ezekiel
Chapter 33 brings us to the last major division of this book. From chapters 33–48 we will see the glory of the Lord and the coming millennial kingdom. Chapter 32 concluded the predictions concerning the nations that were round about Israel. Some of these nations were contiguous to the land of Israel. They were very closely related to them, of course—actually related by blood. These prophecies were given before the destruction of Jerusalem. Now we come to the second part of this prophetic book, which contains Ezekiel’s prophecies after the fall of Jerusalem.
Ezekiel again is speaking of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel will be his subject, but his message is different. Up to chapter 25 everything pointed to the destruction of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem was destroyed exactly as he had predicted. Now he will look forward to the future of the coming millennial kingdom when the glory of the Lord will be seen again on this earth. That makes this a very interesting section.
Not only is Ezekiel’s commission renewed, he will also be commanded for the fact that he has done a good job up to this point. From now on he is going to be speaking to those in captivity, telling them that they are to live in the expectancy of the future. Before, these captives had no hope because of their sins. But in the future, Ezekiel sees hope for the children of Israel.
Today believers also have a hope. It is not anchored in anything that men do here on earth, or in any of the gyrations of psychoanalysis. Our hope today is not a philosophy. It rests upon the Word of God and what He has said will take place in the future. This is the lodestar of the child of God in our day. It is not the same as Israel moving into the Millennium. We are moving actually into the New Jerusalem. This is what is immediately ahead of us as believers.
RECOMMISSION OF THE PROPHET
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying [Ezek. 33:1].
This phrase is a stuck record as far as Ezekiel is concerned. He wants us to remember constantly that he is not giving us his theories or ideas, but he is giving out the Word of the Lord.
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people [Ezek. 33:2–3].
God reverts to the commission that he gave to Ezekiel at the beginning of his ministry. He likens him to the watchman of a city. In that day most of the cities of importance were protected by walls. Those in authority appointed a watchman to watch for invaders from the top of the wall all during the hours of darkness. I imagine that during the night he would call off the watches with a shout of “All’s well” when there was no moving of an approaching enemy out there in the darkness. The interesting thing is that the false prophets were saying “All’s well” when the enemy was coming. They were too blind to see him. Ezekiel had been a faithful watchman and had given the people warning that the enemy, which was Babylon, was coming.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand [Ezek. 33:6].
Now the people are going to be judged for their sin, but the watchman will be held responsible if he doesn’t warn them. Ezekiel had warned them; the false prophets had not. Ezekiel had done a good job.
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me [Ezek. 33:7].
Ezekiel has fulfilled that commission.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand [Ezek. 33:8].
The responsibility of the watchman is to warn the wicked that they are going to be judged. Ezekiel was faithful in giving the warning, although the people would not listen to him. To sound the warning was the only way the watchman could clear himself.
Today the man who is teaching the Word of God is not required to get results. Many people say, “Let’s get an evangelist who can get results.” To get people to come forward in a meeting is not of primary importance. The preacher giving the people the Word of God is the important thing. I don’t look at the folks who have come forward; I look at the people who walk out after the benediction. Have they been warned? That should be our concern. We have been looking at the wrong crowd. We say, “Oh, So-and-so gave such a sweet gospel invitation, and a lot of sweet people came forward. No decisions were actually made, but we had a movement going on.” Oh, my friend, let’s make sure that the fellow who hears has been properly warned. If he is not warned, the speaker is held responsible. He will have to answer to God for neglecting his duty.
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? [Ezek. 33:11].
It is quite obvious from this verse that God does not want to judge. Isaiah said that judgment was His strange work. God wants to save them, and He is urging them to turn to Him and accept life.
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal [Ezek. 33:17].
The children of Israel had another complaint. They said that God was not fair in His judgment. He judged everybody alike; yet there were some “good people” among the captives.
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby [Ezek. 33:18].
This verse is not speaking about somebody losing salvation. God is saying that when one of His children gets into sin, He will judge him. That is exactly what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:31: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” And God says through John that there is a sin unto death (1 John 5:16). He is speaking about a child of God. What kind of death is he talking about? He is talking about physical death. Some Christians are judged for their sins by physical death. I am amazed that more folks don’t catch on to God’s discipline after a time. There are others who are in the Lord’s work, but what they are doing is not prospering, and they are getting deeper and deeper into debt. You would think that the message would come through loud and clear that perhaps God is moving in judgment, that what they are doing is not pleasing to Him.
But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby [Ezek. 33:19].
God is righteous in what He does. If a wicked man will turn to God, God will save him.
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways [Ezek. 33:20].
Godly men, too, were carried away into captivity. Those who had trusted God were carried off just like the most wicked people, and these godly people are complaining. It looks like God is being unfair.
You and I experience this same principle in many ways. For example, we have to pay excessive insurance premiums today because there are a lot of alcoholics. I don’t drink, but I have to pay for the ones who do. I have to pay high taxes because we have a lot of folks in Washington today who spend money foolishly. We are identified with our nation.
And the good people in Israel were suffering because they were identified with the nation. But there is more to it than that. Notice what God says—
“O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.” In other words, I am going to judge every one of you. And, my friend, whoever you are, you will have to stand before God for judgment some day. If you are a child of God, He will judge you for the sins you have committed, but you will not lose your salvation. However, if you are a lost person, you have no claim on God whatsoever, He has made that clear in the New Testament. In 1 Peter 3:12 we read, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” God doesn’t say that He won’t hear the prayer of the wicked; He just says that He hears the prayers of the righteous, which implies that He feels no obligation to hear the prayer of the unsaved person. Of course, if he would cry out for salvation, God would hear and answer, but the point is that the unsaved person has no claim on God whatsoever. When you hear an unsaved person ask, “Why does God let this happen to me?” you know that he has no claim whatever on God’s mercy. God is righteous when He is judging a lost world, and sometimes we forget that this happens to be His world.
THE CITY IS SMITTEN!
And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten [Ezek. 33:21].
Ezekiel had already said that Jerusalem was destroyed because God had told him, but as yet he had been given no information about it. When the news of the destruction of the city was brought to these people, it absolutely dumbfounded them. They were overwhelmed by the news. They never believed that anything like this could possibly take place. On the very day that this news was brought, Ezekiel’s wife died, and God said to him in effect, “Don’t grieve for your wife. I want these people to know that I have repudiated their city. They think that I have to have Jerusalem. They think that I won’t destroy it. They don’t believe I will judge sin, but I will. Therefore, don’t weep for your wife. Let the people know that at this time the city is being destroyed because of its sin. The city is smitten.”
Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb [Ezek. 33:22].
You see, at the end of chapter 24 God announced to Ezekiel the destruction of Jerusalem, the bloody city. From that point on (chs. 25–33) He had given him no prophecy for Jerusalem; instead He had given him messages for the surrounding nations. Now when we come here to chapter 33, we find that God no longer makes Ezekiel dumb about Jerusalem. He says to him, “I have some messages for you about Jerusalem now.”
Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance [Ezek. 33:23–24].
The people of Israel are remembering how God took care of Abraham; yet there was only one of him, and there are a whole lot of them. They expect Him to take care of them in the same way. They are ignoring the fact that there was a great deal of difference between Abraham and themselves. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. These people do not believe God.
Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? [Ezek. 33:25].
God says to them, “I won’t let you have the land. I put the heathen and the pagan out of this land because of their sin, and you are doing the same things they did.”
For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through [Ezek. 33:28].
I cannot get as elated about the land of Israel as some of my very good minister friends do. When they get into that land, they go into ecstasy. The way some of them act you would think they were on drugs! They exclaim, “Isn’t it wonderful to see this land!” I want to tell you that the land is just about as desolate as any place you could possibly find today. That land is desolate because the judgment of God is upon it. There is a water shortage—put a little water on that land and it blossoms like a rose—but they can’t get enough water. That is the great problem. God’s judgment is not only upon a people; it is also upon a land.
Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord [Ezek. 33:30].
The people are shaken, and they want to listen to Ezekiel now, but they won’t follow through.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness [Ezek. 33:31].
On the surface they appeared to be turning to the Lord. They wanted to hear what the Lord had to say but had no intention of obeying Him. They were like folk who go to church in our day to hear an interesting and well-delivered sermon, but what they hear does not change their lives. The epistle of James gets down where the rubber meets the road when he says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). This is what God says to Ezekiel about these folk in captivity, “They hear thy words, but they do them not.”
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them [Ezek. 33:32–33].
Now that Jerusalem has fallen, as Ezekiel had prophesied, the people know he is a true prophet of God. Although they know he is giving them God’s Word, they still will not obey it. My friend, unbelief is willful; it is not because mankind has a great mentality that cannot accept what God says. The real problem is that people do not want to give up their sin. That was the problem with the people to whom Ezekiel ministered. They were willing to come and listen to what Ezekiel had to say, but it had no effect upon them whatsoever. You would think that the people would now turn to God, but that was not the case. God said to Ezekiel, “Don’t let the crowds deceive you. It is true that they are coming and listening, but they are not heeding what you say. They are not doers of the Word at all. They like it when they hear you talk about love, and the future, and prophecy, but it has not affected their lives one whit. They are still living the same way—far from Me.”
Ezekiel was the only man who said that Jerusalem would be destroyed. All of the false prophets said that it would not be destroyed. The word of confirmation has come. Jerusalem is destroyed. Ezekiel is declared a true prophet.
CHAPTER 34
Theme: Israel’s false shepherds; God’s true shepherd
ISRAEL’S FALSE SHEPHERDS
The false prophets of Israel have now been shown to be liars because the destruction of Jerusalem as prophesied by Ezekiel has become a reality. God has a word to say about these false prophets:
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? [Ezek. 34:1–2].
Ezekiel did not say these things about the false prophets—God said them.
Very candidly, I have always been opposed to promotion—that is, furthering the growth or development of a Christian work. This does not mean that there aren’t many very wonderful and fine works which deserve our financial support. My point is that they should not be just a promotion agency; they should be feeding the people—they should be giving out the Word of God. I feel that an organization has no right to fleece people for an offering when it has not given the people something first. We should be able to support ministries where we ourselves have received a blessing. The business of the ministry is not to beg for money all the time, but to give out the Word of God and to be feeding the sheep.
This was God’s criticism of the false prophets—they had not given the people the Word of God. I feel this should still be the standard by which we judge a ministry today.
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them [Ezek. 34:4].
All of us are needy people, and the only thing which can minister to our deep needs is the Word of God. If a minister is not giving the Word of God, he is not ministering to the people. The Word must be given out. These little sermonettes delivered to Christianettes by preacherettes are not quite doing the job today.
And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered [Ezek. 34:5].
“Meat” could also be translated “food.” In other words, when people are not being fed in a church, they will scatter. They’ll go find some place where they can be fed. There is no point in criticizing them, because sheep want to be fed. That is also the nature of the child of God: he wants to hear the Word of God.
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them [Ezek. 34:7–10].
God holds these false shepherds responsible. He says, “I am against them, and I am as much opposed to them as I am to any sinner or any sin. I’m going to hold them responsible.”
GOD’S TRUE SHEPHERD
For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out [Ezek. 34:11].
Here you have God’s Shepherd—Jesus, who said “I am the Good Shepherd.” Ezekiel said that Christ would come, and, my friend, He is coming again because He has not yet fulfilled all the prophecies concerning His shepherding of this earth.
Now we begin to look into the future. These are God’s words of comfort to the children of Israel in their captivity—they should listen to Him. He’s the Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd of the sheep. He says, “I will search out my sheep.” David said, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1).
The thing that impresses us in the rest of this chapter is the repetition of a wonderful statement by God, “I will,” which occurs eighteen times in verses 11 through 29. I get a little weary listening to men speak of what they have done. This is a new note here—God says, “I will.” This is grace when God says this. The Good Shepherd one day said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest [rest you]” (Matt. 11:28, italics mine). The Shepherd also said, “I [will] give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish …” (John 10:28). That is what my wonderful Shepherd said.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day [Ezek. 34:12].
The Good Shepherd came more than nineteen hundred years ago, and He still says, “My sheep hear my voice …” (John 10:27). Do you know why they hear His voice? There are two reasons: He is calling them, and His sheep know Him. They hear His voice, and they know Him. What a wonderful Shepherd we have!
And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country [Ezek. 34:13].
The Shepherd is talking about the nation of Israel, what He is going to do for them in the future. They are in captivity now because of their sin and because they listened to the false prophets. But He says, “I am not through with them. I have not thrown them overboard. You amillennialists ought to read the Book of Ezekiel; then you would find out that I am not through with My sheep—I intend to bring them back to their land.”
I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God [Ezek. 34:14–15].
He will feed them in a good pasture, and when they lie down they will be safe. Obviously this is for a future time. The land of Israel does not lie in safety at all today.
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment [Ezek. 34:16].
When He has one lost sheep, this Shepherd goes out to find it. He will do that for the nation Israel, and He will do that for the church today. When our Lord told the parable of the lost sheep, that shepherd had one hundred sheep, and one sheep got lost. What did the shepherd do? Did he just forget about that sheep? Did he say, “Well, if one little one wants to run off, that’s all right; after all, ninety-nine sheep is a pretty good number to come through with”? No, this shepherd said, “I started out with one hundred and I am going to come through with one hundred.” My friend, Vernon McGee is going to be in heaven—not because he’s a smart sheep; all sheep are stupid—I am going to be there because I’ve got a wonderful Shepherd, and He says, “I will, I will,” again and again.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle [Ezek. 34:20].
God is going to do the separating. In Matthew 13, the Lord Jesus gave the parable of the tares among the wheat. He told of a man who sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came in and sowed tares among the good seed. The man’s servant said, “Let’s go pull up the tares,” but the man said, “You let them alone; let the wheat and the tares grow together. I’ll do the separating.” I am glad that the separating is the Lord’s job. That is His business. When someone comes to me and says, “Do you think So-and-so is a believer?” I have to say that I don’t know. That’s not my business; that’s the Lord’s business. He knows the ones who are His.
Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it [Ezek. 34:21–24].
It is my firm conviction that the earth will be the eternal home of Israel and that David will rule here on this earth throughout eternity. He will be vice-regent of the Lord Jesus. I believe the church will be in the New Jerusalem with the Lord—the Lord Jesus said that He was coming again to take the church, “… that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). And throughout eternity when He comes to earth, we will come also, but just for a visit. Therefore, don’t buy too much real estate down here—you won’t be needing it—but be sure you are sending up plenty of material to build a good home in heaven!
“I the Lord have spoken it.” My friend, He says He is not through with the nation Israel.
And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods [Ezek. 34:25].
It is quite interesting that the land and the people of Israel go together in Scripture. When they are in the land and being blessed, that means that the people are in a right relationship to God.
And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid [Ezek. 34:28].
The day will come when Israel will “no more be a prey to the heathen [the nations].” They are still that today, but God says, “I will,” and when He says that, He is going to do it, my friend.
CHAPTERS 35–36
Theme: Edom judged; prediction of Israel’s sins judged and forgiven
Chapters 35 and 36 deal with the future restoration of Israel. There are two things which must happen before the people can be restored to the land in peace: Edom must be judged, and Israel’s past sins must be judged and forgiven. The judgment predicted here was fulfilled upon Edom, but it also is prophetic of the judgment which is in store for the enemies of Israel which is still future in our day.
EDOM JUDGED
Chapter 35 deals with the judgment and removal of Mount Seir (or Edom) which must take place before Israel can be restored to the land.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.
I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 35:1–4].
These verses refer to Edom, and in Edom there was the rock-hewn city known as Petra. The city is still there, but there is no more desolate area anywhere than that place.
Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end [Ezek. 35:5].
God gives the reason for the judgment of Edom. Edom is the people descended from Esau, Jacob’s brother. Esau was Jacob’s bitterest enemy, and the people of Edom probably hurt the people of Israel more than any other enemy they had. Edom represents the enemy of God in this world today, that enemy who is going to rise against God in the last days under the Antichrist.
I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 35:9].
Ezekiel has previously mentioned Edom’s judgment in Ezekiel 25:12–14. Why does he mention it here again? I believe that it is to show that God has a program for the nation Israel. They are to be restored to the land, a place of blessing. They will be put back in the land in peace. However, the enemy is still about, and so God will judge the enemy. The people will be back in the land worshiping God, and living in peace and blessing. What a glorious future is ahead for them!
ISRAEL’S PAST SINS JUDGED AND FORGIVEN
In chapter 36 we find that Israel’s past sins must be judged and forgiven before she can be restored to the land.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey [Ezek. 36:5].
God is determined that the wicked will not inherit the earth. He has made it clear: “… the meek … shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). The meek are not inheriting it today. The wicked are the ones who have it, and they are the ones who are prospering.
This chapter contains the prophecy concerning the fact that the land of Israel is to be restored. All you have to do is drive through that land, and you will know this prophecy is not yet fulfilled. A great many people like to think they see prophecy being fulfilled on every hand, but when God brings them back to the land, the land is to be blessed. It is not blessed today, my friend.
Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come [Ezek. 36:6–8].
“For they are at hand to come” could be translated “For they are soon to come.” “Soon” to God is different from what it is to us; after all, a day is as a thousand years with Him.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.
Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it [Ezek. 36:16–18].
Again may I emphasize that the land and the people belong together. The Mosaic Law was not only given to a people, it was given for a land.
And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them [Ezek. 36:19].
God says, “I scattered them among the heathen [the nations],” but listen to Him:
But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes [Ezek. 36:21–23].
You see, God has yet to defend His name in this earth. There are a great many people who ridicule the church today and the people who are in it. They blaspheme God because of it. God is going to justify Himself in this earth, and he is going to sanctify His name down here. Many take His name in vain today, but God says, “That’s going to stop, and you are going to honor Me.” This is His world, you see.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh [Ezek. 36:26].
God says what He is going to do. A change is going to take place. “A new heart also will I give you”—they are going to be born again.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them [Ezek. 36:27].
This is what Joel meant in his prophecy—there is a day coming when God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, not just some. The Spirit was poured out upon very few on the Day of Pentecost. All Peter said on that day was, “Don’t ridicule us and say we are drunk. This is like what Joel said is going to happen in the last days.” The Spirit has come upon a few, and today God is calling out a people for His name. The minute you turn to Christ, you are regenerated by the Holy Spirit; you are indwelt and baptized by the Holy Spirit; you are put in the body of believers. “In that day,” God says, “I’ll put My Spirit within you.”
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you [Ezek. 36:28–29].
They will dwell in the land, and there will be prosperity in the land. God has promised to them physical blessings, just as He has promised to us spiritual blessings.
This chapter concludes with a great prophecy:
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.
Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 36:35–38].
“And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden.” You can say that if you want to, but it wouldn’t be true today.
“And they shall know that I am the Lord.” They don’t know that in Israel, they don’t know it in the United States, and they don’t know it in the world today. But the day is coming, my friend, when Israel will know that He is the Lord.
CHAPTER 37
Theme: Vision of the valley of dead bones, picturing the Resurrection of Israel
THE VISION OF THE VALLEY OF DEAD BONES
In this chapter we have the vision of the valley of dead bones which served as the basis for a Negro spiritual written some years ago, entitled, “Dem Bones.” The interpretation of this chapter concerns the future restoration of Israel. That restoration has to do both with the national entity of Israel as well as the spiritual revival or restoration which the Lord announced in the preceding chapter.
We have here a remarkable vision, and I would like to make it very clear that this vision does not have to do with the resurrection of the dead saints of the church. That is the giant leap in interpretation made by the many who spiritualize the prophetic section of the Old Testament. My friend, when we take prophecy literally, it will make sense. We are talking here about the nation Israel, and we are not talking about a spiritual or physical resurrection of individuals. In my notes I have labeled this chapter, “The Resurrection of Israel,” and I think that is a good title, but it is sometimes misunderstood. Some think that I am referring to the raising of the dead from Abraham on. It has no reference to that, but it definitely refers to the nation of Israel.
God gives to Ezekiel a real living parable and to do so He takes him to the valley of dead bones:
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones [Ezek. 37:1].
Before Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, Ezekiel was transported to Jerusalem (see ch. 8), and I do not believe God had any difficulty doing that. If man today can make a jet plane which can carry him halfway around the world in half a day, I see no reason why God cannot do something which is commensurate with who He is. So I don’t think that God had any difficulty getting Ezekiel up and taking him to Jerusalem.
Here again, I believe God literally moves Ezekiel. When Ezekiel says that He “carried me out in the spirit of the Lord,” he is saying that the Spirit of the Lord carried him out to the valley which was full of bones.
And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry [Ezek. 37:2].
Back in 1849, Lewis Manly and his partner by the name of John Rogers crossed Death Valley in California to bring back supplies to the stranded Bennett-Arcane party. The Bennett-Arcane group had mistakenly wandered into Death Valley and would have perished if these two men had not crossed the valley to rescue them. They were actually the first white men to cross this valley and gaze upon its grand scene of death and desolation. Few men have seen such sights, but what Ezekiel saw some twenty-five hundred years earlier must have been even more bleak. He saw a vision of another “death valley,” more desolate, more fearsome, and more awesome than Death Valley, California.
The valley which Ezekiel saw was filled with dead bones, and the thing which characterized them is that they were very dry and they were scattered.
And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest [Ezek. 37:3].
These bones scattered all over the place are human bones, and the question that is put to Ezekiel is, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel answers, “O Lord God, thou knowest.” In other words, he said, “I don’t see how they could. It’s beyond me—You alone know whether these dead bones can live or not!”
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord [Ezek. 37:4].
This is something rather ironical and even humorous. I have always insisted that God has a sense of humor, and here is an illustration of that. If you can’t see where it’s funny, that’s all right—just pass it by. But imagine Ezekiel now as God says to him, “Prophesy on these bones. Start out by saying, ’O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’” I have a notion Ezekiel said, “Now, Lord, you really don’t mean for me to start talking to these dry bones here! The man with the white coat and the net will be out looking for me if I do that!” Really, that isn’t a very good sermon introduction is it? No preacher would begin by saying to his Sunday morning congregation, “Oh, you dry bones!” A friend of mine (who also has a good sense of humor) said to me, “You know, I have a congregation with which I’d like to begin as Ezekiel did—the bones I speak to are as dry as Ezekiel’s—but I don’t dare do that.”
Ezekiel is looking out on this valley filled with dry bones, and he’s to speak to them. Every congregation that a preacher speaks to includes those who are saved and those who are unsaved. Those who are saved may have ears to hear, but do not hear. And the ones who are not saved are dead in trespasses and sins—they haven’t been redeemed yet. The preacher is just as helpless as Ezekiel, for any preacher who understands the real state and condition of those who are lost recognizes his own helplessness in speaking to them. Ezekiel is to say to these bones, “I want you to hear what God has to say.”
Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.
And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord [Ezek. 37:5–6].
God says, “I want you to speak to them and tell them I’ll be the One who will give them life.” That is our condition today—if God doesn’t move, no one has spiritual life. I receive letters from people who say, “You saved me.” My friend, I save no one. I just speak to dry bones, giving them the Word of God—that’s all I do. The Spirit of God is the One who has to bring life. That is the only way life can come. This is the application of these verses; we are going to see that they also have a tremendous interpretation.
So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone [Ezek. 37:7].
“So I prophesied as I was commanded”—this man Ezekiel obeys God.
“There was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.” This is the point where that Negro spiritual, “Dem Bones,” is really accurate—when the bones start coming together. I’m of the opinion Ezekiel had a rather funny feeling when in his vision he saw all these bones come together!
And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them [Ezek. 37:8].
We have here a method which I want you to notice. The first state of the bones is that they are scattered, dry, and dead. Then gradually they come together, and the sinews and flesh come upon them. This is a process—it is not instantaneous at all. At this point in the vision all you have is a bunch of bodies, actually corpses; it is just an undertaking establishment down in that valley. They are no longer bones, but bodies with flesh upon them. They are human beings even, but they do not have any life in them.
Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army [Ezek. 37:9–10].
Ezekiel spoke, and life came into those bodies. What happened here resembles the creation of man at the very beginning. God took man of the dust of the earth; Ezekiel started with bones, but God didn’t. God started with just the dirt of the earth, and then He breathed life into man.
Now what has happened to these bones has occurred in three stages: (1) they were scattered bones, just as dead as they could be; (2) then they came together, and flesh and skin came upon them—they were bodies, but dead bodies; and finally (3) they were made alive. We will find in these three stages a real key to understanding Bible prophecy concerning the nation Israel.
Now this verse explains the meaning of the vision:
Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts [Ezek. 37:11].
“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.” We are not talking here about the church; we are talking about the houseof Israel.
“Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” You see, the people in captivity had gone from one extreme to another. As long as Jerusalem had stood and the false prophets continued to say they would return, they maintained a false hope. Now that Jerusalem has been destroyed, they go to the other extreme—they, have what psychologists call manic depressive psychosis. They are in a bad state: they were high up one day, but now they have hit the very depths. They say, “We have no hope.” This vision is being given to them to let them know they do have a hope, and it is for the whole house of Israel.
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel [Ezek. 37:12].
After reading this verse, someone is apt to say, “Wait a minute. You said this vision was not concerning physical resurrection.” I still insist upon that. Let’s drop down to verse 21:
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land [Ezek. 37:21].
This is what God meant in verse 12 when He said, “I will cause you to come up out of your graves.” Israel is buried in the nations of the world, and they are to be brought back and become a nation again.
I want to say something very carefully now concerning the three stages of the bones Ezekiel saw. I have said they are the key to understanding the future of the nation Israel, and I now want to add that if there is any place we have fulfilled prophecy it is in these three stages. I don’t go much for finding prophecy being fulfilled on every hand, but I do see it here. Follow me carefully: The nation Israel was buried and scattered in the nations of the world, and was dead to God, dead to the things of God—that’s the first stage of the bones that we saw. Now since 1948 they have come back as a nation, but it is really a corpse over there today. They have a flag, they have a constitution, they have a prime minister, and they have a parliament. They have a police force and an army. They have a nation, and they even have Jerusalem. They have everything except spiritual life. If you walk from the old Arab section of Jerusalem where Islam dominates and come over into the Israeli section, there is no spiritual life. I want to say this kindly, but, as far as I am concerned, there is as much spiritual deadness on the one side as the other. There is a great deal more of that which is materialistic, which is intellectual, and which denotes civilization on the Israeli side, but there is no spiritual life whatsoever. This is symbolized by the second stage of the bones—bodies, but without life. That is where Israel stands today.
In verses 15–28 Ezekiel mentions two sticks. I will not go into any detail here other than to say that they typify the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms which will again become one nation. This means, my friend, that there must not be any “ten lost tribes of Israel”—at least, if there are, God knows where they are, and I am confident that it is not Great Britain which will be joined to them in that land!
And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all [Ezek. 37:22].
God will make them one nation.
And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them [Ezek. 37:24].
That one Shepherd is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. When He came, He was born in the line of David. Read Matthew 1; Luke 1–2—both very carefully record that He came in the line of David. The One that came in that line is the Shepherd, and He will rule over them. I personally believe that God will raise up David to reign over Israel, either in the Millennium or in the eternal kingdom which will be ushered in immediately following the Millennium. Some commentators say he will reign in the Millennium; others say it will be the eternal kingdom. I believe he will reign during both, that he will serve as the vice-regent of the Lord Jesus Christ down here on this earth.
And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore [Ezek. 37:28].
This is going to come to pass—it has not yet come to pass.
“When my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” There will be a millennial temple and an eternal temple down here on the earth. In Revelation where it speaks of there not being a temple, it is referring to the New Jerusalem, which is where the church will be and which is not to be upon this earth. The eternal home of the children of Israel will be upon this earth, and God’s temple will be in their midst. Although there is no doubt that Israel is the subject of Ezekiel, and especially of chapters 37–39, we can certainly make an application of it for our personal lives. The world that you and I live in today is a death valley, full of dead bones, dead people, if you please. Oh, people talk about being alive and say they are where the action is, but they are really dead in trespasses and sins. They have no spiritual life. That is the reason they have to have a drink or two, or take some sort of drugs, or do something to liven up the old corpse.
God has made it very clear that “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). If you have the Son of God, you have life. If you do not have the Son, you are dead. There are two kinds of people: live people and dead people. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). That means that the person without the Son is dead.
God is saying to you today that you are dead if you are not a Christian. Ye dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord. You can come to life. Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. This is the application we can draw from this portion of Scripture, but the subject of the prophecy is the nation Israel.
CHAPTERS 38–39
Theme: Russia’s (Gog’s) invasion of Israel
If there is any section in the prophecy of Ezekiel that is familiar, it is chapters 38 and 39. These two chapters tell of the repudiation of Gog and Magog. I am going to attempt to handle these chapters just a little differently than I generally do because I am anxious to lift out certain great truths for our consideration. Unfortunately, these chapters have been interpreted by men who apparently have no knowledge of the prophecy of Ezekiel and what goes with it. As a result they have come up with some very odd interpretations. They remind me of the advertisement that was put in the Mines Magazine in El Paso, Texas, by some fellows who were mining experts and engineers. They put an ad in that magazine in a deadpan way, as though it was serious. “Wanted: Man to work on nuclear fissionable isotopes, molecular reactive counters and three-phased cyclotronic uranium photosynthesizers. No experience necessary.” Well, it is equally as humorous to try to interpret Ezekiel without knowing what the entire book is about.
We saw in chapter 37 that God has a definite purpose for Israel in the future, and these two chapters deal with that subject. They tell about the final enemy that will come against Israel in the last days.
In chapters 38 and 39 I believe that the enemy mentioned is Russia. When I entered the ministry, I did not believe that it referred to Russia. I refused to accept that interpretation because I had attended my denominational seminary which taught amillennialism. They did not believe that Russia was being referred to in this portion of Scripture. Even after I had worked for my doctoral degree, even at the time of my graduation, I still had not accepted it. Finally I came to the conclusion that I had better study the subject on my own, and I am convinced that the enemy of chapters 38 and 39 is Russia. Three points of contact make me know this in my own heart and mind: You have here what is known as the linguistic phenomenon, the geographic phenomenon, and the philosophical or ideological phenomenon.
LINGUISTIC PHENOMENON
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him [Ezek. 38:1–2].
God is a word for ruler, meaning roof, which actually means “the man on top.” I can’t think of a better name for a dictator than Gog. If he is not on top, he is not a dictator, and if he is on top, he is a dictator.
Magog means “head” it is the Hebrew word Rosh, which means head. Dean Stanley, in his exhaustive History of the Eastern Church, published half a century ago, has a note founded on Gesenius, the great Hebrew scholar, to the effect that the word Rosh should be Russia. Then Dean Stanley adds that this is the only reference to a modern nation in the entire Old Testament. This is indeed remarkable.
Bishop Lowther made the statement that, Rosh taken as a proper name in Ezekiel signified the inhabitants of Scythia from whom the modern Russians derive their name. You see, Russia was first called Muscovy, derived from Meshech. Ivan the Fourth, a czar of Russia, who was called Ivan the Terrible, came to the Muscovite throne in 1533. He assumed the title of Czar, which was the first time the title was used. I am sure you detect that the names Meshech and Tubal certainly sound like Moscow, and Tobolsk, which is way over in Siberia. The linguistic phenomenon certainly leads us to believe that Ezekiel is talking about Russia in this passage.
GEOGRAPHIC PHENOMENON
Now the second proof that identifies Russia is the geographic position. Here we have mentioned the nations which will be with Russia in the last days: “Gomer, and all his bands: the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee” (v. 6). “Gomer” is Germany, and “the house of Togarmah” is Turkey. “Of the north quarters” gives us the geographic location. Again in verse 15 we read: “And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts,” and in chapter 39 verse 2 the same location is given: “and will cause thee to come up from the north parts.” Whenever I give an illustrated message on this passage in Scripture, I always show a map of Israel and Russia. The literal meaning here is the “uttermost parts of the north.” If you look at a map, you will find that Russia is directly north and northeast. In fact, it covers Israel just like that picture you have seen of the fellow under a great big sombrero. That hat covers him just like Russia covers the nation Israel. When you start going north of Israel, you end up in Russia, and when you get through Russia you will be among the icebergs. You and the polar bears are going to be the only ones there.
Directions in the Bible are in relation to the land of Israel. North in the Bible does not mean north of California or north of where you live. In the Bible north is north of the land of Israel. South is south of the land of Israel. West is west of the land of Israel, and east is east of the land of Israel. In other words, Israel is the geographical center of the earth as far as the Word of God is concerned.
PHILOSOPHICAL PHENOMENON
Finally we come to the philosophical or ideological phenomenon, which helps us identify Gog and Magog with Russia.
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal [Ezek. 38:3].
This is strange language. Here in the Book of Ezekiel God has said several times that He is against certain nations. He said it about Babylon; He said it about Egypt; and He said it about the nations which were against His people and against His person. Now here is a nation that is to arise in the last days, a nation which is against God. The reason we know it is against God is because God says, “I’m against you.” This makes it different from any other nation, because God has said this about nations already in existence that have exhibited enmity and rejection of Him, but this nation hadn’t even come into existence when Ezekiel gave this prophecy. Yet God says he is against it.
My friend, you and I have seen something that no generation in the past has seen. We have seen a nation arise whose basic philosophy is atheism. The political economy of Russia rests upon the premise that there is no God. It is atheistic. No other nation has assumed the dominant position of atheism.
Someone may be thinking, “What about the heathen, pagan nations of the past? Weren’t they atheistic?” No, they were not. They were polytheistic. They believed in many gods. In the beginning men went off the track, but they did not become atheists. The reason they did not become atheists is, I think, easy to understand. They were too close to the mooring mast of revelation. After all, in Noah’s day you did not have atheists. That was not the problem with that crowd at all. The problem with them was that they had gone off into sin, and they worshiped many gods. Man at that point was polytheistic. All the great nations of the past were polytheistic, and the judgments God has pronounced in this book are against polytheistic nations. He said of Memphis that all of the idols would disappear, and they have disappeared. There were probably no people so given over to idolatry—with the possible exception of the Babylonians. Polytheism characterized the ancient world. But Russia is a nation whose basic philosophy is atheistic, a nation that is against God.
Do you realize that God did not give a commandment against atheism at the beginning? He did, however, give the first two commandments against polytheism: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exod. 20:3); and “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” Exod. (20:4). So, you see, there are commandments against polytheism, but none against atheism.
When you reach the time of David, atheism is beginning to appear. In Psalm 14:1 we read, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” How ridiculous atheism is! It is almost an untenable position for little man, and here is a nation that says there is no God! Concerning Russia, men in high places have warned, “You cannot negotiate with them.” Mr. Churchill said of Russia, “A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” Rube Goldberg, who drew one of those crazy cartoons years ago, called Joe Stalin, “The Great Upside-down Philosopher.” Underneath the cartoon was written: “Top is bottom, black is white, far is near, and day is night. Big is little, high is low, cold is hot, and yes is no.” Unreasonable? Insane? But that has been the basic philosophy of Russia, and it is a nation that has risen in our day.
Mr. Stalin once said, “We have deposed the czars of the earth, and we shall now dethrone the Lord of heaven.” When Russia put a rocket past the moon, called the Sputnik, and when it was nearing the sun, the following was heard on the radio in Russia: “Our rocket has bypassed the moon. It is nearing the sun. We have not discovered God. We have turned out lights in heaven that no man will be able to put on again. We are breaking the yoke of the gospel, the opiate of the masses. Let us go forth and Christ shall be relegated to mythology.” I have often wondered what they had in mind when they said that. Did they think that God was playing peekaboo on the other side of the moon? Because they got a glimpse of the other side of the moon and did not see God, did that prove He did not exist? That is the reasoning of the upside-down philosopher. God, however, has beaten them to the draw. Before Russia even came into existence, God said, “I am against thee.”
You can see how Gog and Magog may be identified with Russia by this threefold reason: (1) the linguistic phenomenon; (2) the geographic phenomenon; and (3) the philosophical or ideological phenomenon. These are the three points of identification, and when we get to chapter 39 of Ezekiel, God repeats once again that He is against Russia.
This chapter will tell us that this nation in the north with other nations with him will come down against Israel.
WHY RUSSIA WILL INVADE ISRAEL
Now the question is: Why will they come against the land of Israel?
And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords [Ezek. 38:4].
God says, “I will … put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth.” This has been interpreted to mean that God was going to put hooks in their jaws to get them out of Israel after they had invaded it. But that is not what He says. He makes it clear that He is going to judge them in the land of Israel, and that they will not come out alive. In chapter 39, verse 11, He says, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel.” As we read this section, it becomes obvious that God is not going to lead out the invading nations, but there will be a slaughter the like of which probably has not been seen in the history of the world.
Then what does God mean by saying that He will put hooks in their jaws? Well, it seems obvious to me that He is saying, “I am going to put hooks in your jaws and bring you down into the land of Israel.” When this time comes, Israel will be back in their own land. For centuries that land was not occupied by them. After the destruction by Titus the Roman in a.d. 70, the Jewish people were sold into slavery throughout the world, and they were scattered throughout the world.
The land was no longer a land of milk and honey. We have seen in the Book of Ezekiel that even the Negev was at one time covered with forest. God said that He was going to burn that out, and He did. That is the place where Elijah went when Jezebel threatened to kill him. He kept going until he was so tired he stopped and crawled under a juniper tree. If Elijah were here today, he would have trouble finding a juniper tree to crawl under; he would have to find something else. The forests are gone.
Mark Twain said concerning the land of Israel, “Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes, desolate and unlovely. It is a hopeless, dreary, heartbroken land. And why should it be otherwise? Can the curse of the Deity beautify a land? Palestine is no more of this work-day world. It is sacred to poetry and tradition. It is dreamland.”
Dr. Theodor Herzl, the playwright from Austria who began the tremendous Zionist movement back to the land of Palestine, made this statement: “There is a land without a people. There is a people without a land. Give the land without a people to the people without a land.”
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel, speaking before the Anglo-American Commission of Inquiry, said, “The Jewish nation is a ghost nation. Only the God of Israel has kept the Jewish people alive.”
David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister and minister of defense in Israel, made this statement: “Ezekiel 37 has been fulfilled, and the nation Israel is hearing the footsteps of the Messiah.”
Today Israel has turned from this thinking. I have a picture, taken on Israel’s twenty-first anniversary, of a motto in the auditorium at Tel Aviv, written in Hebrew and English. It said, “Science will bring peace to this land.” The Old Testament says that Messiah will bring peace to that land, so apparently they are chasing a new messiah today.
Russia will invade the land of Israel. Lord Beverly made the statement that Russia would not move into western Europe but would move into Asia and the Near East. General Douglas MacArthur concurred with him in that viewpoint. At the time Lord Beverly made that statement almost everyone thought that Russia would move into western Europe after World War II, but they did not move into that area at all. In fact, up to this day they have not moved into that area.
God says, “I will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth.” Today I believe that we can already see three of the hooks that God could use to bring them down into that land:
1. Russia needs a warm-water entrance into the waterways of the world. Israel offers that, and Russia is moving in this direction. A few years ago I sat in the dining room on the top floor of the Hilton Hotel in Istanbul and watched Russian ships coming out of the Black Sea, moving through the Bosporus, and heading for the Mediterranean Sea. This took place after the Six-Day War, and Russian naval strength had increased tremendously. What are the Russians looking for? They are looking for a warm-water port. Admiral Sergei Gorshkov made this statement, “The flag of the Soviet navy now proudly flies over the oceans of the world. Sooner or later the United States will have to understand that it no longer has mastery of the seas.” Russia is looking for a warm-water port. Where are they going? All I know is that they are headed for the Mediterranean Sea. What nation along the east side of the Mediterranean would be suitable as a port? Israel certainly would be. Russia is interested in moving southward today. God has put a hook in their jaw.
2. God has a second hook—oil. The oil deposits of the Near East are essential for the survival of modern nations. Russia needs oil. Today we are being constantly reminded that the world is running short of energy. Oil is one of the resources in short supply. As a result, the world is turning to the places where they can get oil. There is oil in the Near East. Whether or not the oil is actually in the land of Israel is not the important thing. The important consideration is that, in spite of the strained relations between the Arabs and the Jews, a great deal of that oil is going through the land of Israel. When ships were not able to go through the Suez Canal, they put the oil off at a port which had been taken by Israel, and then the oil was taken across the land of Israel to the Mediterranean ports. As far back as 1955 I delivered a message stating that Russia was hungering for the Arabian oil. An editor of a paper in downtown Los Angeles heard my message and disagreed with it. Sometime later he made a trip over to the Near East area. When he returned, he wrote an article (and I have a copy of it) in which he said, “Russia hungers for Arabian oil.” He changed his viewpoint after he had been to the Near East and had seen things with his own eyes. It is a pretty good hook God has in Russia’s jaws, because any modern nation must have oil.
3. The third hook concerns the Dead Sea. The mineral deposits in the Dead Sea are so great that they cannot be evaluated on today’s market. Chemicals saturated in the water represent untold wealth. It is estimated that the Dead Sea contains two billion tons of potassium chloride, which is potash—needed to sweeten and enrich the soil that is readily being depleted around the world, including our own area. The Dead Sea also contains twenty-two billion tons of magnesium chloride, twelve billion tons of sodium chloride, and six billion tons of calcium chloride. The Dead Sea, in addition to all of this, contains cerium, cobalt, manganese, and even gold. Believe me, friend, there is much effort being made today to extract this wealth from the Dead Sea.
If you had been around a few million years ago and had seen the Lord forming this earth, particularly the Dead Sea, you would probably have asked Him, “Why are you damming up that sea? You are going to have a pretty salty place.” He would have replied, “I am baiting a hook.” Then you would have said, “Baiting a hook for what?” Then the Lord would have said, “In a few million years there will be a nation in the north that I am going to bring into the land of Israel. I am just baiting one of the hooks a little ahead of time.” And that is what God has been doing—baiting a hook.
WHEN RUSSIA WILL INVADE ISRAEL
The question is: When will Russia come down? This is where many expositors disagree. There are those who believe that Russia will invade the land of Palestine at the end of this age, before the church is raptured. Others believe that Russia will come against Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation Period, and others believe it will be at the end of the Tribulation. There are some who believe this will take place at the beginning of the Millennium. I am not going to discuss these different viewpoints in detail. My particular viewpoint is this: Russia will come in the “latter days” (v. 16); these “latter days” (as we have seen in the other prophets) is a technical term that specifically refers to the Tribulation Period. These will be the days when the Antichrist comes to power, and he is going to come to power on a peace platform. As a result there will be a false peace for the first part of the Tribulation Period; then in the midst of the seven years, Russia will come down from the north into the land of Israel. Russia will trigger the Great Tribulation by breaking the false peace made by the Antichrist and invading Israel.
After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them [Ezek. 38:8].
When Israel is back in the land, they will be under the domination of the Antichrist, who will make them believe that peace has come to the earth, that all of the problems of the earth are settled and they are entering the Millennium. But this is not true, and they will find in the midst of the Tribulation Period that out of the north will come their enemy, Russia.
And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee. O Gog, before their eyes [Ezek. 38:16].
Since Israel is dwelling in peace, and Antichrist has deceived everyone, God is Israel’s only source of help. He Himself will deal with Russia. War will break out. The Great Tribulation will begin (which is the final three and one-half years of the Tribulation Period) in all of its frenzied fury. The whole earth will be a holocaust. Judgments, one right after the other, will come upon the earth. War will reign. Christ said concerning this brief period, “… except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved ….” (Matt. 24:22).
I recommend that you read in your Bible the remainder of this chapter. This is God’s judgment upon the invading armies of Russia.
RESULTS OF THE INVASION
Chapter 39 continues the prophecy against Gog and furnishes added details about the destruction of this formidable enemy.
And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel [Ezek. 39:2].
“Leave but the sixth part of thee” is literally “I will six thee,” or better still, “I will afflict thee with six plagues.” These plagues are listed in chapter 38 verse 22 as pestilence, blood, overflowing rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. This is the way God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. According to the record, “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Gen. 19:24). And this is exactly the way God intends to destroy this army which will come out of the north against, His people to destroy them. You must remember that Russia has always been anti-Semitic. At the present writing the largest population of Jews—outside the land of Israel and the United States—is over there in Russia. We are hearing a great deal of criticism of Russia for not permitting the Jews to leave. Well, in these last days God will deal with Russia for its treatment of His people.
There is a message for us here. When God was ready to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham thought He was being unjust. He asked God, “Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Will you spare the city if there are fifty righteous—forty-five—forty—thirty—twenty—ten?” God said no, He would not destroy the city if ten righteous were ound there. But there were not ten, and God sent His angels to get Lot out of the city, saying that they could not destroy the city until Lot was out of it. My friend, this is one reason I believe that God will not let the Tribulation come until He takes His church—that is, all born-again believers—out of the world. Let me illustrate this with the following diagram:
To put it very bluntly, all hell will break loose on the earth during the Tribulation Period. It will be a frightful, terrible time. I don’t understand the folk who insist that God’s redeemed ones, which we designate as the church, will go through the Tribulation. The Bible makes it clear that those who will be witnessing on the earth during this time will be the 144,000 Jews.
God, having dealt in judgment with the enemy that invaded Israel from the north, allows Antichrist to be the world ruler for the remainder of the Tribulation Period. Then the Lord Jesus Christ will come to the earth to establish His kingdom; we have that pictured in chapter 19 of Revelation. In chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation the kingdom, the Millennium, begins.
With these tremendous events in mind, it would be well to pause a moment and consider the material we have studied. After a careful examination of three of the four major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, certain great principles emerge, which the fourth prophet, Daniel, will confirm. These principles have an ageless application for nations of the world and for believers (when I say “believers,” I am speaking about those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and believe that the Bible is the Word of God). In Ezekiel we have seen God dealing with Israel. My friend, when God says “Israel” He means Israel; He does not mean the church. How some can believe that God means the church when He says Israel is a flip on the flying trapeze of theology that is beyond me. Let’s allow God to mean what He says and realize that He has been dealing in these prophecies with the literal people of Israel. That is the correct interpretation. However, there is an application we can make since God’s dealing with Israel is a microcosm of His dealings with the world in which we live. The principles God has used in dealing with His own people Israel are eternal, for they are linked to the character and attributes of God. I have stated some of them in the Books of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and now I am prepared to draw certain conclusions from Ezekiel.
No prophet emphasizes the glory and the holiness of God more than Ezekiel. He saw the glory of God—that was the great vision he had at the beginning of his book. He never forgot it. And we should not forget it either. His emphasis, therefore, is upon God’s judgment. God is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish, and He warned his people again and again that, if they did not turn to Him, He would judge Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem was destroyed, and Ezekiel offered the people encouragement as they looked into the future. “But,” he said, “another enemy is coming.” When the Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, He wept over the city of Jerusalem because He knew that Titus the Roman would be around in a few years to destroy the city, just as Nebuchadnezzar had done in the past.
Things were wrong in Jerusalem; and, if that city was to enjoy the blessings of God, those things had to be made right. The liars should cease lying; the thieves should cease stealing; the lawless should become law-abiding; and righteousness should prevail in the city. Only when God was acknowledged and respected in the land could blessing rest upon Jerusalem. Righteousness must prevail before any nation or individual can experience the love, mercy, and goodness of God. Jerusalem was wrong—the people were thinking wrong; they were acting wrong. They were in sin, and God was right in judging them. God never blesses that which is wrong.
This is made evident when we contrast Ezekiel with Jeremiah. I want you to notice this again because I consider it rather important. Jeremiah reveals the heart of God. God does not want to judge. As He said in Isaiah, judgment is strange work. He would rather save—that is His business. He is not willing that any should perish. He is very much involved with the human race. The great statement in John’s Gospel is that He became flesh and came down here among us. This reveals His love and concern for us. It broke His heart that Jerusalem would be destroyed. Jesus wept over it just as Jeremiah had wept over it centuries before.
In Ezekiel we have something altogether different. At the very time Jerusalem was being destroyed Ezekiel’s wife died, and God forbad him to mourn or sorrow for her. He was to act like nothing happened. God wept over Jerusalem, but He did not mourn. He did not repent for what He had done, because He was right in doing it. God, with tears in His eyes, punished Jerusalem and destroyed the city, but He was doing that which was in keeping with His character. He did what was right because what God does is right. Paul asks, “… Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid” (Rom. 9:14). Of course there is no unrighteousness with God. Whatever God does is right. His glory is manifested in judgment. His grace is manifested in redemption. If God had not provided redemption for us, there would be no salvation for man whatsoever.
In chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel we saw that the kingdom in the north which is going to invade Israel (which I believe is Russia) will be destroyed in the future. The question is: Why will God destroy Russia? Let’s read this verse again: “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezek. 38:16). What is God going to do? He is going to destroy them. I can hear someone exclaim, “Do you mean God will actually do such a thing?” Certainly He will. The liberal theologian has a problem with the Creator destroying what He chooses, such as the Lord Jesus cursing a fig tree and also destroying a few pigs. I was in a conference one time when a man who was a liberal in his theology almost wept because Jesus destroyed those pigs (Matt. 8:30–32)! Yet every morning he ate bacon for breakfast! He was like the Walrus and the Carpenter who wept, but were busy eating oysters as fast as they could. I am not impressed with these people who get upset with God because He judges. I have a notion that God gets a little upset with them.
Now let me cite two other verses:
And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel [Ezek. 39:6–7].
Is God going to destroy Russia? He says that He will send fire on Magog and among those that dwell securely in the coastlands. The question is: Where is God today? Why doesn’t He move in defense of His people in our day? I shall never forget watching a newscast on television several years ago when a group of Christians appeared at the American Embassy in Moscow and appealed, actually weeping, for permission to leave Russia because of being persecuted. Our country did nothing. And the Russian soldiers came and took these people away. I waited for a long time to hear what had happened to them, but there was never a further word in the media. The Soviet authorities were never dealt with. And Russia has been guilty of more anti-Semitism than any other nation over a period of years. Oh, the injustice in the world! I see very little fear of God throughout the world. The feeling is that He is a jolly old Man who shuts His eyes to the injustice in the world. Why doesn’t God move against injustice? Well, He will move when it is time. He will vindicate His glory, but He will not do it in a vindictive, revengeful, and petulant manner. He will judge, and when He does, there will be a respect and reverence for God in this world, and little man will bow before Him.
Romans 2:3 tells us, “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” Man is not going to escape judgment. He thinks he will get away with his sin, but he will not. In Hebrews 2:3 we read, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.” My friend, do you realize that this is a question which even God cannot answer? How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? Well, we can’t escape. There is no answer to that question.
Now let me use an old-fashioned expression that gags the liberal preachers (and also some evangelicals who are attempting to make the world a better place for people to go to hell in). Here it is: Hell, my friend, is an awful reality. You can interpret it any way you want to, but it is a place where a holy God puts those who are in rebellion against Him, those who sin with impunity, those who blaspheme God and His holy name at will, those who live like animals in the name of freedom but who are indulging in gross immorality. My friend, God’s holy name is going to be vindicated.
How will God’s holy name be vindicated? In love? He is demonstrating His love today in giving His Son. Those of us who name His name need to learn a lesson. We need to learn that we cannot trifle with Him. We cannot get familiar with Him. We cannot live as we please and then get buddy-buddy with Him. Our God is holy. Neither can we presume upon Him. We cannot sin and get by with it. If that were possible, then God would be no better than we are. Man is only a creature. The will of God will prevail, and our proper position is to bow before Him. Our only liberty today is in the will of God. He remembers that we are dust, but I can say with Paul, “… I obtained mercy …” (1 Tim. 1:13). My friend, if you deny Him, He will trample you under His feet. He has loved you enough to give His Son, but if you reject His mercy and grace He will reject you. This is His universe, this is His earth, and He is running it according to His perfect plan. My friend, we need to get in step with Him.
CHAPTERS 40–48
Theme: Description of the millennial temple, worship in the millennial temple; return of the glory of the Lord
In this concluding section of the Book of Ezekiel we find a description of the millennial temple, the worship of the millennial temple, and a vision concerning the land.
THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE
Chapters 40–42 contain a description of the millennial temple. Now since this is the millennial temple, I expect to see it and maybe go into it, but I don’t intend to worship there. The temple will be here on this earth, but I am going to be in the place which is described in Revelation 21—the New Jerusalem. That will be the address of the believer for eternity. If you want to give someone your address as a believer for eternity, I don’t know what street you will be on (I hope I’m on Glory Blvd.), but I do know the city—it will be the New Jerusalem. One thing that John tells us about this city is, “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it” (Rev. 21:22). Therefore the church is going to be in a place where there won’t be a temple; we won’t need one, but the earth will have one for the duration of the Millennium at least. I rather like the fact that we won’t have a temple because, very candidly, I have never gone in much for ritual. I’m going to be delighted to be up there with the Lord God and the Lamb as the temple of the New Jerusalem. We will be with them, and I cannot even conceive how wonderful that is going to be.
We have seen a certain progress and development in the Book of Ezekiel: after the enemy is put down, Israel enters the Millennium, and there will be a temple here on this earth. We are talking about the earth, and that means we are talking about Israel and the gentile nations which will be saved. The church of Christ is up yonder with Him in the New Jerusalem at this time.
In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me thither [Ezek. 40:1].
Jerusalem has been destroyed and the temple is burned, but Ezekiel is to be shown now the temple that will be in that city during the millennial kingdom.
In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.
And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate [Ezek. 40:2–3].
Every time in Scripture that we find a man with a measuring rod—it generally is an angel, band it is an angel here—it means that God is getting ready to move again in dealing with His earthly people. We find this again in the minor prophets and in the Book of Revelation.
And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel [Ezek. 40:4].
It is my personal feeling that Ezekiel was brought literally to Jerusalem and shown there a vision of the millennial temple of the future.
And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed [Ezek. 40:5].
Beginning with verse 5 and continuing through these chapters we are given a great deal of detailed information concerning the temple which I will not go into. Its environs are given to us, and it will obviously be a thing of great beauty.
And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering [Ezek. 40:39].
In verses 39–42 we find that the Mosaic system will be restored with the reinstating of the levitical liturgy and the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering.
Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices [Ezek. 40:41].
There will be sacrifices offered in the millennial temple. I will discuss this further in chapter 45.
And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north [Ezek. 40:44].
There will also be music and singers in the temple.
So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house [Ezek. 40:47].
Our attention is again called to the fact that there will be an altar for sacrifices. In the Holy Land Hotel in Jerusalem there is a miniature replica of the city as it was in the days of Herod and the Lord Jesus. Actually it is quite a large model, and as far as I could tell when examining it closely, there is no altar for sacrifice in the temple model—it has been left out. The orthodox Jews are a little embarrassed by an altar, and the liberal Jews want to get rid of it altogether. However, in the millennial temple there will be an altar.
WORSHIP IN THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE
Chapters 43–46 describe the worship of the millennial temple. As we consider the millennial temple, we need to remember that in the last days of the temple of Solomon, the shekinah glory, the presence of God, was absent. However, here in chapter 43 the glory returns to the temple, and, as we see the worship in the millennial temple, the One Israel worships is now in the temple. He is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory [Ezek. 43:1–2].
The glory of God comes from the east and fills the temple. This is the return of Christ to the earth, and He brings the shekinah glory with Him. When he came to Bethlehem more than nineteen hundred years ago, the glory was not with Him.
And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east [Ezek. 43:4].
Apparently the Lord will come from the east. We will look at this again in chapter 44.
And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord God, a young bullock for a sin offering [Ezek. 43:19].
In this section we are dealing with the worship in the temple. The sacrifices offered will be memorial in character. They will look back to the work of Christ on the cross, as the offerings of the Old Testament anticipated His sacrifice. In chapter 45 we will go into more detail about this.
In chapter 44 Ezekiel is told that a prince will enter the city through the eastern gate:
Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.
Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same [Ezek. 44:1–3].
The eastern gate of present-day Jerusalem is shut—it is completely walled up. Some of my premillennial brethren feel that this is a fulfillment of these verses in Ezekiel and that the gate will not be opened again until the Messiah comes. I have two objections to this viewpoint that I would like to mention.
My first point is that the prince mentioned here who is coming is not the Lord Jesus Christ. Ezekiel tells us that this prince offers a sacrifice and worships God (chs. 45–46); therefore he cannot be the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is God, and He never has and never will offer a sacrifice. It is not necessary for Him to do so, for He is still able to say, “Which of you convinceth [convicteth] me of sin? …” (John 8:46). This prince is not the Lord Jesus Christ. I personally feel that the prince is David. There are many fine men who do not agree that it is David, but they do agree that it is not the Lord Jesus. Many of them feel that the prince is simply another man in the line of David.
My second objection is that the gate in question is obviously not the gate of the city—it is the gate of the temple. It is true that the temple is not there yet, and the temple must be built before any of this can take place. The walled-up gate to the city has nothing to do with it. He probably will come through that eastern gate of the city, but it could be the present gate, or the wall could be torn down and an entirely new wall and gate be built before then. We must remember that the wall that is there now is neither the wall that Christ knew nor that Ezekiel knew—both of those walls have long since been destroyed.
Chapter 45 tells us that the Feast of the Passover will be kept:
Thus saith the Lord God; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:
And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.
And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.
In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering [Ezek. 45:18–22].
The Passover definitely refers to Christ: we are told in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.”
At this point we must answer a major question: Since all the sacrifices of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Christ, why are they restored again during the Millennium? This is a major argument that amillennialists have against the premillennial position. I personally find no conflict here. I feel that the sacrifices offered during the Millennium are going to look back to the coming of Christ and His death upon the cross in the same way that in our day the Lord’s Supper looks back to them. Someone will ask why the literal offering of sacrifices will be necessary. My friend, the human family has a great deal of difficulty learning a lesson. For the same reason, I believe that the literal blood of Christ is going to be in heaven. It will be there to reveal to us the horrible pit out of which we were digged. Our salvation from sin and hell unto heaven was a pretty big job, one that only God could undertake. The blood of Christ will be in heaven to remind the church of this, and the sacrifices will also be restored here on earth to reveal to the people of Israel how they were redeemed.
A VISION CONCERNING THE LAND
In chapters 47–48 Ezekiel is given a picture of the land during the millennial kingdom.
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side [Ezek. 47:1–2].
“Behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward”—that is, they came from the altar. That is where all blessings originate—at the altar. Everything that comes to us by way of blessings comes through the death of Christ for you and me upon the cross.
The water here is a type of the Holy Spirit, and many spiritual lessons may be drawn from this passage:
And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles [Ezek. 47:3].
“The waters were to the ankles.” This speaks of the walk of the believer in the Spirit.
Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins [Ezek. 47:4].
“The waters were to the knees”—this speaks of prayer.
“The waters were to the loins.” We are to gird up our loins for service. The walk and service of a believer rest upon the redemption we have in Christ.
Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over [Ezek. 47:5].
“Waters to swim in” indicates the fullness of the Spirit. This looks forward to the day when God will pour out His Spirit upon these people; He is not doing that today.
Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other [Ezek. 47:7].
“Many trees”—this is the fruit that will be in our lives.
I have given you an application of this passage which we can make to our own lives. However, its interpretation for the people of Israel is that there will be an eternal spring of water coming out of that altar in that day which will bring blessing to that land. And, my friend, they need water in that land today.
Chapter 48 gives us the division of the land among the twelve tribes. Of particular interest to us is the tribe of Dan:
Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.
And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher [Ezek. 48:1–2].
The tribe of Dan is present in the Millennium although it is absent from those sealed in the Great Tribulation Period (see Rev. 7:4–8). Danites do not serve in the Great Tribulation, but the grace of God brings them into the Millenium. We, too, are saved by grace but rewarded for service.
The Book of Ezekiel has closed with a picture of the city, the millennial temple, and the land during the Millennium—all the curse is removed. What a picture we have here!
It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there [Ezek. 48:35].
The prophet Ezekiel closes on a high note: “The Lord is there.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Alexander, Ralph. Ezekiel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976. (Fine, inexpensive survey.)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Prophecy of Ezekiel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1969. (Excellent.)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Prophet Ezekiel. 1918. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1972. (Excellent.)
Grant, F. W. The Numerical Bible, Ezekiel. 6 vols. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Gray, James M. Synthetic Bible Studies. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, Co., 1906.
Ironside, H. A. Expository Notes on Ezekiel. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1959.
Jensen, Irving L. Ezekiel and Daniel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press. (Self study guide.)
Kelly, William. Notes on Ezekiel. 1876. Reprint. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers.
Sauer, Erich. The Dawn of World Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951. (An excellent Old Testament survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Unfolding Drama of Redemption. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. (An excellent survey and outline of the Old Testament.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Handbook. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982. (Highly recommended.)
The Book of
Daniel
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Daniel is one of the most thrilling books in the Bible, and it is, of course, a book on prophecy. Because prophecy bulks large in the Bible, I would like to say a word about it before we look at the Book of Daniel specifically. One fourth of the books in the Bible are of prophetic nature; the subject and statement of the books are eschatological, that is, they deal with prophecy. One fifth of the content of Scripture was predictive at the time of its writing; a large segment of that has been fulfilled. Therefore, the prophecy in Scripture can be divided into fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy. We will find a great deal of fulfilled prophecy in Daniel.
There are certain great subjects of prophecy. They are like planes flying into an airport from all sections of the world, and you can go to the Book of Revelation and see all these great subjects brought to a final fruition. The main subject of prophecy is the Lord Jesus Christ. Other topics include Israel, the gentile nations, evil, Satan, the Man of Sin, the Great Tribulation Period, and how this age will end. The church is also a subject of prophecy; however, the church is never mentioned in the Old Testament, and therefore there will be no reference to it in the Book of Daniel. Then, of course, there are the subjects of the kingdom, the Millennium, and eternity future. These are the great subjects of prophecy.
I do not believe that one can have a full-orbed view of the Bible or be a well-rounded student of Scripture without a knowledge of eschatology, or prophecy. The neglect of the study of prophecy has produced certain harmful results which I think are quite evident today. Many of the cults have gone off the track in prophetic areas. This is largely because the teaching of prophecy has been neglected by the great denominations. For example, Dr. Charles Hodge, a great theologian at Princeton in the past, made this statement: “The subject [prophecy] cannot be adequately discussed without taking a survey of all the prophetic teachings of Scripture both of the Old Testament and of the New. This task cannot be satisfactorily accomplished by anyone who has not made a study of the prophecies a specialty. The author [that is, Dr. Hodge], knowing that he has not such qualifications for the work, purposes to confine himself in a great measure to an historical survey of the different schemes of interpreting the Scriptures prophetically.” That certainly was a startling and sad admission on the part of Dr. Hodge. As a result, we find men in a great many of our denominations today who are ill-equipped to speak on prophecy. They dismiss it with a wave of the hand as being unimportant. And those who do go into the study of prophecy often come up with that which is sensational and fanatical. The Book of Daniel, particularly, is the subject of many such sensational writers on prophecy.
The Book of Daniel is a very important one, and it has therefore been the object of special attack by Satan in the same way that the Book, of Isaiah has been. Isaiah has been called the prince of the prophets, and I would like to say that Daniel, then, is the king of the prophets. Both of these prophecies are very important in Scripture and have been especially attacked by unbelievers.
The Book of Daniel has been a battlefield between conservative and liberal scholars for years, and much of the controversy has had to do with the dating of the writing of the book. Porphyry, a heretic in the third century a.d., declared that the Book of Daniel was a forgery written during the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and the Maccabees. That would place its writing around 170 b.c., almost four hundred years after Daniel lived. The German critics seized upon this hypothesis and, along with Dr. S. R. Driver, developed this type of criticism of the book. These critics, as well as present-day unbelievers, assume the premise that the supernatural does not exist. Since foreknowledge is supernatural, there can, therefore, be no foretelling, no prophesying.
However, the very interesting thing is that the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, was translated before the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, and it contains the Book of Daniel! The liberal scholars have ignored similar very clear testimony from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Those scrolls confirm the fact that there was only one author of the Book of Isaiah. The liberal has wanted to argue that there was a duet or even a trio of “Isaiahs” who wrote that book. The Dead Sea Scrolls are very much alive, and they refute the liberal critic on that point.
It is interesting how these questions which are raised concerning the Bible are always answered in time. The heretic, the critic, and the cultist always move in an area of the Bible where we do not have full knowledge at the time. Everyone can speculate,and you can speculate any way you want to—generally the speculation goes the wrong way. However, in time, the Word of God is proven accurate.
Flavius Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Vol. 1, p. 388) also records an incident during the time of Alexander the Great which supports the early authorship of Daniel. When Alexander’s invasion reached the Near East, Jaddua, the high priest, went out to meet him and showed him a copy of the Book of Daniel in which Alexander was clearly mentioned. Alexander was so impressed by this that, instead of destroying Jerusalem, he entered the city peaceably and worshiped at the temple.
These arguments clearly contradict the liberal critics; yet there are those who blindly ignore them. It is not in the purview of these brief comments to enter into useless argument and fight again about that which has already been settled. I simply want to say that I accept the findings of conservative scholarship that the man Daniel was not a deceiver and that his book was not a forgery.I feel the statement of Pusey is apropos here: “The rest which has been said is mostly mere insolent assumptions against Scripture, grounded on unbelief.” Sir Isaac Newton declared,“To reject Daniel is to reject the Christian religion.”
Furthermore, our Lord Jesus called the Pharisees“hypocrites,” but He called Daniel “the prophet” (see Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14). Very frankly, I go along with the Lord Jesus who, by the way, never reversed His statement. The endorsement of the Lord Jesus Christ is valid and sufficient for every believer, whether or not he has examined the arguments of the critics, and it satisfies the sincere saint without his having to study the answers of conservative scholarship.
We know more about Daniel the man than we do of any other prophet. He gives us a personal account of his life from the time he was carried captive to Babylon in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (about 606 b.c.) until the first year of King Cyrus (about 536 b.c.). Daniel’s life and ministry bridge the entire seventy years of captivity. At the beginning of the book he is a boy in his teens. At the end he is an old man of fourscore and more years.
Here is God’s estimate of the man Daniel: “O Daniel, a man greatly beloved” (Dan. 10:11). I would not want to be one of those critics who have called the Book of Daniel a forgery. Someday I am going to face Daniel in heaven and find that he has a pretty good reputation—“a man greatly beloved.”
There are three words which characterize Daniel’s life: purpose,prayer, and prophecy.
1. Daniel was a man of purpose (Dan. 1:8; 6:10). When the king made a decree that everyone had to eat the same thing, Daniel and his friends decided they would abide by the law of Moses—and they did. Daniel was a man of purpose, and we can see this all the way through his book. Here was a man who stood on his own two feet and had the intestinal fortitude to speak God’s Word.
God have pity today on men who claim to be His messengers to the world but haven’t got the courage to declare the Word of God. I also thank God that there are many who are declaring the whole Word of God, including prophecy, in our day. You see, the proper study of prophecy will not lead us to sensationalism and fanaticism, but it will lead us to a life of holiness and fear of God. John said in 1 John 3:3, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” The study of prophecy will purify our lives, my friend.
2. Daniel was a man of prayer (Dan. 2:17–23; 6:10; 9:3–19; 10). There are several incidents recorded in this book about Daniel’s prayer life. By the way, prayer got Daniel into the lion’s den. How about that for answered prayer? Well, God also miraculously saved him from the lions. Daniel was a man of prayer.
3. Daniel was a man of prophecy. The Book of Daniel divides itself equally: the first half is history, and the last half is prophecy. Daniel gives us the skeleton of prophecy on which all prophecy is placed. The image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2) and the beasts (Dan. 7) are the backbone of prophecy; the Seventy Weeks (Dan. 9) are the ribs which fit into their proper place.
The key verse to the Book of Daniel is Daniel 2:44: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan gave this theme for the Book of Daniel: “Persistent Government of God in the Government of the World.” This is the book of the universal sovereignty of God. Prophecy is here interwoven with history to show that God is overruling the idolatry, blasphemy, self-will, and intolerance of the Gentiles.
More specially, Daniel 12:4 brings together “… the times of the Gentiles …” (Luke 21:24) and “the time of the end” (see also Dan. 8:17; 11:35, 40) for the nation Israel in the Great Tribulation Period. This coming crisis eventuates in Christ’s setting up the millennial kingdom. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased”(Dan. 12:4).
The Book of Daniel deals with political issues apart from ecclesiastical matters, giving the final outcome of events and issues which are at work in the world today. He answers the question—Who will rule the world?—not, How will the world be converted?
The Book of Daniel is the key to understanding other Scriptures. Our Lord, in the Olivet Discourse, quoted only from the Book of Daniel. The Book of Revelation is largely an enigma without the Book of Daniel. Paul’s revelation concerning the “… man of sin …” (2 Thess. 2:3) needs Daniel’s account for amplification and clarification.
OUTLINE
I. The Historic Night with Prophetic Light, Chapters 1–6
A. Decline of Judah; Fall of Jerusalem; Daniel Taken Captive to Babylon; His Decision to be True to God, Chapter 1
B. Dream of Nebuchadnezzar about a Multimetallic Image;Interpretation by Daniel Concerning the Four Kingdoms of “The Times of the Gentiles,” Chapter 2
C. Decree of Nebuchadnezzar to Enforce Universal Idolatry;Three Hebrews Cast into the Furnace for Refusal to Bow to Image of Gold, Chapter 3
D. Dream of Nebuchadnezzar about a Great Tree Hewn Down to a Stump; Fulfilled in Subsequent Period of Madness of the King,Chapter 4
E. Downfall of Babylon Foretold by Daniel as He Read the Handwriting on the Wall at the Feast of Belshazzar, Chapter 5
F. Decree of Darius, the Median, to Enforce Worship of Himself; Daniel Cast into Den of Lions for Praying to the God of Heaven, Chapter 6
II. The Prophetic Light in the Historic Night, Chapters 7–12
A. Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts Concerning Four Kingdoms of “The Times of the Gentiles,” Chapter 7
B. Daniel’s Vision of Ram and He Goat and Another Little Horn, Chapter 8
C. Daniel’s Vision of Seventy Weeks Concerning the Nation of Israel, Chapter 9
D. Daniel’s Vision Relating to Israel in Immediate Future and Latter Days; Historical Little Horn and Little Horn of the Latter Days, Chapters 10–12
1. Preparation for Vision by Prayer of Daniel; Appearance of a Heavenly Messenger, Chapter 10
2. Prophecy Concerning Persia and Grecia, Historical“Little Horn,”; Eschatological “Little Horn,” Chapter 11
3. Preview of Israel in Latter Days; Great Tribulation;Resurrections; Rewards; Final Word about the End Times, Chapter 12
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Decline of Judah and Fall of Jerusalem; Daniel decides to be true to God; Delight of Nebuchadnezzar in the development of Daniel and his three friends
DECLINE OF JUDAH AND FALL OF JERUSALEM
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem,and besieged it [Dan. 1:1].
Jehoiakim was placed on the throne of Judah by Pharaoh Nechoh to succeed his brother, Jehoahaz. Both of these evil men were sons of Josiah, the godly king who led in the last revival in Judah (see 2 Kings 23:31–37). Jehoiakim’s name was actually Eliakim. During his reign Nebuchadnezzar first came against Jerusalem. The year was about 606 b.c.; he took the city in about 604 b.c. The city was not destroyed, but the first group of captives was taken to Babylon. Among these were Daniel, his three friends, and literally thousands of others.
When Jehoiakim died, his son Jehoiachin came to the throne. Here belled against Nebuchadnezzar who, in 598 b.c., again besieged Jerusalem. Once more Jerusalem was not destroyed, but the king, his mother, and all the vessels of the house of the Lord were taken away to Babylon, along with an even larger group of captives.Evidently among this latter group was Ezekiel (see 2 Kings 24:6–16).
Zedekiah, the uncle of Jehoiachin, was subsequently made king and also rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. This time Nebuchadnezzar came against the city, destroyed the temple, and burned Jerusalem.The sons of Zedekiah were slain in his presence, and then his own eyes were put out. He, along with the final deportation, went into captivity about 588 or 587 b.c. All this, by the way, was in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy in Jeremiah 25:8–13. Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel had told the people that the false prophets were wrong and that Jerusalem would be destroyed. These two men just happened to have been right.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god [Dan. 1:2].
Only some of the vessels were taken to Babylon at this time; the remainder were removed when Jehoiachin surrendered (see 2 Kings 24:13). Nebuchadnezzar took these vessels and carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. We want to keep this in mind, because later on King Belshazzar (probably a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar) will bring them out for his banquet.
And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes [Dan. 1:3].
Nebuchadnezzar always took for himself the cream of the crop of the captives from any nation. I think they were given tests to determine their IQ’s, and those selected were trained to be wise men to advise the king of Babylon. We will find that Daniel was included in this group and that the king did consult them.
“And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs.” Verse 9 of this chapter also says: “Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.” Daniel and his three friends were made eunuchs in fulfillment of Isaiah 39:7, “And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
Most conservative scholars agree that Daniel was taken captive when he was about seventeen years old. He was made a eunuch, and so you can understand why Daniel never married or had any children.Some people wonder what kind of an oddball Daniel was. Actually, he was no oddball—this was something the king did, and it did not destroy the mental development of these young men. It served the purpose of making them more docile toward the king, and it also enabled them to give all their time to the studies which were given to them. I am sure that it is true today as it was when I was in college: I spent half of my time taking a “course” that was known as dating. I had a lot of good times—I did a great deal of studying, but I could have done lots more! But, you see, the king wanted these boys to spend their time studying, and his way of doing that was to make them eunuchs. Daniel was in this group.
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans [Dan. 1:4].
I want to submit to you that the Bible was not written by a bunch of ninnies—it wasn’t written by men who were ignorant. Moses was learned in all the wisdom of Egypt. The Egyptians were quite advanced; they knew the distance to the sun, and they knew that the earth was round. It was a few Greeks who came along later and flattened out the earth. They were the “scientists” in that day, you see. Science taught that the earth was flat. The Bible never did teach that; in fact, it said it was a circle (see Isa. 40:22). Daniel, too, as a young man was outstanding. He must have rated high on the list of these young men who were given tests in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, was up in that bracket intellectually also. All these were brilliant young men who were exposed to the learning of their day. I get weary of these so-called eggheads who act as if the Bible was written by a group of ignoramuses. If you feel that way about it, you are mistaken. Daniel was nobody’s fool. He was a brilliant young man, and he was taught as few men have been taught. Don’t despise the learning of that day. There were many men who were well advanced in knowledge, in science, and in many other areas. Daniel is going to be exposed to all that.
And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king [Dan. 1:5].
“Meat” could be translated “food.” This, of course, was the diet of pagans, and it would include unclean animals. Remember that Daniel was a Jew and was under the Mosaic Law. They had been told not to eat certain meats, certain fowl, and certain fish.
DANIEL DECIDES TO BE TRUE TO GOD
Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego [Dan. 1:6–7].
The prince of the eunuchs actually changes their Hebrew names and gives them pagan names. He gave Daniel the name of Belteshazzar which means “worshiper of Baal,” a heathen god. He named Hananiah Shadrach, and Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abed-nego. Notice that the names with which we are acquainted are the heathen names. I think maybe these four boys registered the highest IQ’s of the whole group. You see, Babylon wanted the best brains as well as good physical specimens.
These four young men from Judah are singled out and identified to us, and the reason is that they are going to take a stand for God. If all these boys were the same age as Daniel, I would say they were around seventeen years of age. Dr. Arno C. Gaebelein, who was a very able expositor of the Old Testament and especially of the prophetic books, felt that Daniel was about fourteen years old. Sir Robert Anderson gave him the age of around twenty. Therefore, seventeen would be a good conservative estimate of the age of these four.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself [Dan. 1:8].
This boy takes a real stand for God, and he does it in a heathen court. Under normal circumstances, this would have been fatal. Obviously, Daniel was not trying to win a popularity contest. He wasn’t attempting to please Nebuchadnezzar. His decision did not reflect the modern softness of compromise which we find all around us today; nor was it dictated by the false philosophies of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Daniel knew nothing of the opportunist’s policy of “When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do.” Daniel was not conformed to this world, but he was transformed by the renewing of his mind, and the will of God was the all-absorbing purpose of his life.
Daniel and his friends represented in their day that Jewish remnant which God has had in all ages. This is the remnant of which Paul spoke in Romans 11:5—“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Now these boys don’t want to eat the king’s food; they are going to rebel against a Babylonian diet. Actually, an attempt will be made to brainwash these young men, to make them Babylonians inwardly and outwardly. They were supposed to eat like Babylonians, dress like Babylonians, and think like Babylonians.
However, Daniel and his friends were under the Mosaic system, and God made what they were to eat very clear to His people in the Old Testament. We read in Leviticus 11:44–47: “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.” Certain meats were specifically forbidden, and they are listed in the Book of Leviticus; also, meats offered to heathen idols were repulsive to godly Israelites.
Perhaps Daniel and these other Hebrew children were Nazarites to whom even wine was forbidden: “He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried” (Num. 6:3).
These young men were following the injunction of Isaiah: “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord” (Isa. 52:11).
However, believers today have not been given a diet chart or menu. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:25–27: “Whatsoever is sold in the shambles [that is, out yonder in the meat market], that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.” Then again, in 1 Corinthians 8:8, he says, “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.”
These Hebrew young men were taking a stand under the Mosaic Law, and they were taking a stand for God.
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs [Dan. 1:9].
Now, you see, Daniel is already a favorite, and that is no accident. God was working on Daniel’s behalf, even as He worked in the life of Joseph down in the land of Egypt.
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king [Dan. 1:10].
The prince of the eunuchs did not want to force the diet upon them, but he was really on a hot seat. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. He liked Daniel, but what was he to do?
Then said Daniel to Melzar whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink [Dan. 1:11–12].
“Pulse”—some translators have felt that this means vegetables, but I don’t think that is exactly it. Actually, it was a grain they wanted to eat. To tell the truth, what Daniel was saying was, “Let us have our pulse, and in a few days we’ll show you that we are all right, that we are in just as good physical condition as the others are.”
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants [Dan. 1:13].
In other words: “Test us out, and put us on this diet for a few days to see if we are not in as good condition as the other fellows are.” Well, God had brought favor from this man Melzar to Daniel, and so Melzar is going to make the test.
The Bible tells us that Daniel’s decision to refuse the Babylonian diet was something he “purposed in his heart.” I want to comment for a moment on this issue of making Christian living and separation from the world a matter of a few little rules that have to do with eating and with conduct. There is always a tendency in this area to be dogmatic and forbid certain questionable things, things which are actually debatable.
I received a letter once from a lady who joined a small group shortly after she had become a Christian, and they told her there were certain things she couldn’t do and certain things she could do. In the letter which she wrote to me she said, “I have followed all these rules, and yet I am still miserable.”
In the history of the church we can see times when people set up a system of doing things and not doing things—systems that actually were good at first. For example, the monasteries which began in the Roman Empire were actually a protest against the licentiousness of their day. But before long it was worse on the inside of the monastery than on the outside.
Remember that Christ said to the Pharisees, “… Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). In other words, “You make the outside of the cup clean, but inside it’s dirty. It is just like whitewashing a tomb.” Today it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). In order to live a life of holiness, we must first receive new life from God—we must be born from above.
“Daniel purposed in his heart” (v. 8)—it all began in the heart of Daniel. He was not a papier-mâché; he had a heart, and his convictions came from his heart. That should be our experience also. We are captives in this world in which we live; gravitation holds all of us by the seat of our pants, and we cannot jump off this earth. The Lord Jesus said that we are in the world, but not of the world. And He said, “… Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24). However, we cannot serve God by following a set of rules; we must have a purpose in our hearts. Jesus said that it was out of the heart that the issues of life proceed; the things which we put into our bodies are not the most important. Daniel purposed in his heart that he would obey God’s law given to God’s people Israel—this was to be his testimony.
So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days [Dan. 1:14].
The prince of the eunuchs was rather reluctant to go along with Daniel’s suggestion because he had been brought up in Babylonian culture and believed that this diet was the thing which produced geniuses. However, he liked Daniel and gave them ten days to test it out.
DELIGHT OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DANIEL AND HIS THREE FRIENDS
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat [Dan. 1:15].
Daniel’s diet worked in their behalf. This ought to tell us something. God wanted His people Israel to be different from the surrounding nations, but He did not give them a special diet just to make them different—there was also a health factor involved. I firmly believe that if we followed the diet outlined in Leviticus, we would be healthier than our neighbor who eats just anything. But we can eat anything we want; we are not under the law. I have found, though, that it is a matter of health. I have had a number of physical problems and have discovered, among other things, that pork just isn’t the best thing for us. Israel’s God-given diet was very meaningful healthwise, and it had more than just a ceremonial basis for it.
Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams [Dan. 1:16–17].
Just as God blessed Solomon, God is blessing these Hebrew children who were in a foreign court. Daniel will eventually become prime minister to two great world empires.
“Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” Daniel was still in the time of revelation, the time in which God used dreams and visions. Now don’t you say that God has spoken to you in a dream, because I must contradict you. I do not think that God is speaking to us that way—He speaks to us today in His Word.
For a great many people it is easier to dream about the Word than it is to study it. I used to have students in a Bible institute who would very piously pray the night before an exam. They didn’t study much, but they were very pious about it all. One student told me that he stuck his Bible under his pillow the night before an examination! I asked him, “Do you really think the names of the kings of Israel and Judah will come up through the duck feathers and get into your brain?” The Holy Spirit is not a help and a crutch for a lazy person. You are going to have to study the Word of God. God speaks to us through His written Word today.
However, God is speaking audibly to Daniel, for he is now writing one of the books of the Bible. In spite of what the critics say, Daniel wrote it—it was not written three or four hundred years later.
Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar [Dan. 1:18].
Nebuchadnezzar is going to look at the training which was given to them to see if it has been the proper training. I honestly believe the Communists have been very stupid in their methods of brainwashing. They attempt to break a man down. You can break down any human being; he will finally give in, of course. A man can only take so much. But this man Nebuchadnezzar really knew how to do it. He gave them a lot of food, he tested them, and finally he placed them in a fine position. He did all this in a friendly way. This was his philosophy, his way of making friends and influencing people.
And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king [Dan. 1:19].
Nebuchadnezzar talked with those four boys and found they were geniuses, and so he gave them good positions in his kingdom.
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm [Dan. 1:20].
Daniel is moved to the head of the class.
And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus [Dan. 1:21].
With verse 1 and this verse we can learn Daniel’s life span. Coming to Babylon at about the age of seventeen, he died when he was about ninety years of age. He bridged the entire seventy years of captivity. He did not return to Israel but apparently died before the people left Babylon. We actually have no record about that.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The dream of Nebuchadnezzar about a multimetallic image, and the interpretation of Daniel concerning the four kingdoms of “the times of the Gentiles”
We are in one of the great sections of the Word of God as far as prophecy is concerned. The multimetallic image (ch. 2), the four beasts (ch. 7), and the seventy weeks of Daniel (ch. 9) form the backbone and ribs of biblical prophecy. You could never have a skeleton of prophecy without these passages of Scripture in the Old Testament.
Everything the Lord Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse was based on the Book of Daniel. The disciples asked Him, “… Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” He replied, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet …” (Matt. 24:3, 15). This chapter, then, is a very important chapter in the Word of God.
Men everywhere are asking, “What is this world coming to? How are things going to be worked out today? There are crises everywhere.” My friend, the times of the Gentiles are going to run out. The Gentiles have not done a very good job of running the world. We can see the beginning of that way back in the Book of Daniel, and we may come close to seeing the end of it. However, the church of Jesus Christ will leave this earth, bringing to a close the fullness of the Gentiles; and, not long after the church leaves, Christ will come back to the earth to rule.
This prophetic chapter is basic to the understanding of all prophecy. That is why I keep insisting that to know just a few little verses of Scripture and to be able to interpret them can be a dangerous thing. This is the way the cults begin: they use only certain verses of Scripture. The men who start these cults understand history and human nature; they know man’s need for a doctrine which satisfies the natural mind. Liberalism and the social gospel appeal to the natural mind.
A young preacher in the East told me of a minister in a neighboring town who was building a great empire of his church. Yet that man drinks and curses and goes out with the boys, probably doing everything else the boys do. The young preacher asked me, “How is that man drawing people to his church? They come to hear him and to join his church—not mine. But I am attempting to preach the Word of God!” I told that young man that we need to realize that if we are going to represent God in the ministry, we are going to be in the minority. The other minister was appealing to the natural mind. He may have baptized many—he may have got them under the water and got a lot of water on them—but he had not led people to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Saint Augustine, who became a great man of God, was asked why he had succumbed earlier to the Manichean heresy of his day. He replied that it was “so complete and reasonable.” The philosophical approach used by so many preachers today is probably the most dangerous approach to the Word of God that is imaginable. They never think to go to the Word of God as the foundation and the authority. Rather, they want to give you the interpretation of some man of the past, such as Plato. When I was preparing to enter the ministry, that is the direction I wanted to take because it appeals to people and it shows how smart you are. Thank God that I got under the assistance and influence of two men who put me on the track of simply teaching the Bible, letting the chips fall where they may. It is so important to study the entire Word of God, and therefore this section is important to us.
THE DREAM OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND HIS DEMANDS UPON THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him [Dan. 2:1].
Iam confident that Nebuchadnezzar, who had now been lifted and exalted to a very high position, wondered about this great empire that had come into existence under his leadership. Actually, Babylon was the first great world empire. Nebuchadnezzar had done something that the Egyptians had not been able to do because Egypt was self-contained. The biggest mistake any pharaoh ever made was to leave the Nile River. If he just stayed there, he was well protected—he had a wall of desert around him which nobody could breach. All he needed to do was guard the Nile River which was the only entrance into Egypt. The Egyptians began to reach out, but they never did become what you would call a world empire, although they did influence the world as few nations have.
However, this man Nebuchadnezzar began as a petty chieftain and united several tribes. Then he took over the Assyrian empire, then the Syrian, and he was on the march. And he overcame the Egyptians. The Greeks would have been unable to offer resistance, but he made no effort to move in their direction. He didn’t need to, as he was actually ruling the then-known world. Nebuchadnezzar had to think this thing over, and when he did, he found he had a world empire on his hands. It was sort of like the old bromide about getting a lion by the tail—you can’t hold on and you can’t turn him loose. That is the position Nebuchadnezzar was in, and God spoke to him at that time.
This man was troubled in his sleep, wondering about the future of this great empire he had founded: Where was it all going to end? Do you know that after about 2500 years of human history since Nebuchadnezzar we are still wondering about that. We have the answer here in this chapter, by the way.
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king [Dan. 2:2].
Nebuchadnezzar called in all his wise men. These were the men who had been trained even as Daniel and his friends had been trained. They were the old boys who were called in for this conference. In other words, the king summoned his cabinet.
These wise men were men of great intellect and learning. It is true that they held many superstitions and concepts of a heathen religion, but, my friend, I don’t know how much farther we’ve come today. I know some Ph.D.’s who reject the Bible—I think they are heathen and a little superstitious, by the way. Isn’t it interesting that the Bible has been ruled out of our schools; yet they are teaching astrology and all kinds of superstitions which have been rejected by civilized people in the past. Don’t look down on the wise men of Babylon—they are just as smart as some of our Ph.D.’s and Th.D.’s today.
These men comprised the brain trust of Babylon, and they were brought before the king to hear his unique command:
And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream [Dan. 2:3].
The king explains that he has had an unusual dream which he believes to have some far-reaching significance. You see, God made it clear to him that He had something to say, but this man in his darkness knew only that it was something important.
Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation [Dan. 2:4].
“Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live for ever.” To me that seems to be about the silliest thing they could ever say, but that was the way they flattered the king—“O king, live for ever.” I am sure that many a king who sat there on the throne had a heart condition and might well have said, “Well, boys, you are wrong. I’m not going to live forever. I’m going to have a heart attack one of these days, and I won’t be around.” However, they seem to have avoided that issue.
It is important to note that at this juncture in the Book of Daniel there is a change from the Hebrew to the Aramaic or Syriac language, as it is called here in verse 4. From verse 4 of this chapter through verse 28 of chapter 7, the book is written in Aramaic or Syriac. Aramaic was the court language, the diplomatic language of that day. It was the language of the Gentiles, the language of the world. It would correspond to what French was a few years ago; today I think English is the language that has supplanted French in that position.
The significance of this change is quite remarkable: God is now speaking to the world, not just to His nation. Israel has gone into Babylonian captivity. God has taken the scepter out of the line of David, and He has put it in gentile hands. It will stay there until the day He takes the scepter back. When He does, nail-pierced hands will take the scepter, because it is God’s intention for Jesus to reign.
The subject here is a worldwide kingdom. The idea that the Word of God is confined to some local deity and that the Bible has quite a limited view is entirely wrong. If we examine it carefully, we find that God has in mind a worldwide kingdom. In Psalm 89:27 He says of the covenant He made with David: “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” Then in verses 34–37 of the same psalm He says: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven.” In other words, God is saying, “If you can go out and see that the sun has disappeared from the heaven and the moon is not out at night, then you will know that I have changed My mind; but as long as you see the sun and moon, you will know that I am going to put My king over this earth.”
We are talking now about that which is global and not some local situation. This concerns the first great world ruler, and the language used is the language of the world of that day.
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill [Dan. 2:5].
This would be a rather extreme judgment, but you can see what the king wants. Frankly, a faulty translation of this verse gives the impression that the king had forgotten his dream. He hadn’t forgotten his dream. He knows the dream, senses its importance, and refuses to divulge it to the wise men. Why? He wants to get a correct interpretation of it. In the margin, the American Standard Version of 1901 translates “The thing is gone from me” as, “The word is gone forth from me.” In other words, Nebuchadnezzar is saying to these men, “I will not change my mind about this judgment I am pronouncing. Don’t beg me to tell you the dream—I’m not going to do it. You are going to come up with the dream if I am to listen to your interpretation of it.” The Berkeley Version has a helpful translation at this point also: “The king answered the Chaldeans, ‘This word I speak, I mean! If you do not tell me the dream and what it means, you shall be torn limb from limb and your houses will be destroyed.’” That translation really tones it down, but nevertheless the penalty is still excessive and extreme. Nebuchadnezzar is putting fear in these men. They have to come up with the interpretation of the dream, but they first of all have to give what the dream is.
But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof [Dan. 2:6].
Conversely, Nebuchadnezzar could be generous and charitable. This man was greatly governed by his emotions, as we are going to see. He tells them, “I am going to amply reward you if you give me the correct interpretation.”
They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it [Dan. 2:7].
The wise men realized their dangerous predicament, and they again cautiously suggest to the king that he supply the dream and they will supply the interpretation.
The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me [Dan. 2:8].
The king says, “You see that I mean business and so you are stalling. You want a little more time.” The Berkeley Version clarifies this verse: “The king replied, ‘I see plainly that you are trying to gain time; because you see how capital punishment awaits you.’” That is taking a little liberty with the translation, but that actually is the meaning of it.
But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof [Dan. 2:9].
The king really reveals here his lack of confidence in the wise men of Babylon. I think they probably had failed him on previous assignments, just as the prophets of Baal failed old Ahab (but since Ahab died in battle, he didn’t have a chance to retaliate). Nebuchadnezzar feels these men have been feeding him a great deal of malarkey, and he is now putting them to a real test. His reasoning at this point is very logical: If they can tell him his dream, then it is reasonable to conclude that their interpretation is genuine. If they cannot tell him his dream, any interpretation would be under suspicion.
DECREE TO DESTROY THE WISE MEN FOR THEIR FAILURE
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean [Dan. 2:10].
This is the first true statement the wise men have made—no man on earth could give the dream, only God could. In desperation they are pleading for their lives, trying to show the unreasonableness of the king’s demand. If you leave out the supernatural, of course his demands are unreasonable. However, they have made claim to be superior, and he is asking them to demonstrate that.
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh [Dan. 2:11].
What they are saying is that they have no communication with heaven. They even confessed that their gods were not giving them very much information. They conclude their argument by saying that no human being could meet the king’s demands. This paves the way for Daniel to come onto the scene.
For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon [Dan. 2:12].
The king exhibits here a violent temper for which he was noted. It is another symptom of the psychosis he is suffering and which we will see later on. The king orders the wise men to be destroyed summarily.
And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain [Dan. 2:13].
The king’s decree includes Daniel and his brethren. Although they are just being trained, they are being taught by the same crowd in which the king has now lost confidence. The rash order to destroy the wise men of Babylon is going to take in a great many men who were really innocent and who could not be held responsible. The dictatorship of Nebuchadnezzar could be carried to the nth degree—he could do what he wanted to.
DANIEL’S DESIRE TO TELL THE DREAM
Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel [Dan. 2:14–15].
Daniel is really puzzled at the hasty and unjust decree of the king, but he uses tact as he approaches Arioch. Arioch is the captain of the king’s guard—he is in charge of the Secret Service of that day—and, naturally, is often in the presence of the king. It would be interesting to know all that Arioch communicated to Daniel. I wonder if he suggested to Daniel that the king was off his rocker or that the king didn’t have all his marbles. It is not recorded here if he did, but I think he touched his head and said, “You know how the king is!”
Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation [Dan. 2:16].
Daniel got an audience with the king—he is already in favor—and he requested the king to give him time to tell him the dream. This seems presumptuous; in fact, it seems to be the act of a very brash young man. However, succeeding events will reveal that it was the confidence of a man with faith in God.
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon [Dan. 2:17–18].
“That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven.” This is an expression which you will find only in the books of the captivity, including Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. You see, after the departure of the glory of God from Jerusalem, from the Holy of Holies in the temple, He is now addressed as “the God of heaven.” These Hebrew young men knew that God did not dwell in some little temple in Jerusalem. He is “the God of heaven.”
“That they would desire mercies” reveals the basis of their prayers. God does not answer prayer because of the worth or the effort or the character or the works of the one who is, praying. All prayer must rest upon His mercy. To pray today in Jesus’ name simply means that we come to God, not on our merit, but on His merit, looking to Him for mercy.
DANIEL DESCRIBES THE DREAM AS A MULTIMETALLIC IMAGE
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven [Dan. 2:19].
Iwould think that the way God revealed this to Daniel was to give him the same dream He gave to Nebuchadnezzar. This would seem to be the reasonable explanation.
Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
And he changeth the times and the seasons:he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter [Dan. 2:20–23].
This is one of the several recorded prayers of Daniel. Daniel was a man of purpose, a man of prayer, and a man of prophecy. God alone has revealed this secret to Daniel, and this is his tremendous prayer of thanksgiving. Now Daniel is ready to go in and ask again for an audience with the king.
Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch,whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him, Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation [Dan. 2:24].
Daniel wants to stop the bloody slaughter that would have taken place, and apparently Arioch has no heart for the matter either—he doesn’t want to slay all the wise men.
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation [Dan. 2:25].
Arioch rushes Daniel into the presence of the king with the good news that the dream will be divulged.
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? [Dan. 2:26].
Quite obviously and, I think, logically, the king was rather skeptical. All of these wise men had not been able to come up with the dream and its interpretation, but here comes this young fellow Daniel who says he will be able to. The king asks him, “Do you mean to tell me that all the other wise men had no answer, but you think you can answer me? Maybe this is just another attempt of the wise men to stall for time!” His question sounds rather cynical, but Daniel has a marvelous answer for him:
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these [Dan. 2:27–28].
Daniel immediately makes a distinction between the wisdom of Babylon and the wisdom of God. The apostle Paul wrote, “… hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” and also, “… the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:20, 25).
Daniel now has the unique privilege of introducing to the darkened mind of this pagan king the living and true God. He says, “There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.” This is very important because it is going to be the emphasis in the Book of Daniel; this dream refers to the end of the times of the Gentiles.
The end of “the times of the Gentiles” runs concurrently with “the latter days” of the nation Israel: both come to their fulfillment during the Great Tribulation Period. The day in which you and I live is “man’s day.” Paul said in I Corinthians 4:3, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment [day]: yea, I judge not mine own self” We are living in the day of man.
It is also well to note that the term, “the times of the Gentiles,” is not synonymous with the term, “the fulness of the Gentiles.” Romans 11:25 says, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” The fulness of the Gentiles ends with the Rapture of the church. The terms, “the latter days” and “the times of the Gentiles,” are not synonymous with “the last days” of the church which come to a fulfillment at the Rapture and precede the Great Tribulation. “The times of the Gentiles” will continue right on into the Great Tribulation, and at that time God will again turn His attention back to the nation Israel.
As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass [Dan. 2:29].
Nebuchadnezzar was bothered as he lay in bed at night, wondering what the future held. Although he started out as a petty king, he now finds himself a world ruler.
But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart [Dan. 2:30].
The dream had to do with the future of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom and the outcome of his great world empire. Nebuchadnezzar was troubled about the future of this empire of which he suddenly found himself the possessor and dictator. The dream was God’s answer to his problem.
Daniel makes it clear that he himself deserves no credit, that God in heaven has revealed the dream, that God was prompted to reveal the dream to spare the lives of the wise men as well as to satisfy the curiosity of this man Nebuchadnezzar.
God is going to speak to Nebuchadnezzar in a language that he will understand, the language of the outward splendor and glory of his kingdom. In the dream God showed him the outward splendor of his kingdom. This dream was also the dream of a Gentile, and in it God spoke to him by using an image. The image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was not an image to be worshiped; but, because Nebuchadnezzar did fall down before images in the city of Babylon, God used an image in his dream. In this land of idolatry, such a vision was the only language Nebuchadnezzar could truly understand. Babylon was known as the fountainhead of pagan religion, the womb of heathen idols.
We will see in this section the history of the rule of this world by the Gentiles. Because of the failure of the house of David, God is now taking the scepter of this universe out from the hands of the line of David, and He is putting it in the hands of the Gentiles. It will be there until Jesus Christ comes again to this earth. Then Christ will take the seepter and rule on this earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. From the day of Nebuchadnezzar right on down through our day until the Lord comes to reign is “the times of the Gentiles.”
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible [Dan. 2:31].
That is, the image excited terror—it was aweinspiring. It was very glamorous, terrific, and stupendous. As Daniel began to describe the dream, I wish that I could have been there to see the expression on Nebuchadnezzar’s face change from cynicism to unconcealed amazement. When Daniel began to say, “You saw a great image, the brightness of which was terrific and stupendous,” I think the eyes of Nebuchadnezzar lighted up. He shifted to the edge of his throne and said, “Boy, that’s it! You are starting out right!”
This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay [Dan. 2:32–33].
When Daniel said this, I think the king again said, “Boy, you are exactly right!” Now Nebuchadnezzar is prepared to listen to the interpretation. Tregelles has said of this dream: “Here all is presented as set before the king according to his ability of apprehension—the external and visible things being shown as man might regard them.” As we have said, God is speaking to him in a language that he can understand.
This tremendous image that is before him just stands there. There is no movement at all. It is simply awe-inspiring, glamorous, terrific, and stupendous. The head was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet were iron and clay mixed together. The image therefore consisted of a very strange assortment of metals. It was not an alloy of metals, but a multimetallic image of four metals plus a silicon (that is, sand or clay).
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth [Dan. 2:34–35].
We will get the interpretation of this later on. We will let Daniel give the interpretation—we do not need to guess about it at all. The thing to note here is that, as Nebuchadnezzar beheld the image in awe and wonder, the stone, coming from beyond the environs of the image and without human origin or motivation, smote the image on the feet of iron and clay with such force that all the metals were pulverized. Then a wind blew the dust of the image away, so that it entirely disappeared. Then the stone began to grow as a living stone, and it filled the whole world, taking the place of this image.
DEFINITION OF FOUR WORLD EMPIRES AND THEIR DESTINIES
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold [Dan. 2:36–38].
Nebuchadnezzar was the first great world ruler. I think that this was God’s ideal for Adam—he was given dominion, but he lost it. The world has known four great world rulers; there have been four great nations who have attempted to rule the world. They all just butchered the job—none of them made a real success of it—but the first one, Nebuchadnezzar, did the best job.
Daniel immediately began to interpret the dream. The different metals represent world empires. Nebuchadnezzar is identified as the head of gold. He exercised rulership over the then-known world. No one questioned his authority. His was an absolute monarchy, and there have been very few since then, by the way. More is said about this Babylonian empire in other sections of the Bible, including Daniel 5:18–19 and Jeremiah 27:5–11. Through Jeremiah God said: “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come …” (Jer. 27:5–7). God made Nebuchadnezzar the one at the top; He made him the first great world ruler, and there has been none like him since then.
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth [Dan. 2:39].
The kingdom which will come after Nebuchadnezzar will be inferior to his. The third one will be inferior to the second, and the fourth will be inferior to the third. That means the fourth one is the worst form of all. That is where we are today.
There are two kingdoms mentioned in this verse. The arms of silver represent Media and Persia. In Daniel 5:28 we are told the future of the Babylonian kingdom: “Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” We don’t need to speculate as to who the second kingdom is—it is made clear. Remember that Daniel lived in both the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Media-Persia. We read in Daniel 6:8, “Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.”
The third kingdom would be a kingdom of brass and would “bear rule over all the earth.” This is the Graeco-Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great.
This brings us to the fourth kingdom. It is important to note that there are only four—there is no fifth kingdom. The period of the fourth kingdom is where we are today.
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay [Dan. 2:40–43].
This is a remarkable passage of Scripture. More attention is directed to this fourth kingdom than to the other three kingdoms put together. Four verses are used here by Daniel to describe it and interpret it. Only one verse, verse 39, is used to describe the second and third kingdoms, the Medo-Persian and the Graeco-Macedonian empires.
The fourth kingdom is the kingdom of the latter days. Remember that Daniel had told Nebuchadnezzar that that was the reason for the image. God is speaking to Nebuchadnezzar, an idol worshiper, through this image, and He is telling Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. He is a world ruler, and he is concerned about where it is all going to end. My friend, we are living in the period of the latter days, and that is still the question today: What is this world coming to?
We need to stand back and look at this image again for a moment. It is awe-inspiring and of tremendous size. I think it towered over the entire plain of Babylon as Nebuchadnezzar saw it in his vision. It is a multimetallic image. It has a head of gold, and that speaks of Babylon. The breast and arms are of silver—Media-Persia. The brass is Graeco-Macedonia. The legs are of iron, and that is Rome. In the feet, clay is inserted into the iron, which is the last form of the Roman Empire.
The image represents four empires, and there are several observations to be made about them. There is a definite deterioration from one kingdom to another, and this is made clear in several very specific ways. This deterioration is contrary to modern philosophy and opinion. Our viewpoint today is that we are all getting better and better every day: evolution is at work, and it is onward and upward forever. We feel that we have the best form of government and that we are superior people—neither of which is true. The human race has always liked to pat itself on the back as Little Jack Horner did:
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating of Christmas pie:
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said, “What a good boy am I!”
However, what we have here is the deterioration from one kingdom to the other—each is inferior to its predecessor. This is revealed through the image in several ways:
1. The quality of the metals: gold is finer than silver, and silver is finer than brass. Brass is finer than iron, and iron is better than clay. There is definite deterioration.
2. The specific gravity of the metals: each metal shows deterioration; Tregelles (as quoted by Culver) is the scholar who called attention to this factor.
3. The position of each metal: the head has more honor than do the feet.
4. The specific statement of Scripture: “And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee” (v. 39). Scripture is clear that each kingdom is to be inferior to the one before it.
5. The division of sovereignty: the definite division of sovereignty denotes weakness. Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold, but there are two arms of the Medo-Persian empire, The Babylonian Empire was strong because there was not that division. The Graeco-Macedonian Empire begins with one, but soon is divided into four. Rome has two legs of iron but it eventuates into ten toes which are composed of both iron and clay.
In the United States today we like to believe we have the very best form of government, and people eagerly say they “believe in democracy.” Actually, our form of government is not a democracy, but a representative form of government. No one asks me to come to Washington, D.C., to make any decisions. There are many who do go to Washington to tell them how to do it, and I think somebody needs to tell them. The problem is that it is the wrong people who are doing the telling. I am of the opinion that a democracy is really not the best form of government.
God’s form of government is going to be just exactly like that head of gold, only the ruler will be that Rock that is “cut out without hands”—none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is going to reign over this earth, and He is not going to ask anybody for advice about it. He will not have a Congress, and He will not have a Cabinet, and He will not be calling upon you to vote for Him. In fact, if you don’t make a decision for Him in this life, my friend, you just won’t be there at all. Don’t rebel against that fact, because this happens to be His world—He created it. You and I are just little pygmies running around down here. God has as much right to remove you and me from this little world as I have to remove those ants that get into my house and yard. I set out poison for those fellows—I want to get rid of them. Why? Because they don’t fit into my program. There are a lot of us who don’t fit into God’s program. This is His world, and He is going to make it to suit Himself.
God’s form of government is going to be one of the most strict forms of government that the world has ever seen. I do not think a rooster is going to crow in that day without His permission to do so. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to be a dictator, and if you are not willing to bow to Him, I don’t think you would even want to be in His kingdom when He establishes it here upon the earth. Maybe it is good that He has another place for folk like that, because it will not be pleasant for them to be here—they wouldn’t enjoy it at all. God’s form of government is the absolute rule of a king, the sovereignty of one ruler. It is going to be autocratic, dictatorial, and His will is going to prevail. That is the reason it is well for you and me to practice bowing to Him and acknowledging Him. He is going to take over one of these days.
Before we move on, we need to notice one more thing: No great world power follows Rome. The Roman Empire is the last, and it will be in existence in the latter days. Actually, it exists today. All of these other empires were destroyed by an enemy from the outside, but no enemy destroyed Rome. Attila the Hun came in and sacked the city, but he was so awestruck by what he saw that he realized he could not handle it. He took his barbarians and left town. The Roman Empire fell apart from within—no enemy destroyed it. Rome is living in the great nations of Europe today: Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, and Spain are all part of the old Roman Empire. The laws of Rome live on, and her language also. No one speaks Latin today, but it is basic to understanding French, Spanish, and other languages. Her warlike spirit lives on also: Europe has been at war ever since the empire broke up into these kingdoms.
What is happening in Europe today? There is a new psychological viewpoint developing. The young people there do not want to be called Italians or Germans; they like to be called Europeans. Such thinking is creating a basis for the man who is coming someday to put the Roman Empire back together again. He is known in Scripture as the Man of Sin, or the Antichrist. They have a Common Market in Europe today, and they may be well along in restoring the Roman Empire. But not until God takes down the roadblock will that man appear and all this come to fruition. Because he is Satan’s man, God will not let him appear until He has called out His people to His name. When He has done that, He will remove His church from the earth. God is carrying out His program whether it looks like that or not.
Therefore, there is one coming who will put the Roman Empire together again. I never speak of the resurrection of the Roman Empire; that implies that it died. Let me again quote a nursery rhyme:
Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall;
All the King’s horses, and all the King’s men
Could not put Humpty-Dumpty together again.
You see, the Roman Empire fell apart like Humpty-Dumpty. There have been a lot of men who tried to put it together again, but they have not succeeded. That was one of the missions of the Roman Catholic church at the beginning. Also, Charlemagne attempted to put it back together. Napoleon tried to do so, and also several emperors of Germany. Hitler and Mussolini attempted it, but so far the man has not yet appeared who will accomplish it. God is not quite ready for him to appear.
DESTRUCTION OF GENTILE WORLD POWERS—ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH
What will be the final end of this last kingdom, the kingdom of iron mixed with clay? The clay, I believe, represents the masses, the different nations of the ten toes. The iron speaks of the fact that Rome lives on in this final form of the old empire. How is it all going to end? We are given the answer in this concluding section of chapter 2.
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure [Dan. 2:44–45].
The Antichrist, or the Man of Sin (he has about thirty-five aliases in Scripture), is the one who will bring back the Roman Empire. He will be a world dictator—he will rule the world just as Nebuchadnezzar did at the beginning (see Rev. 13). That is an ideal form of government, but if the wrong man is at the top, it is horrible. This was true of Nebuchadnezzar, as we will see, and it will certainly be true of the Antichrist.
When the Lord Jesus comes, He is going to rule as an autocratic ruler, and He is going to put down all rebellion against Him: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). I don’t think He wants me to apologize for Him today. If you don’t like it, I suggest you get on the next trip to the moon or Mars and get off this earth. He is going to take over this earth, and I think He may take over the place you choose, also. This is His universe—it belongs to Him.
“The stone [which] was cut out of the mountain without hands” represents none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a man; this is God’s Anointed. The Lord Jesus Himself made it clear that He is that Stone. In His day there were probably more people who understood what He was saying than there are today. In Matthew 21:44 He said, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” He is the Stone, the living Stone, the foundation—“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). If you fall on that Stone—that is, rest in Him by faith, come just as you are without one plea but that His blood was shed for you—you are broken, you come as a sinner, with nothing to offer. But He is a wonderful Stone to rest upon.
The Stone is one of many figures of speech in Scripture which speak of Christ in His office as both Savior and Judge. He is the Rock of salvation (see Deut. 32:15), and He is the Rock of judgment (see Deut. 32:4).
These verses in Daniel speak of the time when He is coming to the earth as Judge to put down earth’s rebellion against God. The reference here is to the second coming of Christ to the earth, which is depicted for us in detail in Revelation 19:11–21. His coming is going to be climactic, catastrophic, and cataclysmic. It is mentioned again and again in Scripture (see Zech. 14:1–3; Joel 3:2, 9–16 Isa. 34:1–8; Ps. 2).
Man’s boast of ruling this earth and establishing a utopia will end in the dismal destruction of this so-called civilization. It is hard for us to get this fact in our thinking: We live in a world that is judged. This world is not on trial. I hear people say, “I’ll take my chances.” My unsaved friend, you do not have a chance. You are lost. You are without God. You have no capacity for God. All you have in your heart is perhaps a little desire to be religious. You’d like to win a few more ribbons for going to Sunday school—you don’t intend to miss a Sunday. But, my friend, you need to trust Christ as Savior, and that is not easy to do, is it? It is not easy to bow to Him and to acknowledge Him. However, either you are going to come to that Stone, or that Stone is coming to you. I’d rather come to the Stone.
God is going to end man’s little day down here. God’s kingdom will prevail, and for one thousand years the earth will be tested under the personal reign of Christ. Apart from a brief moment in which Satan and sin will be permitted to make their last assault on the righteous reign of God, the kingdom will continue on into eternity (see Rev. 20).
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret [Dan. 2:46–47].
The effect of Daniel’s interpretation upon Nebuchadnezzar is so profound that he actually worships Daniel and commands others to do likewise. He doesn’t know any better; he only knows the worship of physical objects, and he intends thus to worship the living and true God. This was his introduction to the God of heaven. In this book we can watch the growth of faith in the heart of this idolatrous king. It will break through the darkness of paganism, and he is going to come into the marvelous light of the knowledge of God.
Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king [Dan. 2:48–49].
Sitting in the gate of the king is a practice that is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. In Genesis, Lot sat in the gate of Sodom; that meant that he was a judge. And in the Book of Esther, Mordecai was also given that office—he sat in the gate as a judge.
Daniel now is rewarded and elevated by Nebuchadnezzar, but he does not forget his three Hebrew friends. They likewise receive high positions in the government of Babylon. This young boy Daniel is moved into a position of sitting in the gate. He was a judge, a Supreme Court Justice, but he also acted in the capacity of prime minister. Throughout this book we will find that he is the one with whom Nebuchadnezzar confers. He judges the people, and he is also prime minister of the kingdom of Babylon.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The decree of Nebuchadnezzar to enforce universal idolatry; the three Hebrew children cast into the furnace when they refuse to bow to the image of gold
In the first chapter of Daniel heathen customs were judged; in the second chapter heathen philosophy was judged; and in the third chapter heathen pride is judged.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMAGE OF GOLD
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was three-score cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up [Dan. 3:1–2].
“An image of gold”—this reveals the lavish display of wealth and workmanship which went into the construction of this impressive image.
Some scholars think that Nebuchadnezzar constructed this image in memory of his father, Nabopolassar. Others are equally convinced that he made it to Bel, the pagan god of Babylon. It is more likely that he made it of himself. Daniel had declared that Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold in the image of his dream. Instead of humbling himself before God, the dream caused Nebuchadnezzar to be filled with excessive pride, and he made an entire image of gold to represent the kingdom he had built.
The image was sixty cubits high and six cubits in breadth—that was a pretty good-sized image. A cubit is approximately eighteen inches, which would make the image ninety feet high. Babylon was situated on a plain, surrounded by flat country. Although it was a city of skyscrapers for its day, the sheer height of the image made it visible for a great distance. The plain of Dura was like an airport—flat and expansive—allowing a great multitude to assemble for the worship of the image, actually the worship of the king.
All the leaders and government officials were present for the dedication of the image. Only the big brass were invited, and they were to sell this project to the people. This was the first step in the brainwashing program. These bureaucrats comprised a great company.
What did Nebuchadnezzar really have in mind in making this image? We can observe here three things: (1) The making of this image shows the rebellion of Nebuchadnezzar against the God of heaven who had given him world dominion. Instead of gratitude, this is a definite act of rebellion. (2) This also shows his vaunted pride in making an image which evidently was self-deification. The Roman emperors also attempted this later on. (3) Obviously, Nebuchadnezzar was seeking a unifying principle to weld together the tribes and tongues and peoples of his kingdom into one great totalitarian government. In other words, he was attempting to institute a world religion. This was nothing in the world but a repetition of the tower of Babel—a forming of one religion for the world.
There are many who are working toward a world religion today, including the denominations which make up the World Council of Churches. They are moving toward a world religion, and, my friend, they are going to leave Jesus out altogether. All of these attempts are not toward the worship of the living and true God; they actually oppose Him. It is a movement which is going to lead to the Great Tribulation Period, to the Man of Sin, and the False Prophet. This, of course, is after the true church is removed from the earth (the true church is all those who make up the body of believers). Every believer in Christ—whoever he is, whatever his color of skin, whatever his denomination, if he is trusting Christ—will all go out together.
DEDICATION OF THE IMAGE OF GOLD
Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up [Dan. 3:3].
The day of dedication had arrived. All were present, except Daniel. We believe he had a good and legitimate reason for his absence. He probably was away on state business. He was in a unique position of being the chief advisor to the king of Babylon who was now the ruler of the world.
The sight of the image of gold on the plain of Dura was very impressive—as impressive as an Atlas missile set up on the launching pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It must have made a tremendous appeal to the eye.
Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace [Dan. 3:4–6].
They knew nothing of the freedom of worship, at this dedication service. When the orchestra began to play, they were to fall down and worship this image. There was no room here for spontaneous, personal religion—this is all prearranged.
Notice the different instruments in this orchestra: the cornet—that’s a wind instrument; the flute—a wind instrument; the harp—a stringed instrument; the sackbut—a trombone, or perhaps a high-stringed instrument; the psaltery—a stringed instrument like the harp; and the dulcimer—a drum with strings above which was played with a stick. Then, it says, “and all kinds of music,” which means there were instruments and types of music that are not listed.
I would like to give this orchestra a name: the Babylonian Beboppers; or maybe it should be the Babylonian Beatles, or the Royal Rock Quartet Plus Two (or however many instrument there were), or the Chaldean Philharmonic Orchestra.
The point is this: this was more than a dedication—people were forced to worship. However, true worship is an expression of the heart; it cannot be forced. So it is more accurate to say that at least these people went through the outward form of worship.
The music was used to appeal to the flesh. Music that is spiritual is a wonderful aid to worship, but in some of our churches today it is very difficult to tell the difference between spiritual music and worldly music.
Paul had a great deal to say about the importance of music for the believer in worship. He says in Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” And then in Colossians 3:16 we read: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
However, at the very beginning, music got off to a bad start. It was mentioned in the godless line of Cain, back in Genesis 4:21—“And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.”
Whenever music or ritual appeals to the flesh, it degrades man rather than elevates him, and it is not an aid to true worship. It cancels worship out; it deadens everything. However, music can also lift a worship service; it can help the spiritual ministry and be a great blessing.
I recall one particular incident when I was speaking in special meetings held in a fine church in the East. Before my first message, a young lady was called on to sing, and she was quite a showman. Rather than selecting a song which contributed to the worship, she sang a number that simply gave opportunity to show off her voice. When I realized it had deadened the meeting spiritually, I had the congregation sing another hymn before I went on with my message. When I spoke to the pastor about it afterwards, he told me that she was the daughter of one of his leading officers and she always sang at the opening of any special series of meetings!
May I say, music can be helpful to a service or it cannot. Worldly music has a tremendous influence upon people, and it has gotten into many of our churches today. I thank God that many ministers are taking a stand against it.
Nebuchadnezzar had established a terrible penalty for those who refused to worship this image. The music helped prepare for this worldly worship, and you can be sure that everyone in that crowd went down on their faces before the image—with the exception of three young men.
Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up [Dan. 3:7].
This movement of dedication was an outward act of worship, and practically unanimous. There may have been many who were not convinced in their hearts, but they gave no visible evidence that they were contrary. I am sure they were inwardly attempting to justify their position by some form of rationalization.
We rationalize our own compromises today, also. One man told me that the reason he continued in the liberal church of which he was a member was that his father had been a leader in the church, an outstanding layman, and when he died, the church had dedicated a stained glass window to him. That was the reason he felt he couldn’t leave the church! My friend, it would have been better for him to buy a replacement for that window and take the one dedicated to his father with him, than to have continued in that church upon such an unfortunate excuse.
THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN FAIL TO WORSHIP THE IMAGE
Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews [Dan. 3:8].
The king had apparently appointed observers to note any irregularities in the service. “Certain Chaldeans” may indicate that they had been watching these three Jews particularly, perhaps because they were jealous or had some personal animosity toward them. The only Jews who were involved, of course, were the three Hebrew children who were among the officers of Nebuchadnezzar. The other Jews in captivity who had no position of leadership were not present at this meeting.
They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up [Dan. 3:9–12].
This must have been a very famous orchestra in that day—this is the third time we have been given a list of its instruments.
The Chaldeans’ accusation before the king was very formal and according to protocol. They made a direct charge against the three Hebrew children by name. There is no misunderstanding as to whom they referred. Although their insinuation—“These men, O king, have not regarded thee”—was absolutely false. The Hebrews’ refusal to worship the image was not an act of disloyalty toward the king personally. It was their recognition of a higher power—they were obedient to their God, which will be revealed by their own answer to this charge.
THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN DECLARE THE POWER OF GOD
Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king [Dan. 3:13].
“Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury”—this man had a real psychological problem, and such actions characterize his form of insanity. He suffered from hysteria, and a sort of manic-depressive psychosis: one moment he was hot with anger and the next he was laughing his head off.
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? [Dan. 3:14].
Nebuchadnezzar asked them if the charge were true. Had they refused to worship his gods and the image which he had set up?
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? [Dan. 3:15].
The king gives them another opportunity to change their minds and fall down before the image. Their submission now would be a worse reproach than it would have been at the outset. Nebuchadnezzar again recites the penalty for refusal and shows the fallacy of it. The king has heard of their God before, and he assures them that He is unable to deliver them.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter [Dan. 3:16].
They address Nebuchadnezzar, but they do not say, “O king, live forever.”
“We are not careful to answer thee in this matter” means that they have carefully weighed the consequences of refusing to obey the king. They have counted the cost and are not being “careful” in giving an answer; in other words, they are not being concerned for their own well-being in the answer they give to the king.
The wise men in Babylon would have advised the Hebrews to fall down and worship, but God had said: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exod. 20:3–6). These Hebrew children were being true to God, and it took a great deal of courage for them to take this position.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up [Dan. 3:17–18].
They make it very clear: “If it is God’s will, He will deliver us out of your hand.” Regardless of the outcome, these three had purposed to serve God and not the idol of Nebuchadnezzar.
THE THREE HEBREWS ARE PRESERVED IN THE FIERY FURNACE
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace [Dan. 3:19–20].
“Full of fury”—Nebuchadnezzar had an uncontrollable temper. In an extreme outrage of emotionalism, Nebuchadnezzar vented his anger against these men whom he had previously favored. The fire in the furnace was to be built up seven times larger and hotter than usual! This was not necessary, but it reveals what was in this man’s heart.
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace [Dan. 3:21].
“Their hosen” means their stockings. In other words, they were in full dress for this trip to the fiery furnace.
Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace [Dan. 3:22–23].
The haste and high temperature caused those who threw in the captives to perish in the flames.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God [Dan. 3:24–25].
This furnace apparently was an open furnace, and Nebuchadnezzar, who expected these men to expire at once, was amazed to see them alive and walking about in the fire.
Another amazing fact was to see a fourth Man whom Nebuchadnezzar described as being in the form “like the Son of God.” That should be translated “like a son of gods.” Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge of the living and true God at this time, although Daniel had spoken of Him. Having no spiritual perception, Nebuchadnezzar could only testify to His unusual appearance—He looked like one of the sons of the gods. However, I do believe that the fourth Man was the Son of God, the preincarnate Christ.
The preservation of these faithful few in the fiery furnace was miraculous. There is no other explanation—you either accept that or reject it. Either the Book of Daniel is misrepresenting things, or it is telling the truth. We have a group today, often identified as neo-orthodox, who rob the language of Scripture of its true meaning. They castrate the meaning of the language, saying it doesn’t mean what it says, but that it means something “spiritual.” That type of rationalism is not only hypocritical, it is deceptive.
Several years ago a retired pastor told me of his visit to an outstanding church in Southern California where the son of a friend of his was the pastor. He told me that in his sermon the young man used language that he was accustomed to hearing in the pulpit, and he went up afterwards and congratulated him, “Why, you used in your message the same language John Wesley used!” The young man responded to this retired preacher, “I used the same language John Wesley used, but I do not mean what John Wesley meant by it.” That was positively deceptive—taking language and trying to explain away its real meaning.
My point is that there are many miracles in Scripture that such men have attempted to explain away. For instance, Jesus didn’t walk on the water—He walked on the shore, and the disciples thought He was walking on the water. The widow’s son was not really dead—they only thought he was—and Jesus just woke him up. That type of double-talk is deceptive and hypocritical. You either believe this miracle or you don’t. No three men can be thrown into a fiery furnace without being absolutely destroyed, unless a miracle takes place. I believe a miracle took place, and that the fourth Man present was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
The events recorded here in this chapter are an historical incident, but we should also note that it is an adumbration, a prophetic picture, of the Great Tribulation Period. The fiery furnace represents the suffering that will occur during the Great Tribulation. This man Nebuchadnezzar represents the beast out of the sea, the Antichrist, the last great world ruler. This image of gold represents the abomination of desolation of which the Lord Jesus spoke. These three Hebrew children represent the remnant which will be miraculously preserved during the Great Tribulation Period. And then, quite interestingly, Daniel is not mentioned in this chapter at all. He wasn’t around. Apparently he acted not only as a Supreme Court Justice, but also as prime minister of the kingdom. He was out on kingdom business, out on the king’s highway somewhere. He is, therefore, a picture of the redeemed ones who are to be removed before the Great Tribulation. What a very wonderful picture is presented here!
In the fourth Man present in the furnace, we see that the Lord Jesus was there with them. He will be with them also in the day of the Great Tribulation, with those who are His as they go through the trials of that period. My friend, He is with you and me today as we go through our trials. He said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He also said, “…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). He promises never to leave or forsake His own.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them [Dan. 3:26–27].
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that these three are “servants of the most high God.” I think he is getting a little closer to a knowledge of God. These men came forth with not a hair singed, nor the smell of smoke on their garments! This is a clear-cut miracle.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DECREE CONCERNING THE GOD OF THE HEBREW CHILDREN
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon [Dan. 3:28–30].
There is nothing personal in this expression of Nebuchadnezzar; yet he recognizes the omnipotence of the living God and His power in delivering these three men. He grants that their God is superior to his. This is Nebuchadnezzar’s conviction; in the next chapter, we will read his personal testimony of conversion. I believe he came to the knowledge of the living and true God. It took this man a long time to move out of the paganism and heathenism in which he was saturated.
Now these three Hebrew children are back in Nebuchadnezzar’s favor. Twice they had the sentence of death upon them, twice they have been miraculously delivered, and twice they have been promoted.
In the same way the Lord Jesus is able to keep His own in the world today. That ought to be a comforting thought to many of us. He said in John 10:27–28: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” And again in John 17:11—“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” He continued, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [one]” (John 17:15). In Hebrews 7:25 we read: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” And finally, Paul wrote, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).
My friend, you and I are living in a world today in which we are going to have trouble. Some of God’s children do get into a fiery furnace, but He is able to keep them even there, and He is able to bring them out of it. We simply do not trust the Lord like we should—we do not have the faith of these three Hebrew children.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Testimony of Nebuchadnezzar; tree dream of Nebuchadnezzar; tree dream interpreted by Daniel; the mental malady of Nebuchadnezzar; dream fulfilled and Nebuchadnezzar’s reason restored
This chapter is going to give us a great deal more information about this man Nebuchadnezzar than we have had before. Actually, there was a skeleton in the family closet—something I am sure they didn’t boast of: Nebuchadnezzar suffered from a form of insanity. This chapter is a leaf of history taken from the archives of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar’s form of insanity is pretty well identified and known today, and it is something which a number of world rulers have suffered from.
We are living in a day when a great deal of attention is given to mental illness and various forms of abnormal behavior. I wonder sometimes just who is normal in this mad world in which we live! A psychologist will tell you that the bulk of mankind is normal, a few are abnormal, and a few are above normal or geniuses. Who is to say who is sane and who is not sane? The standard, of course, is the way most of us act—the behavior of the majority is called normal. When just a few react, that is abnormal, which, of course, is an arbitrary distinction. Who in the world is going to say that what the majority is doing today is normal? That could be quite a subject of debate, and I think it would be very difficult to sustain a thesis that the majority of us are normal. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet was sent from Denmark over to England (they thought he was a little touched in the head) because, they said, in England everyone was abnormal!
There is the story of the man who had trouble sleeping at night because he had the feeling that there was someone under his bed. He was losing sleep because he had to get up many times during the night to look under the bed and satisfy himself that no one was there. He finally went to the psychiatrist with his problem. The psychiatrist told him, “Well, you really do have a problem, and it is going to be difficult to bring you back to normal, but I think we can do it. It will take ten sessions, and it will cost you twenty-five dollars for each session.” The man left, saying he would think it over and let him know. However, he never returned. Several weeks later the psychiatrist met the man on the street and asked him why he had never come back. The man replied that he had been cured with the help of a carpenter friend of his. He had told his friend his problem, and the carpenter said he could fix it for him. He came over to the man’s house with his saw and simply sawed off the legs of the bed. “Now that fellow can’t get under my bed!” the man told the psychiatrist. I guess a lot of us suffer some kind of abnormality, but this man Nebuchadnezzar had a real problem.
TESTIMONY OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation [Dan. 4:1–3].
This is Nebuchadnezzar’s marvelous testimony, and it shows development in the faith of this man. Back in Daniel 3:29 he issued a decree and expressed a conviction. Here he gives a personal testimony. There it was a decree; here it is a decision. There it was a conviction, and here it is conversion. Chronologically, this testimony should come at the end of the chapter because it grew out of his experience recorded here.
Nebuchadnezzar sends a message of peace to “all peoples, nations, and languages” of his kingdom. He is not speaking of peace among nations—he already has such peace, attained by his military might and enforced by his superior power. Rather, he speaks here of the peace of heart which comes to a sinner when he knows he has been accepted of God and is at peace with God. This man’s own tranquility was restored to him, as we shall see in this chapter.
He speaks also of what “the high God hath wrought toward me” His testimony is very personal. God is no longer the God of only the three Hebrew children. He also testifies to God’s signs, His wonders, and His dominion. He recognizes and acknowledges that God’s rule, God’s kingdom, is above his.
The peace of which Nebuchadnezzar speaks can only come to the human heart when it knows God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1)—that is the peace which He made by the blood of the cross. It is the peace which can come to a sinner’s heart that all is right now because of the penalty which Christ paid—God is for him now and God is on his side. Back of all the trouble and travail that is in the world today, back of all the troubled hearts, is the question of sin. Things are not right. One young fellow expressed it this way to me: “I’m not at peace with myself. I’m not at peace with my parents. I’m not at peace with my teachers. I’m not at peace with anybody.” Fundamentally, man must make peace with God. When there is peace in the human heart, then there can be peace made with those round about us; but, until then, man does not know peace.
I am sure that much of what is called abnormality and insanity today could be cured by bringing the gospel and the knowledge of God to the people who are so afflicted. I thought it was absurd that hospitals were set up to receive the Vietnam War POW’s as they arrived in the Philippine Islands. They were to be examined and given psychological tests there. However, the men came bounding off the planes, ready to make phone calls to a wife, a mother, or some other loved one. Many of them testified that God had been with them. They had learned to pray, and Christ had been with them. They didn’t need a lot of psychological treatment.
Everything in the world is being taught in our schools and colleges except the Word of God. It is the Word of God which can bring peace to the human heart. This is the problem Nebuchadnezzar had, but he made his peace with God, and God made peace with him. Today, God has already made peace with you—He is waiting for you to make peace with Him. When you have settled that, you won’t need to spend much time on the psychiatrist’s couch. Instead, you will be a radiant Christian.
TREE DREAM OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
We find the first symptom of Nebuchadnezzar’s form of insanity in verse 4—
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace [Dan. 4:4].
The personal pronouns—my, I, and mine—are already used three times in just this one verse. You will find them about three times in every verse from verse 4 through verse 10. Nebuchadnezzar had a bad case of what I call “perpendicular I-itis.” Job had that problem also.
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me [Dan. 4:5].
It is all about me and mine.
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof [Dan. 4:6–9].
Again the wise men were called in and were unable to give an interpretation of the dream. It was God who gave both of his dreams, and only God can give the interpretation. Finally, Daniel was called in. Nebuchadnezzar had learned that Daniel was a Spirit-filled man and that interpretations were given him by God.
Nebuchadnezzar is introducing the vision that he has had, and he gives us a surplus of the personal pronoun I.
I think that the family had kept this man’s insanity quiet. They didn’t talk much about it, but those closest to him did recognize it. I believe the psychiatrists today would label it hysteria. Hysteria is a highly emotional mental disease. It is psychotic, rather than a structural form of insanity (in other words, Nebuchadnezzar was not insane because he had been dropped on his head as a baby). It manifests itself in somnambulism (sleepwalking) and amnesia (loss of memory), and it is thought to be hereditary. Historians tell us that a number of other world rulers have suffered from some form of mental instability: Antiochus Epiphanes, Charles VI of France, Christian VII of Denmark, George Ill of England, Otho of Bavaria, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Napoleon. It has also been in the Spanish royal line, the Russian line (among the czars), and also in the English line. Henry VI of England was a real madhatter, and suffered from something similar to hysteria. Hitler also had that problem. And here, the head of gold, Nebuchadnezzar, was a lunatic. He had bats in his belfry. He was not ruling with a full deck in his hands. He was just a little off, if you please. All of this was revealed in his extreme emotionalism—he would move in any direction and to an extreme.
The whole key to this chapter is found in verse 17, and it is important to note it at this point: “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” God says that He puts on the thrones of this world the basest of men. In other words, God gives us the kind of rulers we deserve and the kind we want. There have been many rulers who had bats in their belfries and who were off their rockers. God says He sets over the kingdoms the basest of men: twenty-five hundred years of history since Nebuchadnezzar have demonstrated the truth of this statement.
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him [Dan. 4:10–16].
These verses contain the substance of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream which centers around a tree that grew tall to heaven, wide enough to fill the earth. The tree was evidently an evergreen, for its leaves were fair. It was a fruit tree, and its fruit was eaten by all. Beasts stood in its shadow, and birds rested in its branches.
In Scripture, a tree can represent a number of things. A tree can represent a man: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:3; see also Jer. 17:8; Isa. 56:3). Also a tree can represent a nation (see Ezek. 31:3–14; Matt. 24:32–33). The mustard tree in Matthew 13:31 and 32 represents Christendom today. The olive tree represents both Israel and the Gentiles (see Rom. 11:16–24). The tree here represents Nebuchadnezzar primarily and also his kingdom of Babylon—the king and kingdom are inseparable.
The “watcher” and “holy one” are of an order of God’s created intelligences. The watchers are the holy ones who administer the affairs of this world. The Book of Daniel makes it very clear that God has created intelligences who administer His universe and this world in which you and I live. God has His administrators under which are many created intelligences. Over against that, Satan also has his minions who have charge over certain areas of certain nations. We will see more of this in the Book of Daniel.
These watchers see all, hear all, and tell all. Many believers today think they can live in secret, that they are not under the eye of God. We talk about wanting to enjoy our privacy, but if you want to know the truth, you and I haven’t any privacy. Psalm 139:7–12 tells us that we cannot get away from God, no matter where we go. Secret sin on earth is open scandal up yonder in heaven. His created intelligences know all about you, and if you are a Christian, you had better go to God with that “secret” sin in your life and get it straightened out.
Now the tree was hewn down, and a band ofiron and brass was put around its stump to indicate that it would grow and flourish again in seven years. And the heart of the ruler (that is, of the “tree”) was to be changed into that of a beast—the vegetable was to become an animal.
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men [Dan. 4:17].
There are three things that we are to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream:
1. “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.” If you think that God has abdicated today and has withdrawn from this universe, you are wrong. The universe has not gotten loose from Him. Emerson was wrong when he said, “Things are in the saddle, and they ride mankind.” There happens to be Somebody else in the saddle, and He is in control on this earth. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion” (Ps. 2:4–6). God says He is going on with His purpose in the world. He is permitting Satan to carry out a nefarious plot for a very definite reason: God is demonstrating something to His created intelligences today. There are a lot of silly things being said about Satan which are entirely unscriptural.
Nations rise and fall to teach men that God rules and overrules the kingdoms of this world. If you think our nation happens to be His special little pet, you are entirely wrong. I believe we have already been put on the auction block: we are already judged. The downward course which this nation is traveling is going to take us right to the judgment of God. He rules in the kingdom of men.
2. He “giveth it to whomsoever he will.” You probably thought that the Democrats and the Republicans put men in power. They thinkthey do, but God disposes of these kingdoms according to His will. That thought may cause someone’s chest to puff up, and he will say, “Well, I am occupying this office by the will of God.” A lot of kings in the past had the foolish notion that they were ruling in God’s place. Don’t believe a word of it—God puts them in power. Notice that Paul says in Romans 13:1, “… the powers that be are ordained of God.” Why in the world does God permit certain powers to rule on this earth?
3. He “setteth up over it the basest of men.” This third statement should be humbling to both the Democrats and the Republicans—and to all of mankind. If you think we pick the best men, we don’t—all you need to do is to read human history to see this. My study of English history shows that our ancestors in the British Isles were some pretty bloody ancestors. They were terrible, and they had some rulers who were unspeakable! May I say to you, God “setteth up over it the basest of men,” and we get the kind of ruler that we deserve. People complain about our government, our Congress, and all that sort of thing. My friend, we put them in their offices; we voted for them. God lets the basest of men come to power. That ought to be humbling to all of us—from Washington, D.C., on down. You will never hear of someone who is trying to curry the favor of our leaders speaking on this verse at a Presidential breakfast or upon any occasion in Washington! This verse is quite upsetting, is it not?
History will substantiate the truth of this statement. The head of gold, Nebuchadnezzar, was insane; yet he was a brilliant ruler who formed the first world kingdom. He had times when he was as mad as a mad-hatter and didn’t even know who he was. As we have mentioned before, many of the great world rulers have suffered problems similar to his. And the reason our forefathers did not establish the United States of America as a kingdom is because they believed that no man could be trusted to rule. God has been demonstrating this now over quite a length of time: He “setteth up over it the basest of men.”
This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee [Dan. 4:18].
Now Daniel will interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
TREE DREAM INTERPRETED BY DANIEL
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies [Dan. 4:19].
The dream is a great shock and a blow to Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar has become his friend, and Daniel is his prime minister. The first dream Nebuchadnezzar had dignified him, but this dream debases him. It is so bad that Daniel is reluctant to reveal it to the king.
Daniel resists whatever temptation there may have been to withhold from Nebuchadnezzar the full story. He is going to give the entire interpretation to the king. The question is often raised as to whether a doctor should tell his patient that he is suffering from a fatal disease. I personally feel that if a man is getting ready to take the biggest step of his life, he ought to know it—that is, if there is someone else who knows it. I have always appreciated the fact that my doctor, who is a Christian and a cancer specialist, said to me when he had discovered that I had cancer: “Dr. McGee, I’m going to tell you exactly what the situation is, because if I didn’t, you would never trust me.” I appreciated that. Many people simply want their doctor to butter them up and assure them they are well.
Daniel is going to lay it on the line to Nebuchadnezzar, and he uses a great deal of tact in approaching the problem. First, he tells Nebuchadnezzar that the good in the dream is for the enemies of the king.
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth [Dan. 4:20–22].
The tree represents Nebuchadnezzar. He has grown strong and become great. He is a world ruler and has filled the then-civilized world. The picture here is of Nebuchadnezzar personally and of his dominion.
And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king [Dan. 4:23–24].
The tree (Nebuchadnezzar) is to be cut off but not totally rejected. For seven years, Nebuchadnezzar is to live with and like the beasts of the field. He won’t even recognize who he is.
That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth inthe kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule [Dan. 4:25–26].
Daniel makes it clear why this dream was given to Nebuchadnezzar and why he is going to have this experience. Nebuchadnezzar is lifted up with pride which was evidenced when he made that tremendous image and forced all mankind to fall down and worship him. This man is certainly filled with pride, and now God is going to humble him. He is to be driven out of his palace, out to the pasture where he will take his abode with the oxen and forget what manner of man he was. However, God is also going to bring Nebuchadnezzar out of his insanity.
Evidently Nebuchadnezzar suffered from hysteria; some of the symptoms which are evident in his life are characteristic of this form of abnormality. One of the symptoms is excessive emotionalism, actually a sort of manic-depressive psychosis. One moment the patient is joyful and friendly, and the next he is morose and antagonistic. Someone has expressed it as “Easy gloom, easy glow”—it is an up and down state. Many people suffer from it to some extent. We all know people who are moody at times and then very joyful at others. But this was a very real problem for Nebuchadnezzar. It was a functional problem and not a structural one; it was not the result of some injury to his brain.
Nebuchadnezzar’s hysteria also manifested itself in amnesia. Those afflicted with this malady don’t know who they are for a period of time. There are those in mental institutions, for example, who think they are Napoleon or some such person. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was an animal.
Another thing that identifies hysteria is extreme egotism and pride. This became an obsession with Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 4:30). We saw how in verses 4 through 10, he talked about I, I, I—he had a bad case of perpendicular I-itis.
Pride is one of the things God hates, and it is something that characterizes man. Old Caesar Augustus said of a city which he captured, “I found it brick, I left it straw.” He had utterly destroyed it. Another caesar made the statement “I found Rome wood, and I left it marble.” You see, pride is the besetting sin of the human family. But what does man have to be proud of? Jeremiah 9:23–24 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, an righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
God’s salvation rules out pride—that is one thing you cannot have when you come to Christ for salvation. Paul said, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). We have nothing in which we can glory. Again, the apostle wrote, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7). And finally, in 2 Corinthians 10:17, we read: “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” Pride is number one on God’s “hate parade”—He hates pride (see Prov. 6:16–19). Our Lord Jesus gave us the ultimate example of humility: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8).
Finally, it is characteristic of hysteria that it runs in cycles. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case, it was a cycle of seven years.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity [Dan. 4:27].
This man Nebuchadnezzar is disturbed within his own heart—he has no peace. He has brought peace to the world—there is no one to challenge his authority at this time—but he is living in sin. Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that he needs to repent of and turn from his sins. He needs to turn to God and to a life of righteousness. Daniel advises him to repent in order to reverse the coming judgment. There is still hope for deliverance—Nebuchadnezzar could know the peace and tranquillity of God. I think this is God’s final warning to Nebuchadnezzar.
A great deal of the mental and emotional abnormalities that we see today are actually the result of spiritual problems. Now I do not say that they all are, as I know that there is sometimes a structural basis for such a problem. However, much of the disturbed condition we see in the lives of men is rooted in the spiritual condition of men. There is peace for them, if they would only come to Christ.
THE MENTAL MALADY OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? [Dan. 4:28–30].
Nebuchadnezzar did not heed the warning of Daniel. One year of grace went by before judgment fell. How patient God is! But His graciousness and longsuffering are not understood by the wicked (see Eccl. 8:11).
The king was on the verge of a break. He looked about his great kingdom, the kingdom which God had already told him that He had given to him. Despite that, Nebuchadnezzar now says, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?”
There have been a multitude of men and women throughout history who have tried to build little empires, and they have looked upon them with pride. I sometimes have opportunity to advise young preachers, and I tell them, “Look fellows, don’t try to build a little empire of your church. I started out with that viewpoint, and I’ll be honest with you, I have never been more disturbed or unhappy as I was then.” This passage of Scripture in Daniel really spoke to me one day, and I realized I was trying to be an empire builder—and that wasn’t what God intended for me to be. My ministry is building the lives of people, not trying to build a great empire. So I tell young preachers, “Start building in the lives of people, and I think the Lord will let you have what He wants you to have.”
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws [Dan. 4:31–33].
Nebuchadnezzar moves out of the palace, out yonder to live with nature. God deals with this man personally. As he departs from the plane of normality and rationality, his kingdom slips from him. The insane of that day were driven out rather than being placed in an institution for treatment. Under ordinary circumstances Nebuchadnezzar would never have been able to return to the throne; yet God promised that he would do so after he had learned his lesson.
History corroborates this event in the life of Nebuchadnezzar. Dr. Philip R. Newell has this note from Albert Barnes, “Josephus attributes to the Babylonian historian, Berosus, a definite reference concerning a strange malady suffered by Nebuchadnezzar before his death” (Daniel, the Man Greatly Beloved, and His Prophecies, p. 54).
DREAM FULFILLED AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S REASON RESTORED
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation [Dan. 4:34].
His understanding comes back to him, and he adds these brief words to the testimony which he gave at the opening of this chapter.
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? [Dan. 4:35].
Nebuchadnezzar has learned now that God is running things, that He is in control of this universe. Nebuchadnezzar accepted this thing that had come to him as the will of God for him, yielding his proud mind to the will of God. That is what a great many believers need to do today.
At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase [Dan. 4:36–37].
Nebuchadnezzar’s reason returned to him. His position as king of Babylon was restored to him, and his officials once again surrounded him. The kingdom was not jeopardized during his long period of absence, and added majesty came to him because he had now come to the knowledge of the living and true God.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Feast of Belshazzar; fingers of God write upon the wall; failure of the wise men to read the handwriting; Daniel spurns the king’s gifts; Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall; fall of Babylon—fulfillment that very night
The events recorded in chapter 5 took place a great deal later than those in the previous chapters. Again, this is just a page lifted from the historical records of Babylon, and much has taken place since the events of chapter 4.
FEAST OF BELSHAZZAR
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand [Dan. 5:1].
Now who was Belshazzar and how did he get to the throne? In the previous chapter the king was Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar has been a controversial figure in history, so we do need to take a moment to look at him. Even Dean Farrar said, “There was no such king as Belshazzar.” John Walvoord in his book Daniel, the Key to Prophetic Revelation, p. 114, states: “Until the discovery of the Nabonidus Cylinder, no mention of Belshazzar, whom Daniel declares to be king of Babylon, had been found in extrabiblical literature. Critics of the authenticity and historicity of Daniel accordingly were free to question whether any such person as Belshazzar existed. Since the publication of Raymond Dougherty’s scholarly research on Nabonidus and Belshazzar, based on the Nabonidus Cylinder and other sources, there is no ground for questioning the general historicity of Belshazzar ….” The name of Bel-shar-usur (Belshazzar) has been found on cylinders in which he is called the son of Nabonidus. It is now generally accepted that Belshazzar acted as a regent under his father, Nabonidus.
A resumé of the events which succeeded Nebuchadnezzar’s reign would be helpful at this point. At the death of Nebuchadnezzar his only son, Evil-merodach, succeeded him, at about 561 b.c. (see 2 Kings 25:27). Evilmerodach was murdered by Nergal-sharezer who had married one of Nebuchadnezzar’s daughters and now replaced him on the throne in about 559 b.c Nergal-sharezer was succeeded by his young son who reigned only a few months before he was murdered by Nabonidus (the husband of another of Nebuchadnezzar’s daughters). Nabonidus, the last ruler of the Babylonian empire, spent much of his time away from the kingdom on foreign expeditions, and Belshazzar his son remained at Babylon as his co-regent. All this reveals the accuracy of what Jeremiah the prophet had said: “And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him” (Jer. 27:6–7). In other words, the Babylonian kingdom would last through the reign of a son and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, and then the reign of the Babylonian kingdom as the head of gold would end.
We have further evidence of Belshazzar from a prayer of Nabonidus to the moon god for his son which was discovered on a clay cylinder: “My son, the offspring of my heart, might honor his godhead and not give himself to sin.” Herodotus, the Greek historian, also mentions this and confirms it.
During the time of the events recorded in chapter 5, Nabonidus was on the field of battle while Belshazzar his son remained in Babylon. We will notice that when Belshazzar offers Daniel a position in the kingdom, it is to be the third ruler in the kingdom. Why not second to Belshazzar? Well, Belshazzar himself was number two—his father was really the king.
During the feast of Belshazzar introduced here in verse 1, Gobryas, the Median general, was besieging the city of Babylon from without. Xenophon, the Greek historian, describes how they took the city by detouring a canal of the Euphrates River back into its main channel and then letting the army flow under the walls of the city.
Therefore the events of this chapter, which for many years had been discounted by the critics, have today been confirmed by secular history. I would rather say that secular history has been confirmed by the Word of God. We know that historians are sometimes liars, and we cannot always depend upon their writings. However, here the historical research does agree with the account of Scripture.
“Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.” Note the arrogance of this young upstart Belshazzar who puts on this lavish affair while the armies of Gobryas were in full view of the city. Perhaps Belshazzar thought the city was impregnable. Nebuchadnezzar had built it to withstand any siege. The city wall was actually fifteen miles square and was constructed of brick. It was three hundred feet high and wide enough for four chariots to travel abreast around the city walls. In other words, they could have put a freeway around the top of the city. He had supplies of grain and water to last for years—in fact, there was a canal channeled off the Euphrates River which went right through the city.
Belshazzar’s feast may have been in defiance of the enemy on the outside, or perhaps he wanted to build up the morale of those within. We are told here that it began with a big cocktail party.
Liquor today is a temporary prop for weak men and women, and alcohol is still the number one drug problem in the United States. I thought it rather ironical when a group of well-meaning citizens in Los Angeles—leaders from the schools, the churches, and politics—met together to discuss the drug problem among young people. You know how they opened their meeting? With a cocktail party! How hypocritical can you be? My friend, there are far more alcoholics in this country than drug addicts. Do you know that more than half of those killed in traffic accidents each year have alcohol in their blood at the time of the accident? Many billions of dollars are spent annually by Americans for alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is doing great damage—in automobile accidents and in homes being absolutely wrecked. The liquor problem is an alarming problem, and it is a problem common to all of mankind. Many nations have gone down because of liquor—and not because of marijuana. Don’t misunderstand me—I am not supporting the use of marijuana. I just cannot get enthusiastic about these reformers who want to solve the drug problem but will not give up their alcohol. I don’t care for that hypocrisy.
Old Belshazzar started off with a big cocktail party to get his guests high so they would enjoy the banquet that he was also going to put on for them.
Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them [Dan. 5:2–3].
This man is not only defying the enemy outside, but now under the influence of alcohol he does an audacious thing which his grandfather would never have done. When Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, he was an old, pagan, heathen king, and he took the vessels from the temple in Jerusalem. But when he came to the knowledge of the living and true God, he had them stored away. To Belshazzar as a boy growing up in the palace, I guess they were a no-no—he had to leave those vessels alone. Now he drags them out and is going to serve his guests with them.
The vessels were no longer holy vessels. Holy means “that which is set aside for the use of God.” However, Belshazzar is defying God by this act. And men today are defying God by their actions. We are prompted to speak out and to wonder why God doesn’t deal with such people. My friend, God has plenty of time. He will take care of the situation, just as He is going to take care of Belshazzar.
Belshazzar knew that his grandfather had come to the knowledge of God and had praised and honored Him (see v. 22); yet he deliberately defied and profaned God. Proverbs 29:1 says, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
Everyone at the banquet was now beastly drunk. It was a scene of real debauchery and licentiousness. Ever since I was a boy, I have heard preachers preach on this banquet of Belshazzar—it must have been a real banquet according to some of them! One of the preachers talked about the dancing girls and the drinking and the laughter and all that sort of thing. If the truth were told, the sermon was like a vicarious trip to a nightclub, and we all enjoyed it. However, Scripture gives us no such details.
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone [Dan. 5:4].
They toasted the gods, and it would have taken more than one night to toast all they had in Babylon. They cloaked their sin as an act of worship and veiled their blasphemy in the name of religion.
FINGERS OF GOD WRITE UPON THE WALL
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote [Dan. 5:5].
God now directly intervenes. He does not speak by dream or vision because this is a man whom He doesn’t intend to reach. God would not endure this impious insult to heaven, so He writes on the wall of the banqueting hall. Is it done in anger? Very frankly, I think it is, and I believe the One who wrote this is the same One who wrote in the sand when they brought a sinful woman before Him (John 8:1–11). At that time it was a message of forgiveness; here, for Belshazzar, it is a message of doom. He has ignored the God of heaven, as Daniel will soon make clear to him.
Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another [Dan. 5:6].
Belshazzar couldn’t stand up. A few moments ago he had been too drunk to stand up. Although he’s suddenly sober he still cannot stand up. What he has seen on the wall has scared him nearly to death; he is overwhelmed with fear.
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom [Dan. 5:7].
Notice that the reward was to be “the third ruler in the kingdom.” How accurate Daniel is! The man who wrote this book had to have been there and understood the circumstances: Nabonidus was the real king, and Belshazzar was only second in the kingdom.
FAILURE OF THE WISE MEN TO READ THE HANDWRITING
Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof [Dan. 5:8].
When Belshazzar finally got his senses back he had the wise men trotted in, and he asked them to give the interpretation of the writing on the wall. Although he offered them a handsome reward, they could only stand there looking at him. They didn’t know the answer, and they didn’t know what to do. This is the third time the wise men of Babylon have failed. On the third strike, you’re out, you know—think maybe this incident put them out of business.
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied [Dan. 5:9].
You can imagine the change which took place in that banquet room. A few moments before they all had been laughing and drunk. Now they are sober and perplexed and troubled.
Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed [Dan. 5:10].
The “queen” here is the queen mother, the wife of Nebuchadnezzar. She heard what had happened at the banquet, and she came in to speak to the king.
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers [Dan. 5:11].
“Nebuchadnezzar thy father”—relationships were indicated with one word; therefore “father” could refer to a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather, or a great-great-grandfather.
Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation [Dan. 5:12].
The queen mother has come to help her grandson out of his predicament. She tells him there is a man in his kingdom by the name of Daniel, a Spirit-filled man, who can decipher the writing.
DANIEL SPURNS THE KING’S GIFTS
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee [Dan. 5:13–14].
Daniel is now brought in. He evidently had been set aside and pushed out of office after the death of Nebuchadnezzar.
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom [Dan. 5:15–16].
Belshazzar butters him up and tells him that if he can give the interpretation which the wise men have failed to give, then he will be made the third ruler in the kingdom. Thus Daniel is offered the same reward which had been offered to the wise men.
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation [Dan. 5:17].
Daniel spurned these gifts. He was absolutely contemptuous of Belshazzar. I am sure that if the king had not been so filled with fear, he would not have ignored Daniel’s insult. After all, why did Daniel need this reward? He would not have had it but for a few hours.
Before Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall, he gives to this young king who is reigning under his father the best sermon he probably ever could receive. Daniel is not the young man who went into the presence of old King Nebuchadnezzar; he is now an old man going into the presence of a young king. There had been no generation gap with Nebuchadnezzar, and there is not one now. Listen to what Daniel tells Belshazzar:
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down [Dan. 5:18–19].
Nebuchadnezzar had been an absolute ruler on this earth. I believe there has not been another ruler like him and there will not be another until Antichrist rules. Daniel recites for Belshazzar how God had dealt with his grandfather: God had put him on the throne and had given him a world kingdom. Then he tells Belshazzar of the experience Nebuchadnezzar had had:
But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written [Dan. 5:20–24].
Daniel preaches a very pointed and powerful sermon to Belshazzar. God had given the kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar, and he had been an absolute sovereign whom no man could question or hinder and whose wishes and whims were the law of the realm. However, when Nebuchadnezzar became filled with pride, God humbled him to a tragic episode. When Daniel reminds Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliating experience, you wonder if Daniel is rubbing it in. Perhaps he is. He is reminding this young proud king that if he is lifted up by pride, it is either because of his drinking or because he is insane.
Belshazzar was a proud and vain man. Although he knew of his grandfather’s insanity and of his descent to the level of a beast, he had not profited by this experience. Instead, he had committed sacrilege in using the vessels taken from God’s temple in Jerusalem. He had defied the living and true God; and, by the profane use of that which had been holy, he had mocked God and insulted Him. Knowing the truth, he yet rejected it.
God destroys only those who have known the truth and have refused it. During the Great Tribulation Period those who will be deluded are those who have rejected the light. Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Daniel is telling Belshazzar the principle by which God operates and which Paul has also since confirmed. The Lord Jesus also made this very clear when He said: “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).
The people in Germany who accepted Hitler were the same people that had rejected the Word of God in Christ. When you turn your back on the truth, you are wide open for any cult or ism which comes along. Why is it that cults and isms are growing today? Why is it that we hear so much about demonism and the worship of Satan? These things are being manifested in our nation because it is a nation that has had the Word of God and has rejected it.
We desperately need the teaching of the Word of God. We have enough preaching—we have enough people telling us what they think. What does God say? What difference does it make what you or I think? What God thinks—that is what is important.
Daniel concludes his sermon by stating that the handwriting was from God whom Belshazzar had spurned and ridiculed and blasphemed. Some people wonder if he had committed an unpardonable sin. I’ll let you answer that. I just know that he had an opportunity here to receive the truth, and he turned it down.
DANIEL INTERPRETS THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN [Dan. 5:25].
Ican’t resist telling you the story of a man who was a foreigner in this country and was finally persuaded by his daughter to go to church, although he had great difficulty understanding English. However, he agreed to go with his daughter, Minnie, on the Sunday the preacher had unfortunately chosen for his text the account of this writing on the wall: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. As soon as the preacher mentioned this, the man grabbed Minnie his daughter by the hand and took her out of the church. “Father, what in the world is the matter?” she asked. With a very heavy accent, he replied, “Did you hear what that preacher said? He said, “Minnie, Minnie, come tickle the parson’!” Well, that is not the interpretation of this writing upon Belshazzar’s wall. Daniel gives the interpretation:
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it [Dan. 5:26].
MENE is translated “number,” and it is repeated—Number, Number. It meant that God had numbered the kingdom of Babylon. We have a common colloquialism today, “His number is up” That is an accurate expression of the idea here. Also, in Psalm 90:12, we read, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Only God knows when “our number is up”—when our earthly journey is over.
There was a young man who had never flown on a plane before, and his friends were encouraging him to take a trip to California. Well, he didn’t want to go because he was afraid the plane might go down. His friends assured him, “It doesn’t matter where you are—if your number’s up, it’s up—whether you’re on a plane or not.” But the boy said, “I’m not worried about my number being up. I just worry whether it’s time for the pilot’s number to be up. If it is, I’d rather not be on that plane!”
“MENE, MENE” means that God had numbered the Babylonian kingdom. He keeps track of every moment of every day. He determines beforehand the length of our days, and we cannot change that.
Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting [Dan. 5:27].
Tekel simply means “weight.” Babylon had been put on the divine scales and had been found wanting. The people of Babylon didn’t weigh enough—they were lightweight. God had raised up Babylon, and now He is going to put it down. Why? Because Babylon had not measured up to God’s standards.
We read in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation about the seven churches of Asia Minor. There we see the Lord Jesus in the midst of the lampstands which represent the churches. He trims the wicks, pours in the oil, and snuffs out those which fail to light. He also judges the church today. Now we may weigh out at sixteen ounces to the pound on the Toledo scales we have down here, but Christ weighs us on the divine scale, and he had to say to every one of the churches, “Repent. You haven’t measured up.” He says the same thing to you and me today. Our righteousness is not only insufficient, it is filthy rags. Only His righteousness is going to stand the test and weigh out at sixteen ounces to the pound. Romans 3:21–23 says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” You see, God weighs the actions of mankind.
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians [Dan. 5:28].
PERES is the singular form of UPHARSIN (as it was given in verse 25), and it means “divisions.” The kingdom of Babylon is now to be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. In other words, the head of gold is to be removed; it is now time for the arms of silver to come into place. God is in supreme command of the kingdoms of the earth. Ezekiel wrote, “I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him” (Ezek. 21:27). God will continue to turn over kingdoms until Christ comes. I think He is doing a pretty good job. I remember a few years ago when Mussolini and Hitler and Stalin were real terrors to the world—all that crowd is gone now. God is still in charge, and Christ is that “stone … cut out without hands” (Dan. 2:34) who is going to establish His kingdom down here someday.
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom [Dan. 5:29].
Again, note that it is “the third ruler in the kingdom.” How accurate the Book of Daniel is. Nabonidus was really the king, and Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, was second in command.
FALL OF BABYLON—FULFILLMENT THAT VERY NIGHT
In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old [Dan. 5:30–31].
Athe very time this banquet was being held, the Medes were marching underneath the walls of Babylon where the waters of the canal had flowed. As I mentioned earlier, underneath the wall of that city had been a canal which had brought water through the city, and now the waters had been cut off and channeled back into the main stream of the Euphrates River. This man Gobryas was marching his army into the inner city where the palace was located. History records that he and his men were on the inside of the inner city before the guards had even detected that anything was wrong. It is Xenophon, the Greek historian, who recorded for secular history the way in which the Persians took the city.
Belshazzar was slain—he had been weighed and found wanting. God does that, and He uses His scale and His standards. He says to you and me, “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). You and I are not 100 percent wool, a yard wide and warranted not to wrinkle or unravel. We just do not measure up to God’s standard. We are not on trial today; we are lost, and God is offering us salvation. Belshazzar had rejected God, and he was slain.
Darius the Median became the ruler of the kingdom of silver. He came with a sudden attack and destroyed Babylon. Isaiah had prophesied the fall of Babylon in Isaiah 21. In a future day another Babylon will fall by the hands of God (see Rev. 18)—thus will end man’s vaunted civilization.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Position of Daniel under Darius the Mede; plot to destroy Daniel; prayer of Daniel; Daniel in the den of lions; Daniel’s deliverance; prosperity of Daniel and the decree of Darius
Chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel is perhaps one of the most familiar in the Bible and certainly is the most well-known of this book. It is the account of Daniel in the den of lions. Have you ever stopped to think that Daniel spent only one night in the den of lions, but he spent a lifetime—from a boy of seventeen until he was about ninety—in the palace of pagan kings? It was more dangerous to live in that palace than it was to spend a night in the den of lions. The lions could not touch him, but yonder in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonidus, Belshazzar, Darius the Median, and Cyrus who were pagan men, Daniel was in constant danger. However, he had the privilege of leading some of these men to a knowledge of the living and true God.
Daniel spent only one night in the den of lions, but we are going to look at it because it has a message for us today. This chapter concludes the strictly historical section of the Book of Daniel, and each historical event has been recorded for us for a purpose. This particular episode in Daniel’s life is another illustration of the keeping power of God, and it is another adumbration of the way in which God will protect the remnant during the Great Tribulation Period. This chapter is a counterpart of chapter 3 where God preserved Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace. As there was a question as to the whereabouts of Daniel in chapter 3, there is also a question as to the whereabouts of the three Hebrew children here in chapter 6. Surely they would have followed Daniel in his obedience to God. Perhaps, since there has been a lapse of time, they are no longer living.
Chapters 3 and 6, therefore, give two aspects of the preservation of the remnant—both of Israel and of the Gentiles—during the Great Tribulation Period. In chapter 3 the emphasis is upon the pressures which are brought to bear by human hatred and persecution. In this chapter the emphasis is rather upon satanic hatred and persecution. The message for us today is, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). You and I live in a lions’ cage. That cage is the world, and there is a big roaring lion prowling up and down the cage. Peter calls him our adversary, the Devil.
POSITION OF DANIEL UNDER DARIUS THE MEDE
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage [Dan. 6:1–2].
With the opening of this chapter, we have again moved ahead historically. The kingdom of Babylon, the head of gold, has now disappeared; it has been removed from the number one spot of world power. Instead of Babylon, we have the Medo-Persian empire, which was represented by the arms of silver in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. “Darius” is the Darius Cyaxares II of secular history, and he ruled for only two years. Cyrus, who followed him, was the son of Darius’ sister Mundane and of Cambyses the Persian. This was what brought the empire together into the Medo-Persian Empire which now ruled the world.
Although we have moved into another empire, we still find Daniel in the position of prime minister under Darius the Mede. When we were considering the multimetallic image of gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay (ch. 2), we suggested that it pictured deterioration in a number of ways. There was deterioration in position, in the type of metal, etc. Here we can see that the inferiority of this kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar’s is quite evident. Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was autocratic and absolute—he did not share authority with anyone. Darius had “an hundred and twenty princes” who shared the responsibility and leadership with him. Over this group Darius placed “three presidents” who served as liaison officers between the princes and the king. There was therefore a distribution of responsibility and rulership. We are told that these three presidents (Daniel was one of them) held their position so that “the king should have no damage.” This suggests that the presidents were to prevent the princes from stealing from or undermining the king in any way. Daniel was number one of the three presidents, and I take it that he was a man of about eighty years of age at this time.
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm [Dan. 6:3].
Daniel not only had seniority in this group, he had superiority. That he possessed “an excellent spirit” means Daniel was a Spirit-filled man. The king had such confidence in him that he placed Daniel next to himself in position and power.
PLOT TO DESTROY DANIEL
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him [Dan. 6:4].
One thing is for sure: When you find yourself the number one man in any position—whether it be in church, in politics, in school, or even in the home—you are the one who will be watched by those who have a jealous spirit. If there is a flaw in your life, if you have an Achilles’ heel, they are going to discover that weak spot and may use it against you.
Now Daniel had a remarkable life behind him. These men could not find anything in this man’s character or in his past life which they could seize upon and make something of. There has been many a politician who wished he had lived and acted a little differently— actually, that could be said of mankind generally.
Today a child of God ought to live so that the charges which inevitably will be leveled against him will be a lie. You cannot keep people from talking about you, but you can so live as to make them liars when they do talk about you. The apostle Paul enjoins all believers: “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). This was Paul’s personal testimony— “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). In other words, Paul could lie down at night and go to sleep, and he did not have a bad conscience troubling him. That ought to be true of every believer. Someone has said that a conscience is something that only a good man can enjoy.
Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God [Dan. 6:5].
Daniel was different—God had made His people different. When he was first brought to the court of Nebuchadnezzar as a boy slave, he had asked for a different diet. From then on, the life of Daniel was different, and these men were aware of that. They said, “If we are going to find anything wrong with him, we are going to have to find it in his religion.” When they said “wrong,” they meant something which they could accuse him of before the king. The only vulnerable spot in Daniel, as these politicians saw it, was his religion. This was certainly a case of Daniel’s good being “evil-spoken of” They knew that Daniel was faithful to God and was dependent upon Him. His prayer life was something that was well-known. Therefore, they are going to have to draw a conflict between the king and Daniel’s religion.
Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions [Dan. 6:6–7].
The plot of these princes and presidents and petty politicians was very subtle. King Darius was a good man. That is obvious from secular history, and I think it is certainly the implication of the Book of Daniel. But Darius had a vulnerable spot (many of us have it), and that was his vanity—he yielded to flattery.
One of the tragedies of our day is that there are many Christians, especially of financial means, who give only to organizations where the leader of the organization flatters them and butters them up. It is my conviction that we do not need to stoop to flattering people to get them to contribute financially to a ministry; God will speak to people’s hearts, if He wants them to support a ministry.
A long time ago I discovered that I am not as bad as my enemies say and I am not nearly as good as my friends say that I am. There is always a danger of being carried away by flattery. I used to tell my students in seminary, “Fellows, it does not matter how poor a preacher you are or what church you are in, the Lord will always have some dear lady who will tell you how wonderful you are. She will come up to you after you have preached the lousiest sermon in the world, and she will tell you, ‘My, I think you are another Dwight L. Moody on the scene!’ It is nice to have such dear ladies who want to encourage you like that, but just don’t believe them. There is a danger if you do.”
These men flattered Darius, and he yielded to it. He thought, My, this is great! So he drafted a bill, and it was made a statute. He thus elevated himself to the position of deity, and prayer was to be offered only to him.
Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree [Dan. 6:8–9].
Darius yielded to his weakness, and now this decree which has gone out, signed by the king, cannot be changed. Even the king of the Medes and Persians himself cannot change it after it has been passed. All this puts Daniel in a bad spot.
PRAYER OF DANIEL
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime [Dan. 6:10].
Notice the reaction of Daniel to this new law. He did not do anything audacious or foolhardy when he opened those windows—he had been doing that for years. He simply did not back down. He did not act in a cowardly and compromising manner by closing the windows but went about his usual prayer life.
I would like to note that he kneeled to pray. The proper posture of prayer is often a question. I really doubt that the posture of prayer is the important thing. Victor Hugo said that the soul is on its knees many times regardless of the position of the body. The posture of the spirit of the man is what is important. However, if you want to select a posture for prayer, it is kneeling, and that is set before us here.
Notice also that Daniel prayed toward Jerusalem. That was the direction of Daniel’s life, and he didn’t intend to change because of Darius’ decree. When away from the temple in Jerusalem, God’s people of that day were to pray facing in that direction. Today, no earthly place is preferred above another; the Lord Jesus said, “… ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father …. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21, 24).
Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God [Dan. 6:11].
These men were waiting for Daniel, and that was really a compliment. This man had a reputation, and they had a feeling that he would not back down from his convictions.
Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him [Dan. 6:12–14].
These men called attention to the fact that Daniel was disobeying: he was at an open window praying toward Jerusalem. Believe me, this was something which distressed the king. Darius could not change his own law; Nebuchadnezzar would have been able to. This is evidence of the deterioration from one kingdom to the next.
Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed [Dan. 6:15].
Daniel is to be put in the den of lions, and there is nothing the king can do about it.
DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS
Then the king commanded and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee [Dan. 6:16].
I am of the opinion that the king did not believe what he said. It was like one of the halfhearted things some of us saints say today. We tell someone else, “Oh, the Lord will take care of you,” but if we were in that predicament, we wouldn’t quite trust Him like that. King Darius, though, had come a long way. He recognized that the God of Daniel was omnipotent and sovereign and could deliver him. He also saw that Daniel was faithful to God. Daniel’s testimony in the dissolute court of two world powers was nothing short of miraculous. His unaffected and unassuming life was a powerful witness to the saving grace of God in that day.
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel [Dan. 6:17].
They put a stone against the mouth of the den of lions, and Daniel spent the night down there. These lions were fierce and wild beasts—they were not toothless old lions.
There is the story about the man who got a job at a zoo, and he was asked to go into the lions’ cage to feed the lions. When he refused, the keeper said, “Look, those lions are toothless!” The man replied, “Yes, I noticed that, but they could gum me to death.”
Daniel’s lions had teeth, and they were fierce, but the safest place that night just happened to be the den of lions. I think Daniel got a pretty good night’s sleep down there. The interesting thing is that the king was more disturbed than Daniel and was probably in more danger.
DANIEL’S DELIVERANCE
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him [Dan. 6:18].
The king didn’t sleep, but Daniel did! Darius passed a sleepless night due to his concern for Daniel.
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? [Dan. 6:19–20].
I don’t know if the king expected Daniel to answer, but Daniel answered:
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
My god hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt [Dan. 6:21–22].
“O king, live for ever” was Daniel’s polite and respectful greeting. It was as if Daniel said, “Did you have a good night?” And of course, the king hadn’t had a good night, but Daniel had.
Daniel evidently had been given the same assurance as had his three friends in the fiery furnace that God could and would deliver him. “His angel” was evidently the same One Nebuchadnezzar had seen in the fiery furnace—the pre-incarnate Christ Himself.
Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God [Dan. 6:23].
The king loved Daniel and was sincerely delighted at his preservation. Daniel was saved by faith: “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions” (Heb. 11:33, italics mine).
And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den [Dan. 6:24].
The dastardly plot of those who were enemies of Daniel was uncovered. Together with their families, they were cast into the den of lions. The viciousness of the lions is now demonstrated in all its hideousness.
PROSPERITY OF DANIEL AND THE DECREE OF DARIUS
Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you [Dan. 6:25].
Darius sent out a worldwide decree which was his personal testimony. He had found the same peace that had come to Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 4:1). This testimony of peace comes from the same man who could not sleep the night before.
I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions [Dan. 6:26–27].
Darius commands men to fear the God of Daniel and testifies that He is the living God (in contrast to idols) and that He is sovereign. Darius was brought to God through the miracle of the den of lions.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian [Dan. 6:28].
Daniel’s position was secure, and he maintained it to the end of his life which came during the reign of Cyrus. It was Cyrus who made the decree permitting the Jews to return to Palestine (see 2 Chron. 36:22–23; Ezra 1:11).
This concludes the strictly historical section of the Book of Daniel. From this point on the book will be mainly concerned with the visions and prophecies which were given to Daniel over the long period of his life spent in a foreign land.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Daniel’s vision of the four beasts; the visions of the Son of Man coming in clouds of heaven; the definition of the four beasts; the explanation of the fourth beast
Chapter 7 opens a new and different section of the Book of Daniel. The first six chapters contained the historic night with prophetic light; the last six chapters are prophetic light in the historic night. Whereas in the first section of the book the emphasis was upon the historical, the emphasis will now be on the prophetic, yet still with an historical background.
God gives to Daniel several visions of four beasts which are quite remarkable. Daniel had these visions at different periods. The vision of chapter 7 was in the first year of King Belshazzar. In chapter 8 the vision was seen in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. In chapter 9 it was in the first year of Darius; in chapter 10 it was the third year of Cyrus; and in chapters 11 and 12 the vision was seen in the first year of Darius. Daniel did not record these visions in the historical section but gathered these prophetic visions together in this second section of his book.
DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a very brilliant man who found himself suddenly elevated to the position of the first great world ruler. He had territory on three continents. He had taken Egypt in North Africa, and he also had territory in Europe. He had a tremendous empire, greater than any the world had ever known. But Nebuchadnezzar wondered about the future: What would happen to him and to his empire? He dreamed a dream about a multimetallic image, and through Daniel God gave the interpretation of the dream (see Dan. 2).
There were four different kinds of metals in Nebuchadnezzar’s image—not five, but four metals. Now Daniel’s vision of the beasts is of four beasts—the lion, the bear, the panther (or leopard), and a composite beast which has been called a nondescript beast. The last was a wild-looking animal which has never been seen on land or sea or in the air—it simply does not exist as a real beast. Well, after he had had visions and dreams like that, I don’t think Daniel slept much that night. He probably got a better night’s sleep in the den of lions than he did the night he had this dream!
I imagine that, after God gave him Nebuchadnezzar’s image dream and its interpretation, Daniel was quite puzzled. As a good student and follower of the Old Testament, Daniel knew of the covenant which God had made with David—that One was coming in his line who would be a world ruler. Now with the four world kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream before him, he wondered how God’s plan and program of raising up a world ruler from David would fit into all this. The rest of the Book of Daniel is going to answer that question. It will give us world history prewritten, history that has been followed right down to the minutest detail for twenty-five hundred years since the time it was written.
God speaks to Daniel through his vision of the four beasts to satisfy his heart and to give him the explanation he needed. In Daniel’s vision of the multimetallic image the outward splendor and glory of the kingdoms was demonstrated—that was what God knew would attract Nebuchadnezzar’s attention. But in the vision He gives to Daniel, God lets him in on the inward character and the true nature of these kingdoms. What are these kingdoms? These are like wild beasts, carnivorous in nature, and destructive killers every one of them.
The four beasts of Daniel’s vision of course correspond to the four metals in the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s vision. In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, the historian Edward Gibbon, who was not a Christian, said, “The four empires are clearly delineated; and the invincible armies of the Romans are described with as much clearness in the prophecies of Daniel, as in the histories of Justin and Diodorus.” The following chart summarizes the correspondence between the two visions and the four kingdoms they represent:
MULTI-METALLIC IMAGE
FOUR BEASTS
NATIONS DESIGNATED
(Chapter 2)
(Chapter 7)
Head of Gold
Lion
Babylon
Arms of Silver
Bear
Media-Persia
Sides of Brass
Panther (leopard)
Graeco-Macedonia
Legs of Iron; Feet of Iron and Clay
Composite beast
Rome
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters [Dan. 7:1].
The time of this vision is pinpointed historically for us in the first year of Belshazzar; that is, toward the end of the time that the head of gold, or Babylon, was ruling in the world. Belshazzar was reigning in Babylon the night Gobryas came with his army under the city wall where the canal had once flowed and took the city.
“Visions” suggests that the first three beasts are given in the first vision, the second vision concerned the fourth beast only, and the third vision is a scene in heaven. Therefore, there are actually three visions which are recorded here.
“He wrote the dream.” Daniel was in obscurity in Babylon at this time, and I think he had more opportunity to give attention to the Word of God and to writing. Perhaps it was in this period that he recorded the first part of the Book of Daniel.
Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea [Dan. 7:2].
The four winds broke violently “upon the great sea,” that is, upon the Mediterranean Sea, for that is the word given to it. The “winds” speak of agitation, propaganda, public opinion, and disturbance. The “sea” suggests the masses, the mob, and the peoples of the Gentiles (see Matt. 13:47; Rev. 13:1; Isa. 57:20). In Revelation we read: “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters …. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:1, 15). The sea, therefore, is this conglomerate population of Gentiles throughout the world.
Customarily the wind blows from only one direction at a time, but here it is a tornado of great violence with the wind coming from all directions. It refers not only to the disturbed conditions out of which these four nations arose, but particularly to the last stage of the fourth kingdom (vv. 11, 12, 17) in which certain ideologies shall strive to capture the thinking of the disturbed masses of all nations and tribes. We are in that last stage of the fourth kingdom today. We are very close, apparently, to the time when the Roman Empire will be brought back together again. It still exists—it lives in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and all the nations in Europe which were in the Roman Empire. All it needs is someone who will put it back together. We apparently are near that time—how near I do not think we even ought to spec
All these nations are to be brought back together with their different ideologies, forms of government, and viewpoints. At this point we should call attention to the deadly parallel between the circumstances herein described and our own modern world situation. This is the reason I say we are evidently drawing toward the end of the age. Entire continents are awakening today, and all are demanding a place in the sun. People who have had a primitive civilization for centuries have suddenly been catapulted into the jet age. Radios and missiles have changed the thinking of the masses. New ideologies have captured their minds, and our disturbed world is desperately trying to avoid World War III.
I wonder if you have noticed as you listen to radio and look at television today that we are being brainwashed? All kinds of propaganda are being given to us. The disturbed masses are being fed propaganda. I do not mind confessing that I am interested in giving out propaganda also—the propaganda of the Word of God. I wish that I could brainwash everyone who reads this book and make him a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is the “little horn” of this chapter who will succeed in capturing the minds of the masses. He is described as having “a mouth speaking great things” (v. 8). He is going to sell himself to the world when he appears. He will be Satan’s man. The Lord Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).
Humanism today is glorifying mankind everywhere. They are glorifying public officials, and they are glorifying stage and screen actors (who also glorify one another). These are the people who are in control of the various media today. They have made the theater respectable, whereas it was clearly the theater which corrupted the morals of the Greeks and which is corrupting our morals today.
I hear young people talking about their “freedom,” but they use the same line of talk and wear the same clothes that can be found everywhere across the country. They really have no freedom at all. People are being brainwashed today. We would all be better off if we would get brainwashed with the Word of God.
This is a frightful picture and a disturbed scene that Daniel is presenting to us. Don’t misunderstand me—I am not saying that what we see today is a fulfillment of prophecy. I am simply saying that the winds are beginning to blow; it may be a pretty long storm.
And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another [Dan. 7:3].
The four beasts are different kinds of beasts: the lion, the bear, the panther, and the beast with ten horns. I have never seen a beast with ten horns except in this book. These beasts represent kingdoms formed out of many peoples, tongues, tribes, and nations.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it [Dan. 7:4].
The lion with eagle’s wings represents Babylon in particular. King Nebuchadnezzar is intended also, as verse 17 declares that the four beasts represent four kings.
This lion had eagle’s wings, and that makes it an unusual lion. These eagle’s wings denote the ability that Babylon had of moving an army speedily, which has been the secret of any great world power down through history. It was a Tennessean named Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest who, when he was asked how to win battles, said, The one that gets there “the first with the most” is the one that is going to win. Nebuchadnezzar had the ability to move an army speedily, and that was the thing which brought him to world power. Such was the secret of Alexander the Great, the Roman caesars, and of course Napoleon. The coming in of the airplane was significant in World War I, and then World War II was won largely by air power. The one who can move the quickest with the greatest power will be the world ruler. This was true of Babylon in the past, and it will probably be the determining factor in the future.
“The wings thereof were plucked” evidently refers to the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar in his mental lapse and loss of identity.
“And made stand upon the feet as a man”—denotes Nebuchadnezzar’s restoration. He became like a beast and acted like one, but his mind was restored, and he was brought back to sanity.
“A man’s heart was given to it.” I believe this refers to Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion. I think he came to know the living and true God.
The lion corresponds to the head of gold, Babylon. Today she is a heap of ruins; but, as predicted by Jeremiah, those very ruins bear eloquent testimony to the outward glory that was hers. Among those ruins one can see a proud lion standing on a pedestal; it was the thing which represented that great empire. Excavation of the city of Babylon reveals the glory that was once there. The hanging gardens of Babylon were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Nebuchadnezzar had married a girl from the hill country, but since Babylon was built down on a plain—just like west Texas—he built the hanging gardens for her so that she wouldn’t be homesick. It was a thing of great beauty. There was also a great ziggurat evidently patterned after the Tower of Babel. It was made of brick, and around it like a corkscrew ran a runway that went to the top. There at the top were altars on which were offered human sacrifices. The Babylonians had a postal system second to none. They had interior bathtubs with brass plumbing. They were a literate people with a tremendous library there in the city. Around the city was a three hundred foot high wall, wide enough that four chariots could ride abreast upon it, and which well protected the entire city.
While the head of gold on the multimetallic image represents the outward glory of this advanced civilization, the cruel nature of the lion describes the brutal paganism of this kingdom which is clearly illustrated in chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Daniel.
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh [Dan. 7:5].
The bear, representing the kingdom of Media-Persia, corresponds to the arms of silver of Nebuchadnezzar’s image. As the bear raised itself up on one side, the image was ambidextrous. First he struck with the strong left hand of Medes, conquering Babylon; then he followed through with the right uppercut of the Persians who took over Egypt and the rest of the world which had been ruled by Babylon.
“Three ribs in the mouth” are the three kingdoms that constituted this empire: Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt.
There are no wings on this bear, but it was told, “Arise, devour much flesh.” The army of the Media-Persians moved like a great, lumbering, and rumbling bear—they even took their families along with them. It was Xerxes who led about 300,000 men and three hundred ships against Greece at Thermopylae and was defeated. His fleet was destroyed by a storm because God did not intend the East to control the West at that particular time.
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it [Dan. 7:6].
“Leopard” would perhaps be better translated “panther.” A panther, which leaps with suddenness upon its helpless prey, represents the Graeco-Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great.
“Four wings” further accentuates the ability of Alexander to move his army with rapidity and to strike suddenly. In comparison it would have made Nebuchadnezzar’s army look like it was on a slow train through Arkansas. Strong nations which have gained world dominion have developed the ability to move and strike with great speed. Today, in the cold war, we are witnessing a missiles race as a further refinement of the process of adding more “wings” to a nation.
The “four heads” depict the division of Alexander’s empire at the time of his death in his early thirties. Babylon went down on a drunken orgy and so did Alexander—they both went the same way. Our nation is going down the same path today. We are living in a day when the social drink is accepted. Our people don’t want their young people on drugs, but they don’t mind if they go out drinking. Following the death of Alexander, four of his generals divided the world empire which he had carved out, because each of them knew they could not control the whole. Cassander took Macedonia; Lysimachus took Asia Minor; Seleucus took Syria, out of which came the “little horn” of Daniel 8, Antiochus Epiphanes, who wrought such havoc with the temple in Jerusalem; and finally, Ptolemy took Egypt, and of course, Cleopatra came along later in that line.
Scripture does not give us an historical record of the Graeco-Macedonian kingdom. It falls chronologically between the Old and New Testaments—the period known as the intertestament period. It was, however, the time when the remnant in Palestine endured the greatest suffering at the hands of Egypt and Syria.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns [Dan. 7:7].
This nondescript beast with ten horns represents the Roman Empire, just as the legs of iron of Nebuchadnezzar’s image did. We will find this interpreted in detail in verses 19–28. We want to get the explanation that the Spirit of God has given to us, and that will deliver us from any speculation.
More attention is given to the fourth beast than to all of the other three put together. This section is very important to us because we are living in the time of the fourth beast—the time when the ten toes and horns are beginning to manifest themselves.
The fourth beast is altogether different from the others, and he is given in a separate vision. All the other beasts have counterparts in the jungles and zoos today. We all have seen a lion, or a bear, or a panther, but we have never seen a beast like this on land or sea or in the air. This is really an unusual beast. After you have had a night of dreaming about beasts like this, I don’t think an aspirin tablet or a sleeping pill would do you any good at all! I think you would be awake the rest of the night.
The beast is described as “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly.” This beast which represents the Roman Empire is characterized by strength. It incited dread and terror, and it bore no resemblance to any beast that preceded it.
“It had great iron teeth,” and this identifies it with the legs of iron of the image vision—which is the Roman Empire. The iron heel of Rome was on the neck of this world for one millennium. A great deal has been said about the Roman Empire, and even to this day it amazes historians. Gibbon has said of it: “The empire of the Romans filled the world, and when the empire fell into the hands of a single person, the world became a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal and it was impossible to fly.”
Another writer, Dr. Robert D. Culver, who has a very fine book on Daniel entitled Daniel: Decoder of Dreams, has made this statement: “Two millennia ago, Rome gave the world the ecumenical unity which the League of Nations and the United Nations organizations have sought to give in our time. The modern attempts are not original at all (as many of our contemporaries suppose), but are revivals of the ancient Roman ideal which never since the time of Augustus Caesar has been wholly lost.”
The Roman Empire simply fell apart; it lives on in many nations of Europe, in those nations which border the Mediterranean and in North Africa—all those which were a part of the Roman Empire. No one overcame Rome, but it fell apart into these different nations.
This unusual beast had ten horns which obviously correspond to the feet of the image with ten toes. The emphasis here is not upon the origin of this empire, but rather upon the end time—the period of the ten horns.
The vision of this fourth beast is made further important to us because it is yet unfulfilled. Apparently we are living in some period toward the end time. The visions of the three beasts have been fulfilled, which means that three-fourths of this prophecy has already been literally fulfilled; there remains for the future only the time of the “horns.” The fourth kingdom of Rome has already appeared. Although it fell apart, it will come back together in ten kingdoms. It will be put together by the one whom the Word of God has labeled the Antichrist.
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things [Dan. 7:8].
Our attention is now directed to the ten horns. Notice that they do not represent a fifth kingdom: they grow out of the head of the fourth beast and are the last development of the fourth beast. In the toes of the first vision, the vision of the image, they are iron and clay. Iron is still there—Rome is still there, but the clay, the weakness, is there also. I think the iron represents the autocratic rule of one man, and the clay represents the crowd, a democracy.
Very candidly, we see that type of weakness in democracy today. We are proud of the freedom we have—I thank God we have it—but it is almost a joke to talk about how important John Q. Public is. You and I are not very important, to tell the truth. Oh, every now and then when it’s time for elections, the politicians tell us how important and wonderful and educated we are. However, we have very little to do with the control of our government or with the choice of our president. The lobbyists and the politicians are making the choices. I thank God for the liberty we have, but we have been brainwashed to think as they think.
God’s ideal government is not a democracy—it is a real dictatorship. When Jesus Christ rules on this earth, He is not going to ask anyone what he wants done. He is going to make the choices, and this earth is going to be run the way He wants to run it. That is the reason it would be best if you and I would become conformed to His image; otherwise we will be very uncomfortable under His dictatorship. Actually, He will put out of His kingdom anything that offends, anyone who is in rebellion against Him. We are to bow to Him and to His absolute rule.
Rome fell apart because of internal corruption and rottenness and drunkenness. All four of these empires went down with drunkenness. In our own country we say drugs are a problem, but liquor is legal. Who are we kidding? My friend, there are millions of alcoholics trying to hold down jobs today. That is only part of the problem, because that does not include the number of housewives and even children who are alcoholics but are not represented in the statistics. No one knows about them until they commit suicide or need to be put into a mental institution. That is the picture of America in the dark hour in which we live.
Rome is going to be put together again, and it is interesting that men are looking for someone who will be able to do it. The German historian Hoffman has said this: “When Germans and Slavs advanced partly into Roman ground, anyhow into the historical position of the Roman Empire, their princes intermarried with Roman families. Charlemagne was descended from a Roman house; almost at the same time the German Emperor Otho II and the Russian Grand-Prince Vladimir intermarried with daughters of the East-Roman Emperor. This was characteristic for the relation of the immigrating nations to Rome; they did not found a new kingdom, but continued the Roman. And so it continues to the end of all earthly power, until its final ramification into ten kingdoms. To attempt now to mark out these would be as misplaced as to fix the Coming of Christ (with which they stand connected) tomorrow or the next day.”
“Another little horn” becomes the key to the entire situation. He uproots three of the ten horns and establishes himself over all. I do not know who the ten kingdoms are, but they come from the disintegration of the Roman Empire.
“In this horn were eyes,” denoting human intelligence and genius.
“A mouth speaking great things” denotes the blasphemy of this man.
THE VISIONS OF THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS OF HEAVEN
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire [Dan. 7:9].
The scene shifts to heaven, and the throne of God is revealed. This is the same scene described in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation. It is the preparation for the judgment of the Great Tribulation and the second coming of Christ to the earth.
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down [placed]” corresponds to Revelation 4:4. While in Revelation John gives the number of the elders and other details, Daniel is not concerned with such since his subject does not include the church and its future.
“The Ancient of days” is the eternal God.
“Whose garment was white as snow” refers to His attributes of holiness and righteousness.
“The hair of his head like the pure wool” speaks of His infinite wisdom.
“His throne was like the fiery flame” speaks of judgment (see Rev. 4:5).
“His wheels as burning fire” speaks of the resistless energy and restless power of God (cf. Ezek. 1:13–21).
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened [Dan. 7:10].
This is not the Great White Throne judgment which occurs after the Millennium, but is the setting for the judgment of the Great Tribulation and the return of Christ to establish His millennial kingdom here upon earth (see Rev. 5:11–14).
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame [Dan. 7:11].
While God is setting the judgment scene in heaven to determine who will enter the kingdom, on earth “the little horn” is blaspheming and boasting the loudest (see Rev. 13:5–6). However, his judgment is fixed and his kingdom is doomed.
The emphasis with this kingdom, represented by the last beast, is not on its beginning but on its end. The appearance of “the little horn” is shortly before Christ comes to judge living nations and individuals. This period equates the Great Tribulation Period.
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time [Dan. 7:12].
Although the first three beasts were destroyed, the ideology and philosophy of the kingdoms they represent apparently live on and will be manifested in the Great Tribulation Period.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him [Dan. 7:13].
The Son of God in heaven is here invested with the authority to take the kingdoms of this world from the Gentiles and establish His kingdom. Jesus referred to this passage when He was put on oath at His trial before the Sanhedrin: “… Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61–62). The angel prophesied at the time of His birth: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32).
Therefore what we have here is a very clear-cut statement that the Lord Jesus is that “stone cut out without hands” which smites the image—He will establish His kingdom here upon earth. In the second Psalm we read: “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee” (Ps. 2:7). He was begotten from the dead—this refers to His resurrection, not to His birth in Bethlehem. The apostle Paul gives us this interpretation in Acts 13:33. The psalmist goes on to say: “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Ps. 2:8). Jesus Christ is going to take over the kingdom. How will He do it?—“Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). When He comes to the earth, the Millennium will not be there waiting for Him. He will put out all rebellion, and those who are obedient will enter into the kingdom.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed [Dan. 7:14].
This prepares the way for the coming of Christ and the smashing of the image by the “stone cut out without hands” (see Rev. 19:11–16).
“An everlasting dominion” seems to contradict the idea of a millennial kingdom of one thousand years. However, at the end of the thousand years, which is a test period with Christ ruling, there will be a brief moment of rebellion against Him when Satan is released for a brief season, and then the kingdom will go right on into eternity.
Revelation 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” The thousand-year kingdom is but a phase of the everlasting kingdom. The steps are outlined clearly in Revelation 20: Christ reigns a thousand years on the earth under heavenly conditions. After this period, Satan is released. The unregenerate human heart, still in rebellion against God, rallies to Satan’s leadership, and he assembles them to make war against Christ. Satan and the rebellious betrayers are cast into the lake of fire. The lost dead are raised for judgment before the Great White Throne. After this, the eternal aspect of the kingdom comes into purview (see v. 27).
The Word of God makes it very clear that the location of this kingdom is on the earth. In Micah 4:2 we read: “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
THE DEFINITION OF THE FOUR BEASTS
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things [Dan. 7:15–16].
As the dream of the image troubled Nebuchadnezzar, this vision disturbs Daniel. He approaches one of the heavenly creatures for an explanation.
These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth [Dan. 7:17].
These four beasts are not only kingdoms but kings. Nebuchadnezzar, together with his kingdom of Babylon, was represented by the head of gold and the two-winged lion. Alexander the Great, synonymous with the Graeco-Macedonian empire, is depicted by both the sides of brass and a panther. These wild beasts of prey, with their carnivorous and voracious natures, are representative of the character of both the king and the kingdom.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever [Dan. 7:18].
The identity of “the saints” is the important factor of this statement. There are five verses in this chapter which mention them (see also vv. 21–22, 25, 27). Reference to them occurs again in Daniel 8:24. Immediately one school of prophetic interpretation assumes they are New Testament saints. A great many people think even narrower than that; they feel that their denomination or their little group are the only saints there are. My friend, God has a pretty big family. In the Old Testament He had Old Testament saints. The nation Israel were called saints; the Gentiles who came in as proselytes were called saints of God. That’s a different company from New Testament saints today who are in the church. Don’t get the idea that your little group is the only group that will be saved or even the idea that believers in this dispensation of grace are the only ones to be saved. God saved people before the Day of Pentecost, and He is going to be saving people after the Rapture. God is in the saving business; maybe the church is failing to reach people with the gospel as it should be, but God is not failing at all.
Daniel 8:24 says, “His power shall be mighty, but not by force of arms; in astonishing ways he shall bring ruin. He shall succeed in what he undertakes. He shall destroy mighty opponents; also the holy people.” The “holy people” are the saints. Exodus 19:6 identifies Israel as the holy nation or saints: “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation …”
The Greek word for “saints” is hagios, and it occurs two hundred times in the New Testament. Ninety-two times hagios is translated “holy” in combination with “spirit,” for the Holy Spirit. It is also used to speak of believers in the church who are called “saints” or “holy ones.” In the New Testament, “saints” are the sinners who have been declared righteous because of their faith in Christ (see Rom. 1:7). Hagios is used likewise for Old Testament believers (see Matt. 27:52–53) and for tribulation saints (see Rev. 13:7). In the Book of Daniel, therefore, “the saints” refer to people of Israel—not to all Israel but to the believing remnant only. That the church saints are not in view here is evident since Daniel does not refer to the church in any sense.
THE EXPLANATION OF THE FOURTH BEAST
The emphasis is placed on the fourth beast. Here is where Daniel put the emphasis and where God put the emphasis. We ought to also, as our period in history fits somewhere in the time of the fourth beast.
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows [Dan. 7:19–20].
Everything here speaks of power and fierceness. The ferocity of the beast, with its iron teeth and brass nails, is noted again. Rome was hated by her captive nations. Hannibal vowed vengeance against her cruel power and lived to execute it; yet he was finally subdued by Rome. Rome rejected the Son of God, the Savior, through her puppet Pilate, who asked the cynical and contemptuous question of Jesus, “What is truth?” Rome crucified Jesus and persecuted the church.
The ten horns grow out of the beast, denoting a later development, not a separate kingdom. Note that the horns do not grow out of a dead beast. Rome lives in the fragmentation of the empire in the many existing nations of Europe and North Africa, including perhaps some of Asia. However, I do not think we can specifically identify the nations. At the time of the end, three of the horns will fall before “the little horn” who is dominant in personality, ability, propaganda, and public appeal. “The little horn” is Antichrist, the Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:3–4), and the first Beast (Rev. 13:3–6).
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them [Dan. 7:21].
It should be noted that Rome will again be a world power under Antichrist. We are told in Revelation 13:7—“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” This will be a brief period in the last part of the Great Tribulation (see Rev. 11:3; 12:6; 13:5). The church will be removed before the Tribulation begins.
The Romans have been a warlike people. Our ancestors in Europe have been warlike people for fifteen hundred years, and we still are. You cannot go into any city or small town in this country today without seeing a monument to our war dead. G.K. Chesterton said, “One of the paradoxes of this age is that it is the age of pacifism, but not the age of peace.” Oh, people carry placards about peace, but we are not a peaceful people. The Bible says, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thess. 5:3). War is in our hearts. In recorded history man has engaged in fifteen thousand wars and has signed some eight thousand peace treaties; yet in all that time, he has enjoyed only two to three hundred years of true peace. Man is a warlike creature.
The Roman Empire is to be put together again, and the Antichrist will be the one to do it. He will march to world power and will become the world ruler. We are told he will blaspheme the God of heaven: “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:6).
What is the picture in Europe today? Early in the 1950s a University of Oklahoma professor traveled through Europe, and although it was less than a decade since the close of World War II with all of its death and destruction, he reported that there was ample evidence the people were looking for a strong man, a leader like Hitler or Napoleon, who would restore their nations to the grandeur and glory and prosperity they once knew.
Even a man like Bishop Fulton J. Sheen made this statement: “The Antichrist will come disguised as the great humanitarian. He will talk peace, prosperity, and plenty, not as a means to lead us to God but as ends in themselves. He will explain guilt away psychologically and make men shrink in shame if their fellowmen say they are not broadminded and liberal. He will spread the lie that men will never be better until they make society better.”
My friend, the world is moving toward the time when Europe will come together. I don’t know how far away it is. The Common Market is evidence that Europe is moving in that direction; yet it does not mean that we have come to the end.
Another thing has happened in Europe that provides the psychological basis for its coming together. Some young people of Italy, France, and Germany, for instance, do not want to be called Italians, French, and Germans. They like to be called Europeans. What a preparation for the coming of Antichrist! Europe today is like ripe fruit hanging on a tree—all the Antichrist needs to do is come and pick it. However, he is not going to come until the Lord removes the church from the world as we read in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom [Dan. 7:22].
“The Ancient of days” is Christ; He is the only One Who is going to be able to put down Antichrist.
“The saints.” Again, we are not talking about New Testament saints—this is the Old Testament. Let the Bible say what it wants to say and don’t try to make it fit your little jigsaw puzzle of doctrine.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces [Dan. 7:23].
The fourth beast is identified here as a kingdom and in verse 17 as a king. It is impossible to separate the king from his kingdom; both belong together like two sides of a door.
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings [Dan. 7:24].
There are ten horns that come out of this fourth beast, and they denote the final form of the fourth kingdom. Each of these kings represents a kingdom. An eleventh king, “the little horn,” will arise. He is going to be diverse from the others and will move to world power by subduing three of the kings. He will actually become the dictator of the entire world. This is the picture that is given to us in Revelation 13:7—“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” He is the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and he is going to rule the world during the Great Tribulation Period, which is a period of seven years.
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time [Dan. 7:25].
The little horn is a blasphemer. “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:5–6).
One of the characteristics of Antichrist is that he is against God and against Christ. That is one of the meanings of “antichrist”; the other meaning is to imitate Christ. I believe that the two beasts of Revelation 13 represent these two aspects of Antichrist: (1) that he is against Christ and a blasphemer; and (2) that he is a false prophet and attempts to imitate Christ; although he acts like a lamb, he really is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
We are also told that he “shall wear out the saints of the most High.” That doesn’t mean like some of us preachers wear out the saints on Sunday mornings! It means literally to afflict and persecute the saints (see Rev. 12:13–17).
“And think to change times and laws”—the little horn will change customs and laws.
The period of the little horn’s reign is of short duration: “they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
It is during the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation that he will reign over the earth (see Rev. 11:2–3; 12:6; 13:5).
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end [Dan. 7:26].
“The judgment shall sit” reminds us of the scene in heaven in Revelation 4 and 5 where thrones are depicted. It is determined by the One on the central throne and by the Lamb who is the executor of the judgment, and it is the agreement of all God’s created and redeemed intelligences of heaven that the beast must be put down. His dominion must be ended and he himself judged. “The judgment shall sit”—this cannot be changed. This judgment continues through the Great Tribulation and is consummated by the return of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom (see Rev. 19:11–21). Thus will end “the times of the Gentiles” which began with Nebuchadnezzar and will continue until the return of Christ.
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him [Dan. 7:27].
This is a reference to the eternal kingdom which appears first in its millennial aspect (see Rev. 20) and then opens up into eternity. Those who find fault with the premillennial position say that the Millennium is not an accurate interpretation but that the kingdom is an eternal kingdom. However, the Millennium is simply a thousand-year period of testing such as we are in today, and it leads and eventuates into the eternal kingdom.
This is the statement of Irenaeus, one of the early church fathers: “But when this Antichrist shall have devastated all things in this world, he will reign for three years and six months, and sit in the temple at Jerusalem; and then the Lord will come from heaven in the clouds, in the glory of the Father, sending this man and those who follow him into the lake of fire; but bringing in for the righteous the times of the kingdom, that is, the rest, the hallowed seventh day; and restoring to Abraham the promised inheritance in which kingdom the Lord declared that ’Many coming from the east and from the west should sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob …” It is wearisome to hear men try to dissipate and dissolve the Millennium and God’s dispensational program for this world by saying that the early church fathers were not premillennial.
Note also this statement by the historian, Philip Schaff. “The most striking point in the eschatology of the ante-Nicene age is the prominent chiliasm, or millenarianism, that is the belief of a visible reign of Christ in glory on earth with the risen saints for a thousand years, before the general resurrection and judgment. It was indeed not the doctrine of the church embodied in any creed or form of devotion, but a widely current opinion of distinguished teachers.” May I say to you, you are in good company today if you believe we are going to have a Millennium here on earth.
Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart [Dan. 7:28].
Daniel did not divulge to his contemporaries the visions and their contents since they belonged to the end time. They were disturbing to Daniel, however, and made such an impression upon him as to alter his entire outlook. This was something brand new to him.
The study of prophecy in this day is not for the selfish gratification of idle curiosity or vain knowledge. Rather, the careful, prayerful study of prophetic Scripture has a transforming effect upon the life of a believer.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The vision of the ram and he goat; the meaning of the vision
The vision recorded by Daniel in this chapter was prophetic when it was given, but it has since been fulfilled. Because it has been so clearly and literally fulfilled, this chapter is the basis for the liberal critic giving a late date for the writing of the Book of Daniel. His argument rests on the fact that prophecy concerning the future is supernatural and he does not believe in the supernatural; therefore, this prophecy could not have been written at the time of Daniel but must have been written afterward as history. That is a very weak argument, and I won’t say anymore than that the Book of Daniel was written by the prophet Daniel. You know, there is a debate among some scholars as to whether Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. Mark Twain’s amusing reply to that question was that if Shakespeare didn’t write Shakespeare, it must have been written by another man of the same name! Well, if Daniel did not write the Book of Daniel at about 600 b.c., then it must have been written by another man of the same name at the same date.
Daniel’s prophetic vision of the ram with two unmatched horns and the he goat with one horn places a microscope down on the conflict between the second and third world empires and the struggle between the East and the West, between the Orient and Occident, between Asia and Europe. This was the struggle between the Medo-Persian and the Graeco-Macedonian empires. The vision includes another “little horn” who has already been fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes, the great persecutor of the Jews called “the Nero of Jewish history.”
We should also note that the preceding section (see Dan. 2:4–7:28) was written in Aramaic, the original language of Syria and the world language of these four great empires. With the beginning of chapter 8, the book returns to the use of the Hebrew language.
THE VISION OF THE RAM AND HE GOAT
In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first [Dan. 8:1].
This is the third year of the reign of Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon. The vision given in chapter 7 was in the first year of his reign; therefore, both of these visions took place toward the end of the Babylonian empire.
And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai [Dan. 8:2].
In the vision Daniel finds himself at Shushan, which is Susa, the capital of Media-Persia, the second world empire.
“In the palace” is more accurately, “near the fortress.”
“Ulai” is the Kerkhah River which flowed by Susa.
The reason for the setting of the vision being at Susa rather than at Babylon is that this vision concerns the second and third world empires. The events foretold in this vision were all fulfilled within two hundred years. Such fulfillment is so remarkable that the liberal critic insists upon a late dating of the Book of Daniel. That is, he maintains that Daniel was written after these events had transpired and so is merely an historical record. This is an attempt to get rid of the miraculous, which is embarrassing to his system of interpretation.
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last [Dan. 8:3].
“A ram which had two horns” will be identified later as Media-Persia (see v. 20)
“The higher came up last.” In other words, the horn representing Media came up first when Gobryas the Median general destroyed Babylon. Then later the Persian monarchs gained the ascendency over the Medes and took the great empire to its highest peak. This ram, then, with its two horns and one horn more prominent than the other, is the MedoPersian empire with the Persians being in the ascendancy.
I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great [Dan. 8:4].
“I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward.” Why doesn’t it say he was pushing eastward? Persia was in the east and made no further advance into the Far East. If they had gone farther in that direction, they would have stepped into the Orient, into India and China. However, they were projecting their empire in all other directions. This is the empire which was represented by the bear in chapter 7; they were motivated by the spirit of conquest.
And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes [Dan. 8:5].
As Daniel was marveling at the power and ability of the ram, yonder from the west came a goat with great movement and a dominant horn. The goat represents Greece (see v. 21), and the horn typifies Alexander the Great.
Under Xerxes, Persia intended to move west, but from the west came this goat which was moving so fast it “touched not the ground”—that corresponds to the four wings of the panther and denotes the speed with which Alexander moved his army.
And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand [Dan. 8:6–7].
“He was moved with choler” means that he was moved with anger and great hatred. He ran into him in order to destroy him.
Xerxes was the last great ruler of Persia, and he made a foray against Europe, against Greece. He moved with an army of 300,000 men and their families. The Greeks were smart—they didn’t go out to meet him. Instead, they waited until he got to Thermopylae, which was a narrow pass into which he could not fit a big army. Since one Greek soldier was equal to at least ten of the MediaPersians who were not a trained and disciplined army as the Greeks were, the Greeks gained the victory at Thermopylae. They decimated that tremendous Persian army as it attempted to advance through the pass a few soldiers at a time. And then at Salamis, Xerxes’ fleet of three hundred vessels was destroyed by a storm. When word was brought to him that his fleet had been destroyed, he went down to the sea, took off his belt, and beat the waves with it—they had destroyed his fleet! I would say that that was not the action of an outstanding and intelligent man, by any means.
This marked the last effort of the East to move toward the West; no great advance was ever made again. It is true that the great hordes of Mohammed, the Moors, came up through Spain, but Charles Martel stopped them at the battle of Tours. It is also true that the Turks attempted to come through the East, through the Balkans, but they failed.
Now there rises in the West this tremendous general, a young man, Alexander the Great. He was only thirty-two years old when he died. He was a military genius, one of the greatest. He could move a striking force by land quicker than any man ever had.
Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven [Dan. 8:8].
“When he was strong, the great horn was broken.” What was it that broke this horn? There was no human power that could break it. We are told that when he came to power, the whole world was under the heel of Alexander the Great. Tradition says that he sat down and wept because there were no more worlds to conquer—he had conquered the thenknown world. However, in the midst of his vast projects, he was seized by a fever after a nightlong drinking bout, and he died in BabyIon in the year 323 b. c. at the age of thirtytwo. “When he was strong, the great horn was broken.”
All three of these empires—the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, and the Graeco-Macedonian—went down in a drunken orgy. Let me say that I do not think our nation will be destroyed by marijuana or heroin, but alcohol will destroy it. Don’t misunderstand me—I am not for legalizing marijuana, and I believe the drug traffic is a grave danger, but we have lost sight of the fact that alcohol destroys nations.
According to the latest 1981 statistics I have seen, about 26,000 Americans are killed and another million suffer crippling and other serious injuries every year in drunk-driving incidents. We have had protest movements over the deaths caused by war, but do we see anyone carrying a whiskey bottle, saying, “This is the real danger to America today”? The drinking-driver problem creates an estimated economic cost of more than five billion dollars annually. There are no statistics on the unemployed who are alcoholics. Billions of dollars are spent each year for liquor. The facts are alarming.
The great empire of Alexander the Great went down because he was an alcoholic. He conquered the world, but he could not conquer Alexander the Great. There is a grave danger in Washington, D.C., today, which is that many decisions of our government are made during cocktail parties. Why do we think we are something special? Why are there people who think that the United States happens to be God’s little pet nation? We think we are so superior intellectually, the ultimate product of the evolutionary process, and there is no chance that we will go down as a nation. My friend, it is time someone blew the whistle and announced that we are on the way out. If I read prophecy correctly, we are on the way out.
“And for it came up four notable ones.” When Alexander died, his empire was divided among four men (which correspond to the four heads of the panther in ch. 7). These were the four generals who divided the empire: Cassander, who was married to Alexander’s sister and took the European section (Macedonia and Greece); Lysimachus who took the great part of Asia Minor, which is modern Turkey; Seleueus who took Asia, all the eastern part of the empire, except Egypt; and Ptolemy who took Egypt and North Africa.
And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land [Dan. 8:9].
“The pleasant land” is Israel.
The “little horn” of this chapter is not the same as described in the previous chapter. There the little horn arises out of the fourth kingdom; here the little horn comes out of the third kingdom. This little horn is historical, while the little horn of chapter 7 is to be revealed in the future. The little horn being presently considered came out of Syria from the Seleucid dynasty. He was Antiochus IV, or Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus the Great. He is sometimes called Epimanes, “the madman”—he was another demented ruler.
Antiochus came to the throne in 175 b.c. and he made an attack on Jerusalem. It was against him that the Maccabees were raised up in Judah. Anti-Semitic to the core, he tried to exterminate the Jews. He placed an image of Jupiter in the Holy Place in the temple in Jerusalem. This was the first “abomination of desolation.” He also poured swine broth over all the holy vessels.
And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them [Dan. 8:10].
This statement is admittedly difficult to interpret. I think that the natural interpretation is that Antiochus challenged God and was permitted to capture Jerusalem and the temple. This warfare included the spiritual realm where angels and demons were involved. Some of the feats attributed to Antiochus are astounding; if they are true, demonic power was exhibited.
Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down [Dan. 8:11].
Antiochus was a devotee of Jupiter of whom he may have thought himself an incarnation. He chose for himself the title Theos Epiphanes, meaning “God manifest.”
And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered [Dan. 8:12].
It was by the permissive will of God that this little horn practised and prospered during this period.
Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? [Dan. 8:13].
Saint is an “holy one” and refers to one of God’s created intelligences other than man—what we would call a supernatural creature. (I often wonder what angels call us, by the way.)
This profaning of the temple is called here a “transgression of desolation.”
And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed [Dan. 8:14].
There has always been a great deal of disagreement as to the interpretation of these twenty-three hundred days. Seventh-Day Adventism grew out of the “great second advent awakening” in which this verse was given the day-year interpretation and the date for Christ’s second coming was set for the year 1843. William Miller and his followers, among whom was Ellen G. White, understood “the sanctuary” to be the earth which would be cleansed at His coming. Miller was a sincere but badly mistaken Baptist preacher. The day-year interpretation was a fragile and insecure foundation for any theory of prophecy, and history has demonstrated it to be false.
However, if the twenty-three hundred days are taken as being literal twenty-four-hour days, the period would be between six and seven years, which approximates the time of Antiochus who began to perpetrate his atrocities in about 170 b. c. Finally the Jewish priest, Judas Maccabeus (“the hammer”), drove out the Syrian army, at which time the temple was cleansed and rededicated after its pollution. This cleansing is celebrated in the Feast of Lights. In John 10:22 we read: “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication [rededication or Lights], and it was winter.” This was one of the holy days celebrated at the time of Christ and which is still remembered by the Jews. It is a feast not mentioned in the Old Testament at all, because it was established in the intertestamental period between the Old and New Testaments.
THE MEANING OF THE VISION
And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision [Dan. 8:15–16].
Daniel was puzzled by the vision, and he desired to learn the meaning of it. There appeared to him the angel Gabriel. This is the first time Gabriel is introduced to us in the Bible.
So he came near where I stood: and when he came,I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision [Dan. 8:17].
Gabriel, in the explanation that follows, will make it clear that Antiochus Epiphanes is but a picture in miniature of the coming Antichrist.
“For at the time of the end shall be the vision.” Notice that it is for “the time of the end,” not the end of time. Nowhere in the Bible are we told about the end of time. “The time of the end” locates the complete fulfillment of this prophecy in the period which our Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation. The man referred to is the Antichrist, also called the Man of Sin and the little horn of chapter 7. This prophecy goes beyond the immediate future and is projected into the distant future—even in our day it is still future. Antiochus is merely an adumbration of the other “little horn” who will come at the end of the “times of the Gentiles,” which is made abundantly clear by the use of these eschatological terms.
Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright [Dan. 8:18].
Notice the physical effect of this vision upon Daniel.
And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be [Dan. 8:19].
Again Gabriel moves from the local fulfillment in Antiochus to the end of the Times of the Gentiles.
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia [Dan. 8:20].
They are clearly identified for us; we do not have to speculate. The ram definitely represents the kings of Media and Persia.
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king [Dan. 8:21].
So the “rough goat” is likewise labeled the king of Greece, and the “great horn” is the first king, Alexander the Great.
Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power [Dan. 8:22].
In other words, none of these kings would have the power that Alexander the Great had.
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up [Dan. 8:23].
The “little horn” is Antiochus Epiphanes of the line of the Seleucidae that took Syria. The only adequate explanation of this verse and of the facts of history is that this man was demon possessed. In this respect he is also a picture of the coming Antichrist. The Lord Jesus made reference to him when He said, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:24).
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people [Dan. 8:24].
“The holy people” refers to Israel. The slaughter of these people by Antiochus Epiphanes seems almost unbelievable. He was as bad as Hitler. However, he is merely an adumbration of the Antichrist who is coming, of whom it is said: “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Rev. 13:7).
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand [Dan. 8:25].
Antiochus was but a faint type of this king who is coming. And he will do four things which Antiochus did in pygmy style:
1. “He shall cause craft to prosper in his hand.” We are told in Revelation 13:17 that no man will be able to buy or sell save the one who has the mark of the beast. He will control the economy with a vengeance.
2. “He shall magnify himself in his heart.” Revelation 13:5 says that he is given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. He will be given power to continue forty-two months. Humility is not a characteristic of the Antichrist! He is like Satan who was filled with pride.
3. “By peace shall destroy many.” He comes in as a lamb, but he goes out as a lion. In Revelation 6 he is the rider on the white horse. Notice that right after him comes the red horse of war—he has brought in a false peace.
4. “He shall stand up against the Prince of princes.” You see, he will oppose and fight against Christ. One of the marks of Antichrist and of that first beast in Revelation 13 is that he is against Christ.
And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days [Dan. 8:26].
Daniel was told that the vision would be for the distant future—“for it shall be for many days” to come.
And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it [Dan. 8:27].
The physical and psychological effect of this vision upon Daniel was devastating. At this point God was beginning to mesh the “times of the Gentiles” into the history of the nation Israel. That was the thing that puzzled Daniel at the first, and it still puzzles a great many people. How can God mesh His program with Israel into His program for the Gentiles in the world? And today to further complicate it, there is His program with the church. The answer is quite simple, of course. In our day God is calling out a people to His name—we label this called-out group “the church.” When that is concluded, and the church is removed from the earth at the Rapture, then He will again turn to His purpose with Israel and the gentile nations.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: The prayer of Daniel; prophecy of the Seventy Weeks
This is another one of those remarkable chapters in Scripture. Dr. Philip Newell evaluates it, “The greatest chapter in the book and one of the greatest chapters of the entire Bible.” The double theme is prayer and prophecy. If one were to choose the ten greatest chapters of the Bible on the subject of prayer, this chapter would be included on any list. If the ten most important chapters on prophecy were chosen, this chapter would again be included on any list. The first 21 verses give us the prayer of Daniel, and the final 6 verses give us the very important prophecy of the Seventy Weeks.
THE PRAYER OF DANIEL
This prayer of Daniel is actually a culmination of a life of prayer. Daniel asked for a prayer meeting to learn the dream of Nebuchadnezzar at the beginning of the book, and he has been a man of prayer all the way through. The prayer in this chapter gives the pattern of his prayer life and acquaints us with the conditions of prayer. Here are some of the basic elements in the prescription of prayer:
Purposeful Planning. Prayer was no haphazard matter with Daniel. He wrote, “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes” (v. 3). Prayer was not just a repetition of idle words or the putting together of pretty phrases with flowery grammar. The Lord Jesus said, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matt. 6:7). Such is not real prayer.
Painful Performance. Daniel prayed with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. This was not done for outward show but to reveal the sincerity of his heart. One doesn’t see many prayer meetings like that today.
Perfect Plainness. Daniel was candid and straightforward in his confession. He got right down to business with God.
There is the story of a preacher in a Scottish prayer meeting who got up and started one of his long-winded prayers. Finally a dear old lady pulled his coattail and said, “Parson, call Him ‘Father’ and ask Him for something.” We need more plainness in prayer.
Powerful Petition. Daniel received an answer while he was speaking and praying. The angel Gabriel appeared to him to give him some explanation. This man got answers to his prayers. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).
Personal and Private. Daniel did not call a public prayer meeting; he prayed privately. This prayer of his is of three minutes’ duration. Our Lord often prayed privately. His prayer which is recorded in John 17 is also three minutes long. There are many of us who want to call a public prayer meeting when we ought to spend more time in private prayer.
Plenary (full) Penetration. Prayer is the only force that has penetrated outer space to the throne of God. Sir Isaac Newton said that he could take up a telescope and look at the nearest star, but he could put down the telescope, get down on his knees and penetrate the outer heavens to the very throne of God.
Prayer for Daniel was a real exercise of soul in spiritual travail. Such prayer is arduous work. It requires effort and endurance and suffering.
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans [Dan. 9:1].
“First year of Darius … of the seed of the Medes.” The two significant questions are: Who was Darius and what was the date? Darius the Mede may be identified as Cyaxares II of secular history (Dan. 5:31). “Darius” is more an official title, such as king, czar, or emperor, than an actual name. There has been some disagreement as to the exact date. Newell thinks it is 538 b.c.; Culber places it at 536 b.c. I think either date would fit into the background. This man conquered Babylon in 538 b.c.
In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem [Dan. 9:2].
This is in the first year of the reign of Darius. Daniel has now seen a new great world empire come into position, and he is wondering about the future and especially the future of his own people. So Daniel turns to a study of the Word of God. He reads the book of the prophet Jeremiah who said that Israel would be in captivity for seventy years. The date is about 537 b.c. in this chapter. Daniel is between eighty-five and ninety years of age. He had been captured back in 606 b.c. when he was about seventeen. That means that the seventy-year period is coming to a close. It is about the time that these people will be given the opportunity to return to their own land.
Daniel was concerned about his people. I think he was shaken by that little horn in chapter 8, Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king of the Seleucid dynasty. He would abuse Daniel’s people, and he would desecrate the temple. All of this caused Daniel great concern.
We should notice that the determining factor which brought Daniel to this prayer was his study of the Word of God. The Word reveals the will of God. A study of God’s Word, followed by prayer, is the formula for determining God’s will. These are the promises which Daniel read: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jer. 25:11). “For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place” (Jer. 29:10).
Keep in mind that Daniel had been studying Jeremiah’s prophecy about these seventy years. When Gabriel used the expression, “seventy weeks” (v. 24), he was extending the time of the seventy years. The Seventy Weeks will cover the entire time of the nation Israel in this time of testing before the kingdom is established on earth.
Just reading Daniel’s prayer reveals how different prayer was in his day from what it is now. Notice first the conditions—
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments [Dan. 9:3–4].
“To seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting.” We are told that the Lord Jesus fasted, but fasting was never given to the people of God as a service. It was something that one could do over and above what was required. It is mentioned that in the early church there were many who fasted. Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth: “In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Cor. 11:27).
Daniel demonstrated a purposeful persistence in prayer. Even Jacob in his prayer cried, “… I will not let thee go, except thou bless me” (Gen. 32:26).
This prayer of Daniel is very personal. It concerns him and his people, which is evident by the repeated use of the first person pronouns, I, we, and our. They appear forty-one times in this prayer. You may remember that we pointed out how Nebuchadnezzar used the personal pronoun in chapter 4. What is the difference? For Nebuchadnezzar it was a mark of pride, a mark of being lifted up. The contrast of Daniel’s use of the personal pronoun is striking. It denotes humility, confession, and “confusion of faces” in contrast to Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and self-adulation.
Daniel is down on his face before God. He recognizes the attributes of God. First we see that he rests upon his personal relationship to God. He calls Him, “My God,” appealing to God in a very personal way. Before he makes his confession, he dwells on the greatness of God. “Dreadful God” actually means worthy of reverence. One cannot trifle with God.
Daniel acknowledges that God keeps the covenant and mercy to them that love Him. He not only makes promises, but He keeps them. He is immutable and, therefore, He is faithful. He is also a God of mercy. It was by His mercy that the nation Israel had been preserved. It is by His mercy that you and I have been brought to this present moment. It is by His mercy that He saves us. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lam. 3:22). God is gracious, but God also expects us to mean business, and God expects to be obeyed.
Now notice Daniel’s confession of sin—
We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land [Dan. 9:5–6].
“We have sinned.” Daniel identifies himself with his people back there in the land of Israel when they rebelled against God, which resulted in their captivity. He is specific in his confession. He labels each sin: iniquity, wickedness, rebellion, disobedience, and refusal to hear God’s prophets. He writes them all down. He doesn’t leave any out.
My friend, I believe that our confession of sin requires exactly that. It isn’t enough to go to God and say, “I have sinned.” It means to tell God exactly what we have done. When my wife sends me to the grocery store, she doesn’t say, “Get some groceries.” She always gives me a list of items. I am to get this, get that, and get the other thing—and four or five more things. I have to go through that list. And I feel that confession of sins should be that specific. Spell it out to Him. Maybe we don’t like to do that because it is an ugly thing. But spell it out to Him; He already knows how ugly it is. We need to come to Him in frank, open confession.
O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee [Dan. 9:7].
“All Israel, that are near, and that are far off.” The people of Israel were scattered, but there were no lost tribes—it is a misnomer to call them that. Some of the tribes were near Daniel there in Babylon and others were far off, but he knew where they were. He didn’t say they were lost. But they were scattered “through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.”
O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice [Dan. 9:8–14].
Up to this point have you noticed how Daniel contrasted God’s goodness with Israel’s sin? He contrasted His righteousness with their “confusion of face” which was their shame. They were scattered because of their trespass against God. They deserved the punishment they had received. God was righteous in sending them into captivity. God was right; they were wrong.
Oh, my friend, if you go to God and make excuses for your sin, if you say to Him, “Lord, you know that I am weak and I was in this and that circumstance,” you are blaming your sin upon God. You are saying that God made a mistake—He should have taken those things into consideration. He has been too hard on you! My friend, you and I are getting exactly what we deserve. And we need to go to God in confession of our sin. In our day I hear folk implying that God may be wrong in what He is doing. God is not wrong; we are the ones who are wrong.
Daniel’s attitude is the proper attitude that each of us should take as we approach our God in prayer. God will not utterly forsake us, but He certainly is not going to move on our behalf until you and I get to the place where we can claim the mercy of God and stop making excuses for ourselves.
And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies [Dan. 9:15–18].
This is Daniel’s petition and plea. He recalls how God led Israel out of Egypt. God did it because of His righteousness, not because of theirs. He found the explanation for their deliverance in Himself, not in the people. “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (Exod. 2:24–25). The only thing that made an appeal to God from the people was their groaning. In other words, God saw their misery, and He remembered His mercy.
Now Daniel asks God to repeat Himself by delivering them again because of His righteousness. God is righteous when He extends His mercy to us, because Jesus Christ has fully paid all the penalty for our sin. “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26).
Now notice Daniel’s impassioned plea—
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name [Dan. 9:19].
This is the climactic plea of Daniel. He asks God to hear and answer because of who He is and what He has promised. No good thing rests upon Israel. Daniel doesn’t plead because he is Daniel. Rather, he associates himself with his people and says, “We have sinned,” including himself, you see. God’s name is at stake, and Daniel is deeply concerned about the name of God and the glory of God. This is the basis for his plea.
Now we shall see that while Daniel was praying, an answer was on its way.
And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God [Dan. 9:20].
“Whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin.” Notice Daniel says, “my sin.” Daniel confessed that he was a sinner. It is interesting that there is no place in the Bible which mentions any sin that Daniel committed. In fact, when his enemies were trying to find some wrongdoing in his life, they could find nothing—and we may be sure that they left no stone unturned.
Now I have often made the statement that no one has ever been saved by keeping the Ten Commandments. And I have suggested that if anybody knew one in the Old Testament who was saved by keeping the Ten Commandments to let me know about it. Well, one night after a service in which I had said that no one in the Old Testament was ever saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, a UCLA student came up to me and said, “I found a man in the Old Testament who didn’t sin. It’s Daniel.” I told him very frankly that he was right. One cannot find a recorded sin which Daniel committed. Then I showed him this verse where Daniel says, “I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin.” If Daniel had never sinned but said that he was confessing his sin, then he would be lying to say he was confessing his sin if, in fact, he had never sinned! So Daniel is a sinner, any way you take it. I think the UCLA student was convinced that the Bible is correct when it says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, italics mine).
Now if you are wondering what sin Daniel committed, let me say that it is none of your business, and it is none of my business. God did not record it in His Word.
So Daniel was a sinner, and I can still say that no one was ever saved by keeping the Ten Commandments. Daniel was casting himself and his people upon the mercy of God.
“Presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God”—which would be Jerusalem and the kingdom of God that will be there (see Isa. 2:1–2).
Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation [Dan. 9:21].
“The man Gabriel”—Gabriel was an angel and apparently appeared in human form. The time of his appearance was at the hour of the evening sacrifice at Jerusalem, which would be approximately three o’clock in the afternoon.
PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS
Now here is the prophecy delivered by Gabriel which makes this chapter of such great importance in the study of eschatology.
And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision [Dan. 9:22–23].
Notice that Daniel gets an immediate answer to his prayer. I heard Dr. Gaebelein say that it took him three minutes to read Daniel’s prayer in Hebrew. By the time Daniel finished his prayer, the angel Gabriel was there. So Dr. Gaebelein reasoned and explained with a twinkle in his eye, “It took Gabriel three minutes to get from heaven to earth.” Of course, if Daniel had his eyes closed while he was praying, it may be that Gabriel was standing on one foot and then on the other for two minutes, waiting for Daniel to get finished. The Lord God has promised, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isa. 65:24).
Note that Daniel was “greatly beloved” in heaven. That is wonderful. The believer in Jesus Christ is seen by God as being in Christ. According to Ephesians 1:6 we are accepted in the Beloved—so the believer is loved in heaven because he is in Christ.
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy [Dan. 9:24].
“Seventy weeks” does not mean weeks of seven days any more than it means weeks of seven years or seven other periods of time. The Hebrew word for “seven” is shabua, meaning “a unit of measure.” It would be comparable to our word dozen. When it stands alone, it could be a dozen of anything—a dozen eggs, a dozen bananas. So here, Seventy Weeks means seventy sevens. It could be seventy sevens of anything. It could be units of days or months or years. In the context of this verse it is plain that Daniel has been reading in Jeremiah about years, seventy years. Jeremiah had been preaching and writing that the captivity would be for seventy years. The seventy years of captivity were the specific penalty for violating seventy sabbatic years. That would be seventy sevens, a total of 490 years. In those 490 years, Israel had violated exactly seventy sabbatic years; so they would go into captivity for seventy years. “To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years” (2 Chron. 36:21).
1 week=7 years 70 weeks=490 years 70 weeks divided into 3 periods: 7 weeks—62 weeks—1 week
Now Daniel was puzzled as to how the end of the seventy years of captivity would fit into the long period of Gentile world dominion which the visions in chapters 7 and 8 had so clearly indicated. He obviously thought that at the end of the seventy years his people would be returned to the land, the promised Messiah would come, and the kingdom which had been promised to David would be established. How could both be true? It appeared to him, I am sure, to be an irreconcilable situation created by these seemingly contradictory prophecies.
The Seventy Weeks, or the seventy sevens, answer two questions. Israel’s kingdom will not come immediately. The seventy sevens must run their course. These seventy sevens fit into the Times of the Gentiles and run concurrently with them. They are broken up to fit into gentile times. The word for determined literally means “cutting off.” These seventy sevens are to be cut off, as the following verses will indicate. The seventy sevens for Israel and the Times of the Gentiles will both come to an end at the same time, that is, at the second coming of Christ. This is important to know in the correct understanding of the prophecy.
The Seventy Weeks concern “thy people,” meaning the people of Daniel. That would be Israel. And they concern “thy holy city,” which can be none other than Jerusalem. Six things are to be accomplished in those Seventy Weeks or 490 years. We will see as we progress in our study that sixty-nine of those “weeks” have already passed, and one “week” is yet to be fulfilled.
Here are the six things to be accomplished:
1. “To finish the transgression. ” This refers to the transgression of Israel. The cross provided the redemption for sin—for the sin of the nation, but not all accepted it. Today the word has gone out to the ends of the earth that there is a redemption for mankind. But in that last “week” we are told that God says, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications …” (Zech. 12:10). And in Zechariah 13:1: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” That has not been opened yet. All you have to do is to look at the land of Israel and you will know this has not been fulfilled.
2. “To make an end of sins.” The national sins of Israel will come to an end at the second coming of Christ. They are just like any other people or any other nation. They are sinners as individuals and as a nation. They have made many mistakes as a nation (so have we), but God will make an end to that.
3. “To make reconciliation for iniquity.” During this period of Seventy Weeks, God has provided a redemption through the death and resurrection of Christ. This, of course, is for Jew and Gentile alike.
4. “And to bring in everlasting righteousness” refers to the return of Christ at the end of the 490 years to establish the kingdom.
5. “To seal up the vision and prophecy” means that all will be fulfilled, which will vindicate this prophecy as well as all other prophecies in Scripture.
6. “To anoint the most Holy” has reference to the anointment of the holy of holies in the millennial temple about which Ezekiel spoke (Ezek. 41–46).
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [Dan. 9:25–27].
The starting point for this period of 490 years is essential to the correct understanding of the prophecy. Since this period is projected into the Times of the Gentiles, it must fit into secular history and originate from some date connected with the Times of the Gentiles. Of course there have been many suggestions for a starting point: the decree of Cyrus (see Ezra 1:1–4); the decree of Darius (see Ezra 6:1–12); the decree of Artaxerxes (at the seventh year of his reign—Ezra 7:11–26); but I feel that the decree of Artaxerxes in the twentieth year of his reign (Neh. 2:1–8) meets the requirements of verse 25. The commandment to rebuild the city of Jerusalem was issued in the month Nisan 445 b.c. That, then, will be our starting point.
The 70 Weeks of Daniel 9
The first seven weeks of forty-nine years bring us to 397 b.c. and to Malachi and the end of the Old Testament. These were “troublous times,” as witnessed to by both Nehemiah and Malachi.
Sixty-two weeks, or 434 years, bring us to the Messiah. Sir Robert Anderson in his book, The Coming Prince, has worked out the time schedule. From the first of the month Nisan to the tenth of Nisan (April 6) a.d. 32, are 173,880 days. Dividing them according to the Jewish year of 360 days, he arrives at 483 years (69 sevens). On this day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, offering Himself for the first time, publicly and officially, as the Messiah.
After the 69 weeks, or 483 years, there is a time break. Between the sixty-ninth and Seventieth Week two events of utmost importance are to take place:
1. Messiah will be cut off. This was the crucifixion of Christ, the great mystery and truth of the gospel: “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matt. 16:21). “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15).
2. Destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in a.d. 70, when Titus the Roman was the instrument.
The final “week” (the seventieth), a period of seven years, is projected into the future and does not follow chronologically the other sixty-nine. The time gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks is the age of grace—unknown to the prophets (Eph. 3:1–12; 1 Pet. 1:10–12). The Seventieth Week is eschatological; it is the final period and is yet unfulfilled.
“The prince” is a Roman; he is the “little horn” of Daniel 7; he is “the beast” of Revelation 13. After the church is removed from the earth, he will make a covenant with Israel. Israel will accept him as her Messiah, but in the midst of the “week” he will break his covenant by placing an image in the temple (Rev. 13). This is the abomination of desolation. What Israel thought to be the Millennium will turn out to be the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:15–26). Only the coming of Christ can end this frightful period (Matt. 24:27–31).
My friend, you and I are living in the age of grace, and the Seventieth Week of Daniel, the Great Tribulation, as the Lord Jesus called it, is yet to take place.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Time, place, and preparation of Daniel for the vision; the vision of Christ glorified; transforming effect on Daniel; message of an unidentified heavenly messenger; Daniel assured and strengthened
These last three chapters should be treated as one vision. It relates to the nation Israel in the immediate future and also in the latter days. For example, there is the historical “little horn” and also the “little horn” of the latter days.
Some expositors consider this last vision to be the greatest of all the visions of Daniel. Although it may not have such stature, it is indeed the most unique section. There are features here which are different from all other chapters. In this last vision even the method of revelation was changed.
Another outstanding feature is that it fills in much detail of the preceding visions. While all was prophetic when it was given, at the present time much has been fulfilled and belongs to history. There is also a great deal that is yet prophetic—to be fulfilled in the last days. The line of demarcation between what has been fulfilled and what is yet to be fulfilled is not always clear. We have already seen the principle of double reference, which refers to predictions that have a near and local fulfillment and also have a distant fulfillment. Of course, the fulfillment in the immediate future gives us the key for the far future fulfillment. For example, the historical fulfillment in Antiochus Epiphanes gives us a picture of the future fulfillment which will be in Antichrist.
The key to understanding these last three chapters is found in the explanation the angel gives to Daniel: “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days” (v. 14). In other words, it will be a long time before this will be fulfilled, and it concerns Daniel’s people, the people of Israel. (Let me caution you against trying to put the church in this section, because Daniel is making it very clear that he is talking about his people.)
We are moving into a very eerie section. Maybe you would call it weird or strange. The veil of the spiritual world is partially and momentarily pulled aside, and we get a look into the unseen world. There is nothing here to satisfy the morbid curiosity of an idle spectator. However, there is enough to produce a beneficial and sobering effect upon the humble believer similar to the effect that it produced upon Daniel.
This intrusion into the spiritual realm introduces the believer to the order of angels—both good and bad angels, fallen and unfallen. We will see something about the kingdom of Satan, which is about us today. There has been a great deal said and written about that recently. Many people take a little fact and then add a whole lot of fiction to it. We are going to stick to the facts that the Bible gives us here.
Apparently angels exercise a free will since some of them by their own volition followed Satan in his rebellion against God. Some of these belong to the order of demons to which frequent reference is made in the gospels. The angels are in different orders, ranks, positions and have various powers and abilities. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Col. 1:6). This makes a separation in God’s creation, not only of that which is in heaven and that which is in earth, but that which is visible and that which is invisible. There is a great realm today that is invisible. We are discovering that there are a great many things in this world of energy that we know very little about.
We are told that He created thrones, which would be the archangels like Michael and Gabriel and other special envoys. There are dominions, which would be the cherubim and seraphim. There are principalities, which would be the generals, “the brass” of the angel hosts. And powers would be the privates such as serve as guardian angels (Heb. 1:4).
Some angels in the rank of principalities, that is, the generals, fell away to join with Satan. Notice what is said about “principalities”: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12, italics mine).
Satan also has his angels organized according to rank. Just as one army is set over against another army, there are generals on both sides. Satan’s “principalities,” or generals, seem to have the oversight of nations. His “powers” are the privates of his army who are demons who seek to possess human beings. The “rulers of the darkness of this world” are demons who have charge of Satan’s worldly business, and I think he has a lot of monkey-business going on down here. Then there is “spiritual wickedness” in the heavenlies, which are the demons who have charge of religion. You may not realize it, but Satan’s department of religion is the largest department of all. He is in the business of religion. Many folk think Satan is against religion. No indeed, he is promoting religion—not Christ, but religion.
These two groups move in the arena of this universe in which we live. They are engaged in ceaseless warfare to capture the souls of men. We will see more of this as we go through this section.
TIME, PLACE, AND PREPARATION OF DANIEL FOR THE VISION
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision [Dan. 10:1].
The “third year of Cyrus” was 534 b.c., which was about four years after the vision of the Seventy Weeks. Daniel was an old man by this time and probably retired from public office.
“A thing [word] was revealed unto Daniel” suggests a new mode of communication.
“The thing [word] was true, but the time appointed was long” indicates that the final fulfillment was in the distant future, not the immediate future.
“He understood the thing [word], and had understanding of the vision” means that this vision was made crystal clear to Daniel.
In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled [Dan. 10:2–3].
Daniel didn’t take a bath for three weeks!
The cause of Daniel’s mourning is not told us, but we can speculate. Remember that it was the third year of Cyrus’ reign, and in his first year he had made the decree which permitted Israel to return to her land (see Ezra 1:1–4). Two full years had passed and only a paltry few had returned to the land of Israel under Zerubbabel. This is before the group under Ezra and the group under Nehemiah had returned. This was a rigorous time for Daniel. It brought grief to the heart of this aged prophet of God, now past ninety, to see that his people did not want to return to their homeland. Probably retired now from active participation in office, evidently having served through the first year of Cyrus, he gave himself entirely to the service of God. He fasted for three weeks because he did not get an immediate answer to his prayer.
And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel [Dan. 10:4].
Now he gives us the exact place and date when he received his vision and revelation. He was by the great river Hiddekel, which is the Tigris River. The time was the twenty-fourth of Nisan, April 24. Daniel is dealing with exact dates. This makes it difficult for the critics to wrestle with, because the one who wrote this was dealing with specific dates and he was not giving a late date for the Book of Daniel!
THE VISION OF CHRIST GLORIFIED
I think that Daniel saw the transfiguration of Christ before either Moses or Elijah saw it. You see, there have always been three representatives: Moses represented the law, Elijah represented the prophets, but Daniel represented a very particular group of those who had been in exile, and now he is given this vision of the glorified Christ ahead of time for his encouragement.
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude [Dan. 10:5–6].
This is a new method of revelation. No longer does Daniel see an image or visions of beasts or weeks. He sees a certain man. Who is that certain man? Some very excellent expositors hesitate to identify him, and they dodge the dilemma by saying he was a heavenly visitor. Well, that is really generalizing, and you can’t be very wrong if you call him a heavenly visitor. But that is not an exegesis of the passage. I believe this Person is Christ.
When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He gave many parables, and some of them concerned the activity of “a certain man.” That “certain man” was either God the Father or God the Son. In the verse before us the “certain man” is identified even further by His person and His dress. What a striking similarity there is to the vision of Christ after His ascension into glory as it was seen by John in the Revelation! “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Rev. 1:12–16). Now that is a vision of Christ, and I believe Daniel saw Christ—not in His preincarnation, but he saw Him as the postincarnate Christ, in His office as priestly Intercessor and Judge and the great Shepherd of the sheep. After all, both Israel and the church are called His sheep. It is interesting to recall that Moses and Elijah were present at the transfiguration of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel records, but Daniel was not present. Why? Well, I think it may be because he had already witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, and this is the record of it.
TRANSFORMING EFFECT ON DANIEL
And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves [Dan. 10:7].
I do not think that any ordinary angel or even an archangel would have this effect upon these men.
Although others were with Daniel, he alone saw the vision. It is evident from many recorded incidents that only the Holy Spirit can identify Christ for men, and that is what He is doing for Daniel. The Lord Jesus said, “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:14). The apostle Paul had a similar experience on the road to Damascus. “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus” (Acts 9:7–8). Paul was blinded—he had seen the glorified Christ.
Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength [Dan. 10:8.].
Daniel was left alone. That is the marvelous, wonderful experience of that man of God, and many have shared eagerly and joyfully a like experience. Abraham left Ur, and finally his kindred, and he was alone with God. Moses was sent to the backside of the desert of Midian, and at the burning bush he was alone with God. Elijah was disciplined by the Brook Cherith, and God was with him. Jeremiah walked a lonely path, but God was with him. John the Baptist was in the desert alone, but God was there. Paul had two years of solitary confinement on that same desert—that was God’s opportunity to train him. The apostle John was exiled on the lonely isle of Patmos, but God was with him.
There are so many people who want to get together to have a great prayer meeting or other great gatherings. Friend, have you ever tried being alone? That is where God will meet with you. Take the Word of God and go off alone with Him. It will do you a lot of good.
I love speaking on my radio program. I have been asked, “Dr. McGee, are you speaking to an audience when you make those tapes?” The answer is, “No. I am all alone.” I am in the studio with all the doors shut. I am alone, alone with God. It is wonderful. I think this is when God speaks to me. It is at this time that God has been able to use this weak bit of clay to get out the Word of God. He makes that Word go out, and He gives it its effectiveness.
In contrast, the ungodly and the unbeliever are gregarious. They want to go to the nightclubs to have a drink with somebody. They run in packs, and they like to have people around them. They don’t like to be alone. You remember that Jacob tried to avoid being alone, but God pushed him into a corner so that one night God wrestled with him and finally crippled him in order to get him.
Now in this Scripture before us Daniel is alone with God, and he has this vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, “there remained no strength in me”—it had a tremendous effect upon him.
Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground [Dan. 10:9].
Daniel apparently lapsed into unconsciousness. I don’t know how long he was there. The Lord Jesus left him, and when Daniel regained consciousness, he found that an angel had come and ministered to him.
MESSAGE OF AN UNIDENTIFIED HEAVENLY MESSENGER
Daniel apparently is just sprawled down, prone on the earth. Then a hand touches him.
And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands [Dan. 10:10].
This heavenly messenger was sent by the postincarnate Christ to answer Daniel’s petition. Who could he have been? Well, I suggest that he was Gabriel, since Gabriel was sent to Daniel on other occasions; yet he could have been any other angel.
And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling [Dan. 10:11].
You see, at first Daniel was horizontal with the ground. Then he was brought up on all fours, and now he is told to stand up.
“A man greatly beloved”—again Daniel is reminded of the fact that he is greatly beloved of God. That is a nice reputation to have in heaven, by the way!
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia [Dan. 10:12–13].
Here a veil is lifted momentarily, and it reveals a heavenly warfare going on. It reveals that there is a great deal more about this universe in which we live than meets the eye. There is a great deal more to it than we know. Very little is revealed to us, and we should not try to know more than is revealed about the unseen world.
This reveals that in the world which is unseen by us there is a conflict going on, a conflict of the ages between good and evil, light and darkness, God and Satan. It reveals that there are satanic forces and heavenly forces.
“From the first day … thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” The angel is saying that Daniel’s prayer was heard immediately and he was sent as a messenger with an answer. But on the way his pathway was blocked; he couldn’t get through to Daniel. This is an amazing statement! This throws some light on what Paul said to the Ephesian believers: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:11–12).
Again, here are the gradations of rank in the forces of Satan. Their power may explain the reason your prayer and my prayer have not yet been answered. Actually, prayer is fighting a spiritual battle always. Paul made it clear that prayer was a spiritual battle for him. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me” (Rom. 15:30). “Strive together” is the Greek word sunagonizom—from this root we get our English word agonize. You and I are to agonize in prayer.
Prayer has been made a light sort of thing today. Most of the prayers I hear are either very flowery or very theological, and I think we could do without both kinds. Real prayer is agonizing. It is getting through the barriers to release spiritual power. It is not done by trying to entertain the Lord with flowery language or by trying to be very profound and theological. My friend, we are fighting a spiritual battle!
Again, the angel said to Daniel, “When you began to pray, God sent me to answer your prayer, but I couldn’t get through to you because on the way the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days.” Who is he? No earthly or human prince could do such a thing. This evidently was an envoy of Satan, one of the demons. We know that God has his angels organized, and apparently Satan also has his demons organized like an army. There are the generals and the colonels, the lieutenants and second lieutenants, sergeants and corporals, and so on. Apparently this angel was outranked by the satanic angel who was the prince of the kingdom of Persia, and so he couldn’t get through and had to send back for reinforcements. In fact, Michael, the archangel, had to come to open up the way for him.
Why would the way be blocked? Daniel is going to be given information about the kingdom of Persia and about the kingdom of Greece—we will see that when we get to the next chapter. Satan didn’t want that kind of information to get out. It was secret information that he didn’t want released to the human family. But God wanted the information to be gotten through to Daniel.
“Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Apparently there was a conflict going on involving the kings of Persia (remember that Daniel was in Persia), and there needed to be some heavenly forces to help. This was about the time that Daniel had the experience of being put into the den of lions. You see, the Lord was active on Daniel’s behalf without his knowing anything about it.
Oh, my friend, we need to recognize as believers that we are in a spiritual warfare. It is amazing how many times the Devil shortcircuits our prayer life.
One of the reasons that public prayer and prayer meetings are so dead is because those who go there say some pretty little prayers without realizing that there is a battle going on. There is a war that must be fought and won. Paul mentions this again in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Friend, the Christian life is a bigger undertaking than any of us ever dreamed it to be. You and I need to recognize how much we need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and how much we need the presence of Christ. We need to be more conscious of the fact that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare.
Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days [Dan. 10:14].
This is the key which opens the door to the understanding of the remainder of the Book of Daniel. There are three features which characterize this closing vision.
1. The vision concerns “thy people.” I think we can dogmatically and categorically identify the prophecy as having Israel as its subject. If anyone tries to interpret this in any other way, then semantics and syntax are meaningless. “Thy people” means Israel.
2. It will be accomplished “in the latter days.” This places the final fulfillment in the period of the Seventieth Week, which is the time of the Great Tribulation Period. The “latter days” places it at the end of that period.
3. “Yet the vision is for many days.” This emphasizes the fact that a long period of time is involved—not only in fulfillment—but before the vision will be finalized.
We will come now to the two parts of the vision: the historical (it was prophetic when it was given, but now has been fulfilled) and the prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
DANIEL ASSURED AND STRENGTHENED
And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength [Dan. 10:15–16].
This was having a tremendous effect upon Daniel physically, as you can see.
For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.
Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me [Dan. 10:17–18].
When I hear people today tell me that they have had a vision of an angel but it doesn’t seem to have affected them very much, I know they didn’t really see an angel. The experience of seeing an angel certainly had a tremendous effect upon Daniel.
And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come [Dan. 10:19–20].
Another angel that represents Greece will come—another satanic principality. The angel who was speaking to Daniel had to get back to the battle that was going on.
But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince [Dan. 10:21].
“That which is noted in the scripture of truth”—the angel turns Daniel to the Word of God. Noted means “recorded or registered.” In other words, Daniel will not hear or see anything that is contradictory to the Word of God.
My friend, the Word of God is the only weapon available to the child of God for effective use in our spiritual warfare. It is called the sword of the Spirit, and some of us don’t know how to use our swords.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Vision continued; Antiochus Epiphanes identified; vicious and vocal volition of the Man of Sin; victory of the willful king is temporary
Chapters 10–12 all deal with the same vision, and therefore chapter 11 is a continuation of the previous chapter. It is a very important chapter because it fills in some of the details of the Seventy Weeks of chapter 9, which specifically concern Daniel’s people, Israel. It also fills in some of the details of the last three of the four nations symbolized in the multimetallic image of chapter 2 and in the beasts of chapter 7. The very importance of this chapter caused Satan to hinder the angel in coming to give Daniel the answer to his prayer, because this prophecy does concern two of the nations which were all-important in relation to Daniel’s people. The two nations were Persia and Greece.
A further notable contribution of this chapter is that it bridges prophetically part of the gap between the Old and New Testaments. We speak of the intertestamental period between the Old and New Testaments as being a period of silence, which is not exactly accurate. The intertestamental period was the time of Israel’s greatest travail. They suffered at the hands of both Syria and Egypt. As these two nations warred against each other, Palestine was caught in the middle as the armies of these two nations seesawed back and forth, up and down, across the land of Israel.
During the intertestamental period came the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes (who is a type of the Antichrist of the future). He was a member of the Seleucid family, and we will identify him when we come to him in this chapter. He was a persecutor of the Jews, far exceeding any Pharaoh or Haman or Hitler or modern Russia. He has been called the Nero of Jewish history. He has also been called the Great Profaner.
There is a remarkable division in the chapter which separates history and prophecy—the historical from the eschatological section. Remember, it was all future when it was originally written, but part of it has been fulfilled.
This prophecy is rather complicated and goes into prophecy a little deeper than the average person likes to go into it. Most people seem to like the exciting, sensational part of prophecy, but they do not want to dig down into the Word of God to see what it really says. However, if you are one who enjoys a deep and detailed study of prophecy, you will be thrilled by this section of the remarkable Word of God.
VISION CONTINUED
This prophecy bridges the gap from Media-Persia over to Greece, from Asia to Europe. It tells of the transition of world powers from one continent to another, from the East to the West. Remember that the prophecy concerns the people of Daniel. It was especially important to Israel because they would be caught in a vise between these different powers. It would be a period of great suffering for these people.
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him [Dan. 11:1].
The speaker here is the angel, and this is a continuation from chapter 10. The angel may have been Gabriel; we are not told his name. Remember that it occurred during the reign of Darius when Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. Darius tried in vain to deliver Daniel, but he was trapped by his own decree. Yet he said to Daniel, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee” (Dan. 6:16).
“I stood to confirm and strengthen him.” The angel confirmed and strengthened Darius in his faith. He also comforted and assisted Daniel. And Daniel said, you recall, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths” (Dan. 6:22).
So historically this is where the vision fits in, and it bridges the gap between the Old and New Testaments, the intertestamental period.
And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia [Dan. 11:2].
From here through verse 34 is one of the most remarkable examples of prewritten history. This section has caused the destructive critic to demand a late date for the composition of the Book of Daniel. Here are clear-cut statements of prophecy which have been literally fulfilled.
The prophecy of this chapter is so detailed and so accurate that the liberal critic will not accept the fact that it was written before it happened. He insists that Daniel’s prophecy was written after it had become history. Personally, I do not like the liberals to be called liberal. To me they are the most narrow-minded people I know anything about. Yet they like to speak of their broad-mindedness and that they don’t have a narrow conception of Scripture. Let me give you an example. One of them right here in Southern California said to me, “McGee, I listen to you on the radio sometimes.” (He said that in a condescending manner as though I should have been honored.) Then he said, “I notice that you accept prophecy as being reliable,” and he cited this Book of Daniel. So I asked him, “What authority do you have for rejecting the early dating of Daniel and accepting a late date of Daniel?” His reply was this, “Well, it’s very simple. We know that miracles are impossible, that they do not happen. Therefore if this were written beforehand, it would be a miracle; so it must have been written afterward.” Now, my friend, I ask you, is that being narrow-minded, prejudiced, and biased? Obviously, this chapter before us is one of the most remarkable passages of prewritten history in the Word of God, and conservative scholarship can sustain the early date of Daniel. This means that you have a miracle on your hands.
When the angel gave this information to Daniel, he knew that Daniel would not live to see it fulfilled. Obviously, it was recorded for the comfort and encouragement of the people of God who would live through the difficult days it describes. Also it was written for all generations as a testimony of the fact that God knows the end from the beginning.
The angel told him that there would be four notable kings of Persia to follow Cyrus. We think we can identify them today: (1) Cambyses, 529 b.c.; (2) Pseudo-Smerdis, 522 b.c.; (3) Darius Hystaspis, 521 b.c.; and (4) Xerxes who invaded Greece in 480 b.c. He was defeated and never again did Media-Persia make a bid for world dominion. Incidentally, I believe that Xerxes is the Ahasuerus of the Book of Esther. He was very rich, as the prophecy here said he would be.
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will [Dan. 11:3].
“A mighty king” is Alexander the Great who came to power in 335 b.c. over the Graeco-Macedonian Empire. He put down Persia and assumed world dominion.
And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those [Dan. 11:4].
Alexander the Great was a world ruler and probably the greatest military strategist the world has ever seen, but he died an alcoholic in 323 b.c. His own posterity did not inherit his vast kingdom. Four of his generals divided the empire into four geographical areas, each ruled by one general. The division was roughly this: Cassander took Macedonia; Lysimachus took Asia Minor (modern Turkey); Seleucus Nicator took Syria and the remainder of the Middle East; and Ptolemy took Egypt. All four families warred among themselves. Eventually they all lost their kingdoms when the Romans marched east.
And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion [Dan. 11:5].
“The king of the south.” South of what? Directions in the Bible are reckoned from Palestine as the center of the earth. The king of the south is not from south of Los Angeles or Chicago or New York. It is the king from the south of Israel, so this would be the king from Egypt. This king of the south would be one of the Ptolemies.
And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times [Dan. 11:6].
“The king of the north” refers to the line of the Seleucidae. This verse brings us to about 250 b.c. Although historians differ on some of the minor details, they have recorded some of the manipulations that went on in the courts of that day, which fulfill this prophecy very accurately. To form an alliance between these two warring families, Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt gave his daughter Berenice in marriage to Antiochus Theos of Syria. Antiochus was already married to Laodice, whom he divorced. After two years Ptolemy Philadelphus died; so Antiochus Theos put away Berenice with her son and took back his first wife, Laodice. She, in turn, poisoned Antiochus Theos and ordered the death of Berenice and her son. Then Laodice put her own son, Seleucus Callinicus, on the throne. That was some juggling act, and it is interesting how this is covered in the prophecy given to Daniel.
But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail [Dan. 11:7].
This was Ptolemy Euergetes, brother of Berenice, who came with an army and captured Syria, and he seized the fort which was the port of Antioch in that day.
And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.
So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land [Dan. 11:8–9].
It is recorded that Ptolemy Euergetes took into Egypt as booty four thousand talents of gold, forty thousand talents of silver, and twenty-five hundred idols. Do you see how this Scripture was literally fulfilled?
But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.
And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.
And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.
For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches [Dan. 11:10–13].
There was continual warfare between Egypt and Syria. Without going into detail, let me say that during this period Israel seemed repeatedly to make the wrong choice and found herself being made captive first by one, then by the other.
And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall [Dan. 11:14].
Many in the nation of Israel were slain at this time. They incurred untold sufferings from both the king of the north and the king of the south.
So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.
But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed [Dan. 11:15–16].
“He shall stand in the glorious land.” Now we know why this has been recorded and given to Daniel—it concerns the “glorious land,” which is Israel, the land that God had vouchsafed to Abraham and to those coming after him.
These two verses predict what history now records as the victory of Antiochus the Great over Egypt. It was a decisive victory, and it caused Israel to suffer immeasurably. I am going to pass over some of the secular history of this period. If you care to go into detail, I suggest that you consult one of the larger Bible encyclopedias, such as Hastings’ or the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, and read in detail the secular history covered in this section. You will find that Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled in a remarkable way. There is a period of 125 years that was fulfilled in detail.
He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him [Dan. 11:17].
This brings us to about 198 or 195 b.c. when Antiochus the Great made a treaty with Egypt and gave his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy Epiphanes in marriage.
After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.
Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle [Dan. 11:18–20].
“He shall turn his face unto the isles” refers to Greece and all the Greek islands. This is where Antiochus the Great was beginning to move at this time—not only against Ptolemy in the south, but against Lysimachus in the west.
“A prince for his own behalf” would refer to another line, that is, Rome which was beginning to arise in the west and move toward the east. Rome, you see, exacted taxes from the Syrians. The Romans were probably the best tax assessors and tax gatherers in the world until modern America perfected the system. Our system of collecting taxes would put even Rome to shame! As Rome began to rise, she was building a tremendous empire by taxing the people she was capturing. As the Syrians began to fall before Rome, there were many historical details that could be filled in. For further reading I would suggest to you The Prophet Daniel by A. C. Gaebelein and The Coming Prince by Sir Robert Anderson, a former chief of Scotland Yard.
ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES IDENTIFIED
Introduced to us now is the vile person, Antiochus Epiphanes, who was king in Syria and is easily identified in history.
This is the “little horn” that has already been fulfilled, as we studied back in chapter 8.
And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries [Dan. 11:21].
This prophecy is concerned with one king in the line of the Seleucidae, Antiochus Epiphanes. Most fundamental interpreters of Scripture consider this section to be a direct reference to this man. The prophecy fits the history of Antiochus Epiphanes like a glove. (He is at the same time a type of the Antichrist, thus illustrative and figurative of the Man of Sin who is yet to come. The careers of both are strikingly similar.)
Antiochus Epiphanes came to the throne in 175 b.c. He is called vile because of his blasphemies. He came to the throne with a program of peace. (The Antichrist will come to power in the same way. He will introduce the Great Tribulation with three and one half years of peace, and the people of the world will think they are entering the Millennium when they are really entering the Great Tribulation Period.) Antiochus was a deceiver and a flatterer. My friend, beware of that type of person. You can find them even in the ministry. They have hurt the church more than anything. We do not need men who will deceive and butter up folk for their own advantage; we need honest, forthright men who will stand in the pulpit and tell it like it is. Unfortunately, they are getting few and far between, but, thank God, there are still many of them about.
And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time [Dan. 11:22–24].
“The prince of the covenant” was probably the high priest, Onias III, who was deposed and murdered at this time by the deceitful devices of Antiochus when he came to power.
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.
And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land [Dan. 11:25–28].
These verses describe the campaign of Antiochus and his victory over the king of Egypt which brought him much riches and prestige.
“They shall speak lies at one table” refers to the fact that he was an unreliable liar. It also reveals that the conference tables of that day were very much like the conference tables of our own day where nations meet and make treaties which become meaningless scraps of paper.
At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant [Dan. 11:29–30].
Antiochus made a second campaign against Egypt but was not successful due to the navy of Rome, “the ships of Chittim.” He broke his covenant with Israel, but notice that some of the Jews betrayed their own people—“he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.”
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate [Dan. 11:31].
Antiochus came against Jerusalem in 170 b.c., at which time over one hundred thousand Jews were slain! He took away the daily sacrifice from the temple, offered the blood and broth of a swine upon the altar, and set up an image of Jupiter to be worshiped in the holy place of the temple of God. This was an “abomination that maketh desolate,” but it was not the abomination to which our Lord Jesus refers which was future when He was on earth and is still future in our day. It is the abomination which Antichrist will set up. Antiochus set up an image of Jupiter in the holy place, and the Antichrist will probably set up an image of himself in the holy place.
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits [Dan. 11:32].
There were a few in the nation Israel who played the role of a Judas, but there were many who knew God and were strong and did exploits. It was during this time that God raised up the family of the Maccabees. In 166 b.c. Mattathias the priest raised a revolt against the awful blasphemy. The family was called the Maccabees, that is, the hammer. Although they are not recorded in Scripture, I am convinced that they were God’s men for that particular hour.
And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries [Dan. 11:33–34].
This period lies between the Testaments and is a saga of suffering. There were many in this time who served God as faithfully and courageously as had Gideon or David or Elijah or Jeremiah or Daniel. If you are not familiar with this period of history, you should look into the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees as well as the writings of Josephus.
And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed [Dan. 11:35].
“The time of the end” leaps forward in prophecy from Antiochus Epiphanes to the Antichrist. We move now from the history of that day into that which is yet in the future. All of this prophecy was in the future when Daniel gave it—some is now history and some is yet future.
VICIOUS AND VOCAL VOLITION OF THE MAN OF SIN
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done [Dan. 11:36].
At this point history ends and prophecy begins. The text passes from a vile person to a vicious character, moving over a bridge of unmeasured time. Antiochus Epiphanes was certainly a contemptible person, but he could not measure up to the king described in verses 36–39. Antiochus was an adumbration of Antichrist, and I believe that this passage of Scripture thus indicates that Antichrist will rise out of the geographical bounds of the ancient Grecian empire.
There will be a political Antichrist, the one who is mentioned here, a Gentile raised out of the Roman Empire. There will also be a religious Antichrist who will pretend to be Christ and who will arise out of the land of Israel—he will be like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Antichrist is given many names in Scripture. J. Dwight Pentecost, in his book Things to Come (p. 334), gives a list of names compiled by Arthur W. Pink (The Antichrist, pp. 59–75) which are applicable to Antichrist: “The Bloody and Deceitful Man (Ps. 5:6), the Wicked One (Ps. 10:2–4), the Man of the Earth (Ps. 10:18), the Mighty Man (Ps. 52:1), the Enemy (Ps. 55:3), the Adversary (Ps. 74:8–10), the Head of Many Countries (Ps. 111:6 [sic]), the Violent Man (Psalm 140:1), the Assyrian (Isa. 10:5–12), the King of Babylon (Isa. 14:2), the Sun [sic] of the Morning (Isa. 14:12), the Spoiler (Isa. 16:4–5; Jer. 6:26), the Nail (Isa. 22:25), the Branch of the Terrible Ones (Isa. 25:5), the Profane Wicked Prince of Israel (Ezek. 21:25–27), the Little Horn (Dan. 7:8), the Prince that shall come (Dan. 9:26), the Vile Person (Dan. 11:21), the Wilful King (Dan. 11:36), the Idol Shepherd (Zech. 11:16–17), the Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:3), the Son of Perdition (2 Thess. 2:3), the Lawless one (2 Thess. 2:8), the Antichrist (1 John 2:22), the Angels [sic] of the Bottomless Pit (Rev. 9:11), the Beast (Rev. 11:7; 13:1). To these could be added: the One Coming in His Own Name (John 5:43), the King of Fierce Countenance (Dan. 8:23), the Abomination of Desolation (Matt. 24:15), the Desolator (Dan. 9:27).”
“The king shall do according to his will.” Antichrist is self-willed. How contrary this is to the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).
“He shall exalt himself.” The little horn (the name given to Antichrist in ch. 7) tries to be a big horn. Again, how unlike the Lord Jesus this is! Paul wrote of Him: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:5–8).
“And magnify himself above every god.” In 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Paul wrote of the Antichrist: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” And in Revelation 13:8 we are also told: “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
It is blasphemous rebellion against God which marks the willful king as the final and logical expression of humanism. He is the typical representative of that which is against God and that which is our old nature: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7–8). The carnal mind of men will turn to the Antichrist. When men choose their own rulers and leaders, what kind of man do they choose? Generally it is one who is like they are, and that is the reason we are getting such sorry leaders in the world today. The leadership of the world is frightful—they are the kind of folk we picked out. God has said right here in the Book of Daniel that He would set over the kingdoms of this world the basest of rulers.
“And shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished.” The willful king will be successful at first and for a brief time. God will permit this to come to pass during the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all [Dan. 11:37].
“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers.” It has been assumed from this statement that Antichrist would have to be an Israelite. However, this statement could refer to a Protestant, a Roman Catholic, or a heathen. Wherever he comes from, he will not regard the God of his fathers. We have examples of this in history. Smith, the head of the now defunct organization, the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, was the son of a Methodist minister, and Stalin at one time studied in a theological seminary.
As I have stated previously, I believe that it takes two men to fulfill this office, and they are both presented in chapter 13 of Revelation. This first one is a political ruler who comes out of the Roman Empire and probably the Greek section of the Roman Empire. He is the one who doesn’t have to be an Israelite at all. The second beast that arises is a religious leader, and he imitates Christ—I assume he will be an Israelite.
“Nor the desire of women.” This refers evidently to the desire of Hebrew women to be the mother of the Messiah. Not only will the Lord Jesus Christ be absolutely rejected, He will become the enemy. Antichrist leads a rebellion against God and Christ. As Psalm 2 puts it: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Ps. 2:2–3).
“Nor regard any god.” That means very plainly that he will oppose all religions and worship, except worship of himself. He is not only a believer in the ecumenical movement, he promotes it; in fact, he is it. One religion for one world will be his motto, and he is that religion.
“He shall magnify himself above all” is the final fruition of the self-will of this willful king. His total ambition is self-adulation.
This is the frightful prospect of the final days of the Great Tribulation Period: “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev. 13:15–17). You will not be able to go to a restaurant to eat or buy a ticket on a plane or train without the mark of the Beast. I tell you, that is going to be dictatorship with a vengeance!
But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things [Dan. 11:38].
“The God of forces” should be more accurately translated “the God of fortresses.” It is true that we are living in a day, as someone has written, in which man is increasingly making gods out of forces, but that is not what Daniel is saying here. I am quoting Dr. Newell: “We know from pagan mythology that both Cybele and Diana are variously represented as crowned with multi-tiered crowns, plainly setting forth the idea of fortification with turrets, battlements, and so forth” (Daniel, The Man Greatly Beloved, and His Prophecies, p. 178). I am sure you have seen pictures of these heathen idols with their multi-tiered crowns with all kinds of fortresses on them which represent the kingdoms of this world. Antichrist will honor the god of fortresses who has the kingdoms of the world. Who is that? Well, it was Satan who offered to Christ the kingdoms of this world, and our Lord rejected his offer. Apparently, Satan had a right to make that offer. Antichrist will accept the offer and become the world’s dictator. We are told in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 13:4 that Antichrist will accept worship and will have the world worshiping Satan in that day. All the kingdoms of the world will be under his rulership, the first truly worldwide dictatorship.
Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain [Dan. 11:39].
This is going to be Satan’s hour. He will make the most of it, as he knows his time is short. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Rev. 12:12). Antichrist will be the pliant tool to completely do the will of Satan in that day. He will rule over many people and dispose of property as he pleases. He is the willful king and the final world dictator.
VICTORY OF THE WILLFUL KING IS TEMPORARY
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over [Dan. 11:40].
It is “the time of the end,” not the end of time. It is the end which Daniel has had in mind all through this section, the last days of the nation Israel which the Lord Jesus labeled the Great Tribulation.
“The king of the south” is evidently a ruler of Egypt, but it is impossible for us to identify him. Actually, Egypt has not had a native ruler for years. God has done a pretty good job of putting over that nation the basest of rulers. However, this one who is going to arise at the time of the end will probably unite all of Africa as no leader of Egypt has ever been able to do, and he will come against Antichrist.
“The king of the north” is more easily identified. He takes the place of the Seleucidae dynasty, and I believe he is the one who comes out of the north mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The king of the north is Russia. Russia will open the campaign of Armageddon which will not be just a battle, but an entire war. At the very beginning, the king of the north will be eliminated as God moves in judgment upon that nation.
He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon [Dan. 11:41].
The entrance of Russia into Palestine precipitates the great crisis and conflict of the Great Tribulation Period.
When Antichrist enters Palestine, that is, “the glorious land,” he will find that he is going to have trouble with Edom, Moab, and Ammon. That is the territory where the sons of Ishmael, the Arabs, are today. He is going to have trouble with them, for a while at least.
He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape [Dan. 11:42].
Egypt and the king of the south will yield to the Antichrist.
But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps [Dan. 11:43].
He will have control of the wealth of this world. He will control the entire money markets of the world at that time. Libya and Ethiopia will surrender to him—he will have control of Africa.
But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many [Dan. 11:44].
“Tidings out of the east”—that means the Orient with its teeming millions. A great army will come from there to the Battle of Armageddon, and this world ruler will be troubled. At that time, there will be no hope for the world, and certainly there will be no hope for God’s people, except in God Himself.
And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him [Dan. 11:45].
“The seas” refer to the Mediterranean Sea, and “the glorious holy mountain” is Jerusalem. In other words, at that time Antichrist will establish his headquarters for world conquest between the Mediterranean Sea and Jerusalem. However, instead of ruling from there, he will be destroyed by the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 19:17–20). Evil will have taken over, and only in the personal coming of Christ to establish His kingdom will any on this earth be delivered and saved.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: The Great Tribulation; the resurrections of Old Testament saints and sinners; sealing of prophecy till the time of the end; the abomination of desolation
Chapter 12 now concludes the vision which began back in chapter 10. This is all one vision, and everything about it must fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The problem is that some people dip into this prophecy here and there, making applications as they see fit. We need to remember that this is all one vision, and we were told concerning it: “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days” (Dan. 10:14). There are three important things that we note from this verse:
1. “Thy people” means that it concerns the nation Israel after the church is removed from the earth.
2. It is “in the latter days.” The latter days of the Old Testament are identified with the last days of the New Testament which the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation Period and which correspond to the Seventieth Week of Daniel.
3. “Yet the vision is for many days,” that is, there will be a long time before all of this is worked out and before you come to the latter days. It has been a long time since Daniel had these visions; in fact, at least twenty-five hundred years have gone by. Whether we are moving into the orbit of these days, I do not know. The church will have to be removed first—that is the next happening in the program of God. We have no date for that—we have no sign for it. Anyone who tries to set a date for the Rapture is dealing with something that is not found in the Word of God.
THE GREAT TRIBULATION
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book [Dan. 12:1].
By what authority do we call this period the Great Tribulation Period? By the authority of the Lord Jesus, because He used the same language in speaking of the Great Tribulation that Daniel uses here. He said that this would be a brief period, a time of trouble, and that there would never be a time like it before or afterward. This is the time the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation Period. He knew what He was talking about, and we will accept what He said (see Matt. 24:15–26).
“At that time” identifies the time frame as the time of the end (Dan. 11:35, 40; 12:4) and the latter days (Dan. 10:14). This is now the end of the vision given to Daniel, and it ends with the Great Tribulation Period. Dr. Robert Culver wrote in Daniel and the Latter Days, p. 166: “Another expression, ‘at the time of the end’ (11:40), seems to indicate eschatological times. I do not feel that this evidence, taken by itself, can be pressed too far, for obviously the end of whatever series of events is in the mind of the author is designated by the expression, ‘time of the end.’ This is not necessarily a series reaching on to the consummation of the ages. However, it is quite clear from 10:14, which fixes the scope of the prophecy to include ‘the latter days,’ that the ‘time of the end’ in this prophecy is with reference to the period consummated by the establishment of the Messianic kingdom.”
“Michael” is identified for us here. He is the only angel given the title of archangel (see Jude 9). His name means “who is like unto God?” He is the one who is going to cast Satan out of heaven (see Rev. 12:7–9). He is the one who protects the nation Israel and stands in her behalf, as Daniel makes clear here. His strategy is outlined by John in Revelation 12:14–16.
“For the children of thy people.” This is positively the nation Israel. Otherwise the language has no meaning whatsoever.
“And there shall be a time of trouble.” This is the Great Tribulation Period as our Lord so labeled it in Matthew 24:21.
The believing remnant of Israel will be preserved (see Matt. 24:22; Rom. 11:26; Rev. 7:4). “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Rev. 7:4).
THE RESURRECTIONS OF OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS AND SINNERS
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt [Dan. 12:2].
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life.” The remnant of Israel living in the Great Tribulation Period will be preserved, and that great company of Gentiles who are to be saved during that time also will be preserved. Those of the Old Testament who died belonging to the remnant and the Gentiles saved during the Old Testament will be raised to everlasting life at the end of the Great Tribulation.
The Old Testament saints are not raised at the Rapture of the church. Scripture clearly states that at the Rapture those “… which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thess. 4:14, italics mine). Only, “… the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16, italics mine). We are in Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit which began on the Day of Pentecost and will end at the Rapture. This particular body of believers is called the church. We are told in 1 Corinthians 12:12–13, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” Christ told His disciples who were members of the nation Israel that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit and put into the body of believers, the church—“For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5).
When the church is raptured out of the world, the Old Testament saints will not yet be raised. Why? Because the time to enter the kingdom is at the end of the Great Tribulation Period when Christ comes to establish His kingdom on the earth. Then the Old Testament saints will be raised. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will all be raised to enter the kingdom on this earth at that time. However, if they were raised at the time of the Rapture of the church, they would just have to stand around with their harps for seven years! I think that would get a little monotonous. However, Scripture makes it clear that they will be raised at the end of the Great Tribulation.
“Some to shame and everlasting contempt” refers to the lost of the Old Testament who are raised for the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium (see Rev. 20:11–15).
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever [Dan. 12:3].
God’s servants in the dark days of the Great Tribulation will shine as lights. Believers are to do the same thing today, by the way. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). The remnant in that day will be God’s witness in the world, and they are going to “turn many to righteousness.” That righteousness is Christ, the only righteousness which is acceptable to God. Our righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isa. 64:6) in His sight—not in our sight; we think we are pretty good. We pat each other on the back and tell each other how wonderful we are, while all we produce is a bunch of dirty laundry, my friend. God is not accepting our works; He is accepting the righteousness of Christ, and that is provided only by faith.
SEALING OF PROPHECY TILL THE TIME OF THE END
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased [Dan. 12:4].
These prophecies were to be sealed until “the time of the end.” This does not mean the end of time but refers to that definite period of time which in the Book of Daniel is the Seventieth Week. In view of the fact that we are in the interval immediately preceding this period, it is difficult to know just how much we understand. Since so many good men differ today on the interpretation of prophecy, it would seem to indicate that there is much that we do not understand. All of this will be opened up when we reach this particular period. This is the reason we need to keep our eyes upon one thing—“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
“Many shall run to and fro.” I personally believe that this refers to running up and down the Bible in the study of prophecy—many shall search it through and through. There is a serious study of prophecy being made by many scholars today which has not been done in the past. Different great doctrines of the church have been studied and developed during different periods of the history of the church. At the very beginning, the doctrine of the inspiration of the Scriptures was pretty well established—also the doctrine of the deity of Christ and of redemption. Other doctrines were developed down through history. Today I think we are seeing more study of prophecy than ever before.
“Knowledge shall be increased.” I believe this means knowledge of prophecy. It is true that knowledge has increased in every field today, but this refers primarily to the study of prophecy.
Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.
And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished [Dan. 12:5–7].
These verses return us to the vision which Daniel had seen at the beginning of chapter 10.
“The man clothed in linen” has been previously identified as the postincarnate Christ. Two others join Him here—one stands on one bank of the Tigris River and the other on the opposite bank. One asks how long these events will take, and the postincarnate Christ swears that it will be three and one half years, which is the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
“To scatter the power of the holy people” is a strange phrase. It may mean that the rebellion of Israel will have finally been broken by the end of the Great Tribulation Period and that there will have been a great turning to God at that time.
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? [Dan. 12:8].
Though Daniel was a witness to this scene, he did not understand what he saw and heard. Daniel was puzzled and wanted to know how all of these things he had just witnessed would work out.
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end [Dan. 12:9].
Daniel is reminded again that these things would take place in the time of the end and are temporarily sealed (see v. 4).
THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand [Dan. 12:10].
These great principles of God prevail from Daniel’s day to the time of the end, irrespective of dispensations:
1. “Many shall be purified” refers to those who have come to Christ, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy …” (Titus 3:5).
2. “None of the wicked shall understand” refers to the natural man. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14).
3. “But the wise shall understand.” “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days [Dan. 12:11].
The importance of this verse cannot be over-emphasized as the Lord Jesus referred to it in Matthew 24:15—“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (Whoso readeth, let him understand).” This is the signal to the remnant that the Great Tribulation has begun.
For 1,290 days the idol of the Beast remains in the temple. Actually, this is thirty days beyond the three and one half years. The last half of the Great Tribulation is 1,260 days, and for some unexplained reason the image of Antichrist will be permitted to remain 30 days after Antichrist himself has been cast into the lake of fire.
Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days [Dan. 12:12].
Another series of days is given to us here with no other explanation than “blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh” to them. No one has the interpretation of this—it is sealed until the time of the end. I think sometimes we try to know more than is actually given to us.
But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days [Dan. 12:13].
Daniel is told (as the Lord Jesus told Simon Peter) that he would die. He would not live to see the return of Christ, but he would be raised from the dead to enter the Millennium.
“In thy lot” means that Daniel will be raised with the Old Testament saints at the beginning of the Millennium.
“At the end of the days” brings us to the abundant entrance into Christ’s kingdom. My friend, that is the future that is before us right now, a future that says Jesus is coming to this earth to establish His kingdom. This is the hope we should keep before us in these days.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Campbell, Donald K. Daniel: Decoder of Dreams. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1977.
Criswell, W. A. Expository Sermons on the Book of Daniel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1968.
DeHaan, M. R. Daniel the Prophet. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1947.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Prophet Daniel. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1911.
Ironside, H. A. Lectures on Daniel the Prophet. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1911. (Especially good for young Christians.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Book of Daniel. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1881.
Larkin, Clarence. The Book of Daniel. Philadelphia: The Larkin Estate, 1929. (Very helpful charts.)
Luck, G. Coleman. Daniel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1958. (Fine, inexpensive survey.)
McClain, Alva J. Daniel’s Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. Winona Lake, Indiana: Brethren Missionary Herald Co., 1940.
Strauss, Lehman. The Prophecies of Daniel. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1969. (Very practical.)
Walvoord, John F. Daniel, The Key to Prophetic Revelation. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971. (Excellent, comprehensive interpretation.)
Wood, Leon J. Daniel: A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975. (Excellent for individual and group study.)
HELPFUL BOOKS ON BIBLE PROPHECY
Hoyt, Hermann A. The End Times. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1969.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. Things to Come. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Basis of the Premillennial Faith. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1953.
Ryrie, Charles C. What You Should Know About the Rapture. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
Sauer, Erich. From Eternity to Eternity. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954.
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Walvoord, John F. Armageddon, Oil, and the Middle East Crisis. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.
Walvoord, John F. The Millennial Kingdom. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959.
Walvoord, John F. The Rapture Question. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957.
Wood, Leon J. The Bible and Future Events. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973.
The Book of
Hosea
INTRODUCTION
Beginning with Hosea and concluding with Malachi, there are twelve short prophecies designated as the Minor Prophets, while Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are called the Major Prophets. The Minor Prophets are so called because of the size of the books, not because of their content. However, even that criterion for division is not completely accurate since Hosea is a longer book than Daniel. Actually, the so-called Minor Prophets are not minor. Each of them batted in the major league and was a star in the message that he brought.
The Minor Prophets were exceedingly nationalistic, but they were not isolationists. They dealt with the fact that God’s people had broken the law of God, the Ten Commandments. This necessarily puts an emphasis on works, good works. For this reason the liberals and the promoters of the social gospel have used the Minor Prophets a great deal. Unfortunately, they have missed the main message of these prophets. We will see some of that when we get into the prophecy of Hosea. The Minor Prophets warned against godless alliances with other nations. They were extremely patriotic and denounced political and moral corruption. They warned Israel against an isolationism from God.
Hosea lived during the time of the divided kingdom. He was a prophet to the northern kingdom which is called the kingdom of Israel, distinguished from the southern kingdom known as the kingdom of Judah. “The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel” (Hos. 1:1).
Hosea mentions the four kings of Judah first, and then he mentions the king of Israel, the northern kingdom. Because they were all contemporary with Hosea, he mentions them all. He was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel, as the content of the book reveals.
Hosea was a contemporary of Amos, another prophet to Israel. He was also a contemporary of Micah and Isaiah, prophets to Judah. His ministry extended over half a century, and he lived to see the fulfillment of his prophecy in the captivity of Israel.
He can be compared to Jeremiah in the southern kingdom. Jeremiah warned his people of the southern kingdom that they would go into captivity, and he lived to see it. Hosea warned the northern kingdom that they would be going into Assyrian captivity, and he lived to see it. Jeremiah and Hosea have a great many things in common.
The theme of this book is a plea to return unto the Lord. I have a message entitled, “The Greatest Sin in All the World,” which emphasizes the great theme of this book. I shall let it serve as the introduction to this marvelous prophecy of Hosea.
The accusation is often made that the present-day pulpit is weak and uncertain. Furthermore, it is charged that instead of being a “… voice … in the wilderness …” (John 1:23), the modern pulpit has settled down comfortably to become a sounding board for the whims and wishes of an indifferent people with itching ears. If the charge is true (and in many cases it is), it is because the pulpit is reluctant to grapple with the great issues of life. This hesitancy is born of a desire to escape criticism and a dread of becoming offensive to the finer sensibilities. More often it is due to a cowardly fear of facing the raw realities of life and wrestling with the leviathan of living issues. The pulpit quotes poetry and sprinkles rose water. It lives in a land of make-believe instead of saying, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31).
The theater, the monthly magazine, and other agencies of communication deal with life stripped of its niceties. These instruments for reaching and teaching the masses take the gloves off and grapple with the problems that we face daily.
Not so the pulpit. The pulpit has avoided these issues. As we come to this prophecy of Hosea, we cannot avoid dealing with the problems and issues of life, for that is the story that is behind the headlines in the prophecy of Hosea. It is not a pretty story, but we must understand it if we are to understand the message of Hosea.
The story behind the prophecy of Hosea is the tragedy of a broken home. The personal experience of Hosea is the background of his message. He walks out of a broken home to speak to the nation from a heart that is breaking. He knew exactly how God felt, because he felt the same way.
The home is the rock foundation of society and has been that for all peoples. God has given the home to mankind. He gave it to man at the very beginning. It is the most important unit in the social structure. It is to society what the atom is to the physical universe. The little atom has been called the building block of the universe. Well, the home is the building block of society. The character and color of a building is determined by the individual bricks that go into it. No nation is any stronger than the homes that populate it, for the home determines the color and complexion of society. The home is the chain of a nation that holds it together, and every individual link is important.
Home is where we live and move and have our being. It is in the home where we are ourselves. We dress up physically and psychologically when we go out. We put up quite a front when we go through our front door and move out upon the street. But it is within the walls of the home that we take off our masks and are really ourselves.
Because of the strategic position of the home, God has thrown about it certain safeguards to protect it. He has surrounded it with certain bulwarks because of its importance. One of these is marriage. God has given more attention to the institution of marriage than He has to any other institution in this world. Society did not make marriage; society found marriage. It is God who made marriage, and He gave it to mankind. Marriage rests upon His direct Word, “… What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). God performed the first marriage ceremony. He gave the first bride away. He blessed the first couple. Marriage is more than a legal contract, more than an economic arrangement, more than a union of those with mutual love; it is an act of God. It rests upon His fiat command. Many folk think that all they need in order to get married is a license and a preacher. My friend, if you are going to have a successful marriage, you have to have God. If God does not make the marriage, it will go on the rocks.
God has given a drive to the race to reproduce within the framework of marriage. That is what makes the home. The “… twain shall be one flesh …” (Mark 10:8). Before man walked out of the Garden of Eden, God gave him this institution. Besides the skins that Adam and Eve wore, the only thing they had was a marriage certificate from God. That is all. That is the only institution that came out of the Garden of Eden.
Marriage is a sacred relationship; it is a holy union. The New Testament sums up the mind of God on this when it says, “Marriage is honourable in all …” (Heb. 13:4). Therefore, my beloved, marriage cannot be broken by a little legal act. It cannot be broken by a fit of temper. It cannot be broken by self-will. I personally believe there are only two acts that break a marriage—I mean a real marriage.
The first act is death, of course, which automatically severs the relationship.
The second act is unfaithfulness-unfaithfulness on the part of either the husband or the wife. That rips a relationship in two. In the Old Testament, the one guilty of adultery was to be dealt with in the harshest manner imaginable. For example, notice the importance God attached to the act: “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 20:10). For an unmarried girl accused of adultery the Law said, “But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you” (Deut. 22:20–21).
There are a few words I think we should say here by way of explanation. There are some zealous Christians who use Romans 7:2–3 as the basis for the extreme viewpoint that a divorced person who has a living mate can never remarry. Verse 2 says, “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.” They forget that under the Law the married person who was guilty of fornication was stoned to death and the innocent party under the Law did not have a living partner. The guilty person was pushing up daisies through the rock pile. If that were enforced in Southern California today, we wouldn’t have freeways because we wouldn’t be able to get around all the rock piles.
I am not sure but what Paul includes desertion under the heading of unfaithfulness in I Corinthians 7:15: “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.”
Another item concerning the Law which needs amplification is the reference in Deuteronomy which seems to preclude the man from any charge of guilt. You may wonder why the woman is picked on—isn’t the man guilty? Yes, but there are two things you need to bear in mind: one is that the word used is always the generic term, anthropos, meaning “mankind.” We have the same distinction in legal terminology. I notice that some contracts read, “The party of the first part, if he …” when the person is really a she. The term is used for either one. Also we must remember that marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, and He is never guilty, but the church is guilty. The Scriptures do not teach a double standard, but I do think they teach a different standard.
Personally, I think that God has made woman finer than man. For this reason, when she goes bad, she goes farther down than a man goes. It is not that sin in one is worse than in another, but the results are far more detrimental. In my limited ministry, I have seen children overcome the handicap of a ne’er-do-well father, but I have never seen children turn out right when the mother has been bad. A sorry father is a serious handicap for a child, but a good mother more than compensates. Mother is the center of the home. Some time ago I heard of a woman who was asked to accept an office in a church organization. She refused the office and gave as her reason, “I am a missionary to the nursery. There are three pairs of eyes watching me, and I want to direct them to God.” God has placed a mother in a home and made her all-important in that place.
Every woman was once a little girl very much like the description composed by Alan Beck, and which he has entitled “What is a Girl?”
Little girls are the nicest things that happen to people. They are born with a little bit of angel-shine about them and though it wears thin sometimes, there is always enough left to lasso your heart—even when they are sitting in the mud, or crying temperamental tears, or parading up the street in mother’s best clothes.
A little girl can be sweeter (and badder) oftener than anyone else in the world. She can jitter around, and stomp, and make funny noises and frazzle your nerves, yet just when you open your mouth, she stands there demure with that special look in her eyes. A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot.
God borrows from many creatures to make a little girl. He uses the song of a bird, the squeal of a pig, the stubbornness of a mule, the antics of a monkey, the spryness of a grasshopper, the curiosity of a cat, the slyness of a fox, the softness of a kitten. And to top it off, He adds the mysterious mind of a woman.
A little girl likes new shoes, party dresses, small animals, dolls, make-believe, ice cream, make-up, going visiting, tea parties, and one boy. She doesn’t care so much for visitors, boys in general, large dogs, hand-me-downs, straight chairs, vegetables, snow suits, or staying in the front yard. She is loudest when you are thinking, prettiest when she has provoked you, busiest at bedtime, quietest when you want to show her off, and most flirtatious when she absolutely must not get the best of you again.
She can muss up your home, your hair, and your dignity—spend your money, your time, and your temper—then just when your patience is ready to crack, her sunshine peeks through and you’ve lost again.
Yes, she is a nerve-racking nuisance, just a noisy bundle of mischief But when your dreams tumble down and the world is a mess, when it seems you are pretty much of a fool after all, she can make you a king when she climbs on your knee and whispers, “I love you best of all!”
God shapes that little-girl charm into a fine and delicate instrument, a woman. But when a woman goes wrong, the tragedy is immeasurable.
The background of the prophecy of Hosea is the story of a fallen woman and a broken home. It is a story of that which must be contrasted to God’s ideal of marriage and of womanhood. God uses this to tell His own story.
In the hill country of Ephraim, in one of the many little towns not on the maps of the world, lived two young people. One was a boy by the name of Hosea, the other was a girl by the name of Gomer. They fell in love—it is the same story which has been repeated millions of times but never grows old. I don’t think it is stretching the imagination to say that they fell madly in love with each other. Then for some unaccountable reason, Gomer went bad. She resorted to the oldest profession known to mankind. Hosea was brokenhearted, and shame filled his soul. He must have thought about his recourse to the Mosaic Law. He could have brought her before the elders of the town and demanded the law be enforced. In that case she would have been stoned, for she had betrayed him. He would have been justified.
Does this remind you of another story that took place some seven hundred years later in that same hill country when a man by the name of Joseph was engaged to a girl by the name of Mary? The principal difference is that Joseph’s information was wrong, and an angel came from heaven to correct it; but Hosea’s information was right, for Gomer was guilty.
At this particular juncture the Book of Hosea opens. “The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord” (Hos. 1:2). There are expositors who take the position that this is nothing but an allegory, that it did not really happen. Such trifling with the Word of God waters it down to a harmless solution which is more sickening than stimulating. Let’s face it—God commanded Hosea to break the Mosaic Law. The Law said to stone her, but God said to marry her. The thing God commanded Hosea to do must have caused him to revolt in every fiber of his being, but Hosea did not demur—he obeyed explicitly. He took Gomer in holy wedlock, and he gave her his name. She came into his home as his wife. Listen to the apostle Paul as he speaks of such a relationship: “What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh” (1 Cor. 6:16).
My friend, you may be sure that the tempo of gossip really picked up in that little town. Hosea’s home became a desert island in a sea of criticism. It was the isolation ward in local society. A case of leprosy in the home would not have broken off contact with the outside world more effectively. Poor Hosea!
Children were born in this home. There were three—two boys and one girl. Their names, in their meanings, tell the awful story. And there is the larger meaning and message for the nation Israel.
Jezreel was the oldest. His name means “God will scatter, and God will avenge.” The reference, God told Hosea, was directly to the house of Jehu. Although Jehu had carried out God’s instructions to destroy the house of Ahab, he had done it with hatred and great personal vengeance. For this, God says, “I’ll judge. I’ll scatter Israel, but there will be mercy in My judgment.”
The second child was Lo-ruhamah, which means that she never knew a father’s pity. It was not that she was an orphan, but she did not know who her father was. What a scandal in the home of Hosea! God is saying through this circumstance to the people of the northern kingdom who had gone into idolatry, “You will not know My pity, for I am not your Father.”
The third child was Lo-ammi—which means “not my people.” If you put this in the singular, it would mean “not my child.” What a message that was to Hosea’s day! And what a message it is to our own day when liberal theology claims that everyone is a child of God. God says they are wrong. He has no illegitimate children. God says, “I know who My children are. Do you think that My children are the offspring of a man-made union? Absolutely not! A person becomes My child only through faith in Jesus Christ.” And the Lord Jesus said to the men in His day who claimed to be the sons of Abraham, “Ye are of your father the devil …” (John 8:44, italics mine). They could make no claim of being God’s children.
My friend, are you Lo-ammi? Are you God’s child, or are you an illegitimate child? Let me assure you that you can become a child of God—“But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right, the authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
The story of Hosea’s home is a sad one, and the story continues. Gomer left home. She returned to her former profession and became a common prostitute. Certainly God is going to say to this man, “Hosea, you have done all that you can. You tried to reform the woman, but it didn’t do any good. Let her go.” But no, God says, “Go get her and bring her back to your home.” Hosea went after her. She refused to come back. He sent the children to plead with their mother. Still she would not return. Then, as women of this sort did in those days, she sold herself into slavery. Hosea went to her and bought her and brought her back to the home.
Oh, my friend, what a picture this is of our Savior. He created us and we belong to Him. Then we were guilty of going from Him and giving our love, our affection, our time, to the things of the world. And while we were yet sinners, He came down to this earth and bought us in our ugly condition that He might make us His legitimate children. What love!
After this experience, did Gomer become a faithful wife? The record does not tell us. But we see Hosea, stepping out of a home scarred by shame and going before a nation with a heart that is breaking. His sorrow is intolerable; with scalding tears coursing down his cheeks, he denounces the nation Israel, saying, “You have been faithless to God! I know how God feels, because I feel the same way. You have broken the heart of God.” What a picture!
Hosea denounced the nation. He declared a verdict of guilty for the crime of all crimes. He said simply but specifically that their sin was as black as it could be and they could expect God’s punishment. This people who had known God, whom He had redeemed out of Egypt, to whom He had said, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself” (Exod. 19:4), turned their backs on God and made a golden calf! And still in Hosea’s day they had not learned their lesson, for at that moment in the northern kingdom there stood two golden calves. The people had turned from the living and true God back to calf worship! Israel was playing the harlot. Their sin was the greatest sin in the world.
You may be saying, “I thought unbelief was the greatest sin.” In one sense unbelief is the greatest sin, but it is not an act, it is a state. We all are born in rebellion against God. But, thank God, Christ’s death paid the penalty for our sin, and if you and I exercise faith in Jesus Christ, He will save us. It is true that unbelief is a terrible sin for which there is but one remedy—the remedy is to trust Christ. When you continue in unbelief, you reject the remedy.
There is another sin which you may consider the greatest in the world: it is sin against light. To have the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and reject it is sinning against light. Frankly, I would rather stand before God’s throne of judgment as an idolater from the darkest jungle of Africa, than as a church member who has repeatedly heard the gospel and rejected it. But this is not the greatest sin.
The greatest sin in all the world is sin against love. This is worse than all others, and this is the message of Hosea. Gomer was not only guilty of breaking the marriage vow, which was bad enough, but she sinned against the one who loved her. That is sin at its worst. My friend, to sin against God and the Savior who loves you is worse than the animism and animalism of the heathen world. The sin of paganism is nothing compared to the sin of those who reject God’s love. It is deeper and darker than the immorality of the underworld and the demonism of the overworld.
Hosea knew what sin was, and he knew what love was. Sin against love makes the sin more heinous.
Israel knew the love of God as no other nation knew it. She knew His deliverance, His redemption, His protection, His forgiveness, His revelation, and His love. Yet Israel turned to dumb idols and gave herself to them. This is sin at its worst.
However, God would not give her up. Love will triumph. Let me lift out just three verses from Hosea’s prophecy which will tell God’s story:
First, here is the charge: “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone” (Hos. 4:17). The name Ephraim is synonymous with the name Israel, and He charges Israel with spiritual adultery.
Then notice the great pulsating passion of the infinite God: “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together” (Hos. 11:8). God is saying that He can’t give Israel up; He loves her too much. This is His reason for sending Hosea back to get Gomer a second and a third time. He wanted Hosea to know how He felt about Israel.
Finally, here is the victory: “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found” (Hos. 14:8). There is a day coming when Israel will turn back to God. This leads us to believe that Gomer finally did change and become a good wife and mother. We cannot be sure of this, but we can be sure that Israel will one day return to God with her whole heart.
Is there an application for you and me here? Does this shocking description of spiritual adultery fit the believer in our day? Yes, the church is described as the bride of Christ— ”… I have espoused you … that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). And to the church at Ephesus the Lord Jesus said, “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil…. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:2, 4).
My friend, it is not enough to be correct in your doctrine and be active in your service for Christ. These are important and have their place, but the essential thing is love. Have you left your first love? Do you love Him today?
The name Hosea means “salvation” it is another form of Joshua, which is the Hebrew name of the Greek form Jesus. The church is the bride of the New Testament Hosea, but our Hosea is joined to a spiritual harlot!
In Revelation, chapter 17, is the most frightful picture in the Bible. It personifies the church and calls her the great harlot, Mystery Babylon. This is the trend which the organized church is following in our day. Oh, how many believers are covering up their frustration and their lack of reality in their spiritual experience by just being busy. It is nothing in the world but nervous agitation. Down underneath they cannot honestly say, “I love Him. I am true to Him.” With hot tears our Lord accuses the church of being lukewarm. God pity the man who is married to a lukewarm woman. God pity our Savior who is joined to a church that is only lukewarm. He says, “Oh, how I wish that you were either hot or cold!”
Let me be very personal and ask about your relationship with Christ. Has any cloud come between your soul and your Savior? An incident is told of Spurgeon who suddenly stopped in the middle of the street he was crossing and prayed. When he reached the other side, his companion asked him, “Why did you stop to pray in the middle of the street?” Spurgeon’s reply was something like this, “A cloud came between my soul and Christ, and I could not let it remain there even long enough to reach the other side of the street.” Before the Lord Jesus put Simon Peter in harness, He asked the heart-searching question, “… Lovest thou me? …” (John 21:17). This is just as poignant and pertinent now as it was that early dawn by the Sea of Galilee.
My friend, when you turn your back on the one who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, you are not only doing something bad, you are not merely turning away in unbelief, you are committing the greatest sin of all. You are turning away from a God who loves you and died for you. There is no other sin equal to that.
OUTLINE
I. Personal—The Prophet and His Faithless Wife, Gomer, Chapters 1–3
A. Marriage of Hosea and Gomer, the Harlot, Chapter 1
B. Gomer Proves Faithless; Israel Proves Faithless; God Proves Faithful, Chapter 2
C. Hosea Commanded to Take Gomer Again, Chapter 3
II. Prophetic—The Lord and the Faithless Nation Israel, Chapters 4–14
A. Israel Plays the Harlot, Chapters 4–5
1. Israel Guilty of Lawlessness, Immorality, Ignorance of God’s Word, and Idolatry, Chapter 4
2. Israel Turns from God; God Turns from Israel; Deterioration within Follows, Chapter 5
B. Israel (Ephraim) Will Return in the Last Days; Presently to Be Judged for Current Sins, Chapter 6
C. Israel (Ephraim) Could Escape Judgment by Turning to God Who Loves Her (Key: 11:8), Chapters 7–12
1. Israel (Silly Dove) Turns to Egypt and Assyria, Chapter 7
2. Israel Turns to Golden Calves and Altars of Sin, Chapter 8
3. Israel (Backsliding Heifer) Turns to Land Productivity; Will Be Driven from Land, Chapters 9–10
4. Israel Turns from God—Must Be Judged; God Will Not Give up on Her, Chapters 11–12
D. Israel (Ephraim) Will Turn from Idols to God in Last Days, Chapters 13–14
1. Israel Will Be Judged in the Present, Chapter 13
2. Israel Will Be Saved in the Future, Chapter 14
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The marriage of Hosea and Gomer, the harlot
When we come to the prophecy of Hosea, we are coming to one of the great books of the Bible and to a man who was a remarkable prophet. I personally do not like the classification of the prophets as Major and Minor. Every one of these men, whether they wrote a long prophecy or not, was an outstanding man. You wouldn’t call Elijah a minor prophet simply because he never wrote a prophecy, would you? And John the Baptist, the last of the prophets, never wrote anything; yet he was a prophet of God and announced the coming of the Savior.
The prophets were not grouped as Major and Minor in the Hebrew Bible. They were arranged as we have them by the church around the third century. If I could have had my way in the arrangement of the books of the Bible, I would have placed each prophet with the historical book to which it corresponds. You will notice that the messages of nearly all the writing prophets belong to the period of the divided kingdom. When the kings failed, God then raised up prophets to speak to the nation.
Chronologically, therefore, the prophecy of Hosea belongs before Jeremiah. Hosea was contemporary with Isaiah, Micah, and his compatriot, Amos, in the northern kingdom. Hosea and Amos were prophets in the northern kingdom, Isaiah and Micah in the southern kingdom.
Hosea compares in many respects to Jeremiah. Jeremiah was the last prophet before the southern kingdom went into captivity; but more than a hundred years before that, Hosea was a Prophet in the northern kingdom. He, like Jeremiah, warned the nation of its impending captivity. Both men spoke out of a heartbreaking personal experience, although Jeremiah’s was more public. Hosea’s experience was in the home while Jeremiah’s was in the nation. Jeremiah loved his nation, and it broke his heart to give them such a harsh message, but God chose a very tenderhearted man for the job. Perhaps Hosea was not as tenderhearted as Jeremiah, but we will see that he came from the experience of a broken home with a broken heart. His wife was unfaithful to him and became a harlot. He loved her so much that he went back and took her again. And again she played the harlot. Coming from this experience, this man walked out before the nation Israel, with hot tears streaming down his cheeks, and said, “I want to tell you how God feels about you, because I feel the same way. I have had a personal experience in my own home.” Because this man’s heart had been broken, he could speak God’s message to his nation.
In the first three chapters of Hosea we have that which is personal, the story of the prophet and his faithless wife, Gomer. We have here the scandal of his home and the gossip of the town.
THE MARRIAGE OF HOSEA AND GOMER, THE HARLOT
The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel [Hos. 1:1].
“Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah”—these were the kings in the south at this particular time.
“Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel”—there couldn’t have been a worse king than this king of the northern kingdom.
The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord [Hos. 1:2].
What the Lord says to the prophet is a rather startling thing, and many interpreters do not take Him literally. I highly recommend The Scofield Reference Bible, and I use the older edition a great deal. Some folk feel that those of us who recommend this Bible believe its notes are inspired. I do not believe they are inspired, and the first note given for this verse in The New Scofield Reference Bible is one that I totally disagree with. It reads: “God did not command Hosea to take an immoral wife but permitted him to carry out his desire to marry Gomer, warning him that she would be unfaithful, and using the prophet’s sad experience as a basis for the presentation of lessons about God’s relation to Israel.” I consider this a very nice way to get God off the hook, but you do not have to get Him off the hook—He takes full responsibility for this.
The way that I understand this verse is that God said to Hosea, “Go.” When my parents said that to me as a boy—“Go to the store,” or “Go to school”—I always interpreted that as a command. When God said to Hosea, “Go,” He was not just granting him permission to marry Gomer; it was a command to do so. Hosea probably was a young man, probably living in the Ephraim country of the northern kingdom. He met this beautiful girl and fell madly in love with her, and then she played the harlot. Naturally he wanted to put her aside. He might have wanted to marry her, but he wouldn’t dare do that in a little town—and the Mosaic Law said to stone her. What is he going to do? God said, “Go and marry her.” God is actually asking him to break the Mosaic Law. Someone will say, “That’s terrible.” Not when God tells you to do it, my friend. God said to him, “Hosea, you were in love with her, and now you want to put her aside. I don’t want you to put her aside; I want you to marry her. She is a wife of harlotry and child of harlotry.” Apparently there was a record of unfaithfulness in her family.
Here at the very beginning, the Lord makes clear to Hosea how He is going to use this experience in the prophet’s life. He said, “For the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.” He is comparing that which is physical harlotry or adultery to that which is spiritual harlotry or adultery.
This is applicable to the believer today. You can play fast and loose with God, and you are nothing in the world but a harlot, a spiritual harlot, in His sight. That is exactly the language He uses here, and God uses pretty plain language. I wish the pulpit today were a little stronger than it is. We all are trying to be very nice and, as a result, we sometimes do not speak as strongly as the Word of God does.
So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel [Hos. 1:3–5].
Not only the marriage but also the children are going to present a real spiritual lesson for the nation Israel. (Remember that Isaiah’s children also had a spiritual message for the nation.) Jezreel is the name of the son; it means “God will scatter.” God says, “I will avenge the blood of Jezreel.” Jezreel is the name of a city and also of a famous plain, the plain of Armageddon, or the Valley of Esdraelon. It has a long, bloody history and will have a similar future as the place where the last war will end. God is saying here that He is going to scatter the northern kingdom.
And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away [Hos. 1:6].
God named her Lo-ruhamah, which means that she “never knew a father’s pity.” As I indicated previously, it was not that she was an orphan, but she did not know who her father was. This reveals the scandal in the home of Hosea! God is saying through this circumstance to the people of the northern kingdom who had gone into idolatry, “You will not know My pity, for I am not your Father.”
There has always been the question as to the possibility of a person stepping over a line—that is, sinking so low in sin that the grace of God cannot reach him. While I do not believe that you could ever get to a place where God by His grace could not save you, I do believe that if you persist in rejecting God’s grace and mercy, the day will come when you will step over that line. This does not mean the grace of God cannot reach you, but it does mean that there will be nothing in you that the grace of God can lay hold of.
Let me illustrate this with the story of a man I met when I first came to Pasadena, California, as a pastor in 1940. His wife wanted me to visit him in his home because he was sick and dying. She asked me to present the gospel to him, and I did. He was a very polite man, and he listened to me. Then he said, “I would say, ‘Yes, I will accept Christ as my Savior’—in fact, I am going to do it. But I want to tell you this: I have played and trifled with God all my life. I have been down to an altar twenty-five times. I have made promises to Him and then turned from Him, and I have never been sincere. Honestly, I cannot tell you right now whether I am sincere or not.” All I could do at his funeral as I looked down at him was to say under my breath, “Oh, God, I hope he was sincere. I hope he really meant it. I hope Your grace reached down and touched him.”
You can trifle with God too long. The nation Israel did, and the day came when God said, “I will no longer have mercy on you.”
But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen [Hos. 1:7].
“However,” God said, “I am not ready yet to judge the house of Judah.” Why will He spare Judah and not Israel? For the sake of David. God had said that for the sake of David He would not divide the kingdom under the rule of Solomon. Again and again He said that for the sake of David He would save the southern kingdom. Someone may want to criticize this and say that it is not fair. I don’t know whether it is fair or not, but I thank God that He showed mercy to me, that He was patient and continued to show mercy. And He continues to do so even today.
“And will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.” In effect, God says, “I am not going to save them by the fact that they have phantom jets and atom bombs. I am not going to save them by the means of arms.” If you read 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah 37, you will learn how God miraculously delivered the people of the southern kingdom at this time. But He did not deliver the northern kingdom.
Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son [Hos. 1:8].
In that country they take about two to three years to wean a child. When Lo-ruhamah was weaned, Gomer had another son.
Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God [Hos. 1:9].
The third child was Lo-ammi, which means “not my people.” If you put this in the singular, it would mean “not my child.” There was a question about the second child; there is no question about this one. And God is saying to the nation Israel, “Ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.” If this were the only verse in the Bible, I would have to agree with the amillennialists who say that God is through dealing with the nation Israel. All of us—including many of my premillennial brethren—need to be very careful not to reach into the Bible and pull out a verse here or there and say that it is being fulfilled. If the entire prophecy of Hosea is read, no one can convincingly argue that God is through with the nation Israel. The next verse makes this very clear—
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God [Hos. 1:10].
“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered.” The Hebrew people have been decimated again and again by persecution—think of what Hitler did! Yet here is a marvelous prophecy that God is going to increase their number.
“And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.” In that day there will be a great turning to God. God is not through with Israel—that is clear when you read the entire Word of God.
Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel [Hos. 1:11].
“Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together.” The nation shall come together. There are no “ten lost tribes of Israel,” by the way.
“And appoint themselves one head.” They don’t have that today—they are not all in agreement with their leadership. The “one head” referred to in Hosea’s prophecy is the Messiah, of course.
“And they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel”—what a wonderful prophecy this is. However, I disagree with the viewpoint that the present return to Israel is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. We shall deal with that in greater detail as we go through the Book of Hosea.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Gomer proves faithless; Israel proves faithless; God proves faithful
This chapter opens with the fifth very remarkable prophecy concerning the nation Israel. In the last two verses of the preceding chapter we saw that (1) Israel will experience a great increase in population; (2) in the nation there will be a great turning to God; (3) the northern and southern kingdoms will reunite so that the twelve tribes will again form a single nation; (4) they will appoint themselves one head, who will be the Messiah; and (5)—
Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah [Hos. 2:1].
Ammi means “my people,” and Ruhamah means “pitied.” God is saying to the nation that the day is coming when He is going to say, “You are My people.” My friend, God is not through with the nation Israel, as we will see in chapter 3. This is very important to understand. Those who teach that God is through with Israel either spiritualize or discount a great deal of the Old Testament. If you can strip the Old Testament of its literal meaning, that gives you the liberty to do the same to the New Testament. Do you want to rob the Epistle of Romans and even John 3:16 of their literal meaning? You cannot do that with the New Testament, and I don’t believe you can do it with the Old Testament either.
Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts [Hos. 2:2].
“Plead” carries the thought of a great contention, because Israel like Gomer was unfaithful and went back to practicing prostitution. God is applying Gomer’s sin to the nation. Hosea married a girl who had become a harlot, and, even after they had been married for some time and had three children, she went back to prostitution again. And all the while this man Hosea loved her! The greatest sin in all the world is not murder or theft or lying or possibly, under certain circumstances, adultery. But judging from what Scripture teaches, the worst sin one can commit is to become unfaithful to one who loves you.
Applying this to our own lives, what is the greatest sin a Christian can commit? Many people feel that it is murder or lying or even coveting, but the greatest sin is unfaithfulness to God who has redeemed you and who loves you. There is no sin greater than that, my friend.
God says, “Go to your mother and contend with her. Tell her to come back to Me. Tell her to turn away from her idolatries.”
Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst [Hos. 2:3].
If she does not repent, God will judge her.
Regarding Hosea, the implication is that he was not quite as tenderhearted as the prophet Jeremiah was. I imagine he said, “I intend to have her stoned if she continues this kind of life—I have no alternative.”
And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms [Hos. 2:4].
“And I will not have mercy upon her children.” God is applying the sin of the nation to the individuals who compose the nation. They are illegitimate children, and God will judge them. At this time in Israel’s history apparently the entire nation had turned to idolatry. God says that He will not have mercy on the children of Israel, for they are the children of harlotry.
For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink [Hos. 2:5].
She is doing it for money! There is money in prostitution—it is one of the big rackets in our day also. This may imply that Hosea was not a wealthy man and was not able to provide the luxuries which Gomer wanted; so she practiced harlotry on the side.
Israel’s sin was the same: she had turned to idols, which was spiritual adultery. The people of Israel were giving the idols credit for providing for them. “I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water”—those are the necessities; “my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink”—those are the luxuries. And all the while it was her loving God who was providing all these things for her.
Oh, the ingratitude of the human race—and especially professing Christians—for all that God has provided! I hear a great deal of complaining about rising prices today. If you are one of those who are complaining, let me ask you something: You had at least one good meal today, didn’t you? You have clothing in your closet, haven’t you? Perhaps you even have some luxuries. Who do you think provided these? “Well,” you may say, “I am an intelligent, hard-working person; I provided them for myself.” I have news for you: God has provided all of those material things for you. He is the one who gave you intelligence. He is the one who gave you a measure of health and strength, and He is the one who provided the job for you. In fact, He is the one who created this earth with a well-stocked pantry and with clean air and clean water and sunshine. And yet you are ungrateful. You can’t sin much worse than that, my friend. It is true that we live in a day when terrible crimes are being committed—stealing, lying, murdering—but the worst sins are being committed by the children of God who are ungrateful. I realize this is not a popular thing to say, but here in the Book of Hosea, this is His charge against Israel.
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths [Hos. 2:6].
And it is my opinion that it was God who sent the depression to my country, then the “dust bowl.” I think He was speaking to us in judgment. If we had repented and had heard God at that time, we would never have had to fight World War II. We would not have been involved in warfare in Korea and then in Vietnam. If we had been sending our boys over there as missionaries to give those people the gospel, we would not have had to send our boys over there to die or to suffer in the prison camps. Back of all our problems is the big problem that we are not recognizing God.
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now [Hos. 2:7].
There comes a day when that girl who has become a harlot is no longer beautiful and her lovers lose interest in her. She finds herself being put out. This was exactly what was happening to the nation Israel. The people were saying, “Now we will go back to God.”
For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.
Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness [Hos. 2:8–9].
God says that He will judge Israel. I think we can apply the same thing to our own nation. We entered into difficult times beginning in World War I because we thought we were such a sophisticated nation. We have become so sophisticated that we think homosexuality should be considered normal in our society. We don’t like to punish murderers anymore; we would rather accept them into our society. God calls murder and homosexuality sin, and He says that, when these things become prevalent in a nation, it is a sign that the nation is going down the tube. We have too many judges who know a great deal about the law but know nothing about how God overrules even the laws of a nation, especially when the laws are wrong and the wrong men sit on the benches of our judicial system.
And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.
I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord [Hos. 2:10–13].
The greatest sin in all the world is to forget God.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt [Hos. 2:14–15].
The valley of Achor literally means “the valley of trouble.” It refers to the incident recorded in Joshua 7. You will recall that when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, they faced three major enemies in the center of that land who had to be conquered first so that Joshua could divide the enemy and then concentrate on taking one section at a time. The first enemy was Jericho; Jericho represents the world, and God got the victory for them at Jericho. Next they made an attack upon Ai, and they thought it would be an easy victory because Ai was a small city. Ai represents the flesh, and a great many people think they can live the Christian life in their own strength; that is, by means of the flesh—which always means defeat. Joshua was defeated at Ai, but a great lesson was learned there. God had instructed the men not to take any of the unclean things at the destruction of Jericho, but one man disobeyed. As a result, the army suffered a great defeat at Ai.
Joshua went down upon his face and cried out to God. He was as pious as I have been at times, complaining to the Lord. The Lord said to him, “Get up off your face. Israel has sinned. You must deal with the sin before you can have a victory.” So they had to ferret out the one who had sinned and finally found him to be Achan. Achan and his property were taken to the Valley of Achor where they were destroyed and buried. From then on it was victory for Israel under General Joshua. And, friend, when you and I deal with the sins of the flesh, we will have victory in the Christian life.
“And the valley of Achor for a door of hope.” In effect, God is saying, “I’ll judge your sin, and after I have judged your sin, there will be a glorious, wonderful hope for you in the future.”
“And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.” My friend, even today in the land of Israel, you don’t find it quite like this. Although Israel is back in her land, this particular area is up near Shechem—near the place where Joseph is buried—an area characterized by Arab/Israeli conflict and not by singing. The fulfillment of this promise is still future. The day is going to come when God will bless them there.
And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali [Hos. 2:16].
This is interesting, and the meaning of it is quite lovely. Ishi means “my husband,” and Baali is connected with Baal and means “my lord or my master.” You see, the people of Israel were placing the true God on the level of Baal and were trying to worship both. Of course, it is impossible to do that, and God says to them that the day is coming when Israel will call Him, “my husband.”
Now let’s think about this for a moment. The husband relationship implies that which is intimate and personal and is based on love. It is the highest relationship in the human family. The loveliest expression of it is found in the Song of Solomon where the bride says, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine …” (Song 6:3).
When you have that relationship in a marriage, you have a happy home. You won’t have to attend seminars that instruct you on how to live as man and wife. The secret is love; when you don’t have that, you don’t have anything. But if you have love, you have everything. You can work out your financial problems; you can adjust your personality conflicts; you can work together in dealing with your children if you love each other. However, if you don’t love each other, you can’t work out anything.
My friend, it is wonderful to have that kind of relationship with God. We can go to the Lord Jesus and say, “I love You. I belong to You.” When that kind of relationship exists, Paul says, “… For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:21–23). Can you call Christ yours? Do you belong to Him, and does He belong to you? If He does, then you have something good going. There is no relationship equal to that. And one day Israel will say to God, “You are my husband.”
“And shalt call me no more Baali.” As we have seen, Baali is connected with the hideous idol Baal, and means “my lord”—that is all it means. Remember that the Lord Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:21–23). Oh, my friend, the all-important thing is a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ—it is not to mouth platitudes about His being your Lord and claim to be doing great things for Him. It narrows down to the thing He said to Simon Peter by the Sea of Galilee, “Lovest thou me?” Do you love Him?
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name [Hos. 2:17].
Even the name of Baal will be forgotten. They will turn from idolatry.
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely [Hos. 2:18].
In that land, as in our own land, there is a danger of many species of animals becoming extinct—some already have. God created the animals and placed them here. They have a right to this world, and in that future day He will make a covenant with them. In that day, which we designate as the Millennium, the lion and the lamb will lie down together. In our day when they lie down together, the lamb is always inside the lion, but in the Millennium they will lie down together in peace. As I am writing, there is a new interest in ecology and in the preservation of animal life. Have you ever noticed that all through the Bible God has considered the animals? Also He has considered the land itself and speaks of blessing the land. It is man who is the polluter. Man is a sinner on the inside, and he is also a sinner on the outside. He contaminates everything he touches. I recall a drive home from the Mojave Desert when the rays of the setting sun were hitting the road at an angle, and lining both sides of the road were beams and flashes of light. I have never seen anything like it. Do you know what it was? It was the broken beer bottles and whiskey bottles and perhaps a few soft drink bottles reflecting those rays of the sun! Man is a polluter everywhere he goes. Well, God says that He is going to take care of this earth. I thank God for that, because I don’t think man will be able to do it.
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord [Hos. 2:19–20].
We are seeing something very wonderful here. The word betrothed means literally to “woo a virgin”; it means to court a girl. If you are a married man, you can remember when your wife was a girl, and how pretty she was and how you courted her. You said a lot of sweet things then. One evening some time ago my wife and I were sitting out on the patio. I was recuperating from surgery, and we were just talking about the fact that we are getting old. I took a look at her, and I would have to say that she is getting old like I am, but I can remember that girl I first saw down in Texas with her hair as black as a raven’s wing and those flashing brown eyes. She had a sultry look, let me tell you, because her complexion is dark. As we remembered those wonderful days, we got just a little sentimental. We talked about the times when we used to drive up to Fort Worth to eat in a restaurant there. We ordered steaks and do you know what we paid for a steak in that day? It was fifty cents apiece! She was a school teacher, and I was a poor preacher; so I made her pay for her own—even at fifty cents! I’ve tried to make up for that through the years since then, I can assure you. To woo a virgin is a wonderful experience. That is what God said He would do to Israel. What a beautiful, lovely picture this is. God says, “I intend to win you for Myself”
How is God going to do this? He says, “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.” You see, there was mercy under the Mosaic system, too. You will find that there was love in law just as there is law in love. You cannot completely segregate one from the other.
This is another reason why I do not think the present return of Israel to their land is a fulfillment of prophecy. It certainly does not fulfill this one. God says that when He woos Israel and brings her back into the land it will be in righteousness and in justice and in lovingkindness and in mercies. Today Israel is just like any other nation. Some think they are unnecessarily brutal, but they are on the defensive and their survival depends on a strong defense system. They are not back in the land of Israel in fulfillment of prophecy. Although they have returned to the land, they have not returned to the Lord. When they do return to the Lord, there will be blessing.
“I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness.” They never were faithful in the past. In fact, they are very much like the apostate church in our day.
“And thou shalt know the Lord.” They certainly do not know Him today.
And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth [Hos. 2:21].
“In that day” is a technical expression which refers to the last days as they pertain to the nation Israel, the Great Tribulation Period, and the coming of Christ to set up His kingdom on earth.
“I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth”—heaven and earth will be in tune.
And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel [Hos. 2:22].
“Jezreel” means that God will scatter or sow them, but in that future day God will regather them.
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God [Hos. 2:23].
These final two verses are a play upon the names of Gomer’s children. Not only will God regather them, but they will no longer be Lo-ruhamah, like the unpitied daughter of harlotry. God will have mercy upon them. In our day Israel is Lo-ammi—“not my people,” but in that future day God will say, “You are My people,” and they will say, “You are my God.” My friend, they are not saying that today; they are not turning to God. This is a prophecy for the Millennium.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Hosea commanded to take Gomer again
Although Hosea finds out that his wife has proved unfaithful, he is commanded to go and take Gomer again.
Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine [Hos. 3:1].
“Go yet, love a woman”—that is, love your wife; she is your woman. “Beloved of her friend”—Hosea loved her although she had been unfaithful.
“Yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.” “Flagons of wine” should actually be translated as “cakes of raisins.” This is a reference to the cakes of raisins which were used in the sacrificial feasts of the Canaanites. They were a part of the heathen worship of idols, which the children of Israel had adopted. You see that God is making an application here. In effect He says to Hosea, “Now you know how I feel. I want you to go and take Gomer again. She’s been unfaithful to you, but you are to love her and take her back. That is what I am going to do with My people. Israel has been unfaithful to Me, and I am going to punish her, but some day I will bring her back to Myself.”
So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley [Hos. 3:2].
Perhaps Gomer had sold herself to some group of racketeers who were running brothels in that land. Hosea had to go buy her back. “So I bought her to me.”
Do you know that you and I have been redeemed? The picture here is not very pretty—that is the reason it is not being preached more today. We hear a great deal in conservative circles about dedication, about commitment, and about turning your life over to the Lord. But, my friend, the first thing you need to do is to come as a sinner to God—He has to redeem you. Just as Hosea bought this harlot, that is the way God redeemed us. Until you and I see that, we can know nothing of real commitment to God.
“So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley.” Gomer wasn’t worth it, and we are not worth the redemption price which was paid for us. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold hellip; But with the precious blood of Christ …” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). He had to shed His blood; He had to suffer and die that you and I might be redeemed. Why? Because we were lost sinners, sold under sin.
I have a friend who is a great preacher, but he has gotten to the place where he no longer mentions the gospel. He does not mention the fact that a man must come to God as a sinner. Oh, he tells people, “You ought to love Jesus. You ought to serve God and obey Him,” and all that sort of thing. But, my friend, that is not where you begin. You might as well go out to a graveyard and say, “Listen, fellas and girls, let’s all start doing better. Let’s all start committing our lives to the Lord.” Why, everybody out there is dead! They can’t do anything. And until we have come to God for salvation, you and I are dead in trespasses and sins. We have no life to commit to Him. Until the sin issue is settled—until we are born again and have received a new nature—we can do nothing that is pleasing to God.
And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee [Hos. 3:3].
A man told me the sad story not long ago of how he had found out that his wife was unfaithful to him. He had actually had her followed by a detective to establish the facts. Imagine the feeling of that man! Oh, what a heartbreak it was to find out that she was unfaithful to him. I cannot think of anything worse than that. And God says to His people, “That is what you have been doing. You’ve been playing the harlot. Oh, you call Me, ‘Lord,’ but you have gone after other gods, you have turned from Me and no longer serve Me.”
The Lord Jesus also said in Matthew 7:22–23, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you ….” Now I am going to say perhaps the strongest thing you have ever heard: If a so-called church has a man in the pulpit who denies the Word of God, denies the deity of Christ, and denies that He died for sinners, it is not a church. It is a brothel—a spiritual brothel! I didn’t say that; God says that right here. This is the strongest language you can imagine, and you can understand why Hosea was not elected “Man of the Year” in Israel at that particular time. He didn’t win any popularity contest in his hometown, you can be sure. He is telling his people, “You have become a brothel as a nation. You’ve turned to idolatry and have turned from the living and true God.”
Verses 4–5 of this chapter are probably two of the most important prophetic verses which supply an answer to those students of prophecy who have begun to set dates for the coming of the Lord. Although this is a brief chapter, having only five verses, it is one of the great prophetic passages in the Word of God. Dr. Charles Feinberg, a Jewish believer and an outstanding Hebrew scholar, says of this chapter, “It rightfully takes its place among the greatest prophetic pronouncements in the whole revelation of God.”
In connection with this passage, you ought to read chapters 9–11 of the Epistle to the Romans. I consider those chapters to be the dispensational section of the epistle which concerns the nation Israel. In chapter 9 you have the past dealings of God with Israel, in chapter 10 His present dealings with Israel, and in chapter 11 His future dealings with them.
Now concerning Israel, Hosea writes—
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim [Hos. 3:4].
“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king.” You will notice that He does not give a specific number of days. This is unusual because the children of Israel were told three times that they were to be put out of their land and they would be returned three times. Each time God put them out of that land, He told them how long they would be out—except the last time. The first time, God told Abraham, “I am going to give you this land—it’s yours, but I am going to put your children out of this land for 430 years. They will be down in the land of Egypt, and after 430 years, I will bring them back.” They did come back—that prophecy was literally fulfilled. A second time, God said through Jeremiah, “Because of your sins, you are going to be sent into captivity in Babylon. You are going to be down there for seventy years.” Again, that was fulfilled literally. Now, here Hosea is speaking to the northern kingdom (which never actually returned to the land), and he says, “Israel shall abide many days without a king.”
How long is “many days”? Right now we have some folk who are saying that the Lord Jesus is going to come again by a.d. 2000. I do not know where they find that in Scripture! They sound as if they have a private line into heaven! And at least one other to whom I have listened says that the generation living today is the one that is going to see the coming of Christ. May I say, that sounds good to a lot of untaught Christians, but you cannot find such teaching in the Word of God. Nowhere does Scripture tell us how long the time will be until His return. We have a lot of sensational prophecy-mongers about today.
Why did the Lord say “many days” and not give us the specific number? It is because in the interval between the time Israel left the land in a.d. 70 and the time at which they will return, He has been calling out a people to His name from among the Gentiles and has been building His church. I want to say first of all that I believe we are living in the last days. Someone will say, “Do you mean then that the Lord will be coming soon?” Well, I do not know how soon because we have been in the “last days” for more than nineteen hundred years. The Lord Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly …” (Rev. 3:11; 22:7), and that was nineteen hundred years ago. Therefore I am not prepared to say He will come tomorrow or next week or next year or even in this century. I just don’t happen to know that. But I do believe we are seeing the setting of the stage, and the action will begin when the church is removed from this earth.
The reason the date is not given here in Hosea is that in Scripture the church is nameless and dateless. We who belong to the true church are a heavenly people, having no name. I suppose some of you folk thought the name of the church was Baptist or Presbyterian or Methodist or Christian or even Independent. I have news for you: the church has no name; Scripture has never given it a name. The Greek word ecclesia simply means “a called-out body.” He is calling out a body today which is going to be His bride. I could make a suggestion today for a name for the church. In the parable of the pearl of great price (see Matt. 13:45–46), the pearl represents the church which the merchantman, Jesus, came and bought. He paid a big price for the church, you know. The word for pearl is margarites. If the church is to have any name at all, I think it should be Margaret. Have you ever heard of the Margaret Church? One time I told a fellow that I went to the Margaret Church; he thought I was kidding, but I really was serious about it.
The church is nameless, and it is also dateless. If you had met Simon Peter an hour before the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost and you had asked him, “Do you know what’s going to happen here in a little while?” he would have said, “No. What’s going to happen?” He didn’t know, because the birth of the church had been announced, but no date had been given. And we are not given the date of the Rapture, the time when the church will be removed from this earth. For that reason we are told “the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king”—no specific time period is given to us.
Israel is going to abide many days “without a king.” There are those in that land today who claim that they can tell you the tribe to which they belong. I have serious doubts about that, but they make that claim. However, there is no Israelite living today who can say, “I am in the line of David, and I have a right to the throne of David.” The only One who can claim that is this moment sitting at God’s right hand. He is the Lord Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Israel has rejected their King.
“Without a prince”—they have no one to succeed to the throne. If the Lord Jesus Christ is not their Messiah, they have none and have no prospect for one.
“Without a sacrifice.” Luke 21:24 tells us that “… Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Therefore, many people argue that we must be to the end of the “times of the Gentiles” because Israel now has Jerusalem. Do they really have Jerusalem today? All of the holy places in old Jerusalem are in the hands of either the Moslems, the Russian Catholics, the Greek Catholics, the Armenian Church, or the Roman Catholics. And all of them have built cathedrals or churches over these spots. Israel does not possess these sacred spots, and they dare not touch them. I said once to a Jewish guide with whom I had become acquainted, “You have Jerusalem now. Why don’t you go and tear down that Mosque of Omar and put up your own temple?” He said, “What do you want us to do—start World War III?” That would surely start it, my friend—you can be sure of that. Israel does not possess that temple area, and they do not have a sacrifice today. The only holy place they have is the Wailing Wall—they are still at the Wailing Wall. They have no sacrifice except the one which you and I have—Jesus. He died nineteen hundred years ago outside the city, was raised from the dead, and is today at God’s right hand.
“Without an image.” God did not give Israel any images. He had said to them, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing …” (Exod. 20:4). But He had given them many things; for instance, “an ephod” and “a teraphim.” The ephod was the sacred garment worn by the high priest. Teraphim were small objects which they carried around like good luck charms and which they began to worship. God says here that they are going to get away from idolatry, that they will not have any images. That is one thing that you can say about Israel today—they are not in idolatry. Although they have not turned to God, they certainly have turned away from idolatry.
Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days [Hos. 3:5].
“Afterward shall the children of Israel return.” Afterward does not mean in the year a.d. 2000. I do not know when it will be, but they are going to return to the land according to God’s timetable.
When they do return, this is the way they will return: they shall “seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.” I am going to say something that may be very startling to you. They have returned to that land, and it is remarkable what has happened over there, but it is not the fulfillment of this prophecy. The prophecy says that when they return, they will return to God, and there is no real turning to God in that land. It is the belief of at least two outstanding prophetic students whom I know, that Israel may be put out of that land again before we have the real fulfillment of this prophecy. When they return to the land, they will also return to God.
There is much evidence that Israel has not turned to the Lord. When they celebrated their twentieth anniversary as a nation some years ago, they displayed a large motto which read, “Science will bring peace to this land.” The Scriptures say it is the Messiah who is going to bring peace. They are not turning to the Messiah but to science. They are looking to prosperity and depending upon economics. Some time ago they had a large economic conference which was attended by one of the Rockefellers and one of the Fords. There were a hundred outstanding men there who each put up a million dollars to invest in that land. They are building over there like I have never seen anywhere else.
A very reputable missionary in Israel was specifically asked this question: “How many true Christians are there in this land today?” This missionary is an intelligent man who speaks several languages. He was a professor who became a Christian and is doing missionary work there. He gave this reply: “Today in Israel there are fewer than three hundred Israelites who are real believers in Christ.” I know that that statement may cause a great deal of discussion and disagreement because there are those who are saying that hundreds are turning to Christ in that land. That just does not happen to be true. There are actually more Arab Christians in Israel than Jewish Christians. Missionary work in Israel is really a tough job, and there are very few missionaries in that land. Israel has not returned to God.
I know when I insist that this present return to the land is not the fulfillment of the Word of God, it is contrary to what you hear so often today. However, this prophecy is evidence of that fact; and, when we consider the whole of the Word of God and not just a verse here and there, we must face up to the fact that this return is not a fulfillment of prophecy.
Many ridiculous things result when people take a verse here or there and say that what is happening in Israel is a fulfillment of prophecy. We heard some time ago that they were shipping Indiana stone over to Israel to build the temple. If you have been to Jerusalem, you know that one thing they do not need is stone! Jerusalem is located on a rocky place and every hill around it, including the Mount of Olives, is loaded with rocks. Now, if Indiana wants to buy some stone, I could tell them where to get it: Israel would be glad to export some of her stone.
Another example of so-called fulfilled prophecy is the argument that the growing of oranges in Israel is a fulfillment of the “strange slips” which Isaiah said would grow in that land (see Isa. 17:10). However, in the Song of Solomon where it speaks of the apples and the apple tree, that is actually the orange tree. Oranges grow in that land, and it is the belief of some that oranges were taken from there to Spain and then to Florida and California. Israel is the land that grows oranges, and they are not a “strange slip.” How ridiculous these things can become! We need to stay close to the Word of God and not become one of these prophetic fanatics who are abroad today.
“And shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.” “The latter days” are yet in the future. They refer to the nation Israel and to the time beginning with the Great Tribulation and going through the second coming of Christ and on into the Millennium.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Israel guilty before God
From this point on in the Book of Hosea we will not be seeing much about the private and personal life of the prophet. Beginning actually with the two closing verses of the previous chapter, the private life of Hosea fades into the background, and the emphasis is now upon the Lord and the faithless nation of Israel which has been playing the harlot. We have left that section of the book which is personal, and in chapters 4–14 we will be dealing with that which is prophetic.
ISRAEL GUILTY BEFORE GOD
Out of the heartbreaking experience in his own home, Hosea now comes to speak to the nation—and he knows how God feels about them. Everything that has been said up to this point has been in the way of generalization. God has said, “They have sinned. They have played the harlot and been unfaithful to Me.” Now God is going to bring them into court, spell out certain charges against them, and prove those charges. The message of chapter 4 is that Israel is guilty of lawlessness, immorality, ignorance of God’s Word, and idolatry. We can compare this chapter with the first chapter of Isaiah in which Isaiah speaks to the southern kingdom, spelling out God’s charge against that nation.
I believe that you could interchange these same sins of Israel with the sins of our own nation. It is true that the nation Israel was God’s chosen people, and He gave the Mosaic Law to them. However, we need to understand this: the law is His pattern for any nation which wants to be blessed. Therefore, I think that our nation is guilty of the same sins that Israel was guilty of when God judged them and sent them into captivity. Someone will disagree with me and say, “Well, we’re not idolaters.” My friend, covetousness is idolatry, and I do not know of a nation that is more greedy and worships the almighty dollar more than this nation of ours today. We might read the Book of Hosea and point our finger at Israel and say, “It is a shame how they turned from God,” but we need to look around and see if the same thing is not true of us.
In the first verse of this chapter, the Lord confronts Israel with the fact that they have no knowledge of Him—
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land [Hos. 4:1].
He says three things here: there is no mercy; there is no truth; and there is no knowledge of God in the land. These people had become brainwashed through their idolatry. Although God had instructed them to be merciful, they were no longer showing mercy. The Lord had told them in Leviticus 19:10, “And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.” In other words, He said, “This is the way I take care of the poor, and you are to do this also.” Why? “Because I am the Lord your God, and I am a holy God.” The people had forgotten this—there was no knowledge of God in the land—and they were no longer being merciful. Oh, there was a great deal of religion, but no real knowledge of God.
Notice that they were breaking the Ten Commandments:
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood [Hos. 4:2].
In each of these sins they were breaking the Ten Commandments. Read them in the twentieth chapter of Exodus: “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness …” (Exod. 20:13–16). And all of this that they were doing was happening even among relatives—“blood toucheth blood.”
I want to say something very carefully, and I want you to follow me very carefully. God gave the Ten Commandments, which were only a part of the Mosaic system, to the nation Israel, but in them God expressed His will.
The church today is not under the Ten Commandments as the way of salvation or the way to live the Christian life, but that does not mean that we can break the commandments; it simply means that He has called us to a higher plane of living and has enabled us so to live by the power of the Holy Spirit.
However, since through the Ten Commandments God expresses His will, they are a pattern for the laws of every nation. The nation Israel, which He chose and dealt with, furnishes a pattern to the other nations of the world. We have a so-called Christian civilization in Europe today. It has never really been Christian but has had the semblance of Christianity because its laws were patterned after the Ten Commandments. These laws are the laws for all nations.
God has said, “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and there are other things which He has condemned in Scripture. God has condemned drunkenness, and He has condemned homosexuality. He uses the strongest language in speaking of homosexuality. God says that when a people or an individual indulges in that, He will give them up. God gave Israel up to captivity because they were guilty of indulging in these sins.
We in the United States today are guilty of the same thing: there is no knowledge of God in this land. Oh, I know that there seems to be a church on every corner and on Sunday mornings you can hear church bells everywhere, but a very small percentage of the population actually attends church, and very few are really being reached with the Word of God. There is a Gideon Bible in every hotel or motel room in which I stay, but I do not know how much they are being read. The Gideons report that they receive many letters telling of conversions—and I thank God for that—but I am afraid that many of the Bibles are never opened. My point is that, although we have the Bible freely available, we are actually a nation of Bible ignoramuses. We do not know the Word of God today in this land. For example, a political leader some time ago made the statement on television that the four Gospels contradict one another; he not only misquoted Scripture, he also misinterpreted it. I would have liked to demand equal time to answer him that there is no contradiction in the four Gospels. When a man makes a statement like that, he reveals a woeful ignorance of the Word of God.
The consumption of alcohol is another area in which our land is in the same condition as Israel was in that day. We were told a few years ago that there were 128 cocktail parties every day in Washington, D.C. With the trend as it is, I am sure that number has increased greatly. Whatever the actual statistics, we know that there is a great deal of drinking going on in our nation’s capital. Like Israel, we too are being brainwashed by liberal propaganda. A local newspaper in one large city in Southern California dared to publish an article a number of years ago with the following headline: “Alcoholics Cost Area Businesses Ten Million Dollars.” People cry out about the high cost of living, the high cost of war, and the high cost of government—all of which is true—but who is crying out against liquor today? We are told that millions of American workers are alcoholics. What do you suppose that has to do with the cost of what we buy at the store today? Someone may say, “Preacher, this is none of your business.” My friend, the pulpit has become extremely silent on these issues, but I must insist that our government and our nation are engaged in gross immorality and are breaking the Ten Commandments. And we will not get by with it as a nation. An alarming percentage of the deaths on U.S. highways and streets is the result of alcohol drinking. We have had much protest about the killing in war, but I have found no one leading a protest in front of a brewery or a cocktail lounge.
It is argued in our day that alcoholism is a disease and not a sin. That has been answered by a medical doctor, who writes:
Alcoholism, a disease? If so:
It is the only disease contracted by an act of will.
It is the only disease that is habit forming.
It is the only disease that comes in a bottle.
It is the only disease causing hundreds of thousands of family disruptions.
It is the only disease promoting crime and brutality.
It is the only disease contributing to hundreds of thousands of automobile accidents.
It is the only disease playing a major part in over 50 percent of the more than 50,000 annual highway deaths.
It is the only disease which is sold by license.
It is the only disease that is bought in grocery stores, drug stores, and well-marked retail outlets.
It is the only disease that is taxed by the government ….
Our eyes have been shut to all these facts because the liquor interests have tremendous control in our country, and we have been brainwashed by them. As a result, our nation sinks lower and lower.
We have what we call the “new morality” today, but it isn’t new at all. Israel was practicing it way back yonder in 700 b.c. They were breaking all the commandments, and God condemned them for it. It wasn’t even the “new” morality in their day, for homosexuality was practiced as far back as the day of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities which were judged by God and destroyed because of it. Today we have legislatures which are filled with men who are ignorant of the Word of God and ignorant of the commandments which have been basic for this nation, and they are passing legislation which condones the life style of sexual perverts.
The liberal church argues that homosexuals are not sinners, but may I say to you, Jesus Christ says to homosexuals, “You must be born again” (see John 3:7). He can deliver you from it. When homosexuality is treated for what it really is—sin—then God can deal with it.
We as a nation are doomed as much as Israel was condemned and sent into captivity. After all, they were God’s chosen people and we are not—by no stretch of the imagination can we make that claim. However, we have here in Hosea the basis on which God judges nations, and the United States stands condemned as did Israel. The pulpits in this country are strangely silent in this connection, and one reason for that is that they seldom if ever study the Book of Hosea; he is one of the forgotten prophets.
Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away [Hos. 4:3].
“Therefore shall the land mourn.” Suddenly we have found in this country that we are polluting everything around us. But when I was a boy in southern Oklahoma, we used to go swimming in old Phillips Creek, and the water was so clear you could see twenty-five feet to the bottom of that creek. Today it smells to high heaven. We’ve polluted the land, and the land is mourning today.
Another interesting thing is that a few years ago there was plenty of everything—the granaries were filled with grain—but today we often hear about the scarcity of this or that. You see, when God judges a nation, the land itself is involved and even the beasts and fowls suffer because of the sin of man.
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest [Hos. 4:4].
The priest in that day was not doing his duty; he was not warning the people. Therefore, God raised up the prophets.
Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother [Hos. 4:5].
“And I will destroy thy mother”—that is, God will destroy the nation. There were false prophets in Israel—even as we have false prophets today—telling the people, “Everything is going to be all right. We live in a new age. The Bible is an outmoded book, and the Ten Commandments belong to our grandfathers and grandmothers. We have learned to be broad-minded and tolerant.” My friend, the truth is that we are a dirty lot, and we have sunk very low as a nation and as a people.
Verse 6 is perhaps the most familiar verse in the Book of Hosea—
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children [Hos. 4:6].
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” The background of their sin was a lack of knowledge of the Word of God. My friend, if you are a Christian, the minute you get away from the Word of God, you are doomed to failure in the Christian life. Regardless of the number of conferences or seminars you attend that tell you how to be a success in your home, in your business, and in your social life, you will be a failure. This book makes it crystal-clear that we do not live the Christian life by these little gimmicks and methods, but by a personal knowledge of the Word of God. This is the reason I am concerned with teaching the Word of God—and the reason I teach even the Book of Hosea. People are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
“Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me.” God intended that the whole nation of Israel be priests unto Him; in the Millennium they will be that. But at this time, God says, “You are not even going to have priests.”
“Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” God says to the people of this nation, “I will forget you, because you have forgotten Me.” Because they have gone through a long, sordid history of departing from the Lord, they have now come to the time of judgment. God has proved His case against these people; in the beginning of the chapter He enumerated their sins—they have broken the Ten Commandments. Therefore He hands down His decision that He is going to judge them.
As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame [Hos. 4:7].
God had promised Abraham to bless the nation by multiplying them, and the nation did increase, but all that it did was bring more sinners into the world. After all, that is what happened when I was born—another sinner came into the world. But, thank God, the grace of God reached down, and someone gave me the Word of God, and I was able to trust Christ as my Savior. However, these people were ignorant and had no knowledge of the Word of God.
“Therefore will I change their glory into shame.” Now the “glory” of Israel was the temple with the Shekinah glory upon it—His visible presence with the nation and His definite leading of them, and their witness of monotheism to the world of polytheism of their day as they worshiped the living and true God. That was their glory, and it brought the Queen of Sheba from the ends of the earth.
God is saying through Hosea, “I will remove My glory from you. I’ll remove My blessing from you, and I will judge you by letting the enemy come upon you and take you into captivity.”
Of course the enemy is going to be able to say, “Look, they said they were God’s chosen people, but look what is happening to them! Apparently their God is not a very strong God.” My friend, we are seeing today in this land of ours something very similar to that. God is judging many churches, and He is closing many doors. We are inclined to say, “Isn’t it a shame to see a decline in a certain church.” Well, maybe God is closing the door. We need to recognize that God can afford to judge His own people, and this is what He is doing.
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity [Hos. 4:8].
The people not only sinned, but they liked to brag about it. As a young fellow I ran with a pretty fast crowd from the bank where I worked. Especially on Monday mornings we liked to brag about what we had done on our weekend, and the blacker the sin was, the more we enjoyed bragging about it. That is what these people were doing—“they set their heart on their iniquity.”
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings [Hos. 4:9].
The unfortunate thing was that the priesthood in Israel had sunk down to the level of the congregation. When I started out in the ministry, I wore a Prince Albert coat and a wing collar (a friend of mine told me that I looked like a mule looking over a whitewashed fence!), but I soon gave that up and began to dress just like the man sitting out there in the pew. Although I’m no different from the man in the pew, I do want to give out the Word of God in the pulpit and not sink to the level of the man of the world when I’m out of the pulpit. There are many ministers who seek to be “good guys.” One man boasting of his pastor said, “You know, my preacher comes out to our golf club and plays golf with us.” That much sounds good. I think it is great to mix with folk like that. Then he added, “And after the game he goes into the barroom and has a drink with us. He is just one of the fellows. I sure do like him.” Well, I wonder what God thinks of him—“Like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”
For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord [Hos. 4:10].
“For they shall eat, and not have enough”—in other words, famine is coming to the land. Who would have believed that we would ever hear anything about scarcities in this country—that there would ever be times when we could not buy meat or bread in the market—yet we have learned in recent years that such circumstances are a real possibility. Again may I say that I believe God judged this nation in the years of the depression and the “dust bowl,” but no one listened to Him. Then we had to fight World War II, and still we didn’t come back to God. We have had very little peace and a whole lot of troubles since then.
“They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase.” I know what I am saying when I tell you that you can never, never enjoy the sexual relationship in the way in which God really wants you to enjoy it unless it is within the bonds of marriage. When you can put your arms around a woman whom you have been loving and can say to her, “I love you above everything else in the world,” then it is wonderful and there will be an increase. Otherwise, there is really no satisfaction in it; it is just a temporary sort of release, and you hate yourself afterward. I know that some of you know that, and God knows that—He is spelling that out for us here.
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart [Hos. 4:11].
Part of our problems in Washington, D.C., today are caused by these two sins—harlotry or adultery and liquor. They are responsible for men lying and doing any number of crooked things. This is not confined to just one political party or group; the whole crowd is guilty. One writer said that in Washington you do not know whom to trust—what a sad commentary on our nation! Do not tell me that the “new” morality is working today. Itdidn’t work for Israel either when they got away from the Word of God and decided to try something new. In the northern kingdom they had sin galore. They put up two golden calves to replace God and practiced Baal worship which involved the grossest form of immorality.
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone awhoring from under their God [Hos. 4:12].
He is speaking here of the harlotry, the spiritual adultery, which is turning from God—they went to inquire of idols. Today we find people running after the gurus of India. One of the gurus who came to this country said very candidly that he had come for the money and that it was nothing in the world but a religious racket as far as he was concerned—yet people went after him! People are going off into all types of things today, including the worship of Satan. I have a newspaper clipping which reports that a group of Satan cultists tortured and beat a seventeen-year-old youth to death, believing he was an undercover narcotics agent. The worship of Satan today is certainly not helping the morality of our country. And in Israel, idolatry simply led them into gross immorality and finally to God’s judgment.
They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery [Hos. 4:13].
They put their idols on top of a hill under a grove of trees. The center of this idolatrous worship was in these groves; it was cool there and a nice place to go.
“Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.” Our idolatry in this country today is covetousness and greed, and it has caused many a family to try to get on in the world. They want to move to a better neighborhood, to have a swimming pool, and to have a boat. They say they are doing it for the children—but all of a sudden the children leave the home. There are thousands and thousands of young people wandering up and down this country and all over the world. I have seen them in the Hawaiian Islands, and I talked to three of them in Constitution Square in Athens some time ago. There were two young men and a young lady, and I am sure they were not beyond their teens—one of them could have been twenty. I tried to talk with them as they sat there under the influence of drugs. They told me, “We’re nobody. We don’t count. We’ve dropped out.” What has happened to them? The problem is back there in the home. Their parents are idolatrous, worshiping the almighty dollar. We have forgotten God. We’ve turned away from the living and true God, and we no longer worship Him. We need to turn to the Savior who can redeem us and help us.
I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall [Hos. 4:14].
God says that ignorance of the law excuses no one. He is saying, “Although these people have gone off into sin, I am not going to judge them for the sin they are committing right now. I am going to judge them because they have turned from the living and true God and from His way.” I made this point to a man on the golf course who joined with my two preacher friends and myself to make a foursome. He said he guessed he was a sinner going to hell because of the various sins he had committed. I said to him, “You know, you’re not going to hell because you commit those sins.” He said, “What do you mean I’m not going to hell? I thought that’s what you preachers say.” I told him, “This preacher never said that. You’re going to hell because you have rejected Jesus Christ.” Israel was not judged because they had become harlots, but because they had turned from the living and true God.
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The Lord liveth [Hos. 4:15].
God is saying, “I am going to hold Judah back. I will not judge Judah yet. And Judah, don’t you come up and worship these calves which Israel has put up here.”
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place [Hos. 4:16].
I want to look at what backsliding really is. A great many people think that backsliding is when you have become a Christian, have joined the church, and then drop back into sin. That is not backsliding in the way it is used here—God illustrates it so that you cannot miss its meaning: “For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer.” In the little town in which I lived in southern Oklahoma as a boy, there lived next door to us a rancher who had a big cattle ranch and two boys who were about my age. We three played together. We enjoyed riding heifers out in the lot. We would tie a rope around them—as we said in that day, a bellyband—and we would hold on to that until the heifer bucked us off. Every now and then that rancher would need to load up some of those heifers into his wagon to take them to market. He had a runway constructed out of boards which he would put at the back end of the wagon, and then he would try to run the heifers up that. He put a rope around the heifer to lead her up and then would have someone push her from the rear. The heifer would go up part of the way, and then she would stiffen those front feet of hers. You know what would happen? You couldn’t push her, and you couldn’t pull her. She would simply start sliding backwards. My friend, that’s what backsliding is—“a backsliding heifer.” Israel was stiffening her front feet, and instead of being led of God, she was slipping backward all the time. My friend, you are backsliding when you turn your back on God, stiffen that little neck of yours and that little mind of yours, and you say, “I don’t have to obey God’s Word.” When you refuse to go the way God wants to lead you, then you are backsliding. God called Israel a backsliding heifer.
The word backsliding is used three times in this book. It is used in Scripture only by Jeremiah and Hosea, both of whom spoke to a nation ready to go into captivity. Israel and Judah were guilty of backsliding, guilty of refusing to be led of God and refusing to come to God.
Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone [Hos. 4:17].
“Ephraim” occurs thirty six times in this book. God has picked out the name of one of the ten tribes in the north and applied it to all ten of the tribes. I used to wonder just how God used this term: was it a term of endearment or a term of ridicule? I have come to the conclusion that it was a term of endearment, actually His pet name for the northern kingdom. These ten tribes had revolted, and Israel in the north actually had no name as a nation; it was Judah in the south who was really the nation. I think God gave this to them as a pet name—Ephraim. It is used throughout this Book of Hosea.
“Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” God says this in a longing sort of way but with a note of finality. If a man continues in a backslidden condition, refusing to listen to God, there will come a day when God can no longer speak to that man.
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye [Hos. 4:18].
“Their drink is sour”—You will become an alcoholic if you keep drinking, my friend. And it is not a disease; it is sin.
“They have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love.” The sad thing is that men high in our government, instead of using language that is clean and chaste, love to curse and to drink. They love shame more than glory.
The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices [Hos. 4:19].
People are carried away by every wind of doctrine, and God says that they are going to be made ashamed before it is over.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Israel turns from God and God turns from Israel
This chapter continues to deal with the sin of the northern kingdom and the fact that judgment is coming upon them; therefore it is not a very happy or pleasant section of the Word of God.
We must keep in mind the personal background of the prophet Hosea. As a young man he fell in love with a very lovely, beautiful young lady who became a prostitute. I imagine that she was attracted to prostitution by the money, by the fact that she would be able to get the luxuries that she otherwise could not have had. God sent Hosea to marry her in spite of this. He loved her and married her. After she had borne three children, again she played the harlot. And again Hosea went after her—he bought her and brought her back to himself. Hosea had a broken heart and a broken home. With that background, he said to the northern kingdom of Israel, “God says that you are playing the harlot, that you have been unfaithful to Him. I know exactly how He feels. He loves you and will never let you go, but He is going to judge you because of your sin.”
ISRAEL TURNS FROM GOD AND GOD TURNS FROM ISRAEL
God begins by condemning the leadership in the nation—the priests and the king.
Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor [Hos. 5:1].
“Mizpah” was in the southwest section of the kingdom, and “Tabor” is Mount Tabor which was way up in the northeast section of the kingdom. In other words, the people were worshiping idols under every green tree they could find—there were idols all over the land.
He speaks to the priests and to the king as representing the leadership of the nation. We saw in chapter 4 that God said, “Like people, like priest.” The priests who should have been setting an example were unable to rise above the level of the lowest man in society; that was true of the king also.
Unfortunately, we are living in a day in which our spiritual and political leadership is certainly not worthy of emulation. Liberalism is predominant in theology; liberalism is predominant in politics; and our news media are altogether liberal. Spiritual deterioration and decline in a nation will eventually bring it to destruction. That is what happened to Israel, and that nation furnishes a pattern for what can happen to us today.
And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all [Hos. 5:2].
God rebuked Israel for their brutality—there was murder, there was violence, and there was warfare. It is my conviction that the United States is today feeling the effects of God’s judgment upon us. In Vietnam we fought perhaps the most disgraceful war that was ever fought, and we did so against the warnings of generals who said that we should never fight a land war in Asia. We made a terrible blunder by getting involved in that, and what has happened in that land is tragic. Did we help them? I think not, and the judgment of God is upon us and, actually, upon the white man. This has been called “the white man’s day,” and it certainly has been that. Earlier in history it was the sons of Ham who headed up the great pagan civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria. However, it is the sons of Japheth, the white man, who has made the greatest blunder of all, and that is this: We have had the Word of God, the Bible, and we have not sent missionaries as we should have done. We did too little in getting the Word of God out to China, and God closed the door—I say God, not communism, closed the door. We did not send Bibles to Vietnam; we sent bullets and bombs over there. Because we did not send men to give out the Word of God, we had to send boys to die on the battlefield. We ought to wake up today to the fact that we cannot take God to the end of His universe and dismiss Him and tell Him we do not need Him anymore. We are feeling the effects of His judgment upon us, just as Israel did.
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord [Hos. 5:3–4].
I have said previously that I think “Ephraim” is a pet name that God chose for the nation Israel. Although it was the name of just one of the tribes, He used it to represent all ten of the northern tribes. But I think there is a second reason that God chose Ephraim to represent all of the northern kingdom: Ephraim was the very center of idolatry in Israel. The first golden calf was set up by Jeroboam in Beth-el; later on, a second one was set up in Samaria. Both of these places were in the tribe of Ephraim—Beth-el was probably in the tribe of Benjamin, but that area revolted with Ephraim and the rest of the northern kingdom. Ephraim was the very heart of idolatry, and idolatry was the great sin of the nation Israel.
“I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.” God knows what He is talking about. Although the calf worship, or the worship of Baal, had been set up in the tribe of Ephraim, it had defiled all ten of the tribes and even had had its effect upon the southern kingdom. Their sin was the sin of a people who had the Word of God and who knew God but had turned from Him and no longer knew Him or worshiped Him. As a result, gross immorality and deterioration set in throughout every part of the nation, affecting even the ecology of the nation. God said that even the land and the animals were affected, and I think the curse of God is still upon that land today. What little irrigation has been done has not yet made the “… desert … blossom as the rose” (Isa. 35:1).
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them [Hos. 5:5].
God is saying that all ten tribes will be conquered, and “Judah also shall fall with them,” but He does not say, “at the same time.” However, Judah was finally brought down, and both of these kingdoms were carried away into captivity. The northern kingdom was carried into captivity by Assyria; about a century later, the southern kingdom was taken to Babylon. From that captivity there has never actually been the return to the land which the Word of God speaks about. This Book of Hosea makes it abundantly clear that when God brings them back, the world will know it, and there will be peace in the land.
They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them [Hos. 5:6].
In other words, the people have deserted God, but when trouble comes upon them and after they have tried every other resource, they will turn to God. God is their last resource, but they will not find Him because He has withdrawn Himself from them.
For many people, turning to God is the last resort. There is told the story of a ship which was crossing the Atlantic years ago, and the ship hit an iceberg. The captain sent out the order all over the ship, “To prayers, to prayers!” One woman on board the ship came rushing up to the captain and said, “Captain, has it come to this?” She was implying that if they were going to pray, they had come to the last resort. That is the way many people treat God. To them He is like a spare tire which they have on hand but are always hoping they won’t have to use. Or He is like a life insurance policy or a fire extinguisher—you hope you never have to use them but they are there just in case the emergency arises.
They have dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions [Hos. 5:7].
“For they have begotten strange children”—that is, they are strange to God. The people did not bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Back in the Book of Deuteronomy God told His people that they were to be continually teaching His Word to their children. They were to put it on the doorposts and teach it as they sat in their homes and as they walked together and even when they were going to bed at night. But now He says, “You have begotten strange children—they don’t even know Me.”
Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin [Hos. 5:8].
“Beth-aven” is Beth-el. That part of the tribe of Benjamin had apparently revolted with the northern kingdom. God is saying here that the word of warning is to go out over all the land and to all the people.
Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be [Hos. 5:9].
In other words, God had not failed to warn the people. He had warned them, He had rebuked them, and they still would not hear.
The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water [Hos. 5:10].
The southern kingdom had apparently attempted to move its boundaries as far north as it possibly could, and there evidently was a real division caused by the fact that the two nations could not agree on the boundary. God had a message through Hosea for the southern kingdom as well, although he primarily was a prophet to the northern kingdom.
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment [Hos. 5:11].
Ephraim willingly followed the idols and the worship of idols—he went with the crowd.
Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness [Hos. 5:12].
The prophets use figures of speech which are quite interesting. There is great profit in studying the prophets, if I may make a play on words, because they reach out into nature and use certain figures of speech which are helpful to us in understanding the Word of God. “Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth.” What does a moth do? A moth can get into your closet, and if you do not have mothballs in there, it can ruin a suit of clothes. The story is told about the man who had bought some mothballs at a drugstore but brought them back, saying they didn’t work. When the druggist asked him what he meant, the man said, “I stayed up half the night throwing these balls at the moths, but I never hit one of them!” My friend, moths are something you do not want in your closet, because in just one night they can ruin a very valuable wool garment. God says, “I am going to be to Ephraim like a moth; I will judge him in a hurry.”
“And to the house of Judah as rottenness.” It takes a wooden board or a wooden foundation of a house a long time to become rotten. God has said to Ephraim, the northern kingdom, “I’m going to judge you now. However, in the southern kingdom rottenness is also setting in, and, finally, it will collapse—but it will take longer for that to take place.”
Our foundations are being removed in every way imaginable in our nation today, and rottenness has already begun in that which is left. It may take a while, my friend, but we cannot continue in sin like we are and expect to escape God’s judgment. The situation is enough to make us weep today.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound [Hos. 5:13].
“When Ephraim saw his sickness”—Ephraim was sick, sick nigh unto death. “And Judah saw his wound”—Judah was hurt at this time also, because Assyria had come against them but did not take them into captivity.
“Then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.” Ephraim went to a quack doctor. They thought that the king of Assyria would help them, but he is the one who took them into captivity—they appealed for help to the wrong one.
For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him [Hos. 5:14].
Here is another marvelous figure of speech. God says, “To Ephraim I am going to be as a lion, but to the southern kingdom I am going to be a young lion, a lion cub.” The other evening I was watching on television a nature picture about lions. It showed how the mother lion protects her cubs. One of those little fellows looked just like a great big roly-poly cat—I wished I could have one as a pet. But that mother lion was vicious, especially when another animal would come near her cubs. She would really go after that animal, and the little cubs would just keep on playing. God said to the northern kingdom that He was going to be a lion—He intended to destroy them. To the southern kingdom He was going to be just a lion cub. But what happens to a lion cub? He grows up and some day is just as vicious as his mama. This was a warning to the southern kingdom that some day judgment was coming to them also.
“I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.” God was going to let Ephraim go into captivity, and they could whine and cry all they wanted to, but He would not rescue them. God judged their sin.
God judges sin even today—no one is really getting by with it. We have failed our young people today. Venereal disease is in epidemic stages, and we say, “What in the world is happening?” I’ll tell you what is happening: God says you do not get by with sin—He is judging sin, and He will continue to judge sin, my friend.
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early [Hos. 5:15].
Although this has been a doleful chapter entirely about judgment, it closes here with a note of hope. The time will come when Israel will again seek God, but He will not deliver them until they turn to Him.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Israel will return in the last days; Israel presently to be judged for current sins
ISRAEL WILL RETURN IN THE LAST DAYS
Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up [Hos. 6:1].
This is God’s last call to the northern kingdom in that day, but it also looks to the future of that nation when God will heal them; although He has torn them, He intends to bind them up. This should be a warning that God will judge the sin of any nation that makes a profession of being a Christian nation and which has had the benefit of the Word of God.
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight [Hos. 6:2].
“In the third day he will raise us up”—this is very interesting in light of the fact that the resurrection of Christ was on the third day. He was raised for the justification of both Jew and Gentile. This will also be applicable in that future day when God will bring Israel back into that land and bring them to Himself. In Ezekiel 37 God speaks of that day as a resurrection, and that resurrection will be based on the One who was raised on the third day; for in Christ’s resurrection there is provided, for any man who will accept it, a redemption and a justification which will bring him into a right relationship with Almighty God.
The apostle Paul develops the subject of the future of Israel in Romans 11. In our day, God’s purpose in building His church is to draw to Himself both Jew and Gentile, people out of every tongue and tribe and nation, who are going to come before Him to worship. When God completes His purpose in the church and takes it out of the world, He will again turn to the nation Israel and will raise her up. Every prophet who wrote in Scripture—and even some who didn’t write—spoke of God’s future purpose for the nation Israel. Even before the children of Israel could get into the land, Moses began to talk about the coming day when God would restore them back to the land for the third time. The third time—on the third day, so to speak—the restoration to the land would be a permanent restoration. There is a correlation between this restoration and Christ’s being raised from the dead on the third day.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth [Hos. 6:3].
“And he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” The former rains were the heavy rains which fell toward the end of October, and the latter rains were the heavy showers of March and April which came right before the harvest. There are folk who say that the latter rain has returned to that land, but I do not think you can say that either the former or latter rain has returned. The rainfall in Israel is much less than we have in Southern California, and here it is not the rain which makes this area a so-called Garden of Eden (despite its smog and traffic); it is irrigation that makes the land productive. But in Israel there is not enough water to irrigate all the land, and we are not seeing the fulfillment of the promised return of the rains to that land. When these people again turn to God, however, the blessing will come not only to the people, but also to the land and the animal world.
“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.” That is the very secret of the solution to the problems of life—to know the Lord. The apostle Paul, even when he had come to the end of his life, had this ambition: “That I may know him [that is, the Lord Jesus Christ], and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10). There is no way for improvement in this life apart from a knowledge of God. The Word of God is very emphatic about that, and either it is right or it is wrong. Over thousands of years the Word of God has been proven right, and I do not think the present generation is upsetting it by any means.
ISRAEL PRESENTLY TO BE JUDGED FOR CURRENT SINS
O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away [Hos. 6:4].
God sounds as if He is just a little bit frustrated here. In effect, He is saying, “What am I going to do with you? I love you, but you continue on in sin and I am going to have to judge you!” This puts God on the horns of a dilemma. Judgment is the strange work of God—He wants to save, not judge. But when people keep turning away from God, then the day comes when He has to judge them.
The people of Israel were religious, but they had no knowledge of God and were far from Him. We today have a lot of religion, and I am opposed to it. Let me illustrate my point with a letter which a man wrote to the editor of a newspaper:
In today’s society, religion has outlasted its usefulness. Man at long last has outgrown the necessity for this opiate. No longer does he have to explain the unknown with folktales and the worship of a superior being. In a complex society such as ours, religion can only mute and cloud the mind. Religion blurs and distorts important details and information, interferes with important decisions, and promotes bigotry and prejudice. Now is the time for humanity to discard this mental blindfold.
This may startle you, but I agree with what that man wrote; I wish that we could get rid of religion. Someone answered this letter, and his reply was also published. He expressed it so much better than I could:
In response to the April 26 letter entitled “Religion Termed Mental Blindfold,” I agree with Mr. __________ about the effects of religion, for religion is man’s attempt to reach God through his own efforts. I have never been a religious man, but about four years ago, something happened that has really changed my life. I invited Jesus Christ to take control of my life and accepted the fact that I cannot reach God by myself, but that He has made a relationship with Him possible through His Son Jesus Christ. Since that commitment, I have grown increasingly aware of my social responsibility and have grown to love and accept myself and other people regardless of age, race, creed, or color.
Today many are saying, “Out with religion,” and I say, fine, let’s sweep it out the back door, and let’s invite Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, to come in.
The Israelites were religious, but their goodness was like “a morning cloud”—just form and ritual and ceremony. “As the early dew it goeth away”—that is all their religion amounted to. Many people wear religion like you would wear a loose—fitting garment; it is something they can put on or off at any time. God condemned these people because they were religious, but they did not know Him, and they had never had a transforming, life-changing, experience with Him.
Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth [Hos. 6:5].
In other words, God says, “I skinned them alive by the prophets.” I appreciate the many letters I receive that commend us for giving out the Word of God as it is, for hewing to the line and letting the chips fall where they may. I have always tried to do that throughout the years of my ministry, and I have found that the folk who sincerely want to hear the Word of God will appreciate it. Others will oppose it, and I expect to hear their criticism also. God says to His people here, “I’ve skinned you alive by the prophets—they have been faithful in telling it like it is—but you have not listened to them.” And in our day, although there is a great interest in and turning to the Word of God, we wonder how much of it has really transformed the hearts and lives of those who hear.
“I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.” They were not sinning because of ignorance—there was no lack of information. God had sent the prophets to them, but they had turned their backs on God and His Word.
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings [Hos. 6:6].
The people were merely going through a form. My friend, you can go to church on Sunday and be as fundamental as you can be. You may criticize the preacher, criticize the choir, criticize everybody—maybe they deserve it, I don’t know—but God’s desire is that you put His Word into shoe leather, that you allow it to get down where the rubber meets the road, and that there be an evidence of mercy in your own heart and life. Don’t think that going to a church banquet is somehow a substitute for truly eating the Bread of Life or of enjoying a big porterhouse steak from the Word of God. No church function is a substitute for really studying the Word of God.
But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me [Hos. 6:7].
“The covenant”—that is, the covenant which God had made with this nation.
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood [Hos. 6:8].
The city of Gilead is best known to us for the “… balm in Gilead …” (Jer. 8:22, italics mine), which was an aromatic gum or resin used for medical purposes. However, in Hosea’s day only iniquity came out of Gilead.
And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness [Hos. 6:9].
In other words, the priests in refusing to give the people the Water of Life and the Bread of Life were actually committing murder. To be honest with you, I think that a minister who stands in the pulpit and does not give out the Word of God is guilty just as it is stated right here. I did not think that up—it is the Word of God which says that.
I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people [Hos. 6:10–11].
This is a warning to Judah that their day of judgment is also coming. “When I returned the captivity of my people”—there is a future day when God will bring the people back to the land, but at that time He had to judge them for their sin.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Israel turns to Egypt and Assyria
Chapters 7–12 deal with the fact that Israel could escape judgment by turning to God who loves her. God is dealing with Israel in a harsh way; yet in tenderness He is attempting to call the people back to Himself before judgment comes.
Israel turns to Egypt and Assyria instead of turning to God.
ISRAEL TURNS TO EGYPT AND ASSYRIA
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without [Hos. 7:1].
Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom—that is, Omri made it the capital, and then Ahab and Jezebel built a palace there.
On our recent trips to Israel I insisted that Samaria be included in the tour. I wanted the folk to go to that hill of Samaria and see the fulfillment of prophecy. The judgment of God is on what is probably one of the most beautiful spots in the world. It would be a lovely spot for a palace, or for that matter, for a home. From the top of the hill there is a view of the entire area. To the west is the Mediterranean Sea, to the east the Jordan Valley, to the north Mount Hermon and Megiddo, to the south the city of Jerusalem. It is a choice spot with nothing to obstruct the view in any direction. But today it is a desolate waste. Indeed the judgment of God is upon it.
What was happening in Israel during Hosea’s day was that the sin which had been covered was being uncovered. That which they had been doing secretly they were now doing openly. There was no shame, no conviction, no conscience relative to their sin. The Lord would forgive their iniquity if they would repent and turn to Him. Instead, they persisted in their wickedness and went farther and farther into it.
It is one thing to sin in secret—that is bad enough—but it is even worse to bring your sin out in the open and flaunt it before the world. To do that is to sink to the very bottom. This is the reason that I believe Hosea has a message for my own nation as well as all other nations. Since the people of Israel were God’s chosen people, and yet God sent them into captivity when they persisted in sinning against Him, does it seem likely that any other nation could get by with the same type of sin?
For example, when I was growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, the few homosexuals who lived there kept their homosexuality under cover. They operated rather secretly and concealed their sin. However, now across the country they are very open about their perversion and are demanding acceptance and protection of their activity. The fact is being uncovered that there are not only call girls but call boys and that homosexuals are numbered in the thousands. What was formerly done in secret is now brought out into the open, and this is characteristic of other sins as well.
Someone said to me just recently, “Dr. McGee, in our day people sinned just as they do today.”
“Yes, they did,” I agreed. “Before I was saved, I was with that crowd, and I know.”
“Well, then, what’s the difference?”
“I’ll tell you the difference. In my day we kept it under cover. There was still some shame connected with sin. Today sin is brought out in the open and is flaunted before the world.” It is called a new morality, and actually a sort of halo is put around sin today. The sinner is commanded for doing something new and daring and courageous. The other day I heard a girl complimented as being honest and courageous because she was living with a man to whom she was not married and had an illegitimate child. Well, I am a square, I know (as someone said, being a square keeps me from going around in circles), but we must face the fact that God’s Word has not changed. The openness of sin is not a mark of advancement, but it indicates that we are losing the civilization which formerly carried some semblance of Christian culture.
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face [Hos. 7:2].
God is saying, “I knew about their sins before, but now they have taken a further step away from Me and are doing their sinning out in the open.” In other words, they have now reached the lowest depths of immorality.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies [Hos. 7:3].
The king and the princes applauded this sort of behavior. In our day it is tragic when the leadership in any field—education, science, politics, or the church—give themselves over to foul and blasphemous language, as they are now doing. That is something else that is out in the open. A foulmouthed leader is applauded as being a he-man. Well, it also indicates that he has a very poor vocabulary and is not able to express himself. Unfortunately, this verse is applicable to our nation, and history tells us that it has been applicable to great nations in the past that have now passed off the stage of human events and lie in rubble, covered by the dust of the centuries.
They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened [Hos. 7:4].
This figure of speech is tremendous. The baker had his oven ready but didn’t bring up the heat until the dough was kneaded and ready to bake. Here God is not talking about spiritual adultery but about gross immorality. They had formerly kept their sin under cover, but now they are like an open oven, hot with passion. In our day I get the impression that men are trying to prove that they are virile and women are trying to prove that they are sexually alert. In modern America there is a tremendous open obsession with sex.
In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners [Hos. 7:5].
The king has become an alcoholic, and he is making a fool of himself. We have mentioned this before, but it is so important that we will keep repeating it. What was it that brought down the northern kingdom? It was idolatry, a turning away from God. That will always manifest itself in gross immorality. Wine and women, the bottle and the brothel, sauce and sex are the things that occupied the attention of the northern kingdom.
Now if you think I am a square or unfair or a bigot, will you let me ask you a fair question? As you look about you today, what is the chief occupation of men and women in all walks of life? Isn’t it an occupation with liquor and with sex? Haven’t these two become the prominent things in this civilization of ours? Isn’t it true that it is being brought out in the open today as never before in our country? When these sins were brought out in the open in Israel, God said that He would have to move and judge them.
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire [Hos. 7:6].
Everything is done to stir up the passions of men and women. In our day we hear this so-called sophisticated argument about pornography: “We are adults and should have the right to choose what we want to see and what we want to hear.” Well, there isn’t much freedom to choose what we want to see and what we want to hear when we are bombarded with filth everywhere we turn. I don’t have the liberty to choose what is presented on television or the radio or the advertising media. I think there are a great many people who would like to see better things and hear better things than are presented to us today, but that freedom is denied us in order that the other crowd can have their freedom to give themselves over to sin.
They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me [Hos. 7:7].
“All their kings are fallen.” The northern kingdom did not have one good king. If you were to look back in the historical books and go through the list of the kings of Israel and Judah, you would note that Judah had a few good kings—in fact, five kings of Judah led in revivals—but the northern kingdom didn’t have a good king in the lot. Every king was as wicked as he could be. Ahab and Jezebel reached the bottom of the list, but some of the others would run them a close second.
Many of the kings in the northern kingdom were assassinated. They made nine different changes of dynasty in their short history. The kings in the northern kingdom started off with Jeroboam, but you don’t get very far into the story until someone gets in and murders his line. Another line of kings starts out, and it doesn’t go very far until someone else is murdered. Several of the kings had a short reign, and their sons didn’t even make it to the throne. That was a judgment of God upon them. You see, God had chosen and promised to bless the line of David; He made no such promise to the kings of the divided kingdom in the north.
Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned [Hos. 7:8].
“Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people.” God never goes in for mixtures. Have you noted that? He seems to want His children to stay in their own crowd.
“Ephraim is a cake not turned.” Here we go again with another good, homely illustration, and Hosea has many of them. What does he mean? In that day they cooked on the top of a stove and made little cakes like our pancakes. They still make those kind of cakes there today. Now you know that a pancake that is not turned can be burned on the one side and raw on the other side. That is the picture of Ephraim. The nation was hot on one side but raw on the other side.
They blew hot and cold toward God. There is a whimsical little story told of a man who had been wandering through the woods and came up to a cottage. The man who lived in the cottage invited him into his home. As the man came in out of the cold, he began to blow on his hands. “Why do you blow on your hands?” asked the host. “To make them warm,” answered the wanderer. Then the host offered the visitor a bowl of hot soup. The man began to blow on the soup. “Why do you blow on the soup?” asked the host. “To make it cool,” answered the guest. So the host jumped up and ran out of his own house, saying, “I don’t like anybody who can blow hot and cold!” Well, my friend, that is the way a great many people are as far as Christianity is concerned. With one crowd they blow hot and with another crowd they blow cold. They are like Ephraim—a cake (a pancake) not turned.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria [Hos. 7:9–11].
This is another interesting illustration. If you have ever been dove hunting, you know that if a dove has a nest with eggs or little ones in it she will act as if she has a broken wing and actually let you get very close to her. She tries to lure you away from her nest. Actually, that is not a very smart move on the part of the dove for two reasons. When a dove lets you get that close to her, you know there is a nest nearby. Secondly, she endangers her own life.
Now here was Ephraim. She refused to run to God for help. So first she ran down to Egypt for help. When Egypt wouldn’t give her the help she wanted, she went up to Assyria and asked for help. She went back and forth like a silly dove. What a picture!
When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard [Hos. 7:12].
I can remember as a boy that we would get a big box, prop up one end, and put corn under it. We would have the corn lead right under the box. We would hide in the barn, and the doves would come to eat the corn. They would follow the corn right under the box. Then we would pull a string, and the box would come down on them. Silly doves. That is what God says here. He will spread His net upon them. They will be caught.
Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me [Hos. 7:13].
God had a redemption for them, and yet these people were continuing to turn from the living and true God.
And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me [Hos. 7:14].
They didn’t realize that the famine they were having was a judgment of God upon them. They were crying about having no food.
Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall he their derision in the land of Egypt [Hos. 7:15–16].
“They are like a deceitful bow.” You put an arrow in it to shoot at something and the string breaks. It is a deceitful bow—you can’t depend upon it.
“This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.” He is saying that Egypt will begin to mock them and ridicule them for the way they are acting.
You can see that this is a very severe section of the Word of God. Hosea was not the most popular prophet in his day. He wouldn’t be a popular prophet today, either. However, he still has a message for us, and we do well to listen.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Israel turns to golden calves and altars of sin
All of the prophets had not only a local message but also one that reaches into the future even beyond us today. However, their message does have an application for us. There are no prophecies more applicable to us than those of Hosea and Jeremiah. Each of these prophets prophesied right at the time of the downfall of this nation. Their messages ought to alarm us as a nation today, but I do not have the faith that they will. I am afraid that we may have stepped over the line and that judgment is inevitable, just as it was for Israel.
ISRAEL TURNS TO GOLDEN CALVES AND ALTARS OF SIN
As Israel turned from God, they looked to their king and their wealth to deliver them—
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off [Hos. 8:1–4].
“Because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law”—God is explaining why He is going to send them into captivity. Previously He spelled out their sins and showed that they had broken His commandments, but their sins had also resulted in their breaking the covenant which God had made with them. God had made a covenant with Abraham which was applicable to them, and He had made a covenant with Moses which was applicable to them, especially as it pertained to that land and how He would bless them in the land; but if they did not serve Him He would put them out of the land. And then God also made a covenant with David. Now the people had broken these covenants, but God will never break them. The covenant which God made with Abraham and the covenant which He made with David were both unconditional (the Mosaic covenant was conditional). The people could transgress the covenant, and when they did they were judged. They were put out of the land, but that has never altered the fact that God will give them that land for an eternal possession. It simply means that that generation was put out of the land, but another generation will be brought back. That is what happened when they came out of Egypt. Since the people would not enter the land because of their unbelief, God said they would never enter the land but that their children would inhabit it.
“They have set up kings, but not by me.” God had said that the line of David was to rule over Israel. Jeroboam led a rebellion, and the line of kings which he set up did not include men who turned to the living God. These kings never attempted in any way to bring the people into the worship of God. Instead, they all went into idolatry. Jeroboam, at the very beginning, put up those two golden calves—one in Samaria and one in Beth-el—and he did that to keep the people from returning to Jerusalem in the south to worship in the temple. God judged them because they had set up kings of whom He did not approve.
Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? [Hos. 8:5].
“How long will it be ere they attain to innocency?” They were guilty, they were sinful, they were not innocent at all.
“Thy calf, O Samaria.” Samaria had become the capital of Israel under Omri, the father of Ahab. Ahab married Jezebel whose father was a priest in Sidon among the Phoenicians, worshipers of Baal. Jezebel had transported to Israel several hundred prophets of Baal, and many Israelites became worshipers of Baal.
“Mine anger is kindled against them”—God intended to judge them. Samaria is a desolate place even today. I insisted on taking our tour group to see it. Though it is a beautiful spot, the desolation there is appalling; you cannot help but be overwhelmed by it. But there were once palaces of ivory in Samaria. The archaeologists say that they have found very lovely ivory perfume bottles and all kinds of beautiful ivory bric-a-brac in the ruins there. I noticed that the people on our tour were depressed after viewing the ruins, and rightly so. God has judged Samaria. It was a beautiful spot with lovely buildings, but God’s judgment came upon it because the people had turned from Him and were worshiping the calf there.
For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces [Hos. 8:6].
I do not know where you would find that golden calf today. The archaeologists certainly have not found any piece of it there. It was probably taken somewhere and broken to pieces, maybe even melted down. God says to these people, “You have turned from Me to worship this, but it is not God and it is not able to help you.”
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up [Hos. 8:7].
This verse speaks of the judgment both of famine and of the enemy who was to come into that land.
Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure [Hos. 8:8].
“Israel is swallowed up.” Do you know where the ten tribes are today? So many people have the idea that the United States is the tribe of Ephraim—I cannot think of anything more absurd. If you think that is true, read these chapters here about God’s judgment on Ephraim; nothing but judgment is mentioned of Ephraim.
“Now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.” We are not able to locate or identify the tribes of Israel today. I am confident that the people of Israel mixed with the tribe of Judah when they returned to the land after their captivity, and there has been no way to separate them since that time. They are scattered throughout the world today. Actually, there are more Jews in New York City than there are in the whole nation of Israel; there are at least four times as many outside of the land than are in Israel today.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers [Hos. 8:9].
Here is another specific action which brought God’s judgment upon Israel. What a condemnation this is! They are like one of these long-eared donkeys. Israel went up to Assyria for help and tried to buy off Assyria—“Ephraim hath hired lovers.”
However, they found they could not buy off Assyria. Instead God would use Assyria to judge them—
Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin [Hos. 8:10–11].
An altar is a place of worship, and God had given Israel an altar. We see in the Book of Hebrews that the church has a heavenly altar; the throne of God is today a throne of grace to us, and the Lord Jesus is our Great High Priest at that altar making intercession for us. An altar is to be a place of worship, but here God says, “Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.” Israel had turned to religion, to the worship of idols. It did not help them and only brought judgment upon them.
My friend, religion has been the most damning thing this world has ever experienced. Religion has damned the world. Look at India today where they cannot eat steak because the cows are sacred; there are multitudes starving to death, and yet they will not use cattle for food. Look at the condition of China today or at our ancestors yonder in the wildernesses of England. Throughout history religion has not helped us but has crippled and damned the human race. Only the Lord Jesus can deliver us.
I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing [Hos. 8:12].
“But they were counted as a strange thing”—that is, the people did not know anything about God’s law. I say this often because there are so few who are saying it at all. God is saying here, “I have given them my written Word, and to them it is a strange thing—they are ignorant of it.” That was the condemnation of Israel and, my friend, that is the condemnation of our nation today. We try to pass as a civilized, Christian nation, and we are anything but that. The ignorance of the Word of God is to me one of the most amazing things in this land. That is the reason we are committed to teaching the Bible. The most important business the church has is to get out the Word of God. I do not think your pastor is to be a business administrator. I do not think he is called to be a social lion who mixes and mingles with people. The important thing is whether he gives out the Word of God when he stands in that pulpit. If he does, then you should stand behind him. But I do not ask you to support a man who is playing around and riding the fence in liberalism. Across this land there are many men who are teaching the Word of God, and they are the ones who are getting a hearing today. However, their ministries and the ministry of a Bible teaching radio program like ours are just a drop in the bucket—this nation is ignorant of the Word of God.
They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt [Hos. 8:13].
They go through the ceremony, they’ve got the ritual, and they know the vocabulary, but that is all it is. The Lord knows them and He doesn’t accept them. I discovered as a pastor that you have a few people who learn the vocabulary of fundamentalism; they know when to say, “Praise the Lord” and “the Lord bless you.” Those are wonderful expressions, but in the mouths of some people they are meaningless. “The Lord accepteth them not.”
“Now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.” It is evident that when Babylon destroyed Assyria, many from the ten tribes joined with the ones who were taken into Babylonian captivity from Judah and returned to the land. Also, we know from the Book of Jeremiah that at the time of the Babylonian captivity many of the people went into Egypt. I believe that that is what Hosea is speaking of here, but there are many fine Bible expositors who would not agree with me.
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof [Hos. 8:14].
“For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples.” They had tried to build substitutes for the temple in Jerusalem. It was in that temple and in that temple only that God had said sacrifices were to be made to Him. “And Judah hath multiplied fenced cities”—Judah had sinned also, and God will judge them later. The thing that is going to happen first is that these temples in Israel are to be destroyed. It is interesting that the northern section of Israel seems to be more desolate than any other section of that land. Way down in the Negeb where they don’t get any rain, you expect it to be that way, but up in the northern section—especially in the valley of Esdraelon, which is one of the richest valleys in the world—you do not expect the desolation which is there. Yet all around, even to this day, you see evidences of the judgment of God which came upon that land.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Israel turns to land productivity
At this time Israel was beginning to look to prosperity as the indication that everything was all right in the nation. In other words, they were trying to increase the value of their money, and they were attempting to increase the production of the land. But God said that they were nothing but a backsliding heifer. He had blessed them with prosperity, and that had blinded them to the reality of their spiritual condition. In fact, they are right on the verge of captivity, which was the judgment of God.
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor [Hos. 9:1].
“Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people”—they were sinning more and enjoying it less.
“For thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God.” God says, “You have played the harlot.”
“Thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.” In other words, Israel was trying to increase their production, but instead it became a judgment upon them. The stock market was up, and there was abundance. The shelves of the supermarket were groaning with food; there was plenty of liquor to be bought, plenty of wine, all of which deceived Israel.
Our nation today has also been deceived by prosperity. We are finding out that these great big combines, these large corporations, are probably not the blessing that we thought at one time they would be. Even farming is often done by large corporations. However, the important thing today is the stock market. Certainly the stock market is more important to our nation than are the Scriptures. That was what was happening in Israel—there was a false prosperity in the land, and they were far from dependent upon God.
I believe that one of the methods God has used to judge the United States is that He has judged us with prosperity. After World War II, I predicted that we were going to have to suffer as the other nations had suffered during the war. We did not have any bombing as did England, France, Germany, and Japan. We escaped all that, but I felt at the time that God would judge us somehow. After the war we became the most prosperous nation in the world, and it seemed a contradiction of the statements I was making. It took me about ten years to see what God was doing. God judged us with prosperity, and that is what He did to Israel. He said, “I have provided everything for you, and you’re giving credit to your own ingenuity and your own ability. You’re a proud people, and you’re not looking to Me nor giving Me credit at all.” That is the picture of Israel and, my friend, that just happens to be a picture of my nation since World War II.
The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her [Hos. 9:2].
In other words, there is going to be scarcity rather than abundance.
They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria [Hos. 9:3].
“They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land.” God makes it clear that He is going to put them out of the land. Although He said He would never forget His covenants with Abraham, Moses, and David, Israel’s tenure in the land always depended on their obedience to God. Now He is going to put them out of the land.
“And they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.” The people had been turning from God and breaking His law. Now God says, “I’m really going to give you a diet of unclean things.” They are not going to have any more fun—they were sinning more, but enjoying it less. I am of the opinion that that is true of a great many people today. I talked once with a man in some meetings in the East, who said to me, “The reason I came tonight, Dr. McGee, is that I’ve tried everything in this world, and I am so sick of sin, just sick of it.” He was sinning more, but enjoying it less, and that was what finally brought that man to Christ.
They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord.
What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?
For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles [Hos. 9:4–6].
Many of them went down into the land of Egypt following the captivity. Out of the land, they could not worship God as He intended them to.
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred [Hos. 9:7].
Israel had lost its way spiritually. Why? Because of the leadership.
When I started out to study for the ministry, the big debate in the church in this country was between what was then known as fundamentalism and modernism. Modernism espoused the social gospel. They were the dogooders, and they claimed they had a high ethical standard. Frankly, I was inclined to agree with them because I found that many fundamentalists didn’t operate on high ethics. It disturbed me a great deal to think that the liberals had one strike on us in that connection. But I watched them carefully and found that they didn’t really have a high ethical standard. Hosea said it, and you can blame it on him; he said, “The prophet is a fool.”
For example, there was a young man who attended Yale and had there an outstanding liberal preacher who taught ethics. This preacher taught young men to burn their draft cards—and that’s against the law. In certain protest meetings he taught and espoused that there is a higher law than the law of the land. The young man heard these things and thought, Well, if that’s ethics, then I will follow that. He was led into very serious trouble because of such teaching.
May I say to you, liberalism has lost even its moral standard today. I was in Portland, Oregon, at the time it was discovered through the testimony of a policewoman that the place where the young people were getting narcotics was run by the liberal churches. Hosea said, “The prophet is a fool”—he has led the nation astray.
Liberalism is also responsible for the policy this nation followed after World War II, and the trouble we are in today is a trouble that has been produced by liberalism. I will say this, fundamentalism may act fanatically at times, but the fact of the matter is that fundamentalism did not lead this country into the trouble we are in today. Before I even entered seminary I listened to men like Dr. Harry Ironside, Dr. Harry Rimmer, and Dr. Arthur Brown, and I heard my liberal professors and preachers call them fanatics. But what those men said and preached is true today, and the things I was taught by those liberal professors are not true at all—it just didn’t work out the way they said.
Israel had turned their backs on God, and judgment was coming because of it. They had no spiritual discernment. It is the ignorance of the Word of God that disturbs me about our nation today. We receive many letters from people who are coming out of various cults and “isms”—and we rejoice in that—but how did they get trapped in all of these groups? There is only one explanation: ignorance of the Word of God and lack of spiritual discernment. God said that He intended to judge Israel, and that should be an illustration to any nation which makes a pretense of being a Christian nation.
The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God [Hos. 9:8].
“The watchman of Ephraim was with my God”—evidently there were a few fanatical fundamentalists around in that day warning the people of the coming judgment.
“But the prophet is a snare of a fowler.” That is harsh language, and I would never use that kind of language to speak of the liberal today. However, I do believe that liberalism is in control in my day, especially over the news media. They have sacred cows known freedom of the press and freedom of speech, but they allow the fundamentalists very little freedom, I can assure you of that. Liberalism—whether it is in politics, the news media, or in the pulpit—is a snare; it is like a trap, and it brainwashes people. As a result, this nation has been in trouble ever since World War II. It is time someone made the diagnosis and gave the prognosis of the case: the problem is that we have turned from God as a nation. God has become a big swear word in Washington, D.C. His name is often used in the form of blasphemy but seldom in the form of prayer or in worship of Him.
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins [Hos. 9:9].
There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it—God intends to judge sin. Maybe you don’t like it, but that is what He says: He intends to judge sin.
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved [Hos. 9:10].
The vine and the fig tree are symbols of the nation Israel which are used throughout the Word of God.
Israel not only established calf worship in both Samaria and Beth-el, but, under Ahab and Jezebel, they also brought in the prophets of Baal.
As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception [Hos. 9:11].
Have you ever been duck hunting and spent the cold hours of the morning in a duck trap or in a boat out on the lake? Then right before the sun comes up and you can finally start shooting, someone else out there fires a gun, and every duck on the lake and anywhere nearby takes off! You just sit there and watch them fly away. That is the picture of the glory of Ephraim—it was departing. This nation had made a tremendous impact upon the ancient world, but its glory was flying away like a bird.
Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! [Hos. 9:12].
This is another judgment which God was going to bring upon them. God had promise Abraham not only to give him the land but also to multiply his seed. God had said that Abraham’s seed would be like the sand on the seashore and like the stars in the heavens. God made good that promise, but now the people have sinned and He says, “You’re going to have a real decline in your birthrate as part of My judgment upon you.”
“Not be a man left” is not a declaration that God would completely wipe out the population, but that there would be no man left who would stand for God.
Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer [Hos. 9:13].
“Tyrus” is Tyre. God had not yet judged Tyre, and it was at that time a great commercial center. Its prosperity was like a fever, and it had caught on in the northern kingdom which also became a commercial center. There was a false prosperity in the land, and the people were deceived by it.
Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts [Hos. 9:14].
Their women were barren. It was the judgment of God upon them.
All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters [Hos. 9:15].
In other words, God says to them, “Their sin in Gilgal brought My judgment upon them, although I loved them. This should be a warning to you. I will judge you again, and you will come to the conclusion that I do not love you anymore.”
Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb [Hos. 9:16].
God’s judgment was to come not only upon the fruit of the ground, but also on the birth of children.
My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations [Hos. 9:17].
God says that He intends to cast them out and that they would be “wanderers among the nations.” The ten tribes as such did not return after the captivity. It is true that they came back with Judah as a mixture, and they spread throughout the land. In fact, we find Joseph and Mary who were members of the tribe of Judah living way up in Galilee. There was a tremendous scattering even in the land when they returned after the Babylonian captivity, so that today most Jews could not tell you to which tribe they belong.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Israel will become an empty vine
We are in a section in which God pronounces His judgment upon Israel. In this chapter we discover something else that Israel was doing which would bring God’s judgment upon her.
ISRAEL WILL BECOME AN EMPTY VINE
Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images [Hos. 10:1].
He was not saying that Israel was a vine which was not producing fruit, because during this period Israel was very prosperous. God was still being good to them, although He was warning them of coming judgment. “He bringeth forth fruit unto himself” means that he was a vine that was emptying itself of its fruit—just pouring out fruit upon the people. You see, although God had made Israel prosperous, He was not given credit for it. Their urban areas were growing, they were putting up apartments and condominiums, and as a result, they thought everything was all right. Their prosperity was blinding them to their true condition.
It is my belief that this same thing has happened to my own country. As a nation, God blinded us with prosperity and with power at the end of World War II, while other nations suffered. We became the big brother to the world. Well, we have been eager to send bombs, but we have not sent what we should have sent: Bibles. I am weary of protestations decrying the fact that we used our bombs on other nations but never telling us what we should have sent instead of bombs. My friend, it is the Bible which has made our nation great, and we are pitifully ignorant of it today. The logical, rational conclusion, judging from history, is that God will judge our nation. There is many a great nation lying in rubble and ruin, which reveals God’s judgment upon them.
“According to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars.” As the population increased, the images increased. In other words, their sin increased as the population increased.
This figure of the vine reminds us of what the Lord Jesus said in John 15 to His Jewish disciples. He said, “I am the true [genuine] vine …” (John 15:1, italics mine). He was saying that until then they had felt that their identification with the nation gave them access to God and a relationship to Him. Now this was no longer true. The Lord Jesus was beginning to call out a people to His name. He would be the Head, and the church which He would be forming would be His body. When He said, “I am the genuine vine,” He meant that no longer would His people worship through the temple, but they would come through Him to the living God.
Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images [Hos. 10:2].
“Their heart is divided.” Actually they did worship God—we can’t say that they didn’t. Many of them went down to Jerusalem for the feast days as they had done in former years and joined in the worship of God. However, they would come right back up to the golden calves that had been set up, and they would also worship Baal. Their hearts were divided—one day they would worship God; the next day they would worship Baal.
This is the condition which James mentions in his epistle. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). I believe this is the reason we find so much inconsistency in the lives of men in public office today. They talk out of one side of their mouths saying one thing; then they talk out of the other side of their mouths saying the opposite thing. I understand that the language of some of our leaders is absolutely the foulest speech one can imagine. Then some of those same people can appear on television and quote a Bible verse so that you would think they were sprouting wings under their coats! That is having a divided heart.
My friend, you cannot go to church on Sunday and sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow,” then walk out, and on Monday morning go to your work and take His name in vain—lose your temper and use His precious name to damn everything that irritates you. That kind of divided living is exactly the same kind of divided heart that brought judgment upon Israel.
For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us? [Hos. 10:3].
They were saying, “Go down and look at the southern kingdom, and you will see that their king is not helping them very much.” Their basic problem was not that they had godless kings (they never had one good king in the northern kingdom), but their own hearts were not right with God. My friend, it is easy for you and for me to blame our government for our problems today when the basic problem is in our own hearts—yours and mine.
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field [Hos. 10:4].
The last days of the northern kingdom must have been parallel to our times. “They have spoken words.” They were very loquacious, great talkers. I believe that in our day radio and television and the printed page have made our generation the most talkative people on earth. Man is a pretty talkative “animal”—there is no monkey in a tree that does more chattering than man does. Talk, talk, talk, talk, reams and reams of printed material, and about 99.44 percent of all of it is not worth listening to. It would be better if most of it had never been said. Yet people are being paid fortunes for what they say and for what they write. Out of it all you hear practically nothing said about bringing people back to God, about a return to God and to the Word of God, about looking to Christ as the Savior.
“They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant.” They just talk, talk, talk, and you can believe almost nothing they say. I hear some Christian people say today that it is terrible that we don’t ask people to put their hand on the Bible anymore when they swear to tell the truth in a courtroom. Frankly, I’m glad the Bible is being left out of it. If they are going to lie anyway, all an oath on the Bible would do is blaspheme the Book. If the Bible means nothing to people, why in the world should it be used? I resent seeing someone put his hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth and then hear him lie!
How many Christian people have spoken words to make a false covenant? How many people have marched down to an altar to dedicate their lives to God, have done it repeatedly, and still nothing changed? How often do we say words but not really mean business with God?
“Thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.” Or, getting it down to the level of most of us, judgment will spring up like weeds in our planted gardens.
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it [Hos. 10:5].
“Beth-aven” is a term of ridicule for Beth-el. Since one golden calf was located at Beth-el and the other at Samaria, the inhabitants of these two cities were jealous of one another over who had the biggest calf or the most gold in it.
“For the people thereof shall mourn over it.” The actions of people mourning over these calves is really more the idea of trying to outdo one another over it. It would be in our day like “keeping up with the Joneses.” They bought a Cadillac, so we must buy a Continental. They built a house with three bedrooms and three baths, so we must build one with six bedrooms and six baths. They were trying to outdo each other in their calf worship!
“The priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.” God is saying, “All the glory of your religion that your priests have boasted in will one day disappear.” The word Ichabod, meaning “the glory is departed,” will be written over the door.
What will happen to it?
It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel [Hos. 10:6].
Those golden calves are going to be carried into Assyria for a present to the king. They would make a gift fit for a king—after all, there was a lot of gold in those calves.
“Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.” Their counsel will come to naught.
As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water [Hos. 10:7].
God makes it very plain that He is going to cut off the king of the northern kingdom. He’ll be “cut off as the foam upon the water”—that royal line, as well as the royal line from the southern kingdom, will spend their time singing, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.” In other words, they will be reduced to nothing.
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us [Hos. 10:8].
“The high places also of Aven … shall be destroyed.” As we have seen before, they worshiped their idols in groves of trees on the mountains.
“They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.” They want to be hidden from the judgment that is coming upon them. This will also be said in the Great Tribulation (see Rev. 6:15–17).
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them [Hos. 10:9].
This probably refers to the terrible events recorded in Judges 19–20. Even after the civil war, and the men of Gibeah were wiped out, the sin remained, and Gibeah was emblematic of gross and cruel sensuality. Along with the idolatrous practices of Israel were also gross sensual sins.
It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods [Hos. 10:10–11].
“Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn.” Ephraim is like an heifer that loves to tread out the corn. They enjoyed the wonderful, bountiful harvest that they got, but they sure didn’t like the idea of going out and plowing the ground to break up the clods. God is saying that He will force Ephraim to go back to doing the thing he does not want to do.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you [Hos. 10:12].
This is a principle that runs throughout the Bible. It is exactly what Paul wrote to the believers in Galatia: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. 6:7–8). Hosea is saying that if they would sow in righteousness, they would reap in mercy. It is always true that we cannot live by the Devil’s standards and then expect to reap a reward from God!
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men [Hos. 10:13].
Israel hadn’t learned her lesson. She plowed wickedness, so she would reap iniquity. They have eaten the fruit of lies. They trusted in mighty men, in their leaders who lied to them. They believed these men rather than God. So they got exactly what was coming to them—the fruit of lies.
In Daniel we read that God set over the nation the “… basest of men” (Dan. 4:17). My friend, in our day, regardless of what political party you are talking about, a sinful, godless people cannot elect a righteous leader. If the people are liars, they will get a liar as a leader. If they are adulterers, they will get an adulterer. If they are thieves, that’s the kind of ruler they will have. My friend, you cannot beat God at this. As the Greek proverb puts it, “The dice of the gods are loaded.” You can’t gamble with God without losing. If you think that you can be a liar, an adulterer, a thief, and get by with it, I have news for you. When you roll the dice of life, you think they are going to come up in such a way that you will be the winner. Well, God already knows how they will come up, because He has loaded them. When you sow sin, you will reap sin. That is inescapable. If you think that you can escape the results of sin, you are making God out a liar and the Bible a falsehood. It is true that some have thought that they have gotten by with sin, but no one ever has. If we could bring Ahab and Jezebel or Judas back to testify, they would tell you that they did not get by with sin. And if we could bring back to life some Americans who have died, they would testify to the same thing.
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children [Hos. 10:14].
“Shalman” is an abbreviated form of Shalmaneser, the King of Assyria. “Beth-arbel” apparently refers to a place the Greeks call Arbela. It is in the northern part of the country in the region of Galilee. It seems there was a battle here, although it is difficult to identify in secular history just which incident is being referred to in the verse.
“The mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.” This was a method used not only by the Assyrians, but also used later on by the Babylonians. This was mentioned by the children of Israel as they wept in Babylon. “O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones” (Ps. 137:8–9).
Those people used an awful, brutal, uncivilized method of destruction in war. Was it so uncivilized? Are we any better today? Have you read of things that are done by those in the drug culture, by homosexuals, by demon worshipers, by the new morality of our day? Was dashing the heads of little babies against the stones any worse than the sins that are committed today?
A brokenhearted man in Atlanta, Georgia, said to me one day, “The day I sent my boy to college it would have been better for him if I had taken him to the cemetery and buried him instead.” In other words, it would have been better for him to have been brutally killed as a baby by a ruthless pagan. But the ruthless pagans of the present hour are not condemned by our society. Instead they are accepted and even approved.
So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off [Hos. 10:15].
The Assyrians came, and overnight Israel was being transported to Assyria and a life of slavery.
CHAPTERS 11–12
Theme: Israel must be judged, but God will not give her up
Chapter 11 opens on a new note. Up to this point the emphasis has been on the disobedience of God’s people, but now there is a new note sounded. That new note is the love of God—how wonderful it is!
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt [Hos. 11:1].
This verse speaks primarily of the nation Israel—there is no question about that. It reveals the close relationship between God and the nation. In effect God is saying, “Israel as a nation was my son, and I took him out of Egypt. I did not take them out of Egypt because they were wonderful people who were serving Me. They were not serving Me but were in idolatry even then. It was not because of their ability, their superiority; they had nothing like that. I took them out of Egypt because I loved them.” My friend, that is the reason He saved you and me. Love is not the basis of salvation, but it is the motive of salvation. Back of the redemption we have in Christ, the fact that He would die, is “… God so loved the world …” (John 3:16, italics mine). “When Israel was a child, then I loved him,” God says. “I took him out of Egypt not because he was worthy, not because he performed good works, but because I loved him.”
Matthew in his gospel applied this verse to the Lord Jesus (see Matt. 2:15). This is an example of how statements in the Old Testament can also have application to the future. That baby boy who was born yonder in Bethlehem is identified with these people—He is an Israelite. The woman of Samaria knew this when He came there to the well. She said to him, “… How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9). God sent Him down to this world to die, and the Lord Jesus came and identified Himself with His people. As a baby He was taken down to the safety of Egypt, but the time came when God called Him out of the place of safety back to the place of danger within the land. He moved into the arena of life where He was to demonstrate the love of God by dying upon the cross—to furnish a redemption that man might have a righteous basis on which his sins could be forgiven. He identified with His people; He identified with humanity; He identified with you and me. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images [Hos. 11:2].
God had put the Canaanites and the other pagans out of the land because they worshiped Baalim. However, when the Hebrews got into the land they also turned to the worship of Baalim and to carved images.
I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them [Hos. 11:3].
God blessed Israel in many different ways, and His blessing was the gentle way in which He led them.
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them [Hos. 11:4].
God says, “I did not force them to serve Me.” God will not force Himself upon you either, my friend. Many people say, “Why doesn’t God break through today? Why doesn’t He do this or that?” I don’t know why God doesn’t do a lot of things—He just hasn’t told me. He is God, and I happen to be a little creature down here and I lack a great deal of information. Although I’m not able to answer that, I do know this: God will not force you. The only band He will put on you is the band of love. He says, “I won’t bridle you, I won’t push you, the only appeal I make to you is that I love you.” My friend, that is the appeal that God makes to you and to me today. He moved heaven and hell to get to the door of your heart, but He stopped there and politely knocks on the door and says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock …” (Rev. 3:20). That is where He is—He has never crashed the door; He is not going to push Himself in. You will have to respond to His love.
It is interesting that love has always been the strongest appeal. It is said that Napoleon made the statement, “Charlemagne, Alexander the Great, and other generals have built up empires, and they built them on force, but Jesus Christ today has millions of people who would die for Him, and He built an empire on love.” That is His only appeal to you—don’t think He will use any other method. He will judge you, but He will not draw you to Himself except by love. That is the strongest appeal that can possibly be made. The band is a band of love.
He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return [Hos. 11:5].
Israel ran down to Egypt to get help but then found out that Egypt was his enemy. Then he ran up to Assyria to get help there. God said, “I’m going to make Assyria his king”—Assyria is where He sent Israel into captivity.
And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him [Hos. 11:6–7].
This is the second time in Hosea that the word backsliding occurs. Again, it is the figure of the backsliding heifer, that little calf who, when you try to push her up the runway into the old wagon, simply puts down her front feet and begins to slide backwards—and you just have to start all over again. That is a picture of what backsliding is—it is to refuse to listen to God, to refuse to come to Him.
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city [Hos. 11:8–9].
This is a plaintive note. It seems as if God is on the horns of a dilemma here, as if He is frustrated. Listen to Him: “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?” He doesn’t want to give them up. God loves them, but because of their sin God must judge them.
“How shall I deliver thee, Israel?” My friend, God has no other way to save you except by the death of Christ. You may think you have two or three different ways yourself, but God has but one way. Since He says, “There is no saviour beside me” (Hos. 13:4), you had better listen to Him. You and I are not in the saving business, but He is.
“How shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim?” Admah and Zeboim were cities down on the plain which God judged along with Sodom and Gomorrah. God is saying to Israel, “I hate to judge you like that.” However, God had to judge them, and today it is just as desolate in Samaria as it is there along the Dead Sea where these cities were once located.
“Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger.” In other words, Israel did not receive half of what they deserved. Why? Because God says, “I will not return to destroy Ephraim”—He intends to redeem them and to put these people back in that land some day. Their present return to the land is not a fulfillment of this at all; do not blame God for what is happening in that land today.
However, God will put them back in the land. Why will He do it? For one reason: “For I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.” This is something else we need to learn today. We feel like we live in a democracy and that our government exists for us and exists to carry out the decisions we make, but God says, “I am the sovereign God. I’m not accountable to anyone. I do not have a board of directors, and nobody elected Me to office. I do what I please.” My friend, if you do not like what God is doing today, it’s too bad for you, because God is going to do it—He is not accountable to you. There are a lot of things which God does that I don’t understand, but He is God, and He is surely not accountable to Vernon McGee. He does not come down and hand in a report to me. The folk who work for me at “Thru the Bible” headquarters hand in reports to me, but God doesn’t give me a report. Why? Because He is God, and He doesn’t have to report to me.
They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west [Hos. 11:10].
God intends to judge, my friend—a judgment upon the nations in the west. And the United, States happens to be west from the land of Israel.
They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord.
Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints [Hos. 11:11–12].
Judah still had a few good kings in the southern kingdom, but there were none in the northern kingdom. Some of the kings made a profession, but they were using lies and deceit. My friend, I believe we live in a day when you can fool everyone. Abraham Lincoln made the statement (everybody believes it because good old Abe said it), “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” Lincoln did not live in this day of television and brainwashing. You can fool all the people all the time. There has never been such a day of brainwashing as today. But nobody is fooling God. He knows, and someday He will judge according to truth.
Chapter 12 continues God’s statement of judgment against Israel.
Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt [Hos. 12:1].
“Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind.” This is a reference to the east wind which comes over the burning Arabian desert and blows through that land. God is saying, “I intend to let the Assyrians come through the land just like the east wind.”
The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us [Hos. 12:2–4].
Many people have questioned why God put it in His Word that Jacob took hold of his brother Esau’s heel. It is interesting to note that today medicine and psychology have said that probably the most important period of a man’s life is when he is in the womb, because even in the womb character is being formed as well as the human body. This little fellow Jacob began to reveal something in the womb—he revealed that he wanted to be the firstborn. Although Esau beat him out, Jacob wanted to be the firstborn. I do not know how to explain it other than to say that it was in his heart from the very beginning. He wrestled at his birth, and God had to wrestle with him later on in his life at Peniel to bring him to submission so that He would be able to bless him. “Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed.” How did he prevail? Was he a better wrestler? Would he appear on television today as an outstanding wrestler? No, Jacob wasn’t much of a wrestler. He had his ears pinned back and his shoulders pinned to the mat. God had him down, but he won. How did he win? By surrendering. My friend, you can fight God all you want to, but you’ll never win until you surrender to Him.
Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial [Hos. 12:5].
The name Jehovah, or “the Lord,” is a name God gave to Israel as a memorial. He said, “You will always know Me by My name. I am Jehovah, the self-existing one, the living God.” We do not need images to remind us of God. His very name expresses His nature.
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually [Hos. 12:6].
These people needed to practice what they preached. In our day, the worship of Satan and the giving over to homosexuality is leading to the basest of crimes. Only by coming to the living God and waiting upon Him continually will we have mercy and justice; they go together—you will not have one without the other.
He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress [Hos. 12:7].
This speaks of dishonesty in business, something of which God does not approve.
And Ephraim said. Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin [Hos. 12:8].
In other words, Ephraim felt he was able to buy his way with money. He had made his money dishonestly, but he thought he was being blessed of God.
And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast [Hos. 12:9].
God is saying to Israel, “I am not through with you—I’ll not give you up.”
Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields [Hos. 12:11].
“Is there iniquity in Gilead?” Gilead is the place where there should be a balm to heal the wound, but Gilead was then a place of sin.
Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him [Hos. 12:14].
“Therefore shall he leave his blood upon him.” His blood shall rest upon his own head, for he is guilty and deserves death. Blood had been shed profusely, and the guilt of his sin remained upon him.
Israel had turned from God, and therefore He must judge them.
CHAPTERS 13–14
Theme: Israel will be judged in the present; Israel will be saved in the future
ISRAEL WILL BE JUDGED IN THE PRESENT
In chapter 13 we see that God’s judgment of Israel is inevitable.
When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died [Hos. 13:1].
In other words, when Ephraim served the living God, God exalted him; but when he began the worship of Baal, he died. My friend, not only did Ephraim die and was put out of the land, but the land also died, and I do not think that it has come back today. The ruins of Samaria and the other cities in that area are the most desolate that you will find anywhere on the earth.
And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves [Hos. 13:2].
This was a form of worship. The people were actually going up and kissing those golden calves!
There are many people today who think that to kiss a certain image or to kiss a certain area of ground is to worship God. On one of our tours to Israel there was a lady who got down on her hands and knees at the Garden Tomb and started kissing the place. I immediately took her by the arm and reminded her that we had been told not even to drink the water in that land and that she must get up out of the dirt. “Oh,” she said, “that doesn’t make any difference. This is a holy place; this is where my Lord was buried.” Then I said to her, “He’s not here today. He is the living Christ at God’s right hand. You cannot kiss Him today, but you can worship Him and praise Him.” It is nonsense to go around kissing something as an act of worship of the living and true God. You worship Him, my friend, by the life that you live. You worship Him in the way you conduct your business, carry on your social life, the way you run your home, and the way you act out on the street—not only in the way you act in the sanctuary. We are the ones who have made a distinction between the sanctuary and the street, but in God’s sight there is no difference at all.
Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me [Hos. 13:3–4].
Listen to Him, my friend. You may work out a plan of salvation, but He is the only Savior, and since He is, you had better come His way. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Now either that’s true or it’s not true. Millions of people have come that way, and they have found it to be true. You may think you have your way of salvation, but God is the only Savior, and He is the only one who can offer you a plan of salvation.
I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me [Hos. 13:5–6].
God says, “I have been your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt. I am not about to give you up, but I am going to judge you.”
Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:
I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them [Hos. 13:7–8].
There is a prophetic sidelight here that is very interesting. In Daniel’s vision (ch. 7) Babylon is pictured as a lion, Greece (under Alexander the Great) is pictured as a leopard, and the empire of Media-Persia is pictured as the bear. Now here in Hosea’s prophecy God is saying that in the future He will come against them like a lion and a leopard, but in the immediate future He will come like a bear—represented by Media-Persia, which at that early date was dominated by Assyria. God says, “I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps.” There is nothing more ferocious than a mother bear that has been robbed of her cubs, and she is an apt illustration of the brutal Assyrian army.
O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help [Hos. 13:9].
We often blame God for what happens to us. When you feel like that, this is a good verse to turn to. You have destroyed yourself, and you are responsible for your condition. But you can get help from God; He will furnish help to you.
I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath [Hos. 13:10–11].
“I gave thee a king in mine anger.” When Israel asked for a king, God gave Saul to them. “And took him away in my wrath.” He took the last king, Hoshea, away from the northern kingdom, He took Zedekiah away from the southern kingdom, and He did it in His wrath. Judgment! It was His judgment in the beginning, and His judgment at the end.
Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up [Hos. 13:16].
“Samaria shall become desolate.” I have been to Samaria, and I agree with God. It is a desolate place today.
ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED IN THE FUTURE
Chapter 14 is a wonderful chapter, for it speaks of the future salvation of Israel.
O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity [Hos. 14:1].
The Lord tells the people that it is because of their sin that they will go into captivity.
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy [Hos. 14:3].
Imagine making something with your hands and then falling down and worshiping it! Many men today worship their own ability. They worship their brain, their intellect. They worship what they are doing and what they are able to do. You are nothing but a pagan and a heathen when you do that, my friend.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon [Hos. 14:4–7].
“I will heal their backsliding.” God says, “The people have been backsliding, slipping away from Me, but I am going to heal them. I will love them freely, for Mine anger is turned away from them.”
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein [Hos. 14:8–9].
Verse 8 is one of the most wonderful verses in the Bible. This is a victory song. “Ephraim shall say”—this is future. God is finally going to win. Love is going to win the victory here. God has said to Ephraim, “Oh, Ephraim, how shall I give you up?” And He said, “Ephraim—let him alone because he has turned to idols.” Now God says, “But there is a day coming when Ephraim will see that he’s made a great blunder and mistake, and he will turn back to Me. He is going to say, ‘I don’t have anything more to do with idols.’”
I cannot help but believe in the midst of this tragedy of sin, this drama of human life which is being enacted down here in this world today, that God is going to come out the victor. I believe that there are going to be more people saved than there will be lost. That was Spurgeon’s belief also; he said that many times. You and I have our noses pressed against the present hour. We look around at the world today, and all we see is the little flock the Lord Jesus talked about—that is, the church, the people whom He is calling out of this world. But there are many whom He has saved in the past. For example, at one time He saved the entire population of Nineveh (although a hundred years later they reverted to sin, and He judged them). There have been other great revival movements in the past also, but the greatest turning to God is to take place in the future. That will occur, of all times, during the Great Tribulation Period. The Millennium is also going to be a period of salvation, by the way. God is going to win, my friend. Love will triumph. Our God today is riding victoriously in His own chariot—He is the sovereign God. God pity the man who gets under those chariot wheels! I don’t know about you, but I want to go along with God I’m hitchhiking a ride with Him today. That is the reason it is so urgent that we know His Word—to find out how to stay in His will in this difficult day in which we are living.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Israel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Joel
INTRODUCTION
The prophecy of Joel may seem unimportant as it contains only three brief chapters. However, this little book is like an atom bomb—it is not very big, but it sure is potent and powerful.
We know very little about the prophet Joel. All we are told concerning him is in Joel 1:1, “The word of the Lordthat came to Joel the son of Pethuel.” Joel means “Jehovah is God,” and it was a very common name. There have been some people who have jumped to the conclusion that the prophet Joel was a son of Samuel because 1 Samuel 8:1–2 says, “And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel ….” But if we read further the next verse tells us, “And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment” (1 Sam. 8:3). Samuel’s son could not have been the same as the prophet Joel.
We can be sure that Joel prophesied in Jerusalem and the Jerusalem area. Throughout his prophecy he refers again and again to “the house of the Lord.” For instance, in Joel 1:9 we read, “The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord; the priests, the Lord’s ministers, mourn.” He also mentions Jerusalem in Joel 3:20, “But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.” And then again, in Joel 3:17, we read, “So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.” Therefore we know that this man was a prophet in the southern kingdom of Judah.
Joel prophesied as one of the early prophets. Actually there were quite a few prophets—at least fifty—and it is generally conceded by conservative scholars that Joel prophesied about the time of the reign of Joash, king of Judah. That would mean that he was contemporary with and probably knew Elijah and Elisha.
Joel’s theme is “the day of the Lord.” He makes specific reference to it five times: Joel 1:15; 2:1–2; 2:10–11; 2:30–31; and 3:14–16. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all refer to the Day of the Lord. Sometimes they call it “that day.” Zechariah particularly emphasizes “that day.” What is “that day”? It is the Day of the Lord, or the Day of Jehovah. Joel is the one who introduces the Day of the Lord in prophecy. Yonder from the mountaintop of the beginning of written prophecy, this man looked down through the centuries, seeing further than any other prophet saw—he saw the Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord is a technical expression in Scripture which is fraught with meaning. It includes the millennial kingdom which will come at the second coming of Christ, but Joel is going to make it very clear to us that it begins with the Great Tribulation Period, the time of great trouble. If you want to set a boundary or parenthesis at the end of the Day of the Lord, it would be the end of the Millennium when the Lord Jesus puts down all unrighteousness and establishes His eternal kingdom here upon the earth.
The Day of the Lord is also an expression that is peculiar to the prophets of the Old Testament. It does not include the period when the church is in the world, because none of the prophets spoke about a group of people who would be called out from among the Gentiles, the nation Israel, and all the tribes of the earth, to be brought into one great body called the church which would be raptured out of this world. The prophets neither spoke nor wrote about the church.
James, at the great council of Jerusalem, more or less outlined the relationship between the church age and this period known as the Day of the Lord. He said, “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up” (Acts 15:14–16). James says, “After this”—after what? After He calls out the church from this world, God will again turn to His program with Israel, and it is to this time that the Day of the Lord refers. James went on to say, “That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things” (Acts 15:17). Today God is calling out of the Gentiles a people; in that day, all the Gentiles who will be entering the kingdom will seek the Lord. I think there will be a tremendous turning to God at that time unlike any the church has ever witnessed.
Someone may question, “Why is God following this program?” James said, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). Don’t ask me why God is following this program—ask Him, because I do not know and nobody else knows. He is following this program because it is His program and it is His universe. He is not responsible to you or to me. God doesn’t turn in a report at the end of the week to tell us what He’s been doing and to receive our approval. My friend, all I can say is that it is just too bad if you and I don’t like it because, after all, we are just creatures down here in this world.
There are several special features about the prophecy of Joel which I would like to point out. Joel was the first of the writing prophets, and as he looked down through the centuries, he saw the coming of the Day of the Lord. However, I do not think he saw the church at all—none of the prophets did. When the Lord Jesus went to the top of the Mount of Olives, men who were schooled in the Old Testament came and asked Him, “What is the sign of the end of the age?” Our Lord didn’t mention His cross to them at that time. He didn’t tell them then about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He didn’t tell them about the church period or mention the Rapture to them. Instead, the Lord went way down to the beginning of the Day of the Lord. He dated it, but it’s not on your calendar or mine; the events He predicted will identify it for the people who will be there when the Day of the Lord begins: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” (Matt. 24:15). That is how we are to know the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Joel will make it clear to us that it begins with night—that is, it begins as a time of trouble. After all, the Hebrew day always began at sunset. Genesis tells us, “And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1:5). We begin at sunup, but God begins at sundown. The Day of the Lord, therefore, begins with night.
It is remarkable to note that, unlike Hosea, Joel says practically nothing about himself. In Hosea we find out about the scandal that went on in his home, about his unfaithful wife. We do not know whether Joel had an unfaithful wife or not; we don’t even know if he were married. The very first verse of the prophecy gives us all that we are to know: “The word of the Lordthat came to Joel the son of Pethuel” (Joel 1:1).
Unlike many of the other prophets, Joel does not condemn Israel for idolatry. Earlier in their history, at the time Joel was prophesying, idolatry was not the great sin in Israel. Joel will only mention one sin, the sin of drunkenness.
Joel opens his prophecy with a unique description of a literal plague of locusts. Then he uses that plague of locusts to compare with the future judgments which will come upon this earth. The first chapter is a dramatic and literary gem. It is a remarkable passage of Scripture, unlike anything you will find elsewhere in literature.
Finally, Joel’s prophecy contains the very controversial passage in which he mentions the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which was referred to by the apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost (see Joel 2:28–29). There is a difference of interpretation concerning the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, and we will look at that in detail when we come to it.
OUTLINE
I. Literal and Local Plague of Locusts, Chapter 1:1–14
II. Looking to the Day of the Lord (Prelude), Chapters 1:15–2:32
III. Looking at the Day of the Lord (Postlude), Chapter 3
A. The Great Tribulation, Chapter 3:1–15
B. The Millennial Kingdom, Chapter 3:16–21
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Literal and Local Plague of Locusts; Looking to the Day of the Lord (prelude)
The prophecy of Joel contains only three very brief chapters, but it holds an important position in Scripture. As the first of the writing prophets, it is Joel who introduces and defines the term, “the day of the Lord.”
LITERAL AND LOCAL PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS
The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel [Joel 1:1].
There are those who have thought that Joel was a son of Samuel (see 1 Sam. 8:1–2), but Samuel’s sons were very wicked and this Joel certainly is not. This boy’s father was Pethuel. Joel was a common name, and it means “Jehovah is God.”
Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? [Joel 1:2].
Apparently Israel was in the midst of a great locust plague at this time. Locust plagues were rather commonplace in that land, but Joel calls to the old men and says, “Did anything like this ever happen in your day? Did it happen in the day of your fathers? Have you ever heard anything like this locust plague?” Of course, they had to say, “No, this is the worst we’ve ever had.” The trouble with most of us as we begin to get older is that we have grandiose ideas about the past. If some young person comes and says to us, “Say, we just had a wonderful meeting at our church,” we like to say, “That’s wonderful, that was a great meeting, but we had a meeting that was twice as good back in my hometown when I was young.” Joel said, “You old men have never heard of anything like this”—and the old men had to agree that they had not.
Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation [Joel 1:3].
Joel goes on to say, “You can pass this on down. Tell your children about this and have them tell their children, because there’s not going to be a plague of locusts like this ever again.” Does this remind you of another passage of Scripture? In the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, when the Lord Jesus identified the period which He Himself labeled the Great Tribulation Period, He said the same thing about it. He said that there has never been anything like it before, and there is not going to be anything like it afterward. Now that more or less puts parentheses around that period and slips it into a unique slot in history. During the Great Tribulation no one will be able to say, “This reminds me of when I was a young fellow—we had a real time of trouble back then.” We have never had a period like the Great Tribulation. For all periods of recorded history in the past, there have always been previous times in history that could match it. However, the Lord Jesus made it very clear concerning the Great Tribulation: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21). When people are in the midst of the Great Tribulation, there will be none of this questioning that we hear today: “Do you think that the Great Depression was the Great Tribulation?” Or, “Do you think that all this turmoil today is the Great Tribulation?” The answer is very easy to come by when we turn to the words of the Lord Jesus. He said there is nothing like it in the past. We’ve had times like this before, my friend—they can all be duplicated in the past. And since things are not getting better but getting worse, neither can we say there will be nothing like this in the future.
In a very dramatic way, Joel is saying, “Look, this locust plague is unique—there has never been anything like it, but there is coming another unique period called the Day of the Lord.” The Day of the Lord will open with the Great Tribulation after the church has left this world. It will be a frightful time on this earth, horrible beyond description, and then Christ will come and establish His kingdom. I wish the people who deny that the Bible teaches these things would study the total Word of God and not just lift out a few verses here and there. We need to study the entire Word of God to know what it says.
This plague of locusts stands alone as being different from any other plague that has taken place. The plague of locusts in the land of Egypt at the time of Moses was a miraculous plague—it was a judgment of God. However, this plague was what we would call a natural event.
There are several things that we need to understand about the locust as many of us are not familiar with them at all. As a boy I always enjoyed lying on my bed before an open window on a summer evening and listening to the locusts in the trees. However, they were never a plague, and they probably were not the same kind of locusts which were in Israel in Bible times or even today. If you have ever seen pictures of fields after a plague of locusts, you know that locusts seem to have a scorched earth policy of their own—it looks just as if a fire had burned over the field and destroyed everything.
The Word of God speaks of locusts, and one passage I will draw your attention to is Proverbs 30:27, “The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands.” Locusts march as an army, and they are divided into different bands as they go. That will help us understand Joel’s description of this locust plague as we come to verse 4—
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten [Joel 1:4].
It is true that four different words are used here—the palmerworm, the locust, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar. There are those who believe that this refers to four different types of insects, but there really is no basis for that. The palmerworm means “to gnaw off.” The word for locust in Hebrew is arbeh and it suggests that there are many of them and they are migratory—they move as a great swarm. The cankerworm means “to lick off,” and the caterpillar means “to devour or to consume.” These four words describe the locust and what he does. The locusts move in bands just like an army. First of all, there are the planes which come over and drop the bombs. Then after the bombs have been dropped by the air corps, the artillery comes through and destroys every section, leaving great areas devastated, but a great deal remains. Then the infantry comes along—that’s the third group—and they get what has been left. The mop-up crew follows after that, and they will get what little may still be there. What we have here, therefore, are four words which describe the different bands of locusts. They have no general, they have no king, they have no lieutenants or sergeants, but they move just like an army.
Locusts were often sent by God as a judgment, but we would put this plague in the category of a natural plague. I believe that it was not necessarily a judgment, but a warning to the people, a warning to the nation. Joel was the first writing prophet, and he prophesied at the same time as Elijah. As Elijah was warning the northern kingdom, this man Joel, in a most dramatic manner, was warning the southern kingdom of a judgment that was coming. He will move from the local judgment—it was the method of all the prophets to move from the local situation into the future—to the judgment that is coming at the Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord is one of the most misunderstood terms and yet one of the most important in Scripture. Joel was the first to use it, and he makes very clear what the Day of the Lord is. After him, all the other prophets had to do was to speak of “that day,” and it was understood as to what they were referring.
Now I am getting a little bit ahead of this chapter, but I want to say that Joel will move from this literal and local plague of locusts to speak of the Day of the Lord which begins with the Great Tribulation Period. How does the Great Tribulation Period open? It opens with the four horsemen of the Apocalypse: there is a false peace, then war breaks out, followed by a famine, and then finally the pale horse of death. I see a tremendous parallel between these four bands of locusts and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. During the Great Tribulation Period it will not be literal locusts, but it will be something far worse that is going to ride, not just through that land, but through the entire world. The world will be totally devastated when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth to set up His kingdom.
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it is cut off from your mouth [Joel 1:5].
The locusts have gotten to the grapes first. They have stripped all the vineyards, and there will be no more wine for the drunkards. The man who was an alcoholic in that day found himself taking the cure before he intended to, because there was no more wine to drink.
This reveals that, even at the beginning of the downfall of the nation Israel, the great sin was drunkenness. We are frequently reminded that most of the accidents which take place on our highways are caused by some individual who is exercising his freedom and right to drink. Entire families have been killed on the highway while out on a holiday because some drunk driver has hit them head-on. I may be criticized for moving into the realm of politics but, my friend, I am studying the Word of God, and when it talks about drunkenness, I am going to talk about drunkenness. And when God’s Word speaks about the king being a drunkard, then I will talk about drunkenness in my nation’s capital. When we are told that there are dozens of cocktail parties every day in Washington, D.C., it is no wonder that some of the decisions which are being handed down look as if they were coming from men who are not in their right minds.
“Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine.” At the very beginning, drunkenness was beginning to chip away the foundation of the nation Israel. This is the only sin Joel will mention. He will not mention idolatry at all, the great sin of turning from God, which eventually brought the nation down. At this time the people still made a profession of worshiping God.
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion [Joel 1:6].
Here the locusts are compared to an invading army and its destructiveness. These little bitty insects, the locusts, can tear a tree down. They can move through a field of grain and absolutely leave nothing but bare ground. They came along in these four bands with no leader, no king. They came, in most cases, as a judgment from God, but this plague was a warning from God. Later Joel will move ahead to that which is still future, the Day of the Lord which will be just like a locust plague upon the earth. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse are yet to ride.
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white [Joel 1:7].
The locusts actually can kill a fig tree. They absolutely stripped a fig tree of its bark, leaving nothing but the naked wood exposed.
Joel is sending out a message to the people, and he is going to tell them what they are to do at a time like this. He will tell them ten things they are to do—
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth [Joel 1:8].
He says something now that is unusual: (1) They are to lament. Like a young bride who has lost her husband, perhaps killed in battle, that is the way this nation should weep.
The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord; the priests, the Lord’s ministers, mourn [Joel 1:9].
“The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord.” In other words, they are not able to make an offering at all. (2) “The priests, the Lord’s ministers, mourn.” All through this passage the same thing is said. The drunkards mourned and the priests mourned—the entire economy was affected by this plague.
This verse and other verses lead us to believe that the prophet Joel was in Jerusalem. He speaks here to the priests who minister in the house of the Lord.
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth [Joel 1:10].
There was no olive oil and no grapes and no grain. The three staple crops which they had were now destroyed. Even the land is to mourn. You see, the land and the people were very closely intertwined. The Mosaic Law was not only given to a people, it was given to a land.
Joel has spoken to the drunkards, he has spoken to the priests, and now he will speak to the farmers:
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men [Joel 1:11–12].
(3) “Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen.” (4)“Howl, O ye vinedressers.” The vinedressers are vineyard owners. “The apple tree” is actually the orange tree which is indigenous to that land.
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God [Joel 1:13].
(5) “Gird yourselves,” (6) “and lament, priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar.” The priests could not perform their function because there was nothing for them to use for the offerings. They were to lie all night girded with sackcloth and ashes because there was no meat offering and no drink offering. The economy of the land was wrecked, and there was not even enough to make an offering to God. However, God makes it clear that it was not the ritual that was important but the hearts of the people.
In these verses God is asking the people to something that He had not asked before. When God gave the Mosaic Law, He gave seven feast days to these people, and He made it clear that He did not want them to come before Him with a long face. He wanted them to come to His house rejoicing and with joy in their hearts.
Have you noticed today that when Christians meet together in church it is generally not a very joyful occasion? I am even rebuked for telling funny stories. Sometimes I see a lot of saints who just sit there and do not even crack a smile. I wish they would—I think it would do them good. There is no joy today, and there was no joy in Joel’s day.
Why is God for the first time telling His people, “I want you to lament. I want you in sackcloth and ashes. I want you to mourn”? Before He had told them, “I want you to come before Me with joy.” The reason is because of sin in the nation. That is the same reason there is such a lack of joy today. The world is surely working hard today. The music has to be loud and fast, and the jokes have to be dirty to even get a laugh. Even in our churches it is considered almost sinful to laugh out loud. Oh, my friend, where is our joy today? It is gone because of sin. God won’t let us have joy. He said to these people, “Come before Me now with your mourning. I do not like it, but you are sinful and I want to see your repentance.”
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord [Joel 1:14].
(7) “Sanctify ye a fast.” God had never asked them to do that before. God had given them feast days—He never gave them a fast day until they plunged into sin. The one sin Joel mentions which was destroying the nation was drunkenness. It was robbing people of their normal thinking; they were not able to make right judgments.
(8) “all a solemn assembly.” In other words, they were to come together. God had wanted them to come together and rejoice in His presence, but now He says this is to be a solemn assembly.
(9) “Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God.” This was a time to go to church. During World War II there were two rather godless men who were good friends and belonged to all different kinds of clubs (drinking clubs, most of them), but they met one Sunday at church. One of them said, “Well, I didn’t know you went to church!” The other replied, “I don’t usually go to church—this is my first time. But I’ve got a son over there fighting in this war, and I thought it was about time I got to church.” My friend, times of great trouble drive people to God. The people of the land were to come together for a fast day.
(10) “Cry unto the Lord.” Why? Because God is merciful. God is gracious. God wants to forgive. Our God is a wonderful God. They were to come to Him in this time of difficulty, and He would hear and answer their prayer.
Joel has given a warning to these people, and he has given them these injunctions. These are the things they are to do if they want the blessing of God upon them.
LOOKING TO THE DAY OF THE LORD (PRELUDE)
In a masterly way, Joel now moves from the local situation, this plague of locusts, down to the end of the age and the Day of the Lord.
Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come [Joel 1:15].
“Alas for the day!” What day are you talking about, Joel? “For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” Like a little model, a little adumbration of that which is coming in the future, this local plague of locusts was a warning, a picture of the coming Day of the Lord. It should have alerted the people.
Joel is now going to tell them about something in the future. That which was coming in the future, the thing which had been promised to David, was a kingdom. David would be raised up to rule over that kingdom. War would cease, and there would be peace on the earth. All the prophets spoke about that, but they also spoke about what Joel is saying here—the coming of the Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord must be understood in contrast to the other days which are mentioned in Scripture. You and I are living today in what Scripture calls man’s day. It began with Nebuchadnezzar, and the Lord Jesus labeled it “the times of the Gentiles.” He said, “… Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). We are living in a man’s day. Man is the one who makes the judgments today. We appeal to the Supreme Court, but we do not appeal to God. We have forgotten Him altogether. His name is just a word to swear by and to blaspheme.
Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer makes this comment concerning man’s day: “This theme, obscured at times by translators, is referred to but once in the New Testament, namely, 1 Corinthians 4:3, which reads, ‘But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.’ Now in this passage the phrase, ‘man’s judgment’ is really a reference to human opinion current in this age, which might properly and literally be translated, ‘man’s day.’”
We are living in the day of man. Believe me, humanism abounds today. Man believes he can solve the problems of the world, but what has man really done? He has gotten the world into an awful mess right now. Every new politician who comes along thinks he has the answer. My friend, they do not have the answers; man cannot solve the problems of this world. I understand there have been some admissions in the cloakrooms of our own government and the chancelleries of the great nations of the world that man is incapable of solving the problems of the world today.
Scripture speaks of another day that is coming—the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:7–8: “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What is the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ? It is the day when He will come to take His church out of this world, and then the church will come before the judgment seat of Christ. My life verse is Philippians 1:6 which reads, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (italics mine). He is going to keep us until that day when He takes us out of the world and we appear before Him to see whether we receive a reward or not.
Both the Old and the New Testament speak of the Day of the Lord. Second Thessalonians 2:2 tells us, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” The Thessalonian believers were afraid that they would miss the Rapture. Our translation of this verse is an unfortunate one—the word Christ should have been translated as “Lord”—in other words, “as the day of the Lord is at hand.” Paul is assuring the believers that they will not go through the Day of the Lord.
Joel will make very clear what the Day of the Lord is. He will say that the Day of the Lord is a dark, gloomy, and difficult day. The Hebrew viewpoint was that they would enter immediately into the kingdom—that life would be a breeze with no problems at all. But Joel says that the Day of the Lord begins with night, with darkness. That darkness is the Great Tribulation Period. It will be like this locust plague that has come with its four bands of locusts like the four horsemen of the Apocalypse who will ride in the Great Tribulation Period. Then the Day of the Lord will include the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. Then His people will enter into the sunshine of His presence. That was the Old Testament hope; that was the thing the Old Testament taught.
My friend, you can see how important it is to study all of the Bible. One man wrote to me to explain what he thought the day of the Lord was. He wrote several pages, giving Scripture after Scripture, but he never gave one verse from Joel. He didn’t understand that Joel is the very key. Joel was the first of the writing prophets. You cannot say the Day of the Lord is something other than what Joel says it is; it must fit into the program which he describes. All the prophets who came after him used this term many times. “The Day of the Lord” occurs about seventy-five times in the entire Bible; “the day of the Lord” occurs five times and “that day” one time in the Book of Joel. All of the prophets have a great deal to say about the Day of the Lord, and we need to recognize that it is a technical term which is defined and used consistently in Scripture.
To summarize, there is (1) man’s day, the day in which we are living now; (2) the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He will take the church out of this world; then (3) the Day of the Lord beginning with the Great Tribulation Period. After all, we label the different days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. God has labeled these different periods of time also. This is not something men thought of, but it is what the Word of God teaches.
I should say that the Day of the Lord is not the same as the Lord’s Day that is mentioned in Revelation 1:10. The Lord’s Day is the first day of the week, which the New Testament makes very clear. Many people say the Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are the same just because they use the same two words. That is ridiculous—as ridiculous as saying there is no difference between a chestnut horse and a horse chestnut. If you take two words and turn them around, you get something altogether different. In the one you’ve got a nut, and in the other you’ve got a horse! The Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are two different things.
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God? [Joel 1:16].
Joel continues talking about this plague of locusts. There was no more joy and gladness in the house of God. I have had the privilege in the past few years of my ministry of speaking in the great pulpits of this country and at many of the great Bible conferences. I have noted that there is a sadness in congregations as they come together today. In many places I have found that at the first service there is an air of expectancy. You can feel it, the air is charged with it, but there is no note of gladness. At some meetings in Florida, a man with the FBI said to me, “I’ve been watching your method. I’ve noted that you get up before a congregation, and you slide very quietly and slowly into a funny story to get the people into a good humor.” I said, “You’ve noticed that?” And he said, “Yes, and I think I know why you do it. I think you’re doing it because there is a low level of joy among the people today.” I told the man that he was right. The joy was gone in Israel, and today, even when we have everything, there is no joy in our services.
The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered [Joel 1:17].
“The seed is rotten under their clods.” The grain couldn’t even come up, because the locusts had just gnawed off the shoots even with the ground. “The garners are laid desolate”—they could not fill up the granary.
How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
O Lord, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field [Joel 1:18–19].
The locusts have their own scorched earth policy. It was just as if the ground had been entirely burned off.
The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness [Joel 1:20].
This was a very terrible, treacherous time. Even the animal world—both the animals in the barnyard and the wild animals out yonder in the forest—were being affected by this plague. It was a judgment that touched all life in that land in that day, and it becomes a picture of the Day of the Lord that is coming.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Looking to the Day of the Lord; God’s plea; promise of deliverance; promise of the Holy Spirit
This chapter continues the prelude which was begun in 1:15, and, of course, continues the theme.
LOOKING TO THE DAY OF THE LORD
You recall that God had promised David a kingdom, and that wonderful future kingdom became the theme song of all the prophets after David. The great message is that the millennial kingdom is coming upon this earth. As we read the prophets, it sounds like a stuck record as one after another looks forward to it.
Now Joel, the first of the writing prophets, makes it clear that the Day of the Lord—which includes the millennial kingdom—will not be all peaches and cream. Before the millennial kingdom (when the Lord Jesus will be ruling on this earth), there will be a time which the Lord Jesus defined as the Great Tribulation Period. Chapter 2 will make this clear to us.
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand [Joel 2:1].
“The day of the LORD cometh.” Let me remind you that Joel is the first of the writing prophets, and he looks way down through the centuries and sees the Day of the Lord. It begins with darkness, that is, with judgment. Then Christ comes to the earth and establishes His kingdom. Malachi speaks of Him as the “hellip; Sun of righteousness [who will] arise with healing in his wings …” (Mal. 4:2).
“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain.” “Zion” and “my holy mountain” refer to Jerusalem. He says they should blow the trumpet and sound an alarm. It is important for us to understand the significance of the trumpet. One needs to have a full-orbed view of the Bible so that on any given subject we are able to put our thinking down on all four corners and make an induction. Understanding the background will enable us to appreciate what the writer is saying.
What is the significance of the blowing of the trumpet? Back in the Book of Numbers we learn that when the children of Israel started through the wilderness, God commanded them to make two silver trumpets. He gave the instructions to Moses: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps” (Num. 10:1–2). When Israel was in the wilderness, God used the trumpets to move them on the wilderness march. The first blowing of the trumpet was a signal that everybody should get ready to march. When the pillar of cloud would lift and move out, they would take down the tabernacle. Then immediately the trumpet would sound again, and Moses and Aaron would move up front ahead of the tribe of Judah, and the ark would go out ahead with them. You will remember that Israel was encamped around the tabernacle on all four sides, three tribes on each side. Now each section would move out in turn, signaled by the blowing of the trumpets. Actually, to get the whole camp on the march, the trumpets were blown seven different times.
Now when we come to Revelation, the final book of the Bible, we find the blowing of the trumpets again. Although some expositors feel that this is in relation to the church, there is no blowing of the trumpet for the church. The sound of the trumpet at the time of the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:16) will be the shout of Christ Himself: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God …”—His voice will be like a trumpet.
The seven trumpets in Revelation have nothing to do with the church. The church will have been completed and will have been taken out of the world. The seven trumpets are identified with the nation Israel, just as there were the seven trumpet calls in the wilderness march.
If we turn back to the Book of Numbers, we will see that the different trumpet calls meant certain definite things. They were a way of giving instructions to Israel: “And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm” (Num. 10:3–7). Then he gives instructions for the time they will be in the Promised Land: “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies” (Num. 10:9). During the time of war the trumpet would call the men of war to defend their country when an enemy was coming.
Now here in Joel’s prophecy he says, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain.” Why? “Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh [near] at hand.” You see, after the Lord has called His church out of the world, He will turn again to the nation of Israel, which becomes the object of worldwide anti-Semitism. This is the beginning of the Day of the Lord.
Now in this second chapter, Joel is going to give a blending of the plague of locusts together with the threat of the Assyrian army and then look down the avenue of time into the future and the Day of the Lord. Of course the liberal theologian would say this refers simply to the locust plague and the local situation. He would like to dismiss a great deal of meaning from the Word of God. The other extreme view is to say this refers only to the Great Tribulation Period.
I think we need to see that in Joel there is a marvelous blending. He moves right out of the locust plague to the Day of the Lord which is way out yonder in the future. You recall that was the practice of the prophets to speak into a local situation and then move out into the future Day of the Lord—which includes the Tribulation Period and the Millennium.
The local situation was the plague of locusts, and in the near future the Assyrian army was coming down: “But I will remove far off from you the northern army” (v. 20). I think it would be rather ridiculous to call a plague of locusts the northern army, but the plague of locusts was a picture of the Assyrian army that would be coming out of the north, and the Assyrian army becomes the picture of the enemy which will be coming out of the north in the last days. As we see in chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel, the northern army refers to present-day Russia which will invade Israel. In fact, Russia’s coming will usher in the last half of the Great Tribulation Period.
Let me remind you that the Day of the Lord is not a twenty-four hour day, but a period of time. The apostle Paul used it in that sense when he said, “… now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2, italics mine), speaking of the age of grace.
Let me repeat that the Day of the Lord is different from the Lord’s Day, which refers to the first day of the week. Although the two words are the same, their arrangement makes all the difference. The difference is as great as between a chestnut horse and a horse chestnut!
Now Joel will put down God’s definition that will condition and limit the prophets who will speak in the future. After this, all of them will speak into this period. It is interesting to find that none of them contradict each other, even though some of the prophets didn’t know what the others were prophesying.
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations [Joel 2:2].
This is the same period about which the Lord Jesus said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21). The Great Tribulation opens the Day of the Lord, because that is the way the Hebrew day opens; it begins in the evening at the time of darkness. I have a notion that when the plague of locusts came over the land, they would actually darken the sky because there would be so many of them. And the Day of the Lord will begin with darkness.
A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them [Joel 2:3].
Before the plague of locusts came, the earth looked like the Garden of Eden. Everything was green with rich, luxurious foliage. The land was beautiful. After the locusts left, there was not a bit of green to be seen. It looked as if a fire had swept over the land.
The Day of the Lord will be the same in that it will be a time of destruction. When the four horsemen of the Apocalypse ride through this world, there will be war and famine and death. In one fell swoop, one fourth of the population will be wiped out, and at another time, one third of the population will be destroyed.
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run [Joel 2:4].
As I indicated before, the head of the locust resembles a horse’s head, and the Italian word for locust means “little horse”; the German word means “hay horse.” As the horse eats hay, the locusts would eat up everything green. Joel is describing the locust plague and is beginning to make application of it to the Day of the Lord.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness [Joel 2:5–6].
“All faces shall gather blackness”—that is, they will be scorched.
They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks [Joel 2:7].
In the Book of Proverbs it says this: “The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands” (Prov. 30:27). They don’t need a king or a leader—each one knows his place. They come in bands. When Joel describes four different groups of locusts here, I believe he is describing the movement of a great army—an army of locusts. In the last days, there will come against that land another enemy, and it will come like a locust plague. This is a preparation for the Book of Revelation in which the apostle John writes of a locust plague that will take place on the earth during the first woe which follows the blowing of the fifth trumpet: “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads” (Rev. 9:1–4).
This is an unusual locust that will not attack anything green—that is all the normal locust would attack. They did not attack human beings. But these locusts will attack “only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”
It will be such a terrifying time that men will seek death and will not be able to find it; that is, they will not be able to commit suicide: “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them” (Rev. 9:5–6).
Now notice this description of the locusts:“And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions” (Rev. 9:7–8). My friend, that is an unusual type of locust! This plague will take place during the Great Tribulation.
You can see that Joel, way back here at the beginning of the writing prophets, prepares the ground for the apostle John to come later and give the detailed description of the locusts as they will appear in the Day of the Lord.
May I just say that this is the reason I think it is tragic today to find so many people who have just been converted who think they are qualified to start a Bible class. What books do they like to start to teach? Usually you will find they choose either the Gospel of John or the Book of Revelation. In my judgment, that is not the place to begin with new believers. I believe Matthew is the key book to the Bible. Until you understand Matthew, I don’t think you will quite get the message of the Gospel of John and I know you will miss the message of the Book of Revelation. And this little prophet Joel, who has been by and large ignored, sheds a great deal of light on the last days which he calls the Day of the Lord.
When Joel writes: “They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war,” he is beginning to move from the local locust plague into the future which he has labeled the Day of the Lord.
In the next verse we will see that he is talking about the Day of the Lord.
Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining [Joel 2:8–10].
Obviously this is more than a local locust plague or else Joel is exaggerating; the prophets spoke God’s Word as He gave it to them—they didn’t exaggerate. This is the same picture that John gives us in the Book of Revelation.
And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? [Joel 2:11].
This is the third time Joel has mentioned the Day of the Lord.
“Who can abide it?” This is very much the same as Jesus said, “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved” (Matt. 24:22). And Joel asks, “Who can abide it?” Well, John gives the answer in Revelation. In chapter 7 he says that God will shut down the forces of nature, withholding the winds from blowing (which are judgments of God upon the earth) until the two great companies of the redeemed are sealed and made secure. If God’s people are going to make it through the terrible time of tribulation, they will have to be sealed. When Joel asks, “Who can abide it?” the “it” is the Day of the Lord, which begins in darkness, the night of the Great Tribulation.
GOD’S PLEA
Now the question is: What can a sinner do in a period like this? Well, Joel gives the answer for that:
Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning [Joel 2:12].
“Turn ye even to me with all your heart.” The word turn means “repent.” God says to His people whose hearts are turned from Him, “Repent.” Repent means primarily to change your mind. You indicate a change of mind by turning around. It is true there may be some shedding of tears along with the repentance, but that is only a by-product of repentance. Repentance really means to change your mind.
When I first entered the ministry, I went to my home church in Nashville as a pastor. I had some of the most wonderful people in that church—they had to be wonderful to put up with me! It was my first pastorate, and I was as green as grass. I could be very serious but also rather frivolous. I was not married yet; so I would take off to go to Atlanta, Georgia, or to Memphis, Tennessee, because I knew some girls in both places.
The man who was humanly responsible for, my entering the ministry was in that church. He had arranged a loan for me, because I was a poor boy with no money. Also he had helped me get a job. He was like a father to me, and I loved him as a father.
One day I went to the bank to tell him something that I had in mind. He let me know immediately that my idea was not a very good idea, as many of mine have not been. He let me know in no uncertain terms. That angered me, so I turned and started out the door. When I got to the street, I thought, “This is not right. I owe this man a great deal.” So I turned around and went back. Do you know why I turned around? Because it came into my mind and into my heart that I ought to do it. When I got back to his office I saw tears coming from his eyes. By the way, when my wife and I were in Nashville on our honeymoon, he said to her, “I don’t know much about you, whether or not you get angry quickly, but Vernon has a very high temper, and don’t both of you get angry at the same time!” Well, one of the things that made my wife so attractive to me was her mild, even temper, and she has put up with a whole lot from this poor preacher! But the day I returned to his office I repented of the thing I had done, and I manifested it in turning and going back to him.
Now when God says, “Turn ye even to me with all your heart,” He means to repent, and the by-product of it will be fasting, weeping, and mourning. Unfortunately, a great many people think that if they go down to an altar and shed enough tears, they are converted. Well, I went through that process as a boy and found it to be absolutely meaningless.
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil [Joel 2:13].
You see, this was to be a heart experience, not some outward gesture. Actually, the Mosaic Law forbade the priest from tearing his garments. Repentance was not to be shown by being a fanatic. The tear was to be in the heart.
“And turn unto the Lord your God” is repentance.
Now he gives the reason for turning to the Lord: “For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” In the Books of Exodus and Jonah, I deal more thoroughly with the question of what it means when God repents. When Israel was in Egypt it looked as if God changed His mind. He sent plague after plague to Egypt to give Pharaoh the opportunity to repent and turn to Him, but he didn’t. Also in Jonah’s day, God sent Jonah to preach to the Ninevites that He would destroy the city. However, Nineveh repented and turned to God; so God did not destroy the city. It looked as if God had changed His mind after He said that He would destroy the city, but He did not change His mind. God is immutable. He is always gracious; He is always merciful, and He is always slow to anger.
My friend, you can always depend upon God. He never changes, He is immutable; but when a sinner repents and turns to Him, God says in effect, “You were under My judgment, and I was going to judge you, but now that you have turned to Me, I will not judge you.” God is always gracious and ready to forgive.
Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? [Joel 2:14].
In other words, “The Lord will bless you again in the field and in the vineyard, and you will have a drink offering and you’ll have a meat offering to bring to Him.”
Incidentally, the drink offering is mentioned here; yet there is no instruction in Leviticus for a drink offering. The drink offering was poured on the other offerings and became a part of them. When it was poured on the sacrifice, it went up in steam on the hot coals. The apostle Paul, you recall, said that he wanted his life to be like that—just a drink offering on the sacrifice of Christ.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly [Joel 2:15].
At the beginning of this chapter we saw that the blowing of the trumpet was used to call an assembly and also to sound an alarm. In verse 1 it was to sound an alarm. Now here at verse 15 it is to call an assembly. The people were to be brought together to hear God’s message so that they might have the opportunity to turn to God. He is gracious and good, and He is willing to accept them.
“Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.” As we have seen, in the Mosaic system God gave His people only feast days. They were to come before Him with rejoicing. But now that they are in sin and rebellion against Him and have turned from Him, they are to fast and come before Him in a solemn assembly.
My friend, the only way we can come to Him is to come as sinners wanting to turn from our sins. If you have been turning from God and now will turn to God, all you have to do is call upon Him and He will save you. “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31). You don’t need to do anything but that. You don’t need to join a church, go through a ceremony, or promise Him something. You simply turn as a sinner to Christ for His mercy.
It is interesting that the word for preaching or evangelizing or heralding the gospel is a word that means trumpet. The trumpet call of the New Testament is the gospel message that we are to get out to the world. “Blow the trumpet in Zion.” This is to call a solemn assembly. When people respond to an altar call and come down to the front of the church, it is a solemn moment. They are testifying that they are turning to God from sin. That is serious business and should not be done lightly. However, I emphasize again that it is not merely going to the altar of a church that constitutes real repentance.
A lovely young couple in Memphis responded to an altar call and came down to the front of the church after a message I had given. I went down to talk to them and asked them, “Is this the first time you have responded to a call?”
“No, we come down every Sunday.”
“Then why do you come down to the altar?”
“Because we want all that God has for us.”
“Do you think you will get that by just coming down here.”
“We hope so.”
“Let me ask you another question. Do you think you have it now?”
“No, we don’t.”
“Then I would get a little discouraged if I were you. Maybe this isn’t the way it is to be done. Maybe you are trying man’s way, and God has another way. God wants to be good and gracious to you, and He wants to save you, but you must come to Him His way. No man comes to the Father but by the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only door to heaven.” Jesus Himself said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet [Joel 2:16].
“Gather the children, and those that suck the breasts” sounds as if the little children were to be taken care of in the nursery so their mothers could give this assembly their full attention. Notice that even the bridegroom is to go to the assembly. When a man was married in Israel, he was excused from going to war for one year. In fact, he was excused from a lot of duties so he could get acquainted with his bride. I guess that was an advantage of getting married! However, God is saying here that everybody is to be gathered together—even the bridegroom and the bride if they are on their honeymoon.
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? [Joel 2:17].
The priests and the ministers of the Lord are to weep. Joel is in Jerusalem, you see; he is a prophet of the southern kingdom.
They were to pray, “Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen [nations] should rule over them.” Israel has been scattered throughout the world to this day. Although they have a nation and a government and a flag, they are still pretty well subject to the nations of the world. As I write this, they are caught in the oil slick which is causing them a great deal of trouble, and it will continue to cause trouble because they are not back in the land today in fulfillment of prophecy. When God puts them back into the land, there will be no problem relative to the oil situation.
Golda Meir made a statement which inferred that Moses had made a mistake. She said something like this: “Imagine! Moses led all of our people around through the wilderness for forty years and brought them to the only place in this area that has no oil!” Well, if she believed the Old Testament, she would know that they were led by a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day, and that God had a definite purpose for keeping them from settling on land that was rich with oil. They would never have gotten their land back—that’s for sure! Actually what Israel needs is not oil but water. They don’t have enough water because the judgment of God is upon them. Moses made no mistake because he was following the orders of God, and certainly God makes no mistakes.
“Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” They were wondering what was happening to them. And today that is still their question. In Israel I talked with a sharp young Jewish fellow at the King David Hotel. He said, “If it is as you say that we are God’s chosen people, why doesn’t He intervene for us today?” I told him very candidly, “Because right now, you are not with God. Until you come back in repentance to Him, He is not dealing with you as His chosen people. Today God is doing a new thing: He is calling out from among your people and my people—Jews and Gentiles—a people to His name. You are just not up to date with God. You are going way back to the Mosaic system which is outmoded. The latest thing, the newest model, is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.” You see, God is inviting “whosoever will” to trust Christ and become a part of the new organism which He calls the church.
PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE
Now he is definitely moving into the future. Notice the time-word “Then.” It will appear several times in this chapter.
Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people [Joel 2:18].
In the Olivet Discourse (see Matt. 24–25), the Lord Jesus used the word then to advance in time the happenings that will take place in the Great Tribulation Period. At the end of the Great Tribulation Period, just before the Lord returns to this earth, then will He be jealous for His land and pity His people.
Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen [Joel 2:19].
At that time the Lord will give them corn and wine and oil; they will be satisfied, and no longer will they be a reproach among the heathen. Even the most radical radical today would not say that this is being fulfilled now. The largest population of Israel is not in the land. There are more Jews in New York City than there are in Israel. And there is a great company of them even in Russia. This is not being fulfilled at this time. This still looks forward to the future. It is definitely the period known as the Day of the Lord, which will begin with darkness and move on into the dawn of the Millennium, past man’s rebellion that breaks out on the earth, and on to the beginning of the eternal kingdom. From here on we are bottled into that particular period.
But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things [Joel 2:20].
“I will remove far off from you the northern army” certainly is not talking about locusts but an army coming down from the north. This was partially fulfilled when Assyria came down and took the northern kingdom, but God miraculously delivered the southern kingdom from them. It was another hundred years before the southern kingdom went into captivity—and then it was to the Babylonians, not the Assyrians.
However, there is still a future fulfillment of the removal of the northern army. This is given in more detail in Ezekiel 38–39. In the Great Tribulation Period Russia will come down from the north, but God will deliver Israel. The description given here fits the description of the Battle of Armageddon. “And will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.” The Sea of Galilee is on one side and the Mediterranean Sea is on the other side of the Valley of Esdraelon where Armageddon will take place. God will intervene as we have seen in Ezekiel. He will destroy this enemy that comes from the north, and He does it to glorify His name.
God is glorified when He judges sin just as much as He is when He saves a sinner. That is hard for us to believe; it is a bitter pill for man to swallow. God is holy, and a holy, righteous God is going to judge. Every one of the prophets says that. The Word of God has a lot to say about the judgment of God. But He doesn’t like to judge. We have already seen that He is gracious and merciful and slow to anger. Judgment is a strange work for God. That is why He holds out His hands all the day long and asks us to come to Him. When people refuse to turn to Him, He must judge them in His righteousness and in His holiness.
This is true even for the children of God. When we do wrong, if we do not judge ourselves, God must judge us. He chastens us to bring us back to Himself. To be honest with you, I have had some chastening from the Lord. I want to stick very close to my Heavenly Father because, I can tell you, I don’t enjoy the chastening of the Lord.
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things [Joel 2:21].
The Tribulation Period will lead to the coming of Christ to earth to establish His kingdom. Today that land is still under a curse. They need water. The land is far from being a Garden of Eden. Anyone who has driven from Jerusalem to Jericho will have to admit it is just as desolate as the desert in Arizona and California.
You will notice that the church is not in this picture. Neither do we find the church in the Olivet Discourse nor in the Book of Revelation after chapter 4. The believers have been raptured, and there is no longer a church on earth. And when the church gets to heaven it will no longer be called the church (ekklesia, meaning “called out”), but the figure changes and the believers will be called the bride of Christ.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength [Joel 2:22].
This day has not come yet.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month [Joel 2:23].
Who are the “children of Zion”? Of course they are the people of the southern kingdom—that is where Zion is located. You and I may sing lustily, “We’re marching to Zion,” but we are not marching to the Zion here upon this earth.
When he speaks of the “rain,” he is talking about literal rain. In verse 28 Joel will make application of it in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, but he is referring to literal rain in this verse. The former rain came in October, and the latter rain came in April. There are other passages in the Bible that speak of the former and the latter rains which were quite literal rains in the land of Israel (see Lev. 26:3–4; Deut. 11:14–17; 1 Kings 8:35–36; Jer. 3:3; Hos. 6:3).
Before I went over to Israel, I heard that the latter rain was returning to that land. Well, I have been over there in April, and it rained a little. But, gracious, I don’t think people would call that the kind of rain which the Lord is talking about. In former days they really had rain. All those rugged hills of that land were covered with trees. The enemies came in and denuded the land, and today they are trying to set out trees, but they are having trouble making those trees grow because there is not enough of the latter rain. Joel is talking about these literal rains—H2O—which God has promised in the future.
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you [Joel 2:24–25].
“I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” There have been a great many sermons preached on this, spiritualizing this passage. And it certainly can be used as an application, since it states a great principle. We find the same thought in the Book of Revelation where God says, “… Behold, I make all things new …” (Rev. 21:5). He is speaking of the New Jerusalem in this chapter. Those of the church, the sinners who have trusted Christ, are going to be there. He tells us how wonderful it will be and about the fact that He will wipe away all tears from our eyes. What a change that will be! There are a lot of tears in this old world. I rejoice that He will make all things new.
I don’t know about you, but I can say that I am not satisfied with my life down here. I have never preached the sermon I have wanted to preach—I wish I could do it. I have had it in my heart and in my mind, but somehow I have never been able to preach as well as I have wanted to. I have never been the husband that I have really wanted to be. I wish that I could have been a much better husband to my wife. When I was sick, she and I went back over the days when we met and how we courted, and all that sort of thing. As I told her, I wish I could change many things which would make it lots more wonderful than it was. Neither have I been the father that I wanted to be. I have never really been the man that I have wanted to be. That is why I love Revelation 21:5: “… Behold, I make all things new ….” My Lord will say, “Vernon McGee, you didn’t quite make it down there on the earth. You never really accomplished your goals. You were frustrated. You were limited. You were down there with that old sinful nature. Now I am going to make all things new. I’m going to give you a new scratch pad and a new pencil without an eraser. You can write it all out now. You can accomplish what you wanted to accomplish.”
My friend, that will really make heaven heaven for a lot of us. We will be able to do the things and be the person that we have wanted to be down here. Oh, to be free from the hindrances of circumstances, of sin, of the environment, and even of heredity. What a glorious experience to be free of all this and to be in the presence of Christ! He will make all things new. He will restore the years that the locusts have eaten.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed [Joel 2:26–27].
This will take place when he is “in the midst of Israel”; that is, when Christ has come to the earth and has established His kingdom. At that time there will be a fulfillment of all the physical blessings which God has promised to the nation Israel. And the blessings in the Old Testament were largely physical blessings. God promised to bless the land so that they would have bumper crops and their cattle would thrive and multiply. Actually the spiritual blessings seem almost secondary. In contrast to this, the blessings God has promised the church are spiritual blessings—only. We have all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
Even though the primary blessings to Israel were physical blessings, we come now to a passage which speaks of spiritual blessing to Israel. This is a very controversial passage of Scripture.
PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
As we come to this section, it is important to keep in mind that we are in the prophecy of Joel that began with the record of a frightful locust plague which he compared to that which is coming in the future, which he calls the Day of the Lord. We have seen that the Day of the Lord will begin with the Tribulation Period, after which Christ will come and establish His kingdom on the earth. In verse 27 we have just read that the Lord at this time will be in the midst of them. Now let’s see what He is going to do.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call [Joel 2:28–32].
There are many wonderful things that we could say about this passage of Scripture. Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, a Jewish Christian, and an outstanding Hebrew scholar, has written a fine series of books on the Minor Prophets which have been very helpful to me. In Joel, Amos, and Obadiah, pp. 26–27, he calls attention to something that I had not known before: “Verses 28 through 32 form chapter 3 in the Hebrew text; and chapter 3 in the English translations is chapter 4 in the original. No one will be inclined to doubt that the disclosure of truth in 2:28–32 is of sufficient importance to warrant its appearing in a separate chapter.” I certainly agree that these five verses are important enough to make them a separate chapter.
In understanding this prophecy, it is of utmost importance to note the time of fulfillment indicated in this passage: “And it shall come to pass (afterward).” Joel has been telling us about the coming Day of the Lord. As the first of the writing prophets, he introduced it, and he tells what is going to take place during that period. He has emphasized the fact that it will begin with the darkness of the Great Tribulation Period (our Lord Jesus gave it that name). We noted the importance of the time sequence in Hosea. In chapter 3, verse 5 of that prophecy it is written: “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.” We identified the “latter days” as that time of the Great Tribulation Period which ushers in the kingdom by the coming of Christ to the earth, which is the beginning of the Millennium. This leads us to conclude that Joel is now speaking of a very definite period of time, that this prophecy is to be fulfilled during the Day of the Lord, after the night of the Great Tribulation Period. Then God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.
Although Joel is the first of the writing prophets, he is not the only one to mention the pouring out of the Spirit. In Isaiah we read: “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest” (Isa. 32:15). He is speaking of the kingdom which is coming on the earth, and the pouring out of the Spirit has reference to the Millennium. Of course none of the prophets spoke of the church age; all of them spoke of the last days in reference to the nation Israel.
Ezekiel 36:27 says this: “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Then he continues, “And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezek. 36:28). Now he is talking to a particular people and a particular land—Israel. It is also a particular period of time when God will pour out His Spirit. Also Ezekiel says: “And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord”(Ezek. 37:14). That’s not all: “Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God” (Ezek. 39:29).
Zechariah is one of the last of the writing prophets. He says, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him; as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10).
Joel also makes it clear in the passage we are discussing—“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance”—that he refers to a certain spot on the map.
The question arises: What did Peter mean when he referred to this passage of Scripture on the Day of Pentecost? Did he mean that the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled? No, he didn’t say that. He never claimed that this prophecy was fulfilled.
On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples they began to speak to Jews who had come to Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire. Every man heard the message in his own tongue. These were not unknown tongues in which the disciples were speaking the message. Each tongue was the native tongue of one or more of the men who were gathered there from all over the Roman Empire and even beyond the empire.
Well, many believed, but others began to mock and say that the disciples were drunk—filled with new wine. So Simon Peter is the one who gets up to answer them. He acted as the spokesman for the group, and he gave an answer to the accusation that they were drunk. “… Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:14–15). Peter says you wouldn’t find people drunk in the morning. (It’s a little different in modern America—some people start drinking pretty early in the day.)
Peter continues, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16). You will notice that Peter does not say that this is in fulfillment of what the prophet Joel said. All the Gospel writers and the apostle Paul are very clear when they say that something is the fulfillment of a prophecy. I couldn’t begin to mention all of the passages. For examples, turn to Matthew 2:17–18: “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children,and would not be comforted, because they are not” (italics mine). That was a fulfillment of prophecy that had to do with incidents associated with the birth of Christ. Drop down to verse 23: “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (italics mine). Or turn to Acts 13 to the sermon of Paul at Antioch in Pisidia. He speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and says, “And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee” (Acts 13:32–33, italics mine). The Bible is very definite about fulfillment of prophecy.
What does Peter say in Acts 2:16? “… this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” (italics mine). He does not say it was a fulfillment of what Joel had predicted. Rather, he said, “This is that”—this is like that or similar to that. If you will go back in your mind to the Day of Pentecost, you will realize that Peter was not talking to Gentiles; he was speaking to Jews who were schooled in the Old Testament. They knew the Old Testament. They were Jews from all over the empire who had come to Jerusalem for the feast; they had traveled long distances because they were keeping what was required of them according to the Mosaic Law. Peter says to them in effect, “Don’t mock, don’t ridicule this thing which you see happening. This is like that which is going to take place in the Day of the Lord as it is told to us by the prophet Joel.”
He quotes Joel’s prophecy. “And it shall come to pass in the last days. saith God. I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh …” (Acts 2:17, italics mine). This is to occur in the last days. Then the Spirit of God will be poured out upon all flesh. Was that fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost? Hardly. It was experienced by those enumerated in the previous chapter. And three thousand were saved. Even if it had been three hundred thousand who were saved, it still would not have been a pouring out of the Spirit upon all flesh. It would still not have been a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.
In effect, Peter is saying to them, “Don’t mock at what you see happening. You ought to recognize from your own Word of God that Joel says the day is coming when God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. If it is poured out on a few people today, you ought not to be surprised at that.”
Then Peter went on to quote the rest of Joel’s prophecy regarding what would take place: “I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come” (vv. 30–31). Was that fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost? Of course not. There were no earthquakes, no changes in the sun and moon. These will occur on “that great and notable day of the Lord.” Joel calls it “the great and the terrible day of the Lord.” The Day of Pentecost was a great day, but it was not a terrible day. It was a wonderful day!
My friend, if we understand the Book of Joel, we will never come to the conclusion that Peter was saying that the prophecy of Joel was being fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. Simon Peter was merely using Joel’s prophecy as an introduction to answer those who were mocking.
Now the question arises: What was the subject of Simon Peter’s message? On the Day of Pentecost the subject of Simon Peter’s sermon was the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now when he comes to his text, he uses Psalm 16:8–10, which prophesied the resurrection of Christ. Notice how he applies it to Christ: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:32–33).
The conclusion both in Joel and in Peter’s address is, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lordshall be delivered [Peter says, Shall be saved].” This is one of the many passages that causes me to make the statement that I think the greatest time of salvation is yet in the future. I believe God will save more of the human race than will be lost. I agree with Spurgeon who said that he believed God would win more to Himself than would be lost. When Christ comes to the earth to establish His kingdom, there is going to be the greatest time of individuals turning to God that the world has ever seen. Also during the Tribulation Period there will be a great turning to the Lord—much greater than there has been during the church age. The resurrection of Jesus Christ whom God has made both Lord and Christ is the whole point of Peter’s sermon. He is not emphasizing the phenomenon they had witnessed. The important issue is coming to know Jesus Christ. Oh, my friend, don’t be so occupied with having an experience that you miss coming to know Christ. What place does He occupy in your thinking, in your life, in your ministry?
This section of Joel’s prophecy is all-important, but it is yet to be fulfilled.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Looking at the Day of the Lord (postlude)
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem [Joel 3:1].
“For, behold, in those days.” What day? The Day of Pentecost? No, for He says, “when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.” He did not bring them back at Pentecost; in fact, the Lord Jesus reversed the order when He said, “… ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Instead of bringing the captivity back to Jerusalem, Christ, as head of the church, said to those who now have been born again and are in the body of believers, “Go to the ends of the earth. Take the message out that I am raised from the dead. Tell them that God is gracious and longsuffering and merciful, and that whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The gospel seems so simple that a lot of smart people miss it today. How wonderful it is! All you do is believe. I want to say that I do not believe in a works salvation—that is obvious—but I do believe in a salvation that works. That is important to see. If you have been saved, you’ll want to get the gospel out. If you don’t want to, my friend, I’d question your faith—not your works, but your faith—because faith works.
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land [Joel 3:2].
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat”—that is there at Jerusalem.
“And will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” Before the Lord Jesus comes again to the earth, believers will already have appeared before His judgment seat to see whether or not they are to receive a reward. When He comes to the earth, then He will judge to see who will enter the kingdom. We have this marvelous prophecy here, but it is not found only in the Book of Joel. Joel is the first of the writing prophets, but all of the prophets mentioned it. One of the last prophets, Zechariah, said the same thing, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee” (Zech. 2:10–11). This is the same thing Joel told the people at the beginning. This was their great hope, their bright hope, that the Lord will come to establish His kingdom on the earth and the Spirit will be poured out on all flesh.
And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot; and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink [Joel 3:3].
This is an awful thing that Joel describes here. I get a little provoked sometimes with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals which has come up with some unusual demands as to how we should treat animals. They are opposed to the foxhunt, although the fox generally gets away and they don’t really need to worry about him at all; they also are opposed to all types of hunting and shooting of game. However, they haven’t been down to the stockyards yet to stop the slaughter of cattle, because most of them like their porterhouse and sirloin steaks as well as their prime rib roast. But that is really not my point, because I agree that animals should not be mistreated and that they often suffer because of man’s sin. The greatest cruelty today, however, is cruelty toward children. It is one of the most appalling things that is happening in our day. I read sometime ago of a mother who had co-habited with some no good, ne’erdo-well man who beat her little boy. A precious little boy—what a beautiful child he was at the beginning. But they also showed a picture of him near the end; he’d been beaten and mistreated and finally killed by that man! Actually, there was not much protest over that. The mistreatment of a dog has caused more furor in our communities than did the mistreatment of that child. Such cruelty toward children is one of the signs of the end of an age.
Why are so many children running away from home in this day? I think any parent who has a runaway child needs to get down on his knees before God and ask Him what he has done wrong. Someone will say, “Well, the child got in with the wrong crowd. We need the help of a psychologist.” My friend, we don’t need that—we need to read the Word of God. God says the evil day will come when “they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot.” How many fathers today are setting the right example for their sons? “And sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.” How many girls are being plunged into immorality because of liquor in their homes? One young girl, who had become a harlot and was arrested, was asked where she took her first drink. She said that it had been with her mother. God have mercy on a mother who would do a thing like that! Someone needs to speak out today in this so-called suave and sophisticated age that wants to think we are advancing in civilization. My friend, we are going down the tubes so fast it’s making us dizzy.
Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head [Joel 3:4].
God says that they have gone past the time and are unable to turn to Him sincerely.
Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border [Joel 3:5–6].
Even at this time the children of Israel were being sold into slavery, yet this was before Rome had come to power.
Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it [Joel 3:7–8].
God’s judgment of Tyre and Sidon, prophesied also by Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah, has all been literally fulfilled.
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong [Joel 3:9–10].
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears.” Someone will say, “I thought the Bible said to beat your swords into plowshares.” It does say that, but the time to do that is when the kingdom is established on the earth (see Isa. 2:4; Mic. 4:3). When Christ is ruling you can get rid of your sword, but until then you’d better keep your ammunition dry and you’d better be prepared. I do not agree that we should get rid of guns today. I think we need to protect our homes, our loved ones, and our nation. You and I are living in a big, bad world in which there are a lot of wild animals loose—they are human beings and they are two-legged, but they’re mean and ferocious and they will destroy you. Also there are nations which are like that. In fact, that is the way God describes nations; He calls one a lion, another a bear, another a panther, and another a nondescript beast. Believe me, my friend, the nations of the world are like wild beasts, and we need to keep a few atomic bombs in our arsenal. Paul said, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them …” (1 Thess. 5:3). I am afraid we are going to have our teeth jarred out one of these days by the falling of a bomb, and we won’t be able to retaliate because we have had too many soft-hearted and soft-headed leaders. The United Nations has as its motto the verse in Isaiah which says to beat your swords into plowshares; I think they ought to have this verse from Joel: “Beat your plowshares into swords.” We need to be prepared today—we live in a bad, bad world.
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord.
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about [Joel 3:11–12].
In the Olivet Discourse the Lord Jesus said that He will judge the nations and that He will judge them according to the way they have treated His people. Someone will ask, “Are they peculiar? Are they better?” No. Why, then, will He judge in this way? Because the 144,000 Jewish witnesses are going to be the only witnesses upon this earth after the church is removed. The Lord said that if anyone gave a cup of cold water in His name to one of these witnesses He would reward him. Many people think that that excuses them for giving only a dime or a quarter in the offering plate. However, may I say to you, in that day it would cost you your life to give a cup of cold water to one of the 144,000 who will be witnessing for Christ throughout the world.
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great [Joel 3:13].
When he speaks of a “harvest,” he is speaking of the end of the age.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision [Joel 3:14].
Joel identifies this period as “the day of the Lord.” All that Joel says falls within the parentheses of the Day of the Lord which begins after the Rapture of the church with the Great Tribulation and continues through the second coming of Christ to establish His kingdom and the judgment as to who will enter the kingdom. Then Christ will reign for one thousand years; there will be a brief period of rebellion when Satan is let loose, then the final judgment at the Great White Throne, and eternity will begin. All of that is included in the Day of the Lord.
Again Joel speaks of the disturbance in the heavenly bodies—
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more [Joel 3:15–17].
Jerusalem is still being trodden down by Gentiles. The Garden Tomb was so crowded with tourists the last time we were there that we could not get into it. It was not Jews who were there, but it was Gentiles from all over the world—tourists coming and going all the time. The day is coming when the Garden Tomb will not be the tourist attraction in Jerusalem. Someday the Lord Himself will be there!
Now we move into the time of the kingdom—
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim [Joel 3:18].
“And it shall come to pass in that day”—that is, the Day of the Lord. “The mountains shall drop down new wine”—this is in the time of the kingdom. “And the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters.” Israel is short of water today, but they will not be short in that day.
“And a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.” This is interesting because the valley of Shittim is on the other side of the Jordan River. How could these waters flow from Jerusalem across the Jordan? Zechariah tells us that the mountain will be split in that day. Instead of the great rift running from north of Byblos in Lebanon, down through the Sea of Galilee, through the Jordan valley, through the Dead Sea and into Africa, it is going to run the opposite direction—it is going to run east and west.
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land [Joel 3:19].
God will judge Egypt and Edom even into the millennial kingdom. They have always been enemies of the nation Israel.
But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion [Joel 3:20–21].
“For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed”—the Lord has not yet moved in their behalf. “For the Lord dwelleth in Zion”—He doesn’t dwell there today. Jerusalem is as pagan and heathen as any city on topside of the earth, but the day is coming when the Lord will dwell there. Then we will see all these things fulfilled. We would need to see Christ Himself there to say that these things are being fulfilled today. But that is not where we see Him, for at this very moment He is at God’s right hand. It is my prayer that we might be continually conscious of Him and have the reality of His presence in our lives.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Israel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Amos
INTRODUCTION
Amos’ prophetic ministry took place during the reigns of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, and Uzziah, king of Judah. He was contemporary with Jonah and Hosea who were prophets in the northern kingdom of Israel and with Isaiah and Micah who were prophets in the southern kingdom of Judah.
Amos presents God as the ruler of this world and declares that all nations are responsible to Him. The measure of a nation’s responsibility is the light which a nation has. The final test for any nation (or individual) is found in Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” In a day of prosperity, Amos pronounced punishment. The judgment of God awaited nations which were living in luxury and lolling in immorality.
Amos is, in my words, “The Country Preacher Who Came to Town.” I want us to get acquainted with him personally, because to get acquainted with Amos is to love him and to understand his prophecy better. We will find that he was born in Judah, the southern kingdom, but he was a prophet to the northern kingdom. His message was delivered in Beth-el at the king’s chapel. It was most unusual for a man to have come from such a country, out-of-the-way place with a message of judgment against all of the surrounding nations. Amos had a global view of life and of God’s program for the entire world—not only for the present but also for the future. All this makes this man a most remarkable prophet.
In Amos 1:1 we read, “The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.” Tekoa was Amos’ birthplace and his hometown. Six miles south of Jerusalem there is the familiar little place of Bethlehem of which the prophet Micah said, “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5:2). Bethlehem has become famous, but there was another little place that was another six miles southeast of Bethlehem called Tekoa which is not so well known. In fact, Amos himself is not even mentioned anywhere else in the Old Testament. There is an Amos in Mary’s genealogy given in the Gospel of Luke, but he is no relation to the prophet Amos. And the little town of Tekoa from which he came is practically an unknown place. It is the place where a prophetess came and gave David a message (see 2 Sam. 14); David was familiar with this area because it was the area to which he fled to hide from King Saul.
Tekoa is located on a hilly ridge which overlooks a frightful desert wilderness that continues down to the very edge of the Dead Sea. Wild animals howl by night, and by day the only thing you can see are spots here and there which indicate the remains of the camps of the Bedouins. There is nothing but the blackened ground left by these nomads and vagabonds of the desert who moved through that area. Dr. Adam Smith said, “The men of Tekoa looked out upon a desolate and haggard world.”
Today the nation Israel has constructed a modern highway along the Dead Sea that leads to Masada. The highway comes back through Arad and up through Hebron and Bethlehem, but it never gets near Tekoa because Tekoa is over in that wilderness. I’m sure most of you have never heard of it for, even in its heyday, Tekoa was never more than a wide place in the road. It was a whistle-stop, a jumping-off place. The name Tekoa means “a camping ground.” It was really only a country crossroads out on the frontier. Years ago I heard a man say that, to reach the place where he was born, you go as far as possible by buggy and then you get off and walk two miles! Tekoa was that sort of place, and it was the birthplace of Amos—that is its only claim to greatness.
We need to turn to chapter 7 to get a little personal insight into this man and his ministry in Samaria, the northern kingdom of Israel. There we read: “Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel” (Amos 7:10–15).
Amos tells us he was a “herdman.” An unusual word is used here which means that he was the herdsman of a peculiar breed of desert sheep. They were a scrub stock, but they grew long wool because of the cold in the wintertime. He also says that he was a “gatherer of sycomore fruit”; the literal is a “pincher of sycamores.” This was a fruit like a small fig which grew on scrub trees down in the desert. These trees grew at a lower level than the sycamore that we know today.
We can see, then, that Amos had to travel to his job. He was a migrant worker, if you please. His sheep and his sycamores pushed Amos far out into that desert. He was truly a farmer. He was a country rube. He was a rustic. He was a yokel and a hayseed. He was a country preacher. He was a clumsy bumpkin who was “all thumbs” among the ecumenical preachers up yonder in Beth-el.
But before you laugh at Amos, may I say this? He was one of God’s greatest men, and he was a remarkable individual. Listen to what Amos says: “And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel” (Amos 7:15). God sent Amos all the way from down there in the desert and the wilderness up to Beth-el, one of the capital cities of the northern kingdom where he found city folk living. God called him to preach, God gave him a message, and God sent him to Beth-el.
Beth-el was, at first, the capital of the northern kingdom, and it was the place where Jeroboam I had erected one of his golden calves. It was the center of culture and also of cults. The people worshiped that golden calf and had turned their backs upon almighty God. Beth-el was where the sophisticated and the suave folk moved; the jet set lived there. It was a place that was blasé and brazen. It was also the intellectual center. They had a School of Prophets there. The seminaries taught liberalism. They would have taught the Graf-Wellhausen hypothesis which denies the inspiration of the Pentateuch and gone in for all the latest theories of a theologian like Rudolf Bultmann.
What was done in Beth-el was the thing to do. When filter-tipped cigarettes were introduced, Beth-el was the first place they were advertised and used, and from there they spread everywhere. It was the place where you could see the styles which would be popular the next year. Are we going to wear the wider lapel next year? Will there be two or three buttons on the suit coat? Should you leave the last button unbuttoned to be in style? Well, you would go to Beth-el to find out all that.
Then here comes to town this country preacher, this prophet of God with a message—a most unusual message, different from any other prophet. Amos’ suit of clothes was not cut to the style of Bethel and neither was his message. He did not give the type of messages they were used to hearing. In the king’s chapel there was always a mild-mannered preacher, very sophisticated and well-educated, but a rank unbeliever who stood in the pulpit giving comforting little words to the people. He gave them pabulum; saccharine sweetness was in his message. But now here’s a different kind of man. When Amos first arrived, people stared at him. But they were very indulgent, of course (they were broad-minded, you know), so they smiled at him. I think he had on high-buttoned yellow shoes which were not in style that year, and his suit probably didn’t fit him and was buttoned improperly. He had on his first necktie, and it looked like it had been tied by a whirlwind. Everyone was embarrassed except Amos. Amos was not embarrassed at all. He must have created quite a stir. He had left the backwoods and had arrived on the boulevard. He had left the desert; now he entered the drawing room. He had been with the longhaired sheep out on the desert all of his life; now he was with the well-groomed “goats” up yonder in Bethel. He had left the place of agriculture and had come to the place of culture.
I think almost everyone came to hear him at first. They said, “We don’t believe he can preach.” They came out of curiosity, saying, “We don’t think this man has any message.” They came in amusement, but they left in anger. He was a sensational preacher, for his sermons weren’t cut to the style of Beth-el. However, today we do not have any record of the liberal sermons of that day, but we certainly have the sermons and the prophecy of Amos.
Amos preached the Word of God. Many people were moved, and some turned to God; but he disturbed the liberal element. Organized religion in Beth-el, the worship of Baal and of the golden calf, got together. They had the ecumenical movement going there, so they had the same program. If you don’t believe anything, my friend, there is nothing to keep you apart. If I don’t believe anything and you don’t believe anything, we can get together. That is the ecumenical movement, and it was going great guns even in that day.
Amos was in the midst of all this organized religion which was plotting against him to silence him and to run him out of town. Some of the leading ecumenical leaders called a meeting. They wanted to remove Amos; they wanted to withdraw support from him; they told him he’d lose his pension if he didn’t change his message. There were also some fundamental leaders called evangelicals in Beth-el who began to criticize him because he was drawing the crowds. They tried to undermine his ministry. But God blessed him, and Amos would not compromise but continued to preach the Word of God.
They had a mass meeting of all the religions in Beth-el—it was really the first meeting of the World Council of Churches—and the motto of this first meeting was, “Away with Amos, away with Amos.” And the inevitable happened at this meeting: they appointed a committee chairman, Amaziah, to go and confront Amos. Amaziah was a priest who had gone into idolatry. (Does all of this sound modern to you? It’s the same old story; we think it’s modern, but this sort of thing has been happening ever since man got out of the Garden of Eden.) Amaziah was the hired hand of religion. He was polished, he was educated, he was proud, he was scholarly, he was pious, and he was a classic example of a pseudosaint.
Cleverly and subtly, Amaziah worked a master stroke. He went to Jeroboam II and poisoned his mind against Amos. Amaziah got the king to support him because he believed that the church and state, religion and politics, should be combined. This is what happened: “Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land” (Amos 7:10–11). Let me ask you, friend, is that what Amos said? No, he had not said that. His actual words were that God had said, “I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword” (Amos 7:9). If you follow the record, you will find that Amos’ pronouncement was accurate. It is too bad that Jeroboam II did not believe Amos because his grandson was later slain with the sword, thus ending his kingly line. It was true that Amos had said something about the sword and about Jeroboam, but he had not said that Jeroboam personally would die by the sword. Amaziah was an ecclesiastical politican who was twisting the truth, and that is the worst kind of lying.
I think Amaziah had two other men on his committee when he went to see Amos. There was Dr. Sounding Brass, president of the School of Prophets—false prophets, by the way. Proud and pompous, he was a politician par excellence. There was also Rev. Tinkling Cymbal. He was the pastor of the wealthiest and most influential church in town. He was the yes-man to the rich. He couldn’t preach, but he was a great little mixer. It is amazing the things he could mix, by the way. He didn’t pound the pulpit because he didn’t want to wake up his congregation, but he could sure slap their backs during the week. This is the committee which waited upon Amos.
Amaziah, with biting sarcasm, with a rapier of ridicule, and with a condescending manner, said to Amos, “O thou seer.” In other words, he’s calling him, “Parson.” “Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there” (Amos 7:12). In effect, Amaziah said to Amos, “Who told you that you were a preacher? Where is your degree? What school did you go to? Who ordained you? Where did you preach before you came here? Go, flee away.” In other words, he’s saying to him, “Get out of town. Get lost.” Then Amaziah adds, “And there eat bread.” He is insinuating to Amos, “You’re just in it for the money, and therefore we don’t want you here.”
Verse 13 is the crowning insult of all: “But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court” (Amos 7:13). That is the height of Amaziah’s insolence and his arrogance. He uses here a satire that is not only biting but also poisonous. He says in effect, “Remember, you’ve been speaking in the leading church here in Beth-el, the king’s chapel. You have been in the king’s sanctuary, and he’s dissatisfied with you. Your message disturbs him. In fact, there are a lot of people who do not like you. You don’t use a very diplomatic method. You don’t pat them on the back and tell them how wonderful they are. You do not patronize the rich and the affluent. And you’re not very reverent. You tell funny stories every now and then. You’re not dignified. You pound the pulpit, and you lack graceful gestures. You do not use a basso profundo voice as if you were thundering out of heaven. What you need is a course in homiletics. And you don’t seem to have read the latest books. By the way, have you read the latest, Baal Goes to Yale?” And, of course, poor Amos hadn’t read the latest book.
I want you to listen to the answer that this great prophet of God gave, this man who preached the righteousness of God and the judgment of God. There are those who like to call him a hell-fire prophet, but will you listen to his answer and notice how gracious it really is: “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel” (Amos 7:14–15). And then Amos continued with his message in which he has some pretty harsh words to say to this man Amaziah.
Now I ask you a fair question: Does his answer sound like that of a fanatic? Frankly, I have one criticism of Amos. He is too naive. He’s rather artless; he’s rather simple. Down in the desert of Tekoa, he knew his way around. He could avoid the dangers in that howling wilderness which was filled with wild beasts, but, in the asphalt jungle of Beth-el, he was rather helpless.
By the way, there is a jungle today in this world. You will find that in church circles—in liberal churches and even in fundamental churches—it’s a little dangerous. You’re not really safe because there is often someone who will want to tear you to pieces. There will be the roar of some big lion, such as Mr. Gotrocks who is on the board of deacons. I tell you, you had better pat him on the back, you had better play up to him, or else he may give you real trouble. There is also the hiss of a serpent in the asphalt jungle today, Mrs. Joe Doaks who has a poison tongue. James, in his epistle, talked about those who have poison under their lips (see James 3:8). It is worse than a rattlesnake bite to have some of these folk criticize you.
This man Amos is very naive. He says, “You say that I’m no preacher. I know it—I’m no preacher. And you say I’m not a prophet. You’re right, I’m no prophet. I’m not even a prophet’s son. I’m a country boy, but God called me.” Listen to him: “And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel” (Amos 7:15, italics mine). Amos says, “You want my credentials? Here they are: God called me.”
May I say to you, if you give out the Word of God today, you are going to be challenged. I recently received a letter from a man in Salt Lake City, Utah, which presents a very devious argument. He concludes by saying, “I am interested in knowing how you got your authority.” I can answer that very easily. When I was in my teens, God called me, and I knew He called me. Maybe you think that was because I had great faith. No, as a poor boy, I didn’t even have enough faith to believe that the Lord would get me through school. I’ll be very frank with you, I had no faith at all. I just had a tremendous and overweening desire to continue. Now since I’m toward the end of the journey, I have no doubt that I was called of God—and that is my authority. Amos was naive, but he was called of God, and the Lord was leading him all the way.
Amos was God’s man giving God’s message. Simply because Israel was being religious on the surface did not guarantee that God would not judge their sin. Because of their rejection of His law—their deceit and robbery and violence and oppression of the poor—God said, “I hate, I despise your feast days …. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them …. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs …. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5:21–24).
It was a day of false peace. In the north was Assyria hanging like the sword of Damocles ready to fall, and in the next half century it would destroy this little kingdom. Israel was trying to ignore it, and they kept talking about peace. But Amos said, “Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth” (Amos 9:8). His message was not a popular message. He warned that it was God’s intention to punish sin.
OUTLINE
I. Judgment on Surrounding Nations, Chapters 1:1–2:3
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
B. Judgment against Syria for Cruelty, Chapter 1:3–5
C. Judgment against Philistia for Making Slaves, Chapter 1:6–8
D. Judgment against Phoenicia for Breaking Treaty, Chapter 1:9–10
E. Judgment against Edom for Revengeful Spirit, Chapter 1:11–12
F. Judgment against Ammon for Violent Crimes, Chapter 1:13–15
G. Judgment against Moab for Injustice, Chapter 2:1–3
II. Judgment on Judah and Israel, Chapters 2:4–6:14
A. Judgment against Judah for Despising the Law, Chapter 2:4–5
B. Judgment against Israel for Immorality and Blasphemy, Chapter 2:6–16
C. God’s Charge against the Whole House of Israel (Twelve Tribes), Chapter 3 (Privilege creates responsibility; the higher the blessing, the greater the punishment.)
D. Israel Punished in the Past for Iniquity, Chapter 4
E. Israel Will Be Punished in the Future for Iniquity, Chapter 5
F. Israel Admonished in the Present to Depart from Iniquity, Chapter 6
III. Visions of Future, Chapters 7–9
A. Visions of Grasshoppers, Chapter 7:1–3
B. Vision of Fire, Chapter 7:4–6
C. Vision of Plumbline, Chapter 7:7–9
D. Historic Interlude, Chapter 7:10–17 (Personal Experience of the Prophet)
E. Vision of Basket of Summer Fruit, Chapter 8
F. Vision of Worldwide Dispersion, Chapter 9:1–10
G. Vision of Worldwide Regathering and Restoration of Kingdom, Chapter 9:11–15
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Judgment on surrounding nations
Amos was a fearless man with a message from God. Not only was Amos an unknown when he arrived in Beth-el of the northern kingdom of Israel, but he is still rather unknown today. In our country, Amos is a name that is associated with Andy because of the popular radio program of the past generation, “Amos and Andy.” Actually, we should associate the Amos of Bible times with Hosea. They were contemporary prophets, and I am sure they knew each other. Hosea’s message emphasized the love of God, but a God of love who also intends to judge. Amos spoke of the lofty justice and the inflexible righteousness of God which leads Him to judge.
It is startling to see that Amos had a world view, a global conception. He spoke first to the nations which were contiguous to and surrounding the nation Israel. He spoke to the great world powers of that day—that in itself isn’t something unique. The later prophets—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel—did it also. But the method of these other prophets was first to speak of God’s judgment of the nation Israel and then to take up the judgment of the other nations. Amos reverses that method. He spoke first of God’s judgment of the nations round about and then of Israel’s judgment.
When Amos first spoke in Beth-el, saying that God was going to judge Syria, Philistia, Phoenicia, Edom, Ammon, and Moab, everybody filled the king’s chapel. He really was drawing a crowd. They were very glad for him to preach on the sins of the Moabites, you see, but not on their sins. There are people even today who like the preacher to preach on the sins of the Moabites which were committed four thousand or more years ago, but any preacher who mentions the people’s own sins is in real trouble. Amos exercised a great deal of diplomacy, it seems to me, in speaking of the other nations first. He was an eloquent man. Although he was a country preacher from out yonder in the desert, he used the language of a Shakespeare. He was, in my judgment, a great preacher.
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake [Amos 1:1].
“In the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel”—this is Jeroboam II, by the way.
“Two years before the earthquake.” This earthquake is also mentioned by Zechariah nearly two hundred years later. According to the historian Josephus, it took place during the reign of Uzziah. The important thing is that this does help us to see that Amos was contemporary with Hosea, he was one of the first of the prophets, and he was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel.
And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither [Amos 1:2].
“And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion.” This is very figurative and eloquent language in many ways. You may recall that Joel also used this expression. It suggests the roar of a lion as it pounces upon its prey. Believe me, this is an arresting way for Amos to begin his message! It speaks of the coming judgment of God upon the nations which were round about.
“And the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.” Apparently, a drought and a famine would come upon that land, a famine that would extend throughout the entire land.
When I was in Israel some time ago, I came over Carmel where Haifa is located, and I noticed how beautiful it is there. There are wonderful shrubbery and lovely flowers there today. It must have been that way in the day of Amos also, but now he says that there is coming a drought so severe that beautiful Carmel “shall wither.”
JUDGMENT AGAINST SYRIA FOR CRUELTY
We begin now a section of this prophecy which deals with the judgments of God upon the nations which were contiguous to the nation Israel, that is, those that surrounded that nation. This man Amos gives us a world view. The Word of God, even the Old Testament, shows that God is not only the God of the nation Israel but He is also the God of the Gentiles. In the New Testament, Paul is the one who makes that abundantly clear. And God judges the nations. Although in this day of grace God has one great purpose, that of calling out a people to His name, that does not mean that He has taken His hands off the affairs of this world—He has not. He still moves in judgment upon the nations of the world, and this Book of Amos has a tremendous message along that line.
The first nation that is considered is Syria of which Damascus was the capital—
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron [Amos 1:3].
“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four.” Amos is not attempting to give us a list of their transgressions. He could have said, “Not for three, not for four, or five, or six, but for many transgressions.” In other words, the cup of iniquity was filled up, and nothing could now hold back the judgment of God that was coming upon Syria.
“Because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.” This is the atrocity which Syria had committed and for which they were to be judged. Those threshing instruments were sharp and were to be used to beat out the grain. It is believed that with them they had torn and mangled the bodies of the people of Gilead. In 2 Kings 10:32–33, we read: “In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.” Syria came down against these tribes first and actually destroyed them.
What does Amos mean by “Gilead”? Gilead was on the east bank of the Jordan River. It was the land which came up as far as the Sea of Galilee where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh remained on the wrong side of the Jordan. Syria is located right to the north and came down against them. Even as I am writing this there is constantly a dogfight going on in the air between Syria and Israel around the Golan Heights which would correspond to the ancient land of Gilead. In that day, Syria had come down against God’s people and simply threshed them, and He says He is going to judge them for their cruelty and for their brutality.
But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord [Amos 1:4–5].
A fire is to come upon Hazael, the king, and upon the palaces of Ben-hadad. If you have ever been to Damascus, you know that you do not see there the original city or its original location. It claims to be the oldest city in the world, but it has actually shifted around in the area to several different locations. It has burned to the very ground a number of times, and this is one of the occasions when that took place.
“And cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven.” If you travel from Beirut to Damascus, you go by a place known as Baalbek, and Baalbek is in the plain of Aven. The ruins there are spectacular. The Romans attempted to colonize it because it was such a lovely area. The temple ruins there testify to that. But Baalbek has been destroyed, and the great population is no longer in that area.
“And the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir” means that they were to be taken captive by the Assyrians. Kir was a province in the Assyrian empire. It is good to have a knowledge of the geography of this area as it makes all of this more understandable. You must remember that when you are reading the Bible, you are not reading about the never-never land and you are not reading about some place in outer space. It deals with reality; even when the Bible talks about heaven, it is talking about that which is real.
JUDGMENT AGAINST PHILISTIA FOR MAKING SLAVES
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God [Amos 1:6–8].
“For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four.” As we said before, this is an idiomatic expression which means that there could be listed here quite a few transgressions. The cup of iniquity had been filled up.
“Gaza” was in Philistia, or the Philistine empire.
The judgment against the Philistines was for making slaves. They took a certain number of Israelites, and they sold them into slavery to Edom and also to Phoenicia. The Phoenicians were great traders, and they in turn sold them as prisoners of war into slavery. They would send them all over the Mediterranean world. Because of this, God says that He intends to judge Philistia.
It is quite interesting that as I am writing this the territory we know as the Gaza Strip is still an unknown quantity; that is, it is an Arab area which is now under the control of Israel. Israel is having a real problem with that territory, as you know. However, “Ashdod” and “Ashkelon” are still in Israel. Today you will find that in Ashdod there is a great refinery, and a new harbor has been constructed there. It will probably become a more important shipping place than even Haifa has become. I think it is probably better located than Haifa. Ashkelon is directly south of Ashdod. There you can still see the remains of the temple of Dagon where Samson was (see Jud. 16). All of these are very real places.
The judgment of God came upon these places exactly as God said it would. He said, “I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof.” In the historical record of the reign of Hezekiah, we read: “He [Hezekiah] smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city” (2 Kings 18:8). The record goes on to say how Hezekiah destroyed all that particular area. Amos’ prophecy, you see, was literally fulfilled. This example of fulfilled prophecy makes this section particularly interesting. It also puts down a pattern for the way in which God will fulfill prophecy in the future.
JUDGMENT AGAINST PHOENICIA FOR BREAKING TREATY
We come now to the judgment against Phoenicia. The judgment against them is not only for selling slaves—the Philistines sold slaves to Phoenicia, and Phoenicia in turn sold them out in the world—but the judgment is for breaking their treaty with Israel. Hiram, king of Tyre, had been a personal friend of David, and they had enjoyed many years of friendship. No king of Israel or Judah had ever made war upon Phoenicia. Now Phoenicia had broken the treaty.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant [Amos 1:9].
“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four.” He is not just giving them ad seriatim. He says, “I will not give one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten reasons.” He could have listed probably a hundred, but he will mention the main ones.
“I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant.” In other words, they had broken a covenant that they had with Israel.
But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof [Amos 1:10].
First the Assyrian came against Tyre, and he was not able to take the city. Then there has been some question whether the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar took the city or not. However, it is conceded that Nebuchadnezzar forced the Tyrians (Tyre was the great city of the Phoenicians) to retire to an island that was out to sea about one-half mile. The Tyrians built their city there, and Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the old city that was on the mainland. About 250 years later, Alexander the Great came along. He saw that very prosperous, very wealthy city out on the island, and he built a causeway out to it. In doing so, he fulfilled Ezekiel’s prophecy in which God said that they would absolutely scrape the ground of old Tyre and throw it into the ocean (see Ezek. 26). Alexander made a causeway out to the island; he took it and destroyed it, bringing Tyre to an end. Amos’ prophecy concerning Tyre was literally fulfilled.
JUDGMENT AGAINST EDOM FOR REVENGEFUL SPIRIT
The judgment against Edom is because of their revengeful spirit. Back of revenge one ordinarily finds jealousy. The Edomites were jealous of their brothers. You see, Edom came from Esau, and Israel from Jacob; Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, the sons of Isaac.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah [Amos 1:11–12].
In the rock-hewn city of Petra, the capital of Edom, which is located in Teman, everything was destroyed that would burn. The palaces of Bozrah have been destroyed and have disappeared. This prophecy against Edom has been literally fulfilled. Judgment came upon them because of their revengeful spirit, because they were jealous of their brother, Israel.
JUDGMENT AGAINST AMMON FOR VIOLENT CRIMES
We come now to Ammon, the nation of the Ammonites. If you will notice, geographically, we are moving around almost in a circle. We began with Syria, came over to Phoenicia, down to Philistia, then over to Edom on the south, and now to Ammon.
What was the cause of God’s judgment against the Ammonites? Theirs was a violent crime—
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border [Amos 1:13].
The Ammonites were located over on the east bank of the Jordan, and they joined with the Syrians in fighting against the two and one-half tribes of Israel which were in the land of Gilead. They did it “that they might enlarge their border.”
But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord [Amos 1:14–15].
“But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.” This is God’s judgment against the Ammonites. Rabbah was a great city and the capital city of the Ammonites. Later on it was called Philadelphia by the Greeks. It was named after Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt. We know it today as Amman, the capital of the nation of Jordan. You can see ruins there of the great civilization of the past which was totally destroyed. Modern Jordan has been built upon the ruins of the nation of the Ammonites.
We can turn to 2 Kings 8 to see the sin that had prompted God’s judgment against them. “And Hazael said [to Elisha], Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria” (2 Kings 8:12–13). In other words, Elisha said to Hazael, “You say that only a dog would do such a thing, but you are going to do it.” Whether Hazael was a dog or not, he did the very thing he said only a dog would do. We read in these verses of the violent things he would do to the children of Israel. He was going to dash their children and rip up their women with child. It was a horrible, awful thing, and it was for this crime that God would judge the Ammonites.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Judgment against Moab, Judah, and Israel
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime [Amos 2:1].
Iconsider this man Amos to be a great preacher. The mold was broken after he was made—there is only one of him. He uses unusual expressions. “For three transgressions of Moab, and for four”—that is his way of saying that there were many transgressions; but, as usual, he will mention only one specifically.
JUDGMENT AGAINST MOAB FOR INJUSTICE
“Iwill not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.” The judgment against Moab is for an awful spirit of revenge. The Moabites had gained a victory in battle over their enemies, the Edomites, and had killed their king. You would think that that would be enough, but they even burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. The Moabites carried their revengeful spirit to the nth degree, and God says here that He will judge them for that.
But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord [Amos 2:2–3].
“Moab shall die with tumult”—that is, they will go out with a real bang, and the nation will be ended. This proud nation was brought to extinction later on at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, and you haven’t seen a Moabite since then.
But isn’t it interesting that, many years before, out of this heathen country had come that gentle, lovely, and beautiful girl by the name of Ruth who became the wife of Boaz? Her story is recorded in one of the loveliest books in the Bible. Ruth is in the genealogical line which leads to Jesus Christ. And she had come from Moab, of all places. They were really a heathen, pagan people with a sad and sorry beginning and just as sad and tragic an end as a nation. But Ruth’s story reveals what the grace of God can do in the life of a believer if the believer will let Him do it.
JUDGMENT AGAINST JUDAH FOR DESPISING THE LAW
Now Amos turns to the nation Israel in a reverse of the method which the other prophets used later on. They would always mention God’s judgment of Israel and then the judgment of the other nations which surrounded them. However, Amos has taken up these other nations first before he turns to Israel against whom the judgment of God will be greater. The reason for their greater judgment is quite obvious: Privilege always creates responsibility. The more light that you have, the more responsible you are to God. I believe that you and I are more responsible to God than people who are denied Bibles and who are not hearing the Word of God at all. We are more responsible than they are. We often like to sit in judgment of these other nations round about us, but have you ever stopped to think of the tremendous responsibility that you and I have because of the privilege of having the Word of God? We boast of the fact that we have the Bible, but the important thing is our own personal obedience to the Word of God and whether or not we are doing anything to help get it out to others.
As Amos turns from the surrounding nations, he takes up the sins of God’s people. He begins with Judah, the southern kingdom, from which he himself had come.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked [Amos 2:4].
“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof.” God could enumerate many transgressions of which they were guilty, but here is the key one.
“Because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked.” This is saying in a very brief way what the prophet Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel took quite a few pages to say; that is, that God would judge the southern kingdom. For what would He judge them? They did not keep the commandments of God; they despised God’s law Judah had the law of God and despised it. They even had the temple which was in Jerusalem. Therefore, God now judged them according to the Law.
Have you noticed that God did not judge any of these other nations on that basis whatsoever? He judged them for certain specific sins which are common to the natural man. Because these other nations did not have God’s law, they were not judged according to God’s law.
But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem [Amos 2:5].
Again and again, Amos mentions, as do the other prophets, that there is to be a judgment by fire. When Nebuchadnezzar came against the city, he absolutely burned Jerusalem to the ground. There was nothing left but the stones—of which there is an abundance in that particular area.
JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL FOR IMMORALITY AND BLASPHEMY
Remember that Amos is delivering these messages in Beth-el of the northern kingdom. He is speaking in the king’s chapel. I think that every time he got up to speak, he would take as his subject one of these nations, and he would pronounce God’s judgment upon it. Now he has even talked about Judah, and that’s getting pretty close to home. It may be that a few people squirmed in their pews when he mentioned Judah. However, the ten northern tribes and the two southern tribes were at war with one another a great deal of the time. There were several occasions when they made alliances, but that was only because of fear and of the necessity to stand together against a common enemy. Most of the time they were enemies. Therefore, when Amos gave his message of judgment against the southern kingdom, everyone was present and “amened” him. They agreed that God should judge Jerusalem and Judah. But what about the northern kingdom? Beginning with verse 6, he will speak to the northern kingdom. Beth-el is the city where the king worshiped, and this man was speaking in the king’s chapel. Amos is getting closer to home. He’s going to start meddling.
The story is told of the preacher who one Sunday morning was preaching against various sins. He preached about the sin of drunkenness, and a woman sitting in the congregation loudly “amened” him. He preached against the sin of smoking, and she “amened” him for that. Then when he started preaching against the sin of chewing tobacco, she shifted her wad to the other cheek and grumbled, “Now he’s quit preachin’ and has gone to meddlin’!”
Amos is starting to meddle now. He is going to talk about the sin of the congregation which was before him. No longer will his message be about the sins of the “Moabites” but the sins of the northern kingdom. They, too, had God’s law, and they were schooled in the commandments of God. Listen to Amos as he speaks—
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes [Amos 2:6].
“Thus saith the Lord.” May I say to you, I personally have never felt that I have any right to stand in the pulpit and speak unless I can speak on the basis of “Thus saith the Lord.” What the Word of God has to say should be the basis of all pulpit ministry.
“For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof.” There are more transgressions than that, and Amos will mention more than that. He is going to deal with the Mosaic Law. He will not deal with the Ten Commandments as he did with Judah, but with the Mosaic Law which had to do with man’s everyday life.
“Because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes.” The ten tribes in the north had the Mosaic Law, but they were committing the same sins as the nations that were round about them. The fact of the matter is that the very people whom God had put out of that land were guilty of the same sins that Israel was now committing.
First of all, we have here the mistreatment of the poor. You will find that Amos has a great deal to say about the poor. In Amos 4:1 we read, “Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.” Listen again to Amos: “Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor …” (Amos 5:11).
In studying the prophets, I see again and again that the poor are not going to get justice, nor will they be treated fairly upon this earth until Jesus Christ reigns. The only hope of the poor is in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told today that certain political parties will take care of the poor. Well, they’ve been taking care of us all right! Every time another politician wants my vote, he tells me how much he’s going to help me. I vote for him and then my taxes go up, and they keep going up and up and up. I will be very frank with you, I find that most of these politicians are rich men. They are millionaires, and they don’t know my problem. They do not understand the poor. I am thankful there is one, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is someday going to bring justice to the poor.
God will judge a nation for its mistreatment of the poor. He gave a number of laws regarding this, but I will mention just one: “Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous” (Deut. 16:19). God put down this law to protect the poor. In that day a man might be absolutely innocent, but his adversary could slip a bribe under the table to the judge and thus receive a favorable verdict for himself. By the way, that practice doesn’t seem to be out of style today. Other styles change, but this one has not. It is difficult for the poor to receive justice today when money seems to be the determining factor. Amos was speaking to a very pertinent problem of his day when even a pair of shoes would pervert judgment and cause the poor to suffer.
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name [Amos 2:7].
“That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor.” This could mean several things, but I personally think it means that these selfish, greedy, rich judges even resented that the poor had enough dust left to throw upon their heads in mourning. Believe me, that is the covetousness, the modern idolatry, of our day. God judges nations for that.
“And turn aside the way of the meek.” Justice was being turned aside in disfavor to the meek. Why? Because the meek did not speak out. The old saying is true: “It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.” The meek are not inheriting the earth today. It is inherited by those who are forward and are grabbing for all they can get. The poor and the meek were not receiving justice in Israel, nor are they receiving justice anywhere in the world today.
“And a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name.” Apparently, Amos is talking about a maid who is a prostitute. Both the father and the son went in to her. God says that adultery profanes His holy name. May I say to you, what we call “the new morality” isn’t new at all. Israel was practicing the new morality, but God said He hated it. They were breaking the laws which He had put down concerning these things.
You can see that Amos is not going to be popular. He took the side of the poor, and he condemned unrighteousness. He condemned injustice. He condemned the fact that the poor were getting a bad deal, and he condemned immorality.
And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god [Amos 2:8].
“And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar.” God had a very lovely law concerning this: “And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God” (Deut. 24:12–13). A very poor man would have nothing to put up as collateral for a small loan except his outer garment, and that is what he needed to keep himself warm. God said, “You can take it as a pledge, but when the sun goes down, let him have it back in order that he might not be cold in sleeping that night.” Now God points out that Israel had broken this law and was not obeying Him at this point either.
We talk about how just our own laws are today, but how sad it is that we will permit an entire family to be moved from their home when they cannot pay the rent because of poverty. My friend, the Word of God has a great deal to say in behalf of the poor.
“By every altar.” God had given Israel only one altar, and that was in the temple in Jerusalem. This reveals that they had gone into idolatry and had a multitude of altars.
“And they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.” He condemns their drunkenness.
Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath [Amos 2:9].
Notice the expressive and figurative language of this country preacher who had come up from Tekoa in the desert in Judah. Through Amos, God says of the Amorite, “He was tall like the cedar. He was strong like the oaks, but I destroyed him. I destroyed the fruit above, and I destroyed the roots from beneath.” God got rid of the Amorites. We read in Joshua 24:8, “And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.” We have already said that there are no Moabites around today, and I wonder when the last time was that you saw an Amorite.
God had said to Abraham way back yonder, “I cannot put you in the land right now because the Amorite is in the land, and his iniquity is not yet full. I am going to give him an opportunity to turn to Me, to turn from these gross sins that he is committing.” You may want to say to me, “Dr. McGee, after all, these heathen nations didn’t have the Mosaic Law, and they didn’t know any better.” Paul makes a very interesting statement in his Epistle to the Romans: “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves” (Rom. 2:12–14). Why would Gentiles who do not have the Mosaic Law refrain from murder? Why would they refrain from lying? Why would they refrain from stealing? Paul continues, “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)” (Rom. 2:15). You and I have a conscience, and even if we had never heard of the Ten Commandments, our consciences would either accuse us or excuse us. We would either say, “I’m guilty,” or we would be free of any sense of guilt. Man has been given a sense of that which is right and that which is wrong.
It was on that basis that God judged the Amorite—he continued in sin. God said to Abraham, “I am going to put your offspring down in Egypt for 420 years until the iniquity of the Amorite is full.” I do not think that even the most rabid liberal would want to ask God to give the Amorites more than 420 years of opportunity to repent. I personally will go along with the Lord that when you give a nation 420 years to decide what to do, they have had long enough.
The fact of the matter is that the Amorites did not turn to God. When Joshua crossed over the Jordan River, he came into the land of the Amorites. Jericho was an Amorite city, and the harlot Rahab was an Amorite. She and her family were the only ones who were not destroyed. The Moabites disappeared, but Ruth the Moabitess is in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. The Amorites, too, have long since disappeared, but Rahab the harlot is also in the line that led to the Messiah.
God is saying to Israel, “I judged the Amorites for the same sins which you are now committing. I have given you My law, and you have broken it.”
Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord [Amos 2:10–11].
In effect God is saying, “I wanted you to serve Me in the land. I wanted you to bring up your young men to serve Me, to be prophets, and to be Nazarites.” But what had happened?—
But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not [Amos 2:12].
A Nazarite was an Israelite who took a vow voluntarily to dedicate himself to God. There were three things that a Nazarite did not do. First, he did not cut his hair. Why? Because for a man to have long hair, Paul says, is a shame to him (see 1 Cor. 11:14). When I look around me today and see some fellows, I agree with Paul that it is sort of a shame for a man to have long hair. But I will simply say that the Nazarites let their hair grow because they were willing to bear shame.
The second thing was that a Nazarite was not permitted to drink wine or touch any fruit of the vine. They were not to eat grapes or even raisins. The Israelites were causing a Nazarite to break his vow when they gave him wine.
The Nazarite also was not to touch a dead body or come near to one. When a loved one died, he did not even attend the funeral. This was done as an evidence of the fact that he had put God first in his life.
“And commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.” The people said to the prophets, “We don’t want to hear you. We don’t want to have any messages from you at all.” They refused to listen to God’s prophets.
Let me again make an analogy to our own nation today. We are following the same pattern that Rome followed when she went down. Rome was not destroyed from the outside, and I do not believe that there will come a missile over the North Pole which will destroy America. I think the missile which will destroy us is the propaganda that is abroad today. Through it we have become convinced that we are a sophisticated, very progressive nation and that nothing can happen to us. The truth is that we are probably going down as fast as any nation in history. A leading statesman has said, “This nation has gone down faster in the past ten years than it did in its entire history from its inception.” How true that is!
There are two things which are bringing us down as a nation. One of them is drunkenness. There are a shocking number of alcoholics in this country. A majority of the fatal accidents that take place on our highways involve drunk drivers. Yet we are criticized if we speak out about this. We make laws concerning the use and abuse of drugs, and I agree with those laws; but what about liquor, my friend? Liquor is one of the things that is destroying us as a nation.
The other thing that characterizes us today is that we are not hearing the Word of God. The liberal preacher is the popular preacher. If we are going to hear the opinion of a minister on television, it will be the liberal preacher. The other day there was a panel discussion on television about abortion. They included a minister on the panel. You guessed it—he was a liberal. Recently I also viewed a discussion about women’s rights. Again, the minister who spoke was a liberal. They do not ask a Bible-teaching preacher to tell what God has said on the subject. And yet we talk about religious liberty! My friend, the voice of God is not being heard in this land except for a few of us weak fellows who are trying to declare the Word of God.
The same thing was happening in Israel. Amos said, “You are giving the Nazarite wine, causing him to break his vow and turning him from God. And you say to the prophets, ‘Prophesy not.’ You say to me, ‘Don’t talk like that. We want to hear something that will butter us up and make us feel good.’”
Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves [Amos 2:13].
There are different ways of interpreting this verse, even different ways of translating it. It is the belief of some that it is rather degrading to think of God as being pressed down like a cart. I do not feel that way about it. God is saying here, “You have put Me in a difficult situation. You are My people, I put you in the land, and I put the Amorite out. Now here you are committing the same sins they commit! Do you expect Me to shut My eyes to your sin because you are My people? I’m being pressed down `as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.’”
Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself. neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord [Amos 2:14–16].
There are some expositors who believe this refers to the earthquake mentioned in the first verse of Amos’ prophecy. I do not think there is any reference here to an earthquake at all. The point is this: Israel was a strong nation. God had kept the enemy out, and no one had ever advanced into their land. Now everything is breaking down, even the walls of the city. The enemy has come in, and the strong are no longer strong.
We as a nation today ought to do a little thinking about what has happened in our land. In two world wars we were able to cross the sea and to bring an end to the conflict. In that we became a great nation, and we were very proud. We felt we didn’t need God at all—we had the atom bomb. Then a little country called North Vietnam came along, and we thought that we would subdue them overnight. I am not attempting to fix blame on anyone, but I do say that America should have learned a lesson from that. We did not win a victory. We were never able to subdue the little enemy and we were divided at home. It is true that we did not want to bring the full force of our military power to bear, but this reveals the fact that we are becoming weak as a nation. We ought to wake up instead of shutting our eyes to the condition of our land. We ought to begin to call attention to the fact that God is already beginning to bring us down as He brought His own people down.
God said to Israel, “You are becoming weak, and you do not seem to realize that I have already begun to judge you.” That was Amos’ message, and it is no wonder that the people wanted to run him out of town. It is no wonder they didn’t want to hear the message he had for them. And he is not through yet!
CHAPTER 3
Theme: God’s charge against the whole house of Israel
Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying [Amos 3:1].
Now God is ignoring the fact that the nation is split. He says that He is speaking to the whole family of Israel which He brought out of Egypt. In His eyes there were not two nations but one. The twelve tribes are one family before Him.
You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities [Amos 3:2].
This is getting right down to where the rubber meets the road, which shows the kind of prophet Amos was. He didn’t beat around the bush. He didn’t mince words. He comes right out and says that God will punish Israel for her iniquities. It’s too bad the politicians and the priests wouldn’t listen to him. If they had, it could have been a different story for Israel.
“You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” After the disaster of the Flood, man was still in such sin that at the Tower of Babel all mankind had departed from God. It was total apostasy. Then God reached down to Ur of the Chaldees and called a man, told him to get away from his home of idolatry and to go to a place which He would show him. God said that from this one man, Abraham, He would make a nation and give them a land. This is what God means when He says, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth. ”
In order to get a message through to the world, God had to use this method. At the Tower of Babel, man was not building an escape in case there should be another flood—that was never the point. It was an altar that was built, apparently, to the sun. It was a place of worship. After the Flood men had the false idea that the god of darkness and the god of the storm had brought the Flood. So now they are going to worship the sun. It was sun worship that prevailed in the Tigris-Euphrates valley and continues until this very day. In the religion of Zoroaster there is the worship of light even down to the present.
God chose Abraham from among the nations, out of Abraham He brought forth the nation Israel, and to the nation He gave His Word. His purpose was that this nation would give His Word to the world. And this is God’s purpose for us, my friend. For this reason I am attempting to get out His whole Word—all sixty-six books—by all means available to me.
“Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” God is saying, “I intend to judge you.” The nation Israel occupied a unique relationship to God. God had given to them His commandments. And the reason He would judge Israel so severely is because they had broken so many of His commandments. You see, light creates responsibility. An enlightened nation has a greater responsibility than a nation which is in darkness.
This is a great principle that God puts down here. He intends to judge in a harsher manner those who have received light than those who are in darkness. The Lord Jesus also mentioned the fact that some would receive fewer stripes and others would receive more stripes. Many times I have made the statement that I would rather be a heathen Hottentot in the darkest corner of this earth, bowing down before an ugly, hideous idol of stone, than to be the so-called civilized man in this country, sitting in church on Sunday morning while he hears the gospel preached and does nothing about it. The man who hears the Word of God has a greater responsibility than the man who doesn’t. Therefore, there are different degrees of punishment.
God makes it clear that He intends to punish them for their iniquities. Now a great many people today like to hear of the love of God. The love of God is indeed wonderful, and I don’t think any teacher has emphasized it more than I have. It is something we need to rest upon and rejoice in. The love of God is manifested in the cross of Christ—“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …” (John 3:16). The cross is where God revealed His love, and when that love is rejected, there is nothing left but punishment. A great many folk feel that God should not punish; but, since they are not running the universe, I am of the opinion that their viewpoint will not be followed. God has already said that He is holy, righteous, just and that He intends to punish. Judgment upon sin is the logical consequence.
In fact, there will be a set of questions asked and answered, which reveal what a logical matter-of-fact prophet Amos really was. He deals with certain basic truths. He was a man from the edge of the wilderness down in Tekoa, and he draws from his long experience down there. He takes his lessons from the world of nature. He learned some things that folk still need to learn today.
I shall never forget the day my daughter went to a dairy on a school excursion. She had grown up in Pasadena, so she was a city girl. She came home from the excursion that day with the most exciting news you have ever heard. She told us that milk came from a cow! She had thought that milk came from the market and had originated there.
Well, this man Amos is a country man, and he has observed many wonderful things in nature.
Notice his first question:
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? [Amos 3:3].
Can two walk together? Yes, but they cannot go together unless they are in agreement. I watched a young couple the other day who hadn’t been married long. They were walking down the street arm in arm. All of a sudden she turned around, stamped her little foot, and started walking back toward their home—but he kept on going. They weren’t walking together any more because there had been some disagreement. Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Here is a cause and an effect. The cause: there must be agreement if you are to walk together with God. The effect: you will walk with Him when you are in agreement. This doesn’t mean that God will come over and agree with you. You and I will have to go over to His side and agree with Him. As someone has said, God rides triumphantly in His own chariot. And if you don’t want to get under the wheels of that chariot, you had better get aboard and ride. After all, God is carrying through His purpose in the world.
It was very interesting to me to visit England and see Windsor Castle and Hampton Court. I think of Henry VI, Henry VIII, and Richard II, who were some of the boys who made the Tower of London famous because they sent many there who lost their heads. They had their way for a while—especially Henry VIII, but no one today is paying much attention to what Henry VIII thought or to what he did. My friend, God is running His universe His way and is not asking advice from little man. If you and I are going to walk with God, we will have to go His way. Amos has stated a great principle in his first question: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
Now here is Amos’ second question:
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? [Amos 3:4].
“Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey?” Of course not. A lion moves about stealthily, quietly, silently on his padded feet. He is noiseless until he pounces on his prey. When he has captured his prey, then you can hear him roar.
“Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?” No. The little lion doesn’t make a sound because his mamma told him to keep quiet while she was away getting something for him to eat. But when she comes back with his supper, then he lets out a cry—but not until then.
You see, there is always a cause and a result. And the judgment of God will follow man’s iniquity.
Amos has another question:
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? [Amos 3:5].
A “gin” is a trap. Of course a bird is not going to get caught in a snare unless a trap is laid for him. When I was a boy, they used to tell me that I could catch a bird if I put salt on its tail. So I ran all over the neighborhood trying to get salt on a bird’s tail—and found it didn’t work! I found that I couldn’t catch a bird without a trap. In nature there is always the principle of cause and effect. If you are going to catch a bird, you will have to have a trap.
Now here is another question: “Shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?” A man is not going to keep setting a trap if he doesn’t catch anything in it. I used to have six traps when I was a boy. In the fall of the year, I would ride down on my bicycle every morning before school to see if I had caught anything. In one of those six traps I would usually have a possum or a rabbit, sometimes I would have a skunk. (I always gave the skunk to a friend of mine. Although I could get more for the fur, I didn’t care for the scent.) After I had left a trap in a place day after day and caught nothing, it would be foolish for me to continue to leave the trap there; so I would move it to some other place. If you are going to put out a trap, you expect to catch something in the trap.
Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? [Amos 3:6].
“Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?” God has said that He is going to judge the people, and judgment is coming. It is rather foolish to fail to respond. It should have had an effect on their lives, but they are not listening to the prophet—any more than our nation is listening to the Word of God today.
“Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?” First of all, let’s understand that the word “evil” does not mean something which is sinful or wrong. It means calamity or judgment. Amos is saying, “Shall there be a calamity in the city, and the Lord has not done it?” This means, my friend, that there is no such thing as an accident in the life of a child of God. There must be a cause for the effect. God is not moving this universe in a foolish, idle manner. Therefore, when calamity strikes, there is a lesson to be learned from it. I believe that if America had learned the lesson of the “dust bowl” and of the drought period and of the depression, we would never have had to fight World War II. But we did not learn. Neither did we listen to God’s warning in World War II, so we fought a tragic war in Vietnam, and still we are not listening to God. My friend, God will not let any nation dwell in peace and prosperity when it is in sin. Oh, it may have a period of peace and prosperity, but judgment will come.
Amos asks seven questions which illustrate that for every effect there is a cause and that the judgment of God which is coming is not accidental but is a result caused by the sin of the people.
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets [Amos 3:7].
Amos is saying that God will not move in judgment until He gives His message to the prophets. He will let them know what He intends to do.
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy? [Amos 3:8].
The prophets were giving God’s message to Israel.
The problem in our day is not that people do not have a Word from God; the problem is that they will not hear that Word from God. His warnings are given in His Word. I feel that the Bible is more up to date than tomorrow morning’s newspaper. After all, tomorrow morning’s paper will be out of date by noon when the afternoon edition comes off the press. But the Word of God will be just as good the next day and on to the end of time.
It has always been God’s method to reveal information to those who are His own concerning future judgment. You will recall that during Noah’s day, God told him of a coming flood judgment and gave Noah 120 years to warn his generation. But the world did not heed his message. Also, remember that God let Abraham know ahead of time regarding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is a good thing He did that, because if He had not, it would have given Abraham a wrong viewpoint of the almighty God. It has always been God’s method to reveal such things to His own. When He was here in the flesh, He told His disciples, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15). There are many examples of this throughout the Bible. He gave a forewarning to Joseph in Egypt of the seven years of famine that were to come upon the earth. Also, Elijah was forewarned of the drought that would come upon Israel. He walked into the courts of Ahab and Jezebel to announce to them that they were in for a drought—“… As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word— [and I’m not saying anything!]” (1 Kings 17:1). Then he walked out of the court and dropped out of sight for over three years. Since it is God’s method to warn of impending judgment, our Lord told His apostles, when He was gathered with them on the Mount of Olives, that Jerusalem would be destroyed—not one stone would be left upon another.
It is God’s method always to give a warning of impending judgment, and that is all that Amos is doing here although his contemporaries are very critical of him. Folk just don’t want to hear about judgment. They would much rather hide their head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Some people will not even go to a doctor because they do not want to know that something is wrong with them. The human family does not want to hear the bad news of judgment which is coming. If you preach and teach the truth, they will say you are a pessimist, a killjoy, a gloom-caster. However, God follows the principle that for every effect there is a cause, and God sends judgment only upon a sinning people.
God also makes it clear that the prophet is obligated to give His message—regardless of what it is. In fact, he ought to be in fear if he fails to relay God’s message to the people. Frankly, I feel sorry today for the liberal who is refusing to declare God’s message. He ought to be in fear. “The lion hath roared, who will not fear?” God has spoken. Now let’s speak what God has to say. Let’s get off this social gospel—which is almost like being on dope and taking a trip of sweetness and light, rose water and sunshine, expecting everything to work out beautifully. Well, I have been told all my life by politicians and preachers that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and we are going to arrive there shortly. But I’ve been on this trip for most of this century, and we haven’t arrived yet—in fact, conditions get worse and worse. They refuse to face up to the fact that the real problem is sin in the heart of man.
Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof [Amos 3:9].
“Publish in the palaces at Ashdod.” Ashdod is in the country of the Philistines. At the time I am writing this, Israel has Ashdod. They have built a great many apartment buildings, a man-made harbor, and have erected a big oil refinery there so that oil is brought into Ashdod today.
A friend of mine who teaches prophecy attempts to find fulfilled prophecy in modern Palestine. When the oil pipeline came into Haifa in the northern part of Israel and an oil refinery was in operation and oil tankers were loading there, my friend said, “See, here is the fulfillment of the prophecy that Asher will dip his foot in oil!” However, that pipeline was cut, and the only oil brought into Haifa was by tankers. Now there is a pipeline across the Negeb from the Red Sea to Ashdod. Oil is piped from the tankers across to the refinery in Ashdod. It looks like it would be the tribe of Dan that gets its foot in oil today! My friend doesn’t mention the fulfillment of this particular prophecy anymore because he can see it doesn’t apply. I personally do not think that prophecy is being fulfilled in that land at all. However, I do see the setting of the stage that will later on bring the fulfillment of prophecy. It is foolish to pick out these little specific prophecies and insist that they are currently being fulfilled.
However, when Amos was giving his prophecy, Ashdod was a prominent city of the Philistines and stands here in this particular verse as representative for all of Philistia. “And in the palaces in the land of Egypt.” God was instructing His prophets to spread this word upon the palaces of Ashdod and Egypt. Now notice what the invitation was—
“Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.” Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and the palace of Ahab and Jezebel was there. Samaria was built on one mountain, but there were other mountains surrounding the city. From these surrounding mountains, people could see what was going on in the city. Sin was going great guns. “The great tumults” were riots caused by the oppression of the poor. If the pagan nations of Philistia and Egypt condemned Israel, wouldn’t a holy God condemn them?
For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces [Amos 3:10].
Samaria was storing up in their palaces that which they had been stealing.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled [Amos 3:11].
My friend, today the palaces of Samaria lie in ruins—I have seen them on several occasions.
Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch [Amos 3:12].
After God’s judgment has fallen on Samaria, the remaining remnant is likened to a piece of an ear and two legs which are all that are left of a lamb after a lion has devoured it. You see, God’s judgment was severe because Samaria had light from heaven which made their responsibility great.
Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God, the God of hosts,
That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground [Amos 3:13–14].
“The altars of Beth-el” refer to the worship of the golden calf. “The horns of the altar shall be cut off.” God is saying that He intends to remove this gross idolatry from His land.
And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord [Amos 3:15].
“The houses of ivory shall perish.” Ahab and Jezebel had built on the top of the hill in Samaria. Their tremendous palace was in a most beautiful location. I particularly noticed that on my last trip there. That palace covers the very brow of the hill, the tip-top of the hill. From their palace they could look in every direction. To the west they could see the Mediterranean Sea on a clear day. To the east they could see the Jordan valley. To the north they could see the Valley of Esdraelon with Mount Hermon in the distance. To the south they could see Jerusalem. What a view!
There they built a palace of ivory. Of course, the enemy in days gone by has carted away that beautiful ivory, but excavations have been going on there recently. In fact, Israel is excavating there now. Our guide told us that they have found several very delicate vessels of ivory. Apparently one of them was for perfume. The other vessels were probably for wine. Ivory was the color scheme of the palace, if you please. Everything was done in ivory. Apparently, Ahab and Jezebel had the best interior decorator of the period come up and decorate for them. It was a palace of luxury.
God said He would destroy it and bring it to an end. I do not know of a more desolate spot today than the ruins of Samaria on top of that hill. I have many pictures that I took of it. God has certainly fulfilled that prophecy. Although we do not see prophecy which is being fulfilled in that land today, we can see that many prophecies have been fulfilled in the past. However, I repeat, that certainly the stage currently is being set for the fulfillment of future prophecies in the land of Palestine.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Israel punished in past for iniquity
Beginning with this chapter, we have a series of three chapters which deal specifically with Israel, the ten tribes of the northern kingdom. In chapter 4 we will be reminded that God in the past punished Israel for iniquity. Then in chapter 5 we will see that in the future Israel will be punished for her iniquity. Finally, in chapter 6 we will see Amos admonishing his generation in the present to depart from iniquity. You see that this section has a very practical application to us as well as to Israel in the days of Amos.
As Amos is attempting to call the people back to God, he uses sarcasm that is really cutting.
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink [Amos 4:1].
“Ye kine of Bashan”—kine are cows. Bashan is a territory on the east of the Jordan River between the mountains of Gilead in the south and Mount Hermon on the north. It was settled by the three tribes that stayed on the wrong side of Jordan, and it was part of the northern kingdom of Israel. It was a very fertile area and noted for its fine breed of cattle. The cows of Bashan were strong and sleek in appearance because of the lush grazing lands.
Now whom is Amos addressing? Who are the “cows of Bashan”? Because the word cows is feminine, some expositors believe he is speaking to the women who were living in luxury, well fed, well dressed, well groomed. To enable them to enjoy this wealth, the poor were oppressed. In fact, Amos says, “which oppress the poor, which crush the needy.” Generally, a nation reveals its moral position and its economic standard by the way women dress. When women are well dressed and bejeweled, it denotes a time of affluence in the nation. So Amos could be referring to the women of Bashan.
However, I believe that Amos is speaking to the rulers. Why, then, does he use the feminine gender? Well, that crowd was homosexual. If you will read the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, you will see that homosexuality is a thing which God judges. We know from history that when a nation starts to go down, homosexuality comes to the forefront. It was that which began the downfall of Rome. Nero was a homosexual. Nero was known as a mad king. He was mad, yes, in a very unnatural way. In his great palace, he had one separate room which was reserved for the basest kind of sexual deviation imaginable. It was given over to the satisfying of his homosexual cravings. This certainly can be brought up to date. What is taking place in our own country is alarming, and it can spell our national doom. We need an Amos to speak out against the growing acceptance and even encouragement of homosexuality today.
The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks [Amos 4:2].
God uses the picture of having a hook in the jaw of the northern kingdom to drag them off into captivity. We sometimes speak of people being “hooked” on drugs. A person can be “hooked” by any besetting sin. God says these people are “hooked” for judgment. They are going to be dragged out of the land. We know from history that their conquerors did lead off their captives by a hook through the nose.
And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord [Amos 4:3].
In effect, God is saying, “If you think because you are rich or because you are a ruler living in a palace that you will be spared, you are wrong.” And we read in the historical record that when Assyria finally came and took them into captivity, the king was taken also. This was true also of the southern kingdom when it went into Babylonian captivity.
Now we come to an arresting expression:
Come to Beth-el, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God [Amos 4:4–5].
I am sure you recognize that Amos is using bitter sarcasm as he invites them to come up to Beth-el (the place where they went to worship the golden calf) “Come to Beth-el, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression.” The word Gilgal means “circle, or to roll along.” It was the first place to which Israel came after they had crossed the Jordan River under Joshua’s leadership, and it became a sacred place to them. Later it became a center of idolatry, and here again it is associated with idolatry. So Amos invites them to “multiply transgression” at Gilgal. That would be saying today, “Come to church to sin.” Obviously, one goes to church for the very opposite. Amos is using pungent satire and taunting rebuke. He makes such an ironical and ridiculous statement to alert the people as to what they are actually doing.
Do you know that sometimes it can actually be dangerous to go to church? The Devil goes to church, you know. I think that he gets up bright and early on a Sunday morning, and wherever there is the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, he is there trying to wreck their work in any way he can. That is the reason we ought to pray for Bible-preaching and Bible-teaching pastors. The Devil doesn’t need to be busy in cults or in liberal churches which deny the Word of God. Those places are already in his domain. He must concentrate his efforts in those places where there is spiritual life and the Word of God is being given out.
When Jesus Christ was about to die and His enemies were plotting the details of His execution, He spent time in the Upper Room with His twelve disciples. You would think that was the most sacred spot in all the world at that moment. You might expect that the Devil was busy with those who were plotting the death of Jesus. But do you know where the Devil was that evening? He was in the Upper Room! He hadn’t been invited, but he was there. Satan had entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Him, and he walked into the Upper Room on the legs of Judas. That’s how he got there. And, my friend, sometimes he walks into our so-called conservative, fundamental churches on the legs of a deacon or a Sunday school teacher or another church member. It is tragic today to fail to recognize our enemy and to be ignorant of his devices.
In the days of Amos, the people of Israel were coming to the place of worship in a very pious manner. Amos indicates that they were offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven. If you are familiar with the Book of Leviticus, you may think it was strange that they used leaven in their offerings since in the Scriptures leaven represents evil—evil or wrong doctrine and evil living. In the Levitical system, at the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Firstfruits, the use of leaven was forbidden. However, at the Feast of Pentecost, there was to be a meal offering to the Lord, which was to be presented in two loaves of fine flour baked with leaven (see Lev. 23). Pentecost was to depict the beginning and origin of the church. There has never yet been a church in which there wasn’t at least a little leaven—that is, a little error or a little sin. For this reason leaven is included in the offering at Pentecost.
Also, leaven was used in the thanksgiving offerings. Leviticus 7 gives the law of the sacrifice of the peace offerings: “If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried” (Lev. 7:12). This is the Godward side of the offering. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ has made peace with God for us. Because it represents Christ, there is no leaven in this first offering. In the New Testament this is made clear: “Therefore being justified by faith [not by works—we could never be justified by anything but faith], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Now, although the first offering represents Christ and contains no leaven, the second represents the manward side; the one who is bringing the sacrifice of thanksgiving offers himself to God: “Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings” (Lev. 7:13).
We can make an application of this to our own lives. You and I can dedicate our lives to the Lord. Sometimes this is done in a ritual which is called a “consecration” service. Since the literal meaning of consecration is to set something apart as being holy, that is really a misnomer for that kind of ritual. We can never present ourselves holy or perfect before God. We will always contain some “leaven.” So present yourself as a living sacrifice to God, as we are admonished in Romans 12:1. But don’t ever think that you can present yourself perfect to God. If you are waiting for that before you feel you can present yourself to God, you will be waiting your whole lifetime.
Now, when Amos sarcastically invites the people of Israel to come to Beth-el and Gilgal to transgress, it is very significant that he tells them to “offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven.” He doesn’t even mention the first unleavened part of the offering. Why? Because the people are totally removed from the living and true God. Therefore, the only thing they can do is offer evil to God. Of course, God will not accept that at all. This prophet Amos, just a country preacher, has a lot on the ball! He is an outstanding minister of the Word of God. This is tremendous.
My friend, I hope you understand the satire and sarcasm of Amos when he invites people to Gilgal to transgress. He is not asking them to sin, but in biting sarcasm he is saying, “That’s what you do when you come to Beth-el and to Gilgal. You come to sin, not to worship God!”
Next Sunday morning when you put on your Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, it might be well to first get down on your knees and ask God about the condition of your heart. Will you be taking a clean heart to church? Will you be taking lips that will not speak anything to hurt the cause of Christ? The message of Amos is very pertinent even in our day. If Amos were still around and if I were still a pastor, I would invite him to my church to preach. I think the modern church needs ministers like him. There are many ministers who give only nice little messages on comfort and how to solve personal problems. Somebody needs to say something very strong about sin in people’s hearts in our day. Sin is rampant in and out of the church, and it is rampant in your heart and in my heart this very day. The biggest problem you and I have is to overcome the sin which is in our lives. There is no use trying to cover it up by church attendance or by going to some little course or seminar. The essential thing is to have a confrontation with the Lord Jesus Christ and to get your relationship with Him straightened out.
Amos now reminds the people of Israel of the judgments God had sent upon them—
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord [Amos 4:6].
They didn’t have “cleanness of teeth” because God had given them a new toothpaste or new mouthwash! The reason they had clean teeth was that they had nothing to eat. God had judged them with famine, but it had not awakened them to their spiritual condition. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.” It made no impression on them.
And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord [Amos 4:7–8].
Then God sent a drought. God is the one who controls the rainfall—some think the weatherman does it! God withheld the rain three months before it was time to harvest, which was disastrous. And note that God caused it to rain on one city and not on another. God did this to show them that the rainfall was not by chance but by His sovereign will. The drought was so serious that people from one city would go to another city where there was water, and they would carry a little water home in a jug or wineskin. This should have turned them to God. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”
Those of us from Texas can appreciate this. It was a three-year drought in West Texas that caused my dad to leave there when I was a small boy. People in Dallas, Texas, can remember the drought that dried up the water supply for that city. They had to draw water from the Red River into which oil had been poured. I want to tell you, I have never tasted any other drinking water that was as bad as that! People who had friends or relatives in the little towns around Dallas would go there to fill up a jug of water to take it home for drinking. This wasn’t new; it was the same thing the people were doing in the days of Amos. It was a warning from God, but they paid no attention to it.
I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord [Amos 4:9].
“Blasting and mildew.” The crops were blasted by the scorching east wind from the desert, and the mildew was from excessive drought, not moisture. “The palmerworm devoured them” refers to a locust plague which devoured what was left. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord [Amos 4:10].
“The stink of your camps” was the stench of the dead bodies from the pestilence and from the warfare. Yet with all of this, they did not return to the Lord!
I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord [Amos 4:11].
Some Bible expositors feel that this is sort of summation of the previous plagues. I rather doubt that, because we know from the Book of Jonah that at this time the Assyrians were making forays down into the northern kingdom. Assyria would strike here and there and sometimes would take an entire community into captivity. God was permitting the Assyrian, just like a bird, to peck here and there in the kingdom. This should have been a warning to all the people that the whole kingdom might fall some day. They didn’t accept the warning from God but continued on in their evil ways. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel [Amos 4:12].
God does not tell them here what He is going to do. He simply says, “Thus I will do unto thee” and “because I will do this unto thee.” It is going to be a surprise. We know now that it was the Assyrians who came down upon them suddenly and took them into captivity. In other words, the people of Israel simply did not believe God and did not turn to Him.
God goes even beyond the judgment of the Assyrian captivity. He says, “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” When Assyria came down, they didn’t take all the people into captivity. Many of them were slain. This means that they were to meet God in death, which is something that every individual must do. We all must meet God in death. “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” This is a message to every individual even today.
God has dealt very definitely with a friend of mine because of the sin that was in his life. He told me the story of how God had dealt with him. The judgment that had come upon him was rather severe, although it was something that a man could bear. As I was sympathizing with him about it, he said to me, “McGee, the judgment that has come upon me is not the thing that disturbs me. I have yet to stand before God, and I tremble.”
I answered him, “You know that Vernon McGee is also going to stand before God. If I stood before Him as I am, I would be frightened to death. But I am not going to stand before Him as Vernon McGee. I am in Christ, and God is going to see Christ. I have been made acceptable in the Beloved.” My friend answered, “Yes, that is the only comfort that I have for the life that I have lived.”
Well, my friend, that message is for you also. Prepare to meet thy God. Suppose at this very moment you went into the presence of God—perhaps both you and I will be going there shortly. Suppose this life is past. The things that were so important to you down here will have no importance any more, I assure you. Life on earth is over, you’re through, you’re out of it, and you are in God’s presence. How are you going to stand before Him? Perhaps you have lived to please people and have tried to keep up with the Joneses. Don’t you know that you cannot stand in your own strength, your own life, your own character? You and I have nothing to offer to God—we are bankrupt, friend. We were dead in trespasses and sins. The only way you and I can stand there is in Christ. He “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25), that you and I might stand before Him justified. We stand before God in the righteousness of Christ.
Now our country preacher will tell us who this God is whom we are to meet. This is one of the most majestic, awe-inspiring statements in the Word of God—
For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name [Amos 4:13].
Amos presents Him as the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God. He is the omnipotent Creator. He has all power. It was He who formed the mountains and created the wind. He is omniscient, knowing your thoughts afar off. And He is omnipresent—He “treadeth upon the high places of the earth.” No matter where you go, even to the moon, you won’t get away from Him, friend. Perhaps you have been able to keep up a pretty good front so that your friends and neighbors (and maybe even your mate) think you are a fine person. But in heaven, the psalmist says, “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance” (Ps. 90:8). God knows you. There is no use trying to keep up a front. You might as well go to Him and turn yourself in. The FBI or the police may not be after you, but God knows your transgressions. As Dr. Louis Sperry Chafer used to say to us in class, secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven. God not only knows us through and through, but He also knew personally the people to whom Amos was speaking. With intensity of feeling Amos urged them, “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Israel will be punished in the future for iniquity
The previous chapter closed with a bang, with a note of finality. It would seem as if God had closed the door, that judgment was inevitable, and that there was no hope for Israel at all. Although chapter 5 reaches into the future and makes it very clear that God will punish them for their iniquity, in the first fifteen verses God pleads with Israel to seek Him so that judgment can be averted. As long as He did not bring that final stroke of judgment, their captivity, there was hope for them.
Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel [Amos 5:1].
He is taking up a dirge. He is singing a funeral song, a very sad one. He speaks of them now with tenderness—
The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up [Amos 5:2].
When Hosea began his prophecy, he spoke of the experience he had had in his home. He had married a harlot, and God sent him out to speak to the northern kingdom, saying, “You’re a harlot, but God still loves you.” Here Amos says, “You were a virgin, God espoused you to Himself” That is the picture of every believer today. Paul said even to the Corinthians, “I espoused you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (see 2 Cor. 11:2). When we come to Him, our sins are forgiven, and we start new with Him. But how about it, friend? How has it been going the past few years? Have you done what Israel did? Have you played the harlot? Have you turned away from the One who loves you? Have you been led astray into the world and into the things of the flesh? Is the Devil leading you around like a pig with a ring in its snout? A great many Christians are in that condition today. This is a sad funeral dirge: “The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.”
For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel [Amos 5:3].
“The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred.” Amos is saying, “Prepare to meet your God. Look at the number that are going to be slain.” “That which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.” These are the ones who will be left back in the land, but a great company of them will be slain.
Listen to Amos. This is, as it were, a last call to the nation—
For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live [Amos 5:4].
The invitation is still open. The Word has gone out. God is calling upon them to turn to Him; if they do even now, they will live.
But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought [Amos 5:5].
“But seek not Beth-el.” Beth-el is where one of the golden calves was erected. By the way, you cannot find Beth-el today. I have had two different spots pointed out to me by guides, so we cannot be sure just where it is. The general location is pretty well known, but to be able to pinpoint it seems to be a problem.
“Nor enter into Gilgal.” Gilgal is the place where Israel camped when they crossed the Jordan River when they first came into the land under the leadership of Joshua. There they set up the tabernacle, and there was the staging area for their march upon Jericho. It became a very sacred place. In fact, God had told them to tell their children that that was the place where He had delivered them. Instead, these people had gone into idolatry, and these places that had been sacred for God became places to set up an idol.
“And pass not to Beer-sheba.” Beer-sheba was way down in the southern kingdom of Judah in the Negeb. It is another very famous place. It was at Beer-sheba that Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant, and then Abraham called on the name of the Lord (see Gen. 21). The expression, “… from Dan to Beer-sheba …” (e.g., see Jud. 20:1), is used in Scripture to designate the whole land of Israel from north to south. In the days of Amos, the people in the northern kingdom were making pilgrimages to Beer-sheba for the worship of idols.
“For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought.” Why doesn’t Amos mention Beer-sheba at this point? Because Beer-sheba is not in the northern kingdom but in the southern. It will be more than another hundred years before Beer-sheba goes into captivity with the southern kingdom. However, these two in the northern kingdom, both Beth-el and Gilgal, are about to go into captivity. How accurate Amos is in his statement here!
But he goes on to say that there is still hope for them—
Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el [Amos 5:6].
“Seek the Lord, and ye shall live”—what a wonderful invitation this is! “Lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph.” God says, “If you do not turn to Me, I will have to judge you.”
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth [Amos 5:7].
The man who was liberal in his theology used to make a great deal of this section of Scripture. He presented a “works salvation,” finding justification for it in this passage. Unfortunately, he did not consider Amos’ entire message. The condition of the people of Israel was that they were going through the form of worship that God had prescribed. They were offering sacrifices, they were going through a ritual that God had given to them, but their lives did not commend their profession. In other words, their practice did not equal the profession which they made.
Years ago Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said that he was more afraid of the blasphemy of the secular than he was of the blasphemy of the sanctuary. Many people think that if you participate in all the forms and rituals of the church, you are very pious, but if you do something in the sanctuary which is not according to the ritual of the church, it is blasphemous. My friend, I do not feel that the real danger is in that sort of thing. The real danger is in the man who goes to church and sings the doxology, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow,” but outside the church is living a life in which he is not honest and a life in which there is neither justice nor righteousness. That is the blasphemy of the secular or the blasphemy of the street. That is the thing that God is condemning in the lives of the people of Israel.
I am not saying that a living faith in Christ is not essential. It is absolutely essential to trust in Christ for your salvation. But, my friend, if you make a profession of trusting in Christ and your life outside the church does not commend the gospel at all, then, may I say to you, there is not but one word to describe that. It is a harsh word, but the Lord Jesus is the one who used this word more than anyone else. He called the religious rulers of His day, “Ye hypocrites.” That is His word for it—I did not think of it. It is brazen hypocrisy today, either in the pulpit or in the pew, when a profession is given and a protestation is made of our wonderful love for and trust in Christ, and then we go out and live a life which condemns the very gospel we are supposed to be professing. This is the thing that hurts the cause of the gospel today. A great many Christians do not want this mentioned because they are very active in Christian work but not very active in living for the Lord in their business and social lives.
I knew a man who was married and very active in the church; I do not think there was an organization within the church in which he was not active. But he got involved with a lady in the choir. He dropped out for a time, and without making any amends, without any apparent change of life whatsoever, he wanted to come back into active service in the church. As pastor, I absolutely condemned that sort of thing, and I was made out to be the unreasonable party because of it.
Amos condemns this idea of making a profession and then not living up to it—this was basic in his message. You see, God had to bring Amos from way down south in the southern kingdom in order to get a man who would give this kind of message. The paid preachers up there in Beth-el and Samaria were saying only what the people wanted them to say.
A leading Bible expositor made the statement several years ago that the modern pulpit had become a sounding board for the thinking of the congregation. Paul wrote to Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3–4). The people’s ears itch to hear something nice and sweet, and then they go up and pat the preacher on the back, telling him how sweet he is. It becomes like the old Egyptian game: “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back, and we both will have a good time.” A great deal of that type of thing is going on in our churches today; liberalism has done it for years, and we find it in many conservative churches today.
The people of Israel were insulted that this man Amos would even suggest that they were not very religious or very pious, but that was his message to them.
Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name [Amos 5:8].
Again, this is God’s gracious call. God is long suffering. God is much more patient than I would be. I have found out that I need to learn to be patient with the patience of God. How long suffering and patient He is!
“Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion.” Orion is one of the many constellations in the heavens, and it was the one, of course, familiar to these people in that day.
“And maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth.” That is, it is God who makes the rain fall. It is true that rainfall is controlled by the law of hydrodynamics, but who made the law of hydrodynamics? Who is the one who pulls the water up out of the ocean, puts it on the train (they call it a cloud), moves those clouds with the wind until they get to just the right place, then turns loose the rain? God is the one doing that, my friend. Amos says, “The Lord is his name.” In effect, he is saying to the people of Israel, “You have turned to idols, and your life does not commend your profession of a faith in the living God, the living God who is the Creator.”
That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.
They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly [Amos 5:9–10].
“They hate him that rebuketh in the gate.” The one who rebuketh in the gate would be a judge. The courthouse of that day was the gate of the walled city. You will find all the way through Scripture that the judges sat in the gate. Boaz brought the nearer kinsman to the gate of Bethlehem to settle the inheritance of Naomi and Ruth. When Lot went down to Sodom, he became involved in politics down there, and we are told that he sat in the gate. What was he doing there? He was a judge. Amos says that the judge who rebuked that which was wrong was the one who was hated; therefore, most of the judges chose to cooperate with the evil doers.
“And they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.” When a judge insisted upon justice and upon that which was right, he became very unpopular. I am not sure that human nature has changed very much since Amos’ day.
Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them [Amos 5:11].
“Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat.” The poor are the ones who do not get justice. I know that, for I have been on that side of the line for a long time.
“Ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.” The beautiful palaces that were built at Samaria are in ruins today. They were destroyed shortly after this message was given and have been in ruins now for nearly three thousand years.
For I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right [Amos 5:12].
The poor could not get justice in the court of that day. Has it changed today?
One of the reasons offered for repealing the death penalty has been that the rich man can always escape the gas chamber or the electric chair. I do not think that that is a legitimate reason, although it is true that the rich man can do that. The poor man, when he is found guilty, does not stand a chance of escaping the penalty. The rich man can keep appealing the case, and it takes him a long time to find his way to jail; in fact, in many cases, he never even gets there.
God takes notice when there is no justice in a nation. God has turned over to human government the responsibility of running this earth. The nations of the earth are God’s arrangement, and He holds them accountable. When they fail, He removes them, as Rome was removed from the scene.
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time [Amos 5:13].
In other words, a man in that day knew he could not get justice, and many good people were keeping quiet. It was the prudent thing to do because, if he had attempted to protest, it wouldn’t have done him a bit of good. The tragedy of the hour in which we live is that we talk about the freedom of the press, the freedom of religion, and the freedom of speech, but there is not much of it left. The news media have definitely become a brainwashing agency. It is true that only he who has money can get a public hearing today. As a result, we do have a silent majority in this country, because they know that their voices would not amount to anything at all. We are in a tragic day, very much like the day to which Israel had come.
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken [Amos 5:14].
Again, the Lord calls upon Israel to turn to Him.
Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph [Amos 5:15].
In our day, a man who is liberal and supported by some rich organization can betray our government and escape any penalty (in fact, he is even made a hero), while some poor fellow who is espousing an honest cause does not stand a chance of gaining a hearing. God says, “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate.”
“It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” In other words, Amos says, “It’s a slim chance, but there is hope for you.”
Now Amos moves into another area, the warning of an approaching judgment, the Day of the Lord.
Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.
And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord [Amos 5:16–17].
Because God knew that they would not repent, He now clearly states the judgment which is to come. Death will touch everyone; all will mourn.
Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light [Amos 5:18].
A great many people were very piously saying that they desired the Day of the Lord. Amos expresses it here as a “Woe”—“Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord!” But for them it is nothing in the world but pious sentiment. That day is not going to be as pleasant for them as they think it is going to be.
Amos uses here the expression, “the day of the Lord.” Joel is the one who introduced this subject in prophecy, and every one of the prophets after him has something to say about it. Many people have thought that the Day of the Lord refers to the Millennium; in fact, at the beginning of my theological training that is what I was taught. Joel was very careful (and Amos will be also) to say that the Day of the Lord is not light but it is darkness. The Day of the Lord begins with judgment and moves on to the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom here upon this earth.
There are a number of commentators who feel that the people of Israel were becoming rather cynical and were ridiculing the Day of the Lord. I do not see that here at all; I do not see how that interpretation could possibly be true. Rather, I see that the people were becoming very pious. They were going through the Mosaic rituals, but they were also worshiping idols. It was just religion to them, just as churchgoing is to many people today. There is nothing vital, nothing real in going through a ritual. The reason many church services are so dead is that they are nothing more than ritual. It may be beautiful, it may appeal to your eyes and your ears, but does it change your life? Is it transforming? Is it something you can live by in the marketplace? There are many people today who are premillennial and pretribulational in their theology and who very piously say, “Oh, if only the Lord would come!” If you are one of them, let me ask you this: Do you really want Him to come? Or are you using the Rapture of the church as a sort of an escape mechanism to get you out of your troubles down here?
In seminary a fellow student and I were studying Hebrew. After dinner in the evening, when we had a difficult Hebrew assignment to prepare for the next day, he would look up to the heavens and say, “Oh, if the Lord would only come tonight!” What was he after? He didn’t want to study Hebrew! But I never shall forget the night before graduation (he was to be married and go on his honeymoon the day after graduation) when he came out of the cafeteria, looked up to the sky, and said, “I sure hope the Lord doesn’t come now for several days!” My friend, many of us look forward to the Rapture, not because we love Christ’s appearing, but because we want to escape an unpleasant situation.
Amos says to these people, “You pious folk are just going through the religious rituals, you don’t really know God—you are worshiping idols also! The Day of the Lord is not something which you are to desire. It is not light, but it is a day of darkness. You will first go through a great period of tribulation when the Day of the Lord comes. What you expect to do is to jump right into the Millennium, but that is not the way it is going to happen.
Those of us who believe that the church will not go through the Tribulation should be aware that we will not escape all judgment. My friend, some of us may think we have gotten into the Tribulation after we get to heaven! Do you know why? Listen to what Paul has to say in 2 Corinthians 5:9–10: “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” The judgment seat of Christ is the bema; it is not the Great White Throne judgment at all. It is to the bema that all Christians come “that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Is this a judgment for salvation? No, Paul says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). There is no other foundation any man can lay, but you can build on that foundation. You can build with wood, hay, and stubble; or you can build with gold, silver, and precious stones. But every man’s work—not his salvation, not his person—will be tested by fire. If any man’s work survives the fire, he will receive a reward. But suppose his work does not survive the fire? Paul says, “He himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (see 1 Cor. 3:12–15). This is the reason I often make the statement that, although many people are saved, they are going to smell like they were bought at a fire sale when they get to heaven. Everything they did here on earth they did in the flesh, they did it for some earthly reason, for some present satisfaction.
I want to be very frank with you: as I am now getting toward the sunset of life, I’m wondering how Vernon McGee is going to fare at the judgment seat of Christ. You may say that I will get a great reward because of my Bible-teaching ministry through the years. But you don’t know me like I know myself; if you did, you might not want to listen to me. But wait a minute, don’t put the book down, because if I knew you like you know yourself, I wouldn’t want to talk to you.
My friend, the lives which we live down here are to be tested, and it is pious nonsense to pretend to be so interested in the coming of Christ when the truth is that some of us will get to heaven and think that we didn’t miss the Great Tribulation after all. Notice what Paul went on to say after speaking of our judgment at the bema of Christ: “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11). If you think that when you appear in His presence He is going to give you a nice little Sunday school medal because you didn’t miss Sunday school for fifteen years, I think you are wrong. I do not think that that is even going to be an issue. I think that the life you live in your home, your witness in your business and social life, your conduct with the opposite sex are the things which are going to come before the judgment seat of Christ—it will be the things that were done in the body down here.
Do you want to go to heaven now? Do you have everything straightened out? Paul writes, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). This is the reason I try to keep everything confessed to the Lord. I want to run short accounts with Him every day. If I don’t, He is going to straighten it out up there someday. You lost your temper and gave a poor witness today. Or you gossiped about another believer. Do you think that when you come into the presence of Christ He will pat you on the back and say what a nice little fellow you were? He is going to judge those things, my friend. Things must be made right in heaven, and that is the purpose of the judgment seat of Christ.
Amos is really putting it on the line to these people. He says, “Cut out this nonsense that you desire the Day of the Lord. It is not a day of light but of darkness. There will be a Great Tribulation that you will go through.” If you are a believer and therefore do not go through that, there will still be the judgment seat of Christ for you. I do not think that it is going to be as pleasant as some folk think it is going to be.
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him [Amos 5:19].
Amos is one of the most dramatic preachers that you will find in Scripture. He uses such figurative language. He uses the idiom of the earth and draws his illustrations from nature. Here he describes a man who is out in the woods, and suddenly there is a lion on the trail in back of him. As he runs away from the lion, he sees a bear coming toward him. In other words, if you say you want the Lord to come so that you can get out of your troubles down here, it may be like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire (to use an adage of our day). Seeing the bear coming toward him, the man takes off over the hill and reaches his home. He puts his hand upon the wall to rest and get his breath, only to have a serpent come out of the wall and bite him. It might have been better if the lion or the bear had gotten him than to have the poison of a serpent in him!
Amos is saying that we had better be very careful about the life we are living for God down here. As believers, our salvation is not in jeopardy—Christ has paid the penalty for our sins, but if our sins as believers are not dealt with and made right, He will make them right. My friend, He must do that—He is holy and righteous and just, and heaven is a place where things are right. Therefore, you and I will have to be right when we get there. This is something that a great many people do not realize today.
Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? [Amos 5:20].
“The day of the Lord” begins with a period of judgment that is yet to come upon the nation of Israel. There is more than a period of judgment that is included in the Day of the Lord, however. The Day of the Lord also includes the second coming of Christ to the earth and the time of the millennial kingdom here upon earth.
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols [Amos 5:21–23].
Behind their going through the rituals were lives that were dishonest. God’s people need to recognize that their faith must be real. Faith is not fake or fable; it is reality. Faith must lay hold of a person. Believing is not deceiving. Many people say, “If you believe, it is because you are blind. You have a blind faith.” My friend, if it is a blind faith, forget it, because God does not accept that. Faith must have an effect upon the life; James says, “… faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). Paul said that we have been saved in order that we might produce good works. All of this is important.
The people of Israel were living lives of sin. They were engaged in idolatry; yet they were going through all the Mosaic ritual. God says here, “I despise it. I have no use for it.” In some of our song services which we consider to be so enthusiastic, if the hearts of the people are not in it, if there is nothing but a big mouth in it, do you really think God accepts that? If He came to your church or my church, what do you think His viewpoint would be?
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves [Amos 5:24–26].
Apparently, the people of Israel offered sacrifices in the wilderness, but when they met a heathen people, they wanted to take on the worship of their gods also. The worship of Moloch was that in which small children were put into the arms of a red-hot idol and made human sacrifices. The screams of those children were terrible. God is saying to us, “You come to church on Sunday and go through the motions of worshiping Me, but during the week you worship Moloch, you worship the idol of covetousness as you go after the almighty dollar.”
Cardinal Wolsey was banished from Hampton Court by Henry VIII who would also have had him executed if Wolsey had not died a natural death before the execution could take place. On his deathbed, the cardinal said, “If I had only served my God like I served my king!” Many a Christian will have to say on his deathbed, “I have served the god of Moloch down here; I have served the idol of covetousness. I’ve worshiped the things of the flesh and have not served my God.” My friend, it does not matter how sweet the music will be, nor what nice words the preacher will say at the funeral, you and I are going to stand at the judgment seat of Christ. I will be frank with you, that disturbs me somewhat. Therefore, I want to keep things straightened out with Him down here.
Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts [Amos 5:27].
Israel is to be punished in the future. They will go into captivity “beyond Damascus” (that is, beyond Syria), and beyond Damascus was Nineveh. God is telling Israel that the Assyrian would take them into captivity.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Israel admonished in the present to depart from iniquity
Amos begins this chapter with a “Woe.” He is not a prophet who majors in woes, but you will find them in several other of the prophets and in the Book of Revelation. “Woe” also means “Whoa!”—it means to stop, look, and listen, because this is something that is important. The word woe is one that ought to draw our special attention to that which follows.
Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! [Amos 6:1].
Zion was, of course, in the southern kingdom of Judah; so both parts of the nation, Judah and Israel, are addressed here. Zion was the center of religion—God’s temple was there, and Samaria was the metropolis of a powerful kingdom.
“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.” The common expression at departure a few years ago was, “Well, take it easy!” Today we often say, “Have a good day!” which I take to mean practically the same thing. That is what Israel was doing: they were taking it easy. “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.” They were sitting in the lap of luxury in a day of affluence. We have been doing that as a nation since the Depression and World War II—we have been sitting in the lap of luxury in a day of affluence.
“And trust in the mountain of Samaria.” It was as if Samaria was the place where they stored their atom bombs. It was the capital of the northern kingdom, Ahab and Jezebel had lived there, and lovely palaces of ivory were built there. The mountains of Samaria provided such excellent natural fortifications that the city was able to stand the Assyrian siege for three years before it fell. Samaria was such an important city that, after the Assyrians had destroyed it, Herod later rebuilt it. Herod was quite a builder, and he built all over Palestine. He built Caesarea right from the ground up, but Samaria he rebuilt because it was such a marvelous location. With all this luxury and excellent fortifications, Israel felt secure and well protected.
“Which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!” “Chief of the nations” probably refers to Israel’s princes who were men of rank and authority. To these godless and careless heads of the nation the people of Israel came for justice and for help. But the princes were interested only in their own ease and self-indulgence. The term chief of the nations may also refer to Israel herself, as she was recognized among the nations in that day. In other words, she belonged to the United Nations and had a great deal of influence.
Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? [Amos 6:2].
“Pass ye unto Calneh, and see.” Calneh is one of the cities that was in the intersection of the Tigris River and the upper Zab River. Nineveh was there, Calneh was there, and that area constituted a great center.
“And from thence go ye to Hamath the great.” Hamath is the chief city in Syria. We are going south now.
“Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.” Gath is way south in Philistia and was the leading city of the Philistines.
“Be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?” In other words, “Go look at these other nations. Why do you think that you are superior to these nations? You’re not superior. You are engaged in the same sins that they are, and your responsibility is greater. They have no revelation from God, but you do have a revelation from God.”
Now Amos will mention the three national sins of Israel. These are the three sins which brought the northern kingdom down. They also brought the southern kingdom down; they brought Babylon down; they brought Egypt down; they brought Greece down; and they brought Rome down. They have brought down many great nations. They are the reason that France and Great Britain have become second-rate nations today. At one time we said, “The sun never sets on the British Empire,” but today it looks as if the British Empire itself is setting. These three sins are national sins, and they are sins for which God will judge the nations.
Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near [Amos 6:3].
Israel was saying, “Yes, a day of judgment is coming, but it is not near. We do not need to worry about it.” That was the thing that Hezekiah said to Isaiah when Isaiah told him that judgment was coming on the southern kingdom and that they were to be carried into captivity. Hezekiah said, “Will it be in my day?” Isaiah said, “No, it won’t be in your day.” And even Hezekiah, who was a great king, said, “Well, then, that’s all right.”
Our present generation is passing on to our grandchildren a nation that is in debt and in great trouble. I used to worry about my daughter and the day in which she would live. Now I worry about my two little grandsons and the world that they are moving into and in which they will live. The evil day is coming.
What are the three sins which destroy a nation? The first sin is given in verse 4—
That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall [Amos 6:4].
Illicit sex and gluttony are the two sins that are mentioned here, and they are sins of the flesh.
“That lie upon beds of ivory.” Ahab and Jezebel had built an ivory palace in Samaria. It has been thoroughly excavated now, and the workmen have found there many very fine, delicate vessels that were in the rubble and ruin of that great palace. That palace represented the life of the upper class of that day. “They lie upon beds of ivory”—they all had king-sized beds. They were taking it easy.
“And stretch themselves upon their couches” suggests their preoccupation with sex. That was the thing that they were engaged in, and it is that which characterizes our own day. Someone tried to answer the current women’s liberation movement by saying that the woman’s place is in the kitchen and in the bedroom. May I say to you, that is an awful thing to say. I totally disagree with that comment, but it does show the color and complexion of our nation today. Much has been reported in the press regarding the social life in our nation’s capital. We are told that when they get together, they are heavily involved in drinking and that the main topic of conversation is who is dating whose wife. Such activity is not limited to those of any particular political party. Thank God there are individuals who are exceptions to this type of thing, but I am afraid that more attention is paid to sex in Washington, D.C., than to any of the problems which face this nation. When our lawmakers appear on television, they become very serious, but their social life—this is not true of all of them, of course—seems to be very corrupt.
No nation has been able to survive such involvement in sin. Rome was probably the greatest of all nations; then why did it fall apart? No outside enemy destroyed Rome. It was like “Humpty-Dumpty”—
Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall;
All the King’s horses, and all the King’s men
Could not put Humpty-Dumpty together again.
Why did Rome fall? Gibbon, in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, mentions that the destruction of the family was one of the important reasons Rome fell. When immorality came in, then the nation began to go down.
The second national sin is given in verse 5—
That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David [Amos 6:5].
They came up with a lot of new tunes in that day. You may think that jazz, rock and roll, and hard rock music are something new, but Israel had it back in that day. The character of music can destroy a nation, and as far as I’m concerned, we have arrived at that point in our nation. I know that I sound like a square and a real backward fellow, and that I am. Someone will say, “You just don’t know anything about music.” While it is true that I do not know much about music, I do know what I like and what I don’t like; a lot of it I don’t like today, and I simply do not listen to it.
“They chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David.” But the music was no longer used as it was in David’s day. David was a genius whose music was to praise and glorify God. Israel also had geniuses in Amos’ day, but they were not writing music to the praise and glory of God. Instead, it was that which took people away from God and from the worship of God.
Now we come to the third national sin—
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph [Amos 6:6].
“That drink wine in bowls”—not just in little glasses but in bowls; they were really alcoholics.
“And anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” In that day there was a great deal of attention given to the matter of getting the right kind of ointment for the underarms. I don’t mind mentioning this because it is mentioned on television all the time. It was pretty important in Israel that you use the right kind of deodorant, but it was drunkenness that was destroying the nation.
Drunkenness is the thing that is destroying our nation today along with these other sins—and we are not getting by with it, my friend. There is an alarming number of alcoholics in this country and many, many more people whose lives are directly affected by the alcoholic. A majority of the fatal automobile accidents are caused by alcohol. More people are being killed in automobile accidents in this country than were ever killed in Vietnam, but no one is protesting about that.
I was amazed a few years ago when one of the distilleries ran an advertisement about young people drinking, saying they were concerned about the problem. In their ad, they said: “Teenagers, especially in a group, are often tempted to do things they might not do on their own, like taking a drink when they know they shouldn’t. We are sure you are concerned about this problem.” Imagine the liquor makers telling you and me that they think we are concerned because they are concerned! Well, why don’t they quit making the stuff? Their ad continued: “You don’t have to worry much about it, if you’ve shown your youngster over the years that your ideas about drinking are healthy and mature.” What are “healthy and mature” ideas about drinking? Drinking is drinking, isn’t it? They certainly were not running an advertisement for prohibition!
I would like to share with you this poem, “It’s Nobody’s Business”—
It’s nobody’s business what I drink.
I care not what my neighbors think,
Or how many laws they choose to pass.
I’ll tell the world I’ll have my glass.
Here’s one man’s freedom cannot be curbed.
My right to drink is undisturbed.
So he drank in spite of law or man,
Then got into his old tin can,
Stepped on the gas and let it go,
Down the highway to and fro.
He took the curves at fifty miles,
With bleary eyes and a drunken smile.
Not long ’til a car he tried to pass,
Then a crash, a scream, and breaking glass.
The other car was upside down,
About two miles from the nearest town.
The man was clear, but his wife was caught,
And he needed the help of that drunken sot,
Who sat in a maudlin, drunken daze
And heard the scream and saw the blaze,
But too far gone to save a life.
By helping the car from off the wife.
The car was burned and a mother died,
While a husband wept and a baby cried.
And a drunk sat by, and still some think
It’s nobody’s business what they drink.
—Unknown
The sins of the flesh (illicit sex and gluttony), heathen music, and drunkenness are the three great sins which have brought great nations down. I simply cannot believe that our nation will be the exception to the rule. It is enough to break any person’s heart to see what is happening in this great nation of ours. Yet we try to explain it away by saying that now we are civilized, now we have a new morality, now we have grown up and gotten rid of the old Puritan notions. By the way, the Puritans and the Pilgrims founded a great nation. Are we, the sophisticated and suave folk, going to keep that great nation, or are we losing it?
This message from Amos was fulfilled in his day. The northern kingdom was destroyed and went into captivity. These are the sins that brought it down. In verse 4 it was gluttony and illicit sex; in verse 5 it was heathen music; and in verse 6 it was drunkenness. It is the same old story: wine, women, and song. That is what a great many people think life is all about. Actually, that is not what life is all about but what death is all about. It is the philosophy which says, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Or the philosophy which says, “Pick the daisies while you can”—the day is coming when you won’t be able to pick them. In other words, satisfy self. But if a man (or a nation) goes down that line, he will find out that it does not lead to a pot of gold; it is a dead-end street with the emphasis upon dead. It has led to the death of individuals and of nations.
All of this reveals something quite interesting about the human heart. You can put the whole world into the heart and it still will not be satisfied. That is remarkable, is it not? Only God can fill the vacuum of the human heart. The iniquity of Israel is going to lead to the destruction of the nation—
Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed [Amos 6:7].
“Therefore.” One preacher has said that when you come to therefore in the Bible, you’d better investigate what it’s there for. Here it leads to this great statement that, because of these three great sins, the northern kingdom will go into captivity first. That is the direction in which they were moving, and they were moving rapidly. They were much closer to it than they could really believe.
The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein [Amos 6:8].
Their palaces were places of corruption and storehouses of plunder from the poor. God hated all this. If you want to know God’s attitude toward the present-day philosophy of the new morality, of illicit sex, gluttony, degrading music, and drunkenness, He makes it very clear here. God says He hates them. As a result of these sins, Israel had become a godless nation. These are the things which will take you away from God or prevent your coming to Him in the first place.
And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die [Amos 6:9].
Some expositors believe that this refers to the coming of a devastating plague, such as often follows warfare.
And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord [Amos 6:10].
This is a strange statement. I shall give you Dr. Charles L. Feinberg’s explanation (from his book Joel, Amos and Obadiah pp. 89–90), which is probably accurate:
How widespread the plague will be is noted for us in verse 10. When one’s next of kin, to whom the duty of burial belonged, would come to carry the corpse out of the house to burn it, he would find but one remaining out of the ten who lived there formerly. And that last surviving one hidden away in the innermost recesses of the houses fearfully awaiting the hour when the plague would carry him away also. In ancient Israel in accordance with the words of Genesis 3:19 burial was the accepted method of disposal of the dead. In this the New Testament doctrine of the body concurs. Hence cremation was considered wrong and not countenanced (see Amos 2:1). But when God’s judgment falls upon His people, there will be so many dead that they will not bury but burn them. The cases here and 1 Samuel 31:12 are exceptional cases. Here cremation is resorted to in order to prevent contagion; in 1 Samuel it was done to obviate further dishonor of the bodies of Saul and his sons by the Philistines. When asked if there are others alive, the remaining occupant of the house will say there is none. Immediately he will be told to hold his peace for fear he would mention the name of the Lord in announcing the death of the others in the household, or in praising God for his own deliverance. Punishment will so work fear and despair in them all that they will refrain from even the mention of the name of the Lord (which should be their sole refuge in such an hour) lest further wrath come upon them.
For, behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts [Amos 6:11].
High and low, great and small were going into Assyrian captivity.
Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock [Amos 6:12].
“Shall horses run upon the rock?” If you have ever ridden horseback in mountain country where there is a great deal of rock, you know that a horse can slip and fall there. As a young fellow I belonged to the cavalry division of the National Guard. We were out on patrol duty, and I was riding a big, tall red horse. The section I patrolled was a very rocky one up in middle Tennessee. My horse slipped and fell on one of my feet. As a result, I got out of patrol duty and was sent home because they did not want me hanging around. That got me out of a lot of hard work, and very frankly, I have always appreciated that old red horse. “Shall horses run upon the rock?” Well, they’d better not because they will slip and fall.
“Will one plow there with oxen?” You cannot run a plow over a rock.
“For ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock.” Israel had done that which was contrary to reason, that which was contrary to righteousness. Amos is saying to them, “You’ve acted foolishly”—as foolish as I was in riding that old red horse over rocky terrain.
Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? [Amos 6:13].
“Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?” Since in the Scriptures “horns” are symbolic of power, this is probably a reference to the military strength of Jeroboam II in which Israel was trusting.
But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness [Amos 6:14].
“They shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath;” that is, from all the way up in Syria, for Hemath was the chief city of Syria.
“Unto the river of the wilderness” should be translated “unto the river of Arabah.” Arabah is the river on the other side of the Jordan River which flowed into the Dead Sea.
God is saying, “Through the whole extent of your land this enemy will come down from the north.” That enemy was not Ben-hadad of Syria, but it was the king of Assyria who would take these people into captivity.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Visions of future
Chapter 7 opens the third and last major division of the Book of Amos. These final three chapters contain visions of the future. Although this fellow Amos might be called a clodhopper and a country preacher, he could soar to the heights. Some of the visions the Lord gave to him are quite remarkable.
VISION OF GRASSHOPPERS
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings [Amos 7:1].
“Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth.” These are called grasshoppers in our translation, but they were, of course, locusts.
“And, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.” There were two crops that could be harvested from the land in that day, and the first crop went to the king as taxes. Actually, the people paid more than one-tenth as a tithe. It is estimated that they paid out about three-tenths of what they took from the land, and here we can see an example of that. However, this time, after the king had gotten his due, a plague of grasshoppers or locusts came in and took their share so that there was nothing left for the people who had really done the work. This was a judgment that should have shaken the people and should have awakened them.
And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small [Amos 7:2].
Amos says to the Lord, “We have been cut down to size. This has so weakened us that we’ll not be able to stand.” He calls out to God to forgive and help them. And notice, the Lord is still patient with Israel—
The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord [Amos 7:3].
The Lord said, “I will not do it—I will not weaken you in this way.” He got rid of the grasshoppers, and He gave them a good crop. You would think that because of His tender mercy the people would return to God, but they did not.
VISION OF FIRE
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part [Amos 7:4].
Many commentators believe the fire here was actually a drought. I am perfectly willing to say that a drought has to go along with the fire. When we have dry weather here in Southern California, we often have fires in the mountains. We have a great many fires here due, in my judgment, to the carelessness of the public. Many of them have been started by cigarettes. Nevertheless, the high fire danger is usually brought on by a drought. But the thing which did the destroying, I believe, was a literal fire, and I think Amos makes that very clear.
Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God [Amos 7:5–6].
Apparently, God sent rain, and the fires were put out. Again, God heard them. When it says that God “repented,” it is because of the prayers of the people. God was tenderhearted and would not go through with it. The awful thing, my friend, in rejecting Christ and thus being lost eternally, is the fact that you have to do it against a God who is tenderhearted and who is gracious and loving. God loves you, and to sin against that love is an awful, dreadful, and terrible thing.
VISION OF PLUMBLINE
Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more [Amos 7:7–8].
We find the plumbline used many places in the Word of God. In Jeremiah 31:38–39 we read, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.” The “measuring line” is the plumbline, if you please. Every time that you have a vision of the plumbline in Scripture (see Isa. 28:I7; Zech. 2:1–2), it means that God is getting ready to judge. In the Book of Daniel, the prophet of God said to King Belshazzar, “… Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting” (Dan. 5:27). When God begins to measure either in length or in weight, you can be sure that the people have not measured up to God’s requirements, and judgment is the thing which He has in mind. Amos does not intercede for the people again, realizing that God’s judgment is just.
And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword [Amos 7:9].
In other words, God says that Jeroboam will not have peace. God’s principle is, “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked” (Isa. 48:22). And Jeroboam will not have peace.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE PROPHET
We have wedged in here, between these visions, a little historic interlude, a very personal experience of the prophet Amos. I have considered this section at length in the Introduction, and it also fits very well into the story here.
Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land [Amos 7:10–11].
If you go back and read verse 9 carefully, you will find that Amaziah is lying here. This is one of the tragic things that goes on in the church today. When I teach I try to speak as simply and as plainly as I possibly can, and yet I discover that people will misquote me. They represent me as having said something that I have not said at all. Sometimes this is done through simply not understanding or failing to comprehend what was said; other times it is done deliberately.
Amaziah was the priest of the golden calf, and you can imagine the type of individual he was. He was a hired preacher—he said what the king wanted him to say. And I suppose that he was very cultured and used very flowery language. I’m sure he was a good backslapper; he wasn’t a pulpit-pounder but a backslapper. And he could, of course, entertain. He had charisma, and he was very attractive in many ways.
Amaziah went in and deliberately lied to the king about Amos. Amos had not said that Jeroboam would perish with the sword, and Jeroboam did not. Amos had said, “And I [God] will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword,” which meant that warfare would come, and it did come. Israel was finally taken into captivity to Assyria.
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court [Amos 7:12–13].
Amaziah came to Amos, insulted him, and, in effect, called him an ignoramus. I’d like to know where the books are that Amaziah wrote. We have had one book preserved now for over twenty-five hundred years that was written by Amos but none that were written by Amaziah. Amaziah called Amos a country rube and insinuated that he was not fit to speak in the king’s chapel. He said, “We want soft words spoken here. We don’t want anyone to be offended.”
“O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah.” In other words, “Get out of town and get lost. We don’t want you here anymore. You’ve been speaking in the king’s chapel and, after all, you are just not up to it. You’re not the caliber of preacher that should be in the pulpit there.” Now although Amos was a country man without seminary training, he was no slouch by any means. I hope we agree that he was thoroughly capable of filling the pulpit; in fact, he was a great preacher of God. The people knew when they listened to him that they were getting the Word of God. It is always a comfort to people to have a pastor who is giving the Word of God—that is something very important in these days.
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel [Amos 7:14–15].
Amos answered in such a proper manner that it was evident that he was a moderate man. He wasn’t giving out the wild utterances of a prophecy monger. He was no fanatic at all. He said, “Why, I know I’m no prophet. I never claimed to be a prophet. I never went to your seminaries. I’m not even a prophet’s son. I was just a herdsman, a gatherer of sycamore fruits, and the Lord took me, and the Lord told me to prophesy. I’m here because the Lord put me here.” When a man has that kind of confidence, he’s really got confidence, my friend.
A man should be very sure that he has a call from God if he is going to be in the ministry. If there is any doubt in his mind, he ought not to do it. Some say that if you can do anything else, then don’t go into the ministry. I don’t quite agree with that, because a great many of us could have done something else and might have preferred doing it, by the way. The important thing is: Did God call you? If God has called you, my friend, you ought not to let anything stand in the way.
Now Amos has a personal prophecy for Amaziah, and this is strong medicine for him. Many folk say to me, “Dr. McGee, you are very harsh at times with certain people or certain groups or certain churches.” In answer to that, I can truly say that I carry no bias or hatred in my heart against any of those that I mention. What I am trying to do is to say what the Word of God says. The argument given to me is that, as a Christian, I ought to be sweet and nice and I ought not to speak harshly. Love is to be the theme today: Love, love, love! My friend, listen to Amos as he talks to “brother Amaziah”—
Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land [Amos 7:16–17].
“Therefore thus saith the Lord”—Amos says that he has a word from God to this man Amaziah. This is a very disturbing prophecy, and it’s a very strong prophecy, but the thing is that it was a true prophecy. When Assyria came down, they did make the women harlots. The sons and daughters were destroyed, and those who were not destroyed were taken into captivity. And this old priest of the golden calf, Amaziah, was taken into Assyrian captivity. I am sure that Amaziah’s word on his deathbed would have been like that of old Cardinal Wolsey (whom I mentioned earlier) who wished that he had served his God as he had served his king. Cardinal Wolsey had tried to play politics with Henry VIII and did not really tell him what the Word of God had to say.
If we as ministers fail to give out the Word of God, there is no reason for us to point our fingers at the politicians in Washington and accuse them of failing our country and jeopardizing our nation. My friend in the ministry, if you are not giving out the Word of God, there is no other traitor in this land today as guilty as you are. If you are called to be a minister, you are called to be a minister of the Word of God. If you are not giving that Word out, you are a traitor to the cause of Christ today. Those are strong words, I know, just as Amos’ words were strong.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Vision of basket of summer fruit
This is the fourth vision, and it takes in the entire eighth chapter of this book. It is important to get the meaning of this vision, because that will help us in the interpretation of passages that come later on. Especially it will clarify some of the things that our Lord Jesus said.
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit [Amos 8:1].
A great deal can be said about a basket of summer fruit. I love fruit. To me all fruits are delicious. I enjoy the citrus fruits of California or Florida, the fruits of northern California and Oregon and Washington. Wherever I am, I enjoy the fruit produced in that locality. There is nothing more attractive than a basket of summer fruit, and that basket of summer fruit has a message.
First of all, a basket of summer fruit represents a harvest. It tells us that the tree is no longer producing. My apricot tree had some lovely apricots on it this past summer, but there is no need for me to go out now to see if there is fruit on the tree. The limbs are bare; there is no fruit. The harvest is past. There will be no fruit until next year. So we see that, although a basket of summer fruit is delightful and delicious, it also speaks of the end of the harvest.
A basket of summer fruit also tells us of rapid spoilage and quick deterioration. Back in the time of World War II, a missionary from South America wrote to us from the East that she was coming to the West Coast. Since she was a personal friend and would be staying with us during her time in California, she told us the day of her arrival. You may remember that in those days trains were crowded and the military had priority over all else. When our friend reached Chicago, she learned that her reservation had been cancelled. She had to wait a week before she could come out to California. We had prepared the guest room for her for the day we had expected her to arrive. I had gone out and picked some lovely apricots off my tree and had put a basket of apricots in her room. When we got the telegram from her telling us of her delay, we just closed the door to her room. We forgot all about the basket of apricots. Then when the time came for her to arrive, we opened the door to her room, and I want to tell you the odor was not very pleasant! In fact, it took us weeks to get the odor out of that room. There is a message in a basket of summer fruit. God gives us a dramatic and a figurative illustration.
And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more [Amos 8:2].
We have seen in chapter 7 in the previous visitations of God’s judgments that Amos prayed for the survival of Israel and that God changed His mind and withheld His hand. But now the basket of summer fruit indicates that the harvest is past. The jig is up. The northern kingdom of Israel has come to the end of the line. Judgment will come, and harvest is symbolic of that.
Since harvest speaks of a time of judgment and falls at the end of an age, I think that some things our Lord said are misunderstood if one does not understand what is meant by the harvest. Jesus said to His disciples, “… The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37–38). Our Lord was speaking at the end of an age when the dispensation of the law was coming to an end. Christ was going to go to the cross. He said that He needed harvesters to go out into Israel.
After His death on the cross, it is a different picture. For this age of grace He gives His parable of the sower. A sower went forth to sow seed. “… Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel …” (Mark 16:15), is the message for our age. Go out into the world and sow the seed. This is the time for sowing the Word of God. My business and your business is just sowing the seed. It is the Lord’s business to do the converting. We believe that the Spirit of God will take the Word of God and make a son of God. We are just seed-sowers. We are not harvesters. Harvest speaks of judgment, and it speaks of the end of an age. Our business today is to be out sowing the seed. I wish so much that I could get this message across to people. I wish I could motivate all believers to do what God has called us to do. Our business is to sow the seed of the Word of God.
And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence [Amos 8:3].
The place for praising God will be changed into a place of wailing. The place of rejoicing before God will be changed into a place of weeping. The slain bodies will be everywhere. This is a terrifying prophecy.
Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail [Amos 8:4].
Again God is speaking of the exploitation of the poor. Although I have commented on this before, I feel it is important for us to realize how God feels about the poor of this world. I have experienced being poor. My dad was a workman. I remember him wearing his overalls and drawing his paycheck on Saturday. After he would pay the grocery bill and the doctor bill and the rent, he always gave my sister and me a nickel each, but I remember one Saturday night when he had only one nickel left. He told me to go to the store and buy a sack of candy. I got gumdrops, because I could get a big sack of them for a nickel in those days, and my sister and I divided the gumdrops.
My dad died when I was fourteen, and it was up to me to support my mother and sister. At fourteen I had to secure a special permit to get a job. Then, after I was converted and felt called to the ministry, some folk took an interest in me and helped me get through school. Believe me, I am for the poverty program—but not the one we have had in our society that puts money in the pockets of those who already have it. I want to see a poverty program that will really help the poor get on their feet and enable them to work.
In the days of Amos, God accuses them of even making “the poor of the land to fail.” That is, the poor were brought down to such a low poverty level that they never could escape from it. The poor always suffer more acutely in a godless nation—I don’t think that statement can be successfully contradicted.
Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? [Amos 8:5].
If you had been among the people in that day—especially down in Jerusalem at the temple—you would have wondered what the Lord was talking about. You would have seen them going through the rituals which God had prescribed. But, you see, God knew what was in their hearts. “The new moon” and “the sabbath” were holy days on which business was not transacted. God is saying that even when the rich went to the temple to praise God, they were so greedy and covetous that they were thinking about business the next day and how they could make more money by cheating their customers. They not only practiced their sin during the week, but they carried it into the temple. What a picture this gives us of Israel in that day—and of modern man as well.
That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? [Amos 8:6].
“That we may buy the poor for silver.” The poor even had to sell themselves into slavery. That was permitted in that land under the Mosaic system. They would buy the needy for a pair of shoes—that’s how cheap they were! And they would sell the poor the refuse of the wheat. That means they got the “seconds,” the leftovers which an honest dealer throws away.
I have never felt right about giving old clothes to help the poor in the church. I have never felt they should be given the leftovers of anything. When I was just starting my ministry, a dairyman in Georgia told me he generally had a quart of skim milk left over and he would leave it for me since I preached in a little church there. I didn’t accept the milk even though I could have used it. I felt it would not be fair to the man to give him the feeling he was doing a great service to the Lord by giving his leftovers. Remember how David said, “… neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing …” (2 Sam. 24:24).
It is no accident that the Lord Jesus, when He was here on earth, sat and watched how the people gave in the temple. Was that His business? Yes. And He is interested in how much we give to Him and how much we keep for ourselves.
I guess you can tell that I can identify with Amos. Maybe the reason I love this man Amos so much is that he talks my language. He was a poor man himself, and he says the thing that I understand.
You see, Amos is explaining why Israel was like a basket of summer fruit. The goodness of Israel was just as perishable and just as soon deteriorated as summer fruit. One evidence of this was the way they treated the poor.
The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works [Amos 8:7].
“The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob.” The excellency of Jacob is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has sworn by the Messiah who is coming. No oath could be taken that is higher than that.
Now notice what it is that He has sworn: “Surely I will never forget any of their works.” As we have seen previously in this book, God does not forget the works of any of us—believer or unbeliever. Those of us who are believers will one day “… appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). In the days of Amos, they had heaped up sins unto the day of God’s wrath, and He remembered every one of them.
Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt [Amos 8:8].
Some commentators think this refers to an earthquake. That is possible, and I certainly wouldn’t want to rule that out. However, I think it is the fact that God is coming down hard upon them in judgment that makes the land tremble. Even today one cannot go through places like Samaria and the rugged hill country around Gilgal and Beth-el without being impressed by the frightful state of the land. It once was a very fruitful area with a great deal of vegetation, including a great many trees, but today the land has been pretty much denuded. It shows the evidence of judgment upon it. God came down heavily upon the land. We will see in the next chapter that the promise for the future includes a promise for the land.
When we study prophecy, we need to remember that, whether God promised judgment or blessing, the land was involved as well as the people. That is one reason why I cannot accept the idea that the prophecies of the Scripture are being fulfilled in the present return of Jews to that land. Although they have returned physically to the land, they have not returned spiritually to the Lord. It is obvious today that God’s blessing is not upon that land. It hasn’t changed. It is true that a great deal of hard work has gone into it, areas have been recovered from swamps, and irrigation has reached the desert in many places (which has made it blossom like a rose), but those places are few and far between even in that small land. Therefore, it cannot be said that these great prophecies are being fulfilled. Israel’s last return to the land has not yet taken place. Let’s remember that there are more Jews in New York City than there are in the entire nation of Israel—that ought to tell us something.
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day [Amos 8:9].
Now here is Amos speaking of “that day,” which we have already seen is a technical expression that refers to the Day of the Lord. And generally it refers to the Great Tribulation because that comes first—the day begins at night as far as Israel was concerned.
Amos gives a mingling of prophecy of the near future and the far distant future. The Day of the Lord has not yet arrived. The sun has not gone down at noon, nor has the earth been darkened in the clear day. When Amos wrote this, this was still in the far distant future.
Now he turns to the more immediate future for Israel—
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day [Amos 8:10].
“And I will turn your feasts into mourning.” God gave to the nation Israel seven feasts. The males of Israel were required to come before Him for three of those great feasts. They were to come with rejoicing. It was to be a time of praise and thanksgiving and glorifying God. Now God says that, since they have been celebrating the feasts but not giving praise to Him, He will turn their feasts into mourning. They will become the very opposite of what He intended them to be. “And all your songs into lamentation.” When God’s judgment falls upon them, there will be no more singing—no more joy—only lamentation.
Although I am certainly no music critic, I have been interested to observe the trend of modern music. When I was a young fellow, the popular music was the blues. That was followed by jazz and then rock and roll. Today it is hard rock. Do you detect any joy in that music? Oh, the songs have a beat to them so that you hop up and down like a yo-yo, but it is almost a mindless kind of motion which requires no thinking. That kind of music stimulates the flesh but certainly gives no real joy. This is the type of music that the world produces. It is mournful and it is tragic. When I had the privilege of being in Vienna, I attended an opera there. It was the first opera I had ever heard, and I have to confess that I enjoyed it. However, it was a tragedy. The boy didn’t get the girl. It was a tragic story, and the songs were lamentations and wailings. Now that is the type of music which the world produces. I am struck with the fact that God has said, “I will turn … all your songs into lamentation.”
“And I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.” Sackcloth on all loins and baldness on every head are indications of deepest mourning. This was literally fulfilled in the judgment that was to come unto them presently.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord [Amos 8:11].
Here is a most unusual famine. God had given them His Word, and they had rejected it. They had despised it and turned aside from it. Now God tells them that the day is coming when they will no longer have the privilege of hearing His Word.
God tells any church or any nation that, if they will not hear His Word after He has given it to them, He will withdraw it from them. I think we can see this happening in America. There has been a rejection of the Word of God. The churches have turned to liberalism, and the Word of God is no longer preached. There has come a famine of the Word of God. So many of the formerly great churches of this country, the great downtown churches, have turned from the Word of God. As a consequence, many of them have had to close shop. Others are just barely operating, and many of them are operating in the red. Even those which have stayed open have lost their influence and have lost their drawing power.
Actually, very little of the Word of God is getting out in this land today. There is a Gideon Bible in every room in every hotel and motel in this country. Nearly everyone owns a Bible. But who is studying it? Who is reading it? Who is believing it? I think we are beginning to see the famine of the Word of God in this country.
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it [Amos 8:12].
The distraught people will wander from sea to sea seeking the Word of God but will not find it. God in His great love for His chosen people had sent His Word by prophet after prophet, but they had rejected His Word, persecuted and even slain His prophets. Now one of God’s judgments will be His silence.
We see something of this same situation in our own land. I receive numerous letters from folk all over the country who tell me that they have no Bible teaching in their town or community and haven’t had any for many years. The famine has already set in for this land of ours. My friend, the most important thing in the world that we can do is to give out God’s Word by every means at our disposal.
In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst [Amos 8:13].
Even the young people, the most hopeful and vigorous members of society, will faint for thirst after the Word of God.
They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again [Amos 8:14].
It was their custom to swear in the name of their gods. “The sin of Samaria” refers to the golden calf which was located at Beth-el. The second golden calf was located at Dan, and there was an idolatrous sanctuary at Beer-sheba, as we have seen. God’s judgment upon them from such idolatry concludes this chapter: “they shall fall, and never rise up again.” This indicates the dissolution and permanent downfall of the northern kingdom. The ten tribes are going into captivity, and they will never return as the northern kingdom of Israel. When they come back to their land, they will come as part of the twelve tribes.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Vision of worldwide dispersion, regathering and restoration
This chapter concludes the message of judgment which Amos has been delivering to Israel. Then Amos looks into the far future and gives the glorious prospect of the restored kingdom of Israel.
I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered [Amos 9:1].
This describes the coming of the Assyrians. We need to understand that “the altar” is not the altar of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem but is probably the altar of the temple to Baal in Samaria. I have seen the ruins of this temple in Samaria.
“Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them.” At the time of the siege, the people would seek refuge in the temples, but the temples would be brought down so suddenly that many of the people would be trapped when the pillars crumbled.
“He that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.” Those who would escape alive from the city would be carried into captivity.
Now notice this frightful statement—
Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down [Amos 9:2].
“Though they dig into hell.” The word translated “hell” is the Hebrew word sheol, meaning “the grave or the place of the dead.”
There are two things which cause the terror of the wicked. In our day, folk have been so brainwashed by our society that many of them try to blot it out of their minds; but if they give any thought to it at all, the two things which bring terror to the heart of the wicked person are the omnipresence and the immutability of God. God is omnipresent; that is, He is everywhere. Even death cannot separate you from Him. And the immutability of God means that God never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. These two truths are a great comfort to God’s children, but they are frightening to the wicked.
To the child of God the omnipresence of God assures him that God will never leave him. The Lord Jesus said, “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). How wonderful that is! Also He said, “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). When He receives you, He receives you for eternity. No one can take you out of His hand; and, if you are in His hand, you are very close to Him, you see. The Lord Jesus also likened our relationship to Him to that of a vine and its branches. What can be closer to a vine than its branch? The omnipresence of God is a great comfort to the believer.
However, for the unbeliever, the omnipresence of God is a terror. Many people commit suicide because they want to get away from it all. A prominent man here in Southern California left a suicide note which read, “I want to end it all and get rid of this life.” Well, he got rid of his problems and a great many things which were annoying him here—he was in deep trouble—but he didn’t get rid of God. Death didn’t separate him from God. David understood this when he wrote, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:7–8). And the poet Francis Thompson was not being irreverent when he characterized God as “the hound of heaven” because, regardless of who you are, God is right on your track. You cannot get rid of Him.
Then there is the immutability of God. God didn’t learn anything new by reading the morning newspaper. The president or the Senate or the college professors or the scientists cannot teach God anything that is new to Him. He doesn’t change His mind. He never changes. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8). That is wonderful for the child of God to know. The same One who walked by the Sea of Galilee, who was so gracious and merciful to people, is still the same One who walks with the believer today.
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them [Amos 9:3].
“And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence.” The city of Haifa is located on Carmel today. Mount Carmel is wooded and rises to a height of about eighteen hundred feet. I have been there several times and have noted the caves which are along the sides of that mountain. It is said that there are over a thousand caves there, especially on the side toward the sea. But even there God said He would search them out. And although they should try to hide in the bottom of the sea, they would find God there. They could not escape Him.
And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good [Amos 9:4].
“And though they go into captivity before their enemies”—that is, going voluntarily in order to spare their lives, they still will not escape God’s judgment.
My friend, the wicked do well to fear God and to fear the future. There is no escape for them. The man who commits suicide, thinking that he will get rid of his troubles, will move into real trouble when he faces God. It is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire—and that almost literally.
And the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt [Amos 9:5].
You cannot go through that land today without being conscious of the fact that it certainly is no longer a land of milk and honey. Even with all the irrigation and cultivation, it is far from that. Judgment has come upon it.
When I was in a hotel there, I met a lovely Jewish couple in the elevator. We began to talk about the land. They had come out to buy an apartment. They thought they might retire permanently to Israel or at least spend part of the year there. He told me very candidly, “Although we bought the apartment because we want to help our people in this land, we really don’t ever expect to use it. I don’t think this is the land that the Bible says it is.” Obviously, he had not read the prophecy of Amos and did not realize that God’s judgment had come upon the land.
It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name [Amos 9:6].
In this beautiful way Amos is reminding his people of the omnipotence of God. Not only is He omnipresent, but He is also omnipotent. It is He who does all of this. Out yonder in the heavens, the sun, the moon, the planets, the tremendous galaxies, the quasars, the whole universe obeys God. He has made certain laws by which they are to move, and they obey those laws. But little man—little man is in rebellion against the omnipotent God. In effect, Amos is asking Israel, “Do you think we can escape such a God?”
Now here is one of the strangest statements in the Bible, and it is quite wonderful—
Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the Lord. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? [Amos 9:7].
When God wanted them to know how much He loved them, He said, “I love you as I love the Ethiopians!” At the time that the Italians under Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1935, I made a study of the biblical prophecies concerning Ethiopia. It was amazing to me to discover the place which Ethiopia has in the program of God for the future. It is a nation which may seem very unimportant to us, but it is very important to God.
Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord [Amos 9:8].
“The sinful kingdom” is Israel, of course. “I will destroy it from off the face of the earth” means that He will destroy it as a separate kingdom. When God returns the people of Israel to their land, they will not be a divided kingdom but will be one nation under the sovereignty of the One sitting on the throne of David.
For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth [Amos 9:9].
“I will sift the house of Israel among all nations.” If you want to know where the so-called “lost tribes of Israel” are, look in your phone book for the Cohens, the Goldbergs, etc. They are scattered throughout the world, but they are not “lost” as far as God is concerned. “Yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.” God will not lose one of them.
All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us [Amos 9:10].
How about the sinners? They are going to die. He will judge the individuals who won’t turn to Him. We have the same analogy in the contemporary church. Not all church members are saved. Believe me, if you have been a pastor as long as I have, you would know that not all church members are genuine believers—but they are church members. And the apostle Paul says, “… For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6). There are two kinds of Israelites, the natural and the spiritual Israel. Although “not the least grain” will fall to the ground, all sinners of the nation will perish, especially the defiant ones whom Amos has been addressing.
This brings us to the final vision of Amos, that of the worldwide regathering and restoration of the kingdom of the Lord. Amos saw beyond the terrible days of judgment and scattering of His people, even beyond the Great Tribulation (which is still future in our day).
In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old [Amos 9:11].
The phrase “in that day” refers to the last days of Israel. “In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen.” To follow through on this, listen to James in Acts 15 where he quotes this prophecy of Amos: “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:13–18).
Today God is calling out a people for His name among the Gentiles. After this He will raise up the tabernacle of David. In other words, he is speaking of the kingdom age, the Millennium, the greatest day which is yet in the future.
That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this [Amos 9:12].
There will be many nations which will enter the Millennium.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt [Amos 9:13].
This is the proof of what I have mentioned previously, that when the people of Israel are being blessed, the land of Israel is being blessed. The people and the land belong together. God makes it clear that when He returns the people of Israel to their land, it will again be the land of milk and honey. The land is not that now; so I take it that the present return is not the one which is predicted. Although Jews are returning to their land, they are not returning to their God.
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them [Amos 9:14].
God is going to restore Israel to the land. Never again will it be the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. It will all be Israel, an undivided kingdom, as it was in the beginning of its history. It will be all twelve tribes. They are scattered over the whole world today. They are sifted among all nations. Any idea that “the ten lost tribes” are the people of Great Britain and of the United States is unscriptural. The prophecy clearly states that they will be sifted among all nations. Just look around you. Has God done that, or hasn’t He done it? But it will not be that way forever. God will return them to the land. “I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them.”
And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God [Amos 9:15].
When God puts them in the land, they will be there permanently.
These are the things God has said He will do for His people: (1) He is going to restore the Davidic dynasty. Who do you think will be the king? It will be a son of David by the name of Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the house and lineage of David. He will be the ruler. (2) Israel will take her place among the nations of the world. She will no longer go to the United Nations with her hat in her hand (nor will she be shutting out Arabs). She will be a nation that is going to be blessed of God and will occupy a place among the nations of the world. (3) In addition to this, there will be a conversion of the nations of the world! This will occur after the church leaves this earth. The greatest conversion to Christ is still in the future. What a day that will be! When God returns Israel to her land, (4) they will build the waste cities and inhabit them. (5) They will eat the fruit of their gardens and drink the wine of their vineyards. The curse on the land will be lifted, and it will produce bountifully. (6) And the people of Israel “shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Cohen, Gary G. and Vandervey, H. Ronald. Hosea and Amos. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Israel. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Obadiah
INTRODUCTION
The name Obadiah means “servant of Jehovah.” He is one of four prophets about whom we know absolutely nothing except that he wrote prophecy. The other three prophets are Habakkuk, Haggai, and Malachi. These four prophets are cloaked in anonymity. Obadiah is like a ghost writer in that he is there, but we do not know him. He lived up to his name, for he was a servant of Jehovah. A servant boasts of no genealogy neither exploits nor experiences. He doesn’t push himself forward. He has to demonstrate by what he does that he can even claim the place of a servant. So Obadiah is just a prophet who wrote one of the great prophecies of the Scripture. Dr. Pusey said, “God has willed that his name alone and this brief prophecy should be known to the world.” Obadiah is a little book, but it is an example of an atomic bomb in the Bible. It is a small thing, but it has a potent message.
The chief difficulty with the prophecy of Obadiah is where to fit it into the history of the nation Israel. There are some who give the date of 887 b.c., which fixes the time during the reign of Jehoram and the bloody Athaliah (see 2 Kings 8:16–26). Dr. Pusey placed it during the reign of Jehoshaphat (see 2 Chron. 17:7). Although the name Obadiah does occur in this passage, it was a common name in that day and probably was not the same Obadiah who wrote this prophecy. Canon Farrar gave the date as 587 b.c., and Dr. Moorehead concurred in this, suggesting that Obadiah was probably a contemporary of Jeremiah’s. The whole question seems to hinge on verse 11: “In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.” Either this was written as prophecy before it happened or it is an historical record of what did happen. The natural interpretation, of course, is to accept it as history rather than prophecy, which places the date of Obadiah’s prophecy around 587 b.c., after the Babylonian captivity and during the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah.
The little kingdom of Edom is the subject of this brief prophecy. Verse 6 is the key verse: “How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!”
OUTLINE
I. Edom—Destruction, vv. 1–16
A. Charge against Edom, vv. 1–9
B. Crime of Edom, vv. 10–14
C. Catastrophe to Edom, vv. 15–16 (Poetic justice [lex talionis]—law of retaliation)
II. Israel—Restoration, vv. 17–21
A. Condition of Israel, v. 17
B. Configuration of the House of Esau, v. 18
C. Consummation of All Things, vv. 19–21 (“And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s”)
OBADIAH
Theme: Edom—destruction; and Israel—restoration
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament—only twenty-one verses. There are many folk who feel that this book is not worth reading and that if it were omitted from the Bible, it would not be missed. However, the brevity of the message does not render it less important or less significant. Like the other Minor Prophets, the message is primary, it is pertinent, it is practical, and it is poignant. It is a message that can be geared into this day in which we are living.
None of these so-called Minor Prophets are extinct volcanoes; rather, they are distinct action. There is no cold ash in any of them; they are spewing hot lava. Obadiah’s prophecy is of devastating judgment against the little kingdom of Edom.
CHARGE AGAINST EDOM
The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle [Obad. 1].
Obadiah tells us immediately, bluntly, and to the point that this is a vision given to him by God Himself.
Who is Obadiah? As I mentioned in the Introduction, he is one of the Minor Prophets about whom we know absolutely nothing. His name was a very common one in Israel, and it means “servant of Jehovah.”
“Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom.” Edom is the key to this little book, and so we shall have to go back to Genesis to determine the identity of Edom. In Genesis, where we have the record of the generations of Esau, notice this comment: “Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom” (Gen. 36:1). Also this: “Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir” (Gen. 36:8–9).
That is the record that is given to us here, and it is repeated three times. Although I am sure Moses did not know, the Spirit of God knew that this would need to be emphasized—Esau is Edom and Edom is Esau. The Edomites were those who were descended from Esau, just as the Israelites are those who are descended from Jacob.
The story of Esau is that of twin brothers, sons of Isaac and Rebekah. The boys were not identical twins; actually, they were opposites. The record given back in Genesis 25 begins as Rebekah is about to give birth to these twins: “And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:22–23). From the very beginning these two brothers were struggling against each other. Esau was an outdoor fellow who loved to hunt. Jacob would rather stay in the house and learn to cook. He was tied to his mama’s apron strings. However, Jacob had a spiritual discernment that Esau did not have. Esau was a man of the flesh and did not care for spiritual things. In fact, he so discounted his birthright that he traded it to Jacob for a bowl of soup! “And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright” (Gen. 25:30–34).
He didn’t sell his birthright because he was so hungry that he was about to perish, nor because there wasn’t anything else to eat in the home of Isaac, but because his was a desire of the flesh and he was willing to trade all of his spiritual heritage for a whim of the moment. The man who had the birthright was in contact with God, and he was the priest of his family. He was the man who had a covenant from God. He was the man who had a relationship with God. In effect Esau said, “I would rather have a bowl of soup than have a relationship with God.”
This is an illustration of a great truth for believers today. It is a picture of Christians. A believer has two natures within him, and they are struggling with each other and against each other. In Galatians 5:17 Paul says, “For the flesh lusteth [wars] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” These are the two natures of the believer, the new nature and the old nature. They are opposed to each other. Esau pictures the flesh, the old nature, and Jacob pictures the spirit, the new nature.
The name Edom means “red or sunburned.” A sunburn occurs when the skin is able to absorb all the rays of light except the rays that make it red. The sunburned man in Scripture is the man who could not absorb the light of heaven, and it burned him. My friend, the light of heaven will either save you or burn you. You will either absorb it, or you will be burned by it. This is always true. Esau represents the flesh. He became Edom. Jacob, who became Israel, a prince with God, represents the spirit.
Having seen Esau in the first book of the Old Testament, look now at the last book of the Old Testament and read this strange language: “I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau …” (Mal. 1:2–3). This is a strange thing for God to say—“I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau.” It immediately presents a problem.
A student once approached Dr. Griffith Thomas with this question, “Dr. Thomas, I am having a problem with this statement in Malachi. I cannot understand why God says He hated Esau.” Dr. Thomas replied, “Young man, I am having a problem with that verse also, but my problem is different from yours. I can understand why He hated Esau, but I cannot understand why He loved Jacob.”
Well, the thing that lends importance to the little Book of Obadiah is that it is the only place in the Word of God where we find the explanation of why God hated Esau.
Ginsburg, the great Hebrew scholar, translated Obadiah 6 like this: “How are the things of Esau stripped bare!” In other words, they are laid out in the open for you to look at for the first time. Obadiah puts the microscope down on Esau, and when you look through the eyepiece you see Edom. Not only did Obadiah focus the microscope on him, but Obadiah is God’s microscope! Come here and look through the microscope. Look! One Esau—oh, he is magnified!—one Esau is now 250,000 little Esaus, and that is Edom. The photographer takes a miniature and makes a great enlarged picture. He says, “I blew up the picture.” Obadiah is the “blown up” picture of Esau. You inflate a tire tube to find a tiny leak in it. You could not find that leak until you inflated it. Just so, Obadiah presents Esau inflated so that you can see where the flaw is in his life, and you can see why God said He hated him. What at the beginning was a little pimple under the skin is now a raging and angry cancer. What was small in Esau is now magnified 100,000 times in the nation. God did not say at the beginning that He hated Esau; He had to wait until he became a nation and revealed the thing that caused God to hate him.
God never said that He hated Esau or loved Jacob until He came to the last book in the Old Testament. Both men have become nations, Edom and Israel. Israel has been mightily used of God through the centuries. Israel produced men like Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Ezra, and on down the line. But the nation that came from Esau became a godless nation. Edom turned its back upon God, but what was it that caused God to hate Esau and to hate the nation?
Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised [Obad. 2].
This great people—they were a great people, as we are going to see in this book—are now going to be brought down. Obadiah gives this as a prophecy which looks to the future, but from where we stand today, we see that it has been fulfilled.
What was the great sin of Edom which brought about God’s judgment upon her?
The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? [Obad. 3].
“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.” What was it for which God hated Edom? It was pride. I am confident that, the minute I say this, the wind is taken out of the sails of many of my readers. They are going to say, “Is that all? Pride is bad, but it’s not that bad, is it?”
Let me illustrate to you how we today have things all out of proportion concerning sin. Suppose that I knew of a certain Christian who was drinking very heavily and that I came to ask your advice as to what his church should do with him. I am sure that you would say that he ought to be put out of the membership of the church, and I would agree with you. Now suppose that I told you of an officer in a church who was caught by the police the other night in a supermarket as he was breaking into the safe. I’m sure that you would say he ought to be put out of the church and that he ought to be disciplined. I’d agree with you on that. Suppose, though, that I told you that I knew of a certain church member who was filled with pride, who was one of the proudest persons I had ever met. I dare say that you would not suggest that he be put out of the church. Many who have a very tender heart would say, “I think the pastor should talk to him and tell him that it’s wrong to have pride. But it’s not such a bad sin after all. At least, it’s one that doesn’t show. It’s not like getting drunk; it’s not like stealing; it’s not like lying.” Would I surprise you if I told you that, in the sight of God, pride is a much worse sin than getting drunk? Now the Bible does have a great deal to say about the sin of drunkenness. God condemns drunkenness. It contributed to the downfall of Israel, Babylon, the kingdom of Alexander the Great, and Rome. It has brought down all the great nations, and it will bring down our nation. But, may I say to you, in God’s sight, pride is worse than drunkenness. This is something which gets right down to where we live today. This is right where the bat hits the ball. This is where the plane of your life and my life touches down on the runway of the life of God. We are given here a proper perspective concerning pride. Pride is the sin of sins. It is one of the worst sins of all. It is something that Scripture condemns above everything. God has said that He hates pride, and if that is the thing that Edom is eaten up with, God can say, “Esau have I hated because of his pride.”
Notice what the writer of the Proverbs says: “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him.” And then he gives us the list: (1) “A proud look”; (2) “a lying tongue”; (3) “hands that shed innocent blood”; (4) “an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations”; (5) “feet that be swift in running to mischief”; (6) “a false witness that speaketh lies”; and (7) “and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16–19). Do you see what is number one on God’s hate parade? A proud look. When a man or woman walks into church and looks at some poor saint who is known to have committed a sin, and that man lifts his head and puts his nose in the air, or the woman draws her skirts about her, that in the sight of God is worse than getting drunk. This is not to condone drunkenness; it is saying that drunkenness is bad, but pride is much worse.
This is not all that God has to say about pride. God says that He resists the proud, but He is always on the side of the humble. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov. 8:13). John tells us, “hellip; the pride of life, is not of the Father …” (1 John 2:16). Where does the pride of life come from? If there is anything that comes from the Devil, that is it.
A great many saints today have pride of race, pride of face, and pride of grace—they are even proud they have been saved by grace! My friend, your salvation ought not to make you proud; it is not even something to brag about. It is something about which to glorify God, and it is something that should humble you. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself that you have to be saved by grace because you are such a miserable sinner? I wish I had something to offer God for salvation, but I have nothing. Therefore, I must be saved by grace, and I cannot even boast of that. There are too many folk boasting of the fact that they have been sinners. God gives grace to the humble. Paul writes, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). What kind of mind did He have? Lowliness of mind. He said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart …” (Matt. 11:29). Pride is that which is destroying the testimony of many Christians and has made them very ineffective for God. They go in for show, but the thing they are building is a big haystack. They are not building on the foundation of Christ with gold and silver and precious stones. Pride has a great many saints down for the count of ten; it has pinned the shoulders of many to the mat today.
Pride, after all, was the sin of Satan. He said, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God … I will be like the most High” (see Isa. 14:13–14). Pride was also actually the root of Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity. He strutted like a peacock in the palace of his kingdom of Babylon. “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:30). And what happened to Nebuchadnezzar? “While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field …” (Dan. 4:31–32). That was no accident, my friend. The psychologists today would call Nebuchadnezzar’s condition hysteria which leads to a form of amnesia. This man did not know who he was, and he went out and acted like an animal of the field. Why? Because, when a man is lifted up with pride, he’s not lifted up but has come down to the level of beasts. God debased Nebuchadnezzar and brought him down to the level of the beasts of the field.
What is pride? Let me give you a definition of it: Pride of heart is the attitude of a life that declares its ability to live without God. We find here in the Book of Obadiah that pride of heart had lifted up this nation of Edom just like Esau who had despised his birthright. Even in the home of Isaac, where there was plenty to eat, he liked that bowl of soup, and he liked it more than he liked his birthright. He didn’t care for God at all. In despising that birthright, he despised God. And now Esau had become a great nation that had declared its ability to live without God.
“Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?” He lived in a very unique place. He lived in the rocky mountain fastness of the rock-hewn city of Petra. It is still in existence today and can be viewed. Many who see it are overwhelmed by the size of the city. It is a ready-made city hewn out of the rock. It is protected by the entrance way which is very narrow in places. A horse and rider can get through but with just a bit of twisting and turning. It was, therefore, a city which could easily be defended. Everything was secure. It was like the First National Bank in that many of the nations of the world deposited vast sums of gold and silver there because they felt that the city could never be taken.
They dwelt “in the clefts of the rock.” They were living in great buildings which were hewn out of solid rock inside this great canyon and up and down the sides of it. They were perfectly secure—at least they thought they were. The Edomites had signed a declaration of independence. They had a false sense of security and had severed all relationship with God. They had seceded from the government of God. They had revolted and rebelled against Him.
Now what is God going to do in a case like this?
Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord [Obad. 4].
“Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle.” The eagle is used in Scripture as a symbol of deity. The Edomites were going to overthrow God, as Satan had attempted to do, and they were going to become deity. They were going to handle the business that God was supposed to handle. “And though thou set thy nest among the stars”—this was the sin of Satan, for he sought to exalt his throne above the stars. God says, “Thence will I bring thee down.”
How many people today are attempting to run their lives as if they were God? They feel that they don’t need God, and they live without Him. The interesting thing is that when God made us He did not put a steering wheel on any of us. Why? Because He wants to guide our lives. He wants us to come to Him for salvation first, and then He wants to take charge of our lives. When you and I run our lives, we are in the place of God. We are in the driver’s seat. We are the ones who are the captains of our own little ships or our own little planes, and we are going through the water or the air just to suit ourselves. That is pride, and anyone who reaches that position, if he continues in it, is committing a sin which is fatal because it means he will go into a lost eternity.
Will you come now and look down into the microscope again? Edom is the incarnation of Esau. There stands Esau. What do you see? You see a human animal; you see animalism in the raw. Oh, the terrifying ugliness of it all! At this point you may say to me, “I thought we descended from animals, but here you are saying that men act like animals.” That is exactly what I am saying, my friend. We didn’t descend up, we descended down. There has been no ascension, there has been a descension.
The teaching of evolution as a fact of science is the greatest delusion of the twentieth century. When we do come out of the fog, the unbeliever will move to another explanation for the origin of things. Actually, evolution does not give the origin of things at all. It has been accepted by the average man as gospel truth because he has been brainwashed through radio, television, our schools, and our publications to believe that evolution is a proven fact—and it absolutely is not. The strong and intelligent objections that have been given by reliable scientists are entirely ignored today. I am not going to discuss the pros and cons of evolution—that is not my point—but it is something that I became interested in even before I was sixteen years of age. I had a great desire to read and study, and I appealed to the wrong man, a minister who was a liberal, and he urged me to read Darwin. I read The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, and other miscellaneous papers. I studied it, of course, later in college and again in a denominational seminary. At the seminary they taught theistic evolution, which is probably the most absurd of all interpretations of the origin of things. I want to say to you that I totally reject the godless propaganda of evolution—this idea that it is from mud to man, from protoplasm to personality, from amoeba to animation! I would like to dismiss the argument with a quotation from Dr. Edwin Conklin, the biologist, who said: “The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop.” That is good enough for me.
The chief difficulty with the theory of evolution is its end results. Evolution leads to an awful, fatal pessimism. It leads man to believe that he has arrived, that he is something, that he is actually up at the top; and that belief has led to a fatal pessimism today. That pessimism is seen in our colleges and in the alarming rate of suicide among young people. I attribute it to the teaching of evolution. It was Dr. Albert Einstein who made this statement: “The man who regards his own life and that of his fellow creatures as meaningless is not merely unfortunate but almost disqualified for life.” That is a good statement.
If you want to see how this teaching has affected men, listen to the poetry of the late Wystan Hugh Auden:
Were all the stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.
How pessimistic! And then he added this:
Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell.
May I say to you, that is pessimism, and that is the thinking to which evolution has led.
But wait just a minute! The startling and amazing thing is that the little Book of Obadiah is God’s trenchant answer to evolution, and this is the reason He said what He did about Edom.
On Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles there are what are known as the La Brea Tar Pits, where they have also now built a great museum. The tar pits and this museum are a tourist attraction in Southern California. When I first came to California as a tourist, I went there when it was just a small museum. The museum showed, according to the scientists, how man lived one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand years ago in California. They showed that he lived like an animal and that he looked like an animal, according to the picture that they displayed. By the way, they didn’t have a photograph of him. The fellow must have turned around before they could get the picture! Of course, they didn’t have a photograph but composed an imaginary picture of him.
God has something to say to us, my friend. Will you hear me carefully? Why go back one hundred thousand years? Right this moment, if you were to ride down that same Wilshire Boulevard, you would see men and women who are living like animals. They don’t look like animals—some of them are called “the beautiful people”—but they are living like animals. The fact is that they have come down from the high plane where God had created them to the plane where they do not depend on God. Not only do they live like animals, they live lower than animals. No animal gets drunk or beats his wife or shoots his children or murders or practices homosexuality. Only mankind does that. Man lives in our day lower than animals, and they were living like that yonder in Edom in Obadiah’s day.
You may have heard the story of the pig in Kentucky that got out of its pen, wandered out in the woods, and found a still. Mash had leaked out of this still, and the pig began to eat it and also to drink the liquid leaking out with it. The pig got drunk, and I mean drunk. He couldn’t walk, and he sprawled right down in the mud. He stayed there for twenty-four hours until he sobered up. Then as he started off grunting, he was heard to say, “I’ll never play the man again.”
Or, as someone else has expressed it:
How well do I remember,
’Twas in the bleak December
As I was strolling down the street in manly pride,
When my heart began to flutter
And I fell into a gutter,
And a pig came up and lay down by my side.
As I lay there in the gutter,
My heart still all a-flutter,
A man passing by did chance to say,
“You can tell a man that boozes
By the company he chooses,”
And the pig got up and slowly walked away.
—Unknown
No, my friend, man has not evolved from the animal world. Tremendous though his achievements are, man can sink lower than an animal when he determines that he is going to live without God.
Remember that God said to the Edomites: “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down.”
Obadiah continues to set forth the complete destruction of Edom—
If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? [Obad. 5].
Obadiah is saying that if a thief came to rob them, he would take only what he wanted—he wouldn’t take everything. That would also be true of a grape gatherer—he would leave some grapes. But God said to Edom, “When I judge you, the destruction will be complete.”
How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! [Obad. 6].
This is the key verse to the Book of Obadiah. “How are the things of Esau searched out!” Let me repeat that Ginsburg, the Hebrew scholar, translates this, “How are the things of Esau stripped bare!” Or, as we have put it, God has put Esau under a microscope, and God says, “Come, look. Look through the Word of God, and look at this man. I hate him. Why do I hate him? It is because of his pride of life. He has turned his back on Me and has declared his ability to live without Me.” That is the pride of life, my friend.
“How are his hidden things sought up!” Frankly, when I read the story of Esau back in the Book of Genesis, I don’t quite understand it, but although I missed it in Genesis, I sure don’t miss it here. I can now take the microscope and go back and look at Esau and see why he wanted to trade in his birthright for a bowl of soup. It was for the very simple reason that the birthright meant that he would be the priest in the family and it meant a relationship to God. Frankly, Esau would rather have had a bowl of soup than to have had a relationship with God. When you reach that place, my friend, you have sunk to the level of the pig that got down in the gutter.
All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him [Obad. 7].
Edom was a nation which all the enemies of that day just passed by. They just couldn’t be bothered with him because he was safely holed up in the rock-hewn city of Petra. However, Nebuchadnezzar was able to get spies inside the city, and through them he was able to take the city. Just as God used Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem, the city of Jacob’s sons who had turned from God, He used Nebuchadnezzar also to reach in and take Edom, the nation of Esau’s sons.
Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? [Obad. 8].
Not only was Edom noted for the fact that they were well protected in their rocky mountain fastness, in the beautiful city of Petra, but they also had developed a wisdom and learning and superstition. Petra was a pagan center where there were many “pillar cults.” Expeditions have excavated the great high place on top of the mountains round about Petra where bloody human sacrifices had been offered. Also Edom was famous for its wisdom. Job’s friend Eliphaz was a Temanite (see Job 4:1). People traveled from afar to hear the wisdom of its wise men (see Jer. 49:7). God says that He will destroy the wise men out of Edom and understanding out of the mount of Esau.
And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter [Obad. 9].
“Teman” takes its name from a grandson of Esau and is located in the southern portion of Edom. The Temanites were noted for their courage.
CRIME OF EDOM
In verses 10 through 14, Obadiah is going to give a list or a catalog of the reasons that God is going to destroy Edom. The pride of life, we have said, was their great sin, but it led also to the committing of other sins. Pride is an attitude, but it is an attitude that you cannot conceal very long. It is going to break out like a running cancer because it is such a tremendous driving force in man. Your philosophy of life is going to gradually work its way down into your fingers, your feet, your eyes, and all your senses. You are going to express that philosophy in some way. If you are godless, you are going to lead a godless life. If you are godly, you are going to lead a godly life—that naturally follows. Therefore, Obadiah is now going to spell out the terrible sins that came from Edom’s pride of life.
You must remember at this point that Esau and Jacob were brothers, twin brothers, although not identical twins but opposites. They did grow up in the same family and had the same father and mother. There was a struggle between them from the very beginning. There was a hatred and a bitterness that was never healed. It was never healed even when they became two great nations.
We find, however, that God had something to say to His people about their relationship to Edom. In Psalm 137:7 we read, “Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof” Edom, instead of befriending Israel in the dark hour when the Babylonians destroyed that nation, stood on the sidelines and, in fact, became the cheering section, urging the Babylonians on in their brutalities. But God had said to Israel at the very beginning, when they came into the land, “Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land” (Deut. 23:7). Israel’s tie with the Edomite was greater—he was his brother, a blood brother—and because of that, God said they were not to hate him. However, we will see that Edom manifested a hatred and bitterness toward Israel throughout the entire length of the history of their nation.
There are five specific actions mentioned here which are derived from pride, from their attitude that they could live without God.
The first one is violence—
For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever [Obad. 10].
Two things were to happen to them. (1) “Shame shall cover thee.” Finally, Babylon was able to capture the city of Petra and take the inhabitants into captivity. There was a period in which they were a captive people. (2) “Thou shalt be cut off for ever.” Edom as a nation would be utterly destroyed. It is interesting that in our day we hear a great deal about Israel but nothing whatever about Edom.
Edom was a nation that attempted to live without God, and they were a violent, warlike people. Violence is not God’s method. In my own country we have discovered that very little can be settled by war and violence. It does not finally settle any matter at all.
The second charge against Edom is that they joined the enemies of Israel—
In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them [Obad. 11].
Instead of attempting to befriend and help the people of Israel, to whom they were related by blood, they went over to the side of the brutal enemy which had invaded the land.
But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress [Obad. 12].
They rejoiced over the calamity that had come to Judah. That is always an action of pride. When you hear someone rejoicing over the trouble that another individual is having, you may be sure that you are listening to someone who is very proud. Pride is something that God says He hates.
Now the fourth heartless action of the Edomites is looting—
Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity [Obad. 13].
Not only did they join with the enemy against Israel, but they actually moved in to loot and plunder after the enemy had taken Israel away into captivity.
My friend, pride will lead a man to do some terrible things, and one of them is to steal. Many a man, in order to keep up a front in his business or to keep up with the fellows at the club, will resort to dishonest methods. Also, many a man, in order to win a woman as his wife, will actually resort to dishonest methods. Our contemporary society is honeycombed with dishonesty. What is our problem? Well, the root problem is pride. A proud man, living his life apart from God, will drift into this sort of thing.
The Bible is still the best book on psychology. It will get down to the root of the problem in the human heart. Let’s forget all these little psychological courses on how to improve ourselves and, rather, get back to the Word of God. Perhaps you did not realize that in the little Book of Obadiah you would find the root of the thing that is leading our own nation to self-destruction—pride, the attitude of life that declares its ability to live without God.
Now here is the fifth action that springs from pride—
Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress [Obad. 14].
In my opinion, this is their lowest action—they hit bottom when they did this. In this they revealed their animal philosophy of the survival of the fittest. They betrayed their brothers. You see, when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem, the inhabitants scattered and many of them fled to the rugged country of Edom where they could hide. The Edomites, standing at the crossroads, would betray their hiding places. When the Babylonian soldiers were hot on their trail, the Edomites would say, “Yes, we saw a bunch of Israelites come by here. They went that way. You’ll find them holed up in that canyon.” They betrayed their brothers.
Not long ago a businessman in Los Angeles, California, told me that the business world is “dog-eat-dog.” That is what man has come to by living without God. Man wants to make a name for himself. He wants to make money. He wants to be a success. What is in back of it? Pride. What is pride? It is an attitude of living life without God. It leads men to betray others. It will cause people to betray fellow workers in order to obtain their jobs. Many men will pretend to be friends when, in fact, they are enemies. There are many men in government today who will betray at the drop of a hat. It is sickening when you take a good look at our society today.
Although I hate to say it, there is also pride in the church. I was a pastor for over forty years and served with many wonderful, faithful men upon whom I could depend. But I learned to my sorrow that, when I had a member on the staff who was a proud young man, he would bear watching. A proud young man, trying to get on in the world, is willing to climb the ladder of success by stepping on the fingers of those who are below him. And every now and then I would add a man to my staff who, for personal advancement, would even be willing to put a knife in my back although I had been helpful to him.
The head of the Church of England was speaking to a bishop many years ago when he made this statement which has a double meaning, “Every bishop has a crook on his staff.” Primarily he was referring to the crook on a shepherd’s staff which is used to correct the sheep, but he was also saying that every bishop had a crook in his staff of helpers. There would always be at least one who would try to put a knife in the bishop’s back.
Do you see now why God hates pride? It leads men to act like animals—in fact, the horrible truth is that when a man attempts to live without God, he is lower than animals. Therefore, the Book of Obadiah is God’s devastating answer to the theory of the evolution of the species. What consummate conceit of man, living apart from God, to think that he has evolved from an animal when he is living like an animal. He boasts, “I have evolved from the animal world, and look at me today!” In effect, God says, “Do you really know where you have come from? I created you in My own image, and you fell—you fell so low that you are below the animal world.” Repeatedly God says that He hates pride, and He has never asked me to apologize for Him.
To see the final issue of Edom and Israel, come with me to the time of Christ. I see a man walking by the Sea of Galilee, over the dusty roads of Samaria, and through the narrow streets of Jerusalem. His name is Jesus. He is in the line of Jacob. Also, I see a man on the throne during those years. His name is Herod, and the Scriptures are very careful to identify him—Herod, the Idumaean, the Edomite, in the line of Esau. When a warning came to the Lord Jesus to flee because Herod would kill Him, He said, “Go tell that fox ….” Fox? Yes. “Go, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall have finished” (Luke 13:32, New Scofield Reference Bible). And when the Lord Jesus was finally brought before him for judgment, He wouldn’t even open His mouth before Herod. There they stand, Jesus and Herod, the final issue of Jacob and Esau.
CATASTROPHE TO EDOM
For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head [Obad. 15].
“For the day of the Lord is near.” Let me remind you that the phrase, “day of the Lord,” is a technical expression which covers a period of time beginning with the Great Tribulation Period. You and I are living in the day of grace or the day of Christ. The emphasis in our day is upon the Holy Spirit who takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us. After the removal of true believers (collectively called the church), the Day of the Lord will begin, and it will begin with the darkness and judgment of the Great Tribulation Period. Following that terrible time, the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings, which will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom here.
“For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen”—that is, all the nations. When the Lord Jesus Christ has come to earth to establish His kingdom, there will be a judgment of the nations, described by our Lord Himself in Matthew 25. Now, very frankly, it is not clear whether the ancient nations of the past, which have long since disappeared from view, will be raised for this judgment or if their judgment will be the final judgment at the Great White Throne (see Rev. 20:11–15). I find that the commentators differ on this, but I’ll give you my private viewpoint. When I go out on a limb, you better not go with me because the limb may break off, but it is my opinion that when Obadiah says, “The day of the Lord is near upon all the nations,” he means that Edom will again become a nation during the end times. If you doubt that this is possible, look at the nation Israel. For twenty-five hundred years Israel was not a nation, but in 1948 she again became a nation. When Obadiah says that the Day of the Lord is near upon all nations, I interpret that as meaning all the nations, including the ancient nations which will come back into existence and will be judged.
Some expositors believe that Edom will experience the full wrath of God when the Lord Jesus Himself executes the judgment of God upon Edom and her allies (see Isa. 63:1–6).
You see, a nation is responsible to God. The Word of God makes that clear. For example, in Deuteronomy 21:1–3 we read: “If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him: Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain: And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke.” In other words, when a man was found slain out on the highway, they were to measure to determine which city was closest to that slain man, and that city was responsible for taking over the case and attempting to find out who killed that man. I think that is a great principle that God put down.
Christians talk about their citizenship being in heaven; and it’s true that the Head of the church is in heaven, but the feet of the church are on earth. Christians have a responsibility as citizens of the nation of which they are members to exert an influence for God as much as they can. I don’t mean to say that a Christian should jump into politics, but I do believe that God could use many more genuine, Bible-believing Christians on the political scene. Some folk say that politics has become so dirty that no Christian should get involved in them. Well, I am of the opinion that a real Christian, willing to stand on his two feet and be counted, could be used by God in our governmental processes. Our nation is responsible to God, and we are part of it.
This does not mean that God will judge nations on the basis of whether or not they have accepted or rejected Christ, because never yet has any nation accepted Christ wholeheartedly. It is a mistake to speak of any nation as a Christian nation. While it is true that Christians have had a great influence on nations like England and our own country, they never were truly Christian nations, and certainly both are far from God at the present time.
“As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.” Edom was destroyed just as Obadiah had predicted. First it was captured by Babylon some time after Jerusalem was destroyed. That was accomplished by getting spies inside the capital, Petra, the impregnable fortress-city. Later, the Maccabees further subjugated Edom, and finally, the Romans destroyed Edom when they destroyed Jerusalem in a.d. 70. At that time Edom as a nation disappeared from the world scene and has not been heard of since.
Whether or not Edom will live again as a nation is debatable and makes no real difference to you and me. If Edom is around during the Millennium, I’ll be happy; and if it is not, I’ll still be happy because I know that God is working out His own plan.
For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been [Obad. 16].
In other words, God says to Edom, “As you have done, it is going to be done to you. You will be rewarded in the same way.” This is what we call today poetic justice.Lex talionis is the law of retaliation. The Lord Jesus said, “As you judge, so shall you be judged” (see Matt. 7:1). Or, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (see Gal. 6:7). Edom will suffer in the same ways that she caused others to suffer. I very frankly shudder when I consider that my nation was the first nation to drop an atom bomb and that we have been a warlike nation. I do not think that God lets any nation get by with that. The history of all nations confirms that, as they have dealt it out, in a similar way it has come back to them. This is something which has worked itself out throughout the history of the world.
In verses 17 through 21 we come to the second and last major division of the Book of Obadiah. It is only a few verses, and it concerns the nation Israel. For Edom it was destruction, but for Israel it is to be restoration. The little nation of Israel fits into the program of almighty God. Everything fits into the program of almighty God. For every individual, it does not matter who you are, the interesting thing is that had not God thought of you, you wouldn’t be around. You were in the mind of God. The great question is: Are you going to be in step with Him? Are you going to move into eternity with Him or against Him? His plan and program will be carried out, and you will do well to be on His side.
CONDITION OF ISRAEL
Although God judged Israel, they were not to be destroyed as a nation—
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions [Obad. 17].
“But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance.” Salvation is to be offered upon Mount Zion for the world. That is where it is offered to you and me today. The Lord Jesus came and died on Golgotha for you and me. He is coming back to this earth again. Although we are told that at that time His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, He will be coming into Jerusalem, and He will, I believe, rule from the top of Mount Zion.
“And there shall be holiness.” There is no holiness there today. I have been on Mount Zion half a dozen times, and I have not found any holiness there. They are just as far from God there as they are over in the Arab section of the old city of Jerusalem. There is no holiness there today, but there shall be holiness when the Lord Jesus reigns.
“And the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” I like this expression. They are not possessing their possessions today. They are in the land—that’s true. They have a nation—that’s true. They’ve returned to the land, but they have not returned to God, and as a result they do not possess their possessions. There is a great deal of difference between having a possession and possessing it.
CONFLAGRATION OF THE HOUSE OF ESAU
And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau, for the Lord hath spoken it [Obad. 18].
There will be ultimate, final judgment of Esau. I believe that “the house of Esau” is a kingdom that will not enter into the eternal kingdoms of this earth which will become the kingdoms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What is it that keeps them from being there? Pride of heart—that attitude of a life that declares its ability to live without God. Friend, if it is your decision to live without God, you are going to live without Him not only now but throughout eternity.
CONSUMMATION OF ALL THINGS
And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead [Obad. 19].
The southern section of Judah will expand to possess “the mount of Esau.” Those on the west will include the coastland of the Philistines. “The fields of Ephraim, and … Samaria”—that is, the northern kingdom—will be restored to the nation, and Benjamin will include Gilead, which is on the east bank of the Jordan River.
And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south [Obad. 20].
Zarephath is way up north between Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon. “The cities of the south” refers to Negeb, the southern part, actually, the Sinaitic peninsula. Israel will occupy all the land that God promised to them. He had promised to Abraham a land that contains about three hundred thousand square miles. Even at their zenith, they occupied only about thirty thousand square miles.
And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s [Obad. 21].
“Saviours” should be translated “deliverers.”
“And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” God is moving forward today undeviatingly, unhesitatingly toward the accomplishment of His purpose; that is, of putting His King on Mount Zion. He says that He will turn and turn and overturn the nations until He comes whose right it is to rule (see Ezek. 21:27).
Nothing can deter or detour or defer God in His plan and in His program. No son of Esau, no animal, can stop Him. No proud man walking this earth can cause God to relinquish or retreat one inch. He is moving today to victory. The kingdom is the Lord’s!
There is only One who can lift the heads of men and women walking through life with their heads down like animals (only humans look up as they walk; animals look down). Evolution has not lifted mankind one inch. Look at our world that has been schooled in this godless philosophy. The deadly poison of godless materialism and humanism will bring upon us the judgment of God! God says, “Though you be lifted up, little man, I’ll bring you down.”
But He also says, through the lips of His Son, our Savior: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Which way are you going, my friend? Down the way of pride, pessimism, unbelief and rebellion, down, down, down? You who were made in the likeness of God can be restored. You will have to lay aside your pride and come in helplessness to this Savior. He can lift you.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Judah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975. (Obadiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk.)
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Jonah
INTRODUCTION
Jonah is the book of the Bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. Unfortunately, many Christians thoughtlessly cast aspersions upon this important book in the canon of Scripture without realizing that they are playing into the hands of the critics and innocently becoming the dupes of the skeptics. You hear even Christians say, when they hear a tall story, “My, that’s a Jonah!” What they really mean is that it is something that is hard, or maybe even impossible, to believe.
In warfare the tactic of the enemy is always to feel out the weak spot in the line of the opposition and to center his attack at that vantage point. Judging by this criterion, many critics have evidently come to the conclusion that the Book of Jonah is the vulnerable part of the divine record. This book is the spot where the enemy has leveled his heaviest artillery. As a result, the average Christian today feels that this is the weakest of the sixty-six links in the chain of the Scriptures. If this link gives way, then the chain is broken.
Is the Book of Jonah “the Achilles’ heel” of the Bible? It is, if we are to accept the ridiculous explanations of the critics. The translators of the Septuagint were the first to question the reasonableness of this book. They set the pattern for the avalanche of criticism which has come down to the present day. The ancient method of modernism is to allegorize the book and to classify it with Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver’s Travels. Today liberalism uses the same tactics. They make of it an allegory, saying that actually it never took place at all.
Some of the extravagant theories of the critics are so farfetched and fantastic that they are almost ridiculous. It is much easier to believe the Book of Jonah as given than to believe their explanations of it. I would like to pass on to you some of these outlandish explanations of the Book of Jonah:
1. Some critics, without a scrap of evidence to support their claim, say that Jonah was the son of the widow of Zarephath.
2. There are some who have put forth the theory that Jonah had a dream in the ship while he was asleep during the storm and that the Book of Jonah is the account of his dream.
3. Some relate the Book of Jonah to the Phoenician myth of Hercules and the sea monster. There is no similarity at all and, again, they are reaching for an explanation.
4. Another group holds that, although Jonah was a real character and did take a ship to Tarshish, a storm wrecked the ship. Then after the storm and shipwreck, Jonah was picked up by another ship on which there was a fish for its figurehead, and that gives support for the record in the Book of Jonah. I can well understand that if Jonah had been picked up after the storm, he might have been unconscious for awhile. I can also imagine that he might have felt like he was in a fish at that time. But I’m of the opinion that after recovering, on about the second day, Jonah would have come to the conclusion that he was on a ship and not inside a fish!
5. Still others resort to the wild claim that there was a dead fish floating around and that Jonah took refuge in it during the storm. This group has a dead fish and a live Jonah. Before we are through with this book, I am going to turn it around and say that what we have is a live fish and a dead Jonah.
Therefore, liberalism largely takes the position that the Book of Jonah is nothing in the world but an allegory, that it is merely a fairy story to be put in the same category as Aesop’s Fables. The producers of these speculations claim that the Book of Jonah is unreasonable, and they bring forth these theories to give credence to their story. It would be very interesting indeed to get Jonah’s reaction to their “very reasonable” explanations.
We must dismiss all of these speculations as having no basis in fact, no vestige of proof from a historical standpoint, and as having existence only in the imaginations of the critics. It can be established that Jonah was an historical person, not a character from mythology. It can be ascertained on good authority that the account is accurate. And it can be shown that the message of the book is of utmost significance even for this crucial time in which we live.
Jonah is an historical character and the author of this book. I want to turn to an historical book, 2 Kings, where we read: “In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years” (2 Kings 14:23). As far as I know, no one has ever questioned that Jeroboam II lived, that he was a king in the northern kingdom of Israel, and that he reigned forty-one years. This is an historical record. We read further: “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher” (2 Kings 14:24–5, italics mine). Jeroboam was a real person, Israel was a real nation, Hamath was a real place, and it is quite unlikely that this man Jonah is just a figment of the imagination. This is an historical record, and it is reasonable to conclude that Jonah is an historical character.
It is begging the point to say that this is another Jonah. It is not reasonable to believe that there were two Jonahs whose fathers were named Amittai and who were both prophets. This is especially evident when it is observed that the name of Jonah was not a common name; after all, Jonah is not like our American surname of Jones! The only times that the name occurs in the Bible are in this reference in 2 Kings, in the Book of Jonah itself, and in the New Testament references to that book. There is only one Jonah in the Bible, and he is an historical person.
It is quite interesting in this regard to compare the case of Jonah with another of the prophets, Obadiah. As far as I know, no critic has ever questioned the existence of a man by the name of Obadiah who wrote the Book of Obadiah; yet there is not one historical record in either the Old or New Testament concerning Obadiah. The liberals accept Obadiah, but they reject Jonah. Why? Because they want to deny the miracle that is recorded here.
We have an historical record of Jonah in the Old Testament, and we also have one in the New Testament given by the greatest authority who has ever lived on this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ. He personally gave authenticity to the historical character of Jonah and to his experience in the fish. We read in Luke 11:30, “For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.” Then in Matthew 12:39–41 we read: “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.”
The moment you question the historical record of the Book of Jonah, you question the credibility of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is very strange to hear the liberal say, “Jesus was the greatest teacher that ever lived,” since one of the marks of a great teacher is that what he teaches is accurate and truthful. If Jesus is a great teacher, my friend, then His authentication of the Book of Jonah has to stand.
I want to conclude this section in which I have attempted to meet the objections of the critics by quoting the late Sir Winston Churchill on the subject of the inspiration of the Scriptures:
We reject with scorn all those learned and laboured myths that Moses was but a legendary figure upon whom the priesthood and the people hung their essential social, moral and religious ordinances. We believe that the most scientific view, the most up-to-date and rationalistic conception, will find its fullest satisfaction in taking the Bible story literally, and in identifying one of the greatest human beings with the most decisive leap forward ever discernible in the human story. We remain unmoved by the tomes of Professor Gradgrind and Dr. Dryasdust. We may be sure that all these things happened just as they are set out according to Holy Writ.
Jonah was a prophet, but his little book is not a prophecy—that is, there is no prophecy of the future recorded in it. It is, instead, a personal account of a major event in the life of Jonah; as the narrator, he tells us his experience.
This narrative carries two great messages. We have here in miniature a picture of the nation Israel in the Great Tribulation Period, a picture of how God will preserve His people, the 144,000 who are sealed in the Book of Revelation. We also have here a marvelous teaching concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This book is actually prophetic of the Resurrection. The Lord Jesus Himself said that just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, He also would be a sign to His generation in His resurrection from the dead.
The Book of Jonah is not a fish story, and that is something which really disturbs the gainsaying world which makes a great deal of how impossible it is to believe it. This book is a picture of a man who was raised from the dead, and of a throne in the midst of which “stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” This Lamb is a resurrected Lamb, and a Christ-rejecting world will some day cry out, “… hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:16).
Sometimes the literary excellence of this brief brochure is lost in the din made by the carping critics. It is well to recall the tribute paid by Charles Reade, the English literary critic and author, who wrote, “Jonah is the most beautiful story ever written in so small a compass.” It is well to keep in mind that we have before us a literary gem, not a fish story.
Another salient point that I want to make is that the fish is neither the hero of the story nor the villain of the story. This book is not even about a fish, although the fish does become very important. The chief difficulty is in keeping a correct perspective. The fish is merely window dressing and cake trimming. In every play there are certain props and settings. It does not really matter whether Hamlet is played against a black, red, blue or white backdrop—that is not the important thing. In the story of Jonah, the fish is among the props and does not occupy the star’s dressing room.
In dealing with any book of the Bible, we need to distinguish between what Dr. G. Campbell Morgan calls the essentials and the incidentals. The incidentals in the Book of Jonah are the fish, the gourd, the east wind, the boat, and even the city of Nineveh. The essentials here are Jehovah and Jonah—God and man—that is what the book is all about.
Conservative scholars place the writing of the Book of Jonah before 745 b.c. The incidents took place about that time. Some even place it as early as 860 b.c. In my judgment, it seems best to place it between 800 and 750 b.c. Students of history will recognize this as the period when Nineveh, founded by Nimrod, was in its heyday, when the Assyrian nation was the great world power of the day. That nation was destroyed about 606 b.c. By the time of Herodotus, the Greek historian, the city of Nimrod had ceased to exist. When Xenophon passed the city, it was deserted, but he testified that the walls still stood and were 150 feet high. Historians now estimate they were 100 feet high and 40 feet thick. Nineveh, as we are going to see, was a great city, and we are told as much here in the record.
The brevity of the Book of Jonah is apt to lead the casual reader to the conclusion that there is nothing of particular significance here except the diatribe about the whale that swallowed Jonah. (The Greek word for whale is ketos, meaning “a great sea monster.” Although it could have been a whale, I do not think it was—for the Scripture tells us that a special fish was prepared.) But the Book of Jonah has four very brief chapters, and it is only a little more than twice as long as the Book of Obadiah, which is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Because it is very brief, we are apt to pass over it. However, we should not call any of these books “minor” prophets, for each is like a little atom bomb, just loaded with power and with a program of God.
There are six significant subjects which are suggested and developed in the Book of Jonah which make it very relevant for us today:
1. This is the one book of the Old Testament which sets forth the resurrection of Jesus Christ. All of the great doctrines of the Christian faith are set forth in certain books of the Old Testament. For instance, the Book of Exodus sets forth redemption. The deliverance from sin for the sinner who comes to Christ is illustrated in that book. In the Book of Ruth you have the romance of redemption, the love side of redemption. In the Book of Esther, you have the romance of providence. The Book of Job, I believe, teaches repentance. You can go through the Scriptures and find that the great doctrines of our faith are illustrated in various books of the Old Testament. The little Book of Jonah illustrates and teaches the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. If this book does not teach the great doctrine of resurrection, then this most important doctrine of the Christian faith is not illustrated by a book in the Old Testament. For this reason alone, I would say this is a significant book.
2. The Book of Jonah teaches that salvation is not by works, but by faith which leads to repentance. This little book is read by orthodox Jews on the great Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. The way to God is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by the blood of a substitutionary sacrifice provided by the Lord. The most significant statement in the Book of Jonah is in the second chapter: “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). He is the author of salvation; He erected the great building of our salvation; He is the architect.
3. The third great purpose of this book is to show that God’s purpose of grace cannot be frustrated. Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, but God was still going to get the message to Nineveh. The interesting thing in this particular case is that Jonah was going to be the witness for God in Nineveh—he didn’t know he was going there, but he did go.
4. The fourth great truth in this book is that God will not cast us aside for faithlessness. He may not use you, but He will not cast you aside. There are a lot of football players sitting on the bench; in fact, more sit on the bench than play in the game. A player is called out to play only when it is believed that he can make a contribution to the game. If you and I are faithless, God may bench us; but we are still wearing our uniform, and He will not cast us aside. Anytime we want to get back in the game of life and do His will, He will permit us to do it.
5. The fifth great truth is that God is good and gracious. Read Jonah 4:2 for the most penetrating picture of God in the entire Bible. It is wrong to say that the Old Testament reveals a God of wrath and the New Testament reveals a God of love. He is no vengeful deity in the Book of Jonah.
6. The sixth and last great teaching is that God is the God of the Gentiles. When God chose Abraham, in effect He said to the Gentiles, “I’m going to have to leave you for awhile because of the sin that has come into the human family. I’m going to prepare salvation for you through a man and a nation, and I’ll bring the Redeemer, the Savior, into the world through them.” Now God has a salvation for all mankind. I have written Romans 3:29 over the Book of Jonah in my Bible. Paul writes, “Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” The Book of Jonah reveals that even in the Old Testament God did not forget the Gentiles. If He was willing to save a woman like Rahab the harlot, and a brutal, cruel nation like the Assyrians, including inhabitants of Nineveh, its capital, then I want to say to you that God is in the business of saving sinners.
OUTLINE
There are two approaches to the study of the Book of Jonah. The one that is the most popular and is followed by most commentators is to note the striking resemblance between Jonah and Paul. Both Paul and Jonah were missionaries to the Gentiles, both were cast into the sea, both were witnesses to the sailors on board the boat, and both were used to deliver those sailors from death. There are other striking comparisons, which a careful study would reveal. Including his trip to Rome, which I consider to be a missionary journey, there were actually four missionary journeys of the apostle Paul. The four chapters of the Book of Jonah may be divided into four missionary journeys of Jonah. The first journey was into the fish; the second was to the dry land; the third was to Nineveh; and the fourth brought him to the heart of God.
That is a very good and reliable division of this little book, but it never actually satisfied me, and I have attempted to make an outline of the book without making a comparison with Paul. Very frankly, I had more difficulty outlining the little Book of Jonah than I did the Book of Revelation.
I have another approach to outlining Jonah, and I want to tell you how it came about. Many years ago, I was waiting for the train one night in Nashville, Tennessee. I was returning to seminary, and at that time I was working on outlines for each book of the Bible, for I started early in that type of ministry. But I couldn’t figure out an outline for Jonah. When I got to the Union Station in Nashville, I discovered that the train was late and that I would have to wait thirty minutes to an hour. I did what I’m sure you do whenever you must wait in an airport or railroad station. I walked around for quite awhile before I sat down. I walked by the popcorn machine; I walked by the cigar stand (today they call them gift shops); I walked by the soda pop vendor; and I walked by the restaurant that was there. I just kept walking around, and I came to the railroad timetable. As I was looking at the timetable, it occurred to me that the Book of Jonah could be outlined according to a timetable.
Three important things are to be found on a timetable. The first is the time and place that the train or plane is leaving. Second, there is the destination of the train or plane. Finally, you need to know the time it will arrive at its destination. I go to many places today on speaking engagements, and if I fly, there are three things that are important to know: the time I leave, my destination, and the time of my arrival.
Therefore, if we look at the Book of Jonah as a timetable, this becomes my outline for the book:
LEAVE
DESTINATION
ARRIVE
Chapter 1
Israel (Samaria or Gath-hepher)
Nineveh
Fish
Chapter 2
Fish
Nineveh
Dry Land
Chapter 3
Dry Land
Nineveh
Nineveh
Chapter 4
Nineveh
Gourd Vine
Heart of Go
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Call and commission of Jonah; Jonah goes west; the great wind; Jonah arrives in the fish
CALL AND COMMISSION OF JONAH
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying [Jonah 1:1].
Jonah is identified for us as a prophet and as the son of Amittai. (See the Introduction for a detailed discussion of the evidence that Jonah was a historical character.)
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me [Jonah 1:2].
This is God’s call and commission of Jonah to go to Nineveh. The city of Nineveh is called “that great city.” It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was located on the Tigris River. It was the world power in that day. Later on, we will deal with the matter of the size of the city, because it is emphasized two more times in this book. Here the emphasis is actually upon the wickedness of the city. It is a great city but great in wickedness. Its wickedness is so great that it has come up before God, and He has now determined that He will judge the city—that is, if the city does not turn to Him.
JONAH GOES WEST
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord [Jonah 1:3].
Jonah leaves his hometown of Gath-hepher in the northern kingdom of Israel and, with this call and commission from God, you would think that he plans to head for the city of Nineveh. Jonah would have had to go east from Israel to get to Nineveh. Instead of going in that direction, he does a very strange thing. He goes down to Joppa and buys a ticket on the first boat for Tarshish. Tarshish was a city founded by the Phoenicians on the southern coast of Spain. It was the jumping-off place of the west.
What we have before us is a greater problem than the problem of Jonah in the fish. The problem in the Book of Jonah is not the fish—it’s Jonah. God asks him to go to Nineveh, but he buys a ticket for Tarshish. God tells him to go east—Jonah decides not to obey God, and he goes west. The question naturally arises: Why did Jonah do this? There are several reasons:
1. Jonah hated the Ninevites, and he did not want them saved. There was a basis for his hatred. Assyria was one of the most brutal nations of the ancient world. They were feared and dreaded by all the peoples of that day. They used very cruel methods of torture and could extract information from their captives very easily. One of the procedures was to take a man out onto the sands of the desert and bury him up to his neck—nothing but his head would stick out. Then they would put a thong through his tongue and leave him there to die as the hot, penetrating sun would beat down upon his head. It is said that a man would go mad before he died. That was one of the “nice little things” the Assyrians hatched up.
As an army, the Assyrians moved in an unusual manner. One of the reasons the Babylonians were able to overcome them was the slowness of the march of the Assyrian army. They took their families with them and had very little order in the army. They moved as a mob across the countryside. It is very easy to see that their disorder would militate against them. However, when they moved down like a plague of locusts upon a town or village, it is said that they were so feared and dreaded that on some occasions an entire town would commit suicide rather than fall into the hands of the brutal Assyrians. You can see that they were not loved by the peoples round about.
We also know that at this time the Assyrians were making forays into the northern kingdom of Israel. For a long time, it was Syria and the northern kingdom that fought against each other, but they finally came to an alliance because of the threat of Assyria to the north and east of them. However, Assyria eventually took both Syria and Israel into captivity. When the Assyrians were beginning to penetrate into a nation they hoped to conquer, they would make a surprise attack upon a city, take captive the women, and then brutally slay the men and the children. We don’t know this for sure, but it is reasonable to conceive that the Assyrians had come down against Jonah’s hometown of Gath-hepher at one time. They may have come even to his home, and he may have seen his own father and mother cruelly, brutally slain before his eyes. Or he might have seen his sisters raped by the Assyrians. At least we know that Jonah hated the Assyrians, and he did not want them saved. Therefore, he goes in the opposite direction—he’s not going to carry God’s message to them.
2. There is a second reason that Jonah went west. Somebody might point out that Jonah’s message was not one of salvation. His message was to be one of judgment. Although it is true that it was to be a message of judgment, Jonah knew God, and it was because Jonah knew God that he went in the opposite direction. He knew that if he went to Nineveh with a message of judgment and if the people of the city turned to God in repentance, God would not judge them but would save the city! Jonah didn’t want that city saved. It just wasn’t something he looked forward to. And so he went in the opposite direction.
3. A third reason that Jonah went in the opposite direction was because he was a disobedient prophet of God—there is no question about that. He was out of the will of God, very much like the prodigal son. The prodigal son ran away from home. He didn’t want to live under the will of his father, and so he went to the far country. Jonah was out of the will of God. He was a prophet who is certainly not in step with God. We will find that the entire fourth chapter deals with his rebellion and how God brought him back into step with Himself.
4. Here is a fourth and final reason that Jonah disobeyed God. Have you ever noticed that in the Old Testament God never sent His messengers as missionaries to other countries? The method that God used in the Old Testament was really the opposite of His method today. Israel was to serve and worship God as a nation that was located at the crossroads of the world, where the three continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa meet. The nations of that day, if they were not traveling by water, would take the route through the land of Israel. God took the people of Israel, put them there at the crossroads, and had them build a temple to worship Him in order that they might witness to God by serving Him. Their witness was to a world that was looking in on them. The invitation was, “Come, and let us go up to the house of the Lord and worship Him.” Israel witnessed by serving God at the crossroads of the world, and the world came to them.
For example, the Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to Israel. Why did she come? She had heard how they worshiped and, when she got there, she found that there was an altar there for sinners. That was the thing which brought her to a saving knowledge of God. If you read the historical record, you will find that not only did she come but also the kings of the earth came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. During that brief period, Israel did witness to the world; they witnessed not by going out as missionaries but by the world coming in to them.
We are given only the one example of the Queen of Sheba in the Old Testament. In the New Testament we have the examples of one son of Ham, one son of Japheth, and one son of Shem who were converted—the Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, and Cornelius, the Roman centurion. Although we are given only these examples, there were literally thousands and, later, millions who were led to Christ.
However, for the church today the method is the opposite of that in the Old Testament. I think it was rather startling for the twelve disciples, all of whom were Israelites brought up on the Old Testament, when the Lord Jesus said to them, “… Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel …” (Mark 16:15). I imagine they looked at each other and said, “My, this is something brand new! We did not know that it was to be done this way.” Instead of, “Come up to Jerusalem,” the Lord Jesus said, “Beginning at Jerusalem, you are to go now to Judea, Samaria, and on to the ends of the earth” (see Acts 1:8). That is the method today. We often criticize Israel for their failure, but we build a church on the corner and expect the world to come to us, when instead we are supposed to be going out to the world. It took me years to learn that, but that is why the burden of my ministry today is to get the Word of God out to the world via radio. We believe that this is God’s method today.
But that wasn’t the method in Jonah’s day, and Jonah was surprised when God said to him, “Arise, go to Nineveh.” I think Jonah was the same kind of man as Simon Peter, and he probably talked back to the Lord. I think he said, “Wait a minute here! You never sent Elijah down to Egypt, and You never sent Elisha over into India. Why are You asking me to do something You’ve never asked a prophet to do before?” I have great sympathy for Jonah. He didn’t understand why God would want to change His method. However, this book reveals that God is the God of the Gentiles. Paul wrote in Romans 3:29, “Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” Jonah could say amen to that statement but not at this point in time. It wasn’t until after the experiences related in this book that he realized that God is the God of the Gentiles also.
“And he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” Jonah’s experience may be helpful to you if you are having a difficult time and wonder if you are in the will of God. Although I cannot tell you whether or not you are in God’s will, I can say this to you: The fact that you are having a difficult time is not a proof that you are out of the will of God. Rather, it may be a proof that you are in the will of God. If you are having it too easy today and things are breaking just right for you in every direction, and if that is all you are using to interpret that you are in the will of God, then you are leaning on a poor, broken reed, and it will not hold you up in time of a crisis.
Let’s look closely at the illustration of Jonah. Here is a man who hears God’s call and heads in the opposite direction. He is definitely out of the will of God. He goes down to Joppa, and when he goes down there, he encounters no problems. He finds a ship. He buys a ticket. He gets on board the ship, and he goes to sleep! Everything is lovely.
I’m of the opinion that Jonah could give a testimony, the kind of which I have often heard. Jonah went down to buy the ticket, perhaps wondering if he were in God’s will or not. (He should have known he wasn’t. But a lot of us say that we wonder whether we are or not.) He was standing in line to buy a ticket, and the ticket agent said to the man right ahead of Jonah, “I’m sorry, but all space is sold.” Jonah was about to turn away when the phone rang and the ticket agent answered it. A Mr. Goldberg was calling to say that he was in the hospital, having suddenly taken sick, and he would not be able to make the trip. So Jonah waited, and the ticket agent turned to him and said, “Brother, are you lucky! I’ve just had a cancellation.” Jonah must have thought, I sure feel lucky. I feel more than that—maybe this means I’m in God’s will.
How many Christians think like that today? If they are having a difficult time, they say, “Oh, I am out of the will of God.” If things are going easy and everything works out well, they say, “Oh, I must be in the will of God.” My friend, I am of the opinion that if you are having problems, it may be that the Devil is getting a little uneasy because you are growing and proving effective for God. I have found this to be true in my own ministry. Just because you are having trouble does not mean you are out of the will of God.
Everything seemed to be propitious for a very pleasant journey for Jonah. Everything had worked out so well. Someone has called this “the fortuitous occurrence of circumstances.” But we know that Jonah is going in the wrong direction and that God will have to put him inside a fish in order to turn him around.
God’s men down through the centuries, both in the Bible and out of the Bible, have not found the going so easy. It hasn’t always been so propitious. Things have been difficult. I have thrilled at the story of David Livingstone, but that man really suffered. If I had been penetrating dark Africa as he did, after a few of the rough experiences that he had, it would have been very easy to say in a very pious voice, “I think it is the will of God for us to turn around and go home.” Likewise, John G. Patton, a missionary in the New Hebrides, met disappointment on every hand. He had to overcome handicaps daily, but this is the way God leads.
We read in the Book of Hebrews, “And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Heb. 11:36–38). We read also in Hebrews that some escaped the edge of the sword by faith, but others by faith were slain by the sword. Therefore, you cannot always interpret the good circumstances as being God’s will and the unfavorable circumstances as not being God’s will.
Jonah is on shipboard now; and, as the ship pulls out, I imagine that Jonah stands on the top deck, smiling as the land fades away in the distance. He may be saying to himself, “My, what a beautiful journey this is going to be!” But we will find that this man is not going to have it quite that easy.
THE GREAT WIND
But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken [Jonah 1:4].
“But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea.” God was responsible for this storm. I call your attention to that at the very beginning. This storm is supernatural.
The storm on the Sea of Galilee, during which our Lord was asleep in the boat, was such that those men on board knew that they were going to perish. They were experienced with that sea and knew that it was a storm which they could not weather and that their boat soon would be at the bottom of the sea. It was a supernatural storm also, but Satan was responsible for that one in an attempt to destroy the Lord Jesus. Peter came to Him and said, “… carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38)—for that is what would have happened had He not intervened.
Here in the Book of Jonah, God is using a storm, and He is using it for a good purpose. He is going to save a city with this storm. He is going to turn around a prophet who has been going the wrong way and start him going the right way.
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep [Jonah 1:5].
These “mariners” are sailors accustomed to the Mediterranean, and they detect that this is no natural storm.
“But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.” I once entertained the popular viewpoint that if a man gets out of the will of God and into sin, he will be tormented with a bad conscience and will simply be in misery. Is that true of Jonah? Jonah is definitely out of the will of God, going the opposite way, actually running away from the presence of God. He wants to get as far from Nineveh as he possibly can, and he is headed for Tarshish. Yet he is confident that everything is all right. He can sleep in this storm when even the sailors are frightened, and these sailors are a bunch of pagans, worshiping all kinds of gods.
So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not [Jonah 1:6].
In effect, the shipmaster says, “You sleepyhead, you! Do you mean that you can sleep in a storm like this?” Jonah could. In fact, he is the only one on board who could sleep! The shipmaster goes on, “Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.” So Jonah now comes up on deck, and he sees this great storm they are in which is threatening to send the ship to the bottom.
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah [Jonah 1:7].
On other occasions when I have taught the Book of Jonah, some folk have misunderstood me at this point and have thought that I approved of gambling. I hope you will follow me very carefully at this time. I think that gambling is an awful curse. I believe that the use of the lottery and of gambling in order to raise revenue for the government will ultimately corrupt our people and our nation. In the end it will be more destructive than it could possibly be helpful.
Other folk are quick to point out that this was a superstitious thing the sailors were doing, casting lots to see why this evil had come upon them. They cast lots, and it fell on Jonah. Apparently God was in this and used this, but that does not mean that God approved of it.
These sailors cast lots. Can God use something like that? I want to share with you an experience that I had in my first pastorate. The very wonderful pastor whom I followed there told me about a certain family in the church. The wife and the little girl, a beautiful, redheaded little girl, were both believers and attended the church, but the pastor had not been able to reach the father, the head of the home. At Christmastime that year, the father came to church. I whispered to several people to be friendly to him, and they all shook hands with him and greeted him. His criticism was that we overdid it. We were too friendly. So at Eastertime when he again came to church, I simply told the folk that he didn’t want us to shake hands with him and be friendly. So they didn’t, and I just barely shook his hand at the door. His criticism of the church then was that we were too cold. Now there was a fellow you couldn’t please at all! When I went to visit him, he practically ordered me out of the house—he didn’t want me to talk to him about the Lord.
About six months later, as I was getting ready for bed one night—in fact, I already had on my pajamas—the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and there stood this man with a very frightened look on his face. I let him in, and we sat down to talk. He told me that he ran a dry cleaning place and had a woman working there for him at the desk as a cashier. One morning she had come to work and told him, “I went to a fortune teller last night, and the fortune teller told me that I’m going to die suddenly.” Both he and the woman had laughed about it. Then she went on to say, “The fortune teller also said that the man I am working for is going to die suddenly.” They laughed again because they thought it was all preposterous and ridiculous.
But about two days later, as she stepped off the streetcar, that woman was hit by a car and was killed almost instantly. I want to tell you, when he heard it, he really became frightened. It was the very night when he came and knocked on my door. He said to me, “I must be next.”
I told him, “Well, I think I can relieve your fear there. The fortune teller had nothing in the world to do with her death—she had no prior knowledge of it. This is just one of those strange circumstances of life which we call a coincidence. This doesn’t mean that you will die.”
He said, “But I want to be prepared. Would you explain to me the plan of salvation?” I got down on the floor in my pajamas, with some wrapping paper and a piece of crayon, and I outlined the plan of salvation for him. I explained to him how God had sent Christ into the world to die for our sins. That man was ready that night and he accepted Christ as his Savior.
I have always thought that the Devil had pushed that fellow a little too far, because he was responsible for the man getting saved. Very frankly, God can use things like that. He says that He will make the wrath of man to praise Him, and He can also make the superstition of man to praise Him.
Those sailors on board with Jonah were superstitious fellow. God used their superstition. They cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Notice what happens—
They said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou [Jonah 1:8].
Jonah apparently has had some time to talk to these sailors, but he hasn’t told them much about himself. He certainly is no witness for God. A man out of the will of God can never be an effective witness for God. That is something very important for us to keep in mind.
Notice what Jonah did not tell them. First of all they say to him, “We want to ask you some questions since this evil has fallen on us. What is thine occupation?” Jonah hasn’t told anybody he is a prophet; he’s kept quiet on that. “And whence comest thou?” Jonah hasn’t told them he is from Gath-hepher in the northern kingdom of Israel. He hasn’t said anything about his hometown. “What is thy country?” He hasn’t said that he is a citizen of Israel. “And of what people art thou?” He hasn’t said that he belongs to the Israelite people who have a revelation of the living and true God. He hasn’t explained that he is a prophet who represents the living God and who has been called to go to Nineveh to bring a message of hope and salvation. Jonah hasn’t said any of that. Why? He is entirely out of the will of God.
And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land [Jonah 1:9].
“I am an Hebrew”—that meant a lot. The Hebrews were known to be monotheistic; that is, they worshipped one God, never an idol. They had no other gods before them but worshipped the God who is the Creator. Jonah says, “I fear the Lord, the God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land.” Jonah tells them that he worships the God who made the ocean which they could see right before them being so stirred up by the storm. He made the sea, and He made the dry land also. I think these sailors knew about Israel, but they were pagan and had no knowledge of the living and true God.
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them [Jonah 1:10].
Although he could sleep with it very nicely, without question Jonah had a bad conscience. Jonah tells the sailors, “The reason I am taking this trip is for a pleasure trip Actually, I had business over in Nineveh, but I decided not to go over there. I know that I am getting away from my God in making this trip.” But Jonah hasn’t divulged too much information to them.
These men say to Jonah, “Why hast thou done this?” May I say to you, that is the good question that the unbeliever sometimes asks of the believer—and can be an embarrassing one.
When I was a pastor of a church in Los Angeles, an unsaved man who had visited the church came to see me. I had met him before in a business in downtown Los Angeles and had invited him to come to church. He said to me, “Is So-and-so a member of your church?” I said, “Yes, and he’s an officer in the church.” He said, “I’ve known that man for several years, and I’ve done business with him. I never would have dreamed that he is a Christian. If I were a Christian, I would not do the things that man does.” You know, it’s embarrassing when an unbeliever says to a Christian, “Why are you doing this? I thought you were a child of God.” I think Jonah must have turned three or four different shades of red at this particular time.
JONAH ARRIVES IN THE FISH
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous [Jonah 1:11].
These men recognize that they are up against a very hard decision, and they want Jonah to make that decision. They ask him, “What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us?” And Jonah gives them a very straightforward answer—
And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you [Jonah 1:12].
Jonah recognizes that the hand of God is in all of this and that God is moving in his life at this time. He knows that the only solution to the problem of the storm is to get him off the ship going to Tarshish. God has determined that this man is not going to Tarshish but to the place where He wants him to go.
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them [Jonah 1:13].
These pagan sailors certainly stand in a good light at this point. Although they are pagan and heathen, they do not want to throw him overboard. They try their best to get the ship out of the storm. They row as hard as they can to bring the ship to land, but they cannot do it. At this particular point in the book, these pagan sailors stand in a better light than Jonah does and prove to be rather outstanding men.
Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee [Jonah 1:14].
Notice the change that is taking place in these men’s lives. They are turning now to the living and true God. Of course, they are turning in their desperation. They call upon God to forgive them for what they are going to do, because they have no other alternative.
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging [Jonah 1:15].
This reveals very definitely that it was a supernatural storm under God’s control.
Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows [Jonah 1:16].
The fear of the Lord, we are told in Scripture, is the beginning of wisdom. “Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly.” Did they fear their god? No. They feared the one who is the Creator of the sea and of the land.
“And offered a sacrifice unto the Lord.” That sacrifice points to Jesus Christ—there is no alternative.
“And made vows.” What vows do these men make? They vow to the Lord that they will now serve Him. Through this experience, they now turn to the living and true God. So something good is accomplished by the storm, by Jonah’s being on board the ship, and by his being cast overboard.
Notice now what happens to Jonah—
Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights [Jonah 1:17].
The Greek word translated as “whale” in Matthew 12:40 is ketos, meaning “a huge fish.” It is called here “a great fish.” I do not think it was a whale, but the thing that is important is the fact that the fish was prepared by the Lord for this special event. I am of the opinion that we have a miracle in this fish in the sense that it was a specially prepared fish to swallow up Jonah.
“And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Notice that it does not say that Jonah was alive inside the fish.
A review of my timetable for the Book of Jonah shows that in chapter 1 Jonah leaves Israel, his destination is Nineveh, but he arrives in the fish.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: When did Jonah pray? Jonah’s prayer; Jonah arrives on the dry land
Our timetable for chapter 2 tells us that Jonah is going to leave the fish, his destination is still Nineveh, and he will arrive on the dry land. First, however, we want to examine the experience of this man inside the fish.
WHEN DID JONAH PRAY?
Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly [Jonah 2:1].
Immediately someone is going to say to me, “You believe that Jonah was dead inside the fish and that God raised him from the dead, but it says here that Jonah prayed unto the Lord God out of the fish’s belly—that means he was alive inside the fish.” That is true, but my question is: When did Jonah pray this prayer? Did he pray this prayer when he first got into the fish? Or, when Jonah found himself inside the fish, did he say to himself, “My, I am really here in a precarious position, and things sure don’t look good for me. I want to prepare a prayer to send to God that He’ll hear and answer”? Did he decide to write out his prayer, work on it for a couple of days, memorize it, and then on the third day say the prayer to God? If Jonah did that, then my interpretation of this is all wrong—I’m all wet, if you please. But if I know human nature at all, Jonah didn’t wait very long to pray this prayer. When he found himself in this condition, you can be sure of one thing: he immediately went to prayer before God. In fact, I think he prayed on the way down, and by the time he got into the fish’s tummy, it was time to say amen.
Men don’t pray a prepared prayer in time of crisis. They get down to business immediately when the crisis comes. I am reminded of a friend of mine in the ministry who lost the index finger on his right hand below the first joint—there was nothing left but a stub. When anyone would ask him how he was called to the ministry, he would hold up that little stub of a finger and wiggle it, and then he would tell his story.
When he was a boy, an evangelist came to their church to hold meetings. The first night of the meetings, his dad, who was an officer in the church, made him sit on the front row, and the preacher really made that seat hot for him. He knew the preacher was talking right to him, although the preacher himself didn’t realize it. His dad made him go to the meeting the second night, and he knew that if he went yet another time, he not only would accept Christ as his Savior but would also give his life to enter the ministry. He had a feeling even at that time that that would be his call. So that night after everybody went to bed, he got an extra shirt and his pajamas and ran off to Mississippi. There he got a job in a sawmill. I don’t know if you are acquainted with the old-time sawmill. A man would take a great hook and would roll the logs over onto the carriage which would take the log on down to the big saw. The saw would then rip that log right down through the middle. My friend’s job was to roll the logs onto the carriage.
One afternoon after he had worked there for about two weeks, he ran out of logs. So the foreman got some old logs which had not been run through the saw for one reason or another. There was one log among them that had already been ripped about halfway. For some reason they hadn’t finished it but had pulled it back out. When my friend rolled that particular log over onto the carriage which carried it into the band saw, the place where the log had previously been ripped opened up, and the index finger on his right hand got caught in it. He felt himself being pulled along the carriage toward that big band saw. He began to yell at the top of his voice, but by that time, the other end of the log had hit the saw and was already going through. If you have ever been around a sawmill, you know that that makes a terrible racket—nobody could hear him. He was yelling at the top of his voice, very frightened as he found himself being pulled against his will right into that saw.
It would take only about forty-five seconds for him to get to the saw. His finger was way out in front of him, and the place where the log had been sawed was clamped down tight on it. His finger hit the saw and was cut off. But that released him, and he rolled to the side and was safe. In that forty-five seconds, he had prayed to the Lord. He accepted Christ as his Savior, promised the Lord he would go into the ministry and do His will, and told Him a lot of other things also! My preacher friend used to say that he told the Lord more in that forty-five seconds than he has ever told Him in an hour’s prayer since then.
May I say to you, he prayed that prayer immediately when the crisis came. That’s when I pray; that’s when you pray. You don’t wait to pray in a time of emergency. I recall one time on a plane when we got into unusually rough weather—I don’t like flying even in good weather, and this rough weather was terrific. The minute the plane began to drop—it seemed to me like it was never going to quit dropping!—I began to pray. I didn’t say, “I’m going to wait until we are off the plane, I’m going to wait until we get out of this storm before I pray.” I began to pray right there and then. I’m sure that’s what you do, and I’m almost sure that’s what Jonah did, also.
So Jonah prayed this prayer as he went down from the mouth of the fish and through the esophagus. By the time he went “kerplunk” into the fish’s tummy, this man Jonah had already completed his prayer and had said amen. I think he prayed a great deal more than is recorded here—I think we have “the abridged edition” of it.
Some folk put a great deal of emphasis upon the time word then—“Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly.” They assume that this means that after he had been in the fish three days and three nights, then he prayed. This is not what it means at all. It is characteristic of the Hebrew language to give the full account of something and then to go back and emphasize that which is important. This same technique is used in Genesis concerning the creation. We are given the six days of creation, and then God goes back and gives a detailed account of the creation of man, adding a great deal. To attempt to build an assumption on the little word then is very fallacious. It simply means that now Jonah is going to tell us the story in detail; he is going to tell us what really happened inside the fish.
JONAH’S PRAYER
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice [Jonah 2:2].
“Icried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me.” Notice first that God heard Jonah’s prayer.
“Out of the belly of hell cried I.” The New Scofield Reference Bible translates this as “out of the belly of sheol,” and that certainly is accurate for that is the original Hebrew word. Sheol is sometimes translated in Scripture by the word “grave” and in other places as “the unseen world,” meaning where the dead go. This is a word that, anyway you look at it, has to do with death. It is a word that always goes to the cemetery, and you cannot take it anywhere else. Therefore, my interpretation of what Jonah is saying is that the belly of the fish was his grave, and a grave is a place for the dead—you do not put a live man in a grave. Jonah recognized that he was going to die inside that fish and that God would hear him and raise him from the dead.
Many years ago when I was still a young seminary student, I was asked to preach for a brief period of time at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia. I made the Sunday evening service an evangelistic service. One night several young people came forward when I gave the invitation. After the service I talked to them, and then I went to the rear of the church. A young fellow was standing there, and he told me, “I’m a student at Georgia Tech, and I would like to accept Christ, but I have a hurdle, a problem that I can’t overcome.” I asked him what his problem was, and he replied, “I just can’t believe that a man could live three days and three nights inside a fish.”
I said, “Who told you that?”
“Well,” he said, “I thought the Bible said so, and I know I’ve heard preachers say so. And I’ve got a professor at school who spends his time ridiculing that.”
“My Bible doesn’t say that Jonah was alive inside the fish,” I told him. Then I opened my Bible to the second chapter of Jonah and said, “To begin with, this man Jonah makes it very clear that the belly of the fish was his grave. A grave is a place for the dead.”
“Do you mean that he died? Then that means that God raised him from the dead!” the young man said. I told him he was exactly right—that is exactly what happened. He said, “That’s a greater miracle than Jonah’s being kept alive in the fish for three days.” I agreed with him that it was a greater miracle because, as we shall see, we have records of other men who have lived through such experiences.
The important thing to note here is that Jonah cried unto the Lord out of the fish’s belly, out of the belly of hell, out of the belly of sheol, out of the belly of the grave—and that is the place for the dead. Jonah felt like he was there to die and that he was in his grave. You must remember that he did not write this account while he was inside the fish but afterward.
I realize there are those who will not accept my viewpoint concerning this. When I wrote my first booklet on it, I felt very much alone. However, when the late Dr. M. R. DeHaan also took this viewpoint, many folk accepted it because of their confidence in him.
If you hold the other viewpoint that Jonah was alive, that’s all right. God certainly could have kept Jonah alive. But, my friend, don’t hold that viewpoint to the extent that you prevent a lot of young people from defending the Bible. This young man from Georgia Tech went back to college, and when his professor again brought up the subject of Jonah, he said to the professor, “Who told you that Jonah was alive inside the fish?” The professor said, “The Bible says so.” This young fellow said to him, “Not my Bible.” When they got out a Bible (which they had trouble finding) and looked at the Scripture, they found that it does not say that Jonah was alive inside the fish.
I want to share with you a letter that came to me from Austin, Texas, and which reveals the popular interpretation of the Book of Jonah:
Thank you for responding to my letter concerning Jonah. It is a mark of your dedication that you take time to answer such letters, since I am sure you get many. I believe you are doing a fine work for the Lord, and in listening to you over the years, I think you are not getting older but getting better.
(May I say to you, I’m getting older, but no one’s kidding me, I’m not getting better!) The letter continues:
Your story about your fear of flying and how you conquered it brings meaning to a living faith, but as far as Jonah goes, you are, I believe, putting in a private interpretation. You’re straining the Word to make it say something it doesn’t say. May I go on to say that the fact that Jonah lived three days in the whale’s belly doesn’t do any damage to the reference in Matthew 12:39–40.
Why don’t you take your Bible and read it again? If we forget the chapter designation, it helps. “And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly.” I guess that Jonah did a lot of soul-searching during those three days. If you interpret this passage like you do, you must believe the writer didn’t have enough sense to put the story down in the sequence it occurred.
… You state that it is assumed that Jonah was alive. Well, I don’t believe it is, but if you want to say that, I think your assumption [that he was dead] is the greater assumption, and I hope you realize you are only assuming. My question to you is: Why?
I appreciate that letter, and I recognize that the general and popular interpretation is that Jonah was alive for three days and three nights inside the fish, that he apparently had a very comfortable weekend inside a “fish-tel” instead of a motel. I don’t think he could have been as comfortable as he would have been in a Holiday Inn, a Ramada Inn, or a Hilton Hotel, but at least it is popularly believed that he spent three days and three nights in there alive. In fact, when I was a boy in Sunday school, I was given a little card on which Jonah was shown inside the fish, sitting at a table! I don’t know where that came from, but that was the way he was pictured and, although I was just a little fellow, it rather disturbed me.
If you hold the viewpoint that Jonah was alive, you are with the majority today, even with the majority of the expositors of the Book of Jonah. You can feel comfortable in being with the majority, but of course, if you want to be right, you’ll want to go along with me, I’m sure! I say this facetiously, of course.
However, I want to make this point very carefully and very seriously. It is not a question of whether God was able to keep Jonah alive inside the fish or not. God could keep him alive. The question is: Did God keep him alive? Was the miracle one of keeping him alive, or was the miracle in raising him from the dead? Since this book illustrates resurrection, I’m of the opinion that God raised him from the dead.
If, after I have had a little talk with Jonah in heaven, I learn that he was alive for three days and three nights inside that fish, then you can come by and say, “I told you so.” Then I will have to confess that I was wrong. I am not, however, as the writer of this letter seems to think, taking an assumption and making a dogmatic statement.
I do want to say that I have had the privilege of teaching the Book of Jonah on quite a few college campuses, and I have found that the position I take does give ammunition to young people today. If you want to hold to the opposite viewpoint, don’t get enraged and become irritated with my viewpoint, for you must recognize that it has been very helpful to a great many students. It has been the means, as in the case of the Georgia Tech student years ago, of bringing some to a saving knowledge of Christ.
It is also not a question of whether a man can live in a fish. Men have been swallowed by a fish or by a whale and have lived to tell the story. There have been recorded some remarkable stories. So that leads me to say that, if you believe Jonah was alive inside the fish, that is not too great a miracle because other men have had the same experience.
Many years ago here in Pasadena, California, there was a very excellent Bible teacher by the name of Miss Grace W. Kellogg. She gave me a copy of her little book, The Bible Today. She held the old viewpoint that Jonah was alive inside the fish, and she wanted me to see that Jonah could have been alive. Of course, I agree that he could have been alive, and if that is what Jonah means to have said, then I have really misunderstood him. Nonetheless, I would like to give you a quotation from Miss Kellogg’s book which shows that it is possible for a man to be swallowed by a fish and live. There are many examples of it, and I am going to give you a few of those that she gave:
There are at least two known monsters of the deep who could easily have swallowed Jonah. They are the Balaenoptera Musculus or sulphur-bottom whale, and the Rhinodon Typicus or whale shark. Neither of these monsters of the deep have any teeth. They feed in an interesting way by opening their enormous mouths, submerging their lower jaw, and rushing through the water at terrific speed. After straining out the water, they swallow whatever is left. A sulphur-bottom whale, one hundred feet long, was captured off Cape Cod in 1933. His mouth was ten or twelve feet wide—so big he could easily have swallowed a horse. These whales have four to six compartments in their stomachs, in any one of which a colony of men could find free lodging. They might even have a choice of rooms, for in the head of this whale is a wonderful air storage chamber, an enlargement of the nasal sinus, often measuring seven feet high, seven feet wide, by fourteen feet long. If he has an unwelcome guest on board who gives him a headache, the whale swims to the nearest land and gets rid of the offender as he did Jonah.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently quoted an article by Dr. Ransome Harvey who said that a dog was lost overboard from a ship. It was found in the head of a whale six days later, alive and barking.
Frank Bullen, F.R.G.S., who wrote, “The Cruise of the Cathalot,” tells of a shark fifteen feet in length which was found in the stomach of a whale. He says that when dying the whale ejects the contents of its stomach.
The late Dr. Dixon stated that in a museum at Beirut, Lebanon, there is a head of a whale shark big enough to swallow the largest man that history records! He also tells of a white shark of the Mediterranean which swallowed a whole horse; another swallowed a reindeer minus only its horns. In still another Mediterranean white shark was found a whole sea cow, about the size of an ox.
These facts show that Jonah could have been swallowed by either a whale or a shark. But has any other man besides Jonah been swallowed and lived to tell the tale? We know of two such instances.
The famous French scientist, M. de Parville, writes of James Bartley, who in the region of the Falkland Islands near South America, was supposed to have been drowned at sea. Two days after his disappearance, the sailors made a catch of a whale. When it was cut up, much to their surprise they found their missing friend alive but unconscious inside the whale. He revived and has been enjoying the best of health ever since his adventure.
Dr. Harry Rimmer, President of the Research Science Bureau of Los Angeles, writes of another case. “In the Literary Digest we noticed an account of an English sailor who was swallowed by a gigantic Rhinodon in the English Channel. Briefly, the account stated that in the attempt to harpoon one of these monstrous sharks, this sailor fell overboard, and before he could be picked up again, the shark turned and engulfed him. Forty-eight hours after the accident occurred, the fish was sighted and slain. When the shark was opened by the sailors, they were amazed to find the man unconscious but alive! He was rushed to the hospital where he was found to be suffering from shock alone, and a few hours later was discharged as being physically fit. The account concluded by saying that the man was on exhibit in a London Museum at a shilling admittance fee; being advertised as ‘The Jonah of the Twentieth Century.’ ”
In 1926 Dr. Rimmer met this man, and writes that his physical appearance was odd; his body was devoid of hair and patches of yellowish-brown color covered his entire skin.
If two men could exist for two days and nights inside of marine monsters, could not a prophet of God, under His direct care and protection, stand the experience a day and a night longer—so why should we doubt God’s Word?
This demonstrates the fact that a man could live in a fish, but it also takes away from the unusual character of Jonah’s experience; that is, if these men lived and Jonah lived—and I am told there are even other records of such experiences—then what you have in the Book of Jonah is a record of something that is not really a great miracle. You simply have a record of an unusual incident that took place. I personally believe that the greater miracle is the fact that God raised him from the dead.
Again, I remind you that the question before us is not whether God could make a man live for three days and three nights inside a fish; the question is: Did God do that? Is that what the record says?
For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me [Jonah 2:3].
We cannot treat this lightly. If Jonah lived in the fish, he also lived like a fish, because he was swamped by water. He says, “The floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.” In other words, Jonah is saying, “I got wet.” I think it is all wet to try to say that the man lived three days and three nights. I personally feel that the Devil gets us to argue about that, while we miss the great truth of the resurrection.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple [Jonah 2:4].
“Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight”—Jonah is speaking of death. “Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.” Jonah believed that he would be raised from the dead. He had been brought up on the Old Testament, and I think that Jonah was one of the many in the northern kingdom who faithfully went down to Jerusalem to worship in the temple. The Israelites knew that Solomon’s temple was the place to worship the living and true God. Jonah says, “I’m going to look again toward thy holy temple. God will raise me up again.”
Does this sound to you like a man who is alive?—
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head [Jonah 2:5].
“The waters compassed me about, even to the soul.” He’s saying, “I got drenched. The depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.” This sea monster had been eating a bunch of seaweeds. Some seaweeds that I have pulled out along the Pacific Coast are twenty-five feet long—and this monster had his tummy full of them! Jonah says, “I was down there, and I got these things all wrapped around my head.” Do you think this man is describing a very pleasant weekend inside a fish? I don’t think so—I think he is trying to tell us that he went down to the very depths and that he died.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God [Jonah 2:6].
“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever.” This is a very interesting translation because it is in Elizabethan English; this is the way that death was spoken of. “The earth with her bars was about me for ever”—Jonah is speaking here of the bars of death, and that is the meaning of this translation.
“Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.” “Corruption” is death. The apostle Peter so used this word on the Day of Pentecost when he said that the Lord Jesus did not see corruption (see Acts 2:25–31). The miracle about the Lord Jesus is that when He died He did not see corruption—His body did not corrupt. That is the difference between Jonah’s experience and our Lord’s experience. Jonah did see corruption. His body apparently began to decay in those three days and three nights. “Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption.” What we have here, in my judgment, is a definite statement by Jonah that he died. The miracle here is resurrection, and that is a much greater miracle than for a man to live for three days inside a fish.
I think it is very important that we have a book in the Old Testament which teaches the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection is one of the two pillars of our salvation upon which the ark of the church rests—the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. They are both taught in the Old Testament, and this book illustrates His resurrection.
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple [Jonah 2:7].
I think a normal explanation of this would be that when this man was swallowed by the fish, he was frightened. He began immediately to call out to God to deliver him as he found himself going down the esophagus of that fish.
“My soul fainted within me.” It must have been at least five minutes before Jonah lapsed into unconsciousness, but before he did, he said, “I remembered the Lord.” This is when he prayed his prayer. Don’t try to tell me that he prayed his prayer on the third day, after he’d spent three days in there under conviction and soul—searching! Jonah has said that his soul got wet, and now he says that his soul fainted within him—that means he lost consciousness inside the fish.
“And my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.” Before he lapsed into unconsciousness and before death came to him, this man had already prayed his prayer.
Jonah now makes an observation here, and it is one of the many maxims that you find in the Word of God—
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy [Jonah 2:8].
I have tried to arrive at a satisfactory explanation of this verse, and so far I have been unable to do so. However, I will have to give you the explanation I have: This is another of the great principles in Scripture. Vanity is emptiness. Jonah is speaking here of those who observe that which is empty, that which is vain, that which is just a dream and is not going to come to pass. Jonah calls it a lying emptiness. He says that they forsake the only mercy they can receive. Jonah says at this time, “I called out to the living and true God. I no longer was playing the pouting prophet, rushing off to Tarshish in the opposite direction because I hated the Ninevites and didn’t want them saved. Now I am dealing with reality. I’m getting right down to the nitty-gritty.” (And, my friend, there was a whole lot of nitty-gritty inside that fish!) This man says, “I’m getting right down to business with God. I appealed to Him, to His mercy, and I found that He was merciful to me.”
Jonah cried out to God, and now he shows his gratitude by saying this:
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord [Jonah 2:9].
“But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving.” Friend, I don’t suppose you and I can possibly conceive of the thanksgiving that was in this man’s heart and life when the fish vomited him out onto the dry land. He was a mess at that time, but he lifted his voice in thanksgiving to God for having delivered him and raised him from the dead.
“I will pay that that I have vowed.” Do you know what Jonah’s vow was? Can’t you imagine what it was? I believe that he now says to the Lord, “I’ll go to Nineveh.” Before he had said, “I won’t go to Nineveh.” But he’s changed his mind—God has changed it for him—and now he makes a vow that he will go to Nineveh.
The Lord has to deal with many of us like that. He has never put me through a fish, but He did give me cancer. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not blaming Him for that—He was judging me. He has also chastised me since then, because I thought that I had learned all the lessons an old man ought to learn, but I found out that I hadn’t learned them. I am prepared to say the same thing Jonah said. I am thankful to Him for the trials He has permitted to come to me and for His deliverance from them. I’ve made vows to God; I’ve promised Him that I would devote the rest of my life to giving out His Word—that is what He has called me to do. Many people find fault and do not like the way I do it—I’m not entirely satisfied myself; I wish I could do it better—but I’ve made a vow to God, and I understand the vow this man Jonah made. He said, “I’m going to Nineveh, Lord, and I’m going to do what You want me to do.”
“Salvation is of the Lord.” In my judgment this is the most important statement that we find in the Book of Jonah. I think it is very, very important. Notice what he says: “I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord”—he is speaking of deliverance.
There are several things about this that we need to note. Salvation is God’s work for us. Salvation is never man’s work for God. God cannot save us by our works, because the only thing that we can present to Him is imperfection, and God simply does not accept imperfection. However, we are unable to present perfection to Him. If it depended on us or our works, if it depended on our doing something, we could never be saved. To begin with, we are lost sinners, dead in trespasses and sins. If deliverance is to come, it will have to come to us like it did to Jonah, who was dead and hopeless in that fish. If he is to live, if he is to be used of God (and he is going to be used), it will be because “Salvation is of the Lord.” And if you ever get saved, it is because salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is such a wonderful thing that you can put it into three tenses: I have been saved—past tense; I am being saved—present tense; I shall be saved—future tense. So salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. Let’s look for a moment at what Scripture has to say about this.
1. I have been saved—past tense. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life …” (John 5:24). The moment you trust Christ you have everlasting life. That is something that took place in the past for those who are Christians today. If sometime in the past you trusted Christ, that was all His work—you trusted what He did. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life …” (John 3:36). You received life when you trusted Christ. You did nothing, nothing whatsoever—He offered it to you as a gift. “… the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). I have been saved. How was I saved? By trusting Christ and His work. It was “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
2. I am being saved—present tense. God is not through with us; He intends to continue to work in our lives. We are told “… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12–13). You can’t work it out until God has worked it in. Paul could say, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). That’s great, but the apostle didn’t stop there; he went on to say, “For we are his workmanship …” (Eph. 2:10). His workmanship? Yes. “Created in Christ Jesus”—we were given a new life; Paul adds, “Created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” So that now by the power of the Holy Spirit, the child of God is to produce fruit. The Lord Jesus said that He wanted us to bring forth much fruit (see John 15:1–5). Paul writes in Galatians, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23). All of these marvelous, wonderful graces are His work, and He wants to work them in you today.
You and I ought to be growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. I am being saved—I ought to be a better Christian today than I was last year. I get a little discouraged in that connection, because sometimes I feel that I’m like the proverbial cat which climbed up three feet on the pole in the daytime but slipped back five feet at night! I feel like I haven’t gotten very far, but nevertheless, there has been some growth. Don’t be satisfied with me, because He is not through with me yet. “Salvation is of the Lord.”
3. I will be saved—future tense. There is coming a day when I will be saved. Paul said to that young preacher, Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). As Paul talked to him about the wonderful Word of God, he also said, “… from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation …” (2 Tim. 3:15). Since Timothy was already saved, what did Paul mean when he said, “which are able to make thee wise unto salvation”? He meant that the Scriptures would enable Timothy to grow and enable him to live for God.
But even when we come to the end of life, we are not complete. Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist, used to tell about the time when he heard Henry Varley, then an unknown preacher. As Moody sat in the balcony, he heard Varley say, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully yielded to Him.” Dwight L. Moody, just a young fellow at that time, said to himself, “By the grace of God, I will be that man.” But when he was dying, Moody said, “I wanted to be that man, but it is still true that the world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully yielded to Him.” My friend, I am of the opinion that when you and I get to the end of our lives, the same will be true of you and me. It can still be said that the world has yet to see a person completely yielded to God.
So don’t be discouraged with me, and I won’t be discouraged with you, because, beloved, “… it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). We are going to see Him some day, and then we are going to be like Him. Until then, I’ll probably be very unlike Him. Maybe you will make it; I don’t think I will. But in that day, I will be like Him, and at that time you are going to be delighted with me, and you are really going to love me. That is one thing that will make heaven so wonderful. Not only am I going to love everybody, but everybody is going to love me! When we get to heaven, we are going to be like Him.
“Salvation is of the Lord.” This is a wonderful statement, and it is found in the Old Testament in the Book of Jonah. Do you know where this man learned that? He learned that when he was swallowed by a fish and then vomited out—then he was able to make this statement.
JONAH ARRIVES ON THE DRY LAND
And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land [Jonah 2:1].
I cannot resist making this corny statement: It just goes to show that you can’t keep a good man down! Someone else has put it like this, “Even a fish couldn’t digest Jonah, the backsliding prophet.” But Jonah is a different man now. He’s made some vows to God, and one of them is that he is going to Nineveh. His ticket is now to Nineveh.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The God of the second chance; Jonah arrives in Nineveh; Nineveh believes God; Nineveh is not destroyed
Our timetable for the Book of Jonah tells us that all along Jonah’s destination has been the city of Nineveh. As we come to chapter 3, his destination is still Nineveh, he leaves the dry land, and he is going to arrive in Nineveh! It has taken him three chapters, and he has had to detour through a fish, but he finally makes it. The turning around place for him was that fish—it turned him around and headed him in the right direction.
I would like to write over this third chapter the words of the Lord Jesus in His day: “For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation” (Luke 11:3).
THE GOD OF THE SECOND CHANCE
And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying [Jonah 3:1].
“The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time.” I was speaking on the Book of Jonah many years ago at a summer conference, and there was a school teacher attending the meetings. She was a lovely person, but after every session, she would come to me with a question. (School teachers always could ask me questions that I couldn’t answer!) One day she asked me this question: “Suppose that after Jonah got out of the fish, he went back to Joppa and bought another ticket to go to Tarshish. What would have happened?” I had never been asked that question before, but I told her—and I still believe it—that there would have been a second fish out there waiting for him. But that wasn’t necessary because Jonah had already learned his lesson. Now he was going to Nineveh—there’s no question about that—he was headed for Nineveh.
I think the same thing could be said of the prodigal son. Suppose that the next year that boy had said, “Dad, stake me again. I’m going to the far country.” Do you think the father would have staked him? I think he would have. The interesting thing is that the boy didn’t go to the far country. Why? Because he is a son of the father, and he didn’t want to get into the pigpen again. God’s children may get into sin, but they surely are not going to live in sin. Pigs live in pigpens, and sons live in the father’s house. It is just that simple and just that important.
“And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time.” Our God is the God of the second chance—what a marvelous, wonderful thing that is! God will give you a second chance, and He will give you more than that. I know that He has given me a dozen different chances. He is long-suffering and patient. He is not willing that any should perish. If you are His child, He is going to hold on to you—you may be sure of that.
Jonah now gets the call from God a second time. I do not believe that the great corporations of our day would give a man a second chance. General Motors or Standard Oil or General Foods—I have a notion that they would not give a man a second chance. Years ago here in California I became acquainted with a man who was the first vice-president of the Bank of America, which is a tremendous banking corporation. He is a very wonderful Christian and a personal friend of mine. I asked him one time, “Suppose that in one of the branches of your bank the manager absconded with all the funds, disappeared down to South America somewhere, and then, after a few years, came back and asked to be forgiven and given another chance. Would you give him a job?” He replied, “No. He’s through.” Such a man would not be given another chance. Isn’t it wonderful that God gives us a second chance?
This is not something unusual that God did just in Jonah’s case. God is not making an exception with Jonah. Remember the story of Jacob way back in the Book of Genesis? Jacob failed again and again and again and again until he actually became a disgrace to God and a source of embarrassment to Him. But God never let him go. Jacob was a trickster. He was clever. He tried to live by his own ability even when he went down to live with his uncle Laban. Laban was smarter than Jacob and put it over on him, but Jacob did what he could, and he did pretty well. In the end, Jacob had to flee from Laban and get out of the country. He had antagonized both his father-in-law and his brother, Esau, because of his conduct. But he could not keep on like that because he was God’s man. He did want to serve God, but what a poor showing he made of it. As far as I’m concerned, I would have gotten rid of him and would have gotten someone else if I had been the Lord, but God didn’t do that.
At Peniel, when Jacob came back to the land, God wrestled with him one night. Sometimes it is said that Jacob wrestled with God. Jacob didn’t wrestle with God, my friend. With his father-in-law behind him and his brother ahead of him, both of them wishing Jacob dead, you may be sure of one thing: Jacob was not looking for another wrestling match! He had enough problems on his hands, and he was not about to do any wrestling. It was God who wrestled with him at Peniel. That man had to learn something that night. God crippled him before He got him, but when Jacob saw that he was losing, he finally just held on and asked for a blessing.
From that day on, Jacob was a different man. He was changed, as we can see down there in Egypt when he met his grandchildren, Joseph’s sons. I’m a grandfather, and I know that a grandpa is inclined to boast just a little; you would like your grandsons to think well of you. But old Jacob didn’t tell his grandsons how smart he was or how clever he was, how he put it over on Esau or how he put it over on his father-in-law Laban. This is what he did say: “May the Lord, who kept me from evil, keep the lads” (see Gen. 48:16). What a change had come over him! How humble he was. He was now resting in God, and he was a different man.
Then there is the story of David. Even today there are a great many folk who like to criticize David. One evil old man came to me with a leer in his eyes and a sneer in his voice, and he said to me, “Why did God say that David was a man after His own heart?”
I asked him, “Are you trying to say that it was because David committed murder and adultery that God said that about him? Is that what you are trying to say?” “Well, it certainly looks that way,” he said.
That man simply hadn’t read the record at all. It is true that David committed an awful sin, but God punished him for it. God took him to the woodshed and whipped him within an inch of his life. Finally his heart was broken when his son Absalom was slain. That was the boy he had wanted to be king, but Absalom betrayed him. He led a rebellion against David and was murdered. How David wept! He cried, “Oh, Absalom, my son, Absalom; would to God that I had died in your stead!” (see 2 Sam. 18:33). David feared that Absalom did not know God, and so he was heartbroken the rest of his life. God punished David because of his sin, but God forgave David when he came to Him and said, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation …” (Ps. 51:12).
I went on to tell that old man who had come to me, “You know, you ought to be very glad that God said David was a man after His own heart because of his relationship with God. If God would save a man like David, He might save you, and He might save me. You ought to be thankful He’s that kind of a God. He gave David a second chance, and He will give you a second and a third chance.”
Simon Peter also stumbled and fell and got himself dirty. He denied Christ, and when he looked through that judgment hall, he caught the eyes of the Lord. They were not eyes looking at him in anger but in pity and in mercy. Peter went outside and wept. And then when our Lord came back from the dead, He appeared to Simon Peter privately so that Simon Peter could get things straightened out with Him.
My friend, if you are a child of God and get into sin, you can come back to Him, but you’d better mean business, and you’d better be sincere. You can go to Him and tell Him what you can tell no one else. He will accept you and receive you—He is the God of the second chance.
There is another man who failed—John Mark. He wasn’t much of a missionary at first. In fact, he was chicken; he turned and went home. I once heard of a man who said that the reason he didn’t fly in airplanes was because he had back trouble. When he was asked what kind of back trouble he had, he replied, “I’ve got a yellow streak up and down my back. ” John Mark had a yellow streak up and down his back—he turned and left that first missionary journey of the apostle Paul. Good old Barnabas wanted to forgive him and take him on the second missionary journey, but Paul said, “I won’t take him again. I’m through with him. I’m not about to take with me anyone who turns and runs home to mama as that boy did.” Paul had to change his mind later, because God will receive, and God did receive John Mark. So when Paul wrote his swan song, 2 Timothy, he said, “Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). John Mark made good. Aren’t you glad that God gives us a second chance?
My final illustration is one not from the Bible but is very much up-to-date. Years ago here in Southern California, I was teaching the Book of Jonah on an evening radio broadcast that I had at that time. A day or two after I had enlarged on this first verse of the third chapter, I received a letter from a medical doctor in Beverly Hills, California. He said, “I want you to know that this verse is now the most important verse in the Bible to me. When you said that God is the God of the second chance, I came back to Him.” He went on in his letter to tell me his story. He had come from Chicago where he had been a prominent doctor and also an officer in the church. Problems arose in the church which involved the handling of property and funds. He was blamed for the problems, although he was not guilty and had not been involved at all. He became bitter and actually left the Chicago area. He came to California and established an office here, but he never would darken the door of a church. He did, however, listen to me on the radio. When I said that God is a God of the second chance, this man wrote that “it was just like a cool drink of water to a man who was out on the desert, dying of thirst. That meant more to me than anything.” I sat down and wrote that man a letter, and I did what any preacher would do—I urged him to get into a church and to get busy again for the Lord. He wrote again and said, “I’m already back in church and busy for the Lord.” God is the God of the second chance, my friend; He is wonderful.
Jonah’s story is an illustration of how God treats His children when they sin and come back to Him. The prodigal son came home. When he came home, he didn’t get a beating; he got a banquet. He didn’t get kicked around; he got kisses. Instead of the poor boy being put out of the house and rejected, the father took the boy back. How wonderful this is!
JONAH ARRIVES IN NINEVEH
Now we are going to see how God is gracious to a sinful city. This is a record of perhaps the greatest revival in the history of the world; that is, what we call a revival—people turning to God. What happened in Nineveh makes the Day of Pentecost look very small. A few thousand turned to God on the Day of Pentecost, but there were several hundred thousand in the city of Nineveh who turned to God. There has never been anything quite like it—an entire city turned to God! No one else has ever seen that happen. The apostle Paul never stayed in a city until everyone was converted; he just preached the Word and moved on to the next town. No one from that day down to the present has seen such a moving of the Spirit of God as took place in Nineveh so long ago.
It is interesting to note that all this happened in Nineveh before the church arrived on the scene, and the greatest revival of all time will take place after the church leaves the earth. You see, God is simply not dependent upon the church. If you have the notion that the church or your church or your group are the only ones God has ever had in mind, I say to you very candidly that it is a false notion. God has something even bigger in mind than the church. Now the church is to be the bride of Christ and will, I think, occupy the very closest place to the Son of God throughout eternity, but God had a purpose in mind before the church got here and even before man appeared on this earth. God was not sitting around, twiddling His thumbs and waiting for man to come along, my friend!
Today His purpose is to call out a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. We believe that we are coming to the end of the age and that God wants the Word to go out so that everyone might hear. However, the greatest revival, the greatest turning to God, is yet in the future, and the story of Nineveh is just a small adumbration of that.
Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee [Jonah 3:2].
We have been told before that this city of Nineveh was a great city (see Jonah 1:2), and the last verse of the Book of Jonah also says, “And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?” (Jonah 4:11). The unbeliever has criticized the Book of Jonah on many counts, and one of them is the fact that three times in this book it says that Nineveh was a great city, an exceeding great city. The Ninevites were great in sin, to be sure, but they also had a very large city.
However, nothing was known about Nineveh until 1845 when Sir Austen Layard was the first to examine the ruins of this city; he and George Smith excavated the ancient city of Nineveh. Nineveh proper, that is, the tell of Nineveh, was across the Tigris River from the modern city of Mosul. It was built in the shape of a trapezium, which was about two and one-half miles in length and a mile and one-third in breadth. That would make it a pretty good-sized place, but I would say very frankly that that does not meet the demands of the Book of Jonah.
The city of Nineveh lay in a plain which was almost entirely surrounded by rivers. The Tigris River came along to a point at which the Upper Zab River ran into it, forming a V-shaped valley between the two rivers. Then across the top of them, at the north, there was a range of mountains. This entire area, therefore, was protected by the natural fortifications of the rivers and the mountains. There were several prominent cities in this natural enclosure. Nineveh was located up on the Tigris River. Down at the fork where the Upper Zab flowed into the Tigris was Calah, as it is called in Scripture, now known as the Nimrud ruins. Calah was eighteen miles southeast of Nineveh proper. The city of Khorsabad was twelve miles to the northeast of Nineveh on the Upper Zab River.
This statement by Jonah that Nineveh was a great city sounds strange for a day when cities were walled and were by necessity very compact and small. What surprises many folk when they go to Jerusalem is the fact that the walled city is so small. It was even smaller in Christ’s day and certainly in David’s day than it is today. The walled city of ancient days was very compact. It was really a fortress for the people to come into in time of siege. In Nineveh there were really three walled cities—Nineveh proper, Calah, and Khorsabad. Nineveh became the capital, and the entire area was known by its name. In that fertile valley, then, there lived a great multitude of folk who in time of siege would go into these cities. They tell us that one of the reasons Nineveh fell was not primarily because of the enemy from the outside, but because of a flood that took out one whole section of the wall of the city.
It is quite interesting that when we go back to the Book of Genesis, we read this: “Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city” (Gen. 10:11–12). All the way through the Word of God, the greatness of this city is emphasized. All of this area was given the name of Nineveh because it was the capital.
One of the ancient writers, Ctesias, describes Nineveh as a city whose circuit is 480 stadia. This would mean that its circumference was over twenty-seven miles.
So we find that Nineveh was “an exceeding great city” with one community after another. Here in Southern California we have a situation very similar to Nineveh’s. The Los Angeles area includes at least twenty-five smaller municipalities besides the actual city of Los Angeles. We speak of all of them as being a part of “the greater Los Angeles area,” which covers a great deal of ground. In fact, the joke during World War II was that a soldier who got lost up in Alaska and was trying to find his way back finally came to a sign that said, Los Angeles City Limits, and he knew he was no longer lost!
Nineveh was a great city—great in size and great in wickedness. This city was guilty of the same sins, which we read about in the other prophetic books, that brought God’s judgment. In the Books of Amos and Hosea, we find that the reason God brought judgment upon the people was because of their luxurious living and sexual immorality, because of their godless music, and because of their drunkenness. The same things could be said of Nineveh. They were given over to idolatry, their cruelty and brutality to their enemies were unspeakable, and there was gross immorality in the city. It was a city of wine and women, of the bottle and the brothel, of sauce and sex. These were the things that identified the great city of Nineveh.
It is into this great city that Jonah is now called to go and to minister.
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey [Jonah 3:3].
Notice that Jonah is now doing things “according to the word of the Lord.” The first time he had set sail for Tarshish, which was not according to the word of the Lord; now he is going into Nineveh according to the word of the Lord.
“Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.” This, of course, is the statement which caused the critics to laugh and to ridicule. The fact of the matter is, as we have explained, it would take several hours to go through just one of these cities, but there were three cities as well as a great area between them in which was a population estimated at several million. It is into this area that Jonah is now coming. It was “an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.”
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown [Jonah 3:4].
The point is that it took Jonah quite a while to cover this ground. He didn’t have radio, he didn’t even have a loud speaker—and I’ve often wondered how he did it. I think of Nineveh’s similarity to the Los Angeles area. I live in a city called Pasadena, about ten miles from downtown Los Angeles. To the south of Pasadena about twenty-five miles is Long Beach, and to the west about twenty miles is Santa Monica. All in between there is just one city after another. Imagine Jonah starting out walking here in Southern California (he didn’t have a car, by the way). He would stop at a street corner, a busy intersection, and give his message. Then he would move on down the street to another intersection and, while he was waiting for the traffic signal to change, he would speak to another crowd. In this manner it would take him quite some time to get through a city.
At this point someone is going to ask me, “How did Jonah get a crowd?” Drawing a crowd is always a problem for a preacher. It’s natural and normal for us to want as many people as possible to hear the Word of God. How did Jonah do it? He didn’t use any of our modern methods or our modern tactics. He didn’t rent a great auditorium and put on a great campaign—there’s nothing wrong with that; in fact, that’s very right to do today—but Jonah didn’t do it. He didn’t use any gimmicks. He didn’t bring in celebrities or some great singer. He didn’t entertain the crowd. That was not his method.
Jonah used a method that is a little different from any that we could use today. His method was that he was a man from the dead, and I think he was rather spectacular to see. A man who has spent three days and three nights in a fish simply cannot come out looking like he did when he went in!
If you will recall the illustrations which I gave earlier of the men who had been swallowed by a fish and lived to tell the story, you will remember that the late Dr. Harry Rimmer told about seeing one man who had spent two days inside a fish. The man was put on display in London as “the Jonah of the twentieth century.” When Dr. Rimmer interviewed him two years after it had happened, this man didn’t have a hair on his body, and his skin was a yellowish-brown color. You see, the gastric juices of the fish had reacted upon the individual as the fish had tried to digest him.
Those chemicals were bound to have an effect upon him, and this is apparently what happened to Jonah also. You can imagine the color of Jonah’s skin, and you can imagine how he must have looked. When he stopped at a corner and the crowd gathered, they would say, “Brother, where have you been?” Jonah told them, “I am a man from the dead. A fish swallowed me because God had sent me to Nineveh but I tried to run away to Tarshish.” People didn’t ridicule Jonah’s story. They listened to him.
I am told that in Russia today, out through the rural areas, there is a great company of people who have turned to the Lord. On one of our tours to Bible lands, I went ahead of the group and was fortunate to go through Belgrade, Yugoslavia. There was a mix-up about the time we were to be there, but I understand that there were some five hundred Christians who were going to be there to welcome us had they known our arrival time. This happened because some of our tapes are being translated into Yugoslavian, Romanian, and several other languages and are being used by folk there today. There is a real moving of the spirit of God in places where we would not expect it.
Who would have thought that in the wicked city of Nineveh people would listen to the Word of God and to a man who said, “I’m back from the dead”? By the way, that is the same message we have. We have a message concerning a man who came back from the dead. Paul writes, “…if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:24–25).
Jonah entered the city with a message of judgment: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” I think Jonah gave that message with relish—he didn’t like Ninevites!
NINEVEH BELIEVES GOD
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them [Jonah 3:5].
“So the people of Nineveh believed God”—that is a marvelous statement to find in the Old Testament. All God has ever asked any person, any sinner, to do is simply to believe Him. What does He ask you to believe? Believe what He has done for you. Believe that Christ died for you—that He died for you and for your sins. Believe that He was raised again and is now at God’s right hand. The people of Nineveh believed God—that is still the important thing today.
I am afraid that we have in our churches many people who are as busy as termites—they take little courses, and they talk a great deal about the Bible—but they do not know God. I was speaking with a man the other day who is that type of an individual; he goes to everything that comes along. I had gotten a little weary of hearing him tell about where he’d been and what he’d seen. He has done very little, but he is always telling about the great meetings he attends. I asked him pointblank, “Do you believe God?” He thought for a minute and then said, “Well, I think I do.” May I say to you, all of his work is of no value because he does not really believe God.
“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast.” They demonstrated their belief. Faith always leads to works. “And put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes [Jonah 3:6].
Friend, when people start doing these things they no longer will be committing sin. They are in deep repentance before God and are asking God for mercy. And when you ask God for mercy, you are going to find out that He is merciful.
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water [Jonah 3:7].
These people, many of whom were alcoholics, are now told not even to drink water.
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands [Jonah 3:8].
You, also, must turn from sin, my friend. It you come to Christ, you can come just as you are, but when you come, you will turn from sin. You cannot possibly accept Him and not turn from sin.
“Let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” The Ninevites were a brutal and violent people. They were given to riots. They were given to cruelty and brutality and mob rule. Now the king says, “Turn from all of that and cry to God for mercy.”
The strangest thing happened—the whole city turned to God! Now that was remarkable; in fact, it was quite amazing. From the king on the throne to the peasant in the hovel, they all turned to the Lord. They cried mightily to God, and they believed God. What a glorious, wonderful time this was!
We hear today that we are having revival in certain places. I do not think that you can call what is taking place anywhere (certainly not in the United States) a revival. I do think we are seeing a great moving of the Spirit of God in certain places. Wherever the Word of God is preached and taught, you will see a moving of the Spirit of God; but we are not seeing revival. Instead, we find that the church is quite inactive as far as getting out the Word of God, winning people to Christ, and building them up in the faith.
When I speak of the church, I mean you and me, all of us who are believers, regardless of the group with which we are identified or the local assembly to which we go. Someone sent me this little quote because he had heard me say that there are a great many church members who are not real believers. Here it is: “Church members are either pillars or caterpillars. The pillars hold up the church; the caterpillars just crawl in and out.” That’s accurate, my friend. That is our problem today. We have too many caterpillars and not enough pillars to hold up the church.
NINEVEH IS NOT DESTROYED
Jonah went to the city of Nineveh, and the entire city turned to God. This was something that had never happened before. Certainly Noah didn’t have this kind of experience!—but Jonah did. What will God do now that the city has turned to Him? The king himself asks the question—
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not [Jonah 3:9–10].
We have come to what is probably the strongest statement in Scripture about God repenting. What does it mean when Scripture says that God repented? Does God repent? The word repentance as it is used in both the Old and New Testaments primarily means ”a change of mind.” In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the word is metanoesen, meaning “to change your mind.” The question arises then: Does God change His mind?
One of the attributes of God is that He is immutable, which means that He never changes. There is no reason for God to change. He knows the end from the beginning. When the Los Angeles Times came out this morning, it didn’t tell God a thing. God has not learned anything from the politicians or from our colleges today—they haven’t taught Him anything. God knows the end from the beginning, and there is no reason for Him to change His mind. He is carrying on the program that He outlined at the beginning, and He is simply following through on it. Therefore, God does not change.
But Scripture does say that God repents. Follow me carefully here: There are expressions used in the Word of God which are called anthropomorphic terms; that is, there are certain attributes of man which are ascribed to God. In the Bible certain physical and psychological attributes of man are attributed to God.
First of all, let us look at some physical attributes of mankind that are ascribed to God. It says in Scripture that “… the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth …” (2 Chron. 16:9, italics mine). Does that mean that God has eyes like I have? If He does, are they blue or brown or gray eyes? God is a spirit, and He does not have eyes like we have. But the one who made the eye can see, and He can see without the eye. The Lord knew that Vernon McGee would have a problem understanding that, and so He said, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” I can understand that now—that means that God sees everything. That is an anthropomorphic term, ascribing to God an attribute that belongs to man in order that we can understand.
The Bible also speaks of the arm of the Lord and the hand of the Lord. That is very helpful to my understanding, but the one who made my hand and my arm does not have a hand or an arm like I have because God is a spirit. But the Bible says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1)—that really means finger work. John Wesley put it like this: “God created the heavens and the earth, and He didn’t even half try.” Finger work is like crocheting or knitting; it doesn’t require a great deal of muscle. You don’t have to do sitting up exercises for six months before you can learn to knit. God created the heavens and the earth—that is His finger work.
However, when Isaiah was speaking of God’s salvation and His redemption, he said, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the [bared] arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1, italics mine). I understand now what I would not have understood before: It cost God more, and it was more difficult for Him to redeem man than it was for Him to create a universe.
These are examples of anthropomorphic terms, of physical attributes of man being attributed to God for the sake of our understanding. The Scriptures also attribute certain psychological attributes of man to God. For example, the anger of the Lord. Does God get angry? He surely does. He is angry with the wicked all of the time. God can get angry, but His anger is not like my anger. I get angry when I hear that someone has said something bad about me, but that doesn’t bother God at all. His anger is not peevish or petulant but is an anger that is against all wickedness and sin.
Scripture tells us that God loves, and that is something I can understand. In fact, in the little Book of Ruth, God takes a very human relationship—the love of a man for a woman—as a picture of His love for us. Also, the church is called the bride of Christ. That tells us something of the love of God. God loves you, and you cannot keep Him from loving you.
Here in Jonah we have another example: God repents. To repent means to change your mind; that is what it means when it applies to me. When I repent, I change my mind. I did something wrong, and I now see that it was wrong. I turn from it, and I go to God and ask forgiveness for it—I come over on God’s side. To confess your sin is to come over and agree with God about your sin.
But does God repent like that? Does He change His mind? Does He say, “My, I made a mistake there; I shouldn’t destroy Nineveh”? No. We need to see that the city of Nineveh had two options when this man Jonah entered it with his message of judgment. They could reject God’s message, they could ignore it, they could pay no attention to it, and if they did, they would be destroyed—God never changed that. Or they could accept God’s message, they could turn to Him, and God would deliver and save them. God is immutable—He never changes. When His Word is rejected, when people turn from Him, they are lost. But when they turn to Him, He will always save them, regardless of who they are.
Therefore, who changed? Did God change? No, but it looked as if He did. Jonah had said, “Yet forty days, and this city is going to be destroyed. God is going to destroy it.” But God did not destroy Nineveh. Did God break His Word? No. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The city had two options. If they had not accepted His Word, they would have been destroyed. But they did accept God’s message, they believed God, and they turned from their wickedness. God didn’t change; He will always save people when they turn to Him. Although it looked as if God changed, it was really the city of Nineveh that changed, and that makes all the difference in the world.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Jonah’s displeasure; God’s gracious dealing with Jonah
This fourth chapter is like an addendum to the Book of Jonah, because at the end of chapter 3 the mission is accomplished. As you know, I arranged each chapter of this book according to a timetable. In chapter 1, Jonah left the northern kingdom of Israel, probably from Gath—hepher, his hometown. His destination was Nineveh, and it took him three chapters to get there. But he accomplished his mission, and the entire city turned to God. It would seem that the book ought to end there. But the problem no longer is Nineveh—the problem now is Jonah. Jonah was a problem child. God had more trouble with a backsliding prophet by the name of Jonah than He had with an entire city of brutal, cruel, pagan sinners.
If I had had the privilege of being the one who brought God’s message to Nineveh and had seen the result that Jonah saw, I believe that I would have gone down to the Western Union office and sent a telegram back to my hometown. I would want to tell people what had happened and cause them to praise and thank God for what had been accomplished. I would rejoice in it, but that is because of where I am and because I am under altogether different circumstances. If I had been in Jonah’s shoes, if I had been in Jonah’s fish, I might have had the same feeling that he did. Yet his reaction is something that seems unbelievable. In fact, I have no problem with the fish, but I have a lot of problems with this man Jonah. At the very beginning, he was called to go in one direction, and he headed in the other direction. I don’t understand that—until I look closely at my own heart and see that I have headed in the wrong direction several times when it was very clear that God wanted me to go in the opposite direction.
Jonah now has a new destination. He is going to leave Nineveh, and he is glad to get out of town. His destination now is a gourd vine or, as I would like to imagine, a trailer court outside the city. Jonah goes out of the city and finds himself a little spot where he can park his camper for awhile. As he leaves Nineveh, his destination is a little spot outside the city, and he is going to arrive in the heart of God. I do not know of a better place for anybody to arrive than in the heart of God, and that is where this prophet is going to arrive.
God is going to seek to win Jonah over to His viewpoint. This chapter will demonstrate to us the fact that God will never interfere with your free will. He is not going to force you on any issue whatsoever, for you are a free moral agent. God has actually moved heaven and hell and has come by way of a cross to knock at your heart’s door. But, my friend, He will not come any farther than that until that door is opened, and it must be opened from the inside. He will never crash the door of your heart; He will never push it in; He will never come as in uninvited. God is now going to have to deal with a backsliding prophet who has a pretty strong will and who hates Ninevites. He is going to try to win Jonah over to His viewpoint.
JONAH’S DISPLEASURE
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry [Jonah 4:1].
It didn’t simply displease Jonah a little bit; it displeased him exceedingly. He wasn’t angry just a little bit; he was very angry. What is this man angry about? He’s angry because the city of Nineveh turned to God—he didn’t like that.
And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil [Jonah 4:2].
“And he prayed unto the Lord”—the last time Jonah prayed he was inside the fish. Here he is outside of Nineveh, with his camper parked up there in a little trailer court, and as he sits in the shade of it, he prays. He’s very unhappy; in fact, he’s miserable.
You may have felt that I was inaccurate in the Introduction when I said that Jonah had hatred and bitterness in his heart against the Ninevites, that he probably had justification for it, and that it was one of the reasons he did not want to go to Nineveh. But listen to him now: “O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”
Years ago I heard a liberal lecturing at Vanderbilt University who said that Jonah’s problem was that he did not know God. I don’t like to say it like this, but the problem with that lecturer was that he didn’t know the Book of Jonah. It is very clear that Jonah did know God and that he knew Him very well, probably better than that lecturer knew God. Jonah says to God, “I knew You were gracious, I knew You were merciful, I knew You were slow to anger, and I knew You were of great kindness. And I knew that although You said You would destroy Nineveh in forty days, if Nineveh would turn to You, You would save them because that’s what You always do.” Jonah knew God and, knowing God, he said, “I hate Ninevites. I don’t want them saved. I want God to judge them.” So he had headed in the opposite direction from Nineveh. Jonah said, “If those Ninevites would turn to God, God would save them, and you just can’t depend on Ninevites—they might put up a good front. They might say that they’ve turned to God.” Jonah should have known that God knew their hearts and knew whether they were genuine or not. But Jonah did know how merciful and good and gracious God is.
Jonah is in great bitterness and anger. Listen to him—
Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live [Jonah 4:3].
Two of the great prophets of Scripture said the same thing, that they wanted God to take their lives. In other words, they were actually on the verge of suicide. When the prophet Elijah ran from Jezebel—another man running away, and it was unlike him—he went all the way to Beer-sheba, which was the jumping-off place for the Sinai Peninsula. Elijah left his servant there and kept on going as long as he could. When he was out of breath, he crawled up under a juniper tree and he said, “Oh, Lord, let me die!” When God’s man does that, that man is exhausted and drained physically, mentally, psychologically, and spiritually. Every drop is drained out of him. That was true of Elijah. He had been busy, and I mean busy, friend! He had withstood the prophets of Baal way up at Mount Carmel. He had been before the public. Although Elijah loved the spectacular and he loved the dramatic, it drained him after awhile. So when he heard that Jezebel was after him, he simply took out for the far country.
Now I think you’ll agree that Jonah has really been through the mill—in fact, he’s been through a fish. He had quite an experience. Then he came into the city of Nineveh, he gave out God’s Word faithfully, and the city turned to God. This man is now overwrought, overstimulated. He is exhausted, absolutely drained—and he wants to die. Many of us reach this stage sometimes. We get to the place where we feel like saying, “This is it. I give up. I quit. I don’t want to go any farther.” We’re tired; we’re exhausted. But to wish that you were dead is just about as foolish a thing as you can possibly do. As far as I know, no one has ever died by wishing. People die of cancer, of heart trouble, and of all kinds of things, but they just don’t die of wishing to be dead. Jonah is wasting his time.
GOD’S GRACIOUS DEALING WITH JONAH
Notice how graciously God deals with this man—
Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry? [Jonah 4:4].
Dr. G. Douglas Young has given us what I believe is a much better translation here. He has translated it like this: “Is doing good displeasing to you?”—that’s what God meant. God says, “Jonah, I have saved Nineveh because I’m in the saving business and I save sinners. I wanted you to bring them the message of judgment to see whether or not they would turn to Me. If they turned to Me, I would save them. They did turn to Me, and I have saved them.” My friend, if there is joy in heaven over one sinner turning to God, they must have had a real big time up there when all the folk in Nineveh turned to God. God asks Jonah, “Is this displeasing to you that I have saved these Ninevites?”
Jonah is in a huff, and he’s pouting. Notice what he does—
So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city [Jonah 4:5].
“So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city.” The east side of the city was up in the hill country, up at an elevation. Jonah got himself a good spot where he could look out over the city. Why? Because he didn’t trust the Ninevites. He thought they would go right back into their sinning; and if they did, he knew God would destroy them because God never changes. Jonah wanted to be up there if the fire fell. That’s the kind of man we are dealing with here—and he’s the man who had brought God’s message.
“And there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.” He didn’t believe Nineveh would stick by their conversion, their confession of faith. He’s up there, and he’s waiting for the fire of God’s judgment to fall.
God is now going to move in on this man Jonah, and He’s going to deal with him personally. We are going to have an answer here to the question that is often asked: Do you have to love people before you can bring the Word of God to them? Do you have to love a people before you can go as a missionary to them? Jonah may be a good example in this particular connection, for one thing is sure: Jonah didn’t love the Ninevites.
And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd [Jonah 4:6].
“And the Lord God prepared a gourd.” This gourd was prepared in the same way that God prepared the fish. If you don’t believe in the fish, you ought not to believe in the gourd. I believe in the gourd; I believe in the fish.
“And made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.” Jonah is made happy at last by this little green gourd growing up. Every day Jonah would go down to the Tigris River, fill a bucket with water, and come up and water this gourd that was growing in that dry country. He trained it to run up over his camper, you know. He sat under the shade of it, and he became very attached to it.
If we understand a little about human nature, we can understand Jonah a little better. It is amazing how people can get attached to living things other than human beings, especially if they are lonely. If they have no person to love, they will have a dog or cat or even a vine to love. Several years ago I visited a friend in Chicago who lived in an apartment. She had several plants, and one of them was a geranium. She took me over to show me the geranium which was just a little old stub sticking up out of the pot. In my yard in Pasadena I have to cut back the geraniums with a hoe in order to keep them from taking over! But this lady said to me, “Dr. McGee, look here at this little geranium. I know you grow them in California, but this one is such a sweet one. It grows up each year and has flowers on it. It dies back in wintertime, although the apartment is warm—I don’t know why it does that.” I told her, “Well, geraniums have a habit of lunging out in a spurt of growth at times.” But hers hadn’t done much lunging, you can be sure of that—it was just a little, bitty thing. As we walked away, she patted that little geranium and said, “You sweet little thing, you!” I thought, My gracious, does she talk to the geranium? I guess she did. She certainly was a very sensible and intelligent woman, but she lived alone and really did not have many friends.
Jonah has no friends, he doesn’t like Ninevites, and there’s not a person in that city whom he cares about visiting. He’s alone, and he’s out of fellowship with God at this time. So God lets him get attached to a little old gourd. I have a notion that Jonah would come panting up the hill with a bucket of water every afternoon and would say to the gourd, “Little gourd, I’ve brought you your drink for today.” Can you imagine that? Well, people can get attached to dogs in that way also. One evening when my daughter was just a little thing, I took her for a walk. We came to a corner where there were a lot of vines, and we couldn’t see around the corner, but we could hear a woman talking. I have never heard such sweet talk in my life! I thought we were interrupting a romance; so I took my daughter and started to cross the street. But then the woman came around the corner, and she was carrying a little dog. Imagine talking to a dog like that! I do not know if she was married or not, but if she was, I’ll bet that her husband wasn’t hearing sweet talk like that. We speak of some people leading “a dog’s life”—there are some men who wish they could lead a dog’s life! Jonah talked that way to this gourd vine—he’s attached to it!
Watch how God is going to move in on Jonah—
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered [Jonah 4:7].
“But God prepared a worm”—this worm is just as miraculous as the fish. “And it smote the gourd that it withered.” This worm cut the vine down because worms just don’t fall in love with gourds—they like to eat them.
And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live [Jonah 4:8].
Here he goes again, wishing—but it won’t do him a bit of good.
And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death [Jonah 4:9].
Jonah says, “The only thing that I had that was living and that I cared for was this little gourd vine that grew up here and that You gave to me. And now the worm has cut the thing down, and here I am all alone.”
Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night [Jonah 4:10].
God says to Jonah, “Jonah, a gourd is nothing.” My friend, I hate to say this, but a pussycat is nothing, a little dog is nothing, but a human being has a soul that is either going to heaven or hell. And God didn’t ask you to love the lost before you go to them. He said, “I love the lost, and I want you to go to them.” That is what He is saying to Jonah: “Jonah, I love the Ninevites.”
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? [Jonah 4:11].
God says, “I have spared this city.” What does He mean by “sixscore thousand [120,000] persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand”? He means little children. God says, “You wouldn’t want Me to destroy that city, would you, Jonah? If you can fall in love with a gourd vine, can’t you at least fall in love with Ninevite children?”
Now may I make this application? When I was teaching in a Bible institute, I used to say, like all the other teachers were saying, that if you are called to go as a missionary, you ought to love the people to whom you go. I disagree violently with that now, because how can you love people before you know them? I first applied that to myself. I have never accepted a call to a church because I loved the people; I didn’t know them to begin with. I went because I felt that God had called me to go there and preach. But I also have never been in a church in which I didn’t become involved with the people. I have stood at their bedsides in hospitals, I’ve been at their gravesides when death came, I’ve been with them in the marriages that have taken place in their families, and I can truthfully say that I have never yet left a church where there wasn’t a great company of people whom I loved—and I really mean that I love them in the Lord. But I did not love them when I went there because I did not know them.
God is saying to a great many people today, “I want you to go and take the Word of God to those who are lost.” And they say, “But I don’t love them.” God says, “I never asked you to love them; I asked you to go.” I cannot find anywhere that God ever asked Jonah to go because he loved the Ninevites. He said, “Jonah, I want you to go because I love them. I love Ninevites. I want to save Ninevites. And I want you to take the message to them.”
Again may I say that I am afraid there are a great many people in the church who are caterpillars. Church members are either pillars or caterpillars; the pillars hold up the church, and the caterpillars just crawl in and out. There are a lot of people just crawling in and out of the church, waiting for some great wave of emotion, waiting for some feeling to take hold of them—and they have never done anything yet. God says that we are to get busy for Him.
I remember talking to a missionary who was home from Africa, and he was showing me a picture of some little black boys in the orphans’ home there. I could tell by the way he looked at the picture that he loved those little boys. I said to him, “When you first went to Africa, did you love the Africans?” He said, “No, I really wanted to go to my people in Greece, but at that time the door was closed, and I could not go; so I had to go to Africa.” As he held that picture, I said to him, “But do you love those little fellows now?” Tears came down from his eyes. He said, “I love them now.” God says to you and me, “You go with the Word. I love the lost. You take the Word to them, and when they are saved and you get acquainted with them and know them, you will love them, too.”
Since Jonah wrote the book, I think it is reasonable to say that after this experience, Jonah left the dead gourd vine and went down to where the living were walking the streets of Nineveh, and I think that he rejoiced with them that they had come to a saving knowledge of God. My friend, what a message this is! Why don’t you get involved in getting the Word of God out to people? Don’t wait for some great feeling to sweep over your soul. Don’t wait to be moved by a little picture of an orphan. There are so many people waiting to be motivated by things that are emotional. Take the Word of God to them because God loves them; and if you’ll do that, I will guarantee that you will learn to love them also.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Judah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Micah
INTRODUCTION
It is important to know something about the man Micah as well as his message. His name means “who is like Jehovah?” The word has the same derivation as Michael (the name of the archangel) which means “who is like God?” There are many Micahs mentioned in the Scriptures, but this man is identified as a Morasthite (Mic. 1:1), since he was an inhabitant of Moresheth-gath (Mic. 1:14), a place about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem, near Lachish. He is not to be confused with any other Micah of Scripture.
Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (see Mic. 1:1), who were kings of Judah. However, his prophecy concerns Samaria and Jerusalem. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, while Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. Although he was a man from the southern kingdom, a great deal of his prophecy had to do with the northern kingdom. He spoke to the nation during the time that the northern kingdom was being attacked by Assyria. Although the southern kingdom was attacked also, it was the northern kingdom that actually was carried away into Assyrian captivity.
Micah was a contemporary of three other prophets: Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos. It is possible that he was a friend of Isaiah, and his prophecy has been called that of a miniature Book of Isaiah. There are many striking similarities between the two. For many people, Micah is the favorite of the minor prophets. It is one of the most remarkable books as to style. If you appreciate beautiful language, if you appreciate poetry, and if you appreciate literature, you will appreciate Micah. The writing is pungent and personal. Micah was trenchant, touching, and tender. He was realistic and reportorial—he would have made a good war correspondent. There is an exquisite beauty about this brochure which combines God’s infinite tenderness with His judgments. There are several famous passages which are familiar to the average Christian, although he may not recognize them as coming from Micah. Through the gloom of impending judgment, Micah saw clearly the coming glory of the redemption of Israel, which makes this a remarkable book.
Micah pronounced judgment on the cities of Israel and on Jerusalem in Judah. These centers influenced the people of the nation. These were the urban problems that sound very much like our present-day problems. Micah condemned violence, corruption, robbery, covetousness, gross materialism, spiritual bankruptcy, and illicit sex. He well could be labeled “the prophet of the city.”
The theme of Micah is very important to understand. Customarily, Micah is considered a prophet of judgment. That seems to be true since in the first three chapters there is a great emphasis on judgment. However, although the first three chapters are denunciatory, the last four chapters are consolatory. His great question is found in one of the loveliest passages of Scripture. “Who is like unto Thee?” that is, unto God. We find that Micah emphasizes that theme as he goes along. In the first three chapters: Who is like unto God in proclaiming—that is, in witnessing? In chapters 4 and 5: Who is like unto God in prophesying, in consoling? In chapter 6: Who is like unto God in pleading? Finally, in chapter 7: Who is like unto God in pardoning? This is what makes Micah a wonderful little book. The main theme of the book is God’s judgment and redemption—both are there. The key verse, to me, is Micah 7:18 which says, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”
God hates sin, but He loves the souls of sinners, and He wants to save them. Judgment is called God’s “strange work.” It is strange because He does not like to judge. But since He is a holy God and hates sin, He must deal with any rebellion. He couldn’t do otherwise. But He still loves the souls of sinners; He wants to save them, and He will save them if they come to Him in faith.
This little book can be divided in an interesting way. The more natural division of the prophecy is to note that Micah gave three messages, each beginning with the injunction, “Hear” (Mic. 1:2; 3:1; 6:1). The first message is addressed to “all people,” and the second message is addressed specifically to the leaders of Israel. The third message is a personal word of pleading to Israel to repent and return to God.
Now let me refer briefly to the attack upon the unity of this book by the German higher critics of many years ago. They made the same attack which they made upon the prophecy of Isaiah, which has been well answered by conservative scholarship. Therefore we will not waste time by delving into it. I find it interesting that Jeremiah quoted from Micah, which reveals the importance of Micah in his day. “Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest” (Jer. 26:18). Of course, the people paid no more attention to Jeremiah than they had to Micah, and what Micah had prophesied did happen to Jerusalem exactly as he said it would.
Many folk, especially young preachers who want to give an exposition, have asked me how to begin. I would say, not only to young preachers but to everyone who wants to study the Bible, first of all, get a grasp of the message of an entire book. What is it all about? What is the author trying to say? What is the main message? To get this information you must outline the book. In Micah we find that the message is, “Who is like God in proclaiming, in prophesying, in pleading, and in pardoning?” That is how the Book of Micah is divided.
OUTLINE
“WHO IS A GOD LIKE UNTO THEE?”
I. Proclaiming Future Judgment for Past Sins, Chapters 1–3
A. Prophet’s First Message Directed Against Samaria, Reaches to Jerusalem, Chapter 1
B. Prophet’s Second Message Describes Specific Sins, Chapter 2
C. Prophet’s Third Message Denounces Leaders for Sins, Chapter 3
II. Prophesying Future Glory Because of Past Promises, Chapters 4–5
A. Prophecies of Last Days, Chapter 4
B. Prophecy of First Coming of Christ Before Second Coming and Kingdom, Chapter 5
III. Pleading Present Repentance Because of Past Redemption, Chapter 6
IV. Pardoning All Iniquity Because of Who God Is and What He Does, Chapter 7
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The prophet’s first message; directed against Samaria, reaches to Jerusalem
The first three chapters, as I have indicated in the Introduction, are denunciatory.
In every chapter of this remarkable little book there will be a striking statement—sometimes in a single verse, sometimes in many verses as in this first chapter.
The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem [Mic. 1:1].
Let me repeat, Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom. The city was built originally by Omri, king of Israel, and was the seat of idolatry. It was made famous—or infamous—by Ahab and Jezebel who built there a temple to Baal. The city stood in a very lovely location, but it lies in ruins today. I have pictures of it, which I took while on a trip to Israel. The desolate ruins bear mute testimony to the accuracy of Micah’s prophecy concerning Samaria.
“Micah the Morasthite” means that he was a native of Moresheth of Gath, which is southwest of Jerusalem. Although he was in the kingdom of Judah, he prophesied to both kingdoms, but his main message was directed to the northern kingdom. I have often wondered about that. His contemporary, Isaiah, was a prophet to the southern kingdom; and perhaps, since Micah was probably a younger man, he felt that Isaiah could take care of the southern kingdom while God directed him to speak to the northern kingdom. You will never misunderstand Micah, because he makes it very clear to whom he is speaking.
THE PROPHET’S FIRST MESSAGE
Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple [Mic. 1:2].
“Hear, all ye people” means all people. That includes you wherever you are today. Micah has a message for us. As with all the prophets, although speaking into a particular situation which has long since disappeared, his message is relevant for our day because certain principles are laid down. Micah gives a philosophy of human government. He deals with that which is false and that which is true authority in government. This would be a good book for both Republicans and Democrats in Washington to consider. It wouldn’t hurt them to look at God’s philosophy of government because, very candidly, their form of government is not working today. The reason it cannot work properly is because it was originally put together by men who, although some of them were not Christians, had a respect and reverence for the Bible. They felt that the great principles stated in the Bible were worth following, and therefore they wove them into the warp and woof of our government. It will never work in the hands of godless men. Frankly, that is our problem. Actually, the form of government is not the important feature, although we think it is. Let me give you an example: when Cromwell was a dictator in England, they had about the best form of government they could possibly have had. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not recommending a dictatorship, but it is good if you have the right dictator. When Jesus comes to reign on this earth, my friend, He is going to be a dictator and the right kind of dictator. The character of the ruler is of utmost importance. It makes no difference if there is a monarchy, a limited monarchy, an autocracy, a democracy, or a representative form of government; if the right men are in charge, it will work. I hope that I am getting it over to you that I am not talking politics, but I am speaking of a philosophy of government and am attempting to pinpoint our current problem. We need men in government who have character. The concern of the American people is whether or not their government leaders have TV personalities. We are more interested in charisma than character. Micah deals with this matter in the third chapter: “The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us” (Mic. 3:11). Micah puts his finger on the fact that they had false prophets, false religion, and false leaders.
“Hearken, O earth, and all that therein is.” Since most of us are on this earth, he means all of us.
“And let the Lord God be witness against you.” Micah is calling God as a witness to the thing which he is going to say.
“The Lord from his holy temple.” The Lord was in His holy temple, in His heaven, then as now.
The Lord will come down in judgment—
For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth [Mic. 1:3].
This language is absolutely beautiful, although it is frightful in many ways.
“Tread upon the high places of the earth.” You recall that the high places were the locations of idol worship. Idols were set up in groves upon the hills and mountains. Also in that day the cities were situated on elevated places. Both Samaria and Jerusalem were built on mountains. The Lord Jesus mentioned that a city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid, and the city has a tremendous influence upon the area around it (see Matt. 5:14). When the city is the seat of government, it has a tremendous influence not only upon the immediate area but often upon the entire world. That is the case of many great cities in the past and present. Also cities are centers of great sin. For these reasons God is coming down upon them in judgment—He will “tread upon the high places of the earth.”
And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place [Mic. 1:4].
“The mountains shall be molten [melted] under him, and the valleys shall be cleft.” This is definitely a picture of volcanic action and of earthquakes. We find this same language in the Scriptures from Judges through Habakkuk. For example, Psalm 18:7–10: “Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.” Although this language is highly figurative, it is a tremendous, actual, exact picture of what took place.
This raises a question about what or who controls the weather and natural forces. Well, God is the One who controls nature and earthquakes and volcanoes and weather. I believe that God judges nations and that He judges peoples, and these things are warnings. I have always felt that the Great Depression of the 1930s and the dust storms in the midwest were warnings from God. But America didn’t listen to God. Then we entered World War II, and we have not recovered from that yet. God is still moving in the affairs of this world.
I think of Turkey, especially along the west coast, and the ruins of the great cities like Ephesus and Pergamos which at one time were the very lifeblood of the Roman Empire. Now they are lying in ruins. Why is it that there is no great population but only little towns there today? Well, you may say, it is earthquake territory. You are right. It is interesting that man always flocks to earthquake territory. That is true in California where I live. I have seen people come out here by the millions. We are ready for an earthquake, let me tell you. The greatest population of the Roman Empire was in modern Turkey, and look what happened to it. Historians tell us that an earthquake destroyed the cities and caused the people to flee. That was the judgment of God, you see.
God makes it clear here about His judgment—
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? [Mic. 1:5].
“For the transgression of Jacob …and for the sins of the house of Israel.” You see, he is speaking to both kingdoms and their capitals—Samaria of Israel and Jerusalem of Judah (or Jacob).
“What is the transgression of Jacob?” Rather, who is responsible for the transgression of Jacob? The answer is: “Is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?” The prophet places the blame on the capital cities, Jerusalem and Samaria. Jerusalem was the place where they were to worship God. Were they worshiping Him there? Well, yes, they would go to the temple, but they also were going to the high places where idolatry and the grossest forms of immorality took place. And God says that it is for these things He is going to judge these two great cities because of their tremendous influence over the nations of Israel and Judah.
This has, I believe, an application to my own nation because we have a philosophy of government that is wrong. As we have seen, it is not the form of government that is wrong; it is the people who head it up who are wrong. I do not know that there is too much difference between having one godless dictator or having a whole godless Senate and a whole godless House of Representatives. The founders of our nation formed three branches of government because they had had a bad experience with old King George back in England, and they knew they could not trust men. Their theory was that the three branches of government could watch each other. Well, in our day all three need watching. Why? Because it takes the right kind of men for any government to function properly.
The problem in Micah’s day was that Samaria and Jerusalem had become corrupt, and God was going to judge them. What about my own country? It is my personal opinion that America has gone over the hill. The United States does not appear in the prophecies of the end times for one of two reasons: either it will have disappeared as a nation or it will no longer be a world power. We had a marvelous opportunity to lead the world following World War II. So what did we give the world? We gave it rock music, hippies, the new morality, a love of pleasure, and a love of affluence. And today the United States of America is on the way down. This is distressing to me because I love my country, and I hate to see a godless outfit take over and spoil this nation which I do believe was founded under God for a very definite purpose. It is a government under God that Micah is espousing. This is God’s philosophy of government, you see.
Now we come to the first striking statement, and it is the longest one. It goes through the remainder of the chapter, from verse 6 to verse 16. It is a miniature of the great destruction that will come in the last days. We will return to the subject of judgment during the last days when we come to the fourth chapter of Micah; but, here in the first chapter of Micah, it is a local judgment in which Assyria will destroy Samaria. I wish I could show you some of my pictures of Samaria. At one time it was a lovely city. It was a city of great influence and culture. It was a city of great promise, but today it lies in dust and ashes.
Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof [Mic. 1:6].
“I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard.” That is what it is today. I saw a little vineyard planted by Arabs growing right in the ruins of one section of Samaria. There are other places where you can find an orchard planted in the ruins and different kinds of trees which were planted here and there.
“I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley.” I have stood on the acropolis, the very highest place in Samaria, and have looked down the steep embankment. Do you know what is down there? There are all kinds of pillars and stones that formerly had been hewn out and used in buildings. They have been rolled down, down into the valley. I can’t think of anything more literal than this fulfillment of “I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley.”
“And I will discover [uncover] the foundations thereof” I would like to show you the pictures I took of the foundations which were there in the time of Ahab and Jezebel. Also I have pictures of the later foundations which, were built by the Romans. God has uncovered them all, and they are all there in ruins for you to take a good look at today. The foundations reveal that there had been a tremendous city there, but it has long since gone out of business.
And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot [Mic. 1:7].
“And all the graven [carved] images thereof shall be beaten to pieces!” When I was there, I asked my guide, “Are there any images around here?” His answer was, “No. There is no evidence of idolatry although we know that there was idolatry here” Let me remind you that the high places which are mentioned were places where idols stood and where the basest kind of worship took place. For example, in the worship of Molech, the idol formed a red-hot oven where children were actually offered. What an awful thing that was! And the grossest forms of immorality were carried on in connection with idol worship. In other words, religion and illicit sex were very much the same thing. It is abroad again today in Satan worship and outgrowths of the occult.
“And all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire.” The word hires is very interesting. It refers to the costly vessels that had been given to the heathen temples. My guide told me that, in the ruins of the palace of Jezebel, archaeologists have found remains of quite a few smaller ivory vessels which were evidently jars to hold perfume and some larger ones to hold wine. There has been a great deal of excavation done there.
“She gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.” Sex was at the heart of these idolatrous rites. In Corinth, for instance, they know today that in the worship of Aphrodite upon the Acropolis, there were a thousand “vestal virgins,” who were nothing in the world but prostitutes. Sex was a part of the religion. A man had to pay when he went into one of their places of worship. Whether in temples or out-of-doors, they were brothels. It was all done in the name of religion. This was true among the Phoenicians; it was true among the Philistines; and Israel had adopted their religions.
It is quite interesting that contemporary thought is returning to that viewpoint. The so-called “new morality” is as old as the worship of Molech and of Baal and of other heathen religions of antiquity. This is one reason I insist that religion has not been a blessing to the world. If you want to see what religion has done, go to India. There religion has kept a wonderful people in a pitiful state. The people are absolutely impoverished and bound by the fetters of religion. Christianity, of course, is not a religion; Christianity is a Person. The Lord Jesus made that clear when He said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). He can deliver you from things that are sinful, and He can also deliver you from the bondage of religion.
The last part of the verse says, “she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.” Micah is saying that the hires will go right back and be used for sin again. Some of these vessels were apparently used again in Roman times. It was Herod who rebuilt that city. He liked the location; it was a delightful place to live, but it also has been destroyed and is in ruins today. Heathen worship was the main sin. It was number one on the sin parade, but Micah is going to mention some other sins, too.
LAMENTATION OF MICAH
The remainder of the chapter is Micah’s lamentation. He is deeply affected by Israel’s sins and their consequences. Micah is not just a paid preacher; he is a prophet called of God. He is very much like Jeremiah and Hosea in that he had a tender heart. We tend to think of all the Old Testament prophets as being hard-nosed like Elijah and Ezekiel. You may remember that, when God commissioned Ezekiel, He warned him that He was sending him to an impudent and hardhearted people. But, He said, “I am going to make your head harder than theirs.” There was a need for hardheaded prophets, and these men could speak right out; but many of God’s prophets were very tenderhearted, and Micah was one of them. Listen to him—
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls [Mic. 1:8].
“I will go stripped and naked.” When a man removed his outer garments, it meant that he was in deep mourning and deep trouble.
“I will make a wailing like the dragons [jackals], and mourning as the owls [ostriches].” If you have ever heard a wolf or a hyena howl at night, you know it is a mournful and terrible sound. Job uses this same expression: “I am a brother to dragons [jackals], and a companion to owls [ostriches]” (Job 30:29). I did not know that ostriches mourn until several years ago when my wife and I were visiting the San Diego Zoo. We were walking around when we heard a mournful sound. It was a very plaintive and pitiful sort of a sound. At first I thought an animal had been trapped or hurt in some way. As we continued our walk, we met a man and I asked him, “Do you know what is making that sound?” He replied, “It’s the ostriches.” I thought the man was pulling my leg. I didn’t even thank him for the information because I thought he was kidding. But soon we walked around a bend in the road, and there were the ostriches. They were all standing there, just looking around. I didn’t see any reason for their mourning, but they were making the most mournful sound I have ever heard. Micah said that he would mourn like the ostriches. He would wail like they did.
In other words, the message that this man was giving to the people was affecting him just as the message that Jeremiah gave affected him. This is another example of the type of man God wants to deliver a harsh message. It must be a man with a tender heart if the message is to be harsh. Why? Because before God judges a people, He wants them to know how He feels; so He sent the weeping prophet Jeremiah and then this weeping prophet Micah. When the people listen to his message, then to his mourning and wailing, they understand how God feels about their sin. God is not vindictive. Although He takes no delight in judgment, He must judge sin. If you will turn that over in your mind a little, my friend, you will recognize that God cannot permit evil and wrong to be done to one of His creatures without His judging the guilty party. He would not be God if He did not give justice to His creatures. When evil is done and sin is committed, God is going to move in judgment. It takes Him a little while to get around to it; but, when He moves, nothing can stop Him.
For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem [Mic. 1:9].
“Her wound is incurable.” The nation had passed over an invisible line from which there was no possibility of returning. While I do not know where that line is, I do know it exists. And when an individual or a nation passes over that line, there is no possibility of reclamation. It is not that God is not merciful and gracious, but the individual or the nation is so bent to sin and has turned a deaf ear to God for so long that there is nothing left but judgment. The wound is incurable. They will no longer hear God.
This disturbs me, because I wonder if my own country may have passed over that line. All I know is that they are not hearing the voice of God and do not want to hear it. In spite of the fact that there is a tremendous reception today for the Word of God, I sometimes wonder how deep it is. Are the hearing of the Word of God and obedience to the Word of God synonymous? I actually know of folk who are living in sin or have lived in sin and have never repented of it, yet speak of loving the Word of God! Is it possible that they have stepped over that invisible line and that there is nothing left for them but judgment?
“For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.” The Assyrian army under Sennacherib came down from the north and mowed down the northern kingdom. They got as far south as the walls of Jerusalem, and the king Hezekiah was afraid that they were going to take the city; but God instructed Isaiah to tell the king that Jerusalem would not be invaded but that this was a warning to them. Well, Judah heeded the warning for awhile, but it wore off and they turned back to their idol worship and their sin. The day came when God had to judge Judah as He had judged Israel.
Now we are given a series of names of ten different urban centers that were affected by Samaria and Jerusalem. Not all of these places are on the map, but the list begins in the north with Samaria and moves south toward Jerusalem and beyond Jerusalem. The meanings of the names reveal a play upon words.
Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust [Mic. 1:10].
“Declare ye it not at Gath.” The name Gath means “weep-town.” God is saying, “Weep not at Weep-town.” Gath belonged to the Philistines, the inveterate enemies of Israel, and He is saying, “Don’t let them know that judgment is coming upon you.”
“In the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.” Aphrah means “dust-town.” To put dust on the head was the sign of the deepest grief. The site of this town is not known, but the thought seems to be that the people were to lament in their own territory.
Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing [Mic. 1:11].
Saphir means “beauty-town.” Believe me, the inhabitants passed away and also the town itself so that the site of it is absolutely unknown. Beauty-town would be no longer beautiful—“having thy shame naked.”
“The inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning.” Zaanan means “march-town. ” March-town didn’t march. The site of this town is also unknown to us.
For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem [Mic. 1:12].
“The inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully [anxiously] for good.” The name Maroth means “bitterness.” They waited for a good report, for good news, but it was a bitter report—“evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.” The Assyrians were marching to the very walls of Jerusalem.
O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee [Mic. 1:13].
Lachish was “Horse-town.” There were great stables of horses there. It is a city southwest of Jerusalem, over near the Philistine country, the place where idolatry was first introduced into the southern kingdom of Judah. Apparently Lachish was the link of idolatry between Israel and Judah.
“Bind the chariot to the swift beast” is a reference to the horse, and we now know that this is the place where horses were kept which were used in the worship of the sun. You will recall that even the Greeks had their Apollo driving a chariot across the sky in connection with their worship of the sun. God is condemning Lachish because she introduced this idolatry into Judah, the southern kingdom.
Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel [Mic. 1:14].
“Moresheth-gath” was, of course, the hometown of Micah; it was in the southern kingdom of Judah.
“The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.” Achzib means “lie-town.” Lie-town, as did all these other towns, lived up to its name. The inhabitants were given over to lies. The name Achzib is the Hebrew word for a “winter brook” or a “lie.” The reason for this is that the brooks in Israel are very much like the brooks in Southern California. In fact, a friend of mine was riding with me one day when we crossed over the Los Angeles River. In the winter, during the wet season, this river can really go on a rampage, but in the dry season there is not much more than a trickle of water in it. As we crossed the river, my friend said, “That’s a good place for a river.” I replied, “It sure is, and in the winter there is a river there.” In Israel there are many dry river beds like that. But a flash flood out in the desert can transform them into raging torrents. Now you can see why achzib means a “winter brook” or a “lie.” And the town of Achzib was Lie-town because they had promised help to the northern kingdom, but they actually gave no help at all. “The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.”
Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel [Mic. 1:15].
Here is a suggestion that help is coming to Israel but not at this time. It is only a faint suggestion that “the glory of Israel” is the heir in the line of David, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who fits this description. One of His names is Faithful—He is faithful and true, and He is coming to deliver them. He will not come from Lie-town, that’s for sure. However, in Micah’s day Israel was deceived, greatly deceived, and no help came to them when the Assyrian army came down from the north and overran their land.
Now Micah calls upon Israel to mourn as a nation—
Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee [Mic. 1:16].
When Assyria invaded Israel the first time, they took the young people into captivity, and the people are called upon to mourn because of that. Making themselves bald was an indication of grief. Although in the Mosaic Law they were told not to trim their beards nor shave their beards, now because of the sin that had come into the nation they are told to express their grief in this manner.
Isaiah, who was a contemporary of Micah, had something to say about this custom. In Isaiah 15:2 we read, “He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places [of idolatry], to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.” This verse describes deep mourning and wailing. They had lost their children, you see. This is the judgment of God upon them.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The prophet’s second message describes specific sins
THE PROPHET’S SECOND MESSAGE
In this chapter Micah describes the specific sins of the people. Judgment came upon these people because they had gone into idolatry with all that that implies. Idolatry in that day represented gross immorality, and the wages of the harlots ran the “high places.” Prostitution was the source of funds for their religion since sex was associated with idolatry. We find that the same thing is true today in the occult and in Satan worship. I think there is a connection between the occult of today and the idolatry of Micah’s day. Sex plays a very prominent part in both of them. They are a revelation of man breaking God’s commandment. Sexual sin and idolatry seem to go together. They destroy the home and destroy the sweet and tender relationship between a man and a woman in marriage. When sex is kept within the marriage relationship, it can become the sweetest and most precious thing on earth. When a nation moves sex out of that context and encourages illicit sex in the name of religion or “new morality,” it is evidence of the fact that the nation is in decline and is actually on its way out.
The sins which Micah will denounce in this chapter are sins against one another, sins against mankind, while in the first chapter their sins were in their relationship with God. You see, when a man is not right with God, he cannot be right with his fellowman. And when a man is right with God, he can be (although he doesn’t always choose to be) right with his fellowman. We have had an illustration of this in the lovey-dovey movement which started several years ago with the “flower children” in the San Francisco area. Because they were far from the Lord, the movement lapsed into gross immorality, and it wrecked the lives of many young people. My friend, when you are not right with God, you will not be right with other people.
Chapter 2 is not going to be pretty. You will not find it to be the most beautiful chapter in the Word of God. But it reveals the sin of a nation, which caused its destruction. It is well for us as God’s people and also for our nation to listen to Micah and to wake up.
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand [Mic. 2:1].
Although this may include the practice of illicit sex, it primarily refers to evil of other sorts. When they go to bed at night, they don’t go to sleep but lie there and devise and plan iniquity—and chances are they are engaging in it at the same time. I have had some experience with folk like this. A wife complained to me bitterly that when her husband comes home, he doesn’t leave his work in the office but brings it with him. And when he goes to bed at night, he lies there conniving what he will do the next day. No wonder the wife was contemplating divorce.
“When the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.” That is, they are able to execute what they have planned. It is also true in our contemporary society that the sinner and the ungodly are successful. The wealth of my own country is not in the hands of the godly today—although it was at one time. Money means power, and the ungodly are able to carry through that which is wrong. This is the chief reason that my nation is in its present predicament. The real problem is not an energy shortage nor the incapability of this or that political party. The root of the problem is that power is in the hands of the ungodly. This is the same sin which brought Israel down. Micah, as we have already noted, presents a philosophy of human government which God follows. If you doubt this, read the history of the fall of great nations. When wealth and power get into the hands of a few ungodly people, God moves in judgment.
Micah is still speaking of those in his day whose lives were characterized by doing evil—twenty-four hours a day. Now he is being specific—
And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage [Mic. 2:2].
“They covet fields, and take them by violence.” We have an example of this being done by Israel’s royalty in the case of Ahab and Jezebel. In 1 Kings 21 we have the record of King Ahab coveting the vineyard of Naboth. Like a spoiled brat, he wanted it, although he didn’t make a move to get it. However, his wife Jezebel was a sinner who believed in action. She immediately set about getting the vineyard by eliminating Naboth. So what the heads of government practiced, those down below began to practice. The wealthy began to seize the fields that they coveted because they had the money and the power to do it.
My, how that method is being used in our contemporary society! The little businessman doesn’t stand much of a chance for survival in the culture we have produced. The big operators are in control, and they frankly say that they are in for the profits. But sometimes the word profit is a synonym for covetousness. And this was the great sin of Israel.
I have never understood why any man would want more than one million dollars. I have always thought that if I had that much money I would never want any more. It seems, however, that when a man gets one million dollars, he desires two million dollars. With two million dollars he can’t eat any more. He can’t sleep any more. He can’t indulge himself any more—he can only drink so much, and he can only sin so much. A million dollars will enable a man to do all that he wants, but men want to continue to get richer and richer and richer. The old bromide “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer” is the story of mankind. And Micah is speaking into that situation.
Notice that evil men will covet fields and houses and take them by violence. God not only gave the Land of Promise to the nation Israel and put them in it, but He also gave each tribe a particular portion of the land. Then He gave each individual a particular plot in the tribe to which he belonged, and that plot was his heritage. Then God instituted certain laws so that a man could not lose his land forever. During the Year of Jubilee every mortgage was canceled, and every bit of property was returned to its original owner. However, the Year of Jubilee only came every fifty years. If you lost your land the second year after Jubilee, you would have to wait forty-eight years to reclaim it. You could get very hungry in that length of time! Even though God had made laws to protect the poor, the rich always found ways to get around them, of course. All through the Scriptures we see that God is on the side of the poor. As Abraham Lincoln used to say, “God must love poor people because He made so many of them.” And the Lord Jesus Himself experienced the poverty of this earth.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil [Mic. 2:3].
This is a very interesting verse. God has said, “I condemn you because you lie on your beds and plot evil.” Now He says, “I am going to plot evil against you.” What does He mean by that? Was God actually going to do that which was evil? No, God intended to punish the evildoers, which was right, but from their viewpoint it was wrong because they wouldn’t like that. They would call it evil.
Today even some Christians condemn God for permitting certain things to take place. In other words, they are saying that God is doing evil. Well, God beat them to it; He said that He would do evil from their viewpoint. If they continued sinning, He would stop them with judgment. In fact, He said to Israel, “I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks.” God intended to put around those necks the chains of bondage. And the people of Israel were led captive into Assyria, one of the most brutal nations that has ever been on the topside of this earth. God adds, “Neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.” How haughty and proud they had been!
My own nation is presently in this same position. In many countries that I have visited—South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia—I have found that Americans are not loved, and we haven’t been loved for many years. Why? Because we have been haughty and proud. Yet we had the temerity after World War II to tell the world that we were going to lead it to peace! We thought the American dollar would solve the problems of the world. Well, we have gotten this world into a mess, haven’t we? And American diplomacy has been nothing to boast about since World War II. Why has our record been so poor? My personal opinion is that the judgment of God is already taking place. I love my country, and it breaks my heart to see it continue to fall into the hands of the godless rich. Let me repeat that it is not the method of government but the character of the men who govern that makes a nation great.
In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields [Mic. 2:4].
Great confusion was coming and “doleful lamentation”—a very unusual expression in the Hebrew language. It probably would not be possible to translate into English exactly what Micah was saying. There was no hope at all—“We be utterly spoiled [destroyed].”
Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord [Mic. 2:5].
There have been various interpretations of this. Perhaps it means that there will be no more worship of God in that place.
Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? [Mic. 2:6–7].
This was a time when God cut off the flow of the spirit of prophecy. Why? Because the people wouldn’t hear it, and there came a famine of the Word of God.
“Are these his doings?” God has told them that He, too, is plotting evil—that is, what they call evil, because it is going to be a judgment against them.
“Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?” Though the message is harsh, God’s people will accept it, and they will obey it. This is not a delightful passage like Psalm 23 or John 14, but God gives it just as much prominence. In fact, He put it in the second chapter, rather than in the fourteenth or the twenty-third, so we would not miss it.
Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war [Mic. 2:8].
God is saying that, although they are His people, they have become His enemies, and one of the evidences of this is the way they treat the poor. God always insists upon justice for the poor. His charge is: “Ye pull off the robe with the garment from them.” A man’s robe was what he slept in. In other words, they would take a man’s bed out from under him. That was how far they were willing to go to rob the poor.
The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever [Mic. 2:9].
“The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses” probably refers to unprotected widows who had inherited homes from their husbands.
“From their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.” Even the young children were deprived of what God had given to them. And they would grow up in rebellion. In our day the rebellion of youth is, in my opinion, permitted by God to try to shake us out of our lethargy.
Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction [Mic. 2:10].
They were attempting to solve their problems and to be at rest without being at peace with God. “Because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore [great] destruction.” Because of the pollution of their sin and their heartless oppression, the land would cast out its inhabitants.
If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people [Mic. 2:11].
This is biting sarcasm. God is saying, “The kind of prophets you want are those who will approve of your sins.” My friend, in our day many people do not want the preacher to say that drinking is wrong and that drunkenness is bad. Even in our churches many pastors are approving of social drinking. They insist that we are living in a new day, and, since we are not under the Mosaic Law, we can do these things. While it is true that we are under grace, there is one sure thing: if you love God, you are going to keep His commandments, and He certainly does condemn drunkenness. The false prophets in Micah’s day were not condemning the sins of the people. They were popular preachers, saying what the people wanted to hear.
PROMISE TO THE REMNANT
The message of judgment which Micah has been delivering has been very harsh, but here at the close of the chapter is a very beautiful little prophecy which shines like a ray of sunshine that breaks through the dark clouds on a stormy day.
I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men [Mic. 2:12].
You have noticed, I am sure, that when God speaks to them of their sin, He addresses them by the name Jacob. So when He uses that term in this verse, the implication is that He is going to show mercy to them, not because of their worthiness or because of some fine character trait, but because of His own grace.
“I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee.” This was not fulfilled after the Babylonian captivity, and it has not been fulfilled in their recent return to their land because He says that He will assemble “all of thee.” At the present time, there are more of the nation Israel in New York City than there are in whole land of Israel. Also, there is a great company still in Russia and in other countries of the world. So God has not yet assembled all of them according to this prophecy.
“I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.” Now for the remnant He uses the name Israel. God has always had a faithful remnant out of the nation, and actually He has never had more than the remnant. There never has been a time when it could be said that 100 percent of the nation had turned to God. And it was always for the sake of the remnant that God was gracious to the nation. In the future day that is coming, even in the Great Tribulation Period when we are told that all Israel shall be saved, who is meant? Well, it is all of Israel which belongs to that company of 144,000. The Book of Revelation makes it clear that they will be sealed (sealed, I believe, by the Holy Spirit of God) and will be able to survive the Great Tribulation. But that will be only a remnant of the nation. After all, there are probably three million Jews in Israel and probably twelve million in other lands, so that 144,000 could be nothing more than a remnant.
“I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah.” Bozrah was a place of many flocks of sheep because of the excellent pasture lands. When God brings His people together like the sheep of Bozrah, the Twenty-third Psalm will be fulfilled: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures …” (Ps. 23:1–2).
“They shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.” The great noise will be due to the fact that a great number will return to the land. When God returns the nation to their land, it does not mean that all of them are going to be saved by any means; but it will be a tremendous event. Since what we have seen of the return of Israel to the land has caused such great rejoicing among prophetic teachers, think what it will be in this future day!
The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them [Mic. 2:13].
“The breaker is come up before them.” The “breaker” is the one who clears the way, removes the obstacles, and leads them. I believe this refers to their entering the millennial kingdom when the Lord Jesus Christ will be the one to lead them, as He will have returned to the earth at that time. This verse refers to Him as the Breaker, their King, and the Lord (Jehovah).
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The prophet’s third message denounces leaders for their sins
THE PROPHET’S THIRD MESSAGE
Micah denounces the leaders of Israel for their sins—first, the princes; second, the prophets, who were the spiritual leaders; and last, all the leaders of Jerusalem, including the princes, the prophets, and the priests.
SINS OF THE PRINCES
This section begins with the call to hear, as does every major division of the Book of Micah.
And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? [Mic. 3:1].
“Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob.” He is speaking to the leadership of the nation.
“Is it not for you to know judgment?” What does he mean by this? Well, he is addressing the rulers of Israel who were the judges and magistrates. When the people were found guilty of a crime, they were brought before these men for judgment. Now they certainly should know what judgment and justice are. The same thought is expressed in the New Testament: “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things” (Rom. 2:1). “The same things” does not mean identical but similar things. An example of this is found in 2 Samuel 12. The prophet Nathan came before King David and told him about a rich man in his kingdom who had great flocks of sheep. However, when he needed meat to serve his guest, instead of taking a lamb from his own flock, he took a poor man’s little ewe lamb—the only lamb he owned—and roasted it for his guest. When David heard this, he stood up, hot with anger, and pronounced judgment upon the man who would do such a thing. He could see the injustice of it; yet he himself had done a similar thing. And Nathan said to David, “…Thou art the man…” (2 Sam. 12:7). David accepted the judgment and confessed his guilt before God. It is amazing, friend, how we can see another man’s sin but overlook our own. This is the reason God says to these leaders in Israel, “You have judged others for their misdeeds, but you are doing the same things.”
This charge is certainly applicable to our day also. My feeling is that the reason many judges in our land have been so lenient with criminals and have not wanted the death penalty is that they are bothered by a guilt complex themselves. I have a notion that many times when a judge on the bench hears a case of an offender who is brought before him and hands down a light sentence, it is because it salves his own conscience to do so. It is almost a joke when a group of congressmen investigate the wrongdoing of someone in politics. Probably every one of them sitting there judging the other fellow has a skeleton in his own closet. It takes men of character to judge fairly, you see.
This is exactly what Micah is saying to the leadership in his day, “Is it not for you to know judgment?” You are not acting in ignorance; you have had experience in this. You have judged men who were guilty; now you are guilty.
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones [Mic. 3:2].
“Who hate the good, and love the evil.” It is difficult for a judge who had been at a cocktail party the night before and had become a little tipsy himself to sentence a man the next day who has killed somebody because he was driving while drunk. No wonder the judge lets him off easy. I know what I am talking about, my friend, because my mother was killed by a drunken driver right here in Pasadena. I didn’t feel that I should press charges, but when I was called in as a witness, I told the court, “All I ask is that justice be done.” And, believe me, he got off with a light sentence. As I looked at that judge, I had the feeling that he had a pretty bad conscience.
In Micah’s day the leadership actually hated the good and loved the evil. Folk like that are not fit to be in positions of leadership then or now. If it is discovered that a man in a high position in government—a congressman, a senator, or a judge—is unfaithful to his wife, is he fit to make laws relative to marriage? I don’t think so. The present breakdown in morality goes back to the lawmakers. And God puts the blame on the leadership of the nation Israel in Micah’s day. As we have seen before, God is presenting in this little Book of Micah a philosophy of human government, the basis of which is men of good character in positions of leadership.
“Who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones.” He uses a vivid illustration of their barbarous conduct against the poor.
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron [Mic. 3:3].
In other words, they are like unfeeling human cannibals in their treatment of the poor. They are unprincipled and merciless. May I say that a godless man is the last man I want to sit in judgment upon me in any matter. And, very frankly, I am thankful that I don’t have to stand before you in judgment, even if you are a Christian. And you ought to be delighted that you will not have to stand before me in judgment. I believe we will fare better in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ than we would if we were judged by mankind. My case has already been appealed to Him, and I will not have to stand before any man to be judged. It is comforting to know this.
Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings [Mic. 3:4].
Who is the prophet talking about? He is talking about the leaders in Israel. As long as they had been in their high positions, they had had no regard for the human side, and they had had no real sympathy or love. Now they are in trouble because a power greater than they has come down upon them.
“Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them.” These leaders are going to cry out to God. Isn’t that interesting? We all cry out to God in times of real trouble. I have been rather amused at times—I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it—when I hear of the trouble that is coming upon us today and somebody says, “May God help us!” That is interesting because they bowed Him out of His universe many years ago. God isn’t mentioned much today, except in profanity, but every now and then I find people saying, “May God help us.” Well, my friend, I don’t know whether He will hear you or not, because in Micah’s day He said to the people who had ignored Him and lived godless lives that He would not hear their cry for help. In fact, He said that He would hide His face from them. My friend, we are living in a period of the silence of God. It does not look as if God is doing much to alleviate the present world situation. Yet His grace is still abundant, and He is rich in mercy to those who will bow before Him and accept His Son as Savior.
SINS OF THE PROPHETS
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him [Mic. 3:5].
The false prophets were like vicious animals or like serpents with forked tongues and fangs that would poison—actually, they were worse than that because they used smooth words to comfort the people, assuring them that peace was coming.
The futile effort of man to achieve peace ought to alert us to the fact that man by his own resources cannot bring peace to the world. Just wanting it and saying often enough that it is coming and voting for it will not bring peace. Again Micah makes it very clear that it is not a surface problem. It is not that folk don’t want peace. The problem is that the human heart is wicked, and Isaiah, a contemporary of Micah, wrote, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). In fact, Isaiah repeats this fact three times in the last part of his prophecy. The great climax to which he came in each of those three times was that the real problem was the wickedness of the human heart.
When I make the statement that we cannot have peace in our day, I generally get two or three letters from well-meaning folk. They write lovely letters that chide me for being pessimistic. They insist that we should continue to try to bring peace in the world. They are sincere and their argument sounds good, but it is one of the most false teachings abroad that man can make peace in his way. I want peace as much as anyone, but I want to go at it God’s way. First of all, the individual must know what the peace of God is. How are they going to know it? “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). It is not possible to have peace with your fellow man until you have peace with God. The human heart cannot be trusted; it is desperately wicked (see Jer. 17:9). You and I do not know how bad we really are. We can sink lower than any other creature on earth. One of the proofs that mankind has not descended from animals is that man can sink lower than animals—animals don’t go out and get drunk or beat their mates or abuse their offspring. The human race must have the peace of God in their hearts before they can bring peace to their world.
In Micah’s day the false prophets were prophesying peace, while in the north Assyria was getting ready to come down upon them. In our day efforts are being made in certain sections of the world to get people to sit down at a peace table and settle their differences without going to war. Yet for about six thousand years of recorded history, mankind has gone to war and still fights—one nation against another nation, one tribe against another tribe, one family against another family, and one individual against another individual. Why do we do this? We know that it is not to the advantage of either side. But we do it because we are alienated from God and in rebellion against Him. We won’t face up to the real problem, but we listen to the smooth words of false prophets who predict peace. Because they do this sort of thing, God pronounces upon them the calamities which are coming—
Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them [Mic. 3:6].
“Therefore night shall be unto you.” As we see in the other books of the prophets, darkness always speaks of judgment. It speaks of judgment in two different ways: the direct intervention of God in the punishment of the offender and also in the silence of God in not giving any new revelation to man.
“Ye shall not have a vision”—that is, God will not reveal any new truth to you.
“It shall be dark unto you.” The judgment which is coming to them is called darkness; there will not be any light from the Word of God. There will be a cessation of prophesying.
In the New Testament the apostle Paul made reference to this in I Corinthians 13:8: “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail….” The English word fail is the Greek ekpipto, meaning “to fall off or away.” Prophecies will fail in two different ways: (1) they will be fulfilled; and (2) God will no longer reveal anything new. There was a hiatus of approximately four hundred years between the Old Testament and the New Testament in which God was silent. The sun had gone down. Malachi, the last prophet, prophesied that the sun would come up again—“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings… ” (Mal. 4:2). Malachi would not have prophesied of the sun arising if the night had not been coming, and it did come. The people of Israel entered the long night of four hundred years until the coming of Christ. This is the same picture that Micah presents.
At the present time the United States has moved into the same position as that into which Israel had moved in Micah’s day. It is easy for the very sophisticated historians to characterize as narrow-minded and bigoted the men and women who first came to settle in this country. Well, they were imperfect human beings, but even those who were not Christians had a knowledge of and a reverence for the Word of God. Both Harvard and Yale universities were founded to train ministers so that the people in this country would not be in the darkness of ignorance concerning the Word of God. Well, I tell you, their light has gone out, hasn’t it? The very places that were supposed to be great educational centers and great lights for this country turned away from God a long time ago. The night is upon us today. At the universities we have had some of the worst riots this nation has ever seen. They have been the very hotbeds of darkness. It is at the university where the worship of Satan originated, and that is where it is being propagated. I have a newspaper clipping telling about a professor who is now involved in the worship of Satan and who indulges in the occult. We are in a period of time, it seems to me, when the sun of revelation has gone down. When I speak of revelation, I am talking about the illumination of the Word of God. The very centers which should be giving light from the Word of God are not doing it anymore. In fact, they are rejecting and turning their backs on God and turning to the occult. This is what Micah is talking about when he says, “Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.”
Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God [Mic. 3:7].
Micah is saying that there shall be such gross darkness that those who are false prophets will make fools of themselves because of the fact that their prophecies will not come to pass. You will recall that this was the thing Ahab discovered, only he discovered it too late. All of the false prophets told him to go and fight in the war. Only one prophet, God’s man, told him that if he went to war he would not come back but would be slain. That true prophet was Micaiah. It was too bad Ahab didn’t listen to him, because Ahab went to war and was slain, just as Micaiah said (see 1 Kings 22:1–28).
God’s men tell it like it is, and they tell the truth. My friend, there is no use trying to cover up the sins in the church. It has become revolting to hear of the many men who are classed as religious leaders, yet are involved in reprehensible conduct, and who, under the guise of being Christians, are prospering.
We need to read again Hebrews 12:6: “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” Why does the Lord do that? He does it because He doesn’t want us to be illegitimate. He says to us, “I chasten you and I discipline you so that you can know and the world can know that you are My child.” Did you know that William the Conqueror actually signed his name William the Bastard because he was illegitimate? I am of the opinion that many church members could sign their names the same way. You might be able to say, “I am a deacon in the church, I am a Sunday school teacher, I am a leader in the church, or I am a preacher,” but you would have to write under your name what William the Conqueror wrote under his name when he signed it. You would have to admit, “I am really not a legitimate child of God. I have not really been born again. I do not really know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I do not love Him. I do not seek to serve Him. I am not interested in His Word at all.”
In Micah’s day the false prophet was in that same position. He was speaking smooth words to comfort the people. The people had itching ears, and the prophet would scratch them, you see, by saying what they wanted to hear. Then they in turn would scratch the ears of the prophet by telling him how wonderful he was. “My, what a great preacher you are because you say such nice things. Everything must be all right.” They were living in luxury, but the level of immorality was frightening.
Now notice that Micah is very careful to separate himself from that group.
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin [Mic. 3:8].
It took intestinal fortitude to be an unpopular preacher delivering a message the people hated, but Micah could say, “I know that the Spirit of God is leading me to say what I am saying.” It is wonderful to be in that position, my friend.
SINS OF THE LEADERS OF JERUSALEM
In this final division, Micah turns specifically to Jerusalem. Heretofore he has been speaking to the northern kingdom of Israel; but now he bundles together the prophets, the princes, and the priests of the southern kingdom, and he pronounces judgment upon all of them.
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity [Mic. 3:9].
He says, “Listen to me, I have something to say to you.” Then he details their sins.
They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us [Mic. 3:10–11].
“The heads thereof judge for reward …the priests thereof teach for hire …the prophets thereof divine for money.” What is the thing that they all have in common? Greed, covetousness. My friend, that was the worst kind of idolatry even in the day of idols! Today we don’t have an idol sitting around—at least I hope you don’t. While it is true that superstition is gaining ground and multitudes of folk are following the horoscope, we still have not reverted to the base idolatry that existed in Micah’s day; yet our covetousness is idolatry. Micah brings into focus Israel’s real sin: idolatry, since covetousness is idolatry. The judges were judging for reward; the priests were teaching for hire; and the prophets were divining for money. They were all doing it for what they could get out of it for themselves. They did not take God into consideration, nor did they take the people into consideration. They were willing to walk over them. No wonder the charge was made: “You eat them up like cannibals because of your greed and love of money.”
When the leadership of a nation—both civil and religious—is evil, no form of government will work. This is Micah’s message to us.
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest [Mic. 3:12].
This is a prediction that for their sins there will be a complete desolation of the city of Jerusalem. Jeremiah quotes Micah as having said this (see Jer. 26:18), which is a confirmation of the prophecy. The destruction did take place when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem. In the first chapters of the Book of Nehemiah, we see the significance of it. When Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem, he found it in a mess. It was nothing but debris, ashes, rubble, and ruin. It seemed like a hopeless task to rebuild the city. The Talmud, which is a Jewish writing, records the fact that at the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in a.d. 70, an officer of the Roman army (Rufus, by name) actually plowed up the foundations of the temple with a plowshare. Many scholars reject that tradition, although the Jewish historian Jerome also noted it, as did the Jewish philosopher Maimonides. Personally, I think the tradition is accurate. Both Nebuchadnezzar and Titus the Roman were certainly capable of doing a thing like that. Whether or not that particular tradition is accurate, Jerusalem even today bears the scars of the accurate fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Prophecies of the last days
The little prophecy of Micah could be compared to a Jewish day in that it goes from evening to morning. It opens in the darkness of night—the first three chapters pronounce judgment, as we have seen: “Who is a God like unto thee” (Mic. 7:18) in proclaiming future judgment for past sins? But even in the darkness of judgment there was a ray of light which broke through momentarily. Now we have come to a new section, in which Micah prophesies future glory. This we will see in chapters 4 and 5. There will also be a little judgment in this section, but in the main it is glorious light with every now and then a cloud passing across the brightness of the sun.
PROPHECIES OF THE LAST DAYS
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it [Mic. 4:1].
This is a remarkable passage of Scripture and may sound familiar to you because it is similar to the second chapter of Isaiah. Micah, you may recall, was a contemporary of Isaiah, and through the years scholars have been trying to determine if Micah copied Isaiah or if Isaiah copied Micah. Candidly, I feel that such debate is a waste of time, because nobody has the answer to it. I Would rather look at it this way: Since the Holy Spirit was the author, He was able to say the same things through Isaiah and through Micah; and the reason He said it twice was because of its importance. Therefore, we should look at this section very carefully.
Notice that this fourth chapter opens with the little conjunction “but,” which is a connective that contrasts it to the last verse of chapter 3: “Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.”
“But in the last days.” Micah is moving now beyond the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the destruction under Titus the Roman, and beyond all other destructions, to the last days. In the Old Testament, “the last days” is a technical term with a very definite meaning. Our Lord Jesus called it “the tribulation, the great one” (see Matt. 24:21) we designate it as the Great Tribulation Period, which begins “the last days.” Then after the Tribulation (which will be a brief period of approximately seven years), the Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth. In fact, His coming will end the Tribulation Period, and He Himself will establish His kingdom upon the earth. So “the last days” embrace the Tribulation, the return of Christ to the earth, and the millennial kingdom of Christ. Therefore, when Micah says “in the last days,” he has moved out and beyond all local situations, and he is looking way down into the future. The darker it became in Israel, the brighter the future appeared. And this is true for all of us. I am told that if you go far enough down in a well, you can see the stars. And when Israel hit bottom, God let them see the stars, the light out yonder in the future.
“The mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains.” The word mountain is used both literally and figuratively. Daniel uses it in a figurative way when he says, “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:34–35). That stone pictures Christ who is coming. “The stone … became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” The mountain Daniel is talking about is Christ’s kingdom, which is to be established here upon the earth. That is the spiritual interpretation. We have no right to spiritualize a passage unless there is scriptural authority for doing so, and we do have it for this. However, I would not want to rob it of its literal sense, because the fact is that the city of Jerusalem is located upon a hill. Not only does Scripture make that clear, but all you have to do is to take a look at it. Micah is talking about Jerusalem, as we shall see. And the millennial kingdom will be centered there. Jerusalem will be the capital of the earth.
“And people shall flow unto it.” The word flow indicates spontaneous movement—from the desire in their hearts. Right now—as I am writing this—the flow is in the opposite direction. However, the way world conditions are changing, it could be different by the time you read this. But the point is that this prophecy of Micah’s is not being fulfilled today and will not be fulfilled until the Messiah comes.
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem [Mic. 4:2].
Here is another chapter, among the many chapters in the prophetic books of the Bible, which makes it clear that the present return of the Jews to the land of Israel is not a fulfillment of prophecy. In this day in which we live the nations of the world are not going to Jerusalem to hear from the Lord! Neither is the Word of the Lord going forth from Jerusalem. I could supply you with the names of several Christian missionaries in the city of Jerusalem who themselves are Jewish, but who have been persecuted for presenting Christ and the Word of God. Believe me, the Word of God is not flowing from Jerusalem!
My friend, all the current sensationalism which declares that prophecy is being fulfilled in that land just produces an itch in what I call baby Christians. They want the bottle to be warm and sweet; and, therefore, it is nice to hear that we are seeing a fulfillment of prophecy, which means that the end is just around the corner. Some folk are even setting dates for our Lord’s return. Well, nobody knows. Although I think we are drawing near to the end, I have no inside information from the Lord to confirm it, and certainly there is nothing in His Word to confirm it. I wish these sensational speakers who major in prophecy would read all the prophecies throughout the Bible. If they would do that, it would be quite obvious to them that prophecies like Micah gives us here are not now being fulfilled. The Word of God is not going out from Jerusalem today. For example, no Bible society is printing Bibles in Jerusalem and sending them out to the ends of the earth! To circulate the New Testament from that place would be utterly impossible. The Word of God is not going forth from Jerusalem as Micah said it would do. The wonderful prophecies in this chapter will be fulfilled during the millennial Kingdom when Christ Himself is reigning in Jerusalem. Then the heads of the capitals of the world—Beijing, Berlin, London, Washington—will be going to Jerusalem to be taught by Christ Himself of His ways!
And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more [Mic. 4:3].
“And he shall judge among many people.” This again is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, when He returns to the earth the second time to reign. Imagine the nations of the world bringing their disputes to Him for arbitration! The things mentioned in this verse cannot come to pass until He does come.
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks.” This verse appears on the building of the United Nations. Believe me, it doesn’t belong there! If those boys have beaten their swords into plowshares, it only means that they have a bigger instrument with which to beat each other over the head. And if they are turning their spears into pruninghooks, they are not using them to catch fish but to gouge other nations, especially those that are weaker than they are. This verse certainly is not being fulfilled by the United Nations! They are really knocking each other out there, and there is very little agreement. It will not be fulfilled until Christ comes.
“Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Obviously, we have not come to this position and will not until the Prince of Peace is ruling. Because He is not ruling in our day, we are not to beat our swords into plowshares; we are to keep our powder dry. This is not the time to disarm. Certainly everyone who wants peace would like to see our armaments cut back and our tax dollars going to something else, but as long as we are living in a big, bad world—not of make-believe but of reality—we need to be armed. The Lord Jesus said, “… a strong man armed keepeth his palace …” (Luke 11:21). Does he keep it by turning the other cheek? To read about turning the other cheek, you must read the Sermon on the Mount, and remember that it is the King who is speaking and He is referring to the time when He will be reigning upon the earth. When He is reigning, we can get rid of all our protection. We can even take the locks off our doors—but until then I not only have one lock on my door, I have two locks. We are living in that kind of world. These prophecies that Micah is giving are not for the present hour; they are for the last days. Let’s put them in their proper context.
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it [Mic. 4:4].
“They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid.” Do you want to tell me that this verse is being fulfilled in Israel today? In our day they are absolutely afraid. Why? Because they are not there according to fulfilled prophecy.
“For the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” God Himself has said this. God says that when He puts them in the land, they will live in peace and prosperity.
For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever [Mic. 4:5].
The American Standard Version has a much better translation of this verse: “For all the peoples walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever.” The thought is that in the past they walked after their own gods, but in the future they are going to walk in the name of Jehovah, our God.
In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted [Mic. 4:6].
“In that day” reminds us that He is still speaking of the millennial kingdom.
“Will I assemble her that halteth.” Who is this whom God describes as halting, driven out, and afflicted? It is the nation Israel. Notice that He says, “That I have afflicted.” It looks as if God takes the blame for that which has happened to the nation Israel.
I had a conversation with a Jewish man in front of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem several years ago. He was one of the Jews who had come out of Nazi persecution alive, although he had spent time in a concentration camp. He said that he had become an atheist. He asked, “Where was God during the time of our trouble? Why didn’t He deliver us?”
I told him, “To tell the truth, I think God was around. Maybe you would like to blame Him for the trouble you had.”
He replied, “I certainly do. If there is a God, He would have responded to us.”
I said, “No, because you folk had an opportunity to know Him and obey Him way ahead of the rest of us. When your nation had a knowledge of the living and true God, my ancestors were heathens. One tribe was in Germany, and the other tribe was in Scotland. They were dirty, filthy, ignorant pagans, but you had the light. Finally some of your people brought the light to my people, and I’m grateful for it. But God has made it very clear in your own writings, your own books, that when you have a knowledge of the true and living God, you cannot turn your back on Him without being punished. If you will read your writings, you will find that not only can you blame Him for your trouble, but He is also not through with you as a nation. He intends to regather you. By that time you will have learned (and obviously you have not learned it yet) that this is God’s universe and that you cannot reject the knowledge of Himself that He has given you without suffering His judgment.”
My friend, our own nation is coming to this same position and condition, and it alarms me.In this land of ours there is a growing ignorance of the Word of God. Even worse than that, the Word of God is being ridiculed and made light of. A comedian says, “The Devil made me do it.” This is simply not true. You don’t do evil because the Devil made you do it. You do evil because you have an old nature that is as mean and as alienated and as far from God as it can possibly be. Also I hear it flippantly said, “I’ll tell God on you!” Well, of course, you don’t have to tell Him about somebody else’s sin. He already knows it, and He knows yours as well. My friend, we cannot make light of Him and reject Him without experiencing His judgment. In Micah’s day He took the blame for afflicting Israel, and He has not asked me to apologize for Him or to try to explain away that statement. This ought to serve as a warning to us as a nation.
And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever [Mic. 4:7].
“I will make her that halted a remnant.” Never throughout the long history of Israel did 100 percent of the nation worship God. Always only a remnant was faithful to Him. God always preserved a remnant. Actually, it was a remnant of those which came out of Egypt that entered the land. Practically the entire generation that came out of Egypt died in the wilderness. It was their children who entered the land. God preserved a remnant. Even in Elijah’s day God had a faithful remnant. Elijah was very pessimistic. He cried, “Lord, I only am left” (see I Kings 19:10). But God told him, “You aren’t the only one; I have seven thousand in these mountains who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Because they were hiding from Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah didn’t know about them (And I am of the opinion that in our day there are more believers than we think there are. There are many believers like those seven thousand. Although we don’t hear about them, they are true believers.) Also, there was a remnant of believers at the coming of Christ; although the leaders of the nation rejected Him and had Him crucified, there was a remnant that received Him. Later, on the Day of Pentecost, a great company turned to Christ; yet it was a remnant. It always has been a remnant. Coming down to our day, there is a remnant even in the church that bears His name. Although I have made the statement that I think there are more believers in our world than we realize, it is also true that in the church there is only a remnant of true believers in Christ.
Many of us would be surprised if we knew how few church members were genuine believers even though they are quite active in Christian circles and in Christian service. Many people in our affluent society have become church members. We are living in a period that has produced a lot of pseudo-saints. They are not genuine by any means. They have not been born again. The Book of Hebrews makes it very clear that “… whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth …” (Heb. 12:6). And every son whom He receives, He is going to put through the fire. He is going to test him. If you have some metal which you think is gold, you can take it to the assayer’s office. He will put the metal under heat so that you will find out whether what you have is gold or something else. And God puts the heat to those who are His own. The day of persecution is going to come to church members, and it will reveal quickly who are the true believers and who are not. God has a remnant in the church today.
Also in our day there is a remnant of believers among the people of Israel—probably more than we realize. In every nation there is a remnant of true believers, although they may not be identified with a local church. Unfortunately, the actions of some church members are shutting the door to a great many believers. Yet God always has His faithful remnant. The word remnant in Scripture is very important; don’t just rush over it.
In Micah’s day God is saying that of the afflicted ones He will make a remnant; He will regather them and make them “a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.”
And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem [Mic. 4:8].
“O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion.” God is probably addressing the land itself, informing it that its former dominion under David and Solomon will be restored, the far greater kingdom of the Messiah shall come. This has not happened yet; the kingdom has not come. If the people of Israel are back in their land for anything, they are back there for the Great Tribulation Period. The kingdom is still in the far future.
THE NEAR FUTURE
At this point a cloud passes over the sun. A great many Bible scholars believe the next two verses refer to the Babylonian captivity.
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.
Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies [Mic. 4:9–10].
This is so specific that I feel it could refer to nothing else but the Babylonian captivity which was coming to the southern kingdom. When Micah directs his remarks to the “daughter of Zion,” he refers to the southern kingdom of Judah. The word that interests me here is travail. Frankly, I can’t speak about travail firsthand. One half of the human family does not know what it is to travail in birth. Only the women know about that. The only thing I know about birth pangs is what I saw my own wife go through and what I have been told by others. Birth pains are frightful. They are something no person could bear for a long period of time. It has to be temporary.
The picture Micah gives us here is that of Nebuchadnezzar taking Jerusalem. He came to that city three times, and the third time he destroyed the temple area, left it in wrack and ruin, leveled the city, and burned it. The suffering of the people of Judah is described as a woman in travail, a woman with birth pangs. This had to be a brief period or the nation would not have continued to exist. That kind of trouble could not go on forever because the people could not have endured it. It would have been too frightful, too terrible. For this same reason the Great Tribulation Period must be brief. The Lord Jesus Christ made that clear: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22).
“Thou shalt go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon.” When Nebuchadnezzar captured the city, the remaining inhabitants fled and tried to live in the fields. Eventually they were taken captive to Babylon.
Let me call your attention to the fact that Micah in these two verses is looking beyond the Assyrian captivity of Israel to the later captivity of Judah by Babylon. However, in the next breath he predicts deliverance: “There shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.” Although they shall be captives in Babylon, God will deliver them from there. We know from history that God did deliver them by the hand of Cyrus (see Isa. 44:28; 2 Chron. 36:22–23). The point that Micah is making here is that the travail and suffering of God’s people will end in joy.
THE DISTANT FUTURE
Now in this closing section Micah moves ahead to the far distant future, the time of the Great Tribulation and specifically to the final war, the War (not the battle) of Armageddon.
Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion [Mic. 4:11].
“Many nations are gathered against thee”—the mention of many nations makes it clear that Micah has moved away from the Babylonian invasion and is speaking of something else here. The many nations gathered against Jerusalem are mentioned by several other prophets. For example: Joel 3; Zechariah 12 and 14; Ezekiel 38 and 39 all refer to the War of Armageddon during the Great Tribulation Period.
But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor [Mic. 4:12].
“They know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel.” They do not know what God is going to do. They are coming against Israel blindly, unaware that God is bringing them there for judgment.
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth [Mic. 4:13].
“Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion.” The nations of the world are as sheaves for the threshing floor, and Israel will do the threshing. Today Israel is a weak nation and absolutely dependent upon other nations, but in that day they are going to be dependent upon the Lord. Psalm 75:6 says, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.” Psalm 75:7 goes on to say, “But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” In that day help for Israel will not come from the north (Russia), or from the south (Egypt), or from the west (Europe or the United States), or from the east (China and the Arab countries). Their help will come from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
These final three verses look forward to the war which concludes the Great Tribulation Period, the War of Armageddon.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Prophecy of the first coming of Christ
This chapter continues the subject begun in chapter 4: prophesying future glory because of past promises. In chapter 4 we saw prophecies regarding the last days; now we shall see prophecies regarding the first coming of Christ.
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek [Mic. 5:1].
In the Hebrew Scriptures this verse concludes chapter 4. Franidy, I feel that it belongs there, not here, and that it continues the thought of chapter 4 verse 9 regarding the Babylonian captivity. You will recall that Micah projects the horrors of the Babylonian invasion right on down to the “last days,” that is, to the Great Tribulation Period and the War of Armageddon. Now in the verse before us, he again picks up the thought of the Babylonian invasion.
“He hath laid siege against us” refers, I believe, to the siege of the Babylonian army against Jerusalem.
“They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.” There are those who take the position that the “judge” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. However, in the Gospel record we read that they smote Him with their hands, not with a rod. Neither was Christ smitten in any siege. He was not smitten by a foreign enemy but by His own people. I do not believe that this can refer to the mistreatment of Christ at His first coming.
It seems obvious to me that the “judge of Israel” refers to the last king of the Davidic kingdom, Zedekiah. In 2 Kings 25:7 we read, “And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.” I believe that Micah is referring to the shameful treatment which Zedekiah received at that time. It denotes what looks to be the very end of the Davidic line. However, Zedekiah was not in the direct line. You will recall that Jehoiakim rebelled against the king of Babylon. He stood against him at first; then Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took Jehoiakim into captivity. Then Jehoiachin was put on the throne. Later, he too was taken captive. In 2 Kings 24:15 we read, “And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.” This was the Davidic line which was carried into captivity, and out of this line came both Joseph and Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus. Then Nebuchadnezzar put Zedekiah (the uncle of Jehoiachin) on the throne at Jerusalem. When he rebelled against Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar became tired of fooling with the line of kings at Jerusalem; so he took Zedekiah, slew all of his sons before his eyes, and carried him into captivity.
You might assume from this devastating experience that the Davidic line had come to an end and that the promise God made to David, that one was to come in his line who would reign forever, could never be fulfilled.
This brings us to a remarkable verse that is in contrast to all we have been considering.
PROPHECY OF THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST
Now this verse is part of the Christmas story; and, if you are not reading this during December, you may feel that you have chosen an inappropriate time. However, we can be almost sure that Jesus was not born on December 25. That day was chosen to try to identify His birth with the winter solstice. But it is more likely that He was born in the spring, because in December the shepherds would not be out on the hillsides with their sheep. The sheep would be sheltered in the caves which are located all along that area. Around a.d. 532 a calendar was set up, which is a reasonable facsimile of the one we use today. It was set up incorrectly for the number of days in the year, and that is why we have a leap year every now and then. In 1752 the calendar was jumped ahead eleven days. George Washington was not born on February 22; he was actually born on February 11. Therefore, a person could not be sure that Jesus Christ was born on December 25 even if all of the other circumstances fit into it. This raises a question about observing the Sabbath day, too. Which day is the Sabbath day? Actually, it is not important, nor is the exact day of Jesus’ birth important. The time of the year is immaterial. It is the place that is all important. Christ was born in Bethlehem. That is the historical fact. This fact has been authenticated by history.
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting [Mic. 5:2].
“But” is a little conjunction that presents the other side of the coin. “But thou, Bethlehem.” In spite of what happened to Zedekiah and the Davidic line—which went into captivity and finally returned to the land of Israel as peasants—the one in David’s line is coming.
“But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah”—since there were two Bethlehems, the word ephratah, meaning “fruitful,” is added to distinguish between them. Micah named the place where Christ was to be born seven hundred years before He was born there. After seven hundred years, with so many intervening events, there was little likelihood that one in the line of David could be born in Bethlehem. It was almost entirely out of the question. The odds were against it. No members of the family of David were living in Bethlehem any longer. They were scattered. The Dispersion had driven them from the land. There was one family in the line of David living in Nazareth; yet Bethlehem must be the place where the Son of God was to be born, according to Micah. This prophecy was the sole basis on which the scribes directed the wise men to Bethlehem. The scribes quoted from the prophecy of Micah because they believed that it was the place where He would be born, although they didn’t believe it would be fulfilled at that time.
The circumstances which led up to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem are so familiar to us that we may not realize how remarkable they were. The record in Luke’s Gospel gives us some of the details: Caesar Augustus signed the tax bill which moved Mary out of Nazareth. If that little donkey on which Mary rode had stumbled and Mary had fallen, Jesus would probably have been born somewhere along the route. But—I say this very carefully—that little donkey could not have stumbled, because seven hundred years earlier Micah had written that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. The little donkey got her there on schedule; it was timed from eternity. It was more punctual and precise than any jet plane could be in our day.
“Out of thee shall he come forth unto me.” The words unto me indicate that this One was coming to do the will of the Father and to accomplish His plan.
“Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” His birth, the Incarnation, has to do with His humanity. He clothed Himself in humanity when He came to Bethlehem. But His existence was before His birth.
Isaiah, a contemporary of Micah, verifies this: “… Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). And he has more to say of this coming one: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …” (Isa. 9:6). When Isaiah wrote “unto us,” he was not thinking of the United States; it was Israel that he had in mind. “A child is born”—that’s His humanity. “A son is given”—not born, because this speaks of His divinity. The “child” was born in Bethlehem, but the “Son” was “from everlasting.”
The psalmist mentions this: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world. even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2). The Hebrew language expresses this very vividly: “from the vanishing point in the past to the vanishing point in the future, thou art God.” Just as far back as you can go in your thinking, He is God. He came out of eternity. He is the eternal Son of God.
In Proverbs 8:23 we find, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” “Set up” in this verse means “anointed” and could read, “I was anointed from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” The next two verses say, “When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth” (Prov. 8:24–25). Before there was any creation, He was God; yet into creation He came, at the appointed time, into a little out-of-the-way town, Bethlehem.
The Lord Jesus said, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father” (John 16:28). His goings forth have been of old. He is the everlasting God. He told the Pharisees, “… Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Christ appeared many times in the Old Testament. Go back to the creation. In John 1:3 we read concerning Christ, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” He was the Creator. In Colossians 1:16 we read this about our Lord, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” In the Garden of Eden He was the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. He was the articulation of God. He was the Word of God. He was the communication from God to man. We find Him in pursuit of man throughout the Old Testament. He appeared to Moses in the burning bush. He said, “I have come down to deliver you.” He was the Redeemer. You see, what Micah is saying here is of tremendous significance. Although He was born in Bethlehem almost two thousand years ago, His goings forth have been from old, from everlasting.
We have been considering His preincarnation; now let’s look again at His incarnation, His humanity. When God came to Bethlehem, He got something He never had before, and that was the name of Jesus. He received a humanity, and Jesus was His human name. He was Jehovah. That is the name of deity. He is Jesus now, and He is a Savior. He came out of Bethlehem to save. Remember, the angels said to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Matthew 1:23 says, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” But His name was to be Jesus. He can’t be Jesus unless He is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” He must be a man to take our place, to be our representative, to die a substitutionary death.
In the books of the prophets are many predictions about the coming of the Messiah which are totally unrelated and seem even to contradict each other. How could they all come to pass? Although Bethlehem was designated as Christ’s birthplace, connected with His birth we are told that there will be weeping in Ramah, a place north of Bethlehem. Also, He is to be called out of Egypt, and He is to be called a Nazarene. It seems utterly impossible for all of these prophecies to be true. How can they all fit into place? Well, Matthew gives the account and, without any strain on the circumstances, all of these things come together normally and naturally—let me change that to supernaturally. God was overruling.
As you can see, Micah 5:2 is a very remarkable verse, and we have only stayed on the surface of it.
Now we come to an interval which takes place between the time of Christ’s rejection and the time of His return as the King to rule on this earth.
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel [Mic. 5:3].
You may think that this verse still has reference to the birth of Christ. Well, it is true that it speaks of the fact that Mary travailed, but you can’t read this passage without realizing that it also refers to the nation of Israel. It speaks not only of their worldwide dispersion—they were scattered by the judgment of God—but of their travail. The Great Tribulation Period is the travail through which the nation must pass. “Then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.” The Jews will be regathered from their worldwide dispersion.
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth [Mic. 5:4].
Here the Lord Jesus is depicted as the Shepherd who feeds His flock. He is the Shepherd to the church, and He is also the Shepherd to the nation Israel. The One who was born in Bethlehem, the One who was rejected, will feed His flock. I can’t think of anything that sets Him forth more wonderfully than the figure of the shepherd. It speaks of His care, His protection, and His salvation. He is the Good Shepherd who will lay down His life for the sheep (see Ps. 22); He is the Great Shepherd who keeps His sheep even today (see Ps. 23); and He is the Chief Shepherd who is coming in glory (see Ps. 24). His entire ministry is set forth under the office of a shepherd.
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men [Mic. 5:5].
“The Assyrian,” as we find in the prophecy of Isaiah, sets forth the enemies that shall come up against the nation Israel in the last days. In Micah’s day the Assyrian was brutal, and he did take the northern kingdom into captivity.
“Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.” The two numbers seem to denote the fact of fullness and that God will make adequate provision for them. These two numbers carry that meaning in other instances (see Prov. 6:16; Eccl. 11:2).
And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders [Mic. 5:6].
“They shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword” continues the prediction of the last days when “the Assyrian” represents the confederacy of nations which will come against Israel at the end of the Tribulation Period. Israel, strengthened by their Shepherd, will not only repulse the attack but will carry the battle into enemy territory.
It is interesting to see how Micah completely sets forth Christ: first, as the One to be born in Bethlehem. When He was born on earth, He came in humility. We need to note that He humbled Himself (see Phil. 2:5–8). We don’t humble ourselves; sometimes some other people humble us, but Christ humbled Himself. There was an emptying on the part of Christ. Of what did He empty Himself? Not His deity. That little baby, reclining so helplessly on His mother’s bosom, could have spoken this universe out of existence. He is God of very God and man of very man, but He limited Himself. Self-limitation was something that He took willingly. We do not limit ourselves willingly. In fact, we expand ourselves. We are aggressive. We want to win. We want to be on top. Man is self-assertive. He is self-centered. He is selfish. But Jesus Christ is the Shepherd. He was born not in a royal city or in the capital, but in the insignificant town of Bethlehem—and in a stable. That is no place for a king to be born! When Christ came to earth, He emptied Himself of His glory. Second, Micah indicates that He is the eternal one “whose goings forth have been from … everlasting.” Third, Micah depicts Him as the Shepherd who came to die for His sheep and to watch over His own. And finally, when He comes again, He will be the Chief Shepherd, coming in might and power and glory to deliver His people.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men [Mic. 5:7].
The dew and rain refer to the blessing the people of Israel will be among the nations.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver [Mic. 5:8].
This certainly does not depict the people of Israel in our day. Israel has been in a precarious position for years. But God promises that in the future, when Israel is obeying the Lord and is in fellowship with Him, He will make them the head and not the tail of the nations (see Deut. 28:13).
Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off [Mic. 5:9].
In that day God is going to give them victory over their enemies.
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots [Mic. 5:10].
Now, just in case an amillennialist is applying this to some other time, Micah wants to make sure you realize that this will come to pass “in that day,” which is still future.
And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds [Mic. 5:11].
This is thought to mean that God will remove all the things on which Israel had leaned for support—horses and chariots and fortified cities. They won’t need them anymore, for their Messiah is bringing peace to earth.
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands [Mic. 5:12–13].
He is going to get rid of idolatry and false religion. They will worship only the living and true God.
And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities [Mic. 5:14].
As we have seen, the “groves” were places of idol worship.
And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard [Mic. 5:15].
“The heathen” are the nations who are persecuting His people. The Messiah will bring blessing and peace to the remnant of Israel and to the remnant of the other nations of the world who turn to Him, but He will “execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen”—this, I believe, refers to the Great Tribulation Period.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Pleading present repentance because of past redemption
Chapter 6 begins Micah’s third and final message to the nations of the world and to Israel in particular. Although chapters 6 and 7 are one message, I have taken the privilege of dividing these last two chapters and of making a major division out of each one of them.
PLEADING PRESENT REPENTANCE BECAUSE OF PAST REDEMPTION
Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice [Mic. 6:1].
This section begins as the other major sections of this book have begun: “Hear ye now what the Lord saith.” This is a call not only to the northern kingdom, but again I take it that it is also a call to the entire world to “hear.” God will now register His complaint against Israel. God has a contention with His people Israel, and from it we can learn great lessons.
“Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.” This is an expression that we find several times in the writings of the prophets. This is actually a call to nature, a call, it says, to the mountains and to the hills. But I believe that there is also an application here that we see elsewhere in Scripture, too. A mountain represents a great kingdom, and a hill represents a lesser kingdom. I would say, therefore, that this is a call not only to nature but also to the nations of the world. In other words, here is a message which is applicable to all the nations of the world.
Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel [Mic. 6:2].
“Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy”—the nations of the world are to hear. “And ye strong foundations of the earth”—that is, the great peoples and nations of the world which have been in existence for thousands of years and yet have been far from God. God now gives a message to them.
“For the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.” God has a controversy with His people, and He is actually calling them into court.
Then God does a very startling and surprising thing. When He goes into court, instead of immediately lodging a charge against them, He says, “What am I guilty of?” Can you imagine this condescension of Almighty God to little man down here on this earth!
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me [Mic. 6:3].
In other words, God is saying to them, “Why have you turned from Me? Why have you rejected Me? What have I done to you?” We find this question again in the prophecy of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. After their captivity, the people returned to the land and became very blasé, very sophisticated. They forgot about the Babylonian captivity. The city of Jerusalem had been rebuilt, and they were enjoying prosperity again. When Malachi spoke to them, they said, “Well, to tell the truth, this going through the religious rituals is very boring indeed, and it’s wearisome.” I would more or less agree with them in that, but the problem was not with God—the problem was with them. Micah is going to be very specific here as to the real problem.
God had asked the people to testify against Him and to tell Him what He has done. Now He is going to tell them what He has done to them. What is it that God has done? Has He been ugly to them? Has He mistreated them? Did He take them down to the land of Egypt and leave them there and forget about them? He could have done that. He didn’t have to deliver them out of the land of Egypt, but He did deliver them. Listen to Him—
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam [Mic. 6:4].
“For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants.” They had been slaves, and God says, “I redeemed you. I didn’t do you wrong. I didn’t harm you, but I redeemed you. You were slaves, bending under the yoke of the taskmaster down in the land of Egypt, and there was no one to deliver you. You were not an attractive people; you were a slave people. You had dropped down to the lowest level of humanity, but I loved you and redeemed you out of the house of servants.”
“And I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” God says, “I gave you leadership to lead you out of the land—Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” It is interesting that Miriam is mentioned here. I would like to call to the attention of the women’s liberation movement the fact that God did not pass them by. Miriam was one of the leaders out of the land of Egypt. She was on a par with Aaron, but she was not on a par with Moses because Moses was the one that God had chosen. Actually, at one time, Miriam wanted to lead a rebellion against her own brother. When the people got out into the wilderness, Moses really took charge, for he was leading under God. But Miriam said, “Who is he to tell me anything? I remember when he was a little, bitty fellow and Mother and I took him down to the river and put him in the bullrushes because he would have been put to death by Pharaoh. I stayed at a distance, and I watched over him. Who does he think he is to tell me what to do?” I guess Miriam was the first women’s liberationist that we ever had. But she was a leader, and she was chosen of God. I have a notion that she had a real ministry with the women of Israel. Can you imagine the problems that would arise with the women and children on that wilderness march? There would be problems that Moses would not know too much about. So Miriam must have been a great help.
The people of Israel in Micah’s day complained that they were weary, tired of worshiping God. They said, “After all, what has He done for us?” So God went back and recited their history. God is pleading from His heart with these people—
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord [Mic. 6:5].
What we have here is the reminder of a very wonderful incident that goes back to the time when the children of Israel were ready to pass into the Promised Land. They had had to go all the way around Edom because Edom would not let them through their land. God led them around Edom, and then they came to Moab. The king of Moab at that time was Balak. Balak wanted to curse the children of Israel, and he hired the prophet Balaam who was a lover of money. Balaam was a hired preacher; yet he was a prophet who seemed to have information from God. God certainly spoke through him, but God finally judged him.
Balaam was called in by Balak to curse the children of Israel. “Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal.” Shittim was the last camping spot before they entered Moab after Balaam began his ministry against them. Gilgal was the first place they camped when they got into the Promised Land. I will not go back over each of the prophecies which Balaam gave but will only say that each time he could not curse Israel—God would not let him curse Israel.
Balak took Balaam up to a mountain, and as he looked down at the camp of Israel, Balaam said, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? …” (Num. 23:8). God was not doing them evil; God was on their side. Now, if you had gone down into the camp, you would have found that they were not perfect—God was dealing with them and with their sin down there—but no enemy on the outside was going to find fault with them. The children of Israel did not know that there was an enemy trying to curse them and that God was protecting and defending them. Even old Balaam had to say, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? I am not able to do it.” God did not permit them to be cursed (see Num. 22–24).
The wonderful thing for the child of God today is that we are told that we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (see 1 John 2:1). God deals with His children personally. I know that He has dealt with me and has done so severely. I am confident that the cancer which I had was a judgment of God upon me. I accept it as that from Him, and I thank Him for hearing prayers for my healing. But I am also very thankful that I have an Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who defends me. He is on my side; He is my Advocate. He is the one who says that I am His child, that I am in the family of God. He is not going to let anyone on the outside curse me.
May I say to you, this ought to answer the superstitious and wild views that are circulating today that God’s children can be demon possessed. However, I do believe that the Devil can oppress the child of God and give him a whole lot of trouble. He can certainly deceive you and make life miserable for you, but no demon is going to possess you if you are truly God’s child—because you have an Advocate. It does not matter who you are; if you are a child of God, He’s on your side, and He is defending you. When it seemed like the whole world had turned against him at one time, John Knox said, “One with God is a majority.” I am on the side of the majority. How about you? That is the important question.
God is telling His people here, “I have defended you. I defended you even when Balaam attempted to curse you.” Balak got disgusted with Balaam as he took him to the top of four mountains one by one, and Balaam could not curse Israel. But he did give some awful advice to Balak. He said, “Since you can’t curse them, and you can’t fight them, join them.” It’s the same old story, “If you can’t fight’em, join’em.” Balaam told the king of Moab, “Go down and intermarry with them.” And that is exactly what happened—and that introduced the idolatry of Moab among the people of Israel. All of this happened because of the advice of a false prophet.
I want to say something very carefully at this point. Today we are getting a whole lot of so-called marriage counseling from false “prophets.” I hear a great deal of it secondhand. My friend, much of it doesn’t happen to be scriptural. I know that it is based on pulling out a little verse here and a little verse there, and you can build quite a case that way. But may I say that the only thing which is going to make a marriage work is love. If you can look at her and say, “I love you,” and she can look back at you and say, “I love you,” then, my friend, the Word of God will give you all you need to solve your problems.
God reminds Israel that He is a righteous God, but He was defending them. He was on their side. And it is wonderful to have God on our side today.
In each chapter of this book we have found a wonderful, unusual passage, and we are coming now to another in verses 6–8 of this chapter. The liberals delight especially in verse 8, saying, “This is what pure religion is. This is the greatest statement in the Old Testament.” I rather agree with the liberals that it is a great statement, but I do not agree with them in the interpretation of it.
God has pleaded with these people to come back to Him, to repent of their gross negligence and sins, and to turn to Him. He has cited His redemption of them in the past, how He redeemed them out of the land of Egypt and brought them through the wilderness. Now the people have four questions that they ask, and they are good questions. The answer to them is all-important.
This is a very important passage of Scripture, because it has been used and abused by the liberals today probably more than any other passage. This is a wonderful section, but we need to be very careful to keep it in the context of what Micah is talking about here, especially as it relates to the Old Testament as a whole.
I am confident that every person who believes in a god wants to ask the question, “How am I going to approach him?” Unless you are an atheist, that has to be a question which would cross your mind. The pagan nations of the past and the heathen of the present have asked that question, and they have answered it. The pagan viewpoint is first of all revealed in their idols—they’re horrible looking. Their viewpoint is also revealed in the fact that when trouble comes they think he’s angry, and they’ve got to do something to appease him. Today that is even the viewpoint of the pagan and heathen in my own sophisticated, civilized country. The children of Israel here ask a question, and it is a legitimate question, one that the average man would ask.
Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? [Mic. 6:6].
The people’s first question is: “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?” In other words, “What is wrong with God? Why is He displeased with us? We’re going through the rituals and the liturgy and the rites of religion. We are going through an outward form, and it is the form which He gave us to go through.” But God had also given them a relationship with Himself which they had lost.
Again, the question is: “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? What can I bring to God? What can I give Him? He’s way up yonder—I’m way down here. How am I going to reach Him? How am I going to communicate with Him? How am I going to make contact with Him? How will I please Him? And—how will I be saved?” The Philippian jailer, who was as pagan as they come, asked, “What must I do to be saved? How can I be right with God?” This is a good question. There is nothing wrong with the question.
The people’s second question is: “Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?” God had required sacrifices of them. God had given them, in the first part of the Book of Leviticus, five offerings which they were to make, which were to be their approach to Him. So they asked the question, “Will it be adequate simply to go through the form of religion?” Man’s reasoning always degenerates down to one thing: “I have to do something for God. He wants me to do something.” May I say, this probably reveals the proud heart of man more than anything else. We want to do something for God. We feel very warm on the inside when we are generous and make a gift. The unsaved man says, “I go to church; in fact, I’m a church member. I give generously to the church. When they ask me to do something, I do it. I’m a civilized man; I don’t go around hitting people on the head. I’m considered a pretty good Joe. I’m a fellow that everybody likes. Now what in the world does God want of me? Shall I do something else? I feel like I should do something.”
You see, we have the whole thing backwards. We ask, “What must I do to be saved?” The people came to the Lord Jesus and asked, “… What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” And the Lord Jesus said, “…This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28–29). He is saying, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31). That is the only work that God is asking you to do—believe. Faith is just about the opposite of works. Saving faith produces works, but it certainly does not originate salvation. Your works have nothing to do with your salvation. This is the second question of the children of Israel, and it is the normal question of man.
The people now ask a third question—
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? [Mic. 6:7].
“Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?” Now that is really being generous! In other words, they ask, “Is it because we haven’t done enough for God? Should we do more for God to try to please Him?” We hear the same question asked today. Years ago I used to play volleyball with a wealthy man who was a member of the YMCA with me in Nashville, Tennessee. It was near Christmastime, and he told me, “I want you to know what my religion is. I believe in being generous. Every Christmas I give my employees a bonus, and I give to this cause and that cause and the other cause. I give to my church, too. Now what else could God ask of me?” In other words, “I go the second mile. I’m a big spender as far as the Lord is concerned. I’m doing all this—what else could He ask me to do?” This is the question: Is it that we need to be very generous in what we do? Is that our problem? Many folk express it this way: “Well, maybe I’m not doing enough. I just don’t feel like I’m right with God. I don’t seem to be doing enough.” These are sincere people; but because they are not saved, although they are church members, they feel that they need to do a little bit more than they are doing.
This line of thinking is something that the liberal preacher can work on; he can use a psychological approach. He can say, “Now look here, you folk are not doing enough.” And so the fellow digs down a little deeper in his pocket, especially if he is a man of means, and says, “I’ll give a little bit more. God will be tickled to death with that. My, He is sure going to be pleased with me.” Just like Little Jack Horner, man becomes pleased with himself and with what he does—
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating of Christmas pie:
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said, “What a good boy am I!”
There are a lot of church members who are pulling out a plum and saying, “God surely must want to pat me on the head for what I am doing!”
The fourth question the people of Israel ask is going the limit: “Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” This was very meaningful to these people because they were surrounded by pagan peoples who in their worship of Molech and Baal offered human sacrifices. There were instances when even Israel turned in this direction. Two of the most godless kings of the southern kingdom indulged in human sacrifices—old Ahaz and old Manasseh. These two godless men offered their own children as burnt offerings, but is that what God would ask?
I want to make it very clear that God never asked these people to offer a child as a human sacrifice. God did require that they give to Him the firstborn male of everything that was born to them, whether it be a cow, a sheep, an ox, or their son. But God made it very clear to them that He did not require human sacrifice.
There are many passages of Scripture on this, but I will have to confine myself to just a few which I feel are ample to illustrate my point. In the eighteenth chapter of Numbers, God gave to the people certain regulations and told them what He required of them. We read there, “Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem” (Num. 18:15). God claimed the firstborn, you see. God required that the firstborn male child belonged to Him, but redemption money, silver, was to be taken and paid for that firstborn. In other words, God would not accept a human sacrifice, and He also would not accept the sacrifice of an unclean animal. I think that is interesting—man is unclean.
We have the practice today of dedicating our children to the Lord, and I think that that is a very fine thing to do. It has been my privilege to dedicate several thousand children in my days as a pastor. Some of them have turned out wonderfully well. One mother brought her son to me at a seminary where I was speaking, and she said, “Dr. McGee, you dedicated him when he was an infant.” I thank the Lord that he has turned out well, but I have also dedicated some who have wound up in some of our best jails. It is nice to dedicate your child to the Lord, but that does not guarantee that he will turn out well.
In the Old Testament, God said, “You’re to redeem the child, put up redemption money for him. I will not take him now.” Why? He is like that unclean animal; he’s unclean. That is the reason that a woman who had brought a child into the world was unclean—she had brought an unclean thing into the world. David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. 51:5). God doesn’t want a child until he is redeemed. We are going to have to wait until our child has received Jesus Christ as his Savior; when he does that, God can take that child and use him. God will not take him and use him until then.
In Exodus we read, “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine” (Exod. 13:2). But then in Leviticus we find: “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord” (Lev. 18:21). In other words, God said, “Do not offer a human sacrifice. Do not take your child and offer him as a human sacrifice. You would profane Me if you did that.”
People say to me, “I surely hope that your little grandson is going to follow in your footsteps and become a preacher. I am praying that he will do that.” I do not mean to be coldhearted, but I do not pray that way about my grandsons. In the best way that I can as a grandfather, I lift them to the Lord, and I have told the Lord that first of all I want them to be saved. Then I pray that the Lord will use them in whatever way He wills. If it is His will for one of them to be a pharmacist and roll pills, that would tickle me to death. If it is the Lord’s will for one to dig ditches, I’m going to be for that. You and I cannot take a little child who has our fallen nature and force him into Christian service. It simply won’t work; that’s not the way it is done, if you please.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? [Mic. 6:8].
Verse 8 is the joy and delight of liberals because they think that it presents a works religion, that it teaches that man can be saved by his works. What Micah is doing here is answering the questions of many sincere people in the northern kingdom of Israel who were in darkness, who had not been taught the Word of God. They wanted to know how to come before God. They wanted to know whether they should bring burnt offerings, whether they should bring many offerings, and whether they should offer even their own children as human sacrifices. Micah answers all of these questions: None of these things does God require. External religion without an internal experience, without reality on the inside, is absolutely valueless. There must be a rebirth, a new nature given to the individual. Externalities are not important—God never begins there. If you want to know what God takes delight in, what He requires of man, this verse will tell you. I want us to consider this verse carefully and in detail. Mr. Liberal, I insist that you interpret this accurately, and when you do, you will find that you are not saved by your good works because you do not have any good works.
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good.” We notice first of all that this is addressed to man. This means not only the man in Israel but also the man in the United States, not only the person of the seventh century b.c. but also the person of the twentieth century a.d. This is for mankind.
These are the three things that God requires: (1) You are “to do justly”—that is, you must have a righteousness to present to God, you must be a righteous person. You are to be just in your dealings with your fellow man; you are to be honest and true. (2) You are “to love mercy.” You are not only to love the mercy of God but also to be merciful in your own dealings with others. And (3) you are “to walk humbly with thy God.”
How are you going to do these things, brother? Can you do them in your own strength? Do you think that you can do them without God’s help? Do you think that you can do them without God’s salvation? If you do, (I’m going to say something very strong, but I’m far enough away from you that you cannot hit me), you are a hypocrite! Don’t tell me that you live by this moral code without the power of God. You cannot, for the very simple reason that all of these are the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23). All three of these things which Micah lists are the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. None of us has any one of these things in his life today.
Let’s turn to the New Testament and see what is said there concerning this. Listen to a man who lived under the Law. In the fifteenth chapter of Acts, when the apostles were deciding whether the Gentiles would have to keep the Law in order to be saved, Simon Peter stood up and said, “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:11). Why did he say that? Because he had just said in Acts 15:10, “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Simon Peter said, “I lived under the law” (and I don’t think he ever got very far away from it even after he was saved), “yet I did not measure up to it.”
God has made this very clear through the words of the apostle Paul also: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you …” (Rom. 8:5–9, italics mine).
My friend, how does the Spirit of God dwell in you? The Lord Jesus said, “… Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). You must be born again by receiving Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right, the authority, the exousian power] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
In Romans 3:9–18 the apostle Paul sets before us the condition of man. He brings man before the judgment bar of God and shows that he is guilty. Then Paul takes man into the clinic of God and shows that he is sick, sick nigh unto death—in fact, he is “… dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1, italics mine). No man, therefore, whoever he is, can present these things to God. God requires righteousness, but we cannot meet that standard. Paul says, “… There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). Someone says, “Well, that is in the New Testament.” My friend, all that Paul is doing in this section of Romans is quoting the Old Testament. In Psalm 14:1 we find, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” This is what God says about you. But God also says that He requires righteousness. How are you going to be able to present it to Him, my friend?
Paul goes on to say in Romans 3:11: “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” In other words, there is none that acts even on the knowledge that he has. Do you, if you are not a Christian, really live up to your ideals? Have you attained the goal that you have set? Have you come to the plateau in life where you are satisfied with your living? May I say to you, none of us even act on the knowledge which we have—“there is none that seeketh after God.” Again, this idea is found in the Old Testament in Psalm 14:2–3: “The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
I could multiply from the Old Testament such statements again and again. Righteousness is what God requires, but the Old Testament makes it very obvious that we cannot present our righteousness to God—because we don’t have any. Since God requires righteousness, there must be a change in the life because there is none righteous. We are told that Jesus was “… delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25, italics mine). The Lord Jesus was raised for our righteousness, that we might have righteousness, that by the Spirit of God we might produce righteousness in our lives.
The “love of mercy”—we do not have that in our human hearts. We are dead in trespasses and sins. Paul says, “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:12). This is the picture of man; this is the way that man is today. The same point is presented to us by Isaiah: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). Evidently, “us all” have iniquity, or Isaiah would not have made a statement like that.
Therefore, let’s not be hypocritical when we come to this verse in Micah that tells us that we are to walk humbly with our God. None seeketh after God; instead, we want to come to Him our way.
I want to say this in all kindness, but I trust that it might startle some and awaken them out of their condition today. If you believe that your church membership or your character or your good works are going to get you to God, then may I say that you are bypassing God’s way. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). If you can get to God by this route presented here—by doing justly, by loving mercy, and by walking humbly with God—and you can do that on your own, when you get to heaven, you can tell God to move over. You can tell Him that you want to share His throne with Him, that you got there by yourself, that you didn’t need Him since you are your own god. But, my friend, God says that He does not share His glory with another, and I do not think He will share His throne with you. So why don’t you come God’s way and not man’s way?
Doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God are things which God requires. Who are you kidding when you claim that you do these things in your natural state? My, how verses like this, when held up to the human family, show us what we really are like! Some commend themselves for being polite and nice folk, especially on Sundays when they seem so genteel and loving—and yet they have never come to God His way. How can you continue on and on in a hypocrisy like that? Why not be honest with God? Just come right out with it, go to Him, and tell Him that you are a sinner. He already knows it, but it would be nice if you told Him. Instead of climbing onto a psychiatrist’s couch and talking to him, talk to God. Tell Him the thing that is wrong with you. Tell Him about your hangups. Tell Him about the sin in your life. God wants to save you, my friend. God wants to forgive your sins and give you the righteousness of Christ.
Having presented to these people what God requires, Micah is now going to show them how far they have fallen short of it. The reason that God will judge them is because of their willful and continual sinning.
The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it [Mic. 6:9].
“The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city.” We have seen that Micah has been directing his prophecies largely to the urban areas, to the cities. His writing reveals that he is a very sophisticated writer. He was in the know; he belonged to the upper echelon. He is in contrast to Amos who said, “I’m no prophet. I’m just a gatherer of sycamore fruit. I’m a farmhand, just a country boy who has come to town.” But Amos happened to be God’s man. Micah is God’s man too, but a different type of man from Amos—he is crying to the city.
“And the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” The rod is for judgment. We read in the second psalm, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). The rod represents the judgment of God. Judgment is coming upon this nation. The man of wisdom—that is, the man in that day who believed God and who would listen—would recognize that judgment was coming upon the nation and would act accordingly. The voice of God is lifted, and He speaks forth in judgment. The man is a wise man who sees the dealings of God which reveal His righteous character as well as the fact that He is longsuffering, patient, and will pardon iniquity. But God also punishes, and the rod is the badge of His authority as the judge who will judge.
There was still sin in the nation, and Micah is now going to reveal these sins specifically; he is going to spell them out.
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? [Mic. 6:10].
“Treasures of wickedness” refers to the wealth they had accumulated in their unjust dealings.
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? [Mic. 6:11].
Many of these people were coming into the temple, bringing a sacrifice, going through the outward ceremony, and saying that they were doing justly and loving mercy. But what were they doing during the week? God says, “Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances?” I tell you, the butchers in that day were weighing their thumbs—and some butchers had thumbs worth several drachmas! Businessmen were dishonest in their business dealings. He says, “And with the bag of deceitful weights?” They were absolutely crooked. They were avaricious, they were covetous, and they were greedy; yet they tried to pass themselves off as religious folk.
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth [Mic. 6:12].
The rich were guilty of violence; they were liars. They were deceitful—you could not believe them.
Is this not a picture today of my own nation? Is this not a picture of this wonderful land in which you and I live? We cannot believe the news media today. We cannot believe the politicians, no matter what their party affiliation. It’s a day when it is difficult to believe businessmen. It is difficult to believe those in the military leadership. We are living in a nation today where most of us little folk are confused—we don’t know whom to believe. This was the situation in Israel in Micah’s day, and God did not approve of it. In fact, this is one of the things that brought the nation down and brought the judgment of God upon them.
I want to say this very carefully but clearly because I love my country and I hate to see what is happening to it today. I have taught for years that the United States would have to go down at the end of this age for the very simple reason that we are not mentioned in Bible prophecy. We are a world power today, but will we be tomorrow? It seems that we are going down very fast. At the time that I am writing this, things look very dark in this land. An energy crisis has come upon us. It didn’t come suddenly; it has been coming for many years. A few of us have been crying out that America is going to be judged. We are apparently moving into that orbit today. Many warned years ago after World War II that oil should have been brought out of the Middle East at that time and that we should never have used our own reserves. But because of greed (it was called “good business” because it was making money), we went into an age of affluence and plenty, and we really left God out. And He is pretty much left out of our national affairs today. There has been no mention, at the time that I am writing this, that we need to turn to God in this emergency in which we find ourselves.
The northern kingdom of Israel in Micah’s day was in the same condition in which we are today, and God brought judgment upon them. Although they were His chosen people as a nation, He brought judgment upon them.
Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins [Mic. 6:13].
In effect, God says, “First of all, I am going to start taking the oil away from you, but I’m not going to stop there. You’re going to find that you will run short on many things before I am through judging you.”
Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword [Mic. 6:14].
God says in effect, “You will no longer be able to enjoy all of these things that you have enjoyed, all these little goodies that you have had. Shortages and eventual famine will come. Attempts to remove your wealth to a safe place will be fruitless—the enemy will get it.”
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine [Mic. 6:15].
The enemy would take them from their land—take them to Assyria as captives.
God intended to cut them down but to cut them down gradually. That, of course, would give them an opportunity to turn to Him. The next chapter will make it clear that God would have pardoned them anytime that they would have turned to Him. But, my friend, you must turn to Him, for God will judge sin.
The people of Israel were going through the externalities of religion, but internally they were far from God. There was dishonesty in their business dealings. There was impurity in their lives. There was violence. There was lying and deceit. Every kind of flagrant sin was committed. And God cannot bless a people or a nation that engages in these things.
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people [Mic. 6:16].
A question would naturally be asked by a new reader of this: “Who in the world is Omri, and who in the world is Ahab? I have never heard of them before. Why is God saying what He is saying about them?” Such a question demonstrates the need for a different approach to the study of the Old Testament which I have for many years thought would be most helpful. I would suggest that when you study the historical books of the Old Testament, also consider the prophetic book or books that correspond to the same time period as the historical book. For example, that would mean that Micah should be studied along with the historical account of the reigns of Hezekiah in the southern kingdom and of Ahab and Jezebel in the northern kingdom. If the historical books were considered along with the prophetic books, they would give you a complete picture. I had hoped to introduce this approach when I was head of the English Bible department at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles years ago, but I never got around to it.
However, if we will now turn to the historical book of 1 Kings, it will shed some light on this verse here in Micah. Omri was one of the kings in the northern kingdom; in fact, he was one of the meanest. Omri and Zimri, then Tibni, reigned as rival kings until both died, and Omri prevailed to rule over the entire northern kingdom. In 1 Kings 16:24 we read: “And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.” That city is called Samaria to this day, and the ruins of the city which Omri built are still there. But Omri is not really the one who developed the city. After the death of Omri, Ahab came to the throne. We read further: “So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.… And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him” (1 Kings 16:28, 30). Now that was something, let me tell you, but one of the reasons he was able to do that was because he had a great little helper in his wife, Jezebel. “And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him” (1 Kings 16:31). Ahab and Jezebel made the worship of Baal the religion of Israel!
“The statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab.” Instead of following the statutes of the Lord, they followed the statutes of Omri and Ahab. They rejected the Word of the Lord and walked in their counsels instead. Now in Micah’s day, almost two hundred years later, the effect and influence of their evil reigns are apparent.
We see the same effect evident in our own day. The leadership of any nation, if that nation is to prosper under God, must be godly. People like to criticize Queen Victoria and the Victorian Era in England—even the English ridicule it. However, I think it should be said that that happens to have been the greatest period in their history—that is when they had an empire. Victoria was Empress of India; she ruled an empire. Today Great Britain has really been cut down to size, for their leadership since then has not been what it should have been.
When Princess Anne was married, I rejoiced in watching the ceremony. Tears came into our eyes as my wife and I watched it on television, for in the ceremony there was a restoration of the sacredness of marriage. Since that example came from the leadership, I am sure that it had an influence.
My own country has not had a very good example set by either the White House or the Congress in a long, long time. My lifetime pretty much spans this century, and may I say, the example emanating from Washington has not been good. As a result, gross immorality has spread throughout this nation. I do believe, because of this verse here, that God would say that He holds the leaders of our nation during this century responsible for plunging the country into gross immorality through the example which they have set.
Micah presents God’s philosophy of government. This is not being taught in any of our universities—that is part of our problem also. As a result, we’re not really getting the facts, and our nation continues to decay and deteriorate. We will continue to do so unless a great revival should come to our land, but there is certainly no evidence at the present time that it will come.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Pardoning all iniquity because of who God is and what He does; closing prayer; God’s answer; paean of praise
PARDONING ALL INIQUITY BECAUSE OF WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE DOES
In the first nine verses of chapter 7, the prophet Micah confesses that God is accurate in His complaint against Israel. The charge and the accuracy of it touch the heart of the prophet. He is not unfeeling. He is moved and motivated by the judgment which is coming upon his people. We have in this first section, therefore, a soliloquy of sorrow, a saga of suffering, a wail of woe, an elegy of eloquent grief.
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit [Mic. 7:1].
Micah begins in a very personal way—he says, “Woe is me!” He is not only very personal, but he is also affected a great deal by God’s message which he has relayed, just as Jeremiah was. He is overwhelmed by it. He is grieved by it. He finds no delight in saying these things. There is no fun today in my saying things that are rather pessimistic about the United States. A great many people will not agree with me about them. They will rebuke me for not being patriotic and for not showing a love for my country. My friend, I love my country as much as the normal American loves his country. I find no joy in saying these things. I wish that I could make an announcement to say, “Friends, a great revival is breaking out across this land!” That would be good news, and that would be wonderful, but I just have to say along with Micah, “Woe is me!”
“For I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.” Remember that in Scripture the vine is used to picture the nation Israel. Micah’s contemporary, Isaiah, is the one who enlarged upon this and set this forth (see Isa. 5). He said very clearly that Israel is the vine and the vine is Israel. Micah looked about at his nation and said, “I’ve looked for a good cluster of grapes, and there are none on the vine. I desired the firstripe fruit, and there was none. The vine is not producing fruit.”
Micah is going to deal now with the specifics—
The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net [Mic. 7:2].
It is not safe to walk on the streets of our country—today lawlessness abounds. It does seem that the good man is perished; yet there are a lot of wonderful people left in this nation of ours. I am sure there were godly people left in Israel also, but Micah is speaking generally. The good man is not the ideal, and he’s not the one in the majority. “The good man is perished out of the earth.”
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up [Mic. 7:3].
“That they may do evil with both hands earnestly.” They are not satisfied to do evil in just a minor way with one hand—they are going at it with both hands. Believe me, doing evil really kept them busy.
“The prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward.” They were doing evil for a reward. They were not only willing to stoop to do the thing that was wrong, but they did it also because of greed and covetousness on their part. “The prince…and the judge”—there was crookedness in government, you see. You would expect the prince and the judge to rule justly and righteously, but that was not the picture.
“And the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire.” The writers of our literature are clever writers today. I watch a great deal of television in order to keep up with what is going on in this world. I find that everything that is presented by our writers has a little hook in it. There’s that little hook of liberalism, that little hook of immorality, that little hook of ridicule of the things we have considered sacred in this country. And it is all done in the name of the sacred cow of the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech. But there is very little freedom of religion today, unless it is weird and way out in left field somewhere and not that which is Bible-centered and Bible-anchored. We need a bibliocentric thrust in this nation of ours today.
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity [Mic. 7:4].
Even the best people were like a brier—you had to be careful. You can get stuck with a brier, you know, if you’re not careful with it. That was the condition of even the best people in Micah’s day—you couldn’t depend on them. “The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge.”
Our writers are clever and sophisticated today, but we have no geniuses writing, just clever boys. They write clever plays. They say clever things. They write clever articles. But there are no geniuses. They write nothing of depth, nothing that is actually worthwhile. I believe that God will do with our contemporary culture what He did with Israel in that day and what He did later on with the Greek and Roman cultures. He simply wiped them off the face of the earth. Why preserve it? What is being done today that has eternal value? Oh, my friend, what a parallel there is here, and how accurate Micah is!
“The day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.” The Lord Jesus said, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25). In other words, one thing that would characterize the end of the age is perplexity of nations, confusion of nations. The biggest sign that we are near the end of the age is not found in Israel. Israel is not a sign. We are living in the church age today. We don’t need to look for a day, we need to look at a weather report: the sea and the waves roaring, the storms breaking upon the earth, and the nations seething—that is the picture that God’s Word presents of the nation in the last days.
Micah has been telling out the difficulty that these people were having, the sin that was in their lives. The lovely statement that was made back in Micah 6:8 was: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” The people just were not doing it, and they found that they could not do it. As Peter said, “We were under the yoke of the law. Our forefathers didn’t keep it, and we cannot keep it today” (see Acts 15:10). Yet there are a great many people going to church, thinking they are saved by their own good works and are acceptable to God on the basis of what they do. There is no hypocrisy like that kind of hypocrisy! The people living back yonder under the Law might be excused for thinking that, but we have an open Bible which makes clear to us that we are saved only by the grace of God.
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom [Mic. 7:5].
This reveals something of the awful condition that existed in that day, and it has been true pretty much of all the so-called civilizations of this world. It is a big, mean world outside. We need to recognize this, especially if we are to take a stand for God. The Lord Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). As long as there is evil in the world, there will be a conflict and a war between that which is of the flesh and that which is of the Spirit, between light and darkness, between good and evil.
I generally get up very early in the morning because I like to do my studying at home early. I get up while it is still dark, and my study is where I can look out toward the east. It is interesting to watch how the darkness wrestles with the light until finally the sun comes bursting over the horizon and the darkness then vanishes. There is always that period of dawn when it would seem that the darkness is wrestling with the light. The same thing takes place in the evening at dusk when again darkness wants to take over. There is that kind of a spiritual struggle going on in the world.
The Lord Jesus went on to say in Matthew, “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matt. 10:35–36). You will not be able to trust your own family. Micah says, “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.” Over the years I have heard of many such instances—and it works both ways, of course—when a wife has not been able to trust her husband, and a husband has not been able to trust his wife.
We live in a day when the word of man seems to carry less value than it ever has before. You cannot believe what you read, and you cannot believe what you hear on radio or on television. The child of God should test everything. I say this very candidly: test every radio program you listen to by the Word of God. Test my Bible-teaching broadcast; test them all. You will be wise if you do this because the human nature is not to be trusted.
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house [Mic. 7:6].
Notice that this is exactly what the Lord Jesus said will come, and it had come in Micah’s day also. When this sort of a situation arises, it is a day of decadence, a day of deterioration, a day of decay. It is a day that is very dark, by the way. We live in a day like that. We have gotten to the place where government is having to watch everything. But who is going to watch government? They need watching also. Whom can you trust? In whom can you believe today? We are living at a very sad time in the history of the world. This verse reveals the condition of that day of Micah’s grief. This is not something to boast of, not something to rejoice in. It is something to be deplored, something which should grieve your heart and my heart.
Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me [Mic. 7:7].
We see here the confidence and the assurance and the faith of Micah. He knows that God is going to hear him, and he knows that God will work this thing out. The Lord Jesus said that there would be distress of nations, the sea and the waves would roar, and the nations of the world would be in great turmoil. But it does not matter how dark it is today and how high the waves are rolling—these things ought not to disturb the child of God, they ought not to detour us. For the Lord Jesus said, “Men’s hearts [will be] failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken…. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:26, 28). Micah says, “Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” These are the days when God’s children need to stay very close to God, and we need to stay close to the Word of God.
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me [Mic. 7:8].
This is a great principle that we find running through the Scriptures. Though God’s man may fall, God will raise him up. When we sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light for us. God’s people, again may I repeat this, must stay close to the Word of God in dark and difficult days.
Now in verse 9, on behalf of his people, Micah makes a confession to God, or as The New Scofield Reference Bible has labeled it, “submission to the Lord.” There is sweet submission here and, in spite of the darkness, there is on his lips a praise to God. He has just said to the enemy, “Don’t you rejoice against me. God is going to lift me up, and then I will be able to rejoice. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord is going to be a light unto me.” Micah had the confidence that God would deliver him and would deliver his people.
I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness [Mic. 7:9].
Micah is making a public confession of the sin of the people. What confidence this man has! He submits himself to the will of God. That should be the position of every child of God in this dark hour in the history of the world. What is it that we should do? Well, there is one thing that is sure: God has permitted all things to happen, and He is still in control. Therefore we should submit ourselves to God. We should confess our sins and keep our accounts with God right up to date and make sure that we have settled every account with Him. This is the thing that is all-important.
Notice that Micah says, “I will bear the indignation of the Lord.” Why? “Because I have sinned against him.” My friend, we as a nation have sinned. You have sinned; I have sinned. We have gone along with this affluent society and have accepted its comforts. We have rather smiled at the lack of integrity that there is in public life, and we have shut our eyes to the gross immorality that is around us. It is time that some of us are confessing our sin.
“Until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me.” God will use the “rod” of Assyria to punish His children for their sins, but afterward He will restore them and bring them “forth to the light.” Then they will “behold his righteousness”—they will realize that God was just in punishing them.
Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets [Mic. 7:10].
God will ultimately triumph, but the thing that is tragic is that, because of the sins of the people, they must be judged. Their enemy asks the question: “You boasted of the fact that you serve God, but where is He? Why doesn’t He help you? Why doesn’t He deliver you? You have said that He would.” Well, the enemy could not see the righteousness of God. He did not see that God was dealing with His people in a righteous way by judging them.
After God restores His people, He will punish the nations that abused them and attempted to annihilate them—then they shall “be trodden as the mire of the streets.”
Since the Assyrian captivity lay ahead of the people of Israel, the “enemy” is interpreted as the nation of Assyria; yet the following two verses indicate that a later and final enemy is also in view.
Micah has predicted the destruction of Israel’s enemies and now turns to Israel’s restoration. The nation of Israel is likened to a vineyard in several passages of Scripture. Notice especially Isaiah’s song of the vineyard (see Isa. 5:1–7). The walls Micah speaks of are the walls around a vineyard.
In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed [Mic. 7:11].
In the early days of their history, the people of Israel were sent by God down to Egypt to become a nation. Then God hedged them into the land of Palestine, gave them the Law, made them a peculiar people, and kept them from intermarrying with other folk. Then, because of their sin, God sent them into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity. They had a ministry to the world, both at the time of the containment and then again when they were scattered throughout the world.
In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain [Mic. 7:12].
As we have seen in chapter 4, during the millennial kingdom all nations shall come to Zion—even their former enemy, Assyria. “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Mic. 4:2).
However, Micah reminds them that before this time of blessing, punishment lies before them.
Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings [Mic. 7:13].
You see, the land and the people are pretty well tied together. That land was not always desolate as it is today. When the blessing of God comes upon the people, it will also come again upon that land—but it has not yet come upon them.
CLOSING PRAYER
Now Micah in a very wonderful way commits his people to the Shepherd’s care—
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old [Mic. 7:14].
“Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage.” In Micah 6:9 the rod was a rod of judgment; here it is a rod of comfort. “…thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). I think it simply refers to the staff of the shepherd which could be used in two ways: it could be used to protect and help the sheep, and it could also be used to discipline the sheep. “Feed thy people with thy rod”—God disciplines us, and He instructs us.
“Which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.” These are great grazing lands up in the north and across the Jordan River.
Micah has come to God in beautiful submission and in confession of sin—confession of his sins and of the sins of the people. The prophets always identified themselves with the people in any confession of sin. (We do it a little differently; we like to confess the sin of the other fellow while we try to leave ours out.)
GOD’S ANSWER
God gives an answer to the prayer of the prophet. There has always been some question as to what this passage makes reference to, but it is the consensus of most expositors that it looks to the future and to the day when the Lord Jesus will come to set up His kingdom.
According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things [Mic. 7:15].
God led Israel out of Egypt by miracle, but He did not bring them out of Babylon by miracle. No miracles are mentioned in connection with that, although their return to the land was a wonderful thing. It was the deliverance out of Egypt that was miraculous, and God says here that that will be the pattern for the day when He again brings them into the land. We have not seen anything like that in their present-day return to the land. We ought to recognize, therefore, that God has not yet fulfilled this prophecy.
The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might. they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf [Mic. 7:16].
When God begins again to move them back into the land, the world will stand in amazement, just as the peoples round about them did at the time of their exodus from Egypt. You remember the confession of the harlot, Rahab: “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Josh. 2:10–11). The word has gotten around as to how God had taken care of His people.
They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee [Mic. 7:17].
This refers to the godless nations which have attempted to destroy Israel. In that day when He comes to deliver Israel, “they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.”
PAEAN OF PRAISE
Micah waxes eloquent now, and he asks a question—
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy [Mic. 7:18].
We will discuss this verse at length in a moment, but Micah goes on here to say that because of who God is, this is what He will do—
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old [Mic. 7:19–20].
Israel’s sin put them out of the land temporarily, but God will make good His promises in spite of their sin. Their sin does not cancel out God’s promises and God’s covenant with these people any more than a child of God loses his salvation when he sins. His sin means that he is going to the woodshed for a good whipping if he doesn’t confess it and get it straightened out; but if he will come back to God, God will graciously pardon him. The prodigal son did not get a whipping when he came home to his father; he got his whipping in the far country. And you can be sure of one thing: God’s child will never be able to get by with sin. We see that again and again in Scripture.
Now let’s come back to this marvelous statement that we have here: “Who is a God like unto thee.” I want to make a very startling statement: There is something that God has not seen but which you see every day. Perhaps you didn’t know that you could see something that God cannot see—but that is a true statement. It may sound rather impertinent for me to say that; it may sound irrelevant, irreverent, or inappropriate; it may even sound flippant or facetious. It may sound to you like I am making a parody or a pun, a riddle or a rhyme, a trick or a treat, but I want to assure you that this is a serious and sober subject with a sensible and Scriptural answer. The prophet here asks a profound question: “Who is a God like unto thee?” And it demands a thoughtful answer. The very nature of the question suggests an answer to an enigmatic subject.
This is not the first time in Scripture that this question has been asked, by the way. It was asked in that wonderful song sung by Israel after they crossed the Red Sea. In Exodus 15:11 we read, “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” The people had just come out from Egypt where there were many gods. Egypt was absolutely—if I may use the slang expression—lousy with idols; they had many gods and many lords. The ten plagues in Egypt had been leveled at their various gods—that was God’s strategy in it all. And then again at the end of the forty years of the wilderness march, Moses said, “There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them” (Deut. 33:26–27). This question was again asked by Solomon in 1 Kings 8:23, “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart.” The psalmist exclaimed: “Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!” (Ps. 113:5–6).
This question is asked in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Kings, Psalms, and in other passages which I have not cited, but now let’s answer it. The answer was suggested by my statement at the beginning: God has not seen something which you see every day. What is it that God has not seen? My friend, God has not seen His equal. “Who is a God like unto thee?” God has never seen His equal, but you and I see our equals every day.
There are many ways in which God is alone, in which God is unequaled. Only one of them is suggested by our passage here in Micah, but because this is such a profound question and one that is so basic to this book, I want to look at this subject closely: Who is a God like unto our God?
1. The God of the Bible is the Creator. The God of the Bible is the Creator, but the gods of the heathen are creatures. The apostle Paul wrote: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:21–23). They worshiped the creature rather than the Creator.
Isaiah, Micah’s contemporary, wrote concerning the heathen who make images from trees: “He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god” (Isa. 44:16–17). Isaiah went on to say, “Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me” (Isa. 44:21). God is the Creator.
You may say, “But we don’t have idols today.” The Book of Micah has been dealing with a form of idolatry of which Israel was guilty and of which we are guilty also: covetousness is idolatry. Secularism, materialism, that to which you give yourself is your god. That which takes your time and your money is your god. It can be pleasure, it can be sex, it can be money—whatever you are giving yourself to, my friend, is your god. It does not matter what church you might belong to, whatever you are giving yourself to is your god.
With biting irony, God asks the question through the prophet Isaiah: “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?” (Isa. 46:5). He is the Creator—you cannot make a picture of Him. “They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him …” (Isa. 46:6–7). The supreme question is this: Is your religion carrying you, or are you carrying it? Many people say to me, “Oh, I find Christian work extremely boring. It is hard; it is difficult.” If you are finding it that way, then I would suggest that you give up what you are doing—quit teaching your Sunday school class, quit singing in the choir, and do not be an officer in the church. If it is burdensome to you, He does not want you to do it. He doesn’t want you carrying Him around—He wants to carry you. He wants to carry all of His children. Somebody said to me the other day, “Why in the world don’t you retire? You are in your seventies now, you’ve been in the pastorate for forty years, and you’ve given your time to teaching the Bible on radio. Why don’t you retire?” Do you want to know something? I would rather teach the Word of God than eat ice cream any day. I’d rather do this than eat a chicken dinner. My friend, God has been carrying me for a long time, even though I think I have been a heavy load for Him.
So God is unique; He is the Creator, and He carries us. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1)—and it is blasphemy to go beyond that. You cannot go beyond Him— “… from everlasting to everlasting [from the vanishing point to the vanishing point], thou art God” (Ps. 90:2). He is the Creator.
2. The God of the Bible is holy and righteous. This is something that is very important to this little Book of Micah and to all sixty-six books of the Bible. God is a holy and righteous God. The gods of the heathen are little, they’re contemptible, they’re base, they’re ignoble, they’re shabby, they’re evil, they’re mean, and they’re ugly—just think about the heathen images which you have seen. The gods of the Greeks on top of Mount Olympus were simply man’s projection of himself. They were the enlargement of mankind. What did they do? They acted like overgrown children with overgrown faults and sins; they were spiteful and vengeful. The gods of the heathen are not pretty, my friend.
What a reflection and slur upon God! Have you ever noticed how many times in Scripture we read of “the beauty of holiness”? Oh, my friend, our God is beautiful—He is the beautiful one. Remember that He said to His people, “… thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself …” (Ps. 50:21). He says, “I am not like you. You are sinful; you stoop to do low, mean things. I am holy; I am righteous.” In Isaiah God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways …” (Isa. 55:8).
God is holy, and He says that He hates sin. He is angry with sin. He gets wrought-up over it, my friend. And the wrath of God must be revealed against sin. That is the reason judgment must come. There is no escape from it; there is no way out. The judgment of God is something that is going to come to pass.
Again the little Book of Micah has real application to my own nation today. This country has really been shaken in the past ten years. Consider this whole century and the things which have actually shaken this world in which you and I live. It is not the same world I was born into. I never dreamed that I would live to see the things which have taken place in my own days. What is back of all this? Well, our God is a holy God, and He reveals His anger against sin—He will judge it. I know that a judgment day is coming in the future for sinners who will not accept Christ, but God is moving today, and I believe that we are experiencing the anger of God.
A godless nation, a nation which rejects God, must bear the consequences. We must also recognize that as individuals you and I are sinners and must come to God. This is what it means to “walk humbly with thy God.” You do not come to Him boasting of what you have done. You come to Him confessing. “I’m a sinner, and I need Your salvation.” You must accept His salvation, recognizing that you could not go to heaven in your own righteousness. Anselm, one of the great thinkers of the eleventh century, wrote, “I would rather go to hell without sin than go to heaven with sin.” That’s a great statement. That will shake you, my friend. In this day of “weak tea” theology, we need to hear strong statements like this.
3. The God of the Bible pardons iniquity and delights in mercy. Verse 18 says, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Here is where our God is wonderfully and amazingly different. He has no equal here; there is no one even in His neighborhood.
“… who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exod. 15:11). What are some of the wonders that God does? Read Exodus 33:18–19: “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” God said, “Moses, I’m going to do this for you, not because you are Moses and the leader of My people, but I’m doing this because I am gracious, because I show mercy, and I do it for everybody.” All you have to do is come to Him and claim His mercy, friend; He is just that good, and there is none like Him.
Again in Exodus we read: “And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord, And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty …” (Exod. 34:5–7). My friend, how wonderful He is! God does not clear the guilty “Wrong is wrong, from the moment it happens till the crack of doom,” says the hero of the play, The Great Divide. All the angels in heaven working overtime cannot change that by a hair. But God can forgive the sinner and clear him of all charges because His holiness has been satisfied by Christ’s vicarious death.
God’s forgiveness is set forth in the Scripture by many figures of speech. I would like to mention just a few of them. His forgiveness is like a debt which has been paid. In Isaiah He says, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa. 43:25). Peter said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out …” (Acts 3:19). On His ledger I am in debt, because there it is written, “… the wages of sin is death …” (Rom. 6:23), and “… in Adam all die …” (1 Cor. 15:22). God’s forgiveness is set forth in Scripture as the healing of a disease. Jeremiah writes, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings …” (Jer. 3:22). And in Isaiah 61:1 He has promised to “… bind up the brokenhearted….” Finally, God’s forgiveness is pictured as the cleansing of a pollution, a contamination. The Scriptures tell us that “… according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). And we read also, “… the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). How wonderful our God is!
How does God forgive? God is different for there is none like Him in forgiving. His forgiveness is very different from yours and mine. If you step on my toe in a crowd, you turn to me and say, “Pardon me, will you forgive me?” I say, “Sure,” but I’m thinking that, of course, you ought to give me the money to renew the shoeshine you have just ruined! But I say that I forgive you. Another example is a letter that I received some time ago from a man who confessed that he had been talking about me behind my back. Now he had found out that he was wrong, and he asked me to forgive him. I told him, “Don’t ask me for forgiveness. Simply get it straightened out with the people you talked to and with the Lord.” That’s all I asked of him, because I had never known about it before I received his letter. Human forgiveness is pretty easy to come by.
However, God never forgives until the debt is paid. And on the Cross Christ paid the debt. He redeemed us. We are sold under sin. We today have offended the holiness of God. We are in debt to Him. We have a disease, and God is not going to take the disease of sin into heaven. But Christ paid our debt, and Christ is the One who will forgive us. He cleanses us, and He makes us acceptable in God’s sight so that we might go to heaven someday.
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Isn’t He a wonderful God? He is someday going to restore Israel to the land, not because they are wonderful, but because He is wonderful. And, my friend, I am going to heaven someday, but I am not going there because I am good or righteous—I am not. I’m going to heaven because Jesus died for me. I’m going because the debt has been paid, and there is no God like my God.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Judah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975. (Obadiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk.)
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Nahum
INTRODUCTION
As I come to each new book and chapter of the Bible, some folk kid me that I always say it is the greatest book or chapter. Very candidly, I must say that the little Book of Nahum is not the greatest in the Bible, but it is a great book, and it is in the Word of God for a very definite purpose. I dare say that very few people have ever heard a sermon from the little Book of Nahum. This book has received some attention from those who speak “the wild utterances of prophecy mongers,” as Sir Robert Anderson calls them. These sensationalists would have us believe that Nahum prophesied of the automobile when in the second chapter he says that “The chariots shall rage in the streets” (Nah. 2:4). That, of course, has no reference at all to the automobile, as we will see when we come to it.
What we do have in the Book of Nahum is a remarkable prophecy, but one which seems very much out-of-date. To begin with, we know very little about Nahum personally, and he has just one theme: the judgment of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. This is all his prophecy is about, and it has already been fulfilled; so how can this book be meaningful to us today? How can it fit into our common and contemporary culture? Does Nahum have a message for us? The remarkable thing about the Word of God is that no matter where we turn we find a message for us. Some is specifically directed to us, but all of it is for us—that is, it has a message for us.
The writer is Nahum, and his name means “comforter,” but the message that he gives is one of judgment. How in the world can Nahum live up to his name? How can he be a comforter? Well, it is owing to how you look at the judgment. If it is a judgment upon your enemy, one of whom you are afraid, one who dominates you, then judgment can be a comfort to you.
Nahum is identified in the first verse of the book: “The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” Who is an Elkoshite? Well, there are several possible identifications of the city of Elkosh. (1) There was a city of Elkosh in Assyria, a few miles north of the ruins of Nineveh. Nahum could well have lived there and prophesied to Nineveh, as Daniel did to Babylon later on. Very candidly, I do not think that is true; I believe that the content of the book reveals that Nahum did not go to Nineveh. I do not think he was there, nor was he ever called to go there. (2) Another explanation which is offered is that there was a village by the name of Elkosh in Galilee. Jerome recorded that a guide pointed out to him such a village as the birthplace of Nahum. I had that pointed out to me also when I was over there. However, the first time this was ever pointed out was a thousand years after Nahum lived, making such a view largely traditional. Also, Dr. John Davis gives the meaning for Capernaum as “the village of Nahum.” If Capernaum is a Hebrew word, then this is the evident origin, and we have no reason to believe otherwise. Nahum was either born there, or he lived there as a boy. (3) Also, down in Judah there was a place called Elkosh. Elkosh seems to have been a common name. We have certain place names in this country of which you will find one in practically every state. You will find a city of the same name in California, in Texas, and then maybe way up in Connecticut. Evidently, Elkosh was a common name like that.
It is the belief of many that what actually happened was that Nahum was born up in the northern kingdom of Israel—which would explain his great attachment to the northern kingdom—but that he later moved down to Elkosh, a place in the south of Judah. He probably went down there as a lad and was raised in the southern kingdom.
The man who wrote this prophecy evidently knew something about Sennacherib’s attack upon Jerusalem. It seems to be an eyewitness account that is given in the first chapter. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Judah during the reign of Hezekiah, Nahum was probably an eyewitness. This would mean that Nahum was a contemporary of both Isaiah and Micah, and this is the belief of some Bible expositors. I personally have not decided on any definite date at all. There are many dates which have been assigned to this book and this prophet. Dates are suggested anywhere from 720 b.c. to 636 b.c. by conservative scholars. It seems reasonable to locate Nahum about one hundred years after Jonah. He probably lived during the reign of Hezekiah and saw the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel, and he was greatly moved by that, of course.
Nahum sounds the death knell of Nineveh. He pronounces judgment by the total destruction of Assyria, Nineveh being the capital of that nation. Nahum maintains that God is just in His judgment of this nation.
Actually, I like to study the little Books of Jonah and Nahum together because it was between 100 and 150 years before Nahum appeared on the scene that Jonah went to Nineveh with a message from God. When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and to bring a message there, a remarkable thing happened—the entire city turned to God—100 percent. Frankly, there has never been anything quite like it in the history of the world. We simply do not seem to have anything else that could compare to an entire city, 100 percent, turning to God. How far-reaching it was in the nation I do not know, but certainly Nineveh as the capital city had a tremendous effect upon the nation, and there was a great turning to God in that day.
The question naturally arises: How did it work out? Did it last? Did this nation become a godly nation? And the answer is no—they didn’t. In time the revival wore off. In time they went back to their paganism. In time they became as brutal as they had been before. This nation had had a message from God, but now here comes Nahum with another message. I do not think that Nahum actually went to Nineveh. I believe that this man lived in the southern kingdom of Israel, and I don’t think he left there. But if God sent Jonah to Nineveh, why did He not send Nahum? Well, God’s methods vary. God certainly is immutable—He never changes—but He does change His methods at times. He sent Jonah to Nineveh because Nineveh was a great, wicked city, but they were totally ignorant of God. When the message was brought, the city turned to God, all the way from the king on the throne to the peasant in the hovel. As a result, God spared the city. Now 100 to 150 years have gone by, and the city has relapsed and returned back to its old way. Why doesn’t Nahum go? Because they have already had the light, and they’ve rejected it.
The Lord Jesus spoke about light that is rejected. He said, “…If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23). How can light be darkness in anyone? Light that is darkness is the rejection of the Word of God. There are more Bibles in this country of ours than any other book; it is the best selling, but least read, book. Assyria was a nation that had had light, but what was the net result? “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Assyria had had light—God had sent a message to them—and for awhile they turned and served the living and true God. It was a revival in the common sense of the term. It was wonderful, but it didn’t last. Isn’t that really the history of revivals? At the same time that France had a revolution, England had a revival under the Wesleys and Whitefield. There was a great turning to God, but how did England make out? Well, look at her today. At that time they were a first-rate nation. They were number one among the great nations of the world, but they are not number one today. They aren’t number two; they aren’t even number three. They are way down on the list today. What happened? They departed from the living and true God.
The first time I visited England, I asked my guide to take me to the cemetery across from Wesley’s church where Wesley is buried. The guide had difficulty. He and the driver talked it over, looked at the city map, and finally wound their way through the streets of London until we arrived at the place. The guide said to me, “This is the first time I’ve ever brought anyone here. I think I will put it on our route and will bring people here when we take tours. I didn’t know it was here.” England had forgotten John Wesley. They had forgotten the great revival that took place under him. As a result, she has sunk down to a very low level for a nation which has had such a tremendous history. Those of us who had ancestors in the British Isles—whether in England, Wales, Scotland, or Ireland—have to bow our heads today in shame. We feel like weeping when we think of the greatness of that nation and how at one time they listened to the voice of God. How like Nineveh! When Nineveh was no longer listening, Nahum said, “I’m not going over there. I’m not going to waste my time because there is no point in it. They have passed the point of no return.”
And has this nation of mine come to that place today? This little book has a message for us, my friend. Quite a few years ago I cut out this little clipping which reads:
A United States Senator has stated that the average life of the great civilizations of the world has been about 200 years. He goes on to say that these civilizations have progressed (if that’s the right word) through the following stages:
from bondage to spiritual faith
from spiritual faith to courage
from courage to liberty
from liberty to abundance
from abundance to selfishness
from selfishness to complacency
from complacency to apathy
from apathy back to bondage
The Senator points out the interesting fact that the United States of America will be 200 years old in 12 years. which of the above stages do you think we’re in? How much longer is our civilization going to last?
This nation has now passed its two-hundredth anniversary. Think about this for just a moment. Where are we today? Are we a nation of abundance? Yes, but the Lord is beginning to cut us short. “From abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency”—is that a Picture of us today? “From complacency to apathy”—there is an apathetic condition in our nation today. The next step, according to the senator, is “from apathy back to bondage.”
This is the picture that is given of Nineveh, and this is the message of Nahum. A great world power, Assyria, with Nineveh as its capital, had a message from God. They turned to God and served God for a period of time. I do not know how long they served Him, but after 100 to 150 years had gone by, they were right back where they were before. Now God is going to judge them. The question arises: Is He right in doing it? Nahum will say that He is not only right in doing it, but that He is also good when He does it. Some folk think the Book of Nahum should be called “Ho hum”! However, Nahum is a thrilling book to study because it reveals the other side of the attributes of God. God is love, but God is also holy and righteous and good. And God still moves in the lives of nations; therefore, this book speaks right into where we are today.
OUTLINE
I. Justice and Goodness of God, Chapter 1:1–8
II. Justice and Goodness of God Demonstrated in Decision to Destroy Nineveh and to Give the Gospel, Chapter 1:9–15
III. Justice and Goodness of God Exhibited in Execution of His Decision to Destroy Nineveh, Chapters 2–3
A. Annihilation of Assyria, Chapter 2
B. Avenging Action of God Justified, Chapter 3
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Justice and Goodness of God
The little Book of Nahum is a remarkable prophecy. The prophet has just one theme, the judgment of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, but we will find that he also has a meaningful message for us today.
The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite [Nah. 1:1].
“The burden of Nineveh”—burden means “judgment,” as it is also used in the prophecy of Isaiah. Earlier, Jonah had brought a message to Nineveh which revealed the love of God, and now the message of the Book of Nahum reveals the justice of God—the two go together. Although God will judge a nation, He is still love, and He still loves—you cannot escape that. The thing which makes the judgment of God so frightful is the fact that God does not do it as a petulant person. He doesn’t do it in a vindictive manner whatsoever. He does not do it in a spirit of revenge or of trying to get even. He does not judge because He has become angry for a moment in a sudden emotional outburst. God judges because He is just. He still loves, but He is just. Since He is just in His dealings, He must deal with sin even in the lives of those whom He loves.
Nineveh was a city that God loved—He told Jonah that. Jonah wanted the city destroyed, but God said, “And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?” (Jonah 4:11). God wanted to spare the city and the people who were in it, many of whom were little children. And God had spared Nineveh, but now judgment is going to fall upon this great city—this is Nahum’s message. Jonah, almost a century and a half before, had brought a message from God, and Nineveh had repented. However, the repentance was transitory. God has patiently given this new generation opportunity to repent (see v. 3), but the day of grace now ends and the moment of doom comes. In Nahum 3:19 we read, “There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit [news] of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?” In other words, Nineveh has come to a place where there is no healing for her people.
I believe that for a nation and for an individual it is possible to continue in sin until you cross over a mark. I do not know where that mark is—I don’t pretend to be able to say when this takes place—but there is such a place. When you pass over that mark, it is not that the grace of God cannot reach you but that you cannot reach God for the simple reason that you have come to the place where you are hardened and in a state of unbelief which cannot be changed. This can be true of a nation, and it can be true of an individual.
As you consider the things which are happening today, you are apt to be discouraged. I am sure that many of God’s people are disturbed today. I believe that this is the reason we have had such an interest in prophecy. The wilder the prophetic teachers are, the more popular they seem to be. They are coming up with all kinds of interpretations. The explanation is that God’s people, ignorant of the Word of God, are desperately reaching out because of the things which are happening today. The Lord Himself said, “Men’s hearts [will be] failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:26). We are at that state for sure; we’ve come into that particular orbit today. These things are disturbing to us, but, my friend, let us understand that God is still running the affairs of this world. He is still in charge. It hasn’t slipped out from His hands. God is not sitting on the edge of His throne, biting His fingernails. He is not nervous today about what is happening. God is carrying out His plan and purpose, and He is overruling the sin of man. This should be very comforting to the child of God in this day.
Assyria had served God’s purpose and is now to be destroyed. The destruction of Nineveh, according to the details given in this written prophecy, is almost breathtaking. This is a message, therefore, of comfort to a people who live in fear of a powerful and godless nation: God will destroy any godless nation. All you need do is to pick up your history book and start reading at the beginning of written history. You will find that every great world power went down, and they went down at a time when they were given over to wine, women, and song. When a nation reaches that place, you can be sure that it is on the skids and will soon pass out into the limbo of the lost. That is where all the former great nations of the world are today.
Where is the United States today? We are on the way down, my friend. It is a nice ride while we are having it. Dr. J. Gresham Machen said years ago, “America today is going downhill with a godly ancestry.” America, which has had a godly ancestry, is going downhill on a toboggan. And Dr. Machen added, “God pity America when we reach the bottom of the hill.” How close are we to the bottom of the hill? I’m no prophet nor the son of a prophet. I’m just a poor preacher, and all I can say is that it seems to me like we’re getting very close to the bottom of the hill. The reason that the Book of Nahum is such a remarkable prophecy is that it speaks right into our own situation today.
“The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” This is all that is known of the writer of this book, and I have discussed this at some length in the Introduction. Nahum was apparently born in the northern kingdom of Israel, and that was his native country; but he moved to the southern part of Judah sometime when he was very young. He had a great concern for the northern kingdom, and he apparently was alive when it was carried away into captivity by Assyria. His message is of the judgment that is coming upon Nineveh.
God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies [Nah. 1:2].
Jealous, according to Webster’s dictionary, means “exacting exclusive devotion.” God is a jealous God, and He demands that His people worship Him alone. When any people, no matter who they are, turn to idolatry or turn to sin (all that which is contrary to God), and when they give themselves to it, God is jealous. I hear folk say, “Well, there is just a little bit of difference between the jealousy of God and the jealousy of man.” There is not as much difference as you think there is, my friend. In Exodus 20:3–6 we read: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
God loves you. It does not make any difference who you are, you cannot keep Him from loving you. You can, however, get into a place where you will not experience the love of God. When you put up an umbrella of sin, the sunshine of God’s love will not fall on you, but it is still there for you. You can put up the umbrella of indifference. You can put up the umbrella of turning your back upon Him and not doing His will. There are several different umbrellas you can put up that will keep the love of God from shining upon you, but you cannot keep Him from loving you.
Since God loves you, He is actually jealous of you. That means that He wants you. Actually, God doesn’t want what you possess. We preachers are always asking you for what you have. I wish that I didn’t ever have to mention giving—frankly, I don’t like to. If God’s people would just give enough to cover our radio broadcasting expenses, you would never hear me mention it. But God doesn’t want what you’ve got—He wants you. And He’s jealous when you give yourself, your time, and your substance to other things. When you give yourself to sin, God is jealous.
I once heard a woman say, “I have a very wonderful husband. He’s not jealous of me.” Well, I don’t think that what she said was a compliment at all. We’re living in a day when people are supposed to be broad-minded, especially about this matter of sex. They argue that it’s all right for a woman to give herself to the first man who comes along. May I say to you, my friend, if you are that type of woman, you will never get a good husband because the good husband is one who is going to love you and want you above everything else. And he won’t want to share you with anybody. If you say that you don’t have a jealous husband, I feel sorry for you, because you do not have a good relationship.
God very frankly says, “I’m a jealous God. I want you. I don’t want to share you with the sin of the world and with the devil’s crowd and with idolatry. I don’t want to share you—I want you to belong to Me.” There is nothing wrong with God’s saying that He is jealous, and Nahum says, “God is jealous.” I’m glad that He is.
Any good wife will say, “I don’t want to share my husband with anybody else. He is mine. He belongs to me.” This is something which is pretty important today but which the world has forgotten. It is no wonder that in Southern California we have more divorces than marriages. Of course that is what has happened, because people are playing a little game. You used to find the harlots in the brothels; but today it is called “consecutive harlotry,” which means that you take one partner at a time, live with him for a little while, and then move on to another. It adds up to the same thing, however. My friend, if you are going to be loved, and if you love, there will be a measure of jealousy in the relationship—there has to be if it is a real love.
“The Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious.” The correct translation is not “revengeth,” as it is in our Authorized Version—rather, it should be avengeth. There is a great difference between the two words. “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). God says to you and me, “Don’t you indulge in vengeance because, to begin with, you will never exercise it in the right way. Turn it over to Me. I handle it without any heat of anger. I handle it in justice. I will do the right thing. And I know all the issues and side issues—I know everything about it.”
The Lord avengeth; and, whether we like it or not, anything God does is right. We need to get that fixed in our minds and, on the other end of the stick, we need to recognize that you and I are just little creatures who really don’t know very much—even the smartest ones don’t. Frankly, I hate to say this, but I have quit listening to newscasts and talk programs on which they interview some egghead who is supposed to know something. I’ve discovered that most of these folk, as far as knowing what really is going on in this world, are ignoramuses who are just talking. We ought to recognize that we don’t know much and that whatever God does is right. If you don’t think so, you are wrong. God is not wrong—you are wrong. I wonder if you are willing to take that position. If you’re not, my friend, you’re in trouble as far as God is concerned because there are many things He is not going to tell you or me about. He is simply going to go ahead and do them. He is running this universe His way. Oh, I know that we get a few power-hungry human beings, but they don’t hang around long. Hitler didn’t last long and and neither did Mussolini nor Stalin. The others who are on the front page of our newspapers today will be in obituary notices in a few days—it won’t be long. May I say to you, God is still on the throne, and He is still running things.
God is “furious.” God does not take any delight in the sin of man. God hates sin, and He is furious at it. “The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.” God is glorified when He judges a nation, as we see especially in Ezekiel 38–39. When Assyria went down, God was glorified in that. They were a brutal, hated, sinful nation, and God brought them down to wrack and ruin and into the debris and dust of the earth. He is glorified when He does things like that. Maybe you don’t like it, but the Word of God says that that is the way He moves. I would suggest that you get yourself reconciled to the way God does things, because that is the way they are going to be done.
In verse 3 Nahum puts down a great principle by which God not only judged Assyria (and Nineveh, the capital, in particular), but also the way that God judges the world and will judge the world in the future.
The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet [Nah. 1:3].
“The Lord is slow to anger.” Nahum makes this very clear. You see, God had sent Jonah to Nineveh to tell them that they were to be destroyed because of their awful sin. They were known as probably the most brutal people in the ancient world, and God said that judgment would come to them. But the entire city of Nineveh repented and turned to God at that time. Obviously, the message of Jonah penetrated the entire empire, and there was a great change. We would say that a great revival rose up. However, it didn’t last very long. It has been characteristic of the great waves of revival which have come that they have never lasted permanently. The Wesleyan revival had tremendous impact upon England and this country, as well as side effects upon other nations, but it was of brief duration. There has been some carry-over from it, of course, even down to the present hour. This is true also of the great revivals under Moody in this country, when entire cities moved toward God. Nahum says that God is slow to anger, but this great city of Nineveh has now turned back to its old ways. One hundred years after Jonah, Nahum comes to say, “The clock has struck twelve, and time has run out. There is no longer any delay. Judgment is coming.”
“The Lord… will not at all acquit the wicked.” The justice of God is seen in His judgment because He is slow to anger. It took Him one hundred years to get around to executing judgment against this city, and He is just and righteous in doing it. He is not going to let the wicked off. Never will He let the wicked off unless they turn to Him. Unless they accept Christ as their Savior because He paid the penalty for their sins, they will have to be judged for their sins. God is not going to let them off—He is just and righteous.
You see, the forgiveness of God is different from our forgiveness. When somebody does us wrong, we say, “I forgive you”—and that’s it. A penalty has not been paid. Our forgiveness is generally for something that is just a trifle, although it could be a matter of some importance. But when God forgives, the penalty has already been paid. God is the Judge of this earth. He is not only its Creator, He is not only running it, but He is also the moral ruler of this universe. And God is not a crooked judge. You cannot slip something under the table to get Him to let you off easy. You cannot tell Him that you belong to a certain family, that your father is very influential and will be able to get you off. Nor can you say you are wealthy and will see that the Judge loses His job, nor that you will pay Him just a little extra to be lenient with you. You cannot deal with God like that.
God must judge the wicked, and we are all told that the heart of man is desperately wicked—not just a little wicked, but desperately wicked (see Jer. 17:9). You and I do not really know the depths of the iniquity that is in our hearts; we do not know what we are capable of. Now God cannot acquit the wicked; therefore, if we are going to be acquitted, someone must pay the penalty. That is the reason He has provided a Redeemer for us. When an individual or a nation turns its back on God’s redemption provided now in Christ, then judgment must follow—there is no other alternative.
“The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.” God today moves even in nature. The storms which come are under His control, and they serve His purpose. So-called Mother Nature doesn’t really have anything to do with it. Mother Nature does what He tells Mother Nature to do. Our God is the Creator, and He is the Redeemer, and He is also the Judge. He’s running things, friend. Just leave it in His hands, and rest in Him today because He is good, He is gracious, and He is the Savior.
He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth [Nah. 1:4].
“He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers.” God had already shown His power to do this—He dried up the Red Sea and the Jordan River.
Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon are the three fertile areas in that land. Carmel is actually the valley of Esdraelon, and Megiddo was the main city there. This is one of the most fertile spots on the topside of the earth. When you go farther north, along the coast of Lebanon all the way from Beirut down to the ruins of old Tyre, you see beautiful country. In the spring of the year, you can see the fruit trees blooming and in the distance the Anti-Lebanons covered with snow. The fruit trees—apricots, peaches, cherries, bananas, and citrus fruit—everything is grown there, and the land is very fertile.
Nahum says that a drought is to come. I am sure there are many of you who remember the dust storms in this country in the 1930s. I have always felt that those storms were a judgment from God. If there had been any kind of a revival at that time, I am confident we would never have had to fight World War II or to have been involved in all that we have since then. But unfortunately, that judgment from God carried no message for this country at that time.
The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein [Nah. 1:5].
He is the Creator, and He’s also the Preserver of this universe—He’s the One who holds it together.
“The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt” refers, of course, to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. You can hold Him responsible for anything that takes place, for the floods and the earthquakes that come. But don’t hold Him responsible for the people who are killed at that time, because man has been given an intelligence which tells him that he ought not to build too close to a river due to the danger of a flood. Maybe those of us who live here in Southern California ought to listen to Him. We are told that an earthquake is coming, and that is probably true. The San Andreas fault runs very close to where I live, but if an earthquake comes and a loved one of mine is slain by it, I am not going to cry out to God that He is the one who killed him. No—God is not responsible. We would be responsible. We know better. We probably ought to move to another location; but very frankly, my entire family likes Southern California, so we’re going to stay right here and take the chance. God does control nature, but you cannot say that He is to blame when these great tragedies take place. Man is responsible for them. He ought not to get too close to a river, and he ought to stay away from where he knows there are going to be earthquakes.
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him [Nah. 1:6].
Man has learned that you cannot stand up against nature. Victor Hugo wrote three great novels. He wrote Les Misérables to show that society is the enemy of man; he wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame to show that religion is the enemy of man; and he wrote The Toilers of the Sea to show that nature is the enemy of man. Well, it is owing to how man approaches each of these. Religion has been an enemy of man. Society is the enemy of man—this civilization today is no friend of grace, I can assure you of that. It is true that nature can be an enemy of man, but it can also be his friend. The issue is that if you are going to try to fight against nature, you’re fighting a losing battle. This is what Victor Hugo tried to show in his novel.
“Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?” This question was directed to the people of Nineveh who had rejected the mercy of this all-powerful God. Do you have the answer to that question? I’d like to ask that of you if you are unsaved. Maybe you are depending upon your own righteousness and goodness. Do you really believe that you can stand in the presence of a holy God who absolutely hates sin and intends to judge it? Are you able to stand in His holy presence?
The very brilliant Oxford don, C. S. Lewis, wrote a story in which he tells about a bus trip that was run from hell to heaven. It was the sort of tour in which those who were in hell could take a bus trip to heaven. The bus was filled and, when it arrived in heaven, the driver parked the bus in a parking lot (I’m sure there is plenty of parking space up there). The driver told everyone on the bus, “At four o’clock this afternoon, the bus is going to leave and head for home.” Home just happened to be hell. And at four o’clock that afternoon, the bus was filled—everyone was back. The bus driver told them, “If you want to stay, you can stay.” Why didn’t they stay? It was because they had found out they had no place in heaven. One of the great saints of the past put it this way: “I would rather go to hell without sin than go to heaven with sin.”
“Who can stand before his indignation?” If you don’t have a Savior, how are you going to stand as a sinner in the presence of a holy God? Do you think that you’ve got a chance? You don’t have a ghost of a chance, my friend. You cannot stand there without a Savior. To be able to stand in His presence is what it means to be accepted into the beloved and to be in Christ. This is a tremendous principle that Nahum is putting down here. God must judge sin. There is something radically wrong with God if He doesn’t judge sin.
Nahum’s description of the power and the anger of God was to reassure the people of Judah of the protection of their all-powerful God when Assyria would invade their land.
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him [Nah. 1:7].
“The Lord is good.” Let’s keep that in mind. Remember that the psalmist said, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…” (Ps. 107:1–2). If the redeemed don’t say so, nobody’s going to say so. So I am going to say so: God is good. God is good, friend—that’s wonderful to know. I do not know who you are, where you are, or how you are, but I do know that God loves you and He wants to save you. If you are not saved, it is simply because you will not come to Him, for He can save you and He will save you. God is good—that is an axiom of Scripture and an axiom of life. “The Lord is good.”
“A strong hold in the day of trouble.” Are you having any trouble? Do you want to get to a good shelter? The Lord is that shelter which you need.
“And he knoweth them that trust in him.” I’m very happy that I’m not going to get lost in the shuffle, that I won’t get lost in the multitudes. As I travel from city to city, I sometimes think that everyone has moved to the West Coast. I get on one of our freeways here, and I think, My, how many people there are! But then I go back to Dallas, Texas, and I think that everyone has followed me from California to Texas! The crowds are everywhere. I go to Florida or to New York City and it seems the people have followed me there. I have never seen such crowds in my life! I went to Europe several years ago an found that the people were there also! The multitudes which are in the Orient almost shock us. And in Egypt, in the Arab countries, and in Turkey there are multitudes of people. It causes me to think, My, I hope the Lord remembers that my name is Vernon McGee and that I have trusted Him. I am very happy that the Scripture says, “He knoweth them that trust in him.” My friend, He doesn’t need a computer to record your name. Actually, He has you written on His heart; He’s written your name on the palms of His hands He knows you—He knows those who have trusted Him.
But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies [Nah. 1:8].
The Lord will overwhelm and destroy the Assyrians. “An overrunning flood” pictures a river that is overflowing its banks and causing devastation as it moves. It is believed that this refers to the invading army of the Babylonians which overcame Nineveh. The Greek historian Ctesias of the fifth century b.c. records that the Babylonian army was able to invade Nineveh when the Tigris River suddenly overflowed and washed away the floodgates of the city and the foundations of the palace.
“Darkness shall pursue his enemies” raises a question in my mind regarding the place of permanent punishment. There is more said in Scripture about darkness being the lot of the lost than there is about fire. Darkness is mentioned here—“and darkness shall pursue his enemies.” Even the Lord Jesus used the term: “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12; see also Matt. 22:13). Literal fire could only affect the physical, never the spiritual. But, oh, the fires of a conscience that has been suddenly alerted to the awful thing one did in rejecting Christ and in not doing the things he should have done. Think of the darkness of a lost eternity! Think of not being able to see where you are going at all. Darkness, to me, is a better and more fearful description of hell than fire is. That may be a new thought for you, and I would urge you to pursue it in the Word of God.
GOD’S DECISION TO DESTROY NINEVEH AND TO GIVE THE GOSPEL
What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time [Nah. 1:9].
“What do ye imagine against the Lord?” Nahum puts this question directly to the Assyrian invaders. In effect he is asking, as Dr. Charles Feinberg has stated it, “Can you cope with such a God as Israel has?”
“He will make an utter end”—that is, the Assyrian power will be completely destroyed. It will give you a better understanding of this to read the fulfillment in the historical account in Isaiah 37.
“Affliction shall not rise up the second time.” In other words, Nineveh will not be given a second chance. They have had their last chance. They’ve crossed over that invisible line—I do not know where it is, but it is there somewhere, and you can step over it in your rejection of God. This does not mean that the grace of God could not reach you but that you can no longer reach it after you have come to that particular point.
For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry [Nah. 1:10].
“For while they be folden together as thorns” probably describes the Assyrian army, which presented such a united front that they seemed like entangled thorns—impossible to break through.
“While they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.” God would completely destroy them. The fulfillment of this is recorded in Isaiah 37:36–37.
I would say this especially to young people today: Make your decision for Christ while you are young and have a sharp mind. You can keep playing around with intellectualism (which I tried in college and almost got detoured), or you can play around as many are doing with drugs and alcohol, but Nahum says that the day will come when you will stumble around like a drunkard. If you stumble around like a drunkard, you cannot make a decision. A man who had been drinking called me the other night from back East. I refused to talk with him. I told him, “The liquor is speaking and not you. When you are willing to sober up, call me, and I’ll be glad to talk with you, but I will not talk to liquor.” May I say to you, Nineveh had reached the place where they could make no decision.
Along with the other minor prophets, Nahum makes a contribution to God’s philosophy of government and His manner of dealing with individuals and with nations. The point Nahum is going to make is that whether you believe it or not, whether you can understand it or not, God is just and God is good when He judges a nation or an individual. God is still the God of love. He loves the lost. He is, as the apostle John tells us, “… the propitiation [the mercy seat] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
Men are lost because they are sinners, and they are saved because they accept the overture of salvation that God extends to them. God will get that invitation to any individual on the topside of this earth who will accept it. I have come to believe that we may see a turning to God. I do not mean in great numbers, but I believe there will be a turning to God in response to the invitation given to every people on the topside of this earth. It looks to me right now that radio broadcasting will be the means of bringing that invitation to the unreached.
Nahum is going to be very extreme in what he says. God is going to judge Nineveh, and He is just and righteous in doing it. But God is love also. His judgment is actually an act of His love—that is very difficult for us to comprehend, but it is absolutely true.
There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor [Nah. 1:11].
Nahum says now that there had come up against Judah this enemy—the enemy is Assyria with its capital city of Nineveh. I think that there is agreement among all conservative Bible expositors that the invader that is spoken of here as “a wicked counsellor” was Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. This invasion by Sennacherib is recorded three times in Scripture: in 2 Kings 18–19; 2 Chronicles 32; and also in Isaiah 36–37. When God says something three times, we ought to stop, look, and listen. When He says it once, that should be enough. When He says it twice—sometimes He says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you”—it is extra important. But when He repeats something three times, you can just put it down that it is all-important.
Nahum is referring now to this wicked counselor who had come against Jerusalem. We read in the historical accounts that Sennacherib sent Rabshakeh against Jerusalem with the great army of Assyria. Rabshakeh threatened Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and Hezekiah was almost frightened to death by it all. I think that poor man probably couldn’t sleep at night during that period of time. However, Hezekiah went into the temple and called upon God, and then the prophet Isaiah brought the message that Rabshakeh would not even shoot an arrow into the city of Jerusalem. Instead, he had to withdraw because of Assyria’s campaign against Egypt in which Sennacherib needed his reinforcements. Then God Himself destroyed the army of the Assyrians! Assyria was greatly feared in Judah since during that period they had taken the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity and had dealt with them in a very brutal manner.
Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more [Nah. 1:12].
This is a rather remarkable verse, and we do not want to miss the point that is here. This expression, “Though they be quiet, and likewise many,” does not quite make sense to me. What is it that God is saying here?
I know most of the men who worked as editors on The New Scofield Reference Bible, and all of them are just as human as you and I are. They are subject to mistakes and not one of them, as far as I know, feels that their notes were inspired. However, every now and then, they have really put in a helpful note. Their note on this verse is an example of how archaeology has confirmed many things in Scripture that we would not have known or understood otherwise, thus revealing the accuracy of the Word of God. The New Scofield Reference Bible (pp. 950–951) uses the following note on verse 12:
In the context the expression “quiet, and likewise many,” although a literal translation of the Hebrew, does not seem to make much sense. Actually the Hebrew here represents a transliteration of a long-forgotten Assyrian legal formula. Excavation in the ruins of ancient Nineveh, buried since 612 b.c., has brought to light thousands of ancient Assyrian tablets, dozens of which contain this Assyrian legal formula. It proves, on investigation, to indicate joint and several responsibility for carrying out an obligation. Nahum quotes the Lord as using this Assyrian formula in speaking to the Assyrians, saying in effect, “Even though your entire nation joins as one person to resist me, nevertheless I shall overcome you.” As the words would have been equally incomprehensible to the later Hebrew copyists, their retention is striking evidence of the care of the scribes in copying exactly what they found in the manuscripts, and testifies to God’s providential preservation of the Bible text.
Therefore, you can see that God used an Assyrian legal formula in expressing what He wanted to say. He was talking about Assyria, and He wanted them to understand what He was saying. When we look at this verse in light of what archaeology has discovered today, God was saying something that made sense to the Assyrians although it does not make sense to us today. When the Hebrew scholars later came along, they didn’t know what this meant either, but they translated it literally into English because they believed in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures. Thank God for that!
This leads me to say that this is one of the reasons I cannot approve of a lot of these so-called modern translations. They are not translations at all because many of them were done by men who do not believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Other men, although they believe it is the Word of God, have wanted to put it into a form that modern man could understand. I rather disagree with that method. I am very happy that The Living Bible calls itself “a paraphrased text.” I would say concerning The Living Bible that it is a bad translation, but in many places it is a marvelous paraphrased text. If you will treat it as a paraphrase, that’s fine, but do not believe that you are getting the literal text of Scripture.
This passage here in Nahum reveals that, although you might not understand something in Scripture, God says, “You take it as I have given it to you, and you will find out someday what it means—that is, if you will work and study hard enough.” The trouble is that we are trying to make the Word of God like pabulum, and we are trying to spoon-feed a bunch of babies who are too lazy to really study the Word of God. Although I certainly am one who is accused of making the Word of God simple, I do believe that there ought to be a real reverence for the text of Scripture. I’m no Bible worshiper, I’m no bibliophile, by any means, but I do believe that there should be a reverence for the text of Scripture.
I have spent time on this verse because it contains this expression that I did not understand until this archaeological discovery was made. Archaeology has done a great deal of work yonder at the ancient city of Nineveh. The tell of Nineveh, across the Tigris River from the modern city of Mosul, was first excavated in the 1800s.
For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder [Nah. 1:13].
This seemed impossible in the day when Nahum wrote it because the nation of Assyria was to continue for a long time yet. But God said at that time, “I am going to break the yoke of this nation.”
He also said:
And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile [Nah. 1:14].
What God says to Nineveh is harsh. He says, “I’m going to bury you.” Nikita Khrushchev wasn’t the first one who used that expression; he said that to the people of the United States, and it seemed very terrifying to us, naturally. Actually, Khrushchev was using a biblical expression, but he didn’t know it. God said to Nineveh, “I’m going to bury you, and when I bury you, you’ll go out of business as a nation.” When was the last time you saw an Assyrian running around? There are not many, and they have no nation today. God said to them, “I’ll bury you,” and that is what He did.
He also said, “I’m going to get rid of your gods, that is your idolatry.” It was the Medes and the Babylonians who eventually came and destroyed the city of Nineveh in 612 b.c. The Assyrian idolatry was destroyed by the Medes who were a monotheistic people and did not worship idols. They were really iconoclasts, and they broke up the idolatry of Assyria.
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off [Nah. 1:15].
God is saying through Nahum, “Don’t leave Me. Don’t withdraw from the Mosaic system. Don’t give it up, because I intend to destroy your enemy and to send to you the Messiah, who will bring tidings of great joy.”
Nahum says this in reference to Assyria, and you will find that Isaiah actually uses the same expression in Isaiah 52:7, where it is amplified: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Isaiah spoke this in reference to the destruction of Babylon as he wrote to the southern kingdom of Judah. Nahum, writing to the northern kingdom, says the same thing but concerning Assyria. Then notice that Paul quotes this in his Epistle to the Romans: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10:13–15).
I think Nahum was the first to say this and then Isaiah. Finally, Paul quotes Isaiah and makes a different application of it in the section of his epistle that refers to Israel, that is, in the dispensational section of Romans. Paul is arguing there that God is not through with the nation Israel and that in the future there will again come to them the good tidings of great joy. But it is also a worldwide message that is applicable to today. Paul writes, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13).
But how will people hear without somebody bringing the message to them? The messengers must be sent, and I believe that God will do the sending. Isaiah wrote, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings …” (Isa. 52:7). That’s not because they have beautiful feet, but because they have come to bring the message of the gospel. They may have traveled by boat, or they may have come by plane, or they may have come by radio, but they have come bringing the message. In our radio ministry we believe that the gospel should begin here at our own Jerusalem, and therefore we are attempting to continue to reach this country with the Word of God as well as we can. But we want also to go right to the ends of the earth via radio. Very frankly, I want my feet to be beautiful, and I want my feet to be “… shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15). I want to walk all over this earth by radio, and I want to reach out to folk with the Good News today.
This is a marvelous way in which the Spirit of God uses Scripture. You get a good course in hermeneutics (the methods of interpretation of Scripture) when you read the little Book of Nahum. Nahum tells you how to interpret the Word of God. He has already shown us that we are to take it literally whether we understand it or not. There is an explanation, and the trouble is not with the Word of God; the trouble is with us when we do not understand it. Then we have also seen that God made direct interpretation of this Scripture to one nation at one time, to another nation at another time, and it now has a worldwide application today.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Execution of God’s decision to destroy Nineveh
In chapters 2–3 we are going to see the justice and goodness of God exhibited in the execution of His decision to destroy Nineveh. God didn’t just talk about destroying Nineveh—God did it, and He did it in a very remarkable way.
ANNIHILATION OF ASSYRIA
In chapter 2 Nahum prophesies a frightful judgment upon Assyria, and history testifies to its literal fulfillment. God has made it very clear in chapter 1 where He says, “I will make thy grave; for thou art vile” (Nah. 1:14); in other words, He says to Assyria, “I’m going to bury you.” And, believe me, that is exactly what happened.
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily [Nah. 2:1].
This refers to the Medo-Babylonian forces that came against Assyria and destroyed it in 612 b.c. under the leadership of Cyaxares and Nabopolassar. It is very interesting that Nahum, with biting sarcasm, tells Assyria, “You sure had better fortify yourself” The Assyrians spared no one, and they thought that their capital was impregnable and that they could withstand any kind of a judgment. But God is saying to this nation, “You are going to be destroyed.”
For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches [Nah. 2:2].
Nahum is saying that the time has come for Assyria’s judgment because God has completed the judgment of His own people and intends to restore them. The mention of both “Jacob” and “Israel” is a reference to both the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. “The emptiers” are the enemies of God’s people, especially the nation of Assyria. The “vine branches” is probably a symbol of the nation of Israel (see Ps. 80:8–16).
This chapter is Nahum’s detailed prophecy, which today is an accurate, historical record of what took place about one hundred years after Nahum. It speaks of the finality of the judgment of God upon the nation of Assyria; it speaks of the fact that Assyria would never make a comeback. Assyria never did make a comeback, and she never will. According to the Word of God, Babylon will resurge as well as some other nations. But Assyria, one of the great powers in the ancient world, will not make a comeback—God makes that very, very clear.
The capture of Nineveh is described here in rather lurid terms. This passage reveals just how terrible it was, and you could write over this chapter, “… whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Assyria had been a very brutal nation, one of the most brutal nations the world has ever seen. For example, one of the things which the Assyrians did to an enemy was to bury him out in the desert sand right up to his chin. Then they would put a thong through his tongue and leave him out in the hot blazing sun, first to go mad, and then to die. That was one of the “nice little things” the Assyrians came up with. They also had several other little surprises for their enemies. It is said that when the Assyrians were on the march, in many places an entire community which lay in the line of their march would commit suicide rather than fall into the hands of brutal Assyrians. They were dreaded and feared in the ancient world. We find here in the Book of Nahum that Assyria is again beginning to move, but now their movement is in retreat. They are no longer the aggressor, but the Medes and the Babylonians are coming up against them.
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken [Nah. 2:3].
“The shield of his mighty men is made red.” This does not mean that their shields were made red with blood as some have suggested. The Assyrians were especially fond of the color of red, or scarlet. In all of their art, the color red is frequently found, and they evidently were very much interested in it. They made everything red. Some scholars believe that they used copper shields and that the reflection of the sunlight on the copper appeared red. Why did they do this? It is believed that they did this to frighten their enemies. As you well know, in warfare you intend to do as much bluffing as you do fighting. You want to frighten your enemies as much as you possibly can.
In World War II, when the United States issued a warning before the atom bomb was dropped, the Japanese thought that America was bluffing. That was one time when we were not bluffing, but they did not pay any attention to our warning at all. Today there are many who are using the crying towel, who flagellate this nation, declaring that we are guilty of this awful thing. I personally do not feel that our nation should go into sackcloth and ashes because of what we did at that time. It was an awful, horrible thing, but after all, war is a very awful, horrible thing. Our boys were being slain, and we were not winning the war by any means. The dropping of the bomb was what brought the war to an end, and my feeling is that we were justified in it. But I am also very frank to say that we see God’s principle working out here in the Book of Nahum, that this enemy who was so brutal reaped exactly what they sowed. I do not think it will be any different with the United States. We happened to be the first ones to drop an atom bomb, and I am not sure that God is going to forget that.
The whole point is that in warfare you do attempt to bluff your enemy, and that is probably the reason the Assyrians used the color red. “The valiant men are in scarlet”—again we have the color red, you see. The Assyrians had uniforms which were red.
“The chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.” This refers to the armor that was on the chariots and the way in which they were built. The Assyrian chariots were not built of wood like the chariots you see in the museum in Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptians used a great deal of wood in building their chariots, but apparently the Assyrians were the ones who got the latest model in chariots. They were sort of the General Motors of chariot building.
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings [Nah. 2:4].
Verse 4 will illustrate to us a method of interpretation of Scripture which is entirely wrong. Let me just say that Nahum is talking here about the battle between the chariots of the Assyrians and the chariots of the enemy. What happened was that when the enemy came against Assyria, they faced the well-defended city of Nineveh. Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian, tells us that Nineveh had fifteen hundred towers, each of which was two hundred feet high. But at the time of the siege, the Tigris River rose up and flooded, and it took out an entire section of the wall of the city. The river did what the enemy could not do—it breached the walls of Nineveh. Then the enemy was able to come in and penetrate the city itself. They opened the canals used for irrigation and thus flooded the palace. This is the way in which the enemy was able to take the city. The breach in the wall was so great that the chariots of the enemy could get in, and what is described in verse 4 is nothing in the world but the chariot battle which took place at that time.
There is a type of interpretation of prophecy which I deplore, and I regret that at the present hour we see so much of it. For example, there are those who say that this verse is a prophecy of the automobile! That is what Sir Robert Anderson calls “the wild utterances of prophecy mongers.” There is a great interest in prophecy today because great world events and world crises are taking place. But we need to recognize that we can become fanatical and go overboard concerning prophecy. I believe it was Winston Churchill who said, “A fanatic is one who cannot change his mind, and he won’t change the subject.” Some folk today are just dwelling on prophecy (after all, it is a limited subject), and they become fanatical in their interpretations.
My friend, this prophecy has nothing in the world to do with the automobile. I do not think you could even make that kind of application of it for the very simple reason that automobiles don’t rage in the streets. To tell the truth, sometimes the drivers rage when they get tied up in traffic, but the automobiles don’t rage. Sometimes an automobile manages to stay right where it is and not move at all when it gets a vapor lock! And automobiles do not “justle one against another in the broad ways.” Actually, when one jostles against another, it means you have a wreck. One New Year’s Eve, as I was out on the freeways of Southern California with a friend, we saw one wreck after another—apparently there were quite a few drunk drivers out that evening. The point is that automobiles don’t jostle one against another.
What is Nahum talking about when he says, “The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways”? Well, if you have ever been in a museum which had some of the Assyrian relics, you have perhaps seen that on the chariot wheels, that is, on the hub of the wheels, there was a sharp blade. It was like a sword or a sickle, a very dangerous instrument which extended out from the wheel. The one driving the chariot would go up as close as he could get to the enemy, and this very sharp instrument would cut off the wooden wheel of the enemy’s chariot. It would put a chariot out of business right away if you could cut off the wheel on one side. That is the jostling together that Nahum mentions here, and it hasn’t anything to do with the automobile!
“They shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.” The chariots moved very fast in that day, although in our day it would seem very slow. The Assyrians had developed the art of fighting by chariot to a very fine degree, and the enemy had picked that up so that when they clashed in the broad ways of the city and outside the city, the battle was a frightful, horrible thing. That, my friend, is all that Nahum is talking about here.
I believe that you can make moral and spiritual applications from the Word of God, but I don’t think that you can take this prophecy and interpret it in a literal way for our day. Do you see what a remarkable book Nahum is? We have here another great principle for interpreting the Word of God. For example, when you read in Isaiah, “… therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips” (Isa. 17:10), you cannot interpret that to mean the orange trees which today abound in that land. The natural habitat of the orange tree is the land of Israel. In fact, that whole area grew oranges way back even in the days of Solomon. When Solomon speaks in the Song of Solomon of dwelling under the apple tree, the “apple” referred to is actually a citron fruit, probably an orange tree (see Song 2:3). My point is that we cannot take Scriptures that have an interpretation for a different people at a different time and try to bring them up-to-date and interpret them for our own day.
I want to mention again that the little Books of Jonah and Nahum go together. What you have in the Book of Jonah is actually not a prophecy but rather an account of Jonah’s missionary activity in the city of Nineveh when the total population turned to God and God spared them from judgment. But time went by, and they departed from the Lord again. One hundred years after Jonah, God raised up Nahum, and his entire message is directed against Nineveh. What we have, therefore, in the Book of Nahum is a very vivid prophecy of the total annihilation of this city. The city was so completely destroyed that it was not until 1850 that the site of Nineveh was located and excavated. A great deal has been learned about the city of Nineveh and the Assyrian civilization through that excavation.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared [Nah. 2:5].
The destruction of Nineveh came about when the Medes came against the city under Cyaxares. Babylon at that time was not the greatest kingdom, but they did join with the Medes in this battle.
The king of Assyria depended upon his military leaders, but because of their fear, they stumbled and fell in their march. Of course, the defense of the city’s wall was of primary importance in the battle.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved [Nah. 2:6].
Nahum prophesies here that the Tigris River will be turned into the city. At the time this campaign was carried on, the heavy rains in that area caused the Tigris River to reach flood stage. The floodwaters took out a section of the wall, and the city became like a pool of water. “The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.” I think that the foundations of the palace were swept out and that the water absolutely brought the palace down. Secular history tells us that part of the city wall was taken out. About two and one-half miles of the wall of Nineveh was right along by the side of the Tigris River. The city was situated well above the normal flow of the river, but with the river at flood stage, it took out a whole section of the wall, and the enemy was able to enter the city. In other words, the overflowing river made the breach that the enemy was attempting to make themselves. It would seem as though the Lord cooperated in the destruction of the city. The floodgates were opened, and even the palace was brought down by the flooding. We are told that the enemy opened the irrigation ditches and the palace was completely inundated with water.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts [Nah. 2:7].
Huzzab literally means “it is decreed.” This verse should read, “And it is decreed, she shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering [or, beating] upon their breasts.” I used to hunt doves in Texas as a young fellow. Late in the afternoon, we would hunt down where a dam had been put up and there was a body of water used for the watering of cattle—we called it a tank in those days. The birds would come there late in the afternoon, and as we would come up over the embankment, we’d be able to get a good shot at the doves. They would all take flight, and the flapping of their wings would be like the sound of beating upon your chest. This is the picture that is given to us here by Nahum. The beating upon their breast was just like the noise made by doves taking flight. The dove’s call, by the way, is a mourning noise, and that is the reason it is called the mourning dove. I have been told that that mourning noise is actually the love call of the dove.
But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back [Nah. 2:8].
“But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water.” The flood had entered, and the city became like a lake.
“Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.” The command was given to them to hold their ground, but when they saw the flood coming in along with the enemy, they decided it was time not to listen to their commanders but to turn and run away as fast as possible.
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture [Nah. 2:9].
“Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold.” The enemy is invited to take the spoil of silver and to take the spoil of gold. “For there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.” The city of Nineveh was very wealthy and highly ornate. The palaces were beautiful, and the people lived in luxury because of the success they had had in warfare. You see, the Assyrians had brought in booty from all of the great nations of that day—even the southern kingdom of Judah was paying tribute to them at that time—so that the city had become very wealthy.
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness [Nah. 2:10].
“She is empty, and void, and waste.” Assyria had brought in booty from everywhere else and had gathered it all in one place, but their enemies came in and took it all out.
“And the heart melteth, and the knees smite together.” When your knees smite together, it means that you are afraid, it means there is fear in your heart. This is what happened to the Assyrians.
“And much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.” This was a time of great fear and dread because the Assyrians knew that they were hated by the world of that day. All their neighbors hated them because of their brutality. Now vengeance was being taken out upon them. Instead of the blood being all drawn from their faces, Nahum says that “the faces of them all gather blackness.” I take it that this means that they were putting on sackcloth and throwing ashes upon their heads.
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid? [Nah. 2:11].
Both Assyria and Babylon used the lion as the symbol of their empires. Nahum could be referring here to the actual lions which the Assyrians had there, or he could be referring to their strong young men because the lion was the symbol of the strength of the kingdom. The whole point is that, whether it is the literal lions or the strength of their army, they are gone—they’ve left, or they’ve been killed.
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin [Nah. 2:12].
Whether these were the literal lions or the Assyrian army, they had once been well-fed-. but now all of that is ended. They no longer have anything to eat because all has been taken away by the enemy.
Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more [Nah. 2:13].
“Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts.” God doesn’t say that very often. He says it only here and to Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39. Many of us believe that the reference in Ezekiel is directed to modern Russia. That is pretty much established today by conservative scholarship. No one but a liberal who disregards facts and evidence would say that that passage does not refer to modern Russia. God says there to Russia, “I am against you,” and He sets down a pattern for us. Russia has had the gospel; actually, they had it before we did. But today communism is opposed to God. It is atheistic; its basic philosophy is that it is opposed to God. But God beat them to the draw. He said to them long before they appeared as a nation, “I am against you.”
Here in Nahum He also says, “I am against you,” and He is talking to Nineveh. They were a people who had had a personal messenger from God (Jonah), and they had turned to the living God, but now they have turned from Him. When you have had the light and you reject it, the Lord Jesus put it like this: “… If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23). In other words, if the light is shining right into your eyes and you say you cannot see, that means you are blind. This reminds me of the story of a young man who was in a mine explosion together with other men. The rescuers got to them as quickly as they could, taking away all of the wreckage and debris between those on the outside and the trapped miners. When they got through to them, the first thing they did was to turn on a light. But this young man stood there after the light came on and said, “Why don’t they turn on the light?” everybody looked at him in amazement because they knew then that the explosion had blinded him. But, you see, as long as they were in darkness, nobody could tell that he was blind. He couldn’t tell it himself because he thought the lights were still out. “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”—it means you are blind. This is the picture that Nahum gives to us. The Assyrians had had light, but they rejected it; and when you reject light, your responsibility is greater.
“I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions.” Again, this could be literal lions or the young men, but I believe it refers to their young men because the lion was the symbol of the strength of the nation.
“And I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.” This is a note of finality. One hundred years earlier God had graciously saved Nineveh when they repented and turned to Him; but time has marched on, they have lapsed into an awful apostasy, and God is now going to judge them. He says to them, “I’m against you. I’m going to bring you down. I will annihilate you, and you will never appear again.” This ought to be a message today to those who have completely turned their backs upon God: it means total judgment.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Avenging action of God justified
In chapter 3 Nahum gives the cause for and justifies God’s destruction of the city of Nineveh. Nineveh’s destruction is an example of the fact that “…whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). This is also true of a nation. You will find that in many ways God deals with individuals and nations in a very similar manner.
Many literary critics have found in this third chapter one of the most vivid descriptions of the destruction of a city that is imaginable. You will not find anything in any language more descriptive than this.
Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not [Nah. 3:1].
We are given here a picture of the internal condition of the city of Nineveh. “Woe to the bloody city!” Nineveh, as the capital of Assyria, was known in the ancient world to be very brutal, very bloody. They were feared and dreaded by other nations. The army of the Assyrians, although it actually moved rather slowly, was just like a hurricane which devours everything in its pathway. As I mentioned before, at times an entire community would commit suicide rather than suffer the brutal attack of Assyria.
“It is all full of lies.” Assyria was a nation which could never be depended upon. She was not faithful to fulfill the promises which she made to other nations to help them and protect them.
What better description could you have even of our own country right now? I feel that we are given very few facts but a great deal of propaganda today. This is true not only of Washington, D.C., and the news media but of all areas of our society. This is true of our government regardless of which party the information comes from. My opinion of our two-party system is that what we have is Tweedledum and Tweedledee—you can pick either one of them. At one point in my life I thought I needed to change from one party to the other, and I did change. But now I need another change, not back to where I came from but to be free of this whole thing in which I am fed nothing in the world but propaganda and never given the truth. The one thing that is needed today is the truth.
One of the reasons God judged the city of Nineveh was that it was “all full of lies and robbery.” These things characterized the life of the city. Likewise, our homes today are not safe. I was recently in the home of friends in Louisville, Kentucky. They are lovely folk, and they have a very lovely southern home in which they have some beautiful antiques. Do you know that they have had to put bars on their windows and double and triple locks on their doors! Where do you think we live today? We say that we live in a nation of law and order—but it hasn’t been that. What an apt description this verse is of the United States! When I first began to study this, I felt like asking Nahum, “Are you talking about us? You’re giving a vivid description of Nineveh, but it is also a picture of my own nation.”
The Books of Jonah and Nahum reveal that God deals with gentile nations and that He did so back in the days of the Old Testament. They also show that the government of God moves in the governments of men. God today will overrule the sin of man. He will overrule a nation. As you come down through history, you see great civilizations, one after another, crumbling in the dust and the debris of the ages. Why? Because God judged them, friend—that is the reason why. The United States is no pet of God. We’re not something special. We think we are. We can boast of the fact that right now we are the strongest nation in the world, but even that might be questionable today. We live in a security that may be a false security, because God brings great nations down, and He makes that very clear here.
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the prancing horses, and of the jumping chariots [Nah. 3:2].
Nahum gives a graphic description of these chariots. They are like armored tanks—they were the tanks of the ancient world. As they came inside the city, you could hear the noise of the whip as the driver whipped up his horse. You could hear the rattling of the wheels and the noise “of the prancing horses, and of the jumping [bounding] chariots.” The Chariots were leaping over everything, especially dead bodies.
The first two verses of this chapter describe the internal condition of Nineveh. Lies and robbery marked the culture and the climate of the city. This is the reason they acted as they did on the outside toward their enemies—their brutality, their total unconcern for other nations, their lording it over others. The very cause for their methods is that internally they were wrong. You see, man does not become a sinner because he sins. He sins because he is a sinner. Fundamentally, on the inside, man is a sinner, and that accounts for his actions. I am sure that many people in that day said of the Assyrians, “These people are uncivilized!” Inside the city, it was full of lies and robbery. That which did not characterize our nation years ago (there was a great deal of it, but it wasn’t the predominant thing)—lies and robbery—just happens to characterize the internal condition of our nation today. Why? Because we are highly civilized? No. It is because we are sinners. My friend, we are sinners.
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses [Nah. 3:3].
The number of the dead was unbelievable. I tell you, if a well-placed bomb were dropped somewhere in this country, we would probably see the same sort of thing. There are nations who may pretend to be friendly but who would not hesitate for five seconds to drop that bomb on this country if they thought they could get by with it. And I’m beginning to think that they believe they can get by with it.
We have in verses 3–4 that which characterized the external conditions of Nineveh. They had been a brutal and cruel enemy, and they were now reaping what they had sown.
Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witcherafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witcherafts [Nah. 3:4].
“Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot.” The city of Nineveh is here likened unto a harlot. She was the one whom all the nations played up to. Note the shame of this city. God likens her to a harlot, a “wellfavoured harlot,” suggesting that all the world courted her.
“The mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.” Witchcraft is mentioned twice here. This is a reference to the occult. Don’t for one moment think that the idolatry of the ancient world was meaningless. The apostle Paul called an idol “… nothing in the world …” (1 Cor. 8:4), but back of the idol is Satan, and back of idolatry is that which is satanic. I do not need to labor this point today. If you are not acquainted with what is happening today in the world of the occult, then you have not been to Southern California. It is not happening just among a bunch of down-and-outers or a bunch of criminals or in the underworld. The occult is active on our college campuses today and in the best sections of our cities. People are given over to witchcraft today. It is amazing how many people will buy their horoscope, which they will then follow. Many folk carry amulets, good luck pieces, charms, little dolls, and all that sort of thing. This is growing by leaps and bounds in a materialistic age and culture, which thought it had graduated from such things, but now we find there has been a return to it. This is exactly what the great city of Nineveh had turned to, and God says that He is justified in judging the city because of its harlotry and witchcraft.
The Book of Revelation tells us that when we come to the end of this age, the organized church will become a harlot, engaging in this type of thing. I am of the opinion that we can see a movement in that direction even now. All of this is very dangerous today. I know a very fine Pentecostal preacher who preaches the Word of God and believes in speaking in tongues and in healing. He expressed to me that there is a real danger in the tongues movement. He said, “Not only does our group speak in tongues, there are those today in the occult who are also doing it. In my own church, we are being very careful about this sort of thing.” This man is a spiritually enlightened man, and he is rather reluctant to engage in “tongues” speaking. I would put up a warning to you today, friend: just because a thing seems to have a mark of the supernatural on it does not mean it is scriptural. You had better examine it very carefully to see whether it is scriptural. If it is supernatural and not scriptural, it is not of God. And there is only one other fellow who is in the business of the supernatural other than God, and that is Satan. Satan will ape God and imitate Him in every way that he possibly can.
God is giving to us the reason He judged Nineveh. He is justifying His actions in destroying this city. Now He makes this very remarkable statement—
Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame [Nah. 3:5].
“Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord Of hosts.” This is the second time that God says this to Nineveh. He also says this to Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38–39. We believe that definitely refers to Russia. When I graduated from seminary, I would not accept that Ezekiel 38–39 referred to Russia. So I decided to make a study of it on my own, and I now have several reasons why I am confident that it is Russia which is mentioned there. Russia is a nation which wasn’t even in existence in Ezekiel’s day, but God said to them, “I am against you.” Well, we now know why He said that—they are an atheistic nation.
Assyria was a nation to whom God said, “I am against you,” not because they were atheistic but because they were polytheistic. Assyria was given over to idolatry—back of the idol was the occult, back of the idol was witchcraft. Witchcraft has become a reality to many today. Men are finding that there is a reality to it. And it is those in the upper echelon who are making this discovery. I have been told on rather good authority, from those who are in our capital of Washington, that it is amazing and alarming to see the number of people there who appeal to fortune-tellers and to horoscopes in an attempt to interpret the future. Men want to know the future. But God said to Nineveh, a city greatly involved in the occult, “I am against thee.”
“I will discover thy skirts upon thy face.” In other words, “I am going to uncover thy skirts from thy face.” We live in a day of a great deal of nudity. With their tongues in their cheeks, men try to call it art to present that which is salacious and sinful and suggestive. There is a great display of the nude by both men and women today. The Assyrian civilization had sunk pretty low but not as low as we have. They did not display the human body—they were not given over to that. It was a disgrace for a woman to be displayed nude. God speaks here of the shame that He is going to bring upon Nineveh. He says, “I will uncover thy skirts from thy face. I am going to pull your skirts up over your face. You have been a harlot, and I’m going to reveal you and all of the lurid details.” Believe me, that was a real disgrace for them.
“I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.” That is what God said He would do to this nation. Assyria went down, my friend. A great nation, a great civilization, with all its riches and power, went down into the dust never to rise again. God said that is what He would do to them.
And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock [Nah. 3:6].
God says to Nineveh through Nahum, “I am going to bring you down. I’m opposed to you. I will expose you to the world for what you are.” The excavations which have brought to light this great civilization reveal that all of this is quite accurate. And the Book of Nahum just happens to be a vivid prophecy which was given long before this actually took place. This is something quite amazing, is it not?
All of this description which is given here is something I do not want to pass over lightly because it has such a tremendous application for us today and is such an apt picture of the present day. The Book of Nahum reveals God’s method in dealing with the nations of the world. I do not think He has changed His method, and if He hasn’t, we are in trouble, and I mean deep trouble, my friend. We ought to be praying for our nation.
God calls this city a harlot, saying that He is absolutely going to display all of the shame and filth and vileness of this great civilization and make it a gazingstock, a spectacle, to the world. Such was the end of the great Assyrian Empire.
And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee? [Nah. 3:7].
In other words, God says, “Where in the world will I get people to come and mourn over this city? Nobody will mourn over it. Nobody will weep over it. There will be no mourners there.” That is a very sad situation, a very sad one indeed. Several funeral home directors here in Pasadena became my personal friends over the years and would sometimes call me to conduct a funeral. One of the saddest experiences that I ever had was the funeral I conducted for a dear old man. He was a Christian who had come out here from the East with his wife for the sake of her health. She had died, and then he became bedridden, and people forgot about him. When he died, I guess many didn’t even recognize his name. When I went down to conduct the funeral, there wasn’t anybody there. Nobody came—to me it was the saddest thing. I knew the funeral director pretty well, and I went to him and said, “Get all your office workers and come on in there. We’re going to have a funeral service.” He rounded up everyone that he could and brought them in. We had about a dozen folk. So I brought a gospel message, a message of hope for the Christian. It was wonderful to be able to say, “Jesus died for our sins, and He rose again for our justification.” But it was sad to have a funeral service like that, where no friends attended. God said that there were not going to be any mourners at the funeral of Nineveh. Nahum prophesied that the whole world would rejoice in that day, and they did. When God said this through Nahum, no one would have believed it unless he had believed God and accepted it by faith, but it came to pass just as God said it would.
Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea? [Nah. 3:8].
“Art thou better than populous No?”—No-Amon was what we know as Thebes, the great capital of upper Egypt. Dr. Charles Feinberg’s books on the minor prophets are very excellent—I know of none better. I would like to quote from his book, Jonah, Micah and Nahum (p. 147), in which he describes the city of No-Amon:
It was the capital city of the Pharaohs of the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Dynasties, and boasted such architecture as the Greeks and Romans admired. The Greeks called it Diospolis, because the Egyptian counterpart of Jupiter was worshipped there. It was located on both banks of the river Nile. On the eastern bank were the famous temples at Karnak and Luxor. Homer, the first Greek poet, spoke of it as having 100 gates. Its ruins cover an area of some 27 miles. Amon, the chief god of the Egyptians, was shown on Egyptian relics as a figure with a human body and a ram’s head. The judgment of this godless and idolatrous city was foretold by Jeremiah (46:25) and Ezekiel (30:14–16). No-Amon was situated favorably among the canals of the Nile with the Nile itself as a protection. The Nile appears as a sea when it overflows its banks annually. Nineveh can read her fate in that of No-Amon, for she is no better than the mighty Egyptian capital.
God is saying to Nineveh that the city of Thebes should have been an example to the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians were the ones who had destroyed Thebes, a great city which had seemed impregnable. It seemed that no one could take it, but the Assyrians did take it and destroy it. This should have been an example to the Assyrians. God had judged Thebes, and He is here justifying the fact that He will also judge Nineveh. The government of God moves in the governments of men in this world today.
“Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers….” “Rivers” is used in the plural to mean a great deal of water. When the Nile River would overflow at the flood season, it looked like the ocean. “That had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?” Thebes was built so that at the flood season it would not be flooded at all. Rather, the water provided a natural protection for the city.
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers [Nah. 3:9].
These were the allies of Thebes which were located around her. The city of Thebes, at one time the capital of the Egyptian Empire, felt that it could never fall because there was a big desert on both sides, the Nile River was a protection, and they had allies to the north and to the south. How could anybody get to them? But the Assyrians did. The Assyrians, in turn, felt that they were impregnable in their day. And today we feel that we have enough atomic weapons and other sophisticated hardware to defend ourselves. My friend, when God’s time comes, we will go down. Our best defense today simply does not happen to be in the area of military weapons. Our best defense would be a return to God and to a recognition of Him in our government. I am not impressed by what I see in Washington. They have a little prayer breakfast and then, I’m told, some of them step outside and cuss up a storm! Some men make a profession of being Christians, and yet their language is so vile you cannot even listen to it. What hypocrisy there is today! Is God going to let us off? Are we something special? I think not. Our best defense today would be once again to have men of character in government—even if they were not Christians, if they would at least espouse the great morality set forth in the Word of God. That is the thing that built our nation. I am not greatly impressed with some of our founding fathers. I do not think, for example, that Thomas Jefferson was a Christian, but I will say that he had a respect for the Word of God. He believed in the morality of the Word of God. When we despise and contradict that morality as we do today, God cannot bless us as a nation, and I do not think He will.
Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains [Nah. 3:10].
This is what Assyria had done to Thebes, and now chickens are coming home to roost. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy [Nah. 3:11].
The Assyrians will try to fortify their courage by getting drunk, but that is not going to help them a bit.
All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater [Nah. 3:12].
I used to have a fig tree in my yard. When the figs were ripe, all you had to do was just touch a branch, and they all would come tumbling down. This is what Nahum says to Nineveh here: “All your defenses are like that. The minute the enemy comes, he is going to break right through them.”
Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars [Nah. 3:13].
I believe that the thought here is that the men were acting like women. The men were very womanly. Or this could mean that women were actually the ones in the positions of authority. Frankly, I do not think God is for the women’s liberation movement which we have today. I still believe that woman’s place is in the home. I feel very frankly that the church is at fault in using women in too many offices in the church. A woman’s first place is not to teach a Sunday school class. She is to raise her own family—that is her place. Women are being taken away from their homes by church work and every other kind of work. Unless she is forced to work for a living because her husband has passed on or is unable to work, I do not believe a woman’s working is justified. I know that I will get reactions for saying this, but I am saying it because I think that this is one mark of the disintegration and downfall of civilization.
Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brickkiln [Nah. 3:14].
At the last minute, the Assyrians would get busy making bricks to fortify themselves. They would heat up water, which they would carry to the top of the city wall. They would then pour a bucket of the scalding water down upon the fellow who was scaling the wall. He was through scaling the wall, I can assure you of that—he would soon find himself back on the ground.
There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts [Nah. 3:15].
Nahum prophesies that they will try to bring in reinforcements but that they will not help.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away [Nah. 3:16].
Each year their national wealth increased, for they were great merchants, but all of that was going to come to an end.
Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are [Nah. 3:17].
When the time came, the leaders would manage to escape, that is, for a little while anyway.
Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them [Nah. 3:18].
The leadership of Assyria disintegrated to the place where they no longer attempted to lead the nation.
I trust that I will not be misunderstood because I am not discussing politics, certainly not from any party viewpoint. (As far as I am concerned, I am disgusted with both of the major political parties in this nation of ours.) I believe that one of the great evidences of our disintegration and deterioration as a nation is the lack of leadership that exists on the national level, the state level, the county level, and even at the city and community levels. There is a lack of real leadership at all levels. It seems that the one with the big mouth and the big talk is the one who is elected. And it seems that the rich man is the one elected. Abraham Lincoln could not run for the office of president today—he wouldn’t have enough money. God says that the lack of leadership, along with the other things He has mentioned, is what brought Assyria down.
What God has said in this chapter concerning Assyria fits our nation like a glove. One glove fits Assyria—and that’s been fulfilled. The other glove fits the United States. But are we listening to God today? No. No one to speak of is paying any attention. Certainly the leadership of our nation is not. The tragedy of the hour is our retreat from God and our rejection of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world.
Listen to God’s final words to Nineveh. He says this with a note of finality and of dogmatism. This makes your spine tingle. It is frightening indeed—
There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually? [Nah. 3:19].
The Assyrian people had sinned and sinned and sinned—it was a way of life with them. When people want to point a finger and say that God is wrong, that God permits evil and does nothing about evil, God says to them, “I do do something about it.” My friend, you can look around today at the many injustices in our world, but God is doing something about them. God is just and righteous. He was a God of love even when He destroyed Nineveh and wiped it clean like a dish. It disappeared off the face of the map and off the face of the earth—and God took full responsibility for it’s judgment.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Freeman, Hobart E. Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1973.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Judah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975. (Obadiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk.)
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Habakkuk
INTRODUCTION
Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah have a great deal in common. Each one gives a different facet of the dealings of God with mankind. They show how the government of God is integrated into the government of men. They also show God’s dealings with the individual.
Another similarity is the fact that they come from approximately the same time period. In fact, they all could have been contemporaries, and the possibility is that they were. (It is difficult to nail down the specific dates of the prophets—and of many of the other Old Testament books. The reason, of course, is that the exact dates are not important.) At least we know that all three prophets fit into the period between the reigns of Kings Josiah and Jehoiakim, which would also be the time of the prophet Jeremiah. The northern kingdom had already gone into captivity, and the southern kingdom was right on the verge of captivity. After Josiah, every king in the southern kingdom was a bad king. Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah all fit into that period of decline.
Although there are similarities, these books also differ from each other. Nahum dealt only with Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Nahum showed that God is just, righteous, and a God of love; yet He was absolutely right in judging that city.
Habakkuk approaches the problem from a little different viewpoint. He is a man with questions. He is disturbed about God’s seeming indifference to the iniquity of His own people. Habakkuk asks God, “Why don’t You do something?” In our day a great many folk feel as Habakkuk did. They are asking, “Why doesn’t God do something? Why doesn’t He move into the affairs of men and stop the violence and injustice and suffering?”
God answered the question for Habakkuk by informing him that He was preparing a nation, Babylon, to punish Judah and to take her into captivity—unless she changed her ways. Well, if you think Habakkuk had a problem before, you can see that he really had a problem then! Habakkuk asked, “Why will You use Babylon—a nation that is definitely more wicked, more pagan, and more given over to idolatry than Your own people—to punish Judah?” God reveals to Habakkuk that He was not through with Babylon but would judge her also. This is God’s method.
This book is very important in its relationship to the New Testament. It is generally conceded that the three great doctrinal books of the New Testament are Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, all of which quote from Habakkuk. In fact, Habakkuk 2:4 is the background of their message: “The just shall live by his faith.” So this little book looms upon the horizon of Scripture as being important. Don’t let the brevity of it deceive you. Importance is not determined by how much you say but by what you say.
The name Habakkuk means “to embrace.” Dr. Charles Feinberg (Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, p. 11) described Martin Luther’s striking definition of this name:
Habakkuk signifies an embracer, or one who embraces another, takes him into his arms. He embraces his people, and takes them to his arms, i.e., he comforts them and holds them up, as one embraces a weeping child, to quiet it with the assurance that, if God wills, it shall soon be better.
Habakkuk told us nothing of his personal life, even of the era in which he lived. I call him the doubting Thomas of the Old Testament because he had a question mark for a brain. His book is really unusual. It is not a prophecy in the strict sense of the term. It is somewhat like the Book of Jonah in that Habakkuk told of his own experience with God—his questions to God and God’s answers. We could say that Habakkuk was born in the objective case, in the pluperfect tense, in the subjunctive mood. We write over him a big question mark until, in the last chapter and especially in the final two or three verses, we can put down an exclamation point. This book is the personal experience of the prophet told in poetry, as Jonah’s was told in prose.
Habakkuk was an interesting man, and he has written a lovely book with real literary excellence. The final chapter is actually a song of psalm of praise and adoration to God, a very beautiful piece of literature.
The closing statement in the book, “To the chief singer [musician] on my stringed instruments,” reveals that this book is a song. That little note was put there for the director of the orchestra and the choir. The final chapter of the book is a psalm of beauty. In fact, the entire prophecy is a gem. It has been translated into a metric version by A. C. Gaebelein (The Annotated Bible, pp. 214–219). Delitzsch wrote, “His language is classical throughout, full of rare and select turns and words.” Moorehouse wrote, “It is distinguished for its magnificent poetry.”
This little book opens in gloom and closes in glory. It begins with a question mark and closes with an exclamation point. Habakkuk is a big WHY? Why God permits evil is a question that every thoughtful mind has faced. I think that this book is the answer to that question. Will God straighten out the injustice of the world? This book answers that question. Is God doing anything about the wrongs of the world? This book says that He is. In my opinion it is possible to reduce the doubt of Thomas in the New Testament, of Habakkuk in the Old Testament, and of modern man into the one word: Why? It is the fundamental question of the human race. When we reduce all questions to the lowest common denominator, we come to the basic question: Why?
You can see that the message of Habakkuk is almost the opposite of the message of Nahum. In the Book of Nahum God was moving in judgment, and the question was: How can God be a God of love and judge as He is doing? Here in Habakkuk it is just the opposite: Why doesn’t God do something about the evil in the world?
The theme of Habakkuk is faith. He has been called the prophet of faith. The great statement of Habakkuk 2:4, “the just shall live by his faith,” has been quoted three times in the New Testament: Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38.
OUTLINE
I. Perplexity of the Prophet, Chapter 1
A. First Problem of the Prophet, Chapter 1:1–4 Why does God permit evil?
B. God’s Answer, Chapter 1:5–11 God was raising up Chaldeans to punish Judah (v. 6).
C. Second Problem of the Prophet (greater than first), Chapter 1:12–17 Why would God permit His people to be punished by a nation more wicked than they? Why did He not destroy the Chaldeans?
II. Perception of the Prophet, Chapter 2
A. Practice of the Prophet, Chapter 2:1 He took the secret problem to the secret place.
B. Patience of the Prophet, Chapter 2:2–3 He waited for the vision.
C. Pageant for the Prophet, Chapter 2:4 The great divide in humanity: One group, which is crooked, is flowing toward destruction; the other group, by faith, is moving toward God. This is inevitable.
D. Parable to the Prophet, Chapter 2:5–20 The application is self-evident from the vision. The Chaldeans, in turn, would be destroyed. God was moving among the nations.
III. Pleasure of the Prophet, Chapter 3
A. Prayer of the Prophet, Chapter 3:1–2 The prophet, who thought God was doing nothing about evil, now asks Him to remember to be merciful. Was he afraid that God was doing too much?
B. Program of God, Chapter 3:3–17 God rides majestically in His own chariot of salvation (v. 8).
C. Position of the Prophet, Chapter 3:18–19 He will rejoice (v. 18). He has come from pain to pleasure.
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The perplexity of the prophet
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see [Hab. 1:1].
“The burden” means the judgment. Actually, this is not Habakkuk’s question, but rather it is the Lord’s answer. The answer of God is really the prophecy of the Book of Habakkuk. The Lord’s answer is judgment which Habakkuk called, as did the other prophets, “the burden.”
FIRST PROBLEM OF THE PROPHET
Habakkuk’s first problem is this: Why does God permit evil?
O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! [Hab. 1:2].
“O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” Habakkuk is telling God that He is refusing to answer his prayers. He cries out in a night of despair as he sees violence among his people. And God is doing nothing and saying nothing. This is the elegy of Habakkuk. As we shall see, the book concludes with a paean of praise and a note of joy.
My friend, if you have a question, my feeling is that you ought to take it to the Lord as Habakkuk did. If you are sincere, you will get an answer from God.
Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth [Hab. 1:3–4].
Here is his big question: Why does God permit this evil to continue among His own people—the iniquity, the injustice, the strife, and contention?
This is both an old question and a new question. It is one which you could ask today. Let’s look at it in detail.
Habakkuk, as I suggested in the Introduction, probably wrote sometime after the time of King Josiah, the last good king of the southern kingdom of Judah. After Josiah there was Jehoahaz, a bad one who didn’t last more than three months; then Jehoiakim came along and reigned eleven years, and he was a bad one. It was a time of disintegration, deterioration, and degradation in the kingdom. There was a breaking down of the Mosaic Law, and the people were turning away from God. The question was: Why was God permitting this evil?
While I was in a Bible conference in the East several years ago, I talked with two young professors, one from Vanderbilt University and the other from Missouri. They both were Christians and brilliant young men. They told me that the godless professors would use this method to try to destroy young people’s faith in the integrity of the Word of God. They would begin like this: “You do not believe that a God of love would permit evil in the world, do you? Do you think a loving God, kind in heart, would permit suffering in the world?”
The enemy, you will recall, used that same method with Eve, as recorded in Genesis 3. He said something like this: “Do you mean to tell me that God does not want you to eat of that tree? Why? That tree has the most delicious fruit of any tree in the garden, and if you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God. I can’t believe that a good God would forbid your eating of that tree. I just can’t understand it!” He was destroying, you see, her confidence in the goodness of God. That is always where the enemy starts.
Habakkuk’s question fitted into the local situation of his day. People were getting by with sin, and God was seemingly doing nothing about it. His question was, Why doesn’t God judge the wicked? Why does God permit evil men and women to prosper? And isn’t that a good question in our day? I’m sure that many of God’s people have asked, “Why doesn’t God judge the evil in our nation today? Why does He permit the rich to get richer? And why is it that the average person is having to bear the burden of taxation and inflation? Why doesn’t God do something about it?” Is this your question?
That was the psalmist’s question in Psalm 73:2–3: “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” As he looked around, he saw that the ones who were prospering were the wicked! It almost robbed him of his faith. Why wasn’t God doing something about it?
The people of Judah apparently felt that they were God’s little pets and that He would not punish them for their sins. Probably the first time they did something evil they were apprehensive, wondering if God would punish them. When He did nothing, they assumed that He hadn’t noticed or didn’t care. The writer of Ecclesiastes says in chapter 8 verse 11: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”
I can remember when I was a boy and swiped my first watermelon. It was in the summertime, and a storm was coming up. By the time I had pulled a watermelon off the vine and had started to the fence with it, there was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder the like of which you can only have in southern Oklahoma! I thought the Lord was judging me right there and then for what I had done. But the day came when I discovered that it wasn’t judgment from God and I could do that sort of thing without fear.
Human nature does not change. The sins which were committed undercover in the backyard are now done openly in the front yard. Does that change the fact that sin is wrong in the sight of God and that He is going to judge every sin? No, God has not changed His standards or His procedures. Even though His execution against an evil work is not performed speedily, His judgment is sure to come eventually.
In our day very few people believe in the judgment of God. They feel like Habakkuk did when he saw his nation getting worse and worse until sin was flagrant and God was doing nothing about it. Don’t you feel that way about conditions as they are? Is God doing anything about it today? It doesn’t look as if He is. He even let a group of theologians up in New England come up with the idea a few years ago that God was dead. What they actually meant was that there is no God and there has never been a God. What made them arrive at such a conclusion? It is because they don’t see Him interfering in the affairs of men today. But isn’t He interfering? Isn’t God overruling in the affairs of mankind today? He permitted us to go through a period of affluence, and folk became careless—even God’s people became careless. Now we are in such a state that we wonder how much longer we are going to survive as a nation.
Habakkuk was a man with a very tender heart, and he hated to see lawlessness abounding and going unpunished. He hated to see the innocent people being threatened and exploited and destroyed. He was asking, “God, why aren’t you doing something about it?”
Well, God had an answer for him, and He has an answer for you if this is your question.
GOD’S ANSWER
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you [Hab. 1:5].
“Behold ye among the heathen,” or better, “Behold ye among the nations.” God is challenging Habakkuk to open his eyes and look about him, to get a world view of what He is doing. One great crisis after another has taken place. The great Assyrian Empire in the north has been conquered, and Nineveh, its capital, has been destroyed. On the banks of the Euphrates River, a kingdom is arising which already has won a victory over Egypt at Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar is the victor, and he is bringing Babylon to the fore as a world power. God is saying to Habakkuk, “Behold ye among the nations—you think I’m not doing anything? I am not sitting on the fifty-yard line watching this little world. I am very much involved.” He is not involved to the extent that He is subject to it and has to make certain plays because they are forced upon Him. God is moving in a sovereign way in the universe. He is doing something about sin—“Behold ye among the nations, and regard, and wonder marvellously.”
“For I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” God is saying, “When I tell you what I am really doing, it is going to be difficult for you to believe it. Instead of doing nothing, I am doing a great deal.” In fact, Habakkuk is going to ask God to slow down when he finds out what God is doing.
“For I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you” is quoted by Paul in the great sermon he gave in Antioch of Pisidia. (I have always felt that this is one of the greatest sermons Paul preached, and yet it is receiving very little attention in our day.) It is recorded in Acts 13. Now notice these words: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [the Lord Jesus Christ] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you” (Acts 13:38–41). As you can see, Paul is quoting from Habakkuk 1:5. It is an amazing application of this verse. Paul is saying that God has provided a salvation, and He didn’t do it (as Paul said elsewhere) in a corner. At the time of the Crucifixion, Jews from all over the world were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. They carried the word everywhere that Jesus of Nazareth had died on a cross, and it was rumored that He was raised from the dead. Also, Jews from all over the world were back in Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the little group of believers. Multitudes were saved at that time and in succeeding days. When that news went out, the Roman world ignored it at first. Paul is telling them that God has worked a work in their days, “a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”
Today the world asks, “Why doesn’t God do something about sin?” My friend, God has done something about it! Over nineteen hundred years ago He gave His Son to die. He intruded into the affairs of the world. And He says that He is going to intrude again in the affairs of the world—yet today the world goes merrily along picking daisies and having a good time in sin. But God is moving. It is marvelous how Paul used Habakkuk 1:5.
And in Habakkuk’s day God was moving. In spite of all the lawlessness, the war, and the sin in all the nations, God was overruling and moving in judgment.
Now God is specific in what He was doing—
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs [Hab. 1:6].
God is saying to Habakkuk, “Look around you. Down there on the banks of the Euphrates River, a nation is rising which will become the first great world power.” (We can check with Daniel on that because Babylon is the head of gold, and it is the lion of Daniel’s visions.) Babylon was number one on the parade of the great nations of the world.
“To possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.” God is telling Habakkuk that the Babylonians are going to take the land of Judah away from them. It was a shock to Habakkuk to hear this.
A “bitter and hasty nation” is a good description of the Babylonian Empire. They were bitter, hateful, and hotheaded, marching for world conquest. They actually took the city of Jerusalem three times, and the third time they burned it to the ground. The Babylonians were a law unto themselves. They considered themselves the superior race, the dominant race, and did not recognize anyone as being equal to them.
They are terrible and dreadful: judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves [Hab. 1:7].
“Their dignity shall proceed of themselves”—that is, they rely upon themselves. They have great self-confidence and are great boasters. These qualities are evident in Nebuchadnezzar, the founder of this great empire. In the Book of Daniel we find that Nebuchadnezzar suffered from a form of insanity, egomania, called hysteria by modern psychiatry. It was, sort of a manic-depressive psychosis. The time came when he didn’t even know who he was. In fact, he went out and ate grass like an animal.
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat [Hab. 1:8].
What a picture this is! The Babylonians used the cavalry as probably no other nation has used it. The Egyptians used chariots, and the Assyrians had the latest model in chariots. Now the Babylonians have a different method, the cavalry.
“More fierce than the evening wolves.” I remember the hungry wolves in west Texas when I was a boy. After the snow had fallen, my dad warned us to be careful when we went outside. If there were a pack of wolves, it would be necessary to shoot one of them. Then when the blood began to flow, the pack would turn on the wounded wolf and devour him so that we could escape.
“They shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.” The Babylonian army would come like hungry animals and ferocious birds and seize upon their prey. That was the story of the Chaldeans, the Babylonians.
They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand [Hab. 1:9].
“They shall come all for violence.” God’s people had been engaging in violence, but they hadn’t seen anything yet. Wait until the Babylonians get there. God is going to give them a good dose of violence! You see, chickens do come home to roost—“… whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
“Their faces shall sup up as the east wind” has also been translated as “the set of their faces is forward.” In both translations the thought seems to be that the enemy will be formidable and irresistible in its advance.
“And they shall gather the captivity as the sand.” Nebuchadnezzar led his forces against Jerusalem three times. At the final attack, he burned the city and also the temple and took the survivors into captivity. The Babylonians had only one purpose in view, which was to capture as many nations and as many peoples as possible and make slaves of them. This is what happened to the southern kingdom of Judah.
And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it [Hab. 1:10].
“And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them.” They were confident in their own strength and in the power of their heathen gods. As the Assyrians before them, they were arrogant as they marched through the earth.
“They shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.” They had only to cast up bulwarks to capture walled cities; and, when the cities surrendered, they took the inhabitants into captivity.
Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god [Hab. 1:11].
This is exactly what Nebuchadnezzar did. In Daniel 4:30 we read the words of this man: “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” He was lifted up with pride. He was an egomaniac. He trusted completely in himself with no trust in God. And we have a few of those around today—trusting in self rather than in God. In my own nation there is a lack of humility. And, as in Nebuchadnezzar, it is a form of insanity. Each political party—not one, but all of them—boasts about what it can do or has done. They point the finger of guilt at the other party and at those holding office. Well, I agree they should repent, but my feeling is that everyone who is at the other end of the pointing fingers should also repent. Our big problem in America is that we depend upon our own strength, our own power, and our own ability. I turn off certain television programs because I am tired of listening to individuals boasting of their accomplishments, which are not very much. It reminds me of that scriptural suggestion of a mountain travailing. What did it bring forth? Another mountain? No, it brought forth a mouse! Although the boasting of great men today sounds like a mountain, what they have accomplished is about as big as a mouse.
In these verses God is saying to Habakkuk, “You think I am doing nothing about the sin of My people, but I am preparing a nation down yonder on the banks of the Euphrates River, and if My people do not repent, I’m going to turn the Babylonians loose.” My friend, they came, and the record indicates that their destruction of Jerusalem was fierce and terrible. Some of the things they did when they took the people of Judah captive were almost unspeakable.
SECOND PROBLEM OF THE PROPHET
Now when God says that He is going to use the Babylonians to judge His people, this raises another question in Habakkuk’s mind. If you think he had a question before, he really has a question now.
Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction [Hab. 1:12].
This was Habakkuk’s problem: Since the Babylonians were even more wicked than the people of Judah, why would God choose a more wicked nation to punish a nation which was comparatively less wicked? This would not be the first time God had used such a method. In Isaiah 10:5 the Assyrian is called the rod of God’s anger. In other words, God used Assyria like a whip in order to chastise the northern kingdom. After God had used Assyria for the chastisement of Israel, He judged Assyria for her own sins.
We find the same thing repeated here. God is going to use a wicked nation, Babylon, to chastise His people. When He is through with that chastisement, He will judge Babylon God did just that. He moves in the affairs of men.
But the problem remains: How can a holy God use a sinful nation to accomplish His purposes?
This may be a new thought for you. You probably have heard it said—even from some pulpits—that God would never let Russia overcome the United States because we are the fair-haired boys, the good guys, the fine people. We are the ones who send missionaries to godless nations. God would never use Russia to chastise us. My friend, if you believe the Bible, you will see that God’s method is to use a sinful nation to judge a people who are less sinful. If we could see what God is doing today behind the scenes, I am sure it would terrify us. I believe He is actually moving against our nation. Why? Because at one time our nation had a knowledge of God, superficial though it may have been. The Bible was once held in reverence. Very few people knew much about it, but it was respected. In our day the Bible is ignored and absolutely rejected by the nation. They may take an oath by placing their hand upon it, but they neither know nor care to know what is between its covers. Will God allow our nation to continue in its godlessness and in its flagrant sins? I don’t think so. Will God use a godless nation to chastise us? Well, that was Habakkuk’s question. Why would God, who is a holy God, use a pagan, heathen people to chastise His people?
Listen to Habakkuk’s eloquent complaint. “Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One?” God has come out of eternity; He is the eternal God. “O Lord my God, mine Holy One”—Habakkuk says, in effect, “You are a Holy God. How can you use a nation like Babylon? Word has come to us that there is a great nation rising down there on the banks of the Euphrates River, but I never dreamed that You would use them against us! They have been friendly to us.” When King Hezekiah was sick, they sent ambassadors to him, and he gave them the red-carpet treatment, showing them all the treasures of the kingdom. Of course, the ambassadors made note of that because they would be coming back one day to get the gold. But Habakkuk didn’t realize all that. He never dreamed that God would use Babylon to chastise Judah. He didn’t understand why a holy God would use such a method.
Then he says, “We shall not die.” He was right about that. This goes back to the promises of God to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. God made promises to Moses and to Joshua and to David. He gave promises to the prophets who had appeared on the scene before Habakkuk. God had said that He would never let the nation perish. “We shall not die.”
That is a good statement, by the way, to drop down upon our amillennial friends who believe that God is through with the nation Israel. God is not through with them; God has an eternal purpose with them, just as He has with the church which He is calling out of this world. And, thank God, the child of God today can say, “We shall not die.” The Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to die—He said He did—to die in your stead and in my stead. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and He came back from the dead. He “… was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). The Lord Jesus said to the two weeping sisters of Lazarus, “… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead [think of that!], yet shall he live.” When Habakkuk said, “We shall not die,” he was right; they wouldn’t. “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25–26, italics mine). This is the message of the gospel. It is something for you and me to believe. Of course, someday you are going to die physically, but are you dead now spiritually? If you are, you will be dead in trespasses and sins for the rest of eternity, and that means eternal separation from God. God is a holy God, and He is not going to take sin to heaven. But He has promised that if we will trust His Son, He will give us eternal life. God says, “If you will believe that you are a sinner, that you don’t deserve salvation and can’t work for it, then I offer it to you as a gift. And by My grace you can be saved. You will receive eternal life. He that hath the Son hath life.” My friend, do you have the Son today? If you do, you have life, eternal life, and you will not die.
When Habakkuk said to God, “We shall not die,” he was on the right track, but he just couldn’t understand (as many of us can’t understand) some of the performance of God in this world. God had told Habakkuk earlier that he needed to get a perspective of it. You and I have a tremendous advantage in our day because we have the perspective of history. We can look back to Habakkuk’s day and even beyond to the very beginning of the human family. We have a very good perspective of God’s dealing with the nations of this world and of God’s dealing with the nation Israel. Also, God is dealing today with His church that is in the world.
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. He has told us that His ways are not our ways, that His thoughts are not our thoughts. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8–9).
My friend, do not be disturbed if you are not thinking as God thinks. You are not God. Unfortunately, many folk try to take His place. They are trying to work for their salvation, thinking that their character and their good works will merit them salvation. They expect God to pat them on the head someday and say, “You were certainly a nice, sweet little boy down there.” Yet, actually, they were corrupt sinners, alienated from the life of God, with no capacity for God whatsoever. If you come to the Father, you will come His way, or you are not going to get there. We need to recognize this, my friend. We are a nation of proud people who need to be deflated as a pin deflates a balloon. Instead of blaming everyone else for the problems in our nation, or the problems in our church, or the problems in our home, we should fall on our knees before God and confess our own sins—“not my brother, nor my sister, but it’s me, oh, Lord, standin’ in the need of prayer.”
This was the condition of the nation of Judah in the days of Habakkuk. He said to God, “We shall not die.”
“O Lord thou hast ordained them for judgment.” Here is Habakkuk pointing his finger at Babylon. “They are the bad guys, and we are the good guys.” It is amazing how quickly we can change our point of view. For years I went out to Flagstaff, Arizona, to the Southwest Bible and Missionary Conference. I always enjoyed being out there with the opportunity it offered to have fellowship with the Indians. It was there I learned a good example of man’s way of looking at things. One of the young Indian pastors said to me, “You know, Dr. McGee, in the old days when the Indians would raid a village and kill some of the whites, it was called a massacre. But when the whites raided an Indian village and destroyed all the Indians, it was called a victory.” It is interesting how we always class ourselves with the good guys.
“O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.” In other words, Habakkuk is saying, “Lord, it really isn’t us who are bad after all. They are the mean fellows. They are the ones You should judge and correct.” Has he forgotten that he went to the Lord and asked the Lord why He wasn’t doing something about the evil among His own people? Habakkuk had pointed out that the people were flaunting the Law and were ignoring God, paying no attention to God’s commands. Habakkuk had accused God of not doing anything about the situation. Has he forgotten that?
Now here is Habakkuk’s argument—
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? [Hab. 1:13].
“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.” That is a true statement. A holy God cannot look upon evil and iniquity. That is the reason no one can go to heaven with his sin on him. That is why we must all have the forgiveness for our sins. We all need the cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb. We must be given a new nature. We must be born again. Even Nicodemus, a very religious man, needed to be born again and to receive a new nature. Religion will not wash away sin. It is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again that will wash away sin. God cannot look on iniquity, and He never will look on iniquity. That is why there is no entrance into heaven for you until your sin has been dealt with.
You see, when God forgives you, it is because the penalty for your sin has been paid for by His Son. God is not a sentimental old gentleman who doesn’t have the heart to judge little man down here on this earth. God is a holy God who will not look upon iniquity. Your sin will have to be confessed and forgiven before you can be accepted by Him.
“Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously.” Habakkuk says, “You can’t trust those Babylonians. They are sinners and a bunch of crooks!” He was right. They were. But God was going to use them to accomplish His purpose.
This is frightening to me. Don’t ever get the idea that God cannot use a godless nation to chasten another nation. I speak now from the point of view of a white man and an American. For years the white man in all the great nations of Europe ruled the world through those great, proud nations. Then America became one of the leading nations of the world. God humiliated us in the war with Vietnam. He is humiliating us in our dealings with the Middle East. All they need to do is turn off the supply of oil, and suddenly we take a nose dive. God deals with the nations of the world in interesting ways. I watch what has been happening in the world with a great deal of interest. I have come to the conclusion that God is still moving among the nations of the world today. You and I may be frightened as we contemplate what lies ahead, but God is not frightened. He is still in charge. Nothing is out of His control. He is still running this universe.
“Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” Habakkuk said the wrong thing here. It is not “the man that is more righteous than he” because none are righteous. He should have said, “the man who is a greater sinner than he.” But God didn’t say that He was going to punish on that basis. God is going to use the Babylonians to punish His people.
This brings us to one of the most eloquent sections of the Word of God.
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous [Hab. 1:14–16].
“And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them” refers to the callousness with which the Babylonians handled their enemies, treating them as fish of the sea or as creeping things in the soil which have no defense.
The angle and the net and the drag represent the armies and the weapons used by the Babylonians to carry on their military conquests.
God also uses the catching of fish as a figure of speech, but He catches fish to save them, not to destroy them. You remember that the Lord Jesus said to some of His own disciples who were fishermen, “You have been catching fish and that’s fine, but I am going to give you a job of catching men” (see Matt. 4:19). My friend, to me the greatest business in the world is to be a fisherman, and that is all I claim to be. We are to fish for men in our day.
“Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag.” The Babylonians were pagans, of course, and gave no credit to the true and living God for their successes.
There are fishermen here in Southern California who think that they get a good catch because their priest has blessed the fishing fleet. That has nothing in the world to do with it, my friend. The reason that you can get plenty to eat is that God is good, and that is the only reason. God is good, and He is the one who provides.
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations? [Hab. 1:17].
Habakkuk is asking God, “Are You going to permit them to go on into the future, destroying people after people?” God’s answer is, “No. I’m going to send Judah into captivity in Babylon as a chastisement, a judgment for her sins, but then I will judge Babylon.” My friend, God did exactly that, and in our day Babylon lies under the dust and rubble of the ages. It is a silent but eloquent testimony that God does judge evil.
Now let’s translate this interrogation of Habakkuk into the times in which we live. Why does God permit evil? Well, He permits it because He is long-suffering. He is not willing that any should perish, and He has provided a cross, a crucified Savior, so that no one needs to perish. This He did at the first coming of Christ.
Habakkuk’s second question is, “Why does not God judge the wicked?” God will answer that at the second coming of Christ, because at that time He will judge sin. All we need is a perspective to see the answers to these two questions. Christ came the first time to wear a crown of thorns and to die upon a cross. The next time He comes, He will wear a crown of glory and will hold the scepter that will rule the earth.
To make a personal application of this, we ask the question, “Why does God permit this trial to happen to me?” I do not know what the answer is for you, but God has an answer.
Several years ago I stayed in a motel in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, at a location where I could throw a rock into the state of Oklahoma. My dad is buried over there. When I was a boy of fourteen, I stood by his grave and wept. He had been killed in an accident at a cotton gin. After the funeral service was over and everyone had gone, I rode back on my bicycle to his grave. I wept and cried, “Why, oh God, did You take him?” Time has gone by, and today I have an answer for that. I know now that it was God’s method of dealing with a boy who would never have entered the ministry otherwise.
Actually, what right do we have to question our Maker? What right does little man have to look into the face of heaven and demand, “Why do You do this?” Well, to begin with, it is none of our business. It is God’s business. This is His universe, and He is running it to please Himself. We are to trust Him.
I can remember when I was a little boy in Oklahoma, we lived in an area that had many tornadoes. In the night my dad would pick me up, and I would begin to cry and ask, “Where are we going?” He would take me down to the storm cellar where it was dark and damp and not very comfortable. He would put me on a pallet, and in the morning I would awaken and be safe and secure. When I was a crying little boy, my dad didn’t explain tornadoes to me. He simply protected me from them. All I knew was that I trusted my dad. After my dad died, I learned more and more to trust my Heavenly Father. There are times He has done things to me that He hasn’t explained. He took my first child, and I really had a question about that. Do you want to know something? I still have a question mark about it. But I do know this: He has the answer. Someday He will tell me the answer. In the meantime, I’ll trust Him.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The perception of the prophet
In chapter 1 we saw the perplexity of the prophet. Now the prophet has learned that God has answers for his questions. He answered his first question, which raised a bigger question, but God has an answer for that also.
My friend, if you have a question, don’t smother it in pious phraseology. I often hear people say, “Oh, I’m trusting the Lord,” when they are not trusting Him; they are questioning Him every step of the way. There is no sin in questioning the Lord. Just go to Him and tell Him that you don’t understand. This is what Habakkuk did.
PRACTICE OF THE PROPHET
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved [Hab. 2:1].
Habakkuk says that he is going to the watchtower to wait. (When he says, “watchtower,” he doesn’t mean that he is going to read a magazine!) Prophets are compared to watchmen in several of the books of prophecy. For instance, in Ezekiel it was, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me” (Ezek. 3:17). The prophets were watchmen who were to prophesy to the nation, and God would hold them responsible for giving out His warning. In a walled city the watchman was the one who watched for enemies during the night; if he was faithful, the city was safe. But if he should betray the city or fail to sound the alarm when an enemy approached, the city was in deep trouble. So Habakkuk, God’s prophet, says that he is going to the watchtower to wait for a message from God.
“I … will watch to see what he will say unto me.” Habakkuk is saying, “I’m going to the watchtower, and I’m going to wait patiently, because I know that God has an answer. I don’t know what it will be, but I know He has an answer and He will give that answer in due time.”
“And what I shall answer when I am reproved.” The word reprove here is not the best translation of the original word: Habakkuk did not expect God to rebuke him or, to use the common colloquialism, “bawl him out” because he was questioning God’s ways. Habakkuk felt that God would give him the right answer so he would understand God’s ways. And he was willing to wait for it.
God often delays. He moves slowly in all that He does. God intends to give Habakkuk an answer, but it will come in His own time. We are the ones who are in a hurry; God is not. For example, sometimes we hear Christians speak of the “soon coming of Christ.” Can you show me in the Bible where that is found? I have never found it. Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly …” (Rev. 22:7, italics mine). He didn’t say He was coming soon. It has now been over nineteen hundred years since He spoke those words, and that could hardly be called soon. He said He would return quickly, because the things that are mentioned in Revelation, which will happen just before he returns to earth, are going to happen quickly. The thing which will introduce the last seven years before Christ comes to establish His kingdom will be the Rapture of the church. When the church leaves the earth, events will move quickly—like a trip-hammer, one blow right after another. Christ will come quickly. He will come right on schedule. We are not to look for the soon coming of Christ but the imminent coming of Christ.
Neither will Christ “delay” His coming, as I hear some pious brothers say. The Lord is coming on His schedule—not mine nor yours. He will not delay. But we must remember that the Lord is long-suffering. He is patient. He is not willing that any should perish. And in Habakkuk’s day there was a company of people down yonder in Babylon whom God was going to save. That seventy-year captivity of the children of Israel was going to be a glorious time for God because He was going to reach even the heart of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians!
Habakkuk says, “I’m going to retire now to my watchtower. I don’t have the answer, but I’m going to wait for an answer from God.” And, my friend, you and I are to walk by faith and not by sight. In 2 Corinthians 5 the apostle Paul speaks of the time when our bodies will be put into the grave. The day will come when Christ will call us and raise up our bodies from the grave. In the meantime, when we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord. When we leave these bodies, we are going to be at home with the Lord. There is an interval of time between the burial of our bodies and the resurrection of our bodies. The Lord moves slowly as judged by the way we look at things. That is why Paul interposes here, “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” (2 Cor. 5:7). Do you have questions which have not been answered? I do. But I have learned, as I did as a little boy when my dad picked me up and carried me to the storm cellar, that my Heavenly Father also has reasons for the things He does in my life. Although I don’t always understand them now, I know that He has the answer, and someday He will give it to me. We need to trust Him.
PATIENCE OF THE PROPHET
And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it [Hab. 2:2].
God is saying, “Write it so that those folk in the twentieth century—especially that fellow, McGee, who will have some questions [and I think He had you in mind also]—will have an answer from Me during the days when they will be walking by faith.”
“That he may run that readeth it.” We sometimes get that turned around and make it say, “That he who runs may read it.” That is not what God is saying. He says that we need to have a road map with us. We need to know where we are going. We need to know a great deal about the way so that, after we have read it, we may run. That is, the one reading it was to run to tell it forth; he was to be the messenger of God’s Word.
My friend, there are many folk today who are trying to preach and trying to teach God’s Word without adequate preparation. They need to do more reading before they start running. I remember when I wanted to enter into the ministry, I thought I would skip part of my college training and bypass seminary and go immediately to a Bible school and then start preaching. I thank God for a marvelous, wonderful pastor who told me to get all the training I could get. Learn to read before you start running. Before you begin to witness, be able to give a reason for the hope that is in you.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry [Hab. 2:3].
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak.” There is no better way to explain this than to quote a note on this verse in The New Scofield Reference Bible (p. 954):
To the watching prophet comes the response of the vision (vv. 2–20). Three elements are to be distinguished: (1) The moral judgment of the Lord upon the evils practiced by Israel (vv. 5–13, 15–19). (2) The future purpose of God that “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (v. 14). That this revelation awaits the return of the Lord in glory is shown (a) by the parallel passage in Isa. 11:9–12; and (b) by the quotation of v. 3 in Heb. 10:37–38, where the “it” of the vision becomes “he” and refers to the return of the Lord. It is then, after the vision is fulfilled, that “the knowledge of the glory,” etc. shall fill the earth. But (3) meantime, “the just shall live by his faith.” This great evangelical word is applied to Jews and Gentiles in Rom. 1:17; to the Gentiles in Gal. 3:11–14; and to the Hebrews especially in Heb. 10:38. This opening of life to faith alone, makes possible not only the salvation of the Gentiles, but also makes possible a believing remnant in Israel while the nation, as such, is in blindness and unbelief (see Rom. 11:1 and 5, notes), with neither priesthood nor temple, and consequently unable to keep the ordinances of the law. Such is the Lord! In disciplinary government His ancient Israel is cast out of the land and judicially blinded (2 Cor. 3:12–15), but in covenanted mercy the individual Jew may resort to the simple faith of Abraham (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:1–5) and be saved. This, however, does not set aside the Palestinian and Davidic Covenants (see Dt. 30:3 and 2 Sam. 7:16, notes), for “the earth shall be filled,” etc. (v. 14), and the Lord will again be in His Temple (v. 20). Cp. Rom. 11:25–27.
My friend, you can depend on the fact that someday God will give us the answers to all of our questions. That is going to be a great day! I am not interested in heaven’s golden streets, but I am very interested in learning the answers to a great many questions that puzzle mankind in our day. In the meantime, we are to walk by faith.
PAGEANT FOR THE PROPHET
This brings us to one of the most important verses in the Scriptures. It is the key to the little Book of Habakkuk. And, actually, it gives the key to the three great doctrinal epistles in the New Testament that quote this verse: Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38.
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith [Hab. 2:4].
“The just shall live by his faith.” There have been many ways of attempting to sidestep the tremendous impact of this verse. Some have attempted to interpret “faith” as faithfulness or right dealing—the just shall live by his faithfulness. However, this verse gives us the two ways which are opened up to mankind.
Notice that the verse mentions two groups of individuals which are in the world: (1) the lifted-up or puffed-up soul; and (2) the just man who is living by his faith. In other words, you could call them the lost and the saved, those who have trusted God and those who have not believed God. Or you can call them the saints and the ain’ts—that makes a sharp division also.
You remember that verse 1 told us that Habakkuk has gone to his watchtower to wait for the answer of God. It will be God’s great message which will explain His dealings with individuals and with nations. So here in verse 4 we have a great principle that God has laid down. Actually, it is an axiom of the Bible.
You will remember that when you studied geometry, you accepted certain axioms which were self-evident and you didn’t have to prove. For example, a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. And there are certain statements in the Scriptures which are great axioms. This is one of them: “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him.”
“His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him” describes a group of people who are proud. Either they are attempting to work out their own salvation, or they are just living for today with the philosophy of “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” They have no real goal in life. “His soul … is not upright in him.” He is wrong. He is going down the wrong pathway. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). You know, I am sure, many folk in this group of humanity. They have a lifted-up or puffed-up soul. They are lifted up with pride. As they meander along their way, picking daisies as they go, they move as on a slow-moving river and will finally arrive at the sea of destruction. That is their end. The Scriptures seldom enlarge upon the fate of the lost, but our Lord Jesus followed them through when He told of the rich man and Lazarus (see Luke 16). When Lazarus died, he was carried to paradise; when the rich man died, he went to hades. He went, as it was said of Judas, to his own place. If you go through life like this, your end will be the same.
“The just shall live by his faith” describes the second group of the human family. They are flowing down the river of life toward the city of God and toward full knowledge—“… then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12, italics mine). Between the moment of salvation and the then, the saved ones will walk by faith. We may not have the answers to our questions now, but God will give them to us when we arrive in His presence.
Now because Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted in the New Testament and is actually the key to the Epistles of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, let’s look at these quotations more carefully.
In the Epistle to the Romans, the emphasis is upon justification by faith for salvation. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16–17, italics mine). The point here is that “the just,” the one who has been justified by faith, shall also live by faith. And that is the great message of the Epistle to the Romans.
In the Epistle to the Galatians, the quotation is this: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (Gal. 3:11, italics mine). The emphasis is a little different here, for we find in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” While in Romans the emphasis was on justification by faith for salvation, in Galatians the emphasis is not only on faith that saves, but on a faith by which you live throughout life.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the quotation from Habakkuk 2:4 is this: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:38). Here the emphasis is upon the word live—“the just shall live by faith.” And in the following chapter, we read of men and women who lived by faith—the emphasis is upon living.
When Habakkuk looked into the future, he asked, “Why, God?” Now from our vantage point, we can look back into history and see the answer to Habakkuk’s question. God sent His own people into captivity because it served the purpose of chastisement for their sins. And now we see His greater purpose: it enabled Him to bring the Savior into the world—in the fullness of time.
Again I want to draw your attention to Paul’s great sermon at Antioch of Pisidia: “But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you” (Acts 13:37–41). Therefore, Paul shuts them in to only one way to God—faith. The message is: “… Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4).
And what are we to do? We are to accept Him as our Savior. We are to trust Him and walk by faith—not by law. I am disturbed when I see so many folk today who are attempting to put believers back under the Ten Commandments or under some little legal system that they have worked out, such as rules and regulations for the family—for the husband and for the wife and for the child. Oh, my friend, if you have been saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, love Him. Loving Him will work out your problems. Loving Him will enable you to walk in the Spirit; and walking in the Spirit, you will be filled with the Spirit, and you will have joy in your heart. You will be a better husband or a better wife or a better child. You will be a better employee or a better employer. Wherever you are, you will be a better person if you walk by faith, and one of these days you will walk right into His presence and be with Him throughout eternity.
Habakkuk was a man of faith. He said, “I’ll go to my watchtower and wait for God’s answer. I am trusting the One who does have the answer.” You see, “… without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). And the “just shall live by his faith.” My friend, today God is asking you to come to Him, and the only way you can come to Him is by faith. The man of faith receives life by faith, he walks by faith, and he moves into eternity by faith—not by his own ability but on the strength and the ability of Another.
Let me repeat that Habakkuk 2:4 gives the two ways which are opened up to mankind. Our Lord Jesus put it like this: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13–14).
The broad way is actually like a funnel. It is very wide at the place where you enter, but it narrows down so that the follower ends up in only one place—destruction. That is the story of the unbelieving sinner. It is like going down a canyon. I have experienced this when I have been hunting out here in the West. You can start out in the desert in a very wide, open spot. Soon you enter into a canyon; and, as you go deeper and deeper into the canyon, the floor of the canyon gets narrower and narrower. That is the picture here. The entrance is wide, but the end narrows down to destruction.
The strait gate, or the narrow gate, is also an entrance into a funnel. In this case, the gate or entrance is very narrow. Jesus Christ said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). That entrance is narrowed down to one person. He is the way. He doesn’t just show us the way; He is the way. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). You either have Christ, or you don’t have Him. You either trust Him, or you don’t trust Him. Your salvation has nothing in the world to do with going through a ceremony or making pledges or going forward in a meeting or in joining a church. Your salvation is dependent upon your relationship with Jesus Christ. That is the reason it is a narrow gate. God has given to the world just this one way. The issue is what you will do with Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again. That is why Jesus said, “…strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:14).
This gate is also like a funnel. You enter in at the narrow gate—Christ is the way. But as you enter, it doesn’t narrow down even more. No, it widens out. Jesus said, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Oh she freedom and liberty He gives to those who are His own!
Let me give an example. Alcohol addiction and drug addiction can look like a broad road of liberty, but they end in the narrow canyon of destruction. My dad used to say, “I can drink, or I can let it alone.” He died when I was fourteen. He was a heavy drinker, but he was never an alcoholic. When I was a boy, I would talk to him about his heavy drinking and ask why he didn’t give it up. He would say, “Son, I can give it up any time I want to.” Do you know what his problem was? He didn’t want to. Had he lived longer, I am confident the day would have come when he would have found himself in a very narrow canyon with only one alternative, and that would be to take another drink.
Now the Christian who went in the narrow gate by trusting Christ as his Savior never gets to the place where it narrows down. He really is living. If you really want to live, come to Christ.
PARABLE TO THE PROPHET
Now how about the other crowd—those whose soul “is not upright in him”? The following “woes” are directed to them and refer primarily to the plundering Babylonians who would conquer Judah. These “woes” are just about as systematic and orderly as anything you will find in Scripture. They are presented in five stanzas of three verses each.
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people [Hab. 2:5].
“Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine.” He is talking about the Babylonians. At that moment Babylon was not the great nation that it became later at the time of Daniel.
The first charge is that they transgressed by wine and were proud. “Neither keepeth at home”—they longed to go forth and conquer. “But gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people.” They were inflamed with an ambition for conquest. They were never satisfied but kept attacking nation after nation, gathering spoil and captives. Babylon became the first great world power. They wanted to rule the world. That has been the ambition of a great many nations of the world. I am afraid that after World War II the United States got that insane notion also. We stuck our nose into the affairs of other countries when we should have kept our nose at home where it belonged. This has been the fallacy of the nations of the world, and it was the fallacy of Babylon. They were lifted up with pride and felt they were capable of ruling the world.
Notice that God mentions their sin of drunkenness. This issue comes up several times in the writings of the prophets: in Amos, Joel, Nahum, and now Habakkuk. Nahum makes it clear that drunkenness brought down the kingdom of Assyria. Amos tells us that it was drunkenness that caused God to send the northern kingdom into captivity. Now Habakkuk says that it is drunkenness that will cause God to destroy Babylon. In other words, drunkenness works out its own destruction. Drunkenness characterized Babylon. Read Daniel 5, which tells of Belshazzar’s great feast. That was the night that Babylon fell. Why? They were drunk! It was a night of revelry and drunkenness. They felt perfectly safe and secure in their fortified city.
Drunkenness brought down Rome also. On our tour to Bible lands, I have taken groups of people to a place many of them had never heard of. It is Ostia, about fifteen miles from Rome, down by the Tiber River on the seacoast. The ruins at Ostia reveal that there the Romans gave themselves over to revelry and drunkenness—those were the things that brought them there. It was the playground of the Romans.
And drunkenness will destroy our own nation. As I travel across this country, I stay in many of the hotels, motels, and inns where conventions are in progress. As I have observed them, they are times of great revelry and drinking. Recently in Dallas, Texas, there were two conventions going on at one time while we were there. On the way to the service in the evening, we would pass two big rooms where cocktail parties were in progress. Now these were the conventions of two reputable companies in this country, but that was the way they carried on their business. How long will a nation last that has millions of alcoholics?
Here in the little Book of Habakkuk, God says that drunkenness has led to pride and has made you like “hell” or sheol—you want to gobble up everything. The Book of Proverbs puts it this way: “The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave…” (Prov. 30:15–16). The grave is sheol, and it is first on the list. Habakkuk uses the same expression, “who enlargeth his desire as hell [sheol]”—continuing to expand their borders, moving out, never, never satisfied.
Now God spells out the five woes upon Babylon.
Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! [Hab. 2:6].
The first woe is a taunting proverb against Babylon because they were seizing by force that which was not theirs.
“Shall not all these take up a parable against him.” The “all these” probably refers to the nations that have been victims of Babylon’s aggression.
“To him that ladeth himself with thick clay!” A better translation is “and maketh himself rich with loans,” which makes more sense. It is one thing to buy property and pay for it, but it is another thing to take it by force. God is pronouncing a woe against this nation for wanting more and taking that which does not belong to them.
You see, God has planned that man by the sweat of his brow is going to make his living. And, my friend, if you are not earning your living by the sweat of your brow, somebody else is doing it for you. Babylon wanted somebody else to do the work, and then they by force would take it away. That is the first woe—God is going to judge Babylon for that, and He is just and righteous for doing it.
Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? [Hab. 2:7].
“And thou shalt be for booties unto them?” is the principle that whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. God is saying, “You take it away from somebody, then somebody else will take it away from you.” The fact is that when Media-Persia became a great nation, they took Babylon. By night the River Euphrates, which flowed through the city of Babylon, was cut off and the water diverted into other channels, leaving a dry riverbed through the city. And Gobryas, the Median general, marched his army along that riverbed into the city and took it by surprise.
Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein [Hab. 2:8].
Man is bloodthirsty, and man is covetous.
The second woe is for their covetousness and their self-aggrandizement—
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it [Hab. 2:9–11].
Covetousness was a sin of Babylon along with drunkenness. Their covetousness was an evil kind of coveting. They wanted that which did not belong to them. God tells us we are not to covet our neighbor’s property or our neighbor’s wife or our neighbor’s wealth.
“That he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!” This is likening Babylon to an eagle who feels that his nest is absolutely impregnable.
“Thou hast consulted shame to thy house …and hast sinned against thy soul.” Babylon brought the judgment of God upon itself by its covetousness and bloodshed. Even the stones would cry out against them. Contrast this to the time in the life of the Lord Jesus when the religious rulers tried to silence the crowd who were singing hosannas to Him. He said, “… I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).
The third woe has to do with murder and pillage, slaughter and violence—
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! [Hab. 2:12].
This was the method of destruction that built Babylon. They became rich by warfare.
My friend, if you stand back and look at the history of mankind, you come to the conclusion that he must be insane the way that he has lived on this earth. And, actually, he is insane—insane with a sinful nature so that he can’t even direct his path. He thinks he is right in what he does. People have never waged war without thinking they were doing the right thing. We see here God’s condemnation of Babylon, but it can be stretched out and brought up to date and fitted like a glove on any modern nation you choose.
Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? [Hab. 2:13].
This verse could be translated: “Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the peoples shall labor only for fire, and the nations shall weary themselves for nothing?” Think of the futile efforts that have been made by the great nations of the past. Instead of building up, they have spent more time in tearing down. Look at Greece, for instance, and their marvelous, wonderful pieces of architecture, the statues, the art, and literature; but actually, the Greeks spent more time in destruction. If you follow the march of Alexander the Great as he crossed over into Asia, you will notice that he did nothing in the world but destroy one city after another, one great civilization after another. That was the thing that marked him out. And that is the thing that marked out Babylon, the nation about which Habakkuk is prophesying.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea [Hab. 2:14].
This is the far-off goal toward which God is moving. This will be fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth (see Isa. 11:9).
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! [Hab. 2:15].
This is actually a little different from the drunkenness mentioned in verse 5. There God says, “He transgresseth by wine.” Here He says, “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!” The tragic thing is that liquor is something that leads to gross immorality. It leads to the breaking down of morals. It leads men to commit sins they otherwise probably would not commit—dishonesty and many other sins.
Drunkenness is an alarming problem in many of our large corporations today. I have talked with a man here in Southern California who holds a very responsible position in a large corporation and with another man who is connected with one of the big banks in our state. They both tell me that their corporations have employed certain officials whose business it is to watch for any of their men who are beginning to drink too much. They have many ways of discerning this. They will even talk to his wife and have him followed at night if certain things begin to show in his work—if he is late to work or perhaps doesn’t even show up for work. Because some of these men are brilliant men, good men, the company officials will go to them, confront them with their drinking problem, and offer to help them to give it up. But notice how crazy this is: on one hand, these companies have cocktail parties where their men get drunk, and on the other hand, they have a process for drying them out! That is sort of like running a hospital where you bring in healthy people, give them disease germs, and then treat them for the disease they get! Man becomes sort of a guinea pig in this crazy world in which we live today. So many illogical things are being done even by large corporations.
This is the condemnation that is here brought against Babylon. God says to them, “You are making drunkards. Not only are you drinking yourselves, but you are also making drunkards of others.”
Again may I refer to an authority, a man and his wife who are working with young people who are caught up in the drug culture. They tell me that many of these young people have come out of homes where cocktails are served. If Mama and Papa are going to have cocktails and live their lives, why can’t Junior have his drugs? I would like to have a good answer for that because Junior has asked that question of me. I don’t have an answer for him because I think Mama and Papa are responsible for his going into this drug culture. I believe that behind the problem of drugs has been drunkenness. Drunkenness is the thing hat has brought this to pass in our nation today.
I know that these things are not being said today, and I know that it does not make me very popular to say them. But I don’t think Habakkuk was too popular himself—certainly not down in Babylon when this word percolated down there. But they found out that God condemns drunkenness and that God condemns making drunkards of others.
Notice that drunkenness leads to gross immorality—
Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory [Hab. 2:16].
Drunkenness leads to gross immorality. It leads to divorce. It leads to the breaking up of homes. It leads to a life of sin. I have come to the place in my own life that I have lost respect for men in government. These fellows talk so big about honesty, and they talk so big and brave about helping the poor, while it is a well-known fact that many of them are actually alcoholics who drink like fish. May I ask you, how can we have respect for government when this sort of thing is all out in the open? Yet they ask us to respect them, to look up to them, and to give them our support. It makes me bow my head in shame to see what is happening in this great land of ours. My friend, Habakkuk spelled it out here years ago. God says, “The reason I will bring Babylon down is because of these sins.”
For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein [Hab. 2:17].
Violence is another of the fruits which comes from drunkenness. You see, all kinds of immoralities spring from drunkenness. The drug culture, the gross immorality, the prevalence of divorce—all of these sins that are abroad in our land today—have come out of drunkenness.
The fifth woe is God’s condemnation of the greatest sin of all—
What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it [Hab. 2:18–19].
Actually, drunkenness is not the greatest sin.The greatest sin is idolatry, false religion, turning to an idol instead of turning to God.This is the worst sin of all.
In the Book of Judges a great principle of government is presented, a principle which is also stated very clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah. All of the subsequent prophets simply bear out and apply this principle which has already been stated. The principle is this: There are three steps in the downfall of a nation. First of all, there is religious apostasy. The second step is moral awfulness. And the third step is political anarchy. These are the three steps by which nations pass off the stage of human history. That has always been the way it has moved. You see, the primary problem never was political anarchy. The primary problem never was moral awfulness. As bad as these are, the root problem goes back to religious or spiritual apostasy, a turning away from the living and true God.
This is the thing which has happened to my nation today, and I am not the only one who is saying this, by any means. A prominent professor of history has made the statement that the American dream is vanishing in the midst of terrifying realities and visible signs of decadence in our contemporary society. Clinton Rossiter, at one time a professor of American history at Cornell University, said that in our youth we had a profound sense of national purpose that we lost over the years of our rise to glory. James Reston of the New York Times (and I don’t think anybody has ever called him a conservative) has said that in public they talk about how optimistic and wonderful the future is, but that the private conversations of thoughtful men in Washington are quite different. It is his opinion that for the first time since World War II, one begins to hear of doubts that mortal man is capable of solving or even controlling the political, social, and economic problems that life has placed before him. This is the picture and this is the story of the downfall of nations, and it alarms me. This great principle, which this man Habakkuk has again restated in the Word of God, was fulfilled in the nation of Babylon.
The downfall of a nation begins in idolatry; it begins in turning away from the living and true God. We would like to think that idolatry has gone out of style, that no one today in this country is bowing down to an idol. That, of course, is not true. Many a man today is worshiping the almighty dollar. Many a man worships sex. Many a man worships pleasure. Many a woman has given her virtue in order to become a famous star or in order to be promoted. May I say to you, anything that you give yourself to, anything that takes all your time or energy, anything that takes all of you is what you worship. That, my friend, is your god, that is your idol, and that is what God condemns. God says that He is a jealous God. God says, “I made you. I created you. I have redeemed you. And I want you.” When a man turns his back on God, he is doing the worst thing any man can possibly do.
But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him [Hab. 2:20].
Personally, I believe this looks to the future when the Lord Jesus Christ will come to the earth. When He is in His temple down here, the whole earth will be silent before Him. All of the noise, all of the clamor, all of the protest, all of the confusion will disappear at that time. But it is also true that it applies to today. The reason we are having all these difficulties and problems down here is that, although He is yonder in heaven, although the Lord is in His temple, man does not bow before Him and recognize Him. It would be a wonderful thing if we could just have a week of silence. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone in Washington, D.C., would keep his mouth shut for a week? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of us preachers on radio would keep our mouths shut? Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if everyone who is doing so much talking would just keep quiet and wait before almighty God?
“The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” But the second psalm opens with a question mark—Why? Just like Habakkuk’s questions, the psalmist asks, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Ps. 2:1). Why all the clamor? Why all the protest? Because they are far from God. The nations have forgotten that God today is in His heaven. Browning was wrong when he said that God is in His heaven and all’s right with the world. God is in His heaven, but all is wrong with the world because man is not rightly related to God. Our problem today is a problem of man’s relationship to God. My friend, there is only one alternative, there is only one way out: “The just shall live by his faith” (v. 4).
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The pleasure of the prophet
As we come to the third chapter of Habakkuk, a tremendous change has taken place in the life of this man Habakkuk. When we get to the end of this chapter, we will see that this man has made a right about-face. The book opened in gloom—Habakkuk has a question mark for a brain, and he has questioned God. But now it closes in glory with a great exclamation point. It closes on a high note of praise, and you will not find any more confident faith than that which is expressed in the last part of this book.
We can divide this chapter into three very definite sections. In the first two verses, we have the prayer of the prophet. We have the program of God in verses 3–17, and then we have the position of the prophet in verses 18–19.
PRAYER OF THE PROPHET
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth [Hab. 3:1].
Shigionoth is a word having to do with music. Some think it might have been some sort of a musical point used to indicate to the musician the way the piece was to be played. Others think it was a musical instrument. We also find this word in the Book of Psalms (the singular form, shiggaion, is used in the title to Psalm 7). We know it has to do with music, and Habakkuk’s prayer is Hebrew poetry. It is a song of high praise.
What a change has taken place in the life of Habakkuk! His glorious experience on the watchtower and his patient waiting for an answer from God have brought him into a place of real faith and have opened his eyes to something he was not conscious of before. Therefore, this chapter is his song. I would call it a folk song; it’s a happy song. It is to be played with a stringed instrument, according to the last sentence of this chapter, which says, “To the chief singer on my stringed instruments” (v. 19). I suppose that this is a little notation which Habakkuk put there to indicate how this song was to be sung. Perhaps he is telling the soloist to get with it, that this was something to be sung with a stringed instrument. Aren’t most of the folk songs today sung with a stringed instrument? You and I may not like these stringed instruments and what is coming from them, but nevertheless, stringed instruments are used for folk singing. Apparently, that is what we have here in this chapter, but it was on a much higher plane than the music I hear today.
I do not choose to listen to our modern music, but I often have to hear it. It is amazing that we hear so much about freedom of speech, but what about freedom of hearing? I’d like to have my ears protected today. Just because some vile person insists upon his freedom of speech, my ears are offended because I have to listen to singing that I don’t care for. I am forced to hear at least a segment of a dirty song—in my judgment, it is a dirty song—but he’s got to have his liberty. We today don’t consider that we ought to have a little freedom of our ears and not have to listen to a lot of the junk that is being passed around.
O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy [Hab. 3:2].
Habakkuk’s song is a wonderful song. I do not think this would be offensive to anyone’s ears. It is a beautiful prayer. Habakkuk says, “O Lord, I have heard thy speech.” In other words, God has answered him. God has said to him, “Now look here, Habakkuk. I want you to stay in your watchtower, and I want you to walk by faith. I want you to trust Me. You think that I am not doing anything about the sins of My people, but I am. I am preparing a nation, the Chaldeans, or the Babylonians, and they are going to be used as I used the Assyrians against the northern kingdom of Israel—they were the ‘rod of mine anger.’ But when I am through with the Babylonians, I am going to judge them, and I will judge them on a righteous basis.” God’s judgment of Babylon was spelled out in chapter 2 in the five woes, the great national sins which brought that nation down. God was moving to bring Babylon down.
The very interesting thing is that Habakkuk now reverses himself. He says, “I’ve heard Your speech, and I am afraid.” What is he afraid of? Well, he had thought that God wasn’t doing anything. Now he is afraid the Lord is doing too much!
Notice what Habakkuk says: “O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” He says, “Lord, I didn’t think You were working. I didn’t think that You were doing anything, but I see now that You are moving in judgment. And since You are moving in judgment, remember to be merciful even to the Chaldeans, and be merciful to Your people.” Before, Habakkuk had been calling down fire from heaven not only upon his own nation who had departed from God but also upon the Chaldeans. Now he is saying, “Lord, don’t forget to be merciful.” Well, God is merciful, and God is gracious. He is not willing that any should perish.
It does look today as if God is not doing anything, but if you and I could ascend to the watchtower of Habakkuk, if we could learn that the just shall live by his faith, if we could have a living faith in God and see what is moving behind the scenes and see the wheels that are turning, I think that we would be as surprised as this man was. I am not sure but that we, too, would cry out to God for mercy. A great many Christians today have thrown up their hands about the conditions in our own country—they’ve just given up. We all feel that way at times, don’t we? But, may I say to you, God is moving today in judgment, and somebody needs to cry out to Him and say, “Oh, Lord, in wrath, as You are moving in judgment, don’t forget to be merciful to us. We need Your mercy.” This great nation of ours needs the mercy of God today. Since World War II, we have been on an ego trip. We have really had a flight of pride, of being the greatest nation in the world, and now even our little gas buggies have been slowed down. We feel almost helpless today. What would we do in the time of a major crisis? Suppose we were attacked from the outside, how much gasoline would there be? How much of the many other chemicals that are so needed would there be? How long would we really last? It is my belief that God is moving in judgment, and we need to ask Him to be merciful to us. Shakespeare has Portia say in The Merchant of Venice (Act IV, Scene i):
The quality of mercy is not strain’d
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest.
We need His mercy. We talk about showers of blessing—what we need today are showers of mercy from Almighty God.
What a reversal has taken place in the thinking of this man Habakkuk. At first he said, “You are not doing anything, Lord. Why don’t You do something? Why do You let them get by with their sin?” Now God has let Habakkuk see that He is doing something, and Habakkuk cries out for the mercy of God. If we really knew how much God is moving in judgment, I am of the opinion that it would bring America to her knees before Almighty God.
Let us move on down into this very wonderful prayer. Habakkuk’s prayer is actually a recital of what God has done in the past history of the people of Israel. In view of the fact that He has done it in the past, He intends to do it again in the future—that is the thought here. You can depend upon God’s continuing to do what He has done in the past. Paul wrote about this to us as believers—in fact, this is my life verse: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). My friend, has God begun a good work in you? He has brought you up to this present moment, has He not? He has begun a good work in you, and you can be sure He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, until He takes you out of this world and you will be in His likeness. This is our confidence, and this is the great confidence of this psalm of Habakkuk.
PROGRAM OF GOD
In this section I believe there are three men in the background. However, none of them is mentioned by name, because this is not a psalm about what any man has done; it is a psalm about what God has done through men. Therefore, the men are not mentioned by name. Many scholars see only two men here. But I believe that we have Abraham (vv. 3–6), Moses (vv. 7–10), and Joshua (vv. 11–15). However, there are many who feel that Moses is the only one mentioned in verses 3–10.
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise [Hab. 3:3].
Teman is in Edom, and Paran is nearby in the Sinaitic Peninsula. Many think this is a reference to the time when the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt. However, you will recall that Abraham went down to Egypt even before that time.
Selah is a very interesting word which is also found in the Psalms. Its use here would indicate again that this is a psalm. There is a difference of viewpoint as to what selah means. Some believe that it marks a pause in the music, a breathing place. Some think it means that this is where the drums should come in and the music reach a high crescendo. Well, I’m not very musical—in fact, I am not musical at all. To me, I think of it as meaning, “Stop, look, and listen.” At all the railroad crossings when I was a boy a cross was put up which said, “Stop, Look, and Listen.” That is what I think selah means. God is saying, “Now sit up and take notice. Be sure to hear this.” The singer is to really let go and the drummer to really pound the drums at this point. Selah is to call attention to what has been said. Whether this verse speaks of Abraham or Moses is unimportant because God was present with both of these men.
We have a marvelous, wonderful picture here of the glory of God: “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.” Well, that hasn’t taken place quite yet. But certainly, as far as Abraham was concerned, there was praise in his heart. And for the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, at first, at least, there was praise in their hearts. Of course, they became complainers and whiners during the rest of the journey.
“His glory covered the heavens.” We need to be impressed today as believers with the glory of our God. How majestic, how powerful, how wonderful is our God!
And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power [Hab. 3:4].
“And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand.” These “horns” are spokes of light, rays of light. As you know, when the sun comes up, rays of light shoot up from it. This is the picture we are given of His approach. I think that when the Lord Jesus comes back to take His church out of this world, a glory will be present that was not present when He was born in Bethlehem. That will also be true when He comes to the earth to establish His kingdom.
“And there was the hiding of his power.” In other words, the glory of God so covered Him that you could not see Him. The very glory of God obscures the glory of God, if you please. Oh, the majesty of His person! This is something which believers need to recognize and respect.
Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet [Hab. 3:5].
This could apply to the time of Moses in Egypt and the ten plagues; but it also could apply to Abraham who went down to Egypt because there was a famine, a pestilence, in the land.
He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting [Hab. 3:6].
“He stood, and measured the earth.” Remember that God said to Abraham, “I am going to give you this land,” and He measured it out to him. God has made the statement that He has lined up the nations of the world according to the way He gave that land to Abraham. That is an amazing thing, by the way.
“He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.” Oh, the ways of our God are past finding out! This is a marvelous psalm, my friend.
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble [Hab. 3:7].
“I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction”—Cushan is Ethiopia. “And the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.” You will recall that this man Moses went down into the land of Midian for a time. It is believed now by some scholars that Moses, as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, probably led a campaign into Ethiopia. That, of course, is not really a matter of record but rather the belief of some scholars. We do know that he “… was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22).
Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? [Hab. 3:8].
This is a reference to the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea and crossing the Jordan River. God opened up the waters for them. This is highly figurative, beautiful language, by the way. It is Hebrew poetry, and it speaks of the fact that God was not angry with the rivers because they blocked the way; rather, He merely opened up the Red Sea and let the people cross over, as He did again later with the Jordan River.
Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers [Hab. 3:9].
“Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah.” God was making good His covenant, His promise, to His people. Believe me, “selah” means that you need to pound those drums again, drummer. This should wake them up and cause them to listen to what God has to say.
“Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.” Have you ever stopped to think how God has sliced this earth with rivers? The rivers are like great slices down through the earth. What a highly figurative but accurate picture is given to us here!
The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high [Hab. 3:10].
When Moses went up to receive the Law on top of Mount Sinai, the mountain trembled, and the children of Israel were so frightened that they actually did not want to come near it. They didn’t want God to speak to them at all—they were absolutely frightened.
These verses are a picture of how God through Moses delivered the children of Israel. First, God made a covenant with Abraham, and He made it good. Then God made a covenant with Moses that He would deliver the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. He made that covenant good also, and He delivered them as He had said He would.
In verse 11 we come to Joshua. I think it is quite clear that Joshua is in the background here but, as I said before, the names of these men are not mentioned because the emphasis is upon the acts of God.
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear [Hab. 3:11].
“The sun and moon stood still in their habitation”—this immediately identifies this with Joshua.
“At the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.” In other words, the very shining of the sun was like a glittering spear.
Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger [Hab. 3:12].
When God put His people in that land, He put them in there and removed the Amorites because of the sin in their lives. The Amorites who occupied the section in which Jericho was located were eaten up with venereal disease. God moved them out of that land because they would have infected the entire human family. It was almost a plague among them in those days.
Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah [Hab. 3:13].
There has been a question as to whether “thine anointed” refers to Israel or to the Messiah. Personally, I think it means the Messiah here. “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed”—it is the Lord Jesus who is the Savior as well as the Anointed One, the Messiah.
“Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.” When the “anointed one” is mentioned here, the music is to reach the highest crescendo, what is called fortissimo. Here is where you need a good soprano and a good basso. This is great praise unto God for the salvation which He wrought for these people. He delivered them out of Egypt under Moses, and He brought them into the land through Joshua, but, these were all the acts of God.
Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters [Hab. 3:14–15].
This was God making good His promises, and this was His salvation to them.
We come now to the reaction of the prophet to all of this. I could only wish that I could do justice to the remainder of this little book and of this chapter. I know that I am totally inadequate to present it as it should be presented to you. This is one of the great passages of the Word of God. I wish that somehow I could convey to your heart something of the grandeur and the glory that is here.
When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops [Hab. 3:16].
At the end of this book, Habakkuk now gives us his own personal experience. He opened the book, as we have seen, with his own personal experience. He tells now about his own physical reaction to all of this. Did you ever have that sinking feeling in the pit of your tummy when some crisis faced you or you came to some place in life where there was a great emergency? This was Habakkuk’s experience. He says, “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice.” Have you ever been so frightened that you could not speak audibly? I am sure that most of us have had an experience like that.
I had that kind of an experience as a young man when I was going to see a certain young lady. The girl who lived next door to her also had a young man who was keeping company with her. After this other young man and I would leave their homes in the evening, there apparently was a Peeping Tom who had found a place on the porch where he could look into both of their bedrooms at the same time. Each of these girls had a sister, so that there were two girls in each home. Apparently, he had been doing this for some time. One evening, the girls next door thought they saw him pass by their window, and so they called to the home where I was. Very foolishly, the girl brought me her father’s pistol, and I walked to the alley in the back where there was a high fence. I was walking back to the house, getting ready to tell the girls there was no use being afraid and that there wasn’t anybody back there. All of a sudden, a form appeared right above me on that fence. That fellow could have jumped down upon me, but he was so frightened at seeing me that he didn’t budge—and neither did I! I tried to raise the gun to shoot, and I thank God I was so frightened that I was not able to do it. I tried to talk, but I couldn’t say anything. The girl called her father and said, “He’s choking Vernon out there!” He wasn’t choking me—I was so scared I just couldn’t open my mouth. Instead of being a hero like I intended to be that evening, I turned out to be a very sorry one. That fellow, whoever he was, dropped down on the other side of the fence and started running. I set the gun on the fence because I couldn’t hold it steady, and I shot at him twice, but he was perfectly safe. I don’t think my shots got in his neighborhood at all! I remember that experience as a time when I felt what Habakkuk describes, but mine was only a chance encounter.
Habakkuk says, “Rottenness entered into my bones.” That means he couldn’t stand up—he had to hold on to something. “And I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble.” He saw that God was going to move in judgment, and he knew that it was going to be a hard and difficult time.
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls [Hab. 3:17].
Habakkuk says, “There will be no fruit on the trees, there will be no grapes, the livestock will be gone.” All of this will be a part of the judgment of God.
POSITION OF THE PROPHET
In spite of the impending judgment, Habakkuk is able to say—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I Will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments [Hab. 3:18–19].
I want you to understand that God is our strength and our joy. God has not promised peace and prosperity in these days in which we live. So much is being promised to us today! I just threw into the wastebasket a magazine which comes from a so-called Christian organization and which told about all the things that you can get through prayer. The magazine promised that God will make you prosperous, that He will give you health, and that He will give you everything. My friend, God is not a glorified Santa Claus! But our God is moving in a very definite way. If you want an answer to your problems, Habakkuk gives you the answer here. That answer is simply this: God is the answer to your problems.
In the beginning of this book, Habakkuk came to God and said, “Why are You doing these things? Why are You permitting me to see evil? Why don’t You move?” God brought Habakkuk to the watchtower and let him see what He was doing, and now Habakkuk says, “I am going to walk by faith with God.” My friend, God is the answer to your problem today. I don’t know who you are or what your problem is, but God is the answer. You can have faith and confidence in Him. God has a purpose in your life, and He intends to carry it through. You can trust Christ, and, when you trust Him, you will find that He begins to work in you. He wants to conform you to His image—it is God’s intention to make you like Christ.
The apostle Paul writes: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:28–29). Regardless of the big words Paul uses, he simply means that God’s eternal purpose with you is to make you like Jesus Christ. Again, he writes in 2 Corinthians: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). My friend, God has a purpose for you. It does not matter who you are. To say that someone else has a greater purpose in life than you have is entirely wrong. You are as important in God’s plan and purpose as any individual who has ever lived on this earth or who ever will live on this earth. He wants to make you like Christ. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:47–49: “The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” We are down here in these human bodies which have actually been taken out of the dirt; and God has made us human beings, but that is not His final purpose. We are earthy, but He wants us to be heavenly, and that is His goal for us.
Imagine that you live in the day of Michelangelo. One day you visit his studio, and you see there a rough piece of stone, which is dirty and polluted because it has come out of a dark and damp quarry. It is a hard piece of marble—crude, unyielding, cold, unlovely, and unsightly. But you come back in six months, and what has happened? Why, it has become a statue of David or of the archangel Michael. May I say to you, just as Michelangelo had a purpose for that crude piece of marble, God has a purpose for you and me today. We are earthy, but He has a heavenly purpose for us. You see, the ideal of the artist (who is the Holy Spirit) is to conform us to the image of Christ. The chisel He uses is the discipline of the Lord—“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth …” (Heb. 12:6). And the hammer is the Word of God. And therefore we can say with the psalmist, “… I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:15).
My friend, God is the answer to your questions. God is the answer to your problems. Therefore, it does not matter who you are or where you are; you can rejoice in Him, and you can rejoice in His salvation. You can say with Habakkuk, who was such a pessimist in the beginning, “I will joy in the God of my salvation.” This book opened in gloom, but it closes in glory. It opened with a question mark, but it closes with a mighty exclamation point. And it ends with his wonderful song. May you and I be encouraged today by the Word of God!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Freeman, Hobart E. Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1973.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Judah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975. (Obadiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk.)
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Zephaniah
INTRODUCTION
Zephaniah identifies himself better than any of the other minor prophets. Habakkuk concealed himself in silence—we know nothing about his background—but Zephaniah goes to the opposite extreme and tells us more than is ordinary. He traces his lineage back to his great-great-grandfather, Hizkiah (whom we know as Hezekiah), king of Judah. In other words, Zephaniah was of the royal line.
Zephaniah located the time of his writing just as clearly as he did his identification: “in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah” (Zeph. 1:1). It was a dark day for the nation. According to the arrangement of the Hebrew Scriptures, Zephaniah was the last of the prophets before the Captivity. He was contemporary with Jeremiah and perhaps with Micah, although I doubt that. His was the swan song of the Davidic kingdom, and he is credited with giving impetus to the revival during the reign of Josiah.
The little Book of Zephaniah will never take the place of John 3:16 and the Gospel of John as number one in Bible popularity. The contents of this book have never been familiar, and I doubt that it has been read very much. I dare say that few have ever heard a sermon on Zephaniah. One Sunday morning several years ago, as I was about to preach on this book, I asked the congregation how many had ever heard a message on Zephaniah before. Out of the 2500–3000 who were present, only two hands were raised! Such neglect is not due to the mediocrity or the inferiority of this little book. If its theme were known, I think it would be very much appreciated because it has the same theme as the Gospel of John. John is called the apostle of love; and as we study this book, we will find that Zephaniah is the prophet of love. That may be difficult for you to believe, but let me give you a verse to demonstrate my point. You are acquainted with John 3:16, but are you acquainted with Zephaniah 3:17?—“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” This is lovely, is it not? However, Zephaniah is a little different from the Gospel of John, for this verse is just a small island which is sheltered in the midst of a storm-tossed sea. Much of this book seems rather harsh and cruel; it seems as if it is fury poured out. Chapter 3 opens in this vein: “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!” (Zeph. 3:1). There is so much judgment in this little book; therefore, how can love be its theme? To find proof that love is the theme of this little book is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, but I will illustrate my point by telling you a mystery story. This may seem to be a very peculiar way to begin a study of Zephaniah, but it is going to help us understand this little book. The title of my story is—
THE DARK SIDE OF LOVE
It was late at night in a suburban area of one of our great cities in America. A child lay restless in her bed. A man, with a very severe and stern look, stealthily entered her bedroom and softly approached her bed. The moment the little girl saw him, a terrified look came over her face, and she began to scream. Her mother rushed into the room and went over to her. The trembling child threw her arms about her mother.
The man withdrew to the telephone, called someone, who was evidently an accomplice, and in a very soft voice made some sort of an arrangement. Hastily the man reentered the room, tore the child from the mother’s arms, and rushed out to a waiting car. The child was sobbing, and he attempted to stifle her cries. He drove madly down street after street until he finally pulled up before a large, sinister, and foreboding-looking building. All was quiet, the building was partially dark, but there was one room upstairs ablaze with light.
The child was hurriedly taken inside, up to the lighted room, and put into the hands of the man with whom the conversation had been held over the telephone in the hallway. In turn, the child was handed over to another accomplice—this time a woman—and these two took her into an inner room. The man who had brought her was left outside in the hallway. Inside the room, the man plunged a gleaming, sharp knife into the vitals of that little child, and she lay as if she were dead.
Your reaction at this point may be, “I certainly hope they will catch the criminal who abducted the little girl and is responsible for such an awful crime!”
However, I have not described to you the depraved and degraded action of a debased mind. I have not taken a chapter out of the life of the man in Cell 2455, Death Row. I have not related to you the sordid and sadistic crime of a psychopathic criminal. On the contrary, I have described to you a tender act of love. In fact, I can think of no more sincere demonstration of love than that which I have described to you. I am sure you are amazed when I say that. Let me fill in some of the details, and then you will understand.
You see, that little girl had awakened in the night with severe abdominal pain. She had been subject to such attacks before, and the doctor had told her parents to watch her very carefully. It was her father who had hurried into the room. When he saw the suffering of his little girl, he went to the telephone, called the family physician, and arranged to meet him at the hospital. He then rushed the little girl down to the hospital and handed her over to the family physician who took her to the operating room and performed emergency surgery.
Through it all, every move and every act of that father was of tender love, anxious care, and wise decision. I have described to you the dark side of love—but love, nevertheless. The father loved the child just as much on that dark night when he took her to the hospital and delivered her to the surgeon’s knife as he did the next week when he brought her flowers and candy. It was just as much a demonstration of deep affection when he delivered her into the hands of the surgeon as it was the next week when he brought her home and delivered her into the arms of her mother. My friend, love places the eternal security and permanent welfare of the object of love above any transitory or temporary comfort or present pleasure down here upon this earth. Love seeks the best interests of the beloved. That is what this little Book of Zephaniah is all about—the dark side of love.
In our nation we have come through a period when the love of God has been exaggerated out of all proportion to the other attributes of our God. It has been presented in such a way that the love of God is a weakness rather than a strength. It has been presented on the sunny side of the street with nothing of the other side ever mentioned. There is a “love” of God presented that sounds to me like the doting of grandparents rather than the vital and vigorous concern of a parent for the best interests of the child.
The liberal preacher has chanted like a parrot. He has used shopworn clichés and tired adjectives. He has said, “God is love, God is love, God is love” until he has made it saccharine sweet; yet he has not told about the dark side of the love of God. He has watered down love, making it sickening rather than stimulating, causing it to slop over on every side like a sentimental feeling rather than an abiding concern for the object of love.
However, I want you to notice that there is the dark side of the love of God. He deals with us according to our needs, my friend. The Great Physician will put His child on the operating table. He will use the surgeon’s knife when He sees a tumor of transgression or a deadly virus sapping our spiritual lives or the cancerous growth of sin. He does not hesitate to deal with us severely. We must learn this fact early: He loves us when He is subjecting us to surgery just as much as when He sends us candy and flowers and brings us into the sunshine.
Sometimes the Great Physician will operate without giving us so much as a sedative. But you can always be sure of one thing. When He does this, He will pour in the balm of Gilead. When He sees that it is best for you and for me to go down through the valley of suffering, that it will be for our eternal welfare, He will not hesitate to let us go down through that dark valley. Someone has expressed it in these lines:
Is there no other way, Oh, God,
Except through sorrow, pain and loss,
To stamp Christ’s likeness on my soul,
No other way except the cross?
And then a voice stills all my soul,
As stilled the waves of Galilee.
Can’st thou not bear the furnace,
If midst the flames I walk with thee?
I bore the cross, I know its weight;
I drank the cup I hold for thee.
Can’st thou not follow where I lead?
I’ll give thee strength, lean hard on Me!
My friend, He loves us most when He is operating on us, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth …” (Heb. 12:6)—in other words, He child-trains, He disciplines us.
Under another figure, the Lord Jesus presented it yonder in the Upper Room to those who were His own. He said, in John 15:1–2: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth [prunes] it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” We must remember that the Father reaches into your life and mine and prunes out that which is not fruitbearing—and it hurts! But, as a Puritan divine said years ago, “The husbandman is never so close to the branch as when he is trimming it.” The Father is never more close to you, my friend, than when He is reaching in and taking out of your heart and life those things that offend.
It was Spurgeon who noticed a weather vane that a farmer had on his barn. It was an unusual weather vane, for on it the farmer had the words, GOD IS LOVE. Mr. Spurgeon asked him, “Do you mean by this that God’s love is as changeable as the wind?” The farmer shook his head. “No,” he said, “I do not mean that God’s love changes like that. I mean that whichever way the wind blows, God is love.”
Today it may be the soft wind from the south that He brings to blow across your life, for He loves you. But tomorrow He may let the cold blasts from the north blow over your life—and if He does, He still loves you.
It has been expressed in these familiar lines in a way I never could express it myself.
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
—Annie Johnson Flint
Beloved, if you are a child of God and are in a place of suffering, be assured and know that God loves you. Regardless of how it may appear, He loves you, and you cannot ever change that fact.
Sweetness and light are associated with love on every level and rightly so, but this aspect does not exhaust the full import of love. Love expresses itself always for the good of the one who is loved. This is the reason that it is difficult to associate love with the judgment of God. The popular notion of God is that He is a super Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One nature of His is expressed by love, and the other nature is expressed by wrath in judgment. These two appear to be contrary to the extent that there seem to be two Gods. The Book of Zephaniah is filled with the wrath and judgment of God (see Zeph. 1:15; 3:8), but there is the undertone of the love of God (see Zeph. 3:17).
Let me now tell you a true story to illustrate the dark side of love. One Mother’s Day, while I was still a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I looked out over my congregation, and I could tell that there were many mothers present. They were dressed a little special for the day, and many of them were wearing corsages. But I also noticed one mother who did not look as happy as the others. There was a note of sorrow on her face, although she wore a beautiful orchid corsage, the biggest one I had ever seen. I knew that it came from her son in the East. He is a prominent businessman, and high up in government circles as well, but he is not a Christian. He turns a deaf ear to his mother’s pleadings. She prays for him constantly and asks others to pray for him. I recall that one Sunday morning she came to me, with tears streaming down her cheeks, and she said, “Oh, Dr. McGee, I pray that God will save my boy. I pray that He will save him even if He has to put him on a sickbed.” Then, almost fiercely, she said, “Even if He has to kill him, I pray that God will save him before it is too late!” Suppose a detective from the police department had been listening to our conversation. Would he have arrested her for making that statement? No. He could not have arrested her at all. What she said was not a threat but was actually a statement of love. Because she loved that boy, she was actually willing to give him up and to let him go down through the doorway of death if it would mean the salvation of his soul.
The little prophecy of Zephaniah presents the dark side of the love of God. He is a God of love, but He is also a God of judgment. Zephaniah opens with the rumblings of judgment, and you will not find judgment enunciated in any more harsh manner than it is in this book.
Two thoughts stand out in this brief book:
1. “The day of the Lord” occurs seven times in this little prophecy. Obadiah and Joel, the first of the writing prophets, were the first to use this expression. All of the prophets refer to it; and now Zephaniah, the last of the writing prophets, before the Captivity, brings it to our attention again. He uses it more than any of the other prophets. The actual phrase occurs seven times, but there are other references to it. This expression has particular application to the Great Tribulation Period, which precedes the kingdom; but the Day of the Lord also includes the time of the kingdom. The Great Tribulation Period is ended by the coming of Christ personally to the earth to establish the millennial kingdom—and all of that is included in the Day of the Lord. The emphasis in the Book of Zephaniah is upon judgment. Joel also opens his prophecy with a description of a great locust plague, which he likens to the Day of the Lord that is coming in the future. Joel says that the Day of the Lord is not light; it is darkness. It is on the black background of man’s sin that God writes in letters of light the wonderful gospel story for you and me.
2. “Jealousy” occurs twice in this book. God’s jealousy is on a little different plane from that of yours and mine. In our jealousy, we seek to do evil. God is jealous of those who are His own. He is jealous of mankind. He created him, and He has purchased a redemption for him, and made it possible for him to be saved. It is not His will that any should perish; He wants them saved—He is jealous for mankind. But when they don’t turn to Him, He is going to judge them. The thing which the Book of Zephaniah makes clear is that God is glorified in judging as well as He is glorified in saving. A great many people cannot understand how that is possible. Ezekiel 38–39 speaks of the time in the future when God will judge Russia. We read there, “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezek. 38:16). In other words, God is saying, “I intend to judge this godless nation, and when I do, I shall be glorified in that judgment.” That is a tremendous statement for God to make, and for a great many people, it is a bitter pill to swallow. But it might be well for us to learn to think God’s thoughts after Him, realizing that our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways at all.
OUTLINE
I. Judgment of Judah and Jerusalem, Chapter 1
II. Judgment of the Earth and of All Nations, Chapters 2:1–3:8
III. All Judgments Removed; Kingdom Established, Chapters 3:9–20
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Judgment of Judah and Jerusalem
The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah [Zeph. 1:1].
Zephaniah identifies himself as being of the royal family. Hezekiah, king of Judah, was his great-great-grandfather. Zephaniah prophesied during the days of the reign of Josiah, which was the period of the last spiritual movement that took place in the southern kingdom of Judah. There was a revival during that time—it wasn’t a great one, it didn’t last long, but there was a revival. Zephaniah knew something of the reigns of Amon, an evil king, and of Manasseh, also a terrible king. He saw that judgment was coming upon his nation and upon his people, and his message is a very harsh one.
I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord [Zeph. 1:2].
This is certainly strong language. God says, “I intend to judge, and when I do, I will actually scrape the land. The land will be as if a dirt scraper had been run over it. Just as you wipe clean a dish, that is the way I intend to judge them.”
As we move further into this prophecy, we will recognize that this judgment covers more than just the land of Israel. It is a worldwide devastation that is predicted here. The Book of Revelation confirms this and places the time of this judgment as the Great Tribulation Period. During that period, this earth will absolutely be denuded by the judgments that will come upon it. This will occur right before God brings in the millennial kingdom and renews the earth.
I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord [Zeph. 1:3].
“I will consume man and beast”—all living creatures are included in this judgment. When I was in the land of Israel, I was told that they have a zoo somewhere up around the Sea of Galilee. They are making an effort to gather together the animals that were in existence in Bible days and to put them in this zoo. Obviously, as the population of Israel increases, the same thing will happen as has happened in the United States. Certain animal species will become extinct and disappear. God says that this is exactly what is going to happen when He judges that land. Many species—in fact, all of them—will become extinct at that time. This is to be a very severe judgment.
I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests [Zeph. 1:4].
“I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” God now makes it clear that Judah and Jerusalem are to be singled out for judgment.
“I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place.” The thing that brings the judgment of God upon the land is very specific—it is idolatry. In the prophecy of Habakkuk, God mentions five woes He was going to bring upon the people because of certain sins which they had committed. Idolatry was the last one; it was the fifth woe. But here Zephaniah narrows it down and puts his hand on idolatry—that is, false religion.
The Scriptures, beginning with the Book of Judges, teach a philosophy of human government, which you will find was true of God’s people and which has been true of every nation. The first step in a nation’s decline is religióus apostasy, a turning from the living and true God. The second step downward for a nation is moral awfulness. The third step downward is political anarchy.
A great many people in the United States today think that our problem is in Washington, D.C.—I don’t think so. Another group of people feel that if people could be reformed, if we could get people to act nicely, not be violent and not steal, if we could just lift our moral standards, then that would solve our problems. Again, I don’t think that is the problem. Very frankly, I believe that the problem in this country is religious apostasy. The problem is out yonder with you and right here with me. The problem is that the church has failed to give God’s message. I am not talking about every church or your church necessarily. There are many Bible-teaching churches across this country which have wonderful pastors who are standing for God—and I thank God for them. But the great denominations, by and large, have now departed from the faith. They have come to the place where they no longer give an effective message to the nation. As a result, from this religious apostasy have flowed moral awfulness and political anarchy.
If you think that this is just the wild raving of a fundamentalist preacher, you are wrong. Let me quote an excerpt from an editorial in a major metropolitan newspaper a number of years ago. Speaking of the failure of the churches to present any spiritual message whatsoever, the editorial concluded:
This betrayal of Christ in the name of Christianity is one reason for the moral and spiritual malaise with which this country is afflicted. The melancholy fact is that the churches no longer influence the development of national character. People go to church mainly because of an impulse to participate in a service of worship, not because of any spiritual guidance they expect from the clergyman.
What a note of condemnation this is! This is true not just of our nation but of every nation.
The historian Gibbon concluded that there were five reasons for the decline and fall of Rome. Gibbon was not a Christian, but here is why he says Rome fell: (1) The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. (2) Higher and higher taxes; the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace. (3) The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting, more brutal, more immoral. (4) The building of great armaments when the great enemy was within; the decay of individual responsibility. (5) The decay of religion, fading into mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people.
The message of Zephaniah carries out this scriptural principle of human government, and he puts his finger right down on the sore spot in the southern kingdom of Judah—idolatry. Zephaniah saw what was happening. The people were now on the toboggan; they were on the way down and out, and judgment was coming. Idolatry is where every great nation has gone off the track. When a nation departs from the living and true God or when it gives up great moral principles which were based on religion, when it goes into idolatry, these factors eventually lead it into gross immorality and into political anarchy.
The interesting thing is that three kinds of idolatry, I believe, are mentioned to us here. “I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place.” The first form of idolatry is the worship of Baal which was introduced into the northern kingdom by Jezebel whose father was the high priest of the worship among the Sidonians. In the southern kingdom, the worship of Baal was popularized and the altars of Baal were rebuilt during the reign of Manasseh. This is an instance which illustrates why it would be wonderful to study at the same time the corresponding portions of the prophetic and historical books of Scripture. At this point it would be helpful to read the background of the reign of Manasseh (see 2 Kings 21; 2 Chron. 33). No king ever departed as far from God as this man did. He reintroduced the worship of Baal, which was a very immoral form of worship. Along with the worship of Baal was worship of Astoreth. When the female principal is introduced in deity, you have gross immorality; and that, of course, came into the life of the nation during this period. Baal worship was a form, therefore, of nature worship and was very crude indeed. When Josiah became king (he was a good king), the first thing he did was to try to remove the worship of Baal.
“And the name of the Chemarims with the priests.”—Chemarims actually means “black priests”—they wore black garments. Have you noticed that those who engage in the worship of Satan today don black garments? It is quite interesting that it is not original with them. It comes all the way down from these idolatrous priests who wore black robes. Zephaniah says that these priests are to be judged.
And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham [Zeph. 1:5].
“And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops.” Zephaniah now mentions the second form of idolatry that became prevalent in that land. It was more subtle and very dangerous indeed. Their housetops were flat—that is true even today in the land of Israel. It is the place where the family gathered in the evening. In fact, God gave a law about putting a banister, a railing, around the roof so that no one would fall off. Zephaniah says that the housetop became a place of worship, and you can see how idolatry was moving into the homes. It meant that actually every home was a little heathen temple where idolatry was practiced; idolatry was really reaching into the homes.
“Them that worship the host of heaven”—the sun, the moon, the stars. It was a worship of the creature rather than the Creator. They worshiped that which had been made rather than worshiping the Creator. This was the second form of idolatry which they adopted.
The worst, the most sophisticated and the most subtle of all the forms of idolatry, is the one that is mentioned next—“and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham.” Malcham is the name for Molech, the god of the Ammonites. It was a worship in which they actually sacrificed their children. The subtlety of it was that at the same time they professed to worship the living and true God. They went to the temple. They said that they knew the Lord, that they believed in God. But they also worshiped Molech—they were doing both.
This is the subtle thing that is also taking place today. There are many so—called churches that by the wildest stretch of the imagination could never be called Christian churches. The true church is built around a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. The early church met together to worship and adore Him, to come to know Him, and to have fellowship around Him. Everything they did pointed to Jesus Christ. How many churches do you know of where Christ is not even mentioned? If He is mentioned, He is mentioned in a derogatory manner. In other words, His deity is denied. They deny that He is God. They do not worship Him, but they give lip service to Him. They talk about the teachings of Jesus and about what a wonderful man He was. They even call Him a “superstar”! But they deny everything that has been set down in the Scriptures for us as Christians. It is a castrated Christianity that is abroad today.
This is the kind of subtle idolatry that was coming up in the land of Judah in that day. People were still going through the rituals, still going to the temple on the Sabbath. I don’t think they came any other time, but they were there then. However, they were actually worshiping Molech. Molech was the god of the flesh. It was a fleshly worship—again, there was gross immorality. Likewise today, there are those who go to church—they have a churchianity but not a Christianity. They deny the great facts of the Christian faith. They practice immorality, or they practice things that are contrary to the Word of God. This is the picture of Judah in that day, and it is the subtlety of the hour in which we live. A great many people think that if a building has a steeple on it, a bell in that steeple, an organ, a big center aisle for weddings, a pulpit down front, and a choir loft, these make it a church. My friend, it may be one of the worst spots in town! It may be worse than any bar-room, any gambling establishment, or any brothel in town. This is the thing that is so deceptive. The thing that undermined the nation of Judah is that they pretended that they were serving the living and true God, but they were giving themselves over to Molech idolatry.
And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired for him [Zeph. 1:6].
The people have turned completely from God. Two classes are mentioned: backsliders and those who were never saved.
Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests [Zeph. 1:7].
“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God.” The suggestion is, “Hush, hush. Don’t talk out. Don’t speak out. No protesting. You are in the presence of the living God.” There is a great lack of reverence for God today. This notion that Jesus is sort of a buddy, that God is the man upstairs, and that we can be very flippant when we speak of Him, is all wrong. May I say to you, our God is a holy God. If you and I were to come within a billion miles of Him, we would fall down on our faces before Him because of who He is. He is the great God, the Creator of the universe, and we are merely little creatures.
“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God.” Why? “For the day of the Lord is at hand.” This is the first mention of the Day of the Lord in this book. The Day of the Lord is presented here primarily as the time of judgment. If you want to fit it into God’s program, it is the Great Tribulation Period—that is when it begins. Today, you and I are living in the day of Christ, the day of grace. The Day of the Lord will begin when the church leaves this earth. Then God will begin to move in judgment.
Prior to that day, which is still in the future, there have been times which have been likened unto the Day of the Lord. When Nebuchadnezzar finally came and destroyed Jerusalem, burned it to the ground, and plowed it under, he left that land denuded. If you go to that land today, there are very few trees. Oh, I know that Israel has planted millions of trees, but you see barren hills everywhere. At one time those hills were all covered with trees and vineyards. It was a land of milk and honey, but it is not that today. There is still evidence of that which the enemy did. The Babylonians who came under Nebuchadnezzar were followed later by the Medo-Persians, then Alexander the Great, and finally the Romans. Enemy after enemy has come into that land. As a result, very few trees are left, and the land is almost completely denuded today. God made it very clear that that was what He was going to do—and He did it. The evidence is still there today. That judgment was for those people “the day of the Lord,” but it does not completely satisfy these prophecies. Zephaniah makes it very clear that the Day of the Lord is that day which is yet in the future and which will be consummated when Christ comes and establishes His kingdom here upon this earth.
With almost biting sarcasm, Zephaniah says, “For the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.” The guests are going to be the sacrifice, by the way, and the sacrifice is the judgment that is coming upon this nation.
And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel [Zeph. 1:8].
The thought here is that the rulers had turned away from God. All you have to do is to refer to the time when Zedekiah reigned. He was the last of the kings, and he actually saw his own children killed right before his eyes, and then his own eyes were put out (see 2 Kings 24–25). That was surely harsh judgment, but they had had the warning from God. To these people, this was like the Day of the Lord.
In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit [Zeph. 1:9].
Dr. Charles Feinberg (Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Malachi, p. 48) writes, “What is referred to is the zeal with which the servants of the rich hastened from their homes to plunder the property of others to enrich their masters.” There were those who would take over the land and the homes of the poor. What was happening in that day was that the great middle class disappeared and you had the extreme rich and the extreme poor. The same thing is certainly happening in my own country today. God says to these people that He is going to judge them for this.
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills [Zeph. 1:10].
“And it shall come to pass in that day”—this is clearly a reference to the Day of the Lord.
“That there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate.” The fish gate is what is known today as the Damascus Gate. It was the gate through which they brought the fish from the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. It is located on the north side of the city of Jerusalem.
“And an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.” The Damascus Gate today is down in a rather low place. If you are acquainted with Jerusalem, you know that the city is surrounded by hills. Zephaniah is saying that in any direction you would want to move, there will be this wailing of the people when the time of judgment has come upon them.
Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off [Zeph. 1:11].
Maktesh means “mortar”. There is supposed to have been a depression in the city of Jerusalem where the marketplace was situated. It was perhaps the cheesemakers’ valley. It was the valley that went alongside the temple where the Wailing Wall is today—which is a good place for it. “Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.”
And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil [Zeph. 1:12].
“And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles.” In other words, it is like taking a flashlight and going to look for an individual who is hiding in the dark. God says, “I intend to search out Jerusalem just like that. I will bring to light all the evil and the sin.”
“And punish the men that are settled on their lees.” This is an idiomatic expression that corresponds, I think, to our idiom today when we say, “Take it easy.” These people were taking it easy. They lived in an affluent society, and they were taking it easy. They did not believe they would be judged any more than people today believe that we are to be judged as a nation.
“That say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.” They are saying, “God’s doing nothing. God is not going to do anything about it.” Habakkuk’s question was, “Why don’t you do something about the evil, Lord?” God told him, “I am doing something.” And when Habakkuk was given a vision and saw what God was really doing, he cried out to God for mercy for the people. A great many people today say, “I’ll ignore God. He doesn’t do good. He doesn’t do evil.” They are absolutely neutral about God. This type of thinking, of course, is what led to the abominable theology that God is dead. Only a society like ours could have produced that kind of theology, because people in an affluent society say, “We don’t need God at all.” As a result, they think that He doesn’t do good, He doesn’t do evil, He doesn’t do anything. But they are greatly mistaken, and Zephaniah is going to make that very clear to us.
Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof [Zeph. 1:13].
“Therefore their goods shall become a booty.” The goods which they took by plundering and pillaging and robbing are going to be taken away from them in just the same way as they got them.
“And their houses a desolation”—in other words, there would be ghost towns in Israel.
“They shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.” God had given a law to these people that when a man planted a vineyard, he was not to go to ward until he had eaten the fruit of that vineyard. Another law said that if a man married, he was to be excused from going to war for a year. Here God is saying that they are going to plant vineyards, but they are not going to drink the wine of them because they have sinned. They won’t be able to take time off from warfare. Neither will they be able to take time off when they get married because the enemy is going to come in like a flood.
The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly [Zeph. 1:14].
“The great day of the Lord is near.” This great Day of the Lord is the time of the Great Tribulation in the future. In Zephaniah’s day, after Josiah ruled, there never arose in the southern kingdom another good king. Every one of them was bad. Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah—every one of them was a corrupt king. Now judgment is going to come upon the nation and upon the people for their departure from God. But they are going to experience only a very small portion of what is in the future in the great Day of the Lord.
Zephaniah says, “It is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.” In other words, the concept of the Wailing Wall would come into existence. And it is going to be there until after the Great Tribulation Period because Israel will never know peace until the Prince of Peace comes and they acknowledge their Messiah.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness [Zeph. 1:15].
Dr. Charles Feinberg is an excellent Hebrew scholar, and he calls our attention to many things that you and I would normally pass over. I would highly recommend to you his work on the minor prophets. There is a play upon words in this verse that Dr. Feinberg brings out which we miss in the English, of course: “The Hebrew words for wasteness and desolation—sho’ah and umesho’ah—are alike in sound to convey the monotony of the destruction.” But we do have in the English an alliteration that reveals something of it. It is a day of trouble, then distress, desolation, darkness, and thick darkness, so that there is a play upon words even in the English.
Zephaniah is speaking here of the harshness, the intensity of the judgment that is coming, and the question naturally arises: How can a God of love do a thing like this? We will find before we finish our study of this book that it is like the story I told in the Introduction of the father who took his little child to the surgeon to be operated upon. The picture can be presented in such a way that it looks like he is being cruel and harsh to bring her to the doctor who will plunge his knife into her. But actually, everything the father did was out of love for his little girl. Even the great day of wrath is a judgment of God, but it has in it the love of God. Regardless of what takes place, God is love. It is like the farmer who had on his barn the weather vane which said on it, GOD IS LOVE. The farmer explained it by saying, “Regardless of which way the wind blows, God is love.” That is true, my friend.
Even in judgment, God is still a God of love. And He judges because it is essential for Him to judge that which is evil. He does that because He has to be true to Himself, and He could not be good to His creatures unless He did that. If God is going to permit sin throughout eternity, if God does not intend to judge sin, if you and I are going to have to wrestle with disease and with heartbreak and with disappointment and with sorrow throughout eternity, I cannot conceive that He is a God of love. But if you tell me that God is going to judge sin, that He is coming in with a mighty judgment, and that He is going to remove sin from His universe, I’m going to say, “Hallelujah!” And I will believe that He is a God of love even when He does that.
A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers [Zeph. 1:16].
When God gave to the nation Israel the trumpets that they were to blow on the wilderness march, there were several ways in which they were to be used. Having mentioned the different ways the two silver trumpets were to be used, the Lord says in Numbers 10:9, “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” Zephaniah says here that it is “a day of the trumpet”; they are going to blow the alarm, but God does not intend to deliver them. Why? He intends to judge them. He intends to deliver them over to the enemy, not deliver them from the enemy. It is to be “A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.”
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung [Zeph. 1:17].
This is extreme judgment, I’ll grant you. But, you know, surgery today is extreme. After my doctor operated on me the first time for cancer, I was asking him about the operation. He told me, “I cut on you until there was almost a question as to which pile was McGee!” It’s a pretty harsh thing to cut on a fellow like that, but my doctor didn’t do it because he was angry with me. He didn’t do it even in judgment. He did it actually to save my life, and I believe that on the human level he did save my life by that severe method. May I say to you, God will judge, and He does it in an extreme way. He does extreme surgery, but He does it for the sake of the body politic.
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land [Zeph. 1:18].
It has been quite interesting that this nation in which I live has spent billions of dollars throughout the world trying to buy friends, trying to win friends and influence people. But we are hated throughout the world today—we are not loved. You cannot buy love; you cannot win people over with silver and gold. But in this country we still believe that money solves all the ills of this life, that money is the answer to all the problems. God says that when He begins to judge, “neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath.”
“But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.” God removed them from the land. Why did He do that? He did that because He loved them. If He had not done it, it would have been necessary to exterminate totally succeeding generations. For the sake of the future generations—so not all would have to be slain—God had to move in and cut away the cancer of sin that was destroying the nation.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Judgment of the earth and of all nations
God has not only judged His own people, but God also judges the nations; and that is the subject of this chapter and through verse 8 of chapter 3. But God is gracious, long-suffering, and not willing that any should perish; therefore, He sends out a final call. Although you would think that He had reached the end of His patience, in the first three verses, we find Zephaniah sending out God’s last call to the nation of Judah to repent and to come to Him.
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired [Zeph. 2:1].
“Gather yourselves together.” They are to come together as a people, as Dr. Feinberg has stated it, “… to a religious assembly to entreat the favor of the Lord in order that by prayer He may turn away His judgment” (Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Malachi, p. 53).
“Yea, gather together, O nation not desired.” Their sin, of course, has caused God to bring judgment upon them. But it is not that He does not desire them; it is not because He does not love them. Judgment came upon them because of their sin. They were repugnant, they were repulsive; yet they were insensible to the shame of their sinful condition. Their sin had reached a very low stage, and they were dead to shame; they had no sense of decency at all. They were shameless in their conduct. We would say that they had no sensitivity to sin whatsoever. They sinned with impudence. They would sin openly and actually boast of it.
We have come to that same place as a nation today. Someone said to me not long ago, “Dr. McGee, you speak as if America is sinning more and is in a worse condition today than it ever was before.” I do not mean to imply that at all. However, I do believe that there was just as much sin when I was growing up as there is today, but the sin was carried on behind the curtain or in the backyard or someplace else where it could not be seen. It was not flaunted before the world. It was not boasted of. In other words, it was not shameless sin as it is at the present time. I heard a very beautiful young woman on a talk program on television boast of the fact that she is living with a man to whom she is not married. The others on the program congratulated her for her “courage” and “broad-mindedness.” Nobody called it shameless sin. Sin is right out in the open today. I don’t think there is more sin—it is just out in the open where you can see it. They sinned in my day, that’s for sure, but it was done under cover. It was done secretly, and there was a sense of sorrow for sin which we seem to have lost today. You and I do not know how repulsive our sin is to God. We spend very little time weeping over our sins.
Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you [Zeph. 2:2].
God says, “Come together for prayer. Come together for repentance. Come together and turn to Me.” There is a note of urgency here. Zephaniah is saying to the people, “Do this before God begins to move in judgment, because when you pass over the line and God begins to move in judgment, you will find out it’s too late.”
One of the things that is needed today in my country is for someone whose voice is heard to call our nation to prayer and to repentance. My nation has almost reached the end of its rope. This is a great need, and that kind of prayer God will hear and answer.
Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger [Zeph. 2:3].
“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment.” There has always been a remnant of those people who are true to God just as there is a remnant in the church today. I doubt that there are many churches—no matter how liberal they may be—who are without some members who are real believers. Now I don’t understand why they are there, and I don’t propose to sit in judgment on them, but there is a remnant within the liberal church today. God has always had a remnant in the world, and apparently He is speaking here to those who are the godly remnant in Judah.
“Seek righteousness.” The remnant also should be very careful of the way they live their lives. “Seek meekness.” They are not to be lifted up by arrogance and pride and self-sufficiency, for that was one of the great sins of the nation. This is also a danger among believers today. Someone has said that there is “a pride of race, a pride of face, and a pride of grace.” Some people are even proud that they have been saved by grace! They feel that that is something for them to boast about. They feel that they are the peculiar and particular pets of almighty God because of their salvation! My friend, we have nothing to glory in. The apostle Paul said that he had nothing to glory in, and believe me, if Paul didn’t have anything to glory in, I’m sure that none of us has. There is a danger of being proud of the fact that we are God’s children, but it ought rather to lead to meekness. He says here, “Seek righteousness, seek meekness.”
“It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” It is a glorious, wonderful thing to be hidden in the cleft of the rock and to be covered by His wings. God’s children need to recognize that, although they will not go through the Great Tribulation Period, they may experience a great deal of judgment and a great deal of trouble just as these people did. Judah did not go through the Great Tribulation, the great Day of the Lord, but they certainly were going through, as I like to put it, “the little tribulation period.” All of us are going to have tribulation to a certain extent in this life—we are going to have trouble. I heard the story years ago of a woman who was a maid and was complaining about her troubles. Apparently she had quite a few of them. When the lady of the house rather rebuked her for complaining, the woman replied, “When the good Lord sends me tribulation, I intend to tribulate.” I agree with her. I believe we ought to tribulate. Paul says that we groan within these bodies, but that does not mean we are in the Great Tribulation nor that there is a chance of our going through it.
We come now to a section, beginning with verse 4 and going on down to verse 8 of chapter 3, in which we see the judgment of the nations. This passage reveals that God judges all the nations of this earth. The God of the Bible is not a local deity. He is not one that you put on a shelf. He is not one that is local or national. It has been the great error of the white race when attempting to “Christianize” a people by bringing them the gospel, also to try to make them live as we live and to adopt our customs and our methods. Well, there are a lot of different people on the topside of this earth, and they are all people for whom Christ died. Our business is to get them to hear the gospel, to get the Word of God to them, and then let them work their Christian life into their own customs and into their own patterns of life. I am told that my ancestors in Europe were pagan, eating raw meat, and living in caves, and when the gospel was brought to them, it did a great deal for them. The early missionaries who came to my ancestors didn’t try to make them like they were. Apparently, the missionaries let them develop their own civilization, and we should do the same thing with others.
The God of the Bible is the God of this universe. He is the Creator of the universe and of mankind. And He is the Redeemer of mankind. Notice that He is going to judge these other nations, not just His own people. And He judges other nations for their sin. God has put up certain standards that have become worldwide. They have been written into the Ten Commandments, which God gave to Moses. All nations have a sense of right and wrong, although they may vary on what is right and what is wrong. A missionary was telling me about a tribe he had worked with out in the South Seas. They were headhunters; they were cannibals. But he said that they had a high sense of honesty. He told me that you could take your pocketbook with your money in it and put it down in the center of where the tribe dwelt and leave it there for a week, and nobody would touch it. But, of course, they didn’t mind eating their mother-in-law for dinner. (You would never know exactly what they meant when they said they had their mother-in-law for dinner—whether she came over to eat with them or whether they ate her!) But they did have a high sense of honesty, which is something I don’t think we have in my country today. A lady told me that she left her purse on the counter in a department store, and when she returned in less than a minute, the purse was gone with no trace of it anywhere. But, of course, that thief was not going to eat his mother-in-law for dinner that evening. Standards apparently vary, but God has given to the nations of the world certain standards. You find them in all the nations of the earth. No nation could be a civilized nation if it did not recognize some of these. But when a people depart from the living and true God, they go into the deepest kind of paganism and heathenism and reach a place where God gives them up.
God now begins His judgment of the nations—
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up [Zeph. 2:4].
Mentioned here are four of the cities of the Philistines which are going to be judged. Somebody might ask, “Why didn’t He mention Gath? It was a prominent place.” Well, at this time Gath was pretty much under the control of the southern kingdom of Judah. These four cities are to be judged—Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron.
“For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation.” It is interesting that Gaza is forsaken today, and Ashkelon is a desolation. There is a place called Ashkelon, but it is not over the ruins of the old city. The old one is right down by the sea. I have been there and have seen the ruins of the temple of Dagon that are there.
“They shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day.” Ashdod was driven out, and it was done at noonday. In that land, the people always take time off at noontime; that is, they have what is called south of the border a siesta. In some places in South America, you cannot get into a store from around twelve to two o’clock in the afternoon. You are just wasting your time if you try to go shopping because nothing will be open. You can get into a store at nine o’clock at night, but they take time for a siesta in the heat of the day. At Ashdod it’s pretty warm. Although it is by the sea, it gets very warm there in the summer. Zephaniah says that it will be destroyed and that they will be driven out at noonday. In other words, the enemy will take them off guard. Ashdod was completely obliterated. Israel possesses that territory today. They have built apartment building after apartment building, an oil refinery, and also a port there. It is one of the principal ports now. But in that day it was absolutely cleaned off. There are no ruins there at all.
“And Ekron shall be rooted up.” Ekron was rooted up; it was completely removed.
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant [Zeph. 2:5].
“Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast.” All these places are along the seacoast.
“The nation of the Cherethites!” The Cherethites were people who came from the island of Crete, and they evidently were the Philistines. The word Philistine comes from the Hebrew word for migration. They immigrated to that country. This, by the way, ought to answer the question that some people, especially the liberals, have raised: “What right did Israel have to drive the Philistines out of their native land?” It was not their native land. Actually, Israel was there long before the Philistines were there. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their offspring were in that land, and then they went down to the land of Egypt. In that interval, the Philistines came into that country.
“The word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” He says that they are to be judged. By the way, when was the last time you saw a Philistine? They have disappeared.
And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks [Zeph. 2:6].
This took place, and this condition existed for over a thousand years—in fact, almost nineteen hundred years.
And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity [Zeph. 2:7].
This is God’s promise to His people that He will return them from their captivity to inhabit the land of Philistia, which was a part of the territory God had given to Abraham. I have pictures of Israelis lying on the beach at Ashkelon during a holiday. It is a beautiful, sandy beach on the Mediterranean Sea. This prophecy is a picture of a scene that can be demonstrated any day of the year, although it may change tomorrow. However, I do not consider what we see there today as a fulfillment of prophecy, because I believe that Israel will be driven from that land again before their final return under God.
Now He moves over from the west to the east and to the nations which were contiguous to the land of Judah—
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them [Zeph. 2:8–9].
I have visited a few countries in my lifetime, and the poorest country that I have ever been in is the modern nation of the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan. It occupies what was the land of the Moabites and the Ammonites. The modern capital there is Amman. You just do not find any more desolate country than that. All of this prophecy has been fulfilled in the past.
This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts [Zeph. 2:10].
They are judged for their pride, and as you know, pride is the way the devil sinned at the beginning.
The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen [Zeph. 2:11].
God is going to judge the nations of the world because they have ignored Him. They have not recognized Him. “… when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:21–23). This is the reason God will judge them.
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword [Zeph. 2:12].
Ethiopia is in Africa. You see, this is a worldwide judgment.
And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness [Zeph. 2:13].
“And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria.” Ethiopia is in the south, but now we move to the north and find that Assyria also is to be judged. In Zephaniah’s day, Assyria was making quite a splash in the world.
“And will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.” That is the way Nineveh is today. The modern city of Mosul is across the Tigris River from the site of old Nineveh, and it is a miserable place, so I’m told. Nineveh and all of that area is still a desolation.
And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work [Zeph. 2:14].
In other words, their buildings are to be torn down.
This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand [Zeph. 2:15].
“Every one that passeth by her shall hiss.” People will hiss at Nineveh in the sense that it will be sort of an explosive expletive that comes from a person who is surprised: “Why, I thought that Assyria was a great nation and that Nineveh was a great city! Just look at it in desolation and ruin!” They hiss, and their breath is just blown out of them, as it were.
“And wag his hand.” They will simply shake their hands back and forth, being absolutely stupefied to see what has taken place through God’s judgment of the nations.
God has judged nations in the past, and God judges nations today. The Lord Jesus says that He will judge nations in the future. As we see in the Book of Habakkuk, God was moving in that day in a way that the prophet never suspected. And, my friend, God is moving in the nations of the world today. He has judged them in the past. He will judge them in the future.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Judgment of the earth and of all nations; all judgments removed and the kingdom established
The first eight verses of this chapter conclude this section, which deals with the judgment of the earth and of all nations. By now you may be tired of listening to Zephaniah talk about the harsh, the extreme, the unmitigating judgment of God upon His people. This is probably the strongest language you will find in the Scriptures until you come to the language which the Lord Jesus used in Matthew 23. If you will read that passage in connection with this chapter, you will see that the Lord Jesus topped even Zephaniah in the extreme language of judgment, which He used. It is bloodcurdling, if you please.
We saw in chapter 2 that the judgment of God is worldwide, it is global in its extent, and it includes every nation on the topside of the earth. In verses 1–5 of this chapter, God returns to the judgment that is coming upon His people, and He is very specific. He reveals that the light which a person has will determine the extent of the judgment—in other words, privilege creates responsibility. Your responsibility is measured by the privilege that you have. I like to express it like this: I would rather be a Hottentot in the darkest part of Africa than to be sitting in a Bible-believing church today, hearing the gospel but doing nothing about it. I won’t argue about the judgment of the Hottentots in Africa, as that is not what we are talking about here, but I do know what God will do with a person of privilege, one who has had the opportunity of hearing the Word of God and has turned his back upon it. This is very extreme language that is used to express the judgment on Jerusalem, a judgment that is in ratio to her privilege—
Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! [Zeph. 3:1].
Jerusalem was the city in which the temple was located. The priests were there, and the scribes had the Word of God. When wise men came from the east, seeking the King of the Jews, the scribes had no problem in telling them where the Messiah was to be born, but they simply did not manifest any interest in checking to see if the wise men had any valid information about the Messiah. The scribes knew the letter of the Law, but that is all they knew. They did not know the Author of the Book, and they were far from Him. God’s condemnation of Jerusalem is on the basis of all the light they had.
“Woe to her that is filthy and polluted.” This matter of pollution is not something that is new today, but the pollution spoken of here is not physical pollution. This pollution is not on the outside of man; it is on the inside of man. The thing that is causing the pollution on the outside today is that man is polluted and filthy on the inside—that is, before God he is not right.
When a man gets right with God, he is not going to dump his garbage on another man’s property, and he is not going to fill a lovely, babbling brook with filth. The ones who are polluting this earth are the godless folk. For example, in one of the beach towns here in Southern California several years ago, there was a meeting of some hippies, a godless crowd. They met in a pasture to hold a protest meeting against pollution. They were decrying the pollution caused by the large factories with their smokestacks which pour out all the dregs and waste materials resulting from industrial production. Very candidly, I agree with them that that’s a terrible thing to have taking place. But the interesting thing is that after they held their protest meeting, the city had to spend two thousand dollars to clean up the pasture which those who were protesting pollution had polluted! May I say to you, pollution is on the inside, and when you are godless and wrong with God, you are certainly going to pollute this earth.
Man today is actually wrecking this earth that we are living on, and God’s condemnation of Jerusalem is that it is a polluted city, although it was a privileged city, a city that had glorious and wonderful opportunities. This is the picture of that city, but it is also a picture of mankind in general. Notice Paul’s verdict in Romans 3:16, “Destruction and misery are in their ways.” What a picture of mankind! Man has always left a pile of tin cans and rubbish wherever he has gone on the earth.
Why did God single out the city of Jerusalem? It was a privileged city. This city had the temple of God. It had the Word of God. Therefore, its judgment will be harsher than that of any other city.
God calls Jerusalem not only filthy and polluted, but He also calls it “the oppressing city.” It is the oppressing city because of the fact that she did not regard the rights of her people, especially of the poor. She did not consider them; she oppressed the poor.
This is something that I think is so hypocritical in my own government. I am not talking politics now, nor am I speaking of any one party because this is true of the whole structure that we have in Washington, D.C., today. Constantly our congressmen are coming up with programs to help the poor. It is interesting that it is always some rich senator who comes up with such a program. To begin with, he does not know how poor folk feel. He does not know our hardships. Such men have never experienced poverty, and their programs never help the poor; they help some bureaucrats but not the poor. I do not think the poor will ever be helped by any of the plans that men devise. Part of the problem is that the middle-class people are taxed to finance any such program. The middle class are the ones making it possible for the upper class to take our money to help the poor or the lower class. I personally would like to move into one of the other brackets—it would be more comfortable there today. God said that He would judge the city of Jerusalem for their oppression of the poor; so we know how He feels about our oppression.
God is not through with His judgment; He goes on to spell out their sin—
She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God [Zeph. 3:2].
“She obeyed not the voice.” She was disobedient to God. This city had heard the voice of God but had been disobedient to Him.
“She received not correction.” God had sent judgment. One hundred eighty-five thousand Assyrians outside the walls of Jerusalem scared the living daylights out of these people—they were frightened beyond measure (see 2 Kings 18–19). They had been partially judged, but God had let the judgment pass over. You would think that they would have learned their lesson and would have turned to God, but they didn’t. Likewise, there are many Christians today who suffer but never learn why God permits it. He never lets anything happen to His own unless there is a purpose back of it. This city, like many of us, “received not correction.” She did not learn the lesson.
“She trusted not in the Lord.” The city had no trust in Him at all but looked to something else. When the modern nation of Israel celebrated her twentieth anniversary, they displayed this motto: “Science will bring peace to this land.” My friend, the Bible says that the Messiah is the Prince of Peace, and He is the only one who can bring peace. But they don’t trust Him—they trust science. After that twentieth anniversary, believe me, Israel got into hot water. Science did not bring peace to that land, and my nation has not brought peace to them either.
“She drew not near to her God.” Today men are not running to God; they are running from Him as fast as they possibly can. What a picture this is of the city of Jerusalem!
Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow [Zeph. 3:3].
“Her princes within her are roaring lions.” God is now talking about the leadership of the nation; and, when you speak of judgment, you must talk about the leadership of any nation or city. In my country, when men are running for office, they are always telling us that they are going to think about us, they are going to help us, and they are going to do something for us. So far, as best I can tell, nobody has ever done anything, either from the city level, the state level, or the national level. Why? Because “her princes within her are roaring lions”—they make a big noise.
“Her judges are evening wolves.” We have a second meaning for wolf today, and I’m not sure but that the Lord included that thought here also. “Her judges are evening wolves”—in other words, they are willing to work day and night—not for the people but for themselves.
“They gnaw not the bones till the morrow.” These men are willing to get all they can. Dr. Charles L. Feinberg comments: “The judges of the people were filled with insatiable greed, devouring all at once in their ravenous hunger. They left nothing till the morning” (Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Malachi, p. 64). Many of the men who go into office in our country, promising to help us, have not helped us, but they have done well themselves. By the time they retire from office, many of these men have become well-to-do. This is the thing that God judges. Judah was a nation like ours that had the Word of God. That which is said of Jerusalem could apply to us also. If God spoke out of heaven today, He would have to say these same things concerning us.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law [Zeph. 3:4].
“Her prophets are light.” This does not mean that they give light! It means that they do not really give the Word of God, but they give a little smattering of psychology with a few Scripture verses put over it like a sugarcoated pill. That’s the sort of thing that is being dished out today. They do not talk about judgment or the need for sinners to come to Christ.
“Her prophets are … treacherous persons.” That is, they are racketeers, religious racketeers. Again, let me suggest that you read Matthew 23 to see if God has changed. You will find there the Lord Jesus’ denouncement of religious rulers.
“Her priests have polluted the sanctuary.” This is a terrible thing. How have they polluted the sanctuary? They have caused the world outside to lose respect for that which was sacred. By their lives, they brought disrespect upon the temple, upon the sanctuary. The same thing took place in Samuel’s day when old Eli was priest. Men no longer had respect for religion. And today men decry the fact that the church has lost its influence. I decry it also, but, very frankly, I do not think that the church deserves the respect of the outside world when we cannot and do not present to them a church that is holy and that is living for God.
“They have done violence to the law.” In other words, they did not interpret it accurately. In fact, they did violence to it by omitting the teaching of the Word of God. “The law” here means the total Word of God.
The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame [Zeph. 3:5].
“The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity.” God is not going to do evil. The minute that His people do evil while God does nothing, it looks as if God approves that sort of thing. However, God says that He intends to move in judgment—God will not do iniquity.
“Every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.” The unjust simply continue on in sin with no shame at all that it is public knowledge.
We have now in verses 6–8 the picture of the Great Tribulation Period that is coming in the future, the great Day of the Lord which Zephaniah has talked about. Zephaniah moves from speaking of the city of Jerusalem to talking about the nations of the world in the last days. This is Armageddon, which ends with the return of Christ to earth.
I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant [Zeph. 3:6].
It has been my privilege to walk through the ruins of great civilizations of the past. Recently, I walked through the ruins of Ostia, the playground of the Romans. It is just fifteen miles from Rome, but not very well known. It will become well known later, as Rome is developing it, and it will become a tourist attraction. Ostia was where Rome lived it up. It was the Las Vegas of the Roman Empire. As you stand in the ruins of that city and see the stones of the Roman road which were worn by chariot wheels, it is difficult to think that those streets were once crowded and that that city was a great city in its heyday. God says here, “I’m going to make them desolate.” It’s very difficult to believe that Los Angeles could become that desolate, but it could. It is difficult to believe that New York City could become desolate, but it could.
I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings [Zeph. 3:7].
The warnings of judgment and the little judgment that did come had no effect upon them. Eventually that will bring down finally the great Day of the Lord, the final time of judgment, which is coming upon this earth.
Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy [Zeph. 3:8].
This earth which you and I are living on is moving toward a judgment. Although folk don’t believe it, they are moving to judgment. It is this judgment which will be initiated when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth for His church. It begins then with the Great Tribulation Period and ends when He comes to establish His kingdom on this earth.
ALL JUDGMENTS REMOVED AND THE KINGDOM ESTABLISHED
We are now going to pass from the darkness to the day and to see the blessings which are in store. The storm is over as far as the little Book of Zephaniah is concerned. The book opens with dark forebodings and with ominous rumblings of judgment. The first part of this chapter, which deals with the judgment of the city of Jerusalem, is almost frightening to read. It is frightening when you come to that picture of the Great Tribulation Period when God will judge all nations when they are brought up against Jerusalem in that last day (see Zech. 14:1–3). We have seen two kinds of judgment in the Book of Zephaniah. There is God’s judgment of His own people, which is always chastisement. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth …” (Heb. 12:6)—in other words, He child-trains, or disciplines, them. Then God must judge the unbelieving world also. This is the picture of judgment that is before us in this little book. The Book of Zephaniah is like a Florida hurricane, a Texas tornado, a Mississippi River flood, a Minnesota snowstorm, and a California earthquake all rolled into one.
As you read this book you might think that God hates His people and that He hates mankind in general; you might think that He is vindictive, cruel, and brutal, that He is unfeeling and unmoved. However, the little story that I told in the Introduction is the story that illustrates the message of Zephaniah. It is the story of the man who took a little child into the darkness of the night and rushed her away from home. It looked as if he were kidnapping the child. It was frightful when he turned her over to another man who plunged a knife into her abdomen. But when you know the whole story, you find that the man was the father of that little girl. His own precious little girl had been having attacks of appendicitis, and that night he picked her up and rushed her to the hospital to put her into the hands of the family physician. Everything was done in tenderness. We find today that our Great Physician takes His own, the ones He loves, and puts them on the operating table. Even in judgment, God is love. When He is judging the unsaved or when He is judging those who are His own, God is love.
Someday the final curtain is coming down on this world in which we live. Man’s little day will be over, and judgment will come for lost mankind. But God will restore His children, and we will find out that what we endured down here was actually a blessing in disguise. Let me tell you another little story, one that actually happened. It is the story of a boy who was away from home in school, and things got rough for him there. The lessons were difficult, and he was homesick. He wrote home and said, “Dad, it’s hard here. The assignments are too heavy, and the dormitory rules are too strict. I’m homesick and I want to come home.” The father wrote back a stern and severe letter in which he said, “You stay on there and study hard. Apply yourself to your work.” When the boy got that letter, he thought, I don’t think my dad loves me anymore. My dad couldn’t love me, or he wouldn’t want me to go through this torture that I’m going through here. We have a Heavenly Father who tells us, “You stay down there in the college of life. I’m preparing a place for you, and I am also preparing you for that place.” With this in mind, let us turn to this final passage of Zephaniah.
For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent [Zeph. 3:9].
God has this far-off purpose—it is called the teleological purpose of God. We will find it all through this section because now we are in the light. We are no longer in the darkness of the judgment, no longer in the Day of the Lord which begins at night. The sun has now arisen, and light has broken upon mankind.
“For then will I turn to the people a pure language.” He does not mean that everybody is going to speak Hebrew, although a great many people think that that is the meaning. Nor is He going to turn them to some other, perhaps unknown, language which everybody will speak. Nor is the “pure language” English spoken with a Texas accent! Many people find my Texas accent rather distasteful. I thought for awhile that you were going to have to get accustomed to it because it was what everybody would be speaking in heaven—but this doesn’t mean that at all. “Pure language” means exactly what it says: the language will be pure. There will be no blasphemy heard. There will be no vileness nor vulgarity. There will be nothing repulsive. The language will be pure.
At one time we had a neighbor who was a very big-hearted woman in many ways, but she was unsaved. She not only had a mean tongue, but she also had the vilest tongue that I have ever heard. It was offensive to people whenever she would lose her temper, for you could hear her throughout the entire neighborhood. It was very distasteful, so much so that some wanted to report her. In heaven, my friend, there will be nobody to report because there is going to be a pure language. Heaven will be pure in thought, word, and deed.
“That they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” There will be no rebellion against God in that day. Heaven is going to be a really nice neighborhood to live in. In fact, it is going to be a glorious place, and you are going to have some good neighbors there.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering [Zeph. 3:10].
This verse of Scripture has been variously translated, and all sorts of interpretations have been presented for it. One interpretation is that the ark of the covenant is down in Ethiopia and that it will be brought up to Jerusalem as an offering at this time. I do not think that that is the thing Zephaniah has in mind here at all. Others call attention to a tribe in Ethiopia or Abyssinia known as the Falashas, which comes from the same root as the word Philistine, meaning migrant. They claim that they can trace their origin back to Israel, that they are Israelites. It is argued that these are the “suppliants” referred to here. Many feel that this verse speaks of those converted from the nations of the world who will bring dispersed Israelites back to their land as an offering to the Lord. My position is that this verse means that Ethiopia will enter the millennial kingdom—that is what is important for us to see. The offering that they will bring is the sacrifice of Christ Himself; in other words, they will come, having accepted His redemption.
In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain [Zeph. 3:11].
God is talking to His own here. We have seen that one of the things for which God was judging them was that there was no shame in their vile acts and gross immorality—they were not ashamed of it. But, my friend, God’s people will never reach the place where they can be satisfied in sin. If you can live in sin and be happy—you can be sure of one thing—you are not a child of God. The prodigal son was never happy in the pigpen, and since he was the son of the father, he had to say, “I’m going home to my father.” That revealed that he wasn’t a pig. Pigs love pigpens, but sons don’t love pigpens. A son wants to go to the father’s house because he has the nature of the father. God makes this very clear here: “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast trangressed against me.”
“For then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.” This speaks of the day when the meek shall inherit the earth. The other crowd has it now, and they are not doing very well with it.
I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord [Zeph. 3:12].
When the Babylonians took Judah into captivity, there were three deportations of slaves taken, but they never took all of the people. The poor, the afflicted, and the crippled were not taken to Babylon. You can imagine how they felt. It was terrible to go into Babylonian captivity to become a slave, but it was actually worse to be left behind. God says here, “I intend to take care of the afflicted and the poor.” You will notice that all the way through Scripture, the Lord often mentions the fact that He intends someday to see that the poor get an honest deal and that they are treated right. The only one in the world today who has a helpful program for the poor is the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are poor and needy, He is the one to go to. He can help you, and He is the only one who can help.
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid [Zeph. 3:13].
“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity.” God has always had a remnant, and there will be this very large remnant in the Millennium.
“Nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.” That the day is coming when they will not do these things would seem to indicate that they once did them. Even God’s people indulged in sin—but not permanently. They cannot continue to live in sin. They may get their feet dirty, they may get down in the pigpen, but they simply will not stay in the pigpen.
“For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” All of this has reference to the day when God will put His people back in their land and give them the land. Therefore, are you prepared to say that what has happened and is happening in that land today is a fulfillment of prophecy? Is it true that “none shall make them afraid”? My friend, Israel has not had a moment, since they’ve been in that land, that they have not been frightened.
We come now to a description of the day when the King is going to set up His kingdom on the earth.
Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more [Zeph. 3:14–15].
The Lord Jesus will come to the earth, evil will be put down, and “… the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9).
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack [Zeph. 3:16].
“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not.” Jerusalem has reason to be afraid now, but she will have nothing to fear in that day.
“And to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.” In other words, “Be busy for the Lord.”
Verse 17 is a marvelous verse—
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing [Zeph. 3:17].
My friend, God has a purpose. He goes through the night of judgment in order to bring us into the light of a new day. He does all of this that the day might come when He can rest in His love. God loves you and me today. I don’t know about you, but I doubt very seriously whether He can rest in His love for Vernon McGee. He could say of me, “He’s not perfected yet. He seems so immature. He is so filled with faults. He is apt to digress, apt to detour, at any moment.” God cannot rest in His love today. But the day is coming when we will be in His likeness—after He has put us on the “operating table”. Then He is going to bring us to Himself. What a wonderful and glorious picture this is!
I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord [Zeph. 3:18–20].
Oh, this is the day of light that will come. It will be glorious for the nation Israel, and it will be glorious for the church also. God is putting many of us through the furnace, and He is putting us through trials. The glorious thing about heaven will not be the golden streets, it will not be the gates of pearl, and it will not be the fact that He is going to wipe away all tears. The glorious thing in heaven will be that we are going to thank Him for every trial we had and for every burden that He put on us in this life.
I conclude with this wonderful little poem, “In the Crucible”—
Out from the mine and the darkness,
Out from the damp and the mold,
Out from the fiery furnace,
Cometh each grain of gold.
Crushed into atoms and leveled
Down to the humblest dust
With never a heart to pity,
With never a hand to trust.
Molten and hammered and beaten,
Seemeth it ne’er to be done.
Oh! for such fiery trial,
What hath the poor gold done?
Oh! ’twere a mercy to leave it
Down in the damp and the mold.
If this is the glory of living,
Then better to be dross than gold.
Under the press and the roller,
Into the jaws of the mint,
Stamped with the emblem of freedom
With never a flaw or a dint.
Oh! what a joy the refining
Out of the damp and the mold!
And stamped with the glorious image,
Oh, beautiful coin of gold!
Someday, when you and I are in the presence of our Savior, we will thank Him for every burden, every trial, every heartache. We will thank Him for dealing with us as a wise father deals with his children, and we will thank Him for the dark side of His love.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Minor Prophets of Judah. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975. (Obadiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk.)
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The book of
Haggai
ITRODUCTION
The prophets to the returned remnant were Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Haggai, the writer of this short book, is mentioned in Ezra 5:1–2 and 6:14 as one of the two prophets who encouraged the remnant (that returned after the Babylonian captivity) to rebuild the temple in spite of the difficulties that beset them on every hand. From this and the brief references that he made to himself in his prophecy, four things become apparent:
1. Haggai was self-effacing—he exalted the Lord. He took the same position that John the Baptist took: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
2. He was God’s messenger. The expression “Thus saith the Lord” characterizes his message.
3. He not only rebuked the people; he also cheered and encouraged them in a marvelous way.
4. He not only preached; he also practiced.
Haggai begins his book by saying, “In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month.” Hystaspes (the Darius mentioned here) began to reign in 521 b.c., making the second year of his reign about 520 b.c. “The second year of Darius” enables the historian to pinpoint the time of this prophet in profane history. It is interesting to note that the post-Captivity prophets begin to date their prophecies according to the reign of gentile rulers. Those prophets who prophesied before the Captivity always tied the dates of their writings into the reign of either a king of Israel or a king of Judah or both. After the Captivity, since there was no king in either the northern or the southern kingdom, Haggai dates his prophecy according to a gentile king. The Lord Jesus said, “…Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). In Haggai’s day the “times of the Gentiles” had already begun (in fact, it began with the captivity of Judah under Nebuchadnezzar). Since that time Jerusalem has been under gentile domination, and Haggai dates his prophecy accordingly.
The theme of Haggai is the temple. The reconstruction and refurbishing of the temple were the supreme passion of this prophet. He not only rebuked the people for their delay in rebuilding the temple, but he also encouraged them and helped them in this enterprise.
Haggai constantly referred to the “word of the Lord” as the supreme authority. He willingly humbled himself that the Lord might be exalted. His message was practical. It was as simple and factual as 2 + 2 = 4. The prophecy of Haggai and the Epistle of James have much in common. Both put the emphasis upon the daily grind. Action is spiritual. A “do nothing” attitude is wicked. Both place this yardstick down upon life. Work is the measure of life.
Haggai’s contemporary, Zechariah, was visionary and had his head in the clouds, but pragmatic Haggai had both feet on the ground. The man of action and the dreamer need to walk together. First Corinthians 15:58 can appropriately be written over this book: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
There are two key verses in this book: “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord …. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God” (Hag. 1:8, 14).
OUTLINE
The compass of this book is three months and fourteen days, according to the calendar. There are five messages in the book, and each was given on a specific date. The calendar furnishes the clue for the contents.
I. September 1, 520 b.c., Chapter 1:1–11 A. Challenge to the People
A. A Charge of Conflict of Interest, Chapter 1:1–4
B. A Call to Consider Their Ways, Chapter 1:5–7
C. A Command to Construct the Temple, Chapter 1:8–11
II. September 24, 520 b.c., Chapter 1:12–15 The Response to the Challenge
A. Construction of the Temple; People Obeyed, Chapter 1:12
B. Confirmation from God, Chapter 1:13–15
III. October 21, 520 b.c., Chapter 2:1–9 The Discouragement of the People; The Encouragement of the Lord
IV. December 24, 520 b.c., Chapter 2:10–19 An Appeal to the Law; The Explanation of the Principle
V. December 24, 520 b.c., Chapter 2:20–23 A Revelation of God’s Program; An Expectation for the Future
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Challenge to the people; charge of conflict of interest; call to consider their ways; command to construct the temple; construction of the temple—obedience of the people; confirmation from God
Haggai was a prophet to the restored remnant who returned to Jerusalem after the seventy-year captivity in Babylon. In the study of this prophecy we will note how important it is to consider the historical books along with the prophetic books. There is a little cluster of books that belong together: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther for the historical record; and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi for the prophetic section—also, the Book of Daniel probably should be studied first. These books belong together and constitute a unit.
CHALLENGE TO THE PEOPLE
Haggai and Zechariah prophesied during the same period, yet their approach was altogether different. They both challenged and encouraged the returned remnant to rebuild the temple and then to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them” (Ezra 5:1–2). So, you see, both Haggai and Zechariah are mentioned in this historical Book of Ezra as the two prophets who encouraged the people to rebuild the temple and also aided them in it. Also, in Ezra 6:14 we read: “And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.”
CHARGE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying [Hag. 1:1].
“IIn the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month” gives us the date of this prophecy, which is September 1, 520 b.c., according to the Jewish calendar. This is a book we can date very easily. As we said in the Introduction, the dating is according to the gentile ruler, Darius. The dating is no longer geared to the king of Israel or Judah because Haggai is writing during the “times of the Gentiles,” which began with the Babylonian captivity and continues to the present day. The Lord Jesus said, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).
“Came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet.” We will find all the way through this little book that Haggai repeatedly refers to the Word of the Lord. He is making it clear that he is not speaking his own thoughts but is giving the Word of God to his people.
“Unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah.” The name Zerubbabel means “sown in Babylon”; that is, he was born in captivity down in Babylon. It is actually a heathen name, by the way. He was in the line of David, the grandson of Jehoiachin (see 1 Chron. 3:16–19), and was appointed by Cyrus to be governor of Judah.
“And to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest.” Joshua was the son of Jehozadak who was high priest at the time of the Babylonian invasion (see 1 Chron. 6:15). This man was the religious head. So, you see, God is sending His message first to the leaders, the religious and civil rulers.
When the Israelites returned from Babylonian captivity to their own land, they returned with great anticipation, and their enthusiasm for rebuilding ran high. But they met gigantic obstacles which required herculean effort and hardships. After they had gone through a period like that, they were discouraged when they began to build the temple. The difficulties seemed insurmountable. Therefore they rationalized and decided that it was not the time to build. In other words, this was their pseudoconsolation. They decided to maintain the status quo. They said, “It is so hard, evidently God doesn’t intend us to do it.” They had laid the foundation of the temple, but the opposition of the Samaritans was so intense that they simply stopped building, and their excuse was, “Well, the time has not come.”
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built [Hag. 1:2].
If you will read the Book of Nehemiah, you will see that, when they were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the opposition was terrific. Well, they had the same kind of opposition in rebuilding the temple, and the people said, “Well, this is not the Lord’s time to build it.”
Notice that God says, “This people say”—ordinarily He calls them My people, but not here. By this He doesn’t mean that He has disowned them; He is just displeased with them. They are not in His will, and they are covering their disobedience with the pioussounding excuse, “It is just not the right time to build the Lord’s house.”
What Haggai is going to say will hurt a little. He is going to stick the knife in the trouble spot that, by the way, touches the lives of many Christians. Have you ever heard people say that they had given up trying to do something or that they did not go someplace because it was not the Lord’s will? They will sometimes say that the Lord directed them to do something else. Saying that it is the Lord’s will to do this or not to do that is a Christian cliché that covers a multitude of sins. It is so easy, when things get hard and rough, to turn in a report to everyone that says, “The Lord wanted me to do something else.” Many a preacher, when things got tough in his church, has said, “The Lord needs me somewhere else.” My heart goes out to pastors who are really trying to serve God but are having trouble and end up saying, “The Lord is leading me elsewhere.” When the Lord’s people started building the temple and the going got rough, they said, “It’s not the Lord’s time to build.”
I remember when we attempted to remodel the church in downtown Los Angeles, California, where I served as pastor. The church in its long history had never been remodeled, and the seats, which numbered four thousand, were built to take care of people who lived fifty or sixty years ago. We discovered that people today are about 2 1/2 inches wider than they were fifty years ago! We decided to put in new cushioned seats. Some of the very pious folks said, “We don’t feel that money should be spent for cushions. We should give that money to missions.” Now the majority of the people wanted the cushioned seats, and I did too, so I made a proposition to the congregation. I said, “There are so many people enthusiastic about remodeling that they are going to give enough money to cushion their seat and yours too, so those of you who don’t want to pay for cushioned seats can give your twenty-five dollars to missions. I hope that we can take an offering today for several hundred twenty-five dollar checks.” Well, there were very few twenty-five dollar checks. Why? The truth was that the folk who were objecting to the cushioned seats never intended to give at all, and “missions instead of cushions” was their excuse. But what they said was, “It isn’t God’s will to have cushioned seats. The time hasn’t come to remodel the church.”
It was my privilege to remodel every church which I served as pastor. I never built a new church, but I remodeled each of them. And I always encountered the same problem. In each church there was a little group—a very small group, thank God for that—which didn’t do anything, but they were good at criticizing. And the excuse was always the same—“The money shouldn’t be spent on us here; it should go to missions.” Then they should have given it to missions, but they did not.
The crowd that Haggai is addressing rationalized in the same way. He is pulling the Band-Aid off and exposing the sore. And it isn’t an “ouchless” Band-Aid—it hurts, you may be sure of that.
Now here is message number one, given on September 1, 520 b.c. Notice that Haggai is giving the Word of the Lord.
Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? [Hag. 1:3–4].
These folk who said it was not time to build the Lord’s house had all built their own houses—it seemed the time to do that! And the Lord pointed out that their houses were “ceiled houses.” This means that they were beautifully paneled; they were luxuriously built. And for fifteen years, while they had been building their elaborate homes, the Lord’s house had been lying waste.
It is amazing, but I have found it true thoughout my many years in the ministry, that a great many people say, “I feel it is God’s will for me to help you in your ministry,” and then when the going gets a little rough, say, “It doesn’t seem to be the Lord’s will for me to help at this time.” You see, the minute that things become difficult, that is the time most people decide their resolve is not the Lord’s will. But when it is something for their own selfish ends, they usually go ahead and do it, don’t they? Most people are that way. We make the effort to accomplish that which will always be to our advantage.
In Haggai’s day, how in the world were the people able to build their lovely paneled homes? Surely they encountered difficulties, but they were not willing to face the same difficulties to build the Lord’s house. Their lame excuse was, “It’s just not the Lord’s will right now for us to do that.”
Oh, I get so weary of hearing people give that excuse for not doing something for God! What do they know about the Lord’s will? Just because something is difficult and hard and is going to cost you something, does that mean it is not the Lord’s will? May I say to you, that is not the way to interpret the Lord’s will. Sometimes the Lord’s will is very rugged. If we could just listen to the stories of some of God’s choice saints of the past, they would tell us that God’s will was not always a smooth path.
I wonder what Abraham would say to the people today who say, “It is not God’s will for me to do this or that.” Abraham lived in Ur of the Chaldees. This man who was to be the father of the Israelites was no doubt a good businessman. He had a nice business in Ur, a highly civilized city in those days and a prosperous one. It was a city of luxury. One day God said to Abraham, “I want you to leave Ur.” It would have been easy for Abraham to rationalize, “I must have misunderstood the Lord. He would not ask me to leave this place. The life here is soft and easy. It couldn’t be the Lord’s will for me to leave this city.”
There are literally thousands of missionaries on the mission field today who are making great sacrifices. Why? They do it because they believe it is God’s will for them to be on the mission field. I wonder how many of us here at home should be on the mission field. I wonder how many church members there are today who are as busy as termites arranging social events that require no sacrifice or hardship, instead of standing up to the opposition and really getting out the Word of God.
Notice again that Haggai is making it clear that these are not his own words; they are the words of God.
I always feel badly when I am in a place like Mexico, and I see all of those ornate cathedrals and the people living in poverty around them. It is easy for us to point a finger and say, “That just isn’t right.” I agree that it isn’t right, but neither is it right for a church to be in a state of disrepair. A church needs to be attractive in order to attract the sinner. One excuse I heard for a church being in such terrible shape was that the congregation gave all of its money to missions. A deacon in that church told me that the reason their church did not have a carpet on the floor or new pews was that all their money had gone to missions. When that deacon took me to his home, he treated me royally. He put me in a guest room that was nicer than any room I had ever been in. His home, I was told, cost over one hundred thousand dollars back in the old days. I have a notion it is worth a great deal more today. It was all I could do to keep quiet. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, “You believe in giving to missions, and you don’t put a rug on the floor of your church, but look at your home! You could have been a little less lavish and still could have had money for missions and your church.”
Let me ask you a question, friend, “How much are you spending on yourself, and how much are you doing for God?” That question gets close to us, doesn’t it?
May I use another illustration concerning this subject? I went to dinner with a friend of mine who is a fine Christian layman. The dinner was rather expensive, and he left a generous tip for the waitress. Then we went to a church service that evening in order to hear a certain preacher. We heard a good sermon, and when the offering plate was passed, my friend put in one dollar, which was much less than he had given the waitress. I thought, My, he’s not even tipping God! My friend, this gets right down to where we live.
The Israelites were saying, “It is just not the time for the Lord’s house to be built.” God says, “Then why is it time for your houses to be built?” There is a lot of hypocrisy in the church today. It is sickening to hear people boast about what they do for God when what they do for themselves is a thousand times more than what they are doing for God.
I told you that what Haggai has to say will hurt. He would never win a popularity contest. He is rather like an alarm clock. The alarm clock will never become the most treasured possession of the average American. It is an institution of our contemporary American society but not one that will win a loving cup or a popularity contest. We do not like to be awakened from a sound and restful sleep. The culprit who does it is a criminal, and he should be punished, not rewarded. There are manufacturers today who are making alarm clocks with pleasant sounds, but they are still alarm clocks. Today America is prosperous and powerful and comfortable and satisfied and satiated. We have come to a place where it is woe to anyone who disturbs us, sounds an alarm, blows a whistle, or turns on a siren. In one community a church was restrained from putting up chimes because it would wake up the people in the neighborhood on Sunday morning. If Paul Revere rode again today, he would be arrested for disturbing the peace. John the Baptist would lose his head, not for rebuking a king’s sinful life but for being a rabble-rouser and a calamity-howler.
That is the reason God’s prophets never won a popularity contest. They were stoned, not starred. And Haggai is an alarm clock. He wakes us up, and he disturbs us. We don’t like that. And the people in his day didn’t like it. They had just come out of the Babylonian captivity, and they didn’t want to hear his message. Haggai occupied a very difficult position. He stood between a rock and a hard place. Yet he attempted to wake up his people to do something for God, and his method was very unusual, though not original by any means. Although his method is not being used in our day, I think it would still be effective in God’s work.
CALL TO CONSIDER THEIR WAYS
Now God calls their attention to something which is very practical. This gets right down to the nitty-gritty of life.
Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways [Hag. 1:5].
“Consider your ways” is literally, set your heart upon your ways. Look at what is happening to you. Now He goes into detail—
Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways [Hag. 1:6–7].
God was judging them concerning their material things, and they were not recognizing it as His judgment. We see in the Book of Hebrews, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (Heb. 12:7). When God disciplines us, there is a reason for it. The child of God needs to consider his ways. He needs to examine his own heart to see why God is putting him through the mill or using sandpaper on him. God wants to smooth the rough edges off our lives; so He does use sandpaper.
For the people of Israel there had been crop failure. There had been famine. There had been little money to buy clothes or food, and they had no savings account. But they never once attributed this to their disobedience. They were trying to explain it in other ways. What about God’s children in our day? “Oh,” they say, “that’s just my luck.” It is not luck if you are God’s child. Difficulties come to you for a purpose. God won’t let anything happen to you unless it has a purpose. God is trying to develop something valuable in your heart and life. That is why God said, “Consider your ways.” Man’s ways always seem right to him. The writer of the Book of Proverbs says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). In Isaiah 53:6 we read, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way …” (italics mine). The problem with mankind today is that we all want to go our own way. Again the writer of Psalm 1 says, “For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Ps. 1:6).
Notice how the Word of God enlarges upon the things that reveal man’s way as opposed to God’s way: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7). And in Proverbs 13:15 He says that “… the way of transgressors is hard.” It certainly is hard! Again in Isaiah He says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9). And then—“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). Also, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16). Man is in rebellion against God. In Jeremiah 10:2 God says, “… Learn not the way of the heathen….” And God says, “… This is the way, walk ye in it …” (Isa. 30:21). And the Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:1–2). He goes on to say, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). How tremendous this is!
This is what God is saying to His people. He wants them to consider their ways. He wants them to set their hearts upon their ways. He asks, “Don’t you see what is happening to you?”
Now let me ask you, “What way are you on today? What path are you taking? Where is that path leading you? Have you ever considered where drugs are going to lead you? It is a broad way where you start out, and you can do as you please, but that broad way is actually a funnel, and it grows narrower and narrower until there is only one little opening, which leads only to destruction. But God says that the way which leads to life is a narrow way—Christ is that way; He is the only way to the Father. When you enter the narrow way, it becomes broader and broader as you go along until you can go in and out and find pasture. You will have life and have it abundantly. My friend, it is time to consider your ways. Set your heart upon your ways. Where are you headed today? How is your marriage working out? If you are a young person in college, do you have a goal in life? If you are a young lady, how about the young man you are dating? Where is he leading you? What is going to happen to you? Why don’t you consider your ways?
Folk from all walks of life write to me. Many are headed in the right direction; others very frankly say that they are on the wrong path, and they are suffering broken homes, broken hearts, and wrecked lives. God says, “Consider your ways.”
COMMAND TO CONSTRUCT THE TEMPLE
Now God is going to give them the solution to their problems. It is so simple, so clear that you may wonder why it is necessary to emphasize it. God gives them a command to construct the temple, and He tells them three things that they are to do. You see, the children of Israel had a conflict of interests. They had put their own homes before God’s house. They were putting their selfish ends ahead of God’s program. The Lord Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, said that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (see Matt. 6:33). That “righteousness” is in Christ. When you have Christ, you have everything—you have all those things you are after. Money can be spiritual, depending on what you use it for. Your home can be spiritual if it is a place where God is honored. It can be a place where a testimony for the Lord is given, where friends can come and be refreshed, or where a Bible class can be taught. It can be a place as sacred as your church. The things that people are after today may not be wrong, but it is wrong when they put them first in their lives and use them for their own selfish ends.
Now God tells the people in Haggai’s day what they are to do:
Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord [Hag. 1:8].
The solution is so simple—there are only three things they are to do: (1) “Go up to the mountain, and” (2) “bring wood, and” (3) “build the house.” I’ll be honest with you, I wonder why some of the children of Israel had not realized this sooner. When people get that big “I” in front of their eyes, it obscures everything else, and they are blind to the things they should see. That which should be very simple becomes a very complex problem. People today say, “Life is so complicated. We need a psychiatrist. We need to get things straightened out.” My friend, if you just put God in His rightful place, He will straighten out a great many things for you. But first, you must get the big “I” out of the way.
“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood.” If you have visited the land of Israel, you may wonder about God’s command to go up to the mountain and bring down trees since that land is almost denuded of trees today. For many years now Israel has been carrying on a project of tree planting. Although they have planted millions of trees, the hills still look bare to me. Very few of them have any sign of green on them. At one time that land was covered with trees, as this verse reveals. God wouldn’t tell them to go up to the mountain and get wood if there were not wood up there. Then what happened to the trees? Well, when the enemy invaded Israel in a.d. 70, the forces of Rome not only destroyed the cities, they also denuded the land of trees. They cut down practically every tree.
Now notice again God’s simple solution to their problems: (1) “Go up to the mountain, and” (2) “bring wood, and” (3) “build the house.” Going up to the mountain, felling the trees, and making them into lumber would take work and a great deal of effort.
My friend, if you are not ready to go to work for the Lord, if you are not willing to do what God wants you to do—whatever that might be—Bible study is really not going to help you very much. God believes in work, and the message of this little Book of Haggai is the gospel of work.
As we have seen in this marvelous little book, first there was God’s challenge to His people. They were kidding themselves that they were doing God’s will. But the reason they had not built the temple was that they were just plain lazy. They tried to conceal that fact with the very pious platitude, “The time isn’t right. It isn’t the will of God to build at this time.” God told them to get off their haunches and go to work. He said, “You have been attributing the fact that you have had bad crops and that things are difficult for you to other causes. You have been blaming your circumstances. Why don’t you blame Me? I am the One who has sent trouble to you. I’m trying to wake you up.” He tells them to consider their ways, to set their hearts on their ways. And now He says to get busy. He charged them with a conflict of interests, then He called them to consider their ways, and now He commands them to start to build the temple. And it is very simple, “Go to the mountain and bring down wood. You can’t expect the logs to roll down to you. It is up to you to go to work.”
There are so many voices today encouraging Christians to expect a miracle in their lives. They say, “God is going to deal with you by a miracle!” Well, I’m here to tell you that He is not. It would have been very easy for someone to have come along and to have told these Israelites to expect a miracle, but God says, “Go up there and bring down wood. Go to work.” My friend, there is no easy shortcut in our service for God.
Very frankly, laziness is the reason Sunday school teachers don’t succeed. Laziness is the reason preachers don’t succeed. Laziness is the reason people fail in their Christian lives. You have to work at it. I do not think that the Holy Spirit will ever bless laziness.
In seminary I remember one of the students complaining to the professor, “Doctor, that book you assigned for us to read is really dry!” The professor looked up and smiled, “Well, dampen it with a little sweat from your brow.” That’s the way to do it, friend. Don’t expect the Christian life to be handed to you on a silver platter. The miracle comes in the work that you do. God told His people in Haggai’s day to go to work.
Dr. Frank Morgan has called it (1) the appeal to the mind. God told them at the very beginning, “You say it is not time to build God’s house? I want you to think about that. How is it that you are living in fine houses?” That was His appeal to the mind. (2) He appealed to the heart. He called them to consider, to set their heart on this. They had not done so, but that was His challenge. (3) God gave them a command, and that command was an appeal to the will. “Go up, bring wood, and build”—so simple yet so important.
My friend, roll up your sleeves, and let’s go to work for God today. So many people are sitting on the sidelines. This is a day of spectator sports; but frankly, it is a day of spectator Christians also. They like to sit on the sidelines and watch somebody else do it. Many a preacher is being worked to death. He is called upon to visit all the sick folk in his congregation. He does all the administrative work—he is expected to supervise everything. What about you deacons? Why don’t you go to work? What about you members of the church? Are you visiting the sick? The pastor is to train you to do the work of the ministry. He is not the one to do it all. The work should be divided and shared. The burden of the ministry should not fall on just a few folk. If you are a member of a local congregation, you should go to work. Work is something which is desperately needed in our churches today.
Let me illustrate what I mean. My first pastorate after I was ordained was my home church, the church in which I had been raised. One morning a deacon made a special trip to the study to talk with me. He said, “Vernon, I can’t pray in public. I don’t know why, but I can’t do it. The fact of the matter is, I can’t speak in public either. Don’t ever call on me to speak or pray in public. If you do, I will embarrass you, and I will embarrass myself. I simply can’t do either one of these things in public, and I can’t seem to overcome the weakness.” Tears were in his eyes as he spoke. Then he said, “But anytime anything needs to be done in this church, whether it is to replace a light bulb that has burned out or to put a new roof on the church, you can call on me. I will be glad to do it.” Do you know what I did after that? If something needed repairing or remodeling around the church, I would call on him. Sometimes in less than an hour, a whole crew of men would be at the church to work, and that deacon would work right along with them. I learned very early that he was one of the most valuable members I ever had in a church. He was a Haggai. He believed in getting down to business and doing the work that needed to be done. Often I heard visiting speakers and others say, “My, this church is certainly kept up; what a lovely place to come and worship!” Do you know why that church looked so nice? A man in my church could not pray in public. Thank God he couldn’t pray in public, because most churches have too many men who love to pray in public. We need people who are working people, too. We need people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work.
Actually, the Book of Haggai is too simple to be in God’s Word. It should be a little bit more complicated. Haggai gave the people a sermon. He said, “Go up to the mountain.” That is the first point. Then he said, “Bring down the wood.” That is point number two. Then he said, “Build a house.” That is the third point. Those were God’s simple instructions. There was nothing more to say, but there was something to do.
Now God explains why the people of Israel had been having such a difficult time—
Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house [Hag. 1:9].
“And ye run every man unto his own house” indicates the zeal and enthusiasm with which they had been taking care of their own interests and building their own homes.
They had been wondering why all of these difficulties had come upon them, but they were too pious to blame God. They claimed that their bad luck was due to circumstances. It was a bad year. “We had a drought, you know,” they would say. But God told them, “I want you to know that I caused the drought. I saw to it that you were not successful in your different schemes, and I will tell you why I did it. It is because My house is lying in waste while every man improves his own home.”
Let me repeat that the Lord Jesus stated the great principle in the Book of Haggai, which is applicable for all people of all ages, when He said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). When God is put first in our lives, all other things will take care of themselves. What a message this is! Yet it is so simple, I’m afraid we will miss it.
Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit [Hag. 1:10].
Naturally, when there was no rain, there were no crops. The wheat and the barley would not grow, and the vines would not produce. God says, “I turned off the spigot; I didn’t give you any water.”
In our contemporary society we don’t interpret life like that. Because we live in a mechanical society, an electronic age, we blame our problems on someone’s failure to push a button or on pushing the wrong button. I wonder if God would like to get through to America and say, “Look, has it ever occurred to you that I may be behind the problems you are having? Did it ever occur to you that I am trying to get your attention off things and onto Me?”
Notice that God takes the blame for all of these trials which have come upon Israel—
And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands [Hag. 1:11].
God is saying to them, “Material blessings have been withheld from you because Iwithheld them. I am responsible.”
In our day, the tendency is to blame first the police—they should have been on the job. Then we blame the mayor, we blame the legislature, and we blame Washington. Very possibly all of them are guilty. But, my friend, has it occurred to you that you yourself are to blame? Although we blame men and machines for the conditions of the world, God has brought it all to pass. Do you want to blame Him? Go ahead. He told Israel that He was responsible. But He also told them why. They had neglected Him. You see, the solution to our problems is very simple; yet it is complicated. We think that if we put in a new method or a new machine or a new man, our problems will be solved. My friend, why don’t we recognize what our problem really is, who caused it, and how it can be solved?
Now Haggai tells us the response to the challenge which God has given to the people of Israel.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE—OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLE
Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord [Hag. 1:12].
Zerubbabel is the governor, Joshua is the high priest, and “all the remnant of the people” refers to the people who returned to the land of Israel from Babylonian captivity.
Notice that they did two things: (1) They obeyed God. As Samuel the prophet had said to a disobedient king, “…to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). And the apostle John put it this way, “…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). You see, we must walk in the light of the Word of God, and the Word will humble us and show us our failures. A great many of us don’t like to have them called to our attention; but if we will recognize them and deal with them, we will find that the blood of Jesus Christ will just keep on cleansing us from all sin, and we will have fellowship with God. So we see that the people of Israel obeyed God.
Also (2) they feared God. The writer of Proverbs says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom …” (Prov. 9:10).
It is significant that the leaders of the people, Zerubbabel and Joshua, are mentioned first in their obedience to God. The need today in our country is for obedient Christians in places of leadership. William Gladstone, the famous British statesman, was asked what was the mark of a great statesman. His reply was that a statesman is a man who knows the direction God is moving for the next fifty years. Well, we don’t seem to have men in leadership who know the direction God is moving for the next fifty minutes. Oh, how we need men who really know God and are being led by Him!
CONFIRMATION FROM GOD
When they obey God and fear Him, they receive this wonderful confirmation from Him.
Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord [Hag. 1:13].
He says, “I am with you.” How wonderful! You remember that the Lord Jesus said to His own, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age.” And notice that the promise of His presence rested upon their obedience: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world [the age]. Amen” (Matt. 28:19–20). He didn’t say that He will be with you if you sit on your haunches and don’t do anything for God. He didn’t promise to be with you there. He said that He will be with you when you obey Him. That is the place of blessing and of fellowship. And you can’t have anything better than that.
Now notice that the leaders enter enthusiastically into the work.
And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God [Hag. 1:14].
It is pretty important to see the leadership of the nation in action. Zerubbabel was the civil leader, the governor. He was in the kingly line and was the son of Shealtiel, whose name means “asking of God in prayer.” And Joshua, the high priest, was the son of Josedech (Jehozadak) who was high priest at the time of the Babylonian invasion. So we see here the civil and religious leaders joining in with the people in doing the work of the Lord.
This second message was given, and Haggai dates it—
In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king [Hag. 1:15].
This is September 24, 520 b.c. The first message, as we have seen, was given on September 1, 520 b.c.—that was when God challenged them. They had responded to the challenge, had come together, had organized the project, were cutting down trees, were making them into lumber, and had started to build the temple. Now, twenty-four days later, Haggai gives them this second message from God, the assurance of His presence.
Haggai was an orderly man, as his book indicates. He was also an administrator. He was a man who was right down to earth. He helped the people rebuild the temple, and as they worked together he continually encouraged and challenged them in their work. The results would be great. God would be pleased, and God would be glorified.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Discouragement of the people; encouragement of the Lord; appeal to the Law; explanation of the principle; revelation of God’s program; expectation for the future
In the second chapter we see the discouragement of the people and the encouragement of the Lord. The obvious inferiority of the second temple to the temple of Solomon became a cause of discouragement, but God responded to it.
DISCOURAGEMENT OF THE PEOPLE
In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying [Hag. 2:1].
Notice that this took place in the seventh month—the previous time they heard God’s message of encouragement was in the sixth month. So now they had been working for a month. They had spent about twenty-four days getting organized, and now the temple is beginning to go up. There is great enthusiasm as they see their progress. And they remember God’s encouraging, “I am with you.”
Now we come to the second item of discouragement.
Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying [Hag. 2:2].
This message is directed to the same group of people whom God had encouraged in the previous chapter, the same leaders and the same people.
Now here is the second hurdle which Haggai had to clear as he prophesied to these folk—
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? [Hag. 2:3].
Many of those who had returned from the Babylonian captivity could remember—although they had been very young at the time—the beauty and the richness of Solomon’s temple. This little temple which they were putting up looked like a tenant farmer’s barn in Georgia in comparison to the richness and glory of Solomon’s temple. Although Solomon’s temple had not been a large temple, as temples go, they could remember its ornate richness, the jewels, the gold, and the silver which had been put into it. Before inflation the estimated value of the materials that went into Solomon’s temple varied between five million and twenty million dollars—that is quite a difference, of course, but in that day either five or twenty million dollars was quite a sum of wealth. That temple had been like a beautiful little jewel box.
Now let me draw your attention again to the dating of this third message from God: “the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month.” If you cheek this date in Leviticus 23, you will find that it was the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the final feast of ingathering for the Jews. I am of the opinion that the builders had really pushed and speeded up their building in order to get the temple as far along as possible in order to use it for the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. So when some of the old timers came into it and saw the lack of beauty and richness which had characterized Solomon’s temple, they were disappointed. As you know, any kind of structure, whether it is a home or a great office building, doesn’t look very impressive before it is completed. You have to wait until the building is finished to really appreciate it. But this little temple in Haggai’s day, even when it was finished, was no comparison to Solomon’s temple. And there was a mixed reaction to it.
The Book of Ezra, chapter 3:8–13, gives us more background as to what went on at this time: “Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.”
It may have been just the foundation and a few uprights, but they had to celebrate it. Ezrass record continues—“But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first thouse, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”
You see, amid all of the shouts of joy there was another sound—a weeping and howling by those who were making a comparison between the two. They were saying, “Look, this little temple that you are putting up here doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. Incomparison to Solomon’s temple, it doesn’t amount to anything.” This internal criticism was like a wet blanket on the celebration of the construction of the new temple. It dulled the edge of the zeal to rebuild the temple. It poured cold water on the enthusiasm generated by the prodding of Haggai. If you want to dampen a project, all you have to say is, “You think this is great, but you should have seen the original back in the good old days.”
When I was a boy, I remember some of the adults talking about the good old days. Well, I don’t remember any good old days when I was a boy—those days when I was growing up were hard. I remember the first little church I served in Georgia. It was a little white building sitting on a red clay hill. During my first year there as a student pastor I preached a series of evangelistic messages on the Book of Revelation. I haven’t been able to do that again in my ministry, but I did it then, and God blessed. Many young people were saved. On the Sunday night of the final message some of us sat on the steps of the church because it was a warm Georgia evening—most of us were young people—and we were talking about what a wonderful meeting it had been. There was one old man there with whiskers like Methuselah. He said, “You’ve had some good meetings, young man, but I remember ….” When someone starts that, you are headed for the toboggan, and soon you’re on the downhill run. He took us for quite a ride down the hill. He told us, “When I was a young man, we really had a meeting here!” As he told us about the meeting, ours seemed pretty small compared to his, although I learned later that he exaggerated a little. Yet what he said was discouraging.
And in Haggai’s day the folk, who had been so enthusiastic about the temple they were building, became discouraged.
How is God going to meet this situation? Well, I’ll tell you how we in the church would handle it. We would appoint a committee to see what could be done. As someone has said, a committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing and who collectively decide that nothing can be done. Or, as another has said, a committee is a group of incompetents, appointed by the indifferent, to do the unnecessary. Having been a pastor for many years, I am confident that we would use the committee approach to handle this problem. But that is not the way God solved it. He faced the problem squarely and came up with a very simple solution.
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts [Hag. 2:4].
God’s challenge is twofold here. First, He says, “Be strong,” three times. He says be strong to the civil ruler. He says be strong to the religious ruler. Then when He speaks to the people, does He have something new for them? No, it’s the same thing—be strong. Now that is very simple, but it is very important.
My friend, you and I live in a big, bad world today. What is our encouragement? God’s work in many places is small and doesn’t seem to amount to very much. What is the solution? Well, here is God’s answer to us: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Eph. 6:10). We need to recognize that we can’t do anything but that God can do a great deal. Be strong in the Lord. How wonderful that is.
Also in Hebrews 11:34 it says that believers “Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong …” (italics mine). Doesn’t God say that He chooses the weak things of the world? God does not choose these big, ornate buildings. He doesn’t choose these beautiful mausoleums that have steeples on top of them. Nothing very great is happening in places like that, but things are really jumping in some suburban areas, and many of the smaller churches are packed. I know what I am talking about because I have had the privilege of going across this country several times since I have retired, and this is what I have seen. I have also been abroad several times. I visited one of the great churches in London, England. At one time that church was filled with several thousand people three times a week on a regular basis. When I visited the church on a Sunday night, there were not more than two hundred people in attendance. That great imposing building with its impressive name was not very formidable any more. This same thing is true in my own nation. I have been in some of our great churches, and, my, the amount of lumber I can see in the pews—but nobody is sitting in them. Yet when I go out to some of our small churches, I find that they are packed to the doors and are having two and three morning services.
Today we are to be strong in the Lord. This is repeated many times in the Word of God. Paul, writing to a young preacher, said, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1, italics mine). The Epistle of 2 Timothy is Paul’s swan song, and in his final message to this son in the faith, he is saying, “You are a son of God. Be strong now.” What a word of encouragement that should be.
Somebody says, “My ministry is so insignificant and my group is so small that I don’t think it amounts to very much.” My friend, if that is what you are thinking, it is the Devil who is talking to you. Don’t listen to him. It is God who is going to put the measuring rod down on it and determine who is great and who is not. There are a whole lot of straw stacks being built today, and they look impressive. I myself have always been fearful that I was building a straw stack. Oh, I know there is some gold in it, but have you ever tried to find a needle in a straw stack? How will you find a little piece of gold that is the same color as the straw? God makes it clear that size is not the important thing.
God is saying to you and me, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13). Paul wrote this to a bunch of baby Christians over in Corinth. He was urging them to get out of the crib, get out of their high chairs, and grow up. Be strong in the Lord. Oh, how we need that sort of thing in God’s work, my friend.
Paul wasn’t through with the Corinthians—he wrote a second letter to them in which he said, “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” (2 Cor. 10:4, italics mine).
It was my privilege to pastor a downtown church in Los Angeles and to have succeeded some great men. Although I may not have approved of everything they had done, I certainly had great respect for them. They were great preachers. Dr. R. A. Torrey had been the founder of that church. I never walked into that pulpit without first looking to God and saying, “Lord, I am unable, I am insufficient for this task. I call upon You today.” I say to you that I am thanking God that out of weakness He can make us strong. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. And I told God many times, “Lord, if anything happens here today, You will have to do it because You and I know that this poor boy can’t do it at all.”
In 2 Corinthians 10:5–6, Paul goes on to say, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” In other words, make very sure you are being obedient to God. It doesn’t make any difference how large or how small the work is. We need to remember, “Be strong.” God said to Israel, “Sure, this temple is not as impressive as the other temple was. I know that, but be strong. That is My challenge to you.” He said three times, “Be strong!”
God’s second word of challenge was “and work.” Just keep at the job. Let God be the One to determine who is doing the greatest work. When we get to heaven and stand in the presence of Christ, I suspect that we will find out that there were people who were greater than Luther in Luther’s day, greater than Wesley in Wesley’s day, greater than Billy Sunday in his day, and greater than Billy Graham in his day. I used to tell the pastoral staff at the Church of the Open Door, “Someday when we stand before God, He may call some woman to come forward and say, ‘This woman was a member of the Church of the Open Door while Vernon McGee was pastor, and she is the most honored one. I am going to reward her.’ I’ll nudge you fellows and ask you if you knew her. You all will say, ‘No, we never heard of her.’ She is one of the unknown members. All she had was only one little boy. Her husband deserted her, and she raised that boy alone. Then she sent him to the mission field and, my, what a work he did! She was faithful. She didn’t have the opportunity to speak to thousands, but she had the opportunity of speaking to one, and that is all God asked her to do.” My friend, I think we are going to get our eyes opened in that day when we stand in His presence. He says, “Be strong and work.” We are to be faithful at the task which God has given us to do.
Now here is God’s glorious word of encouragement: “For I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.”
The fact of the matter is that the shekinah glory had departed from the temple of Solomon long before the temple was destroyed. I have always taken the position that the shekinah glory departed in the days of King Manasseh. He was a ruler who sinned so wickedly that the nation of Israel sank lower than it ever had gone before. If the shekinah glory did not leave during his reign, I can’t figure out any other time afterward that it would have been more inclined to leave. If I am correct in this, the shekinah glory, which was the visible presence of God Himself, had left the temple about one hundred twenty-five years before the temple was destroyed by Babylon. Therefore, in Haggai’s day, the old men, the ancients, who had seen Solomon’s temple, had seen only its outward glory. The shekinah glory had long since gone.
There is no doubt that the outward glory of Solomon’s temple was tremendous. As you know, the Mosque of Omar stands on that temple site now, and its dome is gold. I have been told that it is gold leaf. Whether that is true or not, it is really a thing of beauty. I have looked at that dome from the Mount of Olives, and I could have looked at it from Zion. I have looked at it from the tower of a Lutheran church, and I have looked at it from hotel windows—my, how it shines! As I looked at that pagan mosque, I thought of how Solomon’s temple must have looked in the bright sunlight of that semidesert air. We know that it was a very ornate, rich temple and that the boards were covered with real gold. How beautiful it must have been! Of course there was no comparison between it and the temple which was then under construction, but God considered Zerubbabel’s temple in the different stages of its construction—Solomon’s temple, Zerubbabel’s temple, and later Herod’s temple—as one house, not three houses. Therefore it is in the same line as the house (called Herod’s temple) into which the Lord Jesus Christ would come. Christ was the shekinah glory. He was God manifest in the flesh. The apostle John said, “… we beheld his glory …” (John 1:14)—but it was veiled in human flesh. And the Lord Jesus walked into that temple not one time but many times.
So God says to these discouraged builders in the days of Haggai, “Yes, this little temple you are building is not much, but I am with you.” My friend, that is a great deal better than having a magnificent temple without God being there. This is the same contrast between that contemporary big church with empty pews—cold, indifferent, and dead—and the little church around the corner packed with people and with a faithful pastor teaching the Word of God. We need to get a correct perspective of what is real and what is not real, what God is blessing and what He is not blessing.
According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not [Hag. 2:5].
Though this new building was not impressive, God says, “My spirit remaineth among you.” That was a great deal better than a very ornate temple which was devoid of the presence of God.
This reveals the difference between the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Old Testament and New Testament times. In that day He was among the people. In our day He is in believers. He has certainly changed positions. This is one of the great benefits we have as believers in Christ.
“Fear ye not.” If they had no reason to fear, certainly the child of God today should not fear.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts [Hag. 2:6–7].
First of all, we need to recognize what God is doing here. He is attempting to get their minds and hearts and eyes off that which is local, that which is very limited, and get their eyes fixed upon God’s program for the people of Israel. He wants them to see what is out yonder in the future—extending all the way into the Millennium.
My friend, for us today it is so easy to get the wrong perspective of the Christian life. We get our nose pressed right up to the window of the present, and we don’t see anything else. As you know, you can put a dime so close to your eye that it blots out the sun. Well, a dime is like the present that blots out God’s plan and purpose for our life. Don’t be discouraged because present circumstances are not working out for you. Recognize that for the child of God, “… all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That is, “the good” is out yonder in the distance.
“I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.” In other words, God intends to move in judgment. We are going to see, before we finish this little Book of Haggai, that God is looking forward and speaking of the Great Tribulation, which is the Day of the Lord, and later of the coming of Christ to the earth and the setting up of the millennial temple, events which are also included in the Day of the Lord.
“I will fill this house with glory.” Although it was a series of houses—Solomon’s temple, Zerubbabel’s temple (which was torn down by Herod), and Herod’s temple—God saw it as one house. And into that temple came the Lord Jesus Christ. The glory was there, although in human flesh. Then Herod’s temple was destroyed (even before it was finished) in a.d. 70 by the forces of Rome under Titus. On that temple site no other temple has been built from that time to this. Actually, the Mosque of Omar stands there today, and the Islamic world would never permit it to be removed because it is either the second or third holiest spot in the world of Islam. However, later there will be built the temple which will be designated as the Great Tribulation temple. And after that, the millennial temple will be built on that site. Therefore, seeing it as one house, God says that the day is coming when “this house” will be filled with glory. I believe that the shekinah glory will come with Christ when He returns to the earth. In Matthew 24:30 we read, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” This verse speaks of the sign of the Son of man in heaven, then immediately speaks of the glory of the Lord. I believe that His glory, the shekinah glory, will be seen in the temple which we designate as the great tribulation temple. But when He comes to occupy it, it won’t be a Great Tribulation temple that is in rebellion against Him. There won’t be in it the image of Antichrist, but Christ Himself will be present there.
“I will shake all nations.” Today it is difficult to believe that there will be more shaking than there has been in the past century. This century was practically ushered in by World War I. That was rather world-shaking. And there have been earthshaking events since then. There was a worldwide depression. There was World War Il. Also, oil crises and energy shortages have shaken all nations, but all of these things are nothing compared to the shaking that will come in the future.
“The desire of all nations shall come.” The commentators from the very beginning, in fact, the early church fathers, interpreted “the desire of all nations” to be Christ. Frankly, that has disturbed me from the time I was a younger preacher, because I never could believe that Christ was the desire of all nations. There are those who interpret the desire of all nations to be the longing of all nations for the Deliverer, whether or not they realize that the Deliverer is Christ. This may be true, but whom are they going to accept when he comes? They will accept Antichrist. Antichrist is the world’s messiah, the world’s savior, and they will accept him. I do not think that the nations have any desire for the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is my feeling that the meaning of this passage becomes clear if we continue reading. Now, let’s put verses 7–8 together:
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts [Hag. 2:7–8].
What is the desire of all nations? It is silver and gold. In our day many nations have had to go off the gold standard. When they did this, the economic foundation of the entire world was rocked. Why? Because there still is a desire for gold and silver. When Solomon’s temple was built, from five to twenty million dollars worth of precious metals and jewels were used in its construction. It was very valuable. As you read the historical record in Kings and Chronicles, it seems as if Solomon had cornered the gold market in his day. When Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, all that wealth was taken away. You may remember that in 2 Kings 20:12–17 the record tells of ambassadors who came from the king of Babylon to the king of Judah (which was Hezekiah at that time), and the king of Judah showed them all his treasures, all the wealth of Jerusalem. They made note of it, and in due time they captured Jerusalem and moved all that gold to Babylon. Certainly gold was the desire of the nation of Babylon, and it is still the desire of the nations of the world.
“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” All the silver and gold in the world belong to God, and there will be plenty of it to adorn God’s house in the future. The future millennial temple will be, I am confident, a thing of beauty.
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts [Hag. 2:9].
“The glory of this latter house” is, rather, “the latter glory of this house.” Remember that God views the series of temples as one house, and He is saying that the latter glory of this house, which will be that of the millennial temple, will be greater than the former. It will be even greater than Solomon’s and certainly greater than the temple they were then building.
“In this place” designates the temple area as the site of the house in all of its stages.
“In this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.” I never visit Jerusalem without going to the temple area. Although I have seen it at least a dozen times, I still like to go there. Do you know why? It is because at that spot there will be accomplished what the United Nations and the League of Nations failed to do, which is to bring peace to the earth. When Jesus Christ comes to this earth, His feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives, and when He enters that temple area, peace will come to this earth, for He is the Prince of Peace. He will bring world peace at that time. The “peace” to which He refers in the verse before us means finally that.
This peace, however, could also include the peace which He brought at His first coming. At that time He brought peace to men of good will; that is, to men who were rightly related to God. As the apostle Paul put it, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). He also brought the peace that passes all understanding, which is for the Christian heart today. He came the first time to bring that kind of peace.
In a day which is yet future He will bring world peace, the kind of peace which this world wants and needs.
So the “desire of all nations” is not Christ. I believe that the proper word is treasure—the treasure of all nations. He said, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,” speaking of material treasure. The thought seems to be that the lack of adornment in Zerubbabel’s temple would be more than compensated for by the rich treasures which are going to be brought in the day when the millennial temple will be built. Therefore, this passage looks forward to the final days when the millennial kingdom will be established here on earth. God was encouraging the discouraged builders of Haggai’s day to see their temple in the perspective of the ultimate purpose of God.
Oh, that you and I might see our present circumstances in that same way! We need to look at them in the light of eternity and to look at them in the light of God’s purpose for us. If God be for us, who can be against us? Hallelujah! Let’s not be overcome nor overwhelmed by the circumstances of the moment.
I think of that preacher in Scotland who turned in his resignation at the end of the year. When the elders asked him why, he said, “Because we haven’t had any conversions this year except wee Bobbie Moffat.” Well, my friend, that discouraged preacher couldn’t see that “wee Bobbie Moffat” would become Robert Moffat, the great missionary to Africa, who probably did as much if not more than David Livingstone in opening Africa to Christian missions. That year, which the preacher considered a failure, was probably the greatest year of his ministry. All of us need to see things in light of God’s plan and purpose for our lives.
APPEAL TO THE LAW
In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying [Hag. 2:10].
This, now, is the fourth message that God gives to Haggai. Notice again how the dating is geared into the reign of Darius, a gentile ruler, because there was no king on the throne of either Israel or Judah. The date is December 24, 520 b.c. The previous message was given in the seventh month; this message was given in the ninth month.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean [Hag. 2:11–13].
You see, on December 24, 520 b.c., Haggai went to the priests and asked them two questions. Putting it very simply, these are the questions: (1) If that which is holy touches that which is unholy, will it make the unholy holy? The answer is no. (2) If that which is unclean touches that which is clean (holy), will the unclean make it unclean (unholy)? The answer is yes, that is what it will do.
Now these questions are important; so let’s get the background before us. There were many facets of everyday life in Israel which were not covered in detail by the Mosaic Law. There were involved situations and there were knotty and thorny problems which arose in their daily lives, and there was nothing specific given in the Law which would adequately cover them. Then how did Israel function under the Law when there was no specific law to govern certain situations? Well, there is a case in point in Numbers 27 regarding the inheritance of Zelophehad’s daughters. The Mosaic Law had made no inheritance provision when a man had daughters but no sons. Zelophehad didn’t have any sons, but he had a house full of girls. When their father died, the girls went to Moses and said, “Look here, what about our father’s property? The Law says that sons are to inherit, but our father had no sons; he had only girls. So we should have the property.” Maybe Moses was not too enthusiastic about this women’s lib movement; so he took the matter to the Lord. Well, it is quite interesting to see that the Lord was on the side of the girls. He said, “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right; thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren.” So this took care of that particular question.
God made adequate provision for justice under the Law. This is the way it worked: When a matter arose that was not covered by the Law, they were to appeal to the priests. Deuteronomy 17:8–11 says: “If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.” When a certain situation arose that was not covered by the Law, the people were to appeal to the priest; he would make a decision, and his decision became the law for cases which dealt with the same issue. That was God’s method, and it seems to me that we follow this same method today. I once took a course in commercial law, and although I don’t remember much of what was taught, I do recall the difference between what is known as statute law and what is known as common law. Statute law is that which is passed by the legislature. When a certain bill comes before that body of lawmakers and is passed, it becomes statute law. That law is written down and stands as law. There are so many statute laws that I am sure no one person knows all of them.
There is also that which is known as common law. For example, a matter is brought into court. Let’s say it is the case of John Doe versus Mary Roe. The lawyer for each side of the case looks for a similar case in the books, one that has already been tried, because there is nothing on the statute books that covers that specific issue. So finally they find a similar case that was decided years ago by Judge Know-It-All in Washington. Such decisions which were handed down by courts are known as common law. Therefore, we have two kinds of law: statute law and common law.
And this is the provision God made for Israel. Not every specific case was covered by the Mosaic Law, although great principles were laid down. The priests were to know the Old Testament, and when a case arose which was not covered specifically by the Law, the people were to bring the matter before the priests for a decision. And the priests would interpret the Mosaic Law for the people according to the great principles found in the Word of God.
EXPLANATION OF THE PRINCIPLE
Keep in mind that in the Book of Haggai we have come to the post-Captivity period. God’s people had already spent seventy years in captivity in Babylon. Only a small remnant had returned to the land, and those people were discouraged. God raised up three prophets to encourage them; and, since Haggai was the very practical prophet, God sent him to the priests to ask the two questions which were not specifically covered by the Mosaic Law.
Remember that when the captives first returned to Jerusalem, they had the enthusiasm to build, but after fifteen years in the debris of Jerusalem and with their enemies outside, they had done nothing about building the temple. They consoled themselves because they had lost their esprit de corps; and sinking into complacency, they were saying, “It’s not time to build the Lord’s house,” and so they did nothing about building it. Haggai spoke into this situation. He encouraged the people; they began to build, and then some of the oldtimers, who had seen the first temple, began to weep and say, “This little temple isn’t worth anything.” However, for three months the people worked. Then a mercenary spirit entered in, and the people said, “You told us to go to work and build the temple, and if we did, God would bless us. We have obeyed, but God is not blessing us.” It was at this juncture that God sent Haggai to the priests with a twofold inquiry. It is actually one question with two facets. Here are the questions and the answers he received: Is holiness communicated by contact? “No,” is the answer. The holy cannot make the unholy holy by contact. Holiness is noncommunicable. Is unholiness communicated by contact? “Yes,” is the answer. Uncleanness is communicated to the clean by contact. When holy and unholy come in contact, both are unholy. In therapeutics, measles is communicated by contact. In the physical realm, dirty water will discolor clean water—not the opposite. In the moral realm, the evil heart of man cannot perform good deeds. In the religious realm, a ceremony cannot cleanse a sinner.
For God’s application of this principle to Israel, we’ll have to move ahead to pick up verse 17: “I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord.” God says that when the remnant returned to the land, they didn’t turn to Him. They went through the rituals, and they brought sacrifices, and they expected God to bless them, but He did not. Religion, you see, is not a salve you can rub on the outside. Friend, you can swim in holy water, and it won’t make you holy. You can go through a ritual, you can be baptized in water and be held under until you drown, but that won’t make you a child of God. We sometimes put too much emphasis on a rite. Don’t misunderstand me, I think baptism is very important, but it does not impart holiness. It will not change a man’s heart.
Now let’s look at the second inquiry again: “If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?” And the priests gave this answer: “It shall be unclean.” Perhaps the key passage that deals with this matter is Leviticus 22:4–6. The Word of God is quite specific. Uncleanness is communicable; unholiness is transferable.
An evil heart cannot perform good deeds. A bitter fountain cannot give forth sweet water. Grapes are not gathered from thorns. Figs do not come from thistles.
There is a syllogism in philosophy where you state a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. In the Book of Haggai the major premise is this: holiness is not communicated. The minor premise is this: unholiness is communicated. The conclusion is that when the holy and unholy come into contact, both are unholy. The Lord Jesus Christ asked the question, “…Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matt. 7:16). As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. An act or a ritual cannot change the heart. A good deed is actually tarnished when an evil heart performs it. This is ceremonial law, friend, but it is applicable to every phase of life—just like the law of gravitation, it is universal.
Let’s go into a chemistry lab. I fill two large beakers with water. One container I fill with good, clear, clean water, and the other one I fill with the dirtiest water possible. I begin to pour the clean water into the unclean water. How long will I have to pour the clean water into the dirty water before it becomes clear? I will never make the dirty water clean by pouring clean water into it. What happens when I put one drop of the dirty, black water into the clean water? The clean water becomes unclean. So it is in the material world.
In the world of medicine, how do you cure the measles, and how do you get the measles? Do you take a well boy and have him rub up against the sick boy to make him well? Will that cure the boy with the measles? Of course it won’t. What happens? The boy who was well will probably have a good case of the measles.
This principle is also true in the moral realm. The liquor industry gives money to charity, and the race track has a day in which they give all their proceeds to charity. Hollywood produces biblical stories, and we are supposed to applaud them—well, you might applaud, but I won’t. The liquor industry can never cover up the awful thing it is doing to human lives by giving a few dollars to charity. Why? Because, when a clean thing and an unclean thing come together, the unclean always makes the clean unclean. May I say to you, young man and young woman, you cannot run with the wrong crowd and stay clean. If you are running with an unclean crowd, one of these days you are going to find out it has rubbed off on you. If you are going to play in the mud, you are going to get dirty.
And this great principle certainly holds true in the religious realm. Most of the religions in the world teach that if you go through their prescribed rituals and ceremonies, you are acceptable to God. However, the Word of God is clear on the fact that going through a ceremony—baptism or any other rite—or doing anything externally will not meet the conditions which God has put down for man.
After all, man’s condition is a sad one. We read in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” What a picture this is of the human heart! No one but God can know how bad it is. If we could see ourselves as God sees us, we could not stand ourselves. We don’t realize how bad we really are. The Lord Jesus made this abundantly clear in Matthew 15:18–20, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” Just because you wash your hands, have been through a ceremony, or have performed a ritual does not make you right with God, you see.
I often think of a man I played golf with several years ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He told me, “I was a church hypocrite for years. I was a member of a big downtown liberal church. I had been through the ceremonies and had served on every committee. To tell the truth, I was not a Christian, and during the week I was practicing things which no Christian should do. I was a typical hypocrite. Then one day I found out that I was a sinner and needed a Savior. That is the thing that transformed my life.” You see, the heart must be changed. Listen to the Lord Jesus as He talks along this line: “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit [this is the principle at work]. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:16–20). Out of the heart proceed the issues of life. The heart must be changed.
Shakespeare had it right when he portrayed Lady Macbeth walking in her sleep, rubbing her little hand, and exclaiming, “Out, damned spot! out, I say!…. Here’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” How true! Neither can all the perfumes of Arabia make the heart right with God.
Trying to make yourself acceptable with God through ceremonies and all of that sort of thing is like pouring a gallon of Chanel No. 5 on a pile of fertilizer out in the barnyard in an effort to make it clean and fragrant. My friend, it won’t work. The apostle Peter said to Simon the sorcerer, “…thy heart is not right in the sight of God” (Acts 8:21). God demands a clean heart. In Ephesians 6:6 God speaks of “…doing the will of God from the heart.” And in Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart….” How can a man’s heart be made clean when his heart by nature is unclean? Is there something man can do to make his heart clean? No! This is rather like the sign I saw in a dry cleaner’s shop in a certain city back East which read: “We clean everything but the reputation.” Believe me, that is something you can’t get cleaned on earth. The writer of the Book of Proverbs asks the question, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Prov. 20:9).
Well, God has the prescription: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). One song asks the question, “What can wash away my sin?” That same song answers the question—“Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” That is one of the greatest principles ever stated.
God says to the people through the prophet Haggai, “The reason you haven’t been blessed is because you have been coming to Me with unclean hands and unclean hearts.”
Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean [Hag. 2:14].
Their unclean hearts made their service for God unclean. This is the reason that an unsaved person can do nothing that is acceptable to God.
Now, you will find a difference of opinion among Bible expositors on verses 15–19. Some hold that the verses review the condition of the returned remnant when they were indifferent to the Lord’s house before they obeyed the Lord and began to build the temple. Other expositors hold that they refer to the people’s discouragement after they had built the temple because it had not turned the tide of their misfortunes. Haggai tells them that there has not been time for the change to work, that evil has an infectious power greater than that of holiness and that its effects are more lasting.
However, it is my understanding that God is applying to Israel the great principle of the unclean defiling the clean to illustrate to them that although they had rebuilt the temple, their hearts were still far from Him, and He was not able to bless them.
And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord [Hag. 2:15].
He is saying that from this day on He is going to bless them because now they have turned to Him.
Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord.
Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it.
Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you [Hag. 2:16–19].
God says, “Now that your hearts are right before Me, I’ll bless you.” You see, they had rebuilt the temple and had been performing the services of the temple, yet that alone was not enough. In fact, when God had sent them into captivity, they had been going through the temple services. The problem was that their hearts were not right.
My friend, one of the ways that you can make your church a good church—that is, if you have a Bible-teaching preacher—is to go there all prayed up and confessed up and repented up and cleaned up. Then you won’t block any blessing that might come to the church that day. Remember that when the unclean touches the clean, what happens is that the clean becomes unclean. Your heart has to be right with God before there is blessing. This is a tremendous principle. I know of nothing more practical.
REVELATION OF GOD’S PROGRAM
And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying [Hag. 2:20].
“The four and twentieth day of the month” is the same day on which the previous message was given—December 24. On one occasion I was asked why Haggai gave two messages on the same day, and I replied that probably it was because Haggai wanted to go home for Christmas—so he gave both messages before he left. Well, some folk took me seriously, and I received a ten-page letter explaining that in Haggai’s day they weren’t celebrating Christmas yet! Another letter informed me that no one should ever celebrate Christmas! Well, the fact is that when I don’t have the answer to a question, I generally give some facetious answer. And if you won’t let this word get out, I’ll confess to you that I don’t know why Haggai gave two messages on a particular day—but here they are.
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth [Hag. 2:21].
“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah.” This message is to the civil ruler, the man in the kingly line of David, and it is God’s promise to him.
And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother [Hag. 2:22].
“I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen [the nations].” When God says that He will shake the heavens and the earth and will overthrow the ruling governments, He is speaking of the Great Tribulation Period, as He did in verses 6 and 7 of this chapter. He says that He “will overthrow the chariots,” because it was that in which the people trusted; in our day it is nuclear weapons. God says, “I am going to remove all of that.”
EXPECTATION FOR THE FUTURE
In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts [Hag. 2:23].
“In that day”—notice it is not “in this day.” It looks forward to the end times. “I …will make thee as a signet.” The signet was the mark and identification of royalty. A man used it to sign letters and documents. Since it represented him, he guarded it very carefully and usually wore it. It came to represent a most prized possession.
“I have chosen thee, saith the Lord Of hosts.” As we have seen, Zerubbabel is in the line of David. God’s promise is that not only will the Messiah come through David, He will also come through Zerubbabel. Although the name Zerubbabel (Zorobabel) appears in the genealogy of both Matthew and Luke, the one in Matthew is, of course, an entirely different man. God made good His promise to Zerubbabel. The Lord Jesus Christ is just as much the Son of Zerubbabel as He is the Son of David.
The prophecy looks forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will come at the end of the Great Tribulation period. And God intends to put this line of Zerubbabel, this line of David, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, upon the throne of the universe. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He will come to the earth to rule. This little Book of Haggai puts Christ in His proper position as the moral ruler, the civil ruler, and the King to rule over this earth in that day, which makes this an important book.
Now it is true that the little temple built in Haggai’s day, which became known as Zerubbabel’s temple, was not very impressive. But it is very important because it is in the line of temples into which the Messiah Himself will come some day.
Someone has poetically summarized the message of this little Book of Haggai. I regret that I do not know the author, but I shall quote it as we conclude this study—
’Mid blended shouts of joy and grief were laid
The stones whereon the exile’s hopes were based.
Then foes conspired. The king his course retraced,
His throne against the enterprise arrayed.
And now self-seeking, apathy, invade
All hearts. The pulse grows faint, the will unbraced.
They rear their houses, let God’s house lie waste.
So heaven from dew and earth from fruit are stayed.
There comes swift messenger from higher court,
With rugged message, of divine import:—
“Your ways consider; be ye strong and build;
With greater glory shall this house be filled.”
He touched their conscience, and their spirit stirred
To nerve their hands for work, their loins regird.
—Author unknown
My friend, again let me say this: Who in our day is going to determine who is doing the great work and who is doing the small work? Your Sunday school class or other seemingly insignificant ministry may be far more important than an impressive work that is well known in our day. Only God can know the importance of it. Let’s be found faithful, and then let’s work. This is the message of the little Book of Haggai.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n. d.
Jensen, Irving L. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n. d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
Wolfe, Herbert. Haggai and Malachi. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
The Book of
Zechariah
INTRODUCTION
Zechariah, whose name means “whom Jehovah remembers,” is identified as the son of Berechiah, which means “Jehovah blesses,” and his father was the son of Iddo, which means “the appointed time.” Certainly this cluster of names with such rich meanings is suggestive of the encouragement given to the remnant that had returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity—God remembers and blesses at the appointed time.
Although the name Zechariah was common among the Hebrew people (twenty-eight Zechariahs are mentioned in the Old Testament), there are Bible teachers who identify the Zechariah of this book with the “Zacharias” whom our Lord mentioned in Matthew 23:35 as having been martyred. Many expositors discount this possibility, but it is interesting to note that the Jewish Targum states that Zechariah was slain in the sanctuary and that he was both prophet and priest. In Nehemiah 12:4 Iddo is mentioned as one of the heads of a priestly family. And the historian “Josephus (Wars, iv. 5, 34) recounts the murder of a ‘Zecharias, the son of Baruch,’ i.e., Barachiah, as perpetrated in the Temple by the Zealots just before the destruction of Jerusalem” (Ellicott’s Commentary on the Whole Bible).
Another interesting observation is that Zechariah’s prophecy practically closes the Old Testament—it is next to the final book—and the New Testament opens chronologically with Luke’s account of another Zacharias (meaning “Jehovah remembers”) and his wife Elisabeth (meaning “His oath”). Zacharias was a priest who was serving at the altar of incense when an angel appeared to him with a message from God after four hundred years of silence. So again God remembered His oath.
The prophecy was written in 520 b.c. Zechariah was contemporary with Haggai (see Ezra 5:1; 6:14), although he was probably a younger man (see Zech. 2:4).
This book has the characteristics of an apocalypse. The visions resemble those in the Books of Daniel and Ezekiel and Revelation. Daniel and Ezekiel were born in the land of Israel but wrote their books outside of it. Zechariah was born outside of the land down by the canals of Babylon, but he wrote in the land. It is interesting that Daniel, Ezekiel, and John were all outside Israel when they wrote. Only Zechariah was in that land when he wrote his apocalyptic visions. In the dark day of discouragement which blanketed the remnant, he saw the glory in all of the rapture and vision of hope. He has more messianic prophecies than any of the other minor prophets. This is therefore an important and interesting book.
Zechariah was contemporary with Haggai, but his book is in direct contrast to Haggai. They definitely knew each other and prophesied to the same people at the same period of time. Yet their prophecies are just about as different as any two could be. They are literally ages apart even though they were given to the same people at the same time.
Haggai was down there at the foundation of the temple measuring it. He really had his feet on the ground. Zechariah was a man with his head in the air. Anyone who has ten visions in one night is doing pretty well! He is entirely visionary, whereas Haggai is entirely practical. Yet they were both speaking for God to the same people at the same time concerning the same problem. Also they both speak to us today, but each in his own manner.
We need to recognize that these two types of men are still needed today. They fit together. We need the practical, pragmatic man to go along with the man who is visionary, because there is a danger in the dreamer. Too often the dreamers are not practical. On the other hand, the practical man so often lacks vision. So when you put these two together, you have a happy combination.
OUTLINE
I. Apocalyptic Visions (Messianic and Millennial), Chapters 1–6
A. Introduction and Message of Warning, Chapter 1:1–6
B. Ten Visions (All in One Night), Chapters 1:7–6:15
1. Riders under Myrtle Trees, Chapter 1:7–17
2. Four Horns, Chapter 1:18–19
3. Four Smiths, Chapter 1:20–21
4. Man with Measuring Line, Chapter 2
5. Joshua and Satan, Chapter 3:1–7
6. The Branch, Chapter 3:8–10
7. Lampstand and Two Olive Trees, Chapter 4
8. Flying Roll, Chapter 5:1–4
9. Woman in the Ephah, Chapter 5:5–11
10. Four Chariots, Chapter 6
II. Historic Interlude, Chapters 7–8
A. Question Concerning a Religious Ritual (Fasting), Chapter 7:1–3
B. Threefold Answer, Chapters, 7:4–8:23
1. When the Heart Is Right, the Ritual Is Right, Chapter 7:4–7
2. When the Heart Is Wrong, the Ritual Is Wrong, Chapter 7:8–14
3. God’s Purpose Concerning Jerusalem Unchanged by Any Ritual, Chapter 8
III. Prophetic Burdens, Chapters 9–14
A. First Burden: Prophetic Aspects Connected with First Coming of Christ, Chapters 9–11
B. Second Burden: Prophetic Aspects Connected with Second Coming of Christ, Chapters 12–14
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Apocalyptic visions: of riders under myrtle trees; of four horns; of four smiths
APOCALYPTIC VISIONS
The first six chapters are messianic and millennial. In this section is the record of ten visions, and Zechariah was given all of those ten visions in a single night. I would say that this was a good night’s work, by the way!
INTRODUCTION AND MESSAGE OF WARNING
The first verse serves as an introduction to the Book of Zechariah.
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying [Zech. 1:1].
“In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius” gears this prophetic book into the reign of a gentile king because this is the period of the return of a remnant of Israel back to their land after the seventy-year captivity in Babylon. There is no king in either Israel or Judah now. The line of David is off the throne, and the Times of the Gentiles are in progress. “The second year of Darius” is the same year in which Haggai prophesied. They prophesied to the same people during the same period of time. Haggai began in the sixth month of that year, and Zechariah began two months later. It is the year 520 b.c. Haggai was given a prophecy in September, October, and December, but none in November. So this man Zechariah was given a prophecy in November, the month Haggai missed.
“Came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah.” This is the same expression that Haggai used. In other words, Zechariah is speaking by the same authority that Haggai spoke. This same phrase occurs fourteen times in this book. Since the Book of Zechariah has fourteen chapters, it occurs on the average of once every chapter. As you can see, this is another book which places a great emphasis on the Word of God.
Now the second verse begins the message of warning which God has given Zechariah. Speaking by the same authority that Haggai did, the Word of the Lord, he is warning the returned remnant not to follow in the footsteps of their pre-Captivity fathers.
The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers [Zech. 1:2].
Zechariah is telling them that the reason they had been in captivity was that “The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers.” They had sinned against God, and he is warning them against making the same blunder, the same mistakes.
Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts [Zech. 1:3].
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts.” That title for God has become almost a cliché for us; in fact many of the titles of God are almost meaningless to us, although we use them a great deal. What does “the Lord of hosts” really mean? It occurs fifty-two times in this book, which indicates its importance. The word hosts is derived from the Hebrew tsaba (plural: tsabaoth), meaning “service” or “strength” or even “warfare.” The way it is used here “implies the boundless resources at His command for His people’s good.” That is Dr. Fausset’s definition, and I can’t improve on it. In the New Testament it says, “He is rich in mercy” (see Eph. 2:4), and “He has all power” (Matt. 28:18). So what do you need today, my friend? Do you need a little mercy? Well, he has an abundance of it. He is rich in it, and He can extend mercy to you. My, how we all need it! He is the Lord of Hosts—that title occurs three times in this verse and again in the fourth and sixth verses.
“Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you.” You see how He is extending mercy to them.
Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord [Zech. 1:4].
This is God’s very practical warning. He is saying, “Your fathers paid no attention to the prophets whom I sent to them. I sent Hosea. I sent Joel. I sent Amos. I sent to them Isaiah and Jeremiah. I sent all of these prophets, but your fathers did not listen to them nor heed their message. That is the reason they went into captivity.”
Now God asks a question—
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? [Zech. 1:5].
The voices of the former prophets are no longer sounding. Jeremiah and Isaiah and Hosea and Joel and Amos are gone. They are dead, and their voices are silent. And, by the way, “your fathers, where are they?” Well, they are buried down yonder in Babylon. That is the wrong place for an Israelite to be buried, because he wants to be buried in his own land. Even old Jacob down in the land of Egypt made Joseph take an oath that he would not bury him there in Egypt. He said, “I want to be taken back up yonder and be buried with my fathers.” And that is where his body is today—there in Hebron. The hope of the patriarchs and the godly Israelites was to be in their land at the time of the resurrection of the dead. If you have ever been to Jerusalem, you know that before the Eastern Gate, down through the Valley of Kidron and all up the side of the Mount of Olives are graves of Israelites. The Arabs mutilated a great many of them, but they are being restored by Israel. They want to be buried in that location because they expect to see the Messiah come to the earth at that place. And, personally, I believe that they will be raised from the dead when Christ returns to the earth to establish His kingdom. Let me remind you that at the time of the Rapture the Lord Jesus will not come to the earth. Rather, He will call His own out of the earth and will meet them in the air. At that time He will not come to establish His kingdom upon earth. First the world will go through the Great Tribulation Period, and then Christ will come to the earth to reign personally here. So you see that there would be no point in raising the Old Testament saints (both Jews and Gentiles) before the Tribulation, because they would just have to stand around and wait until the Tribulation was over so that they could enter the kingdom.
Therefore, you can see that God’s question through Zechariah is very pertinent: “Your fathers, where are they?” They are buried down by the canals of Babylon, which is a bad place to be when your hope is in the land of Israel.
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us [Zech. 1:6].
“Did they not take hold of your fathers?” means “did they not overtake your fathers?” The judgment for their sins overtook them.
“And they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.” They were finally willing to admit that the judgment which had come to them was just and righteous on the part of God—because He had warned them but they had not listened to Him.
This concludes the practical section. I don’t mean that the next section is impractical; I simply mean that it deals with the visions which Zechariah had.
TEN VISIONS
While most expositors and commentators say that there are eight visions here, we will make a further division, as you will see.
VISION OF RIDERS UNDER MYRTLE TREES
The first vision is that of the horses and riders under the myrtle trees.
Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying [Zech. 1:7].
Since the Hebrew months do not begin with January, the eleventh month would be equivalent to our February—February 24, 520 b.c. We will see the significance of this in a few minutes.
Now let’s get the background before us. Five months prior to this vision, the Lord had appeared to Haggai and had given him a message of challenge for the remnant to resume the rebuilding of the temple. And the work of building the temple was begun. Then two months before Zechariah’s vision, the prophet Haggai had delivered a very sharp message to the priests because they were impure and yet were expecting God to bless them. Also, his message had been directed to the people because of their delay in building and their hesitation in moving forward with it. At this time Haggai also had told them about the coming destruction of gentile world power before God would establish His kingdom here upon the earth. He had told them that the one who would rule would be the Messiah and that He was coming from the line of Zerubbabel, who was the civil ruler of Jerusalem at this time and was in the royal line of King David.
Now it was during this time, while the temple was being rebuilt, that Zechariah was given ten visions.
I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white [Zech. 1:8].
“I saw by night”—he doesn’t say, “I dreamed by night.” You may get the impression that because Zechariah had these visions at night that they were dreams, but he makes it clear that they were visions, not dreams. He was wide awake, and I don’t think that any tranquilizer or sleeping pill could have put him to sleep on that night!
Many people differ with me in my stand that God does not speak through dreams or by visions in our day. I don’t try to correct them when they say to me, “I saw a vision last night,” I simply ask them if they saw the vision in a dream. If they did, I know immediately that God has not given them a message but that the dream was caused by something they ate for dinner the evening before, or it came out of some experience they had. In sleep the mind is unlatched or released, and it generally wanders back over some experience that produces the dream. Therefore, I think we can be sure that God does not speak to us in dreams.
Notice that Zechariah said, “I saw.” It is important to understand how God revealed Himself to this prophet at this time.
“Behold”—Zechariah introduces his vision in a dramatic way. Frankly, I think the translator should have put an exclamation mark after that word. Behold means “to look.” “Look! There’s a man riding upon a red horse!”
“A man riding upon a red horse.” Who is this man? He is the Lord Jesus Christ before His incarnation. You may ask how I know that. Well, He is identified as the “angel of the Lord” in verses 11 and 12. In the Old Testament the angel of the Lord is designated as God. Therefore, the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament. He is the angel of the Presence; He is Jehovah Himself, the Messiah.
Here in Christ’s preincarnation Zechariah sees Him watching over this world. Now, it is true that Satan is called the prince of this world, that is, of this world system—the carnality of this world today is all under Satan’s control—but God has not given up this earth to Satan. Even at this very moment, the Lord Jesus Christ is standing in the shadows, keeping watch over His own. Here in Zechariah’s vision it is the nation of Israel in particular over which He is watching. What a comfort it is to know that, out of all the galaxies about us which cannot be numbered for multitude, the God of the universe is watching, keeping watch over His own. What a message this vision has for us. Zechariah will give many messages of comfort, and certainly this is one of them.
Notice that the man is riding “upon a red horse.” What is the significance of the color red? Well, red speaks of blood and bloodshed; in the Book of Revelation it speaks of bloodshed in war. But for this one who is riding the red horse, it speaks of His own blood that was to be shed. He is watching over this earth because He would die and shed His blood for the human family on this earth. What a picture we have here!
“Behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.” It does not say that there were riders on the horses, but I feel that we can rightly assume that each horse had a rider. Here is an instance where God has not given us complete information, but we assume that the riders are angelic beings under Christ’s command whose business it is to watch over this earth and report their findings to Him. I believe that the colors of the horses—red, sorrel (called speckled in the King James Version), and white—all have significance.
I haven’t seen the word sorrel since I was a boy in West Texas and Southern Oklahoma when horses were the means of transportation. I can remember when I saw my first automobile in Springer, Oklahoma. We stood and looked at it for two hours. Can you imagine going to a parking lot today and looking at a car for that long? Well, we did. A doctor owned it, and everyone in that little town in which I lived came out to look at the car. It was fearful to behold and an unusual contraption. Nobody thought it could ever supplant the horse in our day of muddy roads. I remember well the sorrel horses; they were spotted, brownish orange—I always thought of them as a dirty yellow. You might not like that description if a sorrel horse is your pet, but as a boy that is the way they looked to me.
As I said, I believe there is a significance in the colors of the horses. Red horses would be symbolic of warfare. White horses would probably represent victory, symbolic of the fact that the one riding the horse is marching to victory. The sorrel is a mixture of the other colors.
“He stood among the myrtle trees.” The myrtle tree is what we here in California call the laurel tree. We find it down in the desert regions. The Southern Pacific Railroad Company has planted them all along their tracks in the Palm Springs area so that the sand won’t cover the tracks. In the land of Israel, which apparently is their native habitat, there were many myrtle-covered valleys. The myrtle is considered sort of a badge of Israel. You see, certain trees and plants represent the nation—the olive tree, the fig tree, the myrtle tree, the grapevine all have their significance. In Isaiah 41:19 (literal translation mine), God says, “I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the olive, and I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together.” And in Isaiah 55:13 He says, “Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.” In modern Israel the tremendous planting of trees—and most of them are myrtle—could have real significance. It is interesting that myrtle branches together with palm branches were used in the ritual of constructing booths in the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. In fact, the name myrtle is the Hebrew hadhas, from which the name of Esther, hadhassah, is derived—so that a girl named Esther and another girl named Myrtle actually have the same name, referring to the myrtle tree.
“The myrtle trees that were in the bottom”—what does he mean by “the bottom”? It means down in a valley. The grove of myrtle trees would be in a valley where there was a water supply. The myrtle trees in the valley may be representative of Israel, for she was certainly down in a valley at this time.
Before we leave this verse, let me say that the rider on the red horse is a picture, I believe, of the Lord Jesus just waiting for the day to come when He will take over this earth. And in the meantime He is patrolling the earth, watching over it. And I assume that the riders on the other horses are created intelligences, supernatural beings, or angels, who are there with Him.
Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be [Zech. 1:9].
“Then said I, O my lord, what are these?” That is the same question we have; so let’s listen. He says that he will show us what these things are—
And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth [Zech. 1:10].
“To walk to and fro” means that they were patrolling the earth.
And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest [Zech. 1:11].
“All the earth sitteth still, and is at rest” means that there was peace on the earth at this time. That sounds good, because during five thousand years of recorded history, there have been only about two hundred years of peace. Man is a fierce, warlike creature—there is war in his heart. So a period of peace sounds wonderful. But what kind of peace was it? Well, it was the kind of peace that does not last very long.
Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? [Zech. 1:12].
“Against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years”—that is, for seventy years now Jerusalem has been lying in ruin, debris, and ashes. But the remnant of Israel which has returned to the land is beginning to rebuild. The cry is, “How long will it be before God is going to bring real blessing to us?”
God will make it clear that He is displeased with the nations which are at peace and ignore Jerusalem’s plight. God is jealous for Jerusalem, and all the nations of the world are indifferent to it. God returned to Jerusalem with mercies, and the nations have a responsibility also. But the nations are at peace, although they won’t be at peace very long.
My friend, this has application to our present world situation. The world can never have permanent peace until the Lord Jesus is reigning in Jerusalem, because He is the Prince of Peace. In the meantime, the peace which He offers is peace with God because of sins forgiven. If we are right with God, we can have peace with our neighbors and even peace among nations. But the so-called civilized—not Christian—nations are the ones that have carried on two world wars in this century. It is interesting that during World War II when some of our United States troops were fighting in the South Pacific, they expected to find on many of the little islands headhunters and cannibals, but instead they found Christian churches and Christians who received them joyfully. The so-called heathen were at peace, and the so-called Christians were at war! The world cannot have peace apart from Christ.
Jerusalem is the key to world peace. In Zechariah’s day the world was trying to have peace and ignore Jerusalem. This was during the world domination by Media-Persia. You remember that Babylon had put down both Egypt and Assyria; then Media-Persia had put down the Babylonian Empire and was reigning all the way from the Indus River to the Mediterranean Sea and all the way from the snow of the mountains around the Black Sea and Caspian Sea to the burning sands of the Sahara Desert. Their dominion brought a brief period of peace to the world. But it wouldn’t be long until Alexander the Great would come out of the West and upset the apple cart again. Peace could not be permanent because the city of Jerusalem was the key to peace.
And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words [Zech. 1:13].
Notice that they were good words and comforting words, words that were helpful to the remnant. During this time Haggai was pronouncing judgment, but not Zechariah—he was giving God’s message of comfort.
So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy [Zech. 1:14].
“I am jealous for Jerusalem.” God’s jealousy is not a human sort of jealousy that might be just a flare of bad temper. But men’s jealousy, which is a burning passion for that which is their own and is dear to them and may be taken away from them, may be similar to the jealousy of God. “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.” Jerusalem is His city, and the Israelites are His people. He is fully aware of the worldwide woe of oppressed Israel even in our day, and He is exceedingly jealous for His people. I believe that in time God is going to move on their behalf. The world then and now is ready to forsake them.
And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction [Zech. 1:15].
“I was but a little displeased,” that is, God’s chastisement was intended for a brief period, but the nations of the world wanted her annihilation.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem [Zech. 1:16].
“I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies.” God had come back to deal with His people in mercy. The Scriptures tell us that He is rich in mercy.
“A line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.” There are those who believe that this “line” stretching forth upon Jerusalem means that there would be a great building boom in Jerusalem, that it would expand and become a great city in that day. I think that is probably true. But in the Scriptures, whenever we find a man with a measuring rod or a measuring line, it means that God is getting ready to move directly in that particular case. In this case, Israel had just returned from the seventy-year captivity, and God is turning to His people again, turning to those who have returned to Him.
All the nations of the earth are to understand that there will never be peace on earth until there is peace in Jerusalem. That is the key to peace on this earth. Haven’t we seen this demonstrated again in these last few years? Haven’t the events since Israel became a nation again rather indicated that? That little nation found out how few friends she really had in the world at the beginning of the oil crisis. The nations which they thought were their friends fell away like dead flies because they wanted oil more than they wanted the friendship of Israel. But, of course, modern Israel has not returned to God in spite of the fact that there is a great building boom over there today. They have returned back to the land and have begun rebuilding the cities, and Zionism is very much a reality, yet they are actually still scattered throughout the world in disbelief. And they are still suffering persecution. The peace of Jerusalem is the key to world peace. You can see this by checking back in the history of the past.
It is certainly true that Jerusalem is crucial in the prophecies of the future: “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it” (Ps. 132:13–14). Also, “Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved” (Ps. 78:67–68). God says that Jerusalem is the spot He loves. I must confess that I do not love Jerusalem as it is today. I must be very frank to say that it is not an attractive place to me. But God is going to make it a wonderful place some day. Although the judgment of God is upon Jerusalem even in this day, God still loves it.
Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem [Zech. 1:17].
This looks into the future so that these people can recognize that they are working in the plan and program of God which extends into the future.
Allow me to make an application for Christians today. Are you and I working in something that has eternal value? What are you doing today? What value will it be ten years from today? A hundred years from today? A million years from today? Are you and I actually working in the light of eternity? We should keep that in mind.
VISION OF FOUR HORNS
This is the second vision given to Zechariah.
Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem [Zech. 1:18–19].
I consider the vision of the four horns as one vision, and the vision of the four carpenters as another vision. Most expositors combine them and consider them as a single vision, but I do not interpret them that way.
Zechariah sees four horns, and these four horns are the ones that scattered Jerusalem and Judah and Israel. They have scattered both the northern and the southern kingdoms.
A horn represents a gentile ruler. We find this in Daniel 7:24: “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise….” Again, in Revelation 17:12: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” I think you can see from these other references that horns represent gentile world powers. So these four horns which Zechariah saw represent four gentile world powers.
Well, who are they? The four gentile powers that scattered Israel are: Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The interesting thing is that in the next vision God makes it very clear that these four horns will be dealt with.
THE VISION OF FOUR SMITHS
In our text they are called carpenters, but they are actually skilled workmen or artisans—or they can be called smiths because a smith is a trained workman.
And the Lord shewed me four carpenters.
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it [Zech. 1:20–21].
“Then said I, What come these to do?” That is, “What are these skilled workmen doing here?”
“And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray [terrify] them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles [nations], which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.” This is, without doubt, one of the most remarkable prophecies we have in the Scriptures.
Who are the four smiths? There have been many suggestions. Jerome and Cyril and Calvin considered them symbolic of the supernatural means which God uses. Well, I don’t quite agree with that. The smiths or artisans are workmen which build up something. I am greatly indebted to Dr. Merrill Unger for his interpretation, which I consider to be the correct one. (By the way, Dr. Unger’s book on Zechariah is the finest I have seen.) Since the four horns are symbolic of four successive world empires spanning “… the times of the Gentiles …” (Luke 21:24), the four smiths must also represent four successive powers used by God to terrify and to cast down the enemies of God’s people Israel. Now let me quote Dr. Unger from Unger’s Bible Commentary: Zechariah (p. 40):
In line with Daniel’s great prophecies concerning “the times of the Gentiles” (Dan. 2:31–45; 7:2–13) three of the horns in turn and under the punitive hand of God become smiths, while the fourth and last horn is cast down by the world-wide kingdom set up by the returning Christ, coming to dash to pieces His enemies who are at the same time His peoples’ enemies (Ps. 2:1–12). Thus the first horn (Babylon) is cast down by Medo-Persia, the second horn. The second horn (Medo-Persia), accordingly, in turn becomes the first smith. The second horn (Medo-Persia) is cast down by the third horn, and thus becomes the second smith. The third horn (Macedonian Greece), is in turn cast down by the fourth horn (Rome), which thus becomes the third smith. The fourth horn (Rome), the most dreadful of all, does not become a smith but in its revived ten-kingdom form of the last days is destroyed by the fourth smith, the millennial kingdom set up by the returning “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16).
The interesting thing is that if you study the history of Rome, you will see that Rome was not destroyed by an outside power. In fact, according to prophecy, the Roman Empire will come back together again. It never did die—it just fell apart because of the internal corruption of the kingdom. There is one who is coming, the Antichrist, who will restore the Roman Empire. He will be a world dictator. Who is going to put him down? Christ will put him down when He returns to the earth. Therefore, Christ is represented by the fourth carpenter or smith. He is the one who will put down the Roman Empire when He comes at the end of the Great Tribulation Period.
My friend, I hope this enables you to see how important it is to study the entire Word of God, because “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation …” (2 Pet. 1:20)—that is, it is not to be interpreted by itself. It must be fitted into God’s tremendous program that reaches on into eternity.
It is interesting that, when the Lord Jesus came to earth the first time, He had the title of the carpenter of Nazareth. And He is coming again someday as a carpenter to put down this world dictator and establish His kingdom here upon this earth with Jerusalem as its center. Someone has expressed it in these words:
Then let the world forbear their rage,
The Church renounce her fear;
Israel must live through every age,
And be the Almighty’s care.
—Author unknown
Before we leave this chapter, I would like to call your attention to the fact that great prominence is given in each of the ten visions to these truths: (1) that God is not through with the nation Israel; and (2) when God says Israel and Judah and Jerusalem, He means exactly those geographic locations. The modern cult which teaches that Great Britain and the United States are the “ten lost tribes” is entirely wrong. I suppose that it helps our national pride to believe that we might be the “chosen people.” However, the only way God chooses people today is in Christ. It makes no difference who you are, what your color is, or what your station in life happens to be, if you are in Christ, you are chosen and accepted in the Beloved. Unless we are in Christ, it makes no difference to what nation we belong—right now it wouldn’t be helpful even to belong to the nation of Israel. We are looking for a “… city … whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10), and it is coming from God out of heaven someday. That is our hope.
But God is going to make good His promises to Israel. He will be faithful to them. If you could persuade me that He is going to be unfaithful to the nation Israel, then I do not know on what basis I could believe that He is going to be faithful to the church. But God is faithful, both to us and to Israel.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Vision of the man with the measuring line
The vision of this chapter prophesies the rebuilding of the temple and the city of Jerusalem by the remnant of Israel in the days of Zechariah. However, this in no way concludes the prophecy. Zechariah—and this is true of all the other prophets—looks forward to the very end times and sees the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple during the Millennium. During this period the desert will blossom as the rose—and there is a whole lot of desert to blossom over there! And the Lord Himself will dwell in the city of Jerusalem. Although I don’t like Jerusalem as it is today, when the Lord moves into it, I think both you and I will like it then. (However, we won’t be living there, because the New Jerusalem will be the home of the church.) But the earthly Jerusalem will be inhabited and will become the center of this earth. Keep in mind that the Lord will do this—He has already said in chapter 1 verse 17, “My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” So you see, everything that was to be done in Zechariah’s day had eternal significance. God has a purpose with Israel—He is not about to cast her off. Although local circumstances in Zechariah’s day were discouraging and it seemed that God has deserted them, He wanted them to know that not only had He not deserted them, but He has an eternal plan and purpose for them. They could say with us, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
VISION OF THE MAN WITH THE MEASURING LINE
I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand [Zech. 2:1].
“I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked.” Zechariah sees it with his physical eyes; he is not asleep.
“Behold a man with a measuring line.” The appearance of this man reveals that He is the angel of the Lord, the preincarnate Christ, the same one who appeared in the first vision as the rider on the red horse. You may wonder why I say that He is the angel of the Lord when Zechariah simply calls him a man. Well, Zechariah presents Him as a man (ish in Hebrew). In chapter 6 verse 12 Zechariah will say, “Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH.” That is the branch of David, the sprout which is coming from Jesse, the Lord Jesus Christ.
To determine the meaning of the “measuring line,” I want to call your attention to other verses of Scripture: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath” (Jer. 31:38–39). When you find God using a measuring line, it simply means that He is getting ready to move again in behalf of that which He is measuring. In the Jeremiah reference He is measuring the city of Jerusalem. The prophet Ezekiel also speaks of measuring: “In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel” (Ezek. 40:2–4). If we read further we would see that this is the vision of the building of the millennial temple in Jerusalem. There is another reference concerning a measuring line: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” (Rev. 11:1–2). Without going into detail, let me say that this again is the measuring of the millennial temple that is to be built.
Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof [Zech. 2:2].
“Whither goest thou?” Zechariah is interested and asks, “Where in the world are you going with that measuring line?”
“To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth … and what is the length.” He is saying that the city is to be expanded. It did that in Zechariah’s day, and it is certainly doing that now. It spilled over the walls long ago. On every hill around the old city of Jerusalem there is construction going on. I don’t consider the current building program to be a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy because I believe the fulfillment is yet future. The Jews could be driven out of the land of Israel again without disturbing God’s promise to eventually and finally bring them back to that land—for that is exactly what He intends to do.
And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,
And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein [Zech. 2:3–4].
“Run, speak to this young man.” The young man is evidently Zechariah.
“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls.” In our day the walls of Jerusalem surround only the older city, the small Arab city. Most of the city is outside the walls, scattered on the surrounding hills. This will also be true when this prophecy is fulfilled in the future. It won’t be needful to have walls because (1) in modern warfare walls afford no protection, and (2) the city will be at peace, which means that the Prince of Peace will be reigning in Jerusalem.
For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her [Zech. 2:5].
This certainly is not true in our day. Their help comes from other nations. But God says that in the future He will be a wall of fire around them. This means that God will be their protection. And, my friend, when God protects them, that will be miraculous. Not only will He be their protection, but He Himself will be in their midst. In other words, the shekinah glory will then be back in the temple—it did not return to the little temple which the remnant built in the days of Zechariah. But to the harassed little remnant God is promising His protection, He is saying essentially the same thing which he said to Abraham after he had delivered Lot: “… Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen. 15:1). This means that God will make good all that He had promised them.
Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Revelation are the four apocalyptic books in the Bible. They all look to the future when the kingdom is to be established here upon earth. I would like to quote a rather extensive passage from Ezekiel 43 to show the glory that is coming. It describes the coming of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, coming into His temple. “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.”
This is the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, coming into the temple. Notice that He is coming from the east, which is the reason the Eastern Gate in the wall of Jerusalem is so prominent even in our day, although it is sealed up. Facing that gate are graves of thousands of Israelites because they believe they will be resurrected when this prophecy is fulfilled—and they want to be present when the Messiah comes. “And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places” (Ezek. 43:1–7).
Notice it says, “I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever.” Forever is a long time, my friend. You see, this is a prophecy that does not find its fulfillment in the days of Ezekiel but looks down through the ages to the Millennium, the time when the Lord Jesus will come and establish His kingdom here on earth.
Now note again what Zechariah has prophesied: “For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.”
Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord [Zech. 2:6].
“Ho, ho” is a call to listen. One “ho” would be enough, but when there is a double “ho,” it means that He is giving them something very important, and in this case it is a warning.
“Come forth, and flee from the land of the north.” In the following verse we shall see that Babylon is referred to as “the land of the north,” although it is actually situated in an easterly direction from Palestine. It is called the land of the north because invading armies and trading caravans from that land to Jerusalem came around the route called the “fertile crescent” and entered Palestine from the north.
“I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.” Although historical Babylon did fall two years after this prophecy was given, the final fulfillment will be in the last days, when God will regather them from their worldwide dispersion.
Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon [Zech. 2:7].
This means to get out of Babylon. Why? Because Babylon was going to fall. God was going to bring it down. Let me revert to the two visions about the horns and the carpenters. The first horn is Babylon, and now the carpenter (representing Medo-Persia) is coming, and he is going to tear Babylon down. But Medo-Persia will become a great power, a horn, and then he will persecute God’s people. So God will move that nation off the scene by bringing in another carpenter, which will be Greece. And Greece will become a proud nation. And under a ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, who will come out of the divided empire of Alexander the Great, Israel will be severely persecuted. Then God will raise up another carpenter, Rome, and he will cut down the power of Greece. When the Roman Empire becomes a great power, where is the carpenter who will cut it down? History tells us that the great Roman Empire fell apart, but prophecy tells us that it will come back together again in the last days. Then who will put it down? The Lord Jesus is going to come from heaven. He is the carpenter of Nazareth, and He is also the man with the measuring rod. He will put down the Antichrist and his kingdom. Then Christ will establish His own kingdom here upon the earth. This is the picture given to us in these visions, which makes them of utmost significance.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye [Zech. 2:8].
“Apple of his eye” is an unusual expression, although it occurs elsewhere in Scripture. In this instance it is the Hebrew babah, meaning “the pupil” or “the gate” (through which light enters). It is an expression which indicates that which is most precious, most easily injured, and most demanding of protection. This is what Israel is to the Lord God.
For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me [Zech. 2:9].
“I will shake mine hand upon them”—that is, all God needs to do is to shake His hand threateningly against the enemies of His people. “And they shall be a spoil to their servants.” Those who served them shall become their masters.
Now here is one of the great prophecies of Scripture.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord [Zech. 2:10].
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion.” Zion is a hill over in Jerusalem. There are cults that want to appropriate this verse to themselves; so they have moved “Zion” to England or to the United States. Let’s be clear on this: When God speaks of Zion, He is not talking about Illinois or Utah or any place other than Palestine. There is a constant danger of taking these prophecies which were given to Israel and relating them to us by way of interpretation. Certainly we can make application to our own country and to our own lives because great principles are stated here. But when God is talking about geography, He means exactly what He says. “But,” somebody says, “this is a vision.” Granted, but a vision is a vision of reality. A friend of mine disagreed with my interpretation of the Book of Revelation. He said, “It doesn’t mean that.”
I said, “Then you tell me what it means.”
“It is a symbol.”
“All right, now you tell me what it is a symbol of.”
“Oh, it’s just a symbol.”
“Don’t you know that a symbol has to be a symbol of something? And it has to make sense. You can’t just pull an explanation out of a hat and say, ‘This is what it means.’ How do you know what it means? It is a symbol of something, and by careful study and comparison with parallel passages, you are to determine what it is. No prophecy is of ‘private interpretation’; it must be tested by the whole Word of God.”
Therefore, when God uses a geographical term like Zion, He is talking about Zion in Israel. And notice that He is addressing the “daughter of Zion,” which is the nation Israel. This is a very familiar figure for Israel, and it cannot mean any other people.
“Lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.” God means this literally. He intends to come to that geographical spot on the earth called Zion and to a certain group of people who will be there, Israel the daughter of Zion.
And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again [Zech. 2:11–12].
“And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day.” Notice that it is not only Israel, but many nations will be converted to Christ in that day. To be “joined to the Lord” is to be united to Him in faith and spiritual experience.
“And the Lord shall inherit Judah.” The conversion of “many nations” does not imply that God will not fulfill His promises to Judah. Zechariah reminds his people again that they are God’s inheritance and His portion.
This ought to answer once and for all the anti-Semite who insists that Judah refers to Jews and that Israel refers to another race. God says that He intends to inherit Judah.
“His portion in the holy land.” This is the only place in the Bible where the phrase “holy land” is used. It is not the holy land today. When I make this statement publicly, it is generally challenged by somebody who says, “But it is the holy land. That is the place where Jesus walked!” Well, His footprints are all gone. He is not walking there now. However, someday He will return, and when He does, it will be the holy land again.
“And shall choose Jerusalem again” implies that He is not choosing Jerusalem right now—and I wouldn’t either! But when He does choose it, it will become the capital of this earth.
Remember that no prophecy is of any “private interpretation.” It must parallel other Scriptures. So let me call your attention to a parallel passage in Isaiah: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:2–3). All of this looks forward to the time of the Millennium.
Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation [Zech. 2:13].
In that day the whole earth will keep silence. Today we hear a lot about freedom of speech, but in that future day there is going to be a marvelous freedom of silence. Why? Because God will be in His holy temple. This looks forward to His visible presence on earth during the Millennium.
This prospect for the future should have been an encouragement to those people in the day of Zechariah. I’m sure it was. And it ought to be an encouragement for us today. God has a plan and purpose for each one of us. He is working in your life and in my life. He works in our hearts both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Oh, to be in step with Him and to be going in the same direction as He is going!
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Vision of Joshua and Satan; Vision of the Branch
As we continue in our study of the ten visions which God gave to Zechariah, keep in mind that we are in a highly figurative section of the Word of God. These ten visions should be considered together as focusing on one particular message. An overall viewpoint will give us a perspective of what each vision is trying to tell us. Also, we need to compare them with other prophetic Scripture passages. As the apostle Peter said, “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20). That is, we are not to interpret it by itself, but compare it with the whole program of prophecy to get the overall viewpoint which reaches from eternity past to eternity future.
VISION OF JOSHUA AND SATAN
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him [Zech. 3:1].
“He shewed me Joshua the high priest.” Keep in mind that this is not the Joshua who led the children of Israel into the Promised Land. This is the Joshua who served as high priest among the remnant of Israel who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. The name Joshua means “Jehovah saves,” and in the Greek language of the New Testament, the name is translated as “Jesus.” You remember that the angel in announcing His approaching birth said, “…thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). So you can see that the name Joshua is especially appropriate for this high priest and prefigures what the nation Israel ought to have been—that is, a holy, high-priestly nation.
“Standing before the angel of the Lord.” This angel is the Lord Jesus Christ before His incarnation, as we have seen in the previous chapters.
“And Satan standing at his right hand.” It is quite obvious that if Zechariah saw Joshua, he also saw Satan, which means that Satan is a reality and a person.
In our contemporary culture we see a revival in interest regarding Satan. He pretty much had dropped out of the vocabulary of most people in so-called Christian lands for the past fifty years. They had forgotten about him; or perhaps they felt that by not mentioning him he would go away. But he hasn’t gone away. He is very much a reality. The current interest in the supernatural has turned, unfortunately, to Satan and to demons rather than to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us, and modern thinking demands, that evil be incarnate, that it be represented by a person. Therefore, many folk have gone off into demonology. Logically, if evil must be personified, then good must also be personified. Good is God, and God is good. God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ will be the final answer to men who are seeking a solution to their own problems and to the ills of the world.
“To resist him.” The fact that Satan is standing at Joshua’s right hand could mean that he is there to support him or defend him, but, no, he is there to bring charges against him. This is typical in the workings of Satan. Scripture tells us that you and I have an advocate with the Father. Why do we need an advocate with God the Father? Because of the enemy who is accusing us. In Revelation 12:10 he is called “…the accuser of our brethren … which accused them before our God day and night.” I have a notion that this very day he has made a charge against McGee, and I’m sure it is a valid charge. And I am confident that he has been making charges against me from the time I became a child of God. When I was in my teens, working in a Nashville bank, I had tried every form of sin imaginable at that time and was one of a very fast crowd. I was the last person in that crowd that anybody would have imagined would ever go into the ministry and become a teacher of the Word of God. After God had saved me and when I felt God was calling me into the ministry, I made that announcement at the bank and resigned from my position. I wish you could have heard the guffaws that went out. “Imagine McGee!” And I suppose that Satan had a busy day accusing me before the Lord—“You would be very foolish to let him into the ministry. That fellow is the last person in this entire area who ought to go into the ministry.” And Satan was standing at the right hand of Joshua to resist him, to accuse him. He was probably saying to God, “How can you put up with this man—he is filthy!” Also Satan was the accuser of the nation Israel. He is really an anti-Semite. If you want to know who is the leader of anti-Semitism, it is the Devil himself.
However, as God’s children we have an advocate with the Father. John, writing to believers, says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. [I wish we didn’t, but we do. I And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). And Jesus Christ is the “angel of the Lord” before whom Joshua the high priest is standing in this vision of Zechariah.
And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? [Zech. 3:2].
“The Lord rebuke thee” is very gentle, according to my standards. I could think of a stronger rebuke than that, but God respects this one whom He created. Remember that God created him “… Lucifer, son of the morning …” (Isa. 14:12), probably the highest creature that He ever created. Then sin was found in him. What kind of sin? Lust or stealing? No. Pride was found in him. He had a free will, and he set that will against the will of God. My friend, that is sin. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way …” (Isa. 53:6). Specific sins such as murder, stealing, lying, adultery all come under the heading of “his own way.” This is the problem of mankind.
“Even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” This reveals that the rebuke comes not on the account of Joshua the person but on the account of Jerusalem, the capital of the nation.
“Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” It looked as if Jerusalem could never be rebuilt after Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it, and it lay in dust and ashes for seventy years. Then out of the ruins the city is rebuilt—a brand plucked out of the burning.
John Wesley called himself a brand plucked out of the burning. I’m of the opinion that many of us today think of ourselves in that way. As I look back, it seems like an accident that I got saved. It just didn’t seem that it could possibly have happened to me. But it did happen, and I know now that it was no accident at all. It can be said of any sinner who comes to Christ that he is a brand plucked out of the fire.
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel [Zech. 3:3].
This vision of Joshua the high priest actually goes beyond the man himself. We will learn that this vision gives us the answer to a very difficult question. This is the problem: We have learned so far that God is going to return the nation Israel to the land and that He will dwell in the midst of them. They will be totally restored as His people. That hasn’t happened yet, but He says He is going to do that. He will bless them in that land. How can God do that when the people are far from Him? In the day of Zechariah they were far from God and living in sin. Today the same thing is true. How can it ever be a holy land when sinners are living in it?
Unger states the problem in this way:
In the preceding visions the marvellous purposes of God’s grace toward Israel appear in the judgment of her enemies and the restoration of both the land and of the people. But a crucial question arises: How can an infinitely holy God accomplish such plans with a sinful and besmirched people? How can the wondrous manifestations of divine mercy to them be consistent with God’s righteousness? (Unger’s Bible Commentary: Zechariah, p. 55).
I think the explanation to this problem will become clear as we study the vision. Joshua was to represent the nation. As we read on, we will find him clothed with a filthy garment, very dirty. If you will remember our study of the high priest, you will recall that the high priest had to be dressed spotlessly or else he was not permitted to serve God. Joshua really was the high priest at this time, but in this vision he also represented the entire nation.
Joshua as an individual was not a perfect individual. Even though he was God’s high priest, he was described as dirty and filthy. That might have been true of him personally, I do not know. But I do know that the high priest has always represented the nation Israel. For example, on the great Day of Atonement, the high priest went into the Holy of Holies for the entire nation. In just the same way, Jesus Christ is our high priest. He is the representative for the corporate body of believers, the church. He appears before God for us today. To see Joshua in the context of all the ten visions of Zechariah and as a prophetic picture of the nation Israel will deliver us from a very limited interpretation.
Leupold says of the high priest:
He represents and practically impersonates Israel in his holy office. For the nation he prays; for it he enters the Holy Place, he bears the nation’s guilt. We must, therefore, not refer the issues and implications of this chapter to Joshua as an individual, nor merely to Joshua, the high priest. We must conclude that his condition is Israel’s condition, his acquittal a typical way of expressing theirs; the words of comfort and assurance given him apply with equal validity to them (Exposition of Zechariah, p. 64).
That is a very fine statement. Leupold is not always one we can follow in his interpretations, but in this instance he is especially good.
Joshua was a symbol, a type, a representative. God had chosen him, and God had also chosen the nation Israel.
The high priest was to be clothed in finetwined, white linen undergarments. And over them were to be placed the garments of beauty and glory. Joshua was pictured here as the high priest representing the nation, and his garments, which should have been clean, were unclean. In fact, he “was clothed with filthy garments.” That word filthy means that there was human excrement on them! Not only was he dirty looking, but he smelled bad. My friend, that is the way the sins of the nation Israel looked to Almighty God. How can this be remedied?
A man with a question called me by telephone from Indianapolis. His question was an old one which has been asked over and over by many people down through the years. It was this: “Have I committed the unpardonable sin?” I told him, “Of course you haven’t. Jesus died for all your sins. Regardless of who you are or what you have done, you can come to Him right now, confessing your sins and trusting Christ as your Savior. If you do that and mean it, He will forgive you. ‘For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth’ (Rom. 10:4). So it doesn’t make any difference what you have done, you can come to God through Jesus Christ.”
And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment [Zech. 3:4].
This is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful pictures we have in the Old Testament. Joshua could not stand before a righteous, holy God with these dirty garments on. Also his weakness was revealed. You see, being dirty and filthy as he was gave Satan an advantage because the adversary could point his finger at him. Let me give you Dr. Unger’s translation of verse 4: “And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel” (Unger’s Bible Commentary: Zechariah, p. 60).
Joshua represented not only the nation of Israel, he represents us today. In him we see the sin of the believer. Joshua was a priest before God—God appointed priests in the Old Testament. In our day every believer is a priest before God, but some of us are standing in dirty garments. “Yes,” you may say, “but I have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ.” If you have been saved, that is true. And that is exactly the picture which is given to us here. You see, the dirty garments, representing sin, must be removed from him, and he must be clothed with clean garments, symbolic of the righteousness of Christ. This pictures your salvation and mine, which makes this such a precious passage of Scripture. Let me refer you to the Epistle to the Romans. In the first three chapters mankind is set before us as a sinner before God. We all stand dirty before Him. And our righteousness—even the best that we can do—is filthy rags in God’s sight. We stand in Joshua’s condition. What are we going to do about our plight?
Here is God’s answer: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely [without cause] by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:21–24). Why? Because Christ died, shed His blood, that it might be possible for you and me to come in our filthy rags to Him. He will not accept the filthy rags of our own righteousness. He will take them off and clothe us in the righteousness of Christ. When we stand clothed in Christ’s righteousness, nobody, no created thing, can bring any charge against us because we are God’s elect. Notice what Paul writes in Romans 8: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely [without a cause] give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:31–34). What a Savior we have! When we trust Him as our Savior, He not only takes from us our sins, removes the dirty garment, but He puts on us the robe of His righteousness, and no one can bring any charge against God’s elect.
But wait—can God’s child get into sin? Yes. Then what is the child of God to do? Well, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When you and I are out of fellowship with God, we have lost a great deal. We have lost all joy from our lives. We have lost all power from our lives. And it is possible to lose our assurance. I am of the opinion that many folk lack the assurance of their salvation because of sin in their lives. Another thing we lose is our privilege of being of service to God.
You see, if Joshua is to stand before God as His high priest, he must be wearing clean garments. And God provides clean garments. How? By mercy. There was a mercy seat in the temple. And we today have a mercy seat—“And he [Christ] is the propitiation [the mercy seat] for our sins …” (1 John 2:2). How wonderful this is, and what a glorious picture it gives of God’s provision!
Now, you may have an objection to God’s choosing the nation Israel. Did He choose them because they were attractive? No. He didn’t choose me for that reason either. I think of Ruth when she asked Boaz, “… Why have I found grace in thine eyes? …? (Ruth 2:10). Well, I could say to her, “All you have to do is go home and look in the mirror and you will find out why he fell in love with you and why he extended grace to you. You are beautiful. You are lovely.” But, my friend, don’t tell me to look in the mirror. I have already done it, and what did I see? A sinner, a sinner who needs to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by [Zech. 3:5].
The adding of this mitre or turban is a little something which is beautiful in its symbolism. The garments of the high priest included a turban, and on that turban were the words: HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD, as in chapter 14 verse 20. This man Joshua didn’t have a turban, because in those dirty old garments he certainly was not holy to the Lord. But a turban is given to him now on which is inscribed “Holiness unto the Lord.” He will be used of God now just as Israel will be used of the Lord in the future. After the church has been removed in the Rapture, Israel will be the witness for God during the Tribulation, and then during the Millennium the entire nation will be a priesthood down here upon this earth.
And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by [Zech. 3:6–7].
The interpretation of this is quite obvious. Joshua had been dirty, but God had a redemption which enabled Him to extend His grace and mercy to him. Now Joshua is saved, but God says, “If you want to be used, you will have to stay clean. You will have to walk in My ways. You will have to be obedient to Me.”
Not only is God saying this to Joshua, He is saying it to the nation, and He is saying it to you and me today. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Some folk seem to have the idea that if they are saved by grace, they can do as they please. My friend, that is inconsistent. If you do as you please, you are not saved by grace—because certainly you are going to love the One who died to save you. If you have really accepted Him and are really trusting Him, you are resting upon Him. And if you are resting in Him, you will want to be obedient to Him and do as He wants you to do. It can’t be any other way.
VISION OF THE BRANCH
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH [Zech. 3:8].
“My servant the BRANCH” is a marvelous picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Branch” is a familiar figure of the Messiah. Isaiah used that figure to predict His first coming as Savior: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isa. 11:1). And Jeremiah uses it to speak of Christ’s coming as King to this earth: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Jer. 23:5).
“Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee.” God is here addressing Joshua and his fellow priests. Now what is the message He is giving them? Leupold’s paraphrase of verse 8 provides the answer: “I shall not let you, Joshua, and your fellow priests be removed from office, nor your office be discontinued, for I have a destiny for you—you are a type of the coming Messiah, who will do My work perfectly (‘Servant’), and who will bring the priestly office to undreamed of glory (‘Shoot’) when He springs forth” (op. cit., in loc.).
For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day [Zech. 3:9].
The “Branch” is also the stone, the stone which Daniel saw in the vision of the great image: “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:34–35).
“Upon one stone shall be seven eyes.” Seven is not the number of perfection but the number of completeness. The “seven eyes” indicate that Christ has complete knowledge and wisdom. In the New Testament it is said of Christ, “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). And the Lord Jesus has been made unto us wisdom because He is all wisdom (see 1 Cor. 1:30).
“I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” Has that happened in our day? No, it certainly has not happened yet. But it will happen in the future. When the Lord Jesus’ Christ comes, He will remove the iniquity of Israel in one day.
In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree [Zech. 3:10].
“In that day” refers to the Day of the Lord. “Shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree” means that they will be dwelling in peace and enjoyment in that day.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Vision of the lampstand and two olive trees
We have come now to Zechariah’s seventh vision. Thinking back over the visions he has had, we can see a story unfolding. He has seen (1) the riders under the myrtle trees, (2) the four horns, (3) the four smiths or carpenters, (4) the man with the measuring line, (5) Joshua and Satan, and then (6) the Branch and the Stone with seven eyes in it. The first four visions symbolize the outward deliverance from the slavery and oppression of Babylon. The visions also look to the end times when Israel again will be scattered throughout the world, as they are today, then returned to their land when the Lord Jesus brings them back.
The fifth and sixth visions symbolized inner salvation. The high priest Joshua, clothed in dirty garments which God replaced with clean garments, tells the story of a people brought back to the land for a purpose, but they can’t be used in their sin. They will have to be cleansed; but they cannot cleanse themselves, and their religion won’t do it. The cleansing has to come from someone outside themselves. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). God Himself provides the redemption “… with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:19). The cleansing is actually salvation—“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
Now that Joshua, the high priest, is cleansed, you may think that he is ready for service. No, he is not quite ready. We come now to the vision of the golden lampstand, which is going to show us how Joshua is to fulfill the office of high priest.
VISION OF THE LAMPSTAND AND TWO OLIVE TREES
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep [Zech. 4:1].
Let me call your attention again to the fact that Zechariah was awake when he received these visions. At this point he already has had six tremendous visions. He was working the swing shift and the night shift and it was time to have a little rest. So after he had been given the sixth vision, he dozed off. Now the angel has to wake him up because he is not to be given this vision in a dream; he will see every bit of it.
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof [Zech. 4:2].
The word candlestick in the Authorized Version is properly translated “lampstand” because this is the seven-branched lampstand which stood in the Holy Place of the tabernacle and later in the temple, and in our day it is one of the symbols of the nation Israel. There are other symbols of this nation which are used in Scripture, such as the burning bush, the vine, and the olive tree, but here it is the menorah, the lampstand.
In the tabernacle, and later in the temple, the seven-branched lampstand was the most beautiful of the pieces of furniture. It was handwrought of solid gold. Bezaleel, the skilled artisan, was the one who fashioned it originally. There were three branches going out on each side of the main stem, and on top of each were bowls beautifully made like open almond flowers in which the lamps were placed. The high priest had charge of the lampstand. He would light the lamps and keep them filled with oil. Also it was his business to trim the wicks and to see that they burned continually. In the Book of Revelation we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, walking in the midst of the lampstands which represented the seven churches in Asia Minor. He warned them that if they didn’t repent of their sins He would remove their lampstands. And He did just that. In modern Turkey today not one of those churches is in existence. They all lie in ruins. Christ removed their lampstands. And in our own land our Great High Priest has closed the door of many a church which was not giving out the Word of God. Our Lord has a snuffer, and He just snuffs them out.
And here in Zechariah’s vision the picture is of the nation Israel, represented by the menorah, which will in the future become a witness for God in the world.
“With a bowl upon the top of it.” This is something new which is added that you don’t find in the instructions given to Moses for fashioning the original lampstand. Here there is a “bowl” which acts as a reservoir or oil tank over the seven lamps so that the oil flows by gravity into the lamps from the elevated bowl. The oil is the all-important factor in the vision.
The lampstand speaks of Christ; the lamps with the oil in them speak of the Holy Spirit. We have no better picture of the Holy Spirit than the oil of the lampstand. Hengstenberg is correct in saying that “oil is one of the most clearly defined symbols in the Bible,” and the symbolism is that of the Holy Spirit. While the oil represents the Holy Spirit, the light which is given out represents Christ because He is the Light of the World. The lampstand probably presents the most complete picture of Christ that the symbolism of the tabernacle gives to us. The measurement of the lampstand was not given because it is impossible to measure deity. It was fashioned in a very wonderful way with open almond blossoms at the top into which the little lamps were placed after they had been filled with oil and their wicks trimmed.
When the Lord Jesus was preparing to leave this earth, He told His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit, adding, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.… He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13–14). With that in mind, look at the lampstand. The lampstand supported the lamps with the light shining from them, and the light, in turn, revealed the beauty and glory of the lampstand. In just such a way, the Holy Spirit does not speak of Himself, but He reveals the glories and the beauties of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof [Zech. 4:3].
The two olive trees were identified in Zechariah’s day. Zerubbabel, who was the king in the line of David, is one of the olive trees. The other olive tree was Joshua, the high priest. They would be the two instruments God would use to bring light back into the nation Israel and to make them a light to the world.
The olive oil, as I have already indicated (the word in the Hebrew is beautiful: golden oil), represents the Holy Spirit. This prophecy is also destined for a future day, the Great Tribulation Period. This is clearly identified for us in the Book of Revelation: “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks [lampstands] standing before the God of the earth” (Rev. 11:3–4). Out yonder in the Great Tribulation Period there will be no witness on the earth because the Antichrist, with the power of Satan (since God withdraws His hand for that brief moment), will have stopped the mouth of every witness on the topside of the earth—with the exception of two. God says that always in the mouth of two witnesses a thing is established. Also God says He will never leave Himself without a witness. During that period there will be these two men who will witness for Him. Who they are is speculation. I think Elijah may be one of them, but whether the other is Enoch, whether he is Moses, whether he is John the Baptist, or somebody else, I do not know. But their identity is not the important thing. God will have two witnesses, and they will speak in the power of the Holy Spirit in that day. They will be God’s witnesses. That is His promise for the future just as He used Zerubbabel and Joshua in Zechariah’s day.
Let me say again that the visions of Zechariah are like stepping-stones which tell out a story. They reveal a very beautiful and complete picture when we put them together. God gave these to the returned remnant for their encouragement. The children of Israel had been in Babylonian captivity and now had returned to the land of Israel. God had made it clear to them that all of this had happened according to His plan and purpose. Now back in the land, they had to be cleansed from their sins and brought into a right relationship with God so that they could render an effective testimony for Him.
Although these visions of Zechariah had a local fulfillment for the past, they also looked forward to the future. The complete fulfillment will be during the millennial period when God will return the Jewish people to the land of Israel. And God will cleanse them in that future day. In chapter 13 of Zechariah we will find that a fountain will be opened for the cleansing of David’s offspring and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. After they have been cleansed, they will become a light to the world—which was God’s original intention for them. In Deuteronomy 32:8 we read this remarkable verse: “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.” Why did He arrange the nations according to the number of the children of Israel? The reason is that God intended them to be His witnesses.
The land of Israel is a very sensitive piece of real estate. God has chosen it and made it that way. He chose it because it was the very center of the three major continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. It is right on the crossroads of those three continents. There is no place on earth that is more sensitive or that has caused more international problems than that little spot. I think that God intended that it should be that way. And there will be trouble until Israel becomes the center for the proclamation of the Word of God. In Ezekiel 5:5 we read these words: “Thus saith the Lord God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.” Why? So she could be a witness. And in that future day they will be a witness in every corner and crevice of this world.
It is interesting that the popular symbol of Israel today is the menorah. When I have visited in Israel, the fig tree, the vine, and the olive tree symbols have not been in evidence, but I have seen the menorah in many places. I was there during their twenty-fifth anniversary, and I saw the menorah symbol everywhere. Someday the people of Israel will be the witness which God intended them to be.
Israel has failed in the past, but the church is failing in the present. Although Christ has commanded us to go into all the world with the gospel, there are many places in the world that have no witness at all. I am delighted to be penetrating some of those unreached places by means of radio. A letter came to me from South America telling of a young man who had come to know Christ through listening to our Bible teaching by radio, and he immediately became the preacher to his village. Why? Because there wasn’t any preacher there, and he was the only witness in the town. He became a flaming evangel, a light for the Lord in that place.
In that future day the Jewish people will be witnesses in every corner of the world, and the Word of God shall go out from Jerusalem. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:2–3).
So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? [Zech. 4:4].
This young man Zechariah has no inhibitions, so he says, “I see these things, but what is the meaning of them?”
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord [Zech. 4:5].
The answer of the angel implies that Zechariah should know what it means. In effect he is saying, “You ought to be able to understand it. You are looking at the golden lampstand, and you ought to know the meaning of that.” Well, Zechariah didn’t. He said, “No, my lord, I don’t understand it at all.”
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts [Zech. 4:6].
Notice that this is God’s message to Zerubbabel. Now who is Zerubbabel? He is serving as the civil head of Jerusalem (while Joshua is serving as the religious head). He was the head of the tribe of Judah at the time of their return to Jerusalem after the seventy-year Babylonian captivity. He is the one who led the first group of his people back to their homeland, as described in the Book of Ezra. Zerubbabel’s great work was that of rebuilding the temple, but the work was dogged by danger from the outside and discouragement from within. God is giving this vision to strengthen the faith of Zerubbabel. It has real meaning for him, and also it contains a great principle for you and me.
Here is the message: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” The words might and power are quite interesting. Might is a general word for human resources such as physical strength, human ability or efficiency, or wealth. Power also denotes mere human strength—physical, material, and mental strength. Therefore, let me give you my translation of this verse: “It is not by brawn nor by brain, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” You can see that this would be a great encouragement to Zerubbabel, the civil ruler. He and Joshua, the religious ruler, were represented by the two olive trees who were supplying oil to the lampstand. The message is simply this: It will not be by your cleverness, you ability, or your physical strength that the temple will be rebuilt, but by the Spirit of God.
My friend, if the Spirit of God is not in our enterprises today, they will come to naught because God is not carrying on His work by our brain or brawn. We speak of clever preachers who deliver very well-composed sermons and all of that, but God’s work is not carried on that way. Sometimes a clever preacher is a dangerous man. The fellow who is sharp mentally may be sharp in the wrong direction and cause a great deal of difficulty among God’s people. I have had to stand on the sidelines and see a great deal of religious racketeering going on when I couldn’t lift my voice against it without being misunderstood. It is quite evident that some clever fellows were good backslappers, good public relations men, good administrators, had nice personalities and a great deal of charisma, and they made an appeal. But God does not carry on His work by the human instrument. It is “not by might nor by power”; it is not by brain nor by brawn, but it is “by my spirit, saith the Lord.”
Let me be personal and very frank. Anything that Vernon McGee does in the flesh, that is by his own effort, God hates. He can’t use it. It will come to nothing because it is nothing in the world but Vernon McGee building a haystack which ultimately is going to be consumed by fire. God wants to do His work through us, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is important for us to see.
Now looking into the future, this will be especially true during the Millennium. Again, it will not be by brain or by brawn, “but by my spirit, saith the Lord.” David Baron has put it like this: “It is in His light, and by means of the golden oil of His Spirit, which shall then be shed upon them abundantly, that Israel’s candlestick shall yet shine with a sevenfold brilliancy for the illumination of all the nations of the earth.” That, my friend, is a great statement.
Back in the days of Zechariah there was a remnant that needed this encouragement because they were overwhelmed by opposition, and they were beset by doubts and by fears. So the vision was given—it is the Word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel—to encourage them.
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it [Zech. 4:7].
“Who art thou, O great mountain?” The mountain represents opposition. This vision encourages them to believe that Zerubbabel will be able to remove the mountain of opposition. The Lord Jesus used “mountain” in that sense. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “… If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matt. 17:20). I don’t think our Lord was speaking of removing physical mountains—we don’t know of any physical mountains being moved in that day—but the faith that removes mountains is the faith that removes obstacles and opposition to the work of God. And that is the picture this vision gives. God’s temple will be rebuilt regardless of the seeming impossibilities.
“And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” The headstone is the finishing or gable stone which marks the completion of a building. He is saying that the temple will be completed with the shoutings and cheers of the people. What an encouragement this was to the disheartened remnant!
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you [Zech. 4:8–9].
This is God’s promise that the work won’t drag on and finally be completed by someone else, but that Zerubbabel himself is going to finish it. It reminds me of the promise in the New Testament: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). God is saying to Zerubbabel, “You have laid the foundation, and I was with you. Well, you are going to put the roof on it, too, and I will be with you.”
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth [Zech. 4:10].
“For who hath despised the day of small things?” I can tell you who has—we despise the day of small things. We Americans are impressed with the big and brassy. We like our Christian work to be a success story. And we measure success by the size of the building and the crowds that come to it. Well, I am becoming more and more convinced that the Lord is working in quiet ways and in quiet places today. I am talking to myself when I say that we should quit despising small things.
“For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven.” The “plummet” or “plumb” is a weight on the end of a string, and it is used to determine if a building is vertical to the earth. I wish I had thought of using a plummet when I put up a little shed on my place—because it isn’t quite straight.
“They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth” indicates that God knows what is going on, and He is still overruling.
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord [Zech. 4:11–13].
Zechariah is asking again for an explanation. And the angel’s answer, “Knowest thou not what these be?” implies that he ought to know. But he doesn’t know.
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth [Zech. 4:14].
These are the two Spirit-filled men, Zerubbabel, the civil ruler, and Joshua, the religious ruler. We have already seen that Joshua, representing the nation, has been cleansed and now stands in clean garments. When the remnant of Israel confessed their sin and accepted God’s redemption, they were cleansed and now stand in the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, they can be Spirit-filled and can be used of God.
This has a message for you and for me. God wants to fill us with the Holy Spirit. But there are certain conditions to be met. Two of them are negative: (1) “…grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). We cannot be filled with the Spirit if there is sin in our lives—we have to be clean in God’s sight. (2) “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19). Quenching the Spirit is being out of the will of God. And when we are out of the will of God, God cannot use us. If God wants you in Africa and you are still in your homeland, I don’t think that God is going to use you here. But, my friend, if you are in Africa and God wants you to be in your own country, He won’t use you there either. The third condition to be met for the filling of the Spirit is positive: (3) “…Walk in the Spirit…” (Gal. 5:16). Walking in the Spirit is a very practical sort of thing. It is to walk by means of the Spirit, to rest on Him, depending upon Him to do what we cannot do ourselves.
The vision of the lampstands was an encouragement to the remnant in Zechariah’s day; it has an application to our day; and it looks forward to the day when God will pour out His Spirit without measure. I see very little of a genuine pouring out of His Spirit in our contemporary society, but during the Millennium He is going to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. That day is yet future, my friend.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Vision of the flying roll; vision of a woman in an ephah
We come now to the two visions which are the most highly symbolic and unusual of this series of visions. The first, the flying roll or scroll, marks a sharp division in the meaning of the visions which Zechariah received. In the first two chapters God makes it clear that He intends to put down all the enemies of Israel and that the nation will become the nation of priests which was God’s original intention. God told them that this was His desire for them when He brought them out of Egyptian bondage, but, because of their sin, only one tribe—the tribe of Levi—was chosen for the priesthood. Then in the vision of Joshua and Satan we learned that the nation first had to be cleansed. Then the vision of the branch and the stone with seven eyes looked forward to the kingdom age when God, having cleansed them, would use them, and they would become a light to the world, symbolized by the lampstand being fed oil from the olive trees. The oil, representing the Holy Spirit, signified that they would witness in the power of the Holy Spirit.
That is all well and good, but it does raise a question. Does it mean that every member of this nation, every Israelite, will be chosen—even those who live in continual rebellion and sin? In the visions before us, we will see that the judgment of God will come upon those who do not become obedient unto Him. He will ferret out those who are rebellious, and He will judge them.
By the same token, God will do this in the whole world. Although these visions have in mind the local nation, they also have a world view. There is here a global gospel that looks forward to the establishment of God’s kingdom here upon the earth. This makes very clear the thing that God said regarding Israel: “…For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6). It is the national unity, the corporate body—not every member—that will be accepted. Each individual will have to be obedient to God, come God’s way for cleansing, as we have seen, and will have to receive the Messiah.
What is said of the nation Israel is also true of the church. Not every church member is a genuine Christian—that is, a member of the body of believers which is called the church. There will come a day when there will be a separation of believers and unbelievers. The great division of the church will be at the Rapture, and the division for Israel and for all the nations on the earth will be at the second coming of Christ when He gathers His elect into His kingdom. Then there will be a judgment, and Satan will be bound for one thousand years. All of this is in the picture that is given to us here. You can see that this was for the encouragement of the godly remnant of Israel in Zechariah’s day as well as for us today.
VISION OF THE FLYING ROLL
Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll [Zech. 5:1].
The first thing that we should establish is that this flying roll is a scroll which represents the Word of God. We get this explanation from the prophet Ezekiel. “And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them” (Ezek. 2:9–3:4). Ezekiel was to digest the Word of God and then he was to give it out to the people. This is a tremendous picture for us who are preachers. We ought to digest the Word of God. It might be bitter in our tummies, but in our mouths it should be as sweet as honey—that is, something that we delight in giving out.
I should add that there is a great difference of opinion and many interpretations regarding the meaning of the flying scroll. But the solid interpretation which has come down through the centuries is that the scroll represents the Word of God in general and the Ten Commandments in particular.
And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits [Zech. 5:2].
The size of the scroll was twenty cubits by ten cubits—that’s a very large scroll. The scrolls in the days of Zechariah were made of papyrus or animal skins with a roller at each end so that the ones reading could roll it off one roller and onto the other roller as they read it. Instead of turning pages, as we do when we read a book, they would unroll more of the scroll as they read along. But the scroll of Zechariah’s vision was 20x10 cubits (a cubit was the measurement from the end of the middle finger to the elbow and would vary depending upon the size of the individual but was about eighteen inches), which would make the scroll about 15x30 feet, much larger than a bed sheet, even a king-sized sheet. The only way it could be seen would be spread out, and he sees it as a great flying scroll, that is, traveling rapidly over the whole land. I imagine that it was completely unrolled as it moved over the earth.
The size of the scroll is probably significant, as it is the same size as the Holy Place of the tabernacle and of the Porch of Solomon in the temple. “And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house” (1 Kings 6:3). That was the place where the priest could come and worship according to the Law. No one could ever go inside the veil unless the blood was put in there. That was done by the high priest only once a year when he went in as a representative of the whole nation. When the high priest went in there, he stood on redeemed ground, having been redeemed by the blood.
You and I today stand on redeemed ground. We have not been redeemed by gold and silver or by any precious stones or precious jewels, but by the precious blood of Christ. You and I are not standing on a flying carpet. We do not rest on a missile sent from heaven. We have been delivered from the penalty and the power of sin. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14–15).
Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it [Zech. 5:3].
Apparently the Ten Commandments were written on the scroll, and the Ten Commandments are divided into two parts. The first four commandments deal with man’s relationship to God, and the last six commandments deal with man’s relationship to man. Therefore, the commandment regarding stealing cited here, “for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it,” probably represents the section which deals with man’s relationship to man. This is clearly identified in Psalm 50: “When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him [Thou shalt not steal], and hast been partaker with adulterers [Thou shalt not commit adultery]. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son [Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour]. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself. but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes” (Ps. 50:18–21). Now, because men in that day were able to break the Ten Commandments without suffering God’s punishment, they came to the conclusion that He was just like they were and would not do anything about their transgressions. But God says that He is going to do something about them.
The Mosaic Law was given to the nation of Israel, and it was to be the Law of that nation, and they were to obey the law. Well, they disobeyed it, of course, and so God put them out of their land. And in their dispersion among the nations, they scattered the Mosaic Law. The mark of civilization has been the commandments of God which relate especially to man’s relationship with man.
I want you to notice here the great principle which is put down concerning the Law and especially the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were given to the nation Israel as they stood in the crossroads of the world, and they took them with them wherever they went. They had a tremendous influence upon Egypt as they became a nation down there. When they went into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, they had a great influence upon those first great empires. They had an influence upon the Greco-Macedonian Empire and the Roman Empire.
The Ten Commandments produced a civilization. You can say what you please, but the great civilizations of this world have had these laws as a basis: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not commit adultery. These have been basic to a nation, building the homes, building a way of life, and establishing a civilization. As long as our nation had them as bedrock, we were blessed of God, and our problems were few compared to what they are today. But our contemporary world society has abandoned them, and we have come to the same place to which the nation Israel had come. God has given Israel as an example. God is saying, “Although I have chosen Israel as a nation, I will judge every individual that breaks My Commandments.” And so this flying scroll represents for the whole earth the basis upon which God deals with nations. The interesting thing is that it is very difficult to find anything wrong with the Law.
Now God goes ahead and says this—
I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof [Zech. 5:4].
“It shall enter into the house of the thief”—that represents the commandments which have to do with man’s relationship to man.
“And into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name” refers to the first section of the Ten Commandments. Even by the name of God a man would perjure himself!
The Ten Commandments were never given to the Christian as a way of life. We as believers have been called to a much higher plane, and we attain that plane by grace. Actually, man cannot even attain the plane of the Mosaic Law unaided. God gave them the Law, but He gave them no aid to go with it. That is, He did not give them the filling of the Spirit; the Holy Spirit did not indwell the Old Testament saints. Therefore man in his own strength and ability could never measure up to the Ten Commandments. You and I live in the dispensation of grace, and God has given to us the Holy Spirit whereby we can produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc.), which were never in the Mosaic Law.
VISION OF A WOMAN IN AN EPHAH
Suppose I told you that last night a missile from outer space landed in my backyard and two little men in green came out of it and talked with me. Would you believe it? Well, if you won’t, I won’t tell you such a thing. But there are intelligent people today (as well as others) who actually believe in flying saucers. Some have even testified to having seen them. They have even said they saw little people inside. I understand the U.S. Navy has been giving this serious investigation over the years. We hear from two groups. One believes sincerely and vociferously that there are flying saucers. The other group doubts it and denies it equally vociferously.
While I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I had an invitation to go out to Apple Valley to a large rock that is out in that desert area, which was declared to be the landing field where the missiles from outer space came in. I was told they would give me a ride in one of the flying saucers. I didn’t go out there for two reasons. One was that I wasn’t sure there were flying saucers out there—I’m very much of a skeptic. The other reason was that I was afraid if I did go out there and they put me in one of them, they would take me off and not bring me back—no one assured me of a round-trip ticket. So I didn’t go out there. I voiced my skepticism and cynicism about the whole business, but there were some who sincerely believed that missiles from outer space were landing and taking off out in that area. I have driven by that location many times since then, and I don’t know why, but I always pick up speed going by that big rock!
Zechariah didn’t believe in flying saucers either, but he saw two flying objects in his visions. He saw some strange missiles from outer space. Remember that I said at the beginning that the Book of Zechariah is one of the apocalyptic books of the Bible. It is ethereal, seraphic, spiritual, and highly symbolic. In other words, what he writes is out of this world. We need to avoid fanaticism on one hand and materialism on the other hand.
We’re at the launching pad, and we are ready to see another vision. Actually, we are going to see the first astronaut. Believe it or not, we will learn that it is a woman who is in one of those capsules. It is called an ephah or a bushel basket.
Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth [Zech. 5:5].
Again he has his eyes wide open—this is no dream. And the interpreting angel says, “Look up, please.”
And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth [Zech. 5:6].
“And I said, What is it?” After all, this is the first astronaut Zechariah had ever seen, and he didn’t know what it was. Possibly you can remember the great thrill it was when you heard about Alan Shepard making his trip in space. He didn’t get very far, but he was the, first American in space. Well, here is a woman in space, and Zechariah wants an explanation.
“This is an ephah that goeth forth.” An ephah is a dry measure equal to a little more than a bushel. It was used to measure such commodities as flour and barley; therefore, this symbolized trade or commerce.
And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah [Zech. 5:7].
What we have in this vision is a continuation of judgment upon the sin and iniquity of Israel. It looks forward to the Millennium when sin and iniquity will be removed from the land. Also, it looks forward to the judgment of Babylon, which will precede the Millennium. We need to compare it with Revelation 18 where we see the judgment of commercial Babylon. (Revelation 17 pictures the judgment of religious Babylon.) God will judge this matter of covetousness. His command is, “Thou shalt not covet.” And God will judge the love of money and the greed that are connected with commercialism. The “talent” was the largest measure of weight, and it was made of lead, the most common heavy metal which was employed in all commercial transactions for weighing out money.
We find that one of the great sins of the Israelites when they returned from Babylon was an insatiable love for money and desire for material things. You may recall that Nehemiah had to deal with them on this issue because they were lending to their brothers at high rates of interest (usury). They had been forbidden by the Mosaic Law to do this, and Nehemiah really straightened them out. The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, pictures life in that land after the temple had been built. Malachi asks the question, “Will a man rob God?…” (Mal. 3:8). Believe me, God answered that question. He said that the whole nation had robbed Him. You see, they were guilty of covetousness; they were bent on accumulating riches for themselves, and they were willing to rob God and hurt their brother in order to do it. That is what they were doing in Zechariah’s day, and God is revealing to him that He intends to remove that spirit of covetousness from the land.
“This is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.” Anytime in the Scriptures that we see a woman out of place, there is an evil connotation. For example, the woman in the parable the Lord Jesus gave (see Matt. 13:33) who put leaven in flour. That leaven represents evil, and the leaven of evil is a principle all the way through the Word of God. And when the Scripture pictures a woman in religion, such as the church at Thyatira which had “…that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess…” (Rev. 2:20), and the “great whore” of Revelation 17, she represents evil. In Zechariah’s vision, the woman represents the nation of Israel that had gone into commercialism. God wants to bless them, but their awful sin of covetousness must be dealt with first.
And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof [Zech. 5:8].
Let me give you Merrill Unger’s translation and amplification of this verse (pp. 96–97):
Having announced concerning the woman, This is wickedness, thereupon he [the interpreting angel] cast her [the woman] into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead stone [weight] upon its mouth [opening]…. She has been all along sitting or dwelling in the ephah, contentedly, but now that the time has come for commercial Babylon to be removed, to be destroyed, the woman tries to escape from it, because she does not want to be removed with it, and so share its inevitable fate. Therefore, she tries to escape.
Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven [Zech. 5:9].
Some time ago a movie was produced called “The Flying Nun”; so I call these two women the two flying nuns. But what do they represent? Well, we may be sure that they represent agents of evil because they are associated with and protective of the woman in the ephah—and the angel had said of her, “This is wickedness.”
“They had wings like the wings of a stork”—that is, powerful wings. In Scripture the stork is not a picture of an angel. It is a dirty bird, an unclean bird.
Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base [Zech. 5:10–11].
God is moving this matter of godless and heartless commercialism out of the land of Palestine.
Now I want you to see something here. The children of Israel were originally a pastoral and agricultural people, and most of the Mosaic Law has to do with that type of life-style. It gives instructions regarding the land itself, the vineyards, the grain, the livestock, and all that sort of thing. And in our day, the Jews who have returned to Palestine have returned, in a large measure, to the soil. However, when they are out of that land, they get into other businesses. I have never heard of a Jewish farmer in America, have you?
When they were in Babylonian captivity they learned commercialism, and they learned it from the Gentiles. They became good businessmen, and they acquired an insatiable love for riches which they saw among the Gentiles in Babylon.
Let me refer you again to the Book of Revelation where, in chapter 18, we find that God is going to judge commercial Babylon at the setting up of His kingdom; in fact, He is going to get rid of it.
My friend, the Bible is a rather revolutionary book, which may be one reason why some people don’t like it. It is said that John Calvin got capitalism from the Bible; and I think that he did. But I want to remind you that there is a great deal more in the Bible on the side of the poor people than on the side of the rich. In the Epistle of James, we find this harsh condemnation: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days” (James 5:1–3). He speaks out against the gathering of money just for the sake of gathering it. Then he goes on, “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth” (James 5:4).
I wonder what God has to say to some of these great corporations and the great labor unions of our contemporary society. That sort of thing is not going into the kingdom of God upon this earth. God is going to judge it and get rid of it. If there ever was a revolutionary book, it is this Book, the Word of God. It is too hot for a lot of folk to handle!
Now notice that Zechariah asks the interpreting angel, “Whither do these bear the ephah?” And the angel answered, “To build it an house in the land of Shinar.” Where is Shinar? It is the land of Babylon. God will return this evil system to the place it came from, and its final destruction was seen by the apostle John: “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities” (Rev. 18:1–5).
My friend, in our contemporary civilization, is God in big business? Is God in the stock market? Is God in the labor unions? Is God in the entertainment business? Anyone with any intelligence recognizes that God is left out of all of them. And God intends to remove them from the earth someday. “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Rev. 18:21–24, italics mine).
When this evil system is removed, Palestine will become truly the holy land; and when wickedness is destroyed from the whole earth, the kingdom of God will come to the earth. What a glorious prospect this is as you and I live in this present evil age!
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Vision of the four chariots; the symbolic crowning of Joshua
We come now to the final vision of the ten which were given to Zechariah in one night. To get them before us as a background, let me enumerate them again: (1) The riders under the myrtle trees; (2) the four horns; (3) the four smiths; (4) the man with the measuring line; (5) Joshua and Satan; (6) the branch and the stone with seven eyes; (7) the lampstand and the two olive trees; (8) the flying scroll; and (9) the woman in the ephah; and now the tenth, the four chariots. Let me say again that some expositors find only eight visions in this series, but I believe that it is highly consistent to see the visions as ten.
VISION OF THE FOUR CHARIOTS
And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass [Zech. 6:1].
“I… lifted up mine eyes, and looked” indicates again that his eyes were wide open; he saw these things—this was not a dream.
“Two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.” The majority of the outstanding commentators agree that these two mountains are Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives, which would locate these four chariots down in the Kidron Valley.
“There came four chariots”—we assume that horses were hitched to the chariots and that there were charioteers or drivers for each of them. As we read on, we will find that this is true. These chariots could be interpreted as representing the four great world empires that Daniel saw in his vision. All of them were gentile empires, and all of them have been judged of God. That part of Daniel’s vision has been literally fulfilled. These four chariots could represent that very easily.
However, I am inclined to identify these four chariots with the vision which John saw in the Apocalypse, speaking of that which is yet future. In fact, Revelation 6 opens with John’s vision of the Great Tribulation Period by presenting to us four horsemen, and there is a striking correspondence between them and Zechariah’s vision of the four chariots. We have seen in chapter 5 the visions of judgment primarily with reference to the people of Israel, but here in chapter 6 God’s judgment is upon the gentile nations which have oppressed God’s people. It reveals not only a past judgment but a future judgment which is to come during the Great Tribulation Period.
“And the mountains were mountains of brass.” These mountains were of brass, or literally of bronze. Bronze was known in the earth at a very early period. We can go back in history to the Old Stone Age and the New Stone Age, back to the Neolithic and the Paleolithic periods. We find that bronze appears almost at the beginning of civilization.
Symbolically, bronze is used in the Old Testament to represent judgment. It was one of the metals that was used in the tabernacle in the two articles of furniture which were used in the judgment of sin. The brazen altar was made of bronze as was the laver of brass. These both stood in the outer court of the tabernacle, and both had to do with the judgment of the sin of the people.
Since the mountains in this vision are mountains of brass, it would indicate that these mountains speak of judgment. Judgment is going to come forth from God from the Kidron Valley. There are four judgments that go forth, and they are pictured here as four chariots.
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses [Zech. 6:2–3].
The colors of these horses are significant. We have the same colors in the four horsemen of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6. I don’t think it is accidental that Zechariah had a vision of four chariots and John of four horsemen. They are probably referring to the same events. The red horse in John’s vision represents war. The black horse represents famine, and the pale horse is identified as picturing death. All of these picture judgments from almighty God.
Now what does the first horse, the white horse of the Apocalypse, represent? There are white horses here in Zechariah’s vision also, which probably symbolize victory. In John’s vision, the white horse is immediately followed by the red horse of war. Therefore, I think that the first horseman represents Anti-christ and that he will bring a false peace into the world—because after him rides the red horse of war, and war breaks out upon the earth. My friend, I don’t think that we have seen an actual world war yet; but in the end times the whole earth will be inflamed by war because man is a warlike creature as long as there is sin in his heart. And when that red horseman rides through the earth—I say it reverently—all hell will break loose. It seems to me that no one today is emphasizing how frightful the Great Tribulation is going to be when it breaks upon this earth. Well, it is symbolized by the riding of that red horse of war.
The “grisled and bay horses” of Zechariah’s vision are probably more accurately translated as dappled (lit., as if sprinkled with hail) and would correspond to the pale horse of the Apocalypse.
This tenth vision was given to Zechariah for the encouragement of his people, knowing that God would judge the gentile nations as He would judge His own people.
Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth [Zech. 6:4–5].
“These are the four spirits of the heavens.” The “spirits” are obviously angels so that the four chariots are, as David Baron (The Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah, p. 175) puts it,
… angelic beings, or heavenly powers—those invisible “messengers” of His “who excel in strength, and who ever stand in His presence, hearkening unto the voice of His word,” and then go forth in willing obedience, as swift as the “winds,” to carry out His behests (Ps. ciii. 20, 21, civ. 4).
In other words, the angels are in charge of the judgments which will be coming upon the gentile nations, as we see also in the Book of Revelation.
Now we get the interpretation—
The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth [Zech. 6:6–7].
The black and white horses will go forth into the north country. The “grisled” or dappled and “bay” will go forth into the south country.
Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country [Zech. 6:8].
Notice that none of the horses go to the west—that would put them into the Mediterranean Sea, and none of these are sea horses! Neither do any of the horses go to the east because the great Arabian desert is out there. They go to the north and to the south, which is the way one would go from Israel to any other part of the world. The directions given simply mean that they go out from Israel throughout the whole earth.
It says that the black and the white horses go up into the north country. I personally believe that the judgment of the Great Tribulation Period begins with Russia coming down into the land of Israel, so that judgment will first go to the king of the north, to Gog and Magog in the north. Judgment will also go south toward Egypt. However, the riding of the horses is not the main issue here. In the Book of Revelation we are given the series of events in the Great Tribulation Period, one event after another, one crisis after another. When the white horse rides forth, he will bring a victory that will set up a false peace upon the earth. The world will think that it is entering the Millennium when actually it will be entering the Great Tribulation Period. Immediately after the white horse there will come the red horse of war—war breaks out worldwide—followed by the black horse of famine. Famine generally follows war as do plagues and death, which are symbolized by the fourth, the pale horse. In contrast to this, in the vision of the four chariots which was given to Zechariah, the order is not the important thing. Rather, the emphasis is upon the fact that God intends to judge all the nations of the earth, and the four chariots represent those judgments. All of them are to take place during the Tribulation Period. This concludes the ten visions given to Zechariah.
THE SYMBOLIC CROWNING OF JOSHUA
Now we come to an event which takes place during the days of Zechariah.
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah [Zech. 6:9–10].
Here we are given the names of three men who came from Babylon. They had not come with either of the two groups of the remnant that returned to the land of Israel, but they came on their own. The name Heldai means “robust”; Tobijah means “God’s goodness”; and Jedaiah means “God knows.” Linking these names together indicates that God knows that through His goodness He intends to put His King upon the throne, and He will do it in a robust and powerful manner.
What will take place here is a symbolic crowning, but it pictures the coming of Christ to this earth to reign, which is, of course, yet future.
Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest [Zech. 6:11].
This seems like a strange thing to do. Why did they place the crown on the head of Joshua the high priest rather than on the head of Zerubbabel who was in the line of David? The reason they were not to crown Zerubbabel is that God was not going to restore the line of David to the throne at that time. The fact of the matter is that the next one who will wear the crown of David will be the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes to this earth to establish His kingdom. But crowning the high priest was very unusual because God kept the offices of king and priest entirely separate.
The explanation is found in the fact that Joshua, the high priest, in this passage is representative of the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Great High Priest today. The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us to consider our Great High Priest. Christ, after His resurrection, ascended into heaven, and as our Great High Priest He has passed within the veil. He is seated now at God’s right hand and is waiting for the time when his enemies will be made His footstool. He will come forth and establish His kingdom here upon this earth. The chapter before us pictures His coronation.
Notice the sequence that is followed in this little Book of Zechariah. After the visions that depicted the judgment of God upon His people and upon all the gentile nations of the world, we have this, the coming of Christ and His crowning as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
It is interesting to see the threefold ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in time spans. The first time span is His ministry as God’s Prophet when he came to this earth over nineteen hundred years ago. He came down here to speak for God, and He Himself was the Word of God as He revealed God in human form. And He revealed the love of God by dying upon the cross for your sins and my sins. He was God’s Prophet.
In the day in which you and I live He is God’s Priest. When He ascended into heaven, He passed within the veil, and in the Holy of Holies He presented His own blood for our sins. Today He is there to make intercession for us. He intervenes for us when there is sin in our lives and we confess that sin to Him. He serves there as our High Priest.
One day in the future He will be coming out again. The Book of Revelation makes it very clear that He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords. Prophet, Priest, and King is the threefold ministry of Christ.
Now Christ is presented under another figure of speech—
And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord [Zech. 6:12].
“The BRANCH” is not the name of Joshua. It is a prophetic name which is given to the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to this earth over nineteen hundred years ago as the Branch, a root out of dry ground (see Isa. 53:2). The very fact that He came to humanity and came to a people at a time when they were subject to Rome is the most amazing thing in the world. He was called a root out of Jesse, the peasant, because by the time the Lord Jesus was born, the royal line of David had sunk back into poverty. The Lord Jesus was born into poverty and obscurity. He was indeed the root out of a dry ground.
Suppose you were walking in a desert area—like the extremely desolate desert east of here in California. As you walk along you see no growing thing except a few cacti and a rattlesnake or two. Then suddenly you come upon a plant of iceberg lettuce growing there, luscious and green. You would be amazed. You would be unable to account for it. Well, the Lord Jesus was like that—a root out of a dry ground.
Jesus Christ is coming again as the Branch, and this time the Branch is going to rule the world.
“He shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.” You see, this is given as an encouragement to the remnant in their struggle to rebuild the temple. As we saw in the Book of Haggai, it looked small and insignificant to many of them, but in God’s eyes His temple was one house. Although there is a series of temples—the wilderness tabernacle, Solomon’s temple, Zerubbabel’s temple, Herod’s temple, the Great Tribulation temple, the millennial temple—God calls it one house. He didn’t view Zerubbabel’s temple as a separate house. Although it was considered unimportant by some of the people, God says that He is the one to judge its importance. And it is in His plan and purpose.
Many letters come to me with the lament, “I can’t be very much for God.” Well, that was also the cry of the discouraged remnant in Zechariah’s day. The temple they were building seemed like nothing compared to the grandeur of Solomon’s temple. But God was assuring them that the temple they were building was in His will and that He was the one to determine the importance of it.
Again let me say that I believe that some of the greatest pulpits we have in Southern California are not in churches; they happen to be sickbeds where some dear saint of God is confined. Recently I heard of a young man who listens to our Bible-teaching radio program. He is paralyzed from his neck down but is a radiant Christian and sends out Christian literature continually. I’m not sure but what his ministry for God is more important than mine or that of anyone which seems to be doing something great for God. We are to let God decide that. The important thing for you and me is to get into the will of God.
That was the point that Haggai and Zechariah were trying to get over to these people. They were encouraging them. They were saying, “You are doing what God wants you to do. Sure it looks small, but it is in the plan and purpose of God. That makes it great and big. It is going to eventuate in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth to establish His Kingdom.”
“Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH.” The word of God speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as “The Branch” in a fourfold way. (1) He is called the Branch of David: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Jer. 23:5). Here Christ is presented as the King, the Branch of David. (2) He is spoken of as Jehovah’s Servant, the Branch; as we have already seen in chapter 3 verse 8: “Here now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.” (3) And here in chapter 6 verse 12 He is called “the man whose name is The BRANCH” (italics mine). (4) Finally, He is presented as the Branch of Jehovah: “In that day shall the branch of the Lord [Jehovah] be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel” (Isa. 4:2).
It is interesting that the gospel records in the New Testament present the Lord Jesus in the same fourfold way. In the Gospel of Matthew He is the King, the Branch of David; in the Gospel of Mark He is Jehovah’s Servant, the Branch; in the Gospel of Luke He is presented as the perfect Man whose name is the Branch; and in the Gospel of John He is the Branch of Jehovah, God the Son. This is a marvelous portrait that we have of Jesus as He was when He walked on this earth as a member of the human family.
Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord [Zech. 6:13–14].
“Even he shall build the temple of the Lord.” “Even he” is the sprout, the Branch who grew out of poverty and obscurity. “He shall build the temple of the Lord,” refers to the millennial temple.
Christ the Messiah, “shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne.” He shall be both King and Priest. The two offices will be combined in one person.
“The crowns shall be … for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.” Joshua did not wear these crowns. They were placed upon his head only for the symbolic crowning. Then, according to Jewish tradition, they were placed as symbols in the top windows of the temple for a memorial, serving as a reminder that the Messiah would come and that He would be not only the King but He also would be the Priest.
And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God [Zech. 6:15].
“And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord.” Notice Merrill Unger’s comments on this verse (p. 115):
The deputation from far away Babylon bringing an offering of silver and gold for the temple, which was then in the process of construction, was the occasion for Zechariah’s prediction of a future glorious temple to be established in Jerusalem as a House of Prayer for all nations, and to which even the Gentile peoples from afar shall flow, bringing their worship and their gifts.
Isaiah also speaks of the coming of gentile nations to the temple in Jerusalem during the Millennium: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it” (Isa. 2:2).
Let me remind you that back in verses 12 and 13 of this chapter it says that Christ (the Branch) shall build the temple of the Lord. And in the verse before us it says that “they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord.” The nations shall build in the temple of the Lord in that they will bring their wealth into it. We need to make this distinction because only the Lord Jesus Himself will build the temple. Isaiah also says, “Also the sons of the stranger [Gentile], that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord.… Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people” (Isa. 56:6–7).
“And ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.” Apparently this means that Christ, the Messiah, will Himself establish the truth of God’s Word.
“And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.” I do not understand this to mean that the fulfillment of the prophecy will depend upon their obedience, because the prophecy is in the eternal plan and purpose of God. Rather, their participation in it depends upon their faith and obedience.
As we conclude the first major division of the Book of Zechariah, we need to locate it in the stream of history and prophecy. It is possible to lose our way through this section and, by so doing, miss one of the greatest lessons of Scripture and one of the greatest principles that God puts down in His Word. I urge those who attempt to teach prophecy to study this little book very carefully. It will deliver them from making some wild and weird interpretations.
Because the visions of Zechariah are highly symbolic, we are apt to come to the conclusion that they are just haphazard dream-stuff of a prophet of long ago. Folk who consider them totally unrelated to each other feel free to interpret them in any way they choose. There is a danger of lifting out one of the visions from its context and giving it an absurd interpretation. We must remember that one of the great rules of interpreting prophecy is that no prophecy is of any private interpretation—that is, it must be fitted into its proper place in the whole body of prophecy.
We need to keep in mind that all of the visions given to Zechariah are connected and related. They have meaning which is local and also they give an outline of history. They picture the whole future of the nation Israel, including the destruction of her enemies and her cleansing and restoration to her high priestly witness. The section finalizes with the coming of Christ to the earth as the great Priest-King to reign on the earth.
All of this was given by God through Zechariah as an encouragement to the discouraged remnant in his day who were struggling to build the temple. Not only was the work moving slowly and with difficulty, but it seemed so small and inconsequential compared to Solomon’s temple and to the great heathen temples they had seen in Babylon and later in the Medo-Persian Empire. However, Israel was in a time of peace, and it was time for them to build.
Now I would like to call your attention to the threefold meaning. There is what is known as (1) the contemporary meaning, (2) the continuing meaning, and (3) the consummation of all things.
The contemporary meaning is that Zechariah was speaking into a local situation. He was addressing the people of his day regarding their problems. He was urging his own people not to be discouraged but to know that they are in the eternal plan and purpose of God. The little temple they were building would finally usher in the great millennial temple which the Messiah Himself would build.
The continuing meaning is a message for our day. You see, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable …” (2 Tim. 3:16). All of it has a message for us although not all of it was written to us. For instance, God has not asked us to build a temple. A few years ago many Christians tried to get stone out of Indiana and move it over to Israel to help them build the temple. That was a ridiculous idea. Our business is not to get the marble to Israel to help them build the temple; our business is to get to them the message of the One who is the Rock of Ages, the One who is the Stone cut out without hands (see Dan. 2:45), who said of Himself, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matt. 21:44). If we don’t fall upon Him, come in repentance to Him, in this age of grace, the day will come when we will have to bear His judgment. We have seen that God judges nations—the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Graeco-Macedonian Empires have come and gone. My friend, are you blind to the fact that God is moving today in the history of this world? Do you realize that God is judging our own nation? Vietnam was a place of shame and humiliation. What did we actually accomplish over there? The billions of dollars spent on war costs should have been invested years earlier in Bibles and missionaries.
Current events should certainly teach us how quickly God can raise up a nation and how quickly He can bring it down. America rose to be the strongest nation on the earth, but we stumbled along in our sin and in our arrogance. Fifty years ago absolutely no one would have believed that the United States would yield to the demands of a few desert sheiks who ruled over a few people and some mangy camels. No one would have seen the relationship between the camel and a Cadillac. Yet today we see the wealth of the world going into Arabian oil. They will bankrupt our nation; yet we close our eyes to what is going on. God can raise nations and bring down nations in whatever way He chooses.
If you listen to the news media, you will become discouraged. Besides that, you’ll get brainwashed. If you look at Washington, D. C., you will feel like giving up—or throwing up! I don’t know about you, but I am tired of hearing panel discussions by politicians, educators, the military, athletes, and the movie colony. I don’t think that any of them have a message for us right now. Perhaps you can hear the still small voice of God in the visions of Zechariah. His visions are not weird and wild, and no weird and wild interpretation is satisfactory. They teach us that God’s purpose will prevail and that God is moving in history to accomplish His purpose.
The final of the threefold meanings is the consummation of all things. History is flowing in the channel of prophecy. Again let me repeat verse 12: “Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.” The Branch, as we have seen, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, a root out of dry ground, who died on a cross for us. But He is coming again to reign. “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel” (Isa. 4:2). He shall be the priest upon His throne.
Knowing this should help us to keep things in perspective. There may be some little group of believers who meet on a back street, but they are meeting in the name of Christ and they are seeking to honor Him. They are studying His Word, and they really want to do His will. They sing with sincerity,
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine,
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
—William R. Featherstone
That little group may be unknown to the world, but it is more important in the plan and program of God than the meetings held by heads of state in the capitals of the world. This is hard for many folk to believe because the world does not see things from God’s point of view.
You see, that little group of believers will join in with a mighty chorus in heaven some day, singing to the Lamb: “… Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9–10). That is the goal toward which we are moving. The world may ignore these believers and multitudes simply pass them by; yet they are important in the plan and purpose of God.
This section of Zechariah should help us see things from God’s perspective. This tremendous passage of Scripture still has a message for you and me today.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Historic interlude; question concerning a religious ritual (fasting); threefold answer; when the heart is right, the ritual is right; when the heart is wrong, the ritual is wrong
HISTORIC INTERLUDE
In chapters 7 and 8 we have what I have labeled an historic interlude. It is very similar to what we also have in the little prophecy of Haggai. In the middle of that prophecy, Haggai was sent to the priest to ask concerning a law: When anything that is ceremonially clean touches that which is unclean, will it make it clean? And, of course, the answer is that it will not. And when that which is ceremonially unclean touches that which is clean, will it make it unclean? The answer is yes, it will. In this historic interlude here in Zechariah, we have the same problem approached from a little different angle.
QUESTION CONCERNING A RITUAL (FASTING)
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu [Zech. 7:1].
The impressive thing here is that again Zechariah is going to have a message for these people, and it is a very important message. He makes it clear that it is not his own message, but it is “the word of the Lord.”
“In the fourth year of king Darius …in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu.” If you want me to put this in terms of our calendar, it was December 4, 518 b.c. This is the same period in which Haggai was speaking to the people in a very practical way.
When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the Lord [Zech. 7:2].
David Baron’s comment (p. 210) will help us better understand this verse: “It will be noticed that, together with the Revised Version, and almost all modern scholars, we discard the rendering given of the first line of the 2nd verse in the Authorized Version, namely, ‘When they sent unto the House of God’ Now, Beth-el does mean literally ‘House of God’; but it is never used of the Temple, but only and always of the well-known town of Ephraim, one of the great centers of the Israelitish idolatrous worship set up by Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” In other words, what we have here is a delegation of men sent from Beth-el, which means “house of God.” It was called the house of God by Jacob at that time in his life when he thought he was running away from God as well as from his father and his brother Esau. He spent the night at this place, and God gave him a vision. Jacob said of Beth-el, “… this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Gen. 28:17).
Beth-el was located in the northern kingdom of Israel and is the place where Jeroboam put one of the golden calves to be worshiped. This delegation was not made up of men of the tribe of Judah. They were probably of the tribe of Ephraim. The fact that this delegation came down from Beth-el indicates that people from the ten so-called “lost-tribes” were not lost at all—some of them were living at Beth-el. If you will read the Book of Ezra very carefully, you will find that many people who returned from the Babylonian captivity returned to towns that were actually north of the Sea of Galilee, an area that belonged to the ten tribes which constituted the northern kingdom of Israel. All twelve tribes were represented in those who returned, although very few actually returned, less than 60,000 all told.
My friend, there are no “ten lost tribes of Israel.” Those who returned from the captivity naturally went back to the places from which they had come, and many of them went to the northern part which was the kingdom of Israel. They happened to be folk born in the Babylonian captivity (Sherezer and Regemmelech are Babylonian names) who returned as Jews back to their own tribe. If you feel that Anglo-Saxons or any other gentile race makes up “the lost tribes,” may I say to you, you are very much lost in the maze of Scripture. You may be lost, but the ten tribes are not lost.
And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? [Zech. 7:3].
These men have come down from Beth-el to speak to the priests in the temple at Jerusalem, and they have come with a question. The question has to do with a ritual: Is a ritual right or is a ritual wrong? The people had begun to fast before the Babylonian captivity and had continued to do so during the Captivity. Psalm 137:1–2 says, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.” They just sobbed out their souls there, and that became a religious function. Actually, God had never given them fast days; He gave seven feast days. It was their own idea to fast. They had set aside days of fasting and days of weeping and mourning during their captivity, and they continued it after the Captivity, but God was not blessing them. A certain amount of prosperity had come; many of them were building their homes and were getting very comfortable, even affluent. Yet they were weeping and mourning, and they said, “We’ve been doing this but God hasn’t blessed us.” The question here is of the right and wrong of a ritual.
This is an important question for us because we are seeing today a recrudescence of ritualistic religion. There is a movement toward formalism, toward adopting a ritual. Formalism is always in evidence when people cease to think. When people get away from the person of Christ, they start either getting up and down or marching around—they have to start doing something. This indicates a time of spiritual decline. There was a time when people fought over the prayer book in Europe, as if that were important—whether you should stand up or sit down or kneel or just how you should pray. There are many people who want a liturgy or an elaborate ritual. There are religions that are called Christian religions that are ritualistic or liturgical. Even we nonconformists who have come out of the Reformation say that a ritual is repugnant, we despise it, we see in it evil continually, but our services have a certain amount of ritual. We open with the doxology, and everyone stands up for that. We close with a benediction, and somewhere in between there is an offering, and a sermon.
God gave to the nation Israel a religion—it is the only religion He ever gave—and it was ritualistic. Is a ritual right or is a ritual wrong?—that is the question of these people. They say, “We’ve been fasting and weeping and wailing, and it looks pretty silly now. It’s gotten very boring. After all, it is a religious rite we are going through, and we’re not getting any results. God doesn’t seem to be blessing us. Should we keep on doing this?”
THREEFOLD ANSWER
Zechariah will give the people God’s answer concerning this question. God doesn’t come out and say that it is wrong to fast, nor does He say it is right. He doesn’t answer the question directly, and yet He answers the question. We will find that there is actually a threefold answer to this question concerning a religious ritual. The first answer is that when the heart is right, the ritual is right (vv. 4–7). The second answer is that when the heart is wrong, the ritual is wrong (vv. 8–14). The third answer is found in chapter 8: God’s purpose concerning Jerusalem is unchanged by any ritual. That will answer a great many folk today who are saying, “Let’s do this or that to hasten the coming of Christ.” My friend, you cannot move it up one second by anything you do. Don’t you know that He is running this universe? Anything that you do is not going to interfere with His plan or program. These people thought that a ritual might have something to do with changing God’s plan. In chapter 8 God will let them know that He intends to accomplish His purpose.
WHEN THE HEART IS RIGHT, THE RITUAL IS RIGHT
Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying,
Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? [Zech. 7:4–5].
“When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month”—that would be the months of August and October. “Even those seventy years”—that is, while Israel was in captivity.
“Did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?” God says to them, “When you went through your ritual, did you do it for Me? Did you do it to honor Me and to praise Me? Or did you do it as a legalistic sort of an exercise that would build up something on the credit side which would make you acceptable to Me and cause Me to bless you?” God does not approve nor does He condemn the ritual. He inquires into their motive.
The people say that they have been fasting “these so many years.” Oh boy, you can read between the lines there! Worshiping God had really become boring to them. And the Lord is saying to them, “If you really want to know the truth, I was bored with you also. I thought you were very boring.” I think there are a lot of so-called Christian services which cause God to yawn. I think that He says, “Ho hum, there they go again, jumping through some little hoop as though they think that it will please Me.”
And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? [Zech. 7:6].
God says, “You didn’t fast unto Me, and when the fasting was over, you couldn’t wait to get to the table. And when you were eating, did you do it unto Me?” Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:8). He went on to say later, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). If you can fast to the glory of God, go ahead and fast, but if you are doing it for some reason other than that high motive, don’t do it. Our Christian faith is not a Sunday affair. The test of the Sunday service is the life that is lived the next day. In the last part of this chapter, God is going to deal with Israel on the very specifics of their business dealings, their social contacts, and their amusements. These were the things that revealed that they did not live their lives unto the Lord at all. There is something more important than the ritual which will determine whether the ritual is right or not.
Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain? [Zech. 7:7].
“The south [the Negeb] and the plain.” That section all the way up from Beer-sheba, whether you go to Hebron or over to the coast toward Ekron, looks like a big pasture land. It reminds me of the plains of west Texas where I lived as a boy in the days before they irrigated that land. When a wind would come through, it could really blow up a sandstorm the likes of which you had never seen or heard of before. The plains around Beer-sheba are the same kind of land. God says to the people here, “You went through all these rituals before when you were in the land, and what happened? You went into captivity because you did not obey Me, you did not listen to the voice of My prophets.”
WHEN THE HEART IS WRONG, THE RITUAL IS WRONG
Beginning with verse 8, God is going to show that a ritual is wrong if the heart is wrong. This is not another way of saying the same thing as He has just said. God will put down on the people’s lives specific commandments, the commandments that have to do with a man’s relationship to man as well as to God, and it will show that their hearts were not right. My friend, it is wrong to think that we can serve Christ and go through a little ritual of doing something while we are not really right with Him. What the Lord Jesus said to Simon Peter following His resurrection is truly beautiful. Do you know what I would have done if I had been in the Lord’s place and had come to Simon Peter? I would have bawled him out for denying me. I would have told him what kind of fellow I thought he was. But the Lord Jesus said to him, “Do you love Me?” My friend, it is not the ritual you go through, but it is the attitude of your heart that is important to Him.
To some church members, religion is a rite or a ritual or a legalistic and lifeless form, a liturgical system marked by meaningless and wearisome verbiage. There is a lot of religious garbage in our so-called conservative and evangelical churches also. There is a ceaseless quoting of tired adjectives and a jumble of pious platitudes. We so often hear people say, “We want to share our faith.” My friend, most people don’t have enough faith to share. It’s not your faith when you share about how wonderful you are or what wonderful things God did for you. You are to witness to Jesus Christ, who He is and what He did for you. In talking about salvation, people say, “Commit your life to Him.” If you ask them what they mean, they say, “Yield your life to Him.” Do you really think He wants your life? He says that our righteousness and even our so-called good deeds are filthy rags in His sight. God doesn’t want your duty laundry, my friend. I am afraid that we have gotten into the habit of using words that take away the real meaning of the gospel. There is another word that is surely being worn out and whose tread is really becoming thin. Love is a high word of Scripture, but it has been worn out on the freeway of present-day usage. It has been emasculated of its rich, vital, virile, and vigorous Bible meaning. It’s been degraded to the level of a bumper sticker which says, “Honk if you love Jesus!” The other day I noticed that the people ahead of me were honking and going around a little car that was being driven very slowly in the fast lane of the freeway. Car after car had to detour around this man. As I came up to him, I thought that I would honk at him also, but then I saw his bumper sticker which said, “Honk if you love Jesus!” As I went around him, I gave him a hard look. If I could have had an opportunity to speak to him, I would have told him that if you love Jesus, you don’t run around honking your horn. If you love Jesus you’re going to live a life of obedience to Him, and you will be courteous to other people.
My point is that today there is a great deal of “churchianity” that is bland and bloodless, tasteless and colorless. It is devoid of warmth and feeling. There is no personal relationship with Christ that is meaningful and productive. One liberal pastor wrote that it made him sick to hear people talk of a personal relationship with Christ. I would surely make him sick if he would listen to me, because the thing you have to have, my friend, is a personal relationship with Christ. Your ritual and your liturgy are not worth the snap of your fingers unless you have a life that is related to Jesus Christ.
If there is no deep yearning for a life that is well pleasing to Him, if there is no stimulating desire to know Him and His Word, church membership is just like a young man falling in love with a furnished apartment and marrying an electric stove, a refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, a garbage disposal, and a wet mop! That is just about all it amounts to. A maiden lady was asked why she had never gotten married, and she gave a very interesting answer. “I have a stove that smokes, I have a dog that growls around the house, I have a parrot that cusses, and I have a lazy cat that loafs around all day and then is out half the night—so why do I need a husband?” May I say to you, that is the kind of relationship that a great many folk have to God and to Christ. Let’s stop playing church today and start loving Christ and living for Him!
I want to share with you two of the most remarkable letters that I have received in many a day. The first comes from a little town in Tennessee:
I discovered your program out of Memphis only about six months ago, just when I needed it most. Isn’t that just like our lovely Lord? I am a born again Christian, only two years old. That is truly something for a 55-year-old grandmother to have to admit. My husband is a retired regular army dentist—a heart patient. We moved 33 times in 26 years before retiring on this little farm here in the boondocks. We played church. I even taught a women’s Sunday school class, and my husband was a deacon. I can’t speak for him, but all I had was head knowledge and very little heart knowledge. The young minister in the church where we have gone for 14 years is so liberal he thinks the belief in the virgin birth unnecessary and sees no conflict between transcendental meditation and Christianity. We stuck it out for a year and then left the church. I would be less than honest to say I don’t miss a church home since I’ve had church homes like that.
The other letter comes from Southern California:
I am a wife and mother under 30, and I’ve been a Christian since I was 3 1/2. I have often thought of writing but didn’t think I had anything meaningful to say. Well, I’ve changed my mind. Several years ago I knew a lady quite well who was constantly pushing your program at me. This lady was a terrible housekeeper, had an unhappy husband and marriage and five unruly children. But she listened to her Christian programs from morning till night. Naturally, I associated her fanaticism with you and would not listen. During the past three years, however, I have been listening to you weekdays and sometimes on Sunday before church … I love the study of the Word. I get so much from your theology and your knowledge of the Scriptures. I wish that I could find a pastor locally who preached as well. Our time is so short, and I’m glad you’re filling each minute with vital news of God. I wish I could have seen past that lady’s disorderly life a long time ago. God bless you in your work, thou good and faithful servant.
Here was a woman who listened to all the Christian programs, who was a fanatical Christian, but who had a home and a life that were a disgrace to the cause of Christ. My friend, a ritual is no good to a person like that. Likewise, there’s nothing wrong with a ritual if you are right with God and if you love Jesus Christ.
This reminds me of the little girl and the story of the three bears. The little girl’s mother was having guests for dinner and she sent the little girl upstairs to go to bed early. She gave her instructions, telling her she knew how to undress, put on her pajamas, and kneel down to have her prayer. The next morning at the breakfast table, the mother asked the little girl how she did. “Just fine” was the reply.
“Did you say your prayers?”
“Well, kind of.”
“What do you mean ‘kind of’?” the mother asked.
The little girl explained, “Well, I got down on my knees to say that prayer I always say, and I just thought that maybe God got tired of hearing the same thing all the time, so I just crawled into bed, and I told Him the story of the three little bears.”
I think God enjoyed that evening when that precious little girl already sensed that there is something wrong with a ritual when the heart is not in it. I think God listened to the story of the three bears. I wish that some church services today could be that interesting, and I think it would get God’s attention. Why do we have all these problem churches today? Why do we have all these problem Christians today? It is because we are going through a rite, we are going through a ritual, we are performing a liturgy without a heart for God Himself. Even we in fundamental churches open with the doxology, close with a benediction, with something in between, and we feel like we’ve been to church. Have we really? Have we been drawn to the person of Christ? Do we know Him? Do we love Him? You can go through any ritual you want to, and it will be all right if you are right with the Lord, my friend.
The importance of ritual is still a very moot question for people today. Should I go through this ceremony or should I do this or should I do that? I believe that certain ceremonies, certain rituals are important. I believe there are two sacraments in the church, and I believe they are all-important. One sacrament is baptism, and the other is the Lord’s Supper. The important thing is that baptism is believer’s baptism. The emphasis should be taken off the mode and put on the heart of the one being baptized: Is he born again? I personally believe in immersion, although I was raised in a church that taught otherwise. I have been both sprinkled and immersed—that way I can’t miss, as you can see. My wife was Southern Baptist, she was immersed, and she still thinks that was pretty important. I like to kid her, “It will sure be embarrassing for you if you and I get to heaven and find that immersion was not the right mode. I’ve had the other, and you haven’t.” I say that facetiously, and I say it for this reason: As important as the sacraments are, they are no good unless the heart is right. Baptism is no good, my friend, unless you’ve turned to Jesus Christ and you have a personal relationship with Him and your sins have been forgiven. I am also afraid that the Lord’s Supper is absolutely meaningless for many people—it would be better for them if they didn’t go through with it. But if your heart is right, the Lord’s Supper is absolutely important. It was Lange who made this statement: “God’s eye of grace and our eye of faith meet in the sacraments.”
Before the Captivity, God judged Jerusalem when the hearts of the people were far from Him, although they were going through the rituals. In verse 7 God said to them, “Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?” In effect He said, “You went through the rituals before the Captivity, and I sent you into captivity. Why? The ritual had nothing to do with it. It was because your hearts were wrong, and the heart is the thing that is important.”
In the last section of this chapter, God very specifically spells out those things the people were doing which alienated them from Himself. He will be dealing with that part of the Ten Commandments which have to do with man’s relationship to man. The previous section of the chapter had to do with a man’s relationship to God—when the heart is not rightly related to God, the ritual is wrong. In this section the ritual is wrong if the heart is wrong. By putting these commandments right down upon their lives, God will specifically reveal the things they were doing wrong.
We are not dealing with sin today as we should. If you knew me like I know myself, you would not continue to read what I have to say. But wait a minute, if I knew you like you know yourself, I don’t think I’d bother to write to you. May I say to you, we are sinners. When I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I knew a dear little lady who had been a Bible teacher. Whenever I would talk about the fact that we are saved sinners, she always wanted to correct me. She would say, “Dr. McGee, after we are saved, we’re not sinners.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m still a sinner,” I would tell her.
“If your sins have been forgiven, you’re not a sinner.”
“No, I’m a saved sinner, I’m a forgiven sinner, but I’m still a sinner, and I will be a sinner as long as I live on this earth. ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is’ (1 John 3:2). In that day when you see Vernon McGee, I won’t be a sinner, but until that day, I’m a sinner.”
My friend, both you and I are sinners. All of us are sinners before God, and I am delighted to know that this belief is coming back into style. I have a clipping of a prominent doctor of psychology who states that he used to go along with Freudian psychology which teaches that the reason you are such a lousy person is because your mama didn’t give you the proper affection that you should have had or that maybe you weren’t a breast-fed baby and that is the reason you have gone in for promiscuous sex. My friend, what nonsense that is! Now this doctor has changed his position, and he writes, “The realities of personal guilt and sin have been glossed over as only symptoms of emotional illness or environmental conditioning for which the individual isn’t considered responsible. But there is sin which cannot be subsumed under verbal artifacts such as disease, delinquency, deviancy. There is immorality. There is unethical behavior. There is wrongdoing.” In other words, my friend, you and I are sinners. I have been saying that for years. Even when I studied psychology in college, I did not buy behaviorism. I frankly believe that God alone knows about humanity and about our hearts. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Only God knows it, and He alone knows it.
If we could see ourselves as God sees us, we couldn’t stand ourselves. Only God could put up with us, and only God does put up with us. Oh, if we would just come to the Word of God and rest in the Word of God! God is going to be specific with them and put these commandments right down upon their lives. This is what we need to do also. I do not mean to step on your toes, but I am trying to tell you what the Word of God says. Let me illustrate my point. If all the church officers in this country would simply read the pastoral epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) to see what are God’s requirements for being an officer in the church, and if they would simply follow those requirements, over one-half of the church officers in this country would resign before next Sunday. The church would be better off, and I think a revival would break out in many places. When I teach those epistles, I receive less mail from my listeners than during any other period of time. Why? Because they do not like to hear what the Word of God has to say. Even some of us preachers would have to walk out of the pulpit and never enter it again if we really followed what the Word of God says.
There is little wonder that the church has the problem that it has. There is little wonder that it is filled with a bunch of babies, sucking their thumbs, crying loud and long unless they are given some attention, a rattle to play with, or maybe a yo-yo. They take some little course of instruction and think that that makes them a full-grown child of God in a few weeks. These little courses are not even an all-day sucker for the babe. During the Second World War when there was a shortage of officers, they instituted a ninety-day course to produce second lieutenants. They were called “the wonder boys.” We sure have a lot of “wonder Christians” who know nothing about the Word of God.
Again let me illustrate what I am talking about. Although I have taken as long as five years to teach the entire Bible, I feel like I am a babe as far as the Word of God is concerned. I’ve missed so much even teaching at that slow pace. I hesitate to teach the Book of Revelation, although I consider it the most mechanical, the most simple book in the Word of God. I approach it with fear and trembling. Yet there are pastors and teachers who have been in a church or with a group for just a short period of time who are already teaching Revelation. My friend, there are sixty-five books that come before Revelation, but prophecy is popular and made to be sensational. Sir Robert Anderson calls this “the wild utterances of prophecy mongers.” Many of us are willing to settle for the better things of life when God wants us to have the best things. Oh, that we would put our lives under the spotlight of the Word of God.
And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying [Zech. 7:8].
Zechariah isn’t just giving his opinion. He is saying to the people, “This is what God has to say, and this is God’s answer to you. The ritual is wrong if the heart is wrong.”
Now God is going to put the spotlight down on the people—
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart [Zech 7:9–10].
It will be helpful for us to take a close look at the last of the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments have to do with a man’s relationship to God. The next commandment is a bridge and has to do with man’s relationship to his parents. There is a period in his life when that little fellow in the home looks up to his mama and papa; they are actually God to him, and that is the way God intended it to be. The reason children are to obey their parents when they’re growing up is so that later on they will be able to obey the Lord Jesus. Now notice the last five commandments: “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s” (Exod. 20:13–17). You are not to covet his Cadillac nor the lovely home that he lives in—you are not to covet these things at all.
Notice how we can put these commandments right down upon our lives. “Thus, speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment”—don’t bear false witness. “And shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother”—you are not to steal, not to lie, not to covet. “And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor”—oh boy, this is getting right down where we live. “Let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” The Lord Jesus brought all the commandments up to a higher plane, although He only cited two commandments as illustrations. But He said that if you are angry with your brother, you are guilty of murder.
God is saying that although Israel went through the rituals, you ought to have met them on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! On Friday night they started through the rituals again, and they would weep and mourn and fast and bring sacrifices. In the Book of Malachi God says to them, “You say that those sacrifices made you sick. You ought to have been in My position—they nauseated Me.”
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear [Zech. 7:11].
The people did not want to hear what God wanted them to hear, and there are people today in the same position.
They “pulled away the shoulder”—how vivid this is! When I was a little fellow in southern Oklahoma, the little country school put on a program. I think I was in about the fifth grade, and my class was sitting down front. I was causing some kind of disturbance (I don’t know why—I was such a good boy!), and my father, who was sitting in the back, walked down and touched me on the shoulder. I turned and pulled that shoulder away. Oh, what a brat I was to do a thing like that! My dad took me by the hand, led me out the side door, and he said, “Son, I’m going to give you a whipping.” That wasn’t anything new, but he went on to say, “I’m not going to give it to you because you were making a disturbance. I’m going to give it to you because you pulled away from me when I put my hand on your shoulder. You were disobedient.” Then for the next few minutes he impressed upon me that I wasn’t to do that sort of thing.
God says of Israel, “I touched them on the shoulder, and they pulled away the shoulder.” There are many people in our churches today whom God is touching on the shoulder and saying, “Wait a minute. Don’t do that. Don’t live that kind of life.” They pull away their shoulder, they stop their ears, and they don’t want to hear what God has to say.
I was baby-sitting my little grandson out in the yard when he did something he shouldn’t have done. He got into my flower bed and was ruining one of my camellias. I told him to get out, but he looked at me and said, “I’m not going to get out.” (He takes after his grandmother quite a bit, as you can see!) He started back in, and I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him. He did that same little thing—he pulled away. It reminded me of another little boy about sixty-five years ago. I knew what my dad had done, and since I’m his grandfather, I took him and turned him across my knee, and I gave him quite a little lesson. My daughter applauded me for it and said, “I thought you had him so spoiled that you’d never correct him.”
“But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.” This is what these spoiled brats who had come down from Beth-el had been doing; in fact, the whole nation had been doing it. The reason Israel had gone into captivity was not because they didn’t have light. God had put His hand on their shoulder, the prophets had spoken to them, but they “stopped their ears, that they should not hear.” In other words, they turned their backs on God. They had broken the commandments which relate to God, and they were guilty before Him.
Going through a religious ritual will not do you a bit of good if your heart is not right, my friend. Until you get your life straightened out, there is no use becoming religious. Actually, that will only make you a member of the crowd the Lord Jesus called hypocrites. Have you ever noticed that He never called a believer a hypocrite? In the Bible, you’ll never find a real believer called a hypocrite. It is those who pretend, those who have religion, those who have, as the Lord Jesus said. washed the outside of the cup while the inside is still putrid, who are called hypocrites (see Matt. 23:25–26). This was the problem with the people of Israel. God simply put down on their lives the Ten Commandments, beginning with the commandments which relate to man. How were they acting in their business and social and home lives? When He did this, it really showed them up, and it showed the reason why God had not heard and answered their prayers.
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts [Zec 7:12].
“Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.” The destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the carrying away of these people into Babylon was a sad thing, a tragic thing, an awful thing. They were religious, they were going through a ritual, but their hearts were far from God, and they were a disgrace to Him.
Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts [Zech. 7:13].
God says to these people, “I cried to you, and I pled with you, but you would not listen to Me.” Then when they got into trouble, they said, “We don’t want to go into captivity. We’ll come back to You.” And God now says, “I didn’t hear you.” There are a lot of prayers today that God doesn’t hear. I get a little weary of this sentimental rot that is shown on our television screens. In these weepy sob stories, some reprobate—either man or woman—lives any kind of life he wants, but when his little child gets sick, he goes in and kneels by the bed to plead with God for the life of the child! I don’t think God hears that prayer, my friend. I’ll be honest with you: you’ve got to get right with God yourself before you are going to get anywhere with Him by praying. God makes it clear that the other is nothing in the world but religious rot, and it will not get you anywhere at all.
But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate [Zech. 7:14].
I want you to note that God says that He made the pleasant land desolate. He not only judged the people but also the land. Many people go to that land today and are greatly disappointed because they’ve heard that it is the land of milk and honey. It was that at one time; it was like the Garden of Eden. But I think people are trying to kid themselves when they say today, “Oh, isn’t this a beautiful land!” My friend, it is rocky, it is dry, it is a most desolate place. If you can find anything pretty on the way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and the Dead Sea, I wish that you would point it out to me. It is as bad as the desert in eastern California and in Arizona. It is really a desolate place, and there are very few beautiful spots in that land. It was the pleasant land, but it’s the desolate land today.
One of the proofs that prophecy is not being fulfilled today is the fact that the land has not been restored. I know that the Jews have moved back there and have become a nation, but they have been in trouble ever since. At the time I am writing this, I have just heard from a friend who has recently returned from there. He tells me that taxes in Israel are higher than in any place in the world. Are you going to call that “the promised land,” and are you going to hold God responsible for that? I don’t think He has returned the people back to that land at the present time. My friend also reported to me that a great many of the people who are there now want to leave the land. What is that going to do to these Bible teachers who are trying to date everything in prophecy from the beginning of the modern nation of Israel? My friend, Israel is still a desolate land today, but it’s going to become the pleasant land again someday.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: God’s purpose concerning Jerusalem unchanged by any ritual
Chapter 8 is God’s third explanation to the people concerning their question: We have gone through the ritual and the liturgy—why hasn’t God blessed us? His first answer was that, when the heart is right, the ritual is all right. His second answer was that, when the heart is wrong, the ritual is wrong. In other words, the ritual doesn’t have anything to do with it; it is the heart that is important. Some expositors call chapter 8 the positive answer to this question, with chapter 7 being the negative aspect of the answer. I want to say to you, the answer in chapter 8 is positively positive: God’s purpose concerning Jerusalem is unchanged by any ritual. Whether you go through a ritual or you don’t go through it, you are not going to change God’s plan and purpose. Thank God for that. Thank God that He will carry through His plan and His purpose.
Five words occur in this chapter which are very important. In fact, you can hang the meaning of this chapter on these words.
1. First is the expression, “Lord of hosts.” Dr. Merrill Unger gives the interpretation of this expression as “Lord of armies,” and that probably is a more literal translation. “The Lord of hosts” or “the Lord of armies” occurs eighteen times in this chapter. Apparently, He is very important in this chapter—“the Lord of hosts.”
2. Jerusalem occurs six times, and Zion occurs twice. Jerusalem is a geographical city located in Israel, over in the Middle East today. It never has changed; it is still the same place. When God says Jerusalem, He means Jerusalem. He does not mean London or Washington, D.C., or Rome or Los Angeles or any other place. When He says Jerusalem, God means Jerusalem.
3. The word jealous occurs three times.
4. The word remnant occurs twice. Remember that it was only a remnant from all twelve tribes that returned to the land—they did not return from only the two southern tribes. There were very few, even from Judah, who came back. Approximately sixty thousand returned to that land.
5. The final expression, “Thus saith the Lord, ” occurs ten times. When God keeps repeating that, do you know what it means? It means “thus saith the Lord”—not Vernon McGee, not any man, but it is God who is saying this. I do not speak or write in order to be popular today. I would change my tactics quite a bit if I wanted to do that. I’m attempting to teach the Word of God, and if your toes get stepped on, God is the one who is stepping on them. I’m simply reading what the Word of God has to say. The reason that a book like Zechariah is not being taught today is that people do not like to have their toes stepped on. Yet I am thankful for and amazed at the number of people who are hearing the Word of God. It’s a glorious day in which to live, unlike the day in which I began my ministry.
Some commentators feel that chapter 8 puts the Ten Commandments down on the people of Israel even more than chapter 7 did. I do not feel that that is accurate. My feeling is that the last part of chapter 7 put the Ten Commandments down on them, and they were weighed in the balances and were found wanting—they did not measure up to God’s standard at all. Then in chapter 8, especially in the first eight verses, we find that God’s ultimate purpose is not changed concerning His people—the nation Israel, the land, and Jerusalem. At the present moment, God is not fulfilling any prophecy concerning Israel. He is dealing today with the church; He is calling out a body of believers in the church. And the church and Israel are entirely two separate entities. When God will get through calling out the church, I do not know. It’s not geared to any man’s calendar at all. It’s on God’s calendar, but He has never let any of us see it. God’s Word doesn’t tell us when He will take the church out of this earth, but when He does, He will turn to the people of Israel again. These prophecies here in chapter 8 are simply saying that their return to the land in Zechariah’s day was very small but that it is an adumbration, a little miniature picture, of a return to the land that is coming in the future.
Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury [Zech. 8:1–2].
When God says that He is jealous, it is not the same as man’s jealousy, but He does have the same thing in mind. I feel sorry for any woman who makes the statement, “My husband is not jealous of me.” If it is true, it means that her husband does not love her. I don’t know about you, but I’m jealous of my wife. I married her for myself because I love her. I don’t intend to share her with anybody else, and I will not—that’s for sure. I’m jealous of her. God says that concerning Israel, and He says it to the church today. If you think that you can live for the world and the flesh and the Devil and then serve God on Sunday, you are wrong. You won’t make it, my friend. If you are His child and try to do that, He will judge you. If you do that and live in that, it means that you’re not God’s child because He is jealous of those who are His own. He has told us concerning sin in our lives, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). And we are also told, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Sin has to be confessed. You cannot have fellowship with Him and have sin in your life, Christian friend.
Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain [Zech. 8:3].
This prophecy was not fulfilled then, which was obvious to those people. Rather, this looks to the future. It has not been fulfilled since then, and it’s not being fulfilled today. God makes it clear that He will return to Zion, and He makes it clear that He is going to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
“And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth.” Today it is a city where there are more religions than you can imagine! Every Christian organization has built something there, and there are all kinds of cults and “isms” there. It is not the city of truth today.
“And the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.” I have never seen anything there that I thought you could call holy. It’s just not holy today, my friend. It will be holy when He gets back there, but He is not back there yet. This prophecy looks to the future.
“Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth.” Earlier, Isaiah had made it very clear that Jerusalem is to become the capital of the earth. In the second chapter of his prophecy, we read, “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s, house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it” (Isa. 2:1–2). Zechariah is here looking on toward the last days and is encouraging the people. They have returned to the land, and God has blessed them to a certain degree, but this is a miniature of what is going to come in the future. There is a glorious day in the future which does not depend upon a ritual or a liturgy or a ceremony or jumping through some little hoop and thinking that that will please God. God says that it is the heart which will have to be changed, and He says that He is going to change these people’s hearts. The Word of God will go forth from Jerusalem, and it will be called a city of truth. Isaiah goes on to say in his prophecy, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:3–4). But we have not come to that day yet—we had better keep our atom bombs dry and ready for use. You never know in this mean, big, bad world when you will need things like that. Yet there is coming a day when “Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain [or, kingdom] of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.” In other words, Zechariah is speaking of the establishment of the millennial kingdom which is yet in the future.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age [Zech. 8:4].
Jerusalem will be a place where old people can live. People will not have to go to retirement centers or to senior citizens’ cities. I want to say something here that I know is not very popular today. These senior citizens’ places of retirement are painted to be very delightful places. I have been to several of them, and I may have to move to one before it is all over, but frankly, I do not think they are very healthful. My wife and I stop at a certain one every now and then to eat lunch because they have good food which is reasonably priced. I tell my wife—and she agrees with me—that it makes me feel very, very downcast to go there and see nothing but old gray heads around. It will be nice that in Jerusalem they will not have to have a retirement center. In the Millennium they are going to improve on the method which we have today. It will be a place for old people where they will be safe and welcome and where they will enjoy living.
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof [Zech. 8:5].
This means they will not have automobiles, and we will get rid of the smog and the pollution. There are not going to be any cars, and the streets of Jerusalem will be playgrounds for the boys and girls. Jerusalem will be a place for old people and for young people, boys and girls. I think it’s nice for grandma and grandpa to see the little grandchildren every now and then. They don’t want them for too long, though. When the little ones get tired, they become ornery like their grandmother, and that makes it a little difficult for grandfather, and so he likes to send them home after awhile! But it is wonderful when they can mingle. It’s good for the little folk to have a grandma and a grandpa to put their arms around them and tell them how much they are loved. Children need all the love they can get in this world. This is a beautiful picture here—a picture of old age and childhood in the Millennium.
At that future time, Jerusalem will be the capital of the earth, Jesus will be reigning there, and the church will be out yonder in space, dwelling in the New Jerusalem. Someone will say, “I thought that the church would be with Christ.” Yes, Scripture assures us that the church will be with Him; therefore, I think He is going to commute every day. In the Millennium, there will not be all the tie-up on the freeways that we have today. I do not think it will take Him more than a couple of seconds—maybe not even that long—to commute between the New Jerusalem in space and the city of Jerusalem, the capital of the earth.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts [Zech. 8:6].
When the delegation came down to Jerusalem from Beth-el, they were greatly impressed. The temple was being rebuilt, many of the people had built their homes, and there was an air of prosperity in Jerusalem. They said, “My, it does look like God is really moving here.” And God says, “You don’t see what I see in the future. You think that this is something wonderful, but this is nothing compared to what it is going to be like in the future.”
Notice again how often the words, “the Lord of hosts” or “the Lord of armies,” occur—
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country [Zech. 8:7].
This is quite interesting. “The east country” is the place from which the remnant had returned. A great many come out of Yemen even in our day, and I am told that there are still great numbers of Jews in the Orient. God says, “I will bring My people from the east country and from the west country.” Where is “the west country”? My nation is part of it, I think. When I take a plane from Jerusalem, it flies out toward the west and just keeps going west until I finally get back to Los Angeles. The Jews will be leaving this country someday. Just think what New York City will become. It will practically become a ghost town because there are more Jews there than there are in Israel today. God is going to bring His people back to the land of Israel. He is telling the people of Zechariah’s day, “If you of the remnant think that what you see is wonderful, think of what I see out yonder in the future.”
And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness [Zech. 8:8].
The Jews are not His people now. Somebody asks me, “Do you believe that the Jews are God’s chosen people?” I probably shock them a little when I say, “No, I don’t think so.” God’s chosen people today are the church. Peter writes, “… ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…” (1 Pet. 2:9). What is Peter talking about? The church—that is, he is talking about the body of believers in which both Jew and Gentile have been brought together and made one in Christ. The only real brotherhood that there can be in this world today is in the church of Jesus Christ. Someday the church will be removed from the earth, and then God will take His chosen people, the Jews, and return them to their land.
We have already seen in Zechariah’s visions that God will cleanse these people. They need cleansing just as we in the church do. The church is a blood-bought, blood-washed people. Why? Because we are sinners. We are saved sinners right now, but we are still sinners. One of these days, I am going to be a real saint. I am a saint now by name, but my life doesn’t always look saintly. But one of these days, I am going to be like Christ, and that will be a glorious day. The people of Israel are going to be transformed also. God says, “They shall be my people.” When? In that day when they go back to Jerusalem. They are not in the city of Jerusalem today. I have been through the old city of Jerusalem, and it is filled with Arabs. The Arabs are the ones who are living there even at the present time.
“And I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.” They are not back there in truth today. They still deny the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah; they do not accept Him. I am amazed how little reference there is to God in that land today; in fact, there is practically nil. The leaders of Israel say less about God than anybody else. I heard an Arab, leader say, “If Allah wills it.” He didn’t seem to be ashamed of his concept of God, but Israel doesn’t mention her God today. They are not boasting of Him at all. However, in the kingdom age God “will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.” And “righteousness” means that things are going to be made right.
In verses 9–19, we see that God expects the delegation newly come from Babylon to hear the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, in view of the perspective of the glorious future. Also, these people are to keep the commandments. Just because they didn’t come back with the remnant does not mean that they are excused from the commandments. They are to listen to Haggai and Zechariah.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built [Zech. 8:9].
“The prophets” are Haggai and Zechariah. They are the ones encouraging the people to build the temple. They are encouraging these newcomers to help with the building of the temple, and they did help, by the way.
For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour [Zech. 8:10].
“For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast.” In other words, unemployment was a real factor in the economics of the country at that time.
“Neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.” In my nation today, we have practically forgotten God. There are very few in public life today who make any reference to Him except to ridicule Him. God is pretty well left out; yet we are wondering why we are having all this trouble with the different groups which we call “minority groups.” Not only are there the racial divisions, but also there are social divisions, economic divisions, and geographic divisions. There has never been a time when there has been so much talk like: “Let’s get together. Let’s stand together as a nation. Let’s do this as one people.” We get a great deal of that kind of talk from our leaders. They encourage us to do this and to do that in order to accommodate this minority group and that minority group. And yet we get farther and farther apart. Do you know why? Because we have left God out. God told Israel, “You’re not having peace, and there are divisions among you.” Certainly there are all kinds of divisions among us—it is almost warfare that is taking place. There is turmoil and violence on every hand. Every politician who runs for office thinks that he’s got the solution to it. The problem is that he doesn’t have the solution. And I want to say to you, I don’t have the solution, but the Word of God says, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). The answer is that we need to get God back in the picture today. We need to turn to Him.
But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts [Zech. 8:11].
God says to them, “I don’t intend to bless you as you are now or as you were before I sent you into captivity, but I am going to bless you.”
For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things [Zech. 8:12].
God brought prosperity to that nation for a period of time. The great judgment came upon them, of course, when they rejected the Messiah—Titus the Roman destroyed Jerusalem and scattered the people throughout the Roman Empire. They have never returned from that dispersion, according to the Word of God.
And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong [Zech. 8:13].
At the time that I am writing this, there are still fingers being pointed at Israel. Practically all of Europe has deserted them because of the oil situation, and they are finding out that they are not worth more than a gallon of gasoline. It is a tragic situation. They have become a curse among the nations. Anti-Semitism is growing again throughout the world. God says, “When I save them and bring them back to that land, they are going to be a blessing to the world.” I believe that the nation of Israel will be the priests for the gentile nations of the earth. They will stand between God and the gentile nations during the Millennium.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and I repented not [Zech. 8:14].
“For thus saith the Lord of hosts.” Notice how often this phrase occurs. “As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and I repented not.” In other words, God says, “I didn’t change my mind about that.”
In this section we are looking forward to the time when God is going to make Jerusalem the capital of this earth. God says that nothing can detour or detract Him from His purpose. He intends to do this by His marvelous infinite grace. In writing to the Romans Paul says, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:15–16). Moses went to God and prayed about whether or not God would destroy the children of Israel. God said in effect, “I’m going to hear you, Moses, but I’m not going to hear you because you are Moses. I will show mercy and grace to those whom I will show mercy and grace. Therefore, it is not him that runneth—to him that trots through a ritual or goes to a lot of church services—it is the Lord Jesus Christ who shows mercy.” My friend, we can say with the apostle Paul we are what we are by the grace of God.
So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not [Zech. 8:15].
God says to these people, “It is not because you have been through the ritual or because you have omitted the ritual. Whether you do or whether you don’t, I am showing mercy to you.” But this is not the end in itself, this time of blessing is a very small thing. God looks down through the centuries and says, “The day is coming when I intend to deal again with you, and in that day I will do a glorious thing upon the earth.” He is looking down to the time of the Millennium.
Now since they are going to represent God in the end times, it does not mean that they can do as they please. The grace and mercy of God extended to us does not mean that we can live any kind of life, although some people think that. Listen to what God says now—
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates [Zech. 8:16].
“These are the things that ye shall do.” Have you trusted Christ as your Savior? Then you have been saved by grace and mercy. But wait a minute, He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If you love Him, you are going to keep His commandments. You do not keep His commandments in order to get saved, because you have been saved by His grace and mercy. The obedience of your life will never add anything to your salvation.
“Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour.” Ours is the day when lying is acceptable in every walk of life. Business cannot be depended upon today to tell the truth. Advertising is very inaccurate. The news media cannot be depended upon to tell the truth. The government cannot be depended upon to tell the truth, and it does not make any difference what party you are talking about. It would seem that you cannot trust men in any walk of life—not the military nor educators nor scientists. In all of these areas today, we are finding that truth has suddenly gone out of style. It is about time that boys and girls were taught in school certain moral standards, and one of them is that if you don’t tell the truth, you’re a liar—there is no other way around that.
“Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.” “The gates” were where the courts of law convened in that day. Many today have confessed that they have lied even to a grand jury, that they have lied when they were under oath!
“Execute the judgment of truth.” What He is talking about here is not the act of judging. You and I are going to judge. Whether we judge honestly or dishonestly, whether we judge truthfully or untruthfully, we are going to judge. What He has in mind here is the motive. The thing that should motivate judging is truth.
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord [Zech. 8:17].
“And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour.” That means that you’re not to covet anything that is your neighbor’s.
“And love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.” Actually, Zechariah is again referring to the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments show us some of the things which God hates. They are not given to save us but to show us the things in our lives that God hates. They are given to show us that we need to turn to Him. We have all these bumper stickers that say that God is love. That is great—God is love—but God also hates. You cannot love something without hating something else. If you love the truth, you’re going to hate the lie. If you love your child, you’ll hate a mad dog that comes into the yard to bite the child. You would kill that mad dog if you love your child. God hates certain things—I’d like to see that put up on billboards today. God hates lying. God hates covetousness. He hates a whole lot of things that the world is doing today.
And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying [Zech. 8:18].
Zechariah says it again—what repetition we have! God wants you to know that He said these things.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace [Zech. 8:19].
God says to them, “I never gave you any fast days. These days that you have set up to fast and to go through a nice little religious ritual, I’m going to turn them into feast days, days of rejoicing, days of love and truth and peace.” These are the things that are absent in our contemporary culture and society. I wonder if it has ever occurred to anyone that if we would go back and teach the great biblical and moral values that are stated in the Word of God, it might have a tremendous effect upon our society today. Some of us believe that it would.
In effect God is saying, “I don’t want you to come before Me with a long face and that pious look that you have. I want you to come before Me with joy.” My friend, a lot of us are not enjoying being Christians as we should. God wants us to have a whole lot of fun. I think that the big fun center for Christians ought to be the local church. Someone says, “Oh, do you mean we ought to have a volleyball court?” No, I mean to come together and study the Word of God—that ought to be fun. And there’s something wrong with you, Christian, if studying the Word of God is not fun.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also [Zech. 8:20–21].
This looks to the fact that Jerusalem will become the capital of the earth—not only the political capital but also the religious capital. It looks forward to that time which we call the Millennium. “It shall yet come to pass”—this is something that is for the future.
Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord [Zech. 8:22].
“Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem.” I take it that that does not mean Los Angeles—it means Jerusalem.
“And to pray before the Lord.” Very frankly, Jerusalem is not an ideal place to go to pray; it just isn’t geared for that today. Actually, you see more religion manifested there and less Christianity than any place that I know of. But it will become the center of God’s government during the Millennium.
We referred earlier to the second chapter of Isaiah, and there are many other Scriptures along this line. This illustrates why it is so important to study the Book of Zechariah. A great many teachers in our day have zeroed in on the Book of Daniel. If you go to the average seminary library or to any good library, you will notice that there is volume after volume written on Daniel. Go down the shelves a little farther and see how many books you find that are written on Zechariah—there is a dearth of them. I have a friend who does not believe that there is going to be a Millennium on this earth. He doesn’t believe that God will turn to Israel ever again or that He will ever turn again to Jerusalem. He believes that God is through with the people of Israel. He has written a book on Daniel, and he told me, “I have proved my point in Daniel.”
I said to him, “Has it ever occurred to you that no prophecy is of any private interpretation? You do not study the Book of Daniel by itself. Why didn’t you bring in a little of Zechariah?”
He looked at me rather funny and said, “I didn’t need to.” So I frankly said to him, “Well, if you hold the theory that God is through with Israel, you can’t handle the Book of Zechariah.” My friend, Zechariah makes it clear that God is not through with Jerusalem and He’s not through with the nation Israel.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you [Zech. 8:23].
“In those days”—what days? This is that expression that we find again and again in Scripture. “In that day,” or “in those days”—this is the Millennium that is coming. The Great Tribulation is actually the beginning of it, and it ushers in the coming of Christ and the thousand-year reign of Christ that is called the Millennium. The Millennium, in turn, ushers in Christ’s eternal kingdom on this earth.
“In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” Is God through with the Jew? In the Millennium, the church will have been removed from the earth. You see, the church could not be here in a period like this. I believe that the number ten here rather suggests a whole number, that it represents the fact that all the gentile nations in that day will find Jerusalem very attractive and they will go there. Why? Because the Lord Jesus will be there, the millennial temple will be there, and it will be the place to worship God.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: First prophetic burden; The coming of Christ
We have come to the end of the historic interlude, and we now enter the third and last major division, which I call “Prophetic Burdens.” And I have divided this final section into two divisions: The first “burden” deals with the prophetic aspects which are connected with the first coming of Christ (chs. 9–11). The second “burden” deals with the prophetic aspects which are connected with the second coming of Christ (chs. 12–14).
We will see that this new division goes over the same ground that was covered in the ten visions, but it is approached from a different viewpoint. It begins with the people of Israel as they were in the days of Zechariah when they were a small, discouraged remnant attempting to rebuild the temple. God had raised up Haggai and Zechariah to encourage them to rebuild the temple. Zechariah begins with that local, contemporary scene, then moves on down into the immediate future when they would experience for a time the blessing of God. Then he moves on down through the centuries—God had a plan and purpose—to the coming of the Messiah. We shall see the two comings of the Messiah, coming first as the Savior and coming the second time as the Sovereign. His coming the first time had the cross in view; His second coming will have the crown in view.
FIRST BURDEN—JUDGMENT UPON GENTILE NATIONS
In the first eight verses we read of the judgment upon the gentile nations which was accomplished by Alexander the Great—an amazing section.
In the days of Zechariah some folk could have become a little too optimistic. They could have said, “Well, this is going to be the Millennium now that we are back in the land and the temple is rebuilt.” So Zechariah is telling them, “No, out in the future there is coming another world ruler.” And we will see the contrast between that world ruler and the One whom God will send to the earth for His first coming. The world ruler is Alexander the Great, an arrogant, insolent, highly conceited young man but probably the most brilliant general the world has ever seen. Not only was he a tremendous military leader, but he was a great political leader as well. He had a certain charisma, and multitudes followed him.
The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord [Zech. 9:1].
“The burden of the word of the Lord.” This word burden means judgment, a judgment of God. Alexander the Great was unwittingly God’s instrument of judgment. His forces subjugated “the land of Hadrach,” taking the key towns, Damascus and Hamath. Damascus was the capital of Syria and still is today. Also, it continues to cause Israel a great deal of difficulty.
The cities mentioned in verses 1–7 trace the march of Alexander’s great army down into the Promised Land. It is history now; but, when it was written, it was prophecy. Its literal fulfillment makes it one of the most remarkable accounts we find in the Word of God. This is so disturbing to the liberal theologian that he attempts to move the time of the writing of Zechariah up to the time of Alexander the Great!
Alexander left Europe and crossed over into Asia Minor (modern Turkey), and he took city after city. He was a cruel and brutal man. However, we must understand that he had an army of only fifty thousand men, which in that day was rather small. Therefore, he could not leave any of his men behind to control the cities that he conquered. He had to either destroy the cities or so weaken them that they could not attack him from the rear. He obliterated many of these cities mentioned here. It is interesting to note that Alexander, brilliant though he was, died of alcoholism at the age of thirty-two, almost the same age as the Lord Jesus when He died. In the Book of Daniel the Graeco-Macedonian Empire is represented as the third great world power of Daniel 2, the panther of Daniel 7, and the rough goat of Daniel 8 (the goat is the Graeco-Macedonian Empire, and the horn is Alexander the Great himself).
Here Zechariah presents to us the march of Alexander. I am looking at the works of Flavius Josephus in which are recorded the Jewish wars, including details of the march of Alexander as he came with his army into the land of Palestine.
And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise [Zech. 9:2].
“Tyrus, and Zidon” were wealthy commercial cities of that day.
And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire [Zech. 9:3–4].
Everyone felt that Tyre was impregnable as it was situated out on its island fortress. The inhabitants were Phoenicians, a seagoing people who had developed a great commercial nation and had accumulated a great deal of wealth. Alexander besieged it for seven months and finally conquered it by scraping the ruins of the old city into the sea to build a causeway out to the island city. Today we can see all of this, and I have pictures which I have taken that reveal how that prophecy was literally fulfilled.
After taking Tyre, Alexander moved down into the Philistine country.
Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited [Zech. 9:5].
I have been in this area and have pictures of ruins of the old temple of Dagon. That area has been returned to the nation Israel today. At Ashdod they have built an artificial harbor, and they have built apartment after apartment there. Literally thousands have moved into Ashdod. Farther inland as you go down the coast you will find Ashkelon. It is a thriving city today, but it is not in the same location as the old Ashkelon. The original Ashkelon was right on the seacoast, and the ruins are still there today. It is more or less a park now, a beautiful area, but it is not inhabited. It is not a city anymore. It is interesting to see how God’s Word was literally fulfilled. Alexander the Great destroyed these cities and broke the power of the Philistines.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines [Zech. 9:6].
“A bastard shall dwell in Ashdod.” It does not say that Ashdod will not be inhabited; it just says that there won’t be a very high class of people living there. And Ashdod is inhabited today.
“I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.” Alexander the Great brought the Philistine nation to an end. They never again emerged as a nation.
And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite [Zech. 9:7].
“And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth” refers to the polluted food and idolatrous sacrifices they engaged in. God would take away the idolatry of Philistia. However, when Christ returns they will be converted to the God of Israel—“he shall be for our God,” says Zechariah. Philistia will become a part of the people of God and will inherit the blessings of Israel.
This man Alexander the Great destroyed everything that was ahead of him. If he had to wait around a few months to capture a city, like he did at Tyre, he didn’t mind doing it, because he would not leave any strong fortress behind him anywhere.
Now he is approaching Jerusalem. What will he do to Jerusalem? Well, we have a very strange statement here—
And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes [Zech. 9:8].
“I will encamp about mine house,” refers, I believe, to that little temple they were building. God said that He was going to protect it from Alexander the Great. God said it, and Zechariah had the nerve to record it because he could depend upon the accuracy of God’s Word and believed that it would be fulfilled.
Well, was it fulfilled? Let me give you the record of the historian Flavius Josephus. According to him, the high priest in Jerusalem had a vision in which he was instructed to go out and meet the conqueror who was coming, and so he waited for the coming of Alexander the Great.
And when he understood that he was not far from the city, he went out in procession with the priests and the multitude of the citizens. The procession was venerable, and the manner of it different from that of other nations … and when the Phoenicians and the Chaldeans that followed him, thought they should have liberty to plunder the city, and torment the high priest to death, which the king’s displeasure fairly promised them, the very reverse of it happened; for Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white garments, while the priests stood clothed in fine linen, and the high priest in purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head, having the golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high priest. The Jews also did altogether, with one voice, salute Alexander, and encompass him about; whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his mind. However, Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass that, when all others adored him, he should adore the high priest of the Jews? To whom he replied, “I did not adore him, but that God who hath honoured him with his high-priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was at Dios in Macedonia, who, when I was considering with myself, how I might obtain the dominion of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the dominion over the Persians; whence it is, that having seen no other in that habit, and now seeing this person in it, and remembering that vision, and the exhortation which I had in my dream, I believe that I bring this army under the divine conduct, and shall therewith conquer Darius, and destroy the power of the Persians, and that all things will succeed according to what is in my own mind. (Flavius Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews Book XI, chap. VIII, p. 350).
Then he entered into the city of Jerusalem and worshiped God in the temple. Another tradition says that not only did the high priest approach him arrayed in his priestly garments, but that he also brought along the Book of Daniel and showed Alexander the prophecy concerning him. This so moved him that he went into the city and offered sacrifices and worshiped in the temple. The fact that he did not destroy Jerusalem makes Zechariah’s prophecy very remarkable, and it doesn’t contradict the fact that Alexander, though the most brilliant general of the day, was still highly cruel, brutal, and arrogant.
THE COMING KING
The next verse is one of the most remarkable in the Scriptures. Generally we hear a message from it on Palm Sunday because it has to do with the so-called triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass [Zech. 9:9].
I am going to spend quite a bit of time on this verse because it is a key verse. It is the hinge on which the prophecy turns. I hope you will carefully follow this through with me. May I point out first that salvation would be better translated as “victory” or “deliverance.” He is the King who is bringing victory or who is coming to deliver.
Although all the Gospel writers record the so-called triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus, only Matthew quotes from Zechariah. The Gospel of John gives almost a running commentary on the prophecy of Zechariah. For example, instead of saying “Rejoice,” he says, “Fear,” which is actually a good, sound interpretation. Now notice Matthew’s record: “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass” (Matt. 21:1–5).
Notice that Matthew says, “Tell ye the daughter of Sion” instead of “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion” as Zechariah has it. Also note that Matthew leaves out “he is just, and having salvation” (a better translation would be “he is just and having deliverance or victory”). Matthew quoted only a definite portion of verse 9. Why did he leave out certain things and include others? Well, that which Matthew quoted—and also which John interpreted—has to do with the first coming of Christ. The remainder of the verse has to do with the second coming of Christ.
The Lord Jesus came riding on the little animal of peace and came bringing peace at His first coming. He will come riding upon the white horse, the animal of warfare, at His second coming. But He is going to bring peace. How? By putting down all unrighteousness. You see, the world has had over nineteen hundred years to decide what it is going to do with Jesus Christ, and He is pretty much rejected in our day. So God is going to make it very clear that the Son is coming back to reign. He came the first time to die for our redemption, but the next time He will come to reign.
This was something that I’m sure puzzled Zechariah (it is still puzzling some folk today), but Simon Peter made it clear that not only Zechariah but the other prophets were puzzled. Peter wrote, “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Pet. 1:10–11). When the first and second comings of Christ were tied together in one passage, the prophets “inquired and searched diligently,” but they were unable to make the distinction. They just had to write it down as the Spirit gave it to them although they themselves didn’t understand it. Simon Peter by the Spirit of God makes the distinction. Christ came one time to suffer, to bring redemption; He will come the next time in glory to reign upon this earth. And Matthew by the Spirit was able to make that separation so that in his quotation of verse 9 he used only that portion of the verse which speaks of the first coming of Christ.
Frankly, I think that the church has misnamed it the triumphal entry. I was in San Francisco the night Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived from Japan a great while after World War II had ended. He was whisked from the airport to the hotel in what they thought would be a private or at least semi-private procession. Well, instead there was a public demonstration that snarled traffic. I was leaving on the train that night to return to Los Angeles. A friend had warned me, “You’d better get down to the train if you intend to catch it, and you ought to leave now.” So I took my suitcase down to the train station and checked it. Then I went back into San Francisco to eat dinner. When I came out of the restaurant, I had never seen such a crowd in all my life! No traffic could move. I tried to get back to the railroad station by taxi, but the taxi couldn’t move. I finally got out and walked from the civic center to the railroad station. It was the only way I could have gotten there on time. The next day the same thing was repeated when MacArthur arrived in New York. That was a triumphal entry.
By comparison, the so-called triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem would seem very poor indeed. It was actually a parade of poverty. It was no ticker tape parade but was the coming in of a very poor man with a few very poor followers. If there had been a Roman in Jerusalem that day who had stepped out of a building at that moment, he would have asked someone what was going on. If they had said, “This is the triumphal entry of Jesus,” he would have laughed. He would have said, “You think this is a triumphal entry? You should have been in Rome when Caesar came back from Gaul. There was a parade that lasted over three days as he brought back the booty and the captives.” To a Roman, this entry of Jesus would have looked mighty poor and beggarly.
Well, Christ did not intend that it be triumphal. When He rode into Jerusalem, it actually marked a crisis in His life, a life that was filled with crises. It marked a change of tactics. Heretofore He had slipped into the city silently. He had entered unobtrusively. He had sought the shadows. There was no publicity. He was always withdrawing from the crowd, not courting attention. It was foretold that He would not cry or strive or cause His voice to be heard in the street (see Isa. 42:2). He entered by the Sheep Gate and would attempt to come in eluding the mob, evading the crowd. Even after He had performed a miracle, He put a hush-hush on it. Now there is an about-face in His approach. It would seem to us that there is an inconsistency here if we did not recognize this as a crisis point. Now He comes out into the open. He enters publicly. He demands attention. He requires a decision. He forces the issue. For one brief moment the nation must consider Him as their King and their Messiah. The Pharisees were accurate when they said, “… the world is gone after him” (John 12:19). Jerusalem was stirred when He came in. In spite of His pushing Himself to the front, He was meek. Matthew lifts that out of Zechariah’s text which says that He was just and lowly. I disagree with several good Bible commentators who assume that His riding on the little animal, the donkey, denotes His meekness. Far from it. That little donkey was an animal that kings rode upon. You see, the horse was the animal of warfare and is so used in Scripture. The little donkey was the animal that kings rode upon when they were at peace. It was a royal animal. In Judges 10:3–4 we see a judge who had thirty sons, and he got all of them donkeys to ride upon. In this day it would be like buying them each a Jaguar sports car. Riding a donkey did not denote meekness. The thought in Zechariah’s prophecy was that in spite of the fact that the coming Messiah would be riding in as the King, He would still be meek and lowly.
In this incident there is another false impression that needs to be corrected. There is the assumption that there was one so-called triumphal entry. Bible teachers in Great Britain and Europe have largely recognized that Christ entered Jerusalem on three consecutive days. He came the first time on the Sabbath day, which was Saturday. Also He came in on Sunday and again on Monday. He came in the first time on the Sabbath day as the King. Notice Mark’s record: “And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve” (Mark 11:11). He just looked around. The money changers were not there—it was the Sabbath; He just looked around and left. His very action was one of rejection. He came in as King on Palm Saturday, if you please. Then, when He came in on Sunday, the first day of the week, the money changers were in the temple, and He cleansed the temple at that time. “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves” (Matt. 21:12). This is quite remarkable. It is the only action that He ever performed as Priest when He was here upon this earth. The writer to the Hebrews makes it clear that He was not a priest here on earth: “For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law” (Heb. 8:4). No priest dared to cleanse the temple, but He did when He came back to the temple on Palm Sunday.
Then He came back in on Monday, and on the way He cursed the fig tree, then—“… when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?” (Matt. 21:23). Notice that on this day He was teaching; He was speaking for God. He was God’s Prophet. At that time He met every objection; He silenced the enemy. His was the voice of God. He said, “… he that hath seen me hath seen the Father …” (John 14:9), and certainly it was equally as true that he that heard Him had heard the Father.
So you see that Christ’s entry into Jerusalem was not one but three times. His final appearance before the nation was in His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King.
We have seen that His entry was not meant to be a triumphal entry, but was it an entry at all? No, actually He was making an exit not an entrance. He was not arranging to take up residence in Jerusalem and reign as King. He sent His disciples ahead to arrange for a room to eat the Passover, but He didn’t send them in to rent an apartment. He was not preparing for His reign; He was preparing for His passion, His suffering, His death, and His passing through the portals of death.
His entrance into Jerusalem was not a one-way ticket but a round-trip ticket, and it was part of the program which led to His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His intercession, His coming at the Rapture, and finally His coming as King. The fact of the matter is that the trail of triumph cannot be confined to a ride on a little donkey from Bethany to Jerusalem. That is only a minor segment of a trip which began in eternity past—when He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world—and extends into eternity future. My friend, when you see it in those terms, it becomes meaningful. Without that perspective it is meaningless. The One who came out of eternity is the One who came into Jerusalem—“ … the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy …” (Isa. 57:15). As Moses wrote, “… even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2). That is, from the vanishing point to the vanishing point, He is God.
The church calls it a triumphal entry, but I think it is a triumphal exit. That crowd who followed Him crying “Hosanna” did not think of Him as the Son of God, the Savior of the world. That same crowd that said “Hosanna” on one day said “Crucify Him” on the next day. One of the most expressive pictures I have ever seen, painted by an artist whose name I do not know, depicts a little donkey in the foreground chewing on a palm frond while in the background there stand three crosses. That tells the story. It wasn’t a triumphal entry; it was a triumphal exit. Six months earlier He had steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem to die. He moved by a prearranged program, an avowed arrangement, a definite decision. Nothing was accidental. When He rode into Jerusalem, He had come out of eternity, and He was going into eternity. It was an exit rather than an entry. The cross and the empty tomb were not His final destination. Neither was the ascension the end of His story. He could say to the dying thief, “… To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
When He returns He will come as King. As we look into the future, we can sing,
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee;
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
—Matthew Bridges
As we leave verse 9, I hope you see the importance of it. It is the hinge of the door on which the interpretation of this section of the book swings.
Now we have seen something of the march of Alexander the Great as he crossed what is now modern Turkey and destroyed those great Greek cities. (It was almost a shame to destroy some of those lovely things, but he did it, of course, because he was moving swiftly to world rulership.) Then he made the turn to go down across the land bridge which is the land of Israel. He destroyed the great cities which were in Assyria in the north, then we saw him as he entered into the Promised Land, first the land of the Philistines, then he came to Jerusalem. Everyone expected him to destroy Jerusalem because the high priest there had refused to pay the tribute money to Alexander which he had been paying to Media-Persia. The high priest felt obligated to keep the treaty with Media-Persia. Naturally this infuriated Alexander, and he was intending to destroy Jerusalem. But he did not destroy it because of the vision he had had of the high priest.
Zechariah presents a contrast here. The triumphal entry of Alexander into Jerusalem was something to behold. Then here comes Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a little donkey. And Jesus is not coming to destroy the world; He is coming to save the world. He is not coming to form a great kingdom and attract a great following that would minister to Him. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
As we have said, when Jesus came into Jerusalem as Israel’s King, it was not a triumphal entry; it was an exit. He was getting ready to leave. But He will be coming back. The world will have had a long time to decide what they are going to do with Jesus. They have to make a decision concerning Him.
He is coming someday to bring peace to the world. So He says—
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth [Zech. 9:10].
“Ephraim” represents the northern kingdom, “Jerusalem” the southern kingdom—one went into Assyrian captivity, the other into Babylonian captivity. However, they are one people and will be reunited under Christ’s rule.
“I will cut off the chariot … the horse … the battle bow.” These stand for the whole class of offensive weapons. The Jews won’t need their armaments anymore.
“He shall speak peace unto the heathen [nations].” This earth, my friend, will never have peace until Jesus Christ comes and establishes peace. I always shiver when I hear each succeeding president of my nation talk about bringing peace to the world. None of them has been willing to recognize that he is not able to bring peace to the world. Only Jesus Christ can bring world peace—it is just as simple as that. For this reason we have armed soldiers throughout the world today, and we have fought two terrible wars since World War II—in Korea and Vietnam. I agree that we should stay prepared, but we are not going to bring peace to the earth by war. Only Jesus Christ can bring peace by putting down unrighteousness, and that will not take place until He comes again to this earth. Instead of trying to make peace throughout the world, we just need to keep prepared to protect ourselves because this is a big, bad world that we live in today. We talk “brotherhood” among nations, which is not scriptural at all. The only brotherhood that can be formed today is in the body of Christ among those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ.
I know it is not popular to talk like this, but I have discovered that the doctor gives me medication and puts me on the operating table and keeps cutting and cutting on me to get rid of the cancer. It is not fun, but the only way in the world that I can have health is by that route. And the only way the world is going to have peace is through Jesus Christ, whether the world likes it or not. There is no alternative.
As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is not water [Zech. 9:11].
“As for thee” refers to the godly remnant in Israel which was suffering. The best I can do is to make a spiritual interpretation of this verse. The only deliverance for mankind is through the blood of the covenant, and that blood of the covenant is the blood of the New Testament, the blood of Christ. Man talks about his freedom and his liberty. Man in this world today does not recognize that he is actually a prisoner. He is “sold under sin” (Rom. 7:14) He is a slave to sin. In a day in which we hear so much about liberty, I receive hundreds of letters from former drug addicts who have been delivered. How? Only by the blood of Christ, my friend, only by turning to Him for deliverance. He alone can deliver prisoners from “the pit wherein is no water.”
Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man [Zech. 9:12–13].
“When I have bent Judah for me.” We are looking now toward the Millennium, to the time when Christ will reign. All the nations of the world are going to bow to Him. My friend, when Christ comes again, that is going to be a triumphal entry.
And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar [Zech. 9:14–15].
I would say that this is a picture of how it is going to be until Christ comes. Man is not going to bring the Millennium to this earth!
And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land [Zech. 9:16].
“In that day” is an expression which Zechariah will use a great deal in chapter 12. “That day” is the Day of the Lord, which will begin after the church makes its exit from the earth by way of the Rapture. It ushers in the Great Tribulation Period, and it ends, we believe, after the seven years of tribulation when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to establish His kingdom here upon this earth. Then upon this earth will be the thousand-year reign of Christ.
“They shall be as the stones of a crown” or like the glittering jewels of a crown. The prophet Malachi tells us that the Lord is going to make up His jewels in that day: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” (Mal. 3:16). This refers to the godly of Israel and of the gentile nations. The church, the “… pearl of great price …” (Matt. 13:46), is not included, by the way. Christ paid a tremendous price for that pearl.
For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids [Zech. 9:17].
“How great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!” This is the goodness of the One who is coming in contrast to Alexander who was not known for his goodness—he was cruel, brutal, and filled with pride. The Lord Jesus was meek and lowly, and He is great in His goodness and in His beauty. There was “… no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isa. 53:2) when He came the first time. The cross was a horrible thing. But when He comes again—oh, how beautiful He will be! We speak of beautiful people in our day, but He is the beautiful one, and He puts His beauty on those who are His own.
“Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.” New wine is not intoxicating—it hasn’t had a chance to ferment. So what we have here is a reference to abundance of food. There will be no famine or energy shortage during Jesus’ reign upon this earth. It will be a joyous time of plenty; that will be one of the characteristics of His kingdom.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Judah and Israel to be scattered and regathered
We have seen in chapter 9 the future deliverance of both the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and how God is going to use them in the future when they will serve, actually, as priests to the gentile nations of the world. There are those who interpret chapter 10 as a continuation of chapter 9. Some very fine Bible expositors feel, however, that only the first verse belongs to chapter 9, and I accept that view.
The remainder of the chapter is separate, which we will see as we go along.
Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field [Zech. 10:1].
This first verse, as we have seen, belongs to chapter 9. It continues the description of the prosperous conditions which will prevail during the millennial reign of Christ on the earth.
The rain mentioned in this verse means exactly what it says—literal rain. You see, God has promised Israel, who are an earthly people, earthly blessings. (To the church He has not promised earthly blessings but spiritual blessings.) The fall and spring rainfall is a very important part of Israel’s temporal blessings and would make that land like the Garden of Eden. In our day it looks almost the opposite because judgment has come upon the land as well as upon the people of Israel. The thing that denotes God’s judgment is the withholding of rain. I would say that Israel’s greatest problem next to the Arab problem is the water problem—how to get more water. Well, the best and the easiest thing for them would be to turn to God and experience the physical blessings which would come through rain. But they have not returned to God, and the rain has not returned.
I have been told that the latter rains have returned to the land. They are getting more rainfall, that is true; but if you are there in late summer, you will see that the groves they have set out need rain and need it badly. There is not nearly enough water to irrigate the amount of land that needs to be irrigated. The latter rains, the spring rains, come during March and April. Although they do get some rain at that time, it is not nearly the amount of rain indicated in the verse before us. During the Millennium God will send them rain so that there will be plenty of grass for the stock and other animals. There will be plenty of rain for the crops and the trees which they would like to set out. The interpretation of this verse pertains to physical rainfall.
However, rain is also a symbol of spiritual refreshment, and it is used that way in other passages of Scripture. For instance, Joel 2:28 has that connotation. That which physical rain does for the land, the spiritual rain, or the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, does for the spiritual lives of these people. Both the prophecy in Joel and the prophecy here in Zechariah have definite reference to the Millennium of the future. There will be a pouring out of the Spirit of God in that day. Therefore, the rain has a twofold meaning.
JUDGMENT FOR ISRAEL’S DECEPTION
Now beginning with verse 2 we have a turning back again to the subject of judgment. Although God intends to strengthen them for the last days and intends to bring them into the Millennium, there are certain things which are radically wrong in their midst. He immediately puts his finger down on what was wrong in Israel. The thing which was really causing the trouble in the nation was idolatry.
For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd [Zech. 10:2].
“The idols have spoken vanity.” The word for “idols” is actually teraphim. They were small household oracular divinities, which are spoken of elsewhere in Scripture. Merrill F. Unger, who is quite a Hebrew scholar, has written several books in the area of demonism in our day and also in the past. I am indebted to him for this bit of information which modern archaeology has uncovered regarding the nature of the teraphim. At an ancient site which is right near Nineveh, called Nuzu, excavations were made between 1925 and 1941. They found tablets which illustrate customs which went as far back as the patriarchs. You will recall that Jacob had trouble with his uncle Laban, and he left with his two wives, Leah and Rachel. He was glad to leave, and Rachel actually took the teraphim from the home of Laban and concealed them. Now, with the Nuzu evidence, we know that the possession of those household gods implied leadership of the family. When she stole those gods, she was getting for her husband the right to her father’s property, and the theft was a very serious matter. This explains why Laban was so wrought up over it. He certainly didn’t want Jacob to get his estate. He felt that Jacob had gotten more than he should have already.
The second medium of deception was used by the diviners, and the verse before us says that “the diviners have seen a lie” or envisioned a falsehood. Divination is an occult, heathen imitation of biblical prophecy. The Devil has always imitated that which was biblical; he never gets far from the Bible. And every one of the cults and “isms” here in Southern California, including Satan worship, uses the Bible. That is the Devil’s method of deception.
It is quite interesting that just this morning there have come in the mail box six different communications from cults and “isms”, and each of them has some weird interpretation of the Word of God. You see, every one of them uses the Bible.
The Hebrew word for divination means “to cut or divide.” It had to do with the taking of a sacrificial animal, cutting it open, and looking at its liver—the form of the liver and the way that it was shaped. This ancient form of divination was called hepatoscopy. (It sounds like a medical term, and it seems to me that the doctors used a word like that in reference to my gall bladder surgery, but I don’t think they were looking at my liver for purposes of divination!) The liver was considered to be the seat of the victim’s life, and the shape of the liver supposedly told them the shape of things to come. We have reference to this procedure in Ezekiel 21:21: “For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.” The Babylonians had diviners (Balaam was a diviner), the Philistines had them, and the false prophets of Israel used their methods. Now God, through Zechariah, is saying that “the diviners have seen a lie.” It was demonic inspiration; they were not getting their information from God. God had put down a law forbidding His people to use divination; it was entirely satanic. All the prophets warned against this sort of thing.
Many years ago in downtown Los Angeles, I spoke on the subject of demonology in a Sunday evening series, and we averaged about three thousand people in attendance at each service. Some of my preacher friends kidded me about it. One friend with whom I played golf said, “McGee, you will do anything to get a crowd! Now you are speaking on demonology.” Well, I spoke on that subject because I felt it was needed in that day. However, the pendulum of the clock has swung over to the other side, and now there is too much discussion in the church regarding demons and Satan. It is true that there is a manifestation of demonism in our contemporary society, but we need to keep our attention centered upon the Lord Jesus Christ rather than upon Satan.
I am convinced that Satan is out working on the front where the Word of God goes out. And I suspect that the many physical problems that I have had in recent years may be because God has let Satan get through to me. I am sure that Satan would like to stop the teaching of the Word of God today—that would naturally be his priority. No wonder so many of our so-called Bible churches have gone off on an ego trip, playing up some novel program that brings the crowds. My friend, the only thing that God is going to honor permanently is His Word. And during these days I have attempted to keep my eyes centered on the person of Christ. What is the reason for all the froth and even false teaching which is invading our conservative churches today? I think the explanation is that the Devil is out to deceive Christians. And he can destroy the reputation of almost anyone. That is the reason we need the protection of God in this hour as we have never needed His protection before. And we need to keep our eyes upon Jesus Christ. If we stay very close to Him, we will be very far away from the Devil and demons.
Instead of centering our attention on the casting out of demons, we need to think instead of casting in Christ. That’s the important thing. You will remember that the Lord told a parable about a man who had a demon. The demon went out of the man, and the man got all swept and garnished. Although he was rid of the demon, he had nothing to fill up the empty apartment. Well, when this demon got tired of walking around, he remembered this fellow, and he went back into him because he was an easy mark. Also, he brought some of his demon friends with him so that the last state of the man was worse than the first. So, you see, it is not enough to cast out a demon, the life must then be filled with Christ.
You see, when Israel rejected God’s messengers and God’s message, they failed in their obedience to God. As a result, they turned to all sorts of satanic deception. God says to them through Zechariah, “The idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.” Israel no longer had a true shepherd to lead them.
My friend, you and I are living in a day when there is a manifestation again of demonic power. A great many folk are judging individuals and judging organizations by the apparent success they are having. It never occurs to them that we are to test the spirits. The apostle John warned: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The need of the hour is not for more youth programs or more new methods in our churches. What we need today are true shepherds who will feed the sheep the Word of God.
Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle [Zech. 10:3].
“Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds.” These shepherds were false prophets in Israel who had turned to the occult, had turned to the supernatural which was satanic.
“And I punished the goats.” God is calling the leaders of Israel “the goats.” When I was a young fellow I worked in an abattoir, a place where they killed cattle, sheep, and pigs for the butcher shop. It was a very bloody business, and during the first two days I worked there, I had to go outside occasionally to recover from it. But the thing that seemed to me more cruel than anything was the use of an old goat with a bell around his neck. He was called a Judas goat because he would lead sheep to the slaughter. Instead of the workmen driving the sheep, they would start this old goat up the ramp, and all the sheep would follow him. Then the goat would step aside while the sheep went to the slaughter. Now when the Lord said, “I punish the goats,” He is talking about the leaders in Israel. They should have been leading their people into the Word of God, to the place where they could have peace with God, peace in their own hearts. Instead, they were false prophets, giving them false comfort, and actually leading them away from God. God said that He was angry with them.
“For the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.” God, you see, intends to strengthen them against their enemies.
PROPHECY OF THE MESSIAH
Then He looks on to the future when there will come the Messiah, and I believe He is clearly identified in this next verse.
Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together [Zech. 10:4].
“Out of him”—out of whom? Out of the One who is coming—the tense is future. It means that from Him shall come forth the corner, the cornerstone. As you know, a cornerstone is placed in a building structure where two walls meet at a ninety-degree angle. The square cornerstone is fitted in there. This is marvelous picture of Christ as the cornerstone because, you see, there was the wall of Judah and the wall of the ten tribes. The message is that Christ will be the cornerstone to unite them and permanently bring them back together.
However, the cornerstone has a wider meaning than this. It gives us another very wonderful picture. Notice what the prophet Isaiah has written about it: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isa. 28:16). Peter quotes this in his epistle and makes it clear that the cornerstone is Christ. “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Pet. 2:6). Notice that Peter used the word confounded, while Isaiah had used the expression “not make haste,” meaning “did not get in a hurry, did not get confused.” They both are expressing the same thought. My friend, in these days in which we live, what is the answer to the occult, to the satanic? Well, in the first place, we should have nothing to do with it. We are not to meddle with it. Secondly, we should stay close to the Word of God and close to the person of Christ. Here in Zechariah note that immediately after He has warned against the occult, He introduces the cornerstone.
We need not imagine that we are too intelligent to be deceived by the occult. The Greeks in their day were a very intelligent people; yet they made constant trips to Delphi. The way that the priests interpreted the blowing of the leaves in that cave at Delphi would put the Greek army out to sea or would take a man off his throne. It would change the course of history. If you think they were just following a superstition, I think you are wrong. It is my conviction that the Devil was using it to direct the Greek Empire. He was having a heyday. Frankly, it concerns me to hear of our leaders in Washington consulting fortune-tellers and others who deal in the occult. I am afraid that we are getting our guidance from the wrong source.
What should we do? Turn to the person of Christ. He is the cornerstone. He is the foundation on which we can rest. “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet. 2:7–8). It is my observation that the people who go into the cults have heard the Word of God and have heard the gospel, but they have turned their backs on it. When an individual rejects the truth, God sends them “… strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 Thess. 2:11). That principle is still in operation today.
The Lord Jesus made a very startling statement when He called Himself a stone: “… whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matt. 21:44). What happens to you is determined by your relationship to the stone. You can fall on it, or it will fall on you. You can accept and receive Jesus Christ. You can come to Him as a sinner and fall upon Him. You can trust Him, rest upon Him. This means that you are broken in that you no longer trust yourself; you trust Him. But if you reject Him, He will become the stone that will fall on you and grind you to powder. In other words, He is going to be your judge.
Daniel mentioned this in chapter 2 of his prophecy. He was given a vision of the times at the end of the gentile world rule when a stone cut out without hands (representing the Lord Jesus Christ) will smite the earth—every government and everyone in rebellion against God. He is that kind of a stone.
Now not only does Zechariah call Him the cornerstone, but also “out of him the nail.” This is an interesting word. A nail is, of course, a stake or a tent peg used to fasten a tent securely to the ground. In the case of the wilderness tabernacle, the Israelites had tent pins which they used to keep the tabernacle from taking off with the wind. They had to nail it down with pins driven deeply into the desert sand. And here Christ is pictured as the nail or the tent pin. He is the one who holds things down, and we need to allow Him to hold us to the faith. What a picture this is of Him!
Also, that nail or peg was used in another way. A tent pin was used inside a tent to hang things on. Women could hang their jewelry on it and men could hang their valuables on it. This also pictures Christ as the one on whom the Father will hang all His glory—“And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house” (Isa. 22:22–23). Although this prophecy was directed to Eliakim, Revelation 3:7 makes it clear that the final fulfillment will be in Christ Himself. He is the one who will become a throne of honor to His Father’s house, and only on Him will rest all the glory of His Father’s house. To gain Him is to gain that which is more precious than anything in the world.
Notice that Zechariah presents Him not only as the cornerstone and the nail, but he also presents Him as the “battle bow,” meaning the warrior and conqueror. He is the one who is going to come to this earth to put down all unrighteousness, and the armies of heaven are going to follow Him. He is going to put down “every oppressor”—the false leaders, both religious and political, whom He has called “goats.”
And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded [Zech. 10:5].
This refers to the very dark period of the Great Tribulation. God is going to undertake for His people and enable them to go through it, because at the close of that period Christ will come.
Down through the years when they have rejected Christ, of course there has been no hope for them. When Titus the Roman was outside the gates of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, the walls came down, the city was destroyed, and the people of Israel were scattered throughout the world. It is the current belief of several outstanding expositors that the nation Israel is not now in that land permanently. I’m not sure but what the accurate interpretation of the Word of God is that they will again be put out of the land of Israel and that subsequently God Himself will return them to the land. When God brings them back to the land, they won’t have any trouble with the Arabs. Their neighbors will not try to exterminate them. Rather, when the Lord regathers them, they will be there permanently and will be a blessing to the world.
And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them [Zech. 10:6].
“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph.” The “house of Judah” is, of course, the southern kingdom and “the house of Joseph”, the northern kingdom. That is, the whole nation will share in the joyful victory and blessing of the coming kingdom.
Even in the time of Zechariah, the small remnant that had returned was made up of all the tribes. We know this because a delegation had come down from Beth-el, and that was one of the capitals of the northern kingdom.
Now why does God protect them during this interval which we call the intertestamental period? Well, His answer is, “For I have mercy upon them.” We can ask ourselves the same question: How did you and I get saved? It was “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy …” (Titus 3:5). God is rich in mercy. He had to have a lot of it to save—maybe He didn’t need that much to save you. But He is rich in mercy; He has an abundance of it. And it is on the basis of His mercy that He preserved them during that period. After the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, had been written, God went off the air, and He did not broadcast for about four hundred years. During that silent interval the people of Israel probably suffered more than at any other time (except perhaps during the time of Hitler and the Nazi regime in Germany). Although God was silent during that four-hundred-year period between Malachi in the Old Testament and Matthew in the New Testament, we have a very good record of what transpired because of the prophecies given to Daniel and Zechariah, as we are seeing here.
And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord [Zech. 10:7].
Now just in case you think that the ten tribes got lost, “Ephraim” is one of the names which God gave to the ten northern tribes of Israel. If you want to cheek on that, turn to Hosea. Notice how tenderly God said, “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? …” (Hos. 11:8). Well God didn’t give them up. They are not lost. It is by His grace that they have been preserved as a nation.
“They of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man.” The records we have of the intertestamental period give the most thrilling accounts of how the Israelites stood against the Syrian conqueror, Antiochus Epiphanes. His persecution of these people was frightful; yet they were enabled to stand. “They of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man.”
“And their heart shall rejoice as through wine.” It was a very difficult period, and they were far from God many times, but also there were periods when they rejoiced in the Lord.
I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased [Zech. 10:8].
It is estimated that there must have been around twelve million people in the land of Israel by the time Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans under Titus in a.d. 70, which is a far greater Jewish population than is there in our day.
God says, “I will hiss for them.” The word hiss doesn’t quite express what He is saying. Have you ever been sitting in an auditorium when you hear somewhere behind you a “Pssst!”? You turn around to see who is trying to get your attention. That is what “hiss” means. Merrill Unger gives a translation with a new twist, and it is a good one. He says that it means, “I will whistle for them.” I like that. God says, “I’ll whistle for them and gather them.”
We know that this has not yet been fulfilled, because in the very next verse it speaks of their being scattered again among the nations. Although there was a great population in Israel at the time of Christ, the Lord Jesus made it very clear that Jerusalem would be destroyed after He had gone. He was crucified somewhere around a.d. 30, and in a.d. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jews were scattered throughout the Roman Empire.
And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again [Zech. 10:9].
“And turn again.” Turn to what? To the land? No, to God. The Jews who have returned to the land in our day have not returned to God. I am in agreement with the Bible expositors who believe that the Jews will be put out of the land of Israel again and will be scattered among the nations. We do know that there is some disillusionment in the land and that many of the Jews want to leave and go back to the countries they came from. I believe the day will come when the Jews will again leave Israel.
I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them [Zech. 10:10].
“I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt.” There are very few Jews in the land of Egypt in our day. I believe this refers to future dispersion.
“I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon.” If you read the Book of Joshua very carefully and notice where the borders were placed, you will see that Lebanon was part of the Promised Land. Some expositors believe that when the Bible speaks of the land of milk and honey, it has reference to the southern part of the Lebanese coast, which even today is a very rich and fertile area. Well, I don’t agree with that because we know that at the time the spies searched out the land, the rainfall was adequate, the hills were wooded, and there was fruit in abundance. Actually, a few years of withholding rainfall can make a desert. But Lebanon was part of the Promised Land. God certainly has not given Lebanon to the Jews in our day, but someday it will be theirs. If you are Lebanese, you won’t like that, but don’t worry, because it will not happen until the Millennium—and everything will be so wonderful at that time that you won’t mind at all.
And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.
And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord [Zech. 10:11–12].
Notice that the language reflects God’s miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt the first time He returned them to the Promised Land. But when He regathers them in the future, it will be by even greater miracles—so much so that Jeremiah wrote: “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land” (Jer. 23:7–8). In other words, when God regathers them in the future, it will be by a so much greater miracle that they will forget the miraculous deliverance from Egypt.
My friend, I do not think that the wildest interpretation of prophecy in our day would dare say that the present return of Israel to Palestine is a fulfillment of this Scripture. It could not possibly be. It clearly refers to a future regathering.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Jesus rejected as King at His first coming; the Good Shepherd—Christ; the foolish shepherd—Antichrist
This chapter concludes the division of “burdens” which hinge on the first coming of Christ. It brings us to the Roman period. This, as the Maccabean period before it, was a very dark period.
We have seen that Zechariah is the prophet of hope—many expositors call attention to this. And his name actually means “the Lord remembers.” It is quite interesting that his is one of the last voices to speak for God in the Old Testament. And then the New Testament opens with an angel appearing to another man by the name of Zechariah, the husband of Elisabeth who gave birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Again, God remembers His people.
Not only is Zechariah the prophet of hope, he is also the prophet of truth. Being a prophet of hope is not enough, because it could be a false hope such as the false prophets were giving the people. Temporarily, there is to be great blessing materially and otherwise, but out of the west are coming other conquerors—first Alexander the Great, then the Roman armies. It will mean great suffering for the people of Israel.
This chapter also presents the Good Shepherd of His people, the Good Shepherd who will give His life for the sheep. Then another shepherd is presented, the foolish shepherd, who will come much later. He pictures the Antichrist, the one who will shear the sheep and kill them for food.
JUDGMENT RESULTING FROM MESSIAH’S REJECTION
Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars [Zech. 11:1].
This doesn’t sound very promising. This reveals that there is to be a scattering of the people of Israel even after the time of Zechariah. This was, I think, performed by the Romans.
The Romans used the same method that Alexander the Great used—they came down from the north. If you go to Lebanon today, you will see above Beirut a river which is known as the Dog River. There, right at the entrance by the sea, on the face of the mountain are inscriptions which have been labeled “The Calling Cards of the Nations of the World.” Every great general of every great nation who went through there carved his name in the rock. I have looked at it, and the translation was given to me. The only one I could read for myself was the one in Greek—I finally figured out that one. All the great generals came that route because it is the beginning of what is known as the Great Rift, which moves inland and extends into North Africa. The Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea are all part of the Great Rift. So Zechariah is describing here the advance of the conqueror who is coming into Palestine.
“That the fire may devour thy cedars.” The cedars of Lebanon were famous. Much of Solomon’s temple was built of the cedars of Lebanon, as was his own palace. The cedar trees have largely disappeared today. There are very few of them left. The nicest one I saw was actually in a park right outside Jerusalem. It was a beautiful tree, well cared for. The one I saw in Beirut was a scrawny sort of tree, but it had grown up very large. The place where they would grow the best is up in the snow country. In fact, Lebanon means “white or snowy,” taking its name from the snow covered mountains of the area. The Great Rift comes down right beside them. That was a tremendous passageway for the great world conquerors of the past—Egypt, Babylon, Media-Persia, Syria, Greece—and here Zechariah is giving, I think, the description of Rome coming down into Palestine.
Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down [Zech. 11:2].
“Howl, O ye oaks of Bashan.” Bashan was an area in the northern part of Israel. There were a lot of oaks in that country—I think we call them live oaks.
There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled [Zech. 11:3].
“There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds.” These are the false shepherds who had been giving the people wrong directions and a false security.
“A voice of the roaring of young lions” probably refers to the young princes.
Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter [Zech. 11:4].
“Feed the flock of the slaughter.” This is almost terrifying! The “flock” refers to those of the remnant who had returned to the land of Israel. But for what had they returned? Although there would be a time of blessing, the conqueror was coming, and untold suffering lay ahead.
Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not [Zech. 11:5].
How accurate this prophetic picture is of that which did happen to these people when the Romans came down.
For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them [Zech. 11:6].
God says that He will permit this to take place because they had not only turned from Him, but they also rejected the Messiah when He came.
And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock [Zech. 11:7].
“And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock.” Expositors differ in their interpretations of this. Did Zechariah actually become a shepherd during this time? Was this a parable he was giving, or did he act it out? I personally think that this is a parable in action. Several of the prophets used that method—Ezekiel certainly did. You may recall that Ezekiel locked himself in his house, dug himself out, and came up in the street outside. Here in Pasadena where I live, digging up streets is nothing new. I think that every street in this city has been dug up sometime during the past year—they may have missed one or two, but I doubt it. But in Ezekiel’s day it was unusual. In fact, it would be unusual today if someone locked himself in his house and dug himself out! Well, Ezekiel did that, and he had a message when he came up out there in the street. Also he had a crowd. It was a good crowd-getter, and I am of the opinion that Zechariah used the same method.
“And I took unto me two staves.” One he called Beauty which means “grace or graciousness” That was the shepherd’s crook, the one that he used to keep the little sheep in line. If one started to wander into a place of danger, he reached out with that crook and pulled him right back in line. The other stave he called Bands. The English word bands is probably a good translation because it has to do with the making of a covenant. That speaks of another staff which the shepherd carried. It was a heavy stick, not like the shepherd’s crook but a heavy club. He used it to fight off wild animals and even human beings who would try to steal the sheep. So Zechariah speaks of taking two staves: Beauty and Bands, or Grace and Covenants.
“And I fed the flock.” I think that Zechariah, did this literally.
Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me [Zech. 11:8].
“Three shepherds also I cut off in one month” were probably the false prophets.
Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another [Zech. 11:9].
I believe here he is speaking against the false prophets, and he is speaking against the kinds of sacrifices the people were bringing to the Lord. We learn from Malachi that some of the people in that day were stingy; they were skinflints who didn’t even like to give a tenth. They didn’t like to bring their animals to sacrifice to the Lord. So if a man had an old sick cow, he would tell his boys to rush the animal up to the temple, to the altar, and get the cow killed for a sacrifice before it died a natural death. Then they would pretend they had given the Lord one of their prize cattle. Malachi’s prophecy really zeroes in on the people for doing that which was phony and false. God, of course, would not accept such an offering. “That that dieth, let it die.” That is, don’t slaughter it hurriedly and use it. He is calling them back to honesty and to be clear-cut in their dealings.
And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people [Zech. 11:10].
“I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder.” Remember that Beauty means “graciousness,” and Zechariah is saying that he is chopping that staff to pieces, signifying that God’s grace would be withdrawn. You see, when God put His people in the Promised Land, He promised to bless them and protect them from their enemies. God was dealing with the returned remnant in grace. Back in 10:6 God had said, “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them….” God was going to do this for them—not because they were worthy or because they were obedient. They were disobedient, but God was dealing with them in mercy. However, there would come a time when His mercy would be exhausted, and then He would withdraw His covenant. He would no longer deal with them in mercy; He would no longer be gracious to them.
“That I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.” What does God mean when He says that He will break His covenant? Hasn’t He repeatedly told us that He will never break His covenant? Well, we need to understand the difference between a conditional and an unconditional covenant. God never breaks an unconditional covenant. But a conditional covenant depends upon a response from the human side. The covenant of the verse before us is conditional. God’s promised protection of Israel against their enemies depended upon Israel’s obedience to Him. When they disobeyed Him, He followed through by removing His protection. It is in this sense that He broke His covenant.
We have examples of this in the New Testament. For instance, God’s promise, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14) is a conditional promise. Dr. Harry Ironside was sitting on a platform with a young pastor during a meeting one night. A young lady entered the meeting, and the pastor told him that she formerly had been an active leader among his members, then began to run with the world, and that this was the first time he had seen her in church in months. Dr. Ironside preached on this passage of Scripture that night. She was greatly incensed and came to see him after the meeting. “How dare you tell these people that if you ask anything in the name of Jesus, He will do it?” she asked him. Dr. Ironside answered, “Why don’t you sit down and tell me about it.” She told him that her father had been desperately ill some months before, and while the doctor was up in his room, she had knelt in the living room, claimed that promise, and prayed in Jesus’ name for his recovery. When the doctor came down from the room, he told her that her father was dead. “Now,” she said, “don’t tell me that God keeps His promises!” Dr. Ironside said, “Did you read the next verse, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments’?” Then Dr. Ironside asked her what would happen if she found a cheek made out to someone else and tried to cash it by signing that name. She said “I would be a forger.” So he referred her to this verse, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Then he asked her, “Have you been doing that?” Instead of replying she turned red. Then he explained that what she was trying to do was the same thing as trying to cash a cheek made out to somebody else. We all need to recognize, friend, that obedience to Him is the evidence of our love for Him, and this promise is given to those who love Him.
And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord [Zech. 11:11].
“So the poor of the flock that waited upon me” refers to those of the remnant who actually obeyed God and believed the Word of God.
My friend, the fundamental, primary thing for us as believers is to believe the Word of God. If you don’t believe that the Bible is the Word of God, you are not ready for any growth in the Christian life. Belief in the Word of God has to be settled. And God will establish you in that belief as you study His Word. You may start out a little skeptical and find certain things in the Bible difficult to believe. That is the way I started, but I have now reached the place where I don’t just believe the Bible is the Word of God; I know it is the Word of God. This is the reason I don’t waste my time preaching apologetic sermons. I recognize that most such sermons are needed, and I thank the Lord for young preachers because they generally get into the apologetic field. I spent the first two or three years of my ministry proving that the Bible was true. Now I consider it a waste of time. I like the illustration used by the late Dr. Bob Shuler, who was the great Methodist preacher in downtown Los Angeles years ago. One day he said to me, “If you had a lion in a cage in your backyard, you wouldn’t employ a guard to stay at the door of the cage to protect the lion from pussycats in the neighborhood. All you would need to do would be to open the door of the cage, and the lion would take care of himself.” That is a great illustration, and I have attempted to follow it in my ministry. I just attempt to open the door of the Word of God and let it prove itself. It can take care of itself. I don’t have to try to protect it from the pussycats in the neighborhood. I just give out the Word of God as it is.
Zechariah is saying that “the poor of the flock,” the remnant of the remnant, believed it was the Word of the Lord.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD—CHRIST
There would be coming in their line one who would be their Messiah, and the majority of the nation would reject Him. Only a very small remnant would receive Him at that time. For their rejection, the nation would be judged and scattered throughout the world. Now notice this next verse—
And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver [Zech. 11:12].
This is a very remarkable prophecy that has been literally fulfilled in a most remarkable way. Notice Matthew’s record: “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:14–15). This is exactly the price that Zechariah mentions. It is quite interesting that the chief priests didn’t want to pay very much. I wonder if Judas had a little difficulty agreeing on the price—“So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.”
Over in Matthew 27:9–10, we find something else that is quite interesting: “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.” You will find this prophecy alluded to in Jeremiah 18:1–4 and evidently quoted from Zechariah 11:12–13. It is credited to Jeremiah simply because in Jesus’ day Jeremiah was the first of the books of the prophets, and that section was identified by the name of the first book.
And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord [Zech. 11:13].
“A goodly price” is sometimes translated a “lordly” price. I think an even better word would be a fancy price. You have heard the expression, “Well, that’s a fancy price for such and such an article.”
“That I was prised at of them.” Thirty pieces of silver—imagine that! They paid very little for Jesus. They weren’t willing to pay a high ransom price of several million dollars to have Him delivered to them. No, they would give only thirty pieces of silver. How cheap that was.
What did Judas do with the thirty pieces of silver? “And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.” There has been some disagreement on what was meant by this. Some expositors even think that “cast … to the potter” should be translated “cast … to the treasury.” Well, Judas came into the temple and threw the money down there, but the record says, “And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in” (Matt. 27:6–7). Zechariah had already said, “And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.” That was no accident. This is one of the most remarkable passages of Scripture that we have.
What is the potter’s field? The potter’s field was property belonging to the potter. When he had clay on his wheel, attempting to make a pot, a vessel, a vase, but it didn’t yield to his fingers or it wouldn’t bend where he wanted or a piece came off, he would take it off the wheel and throw it into the field. The clay wasn’t the right texture to be molded. It was discarded as useless.
In Jeremiah’s prophecy, God likens Himself to the potter. God puts the clay, mankind, on the potter’s wheel and attempts to fashion it into the vessel He has in mind. But the clay has to yield to Him. The clay that won’t yield to Him is thrown out into the potter’s field. He can’t use it.
It is interesting that the price of Christ was thirty pieces of silver, and the priests took the coins—they were very pious about not using the price of blood for religious purposes—and bought the potter’s field as a burial place for the poor.
My friend, the Lord Jesus has been working in the potter’s field for a long, long time. He purchased it. But He didn’t purchase it for thirty pieces of silver. He paid the full price—far more than any amount of silver or gold—His own precious blood. He paid the price so that He might buy this old world in which you and I live, a world filled with the broken lives of mankind—broken physically, broken mentally, broken morally, broken spiritually. The great Potter, the Lord Jesus, takes the clay that was thrown away, puts it on the wheel of circumstance, and shapes it into a vessel of honor. We are the clay. He is the Potter. And even in these days of His rejection, He is working in the potter’s field.
Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel [Zech. 11:14].
The chopping up of this second staff indicates the complete severance of all relationships between the Shepherd and Israel, His flock. It is as if God is saying, “When you sold Me, when you turned Me over into the hands of the Gentiles to be crucified, I broke my covenant. Titus the Roman will soon be here, and you will be scattered throughout the world.” Their Messiah came, the nation rejected Him, and the Jewish people are still scattered throughout the world.
THE FOOLISH SHEPHERD—ANTICHRIST
And the Lordsaid unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd [Zech. 11:15].
This, I think, is another parable that Zechariah is to act out. He is to take again the instruments of a shepherd.
For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces [Zech. 11:16].
Zechariah has presented the Good Shepherd, sold for thirty pieces of silver, delivered to His enemies, then crucified on a Roman cross. But that cross became a brazen altar where the Lamb of God was offered to take away the sin of the world. He was the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.
Now Zechariah presents the foolish shepherd, who will appear much later in history. There is an interval of time between the coming of Christ and the coming of Antichrist that does not concern Zechariah at all. He is prophesying to the remnant of Israel who had returned to Palestine after the Babylonian captivity. If you think he has in mind the church age, you are entirely wrong. The “foolish shepherd” will be coming after God completes His purpose with the church and turns again to Israel as a nation.
Notice how Antichrist will deal with the people of Israel: he “shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.” He will shear the sheep and kill them for food. What a contrast to the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep!
The Lord Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43). Frankly, when I began my ministry, I thought we must be very far away from the appearance of the Antichrist because there was not the world climate nor psychological background for the appearance of a man like he will be. However, we have come a long way since I was a young minister. Today, as I look about me, I think that the world is ripe for Antichrist. I don’t mean that I think he is coming shortly, because I do not know that; only God has that information. But I am confident that if a man appeared on the scene who had the right credentials (and Antichrist will have them), a man who could bring peace in the world and bring order out of the chaos we are in and bring prosperity, the world would receive him with open arms. Do you think that the world would ask if he came from heaven or hell? I don’t think that people would care where he came from. In our day every country seems to be accepting almost any kind of leadership. The world is not blessed with great leaders—certainly our country is not. We are ready for the Antichrist when he comes. His coming may be a long way off, but we have the right climate for it today which we did not have when I first began in the ministry.
Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened [Zech. 11:17].
He is called here “the idol shepherd,” meaning the worthless shepherd. He is no good, he is of no value, he is the great deceiver. Dr. Merrill Unger is quite a Hebrew scholar, and I like his translation of this verse: “Woe! Worthless shepherd, forsaker of the flock! Let the sword be against his arm and against his right eye! His arm shall be completely dried up and his: right eye shall be completely blind.”
This “foolish” shepherd is of no benefit, but the world will go after him. When Israel rejected the Good Shepherd who was promised, they were scattered worldwide. And the gospel, which the Lord Jesus said would begin at Jerusalem and go to the ends of the earth, is being preached today. It is my personal conviction that through the medium of radio we will be enabled to get the gospel to the ends of the earth. The interval in which the gospel has been going out has already been a long one—over nineteen hundred years. Then this false shepherd will appear. He is worthless, but he is going to promise everything. He will be the supreme politician, promising everything in the book and out of the book.
“Woe to the idol [worthless] shepherd that leaveth the flock!” The word woe is the Hebrew hoy, and the very sound of it denotes trouble that is coming—“Hoy, hoy, hoy!”
“The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.” What does this mean? Well, he used his eye, not to protect the sheep, but he kept his eye on them to see which was the fattest that he could use. His arm should have been wielding the crook and the club to protect the sheep from harm. But he didn’t do that. He exposed them instead of watching over them. God says that judgment will come upon him. His right eye shall be blinded and his arm shriveled or atrophied. In the Book of Revelation we find that God is going to judge the false shepherd, Antichrist—in fact, he will make it to the lake of fire even before the Devil gets there!
The false shepherd, the Antichrist, will actually be the one who brings in the Great Tribulation in all its fury. In the first part of the Tribulation Israel will be deceived into thinking that Antichrist is their Good Shepherd, but by the time they discover his real character, he will be the world dictator, and the armies of the world will come against Jerusalem.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Second prophetic burden connected with Christ’s second coming
In chapters 12–14 we come to the prophetic aspects connected with the second coming of Christ. This is the second and final division of this last major section of Zechariah’s prophecy. The primary reason that this is such an important section is that it is quite obvious that Zechariah is presenting God’s program here. In chapter 11, the prophet first showed us that the true Shepherd, the One who gave His life for the sheep, is rejected. In fact, He was sold for thirty pieces of silver—how cheap! Our redemption was not purchased with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ, but what a cheap price He was sold for in that day. The Lord Jesus said when He was on earth, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43). That one who is coming some day is the one Zechariah calls the idol or worthless shepherd. That shepherd is identified as being the Antichrist. After the church is removed from the earth, after the interval in which the true Shepherd is presented to the world as the One who gave His life for the sheep, we come to the time when the worthless shepherd will present himself. He will be accepted, and he will bring in the Great Tribulation, not the Millennium. As a result, we see here that Jerusalem—which will become the capital of the earth where Jesus will reign some day in the Millennium—is under attack by Antichrist, and we see how it will be delivered.
The second reason that this section of Scripture is so important is that this area of prophecy is rejected today by many Bible expositors, even by so-called conservative expositors. They will not face up to the fact that God presents here a panoramic program of His purposes with this world and with Israel in the future. That is a sad thing to say, but it is true. We also have some men who are called fundamentalists but who border on the sensational and lift out certain statements from this section. I don’t think that it is honest to lift certain things out of a passage and try to fit them into the events of today when they have to do with the future. Any interpretation must fit into the entire program that Zechariah is presenting.
Chapter 12 deals with the final siege of Jerusalem and the lifting of that siege. “Jerusalem” is mentioned ten times in this chapter, and “in that day” is mentioned seven times. These two expressions occur again and again. “In that day” is a reference to the Day of the Lord which begins with the Great Tribulation Period and eventuates and goes into the millennial kingdom which the Lord Jesus will usher in when He comes again. The Antichrist brings in the Great Tribulation; the Lord Jesus brings in the Millennium. I want us to note these expressions—“in that day” and “Jerusalem”—for they are the subject of this chapter.
There is so much confusion today as to the meaning of the Day of the Lord. Even as far back as 1951 when I was participating in several summer conferences, I heard two other Bible teachers present a very hazy, indefinite, and uncertain view of the Day of the Lord. It occurred to me that if the man in the pulpit is so fuzzy and foggy on this subject, what about those in the pew? Is there a clearcut understanding of what the Day of the Lord is? What do you think of when you hear the expression, the Day of the Lord? Do you have a definite conception of what it means? Or is it just a nebulous and incoherent expression that is like some sort of umbrella that you can put down over a great many things and it can mean almost anything to you? We hear people use the word glory. What does it mean? When people say amen to something, what do they mean by that?
I am reminded of the Englishman who went into a restaurant here in the United States after he had been here for just a short time. He asked the waitress, “What kind of soup do you have?” She started out by saying, “Well, we have bean …” He stopped her immediately and said, “I don’t care where you have been. I want to know what kind of soup you have.” Then there was the preacher in the South years ago who said in the church business meeting, “Now we’re going to call on the president to share his report and let us know the status quo of the church.” One of the deacons got up and said. “Mr. Preacher, I think you ought to explain to us what the status quo is.” The preacher replied. “Well, that’s Latin for the mess we’re in.” My friend, these expressions can mean different things to different people.
The Day of the Lord is an important expression. It occurs eighteen times in the Book of Zechariah alone. We find it in both the Major and the Minor Prophets. The Day of the Lord is actually the theme of Joel’s book. Malachi speaks of “… the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5). In one sense it is a theme of the Old Testament and one of the most important themes. It would be helpful for us to break down this expression and take a closer look at it.
“The day of the Lord.” Let’s understand clearly that this does not refer to the Lord’s Day. The Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are two different things. Like a chestnut horse and a horse chestnut or like antifat and fat Auntie—they are simply two different things.
The Day of the Lord is not a twenty-four-hour day. Peter says, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). The events that the prophets include in the Day of the Lord preclude the possibility of their happening in a 24-hour day. In fact the tremendous things which are going to take place during the Great Tribulation have made some men actually reject it and ridicule that viewpoint. They argue that you just cannot have that many crisis events take place in that brief seven-year period. But things are different since we have gotten into the twentieth century. In one issue of their magazine, U. S. News and World Report took the ten-year period from 1960–70 and listed the many crisis events that took place in that brief period of time. There has been a tremendous speeding up of crises in the world today. I do not think that God will have any trouble fulfulling all the prophecies concerning the Great Tribulation Period. The Day of the Lord, therefore, is a period of time. It includes the Great Tribulation Period and the millennial kingdom, which means that it is over a thousand years in length.
Has the Day of the Lord come? Are we living in it? The Old Testament closes with that day still in the future. The Old Testament pointed ahead to it, and the New Testament still anticipated it. The apostle Paul made it very clear that it was still in the future as far as he was concerned: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2). The Day of the Lord had not come up to Paul’s time, and nothing has happened since then that would indicate that it has come.
Concerning the character of the Day of the Lord, it is a good day and it is a bad day. Good news and bad news can come in one message. It is like the pilot on the Italian airplane who came on the air and introduced himself. Then he said, “We welcome you aboard this flight. I have some good news for you, and I have some bad news for you. First of all, I’ll give you the bad news. We’ve lost contact with the ground. Our entire radar system has gone out, and we have no radio contact. In fact, we don’t know where we are. That’s the bad news. Now for the good news: We’re making good time.”
May I say to you, the Day of the Lord is good news and bad news. The bad news first: the Great Tribulation. The good news next: the millennial kingdom. Both features will be emphasized beginning here in chapter 12. Zechariah will give you the bad news in verses 2 and 3: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” That’s the bad news. But there is also some good news coming in chapter 14, beginning at verse 8: “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem.” There is bad news and good news, and in chapter 12 we will be dealing with the bad news.
We have, therefore, presented to us the Great Tribulation and Jerusalem under siege. This is the time that Jeremiah called “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” In Jeremiah 30:5–7 we read: “For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.”
Daniel also wrote concerning this time: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” (Dan. 12:1).
The Lord Jesus spoke of this time, He identified it, and He Himself labeled it the “great tribulations”: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:21–22).
THE GREAT TRIBULATION
We have in chapter 12 a description of this Great Tribulation Period, and it is presented to us like this—
The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him [Zech. 12:1].
“The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel.” The word burden here means “a prophecy, a judgment.” A judgment is coming to them—it is a burden in that sense. This prophecy had to do with the siege of Jerusalem which precedes the Battle of Armageddon.
“The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord.” In this section of Scripture which is rejected by so many men today, there is a particular emphasis upon the statement of Zechariah again and again that he is not giving you his idea but “thus saith the Lord.” This prophecy comes directly from God. If you reject this, you are not just a higher critic with a little superficial knowledge who is able to make very intellectual statements about what you do and don’t believe—but, my friend, you are making Zechariah a liar. Zechariah says here that this is the,Word of the Lord. He is either accurate and means what he says or he is a liar—there is no “in-between.” When you reject this—no matter who you are—you’re making this man liar. Well, I don’t think he is a liar, but I think you are the liar if you reject him.
There are three great statements in this verse which give to us a sublime description of God as the Creator of this universe and of everything that is in it. This is a tremendous and overwhelming statement that we have here:
1. He is the One “which stretcheth forty. the heavens.” The psalmist says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). All of that above us declares His glory, and it show His handiwork. And it is being stretched out. Quite a few years ago now. Sir James Jeans, an English astronomer, advanced a theory which has been pretty well accepted today among astronomers. I understand that Jeans was a Christian. His proposal suggests that this universe has grown—even since you have started reading this chapter—and is now several million miles bigger. That is really stretching things! You and I are living in a universe in which these tremendous creations of God are moving away from each other, streaking across the universe. He “stretcheth forth the heavens.” How great God is!
2. “And layeth the foundation of the earth.” God has given particular attention to this little earth that we live on. Man just isn’t satisfied that he lives in a universe in which he is the only human being around. So we have been sending missiles out to the other worlds. We aren’t electronically bugging them in order to tape anything they might say, but we are sure looking in their front window to see if they might be there. There’s been nobody there. God made this earth the habitation for human beings.
3. This is the most remarkable thing: He “formeth the spirit of man within him.” Man is a little different creation from anything else that is on this earth. He is above anything that is on this earth, but he is not equal to the created intelligences which we call angels. I think that the universe today is filled with God’s created intelligences. I do not mean that there are men from Mars. (They have now found Mars to be the kind of place that if you lived there, you would want to move right away!) Although we live in a universe that looks as if it’s not inhabited, I do not think that God has a “Vacancy” sign hanging out anywhere. I believe that if you moved out of our solar system, you would find that God’s created intelligences are in this universe. They are spiritual creatures, and our cameras are not apt to pick up any of them, I can assure you. What a glorious picture this verse gives of God as the Creator!
Men years ago who were called deists—none of them were evolutionists—believed that there was a Creator, and they believed that God created the universe but that He went off and left it. He just forgot about it. He wound it up, started it off, and then He walked away. However, this verse reveals that God did not walk off and leave the universe. It reveals that God is immanent in His universe as well as outside of it. This passage portrays the tremendous activity of God out yonder in the heavens as He moves in our great universe. We live in a universe that is filled with energy. It is man who has depleted the energy on this little world on which we live. I think that God put just enough energy down here to last us until He is ready to move in and take it over again. It looks as if the filling station which we live on down here is running out of gas. This is another reason I believe that we are moving on to the end of this age.
We see here that God is working with very definite and positive action as far as this universe is concerned. He is that One who has formed the spirit of man. He is our omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) God. He is wisdom and knowledge. As Dr. Unger expresses it, this “comprises one of the most magnificent eschatological vistas to be found in the Word of God”; yet it is disbelieved by even a great many who call themselves conservative or evangelical.
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem [Zech. 12:2].
Jerusalem is mentioned twice here in this one verse. As we have already indicated, it is mentioned ten times in this chapter alone. Here we have Jerusalem becoming the very center of the activity which will take place when Antichrist takes over. Jerusalem becomes the center of attack and of judgment.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about.” Better words for “cup” are bowl or goblet or mug.
Let’s identify when this will take place: “When they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.” When is that? In the last days, in the time that the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation Period. Therefore, the interpretation of this entire section is for a future day. But it is going to have a message and a tremendous lesson for us.
In Dr. Unger’s words, God will make Jerusalem “a goblet of intoxication,” “a goblet of staggering” for those who are concerning themselves with it. In other words, they will be staggering because of it.
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it [Zech. 12:3].
In effect God says, “You’re going to get hurt fooling with Jerusalem.” Again, this hasn’t anything in the world to do with Rome or Paris or London or Washington, D. C., or Los Angeles or your town. When He says Jerusalem, He means Jerusalem. Although He says it ten times, somehow or another it doesn’t get through to us. Some of the commentators don’t quite get the message. Jerusalem means Jerusalem, and when He puts Judah with Jerusalem, He is talking about Jerusalem which is in Judah.
“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people.” Now that seems strange, doesn’t it? Jerusalem is a rather isolated place, an old city, and actually not very attractive today. Despite the fact that it has so many spots which are sacred and meaningful to us, I know a lot of places I like better than I like Jerusalem. I always enjoy staying there because there are so many things to see that are identified with the Bible. But why should this place be so prominent and significant in the last days? How do you explain that? Well, that city even today has become a burdensome stone, but we have not seen the fulfillment of prophecy—it is nonsense to talk like that. This prophecy fits into a program that is yet future, but God just wants you to know that He was not making an exaggerated statement when He said that Jerusalem can become a burdensome stone. I believe that what we have seen is nothing compared with what it will be in that day. It almost broke up the Common Market, it almost wrecked NATO—Jerusalem became a burdensome stone. Consider the list of the nations of the world which have captured that city and have tried to rule it. For example, at the time when General Allenby took Jerusalem and delivered it from the Turks, Great Britain was the number one power, and the sun never set on the British Empire. But, my friend, today the British Empire’s sun has set. It went down because they got involved with that city. Frankly, I hope that the United States doesn’t get too involved. God says, “Keep your hands off. I am the One running that place.”
In that day, saith the Lord, I Will Smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness [Zech. 12:4].
Again God says, “In that day”—this is going to get monotonous before we finish this book.
The horse represents warfare, and when a horse goes blind and the rider is mad, you are certainly going to have confusion. God says here that when the enemy comes against Israel, He is going to make them ineffective.
And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God [Zech. 12:5].
In that day Jerusalem will become a refuge for God’s people on the earth.
This siege of Jerusalem in which the enemy comes in from every direction is the result of the activity of Antichrist, but God will intervene on their behalf. When they have rejected Him, why in the world does He intervene on their behalf? We will find the answer in this section of Scripture.
In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem [Zech. 12:6].
Again I remind you that we are talking about Jerusalem—not about Rome or Washington, D. C., or Geneva, Switzerland. We are talking about Jerusalem, the geographical spot located in Judah. He has already identified both Judah and Jerusalem, and He will do that again here—
The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah [Zech. 12:7].
In other words, Jerusalem would be looking down, as it were, on the rest of the country. People today in one section of our country have a tendency to look down upon people from other sections of the country. I have been very much amused at the reactions which people have to my accent. Many of them very frankly write letters and say, “When I started listening to you, I thought you were just some wild-eyed ignoramus.” Well, there are some people who still think that, but the letters go on to say, “But we kept listening and saw beyond that accent.” They realized that I had been to school or at least had finished the sixth grade! My point is that this is a tendency we all have. We folk who have been born in Texas have been given the impression that there is nothing beyond the borders of Texas, that the chosen people are in Texas. There are some of my fellow Texans who still believe that, and such is human nature.
Zechariah is saying that if the Lord manifested Himself first to Jerusalem and to the house of David, then they would look down upon the rest of Judah. They would say,“These are country rubes and hillbillies. After all, the Lord didn’t manifest Himself to them first.” But God says, “I shall save the tents of Judah first.” Remember that the Lord Jesus said, “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first” (Matt. 19:30).
We are going to get many shocks when we get to heaven. I think that one of the greatest surprises is that we will find people up there whom we didn’t think were going to be there. And there are going to be some missing whom we thought were going to be there. That’s the number one shock we will get. Then we are also going to find out who really are the people that God recognizes as those who were His servants and who were doing faithfully that which He wanted done. And they are not going to be the ones we would have chosen. God makes it clear here in Zechariah, “I am going to manifest Myself to Judah first,” and that will give Jerusalem and the house of David something to think about.
In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them [Zech. 12:8].
“In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David.” David was quite a soldier. If you don’t believe that, read the account concerning his son Absalom, or read how he took that nation which was scattered and divided and brought it together and how he dealt with the Philistines. David was a great administrator, a great soldier, a general of great strategy, a man of tremendous ability. In that day, even the weakest man will be like David.
“And the house of David shall be as God.” To me this is one of the most thrilling statements in Scripture: David will be like God. I want you to know that there came One in David’s line who is God. David is going to be like God. That One is the Lord Jesus Christ who was born to Mary of the household of David. He was born in the city of Bethlehem. Mary went down there to be enrolled because she belonged to the house of David. And Joseph also had to be enrolled for he was of the house of David, but he had nothing to do with the birth of the Lord Jesus. They went down to Bethlehem, and Jesus was born into the family of David. Matthew writes: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1)—that is the way the New Testament opens. That He is the Son of David is the first thing that is mentioned. He is also “the son of Abraham,” but David is mentioned first.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem [Zech. 12:9].
There will be a converging of all the nations against Jerusalem, which we see in a great deal of detail in the Book of Revelation. All of these great prophecies are like trains or planes coming into a train station or airport. All of these great themes of prophecy which originate elsewhere in the Bible converge into the Book of Revelation like a great airport or Union Station.
ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE
There is coming against Jerusalem in that day the enemy from the outside. Why is God going to protect them, and why is God going to deliver them? The reason is given here in verse 10—
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn [Zech. 12:10].
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications.” This is another reason why I do not believe the present return to the land is a fulfillment of any prophecy of Scripture. The Scriptures make it clear, not only here but also in Joel, that God is going to pour out upon them the Spirit of Grace, that is, the Holy Spirit. He will pour out the Holy Spirit upon these people during this period. Because of this effusion of the Holy Spirit that is to come upon them, they will be His witnesses, and He will protect them during the Great Tribulation Period. Revelation speaks of the angel who seals these people: “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Rev. 7:4). This 144,000 means the people that we know as Israel who live in that land. It does not refer to any people who arbitrarily claim it for themselves without any basis at all. This has to rest upon facts, and the Book of Revelation makes it very clear that it is 12,000 out of each of the twelve tribes (see Rev. 7:5–8). If you are going to claim to be one of the 144,000, that means that you are unsaved today and that if the Rapture took place, you would not leave the earth but would go into the Great Tribulation Period when they are to be sealed. Therefore, the 144,000 does not mean any group that we have today, but it does mean a certain group among the people of Israel.
There is another large group of people who are to be sealed, but we are not given the number of them. They are Gentiles who are to be sealed during that period. They will go through the Great Tribulation Period, and they will stand for God in that time.
When the church is removed from the earth, the Holy Spirit, as I understand Scripture, does not leave the earth, but He will be on a different mission. He then will return to what He was doing before the Day of Pentecost—that is, He will come upon certain people. Zechariah tells us that there is to be a pouring out of the Spirit upon the remnant that will be back in the land. I do not think that, in what has happened over there since they became a nation in 1948, there has been any time that you could say there has been the pouring out of the Spirit of God.
When that pouring out of the Spirit takes place, they are going to recognize Christ as their Savior. “And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” This will be the fulfillment of the great Day of Atonement when they are going to look upon Him. Chapter 13 will develop this a great deal for us. It opens with this: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1). Then verse 6 in chapter 13 reads, “And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” In that day they are going to look upon Him whom they pierced, and the question will be asked of Him, “What do these wounds mean? We didn’t expect our Messiah, our King, to come with these wounds that You have in Your hands and feet and in Your side.” He will say to them, “I got these wounds in the house of My friends. I came before, but you didn’t accept Me or receive Me, and now I’ve come back.” They will then mourn because of that.
The explanation is given here as to why God is going to defend Jerusalem. He will pour out the Spirit of grace upon them. My friend, that is the only way today that you and I are indwelt by the Spirit of God. You don’t have to seek and groan and grunt and think that you become a super-duper saint in order to have the Holy Spirit. All you must do is to come as a sinner to Jesus Christ and accept and receive Him as your Savior. Then you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. Paul called the Corinthian believers babies, he called them carnal, he called them fleshly; yet he could say to them, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). He is the Spirit of grace. He does not indwell me or fill me because I’m super-duper or because I’m a little ahead of somebody else—I’m not, I’m way behind most. It is because of His grace that He does these things. And that is the way that He is going to do this for Israel. Since He’s been so gracious to me, I’m not going to object to His being gracious to these people.
Israel will know Him when the veil is lifted from their eyes, as Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 3:13–16. That veil doesn’t mean that they are not responsible. Any time any one of them will turn his heart to Christ, Paul makes it very clear that the veil will be removed, and he will see Christ as his Savior. My friend, this is true of any sinner today. You are not lost because you haven’t heard the gospel; you are not lost because of this, that, or another thing. You’re lost today because you have made a definite decision to reject Jesus Christ. This is a false idea today that somehow or another we are not responsible. Although it is by grace, you and I are responsible to respond to the marvelous, infinite, wonderful grace of God. Therefore, God saves us not because of our ability, not even by our faith, but He saves us by the precious blood of Christ. This is a wonderful passage of Scripture.
In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon [Zech. 12:11].
“In that day”-aren’t you getting just a little bit tired of hearing Zechariah talk about “in that day”? Well, you haven’t heard anything yet. All the way through the very last chapter and the last verse, he is going to talk about “in that day.” By now we ought to know what “in that day” means. It is that period of time known as the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord begins when the church leaves at the Rapture and the Great Tribulation Period begins, and then it will continue right on through the millennial kingdom, to the time when all rebellion is put down and the eternal kingdom begins. The eternal kingdom simply continues the thousand-year kingdom, except that it is no longer a time of testing but everything is then fixed for eternity.
“In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem.” This is the real Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement in the Mosaic system was the only day Israel was to weep. It was the day that atonement was made for their sins. “In that day shall there be a great mourning.” May I just pause and say that there is today a great deal of so-called gospel preaching that says, “Come to Jesus. He will make you over. You are going to be a new personality, and you are going to attain your goal.” All kinds of attractions are offered to you. But may I say, what do you really think about your sins? Have you ever mourned about them? Has it ever broken your heart that you have been a sinner? This is the one thing that this poor preacher right now can say to you: When I look back on my life and see some of the things that I did in the past, I tell you, it breaks my heart. It is for that that my Savior died. There ought to be that mourning, that repentance in the Christian life. The one thing that is missing today is that which used to take place at the Methodist altars in the old days. In those meetings men and women would come weeping down to the altar to accept Christ—but I see very little of that today. They come down smiling, thinking they’re going to get a new personality. My friend, the truth is that you’re an old, rotten, dirty, filthy sinner in His sight, and even your good things are bad to Him. He says that our righteousness is as filthy rags in His sight. And if my righteousness is filthy rags, think what my filthy rags are! If you and I could see ourselves as God sees us, we couldn’t stand ourselves. We would get rid of our conceit and our self-sufficiency. Oh, how the church needs a real baptism of repentance! This is the thing that is needed today—repentance on the part of believers, a repenting of their sins.
“As the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.” This refers to the valley at Megiddon and to the time of Josiah. Josiah was a king greatly loved of the people, and when he died there was great mourning for him. Jeremiah wept over Josiah as he wept over no one else.
And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart [Zech. 12:12].
They shall mourn “apart.” That is, it will be done in a private manner. Such repentance is something that many of us even today need to do privately.
The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart [Zech. 12:13–14].
This will be a real mourning. What great sin have they committed? They had rejected their Messiah when He came the first time. Think what it will be like when He comes the second time and there are those who have heard the gospel message but have turned it down. May I say to you, that day is coming on this earth when He will come again. Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart. Open up your heart and receive Christ as your Savior.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: The cleansing of Israel
You are seeing, I trust, that this Book of Zechariah is a very important book. I have always appreciated it and felt that it is a neglected book. Each time I go through it I learn something new. In fact, this final section is so tremendous that I do not feel competent to interpret it on the high plane that it belongs. I would love to make it mean as much to you as it means to me. Perhaps my feeling is best expressed in the lovable language of the Pennsylvania Dutch: “We grow too soon old and too late smart.” That fits my case.
In the previous chapters we have seen a very definite progress through a program which began with the first coming of Christ to the earth. At that time He had entered Jerusalem, and He had been sold for just a few pieces of silver. Only part of the prophecy of Zechariah was fulfilled at His first coming, which indicates that the other part will be fulfilled at His second coming.
He was rejected as the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. Another is to come in the future. He hasn’t come yet and won’t appear until the church is removed from the earth. He will be the false shepherd who will lead the nation of Israel, as well as the world, into the Great Tribulation Period. The only deliverance at that time will be the second coming of Christ to the earth when He comes to establish His kingdom. He alone can bring peace to this earth.
It was back in December, 1959, on a Thursday evening, that a Boeing 707 took off from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and headed toward the sunrise. That jet plane bore the insignia of the president of the United States. The president was beginning the longest trip that any president had made previously. He was to visit three continents, confer with a dozen rulers, and be seen by thousands of people. The supreme objective of that trip was peace. President Eisenhower at that time expressed it by stating that it was an effort to attain peace with justice. Certainly that was a laudable and worthy objective, and he traveled 22,370 miles in 19 days in his attempt to achieve it.
Since that time, every other president has traveled farther in his efforts to bring peace to this earth. But at the time President Eisenhower made the trip, the longing and the prayers of over a billion people were with him because the world wants peace. The human heart desires peace above all else. It was very interesting that he went in the season of the year when we celebrate the birth of a Baby, when it was said, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Well, I must confess that back there in 1959 I very sincerely prayed for peace. My good wishes and my prayers went with the president for success and a bon voyage. You know, I am sure, that I did not entertain the delusion that the president or any mere man could bring permanent peace to the earth. Actually I got the impression, as I listened to him on television, that he didn’t believe he could achieve peace in the world. I do not think he entertained any grandiose ideas. As a military man, he faced reality. But I think he hoped to relieve the tensions so as to postpone the evil day and to make plain the purpose and intents of this nation by clearing up misunderstanding and misrepresentations.
Well, after all the years which have gone by since then, it is still true that the Baby born over nineteen hundred years ago is the only hope for permanent peace. He alone can and will bring peace to this earth. He holds in perpetuity the title “… The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). He has a program and a plan to bring in permanent peace. He will establish the kingdom of heaven on earth.
The prophets, especially Zechariah, sketch this program in some detail. In this book, as elsewhere, we find out something of the character of that kingdom, which we will note as we go along. We have already seen that the kingdom has a great many physical aspects that appeal to men: the desert will blossom as a rose, the lame will leap, the blind will see, and there are those who like to think of the golden streets in the New Jerusalem. But when we get off on that tangent we forget the spiritual aspects. We have already seen in this little book that the kingdom will be characterized by truth: “Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth …” (Zech. 8:3). It certainly is not that today, but it will be the city of truth when Christ reigns there. I should add that there is no capital in the world today which is noted for truth.
Not only will Christ’s kingdom be characterized by truth, it will be characterized by holiness and righteousness, as we will see in verses 1 and 2 of the chapter before us. And in chapter 14 we shall see that even the bells on the horses and the pots and pans in the temple will be holiness to the Lord.
Also, the kingdom will be characterized by freedom from fear—we will find that aspect in chapter 14.
Added to this, the kingdom will be characterized by joy, as we have seen in chapter 10: “And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them. And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord” (Zech. 10:6–7). It will be a time of great joy, you see.
All of these are spiritual—not physical—aspects of the kingdom, and the chief one is peace. When Christ comes to reign, He “will speak peace unto the nations.”
We have been following in Zechariah’s prophecy God’s program which will ultimately bring permanent peace to the world. When Christ came the first time, He was rejected and sold and turned over to the Gentiles who crucified Him. Then a period of time lapses which Zechariah does not deal with. It is the church period in which we are living today. When it ends, there will appear the worthless shepherd, the Antichrist. He won’t usher in the kingdom; he will bring in the Great Tribulation Period. His world dictatorship can only be ended by the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom upon the earth. This is what we have before us in chapter 13.
All of this should be taken in a literal way. The reason that many folk in our day think that God has no future purpose with Israel is that they don’t believe that God means what He says. You couldn’t read the section before us and dismiss it unless you spiritualize it away. If you do that, you do not have a very high view of the inspiration of Scripture. The very center of God’s plan, as we saw back in chapter 12, is Jerusalem. In the last three chapters of this book, chapters 12–14, the name Jerusalem occurs twenty-one times. My friend, God wouldn’t have used it that many times unless He had meant literal Jerusalem. He was not talking about London or Paris or Berlin or Moscow or Peking. He was speaking about the actual city of Jerusalem. It is quite interesting that even President Eisenhower, back in his day, bypassed Jerusalem, and heads of state have been bypassing it ever since. You will find that the better conservative expositors take the position that this section should be interpreted literally. Let me share with you a quotation from Dr. Merrill F. Unger, whom I value very highly as an interpreter of the Book of Zechariah. I feel that his book, Unger’s Bible Commentary: Zechariah, is the finest I have found. It is scholarly, and you need a little smattering of Hebrew to get through it, but it is a wonderful book. Here on page 221 is his comment:
Only a literal application of these prophecies to the restoration and conversion of the Jewish nation at the second advent of Christ can satisfy the scope of these prophetic disclosures. Other interpretations ignore the true scope of Zechariah’s prophecies as a whole, violate the immediate context, resort to pointless mysticalizing, and end up in a morass of uncertainty and confusion.
I say amen to that. I believe that spiritualizing it is practically a denial of the inspiration of the Word of God.
THE NATIONAL CLEANSING OF ISRAEL
In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness [Zech. 13:1].
“In that day.” We have already determined that “that day” refers to the Great Tribulation and moves on into the millennial kingdom. Christ will come to this earth at the end of the Great Tribulation, and then He will establish His kingdom.
This verse does not refer to the first coming of Christ. At that time He did not open up a fountain to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem “for sin and for uncleanness.” Instead, they rejected Him and crucified their Savior. Even Paul writes in Romans 10:3: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
“A fountain” is God’s cleansing power which was opened by Christ’s death upon the cross. At His first coming Israel rejected their Messiah-Savior, and this fountain will be opened to them at His second coming to the earth. The chapter before us continues the presentation of God’s program, and we saw in chapter 12 that in “that day” God would pour out His Spirit upon the people of Israel. The prophet Joel spoke of that also. It is at this time that the “fountain” will be opened to them, which will be when they realize the fact that Christ was crucified for them. We have seen that they are going to look upon Him. Remember that this is God’s Word, and He puts it very definitely, “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him.” It is going to be a real Day of Atonement for these people when Christ comes the second time. They are going to be greatly moved, and the Spirit of God will remove the veil from their eyes. Paul makes it clear that the veil can be taken away even today if they really want to give up their sin.
You see, the problem with man is heart trouble, not head trouble. No man really has an intellectual problem. He hasn’t got enough mentality to deal with the Creator of this universe, with an infinite God. His problem is that he does not want to give up his sin. That is true of the people of Israel, and it is true of the Gentiles. It is true of all of us—it’s face up to it.
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land [Zech. 13:2].
“And it shall come to pass in that day”—again he dates it as being “in that day.”
“I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land.” When they were in Babylonian captivity, they took the “gold cure,” that is, they gave up idolatry as they had observed it before. The golden calves were never put back at Dan and Beth-el. But they were still using the little household teraphim and other little fetishes. Even today a great many so-called civilized folk think that if they wear a certain object or if they put up a certain little gadget somewhere, it will ward off harm. That was the kind of idolatry that the people of Israel were engaged in. Also they dealt with the zodiac.
“And also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.” The “prophets” are, of course, the false prophets. The “unclean spirit” refers to demons. We live in a world where demons are very active, and attention is being called to them at the present time. It may be that we are seeing an outbreak of demonic activity as we draw near the end of the age, but, candidly, I think there has been a subtle manifestation of them all along. The reason this passage is so important is that it is the only place that speaks of the demons being put out of this earth during the Millennium. The Book of Revelation tells about the false prophet and the Antichrist being put out of the earth: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev. 19:20). And Satan will be bound during the millennial period (see Rev. 20:1–3). So we know that the false prophet and the Antichrist will be in the lake of fire and the Devil will be bound in the bottomless pit. Nothing is said in the Book Revelation about the final casting out of demons, but it is logical to believe that it will be done at this time also and that they will be put in one place or the other. At least we know that they will be removed from the earth.
You would think that once a people had been delivered from paganism and heathenism, they would not go back to it. But in our day the world is going back to it because the human family is gradually moving into the darkness again due to a lack of knowledge of the Word of God. And this is the explanation for the demonic dynamic being manifested in our day. Ignorance of God’s Word gives energy to the occult—there is no energy shortage in that particular connection.
What a different world this will be when there is a complete extermination of idolatry and demons are removed from the entire earth.
And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth [Zech. 13:3].
That seems like strong language, but the day is coming, my friend, when God’s children are going to put Him first. They betrayed Him the first time He came, and He is being betrayed in our day, but in that future day they are going to be faithful to Him even if the one who prophesies falsely is their own son.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive [Zech. 13:4].
There are two things that interest me here. First, when the Lord comes the false prophets will be ashamed, deeply convicted, of their deceptive “vision.” They will be disgraced because the Lord Jesus has come and made liars out of every one of them. The second thing that we note is that “neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive.” The garment worn by prophets was a mantle of rough, untanned sheepskin or goatskin or a cloak of camel’s hair. (When Esau was born it is said that he looked like this kind of hairy garment!) The prophet Elijah wore this type of mantle, and it was this mantle that fell upon his successor, Elisha. It was a garment which distinguished a man as a prophet of God, and the false prophets will feel guilty about trying to impersonate a true prophet. You see, Zechariah was not introducing something new but something that was very familiar to the folk of his day.
But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth [Zech. 13:5].
The men who were false prophets will go back to the farm.
The next two verses are startling. In fact, the critics have tried to eliminate them from the text because they say that it is shocking to find this prophecy given at this time. And it is! That is the wonder of it. Certainly it is no excuse to reject it; it is there to alert us. I should mention that there is a difference of opinion as to who is addressed in this verse. I believe that it is Christ.
And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends [Zech. 13:6].
“Wounded in the house of my friends” has been translated by some of the higher critics as “wounded in the house of those who loved me.” Well, they didn’t love Him the first time He came—they hated Him. Scripture says that they hated Him without cause. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). But to as many as received Him at that time He gave the authority to become sons of God. Well, when the Spirit is poured out, they (that is, the remnant) are going to receive Him. And they will wonder, saying, “Where did you get those wounds in your hands?” He will answer, “I was wounded here when I came the first time.” He came to His own people, the Jewish race (remember that the woman of Samaria recognized Him as Jew). These were His people, and only a remnant received Him at that time. And, actually, it will be only a remnant who will receive him at His second coming, although I think it will be a much larger remnant. “And one shall say unto him” probably refers to the spokesman for the remnant, just as Peter spoke for the other apostles when he said to Jesus, “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
There is a song in which Jesus is called “the Stranger of Galilee.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that song. He is not the stranger of Galilee to those who know Him. When He came the first time He was the stranger of Galilee to His own people, but when He comes the second time He will not be the stranger of Galilee to them. Certainly He is not the stranger of Galilee to Christians in this age in which we live, and I don’t think we should sing that song. To know Him is life eternal. The apostle Paul at the end of his life wrote, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10). But it is true that they did not know Jesus when He came the first time.
This matter of mistaken identity has been the source of plots for writers of both comedy and tragedy down through the years. Shakespeare used it in The Comedy of Errors. Dickens used it in The Tale of Two Cities. Many dramatic productions are based upon this idea—Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, for example. It becomes even more tragic when it is a real life story. I read of a mother who had not seen her daughter for seventeen years, and when she went to meet her in New York, she walked right past her. It took some time to meet again because the mother didn’t recognize her own daughter. In Reedley, California, I met a mother who had come from Russia and had not seen her daughter since she was a baby—of course she wouldn’t be able to recognize her.
However, I think that the greatest tragedy of the ages is expressed in just eleven words: “He came unto His own, and His own received him not.” What a picture! John the Baptist elaborated upon it when he said, “ … I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not” (John 1:26, italics mine). And the Lord Jesus Himself said that they knew not the time of their visitation—what a tremendous statement! And Paul wrote: “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth [notice that!] the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart” (2 Cor. 3:14–15). Notice that the veil is upon their heart—but when the heart is right, they can turn to Him. He is a stranger only to those who do not know Him as Savior. Zechariah speaks of this. In His first coming they didn’t know Him.
There is a striking contrast between the first and second comings of Christ. Redemption is the high word of His first coming; revelation is the high word of His second coming. It was reconciliation at His first coming and recognition at His second coming. It was the Incarnation at His first coming and identification at His second coming. It was the mystery at His first coming, and it will be manifestation at His second coming. At His first coming it was propitiation; at His second coming it will be proclamation. What a picture this gives of Christ!
THE SMITTEN SHEPHERD AND THE SCATTERED SHEEP
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones [Zech. 13:7].
This refers to the time that He was smitten. In fact, when Christ was here the first time, He said that this verse applied to Himself, as we shall see. We immediately identify this remarkable passage of Scripture with “… they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him …” of Zechariah 12:10.
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts.” The Lord God is the speaker, and Christ, the Messiah, is the person spoken of. The phrase, “the man that is my fellow” would be better translated, “the man my equal” or “the man of my union.” This is an unmistakable Old Testament reference to the deity of Christ.
“Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” Who would have thought that this would refer to the Lord Jesus Christ? We know it does because Jesus Himself quotes it. “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad” (Matt. 26:31). You see that He makes it applicable to Himself. If you doubt that God has a future purpose for Israel, you need to note this carefully. In the prophecies that we have here which relate to the first and second comings of Christ, did the Lord Jesus lie? He says that Zechariah was referring to Him when he said, “Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” And when He comes the second time, they will ask “What are these wounds, these nail prints, in Your hands?” And His answer will be, “I received these in the house of My friends.” And, as we saw in chapter 12, “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son.” This will be the great Day of Atonement for the Jewish people, and obviously it is for a future time.
The final two verses of this chapter refer to the Great Tribulation Period.
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein [Zech. 13:8].
“The third shall be left therein” refers to the same remnant that shall ask, “What are these wounds in thine hands?” They will have come through the horrors of the Great Tribulation Period in which two-thirds of their people have perished.
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God [Zech. 13:9].
Isn’t that a wonderful statement? These are the ones who will take a stand for Christ and will be faithful to Him. They will make it through the Great Tribulation because He has sealed them (see Rev. 7:1–8). Then we see them again in Revelation 14: “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads …. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth” (Rev. 14:1, 3).
CHAPTER 14
Theme: The second coming of Christ, the Messiah
Chapter 14 concludes the second division of the last section of the Book of Zechariah. This last section, chapters 9–14, deals with prophetic burdens. There was the first burden, dealing with the prophetic aspects connected with the first coming of Christ (chs. 9–11). In the second and last division (chs. 12–14), we have the second burden in which we have the prophetic aspects connected with the second coming of Christ. This final chapter just gathers together everything and ties up any loose strings there might be.
The very interesting thing is that we have had a very definite program given to us in the Book of Zechariah, and that has been true in all three of its major divisions. We had the ten visions, then the historic interlude, and now this last major division of prophetic burdens. We always start where Israel was at that particular time (and they were in a certain amount of difficulty), and then we move through the national conversion of Israel when the nation will turn to God and there will be a pouring out of the Spirit of God. All of this prepares the scene for the return of Messiah, because at that time they have entered the Great Tribulation Period.
This last chapter is a great climactic chapter, but it also follows the entire program that has been given to us in Zechariah. This is a section that leads up to and into the establishment of the kingdom at the second coming of Christ. In each of these major divisions, Zechariah, encouraging the people of that day, looks on to the future and outlines a prophetic program.
There are certain things which we need to make clear about this chapter. The first is that it is wholly prophetic—it is entirely that. The other is that it has no prophecy which is being fulfilled in this present age. In other words, it is speaking of the end of the age that ushers in the kingdom. You will find that many commentators, especially of the higher, critical school (and I believe that largely all amillennialists follow this same plan and purpose), teach that this does not actually speak of prophecy, that it is not literal, and that it can be fitted into the present age. Believe me, that leads to some strange interpretations! Lowe and DeWette, who belonged to that camp, both said: “This chapter defies all historical explanation.” We can certainly say amen to that, as nothing like this has ever happened in the past. Therefore, this chapter is entirely prophetic; that is, it is prophetic from where we are today, and it looks to the future.
The only interpretation of this chapter which will satisfy is a literal interpretation; that is the only one that will give the meaning. And any interpretation must be in harmony with the context. In interpreting prophecy or interpreting Scripture anywhere, you cannot disregard the context before and after. Also, you must interpret this in keeping with the spirit and the feel of the entire Word of God. You absolutely cannot reach in here and come out with some wild interpretation that has no basis in fact. I believe that this is a very, very important passage of Scripture, because it demonstrates the difference between literal interpretation of Scripture and that which spiritualizes or mysticalizes it, making it mean practically nothing at all. Such interpretation merely makes this passage something that is allegorical or something that is mythical or something that actually can be dissipated into thin air. It is an attempt to explain it away rather than to explain it.
Let me make a suggestion that is really a mean one. If you are wanting to know the position of a pastor whom you’re not sure about, if you really want to know what he believes, take the fourteenth chapter of Zechariah to him and ask him to explain it to you. You will find out what a man really believes when he deals with this chapter.
Certain of the liberal commentators, actually great scholars of the past, and Hengstenberg specifically, refer chapter 14 “to the whole of the Messianic era.” What he really means is that it refers to this church period today. You cannot, by the wildest kind of interpretation, fit that in. That is the reason he does not go into detail. Leupold, another outstanding liberal scholar, says:
Our verses do not, therefore, apply to any one situation. They do not describe a siege, capture, and captivity which actually occurred. By means of a figure they describe a situation which obtains continually through New Testament times. God’s people shall continually be antagonized and suffer bitter adversity at the hands of their foes and shall in consequence be brought low; but there shall always be an imperishable remnant, and that not so extremely small.
Would you tell me what he really means by that? He means that he doesn’t know what to do with this chapter at all. So the thing he does is spiritualize it—he spreads it out like butter on toast, and it melts just about the same way!
May I say that these verses are not just figurative, they do not apply to New Testament times, and the remnant that is spoken of here—it’s been made clear to us in this book—is a Jewish remnant. We need to recognize that this chapter is entirely eschatological.
There have been other scholars who identify this chapter with “the error of so-called ‘Jewish Chiliasm.’” The fact of the matter is, as Dr. Unger goes on to say, “‘Jewish Chiliasm’ was wrong only in the fact that it overlooked the prophesied rejection and death of the Messiah as the indispensable prelude to His manifestation in kingdom glory.”
With that as a background, let us come to the text itself—
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee [Zech. 14:1].
“Behold, the day of the Lord cometh”—this would make a good headline for the newspaper. Many times, when you get down into an article, it moves behind the headline and gives you the preliminaries that led up to the headline. That is what happens here.
“Behold, the day of the Lord.” Here we are again with this very impressive statement. We will find that the thing which is before us in these first three verses is the last siege of Jerusalem. Then in verses 4–7, we have the personal advent of the Messiah. We have seen all of this in other chapters of Zechariah, but now we have it brought in from a little different angle. For instance, regarding the Great Tribulation Period and the siege of Jerusalem, the thing that was important in the other passages was an emphasis on the latter part of the Tribulation and the deliverance that came, and Zechariah was prophesying to the people for their encouragement. But here we see how tragic it is actually going to be during that period of the Day of the Lord. The thing that Joel had said was that the Day of the Lord is not light; it is darkness. It begins in darkness. The hopelessness and the helplessness of these people in that period is difficult for us to understand.
“Behold, the day of the Lord cometh.” The Hebrew idiom that is employed here is yombaÕ leyahweh (I pass that on to you just to let you know that I did study Hebrew, although I’ve forgotten most of it by now.) This is the expression that is headline material here, and it refers to this coming day which is yet in the future (after the church is removed) when Antichrist brings on the Great Tribulation, although the world will believe that he is bringing in the Millennium. We certainly have had quite a few presidents in my day who were going to bring in the Millennium. Not one of them has gotten within four miles of the Millennium, but that does not prevent Americans from believing that the next candidate is going to do it. Well, none of them is going to do it—only Jesus Christ can do that.
Dr. Unger’s rendering of this verse is: “Lo, a day is coming—the Lord’s—when thy spoil shall be distributed in the midst of thee.” The enemy is going to take Jerusalem again, and this will be the last siege.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city [Zech. 14:2].
This is the last siege of Jerusalem, and it is not a pretty picture that is given to us here. The enemy takes the city, and when Zechariah says “all nations,” I am of the opinion that he means that each nation will have representatives there. You might ask how that could be. Well, we have that same thing today with the United Nations. At the time that I am writing this, there are United Nations troops in Israel again. The soldiers come from different nations, and they more or less serve as a buffer between Israel and the enemy. It will be different in that day, but it will be an army that is made up of those who represent all the nations. They will come against Jerusalem, and they’re going to take that city.
Again, let me give you Dr. Unger’s translation. It is a sad state: “And the city shall be captured and the houses plundered, and the women raped, and half of the city shall go into captivity, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” Apparently, some will be able to escape. There are those, including myself, who believe that it will probably be the rock-hewn city of Petra to which they will go. Masada would also be a good place. That is where the Jews escaped to at the time of the invasion by Titus in a.d. 70. The only thing is that Masada would sure be a good target for bombers if they went there. I believe that the rock-hewn city of Petra could be the place.
This is a sad thing that is revealed to these people through Zechariah. The city is taken, the houses are plundered, and the women are raped. These are the three things that Zechariah mentions here.
Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle [Zech. 14:3].
This is a picture of the Deliverer who is coming. It is at this time that their help will not come from the north or south or east or west, but their help will come from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. This will be none other than the Lord Jesus Himself coming to the earth to deliver these people.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south [Zech. 14:4].
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives.” This is a tremendous statement that is made here, and it is quite literal. The Mount of Olives is literal, Jerusalem is literal, these people are literal. When the Lord Jesus comes, His feet will stand upon the Mount of Olives. When Zechariah says His feet, he’s talking about His feet, not His hands. Zechariah says that they will touch the Mount of Olives, and apparently he means that that’s where the touchdown is going to be. I’m of the opinion that if men can send a missile that goes out to the moon and spends a few days there and comes back, and if they can put a battleship out in the Pacific and have that little capsule come down within two or three miles of the battleship, then God is not going to have any trouble with the Lord Jesus Christ touching down at the Mount of Olives. He is the glorified Christ today. He has nail prints in those feet, but those feet left the Mount of Olives when He left this earth, and He’s coming back to the Mount of Olives when He comes again. This is exactly what was told His disciples. When He ascended, two witnesses came and said, “… Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). This is the fulfillment of it that will take place in the future. When? In the Day of the Lord, in the time when they are in great trouble, when Jerusalem has been besieged and taken for the last time.
“Upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.” This mention of the east is not a casual statement. You will notice throughout Scripture that help for Israel is coming from the east. This is the reason they pay great attention to that eastern gate which some call the golden gate. I personally believe that the reference to the golden gate is the gate in the temple that shall be built. If you want to call it the golden gate, that’s fine—it is the eastern gate. He will probably come in from the east.
Ezekiel also tells us that help is coming to them from the east. I think that it is interesting that we have been on the side of Israel from the very time that it became a nation—but we happen to be a western nation, you see. The real help for them is coming from the Lord, and there is no fulfillment of prophecy taking place there today. We can see that clearly when we put this prophecy down on what is going to happen.
“And the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” Great physical changes that are going to take place are mentioned to us here. There will be a great earthquake, and the Mount of Olives will be split right down the middle. Half of it will go to the north and half to the south.
“And there shall be a very great valley.” Jerusalem today is surrounded by the roughest terrain that I know of anywhere. I frankly have been no place that can compare to it. It is rugged if you go north or if you go east or if you go south or if you go west—any direction that you might go. If you go south to Bethlehem, you would think you were riding one of the toboggan rides at Disneyland. Up and down you go—mountain after mountain—and it is rugged. If you go north, it is rugged. If you go west, it is rugged—big boulders and rocks. You’ve never seen such great big rocks. Going east down to Jericho—again, it is a rugged trip. The only thing is that the United States put in a wonderful macadam highway there. It is not a freeway, but it is a good highway, and it makes such an easy trip that the tourist doesn’t realize what rough terrain it actually is.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my god shall come, and all the saints with thee [Zech. 14:5].
“And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains.” This is the reason that many commentators believe that they will flee over yonder to the rock-hewn city of Petra in the old country of Edom. However, we cannot be dogmatic because Scripture has not told that.
“And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” This is a very interesting passage of Scripture. It is a picture of the Lord Jesus coming back to the earth. We find this also in Revelation 19 where we are told that the armies of heaven will follow Him. Here it says that all the saints will come with Him. Let us look for a moment at Romans 11:25 which says, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” This is the time of the fullness of the Gentiles when all the nations come up against Jerusalem. Romans 11:26 reads: “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” That time has definitely not come. The Lord Jesus’ first coming doesn’t satisfy this, and the Jews’ present return to the land does not satisfy any of these Scriptures.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light [Zech. 14:6–7].
There will be changes in the lighting of the earth. We are moving through that period of dawn to the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom. This is, of course, a definite reference to the Day of the Lord, which is actually not a twenty-four-hour day.
We come now to a new section in which we find the establishment of Israel’s kingdom here upon the earth.
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be [Zech. 14:8].
“The former sea” is the Dead Sea, and “the hinder sea” is the Mediterranean Sea. In other words, this will be a spring that will gush up water, and I think it means literal water. Apparently, Jerusalem, which has been an inland city, will suddenly become a seagoing city, that is, a port town. If you want to find in this verse a suggestion of the spiritual Water of Life, I think that will be true also because Zechariah also tells us that the Law, the Word of God, will go out from Jerusalem in that day. But this is literal water that Zechariah is talking about here.
And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one [Zech. 14:9].
This is another very marvelous passage of Scripture. It refers to the Day of the Lord and to the fact that the Lord will be King—this is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, of course. In that day there will be one Lord and one language. I’d like to turn to Zephaniah 3:9 which reads: “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” I do not think that we can be definite about which language this will be. God put up language as a barrier to mankind. No wall could be built any higher than the wall of a language barrier. That was the way in which He was enabled to scatter mankind and then, down through the years, to prepare for the coming of a Savior. Today the gospel is going back into those languages throughout the world. This is another of the great signs which indicate that we are moving toward the end of the age. There will be one language in that day, and I am going to be glad of that. I don’t care what language it is, but everybody will speak that same language.
All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses [Zech. 14:10].
This is very important as we are now looking at what is really the finale—this brings us to the end.
“All the land shall be turned as a plain [the Arabah].” The Arabah is the geographical name of that deep rift that comes down from above the Sea of Galilee, through the Jordan Valley, through the Dead Sea, down into the Gulf of Aqaba, and on into North Africa. It has been called the Great Rift. It begins at the Dog River at the coast north of Beirut in Lebanon. Zechariah is saying that there will be another great valley that resembles the Arabah.
Zechariah says that this great valley will go all the way “from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem.” This indicates the hill country of the ancient tribe of Judah to the border of Simeon on the south. It goes all the way from up north where Geba is located in the tribe of Benjamin to Rimmon, which is thirty-three miles southwest of Jerusalem. That will be a tremendous valley. All of that rugged terrain that is around Jerusalem is going to be smoothed out, and, apparently, Jerusalem will be elevated—“and it shall be lifted up.”
“And it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses” One commentator years ago said that this could not be literal because nobody could find the tower of Hananeel. The interesting thing is that archaeologists have since located it, and this brother is going to have to come up with another interpretation!
And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited [Zech. 14:11].
This will be the first time in the history of Jerusalem that it will be a safe place to live. It is not so today, and it never has been. It is a very tender spot. The most sensitive spot in this universe is there. But when the Millennium has come, the Lord Jesus has come, His feet have touched the Mount of Olives, and these tremendous physical changes have taken place, then the people can dwell in Jerusalem safely. In other words, peace will have come to the earth for the first time.
And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth [Zech. 14:12].
“Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet.” This is a living death against the enemies of God that will take place. The Book of Revelation tells us that this will take place in the Great Tribulation Period.
“And their eyes shall consume away in their holes [sockets], and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” May I say, this is a terrible thing.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour [Zech. 14:13].
That the enemy will be able to take the city will largely be due to this tremendous revolution that apparently will be taking place in the city.
And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
and so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague [Zech. 14:14–15].
Jerusalem will become the commercial center of the world. We are told elsewhere in prophecy that, just as they brought great wealth out of Egypt in the days of Moses, they will bring great wealth into the land of Israel when they return—that is, when God returns them.
We come now to a description of the kingdom itself in contrast to the setting up of it. In the coming of Christ to the earth, He will put down all unrighteousness, all rebellion.
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles [Zech. 14:16].
This verse means that there will not only be a remnant of Israel saved, but also a remnant out of each nation of the Gentiles. And they will be the ones who enter the kingdom.
“Every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up [that is, face in] from year to year to worship the King.” They are going to face in to Jerusalem. There are great changes taking place at this time—not only physically, not only spiritually, not only economically, and in fact, in every area of life, but also the manner of witnessing for God will be different during the Millennium. Today we have been told, beginning at Jerusalem, to go to the ends of the earth (see Acts 1:8). Here we find that people from all nations are to go up to Jerusalem—that is what they did before the Lord Jesus came and died on the cross. But after His death and resurrection He said, “Go to the ends of the earth with this message.”
They shall “go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” The Feast of Tabernacles is the feast that the Israelites celebrated when they came out of Egypt. In that day, they will celebrate it because they have been brought from the ends of the earth back to Jerusalem.
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain [Zech. 14:17].
Someone will say, “I thought this was the Millennium!” It is, but the Millennium will be a time of testing those in this great multitude—a remnant, but a large remnant, I believe—who have turned to God. It is like being a church member—not all church members are Christians, by any means. Therefore, this period of the Millennium will be a time of testing.
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles [Zech. 14:18–19].
Egypt is used as an example.
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar [Zech. 14:20].
“In that day”—Zechariah will not let loose of this expression!
“In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.” Even a harness on a horse will be holiness unto the Lord. What does that mean? Everything will be for the service of God. The vessels in the tabernacle were called holy vessels. Why? They weren’t unusual. I have a notion that after forty years in the wilderness they were beaten and battered, and I think they looked like they had really had it. But they were holy because they were for the service of God. And everything in that day will be for the service of God.
“And the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.” Everything will be for the service of God then, but today we are living in a world where practically nothing is used for the service of God.
Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord Of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts [Zech. 14:21].
“Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts.” Just think of that! That skillet that you have, the pot for cooking beans or cabbage—in that day, all will be for the service of God. Everything will be dedicated to Him.
“And all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them.” Are they going to offer sacrifices in that day? We read also in Ezekiel that they will. Certainly these sacrifices will look back to the death of Christ just as the sacrifices before Christ looked forward to His coming.
“And in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.” This means that all the hypocrites are going to be removed. This means that every unbeliever will be removed, and there will be none in the service of God unless they belong to Him. This will be the Millennium, my friend. What a glorious picture this is! This is a great finale and climax for the prophecy of Zechariah.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Baron, David. The Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah. London, England: Hebrew Christian Testimony to Israel, 1918.
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Commentary: Zechariah. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
The Book of
Malachi
INTRODUCTION
Malachi brings down the curtain on the Old Testament. He is the last in a long succession of prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah. In fact, if we were to go back one thousand years before Malachi and then come down through the centuries, we would find that God was increasing the tempo of telling the people about the coming of the Messiah. And the last voice is that of this man Malachi. I like to think of him as a sort of radio announcer for the Lord. It is as if he were saying, “The next voice you hear will be John the Baptist four hundred years from now.” Well, four hundred years is a long time to wait for station identification!
Malachi is a very interesting person although we know nearly nothing about him. We will find that he has a wonderful sense of humor. I do not think you can be a prophet or a preacher without a sense of humor, and if you haven’t found humor in the Bible, my friend, you are not reading it aright.
We will also see that this man Malachi in a very definite way was a messenger. The name Malachi means “my messenger.” The Septuagint gives its meaning as “angel,” since angelos is the Greek word for “messenger.” An angel was a messenger and could be either human or supernatural. In fact, there were a few church fathers who actually thought that Malachi was a spiritual angel, that an angel wrote this book—but there are no grounds for this. At the opposite extreme we have the liberal school of higher criticism which claims that the book is actually anonymous. They argue that Malachi means just messenger that it is only a title and not a name at all. Surely our information of Malachi is as limited as it is regarding angels. If the book were anonymous, it would be the only book of prophecy to be so, and I do not think that Malachi would want to be the exception to the rule, especially since he was the last one to write.
There is a reason that we do not know very much about Malachi. He is a messenger, God’s messenger with a message, and frankly, we don’t need to know about the messenger. When the Western Union boy rings your doorbell at one o’clock in the morning with a very important message for you, you do not question him about his ancestors! He doesn’t tell you all about himself and his family. You’re not interested in the Western Union boy’s ancestors, and you don’t care whether or not they came over on The Mayflower—especially at one in the morning! The fact of the matter is that you don’t even get his name. The important thing is the message that he brings. Malachi was just a messenger, and the important thing is the content of his message.
We have this same method used by the Spirit of God in the Gospel of Mark where the Lord Jesus’ genealogy is not given at all. The reason is that each of the four Gospels presents Christ in a different way. Matthew Presents Him as the King. If He’s the King, He will have to be in the line of David, and that is the way the Gospel of Matthew opens: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David …” (Matt. 1:1). The important thing is that He is the Son of David because Matthew is presenting Him as the King. But when you come to the Gospel of Mark, which presents Him as the Servant of God, Mark is not concerned about giving His genealogy, and there’s none given. The important thing about a servant is whether or not he can get the job done. That is the thing you want to know about anyone who comes into the place of service for you. And Mark shows that the Lord Jesus could get the job done, and He did get it done. In the same way, it is the message, not the messenger, which is important in the prophecy of Malachi.
There is some difference of opinion about the time at which Malachi wrote. The date that I suggest is 397 b.c., which is probably a late date. It is the belief of conservative scholars today that Malachi prophesied in the last part of the fifth century. That would be near 397 b.c. but somewhat earlier than that. The important thing is that Malachi was the prophet at the time of Nehemiah as Haggai and Zechariah were the prophets at the time of Zerubbabel and Joshua. This man Malachi concluded the prophetic books as Nehemiah concluded the historical books of the Old Testament. He probably prophesied during the time of Nehemiah’s governorship or immediately afterwards.
As we have said, Malachi was a messenger, but the thing that is important is his message. He himself uses the term messenger three times, and he makes three tremendous and significant references to other messengers.
1. In Malachi 2:7 he refers to Levi as the messenger of the Lord: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” This suggests that every messenger, every witness, every teacher of the Word is an angel of the Lord, a messenger of the Lord. In the Book of Revelation where we have the messages addressed to the seven churches, it is expressed in this way: “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write …” (Rev. 2:1, italics mine). I believe that this means the messenger of the church—not a supernatural being, but just the human messenger—in other words, the pastor of the church. I was a pastor for a long time, and I rather like this idea of calling the pastor an angel. I’ve heard him called everything else, so I don’t know why we shouldn’t include “angel.”
2. Malachi also announced the coming of John the Baptist as “my messenger”—“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me …” (Mal. 3:1). John the Baptist was the Malachi of the New Testament and began where Malachi of the Old Testament left off.
3. The third reference to a messenger is to Christ as “the messenger of the covenant.” Again in Malachi 3:1 we read, “… and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” The angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is definitely the preincarnate Christ.
I want you to see something that makes Malachi one of my favorite books of the Bible (of course, I have sixty-five other favorite books in the Bible), and that is that Malachi has such a wonderful sense of humor. He had to have one in order to deal with the group he had to deal with in that day. He adopted a question-and-answer method. First, he would quote a declaration or an interrogation which God had made to Israel. Then he would give Israel’s answer which in every case was supercilious and sophisticated sarcasm. It was arrogant and haughty and presumptuous and even insulting. But, believe me, Malachi has some good answers from the Lord! And since they are the Lord’s answers, it is the Lord who has a sense of humor. I hope you enjoy this book because it is a great little book, by the way.
OUTLINE
I. The Love of God for Israel, Chapter 1:1–5
II. The Priests Reproved for Profanity, Chapters 1:6–2:9
III. The People Rebuked for Social Sins, Chapter 2:10–17
IV. The Prediction of the Two Messengers, Chapter 3:1–6
V. The People Rebuked for Religious Sins, Chapter 3:7–18
VI. The Prediction of the Day of the Lord and of the Sun of Righteousness Who Ushers It In, Chapter 4
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The love of God for Israel; the priests reproved for profanity
Malachi is going to deal with those same problems with which Nehemiah dealt, and this reveals that Malachi was speaking into that same day. The first problem is the defilement of the priesthood. The second is their foreign marriages and the divorce of their Israelite wives—believe me, God is going to come down hard on this. Many folk ask me to deal with the subject of divorce. Well, I take whatever comes up in the Word of God, and God will talk about divorce in Malachi. Then the third problem is that the people of Israel were neglecting their giving the tithe and the offering to God. You can be sure that you won’t like what God has to say about those who are kidding everybody about their giving to the Lord.
The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi [Mal. 1:1].
Malachi means “my messenger.” He is the Western Union boy who brings the last message from God to the people of Israel.
“The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel.” A “burden” is a judgment, a judgment from God, and it will be a very strong and rigorous rebuke that God will give to them.
Something else that we should note is that Malachi is addressing Israel, that is, all of the twelve tribes. It is obvious that the tribes of Israel didn’t really get lost. Although they seem to be “lost” to some people today, they never were lost. This message is “to Israel,” to all twelve of the tribes. There had returned to the land just a remnant from each tribe, very few from each one. But God addressed them and, very frankly, I think that Malachi’s message went out from here to the others who had not returned. The Book of Nehemiah reveals that there was communication back and forth. There were messengers, travelers, going back and forth between Israel and the place of captivity where they had been in slavery. We are going to see that, apparently, the message went out to all twelve of the tribes.
I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,
And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness [Mal. 1:2–3].
Malachi’s message starts out in this very marvelous, wonderful way: “I have loved you, saith the Lord.” Isn’t that a wonderful way to begin!
Now how do you think that these people are going to respond to that? Remember that they have returned to the land, and by the time of Nehemiah, although they are discouraged about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, there is a show of prosperity, and they are going through the form of worship in the rebuilt temple. They are going through the ritual of it, and on the surface everything looks good. But, oh, are they a sarcastic, supercilious, sophisticated, blasé group! God says to them, “I have loved you, saith the Lord.” And listen to them!—“Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?” Can you believe, that these people would have the audacity to speak to God like that? They say, “In what way have You loved us?” I’m not sure but what there are a great many today in the church who would raise that same question and say, “Look at the things that are happening to us today. How can you say that God loves us?” Well, God made it very clear to Israel from the very beginning that He loved them.
It is interesting that you go a long way into the Bible before you find God telling anybody that He loved them. But when you get to Deuteronomy (by that time you’ve come to Moses), you’re out in the wilderness and you’ve been out there for forty years, and it is going to be pretty hard to make anybody believe that God loves him. But listen to what Moses says in Deuteronomy 10:15: “Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them …” God simply had not been saying that to anyone. You go through the time of the Flood and afterwards, and God never told anybody that. God didn’t tell Abraham that He loved him, but He did, of course. The point is that God was in no hurry to let mankind know that He loved them. But He says here, “Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.”
Now God is prepared to prove what He has said, and His answer is this: “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” This is a tremendous statement that God makes to them. The people were questioning, they were doubting the love of God, and God reminds them of the origin of their nation. Jacob and Esau were twins. God made a difference between them at the very beginning (see Gen. 25:22–23), but it was about fifteen hundred years before He stated as He does here that He loved Jacob.
This presents a problem: Why should God say that He loved Jacob and hated Esau? A student came to the late Dr. Griffith Thomas with that question. “I have a problem,” he said. “Why does God say that He hated Esau?”
“Well, I have a problem with that verse, too,” Dr. Thomas replied. “But my problem is why God said that He loved Jacob. That’s the real problem.”
My friend, the real problem here is why God would say that He loved this people. But let’s understand one thing: God never said this until Jacob and Esau had become two great nations which had long histories. Therefore, God said that He loved Jacob because of the fact that He knew what was in Jacob’s heart. He knew that here was a man who had a desire for Him and that Esau did not have a desire for Him at all. But it had to be worked out in fifteen hundred years of history before God was prepared to make the kind of statement He makes here in Malachi. We need to understand that the difference here between loving and hating is simply that the life of the nation that came from Esau, which is Edom, and the life of the nation which came from Jacob, which is Israel, demonstrate that God was right when He said that He loved one and hated the other.
All this reveals something that we need to face up to today. We have majored so much on the love of God. Do you know that if God loves, God also hates—because you cannot love without hating? As someone has said, love and hate are very close together. If God loves the good, He has to hate the evil—it couldn’t be otherwise—and that is exactly what we find here. The histories of the nation of Israel and the nation of Edom are altogether different. God says that because of Esau’s life, because of the evil which was inherent in this man and which worked itself out into the nation of Edom, He is justified in making this statement.
Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.
And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel [Mal. 1:4–5].
What God is saying to them is this: “My action and conduct with these nations which came from Esau and Jacob reveal that I loved Jacob and that I hated Esau.” After God judged Edom, they never made a comeback. When was the last time you saw an Edomite? They are just not doing business today. They went out of style years ago. God judged Edom, and this action of His looks like loving and hating. And God says to Israel, “I demonstrated that I loved you.” At the beginning, He never made that statement because He had to wait until it worked itself out. This reveals, therefore, that God’s choice is neither capricious nor is it an arbitrary choice. God does not make choices like that. There has to be something to back it up. God had a real relationship with His people. He was the Father of the nation; He was their Lord, their God, and also their Judge. And He judged them most severely. In fact, it would seem that later on He judged Israel more severely than He judged Edom—but that was when they rejected the Messiah.
There is a great deal said today about “God is love.” It is an abstract statement to say that God is love. God doesn’t say to Israel that He is love. He says, “I have loved you and I have demonstrated it.” God was a long time telling the human family that He loved them, but He demonstrated it long before He said it. He demonstrated it from the very beginning, in the lives of Adam and Eve, from the time of the call of Abraham, and right down to the present.
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? [Mal. 1:6].
“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?” Now God was never Father to an individual Israelite. Even of both Moses and David, the best that was said was that they were servants of Jehovah—each was a servant of Jehovah. But God called the whole nation His son. Here He reminds them that He has this relationship with the nation.
“And if I be a master [that is, your Lord], where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?” They are greatly offended that God would say this about them. They say, “My, we’re such nice, wonderful little Sunday school boys and girls. We go to the temple, we go through the rituals, we are very faithful, and we are really the pillars of the whole nation of Israel. And then You dare ask us about despising Your name? How in the world are we despising Your name?”
Of course, you’ve got to go way back into “uncivilized” times to find children honoring their parents. The modern way and the civilized way is not to honor your parents. But back in that day they did, and so God uses that as the illustration: “A son will honor his father, and a servant his master, but you don’t honor Me.” This is something that should have gotten to them, but it didn’t get to them because they had a hard shell about them. They were a very arrogant and haughty and self-sufficient people. You couldn’t tell them anything. I am of the opinion that that is a picture not only of youth today but of all people. We accuse young people of not listening, but the older folk are not listening either—they, certainly are not listening to God at all. God said to Israel, “You despise My name.” And they act hurt; they act as if they really don’t know what He is talking about. Very frankly, had you been in Jerusalem in that day, you would have seen the crowds flocking into the temple. They were bringing their sacrifices. They were going through the ritual. They gave an outward show of being very religious. Their pious performance was very impressive. I am sure that most of us would have said, “This certainly is an alive group, and they’re certainly worshiping God.” To tell the truth, they were very far from God. Down underneath they actually despised His name.
Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible [Mal. 1:7].
How could they despise His name when they were going to the temple so regularly? God begins to lay it out for them: “Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar.” I think we should make it very clear that the bread refers to the offering that was made on the altar. It would be what we would call a meat offering, that is, it would be an animal sacrifice. God will make it clear in verse 8 that that is really what He is talking about.
God says that their sacrifice was polluted, but they wouldn’t acknowledge that. They ask the question, “Wherein have we polluted thee?” My, are they offended that God would dare say this to them because they are such lovely people! To pollute God, by the way, was a serious charge if it were true, but the people dismiss the charge with an indifferent nod of the head and a pretended ignorance. They act as if God doesn’t know what He is talking about.
Then God says to them, “In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.” They said that it was contemptible, and they despised it by the way they treated it and by the way they acted.
God is speaking to these people, the Jewish remnant which has returned to the land and has settled upon their lees. They are very happily situated now. They have been back for over one hundred years. The Captivity is now in the background, and things are prosperous in the land. They’ve become just a little self-sufficient. They have a temple now, and they are going through the ritual of it, but they actually are far from God. They have become insolent as they talk back to God as He says things to them. Maybe you will want to tune me out because what the Lord says now is really going to hurt.
And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 1:8].
“And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?” It is clear now that He is talking about animal sacrifices. God made it clear to Israel at the very beginning that nothing which was in any way maimed or defiled or any of that sort of thing was to be offered to Him. In other words, when you give secondhand clothing to the rescue mission, don’t put that down on your books, thinking you will get credit from God. Don’t misunderstand me—the mission can use the secondhand clothes, but you’re not giving sacrificially to God when you give that sort of thing. Listen to the instructions God had given to them: “But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted” (Lev. 22:20–23).
God was telling them that the offering they offered was really a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Any imperfect offering was an insult to the Lord Jesus Christ. In case they missed it in Leviticus, God interprets the law for them in Deuteronomy 15:21: “And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.”
Now what was happening in Malachi’s day was something like this: Imagine there is a man living up in the hill country of Ephraim who has prize cattle. He always gets the blue ribbon at the cattle show. But one day his prize bull becomes sick, and when he calls the veterinarian, the veterinarian says, “I don’t think he’s going to make it. I think he’ll die.” So the man says, “Well, let’s load him in the truck in a hurry and rush him down to the temple where I’ll offer him for a sacrifice.” When the man brings the bull to the temple, the priests can see that the old bull is sick, but they go through with it because this is a very prominent fellow who lives up in Ephraim, you see. But when the people see this prize, blue-ribbon bull being offered, they say, “Mr. So-and-so sure is a generous fellow. Look at what he is offering to the Lord!”
What do we do today that corresponds to that which was taking place in Israel in Malachi’s day? Remember that the apostle Paul described the men in the last days as “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof …” (2 Tim. 3:5). Men will be very pious. There is a great deal of pompous piousness that is demonstrated by many so-called Christians today. Paul describes them as “having a form of godliness!” You can pour oleomargarine into a butter mold, and it may look like butter, it may even smell like butter, but it is not butter. You probably have heard the story of the very stingy man who gave his wife a mink coat—at least, it was supposed to be a mink coat. No one could understand why this man would be so generous until one day when he and his wife went walking down the street. As they passed a rabbit hound, the coat jumped off his wife and started running! It just happened to be rabbit, you see—not mink.
We should recognize God’s rebuke here as a danger signal and as a red light for us. This is a message for folk who go to church—they listen, they are very orthodox, very fundamental, and they say amen. They know the language. They can quote any number of pious platitudes. They are satisfied with a tasteless morality. They go through a form of truth and all the shibboleths, and they are satisfied. But may I say to you, they actually despise God when they approach worship like that. It was Dr. G. Campbell Morgan who years ago made the statement, “I am more afraid of the profanity of the sanctuary than I am of the profanity of the street.” The profanity of the streets is bad enough, my friend.
You may protest, “But I’ve never brought a sick cow to God and offered Him that!” Will you notice what God says here in our verse: “Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.” In other words, try paying your taxes with that old sick cow! This is a good question: Do you pay more in taxes than you give to the Lord? I want to say very candidly, shame on you if you are paying more taxes than you are giving to the Lord. I believe that when the offering is taken in the average church, there is actually lots more profanity taking place there than down in the slums of the city where the drunkards are. Why? Because there is a great deal of put-on, of hypocrisy, taking place in the sanctuary today.
I know a very prominent businessman who lives in the East. He’s a man that I greatly respect, but I have suspected his generosity for many years. He likes to give, and he’ll give generously if you’ll put up a building with his name on it. When we obtained our new headquarters facilities some years ago, I had a suggestion or two from folk who would be glad to give if the building were named in their honor. We simply don’t do business that way at the “Thru the Bible” radio ministry. When you give to this ministry, you’re giving to get out the Word of God. You’re not giving to get your name engraved on anything. I realize that our policy causes many prominent, wealthy people to turn from us, but that is perfectly all right. The Lord is speaking to a whole lot of other folk, and I rejoice in that. I happen to know that this particular businessman has buildings named for him on two college campuses. He’s a big shot. When he gives, you can be sure it will be with the blowing of the horn, the blare of the trumpet, and the beating of the drum. The Lord Jesus told about the Pharisee who went down to the street corner to give to the poor, and he had somebody down there blowing a horn. Everybody said, “Oh, look at Pharisee So-and-so! Isn’t he generous? He’s down there on the corner, just giving money away to the poor!” One time this prominent businessman invited me out for an evening meal, and we had good fellowship. He’s a likable fellow. He has real charisma. Afterwards, he came with me to the church where I was preaching that night. The pastor of the church invited him up to the platform to lead in prayer. He’s a wealthy man, let me tell you, and so he was invited up there to lead in prayer. I saw with my own eyes that this man who had given the waitress a two-dollar tip for our dinner put only a one-dollar bill in the offering plate. I thought, My, he didn’t even tip God generously tonight!
When the One who was here nineteen hundred years ago sat by the treasury and watched how the people gave, I am sure that some of them thought, “What business has He to see how I give?” He happened to be the Lord Jesus Christ, and I’m not sure but that on Sunday morning He looks over your shoulder as you give. Are you giving what you give for a good meal when you eat out? Are you giving as generously to the Lord’s work as you do to other things where it makes a show? My friend, the old sick cow is still being taken to church today. That is the method that Israel used; and, believe me, the Lord didn’t let it pass.
This is burning sarcasm—listen to Him: “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.” I will say it again, and it is none of my business, but I’m just telling you what the Lord says. He is saying here in a very definite way that you cannot bring Him a sick cow. You don’t pay your taxes with a sick cow. Are you giving to the Lord as much or more than you are giving in taxes today? You may argue, “I have to pay my taxes.” Yes, you sure do, but what about your giving to the Lord? That is supposed to be on the basis of love. The Lord Jesus said. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). I do not think we are under the tithe today at all. It is interesting to note, however, that in the Mosaic Law there was more than one tithe; we know that there were two tithes, and many think that there were three tithes. That would mean that the people actually gave thirty percent of what they made to the Lord.
When the Lord Jesus looked over the treasury, He saw how the rich gave—and they gave large sums—but He didn’t commend them for it because they kept so much more for themselves. But He saw the poor widow—and those few little coppers which she dropped in there, compared to the wealth of the temple, very candidly, were nothing—she gave nothing! But the Lord Jesus took those copper coins, He kissed them into the gold of heaven, and He said that she gave more than anybody else.
I am amazed at how our Bible-teaching radio ministry is carried on. It is carried on by many widows who send in a dollar bill, and they always say, “It isn’t anything.” Maybe in comparison to our costs, it isn’t much, but when a whole lot of widows get together it sure makes an impression. It is the people who regularly send in the five-dollar and ten-dollar gifts that sustain this radio ministry.
The Israelites in Malachi’s day were being very clever. When an old cow got sick or a lamb broke his leg, they would patch it up and rush it off to the temple to offer it as a sacrifice to God. God says that He will not accept such a sacrifice. I wonder how many offerings are really made acceptable to God today? We are told that any offering we make to God is like the priest making an offering back in Old Testament times. Believers today are priests before God, and we are to give by grace, but grace does not mean that we give as little as we possibly can. I am afraid that we are actually seeing a sacrilege committed in the church every Sunday. Someone will say, “But a sacrilege means that somebody steals something in the church.” Yes, that is the meaning. The Israelites were guilty of sacrilege because their offerings really cost them nothing. They were valueless, though they may have been large. And, my friend, it is sacrilege to enter the church and put something into the offering plate when there is no blood or sacrifice on the gift.
Frankly, I think that it is sometimes wrong to give. Many people pay ten dollars to see a football or baseball game, and God says to them, “If you pay that kind of money for that and then come into My house and drop a one-dollar bill into the offering and think you have done something for Me, you are wrong. Why, you didn’t even give Me the kind of tip that you give to a waitress!” This is pretty strong language here, is it not?
And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 1:9].
Is it possible that these people could continue giving an outward show but not realize that in their hearts they are not right with God? Their hearts are polluted, and their offering, therefore, is polluted.
Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand [Mal. 1:10].
God says, “All this ritual that you are going through is absolutely meaningless. It is for nothing. It doesn’t profit.” But they continue on in it.
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 1:11].
Israel was bringing the name of God into disrepute by the way they were serving Him. They were not serving Him as they did in the days of Solomon, for instance, when the Queen of Sheba was greatly impressed with what she saw. At this time, the unsaved were not impressed because it was just a form and a ceremony.
God says that there is a day coming when His name will be great among the Gentiles. If you think that this has been fulfilled today, you’re entirely wrong. It will be fulfilled in the Millennium but not today. God’s name is not great among the nations today.
“And in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering.” “Incense” speaks of prayer. That “pure offering” is Christ.
“For my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.” God’s purpose in choosing Israel was that they might witness to the nations of the world.
But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible [Mal. 1:12].
The Gentiles profaned the name of God because of the lives and actions of God’s people whose hearts were polluted and whose ritual was contemptible.
Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord [Mal. 1:13].
“Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts.” In effect they were saying, “It makes us tired to go to church, to go through all of these things. Oh, what a weariness!” My friend, when the heart is not in the thing, it becomes weariness.
One morning my daughter and I were driving in the morning rush-hour traffic. At the time I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles. I couldn’t wait to get to the church that morning. I had broadcast tapes to make, and I was looking forward to it. I said to her, “Look at the faces of all these people in this big traffic jam. They are bored to tears, dreading to go to work. The worst thing in the world that I can think of is to be doing a job you hate to do. It makes the hours long, and there is no joy in it whatsoever. Going to church is just as boring to a great many people.” This is the reason we so often hear it asked, “What can we do to interest our people in the church?” Have you ever heard that discussed? Or, “What can we do to get people to come on Sunday nights?” Somebody will suggest, “Let’s serve a dinner. Let’s have a banquet. Or let’s have a little different service. Instead of all this boring Bible study, let’s have some special music, and let’s put on an entertaining program. We could have some sort of pageant.”
What is wrong, my friend, when people are saying that God is becoming boring to them? Why do you think that men ever adopted a ritual to begin with? Why do they wear robes and chant and burn incense and march around? They are tired of spiritual worship that’s it—and they need something to tickle the flesh. Somebody says, “But I love an orderly service.” I do too, but there is danger in loving order, and there is danger in loving a ritual.
I recognize that ritual has its place and that there are many fine folk who were brought up that way. When I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I knew a lovely couple who really loved the Word of God but who were members of a very formal, a very high church. He was actually enraged by the informality of the way in which I began the service. He and his wife would not come until we had completed the brief preliminaries of the service. He very frankly told me, “I just can’t stand that informality”—but he loved the Word of God, and so I forgave him for the other.
Way back in the stern days of our fathers, the Puritans, they would sit on log benches and listen to a sermon for two hours. Today there are people who will sit on bleachers for three hours out in the hot sun to watch a baseball game. There are folk who will sit out in the cold to watch a football game. And there are those who will sit for three hours listening to an opera, or for two hours watching a movie, or for four hours to see Hamlet. I find it thrilling to sit and listen to a Shakespearean play. When my wife and I were at Stratford-on-Avon and saw Richard III, I didn’t sit on the edge of my seat, but I sat back, relaxed, and thoroughly enjoyed it for three hours. My friend, why are you weary when your preacher speaks for one hour? I’m a long-winded preacher and always have been. I would speak for an hour, and do you know who complained about it? It wasn’t the average person; many people said they didn’t think it was too long. It was some of the leaders, the so-called spiritual leaders of the church, who complained. We love the ritual, and we love the form. We go to church, we stand up and sit down, and we sing the doxology loudly, but really where are our hearts? Do we do it because of a love for Him? Do we desire to worship Him? We sing, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small.” Is that a gift far too small? It sure is. Then why did you put just a dollar in the offering plate? If the whole realm of nature isn’t big enough for a gift to God, then what about that dollar bill which isn’t worth very much today?
It is so easy to get tired and weary in church work. Dwight L. Moody came home one time, and although he was very weary, he was going to another meeting without taking time out to rest. His family begged him to cancel it because he was so weary, but he said this, “I get tired in the work, but I never get tired of the work.”
But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen [Mal. 1:14].
“For I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful [to be reverenced] among the heathen.” His name is going to be reverenced someday, but it’s not reverenced even today.
One of the things that has brought God’s name into disrepute has been the ministry and those who represent Him here, the believers. I don’t question their salvation—and yet I’m afraid I do question the salvation of some. Have you ever noticed that God never called a real believer a hypocrite? But the Lord Jesus really laid it on the line when He was talking about the religious Pharisees of His day. Very frankly, He said terrible things about them. He called them “whited sepulchres.” Can you imagine that? That is an awful thing to call these people, but that is what He called them. And He likened them to a dish that on the outside is beautiful, but on the inside it hasn’t even been washed. It didn’t get into the dishwasher, and it is filled with all kinds of garbage. The Lord Jesus said, “That’s the hypocrite” (see Matt. 23:25–29). And that’s what these people were in Malachi’s day—they were merely going through a form of religion.
Let’s put it on the line today: Do you have religion, or do you have Christ? Are you real, or are you just going through the form of it? Do you wear your Christianity like a garment that you can take off and put aside at any time, and do you generally put it aside when you are not in church? Perhaps you assume a certain pious attitude and can quote pious platitudes, but how real is Christ to you?
The first thing that Israel did was to bring those old sick cows as sacrifices. Now they are saying, “Oh, this is boring! All these long services. Bible study certainly is boring.” I thank God that over a period of twenty-one years, we averaged fifteen hundred people for Bible study in our midweek service in downtown Los Angeles. I have always thanked God for that. But when someone would come and pat me on the back and tell me how wonderful it was, I would remind them of those great office buildings there in downtown Los Angeles. Each afternoon well over two hundred thousand people would empty out of those buildings to go home. Out of that number only about fifteen hundred would return on Thursday nights for Bible study. Our batting average was not really very good, was it? Most of the people who worked in those building, were church members, and probably they were all out to church on Easter Sunday. They could always make it to the ball game at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but they would find it impossible to get to the Sunday evening service. Today there is a great deal of religion, but very little real Christianity. A great many folk are just playing church. When I was a kid, we played store. I used to fill tin cans with dirt and sell them to the other kids in the neighborhood. My, I ran a store! Playing store never got anywhere, but it was a lot of fun. And there are a lot of adults having fun playing church today.
At the time that I was ordained into the ministry, the man who gave me the charge of entering the ministry said that there are three great sins of the ministry that I should avoid. Maybe I haven’t followed through as I should, but I have always remembered those three sins.
The number one sin of the ministry is laziness. Yes, that’s right. The reason we don’t have more expositors of the Word of God today is because it requires study to be an expositor. It is so easy for a pastor to get busy during the week. Shame on you, if you’re taking your preacher’s time during the week and not letting him study if he wants to study. Any church that has a man who is an expositor and wants to spend time in study should let him study. He needs that time, and he’ll have to have it if he’s going to be an expositor. He cannot be lazy and expect to be a real teacher of the Word of God.
One young fellow who was a student of mine at Biola became a pastor in California’s San Joaquin Valley. After he had been up there about three years, he came down and said he wanted to talk to me. We went to lunch, and I asked him, “What’s your problem?”
“I’m getting ready to get out of the ministry. I’ve run out of things to preach. I’m beginning simply to repeat myself, and people notice it.”
So I said, “How long do you take to prepare a sermon?”
“Well, I’ve preached all of yours that I have. And I’ve preached others. Generally, I prepare one in three hours.”
I told him, “Although my sermons may not look like it, I spent over twenty-four hours just preparing each sermon. I have never preached a sermon until I was ready to preach.”
Laziness is a great sin, and I don’t think that God excuses it. I dealt with a young fellow recently who wanted to go into the ministry, and at one time he had high hopes of going to seminary. Now he has the vain notion that he can become a preacher by just going out and letting the Holy Spirit teach him. My friend, the Holy Spirit has never yet taught a lazy preacher. He will only teach the one who is willing to go all the way in study.
Spiritual worship became wearisome to the people of Israel because they didn’t love the Word of God. You have to love the Word of God. This is one way in which the Bible is different from any other book. Any other book you must read before you love it, and you must understand it before you can love it. But, my friend, you must love the Word of God before you can understand it. The Spirit of God is not teaching lazy folk.
Then the second great sin of the ministry is an overweening ambition. This can manifest itself in several different ways. It’s a form of covetousness, of desiring fame, of wanting to be a big preacher, of wanting to preach to the crowd. This is a great sin in the ministry today: wanting to speak to crowds. I am convinced that the great preachers today are not in the big churches, and they are not always the ones getting the big crowds. I listened to a man some time ago preach a sermon, and I do not think there were a hundred people present. But it was a great sermon, an expository sermon. It just thrilled my heart to hear that young man preach. I asked him, “How long did you spend preparing that sermon?” He told me that he had been working on it all week. I suppose that boy put in over twenty hours getting up that message, and he’s willing to be a pastor to a small group of people. However, too many are eager to become great and to minister to a large church.
I heard the story of a preacher somewhere in Texas who came home and told his wife one day, “The next town over has a church which has asked me if I would consider a call to their church. It’s a larger town, a larger church, they pay a larger salary, and they are really lots better people over there. I’m going upstairs to pray about it and to see what the Lord wants me to do.”
She said, “I’ll go up and pray with you.”
“Oh, no,” he said, “you stay down here and start packing!” I am afraid that there are a great many in the ministry who are just like that.
The third great sin of the ministry is to be dull and boring, to be tedious and wearisome. The reason this happens, of course, is that a man does not stay enough in the Book. A man doesn’t have to have charisma—many do not—but there is no excuse for being apathetic, very prosaic, colorless, and lackluster.
I mentioned earlier that my wife and I went to see Richard III. Shakespeare was a great writer. I don’t think he just dashed it off, all of a sudden. We are told that he spent hours writing his plays. I listened to the two young men, one of them playing the part of Richard III and the other playing the one who was supposed to have been his friend but who finally dethroned him and put him in the Tower of London. Of course Shakespeare was a genius, but the thing that impressed me about the play above everything else was the way these young men enunciated, how clearly they spoke, and how they had worked on their lines. I watched purposefully because I had been in Shakespearean plays when I was very young. They didn’t miss a cue. There wasn’t one slip of the tongue. They went right through it. Do you know why? They had worked and worked and rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed. If the actor in the world can spend all that time preparing for a performance, why can’t we spend time preparing to give out the Word of God? Any preacher who goes into the pulpit unprepared despises the name of the Lord, and he is causing people to say, “Boy, the Bible is boring! And going to church is tiresome. Next Sunday I’ll do something interesting.” Being a dull preacher is another great sin of the ministry.
Verse 14 says, “But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing.” Here is something else people do: making vows to God and then not following through on them. We find it taught both in Leviticus and Proverbs that God does not want us telling Him something unless we mean it. If you promise to do something for God, you had better go through with it because God means business. He doesn’t ask you to make the vow—it is voluntary—but if you make that vow, be sure that you go through with it.
There were people in Israel who were making great protestations, saying, “It looks like we’re going to have a bumper crop this year. I am going to give the Lord not only a tenth, but I’m going to give some freewill offerings to Him.” But then when the harvest came in in abundance, they decided they would keep it for themselves. They decided they would not turn it over to the Lord after all. Instead, they offered to God the corrupt, the lame, and the sick.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The priests reproved for profanity and the people rebuked for social sins
In this chapter we come to another section, but it is still dealing with the priests. God is reproving the priests for their profanity. They were profane (fanus means “temple”); they were against the temple. Instead of serving God, they were opposed to God, disgracing God in the very service they were performing in the temple.
In the first chapter we saw that the priests were despising God’s name, and I mentioned the old sick cows which they presented as an offering to God. The real condemnation of that practice was not because they were giving a valueless thing to God and He was rebuking them because they were not giving as they should. A little later He will come to that and will ask the very pointed question, “Will a man rob God?” But here the emphasis is not upon the value of the offering but upon the character of the offering that was placed on the altar. In the Book of Leviticus we find that there are five great offerings mentioned, and each of them points to Jesus Christ. Each offering had to represent the One who was coming, and this One was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He was perfect, and the offering which represented and pointed to Him must be without blemish. The sweet savor and even the nonsweet savor offerings pointed to the Son of God. Now in the days of Malachi the priests were despising God’s name in that they were bringing to God an imperfect offering—an old sick cow! It was blasphemy to bring a diseased or crippled animal to the altar as a representation of the perfect One who was coming.
The same thing is being done in our day. A few years ago the very popular rock opera Jesus Christ, Superstar presented the Lord Jesus as an immoral, confused man. Well, the world cannot forget Him that’s for sure, but the world is not thinking rightly of Him. Those who represent Him in books and plays and even in the liberal pulpit are despising the name of God. We hear flippant expressions like “the devil made me do it.” Well, the devil didn’t make you do it; you did it because you have that old sinful nature. Another expression is “God will get you!” No, He won’t! Do you think God is running around paddling little boys and girls? Oh, my friend, let’s guard against misrepresenting God.
Our God is gracious, and He is to be held in reverence. He does judge sin and will judge sin in the future. He is called the awful God, that is, the awe-inspiring God. He is the reverend God. He is to be respected. He is to be worshiped. He is to be adored.
The other night I was listening to snatches of Bach’s music and was struck by the fact that it was nothing in the world but praise to God. We don’t have much of pure praise to God even today in our so-called fundamental churches. Our failure to praise God and our praise of men instead is another way in which we despise God’s name. This is a condemnation of our contemporary church.
Since all true believers are priests in the age in which we live, this prophecy of Malachi’s which is directed to priests has real meaning for us.
In chapter 1, verse 6, God addresses the priests and rebukes them for despising His name. Now in chapter 2, verse 1, He addresses them again—
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you [Mal. 2:1].
You see, He is still dealing with the priests.
If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart [Mal. 2:2].
They were not taking their office seriously. And God was going to judge them more severely than He would judge the people. Why? Because of their position of responsibility. They were permitting this sordid condition to exist. They were shutting their eyes to the fact that people were bringing lame and sick animals for sacrifice. God had given them the law of truth, and they were to teach it to their people.
Now I am going to make a very strong statement. I would rather be the worst sinner on this earth—even a gangster or a murderer—than to be a minister who goes into the pulpit with an unbelieving heart and gives only a few little pious platitudes to the congregation. God is certainly going to hold that man responsible.
Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it [Mal. 2:3].
“Behold, I will corrupt your seed.” Apparently God had been blessing the people, and they had been getting abundant harvests at this time. You will remember that the priests were to be given the tithe of the crops—wheat, barley, figs, grapes—a tenth was given to the Lord to support the priests. Now God says that He will corrupt the seed out there so that they wouldn’t be getting the tithe that they had been getting. Their affluent society was about done with.
“And [I will] spread dung upon your faces.” The interesting thing was that all the maw of the sacrificial animal was given to the priests, but the dung in the maw was rejected and taken away. It could never be left in the sacrificial animal. Therefore, when God says that He will spread dung upon the faces of the priests, it is as if He is saying that He is going to rub their noses in it. And when that happens, they will not be able to serve at His altar. Why? Because no unclean thing can come there, and they will certainly be unclean! This is strong language that God is using here.
And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity [Mal. 2:4–6].
This tells us the reason that God chose the tribe of Levi. If we look at Levi, the son of Jacob, we would never choose him because he had nothing to commend himself to God. And when old Jacob was dying, he called his twelve sons to stand around his bedside, and he gave a prophecy concerning each of them, which we find in Genesis 49. He combined Simeon and Levi into one prophecy: “Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self will they digged down a wall.” They felt justified in doing it because their sister had been raped, but they were murderers. Jacob’s prophecy continues: “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Gen. 49:5–7).
How was God going to scatter Levi in Israel? They would become the priestly tribe. They didn’t get any territory of the land but were scattered among the tribes. But how could they become the priestly tribe when Levi himself was such a rascal and a murderer? We need to follow along in history to see why God chose the tribe of Levi.
Centuries later, when the children of Israel went into idolatry and made the golden calf to worship, Moses called for the idolaters to be slain. It was the tribe of Levi who did according to the word of Moses. When Moses was about to die, he gathered the tribes around him. The twelve sons of Jacob had become more than a million people who were gathered around Moses. Now Moses gives a prophecy to each of the tribes, and this is his blessing on Levi: “… Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar” (Deut. 33:8–10).
Notice that although Levi himself was a brutal murderer, the tribe that came from him observed the Word of God; they kept His covenant. And God made them the priestly tribe to teach the people of Israel the law of God and to offer prayers and sacrifices before Him—those sacrifices pointed to Christ. Therefore, “Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again” (Deut. 33:11).
That is the covenant which God made with the tribe of Levi. He was to teach Israel, he was to serve at the place of prayer, the altar of incense, and he was to offer the burnt sacrifices which point to Christ. When we move forward in history to the time of Malachi and the remnant which had returned to the land of Israel after the Babylonian captivity, what is the tribe of Levi like now? Well, we have seen that he is willing to shut his eyes when a sick cow is brought as a sacrifice to God. He is despising the name of God, and he is disobeying God. Therefore, how can he teach God’s Word to the people? What a change has taken place! Even after the seventy-year captivity, Levi hasn’t learned the lesson. “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.” God is saying through Malachi that Levi previously feared Him, but now the tribe doesn’t. “The law of truth was in his mouth.” He had taught the truth of God. But these priests are not only failing to teach the truth of God, they also are breaking the commandments of God. He continues, “The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.” He had been a good example, you see, to the people. What a change has taken place.
There is a real application in this for us today. No one can serve God without a reverence for His name. That means that Christ must be lifted up before the people. If Christ is lifted up, He will draw men to Himself. He is lifted up by our witness, and that must be by our lives as well as by our words. Our example is just as important as what we say.
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts [Mal. 2:7].
The priests are to be messengers of the Lord of hosts. The word messenger, as I have pointed out before, is also translated “angel,” and in the Book of Revelation we find the Lord addressing the “angel” of the church of Ephesus, etc. To whom is He speaking? He is addressing the one who is the leader of the church, the one who is teaching the Word of God in the church.
Now let me sum this up by giving my interpretation of this—and you may not agree with it. I believe that the sole duty of the pastor of a church is to teach the Word of God. God have mercy on the church that expects its pastor to be the public relations man, running all over the countryside visiting sick babies and burping them, and expects him to spend his time in the administration of church affairs when he should be studying the Word of God and then teaching it to his people.
Once I had a telephone call from a man back East who was an officer in his church and was dissatisfied with his pastor. He said that his pastor spent his time studying instead of administering the affairs of the church. So I asked him, “Did you tell me that you are a deacon?”
“Yes.”
“Have you yourself been visiting the sick?”
“No, sir, I keep pretty busy.”
“Do you know that that is your business? You are to visit the sick. You are to take charge of the administration of the church. His business is to teach the Word of God. If he is not teaching the Word of God when he gets into the pulpit, that is another story. But if he is spending his time in studying and giving out God’s Word, then he is doing what God has called him to do.”
Remember that a situation like this confronted the apostles in the early church. The Hellenistic Jews were complaining that their widows were being neglected and preference was being given to the native-born widows. The matter was brought before the apostles, and they did a marvelous job of handling it. They told the church to appoint deacons to handle it. They said, “… It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables” (Acts 6:2).
Having completed my ministry in the church, I stand at a great vantage point today. I thank God that I have reached the place where I no longer have to burp babies and, although I have a little to do with administration, that is not how I spend my time. I am currently spending more time in the study of the Word than ever before, and I thank God for it. If I could relive my days as a pastor, I would spend more time studying the Word—some folk thought I spent too much time as it was. But I believe that studying the Word and teaching it is the pastor’s business.
God says that it was Levi’s business, but in Malachi’s day the priests were not doing it. Therefore, God says to the priests,
But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law [Mal. 2:8–9].
There was a time in our own land when ministers were listened to, but that day is past. God said this would happen when the ministry is not giving out His Word.
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? [Mal. 2:10].
“Have we not all one father?” There are some expositors who say that the “father” refers to Abraham since both Israel and Judah are mentioned in the verse that follows. However, I think that the next question makes it clear that Malachi is speaking about God as the Father: “Hath not one God created us?”
He also makes it clear in what way God is the Father. He is the Father by creation. But man lost that relationship. Adam was called the son of God, but after the Fall, he beg at a son in his own likeness—not in the likeness of God, but in the likeness of his own fallen nature. Therefore, when the nation Israel comes into view, we do not find God speaking specifically of any individual Israelite as His son. Rather, He speaks of the corporate body of the nation as a son. Never in the Old Testament does God refer to an individual as His son. Even of two men who were outstanding, Moses and David, it was “Moses my servant” and “David my servant.” Never does God say, “Moses my son” or “David my son.” Individuals become sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. God is the Father of mankind in the sense that He is the Creator.
This is something that has been greatly emphasized in our contemporary society, and I think properly so. On a telecast I heard a man, who was definitely an unsaved man, play up the fact that we are all human beings and that we ought to show respect and consideration for one another. Well, that is true. As far as he went, he was entirely accurate. You are a human being and I am a human being, and I should accord to you the same rights and privileges and respect that I would like to have for my self “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?” We all are the creation of God.
“Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” Now here they were, a chosen people, yet breaking God’s covenant and dealing treacherously one with the other. They were not right with God, and so they were not right with each other.
This is certainly true of man in our day. I personally have to say that there are a great many unsaved people that I wouldn’t trust. And, unfortunately, having been in the church most of my life, I have to say that there are a lot in the church whom I would not trust either. I have no confidence in them at all. Why? They deal treacherously. There is nothing that hurts the cause of Christ more than a church fight, conflicts in the church, and leaders who are at each other’s throats. Regardless of how evangelistic a church may be, its witness is nil when those conditions exist.
THE SINS OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god [Mal. 2:11].
He is very specific now: “Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem.” Now we know whom Malachi is talking about: “Judah” is the tribe of Judah, “Israel” includes all the twelve tribes, and “Jerusalem” is the capital.
“An abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem.” God is talking about how they profane the covenant of the fathers by dealing treacherously with one another. They are profaning the holiness of the Lord. God is holy, and God loves holiness. God doesn’t love sin; He hates sin. Now God will spell it out to them. He specifically tells them what He is talking about (see Gen. 6:1–7).
“And hath married the daughter of a strange [foreign] god.” The men saw the beautiful foreign girls who lived around them when they returned from the Captivity. So they were leaving their wives and marrying these foreign girls who served heathen, pagan deities, and brought idolatry into the nation.
We see this same thing all the way through the Word of God. I believe this is the situation in Genesis 6:1–7 where we are told that the sons of God were marrying the daughters of men. I certainly do not hold the view of some expositors that the “sons of God” were angels who were cohabiting with human women and producing some sort of monstrous offspring. Our Lord expressly said that angels do not marry (Matt. 22:30). Rather, this marks the beginning of the breaking down of the godly line of Seth as they intermarried with the ungodly line of Cain.
We see this happening again when the children of Israel were nearing the Promised Land. The king of Moab hired Balaam to curse Israel because the Moabites feared them. When God would not permit Balaam to curse them, he gave the king of Moab some very bad advice—bad for Israel. He said to let the daughters of Moab marry the sons of Israel. They did intermarry, and this brought the idolatry of Moab into Israel.
Again after the kingdom of Israel was divided, the idolatry of Phoenicia was introduced into the northern kingdom by the marriage of Ahab with Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, who was first an idolatrous priest, then king of Tyre and Sidon.
Now this was happening again in Malachi’s day. We learn from Nehemiah that there were all kinds of pagan people living around the returned remnant. A young Israelite would see some good-looking foreign girl and decide that he would like to have her for a wife. So he would get rid of his own Israelite wife and marry this pagan girl.
It is the same old story that is being reenacted in our day. I have been sounding a Warning here in Southern California since 1940, but the divorce rate keeps climbing. Nobody is paying any attention to me, but I’ll keep on saying that a believer and an unbeliever ought not to get married. Any girl or any boy who flies in the face of God’s very definite and specific instructions in this connection is just flirting with trouble. Believe me, problems will be coming their way. It cannot be otherwise.
The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts [Mal. 2:12].
“The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar.” It doesn’t make any difference who he is, he will suffer the same judgment. “And him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.” Neither will he escape if he goes through the temple ritual but continues to live in sin.
My friend, a true child of God will not continue to live in sin. That is the reason the prodigal son down there in the pigpen finally came to himself and said, “I will arise and go to my father …” (Luke 15:18). He was a son and not a pig. He had the nature of his father and could not continue to live as a pig.
I received a startling letter from a church, officer here in Southern California who asked for help because he “couldn’t give up the awful sin of adultery.” If he is a child of God, he will get out of the pigpen. Nothing but pigs love the pigpen and are satisfied to stay down there. A son will get out of it.
And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand [Mal. 2:13].
The wives of these men who were divorcing them and marrying foreign girls came to the altar weeping. They shed their tears upon the altar, and God said, “I heard them. Then later you came along very piously and placed your offering upon the same altar on which were the tears of your wives! I want you to know that I paid no attention to your offering.”
The church officer who wrote me the letter (to which I referred earlier) may be the treasurer of the church or the head deacon. I can assure him that God is paying no attention to his “good works.” In fact, it would be better if he stayed at home and kept out of sight. God makes it very clear that He “regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.” He knows your hypocrisy and will not accept your service.
Now the men in Malachi’s day, with feigned innocence and pretended ignorance, ask why—
Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant [Mal. 2:14].
“Yet ye say, Wherefore?” God is offensive even to suggest that He wouldn’t accept their offering. The thought is that they were saying, “Why wouldn’t He accept it? I brought a very nice fat lamb to offer.” When they ask the question, Malachi spells out the answer for them in neon lights so they cannot misunderstand Him—
“Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously.” You see, the Israelite married a Hebrew girl when he was a young man. But when he grew older and moved among the pagan and heathen about him he decided that he wanted to marry a pagan girl with whom he had gotten acquainted.
“Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.” His Hebrew wife was the one with whom he stood before the priest and covenanted to be faithful and true to her.
The next verse has always been a difficult passage to interpret, but it is my feeling that Dr. Charles Feinberg is accurate when in his book, The Minor Prophets, he says that the natural interpretation is that the prophet is speaking of divorce. And the reference is to the original institution of marriage by God Himself.
And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth [Mal. 2:15].
“And did not he make one?” goes back to the original creation of man and woman. Adam was a half and Eve was a half, and together they made one. This is evident when a child is born—he is part of both parents. The two are certainly one in the child.
“Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore [why] one? That he might seek a godly seed.” You see, she is to be like he is—spiritually as well as physically for the sake of the family. A home where there is divorce or where there is polygamy is not a fit place in which to raise children.
My friend, if you are a young lady, you ought not marry that young man unless he believes as you do because, actually, you are supposed to go his way. And you are going to find the going rough if you are a child of God and he is not.
If you are a young man or a young woman, let me say this to you. If you think that you can win your sweetheart to Christ, make sure that you do it before your marriage because that is when you have the greatest influence. I tell you, a young fellow in love will do almost anything to please the girl he wants to marry. But after marriage he will not be so anxious to please her. And, of course, that holds true for a young woman in love also. If you don’t win your sweetheart to Christ before marriage, you are in trouble, and I mean deep trouble.
“Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.” Malachi is warning them to watch what they are doing. God had specifically forbidden His people to intermarry with the heathen.
You may remember that Nehemiah, after he had built the walls of Jerusalem, had returned to his job as the king’s cupbearer down in the capital of Media-Persia. But after he had been there for awhile, he got a vacation and came back to Jerusalem. He found that old Tobiah, an Ammonite, an enemy of God, had been moved into an apartment in the temple! The high priest had made this arrangement for him because his son had married the daughter of Tobiah. Do you know what Nehemiah did about it? He went over there and pitched out all of Tobiah’s belongings, even the furniture, and told him to take off. You may think that is pretty rough and certainly not very polite. No, it wasn’t polite, but it sure did cleanse the temple! As a matter of fact, Nehemiah was pretty rough with his own people whom he found had intermarried with the pagans of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab. Nehemiah himself records his treatment of them: “And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, nor for yourselves” (Neh. 13:25). And he reminded them of the disaster which had come to their nation through intermarriage with the heathen. Oh, how we need laymen like Nehemiah in our day to stand for the Word of God!
For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously [Mal. 2:16].
In the Old Testament, when a man married a girl, he took his garment, his outer garment, and put it over her. This lovely custom was to signify that he was going to protect her.
This was the lovely thing which Boaz did to Ruth. Ruth was a widow and, according to the Mosaic Law, she had to claim Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer before he could act. He could not ask her to marry him; she had to claim him. So Naomi, acting like a regular matchmaker, sent Ruth down to the threshing floor. It was harvest time, and all the families were camped around the threshing floor. At night, to protect the grain, the men slept around it with their heads toward the heap of grain and their feet stuck out like spokes of a wheel. Ruth followed Naomi’s instructions and laid at the feet of Boaz. When he realized that someone was there and asked who it was, she replied, “… I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman” (Ruth 3:9). She was asking him to put his cloak over her, asking for his protection as her kinsmanredeemer—in other words, asking him to marry her. In marriage a man offers a woman his protection and his love. And she offers her devotion and her life to him. This is a beautiful picture of Christ’s relationship with believers.
In Malachi’s day the men of Israel were, dealing treacherously with their wives. They had covered them with their garments in marriage, but now they were covering their garment with violence. In other words, they had divorced their wives.
Notice that God says that He hates divorce—“the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away”
God’s ideal for man from the very beginning was that there should be no divorce. We know that, because Jesus said that Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of men’s hearts but that from the beginning it was not so. Then how was it at the beginning? “And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:20). To begin with, we learn that among all the creation of God that was beneath man, none could take the place of what God would create for Adam, that is, a wife. God had created all other creatures by twos. Neither could man find a mate from the angels which were created above man. So man was pretty much alone. God let Adam give names to all the animals so that Adam would discover for himself that he was alone and that he needed somebody there with him. Only half of him had really been created at the beginning. He needed somebody like he was and yet different from him. He needed one who was a help “meet” of fit for him. He needed someone to be fitted to him. He was just a half, and he needed the other half to be put there so that together they could be one. That was the thing God had in mind. God created Adam first and allowed him time to realize that he needed someone else.
I really get provoked when I hear people talk as if sex is something that is bad. of course, the sex act outside of marriage is wrong. But after all, who was it that thought of sex? God is the One who thought of it and made it. He is the One who designed man and woman. He had in mind a marvelous arrangement when He created the sexes.
“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof” (Gen. 2:21). Why did God do that? Why didn’t he take her from the ground as He had done with Adam? Because she was to be like Adam and yet different from him. She must come from man because man is not really a whole person. She was made from his side. This is not some foolish story. God wants to impress upon man that woman is part of man, that he is only half a man without a woman.
It has been said that God did not take Eve from Adam’s head so that she should be his superior. Neither did He take Eve from his foot to be his servant. He took Eve from Adam’s side to be his equal and to be his companion. She came from near his heart so that he would love her. She is to be his helper. Together they become one. One plus one equals one. That is God’s arithmetic, and that is accurate.
The Scripture knows nothing about this idea of either women’s lib or the other extreme, the inferiority of women. God put woman on a high plane. It is obvious to us already that the people in the days of Malachi had lost that vision. That is why God was reminding them, “When you sin against the wife of your youth, you are sinning against Me.” God protects the status of women.
“And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Gen. 2:22). She must have been a beautiful creation. God brought her and gave her unto the man. Certainly God made that marriage. The institution of marriage was made in heaven. God’s intention was for marriage to be a blessing. God blessed it, and He intended for it to work for man’s benefit.
“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:23). What is woman? Adam was ish, and woman is ishshah. She is the other side or other half of the male. We call them male and female. She is “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” She is called woman because she was taken out of man.
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). This excommunicates mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law. This removes them from the new family. I’m afraid a great many folk today do not get the light instruction about marriage. A marriage establishes a new creation. Papa and Mama are not a part of the new creation. The young couple has left them. And they, the man and wife, shall be one flesh.
“And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25). This was before sin had entered into the world. Neither one looked with lust upon the other because at that time they were innocent. They looked upon each other with tenderness and with love. There was a mutual respect. Each of them could truly say, “You are the one for me.” The creation of Eve made Adam a man, all man. The presence of Adam made Eve a woman, all woman.
Then sin entered into the world. It marred everything, including the relationship in marriage. When we get to the time of Moses and the Law, we find that divorce was permitted. This does not mean that it was God’s intention when He instituted marriage, but He permitted it, as Jesus said, because of the hardness of man’s heart. The Mosaic Law said this: “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house” (Deut. 24:1). “Uncleanness” in the bride infers that her husband found that she was not a virgin; then he could write her a bill of divorcement. She had deceived her husband by not being what she claimed to be. He had been “taken in” by her. Naturally, this would lead to trouble in the home, and lead to fighting later on.
By the time of the New Testament, the interpretation of “uncleanness” had become so broad that if a wife even burned the biscuits, that would be grounds for divorce. When Jesus was asked the question, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” the rabbis were teaching that a wife could be divorced upon the slightest whim, which was certainly contrary to the intent of the Mosaic Law.
There were other specifies in this Mosaic Law: “And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (Deut. 24:2–4). That would be progressive prostitution, and it would lead to the sort of thing we are seeing in our contemporary society, to people being married and divorced seven or eight times! To do that is absolutely to ridicule the marriage vow.
The problem that was prevalent in Israel at the time of Malachi is prevalent in our contemporary culture today. We have certainly changed our viewpoint on divorce in recent years in this country. I suppose that divorce is one of the most controversial subjects that any Bible teacher has to answer today because there is confusion as to what the Bible really says on that problem, and there is a great difference and wide diversion of interpretation. If I may use the colloquialism of the street—it is a hot potato. You cannot say that there are no grounds for divorce, although that was the unanimous decision of the church one hundred years ago—in spite of what the Word of God had to say.
The Lord Jesus made two things very clear on this subject of divorce: (1) Moses had permitted divorce because of the hardness of heart of the people; and (2) there is one clearcut basis for divorce—that is fornication, unfaithfulness on the part of either the man or the woman. Notice this record in Matthew’s Gospel: “The Pharisee also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matt. 19:3–5).
As I mentioned before, Jesus goes back to the beginning, to the time of creation, when God instituted marriage. “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so” (Matt. 19:6–8).
Then He sets down the one reason for which divorce is allowed: “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:9).
It is quite interesting how the disciples followed up that statement with a question: “His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry” (Matt. 19:10). In other words, “If it is really that strict, if there is one and only one reason for divorce, then it would be better not to get married at all.”
Then our Lord explained the liberty that we have: “But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which, were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it” (Matt. 19:11–12). It is not necessary for everyone to get married. There are some men and some women who do not need to marry. By no means is it a sin to be single. Some folk simply do not need to get married—they are eunuchs from birth. Others are made eunuchs by man, such as Daniel in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. It was forced upon them and served the purpose of making captives more docile toward the king, and it also enabled them to devote more time to their studies. Then there are eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. There are men who have kept themselves eunuchs in order to serve the cause of Christ and the cause of the church. It is wonderful if a man or a woman feels able to do that. I have known several preachers who have never married. I thought I would do the same in my ministry and decided that I would be an old bachelor all my life. But I soon learned that bachelorhood wasn’t for me. This is an area in which God has given us great liberty. But the important thing is this: Christ said that if you do choose to get married, it is a lifelong commitment. The only ground for divorce is fornication by your mate.
In the days of the early church this matter of fornication arose in the Corinthian church. People of different religious backgrounds were in the church, and there were couples who had married when they were pagans, then one of the spouses became a Christian. What should be their relationship after one of them became converted? Paul addresses himself to this new situation: “And unto the married I comsmand, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife” (1 Cor. 7:10–11). If a couple had been married when they were pagans and now one is converted to Christianity, the Christian is not to walk out on the marriage. If the believer departs, he is to remain unmarried or else be reconciled again.
“But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace” (1 Cor. 7:12–15). Although Jesus said that fornication was the only cause for divorce, the pagan member of a marriage may want to walk out on the marriage. After the partner becomes a believer, the pagan party may say, “I don’t like this arrangement. Things are different now from when I married you. I’m going to leave.” In such a case Paul says to let the unbeliever go. Whether the unbeliever goes out and gets married again or not, in this situation I assume it would mean that the believing husband or wife would be free to marry again.
When Paul said, “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases,” what is the bondage? It is the marriage vows.
When he says, “God hath called us to peace,” I believe he is saying that God does not ask any man or woman to live in a hell at home. Never. If they find that they cannot get along together, that they fight like cats and dogs, I think that they ought to separate. On several occasions I have advised couples to separate—but neither of them is to remarry. Their problem is not divorce, it is marriage. They should not have married in the first place. God has called us to peace; therefore the home is not to be a boxing ring. It is not a place for karate; it is a place for love.
A home of love is God’s ideal for man. From the beginning God did not intend to have divorce, but, because of man’s sin, He permitted it. You may say, “Well, divorce is sinful.” Sure it is, and so is murder. But a murderer can be saved. In fact, one was dying on a cross next to Jesus, and he got saved. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He died for all sins. The thief on the cross was both a thief and a murderer, and his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His shed blood saved him. A thief can be saved, and a divorced person can be saved, too. So let’s not put divorce in a special category all by itself. If an unsaved person has been a thief and then repents and gets saved by coming to Jesus Christ, he is forgiven for his thievery. We would permit such a man to get married. We would do the same for a murderer. Then let us be fair about divorce. There are people who get divorced before they are saved. When they come to the Lord Jesus Christ, they are forgiven for that sin. I think such a person is free to marry again, and I feel that this is implied in the Scriptures.
Now as an addendum to this important section on marriage and divorce, I would like to look at it from a little different viewpoint by including a message which I have entitled The Best Love (which is also available in booklet form).
THE BEST LOVE
There is an obsession with sex today that is positively frightening and absolutely alarming! You need only consult contemporary literature to recognize this. In a leading British paper some time ago, this statement was made: “Popular morality is now a wasteland, littered with the debris of broken convictions.” And it was Judge Barron of the Superior Court of Massachusetts who said, “At too many colleges today, sexual promiscuity among students is a dangerous and growing evil.” The Billy Graham paper, Decision, had an editorial (I suppose it was way back in 1964) on the church and the moral crisis in which there is this quotation: “So our young people go riding down the highroad to hell in an atmosphere that would make any self-respecting animal sick to its stomach, and no one thinks that matters are as bad as they seem.” That is a tremendous statement. An outstanding Christian writer in America says, “But where are the compelling external cries to match the inner voices of the soul which at times murmur darkly and other times shout clamorously that all is not well, that wayward feet are treading the way of wrath, the path of judgment?” Then he goes on to say, “The answer is not simply in passing more laws. It is to be found in regeneration by His Spirit, who alone can set men’s souls on fire with a divinely sent thirst for greater purity, both for the individual and for the body politic. Apart from such spiritual burning and purging, men sink beneath the weight and corruption of their own sin.” These quotations go back to about 1965. But there are other voices being lifted in alarm.
Yet all about us are the advocates of this erotic cult that falsely claim that all of this emphasis on sex is a signal of a new, broadminded and enlightened era. The facts are that there is nothing new about it. Furthermore, it does not mark the entrance upon abundant living. On the contrary, it has characterized the demise of all decadent and decaying civilizations—Egypt, Babylon, Greece, and Rome to name but a few. The sex symbol marks the decline and fall of many a great and noble people. It is part of the death rattle of a fading nation. The French Revolution marked the departure of the glory of France, and it was during that time that a prostitute was placed on an altar and worshiped.
The excuse for paying this abnormal attention to the subject, given by these purveyors of filth and licentiousness, is that a blue-nosed generation of the past put the lid down on it. The false charge is made that the Bible and the church have frowned upon the subject of sex until it is taboo today and can only be whispered of in secret. They go on to place the blame for present-day marriage failures and the increase in divorce on the gross ignorance of young people. “If only they knew more about this fascinating subject,” they counsel, “there would be success in marriage.” It is true that the Puritans were blue-nosed, and they probably were a little extreme. I would certainly agree with that, and I would not want to go back to that period. But the tragedy of it is that this present generation hasn’t found the solution either. After all, the Bible doesn’t go with either crowd. I do not think that the Puritans had a Bible basis for their beliefs in this area. Who was it that thought of sex? This crowd in Hollywood thinks they originated it. God is the One who started all of this, my friend, and He wanted it put on a holy basis.
This modern crowd also plays upon the fact that we Americans do not like censorship, and therefore they should be free to say and publish what they choose. Well, these modern Pied Pipers of Hamelin are leading the younger generation into a moral morass of debauchery with dirty sex books and pornographic literature. They give the impression that you must be knowledgeable of this lascivious and salacious propaganda in order to be sophisticated and suave and sharp. The bible of this group is Playboy magazine. These filthy dreamers have flooded the marketplace and the schoolroom today with this smut and depravity—so much so that a modern father said, “It is not how much shall I tell my son, but how much does he know that I don’t know!” In spite of all this new emphasis on sex, the divorce courts continue to grind out their monotonous story of the tragedy of modern marriage in ever increasing numbers.
Now a knowledge of the physical may have its place in preparation for a happy marriage, but it is inadequate per se to make a happy home, and it gives a perverted and abnormal emphasis which does not belong there. As Dan Bennett said, “One of the troubles with the world is that people mistake sex for love, money for brains, and transistor radios for civilization.” That is the problem of the hour.
The Word of God treats the subject of sex with boldness, frankness, and directness. It is not handled as a dirty subject, and it is not taboo nor theoretical, but it is plain and theological. The Bible is straightforward, and it deals with it in high and lofty language. This is the reason we are spending time on this subject here in Malachi. God lays it on the line to these people that this is part of the reason they went into captivity, and it is part of the reason they have been scattered. I think it is time that God is heard. I feel that the pulpit is long overdue in presenting what God has to say on this subject, but it should be kept on the right plane.
In the very beginning it was God who created them male and female. It was God who brought the woman to the man. And I would like to add this: He did not need to give Adam a lecture on the birds and bees. God blessed them, and marriage became sacred and holy and pure. And, my friend, it is the only relationship among men and women that God does bless down here—He promises to bless no other. He says that if marriage is made according to His plan, He will bless it, and there will be happiness.
God wants His children to be happily married. He has a plan and purpose for every one of us if we would only listen to Him. The Lord Jesus says to the church at Ephesus, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4). Yet the church in Ephesus is the church at its best. The church has never been on a higher spiritual level since then. It is difficult for us in this cold day of apostasy to conceive of the lofty plane to which the Holy Spirit had brought the early church in its personal relationship to Christ. The believers in the early church were in love with Christ. They loved Him! And five million of them sealed that love with their own blood by dying as martyrs for Him.
I would like to make a couple of changes in the translation of Revelation 2:4. The word for “first love” is protan in the Greek. It means actually the “best.” It is the same word our Lord used in the parable of the prodigal son where the father put on the son the protan robe—that is, the “best” robe. And to the Ephesian believers Christ is talking about the best love. To this church on its high plane, into which a coolness was creeping, Christ says, “Nevertheless I have against thee that thou art leaving [not had left] the best love.”
Salvation is a love affair. The question that the Lord asks all of us is, “Do you love Me?” He is not asking, “Are you going to be faithful?” or, “Are you going to the mission field?” He is not asking “How much are you going to give?” or, “How much are you going to do?” He is asking “Do you love Me?” Then He will tell you that you are to obey Him and that there will be something for you to do. The apostle John put it like this: “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). The second book I ever wrote was on the little Book of Ruth. My reason for writing it was to show that redemption is a romance. God took the lives of two ordinary people, a very strong and virile man and a very beautiful and noble woman, and He told their love story. In that story God revealed to man His great love for him. It was a way to get this amazing fact through to us: Salvation is a love affair.
In Christ’s last letter to the Ephesian church in the Book of the Revelation, He sounds a warning. We do not quite understand this. But I go back thirty or forty years to His first letter to these believers, written through Paul. We call it the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians. In this epistle He discussed this matter of marital love and compared it to the love of Christ for the church. This has been one of the most misunderstood passages in the Word of God. Listen: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Eph. 5:22). There has been natural resentment against this on the part of some, especially very dominant women, for many years. And the women’s liberation movement would oppose it. But to resent this is to miss the meaning that is here. Submission is actually for the purpose of headship in the home. It is not a question of one lording it over the other; it is headship for the purpose of bringing order into the home.
But in addition to this it reveals something else that is quite wonderful. He says, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Eph. 5:23). The analogy, you see, is to Christ and the church. Christian marriage down here, if it is made under the Lord, is a miniature of the relationship of Christ and the church. Christian marriage is an adumbration of that wonderful relationship between Christ and the believer. Christian marriage and the relationship of Christ and the church are sacred.
Now will you listen to me very carefully. The physical act of marriage is sacred. It is a religious ritual. It is a sacrament. I do not mean a sacrament made by a church, nor is it made by a man-made ceremony. But it is a sacrament that is made by God Himself, one which He sanctifies, and He says that this relationship is to reveal to you the love of Christ for your soul. Therefore, the woman is to see in a man one to whom she can yield herself in glorious abandonment. She can give herself wholly and completely and find perfect fulfillment and satisfaction in this man, because this is the man for her.
She delights in her husband, in his person, his character, his affection; to her he is not only the chief and foremost of mankind, but in her eyes he is all in all. Her heart’s love belongs to him, and to him only. He is her little world, her Paradise, her choice treasure. She is glad to sink her individuality in his. She seeks no renown for herself; his honor is reflected upon her, and she rejoices in it. She will defend his name with her dying breath; safe enough is he where she can speak of him. His smiling gratitude is all the reward she seeks. Even in her dress she thinks of him and considers nothing beautiful which is distasteful to him. He has many objects in life, some of which she does not quite understand; but she believes in them all, and anything she can do to promote them she delights to perform …. Such a wife, as a true spouse, realizes the model marriage relation and sets forth what our oneness with the Lord ought to be (Richard Ellsworth Day, The Shadow of the Broad Brim, p. 104).
My beloved, that is a marvelous picture of the wife in a real Christian marriage. The man is to see in the woman one he can worship. Someone says, “Do you mean worship?” I mean exactly that. What does worship mean? You will find that worship is respect that is paid to worth. If you go back and read the old marriage ceremonies, you will find that the bridegroom always said, “I with my body worship you.” That is, he sees in her everything that is worthwhile. He must love her so much that he is willing to die for her.
Now the Bible is very expressive, and I do not know why we should be so reluctant to speak as plainly. If you turn back to the Song of Solomon, you will see the picture of the bridegroom and what he thinks of his bride: “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee …. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters” (Song 4:7, 2:2). That is rather expressive, is it not? That is what the bridegroom says. Now hear the words of the bride: “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies” (Song 2:16). You do not go any higher than that! In that moment of supreme and sweet ecstasy, either the wife will carry him to the skies or plunge him down to the depths of hell. Either the husband will place her on a pedestal and say, “I worship you because I find no spot in you,” or else he will treat her with brutality. When the latter happens, he will kill her love, and she will hate him and become cold and frigid. In counseling we find that this is one reason that a great many marriages are breaking up.
Bacteriologist Rene Dubos of the Rockefeller Institute has made this statement, “Aimlessness and lack of fulfillment constitute the most common cause of organic and mental disease in the Western world.” This is breaking up many a marriage. A wife becomes dissatisfied and frustrated. She becomes nervous, neurotic, and nagging. And the husband settles down to a life of mediocrity. He becomes lonely and either develops into a henpecked Mr. Milquetoast or a domineering brute. You will find both in our society.
Now let me ask a question, and this is rather personal: Are you the kind of woman that a man would die for? I am going to be very frank. If you are just one of these little beetle-brains who is merely a sex kitten making eyes at every boy that comes along, although you may have a hairdo like a Navy balloon that is ready to make an ascension on the poop deck of a destroyer, you will never be the kind of woman that a man would die for. If you do not have beauty of character, if you do not have nobility of soul, you will be but a flame without heat, a rainbow without color, and a flower without perfume. The Word of God deals with that outward adorning—and do not misunderstand, the Bible does not militate against it. All of us ought to look the best we can—some of us have our problems, but we should do the best we can with what we have. God intends us to enhance the beauty He has given us. There is no reason for any woman not to dress in style. But God puts the emphasis, not on the outward adorning, but on the meek and quiet spirit, the inward adorning, which is with God of great price. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Pet. 3:3–4).
Now, young man, are you the kind of man that a woman would follow to the ends of the earth? You may look like a model for Hart, Schaffner and Marx but have no purpose, no ambition, no heart for serving God as a Christian, no capacity for great and deep things, no vision at all. If you are that kind, a woman will not follow you very far. She may go with you down to get the marriage license, but she also will be going down to get the divorce later on.
All across our West there are monuments erected to the pioneer wife and mother. I noticed one as I was traveling through Colorado. She is a fine-looking woman, crowned with a sunbonnet, the children about her holding on to her long, flowing dress. You know she did not go to the psychiatrist or the marriage counselor. Do you know why she never had to go to the preacher to talk about her marriage breaking up? Because one day a man came to her and said, “I am going West to build a career and home. Will you follow me?” She said, “I will.” And she learned that this man would stand between her and danger; she had many experiences when he protected her from the menacing Indians of that day. She had no problems about whether he loved her or not. And he did not doubt her loyalty. They loved each other. These are the kind of people who built our country. It is the other element that is tearing it to pieces—my lovely country—how I hate to see it happening.
I know that someone is saying right now, “Preacher, I am not that kind of person. I’m no hero.” Young man, God never said that every girl would fall in love with you. Ninety-nine women may pass you by and see in you only the boy next door who uses that greasy kid stuff. That’s all. But let me say to you very seriously, one of these days there will come by a woman who will see in you the knight in shining armor. It is God who gives that highly charged chemistry between a certain man and a certain woman.
A young woman may be saying, “But I’m not beautiful of face or figure.” May I say this to you, God never said that you would attract every male—only animals do that. Ninety-nine men will pass you by and see in you no more than what Kipling described as “a rag, a bone and a hank of hair.” But one of these days there will come by a man who will love you if you are the right kind of person. You will become his inspiration. You may inspire him to greatness—to write a book, to compose a masterpiece of poetry or music, to paint a picture, or even to preach a sermon. If you are his inspiration, do not ignore him, do not run from him. God may have sent you together for that very purpose. There will come that one.
Perhaps you are thinking, “Preacher, you are in the realm of theory. What you are talking about is idealistic. It sounds good in a storybook, but it does not happen in life.” You are wrong. It does happen.
I think of the story of Matthew Henry. I’m sitting right now in my office looking at a set of books called Matthew Henry’s Commentary. If anyone ever wrote a musty commentary, Matthew Henry did. Although a great work, it is to me the most boring thing I have ever read. I never knew that fellow was romantic at any time in his life. But when he came to London as a young man, he met a very wealthy girl of the nobility. He fell in love with her, and she loved him. Finally she went to her father to tell him about it. The father, trying to discourage her, said, “Why, that young man has no background. You do not even know where he came from!” She answered, “You are right. I do not know where he came from, but I know where he is going, and I want to go with him.” She went.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was merely a clerk that anybody would have passed by, working at the customs in New York City—until he was fired for inefficiency. He came home and sank into a chair, discouraged and defeated. His wife came behind him, placed before him pen and paper, and putting her arm about him, said, “Now, Nathaniel, you can do what you always wanted to do—you can write.” He wrote The House of Seven Gables, The Scarlet Letter, and other enduring literature—because a wife was his inspiration. Theirs was an eternal love. “In one of her last letters the widow of Nathaniel Hawthorne penned this ineradicable hope, which became an anchor of comfort in her soul’s sorrow: ‘I have an eternity, thank God, in which to know him more and more, or I should die in despair’” (Walter A. Maier, For Better Not For Worse, p. 556).
You say I am talking about theory? I am talking about fact. Let us go back to the very beginning. Consider Adam and Eve. That was a romance! Listen to this: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. [She is the other part of you. She’s you.] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh” (Eph. 5:28–31).
Eve was created to be a helpmeet—a help that fit—for Adam. The language is tremendous. She was taken from his side, not molded from the ground as were the animals, but taken from a part of him so that he actually was incomplete until they were together. God fashioned her the loveliest thing in His creation, and He brought her to Adam. She was a helpmeet; she compensated for what he lacked, for he was not complete in himself. She was made for him, and they became one.
“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:23–24).
Let me move down in history. I want to take a story that always has thrilled me. It is the story of Abelard and Heloise. When John Lord wrote his Great Women, he used Heloise as the example of love, marital love. The story concerns a young ecclesiastic by the name of Abelard. He was a brilliant young teacher and preacher in what became the University of Paris. The canon there had a niece by the name of Heloise whom he sent to be under Abelard’s instruction. She was a remarkable woman; he was a remarkable man. You know the story—they fell madly in love. But according to the awful practice of that day—and this day as well—the marriage of a priest was deemed a lasting disgrace. When John Lord wrote their story, he gave this introduction, which I would like to share with you. It is almost too beautiful to read in this day. It is like a dew-drenched breeze blowing from a flower-strewn mountain meadow over the slop bucket and pigsty of our contemporary literature. Here is what he wrote:
When Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, they yet found one flower, wherever they wandered, blooming in perpetual beauty. This flower represents a great certitude, without which few would be happy,—subtle, mysterious, inexplicable,—a great boon recognized alike by poets and moralists, Pagan and Christian; yea, identified not only with happiness, but human existence, and pertaining to the soul in its highest aspirations. Allied with the transient and the mortal, even with the weak and corrupt, it is yet immortal in its nature and lofty in its aims,—at once a passion, a sentiment, and an inspiration.
To attempt to describe woman without this element of our complex nature, which constitutes her peculiar fascination, is like trying to act the tragedy of Hamlet without Hamlet himself,—an absurdity; a picture without a central figure, a novel without a heroine, a religion without a sacrifice. My subject is not without its difficulties. The passion or sentiment is degrading when perverted, it is exalting when pure. Yet it is not vice I would paint, but virtue; not weakness, but strength; not the transient, but the permanent; not the mortal, but the immortal,—all that is ennobling in the aspiring soul [John Lord, Beacon Lights of History, pp. 23–24].
Abelard and Heloise, having fallen in love, were not permitted by the church to marry. Therefore, they were married secretly by a friend of Abelard. He continued to teach. But the secret came out when a servant betrayed them, and she was forced into a nunnery. She was never permitted to visit him, and he was never permitted to visit her. Abelard was probably the boldest thinker whom the Middle Ages produced. At the beginning of the twelfth century, he began to preach and teach that the Word of God was man’s authority, not the church. This man, a great man, became bitter and sarcastic in his teaching because of what had been denied him. When he was on his deathbed, for he died a great while before Heloise, being twenty years her senior, he asked that she be permitted to come to see him. The church did the cruelest thing of all—they would not allow her to come. Therefore he penned her a letter. To me it is the most pathetic thing I have ever read. He concludes it with this prayer:
When it pleased Thee O Lord, and as it pleased Thee, Thou didst join us, and Thou didst separate us. Now what Thou hast so mercifully begun, mercifully complete; and after separating us in this world, join us together eternally in heaven.
It is my personal belief that in God’s heaven they are together.
This brings us to a tremendous verse. Malachi has concluded the section on social sins which relate to the family and divorce. They were sins which were like a cancer gnawing at the vitals of the nation. And they will destroy any nation—ours will not be an exception, I am sure.
Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? [Mal. 2:17].
“Ye have wearied the Lord with your words.” I can’t help but laugh at that. God says, “I’m so tired of those long, pious prayers that you say. And I am so tired of your testimonies. You really make Me weary.” You remember that back in the first chapter they had said of their perfunctory service to God, “Behold, what a weariness is it.” God says, “You don’t know the half of it. You bore Me to tears by your hypocritical service.”
“Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?” We see again the feigned injured innocence of these people. They are offended that God would dare say this of them—they are entirely ignorant of their sins. They ask, “In what way have we wearied Him?”
Note that this is the fifth sarcastic question of the people to God’s charge of their phony and pseudo worship. Contemptuously and impudently, they contradict God—“In what way have we wearied Him?”
Well, God has an answer for them. He lays it on the line and tells it to them like it is: “When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment [justice]?” They are maligning the character of God.
This is a philosophy that arises rather frequently in the history of mankind. Man says, “Look, I see men who are big sinners and yet they are prosperous. They don’t seem to have problems or trouble like I have—yet I am trying to serve the Lord. Why does God permit that sort of thing?”
The psalmist expresses this same complaint. He saw folk about him who were getting by with evil and not serving God at all. Yet they were the ones who seemed to prosper the most. He wrote: “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Ps. 73:2–3). As he looked around, he saw the rascals getting richer and richer while the poor got poorer and poorer. And the poor saints of God were the ones who were not prospering at all.
This was exactly the complaint of the people in Malachi’s day. And that attitude produces very quickly a “new morality.” When they feel that “every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord,” they begin to call evil good and good evil. It pays to do evil.
We have much the same attitude in our day. Most people would say that crime does pay. People get by with as much as they possibly can. This applies to the big corporations as well as to the average man. The government spends our money without any kind of responsibility to the people. The lackadaisical attitude in Washington is one of the real problems in the world today. The politicians try to curry favor with the rich and please the powerful. The little man is stepped on, and nobody cares. Why doesn’t God do something about it?
The psalmist got his answer to this problem because he went to God. “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end” (Ps. 73:17). You see, he had been looking at the immediate present. But how about the far-off future? What about their eternal state? From where you and I stand, their little day is ancient history, but way back then they made their decision for eternity. And for our generation time is slipping through the shuttle fast, let me tell you. So what about the godless today? Well, they can build a “new morality,” they can accumulate as much money as they can, but those who do evil today will face the Judge tomorrow. They are going to have to answer to Him. We need to be very careful about sitting in judgment upon the apparent inaction of God in our contemporary society.
This reminds me of an incident when two of us seminary students were traveling together and picked up a hitchhiker who reeked of alcohol. He smelled like a still that had just come out of the Kentucky hills. He apologized for it and said that he knew he shouldn’t drink. We witnessed to him of Christ, and my friend said something that was startling to me at that time, but I certainly concur with it now. He said to him, “We’re not condemning you for getting drunk. You are a lost man on the way to hell; so you had better squeeze this life like an orange and get all you can of its juice while you’re here. You won’t have this liquor when you get over there. Go ahead and live it up. But you are moving into eternity. Did you ever stop to think about that?”
Any unsaved person who is familiar with the Word of God knows that he is a sinner and that there is a God of justice. But don’t expect God to move in judgment immediately.
When I was a kid in southern Oklahoma, we used to swipe watermelons. I am honest with you when I say that every time I went into the watermelon patch to swipe a watermelon, I thought that there would be lightning out of heaven that would strike me dead. But I was going to steal those watermelons regardless! That is the willfulness of the human heart—even of a little boy.
However, the Lord doesn’t operate quite like that, although He may do so. Because God does not always judge immediately, man interprets this to mean that God will not judge him at all. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Eccl. 8:11). If a man gets by with it once, he will figure that he can just keep on getting by with it.
The people in Malachi’s day asked, “Where is the God of justice?” Well, God will give them His answer in the following chapter.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The prediction of the two messengers; the people rebuked for religious sins
Chapter 3 opens with God’s answer to the question raised by the people of Israel at the end of the previous chapter.
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 3:1].
Here in one verse we have two messengers. The first messenger who is to go before and to prepare the way is John the Baptist. The second is “the messenger of the covenant,” the Lord Jesus Christ.
The prophecy concerning the first messenger is quoted in all four of the Gospels as applying to John the Baptist; there is no guesswork here. However, the messenger of the covenant is never quoted anywhere in the Gospels, and the reason is obvious. This messenger of the covenant is the Lord Jesus, but this passage hasn’t anything to do with His first coming. This is His coming not in grace, not as a Redeemer, but as a Judge, as the One who will establish His kingdom and put down the rebellion that is on this earth. You remember that on one occasion He even said to a man, “… who made me a judge or a divider over you?” (Luke 12:14). He hasn’t come yet to judge. He came the first time to save. He came to bring grace, not government. He came as the One who is the Savior, not the Sovereign.
I would like to turn now to the Gospel passages which quote this verse in reference to John the Baptist. The first one is in Matthew 11:9–10: “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” Over in Mark’s Gospel we find: “As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee” (Mark 1:2). Then in the Gospel of Luke we read, “This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee” (Luke 7:27). Finally, John 1:23 records, “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” This is a direct quote from Isaiah, but we can see that Malachi also had this to say about John the Baptist.
Therefore, this is God’s answer to the people of Israel: God will send Him first as a Savior because He is gracious and He wants to save. But that doesn’t end it all: He is coming again as the messenger of the covenant, that is, to execute justice and judgment on this earth.
If you could convince me that God does not intend to judge sin and that He intends to let sinners get by with their injustice today, then I say very frankly that I would turn my back on Him. But He’s made it very clear that He does intend to judge mankind. My friend, if you will not have Him as your Savior, you’re, going to have Him as your Judge whether you like it or not. He said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). And in the Book of Revelation, we see a Great White Throne upon which He is seated. And those who are the lost—both rich and poor, high and low, great and small—are going to stand before it. It does not matter who you are, you are not going to get by with sin, my friend.
When it says “the messenger of the covenant,” we need to understand which covenant is meant. A great many have thought that it is the New Covenant in the New Testament. Actually, this has no reference to the first coming of Christ but rather to the covenant which God has made with the people of Israel. This covenant is expressed in several places in the Scriptures. For instance, in Leviticus 26:9–13 we read: “For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.”
This is the covenant which God made with the children of Israel. You will find that He confirmed it in Deuteronomy, as the Book of Deuteronomy is a confirmation of the Mosaic Law and the Israelites’ experience with it after forty years. Deuteronomy 4:23 says, “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee.” Of course, Israel had done the very thing which He had forbidden, turning even to the occult.
Therefore, Malachi tells us that the messenger of the covenant is coming someday to make good this covenant. God will dwell in their midst, and this is the reason we will also find in these first verses of Malachi 3 the cleansing and the purifying that will take place. God will not walk among them unless they are obedient unto Him, unless He has cleansed them and purified them. This is true, of course, of any Christian work today as well.
“The Lord, whom ye seek.” This will be the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God manifest in the flesh.
“Shall suddenly come to his temple.” This does not mean that He will soon come to His temple, but that when He comes it will be suddenly. A man once said to me, “You talk about the Rapture in which the Lord will take the church out of the world. Well, when that takes place and He removes the church and I see them leaving, then I’m going to accept Christ.” But I said, “It will be too late then because the reason that He’s taking the church out is that it is completed. So you would not be able then to be a part of the church. You could accept Christ and go through the Great Tribulation, but I think you’re a fool to wait until then.”
He is called the Lord, this is His temple, and He’s the messenger of the covenant—so we know this is the Lord Jesus Christ. The One whom we know in the New Testament as the Lord Jesus Christ is the angel of the covenant in the Old Testament.
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap [Mal. 3:2].
We know that Malachi refers to the second coming of Christ because it is judgment that is in view here. Note the expression: “But who may abide the day of his coming?” This is the second coming of Christ.
“And who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire.” In the refining process, the metal is put over red-hot fire, and as it begins to melt, the dross can be drawn off, and the metal is finally made pure.
“And like fullers’ soap.” He intends to purify, and He intends to clean. Purify and clean—there’s not going to be any pollution when He establishes the Millennium on this earth.
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness [Mal. 3:3].
“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi.” He is going to cleanse those who enter the Millennium.
“And purge them as gold and silver.” There are two processes: cleansing and purifying. Cleansing is the use of soap as it is expressed here. And the fire is used for testing—this is another way which God has of purifying us and testing us.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years [Mal. 3:4].
“Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord.” The Lord will take a great delight in their sacrifice because the ones who are offering it are now cleansed and purified. God is not interested in your going through rituals until your heart is right, until you have forsaken your sin and turned from it. You can get into sin, but if you stay in it, God is not accepting your religion at all.
“As in the days of old, and as in former years.” In the time of Solomon, there was a period in which Israel served God in such a way that they witnessed to the entire world.
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 3:5].
“And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers.” Again, through these mixed marriages, through marrying heathen and pagan women who worshiped idols, their sorcery, the occult, and demon worship were brought in.
And in order to fill the great spiritual vacuum that is in our country, multitudes are turning to the occult today. This is the reason the movie The Exorcist was so popular. What a reflection this is on the church which certainly has failed to fill that void.
“And against the adulterers.” This is a reference to those who had made the mixed marriages by divorcing their wives and marrying these foreign heathen women.
“And against false swearers”—that is, liars.
“And against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.” In other words, the people were not witnessing for God. The stranger in that day, to whom they should have witnessed, actually turned from God because of the way he was treated by God’s people.
For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. [Mal. 3:6].
God is a God of judgment, but He is also gracious. The reason that they had not been absolutely obliterated like the Edomites was because of His grace; it was because God is gracious. And He is still gracious because He never changes. Thank God for that. God today is still a God of judgment—that is a terror to the wicked. But He’s also a God who never changes in reference to His grace—and that is a comfort to anyone who will accept the grace of God.
We come now to the sixth of these very smart-alecky retorts which these people give to God. There are eight of them in the book; we’ve seen five of them, and now we’ve come to the sixth. These people are, as it were, putting God on a quiz program. God makes a statement, and they ask Him to prove it. God brings eight incriminating accusations against the nation, and they counter by asking eight very impertinent and presumptuous questions. God answers them politely but emphatically. He is attempting to detour them from the destruction to which they are headed.
To interpret these questions it might be well to pause here again to consider the generation who asked them. After the people of Israel had been in captivity for seventy years, a remnant returned to the land. Reluctantly and halfheartedly, they set about restoring the city and rebuilding the temple. They had known the rigors and suffering of slavery. Like their fathers in the brickyards of Egypt, they had certainly been groaning. And even upon returning, they endured hardships, severe persecutions, and discouragements. Believe me, they thought that when they returned everything would be happy and nice and easy for them—but that was not the case. These were God’s methods of discipline; it was a form of correction, but it did not have the desired effect. Discipline will either soften or harden you, and these people became hardened and embittered under the yoke which galled them. They became as hard as nails. They were like a prison inmate who has been released but not reformed. They had come out of slavery but apparently had not learned the lesson.
Actually, there is not much more that God could have done for them. Even God exhausted His infinite arsenal of correction. It was out of the soil of this generation that there grew up the poisonous plant of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes who were in existence at the time when the Lord Jesus came four hundred years later. What was a pimple of rebellion against God in the time of Malachi, just a scratch on the surface of the nation, became at the time of the Lord Jesus an internal cancer.
God tried to stem the spread of the virus, to cauterize it, and He brought these eight charges against them. Their response reveals their attitude. They pled not guilty to every one of them, and they expressed surprise that God would even suspect them. They affected an injured innocence. They feigned hurt feelings. They assumed ignorance. They played the part of being highly offended, and with a wave of the hand, they dismissed the charges as unworthy of them.
This now is the sixth sarcastic question that the people give to God’s penetrating charge. God is now going to call on the people to do something—
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? [Mal. 3:7].
Oh, what smart alecks they were! They say to God, “You say that we should return to You. We didn’t know that we had gone away. We’ve been going up to the temple to all the services. We tithe to a certain extent. We’re doing this, that, and the other thing, but how can we return when we haven’t even left You?” They were actually so far gone that they did not realize their true condition.
I would say that this is pretty much the picture of a great many folk in the church today. Ritualism has been substituted for reality. Pageantry has been substituted for power. The aesthetic has been substituted for the spiritual, and form for feeling. Even in the orthodox, conservative, and evangelical circles, they know the vocabulary, but the power of God is gone. They are satisfied with a tasteless morality, they follow a few little shibboleths, and they feel that everything is all right.
But God says, “Return! You’ve departed from Me.” What does He mean by returning to Him? He means to repent. To repent is to return to Him. God has said only to those who are His people, “Repent. Return to Me.” You see, the unbeliever can’t quite fulfill the song which says, “Lord, I’m coming home.” The unbeliever hasn’t even been home; he doesn’t even have a home. The prodigal son had to leave a home before he could come back to his home. He was a son all the time. But he left home, and he had to repent and to change his mind. This is what repentance actually means.
We do not get the full meaning of repentance until we come to the New Testament. Metanoia, the Greek word, means “to change your mind.” It means to be walking in one direction, you find out you’re going the wrong way, and then you turn right around and go the opposite way. The other day Mrs. McGee and I drove over to Glendale, which is a city right next to Pasadena here in Southern California. We asked for directions for getting to a certain place, and a girl gave us the wrong directions. She said, “Turn left,” but when we turned left, we ran right up to the side of a mountain. I said to Mrs. McGee, “I think the girl told us wrong.” So what did we do? We turned around. We had to return back to where we had turned off, and then we went the other direction and found that the other direction was the right direction. When I turned around, it was because I had found out I was wrong and I wanted to go the right way—that’s repentance.
Now God speaks to His own about repentance. The interesting thing is that in the New Testament it is always believers to whom God says, “Repent.” It is to those who are supposed to have been His children that He says, “Repent.” In the Book of Revelation God had a message for each of the seven churches. To five of those churches God said, “Repent,” but to the martyr church of Smyrna He didn’t say that. They were dying for Him, and therefore He wouldn’t say that. And to the church of Philadelphia, which was holding to the Word of God, He did not say, “Repent.” But to all the rest of them, including the church at Laodicea, His message to the churches is to repent.
We have the notion today of telling the unsaved that they are to repent. Well, what are they to repent of? Do they need to change their direction? Yes, but repentance is not the message to be given to the unsaved. It is my feeling that the message of repentance is being given over the heads of believers to unbelievers, and it is falling on deaf ears, naturally. The people to whom it should be given are sitting right down in front. Believers are the ones to whom you should say, “Repent.”
Somebody says, “Do you mean that the unsaved person who comes to Christ should not repent?” My friend, all the repentance that he is asked to do is in the word believe. Consider Paul’s message to the Thessalonians. Paul had a very marvelous ministry there, and he said, “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). When Paul went into the city of Thessalonica, he did not preach to them against idolatry. It was running riot, but he didn’t preach against it. He didn’t preach against alcoholism or any of that type of thing. This is the reason that I don’t follow the pattern of preaching against certain sins; only when the Word of God touches on these things do I touch on them. Our message to the lost world is what Paul gave to the Philippian jailer: “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31). In the word believe is all the repentance you need. When Paul went to Thessalonica and preached, did he preach repentance? No. He preached Christ. He said, “How ye turned to God from idols.” The Thessalonians were going in one direction, and Paul said, “I want to tell you about Jesus Christ who died for your sins.” And the Thessalonians turned to Christ. But when they turned to Him, they turned away from idols, and turning away is repentance—they turned around, you see—but it is in the word believe.
You must have something to turn to, my friend. You cannot just say to a man, “Repent.” When I went down to an altar as a little boy, nobody counseled with me. I just wept—that was all. I wept because the boy next to me wept. His mother was a shoutin’ Methodist, and she wept. She started all the weeping. The fellow across from me jumped up and said, “He’s prayed through!” I don’t know what he meant by that, but whatever it was I didn’t do it. Nobody presented Christ to me. I was ready to repent because I wasn’t the best boy in the world, although my mother thought so. I could weep for my sins, but I needed Christ. And when you turn to Christ, you’ll turn from these things.
However, many of God’s children, like the prodigal son, get into a far country, and He says, “Repent. Come home.” That’s the fellow who should come home. There are a lot of believers who need to come home. God is not talking about the unsaved fellow down the street. He’s talking to you, and He says, “Come home.” What are you doing in that liberal church? What are you doing committing adultery? God says, “Come on home. Turn around, and come on home.” This is a message to believers. To these in Israel who were His children He said, “Return to me, and I will return unto you.”
The prodigal son didn’t get a whipping when he got home; he had gotten a whipping in the far country. If you think that pigpen was delightful, you are wrong. Any Christian who gets into sin will testify that it is not nearly as much fun as he thought it was going to be—many of us could say that. The important thing is to get out of the pigpen. My friend, there’s not but one class of living creatures that like pigpens, and that is pigs. Sons just don’t like pigpens, and they are going to get out.
The people of Malachi’s day deny that they need to return to God and need to repent. They act as if they haven’t been anywhere. They say, “The temple is crowded. We’re going through the ritual. What do You mean, ’Repent’? What do You mean, ’Return to You’? We’re already here. We haven’t gone anywhere!” But God says, “Yes, you have. You may be going through the ritual, but your heart is far from Me.”
This is also true even in many conservative churches today. People go through the little ritual that we conservative folk have. We have a certain vocabulary. Folk know when to say, “Praise the Lord” and “Hallelujah,” but their hearts are far from Him. He’s asking us to repent, but it seems to be the most difficult thing to do, especially for Christians. I don’t know why, because it should be easier for us than for any other people in the world.
I heard of a church where one of the officers got up and suggested to the board who was finding fault with everything, including the pastor, that he felt the officers needed to repent. Do you know that they rebuffed that man and insulted him so that it apparently brought on his death? That was the way he was treated for even suggesting to a group of church officers that they needed to repent! Israel said, “Wherein shall we return? How can we repent? We’re beautiful people. We don’t need to repent. That crowd outside needs to repent.” There are a lot of folk in our churches today who think that everybody else needs to repent and that they don’t. But we do need it, my friend. We need to return to God today.
When the people respond like this, believe me, God really opens up the wound here—and this will hurt. At this juncture some readers will want to tune me out because this is not going to be pleasant. I don’t think that Malachi has been a very pleasant book, but I enjoy it because I think Malachi is talking right to me as well as to you or anybody else, and we need to be talked to like this.
My cancer doctor was a very wonderful doctor, but he treated me rougher than any doctor I have had. I tried to get him to give me an, encouraging word every now and then. He wouldn’t do it. I tried to get him to give me a prescription for easing pain, you know, but he wouldn’t do it. He just laid it right on the line. I love the man, and I love him because of the fact that he told it like it was. When you’ve had cancer and you may still have it in your system, you really want to be told the truth. And in spiritual matters that have to do with my eternal soul, I want somebody to tell me the truth even if it hurts. God doesn’t mind telling you the truth at all.
We come now to the seventh sarcastic remark that these people make. Eight times in this book these people will return to God a flippant answer. Eight times they will dismiss His charges like petulant children. Eight times they will evade the fact by affecting ignorance. Eight times they will avoid answering by pretending they are pious.
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings [Mal. 3:8].
Instead of pronouncing the benediction in many of our churches, the thing that probably should be said is this: “Stop thieves! You’ve been robbing God!” The congregation would be apt to say, “You don’t mean us! We put a generous offering in the plate.” Did you, my friend? Listen to this: “ Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?” And God’s answer is, “In tithes and offerings, you have robbed Me.”
If you think that God is a Shylock of the sky who was trying to take something away from these people, you are wrong. What God was doing was actually blessing them and saying, “I’m going to let you have nine-tenths, and you return to Me one-tenth.”
There are several rather important things that we do need to correct in our understanding at this point. To begin with, the people of Israel did not give just one tithe, as you would discover if you would examine the Scriptures carefully. I am indebted to Dr. Feinberg’s excellent book on Malachi (pp. 125–126) in which he lists the tithes given by Israel:
The offerings in Israel were the firstfruits, not less than one-sixtieth of the corn, wine, and oil. (Deuteronomy 18:4). There were several kinds of tithes: (1) the tenth of the remainder after the firstfruits were taken, this amount going to Levites for their livelihood (Leviticus 27:30–33); (2) the tenth paid by Levites to the priests (Numbers 18:26–28); (3) the second tenth paid by the congregation for the needs of the Levites and their own families at the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 12:18); and (4) another tithe every third year for the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28–29).
I would like to look more closely at this last Scripture because this is something that I feel should be observed today. I realize that our government has done much in an effort to help the poor—or maybe it’s to help the bureaucrats. There is a real question as to who gets the money which is allocated for the poor. But my feeling is that the church ought to have more of an emphasis on helping the poor. Let’s look at God’s instructions to Israel: “At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest” (Deut. 14:28–29).
Therefore, every third year there was this extra tithe that was given for the poor. When you say that God required a tithe of Israel, what do you mean by it? We need to understand that there were several tithes which were given.
The second thing that we need to straighten out in our thinking is that we are living in the day of grace. The giving of believers today is on an altogether different basis than Israel’s. We are to give but on a different basis. The church is not under the tithe system as a legal system. That does not mean that some people couldn’t give a tenth to the Lord—that may be the way the Lord would lead them to give. But let’s notice the way the early church gave. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he used the Macedonians as an example: “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality” (2 Cor. 8:2).
Though very poor, the Macedonians gave generously. “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves” (2 Cor. 8:3).
They gave way beyond any tenth—the tithe didn’t even enter into their thinking. They simply gave because of their love of the Lord. And Paul tells us another reason they gave—“Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints” (2 Cor. 8:4).
You see, giving is fellowship. It is part of the fellowship and part of the worship of the church. “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5).
This is the reason that from time to time I make it very clear that if you are an unsaved person, if you are not a Christian, we don’t want you to give to our Bible-teaching radio ministry. To begin with, giving couldn’t be a blessing to you, and I don’t think that in the long run it would ever be a blessing to us. God asks His children to give. Have you ever noticed that the ark of the covenant was carried on the shoulders of the priests of Israel? The Lord could have called in somebody from the outside to carry it, or He could have had a cart to carry it because a cart carried some of the other things. But the ark of the covenant, which speaks of Christ, was carried on the shoulders of the priests. If we are going to carry forth His message about what He has done for us, it has to be carried upon the shoulders of those who are priests, those who are His. He’s not asking you to give if you are not a Christian. “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love” (2 Cor. 8:8).
Your giving proves your love for Christ. He doesn’t ask you to give. The song which says, “I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me?” is as unscriptural as anything can be. He never asks you that question. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15, italics mine). “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).
Paul says that you should give hilariously, joyfully. When I was in Israel, I was shown several new government buildings, and one of them was their internal revenue service for the collection of taxes. My Jewish guide very wryly said, “We call that ‘the new Wailing Wall.’” Let me tell you, when the offering is taken in our churches, it also is a wailing wall for some. People think, Oh my, they are going to take an offering! My friend, the offering ought to be a joyful part of the service. If you can’t give joyfully, you ought not to be giving. It won’t do you a bit of good, I can assure you of that.
In chapter 8 and on into chapter 9 of 2 Corinthians, Paul continues to discuss the basis upon which Christians are to give. I think that most Christians in this affluent society ought to be giving more than a tenth. Israel gave more than a tenth—there were four tithes.
When I was a pastor in Texas during the Depression, an elder in my church was the only one who was in a business that was really making money. I used to hunt on his ranch and also fish in the river which went right through his property. He and I were in his boat one day fishing, when he said to me, “Preacher, why don’t you preach more on the tithe?” I said, “Well, I don’t believe in it.” He did believe in the tithe and that was the way he gave. Every time he and I would get together he wanted to know why I didn’t speak on the tithe. Finally, I went through 2 Corinthians 8 with him. Then I said, “There are a lot of Christians who ought to be giving more than a tenth. For example, I would say that you are probably making more money than any other individual in the church except the doctors.” We had five doctors in the church, and they did well financially. But the point was that this man was really making money during the Depression. I told him, “I think that you ought to give more than a tenth.” I looked him right straight in the eye when I said that, and he winced a little. He never again asked me to preach on the tithe because he was glad to give only his tenth. It eased his conscience to feel that that was all he ought to give.
A lot of folk ought to be giving more than a tenth, but when I say “ought to,” that’s me speaking. Jesus says, “Don’t do it unless you are giving it because of love for Me and because you really want to get the Word out.”
God says, “Will a man rob God?” What do you think? Again I say, instead of having the benediction at the end of the church service, they ought to let the people start to leave and then have somebody yell out, “Stop thieves!” There sure would be a whole lot of thieves who wouldn’t want to be caught and would take off running. Why? Because they have robbed God. How did they rob God? Well, it all belongs to Him, but to Israel He said, “You keep nine-tenths, but I want you to give Me the other tenth to recognize Me.”
It is amazing how some of the great businessmen of the past were Christians who gave to God and gave to God generously. The founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company was a Christian who was very regular in giving to the Lord. William Wrigley, the founder of the Wrigley Gum Company also gave generously to the Lord. I’m talking about the founders of these companies, not about the present generation. The J.C. Penney stores were started by a preacher’s son whose father died when he was a boy. There were no arrangements made to care for his mother, except for people to say, “The Lord bless you.” As a little boy, he had to go out and collect the clothes which his mother washed for a living, and he said, “When I grow up, I’m going to make money and see to it that no preacher’s widow has to work like this.” He made good, and he established villages where retired preachers and their wives can live. God has blessed these men in the past who have recognized Him. I believe that this is still true today, but, my friend, you will have to do it out of love—that is the only way He will accept it.
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation [Mal. 3:9].
Under grace God wants you to give as you are able to give. For some people that would be less than the tithe, and for other people it would be more than the tithe. And I’m of the opinion that a great many in this affluent society ought to be giving more to God.
Here in Southern California there are headquarters or semi-headquarters of three of the major cults. One of the things that they do is to put their people back under the Mosaic Law and insist that they keep the law, including the tithes—that’s part of the system. If you’re going to belong to their group, you’re going to give a tithe. Those three cults are very wealthy. We think that this little operation that we represent is great—we thank God for it—but we are actually a Mickey Mouse operation if you put us down by the side of these other organizations where millions of dollars are just rolling in. Even on the tithe, the old legal system, look at how much would come in. Doesn’t that tell you that God’s people who are under grace are surely not giving to the Lord’s work as they should?
This is one of the reasons that we do not see the blessing that should attend God’s work. Many churches have a minister who is teaching the Word of God, but they don’t seem to be going anywhere. God makes it clear that our giving is something that He looks at. If a church or an individual is not giving, God has not promised to bless them at all. I believe that God is going to bless any person who is devoted to Him—but not necessarily with material blessings. Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are blessed with “… all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Therefore God, in a very gracious manner, will bless those who are generous with Him. This is a great principle that runs through the entire Word of God. Many churches which were Bible churches have just dried up and died on the vine, and it can all be traced to the fact that the people were not giving as they should unto God. If we open our heart to Him, He’ll open His heart to us. Not for physical blessings—God promised those to His people Israel; He promises us spiritual blessings—“all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”
God made good His promises to His people. In the time of Hezekiah there was a period of revival. In 2 Chronicles 31:10 we read: “And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.”
In other words, the people were giving more than enough. At the time that Israel built the tabernacle, Moses asked for offerings, and he had to stop the people from giving because they were bringing too much! That is the only case on record that I have heard of people being stopped from giving—but they did it in that day.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it [Mal. 3:10].
Again I would remind you that we are not under the tithe system today. There are many humble believers with very little income for whom a tenth would be too much to give. There are others whom God has blessed in such a wonderful way that they could easily give even as much as the government will allow for deductions. There are those who have an income such that they could give that to the Lord, but we find very few who are giving like that. The tithe is certainly a yardstick by which you could measure yourself, but I don’t think that it is legal or binding at all.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse.” There are many churches and some denominations which have said that the storehouse is the local church or the denomination. Frankly, just as the tithe is not for the church today, neither is the storehouse. The storehouse was a part of the temple. There were many buildings around the temple which were storerooms. When people brought their tithe, it was stored away in these storerooms. When Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem (sometime before the time of Malachi), he found Tobiah, the enemy of God, living in one of the storerooms that had been cleaned out. It had been cleaned out because the people were not giving generously, and they had made an apartment out of it for Tobiah! But Nehemiah cleaned up the place. He took Tobiah’s things and pitched them out the window and told him to get out of town. Then the people began to bring their offerings to fill up the storeroom again (see Neh. 13:4–9)
There is no such thing today as that which is called “storehouse giving.” That’s not quite the way we give, because Israel’s giving was in the form of produce. In fact, if you will notice the law concerning the offerings, God gave a certain part of the animal to the priests, and He always said that they were to eat it right there. They didn’t have any refrigerators, any kind of icebox, in which to freeze the meat. In that warm climate the meat would have gone bad in a hurry, and so God told them to eat it right there. But the other produce was stored until it was needed.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 3:11].
When they were generous with God, He said, “I’ll open up the heavens and pour you out a blessing, and I’ll rebuke the devourer.” “The devourer” evidently means the locust. The locust had a ravenous and insatiable appetite. He was a regular gourmet on green salad—so he just took all the green stuff that was ahead of him. Many of the plagues came to Israel through the locust, but now God says, “I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes.”
Even today judgment comes from God upon a nation when they reject Him. I think that this explains the fact that we are having so many shortages—not only an energy shortage but shortages in many areas. For years the shelves of our supermarkets were groaning because they were so full. My supermarket still does pretty well, but there are some things that are absent. You cannot always get the cut of meat that you would like to have. Even if they have it, you can’t pay for it unless you mortgage your home! No one seems to be interpreting these things as a judgment or a warning from God. I think it is a warning of that which is to come in the future; in other words, I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet.
“And he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” In other words, their vineyards were to produce abundantly.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 3:12].
When Israel was right with God, they became a blessing to the other nations of the world. Honesty with God—and you cannot have holiness without honesty—was the thing that made them a blessing to all nations. In Zechariah 8:13 we read: “And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.”
This looks forward to a future day, but God said at that time that He would make them a blessing to the nations. When Israel is serving God, it becomes a blessing to the other nations.
In verse 13 we come to the eighth and last sarcastic remark which the people of Israel make to God in response to His statements.
Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? [Mal. 3:13].
The people respond, “We don’t recall that we have said anything against You!” In each of His responses God puts it right on the line—
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? [Mal. 3:14].
Israel says, “What good is it for us to serve God? It is an empty thing.” For them it was an empty thing because their hearts were not in it. And since their hearts were not in it, God had not blessed them. So they blamed God for the situation. They said, “It’s not worthwhile to serve God.” Well, the way they were doing it, it wasn’t worthwhile.
I want to make a very strong statement right now. There are some people who attend church who, very frankly, I think would do better if they would just take a drive on Sundays. Their hearts are not in it. They go to church to criticize. As someone has said, “Some people go to eye the clothes and others to close their eyes.” Some folk go to church because it’s a nice place to get a nap. If your heart is not in it, my friend, if you don’t love God, if you don’t want to praise Him and serve Him and worship Him, it is of no value.
Today our worship is on a very marvelous, wonderful plane. This is what the Lord Jesus said to the woman at the well: “… Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21–24).
The Lord Jesus told this woman that the hour is coming when true worshipers will not worship God in that mountain; but believe me, they are still offering bloody sacrifices at that mountain. He said, “Nor yet at Jerusalem”— Jerusalem is not a place to worship God. Every form of so-called Christianity is found there, and most of it is as far from the message of the Lord Jesus and the early apostles as anything possibly could be. The Lord Jesus went on to say that true worshipers are going to worship God in spirit and in truth. They are going to love the Word of God. They’ll want to serve Him. They’ll want to obey Him. They’ll want to worship and to praise Him.
A man said to me one time, “Well, McGee, I guess you think that I’m going to hell because I play golf on Sunday.” I said, “No. You’re not going to hell because you play golf on Sunday. You’re going to hell because you’ve rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. Golf hasn’t anything to do with it. I know a lot of church members who I wish would go play golf on Sunday to get them out of the church because they are troublemakers. They are not worshiping God in spirit and in truth.” My friend, all of this outward religion is not good. The crucial thing is the condition of your heart and your relationship to Jesus Christ.
It was vain and empty for these people in Malachi’s day to worship God, but the problem wasn’t with Him—the problem was with them. I went to see a man in the hospital many years ago. Outside the door of his room, his wife told me that the doctors said that he was dying. I went in to see him, to have prayer with him, and to say a word, not only of comfort but that his wife might have the assurance of his salvation. He said to me, “Dr. McGee, I’m about to freeze to death. Would you get that blanket over there and put it on me?” And I did. That room was hot—oh, it was warm—but that man thought he was freezing to death. He blamed it on the room and said, “They never keep these rooms warm.” But the room was overheated. There are a great many people who say that the church they attend is cold. Are you sure that the church is cold, or is it maybe you who are cold? It might be well to cheek up, because the problem here was with the people—it was not with God at all.
I would like to look at a good definition of real worship which is given to us in the Scriptures in Isaiah 58: “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours” (Isa. 58:3).
You see, they had the same problem way back in Isaiah’s day that they had in Malachi’s day. They fasted and they afflicted their souls, and God didn’t do anything about it. “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high” (Isa. 58:4).
God says, “I don’t care about your fasting, your going through all of that ritual, and your wanting to debate religion.” They just wanted to have a religious argument. Quite frequently there comes to my desk a very fat letter from someone who wants to enter into a controversy with me or to straighten me out on some doctrinal point. Generally there are fifteen to twenty pages, sometimes closely typewritten or written in such a way that I couldn’t even read it if I wanted to. I never read those letters. I’m sorry—maybe I’m missing something—but I just put them into the wastebasket. We won’t get anywhere by arguing, my friend. You can differ with my interpretation if you want to. But if you believe that the Bible is the Word of God as I do, why don’t you just pray for me if you think my interpretation is wrong. And my interpretation could be wrong, by the way—you ought to test it.
Now here is our definition of real worship: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward” (Isa. 58:6–8).
What Isaiah is saying is that when you come in to worship God, make sure you have a life to back it up. This is very important. God wants a life that will back up what you have to say. Here we have an Old Testament definition of real worship. The ritual itself has no value unless the heart is right before God. This is something that we need to remember and keep before us.
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered [Mal. 3:15].
It looked as if they could tempt God and get by with it, but as Habakkuk had found out in his day, God was moving in the life of the nation and was going to judge them. I am of the opinion that if we could see behind the scenes today and see the wheels of God that are moving, we would cry out to God to have mercy. He is moving, but we don’t seem to recognize it.
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name [Mal. 3:16].
“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.” In other words, there was a little remnant who loved God and met together, and they feared the Lord. They spoke to one another—they were having fellowship.
“And the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” Running all through the Scripture, there is this idea that God keeps books. I do not think there is a book up there in which He is writing. God never forgets, and He doesn’t need that book, and He doesn’t even need a computer.
This matter of the book that was written is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation, and in chapter 3 we find the suggestion that He is apt to erase a name: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Rev. 3:4–5).
This is about as strong a language as you can get, and it is, very frankly, one of the most difficult passages in the Book of Revelation to understand. I do not think that God has a set of books that He is keeping in heaven. But the only way that you and I can understand this is through this figure of speech that He uses. I can understand it when He says that He puts down in the Book of Life the names of those who are saved. I can understand that He puts down in a book those who will receive a reward or some recognition. This makes it clear to me. But I don’t believe that God has a literal book up there—though He may have. We are also told in the last part of the Book of Revelation that when the lost are brought before the Great White Throne, the books will be opened, and there are several of them. There is also the book of those who are saved (see Rev. 20).
I would like to illustrate it in this way: To me it is more or less like the report card I used to get in school. You get a report card if you are a student; all you have to do to get a report card is to enroll. You get into the Lamb’s Book of Life by accepting Christ as your Savior, and that will never be removed. You have a report card; you are in the Lamb’s Book of Life; you’re enrolled. Now you are going to start making grades. Now He’s going to put down how you are doing with your Bible study. What grade is He giving you on that? Are you making A’s these days? Or are you failing the course? How is your life for Him? How is your service for Him? He takes note of all these things, and they are recorded.
Therefore I believe that when He says to the church of Sardis that names are removed from the Book of Life, that names are blotted out; it has to do with service because that is what He is talking about there. It has to do, with the service that they render. There will be many of us who get a report card, but some are going to be a failure in the Christian life. Paul said in his Epistle to the Corinthians that our works are to be tested by fire (see 1 Cor. 3:11–15). If a man’s work is all hay and stubble and it is all consumed by fire, will he be saved? Paul says, “Yes. He’ll be saved, but so as by fire.” There are going to be a lot of people in heaven who will smell like they were bought at a fire sale—and they were—a brand plucked from the burning, if you please. They did nothing, and nothing was put on the report card.
“A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” God simply doesn’t need a book to remember things because He is the One who really has a computer mind—it’s all there. The record is of their works, their service, their love for Him—those are the things that are recorded. Salvation is free. It is by faith, never by works. After you have been saved, that is when your works really begin to count, and they become all-important. This book of remembrance is a very beautiful and wonderful thing.
We find God’s “book” mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament. In Psalm 56:8 we read, “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” The psalmist says, “Thou tellest my wanderings.” The Lord knows exactly where you’ve been all the time. Maybe your neighbors, your church members, and your pastor don’t know—but God knows. The darkness is light to Him. He knows where you’ve been, and He knows what you’ve done. “Put thou my tears into thy bottle”—I think that is a very lovely thing. My friend, that godly mother who is weeping because of a wayward child, God has put those tears into a bottle. Can you imagine that? How wonderful it is that He has taken note of them! The man who has served God but has been disappointed by how his brethren have treated him and has wept tears over it—to him God says, “I’ve put those tears in a bottle.” Finally, the psalmist says, “Are they not in thy book?” There is a book that records our lives, my friend. I have always thought that is probably going to be sort of like a movie that He will run through for us. You will see your life from birth to death, and it will all be there. It won’t be what the preacher said about you at your funeral, about how wonderful you were and what a great church member you were. God is going to run it just like it was. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to see mine. But I guess I’ll have to take a look at it someday.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him [Mal. 3:17].
Isn’t this a lovely way to express it? God is going to make up His jewels, and the church is going to be there. The church is the pearl of great price. Israel never valued pearls very much; Gentiles always have. And so the pearl of great price is His church purchased with His own precious blood. God is going to make up His jewels, and there will be many of them.
“And I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” This speaks of the remnant of believers that there will be during this time.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not [Mal. 3:18].
We are living in a day like the day in which Malachi lived and like it will be at the end of the age. You really won’t be able to tell the righteous from the unrighteous. However, in the day which God has appointed, the day of His judgment when He comes again, it will be evident who are the true believers and who are the make-believers.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The prediction of the Day of the Lord and of the Sun of Righteousness
In the Hebrew Bible there is no fourth chapter of the Book of Malachi; it is just the end of the third chapter. However, in the English translations, these six brief verses are made a separate chapter. In chapter 4 we have the prediction of the Day of the Lord and of the Sun of Righteousness who ushers it in. The first verse is a vivid description of the Great Tribulation Period—
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch [Mal. 4:1].
“For, behold, the day cometh”—this is the Day of the Lord
“That shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble!” In other words, they shall be consumed. In the Book of Revelation we read that at one fatal swoop one-fourth of the population of the world will be wiped out (see Rev. 6:8).
“And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” This hasn’t anything in the world to do with the doctrine that death ends all for the unsaved, that death for the unsaved is annihilation. The Bible doesn’t teach that. The Bible teaches that the body goes into the grave whether a person is lost or saved. Your soul and spirit go into eternity, my friend—either to heaven or to hell. This verse teaches that the unsaved are to be judged in the Great Tribulation Period and removed from the earth’s scene.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall [Mal. 4:2].
The Sun of Righteousness in the Old Testament is the same person who is the Bright and Morning Star in the New Testament. However, Christ is never called the Sun of Righteousness in the New Testament, and He’s never called the Bright and Morning Star in the Old Testament. We will look at this verse more closely in a moment and see the reason for this.
And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts [Mal. 4:3].
When He comes to this earth to establish His kingdom, the. wicked will be put down. He will break them into pieces like a potter’s vessel. That is the language of Scripture, and it is just too bad if you don’t like it.
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments [Mal. 4:4].
Following this prophecy by Malachi, Israel is going to move into a period in which heaven goes off the air. God will not be broadcasting. There will appear another Zechariah [Zacharias] four hundred years later. He will be serving in the temple when the angel Gabriel will appear to him and announce the birth of John the Baptist (see Luke 1:5–25). The silence of four hundred years will then be broken. In the meantime, Israel is to remember the Law of Moses. It will be their life; it will be God’s Word for them. They were under the Mosaic system.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord [Mal. 4:5].
Revelation speaks of two witnesses who are to appear in the last days (see Rev. 11:3–12). I do not know who the second witness will be, but I am almost sure that one of them will be Elijah. At the Passover Feast, in the orthodox Jew’s home, a chair is put at the table in which no one sits. It is for Elijah who shall come. When John the Baptist appeared, the Jews thought he was Elijah, but John the Baptist was not Elijah in any sense of the word. The Scriptures do say that he could have been, but he wasn’t—and that’s the important thing. If Christ had established His kingdom, then John would have been Elijah. How could that be? I do not know because it didn’t happen that way. That’s an “iffy” question for which we cannot really have an answer.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of theLord.” John the Baptist was not the fulfillment of this prophecy because he was announcing the Messiah, the Savior of the world. John said, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). That is a little different from announcing the great and terrible Day of the Lord that is coming.
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse [Mal. 4:6].
The last word of the Old Testament is curse. The curse came when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden and disobeyed God. At that time God said that the ground would be cursed and that the curse would rest upon them. The curse was sin, and it will not be removed until the Lord comes to this earth the second time. It is still in the human family today. All you have to do is to look about you to see that. If you are living in a place where you do not have snails, termites, or some other kind of blight eating away at whatever you are trying to raise—whether it is vegetables or flowers or trees—then you must have moved into the Millennium, my friend. And if you are living in a community where there is no sin, I’d have to say that you’ve already moved into the Millennium. But I’m of the opinion that, as we look about us today, we can recognize that the curse of sin is upon the human race and upon this earth.
This is a very doleful way to end the Old Testament, but it has been a book of expectations. Therefore, I think that the emphasis should be back on verse 2 of this chapter: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” The Old Testament does not close with only acurse. It closes with a great hope that, although the sun has gone down and it is very dark, there is coming a new day. We are living now in the night of sin, and the world is dark. It seems that we are at the darkest moment today. But there is coming a day when the Sun of Righteousness will rise and spiritual light will break upon this little planet.
That Sun of Righteousness is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to call your attention to something that is very remarkable and very important. In the Old Testament Christ is presented as the Sun of Righteousness. In the New Testament He’s presented in a different way altogether. There He is presented to us as the Bright and Morning Star. Listen to Him as He speaks in Revelation 22:16, and this concludes Revelation: “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” “The root and the offspring of David” means that He is the King who will reign on this earth, but He is also something else—“the bright and morning star,” which is something new, by the way.
It is interesting that man’s attention has always been drawn to the heavens. Astronomy is the oldest science known to man, but like many other sciences, it had its origin in the occult and superstition, in the mythological and the mystical. Astronomy as we know it actually had its origin in astrology, that which is filled with superstition. You might say, “That was way back yonder in the Dark Ages when men were very superstitious, but today we’ve improved.” Have we improved? Right now there are probably more people in this country who are interested in the horoscope and the star under which they were born than are interested in the Bible, the Word of God, or anything else, for that matter. To those who are playing with the zodiac and its signs, may I say to you that it is something which borders on the occult. We’re seeing today the worship of Satan as we’ve never seen it before. It is quite interesting that research shows that some years ago only 3 percent of those interviewed believed in a personal devil. More recently the percentage had jumped to 37–48 percent who believe and are convinced that there is a devil. Apparently, some of them are not convinced that there is a God to whom they are responsible, but at least they believe in the devil.
The heavenly bodies are being observed by men today. At first they were observed with the naked eye because of curiosity about the beauty of the heavens. Then the mechanical eye came into existence, and now scientists are making a greater study of the heavens than they have ever made before.
Scripture does turn man’s attention repeatedly to the heavens. Psalm 8 reads: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Ps. 8:3–4).
The answer to that question is that man happens to be the astronomer. He’s the one who can view all of this and can give praise and glory to God. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). God said to Abraham, “… Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them …” (Gen. 15:5).
The Old Testament closes here in Malachi with God directing man to look toward the heavens, and it is well that man looks up. Malachi closes with a thud: “Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse,” and the curtain comes down before the human story is over. Darkness closes in on man, but the play is not over. There are the good guys and the bad guys, and the good guys haven’t won yet. God says, “Look up at the heavens. Don’t miss it.” It is important that you see, my friend. He says, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” This is a promise of a sunrise. There is a song that says that the world is waiting for a sunrise—and I believe it is—but the church is waiting for something else. Kipling wrote a poem that has been made into a song which says in part, “An’ the dawn comes up like thunder outer China ’crost the Bay!” When Christ the Sun of Righteousness comes, that’s the way He’s going to come: out of the East He’ll come up like thunder to put down all unrighteousness.
The Old Testament is expectation. In one sense it is the most disappointing book in the world if it stands by itself. But it points to the heavens, and it speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. This is a fitting figure for Him because He comes to usher in a new day and to end the night of man’s sin. The Day of the Lord is coming, and His kingdom will be established upon the earth. God is called a sun throughout the Old Testament. Listen to Psalm 84:11: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Then in Isaiah 60:19 we read: “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.”
What a picture we have of Him in the Old Testament!
On the other hand, the New Testament is realization, and it closes with a little different hope. Let me repeat this marvelous verse: “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16).
Not only is He the Sun of Righteousness, but He is also the Bright and Morning Star. It is quite interesting that the New Testament does not open with the Sun of Righteousness. The first public announcement was made privately to Zacharias. Then there was a promise of the coming of a forerunner, John the Baptist. The forerunner of whom? Of the Messiah who was coming, who was to be born of Mary. Wise men came to Jerusalem seeking what? They said, “… Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matt. 2:2, italics mine). By the way, that is not an eastern star. If they had seen an eastern star, they would have ended up in China. The wise men in the East saw the star, the star was in the West, and they came that direction. Isn’t it interesting that the sun comes up from the East, but this star was in the West?
How did the wise men associate the coming of Christ with a star? Way back in the Book of Numbers, the heathen prophet Balaam, in the East in Moab, made this prophecy: “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth” (Num. 24:17).
Always the star is separated from the sceptre. The star is separated from the sun. The star is the sign of the coming of Christ to take His church out of the world, and the sun is the sign of His second coming to the earth to establish His kingdom. The Jewish apostles were told at the time of His ascension, “… this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11), and Zechariah tells us that His feet shall touch the Mount of Olives (see Zech. 14:4). The star, therefore, is the sign of His coming first to take His church out of the world, but He doesn’t come to the earth. When He came before, the entire mission of Christ was wrapped up in a star and not as the Sun of Righteousness. The emphasis is not on His birth but rather on His death. It is interesting that He never asked anybody to remember His birth, but He did say to remember His death. When He established the Lord’s Supper, over that Passover Feast, He took the dying embers of a fading feast, and He said, “… this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The death of Christ as well as His birth is in that star. The star speaks not only of where He was born but also of why He died. The star tells out who He is, why He came. He said, “… Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) …” (Heb. 10:7). The star points to a manger, but it also points to a cross. It speaks of the fact that He came to bear my sins and yours upon the cross.
A little boy was walking down the street with his father during World War II. He noticed that there were blue stars in many windows, but every now and then there would be a gold star in a window which meant that, someone had given a son to die for this country. It was in the early evening, and as they came to a vacant lot, the evening star was just appearing above the horizon. The little fellow said to his dad, “Look, Dad! God gave His Son!” Yes, God gave His Son, and the star speaks of that. The little fellow was right, by the way.
Certainly, in two world wars nothing was won—or in any war which we have fought since then. We thought we were going to make the world safe for democracy. Every president, from Woodrow Wilson down to the present time, has thought that he was going to bring peace into the world and make the world unsafe for dictators. Yet today over half the world is under dictators. We won the wars, all right, but we sure lost the victory. In the war against sin the Lord Jesus died to bring men life, to free men from sin, and to bring victory over the grave and death. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55).
The future is not in the stars, my friend. In Julius Caesar Shakespeare has Cassius say to Brutus:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings [act 1, scene 2].
Your future is not in stars out there and neither is your present. If you want help for the present, you need to live victoriously for Jesus Christ who said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulations but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Are you defeated and discouraged? There’s no help in the stars for you, my friend! You’re nothing in the world but a pagan and a heathen if you believe that. Look to Jesus. It’s not some magic formula; it’s not lady luck; it’s not chance; it’s not fatalism; it’s not superstition. If you are defeated by life, if you are overcome by some habit—drink, dishonesty, temper, sex, or materialism—if you are cold and indifferent to spiritual things, may I say to you, He is the answer for you.
Somewhere beyond the stars
Is a Love that is better than Fate,
And when night unlocks her bars,
I shall see Him, and I shall wait.
—Author unknown
If you have no hope for the future, you can look back to the past to an historical event that took place over nineteen hundred years ago when Christ died on the cross for you and for me who were sinners. And you can trust Him as your Savior. Then you can turn your face to the sunrise because the Bright and Morning Star is going to appear one of these days.
Is there hope for the future? Oh, my friend, the bright and morning star appears right before the sun comes up. In my bedroom, I have four windows from which I can look out and see the sun come up. In winter the sun comes up on the extreme right; in the summer it comes up on the extreme left. I watch the sun as it marches back and forth from one window to another. Last March and April I was watching as the bright and morning star appeared nearly an hour before the sun came up. The bright and morning star appears first, then the sun comes up. So we are waiting for the Bright and Morning Star to appear. Christ is the Bright and Morning Star for the church today—that is important to see. Peter speaks of Him in that way: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Pet. 1:19).
That day star speaks of the Rapture of the church when He will take the church out of the world. The Rapture could take place at any moment in time for there are no signs for it at all. John Wesley put it like this: “He will appear as the day-spring from on high, before the morning light. Oh, do not set us a time—expect Him every hour! Now He is nigh, even at the doors!” Job said that “… the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7), but then sin entered God’s universe. But the day is coming when that Day Star shall appear, and He shall take the church out. That will be the signal that the sun will be coming up pretty soon. However, the Sun is none other than the Sun of Righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We leave now the Old Testament where the hope is the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. But in the New Testament we ought to be like the wise men who were looking for the star. We are still to be looking for the Day Star to appear when He will take His church out of this world.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Feinberg, Charles L. The Minor Prophets. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 1917. Reprint. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Ironside, H. A. The Minor Prophets. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Jensen, Irving L. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
Morgan, G. Campbell. Malachi’s Message for Today. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Tatford, Frederick A. The Minor Prophets. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Klock & Klock, n.d.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1982.
Wolfe, Herbert. Haggai and Malachi. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1976.
The Gospel According to
Matthew
INTRODUCTION
The Gospel of Matthew, although it is only twenty-eight chapters long, is a very important book. In fact, Genesis and Matthew are the two key books of the Bible.
As we come today to the Gospel of Matthew, I’d like to bridge the gap between the Old Testament and the New Testament because, in order to appreciate and to have a right understanding of the New Testament, it is almost essential to know something about this period of approximately four hundred years. This is the time span between the days of Nehemiah and Malachi and the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. You see, after Malachi had spoken, heaven went silent. Station GOD went off the air, and there was no broadcasting for four hundred years. Then one day the angel of the Lord broke in upon the time of prayer when there was a priest by the name of Zacharias standing at the altar in Jerusalem. The angel gave the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist who was the forerunner of the Lord Jesus. We shall see later how important John the Baptist is in the Gospel of Matthew.
We find that a great deal took place in this interval of four hundred years even though it is a silent period as far as Scripture is concerned. This period was a thrilling and exciting time in the history of these people, and in many ways it was also a tragic time. The internal condition of Judah experienced a radical transformation. A new culture, different institutions, and unfamiliar organizations arose in this period, and many of these new things appear in the New Testament.
World history had made tremendous strides in the interval between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament closed with the Medo-Persian Empire being the dominant power. Also, Egypt was still a power to be reckoned with in world politics. During the interval between the testaments, both faded from the scene as outstanding nations. World power shifted from the East to the West, from the Orient to the Occident, from Asia to Europe, and from Medo-Persia to Greece. When the New Testament opens, a new power, Rome, is the world ruler. A consideration of some important dates will give a bird’s-eye view of this great transition period. (Because historians differ in their dating, consider these dates as approximate.)
480 B.C. Xerxes, the Persian, was victorious against the Greeks at Thermopylae but was defeated at the battle of Salamis. Actually, it was a storm that defeated him. This was the last bid of the East for world dominion.
333 B.C. Out of the West there came that “goat” which Daniel records in the eighth chapter of Daniel. This was Alexander the Great, the goat with the great horn. He led the united Greek forces to victory over the Persians at Issus.
332 B.C. Alexander the Great visited Jerusalem. He was shown the prophecy of Daniel which spoke of him; therefore he spared Jerusalem. Jerusalem was one of the few cities that he ever spared.
323 B.C. Alexander died way over in Persia. Apparently he had intended to move the seat of his empire there. Then the world empire of both East and West was divided among his four generals.
320 B.C. Judea was annexed to Egypt by Ptolemy Soter.
312 B.C. Seleucus founded the kingdom of the Seleucidae, which is Syria. He attempted to take Judea, and so Judea became the battleground between Syria and Egypt. This little country became a buffer state.
203 B.C. Antiochus the Great took Jerusalem, and Judea passed under the influence of Syria.
170 B.C. Antiochus Epiphanes took Jerusalem and defiled the temple. He had been mentioned in Daniel as the “little horn”(Dan. 8:9). He has been called the “Nero of Jewish history.”
166 B.C. Mattathias, the priest of Judea, raised a revolt against Syria. This is the beginning of the Maccabean period. Probably the nation of Israel has never suffered more than during this era, and they were never more heroic than during this interval. Judas Maccabaeus. whose name means “the hammer,” was the leader who organized the revolt.
63 B.C. Pompey, the Roman, took Jerusalem, and the people of Israel passed under the rulership of a new world power. They were under Roman government at the time of the birth of Jesus and throughout the period of the New Testament.
40 B.C. The Roman senate appointed Herod to be king of Judea. There never has been a family or a man more wicked than this. One can talk about the terrible Mafia, but this family would exceed them all.
37 B.C. Herod took Jerusalem and slew Antigonus, the last of the Maccabean king-priests.
31 B.C. Caesar Augustus became emperor of Rome.
19 B.C. The construction of the Herodian temple was begun. The building had been going on quite awhile when our Lord was born and was still continuing during the time of the New Testament.
4 B.C. Our Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Radical changes took place in the internal life of the nation of Judea because of their experiences during the intertestamental period. After the Babylonian captivity, they turned from idolatry to a frantic striving for legal holiness. The Law became an idol to them. The classic Hebrew gave way to the Aramaic in their everyday speech, although the Hebrew was retained for their synagogues. The synagogue seems to have come into existence after the captivity. It became the center of their life in Judea and everywhere else they went in the world. Also, there arose among these people a group of parties which are mentioned in the New Testament and are never even heard of in the Old Testament:
1. PHARISEES—The Pharisees were the dominant party. They arose to defend the Jewish way of life against all foreign influences. They were strict legalists who believed in the Old Testament. They were nationalists in politics and wanted to restore the kingdom to the line of David. So they were a religio-political party. Today we would call them fundamental theologically and to the far right politically.
2. SADDUCEES—The Sadducees were made up of the wealthy and socially-minded who wanted to get rid of tradition. By the way, does that remind you of the present hour? Isn’t it interesting that the rich families of this country are liberal? The crumbs still fall from the rich man’s table. They are willing to give the crumbs, but they don’t give their wealth, that is sure. The Sadducees were liberal in their theology, and they rejected the supernatural. Thus they were opposed to the Pharisees. The Sadducees were closely akin to the Greek Epicureans whose philosophy was “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” We may have a mistaken idea of the Sadducees. Actually, they were attempting to attain the “good life.” They thought that they could overcome their bodily appetites by satisfying them, that by giving them unbridled reign, they would no longer need attention. In our day, a great many folk have this same philosophy. It did not work in the past; neither will it work today.
3. SCRIBES—The scribes were a group of professional expounders of the Law, stemming back from the days of Ezra. They became the hair-splitters. They were more concerned with the letter of the Law than with the spirit of the Law. When old Herod called in the scribes and asked where Jesus was to be born, they knew it was to be in Bethlehem. You would think that they would have hitchhiked a ride on the back of the camels to go down to Bethlehem to see Him, but they weren’t interested. They were absorbed in the letter of the Law.
My friend, there is a danger of just wanting the information and the knowledge from the Bible but failing to translate it into shoe leather, not letting it become part of our lives. Through study we can learn the basic facts of Scripture, and all the theological truth contained in it, without allowing the Word of God to take possession of our hearts. The scribes fell into such a category. In our own day, I must confess that some of the most hardhearted people I meet are fundamentalists. They are willing to rip a person apart in order to maintain some little point. It is important to know the Word of God—that is a laudable attainment—but also we are to translate it into life and pass it on to others.
4. HERODIANS—The Herodians were a party in the days of Jesus, and they were strictly political opportunists. They sought to maintain the Herods on the throne, because they wanted their party in power.
The intertestamental period was a time of great literary activity in spite of the fact there was no revelation from God. The Old Testament was translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt, during the period from 285 to 247 b.c. It was translated by six members from each of the twelve tribes; hence, the name given to this translation was Septuagint, meaning “seventy.” This translation was used by Paul, and our Lord apparently quoted from it.
The Apocrypha of the Old Testament was written in this era. These are fourteen books which bear no marks of inspiration. There are two books classified as the Pseudepigrapha, Psalter of Solomon and the Book of Enoch. They bear the names of two characters of the Old Testament, but there is no evidence that these two men were the writers.
Although this was a period marked by the silence of God, it is evident that God was preparing the world for the coming of Christ. The Jewish people, the Greek civilization, the Roman Empire, and the seething multitudes of the Orient were all being prepared for the coming of a Savior, insomuch that they produced the scene which Paul labeled, in Galatians 4:4, “the fulness of time.” The four Gospels are directed to the four major groups in the world of that day.
The Gospel of Matthew was written to the nation Israel. It was first written in Hebrew, and it was directed primarily to the religious man of that time.
The Gospel of Mark was directed to the Roman. The Roman was a man of action who believed that government, law, and order could control the world. A great many people feel that is the way it should be done today. It is true that there must be law and order, but the Romans soon learned that they couldn’t rule the world with that alone. The world needed to hear about One who believed in law and order but who also offered the forgiveness of sins and the grace and the mercy of God. This is the Lord whom the Gospel of Mark presents to the Romans.
The Gospel of Luke was written to the Greek, to the thinking man.
The Gospel of John was written directly for believers but indirectly for the Orient where there were the mysterious millions, all crying out in that day for a deliverance.
There is still a crying out today from a world that needs a Deliverer. The religious man needs Christ and not religion. The man of power needs a Savior who has the power to save him. The thinking man needs One who can meet all his mental and spiritual needs. And certainly the wretched man needs to know about a Savior who not only can save him but build him up so that he can live for God.
The Gospel of Matthew was written by a publican whom the Lord Jesus had put His hand upon in a very definite way (see Matt. 9:9). He was a follower, a disciple, of the Lord Jesus. Papias says, Eusebius confirms, and other of the apostolic fathers agree, that this gospel was written originally by Matthew in Hebrew for the nation Israel, a religious people.
I don’t have time to give the background of all this, but God has prepared this whole nation for the coming of Christ into the world. And He did come of this nation, as the Lord Jesus Himself said, “ … salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). It was a great German historian who said that God prepared the Savior to come out of Israel—“salvation is of the Jews”—and He prepared the heathen for salvation, because they were lost and needed it.
This remarkable book is a key book of the Bible because it swings back into the Old Testament and gathers up more Old Testament prophecies than any other book. One might expect it to do this since it was first written to the Jews. But then, it moves farther into the New Testament than any of the other Gospels. For instance, no other gospel writer mentions the church by name; but Matthew does. He is the one who relates the Word of our Lord, “… upon this rock I will build my church …” (Matt. 16:18). Even Renan, the French skeptic, said of this gospel that it “is the most important book in Christendom, the most important that has ever been written.” That is a remarkable statement coming from him! Matthew, a converted publican, was the choice of the Spirit of God to write this gospel primarily to the people of Israel.
The gospel of Matthew presents the program of God. The “kingdom of heaven” is an expression which is peculiar to this gospel. It occurs thirty-two times. The word kingdom occurs fifty times. A proper understanding of the phrase “kingdom of heaven” is essential to any interpretation of this gospel and of the Bible. May I make this statement right now, and I do make it categorically and dogmatically: The kingdom and the church are not the same. They are not synonymous terms. Although the church is in the kingdom, there is all the difference in the world.
For instance, Los Angeles is in California, but Los Angeles is not California. If you disagree, ask the people from San Francisco. California is not the United States, but it is in the United States. The Chamber of Commerce may think it is the United States, but it’s not. It’s only one fiftieth of it.
Likewise, the church is in the kingdom, but the kingdom of heaven, simply stated, is the reign of the heavens over the earth. The church is in this kingdom. Now I know that theologians have really clouded the atmosphere, and they certainly have made this a very complicated thing. Poor preachers like I am must come up with a simple explanation, and this is it: the kingdom of heaven is the reign of the heavens over the earth. The Jews to whom this gospel was directed understood the term to be the sum total of all the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the coming of a King from heaven to set up a kingdom on this earth with heaven’s standard. This term was not new to them (see Dan. 2:44; 7:14, 27).
The kingdom of heaven is the theme of this gospel. The One who is going to establish that kingdom on the earth is the Lord Jesus. The kingdom is all important. The Gospel of Matthew contains three major discourses concerning the kingdom.
1. The Sermon on the Mount. That is the law of the kingdom. I think it is only a partial list of what will be enforced in that day.
2. The Mystery Parables. These parables in Matthew 13 are about the kingdom. Our Lord tells us that the kingdom of heaven is like a sower, like a mustard seed, and so on.
3. The Olivet Discourse. This looks forward to the establishment of the kingdom here upon this earth.
It will be seen that the term “kingdom of heaven” is a progressive term in the Gospel of Matthew. This is very important for us to see. There is a movement in the Gospel of Matthew, and if we miss it, we’ve missed the gospel. It is like missing a turn-off on the freeway. You miss it, brother, and you’re in trouble. So if we miss the movement in this marvelous gospel, we miss something very important.
This gospel is very much like the Book of Genesis. They are two key books of the Bible, and you really should be familiar enough with these two books so that you can think your way through them. I will be giving you chapter way through the book. I would tell my students in former days, “When you can’t sleep at night, don’t count sheep. Instead, think your way through Genesis. Then think your way through the Gospel of Matthew. Take it up chapter by chapter. Chapter One: what is it about? Chapter Two: what is it about? If you say to me that you don’t like counting sheep or chapters, then talk to the Shepherd, but the finest way to talk to the Shepherd is to go through these two books. That will help you to get acquainted with Him and come to know Him.” By the way, it’s more important to have Him talk to us than for us to talk to Him. I don’t know that I’ve got too much to tell Him, but He has a lot to tell me. I suggest that you learn the chapters of Matthew so that you don’t miss the movement in them.
Now I want to give you one way of dividing the Gospel of Matthew. I’ll follow a little different division, but this will help you to think it through. It is important to know Matthew in order to understand the Bible!
1. Person of the King Chapters 1–2
2. Preparation of the King Chapters 2–1:16
3. Propaganda of the King Chapters 4:17–9:35
4. Program of the King Chapters 9:36–16:20
5. Passion of the King Chapters 16:21–27:66
6. Power of the King Chapter 28
OUTLINE
CHAPTERS
1. Genealogy and Record of Virgin Birth of Jesus
2. Visit of Wise Men—Flight to Egypt—Return to Nazareth
3. John the Baptist, Forerunner of King, Announces Kingdom and Baptizes Jesus, the King
4. Testing of the King in Wilderness—Begins Public Ministry at Capernaum—Calls Disciples
5–7. Sermon on the Mount
1. Relationship of Subjects of Kingdom to Self, 5:1–16
2. Relationship of Subjects of Kingdom to Law, 5:17–48
3. Relationship of Subjects of Kingdom to God, 6:1–34
4. Relationship of Children of King to Each Other, 7:1–29
8. Six Miracles of King Demonstrate His Dynamic to Enforce Ethics of Sermon on Mount
9. Performs Six More Miracles—Calls Matthew—Contends with Pharisees
10. Jesus Commissions Twelve to Preach Gospel of the Kingdom to Nation Israel
11. Quizzed by Disciples of John—Rejects Unrepentant Cities—Issues New Invitation to Individuals
12. Conflict and Final Break of Jesus with Religious Rulers
13. Mystery Parables of Kingdom of Heaven
14. John the Baptist Beheaded—Jesus Feeds 5,000—Sends Disciples Into Storm at Sea—Walks on Water to Them
15. Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees—Heals Daughter of Syrophoenician Woman and Multitudes—Feeds 4,000
16. Conflict with Pharisees and Sadducees—Confession from Disciples, Peter Spokesman—Jesus First Confronts Them with Church, His Death and Resurrection
17. Transfiguration—Demon Possessed Boy—Tax Money Provided by Miracle
18. Little Child—Lost Sheep—Conduct in Coming Church—Parable on Forgiveness
19. God’s Standard for Marriage and Divorce—Little Children Blessed—Rich Young Ruler—Apostles’ Position in Coming Kingdom
20. Parable of Laborers in Vineyard—Jesus Makes 4th and 5th Announcement of His Approaching Death—Mother Requests Places of Honor for James and John—Jesus Restores Sight to Two Men
21. King Offers Himself Publicly and Finally to Nation—Cleanses Temple—Curses Fig Tree—Condemns Religious Rulers with Parables of Two Sons and Householder
22. Parable of Marriage Feast for King’s Son—Jesus Answers and Silences Herodians, Sadducees, Pharisees
23. Jesus Warns Against and Pronounces Woes Upon Scribes and Pharisees—Weeps over Jerusalem
24–25. Olivet Discourse
Jesus Answers Questions About Sign of End of Age and Sign of His Coming—Parable of Ten Virgins—Parable of Eight Talents—Judgment of Sheep and Goat Nations
26. Jesus Plotted Against—Anointed by Mary of Bethany—Sold by Judas—Observes Last Passover and First Lord’s Supper—Agonizes in Gethsemane—Arrested and Tried by Religious Rulers—Disowned by Peter
27. Trial, Death and Burial of the King
28. Resurrection of the King—His Great Commission
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The genealogy of Jesus Christ and record of the virgin birth of Jesus
THE GENEALOGY
The genealogy which opens the Gospel of Matthew and the New Testament is in many respects the most important document in the Scriptures. The entire Bible rests upon its accuracy. You will notice it has three divisions:
1. Genealogy from Abraham to David (vv. 1–6).
2. Genealogy from Solomon to the Babylonian captivity (vv. 7–11).
3. Genealogy from the Babylonian captivity to Joseph, the carpenter (vv. 12–17).
In our study of Genesis, we note the fact that it is a book about families. The genealogies there are very important, and we see them here as we start the New Testament.
Now I must confess that at first this looks rather boring. You give someone a New Testament, and they begin here in the Gospel of Matthew with a genealogy staring them in the face, and they’re not going to get very far in it. A chaplain friend of mine told me that in World War II he gave out literally thousands of New Testaments to servicemen. He’s seen the men in the bunks open the New Testament, read for a minute or two at the beginning of Matthew, start through that genealogy and come to the conclusion this Book wasn’t for them. Can’t blame them! My point is that we ought to use a little wisdom in giving out literature to people. The average person should start first in any one of the other three gospels, preferably Mark, rather than the Gospel of Matthew. But that doesn’t lessen the importance of this genealogy.
The New Testament rests upon the accuracy of this genealogy because it establishes the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is of the line of Abraham and of the line of David. Both are very important. The line of Abraham places Him in the nation, and the line of David puts Him on the throne—He is in that royal line.
The genealogies were very important to the nation Israel, and through them it could be established whether a person had a legitimate claim to a particular line. For example, when Israel returned from the captivity, we find in the Book of Ezra, “These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood” (Ezra 2:62). It was possible in Ezra’s day to check the register of the tribe of Levi and remove those who made a false claim.
Evidently these genealogies were kept by the government and were accessible to the public. I have a notion they were kept in the temple because Israel was a theocracy, and actually the “church” and the state were one. This genealogy was obviously on display and could have been copied from the public records until the temple was destroyed in a.d. 70. The enemies of Jesus could have checked them and probably did. This is interesting and important because they challenged every move of the Lord Jesus, even offering a substitute explanation for the Resurrection, but they never did question His genealogy. The reason must be that they checked it out and found that it was accurate.
This is most important because it puts Jesus in a very unique position. You remember that He said the Shepherd of the sheep enters in by the door but the thief and the robber climb up some other way to get into the sheepfold (see John 10:1–2). That “fold” is the nation Israel. He didn’t climb into the fold over a fence in the back, and He didn’t come in through the alleyway. He came in through the gate. He was born in the line of David and in the line of Abraham. This is what Matthew is putting before us. He is the fulfillment of everything that had been mentioned in the Old Testament. So the enemies of Christ never could challenge Him in regard to His genealogy. They had to find some other ways to challenge Him, and, of course, they did.
When I was a teenager, I became interested in the Bible for the first time, and I went to a summer conference where the Lord spoke to my heart. Our Bible teacher thrilled my heart as he taught the Word of God. One morning he asked, “How many of you young people have read the Bible through in a year?” There were two to three hundred young people there, but not a hand went up. He asked the same question four times. Finally, one young man in the back put up his hand rather hesitatingly and said, “Well, I read it, but I only read the parts that were interesting. I didn’t read the genealogies.” Everybody laughed, and the teacher laughed, too, and admitted that he didn’t read them either. At that very moment it occurred to me that since the Spirit of God has used so much printer’s ink to give them to us, there must be some importance in them for us. So I’ll have you note this genealogy now in Matthew because it is very important.
This is the genealogy of the Lord Jesus on Joseph’s side. We’ll have another when we get over to Luke, and that will be from Mary’s side.
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham [Matt. 1:1].
“The book of the generation” is a phrase which is peculiar to Matthew. It’s a unique expression, and you won’t find it anywhere else in the New Testament. If you start going back through the Old Testament, back through Malachi and Zechariah and Haggai and back to the Pentateuch, through Deuteronomy, Numbers, Leviticus, Exodus into Genesis, you’ll almost come to the conclusion that it’s nowhere else in the Bible except here in Matthew. Then all of a sudden, you come to the fifth chapter of Genesis and see “This is the book of the generations of Adam …” (Gen. 5:1). There is that expression again. There are two books: the book of the generations of Adam and the book of the generation of Jesus Christ. How did you get into the family of Adam? You got in by a birth. You didn’t perform it; in fact, you had nothing to do with it. But that’s the way you and I got into the family of Adam. We got there by birth. But in Adam all die (Rom. 5:12). Adam’s book is a book of death.
Then there is the other book, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ. How did you get into that family, into that genealogy? You got into it by a birth, the new birth. The Lord Jesus says we must be born again to see the kingdom of God (see John 3:3). That puts us in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we get there by trusting Christ. We all are in the first book, the book of the generations of Adam. I trust that you, my friend, are also in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Matthew says Jesus is “the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Didn’t Matthew know that Abraham came before David? Of course he did because he makes that clear in the rest of the genealogy. Then why did he put it this way? He is presenting the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the One who is the King, the One who is to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. And that comes first. He must be in the line of David in fulfillment of the prophecies that God made to David. He is the Son of David.
He is also the Son of Abraham and it is very important that He be the Son of Abraham, because God had said to Abraham, “… in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed …” (Gen. 22:18). And in Galatians 3:16 Paul explains who that “seed” is: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” So Jesus Christ is the Son of Abraham.
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias [Matt. 1:2–6].
A careful look at the genealogy that follows is not only interesting; it is actually thrilling. Four names stand out as if they were in neon lights. It is startling to find them included in the genealogy of Christ. First, they are the names of women; second, they are the names of Gentiles.
Customarily, the names of women did not appear in Hebrew genealogies, but don’t find fault with that for the very simple reason that today we have the same thing in marriage. In a marriage the name that the couple takes is the name of the man. They don’t take the name of the woman. Her line ends; his goes on. That’s the way we do it today, and that’s the way they did it then.
Down through the years I have performed marriages in which the girl had a lovely name like Jones or Smith, and she wanted to exchange it for a name like Neuenschwander or Schicklegruber! You would think that she’d not want to surrender her name for one having four or five syllables, but that’s the way they do it today. I have a clipping in my file of about ten years ago that tells of a couple in Pasadena who did the unusual thing of taking the name of the woman, which, I understand, can be legally done. But our custom is to take the name of the man, and it is the man’s genealogy that is given.
In Jesus’ day it was indeed unusual to find in a genealogy a woman’s name—yet here we have four names. They are not only four women; they are four Gentiles. As you know, God in the Law said that His people were not to intermarry with tribes that were heathen and pagan. Even Abraham was instructed by God to send back to his people to get a bride for his son Isaac. Also, the same thing was done by Isaac for his son Jacob. It was God’s arrangement that monotheism should be the prevailing belief of those who were in the line that was leading down to the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in His genealogy are the names of four gentile women—two of them were Canaanites, one was a Moabite, and the fourth was a Hittite! You would naturally ask the question, “How did they get into the genealogy of Christ?”
“Thamar” is the first one, and she is mentioned in verse three. Her story is in Genesis 38, and there she is called Tamar. That chapter is one of the worst in the Bible. Thamar got into the genealogy because she was a sinner.
“Rachab” is the next one mentioned in verse five. She’s not a very pretty character in her story back in Joshua chapter 2 where she is called Rahab. But she did become a wonderful person after she came to a knowledge of the living and true God. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:31). She got into the genealogy of Christ for the simple reason that she believed. She had faith. Notice the progression here. Come as a sinner, and then reach out the hand of faith.
“Ruth” is the next one mentioned in verse five. She is a lovely person, and you won’t find anything wrong with her. But at Ruth’s time there was the Law which shut her out because it said that a Moabite or an Ammonite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord (see Deut. 23:3). Although the Law kept her out, there was a man by the name of Boaz who came into his field one day and saw her. It was love at first sight.
Now, maybe you didn’t know that I believe in love at first sight. I proposed to my wife on our second date, and the only reason I didn’t propose on our first date was because I didn’t want her to think I was in a hurry! I do believe in love at first sight. But don’t misunderstand me—we waited a year before we were married, just to make sure. And I think that is always the wise thing to do. Boaz loved Ruth at first sight, and he extended grace to her by putting his mantle around her and bringing her, a Gentile, into the congregation of Israel. She asked, “… Why have I found grace in thine eyes …?” (Ruth 2:10). You and I can ask that same question of God regarding His grace to us. Again, note the progression. We come as sinners and hold out the hand of faith, and He, by His marvelous grace, saves us.
“Bathsheba” is not mentioned by name but called “her that had been the wife of Urias” (v. 6). Her name isn’t mentioned because it wasn’t her sin. It was David’s sin, and David was the one that really had to pay for it. And he did pay for it. She got into the genealogy of Christ because God does not throw overboard one of His children who sins. A sheep can get out of the fold and become a lost sheep, but we have a Shepherd who goes after sheep and always brings them back into the fold. He brought David back. So this is the whole story of salvation right here in this genealogy.
Now there are some more interesting things about this genealogy. If you will compare this genealogy with the one in 1 Chronicles 3 (some of the names are spelled differently), you will find that in verse eight of Matthew, the names of Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah are left out. This shows that genealogies are quoted to give us a view of a certain line of descendants and that every individual is not necessarily named in every genealogy of the Bible. I think we should remember this in the genealogies given to us in Genesis before the Flood. These are not necessarily complete genealogies, but they are given to trace a certain line for us. I personally think man has been on this earth a lot longer than Ussher’s dating which is found in the margins of many editions of the Bible. Remember that these dates are by Ussher and are not part of the Bible. They are faulty and do not belong there.
And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon [Matt. 1:10–11].
In verse 11, we find that Matthew skips Jehoiakim but includes Jechonias. Jechonias deserves our special attention because God had said that none of his seed would sit on the throne. “As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah [his name is Jeconiah, but God took the Je off his name because it is the prefix for Jehovah, and this man was a wicked king] the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence …. Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not proper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” (Jer. 22:24, 30). Because of the sin of this man Jechonias, no one in his line could ever sit on the throne of David. You see, Joseph is in this line, but Joseph is not the natural father of Jesus. This is one of the most remarkable facts in the Scriptures, and Matthew is trying to make it clear to us. Joseph gave to Jesus the title, the legal title, to the throne of David because Joseph was the husband of Mary who was the one who bore Jesus. Jesus Christ is not the seed of Joseph, nor is He the seed of Jeconiah. But both Joseph and Mary had to be from the line of David, and they were—through two different lines from two different sons of David. We’ll find when we get to Luke that Mary’s line comes from David through his son Nathan. Joseph’s line comes through the royal line through Solomon. So Joseph and Mary both had to go to Bethlehem to be enrolled for taxation because they were both from the line of David. You see how interesting, fascinating, and important these genealogies are and how much they are worth our study.
Now the genealogy concludes with this verse—
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ [Matt. 1:16].
You see that this breaks the pattern which began as far back as verse 2 where it says that Abraham begat Isaac. From then on it was just a whole lot of “begetting,” and verse 16 begins by saying, “And Jacob begat Joseph.” You would expect it to continue by saying that Joseph begat Jesus, but it does not say that. Instead, it says, “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Obviously, Matthew is making it clear that Joseph is not the father of Jesus. Although he is the husband of Mary, he is not the father of Jesus.
What is the explanation of this? Well, Matthew in the rest of this chapter will give us the explanation and will show how it fulfills Old Testament prophecy.
THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
Luke, who wrote the gospel bearing his name, was a Greek doctor. In his gospel, he goes into an extended section on obstetrics. Both gospels declare that Jesus was virgin born. Joseph was not His father, but Mary was not unfaithful to Joseph. Jesus is not an illegitimate child. This is something new: “… A woman shall compass a man” (Jer. 31:22).
Now, my friend, I have never objected to any man saying that he does not believe in the Virgin Birth. A man has the right to disbelieve. But I do have two very definite objections: I do not think that a preacher should deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. If he does, then he ought to get a job selling insurance and deal with births in a different way. And I do object to anyone saying that the Bible does not teach the virgin birth of Christ. The only Jesus that we have any historical record of is the One who was virgin born. If you want to take the position that He was not virgin born, where is your documentation? You will have to produce evidence—certainly more than the puny reasoning of man. It is so easy to sit in a swivel chair in some theological seminary and write a thesis on the impossibility of the Virgin Birth. You may write a very profound tome on the subject, but you haven’t any documents to back up your denial. All you have is just rationalism. By the process of rationalizing you may say, “It couldn’t have happened.” Well, who are you to say that it couldn’t have happened? A few years ago man said that it was impossible to go to the moon, but we have gone there, and we have gone there by using the laws of God. God is the Creator of natural laws. He can either use those natural laws or He can set them aside in order to accomplish His purposes. The record clearly states that Jesus Christ was virgin born.
In verse 17 we find a statement which will explain something in the genealogies.
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations [Matt. 1:17].
Matthew puts the genealogy into groupings to give an overall view of Old Testament history. One era extends from Abraham to David, another from David to the Babylonian captivity, and the third from the captivity in Babylon to the birth of Jesus Christ. Obviously, he has omitted some names from the genealogy in order to fit fourteen into each period. The question is, why did he do this? Apparently, the number fourteen (twice seven) offered some proof concerning the accuracy of this genealogy.
Now that Matthew has shown that Joseph is not the father of Jesus, he is going to give us an explanation. Already in the Old Testament, a supernatural birth has been predicted by God. Jeremiah is talking to the nation Israel when he says, “How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man” (Jer. 31:22). That’s not the way it’s done, my friend. That’s not natural birth; it’s supernatural. The virgin birth of the Lord Jesus is the “new thing” which God has done. And it is the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost [Matt. 1:18].
“The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.” Here’s the way it happened, Matthew is telling us. When His mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, that is, she was engaged to him, before they came together—they had had no sexual relationship—she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily [Matt. 1:19].
The Mosaic Law was very specific at this point. It said that a woman who was guilty of being unfaithful should be stoned to death—that was the extreme penalty. But this man Joseph was a remarkable man. We devote a great deal of attention to Mary, and rightly so. Protestants should not let themselves be deterred from giving Mary a great deal of credit. She was a remarkable person. Remember that she was the one whom God chose to be the mother of our Lord, and God makes no mistakes. He picked the right girl. While all of this is true, we need to remember that God also chose Joseph. God made no mistake in choosing him either. A hotheaded man would immediately have had her stoned to death or would have made her a public example by exposing her. But Joseph was not that kind of man. He was a gentle person. He was in love with her, and he did not want to hurt her in any way, although he felt that she had been unfaithful to him.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost [Matt. 1:20].
In order to prevent a very tragic situation, the angel appeared to Joseph to make clear to him what was taking place.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins [Matt. 1:21].
The name Jesus means “Savior.” He shall have the name Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying [Matt. 1:22].
Matthew, who is writing for the nation Israel, points out that all this was done so that it might be fulfilled as the Lord had spoken. Matthew is appealing to the nation Israel to understand that this One who had come must be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.
It has been said that there are over three hundred prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ that have been literally fulfilled. I don’t know how many of them are in Matthew, but I do know that Matthew quoted more from the Old Testament than the other three gospel writers all together. It seems he records things and substantiates them from the Old Testament because he is not primarily trying to give a “life of Christ” but is showing that this is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning Him.
Now he states the prophecy which was given in Isaiah 7:14:
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us [Matt. 1:23].
Now let’s look at this a moment because it is very important. The liberal theologian has, of course, denied the fact of the virgin birth of Christ, and he has denied that the Bible teaches His virgin birth. Very candidly, I suspect that the Revised Standard Version was published in order to try to maintain some of the theses of the liberals. In fact, I am sure of this because one of the doctrines they have denied is the Virgin Birth. In the New Testament of the Revised Standard Version, which was copyrighted in 1946, Matthew 1:23 reads thus: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel’ (which means, God with us).”
In the Old Testament of the Revised Standard Version, which was copyrighted in 1952, Isaiah 7:14 reads like this: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Notice that in Isaiah they substituted “young woman” for the word virgin, even though in Matthew 1:23 they had used the word virgin, which is a fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14!
The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 was given as a sign. My friend, it is no sign at all for a young woman to conceive and bear a son. If that’s a sign, then right here in Southern California a sign is taking place many times a day, every day. They translated it “young woman” to tone down that word virgin.
Let us look at Isaiah 7:14 in the original Hebrew language. The word used for “virgin” is almah. The translators of the RSV went to the writings of Gesenius, an outstanding scholar who has an exhaustive Hebrew lexicon. (I can testify that it’s also exhausting to look at it!) Gesenius admitted that the common translation of the word is “virgin,” but he said that it could be changed to “young woman.” The reason he said that was because he rejected the miraculous. So this new translation and others who have followed him, have attempted to say that almah means “young woman” and not “virgin.”
Let’s turn back to Isaiah 7 and study the incident recorded there. This was during the time when Ahaz was on the throne. He was one of those who was far from God, and I list him as a bad king. God sent Isaiah to bring a message to him, and he wouldn’t listen. So we read: “Moreover the Lord. spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord” (Isa. 7:10–12). May I say, it was pious hypocrisy for him to say what he did. God had asked Isaiah to meet Ahaz on the way to deliver God’s message to him that God would give victory to Ahaz. However, Ahaz wouldn’t believe God and so, in order to encourage his faith, Isaiah tells him that God wants to give him a sign. In his super pious way Ahaz says, “Oh, I wouldn’t ask a sign of the Lord.” Isaiah answered him, “God is going to give you a sign whether you like it or not. The sign isn’t just for you but for the whole house of David.” Now here is the sign: “… Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). Obviously, if this refers to a young woman, it would be no sign to Ahaz, or to the house of David, or to anybody else; but if a virgin conceives and bears a son, that, my friend, is a sign. And that’s exactly what it means.
When the word almah is used in the Old Testament, it means a virgin. Rebekah was called an almah before she married Isaac. I asked a very fine Hebrew Christian, who is also a good Hebrew scholar, about that. He said, “Look at it this way. Suppose you went to visit a friend of yours who had three daughters and two of them were married and one was still single. He would say, ‘These two are my married daughters, and this young lady is my third daughter.’ Do you think he would mean a prostitute when he said ‘young lady?’ If you would imply that she was anything but a virgin, he would probably knock your block off.” May I say, I would hate to be those who deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ when they must come into the presence of the Son of God. I’m afraid they are going to wish they could somehow take back the things they have said to malign Him.
The fact that the word almah means “a virgin” is proven by the Septuagint. During the intertestamental period, seventy-two Hebrew scholars, six from each of Hie twelve tribes, worked down in Alexandria, Egypt, on the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek language. When they came to this “sign” in Isaiah, those seventy-two men understood that it meant “virgin,” and they translated it into the Greek word parthenos. That is the same word which Matthew uses in his gospel. My friend, parthenos does not mean “young woman”; it means “virgin.” For example, Athena was the virgin goddess of Athens, and her temple was called the Parthenon because parthenos means “virgin.” It is clear that the Word of God is saying precisely what it means.
HIS NAME
Notice something wonderful. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” It looks as if there is a problem here. Can you tell me where Jesus was ever called Emmanuel? No, He is called Jesus because that is His name. He was given this name because He shall save His people from their sins. Christ, by the way, is His title; Jesus is His name. But it says here that He shall be called “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Friend, here we have one of the most wonderful things in the entire Word of God. Let’s look at this. Emmanuel means “God with us.” He can’t be Emmanuel, God with us, unless He is virgin born. That’s the only way! And notice, unless He is Emmanuel, He cannot be Jesus, the Savior. The reason they call Him Jesus, Savior, is because He is God with us. This truth about the One who came down to this earth is one of the most wonderful things in the Bible.
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9). He had to be a sacrifice that was acceptable. I couldn’t die for the sins of the world. I can’t even die a redemptive death for my own sins. But He can! How can Jesus be a Savior? Because He is Emmanuel, God with us. How did He get with us? He was virgin born. I say again, He was called Jesus. He was never called Emmanuel. But you cannot call Him Jesus unless He is Emmanuel, God with us. He must be Emmanuel to be the Savior of the world. That is how important the Virgin Birth is.
Can a person be a Christian and deny the Virgin Birth? Hear me very carefully: I believe that it is possible to accept Christ as your Savior without knowing much about Him. You may not even know that this record is in the Bible. But after you have become a child of God, you will not deny the Virgin Birth of the Lord Jesus. You may not have to know it to be saved, but as a child of God you cannot deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
Do I sound dogmatic, friend? Well, I hope I do because I consider this to be all-important. I want a Savior who is able to reach down and save Vernon McGee. If He’s just another man like I am, then He’s not going to be able to help me very much. But if He is Emmanuel, God with us, virgin born, then He is my Savior. Is He your Savior today? He took upon Himself our humanity in this way so that He might taste death for us, that He might die a redemptive death on the cross for us.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The visit of the wise men after the birth of the Lord Jesus; the flight into Egypt; the return to Nazareth
THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
All of this is an historical record of what took place, but back of it there is a tremendous truth being presented, and we don’t want to miss that. We have said before that each gospel was directed to meet the needs of a particular group of people and that Matthew was written to the nation of Israel. It is for religious people. Recorded here is the fulfillment of four prophecies. To show how these Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled at the birth of Jesus is the purpose, I believe, of this chapter. I am sure there were many sincere students of the Scriptures living in Christ’s day who wondered how all of these prophecies could be fulfilled. It seemed difficult, if not impossible. Let me list several here, then we will see how they were fulfilled at the time of Christ’s birth: (1) He was to be born in Bethlehem (see Mic. 5:2); (2) He was to be called out of Egypt (see Hos. 11:1); (3) There was to be weeping in Ramah (see Jer. 31:15); and (4) He was a root from the stem of Jesse and therefore to be called a Nazarene (see Isa. 11:1).
Since Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, why should there be weeping in Ramah, which is about as far north of Jerusalem as Bethlehem is south of Jerusalem? And He was to be called a Nazarene although He would be born in Bethlehem and called out of Egypt. The question is: How could all of these prophecies be fulfilled in a little baby? Well, Matthew shows how literally, accurately, and easily all were fulfilled without any strain on prophecy or on history. It just came about as God said it would come about.
In our day when there are certain prophecies that relate to the second coming of Christ, we may find it difficult to correlate them and to see the way in which they can all be fulfilled. I’m of the opinion we are coming to the time of their fulfillment, and we are going to find out that it all will take place in a normal, natural way. It looks like a jigsaw puzzle to us down here, but, when we get into His presence and it is all fulfilled, it will have been just as natural as the prophecies about His first coming. Every little piece in the jigsaw puzzle will fit into place, and we’re going to wonder why in the world we didn’t see it at the time.
THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem [Matt. 2:1].
This is the historical record of the coming of the wise men. Notice that they came in the days of Herod the king. One thing that Herod did not want was competition. In fact, the one thing that Herod would not tolerate was competition. So the wise men coming to Jerusalem really alerted him.
“Behold, there came three wise men from the east to Jerusalem.” Is that what your Bible says? You say, “No, you’ve inserted the number three.” Well, isn’t that what you’ve been taught by your Christmas cards? I think a great many people know more about the Christmas story from Christmas cards than from the Bible, and therefore they have many inaccurate impressions. I’ll attempt to correct several of them in this chapter.
First, you will notice that the record doesn’t tell us there were three wise men. I don’t know how many there were, but I doubt whether three wise men would have disturbed Herod or have excited Jerusalem. I do believe that three hundred men would have done so. These wise men who came from the East evidently came from different areas. They had been studying the stars, and when this new star appeared, they joined forces and came to Jerusalem. I don’t know how many there were, but I’m almost sure it wasn’t three, and I believe three hundred would be more nearly true. But, please, don’t say that I said there were three hundred!
But the wise men came—
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him [Matt. 2:2].
They were looking for a king, and that was the thing which disturbed Herod, the king.
“We have seen his star in the east.” In poetry that is called the eastern star, and, actually, there is an organization by that name. The worthy matron of that group was a member of my church in Nashville, and she was greatly upset when she heard me say that it was not an eastern star. If they had seen His star in the east and it had been an eastern star, the wise men would have ended up in India or China. The star was in the west! The wise men were in the east. The star was in the west, and they followed it. They came west, not east. My question is this: How in the world did they associate a star with a king, and how did they identify it with Israel? All I know is that in that section of the East, the people had a prophecy given by Balaam, which is recorded in Numbers 24:17. (Remember that old Balaam gave this prophecy concerning the nation Israel.) “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.”
Notice that the prophecy says a Star shall come out of Jacob—that is, the nation Israel. And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel. The star and the sceptre go together. That is the only place I know where they are put together in prophecy in the Old Testament. The wise men in the East had that prophecy, and so they came out of the mysterious East seeking a king.
This did disturb the city of Jerusalem and old king Herod.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him [Matt. 2:3].
When there converged on the city of Jerusalem a very impressive delegation of wise men, asking a question like this, the whole city was disturbed.
Herod wanted to know about this. This man was Herod the Great, a very superstitious man. I hope that you have a good Bible dictionary and that you will take time to read about the Herod family. They were a bunch of rascals, much like the house of de’Medici. This family was a real first century Mafia. Herod the Great was the biggest rascal of them all. He was an ldumean who had bought his position from the Roman government; he was not of Israel at all. And he was really anxious to locate this One who appeared to be a rival for his throne.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born [Matt. 2:4].
He didn’t ask; he demanded. He said, “I know that you have the Scriptures and in them you have a record of a Messiah that is coming. I want to know where He is to be born.” One of the amazing things is that they were able to tell him.
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel [Matt. 2:5–6].
When Herod asked the scribes this question, they didn’t have to search the Scriptures for it; they knew where it was—Micah 5:2. As a matter of fact, they didn’t need even to turn to it, because they had it in their minds. They could quote it. They knew all about the coming of the Messiah. The problem was that their knowledge was academic rather than vital. It was not personally meaningful to them. They are examples of folk who know the history contained in the Bible and they know certain factual truths, but these things carry no personal meaning for them. Since the scribes knew the Old Testament Scriptures so well, you would have thought that they would have gone to the wise men and said, “How about letting us ride down with you? We are looking for the Messiah, too!”
I wonder today how many people are really looking for the coming of the Lord. We talk about it, and we study a great deal about prophecy. Would you really like to see Him right now? Suppose He broke in right today where you are and into what you are doing. Would He interrupt anything? Would you like to say to Him, “I wish that You would postpone your visit to some other time”?
Herod got his information from the scribes—
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared [Matt. 2:7].
I am going to make a statement now and will try to prove it later: The star had appeared in the night sky sometime before the wise men appeared in Jerusalem. Remember that they made the trip by camel—not by jet plane. It is a long, hard trip by camel! I am of the opinion that they didn’t arrive in Jerusalem until at least a year after the appearance of the star. This wasn’t just a little Christmas celebration for them. As they traveled the long, weary miles, they had been hanging on to the hope of seeing Him and presenting their gifts to Him. Notice that Herod “inquired diligently” the time of the star’s appearance in the sky. Keep that in mind. It will be an important fact later in the story.
So Herod sends the wise men on to Bethlehem—
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also [Matt. 2:8].
He’s being as subtle as an old serpent, and that’s exactly what Herod was. Suppose he had said, “If there’s a king born around here, I’m going to get rid of him,” and then had sent soldiers down to Bethlehem. I can assure you that he would never have found the Child because He would have been hidden. He knew that the clever way and the best way was to let the wise men go down and find the child and then come back and tell him. He said he wanted to go down and worship Him, but of course what he really wanted to do was to kill Him.
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy [Matt. 2:9–10].
Now the star appears again. I think they must have traveled a long time without seeing the star. That ought to answer the nonsense one hears today about there being a confluence of certain stars that happened at one particular time. Matthew makes it clear that this star was a very unusual star; in fact, it was a supernatural star. It was miraculous, and we needn’t try to find an explanation for it. Now, it may be, as many astronomers think, that there was quite a movement in the heavens at that time. When He came, heaven and earth both responded to His coming into this world. I think such things did take place, but the wise men saw a supernatural star.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh [Matt. 2:11].
When they arrived, Jesus was not in the stable behind an inn. The great movement of people in the city of Bethlehem had now all ceased. They had gone back to their homes because the enrollment was over. But this little Baby was newly born, and they couldn’t move Him for a while. Probably such a trip for the Little One would have jeopardized His life. So they had stayed in Bethlehem and had moved into a house. The wise men found them in a house. Again, the Christmas cards show the wise men coming into the stable. Well, unless Joseph pointed out that stable to them, they never even knew where it was. They came to the house.
Please note that when they saw the young child with Mary His mother, they fell down and worshiped Him. If ever there was a time when Mary should have been worshiped, this was it. But they didn’t worship her—they were wise men! They worshiped Him and presented to Him their treasures: gold and frank-incense and myrrh.
It is very interesting to study the facts concerning His second coming as they are related to us in Isaiah 60:6: “The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah, all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.” What gift is left out at His second coming? Myrrh! They do not bring myrrh because that speaks of His death. When He comes the second time, nothing will speak of His death. Gold speaks of His birth. He is born a King. Frankincense speaks of the fragrance of His life. Myrrh speaks of His death. All of this is indicated in the gifts that were brought to Him at His first coming. But at His next coming, myrrh will not be brought to Him. The next time He comes, He won’t come to die upon a cross for the sins of the world. He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way [Matt. 2:12].
The wise men had assumed that Herod was sincere and wanted to come down and worship Him. However, he would have killed the Child had not an angel of the Lord warned the wise men to go back to their own country by a different route. They may have continued south down to Hebron, then crossed over south of the Dead Sea, and thus they would be out of the range of Herod altogether.
THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him [Matt. 2:13].
The angel of the Lord appeared also to Joseph and told him that it was time to get the Child out of Bethlehem because Herod would attempt to murder Him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt [Matt. 2:14].
Notice Joseph’s instant obedience.
And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son [Matt. 2:15].
This is a quotation from Hosea 11:1. This is a marvelous prophecy because it has an historical basis. Out of Egypt the son was called, which was the nation; and out of Egypt the Son was called, who was a Person, this Child. So Joseph took the young Child and the mother to Egypt and stayed there until God called Him out.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men [Matt. 2:16].
Part of what I’m going to say now is supposition, and part is based on solid fact. As I mentioned before, the wise men did not arrive at the time the shepherds arrived at the stable. The wise men came later, and, according to verse 11, the family had moved into a house by then. When Herod had had his private session with the wise men, he “inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.” I suppose that the wise men said, “Well, it was about a year ago.” If we are accurate in thinking that these wise men came from all quarters of the East and had met in a certain place from which they began their trek to Jerusalem, that would consume a great deal of time in a day when travel was by camel instead of by jet. It may have been a year, it may have been longer, but Herod was so infuriated that the wise men did not come back and report concerning the Child, that he probably said, “Well, if they said it was a year ago when they saw the star, I’ll just double it and make it two years and kill all the children two years old and younger!” Herod was actually a madman.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not [Matt. 2:17–18].
This is an unusual prophecy, also. Jeremiah didn’t say that the weeping would be heard in Bethlehem. I’m sure there was great mourning in Bethlehem, too. But Jeremiah mentions Rama (spelled Ramah in the Old Testament), and Rama was about as far north of Jerusalem as Bethlehem was south of Jerusalem. And Rama was Jeremiah’s country, by the way. I imagine that when the soldiers had been given their orders to slay the children, the captain said to Herod, “Where do you want me to begin?” And I think that old Herod said, “Well, just draw a circle around Jerusalem with the radius as far south as Bethlehem and as far north as Rama”—yet Rama was not in any way involved in it. So, you see, Herod slew a great many children. You can imagine the weeping all the way from Bethlehem to Rama, a radius of about ten to twelve miles, or twenty to twenty-five miles across the area. It must have been a heartbreaking time in the lives of these people when they lost their little ones. The prophecy given through Jeremiah was literally fulfilled.
THE RETURN TO NAZARETH
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt [Matt. 2:19].
I must call attention to this. We are told that the angel of the Lord appeared to Jacob at Peniel (see Gen. 32). Here it is an angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord is the pre-incarnate Christ. Now Christ incarnate is down in Egypt.
Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life [Matt. 2:20].
It’s essential to get Jesus out of the land of Egypt and back up into Israel. The most important reason is that He has been born under the Law, and He is to live under the Mosaic Law. He is the only One who really ever kept it. He must get out from under the influence of Egypt. He is not to be raised down there as Moses had been and as the children of Israel had been when they were becoming a nation down in Egypt.
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee [Matt. 2:21–22].
By the way, Archelaus was another Herod and very brutal.
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene [Matt. 2:23].
“He shall be called a Nazarene.” The Hebrew word for Nazareth was Netzer, meaning a branch or shoot. The city of Nazareth was so called because of its insignificance. The prophecies of Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2–3; and Psalm 22:6 are involved in the term Nazarene. But the Lord Jesus was given that term not only because He was a root out of the stem ofJesse, but because He grew up in the city of Nazareth, and He was called a Nazarene, which fulfilled the prophecies.
Now we have seen all four of the prophecies dealing with locations in the birth of Christ: born in Bethlehem, called out of Egypt, weeping in Rama, and called a Nazarene were fulfilled in a very normal way. He touched base in all of these places, and what seemed rather strange prophecies became very sane realities.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: John the Baptist, the forerunner of the King, announces the kingdom and baptizes Jesus, the King
MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [Matt. 3:1–2].
Now, all of a sudden, John the Baptist walks onto the pages of Scripture. If we had Matthew’s gospel only, we would ask, “Where did he come from, and what is his background?”—because Matthew gives us none of that, and the reason is obvious. The prophet Malachi had said that the messenger would come ahead to prepare the way for the coming of the King—“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me …” (Mal. 3:1). This messenger was John the Baptist. You don’t really need to know about the background of a messenger. When the Western Union boy delivers a message to your door, do you say to him, “Young man, did your ancestors come over on the Mayflower? What is your background?” You’re not interested in that. You are interested in the message because the message is all-important, and that is what you want. So you thank him, give him a tip, and dismiss him. You are through with him.
John the Baptist made it very clear that he was just the messenger, and Matthew is making that clear, too. Therefore, he walks out onto the page of Scripture, preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Now let’s deal with these expressions: (1) “Repent ye”; (2) “the kingdom of heaven”; and (3) “is at hand.” They are very important.
“Repent” is an expression that always has been given to God’s people as a challenge to turn around. “Repent” in the original Greek is metanoia, meaning “to change your mind.” You are going in one direction; turn around and go in another direction.
Repentance is primarily, I think, for saved people, that is, for God’s people in any age. They are the ones who, when they become cold and indifferent, are to turn. That was the message to the seven churches of Asia Minor in Revelation 2 and 3, and it was the message of the Lord Jesus Himself.
Someone may ask whether the unsaved man is supposed to repent. The unsaved man is told that he is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That was the message of Paul to the jailer at Philippi (see Acts 16:31). That old rascal needed to do some repenting; but when an unsaved man believes in Jesus, he is repenting. Faith means to turn to Christ, and when you turn to Christ, you must also turn from something. If you don’t turn from something, then you aren’t really turning to Christ. So repentance is really a part of believing, but the primary message that should be given to the lost today is that they should believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We like to see folk come forward in a service to receive Christ or sign a card signifying that they have made that decision, but the important thing is to trust Christ as your Savior, and if you really turn to Him, you turn from something else.
The expression “kingdom of heaven” means the rule of the heavens over the earth. The Lord Jesus is the King. You can’t have a kingdom without a king; neither can you have a king without a kingdom. Remember Richard III who said in the Shakespearean play, “My kingdom for a horse.” If he had traded his kingdom for a horse, he wouldn’t have been a king. He would have been only a man on horseback. A king must have a kingdom. So what did John the Baptist mean by “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”? He meant that the kingdom of heaven is present in the Person of the King.
Is there a present reality of the kingdom of heaven? Yes, there is. Those who come to Him as Savior and acknowledge Him are translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. They belong to Him now. And they have a much more intimate relationship than that of a subject with a king. Christ is the Bridegroom, and believers are part of His bride!
Then someone may ask whether we are like subjects in a kingdom because we are to carry out His commands. Again I say, there is more to it than that. We are to obey Him because we love Him. It is a love relationship. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
The “kingdom of heaven” is the rule of the heavens over the earth. That’s not in existence today. Christ is not reigning over the world now. There must be something wrong with the thinking of those who insist that the kingdom of heaven is in existence in our day. Christ is not reigning in any form, shape or fashion—except in the hearts of those who have received Him. However, He is coming someday to establish His kingdom on the earth. When He does, He will put down rebellion. Believe me, He is really going to put it down.
The kingdom of heaven was at hand, or was present, in the Person of the King. That was the only way in which it was present.
Matthew now tells us that what he is recording is in fulfillment of prophecy—
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight [Matt. 3:3].
“The prophet Esaias” is Isaiah, and the prophecy is in Isaiah 40:3].
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness”—all that John the Baptist claimed for himself was that he was a voice crying in the wilderness. And his purpose was to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey [Matt. 3:4].
He’s a strange individual, isn’t he? He follows a strange diet and has an unusual way of dressing. I hate to say this, but today John would probably qualify in his looks as a vagrant. His raiment was of camel’s hair, his leathern girdle was about his loins, his meat was locusts and wild honey. We’re told that he never shaved and had long hair. Here’s an unusual man, friend, a man with a mission. He’s really an Old Testament character, walking out of the Old Testament onto the pages of the New Testament. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets.
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan [Matt. 3:5].
Notice that the crowds went out to him. John did not rent a stadium or an auditorium or a church, and there was no committee that invited him. In fact, he didn’t come to town at all. If you wanted to hear John, you went out to where he was. Obviously, the Spirit of God was on this man.
And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins [Matt. 3:6].
In other words, all of this denoted a change in the lives of these people. The very fact that they submitted to John’s baptism was an indication that they were leaving their old lives and turning to new lives.
THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance [Matt. 3:7–8].
Now see who is coming! Listen to the way he greets these dignified visitors. Suppose your preacher got up next Sunday morning and said, “O generation of vipers”! I imagine that the deacons would be looking for another preacher! This is really strong language. He’s talking to the dignified Pharisees and Sadducees and is telling them, “There must be evidence of this new life. You can’t just go through the act of baptism. There must be fruit in your life.”
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham [Matt. 3:9].
Friend, he’s making a strong statement here! You can understand why he was not elected the most popular man of the year in Judea.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire [Matt. 3:10].
A great deal is said in the New Testament about fruit bearing. Fruit bearing is the result of having the right kind of tree. Only a fruit tree can produce fruit. He talks here about the axe being laid to the root of the tree, and the reason is that the tree is not bearing fruit. An apple tree will bear apples, and a plum tree will bear plums. But when a tree bears thorns, it is not an apple tree, and it must be cut down. The root and the fruit go together, by the way, and a tree must have the right kind of root to bear the right kind of fruit. That is exactly what John the Baptist is saying to them here. He is telling them that the wrong kind of tree is going to be taken down and cast into the fire.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire [Matt. 3:11].
John is saying, “I baptize with water. But He is coming, and when He comes, He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire”—that final “and” is already over nineteen hundred years long. You and I are living in the age of the Holy Spirit. Christ Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit in this present age. He will baptize with fire when He comes the second time, and fire means judgment. This distinction needs to be made.
Somebody will say, “I thought that on the Day of Pentecost, the believers were baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire, because it says that tongues of fire sat upon each of them.” Oh, my friend, you ought to read Acts 2:2–3 again. The record is this: “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them” (italics mine). It wasn’t wind and it wasn’t fire; it was the coming of the Holy Spirit. But there was something to appeal to the eye-gate and to the ear-gate. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit came, there was not the fulfillment of the baptism of fire. Let me repeat that, the baptism of fire will take place at the second coming of Christ. In the present age of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit comes upon every believer. Not just some, but every believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit, which means that the believer is identified with the body of Christ; that is, he becomes part of the body of Christ. This is one of the great truths in the Word of God.
John continues to speak of Christ’s second coming—
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire [Matt. 3:12].
JESUS IS BAPTIZED OF JOHN
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him [Matt. 3:13].
This is remarkable, and we are going to ask the question: “Why was Jesus baptized?” and try to answer it.
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him [Matt. 3:14–15].
Why was Jesus baptized? There may be several answers, but the primary reason is stated right here: “For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” Jesus is identifying Himself completely with sinful mankind. Isaiah had prophesied that He would be numbered with the transgressors (see Isa. 53:12). Here is a King who identifies Himself with His subjects. Actually, baptism means identification, and I believe identification was the primary purpose for the baptism of the Lord Jesus. Again, the reason Jesus was baptized was not to set an example for us. It was not a pattern for us to follow. Christ was holy—He did not need to repent. You and I do need to repent. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He was baptized to completely identify Himself with humanity.
There was a second reason Jesus was baptized. Water baptism is symbolic of death. His death was a baptism. You remember that He said to James and John when they wanted to be seated on His right hand and on His left hand in the kingdom, “Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Matt. 20:22). You see, Christ’s death was a baptism. He entered into death for you and for me.
There is a third reason for the baptism of Jesus. At this time He was set aside for His office of priest. The Holy Spirit came upon Him for this priestly ministry. Everything that Jesus did, His every act, was done by the power of the Holy Spirit. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). There was sin on Him, but there was no sin in Him. My sin was put on Him, not in Him. That is an important distinction. Therefore, you and I are saved by being identified with Him. He identified Himself with us in baptism. And Peter says that we are saved by baptism (see 1 Pet. 3:21). In what way? By being identified with the Lord Jesus. To be saved is to be in Christ. How do we get into Christ? By the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I believe in water baptism because by it we declare that we are identified with Christ. The Lord Jesus said, “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). We must recognize that we have to be identified with Christ, and that is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Our water baptism is a testimony to this. One time an old salt said to a young sailor in trying to get him to accept Christ and be baptized, “Young man it is duty or mutiny!” And when you come to Christ, my friend, you are to be baptized because it is a duty. If you are not, it is mutiny.
This subject of baptism needs to be lifted out of the realm of argument to the high and lofty plane of standing for Christ. How we need to come out and stand for Christ!
Let me repeat verse 15: “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him”—that is, John baptized Him.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased [Matt. 3:16–17].
Here we have a manifestation of the Trinity. As the Lord Jesus is coming out of the water, the Spirit of God descends upon Him like a dove, and the Father speaks from heaven.
The Father says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Lord Jesus is now identified with His people. What a King! Oh, what a King He is!
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness; the beginning of His public ministry at Capernaum; the calling of four of His disciples by the Sea of Galilee
THE THREEFOLD TEMPTATION OF JESUS
Let us follow the movement of the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus came down to be born among us and so to be identified with us. He grew up as any other child would, except that He was harmless and without sin. Now, in His baptism, He has been identified with us. He has put on our sin. Now He is going to be tested because there are some real questions to be answered. Is the King able to withstand a test, and can He overcome?
The word tempt has a twofold meaning:
1. “Incite or entice to evil; seduce.” There is something in each of us which causes us to yield to evil. This was not true of Jesus. “… the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). He was “… holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners …” (Heb. 7:26). So the temptation for Jesus had to be different from that which would cause me to fall, in that it needed to be a much greater temptation.
2. “Test.” God does not tempt men with evil according to James 1:13. Yet, we are told “… God did tempt Abraham …” (Gen. 22:1). This means that God was testing the faith of Abraham.
Jesus is now to be tested. Could Jesus have fallen? I want to answer that with an emphatic no! He could not have fallen. If Jesus could have fallen, then you and I do not have a sure Savior at all.
Perhaps you are asking, “Well then, if Jesus could not have fallen, was His temptation a legitimate and genuine temptation?” May I say to you that His temptation was much greater than any that you and I have ever had. When a new model Chevrolet or Ford or Dodge is developed, it is thoroughly tested to prove it can stand the test. And every genuine diamond is tested to show that it is not a phony. In a similar way, the Lord Jesus Christ was tested to demonstrate that He was exactly who He claimed to be.
Let me illustrate with this little story. When I was a boy, I lived out in West Texas. It was a sparsely populated area in those days. The Santa Fe railroad came through our little town, but it went on by and stopped in the next little town. But it crossed the left fork of the Brazos River near our town. In the summertime there wasn’t enough water in that river to rust a shingle nail, but in wintertime you could float a battleship on it. One winter we really had a flood, and it washed out the Santa Fe bridge. We were without a train for a long time. Finally, they put in a bridge. They worked a long time on it. Then one day they brought in two engines, stopped them on the bridge, and tied down their whistles. Believe me, that was more whistling than we had ever heard in our little town! All twenty-three of us ran down to see what was happening. As we were standing around, one brave citizen went up to the engineer in charge with our question, “What are you doing?” The engineer answered, “Testing the bridge.” Our man said, “Are you trying to break it down?” The engineer almost sneered, “Of course not! We’re testing it to prove that it can’t be broken down.”
May I say to you, that was the exact reason the Lord Jesus was tested. It was to prove, to demonstrate, that He could not be broken down. His testing, therefore, was greater than ours. There is a limit to what we can bear. You give me enough temptation, you build up the pressure, and finally I’ll succumb to it. That is true of you, too. But Christ never gave in although the pressure continued to increase. In other words, a ten-pound fishing line will break when twenty pounds of pressure is put on it, but a hundred-pound line can bear more than twenty-five pounds of pressure. Now, I’m the ten-pound fishing line, and He is the one hundred-pound line.
Another really interesting feature of this temptation is the comparison and contrast with the testing of Eve in the Garden of Eden. Tb begin with, Christ was tested in a wilderness while Eve was tested in a garden. What a contrast!
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil [Matt. 4:1].
He was to be tested by the devil.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread [Matt. 4:2–3].
This is the same kind of temptation that came to Eve. The first one was physical. She saw that the tree was good for food (see Gen. 3:6). The Lord Jesus was told to turn stones to bread. First John 2:15–16 says that such temptation for the Christian is the “… lust of the flesh.”
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God [Matt. 4:4].
That is found in Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus surely knew Deuteronomy, and He believed it was the inspired Word of God. Now the second testing:
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone [Matt. 4:5–6].
The Devil is quoting Psalm 91:11–12, although he does not quote it accurately. Now, this is the spiritual temptation. For Eve it was that she saw the fruit was “… to be desired to make one wise …” (Gen. 3:6). For the Christian, it is the “… pride of life …” (1 John 2:16).
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God [Matt. 4:7].
He is quoting Deuteronomy 6:16.
The third testing is psychological.
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me [Matt. 4:8–9].
Satan showed Him the kingdoms of the world and their glory. This, you see, is a psychological temptation. Man lusts for power. Eve was subjected to the same temptation: “… ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). Many of us succumb to this test.
Notice the answer of the Lord Jesus—
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve [Matt. 4:10]
He is quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20. Friend, we see that our Lord answered each time with Scripture. Certainly, that ought to have a message for all of us.
Why is it that many of us are having trouble living the Christian life? May I say this very kindly: It is ignorance of the Word of God. Notice that our Lord always answered by giving the Word of God. I believe that the Word of God has an answer for your particular problem. That doesn’t mean that I know the answer for your problem. It doesn’t mean that your psychologist or psychiatrist knows the answer for your problem. But God has an answer for your problem, and it is in His Word. That is the reason we should know the Book better than we do.
Let me repeat, the Lord Jesus answered Satan every time out of the Word. He did not say, “Well, I think this” or “I believe there is a better way of doing it.” He said very definitely that the Word of God says thus and so. He used the Word of God for His answer. And for the child of God, that is enough.
By the way, the devil seemed to think it gave good answers because in the next verse we read—
Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him [Matt. 4:11].
Luke 4:13 tells us that the devil left Him for a little season. I think he was back the next day—and was testing Him throughout His life. Especially do we see the temptation of the devil in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus endured indescribable suffering.
Now let’s make a very brief recapitulation of this episode in the life of our Lord and notice some things that it clearly teaches.
First of all, we have seen that Jesus was born a King, He was introduced as a King, He was baptized as a King, and now we have seen that He was tested as a King. All the way through Matthew’s Gospel He is a King.
This testing revealed several things. One of them is that the devil is a person. In this contact with Jesus, he is treated as a person. This ought to answer any Bible believer who has questions about him, because there are those who insist that the devil is only an influence.
Also, we notice the very subtle insinuation of the devil. He first said, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (v. 3). In other words, prove it in a way which is not God’s way. There was no attempt, of course, to tempt Jesus to commit a crime. For Him, that would not have been a real temptation because the inclination of Jesus was to do good. Since bread was the staff of life, to make stones into bread would be a very good thing. And later on in His ministry He fed the multitudes with bread. But the inherent evil of Satan’s temptation was to get Jesus to go outside of the will of God for His life.
Also, we see that all the way through the temptations, the Lord Jesus answered the devil from the Word of God. In other words, He used the sword of the Spirit (see Eph. 6:17) to meet the enemy of God and man. Every time His answer was, “It is written.” Oh, my friend, if only we were more adept at using the sword of the Spirit! It is our weapon in this day, and it is a very effective weapon.
Another interesting point is that Jesus quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy.
The second thing the devil wanted Jesus to do was to become a religious leader by a stupendous miracle rather than by offering His credentials in the manner that God had prescribed. The devil’s way would miss the cross of Christ. Much of what is called Christianity today is “Devil-anity” or “Satan-anity” because it leaves the cross of Christ out altogether. The devil is asking Jesus to become a great religious leader by a miracle.
Friend, it’s very dangerous today to be led astray by miracle workers. Right now many people are going after so-called faith healers. I don’t know why so many folk go after that type of thing when a little investigation would reveal that there are no real miracles taking place in their services, although there is a great deal of emotion and folderol involved. In Southern California I have made an offer of one hundred dollars to anyone who will come forward and present their credentials and demonstrate that they were actually healed by a miracle worker, a healer. Frankly, I have been amazed that only two or three have come. These were very sincere folk who really believed that they had been healed. They thought that I was way out in left field because I didn’t believe they had been healed—and I didn’t. But don’t misunderstand, I believe in miracle healing—that is, I believe that you go directly to the Great Physician. When you have something seriously wrong with you, you don’t go to an intern or a quack doctor. What you do is go to a specialist in that particular field. I’ve taken my case to the Great Physician, and I can recommend Him. I believe in going directly to Him and not through some of these so-called miracle-workers. No man can perform miracles. Not even the Lord Jesus would become a religious leader the way the Devil wanted Him to become one, and that is very interesting.
You’ll notice that the Devil came back and quoted Scripture also. He said: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee…. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone” (Ps. 91:11–12). The Devil was pretty good at quoting Scripture, but he wasn’t quite accurate. Shakespeare said that the Devil could quote Scripture for his purpose; but, actually, the Devil can misquote Scripture for his purpose. Satan left out a very important phrase from the passage which he quoted from Psalm 91. He omitted “… to keep thee in all thy ways” (Ps. 91:11). That is the important part of the verse. Satan was attempting to get the Lord Jesus to ignore God’s way. My friend, it is not always God’s will to perform something in your life or in my life that is miraculous. There is an idea circulating in our contemporary society that we can force God to do something, that He is sort of a Western Union boy or that He is more or less working for you and is under your command to do what you desire Him to do. Oh, my friend, we can’t do that! God is sovereign, and we happen to be the creature—He is the Creator. We must yield to the will of God. That may not be pleasant at times, but the will of God—not your will or my will—is that which is all important.
Another thing about this temptation which really raises a question is that the Devil offered the Lord Jesus the kingdoms of this world! Does the Devil have the kingdoms of the world to offer? Think that one over before you attempt to answer it. Well, let me give you my answer, and I have thought about it a great deal. The Lord Jesus did not challenge his statement that he had the kingdoms of the world to offer. Jesus didn’t say to him, “You can’t offer Me the kingdoms of the world because you don’t have them to give.” I assume that the Devil did have them to give. This fact gives us a little different viewpoint of the trouble we are having in the world today. The Devil is running everything! Some Christians tend to fight the evils of communism without realizing that behind communism is Satan and that behind the confusion and turmoil in the world is Satan. Let’s remember who our enemy really is. He is a spiritual enemy. He wants to become God. Remember that he said to Jesus, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me”!
In verse 11 we saw that after the third temptation, the Devil left the Lord Jesus for awhile. Certainly, he did not leave Him alone permanently.
JESUS BEGINS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY AT CAPERNAUM
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim [Matt. 4:12–13].
Jesus withdrew from the Jerusalem area because John had been taken by Herod and put in prison. Now we have the Lord Jesus shifting His headquarters from the south to the north and from Nazareth, His hometown, over to Capernaum. Matthew does not give us the details of this move in his record. This is an example of the fact that the four gospel records do not attempt to parallel each other. One is not a carbon copy of any of the others. The attempt to harmonize the Gospels is a big mistake. I have written a booklet entitled Why Four Gospels? in which I attempt to show that each one is written for a definite purpose. Not one of them was intended to be a biography of the Lord Jesus—no one could write that. Each book presents its case to reach a certain segment of the human family. Matthew was written to reach the religious element and is primarily for the nation of Israel. Actually, it was written in Hebrew—Papias and Eusebius, church fathers, both say that, as well as others of that period.
Although Matthew gives us no details of the move to Capernaum, we learn from other gospels that Jesus had been rejected by His hometown. Capernaum became His headquarters and continued as such, as far as we can tell, until the hour that He went to Jerusalem for the final time to be crucified.
Matthew will give us the reason He moved His headquarters from Nazareth to Capernaum. The other gospel writers do not tell us this, but Matthew records it to show that in everything the Lord Jesus did, He was moving in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies—
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up [Matt. 4:14–16].
We find this prophecy in Isaiah 9:1–2 and Isaiah 42:6–7. I won’t take the space to go into the background of this area called Galilee of the Gentiles, but if you want to do some research, you will find it very profitable to see the condition of that area at the time the Lord Jesus was there. Remember that He also spent His boyhood there. It was called Gentile country because out of the Roman Empire many folk had migrated to that area. There was a marvelous resort section around the Sea of Galilee, but it was very worldly and even wicked. The people in that area were very far from God.
The great light of the Lord Jesus broke upon them, and His very presence created a responsibility for them. They witnessed many of His miracles, but there was little response. Later, in Matthew 11:20–24, He pronounces judgment upon them when He says, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin!”
In Capernaum Jesus picked up right where John the Baptist left off.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [Matt. 4:17].
Jesus’ message was, “Repent, turn around, come to Me, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It was at hand in the person of the King, of course—they couldn’t have the kingdom of heaven without Him. As we have seen the kingdom of heaven, simply stated, is the reign of the heavens over the earth. This is what the Lord Jesus will bring to this earth someday. This earth will become “heaven” for Israel, an earthly people, and they will go into eternity right down here. The church has a heavenly hope, but the earthly hope is also a marvelous hope, and it is the hope of the Old Testament.
JESUS BEGINS TO CALL HIS DISCIPLES
Now Jesus begins to gather disciples about Him. Notice the following verses.
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men [Matt. 4:18–19].
In the Gospels the Lord makes at least three calls to these men, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that three meetings took place between Christ and these men. The first meeting took place in Jerusalem, as recorded in John 1:35–42. Their second meeting took place by the Sea of Galilee, and apparently this is the record of it. They had seen Him before this, but at that time He had not called them to be with Him. Now here at the Sea of Galilee when He meets them again, He calls them to follow Him. And then we will find that they went back to fishing—Mark and Luke give us that detail. And finally He called them again, and that was to apostleship.
The wonder of it all is that Jesus called men like this. I have always felt that since He called imperfect men like the disciples were, He may be able to use me, and He may be able to use you. It is encouraging to know that we don’t have to be super-duper saints to be used by Him. He may not make you a fisher of men, if you are not in the fishing business. But whatever business you are engaged in, He can use you. Whatever your talent may be, if you will turn it over to Him, He can use it. Years ago a lady in my church was absolutely tongue-tied when it came to witnessing for Christ, but she could bake the most marvelous cakes! She used to deplore the fact of her inability to witness, and I said to her one day, “Did it ever occur to you that the Lord may want you in the church family to bake cakes?” That may seem ridiculous, but it is not. The important thing for us is to give ourselves to Him. Under His direction He won’t have us all doing the same thing because He gives us separate gifts. The body of Christ has many members in it, and they all have different functions to perform.
And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him [Matt. 4:20–22].
These are very interesting men, and we will get better acquainted with them as we move along, especially as we see them in the other gospel records.
Now remember that Jesus is in the northern section of Israel at this time—
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people [Matt. 4:23].
Notice that Jesus is teaching in their synagogues, and He is preaching the gospel of the kingdom. What is it? The gospel (Good News) of the kingdom is that it is at hand in the person of the King. They are to accept and receive Him. Also, He is healing their physical illnesses. Friend, there were thousands of people in that day whom Jesus healed. Matthew especially lets us know that. If we will pay attention to the text, we will find that there were not just a few isolated cases, but thousands of folk were healed. That is the reason the enemies of Jesus never questioned His miracles—there were too many of them walking around. By the way, I live in Southern California where many so-called faith healers claim the healing of thousands of people, but we don’t see these purported miracles walking around, at least they don’t come my way.
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them [Matt. 4:24].
Notice the multitudes.
And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan [Matt. 4:25].
Decapolis was a district containing ten cities in the northeastern part of Galilee, east of the Jordan River. (I have had the privilege of visiting one of those cities.) Also, folk came up from Jerusalem and from Judea, the southernmost division of Palestine, and from beyond Jordan, which means a long way off. Jesus is ministering there in the north of Palestine.
It should be kept in mind as we consider the Gospel of Matthew that Matthew is making no attempt to give us a chronological record of the life of Christ. He is presenting Jesus in his Gospel as King, and he follows a pattern which is a movement in bringing the King and His claims to the nation Israel. This is important to observe. If we miss the movement in Matthew, we miss the purpose of this Gospel.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The beginning of the so-called Sermon on the Mount dealing with the relationship of the subjects of the kingdom to self and to law
INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Although we will consider each chapter of the Sermon on the Mount separately, let’s first consider it as a whole. The Lord Jesus gave four major discourses. Matthew records three of them: (1) the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5–7; (2) the Mystery Parables Discourse, chapter 13; and (3) the Olivet Discourse, chapters 24–25. The Sermon on the Mount is the manifesto of the King. The Mystery Parables Discourse gives the direction that the kingdom of heaven will take after Christ’s rejection. The Olivet Discourse is prophetic, looking toward the future. There is a fourth discourse, recorded in John’s gospel, which deals with new truths and relationships in view of Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession. You and I are vitally connected with this latter discourse, by the way.
While the Sermon on the Mount is in Matthew 5–7, excerpts of it are in the other gospels, also. It is unlikely that our Lord gave it only one time. He repeated, as you know, a great deal of the truths that He gave and probably gave this message, which we call the Sermon on the Mount, on many occasions. Luke records only a portion of it and mentions the fact that our Lord came down and stood on the plain, indicating that this was a different occasion. Frankly, Matthew’s account is probably only a part of the Sermon on the Mount. I believe that our Lord gave a great deal more than we have here. However, this was given for our learning and our understanding today.
There are two things I would like to say by way of introduction to this section. One is that the far right and the far left are not confined to politics, but among theologians who expound Scripture we also have the far left and the far right. This is vividly revealed in the understanding of the Sermon on the Mount. The liberal theologian is to the far left. He treats the Sermon on the Mount as the gospel, the Good News. He acts (even if he doesn’t say it) as if it were the only important part of Scripture.
Many years ago I played handball with a very liberal preacher who later became rather famous as a leader of the liberal wing. One day he told me that all he needed of the Bible was the Sermon on the Mount. He went even so far as to say that all he needed was the Golden Rule, as recorded in Matthew 7:12: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” To say that this is all the Bible you need may sound good, but it is pious drivel. The question is not whether you feel that the Sermon on the Mount is your religion. The question is: Are you living it? That is the important thing, and we’ll have more to say about that later.
Those who reduce the Christian message to the Sermon on the Mount represent a very large segment of liberalism in our day. But please notice that the content of the Christian gospel is not found in the Sermon on the Mount. For instance, there is absolutely no mention of the death and resurrection of Christ. Yet Paul said to the Corinthians, “… I declare unto you the gospel….” What is the gospel? The Sermon on the Mount? No. Paul made it clear that the gospel is this: “… that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1, 3–4, italics mine). My friend, the gospel is not in the Sermon on the Mount, and that is the reason a great many people like to claim it as their religion. The preaching of that doctrine has made more hypocrites in the church than anything else. It is nothing in the world but verbiage for men to say, “I live by the Sermon on the Mount.” If a man is honest and will read the Sermon on the Mount, he will know that he is not living up to it.
My friend, if the Sermon on the Mount is God’s standard (and it is) and you come short of it, what are you going to do? Do you have a Savior who can extend mercy to you? Do you know the One who can reach down in grace and save you when you put your faith in Him?
To reduce the Christian message to the Sermon on the Mount is a simplicity which the Scriptures would not permit under any circumstances whatsoever. To do so is the extreme left point of view.
There is also the extreme right point of view. This group treats the Sermon on the Mount as if it were the bubonic plague. They have nothing to do with it. They give the impression that there is something ethically wrong with it. This group is known as hyper-dispensationalists. (Don’t misunderstand, I am a dispensationalist but not a hyper-dispensationalist.) They maintain that we can’t use the Sermon on the Mount at all. In fact, one of them told me that the Lord’s Prayer has no meaning for us today. He was a prominent man, and after I heard him make that statement, I ran a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord’s Prayer. In fact, I have a book entitled Let Us Pray which deals with the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer does have meaning for us in our day. It is for us, although it is not to us. But the extreme right want to rule it out entirely.
It is true that there is no gospel in the Sermon on the Mount, and it is tragic indeed to give it to unregenerate man as a standard of conduct, and to tell him that if he tries to measure up to it, he is a Christian.
The Sermon on the Mount is Law lifted to the nth degree. Man could not keep the Law in the Old Testament. So how in the world can he keep, in his own strength, the Sermon on the Mount which is elevated to an even higher degree?
It is likewise true that the modus operandi for Christian living is not really found in the Sermon on the Mount. It gives the ethic without supplying the dynamic. Living by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit is just not one of the truths taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Paul says: “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3–4).
You don’t find that teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. It contains nothing of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. However, it does contain high ethical standards and practices which are not contrary to Christian living; in fact, it expresses the mind of Christ which should be the mind of the Christian also. The great principles set down here are profitable for the Christian to study and learn, but he can never attain them in his own strength; he must go elsewhere to look for the power. What you have in the Sermon on the Mount is a marvelous electric light bulb, but you do not have the generator that produces the power that will make the light. And it is the light, not the bulb, that is all important.
The primary purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to set before men the law of the kingdom. In Matthew we are talking about the King who has come to present Himself. John the Baptist was His forerunner, and the King called disciples to follow Him. Now He enunciates the law of the kingdom. This is the manifesto of the King and the platform of the Prince of Peace. And it’s law! It will be the law of this world during the Millennium, and then it will find full fruition. Christ will reign on earth in person and will enforce every word of it. The Sermon on the Mount will finally prevail when He whose right it is to rule shall come. Now it’s inconceivable to me that anyone who acknowledges Him today as Lord would despise this document or turn from it. The Christian who calls Jesus Christ Lord, will seek to do what He commands, but he can obey only in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is worse than futile to try to force the Sermon on the Mount on a gainsaying and rebellious world. Only the gospel of the grace of God can make men obedient to Christ, and it was given to bring men into obedience to God.
The Sermon on the Mount needs to be preached to bring conviction to the hearts of men. This document lets men know that they have sinned, and it reveals that none are righteous and that all have come short of God’s glory.
The Christian can take the principles set down in the Sermon on the Mount and consider them in the light of other Scriptures. This will provide a wider view and a better understanding of the mind of Christ. For example, only here can you find Christ’s definition of murder and adultery. Christ took two of the commandments and lifted them to the nth degree, “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exod. 20:13–14). Are these the only two which He lifted to a higher level? The answer seems to be obvious. These are the only two which are recorded in Matthew. Apparently, He did or could lift each commandment to a much higher level of attainment. If it could be said of the Mosaic Law, “… for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. 2:16), then it would be ten times more difficult for a man to be justified by the Sermon on the Mount.
Try putting down upon your own life these two commandments: “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Let me illustrate what I mean by a little story. This incident took place during my first pastorate when I was a lot more blunt than I am now. An elder in the church I served in Nashville, Tennessee, invited me to speak at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. This elder was a very wonderful man. He was the vice-president of a bank in the city, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and when he asked me to bring a brief message, he said, “You won’t have but a few minutes, but I want you to give these businessmen the gospel.” Well, I arrived at the place a little early, and there were several men standing around. I went up near the speaker’s table, and there was a man there who shook hands with me and began to rip out oaths. I had never seen such a fine-looking, well-dressed man curse as this man did. Finally, he said to me, “What’s your racket?” I told him that I was a preacher, and he began to cover up immediately. He apologized for his language. He didn’t need to apologize to me; he needed to apologize to God because God heard him all the time—which I told him. Then he wanted me to know that he was an officer in a certain liberal church, and he boasted, “The Sermon on the Mount is my religion.”
“It is?” I said, “Let’s shake hands. I congratulate you—you’ve got a wonderful religion! By the way, how are you doing with it?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said that the Sermon on the Mount is your religion. Are you living by it?”
“Well, I try.”
“That’s not quite it. The Lord said that you are blessed if you do those things, not if you vote for them. Are you keeping it?”
“I think I am.”
“Do you mind if we take a little test?”
“All right.”
“The Sermon on the Mount says that if you are angry with your brother you are guilty of murder. Are you keeping that one?”
“Well, that’s pretty strong, but I don’t think I have been angry enough to kill anyone.”
Then I quoted the one the Lord gave on adultery: “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (v. 28), and asked him, “how about that one?”
“Oh, I guess that would get me!”
“Well, I imagine that there are several things in the Sermon on the Mount that would get you. Apparently you are not living by your religion. If I were you, I’d change my religion and get something that works.”
Oh, how many people there are like that man! They very piously say that the Sermon on the Mount is their religion, but all they mean is that they think it is a good document and a very fine expression, but it doesn’t affect them one whit. I found out later that the man I was talking with had two wives—one at home and one at his office. My friend, if the Sermon on the Mount is your religion, you had better make sure you are keeping it. It is loaded with law. But if you will look at the Sermon on the Mount honestly, it will bring you to a Savior who died for you on the cross. The Sermon on the Mount sets before us great principles and high goals. We need to know them, but they reveal how far we come short.
Matthew’s record of the Sermon on the Mount is, I am sure, only a skeleton of Christ’s actual message. I have divided it like this:
1. Relationship of the subjects of the kingdom to self (Matt. 5:1–16).
2. Relationship of the subjects of the kingdom to law (Matt. 5:17–48).
3. Relationship of the subjects of the kingdom to God (Matt. 6).
4. Relationship of the subjects of the kingdom to others (Matt. 7).
The Sermon on the Mount opens with the Beatitudes. It is well to note that they are be-atitudes, not do-attitudes. They state what the subjects of the kingdom are—they are the type of person described in the Beatitudes.
Verse I makes it clear why this discourse is called the Sermon on the Mount.
First it should be noted that the Lord did not actually give the Sermon on the Mount to the multitudes. He gave it to His disciples, those who were already His.
RELATIONSHIP OF THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM TO SELF
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying [Matt. 5:1–2].
Although He did not actually give the Sermon on the Mount to the multitudes, He gave it to the disciples because He saw the multitudes and their need. Therefore, it was given to the multitudes indirectly.
In our day, men need first to come to Christ. While the kingdom is actually in abeyance, the present state of it is a place where the seed is being sown, and the seed is the Word of God. Our business in the world is to sow the seed, and the day is coming when Christ will establish His kingdom upon this earth.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 5:3].
This verse says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” It doesn’t tell you how to become poor in spirit; it just says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” In these twelve verses, our Lord used the word blessed nine times. By the way, the Psalms open with the same word: “Blessed is the man …” (Ps. 1:1). This is in contrast to the curses of the Mosaic Law. You may remember that Joshua was told that when the people of Israel were come over Jordan, they were to stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people. And then the curses were to be given from Mount Ebal. The blessings from the Sermon on the Mount are in sharp contrast to the curses from Mount Ebal, and they far exceed the blessings from Mount Gerizim, because Christ alone can bring those blessings. In our day only the saved sinner can know his poverty of spirits—“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The Sermon on the Mount, instead of making folk poor in spirit, makes them boast—like the man I referred to. He was boasting that the Sermon on the Mount was his religion, and he was trying to kid himself and kid me into thinking that he was keeping it. He wasn’t keeping it at all; it was just making a hypocrite out of him. And there are a lot of those around.
I played golf one day in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a very wealthy oil man. He told me, “I went to church just like the rest of the hypocrites, and I was one of them, talking about keeping the Sermon on the Mount. Then one day I found out that I was a lost sinner on the way to hell. I turned to Jesus Christ, and He saved me!” Oh, my friend, don’t be deceived. Only the Spirit of God can reveal to you your poverty of spirit. The Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount was not telling His disciples how to become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. They already were citizens of the kingdom.
We Christians today are actually very poor in spirit, we are spiritually bankrupt, but we have something to give which is more valuable than silver and gold. Paul expressed it this way: “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Cor. 6:10). “As poor, yet making many rich” is referring to spiritual riches which are available to everyone who belongs to Christ.
The next beatitude is:
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted [Matt. 5:4].
It is interesting to note that the same thoughts expressed in the Beatitudes can be found elsewhere in the Scriptures. The poor in spirit are referred to in Zephaniah 3:12. Micah is an example of those who mourn and are comforted (see ch. 7).
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth [Matt. 5:5].
We find this in Psalm 37:11. The meek are not inheriting the earth in this day in which we live—I’m sure you recognize that. So apparently the Sermon on the Mount is not in effect today. However, when Christ is reigning, the meek will inherit the earth.
How do you become meek? Our Lord was meek and lowly, and He will inherit all things; we are the heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. We are told that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, temperance, and meekness. Only the Spirit of God can break you and make you meek. If you could produce meekness by your own effort, you would be proud of yourself, wouldn’t you? And out goes your meekness! Meekness is not produced by self-effort but by Spirit effort. Only the Holy Spirit can produce meekness in the heart of a yielded Christian. The Christian who has learned the secret of producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit can turn here to the Beatitudes and read, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth,” and see that the rewards of meekness are still in the future. Paul asked the Corinthian believers, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? …” (1 Cor. 6:2).
The Beatitudes present goals which the child of God wants to realize in his own life, but he can’t do it on his own. You may have heard of the preacher who had a message entitled “Meekness and How I Attained It.” He said that he hadn’t delivered his message yet, but as soon as he got an audience big enough, he was going to give it! Well, I have a notion that he had long since lost his meekness. Meekness can only be a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Then in verse six we are told:
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled [Matt. 5:6].
What about the natural man; does he hunger and thirst for righteousness? The ones I meet do not! “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). The “natural man” is in contrast to the spiritual man who has found that Christ is his righteousness—“… of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy [Matt. 5:7].
This beatitude is so misunderstood in our day because it makes our obtaining mercy conditional on our being merciful. This is not the condition on which we obtain mercy—“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5, italics mine). We should be merciful because we have obtained mercy. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9–10).
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God [Matt. 5:8].
No honest man can say that his heart is pure. How can the heart of man, which is desperately wicked, be made clean? The Lord Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). It is by the washing of regeneration that we are made clean. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from all sin (see 1 John 1:7).
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God [Matt. 5:9].
Can you name one peacemaker in the world right now? There is no one today who can make peace. Christ alone is the great Peacemaker. He made peace by His blood between a righteous God and an unrighteous sinner. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 5:10].
The application of this beatitude to our day and to the remnant of Israel during the Great Tribulation is easy to see. But can it apply to the kingdom which is to be established? Won’t all evil be removed in the kingdom? Well, many Scriptures show that in the millennial kingdom there will still be evil in the world because it will be a time of testing. The outbreak of rebellion at the end of the Millennium reveals that evil will be prevalent during the Millennium (see Rev. 20:7–9).
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid [Matt. 5:13–14].
God’s people in any age and under any condition are both salt and light in the world. The Scots translate “savour” by the more expressive word tang. I like their word much better. “If the salt has lost its tang.” The problem today is that most church members have not only lost their tang as salt, but as pepper they have lost their pep also. We have very few salt and pepper Christians in our day. Now salt doesn’t keep fermentation and that type of thing from taking place, but it will arrest it. You and I ought to be the salt in the earth and have an influence for good in the world.
Christians are also the light of the world. Certainly in the kingdom the believers are going to be the light of the world. This is a tremendous principle for us. We need to be a light in our neighborhood and wherever we go. We have no light within ourselves, but the Word of God is light. Being a light means giving out the Word of God in one way or another. This doesn’t mean that you should be quoting Scripture all the time, but it does mean that you are to share the light that God has given you. It is very easy to cultivate some person, then quietly and graciously introduce them to a Bible-teaching church or radio program. There are many ways in which you can be light in the world.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven [Matt. 5:16].
There are those of the liberal persuasion that feel the Sermon on the Mount is anthropocentric, or man-centered, rather than theocentric, or God-centered. (Those are their terms.) But, obviously, the Sermon on the Mount is not anthropocentric, man-centered. It is theocentric. Does this verse say, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify you and pat you on the back, and give you a gold medal and a loving cup?” No! This verse says that you and I are to let our light so shine in this world that we may glorify our Father which is in heaven. The Sermon on the Mount is Godcentered. During the Millennium, during the kingdom here on earth, everything which is done and said will be God-centered. And in the present age, in this lost world in which you and I live today, our prime motivation should be to bring glory to God. This is something that every Christian should consider very seriously. The aim and purpose of our lives should be to glorify our God.
RELATIONSHIP OF THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM TO LAW
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil [Matt. 5:17].
Remember that part of the Mosaic Law was the ceremonial law. Christ was the sacrifice for the sins of the world, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the earth. Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill the Law. He fulfilled it in that He kept it during His earthly life. And the standard which was set before man He was able to attain, and now He is able to make over to you and me (and every believer) His own righteousness. God’s standards have not changed, but you and I cannot attain them in our own strength. We need help; we need a Savior. We do need mercy, and we obtain mercy when we come to Christ.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled [Matt. 5:18].
I hope you don’t misinterpret what I am saying in this section which we call the Sermon on the Mount. I am not saying that we are free to break the Mosaic Law. The fact of the matter is that the Law is still a standard. It reveals to me that I cannot measure up to God’s standard. This drives me to the cross of Christ. The only way I can fulfill the Law is by accepting the only One who could fulfill it—Jesus Christ.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 5:19].
You cannot break the commandments and get by with it. But you cannot keep them in your own strength. The only way you can keep them is to come to Jesus Christ for salvation, power, and strength. The commandments are not a way of salvation but a means to show you the way to salvation through the acceptance of the work of Jesus Christ.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 5:20].
It is very important to see His point right here. The Pharisees had a high degree of righteousness according to the Law, but that was not acceptable. How can you and I surpass their righteousness? It is impossible in our own efforts. We need Christ to do it for us.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire [Matt. 5:21–22].
This is a tremendous statement! It means that if you are angry with your brother, you are a murderer! Do you claim to be keeping the Mosaic Law? You cannot break the Law and get by with it. You can’t get by with mouthing the boast that the Sermon on the Mount is your religion and then break every part of it. My friend, both you and I need a Savior who has perfectly kept the Law and can impute to us His own righteousness.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing [Matt. 5:26].
Note that Jesus says, “Verily I say unto thee.” He is lifting His teaching above the teaching of Moses. He is lifting Himself to the position of the Lawgiver and also the Interpreter, by the way.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart [Matt. 5:27–28].
For many years I have publicly made the statement that nobody but the Lord Jesus has ever kept the Law. One Sunday morning I repeated it in my message, and afterward a big, burly, red-faced fellow came to me and said, “You always say that nobody keeps the Law. I want you to know that I keep the Law!” By the way, he belonged to a cult, although he attended services at the church I pastored. Since he claimed to keep the Law, I said, “All right, let’s look at it,” and I showed him verse 22 regarding hatred being the same as murder. He said that he kept that, although I don’t believe that he did. So I gave him verse 28 and said, “It says here that if you so much as look upon a woman to lust after her, you have committed adultery. Now look me straight in the eye and tell me that you have never done that.” He was red-faced to begin with, but you should have seen him then—he was really red-faced. He grunted some sort of epithet, turned on his heels, and walked out. Of course, he walked out! And I say to you, if you are honest, you will not claim to be keeping the Law. Remember that there were ten commandments. Although Matthew mentions only these two that Christ dealt with, I am of the opinion that He lifted all ten of them to the nth degree.
Oh, my friend, the Sermon on the Mount shows me that I have sinned and that I need to come to Him for mercy and help. To say that you are living by the Sermon on the Mount while all the time you are breaking it is to declare that the Law is not important.
In the following verses the Lord deals in a tremendous way with the Law and man’s relationship to it.
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell [Matt. 5:29–30].
This is severe, very severe, and it reveals, friends, that if you cannot meet God’s standards, you need a Savior. Don’t kid yourself and fool around with pretending that you are keeping the Law. You are only being a hypocrite. In Christian circles we are intent upon patting each other on the back and complimenting one another and giving each other credit for what we do when all the time we all are a pack of low-down, dirty, rotten sinners, not even fit for heaven. The Sermon on the Mount ought to drive you to the cross of Christ where you cry out for mercy. To do that is to honor the Law, my friend. Don’t try to kid me into thinking that you are keeping it. I know you’re not—because you are just like I am.
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery [Matt. 5:31–32].
Here the Lord gives the grounds for divorce. If someone is divorced for a reason not given in Scripture, that person is an adulterer. This is something that is entirely ignored today in Christian circles. This, however, will be the Law during the kingdom age because there will be men and women who will want to leave their mates during that period. We will deal with the divorce question in some detail when we get to chapter 19.
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King [Matt. 5:33–35].
The Lord Jesus is saying that we are to be the kind of persons who don’t have to take an oath. As a boy, I can remember that my dad could go into the bank and borrow money, then come back a couple of days later to sign the note. Or he could call the bank by phone and have a certain amount of money credited to his account. Well, believe me, it is different in our day. Why? Because there are a lot more folk today who cannot be trusted. The Lord says that the child of God, under all circumstances, should be trustworthy. The Lord says:
But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil [Matt. 5:37].
When a man says to me, “I’d swear on a stack of Bibles a mile high,” that is the fellow I do not believe because I think the lie he’s telling is a mile high.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth [Matt. 5:38].
All of that will be changed when Christ is reigning in His kingdom.
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also [Matt. 5:39].
Do you live like this, or do you resist evil? There is a principle for us here, but we are living in a day when a wise man armed keepeth his house. And Paul could say, ‘Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works’ (2 Tim. 4:14). In the kingdom you will be able to turn the other cheek. It reminds me of the Irishman whom someone hit on the cheek and knocked down. The Irishman got up and turned his other cheek. The fellow knocked him down again. This time the Irishman got up and beat the stuffin’ out of that fellow. An observer asked, “Why did you do that?” “Well,” replied the Irishman, “the Lord said to turn the other cheek and I did, but He never told me what to do after that.”
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away [Matt. 5:40–42].
If you have a banker who says that he is living by the Sermon on the Mount, give this verse to him and see how far you get with it. Let’s quit being hypocrites and realize that this is the law of the kingdom. When my Lord is on the throne down here on this earth, folk can live this way. In our day, business could not be conducted by this law. Years ago Archbishop McGee of Ireland said that it was impossible to conduct the affairs of the British nation on the basis of the Sermon on the Mount. I do not know whether I am related to Archbishop McGee or not, but I certainly find that I think as he did about the Sermon on the Mount. Although it contains great principles for the Christian in our day, it can be enforced only when Christ is on the throne. I think that ought to be quite obvious.
In our contemporary society many of the wealthy churches say that they follow the Sermon on the Mount. That is what the congregation gets as a steady diet on Sunday morning. However, if you go to the rich and try to get something from them, you won’t get very far, I assure you. On Sunday they hear, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” It sounds great. They think the Sermon on the Mount is a great document, but on Monday morning it is cold-blooded business and cash on the barrelhead. That, of course, is the way the business world is set up today.
However, there is a great principle in these verses for us, and we should not miss that. Certainly we should be helpful to those who are in need. And there are many fine Christian acts that can be performed by believers. Historically, hospitals, orphan homes, and works of charity (which the Bible calls acts of love) have followed the preaching of the gospel. I do not know any place on earth where they preceded the gospel, but they always followed it. There should be the fruit of good works in a believer’s life.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you [Matt. 5:43–44].
This rule, I insist, is for the kingdom. The Lord Jesus lifts the Mosaic Law to the nth degree. He says that in the kingdom the enemy is to be loved instead of hated.
The believer today operates on a different principle. We are commanded to love all believers, and we express our love to our enemies by getting the gospel to them, giving them the message of God’s saving grace that is able to bring them to heaven.
In concluding this chapter, our Lord says that we are to be perfect—
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect [Matt. 5:48].
How is it possible for you and me to be perfect? We are accepted in Christ, in the beloved.
There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ, and we get in Christ by faith in Him. The only way we can become perfect is through our faith in Christ—Christ imputes to us His righteousness. And then begins the slow process of sanctification in which God attempts to conform us to the image of His Son. This, of course, should be the goal of every believer. But seeking to attain perfection by our own efforts is absolutely futile. Do you think that you can go to God and say, “Look what I have done; look how wonderful I am,” trying to get all the glory for yourself and to force God to save you on that basis? My friend, you are going to do nothing of the kind because you and I are not perfect. Most of us remember this:
Little Jack Homer
Sat in a corner
Eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said, What a good boy am I!
We see a lot of that in religion today. Little folk sit around, reach in their thumb, and pull out a plum and say, “What a good boy am I!” My friend, you and I are not good by God’s standards. We need a Savior.
As we have seen, in this chapter the King speaks of the righteousness which His subjects must possess. And it must be a righteousness to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. They had a religious righteousness. For instance, Nicodemus was an outstanding man, and he was religious. You can’t find much to criticize about him. But our Lord said to him, “You have to be born again” (see John 3:1–8). Now we have to have a righteousness superior to that of the scribes and the Pharisees, and it can only come through trust in Christ.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: The inner motives which govern external acts of righteousness, such as the giving of alms, prayer, fasting, and the getting of riches; the relationship of the subjects of the kingdom of heaven to God
THE MOTIVE AND METHOD OF GIVING ALMS
Chapter 6 of Matthew deals with the external part of religion. We have seen in chapter 5 that the King speaks of the righteousness which His subjects must possess. It must be a righteousness to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and that comes only through trust in Christ. In chapter 6 Matthew talks about the righteousness that the subjects of the kingdom are to practice. The motive, of course, is the important thing in what you do for God. No third party can enter into this relationship. These things are between the soul and God.
The items mentioned in this chapter—the giving of alms, prayer, fasting, money, and taking thought and care for the future—are very practical considerations.
First, our Lord talks about alms. Keep in mind that all of this has to do with externalities of religion or with ostentation in religion.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven [Matt. 6:1].
Although the Lord Jesus is directing His remarks to the subjects of His coming kingdom, there is a great principle here for you and me.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward [Matt. 6:2].
He is saying this with biting irony. Believe me,. He knew how to use the rapier of sarcasm! When the Pharisees wanted to give something to the poor, it was their custom to go down to a busy street corner in Jerusalem and blow a trumpet. Although the purpose was to call the poor and needy together to receive the gifts, it afforded a fine opportunity to let others see their good works. Do you see parallels today in the way some Christians give? Our Lord said that when the Pharisees do it that way, they have their reward. What was their reward? Well, what was it that they were after? Jesus said they did it to have glory of men. They blew the trumpet, and everybody came running out to see how generously they gave, and that was their reward. Their giving was not between themselves and God.
Now, why do you give? There is more than one way to give. Several years ago I was asked to take an offering in a certain organization. I was told to be sure and give everybody an opportunity to stand up and tell how much he would give. For example, I was instructed to say, “How many will give one hundred dollars?” I asked, “Why in the world do you take an offering like that?” I was told that a certain man would attend who would give only one dollar if a regular offering was taken. However, if the question of how many would give one hundred dollars was asked, he would give that amount. May I say that he blew a trumpet. And I discovered when I came to know this man that this was the way he gave.
There are other people who give large checks but want to hand them to you personally. There was a man in my church who always gave me a check before I went into the pulpit. He thought this would excite me enough so that I would mention it. A friend of his came to me one day and said, “So-and-so is disturbed.” He went on to explain that I did not acknowledge the very large check his friend had given me last Sunday. “That’s right,” I said, and told this man the reason why. “Your friend is a man of means and the check he gave me, in relationship to what he has, wasn’t very much. Last Sunday a mailcarrier also handed me an envelope. He didn’t want me to open it until after the service and did not want me to say a word to anyone about it. He gave me almost twice as much money as the man of means did. If I were going to acknowledge anybody, it would have to be the mail-carrier—but he didn’t want me to do that.”
May I say to you that giving is between you and God, and the very minute you get a third party involved, you don’t get any credit in heaven.
There is a lot of so-called Christian giving today that isn’t giving at all. For example, the college I graduated from played on human nature. While I was in school, beautiful architectural plans were drawn up for a tower to be put on an old hall. It was modestly announced that the tower would be named after the donor. At least a half dozen people wanted their names on that tower. Today it is called “So-and-so Tower” in honor of a certain man. His name is carved in stone which means that his trumpet is being blown all the time. A lot of people give like that. This kind of giving is worth nothing before God.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly [Matt. 6:3–4].
Don’t reach in your pocket with one hand and then put the other hand in the air to let people know how much you are giving! Our Lord is saying that when you put your hand in your pocket to get something to give, be so secretive about it that the other hand doesn’t know what you are doing. All of this is biting sarcasm.
Do our liberal friends really live by the Sermon on the Mount? I don’t think they do!
THE MARKS OF GENUINE PRAYER
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward [Matt. 6:5].
“Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are”—my, our Lord used strong language, didn’t He! “They have their reward.” They pray so that they may be seen of men. A man might go wearing a prayer shawl, which advertises the fact that he is praying. Jesus said that when a man prays like that, he has his reward. He gets what he wants—that is, to be seen of men. But his prayer never gets above the rafters of the building.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly [Matt. 6:6].
The concept we are dealing with here is revolutionary. Did you notice that the Lord uses the term Father These are citizens of the kingdom that the Lord is talking about. How do you become a child of God today? John 1:12 gives us the answer: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that [do no more or less than] believe on his name.” Our Lord even said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (see John 3:3)—until then, you can’t call God your Father. And in the Old Testament you will not find the word Father used in relation to a man with God. The nation Israel as a whole was called by God, “… Israel is my son …” (Exod. 4:22), but not an individual. The Lord Jesus is speaking of a new relationship.
Concerning the subject of prayer, we are told that it should be secret and sincere. Many an unknown saint of God will be revealed at the judgment seat of Christ as a real person of prayer.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking [Matt. 6:7].
I heard a fellow pray the other day, and he repeated his petition about a dozen times. The Lord Jesus says that if we ask the Father one time, He hears us.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him [Matt. 6:8].
Prayer should be marked by sincerity and simplicity:
1. Sincerity—Matthew 6:6. Go in and close the door—your prayer is between you and God.
2. Simplicity—Matthew 6:7. Don’t use vain repetition. Get right down to the nittygritty and tell the Lord what you have on your mind. “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” v. 8. Even though He already knows what we need, He wants us to come to Him and ask.
Now He gives us a sample prayer—“After this manner therefore pray ye.”
Before we look at this so-called Lord’s Prayer, let me say that I never use it in a public service. I don’t think that a Sunday morning crowd should get up and pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” when they have a roast in the oven at home—they already have their meal. It is a very meaningful prayer for those who are hungry, but a well-fed Sunday morning congregation ought not to pray this because for them it is vain repetition.
However, it is a wonderful model prayer for believers of all conditions.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name [Matt. 6:9].
Notice that this so-called Lord’s Prayer could not be the prayer of the Lord Jesus. He couldn’t pray this prayer. He couldn’t join with you and me and say, “Our Father” because the relationship between the Father and the Son is the relationship in deity. It is a position, not a begetting. I became a son of God only through faith in Christ; therefore Christ couldn’t join with me in saying, “Our Father.”
“Which art in heaven.” God is not a prisoner in this universe—He is beyond and above it. He is in the air spaces, in the stellar spaces, but He is far removed from His universe today. He is more than creation! He is the One sitting upon the throne of the universe, and He has it under His control!
“Hallowed be thy name,” more correctly translated, would read, “Let thy name be made holy.” The name of God stands for God, for all that God is. In what way can you and I make God’s name holy? It is my conviction that by our lives we are to make God’s name holy. When Abraham went into Canaan, a Canaanite passing by observed that they had a new neighbor, for he had seen Abraham’s altar. Everywhere Abraham went he built an altar to God. And when Abraham began to do business with the Canaanites, they found him to be honest. They found that everything Abraham said invited their confidence. Finally, they reached the conclusion that the God whom Abraham worshiped was an holy God, and Abimelech said to Abraham, “… God is with thee in all that thou doest” (Gen. 21:22). The children of Heth said, “… thou art a mighty prince among us …” (Gen. 23:6). The entire life of Abraham revealed the reverence he felt for God. Surely the name of God was made holy in Canaan because of Abraham.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven [Matt. 6:10].
“Thy kingdom come” is the kingdom about which Matthew has been speaking, the kingdom which Christ will establish on this earth. This is a worthy petition for all of us to pray.
Give us this day our daily bread [Matt. 6:11].
As I have indicated, this prayer is a model for our own prayers. Now I want you to notice this petition for a moment. It is a wonderful petition, so simple yet one that should come from our hearts with great enthusiasm. It speaks of our utter dependence upon God. Our bodily wants, our physical necessities, all are supplied by Him day by day. “Give us … our daily bread”—just as Israel gathered manna for the day, they gathered nothing for the morrow. They were not permitted to gather manna for the next week. They could not hoard it. This prayer gathers manna every day, “Give us this day our daily bread.” It shows man that he lives from hand to mouth. It shows man that even his bodily necessities, his basic needs, come from God.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors [Matt. 6:12].
Our Lord Jesus could not pray this—He had no sin to be forgiven. You see, it is not the Lord’s prayer; it is the disciples’ prayer.
“Forgive us our debts as we forgive those that are indebted to us” is legalistic; it is not grace. I thank God for another verse of Scripture, Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Today God is forgiving us on the basis of what Christ has done for us, not on the basis by which we forgive—as touching the matter of our salvation. The redemption of God is in full view when God forgives us. It does not refer to our salvation when we read, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” He is speaking here to those who are already saved, those who already have the nature of God. He does not wait for you to forgive before He forgives. This is not His method of settling the sin question. He gave His Son to die, and it is on this basis that God forgives.
In some churches today where there is formal religion, liturgy and ritual, they use “forgive us our debts” while others will use “forgive us our trespasses.” Two little girls were talking about the Lord’s Prayer as repeated in their churches. One said, “We have trespasses in our church,” and the other said, “Well, in our church we have debts.” (Probably they both were right as far as the churches of our day are concerned—they have both debts and trespasses.) So which phrase is accurate? There is no difficulty here at all since all of these words refer to the same thing, and that thing is sin.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen [Matt. 6:13].
“Lead us not into temptation.” This word lead gives us the wrong impression because James says God does not tempt any man. That is true—God does not tempt any man. A better translation here would be, “Leave us not in temptation.” It does not mean to keep us out of it, but when we are in it, do not leave us there.
“Deliver us from evil”—this deliverance is from the evil one. Deliver us from the evil one—deliver us from the Devil. Satan is today an awful reality. The world has tried many times to get rid of him. They laughed at Martin Luther who threw an inkwell at him. But recently we have had a turn in events. Any man who stands for God knows the awful reality of Satan. As we work in any church we become conscious of the presence of God and also dreadfully conscious of the presence of Satan. But we have this petition, “Deliver us from the evil one.”
May I say that this is a marvelous prayer for a new believer to pray privately in learning to pray. My own mother was not saved until late in life. She didn’t know how to pray, and she began by just repeating the Lord’s Prayer. Finally she graduated from this, and she could pray her own prayer.
When we are teaching our children to pray, we begin them with, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” Then one day little Willie adds, “God bless mama and God bless papa.” That is a thrilling moment for us, because they are beginning to pray on their own. And our Lord gave the so-called Lord’s Prayer as a model. It is a glorious, wonderful prayer, and it shows us what we should include in our own prayers. He would like us to learn to pray in our own words when we talk to Him.
As the Lord Jesus said in the verses preceding the Lord’s Prayer, prayer is not to be done for display. It is a relationship between you and God, and the most effective prayer is when you enter into your closet—that is, a private place. I am not enthusiastic about public prayer meetings because of the fact that the deadest service of any in the church is the prayer meeting. As a pastor, I used to try to build up the prayer meeting, but I soon discovered that if you have fifty dead saints praying, you don’t improve it by getting a hundred dead saints. It still is a pretty dead prayer meeting. What we need is a great deal more private prayer. It should take place between an individual and God.
THE MEANING OF FASTING
The Lord moves on now to the subject of fasting.
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward [Matt. 6:16].
Fasting has a value for believers in our day, I am convinced of that, but only if it is done privately. It should be a personal matter between the soul and God.
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly [Matt. 6:17–18].
THE MAKING OF MONEY AND THE MEANING OF REAL RICHES
The Lord next turns to the subject of money. This is something many people don’t like the preacher to talk about.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also [Matt. 6:19–21].
A great many folk think that money cannot be used in a spiritual way and that when you talk about money, you are talking about something that is only material. However, our Lord says that we are to lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven. How can we do that? Well, instead of putting it in a bank in Switzerland, put it in heaven by giving it to the Lord’s work down here—but make sure it is in the Lord’s work. You ought to investigate everything you give to. Make sure that you are giving to that which will accumulate treasure for you in heaven. If it is used for the propagation of the gospel and to get out the Word of God, it becomes legal tender in heaven, and that is how we gather treasure in heaven.
Perhaps you are saying, “But I don’t give for that reason.” You ought to, because our Lord said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” That is a laudable motive for giving. And He gives the reason: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” If you get enough treasure laid up in heaven, you are certainly going to think a lot about heaven. But if it is in the bank, your thoughts are going to be on the bank. There is an everpresent danger of worshiping mammon rather than God.
MATERIAL THINGS AND THE CHRISTIAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO THEM
Matthew 6 concludes with our Lord talking about other things that are material. He tells us that we are not to give much thought to our material needs. For example, the Lord says:
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? [Matt. 6:26].
Birds cannot sow. Birds cannot reap. Birds cannot gather anything into barns, but you and I can. We are to sow, reap, and gather with the same abandon that a little bird has. The little bird is trusting God to take care of him, and we are to trust Him, also. “Are ye not much better than they?” This does not mean that we shouldn’t exercise judgment, because God has given us this ability. Once a Christian asked me, “Do you think a Christian ought to have insurance?” My reply was, “Yes!” Insurance is one means we have today to put our minds at ease concerning the care of our families and ourselves. The important thing is that we are not to go through life with material things becoming a burden to us.
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin [Matt. 6:28].
In this verse the question is asked, “why take ye thought for raiment?” Think of the time that is consumed by both men and women when it comes to buying clothes. And almost everyone has had the experience at some time of saying, “I can’t go tonight, I don’t have the right suit or dress to wear.” Well, consider the lilies of the field. They cannot toil or spin, and yet God takes care of them. Of course, a Christian should dress as well as he can. To be slovenly in dress or in any action is not honoring to God. Our Lord called attention to the beauty of the flowers—
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these [Matt. 6:29].
I think He wants us to be as beautiful as possible. Some of us don’t have much to work with, but we ought to do the best we can with what we’ve got.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [Matt. 6:30].
We are not to be overly anxious about the things of this world. Material things should not be the goal of our life.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof [Matt. 6:33–34].
“Take … no thought for the morrow” means no anxious thought. He takes care of the flowers and the birds, and He will take care of you. But the important thing is to put Him first in our life.
As someone has said, Today is the tomorrow that we worried about yesterday. How true that is for many of us!
CHAPTER 7
Theme: The relationship of the child of the King with other children of the King maintained by prayer; and final warnings about the two ways, false prophets, false profession, and the two foundations
JUDGMENT OF OTHERS FORBIDDEN
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again [Matt. 7:1–2].
These verses have really been misunderstood. To judge can mean “to decide, to distinguish, to condemn, to avenge,” and it actually can mean “to damn.” These verses do not mean that a child of God is forbidden to judge others, but it does mean that we are not to judge the inward motives of others in the sense of condemning them. We do not know or understand why a brother in Christ does a certain thing. We see only outward acts. God doesn’t forbid our judging wrong and evil actions, as we will see. The point is that if you are harsh in your judgments of others, you will be known as the type of person who is severe in his considerations of others. I know this type of person, and I am sure you do, also. Perhaps somebody has said to you, “Don’t pay any attention to what he says; he never has a good word to say.” You see, he is being judged by the way he judges. This is what our Lord is saying in these verses.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? [Matt. 7:3].
He is comparing a little piece of sawdust in your brother’s eye to the great big redwood log in your own eye. The “log” is the spirit of criticism and prejudice. With that blocking your vision, you are in no position to judge the little sin of another.
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye [Matt. 7:4–5].
This matter of harsh judgment is certainly something about which we need to be very careful. Although Jesus makes it clear that we are not to sit in harsh judgment upon another, He also said that by their fruits we would know them. The late Dr. James McGinley put it in his rather unique fashion, “I am no judge, but I am a fruit inspector.” And we can really tell whether or not a Christian is producing fruit.
JUDGMENT OF OTHERS ENJOINED
Now He really puts us on the horns of a dilemma.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you [Matt. 7:6].
We have to determine who the dogs are and who the pigs are, don’t we? These are not fourlegged animals He is talking about. We are not to give that which is holy unto dogs or cast our pearls before swine; therefore, there is ajudgment that we need to make.
There are certain times and places where it is not worthwhile to say a word. This is a judgment you need to make. I remember a Tennessee legislator friend of mine who was a heavy drinker. He was wonderfully converted and is a choice servant of God today. The other members of the legislature knew how he drank. Then they heard he “got religion,” as they called it. One day this fellow took his seat in the legislature, and his fellow-members looked him over. Finally, someone rose, addressed the chairman of the meeting and said, “I make a motion that we hear a sermon from Deacon So-and-So.” Everyone laughed. But my friend was equal to the occasion. He got to his feet and said, “I’m sorry, I do not have anything to say. My Lord told me not to cast my pearls before swine.” He sat down, and they never ridiculed him anymore.
A police inspector in the city of New York told me about certain apartments which were filled with no one but homosexuals. He told me, “They know I’m a Christian, and when they are brought into the station, they say to me, ‘Preach us a sermon!’ But I never cast my pearls before swine.” He looked at me and said, “I guess you think I’m a little hardboiled, but I was a flatfoot in that area, and I know those folk. I worked with them for years.”
May I say to you, there are swine and there are dogs in our society. What are we to do? Jesus tells us that we are not to judge, and then He tells us we are to judge. Well, He tells us in the next verse what we are to do.
PRAYER, THE WAY OUT OF THE DILEMMA
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened [Matt. 7:7–8].
How to meet the people of this world is the greatest problem facing a child of God. Every day we rub shoulders with princes and paupers, gentlemen and scoundrels, true and false professors. Some folk need our friendship and help, and we need them, and we ought to pull them to our hearts. Others are rascals and will destroy us, and we need to push them from us. How are we to know? To ask, seek, and knock definitely refers to this problem. These verses can be used for other situations also, but it is this situation that they have primary reference to.
While I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles for twenty-one years, I met people from all walks of life. It took me thirty minutes to drive from my home to the church, and during that time I would tell the Lord I was going to meet some new people during the day and would ask Him to please tell me how I should act with each one. Some people would need my help, but others might try to put a knife in my back. You would be surprised how many times I have been fooled by people. Isn’t it interesting that Peter, in the early church, knew Ananias and Sapphira were lying (Acts 5:1–11)? I can never tell when someone is lying. I do not have the spiritual discernment that they had in the early church. I believe it is a gift that only some people have today, and it is important to make discernment a matter of prayer. When you meet new friends, do you ever ask God to make it clear to you how to treat them? I have found out that it is a good idea to do this.
The next verses go on to say that God wants to help you in these matters.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? [Matt. 7:9–11].
Now the so-called Golden Rule comes right in here—
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets [Matt. 7:12].
All right, when you meet somebody new, how are you going to treat him? You don’t know—you are not to judge—but if he is a dog or a swine, you had better know. You have to beware of phonies today. So what do you do? Make it a matter of prayer. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” This is the principle on which you should operate. “Therefore” is the most important word in the Golden Rule. It relates the Golden Rule to that which precedes it. That is, it postulates it on prayer. It all comes together in one package. Don’t lift out the Golden Rule and say that you live by it. Understand what the Lord is talking about. Only as we “ask, seek, and knock” are we able to live in the light of the Golden Rule.
THE TWO WAYS
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it [Matt. 7:13–14].
The picture which is given here is not that of a choice between a broad white way with lots of fun and a narrow, dark, uninviting alley. Actually, He is giving a picture of a funnel. If you enter the funnel at the broad end, it keeps narrowing down until you come to death, destruction, and hell. But you can enter the funnel at the narrow part. That’s where Christ is—He is the way, the truth, and the life. He says, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). And the longer you walk with Him, the wider it gets. Remember that in Ezekiel’s prophecy (ch. 47) there was a river flowing out from the throne of God which began as a little stream and widened out until it became a great river. That pictures the life of a child of God—it gets better every day. This is what our Lord was talking about.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? [Matt. 7:15–16].
Israel was warned against false prophets, and the church is warned against false teachers, but both classes come in sheep’s clothing. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Pet. 2:1). We are to recognize them by their fruits. That is what we are to watch for in their lives.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven [Matt. 7:21].
You can run around and mouth about living by the Golden Rule, but the point is: Are you doing the will of the Father in heaven? If you are doing His will, you’ll come to Christ, recognizing that you need a Savior.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [Matt. 7:22–23].
Obviously these verses do not refer to believers today. Every believer, living or dead, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. None will hear the Lord say, “depart from me.” This passage has particular reference to the Great Tribulation Period and the Millennium. This is the place to suggest that the Sermon on the Mount will have a particular meaning for the remnant during the Great Tribulation.
Also, there is a needed warning here for professing church members—in fact, for all believers. Folk talk enthusiastically about certain so-called miracle workers today, and they say to me, “You can tell God is with them.” In light of these verses, can we be sure of that? The name of Christ is on the lips of many people who are leaders of cults and “isms.” Just to use the name of Christ and the Bible is not proof that a system is genuine. It is not the outward profession but the inward relationship to a crucified but living Savior that is all-important.
THE TWO FOUNDATIONS
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock [Matt. 7:24–25].
If you have come to Christ, He is the foundation—“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). When you are resting on Christ, you can build on that foundation. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, you can build a life which the Bible likens to gold, silver, and precious stones.
But there is another kind of building—
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it [Matt. 7:26–27].
What is that sand? It is human goodness and human effort. It is the old weakness of the flesh. My friend, I say to you that you need something better than the flesh has to offer.
Matthew concludes this section by saying—
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes [Matt. 7:28–29].
Our Lord Jesus was that kind of teacher—He taught with authority; He wasn’t just repeating something He had read. And you and I need to recognize that we have nothing worthwhile to say unless it is with the authority of the Word of God and unless we believe it is the Word of God. I don’t want to hear a man who gives me a string of theories, theories which he himself has never tried and actually knows nothing about. Today we have a gospel to give, a message of salvation. We know it works because it has worked in our case. And we have seen it work in the lives of others who have come to Christ.
My friend, the Sermon on the Mount is a glorious passage of Scripture. Don’t bypass it. If you read it aright, it will bring you to the person of Jesus Christ. It will show you how you fail to measure up to its precepts. It will show you that you are weak and guilty. It will make you cry for mercy and will bring you to the person of Christ for salvation. When you accept Christ as Savior, He will give you the Holy Spirit who will enable you to live on this high standard.
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN PERSPECTIVE
Now that we have concluded the Sermon on the Mount, I feel that we need to back off and get a perspective of it because many of my comments may have been new and strange to some folk. A great many people feel that the Sermon on the Mount states the way believers are to live in our contemporary society, that it is given to the church.
However, if we step back and look at the Word of God as a whole, we will see that God has given three great systems by which He is to govern and rule mankind.
The first one is the Mosaic system, the Law. As you know, early in Genesis (ch. 7) is the record that God had to destroy the entire human race (with the exception of one man and his family) because of their violence and because “… every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). The human family had departed from God, and He had to judge it. Out of the earth He could save only one man and his family, and from these God began a movement toward drawing out of this new population a man who would become the father of a people who would be a witness for Him. Actually, He was going to give them a land, and He was going to make them a great nation—numberless—and He was going to make them a blessing to the world. God, through them, was to reach the world. He gave them through Moses the Mosaic system, and it was a great sacrificial system. The Book of Exodus gives us the details of it and reveals that the very heart of it was the burnt altar where sacrifices were offered. That altar speaks of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and God never forgave a sin apart from a sacrifice that was made, because, you see, Law did not save man. It only revealed to man that he was a sinner. It became a system of condemnation, not a system of salvation. Therefore, throughout the Old Testament the burnt offerings pointed to the coming of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus came and offered Himself as the King in order to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. But His nation rejected Him.
The Gospel of Matthew presents Him as King. It is my personal conviction that everything in this gospel is to be understood in the light of the fact that He is the King. In the Gospel of Matthew, as we have indicated, He was born a King, He lived a King, He died a King, He rose again from the dead as a King, and He is coming again to this earth as a King.
One of the things that He did while He was here on earth was to enunciate a law that was different from the Mosaic Law. It was the so-called Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5–7. Excerpts of it are found in the other gospels, but in Matthew it is given in its fullest extent. As I have mentioned, I am confident that it is an abridged edition, and the evidence of this is that He took two of the Mosaic commandments and lifted them to a higher degree of interpretation than they ever had been held in the Old Testament. For example, He said that if you are angry with your brother, you are guilty of murder. There is nothing about that in the Old Testament. Also, He said that if you so much as look upon a woman to commit adultery in your heart, that you are guilty of it. Believe me, friend, that involves half the human race today. There are very few men who are not guilty of breaking that commandment. Sometime ago a very fine looking woman, a wonderful Christian, and an excellent Bible teacher, told about meeting a certain man, and he happened to be a preacher. She said, “When he looked at me, I could tell what he was doing. He was undressing me, and I think he would have tried to rape me.” The man never moved an eyelash, he was just sitting watching the woman approach him. According to the Sermon on the Mount, he was guilty of adultery.
The Sermon on the Mount lifts the Law to the nth degree. Somebody asks, “Isn’t that what we are to live by today?” No, it is for the kingdom which is coming on the earth. At that time we will probably have the unabridged edition of the Sermon on the Mount. It will be the law of the kingdom, which Christ will set up in the future. There are great principles in it for us, but we have been given a different system. You and I are living in what is called the age of grace or the age of the Holy Spirit. It is a time when God saves by grace, not by keeping a law, not by following a law. We are not saved by anything that we do. Frankly, friend, you are not a Christian until you believe something, and that something is “… that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). That is the gospel; that is what saves you.
After you have been saved, God has a way for you to live, and that way is not the Mosaic Law, not the Ten Commandments. Oh, I know what all the great denominations teach. I was brought up and educated in one of them. My Shorter Catechism, when it comes to the subject of sanctification and how to live for God, drags in the Ten Commandments. Suppose you did keep all ten of the commandments (which you don’t), that wouldn’t save you, because that which saves you is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Law cannot save you.
Neither is the Law a way of life; it is not the Christian way of life. Immediately someone asks, “Does that mean you can break it?” Of course it does not give you freedom to break it. It merely means that we have a way of life which is much higher than the Ten Commandments. “But,” you may argue, “you have just said that the Sermon on the Mount lifts the Law to the nth degree, so that must be our way of life.” No, that’s not it. Have you ever stopped to consider if you could keep the Sermon on the Mount?
Are you ready for some startling statements? The Sermon on the Mount has made more hypocrites in the church than anything else. I told you the story of a man who was a church member and an officer but who could cuss like a proverbial sailor, and he thought he was a Christian. When I turned on the light of the Sermon on the Mount, I found that all he did was vote for it; he just approved of it. He didn’t keep it. He could not live by it. No one can live by it. You see, it provides a veneer of religion which a great many people assume when their heart is not changed. The heart of man has to be changed.
As a result, liberalism is not only found in politics, but liberalism in theology has played a great part. They talk about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Well, the Lord Jesus contradicted that theory when He said even to the religious rulers of His day, “Ye are of your father the devil …” (John 8:44). Evidently, there were some folk in that day who couldn’t call God their Father. The universal fatherhood of God did not apply then, and it does not apply today. Since World War II, the United States has attempted to deal with the world in a spirit of brotherly love. We are hated by many of the nations of the world today and are envied by the rest of them. We have spent literally billions of dollars to buy peace, and we do not have peace in the world today. Why? Because, friend, you cannot run the world by the Sermon on the Mount. We have had politicians who have tried to put these principles to work. Well, aren’t the principles good? Of course they are good, but there is something wrong. What is wrong? It is the heart of man that is wrong. Man is the problem.
A listener to our radio program wrote, saying, “Dr. McGee, I don’t have problems; I am the problem!” That is the difficulty in the world. There is nothing wrong with the Ten Commandments. They have come from God. They reveal His mind, His will. The Sermon on the Mount reveals the mind and will of God as well. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with either of those. But there is something radically wrong with mankind.
Listen to the words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew; He will tell you where the problem is. He says, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man” (Matt. 15:18–20).
You can have a religion that requires the washing of hands and body, and you can go through any kind of ritual or liturgy, but the heart is the problem. Man has a desperate case of heart trouble today, and jogging won’t help him. He needs Jesus, not jogging. The Lord Jesus Christ alone can change the heart by a miracle known as regeneration. He told even a nice, respectable Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus that he must be born again. Although the phrase born again is being misused and abused in our day, it is a marvelous, miraculous truth.
My friend, I say to you that you and I have to be regenerated because we’ve got this old nature. When the Lord Jesus talked about what comes out of the heart, He was not talking about the heart of Joe Doaks, although his is included, He was talking about my heart and your heart. You see, the heart is the problem.
The apostle Paul enlarged upon this fact. He said, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like …” (Gal. 5:19–21).
Now we live in a day of situation ethics. We live in a day of gross immorality. People have thrown overboard the so-called Judeo-Christian ethic, and they do as they please. I heard a college professor being interviewed on television. He was asked the question: What is right in our day? His answer was: Anything is right if it makes you feel good. According to that, if it makes you feel good to kill your father and mother, it is perfectly all right.
God gave the Ten Commandments to control the old nature. But they didn’t control the old nature, because the nation to whom God gave them departed from Him. They went far from God.
Nevertheless, man was not able to measure up to it—Paul repeatedly states this in his epistles.
Now how is man to live? He is not to live by his own effort, because he can’t make it. The Word says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [self-control]: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23.). There is no law which can produce these things. It is not naturally in you or me to love—I am not referring to sexual love but to a real concern for others and a real love for God. That kind of love does not come naturally. There used to be a popular song entitled “Doing What Comes Naturally.” Well, when man does what comes naturally, he produces our contemporary civilization which is as lawless and as violent as it can be. There is a question in the minds of many serious men in high places concerning whether or not our nation can survive. We cannot, my friend, apart from a restoration of control upon the old nature of man.
How can you produce these wonderful fruits of love, gentleness, meekness, etc.? Well, you cannot produce them by your own effort. Go back to the Sermon on the Mount where it says, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). Talk to the Communists about that. Are they inheriting the world by being meek? Ask the people of Afghanistan if the Russian invaders came with meekness. And I received a letter from a missionary in Ethiopia which reveals that the meek are not inheriting the earth. Well the meek are going to inherit the earth—but not until the King comes, the One who was the meekest Man who ever walked this earth. He is going to come in great power and glory, and He is going to put down unrighteousness upon this earth and establish His kingdom. When He does that, the Sermon on the Mount will be the law of the kingdom. But today, how are we to live? By the power of the Spirit; He is the One who produces these wonderful fruits in our lives: love, joy, peace. How about peace in your own heart? Do you have peace with God? Only the Spirit of God can give that to you. And joy—my friend, do you know what it is to have that real joy of the Lord? Then how about this business of meekness? You and I cannot be meek. We have a proud heart. I’ve got one—I enjoy having folk pat me on the back. Now don’t tell me that you don’t like it, because you like it, too. We are proud. That is the old nature manifesting itself. But the fruit of the Spirit is meekness. All through my ministry I have asked God to make me a meek man—“Oh, God, make me a meek man. Give me humility. Make me the kind of Christian that I ought to be!” I can’t do it for myself. God wants to do it for us by the Holy Spirit.
My friend, this is a new way of living. This is not the Mosaic system, this is not the Sermon on the Mount, this is new! God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies—it is spiritual blessings that He has given to us. And now we are to walk through this world in meekness, lowliness of mind and heart, by the power of the Spirit of God. And today we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit which will enable us to live for God. It will produce fruit in our lives. It will enable us to serve God. This is the high plane to which we are called.
It is my hope that you now see the Sermon on the Mount in its true perspective.
Now we are ready to come down from the mount where He enunciated the ethic, and we will see that He also has the dynamic to enforce this law when He comes to rule upon this earth.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Jesus demonstrates that He has the dynamic to enforce the ethic of the Sermon on the Mount
INTRODUCTION
The previous chapter concluded the Sermon on the Mount. It has been conceded by friend and foe alike that there has been given no higher ethic than that in the Sermon on the Mount.
Now the question arises: How can one attain to that high ethic? To answer this question, Matthew brings together a series of miracles which demonstrate that the One who gave the ethic also has the dynamic for its accomplishment. Our Lord made it very clear to us who are believers that “… without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). I wish that we could keep that fact before us at all times. You and I, in and of ourselves, are unable to produce anything which is acceptable to God. Christ today works through the Holy Spirit, whom He sent into the world, to accomplish through us what we cannot do.
This reveals an important point: Matthew is not attempting to give us a biography of the Lord Jesus, nor is he attempting to put in chronological order the series of events that took place in His ministry. Rather, he is giving us a movement, which we must not miss. The King went to the mountain, enunciated His manifesto, the law of the kingdom; now He comes down from the mount, and we see twelve miracles that He performs. This demonstrates that when He rules on this earth, He will have the dynamic to enforce the laws of His kingdom.
As I have suggested previously, the Sermon on the Mount is probably in an abridged edition. In the Millennium we will have the unabridged, which means that there will be many more things to be carried out.
In chapters 8 and 9 Matthew tells us of twelve miracles. While he does not attempt to give all the miracles that demonstrate the King’s power, he gives these in an organized, logical order. Let me call your attention to this in the six miracles recorded in the chapter before us:
1. Healing the leper, our Lord touches him. This is human disease at its worst.
2. Healing the centurion’s servant is done from a distance—He has no physical contact with him.
3. Healing Peter’s wife’s mother, He touches her.
4. Casting out demons, He moves into the supernatural realm of spirits.
5. Stilling the winds and the sea is in the realm of nature and demonstrates His power over natural forces.
6. Casting out demons from the two Gergesenes is a very difficult case in the realm of the spirit world.
The King moves in all of these different areas, and Matthew lists them not in a chronological order but in a logical order. There is a definite movement in Matthew’s record.
Now let us turn to the text.
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him [Matt. 8:1].
Notice that “great multitudes followed him.” There were not just a few folk. You see, He was up in Capernaum, where his headquarters were. And I am confident that the following miracle occurred there. Of course, this raises the question of where He had been when He gave the Sermon on the Mount. I have read many different theories, but I do not think the location is important for us to know. We are told that when He came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. Is the King who is able to enunciate the ethic also able to move with power among humanity? That is an important question.
When I was in college, I had a roommate who had gone through a rough year. He was attractive and popular and had fallen in with the wrong crowd. Finally, drinking forced him to quit his ministry. At graduation our speaker carried us into the clouds, telling us what we ought to do, which is what most graduation speakers do. Later, in our room, this fellow dropped down on his bed, dejected, and said, “Mac, I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do. I need someone to tell me how to do it.” That, my friend, is what all of us need, isn’t it? Now the King has enunciated the ethic; does He have power?
JESUS HEALS A LEPER
And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean [Matt. 8:2].
Notice that Jesus came from the heights to the very depths. Leprosy, symbolic of sin in the Bible, was considered incurable; leprosy was the most loathsome disease. And when this leper came to Jesus, he did not ask, “Will You make me clean?” or “Are You able to make me clean?” This leper had faith. He recognized the lordship of Christ, and on that basis said, “If You will, You can make me clean.” What we ask is not always the Lord’s will, friend. But if it is His will, He can do it. It is most important that the will of God comes first. It may be easy for you, but it is difficult for me to put the will of God first. I put it like this, “Lord, will You do this because I want You to do it?” But the leper says, “I know You can, but will You?” That is, is it according to Your will?
This is a little different from what we hear folk pray today when they demand that the Lord do certain things. May I say to you, friend, let Him decide—and that’s the way it is going to be done anyway.
And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed [Matt. 8:3].
“Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him.” If I had touched a leper, what would have happened? Well, I might have contracted his disease, and I would not have healed him. But notice what happens. First of all, He did touch him.
Have you ever stopped to think that this man not only had the physical disease of leprosy but that he had a psychological hang-up that was terrible? I do not know this man’s background, but I imagine that one day he noticed a breaking out on his hand. Perhaps he had been out plowing, came in, showed his wife, and she put some ointment on it. The next morning it was just as red as it could be, and he went out and plowed again. This went on for about a week, and his wife started getting uneasy. She suggested he visit the priest. He went to the priest who isolated him for fourteen days. At the end of this period of time the disease had spread. The priest told him he had leprosy.
The man asked the priest if he could go and tell his wife and children and say good-bye. The priest said, “I’m sorry, you cannot tell them good-bye. You cannot put your arm around your wife again or hold your children in your arms anymore. When anyone comes near you, you must cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’” He saw his children grow up from a distance. They would leave food in a certain place, and he would come and get it after they withdrew. He could not touch them. In fact, he had been able to touch no one, and no one had been able to touch him. Then one day he came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” And what did the Lord Jesus do? He touched him. May I say to you that the touch of Jesus was one of the most wonderful things that ever had happened to the man. It not only cleansed his leprosy, but it brought him back into the family of mankind and into the family of God. “Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them [Matt. 8:4].
In Mark’s record we find that this man was so overjoyed—and you can’t blame him—that he went out and told everybody he met. He “blazed it abroad!” Consequently, the crowds pushed in on our Lord, and He was forced to retire from the city and stay in desert places.
JESUS HEALS THE CENTURION’S SERVANT
Jesus now enters into the city of Capernaum.
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him [Matt. 8:5].
I’m sure the centurion had heard about the leper’s healing. The centurion was a Gentile, a captain of sixty centuries (companies of one hundred men) in the Roman legion. Luke’s record tells us that he had built a synagogue for the Jews. I have been in the ruins of that old synagogue. (If there is any place in existence where Jesus actually walked, it would be in that old synagogue.) Now hear the centurion’s request—
And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented [Matt. 8:6].
This servant was in a very serious condition.
And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it [Matt. 8:7–9].
The centurion was in a position in which he recognized authority. He wore a Roman uniform and could say to a soldier under him, “Do this,” and he did it. Why? Because of power, which is authority. He looked at Jesus and said, “You have that kind of power.” He recognized that Jesus had that kind of authority over physical illness.
When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel [Matt. 8:10].
It is recorded that on two occasions the Lord Jesus Christ marveled. One was at the unbelief of Israel, and the other was at the faith of this gentile centurion.
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 8:11].
It is interesting that He said that many should come from the “east and the west.” At the time our Lord said this, my ancestors (and perhaps yours also) were in the west. Or perhaps your ancestors were in the east. Our Lord said that this message was going to get out to them also so that they could trust Him and could “sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” What a tremendous statement!
Of course, each individual has to exercise personal faith in Christ. No individual can claim church membership, or family tradition, or the fact that his parents are Christian, for his own salvation.
And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour [Matt. 8:13].
Although the afflicted servant was not in the presence of Jesus, the centurion’s faith in Jesus Christ caused him to be healed. Jesus touched a leper, and he was healed. Now He heals the centurion’s servant from a distance.
JESUS HEALS PETER’S WIFE’S MOTHER AND OTHERS
Next we come to the third miracle of healing.
And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them [Matt. 8:14–15].
Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. He touched her and healed her. Notice these three types of diseases. One disease is leprosy, which is incurable. Another affliction is palsy, a paralysis. The other illness is a fever, possibly caused by a temporary illness.
The fourth miracle occurred in the evening.
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick [Matt. 8:16].
The word translated “devils” should be demons. There are many demons, but there is only one Devil.
Let me call to your attention the fact that they brought “many” to Him. No isolated cases are given. Again I say that if you watch this gospel record carefully, you will see that Matthew makes it clear that there were literally thousands of people healed in that day. For instance there were thousands of blind men who could now see. There were thousands of crippled folk who were walking around normally. There were thousands of deaf folk who could now hear. This is the reason that the enemies of Jesus never questioned whether or not He had performed miracles. Instead, they asked how He had done them.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses [Matt. 8:17].
This quotation is from Isaiah 53:4. Probably this verse is used by so-called faith healers more than any other verse. They claim that physical healing is in the Atonement, and they use this verse to support their position.
Let’s turn the pages back to Isaiah and look at this verse, because I do not believe it gives sanction to the modern healing movement at all. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5). Of what are we healed? This passage from Isaiah clearly states that we are healed of our transgressions and iniquities. You say to me, “Are you sure about that?” I know this is what these verses are talking about because Peter says: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24). Healed of what? “Sins.” Peter is making it very clear that he is talking about sin.
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). It was your iniquity and mine which was laid upon Him. Obviously, Isaiah is referring to the fact that Christ would grapple with the great fundamental problem of sin. To contend that healing is in the Atonement is beside the point. So is a glorified body in the Atonement, but I don’t have mine yet. Do you? Also, a new earth with the curse removed is in the Atonement of Christ, but it is obvious that we do not have these yet. In this day when sin and Satan still hold sway, there is no release from sickness as an imperative of the Atonement. Why did Paul urge Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach? Why didn’t he urge him to get his healing in the Atonement? Why didn’t James urge the saints to claim the Atonement when he asked them to call in the elders to pray? (see James 5:13–15). Why didn’t Paul claim healing in the Atonement when he mentioned the fact that there was given to him a thorn in the flesh?
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:7–9, italics mine).
There are other examples recorded concerning this subject. Paul, in Philippians, had a regular hospital on his hands. Epaphroditus had been ill (see Phil. 2:25–27), and Paul did not use the Atonement to claim healing.
My friend, we need to face the fact that it is not always God’s will to heal. However, sometimes it is God’s will to heal. Instead of going to a tent or an auditorium where healing services are advertised, why don’t you go directly to the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ? Find out if the healing is in His will for you. I believe in divine healing but not in so-called divine healers. Instead of going to an individual down here on earth who claims to have power, I prefer to take my case to the Great Physician and say with the leper, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” (v. 2). Then whether we are healed or not healed, He gets the glory. And we want Him to have that.
Apparently, Paul knew nothing of this modern cultism of seeking healing in the Atonement. God can and does heal today, but not through so-called faith healers.
Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side [Matt. 8:18].
Notice the great multitudes of people about Him. Literally, He had healed thousands of afflicted people, and not just those individual cases recorded. John substantiated this fact in his Gospel of John when he wrote: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31).
TWO ASK PERMISSION TO FOLLOW JESUS
Just as Jesus was getting ready to cross to the other side, a man approached Him.
And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest [Matt. 8:19].
This scribe was probably a young man, because an older man most likely would not have acted in this manner. This scribe was in the crowd, toying with the decision to follow Him or not to follow Him. He did not know what to do. Then he saw Jesus preparing to go to the other side. The Lord and His disciples were moving toward the boat, and he had to make up his mind quickly. So he came out from the crowd, apparently fell down before the Lord and said, “I’ll follow You wherever You go.” The scribe had made his decision. The Lord looked at him and said frankly and candidly:
And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head [Matt. 8:20].
In effect, the Lord Jesus was saying to this young man, “Have you counted the cost?” Our Lord was revealing His poverty when He was here upon this earth. The young man had opened his heart; so our Lord opens His heart. I imagine that He said something like this: It will cost you something to follow Me. When we go to a place, there are no reservations made for us at a Hilton Hotel or a Holiday Inn—we just don’t have a place to stay. The birds of the air have nests, and the foxes have holes in the rocks where they can go, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head. The poverty of the Lord Jesus! Poverty is part of the curse that He bore.
We are not told that this young man followed Christ. I have always felt that he did. I think that when the boat pulled out, there was a young man in it who had made a decision for Him.
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father [Matt. 8:21].
Here is a young man who has made a decision to follow the Lord but wants to bury his father first. This incident has been greatly misunderstood. We get the impression that the old gentleman had just died and that the family was getting ready to hold the funeral service. Our Lord seems very harsh when He replies.
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead [Matt. 8:22].
What does the Lord mean by this? How could the dead bury the dead?
Dr. Adam Smith, who was quite an authority on the Middle East, has written several helpful books. He tells of one incident where he wanted to hire an Arab guide. He explained where he wished to go and was told of a young man in a certain village who would be an excellent guide. Dr. Smith went to the village and asked the young man to be his guide and was told, “I first have to bury my father.” And there, in front of his hut, sat the old gentleman as hale and hardy as you please. What the young Arab really meant was that he could not leave because he would have to care for his father until he died. The father was the son’s responsibility.
The Lord Jesus told the young man who had come to Him to let someone else take care of his father or let the father take care of himself.
Does He impress you as being unfeeling when He said this? I don’t think He was. It is my conviction that our Lord was bringing this young man to make a decision. Was he going to put Christ first? When the young man made that decision, the Lord Jesus probably said to him, “Then you go back home and take care of your father.”
Many years ago there was a young lady whose father was a demanding old man. She became a missionary, went to a field of service, and did a good work. When she came home after many years, she found her father absolutely helpless. There was no one else to care for him, and he accused her of deserting him and of not being a Christian. Her father had never made a decision for Christ; so she stayed home and made him comfortable and gave him companionship.
The old man was really shaken by it, and during that time he made a decision for Christ. I am confident that the Lord Jesus was leading her in all of that, but there was a day at the beginning when she had to decide whether she would go as a missionary and put Christ first.
That probably was the case of the young man whom Matthew tells us about here.
JESUS STILLS THE TEMPEST ON THE SEA OF GALILEE
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him [Matt. 8:23].
We have now come to the fifth miracle. It has nothing to do with healing a body but concerns a physical miracle over nature. Here the power of the Lord Jesus is demonstrated, and I believe that Adam had that same power before he lost his dominion. Now we see in the Lord Jesus, the last Adam, the manifestation of this dominion.
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep [Matt. 8:24].
This was no ordinary storm. We saw in the account of the temptation of Jesus that the Devil left Him for a little season—but not for long. I think this storm was actually satanic in its origin. This was an attempt of Satan to destroy the Lord.
Notice that our Lord was asleep. This is one of the most human scenes Matthew gives us. Jesus was so weary that even in a storm He could sleep! It reveals something else: He could sleep in a storm whereas I cannot. I’m a little nervous during storms, and so were the disciples—
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish [Matt. 8:25].
What little faith they had! Notice how He handled the situation—
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm [Matt. 8:26].
He rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith, then He rebuked the winds and the sea. The word Luke uses for “rebuke” is muzzle. He controlled the waves like we would put a muzzle on a dog. And the waves just smoothed out!
Although it is true that these men exhibited very little faith at this time, there came a day when the storms of persecution broke over the bark of their little lives, and I can’t find a record of any one of them crying out, “Carest thou not that we perish?” Rather, we read in Acts 4:29 that they said, “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.” That was the important thing to them. Oh, how we need that kind of courage and conviction in this day in which we live!
Note the profound impression made on His disciples by the miracle of stilling the storm.
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! [Matt. 8:27].
The One who could give the ethic is the One who can also demonstrate the dynamic.
JESUS CASTS THE DEMONS OUT OF TWO GERGESENES
The sixth miracle is a tremendous one. We will not go into detail, but it has to do with the casting out of demons.
And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way [Matt. 8:28].
Here Jesus is in Gadara, as it is called today. The people living here were from the tribe of Gad. In the Old Testament, when the land was being divided up among the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Gad stayed on the wrong side of the Jordan River. What happened to them? They went into the pig business, which, as Jews, they should not have done. Once you disobey the Lord, the next step of disobedience is not so difficult. Before long you are walking out of His way and His will altogether.
When Jesus entered into this country, He was met by two men possessed with devils. “Devils” is an unfortunate translation. The word properly and literally is demons. These were dangerous men, demon-possessed men.
And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? [Matt. 8:29].
This miracle opens up a tremendous area that, unfortunately, we know so little about today. It is difficult for us to understand the import of this miracle because of our lack of understanding of demons. Personally, I believe the miracles involving demons are the greatest He performed.
And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine [Matt. 8:30–31].
For some reason demons want to be brought into physical reality. They seem to be concerned about being materialized. They were even satisfied to indwell a herd of swine.
And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters [Matt. 8:32].
The herd of swine, however, would rather die than to have the demons possess them. Mankind is a little different. Many people are demon-possessed today. We had a real manifestation of the supernatural during the time of Moses, during the time of Elijah, and during the time of the Lord Jesus. Today we seem to be moving into an orbit where we are seeing more and more manifestations of that which is demonic. There are many evidences of it all about us. Many instances are difficult to pinpoint, and there is always a danger of going overboard and saying, “I believe So-and-So is demon possessed.” We need to be wary of doing this because it is sort of like witch-hunting. Nevertheless, there are many demon-possessed people today.
When I was in college, I attempted one time to major in abnormal psychology. I knew a man who worked with abnormal people. He was a medical doctor and a Christian, and he told me that he was fairly sure that many of his cases were actually in the realm of the supernatural, cases of demon possession.
It is interesting to note that the demons did not want to be confined. They knew something of the confinement of certain other demons, the fallen angels, as they are called in the Epistle of Jude. These demons wanted to materialize themselves in this world.
And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts [Matt. 8:33–34].
This is certainly ironical, is it not? These people would rather have their pigs than Jesus. Believe me, this is not peculiar to the Gadarenes. There are a great many people today who prefer their “pigs” to the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Jesus performs six more miracles; calls Matthew; contends with the Pharisees; continues His ministry in Galilee
In the previous chapter we have seen six miracles which demonstrate that the King has the dynamic, the power, to enforce the ethic He has pronounced, and the chapter before us continues the same thought. We see Him performing physical miracles of healing, one that I classify as supernatural (the raising of the dead) and the spiritual miracle of casting out a demon.
JESUS RETURNS TO CAPERNAUM
And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city [Matt. 9:1].
Jesus left the country of the Gadarenes, who did not want Him, and returned to Capernaum.
And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy: Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee [Matt. 9:2].
We are given details in Mark’s account concerning this event. Mark tells us how this man was let down through the roof of a house, and the Lord both healed him and forgave him his sins. Healing and the forgiveness of sins are related.
And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth [Matt. 9:3].
The scribes were of the opinion that the Lord could not enable this sick man to walk. The Lord, knowing the thought of their minds and the evil in their hearts, asked them—
For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? [Matt. 9:5].
They wouldn’t answer His question, but if they had answered, they would have had to say, “Well, for us, one is as great as the other.”
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
And he arose, and departed to his house [Matt. 9:6–7].
When this palsied man got up and walked, it meant that the One who could make him walk was the One who could forgive his sins.
My friend, you and I cannot forgive sins—only the Lord Jesus can do that. And since we cannot forgive sins, we cannot make a man walk. Satan is a deceiver, and we need to investigate the so-called healings we hear about today. Let’s don’t get in the way of what God does, and let’s make sure that He receives the glory.
JESUS CALLS MATTHEW
And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him [Matt. 9:9].
Matthew modestly passes over his call with only this verse. Luke tells us that Matthew made a great dinner in honor of Jesus (see Luke 5:27–29). Evidently the incident which follows took place at this dinner. Matthew invited many of his publican friends to this dinner because he wanted them to know the Lord Jesus Christ also.
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his diciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? [Matt. 9:10–11].
The Pharisees did not believe in eating with publicans and sinners. Many saints today still have the same idea. It doesn’t hurt to invite sinners to dinner because they are the ones who need to be reached for Christ. We need to have some contact with sinners.
But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick [Matt. 9:12].
Jesus is the Great Physician. He has come to heal mankind of their basic problem, which is sin. This ought to be said to a lot of our little Christian groups who have their banquets and “fellowship” meetings and do not invite the unsaved. If the unsaved do come, the majority of the Christians freeze them out anyway. May I say to you that I think some of these so-called Christian groups are sinful in their very existence and in the way they meet today.
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance [Matt. 9:13].
Matthew is at it again, quoting Hosea 6:6 from the Old Testament.
When Jesus said, “For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” He could have included the Pharisees, because they were sinners. In fact, all of us are included—“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, italics mine).
PARABLE OF OLD GARMENT AND OLD BOTTLES
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? [Matt. 9:14].
The disciples of John had been observing the Lord Jesus. After all, some of these men were originally disciples of John—we know that Andrew and Philip were. They had come and were following the Lord Jesus, and the other disciples of John said, “Look, here is something happening which is a little different from the way we do it, and we wonder why.”
John, as has been indicated previously, was an Old Testament prophet. He walked out of the Old Testament into the New Testament to make the announcement, that the Messiah had come. Malachi had predicted, that a messenger would come to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. John said, “All I’m doing is getting the highway ready for the Lord. He will be here in a few minutes.” And He did come as John had said.
Now our Lord is going to enunciate a great principle and reveal the fact that the dispensation is going to be changed.
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast [Matt. 9:15].
Although for believers today fasting has real value, we have been given no commandment to fast. Fasting should be done with the idea that we are prostrating ourselves before God because we are in need of His mercy and of His help. This is the thought behind fasting.
Now listen to the Lord as He explains the change of dispensations from the Old Testament of law to the New Testament of grace.
No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved [Matt. 9:16–17].
Our Lord is saying this: The old covenant, the old dispensation of law, was ending, and He had not come to project it or to continue under that dispensation. Actually, He had come to provide a new garment, and that new garment was the robe of righteousness which He gives to those who do nothing more than to trust Him.
The “bottles” were the wineskins of that day. They were fashioned of animal skin. You can see that when new wine would be put into a new wineskin, it would expand. But an old wineskin had reached the place of maximum expansion; when it was filled with new wine, it would naturally burst open and the wine would be lost.
Our Lord is saying this, “I haven’t come to sew patches on an old garment. I have come to present a new garment, something which is altogether new.” This was very radical. John summed it up in his gospel when he said, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
JESUS HEALS A WOMAN AND RAISES A CHILD FROM THE DEAD
We come to the eighth and ninth miracles which, in a manner of speaking, are linked together. Both are miracles of healing, and it is a tremendous scene.
While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live [Matt. 9:18.].
Luke in his gospel tells us that when this ruler first came to Jesus it was to ask Him to heal his daughter: “And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a-dying …” (Luke 8:41–42). The little girl was sick unto death, and while her father waited to talk with Jesus, a servant came and told him that the little girl had died.
And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples [Matt. 9:19].
As Jesus and His disciples arose to follow Jairus to his home, a large crowd gathered around Him.
And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment [Matt. 9:20].
You cannot help but notice how striking this passage is. The little girl was twelve years old, and this woman had suffered with this issue of blood for twelve years. Here were twelve years of light going out of this child’s life, and twelve years of darkness were coming to an end and light was breaking into this woman’s life. Here is the contrast of light and darkness.
In the previous verse note what the woman did—Jesus did not touch her, as He did in many other miracles, but she touched Him. It was not the method, however, that brought about her healing; it was her faith.
For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour [Matt. 9:21–22].
Dr. Luke gives us much more detail about this miracle, recording our Lord’s reaction to this woman’s touch and her response. Jesus then moves from this woman and continues toward the house of Jairus.
And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn [Matt. 9:23–24].
When Jesus arrived at the home, people were already mourning for the child. He told them the little girl was only sleeping and not dead, and they laughed at Him. None in the house believed Jesus could raise the dead, but He kept moving toward the child.
But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose [Matt. 9:25].
This is the first instance of raising the dead that we have in the Gospels. Three notable incidents of raising the dead are recorded. Again, Luke goes into more detail than Matthew. Luke adds that He spoke to the little girl in this lovely fashion, “Little lamb, wake up, I say.” The method of Jesus in raising the dead was always the same. He spoke to the person directly.
After healing the woman with the issue of blood and raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, the fame of Jesus spread.
And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land [Matt. 9:26].
JESUS OPENS THE EYES OF TWO BLIND MEN
The tenth miracle concerns two blind men who followed the Lord Jesus—
And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us [Matt. 9:27].
Note that the two blind men addressed Him as the “Son of David.” This is significant in this gospel which presents Him as King.
And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it [Matt. 9:28–30].
This is another remarkable case where the Lord charges these men not to tell anyone about what happened to them. He said the same thing to the leper. There are several reasons for the Lord to ask this favor, but one is made clear in this passage. The publication of His miracles caused the crowds to press in upon Him and actually hindered Him at His work.
But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country [Matt. 9:31].
These two men whose sight was restored just couldn’t contain their joy—“they … spread abroad his fame.”
JESUS HEALS A MAN DUMB AND DEMON-POSSESSED
We now come to the eleventh miracle. Another demon-possessed man is healed. This is the third incident of demon possession recorded in chapters 8–9 of Matthew.
As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel [Matt. 9:32–33].
Notice the reaction of the Pharisees—
But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils [Matt. 9:34].
They did not deny that He had caused the dumb to speak and the blind to see and the crippled to walk. What they accused Him of was that He did these things by the power of Satan.
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people [Matt. 9:35].
“The gospel of the kingdom” is not the gospel of the grace of God. This does not mean to infer that there are two gospels. There is only one gospel, but there are many facets of it. The gospel of the kingdom was the announcement that the kingdom of the heavens was at hand. It meant to get ready for the King. It required a heart condition that would accept and follow the King who was then going to the cross.
“And healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” We see again and again that Matthew inserts this information that there were thousands of folk who were healed in that day. This is the reason the enemy never questioned the fact that He performed miracles—it was too obvious.
Again let me say that in our day a great many people get excited about the claim of certain ones to have a gift of healing. Personally, I do not think that anyone in our day has that gift. As I mentioned previously, for many years I have offered one hundred dollars to anyone who would come forward and be able to prove that he had been healed by a so-called faith healer. You would think that out of literally hundreds of reported faith healings during the time of a sensational healing meeting, there would be one case that is genuine. I’ll be honest with you—I did expect someone to come along that had had a psychological cure. No one has come.
I asked the leader of a certain denomination who has offered one thousand dollars to anyone who could prove he had been cured by a faith healer what his experience had been. He told me about several lawsuits that had been filed against him by those who had tried to collect the money. No one, however, had ever been able to go into court and prove that he had been healed by a faith healer.
In contrast to this, there were thousands of folk who had been healed by our Lord when He was here. And I would think that there would be at least one today, wouldn’t you think so? Let me ask you the question: Do you really know someone who has been healed by a man or woman? The point is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Great Physician, and I believe—I know—that He can heal today as well as yesterday. I have great confidence in Him. Now let me make myself clear: We should seek the best medical help available to us, but we need to recognize that doctors are very limited. However, the Lord Jesus is not limited. We can be confident that He will deal with us according to His perfect will, and we need to give Him the credit for whatever happens.
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd [Matt. 9:36].
The note of compassion which concludes this chapter is startling, isn’t it?
God’s ideal kings and rulers have been shepherds. Both Moses and David were shepherds before they led God’s people. When we pray for the Lord to thrust forth laborers into His harvest, pray that He will give them the heart of a shepherd. Pray that the Lord will give you a heart of compassion for the lost.
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest [Matt. 9:37–38].
Having said this to His disciples, He now sends them forth. My friend, when you pray for something, it is always well to be willing to do it yourself. When our Lord asked the disciples to pray for laborers, He sent into the harvest these very men whom He asked to pray about it. This is very interesting indeed. An old bishop in the Methodist church in Georgia years ago said, “When a man prays for a corn crop, the Lord expects him to say ‘Amen’ with a hoe.” I have always believed that you should not pray about anything unless you are also willing to do it yourself.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Jesus commissions the twelve apostles to go to the nation Israel and preach the gospel of the kingdom
This chapter continues the movement we have seen in the gospel of Matthew. The Lord Jesus, having given the ethic, came down from the mountain, demonstrated His power in the twelve miracles which have been enumerated. Now He commissions the twelve apostles to go to the nation Israel and preach the gospel of the kingdom.
These men are to go, not as forerunners but as after-runners. Our Lord gave them power to perform miracles—this was their credential. (Have you ever noticed that John the Baptist never performed a miracle?) Note that their title is changed from disciple (learner) to apostle (delegate).
As we enter this chapter, keep in mind the number of cults which come to this chapter for their authority for some peculiar ministry or conduct. You see, the instructions for the Christian are not found in this chapter. We need to consider the instruction here in light of the circumstances and conditions under which they were given, and we should be able to interpret them accurately.
THE TWELVE COMMISSIONED AND NAMED
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease [Matt. 10:1].
The power He gave to them was their credential as they went to the nation Israel. The prophets of the Old Testament had said that this would be the credentials of the Messiah. Having given them this power, they are no longer disciples but apostles.
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him [Matt. 10:2–4].
THE METHOD AND MESSAGE OF THE TWELVE
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel [Matt. 10:5–6].
Now if you are going to take your instructions from this chapter for your personal ministry, you will have to limit yourself to the nation Israel, because this is to be given to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Obviously, these verses do not contain our commission. Contrast it with our commission in Acts 1:8: “… and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Notice that we are to include Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth, while Jesus instructed the twelve in this chapter to stay out of Samaria and not to go into the way of the Gentiles but only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
And the message of the twelve was to be this:
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand [Matt. 10:7].
How could it be “at hand”? It was at hand in the person of the King—He was in their midst.
At the turn of the century and at the conclusion of the Victorian era, there was a feeling of optimism throughout the so-called Christian world. All of the major denominations at that time took on the herculean task of “building the kingdom of heaven” here on this earth. Each group thought that they had a contract from God to accomplish this purpose. Of course, the church was never called to build the kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself will establish the kingdom when He returns to the earth. The church is a called-out body from the world to manifest Christ and to preach His gospel throughout the world. Kingdom business is none of our business.
The kingdom of heaven is within us when we receive Christ.
Now notice that our Lord sends out the twelve with the same credentials that He Himself has—
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give [Matt. 10:8].
Now I insist that if you are going to do one of the above things, you ought to be able to do all four of them. Note that raising the dead is included! Obviously, this was applicable to the time and circumstances under which it was given.
It is interesting to note that folk in our day who use verse 8 as their commission ignore the next verse—at least, I have never heard them use it—yet it all goes together in one package.
Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses [Matt. 10:9].
Some time ago I suggested to a so-called faith healer that he go to the hospitals where they really needed him. But it is interesting to see that these folk have to be in a place where an offering can be taken.
Obviously, we need to place this verse in its correct context. These were temporary instructions during our Lord’s three-year ministry. There came a day at the end of His ministry when He gave different instructions to His apostles: “And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one” (Luke 22:35–36).
And the apostle Paul wrote, “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14), and he deals at length with the matter of the preacher in 1 Corinthians 9. In our day, certainly God expects us to support Christian ministries.
My only suggestion is that if you are going to appropriate to yourself Matthew 10:8, be sure to take the next verse that goes along with it. I don’t mean to be harsh, but it is important to interpret a verse in its context.
Now notice the further instructions our Lord gave to the twelve before He sent them out at this time—
And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence [Matt. 10:11].
This certainly is not for our day. The best place for a visiting speaker to go is to a motel or hotel instead of causing an extra burden on folk when they are so busy. Some people still have a “prophet’s chamber,” and I know where many of them are in this country; they are delightful places. But in our day, I don’t think our Lord would have us go into a town and ask, “Who is worthy in this town; who is your outstanding Christian?” then go and knock on his door and say, “Look, I’m here.” Again, let’s note that the Lord Jesus is giving His men temporary instructions under local circumstances for a three-year period. Let’s interpret it in its correct context.
And when ye come into an house, salute it.
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you [Matt. 10:12–13].
The word house refers, of course, not to the building but to the people who live in it, the household.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet [Matt. 10:14].
This is not our commission today. This is not the attitude of modern missionaries. Certainly, when I have gone to other places to hold meetings, I have never gone outside the towns and shaken the dust off my feet. I won’t say that I haven’t felt like it in some places, but I have never done it. I feel that this instruction was given to these men for that particular time.
Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city [Matt. 10:15].
In the next chapter of Matthew we will find out what happened to some of these cities that fell under judgment.
WHAT THE TWELVE MUST EXPECT
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves [Matt. 10:16].
Having spoken about the local situation, the Lord now gives these men certain great principles by which they are to go as His witnesses. These principles are good for time and eternity, and they certainly are good for our day. The child of God should be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. It is dangerous to be one and not the other. I have met some who are wise as serpents—they are clever—but they are not harmless as doves. To use a common expression, they will take you. I know others who are quite gullible; they are harmless as doves, but they are not wise as serpents. A serpent is dangerous, and a dove is in danger, so that we need to combine both qualities.
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues [Matt. 10:17].
I have never been scourged in a synagogue, but I have been verbally scourged in some of our good churches.
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles [Matt. 10:18].
In that day this certainly happened to those who were His. Also, it has happened subsequently to many in the church.
But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you [Matt. 10:19–20].
I believe these verses apply to those men who had no opportunity to prepare answers when they were arrested for doing the job Jesus sent them to do. These men sent out by the Lord made no preparation, and if we place these verses in the local situation, we will have no problem with them at all.
Unfortunately, there are many folk who apply these verses to themselves and make no preparation for their sermons! When I was in seminary, a fellow student, who was a little odd in more ways than one, believed that he should preach without any preparation. A friend and I decided one night that we would go and hear him preach. Well, it was painfully obvious that he had not prepared his message. On the way back to the seminary, my friend, who had even more nerve than I had, asked him, “Did you prepare that message tonight?”
“Of course, I didn’t!”
“Well, how did you get it?”
“The Spirit of God gave it to me.”
My friend said to him, “I don’t think you ought to blame that message on the Holy Spirit!”
Another friend of mine was at Temple, Texas, years ago, when the trains were running through there, and he had to change trains there on a Sunday morning. As he waited for his connection, he was walking up and down with his notes in his hand because he was to preach that morning. He was wearing a long frock coat, and another man approached him who also was wearing a frock coat. The man asked him, “Are you a preacher?”
“Yes.”
“What are you doing there?”
“I’m going over my notes for my sermon this morning.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you prepare your sermons?”
“Yes, don’t you?”
“No, I just get up and let the Holy Spirit speak through me.”
“Well, suppose when you get up, the Holy Spirit doesn’t give you the message immediately. Then what do you do?”
“Oh,” he said, “I just mess around until He does!”
Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of preachers just messing around in our day and using as their excuse this instruction which our Lord gave to His apostles. That is really a misinterpretation of Scripture. If we put these verses back in their context and see them in their local situation, their meaning is crystal clear.
Jesus continues:
And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death [Matt. 10:21].
The coming of Christ into the world divided man; it did not bring unity. When one person in a family accepts Christ and another family member does not, you have a division. Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved [Matt. 10:22].
This refers to the fact that the Lord will be able to keep His own for the three-year period of His ministry. Similarly, Matthew 24:13 means that the Lord will be able to keep His own during the Great Tribulation period, as we shall see when we come to chapter 24.
But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come [Matt. 10:23].
Notice that He says, “Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel”—not the world, but Israel—“till the Son of man be come,” meaning until He is manifested before the nation. It is difficult for us to conceive of the fact that our Lord covered the nation of Israel. And there was a real division in the nation concerning Him. When He asked His disciples, “ … Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (Matt. 16:13), they gave Him several answers. Everybody had his own opinion about Him. In our day He is still the most controversial Person who has ever been in the world.
PRINCIPLES THAT ARE TO GOVERN THE LIVES OF ALL DISCIPLES
Now the Lord Jesus gives His men general instructions. Again, these are great principles which you and I can certainly apply to ourselves, although the direct interpretation is to the twelve apostles.
The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord [Matt. 10:24].
We need to keep in mind that we are representing the Lord Jesus Christ, and He must come first. If we do not put Him first, we will have trouble—I mean trouble with Him!
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? [Matt. 10:25].
Don’t worry about what people say about you if you are being faithful to Him. They did not say nice things about the Lord. If Jesus Himself received ill-treatment, His disciples could hardly expect to fare better.
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known [Matt. 10:26].
Friend, your life is going to be turned wrong side out someday and so is mine. God’s ultimate judgment will someday vindicate believers and deal with persecutors; so you had better have the inside of your life looking as attractive as the outside.
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops [Matt. 10:27].
I always think of a radio as being the best way of preaching from the housetops. Put an aerial on your rooftop and you can pick up even the most difficult radio stations. This is the way we preach from the housetops today, and I think it is an effective way.
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell [Matt. 10:28].
In other words, fear God.
Someone asked Cromwell why he was such a brave man. Cromwell replied, “I’ve learned that when you fear God, you do not have any man to fear.”
Are not two sparrows sold for a far-thing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father [Matt. 10:29].
What a marvelous verse! The Lord takes care of the little sparrows. Have you ever watched a sparrow? I was in a hotel back East, in a downtown area, and there were hundreds of sparrows around a fountain on the grounds. I thought to myself, “There is not one of those birds that the Lord does not know about.” How wonderful this is to remember.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered [Matt. 10:30].
God loves you! The Lord Jesus loves you more than your mother loved you. Did your mother ever count the hairs on your head? But God knows the number!
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows [Matt. 10:31].
Think of that—if God knows where the sparrow is, my friend, He knows where you are. You will never get to the place where He doesn’t know where you are.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven [Matt. 10:32–33].
It stands to reason that if we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior from sin, we will acknowledge it publicly or whenever it is deemed necessary to give a testimony. Therefore, the statement of verse 33 follows as day follows night. This verse alerts me to want to confess Him and never to deny Him. However, I don’t want to make a fool of myself because there are times when I am not to cast my pearls before swine; that is, there are times when we do not honor Him by the use of His name in certain circles. Assuredly, we never want to deny Him—neither will we deny Him.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword [Matt. 10:34].
This is a verse with which the pacifist has had difficulty. However, until all unrighteousness is put down and suppressed, the Person of Christ will cause the enmity of Satan, and a battle will ensue.
I wish a little of this verse would get into the United Nations today and into the thinking of some liberal preachers. Christ did not come to bring peace at His first coming. Sin is still in the world; and, as long as it stays upon the earth, God says that there will be no peace for the wicked.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household [Matt. 10:35–36].
Paul amplified the truth of this verse when he said, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). Actually, families have been divided by the preaching of the gospel. Also, brothers have been separated. There is a unity of believers, and that very unity makes a division with the unsaved world.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me [Matt. 10:37].
Unless you have really committed your life to Christ and paid a price, you cannot talk much about commitment. Personally, I do not brag about being a committed Christian, because I find that I am in Simon Peter’s class. But, thank God, He is faithful. That’s the wonder of it all!
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me is not worthy of me [Matt. 10:38].
I wish that I could have heard Him use that expression, “not worthy of me.” Many of us are not, and it means that He is not going to use us unless we are really committed to Him. But, thank God, He will not throw us overboard!
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it [Matt. 10:39].
He is putting in contrast the life which we have here in the flesh with the gift of eternal life which comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is possible that when a person comes to Christ, he may be put to death because of his faith. This is not true in the United States yet, but it is true in other parts of the world even in our day. A man who loses his physical life for Christ shall find eternal life which takes him into the presence of Christ. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward [Matt. 10:40–42].
In John 15 the Lord Jesus clarifies this section when He says that the world has hated Him and is going to hate His own. We ought not to be any more popular with the world than Jesus Christ is popular. The measure of our loyalty and faithfulness to Him is given in the prophet’s reward and the righteous man’s reward. If you defend the Lord Jesus as a prophet, you will receive a prophet’s reward. If you receive Him as only a righteous man, you will receive a righteous man’s reward. But if you acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior, you will receive a full reward. Our Lord makes it very clear that rewards are given on the basis of faithfulness.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Jesus continues His ministry; is quizzed by the disciples of John; rejects the cities where He has performed mighty works, and issues a new invitation to individuals
The movement continues in this chapter. The Lord Jesus has enunciated the ethic, He has performed the miracles, and He has sent His disciples out to present His claims—they have gone down the highways and by-ways until they have covered all the cities of Israel. Now what is the reception? What is the reaction to His messianic claim? Let me give it to you in one word: rejection!
This chapter makes a turning point in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. In verses 28–30 we will see that He gives a new message. It is a definite departure from the message of repentance in view of the presence of the King.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities [Matt. 11:1].
Having sent out His disciples, He Himself goes out. How important it was to get the Word of God out to the people! And in our day it is equally important.
JESUS QUIZZED BY THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples [Matt. 11:2].
Back in Matthew 4:12 it is recorded that John the Baptist was put in prison. So he has been imprisoned for a while now, but he has been kept informed about the movements of the Lord Jesus. John’s disciples have been watching Jesus and reporting to John. John is expecting any day for the door of his prison to be opened, because he believes that Jesus is coming immediately to the throne to establish His kingdom.
And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? [Matt. 11:3].
John’s question is a logical one. He has every reason to believe that the King would have assumed power by this time. He is definitely puzzled that the Lord is moving so slowly toward the throne.
Note the Lord’s answer to John.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me [Matt. 11:4–6].
The answer of Jesus is remarkable and can be understood only in light of the credentials which the Old Testament said the Messiah would have. This is a direct reference to Isaiah 35:4–6: “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”
Now waters did not break out in the wilderness nor were there streams in the desert when Jesus came. Why? Because He did not establish the kingdom when He came the first time. But He was the King, and He had the credentials of the Messiah—that is all He is saying. John would recognize the credentials.
JESUS PAYS TRIBUTE TO JOHN THE BAPTIST
In the following verses the Lord Jesus defends John in case anyone wanted to criticize him.
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [Matt. 11:7].
By the way, John was not the reed shaken with the wind; he was a wind shaking the reeds! In our day, the pulpit has become very weak because it is in subjection to somebody sitting out there in the pew who doesn’t like the preacher. Or the message is tailored to suit a certain group in the church. Too often the pulpit is a reed that is shaken in the wind. Thank God for John the Baptist, a wind shaking the reeds!
Our Lord continues His commendation of John the Baptist—
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses [Matt. 11:8].
John the Baptist was rugged, a rugged individual!
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet [Matt. 11:9].
He was a prophet, but he was more than a prophet.
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee [Matt. 11:10].
The Lord declares clearly that John is the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1, which states: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” John was that messenger. John was specially chosen to introduce the Messiah to Israel. Note also John 1:21–23.
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [Matt. 11:11].
Sometimes we like to debate the question of who was greater: Abraham, Moses, or David. Jesus declares that John is greater than anyone in the past. No one topped John the Baptist.
“Notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” When the Lord Jesus came, He began calling out a group of people who are even greater than John the Baptist. How can they be greater? Because they are in Christ and clothed with His righteousness.
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force [Matt. 11:12].
This is a difficult verse to interpret because the “force” mentioned can be either internal or external. The forces of evil from without seek to destroy it, that is true. But also those who are committed wholeheartedly press into it; that is, they violently want to come in. There is a note of need and desperation. We have already seen that one young man ran and fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Master, I will follow you whithersoever thou goest!” (see Matt. 8:19). There are these two aspects. I am not clear in my own thinking as to what He meant. He may have been referring to both aspects.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear [Matt. 11:13–15].
John the Baptist fulfilled the prediction of the messenger to come, as recorded in Malachi 3:1. But the question arises: “If Israel had accepted Christ at His first coming, would He have established the kingdom immediately, and would John the Baptist have been Elijah?” The answer is yes. You say, “How can that be?” I have an answer for you: I don’t know. I only know that this is what Jesus said, and He can do things which I cannot explain. In fact, He does a lot of things which I can’t explain; I simply accept them.
There are those who argue, “Well, if Christ intended to go to the cross and die, His offer of Himself as King was not a sincere offer.” But it was sincere. “But,” they insist, “what if Israel had accepted Jesus as their King?” Well, the point is that they didn’t! These are “if” questions we are asking, and the fact is that the Jews rejected the Lord. “Iffy” questions pose problems that don’t exist. And there are enough problems that do exist without making up some!
The next two verses compose one of the Lord’s parables that was loaded with biting sarcasm and irony. The Lord did not give this story to hurt or to harm but to illustrate a great truth.
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented [Matt. 11:16–17].
This is a picture of a group of children out playing in the streets. One group says, “Let’s play funeral.” They play funeral for a while, soon tire of it and then say, “Let’s play wedding.” Soon they grow tired of playing wedding. They go from one extreme to another. They are spoiled children. The generation Jesus was speaking to was like that, and our generation is, also.
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil [Matt. 11:18].
John was both austere and severe. And they didn’t feel comfortable with him.
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children [Matt. 11:19].
Jesus was friendly. What about Him? “Oh, He is gluttonous. He’s too friendly with sinners!” They weren’t pleased with John, nor were they pleased with Jesus.
There are some folk that you simply cannot please, and you are better off to forget about them. They don’t like one preacher because he just stands up there and in a monotone gives his sermon. Then the next preacher they don’t like because he is very demonstrative and pounds the pulpit. Or one is too profound, and they don’t understand him, and the other is too simple—so they don’t like him either. There are a lot of people whom no one can please, and that was certainly true in our Lord’s day.
JESUS REJECTS UNREPENTANT CITIES
We have now come to a tremendous change. Remember that Jesus is the King. He has enunciated the ethic, He has presented His credentials by performing miracles, He has preached the gospel that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, He has presented Himself, but His people have rejected Him. Their rejection has caused Him to make a decision, and He rejects them. He is the King, and the King always has the last word.
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sack-cloth and ashes [Matt. 11:20–21].
Chorazin and Bethsaida were cities in the north near Capernaum where the Lord had His headquarters. He had performed many miracles in this area. They rejected Him, and now He pronounces a judgment upon them.
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you [Matt. 11:22].
Light creates responsibility. The Lord never had a ministry in Tyre or Sidon, nor did He have His headquarters there. But He spent a lot of time in the area of Chorazin and Bethsaida, and He holds them responsible for the light which He gave them. It is my understanding that there will be degrees of punishment as well as degrees of reward at the time of God’s judgment. Even in our own day, there are many folk who have had a glorious opportunity to receive Christ, but they have turned their backs on Him.
Without going into detail, let me say this: I do not know what God will do with that person on a little island in the South Pacific who has never heard the gospel and bows down and worships an image. I do know what God is going to do with that person who comes and sits in church Sunday after Sunday and hears the gospel and does nothing about it.
Now the Lord speaks of Capernaum, His headquarters.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day [Matt 11:23].
What a privilege was theirs in having the headquarters of the Lord Jesus in their city! But they rejected Him. The Lord Jesus is saying that if the wicked city of Sodom had witnessed the miracles that He had performed in Capernaum, they would have turned from their wickedness and would not have merited the judgment that came upon them.
But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee [Matt. 11:24].
This is the harshest language of all. Remember it fell from the lips of the gentle Jesus. He speaks here as the Judge and King. This strong language ought to make us sit up and listen. I would much rather be a Hottentot in the darkness of a jungle without having heard the gospel than to be an officer in one of our modern churches, having a Bible but never truly having accepted Christ as Savior.
Although Sodom and Gomorrah were terrible places, it will be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for cities that heard the message of Jesus and rejected Him.
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight [Matt. 11:25–26].
The phrase “Lord of heaven” takes you back to Genesis 14:19, where God is called by this name. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. Many wise people never learn this truth, but many babes understand it. Dr. Harry Ironside said many years ago, “Always put the cookies on the bottom shelf so the kiddos can get them.” If you preach so children understand what you are saying, you can almost be sure the older folks will understand—but sometimes the children get it and the adults miss it.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him [Matt. 11:27].
This is another way of saying, “… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
JESUS ISSUES NEW INVITATION TO INDIVIDUALS
These verses bring us to a definite break and change in the Lord’s message. Up to this point the Lord taught, “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He had presented His credentials and had been rejected as the Messiah. These cities which have been mentioned turned their backs upon Him, and so had Jerusalem. The Lord now turns His back upon the nation Israel, no longer presenting to them the kingdom. He is on His way to the cross, and His invitation is to the individual. Listen to Him:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light [Matt. 11:28–30].
This language is in contrast to what has preceded it in this chapter. It is like coming out of a blizzard into the warmth of a spring day, like passing from a storm into a calm, like going from darkness into light. This is a new message from Jesus. He turns from the corporate nation to the individual. It is no longer the national announcement about a kingdom but a personal invitation to find the “rest” of salvation.
“I will give you rest” is literally, “I will rest you.” When He speaks of being “heavy laden,” He is referring to being burdened with sin. This same figure is used by Isaiah and the psalmist: “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed ofevildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward” (Isa. 1:4). “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Ps. 38:4).
My friend, sin is too heavy for you to carry—you’ll really get a hernia if you try to carry your load of sin! The only place in the world to put that burden is at the cross of Christ. He bore it for you, and He invites you to come and bring your burden of sin to Him. He can forgive you because on the cross He bore the burden of your sin.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” refers to the salvation of the sinner through Jesus Christ. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” refers to the practical sanctification of the believer. There is a rest which Jesus gives, and it is the rest of redemption. There is also a rest which the believer experiences, and it comes through commitment and consecration to Christ. You don’t have to worry about being recognized; you don’t have to jockey for position if you are committed to Christ. Frankly, I quit joining organizations because I got so tired of watching ambitious men trying to be chairman of something or trying to be president of something. If you are committed to Christ, you don’t have to worry about that. He will put you exactly where He wants you when you are yoked up to Him.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Conflict and final break of Jesus with the religious rulers
Again let me call your attention to the movement in the Gospel of Matthew. If you miss it, you miss the message that is here. Matthew is not trying to give a biography of the life of Jesus, nor is he recording the events in chronological order. He presents Christ as King—He was born a King and gave what we call the Sermon on the Mount, which was the ethic of the kingdom, the manifesto of the King. He demonstrated that He had the dynamic in the miracles He performed, then He sent out His apostles. The reaction was rejection! And then the King pronounced judgment on the cities.
Now there breaks out into the open a conflict between the Lord Jesus and the religious rulers of that day—the Pharisees in particular. Apparently, they were friendly to Him at first, but now they break with Him over the question of the Sabbath day.
We will see the Sabbath question in two places: on the outside in the field, then again on the inside in the synagogue.
JESUS CLAIMS TO BE LORD OF THE SABBATH
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat [Matt. 12:1].
We will see in this episode that Jesus asserts that He is Lord of the Sabbath day. But before we get involved in the sabbatic argument (which has been raging ever since!), let’s look at the reason the disciples were pulling off and eating the grain. Why were they doing it? Because they were hungry. Why were they hungry? Because they were following Jesus. You remember that He had said to the young man who wanted to follow Him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). And at this time, they were hungry. This is another reminder of the poverty that our Lord bore. And we will see Him defend His disciples’ actions. This is where the break with the religious rulers came.
But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath dav [Matt. 12:2].
The Pharisees say to the Lord Jesus, “Why do You permit it?”
But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him [Matt. 12:3].
We find the record of this in 1 Samuel 21:1–6. It was during the days of David’s rejection as king while Saul was ruling. Likewise, the Lord Jesus was being rejected as King; His messianic claim had not been acknowledged. Now He takes care of His men—regardless of the Sabbath day observance. And David took care of his men although it meant breaking the Mosaic Law.
How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? [Matt. 12:4–5].
The priests worked on the Sabbath day.
But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple [Matt. 12:6].
The Lord Jesus here claimed superiority over the most holy center of their religious life, which was the temple. As far as the Pharisees were concerned, He had blasphemed. Not only had He broken the Sabbath, but He had blasphemed.
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless [Matt. 12:7].
“I will have mercy, and not sacrifice” comes from Hosea 6:6. Our Lord defends His men by saying that they did not break the Sabbath day. Why?
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day [Matt. 12:8].
Believe me, He put His hand on the most sacred observance they had when He said that He was Lord of the Sabbath day. In the eyes of the Pharisees, He could make no greater claim. It certainly engendered their bitterness and their hatred.
Now we leave the fields where this encounter took place, and we go into the synagogue—but we are still faced with the same Sabbath question.
And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue [Matt. 12:9].
Notice that “he went into their synagogue”—not ours but theirs. He said something similar regarding the temple. At first it was God’s temple, but He finally said, “Your house is left unto you desolate.”
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? [Matt. 12:10–11].
Was this man with the withered hand “planted” there, deliberately, by the Pharisees to trap Jesus into healing him? If so, then there are two important admissions on the part of the enemies of Jesus:
1. They admitted He had power to heal the sick. As we have seen, the enemies of Jesus never questioned His ability to perform miracles. You have to be two thousand years away from it and working in a musty library on a master’s or doctor’s degree before you can question His miracles. The Pharisees freely admitted that He had power to heal the sick. This is why they planted this man with the withered hand.
2. They acknowledged that when a helpless man was placed in His pathway, He was moved by compassion to heal him, even on the Sabbath day. What an admission!
Their question about the legality of healing on the Sabbath day was designed to trap Him. But Jesus actually trapped His enemies. They conceded that a sheep should be rescued on the Sabbath day—in fact, the Mosaic Law made allowances for that.
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days [Matt. 12:12].
This is the crux of the whole matter: Should He do good on the Sabbath day? Regardless of their answer—
Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other [Matt. 12:13].
Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day. Did He break the Law? What is your answer? My answer is that He did not break the Law.
THE PHARISEES PLOT THE DEATH OF JESUS
This marks the break between the religious rulers and Jesus. Here is where they made the decision to destroy Him.
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him [Matt. 12:14].
Up to this point the Pharisees had been friendly. They had wanted to hitch their wagon to His star and go with Him. But the Lord refused to go along with them, and they became His enemies. The break is made over the question of the Sabbath day, and the conflict comes out in the open. From here on these bloodhounds of hate get on His trail and never let up until they fold their arms beneath His cross. They begin now to plot His death, and they undoubtedly want to arrest Him at this time, but they are afraid of the crowds.
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all [Matt. 12:15].
The action of the Pharisees led Jesus to withdraw temporarily because His hour had not yet come. They will not touch Him until the appointed time. It is interesting to note in this verse that Jesus did not heal only a few in the crowd—He healed them all. We cannot even conceive of the impression that this made in that day. It was something absolutely astounding. They had to accept or reject Him; it was impossible to be neutral.
He is still controversial today. The enemy is still after Him. New dirty plays and dirty books are blaspheming Him. You will either be His friend or His enemy. He will be your Savior or your Judge. You cannot get rid of Jesus Christ.
He healed the multitudes—
And charged them that they should not make him known [Matt. 12:16].
The Lord did not come to this earth as a thaumaturgist, that is, a wonder worker. He came to present His claims as Messiah. When He was rejected, He continued on His course toward the cross to become the Savior of the world. His miracles caused crowds to press in upon Him so that He could not carry on His ministry as He wished.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory [Matt. 12:17–20].
“A bruised reed shall he not break”—no, He will instead bind up that “reed” who will let Him do so. “And smoking flax shall he not quench”—no, if that one continues to reject Him, the smoking flax will break out into the fire of judgment. The Lord won’t quench it because man has a free will.
And in his name shall the Gentiles trust [Matt. 12:21].
In our day, friend, there is a definite moving out—not only toward the fulfillment of prophecy in general, but for the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Gentiles. They are to be saved. Christ’s rejection by His own people led to His gracious offer to the Gentiles. In the Book of Acts we read that He commissioned Paul to be a missionary to the Gentiles: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).
THE UNPARDONABLE SIN
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? [Matt. 12:22–23].
In other words, “This is our Messiah. He has the credentials.” This was a tremendous miracle He performed, just as great as the raising of the dead if not greater. The continued miracles of Jesus in healing and casting out demons convinced the people that He was the Son of David, the Messiah. But what did the Pharisees say?
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils [Matt. 12:24].
This is the question of the unpardonable sin. Follow this very carefully.
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges [Matt. 12:25–27].
They would never say that their own people cast out demons by Beelzebub.
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you [Matt. 12:28].
“The kingdom of God is come unto you” in the presence of the Messiah. Christ is saying, “I am here! My power to cast out demons is My credential.”
Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come [Matt. 12:29–32].
There is no sin committed yesterday that the Lord would not forgive today because He died for all sin. The Holy Spirit came into the world to make real the salvation of Christ to the hearts of men. If you resist the working of the Spirit of God when He speaks to you, my friend, there is no forgiveness, of course. There is no forgiveness because you have rejected salvation made real to you by the Holy Spirit. And it is the work of the Spirit of God to regenerate you.
In Mark 3 the Lord amplifies the matter of the unpardonable sin by saying that it attributes the Spirit’s work to Satan, that Christ had performed these miracles by Beelzebub when actually He was doing them by the power of the Spirit of God. You see, they were rejecting the witness of Himself and of the Holy Spirit.
In our day that particular sin cannot be committed because it could only be committed when Jesus was here upon the earth. There is no act of sin that you could commit for which there is no forgiveness. Of course, if you resist the Holy Spirit, there is no forgiveness because He is bringing forgiveness. It is like the man who is dying from a certain disease, and the doctor tells him there is a remedy for it. The man refuses to take the remedy and dies, not from the disease but from refusing to take the remedy. There is a remedy for the disease of sin, and the Holy Spirit applies it; but if you resist it, there is no remedy. That is the only way sin can be unpardonable today.
Now the Lord says:
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh [Matt. 12:34].
“O generation of vipers”—you may remember that John the Baptist had called them the same thing.
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things [Matt. 12:35].
“What is in the well of the heart will come out through the bucket of the mouth,” someone has said. This scathing denunciation of the religious rulers by Jesus reveals that He has rejected them. Had they committed the unpardonable sin? At least the break with these enemies is final and the wound will not be healed.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment [Matt. 12:36].
“Idle word” means blasphemies.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned [Matt 12:37].
You will be “condemned” because you are speaking the thing which is in your heart.
THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES DEMAND A SIGN
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee [Matt. 12:38].
The scribes and Pharisees now use another subtle approach to Him. They appear to fall in step with His program by asking for a sign. They have no intention of believing because of a sign. They are trying to trap Him. Note how the Lord answers them.
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas [Matt. 12:39].
What was the sign of Jonah? Well, listen to Him—
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth [Matt. 12:40].
The Lord categorically refused to grant them a sign but directed them back to two incidents in the Old Testament. The first incident is the account of the prophet Jonah. Jonah was apparently raised from the dead when he was in the fish. God brought him out of darkness and death into light and life. Jonah’s experience was typical of the coming interment and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here [Matt. 12:41].
The Ninevites received Jonah and his preaching after his miraculous deliverance from the big fish, and they repented. The acts of Israel, as a nation, place her in a much worse position because she did not receive her Messiah and did not repent.
The second incident that Jesus referred them to concerns Solomon.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here [Matt. 12:42].
Jesus was greater than Jonah and greater than Solomon. The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon and traveled from the ends of the earth to hear his wisdom. And the Lord Jesus Christ had come from heaven, but they would not turn to Him.
VALUELESS REFORMATION
Next Jesus gives one of the most profound and startling parables.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none [Matt. 12:43].
A man has an unclean spirit, and the unclean spirit leaves him. The man thinks he is all cleaned up. Then what happens?
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished [Matt. 12:44].
In other words, reformation is no good. My friend, you can quit doing many things, but that won’t make you a Christian. If everyone in the world would quit sinning right now, there wouldn’t be any more Christians in the next minute or in the next day, because quitting sin doesn’t make Christians. Reformation is not what we need.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation [Matt. 12:45].
This same situation is with us today. The hardest people in the world are unsaved church members because they think they are all right. They have undergone self-reformation—empty, swept, and garnished. They are like a vacant house, and all the evil spirits have to do is move in. The Devil owns them, and they don’t recognize this fact. Reformation means death and destruction. Regeneration means life and liberty.
The final section of this chapter is even more startling, and it belongs with what has immediately preceded. There is a relationship that is greater than mother and son and even blood brothers! This is a relationship which is established with God through Jesus Christ by faith in Him.
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! [Matt. 12:46–49].
The Lord is saying that the strongest relationship today is the relationship between Christ and a believer. Friend, if you are a child of God and you have unsaved family members, you are closer to Jesus Christ than you are to your own kin, including the mother that bore you. You are more closely related to other believers than you are to unsaved members of your family. This is tremendous! He is talking about a new relationship.
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother [Matt. 12:50].
And what is the will of the Father? That you hear the Lord Jesus Christ, that you accept Him and trust Him.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: The parables of the kingdom of heaven show the direction of the kingdom after Israel’s rejection of it until the King returns to establish the kingdom of heaven on the earth
As we have said, the Gospel of Matthew is probably the key gospel to the Bible. It is the open door to both the Old and the New Testaments. If that is true, then chapter 13 is the key to the Gospel of Matthew. This makes chapter 13 all-important. It will give us a better understanding of what the kingdom of heaven is than any other place in the book. We call it the Mystery Parables Discourse, and it is one of the three major discourses in the Gospel of Matthew.
1. The Sermon on the Mount looks back to the past. It is the law for the land.
2. The Mystery Parables Discourse reveals the condition of the kingdom of heaven in the world during the present age.
3. The Olivet Discourse looks to the future, to the return of the King and the things beyond this age.
Let me remind you that our Lord followed John the Baptist in preaching, “… Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). And our Lord enunciated the law of that kingdom, the Sermon on the Mount. Then He demonstrated that He had the power, the dynamic, after which He sent His disciples out with the message. The messsge was met by rejection—Israel rejected its King. Therefore, our Lord hands down a judgment against the cities where His mighty works had been done and against the religious rulers. When they asked Him for a sign, He said that no sign would be given to them except that of Jonah. Jonah was a resurrection sign, and they were to have that fulfilled in Christ shortly after this. Finally, He gave that very personal invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (lit., “rest you”)” (Matt. 11:28).
Now the question arises: What will happen to the kingdom of heaven? It is apparent that He will not establish it on the earth at His first coming. So what will happen to the kingdom of heaven during the interval between the suffering and the glory of Christ? Well, in the Mystery Parables Discourse our Lord sets before us kingdom-of-heaven conditions on earth during this interval, using seven or eight parables.
We call them Mystery Parables because in the Word of God a mystery is something hidden or secret up to a certain time and then revealed. The church is a mystery (according to this definition) since it was not a matter of revelation in the Old Testament. It was revealed after the death and resurrection of Christ. Actually, there could be no church until Christ died and rose again. Ephesians 5:25 says that “… Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
It is important to note that the kingdom of heaven is not synonymous with the church nor is the church synonymous with the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven today is all Christendom (the portion of the world in which Christianity is predominant can be considered as Christendom). Obviously, the church is in Christendom, but it is not all of it by any means.
These Mystery Parables show the direction of the kingdom after it had been offered and rejected by Israel. They reveal what is going to take place between the time of Christ’s rejection and the time when He returns to the earth as King. With these parables our Lord covers the entire period between His rejection by Israel and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom. I consider them very important.
As we begin this chapter, notice that the very actions of Jesus are interesting.
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore [Matt. 13:1–2].
Notice the symbolism here. “The same day went Jesus out of the house,” which speaks of the house of Israel. “And sat by the sea side”—the sea represents the gentile nations (a symbolism used elsewhere in Scripture). Our Lord is leaving the nation of Israel and turning to the world. He is now speaking of what will take place in the world until He returns as King.
This act denotes a tremendous change that has taken place in His method. Great multitudes were gathered together to hear Him, and He went into a ship and began to talk to them as they stood on the shore.
PARABLE OF THE SOWER
Although our Lord gives several parables in this chapter, He interprets only two of them: the parable of the sower and the parable of the wheat and tares. His interpretation is a guide to the symbolism in the other parables. For instance, in this parable of the sower, the birds represent Satan. Now when He uses the symbol of birds in another parable, we may be sure that they do not represent something good. We need to be consistent and follow our Lord’s interpretation.
The parable of the sower is the first of the Mystery Parables and may be considered as the foundation for all of them.
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow [Matt. 13:3].
I’ll just run ahead and give you our Lord’s interpretation of the sower. He will tell us later that the sower is the Son of man and that the seed represents the Word of God.
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold [Matt. 13:4–8].
Sowing seed was a familiar sight in Palestine. They would sort of scratch the surface of the ground with a very crude plow. Sometimes they didn’t even do that much. Then the sower would go out and fling the seeds upon the earth. Even today in our land in the springtime, all the way from Pocatello, Idaho, to Pensacola, Florida, and from Minnesota to Muleshoe, Texas, you will see farmers sowing wheat, corn, and cotton. It is a very familiar sight—of course, we use machines to sow the seed, while in that day it was sown by hand.
As I have mentioned, the sower represents the Lord Jesus—we learn this from the parable of the wheat and tares (v. 37). The Lord Jesus is the One sowing the seed, and I feel that this defines His work today in the world. He was the King, but He laid aside His regal robes, and today He is doing the work of a farmer, sowing seed—but He is still the King.
The seed, we learn from verse 19, represents the Word of God. The field symbolizes the world (v. 38). Notice that it is the world, not the church. We are talking about a world situation. I think the picture is something like this: Here is the church in the world, and outside there are multitudes of people who have not received Christ. The Word of God is given to this one, and the Word is given to that one, and the Word is given to another. One accepts, another does not accept. Our business is to sow the seed, although not everyone will receive it.
The Lord Jesus has charge of this great program of sowing seed. He has given me a little corner to work in, and my business is to sow seed. I want to be specific here. This is the day for sowing seed. I don’t want to split hairs, but the “harvest” is not the picture for today. But someone says, “Didn’t Christ say, ‘Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest’?” Yes, and let’s look at it again: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:36–38).
This passage occurs just before the Lord sent out His apostles to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The age of the Law was coming to an end. Harvesttime comes after seed has been sown. For fifteen hundred years, approximately, under Law, the seed had been sown. Then the harvest came, and a new age, a new dispensation, came in. At the close of one age there is a harvest, and at the beginning of another age is the sowing of seed. But I want to emphasize that the harvest at the end of an age is judgment. We will see that in some of the parables which follow.
However, in our day we are to be sowing the seed of the Word of God. I rejoice when I receive a letter from someone who has listened to my teaching of the Word by radio. Some folk listen for a year or more, and finally the seed germinates and brings forth fruit. It is my business to sow the seed while I am in the world, and it is your business also, my friend.
Now notice where the seed falls. It falls on four types of soil, and three-fourths of the seeds do not grow—they die. There was nothing wrong with the seed, but the soil was the problem. You can argue election all you want to, but in this parable there is a lot of free will exhibited. The condition of the soil is all-important as far as the seed is concerned.
Now let’s look at our Lord’s interpretation of the types of soil on which the seed fell. In verse 4 He says that some of it fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate it up. In verse 19 He explains to His disciples the meaning of it—
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side [Matt. 13:19].
The birds represent the evil one—the Devil takes away the seed sown by the wayside. This is something which ought to cause every church member to examine his own heart. My friend, don’t apply this to the other fellow, apply it to yourself. Someone has written a clever little poem which says:
When you get to heaven
You will likely view,
Many folk there
Who’ll be a shock to you.
But don’t act surprised,
Or even show a care,
For they might be a little shocked
To see you there.
The wayside soil apparently represents church members, professing Christians. They heard the Word of God, but it was not the hearing of faith. The Word was not mixed with faith—or if it was, it was a formal, intellectual faith which simply nodded the head. In other words, to folk like this, Christianity is a sideline. Belonging to the church is like belonging to a lodge or a club. These folk are in deep freeze. Not only do we find them in our churches, but some of them have fallen away from the church and are in cults and “isms.”
The second group are represented by the rocky soil.
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended [Matt. 13:20–21].
These rocky-ground folk are the opposite of the first group. It was the Devil who took the Word away from the wayside hearers, but the flesh is the culprit with this group. Instead of being in deep freeze, they are in the oven—warm, emotional, shedding tears, greatly moved. These are what I call Alka-Seltzer Christians. There is a lot of fizz in them. They make as much fuss during a service as a rocket on a launching pad, but they never get into orbit. I classify them as the Southern California type. They have great zeal and energy during special meetings, but they are like burned out Roman candles after the meetings are over.
I stood on the rear end of a train, years ago, going through Kansas. Someone had thrown a paper onto the railroad tracks. As our train sped past, the paper fluttered up into the air and went in every direction. As soon as the train had gone by, the paper settled down on the track and was soon dead still. As I looked way back at the paper lying there, I thought, “That is just like a lot of so-called Christians. When there is a sensational meeting in progress, they really get enthusiastic, but they have no real relationship with Christ. It is just an emotional high.” They are the rocky-ground folk.
The third group of hearers is like thorny ground—
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful [Matt. 13:22].
With these folk the world crowds out the Word of God. The Devil got the wayside folk, and the flesh took care of the rocky-ground folk, but the world chokes out the Word for this class of hearers. The cares of the world move in. Sometimes it is poverty, and other times it is the deceitfulness of riches. It is quite interesting that folk at each end of the social spectrum—extreme poverty and extreme prosperity—are folk who are the most difficult to reach for Christ. I find that a great many people have let the cares of the world crowd out the Word of God. These three types of soil do not represent three types of believers—they are not believers at all! They have heard the Word and have only professed to receive it. My friend, it is well for all of us to examine ourselves to see whether or not we are really in the faith.
Thank God, some seed falls on good ground, and our Lord interprets this for us—
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty [Matt. 13:23].
These are the hearers who receive the Word and understand it. Some of them don’t bring forth much fruit—only thirtyfold, but some bring forth an hundredfold!
There must be an understanding of the Word. The Ethiopian eunuch, you remember, was reading the Word, but he didn’t understand it—although he wanted to understand it. So the Spirit of God put Philip there as a hitchhiker. He took a ride with the Ethiopian and gave him a ticket to heaven. He explained the Word to him—that the One who was led as a sheep to the slaughter was the Lord Jesus Christ, that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The Ethiopian believed and received Him.
Philip was sowing the seed of the Word of God. This is a kingdom-of-heaven situation as it reveals that the Sower, the Lord Jesus Christ, is sowing the seed of the Word of God in the world and that the Holy Spirit applies it to the hearts of those who want to believe.
After our Lord had given the parable of the sower, He said something quite interesting—
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear [Matt. 13:9].
Well, if we have these things on the side of our head called ears, can’t we hear Him? Yes, but notice the question and His answer—
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? [Matt 13:10].
Someone has said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. This is a good definition. But the word parable is from the Greek paraboleµ. We get our English word ball from it. You throw something down beside an object to measure it. For example, it’s like putting a ruler down beside a table to measure it. That ruler is a parable; it is put down for the purpose of measuring. Our Lord gave parables to measure heavenly truth which He could set before us.
Why did He do it?
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given [Matt. 13:11].
If a man wants to know the Word of God, he can know it. He who wants to know the truth can know it. But you can shut your ears to it. There are multitudes of so-called broadminded people who shut their ears to the Word of God. If you don’t want to hear it, you won’t hear it, my friend. Not only would you fail to hear it, but you wouldn’t understand it if you did hear it. You must have the kind of ear that wants to hear the Word of God.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath [Matt. 13:12].
If you know a little truth and you want to know more, the Lord will add to it. If you don’t want to know the truth, the Lord will see to it that you won’t get it. You see, the Lord will never shut the door to one who wants to hear. He makes it very clear that this is His reason for speaking in parables. Those who don’t want to hear will not understand them.
The Lord drew His parables from commonplace things, things that were at the fingertips of the people in that day. He gave them great spiritual truths illustrated by things they knew and could see. Someone has put this concept in verse—
He talked of grass and wind and rain
And fig trees and fair weather,
And made it His delight to bring
Heaven and earth together.
He spoke of lilies, vines and corn,
The sparrow and the raven.
And words so natural, yet so wise
Were on men’s hearts engraven.
In the parable of the sower, we see what could be called a kingdom-of-heaven condition; that is, it exhibits God’s present rulership over the entire earth as He calls out a people to His name. And God is carrying out His program today through the church, the called-out body, composed of every true believer. Therefore, we have a kingdom-of-heaven condition today as God is carrying on His program of bringing folk to a saving knowledge of Christ.
THE PARABLE OF THE TARES
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field [Matt. 13:24].
In this parable our Lord picks up where He left off in the parable of the sower. He has told us that only one-fourth of the sown seed ever got into good ground. The other three-fourths never did produce anything because the folk who heard the Word did not respond to it. In other words, they were not saved. Of the people who heard the Word of God, only one-fourth were truly saved. Frankly, in my own ministry I have found the percentage even lower than that. If one out of ten responding to my invitation to receive Christ is genuine, I feel that my batting average is good. Other Christian workers tell me the same story. A member of the team of a very prominent evangelist has told me that only three percent of their inquirers can be considered genuine converts. So you see, our batting average is not too good, but we thank God for each person who does come to Christ. We are in a kingdom-of-heaven situation, giving out the Word of God—and this is what happens to it.
But now we see another facet of the kingdom-of-heaven condition in the world today. It is a picture of a man who sowed good seed in his field—
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way [Matt. 13:25].
Notice who is asleep. While men slept, the enemy came. Remember, the sower is the Lord, and He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Satan is the enemy, and he sows tares among the wheat. The tares are false doctrine. There’s a great deal of that type of sowing today.
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also [Matt. 13:26].
As wheat and tares first begin to grow, it is difficult to distinguish between them. Frankly, a lot of cults and “isms” also sound good at first. You cannot tell them from the real thing until about the twelfth or thirteenth lesson. Those are the lessons in which they introduce their false doctrine. Someone once said to me, “Dr. McGee, you should not criticize so-and-so. I listened to him, and he preached the gospel.” Well, he does preach the gospel every now and then. But it is the other things he says that are in error. You see, he sows tares among the wheat.
Now we will see that the sower knew who was responsible for the tares—
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn [Matt. 13:27–30].
This is a very important picture to see and to interpret. Our Lord says, “Don’t try to pull up the tares. Let them both grow together, and when they finally head up, you will be able to recognize which are tares and which are wheat.”
Somebody comes to me and says, “Pastor McGee, do you think the world is getting better?” I reply that I do think it is getting better. Someone else asks me, “Do you think the world is getting worse?” I tell him that I do believe the world is getting worse. A third party who heard me give both answers, says, “What are you trying to do—ride the fence? It is not like you to try to please everybody.” Right! But actually, both are true. The wheat is growing and the tares are growing. The world is getting better—the wheat is heading up. Never has there been so much Bible teaching as there is today. I thank God for that. And there are many wonderful saints of God who love His Word and who would die defending it. That wheat is growing, my friend!
However, the world is also getting worse. There are a lot of tares growing. I have been a pastor for a long time. When I began my ministry, I entered a denomination with the idea of cleaning it up. I was the one that just about got cleaned out. I found I could not straighten out my denomination. I was thankful to find out from this passage, and related passages, that my business was to preach the Word. I don’t go around pulling up tares anymore because I found that when you pull up tares, you also pull up some wheat with them. But now I know that my business is not to pull up tares but to sow the wheat. Sowing the Word of God is my responsibility.
Both tares and wheat are growing in this world. This is a kingdom-of-heaven situation in Christendom during this interval between Christ’s rejection and His return to establish His kingdom upon the earth. It is not a picture of Christ’s church. “Well,” you say, “it certainly is a picture of the organized church.” That is true, but the organized church is not His church. His church is composed of that invisible number of saints. When I say invisible, I mean that they are not confined to an organization. (Actually, I do not like the term invisible because I find out that a lot of the saints think it means that they are to be invisible Sunday night and at the midweek service. In fact, they are invisible many times.) The true church is made up of true believers, irrespective of any denomination. True believers are those who have trusted Christ as Savior, are resting in Him, and love His Word—this is the real test. Don’t be disturbed that the wheat and tares are growing together. One day the Lord will put in His sickle and separate the tares and wheat. I am thankful it will not be my job because I am afraid I would pull up some of the wheat.
THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED
This parable presents a different kind of seed.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof [Matt. 13:31–32].
The mustard tree is an unlikely symbol of the church or of individual Christians. Ordinarily, fruit-bearing trees are used to depict believers. Mustard is a condiment and has no food value. It’s not wheat germ, loaded with vitamins; it’s just good on hot dogs and hamburgers. Mustard is not a food you can live on.
The mustard seed does not grow into a mighty oak like the little acorn does. It is a shrub which thrives best in desert lands.
The mustard seed “is the least of all seeds.” Several years ago a liberal preacher in our area made the discovery that the mustard seed is not the least of all seeds. He thought he had found an error in the Bible. What did our Lord mean by “the least of all seeds”? It was the least of all seeds that the people in His audience knew about. It is my understanding that it is least of all the seeds in the category of plants to which the mustard belongs. It is a very small seed.
“But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” This little seed, which should have become an herb, got to the fertilizer and became a tree large enough for birds to roost in.
This parable reveals the outward growth of Christendom as the parable of the leaven speaks of the internal condition of Christendom. The church has not converted the world, but it has had a tremendous influence on the world. Any place that Christianity has gone can be called Christendom.
This parable reveals the outward growth of the organized church. The church and the world have become horribly mixed. There has been real integration between man in the church and man in the world. They live and act very much alike in our day. The Christian should be salt in the world, not mustard!
“The birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” Years ago I heard another liberal preacher interpret the birds as being different denominations. He spoke of the Baptist birds, the Presbyterian birds, the Methodist birds, and all other church groups as being birds. That, of course, is a contradiction of our Lord’s own interpretation of the birds in the first parable. We can be sure that the birds in the parables of this discourse do not speak of anything good, but rather they represent evil. The birds are the ones that took the seed which fell by the wayside. Our Lord said that they represent the enemy who is Satan. I am afraid that Christendom today is a mustard tree filled with a lot of dirty birds!
THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN
The parable of the leaven is the key parable of this chapter. Let me try to help you realize the importance of it. First of all, the Gospel of Matthew is the key book of the Bible. Secondly, chapter 13 is the key chapter of Matthew. And thirdly, verse 33 is the key verse of chapter 13. So actually, what we have here is one of the key verses of the Bible!
Now notice the very important teaching in this verse—
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened [Matt. 13:33].
“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven”—but don’t stop there—“which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal.” What does the leaven represent? There are those who interpret the leaven as the gospel, and they ought to know better! Nowhere is leaven used as a principle of good; it is always a principle of evil. The word leaven occurs ninety-eight times in the Bible—about seventy-five times in the Old Testament and about twenty-three times in the New Testament—and it is always used in a bad sense. The great scholar, Dr. Lightfoot, made the statement that rabbinical writers regularly used leaven as a symbol of evil. In the Old Testament it was forbidden to be used in the offerings made to God. In the New Testament our Lord warned to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees (see Matt. 16:6). And the apostle Paul spoke of the leaven of malice and wickedness (see 1 Cor. 5:8). Symbolism in Scripture does not contradict itself, and we may be certain that leaven is not used in a good sense here in Matthew 13. Leaven is not the gospel.
The gospel is represented by the three measures of meal. How do we know this? Because meal is made out of grain or seed, and our Lord has already told us in the parable of the sower that the seed represents the Word of God.
Remember that this parable is a picture of what happens to the Word of God on this earth during the interval between Christ’s rejection and His exaltation when He will return to set up His kingdom. Note what happens to the Word of God represented by the meal. This woman comes along—I hope you ladies will forgive me for pointing this out—and when a woman is used in a doctrinal sense in Scripture, she is always used as a principle of evil. She takes the leaven and hides it in the meal. If the leaven represents the gospel, why in the world did she hide it? The gospel is to be shouted from the housetops and heralded to the very ends of the earth. Obviously, the leaven is a principle of evil, and the woman puts it in the meal, which represents the gospel, the Word of God.
We certainly see this in reality in our day. There is no cult or “ism” which ignores the Bible. I find that even those who worship the Devil, the demon worshipers, use the Bible. False teachers of every description put leaven in the meal, the Word of God.
What does leaven do? Well, leaven is a substance, such as yeast, used to produce fermentation. When it is put in bread dough, it causes it to rise. And it makes it tasty, also. That is the reason a great many people find a thrill in some of the cults. Unleavened bread is just blah as far as the natural taste is concerned. A little leaven really helps it. I grew up in the South, and my mother used to make delicious biscuits. She would put leaven in the dough and put them on the back of the stove to rise. If I came running into the kitchen, she would shush me because she didn’t want those biscuits to fall. When they got to a certain height, she would stop the fermentation by putting them in the oven and baking them. Have you ever seen what happens when you let dough continue to rise? I tell you, it makes a pan of corruption—something you wouldn’t want to eat! Leaven is a principle of evil.
This parable teaches that the intrusion of wrong doctrine into the church will finally lead to total apostasy—“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, “… when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). The way the question is couched in the Greek, it demands a negative answer. In other words, he is saying that when He does return the world will be in total apostasy. And the apostle Paul, writing to a young man studying for the ministry, warns that the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (see 2 Tim. 4:3). The final, total apostasy of the church is revealed in the church of Laodicea (see Rev. 3:14–19).
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world [Matt. 13:34–35].
“I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world”—nail down that statement. Our Lord is giving us a brand-new truth. The things He is revealing now, in parables, have never been revealed like this in the Old Testament.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field [Matt. 13:36].
Jesus has sent the multitude away and has gathered His disciples about Him. He is going to interpret the parable of the tares to them. We have already gone over it, but let’s read it as the Scripture states it.
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world [Matt. 13:37–40].
This is an exact picture of the condition in Christendom in our day. My Lord never missed His predictions. This has been fulfilled as accurately as anything possibly could be.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity [Matt. 13:41].
You see, in the kingdom during the Millennium there will be evil rearing its ugly head. But it will be taken out.
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear [Matt. 13:42–43].
These harsh words of Scripture came from the gentle lips of our wonderful Lord.
The last three parables are unusual in that they deal with certain different aspects of the kingdom of heaven as it is today.
THE PARABLE OF THE TREASURE HID IN A FIELD
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field [Matt. 13:44].
The “treasure” is Israel. The “field” is the world. The “man” is the Son of man who gave Himself to redeem the nation Israel. This is not a sinner buying the gospel because the gospel is not hidden in a field. Israel, however, is actually buried in the world today. Someone says, “Well, they are a nation right now.” They are, but they certainly are having a struggle. They will not be able to enjoy their land until they receive it from the Lord Jesus Christ.
I was very much interested in reading a paper that came from Israel concerning a convention of certain scientists. In a picture I noted above the platform a great sign, printed in both Hebrew and English, which read something like this SCIENCE WILL BRING PEACE TO THIS LAND. May I say to you, friend, science will not bring peace to Israel—nor to any country. Only the Prince of Peace is able to do that.
Actually, Israel is buried throughout the world. The largest population of Jews is not in Israel but is in New York City. And Jewish people are scattered throughout the world. But God is not through with Israel as a nation. The apostle Paul wrote: “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew…” (Rom. 11:1–2).
Paul believed that the Lord was not through with Israel. Zechariah, one of the last writers in the Old Testament, wrote that a new day would come for Israel: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10).
The prophet Jeremiah in many passages speaks of the regathering of the people of Israel and of God bringing them to their own land. That time is still future. When God regathers them, it will be by miracles so great that they will even forget their miraculous deliverance from Egypt which has been celebrated longer than any other religious holiday. God is not through with the nation Israel, and this parable makes that fact very clear. Israel is the treasure hid in a field, and Christ is the One who “for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” In fact, He gave Himself to redeem the nation. Our Lord purchased them with His blood, just as He bought your salvation and my salvation. Zechariah writes of the cleansing which will take place at the time of Christ’s return to this earth: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1).
THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it [Matt. 13:45–46].
The popular interpretation of this parable says that the sinner is the merchantman and the pearl of great price is Christ. The sinner sells all that he has that he might buy Christ. One hymn says:
I have found the pearl of greatest price.
My heart doth sing for joy.
And sing I must for Christ is mine;
Christ shall my song employ.
I cannot accept this interpretation, and I have dismissed it as unworthy of thoughtful consideration. To begin with, who is looking for goodly pearls? Are sinners looking for salvation? My Bible does not read that way, nor has that been my experience as a minister. Sinners are not looking for salvation. The merchantman cannot be the sinner because he has nothing with which to pay. To begin with, he is not seeking Christ, and if he were, how could he buy Him? The merchantman sells all that he has—how can a sinner sell all that he has when he is dead in trespasses and sins (see Eph. 2:1)? Further, the Scriptures are very clear that Christ and salvation are not for sale. Salvation is a gift—“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God so loved that He gave. And in Romans 6:23 we are told that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The correct interpretation of this parable reveals Christ as the merchantman. He left His heavenly home and came to this earth to find a pearl of great price. He found lost sinners and died for them by shedding His precious blood. He sold all that He had to buy us and redeem us to God. Paul told this to the Corinthians: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). He redeems us to God—He bought us.
Now let’s look at the pearl for a moment. The pearl represents the church. A pearl is not a stone like the diamond. It is formed by a living organism. A grain of sand or other foreign matter intrudes itself into the shell of a small sea creature. It hurts and harms it. The response of the organism is to send out a secretion that coats over the foreign matter. That fluid builds up until a pearl is formed—not a ruby or a diamond, but a beautiful white pearl. A pearl is not like other gems. It cannot be cut to enhance its beauty. It is formed intact. The minute you cut it, you ruin it.
The pearl was never considered very valuable by the Israelites. Several verses of Scripture give us this impression. For example, in Job 28:18 pearls are classed with coral. Although the pearl was not considered valuable among the Hebrews, it was very valuable to the Gentiles. When Christ used the figure of “goodly pearls” (v. 45), I imagine that His disciples wondered why. Oriental people gave to the pearl a symbolic meaning of innocence and purity, fit only for kings and potentates.
With this information in our thinking, let’s look again at the parable.
Christ came to this earth as the merchantman. He saw man in sin, and He took man’s sin and bore it in His own body. Our sin was an intrusion upon Him—it was that foreign matter. And He was made sin for us. As someone has put it, I got into the heart of Christ by a spear wound. Christ “… was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities …” (Isa. 53:5).
Notice Christ’s response to the sinner. He puts around us His own righteousness. He covers us with His own white robe of righteousness. “ … we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus …” (Eph. 2:10). Christ sees us, not as we are now but as we shall be someday, presented to Him as “… a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). Christ sold all that He had in order that He might gain the church. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
When we come to the last book of the Bible, the Book of the Revelation, we find a description of the New Jerusalem, the future home of the church. Notice the emblem on the outside of the city—the gates are made of pearls! That is no accident, friend; it is planned that way by Christ’s design. He is the merchantman “Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
THE PARABLE OF THE NET CAST INTO THE SEA
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the goods into vessels, but cast the bad away.
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just [Matt. 13:47–49].
So shall it be at the end of the world”—the word world is the Greek aioµn, meaning “age”. The Bible does not teach the end of this world. It is true that time will be no more, but then eternity begins, and as far as I’m concerned, I can’t tell the difference (and I have never met anyone else who could). The end of the age simply means the time when Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth.
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth [Matt. 13:50].
Our Lord makes it clear in this section that it is a terrible thing to be lost.
I was very much interested in reading a scientific paper written by men who were presenting certain scientific evidence in several different fields, and their point was that science was not sure of many things. For example, they were not sure exactly what the atom blast would do. They were not sure of the consequences of germ warfare. They were not sure about the effect of the birth control pill. And many other things were mentioned. Then one of the scientists said this, “It’s just like this matter of eternity. You may not know whether there is a heaven or a hell, but you had better make sure that you are going to heaven because even if you happen to be wrong, you’ll be all right. But if you are wrong, it is surely going to be bad.” And our Lord made it very clear that it is indeed going to be very bad.
It is considered sophisticated in our day to be a suave person. Certainly, you will not be considered a square if you deny the existence of hell. But, my friend, in reality you don’t know a thing about it, do you? You may say, “Well, you don’t know either.” Well, I know what is in this Book. And since the Bible has been accurate in everything it has predicted, and since in my own life I have proven it true, I take it for granted that it is accurate in its description of hell. And I work on that premise—and it’s more than a premise.
If you were told that a hurricane was going to hit your town, what would you do? After you had been given the information, someone might come along and say, “Oh, they warned of a hurricane ten years ago, and no hurricane came.” I think you would say, “Well, they might have been wrong ten years ago, but they could be right this time; so I think I’ll go to a storm cellar.” You would be a fool if you didn’t. What about the man who rejects Christ’s warning of hell? He says, “I’ll take my chance.” It will be too bad if he is wrong. Our Lord Jesus Himself makes this fact very clear in this parable when He says, “the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
THE PARABLE OF THE HOUSEHOLDER
Some people call this verse a parable and others do not. Nevertheless, the content of this single verse has an important message for us.
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old [Matt. 13:52].
This is a very personal verse, especially for those of us who teach and preach the Word of God. I am to bring forth both the old and new. Some folk say to me, “Oh, I’ve heard all of that before.” Of course they have. But it is my business to bring forth old things, but I do hope to bring forth a few new thoughts, also.
JESUS RETURNS TO HIS OWN COUNTRY AND IS REJECTED
After teaching these parables, the Lord Jesus departed and headed toward Nazareth, His hometown.
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? [Matt. 13:54].
Let me call your attention again to the fact that in Christ’s day they never questioned whether or not He could perform miracles. Their question was, “Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” Where does He get His wisdom, and how can He do these mighty works?
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? [Matt. 13:55].
“Is not this the carpenter’s son?” That was what confused them. They did not recognize who He really was. To them He was just a carpenter’s son. And that is all He is to some folk in our day. They think He was a great teacher, a great man, a wonderful person, but to them He was only a carpenter’s son.
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? [Matt. 13:56].
It is obvious that the Lord Jesus had brothers and sisters—of course, they were half brothers and half sisters, younger than He was, and born of Mary and Joseph. They did not understand until after His resurrection that He was truly the Son of God.
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house [Matt. 13:57].
You see, His hometown folk were so familiar with Him and with His family that they were “offended in him.” That is, they took offense at Him. I suppose they said, “We know His family. He grew up among us. Where does He get the things He teaches?”
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief [Matt. 13:58].
This is a tremendous revelation. Note what it was that limited the power of God when He was here. It was unbelief! “He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” It was not that He was unable to do them; but because of their unbelief, He did very few miracles there. My friend, the great problem with you and me is that we do not have faith to believe—and I’m talking about faith for the salvation of men and women. We need the kind of faith that believes Christ can save the lost. He is limited today in your own community, in your church, in your family, and in your own life by unbelief. And this is certainly true of me also. Our Lord states a great truth here. Let’s not bypass it.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: The forerunner, John the Baptist, is beheaded; Jesus withdraws but is followed by the multitude; He feeds the five thousand and sends His disciples over the sea into a storm, then walks on the water to them
The movement in Matthew of the rejection of Jesus as King and His conflict with the religious rulers continues. This chapter reveals that events are moving to a crisis. John the Baptist is slain on the pretext that Herod must keep his oath. This is an overt act of antagonism toward light and right which must ultimately lay wicked hands on Jesus. Jesus withdraws in order not to force the wicked hand of Herod, for the hour of Jesus has not yet come.
The feeding of the five thousand is certainly the most important of the miracles of Jesus if we are to judge by the attention given to it by the gospel writers. It is the only miracle recorded by all the gospel writers.
THE MURDER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him [Matt. 14:1–2].
If this sounds superstitious to you, you are right. It is superstitious, but it is not the superstition of the Bible nor of Jesus nor of His apostles, nor is it the superstition of Christianity. It is the superstition of old Herod and also of other ignorant people of that day. Somebody says, “Well, of course, in our contemporary society we are not superstitious like that.” Aren’t we? Notice how many people are following the horoscope and astrology charts. Also, religions of the Orient are having a tremendous influence in our modern culture. The human race is basically superstitious, my friend, and the minute you get away from the Word of God, you become superstitious. Even those who call themselves atheistic are turning to cults and “isms” and pagan religions, and we marvel that intelligent people could become involved in them.
The Person and the ministry of Jesus could not escape the notice of the king on the throne. Herod was a member of the family that you ought to look up in a good Bible dictionary. The whole family was a bunch of rascals and of the very darkest hue. They were the Mafia of the first century, and the Herod of this chapter was no exception.
The first several verses of this chapter are a flashback of what had already taken place. When Herod heard about the preaching of Jesus, he was immediately filled with fear and superstition. Herod had put John the Baptist to death, and he associated John with the Lord Jesus. Herod believed John had risen from the dead, and his fear changed to frenzy because he wanted to eliminate John altogether. Herod was a drunken, depraved, debased, weak man, and he was a killer. He had already murdered John, the forerunner of Christ, and he was prepared to murder the Lord Jesus Himself.
The following verses are part of the flashback describing the circumstances surrounding the death of John the Baptist.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife [Matt. 14:3].
Notice that it says that Herod had laid hold on John—it was a past action. Herod had imprisoned John “for Herodias’ sake.” Notice how Herod was influenced by others. Here it is by Herodias, and later on it will be by others. He was motivated like a politician. Everything he did was to gain the approval of others.
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her [Matt. 14:4].
John the Baptist had spoken out against Herod’s immorality—John wasn’t a very good politician!
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet [Matt. 14:5].
Here we see that Herod was afraid of the crowd.
But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod [Matt. 14:6].
Herod was a lascivious, lustful old creature, living with his brother’s wife at the time, and John the Baptist had condemned him.
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask [Matt. 14:7].
He expected her to ask for some material thing, I suppose, and certainly something within reason.
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger [Matt. 14:8].
The mother, Herodias, lived up to the Herod name. Hers was a cruel and sadistic request, prompted by a brutal desire for revenge because of John’s condemnation of her.
And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her [Matt. 14:9].
Imagine a man being motivated like that! He was afraid of what his guests might think of him for having made a promise and not making it good.
And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother [Matt. 14:10–11].
The sadistic, sad, and sordid account of what took place in that day reveals the type of society that existed then. John the Baptist was beheaded, and his head was given to the dancing girl on a platter! Human nature has not changed much. Lust and murder are part of contemporary society today.
And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus [Matt 14:12].
The disciples of John claimed his body and tenderly and lovingly buried it.
JESUS WITHDRAWS
The Lord withdrew because He knew that Herod’s fear would break out into a frenzy and cause him to do something rash. The Lord Jesus knew this man and wanted to avoid an incident because His hour had not yet come.
When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities [Matt. 14:13].
The Lord went by ship across the Sea of Galilee, but the crowd that had followed Him on foot out of the cities did not want Him to leave, so they walked around the shore of Galilee and met Him on the other side. This reveals how popular He was with the crowds.
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick [Matt. 14:14].
Notice again that they brought their sick folk out to Him. He healed literally thousands of people in that day. To compare what He did to the healing cults of our day is blasphemous. It casts a reflection on Him—because what He did was above board and evident to everybody.
JESUS FEEDS THE HUNGRY
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals [Matt. 14:15].
Note that the disciples are attempting to advise Jesus what to do. Their advice was to send the people into the villages.
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat [Matt. 14:16].
The feeding of the five thousand is the one miracle which is recorded in all four Gospels. For that reason alone it is an important miracle.
It was as if the disciples had appointed themselves to the board of directors to tell the Lord Jesus what to do. But He said to them, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” It was an impossible command.
And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes [Matt. 14:17].
Having only five loaves and two fishes is typical of the sad state of the church in our day. Right now folk are saying that we need to send the multitudes away, that there are natural ways of caring for their needs. We send them to the psychiatrist for emotional help and to the government for physical relief. We do have spiritual bread to offer folk, although it may be only five loaves and two fishes, but the thing which is lacking is the power of the Lord Jesus. If we only had that power, we wouldn’t need to send the multitudes away. We fail to realize that the solutions today are not in government nor in human imaginations but in God. No wonder the church is powerless.
He said, Bring them hither to me [Matt. 14:18].
I love that response! He is the Lord, my friend, and He says to us, “Bring what you have to Me.” It is not what we have that counts with Him but actually what we don’t have. The question is: Are we willing to release whatever we do have and let Him be the One to direct us in the disposition of it?
Don’t get the impression that this little boy had five great big loaves of bread. They actually were little buns. There were over five thousand hungry people out there, and they had five little buns. This little boy had brought them—they were probably his lunch, and he could have eaten every bit of it. Five loaves and two small fish—and Jesus said, “Bring them hither to me.”
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude [Matt. 14:19].
“He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass.” Someone has called our attention to something interesting here which most of us would have passed by. In Mark’s account we are told that He made them sit down by companies or ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. These folk wore colorful clothing, and out there on the green grass they were seated probably by villages with each having its own distinct manner of dress. It must have been a thrilling sight to have seen this colorful group from the opposite hillside. They were probably wearing red, brown, blue, orange, and purple—probably a great deal of purple because purple dye was made in this area. It must have looked like one of those old-fashioned quilts. The Lord had them sit in order. The Lord did things orderly.
“And looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” These fellows who had appointed themselves to the board of directors in telling the Lord Jesus what to do find themselves now as waiters, serving the crowd. And that is really to be the particular ministry of apostles, disciples, ministers, evangelists, and all Christians in our day. We are to feed the multitude. There are too many people in our churches who want to tell how it should be done and too few who are willing to do it. A preacher said to me, “In my church we have all chiefs and no Indians. Everybody wants to be the head of something, chairman of a committee, or in another place of leadership.” What the church needs is waiters to give out the Bread of Life, and the Bread is the Word of God. That’s our business. All believers should be waiters passing it out.
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full [Matt. 14:20].
I formerly thought that taking up the “fragments” meant that they picked up what we would call the garbage; that is, someone bit into a sandwich, then put it down when he saw a bigger one, and the half-eaten sandwich would be a fragment. However, I realize now that here were twelve baskets of bread and fish which were never touched. It is difficult for us who live in the midst of supermarkets to understand that many of the world’s population went to bed hungry last night. Most people in that day never knew what it was to have a full meal, but twelve baskets of food left over indicates that everyone had a full tummy.
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children [Matt. 14:21].
There were five thousand men. This did not include the women and children. Is it too much to add one woman and one child to each man? The Lord actually fed closer to fifteen thousand than to five thousand people that day.
JESUS WALKS ON THE WATER
As soon as the multitude was fed, Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and He went to pray.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away [Matt. 14:22].
“Straightway” is a word of urgency and swift movement. Matthew’s record has a strange omission at the conclusion of the miracle of feeding the five thousand. He notes the urgency with which Jesus dismissed the multitudes and the haste in which He sent His disciples over the sea in the boat; however, he does not offer an explanation. John gives us the reason: “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone” (John 6:15). In view of the fact that Matthew is presenting that phase of the ministry of Jesus which has to do with His kingship, it may appear odd at first that he would ignore this attempt to make Jesus king. This is another evidence of the remarkable character of the claim of Jesus to be King. He is King by right and title. He will not become King by any democratic process. He is not “elected” King by the will of the people. He is King by the will of God. He will finally become King by force (see Ps. 2:8–9).
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary [Matt. 14:23–24].
The Lord is in the mountains, in the place of prayer. The disciples are down on the Sea of Galilee in a storm and in darkness; they are in the place of peril. What a picture this is of our own day. Our Lord has gone on to the Father and is seated at the Father’s right hand. We today are down here on a storm-tossed sea in the place of peril.
I love this next verse—
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea [Matt. 14:25].
The fourth watch is the morning watch, from three in the morning until daylight. This is the time the Lord walked on the sea, going to His disciples. And I think that will be the watch in which He will come for us at the Rapture. Christ is the bright and morning star for the church, and He will take the church out of the world. We don’t know the date of His coming. There are men who would have us believe that they know the time, but they don’t know. However, I believe that we are in the fourth watch of the night.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear [Matt. 14:26].
This is the picture: Our Lord is up there on the mountain, and He sees the disciples in the storm, toiling and rowing, as Mark’s record has it. Then He comes to them in the fourth watch. When they see Him, they say, “It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.” Somebody is going to say, “Well, they were superstitious.” Yes, there may have been a certain amount of superstition in them, but what would you think if a man came to you walking on the water? Many years ago over in Tennessee a fellow said, “I didn’t believe in ghosts either until I saw one!” And that is the position of the disciples. They had never seen a spirit before, but they think they are seeing one now!
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid [Matt. 14:27].
“Straightway Jesus spake unto them”—that is, immediately He reassured them that He was no ghost!
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water [Matt. 14:28].
Peter has certainly been criticized for this. They say that he should not have asked to walk on water. Well, I rather admire the man. William Carey said, “Expect great things of God, and attempt great things for God.” Certainly Peter did that! I am afraid that most of us are satisfied with little things from God.
Notice that Jesus did not rebuke Peter for asking—
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus [Matt 14:29].
I hear people say that Peter failed to walk on the water, but that is not the way my Bible reads. My Bible says that Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus. This is not failure! Peter asked a tremendous thing of God. No wonder God used him in such a wonderful way during the days that followed. No wonder he was chosen to preach the sermon on the Day of Pentecost.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me [Matt. 14:30].
Peter took his eyes off the Lord Jesus while he was walking on the water. When he began to sink, he prayed the shortest prayer in the Bible, “Lord, save me”! If Simon Peter had prayed this prayer like some of us preachers pray, “Lord, Thou who are omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent …,” Peter would have been twenty-nine feet under water before he would have gotten to his request. Peter got right down to business, and you and I need to pray like that.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? [Matt. 14:31].
Peter’s problem was that he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the waves rolling. You and I are in a world today where we see the waves rolling, and this is the time when we need to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God [Matt. 14:32–33].
Our Lord performed this miracle for His own, that they might be brought into the place of faith. Even Simon Peter, who was audacious enough to say, “Lord, bid me come unto thee on the water” and actually walked on the water, which should have cemented his faith, got his eyes off Jesus, and his faith failed. I don’t want to criticize Peter because that has been my problem, also. I have stepped out on faith many times and then have taken my eyes off Him. This is the tragedy of the hour for us in our day. But these things were done that the disciples might worship Him and know that He was the Son of God.
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole [Matt. 14:34–36].
After the storm He continued to minister to the needs of the people. Again, let me call your attention to the multitudes that were healed in that day. We have a detailed record of only a few healings, but thousands were made whole by the Lord.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Jesus denounces scribes and Pharisees; rebukes His disciples; heals the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman and multitudes; feeds the four thousand
This chapter continues the movement of the King, and He is beginning now to move toward the cross. We have already seen His rejection and conflict with the religious rulers. This chapter advances the ministry of Jesus to the very breaking point with the scribes and Pharisees. There is a lot of action here.
JESUS DENOUNCES THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread [Matt. 15:1–2].
The scribes and the Pharisees had come all the way from Jerusalem. In the previous chapter we saw that Jesus and His disciples were way out in a desert place where the crowds couldn’t even get to a hamburger stand; so He had fed them. On the surface it may seem like a wonderful thing that the religious rulers had come all the way out to listen to Him. Well, frankly, they hadn’t come all the way out to applaud Him or to accept His teaching; they had come to criticize Him. Immediately we recognize that this was not a friendly visit. They did not accuse Him of breaking the Scriptures but of violating the traditions which they considered to be on a par with the Scriptures. They wanted to know why His disciples did not wash their hands. They were referring to a ceremonial cleansing rather than to what we would consider a physical or sanitary washing. There are a great many people who feel that if you go through some sort of an outward ceremony and clean up on the outside, this is all that is necessary.
But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? [Matt. 15:3].
Jesus accuses them of breaking the commandment of God with their tradition. Their tradition, you see, permitted a man to disobey the Law, an amazing thing—and they had a very clever way of doing it.
For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother. It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition [Matt. 15:4–6].
Our Lord is saying that honoring father and mother includes supporting them. The way they got around that responsibility was to dedicate their money as a gift to God, and that would relieve them of supporting their parents. This gave a pious way out for a man to break the Mosaic Law.
I still believe the best way to test a Christian is by his pocketbook. The barometer of the Christian today is how he handles his own money and how he handles God’s money. The religious rulers of Jesus’ day were helping men escape their responsibility.
I am of the opinion that God wants you to pay your honest debts before you give to Him. God wants you to take care of your personal responsibilities. He wants you to support your family before you give to Him. I once knew a man with a wild idea. This man came to me on payday and wanted to give me half his income while his family went hungry. When I found out, we had quite a little talk, and at first he was offended. Finally, he saw that he was neglecting his own family, which is a tragic thing to do. It is amazing how people try to escape a responsibility in a pious way.
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me [Matt. 15:7–8].
The Lord called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. This is the most frightful word in Scripture. Nothing quite corresponds to it, but it did not have quite the meaning in that day that it does today. To us it is a scorching word, but in Jesus’ day it simply meant to answer back and was used of an actor in a play. It means that an actor would receive a cue and then answer back. Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of playing at religion.
The religious leaders were eager to have people go through the ceremony of washing their hands, but they ignored the condition of the heart, which was the important thing to God. In a very pious way they were breaking the Mosaic Law.
My friend, we also are pretty good at rationalizing. Parents say to their children, “You wash your hands before you come to the table,” but they pay no attention to what their children see on television, which is the thing that is damaging the heart. Oh, of course, children should wash their hands, but what is on the inside is far more important.
Now our Lord will enlarge upon that statement—
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man [Matt. 15:10–11].
The great principle that Jesus was teaching is that moral defilement is spiritual, not physical.
Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? [Matt. 15:12].
The disciples are amazed that the Lord would offend the Pharisees. Up to this point there has been conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus, but this is the breaking point. The Lord continues to instruct His disciples.
But he answered and said, Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up [Matt. 15:13].
The word plant here means “system”. It is not too broad to interpret Jesus as saying, “Every religious system which My heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.”
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch [Matt. 15:14].
This to me is a humorous statement, and it is certainly biting sarcasm. The Pharisees were the blind leaders.
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable [Matt. 15:15].
The Lord has been speaking in parables to His disciples, but they had not gotten His point yet.
And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man [Matt. 15:16–18].
This is a great principle. A person is not defiled by what goes into his mouth but by what comes out of his mouth. As someone has well said, what is in the well of the heart will come up in the bucket of the mouth sooner or later. Listen to Him—
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man [Matt. 15:19–20].
We are certainly seeing this working out in our contemporary culture. We are in the period of the “new morality” and have reached the day that Isaiah talked about when he said that they would “ … call evil good, and good evil …” (Isa. 5:20). Those of us who believe the Bible are considered squares and entirely wrong. What do we have in this day of freedom, now that the lid has been taken off and man expresses what is in his heart? Do we have a new morality? No, we have the same old things—evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, false witness, blasphemy, and thefts. We have really opened a Pandora’s box, and we are in trouble.
Man has to be controlled. He is the most vicious animal on earth. We put other animals in cages, but man must be free to do his thing, and our Lord has told us what mankind will do, and He says that these things defile. All about us today is an emphasis on sex—in our schools, even in our churches, on television, on radio; it stares at you from billboards, from the covers of magazines, from newspaper headlines. My friend, these things defile. Don’t tell me that you are immune to it; no one is immune to this type of thing. Our children and young people are being defiled—all in the lofty-sounding terminology of freedom of speech! The things that are in the heart are now coming out. Our Lord has made a tremendous statement here.
JESUS HEALS THE SYROPHOENICIAN WOMAN’S DAUGHTER
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon [Matt. 15:21].
Now our Lord leaves the land of Israel for the first time during His public ministry. This is interesting because He came to Israel as her King. When He sent His disciples out, He instructed them to go into the cities of Israel but not beyond her boundaries. Then the Lord was rejected by Israel, and there arose conflict. The breaking point between Jesus and the religious rulers came only a few verses ago. What happens? Jesus Himself steps over the boundaries of Israel and lays down another great principle. He will now receive the Gentiles. His invitation is, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (lit., ”rest you“)” (Matt. 11:28).
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us [Matt 15:22–23].
The Syrophoenician woman was a mixture of several races and a true Gentile (see Mark 7:26 for her nationality). She had no claim on Jesus as the Son of David, and when she addressed Him as such, He answered her not a word.
The disciples said, “Send her away, for she crieth after us.” She was causing a disturbance and probably a little embarrassment.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel [Matt 15:24].
This seems to be a harsh statement, but it was a statement of fact. Jesus was offering Himself first as the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning the coming of the King in David’s line. He was forcing this gentile woman to recognize that fact.
Jesus came as King of the Jews. You mark that down—it was the primary issue that had to be settled. He died with this superscription written over Him on the cross: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Now listen to this gentile woman—
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me [Matt. 15:25].
When she addressed Him as the Son of David, He said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” She as a Gentile had no claim upon Him as the Son of David. However, now she comes and worships Him, calling Him “Lord,” and asks for help. Now she will get help, as we shall see.
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs [Matt. 15:26].
That is a very strong statement! Such a rebuff would have driven many of us away. We would have turned on our heels and said, “You can’t talk to us like that!”
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table [Matt. 15:27].
You remember that our Lord told of a poor man who ate of the crumbs that fell from a rich man’s table, and the dogs came and licked his sores. The Israelites used the word dog in reference to the Gentiles. This woman was willing to bear that reproach because she believed in the Lord Jesus.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour [Matt. 15:28].
Our Lord really marveled at the faith of this gentile woman. He had said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden—I’ll help you; I’ll lift your burden,” and that is what He did even for a Canaanite. Her answer had revealed a great faith, and to that our Lord responded.
JESUS CONTINUES TO HEAL
And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.
And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them [Matt. 15:29–30].
Again I call your attention to the multitudes of folk whom Jesus healed. There were not just a few isolated cases that could not be substantiated, but there were so many that nobody denied He performed miracles of healing.
Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel [Matt. 15:31].
JESUS FEEDS THE FOUR THOUSAND
This miracle seems to be almost a duplication of the feeding of the five thousand.
Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way [Matt. 15:32].
Note again His compassion for people.
And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? [Matt. 15:33].
Let’s not miss the message that is here. Frankly, it seems like just a rerun of the feeding of the five thousand. It appears to be a repetition, and we wonder why Matthew included it since it doesn’t seem to add any further advancement of the messianic claims of the Lord Jesus. However, we are in the section in which the emphasis is no longer upon Jesus pressing His messianic claim but the emphasis is on the rejection of His claim. And this miracle shows how slowly the disciples were to learn. They had already witnessed the feeding of the five thousand, and I think it took place only a few days before this; yet here they raise the same old objections of unbelief. Again His disciples say to Him, “Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?”
And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude [Matt. 15:34–36].
Again He fed the multitudes. This is a revelation that the disciples had not really learned the lesson. Their reluctance to believe actually constitutes a form of rejection. My friend, unbelief is sin. In Romans 14:23 it says that “… whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” In Hebrews 12:1 we are admonished to “… lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us….” What is that weight? I think it is unbelief. Unbelief is sin. I am willing to make this confession: I wish that I believed Him more. He is worthy to be believed; I ought to believe Him fully, but the problem is with me. And I suspect that the problem is with you, also.
The Lord Jesus fed the multitude—
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children [Matt. 15:37–38].
Notice that it was four thousand men plus women and children. In other words, families were there. Again, if we put one woman and one child with each man, the total fed would be twelve thousand.
And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala [Matt. 15:39].
This was part of the Lord’s Galilean ministry. Magdala is on the Sea of Galilee and today lies in ruins.
This chapter reveals that our Lord’s disciples are not keeping up. They are slow to believe and slow to understand. This is actually hindering the Lord Jesus. It seems at this point that, since He has reached the breaking point with the religious rulers, He is having a real problem with His disciples. He appears to be just marking time until they catch up.
Frankly, He is very patient with you and me, also. Many of us need to catch up; we are far behind in our belief and understanding. Oh, that we might believe Him!
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Jesus continues the conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees; Jesus calls for a confession from His disciples, and Peter speaks for the group; Jesus confronts them for the first time with the church. His death, and resurrection
THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES ASK FOR A SIGN
For the second time the Pharisees and Sadducees ask for a sign from heaven, and again they are referred to Jonah.
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? [Matt. 16:1–3].
In Matthew 12:38 the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign. At that time the Lord gave them the sign of Jonah. He is going to do that again, but first He calls their attention to the fact that, although they are very good at predicting the weather, they don’t seem to be able to recognize the signs of the times.
Actually, the religious rulers are trying to trap the Lord Jesus, and He is going to warn His own men to beware of them. Notice that this is the second time He calls them “O ye hypocrites.”
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed [Matt. 16:4].
Our Lord had provided them with many signs, but they would not accept them. For the second time He predicts the sign of Jonah (“Jonas” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jonah). Back in chapter 12 verse 40 He had said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” These Pharisees and Sadducees were not about to accept that as a sign.
In this chapter we will see three viewpoints concerning Jesus. The Pharisees and Sadducees consider Him an imposter and do not believe that He is the Messiah. The multitude thinks He is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another of the prophets. In this, they were complimentary, although they missed the mark completely. His disciples present the third viewpoint. They believe that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ), the Son of the living God.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were asking for a sign. Jesus said that no sign would be given them but the sign of the prophet Jonah. “And he left them, and departed.” There is a note of finality in His action as He turns and walks away from them. Then He warns His disciples of the leaven of these religious rulers.
JESUS WARNS HIS DISCIPLES
And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread [Matt. 16:5–7].
In Matthew 13 we learned that leaven is always a principle of evil and never a principle of good. The Lord says to beware of the leaven. If you are cautioned to beware of something, it will not be welcome or good. The disciples missed the understanding of the leaven at first, thinking it was bread.
Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees [Matt. 16:8–12].
If it were a matter of material bread, the disciples should have remembered the two miracles of His—providing food for the five thousand and the four thousand—but it was not a matter of material bread. Leaven, according to our Lord’s interpretation, is false doctrine. It is that which is evil. When people speak about the “leaven of the gospel,” they are using a contradiction of terms. Leaven is never a picture of the gospel. Leaven always is symbolic of evil. If you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as an authority, this ought to clarify once and for all what leaven represents.
JESUS CALLS FOR A CONFESSION OF HIMSELF
All the way through the Gospel of Matthew we need to keep our thinking caps on because this gospel is the key to the rest of the Scriptures. We need to make sharp distinctions and note carefully what happens.
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? [Matt. 16:13].
If you look on a map, you will find three Caesareas. Caesarea Philippi is located to the north of the Sea of Galilee. The Lord Jesus is in the north, and He is in a position from which He is going to turn and begin a movement directly toward Jerusalem and the cross. Before He begins that journey, there are two things that must be clear in the minds of His disciples: (1) who He is, and (2) what He is going to do. My friend, these are the two things that all of us have to be clear on in order to be Christians. We have to know who He is, and we have to know what He did. We need to know these things in order that we might exercise faith and be saved.
Note our Lord’s first question: “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” This is a question which He is still asking, and it is a question that is still being answered in our day. He still is the most controversial Person who has ever lived on the topside of this earth. Now we will hear the viewpoint of the multitudes, the crowds that followed Him. I believe that if you or I asked this question on a street corner of our own towns, we would probably get similar answers because folk are still confused about Him.
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets [Matt. 16:14].
“Some say that thou art John the Baptist.” John the Baptist was a great man, and the people recognized him as such. In our day there are many folk who say that Jesus was a great teacher.
Some said regarding Jesus that He was “Elias.” (The name Elias was the Greek form of “Elijah.”) Elijah was certainly a great person, and there are those in our day who say that Jesus was a great person.
“And others, Jeremias.” (Again, the Greek form is used.) Jeremiah was the weeping prophet, and the people saw our Lord weep. The crowds gave Him the credit for being a great prophet.
“Or one of the prophets.” I suppose there was a variety of viewpoints as to which prophet Jesus was.
These, then, were the viewpoints of the average persons of that day.
A young preacher friend of mine, an extrovert, heard me speak of this; so he went out on the street corners and asked the question concerning Jesus Christ of folk who passed by. He got all sorts of viewpoints. Some said that He was the greatest teacher this world has ever seen. One person said that He was a founder of religion. Another felt that He was a good man. Another put Him in a class with other men who were famous in history—just “one of the prophets,” you see.
Now the Lord Jesus turns to His apostles and asks them—
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God [Matt. 16:15–16].
The time has come for the disciples to make a decision and render a confession. Simon Peter was evidently the spokesman for the group. He said, “Thou art the Christ,” which meant the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One who was predicted in the Old Testament, and the Lord Jesus was the fulfillment. Also—“the Son of the living God.” Up to this point, that was the best confession and the highest tribute that could be made to Him. This is who Jesus is!
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven [Matt. 16:17].
Only the Holy Spirit can make Christ known to any person. No man today can call Jesus “Lord” but by the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and reveal them to us. Jesus said, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee”; that is, “You didn’t learn it by being with Me.” I hear folk say, “Well, if I could have been with Jesus for three years [the apostles had been with Him about two and one half years now], then I would really know who He is.” Would you? My friend, you can know Him just as well today because the Spirit of God has to make Him real to you.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it [Matt. 16:18].
Let us look at this verse carefully. On what rock did Jesus build His church? There are those who say that it was built on Simon Peter. Well, obviously it was not, because there is a play upon words here. In the original Greek it is, “Thou art Petros [a little piece of rock], and upon this petra [bedrock] I will build my church.” There are others who hold that Christ is building His church upon the confession that Simon Peter made. I don’t agree with that at all.
Who is the Rock? The Rock is Christ. The church is built upon Christ. We have Simon Peter’s own explanation of this. In 1 Peter 2:4, referring to Christ, he writes, “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.” And he remembers Isaiah 28:16, “… Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Pet. 2:6). The church is built upon Christ; He is the foundation. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). Christ is the stone, and He says on this rock He will build His church. The church was still future when the Lord made this statement. And please don’t tell me there was a church in the Old Testament because the church did not come into existence until after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. There could not have been a church until all of these things had taken place. “I will build my church”—this was future.
The “gates of hell” refers to death. The word used for hell is the Greek word hades, the sheol of the Old Testament, which refers to the unseen world and means “death.” The gates of death shall not prevail against Christ’s church. One of these days the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. That shout will be like the voice of an archangel and like a trumpet because the dead in Christ are to be raised. The gates of death shall not prevail against His church.
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven [Matt. 16:19].
What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Were they given only to Simon Peter? No, Jesus gives them to those who make the same confession made by Peter, those who know Christ as Savior. If you are a child of God, you have the keys as well as any person has the keys. The keys were the badge of authority of the office of the scribes who interpreted the Scriptures to the people (see Neh. 8:2–8). Every Christian today has the Scriptures and, therefore, the keys. If we withhold the Word, we “bind on earth”; if we give the Word, we “loose on earth.” No man or individual church has the keys—to the exclusion of all other believers. We have a responsibility today to give out the gospel because it is the only thing that can save people. This is a tremendous revelation. Who is sufficient for these things? You and I have a responsibility that is awesome indeed!
Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ [Matt. 16:20].
The Lord made this request because the mere knowledge of who He is will not save you. To find salvation you must know who He is and what He did and accept Him by faith.
JESUS ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
For the first time the Lord Jesus announces to His disciples His death and resurrection. The time was approximately six months before He was actually crucified. Why did He wait so long to make such an important announcement? Obviously, His disciples were not prepared for it, even at this time, judging from their reaction. He repeated five times the fact that He was going to Jerusalem to die (Matt. 17:12; 17:22–23; 20:18–19; 20:28). In spite of this intensive instruction, the disciples failed to grasp the significance of it all until after His resurrection.
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day [Matt. 16:21].
This is what the Lord Jesus did for you and me. This is the gospel: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and raised again. You must know who He is. You must know what He did for you. If you know these two things, and by faith believe and receive them, you are saved. This had never been revealed before except to Nicodemus at the beginning of our Lord’s ministry in John 3:1–16.
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee [Matt. 16:22].
In essence Peter said, “You are the Messiah; You are the Son of God. You must not, You cannot go to the cross!” The cross was not in the thinking of the apostles at all, as you can see.
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men [Matt. 16:23].
It is satanic for anyone to deny the facts of the gospel which are that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead. It is satanic when a man in the pulpit will deny these truths. The substitutionary death of Christ is the only thing that can save us, my friend. Later on Peter wrote this: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Pet. 2:24). My, what a transformation had taken place in the mind of Peter!
Our Lord said to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Imagine this: Here is Peter by whom the Spirit of God could say that Jesus was the Son of God, and yet he could in the next moment let Satan deceive him!
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me [Matt. 16:24].
Many people interpret this verse, “Let him deny himself ice cream” or “Let him deny himself some luxury down here.” What this verse says is “Let him deny himself!” You already know that the hardest person in the world to deny is yourself. To deny myself dessert is hard enough, but to deny myself is difficult indeed. To deny myself is to put self out of the picture and to put Christ in the place of self.
“And take up his cross, and follow me.” We are not to take up Christ’s cross but our own cross. There is a cross for you and a cross for me—that is, if we are going to follow Him.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works [Matt. 16:25–27].
The person who will not assume the risks involved in becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ will, in the long run, lose his life eternally. The opposite is also true. At Christ’s second coming all accounts will be settled and everyone will receive his proper rewards.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom [Matt. 16:28].
This verse belongs with chapter 17 because the account of the transfiguration of Jesus explains what He meant when He made this statement.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: The Transfiguration; the demon-possessed boy and the faithless disciples; Jesus pays taxes by performing a miracle
THE TRANSFIGURATION
As we noted at the conclusion of chapter 16, the final verse belongs to this chapter because it explains what our Lord meant when He made this statement:
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom [Matt. 16:28].
This was fulfilled for the apostles in the Transfiguration of Jesus. The Transfiguration is that picture of the Son of man coming in His kingdom. Someone may say, “Can you be sure that the Lord Jesus had reference to His coming Transfiguration?” Well, Simon Peter was one of the apostles who was present at the Transfiguration, and in his second epistle he wrote of that experience: “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount” (2 Pet. 1:16–18). How was Jesus’ statement fulfilled for the apostles in that day? When the Lord Jesus Christ was glorified on the Mount of Transfiguration with three of His disciples present, this statement was fulfilled. The Transfiguration was a miniature picture of the kingdom, and Simon Peter confirmed this for us.
The other gospels give the account of the Transfiguration, with the exception of the Gospel of John. This leads me to say something that may startle you. The Transfiguration does not prove, nor set forth, the deity of Christ. It sets forth the humanity of Christ. The Gospel of John emphasizes the deity of Christ and therefore omits the account of the Transfiguration, although the other three Gospels record it.
The Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ is, in my judgment, not only the proof of His humanity but the hope of humanity. The Man whom you see glorified there, transfigured, is the kind of person that you, my friend, will be someday if you are a child of God. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). The glorious prospect of being like Christ is before every man.
The Lord Jesus Christ was glorified before His death and resurrection, and this is the picture which is given to us here. You will find that the Gospel of Luke presents details which neither Matthew nor Mark include, because Dr. Luke is the one who sets forth the perfect humanity of Jesus.
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light [Matt. 17:1–2].
“His face did shine as the sun.” The light shone from within Him rather than upon Him from the outside like a spotlight. At this point let me make the suggestion that perhaps it was this sort of thing that clothed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before their fall. After they sinned, they discovered that they were naked. The implication is that they were not naked before, which leads me to believe that they were clothed with this type of light. And it was the humanity of Jesus that was transfigured. The Transfiguration sets forth His perfect humanity.
The word transfigured is a very interesting word. It is the word metamorphosis, which means “a change of form or structure.” The little woolly caterpillar will someday become a beautiful butterfly by the process of metamorphosis. This body that I have today, filled with infirmity and cancer, will someday be transfigured, and even those who are alive at the coming of Christ will be changed, transfigured. This is the hope of humanity.
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him [Matt. 17:3].
Moses was the representative of the Law, and Elijah was the representative of the prophets. Moses had died, and Elijah had departed from this world in a chariot of fire. Luke tells us they were discussing Jesus’ decease in Jerusalem—“And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30–31). The Law and the prophets bore testimony to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias [Matt. 17:4].
Simon Peter could never resist an opportunity to make a speech. Every occasion was an auspicious one for him. He generally got to his feet to say something, and usually it was to say the wrong thing—that is, until the Day of Pentecost. But here it is the wrong thing; he should have kept quiet. God Himself rebukes him, as we shall see, because he was attempting to place Moses and Elijah on the same plane with the Lord Jesus. Luke offers the explanation for this indiscretion of Peter’s by stating, “… not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33). And there are a lot of folk who talk without knowing what they are saying! Peter was rebuked. He should have kept still.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him [Matt. 17:5].
This is God the Father’s testimony to Jesus, the Son. Jesus is the final authority in matters of revelation. What Moses, Elijah and the prophets had to say was wonderful. The writer to the Hebrews says: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son …” (Heb. 1:1–2). The Son is the One who came to earth as the final revelation of God to man.
Now notice this great statement by the Father—“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Have you ever heard a voice out of heaven commending you and saying that God was well pleased with you? Well, He has never said that to me either. In fact, He has never said it to anyone but this One. The Lord Jesus is the only One who ever has been well pleasing to God. And you and I well never get into God’s presence until we are in Christ by faith. When we receive Christ as our Savior, then we are placed in the body of believers. Christ is the only One in whom God has been pleased, and we are accepted in the Beloved.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only [Matt. 17:6–8].
Do you want a good motto for your life? I suggest these two words: Jesus only. He is the One who is the authority. I hope you will mark those two words, Jesus only, in your Bible. They provide a good motto for all of us.
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead [Matt. 17:9].
Why wait until the Resurrection to tell it, and why should it be told at that time? Because it is part of the gospel story. It tells who Jesus is. He is the perfect Lamb of God. He has been tested for three years, and at this time He is on the way to the cross to die for the sins of the world. You see, God required a lamb without blemish, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who could die a substitutionary death for mankind, because He was sinless. In His perfect humanity He was transfigured. He is the hope of mankind.
The hope of mankind is not in science or education. Both of them are letting us down today. They have created Frankenstein monsters, and we don’t know what to do with them. For example, they have invented a little gasoline buggy in Detroit, Michigan, that is giving us a lot of trouble by polluting the air and clogging all the highways. Science cannot solve the problem. Believe me, friend, the hope of the world just happens to be in a Person by the name of Jesus Christ. Be sure you know Him; He is your only hope.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? [Matt. 17:10].
Now this is a remarkable statement—
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things [Matt. 17:11].
Jesus confirms what was said in the prophecy of Malachi.
But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them [Matt. 17:12].
This raises a question in the minds of a great many folk regarding John the Baptist. Was he really Elijah? We have covered the same problem in Matthew 11. What our Lord is doing in this chapter is trying to forestall the argument that Jesus had to die on the cross because John the Baptist was not Elijah—and Elijah has to come before Christ returns to establish His kingdom. Our Lord is saying that if they would receive Him as King, John would be Elijah. Don’t ask me how that could be—I am only telling you what the Scriptures teach.
“Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them”—this is the second time the Lord Jesus mentions His approaching crucifixion.
Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist [Matt. 17:13].
THE DEMON-POSSESSED BOY
In this scene we have a kingdom-of-heaven situation, as it is in today’s world. Where does the church fit into it? Go with me now to the foot of the mountain where the other disciples (who were not with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration) are really in trouble.
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him [Matt. 17:14–16].
This was probably the worst case which had been brought to the attention of Jesus. It was also a sad situation because the disciples were impotent. This is a picture of the church today in a world that is demon-possessed and has gone crazy. Why is the church impotent in this crazy world? Because it doesn’t have enough psychology or enough methods or enough money? It has all of those things, but they are not what the church really needs.
This man had to say to Jesus, “I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me [Matt. 17:17].
“O faithless and perverse generation” would be His word to the church in our day and probably individually to you and to me. “Bring him hither to me.” Jesus is the Great Physician. Take your case to Him, my friend.
And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour [Matt. 17:18].
The Lord rebuked His disciples, and then He rebuked the demon. This is probably the worst case of demon possession our Lord dealt with.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you [Matt. 17:19–20].
“Nothing shall be impossible unto you”—that is, nothing that is according to the will of God for you. It was God’s will that this boy be delivered from demon possession. Why couldn’t the disciples deliver him? Because they didn’t have the faith.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting [Matt. 17:21].
This verse is not in the better manuscripts.
AGAIN JESUS ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
For the third time the Lord reminds His disciples that He would die and be raised again from the dead.
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry [Matt. 17:22–23].
This is the third time He speaks to His disciples of His death and Resurrection. The first time He mentioned it was when they were in Caesarea Philippi. Now He is in Galilee, on His way to Jerusalem, and He mentions it again. All that the disciples can do is to feel sorry.
TAX MONEY FROM THE FISH’S MOUTH
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? [Matt. 17:24].
“Tribute” was the assessment collected annually for the support of the temple.
He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? [Matt. 17:25].
“Jesus prevented him” means that Jesus went before him.
Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free [Matt. 17:26].
Jesus is trying to show Peter that just as the royal family is exempt from tax, so He, as the Son of God, would not be obligated to pay for the support of God’s house.
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee [Matt. 17:27].
His method of getting the tax money was certainly novel, to say the least. Now our Lord demonstrates that He has recovered all that Adam lost. The creatures were obedient to Him. The fish as well as Peter followed His command. I believe that God had given to Adam the same dominion over all creation, but he lost it at the Fall. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Gen. 1:26).
In the Transfiguration we see man restored to his original purpose. In the episode of the tribute money we see man restored to his original performance.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: The little child, the lost sheep, conduct in the coming church, and the parable on forgiveness
The next few chapters do not seem to further advance the movement in Matthew, but they do fill out many of the dark corners which have arisen because of the sudden digression in the kingdom of heaven due to the rejection of the King. Matthew 13 in the Mystery Parables Discourse has given us the overall outline of the kingdom of heaven in this age, but there are still questions to be answered. These chapters are helpful in answering many of them.
Now we find that the new birth is made essential in entering the kingdom.
A LITTLE CHILD BECOMES AN OBJECT LESSON
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? [Matt. 18:1].
I wonder if you detect a note of fleshly ambition here? It may be that I just have a critical mind, but it seems to me that these men have been talking about this subject, and maybe two or three of them felt that they could reasonably be considered the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. So the Lord did a rather sensational thing.
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them [Matt. 18:2].
What does this tell us? It tells us that the little child came to the Lord without hesitation. In Mark 10:14 the Lord said, “… Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not….” The problem was not in getting the little children to come to Him but in stopping the adults from hindering the little ones in coming to the Lord. This is a lovely picture we have here. Our Lord takes this little child and puts him in the midst of them.
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 18:3].
This is a verse that has certainly been abused and misunderstood, but remember, the Lord Jesus is talking about conversion not reversion. Some people think this verse means that you must revert back to your childhood in some unusual fashion or that you are to become juvenile in your actions in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. The Lord is not talking about going back to a former childhood, but rather of going on to a new life. Here our Lord gives logic to the thinking of the disciples as He diverts their attention from the matter of holding an exalted place in the kingdom to that of primary importance; namely, of first being able to secure entrance into that kingdom. This is as radical as John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The important thing emphasized in this verse is the new birth. You must become a little child in the sense that you must be born again. When you are born again, you start out spiritually as a child.
Unfortunately, there are many folk who do not recognize their spiritual immaturity. When I was pastoring a large city church, you would be surprised at the number of requests that came to me from so-called new converts who wanted to come and give their testimonies. I feel that it was basically the same thing as the disciples’ argument as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord says that if you have been converted, think of your spiritual age. You are to become a little child. Should a little child get up and blabber out a testimony immediately? Should a little child be an officer in the church? In listing qualifications for the office of bishop in the church, Paul rules out the novice: “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). I think that our Lord is saying something like that here.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 18:4].
When you go back and emphasize the entrance into the kingdom, the new birth, then you find that the one who humbles himself as a little child is the one who is greatest in the kingdom.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea [Matt. 18:5–6].
The word offend means “to cause to stumble”; that is, to lead into sin. Jesus warns against it in strong language! It seems to me that what He is doing in this section is making the evangelism of children a divine imperative. He gives top priority to winning the children to Christ. I commend anyone who is working with children today. There is nothing as important as that.
The story is told of Dwight L. Moody concerning his coming home one night after a meeting. His family asked him how many converts he had that night, and he said, “Two and a half.” His family said, “Oh, you had two adults and one child who accepted the Lord as Savior.” Moody replied, “No, no, two children and one adult accepted the Lord.” He continued, “The adult was an old man and he had only half a life to give. He was just half of a convert.” The little children are important.
A pastor of a Scottish church turned in his resignation years ago, and as he did so, the elders asked him why. “Well,” he replied, “for this past year I’ve had but one convert, wee Bobby Moffat.” Bobby Moffat was the man who opened up Africa to missionary work. It was the biggest year that preacher ever had! In these verses the Lord is putting a great emphasis upon children.
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire [Matt. 18:7–8].
I can’t think of anything more harsh than this!
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven [Matt. 18:9–10].
Our Lord says that we are not to despise one of the little ones. When one of them dies, his spirit goes immediately to be with God. All little ones go to heaven, my friend. If you have lost a little one, knowing this will be a great comfort to you. They go to heaven, not because they are innocent or because they are yours, but they go to heaven because Jesus died for them. That is what our Lord is talking about here. “Don’t offend them; don’t despise them. Let them come to Me. Even if they die, their spirits are going to be right there in the presence of My Father.” So many parents wonder about the eternal state of their little ones.
King David knew about his. When his son by Bathsheba fell ill, he was greatly exercised about the life of the child. We have the record of this in 2 Samuel 12:15–23. He fasted and wept and lay all night upon the earth. But when the child was dead, he arose, bathed, changed his clothes, and went into the house of God and worshiped. His servants were baffled by his actions, and David’s explanation was this “ …While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” He had the confidence that one day he would be with him. This is a very precious truth. Many people have lost little ones, and I have lost a little one, also—my firstborn. She is buried here in Altadena in Southern California. Every now and then I go by there and put a few flowers on her grave. She’s not there; she’s with Him, but I go there because that is all I have left of her now. But someday, some golden tomorrow, I’m going to be there in heaven, and I am going to see my little one. She is saved. I have two children—one in heaven and one here on earth. I confess that I have worried more about the one here than the one in heaven. I know where my firstborn is, and someday I’ll go to be with her.
The feeling of our Lord about children is very important to note, especially in our day when there are so many crimes committed against these little ones. Recently, I have been reading about a mother and a stepfather who left a precious little girl along the freeway. How shocking it was to read about this. They just wanted to get rid of her. Some folk believe there is no hell, but I want to say this: If there were no hell, there ought to be one for folk like that! And there is one. Our Lord uses the strongest language possible in warning us about offenses against children.
PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP
Now our Lord moves into the wonderful parable of the lost sheep.
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost [Matt. 18:11].
This parable is different from the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15. The key to this parable is the word save. In Luke 15 the emphasis is upon finding the lost, and in Matthew 18 it is upon saving the lost.
How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. [Matt. 18:12–13].
Notice how He closes this—He is still thinking in terms of the “little ones.”
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish [Matt. 18:14].
He will take care of them until they get to the age of accountability, but you, parent, are responsible for leading them to Christ. I am afraid that our school systems are using our children as guinea pigs for humanistic philosophies. Young people are paying an awful price in the contemporary schoolroom. My friend, we have a tremendous responsibility before God in this area.
PATTERN FOR CONDUCT IN THE CHURCH
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother [Matt. 18:15].
If he sins against you, you are to go to him. This verse is speaking of sin committed by a believer. The obligation is upon the one who has been injured to approach his brother who has offended him and not vice versa.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican [Matt. 18:16–17].
There are some people who like to smother trouble and cover it up. This is not the way the Lord tells us to handle it. If there is a problem between two believers, it should be worked out in an amiable, peaceful, and quiet manner. If the individuals cannot work things out, take it to a group. If the group cannot work things out, the last resort is to take the problem to the church as the final authority. The Lord says in conclusion, concerning this subject:
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven [Matt. 18:18].
We have already studied the contents of this verse in Matthew 16:19, where we learned that if we withhold the Word, we “bind on earth”; if we give the Word of God to others, we “loose on earth.”
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them [Matt. 18:19–20].
“If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing.” Does He mean that if we agree on anything, He will hear us? Yes, but notice the condition: “where two or three are gathered together in my name.” He will hear any request which is given in Christ’s name—that is, a request that Christ Himself would make. Or, we could say that asking in His name is asking in His will.
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” is the simplest form of church government. As verse 19 is a new basis for prayer, verse 20 is the new basis for the visible church. The early church began there: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
JESUS’ NEW PROVISON FOR FORGIVENESS
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? [Matt. 18:21].
Peter thought he was being magnanimous when he said this because two or three times was all you had to forgive according to the rabbis. Simon Peter was willing to forgive seven times. But Peter’s generosity was parsimonious in comparison to the new estimation of Jesus—
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven [Matt. 18:22].
That is four hundred and ninety times! By that time, things might be pretty well worked out. If not, both of them would have reached old age to the extent that it wouldn’t amount to much anyway! Four hundred and ninety times is going the limit—and that is the point our Lord is making.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all [Matt. 18:23–26].
I guess he was saying that he wanted to pay it back on the installment plan.
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt [Matt. 18:27].
I think our Lord is using an outlandish illustration here to prove His point. The amount of money that this servant owed his lord was about twelve million dollars. That is a lot of money to forgive anyone!
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest [Matt. 18:28].
“All hundred pence” amounted to about seventeen dollars! Compare that to twelve million!
And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses [Matt. 18:29–35].
This parable of the servant, who was forgiven but refused to forgive another, illustrates the principle of forgiveness. This is a new principle presented in this passage, but it is not quite the basis of forgiveness for believers which is set forth in Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Because God has forgiven us, we are to forgive each other. If God forgave our sins in the same way we forgive others, none of us would be forgiven. But after we have become children of God, because we have been forgiven, we are to forgive. This is the principle of Christian conduct, of course.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Jesus enters Judea; proclaims God’s standard for marriage and only grounds for divorce given; blesses little children; meets a rich young ruler; appoints the apostles to their position in the coming kingdom
In the movement in Matthew, our attention is now directed to the geography of the gospel. Jesus again enters Judea as He moves to Jerusalem for the last time before His crucifixion. There is definite intention in all that He does and says.
JESUS RE-ENTERS JUDEA
And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan [Matt. 19:1].
“When Jesus had finished these sayings”—what sayings? The ones we have been considering in chapters 16–18. Having finished what He wanted to say in Galilee, He moved south and came into the borders of Judea, beyond Jordan, meaning the east bank of the Jordan River. The movement is in a physical and geographical sense now. Up yonder in Caesarea Philippi He announced that He was going to Jerusalem to die. He moved down into Galilee, and He spent time in that area around the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum was His headquarters, and He even crossed over into Gadara. Now He is on the border of Judea.
And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there [Matt. 19:2].
I want to put two words together and emphasize what has been emphasized before several times. One word is multitudes and the other word is healed. It was not just a few people that were healed; multitudes were healed. I am more and more impressed by this as time goes on. If you are going to be a faith healer, brother, you ought to go to the hospitals and empty them. That is what our Lord did when He passed by; if anyone wanted to be healed, they could be healed. Multitudes were healed!
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Now the religious rulers come to Him with a question regarding divorce. Our Lord restates God’s ideal for marriage and the grounds for divorce.
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? [Matt. 19:3].
The Pharisees came to tempt or to test Him. They were after Him, trying to put Him in opposition to the Mosaic system. They brought a problem which is just as difficult today as it was then. “Is it lawful for a man to put away [divorce] his wife for every cause?” That is an equally live issue among Christians in our day.
Let me preface this a little by saying that God has given to all of mankind certain things for the welfare of the human family. For instance, He has given marriage for the protection of the home. Marriage is something which God has given to be a blessing to mankind whether saved or unsaved. Another example is that of capital punishment which God gave for the protection of a nation, to protect the lives of its citizens. Also God gave the sabbath law for the protection of the individual, that he might have one day of rest. God gave these laws to protect the individual, the family, and the nation. These were general laws which He gave to all mankind. Later on, He made them specific for His chosen people.
Now let’s look at this question concerning marriage. Here it is in the smaller context of the nation Israel, of course. And we look at it today in the light of the contemporary Christian. “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?”
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female [Matt. 19:4].
The Lord Jesus took them back to the very beginning, back to God’s ideal of marriage. The Mosaic Law had permitted divorce on a broad basis: “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house” (Deut. 24:1).
As far as the Mosaic Law was concerned, a divorce was not as bad as was marriage to a stranger. For instance, if the priest’s daughter married a stranger, she was shut out from the nation Israel. However, as time went on, the Mosaic Law was made meaningless, and the granting of divorce was done on the flimsiest pretexts, such as burning the bread. As a result, there was a great deal of discussion relative to divorce in our Lord’s day.
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder [Matt. 19:5–6].
This was God’s original plan for man and woman before sin entered the human family. Divorce was not in God’s original plan. Why? Because sin was not in God’s original plan, and divorce is always a result of sin. Regardless of what you may say, there is sin in the relationship somewhere which causes divorce. So our Lord took them back to the original plan of God.
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? [Matt. 19:7].
You ought to read Deuteronomy 24:1–4 to get the background for their question. Why did Moses permit divorce?
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so [Matt. 19:8].
Why did Moses permit it? Because of the hardness of their hearts. You see, marriage was given to mankind, and it is the tenderest and the sweetest of human relationships. There is nothing like it. And, actually, marriage was to represent the relationship between Christ and the church. Therefore, only believers can set forth this high and holy relationship. However, when they fail, and bitterness and hardness of heart enter in, then that marriage becomes a hollow sham, and it is just a mockery of marriage. My friend, marriage is either made in heaven or in hell—there is no third place to make it. When marriage is made in the wrong place, it is in trouble to begin with. Even Christians find that marriage becomes a very shaky proposition.
Because of the hardness of the human heart, God permitted divorce. God is merciful to us—oh, how merciful! But His ideal is never divorce. I recognize that we are living in a culture which is very lax in this area. There are multitudes of divorced folk who will be reading this book. Let me repeat that the background of divorce is always sin. But, after all, all of us are sinners. Since God can forgive murderers, He can also forgive divorced folk. But we need to recognize that the root cause of divorce is sin.
Now our Lord is going to give something new—
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery [Matt. 19:9].
Adultery breaks the marriage relationship and provides the one ground for divorce. Somebody says to me, “Yes, but here is this poor Christian woman, married to a drunkard!” Or a fine Christian man is married to a godless woman. What about that? Well, believers may separate on other grounds, which seems to be the whole point of 1 Corinthians 7, but divorce is permitted on only one basis, adultery.
Divorce was granted for the purpose of permitting the innocent party to remarry. This rule is applicable only to believers; God is not regulating the lives of unbelievers but is holding them to the message of the cross first. God wants the unbeliever to come to Christ. He is lost whether he is married, divorced, or single. It makes no difference until he accepts Christ. The important thing to note is that for believers He puts down one ground for divorce: adultery.
Now suppose there is a believer whose spouse got a divorce on another ground. What about the innocent party? Well, if there has been adultery there, and in most cases there has been, then the innocent party is permitted to remarry. I believe that is the whole thought in this particular case.
Now, there is something else here that is important—
His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry [Matt. 19:10].
The disciples are saying, “Well, in that case it would be better to stay single.” Well, you would avoid a lot of trouble—there is no question about that.
But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given [Matt. 19:11].
This is so important, especially in our day. In the verse that follows, our Lord puts down a great principle. Even now the Roman Catholic church is wrestling with this problem.
For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it [Matt. 19:12].
“There are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb.” There are some men and some women who do not need to marry. They get along very well by themselves, but that’s not for everybody.
“And there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men.” Some churches make a rule that folk in certain positions are not to marry. They have no right to do that.
“And there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.” I know a person who went to the mission field, and before she left, I talked to her. I said, “Look, your chances are nil for getting married out there.” She said, “I have thought that through, and I am willing to make that sacrifice.” She made it voluntarily.
Somebody says, “Do you think that the preacher ought to get married? Or do you think the priest should be married?” May I say to you, this is a place where God puts down a principle. He says that it is up to the individual. We have to make that decision for ourselves.
Now here is something wonderful—
JESUS RECEIVES LITTLE CHILDREN
Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence [Matt. 19:13–15].
This passage is ample basis for the salvation of children who die in infancy. It is a fact that no child will reject Jesus if He is presented to the child on a Bible basis. This is one reason why we should get the gospel message to them. Someone might say, “Wait a minute—then everyone could be saved if we reach them as children.” No, this is not true because they reach the age of accountability later. The reason for trying to get the gospel into the hearts of children is so that when they reach the age of accountability they will make a decision for Christ. It is important that this be followed through. Do not rest on the fact that your child made a decision when he was two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight years old, etc. My daughter made a decision for Christ when she was seven. Ever since that time I have asked her many times if she has really trusted the Lord as Savior. One day she said, “Daddy, why do you keep asking me that question?” I told her I just wanted to make sure. Actually, the decision will be made at the age of accountability. You say to me, “When is that age?” I don’t know. I just know that it is important to get the gospel to our children. Instead of standing on a street corner and arguing about it, let’s get it to them and then follow through when they reach the age of accountability by doing everything in our power to get them to trust Christ.
It is interesting that our Lord, having spoken about the issue of divorce, immediately begins to talk about children. The children are all important in any divorce. A woman once came to me wanting a divorce because she no longer loved her husband. She said, “Because of all the things he is doing, I no longer love him, and I have heard you say that when there is no love, there is no relationship. So I want to get a divorce.” It is true that when there is no love there is no relationship, and that is tragic, but that is not the basis for divorce. I said to this woman, “You tell me that you don’t love your husband, but do you love your children?” She said, “Of course I do, but what has that got to do with it?” I told her that it has everything to do with it. “You are to stay with him as long as you can if you love those children.” My friend, the fact that our Lord said, “Let the little children come unto Me,” ought to make any couple, especially a Christian couple, make every effort to hold their marriage together. A large percentage of children and young folk who are in trouble with the law come from broken homes. You would be surprised to learn the number of little ones who have been turned away from Christ because of the divorced parents. It is very significant that Jesus ties together the subject of divorce and His loving concern for little children.
THE RICH YOUNG RULER
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments [Matt. 19:16–17].
Notice how this young man approaches the Lord Jesus. He addresses Him as Good Master. He is willing to concede that He is good, and probably the enemies of Jesus would not have gone that far.
“Why callest thou me good?” I am sure you can see what our Lord was after. When He said, “There is none good but one, that is, God,” He was saying in effect, “If you see that I am good, it is because I am God.” He is directing his thinking so that he might accept Him as the Christ, the Son of God. Then the Lord Jesus flashed on this young man’s life the commandments that have to do with a man’s relationship to his fellowman.
He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? [Matt. 19:18–20].
This young man could say that he had kept these commandments, and yet he recognized a lack in his life. The commandments which our Lord gave him compose the last section of the Decalogue which has to do with a man’s relationship to man. The first of the Ten Commandments have to do with man’s relationship to God. Our Lord did not use those because He was leading this young man along in his thinking. However, now the Lord directs his thinking to his relationship to God—
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me [Matt. 19:21].
“If thou wilt be perfect,” meaning complete. Following Jesus would have led him to see that he was not keeping the first commandments which have to do with a man’s relationship to God. The Lord Jesus was on His way to the cross. If this man followed Jesus, it would be to the foot of a cross. Something, however, was preventing him from going after the Lord. His riches were his stumbling block. For you and for me it might be something entirely different.
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions [Matt. 19:22].
It was his money that was keeping him from the Lord Jesus Christ. In our day there are many things that are keeping folk away from the Lord Jesus. Riches are only one thing; there are multitudes of other things. Actually, church membership is keeping many people from Christ because it puts them into a little cellophane bag that protects them from facing their sins. They feel secure because they have been through the ceremonies or have made their confession, and yet they may be as unconverted as any pagan in the darkest spot on topside of the earth. Today, is there something that is separating you from Christ? Is there anything in the way that is keeping you from Him?
Well, it was riches for this young man—
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven [Matt. 19:23].
This is still true in our day—not many rich, not many noble, not many of the great ones of the earth are Christians.
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God [Matt. 19:24].
Many people miss the humor that our Lord sometimes used, and this passage is an example of it. There are some people who hold to the ridiculous explanation that there was a gate in Jerusalem called “The Eye of the Needle,” that a camel had to kneel to pass through it, and that therefore the Lord was saying that a man had to become humble to enter the kingdom of heaven. Well, that misses the point altogether. Our Lord is talking about a real camel and a real needle with an eye. My friend, let me ask you a very plain question: Is it possible for a real camel to go through the eye of a real needle? I think you know the answer—he won’t make it! It is impossible. But would it be possible for God to put a camel through a needle’s eye? Well, God is not in that business, but He could do it. And only God can regenerate a man. That is the point our Lord is making here. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Many people today think they are going to be saved by who they are or by what they have. You are truly saved when you find out that you are a sinner, a beggar in God’s sight, with nothing to offer Him for your salvation. As long as a person feels he can do something or pay God for salvation, he can no more be saved than a camel can be put through the eye of a needle.
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? [Matt. 19:25].
Listen to Jesus’ answer—
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible [Matt. 19:26].
This is the explanation. As far as any person is concerned—regardless of who you are—you are a candidate for salvation if you recognize that you have nothing to offer God but come to Him like a beggar with empty hands. When you come to Him like that, He can save you. With God all things are possible.
JESUS REWARDS HIS APOSTLE
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? [Matt. 19:27].
It is easy for us to think that Simon Peter is betraying a very selfish streak here. Did our Lord rebuke him?
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel [Matt. 19:28].
Our Lord did not rebuke him. Instead, He told him what a great reward would be his. Likewise, I believe that today, we as Christians ought to be working for a reward.
And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first [Matt. 19:29–30].
There is to be a reward for the saved ones who have sacrificed for Jesus’ sake. Many an unknown saint, of whom the world has not heard, will be given first place in His presence someday. In that day I believe that many outstanding Christian leaders who receive wide acclaim in this life will be ignored while many unknown saints of God will be rewarded. What a glorious, wonderful picture this presents to us!
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Parable of the laborers in the vineyard; Jesus makes the fourth and fifth announcements of His approaching death, while the mother of James and John requests the places on the right and left for her sons; Jesus opens the eyes of two blind men along the roadside
This chapter opens with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, which is a continuation, begun in the last chapter, of Jesus’ remarks on rewards. This chapter brings to an end the section that seems to mark time in the movement in Matthew. From this chapter on, the tempo of Matthew increases, and the Lord moves directly to the cross. This chapter also makes an important contribution to filling in some more of the dark corners of the present state of the kingdom of heaven. The principle for giving rewards is stated in this parable: Faithfulness to the task, rather than the amount of work done or the spectacular nature of the work, governs the giving of rewards.
PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard [Matt. 20:1].
This parable is closely related to the previous chapter. Matthew 19:30 says, “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Verse 16 says, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” So you see that at both the beginning and at the end of this parable the concept of the last being first and the first, last, forms sort of a parenthesis around it.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise [Matt. 20:2–5].
The “sixth” hour was high noon, and the “ninth” hour was three o’clock in the afternoon.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? [Matt. 20:6–15].
This is a tremendous parable which illustrates an important truth: It is not the amount of time which you serve nor the prominence or importance of your position which determines your reward. Rather, you will be rewarded for your faithfulness to the task which God has given you to perform, regardless of how small or how short or how insignificant it appears.
I have always felt that the Lord will someday reward a dear little lady who may have been a member of my church. I will turn to a member of my staff and say, “Do you know her?” He will say, “I have never heard of her. She did not sing in the choir, she was never president of any of our societies, and she never taught a Sunday school class. That woman didn’t do anything, and look at the way the Lord is rewarding her!” We will probably find out that this dear lady was a widow with a young son. She never spoke to thousands of people like some evangelists and preachers, but she faithfully raised her one little boy, and he became a missionary who served God on a foreign field. The widow had been faithful in the task God had given her to do. Somebody might protest, “Well, she sure didn’t work as hard as I did!” That might well be true, but God is not going to reward you for the amount of work you have done. He will reward you according to your faithfulness to the job which He called you to do. My friend, perhaps God has not called you to do something great for Him, but are you faithful in what He has assigned to you?
JESUS’ FOURTH ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them [Matt. 20:17].
Notice the physical and geographical movement of this section. Jesus and His disciples are going up out of the Jordan Valley and are approaching Jerusalem where He is to die upon the cross.
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again [Matt. 20:18–19].
Our Lord couldn’t spell it out any plainer than that. This is the fourth time He is telling them—in detail at this juncture—exactly what is going to happen to Him. Somehow or other the disciples didn’t comprehend it—it just didn’t fit into their program. However, as you and I read it now, we see very clearly that it was Christ’s avowed intention to go to Jerusalem to die. Let’s ponder the significance of this. He went there deliberately to die for you and for me. That is something to think about. The disciples of Jesus just couldn’t believe it!
THE REQUEST OF THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOHN
At the time of Jesus’ significant announcement of His pending death, the mother of James and John came to Jesus to ask Him a favor.
Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him [Matt. 20:20].
There are a great many of us who worship Him with the same motive!
And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom [Matt. 20:21].
On any other occasion and at any other time, this request would be a natural one for a mother who was ambitious for her children. In this instance, however, she missed the atmosphere and the very understanding of what was really taking place at that time. The Lord will answer her, and in quoting the following Scripture, I am going to leave out a portion that is not in our better manuscripts.
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of…. They say unto him, We are able.
And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, … but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father [Matt. 20:22–23].
When these two verses are read with omissions, the sense becomes clear. My friend, don’t miss the meaning here because it is so important to Christians today. Our Lord is not saying that there is no place at His right hand and left hand for somebody. He is saying that He will not arbitrarily give the positions to James and John or to anyone else. Rather, the places are for those who prepare themselves for them.
Note this very carefully: Heaven is for the asking. You do nothing, nothing, for salvation. You are saved by faith in Christ through His marvelous grace. However, my friend, your position, your reward in heaven is determined by what you do down here on earth. That is very important, and Christians seem to have lost sight of it. What kind of a place are you preparing for yourself? Personally, I have no ambition for the places on Christ’s right or left hand—I’m sure I have missed those—but I am working for a place. All of us should be doing this. In Philippians 3:14 Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The trouble with Christians today is that too few are even trying to win anything. We need to recognize salvation as a free gift, but we need to get on the race course in order to receive a reward.
And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren [Matt. 20:24].
Do you know why they were moved with indignation? It was because they wanted the places at His right and left hands!
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant [Matt. 20:25–27].
This is a new approach to service and greatness, and it ought to be very clear in the minds of those who are engaged in Christian service. My friend, if you are going to sing for the Lord, please don’t try to walk over all the other soloists. If you are trying to be a preacher of the gospel, don’t try to push aside every other minister. If you are trying to be a church officer, don’t do it at the expense of someone else. Our Lord makes it very clear that the way to be great and the way to serve Him is to take the lowest place.
Now, as Jesus and His disciples are very near to the city of Jerusalem, for the fifth time He tells them of His approaching death.
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many [Matt. 20:28].
This is a tremendous verse, and every Christian ought to memorize it. This verse should be at your fingertips so that when an opportunity to witness comes, you will be able to tell just why Jesus Christ came into the world and what His mission was, because there is still confusion at that point.
JESUS HEALS TWO BLIND MEN
And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him [Matt. 20:29].
Jesus and His disciples are going from Jericho to Jerusalem, which is the opposite direction from the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves. The Lord is going from Jericho up to Jerusalem to die with thieves. That’s on the other side of the freeway, and on that side you and I can never go. We can only come to Him in faith, for He died in our stead.
By the way, some folk think that because at His trial He did not defend Himself, He never defended Himself, and that Christians should follow the same policy. However, at other times He did defend Himself. When He went to Jerusalem to die, He did not defend Himself because He was taking my place, and I’m guilty. Believe me, there was no defense! That is the reason He did not open His mouth at that time. He was bearing my sin, and He was bearing your sin at that time.
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David [Matt. 20:30].
I love these two fellows—no one could keep them quiet!
And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David [Matt. 20:31].
Notice that they addressed Him accurately—“O Lord, thou son of David.” They acknowledged His kingship. The Syrophoenician at first called Him the son of David, but the Lord reminded her that she had no claim on Him in this way. These men, however, were Jews and did have a claim on Him, and they exercised their claim!
And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened [Matt. 20:32–33].
The problem of these men seemed so obvious. Why did the Lord ask what He could do for them? My friend, when you come to the Lord Jesus Christ, you must tell Him your need. If you are coming to Him for salvation, you must tell Him that you are a sinner and need His salvation. If you don’t, you will not be saved. That’s the offense of the cross. Everybody would like to come to the cross if they could bring along the perfume of their self-righteousness and good deeds. But, my friend, you and I haven’t any goodness at all, none whatsoever, to present to God. You can no more sweeten human character with training and psychology and education than you can sweeten a pile of fertilizer out in the barnyard with Chanel No. 5. We have to come to Him as sinners and receive Him as our Savior. And the blind men came to the Lord Jesus with their need, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened”!
So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him [Matt 20:34].
Our Lord healed them, and they followed Him. Remember where He is going—He is on His way to the cross.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Jesus enters Jerusalem officially, cleanses the temple, curses the fig tree, and when He is challenged by the chief priests and elders, He condemns them by parables of the two sons and the householder whose servants slew his son
The movement in Matthew comes back into sharp focus in this chapter. Jesus comes to Jerusalem in a new role. Heretofore He had entered the city unobtrusively. Now He presses His claims as King upon the city of the King. Nothing could be more forward or daring. He cleanses the temple for the second time. This is presumption of the first order if He is not the One whom He claims to be. He curses the fig tree, which is a symbolic action He meets the challenge of the religious rulers and by parable accuses them of plotting His death.
You will note the decisive and deliberate tone in the method of Jesus. He is forcing the issue now. He will force them to act when and how He chooses. He is in full control of the entire situation. He is never more kingly than when He approaches the cross.
THE SO-CALLED TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and straightway he will send them [Matt. 21:1–3].
I see no point in reading a miracle into this incident, although many people do. I believe this is a normal, natural situation. Probably when our Lord was in Jerusalem the last time He made arrangements with some friends to use these animals the next time He came to the city. He may have disclosed to them what He intended to do, and they agreed to have them ready for Him at the Passover Feast. I think that He told them that He would send a couple of His disciples to get them and that He would tell them what to say—“The Lord hath need of them.” I feel that this incident is much more wonderful if we look at it in this way.
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass [Matt. 21:4–5].
This is a quotation from Zechariah 9:9—“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
There are certain important omissions in the quotation in Matthew which a careful comparison will reveal. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion” is omitted. Why? Because our Lord is not coming into Jerusalem for that time of rejoicing. That will take place at His second coming. Also omitted is “he is just, and having salvation”—the word salvation has the thought of victory, which will be fulfilled at His second coming. The conclusion to be drawn from these portions is that at His second coming there will be a true triumphal entry.
It is assumed that our Lord was displaying His meekness by riding upon this little donkey. That is not true. This little animal was ridden by kings. In our day it would be like riding into town in a Rolls Royce. The donkey was the animal of peace while the horse was the animal of war. When Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on this little animal of peace, He was offering Himself as King. In spite of the fact that He was doing that, the prophet says that He was humble. That is very important to see.
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest [Matt. 21:6–9].
It is possible that He had never come into Jerusalem by this route before—we’ll see that in the Gospel of John. I think that generally He came in by the sheep gate in a very unobtrusive manner, the gate through which the animals for sacrifice were brought. But not this time! Here He rides in as a King, and those who are with Him recognize Him as a King. It is their opportunity to accept Him or reject Him.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee [Matt. 21:10–11].
Our Lord forces Jerusalem to consider His claims for one final moment.
THE SECOND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves [Matt. 21:12–13].
That is very strong language, is it not? Now let me call your attention to certain facts regarding the so-called triumphal entry. First of all, I do not think that “triumphal” entry is the proper name for it because, as we have seen, only certain portions of Zechariah’s prophecy were fulfilled. Our Lord came into the city of Jerusalem in order that He might be the Savior. He was making the final public presentation of Himself to the people. When you consider the four Gospel records together, they present a composite picture. The obvious conclusion is that He did not enter the city on only one day but on three separate days.
The first time was on Saturday, the Sabbath day. There were no money changers on that day, and He looked around and left, “And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve” (Mark 11:11). He entered as Priest.
The second day He entered Jerusalem was on Sunday, the first day of the week. The money changers were there, and He cleansed the temple (vv. 12–13). On this day He entered as King.
The third day He entered Jerusalem was on Monday, the second day of the week. At that time He wept over Jerusalem, then entered the temple and taught and healed (see Luke 19:41–44; 47–48). He entered as a Prophet that day.
As we compare these three records in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it becomes apparent that they record three different entries, and I believe that our Lord entered Jerusalem on three consecutive days and in three consecutive roles—as Priest, as King, as Prophet. And He retired each day to Bethany. Apparently, He did not spend the night in the city until He was arrested.
Remember that the so-called triumphal entry ended at the cross. But He will come the second time in triumph. The writer to the Hebrews puts this together in a wonderful way: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb. 9:28). We are told in Zechariah 14:4 that when He comes the next time to this earth, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives—that’s where He will touch down. Then when He enters the city of Jerusalem, that will be the triumphal entry! I cannot call these three entries into Jerusalem triumphal entries because He is on His way to the cross to die for your sin and my sin.
After the Lord cleansed the temple, many came to Him for help:
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them [Matt. 21:14].
Notice how Matthew emphasizes the fact that multitudes of folk were healed.
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased [Matt. 21:15].
They resented it.
And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there [Matt. 21:16–17].
“And he left them” indicates His rejection of the religious leaders. “And went out of the city into Bethany.” As we have indicated, our Lord did not spend the night in Jerusalem until the night of His arrest. But we find Him coming back into the city the next day. This, I think, is the entry that Luke emphasizes for us, His third and last entry on Monday morning—
THE SCORCHED FIG TREE
Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away [Matt. 21:18–19].
There has been a great deal of difficulty in attempting to interpret the fig tree incident. I have heard all sorts of ideas about what the fig tree represents. The fig tree, I believe, is symbolic of Israel as in Matthew 24, as we shall see. At least we can say with confidence that when our Lord came into the world, there was no fruit evidenced by the nation of Israel. There were only the outward leaves of a ritualistic, lifeless religion. This the Lord condemned. The nation of Israel went through a religious form, but they had no power. They had turned what God had given them into a dead, lifeless ritual without vitality and virility which no longer was accomplishing God’s purpose. And I am of the opinion that God will deal the same way with the organized church which has turned its back upon the Person of Jesus Christ.
Again let me say that I feel His cursing of the fig tree is symbolic. Certainly He condemned the nation of Israel, and the nation suffered devastating judgment in a.d. 70.
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! [Matt. 21:20].
To them this was an amazing thing.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive [Matt. 21:21–22].
Our Lord is giving them a lesson in prayer, that there should be faith in prayer. They marvel that the fig tree was cursed, and He tells them that their problem is that they do not have faith to believe that God can move in such a miraculous way.
Frankly, I do not believe that our business is cursing fig trees or removing literal mountains. For many years I have lived in Southern California right along the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains. To me they are lovely. I have never grown tired of them. I always enjoy looking at them, and there are never two days when they are alike. In Psalm 121 the psalmist says, “I will (lit., “Shall I …?”) lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help?” I don’t think that he was implying that his help came from the hills, because he added, “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth“ (Ps. 121:1–2). Certainly, I do not look to those mountains for help, only for enjoyment, and I have never wanted to move them. I feel that there is something bigger and more important to do than mountain moving and fig tree cursing. To preach the gospel of Christ, to give out the Word of God so that the Spirit of God can use it—that, my friend, is a miracle! When these lips of clay can say something that the Spirit of God can use to transform a life, that involves the kind of faith that I want. What we need is faith to believe that God can and will use His Word.
THE SEARCHING QUESTION
Again Jesus is challenged by the religious authorities—
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? [Matt. 21:23].
The religious rulers are becoming ugly and very hateful in their manner. They do not question what the Lord Jesus is doing. Do you notice that? They have no basis on which they can deny the miraculous things He does; they can only question His authority.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things [Matt. 21:24].
Here is His question to them—
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet [Matt. 21:25–26].
You see, these religious rulers were attempting to trap Him by putting Him on the horns of a dilemma, but He immediately put them on the horns of a dilemma. He said, “I’ll tell you by what authority I work if you will tell Me by what authority John the Baptist did his work. Was it from heaven or was it of men?” Of course, if they had said it was of heaven, our Lord would have said, “I move by the same authority.” So they would not answer Him. They would not accept John’s authority as being from heaven; so, of course, they would not accept Jesus’ authority either.
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things [Matt. 21:27].
You can sense the tension developing in this situation. The Lord is about to deliver a scathing denunciation of the religious rulers. He will give a parable that places publicans and harlots above them, and the charge of Jesus cannot be ignored. The Lord is moving against these two men.
PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard.
He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you [Matt. 21:28–31].
This parable was a terrible insult to the religious rulers. Jesus likens them to the second son who said he would work for his father but did not. The Lord places publicans and harlots on a higher plane than these religious leaders.
This parable applies today. Many people have joined the church and are religious and think they are Christians, but they are not. They can perform their church rituals and give mental assent to the doctrines, but they are not genuine believers unless there has been a transformation in their lives. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). The publicans and harlots recognized their sinfulness and came to Christ for salvation. They came late—at first they had said no to God, but they repented and came to Him, and He received them.
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him [Matt. 21:32].
The religious rulers had a religion of exterior decorations with nothing real inside. When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, the interior is not only redecorated, it is made new.
Now our Lord gives them another parable before they can get out of earshot—
PARABLE OF THE HOUSEHOLDER AND HIS VINEYARD
In this parable the householder represents God the Father, and the son is the Lord Jesus Christ. The husbandmen are a picture of Israel.
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance [Matt. 21:33–38].
This is the most pointed parable that our Lord has given so far. It is His final warning to the religious rulers. When in the parable He said, “But last of all he sent unto them his son,” the Son was standing before them, giving them the parable. What are they going to do with God’s Son? He is telling them right now what is in their hearts.
And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him [Matt. 21:39].
This was startling to these men!
When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons [Matt. 21:40–41].
Now He sends them back to the Old Testament for the analogy of the “stone” to Himself.
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof [Matt. 21:42–43].
It is interesting to note that the Lord changed the expression “kingdom of heaven” to “kingdom of God.” I feel that He is using the larger term because He is getting ready to include the Gentiles and everybody that will come to Him.
“The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof”—that is, taken from the Jews and given to the church. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). The church is that “holy nation.”
And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder [Matt. 21:44].
“Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken” relates to Christ’s first coming. He is the Rock on which the church is built. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). To fall on that Stone is to come to Christ for salvation in this day of grace. To reject Christ is to have the Stone fall later in the judgment about which Daniel prophesied (see Dan. 2:34, 44–45), which relates to Christ’s second coming.
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them [Matt. 21:45].
They knew what He was talking about. In our day, unfortunately, a great many folk don’t see that there is also an application for themselves, especially for those in the church.
But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet [Matt. 21:46].
Although the religious rulers had determined that Jesus should die, when they attempted to seize Him, they became fearful of the multitudes who considered Him a prophet of God.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: Jesus gives the parable of the marriage feast for the king’s son; Jesus answers and silences the Herodians, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees
Chapter 21 closed with the religious rulers determined that Jesus would die. “They sought to lay hands on him” (Matt. 21:46), but they were afraid of the multitude at that time. The chapter before us continues the verbal clash our Lord is having with the religious rulers. He gives them first the parable of the king who made a marriage feast. This is His continuing answer to the chief priests and elders which He began in the previous chapter.
PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST
This is one of the greatest parables Jesus gave for the period in which you and I live.
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said [Matt. 22:1].
Take note of the word again. This little word indicates that Jesus is still addressing the chief priests and elders mentioned in Matthew 21:23.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son [Matt. 22:2].
Obviously, “a certain king” is God the Father, and “his son” is the Lord Jesus. Notice that He resorts to the expression “kingdom of heaven” instead of kingdom of God which He used in the previous two parables. This parable parallels the Matthew 13 parables. But the emphasis here is upon how and why this age began rather than upon the conclusion of the age, which we saw in Matthew 13.
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come [Matt. 22:3].
He “sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding.” Who were bidden? The lost sheep of the house of Israel—our Lord had sent His apostles to them, you recall. And the prophets had been the messengers back in the Old Testament.
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage [Matt. 22:4].
What was the response?
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them [Matt. 22:5–6].
This was Israel’s rejection of God’s invitation. They killed His messengers, including the Lord Jesus Himself.
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city [Matt. 22:7].
This undoubtedly refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 by Titus the Roman.
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy [Matt. 22:8].
Now we will see a definite change in the method and manner of the invitation, and it refers to the present age in which we live—
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests [Matt. 22:9–10].
But notice what happens—
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment [Matt. 22:11].
What is that wedding garment? The King’s invitation is for everyone, but there is a danger of coming without meeting the demands of the King. That wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ which is absolutely essential for salvation, and it is supplied to all who believe. The apostle Paul speaks of this imputed righteousness: “But now the righteousness of God without the law [that is, apart from the law] is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of [from] God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all [it comes down upon all] them that believe: for there is no difference” (Rom. 3:21–22). All have to have a wedding garment.
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless [Matt. 22:12].
Notice that he was speechless! I hear some folk say that they don’t need to receive Christ, that they will take their chances before God, that they intend to argue their case. Well, our Lord said that this fellow without the wedding garment was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For many are called, but few are chosen [Matt. 22:13–14].
Whether or not you accept the wedding garment is up to you, but Christ has provided it for you. The invitation has gone out to everyone, but you will have to come on the King’s terms.
Now the enemies of Christ will make their final onslaught, their final attack upon the Lord Jesus. The Herodians will come first, the Sadducees will come next, and finally the Pharisees will come. Then our Lord will question the Pharisees—and they will try to get away from Him as quickly as they can. That marks the final break, and in chapter 23 we will hear Him denounce them.
The Herodians will come with the question of paying tribute to Caesar. The Sadducees will come with a question regarding the resurrection. And the Pharisees will come with their question concerning the great commandment of the Law. We will see the marvelous way in which our Lord answers these men. May I say that I consider one of the proofs of His deity is the way in which He deals with the enemy.
JESUS ANSWERS THE HERODIANS
The Herodians come to Him with a question which is actually related to their particular position. They were a political party which favored the house of Herod and looked to those of that house to deliver them from the Roman yoke. I don’t think the Herodians could be considered a religious party at all because they were strongly political. However, the Pharisees apparently used them, and it is quite possible that many of the Pharisees were Herodians as well.
Notice that the Pharisees instigate this first attack upon the Lord Jesus—
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? [Matt. 22:15–17].
Obviously, they were not wanting His opinion. They had their own answer. It was a trick question. If He had said, “No, you are not to pay tribute to Caesar,” He could be accused of being a traitor to Rome, and Rome was ruling over Israel at that time. If He had said, “Yes, you are to pay tribute to Caesar,” He could not be the true Messiah. They thought that they had our Lord on the horns of a dilemma.
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? [Matt. 22:18].
Notice that He called them what they were—hypocrites.
Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny [Matt. 22:19].
It is notable that He used their coin. I have often wondered why He didn’t use His own coin. I think it is because He didn’t have one.
And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? [Matt. 22:20].
They were using the legal tender of the Roman government, and here it was a Roman coin.
They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s [Matt. 22:21].
This is an amazing answer because it involves more than just answering their question—and He certainly did that. In addition, He is saying that they did owe something to Caesar. They were using his coins, they walked down Roman roads, and Rome did provide them with a measure of peace; so they did owe something to Rome. Therefore, render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s. But there is another department: Render unto God the things that are God’s.
When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way [Matt. 22:22].
Obviously, this reveals that our Lord did not fall into their trap. Although they did owe Caesar something, that did not remove their responsibility to God.
The Herodians left Him, and now it’s time for the Sadducees to come to bat, and they also attempt to trap Him—
JESUS ANSWERS THE SADDUCEES
The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
And last of all the woman died also.
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her [Matt. 22:23–28].
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. They used a ridiculous illustration to try to trap the Lord. Imagine a woman who had had seven brothers for her husbands! She must have lived in Hollywood to accomplish this. Their question was, “Whose wife shall she be?” Now the Sadducees erred in two respects, and the Lord brings this to their attention.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God [Matt. 22:29].
The Sadducees were ignorant in two spheres: ignorant of the Scriptures and ignorant of the power of God. Ignorance of the Scriptures and ignorance of the power of God caused them to bring up such a ridiculous illustration. The explanation is simple—
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven [Matt. 22:30].
He is not saying that they are angels. Neither will we be angels in heaven. But we will be like angels in that we will not marry in heaven. In other words, in heaven there will not be any necessity to continue the race by means of birth. This does not mean that a husband and wife who were very close down here cannot be together in heaven. If they want to be together, of course they can be together. But, my friend, think of the ones who wouldn’t want to be together. They won’t have to be together. However, they both will have new dispositions, and probably they will get along lots better up there than they did down here!
But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living [Matt. 22:31–32].
This is a devastating statement! What about those who have gone before? What about Abraham today? Well, he is just as much Abraham today as he ever was. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have been simply transferred from earth to another place. They are not dead; they are alive. And this is true of your loved ones who are in Christ and are waiting in heaven for you. This is a glorious truth!
And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine [Matt. 22:33].
JESUS ANSWERS THE PHARISEES
Now the Herodians and the Sadducees have been silenced. The Pharisees have been watching Jesus and these two groups. The Pharisees were a religio-political party. They wanted to see the kingdom of David brought back into power in order to rid themselves of Rome. In restoring the kingdom they could join the Herodians, but as a religious party they opposed the Sadducees. The Pharisees would correspond to the conservative wing of the church today, and the Sadducees would correspond to the liberal wing of the church. The Pharisees, like the other two groups, were out to trap the Lord, and so their representative, a lawyer, posed a very interesting question.
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying [Matt. 22:34–35].
The Pharisees have a huddle, then they plan a strategy and put forth this very clever lawyer, that is, a scribe, an expert in the Mosaic Law, to propound a question—
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? [Matt. 22:36].
Listen to the answer of the Lord Jesus—
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment [Matt. 22:37–38].
Notice that He did not pick any one of the Ten Commandments. He gives them a second one—
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself [Matt. 22:39].
When you put this down on your life, you will recognize that you are coming short of the glory of God.
Our Lord is very straightforward with this man. He says, “You want to know which is the greatest commandment. To love God is the greatest commandment, and to love your neighbor is the next greatest.”
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets [Matt. 22:40].
These two commandments actually summarized the entire Mosaic Law. The answer of Jesus was so obviously accurate that if the Pharisees had been honest, they would have said, “We have fallen short. We cannot be saved by the Law; we do need a Savior.” And at that time the Lord Jesus, the Savior, was almost under the shadow of the cross.
JESUS PUTS A QUESTION TO THE PHARISEES
The Pharisees huddle again to try to trap Him with another question, but He beats them to the punch and asks them a question—
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? [Matt. 22:41–44].
The Lord Jesus is quoting Psalm 110:1. How could David call his son his Lord? The Pharisees would have to say that the son would have to be supernaturally born for David to call him “my Lord.”
If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? [Matt. 22:45].
This is the searching question which our Lord put to the Pharisees.
There are several implications in this question which are tremendous. Our Lord said that David wrote Psalm 110, that he wrote it by the Holy Spirit, and that he wrote it about the Messiah. “If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?” How could David call his son superior unless He was? The only logical answer to this question is the Virgin Birth. Jesus is David’s son, but He is greater than David. A son of David cannot be greater than David unless there is something greater introduced into the line to make a greater son. The records of the supernatural birth of Jesus afford the only satisfactory answer. The Lord of David got into David’s line, as stated in Luke’s gospel, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). He is greater than David because He is the Lord from heaven.
The Lord Jesus was forcing the Pharisees to face up to the real issue and to acknowledge Him as David’s son and as David’s Lord.
This ended the verbal clash with the religious rulers.
And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions [Matt. 22:46].
They made no verbal attack upon Him after this. They had determined His death, and that is the thing toward which they are going to move. They see that they cannot answer Him. This is one of the great proofs of His deity.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: Jesus warns the multitude against the scribes and Pharisees; pronounces woes upon the scribes and Pharisees; weeps over Jerusalem
This chapter concludes the clash between the Lord Jesus and the religious rulers. He warns the multitudes about them and then denounces the religious rulers in unmistakable terms. No words that ever fell from the lips of our Lord were more scathing. It is a merciless condemnation. If you read this chapter carefully, it will blanch your own soul.
JESUS WARNS AGAINST THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES
Jesus’ public denunciation of the Pharisees took place at the temple, the stronghold of His enemies.
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat [Matt. 23:1–2].
These religious rulers were in the place of authority, and they controlled the Old Testament Scriptures. They usurped that which they had no right to usurp. They occupied very much the same position that church leaders occupy today. People looked to them for the interpretation of the truth.
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not [Matt. 23:3].
That is, do as the Scriptures teach, but don’t follow the works of scribes and Pharisees because they are not following the Word of God.
Listen to His sad commentary upon the religious rulers—
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi [Matt. 23:4–7].
These men liked to have titles. These men liked to be recognized. They liked to wear certain religious garments and habits which set them apart from other people and drew attention to their high position. Our Lord is condemning all of this.
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren [Matt. 23:8].
“Be not ye called Rabbi”—meaning teacher. And in the church certain respect and honor belongs to a pastor, but he is no different from anyone else. He is just one of your brothers.
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ [Matt. 23:9–10].
A “father” is a life-giver. To call a man a “father” in spiritual matters is to put him in the place of God as the one who gives spiritual life. This is blasphemous. Only God the Father gives life. A “master” is one in a position of authority. Christ is the One in the position of authority as the head of the church today.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted [Matt. 23:11–12].
If you want to be the greatest, then become the servant of all.
WOES PRONOUNCED AGAINST THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES
Here we see the gentle Jesus using the harshest language that is in the entire Word of God. No prophet of the Old Testament denounced sin as the Lord Jesus denounces it.
Here in Southern California this section was called to the attention of a liberal preacher. He didn’t even know it was in the Bible—he had never read the Bible! In our day there is a misunderstanding of who the Lord Jesus really is. Liberalism gives the impression that all He ever talked about was love. One of the banners that was carried about in a protest march in Berkeley a number of years ago bore the slogan “Jesus Yes, Church No.” A senator from Oregon made a great deal of that, maintaining that the church is giving the wrong impression, that this generation wants Jesus, but that they don’t want the church as it is. Well, I agree that the church in general is giving the wrong impression, but the main problem is that they have really misunderstood who Jesus is. He is not the “lovechild” that the liberal thinks He is. Certainly it is true that He loves sinners and died for sinners, but also He is going to judge sinners. We need to have a correct perspective of Him. Therefore, He is the One who is misunderstood in our day.
The average conception of the Lord Jesus is not even biblical. For example, I asked a liberal preacher this: “Was the Jesus in whom you believe virgin born?”
He said, “No.”
“Did he die on the cross for the sins of the world?”
“No.”
“Did he rise bodily from the grave?”
“No!”
“Well, I’d like to know where that Jesus ever originated. There are no documents which give any information about that Jesus living in the first century. The only documents we have tell of One who was virgin born, who performed miracles, who died for the sins of the world, who rose from the dead, who ascended into heaven, and who is returning to this earth as the Judge.”
My friend, this Jesus is not generally known today, and yet He is the only Jesus Christ who has ever lived. The other one is a figment of the imagination.
Listen to Him now as He pronounces woes upon the scribes and Pharisees. This is strong language.
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in [Matt. 23:13].
The Lord uses the term woe eight times in this section and calls scribes and Pharisees hypocrites seven times. He accuses them of blocking the way to heaven by their false leadership.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation [Matt. 23:14].
In other words, these men made long prayers, but they were heartless and crooked in their business dealings.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves [Matt. 23:15].
Oh, they were great at going out and witnessing, but they were not bringing anyone to God. None of their converts were actually born again.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! [Matt. 23:16].
“He is a debtor!”—that is, his oath is binding.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty [Matt. 23:17–18].
That is, he is guilty if he fails to carry out his oath.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
And, whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon [Matt. 23:19–22].
The Pharisees were teaching that if you swore by the temple or the altar, you were not bound to keep your oath. But if you swore by the gold of the temple or by the gift on the altar, the oath was binding. They were splitting hairs, of course, and they were placing the emphasis on material things rather than upon the spiritual purpose for which they were to be used.
Now listen to our Lord’s strong denunciation—
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone [Matt. 23:23].
They were very meticulous in tithing their little plants which produce condiments like mint, anise, and cummin. For instance, when I was a boy, my mother always grew a little patch of mint out in the backyard to put in iced tea in the summertime. Can you imagine one of these religious rulers measuring off a little patch of mint and taking a tenth of it to give to the Lord? Oh, they were so strict about those little matters! But our Lord says, “You have forgotten about the weightier matters of the law.” And those weightier matters would have brought these men to the Person of Christ.
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel [Matt. 23:24].
Do you think this verse is humorous? I do, and if I had been present when Jesus said this, I would have laughed—unless, of course, I had been a Pharisee or a scribe. The Lord said this in a serious vein, but I am sure many in the crowd laughed, especially those who knew the old religious rulers.
There are a lot of folk who make so much of little things. I remember a dear lady who used to argue about the use of lipstick. She thought it was awful, and yet she had the meanest tongue of any person I know. She didn’t think that was bad, but lipstick was terrible. Frankly, the paint of gossip on the end of the tongue—especially when it is used to blacken somebody’s reputation—is lots worse than a little paint on the lips. It is amazing how people can strain at a gnat and swallow a camel!
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess [Matt. 23:25].
This fifth woe pictures the Pharisees with their emphasis on the externals. This is a picture of the average church today that is so busy making the outside of the cup and platter clean. They go through all the ceremonies. They want to have the best equipment. They talk so nice and piously on the outside, but inside they do not deal with sin. In most cases, they do not even like the word sin. But all of the external ceremonies cannot clean up their inner corruption. The Pharisees substituted ritual for reality, formality for faith, and liturgy for God.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also [Matt. 23:26].
Don’t misunderstand Him. He is not saying that the outside should not be clean. But you give a wrong impression when the inside is dirty and the outside is not. The place to start is on the inside.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness [Matt. 23:27].
To me this is the most frightening figure of speech which our Lord used. As I said previously, the cup and platter (saucer), clean on the outside and dirty on the inside, picture the average church in our day. But I am afraid that this simile of the tomb pictures the average church-goer—beautiful on the outside, but on the inside they are dead in trespasses and sins. They have a form of godliness, but they deny the power of it to make them new creations in Christ. My friend, until that happens to you, your church membership is null and void; it is nothing but hypocrisy. When I read that over half the population of the United States are church members, I wonder why in public places I see ninety-nine percent of the crowd drinking cocktails, using profanity, and telling dirty stories. We have a whole lot of marble tombs walking around, spiritual zombies, dead in trespasses and sins.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity [Matt. 23:28].
Oh, how He is denouncing religious leaders! And they should be denounced above everyone else. My friend, if you have a Bible-teaching church in your community and a preacher who believes the Book and is trying to teach it, for God’s sake stand with him in these days. He needs you, and you need him. Oh, how we need men who believe the Word of God—and live it!
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers [Matt. 23:29–32].
And we are doing the same thing in our day. Great men of God, preachers, evangelists, missionaries, were denounced and ridiculed by their generations, but they are honored today. That was true of Spurgeon, Moody, Torrey, and many others. Our Lord sure did know human nature, and it has not changed. “You build the tombs to commemorate the prophets after they are gone, and you decorate the graves of the righteous!”
“Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.” These same religious leaders, who were honoring the prophets of the past, would soon force Rome to crucify the Son of God who was speaking to them.
Now this is something that will blanch your soul—
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? [Matt. 23:33].
Can you imagine stronger language than that? What does He mean by calling them a generation of vipers? He means that they are the offspring of snakes! This is devastating to that damnable doctrine of the universal brotherhood of man and the universal Fatherhood of God. God does not claim you if you have rejected Jesus Christ. The only way to become a child of God is to receive Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
The Lord is speaking in harsh terms in these verses in Matthew. He is serving a cup of tea that is a little too strong for a great many of the liberal-minded folk of this present hour. Jesus Christ was no love child. He came to earth to die for your sins because He loved you, but if you reject Him, He becomes your Judge.
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar [Matt. 23:34–35].
Apparently the slaying of Zacharias was an incident which had taken place recently. Our Lord starts at the beginning with the murder of Abel and brings them down to the present hour. He makes it very clear that God will judge Israel for destroying the righteous. He is certainly contradicting our current philosophy that everyone will ultimately be saved. He says that they will not be saved.
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation [Matt. 23:36].
He is predicting the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. What does He do next? The One who made this strong denunciation will now weep over Jerusalem.
JESUS WEEPS OVER JERUSALEM
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate [Matt. 23:37–38].
Jerusalem rejected Him in His so-called triumphal entry, and He has rejected Jerusalem, but now He weeps over this city. Yes, He denounced them, but He does love them. And knowing the judgment which must come, He weeps.
The statement was made in Dwight L. Moody’s day that he was the only man living who should preach on hell because he did it with such compassion. And certainly our Lord pronounced these woes with a heart that was breaking. You remember that some of the people thought he was Jeremiah because, although Jeremiah gave the strongest denunciation in the Old Testament, he wept over it. I am of the opinion that we today should not make denunciations unless we are personally moved by them.
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord [Matt. 23:39].
Not only were the religious rulers in shock, but His apostles were in shock, also. This seemed to them a strange turn of events. They expected Him to establish the kingdom, with Jerusalem as the capital. But now He says that their house is to be left desolate and that they will not see Him again until they say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” You see, although He is on His way to the cross at this time, He gives them the assurance that He will return—and that will be His triumphal entry!
Obviously, the kingdom is going to be postponed. There are many who object to that teaching, but to do that, they must object to the language of our Lord. He tells His disciples that He will not establish the kingdom on earth at this time but that He will come again to establish it. That means that the kingdom is postponed, doesn’t it? The apostles were surprised and disappointed at the idea of a postponement; so they come to Him with three questions, which we will see in the following chapter.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: The disciples ask Jesus three questions; He answers two about the sign of the end of the age and the sign of His coming
Matthew 24 and 25, known as the Olivet Discourse, constitute the last of three major discourses in this gospel. They are called major discourses because of the extent, content, and intent of them.
JESUS PREDICTS THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
Our Lord has now denounced the religious rulers. He has turned His back on Jerusalem and has told them that their house (temple) is left desolate.
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple [Matt. 24:1].
The Lord Jesus has told them that His kingdom would be postponed and that the temple would be left desolate. (The temple was made up of many buildings. This was the temple that Herod was having built, and the construction was still in progress. It was made of white marble, and at this time it was very large and very beautiful.) The disciples are disturbed at the statement of Jesus that it is to be left desolate. So the disciples come to Him, wanting to show Him around the buildings.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down [Matt. 24:2].
“See ye not all these things?” The disciples thought they saw it, and they ask Him to take a look. So He says to them, “Do you really see it?” In our contemporary society, this is a good question for us to consider. Do we really see the world around us?
When my wife and I first came to Southern California, we spent every Monday, which was my day off, riding around looking at this fantastic place. (And it was fantastic in those days before everybody in the world tried to settle here!) After we had marveled at one beautiful spot after another, I would say to my wife, “But we really don’t see it as it is. All of this is under God’s judgment. It all will pass away.” My friend, all these cultural centers, these great schools, these skyscrapers, these great cities which we see are going to pass away someday. It doesn’t seem possible, and that is how the disciples felt.
Jesus continued by saying, “There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” If His first statement put them in shock, this must have traumatized them.
When I was at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem several years ago, the tour director tried to call my attention to the way the stones had been worn away by the people who had come there over the years to weep. That was certainly worth noting, but the thing that impressed me was that the wall was constructed of many kinds of stones. History tells us that the Wailing Wall was made up of stones which came from different buildings in different periods. At the pinnacle of the temple, which evidently was the corner of the temple area, recent excavations reveal the same thing—there are all kinds of stones from different periods. What does that mean? My friend, that means that not one stone was left upon another—the builders had to go and pick up stones from different places because in a.d. 70 Titus the Roman really destroyed that city!
Although this is ancient history to us, it was a shocking revelation to the disciples. They talked it over, I am sure, then came to Him with three questions.
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [Matt. 24:3].
(1) “When shall these things be?”—when one stone would not be left upon another; (2) “What shall be the sign of thy coming?”—The answer to this question is found in verses 23–51; and (3) “What shall be the sign … of the end of the world (completion of the age)?” The answer to this question is found in verses 9–22. The Lord Jesus is going to answer these three questions, and we call His answers the Olivet Discourse because it took place on the Mount of Olives.
JESUS ANSWERS THE DISCIPLES’ QUESTIONS
The first question, “When shall these things be?”—when one stone shall not be left upon another, is not answered in the Gospel of Matthew. We find it in the Gospel of Luke, and we find segments of it in the Gospel of Mark. Why is it not included in Matthew’s gospel? Because Matthew is the gospel of the kingdom; it presents the King. The destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 has something to do with this age in which we live, but it has nothing to do with the distant future when the King is coming. Therefore, Matthew does not carry that part of the Olivet Discourse.
Let’s look at our Lord’s answer to the first question, as recorded in Luke’s gospel: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:20–24).
Undoubtedly, many of those who heard the Lord Jesus say these things were present in a.d. 70 when the Roman armies surrounded the city, laid siege to it, cut it off from the rest of the world, then finally breached the wall and got in. What the Romans did was terrible. They demolished the city. It was the worst destruction in its history, more devastating than that conducted by Nebuchadnezzar over six centuries earlier. When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in a.d. 70, the first part of the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled.
The next two questions asked by the disciples were these: “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]?”
The Lord is going to answer the disciples’ questions in their chronological and logical order. He will answer their last question first and their second question last. The first thing the Lord deals with is the sign of the end of the world, or more accurately, the end of the age. The world will never come to an end. The old world will pass away and a new earth will be brought on the scene. It will be similar to trading in your old car for a new one. You don’t say “This is the end of the car-age for me. I don’t have a car anymore.” You do have a car because you traded your old one in and got a new one. And the Lord is going to trade the old world in for a new one. The world will never come to an end. But it will be the end of an age, and that is the word the disciples are using in their question to the Lord Jesus.
In this Olivet Discourse, when Christ speaks of His coming, He is referring to His return to the earth to establish His kingdom. The church is not in the picture at all. In fact, by the end of the age, the church will have been removed, and it will be the last days of the nation Israel. He is speaking about the Great Tribulation Period and so labels it in this discourse.
JESUS TRACES THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS AGE
And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you [Matt. 24:4].
The phrase “Take heed that no man deceive you” is characteristic of this entire age. The Lord gives this word of caution because there will be much deception, especially during the Tribulation Period when the Anti-christ will appear. Peter warns us in 2 Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” We don’t have to worry about false prophets, because if anybody starts prophesying in our day, we Christians can pooh-pooh him right off the scene because prophets are not for this period. However, we are to beware of false teachers, and there are a great many of those around. We must test them by Scripture. In this morning’s mail a letter has come to me which illustrates this fact. It has come from a woman who apparnently has an important position in an insurance company. She tells of a well-meaning friend who introduced her to a cult. After going to her friend’s church for one year, she heard our Bible-teaching radio program, and the Scripture alerted her to the error of the cult. Then she tells of how she and her entire family went to a good church in her area. My friend, we need to beware of false teaching. There is a lot of it around in our day. Our Lord warns, “Take heed that no man deceive you.”
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many [Matt. 24:5].
Near the end of the age many people will claim to be Christ. We have such people present with us now. One man established a “holy city” in Northern California and expected any minute to be called to Washington, D.C., to solve the problems of the world. There are no “holy cities” on the face of the earth, but someday the Lord will come from the Holy of Holies in heaven to earth and solve the problems. It should be remembered that even now there are many antichrists, but at the end of the age there will come one Antichrist who will oppose Christ and set himself up as the only authority.
I believe that our Lord, up there on the Mount of Olives, looked down to the end of the age and to the Great Tribulation Period, but that at the beginning of His discourse, He bridged the gap by giving us a picture of the present age of the church. I recognize that there are many good Bible teachers, much better than I am, who take the position that in verses 5–8 He is speaking of the Tribulation Period, also; so if you want to disagree with me, you will be in very good company. However, it is my view that our Lord is not referring to the Great Tribulation until we reach verse 9 of this chapter.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these must come to pass, but the end is not yet [Matt. 24:6].
Wars and rumors of wars are not the sign that we are at the end of the age, by any means. The Lord is bridging the gap from where the disciples are to the end of the age. It is easy to think of major wars as indicative of the fact that we are at the end of the age. They are not! There have been many major wars in the past few thousand years and only about two hundred years of peace. When I was a little boy at the end of World War I, I remember hearing my dad and others talking about the books being printed declaring it was the end of the world. World War I caused this type of thinking. But after the war, we had a worldwide depression, World War II, and the atom bomb. By this time, I was a pastor in Pasadena, and I told my congregation that a wheelbarrow load of books would come out saying that we were at the end of the world because of World War II. You know something? I was wrong! Two wheelbarrow loads of books were printed, and they were sensational.
We have come a long way from World War II, and the end of the age still has not come. We should listen to the Lord and stop listening to false teachers. We will hear about wars and rumors of wars, but we should not be troubled because all these things will come to pass, and still it will not be the end of the age. Friend, we should also keep in mind that man will never solve the problem of war. The League of Nations could not solve this problem, and the United Nations will not be able to solve it either. There will be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows [Matt. 24:7–8].
These are characteristics of the entire age and are therefore not signs of the end of the age, “but the end is not yet” (v. 6). False christs, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes characterize the entire church age, but they will apparently be intensified as we draw near to the end of the age. Right now the population explosion has the world frightened and rightly so. People are starving to death by the thousands and the millions. And this situation is going to increase. The old black horse of famine (see Rev. 6:5–6) hasn’t appeared yet, but at the end of the age the black horse and its rider will come forth. What we see today is just the beginning of sorrows.
The next verse begins with our first “time” word:
THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION WITH ITS SIGNS
Now the Lord begins to speak of the time of tribulation. You and I are living in the “age of the church” or the “age of the Holy Spirit,” as some people like to speak of it. The Bible divides the world today into three groups of people: the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church of God (see 1 Cor. 10:32). In this age God is calling out a people to His name from both Jews and Gentiles to compose the third group, the church. It is this third group which will be taken out of the world at the time of the Rapture. Then the Great Tribulation will begin, and I believe that verse 9 speaks of this beginning—
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake [Matt. 24:9].
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted”—who is the you? Obviously, He is not addressing the church but the nation Israel. The affliction He is talking about is anti-Semitism on a worldwide scale.
At this point let me inject an important fact for Christians in our day. As long as the true church is in the world, there could not be worldwide anti-Semitism because the church would resist it. No genuine believer in the Lord Jesus could hate the Jews; it is an impossibility. It is my feeling that the liberal wing of the church is presenting a false front to the Jews and that in the final analysis it will turn against them. But as long as the true church is in the world, there won’t be worldwide anti-Semitism; it will break out after the church has been removed at the Rapture.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many [Matt. 24:10–11].
As we saw earlier, the church is warned against false teachers while Israel is warned against false prophets. So here, after the church has been removed, again the warning is against false prophets.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold [Matt. 24:12].
This is a principle, and there are many principles in this Olivet Discourse which we can apply to our own day. Not long ago I met a preacher who had been a schoolmate of mine. He has become liberal in his theology; he drinks his cocktails, smokes his cigarettes, and lives just like the rest of the world lives. He told me, “McGee, you don’t fight city hall; you join it!” He told me about how sinful practices had gotten into his church and how he is not planning to fight them. When iniquity abounds, the love of many grows cold, and this will be even more true at the end of the age.
This next verse is very startling to some folk—
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved [Matt. 24:13].
The question is: Who endures to the end? Well, when I study the Book of Revelation, I find that God will stop all the forces of nature and of evil and even the forces of good while He seals a certain number of folk. So who is going to endure to the end? Those whom He seals at the beginning, of course. The Good Shepherd—in all ages—will bring His sheep through to the end. When He starts with an hundred sheep, He comes through with an hundred sheep.
When someone says to me, “So-and-so was very active in the church and has gone into sin. Is he saved?” I can only reply that I do not know. We will have to wait to see what happens. I tell people that the pigs will eventually end up in the pigpen, and the prodigal sons will all find their way back to the Father’s house. It is confusing to find a son in a pigpen and a pig in the Father’s house. Peter says, “… the sow that was washed [has returned] to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet. 2:22). Let’s say that one of the little pigs went with the prodigal son to the father’s house, that he was scrubbed clean, his teeth brushed with Pepsodent, and that a pink ribbon was tied around his neck. But he wouldn’t stay in the father’s house. Sooner or later he would go back to the pigpen where he belonged. “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” You’ll just have to wait and see. Sometimes a son, a Christian, will get into a pigpen, but since he is a son, he will get out someday. Why? Because he has a wonderful Shepherd. “The same shall be saved.”
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come [Matt. 24:14].
The gospel of the kingdom is what John the Baptist preached—“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). And the Lord Jesus began His ministry with that message—“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). Also, He sent His apostles out with that message (see Matt. 10). But in Matthew 11:28, we saw that our Lord’s message changed to “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” And in Matthew 20:28 He said that He had come to give His life a ransom for many. But during the Tribulation Period the gospel of the kingdom will again be preached. It is not for our day, because we are to preach the gospel of the grace of God. Is the gospel of the kingdom another gospel? No, my friend, it is not. It is the same gospel with a different emphasis. We have no right to say that the kingdom of heaven is at hand because we don’t know. But when the Great Tribulation Period begins, the people will know that they are close to the end, although they will not know the day nor the hour. Therefore, the message will be, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Now let me answer our critics who say that we who hold the dispensational view of Scripture teach that there are two or more ways of being saved. No, God has never had more than one basis on which He saves men, and that basis is the cross of Christ. Every offering before Christ came looked forward to the cross of Christ, and every commemoration since He has come looks back to the cross of Christ.
To illustrate this, let’s go back to Genesis 4 and look at the offering which Abel brought to God. He brought a little lamb. If you had been there, you could have asked Abel, “Why are you bringing this little lamb? Do you think that a little lamb will take away your sins?” He would have said, “Of course not! I’m bringing this little lamb because God told me to do so. I am bringing it by faith.” Then you could have asked him, “Well, if it won’t take away your sins, why would He ask you to bring it?” Abel’s answer would have been something like this: “This little lamb is pointing to One who is coming later, the seed of the woman, my mother. That One will take away our sins. I bring this little lamb by faith, recognizing that I am a sinner and need a substitute.” You see, Abel was looking forward to the One who was coming.
John the Baptist not only said, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2), but he also said, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). John identified Him. Before the coming of Christ everyone who had come to God on His terms was saved on credit. And they were forgiven on the basis of the death of Christ. In the Old Testament God never saved anyone by Law. At the heart of the Mosaic system was the sacrificial system. They brought a lamb to God because the Law revealed that they were lawbreakers, that they were not obeying God, and that they did need to have a substitute to pay the penalty of their sins. The Law was given “… that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19). My friend, you and I are lawbreakers, we are sinners needing a Savior. The thing to do is to receive Christ as your Savior before He comes as the Sovereign of this universe when He will be your Judge.
Now, going back to the verse we have been considering, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” This does not mean that while the church is here in the world the end can’t come until the gospel of the grace of God is preached worldwide. I know there are those who use this verse to promote their Bible-teaching programs. While it is laudable to want to get the gospel to the ends of the earth, this is not the verse to use to promote it. You see, my friend, it is important to interpret Scripture in its context. Remember that our Lord is answering the question, “What is the sign of the end of the age?” (see v. 3). He is speaking of that end time.
THE GREAT TRIBULATION WITH ITS TROUBLE AND SORROWS
Now Jesus gives the sign that will identify this period of time.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) [Matt. 24:15].
What is the abomination of desolation? Well, Daniel tells us about two of them. One of them was Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian, who came down and destroyed Jerusalem. In Daniel 11:31 we read: “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” History bears out the fact that Antiochus Epiphanes came against Jerusalem in 170 b.c., at which time over one hundred thousand Jews were slain. He took away the daily sacrifice from the temple, offered the blood and broth of a swine upon the altar, and set up an image of Jupiter to be worshiped in the holy place.
However, our Lord is undoubtedly referring to the second abomination of desolation to which Daniel alludes (see Dan. 12:11), and I believe that it will be an image of Antichrist which will be set up in the temple. During the Tribulation the temple will be rebuilt and the nation of Israel will be back in Palestine. Obviously, our Lord is speaking of the temple rather than the church, because the church has no holy place. However, we cannot be certain that this is the abomination of desolation to which our Lord refers in the passage before us; this is just our surmising.
I am not looking for the abomination of desolation—I wouldn’t know it if I met it on the street—but the people in the last days will be looking for it because it will be the sign to prove that they are in the Great Tribulation Period. Instead of our looking for Antichrist and his abominations, we are told to be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Our Lord says, “(whoso readeth, let him understand:),” which means the people who are living at that time will understand. Since you and I won’t be there, He hasn’t given us many details.
Now we are given another time word. When the abomination of desolation appears, “Then”—
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains [Matt. 24:16].
You and I are not expecting to flee to the mountains of Judea. I live very near the San Gabriel Mountains, and my neighbor tells me that if an atom bomb is dropped in Southern California, he is going to head for a certain canyon up there (and I may follow him!), but that will not fulfill this prophecy. In fact, it has nothing whatever to do with it. Rather, it has to do with people who are in Judea. Our Lord is giving that prophecy to those people, not to us.
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house [Matt. 24:17].
The housetop in Palestine corresponds to our front porch or our patio. Again let me emphasize the fact that our Lord is speaking to the folk in Palestine, not to you and me. This warning is not applicable to us; we don’t spend our time on our housetops!
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes [Matt. 24:18].
This refers to people engaged in agriculture. If a worker in the fields leaves his cloak at the end of the row in the early morning when it is cool, and the word comes that the abomination of desolation has appeared, he is not to go back and get his cloak, but he is to start running.
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! [Matt. 24:19].
This reveals His great care and concern for mothers and little children. It will be a time when one should not have children.
It is believed that there will be a great population explosion at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. The fact that this earth is becoming overweighted with people in our day may be another evidence that we are approaching the end of the age.
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day [Matt. 24:20].
Again, these are people who are observing the Sabbath day, which is Saturday. This is another proof that Christ is speaking directly to the Jewish people. I don’t go to church on the Sabbath but on Sunday because my Lord rose from the dead on that day.
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be [Matt. 24:21].
“For then shall be great tribulation”—in Revelation 7:14 the literal translation is “the tribulation the great one,” placing the article before both the noun and the adjective for emphasis. In other words, this tribulation is unique; there has been nothing like it in the history of the world, and there will never again be anything like it. And notice that our Lord is the One who labels the end of the age as the Great Tribulation. (If you want to find fault with it, talk to Him, not to me.)
“Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Since that is true, believe me, people will know it when it gets here! I hear people today talking about the church going through the Tribulation, and they don’t seem to realize how severe it will be. In fact, some folk say that we are in the Great Tribulation at the present time! Well, things are bad in our day, I’ll grant that, but this period can be matched with many other periods in history. When the Great Tribulation gets here, there will be nothing to match it in the past or in the future.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened [Matt. 24:22].
We read in the Book of Revelation that during the Tribulation one third of the population of the earth will be destroyed. On another occasion one-fourth of the population will be destroyed. It is absolutely unique. Using the simile given to us in Revelation 6, the red horse of war, the black horse of famine, and then the pale horse of death will ride during that period, and the population of the earth will be decimated. There was a time when this seemed to be an exaggeration. Even some good commentators considered it hyperbole. However, now that several nations of the world have atom bombs, which could destroy the population of the world, it no longer appears to be exaggerated.
However, there is comfort in this verse—“but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” God will not let mankind commit suicide. That is the reason this will be such a brief period.
JESUS ASSURES THEM CONCERNING HIS COMING AGAIN
Now we come to what will be the sign of His coming.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Behold, I have told you before [Matt. 24:23–25].
Don’t miss what He is saying here. The ability to work miracles in our day should be looked upon with suspicion because the next great miracle worker will not be Christ; he will be Antichrist with his false prophets.
“If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Who are the elect? In the Scriptures there are two elect groups: the elect of the nation Israel and the elect of the church. We have to use common sense to determine which group is meant. Who has our Lord been talking about up to this point? Israel. All right, Israel is the elect in this verse, also. Jesus is not talking about the church. You can fool some of the people some of the time. You can fool all of the people some of the time. But you cannot fool God’s children all of the time. It just can’t be done. I have read many letters which testify of this. A recent letter is from a woman who has come out of a religious cult. She listened to our Bible -teaching radio program for months before she could see the error of the cult’s teaching. It isn’t possible to fool God’s children all the time. They will come out of a cult eventually.
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be [Matt. 24:26–27].
When He comes, there will not be any John the Baptist to announce Him. But when He comes, the whole world will know and it will be as public as lightning. Those of you that live in the Middle West know that a lightning storm is a public affair. When it comes, everybody knows about it, and sometimes it is a frightful experience. The Lord’s second coming to the earth will be like that. No one will need to announce it. When our Lord comes the second time to establish His kingdom on earth, everyone will know He is coming. (Remember that His second coming to earth does not refer to the Rapture.)
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together [Matt. 24:28].
This is the most difficult verse to understand in the entire Olivet Discourse. After speaking of His coming in glory like lightning out of heaven, then to speak of carrion-eating birds seems strange indeed. But I believe it refers to Christ’s coming injudgment, because Revelation 19 tells us about an invitation that went out to the birds to come together for a great banquet, “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army” (Rev. 19:17–19). The birds that feed on carrion seem to be agents of divine judgment. When the Lord comes again, He will come in judgment.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken [Matt. 24:29].
Notice that this is to be “Immediately after the tribulation of those days.” It is my understanding that all of these things will take place at Christ’s second coming to the earth.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [Matt. 24:30].
“Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.” What is that sign? Again I will have to speculate. Back in the Old Testament, you remember, the nation Israel was given the glory, the shekinah presence of God. No other nation or people has ever had that, nor does the church have it. The shekinah glory rested over the tabernacle and later the temple at Jerusalem. But because of Israel’s sin, the shekinah glory left the nation. When Christ came the first time, He laid aside, not His deity, but His prerogative of deity, His glory—although John says, “… we beheld his glory …” (John 1:14), because there were times when it broke through. However, at His second coming, I believe that the shekinah glory will hover over the earth before He breaks through, and that will be the “sign of the Son of man in heaven.” “They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” This is His return to earth to set up His kingdom.
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other [Matt. 24:31].
The elect spoken of in this verse is still the nation Israel. The prophets in the Old Testament foretold of a miracle that would bring the Jews back into their land. (This is not the church which is going to be caught up out of this world to meet the Lord in the air. Angels are not connected with the Rapture.) The Lord will come in person to receive the church with the sound of a trumpet, and His voice will be like that of an archangel. He will not need any help to gather His church together. He died for the church, and He will bring it together. When He says that the “angels … shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” we can be sure that He is talking about the nation Israel—ministering angels have always been connected with Israel.
THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE AS A SIGN
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors [Matt. 24:32–33].
I do not see how the fig tree could represent anything other than the nation Israel (e.g., see Jer. 24; Hos. 9:10). There are certainly fig trees growing in abundance in Israel even in our day after all that has happened to that land. I was impressed with the fig orchards north of Jerusalem and the vineyards south of Jerusalem—the area south of Bethlehem is filled with vineyards. Fig trees and grapevines identify the land, and I believe that our Lord is using the fig tree as a symbol of that land.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled [Matt. 24:34].
“This generation”—the Greek word can mean race and refer to the nation Israel. Or it could refer to the generation that will be living at the time these predictions come to pass. A generation is reckoned to be about twenty years, and certainly the predicted events of this section will take place in a much briefer time than twenty years. My feeling is that it could refer to either one, but I much prefer the interpretation that it refers to the preservation of the Jewish race. Haman was not able to destroy them, neither was Pharaoh, nor did Hitler succeed in his attempts. And no dictator in our day will be able to exterminate these people—God will see to that.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away [Matt. 24:35].
He says, “You can just underscore what I’ve said, because heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not.” Heaven and earth will pass away; there will be a new heaven and a new earth (see Rev. 21:1), but He will not change His Word; it will stand throughout the eternal ages.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only [Matt. 24:36].
Although they will know that this period is drawing near, they will not know the day nor the hour. Since there have been so many folk in our day who have tried to pinpoint the time of Christ’s return, I’m of the opinion that in that future day there will be some folk who will try to figure it down to the very hour. But no one will know either the day or the hour. And He will use the illustration of Noah—
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be [Matt. 24:37].
Christ will come in a day which will be like the days of Noah.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be [Matt. 24:38–39].
Now, the days of Noah were characterized by gross immorality—every thought and imagination of man’s heart was only evil continually (see Gen. 6:5). But our Lord says that His coming will be in days like the days of Noah, and He mentions only that they were eating and drinking. Is there anything wrong with eating and drinking? No, we are told that whatever we do—whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God (see 1 Cor. 10:31). However, the people in Noah’s day were not eating and drinking to the glory of God. In fact, they were living as though God did not exist.
A little boy was invited out to dinner for the first time in his life. He was just going next door, but to him it was a big event. So when the time came to go, he made a beeline for the house next door. When they sat down to the table to eat, the boy automatically bowed his head to offer thanks for the food because he came from a Christian home. Suddenly he realized he was the only one with a bowed head and the rest of the folks were passing food back and forth. He opened his eyes and, not having any inhibitions, said, “Don’t you thank God for your food?” There was embarrassing silence for a moment, and then the lady of the house said, “No, we don’t.” The little fellow thought for a moment and then said, “You’re like my dogs—they just start right in!”
In our day there are multitudes of people who receive a meal that comes from the hand of God three times a day while millions of people are starving to death, and they never think of thanking God. And in that future day, they will be right on the verge of the coming of Christ, and they will be living as though it will never take place.
Also, the people of Noah’s day were “marrying and giving in marriage.” Certainly our Lord is not saying that marriage is wrong. His point is that they rejected so completely God’s warning through Noah that they went ahead and had their weddings—maybe even “church” weddings—right up to the day that Noah entered into the ark. They lived as though God did not exist. They did not believe that He would judge them and scorned the warning that a flood was imminent. “And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left [Matt. 24:40–41].
I can hear someone saying to me, “Well, preacher, you have finally painted yourself into a corner. You said the church and the Rapture are not in the Olivet Discourse, but here they are. Two shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.”
Well, my friend, He still is not talking about the Rapture. After all, what is our Lord talking about here? “As the days of Noe were.” Who was taken away in the days of Noah? “They knew not until the flood came, and took them all away.” They perished in the Flood. This is not referring to the Rapture when the church will be taken out of the world. Rather, this pictures the removing from the earth by judgment those who are not going to enter the millennial kingdom.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come [Matt. 24:42].
Watch is the important word, and it has a little different meaning from the watching that the child of God does now in waiting for the Rapture. Today we have a comforting hope. In that future day it will be watching with fear and anxiety. In the night they will say, “Would to God it were morning,” and in the morning they will say, “Would to God it were evening.” Today we are to wait and long for His coming. In that future day they will watch with anxiety for His return.
You may think that I am splitting hairs, but I’m not. I looked up the Greek word for watch and found that it had about eight different meanings. Although in English we have only the one word, it has several different meanings, also.
Let me illustrate this by a man who goes deer hunting. Every year this man goes into the woods to about the same spot. He puts up camp, and early in the morning he goes over the hogback on the hill and sits down by the trunk of an old tree and waits. After a while he hears a noise in the brush and thinks it might be a deer. He lifts his rifle and waits. He is watching for a deer.
Two weeks later you meet this same man down on the main street corner of town, and you see that he is looking intently down the street. You know that he is waiting for someone. You walk up to him and say, “Who are you watching for?” He replies, “I’m waiting for my wife; she is forty-five minutes late.” He is watching for a dear again, but it is a different deer and he is watching in a little different way. Before, on the hill, he had his deer gun with him, and he sort of wishes he had it with him again, but it is against the law for him to shoot her! But he is watching, and watching in a different way, you see.
A month or two later you go to the hospital and you pass a room and see this man and his wife sitting by the bedside of a little child. The child has a burning fever, and the doctor has told them that the crisis will come about midnight. They are watching. My friend, that is a different type of watching than watching for a deer or waiting for a wife on the corner. This is watching with anxiety. And I think it will be somewhat with the same feeling that they will watch for our Lord’s second coming.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come. he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? [Matt. 24:43–45].
What our Lord is doing in the remainder of the Olivet Discourse is giving parables to illustrate the attitude of folk to His coming and what will happen when He does come.
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth [Matt. 24:46–51].
This parable reflects the attitude of some folk in that future day. They shall say, “Well, the Lord delays His coming—so I’ll just go on living carelessly.” When Christ returns, He will judge that man.
This is a great principle which is applicable to every age. You and I ought to live our lives in the light of the fact that we are to stand in the presence of Christ. Note that I didn’t say in the light of the coming of Christ but in the light of the presence of Christ. Regardless of whether Christ comes an hundred years from today or a thousand years, you and I will stand in His presence. Whether you are saved or lost, you will stand in His presence. If you are saved, you will have to give Him an account of your life to see if you receive a reward. If you are lost, you will stand there to be judged. Therefore, every person should live his life in light of the fact that he is to stand in the presence of the Lord. This is the great emphasis in the Olivet Discourse. Therefore, it has applications to us, although the interpretation is specifically to folk living at the time of Christ’s return as King.
Chart of the Olivet Discourse
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Olivet Discourse continued—the parable of the ten virgins, the talents, and the judgment of the gentile nations
This chapter enlarges upon the answer of Jesus to the question, “What shall be the sign of thy coming?” (Matt. 24:3). There is the parable of the ten virgins, which tests the genuineness of the faith of Israel; the parable of the talents, which tests the faithfulness of His servants; and the judgment of the gentile nations, which tests their right of admission into the kingdom. This chapter shows the significance of the coming of Christ as it relates to these groups that shall then be in the world. A close analysis of each group will reveal that it can be stripped down to a personal attitude and relationship to Jesus Christ.
The parable of the ten virgins is the basis for those who believe in what is known as the partial rapture, where only some will be taken out of the world. The “partial rapture” group is made up of very fine people. When I first became pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, there was a wonderful Bible class there, and they supported me in getting Bible conferences into Nashville. From the beginning, the class had been taught by a teacher who believed in a partial rapture. Candidly, I feel that the partial rapture theory ministers to spiritual snobbery. I never met one of that group who didn’t think that he was with the five wise virgins. In fact, I have never in all my life met one who thought he was classed with the foolish virgins! I was a young preacher in those days, and as I worked with them I had the feeling that they were not sure that I was one of them. I suspected that they classified me as one of the foolish ones.
I thank God that when the Rapture takes place, every believer is going out. And we won’t be going on the basis of merit. All of us will be leaving because of the grace of God. He saves us by grace; He keeps us by grace; He will take us out of this world by grace; and when we have been there for ten million years, it will be by the grace of God.
The ten virgins do not refer to the church, they refer to the nation Israel. My friend, we need to let our Lord answer the questions of these men who were His apostles. They had asked Him the questions. If we try to make out that He is talking to us about something altogether different, it is as though we are interrupting Him. Let’s just listen and know that, although He is talking to someone else, we can make application of these wonderful parables to our own lives.
PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom [Matt. 25:1].
To better understand the customs in Israel during the New Testament period, we refer to the Peshitta, which is a Syriac version of the Bible. Although it is not a text to be recommended, it does shed light on some of the customs of the day. The Peshitta translation of the verse before us indicates that the virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom and the bride, which means that the bridegroom is coming from the marriage to the marriage supper. It is my understanding that, although the marriage of Christ and the church takes place in heaven, the marriage supper takes place on this earth. A passage in the Gospel of Luke substantiates this. As our Lord is giving warnings and parables, He says, “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately” (Luke 12:35–36). You see, the wedding has taken place, and the bride is with him. Obviously, if he is coming from the wedding, the bride is with him; no man ever went on a honeymoon by himself—if he did, it wasn’t a honeymoon!
So here in the parable of the ten virgins, Christ, pictured as the bridegroom, is bringing the bride with Him, and the believers on earth are waiting for Him to come. While the Great Tribulation has been going on upon the earth, Christ has been yonder in heaven with His bride, the church. Then at the conclusion of the seven years of Tribulation, He comes back to earth with the church.
This, now, is the attitude toward His coming on the part of those on the earth—
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps [Matt. 25:2–4].
Oil is symbolic of the Spirit of God. In that day I think there will be phonies as there were at His first coming. Jesus called them hypocrites. They will have lamps but no oil.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps [Matt. 25:5–7].
Notice that both the wise and the foolish virgins slept. The difference in them was that some had the Holy Spirit (represented by the oil) and some did not—because they were not genuine believers.
Our Lord concludes this parable with a warning—
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh [Matt. 25:13].
Notice that it is “the day nor the hour” rather than the century or the year, as it is from our perspective. The attitude for His own during this future period is to watch. That is the important thing for them to do.
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
This is another parable for that future generation that will be waiting for our Lord’s return to earth.
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey [Matt. 25:14–15].
Notice that the master gave to his servants responsibilities according to their individual abilities.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two [Matt. 25:16–17].
Notice that the “talents” were sums of money. They do not represent talents in the sense of the natural endowments of a person such as a musical talent. The application to us is that whatever God has given to us, we are to use for Him.
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money [Matt. 25:18].
All were given a certain sum of money and told to use it profitably. But one buried the talent he had been given. He was not faithful to his master.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine [Matt. 25:19–25].
The response of his master was this—
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest, that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth [Matt. 25:26–30].
There is a great principle in this parable for us. And it was given in the light of the fact that all of us—you and I included—are going to have to stand in the presence of God and give an account of how we have used what He has given to us. The Lord is not going to ask us how much we have done for Him but how faithful we have been to that which He wanted us to do.
For the child of God there are two important things: (1) Find out what God wants us to do; that is, determine what the talent is that He has given us, and then (2) be faithful in the use of it. To some of us God gives a very small ministry, and that may be upsetting to us; but if we are one—talent people, God expects us to be faithful with that.
JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS
In this chapter our Lord is alerting God’s people to the fact that we are to ready ourselves for His coming. This is certainly true in the next few verses.
During the Tribulation Period all nations will have the opportunity to hear and receive God’s message. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached among all nations, we are told. But some will reject God’s messengers, Christ’s brethren, and thereby reject Christ.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory [Matt. 25:31].
The polarization of all of the Olivet Discourse is moving toward the placing of Jesus Christ on the throne of this world. This is the message of the Gospel of Matthew—in fact, it is the message of the entire Word of God.
Now we will see that the nations will be judged. You may ask, “Doesn’t it mean individuals?” Yes, you can consider it as individuals composing the nations. But nations are responsible to God.
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left [Matt. 25:32–33].
These are all Gentiles who have lived through the Great Tribulation and appear as a mingling of sheep and goats, which our Lord will separate and judge as two distinct groups.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me [Matt. 25:34–40].
The 144,000 Jews sealed at the time of the Great Tribulation will go out over the entire world to preach the message of the gospel of the kingdom, which is to receive Christ as the sacrifice for their sins and to be ready for His immediate coming. Some nations will reject Christ. Antichrist will have God’s messengers butchered and slain, and anyone who would give them a cup of cold water will do so at the risk of his life. To hand out a cup of cold water has little value in our day, but in the Great Tribulation it will have tremendous value. It will mean taking a stand for Jesus Christ. The basis on which the nations will be judged is their acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ. He says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”—because the messengers were representing Him. That will be the way they evidence faith in the message that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and that they are to repent and turn to Christ to be saved.
For those who reject, symbolized as goats, there is only judgment—
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal [Matt. 25:45–46].
Entire nations will enter the millennial kingdom. Out of these will be some individuals who will reject Christ. But the judgment of the nations at the second coming of Christ is to determine what nations are to enter the millennial kingdom. This judgment is separate and distinct from all other judgments.
CHAPTER 26
Theme: Final events in the life of Jesus immediately before the cross; the plot to arrest Him; the anointing by Mary of Bethany; the selling by Judas Iscariot; the celebration of the first Lord’s Supper; the predicted denial by Peter; the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane; the betrayal by Judas; the arrest by the chief priests; the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin; the denial by Peter
This is the longest chapter in the Gospel of Matthew. There is a break at the conclusion of verse 30. The events recorded in John 15–17 could be inserted here. Another natural break would be at the beginning of verse 57. A chapter division here would set the trial before the religious rulers in a separate category. Perhaps those who divided the Scriptures included so many events in one chapter to give the reader something of the scope and rapidity of these significant happenings.
Every incident and detail in this chapter points to the cross. There is a trip-hammer precision here that may give the reader the impression that Jesus is caught in the vortex of circumstances over which He has no control. A careful examination and consideration, however, will reveal that He is the master of circumstances, and He is never more kingly than when He draws near the cross.
All things recorded in this chapter and chapter 27 should be studied in the light of His determination at Caesarea Philippi—six months previously—to go to Jerusalem to die: “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matt. 16:21).
He is moving according to God’s timetable, and He is forcing the issue. He is not the helpless victim caught between the upper millstone of religious intrigue and the nether millstone of Roman power. A reverence should pervade our thinking as we consider these things written in this chapter, for they are vitally related to our salvation.
PLAN TO KILL JESUS
And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples [Matt. 26:1].
“When Jesus had finished all these sayings”—what sayings? The Olivet Discourse. He has answered their questions regarding the end of the age, and now He has something else for them—
Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified [Matt. 26:2].
Now let’s read ahead to verse 5 and see something very interesting here—
Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people [Matt 26:3–5].
In verse 2 Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to die. According to the record, this is the sixth time He has told them. Six months before this, beginning at Caesarea Philippi, He announced His impending death. And now He sets the time of His death. He tells them that He will die during the Passover. But the religious rulers had other plans—notice verse 5: “But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.” The very ones who put Him to death said that they would not crucify Him during the Passover; He said that He would die during the Passover. When did He die? He died during the Passover. You see, Jesus, not His enemies, set the time of His execution. He is in command; He is the King in Matthew’s gospel, and when He seems more helpless and weak than at any other time, He still is in charge. The bitter hatred of His enemies had led them to plot His murder, and they wanted to do it their way, but they will not be permitted to do that. The closer Jesus gets to the cross, the more kingly He becomes.
We pass from that incident to one of marvelous light.
JESUS IS ANOINTED BY MARY OF BETHANY
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat [Matt. 26:6–7].
Bethany was the place of love, as Jerusalem was the place of hate. He stayed in Bethany during His last hours before His death. This incident took place in the home of Simon the leper. Why did they call him Simon the leper? Did he have. leprosy? There was a time when he had this disease, but Jesus had undoubtedly healed him. Now he is able to sit down and have fellowship with the Lord Jesus and others who are having dinner with him at his home.
This is a wonderful scene, my friend. The Lord’s enemies today do not know Him. They do not know the Lord who healed, who loved, who wept and judged. In fact, some of His enemies of today recently presented a play in a local college in which Jesus and His disciples were characterized as sinful men! Our laws have banned prayer and Bible reading in schools, but they permit the dirtiest, filthiest portrayals of our Lord, and outright blasphemy! Of course, those who produce such things are ignorant; they don’t know our Lord. In fact, they are spiritual lepers. If they told the truth, they would have to say of themselves, “Unclean, unclean!”
When you have come to the Lord Jesus and have been cleansed by Him, you can sit down and have fellowship with Him. This is the scene we have in this passage. As they were having dinner, a woman (John 12:3 tells us that it was Mary) came to Jesus with an alabaster box of precious ointment and anointed both His head and His feet with fragrant ointment. John also tells us that it was Judas Iscariot who led the agitation against her, although all the disciples agreed with him.
But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? [Matt. 26:8].
I wonder how much they really cared about the poor. They remind me of folk in our contemporary society who are always talking about taking care of the poor but are doing nothing about it themselves. In our government there are quite a few legislators who are millionaires and are always talking about a poverty program and other aid for the poor. Have you ever attempted to find out how much they personally have done for the poor? I don’t care for that kind of hypocrisy! The evidence of the sincerity of your concern is always in what you yourself are doing. Are you trying to make an impression, or are you really trying to help folk?
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor [Matt. 26:9].
That is accurate—it could have been. It is estimated that the cost of it equalled a year’s salary for a rural worker.
When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me [Matt. 26:10].
As far as Christians are concerned, they should not give to anything nor do anything that does not glorify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Personally, I refuse to participate in any so-called good works in the community unless Christ is glorified in them, unless they are done in His name. And I am amazed at how little they really accomplish. How much do they really give that brings blessing to people? It makes me sick when I hear of the corruption among the politicians in the poverty programs. However, when loving assistance is given in the name of the Lord Jesus, He Himself said that it was a good work.
For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always [Matt. 26:11].
Those of us who say we trust Christ and want to honor and glorify Him ought to be doing more in His name today.
For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her [Matt. 26:12–13].
That home of Simon the leper in Bethany was a place of light and friendship for the Lord Jesus. In contrast, Jerusalem was the place of hatred. He did not spend a night in the city of Jerusalem during that final week, but He went out to Bethany and stayed with these folk who loved Him. Those who want Him, who love Him, are the ones He fellowships with in our day. My friend, you can have Him if you want Him.
The beautiful story of the broken alabaster box has filled the world with its fragrance. Our Lord said, “Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” And we are telling it right now. I hear folk speak about being in the apostolic succession, but I would like to be in the succession of Mary. Mary alone, of all Christ’s followers, understood and entered into His death, while the apostles missed the point completely. Although she stood on the fringe of things, she understood, and to let Him know, she anointed Him. Did she waste her ointment? In the gospel records I read that on the morning of that first day of the week other women came to the tomb of Jesus to anoint His body for burial. I have a question to ask you: Did they put their ointment on the body of Jesus? No, He wasn’t in that tomb—He was risen. Mary alone had the privilege of anointing Him. My friend, you and I need to break our alabaster box of ointment in the name of the Lord Jesus. The world outside doesn’t know Him; so we ought to be very careful that what we do brings glory, not to ourselves, but to Him.
Now we turn from that beautiful scene of light to another dark scene.
PLOT OF JUDAS TO SELL JESUS
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him [Matt. 26:14–16].
This deed of Judas Iscariot is dark and dastardly in contrast to Mary’s act of spiritual perception. Dante gave Judas and Brutus the lowest place in The Inferno, and no one since then has said he was wrong. These men did the lowest and basest thing men could do when they betrayed one to whom they should have been loyal.
“He sought opportunity to betray him.” You see, the arrest had to take place when Jesus was alone—that is, when the crowds were gone. Judas waited for such a time.
THE PASSOVER AND THE LAST SUPPER
Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover [Matt. 26:17–19].
Now the Lord Jesus will go with His own into the Upper Room, and there He will make the announcement that one will betray Him
Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? [Matt. 26:20–22].
Every one of those men knew that he had it within his heart to betray Christ. Have you discovered that in your own heart and life? My friend, you and I are just that low. You may say, “Oh, I wouldn’t do that!” Are you sure? I would betray Him within the next five minutes if He didn’t keep His hand on me—and you would, too. That ought to keep us close to Him.
And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said [Matt. 26:23–25].
It is interesting to note that Judas did not call Him Lord as the other disciples did (see v. 22). At this juncture Judas left the room, according to John’s record: “He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night” (John 13:30).
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins [Matt. 26:26–28].
Here we see the Lord instituting the Lord’s Supper over the dying ashes of a fading feast, the Passover. The cup circulated seven times during the Passover. It was evidently at the last time that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. During the feast they sang the Hallel Psalms—Psalms 111 to 118. When you read them for your own spiritual profit, keep in mind that our Lord sang them on that auspicious night. At that last supper, He reared a new monument to Himself. It was not made of marble or bronze but was made of the temporary elements of bread and wine. Both speak of His death until He comes again.
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom [Matt. 26:29].
The Passover will be reinstituted in the Millennium. The Lord said that He would drink the fruit of the vine again in the kingdom. This means that apparently the Passover during that time will look back to His death on the cross. The Passover, which had looked forward for centuries to His coming, will also during the Millennium look back to His coming.
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives [Matt. 26:30].
PREDICTION OF PETER’S DENIAL
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad [Matt. 26:31].
This is a quotation from Zechariah’s prophecy (see Zech. 13:7).
But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended [Matt. 26:32–33].
Peter’s answer suggested that he did not trust the other disciples either but that the Lord could sure depend upon him! Peter’s problem was that he didn’t know himself, and that is the problem many of us have today.
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples [Matt. 26:34–35].
It was early in the evening that Peter said he would not deny our Lord. Yes, he was even ready to die with the Lord. That same night before the cock crowed Peter denied Him, not once, but three times.
GETHSEMANE
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt [Matt. 26:36–39].
We need to pay attention to the prayer that our Lord is praying here. “This cup” evidently represents His cross, and the contents are the sins of the whole world. More than the death itself and the terrible suffering of crucifixion is something else that we do not seem to realize. It is this: Jesus, holy, harmless, and separate from sinners, was made sin for us. There on the cross the sin of humanity was put on Him—not in some forensic or academic manner, but in reality. We cannot even imagine the horror He felt when that sin was placed upon Him. It was a horrendous experience for this One who was holy. Notice that He was not asking to escape the cross, but He was praying that God’s will be done. It is impossible for you and me to enter into the full significance of Gethsemane, but I think it was there that He won the victory of Calvary. Undoubtedly, He was tempted by Satan in Gethsemane as truly as He was in the wilderness. Notice verse 42: “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” He was accepting it. To say that our Lord was trying to avoid going to the cross is not exactly true. In His humanity He felt a repugnance and the awful horror of having the sins of the world placed upon Himself, and He recoiled for a moment from it. But He committed Himself to the Father. He came to do the Father’s will.
Now let’s look at the disciples who were in the garden with Him—Peter, James, and John. After His first prayer, He came back to them and found them sleeping—
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak [Matt. 26:40–41].
“Watch”—stay awake, be alert—“and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” What was the temptation? Who was going to tempt them? Satan was there. Jesus wrestled with an unseen foe—that is obvious. He overcame the enemy there in Gethsemane. The victory of Calvary was won in Gethsemane.
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done [Matt. 26:42].
He commits Himself to the Father’s will.
And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners [Matt. 26:43–45].
“Sleep on now, and take your rest.” Obviously, there is an interval of time between this and the next verse. He didn’t tell them to go to sleep and in the next breath tell them to get up. There was time for their nap, and they needed this rest. Notice how our Lord pays attention to the needs of their bodies. After they had slept awhile, He said—
Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people [Matt. 26:46–47].
The fact that Judas, and also the enemies of Jesus, had witnessed many miracles makes them realize that Jesus has supernatural power and that He might use it. So when they come to arrest Him, they bring a whole crowd of armed men. Possibly the whole guard came to arrest Him.
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast [Matt. 26:48].
That hot kiss of betrayal is one of the worst things in recorded history.
And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him [Matt. 26:49–50].
A kiss can either be a sign of acceptance or rejection (see Ps. 2:12.) In this instance Judas bestowed a kiss of betrayal upon the Lord Jesus, and it was one of the most despicable acts of man. Some theologians contend that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus and could do nothing else. If this were true, Judas was nothing more than a robot. I believe Judas made up his own mind to betray our Lord and had every opportunity to change his plans. You may say, “Yes, but it was prophesied that he would betray Jesus.” I have to agree with you. It was prophesied, and our Lord marked him out as the man. However, after Judas had fulfilled the prophecy, after Jesus was betrayed, Judas could have repented. Jesus gave Judas one final opportunity to repent and accept Him. Even after he gave Jesus that hot kiss of betrayal, Jesus called him, “Friend.” Later, when Judas went to the temple and threw down the silver given to him to betray the Lord, he could have changed his mind. As the priests were taking Jesus to Pilate, Judas could have fallen down before Him and said, “Forgive me, Lord, I did not know what I was doing.” The Lord would have forgiven him.
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear [Matt. 26:51].
We know who that was; it was Simon Peter. I think that he was trying to prove something. Earlier Peter had boasted that he would die protecting Jesus, but Jesus told him that he would deny Him that very night. Well, Peter got a sword somewhere, and he intended to protect his Lord. But Peter was a fisherman, not a swordsman. He sliced off the man’s ear: but he wasn’t after ears, he was after his head. He intended to lop off the man’s head, but he almost missed him!
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? [Matt. 26:52–53].
In other words, “I don’t need your little sword, Peter. I haven’t come to put up a battle against the religious rulers. I have come to die for the sins of the world.”
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? [Matt. 26:54].
You see, our Lord is fulfilling Scripture. Matthew makes this very clear.
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me [Matt. 26:55].
Previously, His hour had not yet come. But now His hour has come—
But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled [Matt. 26:56].
Jesus had predicted this. All of the disciples leave Him now.
PALACE OF THE HIGH PRIEST
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled [Matt. 26:57].
We find out later that the father-in-law of Caiaphas was really the instigator of all this. But Jesus must be brought to Caiaphas, the high priest, for the first charge. Because the religious rulers are going to ask Rome for the death penalty, they must determine that night what charge against Jesus they can bring when they go to Pilate in the morning.
But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end [Matt. 26:58].
Simon Peter followed afar off. It is dangerous for any of us to follow Jesus afar off. We are told in John 18:15–16 that with the aid of John, Peter gained entrance to the courtyard. He waited there to “see the end,” and in just a short while he would deny the Lord.
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses [Matt. 26:59–60].
You see, because the religious rulers had no charge against the Lord Jesus, they had to find false witnesses. And the trouble with getting false witnesses was in finding one that could stand up under investigation. Pilate might be a little inquisitive (which he was) and ask a few annoying questions. Finally, they found two witnesses—
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days [Matt. 26:61].
According to John 2:19–22, even the disciples misunderstood Jesus when He made the statement: “… Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They didn’t understand it until after Jesus’ resurrection. Evidently the false witness was a man who had been present at the time Jesus made the statement, but notice that he doesn’t quote Him accurately.
And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? [Matt. 26:62].
He tries to get the Lord Jesus to answer so the Sanhedrin will know what kind of an argument to use. The accusation is so absolutely farfetched that our Lord does not answer it.
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God [Matt. 26:63].
Now the high priest puts Him on oath and asks Him the specific question, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?”
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven [Matt. 26:64].
“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said”—this is tantamount to saying, “Yes, you have said who I am.” Jesus claims for Himself the title “Son of man.” Dr. Warfield said that this is the highest title the Lord had. This is a title the prophets used (see Daniel and Ezekiel). It was an epithet of deity. He could have claimed no greater position than to have said He was “the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy [Matt. 26:65].
“Then the high priest rent his clothes”—that is, he tears his robes, signifying extreme grief at hearing blasphemy. They think that they have a charge against Jesus now.
What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? [Matt. 26:66–68].
How they hated the Lord Jesus! This is the natural antagonism of the human heart to His goodness, His righteousness, His holiness, and the fact that He is God. Do you realize, my friend, that if you and I had only our old natures, we would try to knock God off His throne? A few years ago a crowd was saying that God was dead! Do you know why they said that? Because they would like to get Him off His throne. Human nature hates Him.
Here in the Sanhedrin He was slapped, spit upon, beaten with fists, and ridiculed.
“Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?” They played a game with Him. They apparently blindfolded Him, then hit Him on the face, and He was to guess who did it. They would never have let Him guess right, of course.
PETER’S DENIAL OF JESUS
We will look at this in more detail in the other gospel records.
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee [Matt. 26:69–73].
Galilean pronunciations were a little different from those used in Judea. Peter had a Galilean accent!
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew [Matt. 26:74].
The poor man did not realize how weak he really was! But our Lord had prayed that his faith would not fail, and it did not.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly [Matt. 26:75].
Simon Peter was in the wrong place. For him, it was the place of temptation. No alibi can be offered for his base denial. He was guilty of an heinous act. However, Peter did repent and come. back into fellowship with the Lord he loved. In fact, Peter was the one to whom He gave the privilege of preaching the first sermon after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and three thousand people were saved!
CHAPTER 27
Theme: Events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus; Sanhedrin delivers Jesus to Pilate; repentance of Judas; trial before Pilate; release ofBarabbas; crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus; the tomb sealed and a watch set
We have come to the central fact of the gospel message: the crucifixion of Christ. When Paul defined the gospel to the Corinthians, he said, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3, italics mine). We have now come to the record of that tremendous event.
We will see that Matthew does not give a record of the actual crucifixion. In fact, no gospel writer does that. They merely tell what went on around the cross. I know that there are men who depict in graphic terms how the nails were driven into the quivering flesh and how the blood spurted out, but that is not in the Bible. In the inspired record it is as if God placed the mantle of darkness over the last three hours of the life of Jesus on the cross and said, “This is something you cannot look at. It is beyond human comprehension. The suffering cannot be fathomed.” It was a transaction between the Father in heaven and the Son on the cross. The cross became an altar upon which the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, was offered.
The simple statement of Matthew is, “And they crucified him.”
This chapter begins with the morning after Jesus had been arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, after He had been brought before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, after false witnesses had testified against Him, after He had been beaten and ridiculed, and after Peter had denied Him.
THE SANHEDRIN DELIVERS JESUS TO PILATE
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death [Matt. 27:1].
They have formulated a charge against Jesus and will take Him now to the supreme court. They think they have a case which will stand up before the Roman court.
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor [Matt. 27:2].
Pilate had .a palace in Jerusalem, although his headquarters were in Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea. He was in Jerusalem at the Passover season because the city was crowded with Jews who had come to the feast, and generally there were riots on such occasions.
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests,and elders [Matt. 27:3].
You see, the Lord Jesus was there when Judas came. As the chief priests and elders were leading Him through that hall to take Him to Pilate, here comes Judas. Why doesn’t Judas turn to the Lord Jesus and ask forgiveness? Instead of doing that, he addressed the religious rulers—
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that [Matt. 27:4].
In other words, “You did the job, and it’s over with. We have the One we were after. We have paid you off, and we have no need of you any farther”.
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged-himself [Matt. 27:5].
This man leaves the temple area, goes out, and hangs himself. He could have turned to the Lord Jesus and would have been forgiven!
And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood [Matt. 27:6].
How pious they are! They can’t put it in the temple treasury because it is blood money.
And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day [Matt. 27:7–8].
This was a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy—
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me [Matt. 27:9–10].
You will find this prophecy alluded to in Jeremiah 18:1–4 and evidently quoted from Zechariah 11:12–13. It is credited to Jeremiah simply because in Jesus’ day Jeremiah was the first of the books of the prophets, and that section was identified by the name of the first book.
The significant thing is that Jesus was present when Judas returned with his thirty pieces of silver. In fact, Jesus was on His way to die—even for Judas. Our Lord had given him an opportunity to come back to Him there in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He had said, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” And even at this eleventh hour, Judas could have turned to the Lord Jesus and would have been forgiven.
PILATE QUESTIONS JESUS
And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest [Matt. 27:11].
You see, the religious rulers wanted to get rid of Jesus because of what they considered blasphemy. You remember that when the high priest put Him on oath and asked Him if He was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus said that He was. And further He said, “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64). To the religious rulers that was blasphemy, and they would have stoned Him on that charge, but Rome did not allow the Jews to carry out the death penalty. So they had to deliver Jesus to Pilate with a charge that would stick in a Roman court. Treason would be one that would stick, and so Jesus was charged with claiming to be the King of the Jews.
The answer of Jesus to the charge was, “Thou sayest”—or, “It is as you say.”
And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing [Matt. 27:12].
They made certain false charges against Him, and our Lord didn’t bother to answer them.
Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly [Matt. 27:13–14].
He was the Lamb of God, you see, who before the shearers was dumb ( see Isa. 53:7).
Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas [Matt. 27:15–16].
Matthew does not give us the byplay that took place. All the other gospel writers add a great deal to this account, but Matthew simply states the bare facts.
Obviously, Pilate felt that the religious rulers had no basis for requesting the death penalty. Jesus had not incited rebellion against Rome. Others had, but Jesus had not. Pilate had a problem on his hands. He wanted to please the religious leaders in order to maintain peace in Jerusalem, but he felt that he could not arbitrarily sentence the Lord Jesus to death. So he hit upon a solution to the problem. Since it was his habit to release a Jewish prisoner during the Passover celebration, he would offer the crowd a choice: Jesus; or a very notorious prisoner called Barabbas, who was guilty of murder, robbery, treason—the whole bit.
Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? [Matt. 27:17].
Pilate thought that the crowd would certainly ask that Jesus be released—the contrast between Him and Barabbas was so evident.
For he knew that for envy they had delivered him [Matt. 27:18].
Pilate was a clever politician. He could see what was taking place, and he was sure that the crowd would ask for Barabbas to be crucified and Jesus to be released. This would give him a happy “out” to this situation.
When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him [Matt. 27:19].
Pilate’s wife was as superstitious as could be. Perhaps she was tied up in a mystery religion, and this sort of thing could have been satanic. I do not believe that this warning came from God. If she had been a just woman, she would have investigated Jesus and found out more about Him. She did not, however. She was simply superstitious and asked her husband to have nothing to do with Him.
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus [Matt. 27:20].
You see, the religious rulers were clever politicians themselves. They circulated among the crowd saying, “Ask that Barabbas be delivered and Jesus be destroyed.”
The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas [Matt. 27:21].
Pilate was taken aback. He had not known how low religion would stoop.
Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified [Matt. 27:22].
Imagine a Roman judge asking a crowd what he should do with a prisoner! Pilate was the judge, and he should make the decision. The Gospel of John tells us that Pilate repeatedly called Jesus inside the judgment hall and questioned Him privately. His thought seemed to be, “Jesus, if You will cooperate with me, I can get You out of this, and it will get me off this hot seat I’m on!” But the Lord Jesus would not defend Himself. When we analyze this mock trial, we come to the conclusion that Pilate was the one on trial and, actually, that Jesus was the Judge.
Pilate had to make a decision relative to Him; so he asked the crowd, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” The answer came back to him—it was flung in his face—“Let him be crucified!”
And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified [Matt. 27:23].
A mob never has a reason.
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it [Matt. 27:24].
Pilate called for a basin of water and washed his hands, declaring that he would have nothing to do with the execution of Jesus. But it was not that easy. He had to make a decision—every man does. It was John Newton who wrote:
What think ye of Christ?” is the test,
To try both your state and your scheme;
You cannot be right in the rest,
Unless you think rightly of Him.
Although Pilate washed his hands, the bitter irony of it is that in the oldest creed of the church stand these words: “… crucified under Pontius Pilate.” The blood of Jesus was on his hands no matter how much he washed them.
Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children [Matt. 27:25].
Unfortunately, that has been the case, and it can be so demonstrated.
Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified [Matt. 27:26].
Pilate was willing to stoop this low himself! He had to make a decision, and his decision, of course, was one of rejection.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers [Matt. 27:27].
The soldiers were free to do with Him as they pleased. He became a plaything for this brutal, cruel, crowd.
And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! [Matt. 27:28–29].
It is frightful what they did to Him—
And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head [Matt. 27:30].
The soldiers took this opportunity to have their fun with Him before He was crucified. Since He was going to die anyway, they could mutilate Him and do anything they wished with Him. They played a cruel Roman game known as “hot-hand” with their prisoners. All the soldiers would show the prisoner their fists. Then they would blindfold the prisoner, and all but one would hit him as hard as they could. Then they would remove the blindfold, and if the prisoner was still conscious, he was to guess which soldier did not hit him. Obviously, the prisoner could never guess the right one. They would continue this until they had beaten the prisoner to a pulp. I believe that the Lord Jesus was so mutilated that you would not have recognized Him. “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14).
And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross [Matt. 27:31–32].
Jesus was subjected to abject humiliation and untold suffering. We are given the impression here that He was too weak to carry His cross because of the ordeal to which the soldiers had subjected Him.
THE CRUCIFIXION
And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull [Matt. 27:33].
That place can be identified, I believe, as Gordon’s Calvary (named for General Gordon who selected it as the probable site of Golgotha). I have looked around that area. After all these years and the things that have happened to the city Jerusalem, it is difficult to make a judgment, but certainly the topography of Gordon’s choice is close to the biblical description of Golgotha. It is a place that resembles a skull.
They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink [Matt. 27:34].
This is a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots [Matt. 27:35].
The prophecy is from Psalm 22, which presents a graphic picture of death by crucifixion: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Ps. 22:18).
And sitting down they watched him there [Matt. 27:36].
In my opinion it is here that we see humanity which has reached its lowest depth. You don’t need to go to skid row or to a prison to see man at his lowest, you can see him here—“sitting down they watched him there.” I believe that in this crowd was Saul of Tarsus. Later on when he wrote to Timothy, he called himself the chief of sinners (see 1 Tim. 1:15), and I believe he called himself that because he was the chief of sinners.
And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross [Matt. 27:37–40].
“If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Notice that they raise the doubt—“If thou be the Son of God.…” Little did they know that since He is the Son of God, He will not come down from the cross. He doesn’t have to prove anything at this point. He is now dying for the sins of the world.
Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said [Matt. 27:41].
You would think that after this pack of bloodhounds had succeeded in getting Him on the cross, they would go home and let Him die in peace, but they didn’t. They stayed there taunting Him while there was still life in His body.
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him [Matt. 27:42].
That is a true statement—“He saved others; himself he cannot save.” If He were to save you and me, He would have had to die on that cross. If He had come down from the cross, you and I would have to be executed for our sins. We deserve it; we are hell-doomed sinners. Christ was taking our place there. As surely as He took the place of Barabbas, He took our place.
“Let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.” Would they have believed Him? I don’t think so.
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God [Matt. 27:43].
You can see that the crowd understood that Jesus claimed deity.
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth [Matt. 27:44].
Matthew calls our attention to the thieves who were crucified with Him and the fact that they joined with the religious rulers in mocking Him. He does not call our attention to the fact that one of the thieves finally turned to Jesus. The kingdom presented in Matthew will be on this earth, and the thief who repented went with Christ to paradise that very day.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour [Matt. 27:45].
Our Lord was put on the cross at the third hour, which would be nine o’clock in the morning. By twelve noon, man had done all he could to the Son of God. Then at the noon hour, darkness settled down, and that cross became an altar on which the Lamb who taketh away the sin of the world was offered.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [Matt. 27:46].
We find the answer to that question in Psalm 22. It opens with these words: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” Then we read the answer in verse 3: “But thou art holy …” (Ps. 22:1, 3, italics mine). When my sin is put upon Jesus, God has to withdraw. Our Savior had to be executed if He were going to take my sin and yours.
Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink [Matt. 27:47–48].
Why? To fulfill prophecy—“They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:21).
The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost [Matt. 27:49–50].
Notice how He died: He “yielded up the ghost”—that is, He dismissed His spirit. As a pastor I have often heard the death rattle, the gasp for that last breath which we all want so badly. Our Lord didn’t go that way. He dismissed His spirit. He went willingly.
INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH HIS DEATH
At the death of Christ several very notable things took place. One was an earthquake. Another was that the veil in the temple, the curtain which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, was torn in two—
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent [Matt. 27:51].
Notice that the veil was torn, not from the bottom to the top but from top to bottom. It was rent by God, not by man. The veil symbolizes the body of Jesus. When His body was rent upon the cross—when He had paid the penalty for your sin and my sin in His own body—then the way was opened into the presence of God. Therefore, you and I don’t have to have a priest or a preacher go into the presence of God for us; we can go directly to the throne of God through Christ. Let’s emphasize that the only way to the Father is through His Son. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many [Matt. 27:52–53].
This is an event that is mentioned only by Matthew. We wish more had been told. I can only say that I believe it happened just the way Matthew tells it and that those who arose were part of that great company who went to heaven when Christ led captivity captive at His ascension (see Eph. 4:8–10). The earthquake mentioned in verse 51 was an intelligent quake, not haphazard, because the graves were opened by it, and “many bodies of the saints which slept arose”—just certain ones.
“And [they] appeared unto many.” There were many witnesses who saw these certain folk because, according to Matthew, they “went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” There is a very excellent treatment of this, and the other miracles which occurred at this time, in a little booklet entitled The Six Miracles of Calvary, written by Bishop Nicholson. If you are interested in pursuing this study, I recommend it to you. It is a rich little book.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God [Matt. 27:54].
In Mark’s account it says this: “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). Apparently, that Roman centurion, who was in charge of the actual crucifixion, stood beneath Christ’s cross. As he witnessed some of the miraculous events during this time and as he saw the Lord Jesus dismiss His spirit, the fact was confirmed to him that this was the Son of God. I believe that the centurion became a saved man. He probably did not know a great deal; he had never read Strong’s theology or Hodges’ theology, nor Augustine’s City of God, nor any of my books, but he knew enough to take his place beneath the cross of Christ. And that is all that God asks of any sinner.
And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children [Matt. 27:55–56].
JESUS BURIED IN JOSEPH’S TOMB
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple [Matt. 27:57].
We did not know that he was a disciple until this event. It is interesting to see that the very thing which caused the apostles to scatter seems to have drawn into the open others who, up to this time, would have been called secret disciples. Joseph of the town of Arimathaea stepped out and declared his faith.
He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered [Matt. 27:58].
Joseph went to Pilate on the basis that he was a disciple of Jesus.
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth [Matt. 27:59].
John tells us that Nicodemus worked with Joseph in preparing the body of Jesus for burial—“And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury” (John 19:39–40). These two men, who apparently had been in the background, now came out in the open as the disciples of Jesus. It is interesting to note that only loving hands touched the body of Jesus after His death.
And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre [Matt. 27:60–61].
Note this one tender incident in connection with the death of Jesus. Several women were faithful and stayed at the cross. They were loyal when the apostles had fled.
Near the hill, which we designate as Gordon’s Calvary, is a tomb which is pointed out as the tomb in which Jesus was buried. It is called the Garden Tomb. We have no way of knowing if this was the tomb of Jesus; frankly, I have my doubts. There are many sepulchres in that area, and it could have been any one of them. I feel sure that His tomb is in that area, and the Garden Tomb is as good a choice as any of them. But to determine the exact location of Golgotha and of the tomb and to make them sacred shrines is not Christ’s intention. I saw a woman go into the tomb and on hands and knees kiss the floor where the bodies were placed! That has no value. What our Lord wants us to do is to believe the gospel—that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again—and to take that good news to the whole world.
THE SEPULCHRE IS SEALED AND THE WATCH SET
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch [Matt. 27:62–66]
The zeal of the enemy actually gives a confirmation of Jesus’ resurrection! If they had gone off and left that tomb as it was, their later explanation for the tomb’s being empty might be plausible. But, my friend, when you’ve got a tomb that is sealed and a Roman guard around it watching it, their claim that the apostles stole away the body of Jesus sounds pretty silly. The enemies of Jesus went to a lot of trouble to make the sepulchre sure, and that fact furnishes a marvelous confirmation of His resurrection.
Another interesting point is that when our Lord had told His disciples that He would rise again the third day, they had told a great many people, and the religious rulers got word of it. As soon as they could get another audience with Pilate, they said, “Look, Jesus made the statement that He would rise again the third day, and we want to make sure His body stays in that tomb.” Of course, they did not believe He would he resurrected, but neither did the apostles believe that He would come out of that tomb alive.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: The resurrection of Jesus; the giving of the Great Commission
The arch of the gospel rests upon two great pillars: (1) the death of Christ, and (2) the resurrection of Christ. Listen to the apostle Paul as he defines the gospel: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4).
In the previous chapter we have seen the death and burial of the Lord Jesus, and in this chapter we will see His Resurrection. Both are essential to my salvation and yours. “Who [Jesus] was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
The unique fact of the gospel is the Resurrection. All other religions record the death of their leader. Only the Christian faith records the Resurrection of its Founder. All other religious leaders are dead. Only Jesus is alive. This is important and imperative to know.
No gospel writer gives the complete details which concern the Resurrection. Each records that aspect of the Resurrection which contributes to the furtherance of the purpose which the Spirit had in mind. Therefore the four Gospels present a composite picture. No writer is seeking to give the entire and complete record but only that which serves his purpose. All the gospel accounts need to be put together to get the total picture, and no conflict or contradiction will appear among them.
Regarding the order of events connected with the resurrection of Christ, I would like to share with you a very fine note found in The Scofield Reference Bible on page 1043:
The order of events, combining the four narratives, is as follows: Three women, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, start for the sepulchre, followed by other women bearing spices. The three find the stone rolled away, and Mary Magdalene goes to tell the disciples (Lk. 23:55–24:9; John 20:1, 2). Mary, the mother of James and Joses, draws nearer the tomb and sees the angel of the Lord (Mt. 28:2). She goes back to meet the other women following with the spices. Meanwhile Peter and John, warned by Mary Magdalene, arrive, look in, and go away (John 20:3–10). Mary Magdalene returns weeping, sees the two angels and then Jesus (John 20:11–18), and goes as He bade her to tell the disciples. Mary (mother of James and Joses), meanwhile, has met the women with the spices and, returning with them, they see the two angels (Lk 24:4, 5; Mk. 16:5). They also receive the angelic message, and, going to seek the disciples, are met by Jesus (Mt. 28:8–10).
The order of our Lord’s appearances would seem to be: On the day of His resurrection: (1) To Mary Magdalene (John 20:14–18). (2) To the women returning from the tomb with the angelic message (Mt. 28:8–10). (3) To Peter, probably in the afternoon (Lk. 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5). (4) To the Emmaus disciples toward evening (Lk. 24:13–31). (5) To the apostles, except Thomas (Lk. 24:36–43; John 20:19–24). Eight days afterward: (1) To the apostles, Thomas being present (John 20:24–29). In Galilee: (1) To the seven by the Lake of Tiberias (John 21:1–23). (2) On a mountain, to the apostles and five hundred brethren (1 Cor. 15:6). At Jerusalem and Bethany again: (1) To James (1 Cor. 15:7). (2) To the eleven (Mt. 28:16–20; Mk. 16:14–20; Lk. 24:33–53; Acts 1:3–12). To Paul: (1) Near Damascus (Acts 9:3–6; 1 Cor. 15:8). (2) In the temple (Acts 22:17–21; 23:11). To Stephen, outside Jerusalem (Acts 7:55). To John on Patmos (Rev. 1:10–19). Matthew presents Jesus as the King. The features of the resurrection story which contain the element of the spectacular and sensational are given. There is a fanfare of trumpets in the account given in Matthew. He was born a King. He lived as a King. He died a King, and He arose from the dead a King. Matthew tells of the earthquake, of the angel’s descent, of the stone rolled away, of the frightened guards, and of the effort by the religious rulers to cover up the fact of the empty tomb.
Compare Luke’s gospel with Matthew’s account. There is quietness and a subdued tone which characterizes Luke’s purpose. The women come in the stillness of the early morning, and the stone is already rolled away. The Lord Jesus appears to two unknown disciples on an obscure road leading to Emmaus and then to the disciples in a secret room of a house of unknown address. Luke is recording the human story while Matthew is presenting Him in His kingly office. Both records are accurate, as are the records in the other two gospels, but they are presented from four different viewpoints.
APPROACH OF THE TWO MARYS TO THE TOMB
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre [Matt. 28:1].
The other gospel records tell us that they were bringing sweet spices to anoint the body of Jesus. It is difficult to identify the “other Mary.” Tradition states that she was the mother of James and Joses.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it [Matt. 28:2].
Why was it necessary to roll back the stone? To let Jesus out? No, He was gone when the stone was rolled back. The tomb was not opened to let Him out but to let them in.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow [Matt 28:3].
It is interesting to note the description of the angel because this is very unusual in Scripture (see Dan. 10:6; Rev. 10:1 for other descriptions).
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men [Matt. 28:4].
I can imagine that the guards were very happy to leave after this episode! They were helpless in the presence of the angel.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified [Matt. 28:5].
“Fear not”—when the supernatural touches the natural, it is always with a word to allay fear.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay [Matt. 28:6].
This is the divine announcement of the Resurrection. Jesus had left the tomb before the stone had been rolled away. Later He would enter a room with a locked door. The glorified body of Jesus was radically different from the body with which He was born.
And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you [Matt. 28:7].
The angelic announcement ceased at this point. From here on the message would be told by human lips—“Come, see…. go quickly, and tell.” But before any individual attempts to witness, he must first have an unshakable conviction of the truth of the Resurrection. He must have it settled in his own mind that Christ died for his sins and was buried—“Come, see the place where the Lord lay”—and that Christ rose again—“He is not here: for he is risen.” Then with these convictions, he can “go quickly, and tell.” My friend, you and I are to go, and we are to tell.
APPEARANCE OF JESUS TO THE TWO MARYS
And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word [Matt. 28:8].
Note the mingled feelings of the women—fear and great joy.
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him [Matt. 28:9].
This seems to contradict the encounter of Mary Magdalene with her resurrected Lord. In John 20:17 we find this: “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” The explanation is that between these two encounters Jesus had ascended to His Father and had presented His precious blood in heaven’s Holy of Holies.
Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me [Matt. 28:10].
He made an appointment to see them in Galilee.
ALIBI OF THE KEEPERS
Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done [Matt. 28:11].
These soldiers who were on guard duty went into the city and reported to the chief priests. They didn’t know when Jesus left the tomb. All they knew was that after the stone was rolled away, they took a look inside the tomb, and the body wasn’t there! The entire episode had nearly frightened them to death. They could have been executed for allowing the body of Jesus to disappear under their very eyes.
And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept [Matt. 28:12–13].
This is not a very plausible explanation! Imagine a soldier, especially a Roman soldier, assigned guard duty in a certain place and given strict orders to stand guard over a certain thing and to prohibit all trespassing. Suppose someone did come and take away the thing he was assigned to guard. And suppose that his explanation to his commanding officer was, “I went to sleep.” What do you think would happen to him?
And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you [Matt. 28:14].
In others words, “Don’t worry if this reaches the ears of the governor. We won’t let him put you before a firing squad.”
So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day [Matt. 28:15].
A bribe aided in persuading them to offer this feeble excuse. This was the first century alibi to explain away the resurrection of Christ. Unbelief has now had nineteen centuries to think it over, and there are other alibis. However, none yet have been offered that can explain away the documentary evidence.
GREAT COMMISSION
In our contemporary society we have two opposing viewpoints regarding this so-called Great Commission. Frankly, I think both of them are extreme. Our Lord’s commission to His disciples as recorded by Matthew is a source of controversy. One extreme group feels that the Great Commission contains the only command for the church. That is it, and they hang on to it. The other extreme group feels that it has no meaning for our day and that it should be excluded from the church program. It seems to me that both of these groups are in error.
We have endeavored to show that Matthew has direct application for us, and certainly the Great Commission has an application for us in our day. This does not mean that it will not find a final and full meaning in the future—I think it will. But, as it is obvious that Matthew did not give the total record of the Resurrection, neither did he give us the total commission. I feel that everything our Lord said on any subject should be put together and given as a composite in order to give a full-orbed command for the present day as well as for the future. The commission in Matthew should be considered with the commission recorded in the other gospel records and especially with Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” We are to be His witnesses, and we are to be endued with power from on high.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted [Matt. 28:16–17].
Some worshiped and some doubted—that is how it has been for over nineteen hundred years! And, my friend, you are in one category or the other.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth [Matt. 28:18].
He was speaking as the King.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost [Matt. 28:19].
This, I am confident, will have a real application during the Great Tribulation Period and even during the Millennium. But, my friend, it has an application for us today, also.
“Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost [Spirit].” Baptism by water in the name of the Trinity has been practiced by the church from its beginning. Even Paul, who was not sent to baptize (see 1 Cor. 1:14–17), practiced this rite of the early church. “The name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost [Spirit]” is evidence for the Trinity of the Godhead.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen [Matt. 28:20].
Notice that teaching is part of the work of the church (see Eph. 4:11). The teachings of Jesus are found not only in the Gospels but in the Epistles (see 1 Thess. 4:2).
“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” The word world is the Greek aion, meaning age. Our Lord promises to be with us right on through to the very end of the age. In His power the Great Commission can be carried out.
We have looked at the Great Commission, now let’s consider the great omission. Do you see what Matthew has omitted from his record? There is no ascension of Christ here. Why? The obvious reason is that the kingdom will be here upon this earth, and Matthew leaves the King here on earth because this is where the King is to be. Luke 24:49–53 and Acts 1:6–11 record the ascension of Christ. At the time of the Rapture of the church, the Lord Jesus will take His own out of the world to be with Himself, and the Ascension is essential for that event.
However, Matthew is the Gospel of the King. Jesus was born a King. He lived as a King. He died as a King. He rose again as a King. And, my friend, He will be coming again to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords! I hope you will bow to Him today.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended or Further Study)
Frank, Harry Thomas, editor. Hammond’s Atlas of the Bible Lands. Maplewood, New Jersey: Hammond Inc., 1977. (Excellent and inexpensive.)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Gospel of Matthew. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1910.
Ironside, H. A. Expository Notes on the Gospel of Matthew. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., n.d. (Especially good for young Christians.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Gospel of Matthew. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1868.
McGee, J. Vernon. Moving Thru Matthew. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1955. (An outline study.)
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Parables of Our Lord. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
Scroggie, W. Graham. A Guide to the Gospels. London: Pickering & Inglis, 1948. (Excellent for personal or group study.)
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Outline Studies in Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1961.
Toussaint, Stanley D. Matthew: Behold the King. Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1980.
Vos, Howard F. Matthew: A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979.
Vos, Howard F. Beginnings in the Life of Christ. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
Walvoord, John F. Gospel of Matthew. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975.
The Gospel According to
Mark
INTRODUCTION
Gospel of Mark is chronologically the first gospel that was written. It was actually one of the first books written in the New Testament—not the first, but one of the first. It was probably written from Rome prior to a.d. 63.
This man Mark was one of the writers of the New Testament who was not actually an apostle. Matthew was an apostle, of course, and so was John. Luke was a very close friend and an intimate of Paul the apostle.
John Mark—John was his Jewish name, while Mark was his Latin surname (Acts 12:12): “And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.” (This is referring to the time when Simon Peter was released from prison.) Actually, this is the first historical reference to John Mark that we have in Scripture. Obviously, his mother was a wealthy and prominent Christian in the Jerusalem church, and evidently the church there met in her home.
Mark was one who went with Paul on the first missionary journey. He was a nephew of Barnabas. Paul tells us that in Colossians 4:10. He evidently was the spiritual son of Simon Peter, because Peter, writing in 1 Peter 5:13, says, “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.” The Gospel of Mark has long been considered Simon Peter’s gospel. I think there is evidence for that; we’ll look at that a little more closely in a moment.
John Mark joined Paul and Barnabas before the first missionary journey. We’re told in Acts 13:5: “And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.” But this man turned back at Perga in Pamphylia, and apparently it was a fact that he was maybe a little “yellow” or “chicken,” as we would say today. I don’t think we need to defend John Mark for turning back. He may have had an excuse, but Paul didn’t want to take him on the second missionary journey, although Uncle Barnabas did. Barnabas was a great fellow and was ready to forgive; but not Paul. In Acts 15:37–38 I read, “And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.” Now, that looks to me like Paul thought Mark had failed. We’re told in verse 39 of that chapter, “And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.” As far as we are concerned, he sails right off the pages of Scripture. We know very little about the ministry of John Mark.
We do know that John Mark made good. When Paul wrote his swan song in 2 Timothy 4:11 he says, “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”
There has always been a question of whether he is mentioned somewhere in the gospel record. While I call attention to it, I personally do not think that there is any basis to that supposition at all.
We are told that this man, Mark, got his facts of the gospel from Peter. Others say that he got the explanation of the gospel from Paul. I’m willing to accept that.
Why are there four Gospels? One reason is that they were written to different people. Matthew was written for the nation Israel; it was written for the religious man. Mark was written specifically for the Roman, and it was suited for the Roman times. It was written for the strong man. The Romans ruled the world for a millennium. The Gospel of Mark was written for such people. The Romans actually had subjugated the world; they had brought peace and justice, good roads, law and order, protection; but it was a forced peace. The iron heel of Rome was on mankind, and it had to pay a price. Rome was a strong dictatorship. Dr. D. S. Gregory has expressed it like this: “ [The Roman] was to try whether human power, taking the form of law, regulated by political principles of which a regard for law and justice was most conspicuous, could perfect humanity by subordinating the individual to the state and making the state universal” (Gregory, Key to the Gospels, p. 53). Dr. Robert D. Culver, in his book Daniel and the Latter Days, says that the Roman gave to the world the kind of peace that the League of Nations and now the United Nations tries to give to the world. This kind of peace has already been tried by the Romans, and it must be a peace that is pushed down on the world, forced on the world, and held in the hands of a very strong man. The world today, of course, is looking again for that strong man to come along.
Rome represented active, human power in the ancient world, and it led to dictatorship. The power was actually vested in one man, which, of course, was the thing that was dangerous. Again that is the danger today, as we are moving in that direction. I’d like to quote Dr. D. S. Gregory (Key to the Gospels, p. 161) again in this connection. “The grandest Roman, the ideal man of the race, was therefore the mightiest worker, conqueror, organizer, and ruler,—the man who as Caesar could sway the sceptre of the universal empire. Caesar and Caesarism were the inevitable result of Roman development…. When [the Roman] had been made to feel most deeply that natural justice in the hands of a human despot is a dreadful thing for sinful man,—the Holy Ghost proposes to commend to his acceptance Jesus of Nazareth as his Sovereign and Saviour, the expected deliverer of the world.” We’re moving into a position today where there will come a police state, ruled by one man. He’ll be satanic, ruling over sinful men so that they will cry out for deliverance. The only One who will be able to deliver will be the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes!
Paul wrote to the Romans, “… I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth …” (Rom. 1:16). That power is the power that can extend mercy. In the days when the Caesars ruled, the world longed for mercy and all they got was power. It was a day in which no man dared to resist that power because to resist it was fatal. To flee from it was impossible—one could never get beyond it. It was in that day that God sent a message to that segment of the population, and John Mark is the writer.
John Mark is giving Simon Peter’s account of the gospel. The early church felt that this was true and took that position. For example, Papias, one of the early church fathers, recorded that John Mark got his gospel from Simon Peter: “Mark, the interpreter of Peter, wrote carefully down all that he recollected, but not according to the order of Christ’s speaking or working.” Eusebius says that “such a light of piety shone into the minds of those who heard Peter that they were not satisfied with once hearing, nor with the unwritten doctrine that was delivered, but earnestly besought Mark (whose gospel is now spread abroad) that he would leave in writing for them the doctrine which they had received by preaching.” So it was, therefore, that we got Simon Peter’s gospel through John Mark.
It is a gospel of action because Simon Peter was that kind of man. It is a gospel of action, written to the Roman who was also a man of action.
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus lays aside the regal robes of kingship and girds Himself with the towel of service. He is King in Matthew’s gospel; He is the Servant in the Gospel of Mark. But He is not man’s servant; He is God’s Servant. Mark expresses it by stating the words of our Lord, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
In Mark’s gospel Jesus is presented as the Servant of Jehovah. This fulfills Isaiah 42:1–2: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.”
Bernard, way back in 1864, said of the Gospel of Mark: “St. Peter’s saying to Cornelius has been well noticed as a fit motto for this gospel: ’God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed of the devil.”
Someone has put it like this:
I read
In a book
Where a man called
Christ
Went about doing good.
It is very disconcerting
To me
That I am so easily
Satisfied
With just
Going about.
We read a great deal today about protesting and marches, and we hear about do-gooders, both the politicians and the preachers. They all talk about doing good, but they are just going about. The Lord Jesus came in the winsomeness of His humanity and the fulness of His deity doing good. This was only the begining of the gospel. He died and rose again. Then He said to His own, “Go.” The gospel was then completed. This is the gospel today.
The style of Mark is brief and blunt, pertinent and pithy, short and sweet. Mark is stripped of excess verbiage and goes right to the point. This is the gospel of action and accomplishment. Here Jesus is not adorned with words and narrative, but He is stripped and girded for action.
Mark is written in a simple style. It is designed for the masses of the street. It is interesting to note that the connective and occurs more than any other word in the gospel. It is said to occur 1,331 times. I didn’t count that, friend, but if you doubt that statement, you count them. Very frankly, if I had turned in a college English paper with that many ands in it, I would have been flunked. Yet it is a potent word when it is used correctly. It is a word of action, and it means something must follow. I’ve heard a lot of speakers, especially young preachers, and when they are reaching for something to say they will use the word and. The minute they say that, my friend, they’ve got to say something else. No sentence can end with and. And always leads to further action.
Mark wrote this gospel, I believe, in Rome, evidently for Romans, because they were a busy people and believed in power and action. They wanted the answer to this question: Is Jesus able to do the job? This gospel is brief enough for a busy man to read. Few Old Testament Scriptures are quoted and Jewish customs are explained, which give additional proof that it was written for foreigners.
Matthew gives us a genealogy because a king must have a genealogy. Mark does not give one because a servant doesn’t need a genealogy, he needs references. A servant needs to do the job. We’re going to see that in this gospel because that is the way Jesus is presented.
OUTLINE
The Credentials of Christ
I. John Introduces the Servant, Chapter 1:1–8 (Death of John, 6:14–29)
II. God the Father Identifies the Servant, Chapter 1:9–11 (Transfiguration, 9:1–8)
III. The Temptation Initiates the Servant, Chapter 1:12–13
IV. Works and Words Illustrate (Illumine) the Servant, Chapters 1:14–13:37
A. Miracles
1. Healing (Physical)
a. Peter’s Wife’s Mother (Fever), and Others, Chapter 1:29–34
b. Leper, Chapter 1:40–45
c. Palsied Man Let down through Roof, Chapter 2:1–12
d. Man with Withered Hand, Chapter 3:1–5
e. Many Healed by Sea of Galilee, Chapter 3:6–10
f. Woman with Issue of Blood, Chapter 5:21–34
g. Sick at Nazareth, Chapter 6:5–6
h. Disciples Heal, Chapter 6:13
i. Sick in Land of Gennesaret, Chapter 6:53–56
j. Deaf and Dumb of Decapolis, Chapter 7:31–37
k. Blind Man of Bethsaida, Chapter 8:22–26
l. Blind Bartimaeus, Chapter 10:46–52
2. Nature (Natural)
a. Stills the Storm, Chapter 4:35–41
b. Five Thousand Fed, Chapter 6:32–44
c. Walks on Sea, Chapter 6:45–52
d. Four Thousand Fed, Chapter 8:1–9
e. Fig Tree Cursed, Chapter 11:12–14
3. Demons (Spiritual)
a. Man in Synagogue, Chapter 1:21–27
b. Many Demons in Capernaum, Chapter 1:32–34
c. Demons in Galilee, Chapter 1:39
d. Unclean Spirits by Sea of Galilee, Chapter 3:11–12
e. Scribes Charge that He Casts out Demons by Beelzebub, Chapter 3:22–30
f. Demoniac of Gadara, Chapter 5:1–20
g. Syrophenician’s Demon-possessed Daughter, Chapter 7:24–30
h. Demon-possessed Boy, Chapter 9:14–29
4. Raised from Dead (Supernatural) Daughter of Jairus, Chapter 5:35–43
B. Parables and Teaching
1. Parables
a. No Fasting with the Bridegroom Present, Chapter 2:19–20
b. New Cloth on Old Garment, Chapter 2:21
c. New Wine in Old Bottles, Chapter 2:22
d. Sower, Chapter 4:1–20
e. Candle and Bushel, Chapter 4:21–25
f. Seed Growing, Chapter 4:26–29
g. Mustard Seed, Chapter 4:30–34
h. Man Demanding Fruit from Vineyard, Chapter 12:1–12
i. Fig Tree, Chapter 13:28–33
j. Man on Trip, Chapter 13:34–37
2. Miscellaneous Teachings
a. Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, Chapter 1:14–15
b. Preaching in Galilee, Chapter 1:28, 35–39
c. Sabbath, Chapter 2:23–28
d. New Relationship, Chapter 3:31–35
e. Synagogue in Nazareth, Chapter 6:1–4
f. The Twelve Sent out, Chapter 6:7–12
g. The Twelve Return, Chapter 6:30–31
h. Pharisees Denounced, Chapter 7:1–23
i. Leaven Explained, Chapter 8:10–21
j. Death of Christ, Chapters 8:27–38; 9:30-32; 10:32–34
k. Mark of Greatness, Chapter 9:33–37
l. Rebuke of Sectarianism, Chapter 9:38–41
m. Hell, Chapter 9:42–50
n. Marriage, Chapter 10:1–16
o. Riches, Chapter 10:23–31
p. Prayer, Chapter 11:22–26
q. Authority of Jesus, Chapter 11:27–33
r. Taxes, Chapter 12:13–17
s. Resurrection, Chapter 12:18–27
t. The Great Commandment, Chapter 12:28–34
u. Messiah, Chapter 12:35–40
v. Olivet Discourse, Chapter 13:1–27
3. Incidents
a. Call of Disciples, Chapters 1:16–20; 2:13–18; 3:13–21
b. Death of John the Baptist, Chapter 6:14–29
c. Transfiguration, Chapter 9:1–13
d. Rich Young Ruler, Chapter 10:17–22
e. Ambition of James and John, Chapter 10:35–45
f. Triumphal Entry, Chapter 11:1–11
g. Jesus Cleanses Temple, Chapter 11:15–18
h. Fig Tree Withered, Chapter 11:19–21
i. Widow’s Mite, Chapter 12:41–44
V. Death, Burial and Resurrection Insure the Servant, Chapters 14:1–16:20
A. Plot to Put Jesus to Death, Chapter 14:1–2
B. Jesus at Supper in Bethany, Chapter 14:3–9
C. Judas Bargains to Betray Jesus, Chapter 14:10–11
D. The Passover, Chapter 14:12–26
E. The Garden of Gethsemane, Chapter 14:27–42
F. The Arrest of Jesus, Chapter 14:43–52
G. The Trial of Jesus, Chapters 14:53–15:15
H. The Crucifixion of Jesus, Chapter 15:16–41
I. The Burial, Chapter 15:42–47
J. The Resurrection, Chapter 16:1–18
K. The Ascension, Chapter 16:19–20
CHAPTER 1
Theme: John introduces the Servant; God the Father identifies the Servant; the temptation initiates the Servant; works and words illustrate (illumine) the Servant; preaching the gospel of the kingdom; call of disciples; man in synagogue; preaching in Galilee; Peter’s wife’s mother (fever), and others healed; demons in Galilee; leper healed
There probably is more content in this first chapter of Mark than any other chapter in the Bible (with the exception of Gen. 1). It covers the ministry of John the Baptist, after going back to the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi. It takes in the first year’s ministry of Jesus and follows Him through a busy Sabbath day. It concludes with the mighty work of cleansing the leper. In spite of the pressure of a busy life, Jesus took time to pray.
This chapter of crowded content is made striking by the absence of genealogy which is so prominent in Matthew. We have already stated why. A king must have a genealogy. A servant needs references, not a “birth certificate.” It is not a question as to His ancestors, rather as to His actions—can He do the job? Jehovah’s Servant is marked out here by His accomplishments. Besides this, the Romans or other outsiders would not be concerned with the genealogy of Jesus, which is traced back to Abraham.
As we begin the text of this gospel, let us ask God to bring us into vital relationship with Jesus. We are going to behold the Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. A. J. Gordon wrote: “The look saves but the gaze sanctifies.”
JOHN INTRODUCES THE SERVANT
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight [Mark 1:1–3].
This is not the beginning of either John or Jesus. It is the beginning of the gospel when the Lord Jesus came to this earth and died upon a cross and rose again. That, my friend, is the gospel.
There are three beginnings recorded in Scripture. Let us put them down in chronological order:
1. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). This goes back to a dateless beginning, a beginning before all time. Here the human mind can only grope. It is logical rather than chronological because in my thinking, I must put my peg somewhere in the past in order to take off. If I see an airplane in the air, I assume there is an airport somewhere. I may not know where it is, but I know the plane took off from some place. So when I look around at the universe, I know that it took off from somewhere and that somewhere there is a God. But I don’t know anything about that beginning. God comes out of eternity to meet us. I just have to put down the peg at the point where He does meet us, back as far as I can thinkJ and realize He was there before that.
2. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). This is where we move out of eternity into time. However, although many people have been attempting to date this universe, no man so far knows. Man’s guesses have ranged from six thousand to three billions of years. We know so little but, when we come into His presence and begin to know even as we are known, then we will realize how we saw through a glass darkly. I’m sure we will marvel at our stupidity and our ignorance. Our God is a great God. He has plenty of time.
3. “The beginning of the gospel …” (v. 1) is the same as “That which was from the beginning …” (1 John 1:1). This is dated. It goes back to Jesus Christ at the precise moment He took upon Himself human flesh. Jesus Christ is the gospel!
Then Mark, who has very few quotations from the Old Testament, quotes two prophecies. The Romans knew very little about prophecy. He does this to show them that this One whom he is talking about doesn’t need a genealogy, but He does need references. So Mark shows that His references go back to Isaiah and to Malachi. Both John and Mark declare that the coming of John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecies of the one who would be the forerunner of Christ.
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins [Mark 1:4].
I want to change the wording so that we can get the meaning of this verse. John preached repentance and baptized unto remission for sins, not for remission of sins. The Greek preposition eis is used with remission and is translated “unto” or G“into.” His ministry was preparatory. It was preparing them for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world. Jesus Christ is the One who remits sins.
And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey [Mark 1:5–6].
John the Baptist was remarkable, not only in his message, but remarkable in his dress and in his diet. This man was one who had been set aside for this ministry. He was of the order of the priests, a Levite, and was expected to minister in the temple in Jerusalem. But God had called him as a prophet, and he is out in the wilderness preaching. And the people come out to hear him!
Today, we like to put a church in a location where people live or where they can congregate and come together. We feel that the church should be accessible. John didn’t work on that theory at all. He was way out yonder in the wilderness and the multitudes went out to him.
And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose [Mark 1:7].
This reveals something of how remarkable this man really was. He stirred the multitudes. He was a strange and a strong man, but his was a solo voice. Notice his humility. John the Baptist was an humble man.
I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost [Mark 1:8].
This is the great distinction between John and Jesus. The real baptism is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Ritual baptism is by water. Water baptism is very important today because it is a testimony. In the Gospel of Matthew we learned that the reason the Lord Jesus was baptized was actually to identify Himsfilf with mankind.
GOD THE FATHER IDENTIFIES THE SERVANT
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan [Mark 1:9].
Notice Mark’s headline—“JESUS CAME.” What a thrill! Jesus is coming again someday. That’s another wonderful headline. But here, the Lord Jesus came from the obscurity of thirty years of quiet training in little Nazareth. He comes now and identifies Himself with the human family in His baptism. You remember that Jesus had said to John, “… Suffer it to be so now …” (Matt. 3:15), because John didn’t think he should baptize Jesus.
Notice also that His name Jesus is used here. Jesus came. We will find that it is His common name that is used in this gospel. The name Jesus is used more frequently in Mark than any other name.
And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased [Mark 1:10–11].
Here we see the Trinity brought together in a very definite way. We see the Lord Jesus, the second Person of the Godhead; the Spirit of God who descends like a dove upon Him—the Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead; and the voice from heaven saying, “Thou art my beloved Son” is that of the Father, the first Person of the Godhead. So the Trinity is brought to our attention. And this, by the way, is heaven’s seal upon the Person and dedication of Jesus.
You will notice that things are happening very fast here. He is the Servant. John the Baptist is the one who introduces Him, and then God the Father identifies Him and puts His seal upon Him. Next the temptation will initiate Him.
THE TEMPTATION INITIATES THE SERVANT
And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness [Mark 1:12].
Driveth is a word of fierceness and seriousness. The Spirit of God moved Him right out into the wilderness that He might be tempted. This is something that is very important for us to see. We come again to that question: Can He do the job? Other men had failed; they couldn’t stand up under temptation. Adam failed. Noah got through the Flood, and then he miserably fell on his face. We saw that Abraham failed. Moses failed—he led the children of Israel out of Egypt, but he wasn’t permitted to enter the Promised Land. And poor David failed. So we see that the temptation initiates Him into His work.
And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him [Mark 1:13].
We do not have the detail given here that we find in Matthew and in Luke. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan. He was tempted during the whole forty days. Some people seem to have the impression that He fasted forty days and then Satan tempted Him. My friend, He was being tempted all the time.
Some people have the idea that He was there tempted of Satan and that the wild beasts more or less contributed to the temptation. Mark is saying here that He was with the wild beasts and the angels and they both ministered to Him. The beasts are a part of creation put under the dominion of man. That’s the reason God created these creatures. Remember in Genesis we learned that everything was a preparation to make a home for man. As far as we know, this earth is the only place in which there is mankind and which is habitable for man. Here, the beasts which were below the Man Christ Jesus ministered to Him, and the angels above Him ministered to Him. That is what Mark is saying here.
PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel [Mark 1:14–15].
After the temptation, we find Jesus beginning His ministry. Notice again Mark’s flaming headline: JESUS CAME. After John the Baptist was imprisoned, Jesus came into Galilee. He begins His ministry now, preaching the gospel of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”
“Of the kingdom” is not in the better manuscripts and I, personally, think it should be “preaching the gospel of God and saying, The time is fulfilled.” The gospel of God is that the kingdom of God is at hand. In Matthew it was the “kingdom of heaven.” Is there a distinction between the two? Yes, there is, and there is also an overlapping. The kingdom of heaven is God’s rule over the earth; the kingdom of God includes His entire universe, even beyond the bounds of this earth. So the kingdom of heaven is in the kingdom of God. Matthew is applying God’s rule specifically to this earth. Mark is reaching out and including a wider area because the kingdom of God includes the entire universe with all of His creatures. As far as the earth is concerned, to say “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” or “the kingdom of God is at hand” would be synonymous. But the kingdom of God would include regions beyond the earth while the kingdom of heaven means the reign of the heavens over the earth.
“Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” The message of Jesus is the same as the message of John the Baptist in Matthew’s gospel. “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). I believe that in our day, the message is really turned around—that is, we put faith before repentance. When you turn to Jesus Christ in faith, you are actually turning to Him from something else, and that turning from something is repentance. If there was not that turning from something, then apparently there was not a real turning to Christ. It is true that if there is a real turning to Christ, there will be a manifestation of a change in the life showing that the believer is turning from something. So there is no contradiction at all. The important thing is for the people to believe in the gospel.
We are seeing fast action here, but, remember, this gospel is written for the Romans who were men of action. They were men of power who ruled the world. Matthew is directed to the religious man. Mark was written to the strong man. Luke is addressed to the thinking man. The Gospel of John is directed to the wretched man, the man who needs salvation.
CALL OF DISCIPLES
Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him [Mark 1:16–20].
There were three separate and distinct calls made to the apostles:
1. In John 1:35–51 we are told that when Jesus went up to Jerusalem He met these men and gave them a general call, informal and casual. They wanted to know where He lived because John the Baptist had marked Him out, and some of John’s disciples followed Him. But they didn’t stay with Him—He didn’t ask them to at this time. They went back to their fishing in Galilee.
2. Now, we find here in Mark that at the beginning of His ministry, He walks along the sea and finds the disciples fishing, and He calls them to discipleship. They are to be “fishers of men.” However, we find in Luke 5:1–11 that again they went back to their fishing.
3. The final call was a call to apostleship. It is recorded in Mark 3; Matthew 10; and Luke 6. They had gone back to fishing, and Simon Peter said to Him, “… Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). What he is really saying is, “Why don’t you go and get somebody else. Let me alone because I have failed you so—I’m a sinful man.” But the Lord didn’t give him up; thank God for that. So the Lord came to them the third time and appointed them to apostleship.
MAN IN SYNAGOGUE
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught [Mark 1:21].
You will remember that when the religious leaders would question Him about what He did on the Sabbath day, He would make it very clear, “… My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). We are going to see that He didn’t work an eight-hour day—“Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4). This Sabbath day starts out early in the morning when He entered into the synagogue and taught. This synagogue in Capernaum was not a center of vital religion in that dav. It seems that He left Nazareth because His own people would not receive Him and He went down to Capernaum, which He made His headquarters all during His earthly ministry.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes [Mark 1:22].
Here we see the effect of the potency of truth and the manner of this Man. The criticism against the church today and against the ministry is that we do not speak with authority. The reason the ministry does not speak with authority is that we have lost our faith. When I say “we,” I do not mean I have lost my faith. I mean that, as a class, the ministry today does not attempt to preach and to teach the Word of God. There is a departure from the truth and a tremendous bifurcation between the pulpit and the Word of God. The synagogue offered nothing vital in that day, and as a result, when our Lord spoke, they were astonished at His doctrine.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God [Mark 1:23–24].
This first miracle in the Gospel of Mark is in the spiritual realm. Only God is in control in the spiritual realm; He is in control of the demons. There is a great deal of historical evidence that demonism was rampant in the entire Roman Empire. The only way demonism can be met is by the Lord Jesus because He, and He alone, is able to move in this realm. That is the reason Mark gives this as the first miracle. He brings this miracle first because if Jesus has power in this realm, then there are two things that are implied. First, He has power in any realm. Second, only God could do such a thing. This was a part of His credentials, you see. He had authority; He had power. He taught as One who had authority, and now He demonstrates that He has power.
If you are aware of what is taking place in our contemporary culture today, you recognize that Satan worship has become very prominent. There are things happening today in the realm of the occult that can be explained only on the basis that it is satanic and that it is supernatural. You cannot explain reasonably why young people today will leave homes where they are loved, join a vagrant band, and then go out and murder! That seems unbelievable. That’s satanic, friend. And we’re going to see actual demon possession if this continues.
Christian friend, there is only one way to deal with this, and that is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone can control the demons. That is the first miracle that is given to us in Mark.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him [Mark 1:25–27].
Notice, friend, He is demonstrating His power and His authority in His teaching and in His miracles and they cannot understand it. He has authority which they cannot comprehend.
PREACHING IN GALILEE
And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee [Mark 1:28].
Mark takes us on to the next incident which evidently took place the same day but sometime in the afternoon.
PETER’S WIFE’S MOTHER AND OTHERS HEALED
And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them [Mark 1:29–31].
She’s not called a mother-in-law, she’s called Simon’s wife’s mother. My own mother-in-law used to call this to my attention. She thought this was a nice way of saying it, and I’m sure it is. So here was another miracle which He performed that same day. Then we follow Him on into the evening.
And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils [demons] [Mark 1:32].
I am sure you recognize that “devils” in the King James Version should be translated demons. There is only one Devil, who is Satan, but there are many demons, as we shall see.
And all the city was gathered together at the door.
And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils [demons]; and suffered not the devils [demons] to speak, because they knew him [Mark 1:33–34].
Now Mark is doing precisely the same thing that Matthew did. He calls our attention to the fact that he tells us only very few incidents of Jesus’ healing. He literally healed hundreds and hundreds of people, but only a few isolated incidents are recorded for us.
It is interesting to note that the demon world recognized Him. They knew and believed who He was, and yet they are not saved, of course.
We’ve gone through a busy day with Him, and you would think that after such an exhausting Sabbath day, He would sleep late the next morning. But we read:
PREACHING IN GALILEE
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed [Mark 1:35].
I know a lot of preachers take Monday off after a busy Sunday. I don’t blame them for that. I formerly did it myself, but I haven’t done it for quite a few years now. No, we see Jesus rising up early to go to a solitary place to pray. What a lesson this is for us.
And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils [Mark 1:36–39].
This is the beginning of the gospel, you see, for by His teaching He is preparing them for that which is salvation; that is, His death and His resurrection. His teaching will not save you, friend, but rather it is His work on the cross that saves us.
Notice that He preached in their synagogues and cast out demons throughout all Galilee. He covers that entire territory in His three years of ministry.
Again we note that there was a great manifestation of demon power at this time. There are three such periods: one was during the time of Moses, one was during the time of Elijah, and one was during the time of our Lord here on earth.
We come, now, to the last miracle of the chapter. All of these have been hard cases, and they all have been different. This one is a leper. Leprosy was not incurable, as we see in Leviticus, but it was a disease that could be fatal. It was certainly a tragic disease as it deformed and mutilated the victim and barred him from society.
LEPER HEALED
And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean [Mark 1:40–41].
There is a tremendous psychological side to this miracle. One doesn’t touch a leper. This man hadn’t been touched in many years. Nor had he been able to touch anyone. I imagine his family brought out the food and drink for him, left it, and after they had retired he would come up and get it. He probably could wave to them, but he could never come to them again, never hold them in his arms, never touch them. But now the Lord touches this man, and He cleanses him!
And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them [Mark 1:42–44].
The cleansing of a leper was to follow a Mosaic ritual. Our Lord did not break the Mosaic Law.
But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter [Mark 1:45].
This man, instead of keeping quiet about it, went out and published it. If you want to get a thing out, publish it, put it in the paper or on the radio. That’s what this man did. To “blaze” abroad means to set something on fire like a forest fire. Friends, if you are having trouble getting your neighbors to listen to you, just set your place on fire! I can assure you that the whole neighborhood will come around you.
Some years ago I was holding meetings in a church in Prescott, Arizona, and I jokingly remarked to the preacher, “If you want to get a crowd here this week, set the place on fire.” Do you know that when I was preaching on Sunday night he got up, walked out in the Sunday School department, came back in, pushed me aside, and said, “Friends, the church is on fire.” He asked them to file out in an orderly way, and by then we could hear the sirens and the fire engines coming. Now I tell you, we had a good crowd all week. The announcement of the meeting had been on the back pages of the newspaper, but on Monday, it was on the front page with the account of the fire at the church and the assurance that the meetings would go on. So the crowds came all week. After that I facetiously recommended to every preacher who was going to hold meetings that he set the place on fire! That’s one way to get a crowd.
So this healed man blazed abroad the news. He disobeyed our Lord, however. I used to go over after I had finished preaching, to help preach for a black man, a very wonderful preacher in Texas. I got over there one evening before he had finished preaching, and I want to tell you, he said one of the wisest things I’ve heard about this. Preaching on this section of the Gospel of Mark, he said, “The Lord told him not to tell anybody and he told everybody. He tells us to tell everybody and we tell nobody.” I thought that was good. I want to say, friend, the disobedience of this cleansed leper is not as bad as our disobedience today. We are to tell everybody and we tell nobody.
However, because he blazed abroad the news, the crowds came, and our Lord had to withdraw from Capernaum for a time.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Palsied man let down through roof; call of disciples; no fasting with the bridegroom present; new cloth on old garment; new wine in old bottles; the Sabbath
Chapter 2 is another chapter filled with action. It is really a continuation of chapter 1, beginning with that marvelous connective “and” that Mark uses so often. It’s the little word that is the cement that holds this gospel together. It always joins what has gone before with what is to follow.
PALSIED MAN LET DOWN THROUGH ROOF
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house [Mark 2:1].
We see that He entered into Capernaum after some days. As we have said before, He had moved His headquarters from His hometown of Nazareth down to Capernaum. The best I can tell is that Capernaum remained the headquarters for our Lord’s earthly ministry of three years.
We saw in chapter 1 that He had to withdraw into desert places because the leper whom He had healed didn’t obey what Jesus had requested him to do, but had gone out and told everyone. So then the crowds pushed upon Him and our Lord couldn’t do His work.
This is one of several reasons why the Lord Jesus did not come as a thaumaturgist, a wonder worker. He didn’t want that to be the thing that would characterize Him. He didn’t want this man and others to tell about His miracles because He had come for a spiritual ministry. He had come to die upon the cross for the sins of the world. This type of publicity obscures the gospel.
Very candidly, and I want to be fair and frank, one of the reasons that I object so vociferously today to these people who put the emphasis on healing or tongues or something like that is that, even if these were gifts for this age in which we are living, it is getting the cart before the horse. Someone said to me some time ago, “Well, Dr. McGee, So-and-So preaches the gospel, just like you do, and he has a healing ministry too.” Yes, but is he known for preaching the gospel? Is that the reason people go to the meetings? Do they go to hear the gospel to be saved, or is the emphasis upon healing or some other emotional experience? I think we need to whittle this down to a very fine point. Our business is primarily to preach the gospel. We see here in Mark’s gospel that our Lord was hindered so much because of this sensation over the leper that He left Capernaum for a while (we don’t know for how long) and then came back again.
When He came back, it says it was noised that He was in the house. The little Greek word the is really an adjective in the Greek and it is so declined. It is a modifier to the word house and refers to a very definite, particular house. So the question is: Which house is mentioned in the first chapter of this gospel? In the first chapter we are told that after He had been to the synagogue that morning, He entered into the house of Simon and Andrew. This leads us to believe that when these fellows start taking off the roof, they are taking the roof off Simon Peter’s house! It’s hard to imagine Peter being docile and standing aside to let them do it. Not Simon Peter! I have a notion that he even threatened them with the police. It was his house.
The word got around that our Lord had come back to Capernaum and that He was at Simon Peter’s house.
And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them [Mark 2:2].
The ministry of our Lord was to preach the Word of God, and that is the emphasis that we feel should be made today. It is the emphasis upon the Word of God, upon the integrity and inerrancy of the Word of God. My prayer for myself in this connection is, “Oh, God, give me more confidence in the Word of God.” I see what it is doing today in hearts and lives, and I know what it has done for me. As a result, I should have even more confidence than I have. I’ll be very frank with you; sometimes I wonder whether it is going to have any influence in any heart or life. I must confess that I don’t have the faith that I should have. We must remember that this is the Word of God and it will never return unto Him void (Isa. 55:11). So I rejoice to read here that our Lord preached the Word unto them.
Now our attention is directed to another group. It consists of a little delegation of five. They are coming down the dusty road to Capernaum.
And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay [Mark 2:3–4].
Our attention is directed to this little group of five and this is how they look. One man is sick with the palsy, poor fellow. He couldn’t even have made it there because he’s in that stretcher. The other four make a kind of quartet, one at each corner of the stretcher. And here they come. They can’t get in because of the crowd which actually fills the doors and the windows.
Now, I’ve found in church work today that the thing that is done more than anything else is to designate committees. The committee is what the pastor of a church often depends on. Church work, today, is done largely by the committees of various organizations. Someone has said that a committee is made up of those who take down minutes and waste hours. Another has said that a committee is made up of a group of people who individually can do nothing, but together they can decide that nothing can be done. And that is generally what they do.
If they did it like we do it, this little group had a committee. They had a door committee who came up and looked around and then went back and said. “You can’t get in the door.” Then they had the window committee who went up and looked around and came back and said, “You can’t get in a window.” Fortunately, they had a roof committee, and the roof committee came back and said, “We think we can get him down through the roof.” So, maybe, if you have enough committees, there will be one that will function.
Anyway, they decided to let him down through the roof, and so these men tackle the job of taking off the roof. When they get him down into the presence of Christ, I think they are embarrassed because they see they have broken up the meeting. You can imagine what it did for the meeting in progress! We have no notion what the Lord was teaching on this occasion, but it came to a sudden halt. But our Lord must have looked at them and smiled—I’m almost sure that He did.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee [Mark 2:5].
Whose faith? It was the faith of these men. That disturbed me for quite a few years whenever I looked at this verse. It seemed to me that it was the faith of these men that was responsible for his being saved. “Thy sins be forgiven thee.” But as I studied it, I realized that it was not their faith that saved him.
It’s wonderful to have a godly mother, but you are not going to heaven tied to your mamma’s apron strings. It’s wonderful to have a godly father, but your godly father won’t save you. You will have to exert faith yourself. You must be the believing one. On closer examination we see that it is not the faith of these four men that saved this man. It was the faith of these men that brought him to the place where he could hear the Lord Jesus deal with him individually and personally. “When Jesus saw their faith” means their faith to bring the palsied man to Him. When He saw this, then He dealt personally with the man and said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
What we need in the church today is stretcher-bearers—men and women with that kind of faith to go out and bring in the unsaved so they can hear the gospel. There are many people today who are paralyzed with a palsy of sin, a palsy of indifference, or a palsy of prejudice. A great many people are not going to come into church where the gospel is preached unless you take a corner of the stretcher and bring them in. That’s what these men did. They had the faith to bring this poor man to hear the Lord Jesus deal with him personally and say, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? [Mark 2:6–7]
Here’s the enemy and they don’t speak out but just think their thoughts. In their thinking, they are wrong on the first question, but they are right in the second question. This Man was not speaking blasphemies. But it is true that only God can forgive sin.
No judge has any right to let a criminal off. His business is to enforce the law. God is the moral ruler of this universe, and He must defend His own laws. God cannot be lawless. He can’t be, because He is righteous. Having made the laws, He obeys those laws, and His laws are inexorable. They are not changed at all, and by them you and I are guilty before God. We need forgiveness of our sins and He does forgive. Let us never make the mistake of thinking He forgives because He is big-hearted. He forgives us because Christ paid the penalty for our sins! The Lord Jesus was not speaking blasphemies—He is God. And He could forgive sins because He came to this earth to provide a salvation for you and me and for the man with the palsy.
And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? [Mark 2:8].
These men didn’t speak out, you see, but they thought this in their hearts. He tries to draw them out, but these men had had a run-in with Him before and they had always come away with a bloody nose. So they decided the best thing to do here was to keep quiet, and they did. So our Lord said to them,
xWhether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? [Mark 2:9].
By the way, they’re not about to answer that one at all. They’re quiet and since they are quiet, He is still going to deal with them. He knew what they were thinking. In John 2:25 it says: “ [Jesus] … needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” Now the Lord Jesus really puts them on the spot. Is it easier to forgive the sins of this man or to make him arise and walk? Even though they didn’t answer, I’m sure they would have said it is just as impossible to do one as the other. Only God could do either. That answer is right and that is why the Lord Jesus told the man to take up his bed and walk.
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house [Mark 2:10–11].
An old Scottish commentator said that the reason He told the man to take up his bed and walk was because he would not have a relapse. He wouldn’t be back on that bed, and he wouldn’t be coming back to the stretcher. He’s going to walk from now on. When our Lord healed, He did a good job of it.
And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; in-somuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion [Mark 2:12].
You see, this is a gospel of action and here is one of the miracles of action.
And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him [Mark 2:13–14].
CALL OF DISCIPLES
We have continuing action here, although this is not a miracle. We see a lot of action in this gospel.
This is the call of Levi, or Matthew. Matthew, by the way, belonged to the tribe of Levi. Imagine that! He belonged to the priestly tribe and here he has become a publican, of all things. And, by the way, this should answer the question about the ten lost tribes. This is one of the many places where we find an individual who belongs to another tribe besides Judah. When anyone tries to say there are the ten lost tribes today, they must be on an Easter-egg hunt. Friend, those tribes were not lost. Here is one of them right here, a man of the tribe of Levi becoming one of the disciples of our Lord. Our Lord is calling him here in this remarkable incident. You may remember that Matthew, in his gospel record, told us nothing about the fact that he gave a great dinner and invited some of his friends—the only kind of friends he had were sinners, by the way.
And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? [Mark 2:15–16].
Did you notice that three times here the statement is made that the guests there were publicans and sinners? Apparently there wasn’t a I good man on the list. None of the elite of the town were there. Notice that the publicans come ahead of the sinners. These were the tax collectors of that day.
When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance [Mark 2:17].
That is a tremendous answer. You don’t call for the doctor when everybody is well. It’s when you are sick that you want the doctor to come over. The Lord Jesus said that He hadn’t come to call the righteous but to call sinners. The reason He said that, actually, was because there were only sinners there. There was only one kind of folk there that day. There was no righteous person there, by any means, but the Pharisees thought they were!
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? [Mark 2:18].
They were under the Law, but under the Law there was no instruction given for fasting. God had given seven feasts for His people, not fast days.
NO FASTING WITH THE BRIDEGROOM PRESENT
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
But the days will come, when the bride-groom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days [Mark 2:19–20].
What He is saying to them is that it is more important to be related to Him and to have fellowship with Him than it is to fast. It is the same today, friend. It is one thing to be religious and to put up a front, but it’s another thing to enjoy fellowship with the Lord Jesus and to love Him.
NEW CLOTH ON OLD GARMENT—NEW WINE IN OLD BOTTLES
No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles [Mark 2:21–22].
The Lord is giving two illustrations about this new life of love and fellowship with Him. He is saying that He did not come to polish up the Law. He didn’t come to add to the Mosaic system. He didn’t come to add a refinement or a development to it. He came to do something new. He didn’t come to patch up an old garment but to give us a new garment.
Under the Law men worked, and their works were like an old moth-eaten garment. Our Lord came to provide a new robe of righteousness that comes down onto a sinner who will trust Christ. This will enable him to stand before Almighty God. This is the glorious, wonderful thing that He is saying here, friend. Our Lord didn’t come to extend or project the Law of the Old Testament system or of religion. He came to introduce something new. And that which is new will be the fact that He will die for the sins of the world. New wine goes into new wine skins. A new garment goes onto a new man. That robe of righteousness comes down on one who through faith has become a son of God. This is a tremendous thing!
THE SABBATH
In the last part of this chapter we come to a Sabbath day in the fields. Then in chapter 3, it begins with the Sabbath day inside the synagogue. We see these two incidents in Matthew and in Luke. It is very important because it was on this question of the Sabbath day that He broke with the religious rulers. From this time on, they sought His death.
He claims in this incident that He is the Lord of the Sabbath day. In the synagogue, He does good on the Sabbath day. The question, of course, arises: Did He really break the Sabbath in either instance? When He healed the poor man with the withered hand, did He break the Sabbath law? Absolutely He did not. He came to fulfill the Law. But here we find that He is giving an interpretation of this. He reveals that He is the Lord of the Sabbath day, and that doing good was the thing that was all important.
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn [Mark 2:23].
The “corn” is the Greek sporima, meaning sown fields of grain. It may have been barley, or it could have been wheat. The disciples were plucking the grain and eating, which the Pharisees interpreted as harvesting grain and threshing it on the Sabbath. The Law permitted people to pull the grain. We read in Deuteronomy 23:24–25: “When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.” Actually, they were following the Law. If they had put in a sickle, they would have been harvesting. But the Pharisees had put their own interpretation to it and would, therefore, interpret the action as breaking the Law.
And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? [Mark 2:24–25].
He did not insist that they had not broken the Sabbath. Actually, He refused to argue the issue with them. Now He goes into the life of David, their king, and He cites an incident in the life of David where he had definitely broken the Mosaic Law and was justified. You see, the letter of the Law was not to be imposed when it wrought hardship upon one God’s servants who was attempting to serve Him. And that, of course, is the story concerning David, and our Lord uses that illustration
How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath [Mark 2:26–28].
This is a great principle in respect to the Sabbath day and its meaning. The Law was really made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Another great principle is, that the Lord Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. Both those things are very important. By the way, I have a little booklet entitled, The Sabbath Day or the Lord’s Day, Which? This is a very important question today. Remember that we are not under the old Mosaic system concerning the Sabbath day because it was a part of the covenant between the nation Israel and God (Exod. 31:12–17).
This Sabbath incident in the field and the Sabbath incident which we find at the beginning of chapter 3 should go together; so even though there is a chapter break in the Bible, let us go right on in our study of the incidents that relate to the Sabbath day.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Man with withered hand; many healed by Sea of Galilee; unclean spirits by Sea of Galilee; call of disciples; scribes charge that He casts out demons by Beelzebub; new relationship
This chapter continues the Sabbath day discussion which led to a final break with the religious rulers.
It is obvious from this chapter that Jesus healed multitudes whose stories could be recorded separately, like that of the man let down through the roof. Mark impresses us in this chapter, not by placing the microscope down on certain incidents, but by letting us look through the telescope at the multitudes He healed. This raises the question as to the number that Jesus probably dealt with personally. Any attempt to compute the number would be mere speculation. Evidently Mark would have us believe that it was extensive.
MAN WITH WITHERED HAND
And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him [Mark 3:1–2].
The question arises here: was this man, this cripple, planted there purposely? I think the answer is absolutely yes. The other incident was out in the fields, the Sabbath in the corn fields, and that was a secular spot. Here it is the Sabbath in the synagogue and this is a sacred spot. The Lord Jesus had been healing the multitudes. They knew that, if they planted this crippled man right in the way of our Lord, Jesus would heal him when He came into the synagogue. Actually, what they did was a compliment to the Lord Jesus. They knew He was compassionate. But, of course, they were interested in being able to say that He broke the Sabbath by healing the man on the Sabbath day. So I believe the man was placed there, and we are told that the enemy was there, watching.
Our Lord’s enemies are beginning to watch for some little flimsy excuse whereby they might bring a charge against Him. And they are not going to have long to wait, because notice what He did.
And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth [Mark 3:3].
The Lord is going to do something here. I think maybe the Wycliffe translation is better here: “Rise, come into the midst and stand there.” In other words, He asked this man to come and stand in the midst because He wants to say something.
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace [Mark 3:4].
They had learned not to answer Him because they always got into trouble when they did.
And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other [Mark 3:5].
Now the Lord Jesus broke through all of this red tape of their traditions, and He got to the heart of God’s purpose in giving the Sabbath day to Israel originally. They wouldn’t answer Him because they knew they would incriminate themselves. Notice that here the Lord Jesus looks around with anger. You can put it down in your memory that Jesus could get angry.
Dr. Graham Scroggie notes that the word for “anger” here is in the aorist tense in the Greek and it carries the sense of momentary anger. The Greek word for “grieve” here is used in the present tense in the sense of a continuing grief. So what we find here is this: “When He had looked round about on them with anger”—just a flash of anger, not a grudge or with malice aforethought. But “being grieved for the hardness of their hearts” was something that He carried with Him. He always had that awful grief because of the hardness of their hearts.
Jesus heals the man. It was the Sabbath; but because the Sabbath is made for man and because He is the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day. The incident in the last part of chapter 2 and this incident must be considered together. These two incidents brought about the break with the religious rulers.
MANY HEALED BY SEA OF GALILEE
And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him [Mark 3:6].
Because of these two incidents, both pertaining to the Sabbath day, these bloodhounds of hate got on His trail and they never let up until they folded their arms beneath the cross of Christ. This is the beginning of a plan and plot to put Him to death.
But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,
And from Jerusalem, and from ldumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him [Mark 3:7–8].
You will notice people are coming from various areas now and are following Him. Our Lord withdrew tactfully at this time because as He said, “… mine hour is not yet come.” (John 2:4). Later on He did move into the face of all the opposition in Jerusalem, but now He withdraws and the crowd follows Him. If you note these places and look them up on a map, you will find they cover that entire area. From all these places folk are coming to hear the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now He is in another danger. This time it is not from the religious rulers because they are afraid of the crowd. He is in danger of being overwhelmed by the mob. You know today that a celebrity has to be protected from the mob—so notice what Jesus does.
And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues [Mark 3:9–10].
The crowds were not only hindering Him but were actually endangering Him. They were pressing in from every side. And we’re told that He healed many. You can’t reduce “many” to round figures, but many means many. The Gospels relate to us only a few of the specific examples of His healing of “many.” The desperation of the people is also significant. You know, friends, the human family is a needy family. We all belong to this family.
UNCLEAN SPIRITS BY SEA OF GALILEE
And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known [Mark 3:11–12].
Now we see that the unclean spirits acknowledged Him. We’re going to hold that subject for a little later because I want to put an emphasis at the right time upon the matter of demon possession. We are seeing that again today in what is known as Satan worship, and there is a great deal of that going on today. But we see that He did not want the testimony of the underworld. The demons acknowledged who He was, but He didn’t want their testimony.
CALL OF DISCIPLES
We now begin to see the sovereign purpose of God in choosing and ordaining the twelve apostles.
And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him [Mark 3:13].
This is something I would have you note. He does the choosing here. Whether we like it or not, He does the choosing. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (John 15:16). It is not irreverent to say that since He chose them and they did not choose Him, He’s responsible for them. That’s a real comfort to know. God has saved you, begun a good work in you, and He’s going to stick right with you, friend. He’s going to see you through. That is what this means. And when the Lord Jesus calls, they respond.
And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils [Mark 3:14–15].
This is His final call to the apostles. Here is where they actually become apostles, and here is where they are sent out on a ministry set apart for Him. They are also set apart from Him in that He will not go with them physically. Mark does not furnish the details here, but in Matthew 10:5–42 there is recorded for us the message and method for them at this particular time.
In verses 16 through 19 the names of the apostles are listed. I would like to run through the list of the twelve: 1. Simon Peter (He is the first in all the lists of the apostles.); 2. James, son of Zebedee; 3. John, the brother of James; 4. Andrew, brother of Simon Peter (He is customarily listed with his brother.); 5. Philip; 6. Bartholomew, (also called Nathanael); 7. Matthew; 8. Thomas; 9. James the less, son of Alphaeus; 10. Thaddaeus, who is also called Lebbaeus and Jude; 11. Simon, the Canaanite; and 12. Judas Iscariot.
I have a book called Marching Through Mark in which I compare the lists of apostles as they are given in the four Gospels and in the Book of Acts. It is interesting to make this comparison of how they are listed and the different names that are used. These are the men that He chose.
And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself [Mark 3:20–21].
Mark will impress us how busy Jesus really was. Note the reaction of His friends. If a man devotes his life to some noble but earthly cause, he is applauded. The musician, the athlete, the businessman, the artist, the statesman who gives himself to his work is recognized for his total devotion. But if a man gives himself in total dedication to the cause of God, he is branded as a fanatic.
SCRIBES CHARGE THAT HE CASTS OUT DEMONS BY BEELZEBUB
And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils [Mark 3:22].
Beelzebub was a heathen deity to whom the Jews ascribed supremacy among evil spirits.
And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end [Mark 3:23–26].
What He is saying is simply this: He could not be casting out demons by the power of the demons for the very simple reason that then a house would be divided against itself.
No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house [Mark 3:27].
You first have to bind a strong man before you can rob his house. And that is the truth here. The Lord Jesus is not doing this by the power of Satan because then Satan would be divided and would be against himself.
Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit [Mark 3:28–30].
That was the unpardonable sin then. It could not be committed today in that way. To begin with they have Him, the second Person of the Godhead, present with them, and they accuse Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub when He is doing it by the power of the Holy Spirit. So they were actually rejecting the works of two Persons of the Godhead, the testimony of the Son and the testimony of the Holy Spirit. They were expressing an attitude of unbelief which was permanent rejection of Christ. They were resisting the Holy Spirit. That was unpardonable.
It is impossible to commit an unpardonable sin today—if by that you mean one can commit a sin today, come under conviction because of it tomorrow, come to God in repentance, and He would not forgive you. You see, Christ died for all sin, not just some sin. He didn’t die for all sin but one, the unpardonable sin. There is no such thing as being able to commit a sin today that He will not forgive. The attitude and state of the unbeliever is unpardonable—not the act. When a man blasphemes with his mouth, that is not the thing that condemns him; it is the attitude of his heart, which is a permanent condition—unless he stops resisting. This is the sin against the Holy Spirit: to resist the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in the heart and life.
NEW RELATIONSHIP
There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother [Mark 3:31–35].
The half brothers of Jesus—James and Jude—both wrote Epistles, and they never mention that Jesus was their half brother. You see, anyone who is in Christ Jesus is closer to Him than His physical mother and His physical brothers were in that day. That is the reason He could look around and say that these “are closer kin to Me than even My mother and My brothers.” The important thing is to be rightly related to God in Christ Jesus by having received Him as Savior, which gives us the right of being the sons of God. That is bringing us wonderfully close to Him, my friend.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The Sower; candle and bushel; seed growing; mustand seed stills the storm
In this chapter of Mark we find several parables and then the miracle of stopping the storm. This has all been in the Gospel of Matthew, except for one particular parable, which is given here that is not found in Matthew, and it is the only part that makes it different and outstanding, as we shall see. First we find the parable of the sower as a declaration and then we have the exposition of the parable of the sower. This is followed by other parables and then one miracle.
We said in the beginning of the Gospel of Mark that this is a gospel of action; yet here the emphasis is upon parables with only one miracle. But you will notice that the parables which Mark gives are parables of action. Each one of these parables is really a very moving thing. That’s why we titled our booklet on Mark, Marching Through Mark. The emphasis is still upon action, even when Mark is giving the parables.
And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land [Mark 4:1].
Matthew gives us quite an emphasis at this point for he says that Jesus went out of the house and He entered into a ship on the sea. This action as recorded by Matthew is very symbolic. The house generally illustrates the house of Israel, and the seas represent the nations of the Gentiles. His very action is that He turns from His people and He goes to the world. That actually is the background of these parables, and they need to be looked at in the context of global situations. I think this is very important for us to see.
These took place, by the way, during the height of His ministry. He was very busy, the pressure was upon Him, and He was physically weary. In fact, He was so tired, as we shall see in this chapter, that He fell asleep in the ship at sea. He was asleep because He was weary.
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine [Mark 4:2].
Jesus adopted the use of parables as a way to teach the people many things. At this point He is about halfway through His three years of ministry. He had used certain symbolic illustrations before, such as telling the woman at the well about the water of life; He had told His disciples that He would make them fishers of men and that the fields were white unto harvest. Also He had talked about salt and light and foundations of rock and sand in the Sermon on the Mount. But these are not parables. Now He has adopted the parabolic method and tells the parable of the sower.
THE SOWER
Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit [Mark 4:3–4].
These are the three areas where the seeds fell and they represent the unsaved that do not accept the gospel. They do not accept the Word of God. Their lives are like the wayside where the birds devour the seed—the Devil takes away the Word. Others are like the stony ground where the sun withers it because there is no depth of soil for it. On the thorny ground the thorns choke it.
But then there is the good ground.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred [Mark 4:8].
Now here we have only a fourth of it falling on good ground, which represents the ones who are saved, the ones who receive the Word. But there are different degrees of fruit-bearing here: thirty, sixty, and an hundredfold. You remember that the Lord said to His own in that Upper Room Discourse as He was going out on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane, “I am the genuine vine.” Then He told them that He wanted them to bring forth fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. There are three degrees of fruit-bearing in those who are His own in that instance, just as we find three degrees in this parable.
And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear [Mark 4:9].
He puts up a danger signal. It’s like the “Stop—Look—Listen” sign at a railroad crossing. Even so, it is obvious some missed it because we find in the next verse:
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them [Mark 4:10–12].
There were obviously some who didn’t understand the parable at all. When they ask Him, He answers with these verses that have a certain degree of ambiguity. Let me give you an explanation that might be helpful. The reason that Jesus resorted to parables from this point to the end of His ministry is arresting. His enemies rejected His teachings, and the multitudes had become indifferent to spiritual truths. They were actively interested in His miracles but not in the spiritual application. He now resorts to the use of parables to enlist their interest. The antagonistic attitude of His enemies and the lethargy, indifference and incomprehension of the multitudes necessitated a change to the use of parables so that those who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled and those who wanted spiritual truth could have their eyes opened.
We find the same thought in the second chapter of 1 Corinthians, where Paul writes: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Then he goes on in verse 13, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:9–10, 13–14).
This is a great principle that Paul put down, and it is still applicable today. We can use every means to try to get people to understand spiritual truth, but they must want to understand them before these things can be made real to them. I would like to make this statement: If a person’s heart and eyes are open and he wants to know, then the Spirit of God is going to bring in the great truth to his heart. He will make these things quite real and living for that person.
We sometimes use the expression—I know I say it rather carelessly—that you’ll be lost if you do not accept Christ as your Savior. That is not really the truth, friend. The truth is that you are already lost. The point that should be accurately stated is that you will continue to be lost if you do not receive Christ as your Savior. You’re not on trial, my friend. If you are a lost person, you are lost. Now it is your reaction and reception to the Word of God that is going to determine whether you will be saved or not. Will you accept Him as your Savior?
Somebody may say that this is beginning to move into a philosophical realm and this is not reality. This is asking a person to do something that is rather spooky, rather superstitious. I don’t think it is at all, my friend. Let me illustrate it.
Mrs. McGee and I were down in Florida and found that we had bought tickets from an airline that was out on strike. We had to go back to Los Angeles on another airline, but we could use our original tickets. When I called the girl at the airport, she was able to confirm the fact that we had tickets with the airline that was on strike, and she assured us our tickets were good, our plane would leave the next morning at a certain time, and we should get to the airport about thirty minutes ahead of that time. You know, friends, I have never met this girl—not even to this good day—but I believed her. Mrs. McGee and I were there at the airport the next morning. Our tickets were good. The plane was there and we boarded it. We believed every bit of the information about that plane, and don’t try to tell me that plane was not a reality. In just such a way God has given His Word. He asks you to trust Christ.
God’s Word is the seed that falls. What kind of soil are you today? Are you the one with the thorns so the seed falls by the wayside or on thorny ground? Or does God’s Word fall on good ground? That is the important thing. All of us are lost, and it is our reception of the Word of God that determines whether we are saved or whether we remain lost.
Now He gives the exposition of the parable up through verse 20.
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred [Mark 4:13–20].
I’ll go over it quickly. The sower is the Son of Man and the seed is the Word of God. The birds by the wayside are Satan. The stony-ground hearers are those who let affliction and persecution turn them from God. That is the flesh, and many people today are letting the flesh keep them from God. Then there are the thorny-ground hearers, those who let the cares of the world distract them. That is the world today. So many people today are letting the world shut them out from God. Then the good-ground hearers are those who are converted genuinely by the Word of God. They bring forth only percentages of fruit and only one third of these bring forth an hundredfold. So we see that we have here a parable with real action.
CANDLE AND BUSHEL
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad [Mark 4:21–22].
What we have here is a parable of the candle and its action. Light creates responsibility. A man who receives the truth must act. We are held responsible to the degree to which we have had light given us. The light is shining, and your response to the light is all important. The point is, you and I were in darkness until the light of the gospel got through to us. We get the impression that man is a sinner because of his weakness or because of his ignorance. But Paul says very candidly (in Rom. 1) that men, when they knew God, glorified Him not as God. Man is a willful sinner. That’s the kind of sinners all of us are, and the light that comes in will create a responsibility. We are lost, and if we do not accept the Light, if we do not accept Him, we remain lost.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear [Mark 4:23].
This is action. God demands this action. Faith is action. Faith is acting upon what God has said. How important that is today.
I come back to the illustration of our plane trip. You must act on the fact that you have a ticket. You must believe and trust that there is a plane and that it is going to carry you right to the place you wish to go. But just sitting there in the airport believing it won’t get you there. You must believe it enough to board the plane. That is what it means to believe.
SEED GROWING
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come [Mark 4:26–29].
Here is an unusual parable that our Lord gave and only Mark records it. It is another parable of action. It is about the “kingdom of God.” Remember that I said the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are two terms that are used. Actually, here they are synonymous, but the kingdom of God is not identical with the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of God is the larger term including the whole universe; the kingdom of heaven is God’s rule over the earth, which is, of course, in the kingdom of God. For instance, the state of California is in the United States, but it is not the United States. It is in it. So when I am in California, I am also in the United States.
Our Lord talks about the growing of the seed here. Even today we still don’t know too much about the growing of a seed into a plant, then producing fruit. It is a mystery to this day. This is another parable of power and action. The old bromide is true: “Great oaks from little acorns grow.” After all of the years of scientific progress, there is not much more men can add to this. The label of osmosis adds little to our understanding, although the reservoir of knowledge has been increased.
During the month of March I traveled by train from Atlanta, Georgia, to Los Angeles, California. Spring had already come to the southern section of our country. Trees were budding, flowers were blooming—the azaleas in Mississippi were gorgeous, and the farmers everywhere were plowing and planting. No one could tell just what was happening, but everyone was reacting to it and accepting it with full enjoyment and happy anticipation of the future harvest. Tremendous power was being released in nature as nitrogen took on the garment of green. If God let it go at once it would make a hydrogen bomb sound like a Chinese firecracker.
This parable illustrates the power of the Word of God working in our hearts and lives. What a marvelous parable it is.
Now we have the third parable about seed in this chapter.
MUSTARD SEED
And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples [Mark 4:30–34].
Mustard is not food; it is a condiment. And the growth of a mustard seed into a tree is unnatural. This pictures the outward growth of Christendom into great organizations, big churches, large programs, all produced by human energy and not by the Holy Spirit. The birds in the branches are not even good. They represent Satan.
STILLS THE STORM
Now we find here that when our Lord leaves off teaching, they go out into the sea. He wants a rest because He’s tired. He goes to sleep. And then we find this miracle of His quieting the sea.
And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? [Mark 4:35–41].
Do you know what made them fear? It was not so much the fact that He quieted the storm but that it responded immediately. It just leveled out; there was a sudden calm. This miracle was so great that it made these men afraid.
What a wonderful lesson we learn here. He puts us into the storms of life in order that we might grow closer to Him and that we might know Him better.
Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea:
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rocks and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee—
Jesus, Savior, pilot me!
“Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me”—Edward Hooper
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Demoniac of Gadara; woman with issue of blood; daughter of Jairus raised from dead (supernatural)
We come now to one of the most important chapters in the Gospel of Mark. I’m sure some of you are smiling now, because I think I say that about every chapter we study. Well, every chapter is the most important chapter when you are studying it! But this one is important because the Gospel of Mark is a gospel of action. There are more of the miracles given in this gospel than in any other, and in this chapter there are three outstanding miracles related. They could be performed only by the hand of Omnipotence. That is why I think this is a remarkable chapter.
Let me say just a word today about demon possession. We promised it on several occasions in Matthew, and when we began Mark we said that we’d have something a little more detailed to say concerning it. This is the place.
DEMONIAC OF GADARA
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes [Mark 5:1].
Our Lord had taught on the other side and had given them parables. He was weary and so had crossed the sea. The Gadarenes were the inhabitants of Gadara, and this is the land that was given to the tribe of Gad on the east side of the Jordan River, Remember, Gad chose the wrong side of Jordan. They were the ones who stayed on the east side, and now we find them in the pig business. You see, when you start away from God, you just keep going away from Him.
And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit [Mark 5:2].
He’s “a man,” a human being. Note that first of all and write it down. He is in a desperate condition, but he is still a man. That is what the Lord Jesus saw—a man. In spite of his condition, Jesus saw the man. His conduct suggests that the man was a maniac. Notice what it says about him.
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones [Mark 5:3–5].
This is a desperate case of a man possessed with this unclean spirit. He dwelt, which means he settled down, among the tombs. This is where he lived; this was his ghetto. The tombs were unclean places. The dead were there, and sometimes the bodies were exposed. He no longer enjoyed the society of normal men but he lived among the dead. We find from Matthew that there was another man, but Mark and Luke center on this one. We gather that the other man was no companion to this man, nor, of course, were the dead any company to him. He was alone. Yet we are told that he possessed superhuman power; so they could not bind him. Just because a man demonstrates power which is supernatural does not prove that God gave it to him. This case is a typical example. He was a wild man; no one could confine him. He was miserable. He suffered great physical harm which he inflicted on himself. He’s a creature of pathos and pity, and on the human plane he is a hopeless case. He’s inarticulate and just crying out. What an awful condition! And all due to demon possession!
But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit [Mark 5:6–8].
It was the man who worshiped Him, not the demon. He was afraid of Jesus. He suffered from what I suppose would be called spiritual schizophrenia, a split personality. Sometimes it is the man and sometimes it is the demon speaking. In verse 7 it literally says, “What is there to thee and me?” That is, “What have we in common?” This poor man—possessed by demons!
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many [Mark 5:9].
The answer of this man is baffling but it’s not bad grammar. He says, “My name is ….” indicating that the man was trying to speak, but then the demons take over and they say, “We are many.”
And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea [Mark 5:10–13].
There is a tremendous occurrence presented to us here. The demons made a very peculiar request. They preferred swine to the abyss. The permission of Jesus here has been severely criticized by men who are liberal in their theology. Their objection has been that He would not destroy the swine, as the “gentle Jesus” wouldn’t do things like that. That’s nonsense, of course. I was having breakfast in Chicago with a man who had gone into liberalism. I had known him in school, and he had been sound then, but the way he was talking about Jesus and describing Him was totally fictitious. And he used this illustration, saying he didn’t believe Jesus would destroy swine because that was such a terrible thing. Well, to begin with, these people shouldn’t have been in the pig business. The Mosaic Law forbade it. And then I reminded this fellow that the two thousand pigs destroyed here were insignificant compared to the pigs that were destroyed in the Flood at the time of Noah. And the third interesting thing was that as we were having breakfast together, he was eating bacon. “Oh, my!” I said to him, “I wish the little piggie that you are eating this morning were here to tell you what he thinks of you, for you weep like the walrus and the carpenter.” (You remember, they just kept on eating the oysters but they wept because there was a lot of sand, not because they were eating the oysters. They wept for the wrong thing.) Well, I think we have a lot of that type of thinking about us ty.
Now let me come back and say some things about this matter of demon possession:
1. Not only Mark but all of the Scriptures bear definite witness to the reality of demons. For those who accept the authority of Scripture, there must be an acceptance of the reality of demons.
2. They were especially evident during the ministry of Jesus but, of course, were not confined to that period. By the way, we’re living in a day right now when there is a resurgence and a manifestation of demonism again. Many illustrations of this could be given.
3. For some strange reason they seek to indwell mankind. They seek to manifest their evil nature through human beings. They are extremely restless. This description is clear. “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out” (Luke 11:24). Is this not the characteristic of all evil, even evil men? There is the restlessness of seeking expression of the evil nature.
Good spirits never seek to take possession of men. The Holy Spirit is the one exception, and He only indwells believers. But as truly as He indwells believers so demons can possess the unsaved. Demons cannot possess the saved. We are told that greater is He that is in us (the Holy Spirit) than he that is in the world (Satan) (1 John 4:4). Therefore, a child of God cannot be demon-possessed.
4. In this incident the demons would rather go into a herd of swine than the abyss. That is interesting to note.
5. They should be called demons and not devils. There is only one Devil. Our translation is faulty here. They are called “unclean spirits” because of their nature.
6. Scripture does not give us the origin of them. Anything I would say today would be highly speculative.
7. There seems to be many of them.
8. They are under the control of Satan. Now I said I would not speculate, but here I go. I’m of the opinion that when Satan fell, these were the angels that followed him. Now having said that, let’s not say any more.
9. Their purpose is the final undoing of man. They are certainly working on Satan’s program.
10. There are present-day examples of demon possession. We have Satan worship right in our own neighborhoods, and there are a lot of college students and professors who are engaged in it. They say they find reality in it. I think they do, by the way. I think that Satan is prepared to give reality to those who worship him. The all-important question is: what kind of reality do they find?
11. The Lord Jesus Christ has power over demons. That, I think, is the great lesson for us to learn.
There is no reason for any believer to be afraid of demons or to adopt some superstition or spooky notion concerning them. If you feel that you are bothered with them, then just ask the Lord Jesus to deliver you. They have been cast out in His name, and it is a lack of faith in the Lord Jesus to walk in fear of them today. If you feel that they can control you in any way, or possess you, or direct you, then you need counselling. Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has power over demons.
There is a very pertinent poem written by Joseph Odell about this incident. You know that the people of Gadara came and asked the Lord Jesus to leave their coast. The reason was that they would rather have swine than have Him. That’s a rather heart-searching question for the present day because there are a lot of people who would rather have other things—that are just as bad as pigs—than to have Christ.
Rabbi, begone! Thy powers
Bring loss to us and ours.
Our ways are not as Thine,
Thou lovest men, we—swine.
Oh, get Thee hence, Omnipotence!
And take this fool of Thine!
His soul? What care we for his soul?
What good to us that Thou has made him whole?
Since we have lost our swine.
And Christ went sadly,
He had wrought for them a sign
Of love and hope and tenderness divine—
They wanted swine.
Christ stands without your door and gently knocks,
But if your gold or swine the entrance blocks,
He forces no man’s hold—he will depart
And leave you to the treasures of your heart.
No cumbered chamber will the Master share,
But one swept bare
By cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fair
With meekness and humility and prayer.
There he will come, yet coming, even there
He stands and waits and will no entrance win
Until the latch be lifted from within.
—Joseph H. Odell
WOMAN WITH ISSUE OF BLOOD
The next miracle is closely connected with the miracle of the raising of the daughter of Jairus.
And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole [Mark 5:21–28].
Now Jesus has returned again to His land. In telling this incident, it is interesting that Luke, who was a physician, said she couldn’t be healed. Mark says that she had suffered many things of the physicians, and she had spent all that she had. So we see that this matter of medical expense being so great today is not new at all.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? [Mark 5:29–31].
The disciples thought it was a very peculiar question since the whole crowd was pressing in on Him. But only one touched Him in faith for healing!
The situation is the same today. I think we have a lot of folk around who use the name of Jesus freely. They are running around saying that it is Jesus this, and Jesus that, and people think they certainly know Him. Surely they know Him, but they have touched Him as the crowd touched Him—not like this woman touched Him, for she touched Him in faith for healing.
And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague [Mark 5:32–34].
She had been in this condition for twelve years. Did you notice that the little girl was twelve years old? Twelve years of suffering coming to an end and twelve years light entering into darkness, the darkness of death. The father who had come, when he saw our Lord talking to this woman and dealing with her, I’m sure thought, Oh, why doesn’t He hurry. Doesn’t He know that my little girl is so sick at home that she’ll die unless He moves? Our Lord purposely did not move. He healed this woman, and while He is dealing with her one comes with a message, which is whispered to the father.
RAISED FROM DEAD (SUPERNATURAL) DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS
While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying [Mark 5:35–40].
So Jesus goes to the home and puts out those who don’t believe. When they were out, He goes in and the record tells us:
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise [Mark 5:41].
“Talitha cumi” was an expression of the Aramaic that the little girl would have understood. It was her native tongue and I think it could be translated “Little lamb, wake up!” That’s what He said to her and that is a sweet, lovely thing. We find that our Lord raised a little girl, He raised a man in the vigor of young manhood (the widow’s son at Nain), and then probably a mature man or even a senior citizen, Lazarus. He raised them all the same way. He spoke to them!
I think this little girl represents the little folks, those little ones before they reach the age of accountability. And He said to her in this lovely way, “Little lamb, wake up.” I know right now I’m speaking to a lot of folk who have lost little ones. When we lost our first little one, what a sad thing it was for us. It’s wonderful for me to know that although she has been in His presence for many years, one of these days He’s going to speak those words again, “Little lamb, wake up!” He’ll be talking to my little lamb and to your little lamb. Then that little form that we laid away will be raised from the grave, the spirit joined to the glorified body, and we will again have our little ones some day. What a wonderful, beautiful thing this is. It is a demonstration of His power.
And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat [Mark 5:42–43].
Isn’t that practical? If a twelve-year-old girl, or boy for that matter, were waked up from sleep and were made well, what would they want? Food, of course. So He told them to feed the little one. How practical this is and how wonderful it is.
These are the three great miracles that to my judgment demonstrate the great message of the Gospel of Mark. He is God’s Servant with God’s power. He is a Man of action and He has come not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. Here we see Him in this chapter doing three wonderful miracles. He casts out demons from the man in Gadara. He heals the woman with an issue of blood. He raises this little twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Synagogue in Nazareth; healing the sick at Nazareth; the Twelve sent out; disciples heal; death of John the Baptist; the Twelve return; five thousand fed; walks on sea; sick in land of Gennesaret healed
This is the second longest chapter in the Gospel of Mark. Mark follows his usual style of presenting the action in the ministry of Jesus with machine-gun-like rapidity, but in the first twenty-nine verses there is a lull in the intense activity. Jesus returns to Nazareth. He sends out the Twelve to preach and they report back to Him. Then He feeds the five thousand, walks on the water, and heals in the land of Gennesaret. The chapter closes with the ministry of Jesus around the Sea of Galilee in the locality of the western shore. Jesus is tremendously popular at this time. It is the peak of His ministry.
SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH
And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him [Mark 6:1–3].
When this incident has been compared with the fourth chapter of Luke, the critics say that it reveals a contradiction in the Bible. They say the two accounts conflict one with the other. The fact of the matter is that we have the record of two visits that our Lord made to His hometown of Nazareth. I think He probably made other visits to Nazareth, but these are the two that are recorded. Luke 4 relates the first visit and He went there alone. He performed no miracle and He left suddenly when they tried to kill Him. On the second visit, which is recorded here in Mark 6, we find His disciples are with Him, that He healed “a few sick folk,” and that He remained in this area. This is based on information from Matthew 13:53–58 as well as this chapter of Mark 6. On both occasions He entered the synagogue and taught, and on both occasions He was rejected by His fellow townspeople. So this is not a conflict, but rather two records of two visits that He made to His hometown. The first time He left, He went down to Capernaum and made that His headquarters. But He returned because He wanted to reach His hometown people.
In the first verse when it says “his country,” it literally means His fatherland. It was the custom of our Lord to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day wherever He was. I think He felt the need to worship God in this way and, also, it was the place to reach the people of that day. His teaching amazed those who had known Him. His words, His works, His wonders all occasioned a consternation on the part of His fellow citizens, which prompted their questions. They actually did not believe that Nazareth could produce anyone like Jesus. They were looking at themselves, of course, and judging Nazareth by themselves. Nazareth hadn’t done too well by them—so they figured there couldn’t be One like the Lord Jesus. They had no faith in One of their own, and they had no faith in themselves.
This passage also reveals that Mary had other children. These were half brothers and sisters of Jesus. I think the Jude who is mentioned here is the author of the Epistle of Jude. And they were scandalized because of Him. They thought that they knew Him, which was, of course, their stumbling stone. I think there is a danger in getting familiar with Jesus. He is One with whom we don’t get familiar at all. That was their problem. They thought they knew Him, but they did not. They had seen Him as a boy grow up in the town.
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house [Mark 6:4].
I think the common colloquialism of the day is apropos here, “An expert is an ordinary fellow from another town.” We think that whoever comes from afar knows more than our crowd knows. I guess maybe that is the reason some of us go up and down and through the country ministering elsewhere. Sometimes many of us are more effective away from home than we are at home.
HEALING THE SICK AT NAZARETH
And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching [Mark 6:5–6].
You see that He did not leave this area at this time but stayed in the vicinity. The first time He had been practically run out of town and had gone down to Capernaum to make His headquarters there. This is a remarkable passage because it tells us He couldn’t perform any mighty works there because of their unbelief.
The only limitation to omnipotence is unbelief. Faith is the one requirement to release the power of God in salvation. In the great chapter of Isaiah 53 that reveals God’s great salvation, the prophet opens the chapter with: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1). Who will believe it? My friend, unbelief shuts off Omnipotence. Unbelief insulates and isollates the power of God. It still does that today!
He marvelled at their unbelief (v. 6). This is not the only time we notice that He marvels. In Matthew 8:10—“When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”—He was speaking of the faith of the centurion.
Now we notice that He went round about the villages teaching. This is a wonderful lesson for Christian workers. There are certain men in God’s work who do not want to go to a small place to minister. I’ve actually been criticized by some ministers and Christian workers for going to certain small churches instead of going to the larger ones. My feeling is that our Lord set us a tremendous example here when it says that He went about their villages. Imagine, friends, the Lord of Glory, the Son of God here on this earth ministering in little villages. He could have sent a telegram over to Rome and hired the Colosseum for a big meeting! Today we have men who are suffering from megalomania. They feel they have to have a big crowd. All of us need to learn a lesson from Jesus.
There is a story about Dr. C. I. Scofield, the man who was responsible for The Scofield Reference Bible. He had been invited to speak in a church in North Carolina. Because it was a rainy night, about twenty-five people came to the meeting. The young preacher leaned over and apologized to Dr. Scofield for the small number who had come to hear his preaching and teaching. Dr. Scofield replied, “Young man, my Lord had only twelve men in His school and in His congregation most of the time. If He had only twelve, who is C. I. Scofield to be concerned about a big crowd?”
THE TWELVE SENT OUT
And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits [Mark 6:7].
He is now sending out His disciples, and He sends them with the message of repentance, which is the same message He has been preaching. He sends them two by two. It’s interesting that neither Matthew nor Luke told us that when they recorded this incident. He gave them power over unclean spirits, which seems to be the very highest power they could exercise.
And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats [Mark 6:8–9].
Why such a command? Well, they were to travel light. This is to indicate the urgency and the lateness of the hour, the importance of their mission, and their total dependence upon God. Later on, we shall find that they were told to take these things because they were going on a longer journey. Matthew makes it clear that this time they were to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and they were to accept the hospitality that was offered to them.
And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city [Mark 6:10–11].
This is a serious and a solemn trip they are to take. Light creates responsibility. To reject the grace of God invited His judgment. The same is still true today.
DISCIPLES HEAL
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them [Mark 6:12–13].
They preached a message of repentance, and the miracles authenticated their message. This commission was limited to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is not the pattern for today. Repentance is part of the gospel message, however; it is contained in the command to believe.
The record of this incident is longer in the Gospel of Matthew and we go into more detail in our study of it in that Gospel. The fame of Jesus had spread throughout that area. Not only the common people but even Herod on the throne had heard of Jesus. Now we find this strange reaction on the part of King Herod. The murder of John the Baptist had taken place sometime before. I think it is recorded here to explain Herod’s strange and superstitious reaction.
DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets [Mark 6:14–15].
We can see that this man Herod was very superstitious. But there was a great deal of mingled reaction among the people about the Lord Jesus as to who He was. There is that same reaction today, by the way. We find that different people have different view-points and different explanations of the Person, the presence, and the power of the Lord Jesus. So there was this confusion, and Herod was definitely afraid.
But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead [Mark 6:16].
Herod was afraid.
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.
For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife [Mark 6:17–18].
The murder of John had taken place previous to this point in the ministry of Jesus. Notice that John boldly denounced sin in high places. He had denounced Herod for taking Herodias, his brother’s wife. This enraged her and caused her to plot John’s death.
Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly [Mark 6:19–20].
Did Herodias keep Herod from turning to God?
And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee [Mark 6:21–22].
Herodias had asked her daughter to dance before him because she knew what a lecherous, lustful old man he was. He gave the daughter a blank check and she could ask anything she wanted.
And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist [Mark 6:23–24].
The mother was prepared for this. The brutality of this woman boggles the mind.
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her [Mark 6:25–26].
Another weakness of Herod is revealed here. He was afraid of what his friends might think and say. He had a false sense of values about an oath.
And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother [Mark 6:27–28].
This was cold-blooded murder!
And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb [Mark 6:29].
The disciples of John took up the decapitated body of John and tenderly buried it.
THE TWELVE RETURN
Mark now returns the narrative to the ministry of Jesus. The apostles make their first report. Note the absence of details.
And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat [Mark 6:30–31].
It is impossible for us to understand how really busy the Lord Jesus was and how great the demands were upon Him. He had to withdraw to an uninhabited place in an attempt to rest and let His apostles rest.
FIVE THOUSAND FED
And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things [Mark 6:32–34].
It was futile to try to find a place to be alone. The crowd followed around the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and they were there to meet Jesus and the disciples when they landed. The reaction of Jesus was one of complete sympathy. All people are sheep to Him. He alone is the true Shepherd. This is the reason He fed them. He first met their spiritual needs by teaching them. Then He met their physical needs by feeding them.
And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? [Mark 6:35–37].
He commands them to do an impossible task. They must learn, as we must learn, that He always commands the impossible. The reason is obvious. He intends to do the work.
He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
And they did all eat, and were filled.
And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men [Mark 6:38–44].
This is a miracle. The Creator who made the fish at the beginning and caused the grain to multiply in the field, now by His fiat word creates food for the crowd. This may have been the first time many in this crowd ever were filled.
WALKS ON SEA
And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people [Mark 6:45].
There is an urgency expressed in the two words straightway and constrained. The explanation is found in John 6:15. Jesus perceived that they would try by force to make Him a king.
And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened [Mark 6:46–52].
Note that here we find no record of Simon Peter coming to Him walking on the water. After all, Mark got his information on the human plane from Simon Peter, and Peter just left out his part of the story. It is Matthew who gives us that detail.
I do want to call your attention to verse 48 where it says, “And he saw them toiling in rowing.” Those men were in the boat that night and they were mingling their sweat with the waves whose salt water was breaking over their little boat. They were straining at the oars and they actually thought they were going down. But He saw them toiling and rowing. I love that! I don’t know where you are today or what position you are in. You may be in a hard spot right now; you may be sitting alone in a corner of darkness. You may be facing temptations and problems that are too great to bear. You may find yourself out on a stormy sea and you feel as if your little boat is going down.
I have some good news for you, Christian friend. “He saw them toiling in rowing.” He sees you. He knows your problems. You don’t have to send up a flare to let Him know. He already knows. Oh, that today you might commit your way to Him in a very definite way. That is something that so many of us need to do in times of darkness—just commit our way unto Him. “He saw them toiling in rowing.” Only Mark, by the way, records that. Then we find that He came to them and He entered into the ship with them. And Mark says that they were “amazed in themselves beyond measure.”
In the conclusion of this chapter we find that He went over to the land of Gennesaret.
SICK IN LAND OF GENNESARET HEALED
And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole [Mark 6:53–56].
You and I today can’t even envisage the number of sick people that He had healed. I understand there is one denomination that has offered one thousand dollars to anybody who will come forward and show that he has been healed by a “faith healer.” I understand the thousand dollars has never been taken. It’s amazing, isn’t it, when you hear all this propaganda today that is going around. In Jesus’ day one could have brought together thousands of people that He had healed. My friend, He was genuine. It was real. That is the reason the enemy never denied that He performed miracles.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Pharisees denounced; Syrophoenician’s demonpossessed daughter; deaf and dumb of Decapolis
This chapter carries out the theme of Mark, which is to show that the Lord Jesus is God’s Servant who is doing God’s will. He is a Man of action and He is doing the things that would appeal to the Roman of that day and to any person who is interested in getting a job done. That is the wonderful thing about Him as a Savior; He can save, and He is the only One who can.
The intertestamental period is that time between the close of the Old Testament and the opening of the New Testament in which many changes took place. It was one of the most eventful periods in the history of the nation Israel. During the time of their captivity and in this period between the Testaments after they had returned to the land, there was a development of new groups and parties not mentioned in the Old Testament. There were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes, and the Herodians.
Scribes—the scribes had a good beginning. Evidently Ezra was a scribe and the founder of that group. They were the professional expounders of the Law. However, by the time of our Lord they had become “hair-splitters” and were more concerned with the letter of the Law than with the spirit of the Law.
That, I think, is one of the great problems we have today. There has been put into the interpretation of the laws in this country this “hair-splitting” method and the philosophical interpretation that was never intended in the law. I believe that is what has come out of certain law schools in the East. As a result, our legal system and our political system are in the mess we find today. That is what had happened to religion in our Lord’s day.
Pharisees—the Pharisees also had a good beginning. They arose to defend the Jewish way of life against all foreign influences. They were strict legalists, they believed in the Old Testament, and they were nationalists in politics. They wanted to bring in the coming of the kingdom of heaven (or the kingdom of God) upon the earth.
Sadducees—the Sadducees were made up of the wealthy and socially-minded. They had no spiritual depth. They wanted to get rid of tradition. They rejected the supernatural and were opposed to the Pharisees who accepted the supernatural and accepted the Old Testament. They were closely akin to the Greek Epicureans.
Herodians—the Herodians were a party in the days of Jesus who arose as political opportunists. They were strictly a party to try to keep the Herods on the throne.
This background will help us understand the incident before us.
PHARISEES DENOUNCED
Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem [Mark 7:1].
You will notice that our Lord has made such an impression that these men are drawn out of Jerusalem, and they have come to the place where He is ministering in Galilee. Also they will come across the Jordan River into the area of the Decapolis, that is, the area of ten cities. We’ll see that in a moment.
And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables [Mark 7:2–4].
Let us stop to look at this for just a moment because it is quite interesting. There is a crisis arising about the Person of Jesus. Back in Mark 6:30 we read that the apostles had gathered themselves around Jesus and had told Him all the things that they had done after He had sent them out. They had come back and reported to Him. Now also the scribes and the Pharisees are coming out and gathering about Him. There is bound to be a confrontation here between the Lord Jesus and His followers and the Pharisees and their followers. One group is made up of His friends, His followers, who love Him. The second group is comprised of His enemies who seek to destroy Him.
It has always been this way. There are two groups: those who trust Him and those who reject Him. To be personal, which group are you in? That makes all the difference in the world. The question is not whether you are a member of a church or have been through some ceremony; rather it is what is your relationship to Jesus Christ? That is the all-important question.
Now this obviously was a special delegation from Jerusalem. They had been sent to Galilee to spy on Jesus. They were the intellectual opponents sent to trap the Lord Jesus. The way that our Lord defended Himself is to me another proof of His deity—“… Never man spake like this man” was the testimony of His enemies (John 7:46). Of course, it wasn’t difficult for them to find some fault because the Lord Jesus entirely ignored their traditions.
Now what was their tradition? They were not simply criticizing the disciples because of a breach of etiquette, but for the fact that the Lord was not having them keep the traditions, which were their interpretation of the Old Testament. This referred to a ceremonial cleansing and hadn’t anything to do with sanitary measures. Mark explains for the benefit of the Romans that this custom of ceremonial cleansing was peculiar to Israel; and it was.
God had given to Israel a great deal of information about cleansing. In the Old Testament, in the Book of Leviticus, there is a great deal of instruction about cleansing. It was very important because God was teaching them the great lesson that a sinner had to be cleansed before he could enjoy fellowship with a holy God. But the Pharisees had built a great tradition that was supposed to be an interpretation of the Mosaic Law, and some of them even contended that Moses had given them the traditions when he gave them the Law. In time, these traditions became the interpretation of the Law, and eventually there was a wide departure in the traditions from what had been the intent of the Law.
In our passage here, some of this tradition is given in detail. They would ceremonially wash the cups and pots and brasen vessels and the tables. All of this was a burdensome sort of thing and was an entirely outward performance. The word used for “washing” is baptism. They baptized cups, pots, religious objects, even tables. Now this is religion with a vengeance, friend, and you can see that one could get so involved in going through a ritual of religion that one would forget the whole purpose—which is that a person must be made right with God before a relationship can be established. We find the same kind of thing today. So many people will argue points of religion when it is the Person of Jesus Christ that should be our concern. Now let’s go on:
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? [Mark 7:5].
This accusation which they lodge against His disciples was, of course, really an accusation against Him personally, because these were His followers. Now notice how our Lord deals with them—and it isn’t tenderly at all!
He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me [Mark 7:6].
I wouldn’t say that is gentle. A hypocrite is one who is just acting a part; it is a word used for actors on the stage. They were going through a religious ritual without experiencing any reality at all. The lips and the heart might as well have belonged to two separate persons. They had no more heart experience than a wooden dummy upon the knee of a ventriloquist.
My friend, there are a lot of people who are just going through a ritual in church today. The heart must be involved if it is genuine. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10). Oh, people get involved today in creeds and church confessions and public worship, dress and even “separation.” All of this can become a matter of tradition and not a direct and personal dealing with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men [Mark 7:7].
Worship is empty when the rules of men are substituted for the Word of God. So now we come to the very heart of the matter.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition [Mark 7:8–9].
Here was the whole issue. They were substituting traditions of men for the Word of God. A tradition may actually be good and may be established for a very good reason. However, it becomes evil when it is a substitute for the Word of God in later generations. And that is what has happened to these people here.
I think this is the reason that so many denominations today have departed from the Word of God. They first substituted a creed for the Word of God. Then they began to substitute the word of men and the thinking of men and their own little ritual and their own little denomination. Before long, the Word of God went out the window. This has happened again and again.
For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free [Mark 7:10–11].
Now He is giving them an example of what they were doing. Moses had said in the Law that they were to honor their father and their mother. But their tradition permitted them to escape the responsibility to their parents. If a man did not want to help his father and mother when they became old and needy, he would dedicate his possessions to the priest in the temple and it was called Corban which means “a gift.” At the man’s death, his estate went to the temple and he was relieved of his responsibility to his parents.
And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother;
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye [Mark 7:12–13].
He’s saying that this tradition was pernicious and it directly contradicted the intent of the Law of God, which was to honor their father and mother.
There is a great danger today that people will give to any group or organization that has appealed to them. There are literally thousands of Christian organizations that have men out in the field, combing the highways and byways to find people to give to their organization. There is a grave danger in that. There are certain personal responsibilities that people must fulfill.
As we go on down the passage before us we see He goes into detail.
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man [Mark 7:14–15].
He is differentiating that which is external and that which is internal and is pointing out what is real. He shows here that religion is not something that you can rub on as you do a salve. It is not something that you eat or refrain from eating.
You’ll notice then that He went into the house and his disciples came to Him and asked Him about the parable.
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man [Mark 7:18–20].
Let’s really take a look at what does come out of man:
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man [Mark 7:21–23].
I’ll guarantee you that if you will buy the morning paper wherever you live and will read it through, you will find that this is what came out of man during the last twenty-four hours:
Evil thoughts
Adulteries and fornications—unlawful sex relations
Murders (anger is also murder)
Thefts (loafing on the job is also stealing)
Covetousness—grasping and greediness for material things and positions
Wickedness—all the acts that are intended to hurt people
Deceit—the pretense that people put up
Lasciviousness—sensuality
Evil eye—envy
Blasphemy—slander against God or man
Pride (God hates this above all else)
Foolishness—acts done without any respect of God or man
These all come out of the heart of man and that is why the Lord Jesus says, “Ye must be born again.”
SYROPHOENICIAN’S DEMON-POSSESSED DAUGHTER
And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed [Mark 7:24–30].
We have had this incident before. You will recall that our Lord stepped out of His own land and met this woman who was a Greek and a citizen of Tyre. She came to Jesus in faith. And the word daughter here is the diminutive form which means she was just a little girl. At first, our Lord’s treatment of her may appear brutal, but you will remember that when we studied this in the Gospel of Matthew, we showed the dispensational interpretation which is actually the revelation of a tremendous truth. And I think here something else tremendous is also revealed and that is the accuracy of the four Gospels. This woman is an outstanding example of faith in one who lives outside His land. And our Lord answered her petition. One wonders whether He came to that area for the specific purpose of answering the faith of this woman.
DEAF AND DUMB OF DECAPOLIS
And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts ofDecapolis [Mark 7:31].
Jesus leaves Tyre and Sidon, and goes through Decapolis on His way to the Sea of Galilee. Decapolis translated is “ten cities,” a district containing ten cities, mostly on the east of the Jordan, in the area near the Sea of Galilee. The list includes the following:
Scythopolis
Gerasa
Dion
Hippos
Gadara
Canatha
Pella
Rephana
Philadelphia
Damascus
I was at the ruins of Gerasa or Jerish, as it is called today. I thought, “My, this is one of the places where my Lord came and He taught.” He had a tremendous ministry in this area. The crowds came into those cities.
And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak [Mark 7:32–
All the things He did were done as aids to faith. The whole thought here reveals the fact that the condition of this man caused Jesus to use this method. His ears were first opened so that he could hear. After this it apparently was useless to try to get the crowd to remain silent. It was this miracle which brought about a great impetus in enlarging the ministry of Jesus, which had already broken all bounds.
At this time pressure upon Jesus was humanly unbearable. In spite of the pressure put upon Jesus, the burdens of the multitudes, the tensions of the times, the long busy days, and the weariness of the body, the crowd could say, “He hath done all things well.” We just add our word of agreement to this and say a hearty amen.
Friend, He still does all things well today!
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Four thousand fed; leaven explained; blind man of Bethsaida; death of Christ
The eighth chapter is about the same length as the seventh chapter. It still carries out the great theme of Mark with the emphasis upon action. Jesus feeds the four thousand in the coasts ofDecapolis, the Pharisees ask for a sign at Dalmanutha, the friends of a blind man ask Jesus to touch his eyes at Bethsaida, and Peter makes his confession of faith in Caesarea Philippi. What the Lord Jesus did was important to the Romans, and it is important to us today. Is the Lord Jesus able to save to the uttermost? Can He do the job? He is the Servant of Jehovah, and we find that He can do the job.
We find in this chapter that our Lord does a lot of moving around, and there weren’t good highways in that day. That land is a small land, but when you reduce the speed down to walking speed, it’s a pretty sizable land. And He traveled by walking.
FOUR THOUSAND FED
Some people feel that the feeding of the four thousand, which opens this chapter, is a duplication of the feeding of the five thousand, and they practically ignore it. This has caused some to say that the feeding of the four thousand is the neglected miracle of Jesus.
When the critic comes to this parable, in his usual way he seeks to rid the Bible of the supernatural. His explanation of this miracle is that it was included after the feeding of the five thousand to strengthen the claim of the apostles that Jesus was a miracle worker. Obviously, if this were true, the second miracle would be greater than the first—instead of four thousand, it would be nearer ten thousand—because when men fabricate, they exaggerate. But here it is restraint, by the way.
The two miracles of feeding the multitudes are strikingly similar in several features. He feeds the thousands, one time it is five and the next time it is four. But there are seven points of dissimilarity that we need to call to your attention:
1. In the first instance the multitude had been with the Lord one day; in the second instance it had been three days.
2. Upon the first occasion the disciples were told to “go and see” what supplies were available, while upon the other they were ready with the information before they were asked.
3. When the five thousand were fed there were five loaves and two fishes, while for the four thousand there were seven loaves and a few fishes.
4. The first time, which was near the Passover, the multitude was told to sit in companies “upon the green grass,” while the second time, later in the year when the green of the Near East would be burnt by the oriental sun, they were instructed to sit “on the ground” (lit., “on the earth”).
5. In the first instance our Lord is said to have “blessed … the loaves,” while upon the second occasion He is said to have given thanks, first for the loaves, and later to have “blessed” the fish.
6. After the five thousand were fed twelve baskets of fragments remained, but when the four thousand were satisfied there were seven baskets over.
7. Obviously, the number that was fed was different in each instance.
It seems that the sharp contrast between the two is found in the time that Jesus fed the multitudes. In the feeding of the five thousand, it was at the conclusion of the first day. Jesus had been teaching them, but according to John, He followed the feeding of the five thousand with the discourse of the Bread of Life. This important discourse was sort of an after-dinner speech, you see. In the feeding of the four thousand, the multitude had been with Jesus for three days listening to His teaching. The physical food followed the teaching. In other words, the crowd had not come out to eat but to hear the teaching of Jesus.
I think this is an important lesson for us. Are we using church dinners to get the crowd? If so, then our motive is wrong. Many churches can get people out in the middle of the week only if they have a banquet. Some Bible classes depend upon the food to draw people in for the message. Can God bless such efforts regardless of how pure the motive? Well, I’ll let you answer it. The end does not always justify the means.
As we begin to read now, notice that “in those days” places this incident during the time He was in the Decapolis. The multitude evidently had followed Jesus into a desert place which was convenient for teaching but not readily accessible to supplies. Great multitudes are following Him now.
In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
And he asked them How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people [Mark 8:1–6].
There is something quite interesting here. It looks as though the disciples had forgotten about His feeding of the five thousand. I’m of the opinion that many of us have the same kind of experience. God does some very gracious and good things for us, and we forget it by the next time. When a new emergency arises, we find ourselves neophytes; that is, it is all brand new to us again. That has been my experience as I have periodic X-rays made of my lungs to see whether the cancer has spread. And every time it is a new experience for me and I must confess that every time I am frightened. So I have really a fellow-feeling for these disciples.
They had made an inventory of the crowd, though, because they knew how many loaves there were. Maybe they were expecting Jesus to repeat the miracle of the five thousand. This time there were more loaves for fewer people but it was still true, “What are these among so many?” And who had the loaves this time? We don’t know. Some unknown person had them and even though we don’t know who he was, he will have his reward someday.
In this instance they sat on the bare ground, while at the feeding of the five thousand they had been told to sit on the grass, as I had mentioned. And how many fish? It just says “a few small fishes.” The number really is unimportant, and He’s not counting the fish. When God is in it, you will notice, there is always a surplus. Whether He feeds five or four thousand, He doesn’t give them just a snack; He gives them a full dinner. Incidentally, if we add one woman and one child for each of the men, we probably would be nearer to the actual number of people who were fed—about twelve thousand.
And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha [Mark 8:10].
The location of Dalmanutha cannot be ascertained accurately. Apparently it was on the coast of the Sea of Galilee and they had to cross the sea to get to it, which means they came to the west side. They traveled by boat and evidently the spot was somewhere on the northwest coast. Now the bloodhounds of hate are on His trail again.
LEAVEN EXPLAINED
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
And he charged them saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod [Mark 8:11–15].
In the Scriptures leaven represents wrong or evil teaching; it never means the gospel. One of the fallacious things that is being taught today is that leaven represents the gospel in the parable of the woman who hid leaven in three measures of meal (Matt. 13:33). The meal symbolizes the gospel, and the leaven, which represents wrong teaching, was hidden in it. It is the process of making something taste good to the natural man. Actually, what is liberalism? It all came into existence by the pulpit trying to please the unsaved church members. And today we have a lot of men trying to please the congregation, even when they are unsaved. And that, may I say, is putting leaven in—that is, mixing wrong eaching with the truth of the gospel. The only kind of bread they will eat is that which has leaven because leaven makes bread taste good. I was brought up on hot biscuits, friend, and the natural man likes them. Leaven is the evil that is put in. And here He is warning them about the wrong teaching of the Pharisees and Herod.
Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? [Mark 8:18].
I’ve been a preacher for a long time, and sometimes I discover something that startles me. There will be some person whom I think knows spiritual truth; yet they have missed the entire thought. They don’t get it at all and one wonders where they have been. There are people who have been studying the Bible for years and who are like that. They are like these apostles who have ears, yet hear not.
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? [Mark 8:19–21].
The Word of God is the Bread of Life because the Word of God reveals Him. We are to feed on the Bible and to beware of false teaching. I think that ought to be clear to us here in the teaching that He gives.
BLIND MAN OF BETHSAIDA HEALED
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him [Mark 8:22].
Here is another one of these remarkable miracles of our Lord. He assented to their request by touching his eyes. But you notice that He led the blind man out of town. Had Bethsaida, where many of His mighty works had been performed, become like Nazareth where He could no longer perform mighty works? Surely there is no medicinal value in saliva, but the Lord uses this to increase the faith of this man. Let us read this and learn the spiritual truth for us here.
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught.
And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town [Mark 8:23–26].
This place of Bethsaida had already had judgment pronounced upon it (Matt. 11:21). Now there’s something in this miracle we want to look at very carefully. Why did He use this method? Couldn’t He have opened the eyes of this man as He did in other instances? Of course, He could have. He could have made this man see clearly at the very beginning. But there is a lesson for the man and a lesson here for us.
There are three stages in this case:
1. Blindness. We are all first spiritually blind. Like the blind man we can say, “Once I was blind, but now I can see.” But you’ll notice that He gained only partial sight, and only Mark tells us this.
2. Partial sight. Is this not our condition today? “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face …” (1 Cor. 13:12). Every now and then I get a letter from some person who gives me to understand that they have great spiritual discernment. They are way up there with the upper ten, and sometimes they say they think that’s where I am. But I have a confession to make to you. I only see through a glass darkly. There are many things I don’t understand.
There are some people who don’t feel that way. They think that they know all there is to know about everything. That is one of the curses of some of our good Bible-teaching churches. I was a pastor for a great many years, and I had members who never bothered to come to mid-week Bible study. Do you know why? They already knew more than I know. While that may be true, the tragic thing was that they thought they knew more than they actually knew.
Socrates, in his day, made the statement that he was the wisest of the Athenians. That shocked everybody because he was a very humble man. So they asked him what he meant. And he said something like this, “Well there are a great many of the Athenians who think they know, and I know I do not know. And since I know that I do not know, I am the wisest of the Athenians.”
May I say to you that there are a lot of the saints today who think they know. But Paul says that we see through a glass darkly, and that is our state in this life. But eventually when we come into His presence we shall know as we are known. I’ll surely be glad when I get over there where I’m going to know something!
3. Perfect sight. The third stage is perfect vision. We’ll get our 20/20 spiritual vision when we come into His presence, and that’s when we’ll really be able to see. You’ll notice that when our Lord had finished, He had healed this man perfectly.
There is something here that I don’t have time to develop fully today, but have you ever noticed the different methods that our Lord used in opening eyes of the blind? Here at Bethsaida when He healed the blind man, he touched his eyes. So this man had an experience. I imagine that he would have organized the “Metho-rene” church and they would sing “The Touch of His Hand on Mine.” When Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus, He didn’t touch him at all but just told him from a distance, and faith alone opened his eyes. I suppose he would have organized the “Congreterian” church and they would sing, of course, “Only Believe.” But the man who had been born blind was told to go and wash in the pool of Siloam and that’s an entirely different method according to John, chapter 9. So this man would have organized a “Siloam-Baptian” church and they would sing, “Shall We Gather at the River.” You say that that is absurd. Sure is. Absurd for that day, but today that is exactly what is being done. May I say to you that here is a lesson for us.
DEATH OF CHRIST
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? [Mark 8:27].
The important thing here is, who is Jesus? Jesus wanted to know men’s estimate of Him.
What Think Ye of Christ?
“What think ye of Christ” is the test
To try both your state and your scheme;
You cannot be right in the rest,
Unless you think rightly of Him.
Friend, to be united to Him, joined to Him, is the important thing. We are to enjoy a right relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you look on a map, you will find three Caesareas. Caesarea Philippi is located to the north of the Sea of Galilee. The Lord Jesus was in the north and He was in a position from which He was going to turn and begin a movement directly toward Jerusalem and the Cross.
And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets [Mark 8:28].
There was much confusion regarding His person. All opinions were high but fell short of who He is.
And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ [Mark 8:29].
This was their final examination for the first phase of His ministry. They were within six months now of the Cross.
This is the finest thing that Simon Peter ever said. He spoke for the group. Mark gives us only a fragment of the confession. Christ is not a name. Jesus is His name. Christ is a title—in the Hebrew, it was the Messiah, which means the “Anointed One.” This title gathers up all the rich meaning of the Old Testament. It is a fragment with fullness (cf. Mic. 5:2; Isa. 7:14; Ps. 2:2: Ps. 45:6–7; and Mal. 3:1). These are but a few of the many Old Testament references. Jesus came to reveal God.
And he charged them that they should tell no man of him [Mark 8:30].
Why this strange admonition? They were to wait until the gospel story was complete. Notice the next verse.
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again [Mark 8:31].
Jesus did not reveal His Person apart from His work of redemption. Salvation depends on who He is and what He did.
The final phase of their training begins here. It was at Caesarea Philippi that He first revealed His cross to them.
And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him [Mark 8:32].
Even now they were unprepared to receive it. This is the worst thing Simon Peter ever said.
But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men [Mark 8:33].
Jesus attributed this statement to Satan. Satan denies the value of the death of Jesus.
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels [Mark 8:34–38].
The Lord does not reveal His Person apart from His work of redemption. After Peter confessed who He is and they truly recognized Him, He immediately told them, “… the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). And then He gives the passage we have quoted. Here He is not putting down a condition of salvation, but stating the position of those who are saved. This is what He is talking about. “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me.” What kind of a Christian are you today? Are you one who acknowledges Him and serves Him and attempts to glorify Him? My friend, this is all important in these days in which we live.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Transfiguration; demon-possessed boy; death of Christ; mark of greatness; rebuke of sectarianism; teaching about hell
TRANSFIGURATION
We come now to the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, and we have again the account of the Transfiguration. This can be found in the first three Gospels, the synoptic Gospels. Then Mark tells us in detail that while the Transfiguration was going on at the top of the mountain, there was complete failure of the disciples at the foot of the mountain. They could not cast the demon out of the boy. Then Jesus again announces His death, and the disciples dispute as to who should be greatest among them. Jesus rebukes their party spirit and warns against hell. So this is another chapter just loaded with dynamite in the gospel of action.
Mark is customarily briefer in his account than the other evangelists, but he gives the longest account of the Transfiguration. It is interesting to ponder why he would emphasize it. It is our judgment that the Transfiguration sets forth the perfect humanity of Christ and was not given to set forth His deity. As we said, the synoptic Gospels all relate it, but John does not. John’s gospel, which sets forth the deity of Christ, does not give the account of the Transfiguration.
You will remember that in the last verse of chapter 16 in Matthew, Jesus said, “… There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” There are all sorts of interpretations of that, but I think it is very clear that our Lord had definite reference to His transfiguration. Two men who were there, Peter and John, make reference to it. Peter says in 2 Peter 1:16–18: “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” He is saying that they were witnesses of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. When? At the Transfiguration!
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power [Mark 9:1].
I believe that the reason this is stated at this particular juncture before His death and resurrection was for us to understand that whether He went to the cross or not, the kingdom is in His hands. He could have stepped off this earth back to heaven and He would have been the sovereign Ruler of the universe. But that way He couldn’t have saved you and He couldn’t have saved me. I’m not going to develop that further, but that is important.
And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them [Mark 9:2].
Of course, the question arises as to why He took these three men. Let me say first that He didn’t take them because they were His little pets or that they were superior to the others. I think that they were the weakest of the apostles, and He had to carry them along with Him like babies or they would not have come along at all.
I was noticing a mother go down the street who had three children with her. She was carrying one, she was leading one by the hand, and one was walking behind her. She’d have to stop every now and then for him to catch up. I watched them as they made very slow progress down the street. I thought to myself, That little fellow following her surely is taking a lot of time. But then I realized that the one she was carrying couldn’t go along at all unless she carried him. I feel that Peter, James, and John are rather like that. They seemed to be an exclusive group, but I think they were just babies, and He had to carry them. So He took them in for the Transfiguration.
Peter says that they were eyewitnesses of His majesty. This is it. This is the glorified Christ as He will come some day to this earth. This also, friend, is a picture of what you and I will be someday. We are told that we shall be like Him (see 1 John 3:2). You will recall that John says, “… we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14).
The word transfigured here is the Greek word metamorphoom, or metamorphose in English. The Transfiguration took place in the body of Jesus—it wasn’t just a light or some effect produced from the outside. The Transfiguration was the light that shone from within. I rather think that Adam and Eve were clothed like that, with a light from within. The Transfiguration teaches, therefore, the perfect humanity of Jesus and not His deity.
And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them [Mark 9:3].
His raiment became white. It was whiter than was even believable, because the light came from within, you see. The word fuller means a cloth dresser and refers to the laundry. In other words, no modern washday miracle could have produced such brightness. All of it came from within.
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus [Mark 9:4].
Elias is the Greek form of Elijah. Elijah was the representative of the prophets. Moses was the representative of the Law. We are told that both the Law and the prophets bore testimony of the death of Jesus. Luke tells us that they talked about the decease of Jesus. We know that Moses knew of Christ because we are told in Hebrews 11:26 concerning Moses: “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Moses knew He was coming. All of the prophets spoke of His suffering and the glory that should follow.
And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid [Mark 9:5–6].
Peter was the spokesman for them here just as he always was the spokesman. And Simon Peter generally spoke when he didn’t know what to say. I think that Simon Peter put his foot in his mouth time and time again and he certainly did it here.
And there was a cloud that over-shadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him [Mark 9:7].
All attention now is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. His Word is final. We don’t put Moses or Elijah on a par with Him.
And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves [Mark 9:8].
By the way, that “Jesus Only” is a marvelous headline, is it not? “Jesus Only” is not only a headline in Mark’s gospel, but it ought to be a headline in the lives of believers today. In a brief way he states such great and weighty words—Jesus Only!
And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead [Mark 9:9].
You see, the death and resurrection of Christ must go along with this story. The Transfiguration saves no man. It presents the ideal or the goal. But that goal can only come through the death of Christ upon the cross and through His resurrection from the dead. And you will notice that He always puts His death and resurrection together.
And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean [Mark 9:10].
They were entirely ignorant of the Resurrection. At the time of Jesus’ resurrection they rushed to the cemetery, but they did not expect to see a living Savior. You don’t go to the graveyard to see the living, but to pay respect to the dead.
And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him [Mark 9:11–13].
Our Lord made it clear that when anyone would say, “Well, after all, Jesus could not establish the kingdom because the prophet said that Elijah must come first,” that John the Baptist had come in the spirit of Elijah. If they had accepted Jesus as the Messiah, John would have been the fulfillment of the prophecy. However, since they did not accept Jesus as their Messiah at His first coming, the prophecy of Elijah as His forerunner would be fulfilled at His second coming.
Now, from this glorious scene on the mountain top, we go down to the total defeat of the disciples at the foot of the mountain.
DEMON-POSSESSED BOY
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not [Mark 9:14–18].
This is actually a picture of Christendom today. The Lord Jesus has already gone into the presence of the Father and is there in His glorified body. His apostles are there with Him. They have already gone on, and most of the church has already gone on. Moses and Elijah are there today. The Mount of Transfiguration pictures heaven today.
But look at this poor earth and see the problem down here. This boy represents a mad earth today. I tell you, I believe that if we could get off and look at this earth and behold it as God looks at it, and probably as the angels look at it, we would come to the conclusion that man on this earth must be mad. He appears to be demon-possessed by the way he is acting and the things he is doing down here. The sad thing is that the man brought the boy to the disciples, but they couldn’t do anything. And the tragic thing about this hour is that the church is helpless in the presence of the world’s need.
Right now, the organized church in desperation is reaching out, protesting and marching and getting involved in all kinds of things, and the world is actually criticizing the church because they feel it should get even more involved. But social matters are not our business! We ought to be able to help a poor demon-possessed boy today by presenting a Savior to him who will make him rational and who will bring him into a right relationship with God. Unfortunately, the same thing has to be said of the church, “They could not.” The disciples could not and we cannot.
He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me [Mark 9:19].
What a wonderful statement! Bring him unto Me! We are attempting to do everything except bring lost men to Jesus Christ.
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us [Mark 9:20–22].
This case, friend, is a bad case. It may not have been quite as bad as the case of the man among the tombs over in Gadara because he was a grown man and had been demon-possessed for a long time. This was a boy but had he gone on in this state he would probably have been as bad, if not worse, than the other case. So this father just casts himself upon the Lord Jesus on behalf of his tortured son. When we do that, friend, He’ll do something to help.
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth [Mark 9:23].
The thought here is that Jesus turned to the father and asked him to believe—could the father have been responsible in any way for the condition of the boy? It is not a question of “if Thou canst do anything”—the Lord Jesus can do everything. The question is, “If thou canst believe.” What about the father? The Lord Jesus told him that all things are possible to him that believeth.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears. Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief [Mark 9:24].
Here is the father’s desperate plea of faith!
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose [Mark 9:25–27].
The question arises here whether this also is a case of our Lord raising the dead. I am of the opinion it is, but I don’t want to labor that point.
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting [Mark 9:28–29].
Now, in the Lord’s answer to the disciples, we find that the word fasting is not in the better manuscripts. The emphasis is upon prayer. And today, friend, the church is weak because prayer is weak in the church.
DEATH OF CHRIST
And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day [Mark 9:30–31].
You will notice that He always puts His death and resurrection together.
But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him [Mark 9:32].
They didn’t quite understand this matter of being raised from the dead. Here He is talking about His own death for them and you would think that these men might have at least made some inquiry. They dared to dispute among themselves who would be greatest in the kingdom after He had just announced His death. They should have been ashamed of their conduct here. This is not the first time He has announced His death and resurrection to them, and still they do not understand.
MARK OF GREATNESS
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them. If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all [Mark 9:33–35].
This is the profound spiritual principle of greatness.
And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me [Mark 9:36–37].
He illustrates this principle with the child. Note that Jesus took the child in His arms.
REBUKE OF SECTARIANISM
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
For he that is not against us is on our part.
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward [Mark 9:38–41].
John is always thought of as a ladylike apostle but notice his fiery disposition here. Jesus rebukes any kind of sectarian spirit. You will notice that the basis of unity which Jesus made is “in My name.” That which is done in the name of Jesus cannot be denied by any follower. However, the label of “Jesus” is put on much today that actually is not “in His name.”
TEACHING ABOUT HELL
Now notice that in verse 42, He comes back to the child that He has taken into His arms. This is tender, but it is severe upon those who offend a little child.
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea [Mark 9:42].
Then He adds this:
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched [Mark 9:43].
Do you realize who it is here that is talking about hell? There are those today who say that He is the gentle Jesus. Friend, He is the only One who talked about hell. Paul never talked about it, but Jesus did. And since He did, it would be well for us to listen to Him. He said that there is a place, and it is called hell. I’m confident that it is a place, and it is a place just like He describes it.
Verses 44 and 46 are not in the better manuscripts. It might be well if we omit them.
Jesus talks about the hand, the foot, the eye.
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire [Mark 9:45, 47].
The eye can lead to sin. Think of Eve who first saw the tree was good for food.
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another [Mark 9:49–50].
These are strange statements. The thought is that both fire and salt purify. Fire purifies by burning away the dross and impurities. Salt penetrates and burns out the corruption and stays the spread of impurities. If we have salt—the cleansing work of the Word of God—working within us, it sanctifies and brings peace.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Teaching about marriage; rich young ruler; teaching about riches; death of Christ; ambition of James and John; blind Bartimaeus
The first verse tells us that “he arose fron thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan.” You wil notice that there is a movement here in Mark In fact, the geography in Mark is quite inter esting. In Mark 9:30 we read that, “they departed thence, and passed through Galilee and he would not that any man should knov it.” He was making His final departure from there and He certainly didn’t want a big send-off. Now He comes “into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan,” which means on the east side. That was in the area called Decapolis after the ten cities which were there. So we find Him by the farther side of Jordan. The people are coming to Him again, and He taught them “as he was wont.” He’s now making His final ascent to Jerusalem. The enemies, those bloodhounds of hate, are on His trail.
TEACHING ABOUT MARRIAGE
And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him [Mark 10:1–2].
We need to understand that they do not ask this question because they want an answer. They are asking Him the question in order to trap Him. They had their own viewpoint concerning marriage and divorce; so they pose this trick question: “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?” It’s a clever question and was really a live issue at this time because Herod had put away his wife and married his brother Philip’s wife. John the Baptist had been beheaded because he had spoken out against it. So if Jesus answered no to their question, it would not only make Him contradict Moses, but it would bring Him into conflict with Herod. The death of Jesus was not to be determined on this issue. That’s very important to see. On the other hand, if He said yes to their question, they could accuse Him of being lax in His teaching. So now notice His method. It always was His method and it was a good one. He countered with a question.
And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away [Mark 10:3–4].
He knew they would have to say that because back in Deuteronomy 24:1–2 there was the Mosaic Law: “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.”
Moses permitted divorce, as you can see. Actually, it was not Moses’ intention nor was it God’s intention for a man or a woman to get a divorce over some little picayunish excuse. However, in time, the religious rulers interpreted it so that the wife’s burning the biscuits would be grounds for divorce.
Now our Lord goes back to that which is fundamental, and this is important to see. He turns it from a discussion of divorce to a discussion of marriage. And today that is the area into which we should move. I have so many questions from people asking about the grounds for divorce. When they are ready to get married, they never talk to the preacher. They are not interested in finding out whether he would approve or not; their only question is whether he will marry them. That is all they are concerned about.
The important thing to see here is that our Lord is going to discuss marriage with them. Notice how He handles it. He gives the reason God permitted divorce. It was because of sin that God granted divorce under the Mosaic Law.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder [Mark 10:5–9].
What Jesus is saying here takes them back to God’s ideal at the creation before sin entered the world. Divorce was not in His plan and program at that time. He had something better for man. It may likewise be said that murder was not in His plan, but murderers have been forgiven. Divorce is a sin, but divorced people can be forgiven. And I think that under certain circumstances divorced people can be remarried; that is, from a scriptural viewpoint. I don’t know why we will forgive a murderer but often refuse to forgive a divorced person. We act almost as if he has committed the unpardonable sin. People who are saved after securing a divorce ought not to bear the stigma any more than any other sinner who has been saved. We are all sinners saved by grace. It just happens that divorce is their sin.
What He is saying in this section here is that marriage is a stronger tie than that of parent and child. A child may be disowned, and marriage may be broken by unfaithfulness. Jesus is showing here that marriage is something that God makes. God joins a couple together. This was the original intention of the Creator. Any violation of this is sin, but it is not the unpardonable sin, I can assure you.
The basic problem is marrying the wrong person. It looks to me like we are locking the stable after the horse is gone. There are people getting married who ought not to get married. This is the problem. The sin was that they got married in the first place. My Christian friend, marriage is something that God wants to arrange for you, if you will let Him.
And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery [Mark 10:10–12].
This is the strongest statement against divorce that is found in the Scripture. How is it to be interpreted? All the Scriptures on divorce should be brought together and considered before a proper induction can be made. The parallel passage in Matthew lists fornication as the one basis for divorce. Why did Mark omit this? Mark was writing to the Romans who did not know the Mosaic Law, while Matthew was writing for Israel who had and knew the Mosaic Law of divorce. So it must be considered in that light.
Romans 7:2 does not apply to the problem of divorce: “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.” In this passage Paul is using a well-established law, that a wife is bound to a living husband until death frees her, as an illustration of the believer’s relationship to the principle of law. The Mosaic system took care of the unfaithful wife or husband. They were stoned to death according to Deuteronomy 22:22–24. Now today we don’t stone them to death. If we did, there would be so many rock piles we wouldn’t be able to get around them.
According to the Mosaic Law, a husband or wife who is guilty of adultery may be treated as dead by the other mate. Scripture does recognize one ground for divorce—unfaithfulness. The innocent party is free to marry, it would seem, from Christ’s words.
The discussion of divorce and the blessing of the little children are brought together by both Matthew and Mark. It seems to me the Spirit of God is trying to tell us something here. The child is the innocent product of the marriage, and a divorce becomes doubly evil because the little children suffer so in the divorce. It is amazing to see the number of young people from broken homes who get into trouble today. That is no accident, by any means. That is the way it works out.
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them [Mark 10:13–16].
The children would not have to become adults to come to Him. We wait for little Willie to grow up and maybe then he’ll make a decision for Christ. Our Lord says that He wishes the adults would become little children. We hear so much today about going on and growing and developing. That’s wonderful—after you have become a child of God. But, actually, most of us are going the wrong way. We need to leave our cleverness and our sophistication and our great knowledge that we boast of today and return to the simplicity of childhood—with simple, childlike faith, trust Christ Jesus.
Our Lord took the children up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them. He never did take anybody else up in His arms like that, friend. He took the little children, because they are the ones He will receive. When they die in infancy, before the age of accountability, they go to be with Him.
RICH YOUNG RULER
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God [Mark 10:17–18].
In this day of crass materialism, this incident of the rich young ruler and the teaching of our Lord about riches are certainly very applicable. Matthew tells us that the ruler was young, and this was a normal question for a man under the Law to ask. He is living under the Mosaic system and is asking what he must do to inherit eternal life.
Jesus tries to get the young man to think. Why should he call Jesus good? There is only One who is good and that is God. If he is calling Jesus good, then Jesus is God. Now notice that Jesus gives the young man the commandments which are in the second section of the Ten Commandments.
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth [Mark 10:19–20].
The first section of the commandments is labeled pietas and has to do with man’s relationship to God. The second section is labeled probitas and has to do with man’s relationship with man. Our Lord did not speak of the man’s relationship to God but of his relationship to man. He could meet the standard of the second section and said he had kept them all.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions [Mark 10:21–22].
Jesus told him he lacked one thing. What was that? It was his relationship to God. The thing that was hindering him was his riches. He had called Jesus good; and if he will follow Jesus, he’ll find out that the reason Jesus is good is because He is God. Jesus asked him to separate himself from his riches and follow Him. Where would this lead him? Well, at this time the Lord Jesus is on the way to die for the sins of this man. Had he followed Jesus, he would have come to the cross for redemption. But the young man “was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.”
TEACHING ABOUT RICHES
There is a great message here. Paul says that “… the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). He was merely repeating what our Lord said in this discourse. Money will buy anything except the most valuable thing—eternal life. This discourse reveals the impossibility of a rich man entering into heaven by means of his riches. It is impossible for any man to enter heaven by his own means.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God [Mark 10:23–25].
Well, a camel can’t go through the eye of a needle. That’s humanly impossible, or should we say “camel” impossible. But for God all things are possible.
And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible [Mark 10:26–27].
The man can’t do it; only the Lord Jesus can. We have the idea today that money can buy everything. Someone has written these lines about money that we do well to think over:
Money will buy a bed, but it will not buy sleep.
Money will buy food, but it will not buy an appetite.
Money will buy medicine, but it will not buy health.
Money will buy a house, but it will not buy a home.
Money will buy a diamond, but it will not buy love.
Money will buy a church pew, but it will not buy salvation.
Jesus invited this young man to get rid of that which stood between him and God. If he had followed the Lord Jesus, he would have learned that the reason Jesus is good is because Jesus is God.
Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life [Mark 10:28–30].
Instead of rebuking Peter, Jesus promised a reward for those who sacrifice for Him.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last first [Mark 10:31].
This is a principle which will operate in giving out rewards.
DEATH OF CHRIST
And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again [Mark 10:32–34].
You see, He’s moving now toward Jerusalem. He knows and is telling them that He is going there to die. Notice again that, with His death, He always mentions His resurrection.
AMBITION OF JAMES AND JOHN
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? [Mark 10:35–38].
We had this story in Matthew, you will remember. The mother had come to Jesus and asked this privilege for her sons. So when Jesus asked them whether they could be baptized with the same baptism that He would suffer, they answered that they could.
And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared [Mark 10:39–40].
We know that James became a martyr. John was exiled on the Isle of Patmos. Although it is not believed that he was martyred, he may have been executed; we do not know.
Our Lord did not say that there is not a place on His right hand and left hand. He said the place is not given arbitrarily to anyone He wants to give it to. But those who will receive it are preparing themselves for that place. Friend, you get heaven as a gift. But your place in heaven—you work for that. Salvation is free, but we work for a reward. If you are going to be rewarded of Him, you won’t get it by twiddling your thumbs or wringing your hands or sitting in a rocking chair. You’ll have to work to receive that.
And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John [Mark 10:41].
They were displeased because they wanted the best positions.
So the Lord must teach them another principle. The method this world uses is not God’s method.
But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all [Mark 10:42–44].
God’s method is to take those who are humble and make themselves small by serving and place them as the leaders. The chief must be the servant of all. Then He states the key to this gospel:
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many [Mark 10:45].
BLIND BARTIMAEUS
This account appears in Matthew and again in Luke. There are people who deny the inerrancy of Scripture because they can’t reconcile the accounts of the Gospels here. Matthew mentions two blind men, but Mark centers his attention on Bartimaeus because he was the one who spoke out. I think the critic who tries to tear apart the accounts in the Gospels is the third blind man!
And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way [Mark 10:46–52].
It is thrilling to think that Bartimaeus followed Jesus now with his eyes open. In a few days he will see Jesus dying on the cross.
Are you blind? Or have you, too, seen Jesus dying for you? Look and live!
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Triumphal entry; fig tree cursed; Jesus cleanses temple; fig tree withered; prayer; authority of Jesus
We are coming now to the last days in the earthly life of our Lord. I have divided this chapter in this way:
1. Jesus presents Himself publicly to His nation as the Messiah (vv. 1–11).
2. Jesus pronounces a blight on the fig tree (vv. 12–14).
3. Jesus purifies the temple (vv. 15–21).
4. Jesus’ prayer discourse (vv. 22–26).
5. Jesus perturbs the religious rulers (vv. 27–33).
This eleventh chapter deals with the three days that He came into Jerusalem. I take the position that His so-called triumphal entry really wasn’t that at all. It was the Lord Jesus coming to Jerusalem in a public manner at the conclusion of His earthly ministry and presenting Himself. Actually, it amounted to a rejection of His overture. He really came in on three separate days, and not on just one day. I think that each gospel is presenting a different aspect of His coming into Jerusalem. The first day He came was a Sabbath day, Saturday. He returned on Sunday and cleansed the temple. Then He returned on Monday and wept over the city.
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples [Mark 11:1].
We have seen in the last few chapters that Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem. He’s moving geographically and He’s moving chronologically closer to His death. This is the last week of His earthly life. Bethany and Bethphage are two little towns on the other side of the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem. (I intended to walk over there and back myself, but I never got around to it the few days that I was in Jerusalem. If I ever go there again, I want to do that. The fact of the matter is that I want to spend more time walking through that land. It’s one thing to get in a bus or a car and ride along and have these places pointed out, but it’s another thing to take a map and walk along, stopping along the way and having a conversation with anyone who could understand English. I know one could discover many things which the average tourist does not see at all today.)
Now the Lord Jesus is giving directions to two of His men.
And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither [Mark 11:2–3].
There are two possible explanations regarding the colt that Jesus was to ride into Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus could have known about it since He is God and, therefore, omniscient. This could have been a miracle from beginning to end. On the other hand, all of this could have been arranged beforehand, and it would therefore be entirely human. It doesn’t seem necessary to read a miracle in here when the natural explanation is in order. I believe our Lord had arranged for this beforehand, and I think you will find greater meaning if you look at it that way. The important feature is that Jesus is asserting His authority. Notice that if anyone questions them about loosing the colt, they are to say that the Lord has need of it. That is asserting authority.
While some are plotting His death, others are yielding allegiance to Him. “Straightway he will send him hither.” There were those who were obeying Him. Now that has been true for over nineteen hundred years. There are these two classes of people even today. As we read on, we find that they went into the town and found things just as the Lord had said.
And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go [Mark 11:4–6].
You will notice that they merely follow His instructions and return with the colt.
And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord [Mark 11:7–9].
I’m not sure that this was very impressive to those in Jerusalem. I’m sure it would not have been impressive to anyone who had been in Rome at the time that one of the Caesars returned from a campaign and had a great triumphal entry, a victorious return of a Caesar. It is said that so much booty and so many captives were brought back that the parade would go on for two or three days and nights. That would be triumphal, you see.
Here it was just a few Galileans, peasants, but the impressive thing and the important thing is that the Lord Jesus is offering Himself publicly.
And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve [Mark 11:11].
There are two things here that are important to see. It was obviously the Sabbath day and the money changers and the oxen were not there. On this first day He came in as the Priest, and He was the sacrifice. He came in as the Great High Priest to offer the sacrifice that is acceptable to God for your sins and for my sins.
And note that He did not spend the night in Jerusalem but returned to Bethany for the evening. Jesus had thrust Himself before the city publicly and was demanding a decision. As far as we can tell, He did not spend a night in the city that rejected Him.
FIG TREE CURSED
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it [Mark 11:12–14].
And this is “on the morrow,” the second day, and they were coming from Bethany. This is the second day He entered in triumph. This little incident has caused great controversy. On this day He cleansed the temple and He cursed the fig tree.
The nation Israel, in my opinion, is represented by the fig tree. I recognize there are others who will take exception to that, and I don’t want to be controversial. What I’m interested in is that there is a great spiritual lesson here. Israel had the outward leaves of a God-given religion, but there was no spiritual fruit. I wonder if we could say that of the church today? This would be His message to the church of Laodicea. They didn’t have any-thing—they were poor and blind and needed to have ointment to open their eyes. This means that the Holy Spirit was not there. I believe this is the same thing that Isaiah was talking about in Isaiah 29:13: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” I would consider this the condition of the church today.
The Lord Jesus cursed the fig tree, and the fig tree withered away.
JESUS CLEANSES TEMPLE
And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves [Mark 11:15].
Here He cleanses the temple. John tells us that He cleansed it at the beginning of His ministry and now He cleanses it at the end of His ministry. This took place on the second day, and this was not the Sabbath day; it was Sunday. The money changers were now in the temple. They had a seat on the stock market and were there so that when strangers came from other countries they could exchange coins. The strangers couldn’t use their foreign coins but needed the legal coin of the temple. When these moneychangers would make the exchange, they, of course, charged the people a certain percentage. It served a good purpose in a way, but the trouble of it was that our Lord said it had become a den of thieves. It had become a religious racket.
Friend, this is always a danger in any Christian enterprise. That is the reason folks ought to check on religious organizations before they support them.
You see, His public presentation of Himself as the Messiah was not a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He was rejected. I don’t like the term, and it is not scriptural to call it “triumphal.” Wait until you see Him someday when He comes and the “… dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them …” (1 Thess. 4:16–17). You will see that tremendous throng of folk who have trusted Christ during more than nineteen hundred years—millions of saints going out. My friend, that will really be a triumphal entry. I think it’s going to take place over a long period of time. The raising will be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, but the parade has a long way to go. He’s going to lead them into a new place, a new creation, a new home for this new group. It will not be just to the moon, but to the New Jerusalem. What a glorious thing that will be! That will be triumphant!
We have come now to the third day.
FIG TREE WITHERED
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away [Mark 11:20–21].
This causes our Lord to give this discourse on prayer. They marvelled at the fig tree, and this causes Him to give the discourse.
TEACHING ABOUT PRAYER
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God [Mark 11:22].
It’s interesting that this discourse on the prayer of faith grew out of Peter’s calling attention to the blighted fig tree. You see, the first step in prayer must be faith in God. The writer to the Hebrews stated this same principle: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6).
If you don’t believe in God, friend, then the skeptic is certainly correct when he says that prayer is a madman talking to himself. Having faith in God is the first step.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith [Mark 11:23].
This is a verse that is so misunderstood today. The Christian does not need to throw mountains around literally, but he needs power for living and meeting the daily mountains of cares and problems. This is why Paul could pray for the Ephesians, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16). Don’t pray for me that I’ll be able to move the mountains that are behind our headquarters here in Pasadena. Frankly, I see no point in moving the mountains. And if I did move them, where in the world would I put them? I don’t want to put them out in the ocean because they look pretty up where they are. But I want to tell you very candidly that I would like to be strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit in the inner man. That, my friend, would be greater than moving a mountain. That’s the thing that is important and is, I feel, what He is talking about as He gives them this visible illustration to show what prayer can do.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them [Mark 11:24].
Have faith in God. This does not give you the ability to satisfy your own selfish desires but have faith in God that His will might be done in your life.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses [Mark 11:25–26].
Here is a condition that the individual must meet before prayer is heard and answered. An unforgiving spirit will short-circuit the power of prayer, and that’s important to understand. God forgives us for Christ’s sake (Eph. 4:32). That is the way we are saved. But if you and I are going to have power in our lives, there must be forgiveness. That is very important.
Now we find the chief priests coming out to try to trap Him.
AUTHORITY OF JESUS
And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? [Mark 11:27–28].
They are still on His trail, you see, these bloodhounds of hate. They are resisting Him at every turn. They challenged His authority. They were the religious rulers; they were the official representatives of religion in their day, and they had delegated no authority to Him. So they want to know where He got His authority.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me [Mark 11:29–30].
That was a good question, by the way, and it was a devastating question to the religious rulers. You see, if they said that John’s baptism was from heaven, then the obvious follow-up would be, “Then why didn’t you accept it?” If they repudiated John, then the people would be antagonized, for they accepted John.
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things [Mark 11:31–33].
They had to wiggle out of answering the question of Jesus by claiming ignorance. It might be argued that this did not afford Jesus a sufficient ground for not answering their question. My friend, they were not seeking an answer. They were trying to trap Him. They had no intention of following His teaching if He had told them. He does not answer them because He is not falling into their trap. This, to me, is one of the great proofs of His deity—the way He handled His enemies.
Remember that when men and women came to our Lord with sincere questions as sincere seekers, they received a sincere and genuine answer to their inquiries.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Man demanding fruit from vineyard; question of taxes; the Resurrection; the Great Commandment; the Messiah; the widow’s mite
Note in this chapter and in succeeding chapters that there are no miracles. We have stated before that Mark is the gospel of action with the emphasis on miracles. According to this premise, it would seem that the action is slowing down now to a standstill. Actually, this is the lull before the storm. And we’ll see a lot of action coming up.
Now I’ve made a little outline of this chapter that I’ll give you:
1. Jesus quickens the battle with the religious rulers with the parable of the vineyard (vv. 1–12);
2. Jesus queers the plot of the Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes to Caesar (vv. 13–17);
3. Jesus quells the skepticism of the Sadducees concerning the Resurrection (vv. 18–27);
4. Jesus quiets the mind of the scribe about the greatest commandment (vv. 28–34);
5. Jesus questions the Pharisees about the Messiah and quotes Psalm 110 (vv. 35–40);
6. Jesus qualifies scriptural giving by evaluating the two mites of the widow (vv. 41–44).
We are coming to a great deal of action, but a different kind. The Lord Jesus is the Passover Lamb and He is put up for close inspection now before He is to be slaughtered. (You remember that the Passover lamb was kept up and closely observed to make sure it was without blemish.) All the waves of men’s wrath will roll over His head in a few days now. This is not a period of quiet and inaction, but it is the fiercest encounter with the religious rulers. Both sides bring up their heavy artillery and make every arrangement and preparation for the battle of heaven and hell, light and darkness, God and Satan. This could hardly be called a period of inaction or cessation of hostilities.
The three years of periodic skirmishes of Jesus with the religious rulers break out in a bitter verbal encounter. He takes the initiative, wins a victory in the verbal area, and they cease trying to trap Him in that way. They had hoped to force Him to say something that would turn the people against Him. All the questions they asked Him were loaded.
He precipitated this action by giving the most pointed, plain, and direct parable of His ministry—the vineyard. The meaning is obvious. The chapter opens with this parable.
MAN DEMANDING FRUIT FROM VINEYARD
And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winevat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country [Mark 12:1].
The vineyard is the nation Israel according to Isaiah 5:1–7. He brought that “vine” out of Egypt; He planted it (the nation of Israel). He gave to them a God-given religion. They are the only people that ever had a God-given religion and the visible presence of God. Churches have never had that. Now He gives a parable for the religious rulers of His day.
And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way [Mark 12:2–12].
It is quite obvious what He is talking about in this parable. The servants that God sent were the prophets. The “certain man” who had the vineyard is God the Father. The vineyard is the nation Israel. God had chosen and protected this nation. The husbandmen were the religious rulers. Finally, He sent His Son; and that, of course, is the Lord Jesus, the beloved Son of the Father. In a special way, Jesus came to the nation Israel first. “…I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). But He also came for the entire world, according to John 3:16. But here our Lord is making a deliberate and direct thrust at the religious rulers who stood before Him. They had already plotted His death and He brings their plans out into the light. “He knew what was in man.” He tells the religious rulers what they will do. He prophesies their every step and anticipates their every move. He charges them with murder before they kill Him. This is a remarkable incident, friend. Then He predicts the judgment of the religious rulers. We can see the fulfillment of that in a.d. 70 when Titus the Roman destroyed that city and took them into captivity. We can look at the Colosseum in Rome. It was Jewish slave labor that built it.
Now let us notice something wonderful here. “The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.” This is like a two-in-one parable of the vineyard and the stone. Christ was a stumbling stone and a rock of offense to the religious rulers, but many of the people turned to Him and He became the headstone of the corner. This will ultimately be fulfilled in the future when He comes again to the earth. We find this described in Zechariah 4:7 “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”
The religious rulers would have taken the Lord Jesus at this time and executed Him, but they were afraid of the people, you see. This parable of the vineyard set off a verbal war, and they send further delegations to Him.
QUESTION OF TAXES
And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it [Mark 12:13–15].
Their question is a masterpiece. They flattered Him, but He called them hypocrites. He didn’t accept their flattery. (By the way, He did accept what Nicodemus had said to Him because he was sincere.) My, but they were hypocrites!
Why did He ask them for a penny? He is going to use their own coin, it is true, but I think that He didn’t have one Himself. Just think of that. The Lord of Glory was in this world and He didn’t have a dime in His pocket, friend. Can you imagine that? How wonderful He was! He didn’t have a coin, and He didn’t have a lot of credit cards in His pocket either. So He just asked them for a coin, and they gave Him one.
And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him [Mark 12:16–17].
They gave Him a coin, and He asked them the question. You see, if He had answered them that they were to pay tribute to Caesar, then that would have meant that He put Caesar ahead of Moses and ahead of the Messiah. And if He said they were not to pay tribute, He would have been guilty of insurrection against Caesar. They thought they had Him in a trap, but they didn’t have Him at all. They had to marvel at His answer.
His answer reveals that a child of God has a twofold responsibility and, in fact, maybe even more than twofold. Someone told me some time ago that his father was in the hospital and his mother was sick but that he had some money set aside as a church contribution. When I inquired further, he said his parents were really in dire need and would have to accept charity if he didn’t help them. So I told him that his responsibility was to them. We get some strange, pious notions today.
We do have a responsibility to our government. When I see my income tax, sometimes I think I have too much responsibility. It pinches and hurts me when I see the way some of our senators are living and when I see the corruption that is taking place in all areas of government today. I must confess that then I resent paying the income tax. But that does not mean that I ought not to pay some. We have a definite responsibility to government.
Also, we have a responsibility to our loved ones. We have a responsibility to our church. I have a responsibility to you, today, to give the Word of God to you. We all have our responsibilities, and that is what the Lord is saying. You have a responsibility to Caesar. Discharge it. But that doesn’t relieve you of your responsibility to God. My, what a marvellous incident!
Actually, He takes this incident and turns it into a parable. “Give me a coin.” With that coin, He illustrated a great truth. The coin has two sides. These are two areas of life in which we have a responsibility. Man has both an earthly or physical and a heavenly or spiritual obligation. Citizens of heaven pay taxes down here. Pilgrims down here should deposit eternal wealth in heaven. So you see how He silenced these Herodians who wanted to put the house of Herod into power.
Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother [Mark 12:18–19].
The Sadducees, you will remember, were the liberals of the day. They denied the supernatural. What they stated was accurate, by the way. They referred to the law of the kinsman-redeemer which is illustrated in the Book of Ruth. They knew what the Scripture said.
Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also [Mark 12:20–22].
This is a ridiculous illustration, isn’t it? Well, it could be duplicated today in Hollywood or in our contemporary society perhaps, but it is ridiculous. So their question is:
In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? [Mark 12:23–24].
I would say that this is the difficulty today with those who are so critical of the Scriptures—they do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God. I notice that right now there is a promotion to cut down the population explosion and some folk say this is contrary to the Bible. God said to Adam, “Be fruitful and multiply.” It is true that God did say that to Adam, but He didn’t say that to the “Adamses” today. He wasn’t talking to this present generation. If you and your spouse were the only couple on earth, I imagine that is what He would say to you. He did repeat it again to Noah when Noah was very much alone with his family and there was no one else on earth. But He didn’t repeat that for us today. This is not even stated for Christians to do. It shows a woeful ignorance of the Bible; yet today such people spout off about the Bible when they should not be heard.
The Lord told the Sadducees that they were ignorant of two things: (1) They did not know the Scriptures and (2) they did not know the power of God.
For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven [Mark 12:25].
This doesn’t mean that a man and a woman who were together down here can’t be together in heaven. They won’t be together as man and wife. They are not establishing a home up there, nor are they raising children. That’s the thing that He’s saying to them here.
And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err [Mark 12:26–27].
They do not know the power of God. Abraham is not dead; Isaac is not dead, Jacob is not dead. Their bodies were buried there in Hebron, but they are not dead. They have gone to be with Him, and that is where Christians are today that die in the Lord, friend. He is devastating in His answers to these religious rulers. Now we have another person coming to our Lord, after hearing the discussion with the Sadducees.
THE GREAT COMMANDMENT
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord [Mark 12:28–29].
This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 6:4. It is not one of the Ten Commandments, but it is the greatest doctrinal statement in the Old Testament. Literally it should read, “Jehovah our Elohim [plural] is one Jehovah.” Israel was to witness to a world of polytheism and idolatry concerning the unity of the God-head. The church is to witness to a world of atheism and unitarianism concerning the Trinity.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment [Mark 12:30].
By the way, do you keep this commandment, my friend? If you say that you don’t need Christ as a Savior, that you obey God, then I ask you this question, “Do you love God with all your heart and mind and soul?” If you don’t, then you are breaking His commandment and you need a Savior. I know I need a Savior. I don’t measure up here. I wish I did. I love Him but not as I should.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these [Mark 12:31].
Now, if you can measure up here, maybe you could apply for salvation on your own merit. Until you do you need a Savior.
And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question [Mark 12:32–34].
What the scribe said is certainly true. To love God and to love our neighbor is more than all offerings and sacrifices. Friend, may I say again, if you don’t measure up to loving God with all your heart and understanding and soul and strength and to loving your neighbor as yourself, then you need a Savior. Turn to Him!
Now this ended the question period as far as men asking Jesus questions was concerned. The enemy could not trap Him. Now Jesus is going to do the questioning.
THE MESSIAH
And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly [Mark 12:35–37].
Right here Jesus is teaching His own virgin birth. How could David, in Psalm 110 where he is speaking of a future descendant of his, call his own great-great-great-great-grandson his Lord? Well, the only way he can call him his Lord is for Him to be The LORD, friend. The only way He can be The LORD is to be more than David’s son. He must be virgin born to be the Son of God. This is a great thought that our Lord is teaching here.
Notice also that here Jesus definitely ascribes Psalm 110 to David. He says that David wrote this psalm by the Holy Spirit. And Jesus says that this psalm is speaking concerning Him, the Messiah.
And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation [Mark 12:38–40].
Jesus is teaching that privilege creates responsibility. He denounces the scribes because their lives contradicted the Scriptures they taught. Their judgment will be more severe than those who have not heard the Scriptures.
THE WIDOW’S MITE
The final incident in this chapter shows Jesus doing an audacious thing that only God should do. He watched how the people gave.
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much [Mark 12:41].
He has the authority today to stand over the taking of the offering in your church or whenever you are asked to give to some cause; that is, for God’s work. He’s there to watch you, friend. He doesn’t watch what you give. He watches how much you keep for yourself.
And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing [Mark 12:42].
He had noted that the rich cast in much. They were the big givers. Oh, my, how we love the big givers. The rich gave generously. But He didn’t commend that. He watched that widow, and she gave two mites. Compared to the wealth of that temple, friend, what she gave wasn’t worth a snap of your fingers. But do you know what He did? He took those two mites, and He just kissed them into the coin and the gold of heaven and made them more valuable than anything any rich man ever gave. Do you know why? Because He saw that she kept nothing for herself but gave all to Him. Her love and devotion were in the gift. I tell you, that is the way He measures.
Some folk ask whether they should give a tenth to God. My friend, how much do you keep for yourself? It’s not how much you give to Him. You’re not required to give a certain amount or a certain percentage. The question is, how much do you really love Him? The Lord is the One who watches how people give. It’s not what they put in. The widow didn’t give anything of great value, friend. I doubt that the treasurer paid much attention to it. But the Lord takes the two coppers of the widow and exchanges them for the gold of heaven.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Olivet Discourse; parable of the fig tree; parable of the man on a trip
Again in this chapter we will find that there are no miracles, but there is a great deal of action. Mark’s gospel is a gospel of action and has placed much emphasis on miracles. But in this chapter the action is future action. The action really hasn’t come to a standstill, but it is still future. It records the eschatological events which will end this age. The catastrophic events of the Great Tribulation are given, and the second coming of Christ is graphically described. This is action geared to the divine power, and that, my friend, is greater than atomic power.
The Olivet Discourse, which we find in this chapter, is a parallel account with Matthew. It is much briefer here than in Matthew; in fact, it is an abridged edition. This has been generally true of Mark, except in some notable instances where he gives the longest account of an incident. In general, his policy is to abbreviate everything and give rapid action.
This is my outline of the chapter:
1. Presentation of questions by disciples to Jesus on top of the Mount of Olives (vv. 1–4);
2. Panorama of this age (vv. 5–7);
3. Persecution preceding the Great Tribulation (vv. 8–13);
4. Prophecy of the Great Tribulation (vv. 14–23);
5. Proclamation of the second coming of Christ (vv. 24–27);
6. Parable of the fig tree (vv. 28–33);
7. Program for God’s people (vv. 34–37).
There are a lot of “P’s” in that pod, don’t you think? That’s what we have in this chapter before us.
OLIVET DISCOURSE
And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! [Mark 13:1].
Now here, I think, is an example of how there can be a misunderstanding of a passage of Scripture. One naturally asks the question, “What’s back of all this?” We have no indication why the disciples should make such a statement. Actually, we must go back to Matthew 23:38 to find out. Jesus had pronounced a coming desolation upon the temple. The disciples were puzzled because there was a grandeur and a glory about the temple and the surrounding buildings. They wanted to be sure that He noted it. So one of them said, “Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down [Mark 13:2].
He asks them a question. They had asked Him to see the buildings because they wanted to make sure that He hadn’t missed them. Now He asks them, “Do you really see them?”
Jesus is teaching a great spiritual lesson here. During the last few years of my pastorate in downtown Los Angeles, a forty-two story building went up right next door to the church. Across the way, within a block and a half is a forty-story building, two fifty-story buildings within a block of us, and diagonally across the street from us will be a sixty-story building. Down the street from us they plan the greatest downtown shopping area in America. There will be several skyscrapers, a big shopping mall, a great department store, two hotels. My friend, we could ask that question today. Don’t you see all these beautiful buildings? They are brand new, and they are beautiful. But what do we really see? We see their beauty, strength, stability, and permanence. It looks to me as if they are here for a long time unless a bad earthquake comes along. Really, these buildings are temporary. They are passing away. A true perspective would allow us to see that not one stone is going to be left upon another. Actually, these are of steel and concrete but still they are all coming down. Paul stated the spiritual truth this way: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).
My friend, that is the great truth. Did you know that Nebuchadnezzar walked through great Babylon in his day and saw all the glory of Babylon. As he walked through, he said, “Is not this great Babylon that I built?” Have you seen a picture of the ruins of Babylon today? Nothing to brag about there. It’s all gone, friend; the glory has disappeared. And the skyscrapers of Los Angeles are all coming down, too, by the way. He says it will all come down. These things are passing away.
My friend, do you see the things that are eternal?
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? [Mark 13:3–4].
Mark is always putting in a little something that we don’t get in the other Gospels. We wouldn’t have known it was these four men who actually were delegated as the committee who waited on Jesus with the questions, but here they are named. Remember, this is Peter’s gospel. Peter told Mark that these four men were in the group that asked Him privately.
Mark states two of the questions. Matthew states three questions that they asked. Luke gives part of the answer. When we put it all together, we find that Matthew records all three questions put to our Lord by the disciples: (1) “… Tell us, when shall these things be?” This refers to when one stone will not be left on another, and Luke gives our Lord’s answer to this question; (2) “and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and” (3) what shall be the sign “of the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3). Matthew and Mark give our Lord’s answer to the last two questions. Matthew has it in a great deal more detail than Mark, but we will look at Mark’s emphasis. Remember that he is writing to the Romans, and he is going to call attention to that which reveals power and action and drama.
And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many [Mark 13:5–6].
We find this is a constant warning—a warning against false Christs. Some may think that this is not a danger today. I think it is very pertinent right now. For example, the Christ of liberalism is an antichrist—he is not the real Christ! Some of you may think that they preach the Christ of the Bible. They do not. According to their statements, the Christ they preach was not virgin born, never performed a miracle, did not shed his blood for the sins of the world, was not raised bodily from the grave, did not ascend into heaven, and is not coming again bodily. Do you know there is no Jesus like that in the Bible? The Jesus of the Bible was virgin born and did perform miracles and did shed His blood for the sins of the world. He was raised bodily from the grave and ascended into heaven and is coming again. That is what the Bible says, and the Bible contains the only documents of an historical nature concerning Him. The Bible claims all these great cardinal facts of the faith. Evidently the liberal is talking about another Christ, another Jesus. And any other Christ, friend, is antichrist. Listen to the apostle John: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18).
There are a lot of antichrists. I have called your attention to the one of liberalism, but there are a lot of phonies around today claiming to be Christ. I understand that a founder of a religion here in Southern California is claiming today that he can do what Christ could not do. One of the Beatles claimed that their group was more popular than Christ and that they were able to do more than He was able to do for our day. There are a lot of antichrists around. Our Lord did well to warn us about that.
And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet [Mark 13:7].
And then wars, like false Christs, characterize the whole age. No believer should be disturbed by wars. They are not the sign of the end of the age. Neither antichrists nor wars indicate that we are at the end of the age. When I say “antichrists” I am not referring to the Antichrist, although all of these false Christs are pointing to him, the final Anti-christ.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows [Mark 13:8].
Today man feels he is so civilized because he has so many gadgets, and he thinks he is making the world such a wonderful place. Then all of a sudden he discovers that he is polluting the earth and that he is going to make it uninhabitable. And before long, unless he cuts down the population explosion, he’s going to starve to death. The Bible says, friend, that troubles and famines would come. It is interesting that this Book, which men have despised, is so accurate about it all. A few years ago men thought science would solve the problems of the world. Now we know it has made problems that neither science nor the world can solve.
Even Bernard Shaw had to say, “The science to which I pinned my faith has failed, and you are beholding an atheist who has lost his faith.” What a tragedy! May I say to you, these are the things that characterize the end of the age.
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
And the gospel must first be published among all nations [Mark 13:9–10].
Now I don’t think He’s talking about the church here. By “gospel” He means the gospel of the kingdom. This is also the gospel of grace. There are not two gospels. The gospel of the kingdom is actually a facet of the gospel of grace. All salvation is by the grace of God, and God has never had but one way to save sinners and that is by the blood of Jesus Christ. But the gospel of the kingdom will emphasize “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In other words, “He is coming.” And when they say it in that day, it will be in the Great Tribulation Period, and it will be accurate.
But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before-hand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost [Mark 13:11].
This is no verse for a lazy preacher to use as an excuse for not preparing a sermon. I remember a friend of mine down in Texas told me that he was in Temple, Texas, one morning. He had changed trains there as he was going out to a little town to preach. Another preacher there was watching him and saw him walking up and down and going over his notes for his sermon. “Are you a preacher?” my friend was asked.
“Yes.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going over my notes for my sermon.”
“You mean that you prepare your sermon beforehand?”
“Of course, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t. I wait until I get up there and the Spirit of God gives me a message.”
“Well, suppose the Spirit of God doesn’t give you the message immediately. What do you do then?”
“Oh, I just mess around until He does.”
Friend, I’m afraid there is a lot of messing around today. This verse is not talking about anything like that. This refers to the day when the 144,000 of the nation Israel are witnesses. This is a message for them in that day. This is not an excuse for you and me not to prepare our Sunday school lesson.
Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death [Mark 13:12].
There shall be base betrayal.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved [Mark 13:13].
There will be worldwide anti-Semitism in that day. But when God puts His seal upon them in that day, they are going to make it through to the end.
And now we come to a very dramatic part.
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains [Mark 13:14].
This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation. The first three and a half years of it are comparatively quiet; it is the false peace of the Antichrist. Then, in the midst of it, there appears this “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Daniel the prophet. It will stand where it ought not, that is, in the Holy Place. You see if Mark had said to the Romans that the abomination of desolation would stand in the Holy Place, they would have said, “Where is that?” He says it will stand where it shouldn’t stand. That’s more understandable to many of us too. We need to understand that the Holy Place was given only to the nation Israel. It was a specific place in the temple on earth. The church has no Holy Place.
And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment [Mark 13:15–16].
Note the urgency. They are not to go back and get their belongings but to start running.
But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter [Mark 13:17–18].
This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not [Mark 13:19–21].
Those will be terrible days.
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things [Mark 13:22–23].
False Christs and false prophets will perform genuine wonders by the power of Satan.
The second coming of Christ is introduced by the darkening of the universe and a universal display of heavenly fireworks, a fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32.
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory [Mark 13:24–26].
Those are not rain clouds that He is describing. They are the glory clouds, the shekinah glory. I believe that is the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.
And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven [Mark 13:27].
This is not the Rapture of the church. Christ will not send angels to gather out His own, but they will be caught up to meet Him in the air (see 1 Thess. 4:13–18). Rather, this section is describing events which will take place after the Tribulation (see v. 24) when Christ will return to the earth in glory and judgment.
PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors [Mark 13:28–29].
The fig tree speaks of the nation Israel. I recognize that there is disagreement here, and I don’t mind folk disagreeing with me and thinking the fig tree means something else. But I personally believe there is Scripture to make it clear. After all, the nation Israel is God’s timepiece. He says we are to look to the fig tree. God’s timepiece is not G-R-U-E-N, nor is it B-U-L-O-V-A; God’s time-piece is I-S-R-A-E-L.
Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done [Mark 13:30].
“This generation” could refer to the race of Israel. It would then teach the indestructibility of this people. Or “this generation” could refer to a generation of people and their total life span. In that case it would mean that those who saw the beginning of these events would see the conclusion of them also. The latter is the more likely meaning, it seems to me.
The emphasis appears to be on the rapidity in which these events transpire rather than upon the permanence of the nation Israel. However, both facts are sustained by Scripture.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father [Mark 13:31–32].
This verse is admittedly difficult. If Jesus is God, it is difficult to account for this lack of omniscience. “Neither the Son” is added by Mark (cf. Matt. 24:36). Mark presents Jesus as “the servant, and the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth.” The servant character of Jesus represents His most typical and true humanity. He “took upon him the form of a servant.” When He became a man, He limited Himself in order to be made like us. He was not omnipresent when He became man. Martha rebuked Jesus, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” It is reasonable to assume that there was a self-limitation relative to His omniscience.
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is [Mark 13:33].
The proper attitude of God’s people in all ages as they face the prophetic future is one of watching and praying.
PARABLE OF THE MAN ON A TRIP
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning:
Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch [Mark 13:34–37].
This parable concludes Mark’s account of the Olivet Discourse. Jesus applied this parable to Himself in relationship to His second coming. There is a responsibility of God’s people in view of the fact that Jesus will demand a report at His return. Added to praying and watching is the task of working.
This instruction is for you and me today also, although the watching is different. One can watch in anxiety and one can watch in fear. But the child of God is to be watching, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing. That is joyful anticipation.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Plot to put Jesus to death; Jesus at supper in Bethany; Judas bargains to betray Jesus; the Passover; the garden of Gethsemane; the arrest of Jesus; the trial of Jesus
Now, friend, we come to the longest chapter in the Gospel of Mark; it has seventy-two verses. We are certainly in a chapter of action now. However, Jesus is no longer the one performing the action. He is being acted upon by others—both friends and enemies. The time has come for Him to be delivered up. His earthly ministry is concluded in the fulfillment of prophecy. “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter …” (Isa. 53:7). He is delivering Himself into the hands of men. Mary anoints Him, Judas betrays Him, Peter denies Him, and the Sanhedrin arrests Him. He delivers Himself into the will of the Father.
As we come into the shadow of the cross, the reverent heart realizes we are on holy ground. There are depths that have not been plumbed and heights that have not been scaled. The action of this moment involves the anguish and agony of His soul. His hour has come! Do you remember that at the wedding of Cana He had said to His mother, “mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4)? But now it has come!
In this chapter and the one that follows there is a strange agreement of heaven and hell. Light and darkness are going together in the same direction. Righteousness and sin are going to the cross, and God and Satan have decided that Jesus shall be crucified. And there are individual decisions converging upon the cross—as there are even to this day.
Here is my outline of the chapter:
1. Chief priests and scribes plot to kill Jesus (vv. 1–2).
2. Mary of Bethany pours ointment upon the head of Jesus (vv. 3–9).
3. Judas plans to betray Jesus (vv. 10–11).
4. Jesus prepares for last Passover and first Lord’s Supper (vv. 12–25).
5. Peter pledges his allegiance (vv. 26–31).
6. Jesus prays in Garden of Gethsemane (vv. 32–42).
7. Jesus placed under arrest (vv. 43–52).
8. Jesus put on trial before the Sanhedrin (vv. 53–65).
9. Peter protests that he does not know Jesus (vv. 66–72).
PLOT TO PUT JESUS TO DEATH
After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people [Mark 14:1–2].
The Passover was observed on the fourteenth day of the first month which is the Jewish month Nisan and corresponds to our April. “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover” (Lev. 23:5). Then the Feast of Unleavened Bread was on the fifteenth day of the same month, and it continued for seven days thereafter. “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread” (Lev. 23:6). It was, I think, the intention of these eleven rulers to take Jesus at the end of the Passover season, after the crowds had left Jerusalem, and then put Him to death.
They decided they would not do it on the feast day—that is, during the Passover season, which is the Feast of Unleavened Bread and which extended for seven days. You see, at the end of that seven days the people would begin to leave Jerusalem and then they would reach out and put their hands upon Him. The reason they didn’t want to touch Him during the feast days was that they feared an uproar or a riot. The crowds were in Jerusalem for the feast and the people held Jesus in high esteem. The common people heard Him gladly. He fed and healed them.
JESUS AT SUPPER IN BETHANY
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head [Mark 14:3].
Here is a lovely thing. John’s gospel places this incident six days before the Passover (see John 12:1). Then have Matthew and Mark erred in placing this incident just before the Passover? No. We must remember that neither Matthew nor Mark is attempting to give a chronological order. Their obvious purpose is to place this lovely incident next to the dark deed of Judas—that is, the plot to betray Jesus. They are portraying a vivid contrast and conflict of light and darkness, and that is the reason they are brought together like this. Matthew and Mark do not attempt to give a chronological biography of Christ. Both friend and foe are moving toward the cross but by different routes. Mary of Bethany is coming the way of light and love. Judas is moved by foul and dark motives. And, by the way, it is John who tells us that this woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (see John 12:3).
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her [Mark 14:4–5].
John also tells us in his account that it was Judas who led in the defection and caused the others to follow along. The pious suggestion that the proceeds be used for charitable purposes has covered up the real reason. Judas wanted to appropriate it for his own selfish ends. Sad to say, sometimes we find the same sort of thing today in Christian work. If they had given the money to Judas, where do you think it would have gone?
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always [Mark 14:6–7].
If they were sincere, there would be many opportunities to help the poor, and they could avail themselves of those opportunities. The presence of the poor is one of the characteristics of this age. There will be no elimination of poverty until Jesus comes. This idea today that you can eliminate poverty by handing out dollars is a big mistake. There are so many other things that are wrong in the world that must be corrected first.
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her [Mark 14:8–9].
She had done what she could. That is all that God has ever asked of any person to do. But the important thing to notice here is that Mary had a spiritual discernment which was sadly lacking even in the apostles at this particular time. She anointed His body for the burial. Just think of it. This frail woman stood on the fringe of the events which were leading to the cross, and she let the Lord Jesus know that she understood. None of the apostles sensed this, but she did. The fragrance of the box of ointment she broke that day has been borne across the centuries by the Holy Spirit unto our day. It still fills hearts with its sweetness even at the present hour. Here in the shadow of His suffering there was one who understood.
It is so easy to read this, and it may become meaningless to us. Have any of us broken our alabaster box upon Jesus so that there might be a fragrance in our lives and it might be a blessing to others? I think that maybe if some broke their alabaster boxes of ointment it would be to help the poor. I’m wondering today if those who are God’s people are really doing what they could do.
Now notice that right next to this lovely thing she did, the light of it and the love of it, we have the plan of Judas to betray our Lord.
JUDAS BARGAINS TO BETRAY JESUS
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him [Mark 14:10–11].
Here we see Judas in his act of darkness. This man is now plotting to put Jesus to death. The plot was to wait for a convenient time to betray Him, But, you see, the Lord upset the apple cart. We find in the Gospel of John that the Lord said to Judas,“… That thou doest, do quickly” (John 13:27). So Judas must have rushed out to the Pharisees and said, “You’d better go get Him now because our plot has been discovered. He told me to do quickly that which I planned to do. He may leave town.” So they got the officers immediately, and they went out to arrest Him.
THE PASSOVER
Going back to the Gospel of Mark, we find the next thing mentioned is our Lord preparing for the Passover.
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? [Mark 14:12].
The Passover was to be eaten with unleavened bread, and then there were seven days of unleavened bread to follow (Exod. 12:14–20). On one occasion I was in Israel at the time of the Passover, and I was staying in a hotel in Haifa. We had unleavened bread for seven days, and I want to tell you, friend, I got pretty tired of that bread. The rest of the food was delicious, but that bread got very monotonous.
Now the disciples here were meticulous in following the letter of the Mosaic Law. They wanted to know where they were going to eat the Passover. They were going to do it right. In a few hours Jesus was to fulfill the meaning of the Passover.
And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? [Mark 14:13–14].
Now again, I think this reveals the human side of our Lord, and it also reveals the fact that there were those who loved Him at this time and were preparing the Passover for Him. It also reveals the fact that our Lord was the omniscient God. Apparently the ”goodman of the house” was some unnamed follower of the Lord. There is no reason to doubt that there had been a previous offer of the guest room to Jesus. I’m of the opinion that sometime during those three years of His public ministry this man had come to the Lord Jesus and had offered this room. I think he told Jesus, “Now, when You come up to Jerusalem to the Passover, I have this room for You and it will be prepared just for You.” I tell you, this was a wonderful service which he performed. There are many things which we can do for the Lord Jesus, and this is what this man did.
And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.
And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover [Mark 14:15–16].
Notice that Jesus celebrated the Passover in a borrowed room. Obviously the room had been made ready for Jesus; so I think there had been a previous commitment on this. I don’t think that the host of this occasion should be blamed for not being there to wash the feet of the disciples, either. It was to be a private Passover. The Lord has said, “I shall eat the passover with my disciples” (v. 14). It would be private, and the host would not interfere.
You will recall that we noted a former experience like this when Jesus sent the disciples for a donkey for Him to ride into Jerusalem. They found it as He said they would. I think there had been a previous arrangement made for the little donkey. I think our Lord was making arrangements as He went along.
And in the evening he cometh with the twelve [Mark 14:17].
Notice that He came in the evening. The Passover begins at sundown, and I think He came in under cover of darkness. He is not going to force their hand until He is ready, but at the proper time He will deliver Himself into their hands and they will crucify Him. It will not be according to their schedule but according to His schedule, by the way. This is a marvelous thing.
This was a lovely occasion. He ate the Passover with them in a leisurely and informal way. We’ve made our observance of the Lord’s Supper on Sunday mornings a very formal service. You’ll find that He ate the Passover supper here with them, and the next meal that He had with them was breakfast on the shores of the Sea of Galilee after His resurrection. I think this time was a wonderful time of fellowship.
I personally do not criticize church dinners in and of themselves. I think they can serve a wonderful purpose, but the type of church dinners we have today are often not quite what they should be. It is wonderful for people to meet and have fellowship around the person of Christ. If He is not the center, and we’re just having a grand old time, though we call it fellowship, we have missed the point. A church dinner should be an occasion to meet around the person of Christ. That was the purpose of this Passover feast, by the way.
And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? [Mark 14:18–19].
All of them knew they were capable of doing it, friend. If you have not discovered that you are totally depraved, that you are not a good person but a sinner, that you are thoroughly capable of turning your back on God, you haven’t discovered very much.
Unfortunately there are people in the church who don’t recognize that they are sinners and are lost. And there are saved people in the church who don’t realize they are capable of turning their backs on God. Each of us could ask, “Is it I?”
And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.
The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born [Mark 14:20–21].
It was Judas Iscariot who had made the decision to betray Him. The responsibility of Judas was great for he had the opportunity of being with Jesus for three years. The psalmist had written: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Ps. 41:9). He pointed out Judas Iscariot, and I think that Judas Iscariot left at this particular juncture.
Jesus instituted a new feast on the dying embers of the old, the Passover feast. He reared a new monument, not a monument of brass or marble but one that takes these elements that perish so easily, bread and wine. The Passover had looked forward to His coming as the Passover Lamb, and now the Lord’s Supper looks back to His death. The bread speaks of His body that was broken. (Remember that not a bone in His body was broken.)
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread,and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God [Mark 14:22–25].
There are several things here that I think are interesting and important. The Passover cup went around seven times during the Passover feast. During that time they would sing one of the great Hallel Psalms. Apparently it was the seventh time around when He did not drink but instituted the Lord’s Supper with them. The Lord’s Supper now looks back to what He did for us on the cross more than nineteen hundred years ago.
The Passover looked forward to His coming, but the Passover will be restored for the millennial kingdom (as we learn in Ezekiel). And the reason for it, I think, is that during the Millennium there will be a remembrance of His coming; when it was first instituted, it had looked forward to His coming. I see no reason why it couldn’t look forward and also look backward. And, by the way, that would bring out the real meaning of the Passover during the millennial kingdom. Paul says, “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).
THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all [Mark 14:26–31].
We find here first that Simon Peter pledges his allegiance. He was sincere, of course, but he did not know his own weakness. That is the problem with most of us today. We don’t know our own weakness. And I personally believe that you don’t find out about this in psychology. I think the only place that you can really see yourself is in the Word of God. That is the only mirror that you have.
Let me quote a little excerpt of material that is being printed by a Christian organization, which, I think, gives the wrong impression. It talks about a girl with a problem who went to her pastor. “After several talks together the pastor realized he was not equipped to help her as much as she could be helped. He referred Betty to a competent, Christian psychologist; one who as a professional counselor led Betty into a deeper understanding of the sources of her anxiety, many of them stemming from childhood experiences long since forgotten but recalled and understood under the guidance of a skilled helper. The result: a Christian teen released from the grip of emotional problems and given a new relationship with herself, others, and the Lord.” May I say, that type of thing reads like Grimm’s fairy stories—“They lived happily ever after.”
Now, I happen to know that the Christian psychologist is no more competent to solve these problems today than the average pastor. I think we’ve been deluded today into believing that the Christian psychologist is able to say, “Hocus-pocus, abracadabra,” and somehow or another the problems are solved.
My friend, may I say to you, none of us knows the depths of the human heart. Only the Word of God can let us see what sinners we are. That was the problem with Betty in the article; that is the problem with me, and that is the problem with you. When we recognize that, we see that anyone who truly knows the Word of God is able to help us. If we take the emphasis away from the Word of God, we can find that people get one problem solved with the help of the psychologist and come away with two more problems. Then the last estate of the man is worse than the first. Let’s be very clear. The only solution to a problem is the Lord. You don’t solve the problem so that you are enabled to go to the Lord. No, you go to the Lord and He is the chief and the great Physician. By the way, He is the great Psychologist and He alone knows us. In the final analysis, He is the only One. I am insistent in saying this, as you can see, because I think it is important today for somebody to say it. We are finding that a great many today are making merchandise of the ills of folk when actually only the Word of God can solve their ills. God Himself must do it, if we’d only learn to go to Him and cast ourselves upon Him. Maybe we recognize that we have had a bad childhood—friend, we’ve had a bad everything! But we have a Savior who loves us, and we can go to Him. How wonderful it is to have Someone to go to.
We find the Lord Jesus now telling them that He is going before them into Galilee. He announces His resurrection. He tells them the sheep are going to be scattered but He will go on into Galilee after His resurrection. He promises to meet them there. But Simon Peter couldn’t let it go at that. He declares that he will not be offended even if the others are. Here again we see that he just doesn’t know what he is saying. So our Lord prepares him for what is coming. And He lets Peter know that He is going to stand by him.
My friend, the Lord will stand by you in times like this. He will be there in our most desperate and dastardly hour. He certainly was with this man Peter.
And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch [Mark 14:32–34].
The Garden of Gethsemane must have been a familiar spot to which they came rather frequently. Whether it is the “Garden of Gethsemane” as it is known today we do not know. I am of the opinion that it should be on the other side of the mountain—but the location is really immaterial. Since they came here rather frequently, it was a place that Judas knew. Our Lord never spent a night inside the city of Jerusalem. He went out to this place.
There are only eleven disciples now. He leaves an outer circle of eight. He takes three of them, Peter, James, and John, a step closer to Him in this hour. He went to pray. The language indicates that He faced a sore ordeal in the garden. “Began to be sore amazed” is actually startled or more intense—we would say stunned. It says that He was very “heavy” (lit. distressed).
He faces here a travail of soul that was as great, if not greater, than the suffering of the body on the cross. Did He face the tempter again here in the garden? I think He did. I must be very frank and say that we can only stand here on the fringe. There are mysteries in the garden that we cannot understand. I think it is audacious and actually borders on the blasphemous for people to sing, “I’ll go with Him through the garden.” I’m sorry, friend, if you don’t mind, I’ll beg off. I can’t go with Him through the garden. You don’t know how weak and stumbling and bumbling I really am. I can’t go with Him through the garden, but I will stand at the edge and watch Him pray. He asked us to watch and pray so that we enter not into temptation.
And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt [Mark 14:35–36]
Mark says that He prayed that the hour might pass from Him. It was not death He dreaded but rather the hour of the cross—that moment when sin was to be put upon Him. He was made sin for us (see 2 Cor. 5:21). Mark makes the “hour” and the “cup” synonymous.
Listen to the writer to the Hebrews: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:7–8).
Now He returns to the place where He had stationed the three disciples.
And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak [Mark 14:37–38].
The three disciples were not at all alarmed. In fact, they could sleep through it all. This man, Peter, wasn’t even disturbed that he was going to deny Christ. He should have been watching and praying, but he just went off to sleep. Watching and praying is the way for us to avoid temptation today, friend.
Now you’ll notice that Jesus goes back and He repeats the first prayer.
And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words [Mark 14:39].
And the disciples went to sleep again.
And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him [Mark 14:40].
They had no explanation for their failure. We certainly learn here that the flesh cannot be trusted.
And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand [Mark 14:41–42].
Apparently there was a lapse of time in here so that they had a brief sleep before He was arrested.
THE ARREST OF JESUS
And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders [Mark 14:43].
Now you see that they have come out to do the thing that they said they would not do. They had said, “Not during the feast days.”
And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely [Mark 14:44].
Here we have recorded one of the basest acts of treachery. It is foul and loathsome. Judas knew our Lord’s accustomed place of retirement, and he led the enemy there.
A kiss is a badge of love and affection, but Judas used it to betray Christ. This makes his act even more dastardly and repugnant. Incidentally, we learn here that our Lord in His humanity looked no different from other men. He needed to be identified in a crowd.
And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith. Master, master: and kissed him [Mark 14:45].
You will notice that Judas calls Him, “Master.” He does not call Him “Lord.” “… no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 12:3).
And they laid their hands on him, and took him [Mark 14:46].
This marks the moment that Jesus was delivered into the hands of sinful men. He yields Himself now to go to the cross.
Simon Peter attempts to come to His rescue:
And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
I was daily with you in the teaching, and ye took me not: scriptures must be fulfilled 14:47–49].
Jesus points out that this fulfills prophecy. If these people had believed their own Scriptures, they might have hesitated or even changed their minds.
And they all forsook him, and fled [Mark 14:50].
As we suspected, it was Peter who cut off the man’s ear with his sword. John also tells us that the man’s name was Malchus. Simon Peter was a pretty good fisherman but a pretty sorry swordsman. He had intended to get the neck, but he missed it and got an ear.
“They all forsook him, and fled” is a fulfillment of prophecy.
Then we have this incident of a certain young man.
And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked [Mark 14:51–52].
There has always been speculation as to who this is. Some think it may have been the apostle Paul. Some think it may have been John Mark. I personally think it would be more apt to have been John Mark.
THE TRIAL OF JESUS
And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes [Mark 14:53].
Jesus is now brought before Caiaphas, the high priest who was acceptable to Rome. Annas, his father-in-law, was actually the high priest according to the Mosaic Law. Jesus was first brought before Annas, which John records. Some believe that Annas was the real rascal behind the plot to kill Jesus. This is a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire [Mark 14:54].
Peter is moving toward his shameful fall. He followed afar off and then sits with the wrong crowd.
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none [Mark 14:55].
The meeting of the Sanhedrin was illegal since it was at night. Their method was likewise illegal. They heard only witnesses who were against Jesus.
For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,
We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
But neither so did their witness agree together [Mark 14:56–59].
Many were willing to bear false witness, but no two agreed. A charge had to be established in the mouth of at least two witnesses. Of course Jesus did not say that He would destroy the temple and then raise it up in three days. He said, “Destroy this temple”; that is, you destroy this temple, and John explains, “But he spake of the temple of his body” (John 2:21).
And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven [Mark 14:60–62].
Jesus did not defend Himself against such obvious falsehood. Again He was fulfilling prophecy: “… as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7). The silence of Jesus surprised and annoyed the high priest. He wanted Jesus to answer to see if He might condemn Himself. Finally, the high priest put Him under oath. Under oath Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God. He could make no higher claim. He added a claim that could pertain only to the Son of God: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13–14).
The high priest understood what He said and all the implications of it. He displayed his intense emotion by tearing his garment. In doing this, he broke the Mosaic Law, as the garment of the high priest was not to be torn.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?
Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands [Mark 14:63–65].
They condemned Him to die because He claimed to be the Messiah. The charge was changed when they went before Pilate (see Mark 15:3). Their treatment of Him was the worst indignity He could endure. Imagine spitting in the face of the Son of God!
While the farce of the trial of Jesus was in progress, Simon Peter was in the place of great temptation.
And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:
And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto [Mark 14:66–70].
A little wisp of a maid caused him to deny His Lord. Peter was ashamed to be known as a follower of Jesus at this time. Have we ever been in a similar position? May God forgive our cowardice and weakness as He did that of Peter.
On the third encounter notice that Peter’s weakness in wanting to talk too much got him into trouble. His speech gave him away.
But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept [Mark 14:71–72].
This man had not known his own weakness. Simon Peter loved Jesus, and he was sincere when he promised to be loyal to Him. But he did not know himself. He had not yet come to the place where he saw no good in the flesh at all.
However, Peter could repent of his sin, and that is the real test of a genuine believer. These were tears of heartbroken repentance. Years later in his epistle he wrote, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:5). Peter knew that the Lord Jesus had kept him!
We close this chapter with Jesus in the hands of His enemies. His own are scattered. One has betrayed Him; another has denied Him. It is the night of sin!
CHAPTER 15
Theme: The trial of Jesus; the crucifixion of Jesus; the burial
We are now in the study of the crucifixion of Christ. I know that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and it is profitable (see 2 Tim. 3:16), but this portion that describes the death and resurrection of Christ has particular meaning for us today. We closed the last chapter with Jesus in the hands of His enemies. His own are scattered. One has betrayed Him. Another has denied Him.
Sin is the issue this night in two different ways. Sin is trying to destroy Him. And He is doing something about sin—He is dying for your sin and my sin. I suppose it can be said that the cross is one of the many paradoxes of the Christian faith for that reason. It is at once the greatest tragedy of the ages and the most glorious victory of earth and heaven. Therefore, we should not come to this chapter with a feeling of defeat or sympathy for the Sufferer. We should walk softly and revently through these scenes with a heart welling up to God in thanksgiving for providing so great salvation (see Heb. 2:3).
The tragic note is inescapable in these scenes with the cruel injustice and bitter suffering inflicted upon Jesus. It is no wonder that Clovis, the barbarian, when he first heard the gospel read, exclaimed, “If I had only been there with my soldiers.” But remember, it is not our sympathy that the Son of God wants. He wants our faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10). He wants the faith of your heart, not the sympathy of your heart.
Mark is the gospel of action, and this fifteenth chapter sets forth the supreme nature of the action. The Crucifixion is the climactic point and crowning event of this action. It is the Crucifixion toward which all creation and the purposes of God were moving from all eternity, for He was the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The gospel is now translated into action! Paul could say later on, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4).
You see, the gospel is what He did. It is not what God is asking you to do. It is His action, not your action or mine. You and I are in no position to do anything that would be acceptable to God. Your righteousness and my righteousness are not acceptable for salvation. God must, and does, provide that righteousness in Christ. He “… was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification,” for our righteousness (Rom. 4:25).
Now I will give an outline for this fifteenth chapter:
1. Jesus carried before Pilate (vv. 1–6).
2. Jesus condemned—Barabbas released (vv. 7–15).
3. Jesus crowned with thorns (vv. 16–23).
4. Jesus crucified (vv. 24–41).
5. Jesus committed to Joseph—new tomb (vv. 42–47).
THE TRIAL OF JESUS
And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate [Mark 15:1].
The reason that they did this was that the Sanhedrin could condemn Jesus to die, but they could not carry out the execution. Only Rome could do that. Therefore, this body had to appeal to the Roman court for the execution of the death penalty that they had decided upon. Now the charge which they had brought against Him in the Sanhedrin would never stand up before Pilate. So they met early the next morning to formulate charges that would stand up before the Roman court and would make legal the illegal action of the night before.
You see, Pilate is the Roman governor who is in Jerusalem at this time. His headquarters were down at Gaesarea because he liked that place—it was on the seacoast and had a delightful climate. He didn’t like Jerusalem. He came up there only at feast times to keep down any riots. The Roman government didn’t permit riots and protest marches and that type of thing, which is one reason Rome stood for about one thousand years as a great world empire. I think that present-day nations need to take note of this.
Pilate was a politician. Expediency rather than Roman justice was the motivating force in his life. He actually sought to release Jesus when he discovered He was innocent, but at the same time he wanted to please the religious rulers. Yet, if you will notice here, he couldn’t really get the cooperation from Jesus that he hoped to get. He thought that, if Jesus would cooperate, he could please the religious rulers, too. Pilate is a typical example of a cheap politician who is unloosed from the noble moorings of honesty and integrity and “carries water on both shoulders,” seeking to compromise and to please all sides. And when you try to do that, you please no one.
And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it [Mark 15:2].
That would be the same as saying, “You’re right. I am.”
And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.
And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.
Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired [Mark 15:3–6].
Pilate was amazed and shocked at a prisoner who would stand before him and not defend himself. I imagine that other prisoners went to great lengths to defend themselves, but this Prisoner was different. He didn’t defend Himself and Pilate wanted to know the reason.
Now, when we compare the Gospel of John, we will find that there was a great deal of interplay between Pilate and the religious rulers as Pilate actually sought to deliver Jesus. He took Him on the inside to talk to Him. Then he came back out and then took Him in again, hoping to get His cooperation. But Pilate found out that he had to stand on his own two feet and make a decision relative to Jesus Christ. For that matter, that is exactly what every man and every woman has to do.
Pilate then thought he could get off the hook by releasing a prisoner. This man just couldn’t believe that anyone would ask for Barabbas to be delivered and for Jesus to be crucified. He really thought that he had found a solution for the dilemma in which he found himself.
And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection [Mark 15:7].
Here was a man guilty of murder and guilty of leading an insurrection. He was the chief prisoner at that time. He was actually to be crucified along with the others. I think the Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross intended for Barabbas.
But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
And they cried out again, Crucify him [Mark 15:9–13].
A very remarkable and unheard of thing is taking place here. It was evident to Pilate that the charges brought against Jesus were false. Here he had on his hands a prisoner who was an outstanding criminal, and so he makes the comparison between Jesus and Barabbas. He was so shocked when they asked for Barabbas to be released that he, the judge, asked the people in consternation what he should do then with Jesus.
Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him [Mark 15:14].
The mob had been instructed to demand that Jesus be crucified. Here we see mob rule with a vengeance. When Pilate asked what evil Jesus had done, they simply cried out more and more. “Crucify him.” No mob is prepared to reason or to use its head or use good judgment. All they can do is cry out, “Crucify him.”
And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified [Mark 15:15].
Pilate obviously was a weak, vacillating politician. He yielded to the cry of the mob, and he delivered the Lord Jesus to be crucified. Roman justice certainly went awry here. An innocent man is to die. But wait a minute—He is taking my place and I am not innocent. He’s taking your place also.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band [Mark 15:16].
When any criminal was to be crucified, he was turned over to these soldiers. They were a brutal lot, and they could do as they pleased with the prisoner. They, of course, humiliated their prisoners, tortured them, and made them a plaything for their sadistic appetites. This is the thing they do now with the Lord Jesus.
I’ve suggested that they played a game, a Roman game called “hot hand.” Each would stick up a fist in the face of Jesus; then they would blindfold Him and all but one would hit Him. They beat His face into a pulp until I don’t think He looked like a man. Of course, when they would take the blindfold off, He had to pick out the fist that had not hit Him. The prisoner never could pick out the right one. Even if He did, they wouldn’t admit it was the right one because they were going to play that game again and again. It was a vicious beating, which is probably the reason we are told that they had to get this man Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross. Our Lord was thirty-three years old—He still had the strength of youth. I’m confident He was muscular. He had walked up and down that country. He’d been a carpenter, and He’d been able to drive the moneychangers out. But they had beaten Him unmercifully.
And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! [Mark 15:17–18].
The act of putting a purple robe and crown of thorns on Him was mere mockery.
And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him [Mark 15:19].
This was vicious. The imperfect tense of the verbs indicates that they kept on smiting Him and spitting on Him. This was more than ordinary human hatred. This was brutal and cruel, revealing the degradation of the human heart. Do you see what He endured when He took your place? The cross was still before Him.
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross [Mark 15:20–21].
After a morning of inhuman suffering they led Him away to be crucified. Simon was from Cyrene in North Africa. He probably was attending the Passover in Jerusalem. It appears that he was picked out of the crowd by chance to help carry the cross. It is believed that Jesus carried the cross to the city gates.
And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull [Mark 15:22].
Golgotha means “the place of a skull.” Our word is Calvary.
And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not [Mark 15:23].
The wine mingled with myrrh was a drug to help deaden the awful ordeal of the cross for those about to die. It is interesting to note that when He was born, wise men brought Him myrrh. When He died, He was offered myrrh. Myrrh speaks of His death.
And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take [Mark 15:24].
Actually a better translation here would be “after they crucified him.” No gospel writer records the details of the Crucifixion; they give us only incidents around the Crucifixion. The Spirit of God drew a veil over it as if to say, “There is nothing here to satisfy sadistic gossip. There is nothing here with which an idle mind should be occupied. It is too horrible.”
The parting of His garments was in fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalm 22:18.
And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS [Mark 15:25–26].
Now we are told here that it was the third hour when they crucified Him, which was nine o’clock in the morning. (Mark uses the Hebrew computation of time, while John uses the Roman.) We must put all the gospel writing together to get the full superscription. John tells us that it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. No gospel writer is intending to give us the whole story.
The charge for which they crucified Him was this:
“THE KING OF THE JEWS”
It may seem an anomalous statement to say that it was true. It was not true in the way they meant it. He had led no insurrection against Rome. He offered Himself to Israel and was rejected.
And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors [Mark 15:27–28].
Jesus was crucified, we are told, with two thieves—the one on His right hand and the other on His left. And that was done, Mark says, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Then he quotes Isaiah 53:12, “… and he was numbered with the transgressors….”
And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save [Mark 15:29–31].
This was true. He could not save others and at the same time save Himself. He grave Himself for others—this is the great principle of redemption.
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [Mark 15:32–34].
I want you to notice here that Mark gives us the Crucifixion by the clock. On the third hour He was put on the cross, and at the sixth hour (which would be twelve noon) darkness came down. The high noon sun was covered, and darkness came down over the cross. From the sixth hour to the ninth hour, that would be until three o’clock in the afternoon, there was darkness.
Now will you notice this: the first three hours were from 9:00 A.M. until 12 noon; the second three hours were from 12 noon to 3:00 P.M. Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. In the first three hours there was physical light; in the second three hours there was physical darkness. But in the first three hours there was spiritual darkness; in the second three hours there was spiritual light. Why? Because in those first three hours man did his worst. They crucified Him and they reviled Him. Even those who were hanging with Him on the cross reviled Him. At least at the first, both thieves did. At that time the enemy, marching around down beneath the cross, were wagging their heads and ridiculing Him. In the first three hours man was working, doing his very worst; in the second three hours God was working. He was suffering at the hands of man in the first three hours; He was suffering for man in the last three hours. In the first three hours He was dying because of sin; in the second three hours He was dying for the sin of the world. So during the time of the physical darkness, there was actually spiritual light and God was working. In those first three hours sin was doing all it could to destroy Him; in the second three hours He is making His soul an offering for sin. In those last three hours He is paying for the sins of the world. It was during this period that He was made sin for us; He became sin for us. He was forsaken of God and vet. even at that time. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself (see 2 Cor. 5:19). What a paradox we find here.
And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down [Mark 15:35–36].
The crowd misunderstood what He said. They probably thought that He had called for Elijah because of the similarity of the words, and they said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come.” You wonder whether they didn’t halfway suspect that He really was the Messiah. I think there is something in the human heart that would tell them—and did tell them—this was the Messiah.
Then they gave Him some wine to quench His thirst. This was not the drug that they offered Him earlier. He took this in order to fulfill the prophecy: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:21).
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom [Mark 15:37–38].
He did not die because the bodily organs refused to function. He surrendered up His spirit.
The rending of the veil was evidently witnessed by many priests. Three o’clock was the time of the evening sacrifice and they were serving in the temple at that very moment. This must have had some effect on them. At any rate, we note later on that many of the priests came to a saving knowledge of Christ. “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). This reveals that many of the priests believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have every reason to believe that some of them were serving in the temple at the time of the Crucifixion.
The fact that the very moment when He gave up the ghost was the moment that the veil was rent in twain is not accidental by any means. They are specifically stated together.
Jesus gave up the ghost. He could not die until He had given up His spirit. He did not die because His bodily organs refused to function, which means He died differently, of course, from any of us. I’ve been in the presence of quite a few people when they have died. These folk, I’ve always noticed, have a death rattle. The last thing we do is try to draw in our breath. The one thing we want is that final breath. He didn’t do that. He dismissed His spirit. So that certainly made His death different even in a physical sense.
At that very instant, the veil was torn in two. The veil speaks of the humanity of Christ. The Book of Leviticus gives us more understanding of the veil because the Book of Leviticus has to do with the service in the tabernacle. That veil, you will recall, speaks of the humanity of Christ, and this carries a tremendous message. You see, the humanity of Christ, or the life of Christ, shuts us out from God. His sinless life shows how sinful ours are. The minute He died, the veil was rent. It is His death that brings us to God, friend, not His life.
And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God [Mark 15:39].
I believe that this was the confession of faith in this centurion and this was as far as he could go at this time. He couldn’t have said anything that would have revealed his faith more than this. He acknowledged that Jesus is God’s Son. He acknowledged who He was and certainly what He was doing. I do not believe that this man had all the details of theology. This man had never read Strong’s theology or any of my books, but this man knew enough to take his place beneath the cross of Christ. And, you know, that is all God has ever asked any sinner to do. He asks us to come in faith to Him. That is what this man is doing. We must remember that he was a pagan Roman, and he had the cruel job of crucifying men. He was certainly made very tender at this time.
Now we are told about the women who were present.
There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
(Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem [Mark 15:40–41].
It is interesting to note, by the way, that the women were the last to leave the cross and the first to arrive at the tomb. These stood afar off, we’re told here. They remained faithful. They were the ones who were faithful to the very end. His disciples and apostles were scattered at this time. There are other women who are not named here at all for it says, “and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.”
THE BURIAL
And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph [Mark 15:42–45].
This is something that is quite interesting to note. Joseph of Arimathaea is a little-known follower of Jesus. He actually had charge of the burial, and he had the courage to step out in the open here. He was a member of the Sanhedrin (see Luke 23:51–52), and this man had not consented to the counsel and the deed of that group. He was of Arimathaea, a city of that land. He also was waiting for the kingdom of God. This man now steps out as a follower of the Lord Jesus when the apostles were scattered, gone under cover, and he asks for the body of Jesus.
We’re told here that Pilate marveled that He was so soon dead. The reason is that customarily a person who was crucified would linger alive on a cross, sometimes for days. His life would just gradually expire. It was a cruel and inhuman mode of torture. This is the reason Pilate marveled and made special inquiry. Jesus gave up the ghost. That is important for us to see. During the last hours of dying, a prisoner on the cross had his legs broken to hasten his death. But Jesus was already dead, and it was not necessary to break His legs. That, you know, was a fulfillment of prophecy that not a bone of His body would be broken.
Pilate, we are told, gave the body to Joseph. It is interesting to note that there are two words used for body in this section.
Joseph asked for the body—soma is the Greek word.
Pilate gave him the body—ptoma is the Greek word. The first speaks of the total personality, and it is a word of care and tenderness. The word used when Pilate gave the body just means the corpse or the carcass. It is a different viewpoint and attitude toward death and toward the bodies of those that are dead. The word Joseph used was a word of tenderness for the body. He wanted Jesus. All Pilate did was to give him a carcass. What a difference that is!
Friend, only the Lord Jesus can put any value on you. You and I are not worth very much, but He paid a tremendous price for our redemption. We groan within these bodies, but even our bodies are to be redeemed. There is a day coming when we will experience the redemption of our bodies. That is just a little added insight here.
Notice that Joseph is called a rich man, and he put away the body tenderly into his new tomb.
And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre [Mark 15:46].
That door was sealed. The Romans sealed the rock and guarded it with Roman soldiers (see Matt. 27:66).
And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid [Mark 15:47].
The women were the only mourners. They were with Him to the very end. God bless the women.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: The Resurrection; the Ascension.
Now we come to the resurrection and as cension of Jesus. The bodily resurrection of Jesus is one of the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith. It is the heart of the primitive gospel. Every sermon in the Book of Acts is a message on the Resurrection—every speaker got to this subject. The early church dwelt upon it constantly. Today there is scant reference to the Resurrection, and in many churches there is one sermon preached each year on Easter Sunday with the message of the Resurrection. “He is risen!” That is the thrilling message which electrified a lethargic and sinful generation in the Roman Empire. It turned them upside down, wrong side out, and right side up; and they went out to tell the world about it. There would be hope today if the church would preach this truth with much assurance.
Let me mention here that this chapter has been under severe criticism by the higher critics. I mention this so someone doesn’t wonder why I do not mention the textual problem here. Verses 9–20 have been called in question by the textual scholars of both the conservative and liberal groups. Wescott and Hort omit it from their Greek text, but they do include it in smaller type. Nestle follows the same procedure by separating it from the regular text. Some, from the liberal wing, omit it altogether.
It is true that two of the better manuscripts omit it entirely. Aleph and the Vatican manuscripts end Mark’s gospel at verse 8 of chaptel 16.
It is not my intention to go into a discussion in the field of New Testament Introduction. Rather, I am interested in giving attention to the meaning of the text. I believe that these last twelve verses are a part of the inspired Scripture and shall treat them as any other portion of the Word of God. The omission of this portion from two of our better manuscripts is not sufficient grounds to remove it from Scripture, especially when all the other manuscripts and uncials contain it. The internal evidence is not enough to dismiss it either, as the style is still that of Mark—brief and blunt.
Here is my outline of the last chapter of the Gospel of Mark:
1. The arrival of the women at the empty tomb (vv. 1–4).
2. The announcement of the angel that Jesus had risen (vv. 5–8).
3. The appearances of Jesus (vv. 9–18).
4. The ascension of Jesus (vv. 19–20).
THE RESURRECTION
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him [Mark 16:1].
This was now early on Sunday morning, the first day of the week. They were never able to anoint His body. It was not Mary of Bethany who wasted her ointment, but these women wasted theirs because, when they brought it to the tomb, Jesus was gone—He was alive again.
And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great [Mark 16:2–4].
The Sabbath had ended at sundown on Saturday. They had secured the spices sometime after that in order to make the trip to the tomb so early on Sunday morning. The same women who were present at the cross came to the tomb. I think it is accurate to state that the women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb.
The attitude of the disciples was that, since Jesus was dead it was better to stay under cover until after all the excitement had died down and they were no longer in danger. Did they intend to go to the tomb? There is no evidence to support such an intention. It seems that none of them intended to visit that tomb.
Now it was very early, sunrise, and these women intended to anoint the body of Jesus with the spices they had bought. They were presented with the difficulty of getting into the tomb because of the stone at the door. They found that their difficulty was dissolved by the fact that the stone had been rolled away. The body of Jesus was gone. There was a heavenly messenger with the first announcement of the Resurrection. The fact that the tomb was empty has been well attested and established. The evidence is such that it would be acceptable in a court of law.
And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you [Mark 16:5–7].
To study the facts of the empty tomb we need to put the four gospel records together. Some of the facts are in Matthew and others are in John’s gospel. Right here I want to quote a statement given by Lord Lyndhurst, High Chancellor of Great Britain (1846) and High Steward of Cambridge, the highest honor which they confer. This man said, “I know pretty well what evidence is; and, I tell you, such evidence as that for the Resurrection has never broken down yet.”
The women were specifically told to go and report to the disciples. (The angel surely was not waiting for some disciple to come by, as we can see from the message he sends to them. Jesus will meet them in Galilee as He had promised them. John 21 tells us of that remarkable meeting.) You can imagine the amazement of these women. They were speechless. And this, frankly, doesn’t seem to me to be an appropriate place for Mark to end his gospel, as some of the critics claim.
And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid [Mark 16:8].
Now we come to the section that is not included in all the manuscripts but which we believe is the Word of God.
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he hard cast seven devils.
And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country [Mark 16:9–12].
Mark makes it very clear to us that he hadn’t been following a chronological order in his gospel. But now he says that this is the order. He is being chronological. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. The disciples didn’t believe Mary Magdalene at all. After that He appeared to two others, walking in the country. Luke gives us the account of that walk on the road to Emmaus.
And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen [Mark 16:13–14].
You see that Mark does not include all the details, but he does state the order of the events which he reports.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature [Mark 16:15].
This has been a gospel of action. Now He’s telling them to get into action! They are to go. And, by the way, He is saying to us today that we should be men and women of action for God. What are you doing today to get out the Word of God? That is our business, friend. You should be having some part in getting the Word of God out today.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned [Mark 16:16].
He does not say that if you are not baptized you will be damned. He is not saying that baptism is necessary to salvation, but that the person who is saved will be baptized. It is the rejection of Christ which brings eternal damnation. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
xAnd these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover [Mark 16:17–18].
If you want to accept any of these sign gifts, then you must take them all, brother. I’ll be glad to prepare a formaldehyde cocktail if you think you can drink it. What am I trying to say? These signs have followed the preaching of the gospel. But they are not signs to continue the preaching of the gospel. They disappeared even in the early church, but they do manifest themselves on some primitive mission frontiers even today. But if someone maintains that they are injunctions for today, then one must accept them all, even the drinking of a deadly poison. Even before the end of the first century, the sign gifts were no longer the credentials of the apostles. The test was correct doctrine (see 2 John 10). It is the Word of God that is the great sign in this hour.
THER ASCENSION
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen [Mark 16:19–20].
This is Mark’s brief statement of the great fact of the Ascension and the present ministry of Jesus at the right hand of God. The disciples did go out to carry the gospel to every creature, and the Lord did work with them and confirmed the Word with signs which they performed.
This is the gospel of action. May we be men and women of action for God!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Alexander, J. A. Commentary on the Gospel of Mark. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1858.
Earle, Ralph. Mark: Gospel of Action. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, n.d.
English, E. Schuyler. Studies in Mark’s Gospel. New York, New York: Our Hope Publishers, 1943.
Hendriksen, William. Exposition of the Gospel According to Mark. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1975. (Comprehensive for advanced study.)
Hiebert, D. Edmond. Mark: A Portrait of a Servant. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1974. (An excellent comprehensive treatment.)
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on the Gospel of Mark. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers. (Especially good for young Christians.)
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Gospel According to Mark. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1927.
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d. (Splendid outlines.)
Van Ryn, August. Meditations in Mark. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux, 1957.
Vos, Howard F. Mark, A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978. (Excellent for personal or group study.)
Wuest, Kenneth S. Mark in the Greek New Testament for English Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1950.
The Gospel According to
Luke
INTRODUCTION
Luke was the beloved physician of Colossians 4:14, “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.” He used more medical terms than Hippocrates, the father of medicine. The choice of Luke by the Holy Spirit to write the third gospel reveals that there are no accidental writers of Scripture. There was a supernatural selection of Luke. There were “not many wise” called, but Luke belongs to that category. He and Paul were evidently on a very high intellectual level as well as a high spiritual level. This explains partially why they traveled together and obviously became fast friends in the Lord. Dr. Luke would rank as a scientist of his day. Also he wrote the best Greek of any of the New Testament writers, including Paul. He was an accurate historian, as we shall see. Luke was a poet—he alone records the lovely songs of Christmas. Luke was an artist; he sketches for us Christ’s marvelous, matchless parables.
A great deal of tradition surrounds the life of Dr. Luke. He writes his gospel from Mary’s viewpoint, which confirms the tradition that he received his information for his gospel from her. Surely he conferred with her. Also, there is every reason to believe that he was a Gentile. Most scholars concur in this position. Paul, in the fourth chapter of Colossians, distinguishes between those “who are of the circumcision” and the others who are obviously Gentiles, in which group he mentions Luke. Sir William Ramsay and J. M. Stifler affirm without reservation that Luke was a Gentile. This makes it quite interesting to those of us who are Gentiles, doesn’t it?
Remember that Luke wrote the Book of Acts where we learn that he was a companion of the apostle Paul. In Acts 16:10 he says, “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia….” He was with Paul on the second and, I think, the third missionary journeys. From this verse on he writes in the first person—it is the “we” section of the Book of Acts. Prior to this verse he writes in the third person. So we can conclude from Acts 16 that Luke was with Paul on that historical crossing over into Europe. He probably was a convert of Paul, then went with him on this second missionary journey. and stayed with him to the end. When Paul was writing his “swan song” to Timothy, he says, “Only Luke is with me …” (2 Tim. 4:11). All this explains why Paul calls him the beloved physician.
Jesus is the second man, but the last Adam. “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit…. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:45, 47). God is making men like Jesus: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Therefore, Jesus is the second man—for there will be the third and the fourth—and the millionth. However, He is the last Adam. There will not be another head of the human family. Jesus was “… made like unto his brethren …” (Heb. 2:17) that His brethren might be made like unto Him.
At the close of the nineteenth century there was a wave of skepticism that swept over Europe and the British Isles. There was delusion and disappointment with the optimism which the Victorian era had produced. There was, on the lighter side, a rebellion against it which produced the Gay Nineties. Also it caused many scholars to begin a more serious investigation of the Bible, which had been the handbook of the Victorian era. They were skeptical before they began. Among them was a very brilliant young scholar at Cambridge by the name of William Ramsay. He was an agnostic, who wanted to disprove the accuracy of the Bible. He knew that Luke had written an historical record of Jesus in his gospel and that he had written of the missionary journeys of Paul in the Book of Acts. He also knew that all historians make mistakes and that many of them are liars.
Contemporary authors Will and Ariel Durant, who spent forty years studying twenty civilizations covering a four thousand year period, made the following statement in their book, The Lessons of History: “Our knowledge of the past is always incomplete, probably inaccurate, beclouded by ambivalent evidence and biased historians, and perhaps distorted by our own patriotic or religious partisanship. Most history is guessing; the rest is prejudice.”
It is safe to say that this was also the attitude of Sir William Ramsay when he went as an archaeologist into Asia Minor to disprove Dr. Luke as an historian. He carefully followed the journeys of Paul and made a thorough study of Asia Minor. He came to the conclusion that Dr. Luke had not made one historical inaccuracy. This discovery caused William Ramsay to become a believer, and he has written some outstanding books on the journeys of Paul and on the churches of Asia Minor.
Dr. Luke wrote his gospel with a twofold purpose. First, his purpose was literary and historical. Of the four Gospels, Luke’s gospel is the most complete historical narrative. There are more wide-reaching references to institutions, customs, geography, and history of that period than are found in any of the other gospels. Secondly, his purpose was spiritual. He presented the person of Jesus Christ as the perfect, divine Man and Savior of the world. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh.
Matthew emphasizes that Jesus was born the Messiah.
Mark emphasizes that Jesus was the Servant of Jehovah.
Luke stresses the fact that Jesus was the perfect Man.
John presents the fact that God became a Man.
However, it is interesting to note that John did not use the scientific approach. Dr. Luke states that he examined Jesus of Nazareth, and his findings are that Jesus is God. He came to the same conclusion as John did, but his procedure and technique were different.
Matthew presents the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, King, and Redeemer.
Mark presents Christ as the mighty Conqueror and Ruler of the world.
John presents Christ as the Son of God.
Luke presents the perfect, divine Son of God as our great High Priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, able to extend help, mercy, and love to us.
Luke wrote to his countrymen, just as Matthew wrote to his. Luke wrote to the Greek mind and to the intellectual community.
In the fourth century b.c. the Greeks placed on the horizon of history the most brilliant and scintillating display of human genius the world has ever seen. It was called the Periclean Age, pertaining to Pericles and the period of the intellectual and material preeminence of Athens. The Greeks attempted to perfect humanity and to develop the perfect man. This attempted perfection of man is found in the physical realm in such work as the statues of Phidias, as well as in the mental realm. They were striving for a beautiful as well as a thinking man. The literary works of Plato, Aristotle, Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Thucydides all move toward the picture of perfect man and strive to obtain the universal man.
The Greeks made their gods in the likeness of men. In fact, their gods were but projections of man. The magnificent statues of Apollo, Venus, Athena, and Diana were not the ugly representations that have come out of the paganism of the Orient. They deified man with his noble qualities and base passions. Other Greek gods include Pan, Cupid, Bacchus (the god of wine and revelry), and Aphrodite. Not all of their gods were graces; some of them were the avenging Furies because they were making a projection of mankind.
Alexander the Great scattered this gripping culture, language, and philosophy throughout the lands which he conquered. Greek became the universal language. In Alexandria, Egypt, the Old Testament was translated into Greek. We call that translation the Septuagint. It is one of the finest translations of the Old Testament that we have. The New Testament was written in Greek. The Greek language provided the vehicle for the expression and communication of the gospel to all of mankind. It has been the finest language to express a fact or communicate a thought.
Even though Greek culture, language, and philosophy were the finest ever developed, the Greeks fell short of perfecting humanity. The Greeks did not find Utopia. They never came upon the Elysian fields, and they lost sight of the spiritual realm. This world became their home, playground, schoolroom, workshop, and grave.
Dr. F. W. Robertson said this of the Greeks: “The more the Greek attached himself to this world, the more the unseen became a dim world.” This is the reason the Greeks made an image to the UNKNOWN GOD, and when the apostle Paul preached the gospel to them, this is where he began. The cultivated Athenians were skeptics, and they called Paul a “babbler” and mocked him as he endeavored to give them the truth.
Paul declared that the gospel is foolishness to the Greeks, but he also wrote to the Greek mind. He told them that in times past they were Gentiles, having no hope and without God in the world. That is the picture of the Greek, friend. But Paul also told them that when the right time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, and that this Son of God died for them. Paul walked the Roman roads with a universal language, preaching a global gospel about the perfect Man who had died for the men of the world. The religion of Israel could produce only a Pharisee, the power of Rome could produce only a Caesar, and the philosophy of Greece could produce only a global giant like Alexander the Great who was merely an infant at heart. It was to this Greek mind that Luke wrote. He presented Jesus Christ as the perfect Man, the universal Man, the very person the Greeks were looking for.
Note these special features of Luke’s gospel:
1. Although the Gospel of Luke is one of the synoptic gospels, it contains many features omitted by Matthew and Mark.
2. Dr. Luke gives us the songs of Christmas.
3. Dr. Luke has the longest account of the virgin birth of Jesus of any of the Gospels. In the first two chapters, he gives us an unabashed record of obstetrics. A clear and candid statement of the Virgin Birth is given by Dr. Luke. All the way from Dr. Luke to Dr. Howard Kelly a gynecologist at Johns Hopkins, there is a mighty affirmation of the Virgin Birth, which makes the statements of pseudo-theologians seem rather puerile when they unblushingly state that the Virgin Birth is a biological impossibility.
4. Dr. Luke gives us twenty miracles of which six are recorded in no other gospel.
5. He likewise gives us twenty-three parables, and eighteen of them are found nowhere else. The parables of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan are peculiar to this third Gospel.
6. He also gives us the very human account of the walk to Emmaus of our resurrected Lord. This proves that Jesus was still human after His resurrection. Dr. Luke demonstrates that the Resurrection was not of the spirit, but of the body. Jesus was “… sown a natural body … raised a spiritual body …” (1 Cor. 15:44).
7. A definite human sympathy pervades this gospel, which reveals the truly human nature of Jesus, as well as the big-hearted sympathy of this physician of the first century who knew firsthand a great deal about the suffering of humanity.
8. Dr. Luke uses more medical terms than Hippocrates, the father of medicine.
OUTLINE
I. Birth of the Perfect Man; His Family, Chapters 1–3
A. Announcement of the Births of John and Jesus; the Birth of John, Chapter I
1. Purpose of Gospel, Chapter 1:1–4 (Periodic sentence)
2. Gabriel Appears to Zacharias and Announces the Birth of John, Chapter 1:5–25
3. Gabriel Appears to Mary and Announces the Virgin Birth of Jesus, Chapter 1:26–38
4. Mary Visits Elisabeth, Chapter 1:39–56 (Hail Mary and Magnificat)
5. Birth of John (Zacharias’ Benedictus), Chapter 1:57–80
B. Birth of Jesus; His Reception; His Circumcision; His Journey to Jerusalem at Twelve Years of Age, Chapter 2
1. Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in a Stable, Chapter 2:1–7
2. Reception of Jesus: Angels Announce His Birth to Shepherds; Shepherds Visit Stable, Chapter 2:8–20
3. Circumcision of Jesus and Purification of Mary, Chapter 2:21–24
4. Incident in Temple Concerning Simeon, Chapter 2:25–35 (Nunc Dimittis, vv. 29–32)
5. Incident in Temple Concerning Anna; Return to Nazareth, Chapter 2:36–40
6. Visit of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to Jerusalem When Jesus Was Twelve, Chapter 2:41–52 (Dr. Luke says He was growing normally in body, mind, and spirit—v. 52.)
C. Ministry of John the Baptist; Baptism of Jesus; Genealogy of Mary,Chapter 3
1. Ministry of John, Chapter 3:1–20
2. Baptism of Jesus, Chapter 3:21–22 (Trinity—v. 22)
3. Genealogy of Mary, Chapter 3:23–38 (Mary was also descended from David, v. 31—see Matt. 1.)
II. Testing of the Perfect Man; Rejection by His Hometown, Chapter 4 “Tempted like as we are” (Heb. 4:15).
A. Temptation of Jesus, Chapter 4:1–13
B. Jesus Returns to Galilee and Nazareth; Rejected by His Hometown, Chapter 4:14–30 (Jesus quotes from Isaiah 61:1–2 in v. 18.)
C. Jesus Moves His Headquarters to Capernaum; Continues His Ministry, Chapter 4:31–44
III. Ministry of the Perfect Man in Area of Galilee, Chapters 5–9
A. Jesus Galls Disciples for the Second Time; Cleanses Lepers; Heals Man with Palsy; Calls Matthew; Gives Parables on New Garment and Wine Skins, Chapter 5
B. Jesus Defends Disciples for Plucking Grain on Sabbath; Heals Paralyzed Man on Sabbath; Chooses Twelve; Gives Sermon on the Plain, Chapter 6
C. Jesus Heals Centurion’s Servant; Restores to Life Son of Widow of Nain; Commends John the Baptist; Goes to Dinner at Pharisee’s House; Gives Parable of Two Debtors, Chapter 7
D. Jesus Gives Parables: Sower, Lighted Candle, Personal Relationships; Stills Storm; Casts out Demons at Gadara; Heals Woman with Issue of Blood; Restores to Life Daughter of Jairus, Chapter 8
E. Jesus Commissions and Sends Forth the Twelve; Feeds 5000; Announces Death and Resurrection; Transfigured; Casts Out Demons from an Only Son; Sets His Face Toward Jerusalem; Puts Down Test for Discipleship, Chapter 9
IV. Ministry of the Perfect Man on Way to Jerusalem, Chapters 10–18
A. Jesus Sends Forth the Seventy; Pronounces Judgment on Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum; Gives Parable of Good Samaritan; Enters Home of Mary and Martha, Chapter 10
B. Jesus Teaches Disciples to Pray by Using Parables of the Persistent Friend and a Good Father; Accused of Casting Out Demons by Beelzebub; Gives Parables—Unclean Spirit Leaving a Man, Sign of Jonah, Lighted Candle; Denounces Pharisees, Chapter 11
C. Jesus Warns of Leaven of Pharisees; Gives Parables of Rich Fool, Return from Wedding, Testing of Servants in Light of Coming of Christ; States He Is a Divider of Men, Chapter 12
D. Jesus Teaches Men Not to Judge but Repent; Gives Parable of Fig Tree; Heals Woman with Infirmity; Gives Parables of Mustard Seed and Leaven; Continues to Teach as He Goes Toward Jerusalem; Weeps over Jerusalem, Chapter 13
E. Jesus Goes to Dinner at Home of Pharisee; Gives Parables of Impolite Guests, the Great Supper, Building a Tower, King Going to War, Salt That Loses Its Tang, Chapter 14
F. Jesus Gives Parable of Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Two Lost Sons (Prodigal Son), Chapter 15 (The obedient Son is the One who is giving the parable.)
G. Jesus Gives Parable About Unjust Steward; Answers Covetous Pharisees; Speaks on Divorce; Recounts Incident of Rich Man and Lazarus (Poor Man), Chapter 16
H. Jesus Instructs His Disciples on Forgiveness, Faithful Service; Heals Ten Lepers (One Samaritan Returns to Give Thanks); Speaks on Spiritual Nature of Kingdom and His Coming Again, Chapter 17
I. Jesus Gives Two Parables on Prayer; Blesses Little Children; Confronts Rich Young Ruler with Five of Ten Commandments; Heals Blind Man on Entering Jericho, Chapter 18
V. Ministry of the Perfect Man in Jericho and Jerusalem, Chapters 19–21
A. Jesus Enters Jericho and Home of Zacchaeus; Conversion of Zacchaeus; Gives Parable of Ten Pounds; Enters Jerusalem; Weeps over City; Cleanses Temple, Chapter 19
B. Jesus’ Authority Challenged; Gives Parable of Vineyard; Questioned about Paying Tribute to Caesar; Silences Sadducees about Resurrection; Questions Scribes, Chapter 20
C. Jesus Notes How People Give, Commends Widow; Answers Question in Olivet Discourse, “When Shall These Things Be?”, Chapter 21
VI. Betrayal, Trial and Death of the Perfect Man, Chapters 22–23 (Our Kinsman-Redeemer)
A. Judas Plots with Chief Priests to Betray Jesus; Jesus Plans for Last Passover and Institutes Lord’s Supper; Announces His Betrayal, Position of Apostles in Future Kingdom; Peter’s Denial; Warns Disciples of Future; Goes to Gethsemane; Betrayed by Judas; Arrested and Led to High Priest’s House; Denied by Peter; Mocked, Beaten, Brought Before Sanhedrin, Chapter 22
B. Jesus Brought before Pilate and Herod; Barabbas Released; Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem and Prays for His Enemies; Jesus Crucified; Mocked by Rulers, Soldiers, One Thief; Other Thief Turns to Jesus and Is Accepted by Him; Dismisses His Spirit; Placed in New Tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, Chapter 23
VII. Resurrection of the Perfect Man, Chapter 24:1–48
A. Jesus Raised from the Dead; Leaves Joseph’s Tomb, Chapter 24:1–12
B. Jesus Goes Down Road to Emmaus, Reveals Himself to Two Disciples Chapter 24:13–34
C. Jesus Goes to the Assembled Disciples, Reveals Himself to the Eleven; Gives Commission to Go, Chapter 24:35–48 (He is still a Man; emphasizes the importance of the Word of God).
VIII. Ascension of the Perfect Man, Chapter 24:49–53
Jesus Promises to Send Holy Spirit; Ascends to Heaven in Attitude of Blessing His Own, Chapter 24:49–53
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The purpose of the gospel; Gabriel appears to Zacharias and announces the birth of John; Gabriel appears to Mary and announces the virgin birth of Jesus; Mary visits Elisabeth; birth of John
Historically Dr. Luke begins his gospel before the other synoptic Gospels. Heaven had been silent for over four hundred years when the angel Gabriel broke through the blue at the golden altar of prayer to announce the birth of John the Baptist. Luke gives us the background as well as the births of John and Jesus.
Three songs are in this chapter: (1) Elisabeth’s greeting of Mary—verses 42–45; (2) Mary’s magnificat—verses 46–55; and (3) Zacharias’ prophecy—verses 68–79.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed [Luke 1:1–4].
Two words are important in this passage and should not be passed over. “Eyewitness” is the Greek word autoptaiÐauto meaning “that which is of itself,” and opsomai meaning “to see.” “To see for yourself” would be an eyewitness. It is a medical term which means to make an autopsy. In fact, what Dr. Luke is trying to say is, “We are eyewitnesses who made an autopsy, and I am writing to you about what we found.”
The second important word Dr. Luke uses is ministers, which is the Greek huperatai, meaning “an under-rower on a boat.” In a hospital the “under-rower” is the intern. Dr. Luke is saying that all of them were just interns under the Great Physician. What Dr. Luke is telling us is that as a physician and a scholar, he made an autopsy of the records of those who had been eyewitnesses.
The first four verses of this chapter form a tremendous beginning. Luke wrote his gospel to give people certainty and assurance about the Lord Jesus Christ.
My friend, how much assurance do you have? Do you know that you are a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ? Do you know that the Bible is the Word of God? I feel sorry for the person who is not sure about these things. Do you wobble back and forth and say, “I am not sure about my salvation or the Bible. I guess I do not have enough faith.” Not having enough faith may not be your problem. Your problem may be that you do not know enough. You see, “… faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). If you really knew the Word of God, you would believe it. Those who are ignorant of the Bible have the problems. The problem is not with the Bible or with the Lord Jesus Christ; the problem lies with us.
GABRIEL APPEARS TO ZACHARIAS AND ANNOUNCES THE BIRTH OF JOHN
There was the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth [Luke 1:5].
God breaks through after 400 years of silence. Chronologically Dr. Luke begins the New Testament. He goes back to the birth of John the Baptist, to where the angel Gabriel appeared to John’s father as he served in the temple. John’s parents were Zacharias and Elisabeth. Zacharias means “God remembers,” and Elisabeth means “His oath.” Together their names mean, “God remembers His oath.” When did God take an oath? Psalm 89:34–37 records God’s oath: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.” God swore an oath to David that one of his descendants would have an eternal reign. Christ is that descendant. “God remembers His oath!” God is ready to break through into human history after 400 years of silence.
Notice that the Scripture tells us both Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteous. That is, they were right. How were they right? They recognized they were sinners and brought the necessary sacrifices.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless [Luke 1:6].
Their walk commended their salvation. When they committed a sin or made a mistake, they brought the proper sacrifice.
However, there was tragedy in their lives because they had no child.
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years [Luke 1:7].
Here was an old couple who did not have a child. To be childless was practically a disgrace for a Hebrew woman, and Elisabeth had no children.
Zacharias, belonging to the tribe of Levi, served in the temple.
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
According, to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him [Luke 1:8–12].
Zacharias was serving at the golden altar, the place of prayer. It was the time of the evening sacrifice, and in this particular part of the service he placed incense upon the altar. Suddenly an angel appeared. If you saw an angel, what would you do? Your reaction would be the same as this man’s. You would be troubled and fearful.
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John [Luke 1:13].
Zacharias was praying for a son. Elisabeth was praying for a son. I think that many people were praying that they would have a son. How do I know he is praying for a son? Because the angel said, “Your prayer is heard.”
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb [Luke 1:14–15].
The son of Elisabeth and Zacharias was to be a Nazarite. One of the things the Nazarite vowed was that he would not drink strong drink or wine. He was to find his joy in the Holy Spirit and in God. That is the reason Paul, in Ephesians 5:18, says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Get your joy from God, not from a bottle. There are a lot of bottle-babies today. I am not speaking of crib babies but of adult babies hanging over a bar. And there are some Christians today who have to be pepped up and hepped up in order to face life. We need to recognize that the Holy Spirit of God can give us the strength to face life.
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord [Luke 1:16–17].
Let us understand clearly that although John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah, he was not Elijah. John would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. He was to bridge the generation gap. Our problem today is not so much that there is a gap between the adults and youth but that there is a gap between adults and God. If adults had a proper relationship with God, they would not have the problem with young people that exists.
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years [Luke 1:18].
I cannot help but laugh at a verse like this. A great many people do not find humor in the Bible, but there is—and this verse gives us a taste of it. Here is a man, a priest, who has gone to God in prayer. At the altar of incense he says, “Oh, God, give me a son.” Now when God says through the angel Gabriel, “I am going to give you a son,” Zacharias replies, “How do I know?” He says, “My wife is old and I am old, and I do not think we can have a child.” Yet he was praying for a son!
Have you ever prayed like that? You ask God for something, but you really do not believe He is going to give it to you. This is one reason we do not receive answers to our prayers. We have no faith at all. This man Zacharias is quite human, and I cannot help but laugh at him because that’s the way I pray sometimes.
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings [Luke 1:19].
The Word of God has the seal of God upon it. The Word of God carries authority. What Vernon McGee says is not important, but what the Word of God says is important. God speaks to us through His Word.
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season [Luke 1:20].
Zacharias, who has been so vocal, will be dumb for a period of time. Unbelief is always dumb. That is, it never has a message. I agree with Elizabeth Barrett Browning who said that one without faith should be silent. There are many babblers around who are everlastingly spouting off about their unbelief. If they haven’t anything to say, they should keep quiet. Let the man speak who believes in God and has something to say.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless [Luke 1:21–22].
This passage also strikes me as being funny. God, after 400 years of silence, once again breaks through to the human race, but the very man that He communicates with does not believe Him. And now he is made dumb. Can you imagine his trying to explain to the people that he is dumb? How would you make known to people that you had seen an angel and could not talk? It would not be easy. Think about the gyrations Zacharias must have used trying to make known his predicament. It must have been comical.
And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house [Luke 1:23].
Long ago King David had arranged that the priests in the temple would serve a certain period of time, then have a vacation. One priest would serve, then have some time off, and another priest would serve. This is what happened with Zacharias, but he had to finish his term of office without speaking. When his vacation time came, he still had to keep quiet; so I imagine he went home and listened to Elisabeth.
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men [Luke 1:24–25].
This is an interesting situation. Zacharias cannot talk. Elisabeth, because of her condition, remains in seclusion for several months. I imagine she talked his arm off for that period of time and constantly reminded him, “Zacharias, we are going to have a son!”
GABRIEL APPEARS TO MARY AND ANNOUNCES THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary [Luke 1:26–27].
We move now from Jerusalem to Nazareth. Six months after the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias, he appears to Mary.
Two times in one verse she is called a virgin. Do you know what a virgin is? I ask this because many folks do not seem to know. A virgin is a woman who could never have a child in a natural way because she has never had a relationship with a man that would make the birth of a child possible. Someone needs to talk rather plainly today because there are men saying that the Virgin Birth is biologically impossible. When I hear a man make that statement, I always feel like calling him up and saying, “I would like to have lunch with you and tell you about the birds and the bees because you do not seem to know much about them.” The Scripture makes it clear that the Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born.
I do not object to an unbeliever saying that he does not believe in the Virgin Birth, but when he makes the statement that the Bible does not teach it, I object. I say very plainly that one who makes this statement must have something wrong with his intellect or is ignorant of the birds and the bees. It should be remembered that Luke was a doctor and he gives the most extended account of the Virgin Birth.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women [Luke 1:28].
There is a tendency among Protestants to play down the role of Mary, but this verse tells us that she was highly favored. In the same breath, however, let me say that she was blessed among women, not above women. She is not lifted above women; she lifted up womanhood. This is the role she played. It is so easy to say that a woman brought sin into the world, but remember, it was a woman, and not a man, who brought the Savior into the world.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be [Luke 1:29].
Mary was troubled at the sayings of the angel. When the supernatural touches the natural, it always creates fear. Mary also “cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.” I cannot resist saying this, but Mary’s reaction was similar to a black friend of mine in Memphis, Tennessee. Years ago he said to me, “You know, I never believed in ghosts either, until I saw one!” Believe me, friends, when you have seen an angel, you have a right to be afraid. I think I would be afraid if I saw one.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end [Luke 1:30–33].
This is plain language. There is no way of misinterpreting it. This passage is quite literal. Those folks who deny the Virgin Birth also do not believe that the Lord is going to sit on the throne of His father David. Apparently it was understood that what Luke is writing about is literal. The virgin’s womb is literal and the throne of David is literal. He shall literally reign over the house of Jacob and of His kingdom there shall be no end. That kingdom is also a reality.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? [Luke 1:34].
Mary was the first one to question the Virgin Birth. She said, “How can it be?” This is still a good question. Dr. Luke quotes the angel Gabriel and gives us the answer.
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God [Luke 1:35].
No man had anything to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. We are told in the Book of Leviticus that the birth of a child caused a woman to be unclean because she brought a sinner into the world. Mary is told that she is not bringing a sinner into the world; He is holy. The union of man and woman can only produce a child with a sin nature. By the Virgin Birth is the only way God could get that “holy thing” into the human family. In Psalm 51:5 David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Mary’s Son would be different. He would be virgin born.
You can deny the Virgin Birth if you want to. If you are an unbeliever, I would expect you to deny it. If, however, you write and tell me that you are not a Christian but you believe the Virgin Birth, I will be terribly upset. If you are not a Christian, of course you don’t believe it. However, you cannot say that the Bible does not teach the Virgin Birth, because it does.
Do you know why this Baby is going to be called the Son of God? Because He is the Son of God. Remember that Dr. Luke approaches his gospel from the scientific point of view. He states that he examined Jesus of Nazareth, and his findings are that Jesus is God. Luke came to the same conclusion that John came to in his gospel, but his procedure and technique were different. Dr. Luke has used plain, simple language to present his findings and if we cannot understand his message, we need to go back and learn our ABCs again.
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
For with God nothing shall be impossible [Luke 1:36–37].
The birth of John the Baptist is also miraculous, but it is not a virgin birth. The statement of the angel “For with God nothing shall be impossible” is a good one and something we need to hold onto during these days. I want to emphasize, however, that there are folk who have taken this statement and twisted and distorted its meaning. There is nothing impossible with God when He has determined to do it, but He will not necessarily do the impossible we ask of Him. Many people use this verse as a cliché to cover up the fact that they want their own selfish desires. Nothing is impossible with God but there is a great deal that is impossible with you and me. When a man says, “Nothing is impossible with God” and fails at some task he claims the Lord gave him to do, it causes unbelievers to ridicule God. Anything God determines to do He can accomplish, because there is nothing impossible with God. But that does not mean He will do everything believers want Him to do, because some things are not included in His plan. Let us put everything in proper perspective before we do a lot of talking that will hurt and harm the cause of Jesus Christ rather than help it.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her [Luke 1:38].
This verse reveals Mary’s submission to the will of God. She told the angel, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” At that very moment a cloud came over her life, and that cloud was there until the Lord Jesus Christ came back from the dead. The resurrection of Christ proves His virgin birth. It was questioned until then. You cannot deny the Virgin Birth and believe the Resurrection, or vice versa. The Virgin Birth and the Resurrection go together; they stand or fall together.
MARY VISITS ELISABETH
After a time Mary decided to visit Elisabeth up in the hill country of Judea.
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost [Luke 1:39–41].
What we are dealing with here is miraculous, and there is no use trying to offer a natural explanation. You either believe what happened in these verses or you do not. I am so weary of people today, especially preachers, who try to appear intellectual by attempting to explain away the miracles in the Bible. You either accept the miracles of the Bible or you do not, and what took place in these verses was a miracle. This woman is filled with the Holy Spirit, and the babe leaps in her womb.
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb [Luke 1:42].
This begins the first song given to us in Luke’s gospel, and it is lovely. Dr. Luke was the poet who gives us all the songs of Christmas; this is the first one, and it comes from Elisabeth.
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord [Luke 1:43–45].
Little is said in Scripture about Elisabeth. She sang the first song of the New Testament, and when you have a soloist like this, you should not ignore her. She is a remarkable person. She had faith while her husband Zacharias did not. He was struck dumb because of his unbelief, but Elisabeth was not. She believed God. Now she encourages Mary. Mary is a young woman and Elisabeth is an old woman. Elisabeth had walked with God for many years and she assures her that there would be a performance of those things which had been revealed to her. I would like to give Elisabeth a little credit along with the others. She should not be deified, of course. She was only a woman, just as Mary was only a woman. And Mary needed the encouragement that Elisabeth could give.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed [Luke 1:46–48].
Now Mary sings a song. This is known as the Magnificat. This song teaches us several interesting things. Mary tells us in her song that she needed a Savior and that she rejoiced in Him. Protestant friend, let us call her blessed. We don’t make her a goddess and kneel before her, but we do need to call her blessed. It was her glorious privilege to be the mother of the Son of God, to bring Him into the world. We should not play it down, but we should not play it up either. She was a wonderful person, and it was no accident that she was chosen by God. It was. His definite decision, and God makes no mistakes.
Listen as Mary continues to sing her song:
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever [Luke 1:49–55].
Mary sings, “He hath shewed strength with his arm.” In Isaiah 53:1 the prophet Isaiah said, “… to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” Then Isaiah begins immediately to reveal the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. God has shown the strength of His arm and revealed His power and love in the salvation He has given to mankind.
Mary also mentions Abraham in her song. There is more reference to Abraham than to any other person in the Old Testament. In fact, there is more about Abraham on the human plane than about anyone else in the Bible.
And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house [Luke 1:56].
BIRTH OF JOHN
The remainder of this chapter records the birth of John the Baptist and the song of Zacharias. I will lift out some of the high points.
Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John [Luke 1:57–60].
They named the baby after his father at first. Elisabeth, however, set the record straight and said that he was to be called John.
And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God [Luke 1:61–64].
In those days a family name was usually given to a new baby. When the question of naming the baby came along, the relatives assumed he would be called Zacharias—Zacharias Jr., I guess. Elisabeth made the correction, but they appealed to Zacharias. Since he could not speak, he wrote for them, “His name is John.” He had already been named by God. Those present marveled at the name.
After this, Zacharias was able to speak again and he immediately began to sing praises to God. Although he did not have much faith, when the baby was born he could rejoice in God. Again, the lack of faith displayed by Zacharias is a quality many of us have. When God hears and answers prayer, we really get up and rejoice. I sometimes think that the reason God answers prayer for some of us weaker saints is so that we will have something to rejoice about. As a rule, weaker saints do not do much rejoicing. The stronger saints, with more faith, rejoice in all circumstances.
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied saying,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David [Luke 1:65–69].
It was quite obvious that John was going to be an unusual child.
At John’s birth, Zacharias, who has been dumb for about nine months, is not only able to speak, but he will sing a solo. Elisabeth sang the first song, Mary sang the second one, and now it is quite proper that Zacharias sing a song. His song is one of prophecy. Although Zacharias is not in the line of David, he does recognize that his son is going to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ, as foretold by Malachi and Isaiah. John is to be the one to announce the coming of the Messiah. The presence of the forerunner indicates that the Messiah is not far behind. He is coming soon.
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life [Luke 1:70–75].
God made these promises to Abraham. Mary, Elisabeth, and Zacharias still believed that the promises made to Abraham would be fulfilled. There are some today who have given up and do not believe God will make good His promises to Abraham. Friends, if you believe God is going to make good John 3:16 to you, you have no right to discount the promises God made to Abraham.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel [Luke 1:76–80].
John was to be called a prophet of the Highest. He was to go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. John knew that the Messiah was in their midst. John the Baptist was a very unusual person. He was prepared to do a special task for God.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in a stable; reception of Jesus: angels announce His birth to shepherds; shepherds visit stable; circumcision of Jesus and purification of Mary; incident in temple concerning Simeon; incident in temple concerning Anna; return to Nazareth; visit of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve
Jesus was brought to the temple when He was eight days old to be circumcised according to Mosaic Law: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4–5). As a result of this visit to Jerusalem, we have the songs of Simeon and Anna.
The one isolated incident from the boyhood of Jesus is recorded by Dr. Luke to let us know that Jesus had a normal human childhood (see v. 52). “Jesus increased in wisdom (mental) and stature (physical), and in favor with God and man (spiritual).”
Before we look at the text, it is necessary to consider some background material. As you recall, Luke’s gospel is historical and written especially for the Greek and the thinking man. It also has a great spiritual purpose which is to present the Son of God. Neander, one of the great saints of the past, made this statement: “The three great historical nations had to contribute, each in its own peculiar way, to prepare the soil for the planting of Christianity,—the Jews on the side of the religious element; the Greeks on the side of science and art; the Romans, as masters of the world, on the side of the political element.” The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were each directed to a particular segment of humanity. Matthew was written to the Jew, Mark was written to the Roman, and Luke was written to the Greek.
Dr. Gregory wrote: “The Greeks are clearly distinguished from the other great historic races by certain marked characteristics. They were the representatives of reason and humanity in the ancient world. They looked upon themselves as having the mission of perfecting men” (Key to the Gospels, p. 211). They were the cosmopolitans of that age. They made their gods in the likeness of men, as well as in their own likeness, and therefore joined to human culture utter worldliness and godlessness.
Paul was the right person to go to Athens to enlighten the Greeks about their altar to the “UNKNOWN GOD.” Dr. Luke, a Gentile, went with Paul.
The mission of the Greeks was thus evidently a part of the preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world. It forced the thinking men of that age to feel and confess the insufficiency of human reason (even in its most perfect development) for the deliverance and perfection of mankind. It left them waiting and longing for one who could accomplish this work.
The Greek language became a vehicle for getting the Word of God out. The gospel was communicated to the world in the Greek language. God used Alexander the Great to make it possible.
Of Alexander the Great it has been written: “He took up the meshes of the net of civilization, which were lying in disorder on the edges of the Asiatic shore, and spread them over all other countries which he traversed in his wonderful campaigns. The East and the West were suddenly brought together. Separated tribes were united under a common government. New cities were built, as the centres of political life. New lines of communication were opened, as the channels of commercial activity. The new culture penetrated the mountain ranges of Pisidia and Lycaonia. The Tigris and Euphrates became Greek rivers. The language of Athens was heard among the Jewish colonies of Babylonia; and a Grecian Babylon was built by the conqueror in Egypt and called by his name” (Conybeare and Howson, Life, Times, and Travels of St. Paul, vol. 1, p. 9). That city was Alexandria; it still bears this name.
Keep this background in mind as we look at the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
BIRTH OF JESUS AT BETHLEHEM IN A STABLE
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) [Luke 2:1–2].
Someone might think when they read the phrase, “all the world should be taxed” that the Roman Empire was taxing the United States of America too. The Greek word for world, oikoumene, means “inhabited earth” and referred to the civilized world of that day. My uncivilized ancestors in northern Europe in those days were not even included in this taxing, although Caesar Augustus would have loved to have taxed everybody if he could have gotten to them.
Who was Caesar Augustus? He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. Actually his name was Octavianus and he took the name Caesar—I think he had a right to it. Now the name Augustus was not a name at all but a title. When the senate submitted to him certain titles like king, emperor, and dictator, he was not satisfied. Instead he chose the title Augustus. It had a religious significance, and it was an attempt to deify himself.
It was no accident that Dr. Luke mentioned the name of Caesar Augustus. This man signed a tax bill that the whole world (of that day) be taxed. He needed money to raise an army to control his vast empire and to live in luxury himself. Notice Luke’s historical reference that this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn [Luke 2:3–7].
Joseph and Mary came out of Nazareth in Galilee and went into Judea to Bethlehem, the city of David. Joseph did this because he was of the house and lineage of David. Why did Mary have to go to Bethlehem? She also was of the lineage of David.
I am thrilled when I read this simple, historically accurate passage with tremendous spiritual truth behind it. Caesar Augustus attempted to make himself a god. He wanted to be worshiped. He signed a tax bill which caused a woman and man, peasants, living in Nazareth, to journey to Bethlehem to enroll. That woman was carrying in her womb the Son of God! This is tremendous! This Caesar Augustus tried to make himself God, but nobody today reverences him or pays taxes to him. But that little baby in Mary’s womb—many of us worship Him today and call Him our Savior.
Caesar Augustus was merely the tool in God’s hand to bring to pass the prophecy “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5:2). This is a remarkable account.
Everything that happened was arranged by God. If anyone had said to Caesar, “Wait a minute; women about to give birth are going to have to be moved in order for you to get your taxes,” I think he would have replied, “I do not care about babies or their mothers; I am only interested in taxes, armies, money and luxury.” Well, that is all gone now, including Caesar.
Dr. Luke gets right down to the little human details in this passage. He is saying that Mary put swaddling clothes on this little child—baby clothes and diapers on the Son of God! How perfectly human He was—God manifest in the flesh!
RECEPTION OF JESUS: ANGELS ANNOUNCE HIS BIRTH TO SHEPHERDS; SHEPHERDS VISIT STABLE
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night [Luke 2:8].
Many people ask the question, “When was Jesus Christ born?” It could not have been in the dead of winter or the shepherds would not have been out at night with their sheep. But the date of His birth is irrelevant, just as the day upon which He was crucified is irrelevant. The Scripture does not say when He was born; the important thing is that He was born. The Scripture does not say when He was crucified; the important thing is that He died for our sins.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord [Luke 2:9–11].
It is wonderful to see a little baby come into the world, and your heart goes out to him; there is a sympathy that goes from you to him. That is the way God entered the world. He could have entered—as He will when He comes to earth the second time—in power and great glory. Instead, He came in the weakest way possible, as a baby. George Macdonald put it this way:
They all were looking for a King
To slay their foes and lift them high:
Thou cam’st, a little baby thing
That made a woman cry.
That is the way the Saviour came into the world. He did not lay aside His deity; He laid aside His glory. There should have been more than just a few shepherds and angels to welcome Him—all of creation should have been there. Instead of collecting taxes, that fellow Caesar should have been in Bethlehem to worship Him. Jesus Christ could have forced him to do that very thing, but He did not. He laid aside, not His deity, but His prerogatives of deity. He came a little baby thing.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger [Luke 2:12].
Again Dr. Luke is emphasizing His humanity. He came into this world as a human being. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
God knows about mankind. He knows you, and He knows me. He understands us because He came into this world a human being. This also means that we can know something about God, because He took upon Himself our humanity.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men [Luke 2:13–14].
Our Authorized Version gives the wrong impression here. The angels did not sav, “on earth peace, good will toward men.” What they actually said was, “peace to men of good will,” or “peace among men with whom He is pleased.” The angels did not make the asinine statement that many men make today which goes, “Let’s have peace, peace, peace.” My friend, “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked” (Isa. 48:22). We live in a day when we need to beat our plowshares into swords—not the other way around. We live in a wicked world. We live in a Satan-dominated world, and therefore there is no peace. There is, however, peace to men of good will. If you are one of those who has come to Christ and taken him as Savior, you can know this peace of God. Romans 5:1 states: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” When Christ came the first time, this is the kind of peace He brought. At His second coming He will come as the Prince of Peace; at that time He will put down unrighteousness and rebellion in the world. He will establish peace on the earth. But until He comes again, there will be no peace on this earth.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger [Luke 2:15–16].
The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem. There they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. They were probably the first to visit the Babe since Matthew tells us that the wise men did not arrive until much later. In fact, when the wise men finally found the Lord Jesus, He was living in a house and probably many months had elapsed.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them [Luke 2:17–20].
Mary pondered many things in her heart as a mother would do. Because of danger to His life) Mary and Joseph took the young child into Egypt for a time and later returned to Nazareth.
Since He had come into the human family, and since He had been born under the Mosaic Law, He followed the Law.
CIRCUMCISION OF JESUS AND PURIFICATION OF MARY
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord [Luke 2:21–22].
For forty days a woman was considered unclean after the birth of a child, according to the Mosaic Law. Mary as a sinner had to bring a sacrifice to the Lord. She needed a Savior as she said.
(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons [Luke 2:23–24].
Mary and Joseph offered turtledoves as a sacrifice, which were an evidence of their poverty. The sacrifice was for Mary and not for the Child. As far as we know, Jesus never offered a sacrifice.
INCIDENT IN TEMPLE CONCERNING SIMEON
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said [Luke 2:25–28].
There was a man by the name of Simeon who by the Holy Spirit was in the temple when the Lord Jesus was brought in to fulfill the Mosaic Law. God had promised Simeon that he would see the salvation of God. What did he see? He saw a little Baby. Salvation is a Person, and not something that you do. Salvation is a Person, and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. You either have Him, or you don’t have Him. You either trust Him, or you don’t trust Him. Do you have Him today?
Now here is another solo, and Simeon is singing it for us.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel [Luke 2:29–32].
This is a remarkable statement coming from a man who was limited in his outlook upon life—that is, he was limited to a particular area geographically. Yet he saw the One who was to be the Savior of the world. This is to me one of the amazing things about the Word of God, especially the New Testament. Although given to a certain people, it is certainly directed to the world. No other religion pointed that way. You will notice that the religions of the world are generally localized for a peculiar people, generally a race or nation. But Christianity has been from the outset for all people everywhere.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed [Luke 2:33–35].
Notice that Luke calls them “Joseph and his mother,” not His father and mother.
Mary paid a tremendous price to bring the Savior into the world. She paid an awful price to stand beneath the cross of the Lord Jesus and watch Him die.
The cross of Christ has moved many people—artists have painted the picture, songwriters have written music about it, and authors and preachers have sketched those moments with words. There is a danger of dwelling on His death in a sympathetic way. Christ did not die to elicit anyone’s sympathy. He does not want your sympathy, He wants your faith. Later in the Gospel of Luke, when the Lord is on the way to the cross, some women began to weep. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children” (Luke 23:28). If you have tears for Jesus, save them for yourself and your family. Do not weep for Him, because He does not want your sympathy. Jesus Christ wants your faith.
However, when Mary stood beneath that cross and watched Jesus die, it was with a broken heart. Of course her suffering had nothing to do with your salvation; her suffering had nothing to do with her salvation. Her suffering was due to a human relationship. She was His human mother. She had brought Him into the world and raised Him. He was her son. You see, when our Lord looked down from the cross and said, “…Woman, behold thy son!” (John 19:26), a human relationship was there that no one else had. She was suffering as His mother. And at that time the prophecy of Simeon was fulfilled—the sword pierced through her soul also.
INCIDENT IN TEMPLE CONCERNING ANNA
There are many solos in this gospel and now here is another one.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem [Luke 2:36–38].
Anna, like Simeon, was living very close to God; and He granted to her also the gracious insight of recognizing His Son, her Messiah. She gave thanks. Although her song is not recorded, it is a song of praise.
I cannot refrain from saying that there are those who say there are ten lost tribes of Israel (that is, that the ten tribes which went into Assyrian captivity in the eighth century b.c. migrated north rather than returning to the land of Israel). If you search through the Bible from the time Israel returned to the land after the captivity, you can pick up practically all of the tribes. Here Anna is mentioned as a member of the tribe of Asher. Evidently Anna did not get lost!
The account of Matthew tells us that the next event in the life of Jesus was a trip to Egypt. Luke omits this account entirely. It is well to remember again the purpose for writing each gospel is different. Matthew presents the Lord Jesus Christ as King, and Luke presents Him as the perfect Man. The coming of the wise men does not fit into Luke’s purpose for writing. The wise men came looking for a king, not for the ideal of the Greek race. Luke presents Him as the perfect Man, and notice how he carries out his purpose even at this point.
RETURN TO NAZARETH
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him [Luke 2:39–40].
Luke is presenting the perfect Man. Dr. Luke looks at the Boy not only through the eyes of an obstetrician but through the watchful eye of a pediatrician. The Lord Jesus grew (physically), waxed strong in spirit (spiritually), and was filled with wisdom (mentally). The grace of God was upon this Boy and He grew physically, spiritually, and mentally.
VISIT OF JOSEPH, MARY, AND JESUS TO JERUSALEM WHEN JESUS WAS TWELVE
Next is recorded an incident that only Dr. Luke relates. Luke does this because he is a pediatrician and is interested in the Lord as a boy as well as a man. Luke lifts one scene out of the boyhood of Jesus when He was twelve years old. Since nothing is recorded in the Gospels about the early life of Jesus, some people call this segment of His life the “silent years.” I do not consider them silent years; I believe that the Old Testament Scriptures fill in these years if you look closely. Luke’s account is a detailed, isolated incident that took place when Jesus was twelve years old.
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him [Luke 2:41–45].
Mary and Joseph were raising a normal, healthy child. He did not run around wearing a halo, friend. The artists of the Middle Ages had some strange conceptions about the Lord Jesus, both as a child and as an adult. I do not believe He looked like any of their ideas. He was just a normal boy.
In those days people traveled in companies. When the time came to leave Jerusalem, the folk going to Galilee gathered together at a little town right north of Jerusalem to begin the journey home. That is where they missed Him. Joseph probably said, “Where is Jesus?” And Mary replied, “I thought He was with you.” They looked for Him among all the people they knew, and when they discovered that He was missing, they returned to Jerusalem. They looked for Jesus for three days, and where do you suppose they found Him? He was in the temple.
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them [Luke 2:46–50].
When Mary and Joseph finally found Jesus in the temple, He was standing in the midst of the learned doctors of that day, both hearing them and asking them questions. Apparently He was asking them questions they could not answer. And they were astonished at His answers—remember, He was only twelve! I think it is clear that Mary and Joseph were a little provoked with Him.
The answer of Jesus revealed His surprise that they did not realize He should be about His Father’s business. Now, if Joseph were the father, he could have stepped up and said, “Well, what are you trying to do—get some carpenter work here in Jerusalem?” No—His Father was not Joseph. He was speaking of the business of His heavenly Father. Mary, at this point, did not exactly appreciate who He was and what His work entailed, but she pondered these things in her heart.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man [Luke 2:51–52].
Jesus was subject unto His parents. This is interesting in the light of the fact that young people today are rebelling and are demanding to be heard. They say we ought to listen to them. I have listened to them, and I have not heard them say anything yet, regardless of all the publicity they are given on the television and radio. I personally do not think a college student has much to say. He is still green behind his ears, regardless of his I.Q. The information he has been given is limited and biased, and he does not have the experience to evaluate it. It is remarkable to see that this Boy, Jesus, the Son of God, obeyed His parents and was subject unto them!
Dr. Luke gives us a report about those silent years when Jesus was growing to adulthood. He grew in wisdom (mentally), in stature (physically), in favor with God (spiritually) and man (socially). In every area the Lord Jesus Christ was growing into perfect manhood.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Ministry of John the Baptist; baptism of Jesus; genealogy of Mary
Luke, with a true historian’s approach, dates the ministry of John the Baptist with secular history. He places the emphasis upon John’s message of repentance as the condition for the coming of the Messiah. From the Mosaic system of washing in water, which was a common custom of immersion in that day, John baptized those who came to him as merely a preparation (a moral reformation) for the coming of Christ. Christ would baptize by the Holy Spirit—a real transformation. The genealogy in this chapter is Mary’s, which reveals two facts. First, it goes back to Adam, the father of the human family. Jesus was truly human. Matthew, in presenting Jesus as king, traces the genealogy back only as far as Abraham. Luke, in presenting Jesus as man, goes back to Adam. In the second place, Mary was descended from David through another than Solomon—David’s son Nathan (cf. v. 31; 1 Chron. 3:5).
MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
This chapter contains a great deal of detail; Luke is a stickler for accuracy.
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of lturaea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene [Luke 3:1].
Six characters are identified in this verse which allow us to date the time. Caesar Augustus was emperor when the Lord Jesus Christ was born, but when John began his ministry Tiberius Caesar was emperor. Secular history, which must supply us with the details, tells us that Tiberius was brilliant but brutal. He was clever but cunning. He was inhuman and profane. He attempted to master the world.
Next the names of the puppet rulers are given.
Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness [Luke 3:2].
Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. Why were there two high priests? Two high priests reveals the power of Rome over the religion of Jerusalem in that day. Annas was the power behind the throne, but Caiaphas was the one Rome put out in front.
The normal experience for John would have been to serve in the temple as his father had. He should have been a leader in the temple, but he despised it. Instead he went into the wilderness and renounced his priesthood. He did not wish to serve in a corrupt system, and so he became a prophet. That is the picture: John was a priest and he became a prophet.
John the Baptist is one of those striking characters who appear from time to time. He reminded the people of Elijah because of certain similarities in their methods. He also reminded the people of One who was one day going to appear—the Messiah. John the Baptist was a paradoxical person. He was truly an unusual man. Luke has told us of his miraculous birth. It was attended by a visitation from the angel Gabriel. His entire boyhood was passed over, and the next event in his life was the beginning of his ministry. He was a priest, a prophet, and a preacher. He was a priest by birth because he was the son of Zacharias, but he was called by God to be a prophet.
And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins [Luke 3:3].
John preaches the baptism of repentance. He is the last of the prophets. He is actually an Old Testament character who walks out onto the pages of the New Testament. He is picturesque, unshaven, and shaggy, wearing camel’s hair clothes. He is different in his dress, his diet, and his looks. He will receive the same reception that many prophets received—he will be put to death.
The most unwelcome message, even today, is the voice of the prophet. The world will not receive a man who contradicts its philosophy of life. If you want to be popular, and this is also true of preachers, you have to sing in unison with the crowd. God have mercy on the pulpit that is nothing in the world but a sounding board for what the congregation is saying. The world does not want to hear the voice of God, especially when that voice speaks of judgment. John’s message was very strong.
As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [Luke 3:4–7].
I wonder how long a preacher would last in any church if he began his Sunday sermon by saying, “O generation of vipers”? I do not think he would be in the pulpit the following Sunday. The people would soon get rid of him. I do not recommend using John’s unusual introduction for a sermon, but I do think it would be appropriate in many churches.
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves. We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham [Luke 3:8].
John’s message was one of repentance. That is not exactly our message today, although repentance is included in faith. Paul said to the Thessalonian believers that they had “… turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). You can’t turn to God without turning from something. (When you turn to anything, you turn from something else.) When you turn to God, you turn from sin—and that is repentance. When you accept Christ as your Savior, you are going to turn from the things of the world. Perhaps you have heard about the love of God, but you have not been moved by it and you have wondered why. You need to hear that voice crying in the wilderness, “Repent.” Repentance is a part of saving faith. Repentance is not the message of the hour; we preach the grace of God, but if you have been a recipient of God’s grace and have turned to Him, you are going to have to turn from your sins. If you do not turn from your sins, you have not really turned to God. Repentance is involved in salvation, but today God’s message is, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31).
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire [Luke 3:9].
In John’s day, trees that did not produce were useless. They were cut down and used for firewood. John’s message is strong. John never brought the message of the redeeming love of God. He wasn’t called to give that message. His was a message of impending judgment. We need to recognize that this is one of the facets of the message from God for our day also. The nation of Israel had not been productive, as God had expected, and judgment was going to be their portion. John was telling Israel that if they did not bring forth fruit, the axe would come down on the root of the tree. The Lord Jesus Christ is saying the same thing to the church today.
And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise [Luke 3:10–11].
John was telling Israel in plain, understandable language that they were living for “self” and not attempting to share what they had with others.
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you [Luke 3:12–13].
The publicans were tax collectors and were well known for their greediness. They turned, however, to John and asked, “What shall we do?” They also turned to the Lord.
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages [Luke 3:14].
This is a practical message that John gave to these people who came from different classes and conditions. My friend, if you are a printer, you reveal that you are a Christian by the way you print. If you are a soldier, you reveal your Christianity by the way you soldier. If you are a housewife, you reveal your Christianity by the way you are a housewife. You reveal what you are. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20).
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable [Luke 3:15–17].
John makes it clear that his message is not the final one. He is preparing the way for the One to come.
John baptized with water. Jesus has been baptizing with the Holy Spirit for over nineteen hundred years now. He shall also baptize with fire at His second coming. Fire speaks of judgment.
Some folk think that this is a reference to the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came, and there was the appearance of fire on the heads of those assembled. However, it is important to notice that in Acts 2:3 it was “… like as of fire …” (italics mine)—it was not fire. The coming of the Holy Spirit was not the fulfillment of the baptism of fire. That will take place at the second coming of our Lord.
But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison [Luke 3:19–20].
John had reproved Herod publicly because he had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herodias had been furious over this and demanded that John be put in prison. Herod fulfilled her desire and had John arrested and imprisoned.
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased [Luke 3:21–22].
Luke is not attempting to give a chronological order of events. If he were, he would have recorded the baptism of Jesus before the arrest of John the Baptist.
At the baptism of Jesus, the Trinity is revealed. The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus, who is also a member of the Trinity, and the heavenly Father speaks from heaven.
GENEALOGY OF MARY
The rest of this chapter deals with the genealogy of Mary, not Joseph. The genealogy of Joseph is found in Matthew’s gospel. Matthew’s genealogy begins with Abraham and comes down to the Lord Jesus Christ through David and through Solomon. The legal title to the throne came through Joseph.
Luke’s genealogy is different. It is given in reverse order from Matthew’s. Luke goes back to David and then back to Adam. Luke gives Mary’s story, and this is clearly her genealogy. The royal blood of David flowed through her veins also, and Jesus’ blood title to the throne of David came through her.
Two things about this genealogy should be noted. First, Dr. Luke makes it clear that Joseph was not the father of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli [Luke 3:23].
The word son as it is used in this genealogy is not in the better manuscripts. Joseph was not the son of Heli. The word son is added to indicate the lineage through the father (the man) who was the head of the house. In other words, the genealogy is listed according to the man’s name. In Matthew, where it is giving the genealogy through Joseph, it states that Jacob begat Joseph.
The second important thing to notice is verse 31 which reads:
Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David [Luke 3:31].
Matthew traces the line of Christ through David’s son, Solomon. That is the royal line. Luke traces the line of Christ through David’s son, Nathan. Mary had the blood of David in her veins. Jesus Christ is the Son of David.
Luke reveals Jesus Christ as the Son of Man and the Savior of the world. His line does not stop with Abraham) but goes all the way back to Adam who was the first “son” of God—the created son of God. But he fell from that lofty position when he sinned. Jesus Christ, the last Adam and the Son of God, is come to bring mankind back into that relationship with God which Adam formerly had and lost. This relationship is accomplished through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The temptation of Jesus; Jesus returns to Galilee and Nazareth—rejected by His hometown; Jesus moves His headquarters to Capernaum and continues His ministry
Jesus is tempted as a man by Satan. They were human temptations such as come to all of us. They cover the entire spectrum of human temptations and are threefold:
1. Satan asks Jesus to make stones into bread to satisfy needs of the body. There is nothing wrong with bread. Bread is the staff of life. The body has need of bread, and Jesus was starving. What is wrong? To use His great powers to minister to Himself would be selfish. He must demonstrate the truth of the great principle, “… Man shall not live by bread alone …” (Matt. 4:4). This is contrary to the thinking of this crass materialistic age that lives only to satisfy the whims of the body. Modern man in our secular society says, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” And as far as man is concerned, that ends it all. Selfishness is the curse of a creedless, secular society. Our Lord, in meeting this temptation, refuted the popular philosophy of the world.
2. Satan offers Jesus the nations of the world. Nations derive their power through brute force and political intrigue. War is a way of life. Hate and fear are the whips to motivate the mob. This is satanic, and Satan offers the kingdoms of the world on these terms. Men must be changed in order to enter God’s kingdom: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The answer of Jesus has a note of finality, “… Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4:10). Then the apostle Paul tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weauons of our warfare fare not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
3. Satan tempts Jesus to cast Himself down from the temple. It would seem a logical procedure for Jesus to impress the crowd as to His person and mission. But Jesus will follow no easy way to the throne. He must wear the crown of thorns before He wears the crown of glory. Stifler states succinctly, “There are two ways of despising God, one is to ignore His power, the other is to presume upon it.” Both are sin. It is easy to do nothing and then mouth pious platitudes about God providing for the sparrows and that He will take care of us. But God says, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread …” (Gen. 3:19).
For example, the missionary to a foreign land will have to study to learn the language, and then God will help him. We are partners of God, not puppets. Dr. Edward Judson, after considering what his father, Adoniram Judson, suffered in Burma said, “If we succeed without suffering, it is because others have suffered before us. If we suffer without success, it is that others may succeed after us.” Jesus rejected a false and phony spiritual stance. His answer was devastating: “Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah” (Deut. 6:16).
Actually, Jesus began His public ministry in His hometown of Nazareth where He was rejected and ejected. It was in the synagogue where He announced the fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1–2 in a remarkable way.
THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered [Luke 4:1–2].
We have before us the testing of the Lord Jesus Christ. The synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—all record this testing. John does not record this incident because he is presenting the Lord Jesus as the Son of God with the emphasis upon His deity. The synoptic Gospels place the emphasis upon the humanity of the Lord Jesus. He was tempted as a man. In the Gospel of Luke He is presented as the Son of Man. Luke 3:38 says, “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” This is the genealogy of Mary which traces the line of Christ back to Adam. Being a son of Adam takes Him right back to the beginning of the race of which we are members. It was as a human being that He was tempted in all points like we are; yet He was without sin.
There is a frightful and fearful darkness about the temptation of our Lord that is an appalling enigma. I must confess that I cannot explain it, but I will take you to the very edge, and at the fringe I hope we can learn something. There were unseen and hidden forces of evil all about Him. He was surrounded by powers of darkness and destruction. He grappled with the basic problems of mankind, that which is earthy, and He won a victory for mankind. He won a victory for you and me.
There are several preliminary considerations we need to have in mind as we look at the testing of our Lord. We are told that He was filled with the Holy Spirit. As man, the Son of God needed to be filled with the Spirit in order to meet the temptation. And, friend, I cannot face the temptations of this world in my own strength. In Romans 7:21 Paul tells us, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Haven’t you found that to be true? In Romans 8:3–4 Paul continues, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” So in Galatians 5:16 Paul concludes, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” We need the Holy Spirit.
In Deuteronomy 8:2 God told the Israelites, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.” In other words, God was testing the Israelites. God never tests anyone with evil.
We are told that, before the Lord was tested, He was led (Mark says driven) by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. In other words, the Lord did not seek the temptation. Even at the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “Let this cup pass from me” (see Luke 22:42).
The Lord’s temptation did not begin at the end of the forty days; rather, Luke is telling us that after the temptation He was hungry. He was tempted of the Devil all during those forty days. Satan did not stop tempting the Lord after the wilderness temptation either. At the Garden of Gethsemane was another onslaught of Satan. In verse 13 of this chapter Luke tells us, “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.”
Something else we need to understand is that Satan is a person. I understand that from thirty percent to ninety percent of the ministers say that he is not a person. The Scripture, however, makes it quite clear that the Devil is a person. When he tempted the Lord Jesus, did he come in bodily form? Did he come as a spirit or did he come as an angel of light? The Bible tells us that the Lord met him face-to-face. We need to realize that Satan is subtle—one time he is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and the next time he is an angel of light deceiving even the elect if he could do so (see 1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:14).
What is the meaning of the Lord’s temptation? The word tempt has a twofold meaning. To tempt means “to incite and entice to evil,” and it means “to seduce.” If a person can be seduced to do evil, that means there is something in the individual that causes him to yield. It would not be a temptation unless something in a person could yield to it. However, this was not true of the Lord Jesus Christ. He could say, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). I do not know about you, friend, but every time Satan comes to me he always finds some place to take hold of. Our Lord was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners (see Heb. 7:26). The temptation of Christ was not a temptation to do evil.
Then the word tempt is used in another way. Genesis 22:1 tells us that “… God did tempt Abraham …” in that God tested Abraham. Also He proved, or tested, Israel for forty years in the wilderness. This raises a question. Could the Lord Jesus Christ have fallen? No, Christ could not have fallen. Then was it a legitimate temptation? It was a test. All new articles are tested. For example, tires and automobiles are tested. On television commercials the manufacturers show you the new model car and drive it through purgatory to show you the amount of punishment it can take. Everything is tested, and for anything to break down would be pretty embarrassing for the manufacturer. The Lord Jesus Christ could not have fallen; so was this a legitimate test? It was, and let me illustrate this fact with a simple story.
When I was a boy in west Texas, we lived on the west fork of the Brazos River. In the summertime there was not enough water in the stream to rust a shingle nail. It was dry. In wintertime, however, you could have kept a battleship afloat in it. One year we had a flood, and it washed out a railroad bridge over the river. Santa Fe railroad workers came immediately to build a new bridge. When the bridge was completed, they put two engines on the bridge and tied down the whistles. In our little town we had never heard two engine whistles blow at the same time; so everyone raced to the bridge, all twenty-seven of us. One brave fellow in the crowd asked, “What are you doing?” The engineer replied, “We are testing the bridge.” “Do you think it will break?” the young man queried. “Of course it won’t break,” the engineer said with almost a sneer. “If you know it won’t break, why are you putting the engines on the bridge?” the young man wondered. “Just to prove that it won’t break,” said the engineer.
That is what the Lord’s temptation was. It showed us that we have a Savior who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and able to save to the uttermost those who come unto God through Him (see Heb. 7:25–26).
The Lord was tested in a way that we could never have been tested. When we are tested, there is always a breaking point. When we reach the breaking point, we break and then the pressure is removed. The pressure was never removed from our Lord.
His was a threefold temptation: physical, psychological, and spiritual.
The Lord was tested in the physical realm.
And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread [Luke 4:3].
The Devil did not ask the Lord to commit a crime. Bread is the staff of life and is a necessity. On one occasion the Lord fed a multitude of five thousand persons, and four thousand persons at another time. Eve looked at the tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden and saw that it was good for food and ate of it. John calls this test the lust or the desire of the flesh (see 1 John 2:16). A man must live, you know, and in order to live he must eat. That is the philosophy of most people today. The clamor of the crowd, the medley of the mob is, “What shall we eat, and drink and wherewithal shall we be clothed?” That is just about all that life is for most people. Men will become dishonest, steal, gamble, sell liquor, and resort to almost anything to obtain something for their bodies. Women will sell their virtue for a mink coat or a diamond ring. Satan revealed his low estimate of mankind when he told the Lord, “… Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life” (Job 2:4). That is not true because Job did not yield. And our Lord used the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to defeat Satan.
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God [Luke 4:4].
Next Satan tested the Lord in the psychological realm.
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve [Luke 4:5–8].
This test had to do with what John calls the lust of the eyes. In the Garden of Eden, Eve looked at the fruit on the tree in the midst of the garden and saw that it was pleasant to the eyes. Satan took Christ high on a mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Him. The “kingdoms of the world” encompassed the great Roman Empire. But Christ was on His way to the throne by way of the cross. Satan was saying, “Let’s miss the cross.” Paul tells us, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness …” (1 Cor. 1:18)—how foolish to take that route of suffering when Satan offered an easy way to the throne! Now let me say something that may shock you. It is satanic to try and build a kingdom here on earth without Jesus Christ! There are only two rulers: the Lord Jesus and Satan. If you are not taking the Lord into account, you must take the other. Paul said, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).
Finally the Lord was tested in the spiritual realm.
And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season [Luke 4:9–13].
Eve desired the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden because it could make one wise. John calls this testing “… the pride of life …” (1 John 2:16). This deals with the realm of the spirit and faith. Satan wanted the Lord to demonstrate that He was the Son of God—“Show them, prove it, then they will accept you.” It was not faith; it was presumption. It was daring God. Faith is quietly waiting upon God, doing His will. It is interesting to note that when Satan quoted from Psalm 91:11–12, he misquoted Scripture, just as he misquoted God’s word in the garden to Eve.
Why was Jesus Christ tempted? To demonstrate that you and I have a sinless Savior. He is sinless, impeccable, and able to save. He proved that all power had been given to Him. There is a Man in glory today, friend, who understands us and is able to sympathize with us. It is wonderful to have a Savior like that! John writes, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2). The Lord Jesus can be depended upon in every circumstance of life.
JESUS RETURNS TO GALILEE AND NAZARETH—REJECTED BY HIS HOMETOWN
After Satan tested the Lord Jesus Christ, He was strengthened.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about [Luke 4:14].
After the temptation the Lord comes forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. Temptation will do one of two things for an individual: it will either strengthen or weaken him. It is like the army, which will make you or break you. Whether this is actually true of the army, I do not know. This I do know, however, that suffering and testing will either sweeten or sour you, soften or harden you. There is an old familiar illustration which says that the same sun will melt the wax but harden the clay. It is the character of, or the condition of, the element and not the sun that melts the wax and hardens the clay. God is not going to harden you. He did not harden Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh already possessed a hard heart, and God only brought that fact out into the open. Our Lord identified Himself with mankind. Scripture confirms this fact: “Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17). The Lord Jesus Christ became a man and so after His ordeal He needed the strengthening of the Holy Spirit. And if our Lord needed the strengthening of the Holy Spirit after His testing, how much more do we need Him!
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all [Luke 4:15].
After the temptation the Lord returned to Galilee and taught in the synagogues. He was glorified by the people; He was praised and complimented. This verse sounds like a doxology. You know, it is possible to praise Him and still reject Him. It is possible to sing the doxology and turn down His claims. The same crowd that sang “Hosanna” and wanted to crown Him, the next day joined the mob to crucify Him. I think of a picture of the Crucifixion with the empty cross in the foreground and in the background is the donkey feeding on withered palm branches. That is the way it was. One day the Lord was praised, and the next day He was crucified.
Now we come to one of the most beautiful incidents recorded in God’s Word. It is a scintillating story that flashes with light. It is fragrant with meaning. It is lovely to look at, and this is the way Dr. Luke tells it:
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears [Luke 4:16–21].
This incident is recorded only by Dr. Luke and is so remarkable that we cannot pass it by. We are told that after the temptation, the Lord returned to His hometown. Generally the hometown is proud of the local boy who has become famous. As was His custom on the Sabbath, He went to the synagogue in Nazareth.
Notice that He never entertained the false notion that you can worship God in nature as well as in the appointed place. Although I enjoy playing golf, I get a little weary of hearing some men say very piously that they can worship God just as easily on the golf course on Sunday as they can in church. What they say is true, but the question I always ask them is, “When you take your golf bag out on the course on Sunday morning, do you go out to worship God or to play golf?” The fact of the matter is, they have no intention of worshiping God on the golf course. You go to church on Sunday morning to worship God, and you go out on the golf course to play golf. It was the custom of our Lord to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
The synagogue was one of the most important religious institutions of the Jews in the time of our Lord. It must have come into existence during the time of the Babylonian captivity. the Jews were far from their native land, from the temple and the altar. They no doubt felt drawn to gather round those who were especially pious and God-fearing in order to listen to the Word of God and engage in some kind of worship. In Ezekiel 14:1 and 20:1 it is mentioned that the elders gathered around Ezekiel, and it may have been in such a setting as the synagogue.
After the exile, the synagogue remained. At first it was meant only for the exposition of the Mosaic Law. Later, a time of prayer and preaching was added. However, primarily, the synagogue was for instruction in the Law for all classes of people. At the time of our Lord there were synagogues in all the larger towns.
I can now fill in one day of the silent years of Christ’s earthly life. I do not know much about the other six days of each week, other than He was a carpenter and worked on those days. But I know that every seventh day He went to the synagogue. He went to the appointed place to worship because He could witness there.
Now He has come home for awhile and is in the synagogue. He is handed the Book, and He begins to read from it. He reads from Isaiah. In those days the Bible was not divided into chapters and verses, but had it been, He would have read Isaiah 61:1–2. The important thing to notice is where He broke off reading. He did not read, “… and the day of vengeance of our God… .” He closed the Book and gave it back to the minister. The amazing thing is that He did not stop reading at the end of a sentence but stopped before finishing it. In our translation, He stopped reading at the comma, but there was no comma in the text He was reading. He made absolutely no mention of the phrase, “the day of vengeance of our God.” He made no mention of any of the text that followed this phrase. Do you know why? He looked at that crowd and said: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
Here is a passage of Scripture that was going to be fulfilled down to a comma, and the rest of the passage would not be fulfilled until He came back the second time. The day of vengeance had not yet come. What is the day of vengeance? It is that time of which God said, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Ps. 2:8). How is the Lord going to get the heathen for His inheritance? “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). That is the way the Lord will come to power. That will be the day of vengeance. That is the great Day of the Lord, and it will take place when Christ comes the second time. He came the first time to preach the gospel to the poor that they might be saved. He came anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring the glorious message of salvation. We are still living in that wonderful day, the day of the gospel. When He comes the second time, it will be the day of vengeance.
And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? [Luke 4:22].
The people looked at Him and remembered Him as Joseph’s son, a carpenter. That seemed to spoil it all. How could He be the Messiah? Luke is making it very clear that He took upon Himself our frail humanity.
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian [Luke 4:23–27].
The Lord is illustrating this in a marvelous way. He cited two Gentiles who lived outside of the land of Israel—the widow of Sarepta and Naaman of Syria—in whose lives God worked miraculously. He is trying to show them that they, His own people, were apt to miss a great blessing because they would not accept who He was. They would be like the many widows and the many lepers of Israel who were not healed during the time of Elijah.
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
But he passing through the midst of them went his way [Luke 4:28–30].
The people of Jesus’ hometown rejected Him. The country around Nazareth is rough country, and they led Him to the brow of a hill, intending to push Him off to His death. His escape from this mob was a miracle.
JESUS MOVES HIS HEADQUARTERS TO CAPERNAUM AND CONTINUES HIS MINISTRY
And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days [Luke 4:31].
From this verse through the rest of the chapter we have one day with the Lord Jesus. Many of us would have loved to have spent a day with Him when He was on earth. Luke makes this possible for us.
Both Matthew and Mark record the fact that the Lord Jesus moved His headquarters from His hometown of Nazareth to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. He did this because the people from His own town would not receive Him. There came a day when He told the people of Capernaum, “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell” (Luke 10:15). Because His headquarters were there, what an opportunity they had! Light creates responsibility.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power [Luke 4:32].
As the Lord taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath, He did not speak as a scribe or a Pharisee but as one who had authority.
And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about [Luke 4:33–37].
We are living in a day when demonism has lifted its ugly head again, and Satan worship is a reality. Demons were working in the days of our Lord, and they are working now. Our Lord cast a demon out of an individual. Even considering the use of drugs, it is difficult to explain some of the actions and awful crimes being committed unless the perpetrator is under the power and control of Satan.
And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them [Luke 4:38–39].
After leaving the synagogue, it seems that the Lord went to Simon Peter’s house, probably for the noonday meal. While He was in Peter’s house, He healed “Simon’s wife’s mother,” Peter’s mother-in-law, who had a great fever. The severity of diseases was indicated by saying one had a small or a great fever. This evidently was a serious illness. Our Lord rebuked the fever, using Luke’s medical terminology, “be muzzled.” The fever was like a wild dog that had broken the leash. Our Lord also dealt with sin like that. Immediately she arose and ministered unto them. When the Lord Jesus Christ healed someone, healing did not come gradually but took place immediately. It was an amazing thing.
I heard about a meeting conducted by a “faith healer” not long ago. It was reported that a cripple was led up to the platform where he was declared healed then led away, still limping. Then someone came to the platform who said he had internal cancer, and the faith healer declared that he was immediately healed of cancer. It is amazing how people will accept that type of testimony. Why wasn’t the crippled man healed immediately? If our Lord had done it, the cure would have been immediate. I can hear someone asking, “Don’t you believe in divine healing?” My answer is, “What other kind of healing is there?” All healing is divine. This is what Dr. Luke is telling us. Doctors do not always recognize this fact.
A wonderful doctor who was a member of my church in Texas once said to me, “I send the bill, but God does the healing. I take out that part that is offending the body, but God will have to be the Healer.” What a great testimony. God, and not an individual, does the healing.
Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee [Luke 4:40–44].
His day had started in the morning, teaching in the synagogue. Now it is late in the eveyning. The Lord goes outside to the multitude that had gathered, and He moves from one to another, touching and healing them. Matthew in recording this incident quotes from the prophet Isaiah: “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matt. 8:17). The Lord healed in a wonderful way. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa. 53:4). The Lord bore the sicknesses and diseases of the people sympathetically, in spite of the fact that the nation Israel in that day esteemed Him stricken. That is the way we also esteem Him. You see, He did not heal these people on the basis of their faith as far as we know, but His great heart of sympathy caused Him to move in their behalf.
We are told to have such a heart of sympathy today. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Jesus calls the disciples for the second time; Jesus cleanses the lepers; Jesus heals man with palsy; Jesus calls Matthew; Jesus gives parables on new garment and wine skins
JESUS CALLS THE DISCIPLES FOR THE SECOND TIME
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship [Luke 5:1–3].
The Lake of Gennesaret is the Sea of Galilee. The fishermen there had left their boats and were washing their nets. The Lord climbed into Simon Peter’s boat and asked him to push the boat out a little from the land. What a pulpit! I believe this illustration is both figurative and suggestive. Every pulpit is a “fishing boat,” a place to give out the Word of God and attempt to catch fish. He had told these men that He would make them fishers of men. This does not mean that you and I will catch fish every time we give out the Word—the disciples didn’t—but it does mean that the one on board must not forget the supreme business of life which is to fish for the souls of men.
Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught [Luke 5:4].
After the Lord had finished speaking to the people, He said, “Now we’ll leave off fishing for men, and we’re going to fish for fish.” Matthew and Mark tell us that the first time the Lord called these men He was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—they were fishermen—and the Lord said to them, “… Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (cf. Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17). Now these men have returned to their occupation of fishing. The Lord evidently made three calls to His disciples. He met most of them in Jerusalem. John tells us about it in John chapter one. When John the Baptist marked Him out, several of his disciples wanted to know where Jesus dwelt. Among those who followed John were Philip, Nathanael, Simon Peter, and Andrew. The Lord did not call these men to be disciples at this time; He just met them. Later on, the Lord passed by the Sea of Galilee, saw them fishing, and called them to follow Him. They left their nets and followed Him. Now they had returned to the fishing business. Later on, Dr. Luke will tell us that once again the Lord called them to go fishing for men and at that time made them apostles.
As our Lord had been speaking to the crowd from his boat, Simon Peter had been sitting in the boat listening. When He finished speaking, He told Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let your net down. You quit fishing with Me; now I am going to fish with you.”
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net [Luke 5:5].
“Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net,” indicates that Simon Peter had put up an argument. These men were expert fishermen, and thought they knew all about fishing in the Sea of Galilee—and they did. Peter makes it very clear that they had fished all night without catching anything.
The story is told that when Wellington once gave a command to one of his generals, he answered that it was impossible to execute the command. Wellington told him, “You go ahead and do it, because I don’t give impossible commands.” When the Lord Jesus Christ gives a command, you do not need to argue with Him and say, “We’ve tried it before and it cannot be done.” He does not give impossible commands.
And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake [Luke 5:6].
Fishing must be done according to His directions. There are many lessons for us here. Fishing is an art. You must go where the fish are; you must use the right kind of bait; you must be patient; but the important lesson He is teaching us is that we must fish according to His instructions. If we are ever going to win men for Him, we must fish according to His instructions.
In this instance the net broke. Later on, in the Gospel of John, a net overloaded with fish does not break. The fisherman’s net illustrates a truth. At this point there is no net that can hold the fish for the simple reason that He has not yet died and risen from the dead—that is the gospel. The “net” which will hold fish must be one that rests upon the death and resurrection of Christ—at this time there had been no death and resurrection. The net broke. After His death and resurrection, He told them how to fish and the net did not break (see John 21:1–11). Here He tells them to go out and preach the gospel to the very ends of the earth.
And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord [Luke 5:7–8].
Notice that this is a tremendous catch of fish! Peter confesses his failure; he is not even a good fisherman of fish due to his lack of faith. When Simon said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man. O Lord,” he was saying, “Lord, you called me to be a fisher of men and I failed. I went back to fishing for fish—I thought I knew that kind of fishing better, but I find that I don’t! Depart from me. Let me alone. I am a sinful man. You should find someone upon whom you can depend.” The Lord, however, did not intend to get rid of Simon Peter. He was going to use him, and this applies to us also. All we have to do is recognize that we are not very good fishermen —recognize our failures and faithlessness. When we are willing to depend on Him, He will not put us out of the fishing business, and He will not throw us overboard. He will use us. This is an encouraging truth!
For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men [Luke 5:9–10].
Simon Peter did catch men. Remember how well he did on the Day of Pentecost—the Lord’s answer to Peter is certainly significant. Three thousand souls came to Christ after his first sermon! Peter was fishing according to God’s instructions.
There is another lesson here. Do you know there is another fisherman? Do you know that Satan also is a fisherman? Paul tells us that in 2 Timothy 2:26, which says, “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” Satan has his hook out in the water too. God is fishing for your soul, and Satan also is fishing for your soul with a hook baited with the things of the world. You might say God’s hook is a cross. The son of God died upon that cross for you. This is God’s message for you. By the way, whose hook are you on today? You are either on God’s hook or Satan’s hook. Either the Devil has you or God has you. There is no third fisherman!
JESUS CLEANSES THE LEPERS
And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him [Luke 5:12–13].
In verses 12–15 we have the story of the healing of a leper. Luke was a good doctor. He recognized a psychological implication in the healing of this leper that was not much understood in that day.
We are not told how the man discovered that he had leprosy, but it could have happened in the following manner. One day he came in from plowing and said to his wife, “I have a little sore on the palm of my hand. It bothers me when I am plowing. Could you put a poultice on it and wrap it for me?” His wife bandaged his hand, but the next day the sore was worse. In a few days they both became alarmed. His wife said, “You should go to the priest.” He went to the priest who put him in isolation for fourteen days. When he was brought out the priest looked him over and found the leprosy had spread. The priest told him he was a leper. The heartbroken man said to the priest “Let me go to my wife and children and tell them goodbye.” The priest replied, “You cannot tell them goodbye. You will never be able to take your lovely wife in your arms again. You will never be able to put your arms around those precious children of yours.” The man went off, alone. His family brought his food to a certain place and then withdrew when he came to get it. In the distance he could see his .wife and observe his children growing day by day.
Then one day the Lord Jesus Christ came by. The leper declared, “If You will, You can heal me.” The King of kings replied, “I will, be thou clean.” But notice how the Lord healed him. He put forth His hand and touched this man afflicted with leprosy. This poor man had not felt anyone’s touch for years. Can you imagine what it must have meant to him to have the touch of Christ’s hand upon him?
Has the Lord Jesus touched your life? There are so many lives that need to be touched. If you are His, and you are fishing at His command, I am confident that you can reach someone for the Lord. You need to reach out your hand and touch some soul whom only you can touch for Him today.
JESUS HEALS MAN WITH PALSY
And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee [Luke 5:17–20].
This is the account of the paralytic in Capernaum who was healed. Some friends of this man let him down through the roof of a house in order for the Lord Jesus Christ to see him. Both Matthew and Mark record this incident. Mark gives the longest account, though his is the shortest gospel. The Lord healed this man because these four men brought him into His presence where the poor fellow could hear, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” It was a wonderful word that came to this man.
There are many people who are not going to receive the message of salvation unless you lift a corner of their stretcher and carry them to the place where they can hear the Word of the Lord. They are paralyzed—immobilized by sin and by many other things the world holds for them. Some are paralyzed by prejudice and others by indifference. They are never going to hear Jesus say to them, “Thy sins are forgiven thee,” unless you take the corner of their stretcher and bring them to Him.
All of these incidents reveal the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to spread the message of salvation to others. This is why I preach the Word of God—and remember that one man cannot carry a stretcher alone. It took four men to carry the stretcher of the paralyzed man. More men and women are needed today to help get the Word of God out to those who need Him.
JESUS CALLS MATTHEW
And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
And he left all, rose up, and followed him [Luke 5:27–28].
Matthew gives us this much information in his Gospel, and Mark gives a little more detail: but Luke shares even more.
And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them [Luke 5:29].
This dinner was given by Levi as a way of trying to win people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Levi had not been trained in a theological seminary. He was a tax gatherer and a rascal. When he came to the Lord Jesus, he did what he could. He was a rich publican—so he gave a dinner and invited all his rascal friends to it so that they could meet Jesus Christ.
The scribes and Pharisees who were there had a difficult time keeping their mouths shut and finally they came to Him.
But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? [Luke 5:30].
The scribes and Pharisees criticize with a question, and the Lord Jesus has a good answer for it. Our Lord protects His own men.
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance [Luke 5:31–32].
The scribes and Pharisees asked the disciples why they ate with publicans and sinners. The Lord’s answer was simple and wonderful. He was the Great Physician and He did not go around healing people that were well! He came to minister to those who were sick with sin. The gospel is really for those who recognize their need. There are some people who think they are too good to be saved. They are not aware of their need. If you recognize that you have a need, then the gospel is for you. Christ can and will save you. If you are selfsufficient, recognize no personal need, and go in your self-chosen pathway, it will lead you to destruction. I am sorry. The Great Physician can do nothing for those who think they are not sick.
And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? [Luke 5:33].
The scribes and Pharisees then ask why John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast while the disciples of Jesus are having a good time.
And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days [Luke 5:34–35].
We today are to have a good time, but fasting is also beneficial, recognizing that our Lord is in heaven and we are in a world that has rejected Him. The point is that, whether we feast or fast, our business is to get the Word out to people who need Him.
JESUS GIVES PARABLES ON NEW GARMENT AND WINE SKINS
This is the first parable in the Gospel of Luke.
And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better [Luke 5:36–39].
The natural man likes his old ways. He likes his old wine—that is, his old religion. The important thing is to recognize that our Lord brought something new to mankind—the gospel. He did not come into the world to do any patching of the old garment. He did not come to patch up the Law. He came to pay the penalty of sin by dying on the cross. But He did more than that. He arose from the dead so that He could place upon us His robe of righteousness. He gives us the new wine of the gospel. The new wine of the gospel must be placed in the new wineskin of grace, not into the old one of law. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). This is the message that the Lord gives out today. He came to give us something new. He came to save us by faith in Him.
This entire chapter points in one direction, and that is to present the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in as many ways as possible so that men might hear and have an opportunity to choose whether they will accept Him or reject Him. All of us must make this decision for ourselves.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Jesus defends disciples for plucking grain on Sabbath; Jesus chooses the Twelve; Jesus gives sermon on the plain
JESUS DEFENDS DISCIPLES FOR PLUCKING GRAIN ON SABBATH
The first part of this chapter is almost a repetition of the other synoptic Gospels. It begins with the action of Christ on the Sabbath day. The first incident is in the fields on the Sabbath day.
And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungered, and they which were with him;
How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath [Luke 6:1–5].
As the disciples plucked the grain and rubbed it in their hands, the Pharisees accused them of threshing the grain on the Sabbath day. Of course they were not breaking the Mosaic Law, as it permitted people to pull the grain (see Deut. 23:24–25). If they had been cutting it with a sickle, they would have been harvesting. But the Pharisees had their own interpretation, and therefore they interpret the action as breaking the Law.
Our Lord did not insist that they had not broken the Sabbath; He refused to argue the issue with them. He cited an incident in the life of David where he had definitely broken the Mosaic Law and was justified. His point was that the letter of the Law was not to be imposed when it wrought hardship upon one of God’s servants. Obviously the disciples were hungry. It cost them something to follow Jesus.
Then we have the incident of the Sabbath day in the synagogue.
And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus [Luke 6:6–11].
The man with the withered hand was planted there, you may be sure. In doing this they really paid our Lord a wonderful compliment. They believed He could heal him, and they believed He would heal him. They knew He was both powerful and compassionate. They were exactly correct in their estimation of Him. Our Lord healed the man. Then His enemies used the occasion to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath day. Matthew tells us that they plotted His death from that moment on.
JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE
As I mentioned previously, some of the disciples were introduced to our Lord when He went to Jerusalem. Later, walking by the Sea of Galilee, He called those men to follow Him. Then they went back to fishing. And He went by and called them again, at which time, the record tells us, “they forsook all, and followed him” (Luke 5:11). Now we have come to the third stage. Out of an unspecified number of disciples, He chose twelve men to be His apostles.
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor [Luke 6:12–16].
Notice that Jesus prayed all night to God. Why? He was going to choose twelve men to be His apostles. He spent the entire night in prayer before making His choice. One of the apostles turned out to be a traitor. Another apostle denied Him but later repented. Notice, however, that God’s men were always chosen. There are many candidates, to be sure, but consider what John 15:16 says: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” This has been a great comfort to me. I was a clerk in a bank when the Lord called me to be a preacher. I never dreamed of becoming a preacher; in fact, I actually looked down on preachers. I did not call Him, but He called me. I’ve always felt good about it, because since He called me, He is responsible. That is wonderful. It gives me comfort. The Lord found it essential and practical to spend the entire night in prayer before selecting the twelve apostles. Men chosen for God’s work should be selected on the basis of much prayer. The robe of Elijah did not fall by accident upon Elisha; it fell providentially. The present-day procedure by the church for choosing men to fill an office is far from God’s standard. We follow our feelings and consult our own selfish desires. We use human measuring rods rather than God’s measuring stick. We should spend time with God before making our decisions.
JESUS GIVES SERMON ON THE PLAIN
And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all [Luke 6:17–19].
As I have said many times before, multitudes were healed on this occasion. In our Lord’s day literally thousands of people were healed. There were no healing lines, no slapping of this one and patting of that one, no having people fall backwards and forwards. The people whom the Lord healed did not have to do anything. Our Lord would even heal them at a distance. The healings performed by the Lord were genuine, and we have Dr. Luke’s statement to prove it. I do not believe in faith healers but I do believe in faith healing. Take your problem to the Great Physician. He is the best doctor you can consult, and He does not send you a bill; nor do you have to be on Medicare to get Him to take your case.
Now we come to the so-called “Sermon on the Mount,” which is not a sermon on the mount as it was delivered on a plain. Of course the Sermon on the Mount was delivered on a mountain, as recorded in Matthew. The similarity in content indicates that the Lord gave His teachings again and again. We do not need a harmony of the Gospels as much as we need a contrast of the Gospels. The remarkable thing about this sermon in Luke is its dissimilarity to the sermon in Matthew. There are omissions, certain inclusions, blessings and woes, attitudes and judgments.
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake [Luke 6:20–22].
Up to this point the content of the Sermon on the Plain is similar to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. The Lord gave the same teaching in many places but in a different form. Beginning with verse 23, a new thought is introduced.
Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets [Luke 6:23].
This verse speaks about the reception of, and attitude toward, God’s prophets by mankind. The true prophet speaks for God and is persecuted. The false prophet misrepresents God and is patronized by men. The true prophet must have faith in God and maintain a quiet confidence which looks beyond the things which are seen to the things which are eternal. This is what keeps a man true to God.
Verses 20–22 speak about the poor, hungry and weak, who are hated, reproached, considered outcasts, and called evil. All you have to do is look back into the Old Testament to see that this is true. It is true today. The man who preaches the Word of God is going to have a rough time. If he does not have a rough time, something is wrong. The false prophets were (and are) rich and had plenty to eat. They could laugh and were considered good fellows. God has something to say to them.
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you [Luke 6:24–28].
We find that the false prophet is patronized by the world, and if he will say the right thing, the world will pay him well. The Lord Jesus Christ makes it clear, however, that he needn’t expect God to pay him. The false prophet may become popular with the world, but he will be notorious with God. He may have a lot of fun on earth, but he will cause heaven to weep. He may be well fed, but he has a starved soul.
Very little is said today about the godless rich. The Lord had a great deal to say about the godless rich in Scripture: “Woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. ” Everyone seems to be after the poor criminal who stole $25.00, or a suit of clothes, or a $50.00 ring. The godless poor, however, are not nearly as dangerous as the godless rich. The godless rich give glamour to godlessness. There is probably more hypocrisy among the rich than any other group. They will pay a false prophet to preach in their church—they own the church and the property. No rich church has the reputation of being an evangelical church; the gospel will not be preached there. There may be a few exceptions to this, but if there are, I do not know about them.
In New York City there is a church that bears the name of a rich man. The church will not have a gospel minister preach there because a gospel preacher would condemn this rich man just as James did when he said: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days” (James 5:1–3).
I wonder when Christians in this country are going to wake up to the fact that these rich politicians are throwing crumbs from their tables down to the poor. They are not interested in the poor or in the rights of an individual. They want to be able to keep their riches and enjoy them in selfishness, and they are willing to give a few crumbs to the poor in order to do it. As far as civil rights go, I am not concerned about the color of a man’s skin but about the color of his heart. Has his heart been washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? If it has, then he is my brother. I am going to be living with him for eternity and I had better start learning to live with him now—and I am. A man’s heart may be as black as ink and his skin white as snow; yet he is not my brother. I am sorry to have to say that, but it is true.
What I am saying may sound revolutionary, and it is, but it is what Jesus Christ said, friend. There are those who tell me that they are following Jesus. They do not dare to follow Him. Read what He says in this chapter and, believe me, it will remove the cloak of hypocrisy and peel off the skin of any man. Try on the Sermon on the Plain for size and find out if you are keeping it.
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eve. when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? [Luke 6:31–46].
The minister of a church who is seeking popularity does not dare mention sin. Some use the gyration of psychoanalysis to explain away the exceeding sinfulness of sin. It is called a relic of a theological jungle. Sin is not a crime against God, according to many modern preachers. They are afraid to say that God hates sin and that Jehovah is a Man of War.
To be right in God’s sight you cannot compliment the ego, pat the pride, smile upon sin, and put cold cream on the cancer of sin. You cannot write a prescription on philosophy and have it filled in the pleasures of the world. The only place you can go is to the foot of the cross. There God performs an operation, major surgery, and makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus. That is the message we have in the Sermon on the Plain. It complements the Sermon on the Mount. It is a message the Lord gave many times to many different groups of people.
The Lord concludes this with a parable.
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great [Luke 6:47–49].
The house that was built on the rock—stood. The house that was built on the sand was absolutely washed away.
This chapter reveals to me that I am a sinner before God, and it almost takes my skin off! There is a Rock, though, upon which I can build a foundation that will stand. That Rock is Christ Jesus. Paul said, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). My friend, where are you building your foundation? Where is your house? Is it built on the Rock which is Christ Jesus, or is it built on sand?
If you can read the Sermon on the Plain and not see that you are a lost and hell-doomed sinner, I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for the poor rich man who has not heard the gospel. Whoever will may get on the Solid Rock which is Christ. He will save without money and without price. Come to Him in simple faith, and trust Him.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Jesus heals the centunon’s servant; Jesus restores to life the son of the widow of Nain; Jesus commends John the Baptist; Jesus goes to dinner at a Pharisee’s house; Jesus gives parable of two debtors
This chapter opens with another meticulous record of healing. In this case it is the centurion’s servant. Although Jesus had no personal contact with the servant, he was made well.
Dr. Luke alone records the raising from the dead of the son of the widow of Nain. He is the only gospel writer who records Jesus raising from the dead two persons (the other was Jairus’ daughter, Luke 8:54–55).
Also in this chapter is the first of eighteen parables that Luke alone records. It grew out of Jesus’ visit to the home of a Pharisee where a woman anointed His feet with ointment. The simple parable of the two debtors revealed that this woman of the street was better than Simon, the Pharisee.
JESUS HEALS THE CENTURION’S SERVANT
Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick [Luke 7:1–10].
There were many Roman soldiers in this city. A centurion was a Roman officer who commanded one hundred men. Apparently this officer was a man of faith. His love for the Jewish nation was evidenced by his building a synagogue for them at Capernaum. In his position he was an officer with authority. He could say to a soldier, “Do this,” or “Go there,” and the soldier would obey. He recognized that Jesus had that kind of power and that He had only to speak the word in order that his servant might be healed. Jesus marveled at the faith of this man. It is recorded that only on two occasions Jesus marveled. He marveled at the faith of the centurion and at the unbelief of Israel.
JESUS RESTORES TO LIFE THE SON OF THE WIDOW OF NAIN
And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people [Luke 7:11–16].
Only Dr. Luke records this incident. It concerns a restoration to life or, as some would call it, a resurrection. The instances recorded of Jesus raising people from the dead technically are not resurrections as we think of them. All the Lord did was restore life back into the old bodies. Tradition says that after the Lord raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus asked Him if he would have to die again. Our Lord told him he would have to die again, and Lazarus never smiled from that day on. Whether or not that tradition is accurate, I can imagine that going through the doorway of death once would be enough!
Up to this day only one Person has been raised from the dead in resurrection, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the firstfruits of them that sleep. He is the only one raised from the dead in a glorified body. One of these days, in the event we call the Rapture, the dead in Christ and the living believers will be changed into resurrected and glorified bodies, and will be caught up to be with the Lord. That resurrected body will never die.
The account of the dead son of the widow of Nain is indeed sad. He was the only son of a widowed mother which made his death twice as tragic. While passing through the village of Nain, the Lord met the funeral procession. Someone has said that He broke up every funeral He met. I am of the opinion that He raised from the dead more than the three people who are recorded in the Bible. These three instances are examples, probably from three age groups: a child, a young man, and an adult man.
Jesus raised this young man from the dead for the sake of this lonely mother. He had compassion for this woman and her situation. He touched the casket in which the young man lay and spoke to him. He always used the same method in raising people from the dead. He spoke directly to them. Also at the Rapture, it will be His voice. Scripture tells us, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17). He is coming for us with a shout. His voice will be like the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. His one solo voice will call His own back from the dead. He always used the same method in restoring life. He did not, however, use the same method in other miracles. But to raise the dead He always spoke directly to them.
JESUS COMMENDS JOHN THE BAPTIST
At this juncture John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to the Lord Jesus to ask a few questions because John was puzzled.
And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? [Luke 7:19–20].
We have met John the Baptist before in Matthew and Mark. His dress was quite picturesque and unusual. There are those today who adopt a peculiar dress which may indicate a religious crank or a religious nut. While it is true that John the Baptist used an unusual dress, that is not what made him unusual. It was his message and ministry that set him apart. He was called of God—and we had better be sure we are called of God if we are going to wear religious garb. Many people think that by adopting the outward trappings of Christianity they will become Christians.
Not long ago a young woman was in front of our radio headquarters, taking a survey, and asked me what my occupation was. I told her that I was a minister and then asked her what a person had to do to become a Christian. She replied that to be a Christian you had to be good to your neighbors, not criticize anyone, and be friendly rather than harsh. She went on with quite a list of things that one should do to become a Christian. I told her, “You think Christianity is something you do on the outside. It is not. Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is more than trying to imitate Christ, or wearing certain religious garb. You must be born again. To be a Christian means to have an experience with Christ. ‘If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation’” (see 2 Cor. 5:17).
John the Baptist seems to be misplaced in the New Testament; he does not belong in the New Testament at all. He is the last of the illustrious Old Testament prophets. He is the bridge over the yawning chasm between the Old and New Testaments. He ranks with such notables as Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Christ told that generation to whom He preached, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets” (Matt. 23:29–31). They proved themselves genuine children who inherited the nature of their fathers because John the Baptist, last of the Old Testament prophets, was at that time in prison, and his voice was soon to be silenced in death.
While John was in prison, doubt had captivated his mind.
There are those who try and give a psychological explanation for the question John the Baptist asked, “Art thou he that should come?” John was looking for the Messiah and wanted to know if Christ was the one. To try and psychologically explain it away is rather amusing. They say that because he was in prison, he was depressed, discouraged, and dejected. I don’t believe a word of it. John had announced the kingdom and denounced the nation. He had pronounced the coming of the King. He was a highway builder for the King. John identified the Messiah and said, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable” (Luke 3:16–17). This is strong language. John was not expecting a Sunday school picnic. John was expecting Christ to establish the kingdom in all of its glory and power. Since this had not happened, John sent some of his disciples to ask if Christ was the One they were looking for, or were they to look for another?
Notice that the Lord Jesus received the messengers cordially, but He kept them waiting.
And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me [Luke 7:21–23].
Jesus kept John’s disciples waiting while He performed many miracles so that they could go back to tell John that they had seen the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Messiah. Isaiah 35:5–6 predicts His first coming: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing ….” Jesus told John’s disciples to tell him that they had seen the credentials of the Messiah. Actually John had fulfilled his mission. And Jesus realized that He was not moving as fast as John wanted Him to, but in the presence of intellectual difficulties, He is asking John to trust Him.
He is asking the same thing of you and me. He asks for our faith when we cannot understand. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). Doubts are not a sign that you are smart. On the contrary, they are a sign that you are very foolish and do not know everything. They signal the fact that you belong to a group which is perishing. Many learned professors sit in swivel chairs in dusty, musty libraries, far removed from life and human need, and write about the intellectual difficulties of accepting the Bible, the deity of Jesus Christ, and redemption by the blood of Christ. I believe the Word of God, friend, and I hope you do.
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John. What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts [Luke 7:24–25].
Was John the Baptist a reed shaken with the wind? Indeed, he was not. John was rough and rugged. He was unshakable.
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee [Luke 7:26–27].
This is a quotation from Malachi 3:1 and establishes John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Messiah.
For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John [Luke 7:28–29].
This is a tremendous tribute that Jesus gives to John the Baptist.
But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept [Luke 7:30–32].
In other words, they were like a bunch of spoiled brats. A lot of folks are that way. I was a pastor for almost forty years, and a great deal of that time was spent as a wet nurse, burping spiritual babies—which is what these religious rulers were in Christ’s day. The Lord said they were like children playing in a marketplace. One of the children says, “Let’s play wedding.” The others say, “No, that’s too jolly.” “Then let’s play funeral.” No, they don’t want to play funeral because it is too sad. Our Lord said these petulant children were exactly like that religious generation. And I wonder if this is an accurate picture of the average church today.
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
But wisdom is justified of all her children [Luke 7:33–35].
I hear people say, “I do not like that preacher because he is too intellectual, and his tone is monotonous.” And the same folk say, “I do not like that preacher because he pounds the pulpit and yells at the top of his voice.” The problem is not with these two types of preachers. The problem is with the spoiled baby who complains. That is what the Lord said in His day, and it is still applicable today.
JESUS GOES TO DINNER AT A PHARISEE’S HOUSE
And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. [Luke 7:36].
This is one of the notable occasions when the Lord Jesus Christ went out to dinner. When He went out to dinner, it was never a dull affair. Remember, He had been denouncing these Pharisees. He called them spoiled brats; so it is difficult to believe that the invitation to dinner from this Pharisee was a friendly one. The Pharisee invited Him to dinner so that he could spy on Him and find something wrong with Him.
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner [Luke 7:37–39].
While Christ was in the home of the Pharisee, a woman came. She brought an alabaster box of ointment and entered the house of the Pharisee. When you had guests in that day, your neighbors had a perfect right to come in and stand along the wall or sit on their haunches and watch. They did not come to comment, only to watch. This woman came in and took her place behind the Lord Jesus. In those days they didn’t sit on chairs at the table; they reclined on couches. So Jesus was reclining on a couch, with His feet sticking out in back, leaning on His arm, as He talked across the table to His host. As she stood by the feet of the Lord Jesus, weeping, because her sins had been forgiven, she began to wet His feet with tears and wipe His feet with the hairs of her head. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the costly ointment.
Now this old Pharisee would not have spoken to this type of woman on the street. He might have done business with her after dark when no one could see, but he would not have anything to do with a woman of her reputation during daylight hours. When he saw her wiping and kissing the Lord’s feet, he thought, He must not be a prophet or he would know the kind of woman she is and have nothing to do with her.
JESUS GIVES PARABLE OF TWO DEBTORS
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged [Luke 7:40–43].
Jesus said, “Simon, I want to talk to you.” Simon said, “Go ahead.” This is one of the delightful parables Dr. Luke records. You can see from the content of this story the direction the Lord Jesus is taking.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head [Luke 7:44].
For the first time the Lord acknowledges this woman. He has not paid a bit of attention to her up to this time, but now He turns and looks at her. While He is looking at her, He says to Simon, who is on the other side of the table, “Seest thou this woman?” Simon had already said within himself that he did not think the Lord knew what kind of woman she was or He would not have permitted her to touch Him. Now our Lord says, “Simon, do you really know this woman? Look at her. You think you see her but you do not at all.” The Lord is really rubbing this Pharisee the wrong way. This is the reason I believe that the Lord was not invited to dinner as a friendly gesture, but so that the Pharisee could spy upon Him. Now the Lord Jesus says:
Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven [Luke 7:45–48].
The Lord is saying, “You did not even exercise the common courtesies of the day.” The Lord declares he did not have good manners. If Simon had been the proper kind of host, he would have washed the Lord’s feet. He would have anointed the Lord’s head and kissed Him. That was the custom of the day, but Simon did none of these things. (Unfortunately, the same thing could be said about a lot of Christians; they may read Emily Post, but they do not have good manners.)
I wish I had been present at this dinner. Our Lord was tops as an after-dinner speaker! What He said blanched the soul of Simon. This poor woman from the streets, without hope, wanted forgiveness. The God of heaven is there and He has forgiven her. Now He tells Simon, “You have judged correctly. You said that the one who owed the most would naturally be the one who would love him most. Well, she was a great sinner and has been forgiven a whole lot. But you, because you don’t think you are a sinner, have not even asked for forgiveness.” And that hypocritical old Pharisee sat there—an unforgiven sinner.
And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace [Luke 7:49–50].
This is very pertinent for our day. If you are a church member and have never asked the Lord Jesus for forgiveness, you are lost. This woman did not have any good works to her credit, but she believed in the Lord, she trusted Christ, she asked for forgiveness.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Jesus gives parables; parable of the sower; parable of the lighted candle; personal relationships; stills the storm; Jesus casts out demons at Gadara; Jesus heals woman with issue of blood; restores to life daughter of Jairus
JESUS GIVES PARABLES
As our Lord continued His ministry, many people were turning to Him, and some of them were officials in high places.
And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance [Luke 8:1–3].
PARABLE OF THE SOWER
And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear. let him hear.
And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience [Luke 8:4–15].
The Sower is Jesus. The seed is His Word. The birds are a symbol of the Devil. The “rocky places” are those who receive the Word of God in the enthusiasm of the flesh. Trouble and persecution dampen the interest. For a time fleshly hearers of the Word manifest great interest and zeal, but a little trouble reveals their lack of true faith. Only some of the seed falls on good ground and brings forth a full harvest. These are the hearers who are genuinely converted by the Word of God.
PARABLE OF THE LIGHTED CANDLE
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have [Luke 8:16–18].
The parable of the candle is one of action. Light creates responsibility. A man who receives the truth must act. We are held responsible to the degree that light has been given us. The point is that you and I were in darkness until the light of the gospel got through to us. Sometimes we are given the impression that man is a sinner because of his weakness or because of his ignorance. But Paul says very candidly (see Rom. 1) that men, when they knew God, glorifed Him not as God. Man is a willful sinner. That is the kind of sinners all of us are, and the light that comes in will create a responsibility. We come into this world lost, and if we do not accept the Light, who is Christ, we remain lost. We are held responsible for the light we have received.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it [Luke 8:19–21].
Christ is declaring a new relationship in this passage. He was not denying His family relationship but was getting ready to declare one infinitely deeper, higher, and more permanent, transcending by far any blood relationship. This brings a believer mighty close to Him.
STILLS THE STORM
Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him [Luke 8:22–25].
Jesus gave a command to cross the sea. An unordinary storm arose. The intensity of the storm suggests the savagery of Satan. The Lord went to sleep because He was weary—so weary that the violent storm did not disturb Him. The disciples became frightened and felt that everyone in the boat would perish. The storm did not disturb the Lord, but the attitude of His disciples did. He rebuked the wind and the sea as one would speak to dogs on a leash. Literally His command was, “Be muzzled.” The miracle lies in the fact that the wind ceased immediately, and the sea, which would have rolled for hours, instantly became as smooth as glass. How often He puts us in the storms of life in order that we might come closer to Him and learn what manner of Man He really is.
JESUS CASTS OUT DEMONS AT GADARA
Now our Lord arrives at Gadara where a maniac lived who was possessed by demons. Because of his profession Dr. Luke goes into this story more thoroughly than do the other writers.
And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs [Luke 8:26–27].
Apparently there were two demoniacs, and Luke selects only one for a definite purpose. Why? Luke is a doctor, and he is attempting to give an illustration. Concerning this matter of demons, there are those who think they belong to the category of ghosts, goblins, gnomes, sylvan satyrs, and stygian shades, fables and fairies. For many years the average Christian viewpoint on demons was that if they ever existed, they no longer exist today. However, I believe we are seeing a manifestation and resurgence of demon possession in our day. It is difficult to explain what is taking place in our contemporary society without believing in the existence of demons.
Dr. Luke treats demonism with remarkable insight from a doctor’s viewpoint in a rather scientific way. Matthew’s account of this story is matter-of-fact. Mark’s account is more emotional and spectacular. Earlier in his gospel Luke has dealt with demonism, making it clear that demonism and diseases are different. Demon possession is just as real as cancer or leprosy. Demons disturb men physically, mentally, and spiritually. They can destroy the souls of men and be the eternal doom of men. Dr. Luke tells us in the next chapter that demons are synonymous with unclean spirits.
The case of the demon-possessed man at Gadara is one of the worst on record. There are some facts that we need to consider in connection with this account. The tribe of Gad inhabited the country of Gadara. This tribe did not cross over the river Jordan with Joshua when Israel inhabited the land. This man who was demon-possessed wore no clothes. I think there is a relationship between nudity and demon possession. He did not dwell in a house like normal people, but he dwelt among the tombs and caves. The personality of this man was degraded, debased, and destroyed. He had no will of his own; he was in the possession of demons.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) [Luke 8:28–29].
The demon recognized Jesus. James tells us, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19). Demons are the enemies of God and they are going to be judged.
What is the origin of demons? We cannot be dogmatic. The physical world has something in it that cannot be seen—it is the atom. They exist and have made an impact on our day and generation. Likewise in the spiritual world there are certain things we cannot see. Angels are real, but we cannot see them. There are two classes of angels: those that are with God and serve Him and those that fell with Satan at the beginning. Homer speaks of daimon and Theos as being synonymous. Hesiod, a Greek philosopher, says that all demons are good, while another Greek philosopher, Empedocles, declares that demons are both bad and good. Behind all idolatry and ancient religions was demonism.
Demons control a man so that he cannot do what he wants to do. Demons cause people to do frightful and terrifying acts. They cause people to perform soul-destroying acts. They cause mothers to kill their children, husbands to kill their wives, and children to kill their parents. People commit senseless acts, and they do not know why they do such terrible things. These things are happening in our day, and mankind is blaming everything but demons as the cause.
And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked [Luke 8:30–33].
This man was not possessed by one demon but by a legion of demons. There are three thousand to six thousand men in a Roman legion of soldiers. The word legion was used like the word mob. There was a mob of demons in this man, and they did not want to go “out into the deep.” That “deep” is the bottomless pit, or the abyss, where the other fallen angels are incarcerated. Jude tells us about it in Jude 6: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Demons want to inhabit the body of a person. When a demon is cast out of a person, he will wander around and come back to try to enter that person again; or, if he cannot gain entrance, he will go to another person. He does not want to be without a body. When the Lord cast the demons out of this man, they were willing to go into the bodies of the swine which were feeding on the hillside rather than go into the abyss. Notice that the pigs would rather be dead than have the demons indwell them!
When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed [Luke 8:34–36].
A marvelous transformation had taken place in this man. Only Christ can deliver from the power of Satan. We are seeing a resurgence of demonism in our day. It is a frightful, ugly thing, and we need to call upon God for help.
Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him [Luke 8:37–40].
It is startling to read that the people of Gadara came and asked the Lord Jesus to leave their coasts. The reason was that they would rather have the swine than have Him. That’s a rather heart-searching question for the present day because there are a lot of people who would rather have other things—which are just as bad as pigs—than to have Christ!
JESUS HEALS WOMAN WITH ISSUE OF BLOOD; RESTORES TO LIFE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS
When Jesus returned to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, crowds gathered around Him. There were two desperate people in the crowd.
And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a-dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched [Luke 8:41–44].
Jairus came to get Jesus to heal his daughter, not to raise her from the dead. His faith was small, but his situation was desperate. He believed that Jesus would have to touch her. As Jesus began to deal with Jairus, He was interrupted by the woman with the issue of blood. The woman had been suffering with the affliction for twelve years. The daughter of Jairus was twelve years old. Twelve years of darkness were ending and twelve years of light were fading.
And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied. Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace [Luke 8:45–48].
Jesus did not touch the woman; she touched Him and was healed instantly. Remember that a crowd was all about Jesus. The disciples, seeing the crowd pressing in on Him, knew that He was being touched by scores of people; yet only the woman was healed.
While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden [Luke 8:49–51].
When they reached the home of Jairus, the paid mourners had already gone to work. They stopped weeping long enough to laugh at Jesus in their unbelief.
And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead [Luke 8:52–53].
The Lord took Peter, James, John, and the father and mother of the girl inside with Him to where the little girl lay. Dr. Luke tells us that He spoke to the little girl in this lovely fashion, “Maid, arise.” It could be translated, “Little lamb, wake up.” The child arose. He brought her back to a world of suffering for the sake of her parents, not for her sake.
And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done [Luke 8:54–56].
My friend, notice again that the method Jesus uses in raising the dead is always the same. He calls them and they hear His voice! Once again our Lord demonstrated that He is indeed God.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Jesus commissions and sends forth the Twelve; Jesus feeds the five thousand; Jesus announces His death and resurrection; transfigured; Jesus casts out demons from an only son; Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem; Jesus puts down test for discipleship
JESUS COMMISSIONS AND SENDS FORTH THE TWELVE
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases [Luke 9:1].
When our Lord was here on earth, He gave the gift of healing to His apostles. It was one of the “sign” gifts. It served as the credential of the apostles—to demonstrate that they were who they claimed to be. When the church got under way (before the New Testament was in written form), the sign of an apostle was the fact that he had the “sign” gifts. Peter could heal the sick and raise the dead. Paul could heal the sick and raise the dead. To do this was proof that they were true apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. This took place before He died upon the cross. Today the important thing is not healing. If you will read the Epistles carefully, you will see that even though Paul had the gift of healing, toward the end of his ministry he apparently did not exercise it at all. He told Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake (see 1 Tim. 5:23) but did not heal him. Paul himself had a “… thorn in the flesh …” (2 Cor. 12:7), and though he asked God to remove it, God did not remove it. Also he wrote to Timothy, “… Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick” (2 Tim. 4:20). Why did not Paul heal his friend Trophimus? Paul, you see, had come to the end of his ministry, and the sign gifts even then were beginning to disappear from the church. Apparently when Scripture became a part of the church, the gift of healing passed from the scene. Authority moved from a person to the page of Scripture, the Word of God. Toward the end of his life John warned that correct doctrine was a man’s credential. “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 10, italics mine). Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8). The word accursed is the Greek word anathema and means “damned.” That is very strong language which places absolute authority in the Scriptures.
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece [Luke 9:2–3].
Some people use this passage as a basis for their ministry today. Watch such a preacher, and see if he takes an offering. See if he takes anything with him when he goes on a journey—scrip (which means a suitcase), food, or money. Our Lord gave these instructions to His twelve disciples, not to us.
And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart [Luke 9:4].
Of course today the laborer is worthy of his hire. I feel that any man who is giving out the Word of God should be supported. In the days of Christ the situation was different. The disciples had to stay in private homes because there were no Holiday Inns or Hilton Hotels. All entertaining was done in private homes.
And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them [Luke 9:5].
The impact of their ministry affected even Herod.
Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him [Luke 9:7–9].
Herod was the ruler who had been responsible for the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist. Mark tells us that Herod was afraid Jesus was John the Baptist come back to life. The curiosity of Herod caused him to want to see Jesus.
And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing [Luke 9:10–11].
This furnishes the setting for feeding the five thousand. He had taken them aside to rest—but there was no opportunity for that. Certainly the crowd was inconsiderate; yet our Lord graciously received them—taught them and healed those who were ill.
JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND
They put themselves in the unlovely position of being advisors of Christ—telling Him what to do. Unfortunately, many of us are guilty of doing this today. Friend, He doesn’t need our suggestions.
And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people [Luke 9:12–13].
Now they become financial advisors, economic experts.
For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
And they did so, and made them all sit down [Luke 9:14–15].
At last they are in their rightful place, obeying Christ.
Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets [Luke 9:16–17].
Matthew, Mark, and John also record the feeding of the five thousand. Notice that our Lord assigns His disciples an impossible task. They must learn, as we must learn, that He always commands the impossible. The reason is obvious—He intends to do the work. The Creator, who made the fish in the beginning and causes the grain to multiply in the fields, now by His fiat word creates food for the crowd. This may have been the first time many in this crowd ever were filled. The “fragments” which were left do not refer to what we might put in the garbage can. Rather, they were pieces of food which had not been served. God always provides a surplus.
JESUS ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing [Luke 9:18–21].
The important question here is, who is Jesus? Jesus wanted to know men’s estimate of Him. I am sure His purpose in asking this question of them was to crystalize in their thinking who He actually was. There was much confusion regarding His person. Notice that all opinions were high, but all fell short of who He was and is. The finest thing Peter ever said was, “. . . Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (see Matt. 16:16 for his entire statement).
Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day [Luke 9:22].
Again Jesus prepares them for His approaching death. But notice that He never mentions His death without also mentioning His resurrection.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels [Luke 9:23–26].
Here He is not putting down a condition of salvation but stating the position of those who are saved. This is what He is talking about. “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed.” What kind of Christian are you today? Are you one who acknowledges Him and serves Him and attempts to glorify Him? My friend, this is all important in these days in which we live.
TRANSFIGURED
In dealing with the Transfiguration, Dr. Luke adds something that the other gospel writers leave out.
But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God [Luke 9:27].
Simon Peter interprets this verse for us. He said that he saw the kingdom. Where did he see it? Peter was with the Lord on the holy mount and was an eyewitness of it. He tells us about it in 2 Peter 1:16–18 which says, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” This is the explanation Simon Peter gives, and that is good enough for me. I think the man who was there ought to know more about it than some of these modern scholars who were not present.
And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray [Luke 9:28].
The Lord took Peter, James, and John up into a mountain to pray. While He prayed, the Lord’s countenance was altered. The fashion of His countenance was “transfigured”—this word is from the Greek metamorphoom—metamorphosis in English. That which took place is like the experience of the caterpillar; first you have the caterpillar, then it encases itself in the cocoon, and out comes a beautiful butterfly. The Transfiguration does not set forth the deity of Christ, but the humanity of Christ. Transfiguration is the goal of humanity. When you see the Lord Jesus Christ transfigured there on the mount, you are seeing exactly what is going to take place in that day when we are translated. The dead shall be raised, and those who are alive shall be changed; that is, they shall undergo metamorphosis. Then they will all be translated and brought into the presence of God.
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering [Luke 9:29].
This verse does not mean that a light, as a spotlight, shone on Him, but that a light came from within His body and shone outwardly. Some people ask the silly question, “Are we going to wear clothes in heaven?” I think we will, but I do not believe we will need them because we will be clothed in this glory-light such as clothed our Lord.
And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem [Luke 9:30–31].
Two men appeared on the mount: Moses, the representative of the Law, and Elijah, the representative of the prophets, and they were bearing witness to Him. What did they talk about? They spoke about the approaching death of Christ. Paul says that the gospel he preached was one to which both the Law and prophets bore testimony. The gospel is not contrary to the Old Testament at all. Paul put it like this: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets” (Rom. 3:21). The Law and the prophets reveal that the only way God could save us is through the righteousness that we obtain by faith. In the Old Testament this was done by bringing a sacrifice. The sacrificial system was the very heart of the Mosaic system. That little lamb that was offered on the altar is symbolic of Christ who died for our sins. And the prophets spoke of the Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world.
But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said [Luke 9:32–33].
Good old Simon Peter just has to say something. He should have kept his mouth closed at this time, but he has to speak up, and I guess he thinks he is saying something important. But Luke adds, “not knowing what he said.” Many people, like Peter, speak pious words without knowing what they say. Peter suggests they build three tabernacles, which puts Moses and Elijah on a par with Jesus Christ, although he puts the Lord at the head of the list. Many anthologies of religion list Buddha, Mohammed, Moses, and Christ as founders of religion. It may seem strange to you, but Jesus Christ is not the founder of any religion. He did not found a religion; He died on a cross for the sins of the world. He is the Savior, and that is why we are not saved by religion; we are saved by Christ. I remember Dr. Carrol said many times, “When I came to Christ, I lost my religion.” A great many people need to lose their religion and find Christ.
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen [Luke 9:34–36].
CASTS OUT DEMONS FROM AN ONLY SON
And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.
And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.
And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out: and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.
And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
And as he was yet a-coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples [Luke 9:37–43].
This entire scene is a picture of today. Jesus has passed on into the glory. His disciples are with Him. We are down here in this world at the foot of the mountain where there is confusion, compromise, and impotence. The world today acts like a demon-possessed man, and the church is helpless in the presence of the world’s need. When Jesus spoke to the crowd, He rebuked them for their lack of faith concerning this boy, and apparently the disciples and skeptics were included.
The condition of this boy was pitiful. Jesus turned to the father and asked him to believe. The father made a desperate plea for faith, the other gospel writers tell us. The disciples were puzzled because they had cast out demons previously but could not cast out this one. Our Lord confirms that this case was different because of its seriousness. The Lord rebuked the demon, healed the child, and delivered him to his father. The process of casting out the demon revealed again the seriousness of the case.
JESUS SETS HIS FACE TOWARD JERUSALEM
After delivering the demon-possessed boy, the Lord and His disciples head for Jerusalem. Once again our Lord speaks about His impending death.
Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying [Luke 9:44–45].
They didn’t quite understand this matter of being raised from the dead. Here He is talking about His own death for them, and you would think that these men might have at least made some inquiry.
Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest [Luke 9:46].
After the Transfiguration you would think they would be humbled and obedient to His will. On the contrary, they became ambitious. They were thinking of the crown and ignored the cross. They were desirous of vainglory. This has been the curse of His disciples from that day to this. It is one of the curses of the church. In Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians he wrote, “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:26).
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great [Luke 9:47–48].
This is a great principle. It is my conviction that the greatest saints are the unknown folk in our churches who quietly and faithfully serve Him.
And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem [Luke 9:49–53].
Notice the rejection by the Samaritans. We think of the “good” Samaritans because of the parable, but they were no more lovely than the Jews—both rejected Him.
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? [Luke 9:54].
John is always thought of as a ladylike apostle, but notice his fiery disposition here.
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village [Luke 9:55–56].
Jesus rebukes any kind of sectarian spirit. What a stinging rebuke: “The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save.” At another occasion He said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). John entirely misunderstood the purpose of Christ’s first coming.
JESUS PUTS DOWN TEST FOR DISCIPLESHIP
In this section we see three applicants who want to become disciples of the Lord Jesus. Notice this is not giving the way of salvation. The question, “… what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30), is not asked here. Rather this is what is required to become a follower, a disciple of Christ.
The first applicant is an impetuous and impulsive young man.
And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head [Luke 9:57–58].
Our Lord’s answer to him revealed His own poverty when He was on earth. When they traveled, there would be no reservations for them at a motel. Poverty was part of the curse that He bore. Did the young man follow Him? We are not told. I like to think that he did.
And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God [Luke 9:59–60].
The next applicant had made a decision to follow the Lord Jesus, but he wanted to first bury his father. This verse has been greatly misunderstood. Jesus was not forbidding this boy to attend the funeral of his father. Rather, the boy is saying that he would have to take care of his father until he died. After his father was gone, he would be free to follow Jesus.
When it comes to discipleship, human affection takes second place to His will. When a conflict arises between human affections and Christ. He claims the first place. However, His will and human affection may not always conflict.
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God [Luke 9:61–62].
This third applicant wanted a furlough to bid loved ones good-bye. He was a halfway and halfhearted follower of Christ. He wanted to be a disciple, but he did not want to make any sacrifice. He was not impelled by the urgency, the importance of the mission. Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ was even then on His way to the Cross. He had steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.
Friend, the cost of discipleship is high. It demands all we have to give. The apostle Paul wrote, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14).
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Jesus sends forth the seventy; Jesus pronounces judgment on Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum; Jesus gives parable of the good Samaritan; Jesus enters the home of Mary and Martha
JESUS SENDS FORTH THE SEVENTY
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest [Luke 10:1–2].
The Lord sent out seventy disciples who were to prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus. Only Luke tells us of this. The work was for a limited time, and their office was temporary because Jesus was journeying toward Jerusalem.
We hear a great deal today about “praying the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into the harvest”—that the Lord looks out upon the world which is ripe unto harvest, and our business today is to gather in the harvest. This may sound strange to you, but I do not consider it my business to harvest. My business is sowing. If you have ever been a farmer, you know there is a vast difference between sowing seed and harvesting the crop after the seed has matured. Someone counters, “But the Lord said that the harvest is great and the laborers few.” We must remember where Jesus was when He made that statement. He was on the other side of the cross at the time, and an age was coming to an end. At the end of every age is judgment. The judgment that ends an age is a harvest, and the age itself is for the sowing of seed. I believe that we are sowing seed today, and that at the end of this age there will be a harvest. In the parable of the tares and wheat the Lord said, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matt. 13:30). My business is to sow the seed which is the Word of God. That is the business of every Christian.
Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you [Luke 10:3–9].
Jesus warns them that they can expect hardship and danger—they will be “lambs among wolves.” They are to travel light and waste no time in idle conversations. They are to be men impelled by one supreme motive—to prepare hearts for the coming of Christ personally.
JESUS PRONOUNCES JUDGMENT ON CHORAZIN, BETHSAIDA, AND CAPERNAUM
But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me [Luke 10:10–16].
Our Lord solemnly speaks of the seriousness of rejecting His messengers—to reject them was to reject Him.
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven [Luke 10:17–20].
In order to complete the story of the seventy, Luke describes their return. They came back thrilled and excited. This is the same experience we have when we give out the Word of God, and someone comes to Christ. How glorious we feel! What a lesson for us to remember the words of Jesus, “rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” When there is success in our ministry, it is His work, not ours.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy spirit.
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them [Luke 10:21–24].
JESUS GIVES PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
Now we come to one of the things that characterizes the Gospel of Luke—parables. Dr. Luke majors in parables just as Mark majors in miracles. Dr. Luke records certain parables that are among some of the most familiar parts of the Bible. The parable of the Good Samaritan is probably the best-known story. Some literary critics consider it the greatest story ever-told.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [Luke 10:25].
The parable of the Good Samaritan came about as an answer to a question about eternal life. It was not an honest question, but it was a good question and a stock question. A “certain lawyer” asked the question—but he was not a lawyer in the sense we think of it.
I heard a little story about lawyers in our judicial system. Two lawyers were in court. It was a difficult case, and there was a great deal of controversy. The court opened and lawyer number one jumped up and called the other lawyer a liar. The second lawyer jumped up to retaliate and called the first lawyer a thief. The judge rapped for silence, and said, “Now that the lawyers have identified themselves, we will begin the case.”
However, the lawyer in this parable was not part of a judicial system; but rather, he was an interpreter of the Mosaic Law, and in that sense he was a lawyer.
Now our Lord had a very wonderful way of dealing with questions. He answered a question by asking a question. It is known, by the way, as the Socratic method because Socrates used it: answer a question with a question. It lets a man answer his own question. So the lawyer tries to put Jesus on the witness stand, and He turns around and puts him on the witness stand.
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? [Luke 10:26].
Jesus knew that he was an expert in the Mosaic Law.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live [Luke 10:27–28].
I wonder if you notice the barb that is in this.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? [Luke 10:29].
Notice that our Lord said, “You have answered right.” Remember that this took place before Christ died on the cross. Does it mean a man can be saved by keeping the Law? Yes, but let’s follow through on this. It is not the hearers of the Law, but the doers of the Law that are justified. If you say you can keep it, I’ll have to remind you that God contradicts you. He says it is impossible to be justified by the Law because no one can keep the Law—“… by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. 2:16). “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3–4).
Now if the lawyer had been honest, which he was not, he would have said, “Master, I’ve sincerely tried to love God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind, and my neighbor as myself. But I can’t do it. I’ve miserably failed. So how can I inherit eternal life?” But instead of being honest, he adopted this evasive method and said, “And who is my neighbour?”
Now Christ gave him an answer to this question, and it is the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is a simple story but a marvelous one.
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side [Luke 10:30–32].
It is possible that this lawyer was a Levite and that he squirmed at this point because it touched him in a personal way.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise [Luke 10:33–37].
Dean Brown of Yale University has said that three classes of men that represent three philosophies of life are brought before us in this parable.
1. The Thief: His philosophy of life says, “What you have is mine.” This is socialism or communism.
2. The Priest and Levite: His philosophy of life says, “What I have is mine.” This is rugged individualism that has gone to seed. His cry is, “Let the world be damned, I will get mine.” This is godless capitalism.
3. The Good Samaritan: His philosophy says, “What I have belongs to you.” This is a Christian philosophy of life. “What I have is yours if I can help you.” Folk who talk about “Christian socialism” don’t recognize that they are two distinct philosophies.
Now our Lord intended that we bring this parable right down to where we live. We are told that a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves. That is a picture of humanity. That is the race that has come from Adam. Mankind came from Jerusalem, the place where they approached God, to Jericho, the accursed city. Humanity, you see, fell. Humanity found itself helpless, hopeless, and unable to save itself. Mankind was dead in trespasses and sin—this man who had fallen among thieves was half dead. The thieves are a picture of the Devil who, John 8:44 tells us, was a murderer from the beginning. Concerning this subject our Lord said, “All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers …” (John 10:8). When the multitude came to arrest Christ, He said to them, “… Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me” (Matt. 26:55). The Devil is a thief, and our Lord was crucified between two thieves—this is quite interesting, is it not?
Then we are told that a certain priest passed by on the other side. He represents ritualism and ceremonialism which cannot save a person. Someone has said that the reason the priest passed by on the other side was because he saw that the man had already been robbed! Next a Levite came by, and he too passed by on the other side. He represents legalism. Neither ritualism, ceremonialism, nor legalism can save. Then a “certain” Samaritan passed by. Whom did the “certain Samaritan” represent? He is the One who told the parable. When ritualism, ceremonialism, legalism, and religion could not do anything to help man, Christ came. He is able to bind up the broken-hearted. He is able to take the lost sinner, half-dead, lost in trespasses and sins, and help him.
This parable has a practical application for you and me today. Any person you can help is your neighbor. It does not mean that only the person living next to you is your neighbor. People need Christ, the Good Samaritan. There is a great deal of talk about getting the gospel out to the world, but not much of an effort is made to see that people know about Christ. It is like the young fellow who was courting a girl. He wrote her a letter and said to her, “I would climb the highest mountain for you, swim the deepest river for you, cross the widest sea for you, and cross the burning desert for you!” Then he added a P.S.: “If it does not rain next Wednesday, I will come to see you.” That sounds like the average Christian’s commitment to Christ!
The world today is like the man that fell among thieves and needs our help. The world needs Christ. Christ can not only rescue us from drowning, but He can teach us to swim. Ritualism and formalism see mankind drowning and say, “Swim, brother, swim.” But man cannot swim. Legalism and liberalism push across toward man and say, “Hang on, brother, hang on.” But man cannot hang on. There is a song which says, “I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; but the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, now safe am I.” Christ lifted me, my friend, and He can lift you too. That is the message of the Good Samaritan.
JESUS ENTERS THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about, many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her [Luke 10:38–42].
Without going into a lot of detail, suffice it to say that Mary had done her part; then she went to sit at the feet of Jesus. Martha, her sister, was a dear soul and if it had not been for her they would not have had that lovely dinner. She got busy, however, and became frustrated. Possibly she reached for a pan, thought it was not big enough, then reached for another, and a pan fell off the top shelf. It was too much for her and she came walking out of the kitchen, and said something which she would not have said under normal conditions. Our Lord was very gentle with her, but said, “Mary has chosen the best part.”
My frustrated, confused friend, are you at that corner of life where you do not know which way to turn? Then, for goodness sake, sit down. Sit at Jesus’ feet. Look in His Word and see what He has to say. It will help you with your housework. It will make you a better dishwasher. It will help you sweep the floors cleaner. You will dig a better ditch, mow a better lawn, and study your lesson better. Your work at the office will be easier, and you will be able to drive your car better. Just take time to sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary chose the best part.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Jesus teaches disciples to pray by using parables of the persistent friend and a good father; Jesus accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub; parable of unclean spirit leaving a man; the sign of Jonah; parable of the lighted candle; Jesus denounces the Pharisees
JESUS TEACHES DISCIPLES TO PRAY BY USING PARABLES OF THE PERSISTENT FRIEND AND A GOOD FATHER
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil [Luke 11:1–4].
This important section deals with prayer as it is found nowhere else in the Gospels. It may sound similar to other portions in the Gospels, but it is actually different. There are those who feel that this passage is an insertion, an intrusion, in the chronological account of the ministry of Christ. It is true that it does not follow the movement, but it introduces many interesting implications.
The reason His disciple wanted to know how to pray was that he had seen and heard Christ pray. It was the custom of our Lord to retire alone to pray. A disciple evidently overheard His prayer, and a desire was born in his heart to pray like Christ prayed.
At this moment, friend, the Lord Jesus Christ is at God’s right hand making intercession for us. He is our great Intercessor. And it is still a good idea to ask Him to teach us to pray. An appropriate petition is, “Lord, teach me to pray.”
This disciple was not just asking how to pray. The Lord had given the Sermon on the Mount which outlined how one should pray. This disciple was not asking for a technique, a system, an art form, or a ritual to follow. It was not a matter of how to do it, but he wanted to pray like Christ prayed.
Many folks say their prayers. It is sort of an amen to tag on the end of the day when you put on your pajamas. I was brought up in a home where I never heard prayer nor ever saw a Bible. The first time I ever engaged in prayer was at a conference when I was a boy. I stayed in a dormitory with other boys, and at night the one in charge told us to put on our pajamas and gather together for prayer. I got the impression, at the very beginning, that in order to pray you had to put on your pajamas; you could not pray any other time. Your pajamas were sort of your prayer clothes. Of course that was a ridiculous conception, but, frankly, we need someone to teach us to pray—not just to say prayers, but to get through to God.
This disciple asked the Lord, “Teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” This is an unexpected glimpse into the life of John the Baptist—sort of a farewell look at him because this is the last we’ll see him. In this last picture, what do we see? We see John as a man of prayer. “Teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” Is anyone going to say that about you or me? All great servants of God have been men of prayer. The barren lives of Christians and the deadness of the church today are the result of prayerlessness. That is our problem.
In answer to their request the Lord gives them this. I do not believe He intended it to become the prayer I hear so often in public services. It is not to be a stilted form for public services, but a spontaneous, personal prayer, like a son talks to his father. God the Father knows me and I do not think He wants me to put on airs, assume an unnatural voice, and use flowery language. I think He wants me to talk like Vernon McGee. Nor does He want me to be “wordy.” I get so weary of “wordy” prayers—and I think God does also.
Let us look at some of the elements of prayer. The first part is worship—“Hallowed be thy name.” “Thy kingdom come” is praying for God’s will to be done on earth. It involves the putting down of evil and the putting up of good. It means you have a desire for God’s will in your life. It is useless to mouth the words of this prayer without meaning them. This prayer is for the believer; it is not for the unsaved. There is a prayer for the unsaved which is, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13), but it can be even simpler than that. God is merciful and is able to extend mercy to you. You do not have to beg Him to I save you; He will save you if you will come to Him.
Part of this prayer is for physical provision, “Give us day by day our daily bread.” Then we are told to pray, “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.” I do not believe that I can measure up to this standard; I hope you can. Do you forgive everyone? Well, my friend, God wants us to forgive others. Our standard is set for us in Ephesians 4:32 which says, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
God help us to be men and women of prayer. We do not need more preachers, churches, or missionaries, but we do need more people who know how to pray.
God is not through with the subject of prayer in this chapter. Only Luke records this next parable, and it sheds a different light upon the subject of prayer. It is a parable of contrast.
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee [Luke 11:5–7.
I want to bring this parable right up to date. Suppose a man and his wife and children live in California. They receive a letter from her mother saying that she is coming for a visit. She says that she will arrive on a certain day in the middle of the afternoon. The family decides that they will take her out to dinner when she comes. The big day arrives and the mother-in-law does not show up. The afternoon passes into evening and finally they receive a telephone call, and the mother-in-law explains that she has been delayed by car trouble. They are sure she will have dinner before she comes. At midnight here she is. The son-in-law casually inquires, “Have you had dinner?” She replies that she has not and is very hungry! Since there is nothing in the house to eat, the son-in-law decides to go next door to his good neighbor and borrow some food. His neighbor says, “Wait until morning. You are not starving. I am in bed and so are my children. Go home.”
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth [Luke 11:8].
The man says, “Neighbor, you do not know my mother-in-law. Please get up.” So he continues to pound on the door, and finally the neighbor gets up and gives him what he is asking for.
Now this is a parable by contrast.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened [Luke 11:9–10].
My friend, do you think that God is asleep? Do you feel that He has gone to bed when you pray, and you cannot get Him up? Do you believe that He does not want to answer your prayers? God does want to answer your prayers and He will. That is what this parable is saying. It is a parable by contrast and not by comparison. You do not have to storm the gates of heaven or knock down the door of heaven in order to attract God’s attention. God is not reluctant to hear and answer you. God tells us in Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” God wants to hear and answer.
Some people think that God does not hear and answer their prayers. Maybe they do not get the message—sometimes God says, “No!” Our problem is that we do not like to take no for an answer. God always hears the prayers of His own, and answers them, but when He says no it is because we are not praying for that which is best for us. I have learned over the years that the best answer God has given to some of my requests has been no.
As a young preacher I prayed for God to open up the door to a certain church where I wanted to serve as pastor. I was asked to candidate, which I did. The machinery of the church and the political bigwigs met behind closed doors to decide if I would be pastor. They decided not to accept me because I was not a church politician, and theirs was a strategic church in that day. I went to the Lord and cried about it and told Him how He had let me down. Today I am ashamed of myself, and I have asked Him to forgive me for my attitude. He did not let me down. He knew what was best for me. He had something much better in store for me. Many times since then I have thanked Him for that no. You do not have to storm the gate of heaven to get God to answer your prayer. God has not gone to bed. The door is wide open and He says, “Knock, seek, and ask.” Take everything to God in prayer, and He will give you His very best.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? [Luke 11:11].
Before you go to God in prayer, make sure He is really your Father. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). Believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for you and rose again for your justification makes you a son of God. When you trust Christ as your Savior, you are baptized by the Spirit of God into the body of Christ, and you are a son who can go to God and say, “Father.” If you ask your earthly father for bread, will he give you a stone? If you ask him for a fish, will he give you a serpent? Can you imagine a father doing that?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? [Luke 11:12–13].
At that time He told His disciples to ask for the Holy Spirit. As far as I can tell, they never did ask for the Spirit. Later on Christ said, “… Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). They needed the Holy Spirit during those intervening days before Pentecost. Then on the great Day of Pentecost He came and baptized them into the body of believers, which put them in Christ. They were filled on that day with the Holy Spirit. That filling is something all of us need. All believers have been baptized into the body of Christ—“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).
JESUS ACCUSED OF CASTING OUT DEMONS BY BEELZEBUB
This incident is also recorded in Matthew 12:24–30 and Mark 3:22–30. From this account has come the notion of the so-called unpardonable sin.
And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.
But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils [Luke 11:14–15].
The convincing nature of Jesus’ miracles forced the Pharisees to offer some explanation for them. They could not deny the existence of miracles when they were happening before their eyes. They resorted to the basest and most blasphemous explanation for the miracles of Jesus. They did not deny that they took place but claimed that they were done by the power of the Devil.
And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges [Luke 11:16–19].
Christ showed them the utter absurdity of their line of reasoning.
But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you [Luke 11:20].
“The kingdom of God is come upon you” means that it was among them in the presence of the person of Jesus who had the credentials of the King.
When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils [Luke 11:21–22].
The “strong man armed” is Satan. The demonpossessed man was an evidence of his power. But, you see, Jesus is stronger than Satan, which was the reason He could cast out the demon.
“A strong man armed keepeth his palace” is a verse that has a message for us. There are those who want to disarm us—disarm us as a nation and disarm us in our homes. But “a strong man armed keepeth his palace.” There are wicked men abroad. And Satan is abroad. As long as there is a strong enemy, we do well to be armed.
PARABLE OF UNCLEAN SPIRIT LEAVING A MAN
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first [Luke 11:24–26].
This parable pictures the precarious position of Israel and the Pharisees. The parable speaks of a man with an unclean spirit. The demon leaves the man, and the man feels that he is clean—empty, swept, and garnished. Reformation is no good, friends. If everyone in the world would quit sinning right now, there would not be more Christians. To stop sinning does not make a Christian. Reformation is not what is needed. Regeneration is what is needed. Israel had swept her house clean through the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus, but she would not invite the Lord Jesus Christ to occupy it. So this wicked generation of Jews would reach an even worse state, as described in the parable.
THE SIGN OF JONAH
And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here [Luke 11:29–32].
The “sign” would be His own resurrection, of course. He directs them back to two incidents in the Old Testament. The first is the account of the prophet Jonah. Jonah was apparently raised from the dead when he was in the fish. God brought him out of darkness and death into light and life. Jonah’s experience was typical of the coming death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Ninevites received Jonah and his preaching after his miraculous deliverance, and they repented. The acts of Israel, as a nation, place her in a much worse position because she did not receive her Messiah and did not repent.
PARABLE OF THE LIGHTED CANDLE
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light [Luke 11:33–36].
Our Lord gives a simple explanation on the purpose of a candle. It is a light giver; its purpose is to transmit light. The resurrection of Christ is the light. The resurrection of Christ is the one ray of light in this world. You and I are in a world bounded by birth and death—we are boxed in by these two events. The resurrection of Christ is that which brings hope from the outside. What will men do with the light?
To see an object, two things are essential: light to make the object visible, and eyes to behold the object. A light is of no use to the blind. A man who can see but has no light and a blind man with a light are in the same predicament. A light and an eye are essential for sight.
Even in the presence of Christ, men were obviously not seeing Him; they were stumbling over Him. That did not mean that He was not the Light of the World; it meant that men were blind.
DENOUNCES THE PHARISEES
And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner [Luke 11:37–38].
He omitted ceremonial cleansing, which was a religious rite.
And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? [Luke 11:39–40].
Religion is not a matter of externalities. It is a heart affair. This is a great principle.
He pronounces three woes which illustrate this principle.
But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone [Luke 11:41–42].
They had false values. He is not saying that it was wrong to tithe, but their wrong was in what they had left undone. And, friend, giving of your substance will not make you a Christian. However, if you love Christ, you will give of your substance.
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them [Luke 11:43–44].
In other words, they were a bad influence.
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also [Luke 11:45].
The shoe was beginning to fit. The Pharisees were occupied with externalities. The sin of the scribes was insincerity. They were adding to the Law, making it more difficult, yet not attempting to follow it themselves.
And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered [Luke 11:46–52].
These religious rulers occupied very much the same position that church leaders occupy today. People looked to them for the interpretation of the truth. They placed the emphasis on material things rather than on the spiritual purpose for which those things were to be used. And they themselves were not living according to the Scriptures.
Unfortunately, the greatest hindrance to the cause of Christ today is the professed believer. We need to examine our own lives in the light of this Scripture!
And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him [Luke 11:53–54]
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Jesus warns of the leaven of the Pharisees; parable of the rich fool; parable of the return from the wedding; the testing of servants in light of the coming of Christ; Jesus states He is a divider of men
JESUS WARNS OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES
The twelfth chapter continues to record the tremendous ministrv of our Lord. Luke adds some new things which I shall emphasize.
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy [Luke 12:1].
This is the period of time when Christ’s ministry peaked. Great crowds of people were following Him. It was at this time that He performed so many miracles. There were litterally thousands of blind who had their eyes opened, thousands of lame that were made to walk, and thousands of dumb that were made to speak. Christ healed multitudes. In fact, this crowd was so large it was impossible to number them. The people were pushing against one another, and actually some were being trampled. It was a dangerous place to be.
Christ warns the crowd about the leaven of the Pharisees. If leaven symbolized the gospel, as many people think it does, why would the Lord warn His disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees? Leaven is a principle of evil, and the leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. There is a great deal of leaven about today!
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him. which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him [Luke 12:2–5].
It was upon this principle that both Cromwell and, I believe, Martin Luther based the statement, “Fear God and you will have no one else to fear.” Let me repeat that when Cromwell was asked the basis for his courage and fearlessness, he replied that he had learned that if he feared God he would fear no man. That is exactly what our Lord is saying in this passage.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God [Luke 12:6–9].
Our Lord’s public rebuke of the religious leaders would, of course, bring their wrath down upon His head. And His disciples could expect the same kind of treatment from them. The Lord Jesus gives them these words of comfort and assurance of God’s care for them. Since He sees the fall of a sparrow, He is fully aware of the needs of those who are teaching and preaching His Word.
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven [Luke 12:10].
When a man blasphemes with his mouth, that is not the thing that condemns him; it is the attitude of his heart. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to resist His convicting work in the heart and life. This is a permanent condition—unless he stops resisting.
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say [Luke 12:11–12].
This is not intended to be an excuse for a lazy preacher or Sunday school teacher failing to make preparation. Rather, it was assurance to His own men that the Holy Spirit, whom He would send, would give them courage and wisdom as they faithfully witnessed for Him. We have many examples of this in the Book of Acts.
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? [Luke 12:13–14].
Our Lord absolutely refused to sit in judgment in a case like this. I wish, today, those of us who attempt to counsel might take this position. Counselors are so quick to judge and tell folk what they should do. The Lord Jesus would not sit in judgment. Now, of course, when the Lord came to earth the first time, He did not come as a judge but as a Savior. The next time He comes it will be as Judge. The Father has committed all judgment unto His Son (see John 5:22).
Out of this incident our Lord made this statement, then gave a parable of the “rich fool.”
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth [Luke 12:15].
This is certainly a good verse for many Christians in this age of crass materialism, when it seems that “things” are so important and occupy so much of our time. Covetousness is one of the outstanding sins of this hour. This is not a sin that others can see you commit, and at times you may not even be aware you are committing it. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Men have confessed to me every known sin except the sin of covetousness.” The judgment sometimes made of Americans is quite interesting. Several years ago the Sunday Pictorial in London gave an assessment of America in which it said: “You shock us by your belief that the almighty dollar and armed might alone can save the world.” I am wondering if America is not in this position today: overcome by covetousness.
PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? [Luke 12:16–17].
Notice the emphasis on the word I in this passage. This man had a bad case of perpendicular “ I-itis”—“What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.”
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God [Luke 12:18–21].
This man had gathered all of his treasure on earth but had stored none in heaven. The same idea is expressed in this epitaph:
Here lies John Racket
In his wooden jacket.
He kept neither horses nor mules.
He lived like a hog.
He died like a dog.
And left all his money to fools.
Our Lord called the man in this parable a fool, but notice what kind of man he was, apparently. All outward appearances indicate that he was a good man. He was a law-abiding citizen. He was a good neighbor. He was a fine family man. He was above suspicion. He was living the good life in suburbia in the best residential area of the city. He was not a wicked man or a member of the Mafia. He was not in crooked politics. He was not engaged in shady business. He was not an alcoholic or keeping a woman on the side. This man seems to be all right; yet our Lord called him a fool. Why? This man gave all of his thought to him self, and he was covetous.
I had a little tea party
This afternoon at three.
’Twas very small—
Three guests in all
Just I, Myself, and Me.
Myself ate all the sandwiches,
While I drank up the tea.
’Twas also I who ate the pie
And passed the cake to Me.
This is the way many people live. The parable of the rich fool is one of the most pungent paragraphs in the Word of God. The philosophy of the world today is “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Our Lord said, “That’s the problem, that’s what makes a man a fool.” If you live as though this life is all there is, and you live just for self, and as though there is nothing beyond death, you are a fool.
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? [Luke 12:22–24].
Now, of course it is not wrong to store up things. The problem with the rich fool was covetousness. He was trying to get more, more, and more. That is the curse of godless capitalism. Have you noticed the strong judgment that is pronounced upon the rich in the last days? James 5:1 describes it: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.” Riches have become a curse.
Our great nation thought that the almighty dollar would solve the problems of the world, and we are in a bigger mess than ever. We are arguing about whether or not “In God we trust” should remain on our money. Let’s take it off because it is hypocrisy anyway. We are not trusting in God but in the dollar. To have a slogan on money means nothing at all. America needs to turn back to reality and truth and quit mouthing religion. We should search our hearts and ask ourselves, “Am I living for this life only?” Our Lord said, “Go look at the birds. Learn something from them.”
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these [Luke 12:26–27].
When I go to the Hawaiian Islands, I look for the hibiscus. It is one of my favorite flowers. I wonder what God had in mind when He made the hibiscus. It is a careless flower. The rose is a careful flower that holds its petals tightly and opens them up gradually. The hibiscus, however, flings open the door and great big petals wave at you. It is a beautiful and colorful flower.
Our Lord said, “Consider the lilies, how they grow.” Flowers are saying a lot to us today: “My, you human beings certainly go to a great deal of trouble to take care of your bodies. You use lotions, sprays, ointments, and perfume, among other things upon your bodies, and then you clothe them. Even after you are all perfumed and dressed up, you cannot compare to the beauty of a flower.” What a message, friend. Some of us need to depend upon God a little bit more.
If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? [Luke 12:28].
This is not to encourage indolence. Birds cans not build barns; flowers cannot spin. But man can. God intends him to use the ability He gave him—but not to live as if the exercise of these abilities is all there is to life.
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you [Luke 12:29–31].
Our world is engaged in commerce. Half of the world will spend its heart’s blood in building a better mouse trap while the other half will go to the ends of the earth to buy the mouse trap. Both groups are forgetting there is a God in heaven and that all men have an eternal soul.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also [Luke 12:32–34].
All men will one day stand before the awful presence of God, stripped of the “things” that occupied his life on earth. He will have no treasure up there. He lived without God; he will die without God.
PARABLE OF THE RETURN FROM THE WEDDING
Now we have two parables which Christ gave in connection with His return.
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not [Luke 12:35–40].
Although this parable primarily applies to Israel and the second coming of Christ to set up His kingdom on earth, the principle applies to the church as we anticipate His coming at the Rapture.
In the Orient a groom had a wedding supper with his friends and then went to claim his bride at her home. The servants of the groom were expected to be dressed for work and have their lamps lighted for the return procession. The attitude of the believer to the return of Christ is to be one of readiness, having “the loins … girded”—doing all we can for Him, and living in expectation of His return.
When the figure changes from the “bridegroom” to the “thief,” it is to emphasize the element of an unexpected appearance. Paul used the same figure of speech for Christ’s second coming in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 which says, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” However, the Lord does not come as a thief to Rapture the church. Rather, we shall arise to meet Him in the air.
THE TESTING OF SERVANTS IN LIGHT OF THE COMING OF CHRIST
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing [Luke 12:42–43].
This is one of the outstanding parables that teaches our responsibility in light of our Lord’s coming. Again, this parable is primarily for Israel, but the principle applies to us as believers, as we anticipate the Rapture. Many people feel that the Lord is coming soon, so they are waiting instead of working. We should work as though the Lord was not coming for another one thousand years. Let’s quit all this business of trying to set a date for His coming and get ready. The blessed hope is the coming of Christ, and we should be filling our “hope chests” with works that we can one day lay at His feet.
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers [Luke 12:44–46].
This parable teaches us two important lessons. Skepticism about the Lord’s coming again produces (1) the mishandling of authority and (2) laziness in one’s conduct. We are to live in the expectancy of His return. Our lives should be lived as if the Lord is going to appear the next moment, and we will have to give an account of ourselves to Him. In truth, we will have to account for ourselves in that day when He comes.
And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more [Luke 12:47–48].
Maybe He will not come today or tomorrow, but He is going to come. Our tendency is to let things slip because He has not yet appeared. We feel like we get by with things, but in reality we get by with nothing. In that day when He comes, we will be judged. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Who is “we”? We Christians are to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Our judgment will not determine whether or not we will be saved. This will not be a criminal court, but a circuit court where our property will be in danger. He will judge us in order to see if we are worthy or not to receive rewards. There will be degrees of rewards for the believer just as there will be degrees of punishment for the unbeliever.
JESUS STATES HE IS A DIVIDER OF MEN
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? [Luke 12:49].
Even at this hour when the world is experiencing the deepest darkness we’ve had in nineteen hundred years, the Lord Jesus Christ is being blasphemed! The fire has been thrown out on the earth today!
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! [Luke 12:50].
This verse is speaking of Christ’s death upon the cross.
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law [Luke 12:51–53].
When a person receives Jesus Christ as his Savior, he is immediately separated from the unbelievers around him. This will be true whether they be his relatives or his friends.
And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? [Luke 12:54–56].
We need to realize and recognize what kind of world we are living in. Man thinks he is big enough and good enough to bring peace on the earth. This is a fallacy—man is a warmonger. The United Nations was formed to bring peace and to keep peace on earth. May I say, the United Nations is one of the best fighting arenas in the world today! We need to realize that until Christ comes there can be no real peace.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Jesus teaches men not to judge but repent; parable of the fig tree; Jesus heals woman with infirmity; parables of the mustard seed and leaven; continues to teach as He goes toward Jerusalem; Jesus weeps over Jerusalem
JESUS TEACHES MEN NOT TO JUDGE BUT REPENT
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish [Luke 13:1–5].
The victims of Pilate and the men who were killed when the tower fell were not judged of God. God does nothing in spite. But Christ was telling the religious crowd of His day that unless they repented, they would also perish.
This passage has several fine lessons for us. The first one teaches us that when some Christian has trouble beyond the average amount (and many do), we are not to interpret it to mean that he is a greater sinner than others. Trouble does not always come to a person because of his sins.
The other side of the coin is that just becoming a Christian does not automatically inoculate you against trouble. You will miss the Great Tribulation, but you will not miss the little tribulation if you are a Christian. You are going to have a little of it right down here.
Another thing we should see is that when trouble comes to someone else and not to you, it does not indicate that you are superior to that individual. Perhaps God is permitting you to see the other fellow’s trouble in order to bring you to Himself.
PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE
The parable of the fig tree grew out of the previous discussion.
He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down [Luke 13:6–9].
The fig tree without fruit is symbolic, in my opinion, of the nation Israel. The owner of the fig tree expected it to bear fruit and was disappointed when it was barren. He had the unquestioned right to take the fruit and to act in judgment by cutting down the tree. Israel had been promised blessings if they walked in the light God had given them and curses if they rejected the light. The nation was given special attention—cultivated and fertilized. It should have produced fruit, but it did not. Israel rejected Christ, even saying, “… His blood be on us, and on our children” (Matt. 27:25). Israel did experience God’s judgment and was scattered among the nations of the world.
It is interesting to note that Israel cannot live in her land today and have peace while she continues to reject God. It is not Russia or the Arabs that are giving Israel so much trouble; it is God. Israel is God’s chosen people. He is going to bring them back to their land someday in faith and belief. They are returning to the land today in unbelief, and they do not have peace. This is the evidence of the hand of God in the affairs of the world.
JESUS HEALS THE WOMAN WITH THE INFIRMITY
And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day [Luke 13:10–14].
This woman had one of the worst cases of illness recorded in the Bible. She had a severe malady. The problem arose not because our Lord healed her, but because He healed her on the Sabbath day. The Lord healing people on the Sabbath day was a recurring source of contention between Himself and the religious rulers.
This woman had a spirit of infirmity that had plagued her for eighteen years. It is difficult to translate into English the terminology that Dr. Luke uses to describe her condition. They are medical terms. Her illness was chronic. Because of it she was bowed down or, as Weymouth translates it, “bent double.” This poor woman could not lift herself up. Here was a woman in a desperate condition. She was an unfortunate wretch who was an object of pity. This was probably one of the most terrible cases of physical infirmity that the Lord dealt with on earth.
The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? [Luke 13:15–16].
I must confess that I do not understand why this woman had been bound by Satan. She apparently was not an immoral person, as she was a regular attendant at the synagogue even in her condition. It was in the synagogue that the Great Physician said to her, “Be loosed.” He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. His touch upon her was not essential but was an aid to her faith. It was personal contact. And personal contact with Him is the important thing for us also.
The ruler of the synagogue rebuked her sharply—yet this woman had not come to the synagogue with any intention of being healed. The reaction of the religious ruler was strange indeed. He was more interested in the rule than he was in the fact that a poor woman, who had been shackled for eighteen years with a grievous infirmity, had been freed. The Sabbath question was the most important issue to these religious rulers. Yet Sabbath prohibitions had become a burden too great to be borne. The Sabbath question is still one of heated debate today. The important thing is not to argue about religion, but to learn to live it.
And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him [Luke 13:17].
The people, though they heard Him gladly, seemed to go no farther with Him. It is possible to become so religious and callous that you can exclude Jesus from your life too. You may know all the answers and be an expert in argument, but the real question is, “Have you ever let Christ into your heart?” There is no substitute for that. Are you filled with doubts? Are you puzzled or troubled? Are you bent double with the burdens of life? Then come to the Lord Jesus Christ with your burdens and sins. You can come to Him anytime. He is ready and waiting to meet your need.
PARABLES OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND LEAVEN
Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened [Luke 13:18–21].
The mustard seed is symbolic of the outward aspect of Christendom with its multiplied organizations and denominations. The mustard seed is to become an herb and not a tree. Instead of church organizations lagging behind, there is actually an abnormal growth which has been too fast. They have lost their true character as they have become great. The “birds” are the key of this parable. They represent the Devil who is active in Christendom and in many so-called churches.
Leaven represents not the gospel but a principle of evil. Leaven never represents good as used in the Bible. Leaven occurs about ninety-eight times in the Bible—about seventy-five times in the Old Testament and about twenty-three times in the New Testament. It is always used in a bad sense. Although many sincere folk think of leaven as representing the gospel, which will spread over the entire world and convert the world, they are doomed to disappointment. There will be no kingdom and no peace until Christ returns to establish His kingdom on this earth. The organized church cannot bring in His kingdom. In His own good time Christ Himself will come and establish His kingdom.
JESUS CONTINUES TO TEACH AS HE GOES TOWARD JERUSALEM
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem [Luke 13:22].
Jesus is continuing to move toward Jerusalem. Luke has already told us, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). He is on His way there, on His way to die in Jerusalem. This was to be our Savior’s last journey.
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? and he said unto them,
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last [Luke 13:23–30].
Why this question was asked is difficult to discern. Perhaps it was sincere. The charisma of Christ drew the multitudes, but they soon discovered that it cost to follow Him. There were those coming and going all the time. As He approached Jerusalem this last time it was noticeable. There came a day when it was written, “And they all forsook him, and fled” (Mark 14:50). He made it abundantly clear that it would cost to follow Him. That we in our sophisticated and soft affluency think otherwise is heresy!
Since this was a speculative question, Jesus did not answer it directly. He is saying to this man, “Make sure you are saved.” In the rest of this brief discourse, the Lord made it clear that many will be saved who are not sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem [Luke 13:31–33].
In this warning from the Pharisees, the Lord Jesus labeled Herod a fox. Man has not ascended from the animal; but sometimes he descends to the animal plane in living. Our Lord gives here the veiled program of His redemption and resurrection.
JESUS WEEPS OVER JERUSALEM
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord [Luke 13:34–35].
Again He expresses His love and concern for Jerusalem, the city where He was to die. He also pronounces judgment upon the “… city of the great King” (Matt. 5:35). Also He announces that He is coming again. The next time will be the real Triumphal Entry.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Jesus goes to dinner at home of Pharisee; parable of the impolite guests; parable of the great supper; parable about building a tower; parable of a king going to war; parable about salt that loses its tang
Luke alone records the delightful occasion of the Lord Jesus going out to dinner at the home of one of the chief Pharisees, and of His giving His host and guests a lesson in etiquette in the devastating parable of the ambitious guest. Also there are two other parables in this chapter that are in no other Gospel—the building of a tower and a king preparing to make war, which both relate to discipleship. He concludes with the parable of the salt that loses its tang.
JESUS GOES TO DINNER AT HOME OF PHARISEE
Jesus is going out to dinner again, and this time we are going to have some fun.
And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him [Luke 14:1].
I must confess that if a Pharisee had asked me to come to dinner for the purpose of spying on me, I would have refused. The Pharisee was watching for something that would discredit our Lord. This first verse provides the atmosphere, tone, and color of the situation. It was the prelude before the dinner that produced the tenseness.
And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy [Luke 14:2].
A trap was laid to ensnare the Lord. I believe this man was deliberately planted to motivate our Lord to break the Sabbath by healing him. Notice what He did. The Lord asked the question first, and they were afraid to answer Him.
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? [Luke 14:3–5].
If their ox or donkey fell into something, they would rescue it. In other words, if any of those rascals had had a flat tire on the Sabbath, they would have fixed it, and the Lord knew it. “That’s the reason I’m fixing up this fellow here—he’s in trouble.”
And they could not answer him again to these things [Luke 14:6].
This incident created a rather tense situation for dinner.
PARABLE OF THE IMPOLITE GUESTS
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them [Luke 14:7].
This scene is as rich as it can be. In that day they did not have place cards at the table. Place cards must have been originated by some hostess who wanted to preserve her furniture! Without place cards at the table, there was a mad rush to get to the best seats. At the table in that day there were four chief places. When the cook said, “Soup’s on,” everyone made a beeline for the table. In that day couches rather than chairs were used so that the guests reclined at the table. There were three places to recline on each side; the center place was the seat of honor which made four chief places. At the head table there would be seats one, two and three on one side; seat number two, the center seat, would be the place of honor. Around on the other side would be seats four, five, and six, with number five as the seat of honor. Around on the other side are seats seven, eight, and nine, with seat number eight the seat of honor. On the fourth side of the table number eleven would be the seat of honor.
It is understandable that one of these old Pharisees could not move as fast as some of the younger Pharisees. When the cook called, “Soup’s on,” the old Pharisee, who had moved as close as possible to the dining area, ran for seat number two. One of the younger Pharisees got there before he did; so he turned the corner fast and tried to reach number five seat. He was too late again because someone was already sitting there. Quickly he tried for seat number eight, but he did not make it to that seat in time either. He turned the corner and made a dive for seat number eleven and made it. It was the lowest seat, but still a seat of honor. He reclined there out of breath.
Can you imagine what a hilarious picture it must have been to see these men running as fast as they could for the seats of honor? Now our Lord will correct their manners.
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee [Luke 14:8–10].
The Lord Jesus said, “When you are invited to dinner, don’t rush to get the seat of honor. The host may have someone else in mind for that seat. He would have to come to you and say, ‘Move over to the lowest seat so my guest of honor can sit here.’” To get to the lowest seat, all you have to do is move over one seat, but it is embarrassing.
“When you are invited to a dinner, always go to the lowest seat. You will not have any trouble getting it because no one else will be trying for it. Then when the host comes in and sees where you are sitting, he will say, ‘You are to be my guest of honor. Please sit in the seat of honor.’ Then someone else will have to move.” This is good manners and just the opposite of the demonstration this group had just put on.
Our Lord draws a great principle from this incident:
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted [Luke 14:11].
This is an important principle for us as believers.
Next our Lord corrects the host.
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just [Luke 14:12–14].
Our Lord is setting forth another great principle. Most of us have the same guests over to dinner one time, and the next time we go to one of their homes, and so it goes week after week. It is sort of a round-robin situation. The Lord is condemning that practice. There is nothing wrong with having your group in once in a while, but have you ever thought about doing something for those who have nothing? They cannot pay you back; they will not be able to invite you to dinner next week. Do a few things where you will be the giver with no thought of ever being paid back.
PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER
Can you imagine the tenseness at this dinner? It started with our Lord healing the man with dropsy—in the face of their disapproval. Then He looked the guests straight in the eyes and corrected their manners. Then He corrected the host. Believe me, the atmosphere was tense. Nobody was saying a word.
And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God [Luke 14:15].
This is, without a doubt, one of the pious platitudes that this man is used to giving. In that awkward moment of silence, when no one was saying anything, one old rascal speaks out and says, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” I wish I could have been there. I would have asked him, “What do you mean by that?” I doubt that he could have told me what he really meant. At least I have never found a commentator who could explain what he meant. His statement was nothing more than a pious cliché. You hear a lot of pious platitudes in our conservative circles today. I get so tired of hearing them. One of the most common clichés is, “Praise the Lord.” It is a wonderful thing to praise the Lord, but sometimes it becomes a little boring when a person uses that phrase constantly, but does not praise the Lord in his heart. Let us steer clear of pious clichés.
The Lord did not let this rascal get by with his cliché. He turned to him, and I think His eyes flashed with anger as He spoke to him.
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready [Luke 14:16–17].
It was the custom to send out invitations to such a dinner a long time in advance, but as the actual day for the dinner arrived, a personal invitation was extended. God has issued an invitation. What is man going to do with it? God’s invitation is for salvation. You cannot buy your way in to this feast. You cannot elbow your way in. You come to this dinner by the grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). You get into this dinner by receiving a gift. The only thing that will exclude any human being from heaven is a refusal to accept the invitation.
The Lord Jesus said, “You say, ‘Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom’; that is pious nonsense. Here is what men are doing with God’s invitation:”
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused [Luke 14:18].
This is not an excuse, it is an alibi. Someone has said, “An alibi is a lie stuffed in the skin of an excuse.” No one who was invited said, “I will not come to the dinner.” They were simply making excuses to cover up the fact that they did not want to come.
The first man to give an excuse was either a liar or a fool. Can you imagine buying property without first looking at it?
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused [Luke 14:19].
The first man let possessions keep him away. The second man let business keep him away. Again I have to say of this second man that he is either a liar or a fool. How could this man plow at night? In those days they did not have flood lights. This man was making excuses. “I must make a living,” is a phrase I hear often. People are so busy with their business they have no time for God. One day you are going to die, and you will discover that business will go on as usual without you.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come [Luke 14:20].
There was a law in Israel that excused a man from going to war if he had taken a new wife. This man had the weakest excuse of all. Why didn’t he bring his wife with him and come to the dinner? His natural affection kept him away from the dinner. How many times I have heard a man say, “I don’t come to church because Sunday is the only day I can spend with my family.”
These things keep more people from God than anything else: possessions, business, and natural affection. How many people today are kept from God because of these things? Well, God has an engraved invitation for you. It is written in the blood of Jesus Christ and invites you to the great table of salvation.
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper [Luke 14:21–24]
This is a severe statement. If you reject God’s invitation, He has to reject you. You are excluded because of your refusal to accept His invitation.
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple [Luke 14:25–27].
These verses are simply saying that we should put God first. A believer’s devotedness to Jesus Christ should be such that, by comparison, it looks as if everything else is hated. All terms which define affections are comparative.
PARABLE ABOUT BUILDING A TOWER
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish [Luke 14:28–30].
It will cost something to make a decision for Christ. It will cost something to be His disciple. Think it over, friend. You should count the cost before you make the decision.
PARABLE OF A KING GOING TO WAR
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple [Luke 14:31–33].
A person can be saved by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, but a person will never follow and serve Him until he is willing to make a sacrifice. That is what this passage is teaching. There is a difference between being a believer and being a disciple. Unfortunately, not all believers are disciples.
PARABLE ABOUT SALT THAT LOSES ITS TANG
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear [Luke 14:34–35].
Nothing is more worthless than salt that has lost its saltiness. May the Lord deliver us from being useless Christians!
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Parable of the lost sheep; parable of the lost coin; parable of two lost sons
Now we come to probably the best-loved parable that our Lord told; we call it the parable of the Prodigal Son.
The background for this parable is that the publicans and sinners came in to hear the Lord Jesus by multitudes. The Pharisees and scribes began to murmur, to criticize Him because of this. They were scandalized that He would receive them and even eat with them.
His answer to the murmuring of the Pharisees and scribes is a parable. Customarily it is called three parables: the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost son. Actually, it is three parts of one parable; it is three pictures in a single frame.
When I was a youngster, I used to visit my aunt, and I remember seeing a picture called a triptych, which she kept in the attic—that’s where she let me sleep when the house was filled up with relatives. I liked to look at that picture because it was three pictures in one frame. This is what our Lord gives us here, three pictures that belong together. It is a triptych.
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them [Luke 15:1–2].
I can’t resist telling the story of a little girl who heard this verse read. On a cold London night, she stepped, shivering, into the shelter of a church where a service was in progress. After the service, when the congregation had gone, she approached the rector, “Sir, I never knew my name was in the Bible!” He smiled, “Well, little girl, what is your name?” “My name,” she answered excitedly, “is Edith.” “Oh, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but Edith does not appear in the Bible.” She insisted, “Yes, it does. I heard you read it tonight. It said, ‘Jesus receiveth sinners, and Edith with them!’”
Certainly our Lord receives Edith—and Mary and John and all the rest of us. Thank God, He does receive sinners!
PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP
Now in this wonderful parable we see the first picture, that of a lost sheep.
And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance [Luke 15:3–7].
The shepherd in this parable is the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We are the sheep. He had one hundred sheep, and one of them got lost. Frankly, that would be a pretty good percentage, to start out with one hundred sheep and end up with ninety-nine. This Shepherd, however, would not be satisfied with just ninety-nine sheep. When one sheep got lost, He went out and looked for it. When He found it, He put it on His shoulders, the place of strength. He is able to save to the uttermost. The high priest of the children of Israel wore an ephod. On the shoulders of the ephod were two stones. On them were engraved the names of the twelve tribes—six tribes on one stone and six on the other. The high priest carried the children of Israel on his shoulders. Our great High Priest carries us on His shoulders, and we will not become lost. When He starts out with one hundred sheep, He will come through with one hundred sheep—not ninety-nine. This is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ out looking for those who are His own.
PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN
The second picture in this triptych is that of the lost coin.
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth [Luke 15:8–10].
The coin was probably part of the row of coins which formed a headpiece, signifying her married state. To lose a part of it was like losing a stone out of one’s wedding ring. The woman depicts the Holy Spirit whose ministry is to make sure that each one who belongs to the Bridegroom will be present for the wedding. Every coin will be in place. Every one is valuable to Him.
PARABLE OF TWO LOST SONS
As I mentioned previously, Dr. Luke, a medical doctor and a scientist, was also an artist. And he is the one who records our Lord’s glorious parables which no other gospel writer gives us.
And he said, A certain man had two sons [Luke 15:11].
Immediately our Lord begins to put the background on the canvas. And I see a lovely home (because this will represent the home of the Father, the heavenly Father) and it’s a glorious home. It’s a home that has all of the comforts and all of the joys and all of the love that ever went into a home. In that home there’s the “certain man,” and that is God the Father. And this Father had two sons. He has more sons than that, but these are representative, you see. One of these boys is called the elder and the other is called the younger. We see the lovely home, and out in front there stand the Father and two boys.
Now let’s watch our Lord put some more in the picture for us.
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living [Luke 15:12–13].
Here in this lovely home, a home in which there was everything in the world that the heart of man could want—love, joy, fellowship, comforts—this younger boy does a very strange thing. He says, “I’m tired of the discipline. I don’t like it here. I’d like to stretch my wings. I’ve been looking over the pasture, and the grass over in the other field looks to me like it’s lots greener.” And I do not know why that’s true, but to you and me the grass in the next pasture always looks greener. The boy looked out from home and said, “If I could only get away off yonder on my own, it would be wonderful.” He didn’t like it at home; he fell out with his father and lost fellowship with him. And so the father gave to him his living, and the boy left with his pockets full of money—which he did not earn with work that he’d done himself. Every bit that came to him, his father had given to him. He didn’t get it by his ability, he didn’t get it because he was clever, and he didn’t get it because he had worked hard. The money he had in his pocket was there because he had a very generous father. And so the boy starts out for the far country.
Now our scene shifts, and we’ve got to put in another picture here, and the picture is the far country; you can paint it any way you want to. May I say to you, you can paint it in lurid colors, and many have attempted to paint it that way. I do not think it’s exaggerated to paint it in lurid colors. This boy found out what it was to have what the world calls a good time. He made all of the nightclubs; he knew cafe society; he had money. And when you have money, you can get fair-weather friends. For a time he lived it up. He enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season there in the far country. You paint your own picture there. Our Lord didn’t put in any details of what the boy did. But we can well imagine some of the things that he did. However, there did come a day when he’d finished living it up; he reached into his pocket and there wasn’t anything left.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want [Luke 15:14].
Not only is he in a very bad way financially, but the country is also in a bad way. You see, in that country where he thought the grass was greener, the grass has now dried up. They’re having a famine in that land, and this boy does not know what to do. If you want to know the truth, he’s afraid to go home. He should not have been afraid, but he was afraid to go home. Now he’s desperate. He is so desperate that he’s going to do something that no Jew would ever have done unless he’d hit the bottom. This boy has hit the bottom. He can’t get a job. He goes around to see some of these fair-weather friends, and he says, “Bill, do you remember how you used to come to the banquets I gave and the dinners, and that I always picked up the check and I paid for the liquor and I paid for the girls? Do you remember that? Now I’m in a bad way. I wonder if you couldn’t tide me over or maybe you could give me a job.” And the fair-weather friend says, “I’m sorry. You say you’ve lost all your money? Well, I’m through with you. I’m not interested in you anymore. My secretary will show you to the door.” And the boy found, after going from place to place, that he didn’t have any real friends in the far country. Finally he ended up by going out to the edge of town where there was a man who was raising pigs, and you could tell it a mile away. And the boy went over to him and said, “I’d like to have a job.” The man says, “Well, I can’t pay you. You know, we’re having a lot of difficulty, but if you can beat the pigs to it, you can eat here at least.” That’s exactly the point to which he had sunk. And when our Lord said that this man “would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat,” every Israelite, both Pharisee and publican, who was listening to Him that day, winced because a Hebrew couldn’t go any lower than that—he was to have nothing to do with swine (the Mosaic Law had shut him off from them), but to stoop to the place where he’d go down and live with them was horrifying! That’s the picture, and it’s a black picture. You see, this boy has hit the very bottom.
Somebody is immediately going to say, “Well, this is the fellow who is a sinner, and he is going to get saved.” No, I’m sorry to tell you that such is not the picture that’s given to us here. This is not the picture of a sinner that gets saved. May I say to you, and say it very carefully, that when this boy was living at home with the father and was in fellowship with him, he was a son, and there was never any question about that. When this boy got to the far country and was out there throwing his money around, he was still a son. That is never questioned. And when this boy went down and hit the bottom and was out there with the pigs (and if you’d been a half-mile away looking over there among the pigs, I don’t think you could have told him from a pig), he was not a pig—he was a son. In this story that our Lord told there was never any question as to whether the boy was a son or not. He was a son all the time.
Somebody says, “Then this is not the gospel.” Yes, it is the gospel also. And I will hold to that for the very simple reason that an evangelist in southern Oklahoma many years ago used this parable to present the gospel. People said he imitated Billy Sunday, but I had never heard of Billy Sunday; so it didn’t make any difference to me whom he imitated. He was a little short fellow, holding services under a brush arbor. And the thing that interested us boys was the fact he could jump as high as the pulpit. He’d just stand flat right there and up he’d go—a little short fellow. And we’d sit out there and watch him, and the next day we’d practice to see if we could jump that high. May I say to you, one night he preached on the Prodigal Son, and that’s the night I went forward. Don’t tell me the gospel is not there. It is there.
However, let’s understand what the parable is primarily about. The parable is not how a sinner gets saved; it reveals the heart of a Father who will not only save a sinner but will also take back a son that sins.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him [Luke 15:15–16].
Maybe you thought a moment ago I was exaggerating when I said his fair-weather friends wouldn’t help him. Our Lord made it very clear that they wouldn’t help him—“no man gave unto him.” Why is it today that Christians sometimes get the impression that the man of the world is really his friend when he’s trying to lead him into sin and lead him away from God? Well, believers do get that impression. This boy got that impression also. He was being led away from home, from his father, farther and farther away. And he thought these folks were his friends.
Now we don’t have any letters that he wrote back to some of his friends at home. But if we had one, I think that it would have said, “Say, you ought to come over here. You know, there are some real people over here where I am. I tell you, I’m having a big time. You ought to come over.” But, may I say to you, the day came when he found out these were not his friends. “No man gave unto him.”
Now that’s the black part of the picture, and I think it’s about time for us to see some of the bright colors our Lord painted into the picture, for our Lord always, always put down a black background and then put the bright colors in the foreground of the picture. Have you ever noticed that God paints that way? And so, on the black background of this boy’s sin—down in the pigpen, out of fellowship with his father, having left home in a huff—our Lord begins to put the bright color.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! [Luke 15:17].
He came to himself. Sin does an awful thing for us. It makes us see the world incorrectly. It makes us see ourselves in the wrong light. It makes us see the pleasures of this world in the wrong perspective, and we just don’t see clearly when we’re in sin. This boy, when he was at home, looked out yonder at the far country, and it all looked so good—the grass was so green and the fun was so keen; but now he came to himself. And the first thing he did was a little reasoning. He began to use his intelligence. He said, “You know, I’m a son of my father, and here I am in a far country. I’m down here in a pigpen with pigs, and back in my father’s home the servants are better off than I am, and I’m his son.” When he began to think like that, he began to make sense. And this young man now acts like he’s intelligent.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants [Luke 15:18–19].
Now we get to a really bright picture. This is the brightest one of all, and it’s the picture of that lovely home we were telling you about. Oh, it’s a beautiful home. It’s the father’s house. The Lord Jesus said, “In my Father’s house there are many abiding places …” (John 14:2, translation mine). This is the house. The house is there in the background, and I see a father looking out the window. He’s been looking out the window every day since his boy left. And do you know why he’s been looking out the window? He knew that one day that boy would be trudging down the road coming home.
Somebody asks, “Do you believe that if you’re once saved you’re always saved?” Yes. Somebody asks, “Do you believe that a Christian can get into sin?” Yes. “Can a Christian stay in sin?” No. Because in the Father’s house the Father is watching, and He says, “All my sons are coming home. My sons don’t like pigpens because they do not have the nature of a pig. They have the nature of a son. They have My nature, and they won’t be happy except in the Father’s house. The only place in the world where they will be content is the Father’s house. And every one of My sons that goes out to the far country and gets into a pigpen—regardless of how dirty he gets, or how low he sinks—if he’s My son, one day he’ll say, I’ll arise, and I’ll go to my Father.” And the reason he’ll say, “I’ll go to my Father,” is because the Man who lives in the big house is his Father. Up until now, after at least 6,000 years of recorded human history, there never yet has been a human pig that has said, “I will arise and go to my Father’s house.” Never, never. Pigs love it down there. They don’t want to go to the Father’s house. The only one who wants to go to the Father’s house is a son; and one day the son will say, “I will arise and I will go to my Father.”
Now the son starts home. Maybe you thought a moment ago that I was exaggerating when I said that this father had been looking out the window every day. But he had, and now he sees him coming. He has compassion, and runs, and says to his servant, “Go down to the tree and cut me about a half a dozen hickory limbs. I’m going to switch this boy within an inch of his life.” Is that the way your Bible reads? Well, mine doesn’t either. It ought to read that way. Under the Mosaic Law a father had a perfect right to bring a disobedient son before the elders and have him stoned to death. This father had a perfect right to say, “This boy took my name and my money, my substance, and he squandered it. He disgraced my name. I’ll whip him within an inch of his life.” He had a right to do this. But this father, rather, did something amazing. And when our Lord got to this part of the parable, and when He put this bright color on, it caused all those that were present to blink their eyes. They said, “We can’t believe that. It’s bad enough to see him hit the bottom and go down yonder with the pigs, but it’s worse for the father to take him back home without doing something. He ought to punish him. That’s the thing that we don’t like. He ought to be punished.” Will you notice what the father did. Let me read it accurately now.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him [Luke 15:20].
He’s in rags, and you can almost smell him—oh, that pig smell! There stands the boy, and the father goes and puts his arms around him and kisses him.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son [Luke 15:21].
Now he’d memorized a little speech, you see. He’s saying the thing he’d planned in the far country. I think he repeated that little speech all the way home. I think every step of the way he said, “When I get home, I’m going to say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.’ ” He started to say this to his father but he didn’t get very far. He got as far as, “I am no more worthy to be called thy son” when he was interrupted.
But the father said to his servants. Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry [Luke 15:22–24].
If you really want to have a ball, you can’t do it in the far country. If you’re God’s child, you can’t sin and get by with it. You may even go to the pigpen, but, my friend, you can never enjoy it. If you’re a son of the Father, there’ll come a day when you’re going to say, “I will arise and go to my Father, ” and you will go. And when you go, you will confess to Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). That’s the way a sinning child gets back into the fellowship of the Father’s house. In fact, the only way back is by confession.
Have you ever noticed the things the father says he’s going to do for the son? He says, “Get a robe.” Now a robe was clean clothing that went on him after he’d been washed. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Our Lord washes us. The One who girded Himself with a towel is the One who will wash one of His sons who comes back to Him; he has to be cleansed when he’s been to the far country. And that robe is the robe of the righteousness of Christ that covers the believer after he is cleansed. The ring is the insignia of the full-grown son, with all rights pertaining thereto. He’s brought back into his original position. Nothing is taken from him. He’s brought back into his place in the Father’s house.
Christ right now is at God’s right hand, still girded with the towel of service for one of His who gets soiled feet or soiled hands by being in the far country. When we confess to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have to come like the Prodigal Son came. “Father, I have sinned, and I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me a hired servant.” And the Father will say, “I’d never make you a hired servant. You’re my son. I’ll cleanse you, I’ll forgive you, I’ll bring you back into the place of fellowship and usefulness.”
A son is a son forever.
There is another Prodigal Son in this parable.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him [Luke 15:25–28].
Listen to this boy—what a complainer and a griper he is! This is the real Prodigal Son. He was angry when he heard that his brother had returned and a party was being given in his honor. He would not go in and join the others at the feast. His father came out and entreated his son to come to the banquet.
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found [Luke 15:29–32].
There are many Christians who are not living in a far country; they are trying to live for God, but they are as poor as Job’s turkey. Why? They are blessed with all spiritual blessings, but they will not lay hold upon them. God says, “It is all yours; everything that I have belongs to you—take it.” Our heavenly Father is rich in spiritual blessings and they belong to us, but He will not force them upon us. We must reach out and take them for ourselves. The story closes with the elder son out of fellowship with his Father. The Father, however, left the door to fellowship wide open.
Years ago Dr. Chadwick made the statement that there is a third son in the parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son broke the Father’s heart, the elder son was out of fellowship, and the third Son is the One who uttered the parable. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the ideal Son without sin. He came to a far country, not to run away, but to do the will of His Father. He did not spend His life in riotous living but in sacrificial dying. He was not a Prodigal Son but a Prince of Peace who shed His blood for the sins of the world. He was not a wayward son but a willing sacrifice. He says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). Salvation comes to those who simply believe on His name.
If you are the son who went away to a far country, you can come back to the Father by confessing your sins to Him. Perhaps you are like the elder son who was out of fellowship. He had no concern or love for his brother. He thought he was serving God; he had never transgressed as his brother had. Yet he had never enjoyed a feast with his friends. The Father says to you, “All that I have is thine.” How wonderful to have a Father like this!
Sinner friend, if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are not the Father’s son. You can become a son only by putting your faith and trust in Christ who died for you. If you accept Christ and come to Him, God becomes your Father and He will never throw you overboard. If you leave Him and one day return, He will be waiting to put His arms around you. How wonderful He is!
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Parable of the unjust steward; Jesus answers the covetous Pharisees; Jesus speaks on divorce; Jesus recounts the incident of the rich man and Lazarus (poor man)
PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD
This parable has been greatly misunderstood, and one of the reasons is because it looks as though our Lord is commending a crook. This steward is an out-and-out crook. Some folk assume that anyone whom the Lord Jesus mentioned in a parable is a hero and an example of the noblest character. If this is your assumption, then prepare to make a change because you will have difficulty with this parable. This man is a scoundrel. When I was a pastor, I attempted one summer to run a series of sermons on rascals of revelation, scoundrels of Scripture, thieves of theology, bad men of the Bible, and crooks of Christianity. It was a long series because there were so many rogues! This steward is one of them.
I have already called attention to the fact that Luke gives parables by contrast. He is the only gospel writer that does this. Most parables are parables by comparison.
In this parable the Lord uses as an example a man who followed the principles of the world. We are told in the Word of God that the world loves its own but hates those who belong to God. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18–19). A child of God does not belong to this world and does not live by the principles of this world. In Galatians 1:3–4 Paul says, “… our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Again in Romans 12:2 Paul says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Finally, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world …” (1 John 2:15). Now, in the world is what we call the “law of life” and the unjust steward is a man who operates by that law.
The first commandment of the world is “self-preservation.” A shady business deal is winked at, questionable practices countenanced, and a clever crook is commended by the world. The law is on the side of the crook and the criminal many times. Every man, according to the world’s law, is considered innocent until he is proven guilty. The Word of God takes the opposite approach. God says that man is guilty until he is proven innocent. He says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). A man can never be innocent before God, but he certainly can become justified before Him. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus …” (Rom. 8:1). When a man trusts Jesus Christ as his Savior, he is justified by faith. This is the only way a man can be justified.
And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods [Luke 16:1].
This is the story of a rich man and his unjust steward. A steward is a man who has charge of another man’s goods. Abraham had a steward, you remember, who had charge of all his possessions. It was Abraham’s steward who went on a trip to Haran to find a bride for Abraham’s son Isaac. David had stewards, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 28:1. David’s stewards had charge over all of the king’s possessions, including his children. Paul tells us, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).
The steward in this parable would correspond to the president of a corporation. He had charge of this rich man’s goods. He was guilty of malfeasance in office and misappropriation of funds. He was like the bank president who absconds with bank funds. The unjust steward wasted the goods of his master.
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward [Luke 16:2].
The day of reckoning had come for this man. He had to give an account. Now since he had the signet ring of his master and was the paymaster, instead of drawing up a financial statement, he decided to use the law of the world which is self-preservation.
Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed [Luke 16:3].
This man had soft hands and felt he could not be a common laborer. And he was ashamed to beg. It makes you smile to read this verse—the man may have been ashamed to beg, but he was not ashamed to steal! Unfortunately, there are a lot of people like that today.
I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses [Luke 16:4].
This man did not repent; he had no regret or remorse for his actions. This man was crooked—called clever by the world’s standards. He had no training for other work, and his age was probably against him. He was too proud to beg, but he was not ashamed to be dishonest.
So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty [Luke 16:5–6].
The steward was asking, “How much do you owe my master?” This man owed his master one hundred barrels of oil. “Well,” the steward said, “oil is about one dollar a barrel now. I will tell you what we will do. We will let you have it for fifty cents a barrel.” The man only had to pay half of what he owed.
Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore [Luke 16:7].
I do not know why he did not give this fellow the same discount that he gave the other fellow, but this man had to pay eighty cents on the dollar. The unjust steward is just as big a crook at the end as he was at the beginning of his career.
He is not being punished.
And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light [Luke 16:8].
This is a shocking statement. Who made it? The lord of the steward, meaning his employer, the rich man. Apparently this man got rich using the same kind of principles that his unjust steward used. He tells him he has done wisely. In what way? According to the principles of the world. This is the world that hates Christ. It makes its own rules. The law of the world is “dog eat dog.” The worldly lord commended his worldly steward for his worldly wisdom according to his worldly dealings.
The Lord Jesus said, “For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” That is, the children of this world, of this age, use their money more wisely than do the children of light.
And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations [Luke 16:9].
The most shocking and startling statement of all concerns the relationship of the believer to the “mammon of unrighteousness.” What is the “mammon of unrighteousness?” It is riches, money. Money is not evil in itself; money is amoral. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil. For believers money is to be spiritual. Our Lord said that we should lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. We should be wise in the way we use our money. Then when we “fail” or come to the end of life, we will be welcomed into heaven.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? [Luke 16:10–12].
We are stewards of that which is material. We own nothing as believers. We are responsible to God for how we use His goods. He says that the men of this world are wiser than the children of light in their stewardship. For years I was pastor of a church in downtown Los Angeles which was near the financial district. Through the years I watched many of the men go into a broker’s office and watch the fluctuation of the stock market. They would sit down in the morning and figure out what they were going to do. They would not invest in any stock unless they thought it was going to go up in value, or they would play the market. A Christian man once told me that he had made his money by playing the stock market. For this reason he would not accept an office in the church—I do not know how he reconciled to himself the fact that he was a church member. He was clever at making money.
How many Christians today are smart in the use of the mammon of unrighteousness—money? Do they use it to gather spiritual wealth? God will hold you responsible for the misuse of the material wealth He gives you. I personally know of a program that is run just for the self-interest of one individual. In another organization ninety percent of what is given to that program supports a tremendous overhead that keeps men driving Cadillac automobiles. That means you would have to give one hundred dollars to get ten dollars to the poor folk they are telling you about. There is something wrong with the way Christians give their money. This would not happen if Christians were as smart as the men of the world. How smart are you, Christian friend, in money matters? Are you using your money to see that the Word of God reaches those who need it?
In the parable of the unjust steward the Lord Jesus is saying, “Do you think God is going to trust you with heavenly riches if you are not using properly that which He has given you on earth?” Money is a spiritual matter. You are responsible not only for giving it, but for investing it where it will yield the highest dividends in folk reached for Christ.
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [Luke 16:13].
What are you doing with your money? Are you making money? If you are, what are you doing with it? This is a pertinent question. Are you using it for the things of the world? If you are, you are serving mammon; that is your master. Are you serving God or mammon? You cannot serve them both.
JESUS ANSWERS THE COVETOUS PHARISEES
The Pharisees heard Jesus and began to feel convicted.
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail [Luke 16:14–17].
God knew the hearts of the Pharisees. God knows your heart. God knows my heart. We can put up a front with each other but not with God. We cannot measure up to God’s standard.
JESUS SPEAKS ON DIVORCE
Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery [Luke 16:18].
If this were the only verse of Scripture on the subject of divorce, there would be no divorce for a Christian. This verse should be compared with Matthew 19 and 1 Corinthians 7. All of Scripture must be considered on a certain subject to ascertain its truth. Our Lord spoke on this subject, to these men who were under the Law, because they were making light of the Law of God.
JESUS RECOUNTS THE INCIDENT OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS (POOR MAN)
Now we come to another great parable that only Luke presents. I do not believe this is a fictitious story. I believe He drew this story from real life just as He did His other parables. Jesus used illustrations that were familiar to His hearers. They knew exactly what He was talking about. He uses the name of one of the individuals involved in this parable; the Lord would not have given the name of someone who did not exist.
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day [Luke 16:19].
This is the story of a rich man who lived and died without God. It moves into a realm that we know nothing about. In this parable the Lord passes from this world to the next without making any break at all. Although we cannot penetrate the curtain between this life and the next life, our Lord speaks of the next world as naturally as He speaks of this life.
When man is left to his own imagination, he seeks out many inventions and out of his wildest dreams he makes unlimited speculations. When man uses his imagination, he gets into trouble. In this parable we learn what the Word of God says. There were only four men who ever spoke with authority concerning the other side of death: the Lord Jesus; Lazarus; John, who was given the Revelation; and Paul, who was “… caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2).
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores.
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores [Luke 16:20–21].
Here are two men at the opposite ends of the social and financial ladder—and, I suppose, every other ladder. One man represents the top echelon in riches, and the other man represents the lowest extreme of poverty. No two men could be farther apart in every way. This poor man was dependent upon the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. He never was invited to sit at the rich man’s table; he had to be kept in a menial place. The dogs came and licked his sores. In a few words our Lord pictures the depths of the terrible degradation and despair into which this man had fallen. I am sure had you lived in that town you might have gotten the impression that poor Lazarus, dressed in rags, did not have much in the way of any spiritual discernment or spiritual riches. I am sure all of us would have written him off as a hopeless case. On the other hand, I am sure that the rich man had several buildings named after him—perhaps a church, a school, or a mission enterprise. I am sure he had a wonderful name in the town in which these two men lived. However, all that the people in the town could see were the outward appearances of the rich man and the beggar whose sores were licked by dogs. This is a picture of abject poverty and extreme riches. Two men could not have been farther apart.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried [Luke 16:22].
Our Lord comes right to the door of death and passes through it as if it were nothing unusual. When the beggar died, there was no funeral. They just took his body out and threw it into the Valley of Gehenna where refuse was thrown and burned; this is the place where they threw the bodies of the poor in that day. The minute the beggar stepped through the doorway of death, angels became his pall-bearers and he was carried by them into Abraham’s Bosom.
The rich man also died and was buried. He had a big funeral, and the preacher pushed him all the way to the top spot in heaven. The only trouble is that the preacher got his directions mixed up; the rich man went the other way.
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom [Luke 16:23].
Notice two things here: The lost go to a place of conscious torment. Also, people know each other after death. We do not lose our identities.
The word hell is in the Greek hadeµs, meaning “the unseen world.” Actually, hell, as we think of it, is a place that has not yet been opened up for business; we don’t read of it until we get to Revelation 20:10, where it tells us that hell’s first occupants will be the Anti-christ and the false prophet. When they died, Lazarus and the rich man went to the unseen world, the place of the departed dead.
Death is separation; it never means extinction. Adam, in the day that he ate of the forbidden fruit, died. Physically he did not die until about nine hundred years later, but the day that he ate of the fruit he was separated from God. Jesus spoke of it when He said, “… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die …” (John 11:25–26). Man is separated from God by sin. People are dead while they live. Paul told the Ephesians, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1).
Certain spots in a big city are really alive and jumping at night. If you want to see a lot of zombies and dead people, look in on one of these nightclubs. That is where you will find them. They are beating the drums, blaring out the music, getting the beat, drinking all they can, and getting high on drugs because they are dead and want to live.
There is a second death, which is spiritual death, and it means eternal separation from God. At physical death the body becomes inert and lifeless because the person’s spirit has moved out. The body is put into the grave, and the elements return to the dust: “… for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:19). Therefore, death means separation.
It will help us understand this parable if we realize that Sheol or hades (translated hell in the New Testament) is divided into two compartments: paradise (which is called Abraham’s Bosom in this parable) and the place of torment. Paradise was emptied when Christ took with Him at His ascension the Old Testament believers (see Eph. 4:8–10). The place of torment will deliver up the lost for judgment at the Great White Throne (see Rev. 20:11–15). All who stand at this judgment are lost, and they will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.
Now when the rich man died, his spirit went to the place of torment, the compartment where the lost go. The beggar went to the compartment called paradise or Abraham’s Bosom.
Note that our Lord is not saying that the rich man went to the place of torment because he was rich and that the poor man went to Abraham’s Bosom because he was poor. Going through the doorway of death certainly changed their status, but it was due to what was in the hearts of these two men. This is what our Lord has been saying through this entire section—man cannot judge by the outward appearance.
There are some other things revealed in this story that we would not know if our Lord had not revealed them.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame [Luke 16:24].
The rich man becomes the beggar, while the beggar is now the rich man.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence [Luke 16:25–26].
The bodies of believers today, since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, go into the grave and return to dust, but their spirits go to be with Christ. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). The lost today still go to the place of torment in hades. Ephesians 4:8–10 gives us the following picture, “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)” In other words, when our Lord descended into hades after His crucifixion on the cross, He entered the paradise section, emptied it, and took everyone into God’s presence. No one occupies the paradise section of hades today. The only part of hades still occupied is the place of torment where unbelievers go when they die. The day is coming when hades will be cast into the lake of fire and men will no longer go there at all (see Rev. 20:14).
The body is merely the physical house in which we live. At death we move out of our old homes. You can do anything you want to with the old house after it is deserted, but the important thing is what happens to the spirit after it has left the body. Where is it going?
Heaven is a place, friend, and the moment you die you will either go there to be with Christ, or you will go to the place of torment where you will ultimately be judged and then cast into the lake of fire. The point is that God never intended the latter as an end for anyone of the human family. The lake of fire was made for the Devil and his angels (see Matt. 25:41). You choose your final destination.
“There is a great gulf fixed:” our Lord made that clear. You must make the decision in this life where you will go after your death. You do not get a second chance after death.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house [Luke 16:27].
Notice his concern for his living brothers. He wanted them to repent, change their minds before it was too late. Friend, if the lost could come back, they would preach the gospel to us.
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead [Luke 16:28–31].
Many people believe that multitudes would repent if someone returned from the dead to tell them what it was like. Well, Someone has come back from the dead. His name is Jesus Christ. They did not believe Him any more than they believed Moses and the prophets. Friend, do not delay in making your choice. There will be no opportunity after death.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: Jesus instructs His disciples on forgiveness; Jesus instructs His disciples on faithful service; Jesus heals ten lepers; Jesus speaks on the spiritual nature of God’s kingdom; Jesus speaks of His coming again
JESUS INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES ON FORGIVENESS
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones [Luke 17:1–2].
What the Lord says here is very severe. I will be honest with you; I think I would rather be most any person than the one selling drugs to young people today. I believe that the punishment for one who sells drugs will be greater than for some others. It is serious business to cause someone, especially a youngster, to offend. There is one thing worse than going to hell; it is going to hell and having a son or daughter say to you, “Dad, I am here because I followed you.” That is the worst thing that can happen to a person.
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you [Luke 17:3–6].
In other words, His disciples should be ready always to forgive. He does not say that the one who offends should not be rebuked. He should be made to appreciate his fault, but when he sincerely repents, he should be forgiven—even if he repeats his sin over and over.
JESUS INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES ON FAITHFUL SERVICE
Once again Jesus is severe. There are those who talk about the gentle Jesus, but if you read some of these passages, you will find that He was not always gentle. He was gentle with children, but not with those who offended them.
But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not [Luke 17:7–9].
Let me make an application of this passage. There are people who believe that because they try to follow the Sermon on the Mount and are good neighbors and try to love people, that someday God is going to pat them on the back and say, “What a fine person you are. You have earned your way to heaven.” If you keep the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount, which you cannot, you are doing only what you are supposed to do. Do you think you would receive salvation for that? My friend, that’s what you are supposed to do as one of His creatures. We need to recognize that salvation is a gift; you cannot work for it. Keeping God’s Law is a duty.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do [Luke 17:10].
JESUS HEALS TEN LEPERS (ONE SAMARITAN RETURNS TO GIVE THANKS)
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee [Luke 17:11].
Remember, our Lord is on His way to Jerusalem.
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests, And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan [Luke 17:12–16].
The Pharisees winced at this one!
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole [Luke 17:17–19].
Jesus healed ten lepers. Only one of the ten, who was a Samaritan, returned to thank Jesus for what He had done. Jesus then did a second thing for him—He forgave his sins. The other nine lepers were healed but were not saved. Thankfulness should be in the Christian’s heart. Why do you go to church on Sunday? Do you go there to worship God and thank Him for all He has done for you? Part of your worship is to thank Him. About the only thing we can give to God is our thanksgiving. How wonderful it is just to thank Him. We are even to make our requests to God with thanksgiving. We ought to have a thankful heart toward Him.
JESUS SPEAKS ON THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF GOD’S KINGDOM
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you [Luke 17:20–21].
Jesus speaks of the fact that the “kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” To whom is He talking? He is answering the Pharisees who are demanding that He tell them when the kingdom will come. He is not saying that the kingdom of God is inside the hearts of these godless and hostile Pharisees. Rather, the kingdom of God was in their midst, in the person of the King, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was right then standing among them.
JESUS SPEAKS OF HIS COMING AGAIN
One of the greatest delusions of our time is that man is going to improve himself and his world; that he is going to build the kingdom of God without God. He expects to bring in the Millennium without Christ.
Now the glorious day of the kingdom was the subject of much of what Christ had to say. In fact, He emphasized the future—the change coming and His return. A liberal theologian of the past, who had been teaching that Jesus was an ethical teacher, got tired of being a parrot, and began to study the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. He made the discovery (and he wrote a book on it) that Christ was an eschatological teacher, that His main subject was the future, His coming to earth again.
In this important section before us, our Lord warns His disciples not to be deceived concerning His return.
Now the return of Christ is in two phases. The first phase is what we call the “Rapture of the church” which is the taking away of true believers (detailed for us in 1 Thess. 4:13–18). But in this passage He is talking about the second phase of His return, which is returning to the earth to establish His kingdom. This will take place after the Rapture and after the Great Tribulation.
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
And they shall say to you, See here; or see there: go not after them, nor follow them [Luke 17:22–23].
The first time He came, they failed to recognize Him because they were looking for a conquering Messiah to come and deliver them from Rome. Instead He came as a baby and lived as a peasant. The next time He comes it will not be in an isolated place like Bethlehem, but He will come in glory. Therefore He warns them not to pay any attention to those who say He is here or there—or who say He is coming at a certain time. This is one reason you cannot set the date of the coming of Christ.
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day [Luke 17:24].
When He comes to this earth to establish His kingdom, it will be as public as lightning. Compare this with His extensive discourse in Matthew 24.
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation [Luke 17:25].
The cross was in the program of God. He went by way of the cross to get you and me. He outlined His program very clearly: He would suffer and be rejected by His people.
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man [Luke 17:26].
How was it in the days of Noah? What does He have reference to?
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all [Luke 17:27].
What is wrong with these things? Marriage is not wrong—it is right. What is wrong with eating and drinking? We must do this to live. Why does Jesus mention these things? Well, the generation of Noah was living as if God did not exist when judgment was imminent. Today men and women are eating and drinking (and not even marrying though living together), and they do not recognize that the judgment of God is out there in the future—when, we do not know.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all [Luke 17:28–29].
This is a tremendous thing our Lord says at this juncture. Lot is altogether different from Noah; yet there are similarities. None in Sodom were panicking, selling out their property and getting out of town. The stock market did not collapse because Lot said that judgment was coming. They simply didn’t believe it.
God would not destroy the city until Lot had been taken out of it. Neither will He bring the Great Tribulation upon this earth (which immediately precedes the coming of Christ to the earth) until He takes His own out of the world. It is interesting that He uses Lot as an s example here, which He does not do in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. The reason is that in Matthew He is answering their question about His coming to earth to establish His kingdom. Here in Luke it is a wider subject. Sodom, because of her sin, stood on the brink of destruction, and the moment Lot left town, judgment fell. I believe that the minute believers leave this earth in the Rapture, the Great Tribulation will begin.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [Luke 17:30].
God has a people in the world today who are just like Lot in many respects. Although they have trusted Christ as Savior, they compromise with the world. Yet as believers they will be taken out of the world before the day of judgment comes. Today the world doesn’t listen to the church. As in Lot’s day, they think we are mocking.
In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back [Luke 17:31].
In Matthew’s account of the Olivet Discourse, the Lord Jesus labels this period the Great Tribulation.
Remember Lot’s wife [Luke 17:32].
She is an example of one who did not believe God. She had daughters and friends in Sodom. Probably they were having a bridge party that afternoon. She kept saying, “Let’s go back.” Why did she look back? She didn’t believe God would destroy that city. Therefore we are to remember Lot’s wife. To believe God is the important thing for us.
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it [Luke 17:33].
This is one of those great paradoxes of Scripture. In that day there will be a great scramble to save their lives, but it will be too late. They are to be willing to lose their lives and just turn them over to Jesus Christ. Any attempt to save life in that day will avail nothing.
I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Two women shall be grinding together, the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left [Luke 17:34–36]
In the days of Noah, who was taken out of the world? Who was left in the world? This is not the Rapture He is talking about. This is, as in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24:37–41, a direct reference to taking away the ungodly in judgment and leaving on earth those who will enter the millennial kingdom.
Notice that Christ implied that the earth was round—one will be in bed and another working out in the field. There will be night on one side of the earth and day on the other side.
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together [Luke 17:37].
Compare this verse with Revelation 19:17. This is what we call the Battle of Armaggedon, which is actually the war of Armaggedon, and will be ended when Christ comes to establish His kingdom upon the earth.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Parable of the unjust judge; parable of the Pharisee and the publican; Jesus blesses the little children; Jesus confronts the rich young ruler with five of the Ten Commandments; Jesus heals the blind man on enterinq Jericho
Before we begin this chapter, I want to say a word about our Lord personally. I believe that He was God manifest in the flesh. I also believe that He was not any less God because He was man. On the other hand, I believe He was not any more man because He was God. He was a perfect man—a real man. Frankly, if you had been there in that day, you would have enjoyed His company. It would have been a real privilege to be in His company and to hear His laughter. I don’t like any picture I see of Him; the artists never picture Him laughing, and I think He laughed many times. Our Lord was so human. In His presence you would have the best time you ever had. You know folk, I am sure, whom you love to be with. I know several preachers whose company I especially enjoy. They sharpen my wits and my mental powers; yet they tell the funniest jokes I’ve ever heard. I think our Lord was good at that. We are coming to an incident that I am confident made many people smile.
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint [Luke 18:1].
He concluded chapter 17 with a discourse on the last days and the fact that He would be coming again. And He likened the last days to the days of Noah, that they would be difficult days—days that would not be conducive to faith. So now He talks to them about a life of faith in days that are devoid of faith. That is the reason it is so pertinent for this hour. We are living in days, as He indicated, when men’s hearts are failing them for fear. What we have in this first parable is a pertinent paragraph on prayer for the present hour. Notice that He says He spoke a parable to them to this end; that is, for this purpose, that men should always pray, and not to faint.
He opens two alternatives to any man who is living in difficult days. You and I will have to do one of the two. You will have to make up your mind which you are going to do. Men in difficult days will either faint or they will pray. Either there will be days of fear or days of faith.
During World War II, when the bombing was so intense on the city of London, a sign appeared in front of one of the churches in London that read, “If your knees knock together, kneel on them!” That is practically a restatement of what our Lord has said, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
It is the same thought that Paul put a little differently, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). This does not mean you are to go to an all-day or all-night prayer meeting. Prayer is an attitude of the life. It is more an attitude of life than an action of the lips. Remember that Paul said to the Romans, “… the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26). That is, they cannot be put into our words. And many times we do not have the words to pray, but we are praying nonetheless. And it is the entire life that is behind the words which are spoken that makes prayer effective.
There was a famous preacher, years ago in the state of Georgia, who had many very unusual expressions. One of them was this, “When a man prays for a corn crop, God expects him to say Amen with a hoe.” You can’t just stay on your knees all the time and pray for a corn crop. That’s pious nonsense. But to pray for the corn crop and then go to work is the thing our Lord is talking about in days when men’s hearts are failing them. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
PARABLE OF THE UNJUST JUDGE
When He told this story about the unjust judge and the widow, it probably was well known to the hearers of that day. They knew exactly what He was talking about. The story goes like this:
Saying, there was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man,
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary [Luke 18:2–3].
Now in this city there was a judge who was a godless fellow. He was an unscrupulous politician, scheming, cold, and calculating. Everything he did was for himself, as we shall see. Everything he did had to minister to his own advancement and satisfy his own ambition. He did not fear God. God had no place in this man’s thinking. And since he did not fear God, he had no regard for man. He had no respect for this widow at all.
The widow likely was being beaten out of her little home. The mortgage was being foreclosed, and she was being treated unjustly. She went to this prominent judge, took her place in his office, and asked the secretary if she might talk to the judge. The secretary told her, “He’s very busy. If you will just tell me the nature of your complaint….”
So the widow told her, “I’m just a poor widow. I live out here at the edge of town, and I’m about to lose my place. It is unfair and unjust, and I want to appeal to the judge.”
The secretary went into the judge’s office and said, “There is a widow out there….”
“Well, I can get rid of her in three minutes. I’m a politician, I know how to handle her. Let her come in.”
She came in. He listened to her for three minutes. Then he said, “I’m sorry, but that’s out of my realm. I’d love to do something for you, but I am unable to do anything. Good day.”
The next day when he came into the office, there was the widow. He hurried into his office, called his secretary in, and asked,
“What’s that widow doing back?”
“She says she wants to see you.”
“You go back and tell her I am busy until lunch time.”
“I’ve already told her that. But she brought her lunch. She says she will stay here as long as necessary.”
She stayed all that day and didn’t get to see him. He thought he had gotten rid of her. But the next morning when he came in, there she was! She did that for several days, and finally he said, “I’ll have to do something about this. I can’t go on like this.” Notice that our Lord records what he said “within himself.”
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man:
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me [Luke 18:4–5].
The word weary is a very poor translation. I only wish it were translated literally. What he said was this, “I must see her lest she give me a black eye!”
You see, he was thinking of himself. I don’t know if he meant a literal black eye—we are not told that the widow had threatened him! But the very fact that a widow is sitting in the judge’s office every day doesn’t look good. He had gotten into office by saying, “I’m thinking of the poor people,” but he wasn’t—he was thinking of himself. “And lest she give me a black eye, I’d better hear her.” To his secretary he said, “Bring her in.” This time he said to the widow, “I’ll give you legal protection.”
That’s the parable.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? [Luke 18:6–7.
Now, I have heard many Bible teachers say that this parable teaches the value of importunate prayer. Although I don’t like to disagree with men who are greater than I, that isn’t so. This is not a parable on the persistency or the pertinacity of prayer—as though somehow God will hear if you hold on long enough.
This is a parable by contrast, not by comparison.
Parables were stories given by our Lord to illustrate truths. The word parable comes from two Greek words. Para means “beside” and ballo is the verb, meaning “to throw”—(we get our word ball from it). A parable means something that is thrown beside something else to tell you something about it. For instance, a yardstick placed beside a table is a parable to the table—it tells you how high it is. A parable is a story our Lord told to illustrate divine truth. There are two ways He did this. One is by comparison, but the other is by contrast.
Our Lord is saying, “When you come to God in prayer, do you think that God is an unjust judge? When you come to Him in prayer, do you think He is a cheap politician? Do you think God is doing things just for political reasons?” My friend, if you think this, you are wrong. God is not an unjust judge.
If this unjust judge would hear a poor widow because she kept coming continually, then why do you get discouraged going to God who is not an unjust judge, but who actually wants to hear and answer prayer? Why are God’s people today so discouraged in their prayer life? Don’t you know, my friend, He is not an unjust judge? You don’t have to hang onto His coattail and beg Him and plead with Him. God wants to act in your behalf! If we had that attitude, it would change our prayer life—to come into His presence knowing He wants to hear. We act as if He is an unjust judge, and we have to hold onto Him or He will not hear us at all. God is not an unjust judge.
PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN
Now our Lord gives another parable on prayer.
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican [Luke 18:9–10].
This is a parable that is familiar to all of us. Oh, with what trenchant and biting satire He gave them this! But He didn’t do it to hurt them; He did it to help them. He said that two men went up to the temple to pray—a Pharisee and a publican. You could not get any two as far apart as those two men were. The Pharisee was at the top of the religious ladder. The publican was at the bottom. His parable wasn’t about publicans and sinners—publicans were right down there with the sinners. The Pharisee was at the top, supposedly the most acceptable one to God. He went into the temple to pray, he had access to the temple, he brought the appointed sacrifice. As he stood and prayed, his priest was yonder in the Holy Place putting incense on the altar. This old Pharisee had it made.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican [Luke 18:11].
Isn’t that an awful way to begin a prayer! And that is the way many of us do. You say, “I don’t do that.” Yes, you do. I hear prayers like that. Oh, we don’t say it exactly that way. We are fundamental—we have learned to say it better than that. We have our own way of putting it, “Lord, I thank You I can give You my time and my service.” How I hear that! What a compliment that is for the Lord! Friend, we don’t get anywhere in prayer when we pray like that. God doesn’t need our service.
The Pharisee said, “I thank thee, that I am not as other men”; then he began to enumerate what he wasn’t. “I’m not an extortioner”—evidently there was somebody around who was an extortioner. “I am not unjust. I am not an adulterer.” Then he spied that publican way outside, and said, “And, believe me, Lord, I’m not like that publican. I’m not like that sinner out there.”
Then he began to tell the Lord what he did:
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess [Luke 18:12].
My, isn’t he a wonderful fellow! Wouldn’t we love to have him in our church!
Our Lord said he “prayed thus with himself.” In other words, he was doing a Hamlet soliloquy. Hamlet, you know, goes off and stands talking to himself—and Hamlet is “off,” by the way; he is a mental case. Hamlet says, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” And this old Pharisee is out there talking to himself—he thinks he is talking to God, but his prayer never got out of the rafters. All he did was have a pep talk; he patted himself on the back and went out proud as a peacock. God never heard that prayer.
The old publican—oh, he was a rascal. He was a sinner; he was as low as they come. He had sold his nation down the river when he had become a tax collector. When he became a tax gatherer, he denied his nation. When he denied his nation, as a Jew, he denied his religion. He turned his back on God. He took a one-way street, never to come back to God. Why did he do it? It was lucrative. He said, “There’s money down this way.” He became rich as a publican. But it did not satisfy his heart. Read the story of Levi; read the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19—a publican’s heart was empty. This poor publican in his misery and desperation, knowing that he had no access to the mercy seat in the temple, cried out to God.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner [Luke 18:13].
“God be merciful to me a sinner” does not adequately express it. Let me give it to you in the language that he used. He would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, but he smote on his breast, and said, “O God, I’m a poor publican. I have no access to that mercy seat yonder in the Holy of Holies. Oh, if you could only make a mercy seat for me! I want to come.”
Our Lord said that man was heard. Do you know why he was heard? Because Jesus Christ right there and then was on the way to the cross to make a mercy seat for him. John writes: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Propitiation means “mercy seat.” Christ is the mercy seat for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The publican’s prayer has been answered. Actually, today you don’t have to ask God to be merciful. He is merciful. Many people say, “We have to beg Him to be merciful.” My friend, what do you want Him to do? He gave His Son to die for you. He says to the worst sinner you know, “You can come. There is a mercy seat for you.” I have to admit to you that I had to come to that mercy seat. And if you are God’s child, you have come to that mercy seat where He died yonder on the cross for your sins and my sins. The penalty has been paid. The holy God is able to hold His arms outstretched. You don’t have to beg Him; you don’t have to promise Him anything because He knows your weakness; you do not have to join something; you do not even have to be somebody. You can be like a poor publican. You can come and trust Him, and He will save you. God is merciful.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted [Luke 18:14].
JESUS BLESSES THE LITTLE CHILDREN
The little children loved to be with the Lord Jesus.
And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them [Luke 18:15].
Even the disciples said, “Do not bring the little children to Him. Do not bother Him.”
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God [Luke 18:16].
The feeling was that small children were not too important. The Lord Jesus felt differently about children. They were not a bother to Him.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein [Luke 18:17].
Children normally and naturally came to the Lord. He did not want the adults to keep them away from Him. God have mercy on any adult who keeps little children away from God. Concerning this subject, Luke has already said, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:2). You see, the little ones will follow you. They have complete trust in you. They will do anything you want them to do. God have mercy on you if you don’t bring them to God! Children would normally come to Him.
Someone may object, “But children have a fallen nature.” Yes, they do. But that little one has not reached the age of accountability; the only decision he can make is the decision that is suggested to him. That’s the nature of the little child. Of course, the little one will grow up and develop a will of his own. Then that’s when the trouble begins! But while he is still pliable, make sure that he comes to Christ.
JESUS CONFRONTS THE RICH YOUNG RULER WITH FIVE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
The account of the rich young ruler is also given in Matthew 19:16–30 and in Mark 10:17–31. It is a wonderful story. In this account our Lord made inquiry into the conduct of the rich young ruler.
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God [Luke 18:18–19].
The Lord Jesus Christ was leading this young man to see that if he recognized goodness in Jesus, it was because He was God. That is the reason Jesus urged him to follow. It would have led him to accept Jesus as the disciples had—“… the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal. Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me [Luke 18:20–22].
Jesus flashed on the young ruler the second section of the Ten Commandments which is labeled “probitas.” This section deals with man’s relationship with man. The first section has to do with man’s relationship to God and is labeled “pietas.” This young man could meet the second section, but not the first. He needed a relationship with God, which he evidently lacked. Riches stood in the way of this. The Law condemned this attractive young man. Riches were the stumbling block for him. For another man it might be something else. It is impossible for any man to get into the kingdom of heaven by riches or by any human means. Only God could put a camel through a needle’s eye, and only God can regenerate.
And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting [Luke 18:23–30].
In spite of the lack and unwillingness in his life, it is said that Jesus loved him. Riches separated this young man from Jesus. Had he followed Jesus, he would have come to the cross for redemption, for Jesus was very close to the cross at this time. Who was this young man? I do not know who he was. You may be like him today, I do not know. Did he follow the Lord later on? We hope so. Will you follow the Lord? He loves you.
JESUS HEALS THE BLIND MAN ON ENTERING JERICHO
Before we look at this incident, I should mention that critics of the Bible find in this a contradiction, because Matthew speaks of two blind men, while Mark and Luke mention only one. However, if you will read this passage carefully, you will see that Matthew and Mark obviously refer to a work of healing as Jesus departed from Jericho. Bartimaeus, the active one of the two, the one who cried, “… Jesus, thou son of David …,” is specifically mentioned in Mark 10:46. The healing described by Luke, in verses 40–43, occurred before Jesus entered Jericho. This man also used the familiar form of address, “son of David.”
And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by [Luke 18:35–37].
By addressing Jesus as the “son of David,” he acknowledged His kingship. He knew Jesus was able to heal him and so it was impossible to keep him quiet. He knew what he wanted, and he had great faith in Jesus. Jesus’ dealing with this blind man is tender and thrilling.
And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God [Luke 18:38–43].
After he was healed, he followed Jesus with his eyes open. What will he see in a few days? He will see Jesus dying on the cross. Multitudes of people today with 20/20 vision have not yet seen Jesus’ death on the cross related to their lives and the forgiveness of their sins. If you have not yet done so—look and live!
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Jesus enters Jericho and home of Zacchaeus; the conversion of Zacchaeus; parable of ten pounds; Jesus enters Jerusalem; Jesus weeps over the city; Jesus cleanses the temple
JESUS ENTERS JERICHO AND HOME OF ZACCHAEUS
Remember that at the time of this incident, the Lord Jesus Christ is on His way to Jerusalem to die on the cross. On His way, He goes through Jericho.
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho [Luke 19:1].
Luke tells us that Jesus had been over in Samaritan country. When He left Samaria, He headed toward Jerusalem. He seems to be off the beaten path—but is He? He goes to Jericho because there is a sinner there. In fact, there are two or three sinners in Jericho. The Lord is going after them. If you miss the movement here, you will miss the entire message of this passage.
Jericho was the city that God had given into the hand of Joshua. A curse was placed on whoever would rebuild it. The man who rebuilt it in the days of Ahab reaped the curse in all its fulness. In Jesus’ day it was like a resort area, the Las Vegas of that time. Many people spent their vacations there. Here the publicans lived. The publicans were like the modern Mafia. They were tax gatherers and were despised.
We are told that Jesus “entered and passed through Jericho.” He also entered and passed through this world. He did not come to earth to stay but to die. I entered this world to live, and I would like to live a long time. But Jesus’ only purpose in coming to earth was to die for the sins of the world. This tremendous movement is mirrored in the fact that He entered and passed through Jericho. Do not miss that.
THE CONVERSION OF ZACCHAEUS
And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich [Luke 19–2].
Three things are said about this man in verse two. The Spirit of God has a way—with one flourish of the pen—of telling us all we need to know about a person. The first thing we learn about this man is that his name is Zacchaeus. When I found out that his name meant “pure,” I began to laugh, and my wife came into my study to find out what was so funny. Imagine a publican who was pure! He was given that name as a baby. His father and mother looked down at him and thought he was the most precious little fellow in the world. When he grew up, I think there was a lot of fun in Jericho when he was called by his name. They would say, “Hello, Pure.” What a name for a tax gatherer!
Zacchaeus was a chief among publicans. His parents never dreamed he would turn out this way. One dark night he had to decide whether or not he would sell out to Rome. As a publican he would have to pay Rome a stated amount for a certain territory in which he would gather taxes. Then, of course, he would gath er more taxes than he paid Rome, which made him rich. Zacchaeus was the leader among the publicans. He had given up his religion. He had no more access to the temple. He was probably the publican who stood afar off, and smote his breast, as he said, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Zacchaeus wanted a mercy seat to which he could come as a poor sinner. He wanted to come back to God.
Zacchaeus was rich. He made his profession pay. He did not conduct his business half-heartedly. If he went to collect taxes from a widow who could not pay, he would put her out of the house. If a man could not pay enough, he would take out a mortgage on the place. He had robbed many people. Although he had once made a decision to become a publican, he found out that all the wealth in the world would not satisfy his heart. He wished he could go back and start over. He had gone down a one-way street and he knew of no way to get back to the mercy seat. He wanted mercy, and our Lord knew that. The Lord went to Jericho for the purpose of helping this man. He wanted to take Zacchaeus with Him, not to Jerusalem, but to the cross for salvation.
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature [Luke 19:3].
A friend of mine who is a seminary professor is puzzled about whether there was one blind man or two blind men in Jericho. (His problem is that Matthew tells of two blind men who were healed in Jericho, while Luke speaks of only one.) I kiddingly told him once that there were two blind men and that I could prove it from the Bible. The second blind man was Zacchaeus because the Bible says, “He could not see for the press.” He was a small man. He had eyes but they were too close to the ground. He did what I used to do every New Year’s day at the Rose Parade. I would climb up a ladder and look over the heads of everyone in front of me at the parade. Zacchaeus was not able to find a ladder; so he climbed up into a sycamore tree.
And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way [Luke 19:4].
When I was in Jericho, I took a good look at a sycamore tree. It has a slick bark, and it is always a long way to the first limb. This is a difficult tree to climb, and I think this little man had a hard time climbing a tree like this. Zacchaeus sweated it out but finally got up the tree and settled down on a limb among the leaves. He thought he was secluded there, and he had a private box for the parade. He waited. Sure enough, Jesus came by. Our Lord knew he was there. Jesus was passing through Jericho to reach him.
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house [Luke 19:5].
When our Lord looked up into that sycamore tree and saw Zacchaeus, I think He laughed. It is true that the text does not say that He did, but it is difficult to read this account without seeing the humor in it. The Lord looked into that tree as if to say, “Well, Zacchaeus, you wanted to see Me. You really worked hard to get up into that tree. Now make haste and come down.” Make haste? This poor fellow had spent half a day getting up into the tree! But it did not take long for him to get down. It is always easier to come down than to go up. Our Lord said to him, “I must abide at thy house.” Our Lord did not stop at the mayor’s house; He did not stop at the home of a Pharisee; He did not stop at the home of any prominent person. He was going home with a publican!
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
And when they saw it, they all mur mured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner [Luke 19:6–7].
Zacchaeus was having fun now. For him it was a joyful occasion, but “they” murmured. Who are “they”? They are the gossiping crowd. They were saying, “Can you imagine that He is going to dinner at the house of a man who is a sinner?”
There was a lapse of time—how much, we are not told. Jesus had dinner with Zacchaeus, but He did not stay all night. They shut the door and the crowd milled around outside and gossiped, but no one knew what went on inside. Finally the door opened, and there stood Zacchaeus.
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold [Luke 19:8].
Something had happened to this man! He admitted that he had been robbing the poor and promised to give half of his goods to the poor and to restore fourfold to those whom he had falsely taxed. He was acting according to the Mosaic Law (see Exod. 22). Something had happened inside Zacchaeus, and he was a new man.
We are not given an account of the conversation between Zacchaeus and our Lord. For some reason the Holy Spirit did not give us an account of what transpired between these two men. However, when our Lord talked to men He usually spoke of two things: (1) man’s need and (2) God’s ability to meet that need. He did not have to tell Zacchaeus that he was a sinner. Zacchaeus knew he was a sinner, and so did everyone else. The Lord told him there was a remedy for sin. He said, “I am going to Jerusalem to die on the cross so that there will be a mercy seat for you, Zacchaeus.”
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham [Luke 19:9].
Zacchaeus was shut out from the mercy seat in the temple when he became a publican. That mercy seat pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His blood that He shed for us on the cross. The Lord wanted this hated man to know that He was going to Jerusalem to die, and His death would provide for him a mercy seat. This publican made a decision for Christ and became a new man.
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost [Luke 19:10].
Note that Zacchaeus did not come to the door and say, “I want to give my testimony: Jesus saves and keeps and satisfies.” Rather he said, “Half my goods I will give to the poor, and I will make right the things that have been wrong.” By this I know he has been converted. And, friend, this is the only way the world will know that you are converted. They do not know it by testimony; they know it only by what they see in your life.If it were not for his changed life, I would never know that this old publican got converted.
The experience of Zacchaeus is a good illustration of what James says: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Zacchaeus showed his faith by his works. He did not talk about his faith; he demonstrated it. The world is not listening for something today; it is looking for something. Zacchaeus had what the world is looking for. Jesus had dinner with him and his life changed.
Jesus is still entering and passing through your town wherever it is, and He wants to have dinner with those who do not know Him. He wants to talk about your soul and salvation. What about it? Has He passed through your home? Has He knocked on your heart’s door? Have you let Him in?
PARABLE OF TEN POUNDS
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear [Luke 19:11].
Jesus now is approaching Jerusalem. Many of His followers, including His apostles, think that He was about to set up His kingdom on earth. But He is coming to Jerusalem to die. He is showing them that the kingdom is going to be postponed.
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return [Luke 19:12].
The “certain nobleman” represents the Lord Jesus Christ. He will receive the kingdom from His Father—not from us. He is not asking anyone to vote for Him the next time He comes. People will either receive Him or they will be destroyed. He came the first time as a Savior. Next time He will come as King.
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us [Luke 19:13–14].
This is the message the world has for the Lord Jesus Christ today. This, however, will not keep God from sending His Son back to earth. They rebelled against God and His Messiah. They did not want Him to rule over them; so they nailed Him to a cross.
And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities [Luke 19:15–17].
While He is away, friend, He has given you a pound. He has given every one of His servants an opportunity, and that opportunity is the pound. You are to be faithful to that over which He has made you steward. Your pound may be an entire city, a handful of people, or a home. Whatever it is, you are to be faithful. Some may gain five pounds and some may gain ten pounds while the Lord is away but when He comes again, He will reward you according to your faithfulness.
And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me [Luke 19:18–27].
When He returns, He will reward them according to their faithfulness, you see. The important thing is faithfulness.
And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem [Luke 19:28].
He continues on His way to Jerusalem to deliver Himself up into the hands of His enemies.
JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM
The Gospels present a composite picture of the so-called triumphal entry. By piecing the Gospels together, the conclusion is obvious that He entered Jerusalem three times, once a day on three separate days:
First—Saturday (the Sabbath day). There were no money changers on that day, and He looked around and left, “And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve” (Mark 11:11). He entered as Priest.
Second—Sunday (first day of week). The money changers were there and He cleansed the temple (see Matt. 21:12–13). He entered as King.
Third—Monday (second day of week). He wept over Jerusalem and entered the temple and taught and healed (see vv. 41–44, 47–48). He entered as Prophet.
And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
And they said, The Lord hath need of him [Luke 19:29–34].
I see no point in reading a miracle into this incident, although many people do so. I believe this is a normal, natural situation. Probably when our Lord was in Jerusalem previously He made arrangements with some friends to use these animals the next time He came to the city. His friends agreed to let Him use the animals at the time of the Passover Feast. The owners of these animals were expecting the Lord and had them tied outside for Him. He told His disciples what to say in case anyone asked, so that they would know the Lord had sent them on this errand. The important thing in this passage is that Jesus asserts His authority, “The Lord hath need of him.”
And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest [Luke 19:35–38].
The crowd did not know the full significance of this action. A few days later the crowd cried, “Crucify Him!”
Even the disciples did not know the significance until later: “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him” (John 12:16).
And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out [Luke 19:39–40].
This episode of coming into Jerusalem as the Lord Jesus Christ did, was bound to incite the Roman rulers to act because of two things that He did. First, He accepted the reverence and loyalty of these followers. In the second place, He did not silence them.
The Lord Jesus Christ recognized that eternal and significant issues were at stake and that to rebuke His followers would force the silent stones to cry out. In fact, they were crying out, for when Nehemiah had rebuilt the walls and gates of the city, there was a message in the stones. Those very stones and walls were proclaiming the gospel message, and the gates were fairly shouting, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (Ps. 24:7). (For amplification of this, see the author’s booklet, The Gospel in the Gates of Jerusalem.
It should be remembered that the so”called triumphal entry ended at the cross. Christ will come the second time in triumph. Hebrews 9:28 says, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” The second time the Lord will come to this earth, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (see Zech. 14:4). Then the Lord will enter Jerusalem. His true Triumphal Entry will be at His second coming. His first entry into Jerusalem took Him to the cross to die for our sins. By His death and resurrection, salvation is offered unto us.
JESUS WEEPS OVER THE CITY
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes [Luke 19:41–42].
And, friend, they are still hidden from their eyes. I saw a picture of a convention they were having in Jerusalem some time ago. Stretched across the auditorium was a huge motto which read: “Science Will Give Us Peace In Our Day.” Well, science has not brought them peace. It has produced sophisticated weapons and the atom bomb, but it has not brought peace.
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation [Luke 19:43–44].
The fulfillment of this prophecy is written in history. In a.d. 70, Titus the Roman leveled Jerusalem and slaughtered the inhabitants without mercy.
JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE
And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him [Luke 19:45–48]
Our Lord uses very strong language as He cleans up the temple for the second time.
This action of Jesus officially closes His ministry to the nation.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Jesus’ authority challenged; parable of the vineyard; Jesus is questioned about paying tribute to Caesar; Jesus silences the Sadducees about resurrection; Jesus questions the scribes
JESUS’ AUTHORITY CHALLENGED
And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me [Luke 20:1–3].
Jesus came into the temple every day and taught until He was arrested at the time of the Passover. He used the Socratic method of answering a question with a question. This was His question:
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? [Luke 20:4].
This was one question the religious rulers could not answer without condemning themselves. They had to go off in a huddle to decide on an answer.
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things [Luke 20:5–8].
Their question was not honest and sincere. If they had been willing to accept John, they would have been willing to accept the Lord Jesus Christ also. If they had believed John, they would have never questioned the authority of the Lord Jesus.
PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD
The parable of the vineyard is recorded in Matthew and Mark.
Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty [Luke 20:9–10].
The owner of the vineyard kept sending servants to the husbandmen to see how things were going. One by one the servants were beaten. God sent prophet after prophet to Israel, and they were absolutely rejected. Many of them were stoned and killed. Finally the Father sent His Son.
Jesus Christ was the Son and He was telling these religious rulers exactly what was in their hearts and minds to do with Him. They were going to crucify Him, and God was going to permit it.
And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? [Luke 20:17].
The Lord was telling them they could kill Him but could not destroy the purpose of God. The Stone that they reject will become the head of the corner. This is a clear prediction of the Lord’s rejection and subsequent triumph.
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder [Luke 20:18].
Today you and I can fall on that Stone, who is Christ Jesus, and be saved—that is, we have to come to Him as a sinner, broken in spirit, broken in heart. When we do this, we are on the foundation that no man can lay, which is Jesus Christ the Stone. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). Daniel tells of that Stone which will fall in judgment someday and “grind to powder” the nations that reject Him (see Dan. 2). What the Lord is saying in this parable is as clear as the noonday sun. It could not have been misunderstood.
JESUS IS QUESTIONED ABOUT PAYING TRIBUTE TO CAESAR
And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them [Luke 20:19].
We can see that the religious rulers certainly got the point of His parable. The problem is that too many people in our churches today miss the point.
And they asked him, saying Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly [Luke 20:21].
This was spoken like the true hypocrites these men were.
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? [Luke 20:22].
The Herodians are the ones who posed this question because they wanted to get rid of Caesar and put the house of Herod over Israel.
But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s [Luke 20:23–24].
The question of the Herodians was a loaded one designed to trap Jesus. Had He said “Yes”—to pay tribute to Caesar, then He would have put Caesar ahead of Moses and ahead of their Messiah. If He had said “No”—not to pay tribute to Caesar, then He would have been subject to arrest by Rome.
The method Jesus adopted in dealing with this question is a masterpiece. He asked for the Roman denarius. Does this mean that Jesus did not have any money? At least He made them produce the coin.
And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s and unto God the things which be God’s [Luke 20:25].
They were using the legal tender of the Roman Empire. Rome did provide certain advantages and privileges. Rome maintained law and order by her standards and provided protection. Rome made and maintained roads and kept the sea lanes open. She had a universal currency system which was an aid to business. The Jews owed Rome something for the use of coins, roads, and law and order. Caesar had something coming to him.
God had something coming to Him also. He provided all the utilities: lights, air, water, and the elements from which roads and coins are made. There are two areas of life in which we have a responsibility. Man has both an earthly and an heavenly obligation. He has both a physical and a spiritual responsibility. Citizens of heaven pay taxes down here. Pilgrims down here should deposit eternal wealth in heaven.
JESUS SILENCES THE SADDUCEES ABOUT RESURRECTION
Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,
Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother [Luke 20:27–28].
You find this in Deuteronomy 25:5–6. It was an unusual law, but we see it in action in the Book of Ruth.
There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
Last of all the woman died also.
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife [Luke 20:29–3].
Of course their question was ridiculous.
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection [Luke 20:34–36].
According to both Matthew and Mark, He told them their problem was that they knew neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him [Luke 20:37–38].
You see, after Jesus had answered the Herodians and the Pharisees soundly, the Sadducees bring this old cliche to Him with the thought that anyone answering their question would be ridiculous. The Sadducees would correspond to the liberal section of the contemporary church, while the Pharisees could be equated with the conservatives. The Sadducees rejected the supernatural. They, therefore, did not believe in the Resurrection.
Their question grows out of a situation created by the Mosaic system. The Sadducees attempted to make it preposterous by saying that the woman married seven times. That in itself is not likely, but it could happen. In our day there are examples of those who have been married as often, but they are more concerned about the present life than anything beyond.
The Sadducees, as a sect, arose about 300 b.c. Most of the high priests and temple politicians were Sadducees. They were prominent and rich. Isn’t it interesting that today most of the church politicians and the rich churches are liberal? That tells us that human nature has not changed down through the centuries.
The Sadducees denied the miraculous. They stripped the Scriptures of the supernatural. (They were in direct conflict with the Pharisees who were supernaturalists.) They never accepted the inerrancy of Scripture. There is a striking similarity between the beliefs of the Sadducees and liberalism today. Liberalism is a departure from historic Christianity. Concerning conservatism and liberalism, Dr. Louis Berkhof said, “The difference is so great between them that one of them will have to surrender the term Christian.” I have decided that the liberal is not Christian at all. Many churches should call themselves the “Boulevard Religious Club” or the “First” or “Second Religious Club” because they are not Christian.
There was a time when those who were unregenerate were outside the church. They denied the authority of Scripture, the deity of Christ, and the supernatural. They were called infidels and skeptics. When I first came to Southern California, you could see them on soap boxes in front of downtown churches or in the city parks. Now they are in the pulpits of the city. They are still infidels and skeptics; they still deny the deity of Christ and the supernatural. They have crept into the church unawares.
The Sadducees were the greatest enemies which Christ had and were the main instigators of the first persecution of the church. The Pharisees with the Sadducees were the leaders in the persecution of the Lord Jesus. After the death of the Lord, the Pharisees dropped the entire affair. They were no longer interested in persecuting Him or His followers; in fact, many of them became Christians. The Sadducees, however, went on with the persecution of the church. You can read about it in the third and fourth chapters of Acts.
The Resurrection was the acid test of the Sadducees, and it is the acid test of the liberal. They do not believe in a literal resurrection. It is interesting that there is no account in Scripture of a Sadducee ever coming to Christ for salvation. A Pharisee named Nicodemus was converted, and Acts 6:7 tells us, “… a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Many priests became believers, but there is no record of a Sadducee being converted.
Every young minister soon discovers that the preaching of the cross is an offense. He will never be voted the most outstanding citizen in his town. He will never find himself in a great political position, nor will he be on television very often. The subtle temptation is to throw overboard the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and become a popular preacher. Judas sold out the Lord. Peter denied Him but loved Him and came back to Him. When a man sells Christ for popularity, he will never come back. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? …” (Jer. 13:23). The next time some starry-eyed optimist tells you that the liberals are coming back to Christ, forget it. The Sadducees were the worst enemies that the gospel of Christ ever had—whether in the first or the twentieth centuries.
JESUS QUESTIONS THE SCRIBES
The Lord concludes this question-and-answer period by asking the scribes a question.
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.
And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?
And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation [Luke 20:39–47].
Right here, Jesus is teaching His own virgin birth. How could David, in Psalm 110 where he is speaking of a future descendant call his own great-great-great-great-grandson his Lord? Well, the only way he can call Him his Lord is for Him to be The Lord, friend. The only way He can be The Lord is to be more than David’s son. He must be virgin born to be the Son of God. This is a great thought that our Lord is teaching here.
Notice also that here Jesus definitely ascribes Psalm 110 to David. He says that David wrote this psalm by the Holy Spirit. And Jesus says that this psalm is speaking concerning Him, the Messiah.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Jesus notes how people give and commends the widow; Jesus answers question in Olivet Discourse “When shall these things be?”
Now we come to the prophetic section of Luke’s gospel. Although it corresponds to the Olivet Discourse in Matthew and Mark, there is a contrast with the similarity. Matthew’s gospel gives us the three questions which the disciples asked the Lord Jesus: (1) When shall these things be?—that is, one stone not left upon another; (2) What shall be the sign of thy coming? (3) And of the end of the age? (see Matt. 24:3). In the chapter before us He answers the first question. Luke deals with one of the most practical aspects of the prophecy, and there is no mystery or speculation to his meaning, because most of Luke’s record is no longer prophecy; it is history. It was fulfilled in a.d. 70. After all, “prophecy is the mold into which history is poured,” and there has already been some pouring done here.
JESUS NOTES HOW PEOPLE GIVE AND COMMENDS THE WIDOW
And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had [Luke 21:1–4].
Compared to the wealth of that temple (and it was a wealthy temple), the widow’s gift did not amount to very much. Her two little coppers did not do much to help in the upkeep of the temple. Our Lord, however, does not measure giving that way. He measures it, not by what you give, but by what you keep for yourself. We are not living under the tithe system because that dictates what you must give. What you keep for yourself is “grace” giving. There are many people who should be giving more than one tenth to the Lord because of the way He has blessed them. One man told me, “If I gave only one tenth of my substance to the Lord, I would feel as though I was stealing from Him.” God looks at the sacrifice of the giver. Generally it is the one who cannot give much who is making the real sacrifice. God looks at what you keep for yourself.
Next Sunday morning someone may observe what you give, and say, “My, he gives a whole lot to the Lord’s work!” But what does God say? He is looking at what you are keeping for yourself.
JESUS ANSWERS QUESTION IN OLIVET DISCOURSE “WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE?”
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down [Luke 21:5–6].
When the Lord mentioned that the poor widow gave more than all the rich, the disciples said, “Look at this temple, the riches in it, the valuable stones in its construction!” The wealth was impressive. But did they really see it? Its magnificence would soon be gone. It would soon lie in rubble, not one stone left upon another. And, friend, that is the way you and I should see the wealth of this world. It won’t be here long; it will soon pass away.
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? [Luke 21:7].
You will find that in Matthew’s and Mark’s gospels the emphasis is put upon the last two questions asked of the Lord Jesus: “What is the sign of Your coming?” and “the end of the age?” The return of Christ is the more important thing in Matthew, and He answers questions that relate to it. Now here in Luke He emphasizes when “there shall not be left one stone upon another”; that is, the destruction of Jerusalem. Although this is part of the Olivet Discourse, our Lord probably answered the first question of the disciples; then later, as they came to the Mount of Olives and asked Him in detail, He gave the more formal and complete statement which we find in Matthew’s gospel. Undoubtedly, our Lord gave His teachings over and over again. After all, repetition is the way we all learn.
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them [Luke 21:8].
The characteristic of the times would be that there would be false Christs, which is a feature of the age in which we live, and has been since He was here. There were false messiahs in His day, and today there are those who claim supernatural power. Although they talk a great deal about Jesus, they move themselves into His place and take to themselves the glory that should be His. I think there are quite a few false Christs walking about, and certainly false religions abound.
But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom [Luke 21:9–10].
War is another characteristic of the age. War will be intensified toward the end of the age. Although pacifism is growing, the Word of God says, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thess. 5:3). We are right now in that position. Wars identify the entire period until the Lord returns.
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven [Luke 21:11].
These are another feature of the age, probably intensified toward the end.
But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist [Luke 21:12–15].
The Lord is speaking to the nation Israel in these verses. All of these things apply specifically to the Jews. John 15:18–19 tell us, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” If you are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are not going to win any popularity contest, I can assure you.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls [Luke 21:16–19].
These verses apply directly to the 144,000 Jews who will be indestructible during the time of the Great Tribulation Period. The suffering of these Jews will be much greater during the Tribulation than it was under the German persecution with the ovens and concentration camps.
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh [Luke 21:20].
Remember they had asked Him, “When shall these things be?” (v. 7)—that is, when one stone would not be left upon another. Well, that took place when Titus the Roman besieged Jerusalem in a.d. 70. I am of the opinion that many of these men, about forty years later, remembered Christ’s words when they looked over the battlements of the walls of Jerusalem and saw the banners of Titus’ army unfurled, and said, “This is the day the Lord talked about.” (This same thing will happen again during the last days.)
Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto [Luke 21:21].
They were to do then what they are to do in the Great Tribulation Period. They were to get out of Jerusalem as quickly as possible. The great Jewish historian Josephus tells us about the horrible siege of Jerusalem. During the extended blockage of the city, mothers ate their own children. People died like flies, and the dead were thrown over the walls. Those who stayed either died of starvation or were sold as slaves. Again the Lord is drawing a miniature picture of what it is going to be like in the last days. There are those who claim that it could never happen a second time. It happened once, friend; that is a matter of history. The Lord said it would happen, and it did. He said it will happen again, and I believe He is right.
For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled [Luke 21:22–24].
The Jews were scattered. Titus put them in slavery. They built the great Colosseum in Rome. Great distress and wrath fell upon the nation of Israel. From the day that Titus entered that city, about 1900 years ago, the Jews have never been able to get the Gentiles out of Jerusalem. Gentiles have controlled Jerusalem from the day Titus conquered it until the present day. “Holy places” in Jerusalem are held by Gentiles. And there stands the Mosque of Omar where their temple should stand. Our Lord said Jerusalem would be trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. I have watched Jerusalem for a long time, and it is still trodden down by the Gentiles. The Gentiles are still in Jerusalem. Isn’t it amazing how accurate the Word of God is?
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring [Luke 21:25].
I think this has reference to the last days before Christ returns to the earth. This is the way it is going to be in the last days.
Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken [Luke 21:26].
There are people who quote this verse and say it is a picture of today. My friend, if I may use a common colloquialism of the streets, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” If you think we are seeing a fulfillment of this verse now, you are wrong. Things are bad today, I agree. Political crises and social distress are cause for great concern. Physical disturbances are overwhelming, but they are going to get much worse in the last days.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory [Luke 21:27].
Christ could return at any moment. Things are happening so fast today that the church, the body of Christ, could be taken from this earth before you have finished reading this paragraph. If it is, I hope you will be with me in His presence.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh [Luke 21:28].
Are these things beginning to come to pass? I am not in a position to know. I have no inside information. All I can say is that my salvation and redemption is nearer now than when I first believed. I know that He is coming back and that is what is important to me.
And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand [Luke 21:29–31].
I still consider the fig tree symbolic of the nation Israel. God’s timepiece is not Gruen or Bulova, but Israel. The fig tree represents Israel (see Jer. 24:1–5; Hos. 9:10).
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled [Luke 21:32].
“This generation” could refer to the race of Israel. It would then teach the indestructibility of this people. Or it could refer to a generation of people and their total life span. In that case it would mean that those who saw the beginning of these events would see the conclusion of them also. Because the emphasis appears to be on the rapidity in which these events transpire, rather than upon the permanence of the nation Israel, I favor the second explanation.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth [Luke 21:33–35].
Don’t let down your guard today, friend. Don’t give up. These are great days to live for God! I am not called upon to reform the world, or change the world. That is God’s business, not my business. He has asked me to live for Him, and He has asked me to get His Word out. That is what I am attempting to do, and I hope you are doing this also. It is very comfortable to be in the will of God.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man [Luke 21:36].
How are you going to be worthy? The only thing that will make me worthy is my position in Christ. Therefore, I have trusted Him as my Savior, and I have committed my way to Him, so that if I am alive at the time of the Rapture, I’ll be going to meet Him in the air by the grace of God.
And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him [Luke 21:37–38].
Many of us would like to have been with the group to hear Him.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: Judas plots with the chief priests to betray Jesus; Jesus plans for the last Passover and institutes the Lord’s Supper; Jesus announces His betrayal; position of the apostles in the future kingdom; Peter’s denial; Jesus warns the disciples of the future; Jesus goes to Gethsemane; Jesus betrayed by Judas; Jesus arrested and led to the High Priest’s house; Jesus denied by Peter; Jesus is mocked and beaten; Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin
JUDAS PLOTS WITH THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BETRAY JESUS
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover [Luke 22:1].
Jesus has come to Jerusalem. Six months before, in Caesarea Philippi, He had steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem to die. Everything He did from then on was a movement toward Jerusalem. The Mount of Transfiguration and the so-called triumphal entry are behind Him. It is the time of the Passover and He, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, is going to die.
And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people [Luke 22:2].
The religious rulers would have taken Him immediately and slain Him, but they were afraid of the people. It was the Passover, which meant that people from everywhere were in the city; and they were for Him. They were the silent majority.
Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve [Luke 22:3].
Is it possible for a Christian to be demonpossessed? Is it possible for Satan or a demon to enter a Christian? The answer, of course, is no. It is possible, however, for a church member who is not a Christian to be possessed. Some of the meanest people I have met were not in the Mafia or in jail but were members of a church. I have met some people in the church that I am confident were demonpossessed. It would be difficult to explain their conduct on any other basis. My friend, if you are going to stand on the sidelines and listen to the preaching of the gospel and do nothing about it but mix and mingle with God’s people, the day will come when Satan will move into the vacant house, as we saw in Luke 11:24–26. One of Satan’s demons will take up residence. That is what happened to Judas who had rejected Jesus.
And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him unto them.
And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money [Luke 22:4–5].
The religious rulers had been wondering how they were going to take Him. Now one of His own men comes along and offers to betray Him.
And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude [Luke 22:6].
The plot was: Wait until the crowd leaves Jerusalem. Wait until we can get Him alone so people will not know what we are doing. They planned to take Him secretly. Judas was to bide his time and let the religious rulers know when the time was right. Actually that time never came, because Jesus forced them to act immediately. Jesus, as recorded in the Gospel of John, gave Judas that sop in the Upper Room at the Last Supper and told him, “What you do, do quickly. The time has come. You are going to have to move hurriedly.” And Judas did just that.
JESUS PLANS FOR THE LAST PASSOVER AND INSTITUTES THE LORD’S SUPPER
Jesus and His disciples now plan the last Passover.
Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.
And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.
And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover [Luke 22:7–13].
I see no reason to read a miracle into this passage. Our Lord had been to Jerusalem many times. He knew the man who had this upper room. I am sure he had said to our Lord, “When you are in Jerusalem, bring your disciples here.” Probably the Lord had already made arrangements with him to use the room and was letting him know that He needed it at this time.
And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him [Luke 22:14].
This is the time of the Last Supper, and Judas was present.
And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come [Luke 22:15–18].
At the Passover the cup circulated several times, and I think the Lord participated up to the last cup. That was the cup of joy. He did not drink it. The question arises, “Did He ever drink that cup?” I think He did. On the cross they gave Him vinegar to drink, and in Hebrews it says, “… for the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross …” (Heb. 12:2).
On the dying embers of the fading feast of Passover, the Lord Jesus Christ fanned into flame the new feast of the Lord’s Supper.
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you [Luke 22:19–20].
The Lord took two of the most frail elements in the world as symbols of His body and blood. Bread and wine—both will spoil in a few days. When He raised a monument, it was not made of brass or marble, but of two frail elements that perish. He declared that the bread spoke of His body and the wine spoke of His blood. The bread speaks of His body broken—not a bone broken but a broken body because He was made sin for us (see 2 Cor. 5:21). I do not believe He even looked human when He was taken down from that cross. Isaiah had said of Him, “… his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14); and “… there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isa. 53:2).
For centuries the Passover feast had looked forward to the Lord’s coming and His death. Now He is in the shadow of the cross, and this is the last Passover. The Passover feast has now been fulfilled. We gather about the Lord’s Table and search our hearts. What we do at this Table is in remembrance of Him. We look back to what He did for us on the cross, and we look forward to His coming again. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26).
JESUS ANNOUNCES HIS BETRAYAL
But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table [Luke 22:21].
The one who was going to betray Him was in their midst. There are those who believe that Judas actually left before the institution of the Lord’s Supper. I think that is accurate. Luke doesn’t give the chronological order; he gives us those facts necessary to the purpose of his commentary. John makes it clear that during the Passover our Lord took the sop, gave it to Judas, and said, “That thou doest, do quickly” (see John 13:26–30). Then Judas left.
And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing [Luke 22:22–23].
Every one of the disciples believed he was capable of denying and betraying the Lord. If you are honest, you know that you also could betray Him. If He did not keep His hand on me, I could deny Him in the next five minutes. Thank God, however, He will not take His hand off me, and I rejoice in that.
POSITION OF THE APOSTLES IN THE FUTURE KINGDOM
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest [Luke 22:24].
These men who had recognized how low they could stoop also had ambitions to be the greatest. Can you imagine that? Right in the shadow of the cross these men are grasping for position. We see that in the church today. The saints today are not much of an improvement over the apostles.
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth [Luke 22:25–27].
The Lord is telling them that He has taken the lower position. That is what He did when He took my place on the cross. It is like a master getting up from the table and telling his servant, “You sit down and eat, and I will serve you.” When Jesus Christ came to earth, all mankind should have been His servant! Instead, He served mankind. He set a table of salvation and has invited us to this great feast of salvation.
Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations [Luke 22:28].
The Lord is gracious to His disciples and commends them for continuing with Him through His testings here on earth.
And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel [Luke 22:29–30].
I am sure the apostles will have a special place in the kingdom. They bridged the gap between the Old and New Testaments. They came out of the Old Testament economy and moved into the New Testament economy. You and I are not in that position today. None of us fits into that particular place because chronologically they bridged the gap. They will be given a prominent position and will not only eat and drink at the Lord’s table but will also sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. That will be their position.
The child of God has some great things in store for the future. The redeemed are going to occupy exalted positions. I wonder if you are working for a place in heaven. I do not mean to say that you should work for your salvation. You do not work for salvation, but you do work for your place in heaven. You are going to heaven by the grace of God, but you are going to be judged according to your works to see what position will be yours. Are you interested in your good works? You should be!
Now I believe that the only thing God will judge is the exercise of the gift He gave us. He gives us a gift when we are put into the body of believers at the time of salvation, and there are literally thousands of gifts. The subject of gifts is an interesting one. Do you know what one of the gifts was in the early church? There was a woman named Dorcas who sewed. Sewing was her gift. She made clothes for widows who otherwise would not have had any clothes. You will be rewarded according to your faithfulness in exercising the gift God has given to you. The way you live your Christian life is important before God, my beloved.
PETER’S DENIAL
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren [Luke 22:31–32].
The word converted in this passage does not mean conversion as we think of it. The Lord is speaking about the time when Peter will have a change of heart and mind and his faith will be increased. At that time such a tremendous change would be wrought in Peter that he would be able to strengthen his brethren. The Lord knew that Peter would deny Him, and yet He said, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
The Lord today is our intercessor. He knows when you are moving toward the place of failure and stumbling. If you belong to Him, my friend, He has already prayed for you that your faith fail not. You may fail Him, but if you belong to Him, your faith will not fail. The reason your faith will not fail is because He has prayed for you. My, what a picture of His love!
In John 17:9 our Lord prayed to the Father, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” The Lord does not pray for the world. He died for the world, and you cannot ask Him to do any more than that. He died for the world, but He prays for His own that they will be kept while they are in the world. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed for you today. It may be that you did not pray for yourself but He has prayed for you.
Peter was later able to strengthen his brethren. The man who has been tested is the man who is really able to help others, even if he has failed and has come back to the Lord. This is the reason I always send a converted drunkard to talk to a drunkard. When I was a young preacher, one drunkard whom I tried to help just patted me on the knee and said, “Vernon you are a good boy.” However, he did not think I could understand his case. He was right; I could not. I found a man who had been an old drunken bum before coming to Christ and asked him to see this man. He went to his home, sat down beside him, and said, “Bill, you know you and I used to drink together. Jesus has saved me, and He can save you too.” And He did—He saved Bill too. The man who has been through the experience himself is the one who can help.
And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death [Luke 22:33].
Peter meant every word of this, but he did not know himself, Many of us do not really know how weak we are.
And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me [Luke 22:34].
Simon Peter simply did not believe that he could deny his Lord, but he did—before that night was over.
JESUS WARNS THE DISCIPLES OF THE FUTURE
And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing [Luke 22:35].
It is marvelous the way the disciples were provided for during that particular period of time when the Lord sent them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He is now going to send them on a new mission with a new message. They will actually have a new audience because they will not be confined to Israel but will carry the message to the world.
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one [Luke 22:36].
You had better pack suitcase and get your traveler’s checks if you are going out for the Lord today and give out the gospel. You had better be prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones. We are living in difficult days. The Lord said, “He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” Why? For self protection, of course. They were living in days that required a sword. We need to recognize that fact also. If we do not resist evil today, all kinds of evil will befall us. We could end up in the hospital or have some of our loved ones slain.
For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end [Luke 22:37].
When the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ put Him to death on the cross, that ended His payment for the sins of the world.
And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough [Luke 22:38].
You do not need to overdo this thing and make your home an armed garrison, but you do need to protect yourself.
JESUS GOES TO GETHSEMANE
Gethsemane is holy ground, so I need to remove my spiritual shoes as I stand on this sacred spot, and remove my spiritual hat as I gaze in rapture upon Him. Many people glibly sing, “I’ll go with Him through the garden.” I cannot go with Him through the garden. The Lord Jesus left His disciples outside the garden. I will stay outside with them and peer over the wall into the darkness and listen to the travail of His soul. If our hearts are sensible, we shall thank God for the One who pressed the cup of our sorrow and suffering to His lips and drank to the very dregs. We cannot penetrate the darkness of the garden, but we can understand more fully the significance of the cup as He gave it to His own in the Upper Room. Everywhere I have tasted the cup, it has been sweet. He drank the bitter cup that my cup might be sweet. There is a mystery and a depth in that garden but not ambiguity or obscurity. We will do well to worship as we behold Him in the garden and catch the note of His voice.
Now we see through a glass darkly. It was Gregory of Nazianzen who years ago wrote: “I love God because I know Him. I adore Him, because I cannot comprehend Him.” So I worship at the Garden of Gethsemane, and I do not try to have all the answers.
And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation [Luke 22:39–10].
There are two expressions in this passage that are quite interesting. The first one is “as he was wont” and the second one is “at the place.” Apparently the Lord did not stay in the city of Jerusalem at night. We have seen this to be true in the so-called triumphal entry. He had been rejected by the city, and so He rejected the city. It is thought that He spent every night for the final week of His life either in the garden or in Bethany.
After the Lord’s Supper He went to the garden. On that last night an unfamiliar transaction took place there. Although I don’t know all about it, it is obvious that He wrestled with an unseen foe. He overcame the enemy there and gained the victory. The victory of Calvary was won in Gethsemane. You see, at the beginning of our Lord’s ministry, Satan came and tempted Him. Satan offered our Lord the kingdoms of the world if He would worship him but He would have to miss the cross, of course. Then we are told, by Dr. Luke, that Satan left Him “… for a season” (Luke 4:13). When did Satan return? I presume Satan returned many times, but there was a special effort at the beginning of the Lord’s ministry to get Him to avoid the cross, and now at the end of the Lord’s ministry this is the temptation of Satan again.
You will recall that during His ministry the Lord told His disciples that He would suffer many things and that His enemies would put Him to death. Peter replied, “… Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (Matt. 16:22). Do you remember the Lord’s answer to Peter? The Lord said, “… Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matt. 16:23). Satan’s theology has no place for the cross of Christ. It was Satan who came to Him in the garden. It was at this time that the Lord said to His disciples, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done [Luke 22:41–42].
How far can you throw a stone? That is how far our Lord went ahead of His disciples before He kneeled down to pray. He prayed that the cup might be removed. This is a topic that has caused quite a bit of discussion. There are those who believe that He was afraid He would die before He got to the cross. I do not wish to be dogmatic, but I do not see the sense of that theory. There is no merit in a Roman cross. There is no merit in the wood. The merit is in the One who died. If He had died on the gallows or in the electric chair, His death would have had just as much value. If Christ had died in the Garden of Gethsemane, it still would have been His death that had the merit. The cup, I think, was the cross, and I do not mean the suffering of death. The cup was that He was made sin for us. He is the Holy One of God. When my sin was put upon Him, it was repulsive. I do not know why we think we are so attractive to God. My sin put upon Christ was repulsive and awful. It was terrible, and for a moment He rebelled against it. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane under the shadow of the cross that the Tempter came to offer the Lord once again the crown without the cross. The Lord, however, had come to do His Father’s will and so He could say “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” He committed Himself to His Father’s will, although bearing your sin and mine was so repulsive to Him.
And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him [Luke 22:43].
There was an angelic ministry at the time of our Lord’s temptation in the desert. Now there is an angelic ministry in the garden when Satan comes to tempt Him again. Luke alone recalls this fact.
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground [Luke 22:44].
Only Dr. Luke tells us that the Lord sweat great drops of blood. The Lord showed a tremendous physical reaction to the agony and conflict that confronted Him. I cannot explain what happened and do not propose to try. I am not, however, impressed by the biological explanations offered today. I realize there are some wonderful Christian doctors that have come up with some interesting explanations, but I still am not impressed. He shed His blood for me and I bow in reverence and worship.
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord
passed through,
Ere He found His sheep that was lost:
From “The Ninety and Nine”—Elizabeth C. Clephane
One of the tragic things of the moment is all of the American boys who have bled and died on various battlefields around the world to keep America free. How many Americans appreciate what they have done? I am not impressed with the crowd that protests war while they are living it up in pleasure-mad America. However, there is a worse tragedy than this. Christ’s heart was broken because of our lost condition. He bled and died for our eternal liberty. He said, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He loved a lost world so much that He went to the very depths of hell itself to offer it salvation. And the world spurns the Holy One of God, the spotless Savior who was made sin for us. Let me ask you a question. Have you rejected Him? Have you spurned Him? Are you ungrateful for what He did for you?
Stand in the hush of Gethsemane and listen. Do you hear the sob of His soul? Do you hear the falling drops of blood? Look yonder in the garden by an olive tree and see, bending low in agonizing prayer, the Savior who took upon Himself your humanity and mine. The next day He went to the cross.
JESUS BETRAYED BY JUDAS
And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? [Luke 22:45–48].
This is the basest act of treachery ever recorded. It is foul and loathsome. Judas knew our Lord’s accustomed place of retirement, and he led the enemy there. A kiss is a badge of love and affection. Judas used it to betray Christ, which makes his act more dastardly and repugnant. It is well to observe that our Lord in His humanity was not different from other men. He needed to be identified in a crowd. This marks the moment that Jesus was delivered into the hands of sinful men.
When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness [Luke 22:49–53].
The disciples thought it was time to use that sword. It was not the time to use the sword, however, because Jesus was now on His way to the cross. The sword was for their personal defense after He was gone. Darkness and light met at the cross of Christ.
JESUS ARRESTED AND LED TO THE HIGH PRIEST’S HOUSE
Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off [Luke 22:54].
It is a dangerous thing to follow the Lord afar off. This is what Peter did. Jesus is arrested and brought before Caiaphas, the high priest acceptable to Rome. Annas, his father-in-law, was actually the high priest according to the Mosaic Law. Jesus was first brought before Annas which is recorded by John. Some believe Annas was the real rascal in back of the plot to kill Jesus. This was a meeting of the Sanhedrin. Peter was moving toward his shameful fall as he followed afar off and then sat with the wrong crowd.
JESUS DENIED BY PETER
And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.
But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not [Luke 22:55–57].
While the farce of the trial of Jesus was in progress, Simon Peter was in the place of great temptation. A little wisp of a maid caused Him to deny His Lord. Peter was ashamed to be known as a follower of Jesus at this time. Have we ever been in a similar position? May God forgive our cowardice and weakness as He did that of Peter.
And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean [Luke 22:58–59].
Another person pointed him out as a follower of Jesus when he attempted to get in with a different crowd. Again Simon Peter denied it and withdrew to a different spot. This time his weakness in wanting to talk too much got him into trouble. His speech gave him away as a Galilaean.
And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew [Luke 22:60].
Friend, if Peter had left things like this, it would have been his finish. He would have ended like Judas Iscariot, but notice what happened:
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
And Peter went out, and wept bitterly [Luke 22:61–62].
Simon Peter loved Jesus, and he was sincere when he promised to be loyal to Him, but he did not know his own weakness. He had not yet come to the place where he saw no good in the flesh at all. Peter wept. These were tears of genuine repentance.
Any child of God can come back to Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Simon Peter was as bad as Judas—he did not sell Him, but he denied Him. The difference between Judas and Peter is that Peter repented. Our Lord prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.
JESUS IS MOCKED AND BEATEN
And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
And many other things blasphemously spake they against him [Luke 22:63–65].
The chief priests and elders took Jesus to the home of Annas. It was illegal to hold Christ without a charge, but they held Him until they could formulate one in a meeting of the Sanhedrin. You see, they arrested Him before they had a plan. The interesting thing is that they did not intend to take Him as quickly as they did. Probably Judas had come to them and said, “You better get Him while you can,” thinking He might leave the city. The Lord, of course, had no intention of leaving. Have you ever noticed the many things that were illegal in the trial of Jesus? The religious rulers arrested Him for breaking the Mosaic Law; yet they broke the Law by trying Him at night and by rendering a decision the same day He was tried, which too was illegal. Also the high priest tore his garment, which was specifically prohibited by the Law.
The religious rulers put Jesus into the hands of soldiers until a charge was made against Him. If the death sentence was going to be brought against a prisoner, the soldiers played games with him. The game they played with the Lord was called “hot hand.” Each soldier would double up his fist in front of the blindfolded prisoner and hit him. Only one soldier would not hit him. Then the blindfold was removed and the prisoner was to guess which soldier had not hit him. They played the game again and again until I think they beat the face of Christ to a pulp. I doubt that anyone could have recognized Him. There was no form left to His face. “… his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14). The Lord must have been a frightful sight after they got through with Him. This is one of the reasons He could not carry His cross.
JESUS IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,
Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God [Luke 22:66–69].
The Sanhedrin asked Jesus two questions. The first one was, “Art thou the Christ?” If the Lord had answered yes, He could have been charged with treason because anyone claiming to be a messiah was regarded by Rome as potentially dangerous. In Psalm 110:1 the Father says to the Son, “… Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am [Luke 22:70].
This is their second charge.
And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth [Luke 22:71].
This is the basis on which they agreed to have Him crucified. Notice, however, it is not the charge they brought before the Roman court. When they moved from the Jewish court to a Roman court they changed the charges.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: Jesus is brought before Pilate; Jesus is brought before Herod and Barabbas is released; Jesus foretells destruction of Jerusalem and prays for His enemies; Jesus is crucified; Jesus mocked by rulers and soldiers; Jesus mocked by one thief—the other thief turns to Jesus and is accepted by Him; Jesus dismisses His spirit; Jesus is placed in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea
JESUS IS BROUGHT BEFORE PILATE
And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King [Luke 23:1–2].
Pilate was the Roman governor of Palestine. He usually came to Jerusalem during the time of the Passover to keep an eye on the crowds that came to celebrate the feast. Since a violation of the Mosaic Law would carry absolutely no weight with a Roman, they accused Him of treason which was utterly absurd.
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it [Luke 23:3].
Imagine this scene. Here is a carpenter in peasant garment standing before Pilate. The Jewish religious leaders have arrested Him. Pilate asks Him a question that I’m sure seemed preposterous, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Thou sayest it.” Or, “It is as you say.” It was a clear statement of fact. And Pilate wanted to let Him go.
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man [Luke 23:4].
Pilate is saying that Jesus had committed no crime for which He could be charged.
And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place [Luke 23:5].
Now the religious rulers accuse Jesus of leading a revolution. They say that He had rebelled against constituted authority.
JESUS IS BROUGHT BEFORE HEROD AND BARABBAS IS RELEASED
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.
And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time [Luke 23:6–7].
Pilate wanted to get off the hook. Since Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction and Herod was also in Jerusalem, Pilate sent Jesus to him. I do not believe it was an accident that Herod was in Jerusalem.
And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him [Luke 23:8].
Prior to this time Jesus had told the Pharisees to deliver a message to Herod which was, “Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils [demons], and I do cures to-day and to-mor-row, and the third day I shall be perfected” (Luke 13:32). Herod’s curiosity was excited about Jesus and he wanted to see Him.
Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing [Luke 23:9].
Our Lord did not have one word for Herod. He was an old fox. He had gone past the point of no return; he was on his way to a lost eternity. He was a member of the notorious Herod family, and our Lord made no effort to reach him.
And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves [Luke 23:10–12].
Can’t you see the religious rulers jumping up and down and doing everything they could to see that Jesus was convicted? Herod could see that he was not going to get anywhere with Jesus; so with his men of war he decided to mock Him. The “gorgeous robe” they put upon Him was undoubtedly one of Herod’s cast-off robes which they used to mock Jesus’ claims of royalty. Since there was nothing else Herod could do, he decided to send Jesus back to Pilate. Here is the beginning of an ecumenical movement! Before this problem of Jesus arose, Herod and Pilate had been enemies. Now they come together because they are both opposed to Jesus.
And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him [Luke 23:13–15].
Pilate felt that there was nothing with which they could accuse Jesus. Herod had done nothing but mock Him, put a robe on Him, and send Him back to Pilate. The charges were not worth considering.
I will therefore chastise him, and release him [Luke 23:16].
Wait a minute! That is wrong. If Jesus is guilty of something, He should be punished. If He is innocent, He should be set free. To chastise Him and let Him go is compromise. I agree with Marlowe, the Englishman, that compromise is the most immoral word in the English language.
(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
(Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus [Luke 23:17–26].
Pilate is trying to escape making a decision about Jesus, but he cannot. Careful analysis of Pilate’s part in the trial will reveal that he is on trial and Jesus is the Judge. Jesus is not trying to escape, but Pilate is. Pilate sought for an easy escape from these astute religious politicians. He hit upon giving them a choice between Barabbas and Jesus. To him the decision was obvious. He detected that they wanted Jesus dead because of envy. Pilate did not reckon with the depth to which religion can sink when it goes wrong. Matthew tells us that the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude to ask for Barabbas. Pilate was startled when the crowd demanded Barabbas to be released. Imagine a judge asking a crowd for their decision as to what should be done with a man on trial! He decided that Jesus was innocent; yet he handed Jesus over to be crucified. What Roman justice!
Pilate finally had to make a decision, just as every man today has to make a decision relative to Jesus Christ. What have you decided about Him?
JESUS FORETELLS DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND PRAYS FOR HIS ENEMIES
And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us [Luke 23:27–30].
On His way to the cross He spoke to women who were crying about Him. He said there was a day coming when it would be better not to bring children into the world, referring to the time of the Great Tribulation. Then He told the women not to weep for Him. He does not want our sympathy; He wants our faith. He did not have to die, and He did not die to gain our sympathy.
JESUS IS CRUCIFIED
And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left [Luke 23:33].
Two criminals were crucified with the Lord.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots [Luke 23:34].
The Lord asked His Father to forgive the crowd for crucifying Him. If He had not done this, the crowd would have been guilty of committing the unpardonable sin of putting to death the Son of God.
JESUS MOCKED BY RULERS AND SOLDIERS
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God [Luke 23:35].
If Jesus had come down from the cross, He would not have been the Christ. He would not have fulfilled all of Isaiah 53 which speaks of His death. “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isa. 53:8). Because Jesus Christ stayed on the cross, we can be healed of sin, the awful plague of mankind.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS [Luke 23:36–38].
When Jesus was crucified, they put a superscription over Him in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. Greek was the language of intelligence, of education, of literature, and of science. Latin was the language of law and order, of the military and of government. Hebrew was the language of religion. When Christ returns to set up His kingdom, He will be the political ruler, the educational ruler, and the spiritual ruler of this universe. How accurate the superscription was!
By the way, to get the full superscription, we have to put together all four gospel records.
JESUS MOCKED BY ONE THIEF—THE OTHER THIEF TURNS TO JESUS AND IS ACCEPTED BY HIM
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss [Luke 23:39–41].
Both Matthew and Mark tell us that in the beginning both thieves ridiculed the Lord Jesus. But during the six hours that they were on the cross, especially the last three hours, one thief saw that something unusual was taking place. He recognized that this One dying on the cross was not dying for Himself but for another. Although he knew Barabbas should be on that cross, he also seemed to realize He was dying for him. He recognized that this was a transaction between God and the Man on the cross, and the Man on the cross was God. Then he turned to Him in faith.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise [Luke 23:42–43].
That very day this thief who was not fit to live on earth, according to the Roman government, went to be with the Lord. This man was a bad thief, not a good one, but because of his faith in the Son of God he became a saved thief. This man had faith to believe that the Lord Jesus was coming into a kingdom, and it would come after His death! Obviously, this thief had come a long way theologically while hanging on that cross.
Our Lord made the remarkable statement that this thief would be in paradise with Him that very day. These two thieves had been arrested for the same crime, tried for the same crime, condemned for the same crime, and were dying for the same crime. What was the difference between them? There wasn’t any—both were thieves. The difference lies in the fact that one thief believed in Jesus Christ and one did not.
Many years ago I was playing tennis with a friend of mine who was liberal in his theology. I asked him, “What would you tell the thief on the cross? Would you tell him to run on errands of mercy? Would you tell him to use his hands for deeds of kindness?” He looked at me rather startled. I said, “Well, come on, that’s what you tell your people to do.” “Yes,” he said, “but they can do those things.” “But what are you going to tell this poor thief? What could he do? His hands and feet are not coming down from that cross until they come down in death. And, by the way, what church would you ask him to join? What ceremony would you ask him to go through?”
Friend, our Lord said to that thief, “Today you’ll be with Me in paradise.” He went into the presence of God because of His faith in Christ.
JESUS DISMISSES HIS SPIRIT
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst [Luke 23:44–45].
Christ’s life was symbolized by the veil which actually shut out man from God in the Old Testament economy. When Christ died on the cross, the veil was torn in two so that the way to the Father was open!
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost [Luke 23:46].
Remember, once again, that this is Dr. Luke speaking from a doctor’s viewpoint. He had been in the presence of many people who had died. He knew how they died, and He knew how our Lord died. Our Lord’s death was different. It has been my unpleasant duty to be in the presence of folk who are dying. There is what is commonly known as the “death rattle” when one draws his last breath. It is always with a struggle and with great effort. The two thieves on their crosses undoubtedly died that way, but the Lord Jesus did not. He voluntarily died. He dismissed His spirit. Did you notice what He said? “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” with a loud voice; it doesn’t sound like a man whose life is ebbing away. John adds that His final word was a shout of victory—“Tetelestai!” It is finished!
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man [Luke 23:47].
The centurion, I believe, became a saved man. He had charge of the crucifixion of Christ. At the foot of the cross he looked up and saw that something unusual was taking place, and he could glorify God. He saw that Christ was a righteous man. The other gospel writers add to Luke’s account that the centurion said that He was the Son of God. I realize that the centurion’s confession of faith was not enough to join the average Bible church, but let us put him back where he stands. He is at the Crucifixion. He knew nothing about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He had never read any books on theology. This poor fellow was in the dark, but he couldn’t have said anything that revealed his faith more than this.
And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned [Luke 23:48].
There was an ominous and fearful sort of atmosphere about the death of Christ. No gospel writer describes the death of Christ in detail. It is as if the Spirit of God pulled down the veil because the Crucifixion was too horrible to gaze upon. There is nothing here to satisfy your curiosity. Mankind was shut out from what happened on the cross. Just as we had to stand on the fringe at the Garden of Gethsemane, certainly we have to stand on the fringe of what happened at the cross. We can only look up and trust the One who is dying there for us.
And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things [Luke 23:49].
JESUS IS PLACED IN THE NEW TOMB OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHAEA
The final section of this chapter deals with the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which belong together. Paul wrote, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). These are the facts of the gospel. What is your relationship to these facts? Jesus died. He was buried. He rose again from the dead. What does that mean to you? Do you believe He died for you? Do you believe that when He was buried your sins were absolutely buried too, so that the sin question was settled? Do you believe that He rose again, and you rose with Him? To believe this puts us in Christ. God sees us in Christ. His righteousness becomes our righteousness; His standing becomes our standing, which is all that you and I have of which we can boast today.
And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just [Luke 23:50].
This man Joseph was obviously a very prominent man. He was a member of the Sanhedrin. He apparently exercised a lot of influence. He was, however, a man who stood alone when he took a stand for Christ.
(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God [Luke 23:51].
Although Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, he did not agree with the action they took, which tells us that the Sanhedrin did not act unanimously when they put down the edict to have the Lord Jesus Christ crucified. He was what could be called a pious, religious man; then having come face-to-face with Christ, he had taken a stand for Him. Apparently there were many believers in the Lord who were not open about it like the disciples were. However at the time of the Crucifixion the disciples went underground, and those that had been underground came out in the open. Joseph and Nicodemus were two prominent men who finally openly declared their trust in the Savior. John’s gospel tells us that Nicodemus joined with Joseph in burying the Lord Jesus. They were the undertakers who had charge of His burial.
This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus [Luke 23:52].
The faith of Joseph is out in the open now. As a man of means and influence he asks for the body of Jesus.
And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid [Luke 23:53].
The question arises, “Where was the tomb in which Jesus was laid?” There are two places today that are said to be that tomb. One place has a Roman Catholic church built over it, and the other one is outside the city wall. I, personally, do not believe that either place is where Jesus was buried. There were several groups that so hated Christ and Christianity that they would have removed every vestige and reminder of Him. The forces of Rome under Titus, in a.d. 70, destroyed and actually plowed the city of Jerusalem. The tomb known as the Garden Tomb, which is shown to tourists, somehow escaped destruction. I am sure it is not the tomb in which the body of Jesus was placed, although His tomb was undoubtedly somewhere in that area. God would not leave anything like the tomb intact, because certain people would make it a fetish rather than making the Lord Jesus the object of worship. When I was in Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb, one lady in our tour got down on her hands and knees and began to kiss the floor of the tomb; then she began to weep and howl! There is no value in that! Even if it were the tomb in which He was buried, the value is not in the tomb but in the One who is at God’s right hand today, the living Savior. Let us turn our attention to Him.
And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid [Luke 23:54–55].
This little group of loyal women, who probably performed the menial tasks for our Lord and His disciples, were with Him to the very end.
As to the actual day of His death, the Bible does not say that He died for our sins on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. The Bible simply says that Jesus died for our sins. We should not waste time arguing about which day it was. I do think, however, that since it says the Sabbath drew on, it was Friday. The women saw how the body of Jesus was laid. In other words, it was not a finished burial. Later Nicodemus and Joseph wrapped the linen around the body in mummy fashion. John’s gospel adds that they wound it in linen clothes with the spices (about one hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes), as “… the manner of the Jews is to bury” (John 19:40).
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment [Luke 23:56].
Because the Sabbath day was a day of rest, they did not come to the tomb. They prepared the spices to put on the Lord’s body, but they wasted their spices because by the time they came to do it, His body was no longer in the tomb. Mary of Bethany, you recall, had anointed His body while He was alive and was criticized for wasting the precious ointment. But hers was not wasted.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Jesus is raised from the dead—leaves Joseph’s tomb; Jesus goes down the road to Emmaus—reveals Himself to two disciples; Jesus goes to the assembled disciples—reveals Himself to the Eleven; Jesus gives commission to go; Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit; Jesus ascends to heaven in the attitude of blessing His own
JESUS IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD—LEAVES JOSEPH’S TOMB
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them [Luke 24:1].
The women came bringing their spices. I have always wanted to ask those women what they did with those spices. Mary was rebuked when she anointed the living Lord, “Why are you wasting this expensive ointment?” (see John 12:5). But her ointment was not wasted. The spices of these women were not used, and I think they went to waste. The women were probably so excited that they just left the spices at the tomb.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre [Luke 24:2].
The stone was not rolled away to let the Lord Jesus out but to let them in.
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus [Luke 24:3].
He had already left.
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
And they remembered his words [Luke 24:4–8].
The question, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” was a good one. Why did the women come, and why did Peter (and John) come running to the tomb? They were seeking the dead among the dead; they were not seeking the living. They did not believe that the Lord Jesus Christ would come back from the dead. Some people feel there is conflict among the Gospels concerning the morning of the Resurrection and the events which took place. A thorough study of the Gospels will reveal that there is no conflict at all. Each writer is presenting a different facet of the Resurrection. Luke tells us about the coming of the women to the tomb and dwells on that. The women remembered these words of Jesus when the angels reminded them. Sometimes you can hear something—and almost know it is true—but do not believe it. That is the way a lot of people treat the Word of God today. All of the gospel writers make it abundantly clear that the Lord Jesus told His disciples again and again that He was going to Jerusalem to die, and be raised again on the third day. They heard what He said but somehow they really did not believe it.
And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles [Luke 24:9–10].
You would think the apostles would be greatly impressed by what the women told them, but notice their reaction:
And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not [Luke 24:11].
You would have thought that these women would have been considered credible witnesses and their testimony would have been accepted. The first disbelievers of the Resurrection were the apostles themselves. Yet our Lord had told them over and over what was going to happen concerning His death and resurrection.
Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass [Luke 24:12].
Simon Peter had to turn over in his mind all the evidence before he came to a decision about what had happened. I do not think he was quite as alert mentally as was John the apostle. John tells us in his gospel that when he went to the tomb and looked in, he believed. John was convinced about the Lord’s resurrection immediately, but Simon Peter had to think about it for awhile.
JESUS GOES DOWN THE ROAD TO EMMAUS—REVEALS HIMSELF TO TWO DISCIPLES
Now we come to the road to Emmaus. The Emmaus road is an interesting one to be on. We hear a lot today about being on the Jericho road—but that’s where you fall among thieves. I would much rather take the Emmaus road where we meet our resurrected Lord.
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three-score furlongs [Luke 24:13].
There is some question as to the distance of Emmaus from Jerusalem. It was probably about seven miles.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him [Luke 24:14–16].
On the road to Emmaus the Lord joined two disciples who were talking about Him. They had not seen the Lord, and candidly, they did not believe that He had risen from the dead. They did not believe that the One who had joined them on the road was the resurrected Christ. To begin with, they were not looking for Him at all.
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? [Luke 24:17].
Jesus raised the question.
And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? [Luke 24:18].
This question, raised by Cleopas, reveals a sidelight not given by anyone but Dr. Luke. The arrest, Crucifixion, and purported Resurrection from the dead had stirred Jerusalem. These two men could not believe that there was anyone in the area that did not know about it. It would be like walking down the street in your hometown with a friend and discussing the trip to the moon. A stranger joins you and says, “You mean someone has been to the moon?” You would naturally react. It would be difficult for someone to live in this day and age and not know that someone has been to the moon and back to earth. It was just as incredible to these disciples that someone had not heard about the events of the past few days. Paul, in his defense before King Agrippa, said that he was persuaded that none of these things were hidden from him “… for this thing was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). It was not something that was done secretly. It was public news, and everyone in the area was talking about it.
And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people [Luke 24:19].
Did you notice what they said? They said that He “was a prophet.” They thought He was dead. They did not believe that He had come back from the dead.
And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him [Luke 24:20].
Now they gave a witness to the death of Christ.
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done [Luke 24:21].
These men were saying that they had hoped Jesus Christ was the Prophet that would redeem Israel, but now it was too late. He had been crucified. He was dead. They did not have much faith in what this Prophet had said, you can be sure of that.
Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive [Luke 24:22–23].
These men did not believe the report of the women. They did not believe the tomb was empty. You can see how much unbelief there was in the Resurrection at this time. But there is a little hope and a little light that breaks upon the thinking of these two men.
And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not [Luke 24:24].
Just as it seemed their faith ballooned up, they put a pin in it—“but him they saw not.” They did not know what had happened, but somehow the body had been taken away. They were not prepared to explain what had taken place, but the fact remained that no one had seen the Lord.
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken [Luke 24:25].
This is a very important section, friend. The Lord, in speaking about His resurrection, did not show them the prints of the nails in His hands to prove it. He referred them to the Scriptures rather than to the nail prints. He told them, “You should have believed what the prophets said.” It is well to note the Lord’s attitude toward the Bible. The day in which we live is a day of doubt. There are people who are actually saying that you cannot be intelligent and believe the Bible. Many people are afraid that they will not be considered intelligent; so they don’t come out flat-footed and say whether they believe the Bible or not. I suppose it is the most subtle and satanic trap of our day to discount the inerrancy and integrity of the Word of God. Christ says a man is a fool not to believe it. He gave an unanimous and wholehearted acceptance of the Bible’s statements, with no ifs, ands, or buts.
The other day I picked up a seminary professor and took him to a filling station, because he had car trouble. As we rode along, I asked him about his school’s viewpoint of the inerrancy of Scripture. “Well,” he said, “you mean the infallibility of the Bible?” I replied, “Wait a minute, you are arguing semantics. You know what I mean, and I know what you mean. Do you or do you not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture?” Well, he wouldn’t make a forthright declaration whether or not he believed it. He wanted to appear intelligent. Frankly, a lot of these men do not have the intestinal fortitude to stand for the Word of God. I think their problem is more intestinal than intellectual!
Now notice that the Lord puts the emphasis upon the Word of God.
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself [Luke 24:26–27].
He began with Moses and the prophets. Moses and the prophets had spoken of Him. His death and resurrection had fulfilled their prophecies. I’d love to have been there that evening, listening to Him, wouldn’t you? Christ says that there are two things which are essential to the understanding of the Word of God. They are simple but important. First, as verse 25 indicates, we must have faith in the Bible. Christ said, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” Pascal said, “Human knowledge must be understood to be believed, but divine knowledge must be believed to be understood.” I think the Bible is a closed book to the critic and the infidel. He can learn a few facts, but he misses the message. On the other hand, some simple soul whose heart is turned in humble faith to God will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit of God. The eyes of his understanding will be opened. Great men of the past have come to the pages of Scripture for light and life in the hours of darkness or crisis. It is not smart to ridicule the Bible. The Lord said, “You are a fool not to believe it.” I would rather lack sophistication and subtlety than to be a fool.
Then the Lord says that the Bible can only be divinely understood. Human intellect is simply not enough to comprehend its truths. Verse 45 tells us: “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” Then in 1 Corinthians 2:14 Paul declares, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” There are things that are above and beyond human comprehension, and only the Holy Spirit of God can make them real to us. Our prayer ought to be, “Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Word.” We should come with a humble attitude to the Word of God. Just because you read the Bible does not mean that you know it. The Holy Spirit of God will have to make it real to you.
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight [Luke 24:28–31].
The resurrected, glorified Christ wants to fellowship with those who are His own. He only fellowships with those who believe in Him. They wanted Him to stay with them, and He was known to them at the table in the breaking of ths bread.
Eating around a table is a wonderful time to share the things of Christ. There is nothing wrong with a church banquet, provided it is not all given over to hearing some soloist, or watching a magician, or some type of entertainment. We have too many church programs that leave Jesus Christ out. To have true fellowship and blessing, He must be in the midst breaking the bread.
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them [Luke 24:32–33].
Late as it is, they hurry back over the miles with the wonderful news.
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath apoeared to Simon [Luke 24:34].
The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Simon Peter privately because there was something that needed to be straightened out. Remember that Peter had denied Him. The restoration to fellowship was a personal and private transaction between Peter and his Lord.
JESUS GOES TO THE ASSEMBLED DISCIPLES—REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE ELEVEN
And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit [Luke 24:35–37].
I am sure our reaction would have been the same if we had been there.
And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have [Luke 24:38–39].
I do not want to labor this point, but the glorified body of our Lord was flesh and bones and not flesh and blood. His blood had been shed on the cross.
And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
And he took it, and did eat before them [Luke 24:40–43].
This is a master stroke and Dr. Luke shares it with us. The proof that He, our Lord and Savior, is a human being is that He could eat food.
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures [Luke 24:44–45].
They simply had not believed His Word. In order to understand the Bible you have to have the Spirit of God open your mind and heart. Only the Spirit can make Bible study real to you.
JESUS GIVES COMMISSION TO GO
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem [Luke 24:46–47].
Notice the global outlook of these verses. The viewpoint here is worldwide. This gospel is to go to the ends of the earth.
JESUS PROMISES TO SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT
And ye are witnesses of these things.
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high [Luke 24:48–49].
Men witnessing to the world was His method. And the message was that He died and rose again from the dead, and that, by trusting Him, sinners could be saved. The power to carry the witness to the world is the Holy Spirit.
JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN IN THE ATTITUDE OF BLESSING HIS OWN
And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven [Luke 24:50–51].
The last time the disciples saw the Lord He was in the attitude of blessing. When He comes the next time He will come in judgment upon the world. He will not come in judgment for the church; He will come in blessing. We are to look with great joy and anticipation for His coming.
And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
And were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen [Luke 24:52–53].
This is the testimony of the Gospel of Luke. I trust that it has been a blessing to you. My own heart has been blessed, my mind enriched, and my will strengthened. Because I have studied again this marvelous Gospel of Luke, I want to know Him better. I hope you do too.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Geldenhuys, Norval. Commentary on the Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951.
Hendriksen, William. Exposition of the Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1978. (Very comprehensive.)
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on the Gospel of Luke. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1947.
Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Gospel of Luke. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d. Luck, G. Coleman. Luke. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, n.d. (Concise survey.)
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Gospel According to Luke. Old Tiappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, n.d.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to St. Luke. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Outline Studies in the Gospel of St. Luke. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1950.
Van Ryn, August. Meditations in Luke. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Vos, Howard F. Beginnings in the Life of Christ. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975
The Gospel According to
John
INTRODUCTION
It is generally assumed that the Gospel of John is easy to understand. Often you hear the cliche, “The Gospel of John is the simple gospel. ” And the simplicity of the language has deceived a great many folk. It is written in monosyllabic and disyllabic words. Let me lift out a couple of verses to illustrate. Notice how simple these words are: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:11–12).
We have no problem with the words themselves, but actually, we’re dealing here with the most profound gospel. Take an expression like this: “ye in me, and I in you” which appears in John 14:20. Seven words—one conjunction, two prepositions and four pronouns—and you could ask any child in the fourth grade the meaning of any one of those words and he could give you a definition. But you put them together—“ye in me, and I in you”—and neither the most profound theologian nor the greatest philosopher has ever been able to probe the depths of their meaning. “Ye in me” we know means salvation; “and I in you” means sanctification, but beyond that none of us can go very far. We think, sometimes, because we know the meaning of words that we know what is being said. The words are simple, but the meaning is deep.
Jerome said of John’s gospel, “John excels in the depths of divine mysteries.” And no truer statement was ever made. Dr. A. T. Pierson put it like this, “It touches the heart of Christ.”
Though it is assumed that John is the simple gospel, it’s not always assumed that the apostle John is the author of it. The Baur-Tubingen School in Germany years ago began an attack upon the Gospel of John. And this has been a place where the liberal has really had a field day. I took a course in seminary (even in my day) on the authorship of the Gospel of John. The professor finally concluded the course by saying he thought John was the author. A wag in the class remarked, “Well, I believed John wrote it before I started the class and I believe it now; so I just wasted a semester!” Let me assure you that we are not going to waste time here relative to the authorship of this gospel other than to mention two statements that make it quite obvious that John is the writer of it.
One of the reasons it was felt that John might not be the writer was because Papias (I’ve quoted him now for each of the Gospels) was thought to have never mentioned the authorship of John. But Professor Tischendorf, the German who found the Codex Sinaiticus, which is probably our best manuscript of the Old Testament, down in Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinaitic peninsula, was working in the Vatican library when he came upon an old manuscript that has a quotation from Papias in which it was made clear that John was the author of this gospel. I personally wouldn’t want any better authority than that. Also, Clement of Alexandria, who lived about a.d. 200, makes the statement that John was persuaded by friends and also moved by the Spirit of God to write a spiritual gospel. And I believe that the Gospel of John is that spiritual gospel. In my mind there’s not a shadow of a doubt that John is the author.
However, the more significant question is: Why did John write his gospel? It was the last one written, probably close to a.d. 100. All the other apostles were dead, the writers of the New Testament were all gone, and he alone was left. In an attempt to answer this question we find again a diversity of theories. There are those who say that it was written to meet the first heresy of the church which was Gnosticism. The Gnostics believed that Jesus was God but not man at all, that the apostles only thought they saw Him, but actually did not. And Irenaeus expressly makes the statement that the purpose of John was to confute the Gnostic Cerinthus. But Tholuck makes it very clear that this is not a polemic gospel at all and he is not attempting to meet that issue. Also, there are those who say that it is a supplement to what the others had written, that he merely added other material. But Hase answers that by saying, “This Gospel is no mere patchwork to fill up a vacant space.”
You see, these theories do not give an adequate answer to account for all the peculiar facts that are in this gospel which a true explanation must do. And, in my judgment, the only satisfactory explanation is that John wrote at the request of the church which already had three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke were being circulated) and wanted something more spiritual and deep, something that would enable them to grow. That’s exactly what Augustine, the great saint of the early church, said:
In the four Gospels, or rather in the four books of the one Gospel, the Apostle St. John not undeservedly with reference to his spiritual understanding compared to an eagle, has lifted higher, and far more sublimely than the other three, his proclamation, and in lifting it up he has wished our hearts also to be lifted (Gregory, Key to the Gospels, pp. 285–286).
That is the purpose of the Gospel of John. That is the reason that he wrote it.
Accordingly, therefore, when we come to the Gospel of John, we find that he does not take us to Bethlehem. We will never grow spiritually by singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” umpteen times at Christmas. John won’t take us to Bethlehem because he wants you and me to grow as believers. John takes us down the silent corridors of eternity, through the vast emptiness of space, to a beginning that is not a beginning at all. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). Some say that this world came into being three billion years ago. I think they’re pikers. I think it has been around a lot longer than that. What do you think God has been doing in eternity past, twiddling His thumbs? May I say to you, He had a great deal to do in the past, and He has eternity behind Him. So when you read, “In the beginning,” go as far back as your little mind can go into eternity past, put down your peg—and Jesus Christ comes out of eternity to meet you. “In the beginning was [not is] the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Then come on down many more billions of years. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Then John, in the fourteenth verse, takes another step: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
The Greek philosophers and the Greek mind for which Luke wrote would stop right there and say, “We’re through with you. We can’t follow you.” But John was not writing for them, and he goes even further. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). “Declared him” is exegeted Him, led Him out in the open where man can see Him and come to know Him. The Man who had no origin is the Son who comes out of eternity.
Luke, who was a medical doctor, looked at Him under a “microscope.” Though John’s method is altogether different, he comes to the same conclusion as did Luke. You could never call John’s method scientific. The Christian who has come to a knowledge of Christ and faith in Him doesn’t need to have the Virgin Birth gone over again; he already believes that. Therefore, when he comes to the Gospel of John, he finds sheer delight and joy unspeakable as he reads and studies it.
Unfortunately, though, he thinks the unbeliever ought to have it also. And you’ll find it is used in personal work more than any other gospel. After all, doesn’t the average Christian consider it the simple gospel? Is it simple? It’s profound. It’s for believers. It enables them to grow.
When I was a pastor in Pasadena, I had a doctor friend who, because of his position, was able to get together students at Cal Tech for a Bible class. Do you know what he taught? You’re right, the Gospel of John. He told me, “You know, I really shook that bunch of boys with the first chapter.” I met him several weeks after that and asked him how the class was getting on. “Oh,” he said, “they quit coming.” Well, after all, they had been in a school where you pour things into a test tube, where you look at things under a microscope. I said, “Why didn’t you take the Gospel of Luke?” “Because,” he said, “I wanted to give them the simple gospel.” Well, he didn’t. John is not simple; it’s profound. It is for believers.
Also there was a seminary professor in this area not long ago who was asked to teach the Bible to a group of businessmen at a noon luncheon. Guess what book he taught. You’re right! He said, “They don’t know very much; so I’ll give them the Gospel of John.” I wish he’d given them the Gospel of Mark. That’s the gospel of action, the gospel of power, the gospel for the strong man. But he gave them the Gospel of John.
The Gospel of John is for those who already believe. When you come to chapters thirteen through seventeen you can write a sign over it, For Believers Only and you could put under that, All Others Stay Out. I don’t think that section was ever meant for an unbeliever. Jesus took His own into the Upper Room and revealed to them things that enabled them to grow. And no other gospel writer gives us that. Why? Because they’re the evangelists who are oresentine Christ as the Savior of the world. Somebody asks, “But doesn’t John do that?” Yes, he does, but he is primarily writing for the growth of believers.
John gives more about the resurrected Christ than does any other gospel writer; in fact, more than all the others put together. Paul said that, though we have known Christ after the flesh, we don’t know Him that way anymore. Rather, we know Him as the resurrected Christ. For this reason John attempts to give the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection, and he mentions seven of them.
The first was one of the most dramatic as He appeared to Mary Magdalene there in the garden. The second was to the disciples in the Upper Room, Thomas being absent. The third appearance was again to the disciples in the Upper Room with Thomas present (these three appearances are recorded in ch. 20). Then we see Him appearing by the Sea of Galilee. Several disciples were out fishing. He called to them from the shore, “Do you have any fish?” (see John 21:5).
He is going to ask you that some day, and He’s going to ask me. Have you been doing any fishing recently? Well, you catch them only the way He tells you. You have to fish by His instructions.
And then He prepared breakfast for them. I wish I had been there for that outdoor breakfast. That was a real cookout. And friend, He still wants to feed you in the morning—also during the day and in the evening—with spiritual food. Then He commissioned Simon Peter: “Simon, do you love Me?” (see John 21:15–17). Jesus did not say that you have to be a graduate of a seminary to be able to serve Him. He asked, “Do you love Me?” That’s the one condition. Don’t misunderstand me. If you love Him, you will want training to prepare you for the ministry He has for you, but He wants to know that you love Him. The reason multitudes of folk are not serving Him today is that they do not love Him. And then Peter was told that he was to be a martyr; but John, no, he will live on in order to write this gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. There are the seven appearances that John records, and all of them are for believers; they minister to us today.
At the time of the birth of Christ there was a great expectation throughout the heathen world. That was a strange thing.
Suetonius relates that “an ancient and definite expectation had spread throughout the East, that a ruler of the world would, at about the time, arise in Judaea.” Tacitus makes a similar statement. Schlegel mentions that Buddhist missionaries traveling to China met Chinese sages going to seek the Messiah about 33 a.d. (Life of Vespasian, c. iv.).
There was an expectation throughout the world at that time that He might come. And it was out of the mysterious East that the wise men came to Jerusalem, “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? ….” (Matt. 2:2).
The marvel is that this Gospel of John, so definitely designed to meet the need of believers, is also designed for the Oriental mind as is no other. Whom do I mean by Orientals? The Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the uncounted millions in India and in China. Even to this good day we know so little about that area of the world. What about Tibet or Outer Mongolia? It is still the mysterious East. We do know this: there is fabulous wealth there, and right next to it is abject poverty. Out of this land of mystery came the wise men. They were bringing gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh for Him. There are a lot of questions to be answered there. Out of that land of mystery they came. That Oriental splendor that we’ve heard so much about reveals unbelievable wealth, and it is still there—ornate palaces, gaudy grandeur, priceless gems. It has so entranced the West that, when Columbus started out for this country (we give him credit for discovering America, but he wasn’t looking for our continent), he was trying to find a new route to the East in order to bring back something of the wealth that was there.
However, by the side of that wealth there is extreme poverty of the basest sort, dire destitution, millions living in squalor and misery. Their worldly goods consist of the rags they have on their backs. One hundred million will die of starvation in this next decade, we’re told. You may ask, “Well, why don’t we send food for them?” There’s not enough to go around. Our decision is what hundred million will starve? Will it be these or those? But the thing that arrests us is that the poor were crying for help, and the wealthy had found no solution to the problems of life. The Orient gave freest reign to human desires. Although they had this freedom, there was no satisfaction. They’ve had the great pagan religions—Buddhism, Shintoism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Mohammedanism. Yet out of that area, with all that they had, their wise men came asking, “… Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matt. 2:2). They needed salvation. They had none; no religion ever gave that to them. And this is the reason people in the mysterious East have reveled in the Gospel of John as no others have. It is a mind today that will revel in the Gospel of John. The Lord Jesus can meet the need of this type of mind, as John reveals.
Out of heaven’s glory He came, that One who was before any beginning that we can envision. “And the Word was made flesh” and walked down here among men. The Orient had religion. After all, Israel belonged to that area of the world. The Orient had all kinds of religion. They had temples—ornate, hideous, with degrading rituals. They had cults of the occult. And John tells us that the first public act of the Lord Jesus was to go into the temple of that day and cleanse it. By this He is telling them something, these people who worshiped in their degrading temples, that God is holy. If you’re going to worship God you’ll have to be cleansed; the temple will have to be cleansed; there can be no compromise with evil or wrong.
A religious ruler came to Jesus one nights—John alone tells us this. Our Lord that night said to this religious ruler, who had everything and was religious to his fingertips, “You must be born again” (see John 3:3). He needed to have a new life and get rid of the old religion. Jesus said that He had not come to sew a patch on the old garment, but He came to give them the robe of righteousness that would enable them to stand before a holy God. This is what that area of the world needed.
Womanhood was degraded in the Orient. Our Lord ennobled womanhood because He came, born of a woman. He went to a wedding to answer the mockery that they’d made of marriage with the harems of the East. Christ went to a wedding and put His blessing upon it. Also Jesus sat down at a well and had a conversation with a woman of very questionable character. But she was a woman for whom He later died. The soul of a woman was as precious to Him as the soul of a man.
Christ fed the multitudes, followed the meal with a discourse on the Bread of Life, and then escaped because He did not want them to make Him king of their stomachs.
The Oriental mind would understand Jesus’ discourse on the Bread of Life. It is unfortunate that the managers of our supermarkets don’t understand it—they think it’s bread and beans on the shelf that’s important, and He said it’s not. A man in the Orient who hasn’t bread and beans will understand that. I am afraid some of us miss it today.
The Lord Jesus said in this gospel, “I am the light of the world; I am the bread of life; I am the way, the truth and the life.” And the Orient was wretched and perishing in that day, as it is today. John says: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31). The thing that they needed above everything else was life. And, friend, this is what the whole world needs today—not religion, but life!
Now before we begin our study of this magnificent gospel, let me call your attention to some striking features.
The first three Gospels are called the Synoptic Gospels because they are written from the same viewpoint with a similar pattern. The fourth Gospel is different.
1. Matthew and Mark emphasize the miracles of Jesus, and Luke gives attention to the parables. John does neither.
2. The miracles in John are given as signs and were chosen with a great deal of discrimination in order to interpret certain great truths. (For example, the discourse on the Bread of Life follows the feeding of the five thousand.) There are eleven specific signs in the Gospel of John.
3. There are no parables in the fourth gospel. The word parable does occur one time in John 10:6, but it is not the regular Greek word paraboleµ but paroimia. This word ought not to be translated “parable” at all. The story of the Good Shepherd is not a parable; it is a discourse.
John gives us a chronological order which is well to note. The fact of the matter is, if you will follow it along, it will give you a ladder on which you can fit the three-year ministry of Christ. (For example, in John 1:29, 35 he says, “The next day …, the next day.”) He’s giving not only a logical but also a chronological sequence in his gospel. He also gives attention to places and cities—for example, “Bethabara beyond Jordan” (John 1:28); “Cana of Galilee” (John 2:1).
The deity of Christ is emphasized in this gospel and is actually in the foreground. But the humanity of Christ is not lost sight of. Do you notice it is only John who tells about His trip through Samaria, and that He sat down at the well, and that He was weary with His iourney? Can you think of anything more human than that? Well, I can think of one thing—Jesus wept. And it is John who tells us that, by the way.
The name Jesus is used almost entirely to the exclusion of Christ in this gospel. That is strange because the emphasis is upon the deity of Christ, and you’d think that he would use the name Christ. Then why does he use the name Jesus? It is because God became man.
There is a mighty movement in this gospel and it is stated in John 16:28. “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” God became a man; this is the simple statement of the sublime fact.
OUTLINE
I. Prologue—Incarnation, Chapter 1:1–18
A. Word Is God, Chapter 1:1–3
B. Word Became Flesh, Chapter 1:14
C. Word Revealed God, Chapter 1:18
II. Introduction, Chapter 1:19–51
A. Witness of John the Baptist, Chapter 1:19–36
B. Witness of Andrew, Chapter 1:37–42
C. Witness of Philip, Chapter 1:43–46
D. Witness of Nathanael, Chapter 1:47–51
III. Witness of Works and Words, Chapters 2–12
A. Jesus at Marriage in Cana (First Work), Chapter 2:1–12
B. Jesus Cleanses Temple During Passover in Jerusalem (First Word), Chapter 2:13–22
C. Jesus Interviews Nicodemus in Jerusalem (Second Word), Chapter 2:23–3:36
D. Jesus Interviews Woman at Well in Sychar (Third Word), Chapter 4:1–45
E. Jesus Heals Nobleman’s Son in Capernaum (Second Work), Chapter 4:46–54
F. Jesus Heals Man at Pool of Bethesda (Third Work), Chapter 5
G. Jesus Feeds Five Thousand on East of Sea of Galilee (Fourth Work and Word), Chapter 6
H. Jesus Teaches at Feast of Tabernacles in Temple (Fifth Word), Chapter 7
I. Jesus in Temple Forgives Woman Taken in Adultery (Sixth Word), Chapter 8
J. Jesus Opens Eyes of Man Born Blind in Jerusalem (Fifth Work), Chapter 9
1. Record of Miracle, Chapter 9:1–7
2. Reaction to Miracle, Chapter 9:8–41
K. Jesus Is the Good Shepherd (Seventh Word), Chapter 10
1. Humanity—Christ in Form of Servant, Chapter 10:1–21
2. Deity—Christ Equal with God, Chapter 10:22–42
L. Jesus Raises Lazarus from Dead in Bethany (Sixth Work), Chapter 11
M. Witness of Jew and Gentile to Jesus, Chapter 12
1. Jesus Comes to Bethany for Supper, Chapter 12:1–11
2. Jesus Comes to Jerusalem—Tearful Entry, Chapter 12:12–19
3. Jesus Comes to Greeks, Chapter 12:20–26
4. Jesus Comes to His Hour, Chapter 12:27–36
5. Jesus Comes to End of Public Ministry, Chapter 12:37–50
IV. Witness of Jesus to His Witnesses, Upper Room Discourse, Chapters 13–17
A. Jesus Washes Feet of Disciples, Chapter 13
B. Jesus Comforts His Disciples, Chapter 14
C. Jesus Is Genuine Vine; Disciples Are Branches, Chapter 15
D. Jesus Will Send Holy Spirit During His Absence, Chapter 16
E. The Lord’s Prayer, Chapter 17
1. Jesus Prays for Himself, Chapter 17:1–5
2. Jesus Prays for Disciples, Chapter 17:6–19
3. Jesus Prays for His Church, Chapter 17:20–26
V. Witness to World, Chapters 18–20
A. Arrest and Trial of Jesus, Chapter 18
1. Arrest in Gethsemane; Trial before Annas, Chapter 18:1–14
2. First Denial by Simon Peter, Chapter 18:15–18
3. Trial before High Priest, Chapter 18:19–24
4. Second Denial by Simon Peter, Chapter 18:25–27
5. Trial before Pilate, Chapter 18:28–40
B. Death of Jesus at Golgotha; Burial in Tomb of Joseph, Chapter 19
C. Resurrection of Jesus; Appearances to Mary, Disciples, Thomas, Chapter 20
VI. Epilogue—Glorification, Chapter 21
The Resurrected Jesus Is Still God
Lord of Our Wills—Directs our Service (v. 6)
Lord of Our Hearts—Motive for Service (vv. 15–17)
Lord of Our Minds—Lack of Knowledge No Excuse from Service (v. 22)
Another division of the Gospel of John:
LIGHT—John 1–12
LOVE—John 13–17
LIFE—John 18–21
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Prologue—Incarnation; Word is God, Word became Flesh, Word revealed God; witness of John the Baptist; witness of Andrew; witness of Philip, witness of Nathanael
WORD IS GOD—WORD BECAME FLESH—WORD REVEALED GOD
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [John 1:1].
The Gospel of John introduces the Lord Jesus Christ with three tremendous statements:
“In the beginning was the Word,”
“And the Word was with God,”
“And the Word was God.”
“The Word” is one of the highest and most profound titles of the Lord Jesus Christ. To determine the exact meaning is not easy. Obviously the Lord Jesus Christ is not the logos of Greek philosophy; rather He is the memra of the Hebrew Scriptures. Notice how important the Word is in the Old Testament. For instance, the name for Jehovah was never pronounced. It was such a holy word that they never used it at all. But this is the One who is the Word and, gathering up everything that was said of Him in the Old Testament, He is now presented as the One “In the beginning.” This beginning antedates the very first words in the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” That beginning can be dated, although I do not believe that anyone can date it accurately—it is nonsense to say that it is 4004 b.c., as Ussher’s dating has it. It probably goes back billions and billions of years. You see, you and I are dealing with the God of eternity. When you go back to creation He is already there, and that is exactly the way this is used—“in the beginning was the Word.” Notice it is not is the Word; it was not in the beginning that the Word started out or was begotten. Was (as Dr. Lenske points out) is known as a durative imperfect, meaning continued action. It means that the Word was in the beginning. What beginning? Just as far back as you want to go. The Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Does that begin God? No, just keep on going back billions and trillions and “squillions” of years. I can think back to billions of years back of creation—maybe you can go beyond that—but let’s put down a point there, billions of years back of creation. He already was; He comes out of eternity to meet us. He did not begin. “In the beginning was the Word”—He was already there when the beginning was. “Well,” somebody says, “there has to be a beginning somewhere.” All right, wherever you begin, He is there to meet you, He is already past tense. “In the beginning was the Word”—five words in the original language, and there is not a man on topside of this earth who can put a date on it or understand it or fathom it. This first tremendous statement starts us off in space, you see.
The second statement is this, “and the Word was with God.” This makes it abundantly clear that He is separate and distinct from God the Father. You cannot identify Him as God the Father because He is with God. “But,” someone says, “if He is with God, He is not God.” The third statement sets us straight, “and the Word was God.” This is a clear, emphatic declaration that the Lord Jesus Christ is God. In fact, the Greek is more specific than this, because in the Greek language the important word is placed at the beginning of the sentence and it reads, “God was the Word.” That is emphatic; you cannot get it more emphatic than that. Do you want to get rid of the deity of Christ? My friend, you cannot get rid of it. The first three statements in John’s gospel tie the thing down. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Let’s move on down to verse 14 and notice the three statements there.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth [John 1:14].
“And the Word was made flesh,”
“And the Word dwelt among us,”
“He was full of grace and truth.”
The Greek philosopher probably would have stayed with us through verse one, but he leaves us here. He would never agree that the Word was made flesh. The Greek language allows us to put it more specifically and, I think, more accurately: “The Word was born flesh.” Turn this over in your mind for a moment. Here comes God out of eternity, already the Ancient of days; but He also came to Bethlehem, a little baby thing that made a woman cry. And notice that John’s gospel does not even mention His birth in Bethlehem. Do you know why? He is talking about One who is too big for Bethlehem. Out of eternity, the Word became flesh.
“And [the Word] dwelt among us” is the second statement in verse 14. “Dwelt” is from skenoo; it means “He pitched His tent among us.” Our human bodies are merely little tents in which we live. The apostle Paul used the same imagery: “… we know that if … this tabernacle were dissolved …” (2 Cor. 5:1). This house in which we live is a tabernacle, a tent, that can be blown over in a night; it can be snuffed out in an instant. Because you and I live in these little tents, the God of eternity took upon Himself a human body and thus pitched His tent down here among us. Such is the second tremendous statement.
Notice the third, “(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Now John is saying something else. The question I would naturally ask at this point is, “If He was made flesh, He certainly limited Himself.” John says, “Wait a minute—He was full of grace and truth.” The word “full” means that you just could not have any more. He brought all the deity with Him, and He was full of grace and full of truth when He came down here.
Now we move to verse 18 to find three statements again.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him [John 1:18].
“No man hath seen God at any time;”
“The only begotten Son, which is in the
bosom of the Father,”
“He hath declared him.”
Notice the first: “No man hath seen God at any time.” Why? He will explain it in this gospel; the Lord Jesus will tell the woman at the well, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24)—for God is spirit. No man has seen God at any time. What about the appearances in the Old Testament? God never revealed himself in the Old Testament to the eyes of man. What, then, did they see? Well, go back and read the record. For instance, Jacob said that he saw God, but what he saw was the angel of the Lord who wrestled with him. That was a manifestation, but he did not see God, because God is a Spirit. “No man hath seen God at any time.”
The second statement is, “the only begotten Son.” The best Greek text is that of Nestle, the German scholar. He has come to the definite conclusion that it is not the only begotten Son, but the only begotten God. I prefer that also. “Which is in the bosom of the Father” tells us a great deal. He did not come from the head of God to reveal the wisdom of God; He did not come from the foot of God to be a servant of man. (Have you ever noticed that although we speak of the fact He was a servant, whose shoes did He ever shine? Did He ever run an errand for anybody? He did not. He said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). He was God’s servant—He came to serve Him, and as He served the Father, He served men.) He did not come from the feet; He did not come from the head; it was from the bosom of the Father that He came. He came to reveal the heart of God: He was “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.”
The third statement completes verse eighteen: “he hath declared him.” The Greek word here is exegesato. Ago is “to lead” and ex is “out.” It means that what Jesus Christ did was to lead God out into the open. Do you know anything bigger than that? A little trip to the moon is nothing in comparison. Here He comes out of eternity past, the God of this universe, the Creator of everything, taking upon Himself human flesh, and bringing God out into the open so that men can know Him. My friend, the only way in the world you can know God is through this One, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to reveal God because He is God.
I am not through with these statements; there is something else here. Let’s put together the first verse in each of these three groups and see what we come up with:
“In the beginning was the Word,”
“And the Word was made flesh,”
“No man hath seen God at any time.”
You could not see God—God is spirit. He had to become flesh; He had to become one of us in order for us to know Him. We could not go up there to understand Him; He had to come down here and bring God down where we are.
Now let’s put the second statements together from each of the three groups:
“The Word was with God,”
“And dwelt among us,”
“The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.”
Consider this One for a moment—the angels bowed before Him, He was with God, on an equality with God. The apostle Paul wrote of Him, He “… thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2:6). That is, He did not go to school to become God; it was not something He worked overtime to attain. It was not a degree that He earned. He did not try to be God; He was God. I do not mean to be irreverent, but He did not say to the Father when He came to this earth, “Keep your eye on Gabriel; he is after My job; watch him while I’m gone.” He did not have to do that—nobody could take His place. He was God. Here He comes: born in Bethlehem, a few little shepherds there, not many; He goes up to Nazareth, thirty years hidden away in Nazareth. God, out of eternity coming down and going to Nazareth, working in a carpenter shop. Why? So you can know God. The only way you will ever know Him, my friend, is to know this One. “The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father” is the only One who can reveal God to us.
Now notice the third statement in each group:
“The Word was God”
“And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”
“He hath declared him.”
When He was down here, He was still God, full of grace and truth. And He declared Him; He is the only one who can lead Him out in the open where we can get acquainted with Him.
We are not through with this. I want you to see something else. How do you divide up this universe? I sat with a man who designed the shield that has been on all these space crafts to make their re-entry. He is a scientist who is an authority on heat. As we had lunch together in New Jersey, he said, “You know, this universe is made up of just three things. I believe that God has put His fingerprints on everything—the Trinity is everywhere.” Then he explained what he meant. The universe is divided up into time, space, and matter. Can you think of a fourth? The very interesting thing is that time, space, and matter include everything that is in this universe as you and I know it. Then time can be divided into just three parts: past, present, and future. Can you think of a fourth? And what about space? Length, breadth, and height. Is there another direction? Also there is in matter energy, motion, and phenomena. Those are the three divisions of the three divisions. The universe in which we live bears the mark of the Trinity.
Now notice the way in which the Incarnation is geared into this observation. Verse 1:
Time: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.”
Space: “The Word was made flesh”—became flesh, came down into space. Where? To Bethlehem, a little geographical spot—and even this earth was a pretty small spot for Him to come to—and He pitched His tent here among us. We beheld His glory, full of grace and truth.
Matter: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” Because He became matter, became a man, took upon Himself humanity, men could see and know God. This is the time, space, and matter of the Incarnation. Let’s divide each of these into three.
Past: “In the beginning was the Word.”
Present: “The Word was made (became) flesh” (in our day).
Future: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son … hath declared him.” The apostle Paul, at the end of his life, said, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection …” (Phil. 3:10). That will be for the future—to really know Him; today we actually know so little because we are finite.
Then look at space, divided into length, breadth and height.
Length: “In the beginning was the Word.”
Breadth: He came down to this earth and was made flesh.
Height: No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father—He has come from the heights to set Him before us.
Consider the divisions of matter: energy, motion, and phenomena.
Energy: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God—that’s energy. How did this universe come into existence? God spoke. Every rational person has to confront this problem of how this universe began. That is the reason evolution has been popular—it offers to the natural man an explanation for the origin of the universe. You must have an explanation for it if you do any thinking at all. Where did it come from? Well, here is the answer: “In the beginning was the Word.” God spoke. That is the first thing that happened. When God speaks, when the Word speaks, energy is translated into matter. What is atomic fission? It is matter translated back into energy—poof! it disappears. Creation began with energy. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God.
Motion: The Word was made flesh. He came out of heaven’s glory and He came to this earth.
Phenomena: The greatest phenomenon in this world is Jesus Christ. The wonders of the ancient world, the wonders to see in our day are nothing in comparison to the wonder of the Incarnation—God became man!
These statements are bigger than any of us, and yet they are so simple. We have read them, probably memorized them, yet no man can plumb the depths of them. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.….No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (vv. 1, 14, 18).
These three verses are the great building blocks; now let us consider some of the cement that holds them together.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made [John 1:3].
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator. Not only did He exist before Bethlehem, but He created the vast universe including the material out of which man constructed Bethlehem. All things were made by Him; He is the instrument of creation. Nothing came into existence without Him.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men [John 1:4].
Now we are confronted with something else—two of the simplest things in the world: light and life. Zoe and phos are the two words in the original language. From zoe we get zoology, the study of life; and from phos we get photo or anything that is built on it, such as photograph—it is light. These two things are so common that we take them for granted. Life—we see it everywhere. There may be a great deal of life right where you are at this moment. You go out in the woods and you see the same thing—life. It greets you on every hand, but can you explain it? You see in the Sunday pictorials and the sensational magazines that men now have discovered the source of life. But if you read them, you find that they have not found the source at all, though they think they are close to it. They put the microscope down on a green leaf. One moment they see that a little cell is arranged one way and is dead as a doornail. The next moment the thing is rearranged in another way, and it is alive. And then the thing starts growing and doubling, dividing and multiplying itself. Why does it do that? Life.
The other common thing is light. What is light? I listened to Irwin Moon try to explain it (and Irwin gave the best explanation I have heard), but when he got through I was not sure if light is a real something or if it is just waves, because they can cut the thing off and still light will go through. As you know, certain kinds of light will go through objects that would stop waves. What in the world is light?
You see, we are dealing with things that are fundamental, though men today with all their scientific gadgets know so little about them.
“In him was life”—all life is in Jesus Christ. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” You and I live in a universe that is spiritually dark. The fact of the matter is, it is physically dark to a certain degree. But God said, “… Let there be light …” (Gen. 1:3) and these light holders are placed about throughout His universe like street lights in a big city. We are told that when a man gets away from this earth a short distance, he is in total, absolute darkness, and it is frightening to be out where there is nothing from which the sun can be reflected. Our little globe is out in a dark universe, yet that is nothing compared to the spiritual darkness that envelops it. When the sun disappears, there is physical darkness over the land; but twenty-four hours a day there is spiritual darkness here, awful spiritual darkness. Man does not know God; man is in rebellion against God; man is in sin that blinds him to God. In the Lord Jesus Christ there is life, and the life that He gives is the light of men. In fact, His life is the only thing that can kindle light in the heart of an individual. An unregenerate man has no spiritual life within him. This is the reason that when you present to him Jesus Christ, he says, “I don’t get it. I don’t understand that at all.”
I used to go down to the jail in Cleburne, Texas, and speak to the men. It was not a large jail and I could talk to them in a conversational tone. I would start off talking about football (because in Texas football is a religion!), and those hardened men would get enthusiastic about it. I talked also of other things and they were interested. Then I would turn the conversation to something spiritual, and I could see the darkness come over their faces. I might just as well have been talking to corpses. And that is what they were—men dead in trespasses and sins. This world today is in spiritual darkness, and the Lord Jesus Christ has brought the only light there is in the world. He is the light. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not [John 1:5].
That word “comprehend” is an unfortunate translation. And a wiseacre did not help it by rendering it, “and the darkness was not able to put it out.” That is no translation at all. The word in the Greek is katelaben, meaning actually “to take down.” It is the picture of a secretary to whom the boss is giving dictation, and she stops and says, “I can’t take that down. I am not able to take it down.” The light shines in darkness and the darkness is not able to take it in. That is it exactly. Someone said to me, “Boy, was I in darkness before I received Christ! And I don’t know why I didn’t see.” Well, that is it: you were in darkness and you did not see. The darkness just cannot take it in.
Now this is something quite interesting, and it is not true of physical light. You go into a dark room, and the minute you switch on the light, the darkness leaves, it disappears. Darkness and light cannot exist together physically. The moment you bring light in, darkness is gone. The minute light is taken out, darkness will come right back in. But spiritual light and darkness exist together. Sometimes there is a husband who is saved and a wife who is unsaved—or vice versa. Here is a believer working next to another man who says, “What do you mean when you talk about being a Christian? I do the best I can. Am I not a Christian?” There you have light and darkness side by side and the darkness just cannot take it in. That is exactly what is said here, “The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not [John 1:10].
That was the tragedy—the world was in darkness, spiritual darkness, and did not know Him. Even today we are seeing the rise of atheism and unbelief, and we will see it more and more in the days that lie ahead. A great many people do not seem to recognize that unbelief and atheism go naturally with the natural man. Somebody says to me, “Oh, did you read in the paper what Dr. So-and-So of a certain seminary wrote?” Yes, I read it. “Well, isn’t it awful?” No, I do not think so. He would upset my apple cart if he said that he believed the Bible, because he is an unbeliever by his own statement. He says that he does not believe in being born again, that he does not believe he has to receive Christ in order to be saved. Now I do not expect that man to say he believes the Bible. That would be absolutely contrary to his statements. The so-called theologians and theological professors who espouse the “God is dead movement,” present us with the preposterous, untenable claim that they are Christian atheists! Obviously atheism precludes the possibility of being Christian, yet unbelief has moved into our seminaries and pulpits across the land. The world does not know Him.
He came unto his own [his own things], and his own [people] received him not [John 1:11].
He came into His own universe but His own people did not receive Him.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name [John 1:12].
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power.” The word power is not dunamis power like dynamite, physical power, but exousian power which is delegated power, authority. “But as many as received him, to them gave he the authority to become the sons of God [children, tekna of God], even to them that believe on his name.”
Notice that this is for “them that believe on his name.” And always with the word “believe” there is a preposition. You see, faith, as the Bible uses it, is not just head knowledge. Many people ask, “You mean all that I have to do is to say I believe?” Yes, that is all you have to do, but let’s see what that implies. With the verb “to believe” there is always a preposition—sometimes en (in), sometimes eis (into) or sometimes epi (upon). You must believe into, in, or upon Jesus Christ. Let me illustrate with a chair. I am standing beside a chair and I believe it will hold me up, but it is not holding me up. Why? Because I have only a head knowledge. I just say, “Yes, it will hold me up.” Now suppose I believe into the chair by sitting in it. See what I mean? I am committing my entire weight to it and it is holding me up. Is Christ holding you up? Is He your Savior? It is not a question of standing to the side and saying, “Oh, yes, I believe Jesus is the Son of God.” The question is have you trusted Him, have you believed into Him, are you resting in Him? This chair is holding me up completely. And at this moment Christ is my complete Savior. I am depending on Him; I am resting in Him.
THE WITNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? [John 1:19].
This is the first incident in the life of John the Baptist which John gives us in his gospel record. He does not give us the story of the beginning of this man. We find out about his birth in the Gospel of Luke, but here the record of John the Baptist begins when a delegation from Jerusalem comes to question him. They come out to ask him, “Who art thou?”
In this question there is a subtle temptation, because this offered John an opportunity to make something of himself. In John 3:30 we find his response when his disciples wanted him to make something of himself. He said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” What a statement that is! That is a statement that every believer should make. But every believer should live it, too. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Friend, both can’t be on top. Either Christ is primary in your life and occupies first place, or you (that is, the selfish “I”) will be on top. You can’t have both. He must increase and I must decrease, or else it will be the other way around.
Now note the answer that he gives to the religious rulers:
And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ [John 1:20].
You see, they cleverly suggest that he might be the Messiah—they have a messianic hope. But he makes it very clear that he is not the Christ; he is not the Messiah. They are looking to the wrong man. So, if he is not the Christ, what great person is he?
And they asked him. What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No [John 1:21].
You notice how brief and matter-of-fact John is here. His answers are terse, and they get briefer as the religious rulers continue to question him. If he’s not the Christ, he must be Elijah. If he’s not Elijah, he must be “that prophet.” They are referring to a prophet “like unto Moses” who had been promised back in Deuteronomy 18:15. John gives an emphatic “No!” He is not the predicted prophet of Deuteronomy.
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? [John 1:22].
They insist that he must tell them who he is. They can’t take back a report of just a string of negatives. So John does identify himself.
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias [John 1:23].
Notice that he is a voice. You see, Christ is the Word! John is the voice! A voice is all John wants to be. He has a grand message to give, a message much greater than he is. Frankly, we should be satisfied to be only a voice, because certainly the message we have to give is greater than the individual. And that voice should, of course, declare the glories of Christ.
Notice the grand message that he gives. “Make straight the way of the Lord.” In other words, “Get ready for the coming of the Lord.” I take it that he means the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was at hand in the person of the King, you see. And he tells them to “Make straight the way.” This would be the same as telling them to get the crooked things out of their lives; to deal with the things that are wrong. This we need to do also. When we do that, there is opened for us fellowship with God. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). We need to get our lives straight, and we can get them straight by confession, as we are taught in 1 John 1:8–9.
You will notice that he says he is quoting the prophet Isaiah. “… Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isa. 40:3).
And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? [John 1:24–25].
They are now presenting him with a technical point. “If you are none of these, then why do you baptize?”
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose [John 1:26–27].
Today, we call this man John the Baptist. But he said that he merely used water. There was One coming after him, who would baptize with fire and with the Holy Spirit. That fire is the baptism of judgment which is to come upon the earth. The baptism of the Holy Spirit took place at Pentecost. One wonders whether Christ was in the crowd that day. We don’t know. But He might have been.
“He … coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” A servant must do every task of his master. A disciple, however, must do every task except take the thong out of the teacher’s shoes. That was the rule of that day. John is saying that he is a servant. He is not even a disciple; he is merely a servant. And he is not even worthy to be that servant, although that is what he is.
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing [John 1:28].
I called attention in the Introduction to the fact that the apostle John gears us into the geography and to the calendar. Here we have a geographical location given to us. And then notice that the following verse begins, “The next day.” John is showing to us that the One who came from out of eternity, the Word made flesh, is now geared into geography and into our calendar down here.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world [John 1:29].
John marks Him out here. He is the Savior. He is not only the Messiah; He is also the Savior. He is a very great Savior for He is the Lamb of God. He is the complete Savior because He takes away sin. He is the almighty Savior because He takes away the sin of the world. He is the perpetual Savior because He “taketh” away—present tense. Anyone can come to Him at any time.
Here we find the fulfillment of the answer that Abraham had given to Isaac those many years ago. Isaac had said, “… Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering …” (Gen. 22:7–8). John tells us that Jesus is the Lamb.
This proves that Gain was wrong and Abel was right. Abel brought a little lamb. All the lambs that were slain on Jewish altars down through the ages now find their fulfillment in Him. John marks Him out. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water [John 1:30–31].
John is saying that Jesus is the real Baptizer. We might call Him Jesus the Baptizer. He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith. Behold the Lamb of God! [John 1:32–36].
Before it was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. That is the work of Christ. Now it is “Behold the Lamb of God!” He is the Lamb in His Person. We see that John baptized Jesus and that Jesus was identified by the Holy Spirit. So, looking upon Jesus as He walked, John says, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
WITNESS OF ANDREW
And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour [John 1:37–39].
He extends the same invitation to you today, “Come and see.” Taste of the Lord and see whether or not He is good (see Ps. 34:8).
Notice again how specifically John gears this into time—it was late in the evening.
One of these two who had been disciples of John the Baptist was Andrew, and the very first thing that he does is to go after his own brother, Simon.
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone [John 1:40–42].
This man, Simon, was as weak as water. Our Lord told him that he would be a stone man. I think everybody laughed there that day because nobody believed he could become the rock man, the man who would stand up on the Day of Pentecost and give the first sermon, which would be used to sweep three thousand persons into the church (see Acts 2:40–41).
WITNESS OF PHILIP
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter [John 1:43–44].
Again we are dealing with geography. Bethsaida is up on the Sea of Galilee. We know that Peter and Andrew and Philip lived up there. They were fishermen.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see [John 1:45–46].
WITNESS OF NATHANAEL
This Nathanael is a wiseacre, and he makes a wisecrack here. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? And I think he laughed at his own joke, by the way. But Philip didn’t laugh. He just said, “Come and see.” That is the really important thing—come and see.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! [John 1:47].
Here is an Israelite in whom there is no Jacob. You see, although this man is a wisecracker, he is not deceitful or cunning. There is nothing of the old Jacob in him. He is an Israelite in whom there is no Jacob.
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel [John 1:48–49].
The Lord Jesus had two doubters among His apostles. The one at the beginning was Nathanael; the one at the end was Thomas. This man, this skeptic, this one who wonders whether any good can come out of Nazareth, confesses before the interview is over that Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Israel.
When Nathanael confessed that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel, it reveals that something very important did come out of Nazareth.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these [John 1:50].
The Lord more or less rebuked him and asked whether it was just because He saw him under the fig tree that he believed. Jesus promises him that he will see greater things. Indeed during the next three years, Nathanael did see much greater things than these.
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man [John 1:51].
Our Lord had said to this man, “Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no Jacob.” Now He follows up on this by referring to the incident in the life of the patriarch Jacob when, as a young man, he had run away from home. In fact, he had to leave home because his brother Esau was after him to murder him. His first night away from home was at Beth-el, and there the Lord appeared to him. A ladder was let down from heaven, and on that ladder the angels were ascending and descending. The meaning for Jacob was that God had not lost contact with him. He had thought that when he left home, he had left God back there. He had a limited view of God, of course. At Beth-el he learned that God would be with him.
Our Lord picks that up here and says that the ladder was Himself. You’ll see now the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. The angels ministered to Him, and the angels were subject to Him. Here He was given charge over the angels. He could send them as messengers to heaven, and they would return also. So Jesus says that Nathanael will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. He is going to see that the Father from the top of that ladder will speak of this One, saying, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).
The ladder is Christ, and only by Him can you and I make contact with God. The Lord Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). He is the ladder—not one that you climb, but One that you trust, One that you rest upon and believe in. That is the important thing to see here.
This first chapter of John’s gospel has been lengthy and extremely important. The prologue presents the incarnation of the Word—He is God, He became flesh, He reveals the Father. Then He is introduced by witnesses. John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the revealer of God. Andrew testifies that Jesus is the Messiah. Philip testifies that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. Nathanael witnesses that Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Israel.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Jesus at marriage in Cana (first work); Jesus cleanses temple during Passover in Jerusalem (first word); Jesus interviews Nicodemus in Jerusalem (second word)
JESUS AT MARRIAGE IN CANA (FIRST WORK)
The important incident in this chapter is when Jesus, invited to the marriage in Cana, performed His first miracle. We are told in the eleventh verse, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus.” This, then, is the answer to those who teach that the Lord Jesus, as a little boy down in Egypt making clay pigeons with the other little boys, would touch the clay pigeons and they would fly away. That makes a pretty good story, but there is no fact in it. This record makes it very clear that He did not perform miracles in Egypt, but that His first miracle was at Cana of Galilee.
The wonder of all this is that here is the One who is in the beginning with God and is God. He came out of eternity. He was made flesh and for his first thirty years lived in Nazareth of Galilee. Then He walks over a hill to attend a wedding in Cana.
Notice that again John gears this in with time and space. “And the third day.” Our Lord is now going out into His ministry.
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
And both Jesus was called, and his discinles. to the marriage [John 2:1–2].
Many Bible teachers believe that she was there because she was related to the individuals who were getting married, or at least to one of the families. This is largely a supposition, but it could well be true. The Lord Jesus and His disciples were also invited.
The time is given here as the third day. It is thought that this was probably late February or early March in the year a.d. 27. The very interesting thing is that John carefully gives the places. In the previous chapter we were back in Bethsaida, and now the scene shifts to Cana of Galilee. Then it will move to Capernaum in verse 12 and to Jerusalem in verse 13. John gives us the chronological sequence and the geography.
It says that “the mother of Jesus” was there. She is never called Mary in the Gospel of John. She comes to Jesus with a very unusual request. Notice what she says to Him.
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine [John 2:3].
The question comes up about the wine. I read recently of a liberal who called Jesus a bootlegger. Such sacrilege! In that day, wine was a staple article of diet. However, drunkenness was absolutely condemned. There was no thought of drunkenness connected with this. A wedding was a religious occasion, by the way, and these were folk who believed the Old Testament. You can put it down that there was no intoxication at this wedding.
The wedding is a picture of another wedding that is coming. Christ began His ministry on this earth at a wedding. He will conclude it, as far as the church is concerned, with a wedding. At the marriage supper of the Lamb the church will be presented to Him as a bride.
This is the first miracle which He performed. Moses’ first miracle was turning water into blood. Christ’s first miracle was turning water into wine. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. What a contrast!
What did Mary mean by her statement? First of all, it is well to call attention to the fact that this was a very poor family. They simply didn’t have enough refreshments. Bengal in his commentary said that, when she told the Lord there was no wine, it was a gentle hint for Him and His disciples to depart. Calvin writes that it was a suggestion for Him to occupy the minds of the guests with a discourse. It would be just like John Calvin to suggest that, by the way. If you have ever read Calvin’s Institutes, you know they are profound, but boring. If Calvin had been there, he would have given them a discourse and probably put them all to sleep! However, I do not think that the context here would permit either interpretation. I don’t believe it was a hint for Him to leave nor a suggestion to occupy the minds of the guests. I think that very candidly she is saying, “Perform a miracle. This would be an appropriate occasion.”
You will recall that when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that she was the one who was to bring forth the Messiah, Mary raised the question about the Virgin Birth, “… How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34). Gabriel made it very clear that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that which was conceived in her was holy. She showed her faith and submission when she said, “… Behold the handmaid of the Lord …” (Luke 1:38). From that moment, and during the intervening years, there was always a question about her virginity. People actually raised questions about Jesus. She is really saying, “Here is Your opportunity to perform a miracle and demonstrate that I am accurate when I said that You were virgin born and that You are the One whom I have claimed You are.” Jesus gives her a very clear answer.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come [John 2:4].
His implication is, “This is not the occasion. I’ll clear your name, but not here.”
When He was hanging on the cross and the mother of Jesus was standing beneath that cross, you remember that He looked down and said to her, “Woman, behold thy son!” (John 19:26). At that time His hour had come. In three days He would come back from the dead. When the disciples met in an upper room after His resurrection and ascension, Mary could look around, for she was there, and she could say to each of those disciples, “I told you that He was the Son of God!” Paul says that He is “… declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4).
Here she is asking Him to do something that will demonstrate who He is to clear her name. He tells her that He is going to do just that—He will clear her name—but that the hour has not yet come. That hour did come! His resurrection proves who He is. And don’t forget that the Resurrection proves the Virgin Birth of Christ. We tend to look at the Virgin Birth at Christmas time as an isolated fact. It is connected with His resurrection, friend, because He is who He claimed to be.
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it [John 2:5].
What good advice! I’ve always wanted to preach a Mother’s Day sermon on this text, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” My subject would be “A Mother’s Advice.” I never got around to it as a pastor, but it is good advice.
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim [John 2:6–7].
Our attention is now drawn to these six waterpots. They were used in ceremonial cleansing. Because this was a poor family, the pots were evidently beaten and battered, and probably had been pushed in the back somewhere. They hoped when the wedding guests came that no one would notice them. I think our Lord must have embarrassed the family when He asked for those pots to be brought out. Then He tells them the exact procedure to follow and they filled them to the brim.
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now [John 2:8–10].
We don’t want to get diverted here by arguing whether this wine was intoxicating or not. Very candidly, that is not the issue here at all. If you think you can make something out of this, you’re entirely wrong.
Notice there is something omitted here. Where is the bride? I don’t find her anywhere. And what did the bride wear? That’s the most important part of our weddings. Now I’ve officiated at many weddings, hundreds of weddings during my ministry, and I’ve seen many brides come down the aisle. I’ve learned in the course of time that when I come in at the beginning, nobody is particularly interested in the preacher. Then the bridegroom comes in, and, very candidly, not many are interested in him. The only one who smiles at him is his mother. Then the bride comes down the aisle, and everybody looks. Now what did this bride at Cana wear? We don’t know. Why? Because Jesus and those empty water pots are the important things here.
Friend, here is something wonderful. He took empty water pots and He had them filled with water. Then as they ladled out the water, I think the miracle took place. When they took the water and served it to the guests, it became wine.
This holds a great spiritual lesson for you and me. Jesus uses us as water pots today. We’re just beaten and battered water pots. We’re not attractive and ought to be pushed to the side and covered up. But He wants to use us. He wants to fill us with water. What is the water? The water is the Word of God, friend. He wants to fill you and me with the water of the Word of God. Then, after He fills us with the water of the Word of God, He wants us to ladle it out. When we ladle it out—I don’t know how to explain it—but when the water leaves the water pots and gets to those for whom it is destined, it becomes wine. It becomes the wine of joy through the working of the Holy Spirit. We are told, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). The Holy Spirit takes that water and performs a miracle in the life of an individual. Although I cannot explain it, I often see it take place. I have right here on my desk a dozen letters that have come in recently from people who have been saved by just hearing the Word of God through my radio program. Now, I don’t understand it. I’m just an old water pot, and I’ve got a little of the water of the Word inside me. As I ladle it out, it becomes the wine of joy to folk who receive it.
Years ago when I was speaking to the Hollywood Christian group, there was a couple there who had been saved out of a night club. They said they were going to use their talent for Jesus. Well, I didn’t like that. I asked them afterward what kind of a talent they used in a night club that Jesus could use. They stumbled around with an answer; so I said, “Look, when you and I came to Jesus, He didn’t get anything but sinners. He got old battered water pots.” So I told them about these water pots at Cana. I told them Jesus wanted to fill their lives with the Word of God, the water, and then wanted to ladle it out. I said that when the Holy Spirit ladled it out, it would become the wine of joy in their own lives and would bring a new desire and the joy of life into the life of any believer who would trust Him. They accepted that advice, and we remained good friends. Several years ago I met them on a street in Chicago. We saw each other coming. When they got within earshot, he said to me, “Here come a couple of old beaten up water pots.” I want to say this: God has used them but not with the talent that was used in the night club. He filled them with the water of the Word of Life.
Friend, this is the great message that is here for you and me. He wants to fill us with the Word of God and then ladle it out.
After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days [John 2:12].
This is probably referring to that time when His home town would not accept Him. When He went into the synagogue and read from Isaiah, they said, “… Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22). They probably would have destroyed Him at that time. So He moved His headquarters down to Capernaum and, as far as I can tell, that continued to be His headquarters during His ministry of three years.
JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE DURING PASSOVER IN JERUSALEM (FIRST WORD)
And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem [John 2:13].
Here we have another geographical point. He started out at Cana of Galilee, went to Capernaum, and is now in Jerusalem.
Notice that John labels this feast the “Jews’ passover.” It is no longer the “… Lord’s passover …” (Exod. 12:27). It is the Jews’ passover—merely a religious feast, quite meaningless, just a ritual to go through. The One of whom the Passover speaks has now come. “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).
Our Lord went up to Jerusalem. This was not at the beginning of His public ministry but probably at the end of the first year. All males were required to go to Jerusalem three times a year, at the time of the Feast of Passover, at the Feast of Pentecost, and at the Feast of Tabernacles. He went up for the Passover which was about April the fourteenth. So you see that John gears this into the geography and into the calendar.
Now we find that He cleanses the temple. He did this twice. One cleansing was at the beginning of His ministry and one again at the end of His ministry.
And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting [John 2:14].
They were selling animals and selling doves and changing money. It is quite interesting that they would not accept any kind of money except the temple money there; no other kind could be used or offered. So they had an exchange place, and they made a good profit by making the exchange of coins. When I came back from Venezuela some time ago, I came back with some Venezuelan money that I wanted to get rid of because I couldn’t spend it here. There was an exchange place in the airport and I went up there and told them that I wanted to change it for American money. Believe me, friend, I didn’t get as much as when I made the trade the other way around; that is, exchanging American money for the Venezuelan money. Now that is the way they did here at the temple, you see.
Why did they have such a system? Why did they do this? Because they were making religion easy. They would take the Roman coinage, which had an effigy of Caesar and the imprint of paganism on it, and they would exchange that for Jewish coinage which could be used in the temple. So they were there for the convenience of the worshipers. Also, they changed large coins into smaller ones. Not only did they make religion easy, but they also made religion cheap. I recognize that we ought not to overemphasize money in the church and should not beg, but I’ll tell you something that is more intolerable than that. Some people treat the church and the cause of Christ as something so cheap that at times it becomes necessary to sound an alarm.
They were also selling animals. There was a lot of traffic in those sacrificial animals. It was work and expense to raise those sheep and oxen, and somebody would have to do it for a price. It was very easy for all this to become a religious racket. Today we have that problem with us also.
And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
And his disciples remembered that it was written. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up [John 2:15–17].
I tell you, the Lord was rough. There is no question about that. I don’t like the pictures we have of an anemic-looking Christ. The artists don’t seem to realize who He was.
The disciples remembered the verse from Psalm 69:9. This psalm is quoted seventeen times in the New Testament and is one of the six most quoted psalms in the New Testament. It is quoted again in John 15:25 and 19:28–29. The other psalms which are frequently quoted are Psalms 2, 22, 89, 110, and 118.
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up [John 2:18–19].
The word that He used for destroy is luo which means “to untie.” He is, of course, referring to His own human body.
Then said the Jews, Forty six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? [John 2:20].
The temple at that time was Herod’s temple. It was still in the process of being built, and it had already been under construction for fortysix years.
There is a specific use of words in the Greek here that I want you to see. In verses 14 and 15, when it tells of Jesus cleansing the temple, the word used for temple is hieron which refers to the temple as a whole. Specifically, it was the outer court of the temple which Jesus cleansed. The word Jesus uses in verse 19 and the Jews repeat in verse 20 is naos which refers to the inner sanctuary of the temple. This word can also be used in reference to the body as Paul does in 1 Corinthians 6:19 when he says that the holy place today is not a temple made with hands but that our body is the temple (naos) of the Holy Spirit. The Jews were asking the Lord whether He really meant that He would destroy this temple, but, of course, our Lord meant the temple of His body.
But he spake of the temple of his body [John 2:21].
Jesus said that if they destroyed this temple, He would “raise it up.” The word He used was egeiroµ, which John uses five times in his gospel. Its actual meaning is “to wake up” and, each time the word is used, it refers to awaking from the dead. Paul used the same word in his sermon in Antioch of Pisidia where he used it four times. It refers to the resurrection of Christ, and it refers to the resurrection of believers, also. It is used in reference to the restoration to life of Lazarus. It was a “waking up.” That is the picture which we have in this word egeiroµ. That is precisely what He meant when He spoke of the temple of His body. But His disciples didn’t understand that, and it was not until after His resurrection that they recalled it and referred to it.
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said [John 2:22].
JESUS INTERVIEWS NICODEMUS IN JERUSALEM (SECOND WORD)
Now we are coming to something that is intensely interesting. Actually, we should read from verse 23 right on into chapter 3 where we have the story of Nicodemus. All of this took place in Jerusalem during the time of the Passover.
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did [John 2:23].
A great many folk read that and say, “My, isn’t it wonderful that people were believing on Him.” But it wasn’t wonderful, friend, because theirs was not saving faith at all. They merely nodded in assent when they saw the miracles that He did. So notice what follows.
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man [John 2:24–25].
The language that is used here is saying that He did not believe in them. You see, they believed in Him, but He didn’t believe in them. In other words, to put it very frankly, their faith was not a saving faith, which He realized, of course. He knew what was in their hearts.
This is always a grave danger today for those who say they believe in Jesus. What do you mean when you say you believe in Jesus? Do you mean that you believe in the facts of the gospel? The important question is: Do you trust Him as your Savior who died for your sins? Was He raised for your justification? Is He your only hope of heaven?
This crowd was interested, and when they saw Him perform miracles, they believed. They had to—they saw the miracles. But Jesus didn’t believe in them. He knew their belief was not genuine “because he knew all men.” He knew what was in the human heart. He didn’t need anyone to testify to Him of man because He knew what was in man.
In other words, the Lord Jesus didn’t commit Himself unto the mob there. The great company believed on Him, but He didn’t entrust Himself to them. When Nicodemus came to Him at night, our Lord did commit Himself unto him because this man’s faith was genuine.
It is unfortunate that the movement here is broken by a chapter break.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Jesus interviews Nicodemus in Jerusalem (second word)
JESUS INTERVIEWS NICODEMUS IN JERUSALEM (SECOND WORD)
This is an instance where the chapter break is unfortunate; so we will put it together without the break.
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews [John 2:24–3:1].
This man is set apart from the mob. Our Lord didn’t trust the mob because He knew their faith was not genuine. But this man Nicodemus is a genuine man. Let’s get acquainted with him.
Three things are said about him here. The first thing is that he was a man of the Pharisees. That means that he belonged to the best group in Israel. They believed in the inspiration of the Old Testament, they believed in the coming of the Messiah, they believed in miracles, and they believed in the Resurrection. He was a man of the Pharisees, and his name was Nicodemus—we are given his name. And he was a ruler of the Jews. This tells us of the three masks that this man wore.
This is a picture of modern man if there ever was one. Nicodemus was a man of the Pharisees when he met with them. When he was in their midst, he was just one of them. He more or less let down his guard. Then, when he went out from the Pharisees and walked down the street, people would see him coming and would step off the sidewalk. He would be wearing his robe and his phylacteries and prayer shawl, and they would say, “My, that is the ruler, Nicodemus. He’s an outstanding man. He’s a ruler of the Jews.” So he would adopt an altogether different attitude with them. But his name was Nicodemus, and down underneath these two masks that he wore, he was just plain, little old “Nicky.”
There are many men who live like this today. There’s many a man who is a businessman and president of a corporation. He goes into the office in the morning and those in the office speak to him and they call him, “Mister,” and they bow and scrape to him. Although they think they know him, they don’t really. Then he leaves his office and sees several of his customers that morning and when they ask him about business, he says, “Oh, business is great.” Then he goes to his club at noon for lunch. The minute he steps inside the club, he’s a different man. He’s not Mister So-and-So, the president of a corporation, but now he’s just plain old Joe Dokes. They play golf with him, they think they know him, and they call him by his first name. He adopts a different attitude with them. It is a different relationship. They ask him about business and he tells them, “Oh, business is great.” Then in the evening, when the work is done, he goes home. He opens the door to his home, steps in and takes off his coat, and drops down into a chair. He’s an altogether different man. His wife comes in and looks at him as he sits there dejected with both of his masks off now. He’s no longer the businessman, the head of a corporation, and he’s no longer one of the fellows at the club. Now he’s just plain little old “Joe.” His wife asks him, “What’s the matter, Joe? Is business bad?” He replies, “Business is rotten.” This is who he really is.
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him [John 3:2].
This man, Nicodemus, comes to the Lord Jesus with a mask on. He says, “we know.” Who is we? The Pharisees. He comes as a man of the Pharisees. He is wearing that mask.
He comes with a genuine compliment. He’s no hypocrite. He says that we Pharisees have agreed that You are a teacher come from God. I think that he came to talk about the kingdom of God. The Pharisees wanted to establish the kingdom and throw off the yoke of Rome, but they had no way of doing it. Here comes this One who is popular—with the multitudes following Him wherever He goes—so the Pharisees want to hitch their little wagon to His star. Since He has come from the country up in Galilee and they think He doesn’t know how to deal with these politicians as they do, they want to combine forces. So Nicodemus comes, acknowledging that Jesus is a teacher come from God.
The proof that he points to are the miracles Jesus performed. He had to recognize the miracles. Please notice that no one doubted the miracles of our Lord—not in that day! You’ve got to be a professor in a seminary today, removed by two thousand years and several thousand miles from the land where it all took place, and then you can doubt the miracles. But you will not find that either the friends of Jesus or His enemies ever doubted His miracles.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God [John 3:3].
This is the reason I think he came to talk about the kingdom of God. I see no other reason why our Lord would almost abruptly interrupt him and say to him, “The thing is, you can’t even see the kingdom of God except you’ve been born again.” Now here is a man, a Pharisee, who is religious to his fingertips, and yet our Lord told him he couldn’t see the kingdom of God except he be born again. If this man came to talk about the kingdom and the establishing of it, which I think he did, then certainly this statement of our Lord detoured him. So now he drops the mask of the man of the Pharisees, but he is still a ruler of the Jews.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? [John 3:4].
Jesus had said he must be born again. The Greek word for “again” is anothen which means “from above.” This man Nicodemus couldn’t think of anything but a physical birth. He immediately dropped the condescending mask of the Pharisee and asked how this could be. Our Lord wasn’t speaking of a physical birth at all. He was speaking about a spiritual birth. But Nicodemus couldn’t understand about a spiritual birth. The reason was that he had no spiritual capacity to comprehend it.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God [John 3:5].
Now what does it mean to be born of water and of the Spirit? There are those who think that to be born of water is a reference to water baptism. But this would be a strange expression if it did refer to that. Then, there have been several very fine Christian doctors who interpret “born of water” as the physical birth which is a birth in water; that is, the child in the womb is in water. I don’t think that is what is meant here at all. He wasn’t talking about the difference between natural birth and spiritual birth, but He was talking about how a man could be born “from above” or “born again.”
As we saw in chapter 2, water is symbolic of the Word of God. We will find later in this book that Jesus says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17, italics mine). There is a cleansing, sanctifying power in the Word. In John 15:3 Jesus says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (italics mine). The Word of God is likened unto water again and again. We believe that “born of water and of the Spirit” means that a person must be born again by the Holy Spirit using the Scripture. We believe, very definitely, that no one could be born again without the Word of God applied by the Spirit of God. One today is born from above by the use of water, which is the Word of God, and the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, making it real to the heart.
There are three outstanding conversions in the Book of Acts. They have been given to us, I think, primarily as illustrations. There is the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, the conversion of Cornelius, and the conversion of Paul. These three men are representatives of the three families of Noah: the son of Shem, the son of Ham, and the son of Japheth. In each of these three cases, the Word of God was used by the Spirit of God for their conversions. God’s method seems to be the Word of God, used by the Spirit of God, given through a man of God. I am confident that our Lord, saying that one must be born of water and of the Spirit, referred to the Spirit of God using the Word of God. Without this, Nicodemus could not enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [John 3:6].
God does not intend to change the flesh, meaning this old nature which you and I have. The fact of the matter is that it can’t be changed. The Word of God has much to say about this. The old nature is at war with God. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7–8). God has no program for our old nature to retrieve it, or improve it, or develop it, or save it. That old nature is to go down into the grave with us. And, if the Lord comes before we go down into the grave, we are to be changed in the twinkling of an eye, which means we will get rid of that old nature. It can never be made obedient to God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” That is an axiom. God does not intend to save the flesh at all. This old nature must be replaced by the new nature. The spiritual birth is necessary so that you and I may be given a new nature, friend.
Now notice that Nicodemus who had been hiding behind the mask, “ruler of the Jews,” will be losing it.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit [John 3:7–8].
Jesus is saying, “You can’t tell where the wind comes from and you can’t tell where it is going.” The air currents and the winds are something that man still doesn’t control. The wind blows where it wills. We can’t detour it, and we can’t change it. There is an attempt being made to seed down the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean area, but so far we haven’t tamed the wind.
Although we can’t control the wind, we surely can tell when it’s blowing. You and I can be standing out on the street and you can say to me, “The wind is blowing!” I answer, “How do you know?” You would reply, “Look at that tree up there, see how the leaves are blowing, and notice how the tree is bending over.” We can tell when the wind is blowing.
Now, friend, I don’t know how to explain to you the spiritual birth. I know there are a lot of books being published that claim to explain it, but the difference between the authors and me is that they don’t seem to know that they don’t know, while I am willing to admit that I don’t know. “The wind bloweth where it listeth … so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” Although we don’t quite understand it, it illustrates the way one is born of the Spirit. I can’t tell you exactly how the Spirit of God operates, but I can surely tell when He is moving in the lives and hearts of His people. That’s exactly what our Lord is saying here.
Our Lord has gotten rid of the two masks. The man who stands before Him is no longer the man of the Pharisees and he is no longer the ruler of the Jews. Who is he? Let’s see what the verse says.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? [John 3:9].
Now he stands there, just plain, little old “Nicky.” He’s wondering how these things can be and our Lord is going to talk to him very plainly. By the way, you and I can put up our masks before each other and there are many people today who use them. When they are with a certain crowd, they act a certain way. The mask, friend, hides just what we really are. When we come to the Lord Jesus, we have to take off all our masks. We can’t use them there. You have to be the real “you.” You have to come just as you are; then Jesus will deal with you that way. And this is the way He will deal with this man Nicodemus.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? [John 3:10].
That’s gentle satire that our Lord is using here. He is saying to this man, “You are a ruler in Israel and acting as if I were telling you something that couldn’t be true, because if it were true, you would have known about it.” And then Jesus asks, “Don’t you know these things, Nicodemus?”
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven [John 3:11–13].
He tells Nicodemus that he hasn’t received His witness even as it was spoken to him.
Then He goes on to show that there is a tremendous movement which is set forth here in the Gospel of John. I called attention in the Introduction to the saying of our Lord in John 16:28, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” And now He says, “No man hath ascended up to heaven.” That is the answer to those today who feel that Elijah and Enoch went to heaven when they were translated. I don’t think so because up to this point the Lord Jesus says that no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. In other words, He is saying that He is the only One who can speak about heaven because He is the only One who has ascended up to heaven. Now it is true that there are a host of folk who have gone to heaven after Christ, but in the Old Testament, when a saint of God died, one of God’s own, he went to a place that is called Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom—our Lord called it that (see Luke 16:22). It was not until after Christ died and ascended to heaven and led captivity captive that He took those who were in Paradise into the presence of God in heaven. Since then, for the child of God, it has always been “… absent from the body … present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). But when Jesus was here, no other man had ascended to heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:14–15].
When Moses lifted up that brass serpent on a pole, because of God’s judgment upon the sin of the people, all they had to do for healing was to look to it. As Moses lifted up the serpent, so Christ is going to be lifted up. That serpent, you see, represented the sin of the people. And Christ was made sin for us on the cross because He bore our sin there. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
Now our Lord repeats to Nicodemus probably the most familiar words we have in the Bible:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life [John 3:16].
There are two things that we need to note here. One is that we must be born again. The other is that the Son of Man must be lifted up. They are related. It takes the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ—He must be lifted up. Since He has been lifted up, since He bore our penalty, the Spirit of God can regenerate us. And we must be born again—that is the only way God can receive us.
The motivation for all of this is that God so loved the world. God never saved the world by love, which is the mistaken thinking of today. It doesn’t say that God’s love saved the world, because the love of God could never save a sinner. God does not save by love, friends. God saves by grace! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). Now, how does God save? God saves by grace. But God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever (you can write your name in here and I can write mine) believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Notice that with the word believe is the little preposition in which means to believe in Christ. That is, we trust Him as the One who bore the penalty for our sins. This is a personal thing. We must each believe that He died in our place and in our stead. My friend, you must believe that He died for you.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God [John 3:17–18].
We see here that, when Jesus came the first time, He was not a judge. He made that very clear to the man who wanted Him to give a judgment between himself and his brother. He said, “… Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” (Luke 12:14). He didn’t come as a Judge the first time. He came as the Savior. He will come the next time as the Judge. But now He says that God didn’t send Him into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Whoever does not believe in Him is condemned. Friend, if you don’t believe, you are already condemned. Why? Because “he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” That wonderful name is Jesus—His name is Jesus because He is the Savior of the world. Anyone who will believe in that name is no longer under condemnation but has everlasting life.
Remember that He is talking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee. The Pharisees believed that the Messiah, when He came, would be a judge. The Old Testament presented two aspects of the coming of the Messiah. One was His coming as a Savior, coming to die, coming to pay a penalty; the other was His coming as the Judge. They reasoned that the Messiah would be a judge when He came because the Old Testament presents that aspect. In Psalm 2:9 we read, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.…” Daniel speaks of Him as ajudge of the whole world (Dan. 7:13–14). Psalm 45 talks about His ruling the world in righteousness, and Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 42 speak of His judgments in righteousness. The Lord Jesus is making it very clear to Nicodemus that God sent not His Son this time to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. The “world” is the Greek word kosmos—God’s redemptive purpose embraces the entire world. He did not come to condemn or to judge the world but to save the world.
In Christ there is no condemnation. Those who are not in Christ are already condemned. There are a great many who feel that the world is on trial today. It is not. The world is lost. You and I live in a lost world, and we’ll not wait until the final judgment to see that we are lost. Our position is something like a man who is in prison being asked whether or not he will accept a pardon. That is the gospel. It is not telling a man that he is on trial. He is already condemned. He is already in prison waiting for execution. But the gospel tells him a pardon is offered to him. The point is, will you accept the pardon? How wonderfully clear that is. The gospel is to save those who are already lost.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God [John 3:19–21].
This is the judgment, you see, of the world. The day that the world crucified Christ—on that day the world made a decision. It must now be judged by God. The condemnation, or the judgment, is that light is come into the world, but because men’s deeds were habitually evil, they loved the darkness. Rats always scurry for a dark corner when light enters a room. Today I received a letter from a girl who said that, before she was saved, she never cared for our Bible-teaching program. Naturally, she did not want the light at all. Only those who turn to Christ want the light.
Notice that in this verse our Lord approaches so many things from the negative point. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” We hear today of the power of positive thinking. Believe me, friend, there is a lot of power in negative thinking and negative speaking. Listen to other things He said. “… I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” and “… the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 2:17; 10:45, italics mine). “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.” And He says that every one that doeth evil hateth the light. In other words, whoever habitually practices what is wrong hates the light. “Light” and “truth” are used in the same way. “He that doeth truth cometh to the light.” Error and darkness are always in contrast to light and truth. This ends His interview with Nicodemus.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
For John was not yet cast into prison [John 3:22–24].
At this time, John was still able to preach “… the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). It was after the Lord’s temptation that John was cast into prison. The other Gospels tell us that.
Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him [John 3:25–26].
This is a very interesting statement. The disciples of John, I would assume, are jealous. They are suggesting that he should not mention the name of Jesus. They feel it would be best if he didn’t. And then they imply that he should not have borne witness to Him to begin with because all are going to Him—well, now, that is hyperbole—but it reveals they were jealous and were afraid John was going to lose all his followers.
Now this man John makes a very clear statement. There is not a jealous bone in the body of John.
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease [John 3:27–30].
One cannot escape the tremendous force of this, friend. John the Baptist is the last of the Old Testament prophets. He is actually not in the church. He makes it clear here. “He that hath the bride.” Who is the bride? The church. “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.” Then who is John? He is the friend of the Bridegroom. He will be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb, but he is not a part of the church by any means. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets who walks out of the Old Testament onto the pages of the New Testament to announce the coming of the Messiah.
“A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” Again and again this truth will come out. Jesus said, “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:65). How tremendous these statements are! And then John says that Christ must increase but that John must decrease. His ministry is now coming to an end.
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him [John 3:31–36].
John makes it very clear that the Lord Jesus Christ is superior, and he gives them this wonderful testimony concerning the Lord Jesus.
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” You have it right now! Friend, you couldn’t have it any clearer than that. John the Baptist preached the gospel, as you can see. He told the message that men are lost without Christ, but they have everlasting life through faith in Christ. What a testimony this man had. What a tremendous witness to the Lord Jesus Christ!
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Jesus interviews the woman at the well in Sychar (third word); Jesus heals the nobleman’s son in Capernaum (second work)
Chapter 4 brings us to the very important incident in the ministry of our Lord as He goes through Samaria.
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee [John 4:1–3].
This, apparently, was immediately after the incident in chapter 3. It was in the month of December and probably near December 27. This was the time that John the Baptist was in prison. When John was imprisoned, Jesus left Judaea and went back into Galilee.
Why did He retire from Judaea? Well, He did not want to precipitate a crisis. You see, the Lord Jesus was moving according to schedule, a heavenly schedule set by the Father. He has made it very clear that He came to do the Father’s will. Speaking of His own life, He said, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:18). They can’t touch Him until His time has come. When we reach the thirteenth chapter of John, we will see that His time had then come. “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father” (John 13:1)—you see He’s moving on His Father’s schedule, friend; He has come to do the Father’s will.
So He departed again into Galilee. He went back up where His headquarters were, which, we believe, were in the city of Capernaum.
JESUS INTERVIEWS THE WOMAN AT THE WELL IN SYCHAR (THIRD WORD)
And he must needs go through Samaria [John 4:4].
That word must attracts our attention. Why must He go through Samaria? In order to reach a certain woman. Listen to Him in verse 34, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” He must go through Samaria because it is the Father’s will for Him to go through Samaria. His destination, apparently, was Cana of Galilee where He had made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick and He is headed in that direction. But He must go through Samaria.
There were three routes He could have taken. He could have gone along the coast. There was a route there, and it is still there today, by the way. He could have gone through Peraea which is up at the other side of Jordan. Or He could go through Samaria. Josephus tells us that, although the most direct route was through Samaria, the Jews didn’t go that route due to the antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans. However, our Lord went through Samaria.
Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph [John 4:5].
Joseph’s tomb is near by. At the fork of the old Roman road south of Sychar He meets the woman at the well. Mount Gerizim is to the northwest, and the synagogue of the Samaritans is on the slope of Mount Gerizim. I’ve been at that spot and have taken pictures there. This is the place to which our Lord comes.
Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour [John 4:6].
The sixth hour according to Roman time would be six o’clock in the evening, but we are following Jewish time here and the sixth hour was twelve noon. He was weary with His journey. How perfectly human He was. You see, John presents Him as the Son of God, as God manifest in the flesh. “The Word was made flesh” (John 1:14). Friend, although the language is simple, it expresses something that is overwhelming. Think of it! The God of eternity came down to this earth. The Word was made flesh and dwelled among us—He pitched His tent here among us. He went through Samaria and sat down at a well in order that He might reach this woman of Samaria!
The Samaritans were a group of poor people in that day.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink [John 4:7].
This woman is obviously a dissolute woman. I think she is probably as common as pig tracks. She’s rude and immoral. We would call her today a hussy or a broad, if you please.
What a contrast she is to the man, Nicodemus, we saw in the preceding chapter. And notice how differently our Lord deals with her. With Nicodemus, a man who was religious to his fingertips, our Lord was harsh and blunt, but see how gentle He is with this woman. He asks a favor of her. He appeals to her sympathy—He is thirsty and asks for a drink. What condescension on His part! He is the Water of Life and He asks her for water.
(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) [John 4:8].
It is noon and His disciples have gone to the city to buy food. The fact that they were buying the Samaritans’ food also reveals Jesus’ total rejection of the Jewish prejudice which considered Samaritan food unclean, even as swine’s flesh.
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him. How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans [John 4:9].
Twice she refuses His request. She’s rude here, and insolent, impudent, and impertinent—she tosses her pert and saucy head. She makes this racial distinction. It is said that the Samaritans would sell to the Jews, but they wouldn’t drink from the same vessel with them.
You see what our Lord is doing here. He is coming to the very lowest place to which He can come. But watch how the Lord deals with her. He is very skillful and sympathetic, but He also talks with her forcefully, faithfully, and factually. He doesn’t give her a lecture on integration or civil rights. He isn’t a candidate for some office. He just appeals to her womanly curiosity. He creates an interest and a thirst.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water [John 4:10].
As He appeals to her curiosity, her attitude immediately changes.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? [John 4:11–12].
The woman calls Him “Sir” which she had left out before. Then she was impudent and rude, but now there is a difference. The whole point here is that this woman is thinking in terms of the physical; her thinking could get no higher than the water level down in the well.
Notice that she identifies herself with Jacob. She does this purposely, as racially the Samaritans were Jacob’s descendants who had intermarried with peoples from the north following the Assyrian Captivity of Israel in 721 b.c.
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life [John 4:13–14].
Jesus makes it clear that He is not talking about water in Jacob’s well. Rather, He is making a contrast, you see. Today the crowds are going to the water holes of this world, seeking satisfaction. They also are constantly looking for the physical, not the spiritual satisfaction. But now Jesus has created a desire in this woman’s heart for the spiritual water.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw [John 4:15].
She’s thirsty for spiritual water, but then her thinking goes right back down into that well again.
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither [John 4:16].
This is the master stroke. Although the water is available for all, there is a condition to be met—there must be a thirst, a need. She must, therefore, recognize that she is a sinner. So our Lord says to her, “Go call your husband.” That is a touchy subject. She becomes flippant again.
The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly [John 4:17–18].
She was accurate about that. She had had five husbands, but she didn’t have one then. She was living with a man in adultery. Our Lord insists that, when you come to Him, you must deal with sin. All secrets must come out before Him. Here was a sinner. One of the reasons she was not so popular with the women of the town was because she was too popular with the men of the town.
The woman was actually shocked into reverence. But then she wanted to change the subject by opening a religious argument.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship [John 4:19–20].
Now that will make a good religious argument, friend. Where are you going to worship? In this mountain or in Jerusalem? That caused many an argument in that day.
There are many people today who want to argue religion, but they don’t want to live it. I’m convinced that most of the superficiality in our churches today is there as a cover-up of sin. Unfortunately our churches are honeycombed with hypocrisy, a compromise with evil, and a refusal to face up to sin. You know, it’s easy to preach about the sin of the Moabites which they committed about 4,000 years ago, but what about our sins today? It was the brother of Henry Ward Beecher who said, “I like a sermon where one man is the preacher and one man is the congregation so that when the preacher says, ‘Thou art the man,’ there’s no mistaking whom he’s talking about.” There are many ministers today who are afraid to preach on the sins of Christians. This was confirmed to me several years ago. I was speaking in a summer conference on the first eight chapters of Romans. This is not often used as a subject because Paul deals with sin. At first I could actually feel a resentment. By the middle of the week, the Holy Spirit began to break up hard hearts and a fellow who seemed to be the most pompous and pious saint came to me wanting to confess his sins. I told him not to confess them to me, but to go to the great High Priest, the Lord Jesus. He would hear him when he confessed, and He would forgive him. What a change took place in this man! At that same conference two ministers came to me, personally and privately, asking, “Do you preach like this in your own church?” Well, I did preach like that, but I found out there was a little cell of super-duper saints, who liked to criticize the preacher so as to take the attention off themselves. They really wanted to be active—in fact, they wanted to run the church—but they did not want to deal with sin in their lives.
Our Lord did not avoid or sidestep the issue of personal sin. I believe that if you really have honest questions or doubts, the Lord will reveal the solution to you. And our Lord dealt with this woman on the question she had raised.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews [John 4:21–22].
The thing that was important to this woman was whether she should worship God in this mountain where the Samaritans worship Him, or should she worship Him in Jerusalem. Jesus told her the day was coming when He would not be worshiped in either place. Why?
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth [John 4:23–24].
It is irrelevant, therefore, where you worship God. It is not where but how you worship Him that is important. Our Lord answered her very adequately. God is a Spirit. You don’t have to run to this place or that place. True worshipers worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things [John 4:25].
Even the Samaritans were looking for the Messiah to come. That is something that is very interesting. Today the second coming of Christ is believed and loved by those who are His. Those who are not really His, though church members, have a nagging feeling that He might come. Although they say they don’t believe in His second coming, it still disturbs them.
An atheist in London several years ago made the statement that the thing that disturbed him was that the Bible might be true and that Jesus might come again. If He did, this man realized he would be in trouble. Believe me, he surely will be in trouble!
The woman now is profoundly interested, and there is a wistful longing in her heart.
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he [John 4:25–26].
How majestic and sublime this statement is! This woman is brought face to face now with the Savior of the world, the Messiah. Friend, this is my question to you today, whoever you are, wherever you are, and however you are: Have you come face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ as this woman did? I tell you, she found herself in His presence. “I that speak unto thee am he!”
And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? [John 4:27–29].
The woman had turned in faith to the Lord Jesus; so now she rushes into the city to tell others. Notice that she does not talk to the women because she’s not on speaking terms with them. Some of those men were involved with her, and they are very much interested in knowing whether He could tell all things that she had done. So here is what happened.
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him [John 4:30].
The men came because of her witness. That is very important for us to see. The fact that she witnessed to others is evidence of her faith.
In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat?
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work [John 4:31–34].
The reason that He went through Samaria was to do the Father’s will by reaching this woman.
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
And herein is that saying true. One soweth, and another reapeth.
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours [John 4:35–38].
Remember that this took place in December, and harvest in that area would be in April.
In this age in which we are living today, our business is to sow. I am attempting through the radio media to sow the Word of God. I hope that good churches will reap because I have sown. One pastor told me that because of the radio messages, he had received into his church over one hundred members. We are reaching a great many people who are members of liberal churches, but they want to know where to go to be taught the Word of God. This pastor said that because folk had listened to the broadcast and then realized that they wanted the Word of God, they had come to his church. They will join churches where the Word is taught. One sows and another reaps. I rejoice in that.
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did [John 4:39].
A great company was reached in Samaria through this woman with the “shady” past!
So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
And many more believed because of his own word;
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world [John 4:40–42].
What a wonderful thing we see here. They came to the Living Water and they drank. The only condition was for them to thirst. You will never know that you thirst until you know that you are a sinner, friend. Isaiah cried, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters …”(Isa. 55:1). Our Lord gave the same invitation: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). The Water of Life is for “any man.” But the one condition is thirst. Many of the Samaritans came to Him, and they drank.
As many men came to Christ through the witness of the woman at Samaria, today many people are led to know Christ through the influence of another. In fact, it is the effect of one life upon other lives, the impact of one personality upon another, which often leads people to Christ. Some young people have remarkable parents, or one remarkable parent, and because of the influence of the parent they may come to Christ. They live in the light of that parent with no personal contact with Christ Himself. Then later they stumble and fall when the influence of the parent is gone. I’ve seen that happen again and again during my years as a pastor. It is a wonderful thing to exercise an influence on another for Christ, but don’t let it stand there! See that the individual gets through to Christ in a personal relationship for himself. The Samaritans said, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
JESUS HEALS THE NOBLEMAN’S SON IN CAPERNAUM (SECOND WORK)
Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum [John 4:43–46].
Notice the geography John gives us here again. Jesus leaves Samaria and goes into Galilee, and many Galilaeans believe on Him because they had seen Him at the feast and had watched the things He had done. Then He goes specifically to Cana of Galilee because there is a certain nobleman there whose son is way down in Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death [John 4:47].
Here is a father who exercised faith in behalf of his son. This illustrates the thing we have just been saying. Make sure your own child has a personal contact with Jesus Christ. The essential thing would have been for the father to have brought the boy to Christ. I think that we have a right to claim our loved ones for Christ. We should exercise our own influence upon the lives of others. I believe that you’ve got to be a witness to your loved ones and that you’ve got to reveal in your own life that you have a living faith in Christ and that it works.
A man who was a member of the church I served in Los Angeles came to me one day, asking me to pray for the salvation of his son. Unfortunately, although he was an officer of the church, his life wasn’t very good. The boy had walked out of the house, and I honestly couldn’t blame the boy for it at all. The father wanted me to counsel with the boy and attempt to lead him to Christ. I very candidly told him that I wouldn’t talk with the boy. I said, “You’ve served that boy ‘roast preacher’ for so long that he hasn’t any use for me. You’ve done nothing but criticize. Now you’ve lost your influence with him, and I will pray that someone else will exert an influence on your boy and bring him to the Lord.” Friend, if you are a parent, remember that your life exerts a powerful influence upon your children, both good and bad.
The nobleman came to Jesus asking Him to come down and heal his son who was at the point of death.
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way [John 4:48–50].
This man protested that he was not just looking for signs and wonders; he wanted his boy. That was all-important to him. Jesus responded to this man’s faith and He did heal the boy. That is wonderful.
However, it’s too bad he didn’t bring the boy into the presence of Christ. That was of the utmost importance. We hope he did so after the boy was well. The Samaritan woman, even though she had been a bad woman, brought the men face to face with the Lord Jesus.
You can influence someone that no preacher can reach. In fact, nobody else can reach that individual but you. You have that influence over that individual. Be very sure that you bring him face to face with Christ.
And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him [John 4:51–52].
It’s difficult to be sure just what time John is using. According to Roman time this would have been about seven in the evening.
So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea. into Galilee [John 4:53–54].
The father claimed his whole household for Christ. They would each have to exert faith personally, but this man claimed them and would exert his influence for Christ.
The word for miracle here is actually the word sign. This is the second sign that Jesus did.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Jesus heals man at Pool of Bethesda (third work)
JESUS HEALS MAN AT POOL OF BETHESDA (THIRD WORK)
Chapter 5 brings us to this very wonderful incident of the healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. Actually, in a sense, this miracle is the turning point in the ministry of Christ. You see, this miracle set the bloodhounds of hate on His track, and they never let up until they put Him to death on the cross.
Notice verse 16:
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God [John 5:16–18].
You see, the clash with them was over the Sabbath day; they never forgave Him for what He did on the Sabbath. They hated Him because He said, “… The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27). The miracle that our Lord performed here really put murder into their hearts. They hated Him because of the Sabbath and because He made Himself equal with God.
“Making himself equal with God” is a clearcut claim to deity. I have heard the liberals say that the Bible does not teach the deity of Christ. I don’t know what those men are talking about. I feel they are either woefully ignorant or they are absolutely dishonest. You may disagree with the Lord Jesus, and you may disagree with the Bible, but how can you put any other construction on these plain words, “making himself equal with God”? If that isn’t claiming deity, then I do not know how a person would be able to claim deity.
Now let’s go back to the beginning of the chapter. It starts with a feast of the Jews. The question arises as to which feast this is. It is probably the Passover. There are three great feasts of the Jews: “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles…” (Deut. 16:16). Since in John 2 we find the Passover, and in John 7 we find the Feast of Tabernacles, many have assumed that this feast is Pentecost. We are not told because that is not really the important thing here. I rather think it could be the Feast of Passover again.
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water [John 5:1–3].
Now it was really the sheep gate, not a market, where the pool was. The name of the pool was Bethesda which means, “house of olives” or “house of mercy.” It had five porches. In these lay a great multitude. The word great is not in the better manuscripts, but it doesn’t change the meaning because a multitude is a great number anyway. “A multitude of impotent folk” means people without strength.
Many years ago, when I was pastor in Pasadena, I went up one year to speak at the Preventorium where little fellows and girls who had weak lungs or tuberculosis were cared for. They presented an Easter program. There was one little fellow there who quoted this entire fifth chapter of John, all forty-seven verses. He made only one error and I always felt it wasn’t much of an error. In verse 3, he quoted it like this, “In these lay a great multitude of important folk.” Quite a few people smiled when he said that. I got to thinking about it, and realized he was correct. They were important. One of them caused the Lord Jesus to come to this place and any of the others could have turned to Him. They were important to Him.
The fourth verse of this chapter is not in the better manuscripts. To say this, does not mean that I don’t believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. I want to assure you that I do believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. Why in the world do you think that I teach the entire Bible? But I do think we should heed scholarship—fundamental, conservative scholarship which suggests that because it is not in the better manuscripts, it was put in by a scribe as a word of explanation. I believe it is factual and it helps me understand why this crowd of impotent folk were here. But whether it belongs in Scripture or not is not worth an argument. To me it is not the essential thing because there is something far more important here. However, I did want to give this word of explanation.
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had [John 5:4].
This is the explanation of why they were there. The belief was that an angel stirred the water at a certain season. I personally feel that a great many cures took place there that were psychological cures. There are a number of people today, just as there were then, who are sick in their minds, ignorant, and superstitious. There are quite a few who go to faith healers today who believe they get healed. There is always a question whether or not they were ever really sick. Another question is whether they stay permanently healed. My point is that the Lord Jesus Christ heals today just as He did at the pool of Bethesda, and that one is not healed by some moving of the water.
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years [John 5:5].
Our attention is directed to one man here. Whether he had been at the pool all that time we do not know. We are told that he was infirm for thirty-eight years and that apparently he moved with difficulty. I would judge he was the worst case there. Think of how frustrating it was for this poor fellow! Even if he hadn’t been there for the thirty-eight years, he must have been there for several years. He must have been much older than thirty-eight years, and his condition was the result of his own sin. In verse 14 the Lord Jesus said to him, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” You can well imagine this poor fellow lying there, keeping his eyes on the water, waiting for the moving of the water. He would hope somehow or other to be the first one to get down in the water. But there had been disappointment after disappointment. He was in such a bad state that the others would always get into the water first. I’m sure he saw many cures there. People who were sick in their minds would be healed in their minds.
Our Lord apparently knew that he had been impotent for a long time and that he had waited at the pool for a long time. Notice His approach to him.
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? [John 5:6].
That’s a peculiar question to ask a sick man. It seems rather absurd, doesn’t it? Of course, he wanted to be made whole, but the Lord asked him the question for two reasons. First, to beget hope in the man. His case was hopeless, and I think the light of hope had pretty much gone out of his life, and he was in despair. Secondly, and this is the most important, Jesus wanted to get the man’s eyes off the pool. Jesus wanted him to look to Him. I think this man had never noticed anybody else who came up there. He never watched anything else but just kept his eyes on the pool. So our Lord startled him with the question, “Do you earnestly desire to be made whole?” I think the man normally and naturally would look up. Who would ask a question like that? His answer was, “Of course, I want to be made whole. But that’s not my problem. What I need is somebody to put me in the water.”
The condition of so many people today is just like that man who was watching that pool, waiting for something to happen. I’m bold enough to say that it is the condition of all of us in these days. We are waiting. Just think of the people in our churches, waiting for some great, sweeping emotion to engulf them. Then there are those who are postponing making a decision for Christ. They are not willing to turn to Him because they are looking for an emotion; they are looking for something to happen. Another great group of people today have their eyes on business and they are waiting for something to happen to get rich quick. I was pastor in Texas in a place where they drilled for oil, and I knew a lot of my folk who just sat around watching a dry well. There wasn’t any moving of water or anything else. It was dry. They wanted that to become an oil well and they had their eyes on the physical. Because they were entranced by the material, they lost sight of Jesus Christ. Then there are some people today who are looking to some individual. They’ve heard of the experience of someone else and they are waiting for something like that to happen in their lives. But they are doomed to bitter disappointment. I’ve talked to many of these people. They come under all of these categories. They are all waiting with their eyes fixed on some thing. Unfortunately, they have their eyes fixed on the wrong thing, or the wrong individual, or the wrong happening. I’ll ask you a question. Are you waiting for something to happen these days? If you tell me what it is, I could write your biography. The Thessalonians “… turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). They took their eyes off things in Thessalonica, and they turned to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I’m sure this man looked up rather amazed that anyone would ask him that question.
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me [John 5:7].
What a sad story that tells. This poor, helpless, hopeless, homeless, lonely fellow is really saying, “Would I be made whole? Of course, I would. But I haven’t anybody to put me in the pool. Would You put me in the pool?” The Lord Jesus has no notion of getting that man into the pool. He is going to get him out of it and away from it. The minute the man gets his eye on the Lord Jesus, something will happen.
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk [John 5:8].
He told him to rise (get up), take up his bed, and walk. He was to give up his place there at the pool to somebody else. He’s to take his bed because no arrangements will be made for a relapse. There isn’t going to be any relapse!
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place [John 5:9–13].
The next thing that happens is that the enemies accuse the man of carrying his bed on the Sabbath day. Well, that was the proof that he was healed. Can you imagine how ridiculous these religious rulers were to be upset because he carried his bed on the Sabbath day?
Our Lord seemed to use a miraculous way of getting away from the crowd there that day because the man really didn’t know who it was that had healed him.
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day [John 5:14–16].
What actually happened was simply this: the Lord healed him physically at the pool of Bethesda but He healed his soul there in the temple. Sin had caused the man’s trouble. First, he got a well body, and then he got a well soul. He came to know Jesus, you see. Then he was able to tell who He was. This impotent man was waiting and waiting, looking at the pool, and one day Jesus, the Lamb of God, came by and saw him. Then the man saw Jesus. The impotent man met the Omnipotent Man. The thing that is amazing to me is that there were multitudes left in those porches and they were not healed. Today there are multitudes who are not saved. Isn’t Jesus willing to save them? Yes, but they haven’t looked at Jesus. They’re just waiting, friend, waiting for something to happen.
This is the incident that put those bloodhounds of hate on the trail of Jesus. (When John says the “Jews,” he is actually referring to the religious rulers of the Jews.) This is the point at which they began to persecute Jesus and sought to slay Him.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work [John 5:17].
When that man got down into the ditch of sin, the Lord Jesus and the Father could no longer rest on the Sabbath Day. Although God rested after the creation of the physical universe, after the fall of man He didn’t rest, because man, like an ox, had gotten down into the ditch.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God [John 5:18].
These men never let up until they folded their arms beneath His cross.
THE CLAIMS OF JESUS
Our Lord now goes on to make three tremendous claims concerning Himself. It is on the basis of these claims that we can use John 5:24 in presenting the gospel. We will try to put it all together here.
The first claim:
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise [John 5:19].
The Lord Jesus is saying that He is God and that He can do what God does. There is a perfect correspondence and harmony between the Father and the Son. Therefore, the charge that was made against Him was absurd. The Son does not contradict the Father, nor does the Father contradict the Son. Jesus does what God does. Jesus can forgive sins. Then He goes on to say that there is a personal and intimate relationship between the Father and the Son.
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel [John 5:20].
The second claim:
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will [John 5:21].
Jesus imparts life, gives life, to whom He will. If the Father raises the dead, the Son will raise the dead. Today we hear a great deal being said about the gift of healing, but with that gift went the ability to raise the dead. Paul raised the dead, and so did Simon Peter. Our Lord gave them that gift. It was an apostolic gift of healing and raising the dead, which disappeared with the apostles. The Lord Jesus raised the dead. He raised the dead because He was God. These other men did it in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The third claim:
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son [John 5:22].
A literal reading would be, “For not even the Father judgeth anyone, but He hath given all judgment unto the Son.” You can have everlasting life if you hear His word and believe it. Why? Because the Lord Jesus does what God does, because He raises the dead, and because He is going to judge all men someday. Whether saved or lost, they are going to appear before Him. The believers will appear before Him at the judgment which we call the Bema seat of Christ to see whether they receive a reward (see 2 Cor. 5:10). The lost will come before Him at the Great White Throne (see Rev. 20:11). Remember that the Lord Jesus did not come to judge the first time, but He will come as Judge the next time, and all judgment is committed to Him.
Jesus definitely puts Himself on a par with God the Father.
That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him [John 5:23].
It is on the basis of these three claims, these three great principles, that He goes on to this wonderful statement in verse 24 which is used so much in personal work today. It is right that we should use it, but we need to remember to back it up with the claims Jesus has just made.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life [John 5:24].
Notice that He says, “hath everlasting life” which is right now—present tense. The believer does not come into condemnation, which is another word for judgment. He is passed out of death into life.
Now who is saying this? This is a tremendous promise, but who is making it? That is the important thing.
Years ago, in a cotton patch in my southland, a man stood up and read to those that were weary from picking cotton and were lying on their sacks. He read, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). One man raised himself from off his cotton sack and said, “Them’s good words, but who said them?”
Well, these are good words: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Who said them? Christ has given us the three statements concerning Himself which are the foundation for this verse. Jesus is God (v. 19); He raises the dead (v. 21); and He is going to judge (v. 22). Who He is makes these words truly wonderful words.
Now Jesus goes on with another great statement.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice [John 5:25, 28].
What does He mean in verse 25 when He says “the hour … now is”? Well, we’re in that period of the hour that is coming. Verse 28 makes it clear that the hour has not yet arrived, but “the hour is coming.” The whole thought is that we are living in the period or the age or the dispensation that is moving to the time when “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”
If we are in the period of the “hour that is coming,” then what does He mean that it also “now is”? Who are the dead who hear His voice now? In John 11 where we have the incident in which Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, you will remember that He said to the two sisters at the time of the death of Lazarus, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25–26. italics mine). “Though he were dead.” Does this mean the person that is in the grave hears? No, no, this is referring to spiritual death! Death means separation from God. The hour is coming when those who are in the grave shall hear His voice and shall live, but the hour is now when those who are spiritually dead hear His voice and live. Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers that they had been dead in trespasses and sins. That is the spiritual condition of everyone. But then, “he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death [out of spiritual death] unto life,” the life that He gives. So in verses 25 and 28 He is talking about two separate things. The time is now when Christ gives spiritual life. The hour is coming when He will raise the dead out of the grave.
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man [John 5:26–27].
The Lord Jesus is a life giver, you see. Not only does He have life, but He gives life. He also has the right to execute judgment. He came the first time as the Savior and not to judge, but He is coming the next time as the Judge. At that time, those in the graves will hear His voice.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [John 5:28–29].
A better translation for the word damnation would be “judgment.”
There are two resurrections mentioned here. The Book of Revelation is even more specific and describes the completion of the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4–6) and the second resurrection (Rev. 20:11–15). The first resurrection is the resurrection of all the saved—the first phase of which is the next thing on the agenda of God. We call it the Rapture of the church. “Rapture” is a good translation of the Greek harpazoµ. Paul used it in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where he says we shall be “caught up,” which means “to be raptured.” The Rapture takes place at some time in the future. It is not dated and there are no signs given for it. It could happen at any moment. He is going to call His own out of this world, both the living and the dead. That is part of the first resurrection. Then, during the Tribulation Period, a great many believers will become martyrs. They will be raised at the end of the Great Tribulation Period together with the Old Testament saints. That also is part of the first resurrection. They will be raised to live forever here upon this earth. That is the first resurrection. It is the resurrection of life, as our Lord called it.
Then the resurrection of judgment is the Great White Throne judgment when all the unsaved, of all the ages, will be raised. They wanted to be judged by their works, and they will be! They will stand before God who is just and righteous; they will have an opportunity to stand before a Holy God and to plead their case. But God has already warned them; there is no one saved in that judgment. It is only the lost who are brought there, and they will be judged according to their works, because there are degrees in punishment (see Luke 12:47–48).
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me [John 5:30].
Jesus says, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” That is His self-limitation when He came down to this earth and took upon Himself our humanity. He came down as a man, not to do His own will but the Father’s will.
This is the example for us today. You and I have a will, an old nature, that is not obedient to God. We can’t be obedient to God because we are actually in rebellion against God. That is the natural state of every man. That is the reason our Lord had to tell Nicodemus that he must be born again. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). You and I have to have the new birth because this old nature is incorrigible, my friend. It is in rebellion against God. It has been carrying a protest banner before the gates of heaven ever since man came out through the gates of paradise in the Garden of Eden.
Now our Lord is going to show that there are witnesses to the fact that His claims are true.
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true [John 5:31–32].
The Scripture teaches that in the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing is established. “I bear witness of myself”—that would not stand up in court. But “There is another that beareth witness of me.” The witness He is referring to here is not John the Baptist. They would immediately think that is the one to whom He is referring, but He makes it clear that He is not referring to a human witness at all.
Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth [John 5:33].
Now, He is saying that John the Baptist did bare witness to Him. So that is one witness whom they knew. But He is referring to still another Witness, not a human witness, and that makes two witnesses for them to recognize.
But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved [John 5:34].
He claims a higher Witness than the witness of man. Yet, He does give a testimony to John the Baptist. In our King James Version He calls John a “light.” A more accurate translation is “lamp.” You see, Jesus is the Light; John was His witness, His light bearer, His lamp, if you please.
He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me [John 5:35–36].
Here we see that the credentials that the Lord Jesus had were the miracles that He performed. This idea today that there are those who have the same power that Jesus had is, to my judgment, blasphemy. You see, these miracles which He performed attested that He was who He claimed to be. And, friend, there weren’t just a few isolated instances of healing. He didn’t put on healing services. He took no offerings. He didn’t have people get in a line and come by Him. He moved out into the crowds, into the highways and the byways. And as He moved along, people were healed. I’ve called attention to this in the Gospels again and again, and it is important to refresh our memories concerning this. Friend, there were not just half a dozen, or even a hundred or two whom He had healed; there were literally thousands of people whom He had healed. It was openly demonstrated. Nobody in that day contradicted the fact that He healed—he would have been a fool if he had. It is over nineteen hundred years later in a musty library in New York City, thousands of miles removed, that scholars can sit down and write books declaring that they don’t believe Jesus performed miracles. But that doesn’t prove a thing, friend. His miracles were His credentials. His works bore witness that the Father had sent Him.
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me [John 5:37–39].
This last verse is so frequently misunderstood. It is not an imperative but is an indicative. Let me put it like this: “You search the Scriptures.” He’s making a statement; He is not urging them to do something. He tells them that they search the Scriptures thinking that in them they will find eternal life, but they don’t understand that the Scriptures testify of Jesus. Friend, you had better be careful so that you find Jesus in the Bible. If you don’t, then your search is in vain.
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life [John 5:40].
The Scriptures speak of Him, but the religious rulers are unwilling to come to Him. They are missing the point.
But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive [John 5:42–43].
Someday the Antichrist is coming, and the world will receive him. They rejected Christ. The Antichrist will come in his own name, will have an image made of himself, and they will accept him.
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? [John 5:44].
They looked for the applause of men. Back scratching is still the curse today in our churches, even our good churches. There are teachers with itching ears. Each one wants to compliment the other rather than tell the truth of the Word of God. They “seek not the honour that cometh from God only.”
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? [John 5:45–47].
Friend, that is so important. Back in the books of the Pentateuch which I have recently taught, I have attempted to point out the Lord Jesus. Although I don’t find Him on every page, I believe He is on every page of the Pentateuch. He says, “Moses … wrote of me.” I think He is on every page of the Bible.
When a man begins to make an attack upon the Old Testament, watch out! He really is making a subtle attack on the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m afraid there are many men who very foolishly begin to question the Old Testament and don’t realize what they are doing. It is like the man at the insane asylum who was digging at the foundation. A man came by and asked, “Why are you trying to dig out the foundation? Don’t you live in the building?” “Yes,” he answered, “but I live upstairs!” I’m afraid that a great many foolish people say, “But I live in the New Testament.” My friend, the Old Testament is the foundation. Our Lord said, “If you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?” They both go together.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Jesus feeds five thousand near Sea ofGalilee (fourth work and word)
We come now to the miraculous feeding of the five thousand—a miracle recorded in all four Gospels. In the Gospel of John, Jesus follows this miracle with a discourse on the Bread of Life. John records only certain miracles, and he calls the miracles signs because signs are for a purpose. You will remember that he said, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31). This is an important verse because it is actually the key to this entire gospel.
Now we find Jesus feeding the five thousand, and out of this grows His great discourse on the fact that He is the true Bread of God.
JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND (FOURTH WORK AND WORD)
After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias [John 6:1].
After what things? Well, the things that were recorded back in the fifth chapter. He had left Jerusalem and probably had come up on the east side of the Jordan River. Now He crosses over the Sea of Galilee and, apparently, comes to the north section. This took place about six months to a year after the events of chapter 5. It was about one year before His crucifixion, by the way.
The way the events are dated is by the feasts that John mentions. As we have said, John ties his gospel down to a calendar and to a map. The One who came out of heaven’sglory, the Word who was made flesh, the One who pitched His tent here among us, that One walked by the Sea of Galilee, went to Cana, and to Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Jerusalem, Decapolis, etc. So we read that “after these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee.” John says, “And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh” (v. 4). So apparently He had been back in the land of Galilee because in chapter 5 He had been in Jerusalem and had gone in the sheep gate. This indicates a time lapse between chapters 5 and 6 when He went over the Sea of Galilee.
And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased [John 6:2].
The tense of the verb would be more accurate if it were translated, “And a great multitude was following Him” and “because they were seeing His miracles.”
This great multitude didn’t actually believe in Him in a saving way. They didn’t trust Him. They were interested in His miracles. They wanted Him because He could make them well.
Friend, the mission of Jesus was not to restore our physical bodies. He wants to be Lord of our hearts. This is why John had said at the very beginning that He “needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man” (John 2:25). He didn’t commit Himself to that crowd back there at Jerusalem, and He’s not about to commit Himself to this crowd that is gathering around now. They simply want to see the miracles that He can perform.
And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples [John 6:3].
The place that is pointed out to tourists visiting Israel is not what we would call a mountain. Actually, in that land three thousand feet is about as high as they go, but the hills are very rugged. The one they point out is a very lovely spot and could well be the place where He fed the five thousand. It’s near Capernaum, by the way.
Jesus went up into the mountain and sat there with His disciples. The Passover was near.
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? [John 6:5].
Philip was the quiet one; he never had much to say. Our Lord was drawing him out at this particular time. You will find in verse 8 that Philip and Andrew seem to have gotten together. Andrew and Philip evidently were quite active men, very busy, but just not speakers. You don’t hear either one of them. Yet Andrew is the one who brought Simon Peter to the Lord, and the Greeks came to Philip and Andrew when they wanted to see Jesus. Philip got together with Andrew to find out what to do. So we find them together here.
Is our Lord asking for advice in His question to Philip? May I say to you, He never asked for advice. Then why did He ask Philip the question?
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do [John 6:6].
He was testing Philip. Philip looked over that crowd that was coming—five thousand men besides women and children. I estimate it must have been at least fifteen thousand people. Friend, that’s a pretty good-sized crowd, especially for that land and in that day. When Philip saw them coming, he wasn’t thinking of a miracle at all.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little [John 6:7].
Why did Philip light upon that fixed sum of two hundred denarii? I think that is what they had in the treasury at that time. Probably Judas had made a treasurer’s report that morning, and that was the total. Philip looked at the crowd, then thought of what they had in the treasury bag, and said that two hundred pennyworth of bread would not be sufficient for them. The “penny” was the Roman coin denarius. One denarius represented a day’s wages for a common laborer.
The other gospel writers tell us that the disciples advised the Lord Jesus. They wanted to be on the board of directors. They said, “Why don’t You send the multitude away?” Our Lord answered, “We’re not going to send them away. We’re going to have them sit down and we’re going to feed them” (cf. Luke 9:12–15). These men who had elected themselves to the board of directors found themselves waiters, serving the crowd. And that is what they should have been doing all the time.
By the way, this leads me to say that there are too many men in the church today who
want position. They want to have an office; they want to be on the board of directors. They like to tell the preacher what to do. Yet they do not have all the necessary information to begin with, nor do they have spiritual discernment. They don’t realize that they are the ones who ought to be out doing the work of the ministry. They ought to be out witnessing for the Lord—passing the bread to the hungry multitudes. But generally they would rather advise the pastor how to do it.
So here our Lord is drawing out Philip, and Philip says they don’t have enough money to buy sufficient bread. Since Philip and Andrew are together, Andrew speaks up.
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? [John 6:9].
Andrew, you see, had been circulating around through the crowd, making a survey. Surveys are important, I guess, but they are seldom very helpful. You can see Andrew and Philip there together. Philip says the money in the treasury won’t feed them. Andrew says all he’s found is a little lad with five barley loaves and two small fish. Remember, these five barley loaves were not big commercial loaves of bread or family loaves. They were more like a hamburger bun. They were just big enough to put with the fish. That’s all this man Andrew could produce. It was a hopeless project—“What are they among so many?”
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand [John 6:10].
I would call your attention to the fact that there were five thousand men. I think a woman and one child with each man would be a reasonable estimate of the crowd, which would be fifteen thousand people. Now the Lord Jesus is going to feed that multitude. Here is something, I think, that is interesting to note. If you have fifteen thousand people to feed, that is certainly a liability. If you have five loaves and two fish and also the two hundred denarii, then, friend, these are your total assets. May I say that if a committee would have handed in a report with those assets and those liabilities, they would have said, “There’s nothing you can do about it.” Someone has called a committee a group of people who individually can do nothing, and collectively they can decide that nothing can be done. Or, a committee is a group of people who take down minutes and waste hours. So here is the committee report: to feed them would be impossible.
You see, what you need in this equation is what I call the mathematics of a miracle. You need Jesus. I tell you, if you have the five loaves plus the two fishes plus Jesus, then you’ve got something, friend. Without Him, you don’t have anything at all.
Jesus told them to make the men sit down and they sat down. Mark emphasizes the fact that they sat down by companies; that is, each of the groups of people which had come from a certain section sat down together. They may have been distinguished by robes of a certain color from their area. Everything that our Lord did was done decently and in order. Each little group was color on the background of green grass. I am of the opinion that if you could have been on the hill on the opposite side from where these people were sitting, you would have seen something that would have been as beautiful as a patchwork quilt. It would have been very orderly, because our Lord was doing it.
And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten [John 6:11–13].
As a student in a liberal college, I never shall forget how the professor explained away this miracle. What he said was that the disciples had gathered together these loaves and fishes ahead of time and had stored them up in a cave. Then the Lord Jesus just backed up to that cave, and the disciples just sort of slipped them out under His arm, concealed by a flowing robe! It was sort of like hocus-pocus, abracadabra. The only thing wrong with that explanation is that it won’t work. You would have to have more faith to believe thatthan to believe it just like it is, my friend. To begin with, where would they find a bakery in that area that could provide that many loaves? And where would they get that many fish for this particular occasion at this time? We have no record that Andrew and Peter had been outfishing! This explanation is utterly preposterous and ridiculous, as you can see.
The obvious explanation is that a miracle was performed here. When you add Jesus to the side of the assets, you have more than enough. In fact, you have twelve baskets of leftovers. That doesn’t mean they were scraps. I used to think that a fellow would bite on a sandwich, then when he would see a bigger one, he would put the first one down and reach over and get the new sandwich so that the fragments were that which had been partially eaten. That’s not true. There were twelve baskets of sandwiches that weren’t even touched, my friend. Do you know what this means? It means that the crowd got all they wanted to eat. And people in that land and in that day were often hungry. There were many people in the crowd there that day who for the first time in their lives had their tummies filled. You see, when the Lord Jesus does anything, He does a good job of it.
Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone [John 6:14–15].
You see, they are following Him because He’s a miracle worker. And I’m almost sure that He had to perform another miracle to get free from the crowd. The reason He got free from them was because they wanted to make Him a king. “Well,” someone says, “isn’t He a King?” Yes, it is true that He was born a King. But this is not the route by which He is coming to kingship.
JESUS WALKS ON THE WATER
And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went [John 6:16–21].
The other gospels tell us that He hurried the disciples down to the Sea of Galilee and put them on a boat to go across while He went up into the mountain to pray. Since those mountains are about three thousand feet high, a storm from them will break suddenly upon the Sea of Galilee—and this was a real storm! When they were twenty-five or thirty furlongs out on the sea, they were halfway across. It was in the middle of this inland sea that they saw Jesus walking on the water. They were afraid because they didn’t recognize Him.
The same liberal professor who explained away the feeding of the five thousand tried to explain away this miracle, too. He said the ship was at the land, so Jesus was actually walking on the shore—but the disciples thought that He was walking on the water. May I say that John had been a fisherman on this Sea of Galilee, and he knew it well. He specifically mentions their position in the lake so we would know they were not at the shore.
Jesus came to them in the storm. And that is a time He comes to His own today. He makes Himself more real to us in a time of trouble and sorrow. I don’t know why He waits until midnight, until the waves are rolling, but perhaps that is the only time we will listen to Him. When the storms of life are beating upon our little bark, our hearts are ready for His presence.
“Immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.” This may be another miracle, or John may mean that with no delay they reached the other side since the water was now calm. Or it may be the language of love—with Him in the boat it didn’t seem far to the other side.
JESUS GIVES A DISCOURSE ON THE BREAD OF LIFE
We find now that the crowd is beginning to look for Him and they are disappointed. They discover that both the Lord Jesus and the disciples are gone.
The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boatthere, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus [John 6:22–24].
They apparently had come up from the southern part of the Sea of Galilee, and He had fed them there near Tiberias. Then they had come on by boat to Capernaum. That seems to be the way that we have it here.
This is the first time John used the title Lord—“after that the Lord had given thanks.” As we have seen, the common name John uses for Him is Jesus because He is “the Word … made flesh” (John 1:14). Who is that Word? It is Jesus. “… thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
The crowd was really wanting to know how He had been able to get away as He did.
And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled [John 6:25–26].
Jesus doesn’t really answer their question directly. He penetrated beneath the surface to their motive for seeking Him. Actually, the word He used was not literally “loaves” but a word that means fodder. You ate the fodder and were filled. Your only interest was that your tummies were full.
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed [John 6:27].
Let me put this into our language of today (this is not a translation but only an attempt to bring out the meaning): stop working for food that perishes, but work for food that endures for everlasting life, which food the Son of Man will give you, for on Him, God the Father has set His seal.
You will recall that this is the same approach which our Lord made to the woman at the well. For her it was water that she wanted; for these folk it is bread. These are two essential things. Bread and water are very important to maintain life. Jesus is both Bread and Water. Notice that He uses these commonplace symbols. He is the Word, and the Word became flesh. How can we explain that? Jesus, the Word, is reaching down and communicating where we can understand it. He said that He is Water and that He gives Living Water. He said that He is Bread. We know what water is and we know what bread is.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? [John 6:28].
In other words, they are asking what they can do to be saved. Man has always felt that if he could just work at it, he could be saved. Man feels thoroughly capable of working out his own salvation. He feels competent to do it, and he feels that God must accept his works. Notice carefully what the work of God is.
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent [John 6:29].
You see, the work of God is not that which is commanded by God, but it is that which has been wrought by God. In other words, it is what God has done and not what you do. It is the work of God and not the works of man. “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” He is saying that God provided food. He is the One who has provided that for us today, and we are to partake of it. The invitation He gives is to a banquet. Go out on the byways and highways and tell them they are invited to come. It is a free meal, by the way, but it happens to be spiritual food.
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? [John 6:30].
May I say that this reveals the hardness of the human heart. Here are the men who had been fed miraculously by our Lord when He fed the five thousand and they say, “Show us a sign. What dost Thou work?” In other words, they did not want to believe at all. And they take their conversation right back to the dinner table.
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written. He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world [John 6:31–33].
They are still thinking of physical food and say, “Moses gave our people manna.” Actually it wasn’t Moses who gave the manna; God did that. And it wasn’t a one-time deal. God fed them every day for forty years. They want to be fed, and that is what they are after. Manna gave life in that day, and it was a gift from God. The manna gave physical life to them out there in the wilderness, but the Lord Jesus gives spiritual life. “My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.”
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread [John 6:34].
They are just like the woman at the well who asked for water but was thinking of physical water so she wouldn’t need to come and draw water at the well anymore. It took our Lord quite a while to lift her thinking out of that well to the spiritual Water. And it takes Him a long time to get these folk away from the dinner table and get them to see the spiritual Bread that gives spiritual life.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst [John 6:35].
He joins the two together. Christ is the manna. He is the One who came down from heaven and gave His life for the world that we might have life. That is salvation. We will also see that He is the Bread that we are to feed upon constantly so that we might grow spiritually. After all, manna was miracle food, and it was thrilling. When the children of Israel got into the Promised Land, they were given the “old corn of the land” which symbolizes the Word of God. Believe me, lots of people don’t like the “old corn.”
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [John 6:36–37].
“You want bread? Well, I am the Bread of Life. But you have seen Me, and you do not believe. All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out.”
This thirty-seventh verse is a very important verse. There is a theological argument that rages today on election or free will. There are some people who put all their eggs in the basket of election. There are others who put all their eggs in the basket of free will. I’m not proposing to reconcile the two because I have discovered that I cannot. If you had met me the year that I entered seminary, or the year I graduated, I could have reconciled them for you. I never have been as smart as I was my first year and my last year in seminary. I knew it all then. I could reconcile election and free will, and it was a marvelous explanation. Now I’ve even forgotten what it was. It was pretty silly, if you want to know the truth.
Election and free will are both in this verse. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me” states a truth, and that is election. But wait a minute! “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” is also true, and “him that cometh to me” is free will. I don’t know how to reconcile them, but they are both true. The Father gives men to Christ, but men have to come. And the ones that come are the ones, apparently, whom the Father gives to Him. You and I are down here, and we don’t see into the machinery of heaven. I don’t know how God runs that computer of election, but I know that He has given to you and to me a free will and we have to exercise it.
Because Spurgeon preached a “whosoever will” gospel, someone said to him, “If I believed like you do about election, I wouldn’t preach like you do.” Spurgeon’s answer was something like this, “If the Lord had put a yellow stripe down the backs of the elect, I’d go up and down the street lifting up shirttails, finding out who had the yellow stripe, and then I’d give them the gospel. But God didn’t do it that way. He told me to preach the gospel to every creature that ‘whosoever will may come.’” Jesus says, “and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” So, my friend, you can argue about election all you want to, but you can come. And if you come, He’ll not cast you out.
Someone may ask, “You mean that if I’m not the elect I can still come?” My friend, if you come, you will be the elect. How tremendous this is!
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me [John 6:38].
How wonderful it is that the will of God is for you to come to Him. Jesus came down from heaven because “the Son of man must be lifted up.” He came to do the Father’s will in that, and it is the Father’s will that you be born again. But you will have to come to Him, friend; that is the only way. You must come to the Lord Jesus by faith.
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day [John 6:39].
The term predestination applies only to the saved. It means just exactly what He is saying here. When a person accepts Christ, he is justified; and just as surely as he is justified, he is going to be glorified. When Jesus starts out with one hundred sheep, He’s going to come through with one hundred sheep. He will not lose one. That is what this means. Everyone who believes and receives Christ has everlasting life and will be raised up again at the last day.
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? [John 6:41–42].
You see, He taught that He was God and that He came down from heaven. May I say to you, in this section here He is teaching His Virgin Birth. There are those who say the Lord Jesus never taught that He was virgin born. What do you think He is saying here, friend? The Jews understood what He was saying. They asked how this could be when they knew His father and His mother. Well, it’s by the Virgin Birth. As the angel told Mary, it was the Holy Spirit who conceived that “holy thing” in Mary (see Luke 1:35). This section right here (beginning with v. 38) is a complement or a counterpart of the Virgin Birth and needs to be added to the other portions of Scripture which deal with it. “I came down from heaven”—that’s the Christmas story. “Out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe.” He came down from heaven’s glory; He stepped down from the throne to ascend the cross for you and for me. He did it by way of the Virgin Birth. You can have the jingle of bells and all the Ho, Ho, Ho’s—but that is not Christmas. The Virgin Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is the Christmas story.
They got the message immediately and asked, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph”? They thought they knew His father and His mother, but He is not the son of Joseph. He came down from heaven.
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day [John 6:43–44].
Actually, the word translated “draw” is drag. That is divine election. You ask me to explain it? I can’t explain it at all, friend; I just know that you have a free will and you can exercise it. God holds you responsible for it, and you know you are responsible. You know right now you can come or not come. It’s up to you.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me [John 6:45].
There is Scripture after Scripture in the Old Testament that refers to this. For instance, Isaiah 54:13: “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Isaiah 60:2–3: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” There are these statements that they will come to Him, and you can come to Him. These things are made so wonderfully clear. There are many references to it. Malachi 4:2 is another: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Every man that listens to the Father and learns of Him will come to Me is what He is saying. You see, if you listen to the Word of God, then you’ll come to Christ. That is where the great emphasis is being placed here.
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life [John 6:46–47].
The One who has seen the Father is the Lord Jesus Christ. “He who believes on Me has everlasting life.” It can’t be said any more clearly.
I am that bread of life.
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world [John 6:48–51].
He came down to this earth: “the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14). He is going to the cross to lay that human life down there as a sacrifice to pay for your sins and my sins. Friend, when you partake of that, that is, when you accept that, you are saved. Someone may say, “Oh, that’s so vivid and so strong.” That’s what they said in that day, too.
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? [John 6:52].
They were thinking of His literal flesh, of course.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you [John 6:53].
That means to partake of Him spiritually, which is more real than a physical partaking.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever [John 6:54–58].
Friend, this is an amazing statement. Our Lord is preparing these men for that Last Supper and the institution of the Lord’s Supper. This, obviously, is something that is not to be taken literally because He was right there before them. He is not saying for them to begin to eat Him and to drink His blood! What He is saying is that He is going to give His life. In that Upper Room He made it very clear that the blood is the symbol of life. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood … ” (Lev. 17:11). God had taught the Israelites that truth from the very beginning when He called them out of the land of Egypt. There at Mount Sinai Moses gives them this great axiom, “the life of the flesh is in the blood,” which is also medically true, by the way. The life of the flesh is in the blood. And Jesus is giving His life. He will shed His blood upon the cross and give His life. Salvation is by accepting and receiving Him in a most intimate way.
This is the basis for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Friend, there has been just as much disagreement among believers in the churches down through the ages over the interpretation of the Lord’s Supper as there has been over baptism. I don’t think they have fought over it quite as much, but the disagreement is there.
Hoc est meus corpus—“This is my body.” When He gave them the bread at the supper in the Upper Room, He said, “ … This is my body … ” (Luke 22:19). Now there have been different emphases put on that.
The Roman Catholic church puts the emphasis upon this. This is My body. They say that transubstantiation takes place, that the bread becomes the flesh of Christ. Well, I don’t think our Lord taught cannibalism in any form, shape, or fashion. I think, of course, that is a wrong emphasis. Then there are those who have taken the position of the Lutheran church, which is consubstantiation. This means that by, with, in, through, and under the bread you get the body of Christ. Again, may I say, I think that falls short of what our Lord really means. Then there are those who take Zwingli’s position. He was the Swiss Reformation leader who gave it a spiritual interpretation. He felt it was just a symbol, just a religious ritual, and that is all. I think that is probably the interpretation that most of Protestantism gives to it today. Frankly. I feel that falls as far short of the interpretation of the Lord’s Supper as the other two do. Calvin put the emphasis on is—“This is my body.” The Reformed faith has always put the emphasis there, and the early church put the emphasis there. The bread is bread, and it always will be bread. It cannot be changed. The wine is always just what it is, and there is no miracle that takes place there. You don’t get the body of Christ by going through the ritual. And yet, it is more than a ritual. I had a seminary professor who taught us that in the Lord’s Supper it is bread in your mouth, but it is Christ in your heart. Friend, I believe that there is a spiritual blessing that comes in observing the Lord’s Supper. I think that He ministers to you spiritually through your obedience in observing the Lord’s Supper. There is no such thing as a hocus-pocus there. Nor is it just an idle ritual that we go through. It is meaningful, and it has a spiritual blessing for the heart.
I think that is what our Lord is saying to them here. An intimate, real relationship with Him is the important thing. When they ate manna in the wilderness it was only a temporary thing. Jesus has something that is eternal—life which is eternal. We are told at the beginning of this gospel, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life [John 6:59–63].
There was definite reaction to what Jesus had said and differences of opinion. Jesus tells them that they are not going to eat Him literally because He is going back to heaven. It is the Spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. So obviously, friend, He is not talking about His literal body. We are to appropriate the Lord’s Supper by faith. The juice in the cup is sweet, and I always taste the sweetness, remembering that He bore the bitter cup for me on the cross so that I might have this sweet cup. That sweet cup is to remind me that He shed His blood for me, and there is a spiritual blessing there.
“The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” During my ministry, I have always read to the congregation from the Word of God during the Lord’s Supper. I find that the Word of God ministers to the hearts of the people. Why? Because the words of the Lord Jesus are spirit and they are life.
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father [John 6:64–65].
But remember now, you have to put with that “whosoever will may come.” It’s up to you, you see.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him [John 6:66].
You can see that in the group there that day were the hostile leaders, the religious leaders. Also there was an undesignated number of disciples in addition to the twelve. And in the twelve was Judas. So you actually find four opinions concerning Him at this time. Many of these disciples—not the twelve—but many of the other disciples turned and went back.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life [John 6:67–68].
This is a marvelous statement on the part of Simon Peter. And the question he asks is pertinent to us today. If you say that the Lord Jesus is not a Savior to you and that He doesn’t meet your needs at all, then may I ask you where you are going? I saw a group of young people on the island of Maui, out in the Hawaiian Islands. They had a picture of Krishna in front of them and they were going over and over a monotonous song. Poor little folk! They weren’t finding any satisfaction in that. What disillusionment is coming to so many today! There are those who are turning in every direction for light. Let me ask you the question of Simon Peter: “To whom shall we go?” The Lord Jesus is the One, and the only One, who has the Words of eternal life.
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve [John 6:69–71].
This man, Judas Iscariot, is really a great mystery. Here our Lord numbers him with the twelve and He said that He had chosen him. Yet he was a demon, which probably means demon-possessed, and this is the man who is going to betray Him. All the way through our Lord gave him every opportunity to make a decision for Him. It is difficult to interpret evil like this, friend. It is one of the mysteries.
Evil is always a mystery, which is one of the things that makes it so attractive. Suppose right now I would say to you that I am holding two sticks. One stick is perfectly straight because it is a ruler. You can easily imagine how that ruler looks because it can be straight only one way. Then suppose that I say that I am also holding in my hand a crooked stick. I’m of the opinion that if each one of you drew a picture of how you think that stick looks, everyone would draw it differently. That’s because it can be crooked in a million different ways. You see, evil has a mystery to it. I must confess that, as this man Judas Iscariot walks across the pages of Scripture, it’s difficult to interpret him. And here our Lord says this amazing thing about him: he is a demon!
What a contrast is the testimony of Simon Peter—“we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Jesus teaches at Feast of Tabernacles in temple (fifth word)
This chapter contains the wonderful truths that Jesus is the Water of Life and that He promises to give the Holy Spirit to those who believe on Him.
JESUS TEACHES AT FEAST OF TABERNACLES IN TEMPLE (FIFTH WORD)
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him [John 7:1].
“After these things.” This is a common expression with John who is giving us a chronological picture. The events of chapter 6 took place in Galilee at the Sea of Galilee; but before that, Jesus had been in Jerusalem where there had arisen the controversy concerning Him at the pool of Bethesda. It seems that the events of chapter 6 transpired about one year before the cross in April; the events in chapter 7 occur about six months later, in October. Matthew 15–18 and Mark 7–9 and Luke 9 relate incidents which transpired during this period.
During the last year of His ministry, Jesus confined His activities to Galilee. It says that He walked no longer in Jewry, that means in Judaea, because the religious rulers there had a plot to kill Him. Jesus is following a divine schedule which His Father had given Him. These men could not touch Him until His time was come. We are now entering the last six months of His life, and the first incident which John records in that period is this occurrence of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Verse 1 reveals that a storm is gathering about the Person of Christ. Six months later that storm will break in all its fury upon Jesus on the cross. Friend, that storm is still going on. There is more difference of opinion about Him than about any other person who has ever lived. They blaspheme Him and say the worst things about Him that ever have been said. He’s controversial today.
Although the storm is gathering, Jesus chose this time to abandon His method of staying away, and He went up to Jerusalem because it was the Feast of Tabernacles.
Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand [John 7:2].
There were three feasts which every male Jew was required to attend in Jerusalem. Our Lord kept the Law; He had to go up to Jerusalem during the feasts of Passover, Tabernacles, and Pentecost. The Feast of Tabernacles is described in Leviticus 23. This was a feast of great joy to celebrate Israel’s wonderful deliverance out of the land of Egypt. Because they had lived in tents during the wilderness journey, this is a feast of tents, or booths. They didn’t have campers, you see, but they did camp out in booths. There was the blowing of trumpets and seventy bullocks were offered. There was the pouring out of water in the temple, with a double portion on the last day of the feast to remind them that God gave them water from the rock in the wilderness. They brought the water from the pool of Siloam and poured out literally barrels of water. During this festival, they illuminated the inner court with a regular torch parade. This was commemorating the pillar of fire that guided the children of Israel by night as they wandered in the wilderness. Now we can understand that the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire that led the children of Israel were both pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ.
All the feasts of Jehovah in the Old Testament have been fulfilled except the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be fulfilled when our Lord returns to the earth. Thus it symbolizes the great joy of that time.
His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
For neither did his brethren believe in him [John 7:3–5].
These brethren are not His disciples but are His half-brothers. Their names are given to us in Matthew 13:55: James, Joses, Simon, and Judas. His half-brother, James, is the one who wrote the Epistle of James; His half-brother, Judas, probably is the one who wrote the Epistle of Jude. That was much later, of course, and at this point His brothers do not believe in Him. They are giving Him advice that He can’t use at all.
Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready [John 7:6].
They are advising Jesus out of their unbelief, but Jesus does not take their advice. He is moving according to schedule, but it is His Father’s schedule. He is not following the wisdom of the world, nor did He ever appeal to His own mind—it isn’t that He doesn’t think it is the right time to go. He is on a definite schedule from the Father; He is doing His will.
Notice the little word yet in “My time is not yet come.” Jesus did not say that He would not go down to the feast, but He was not going down with them publicly to win public favor by something spectacular, or whatever they wanted Him to do. He would go at His Father’s appointed time and in His Father’s way.
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee [John 7:7–9].
The world is hostile to Christ. The reason is that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. He turns on that Light, and that Light reveals everything that is wrong; it reveals sin. He condemns sin. That is the reason He is hated even today. He condemns sin by His very presence, by His very life. This raises a hostility in man because the heart of man is evil. Christ went to the cross because He loved the human family. Redeeming love is what has broken the heart of hostile man.
We see this so clearly in the life of Saul of Tarsus. He was breathing out threatenings. He hated the Lord Jesus and anyone who followed Him. But, when he came to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior, it broke his heart, and he could say, “He loved me, and gave himself for me” (see Gal. 3:20).
But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret [John 7:10].
He probably traveled with His disciples on a back road and entered into the city through the sheep gate. I believe He always entered Jerusalem through the sheep gate until the time of His so-called triumphal entry when He appeared publicly, offering Himself to the nation and actually demanding that they either accept or reject Him.
Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews [John 7:11–13].
The “Jews” are the religious rulers—they were looking for Him and expecting Him because the Law required that He come to the feast. There was a lot of discussion concerning Him, but it was all done quite secretly because anyone would be attacked for making any statement that would be inclined in His favor and would be in danger of arrest.
Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught [John 7:14].
Quite suddenly, He appeared in the temple. This Feast of Tabernacles is in the calendar of God and sets before us the coming of Christ in His return to earth and the events and stages which lead up to that. This feast speaks of the consummation of all things. He will appear suddenly. “… and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple …” (Mal. 3:1). This will be fulfilled in His return to the earth.
And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? [John 7:15].
Have you noticed how often we find Jesus teaching? Note the priority which He gave to the Word of God. The Jews (these would be the religious leaders) were astounded because He had no formal training in the rabbinical schools. They marveled that He could speak as He did. Even His enemies were forced to admit, “Never man spake like this man” (v. 46).
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me [John 7:16].
To reject the message of Jesus is to reject the message of God. In chapters 4 and 5, He has insisted that to reject Him is to reject God. Don’t ever tell me that He didn’t make Himself equal with God. You may reject that He is, but you can never say that the Bible does not declare Him to be equal with God.
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself [John 7:17].
“If anyone is willing to do His will” is the way Weymouth translates this. The Old Testament invites, “O taste and see that the Lord is good …” (Ps. 34:8). We have an adage that says, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating of it.” Jesus invites you; come and make a laboratory test. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.” There must be an attitude of love for the Word of God. Someone has said that human knowledge must be known to be loved, but divine knowledge must be loved to be understood. Here we have the steps: knowledge, love, obedience. That is what He asks you to do.
It’s so easy to sit on the sidelines and be a Monday morning quarterback. We love to tell others how it should have been done or to speak our mind without really knowing. Jesus says, “Taste the Lord!” “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” That is the wonder of the Word of God. Friend, if you are willing, God will make it real to you. The Holy Spirit will confirm it to you.
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him [John 7:18].
The question is whether men want to hear God. If they do, then God will speak to them in His Word. Then they will accept Jesus Christ who came to speak for the Father. Unfortunately, men are often more interested in a man who is seeking his own glory. If Jesus Christ had been trying to found some new cult, these men would have listened. But Jesus was not glorifying Himself; rather, He was giving all the glory to the Father and so “… the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Therefore, some people read the Bible and get nothing out of it.
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? [John 7:19].
Here is the hypocrisy of the legalist, the person who says the Sermon on the Mount is his religion or the person who says he lives by the Ten Commandments. The Lord Jesus says, “none of you keepeth the law.” The Law is a mirror to let us see that we are lost sinners. The Law is important—don’t misunderstand me—you don’t kick the Law out the door. It expresses the will of God. But the purpose of the Law is to show us that we are sinners and that we need a Savior. The Law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (see Gal. 3:24).
The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel [John 7:20–21].
Possibly they did not realize that there was a plot to put Jesus to death. Jesus refers to His work when He healed the man at the pool of Bethesda. This had aroused antagonism.
Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment [John 7:22–24].
Circumcision is a rite which goes back to Abraham and is older than the Mosaic Law. He is showing them their own inconsistency in their practice. In trying to keep the Law, they broke the Law. If a child was eight days old on the Sabbath day, they would break the Sabbath Law and circumcise the child. They have no reply to this! Then Jesus warns them against making superficial judgments. That is still a difficulty with most of us today. We make superficial judgments because we don’t have all the facts.
Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is [John 7:25–27].
Again we note that there was a division concerning who Jesus is.
Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me [John 7:28–29].
This is quite oratorical. Jesus is saying, “Do you really know Me? You think you know Me, you see Me, but you don’t really know Me. You think you know where I have come from, but you don’t really know.”
Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come [John 7:30].
It’s interesting that even though they were anxious to take Jesus, they couldn’t touch Him until His hour had come.
And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come [John 7:31–34].
Our Lord answered the Pharisees that they would take Him at the proper time—not until then. Then He tells them He will leave them. He is speaking of His resurrection and His ascension. They would never be able to touch Him again. Have you ever noticed that after His death upon the cross, none but loving hands touched Him? None but loving eyes saw Him.
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? [John 7:35–36].
I think this is ridicule. They didn’t think that Jesus could hide from them.
We come now to the last day of the feast, and it was on that day that they poured out a double portion of water in the temple. I think He could have been standing ankle deep in water when He said these words. They were celebrating the fact that God had given them water from the rock during the long trek of Israel through the wilderness. Paul tells us that the Rock was Christ (see 1 Cor. 10:4). He is the One who gives the real water, the Water of Life.
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink [John 7:37].
This is free will, friend. “If any man.” That means you. God is offering a gift to you. Also here is election: “If any man thirst.” The question is, “Are you thirsty?” Have you perhaps been drinking at the mud holes of the world, and have you been finding that they are not satisfying? “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” You can come to Him and receive Him as your Savior.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) [John 7:38–39].
The Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Holy Spirit did not come until the Day of Pentecost. Then He came to indwell believers and to form them into one body. The coming of the Holy Spirit on that day assures us that Jesus had arrived back at the Father’s throne.
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet [John 7:40].
Some of the people believed and turned to Him. They drank and were satisfied.
Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? [John 7:41].
We have the same thing today. Some believe, and some do not believe.
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
So there was a division among the people because of him [John 7:42–43].
He was of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem. That was where He first touched down on this earth. It was “splashdown” for Him in that miserable little stable in that miserable little town. It’s not like the pretty pictures you see on Christmas cards. He began in Bethlehem, but He didn’t stay there for His earthly ministry. If these people had really wanted to know, they could have learned that His birth took place in Bethlehem and that He did fulfill the prophecies. He is the One who is giving them the invitation to come and drink, but they put up this objection. There will always be a division among the people over who He is until He comes to reign.
And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him [John 7:44].
They couldn’t. His hour was not yet come.
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
The officers answered, Never man spake like this man [John 7:45–46].
What a testimony these men gave about Jesus, “Never man spake like this man.” He was the great teacher, but it is not by His teaching that we are saved. He saves us by His death and resurrection.
Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
And every man went unto his own house [John 7:47–53].
This is the Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night. I think that Nicodemus trusted the Lord that night. He is a Pharisee, and he defends Jesus. They ridicule him with a joke, “Art thou also of Galilee?” That was a disgrace to them. It was like city folk making fun of the country folk. It is interesting to note that they did know the facts of their Scripture: “Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” In the true sense He hadn’t come out of Galilee, nor had He come out of Bethlehem. He had come out of glory. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isa. 9:6)—the Son came out from heaven. “Every man went unto his own house.” No one invited Jesus into his home. It was a feast night, but Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives. As far as we know, He never spent a night in Jerusalem.
How about you, my friend? Do you go to your own home and leave Jesus out in the cold? Or have you accepted His wonderful invitation so that you live in the love and light of His presence?
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Jesus in temple forgives woman taken in adultery (sixth word)
The chapter opens with the episode of the woman taken in adultery. John uses his customary method of following an incident with a discourse. There was a sharp conflict between our Lord and the religious rulers relative to this woman and what should be done with her. Arising from this came the marvelous discourse on Jesus the Light of the World.
The episode of the woman, covering the first eleven verses, is not found in some of the better manuscripts. As I am sure you know, our English Bibles are translated from the original languages. The New Testament was first written in the Greek language. Extant manuscripts were used to compile a Greek New Testament; then our English translations were made from that. The Greek text of Westcott and Hort omits the incident of the woman taken in adultery from its position in the eighth chapter of John but inserts it at the end of that gospel. Nestle’s Greek text includes it but encloses it in brackets. Augustine writes that it was omitted because of a prudish fear that it would encourage adultery. However, if we read the account carefully, we will see that it does not condone sin. Rather, it condemns sin. We have both a scholarly and moral basis for considering it part of the inspired Word of God.
JESUS IN TEMPLE FORGIVES WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY (SIXTH WORD)
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them [John 8:1–2].
Remember that the night before there had been a meeting of the Sanhedrin and that people were divided in their opinion as to whether or not Jesus was the Messiah. Nicodemus defended Him. Everyone had gone home, and not one had invited Jesus to his house. Early in the morning, He came back into Jerusalem, went back to the temple, and sat down to teach.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act [John 8:3–4].
What could be more crude and rude and brutal than this act of these religious rulers? As our Lord was sitting in the temple area teaching the people, there is a hullabaloo outside. Then here come these religious rulers dragging a woman with her clothes in disarray, her hair all disheveled, defiant, and resisting them. The crowd would naturally turn and look to see what in the world was happening. The religious rulers bring her right into the midst of the group that the Lord Jesus is teaching! They fling her down on the ground there and make their crude charge. “This woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.”
She is guilty, there is no doubt about that. And what she did was sin. Our Lord called it sin—He finally said to her, “Go, and sin no more.” They knew the Law perfectly well: “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 20:10). Where was the man? The very fact that they did not produce the man also makes it apparent that they were not interested in enforcing the Law. They had another motive.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not [John 8:5–6].
They are right about the Law of Moses; there is no way of toning it down. She should be stoned. They are putting Him on the horns of a dilemma. Will He contradict Moses? Will He say something else, offer some other explanation? They did this to trap Him so that they might accuse Him. They didn’t really want to stone the woman. They wanted to stone Him. Our Lord knew that, of course—He “needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:25).
This scene is very interesting. The defiant woman is flung before Him. The crowd has no respect for her embarrassment, her feelings, and they leer at her and crane their necks to see her, adding to her humiliation.
Jesus stoops and writes on the ground. In effect, He dismisses the case. He will not join with her accusers. He will not so much as look at her to add to her embarrassment. He stoops down and writes as though He doesn’t even hear them.
This is the only record that we have of His writing anything. He is the One about whom more books have been written, pro and con, than about any other person who has ever lived; yet He never wrote anything except this in the sands of the temple floor, which the wind or the feet of the crowd erased.
What did He write? Of course we don’t know, but I can make a suggestion. Turning back to the prophets, we pick up something quite interesting: “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters” (Jer. 17:13). Now, who had forsaken the Lord? This woman? Yes, she had. The religious rulers? Yes, they had. Their names shall be written in the earth. This is what I think He wrote, linking their names with sins of their past. Perhaps He wrote the name of a woman living in Rome. One old pious Pharisee had had an affair in Rome when he was a young fellow. His wife didn’t know about it; no one in Jerusalem knew about it; but our Lord knew that old rascal. As He just wrote the name of the woman, the old Pharisee came over and saw it—and suddenly remembered that he had another appointment. Perhaps one of the scribes made regular trips to Ephesus, a great sinning place, to a certain address over there which Jesus wrote in the sand. The scribe looked at it and said, “Oh, my gracious!” He left hurriedly. Another scribe may have left a girl in Galilee who was pregnant. He didn’t marry her, and he didn’t think anyone knew. Our Lord wrote the name of the girl and the scribe’s name with it.
“Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.” (Ps. 90:8). Secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst [John 8:7–9].
Jesus gives the requirements for being a judge, which is something for all of us to hear. We have the right to be the judge of others provided we meet the requirement. That requirement is sinlessness. May I say to you, my friend, I don’t know about you, but that takes me out of the stone-throwing business.
An old Scottish commentator says that the elder ones left first because they had more sense than the younger ones. The younger ones hung around until they saw their own names come up and then they finally caught on and left also. So there was not a person left there who could throw a stone at her except One. Only Jesus could have thrown the stone at her. All the others had slinked away. What hypocrites they were!
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more [John 8:10–11].
This woman was guilty of sin, and according to the Law of Moses an adulteress was to be put to death. Is Jesus reversing the Mosaic system? No. He is placing His cross between that woman and her sin. This One who is the Son of the virgin, who Himself was under a cloud all of His life, is going to the cross to pay the penalty for even the sin of this woman. He did not come into the world to condemn the world. He did not come to judge this woman. He came into the world to be a Savior!
A great many people think they are lost because they have committed a certain sin. I have news for you. One is not lost because he is a murderer, or a liar, or a thief, or an adulterer, or because he has borne false witness or committed other sins. A person does these things because he is lost and does not believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ forgives sins. He is the Savior. He died for the sins of the whole world. Any person who comes to the Lord Jesus Christ is forgiven.
JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (SIXTH WORD)
We notice that Jesus often follows this method. After an incident or a miracle, He gives a discourse on that subject.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life [John 8:12].
Notice He says, “I am”—this “I am” occurs again and again. In the Old Testament, Jehovah is the “… I AM THAT I AM …” (Exod. 3:14). Very frankly, we are told very little about God. We know He is the self-existing One, that He has all wisdom and all power. The Lord Jesus came to this earth not only to redeem man but also to reveal God to man. Jesus greatly expands our understanding by using the commonplace things like bread, light, and water, to symbolize Himself. He uses the ordinary to speak of the extraordinary, the physical to speak of the spiritual, the temporal to speak of the eternal, the here-and-now to speak of the hereafter, the earthly to speak of the heavenly, the limited to speak of the unlimited, and the finite to speak of the infinite. Jesus gives us a revelation of God when He tells us that He is Bread, He is Water, He is Life. Then we understand that not only is God self-existing, but that He also meets our every need. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the door” (John 10:9), “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25), “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and “I am the vine, ye are the branches” (John 15:5).
Here Jesus is saying, “I am the light of the world.” He has just exposed the sin of the scribes and the Pharisees who brought the woman guilty of adultery. Because they were just as guilty as she, they had to flee. When one turns on the light, all the rats, the bats, and the bedbugs crawl away. Light exposes sin, which is the reason the scribes and the Pharisees had to leave.
“I am the light of the world” is the highest claim that He has made so far in the Gospel of John. One of the definitions of God is that He is Light (see 1 John 1:5). He is absolute in His holiness and in His justice. Even physical light is one of the most complicated things as well as one of the most essential things for us. Who really knows what it is? In some ways it acts like waves and in some ways it acts like particles of matter. The startling thing is that men, acting on both of these definitions or principles, have been able to make remarkable inventions and discoveries. Some say that both are true and yet others say both can’t be true. Is light the absence of darkness? Is darkness the absence of light? We say a room is filled with light. What do we mean? Does it weigh any more when it is filled with light? There could be no such thing as color without light. The red rose is red because it has absorbed every other part of light except red. That is the reason we see red in the red rose.
We don’t understand light and certainly a child doesn’t understand light, but he does know enough about it to turn on the light switch when he enters a dark room. Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. Just as the sun is the physical light of this world, He is spiritual Light. Just as a little child can have enough sense to come into the presence of light, so any sinner today, though he be “a fool and a wayfaring man” (see Isa. 35:8), can come into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are those who deny that Christ is the Light of the World. They are walking in a lesser light. As the moon has no light of its own, but reflects light from the sun, so this civilization that we live in today owes everything to Christ. We have hospitals, charities, orphans’ homes, consideration for the poor, rights of labor because the Lord Jesus came to this earth. The reason we have problems in these areas today is that we have wandered too far from the Light. The world is just walking in moonlight, as it were. How this poor old world needs to get back to the Light which is Christ.
“He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” There are those who have attempted to liken Jesus the Light to the headlights of a car. Friend, the headlights of a car do not lead anywhere. Who does the leading?—The fellow at the steering wheel. Unfortunately, this is the way many Christians try to live their lives. I don’t consider this an apt illustration of Christ.
During this Feast of Tabernacles, Israel was remembering the deliverance when the pillar of fire led the children of Israel through the wilderness. They were celebrating this with a torch parade. When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” this is what He was referring to. Whenever and wherever the pillar of fire led, the children of Israel followed. We are to follow Him in like manner, looking to Him as the Light of the World.
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go [John 8:13–14].
There is now a sharp conflict between the religious rulers and Christ. They are really accusing Him of boasting when He claimed to be the Light. Jesus gives them a threefold reason why His testimony is true.
First, He says, “I know whence I came.” He says He knows where He came from and, hence, He knows Himself. By the way, folks on this earth can’t tell you where they came from. Scientists try to tell us what has happened millions of years ago; yet none of them was here even one hundred years ago. They don’t know where they came from; they can only speculate. But the Lord Jesus knew from where He came.
Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me [John 8:15–16].
His second statement is that He judges no man after the flesh. Any judgment that you or I make is after the flesh. Our judgment is limited because we simply do not have all the facts. The theory of evolution is an example of this. Because our judgments are based on very fragmentary facts, they really are speculation. Either man accepts speculation or he accepts revelation. If one judges according to the flesh, he will naturally follow speculation. The Lord Jesus says that He does not judge according to the flesh. He gives the judgment that comes from heaven. He gives God’s viewpoint, God’s estimation. This is revelation, and it differs from man’s point of view. That is why the hostility of these religious rulers is mounting.
It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me [John 8:17–18].
Here is the third reason that His testimony is true. The Father had borne witness to Him. They had heard the Father’s voice out of heaven.
Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also [John 8:19].
They are reflecting on His birth again. Notice that Jesus calls God “my Father” in a different relationship from what you and I have with Him through faith in Christ. Remember, He said to Mary after His resurrection, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father” (John 20:17). We become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, but Jesus is His Son because of His position in the Trinity. He is God the Son, and He addresses God the Father. This has nothing to do with generation or regeneration, but it has everything to do with His position in the Trinity.
“If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” Here is the cleavage. Here is the real issue. There is no middle ground. If you are going to know God the Father, you must come through Jesus Christ. There is no other way.
These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith. Whither I go, ye cannot come [John 8:20–22].
The treasury was in the women’s court. This was where they had brought the woman taken in adultery. You will notice how much these Jews were in the dark. First they ask, “Where is thy Father?” Now they ask, “Will he kill himself?” They know nothing about the fact that He has been instructing His own that He is going to Jerusalem to die at the hands of the Gentiles, that He will be delivered up to die by these very same religious rulers, and that He will die a redemptive death for the sins of the world. Will He kill Himself? No! He will give Himself a ransom for many.
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world [John 8:23].
We find this same thought in 1 Corinthians 2:14. Human knowledge can be understood by any other man who has a human nature—if his IQ is high enough. But divine knowledge is different. Only the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and show them to us. That’s what He is saying here.
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins [John 8:24].
People die because they are sinners. That is the natural consequence of sin. “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Can a person be saved on his deathbed? Yes, if he accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. But a person can reject Christ too long, just as these Jews did. There comes a time when one has rejected Christ too long and then will not want ever to accept Him.
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning [John 8:25].
These Jews did not know what His mission was, His work was, nor did they know Him. “Where is thy Father?” “Will He kill Himself?” “Who art Thou?” Jesus answers that His statement concerning Himself is always the same. He consistently claims that He is the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him [John 8:26].
Our Lord always maintained that what He was doing and saying was what the Father wanted Him to do and say. He claimed that God the Father had sent Him and that He was doing the Father’s will. He never appealed to His own mind or His own intellect. This is an example for us who are preachers. It is God’s Word that we are to be giving out rather than messages that are the product of our own intellects.
They understood not that he spake to them of the Father [John 8:27].
They missed the whole point. They are of the earth; they do not understand heavenly things.
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things [John 8:28].
When Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, He is referring to Daniel 7:13–14. The Son of Man comes as the Ancient of Days to be made ruler of this universe. So the Lord Jesus is referring here to His crucifixion and also to His crowning that is yet to come.
After the death and resurrection of Christ, many of these religious rulers believed. We are told in the Book of Acts that many of the priests in Jerusalem believed. This is what He is saying to them now. Afterwards they would know that He is the One He claims to be. It is the redemptive death of Christ that explains Him, why He came, and who He is. One cannot really know who He is until one knows what He has done.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
As he spake these words, many believed on him [John 8:29:30].
Have you ever finished a day without looking back on it and wishing that you had done some things a little differently? Our Lord never finished a day with a regret. He always did those things that pleased His Father. He is making it abundantly clear that He has come to do the Father’s will.
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free [John 8:31–32].
Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. It will produce something. After a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he will want to “continue in His Word.” The proof of faith is continuing with the Savior. As the pastor of a church, I learned to watch out for the person who is active in the church but is not interested in the study of the Word of God. Such a one is dangerous to a church.
The truth shall make you free. The truth is that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He is the Truth. First we come to Him as our Savior. Then as we go on with Him, we know by experience that we are free. We are free from the penalty of sin—we don’t need to lie awake at night worrying about going to hell. He doesn’t even ask us to live the Christian life. He asks us to trust Him and let Him live His life through us. When we yield to Him, we are free.
They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? [John 8:33].
They lied when they said that. They had been in bondage in Egypt and in Babylon, and as they spoke they were under the iron heel of Rome. What a misrepresentation that was.
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father [John 8:34–38].
They were not free physically, and they were not free spiritually. They claimed to be Abraham’s seed;yet they sought to kill Jesus.
“Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” is in the present tense. If you continue in a life of sin, you are a servant of sin. I doubt if any of us go through one day without sinning, but the child of God comes to the Father every day and confesses his sin. The child of the Devil will never do that. This is the thought of Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey …?”
Jesus gets rather subtle now. A servant may come and work for you during the day, but when evening comes, he gets his hat and goes home. The son comes in, pitches his hat in a corner, sits down and relaxes, because he is the son. The Lord was telling these rulers that they are not really God’s children. They were in the temple then, but they wouldn’t be there long. In a.d. 70 Titus came and took every one of them away and sold them into slavery. The five o’clock whistle had blown, and the servants left the house.
The Son makes us free indeed. We do not have to be the servant of sin. Many Christians accept defeat and failure as a normal Christian life. God never intended us to live like that. He intends us to live for Him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ve cannot hear my word.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it [John 8:39–44].
The old adage says, “Like father, like son.” Although they claim that they are the children of Abraham, Jesus tells these men that if they were truly the children of Abraham, they would act like Abraham. Instead, they are trying to kill Him. So instead of being the children of Abraham, they are, in fact, the children of the Devil. Satan is the originator of murder and of lying, and they were being his imitators, his children. “Ye do the deeds of your father.”
Notice that they again bring up the subject, “We be not born of fornication.” When I first entered the ministry, I took the position that one could deny the Virgin Birth and still be a Christian. I don’t do so today. If we deny the Virgin Birth of Christ, I believe we are joining this taunting crowd who said, “We be not born of fornication.” Yet, this crowd want to claim that God is their Father. Jesus says, “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”
How do we know that God is our Father? John, in his epistle, gives us this answer: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him” (1 John 5:1).
These Jews thought they were the children of God when they were actually the children of the Devil. We find the same idea today. This doctrine of the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man has brought us into a lot of trouble. It has shaped the philosophy of our nation. We sit down at a conference table with the children of the Devil, and we call them the children of God. I am afraid that our nation has been deceived by other nations of the world because our wise diplomats and smart politicians are simply working on the wrong premise. The Bible does not teach the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. Obviously Jesus did not teach the universal Fatherhood of God because He was saying to these religious rulers that they were children of the Devil. Apparently, there are some people who ara not the children of God! One becomes a child of God only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The words of Jesus antagonized these men. Yet, Jesus insisted that His words are truth. He also insisted that none of them could convince Him of sin. Jesus is from God, and anyone who is a child of God will listen to Jesus Christ. People still don’t like to hear that today. Folks try to think we’re all nice, sweet brothers to each other, and they talk of love, love, love. My friend, if you are going to stand for the truth today, then you will denounce the evil just as our Lord did. That is going to bring antagonism.
And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not [John 8:45].
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus can tell people the truth and they will not believe. It arouses their intense antagonism. Yet people will believe the wildest rumors and the biggest lies. Dictators have learned that. Hitler was very frank about this in his book when he said that if a big lie is told again and again and again, finally the people will believe it. Today advertisers and the news media have learned this also.
Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? [John 8:46–48].
Jesus put His very life on the line when He asked, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” This is one of the great proofs of the deity of Christ. Believe me, if any of His enemies had had one shred of evidence against Him, they would have used it. They have no logical answers for His questions. So what do they do? They come up with ridicule. I learned this method long ago when I was on a debate team. When they have no logical answer, they resort to ridicule. Listen to the Jews. “You’re a Samaritan; you have a demon”—as I’m sure you know, demonis the correct translation. This is name-calling and pure ridicule.
Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death [John 8:49–51].
I wish we could see Him standing in that crowd. They hate Him so much that they want to kill Him. They have murder in their hearts, and He has nothing but love in His. He is going to go to the cross to die for them. They are thinking of death for Him, but He is offering them life. “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” He is offering them eternal life, spiritual life. My friend, this Jesus is more than a man.
Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by [John 8:52–59].
Did Abraham ever see Christ? He certainly did. The appearances of God to people in the Old Testament was an appearance of Jesus Christ to these people. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). Then, too, although Abraham’s body was buried there, yet Abraham was really not dead but was in the presence of God. Jesus makes this very clear, as recorded in Luke 20:38. “For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.”
The liberal theologian today teaches that Jesus Christ was a great teacher, but that He never really claimed to be God. My friend, listen to this. “Before Abraham was, I am.” Not, I was—I AM. He is the Jehovah, the I AM, God. The Jews understood perfectly. Because they knew precisely what He was claiming, they took up stones to kill Him for blasphemy.
The issue is Jesus Christ. He put these Jews on the spot. They had to make a decision concerning Him. You must make a decision concerning Him. Either He is the Truth or He is a liar. Either He is God and Savior, or He is not. You must decide. Either you accept Him or you reject Him. Remember that your decision does not in any way change who He is. He is the great I AM, Jehovah, the eternal God. Your decision is to accept or deny this.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Jesus opens the eyes of a man born blind in Jerusalem (fifth work); record of the miracle; reaction to the miracle
The Lord has been giving His discourse on the Light of the World. Because He claimed that He is God, the Jews wanted to kill Him. Jesus “hid” Himself as He went out of the temple, “going through the midst of them” (John 8:59). It was a miracle that He could escape this angry mob. His time had not yet come, and so they could not lay their hands on Him.
The incident which now follows is still really a continuation of the discourse on the Light of the World. The enemies of the Lord Jesus could not see because they were spiritually blind. The blind man also could not see, even when the Light of the World stood before him, but Jesus is going to reveal Himself to him. Before the blind man can see, he must have his eyes restored. Light must be received. There must be a receiver as well as a sender of light.
We used to argue the question about noise. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, is there a noise? The obvious answer is that there are sound waves, but if there is no ear there to pick up the sound and interpret it, no one hears it as noise. There must be a receiver.
The lack of sight does not mean that light is not there. Light reveals the condition of the eye. The Light of the World reveals the condition of the soul. The Pharisees thought they saw, but they were blind.
There is a story of a mining explosion in West Virginia. The explosion plunged the trapped men into total darkness. When the rescue team managed to get a light through to them, one of the young men finally said, “Well, why don’t they turn on the light?” They all looked at him in amazement, and then they realized that the explosion had blinded him. In the darkness, he did not know that he was blind. The light revealed to him and to them that he was blind.
This is what Jesus means in verse 39 of this chapter: “For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.” Light reveals the true condition. Those who are blind, but do not realize it, can know that they are truly blind.
A prominent member of the English Parliament took Mr. Edmund Burke, who was a statesman and a great orator, to hear Dr. Hugh Black, one of the great preachers of Scotland. Dr. Black preached a powerful sermon exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. After the service the friend waited for Mr. Burke’s reaction to the message. Finally he said, “He is a great orator, but what was he talking about?” Here was a brilliant man who was blind.
It is our responsibility to get out the Word of God, and there our responsibility ends. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to open the heart of the listener and cause him to obey the Word. We should present the Light of the World to people, but the Holy Spirit must open the eyes. This is what is meant in 2 Corinthians 2:15–16: “ For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life… .” We are equally as “successful” when we do not win a convert as when we do. We are simply to shine the light, to hold up Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. One fellow will say to us, “Where is the light? That doesn’t make sense to me.” We will look at him and say, “Poor fellow, he is blind.” Another fellow will say to us, “Thank you for showing me the light. I was blind but now I see.”
JESUS OPENS THE EYES OF A MAN BORN BLIND IN JERUSALEM (FIFTH WORK)
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth [John 9:1].
Logically this episode of the blind man follows the wonderful statement of our Lord, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). There evidently was a lapse of time between chapter 8 and the opening of chapter 9 because He is moving in a more leisurely manner—“as Jesus passed by.”
RECORD OF THE MIRACLE
This is the only record of our Lord healing a man with congenital blindness.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? [John 9:2].
The disciples want to establish the cause of his disease. They want to discuss who is at fault,
who it is that sinned. In their day there were probably four answers they would have given. The pagans of that day, as many of today also, believed in reincarnation and held that congenital disease could be the result of sins committed during a former existence. The Jews never did accept this explanation. Then there is the argument of heredity, that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children to the third and fourth generations (see Exod. 20:5). We know that this is possible and that blindness in some cases can be the result of the sin of the parent. Then, there was the explanation that the sin of Adam was passed to each member of the human family so that all are subject to death and disease. And finally, the Jewish rabbis believed that a child in the womb could sin.
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world [John 9:3–5].
Jesus doesn’t give them the answer they wanted. He says the important thing is not to probe around in the past and try to find out who is guilty. The thing to do is to cure the man. It may be true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but after a man is sick, it’s pretty important to get that pound of cure for him.
God has His own wise reasons for permitting sickness, disease, suffering, and trouble. When I went to the hospital for surgery, I received letters from hundreds of people. Out of those letters, there were several who proposed to tell me why God let this happen to me. The only trouble was, I don’t think that any one of them knew. God doesn’t always reveal to us why He permits things. I believe this:
God never does, nor suffers to be done
But what we would ourselves,
Could we but see through all events of things
As well as He.
God has His way, and He doesn’t propose to tell us all His reasons. He does ask us to walk with Him by faith through the dark times of our lives.
I think, frankly, that we need to understand that our Lord is not saying for one minute that this man was sort of a spiritual guinea pig. I believe the punctuation of the verse misleads us. Jesus is saying, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents. But that the works of God should be made manifest in him, I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day.”
God has created you and me for His glory. He did not create us that we might try to be a somebody down here. He created us for His glory. If we miss that, we miss the entire purpose of our creation. These trials and sufferings come to us because they bring about the glory of God. This blind man, through the healing of his blindness, will bring about the glory of God. Not only will this blind man see (and think how much he would enjoy seeing all the rest of his life), but also he will see Jesus Christ and come to know Him as his Savior.
Now Jesus reverts to His original statement. “ I am the light of the world.” The night makes all of mankind blind. No one can see. Christ is the spiritual Light of the World, and without Him everyone is blind. But as long as He is in the world, He is the Light of the World. He is still in the world today, my friend. He comes to us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Unless the Son of God, by means of the Holy Spirit, opens our eyes so that we can see spiritual things, we will remain blind as bats.
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing [John 9:6–7].
Christ had to touch the blind man, and the blind man had to obey Christ. Christ must touch our spiritual vision and bring new life to the dead spiritual optic nerve. It is not a question of who sinned. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). If Christ has not touched your eyes, you are not seeing.
There are so many people right in our churches today who are blind and don’t know it. People write to me and say they listened to our Bible-teaching program for months; then all of a sudden their eyes were opened and they saw. Like the poor young man in the mine explosion, there are people standing in the light of the Word of God who say, “Why
doesn’t someone turn on the light?” That is exactly what Pontius Pilate did. He asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) as he was standing right in the presence of the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). We need to let Christ touch our eyes so that we can see.
You will notice that Christ touched this man, although the man still could not see Him. Then Jesus asked him to go wash, and the man obeyed. We may ask why Jesus used this method to heal the man. I think there are several reasons: (1) This gospel sets forth the deity of Christ, but it also sets forth Jesus as a man. Jesus had just claimed His deity and now He touches the blind man, man to man. (2) The blind man must obey the Lord Jesus Christ if he is to see. (3) The Lord sent him to the pool which is called Siloam, and John makes a point of telling us Siloam means “Sent.” Even the name of the pool bears testimony that Jesus is sent from the Father. Jesus may be implying to this man that He has been sent from the Father, and in the same way He is sending him. (4) The blind man needed the water to make him see. The water represents the Word of God in many passages of Scripture. It is my firm conviction that there never can be a conversion without the Word of God. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Ps. 119:130). (5) The Jews needed this testimony because in verse 29 they say, “We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.” They must see by this healing of the blind man that Jesus is the God-man who is sent from the Father.
May I point out that the method of healing this man is not the important issue. The Person who heals is the important issue. It is Christ who opened his eyes. The blind man’s part was to trust and obey.
Jesus used different methods of healing people. If the method was the touch, the man healed would insist everyone would need the same experience that he had. He would go away singing, “The Touch of His Hand on Mine.” When Jesus healed others by not touching them at all, they would insist that one doesn’t need to experience anything, not even His touch. They would say that all one needs is the Word of Jesus. They would go away singing, “Only Believe.” Then, this blind man here would say to all of them that they are wrong. He’d say you’ve got to be touched and then you must go to the pool and wash; so he would be singing, “Shall We Gather at the River?” You are going to tell me that is perfectly absurd, silly, and ridiculous. It sure is, but I know a lot of “blind” folk today who will argue about the necessity of a certain ceremony or an experience to be saved. However, the all-important thing is to come to Christ, to believe Him, to obey Him. “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). It is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ that is important.
I want to stop here and show how the condition of the blind man parallels our condition as sinners before we were saved.
1. The blind man was outside the temple, shut out from God. Remember that Paul says in Ephesians 2:12 that we were strangers from the covenants of promise, that we had no hope; we were without God in the world. That is the condition of everyone before he is saved. Without God, without hope, shut out!
2. The man was blind. He was unable to see the Savior. John Hancock heard a sermon of John Witherspoon on the text “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). As he walked home he thought to himself, “I have always admired John Witherspoon but tonight I didn’t follow him. He impresses me as being a great preacher, but tonight I couldn’t understand him.” When he got home he put the key in the lock and pushed open the big door of his colonial home. He said, “Oh, I see!” His family laughed and said, “Of course, you see. You were out in the dark and now you have come into the light.” He answered, “Yes, but I mean that I now see that Jesus is the door, and faith is the key that turns the lock, I now trust Christ, and I see Him.”
We were blind without Christ. Did you see Him as your Savior before you were saved? Was He the wonderful One to you then? No. We were blind.
3. The man had been blind from birth. We were born in sin. We came into this world as sinners.
4. The blind man was beyond human help. Nobody had a cure for his blindness. We were helpless sinners in this world and no one had a cure for us.
5. He was a beggar. This is what hurts a lot of people. They hate to admit they are beggars. They would be willing to pay for salvation, but it is not for sale. You have to come to God for salvation as this beggar did. God gives it away. This beggar could never have bought salvation because he had nothing with which to buy it. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1).
6. He made no appeal to Jesus. Blind Bartimaeus was loud and insistent, but this man just sat there. He didn’t know Jesus. It took him a long time to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Friend, did you really want to get saved? Were you looking for salvation? Were you looking for the Lord Jesus? If you are the average person, you were not. You were not looking for Him, but He was looking for you. That is the story of man and his salvation.
7. There was no pity shown to him by others. The Jews passed him by on their way to the temple. The disciples wanted to argue about him. They had no intention of showing any mercy to this man, and they were not prepared to do anything for him. This is a picture of the human family. Christ feels compassion for us, and Christ alone can help us.
REACTION TO THE MIRACLE
There is a change in a man who had been blind. He no longer must feel his way home every day but walks home seeing. I think this man was shouting, “Hallelujah, I can see!”
1. The neighbors—
The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he [John 9:8–9].
Can’t you picture the neighborhood? Someone stands at the window and says, “Look, there’s the blind man.” His wife goes to the door to look and says, “That’s not the blind man. He looks like the blind man but he’s not blind.” So the man must identify himself to his own neighbors.
The neighbors knew something had happened to him. I do not believe that if you are truly converted, if you have changed from blindness to seeing, you can go on without people noticing that you have changed. If there is no evidence of a change, then something is wrong, radically wrong.
Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not [John 9:11–12].
I love the testimony of this man. He told only what he knew—a good, honest, sincere testimony. He grew in perception every time he gave his testimony. Notice how accurate the Word of God is. He didn’t say Jesus took spittle and made clay. In his blindness he didn’t know that. All he knew was that he felt clay rubbed on his eyes. His testimony is honest, not elaborated or glamorized.
Salvation is really a simple matter. It is coming to the Lord Jesus and experiencing the power of God. This man hadn’t even seen Jesus and yet the Lord Jesus had opened his eyes. The important thing for us is not to see Jesus but to believe in Him.
2. The Pharisees—
They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see [John 9:13–15].
Again, the man’s testimony is very simple. You would think these Pharisees would have rejoiced that a blind man could now see. You’d think they would break out in a “Hallelujah Chorus.” Not this cold-blooded crowd! Now notice the reaction of the Pharisees. They just don’t know what to do about a man born blind who is now walking around seeing.
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them [John 9:16].
These men were undoubtedly some of the cleverest men on earth. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would have been more than a match for the Greek philosophers. They were experts at arguing. They are going to use a syllogistic method of arguing. They have a major premise, a minor premise, and then a conclusion. If both the premises are true, the conclusion will be true. But if either of the premises is false, the conclusion will be false. Here is their reasoning:
Major premise—all people from God keep the Sabbath.
Minor premise—Jesus does not keep the Sabbath.
Conclusion—Jesus is not from God.
Their false major premise kept people from coming to the true conclusion. If both premises had been true, their conclusion would have been true.
Major premise—Only people from God can open the eyes of a man born blind.
Minor premise—Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man.
Conclusion—Jesus is from God.
Unfortunately, we find similar controversies going on in our churches today. There are arguments over nonessentials while the world outside is dying and going to hell, blind to the gospel. There is still the same old argument. “He doesn’t keep the Sabbath”—which means “He doesn’t do it our way.”
They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight [John 9:17–18].
In their argumentation they ask, “How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?” This is the very thing which helped the blind man to grow in his perception. If a sinner can’t do such miracles, yet because of Him he can see, then this One must be a prophet! He must be from God. The blind man has taken another step.
“But the Jews did not believe concerning him.” When men don’t want to believe a thing, it is amazing what little peccadilloes they will attempt to dig up to really get away from the truth. Because they won’t accept the man’s testimony, they call in his parents.
3. The parents—
And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue [John 9:19–22].
Here is religious conniving, and it is one of the most pernicious things that is imaginable. The religious rulers are trying to find somebody they can hang this on, and the parents want to get off the hook. These rulers never contested the fact that the man had been blind and now could see. It’s only professors in swivel chairs in universities who doubt the miracles Jesus performed. The people who were present never denied that a miracle had been performed.
Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him [John 9:23].
The parents knew that a miracle had been done. But they were not prepared to explain how the miracle had been done. They did not want to be excommunicated because that would completely ostracize them, and they didn’t want to get into that kind of trouble. Since the religious rulers cannot deny the miracle, they will try to keep the Lord Jesus from receiving the credit for it.
Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner [John 9:24].
The Jews now go back to their first argument: this Man is a sinner because He broke the Sabbath. Don’t give glory to this Man, the Lord Jesus. Give the glory to God. My, doesn’t that sound nice and pious!
He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see [John 9:25].
He hasn’t seen the Lord Jesus yet. This is the second time they have brought him into court, and he is a little weary of the whole thing. Yet, listen to his testimony. “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”
That is the testimony of any sinner who has been saved. Once I was blind but now I see. Once I was in spiritual darkness but now I am in spiritual light. Once I did not know Christ, but now I know Him as my Savior. I don’t know about you, but I get a little weary of long-winded testimonies. I suspect that many of them are padded and embellished and polished up to make them attractive. Sometimes the emphasis is placed on the past, so much so that the people actually come out as heroes in their testimony. They were leaders in crime, they were rubbing shoulders with the gang leaders, they knew all the great ones, they were the worst alcoholics, the worst gamblers, and on and on. Then they heard the gospel and were converted. The people who hear such testimonies go home and call their friends, “My, have you heard the testimony of So-and-So?”—and they are so busy telling about So-and-So and all the things he had done that they hardly even mention Christ. Friend, the important part of any testimony that I want to hear is simply this, “Once I was blind; now I see.”
Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? [John 9:26].
The Pharisees are really up against it. They’re trying their best to find some little flaw that they can seize upon to explain away the miracle that has been performed. They cannot simply dismiss it as theologians and professors try to do today. The man is there, and he can see.
He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples [John 9:27–28].
The man who had been blind is beginning to understand what they are doing, and he gets a little sarcastic with them, “Will you also be His disciples?” He makes another interesting observation, “Will you hear it again?” Not only are the Pharisees blind so they cannot see the Light of the World, they are also deaf so they cannot hear.
We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out [John 9:29–34].
The religious rulers revile him. You can notice again that, when men do not have an answer, they will resort to ridicule. Inadvertently they have slowly moved the healed blind man into a line of logic so that he knows only a man from God could do such a miracle: there is no doubt that he had been healed, so this Man must be from God. Remember, he still has never seen Jesus.
These rulers have no answer. They cannot meet the argument or give a satisfactory explanation. The facts confound and contradict them. What do they do? They cast the man out. This excommunication shut him out of the temple. It also shut him out of business. It made him an outcast, almost like a leper. He would be shut out of everything religious and social.
4. The blind man meets Jesus—
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him [John 9:35–38].
The Lord Jesus comes on the scene. This man has defended the Lord Jesus, has come out the winner in the argument, but has been cast out by the religious rulers. It is quite wonderful that the Lord Jesus comes to him. Friend, it is always Jesus who looks for the man. The Lord has prepared this man all along the way. Now the man must put his faith in the Son of God. Our Lord now comes to him with that crucial question: “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” The experiences through which he has gone have strengthened his faith and clarified his thinking. The Lord knows that he is ready for this final step. This man is so very open. so honest and sincere. He asks who the Son of God is so that he might believe. You can see the eagerness of this man. He wants to go farther. He wants to come to know Him. Our Lord responds in this lovely way, “Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.” The man believes Him and worships Him. This is one of the finest instances of faith that we have in the entire Word of God. Our Lord took this blind man step by step and brought him to His feet where he could say, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him.
It is so with the steps of every sinner. We are blind at first. We are lost sinners, and we don’t even see our lost condition. Then we come to Christ. He reveals Himself to us; our eyes are opened and we see who He is and what He has done for us. Then the question is: “Will you believe?” This man’s answer can also be your answer, “Lord, I believe.” And you will fall at His feet and worship Him.
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind [John 9:39].
This seems to be a strange statement. The Lord says that there are those who have eyes and see not. They have physical eyes and physical sight, but they are blind spiritually. If a man will admit he is blind and will come to Jesus as a blind man, Jesus will give him spiritual insight. Paul writes: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14).
My friend, if you have come into the presence of the Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, and still say, “What is truth?” or “I just don’t see that He is my Savior,” or “I don’t understand what this is about,” then you are not seeing. You are spiritually blind. The Pharisees had eyes; they thought they saw; they were religious people, zealous people, and yet they were blind.
The heathen are lost. They are in darkness. Yet the Lord puts each man through a series of steps. If there is any man today out yonder in heathenism who wants to know about Jesus, the Lord will get the gospel to him. The man who sits in the church pew and hears the preaching of the Word of God and the giving out of the gospel is in the presence of the Light. That Light reveals his blindness. Jesus said, “… If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23). If you know the facts about Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, but you will not believe, then, my friend, you are spiritually blind and there is nothing else to offer you. If you have been in the presence of the Savior of the world and have rejected Him, there is no other Savior to offer to you.
And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth [John 9:40–41].
We began with a blind man who was healed so that he saw, both physically and spiritually. We end with religious rulers who were terribly, tragically blind, yet who thought they could see. In the presence of Christ, in the presence of the Light, in the presence of the revelation of God, they said they had no sin.
Some of the most dogmatic people today are the atheists and the cultists. They say they see, but they are blind. They reject the Lord Jesus Christ, and so their sin remains. Although they are not walking around with a white walking stick, they are blind.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Jesus is the Good Shepherd (seventh word); humanity—Christ in form of servant; deity—Christ equal with God
HUMANITY—CHRIST IN FORM OF SERVANT
The ancient sheepfold of that day still exists in many towns in that land. It was a public sheepfold. In the evening all the shepherds who lived in that town would bring their sheep to the sheepfold and turn them in for the night. They would entrust them to the porter who kept the sheep; then they would go to their homes for the night. The next morning the shepherds would identify themselves to the porter, and he would let them in the door to get their sheep.
1. “Door into the sheepfold”—
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep [John 10:1–2].
The sheepfold represents the nation Israel. Jesus is telling them that He came in by the door. He goes on to say that anyone who doesn’t come by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. This is a tremendous claim that He is making here. He came in by the door. He came in legally. That is, He came in fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. He came in under the Law. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal. 4:4). He came in the line of David according to prophecy (see Luke 1:32). He was born in Bethlehem according to prophecy (see Mic. 5:2). Not only was He in the line of David, but He was born of a virgin according to prophecy (see Isa. 7:14). At the time that He was born, He was a rod out of the stem of Jesse (see Isa. 11:1). Now this is interesting. By the time Jesus came, the royal line of David had dropped back to the level of the peasant. There was no royalty anymore. Jesse had been a farmer down in Bethlehem. In fact, he raised sheep. His son, David, had the anointing oil poured on him, and that line became the kingly line. But when the Lord Jesus was born, He was just a branch out of the stem of Jesse, the peasant. Jesus was simply a carpenter and wore a carpenter’s robe. How accurately the prophecies were fulfilled!
He is the Messiah, and He came in through the door. No one else could have had the credentials that He had. Anyone else would have been a thief and a robber. They would not have had the credentials of the Messiah and would have had to climb over the fence. You see, in the preceding chapter, the man healed of his blindness had been excommunicated, put out of the temple. The religious rulers are rejecting the Lord Jesus, and now they are challenging Him. Remember they said, “Are we blind also?” Our Lord made it very clear that they were blind. Now He presents His credentials. This is a tremendous claim He is making in this chapter: Israel is the sheepfold; Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out [John 10:3].
Whom does the porter represent? The porter is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God came upon Jesus, and everything that He did, He did by the power of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit was opening the ears of His sheep to hear His voice. His sheep have responded. This ties in with the preceding chapter. Those religious rulers were blind spiritually and, what is more, they were deaf. They didn’t even hear His voice. But He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. The blind man heard Him call. Simon heard His call, and Jesus changed his name to Peter, which means a stone. He called James and John, Nathanael and Philip. He stopped under a tree in Jericho and called Zacchaeus. He calls His sheep by name.
Let me digress for a moment to say that when the Lord Jesus calls His own out of the world at the time of the Rapture, I believe that His call will have every believer’s name in it. I think I’ll hear Him say personally, “Vernon McGee.” That will be wonderful! He knows my name, you see, and He’ll call it at that time. And He’ll call you if you are one of His sheep. You will hear your name in His shout!
He leads His sheep out of the sheepfold, out of Judaism. You see, the religious rulers had excommunicated the man whose sight Jesus had restored. Jesus is going to lead this sheep out of Judaism.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice [John 10:4].
When I was near Bethlehem, I spent some time looking over a sheepfold that was still in use. A sheepfold is an enclosure where shepherds put their sheep for the night. The porter has charge of it. Then the shepherd spends the night in his own bed. When he comes to the sheepfold in the morning, his sheep are all mixed up with somebody else’s sheep—there is no brand or marking on the sheep. How does he get the sheep that are his? He calls them by name. The sheep don’t have to be identified; they know their shepherd’s voice. When he starts out over the hill, his own sheep come out of the fold and follow him. They know him. Our Lord says, “The sheep will follow him because they know his voice.”
It is the most wonderful thing in the world to know that, when we give out the Word of God, Jesus is calling His sheep. The Spirit of God is the Porter who does the opening, and the sheep will hear. Our Lord will lead His sheep out of a legal system, perhaps even out of a church where they’re not being fed. They will follow Him. You cannot permanently fool God’s sheep. It is true that the sheep may get into a cult or an “ism” for a while, but the sheep will recognize the voice of the Shepherd. Unfortunately, many preachers are afraid to stand up for the truth; however, when a man preaches the Word of God, the sheep will hear it. We can depend on that because our Lord said, “My sheep hear my voice” (v. 27).
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers [John 10:5].
I believe that you can fool some of God’s people some of the time, but I don’t think you can fool God’s people all the time. For a time, God’s sheep may think they hear Him but eventually discover that it is not His voice. Then they will turn to the teaching of the Word of God because they know their Shepherd. It is amazing. I have been teaching the Word of God for about forty years and have learned again and again that when His sheep hear His voice, they will follow Him.
For a long time I worried about those who will not listen to the message. I have reached the point that I don’t worry about them. The reason they don’t hear His voice is that they are not His sheep. Wherever we find people who are eager for the Word of God, we know they are His sheep.
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them [John 10:6].
The word parable is really not an accurate translation. The Greek word for parable is parabole and the word in this verse is paroimia, which really means “an allegory.” The Gospel of John does not record any of the parables of our Lord. It records the metaphors and allegories such as “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) and “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). These are not parables but are figures of speech to let us know something about God. They are intended to give us light on the subject so that we can see. So it should actually read, “This allegory spake Jesus unto them.” They didn’t understand what He was saying because, as He had said, they were blind.
Our Lord also said, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 13:9). It is possible to have ears and yet not hear. They hear it all right, but they don’t hear it as the Word of God. That is the important thing. Beloved, how do you hear it? It is this important difference in hearing to which our Lord referred when He quoted Isaiah, “… By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive” (Matt. 13:14).
2. “Door of the sheep”—
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them [John 10:7–8].
Here He gives another allegory. He has spoken about the door of the sheepfold, but now He moves one more step and says that He is the Door of the sheep. The Lord Jesus is the Door for those coming out of Israel. They had just cast the blind man out of the synagogue, out of the sheepfold. Immediately the Lord Jesus had come to this man and revealed Himself to him. When the Lord revealed Himself to the man, He became the Door for this man. The man had been brought out of the sheepfold and to the Lord Jesus Christ to follow Him. This is the second great truth which our Lord is stating in this chapter.
Our Lord will state this same principle in John 15 when He says, “I am the true vine…. ye are the branches” (John 15:1, 5). The vine in the Old Testament is a picture of the nation Israel. Jesus is saying that it is no longer the connection with the nation Israel but the relationship with Him which is the joining of the branches with the Vine. They must come out from Judaism, come out from ritualism, and come to Him. He is saying that He is the Door. Remember, He is talking to the religious rulers. By the way, some of them did come to Him after His resurrection.
3. “The Door”
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly [John 10:9–10].
Jesus Christ is the Way. He is the only Way. He is the Way out for you and He is the Way in for you. He has come to bring us an abundant life.
The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I think this is a test you can apply to a church, a religious organization, a radio or television program. Is it a religious racket? Is somebody getting rich out of it? Compare it to the Good Shepherd who came to save sinners and to give us life, abundant life.
Here is a brief review of this passage:
1. “Door into the sheepfold” (v. 1). The sheepfold is the nation Israel. Jesus will lead His sheep out of Judaism, out from under a legalistic system.
2. “Door of the sheep” (v. 7). Jesus is the Door for those coming out of Judaism (e.g., the excommunicated man who had been blind); He has called them out. “… Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40).
3. “The Door” (v. 9). Jesus Christ is the Door for both Jew and Gentile. He is the Door of salvation. Freedom to go in and out and find pasture is the liberty of the sons of God in Christ Jesus.
4. “The Good Shepherd”—
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep [John 10:11–13].
How can Jesus be the Door and the Shepherd at the same time? Actually, there was no door that swung on hinges and had a padlock to secure the sheepfold. The man who was guarding it slept across the doorway so that he himself was the door. Jesus is not only the Door but He is also the Good Shepherd, the One who stays in the doorway. He is the Door which opens to eternal life; He is the One who protects His own; He is also the Good Shepherd.
Jesus is also called the Lamb of God. How can He be the Lamb of God and at the same time be the Good Shepherd? This may sound like mixed metaphors, but it is one of the most glorious truths in Scripture. He is the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He came down and identified Himself with us who are the sheep—but He is the Shepherd also. The fact that He became a Lamb emphasizes the humanity of Jesus Christ. The fact that He is the Good Shepherd emphasizes the deity of Christ. He alone was worthy and able to save us. No other human being could do this; He had to be God.
The Lord Jesus Christ has a threefold relationship to this flock which is known as His church. First of all He is the Good Shepherd, and He defines the Good Shepherd in verse 11: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” Then He is the Great Shepherd, for we read in the magnificent benediction given in Hebrews 13:20: “Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will …” (ASV). So today He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep, as seen in Psalm 23. But wait, that does not give the total picture. He is also the Chief Shepherd. This speaks of the future. Peter says in his first epistle, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet. 5:4).
The hireling does not care for the sheep. Founders of some of the world religions did very little for their followers. Modern cult leaders actually get rich off the people. In contrast to this, the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep, and He protects His own.
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep [John 10:14–15].
Here is a wonderful relationship. He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him. Paul wrote, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection …” (Phil. 3:10). To know Him is to love Him. In this connection one should read what God says about shepherds in His message through Ezekiel, chapter 34.
Notice that this is the third time that He says His sheep know Him. To know Jesus Christ is all important and everything else becomes secondary. That is one reason I have given up arguing about nonessentials. Let’s stop arguing about religion and about details. The important issue is to know Jesus Christ. Do you hear His voice; do you know the Shepherd?
There is no shepherd like this One. David risked his life to save his sheep from a bear and from a lion. The Son of David gave His life for His sheep.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd [John 10:16].
There are other sheep which are not of this fold—the fold is Israel—but others will also hear His voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd. It is really “flock” (poineeµ), not “fold” (auleµ) in this second phrase. You see, there is to be one flock and one Shepherd. There is to be the one flock containing Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, bond and free, male and female, black and white, people from every nation, and out of every tongue and tribe.
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father [John 10:17–18].
He says that all of this is the will of the Father. The Father loves Him because He died for us. We also ought to love Him because He died for us. He made His soul an offering for sin. On the cross during those three hours of darkness, God the Father put upon Him the sin of the world, and He went through hell for you and me. The Good Shepherd gave His life for the sheep.
He makes it very clear that He gave His life willingly. He was in full control at His trial. Also He set the time of His death. The Jews said it shouldn’t be on a feast day lest there be an uproar, a riot, of the people, but He was crucified on the feast day. He was never more kingly than when He went to the cross. If one reads the Gospels carefully, one is aware that actually the Roman government was on trial, the nation Israel was on trial, you and I were on trial. Although He didn’t have to die, He did it willingly for the sins of the world. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame …” (Heb. 12:2). No man could take His life from Him. He claimed power to lay down His life and to take it again.
There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? [John 10:19–21].
This refers to the fact that He opened the eyes of the man who was born blind. The crowd there that day said, “Well, a demon could never have done what He did!” There is a division. Why? Because some are sheep and some are not. Sheep will hear and the others will not hear.
The issue is still the same today as it was then. Either the Lord Jesus Christ was a mad man or He is the Savior of the world. Either He has a demon or He is the Son of God. There has always been that division. When Paul preached at Athens, some believed and some did not. When I preach, some believe and some do not. We cannot expect it to be any different.
The so-called liberal theologians are the most inconsistent and illogical people. Jesus Christ cannot be only a good teacher and a great example. He is either a fraud or He is the Son of God. Jesus Christ puts you on the horns of a dilemma, my friend. He is a mad man or He is your God and your Savior.
DEITY—CHRIST EQUAL WITH GOD
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter [John 10:22].
The Feast of Tabernacles was in the last part of October; the Feast of Dedication was in the last part of December—so there was a two-month interval. This feast celebrated the time when Judas Maccabaeus delivered the temple from Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian, who had polluted it. This took place in 167 b.c. and was still celebrated in our Lord’s day.
“And it was winter.” Jesus is through with the nation. From here on, in the Gospel of John, He talks to His own. He will not make another public call. It is now too late for the harvest. The Lamb of God is being shut up in preparation to go to the cross and die for the sins of the world.
Friend, may I remind you that you can play at this thing too long. Winter is coming for you. There will come a day when you won’t be able to witness. If you are going to do anything for Him, you had better do it now. If you have never sincerely accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, may I remind you that winter can come for that, too. There does come a time when it is too late, my beloved, too late to be saved. You can persist in rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ so long that finally you will be unable to accept Him. The prophet spoke of this eventuality: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jer. 8:20).
And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly [John 10:23–24].
There was a big porch out there which was for the Gentiles, for those who were outside the nation Israel. Our Lord was no longer coming into the temple. It was winter, and He walked in Solomon’s porch.
Jesus had made His identity very clear, and those who accepted Him understood that He was the Messiah, the Christ. Remember that Andrew had told his brother, “We have found the Messiah” (see John 1:41). Nathanael recognized Him, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel” (John 1:49). The Samaritan woman understood who He was; and the Samaritan men said, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). Also the man healed of his blindness believed and worshiped Him. Now these religious leaders with their subtle questions are actually casting the blame on Him! They make it sound as if it is Jesus’ fault for not giving enough information, whereas it is their lack of will to believe what God had revealed to them. Well, Jesus has revealed His messiahship to those who will hear, and now He declares it to these religious rulers.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you [John 10:25–26].
Jesus tells them that He has the proofs of His messiahship. His works bear witness to it. He was born in the line of David, according to prophecy. He was introduced by John the Baptist. No man taught as He taught. No man could convict Him of sin. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to find out whether Jesus was the Messiah or whether they should look for another, Jesus told them to go back and tell John the Baptist the things that He was doing. Then John the Baptist would know that He had the credentials of the Messiah. You see, His teaching demonstrated that He was the Messiah, His life demonstrated it, and His miracles demonstrated it. The problem was not in His lack of credentials. The problem was in the unbelieving heart. The fact that they did not believe demonstrated that they were not His sheep. That’s the negative side. Now He states the positive side.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
I and my Father are one [John 10:27–30].
His sheep hear His voice. And they follow Him. The brand of ownership on the sheep is obedience. Do you want to know whether a person is saved or not? Then see if he is obeying Christ. Our ears must be open to His voice. “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them” (Prov. 20:12).
“I know them.” I’m glad somebody knows me, aren’t you? I am sometimes misunderstood, and I have to explain myself to people. However, I never need to explain anything to Him. He knows when I’m putting up an excuse; He knows when I am evading an issue; He understands me. He knows.
“And they follow me.” I believe in the eternal security of the believer and in the insecurity of the make-believer. “They follow me”—it’s just that simple. If the shepherd called his sheep one morning and started up the hill, and out of five hundred sheep in the sheepfold, one hundred came out and followed him, then I would conclude that those one hundred were his sheep. And I would also conclude that the other four hundred were not his sheep.
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” Friend, when He gives to them eternal life, that means they don’t earn it and they don’t work for it. He gives it to them. Note that it is eternal life. It is forever. If it plays out in a week, or in a year, or until they sin, then it is not eternal life after all. They are not really His sheep if the life does not last forever. The sheep may be in danger, but the Shepherd will protect them. They may be scattered, but He will gather them up again. They shall never perish. May they backslide? Yes. Will they perish? No. The sheep may get into a pigpen, but there has never yet been a sheep in a pigpen that stayed in the pigpen. Sheep and pigs do not live together. The sheep is always a sheep. No man can pluck that sheep out of the Savior’s hand. No enemy, no man, no created being can pluck them out of His hand. This is wonderful! One time a fellow gave me the argument that one can jump out of His hand because we are free moral agents. Listen to the passage. It actually says “no created thing shall pluck them out of my hand.” He is the Shepherd. He is God. If you think you can jump out, the Father puts His hand right down on you, and you can’t do any jumping. Brother, He’s got you and you can’t get loose. Both hands are the hands of Deity. No created thing can take the sheep out of His hand.
Years ago a Texas rancher told me about sheep. He said he had two thousand sheep, and someone had to be watching them all the time. If two little sheep go over the hill and get half a mile from the flock, they are lost. They cannot find their way back by themselves. The only way in the world they can be safe is for the shepherd to be there. If a wolf would come up and eat one of the little sheep, you’d think the other one would be smart enough to say, “He ate my little brother; so I’ll go back over the hill and join the flock.” No, he doesn’t know where to go. All he does is go “Baa” and run around and wait to be dessert for the wolf. A sheep is stupid. Neither has a sheep any way to defend himself. A sheep can’t even outrun his enemy. If a sheep is safe, it is not because the sheep is clever or smart. It is because he has a good shepherd.
When I say to you that He gives me eternal life and I shall never perish, you may accuse me of bragging. No, my friend, I am not bragging on myself; I’m bragging about my Shepherd. I have a wonderful Shepherd. He won’t lose any of His sheep. If He starts with one hundred, He will not end with ninety-nine. If one gets lost, He will go out and find it. None will be lost.
Then He says that He and the Father are one. He claims to be God.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God [John 10:31–33].
There is one thing that is sure: in that day, those who heard Him understood that He made Himself God. He produced His credentials. There was no way they could deny His miracles. He healed people by the thousands, and there was no denying the evidence. They accused Him of blasphemy. They accused Him of calling Himself God. And do you know, that is exactly what He was doing!
Jesus answered them. Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him [John 10:34–38].
Their accusation was that He as a man makes Himself God. He quotes to them Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Men are called to be the children of God, but Jesus is unique because He is the Man “whom the Father hath sanctified.” He is the One who has been set apart. He is different from any other man in the world. He has been sent on a mission to the world. He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.
Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.
And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
And many believed on him there [John 10:39–42].
John the Baptist did no miracles, but he bore a true testimony to the Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. He is the One who was to come. What think ye of Christ? This is the way to test your position. You can’t be right in any of the rest unless you are first right in your thinking about Him. What think ye of Christ? If you are His sheep, you will hear His voice. If you are not, you will not hear Him. His voice will be drowned out in the babble of voices speaking to you. His sheep are able to hear the Son of God.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in Bethany (sixth work)
JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD IN BETHANY (SIXTH WORK)
Let’s pause for a moment to get the perspective of John. In the first ten chapters, Christ has revealed Himself in an ever widening circle. This began at the wedding of Cana where there were guests and also His disciples. We are told that His disciples believed on Him. At the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication, the whole nation was before Him. He presented Himself to the nation and He was rejected: His works were rejected in John 5:16; His words were rejected in John 8:58–59; and His Person was rejected in John 10:30–31.
This chapter is a kind of intermission. His public ministry is over and He retires into a private ministry. Centering Himself on individuals, He no longer is reaching out to the nation. The events of this chapter occur between the Feast of Dedication and the Passover which would be sometime between December and April.
The Gospel of John is like climbing up a mountain in that each chapter brings us a little higher than the preceding chapter. Remember that John has told us why he wrote this gospel: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31). Going back to the very beginning: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). While He walked among us in the flesh, this great thesis was sustained by miracle and parable and discourse.
Now the supreme question is: Can Jesus raise the dead? The big question in any religion concerns death. Death is a great mystery. And life is a great mystery, but life is practically meaningless if there is no resurrection of the dead. The question to ask of any religion is whether it has power over death.
Liberal theologians long ago threw out the miraculous. They contend that nothing miraculous belongs in the Bible—not because of any scholarly reason, but simply because they don’t believe in the miraculous. Today there is a synthetic doctrine that goes something like this: “I believe in a religion of the here and now, not the hereafter. I don’t go for pie in the sky by and by. I want a meat and potatoes religion, one that is practical, not theoretical.” Now that is something I want also. And in addition, I want a hope.
Although we are given many benefits right here and now, the greatest of all benefits is eternal life in Christ Jesus. It is very practical to ask the question: “Will the dead be raised?” Life is so brief. Life’s little day compared to eternity is infinitesimal. Recently I conducted the funeral of a very wonderful Christian man—and there sat his wife and mother. Certainly they considered the resurrection very practical. When you stand at a graveside, if you have no hope, you are whistling in the dark and singing in the rain and crying the blues.
I notice that in cults and religions of the day there are all kinds of chicanery and racketeering, but nobody is in the business of raising the dead. Although some of them have claimed they can raise the dead, they never produce the body, the corpus delicti. When Jesus healed the sick, it was the body that was healed. When Jesus raised the dead, it was the body that was raised. Many religions promise much for this life, but nothing for the hereafter. That is like taking someone for an airplane ride without knowing how to land the plane. The great hope of the Christian faith is the resurrection of the dead!
The Gospels tell us three incidents of Jesus raising the dead. There was the twelve-year-old girl who had just died. She was a juvenile. There was a young man, whose body was being carried to the cemetery. Then there was Lazarus, possibly a senior citizen, who had been dead four days and had been buried. They were all raised, from every age group.
Allow me to be technical and state that these people were raised from the dead but were not resurrected. Rather, it was a restoration to life. Resurrection is this: “… It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body …” (1 Cor. 15:42–44). These people were raised from the dead, but none of them were given glorified bodies. They all faced death again. Christ is the firstfruits of them that sleep. His is the only true resurrection—“… Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23).
While our Lord used different methods to perform His miracles of healing, his method of raising the dead was always the same. He called to them and spoke to them as if they heard Him. Do you know why He did that? Because they heard Him! I think that when He returns with a shout, every one of us will hear his own name because He will call us back from the dead.
Now let’s get into the chapter.
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) [John 11:1–2].
Note that Bethany is the town of Mary. This was written about a.d. 90 and by that time people knew about Mary who had anointed the feet of Jesus with spikenard. The fragrance of the box that she broke still fills this world. Jesus said that her act of devotion would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. I am of the opinion that many a humble person is breaking an alabaster box of ointment and will have more recognition in heaven than many well-known Christian leaders who receive much publicity down here.
It was the home of Martha. Our Lord had visited there before. Martha had been cumbered and frustrated with her preparations for dinner. Jesus had told her that to sit at His feet and learn of Him is better than being too busy with service.
It was the town of Mary and the home of Martha. There are different gifts. Some women are given a marvelous gift in the home. Talk about women’s liberation! I know of no one who is the big boss more than a wife and a mother in her home. She can hustle you out of the kitchen, make you stay out of the refrigerator, and tell you to move when she wants to vacuum. She is in charge of the kitchen and of the whole house. This is the calling of many Christian women. There are others who have an outside ministry. They teach Bible classes and child evangelism classes, and work in the church. Remember, friend, the woman who serves in her home can be serving the Lord and the woman who serves outside her home can be serving the Lord. The Holy Spirit bestows gifts for many types of ministries.
Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick [John 11:3].
These are humble folk, and they make no request, no demand of Him. They tell Jesus the problem and let Him decide what to do. So often in prayers I hear the people demanding that the Lord heal the sick. When did God become a Western Union boy? When did He become a waiter to wait upon us or a redcap boy to carry our suitcase? He doesn’t do things that way. Mary and Martha knew their Lord! “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”
“He whom thou lovest.” Lazarus is loved by the Savior. Paul said, “He loved me” (see Gal. 2:20). John called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. Peter declared that Jesus loves us. And by the way, He loves you and He loves me. Anyone who is a child of God is one whom Jesus loves.
When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby [John 11:4].
Jesus, you see, was not in Bethany at the time, and a message was sent to Him.
Some people say that a Christian should never be sick. Is sickness in the will of God? I wish Lazarus were here to tell you about that. Sickness is not a sign that God does not love you. “For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them” (Eccl. 9:1). In other words, you cannot tell by the circumstances of a man whether God loves him or not. You have no right to judge. “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts …” (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus loved Lazarus when he was sick. Not only that, Jesus will let Lazarus die—but He still loves him.
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was [John 11:5–6].
He loves you when you are sick, He loves you when you are well, He loves you all the time. You can’t keep Him from loving you. You may ask why He lets certain difficulties happen to you. I don’t know the reason, but I do know He loves you. He loves you whether or not you are a Christian. You can’t keep Him from loving you. You can’t stop the sun from shining, but you can get out of the sunshine. And you can put up an umbrella to keep the love of God from shining upon your life.
Because He loves us, we are to come with boldness to present our problems to Him. Boldness means freedom of speech, opening your heart to Him. Boldness does not mean that your requests can be demands of God. Trouble tests our faith and puts us on our knees. Moses cried unto the Lord repeatedly when problems arose in the wilderness wanderings. Hezekiah took the threatening letter from the Assyrians and presented it to the Lord. The disciples of John the Baptist came to the Lord with the heartbreaking news when John was beheaded. My friend, it is down in the valley, even in the valley of the shadow of death, that we must learn to trust Him. He teaches us patience, teaches us that we can rest in Him, teaches us that He works all things well. We need to look beyond the tears, the sorrows, and the trials of life, and see that God has a purpose in everything that happens.
“This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.” Jesus permits this to happen because God will get the glory in it. We need to learn that we are not the center of the universe—nor is our home, our church, our town. The headquarters of everything are in heaven, and everything is running for His glory. Nothing will come into our lives without His permission, and if He permits it, it is going to be for His glory.
I do want you to notice that the Lord loved Martha. Sometimes we are very hard on Martha, very critical of her. The commentaries haven’t been kind to her. She was cumbered with much serving and she hadn’t learned the best thing, but that did not keep our Lord from loving her.
Does it seem cruel that Jesus let Lazarus die? No, there is a message here for us. The Lord Jesus was not motivated by sentiment, but He was subject to the Father’s will. Human sentiment would urge Him to go to Bethany immediately. But He deliberately let Lazarus die. Friend, sometimes He allows our loved ones to die. We need to recognize that He has a reason, and His ways are perfect. Jesus never moves by sentiment. That is what spoils people and that is how parents spoil their children. He is motivated by love, and that love is for the good of the individual and for the glory of God.
Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? [John 11:7–8].
Don’t miss that word again. He had been there and had been forced to withdraw. Now He returns and takes His disciples with Him into the danger zone.
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him [John 11:9–10].
There are twelve hours in the day, and you can’t change that. Because the Father has given the Son a work to do, nothing can stop Him. There is a great principle here. God has given to each man a lifework. You can’t extend that for one day any more than you can keep the sun from going down in the afternoon. But, thank God, you are absolutely invulnerable until your work is done. Nobody, not even Satan, can thwart God’s purpose in your life if you are following Him. To fail to follow Him is dangerous. Then one is in darkness because He is the Light of the World. You can go into the danger zone with Him, and you won’t be touched. You will finish your work. But if you stay out in the darkness, if you walk in the darkness, you will stumble. There has been death in Bethany. If there is to be light in that time of darkness, Jesus must go there. He is the Light of the World.
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him [John 11:11–15].
The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant when He said that Lazarus was sleeping. Because many people today do not understand it either, we find people who talk about soul-sleep. Friend, sleep is for the body, never for the soul. This is true of both sleep in this life and the sleep of death. Death means separation. The body of the believer sleeps in the grave, but the spirit goes to be with Christ. For the believer, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:8). Jesus is called the firstfruits of them that sleep. Does this mean that Jesus is sleeping somewhere today? Absolutely not. He is in His glorified body. The believer goes immediately to be with the Lord, but the body sleeps until the day of resurrection when the body will be raised.
Death, for the believer, is a sleep for his body. Are you afraid of sleep? You shouldn’t be. Sleep is a relief from labor. It is the rest that comes for renewal and preparation for the new day that is coming. There is nothing quite as beautiful as the word sleep when it is used for the death of a believer. The body is put to sleep, to be awakened by our Lord. He is the only One who has the alarm clock. He is the only One who can raise the dead. One day He will come and we shall awaken in our new bodies.
The Greek word for resurrection is anastasis which means “a standing up.” C. S. Lewis, that brilliant Oxford don, ridiculing those who hold that resurrection is spiritual rather than physical, asked, “If it is the spirit that stands up, what position does it take?” There’s a question to work over! No, resurrection means a standing up, and it always refers to the body. The soul never dies, nor does the soul ever sleep.
Death is a reality, an awful reality of the body. But, remember, the resurrection is also reality. You see, man leaves off at death. Even in the hospital, there is a finality about death. Doctors will work and work over a patient. Then when he dies, they all stop working. When death comes, they are through. Science is helpless in the presence of death. Where man must leave off, Jesus begins. Resurrection is also reality.
A man in Pasadena told me, “When you die, you die just like a dog.” I answered, “Don’t you wish that were true?” “But,” I said, “if it’s not true (and I think that bothers you a little), you’re in trouble, aren’t you?” He turned away because he didn’t want to talk about that. People are afraid of death.
Mrs. McGee and I were in Wichita, Kansas, for a Bible conference, staying at a large motel there. We had dinner before the evening service and the bar room was loud with the “happy hour.” When we returned in the evening, word had arrived that the airplane carrying the football team had gone down. The coach and the first line of football players all had been killed. “Happy hour” was like a morgue then. They were silent, without hope. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples. Let us also go, that we may die with him [John 11:16].
Thomas is a gloom-caster, isn’t he? He thinks he is going to die along with Jesus. But, thank God, he was willing to do just that. I believe Thomas meant it, too, just as Simon Peter meant it.
Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother [John 11:17–19].
Bethany is about two miles from the Golden Gate at Jerusalem. Many of the Jews walked from Jerusalem to Bethany to be with Martha and Mary. Apparently they were a prominent family in Bethany and were well known in Jerusalem.
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee [John 11:20–22].
Martha seems always to be the aggressive type. She is the woman of action. She reveals a wonderful faith but also an impatience and a lack of bending to the will of God. By contrast, Mary is willing to sit at home. She has learned to sit at Jesus’ feet.
We can see now that Martha should have been sitting at Jesus’ feet a little more. She says, “I know that if You will ask God.” Martha, don’t you realize that He is God? He is God, manifest in the flesh. He has been in your home, sat at your table and has eaten your biscuits, but you didn’t realize that He was God, did you? Oh, my friend, how we need to spend time at His feet. How we need to listen.
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? [John 11:23–26].
Martha believed in a resurrection. But listen, it makes less demand upon faith to believe that in a future day we shall receive glorified bodies than it does to rest now on the assurance that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. It is easier to believe that the Lord is coming and the dead will be raised than it is to believe that tomorrow I can live for God. It is so easy to comfort people who are mourning and say, “Well, you’ll see your loved ones someday.” That doesn’t take much faith. It takes a lot of faith to say, “I have just lost my loved one but I am comforted with the assurance that God is with me and He does all things well.” You see, although Martha knew from the Old Testament that there would be a resurrection from the dead, she didn’t believe that Jesus could help her now.
Jesus says to her, “Martha, don’t you know that I am the resurrection and the life?” If we have Jesus, we have life. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead” is referring to spiritual death. Though a person is spiritually dead, “yet shall he live.” Then He looks into the future and says that the one who has trusted Him shall never die. Life begins at the moment a person accepts the Savior. Whosoever lives and believes in Jesus will never die because Jesus has already died for him. That is, he will never die a penal death for his sins. He will never be separated from God. Then Jesus asks the question: “Believest thou this?”
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world [John 11:27].
Martha gives the same confession that Peter gave. She understands that He is the Messiah.
And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto him.
Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there [John 11:28–31].
Although Martha had told Mary secretly, God will overrule this—the whole crowd will be at the cemetery. They don’t know that she is going out to meet Jesus.
Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died [John 11:32].
She was saying along with Martha that if Jesus had been there, her brother would not have died. This is why Jesus will say later on that it was expedient, it was better, for Him to go away. This incident makes it obvious why it was expedient. As long as He was here in the flesh, He was limited geographically. If He were in your town, He couldn’t be in my town. If Jesus had not gone away, He could not have sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. But now that the Holy Spirit has come, He is everywhere. He indwells every believer today. So the Holy Spirit can be where I am, where you are, and on the other side of the world simultaneously. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7).
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Jesus wept [John 11:33–35].
If you want to know how God feels about the death of your loved ones, look at this. He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Death is a frightful thing. And you can be sure that He enters into sympathy with you.
His sympathy was for the living. He knew what He was going to do for the dead. “Jesus wept.” While John’s gospel is written to show us the deity of Christ, here Jesus is shown in all His humanness. He even asked where Lazarus was laid because He was so human. And here we can see the way God feels at a funeral today. He mingles His tears with ours. He groans within Himself. I get a little impatient with Christians who say one must not cry at a funeral, but one must be a brave Christian. Death is not pretty; it is a terrible thing. Jesus wept!
Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? [John 11:36–37].
The Jews missed the point here. He wept, not because He loved Lazarus—He was not weeping for the dead—He wept for those who were living.
You notice that the Jews go back to the incident of healing the blind man. That obviously made a great impression on them.
Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? [John 11:38–40].
The subject of death is skirted by people today. The undertakers try in every way to make death seem like a pleasant episode. But let us face it very frankly, we can’t cover up death by embalming and painting up the face, dressing the body in a good suit of clothes, then placing it in a pretty coffin surrounded by flowers. Although this is done to help soften the shock, death is an awful thing.
Martha said that he had been buried for four days already and his body would stink; it would be decaying. Someone may think that sounds crude. So is death crude. It is awful. This case is certainly going to require a miracle.
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me [John 11:41–42].
Remember that this whole incident is for the glory of God. Jesus prays audibly to let the people know that what He is going to do is the will of the Father so that the Father will get the glory. He voices His prayer for the benefit of those who are present.
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go [John 11:43–44].
I want to mention here that I think there were multitudes raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. I think there were multitudes who were healed, hundreds of blind people who received their sight. The Gospels record only a few instances for us.
Notice that for Lazarus, life was restored to the old body. He came out still wrapped in all the graveclothes. When our Lord rose from the dead, He left all the graveclothes in place just as they had been wrapped around His body, including the napkin which had been wrapped around his head. He came right out of them. Why? Because He came out in a glorified body. They didn’t need to roll away the stone for Jesus to come out. It was rolled away so the people on the outside could look in and see that the tomb was empty. His glorified body could leave the sealed grave and it could also enter a room with all the doors locked.
There is a beautiful picture of salvation in this. We were dead in trespasses and sins, dead to God, and are now made alive to God in Christ Jesus. But, friend, each of us is being held back by those graveclothes. Paul could say, “… For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I…. O wretched man that I am!….” (Rom. 7:15, 24). This was not an unsaved man talking; this was a believer. Jesus wants us to be free from those graveclothes. He says, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done [John 11:45–46].
These men cannot ignore this miracle.
It may surprise you to learn that this is the end of the public ministry of Jesus when you see that we are only near the halfway mark in the Gospel of John. His public ministry began when John the Baptist marked Him out as the Lamb of God. It concluded when He raised Lazarus from the dead. John, you see, spent almost as much time on the last forty-eight hours before His death as he did on the first thirty-two years, eleven months, three weeks, and five days of His life. As a matter of fact, this is the pattern shared by all the Gospel writers. They placed the emphasis on the last eight days. There are eighty-nine chapters in the four Gospels. Four of these chapters cover the first thirty years of the life of Jesus and eighty-five chapters the last three years of His life. Of those eighty-five chapters, twenty-seven deal with the last eight days of His life. So about one-third of the gospel records deal with the last few days and place the emphasis on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Friend, it is a misrepresentation of the gospel if the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not preeminent. In fact, that comprises the gospel (see 1 Cor. 15:1). The gospel writers did what Paul also did later on. He says, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).
You would think that this crowning miracle would have turned these skeptics to Jesus, but it did not. Our Lord had said previously, you remember, “… If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31). That is the reason that God does not rend the heavens and come down in spectacular display. That is the reason God does not go about performing miracles today. After the church leaves the earth, during the Great Tribulation Period, and into the Millennium, there will be a period of great miracles, but even that will not convince people. Today we are asked in a quiet way to put our trust in Him even though the mob and the majority turn from Him. People complain that the crowd isn’t going after Jesus. Friend, it never did! He died, He was buried, He rose again from the dead, and that is the gospel. We don’t need a miracle. The problem is not in the lack of evidence. The problem is the unbelief of man.
Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles [John 11:47].
You can see here that the problem for these bloodhounds of hate was not a lack of evidence. His enemies said, “He doeth many miracles.” They couldn’t deny His miracles.
This is a diabolical group. The chief priests at this time were largely Sadducees who were the “liberals” in that they did not accept miracles or the supernatural—which included resurrection. The Pharisees were the religious conservatives and the political rightists of that day. The two parties were absolutely opposed to each other in every way; yet here they join together in their hatred of Jesus Christ and in their determination to put Him to death. You might label this the first ecumenical movement. If men can get rid of Jesus Christ, they will join with even those of opposing views in their antagonism toward Him. This is the trend of the hour. The majority is attempting to get rid of Christ as He is revealed in the Word of God. It is the minority that accepts Jesus Christ as He is.
If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation [John 11:48].
They feared there would be a mass turning to Jesus Christ which would bring a revolution. This would provide an occasion for Rome to pounce on them. They moved from a basis of fear. Fear is the motivation which keeps a great many people away from Jesus today. Even in our churches Christians lack the intestinal fortitude to stand on their two feet for the truth of Scripture and for men who teach it as the Word of God.
And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad [John 11:49–52].
They begin to rationalize and say that Jesus should die rather than the nation die at the hand of Rome. It is interesting to note that although they did succeed in putting Jesus to death, in spite of this, the nation perished when Titus destroyed it in a.d. 70.
We find a strange thing here: Caiaphas’ accurate prediction because he was high priest that year! Caiaphas was a scheming politician, and later we will meet his father-in-law, Annas, who was also a mean rascal and the power behind the throne. That Caiaphas had the gift of prophecy should not fool us. Like Balaam in the Old Testament, this rascal could utter a true prophecy.
Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples [John 11:55–54].
This is the beginning of the end, friend. They are openly trying to put Jesus to death and are openly hostile. We don’t know exactly where the city Ephraim is. It was probably out in rather wild country.
And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him [John 11:55–57].
The crowds come to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover. As they go through this endless ritual and rub shoulders with each other, there are differences of opinion and talk about Jesus. They wonder whether Jesus will come to the feast this year. They know the Sanhedrin is really after Him. You see, if they will not believe Moses, they will not believe even though one rose from the dead.
At this point John’s gospel has reached the breaking point. We are approaching the last week of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Witness of Jew and Gentile to Jesus; Jesus comes to Bethany for supper; Jesus comes to Jerusalem—tearful entry; Jesus comes to Greeks; Jesus comes to His hour; Jesus comes to end of His public ministry
WITNESS OF JEW AND GENTILE TO JESUS
As we come to this twelfth chapter, we are going with Jesus to make a visit to a home, the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha of Bethany. In this Gospel of John, He opened His public ministry at a wedding in Cana of Galilee; He closes His public ministry by a visit to this home. Our Lord put an emphasis upon the home, the Christian home, the godly home. Marriage has the blessing of God upon it. So we come now to this lovely picture.
JESUS COMES TO BETHANY FOR SUPPER
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment [John 12:1–3].
In Jerusalem they were plotting and planning His death but, here in Bethany, His friends plan a dinner party for Him. Right in the shadow of the cross, those who loved Him made Him a dinner. We want to study the whole picture of this lovely dinner.
Lazarus, the man who has been raised from the dead, was in fellowship with Christ. Jesus had said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). This was true of Lazarus in a physical sense. He had been raised from the dead. It is true of you and of me in a spiritual sense. We were dead in trespasses and sins. We had no knowledge of Him nor did we have any fellowship with Him. So for us He said, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:26).
What a picture we have here! There is Lazarus alive from the dead and in fellowship with Christ. Then we see Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet, growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. Then, thirdly, we see Martha serving, putting on a meal. That is her gift and she is exercising it. These are the three essentials in the church today: new life in Christ, worship and adoration, and service. This home at Bethany should be a picture of your church and mine.
All this is in the home where Jesus is with His own. As you know, the church began in the home. It may end in the home. Many of our churches are turning away from God and the things of God. They are no longer places of delightful fellowship and blessing. So perhaps the church will return to homes where true fellowship with Christ will be found.
Then we notice the devotion and adoration, the unutterable attachment and deep affection of this woman, Mary. She anointed the feet of Jesus with costly spikenard and wiped them with her hair. Some people think this is the same story as the harlot who washed Jesus’ feet. I think you will have trouble with Mary someday if you think that. She is an altogether different person. The only thing that is the same in both cases is that the hair was used to wipe His feet. The odor of the ointment filled the house. Delightful!
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein [John 12:4–6].
Judas Iscariot is revealing his true nature. He is the treasurer of the group. He doesn’t care for the poor; he cares for himself—he is a thief. He was taking some money out on the sly. He wants Mary’s money given to the poor so he can handle it and take out his percentage.
May I say to you today, the real test of a Christian, the hard-coin test, is the way he handles his finances. The real test of a church or a Christian organization is the way it handles its finances. Is the money used for the cause for which it was given, or is it shifted and used in some other way?
Three hundred pence was the annual wage of a laboring man of that day. Because the spikenard was too costly for Mary to use on herself, she poured it all out on Jesus. Friend, if we would learn to sit at His feet, we would give more to Him, too. Mary had saved this precious ointment in an alabaster box. It came out of India, where the herbs grow high in the Himalayas, and was very expensive. Do you know why she had bought it and saved it? So that when she died it could be used on her body! Now she pours it all out on Him. This is absolute affection, adoration, and attachment to His Person. The odor of that ointment filled the house, and it still fills the world today.
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always [John 12:7–8].
This is really a remarkable incident. The Lord here reveals that this woman anoints Him to let Him know that she enters into His death. She senses that He is to die for the sins of the world and she anoints Him ahead of time. Matthew recorded that Jesus said that wherever the gospel would be preached, this incident would be told. This is true. Even today the wonderful fragrance of this thing that she did fills the world.
What a contrast we find here between her and Judas Iscariot. Here is where light and darkness are coming together. Judas is the darkness and Mary is the light.
There is an application for us today. Jesus says that the poor are always with us and that He will not always be with us. He is not contradicting His statement that He is with us always, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. What He is saying here is that we can always be of service to the poor—they are always with us—but that our service should not be a substitute for sitting at His feet. There comes a day when it is too late to absorb all He has for us. I get letters saying, “Dr. McGee, I never had Bible teaching; if only I had had Bible teaching when I was young.” My friend, learn about Him now. Do not substitute activity for sitting at His feet.
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus [John 12:9–11].
These people are curiosity seekers. The chief priests wanted to get Lazarus out of the way. I personally believe that the people come out of curiosity to see Lazarus rather than to see Jesus and that the faith described here is much like the faith exhibited when Jesus first came up to Jerusalem. Remember that they believed on Him, but He would not commit Himself to them. It was a belief based on curiosity.
JESUS COMES TO JERUSALEM—TEARFUL ENTRY
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem [John 12:12].
Notice how John gears this One who came out of eternity into the calendar of the world. It is the time before the Feast of the Passover, and the crowd is expectant. Remember that in Matthew’s record Jesus was born and sought by the wise men who call Him the King of the Jews. Now, at the end of His ministry, He is again presented as the King of the Jews.
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt [John 12:13–15].
This is the public offer of Himself as their King and the rulers, of course, reject it. He is no longer mixing among the people and teaching them. That had already ceased. This is now an act which He performs as a fulfillment of prophecy. He is offering Himself to the nation. This is not really a triumphal entry. He came in through the sheep gate, quietly, during His public ministry. All through His public ministry, He tended to withdraw from the crowds. Now, when His public ministry is over, He does the most public thing He has ever done. He steps out publicly and presents Himself.
He does this to fulfill prophecy. “As it is written.” He rides into Jerusalem to fulfill the Word of God and to fulfill the will of God. John gives us a very brief account of this entry of Jesus, but he does say that it fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion: shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Jesus presents Himself publicly to Jerusalem as the Messiah. They acclaim Him with “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” What will Israel do with their King? They will crucify Him.
These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him [John 12:16].
John is writing this many years later, and he admits that he didn’t understand what Jesus was doing that day. Probably he asked James and Peter and Andrew, and they didn’t understand either. Mary was the only one who had entered into His death. The others didn’t understand until after His death and resurrection. “When Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him.”
The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him [John 12:17–19].
Here is a situation loaded with dynamite. The crowd is enthusiastic because of His miracle; their interest is centered on Lazarus and not on the person of Christ. The Pharisees are out to kill Him. Jerusalem is crowded with people for the feast.
Obviously, Jesus Christ could have had the crown without first going to the cross. However, if He had gone directly to the crown, if He were the ruler today, you and I would never have been saved. He had to go to the cross to save you and me. Although this was a brief moment of triumph before His death, it was not His triumphal entry. In the future when He enters as Lord of lords and King of kings, that will be His triumphal entry.
My favorite painting of the Crucifixion shows three empty crosses. The bodies of the crucified have been taken down from the crosses and lie in the tombs. In the background is a little donkey eating on a palm frond. What a message! The discarded palm branch and the cross are the tokens of His so-called triumphal entry. Where is the crowd that cried, “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord”? They may be the same crowd that on the next day shouted, “Crucify Him!” Now they are gone, and He is in the tomb. You see, He offered Himself to them publicly as their King, but He was rejected.
JESUS COMES TO GREEKS
And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus [John 12:20–22].
Apparently Jesus has gone into the temple. Since there is a court for the women and a court for the Gentiles, these Greeks can not go in where Jesus is. Philip has a Greek name and may have spoken Greek, which is probably the reason they came to him. Philip is a modest and retiring fellow and he goes to Andrew for help. Together they bring the Greeks to Jesus.
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit [John 12:23–24].
When our Lord says “verily,” He is about to say something very important to hear. And when He says, “verily, verily,” it is of supreme importance.
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal [John 12:25].
“Jesus answered them”—I think “them” includes both the disciples and the Greeks. It seems that Jesus went out to speak to them. I do not believe He would refuse to come to anyone who was asking for Him.
The Greeks want to see Jesus because they had heard about Him, probably about His miracles, and especially His raising of Lazarus from the dead. Now He directs the attention of the Greeks to His cross. He is in the shadow of the cross. He tells them, “The hour is come.” What hour? The hour of crisis for which He came out of eternity and toward which His entire life has moved. You remember that He had said to His mother early in His ministry, “mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4). Now His hour is come. He is going to the cross.
His conception of the cross was far different from that held by the Roman populace. To them it was an instrument of infamy and disgrace and shame. It was the hangman’s noose, the electric chair, and the gas chamber. He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Why? “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). Then on the third day He was raised from the dead and crowned with glory and honor. “… for the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). The glory of God is seen in that cross. That is why He could say that the time had come for Him to be glorified. Friend, He was glorified when He died for you and me. He was glorified when He came forth from that tomb. Mercy and pardon and forgiveness are found at that cross.
Then our Lord states a great principle using the physical analogy of a grain of wheat. Although a grain of wheat in the ground dies, it produces the blade, the ear, and the harvest. It must die to bring forth fruit. Many people think they have seen Jesus because they have read the Gospels and they have studied His life. They see the historical Jesus, but they have never seen Jesus until they comprehend His death and His resurrection. He died a redemptive death. He gave His life in death so that we might have life. You haven’t seen Jesus until you have seen that He is the One who died for you on the cross. He is the One who died for the sins of the world.
This seems a strange thing to be saying to the Greeks who had come to see Him. He is telling them that there is more than just seeing Him physically. The important thing for them to see is that He is going to die. He is going to be put into the ground. When that grain of wheat died, it produced life. He died, but He rose again. That is so important to see.
He goes on to explain a great axiom to the Greeks. There are two kinds of life and they are put in contrast here. There is what is known as the psychological life, the life of the psyche, life that enjoys the things of this world and finds satisfaction in the gratification of the senses. It is the kind of life that really whoops it up down here. “He that loveth his life” refers to this physical, natural life that we have. You can really live it up, drink it up, take drugs, paint the town red, but do you know what is going to happen? One day you are going to die. You’ll lose it. I’m sorry, but you will lose it, friend.
I heard of a sensational preacher down in Texas who was asked to preach at the funeral of a rich man of the town who had been a church member but had broken every law of God and man and was living in sin and in drunkenness. This was in the oil section of Texas and a lot of rich people, the fast crowd, the jet set, came to the funeral. Now this preacher did something I wouldn’t do, but maybe I should do it, although I never have done it. He preached a gospel message! Then he stepped down to the casket and he preached on what sin will do for an individual and that it will finally send a man to hell. I tell you, the folks were getting uneasy. Then when he invited them to view the remains, he said, “His life is past; he lived it up; he is through. He despised God and he turned his back on Jesus Christ.” Then he looked at that crowd and said, “This is the way each one of you is going to end up unless you turn to Jesus Christ.” Now, friend, that is making it very plain—maybe a little too plain.
We do need to tell it like it is. This is what our Lord says. “He that loveth his life shall lose it.” That is, if you live it up down here, you’ll lose it. Then our Lord makes a contrast. “He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” This means that if you do not live for this world or for the things of this world, you keep your life unto life eternal. And eternal life comes from what? It comes through the death of that grain of wheat that fell into the ground and rose again, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the way you can save your life—the only way you can save it.
If any man serve me let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour [John 12:26].
He tells them to follow Him, and He is on His way to the cross. He promises that where He is, His servants will also be. “If any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
JESUS COMES TO HIS HOUR
Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour [John 12:27].
There is a suffering that is connected with the cross of Christ that you and I cannot comprehend. He didn’t suffer at the hands of men only. That was bad enough, but He suffered beyond that. Your sin and my sin were put upon Him. He was “… a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief …” (Isa. 53:3) there on the cross. He bore the sin of the world, not His own sin. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows …” (Isa. 53:4). Our sin was put upon Him. He was made sin for us—not in some academic manner—He actually was made sin for us. “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief … [He made] his soul an offering for sin” (Isa. 53:10). Although He was holy and undefiled and separate from sinners, He was made sin for you and for me. This involved a suffering that you and I cannot comprehend.
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Or how dark was the night that the Lord
passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
“The Ninety and Nine”—Elizabeth C. Clephane
His soul stood in horror; He was aghast before that cross. Yet He had come into the world for the purpose of going to the cross and enduring the shame of it. Also there was glory in the cross, friend. We ought to think more about it and thank Him more. Paul says, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14).
Do you see how this ties in with the two preceding verses? Our Lord is facing the supreme sacrifice—shortly He will give His life as a ransom for the human family. And He has put this challenge to those who are following Him: “He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me.” You can tell where a person is going by the way that person is living. Someone may say, “I thought we are saved by faith—you always emphasize faith rather than works.” That’s right. I surely do. If you are going to be saved, you will have to put your trust in Him—“… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31). But I want to say that if you truly trust Him, it is going to change your life. If it doesn’t change your life, then you aren’t really trusting Him.
When I see a Christian who mortgages every dime he has just to own every gadget to live in luxury down here, I wonder how he can be waiting for the Lord to come, and hoping for it with real anticipation. “He that loveth his life shall lose it”
Notice also how this ties in with His saying, “Where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” It is not a question of the Lord going with us, but of our being where the Lord is. One man said to me, “Well, you know, I’m a member of a liberal church, but I take the Lord with me.” My friend, I have news for you. The Lord doesn’t go to church there. The Lord is not going to go your way. You are to go where the Lord is.
Our salvation is not cheap. This “hour” is repulsive to our Lord. If it were possible, He would want the Father to spare Him from the horror of being made sin, although He knows this is the reason He came into the world. Then He says, “Father, glorify thy name.”
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again [John 12:28].
His supreme desire is the glory of God. What a lesson that is for us! We tend to whimper and cry and complain and ask God why He lets unpleasant things happen to us. With Christ, we should learn to say, “Father, through this suffering and through this pain, glorify Thyself.”
Heaven couldn’t remain silent but had to respond. God answered audibly. Have you noticed that God spoke to Him from out of heaven on three occasions: at the beginning, midway, and at the end of His ministry? Have you noticed that all three occasions are related to the death of Christ? The first was at His baptism when He was identifying Himself with sinful humanity. The second time was at His transfiguration when Elijah, Moses, and the Lord Jesus were talking about His decease which He should accomplish in Jerusalem (see Luke 9:30–31). This third time, at the conclusion of His ministry, the Lord is talking about His death because His hour has come.
The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes [John 12:29–30].
Now which group was right? Neither was right. It wasn’t an angel; it was the Father speaking to Him. One group did believe it was supernatural; they knew it was articulate. They knew about the ministry of angels in the Old Testament and understood that God’s messages for man generally came through “the angel of the Lord.” They did not, however, understand that “the angel of the Lord” was the pre-incarnate Christ. They did acknowledge that the voice from heaven brought a message from God.
The other group said it thundered. They gave it a natural explanation. That is the same reaction many people still have today. They say God’s Word is full of errors and the miracles recorded can’t be accurate. Because they don’t believe in them, they say it just “thundered.” Some folk who were attending a Bible class where they were listening to my tapes on Revelation were told by a liberal preacher that nobody could understand the Book of Revelation, that it didn’t make sense. He revealed his own ignorance because the Book of Revelation is a very logical book and probably the most systematic book in the Bible. But, you see, to him it was thunder. It was just noise.
The Word of God says that His birth was supernatural, His life was filled with miracles, and His death was like a grain of wheat. He didn’t stay in the ground, friend; He came up just like the grain of wheat. The liberal who said, “The bones of Jesus sleep somewhere beneath Syrian skies” has a problem on his hands. Where are the bones? Christ’s resurrection was not spiritual but actual. It was His body that was raised—His bones just don’t happen to be anywhere on earth. Yet, this is the same old gag that has been used down through the years, “it thundered.” It is no mark of intelligence to say that. We need spiritual perception and appreciation to hear and to know and to see the Word of God. We need to recognize that the Spirit of God must enlighten us when we come to the Word of God.
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
This he said, signifying what death he should die [John 12:31–33].
Christ’s death on the cross was the judgment of the world and of the prince of this world. That is one of the things the Holy Spirit will bear witness to, according to John 16:7–11. We live in a world that is judged. He came to die a judgment death for the sins of the world. If the world will not accept this, the world is judged.
How is Satan, the prince of this world, cast out? I believe it is done gradually. When Christ died on the cross, I am convinced that Satan did not understand what was happening. What he thought would be a defeat turned out to be a victory. He lost the battle at the cross which is the reason the Lord could say that the prince of this world is cast out. Then in Revelation 12:10 we are told that Satan will be cast out of heaven, which is the second stage. Then in Revelation 20:3, he will be cast into the bottomless pit, and in Revelation 20:10, he will be cast into the lake of fire. That is the last stage of his defeat. At the cross, his doom was sealed. The cross marks the victory of Christ and the defeat of Satan.
Jesus puts the emphasis on His redemptive death. His death will draw all men unto Him. Those who believe will be saved. Those who reject Him will be lost.
Consider how important it is to lift up Jesus before men, to put the emphasis on His redemptive death. There are multitudes passing by the church today who are not hearing the Word. Think of the laborers, the students, the men in the uniform of our country, the white-collar group, the rich. They do not hear. Jesus, the crucified Lord, is not being lifted up in the churches today. Friend, the gospel needs to be preached, and the gospel is about a Christ who was crucified.
The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? [John 12:34].
The crowd is really confused. They say, “When Christ comes, He will reign forever, and now You say that You are not abiding but are going to die.” They just did not understand. What was wrong?
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them [John 12:35–36].
Jesus now withdraws and this ends His public ministry. He will never appear publicly again until He comes to this earth to establish His Kingdom.
JESUS COMES TO THE END OF HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him [John 12:37–41].
Now we learn what was wrong. Although they were standing in the presence of the Light of the World, they would not open their eyes. The prophecy of Isaiah was being fulfilled. This quotes the great redemptive chapter of Isaiah 53 which speaks of the death of Christ. Christ’s death was presented to them, and they rejected Him. They were blinded to the light which was being presented to them. They were like a man who wakes up in the morning and says to himself, “Today I won’t see and I will keep my eyes closed all day.” He is just as blind as the man who cannot see. The next quotation is from Isaiah, chapter 6. You may point out that it says, “He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart.” That is very true, but this must be taken in its context. Jesus has presented Himself to them as the Messiah and as their King. They have rejected Jesus personally. Now He rejects them! Listen to me carefully. Because they would not accept Him, there came the day when they could not accept Him. My friend, the most dangerous thing in the world is to hear the gospel and then turn your back on it. If you just go on listening and listening and do not accept it and act upon it, there comes the time when you cannot hear and you cannot see. God is God, and it is He who has the final word.
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God [John 12:42–43].
That is unfortunate. They were like secret believers today who are cowards. However, we will find two of these secret believers taking down the body of Jesus from the cross.
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
And he that seeth me seeth him that sent. me.
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness [John 12:44–46].
Jesus repeats His amazing statement that He is the Light of the World. This is an extension of the time that He opened the eyes of the blind man. He will open the eyes of any who are willing to admit that they are blind and that they need the Light of the world.
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak [John 12:47–50].
Friend, we are going to be judged by the Word of God. We will not be judged by our little good works. We will not be judged by what we think religion is. No, we will be judged by the Word of God. Jesus came the first time as the Savior: “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” The next time He will come as the Judge. The voice from heaven is still saying to us, “… This is my beloved Son … hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5).
This concludes this section of the Gospel of John. Men had turned their backs on that voice; they had rejected the King. When they had done this, the King rejected them. He is always the King!
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Jesus washes feet of disciples
We come now to the fourth main division of this gospel. We first studied the prologue, which was the first eighteen verses of chapter 1. Then we had the introduction, which was the remainder of the first chapter. We have seen the Witness of His Works and of His Words from chapters 2 to 12. Now we come to the Witness of Jesus to His Witnesses, chapters 13 to 17.
There is another way in which we could divide this gospel. In the first twelve chapters the subject is light. They tell of His public ministry and that He is the Light. The division which we call the Upper Room Discourse is about the subject of love. He loves His own. The last part of the gospel, from chapters 18 to 21, is about life. He came to bring us life, and that life is in Himself. Our life comes through His death.
The Lord Jesus gave four major discourses. Three of these have already been studied in the Gospel of Matthew: the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7); the Mystery Parables Discourse (Matt. 13), telling us about the kingdom of heaven; and the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24; 25). Now we come to the Upper Room Discourse which is recorded in John 13–17.
This discourse is one of the greatest that our Lord ever gave. It is the longest, and it is meaningful for us today because He took His own into the Upper Room and revealed new truths to them. It is still brand new and fresh for us today. There is nothing quite like it. His public ministry has ended, and He has been rejected. Now He talks about His love for us, how we are to live the Christian life, of the provision He has made for us, and of the relationships between Him and those who are His own. As He is on His way to the cross, He has no message for the Pharisees or the religious rulers or the Roman government. This message is for His own.
JESUS WASHES FEET OF DISCIPLES
We come now to a most unusual incident. I wish I could shock you, startle you with it. We hear it so often that we lose the wonder of it. Jesus Christ leaves heaven’s glory and comes down to this earth and He takes the place of a slave and washes feet!
In the preceding chapter, you will remember, we saw that the feet of Jesus were anointed. Here, the feet of the disciples are washed. What a difference! As the Savior passed through this sinful world, He contacted no defilement whatsoever. He was holy, harmless, and undefiled. The feet speak of the walk of a person, and the anointing of Jesus’ feet with spikenard tells of the sweet savor of the walk of our Lord.
The disciples’ feet needed washing! Jesus washed their feet with water, not with blood. That is important to see. I hear many people talking about coming anew to the fountain filled with blood and being cleansed. This dishonors our Lord. The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin—past, present, and future—in one application. There is only one sacrifice. “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14). When you and I came as sinners to Christ Jesus, it was His shed blood that once and for all cleansed us and gave us a standing before God. But, my friend, we need to be purified along the pilgrim pathway; in our walk through the world we get dirty, and we need washing. We shall see that our Lord washed His disciples’ feet for this very definite purpose.
There is a threefold reason given to explain why He washed their feet, and we shall note this as we read.
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him [John 13:1–2].
Jesus washed their feet because He knew that He would “depart out of this world.” His ministry would continue after He went back to heaven. He has identified Himself with His people, and today He still washes the feet of His disciples. He says that He will depart out of this “world” (kosmos), meaning the world system. It is man’s world, a world of sin. It is a civilization that is anti-God and anti-Christ, and it is under judgment. Because He is leaving this world, He washes their feet.
The second reason He does this is that He loved His own. He loved them “unto the end.” He is going to the Father because He loved His own. He died to save His own, and He lives to keep them saved. We have a wonderful Savior, and He loves us right on through to the very end. God loves us with an everlasting love; we cannot keep Him from loving us.
The third reason is that another person had entered into the room. There was an uninvited guest present. His name was Satan. We speak of thirteen persons in the Upper Room, but actually, there were fourteen because Satan was there. Satan put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Him. Wherever the Devil gets into Christian work, others are affected and the Lord must wash them. He must wash us if we are to have fellowship with Him.
Notice that this took place at the Feast of the Passover. “Supper being ended” is literally “supper being in progress.” This is not the Lord’s Supper. Actually John does not even record the Lord’s Supper. Why does John omit something so important? I think it is because at the time John wrote, there were already Christians who were making a ritual out of the Lord’s Supper. There is a great danger in putting importance on a ritual rather than on the person of Jesus Christ. It is more important to know the Word of God than it is to partake of Communion. There is no blessing in Communion apart from a knowledge of the Word of God. An apologetics professor, whom I had, said that it was Christ in your heart and bread in your tummy. The bread in your tummy won’t be there long; Christ in your heart is the essential. I believe this is why John omits telling about the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God [John 13:3].
A better translation would be, “Since Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He was come from God, and that He is going to God.” It is restated that what He is doing is because He is returning to the Father. That is important.
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded [John 13:4–5].
He lays aside His outer garment; that is, He takes off the robe that He is wearing. Then He takes a linen cloth, and He girds Himself with it. This is such a strange thing which He does. He takes the place of a servant. He is girded with the towel of service, and He is ready to wash their feet.
In studying Exodus 21, we learn of a law regarding slaves. A Hebrew slave served his master six years, and he could go free on the seventh year. If, during that time, he had taken a wife and had had children, the master would free him but not his family. However, the slave could choose to stay. If he loved his master and his family, he could stay with them. Then the master would back him up to a door post and bore his ear with an awl which would identify him as a voluntary slave forever. Although he could have gone out free, he stayed because of love. Our Lord Jesus came down to this earth, took upon Himself our humanity, and was made in the likeness of a servant. He did all this because He loved us. He could have gone out free, but He died on the cross to provide salvation for us. He did this to establish a wonderful relationship for us and to make it possible for us to have fellowship with Him. He has become a slave because He loves us.
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter [John 13:6–7].
Some people say that this is a sacrament and that we should practice foot washing. I see nothing wrong with practicing this if the spiritual meaning is not lost. Others say that this is a lesson in humility and is an example to us. There is nothing wrong with that interpretation, but I do not think it goes deep enough. Peter certainly could see this was an example of humility; yet the Lord said, “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me [John 13:8].
What did our Lord mean by that? He meant that without this washing there can be no fellowship with Him. This is the Passover Feast which speaks of His death. He arose from the Passover Feast which speaks of His rising in resurrection and going back to heaven. He is girded with the towel of service and He is saying to us, “If I don’t wash you, you’ll have no part with me.” You cannot have fellowship with Him, service with Him, without the washing.
How does Christ wash us today? “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Ps. 119:9). “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). “… even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25–26). It is the Word of God that will keep the believer clean. And when we sin, how are we cleansed? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Too many people treat sin as a light matter. My friend, may I say to you, the feet speak of the walk, and when you and I become disobedient, we are not walking in His way. That is sin, and that needs to be confessed.
Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head [John 13:9].
He at first pulls his feet up; then when our Lord says he won’t have fellowship with Him, he sticks out his feet—big old fisherman’s feet—and he holds out his hands—and they must have been strong, calloused hands—and he even held down his head, and said, “Not just my feet, but also wash my hands, wash my head.” If it means fellowship, Peter wants all he can get of that.
Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all [John 13:10].
Now He says, “He that’s washed needeth not to be washed.” That doesn’t make good sense, does it? The reason it doesn’t is that He used two different words and, unfortunately, the translators didn’t make that distinction (nor do our more recent translations make the distinction), but they are absolutely two different words. He says, “He that is louoµ.” Louoµ means “bathed.” Niptoµ is the word translated “wash.” “He that is bathed needeth not except to wash his feet.”
In those days they went to the public bath for their bathing. Then a man would put on his sandals to come home. In his home was a basin of water for him to wash his feet because they had gotten dirty walking through the streets of the city. Not only was there dirt, but in those days the garbage was thrown into the streets. So even though he had just come from a bath, he had to wash his feet when he entered the house.
Our Lord is teaching that when we came to the cross, when we came to Jesus, we were washed all over. That is the bath, louoµ, regeneration. When we walk through this world, we are defiled and get dirty. We become disobedient, and sin gets into our lives. I do not believe that any believer goes through a day without getting just a little dirty. He says that we cannot have fellowship with Him if we are dirty. So the washing of the feet, nipto, is the cleansing in order to restore us to fellowship. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us [keeps on cleaning us] from all sin” (1 John 1:6–7).
Friend, in order to have our feet washed we must first confess our sin. To confess means to agree with God. It means to say the same thing that God says about our sin. One of the hardest things in the world is to get a saint to admit he is a sinner. Coldness, indifference, lack of love, all are seen by God as sin. If we confess, He is faithful and just to forgive. But that is not all. If you are going to have your feet washed, you must put them into the hands of the Savior. That is obedience. We can’t just say, “God forgive me, I did wrong,” and then go out and do the same thing all over again. That’s not getting your feet into the hands of the Savior.
For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean [John 13:11].
Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him. He knew that Judas had not taken a bath. In other words, Judas had never been regenerated. That is why He said they were not all clean.
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them [John 13:12–17].
If you want joy in your life today, Christian friend, go to Him and confess. This is one of the problems in our Christian congregations today. We may have our heads full of doctrine, but our feet smell. Brother, there is nothing that smells as bad as unwashed feet! Maybe that is the reason some of our services don’t smell so good. That is the reason we don’t reach more people for Christ. We need to confess in order to have fellowship with Christ.
Jesus said that as He had washed their feet, so they were to wash one another’s feet. What does that mean? Paul tells us in Galatians how we are to do that. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). That is, when a brother in Christ falls into sin, he is to be brought back into fellowship by one who is spiritual. Beating him on the head and criticizing him is not washing his feet, friend. To restore him means to wash his feet. In the church we have all sorts of talent—excellent speakers and beautiful music—but there is no revival. We need foot washing; we need to be cleansed. Before we can wash the feet of a brother, we need first to have the Lord of glory wash our feet. We should come to Him every time that we are dirty and be cleansed by Him.
The psalmist says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23–24). There is not a one of us who goes through a day without some sin. We need to confess that to the Lord and be cleansed. We are washed by the Word of God. We put our feet into His hands, which means that we are completely yielded to Him. This places us in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Friend, don’t let a single day go by without this fellowship. Don’t let sin come in to break this fellowship with Him.
The disciples were like a group of children in that Upper Room. They were frightened, and rightly so. The shadow of the cross had fallen upon that little group.
I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me [John 13:18].
Jesus is very careful to tell them that He does not speak of all of them. He has just told them they are happy if they do these things, but there is one man among them who cannot do them. Do you know why? He has not believed. Jesus has already told them that all of them are not clean. Jesus had said, “Ye call me Master and Lord.” A master is a teacher and he is to be believed. A lord is to be obeyed. Faith and obedience must go together. Saving, living faith leads to obedience. Judas did not have this faith.
Jesus quotes Psalm 41:9: “… which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” He is referring to Judas. It is not a question of this man losing his spiritual life. It is rather a revelation that he never had a spiritual life! He is not a sheep who has become unclean; he is a pig that has returned to its wallowing again, or a dog that has returned to its vomit. That is the picture of Judas Iscariot. Yet, he was there in the Upper Room and this man got his feet washed. He received the washing by the Word of God, and he rejected it totally.
Let us go over this again so it is very clear. The blood of Jesus Christ is the Godward side of His sacrifice. The blood is for the expiation of our sin. The blood has cancelled all my guilt and has washed out that awful, black account which was against me. It has given me a standing before God because it has blotted out all my transgressions. The blood is for penal expiation. The cleansing by the water is the manward aspect of it. This is for our moral purification. After we have our standing before God on the ground of the blood of Jesus Christ, the water of the Word gives us our moral purification in our daily walk.
Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he [John 13:19].
Jesus tells them that one of them will “lift up his heel” against Him so that when it happens, they will not be shocked. Then they cannot say it was a pity Jesus didn’t know about it. Have you ever noticed that the Lord Jesus is betrayed from the inside? This is still true today. People complain about the sin outside the church, but that doesn’t hurt the church. In fact, some of those sinners get saved. The hurt comes when Jesus Christ is betrayed on the inside.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me [John 13:20].
Jesus adds this because Judas had been sent on missions with the rest of the disciples. He had preached and he had healed. “He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” No one is saved by the faith of the messenger or preacher. We are saved by hearing the Word of God and receiving Christ. If a Western Union boy brings you a telegram that a rich uncle has died and left you a fortune, the fact that the Western Union boy may be a thief doesn’t invalidate the message of the telegram, does it?
I knew a preacher who had become an unbeliever. A man who drove me to the train said to me, “Dr. McGee, I am puzzled. I was saved under the ministry of that man. I know I am saved and I know I am a child of God but I am puzzled. How can you explain it?” I showed this man this very text and told him that even Judas had gone out preaching and had won converts, not because he was Judas, but because he had given the message. God will bless His Word. We are saved by hearing the Word.
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? [John 13:21–25].
If you think that Jesus was unmoved because Judas was going to betray Him, you are wrong. He was troubled in spirit. The disciples were stupefied. You can imagine the shock wave that went over that room. Judas had been so clever that not a person there believed he was the traitor. Each one thought it might be the other, and each one thought it might be himself. Each disciple knew that he was capable of doing the same thing.
I doubt that the little by-play between John and Peter was noticed by the others. There must have been confusion in the room. Peter was probably farther away from Jesus, and since John was next to Him, Peter signaled to John to ask.
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon [John 13:26].
It was the custom for the host at a banquet to take a piece of bread, dip it in the sauce, and present it to the guest of honor. The Lord makes Judas His guest of honor by this gesture. He is extending to him the token of friendship. Judas is at the crossroads. Christ keeps the door open to Judas up to the very last. Even in the garden Jesus will say, “… Friend, wherefore art thou come? …” (Matt. 26:50)—still keeping the door open for Judas.
Jesus knew what Judas would do. As another has stated it, “foreknowledge is not causation.” That is, although the Lord knew what Judas would do, the Lord did not force him to do it. In fact, He offered His friendship to Judas to the very last.
And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly [John 13:27].
Satan took over this man Judas gradually. I don’t think that Satan ever takes a man suddenly. There are many little falls that permit Satan to move in gradually. Then finally he takes over. The Lord gave Judas an opportunity to accept Him, but Judas turned his back on the Lord. Then Satan moved in and took him over completely.
Judas makes his own decision. God never sends a man to hell unless that man first of all sends himself there. You see, God ratifies human decision; God seconds the motion. When a man says that he accepts Christ, God says, “I second it; I receive you.” When a man says that he rejects Christ, as Judas did here, God says, “I second the motion.”
Now Jesus asks him to leave quickly. Having made his decision, he is not beyond the control of God. In fact, having made his decision, he is compelled to cooperate with God. You see, the religious rulers didn’t want to arrest Jesus and crucify Him while the crowds were there during the feast. They wanted to wait until the feast was over. But our Lord tells him to go now and do it quickly. So Judas must go out and tell the leaders that he has been found out, and they must move quickly.
Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him [John 13:28].
No one at the table even suspected that Judas was the betrayer.
For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor [John 13:29].
Notice that our Lord did not beg for support. They had a treasury, and they carried on their business in a businesslike way. It also tells us that the Lord did not feed them miraculously. They had to go and buy food. They were not some “far out” group. Judas was the treasurer. There is always a temptation in the handling of money—which is equally true today. At the Passover season donations were given to the poor; so the disciples thought this may have been what the Lord asked him to do with the money.
He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night [John 13:30].
Notice also that when Judas went out, it was night. Friend, it was eternal night for Judas. It was the Devil’s day, and the Devil’s day is always like the darkness that descended on Egypt. This man walked out into eternal night.
What God does, He does slowly. What the Devil does, he does quickly. The Devil must move fast because his days are limited. God has all eternity to accomplish His purposes. Often we fail to understand that.
There is now a change in the room. Judas is gone, and our Lord begins to talk to these men. They are frightened. The shadow of the cross is over that little group in the Upper Room. Now our Lord attempts to lift these men from the low plane to the high plane; from the here-and-now to the hereafter; from the material to the eternal; from that which is secular to that which is spiritual. Although Simon Peter interrupts Him, I think Jesus’ discourse begins right here and goes on into chapter 14.
Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him [John 13:31–32].
The Lord Jesus is now moving into the spiritual realm. The Son of Man is going to be glorified, and this will be accomplished through His death and resurrection. From the human side the cross looks like shame and defeat, but God is glorified in Him because the salvation of the world will be wrought through the cross.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you [John 13:33].
Judas is gone now so He can address them as His little children. He is going to the cross, and no one can go to the cross as He did. He suffered alone, and there is a suffering of Christ which you and I cannot fully comprehend.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another [John 13:34–35].
Now He gives to them a new commandment. Some folk would seem to think that He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you are fundamental in the faith.” Now friend, I believe in being fundamental in the faith, I believe in the inerrancy of the Word of God, in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that He died on the cross for the expiation of sin; that He died a substitutionary, vicarious death for the sins of the world. I believe He was raised bodily and ascended back into heaven and that He is coming personally to take His church out of the world. But I want to say this, and I want to say it very carefully: believing those things does not convince the unsaved world outside. The world is dying for just a little love. Jesus says that His disciples are to be known for their love.
When I was a boy, my dad died and I went to work to support my mother and sister; so I stayed with two aunts and a bachelor uncle. One aunt was a Baptist and the other a Presbyterian. My uncle was an unbeliever and a beer drinker. Every Sunday he would get up just in time for the noon meal. For dinner every Sunday we heard all the Baptist dirt and the Presbyterian dirt. Years later, when my uncle was in the hospital, one of my aunts wept and asked me, “Vernon, why doesn’t he come to Christ?” I almost told her. Friend, may I say, we do not win the lost by being Christian cannibals. “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Gal. 5:15). This is the type of thing that is turning the unsaved away from the church today. This is the reason they don’t come in to hear the gospel. They hear the gossip before they can hear the gospel! Do you realize that the most important commandment for a Christian is not to witness, not to serve, but to love other believers?
Tertullian writes that the Roman government was disturbed about the early church. Christians were increasing in number by leaps and bounds. Because they wouldn’t take even a pinch of incense and put it before the image of the emperor, the Romans felt they might be disloyal. Spies went into the Christian gatherings and came back with a report something like this: “These Christians are very strange people. They meet together in an empty room to worship. They do not have an image. They speak of One by the name of Jesus, who is absent, but whom they seem to be expecting at any time. And my, how they love Him and how they love one another.” Now if spies came from an atheistic government to see whether Christianity is genuine and they came to your church, what would be the verdict? Would they go back to report how these Christians love each other?
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice [John 13:36–8].
Here is a man who is close to all of us. I believe that if you are a child of God, you would never sell out Jesus as Judas did. The Devil does not have control of you, because the Spirit of God dwells in you. But there isn’t a one of us who would not do what Simon Peter did. His problem was not that Satan was in his heart but that he had confidence in his own flesh. I believe that is the problem for all of us.
Peter really loved the Lord. Peter was ready to defend the Lord. Yet the Lord must treat Peter as a juvenile. He is always blundering—I don’t believe this man reached mental and spiritual maturity until the Day of Pentecost. The only things he heard of all that Jesus had said was that Jesus was going away. He reacts like a child who says, “Where are you going, Daddy? I want to go, too.” His first question is, “Lord, whither goest thou?” His second is, “Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?”
When Jesus answered him, “Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards,” the only thing that Peter heard was the “now.” He is like a child who asks for a cookie. When the mother says he cannot have the cookie now but must wait until after dinner, the child seizes on the “now.” He wants the cookie now. He doesn’t want to wait until after dinner.
Peter’s love for and loyalty to Jesus was sincere. He wanted to follow the Lord wherever He was going. When he said, “I will lay down my life for thy sake,” he meant every word of it. He attempted to fight for his Lord, and he cut off the servant’s ear. (The reason he got his ear was because he was a fisherman and not a swordsman. He was aiming for his head.) When the Lord told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock would crow, it was already dark, and he just couldn’t believe he would deny his Lord before the dawn.
What a lesson there is here for us. Peter was overconfident in himself. We should learn from this that we should have no confidence in the flesh. Paul says, “… when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). Do you recognize your weakness or do you think you are strong? Someone asked Dwight L. Moody, “Do you have grace enough to die for Jesus?” He answered, “No, He hasn’t asked me to do that. But if He asks me to, I know He will give me the grace to do it.” That is the answer. Our own flesh is weak, but God will supply our every need.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Jesus comforts His disciples
Chapter divisions in the Bible are wonderful because they help us find our way around in the Bible, but sometimes the chapter break is at an unfortunate place, as is the case here. What our Lord says at the beginning of chapter 14 is a continuation of what He was saying to Simon Peter in chapter 13.
Simon Peter has just declared that he would lay down his life for Him. Then the Lord Jesus told him that he would deny Him three times by the time the rooster crowed in the morning. We will see later that, when the rooster crowed that morning, Simon Peter had denied Him three times. Still speaking to Simon Peter, our Lord gave this chapter to bring him through that dark night of denial and to bring him back into a right relationship with God. It was given to comfort him. This chapter has cushioned the shock for multitudes of people from that day right down to the present hour.
JESUS COMFORTS HIS DISCIPLES
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me [John 14:1].
People all over the world are seeking comfort at this very moment. They long for peace in their hearts. Jesus alone can bring that comfort, and here He tells the basis for it: “ye believe in God, believe also in me.” In the Greek, this can also be an imperative or a command. Believe in God. Believe in Me also.
With the word believe we find the preposition eis which means “into.” When John talks about saving faith, there is always a preposition with it. The faith is not inactive, not passive; it is to believe into or to believe upon or to believe in. It is an active faith, which is trust. If you believe that your car will take you home, how do you get home? By just believing it? No, you believe in it so much that you commit yourself to the car. You get into it and trust that it will get you home. In just such a way you get saved. You believe into Christ; you trust yourself to Him.
“Ye believe in God, believe also in me” is a clear-cut statement of our Lord that He is God. I know a theology professor who claims that Jesus did not claim deity. I’d like to know what He is saying here in this first verse if He is not making Himself equal with God. His statement makes something very clear right here. To believe in God means you are not an atheist, but to be a Christian, you must have personal faith and trust in Christ.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you [John 14:2].
Let’s establish, first of all, what the Father’s house is; the Father’s house is this vast universe that you and I live in today. We are living on one of the very minor, smallest planets. We’re just a speck in space. We live in the Father’s house.
Sir James Jeans called it the expanding universe. First, men thought of the earth with the stars up there like electric light bulbs screwed in the top of the universe. Then men began to explore and found that we are in a solar system, that we are actually a minor planet going around the sun, and that there are quite a few other planets “tripping the light fantastic” around the sun with us. We, together with other solar systems, are in a galactic system, and when you look up at the Milky Way, you see the other side of our galactic system. Now, friend, ours is only one galactic system. If we could move out far enough, we would find other galactic systems that make ours look like it is just a peanut in space. We are told that our nearest neighbor, Andromeda, is something like 2,000,000 light years away from us. Friend, we won’t go to our nearest neighbor of the galactic system to borrow a cup of sugar in the morning, because we won’t get back in time for lunch! Even these galactic systems are not the end of space at all. Beyond them, they find what they call quasars. The reason the astronomers call them quasars is because that is a German word meaning they don’t know what they are. They have found them through the radio telescopes like they have on the Mojave Desert. They have an even bigger telescope over in England, and they have found that beyond these quasars are other—well, they don’t know what they are—so the British have come up with the very fine scientific term, “blops,” and so they call them blops! We simply do not know how vast this universe is. It may be an infinite universe. If there is an infinite universe, there must be an infinite God. Maybe God is letting us paint ourselves into a corner so that we will have to acknowledge that He is up there after all!
Our Lord said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” I think there was a wry smile on His face when He said that. He is the One who made them, and He knew how many there were out there. We don’t know and may never know. I do not think that God has a vacancy sign hanging out anyplace in this vast universe. I don’t mean that human beings are living on other planets. One is enough of little mankind—we are the ones who are in rebellion against God. However, I think this vast universe is filled with created intelligences who are looking at this little earth. This is where they see something unique in the universe. They knew something about God’s wisdom and His person and His power, but they knew nothing about His love until the second Person of the Trinity came down to this earth and died on the cross. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son! There is a display of God’s love on this earth.
You and I think we are pretty valuable. I don’t want to offend anybody, friend, but do you know the human race isn’t worth saving? God could very easily brush us off this little earth and start over again. He could speak the earth and us out of existence and very little would be missing. But then He wouldn’t be demonstrating His love. He would be demonstrating justice and righteousness but not love. God loves us. That is the amazing thing and the most wonderful thing in the world. God loves us! He loves you and me, not because we are worth loving, but He loves us in spite of the fact that we are absolutely, totally depraved. We belong to that kind of human race. If you deny that, look around you. Unless there is something radically wrong with the human family, how could a civilization that reached such heights tumble as far as we have gone in two or three decades?
“In my Father’s house are many mansions.” For many years I was an ordained Presbyterian preacher, and I lived in what that church calls a “manse,” which is a shortened form of mansion. I lived in my first manse before I was married. It was a big place with fourteen rooms, and on a clear day you could see the ceiling in the living room. It was cold, and I lived in one corner of a room near the fire. When anybody talks to me about a mansion in the sky, I shudder. The Greek word is moneµ meaning “abiding places.” Jesus is saying that this vast universe is filled with abiding places or places to live.
“If it were not so, I would have told you.” The Lord Jesus puts His entire reputation on the line here, and you either believe Him or you don’t believe Him, my friend. “I go to prepare a place for you.” This is quite wonderful. This vast universe is filled with so many places; yet He has gone to prepare a place for those who are His own. I said I think the universe is filled with intelligent creatures. John got a look at some of them in the Book of Revelation, and he was overwhelmed. He said there are a thousand times ten thousand; then he saw more and added thousands of thousands. We are dealing with a tremendous and wonderful God. One can look upon the millions in this world today and wonder whether we will get lost in the shuffle somewhere. But Jesus is up there preparing a place for all of us who belong to Him. No one can occupy it but us.
Years ago a neighbor of mine was one of the men working on the mirror for the 200-inch telescope at Palomar. In grinding the mirror, they missed it the first time by, I think, a millionth of an inch. When they finally got it finished, I kept asking him what they were seeing. Finally, he got tired of my constant questioning and wanted to know why I was so interested. “Well,” I said, “you’ve got that big eye poked in the front window of my Father’s house, and I’d like to know what you’re seeing, because Jesus is preparing a place for me up there.”
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also [John 14:3].
This is the first time in the Bible where you find a mention of God taking anyone off this earth to go out yonder to a place that He has prepared. This was not the hope of the Old Testament saint. God never promised Abraham to take him off yonder to a star. God told him He would make his offspring as numerous as the stars, but the promise to Abraham was to give him an eternal home on this earth. The hope of the Old Testament was for a kingdom down here on this earth in which would dwell peace and righteousness. This is the fulfillment of God’s purpose for this earth. Personally, I think the expression “the kingdom of heaven” means the reign of God over this earth. God has said, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion” (Ps. 2:6). That is God’s earthly purpose, and He is moving undeviatingly, unhesitatingly, and uncompromisingly toward the day when He puts His own Son upon the throne here on earth. That will be the kingdom of heaven. That is God’s earthly purpose; it is the hope of the Old Testament.
The disciples are startled when Jesus reveals that He is going to take a people—beginning with the apostles—off this earth to be with Christ in the place that He is preparing for them. This is the first time it is mentioned, but it is not the last time. Paul talked about it, saying in 1 Thessalonians 4 that the Lord Himself would descend from heaven with a shout. His voice will be like a trumpet and like the sound of an archangel. He is coming to call His own. The dead in Christ will rise first, and then those believers who are still alive will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord in that place that He has prepared. John, in Revelation 21, tells us that the city, the new Jerusalem, will come down from God out of heaven. It will be a new city, a new concept in urban dwelling, my friend, and that is where believers, from the apostles on, will dwell throughout eternity.
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know [John 14:4].
He is lifting these men into the heights, because, you see, there in the Upper Room the shadow of the cross had fallen athwart that company, and sin was knocking at the door of that room demanding its pound of flesh. Our Lord is attempting to lift them from the here-and-now to the hereafter, from the material to the spiritual, from the earthly to the heavenly. Jesus tells them two things: the destination, which is the “where,” and the way to go, which is the “how.”
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? [John 14:5].
There is an apostle sitting there whom we call doubting Thomas. He seems always to be asking a question or raising a doubt. He had a question mark for a brain, and it took our Lord a long time to make an exclamation mark out of it! I am really glad that he was there and that he asked the question, because it is a good question. I would have wanted to ask it if I had been there. If he hadn’t asked the question, we would never have had our Lord’s wonderful answer, which is the gospel in a nutshell.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me [John 14:6].
The article in the Greek is an adjective. Jesus said, “I am the way.” He is not just a person who shows the way, but He, personally, is the way. No church or ceremony can bring you to God. Only Christ can bring you to God. He is the way. Either you have Christ or you don’t have Him; either you trust Him or you don’t. Also Jesus said that He is the truth. He isn’t saying that He tells the truth, although He does do that. He is the truth! He is the bureau of standards for truth, the very touchstone of truth. And He is the life. He isn’t simply stating that He is alive. He is the source, the origin of life from the lowest vegetable plane of life to the highest spiritual plane of life.
“No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He made a dead-end street of all the cults and “isms.” He says the only way to God is through Him. That is a dogmatic statement! Years ago a student out at UCLA told me he didn’t like the Bible because it is filled with dogmatism. I agreed with him that it is. He especially selected this verse and said, “That’s dogmatic.” I said, “It sure is, but have you realized that it is characteristic of truth to be dogmatic? Truth has to be dogmatic.”
I had a teacher who was the most dogmatic, narrow-minded person I’ve ever met. She insisted that 2 plus 2=4. It didn’t make any difference what you had two of—apples or cows or dollars—she always insisted that 2+2=4. She was dogmatic. I have found that the bank I do business with operates on the same principle. Only in my case it is 2–2= 0, and they are dogmatic about it. Friend, let me say to you that one of the characteristics of truth is its dogmatism.
Now, not all dogmatism is truth—there is a lot of ignorance that is dogmatic. However, that which is truth has to be dogmatic. When I ask directions to go somewhere, I do not want my directions from a man who isn’t sure and doesn’t know exactly how to get there. I want my directions from one who knows exactly where I’m to turn and how many blocks I’m to go. As I said to this young student, “Millions of people for over nineteen hundred years have been coming to Christ on the basis of His statement, ‘I am the way,’ and they have found it is accurate, that it has brought them to heaven. Why don’t you try it? The Lord Jesus says you are not going to get to heaven except through Him. Why not come through Him and make sure?”
Someday I hope I can thank the apostle Thomas for asking our Lord this question in the Upper Room: “How can we know the way?” Without it we would not have this marvelous answer in John 14:6.
Now there is another interruption. Philip has a question.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us [John 14:7–8].
Philip was a very quiet individual, the opposite from loquacious Peter. I think he spoke very seldom. He has a Greek name and some Bible students believe that he was a Greek. However, he could have been Jewish and still have a Greek name. He is a very unusual man because every time we meet him he is bringing someone to Jesus. Remember that he brought Nathanael. I’ve often wondered about that. Philip was the quiet man and Nathanael was the wisecracker. Philip was the straight man and Nathanael was the humorist. But quiet Philip brings people to Jesus. Remember that the Greeks came to him, wanting to see Jesus. Here he expresses the highest ambition any man can have, the highest desire expressed by any person in the whole Bible, “shew us the Father.”
I’d like to ask you a personal question today. What is your desire in life? What is your ultimate goal? Do you want to get rich? Do you want to make a name for yourself? Do you want to educate your children? Do you want to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord? Our goals may be worthy goals; yet the highest goal is this expressed by Philip, “Lord, shew us the Father.”
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? [John 14:9].
Philip knew from the Old Testament that Moses had seen the glory of God and that Isaiah had a vision of the glory of God. I don’t think that we should interpret Jesus’ answer as a rebuke. He tells Philip that He has performed many miracles. Although Philip had not seen the glory of God as Moses or Isaiah did, he had seen Jesus and had witnessed His words and His works. Everything that Philip wished to see, he had seen in Jesus Christ. He had seen God. In Christ there is a much greater revelation of God than anything in the Old Testament. Philip had the greatest revelation of God because he had seen Him incarnate in flesh and been with Him—in His presence—for three years! Remember that the writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person (see Heb. 1:3). “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” does not mean you are seeing the identical Person, but you are seeing the same Person in power, in character, in love, and in everything else. You have seen all you would see in God the Father because “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). It is Jesus Christ whom we see. We are going to spend all eternity with Him. For those of us who love Him, the goal of our lives is to come to know Him.
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works [John 14:10].
Jesus here points to the testimony of His words and of His works. They are the same. One equals the other. He was perfectly consistent. You see, our problem is to get our words and our works synchronized. We make tremendous statements and give glorious testimonies, but none of us lives a perfect life. This is the reason every Christian should have a time of confession. As we saw in chapter 13, Jesus says that He must wash us so that we may have fellowship with Him. Too many Christians lose their fellowship with God because they think they are all right, but their words and their works are not consistent. This needs to be confessed.
Have you ever noticed that the Lord Jesus never appealed to His own mind and His own will to make a decision? “The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” When He spoke, it was the will of the Father. All His works were the will of the Father. So He tells Philip that when he heard the words of Jesus, he was hearing the words of the Father and, when he saw the works of Jesus, he was seeing the Father working through Jesus.
You will notice that Jesus has interruptions during His discourse. First it was Peter, then Thomas, and now Philip. But Jesus continues on in His discourse until verse 22 when He is again interrupted.
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake [John 14:11].
Jesus says that if you can’t believe Him because of His words, then believe Him because of His works. They should convince you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do: because I go unto my Father [John 14:12].
To understand this verse, I should call attention to the fact that the second word works is in italics which means that it is not in the better manuscripts but is put in by the translators to fill out the thought. To be accurate, it should read: “the works that I do shall he do also; and greater than these shall he do.” When our Lord was down here on this earth, He performed tremendous works and miracles. These apostles to whom He spoke did the same things. They healed the sick and raised the dead. Yet Jesus says that those who believe on Him will do greater. What is the greater thing which they shall do?
Simon Peter, who had denied Him on the night He was arrested, preached a sermon on the Day of Pentecost and 3000 people became believers! I think of the men over the years who have invested their lives in winning men to Christ. I think of missionaries, such as George L. Mackey who went to Uganda. What a missionary he was! Preaching a crucified, risen, glorified, returning Savior so that a hearer may accept Christ and be born again is a greater miracle than healing the sick. Am I right? Which is better: to heal the soul or to heal the body? When Jesus Christ was on earth, He performed the miracle of raising the physical bodies of men, but we have the privilege of preaching Jesus Christ so that men, body and soul, may live eternally. The supreme accomplishment is to bring men and women into a right relationship with God.
How are these greater works done? “Because I go unto my Father.” You see, it is Christ who is still working, but today He is working through human instrumentality. He works through frail human clay, human flesh. I am amazed that I can give a Bible message over the radio and there are people who turn to Christ. Friend, that is greater. If Jesus Christ were here speaking to people, it would be a great work. When Jesus Christ takes you and me and works through us to reach people, that is greater.
Have you noticed how often Jesus speaks of His Father? The Father is mentioned twenty times in this passage, and it is always the Lord Jesus who mentions Him.
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it [John 14:13–14].
He continues right on to say that these greater things are the result of prayer. Prayer evangelism is so neglected today. “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do.”
These verses have been so misunderstood. A great many people have picked this up like a dog picks up a bone and runs with it. They say they prayed and God just didn’t answer their prayer. I’ve had Christian people tell me that they took that verse at face value. They prayed and God didn’t answer their prayer. They ask me what is wrong. I tell them that they are reading something into the verse that is not there at all. They need to keep on reading. This is all tied into one package.
If ye love me, keep my commandments [John 14:15].
Now let us consider what all three of these verses say. What does it mean to ask in the name of Christ? To pray in His Person means to be standing in His place. It means to be fully identified with Him, joined to Christ. It means that you and I are pleading the merits of His blessed Son when we stand before God. We have no standing of our own before God at all. He does not hear my prayer because I am Vernon McGee, and He does not hear your prayer because you are who you are. He hears our prayers when they are in the name of Christ. This is not just a little phrase that we tag on to the end of our prayer closing with “in Jesus’ name.” Praying in His name is presenting it in His merit and for His glory.
“That will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” A prayer that will enable God to be glorified in the Son is the prayer that He will answer. So, when we pray in the name of Jesus and for the glory of God, we are not praying for something selfishly for ourselves. We are praying for Him. We are praying that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Also it depends on our obedience to Christ. This promise is given to those who love Him, and the evidence of their love is the keeping of His commandments. Love will be demonstrated by obedience to Christ. An undisciplined Christian cannot say that he loves the Lord Jesus. How are you doing in that area, friend? Do you love Him? Are you keeping His commandments because you love Him today?
Dr. Harry Ironside was sitting on a platform with a young pastor during a meeting one night. A young lady entered the meeting and the pastor told him that she formerly had been an active leader among his members, then had begun to run with the world, and that this was the first time he had seen her in church in months. Dr. Ironside preached on this passage of Scripture that night. She was greatly incensed and came to see him after the meeting. “How dare you tell these people that if you ask anything in the name of Jesus, He will do it!” she fumrd. Dr. Ironside answered, “Why don’t you sit down and tell me about it?” She told him that her father had been desperately ill some months before, and while the doctor was up in his room, she had knelt in the living room, claimed that promise, and prayed in Jesus’ name for his recovery. When the doctor came down from the room, he told her that her father was dead. “Now,” she said, “don’t tell me that God keeps His promises!” Dr. Ironside said, “Did you read the next verse, ’If ye love me, keep my commandments’?” Then Dr. Ironside asked her what would happen if she found a check made out to someone else and tried to cash it by signing that name. She said “I would be a forger.” So he referred her to this verse, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Then he asked her, “Have you been doing that?” Instead of replying, she turned red. Then he explained that what she was trying to do was the same thing as trying to cash a check made out to somebody else. We all need to recognize, friend, that obedience to Him is the evidence of our love for Him, and this promise is given to those who love Him.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you [John 14:16–17].
This is a unique fact of this age in which we are living. The Holy Spirit was here on earth before Pentecost, but on the Day of Pentecost He came to indwell believers. That was the thing which was new.
“Holy” and “Spirit” describe Him, but Comforter is His name, if He has a name. It is a very fitting name, as com means “along side of” and fortis means “strong.” He is the strong One who abides with us forever.
He does not say that the world would not receive the Spirit of truth. He says the world cannot receive Him. Oh, if we could learn this! The Spirit of God can take the Word of God and open it to the believer, but the unsaved man must first believe in Jesus Christ as his Savior. The man of the world cannot see Him because He is seen and worshiped in spirit and truth. He is seen with the spiritual eye. It is only by the Spirit of God that these eyes and ears can be opened to understand the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is the teacher to lead and guide us into truth. Without Him, the Bible becomes a book of history, a book ofQQQQQQQQQQF facts. The Holy Spirit teaches the truths of the Bible. The Holy Spirit has been in the world, but Jesus says that now He “shall be in you.”
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you [John 14:18].
The Greek word for comfortless is orphanos which means “orphans.” Jesus says that He will not leave us orphans but will come to us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you [John 14:19–20].
What is “that day?” It is the day you and I are living in. It is the day that began with Pentecost.
“Ye in me, and I in you” is the most profound statement in the Gospel of John or in the whole Bible. They are all monosyllabic words so that a little child can understand them; yet no philosopher can plumb the depths of their meaning. “You in Me”—that is salvation. To be saved means to be in Christ. That is why Peter says that we are saved by baptism. Baptism means identification, and it means to be identified with Christ. God sees everyone as either in Christ or out of Christ. You are either in Him by faith or you are out of Him with your sins still upon you. If you are in Christ, then God sees you in Christ, and His righteousness is your righteousness. You stand complete in Him. “I in you”—is sanctification. That is Christian living down here. Is Christ living in you? Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him [John 14:21].
Don’t say that you love Christ if you are not obeying Him. He is making this very clear here. Jesus is going to manifest Himself to the one who loves Him. Don’t think this will be a manifestation by a vision. Later He says that it is the Holy Spirit who will take the things of Jesus and show them to you. Where does He do this? In the Scriptures. That is where Jesus is manifested.
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? [John 14:22].
Judas is saying, “Lord, this is wonderful to be here and hear you say these things, but have you forgotten the world?” Here is the first missionary, by the way. The Lord Jesus answers him and His answer is the rest of the chapter.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me [John 14:23–24].
The way the world is going to find out about the Lord Jesus is through us, and obedience is imperative. Profession is not worth anything. Church membership is not really worth anything. The issue is our love for Him evidenced by our obedience. How about your love for Him? Does it discipline you? Is He real to you? These are the things that are important.
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you [John 14:25–26].
Jesus hasn’t forgotten the world. In fact, He is thinking of the world. He has called these apostles into the Upper Room and has given them the truth so that they might take it to the world in the power of the Holy Spirit. The only way the truth can be given to the world is through these men. John was one of those men, and he has written this Gospel of John for us in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus assures them that the Holy Spirit will teach them all things and bring all things to their remembrance. It is evident that He did just that.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid [John 14:27].
This verse takes us back to the beginning of this chapter. It is His final word of comfort. The peace He is talking about here is not the peace of sins forgiven. This is the glorious, wonderful peace that comes to the heart of those who are fully yielded to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the peace of heart and mind of those who are in the will of God.
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence [John 14:28–31].
He tells them they should rejoice that He is going away because of the wonderful blessings that will come to them. Jesus Christ was going back to the Father and then He would send the Comforter to them.
He tells them He cannot walk and talk very much more with them, and He didn’t—in a few hours He would be arrested and His disciples scattered. The prince of this world was coming. Jesus Christ would have another siege with Satan, which I believe took place in the Garden of Gethsemane. After that, He would go to the cross for the sins of the world. After His ascension, the Comforter would come to indwell believers.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Jesus is genuine Vine; disciples are branches
This fifteenth chapter is a part of the Upper Room Discourse, although our Lord probably did not speak it in the Upper Room. At least the assumption is that He did not, because the last statement in chapter 14 is, “Arise, let us go hence.” Somewhere between the Upper Room and the Garden of Gethsemane our Lord spoke the words found in chapters 15 and 16, then prayed the prayer, recorded in chapter 17, as He entered the garden.
It has been the belief of many expositors that our Lord gave this chapter in a discourse down in the Valley of Kidron or on the side of the Mount of Olives, because we know that at that time there was a vineyard in that area which covered that valley. We also know that it was full moon because it was the time of the Passover. He may well have spoken these words as they walked through the vineyard. It would have been an appropriate place.
Another suggestion has been made by several English expositors—and it is the one I accept—that that night He went by the temple, following the Law as He so meticulously did. The gates would have been open during the Passover nights. Those beautiful gates of the temple were actually a tourist attraction. They had been forged in Greece, floated across the Hellespont, then brought to Jerusalem, and placed in Herod’s temple there. The gates were made of bronze and wrought into them was a golden vine. That the vine symbolizes the nation Israel is apparent from the following verses: “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land” (Ps. 80:8–9). “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. . . . For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry” (Isa. 5:1, 7). “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?” (Jer. 2:21). “Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself . . .” (Hos. 10:1). It is clear that the vine is a picture of the nation Israel.
Now, friend, our Lord is saying one of the most revolutionary things these men have ever heard. It sounds familiar to us today, but it was strange to their ears. Listen to Him.
JESUS IS GENUINE VINE; DISCIPLES ARE BRANCHES
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman [John 15:1].
The word for true here is aleµthinos, which means “genuine.” A thing can be true as over against error and falsehood, or a thing can be true over against that which is a counterfeit. The latter is the way it is used here. We have had this word used in the same way previously in the Gospel of John. John the Baptist was a reflecting light, but Jesus Christ is the true Light. Moses gave bread in the wilderness, but Jesus Christ is the true Bread. So here Jesus is saying, “I am the true vine, the genuine vine.”
These disciples had Jewish concepts and their thought patterns had been governed by the Old Testament. He is telling them now that the nation Israel is not the genuine vine. Their identification with the Jewish nation and the Jewish religion is not the essential thing. “I am the genuine vine.” The important thing now is for the disciples to be related to Jesus Christ. That was revolutionary!
Our Lord used a marvelous figure of speech, and He made it very clear that it is not your identification with a religion or a ceremony or an organization that is essential. We are to be identified with Christ! We are in Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit the moment we trust Christ as our Savior and are born again as a child of God.
“My Father is the husbandman.” This, too, is a startling word. In the Old Testament passages and in the parables, God is the owner of the vineyard. Here He is the keeper, the farmer, the One who takes care of the vineyard. Jesus is the genuine Vine, and the Father takes care of Him.
In the Old Testament it is prophesied that the Lord Jesus would grow up before Him as a tender plant and as a root out of the dry ground. Think how often the Father intervened to save Jesus from the Devil who wished to slay Him. The Father is the One who cared for the Vine, and He will care for the branches, too.
The branches must be joined to the Vine. For what purpose? For fruit-bearing. There are three words or phrases which are very important, and we will pick them up as we go along.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit [John 15:2].
“In me,” that is, in Christ, is what it means to be saved. There are tremendous words like propitiation, reconciliation, and redemption that cover particular phases of salvation, but the entire spectrum of salvation is in the phrase “in Christ.” There are only two groups of people: those who are in Christ and those who are not in Christ. How do you get “in Christ”? By the new birth. When you trust Christ as Savior, you become a child of God through faith. You are born again by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit does something else: He not only indwells you, but He also baptizes you. That is what puts every believer into the body of Christ—“every branch in me.”
This passage is directed to believers, to those who are already in Christ. Jesus is not talking about how a person gets saved. He is not actually talking about salvation at all in this passage. Rather, He is talking about fruit-bearing, and that is the next word we wish to mark. Fruit is mentioned six times in the first ten verses. We will find as we go further that there are three degrees of fruitbearing: fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. The whole theme here is fruit-bearing.
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.” Where does He take it? He takes it away from the place of fruit-bearing. Listen how He describes this in verse 6. (We will come back to verses 3–5 later.)
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned [John 15:6].
“Oh-oh,” somebody says, “that sounds as if you lose your salvation.” No, remember this passage is not talking about salvation but about fruit-bearing. It is talking about that which is the result of being saved.
First of all, what is the fruit? I do not believe that the fruit mentioned here refers to soul-winning, as so many people seem to think. I believe soul-winning is a by-product but not the fruit itself. The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance . . .” (Gal. 5:22–23). This is fruit in the life of the believer. Abiding in Christ will produce effectual prayer, perpetual fruit, and celestial joy:
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you [John 15:7].
That is prayer effectual.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples [John 15:8].
This is fruit perpetual.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full [John 15:11].
That is joy celestial.
If a person has such fruit in his life, he will be bringing men into the presence of God by his very life. That, of course, makes soul-winning a by-product.
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.” He wants fruit in our lives. If a branch does not bear fruit, how does He take it away? One of the ways He removes it is by taking such a person away from the place of fruit-bearing. I know many who have been set aside today because they were no longer effective for God. There are ministers like that and there are lay people like that. Removing such a branch does not mean they lose their salvation, but they are taken away from the place of fruit-bearing.
Sometimes this removing from the place of fruit-bearing is by death, physical death. I believe this is what John means in 1 John 5:16 when he says that there is a sin unto death. A Christian can go on sinning until God will remove him from the place of fruit-bearing by death. Ananias and Sapphira were removed by death from the early church, which was a holy church, a fruit-bearing church. These two liars could not stay in that church. I’m afraid they would be very comfortable in some of our churches today, but God would not permit them to remain in the early church.
“Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” The Greek word is kathairoµ, which means “to cleanse.” Some people consider the purging to be pruning, and He does that too, but it really means to cleanse.
There is no doubt that the Lord does some pruning. He moves into our lives and takes out those things that offend, and sometimes it hurts. He removes things that are hindering us. I can speak to that subject and confess that it hurts. I think the Lord was pruning me when He permitted me to have a cancer and allowed it to stay in my body. He prunes out that which hinders our bearing fruit.
One of the reasons so many of God’s children get hurt by this method of pruning is that they get so far from God, so far out of fellowship. The closer we are to God, the less it will hurt. I can remember playing hookey from school when I was a boy. We left our books at school and took off for the creek and went fishing. Although we didn’t catch any fish, we had a lot of fun. We came in about the time school was out to get our books before going home so our parents wouldn’t suspect that we had played hookey. The principal of the school figured we would do this, and when we walked into the room, he walked in right after us and said, “Boys, I’m glad to see you.” We had to go to his office and wait while he got his switches. (We’d been through this before.) One of the fellows with me had been through this many times, and he gave me some of the best advice I’ve ever had. He said that when the principal started switching, we should move a step closer each time instead of backing off. The closer we were to him the less it would hurt. So the first time he hit me, instead of stepping back, I moved right in close to him, and I got so close I was where his fist was, and he wasn’t hurting me at all. I have learned that is really good advice when the Lord chastens us also. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. His chastening is not a sign that He is against us; He is trying to get fruit out of our lives. We tend to complain and move away from Him, but if we draw close to Him, it won’t hurt nearly so much.
However, the “purging” in this verse literally means cleansing. When I was in the Bethlehem area, I saw that in their vineyards they let the grapevines grow on the ground, and they propped them up with a rock. Because the grapes get dirty and pests get on them, they actually go around and wash the grapes before they get ripe. So the Lord comes to our lives; He lifts us up and washes us so that we may bear more fruit. How does He do this?
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you [John 15:3].
“Ye are clean through the word.” The purging is accomplished by the Word of God. The cleansing power of the Word of God is a wonderful thing. We hear so much today about modern wash-day miracles, but I’ve never found them to be as miraculous as the claims made for them. The only true wash-day miracle is the cleansing power of the Word of God. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:22–23). We were born again by the Word of God, washed from our sins. Then in our walk down here we get dirty and need the Word of God to cleanse us continually. That is one reason to study the Bible—to be cleansed. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Ps. 119:9).
There are light views among believers today that you can live any kind of life so long as you are fundamental in your belief of salvation by the grace of God. Believe me, God uses the Word of God to reveal to us when we are not walking according to His will. The real test which reveals whether a person is genuine in his relationship to God is whether he is studying the Word of God and whether he is letting it have its way in his life! God intends for us to be obedient to His Word.
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word” (Ps. 119:67). “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (Ps. 119:71). My friend, He uses affliction to bring us to the Word of God that you and I might be made serviceable to Him. I don’t think that you will ever be clean before God if you don’t study the Word of God. I believe that the people who are really dangerous are the ones who are as active as termites in our churches but who are reluctant to study the Word of God. I consider them the most dangerous element against the Word of God and the cause of Christ in this world. My friend, we need to study the Word of God and apply it to our lives.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me [John 15:4].
We have come to the third word I want you to mark, which is abide. To abide in Christ means constant communion with Him all the time. We have just talked of the cleansing power of the Word of God. That is a part of abiding. We must be cleansed daily. There is a story about Spurgeon who stopped in the middle of the street, removed his hat, and prayed. One of his deacons saw this and asked him about it. Mr. Spurgeon said that a cloud had come between him and his Lord and he wanted to remove it immediately; he had stopped to confess his sinful thought. We need to confess our sins to the Lord to abide in Him, to stay in constant communion with Him.
Also to abide in Him, we are to keep His commandments.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you [John 15:10, 14].
In our hymn books are songs like “Jesus Is a Friend of Mine” and “There’s not a Friend like the Lowly Jesus” Friend, let me say this kindly. There is no lowly Jesus today but a glorified Christ at God’s right hand. Calling Jesus a friend of mine is sentimental and really wrong. If I would say that the President of the United States is my friend, I bring him down to my level. If he says that I am his friend, that is wonderful. Listen to what Jesus says. “Ye are my friend, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” We don’t need all this sentimental trash today. We need some honest heart-searching. Are we doing what Jesus has commanded us to do? Obedience is essential to abiding.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love [John 15:9].
Abiding is a continuing communion. That is the relationship of branch and vine. I have a 72´ x 123´ ranch here in California on which grow four avocado trees, three orange trees, and one tangerine tree. I have never had to say to the branches that they should abide in the tree or we wouldn’t have any fruit. I’ve never been up in the night to inspect them or come home unexpectedly and found the branches running around away from the tree. They abide and they bear fruit. You think I am being ridiculous. However, many Christians think they can live like the Devil all week and on Saturday night, then come in and serve the Lord on Sunday. I happen to know because I tried that for years. My friend, we must be in constant communion with Him to bear fruit. That means when you wake in the morning, when you are at your desk in the office, when you are driving your car on the streets, you are abiding in constant communion.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing [John 15:5].
Because we have free will, we can break fellowship with God by allowing sin in our life, by stepping out of the will of God, or by worldliness. He wants us to abide so that we bring forth much fruit. You will notice here that there is a similarity to the parable of the sower. Remember that some of the seed fell on good ground and brought forth thirtyfold—that is fruit. Some of the seed brought forth sixty—that is more fruit. Some of the seed brought forth an hundredfold—that is much fruit. God wants us to bear much fruit.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned [John 15:6].
Let me say again that this is talking about our fruit-bearing, the product of our salvation. It is not talking about how we are to be saved. Paul uses another illustration for this same thing: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (This is talking about the works of the believers, the fruit in the life of a believer. Fire will purify gold and silver and precious stones and draw off the dross. Wood, hay, and stubble will go up in smoke. That is the same as our verse which says the works will be cast into the fire and burned.) “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:11–14). I believe that rewards will be given only for the fruit in our lives—and we don’t produce the fruit; He produces the fruit when we abide in Him.
A branch that is not abiding in Christ “is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” This is amplified by 1 Corinthians 3:15: “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” He may get to heaven smelling as if he had been bought at a fire sale, but he will not lose his salvation.
One of the saddest things is that today the average Christian believes that normal Christian living is failure. They think that bearing much fruit is entirely out of the question and are willing to live on a low plane hoping to produce just a little fruit. Remember that the Lord wants us to produce much fruit.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples [John 15:7–8].
This is a marvelous prayer promise, but notice the condition. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you” means to be obedient to Him. Then we will have effectual prayer. The whole purpose of the abiding and of the praying is that the Father may have glory. This eliminates prayer for selfish reasons. The issue is fruit-bearing. God is glorified when we do bear fruit.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full [John 15:9–11].
The Lord wants us to have a good time. One of the fruits of the Spirit is to have joy in your life. I am mortally afraid of super-pious Christians who have no humor in their lives, yet walk around with a Bible under their arms. A fruit-bearing Christian will have a lot of fun in this life. There will be fun in going to a Bible study; there will be fun in serving the Lord. A life in fellowship with Christ is a joyous life.
This is my commandment. That ye love one another, as I have loved you [John 15:12].
Remember He is talking to believers in this discourse. We are to love each other as He has loved us! It is sad to see Christians in our churches who tear down each other and gossip about one another. The Spirit of God is not working in such a situation. One can have Bible teaching and still reject this commandment of our Lord. To love as He has loved us is putting it on a very high plane. Only the Spirit of God can produce such love in our lives.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends [John 15:13].
There is the test.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you [John 15:14].
The Christian life is not a hit-and-miss proposition. The Christian life is following His instructions, and the instructions are clear. If you follow these instructions, you will bear fruit. He laid down His life for us; He asks us to obey Him. He is our friend because He died for us. We are His friends when we keep His commandments.
He doesn’t ask all of us to die for Him. Someone once asked Dwight L. Moody whether he had “dying grace.” Mr. Moody replied that he didn’t have it, but when He needed it, the Lord would give it to him. And He did.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you [John 15:15–16].
We are the friends of Jesus if we do whatsoever He has commanded us. Now He tells us that He has opened up His heart to us. God wants to reveal Himself to us. Remember how He searched out Abraham to reveal His plan to him because Abraham was His friend. Now Jesus tells us that He has revealed the things of God to us. That is what a friend does. How many people can you go to and open up your heart? One of the things that should characterize a believer is that you could go to him and tell him your problems and get understanding and help and encouragement from him. This is how we are to love one another.
Now, notice, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” A great many people do not like the doctrine of election, but it is wonderful and practical. Many a discouraged Christian has cast himself on the Lord saying, “Lord, you called me and chose me and I’m your child.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said, “He chose me; therefore I am His responsibility.” That is trust!
This little crowd of disciples is going to scatter in a few hours. The Shepherd will be crucified, and the sheep will scatter. At such an hour Jesus tells them, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.”
A preacher, who had been converted late in life, had been guilty of stealing before he was saved. After he had just started preaching about His Savior and was still a new Christian, he passed a hen house on his way home from church one night. It was a great temptation for him, but he stopped and prayed, “Lord, your property is in danger, and I don’t mean the chickens.” It is wonderful to call upon the Lord like that.
His great purpose is that we should produce fruit, not just passing fruit, but fruit that will remain. It must all be in His will. If we abide in Him, then we can ask in His name. Answers to our prayers are a pretty good barometer of our spirituality.
He climaxes this section on fruit-bearing by mentioning again that we should love one another.
These things I command you, that ye love one another [John 15:17].
This should be the relationship of believers. There is also a relationship with the world, and now He goes into that subject.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you [John 15:18–19].
Notice what will happen if you are a child of God. The world will hate you. I believe that a Christian’s popularity can be an indication of how he is representing Christ to the world. I do not believe a Christian can be popular in the world. No Christian has any right to be more popular than Jesus was. Beware of a compromising position in order to be popular. The world will not love a real child of God. The world will love you if you are of the world. You don’t have to act oddly or be super-pious. The world will hate you if you are a child of God. This is difficult, especially for young people who want so much to be popular. Let’s tell our young people what the Lord says. They are not going to be popular with the world if they are the children of God.
Unfortunately, there are folk in the church today who are not honestly born again, and they will also hate you if you are a child of God. They will hate the preacher if he is true to the Word of God. May I say again, beware of the Christian who is popular with the world.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin [John 15:20–22].
Don’t try to be greater than your Lord. The servant should not be more popular than the Master. Just keep giving out the Word. Those who persecute have two problems: they do not know the Father, and they do not want their sins revealed. Jesus Christ turned the light of heaven upon the souls of men. Whenever one turns on a light, things begin to happen. The rats and snakes and bugs and lizards hate the light and they all run for cover. They will hate the one who turns on the light, too, by the way. Jesus says, “They hated me without a cause.” There is no cause for hate in Jesus. The cause is in the sinful hearts of men.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also [John 15:23].
This is an important verse. The world does not hate their idea of God, as some vague Someone out yonder. It is Christ they hate. Jesus says when a man hates Him, he is hating God the Father also. You can say you believe in God and be popular. The real test is your relationship and attitude toward Jesus Christ. You cannot be popular and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the One who is hated.
If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause [John 15:24–25].
Some wag has said, “God created man in His image and now man is creating God in his image.” That is the kind of God they want today and the kind of God they think is running the universe. Jesus quotes this as a fulfillment of Psalms 35:19 and 69:4 when He says they hated Him without a cause. They hate Jesus Christ because they have created a false god who is not the God of the Bible.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning [John 15:26–27].
The Holy Spirit bears testimony concerning Christ. If the Lord Jesus Christ is real to you, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. One way to tell whether the Spirit of God is working is whether Christ is being glorified. If the Lord Jesus is not as real to you as you wish He were, ask the Spirit of God to do a work in your heart. We need the reality of Christ in our hearts and lives.
Jesus told these men that they would bear witness to Him, and they certainly did that. It is the witness of John concerning the Lord Jesus Christ that we are studying right now. No one but the apostles could bear such a witness because they had been with Jesus from the beginning.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Jesus will send Holy Spirit during His absence
This chapter concludes the Upper Room Discourse. We learned in the preceding chapter that His own should love one another. This is a real rebuke to us. It is a rebuke that He must command us to do that. It is a rebuke because it shows that we are not nearly as attractive as we think we are. We need help supernaturally to enable us to love one another. Then He told us that we are to identify with Him which will cause the world to hate us.
Also He told His disciples that if He had not come, they would not have known sin. He did not mean that they did not have their own sins but, that since He had come, their personal sins were as nothing compared to the immeasurable guilt of rejecting the Savior of the world and the Lord of glory.
There are not only degrees of rewards in heaven, but there are degrees of punishment in hell. The person today who hears about Jesus Christ and turns his back on Him is in the same category as Judas Iscariot who in the presence of Christ turned his back upon Him. To reject Him is the greatest sin of all. Jesus warns them about this in the coming chapter.
JESUS WILL SEND HOLY SPIRIT DURING HIS ABSENCE
The chapter begins with Jesus still talking about the hatred of the world.
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended [John 16:1].
What things? The things mentioned in chapter 15.
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me [John 16:2–3].
The Lord didn’t want the apostles to be offended, that is, scandalized at what would happen to them. It is characteristic of founders of organizations, and especially of religions, to attempt to present a glorious future for their organizations. The method of the world is to build up the wonderful benefits and to play down the hardships and disadvantages and privations and sacrifices. How different our Lord is!
While it is true that in chapter 14 our Lord told us that He is going to prepare a place for us and that He will receive us unto Himself, He also makes it very clear that if we are going to follow Him down here, it means to forsake all. He said that foxes have holes and birds have nests, but He didn’t have a place to lay His head. He said that if we are going to follow Him, we must take up our cross—not His cross—our own cross, and follow Him. If we suffer with Him down here, we shall reign with Him up there. He was despised and rejected. He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. He said His followers are going to be in the world but not of the world and that the world will hate them. He made all of that very clear. He never said that it would be easy for His followers down here.
The professing church, instead of taking the position of Christ, has gone out into the world, boasting that they are going to convert the world. They, of course, haven’t done it in over nineteen hundred years. In their attempt they always try to popularize religion, make it very attractive to the world. You will find that today there are churches using all kinds of devices to attract the ungodly. Today music has come down to the level of the world. They say, “We have to do this to win the world.” Who told them they were going to win the world? I’m not talking about liberal churches now—they went off the track years ago—I am talking about fundamental churches. Today fundamental churches are going off the track. In them you will find enemies of the Word of God! Although they wouldn’t dare attack the Bible, they level their attack against the man who is preaching the Word of God.
There are tragic stories everywhere. I know a deacon in a church who has already destroyed three preachers. One man left broken in health, another simply left the ministry, and the third resigned. I know a minister who is selling second-hand cars. He says he would rather deal with second-hand cars than with second-hand Christians. Friend, if you stand for the Word of God, you will find that the world won’t love you. You will experience the hatred that Christ experienced. “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.” He is warning them ahead of time in order to strengthen them and let them know what is coming. He loves them right on through to the very end, and He lets them know that He will be with them and that He understands what they are going through.
He knew they would have moments when they would be offended because of Him. He knew that Peter would deny Him that very night. He told His disciples what would happen in order to encourage them and to let them know that He would sustain them through it all. He forewarned them to establish their responsibility to God.
“They shall put you out of the synagogues” means excommunication.
In that day to be excommunicated was the worst that could happen to a religious Jew. It would cost these men to stand for the Lord Jesus Christ. The religious Jews would cast them out. My friend, I’m very candid to say again that if you are standing for Christ, it is going to cost you something.
Jesus again traces the source of the hatred. Because they do not know the Father, they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. Also this is why the world hates the Word of God. This is why the world hates the genuine believer.
But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you [John 16:4].
He is letting them know what is coming and He is training them for what is to come. The Lord always prepares us, friend. During my years of being a pastor, I have learned that this is God’s method. I have learned in my own experience and by watching others that the Lord trains and prepares us for that which lies ahead.
But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? [John 16:5].
It is true that Simon Peter had asked Him where He was going, but Peter had asked the question of a little child. He is saying that none of them has really discerned what is going to take place. None of them has asked intelligently, with spiritual perception.
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart [John 16:6].
These men were letting the fact that He was going to leave them absolutely overwhelm them with sorrow. Friend, that is something which Christians today need to avoid. Many Christians let one experience embitter them. They experience some disappointment in an individual or in a church and are overwhelmed by sorrow and turn from God. Some people won’t darken the door of a church because they are bitter over some incident in the past. Others who have lost loved ones remain constantly in mourning. This is not the way it should be. We are not to be overcome by sorrow.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you [John 16:7].
“It is expedient for you that I go away”—in other words, it is better for you. Why was it best for the Lord Jesus to leave? I can suggest several reasons and I’m sure you can think of more. One of the reasons is this: His purpose in coming to this world was to die—“…the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When this was accomplished, He went back to the Father because He had finished the work He was sent to do. Then, there is another reason: when He came to this earth, He took upon Himself our humanity. God is omnipresent, but Jesus limited Himself by becoming a man. That means that, when He was in Galilee, He could not be down in Bethany. Remember that Mary and Martha reminded Him of that when they said that, if He had been there, their brother would not have died. In other words, if the Lord Jesus were in the world today in His human body, He couldn’t be here where I am and with you where you are at the same time.
Therefore, He tells them He will send the Holy Spirit to them. The Holy Spirit will be in all places. He is right with me today and He is with you today. Jesus says this is better. He will send the Comforter, the Paraclete, and He will come to us and dwell in us.
When the Holy Spirit comes, He will perform several ministries, one of which He mentions here:
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged [John 16:8–11].
The Greek word for “reprove” is elegchoµ which means “to convict.” I counted that word used in “The Trial of Socrates,” as recorded by Plato, and found it twenty-three times. It is a legal term. When the Holy Spirit is come, He will convict the world in the way a judge or a prosecuting attorney presents evidence to bring a conviction. The Spirit of God wants to present evidence in your heart and in my heart to bring us to a place of conviction, and that, of course, means a place of decision. There must be a conviction before we can turn in faith and trust to Jesus Christ.
In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world, He will convict the world of three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment. Our Lord explains for us what that sin means. “Sin, because they believe not on me.” What is the greatest sin in all the world? Murder? No. Who are the greatest sinners in this age? We’ve had some rascals, haven’t we? Every age has had rascals. We might point out Hitler, or Stalin, or Karl Marx, or the Mafia. Well, who is the greatest sinner today? I want to say to you very carefully that you could be the greatest sinner living today. You may say, “Now wait a minute, preacher, you can’t say that about me! I’m no rascal; I’m a law-abiding citizen.” The question is this: Have you accepted Christ? Unbelief is a state and there is no remedy if you refuse to trust Christ. “Of sin, because they believe not on me.” If you do not trust Him, you are lost. It is just as simple as that. It is just as important as that. This is a decision that every man must make. The man today, whoever he is, if he is rejecting Jesus Christ, is, in the sight of God, the greatest sinner. Remember that Jesus said, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin” (John 15:22). Everyone who has ever heard the gospel is responsible for his decision concerning Jesus Christ. To reject Christ is sin.
Secondly, He will convict the world of righteousness. Jesus Christ was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification (see Rom. 4:25). Jesus Christ returned to the Father because He had completed His work here. When He died on the cross, He died a judgment death. He took my guilt and your guilt and He died in our place. He was delivered for our offenses. But He was raised for our justification. He was raised from the dead that you and I might not only have our sins subtracted, but so that we might have His righteousness added. That is very important because you and I need righteousness. It is not enough to have our sins forgiven. We cannot stand in God’s presence if we are nothing more than pardoned criminals. Christ has made over to us His righteousness. That is the righteousness Paul spoke of: “… that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:8–9). He not only subtracts our sin, but He adds His righteousness. If we are to have any standing before God, we must be in Christ and He is our righteousness. Either we have as much right in heaven as Christ Himself has, or we have no right there at all. He was delivered for our offenses, and He was raised again for our justification (righteousness).
Thirdly, He convicts the world of judgment. Does this mean that judgment is coming some day? No, not in this verse. “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” The prince of this world, Satan, has already been judged. It is difficult for a great many believers to understand that we live in a judged world. One hears people say that they’ll take their chances. They act as if they are on trial. My friend, you are not on trial. God has already declared you a lost sinner, and He has already judged you—“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). We live in a world that has already been judged and is like the man waiting in death row for his execution. The judgment against all of us is “Guilty” because all our own righteousnesses are as filthy rags in the sight of God. If we had to stand before God in our own filthy rags, we would not only be ashamed of ourselves, but we would also see how guilty we are.
Remember that Paul reasoned with old Felix concerning judgment to come. That frightened him. Today many people don’t like to hear about judgment, and they resent it a great deal. The lost world hates many things about God: for instance, His omnipotence. They don’t like the fact that it is His universe and He is running it His way. They don’t like it that God saves by grace and that man has already been declared lost. These are the three things of which the Holy Spirit convicts the world today.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you [John 16:12–14].
We don’t know it all. We are to keep growing in grace and in the knowledge of Him. How can we do it? Just reading the Bible is not the complete answer; the Holy Spirit must be our Teacher as we read.
The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth. He will lead and guide you into all truth. He guided the apostles just as the Lord said He would, and we find these truths in the Epistles. The Spirit of God came to these men at Pentecost, and He guided them in the truth both in their preaching and in their writing.
We can see how this was fulfilled in the apostles. The ministry of the Holy Spirit has been to complete the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Epistles glorify Christ and show Him as the Head of the church. They speak of His coming again to establish His kingdom. The Epistles are the unfolding of the person and ministry of Christ. They also tell of things to come and certainly the Book of Revelation does this.
Notice the seven steps that are here: (1) The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, has come; (2) He will guide you into all truth; (3) He will not speak of Himself; (4) He shall speak whatsoever He shall hear; (5) He will show you things to come; (6) He shall glorify Jesus; and (7) He shall receive of mine and show it unto you.
Since we have been told these steps, we have a way of testing what we hear and read. I listened to a man on a radio program saying, “We are having a Holy Ghost revival; the Holy Ghost is working; the Holy Ghost is doing this and that.” The minute he said all those things, I knew the Holy Ghost was not working. Why? Because the Lord Jesus made it very clear that the Holy Ghost will not speak of Himself. Then how can you tell when the Holy Spirit is working? He will glorify Christ. My friend, when in a meeting or a Bible study you suddenly get a glimpse of the Lord Jesus and He becomes wonderful, very real, and meaningful to you, that is the working of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “He shall glorify me.”
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you [John 16:15].
Again the Lord Jesus is making Himself equal with God. Whatever the Father has, Jesus has. “He shall take of mine” means He will take the things of God and show them unto us. Only He can do that. “… Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit …” (1 Cor. 2:9–10). The Spirit is the One who searches the deep things of God and He alone can show these things to us.
A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father [John 16:16].
What did He mean? He meant that He would be arrested, and they would be scattered like sheep and separated from Him. He’d be crucified and buried. He would be absent a little while and they wouldn’t see Him. On the third day He would come back, and so in a little while they would see Him. This has a fuller, richer, deeper meaning for us today.
Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, a little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, A little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy [John 16:17–20].
They didn’t know exactly what He meant. There was to be the little while that He was in the grave—that was three days. Then there was to come another “little while” because He would go to the Father (which has been over nineteen hundred years now). He promised not to leave them comfortless, not to leave them orphans. He would be with them in the person of the Holy Spirit. He would take the things of Christ and make them real to them. That is where you and I live today. During these nineteen hundred years the Spirit of God has made Him real to multitudes. They have gone through sorrow; they have known what it is to be hated and to be ridiculed. He has brought them through that. Our sorrow shall be turned into joy.
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you [John 16:21–22].
Regardless of where you are or who you are, if you have accepted Jesus, my friend, you are a child of God. If you are in sorrow and there are tears in your eyes, if you have a broken heart, be assured that joy cometh in the morning. He is going to bring joy into your life. I think that when we get in His presence and look back on this life, if we have any regrets, it will be because we didn’t suffer more for Him. The joy of His presence will overwhelm any sorrow we may have had down here.
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full [John 16:23–24].
This is the third time He speaks of praying in His name. We have already seen that “praying in my name” refers to one who is abiding in Him, obeying Him. You cannot simply tag His name on to the end of a request and expect to get what you ask. That is not what He is saying.
Remember that these disciples had never prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus. You and I today are to pray to God the Father in Jesus’ name. Someone may ask whether we can’t pray to Jesus. I think you can if you wish to, but why do you rob yourself of an intercessor? Jesus is up there at God’s right hand for you, praying for you. That is the reason that we should pray to the Father in the name of Jesus.
These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God [John 16:25–27].
“The time cometh”—He is nearing His crucifixion, the hour of redemption for which He has come into the world. After that, they are to ask the Father in Jesus’ name. He is trying to teach them that the Father is not a hard taskmaster who is reluctant to answer prayer. He is saying in effect, “If you think that I have to ask the Father to be good to you and to be generous to you, you are wrong. The Father Himself loveth you. I don’t have to ask Him to love you. He loves you already. The Father isn’t hard to get along with. He loves you and that is the reason He will answer your prayer that you pray in My name.”
Today God wants to hear and answer prayers, but they must come from the heart of one who loves Christ, and is in fellowship with Him, obeying Him.
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father [John 16:28].
It is generally conceded that the key verse to the Gospel of John is John 20:30–31, but I would like to put beside it this verse. The eternal Son came into the world for one purpose: to redeem man. When the mission was accomplished, He returned to the Father. This is the movement in the Gospel of John. He has painted a black picture of coming persecution but concludes the chapter with victory.
This verse is bigger than Bethlehem; it is wider than space. It reaches back into eternity, beyond the boundaries of space to the throne of God. Then it speaks of those few moments He spent on this earth. He came in out of eternity; He went back into eternity.
His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou earnest forth from God [John 16:29–30].
It should be plain for us to understand that the Lord Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. There is this great conviction coming over the disciples. They are convinced of the facts. They have seen that He has come forth from the Father and that He has come into the world. He is the Messiah; He is the Savior He claims to be. However, they still do not understand the dark waters of death through which He must pass, nor the door of resurrection and ascension back into the Father’s glory. They still don’t quite comprehend it. But after nineteen hundred years do we comprehend it?
Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me [John 16:31–32].
The hour was coming when these men would all scatter. They would leave Him alone; and yet He was not alone “because the Father is with me.” That is one of the great mysteries. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (see 2 Cor. 5:19). That is a great truth, and it is also equally true that on the cross Jesus cried out, “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34), which is a quotation from Psalm 22. The explanation is, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Ps. 22:3). Jesus Christ was made sin for us, friend. There was a rent in the Godhead as well as a rent in the veil. Yet at that very moment, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.
This is a mystery that the human mind cannot understand. Friends, we do not have enough brains to comprehend the redemption that He wrought on the cross. No wonder God wrapped the mantle of night around that cross as if to say, “You will never be able to enter into what is happening here.” I believe that throughout the endless ages of eternity you and I will continually understand something new and wonderful about the death of the Lord Jesus for us. It will cause us to get down on our faces before Him afresh and anew.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world [John 16:33].
Peace. He closes with peace. The child of God can have peace in this life because peace is found in Christ and in no other place. You won’t find peace in the church. You won’t find peace in Christian service. Peace is found in the person of Jesus Christ.
“In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Our Lord made that very clear. There is no peace in the world, only trouble. He was right, wasn’t He? But He has overcome the world! His victory is our victory.
I hear so much today about the victorious life. The only One who ever lived a victorious life was Christ. You and I cannot live it. We can let Him live it in us—that is all. When you and I learn to identify ourselves with Him and come into close fellowship with Him, then we will begin to experience the peace of God in our hearts. Also we will be of good cheer. There is trouble in the world but in our lives there will be joy. Peace and joy! How important they are. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
CHAPTER 17
Theme: The Lord’s Prayer—Jesus prays for Himself; Jesus prays for disciples; Jesus prays for His church
We come now to one of the most remarkable chapters in the Bible. It is the longest prayer in the Bible, although it would take you only three minutes to read it. I think that is a good indication of the length of public prayers. If you can’t say all you’ve got to say in three minutes, then you’ve got too much to say. I’ll be very frank with you. I think brief prayers, thought out right to the point, are more effective than these long, rambling ones we hear. No wonder prayer meetings are as dead as a dodo bird!
The Upper Room Discourse is like climbing a staircase or like climbing a mountain, climaxing in this prayer. I would like to quote to you what others have said about this great chapter.
Matthew Henry: “It is the most remarkable prayer following the most full and consoling discourse ever uttered on the earth.”
Martin Luther: “This is truly beyond measure a warm and hearty prayer. He opens the depths of His heart, both in reference to us and to His Father, and He pours them all out. It sounds so honest, so simple. It is so deep, so rich, so wide. No one can fathom it.”
Philip Melanchthon, another of the reformers: “There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime than the prayer offered up by the Son to God Himself.”
This is the prayer which John Knox read over and over in his lifetime. When he was on his deathbed, his wife asked him, “Where do you want me to read?” He replied, “Read where I first put my anchor down, in the seventeenth chapter of John.” We have the record of many others who have read it over and over. Dr. Fisher, who was bishop of Rochester under Henry VIII, had this read as the last portion of Scripture just before his martyrdom.
This is a great portion of Scripture. I feel wholly and totally inadequate to deal with this prayer. It is His high priestly intercession for us. It is a revelation to us of the communication which, I think, constantly passes between the Lord Jesus and the Father in heaven. His entire life was a life of prayer. He began His ministry by going into a solitary place to pray. Often He went up into a mountain to pray and spent the night in prayer. He is our great Intercessor. He prays for you and for me. If you forgot to pray this morning, He didn’t. He prayed for you this morning.
God always hears and answers Jesus’ prayer just the way He prays it. God answers my prayer also, but not always the way I pray it—sometimes He must answer my prayer with a no, or He may accomplish what I ask by a completely different method or at a different time. However, Jesus said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 11:41–42).
THE LORD’S PRAYER—JESUS PRAYS FOR HIMSELF
I want you to notice that it is not out of line nor even a mark of selfishness to pray for one’s self. I believe that when you and I go to God in prayer, we need to get our own hearts and lives right with God. We need to get in tune with heaven, as it were. Every instrument should be tuned up before it is played. Before you and I begin to pray for others, we need to pray for ourselves. That is not selfishness; it is essential.
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee [John 17:1].
“These words spake Jesus.” Which words? The chapters we have just read, chapters 13–16. Now He stops speaking to the disciples, and He speaks to the Father. Although He is speaking to the Father in this chapter, He is speaking to Him for their benefit—and for our benefit also. He is our great Intercessor today. We may wonder what He is praying for. Well, here it is. This is the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer that He prays to the Father.
The prayer in the Sermon on the Mount is not really the Lord’s Prayer. It is the prayer that He taught to the disciples. When Jesus begins with “Our Father,” He means this for all the believers. However, Jesus calls God “Father” in a different sense. After His resurrection He said to Mary, “I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). In other words, “I have not yet ascended to your Father, yours by the new birth, and to My Father, Mine because of My position in the Trinity.” Also, it could never be the prayer of Jesus to say, “Forgive us our debts, our sins.” He never had any sins. He could not pray that prayer. By the same token, you and I can never pray this prayer of John 17. This is His prayer.
Apparently our Lord prayed this prayer as He was walking along. It says that He “lifted up his eyes to heaven,” which means that His eyes were open. Of course we can pray without bowing our heads and closing our eyes. We can pray as we walk or as we work or as we drive.
Now notice His prayer. It begins, “Father, the hour is come.” What hour? Well, the hour that had been set back yonder in eternity. As He speaks, the clock is striking the hour that was set way back in eternity, because He was the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world. It was arranged back there; now “the hour is come.” Remember that when He began His ministry at the wedding of Cana, His mother said to Him, “They have no wine.” His answer to her was, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:3–4). Now the hour has come, the hour when He will pay for your sins and mine. It is the hour when all the creation of God will see the love of God displayed and lavished as He takes your sins and my sins upon Himself and dies a vicarious, substitutionary, redemptive death for you and for me. And it won’t end there; it will go on to the Resurrection.
“The hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” The death of Christ will demonstrate that God is not the brutal bully the liberal theologians talk about in the Old Testament, but that He is a loving Father who so loves the world that He gives His only begotten Son. Then the Son will be raised from the dead, ascend back into heaven, and He will be given a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow to Him. “Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” Oh, the wealth of meaning that is here!
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him [John 17:2].
This is a startling statement. He has power over all flesh! He could make this universe and every individual in it bow to Him. He could bring us all into subjection to Him and make robots out of all of us. Although that is the last thing He would want to do, He has the power over all flesh.
The church is God’s love gift to Jesus Christ. So He gives eternal life to as many “as thou hast given him.” This brings up the question of election and free will, and I don’t want to go into that extensively. There are extreme Calvinists and extreme Arminians, and the truth is probably somewhere between the two. If God would somehow reveal to me who are the elect ones, I would give the gospel only to them. But God does not do this. He has said that whosoever will may come. That is a legitimate offer to every person. You have no excuse to offer at all if you will not come to Him. It will be your condemnation that you turned down the offer that God has made to you.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent [John 17:3].
Does election shut out certain people? No. Life eternal is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Do you have a desire to know the true God and Jesus Christ? Then you are not shut out. You must be one of the elect. He gives eternal life to those who have heard the call and have responded down in their hearts. They have come to Christ of their own free will.
“That they might know thee.” It is not the amount of knowledge you have, but the kind of knowledge that is important. It is whom you know. Do you know Jesus Christ? In the same way, it is not the amount of faith you have but the kind of faith that is important. There is a song called “Only Believe.” Only believe what? Only believe in the only One, the Lord Jesus Christ. I quote Spurgeon again: “It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee. It is Christ. It is not thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument. It is Christ’s blood and merit.” It is Christ who saves. One can believe in the wrong thing. It is the object of faith which is so important. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ.” Now faith comes by hearing, hearing the Word of God. What does the Word of God say? The gospel is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Those are the facts. Our knowledge of the facts and our response to that knowledge is faith. Faith is trusting Christ as our own Savior.
Life eternal is to know God and to know Jesus Christ. Jesus is His name as Savior, and Christ is His title—the Messiah, the King of Israel. To know Him means to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. When we move on in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, we come to the place of assurance. Anyone without the assurance of salvation is either unsaved or is just a babe in Christ. They need to move on to the place where they know that they are saved. Life eternal is to know the only genuine God and to know Jesus Christ. This is the reason that the study of the Word of God is so important. Many people stay on the fringe of things and are never sure they are saved.
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do [John 17:4].
The Lord Jesus is handing in His final report to the Father. He hasn’t died on the cross yet; but, as far as God is concerned, He speaks of things which are not as if they are. Future tense for God is just as accurate as past tense. Our Lord Jesus is going to the cross to die and then will rise again. On the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). That means our redemption was finished. He has done everything that was necessary. We can put a period there. We cannot add a thing to His finished work. Therefore, the gospel of salvation is not what God is asking you to do, but what God is telling you that He has already done for you. It is your response to that which saves you.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was [John 17:5].
In Philippians 2, it speaks of Jesus emptying Himself. Some try to teach that He emptied Himself of His deity. John makes it very clear that the Word became flesh. That little baby in Mary’s lap is God, and He could have spoken this universe out of existence. He wasn’t just 99.9% God; He was, and is, 100% God. So of what did He empty Himself? He emptied Himself of His prerogatives of deity; He laid aside His glory.
At Christmas we make a great deal of the shepherds and the angels and the wise men who came to see Him. Friend, that is not the way it should have been. He is the Lord of glory, and the whole creation should have been there; every human being on the face of the earth should have been there. People will come from all parts of a country and even all parts of the world for the funeral of a great political leader. The whole world should have been at the birth of the Lord of glory when He came to earth. Although He could have claimed such homage, instead He laid aside His glory. Now He is ready to return to heaven, back to the glory.
JESUS PRAYS FOR DISCIPLES
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word [John 17:6].
Notice this: “to as many as thou hast given him” (v. 2): “unto the men which thou gavest me … and thou gavest them me” (v. 6); “for them which thou hast given me” (v. 9); “whom thou hast given me” (v. 11); and “those that thou gavest me” (v. 12). We are back to the great doctrine of election. Jesus talked to the Father about it. It was a private conversation, but He wanted the disciples to hear it and to know about it. I don’t know as much about election as maybe I should know. I’ve read Hodge, Calvin, Thornwall, Shedd, and Strong on the subject, and they don’t seem to know much more about it. The reason we know so little about election is because it is God’s side, and there are a lot of things that God knows that we don’t know.
It is a wonderful thing to be able to listen to this prayer and to know that Jesus is at God’s right hand talking to the Father about us. The Lord Jesus has talked to the Father about you today, if you are one of His.
There is a mystical relationship between the Lord Jesus and His own. They belong to the Father and were given to Jesus Christ. I can’t fathom its meaning. What a wonderful relationship!
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me [John 17:7–8].
The Lord had given them the Words of the Father. That is important. He had not given them property or money or an automobile, but the Words of the Father. Jesus testifies here that these disciples believed that He came from the Father. They knew who He was. They did not understand His purpose and certainly not His death and resurrection, but they had made tremendous advances during the three years they had been with Him. They knew He had come from God, and they believed that God had sent Him.
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine [John 17:9].
I will make a startling statement which is no more startling than what He made: Jesus Christ does not pray for the world today. His ministry of intercession is for His own who are in the world. He doesn’t pray for the world; He died for the world. What more could He do for the world? He has sent the Holy Spirit into the world to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus Christ prays for His own.
And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them [John 7:10].
The whole purpose of our salvation is to bring glory to Jesus Christ.
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are [John 17:11].
He prays for two wonderful things. He prays for us to be kept. You will be kept because you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and because your Savior is praying for you.
His other request is that we should be one. He prays for the unity of believers. He’s not praying for an ecumenical movement or that we all join the same denomination. There has been much wrong teaching about this. First of all, He prays the Father that His own might be one. Notice that He isn’t praying to us or to some church authority; He is praying to the Father. And He prays that we should be one “as we are”; that is, as the Father and the Son are one. The Father has answered every prayer of His Son, and He has answered this one. There is an organic unity which God has made. The Holy Spirit takes all true believers and baptizes them into the body of Christ, identifies them in the body of Christ. The disgrace of it all is that down here the believers are pretty well divided. But there is only one true church, and every believer in Jesus Christ is a member of that church. It is called the body of Christ.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled [John 17:12].
“Those that thou gavest me”—we have election mentioned again. There are certain things which I believe that to me are not contradictory, but they certainly are paradoxical. Election and free will happen to be one of those. I wish you could have met me when I graduated from seminary. I was a smart boy then and I even had the answer to election and free will. But I have a little more sense than I had then, and I realize that we simply do not understand it.
Judas Iscariot is, of course, “the son of perdition.” He fulfilled the prophecies concerning him.
And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves [John 17:13].
Friend, God does not want us to be long-faced, solemn Christians. He came that our lives might be filled with joy—His joy.
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world [John 17:14].
The Word of God causes problems in the world today. The Bible is the most revolutionary Book in the world. It is revolutionary to teach that you cannot save yourself, that only Christ can save you. And you can’t make this world better. Only Jesus Christ can do that. That’s revolutionary, and the world doesn’t want to hear that. They’d rather plant a few flowers and try to clean up pollution. The problem is that the pollution is in the human heart.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [John 17:15].
This really should read “from the evil one.” Again it is startling to note that He does not pray that we should be taken out of the world. God gets glory by keeping you and me in the world today. We think of the Rapture as wonderful, and it will be. We think of the Rapture as bringing glory to God, and it will. But let’s understand one thing: God gets glory by keeping you and me in the world. If you knew Vernon McGee like He knows Vernon McGee, you’d know it is a miracle for God to keep me in the world. We long for the Rapture. In Revelation 22:17 it says that the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” The Holy Spirit is weary of this world. He is grieved. He says, “Come.” We also are weary, and we who are the bride of Christ say, “Come.” But Jesus prays not that we should be taken out of the world, but that we should be kept from the evil one, Satan. And I wouldn’t want to be here for a minute if my Lord weren’t keeping me from the evil one.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could really learn this lesson? We cry and whimper because things are hard down here. Sure they are. He said they would be hard—“but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). I suspect that every twenty-four hours there is a great hallelujah meeting in heaven, and the angels say, “Isn’t it marvelous that McGee is still being kept. It would be so easy to take him out of the world, but it is a real miracle to keep him in the world.” If we could learn that, it would enable us to endure more easily our problems and tensions and difficulties and temptations. The Lord Jesus has prayed to keep us in the world and to protect us from the evil one.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world [John 17:16].
The measure in which we as believers realize this, the more completely we fulfill His will and accomplish His purpose.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth [John 17:17].
Sanctify means to set apart. The believer is not of the world; he is set apart. The thought has reference to the task rather than the person; it is a commitment to the task. The believer is set apart by the Word of God. That is, the Word reveals the mind of God. As you read the Word, you are led to set yourself apart for a particular ministry. We can serve Him only as we know His Word and are obedient to it.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth [John 17:18–19].
We have been sent out into the world to bear a witness. He sets Himself apart to be identified with us, and we ought to be identified with Him in this world.
JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS CHURCH
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word [John 17:20].
He had you and me in mind. Now, many centuries later, we can know our great High Priest is praying for us.
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me [John 17:21].
This prayer has been answered. The church is an organic unity. Believers are one in Christ, for the church is one body. The minute any sinner trusts Christ, that sinner is put into the body of Christ. If believers would manifest that union to the world, the world would be more impressed with Christ. Too often the world sees believers hating each other which may well be one of the reasons they will not accept Christ.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me [John 17:22–23].
“I in them, and thou in me.” How wonderful! Only the Spirit of God can accomplish that. The unity that exists between the Father and the Son is the unity that is to exist between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ! “And hast loved them, as thou hast loved me”—means that God loves you as much as He loves the Lord Jesus Christ. That boggles the mind!
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world [John 17:24].
It will be heaven to be with Him in perfect fellowship. I take it that this was God’s purpose in creating man. There are other creatures in the universe and on the earth, but God made man a creature with whom He could have fellowship. God created man with a free will; and, even though man sinned, God wants his fellowship. Heaven is going to be wonderful, and it will be important that every one of His sheep is there with Him. Each one will have his contribution to make.
To behold the glory of the Lord Jesus will be the satisfaction of the believer. Moses asked to see the glory of God. Philip asked to see the Father. Sometimes we get a glimpse of glory in a rainbow or a sunset. Think what it will be when we come into His presence and behold His glory! That is the goal to which we are moving.
O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me [John 17:25].
Being sent from the Father actually embraces His entire mission of redemption. Anyone who is a believer knows that the Father has sent Him, and the purpose was for Him to die for our sins.
And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them [John 17:26].
The last thing He mentions is that His love might be in our hearts and in our lives. We talk so much about grace and about faith, and rightly so; yet the great desire of His heart is that His love should be manifested in the lives of those whom He has redeemed. That should put us down on our faces before Him. My friend, how much of His love is manifested in you?
In review, this is what this prayer says about believers and the world:
1. Given to Christ out of the world (v. 6)
2. Left in the world (v. 11)
3. Not of the world (v. 14)
4. Hated by the world (v. 14)
5. Kept from the evil one (v. 15)
6. Sent into the world (v. 18)
7. Manifested in unity before the world (v. 23)
These are the requests of Christ for His own:
1. Preservation (v. II)
2. Joy—fullness of the Spirit (v. 13)
3. Deliverance—from evil (v. 15)
4. To be set apart—“sanctify” (v. 17)
5. Unity—“be one”—(this is not union) (v. 21)
6. Fellowship—“be with me” (v. 24)
7. Satisfaction—“behold my glory” (v. 24)
The Lord Jesus Christ is our great High Priest. This is the great truth of the Epistle to the Hebrews. In the Old Testament economy the high priest wore an ephod of beauty and glory, which was joined on each shoulder by two onyx stones with the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on them. Thus he carried the names of the children of Israel with him when he went into the presence of God. This speaks of the strength and power of the high priest. Hebrews 7:25 tells us about Jesus Christ, our High Priest: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Christ is able to save us, you see. He has strength and power.
Also on the breastplate of the high priest were twelve precious stones, arranged three in a row in four rows across his breast. On each was the name of a tribe of Israel. When the high priest went into God’s presence wearing the breastplate, he pictured the Lord Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of God interceding for us. The Lord not only carries us on His shoulders, the place of strength and power, but He also carries us on His breast, on His heart, which speaks of His love. He has all power, and He loves us!
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Arrest and trial of Jesus—the arrest in Gethsemane; trial before Annas; first denial by Simon Peter; trial before high priest; second denial by Simon Peter; trial before Pilate
We have now concluded the Upper Room Discourse which began in John 13 and was climaxed with this wonderful prayer of the Lord Jesus in John 17. Augustine made this statement about the discourse: “It is easiest in regards to words but most profound in regards to ideas.” That certainly is a true statement.
We come now to the fifth division of this Gospel of John: the witness of Jesus to the world. It includes chapters 18 to 20. We will see in this chapter that He is arrested and taken before the high priest. The presentation here is different from that in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). The emphasis in those three Gospels is upon the humanity of Christ, His human nature, and upon the sufferings of the Savior. In the first three Gospel records, as He approaches Jerusalem, He says He is going there to die. He mentions His death, His treatment, His abuse in the hands of the Gentiles, and then His bodily resurrection.
In the Gospel of John, the emphasis is upon the deity of the Lord Jesus. He is the Godman in this gospel, and the emphasis here is upon His glory. In His arrest, His death, His resurrection we will see His glory. Remember how often He stated in His discourse that He was returning to the Father. This is in accord with the emphasis on His glory.
THE ARREST IN GETHSEMANE; TRIAL BEFORE ANNAS
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples [John 18:1].
In these passages we will find a blending of His majesty and His meekness. He seems to have spent His nights under the open sky. Why did He leave Jerusalem and cross the brook Cedron? Apparently He was accustomed to going there.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples [John 18:2].
Luke tells us in chapter 21:37, “And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.” And again, Luke 22:39: “And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives.…” He would need to cross the brook Cedron.
Our Lord crossed over the brook Cedron after Judas had made his agreement to betray Him. Perhaps you remember another crossing of this same brook by one who was betrayed—King David, when his son Absalom led in a rebellion and Ahithophel, his friend and counsellor, betrayed him.
As far as we can tell, Jesus never spent a night in the city of Jerusalem, in the walled city. The last week of His life, He went to Bethany and stayed with His friends. Even on this last night, He left the walled city to go to the place called the Garden of Gethsemane. He is going to this quiet place in order to give His enemies an opportuntiy to take Him. They wanted to lay hands on Him but, because they were afraid of the people, they wouldn’t dare lay hands on Him in the temple or in the streets of Jerusalem.
Notice that John does not include the agony in the garden. John does not record His praying and His extreme suffering. Rather he speaks of the glory. He is putting the emphasis on the deity of Christ, whereas the other gospels emphasize His humanity. You will notice that Jesus will not resist arrest. He is the Lamb of God who offers no resistance. “… as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7). The dignity of His person at this time is absolutely overwhelming.
Remember in previous incidents, when the enemies of the Lord Jesus tried to close in on Him, He hid Himself. Apparently He could just disappear miraculously. Now, He lays Himself wide open to be taken. This is very important for us to note.
Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons [John 18:3].
Luke tells us what He said: “… Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?” (Luke 22:52). It says that a band of men came out. A band is the tenth part of a legion and would consist of approximately five hundred men. Matthew says that a great multitude came with Judas. Why would they come with such a multitude and with swords and clubs? That crowd knew that He had performed miracles, and they thought that, if they would bring along a big enough company of armed men, they could capture Him. Now notice the dignity of our Lord.
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? [John 18:4].
My friend, do you think this is just a poor, weak man who has been trapped by some clever religious rulers and the power of Rome? If He had not yielded Himself, all the weapons those men had would have been absolutely useless and worthless.
They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them [John 18:5].
I don’t want to pass over this because I wouldn’t want you to miss this for anything in the world. They call Him “Jesus of Nazareth.” They do not accord Him the dignity that belongs to Him. They refuse to call Him the Christ. Well, it’s all right, because Jesus is a name that is above every name. The day is coming when those on earth and even those under the earth, in hell itself, will bow the knee to the name of Jesus. But now, this crowd would not acknowledge Him as the Savior, the Christ, the Son of the living God.
They didn’t know Him. The thing that is strange above everything else is that Judas didn’t know Him at first. Why didn’t Judas know Him? Paul says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:3–4). We are told that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. I believe that Judas did not know Him because He stood there as the Lord of glory.
As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground [John 18:6].
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Even in this dark hour when He was yielding Himself as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, He revealed His deity—and they fell backwards! He revealed to these men that He was absolutely in charge, and they could not arrest Him without His permission. They didn’t fall forward to worship Him. They fell backward in fear and in absolute dismay. I think there was utter confusion for a moment there when they fell backward. They are seeing not simply Jesus of Nazareth but the Godman, the Lord of glory.
This fulfills prophecy. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell” (Ps. 27:1–2). This is the God-ward side. Then in Psalm 35:4 we see the man-ward side. “Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.” Then listen to Psalm 40:14: “Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.” What a fulfillment we have here when our Lord for a brief moment reveals His glory to them. They are seeking Jesus of Nazareth. Well, here He is, but He is the Lord of glory.
My friend, whom do you see? Do you know who He is? The unsaved man doesn’t know Him. People may even read the Bible and be very religious and very moral and not see that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none [John 18:7–9].
Notice His dignity. He is in charge of everything. He is even telling them whom to arrest and whom not to arrest. There had been the prophecy that the Shepherd would be taken and the sheep scattered, and Jesus had said that He had lost none. The disciples would not be captured. Isn’t it interesting that they weren’t? One would think they would have been brought in as witnesses or accomplices, but they were not.
Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus [John 18:10].
Why didn’t they arrest Simon Peter for this?
Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? [John 18:11].
Dr. Luke tells us that Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him. But why didn’t they arrest Peter? Because the Lord Jesus said, “You let these men go.” He is in command.
Simon Peter, the poor, ignorant fisherman! He probably was really smarting inside. He had asked the Lord why he couldn’t go with Him where He was going. He had said he would lay down his life for the Lord, and he meant it. But the Lord had told him that he didn’t know himself, that he would deny his Lord that night. Oh, it’s so easy to get Christians to dedicate and rededicate their lives to the Lord. Simon Peter would have come forward at every invitation, and he would have meant it. The problem is that we cannot produce this in our own strength. This was Paul’s experience, too. He said that to will was present with him, but he couldn’t find how to perform it. It is only the power of the Holy Spirit that can produce the life yielded to Christ. I think Peter was smarting inside and thinking, “I’ll show Him that I’ll die for Him.”
Peter’s a good fisherman. He can throw a net expertly, but he makes a sorry swordsman. He got an ear when he meant to get a head. Our Lord tells Peter to put up his sword. Earlier, when Jesus advised them to have swords, it was for their protection, not for His defense. Our Lord is yielding Himself into the hands of His captors. He is getting ready, as He says, to drink the cup which His Father has given Him.
There are several “cups” mentioned in the Scriptures. There is the cup of salvation: “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord” (Ps. 116:13). Then there is the cup of consolation: “… neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother” (Jer. 16:7). Also there is the cup of joy: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Ps. 23:5). This cup which our Lord was to drink was given Him by the Father. It was a dreadful cup, and Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “… O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me …” (Matt. 26:39). This is the cup of judgment He bore for us on the cross. Everyone who turns his back on Jesus Christ must drink that cup of judgment himself. Jesus drank it for us although it was totally repulsive to Him. Remember that He was perfect humanity, absolutely sinless, and yet He drank the hated cup because it was the cup of your sin and my sin. There is still another cup, the cup of judgment which is yet to come on this world. I believe the seven vials or bowls of wrath, which are to be poured upon the wicked as described in Revelation are the fulfillment of this. “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup” (Ps. 11:6). This is the cup of His anger. “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it” (Jer. 25:15).
Notice again what our Lord says to Peter, “Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” It is not, “He is the judge, and I’m going to drink it by command,” but, “Shall I not drink this cup my Father gives me?” There is no willingness higher than that. Let us not get the idea that the Savior did this reluctantly. Hebrews 12:2 says, “… who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year [John 18:12–13].
The religious rulers were the ones who had plotted all this. Because they were afraid of the people, our Lord went outside the city to give them the opportunity they needed to arrest Him. He is going forward in His dignity and in His glory. They took Him and bound Him—which wasn’t necessary. He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He is the sheep before the shearers; He will not offer any resistance.
They led Him away to Annas first. Only John gives us that detail; as apparently he was in a position to see something that the others didn’t see. Annas had been the high priest and was probably still in the quarters of the palace of the high priest. Secular history testifies to the fact that Annas was one of the most brilliant, one of the most clever, and one of the most satanic of all the high priests. Caiaphas was the one whom the Roman government accepted, but the real head of the religious group was old Annas. I believe that he was the real leader, a politician who knew how to handle Rome. It is my judgment that it was he who plotted the arrest, the trial, and the crucifixion of Jesus. The entire trial was a mockery, and I think Annas was behind it all.
What an injustice has been done the Jews down through the centuries. They have been blamed for the crime of men like Annas, Caiaphas, and Pilate. I do not take the responsibility for the crimes of Jesse James just because he happened to be an American, do you? Romanism for centuries has called the Jewish people the “Christ-killers,” which has been the basis for anti-Semitism in Europe. Yet they are not any more responsible than the Gentiles are. In the final analysis, we all are responsible for His death. He died for the sins of the world. There should be no pointing of the finger at any race or group of people.
Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people [John 18:14].
I believe John puts this in here to show us that it had already been predetermined that the Lord Jesus was to die. They had already decided that. Old Annas knew how to forge a charge against Jesus to get the death penalty from the Roman authorities. The whole trial was nothing but a mockery.
FIRST DENIAL BY SIMON PETER
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest [John 18:15].
That other disciple was John, obviously. John apparently had an “in” with those in Jerusalem, and this enabled him to get a pass for someone else to come in. I want you to see that John apparently was known in these circles, and for John to go in there was no temptation at all. However, it was fatal for Simon Peter to go in there. He was standing on the outside when John got the permission for him to come into the inner court. I want you to see this little byplay at the palace of Caiaphas.
But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter [John 18:16].
John had an entree, but Peter is a poor fisherman whom nobody knows, and he can’t get in. John tells the girl at the gate that this is a friend of his, and so he brought Peter in. Simon Peter was scared to death. You see, John was at home here, but Simon Peter had never been in that crowd before. Peter has a big mouth, and he just has to talk. Remember the other gospels tell us that the girls spot him as a Galilean because his speech betrays him. He talks too much. He’s nervous in there. A little wisp of a girl makes him deny the Lord.
There is an application for us here. You and I have no right to put our little ideas of separation down on another Christian. Another Christian may be able to go where you cannot go. It was wrong for Simon Peter to go in there, but it was not wrong for John.
Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not [John 18:17].
She knows the followers of Jesus are there and assumes Peter is one of them. She just asks the question as he is about to go through the gate, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?” He says, “I am not,” and walks on through.
And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself [John 18:18].
Outside the palace grounds the people are gathered—not many at that time of morning, but the guards are there to keep order. They build a fire, and Peter stands with them warming himself.
TRIAL BEFORE HIGH PRIEST
The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them behold, they know what I said [John 18:19–21].
The scene shifts back to the trial of the Lord Jesus. Notice the dignity of the Lord Jesus.
And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? [John 18:22–23].
He is subjected to this kind of humiliation. He is yielding Himself to die for your sin and my sin. However, He does call their attention to the fact that what they are doing is illegal and contrary to the Mosaic Law. They have no witness that He has done evil, and yet they smite Him. They are the ones who are breaking the Law. For one thing, no trial is to begin at night nor end at night. A trial is not to begin and end on the same day. They are not to strike a prisoner who has not yet been proven guilty.
Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest [John 18:24].
John puts this little verse in to tell us again that it was Annas who bound Him. Annas is the one who plotted and planned all of this diabolical plot.
SECOND DENIAL BY SIMON PETER
And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew [John 18:25–27].
We learn from the other gospels how Peter went out and wept bitterly. I think that he caught a glimpse of the face of our Lord all bloody and beaten, and he caught His eye. That is when he went out and cried like a baby. You know that if he was arguing with a kinsman of Malchus, he must have been pretty vehement. He denied his Lord. But, thank God, the Lord was on His way to die for him and had already told him that He had prayed so that Peter’s faith would not fail.
Why is it that Simon Peter, who did a deed as dastardly as Judas, could make his way back to the Lord? Because he was a child of God, and it broke his heart to know what he had done. A child of God may get far from God, but God is never far from him. You may be dead to God, but God is never dead to you. He is always there and He is always available. The Lord never said to Peter, “I’m sorry, but because you failed Me, I just can’t use you anymore.” No, He appeared personally to Peter after His resurrection, and He elected Peter to preach the first sermon on the Day of Pentecost. There has never been a sermon like it! Thank God for a Savior and a Lord like that. He will always take you back!
TRIAL BEFORE PILATE
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover [John 18:28].
There is quite an interesting byplay here that I want you to see. Here we see “religion” and the Person of Jesus Christ side by side. Here is the One who has come to fulfill the Passover. He is going to die on the cross because they are bringing the death sentence against Him. But, because they want to eat the Passover, these men won’t go inside the judgment hall. That would pollute them. They will not do that. Are they meticulously religious! Yet they are plotting the death of the very One who is the fulfillment of the Passover! My friend, how this should cause you to search your heart at this time. Are you merely religious or are you joined to the Lord Jesus Christ?
There is another interesting byplay to watch here. The Jews absolutely would not go into the judgment hall and thus contaminate themselves, but they brought Jesus to be taken into the judgment hall to be tried. So there is a change of scene in this drama from outside to inside and inside to outside. Watch it:
“Pilate then went out” (v. 29)
“Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again” (v. 33)
“And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews” (v. 38)
“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him” (John 19:1)
“Pilate therefore went forth again” (John 19:4)
“And went again into the judgment hall” (John 19:9)
“He brought Jesus forth” (John 19:13).
Pilate didn’t really like Jerusalem. He liked Caesarea which is on the seacoast and has a lovely beach, very much like Florida. During the feast, He would leave Caesarea and come up to Jerusalem, bringing his soldiers with him. Since he was the Roman governor, he was responsible for keeping order at this time when the Jews gathered from all over the world. That was the reason he was in Jerusalem at this time.
Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die [John 18:29–32].
Pilate senses that something is wrong and he tries, as we would say, to get off the hook. He tells them to judge Jesus themselves. He couldn’t understand what was taking place. The problem was that they wanted the death penalty and they had to admit that they were no longer the rulers and no longer had the authority to exact the death penalty. It is interesting that these men were forced to admit this after they had so arrogantly stated in John 8:33. “We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man.”
John tells us that this fulfilled what Jesus had prophesied. He had told the disciples that the Jewish religious rulers would condemn Him to death and would deliver Him to the Gentiles. He had predicted this months earlier; now He was here, being brought to Pilate, the representative of Gentile Rome, by the religious rulers who wanted a death sentence. If the Jews had taken Jesus and had put Him to death according to their Law, He would have been stoned to death. Read Psalm 22 again and notice whether it is describing a death by stoning or a death by crucifixion. It is obviously crucifixion, with the piercing of the hands and feet and the agonies of hanging on a cross. The only ones who executed by crucifixion were the Romans. Jesus had to be delivered to the Romans to fulfill Old Testament prophecy.
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? [John 18:33–35].
Jesus had appealed to the head of this man, Pilate. He asked him the logical question of where he got his evidence. Pilate sneered at that and said the Jews had brought the accusation. Now Jesus will appeal to this man’s heart. Jesus is dealing with him, man to man.
Pilate was dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe there was someone claiming to be the king of the Jews and that they would have the audacity to bring such a charge. Pilate is out on a limb and wants to get off. He would like to help Jesus. He is inside the court, alone with Jesus; the Jews are waiting outside because of their scruples about contaminating themselves. Pilate would be happy if Jesus would simply say He is not a king and that would get Pilate off the hook. Who is on trial? Pilate or Jesus?
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence [John 18:36].
“My kingdom is not of this world.” The preposition is the Greek ek, meaning “out of.” Literally, He said “My kingdom is out of this world.” He is not saying that His kingdom is not going to be on this earth someday, as He is going to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords and “… the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9). But His kingdom is not going to be of this world system. It will not be a power structure built on politics. It will not come through worldly measures. Jesus will not be elected King by either the Democrats or the Republicans or by the United Nations. It is not going to be built by war and turmoil and hatred and bitterness. Pilate, himself, was a crooked politician who bought his job and was a puppet of Rome. He hated the Jews, but he was afraid to offend them because he might lose his job. But Jesus will not come to His kingdom by political maneuvering. Jesus said, “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” He was offering no resistance. Peter had tried to defend Him, and Jesus had told him to put his sword in the sheath. He is not building His kingdom out of the present political system.
Friend, the church cannot build His kingdom either. The Bible teaches us clearly that in this present age Christ is gathering out a people for His name (see Acts 15:14). These are the ekklesia or the called-out ones, the church. They are called out of the world to live in the world but not of the world. The time will come when the Lord will completely remove the church from the world. Then, when Christ comes in His kingdom, He will establish it!
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice [John 18:37].
Pilate is definitely puzzled at this point. Jesus is still pleading with this man. He tells him that an essential of His kingdom is truth. Listen to Psalm 45:1–4: “… I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness….”
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all [John 18:38].
Was Pilate a cynic? Was he simply puzzled? He stood in the presence of the Lord Jesus who was and is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John tells us later in his gospel that he has written all these things so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Friend, do you ask, “What is truth?” Is He truth to you? Have you faced reality in Him?
Again he took Jesus outside and declared, “I find in him no fault at all!”
But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? [John 18:39].
He was trying desperately to escape making a decision. “Let me release Jesus to you, and that will settle it.”
Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber [John 18:40].
Pilate didn’t dream that these religious rulers would urge the people to demand that Barabbas be released. The contrast between them was too great. The Bible makes it clear that Pilate was assured that Jesus Christ was an innocent man.
“He knew that for envy they had delivered him” (Matt. 27:18).
“… I am innocent of the blood of this just person…” (Matt. 27:24).
“For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy” (Mark 15:10).
“Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them” (Luke 23:20).
“… I have found no cause of death in him …” (Luke 23:22).
“… I find in him no fault at all” (John 18:38).
“… From thenceforth Pilate sought to release him …” (John 19:12).
“… Pilate, when he was determined to let him go” (Acts 3:13).
In spite of all this, Pilate did not have the couraere to release Him.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Death of Jesus at Golgotha; burial in the tomb of Joseph
In this chapter we will see a great miscarriage of justice. Rome was noted throughout the world for its justice. On every Roman official’s desk there was the little figure of the two-faced god, Janus. One face looked forward and the other face looked backward. (It is from this word that we get the name January for the month that looks back to the old year and forward to the new year.) Janus was to remind the judge to look at both sides of the question. Rome ruled the world for nearly one thousand years. When the Romans took over a people, they promised them good roads, law and order, protection, and peace—but life would be under a dictatorship. Rome ruled with an iron hand. In Roman courts the innocent got justice, and the guilty got justice—not mercy, but justice. The interesting thing that makes this such an anomaly is that the trial of Jesus was one of the greatest miscarriages of justice.
DEATH OF JESUS AT GOLGOTHA
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands [John 19:1–3].
If Jesus was innocent, He should have been turned loose. If He was guilty of the charge brought against Him, He should have been crucified. To scourge Jesus was entirely unlawful and wrong. Pilate did it because he thought this would placate the Jews.
The soldiers took this opportunity to have their fun with Him before He was crucified. When it says “they smote him with their hands,” it means they played a cruel Roman game with Him. They could mutilate Him and do anything they wished with Him. All the soldiers would show the prisoner their fists. Then they would blindfold the prisoner and all but one would hit him as hard as they could. Then they would remove the blindfold, and if the prisoner was still conscious he was to guess which soldier did not hit him. Obviously, the prisoner could never guess the right one. They would continue this until they had beaten the prisoner to a pulp. I believe that the Lord Jesus was so mutilated that you would not have recognized Him. “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14).
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! [John 19:4–5].
Now they come outside again. I think that if you had seen Him then, it would have broken your heart. He had been beaten within an inch of His life. Don’t think He looked like the artists picture Him.
“Behold the man!” If you have said only this that Pilate said, you haven’t seen Him at all. He is more than a man. He is the Son of God. He is the Savior of the world. John has written these things so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name.
When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him [John 19:6].
It may have been at this point that Pilate called for the basin of water and washed his hands. The water would clean his hands but could not cleanse the guilt of his heart. The oldest creed of the church states that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer [John 19:7–9].
Pilate is not satisfied, and so he takes Him inside again to question Him.
Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin [John 19:10–11].
There are differences of sin and differences of judgment. Those who delivered Jesus to Pilate had the greater sin because they had more light than Pilate did. However, that does not exonerate Pilate at all. He is guilty.
And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar [John 19:12].
From thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him. Because he believed in Him? No. Because he knew that the Lord Jesus was an innocent man.
Jesus is now in the hands of a cheap politician—not the judge of Roman justice that Pilate should have been. These Jewish religious rulers are prepared to report Pilate to Rome accusing him of permitting subversion. That would be treason, and Pilate doesn’t want such a charge against him. Pilate will let his political position overrule his justice. It is a terrible thing, even today, when government, whether it be church or state government, gets into the hands of men who are hungry for power and do not regard either God or man.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha [John 19:13].
The Pavement was the Lithostrotos. It was the place of Roman justice. Julius Caesar always carried a moveable one with him so that anywhere he went, the Lithostrotos was set up, and there he pronounced his judgments. This Gabbatha is one place in Jerusalem which I think is accurately identifiable. It is about fifteen feet below the present level of the Ecce Homo Street. There is the worn stone which I think may well be the Pavement, the Gabbatha.
And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar [John 19:14–15].
Notice the dignity of the Lord Jesus through all this. Notice that He is not the one on trial. Pilate is forced to a choice. Will it be Jesus Christ or Caesar? The religious leaders are forced to a choice. Will it be Jesus Christ or Caesar? They make their dreadful choice, “We have no king but Caesar.” The day will come in the future when they will have to make another choice. Jesus Christ or the Antichrist? Friend, listen; every man must make his choice about Jesus Christ. He says, “He that is not with me is against me …” (Matt. 12:30). The minute you make a decision against Christ, you make a decision for “Caesar.”
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away [John 19:16].
We speak so often of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that it becomes almost trite for the average believer. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the most dastardly, infamous points in history. Yet, this is our redemption. We need to pause here and look at it from various points of view.
From the standpoint of God, the cross is a propitiation. It is the mercy seat where God can extend mercy to you and to me. It is the place where full satisfaction was made, so that a holy, righteous God can reach down and save sinners. The very throne of God, the place of judgment, is transformed into the place of mercy where you and I can find mercy instead of the judgment we deserve. Jesus Christ bore our guilt, and God is satisfied.
From the standpoint of the Lord Jesus, it is a sacrifice. He is the Savior, and He makes Himself an offering for sin. He is a sweet-smelling savor to God. It is also an act of obedience for Him. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:8 that he became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
From the standpoint of you and me, believers in Christ Jesus, it was a substitution. He took my place and He took your place. He was the sinless One suffering for the sinner. He was the just One suffering for the unjust. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24).
From the standpoint of Satan, it was a triumph and also a defeat. It was a triumph for Satan to bruise the heel of the woman’s seed as had been foretold way back in Genesis 3. It was a defeat because the head of Satan is yet to be crushed: “… that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).
From the standpoint of the world, the cross is nothing but a brutal murder. They see Jesus of Nazareth. They see the man. They see the injustice.
So they led Him away to be crucified. This fulfills Psalm 94:20–21: “Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.”
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst [John 19:17–18].
John does not give us a picture of the Crucifixion. He mentions the place but gives very few details. General Gordon, never satisfied with the spot inside the city walls which is pointed out as Golgotha, decided upon a rocky, skulllike formation outside the city walls, called Gordon’s Calvary, which I believe to be the actual Golgotha.
You will recall that every bit of the sin offering was taken outside the camp into a clean place (see Lev. 4:12). Just as the Lord Jesus fulfilled prophecy concerning Himself, so He also fulfills the types in the Old Testament. Our sin offering, the Lord Jesus Christ, was taken outside the city. The writer to the Hebrews emphasizes the fact that our Lord suffered outside the gate (see Heb. 13:12).
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS [John 19:19].
You will notice that I have made no attempt to harmonize the other gospels with the Gospel of John. They are each different, and each is written for a different purpose. You need to put all four of them together to find the complete statement written on the cross.
This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not. The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
Pilate answered, What I have written I have written [John 19:20–22].
It was written in Hebrew, the language of religion. It was written in Greek, the language of culture and education. It was written in Latin, the language of law and order. Thus, it was written for the whole world to see that He died for all. This is the gospel that is to be preached to the world. This is the hope of the world.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did [John 19:23–24].
“When they had crucified Jesus.” No gospel writer describes the death of Christ. There are things about the cross and the Crucifixion that are hidden from us. God pulls down a veil on many of the details. Darkness covered the land so the people couldn’t see. First of all, God is not going to give us morbid details simply to satisfy our idle curiosity. Secondly, there was a transaction between the Father and the Son taking place there. It was a transaction for the sins of the world, which is beyond our comprehension. The only thing that we can do is to accept by faith the forgiveness that is made ours through Christ’s death on the cross. That is the only way you and I will ever penetrate that darkness, my friend.
Apparently His garment is a peasant’s garment but a good one. Someone had made it for Him. The soldiers cast lots for it—shot dice at the foot of the cross. Although these Romans do not know it, they are fulfilling the Scriptures: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Ps. 22:18).
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple. Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home [John 19:25–27].
Jesus calls Mary, “Woman,” just as He had in John 2 at the wedding at Cana. His hour is come. He is to die, but He will rise again. He is to be glorified. His relationship to His mother is to be severed. To her, as well as to us, He is to be the glorified Christ. His resurrection will clear her name forever. Her reputation will be vindicated. But she must come to Christ in faith just as every other believer comes. While He is dying for the sins of the world, He will not neglect her. We know that Mary will be praying with the disciples in the Upper Room after His resurrection (see Acts 1:14), and after that she drops out of the picture. As long as she lived John would keep her in his home and care for her, as the Lord Jesus asked him to do.
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost [John 19:28–30].
John carefully shows us that Scripture is being fulfilled. There are chapters in the Old Testament which are especially concerned with the Crucifixion. I would list Psalm 22, Genesis 22, Isaiah 53, and Leviticus 16. There are twenty-eight prophecies fulfilled while He was hanging on the cross. “I thirst” is the fulfillment of Psalm 69:21.
“It is finished!” What was finished? Your redemption and my redemption was finished. In His report to the Father He had said, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4).
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced [John 19:31–37].
The first prophecy which John mentions was fulfilled. It says “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken” (Ps. 34:20). The second one still awaits fulfillment. “… they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son …” (Zech. 12:10). He has been pierced! That part has been fulfilled. But Zechariah says that He shall return again, and when He comes, then they shall look upon the One whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him.
BURIAL IN THE TOMB OF JOSEPH
We are dealing with facts, the great historical facts of the gospel. What is the gospel? Paul defines it for us. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). These are the central facts of the gospel. Our salvation is based on our relationship to those facts and to the Person of Jesus Christ. Do you trust Him? Do you have faith in what He did for you when He died on the cross? Do you believe that He died a vicarious, substitutionary, redemptive death for you?
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury [John 19:38–40].
The two men who handle the body of Jesus are both prominent men. Joseph of Arimathaea is a rich man, and Nicodemus is the ruler of the Jews who had come to Jesus by night. They were both secret disciples, but now they come out in the open for the first time. Let’s not be too critical of these men. They had stayed in the background but, now that the Lord’s disciples have all scattered like sheep and gone under cover, these two men come out in the open.
Because the children of Israel had lived in Egypt, some believe that they were the ones who perfected the method of embalming that the Egyptians used. The child of God in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament has always believed that the body will rise again. It is sown in corruption; it will be raised in incorruption. It is sown in weakness; it will be raised in power. It will be a glorified body. For that reason, the child of God has a reverence and a care for the body.
The custom was to use about half the body weight of spices; so we can guess that the Lord Jesus weighed about two hundred pounds. They would prepare the body by rubbing it with myrrh and aloes, then wrapping it with linen strips. That would seal it and keep out the air. They would begin with a finger, then wrap all the fingers that way, then the hand, the arm, and the whole body. In other words, they wrapped the body of the Lord Jesus like a mummy. Now John mentions specifically that they wrapped the body in the linen cloth using the spices, because this is a very important detail for him. You remember that on the Resurrection morning, when John saw the linen lying there and the body not in it, he understood that the Resurrection had taken place, and he believed.
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand [John 19:41–42].
They had to hurry because of the approaching Passover, and apparently they didn’t get the embalming process completely finished. This explains why the women bought more spices and planned to come to care for the body of the Lord after the feast day.
This moves us into the next glorious chapter.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Resurrection of Jesus; appearance to Mary; appearance to the disciples; appearance to Thomas
This is the Resurrection chapter as it is recorded in John’s gospel. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very heart-blood of the Christian faith. It is so important that someone has said, “We cannot make too much of the death of Christ, but we can make too little of the resurrection of Christ.” That is the thing that is happening today. Theology books, hymns of the church, sermons, all devote great sections to the death of Christ. Too often the resurrection of Christ is observed only on Easter. We should note that the sermons in the New Testament, beginning at Pentecost, have the resurrection of Jesus Christ as their theme.
RESURRECTION OF JESUS
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre [John 20:1].
“The first day of the week,” that is, Sunday, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. When was the Sabbath day changed? This question is often asked by folk who believe we should be observing Saturday as the day of rest and worship. It was changed when Jesus Christ arose from the dead. He was dead during the Sabbath day; He became alive on Sunday. From that time on, believers have been gathering together on the first day of the week. The Sabbath day belongs to the old creation. After God had created everything, He rested on the Sabbath day. Now we have come to the new creation in Christ Jesus. Pentecost occurred on Sunday, the first day of the week. It is interesting that John, the last of the gospel writers, emphasizes that it was the first day of the week when Jesus rose from the dead.
It will be helpful to get in our minds the order of events on this morning of the Resurrection. I quote from a footnote in The Scofield Reference Bible, page 1043.
Three women, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, start for the sepulchre, followed by other women bearing spices. The three find the stone rolled away, and Mary Magdalene goes to tell the disciples (Lk. 23:55–24:9; John 20:1–2). Mary, the mother of James and Joses, draws nearer the tomb and sees the angel of the Lord (Mt. 28:2). She goes back to meet the other women following with the spices. Meanwhile Peter and John, warned by Mary Magdalene, arrive, look in, and go away (John 20:3–10). Mary Magdalene returns weeping, sees the two angels and then Jesus (John 20:11–18), and goes as He bade her to tell the disciples. Mary (mother of James and Joses), meanwhile, has met the women with the spices and, returning with them, they see the two angels (Lk. 24:4–5; Mk. 16:5). They also receive the angelic message, and, going to seek the disciples, are met by Jesus (Mt. 28:8–10).
Mary Magdalene was the one from whom the Lord had cast seven demons. Some Bible students think she was the sinful woman who wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair. This is an assumption which cannot be proved. I take it that she was a person of very high caliber. She was eternally grateful to the Lord for healing her. When she saw the body was not there, she immediately ran to tell John and Peter.
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him [John 20:2].
The disciple “whom Jesus loved” is John. He always refers to himself in this way rather than by name. Any of the disciples, except Judas, could have used this title for himself. You can use it for yourself. Jude 21 says, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Keep yourself in the love of God, because you know that He loves you. You can’t keep Him from loving you! It is wonderful to take that position for yourself as John did: “the other disciple, whom Jesus loved.”
We find Simon Peter and John together. Apparently John has taken him in. I wonder if some of the other disciples, when they heard of Peter’s denial, had pushed him to the outside. Thank God, John took him in at a time when Peter desperately needed someone to befriend him. John, the son of thunder, has become the apostle of love. What a wonderful thing that is.
Mary Magdalene was not expecting the Resurrection. Her thought was that someone had stolen away the Lord’s body. Isn’t it interesting that the religious rulers would later accuse the disciples of stealing the Lord’s body, and that Mary’s first thought was that the religious rulers had stolen the Lord’s body? (The religious rulers would have given everything in the world if they could have produced the body on that first Sunday!)
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre [John 20:3–4].
Simon Peter and John were not expecting the Resurrection. They probably thought that Mary didn’t really see well in the dark. She saw the stone rolled away, became frightened, and ran. Or maybe she went to the wrong tomb. So they rush to the cemetery. Friend, you don’t go into a cemetery to look for the living. They were not expecting to find Jesus alive when they rushed to the tomb. They were expecting to find the Lord’s body.
This “other disciple” was John. He was a vounerer man and could outrun Simon Peter. This confirms tradition that John was probably the youngest of the disciples. I am of the opinion that these men represented quite an age span. John may have been in his late teens.
And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in [John 20:5].
What John saw convinced him that Jesus had risen from the dead. He got there first, but because he had a certain amount of reticence and reverence, he didn’t go in. He stooped down to look in through the very small entrance that was hewn out of the stone. He saw the evidence that convinced him. It is amazing how God uses little things like this to bring conviction to the hearts of men. Someone has said, “Great doors swing on little hinges.” John saw the linen cloth lying there, but the body had gone out of it.
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie [John 20:6].
Then here comes Simon Peter puffing and blowing. I tell you, it was hard on him to run. Reticence is not one of his qualities; so he goes right into the sepulchre. He, too, sees the linen clothes and the wrapping that was around His head. Remember that Joseph and Nicodemus had wrapped our Lord’s body in the linen and had sealed it with the myrrh and aloes, which made a sort of glue to seal in the body. How could the body get out of such an encasement without unwinding all that linen?
Jesus Christ came up out of that tomb just like a seed comes out of the soil. Remember He had said that a grain of corn falls to the ground and remains alone unless it dies. Then new corn will grow out of it. But the old shell of the seed is still in the ground. That is what was left in the tomb—just the old shell that He had been in. He was no longer in that shell. He was alive.
Do you remember that when the Lord Jesus raised Lazarus, he came forth from the grave all wrapped in the graveclothes and the Lord had to tell them to loose Lazarus? Lazarus came out in his old body wrapped in the old graveclothes. The body of Lazarus would have to die again. However, Jesus Christ came forth in a glorified body which will never see death. This is the Resurrection!
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed [John 20:7–8].
God carefully records through John another small but important detail. The napkin that was wrapped around His head lay there intact, separate from the linen wound around His body. It was in the shape of the head, lying just as it had been folded around the head. I think this convinced Peter that the Lord had risen. There are three different Greek words used in this passage, and they are all translated as “seeing.” This is unfortunate. In verse 5, when John stooped down, looked in and saw, the word means to perceive and understand. It involves inspection and perceiving. In verse 6, when Peter went in and saw, the word used is theaomai from which we get our word theatre. He viewed it. In verse 8, when John went into the sepulchre and saw, it means to know. He knew and he believed before he ever saw the risen Christ.
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Then the disciples went away again unto their own home [John 20:9–10].
John tells us something strange. These men had not understood even though Jesus had told them repeatedly that He would rise from the dead, and even though the Old Testament spoke of this. Even today we need the New Testament as sort of a flashlight to go back and interpret the Old Testament. I believe that one of the reasons the Old Testament is not popular is because we do not sufficiently use the New Testament to interpret it.
There are a great many of us today who read the Bible but still do not know certain scriptures. I believe there are two reasons for this. One is that we may read a passage many times and each time see things in the passage that we have never seen before. The Holy Spirit gives us further light as we study and read the passages over and over again. Also I believe that we must experience some of the scriptures to understand their meaning. The trials and sufferings and experiences of life explain their meaning to us. For example, when David wrote that the Lord was his Shepherd, he knew from experience the shepherdcare of God.
APPEARANCE TO MARY
Apparently Mary is the first one to whom the Lord appeared. There are eleven appearances before His ascension and threeafter His ascension. I think we can surmise from the text that there are others which were not described.
A proverb can be found for all situations. For those who ask why Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, Proverbs 8:17 says: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” She sought Him and she sought Him early.
But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away [John 20:11–15].
Again we are interested in the fact that she does not know Him. Do you know why? She does not believe that He is back from the dead. Unbelief is blind and unbelief is dumb, as in the case of Zacharias. She loves Him, yes, but love must be coupled with faith. She is weeping because she loves Him but also because she does not believe.
How much is the glorified body changed? I don’t know, but I don’t think the change is so great that this accounts for her lack of recognition of Jesus. I believe that Mary is absolutely single-minded in her grief. Although she sees two angels, this doesn’t seem to draw her attention in any particular way. They ask a question, not because they don’t know the answer, but because they are trying to arouse some evidence of faith in Mary. She is single-minded in her answer. He is still dead, and the probable answer is that the body has been stolen, as Mary reasons it out. She does not expect to see Christ alive; and, in her unbelief, she does not recognize Him.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master [John 20:16].
When He called her by name, she recognized the voice as only He could speak. I am of the opinion that if the Lord should tarry and all of us go through the doorway of death, our bodies will be raised when He calls us by name someday, just as He called by name those whom He raised from the dead over nineteen hundred years ago.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God [John 20:17].
The Lord told Mary not to touch Him. The word touch is haptomai, meaning “to hold on.” Later, He told the disciples to touch Him. Why this difference? He says to her, “for I am not yet ascended to my Father.” This is the reason she should not hold on to Him. So apparently He did ascend to His Father before the appearance to the disciples in the house. I believe that the Lord Jesus presented His blood at the throne of God and that His blood turned the judgment seat into the mercy seat which it is today. That blood was shed for your sin and for my sin. I think the blood will be there throughout all eternity as an eternal testimony of the price He paid for us.
You will notice He was specific in calling God “my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” His relationship to the Father is different from our relationship to Him. We become the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, while Christ is a member of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God. He made this distinction here.
APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you [John 20:18–19].
This group of men had scattered when He was crucified, but now, apparently, had regathered and were hidden away in a room because they were frightened. The doors were shut, which actually means they were locked.
Have you noticed that when the supernatural touches the natural the message is always “Peace” or “Fear not”? His word to them now, when His deity touches their humanity, is “Peace.” This is the peace that comes from being justified by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ, which gives us peace with God.
Here, you see, they knew Him when they saw Him. These men were frightened, of course. He appeared in His glorified body and came into the room even though the doors were locked. We learn from this that the glorified body is not subject to the laws of the material universe. That is why I believe that when the Rapture occurs and our bodies are changed, there will be no problem for us to meet the Lord in the air.
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord [John 20:20].
Notice, that even though He has a glorified body, there are the nail prints and the pierced side. There is a strange similarity to that body which had been nailed to the cross. The scars are there. Now I do not think that there will be scars on our bodies. I think these scars are on His body because they are the scars He bore for us. He was scarred for us so that you and I might be presented without spot or blemish before Him. He took our sin and this will be the evidence of it throughout eternity.
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you [John 20:21].
I do not think the Lord is just repeating Himself. I think this is a different peace here. In verse 19, it was the peace of redemption—peace with God. Redemption is now complete. This is the peace described in Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This is the rest of redemption, the peace of redemption.
There is another peace. It is the peace of those who are in fellowship with God and are doing His will. This is the peace described in Matthew 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Redemption is now accomplished. Now Christ sends them out as the Father had sent Him into the world. He had previously mentioned this in His prayer, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world” (John 17:18).
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [John 20:22].
This period of history is a transition period between law and grace. There is an interval in the life of these men and in the ministry of the Lord Jesus between His death and resurrection and the Day of Pentecost. This is a time unique in the history of the world.
Our Lord had told them about prayer back in Luke 11. He had said that if they would ask, it should be given to them. In verse 13 of that chapter, He says that He is speaking especially of the gift of the Holy Spirit which the heavenly Father would give to them who ask Him. Well, as nearly as we can tell they never asked! In John 14:16 Jesus says, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.” It is true that Simon Peter showed some discernment when he said that Jesus is the Christ, but it was just a few minutes later that he told Jesus not to go to the cross to die. I personally believe that at the moment our Lord breathed on them, and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” these men were regenerated. Before this, they had not been indwelt by the Spirit of God.
This expression “breathed on them” occurs only one other time in the Bible. In Genesis, God breathed into Adam the breath of life. I believe here that Jesus Christ breathed into these men eternal life by giving them the Spirit of God. This would sustain them and secure them for the interval between His ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit would come and they would be baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ. Also they would be indued with power from on high. The church would come into existence on that day. From that time to the present, the Holy Spirit is in the world. He indwells the believer, and He baptizes every believer into the body of Christ.
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained [John 20:23].
This is an important verse which is greatly misunderstood. John Calvin writes: “When Christ enjoins the apostles to forgive sins, He does not convey to them what is peculiar to Himself. It belongs to Him to forgive sins. He only enjoins them in His name to proclaim the forgiveness of sins.”
Nowhere in the Book of Acts or in the Epistles do we find any instance of an apostle remitting the sins of anyone. They do go everywhere, proclaiming the forgiveness of sins. Let me ask the question: What is it that forgives sins? Even God cannot just arbitrarily forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins is only and alone through the blood of Jesus Christ. Back in the Old Testament, the forgiveness of sins was based on the fact that Christ would come and die. God saved “on credit” in the Old Testament until Christ would come and pay the penalty. Today God forgives our sins when we believe that Christ died for them.
How can you and I remit sins? By telling the gospel! This is the greater work which we shall do. When somebody turned and believed on Jesus while He was here on earth, that was wonderful. But what is staggering is when you or I simply give out the Word of God, and someone is born again and becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them” happens when you and I proclaim the gospel of the grace of God. That is the most glorious privilege that there is today, my friend.
We have a responsibility. If we do not preach the gospel to the world, their sins will not be remitted. I think we are reaping the penalty for the years we have not taken the gospel to the world. Because we have neglected our responsibility, our boys die in war. Just think, if all the boys we have lost in war had been willing to lose their lives for Christ and be missionaries, how different the world might be! We have the only thing that will bring forgiveness to the world. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. My friend, what are you doing?
APPEARANCE TO THOMAS
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came [John 20:24].
I can only surmise why Thomas was not there. I think he was a lone wolf and a doubter. He would cast gloom on every situation. I believe the other ten disciples were excitedly talking about Jesus being raised from the dead and Thomas just couldn’t believe it.
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe [John 20:25].
Boy, is he a doubter! He has enough evidence to make him a believer, but he is not. But at least now it appears that he will stay with the other disciples.
My friend, if you are going to grow in grace, you will have to come together with the saints and grow with them. I believe you have to share what you learn from the Word of the Lord. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). We are to come together so we may grow together.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God [John 20:26–28].
The record doesn’t tell us that he ever reached forth his hand to touch Him. He didn’t have to. I know that today there are many people who say, “If only I could see Him, if only I could touch Him, then I would believe.” The problem is not with the lack of available evidence of the death and Resurrection. The problem is in the human heart.
God will meet the honest doubt of a man, but I do not think He deals with dishonest doubts. Many people say they can’t believe the Bible. They claim their problem is intellectual. Friend, most people will not believe the Bible because of moral problems. A man told me just the other day that he couldn’t believe the Old Testament. Later I learned that he is living in adultery. The Old Testament says “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exod. 20:14). He doesn’t want to believe the Old Testament. However, I am confident that God will always meet an honest doubter.
You will never find a higher testimony to the Lord Jesus than the one given by Thomas.It is one of the great confessions of Scripture. For a Jew to say “My Lord and my God” is the absolute climax. This comes from the lips of that doubter, Thomas.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed [John 20:29].
There is a special blessing on us today who believe the evidence for the death and resurrection of Christ.
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name [John 20:30–31].
This is the key to the gospel. The Lord did many things that are not recorded. He healed multitudes. I think John also means that He did many other things after His resurrection which are not recorded. John has been selective in his writing of this gospel. He has chosen the material which he has written because he had a definite purpose in mind.
John did not attempt to write a biography of Jesus Christ. He did not even attempt to fill in the life of Christ in areas not covered by the other gospels. He wrote so that you might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” It is through believing that you receive life and are born again. You become a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Epilogue—Glorification; the resurrected Jesus is still God; Lord of our wills—Directs our service; Lord of our hearts—Motive for service; Lord of our minds—Lack of knowledge no excuse from service
Chapter 21 is an epilogue. I believe that after John had written his gospel, he added the prologue and the epilogue.
There are three incidents in this chapter. There is the fishing experience on the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberias). It shows the Lord Jesus as the Lord of our wills, and He directs our service. The second incident is the breakfast on the seashore. This shows the Lord Jesus as the Lord of our hearts and presents our love for Him as the motive for service. The third incident is Jesus announcing the death of Simon Peter. It shows the Lord Jesus as the Lord of our minds and teaches that lack of knowledge or variation of circumstance is no excuse from service. The entire chapter reveals to us that the resurrected Jesus is still God.
LORD OF OUR WILLS—DIRECTS OUR SERVICE
After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing [John 21:1–3].
This little Sea of Galilee is so much connected with the ministry of our Lord both before and after His resurrection. It is a familiar spot for these men. He had asked them to go up into Galilee and there He would meet them. They have gone there, and they are waiting for Him.
This is an amazing group here. I like to call this the convention of the problem children. Here is Simon Peter, fervent but failing, warm-hearted, yet walking afar off; he is impulsive and impetuous and affectionate. Then here is Thomas, that magnificent skeptic, who has a question mark for a brain; Nathanael, the wisecracker, who was also a doubter at thebeginning; the sons of thunder, James and John; and two others who are not named. Perhaps, since this is a crowd of problem children, they represent you and me.
Many worthy commentators condemn these men for going fishing. Well, the Lord did not rebuke them when He appeared to them. They were at Galilee by His commandment. It was springtime, the Passover season. Warm zephyrs from the south made ripples near the shore and whitecaps out on the sea. The surrounding hills were green, and there were wild flowers in profusion. I saw it like that a few days after Easter several years ago, and I imagine it was even more beautiful nineteen hundred years ago. They may have waited and waited for the Lord Jesus to come. Peter would be the one to become impatient, and after pacing back and forth and after looking up and down the shore, would be the one to say, “I go a-fishing.” And six others joined him.
They fished all night and caught nothing. This may be the only true fish story that has been told! Dr. Scotts calls it the failure of the experts. Now these men fished all night, and they caught nothing. They had been restless before, and now they are restless and frustrated. It’s easy to fish when you catch fish and frustrating when you don’t. They knew how to fish—that’s the way they made their living—but that night of failure was in the plan and purpose of God for them.
Then morning dawned, and it must have been a glorious morning on the Sea of Galilee. On the morning I was there, I just felt like shouting when I thought of this incident.
But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus [John 21:4].
I think this was a normal experience. He was in His glorifed body and He could be recognized; yet they would have been a distance out on the lake, and in the early morning it would be difficult to identify people on the shore.
Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No [John 21:5].
The word for children is almost like saying, “Sirs.” It is not a term of endearment like “Little children” in 1 John. Their answer is a short “No.” It’s amazing how emphatic one can be and how little one likes to talk about failure. They answer Him, but they don’t want to talk about it. If they had caught any fish, they all would have been showing Him how long they were.
This is a question He is bound to ask everyone of us someday: “Did you catch anything? What did you do for men down there on earth?” I hope your answer will not be the same as theirs, “No, we haven’t caught a thing.”
And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes [John 21:6].
The whole thought here is that He directs the lives of His own. He gives the instructions, and they are to be obeyed. When they fish according to His instruction, the net fills. Notice the net does not break even though it is full. The net is strong—as strong as the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, of which they are witnesses.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea [John 21:7].
John has a spiritual perception that Simon Peter doesn’t have. Three years before, Jesus had called them at perhaps the same spot. They had gone back to fishing and the Lord had called them again to fish for the souls of men.
Peter may not have the discernment of John, but have you noticed that at every opportunity he gets close to the Lord? The other men sit in the boat and wait until they get to shore. Not Simon Peter. He can’t wait. He wants to be close to his Lord. This man is a wonderful man.
And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken [John 21:8–11].
This is the last recorded miracle of our Lord, and the only miracle recorded after His resurrection. This is most important because you and I are concerned about the ministry of Christ after His resurrection. Paul says, “… yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Cor. 5:16). We are not joined to the baby in Bethlehem but to a resurrected, living, glorified Christ at God’s right hand. This is why His ministry after His resurrection is so vital for us.
There are several things I would like to call to your attention here. Have you noticed that the Lord uses what people have as the basis for His miracles? The disciples are fishing and catch nothing. The Lord Jesus gives them a harvest of fish. At Cana the water pots were empty. The Lord has the pots filled with water and then changes the water to wine. He asks Moses what he has in his hand. Moses says it is a rod, and with that rod, God performs His miracles for Israel. David is faithful as a shepherd with his shepherd’s crook, and God gives him a sceptre to hold in his hand. It is interesting that whatever is in your hand, God can use. So many people wish they were somewhere else or in some other circumstances. My friend, if God can’t use you right where you are, I don’t think He can use you somewhere else.
Besides, have you ever noticed that what God does He does in abundance? The water pots were full of wine. There were baskets of food left over after the 5,000 had been fed. The nets were filled with fish.
Also, notice that although Jesus had fish laid on a bed of coals for their breakfast on the shore of Galilee, He also asks for some of the fish which they had caught. He accepts their service. When they had fished at His command, He accepts what they bring. What blessed fellowship there is in this kind of service!
There was another time when Peter caught a miraculous number of fish, recorded by Luke. It was in the early days of Jesus’ ministry, and He was calling Peter to be a fisher of men. That time the net broke. I think Peter was to see that many would follow Jesus, but they would not all be believers. The net would break and many fish would swim away. This time the net did not break but was drawn to land, “full of great fishes.” Peter is being called to feed the sheep and feed the lambs. With what? With the Word of God. With the gospel of a risen, glorified Christ. The gospel will not only save, but it will hold. Even in their failures, believers are kept by the power of God through faith.
We see in this incident that Jesus Christ has a purpose for His own. He wants to direct our lives. If we obey, He will bless and have wonderful fellowship with us. He is the Lord of our wills.
LORD OF OUR HEARTS—MOTIVE FOR SERVICE
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead [John 21:12–14].
“Come and dine”—what an invitation! Jesus did say, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (see Mark 16:15), but He would rather you would come and have breakfast with Him before you go. The lovely part is that the resurrected Lord, God Himself, feeds them. If only we would sit today and let Him feed us! He wants to feed His own.
Now we come to the special interview that He had with Simon Peter.
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep [John 21:15–17].
Our Lord takes Simon Peter and calls this faltering, failing, fumbling disciple to service. We learn one all-important lesson from this interview. Love for the Savior is the prerequisite for service.
Three times our Lord interrogates Simon Peter, and three times he responds. Then we find that three times the Lord Jesus Christ gives him his commission.
Why three times? Dr. Godet suggests that the reason lies in the fact that Simon Peter denied Christ three times, and now He makes him affirm his devotion three times. No doubt that is part of the reason, but there is more.
It is quite interesting to note that Simon Peter, with the other disciples, had been called to the ministry—actually had been called into the apostleship—after a miraculous catch of fish. If you will recall the account of this fishing experience back in the Gospels of Mark and Luke you will refresh your mind in the fact that it was after our Lord took over the directing of their fishing that the nets broke—and after that He made them apostles.
Then you will further recall that Simon Peter lost his commission around a little fire of coals that had been built in the courtyard of the palace of the high priest the night Jesus was arrested. Simon Peter went blundering in there to warm his hands and made the fatal mistake of his life. It was there he denied the Lord three times. He should not have gone there, but he did; and when he did, he committed this base denial.
Is it not an interesting thing that now by the Sea of Galilee, around coals of fire, after a miraculous catch of fish, the Lord Jesus restores his commission to him? Here the Lord puts Simon Peter back into service. What a picture of spiritual beauty!
When our Lord asked Peter the question three times, it looks like repetition, but it is not. While there is a similarity in the questions, no two are identical.
The first interrogation: “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter [would that we could read this as our Lord said it that morning!], Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” There are many who express the desire to have had the privilege of being present at certain great occasions in the life of our Lord—when He performed miracles, etc. Candidly, I am not sure that I would want to go back to that day. However, if I could go back and hear Him speak to Simon Peter by the Sea of Galilee, I would go back gladly.
To begin with, He called him Simon. That is interesting—“Simon, son of Jonas.” Why did He call him Simon? You will recall when the Lord Jesus first met this man—Andrew brought him to Jesus. When Jesus beheld him, He said (in effect), “Thou art Simon, son of Jonas, thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpretation is a stone.” Cephas is the Aramaic word for “rock man”; in Greek it is Petros. And that name clung to him. We find that over in Caesarea Philippi, when he gave that marvelous testimony concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and said, “Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69), the Lord Jesus said in effect, “Blessed art thou, Simon [He goes back to his old name], you will be called Peter because you are going to be a rock man from here on. You will be a man who will stand for something, but right now there is still a question.” And so the Lord reminds him of his old name.
There are three words in the Greek language that are translated into the English by the one word love. Perhaps, my friend, you are not aware of the fact that the English language is a beggar for words. We have the one word love and that is about all. You cannot think of another word. Hollywood, today, would give a million dollars for another word. The best they have done is sex and that is pretty low. But the Greek language is a language that is versatile; it is flexible. They have three words for this thing called love.
The first word they have is the word eros. In the use of this word they degraded the meaning of love. The Greeks degraded the word in this use for they personified it. The fact of the matter is they have made “Eros” a god and put together in combination the names Aphrodite and Eros. Today we know these names better as Venus and Cupid. The latter are the Roman names but they are the same, as the Greeks are the ones who started this idea with Aphrodite and Eros. Eros is a word of sensuality and we do believe that the Hollywood word sex, that has really been put into high gear today, would best express what the Greeks had in mind. But this word eros is never used in the Word of God.
There is another Greek word—it is phileoµ, and it means “friendship.” It has to do with the affections and the emotions in human relations at its very best usage. We get our word philanthropic from it, and philadelphia comes from it—Philadelphia, the city of “brotherly love.” And that is a word that is used in Scripture.
But there is yet another word for love. It is agapaoµ. Agapaoµ is actually the highest and noblest word for love. Dr. Vincent in his Word Studies calls it a word of dignity. It is also a divine word, in that it is a word used to speak of the love of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, in His choice of language, passed over the words eros and phileoµ and used the word agapaoµ when He was speaking to Simon Peter. He said, “Do you, Simon Peter, love me with all your heart?”
It is wonderful to have the right doctrine and the right creed, but salvation is a love affair. If you do not love Him, there is no affair. “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” Love is the supreme word.
Candidly, if it had been left to me I would have chosen faith as the supreme word of Christianity. In fact, I would consider faith as the supreme word of any religion. But, of course, Scripture answers that right away: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity [love], these three; but the greatest of these is charity [love]” (1 Cor. 13:13). But I’ll tell you why I would choose faith—it is a greater compliment to be trusted than to be loved. You see, there is many an old rascal today who is being loved by some wonderful girl. Yes, there is. Sometimes it is the other way around also. But, you see, the minute the object proves unworthy, he is no longer trusted. Will you think closely with me for a minute? Simon Peter had failed the Lord. Actually, the Lord could no longer have confidence in him, but He loved him. Oh, how He loved him!
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). While Simon Peter was denying the Lord, the Lord Jesus was on His way to the cross to die for him! Later, Peter wrote in his first epistle, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24).
Now notice that our Lord’s first question to Peter is, “Lovest thou me more than these?”
What He is saying is: “Do you love Me more than these men love Me?” You will recall that the Lord Jesus said, the last time they were in the Upper Room, “One of you will deny Me”—Simon doubtless thought, “Yes, I haven’t trusted this crowd either. But there is one fellow here upon whom You can depend—You can depend on me.” The Lord Jesus said, “Simon, son of Jonas, are you prepared now to say that you love Me more than these other disciples love Me?” That is what He is saying. Now listen to Simon Peter, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.” Here Simon came down and would not use the word agapaoµ; he used the word phileoµ. He says, “You know that I have an affection for You.”
Why did not Simon Peter use the word our Lord uses? If you want my opinion, this man is through boasting. Never again will he brag of what he will do. Never again will you hear him saying, I am going to do something big for the Lord. For here on he is going to do something big, but he is not going to say anything about it. He comes to the low plain: “I have an affection for You.”
Now will you notice the exhortation. Our Lord responds, “Feed my lambs.” Let me give you a better translation: “Be grazing my baby lambs”—the word for lambs is diminutive, which means little baby lambs. “Simon Peter, if you love me I want you to go and graze the little baby lambs; I want you to feed them.” Many Christians seem to think He said, “Be criticizing My little lambs.” But He has not given you that commission, friend. He says feed them.
The second interrogation: Will you notice verse 16, “He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” This time our Lord leaves off “more than these.” The reason I think He does it is that He is saying, “Maybe, Simon Peter, you cannot boast anymore and say that you love Me more than do the other disciples, but can you not now say that you do love Me?” In this He is helping this man, trying to lift him up to a higher plane. But Simon Peter just cannot. And somehow we admire him for it. We are glad that he is not boasting anymore. Instead he is willing to take a lower position. Listen to his affirmation: “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I have an affection for thee.” But he does not attempt to rise higher—he does not dare to do this, for he is afraid to make such a gesture.
The second exhortation: Will you notice this second exhortation, which, incidentally, is ours also. “Feed my sheep.” Actually it is not that at all, but rather, “Shepherd the sheep”—that is the word that is used. We want you to notice something, and this is interesting: He says, “feed” the little baby lambs but “shepherd or discipline” the sheep. In our day we have this truth in reverse; we want to discipline the young—that is our method, and we feel as if we should “teach” the old folk. My friend, that is not His method. We are to feed the lambs, and shepherd or discipline the older sheep. Do you know why? It is because the little lambs follow the sheep, hence the older sheep must be disciplined.
The third interrogation: “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” Christ now adopts the word of Simon Peter when He asks, “Simon Peter, do you really have an affection for me?” Our translation does not show it, but our Lord comes down to the statement of Simon Peter here, and Peter is grieved now.
In the third affirmation—“Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.”
Let us get at the real meaning of this conversation between our Lord and Simon Peter. Peter was grieved, not because the Lord had asked him the question three times, but he was grieved in his heart because the Lord had to come down and stoop to his level in using his word.
But Simon Peter is still not prepared to climb up. He as much as says that the best thing he can do is to say to the Lord that he has an affection for Him and that the Lord knows he has this affection. He is not bragging now for he realizes that the Lord knows his heart—that he has a real affection in his heart for Him.
The third exhortation is “Feed my sheep”—here it has the meaning “be grazing my sheep.” You see, the sheep need feeding also.
Milton suffered the loss of a friend, a young minister, who was drowned in the Irish Channel, in crossing; and Milton wrote a poem entitled “Lycidas,” in which he made this statement: “The hungry sheep look up and are not fed.” In this line he was referring to the pulpit in his day—he might well have been writing of a future day which is ours.
Let me impress it upon your heart that the acid test of any man today, either in pulpit or pew, is “Lovest thou me?”
LORD OF OUR MINDS—LACK OF KNOWLEDGE NO EXCUSE FROM SERVICE
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God [John 21:18–19a].
Jesus is telling Peter that he is to become a martyr. Peter had said he would lay down his life for the Lord Jesus. Well, that is what he will do.
And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? [John 21:19b–21].
Isn’t this just like this fellow, Simon Peter? He says, “Now you have told me what I am going to do; tell me what John is going to do.”
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me [John 21:22].
Our Lord is saying, “Look, Simon Peter, you are going to die for me. What John does is none of your business. Even if he lives until I return, that does not affect what you are to do. You follow Me!”
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true [John 21:23–24].
Here is something interesting. Ignorance, or lack of knowledge, is no excuse for not serving the Lord. Some people say they will not serve the Lord if they cannot get all their questions answered. My friend, there are a lot of things that you won’t know. There are many things that you don’t need to know. There are things that are not your business to know. The important thing is to follow Him.
Jesus did not reveal what would happen to John. He simply said that if it were His will for John not to die, that did not affect Peter’s service or Peter’s obligation to follow Jesus. That is all important for us to see.
Peter wrote in 2 Peter. 1:14: “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.” Tradition says that he was crucified, but that he asked to be crucified with his head down because he was not worthy to be crucified with his head up, as his Lord had been crucified.
My friend, the Lord Jesus Christ must be the Lord of your mind, the Lord of your heart, and the Lord of your will. If He is not the Lord of all, then He cannot be the Lord of your life.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen [John 21:25].
John is not exaggerating when he says the whole world could not hold the books about Him if it all could be written. The Lord Jesus is the One who died on the cross and rose again from the dead. He is the eternal God, our Savior.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Gospel of John. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1925. (Fine exposition.)
Harrison, Everett F. John: The Gospel of Faith. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1962. (A survey.)
Hendriksen, William. Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1954.
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on the Gospel of John. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1942.
Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Gospel of John. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1898.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. Fight in the Darkness: Studies in the Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1975. (Excellent for personal or group study. )
Meyer, F. B. The Gospel of John. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (Devotional.)
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Gospel According to John. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, n.d.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Parables of our Lord. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Pink, Arthur W. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1945. (Comprehensive.)
Robertson, A. T. Epochs in the Life of the Apostle John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1935.
Ryle, J. C. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d. (Good outlines.)
Tenney, Merrill C. John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1948.
Van Ryn, August. Meditations in John. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Vine, W. E. John: His Record of Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1948.
Vos, Howard F. Beginnings in the Life of Christ. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1975. (Excellent, inexpensive survey.)
The
Acts
of the Apostles
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Acts, sometimes called the fifth gospel, is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. Dr. Luke is the writer, as he states in his introduction (v. 1). Sir William Ramsay, after making a critical study of Luke’s writings, declared that Luke was the greatest historian, ancient or modern.
The Book of Acts is remarkable in many ways. It is a bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles. The New Testament without the Book of Acts leaves a great yawning gap. As Dr. Houson puts it, “If the book of Acts were gone, there would be nothing to replace it.” The last recorded fact about Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew is the Resurrection, which is recorded in Acts 1. In the Gospel of Mark, the last recorded act of Jesus is the Ascension, which is also recorded in Acts 1. In the Gospel of Luke, the last recorded fact is the promise of the Holy Spirit. That is also in Acts 1. And in the Gospel of John the last recorded fact is the second coming of Christ. You guessed it—that is also in Acts 1. It is as if the four Gospels had been poured into a funnel, and they all come down into this jug of the first chapter of the Book of Acts. Also the great missionary commission, which appears in all four Gospels, is confirmed in the Book of Acts.
The Book of Acts furnishes a ladder on which to place the Epistles. It would be an enriching experience to read them together, as Acts gives the history of the founding of the churches to which the Epistles are directed.
The Book of Acts records the beginning of the church, the birth of the church. The Book of Genesis records the origin of the physical universe. Acts records the origin of the spiritual body which we designate as the church.
The theme or key to the Book of Acts is found in 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The book divides naturally according to this key verse. The first seven chapters record the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles in Jerusalem. Chapters 8 through 12 record the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles in Judea and Samaria. The remainder of the book is devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The Book of Acts is not complete. It breaks off with Paul in his own hired house in Rome. It has no proper ending. Do you know why? It is because the Book of Acts is a continuing story. Perhaps the Lord has Dr. Luke up there writing the next chapters now. Perhaps he is recording what you and I do for Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. I hope so.
Some special features of the Book of Acts are:
1. Prominence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has left His disciples now. He is gone. He has ascended in the first chapter of the book. But He is still at work! He has just moved His position, His location. He has moved His headquarters. As long as He was here on this earth, His headquarters were in Capernaum. Now His headquarters are at the right hand of the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ is prominent. He is at work from the vantage place of heaven itself.
2. Prominence of the Holy Spirit. Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit. This promise is mentioned in the Gospel of John four times (John 1:33; 7:37–39; 14:16–17; 20:22). The same promise is given in the Book of Acts (Acts 1:8). You and I are living in the age of the Holy Spirit. The great fact of this age is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers.
3. The power of the church. There is a power in the church, and, of course, this is the working of the Spirit of God. That power of the early church is not manifest in churches today. Why? Because the early church operated on a high spiritual level which has not again been attained in any age since then. However, it is the Holy Spirit working through the believer when any service brings honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Prominence of the church, visible and invisible. The church is a new institution. It has come into existence in the Book of Acts.
5. Prominence of places. The book begins at Jerusalem and ends in Rome. Sir William Ramsay checked all the places mentioned by Dr. Luke and found them to be accurate.
6. Prominence of persons. Dr. Luke mentions 110 persons by name, besides the references to multitudes or crowds. I believe that by the end of the first century there were millions of believers in the world. The church had a phenomenal growth in those first two to three hundred years. It certainly has slowed down today, exactly as our Lord said it would.
7. Prominence of the Resurrection. The Resurrection is the center of gospel preaching. In too many churches today, we have one Easter sermon once a year. As a pastor, many times I have featured Easter in August. People would come just to find out what had happened to the preacher. They thought the heat was getting to me. However, in the early church the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the very center and heart of the message, and no sermon was preached without it. The theme of Peter on the Day of Pentecost was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He explained that what was taking place was because Jesus was now in heaven at the right hand of God and had sent His Holy Spirit into the world. It was all due to the Resurrection. You will find that the Resurrection is the very heart of the messages of Paul.
There are a great many people and preachers who like to “ride a hobby.” Some people like to ride the hobby of prophecy; others dwell on the Keswick message or some other facet or phase. Now, if you want to ride a hobby, let me suggest one for you: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the early church, every Sunday was Easter, a day to proclaim the Resurrection. “He is risen!” was proclaimed everywhere (see Matt. 27:64).
8. There is a prominence of Peter in the first section of the book and of Paul in the last section. There is a strange omission of the other apostles. God had good reasons, I am sure, for emphasizing the ministry of these two men.
Also there is a human reason. I believe that Dr. Luke was acquainted with the ministries of these two men. He was an associate of Paul.
Some people hold the idea that there was a disagreement between Peter and Paul. Very candidly, I am of the opinion that Dr. Luke and Peter and Paul got together a great many times and had many talks.
The proper title for this historical book has always been a problem. The Bible which I use is the authorized version and there it is called The Acts of the Apostles. The Codex Vaticanus and the revised versions also call it The Acts of the Apostles. Robert Lee called it The Acts of the Ascended and Glorified Lord. The Bantu title is Words Concerning Deeds.
I would rather think that the key is given to us in the first two verses of the first chapter. On the basis of this, I would venture a title which is a rather long one: The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.
OUTLINE
I. The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles in Jerusalem, Chapters 1–7
A. Preparation for the Coming of the Spirit, Chapter 1
1. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
2. Forty Days Post—Resurrection Ministry of Jesus, Chapter 1:3–8
3. Ascension and Promise of the Return of Jesus, Chapter 1:9–11
4. Waiting for the Spirit, Chapter 1:12–14
5. Appointment of an Apostle, Chapter 1:15–26
B. Day of Pentecost (Bethlehem of the Holy Spirit), Chapter 2
1. Coming of the Holy Spirit, Chapter 2:1–13
2. First Sermon in the Church Age by Peter, Chapter 2:14–47
C. First Miracle of the Church; Peter’s Second Sermon, Chapter 3
1. Healing of Lame Man, Chapter 3:1–11
2. Appealing and Revealing Address of Peter, Chapter 3:12–26
3. Believing Five Thousand Men (Results), Chapter 4:4
D. First Persecution of the Church; Power of the Holy Spirit, Chapter 4
E. Death of Ananias and Sapphira; Second Persecution, Chapter 5
F. Appointment of Deacons; Witness of Stephen, a Deacon, Chapter 6
G. Stephen’s Address and Martyrdom (First Martyr), Chapter 7
II. The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles in Judea and Samaria, Chapters 8–12
A. Conversion of Ethiopian Eunuch (Son of Ham), Chapter 8
B. Conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Son of Shem), Chapter 9
C. Conversion of Cornelius, Roman Centurion (Son ofJapheth), Chapter 10
D. Peter Defends His Ministry; Gospel Goes to Antioch, Chapter 11
E. Death of James; Arrest of Peter, Chapter 12
III. The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles to the Uttermost Part of the Earth, Chapters 13–28
A. First Missionary Journey of Paul, Chapters 13–14
B. Council at Jerusalem, Chapter 15
C. Second Missionary Journey of Paul, Chapters 15:36–16:40
D. Second Missionary Journey (continued) Paul in Thessalonica, Athens, Chapter 17
E. Second Missionary Journey (concluded) Paul in Corinth; Apollos in Ephesus, Chapter 18
F. Third Missionary Journey, Chapters 18:23–21:14 Paul in Ephesus, Chapter 19
G. Third Missionary Journey of Paul (continued), Chapter 20
H. Paul Goes to Jerusalem and Is Arrested, Chapter 21
I. Paul’s Defense before the Mob at Jerusalem, Chapter 22
J. Paul’s Defense before the Sanhedrin, Chapter 23
K. Paul before Felix, Chapter 24
L. Paul before Festus, Chapter 25
M. Paul before Agrippa, Chapter 26
N. Paul Goes to Rome via Storm and Shipwreck, Chapter 27
O. Paul Arrives in Rome, Chapter 28 (Last seen preaching to Gentiles)
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Preparation for the coming of the Spirit
As suggested in the Introduction, in my opinion the proper title for the Book of Acts would be: The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. And the first seven chapters reveal the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles in Jerusalem. The first chapter, which is the preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit, includes a brief introduction; a resumé of the forty-day post-resurrection ministry of Jesus; His ascension and promise of return; then the apostles waiting for the Spirit, and their appointment of an apostle to take the place of Judas.
INTRODUCTION
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen [Acts 1:1–2].
The “former treatise” was Luke’s gospel, which also was directed to Theophilus—whose name means “lover of God.” I totally reject the idea that just any lover of God is intended. Obviously Luke knew a man by the name of Theophilus, and undoubtedly the name was appropriate—a lover of God. Luke’s gospel was “all that Jesus began both to do and teach,” and in the Book of Acts Jesus continues to do and to teach. Today He is still at it, if I may use that expression, and He will continue on with this present program until He takes His own out of the world.
“Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost [Spirit]” makes it clear that just because Jesus was taken up into heaven didn’t mean He ceased doing and teaching. But now, from the vantage place of the right hand of God, He is continuing to work through the Holy Spirit. As in the army where commands pass from one man to another, so the Lord Jesus Christ is working through the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit operates through the apostles and on out to you and to me where we are today. This is a remarkable statement here.
FORTY DAYS POST-RESURRECTION MINISTRY OF JESUS
Dr. Luke uses one of his periodic sentences here, which continues on through verse 4.
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God [Acts 1:3].
He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs after His suffering and death. There are ten recorded appearances of Jesus after His resurrection. His post-resurrection ministry, as revealed in His appearances, has a more important bearing on the lives of Christians today than does the three year ministry recorded in the Gospels. I have a little book entitled The Empty Tomb, which tells of this post-resurrection ministry of the Lord Jesus. Paul stated it this way; “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Cor. 5:16).
You and I do not know Him today as the One who walked on this earth over nineteen hundred years ago. We know Him as the one Man in the glory. He is up there right this moment, and He is real. How often the church loses sight of this fact.
Recently a letter came to me from a person who said he had been a church member all his life. He had gone through all the prescribed rituals, and he thought he was a Christian. Then through hearing the Word of God he learned that he didn’t even know Jesus. The wonderful discovery for him was that not only did Jesus walk on this earth nineteen hundred years ago, but also He is alive today and is sitting at God’s right hand. He came to the living Christ and received Him as Savior and Lord. How wonderful that is! Jesus showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs.
The problem of the unbeliever today is not with the facts but with his own unbelief. The facts are available. I wonder whether anyone doubts that the Battle of Waterloo was an historical event. Very frankly, I believe that Napoleon lived, and I believe that he fought the Battle of Waterloo. But I have very little evidence for it. Actually there is ten thousand times more evidence for the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ than there is for the Battle of Waterloo, and yet there are people today who say they do not believe it. Where is the problem? The problem is in the heart, the unbelieving heart. There is a natural tendency for man to run away from God just as Adam did. Man turns his back upon God today. If you are an unbeliever, the problem is with you. The problem is not in the Word of God. He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs. You can know if you really want to know. The problem is that you don’t want to know. The problem is not in the mind; the problem is in the will.
Let me insert a comment here about the Resurrection. There is a verse which I think has been twisted and distorted. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). How was He lifted up? He was lifted up in the Resurrection, friend, lifted up from the dead. That is the message. Regardless of how much you talk about Jesus or how lovely you say that He is, the message is that He has been lifted up from the dead. He is risen! The reason that more people are not drawn to Christ is that there is not the preaching of a resurrected Christ. How the Book of Acts puts the emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me [Acts 1:4].
That’s the end of the sentence—these first four verses are all one sentence! The apostles are to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Until that event takes place, His command is to wait.
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence [Acts 1:5].
The risen Jesus appeared to the apostles and gave them these instructions. He tells them that something is going to happen to them. They are going to be baptized width the Holy Spirit not many days hence. This baptism of the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father, and Jesus had previously told them about it.
It is very important to point out that this is not talking about water baptism, which is ritual baptism. This is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is real baptism. It is this baptism of the Holy Spirit which places a believer into the body of believers, which we sometimes refer to as the church.
When we get to the second chapter, which tells of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, we will learn that they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Filling was necessary in order that they might serve. The fact that they were filled with the Holy Spirit for service indicates that the other ministries of the Holy Spirit had been performed.
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? [Acts 1:6].
You will find that some of the commentators rebuke the apostles for asking this question—they feel the apostles made a mistake. I believe that the answer the Lord gives them indicates they made no mistake. Their question was a legitimate question, a natural question, and one that our Lord answered as such. He did not rebuke them. He did not call it a foolish question.
The apostles were brought up and schooled in the Old Testament. They had waited for the coming of the Messiah. They understood that the Messiah is the One who will establish the kingdom upon this earth. That was their hope. It is still the hope for this earth. God is not through with this earth. God does not intend to sweep this earth under the rug. Although it is small enough to be swept under His rug, He is not going to do that. God has an eternal purpose for the earth. It was the kingdom of God that they talked about, which involves the re-establishment of the house of David. These were the things He talked about after His resurrection—we see in verse 3 that He spoke of things “pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power [Acts 1:7].
He let them know, at this particular time, that the kingdom would not be established. Rather, He would call out a people to His name, the church. In chapter 15 of Acts, when the apostles met for the first council in Jerusalem, James pointed out this fact: “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:14–18). This is what God is doing today. He is visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people to His name. That is, God is calling out of the world those people who will trust Christ, and the Holy Spirit baptizes them into the body of believers, the church.
So when the apostles asked Jesus whether He would restore the kingdom “at this time,” His answer was that this was not the subject for discussion at that time. Nor is it the subject for discussion today. There are a great many people who say to me, “Don’t you think the Lord will be coming soon?” Well, now, I’ll let you in on something that is confidential between you and me: I do believe that He is coming soon. However, I don’t have any authority to tell you that He is coming soon, because I don’t know. Our Lord said it is not for us to know the times or the seasons. That is not the important part for us.
I do believe in prophecy. However, I think one can overemphasize it. To be built up in the faith you need more than a prophetic study.
Then what is our business today? Notice again that the Lord did not rebuke them. Instead, He showed that He had something else in mind. There is something else for us to do. It is not for us to know the times nor the seasons—the Father has put those in His own power—but here is your commission:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth [Acts 1:8].
This is the commission that still holds for today. This is not given only to a corporate body, to the church as a body; it is not a corporate commission. This is a very personal command to each believer—personally, privately. This was given to these men even before the Holy Spirit had come and formed the church. It is a direct command for you and for me today. It is our business to get the Word of God out to the world. We can’t say that it is up to the church to send missionaries and to give out the gospel, and then sit back and let others do it. The all-important question is whether you are getting out the Word of God. Have you gone to the ends of the earth as a witness to the gospel? Or do you support a missionary or a radio program that does? Are you personally involved? Today there are a great many people who want to talk about the times and seasons of His coming, but they don’t want to get involved in getting out the Word of God. But that is His commission—not only to the apostles—that is His commission to you and me. I am of the opinion that if the Lord should suddenly appear to you or to me right where we are at this moment, He would not talk about the time of His coming, but He would talk about getting out the gospel. He wants people to be saved. This is our commission.
In order to get this gospel out, we need power. That was His promise: “Ye shall receive power.” And we need the leading of the Lord. Although it is our business today to get out the Word of God, there is no power in us, there is no power in the church, but there is power in the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who moves through an individual or through the church or through a radio program. The question is whether we permit Him to do so. “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”
“Ye shall be witnesses unto me.” Our witness is to Christ. He is the center of attraction. “In Jerusalem,” which applied to us means our hometown, there should be a witness to Christ. “All Judaea” is equivalent to our community; “Samaria” represents the other side of the tracks, the folk we don’t associate with. Although we may not meet with these people socially, we are to take the gospel to them. Of course we can’t associate with everybody. We can select our friends as everyone else does. That is part of the freedom which we have. There are folk who wouldn’t want to associate with us. There are lots of folk who wouldn’t want me around; I would crimp their style. But we have both the privilege and the responsibility to get the Word of God out to folk whether or not we associate with them socially.
Finally, this witness to Christ is to go to the uttermost part of the earth. We never should lose sight of the fact that this is the Lord’s intention. He has told us if we love Him to keep His commandments. His command is personal. We can’t pass this off on the crowd, and say “The church is doing it; so I don’t need to get involved.” How much are you involved, friend? What is your witness to Christ?
ASCENSION AND PROMISE OF THE RETURN OF JESUS
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight [Acts 1:9].
The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is an important and significant miracle in the ministry of the Lord. This is especially true for our space age when eyes are turned aloft and we are talking about travel in space. Space travel isn’t really new. The Lord Jesus took off, and He didn’t need a launching pad or a space suit or a missile.
There was a cloud to receive Him. What kind of a cloud was that? Was it a moisture cloud? No, this was the same shekinah glory cloud that had filled the tabernacle. In His high priestly prayer He had prayed: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5). When He was born into this world, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. When He left this earth, He was wrapped in glory clouds. This is the way He returned to the Father’s right hand.
While the apostles are watching all this, two angels appear to them. They look like men, and they have an important message.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven [Acts 1:10–11].
It is the glorified Jesus who went up into heaven. This same Jesus, the glorified Jesus, will return in like manner and to the same place. Zechariah 14:4 tells us: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” He took off at that place, and He will come back to that place.
WAITING FOR THE SPIRIT
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey [Acts 1:12].
“A sabbath day’s journey,” which was less than one mile, kept people pretty much in their location. That was why they would all camp very close to the temple during the feast days when they came to Jerusalem to worship. The Mount of Olives would probably be covered with people camping out, possibly several hundred thousand of them at the time of the feasts. Why? Because they needed to stay within a Sabbath Day’s journey of the temple.
And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren [Acts 1:13–14].
I rejoice that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there. Her reputation has now been cleared. At this point it was obvious that Jesus was the Son of God, and virgin born, as she had claimed.
The attitude of the apostles and the other believers was that of oneness, of prayer, and of waiting.
There is no way that we can duplicate this period today. Remember that this is in a time period, a time capsule, between His ascension into heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit. You and I do not live in that time period. It cannot be duplicated. We are not waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit; He came over nineteen hundred years ago.
APPOINTMENT OF AN APOSTLE
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out [Acts 1:15–18].
Here is Simon Peter speaking up again. Note that this is before the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. This man needs the filling of the Holy Spirit—and so do you and I.
He certainly gives a vivid picture of Judas, doesn’t he?
If you are bothered by a seeming discrepancy here and with Matthew 27:5, the following quotation from Unger’s Bible Dictionary by Merrill F. Unger (pp. 615–616) will be helpful to you.
NOTE.—Between these two passages (Matt. 27:5; Acts 1:16–25) there appears at first sight a discrepancy. In Matthew it is stated “He cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.” In Acts (ch. 1) another account is given. There it is stated: (1) That instead of throwing the money into the temple he bought a field with it. (2) That instead of hanging himself, “falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” (3) That for this reason, and not because the priests had bought it with the price of blood, the field was called “Aceldama.” The fact would seem to be that Judas hanged himself, probably with his girdle, which either broke or became untied, and threw him heavily forward upon the jagged rocks below, thus inflicting the wound mentioned by Peter in the Acts. The apparent discrepancy in the two accounts as to the disposition of the money may be thus explained: “It was not lawful to take into the temple treasury, for the purchase of sacred things, money that had been unlawfully gained. In such case the Jewish law provided that the money was to be restored to the donor, and, if he insisted on giving it that he should be induced to spend it for something for the public weal. By a fiction of law the money was still considered to be Judas’s, and to have been applied by him in the purchase of the well-known ‘potter’s field’” (Edersheim, Life of Jesus, ii, 575).
And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take [Acts 1:19–20].
There is always a question about what happened here. Should Simon Peter have held this election to choose a man to take the place of Judas? I don’t think so.
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection [Acts 1:21–22].
I believe that the election to choose a successor to Judas Iscariot was conducted by Peter without the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. Matthias was evidently a good man. He met the requirements of an apostle, which meant he must have seen the resurrected Christ, as that was a necessary requirement.
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles [Acts 1:23–26].
I can’t see that this was the leading of the Holy Spirit, nor that it was God’s leading in the casting of lots. Is Matthias actually the one who took the place of Judas? I don’t think so. I believe that, in His own time, the Lord Jesus himself appointed one to take the place of Judas Iscariot. We don’t hear another word about Matthias—nothing is recorded of his ministry. I think the Holy Spirit ignored Matthias. It is my conviction that the man the Lord chose was Paul. You may ask, “Do you have an authority for that statement?” Yes. Listen to Paul as he writes to the Galatian believers: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)” (Gal. 1:1). Paul is saying that he was chosen by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. How did He do it? Through the Holy Spirit whom He had sent into the world. The ministry of Paul certainly justifies the fact that he was the one to take Judas’ place. Of course I realize that the majority of good Bible commentators disagree with me, but I am just passing on to you my own conviction.
It is remarkable, and I want to mention again how Acts 1 brings the four Gospels to a focal point. Matthew concludes with the Resurrection, Mark with the Ascension, Luke with the promise of the Holy Spirit, and John with the promise of the Second Coming. Acts 1 brings all four records together and mentions each of them. The four Gospels funnel into Acts, and Acts is the bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The Day of Pentecost
We can divide this chapter into two sections. The coming of the Holy Spirit is recorded in verses 1–13. The first sermon in the church age, given by the apostle Peter, is recorded in verses 14–47.
COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place [Acts 2:1].
The words fully come could be translated “fulfilled.” When the Day of Pentecost was being fulfilled, they were all together in one place.
Pentecost took place fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits. You may remember in our study in Leviticus that we found that the Feast of Firstfruits speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ is the firstfruits—“… Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23).
The Passover speaks of the death of Jesus Christ, we learn from 1 Corinthians 5:7: “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Since the Passover has been fulfilled in the death of Christ, and the Feast of Firstfruits has been fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ, we believe that the Feast of Pentecost represents something—that is, it is the fulfillment of something. Its fulfillment is the birth of the church, the day the church came into existence.
When the Day of Pentecost “was being fulfilled,” or “was fully come,” means that this was the fulfillment of the meaning and the purpose for which it was given originally. On Pentecost there was to be a meal offering to the Lord, which was to be presented in two loaves of fine flour baked with leaven (Lev. 23). This was to depict the beginning and origin of the church. It spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit in the very particular ministry of calling a people out of this world to form the body of Christ, which is the church. Five minutes before the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost there was no church. Five minutes after the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost there was a church. In other words, what Bethlehem was to the birth of Christ, Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost was to the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit became incarnate. He began to baptize believers, which means that the Holy Spirit identified them with Christ as His body here on this earth. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).
The Holy Spirit began to perform a ministry on the Day of Pentecost. The Day of Pentecost was fulfilled on that day. When the Day of Pentecost “was fully come” does not mean it was 12:00 noon or 7:00 in the morning or 2:00 in the afternoon. It means that Pentecost, which Israel had been celebrating for many generations, was fulfilled.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting [Acts 2:2].
Now I wish to call your attention to something that is very important. When the Holy Spirit came, He was not visible. However, He made His presence known in two ways. There was an appeal to two of the gates through which all mankind gets his information: the ear-gate and the eye-gate. We hear and we see. The Holy Spirit used both these gates. Through the ear-gate they heard a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. This sound filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Notice that it was not a wind; it was the sound as of a wind. It wasn’t like the sound of the wind blowing through the treetops. It sounded like a tornado, and I believe that all of Jerusalem could hear it. A friend of my daughter lives in Kansas and went through the experience of a tornado. It did not destroy their home but came within two blocks of it. When she wrote about it to my daughter, she said, “The first thing we noticed was a sound like a thousand freight trains coming into town.” Friend, that was a rushing, mighty wind, and that was the sound. It was that kind of sound that they heard on the Day of Pentecost.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them [Acts 2:3].
Again, I would call your attention to this. The tongues were like as of fire. It was not fire, but it looked like fire. This verse would be better translated, “There appeared unto them tongues parting asunder.” That is, the tongues were like as a fire and it rested upon each of them. This was the appeal to the eye-gate. So on that Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to the church, baptizing them into the body of Christ, there was an appeal to the ear and an appeal to the eye.
This is not to be confused with the baptism of fire. The baptism of fire is judgment which is yet to come. In the Book of Revelation we see the wrath of God revealed from heaven, fire from heaven. That is a baptism of fire. If men will not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, then they must have the baptism of fire—judgment. The baptism of fire is for those who have rejected Jesus Christ.
I used to go to a prayer meeting which a wonderful preacher attended. I loved that dear brother, although his theology differed from mine in some points. He would always pray that fire would fall on us. And I always canceled out that prayer and said, “Lord, for goodness sake, don’t let fire fall on us.” Fire, you see, is judgment. Fire burns. That is yet to come. When the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost they saw something that in appearance looked like fire.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance [Acts 2:4].
This verse says they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Someone may question the fact that I have been saying they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Were they? Yes. The Lord Jesus told them they would be. “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4–5). The very fact that they were filled with the Holy Spirit indicates that all the other ministries of the Holy Spirit to believers in this age had already been performed. They occurred in this order: First, they were regenerated. A man must be born again. “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Secondly, they were indwelt by the Spirit of God. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). Thirdly, they were sealed by the Holy Spirit into an eternal relationship with God. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:13–14). And again, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). It is possible to grieve the Spirit of God, but it is not possible to grieve Him away. He seals the believer unto the day of redemption. We are never told to ask for the sealing of the Holy Spirit. It is something which God does “after that ye believed,” which is better translated “having believed.” Faith in Jesus Christ gives us the sealing of the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption.
Fourthly, they were baptized of the Holy Spirit. This was foretold by John the Baptist (Luke 3:16) and repeated by the Lord Jesus: “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). The baptism took place, which placed them in the body of believers. It marked the beginning of the church. Ever since that day every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is placed into the body of Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).
Now when the filling of the Holy Spirit took place on the Day of Pentecost, it indicated that the other four ministries of the Holy Spirit had been accomplished. “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” The filling of the Spirit was for service. The experience of the Day of Pentecost came from the filling of the Holy Spirit (not the baptism of the Holy Spirit). It is still the same today. The filling of the Holy Spirit is for service. This is the only work of the Holy Spirit that we are to do anything about—we are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Notice that before Pentecost the believers wanted this filling of the Spirit. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication …” (Acts 1:14). What would their supplication be about? About the promise of the Lord Jesus that He would send His Holy Spirit to them.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a command given to us. It is not an experience. It is an act of God whereby the believer in Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Spirit of God, sealed unto the day of redemption, and placed into the church, the body of Christ, by the baptism of the Spirit. The filling of the Spirit of God is the enablement for service. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit.
After they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (v. 4). These “other tongues” are not unknown tongues. There were many tongues spoken by Jews throughout the Roman Empire. These worshipers had come from the different areas of the Roman Empire for the Feast of Pentecost. Remember that all male Jews were required to come to Jerusalem for three of the feasts. They were in Jerusalem because of that, and many of them couldn’t speak Hebrew.
That is not unusual. There are many Jews in our country today who cannot speak Hebrew. For years it was a dead language. In Israel today, Hebrew is being spoken again.
Now, my friend, the Day of Pentecost cannot be duplicated. It was a precise point in history. We cannot duplicate it any more than we can duplicate Bethlehem and the birth of Christ at Christmas.
Suppose the wise men had come back to Jerusalem again the next year and had said, “Say, we’re looking for the King of the Jews who is born in Bethlehem.” Suppose Herod would have said, “Weren’t you fellows here last year?” “Yes.” “Well, did you find Him?” “Yes.” “Well, if He was born in Bethlehem last year, He isn’t born there again this year.” “Oh, but we had such a wonderful experience here last year, we thought we’d come back and do it all over again.” Of course, Herod would have answered, “Look, fellows, you can’t duplicate that. He was born in Bethlehem only once.”
Just so, friend, you cannot duplicate Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost. You don’t have to beg Him to come or urge Him to come. He is here. The Spirit of God is in the world today. Jesus told us what He would do after He came: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:14). We know He is here when He takes the things of Christ and shows them to us. And when we are talking about the things of Christ, the Spirit of God has something that He can work with.
“As the Spirit gave them utterance.” These apostles were from Galilee. They couldn’t speak all these other languages. But they are speaking them now. The Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven [Acts 2:5].
They had come from everywhere because of the Feast of Pentecost. This was their reason for being in Jerusalem.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language [Acts 2:6].
A better translation of “when this was noised abroad” is “when this sound having taken place.” Because of the sound as of a mighty rushing wind, a multitude came together. I shall never forget here in Pasadena, where I live, the first time we heard a jet plane break the sound barrier. We were all out in our front yards wanting to know where the sound had come from. We had never heard anything like it before. The sound the people of Jerusalem heard had never been heard before; so they came rushing toward it—which may have been to the temple area. Probably all 120 believers were there (Acts 1:15).
The people who rushed there were confounded because every man heard—in the Greek the imperfect tense is used, so that it should read, “every man was hearing”—them speak in his own dialect. It was not only that the language of their country was spoken, but each man heard his own dialect as it was spoken in his area of the country.
These men were not talking gibberish. They were not talking in unknown tongues. These men were speaking the dialects of the people in the multitude.
Now there is another aspect which I must mention. Some Bible scholars believe that what is meant here is that the apostles were not speaking in other languages at all, but were speaking in their own Galilean dialect, and the miracle was in the hearing, because it says that every man heard them speak in his own dialect. Was the miracle that broke down the language barrier in the speaking or in the hearing?
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Modes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God [Acts 2:7–11].
Here were people from three continents. Certainly they were of diverse languages and dialects. They each heard these Galileans speak in an understandable dialect. May I say, these were not unknown tongues. They were languages that were understood.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another. What meaneth this? [Acts 2:12].
They were amazed—perplexed would be a better word. They didn’t understand what was taking place.
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine [Acts 2:13].
The literal translation is sweet wine, and I understand that is a little more intoxicating. They thought these men were drunk.
Remember that Paul writes: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Have you noticed that a drunk man seems to have more power? He certainly is more talkative. Perhaps many of us today need the filling of the Spirit to make us talkative—not to speak in an unknown tongue, but power to speak the gospel to others. That is the kind of tongues movement we need today. And by the way, we need a tongues movement of giving the gospel in the language that the man can understand. That is all important.
What a day Pentecost was! It was the day the Holy Spirit came to call out a body of believers to form the church. The day before Pentecost there was no church. The day after Pentecost there was a church. Just as the Feast of Pentecost in the Old Testament followed fifty days after the Feast of the Firstfruits, so fifty days after the Lord Jesus arose from the dead the Holy Spirit came to call out a body of believers.
Now Simon Peter is going to stand up and answer the mocking taunt that they are full of new wine.
FIRST SERMON IN THE CHURCH AGE, DELIVERED BY PETER
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day [Acts 2:14–15].
Now I think that we need to recognize who the congregation was. These were men of Judea and all that dwell at Jerusalem. In that day Jerusalem was entirely a Jewish city. Pilate and his people had their headquarters in Caesarea, not in Jerusalem. This early church was 100 percent Jewish. It was made up of Israelites. We need to recognize that. The church began in Jerusalem, then moved out to Judea, then Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. This has been the movement of the church from that day to this. In the Old Testament it was to Jerusalem that the world was to come for worship. Now they are commanded to leave Jerusalem and to take this message to the ends of the earth.
Peter replies to their mockery and ridicule by saying, “This could not be drunkenness, because look at the time of day it is!” This was not an hour when people in that day were drunk. He is talking to the cynic.
Now Peter quotes to them from their own Scripture.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel [Acts 2:16].
He uses this prophecy as an answer to the cynical, the unbeliever, the mocker. This is his purpose for quoting it. He says, “This is that,” which is, this is similar to or this is like that. He does not say that this is the fulfillment of that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. He is saying, “Why do you think this is something odd or something strange? We have prophecy that says these things are going to come to pass.” Peter goes on to quote the prophecy from Joel. I’m glad Simon Peter quoted as much as he did, because he makes it obvious that he was not attempting to say this was fulfilled. Now what is it that is to come?
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved [Acts 2:17–21].
I don’t think that anyone would claim that on the Day of Pentecost the moon was turned to blood or that the sun was turned to darkness. When Christ was crucified, there was darkness for three hours, but not on the Day of Pentecost. Nor were there wonders of heaven above and signs in the earth beneath. Nor was there blood and fire and a vapor of smoke. Simon Peter quotes this passage to these mockers to show them that the pouring out of the Spirit of God should not be strange to them. Joel had predicted it, and it is going to come to pass.
My friend, Joel 2:28–32 has not been fulfilled to this day. If we turn back to the Book of Joel, we will find that he had a great deal to say about the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord will begin with the Great Tribulation Period. It will go on through the Millennium. In three chapters of the Book of Joel the Day of the Lord is mentioned five times. Joel talks about the fact that it is a time of war, a time of judgment upon the earth. That has not yet been fulfilled. It was not fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.
If we could only see that all Simon Peter is saying in his introduction is, “Now look, this is not strange or contrary. The day is coming when this will be fulfilled. And today we are seeing something similar to it.” Now after his introduction, he will move on to his text. Remember he is speaking to men who knew the Old Testament. Don’t try to read nineteen hundred years of church history into this. This is just the beginning of the church on the Day of Pentecost. This is the inception of the church. Obviously he is speaking to the Jews—“Ye men of Israel.” He doesn’t say, “Ye men of Southern California.” He is talking to Israelites. Now he is getting down to the nitty gritty. Now he is getting to his subject.
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know [Acts 2:22].
Now I personally think that miracles and wonders and signs were all different. I believe that miracles were performed for one purpose, wonders for another purpose, and signs for another purpose. Jesus did certain things that were to be signs. Some miracles of healing were performed to prove who He was. And wonders were performed to get the attention of His hearers. These were the three areas in which our Lord moved.
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it [Acts 2:23–24].
Peter is saying that what has happened was not contrary to God’s program. This is not something that took God by surprise. However, he makes it clear that this does not release men from their responsibility. Who is responsible for the crucifixion of Christ? The religious rulers were the ones who began the movement. I would say that they were largely to blame. They moved upon the multitude so that they produced mob action. They also maneuvered the Roman government to execute Him. Remember, friend, He was crucified on a Roman cross. Peter is pointing his finger at his fellow Israelites.
But there is no use in our arguing about who was responsible for His death back at that time. I’ll tell you who is responsible for His death. You are responsible, and I am responsible. It was for my sins and for your sins that He died. Listen to the words of Jesus: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17–18).
Peter is speaking to men who were directly involved in the plot of the Crucifixion, and he says, “Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”
However, that is not the most important part of his message. He goes on, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death.” He preaches the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the first sermon ever preached in the church age. This is the beginning. This is the Day of Pentecost. What is his theme? It is not the prophecy of Joel, my friend. It is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s not try to change his subject! Now he is going to quote his text. He quotes from Psalm 16:8–10. I am glad he did that because this helps me to understand Psalm 16.
For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption [Acts 2:25–27].
The word hell should be “sheol.” In that day it was sheol.
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance [Acts 2:28].
In Psalm 16 David is talking about the resurrection of Christ. This has now been fulfilled. The interpretation of this psalm is given by Simon Peter, who is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day [Acts 2:29].
Apparently Peter was standing in the temple area. He could point his finger to the sepulchre of David. I have stood in that temple area and I could point my finger up to the top of Mount Zion where David is buried. He is saying, “It is obvious that David wasn’t speaking about himself because his bones are right up there on the top of the hill. His grave is there; his body did undergo corruption. He is not speaking of himself but of Someone whom you and I know, Someone who did not see corruption but was raised from the dead.”
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption [Acts 2:30–31].
This is what David was talking about in Psalm 16. He was speaking of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You may say, “But I read Psalm 16 and it doesn’t say that Jesus Christ will rise from the dead.” My friend, here in Acts 2 we have the Holy Spirit’s interpretation of this psalm. Now we can go back and read the psalm, knowing that it refers to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
What is Simon Peter talking about? His sermon is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first sermon ever preached in the church age was an Easter sermon. And every sermon in the early church was an Easter sermon.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses [Acts 2:32].
Now Peter is saying to the crowd there that day, “This that you have seen—that is, the miracle of hearing their own languages spoken by Galileans—has taken place because Jesus was raised from the dead.”
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool [Acts 2:33–35].
Old Testament saints didn’t go to heaven. If any of them had been up in heaven, David would have been there. David did not ascend into heaven. You see, the Old Testament saints are going to be raised to live down on this earth someday. It is the church that will be taken to the New Jerusalem. It is said of the believers today when they die that they are absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8)
Now he quotes Psalm 110:1. He is showing them that Jesus is up yonder at the right hand of God. He will be there until He comes back to establish His kingdom. But while He is at the right hand of God, He is still working in the world.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ [Acts 2:36].
He is preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ—that Christ died for their sins, but He rose again.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [Acts 2:37].
The message of Simon Peter brought conviction to them.
Then Peter said unto them. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost [Acts 2:38].
This is for a people who had the Word of God, who had heard the message, who knew the prophecies. They had been going along in one direction, which was away from God, even though they had a God-given religion. They are told to repent. They are to turn around and come God’s way.
Peter says to them, “Repent, and be baptized.” Water baptism would be the evidence that they had repented, that they had come to Christ and had put their trust in Him.
Peter says to them, “Be baptized … in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. This will be an evidence that you have trusted Him for the remission of your sins—rather than bringing a sacrifice to be offered in the temple.” You see, their baptism would be a testimony to the fact that Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
“And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Anyone who believes, who puts his trust in Jesus Christ, will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call [Acts 2:39].
Nineteen hundred years ago you and I were “afar off.” He is talking about us here.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation [Acts 2:40].
In other words, “Get away from this religion. Turn to Christ.”
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls [Acts 2:41].
This is not some preacher’s count. These were genuinely born again believers. Here is one place where the figure on the number of converts is absolutely accurate.
THE CHURCH WHICH HAS COME INTO EXISTENCE
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers [Acts 2:42].
I have a little booklet called the Spiritual Fingerprints of the Visible Church. How can you identify a real church? Notice the four marks of identification. First, They continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. The mark of a church is not the height of the steeple nor the sound of the bell. It is not whether the pulpit is stationed in the middle or the chancel is divided. The important issue is whether or not they hold to the apostles’ doctrine. Correct doctrine was one of the fingerprints of the visible church. Secondly, fellowship. They were sharing the things of Christ. The third, breaking of bread. Breaking of bread is more than just going through the ritual of the Lord’s Supper. It means being brought into a fellowship and a relationship with Christ. The fourth, prayers. I’m afraid in the average church today it is a little fingerprint. That is, prayer is the evident weakness of the church. Actually, the greatest asset of any church is prayer.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles [Acts 2:43].
It was the apostles who had the sign gifts.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved [Acts 2:44–47].
Never has the church been as spiritually strong as it was at that time. This type of living would never work today because we have too many carnal Christians. And, notice, it was the Lord who did the adding to the church.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: First miracle of the church; Peter’s second sermon
We are still in the first division of the Book of Acts which shows the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles in Jerusalem. We have seen the birthday of the church on the Day of Pentecost, a day which can never be repeated. There was a church because the Holy Spirit had become incarnate in believers. He was indwelling the believers, and He filled them with His love, power, and blessing for service.
Just as you and I cannot repeat Bethlehem, neither can we repeat Pentecost. But we do need the power of the Holy Spirit today. Thank God, He is in the world, convicting the world, restraining evil in the world. We don’t have to seek Him; He is indwelling all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this third chapter we will find the healing of the lame man, verses 1–11. The appealing and revealing address of Peter is in verses 12–26. The result was five thousand men who believed!
HEALING OF LAME MAN
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour [Acts 3:1].
This apparently was the time of the evening sacrifice when a priest went in to offer incense with his prayers. We find in the first chapter of Luke that this was the service Zacharias was performing when he went to minister before the golden altar and the angel appeared to him. That golden altar, the altar of incense, speaks of prayer. This was the time of prayer. There would be a great company in the temple area praying at this time.
And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple [Acts 3:2].
This man had been born lame. He was brought every day and was put there at the gate of the temple. What a contrast he was to the gate which is called Beautiful. Here was a beautiful gate, and here was a man who was marred. Man can make beautiful things, but man cannot improve himself. Of course, man can do some trimming on the outside. He can cut his hair, have his fingernails manicured, take a bath now and then, and use some deodorant, but man can never change that old nature which he has. This is the contrast we have here—a beautiful gate of the temple and a man lame from his mother’s womb.
He was there to beg for alms. This was the way he lived, of course.
Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms [Acts 3:3].
This shows us that after the Day of Pentecost, Peter and John still went up to the temple to pray. All the believers there in Jerusalem were Israelites or proselytes, and they continued to go to the temple to pray. The poor beggar saw Peter and John, and he hoped that they would be able to give him something.
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them [Acts 3:4–5].
When these two men gave him this much attention, the beggar looked at them with the certainty that they would give him something.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk [Acts 3:6].
An incident is told of one of the early saints of the church in Rome who walked in on the pope as he was counting money. Realizing that he had walked in on something which was private, he started to walk out. The pope said to him, “No longer can the church say ‘Silver and gold have I none.”’ As the saintly man continued walking out, he said, “Neither can the church say to the impotent man, ‘Rise up and walk.”’
Today the organized church has wealth. I suppose that if one could put together all the holdings of all the churches, all groups, denominations, and non-denominations across the country, we would find the church wealthier than any other organization. I think it is wealthier than the Standard Oil Company. Yet the church today lacks power.
Now notice what Peter does.
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength [Acts 3:7].
Remember that Dr. Luke wrote this book. You will notice that when Dr. Luke records a miracle, he gives a great many details which we don’t find in some other books. He tells specifically what happened. The weakness had been in the feet and ankle bones of this man.
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God [Acts 3:8].
Friend, don’t miss this word leaping. It occurs twice in this verse.
This is a very interesting chapter. We will find that Peter is going to offer the kingdom to the nation again because at this time the church is 100 percent Israelite. There are no Gentiles from the outside. The church began with the Jews in Jerusalem. Later, it will go to the ends of the earth. But this, now, is the Jerusalem period.
Don’t try to tell me this is another dispensation. We have hyperdispensationalists today who call this another dispensation. It is not different at all. But it is a period of transition. The Lord had said they were to begin at Jerusalem. They were not to begin by going out to the ends of the earth.
Now the kingdom is being offered to Israel again. This will be the final opportunity. What will be some of the identifying marks of the kingdom? Well, one is that the lame shall leap! “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Isa. 35:6).
Every instructed Israelite going up to the temple that day marveled at this lame man leaping. They knew this could actually be the beginning of the kingdom. The Messiah had been crucified, raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and seated at God’s right hand. If they would receive Him, He would come again.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him [Acts 3:9–10].
They saw him. They recognized the man. They caught the significance of this miracle. I’m afraid there are a great many today who haven’t caught the significance of this record which Dr. Luke has given us.
And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering [Acts 3:11].
Is this to be the beginning of the kingdom? Great things had happened in Jerusalem during the past few weeks. They had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, His resurrection, His ascension, and the Day of Pentecost. They are amazed. What is really taking place?
THE APPEALING AND REVEALING ADDRESS OF PETER
And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people. Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? [Acts 3:12].
He doesn’t say, “Ye men of the United States.” He is talking to the men of Israel. This is the Jerusalem period, friend. This is the transition period. The church has not yet moved out to other areas. No one in Rome has heard yet. No one in America has heard. No one in England has heard. This is in Jerusalem.
May I say something kindly? Folk reading the Bible should bring to it the same common sense they use in reading other books. This is God’s Book. But it is not some “way out yonder” type of book. It deals with us right where we are, and it communicates so we can understand it.
Peter is very careful to tell them that this miracle was not done in his own power. He is going to direct this Jewish audience back to the Old Testament. He is going to tell them that if they will turn to God, these prophecies can be fulfilled.
Listen to some of the prophecies which these Jewish people knew. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). This would be fulfilled if they would turn to Him. It was not fulfilled because the nation did not accept the Lord Jesus at that time. They did not repent and turn to Him. Peter will invite them to turn to the Lord Jesus. They will refuse. The time is still to come when this will be fulfilled. Also Ezekiel spoke of the kingdom: “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezek. 36:27–28). Notice the twelfth chapter of Isaiah, a remarkable chapter—only six verses—that speaks of the worship during the time of the kingdom: “And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation” (Isa. 12:1–2). Also, as we have mentioned, Isaiah 35:6 told of the lame man leaping as an hart. “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa. 35:10). They should have seen that this lame man was a miniature, a picture of the whole nation. If they would but turn to God, all these promises would be fulfilled.
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses [Acts 3:13–15].
Here he goes again. Simon Peter will never preach a sermon without the mention of the Resurrection. Paul won’t either. Unfortunately, today there are many sermons preached without a mention of the Resurrection.
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all [Acts 3:16].
In essence Peter is saying, “Don’t you see that man leaping there? That is what they will do in the kingdom. The question is whether or not you want the Messiah to come back. Do you want to receive Him?”
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled [Acts 3:17–18].
Their past deeds call for a course of action. That action is repentance and conversion. This was not a new message to them. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa. 43:25). Listen to Peter’s message:
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you [Acts 3:19–20].
If they had accepted Jesus, would He have returned to the earth? The answer, of course, is yes. Peter says He would have. Then what would have been God’s program after that? I’ll tell you something today that will be a secret just between you and me: I don’t know what would have happened. Does that come as a surprise to you? Well, I have news for you. No one else knows either—no one except God. We can ask innumerable “if” questions to which there are no answers. All I know is that the nation did not accept Jesus Christ. That is the only answer I know to the “if” question. Any other answer would be only the wildest speculation.
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began [Acts 3:20–21].
Some folk use this verse to bolster their belief that eventually everything and every person will be saved. “The restitution of all things” is the phrase they use. Exactly what are the “all things” which are to be the subject of restitution? In Phillippians 3:8 when Paul said, “… I count all things but loss …” did he mean all things in God’s universe? Obviously not. So here, the “all things” are limited by what follows. “The times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” The prophets had spoken of the restoration of Israel. Nowhere is there a prophecy of the conversion and restoration of the wicked dead.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people [Acts 3:22–23].
The nation of Israel was on the verge of a great judgment. In a.d. 70 Titus, the Roman general, came with his army and destroyed the city. It is estimated that over a million people perished, and the rest were sold into slavery throughout the Roman Empire. Judgment did come upon these people.
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities [Acts 3:24–26].
This is a transition period. They were given their final chance to accept the Messiah. Because they turned down their opportunity to accept the Messiah, later on Paul will come on the scene as the apostle to the Gentiles. What might have happened if they had turned to God is merely speculation. They did not turn to Him. God is never surprised by what man does, and He still works things out according to His plan and purpose.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: First persecution of the church; power of the Holy Spirit
This chapter shows the result of Peter’s second sermon. Five thousand people were saved. Then the apostles were arrested and put into prison. This was at the instigation of the Sadducees, and the reason for it was the preaching of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
FIRST PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH
And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead [Acts 4:1–2].
I want to call your attention to something that is quite startling and interesting to see. Who was it that led in the persecution of the Lord Jesus and finally had Him arrested and put to death? It was the religious rulers, the Pharisees. They were the enemies of Christ as He walked here on earth. Apparently quite a few of the Pharisees were saved. We know that Nicodemus was. Joseph of Arimathea may have been a Pharisee. We know that Saul of Tarsus was one. Apparently there were many others of the Pharisees who were brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. After they had gotten rid of Him, their enmity and their spite were over.
Now the Sadducees, who do not believe in resurrection, become the great enemies when the church comes into existence, because the apostles are preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Let me give you an illustration of this. I have never engaged in any movement or reformation to try to straighten up any of the places where I preached. I never felt that was my job. I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles for many years. In that town we had movie stars who had their day, but then the stardom disappeared and they became burned-out cinders. Often they would go into some kind of reformation work after their star had gone out. Maybe that was some type of reaction, I don’t know. Such a woman called and asked me to serve on a committee that was trying to clean up downtown Los Angeles. I agreed it needed cleaning up, but I told her that I could not serve on the committee. She was amazed. “Aren’t you a minister?” she asked. “Aren’t you interested in cleaning up Los Angeles?” I answered, “I will not serve on your committee because I don’t think you are going about it in the right way.” Then I told her what the late Dr. Bob Shuler had told me years ago. He said, “We are called to fish in the fish pond, not to clean up the fish pond.” This old world is a place to fish. Jesus said He would make us fishers of men, and the world is the place to fish. We are not called upon to clean up the fish pond. We need to catch the fish and get the fish cleaned up.
I have found that the biggest enemies of the preaching of the gospel are not the liquor folk. The gangsters have never bothered me. Do you know where I had my trouble as a preacher? It was with the so-called religious leaders, the liberals, those who claimed to be born again. They actually became enemies of the preaching of the gospel. It was amazing to me to find out how many of them wanted to destroy my radio ministry. They were our worst antagonists. It was not the gangsters, not the unsaved folk, but these religious leaders. They are the Sadducees of today. They are the ones who deny the supernatural. They deny the Word of God either by their lips or by their lives. That is important to, see.
The Sadducees of that day and the “Sadducees” of our day try to make trouble for anyone who preaches the Resurrection. You can preach Jesus, friend. You can make Him a nice, sweet individual, a sort of Casper Milquetoast, and you will not be in trouble. But you are in trouble if you preach Him as the mighty Savior who came down to this earth, denounced sin, died on the cross for the sins of men, and then rose again in mighty power. That is the hated message. When the apostles preached it, the Sadducees arrested them and brought them in to the Sanhedrin.
And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand [Acts 4:3–4].
All this was happening at Solomon’s porch following the sermon which Peter had delivered. If there were five thousand men who believed, how many women and children do you suppose might have believed? This was a whole multitude that turned to Christ.
I have always been reluctant to criticize Simon Peter. You can’t help but love the man. He was mightily used of God. This is not an evangelistic meeting where figures are turned in rather carelessly. These are genuine converts. There is nothing like this on record from that day to the present day, and I don’t believe it will be exceeded as long as the church is in the world.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem [Acts 4:5–6].
We have met this crowd before. These are the sneaky fellows, Annas and Caiaphas, in the background. These are the two men who condemned Jesus to die.
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? [Acts 4:7].
Peter and John are brought before the Sanhedrin. The lame man had been healed and Peter had preached his second sermon. The Sanhedrin demands to know by what power and by what name they do these things.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel [Acts 4:8].
Notice that Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit. He wasn’t baptized by the Holy Spirit at this time—that had already been accomplished. However he was filled with the Holy Spirit. You and I also need the filling of the Holy Spirit. That is something we should seek after; it is something we should devoutly want. Don’t tarry and wait for the baptism of the Spirit. They had to tarry and wait until the Day of Pentecost when they were all baptized into one body, but today if you will turn to Jesus Christ, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit and placed into the body of believers at the very moment you are regenerated.
If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole [Acts 4:9–10].
Peter does a good job of speaking to these men. Up to this time, every time Peter opened his mouth, he put his foot in it. But this time, I tell you, he has his “… feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15). He is filled with the Holy Spirit and he is saying the right thing: “Are we on trial for the good deed we did for the sick man?” That is a searching question!
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner [Acts 4:11].
Peter goes on to point out two things about the Lord Jesus. The first is that He was crucified and raised from the dead. The other is that Jesus Christ is the stone. Jesus had said, “…Upon this rock I will build my church …” (Matt. 16:18). What is the rock? The rock is Christ. Now Peter says, “This is the stone.” What is the stone? Is it the church, or is it Simon Peter? No, it is the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He has become the Head of the corner. This has been accomplished by the Resurrection. Notice that the Resurrection is central to the preaching of the gospel.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved [Acts 4:12].
Go back to the birth of Jesus and the instruction of the angel: “… thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). He is the Savior. That was His name at the beginning. When you accept the name, you accept all that it implies in the person who is involved. Peter makes it clear, and I want to emphasize that when you come to Him, my friend, you come to Him for salvation. There is no other name under heaven that can save you. The law can’t save you. Religion can’t save you. A ceremony can’t save you. One alone, the name of Jesus, can save you. Jesus is the name of that Person who came down to this earth to save His people from their sins. When any person comes to Him in faith, that person is saved. There is no other place to turn for salvation.
Isn’t it interesting that in the long history of this world and all the religions of the world and all the dogmatism that these religions have, not one of them can offer a sure salvation? An uncle of mine was a preacher in a certain church which believes in baptismal regeneration; that is, that you must be baptized to be saved. I asked him this question, “Look, if I get baptized as you say, will that guarantee my salvation?” “No,” he said, “it couldn’t quite do that.” My friend, may I say something to you today? There is none other name under heaven whereby you can be saved. If you come to Him, if you trust Christ, then you are saved. That guarantees your salvation.
That was a great message of Simon Peter’s, and this is a fine note to conclude that message to the Sanhedrin,
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus [Acts 4:13].
“Unlearned and ignorant”—that is, these men hadn’t been to a theological seminary. But the Sanhedrin noted that they had been with Jesus. How wonderful to have a life that somehow or other calls attention to Jesus!
And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves [Acts 4:14–15].
Were they moved by Peter’s speech? No, they were not moved at all.
Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it [Acts 4:16].
Not even the Sadducees of that day could deny that a miracle had been performed. It takes a liberal, living in the twentieth century and removed by several thousand miles, to deny miracles. If you had been there then, you would have had difficulty denying the miracle. The liberals of that day had to say, “We cannot deny a miracle has taken place.”
People today say that if they could only see a miracle, they would believe. That is not true. This crowd wouldn’t believe, and you have the same human nature as these people had. The problem is not a problem of the mind. It is a problem of the will and of the heart. It is the heart that is desperately wicked. Unbelief is not from a lack of facts; it is the condition of the human heart.
Now they are plotting.
But that it spread no farther among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus [Acts 4:17–18].
Peter and John have an answer for them.
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed [Acts 4:19–22].
You would think that the men of the Sanhedrin would have been softened by this. They were not. They were hard as nails. Their hearts were hard.
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is [Acts 4:23–24].
Peter and John have been released and have returned to the church, and they give their report. Here we have recorded a great meeting of the early church. I do not believe the spiritual condition of the church has ever again been on such a high level. We find the key to this in their prayer. It is more than a prayer; it is a song of praise.
“Lord, Thou art God. Lord, You are the Creator.” Friend, I am afraid the church is not sure of that today. The Lord is God. Are you sure that the Lord Jesus is God? Are you? That is most important.
The church is not sure today. The church is fumbling; it has lost its power. The church is always talking of methods, always trying this gimmick and that gimmick to attract people. The church in suburbia and the church in downtown are little more than religious clubs. The church is not a powerhouse anymore.
The early church was sure that Jesus is God, They refer to the second psalm:
Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ [Acts 4:25–26].
The beginning of the fulfillment of Psalm 2 was when they crucified Jesus Christ. The hatred of Jesus and of God has been snowballing down through the centuries for nineteen hundred years. It is gathering size and momentum. It will finally break into a mighty crescendo upon this earth in the final rebellion of man against God.
For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word [Acts 4:27–29].
I am moved by this. This was a great prayer and praise service. They all were in one accord. Probably they did not all pray at one time, but they were certainly “amen”ing the one who led in prayer. Notice that they did not pray for the persecution to cease. They prayed for the courage to endure it! They asked for power and for boldness to speak. That early church was something different, friend, from the church of our day.
By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus [Acts 4:30].
Note the power of the early church.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness [Acts 4:31].
It was the condition of the church which made this possible.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common [Acts 4:32].
This did not last very long. Carnality came into the church very soon.
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all [Acts 4:33].
That is the heart of gospel preaching.
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet [Acts 4:34–37].
This kind of living could be carried out for a short while because of the spiritual condition of the church. It is nonsense to say that we should put this into effect today. If we tried it, we would have utter chaos. Why? Because there must first be the same high spiritual level, and we don’t have that today. Let us be honest and face up to it. We need to come into a closer relationship to the person of Jesus Christ.
We have been introduced to Barnabas. We will hear more of him later.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Death of Ananias and Sapphira; second persecution
As we come to chapter 5, we are continuing to see the effects of the great sermon that Simon Peter gave. Also we are introduced to the first defection in the church, followed by the death of Ananias and Sapphira—who were Christians, but were not living on the high spiritual level of the early church.
At the end of chapter 4 we were introduced to a man by the name of Barnabas. He will be before us again. He was one of the wonderful saints in the early church, a true man of God. He was the first missionary partner of the apostle Paul when they went into the difficult Galatian area, and yet God marvelously blessed their ministry there.
Barnabas had given quite a sum of money to the church. He had made a generous contribution, and everyone was talking about it. I imagine he received a great deal of publicity for his generosity. Remember that in the early church they had all things common. It reveals the fact that they were on a high spiritual level to be able to do this.
Now the first defection comes in. Having all things common could not continue and did not continue simply because of the carnal nature that is in mankind.
DEATH OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession [Acts 5:1].
It is obvious that they were imitating Barnabas. They saw that he got a certain amount of publicity, and they thought it would be nice if they could get that kind of publicity, too. They wanted it.
I have found that there are people who will give in order to be noticed. I recall a meeting with businessmen in Pasadena when I was a pastor there. We were planning to start a youth organization, and we were aslang these men to give donations for the founding of this movement. It was decided that donations would not be made public.
I was informed that one of these men would contribute very little if he were not given the opportunity to speak out publicly to let everybody know how much he was giving. It is quite interesting that he contributed a small amount. After the meeting he confided in one of the men that he had intended to give about ten times that amount, but he had expected to be able to stand up or at least raise his hand to indicate how much he had given. You see) pride is still in human nature today. That was the condition of Ananias and Sapphira.
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet [Acts 5:2].
There was nothing wrong with the fact that they kept back part of the money. They had a right to do that. The property had been theirs and they had the right to do with the money whatever they wished.
Today, we in the church are under grace. We are not constrained to give any certain amount. Someone may say we ought to give a tithe. In the early church they were giving everything they owned. Ananias and Sapphira did not give all but kept back part of it) which they had a right to do. Their problem, their sin, was that they lied about it. They said they were giving all when actually they were keeping part of it for themselves.
I don’t like to have people sing the song that talks about putting “my all” on the altar. Unfortunately, that makes liars out of the people who are singing. We need to be very careful about the songs we sing. A vow to the Lord should never be made lightly.
Ananias and Sapphira said they were laying all on the altar, but they were lying about it.
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? [Acts 5:3].
The sin of this man and his wife was that they lied about it.
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God [Acts 5:4].
There are people today who deny that the Holy Spirit is God. You will notice that Simon Peter believed He was God. First he says, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” Then he says, “Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” The Holy Spirit is God.
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them that heard these things [Acts 5:5].
There are those today who think that Simon Peter caused the death of this man, Ananias. They even blame him for his death. I want to absolve him of this crime. Simon Peter was probably as much surprised as anyone when Ananias fell down dead. I don’t think that he knew at all what was going to happen. Do you know who struck Ananias dead? God did. Do you feel that you want to bring charges against God? Do you want to call the FBI to tell them that God is guilty of murder? May I say to you, if you can give life, you have the right to take it away. This is God’s universe. We are God’s creatures. We breathe His air. We use bodies that He has given to us. My friend, He can take our bodies any time He wishes to. God is not guilty of a crime. This is His discipline within the church. God is the One who is responsible for the death of Ananias and Sapphira.
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out [Acts 5:6–9].
Simon Peter knows what will happen to her. He did not know what was going to happen to Ananias, but now it is quite obvious what will happen to this woman.
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things [Acts 5:10–11].
There are two things that amaze me about this incident. One is the fact that a lie, such as these two were living, could not exist in the early church. There was a holiness of life in the church. Ananias and Sapphira, although they were saved, lied to the Holy Spirit and were removed from the company of believers. They had committed the sin unto death. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it” (1 John 5:16). This was a sin unto death which Ananias and Sapphira committed. This kind of sin could not exist in the early church.
There was defection in the church and it required discipline. However, after this experience the church would never be as pure as it was before. Up until this time they had all things common. This incident almost ruined them. We shall see more of this in the next chapter.
Fear came upon all the church, and fear came upon people who heard of these things. Power would continue in the church, and multitudes would be saved. Yet the church would never be as pure as in those first days of existence.
The other amazing thing is the spiritual discernment of Simon Peter. This also is lacking today.
I was very much amused at a young man who came to me in a Bible class not long ago. He told me he had the gift of discerning of spirits and he could tell truth from error. Then he quoted one of the worst heretics today. I questioned him again about his gift of discernment of spirits, of truth and error, and then asked him whether he approved of the man whom he had just quoted. “Oh yes,” he said, “this man speaks the truth.” I told him that I didn’t believe he had any special gift—he just thought he did.
Today the worst kind of hypocrite can get into our Bible churches. They are not good at coming to Bible studies—I have discovered that, but they can hold offices and even run the church. If those who lied to God in our churches were to drop down dead, we would have a lot of funerals. The undertakers would be doing a land-office business.
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) [Acts 5:12–14].
Notice that the apostles exercise the apostolic gifts. Gifts of healing and gifts of miracles were sign gifts which were given to the apostles. They did many signs among the people.
The discipline in the church had put a fear on the people and had stopped the revival. Yet there were those who were still being saved. Believers were being added to the Lord. We know that by a.d. 300 there were millions of people in the Roman Empire who had turned to Christ.
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might over-shadow some of them.
There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one [Acts 5:15–16].
May I compare this to modern faith healing? Modern faith healers never heal all the people who come to them. Have you ever noticed that? The apostles had sign gifts, friend. No one in the church since then has had those gifts. People were healed, every one of them. They emptied the hospitals. This was the power of the early church.
We must remember that at that time there was no written New Testament. The church is built on Jesus Christ—He is the Cornerstone—and the apostles were witnesses to Christ. The sign gifts were given to them to demonstrate the fact that they spoke with God’s authority, Today we have a written New Testament as our authority.
THE SECOND PERSECUTION
We have seen that there was discipline within the early church. Now we find that there is persecution from without. When the apostles exercised their gifts, they produced a reaction.
Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison [Acts 5:17–18].
Notice that the Sadducees are leading in the persecution. It was the Pharisees who had led in the persecution against Jesus; it is the Sadducees who lead the persecution against the early church. So the apostles are arrested for the second time and are put into prison.
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said [Acts 5:19].
This translation should be “an angel” and not “the angel.” In the Old Testament, the angel of the Lord was none other than the preincarnate Christ, but now Christ is the Man in glory at God’s right hand, and He is the One who is directing the activity of His apostles. Today, unfortunately, much of the time His hands and His feet are paralyzed because the people in the church are not moving for Him in this world. Jesus Christ wants to move through His church. He wants to move through you and me, if we will permit Him. This is not Christ who appeared here; it was an angel.
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors; but when we had opened, we found no man within [Acts 5:20–23].
This is the same sort of thing that happened at the resurrection of Christ. The stone wasn’t rolled away to let Jesus out; He was out before the stone was rolled away. The stone was moved to let those on the outside come in. The same thing happened here. The doors did not need to be opened to let the apostles get out. They were out long before the doors were unlocked.
Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us [Acts 5:24–28].
People were listening to the apostles. They were good witnesses. They were real missionaries. Jesus had said that the gospel was to go out, first in Jerusalem. We see that this has been done—“Ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.”
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men [Acts 5:29].
The apostles were obeying what their Lord and Master had told them to do. Believers are commanded to obey civil authority—except when it comes in conflict with the commandment of God.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree [Acts 5:30].
Jesus Christ was hanged on a tree. It was not a nice, smooth piece of timber with a crossbar, as we see it pictured today. It was a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him [Acts 5:31–32].
This is still the message to the nation Israel in Jerusalem today.
When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space [Acts 5:33–34].
Gamaliel wants the apostles excused so that he can talk to the Sanhedrin. This Gamaliel was an outstanding man and greatly respected. (He was the teacher of the apostle Paul, by the way.)
And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought [Acts 5:35–38].
He is giving sage advice.
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God [Acts 5:39].
Gamaliel gives examples of men who had started uprisings and had a following, but after they were killed, their followers disbanded. Now he advises them that the same thing will happen to Jesus and His followers.
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go [Acts 5:40].
If these men were innocent, they should have let them go. If these men were guilty, they should have held them and punished them. Beating them and then letting them go was a sorry subterfuge. They should have listened to Gamaliel a little more carefully.
Things aren’t much different today. There is that gray line between guilty and not guilty. The courts today let people off by giving them some light sentence. My friend, if a person is guilty, he should be punished. If he is not guilty, he should be let go with no sentence.
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ [Acts 5:41–42].
These apostles were marvelous men. They were rejoicing that they could suffer for the Lord Jesus. They continued to teach and to preach Jesus Christ. What is the gospel? It is a Person! It is Jesus Christ.
Do you have Him today? You either do or you don’t. You either trust Him, or you do not trust Him. Either he is your Savior, or you do not have a Savior. That is the message. The apostles did not cease to teach and to preach Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: The appointment of deacons; witness of Stephen, a deacon
In this chapter we see the further result of the defection that was in the church. We first saw that defection in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. They were believers who were saved, but they could not remain in the early church with that lie in their lives.
Now the defection we see in this chapter led to the selection of deacons. The chapter continues with the account of one of those deacons, Stephen. He was framed, arrested, and tried.
THE APPOINTMENT OF DEACONS
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration [Acts 6:1].
We need to recognize that this took place early in the history of the church. They had attempted a form of communal living and, actually, it succeeded for a short while. Then carnality entered the church. We saw how Ananias and Sapphira misrepresented their situation. Now we find that there is a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews. This is not a clash between two races. This is not a demonstration of anti-Semitism. The word Grecians here means “Hellenists,” Greek-speaking Jews. They had a background of Greek culture, while the Hebrews in Jerusalem closely followed the Mosaic Law. Naturally, a misunderstanding developed.
It has been estimated that the number in the church at this time may have been around twenty-five thousand. And we see that this early church was not perfect. We hear people say, “We need to get back to the early church. The early church was power-conscious, and we today are problem-conscious.” That is only a half-truth. The early church did have power, but the early church had problems also.
The high plane to which the Spirit had brought the church was interrupted by the intrusion of satanic division and confusion. The sharing of material substance, which first characterized the church, gave way to the selfishness of the old nature. Carnality had come in. The Grecians, who evidently were a minority group, felt neglected and demanded that their widows be given equal consideration with the Hebrews. This communal form of living wasn’t working as well as they would have liked. This was brought to the attention of the apostles.
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables [Acts 6:2].
The apostles felt that they should not give up the study of the Word of God. They felt it was important for them to continue with that. If they gave up the study of the Word of God and served tables, that would be the undoing of them. They should spend their time in prayer and in the study of the Word of God.
It is important for every church to recognize that the minister should have time to study the Word of God and should have time for prayer. Unfortunately, the average church today is looking for a pastor who is an organizer and a promoter, a sort of vice-president to run the church, a manager of some sort. That is unfortunate. As a result the church is suffering today. When I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I had to move my study to my home. I built a special room over the garage for my study. I found out that all I had in the church was an office, not a study. They didn’t intend for me to study there. They didn’t want me to study there.
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word [Acts 6:3–4]
The seven men were to be appointed because a crisis had arisen. The apostles felt it was important that they should not have the burden of this detail so that they could give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.
Now I want you to notice the qualifications of these seven men who are to assume the burden of handling the material substance of the church. I’m afraid this is something which is neglected in the average church today when the deacons are chosen. In fact, I’ve heard men say they didn’t want to be appointed to the spiritual office of an elder but would like to be a deacon to handle the material things.
May I say to you, the office of deacon requires more spirituality and wisdom and prayer than any other office. Now notice the qualifications: These men had to be men of honest report. Their honesty was to be unquestionable. It is really a tragic thing for a church to have a deacon whose honesty is in question so that others—including the pastor—cannot trust him. Such a man should not be in the office of deacon. The second qualification was “full of the Holy Ghost.” They were not to be filled with wine but were to be “filled with the [Holy] Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Thirdly, they were to be men of wisdom. They were to be spiritual men who would be able to make an application of spiritual truth. That was very important. You see, the fact that they were handling material matters was apt to give them a lopsided view of things. So it is most important that deacons should be men who look at things from the spiritual point of view.
We shall see that Stephen was a man who met these qualifications. He had wisdom—“they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (v. 10). He had real conviction. Also he was “full of faith.” Not only did he have saving faith but also serving faith—witnessing faith. It wasn’t the amount of his faith but the object of his faith that was important. We learn from this same verse that he was full of power. Such were the kind of men chosen as deacons.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word [Acts 6:4].
That was the duty of the apostles.
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch [Acts 6:5].
I can’t tell you anything more about the last five men. The first two, Stephen and Philip, will be mentioned again as we go along in the Book of Acts. They were outstanding men in the early church. Although they were to “serve tables,” the record of them is that they were spiritual men.
Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them [Acts 6:6].
Now, friends, there is a great deal of hocus-pocus and abracadabra connected with this matter of laying on of hands. A great many people think that some spiritual power is connected to it. They think that putting on the hands communicates something to a person. Frankly, the only thing you can communicate to someone else by the laying on of hands is disease germs. You can pass them on, but you cannot pass on any kind of power.
What is the meaning of the laying on of hands? As we saw in Leviticus, when we were studying the Old Testament sacrifices, the sinner would put his hand on the head of the animal to be sacrificed, which signified that the animal to be offered was taking his place. The offering was identified with the sinner. When the apostles put their hands on the heads of the deacons, it meant that now the deacons would be partners with them. They were together in this service. It designated that these men were set aside for this office, denoting their fellowship in the things of Christ and their position as representatives for the corporate body of believers. Notice that this was a social service in which these men were engaged. The early church took care of its own. I think that should still be true today. The early church had a poverty program, and it included only the members of the church. The church today should also take care of its own.
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith [Acts 6:7].
It is still important in our day for the Word of God to be increasing. Certainly this is the purpose of my radio program. It is my sincere desire that the Word of God may be increased.
Don’t miss the fact that many of the priests turned to the Lord. Some of them must have been serving in the temple when the veil was rent in two at the death of Christ. Many of them must have turned to Christ after that experience.
WITNESS OF STEPHEN, A DEACON
Our attention is now drawn to Stephen. He is one of the great men in the early church.
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people [Acts 6:8].
Apparently these deacons are one with the apostles in having the sign gifts. They have been brought into a unique position. Because Stephen is a strong witness to the gospel, he incurs the hatred of the Sadducees. False witnesses are brought before the council to accuse Stephen.
Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God,
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel [Acts 6:9–15].
Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin, and false witnesses are brought in. The false witnesses tell a half-truth, of course. The Lord Jesus did say that they would destroy this temple and He would raise it up again, but He was speaking of the temple of His body. At His trial, the false witnesses misunderstood that and misrepresented it. So here, they misunderstand Stephen when he says that the temple in Jerusalem will be left desolate. Actually, it was desolate without Christ anyway. And they twist what he is saying about the customs of Moses. Of course men are not saved by the Law but by grace. But salvation in Moses’ day was by grace even as it is today. Their accusation is based on only a partial truth.
They see something marvelous in the face of Stephen. This man came closer to being an angel than any man who has ever lived.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Stephen’s address and martyrdom
In this chapter we find Stephen’s defense before the council—which is really not a defense. Rather it is a rehearsal of the history of the nation Israel and of their resistance and rebellion against God. He charges the council of being betrayers and murderers of Jesus. That, of course, engenders their bitterest hatred and leads to the stoning of Stephen.
In his inspired survey of the history of the nation, Stephen makes it very clear that there never was a time when the entire nation worshiped God. Yet there was always the believing remnant, a small remnant of true believers—even as there is in our day.
STEPHEN’S ADDRESS
Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran [Acts 7:1–2].
They have made an accusation against him. He is questioned as to the truth of the charges. In his response he makes no attempt to clear himself. In fact, he doesn’t even mention the charges they have made against him. What a marvelous beginning. He calls them brethren. They are his brethren in the flesh. He calls the older men fathers. He is a younger man and shows them this respect. This young man is to become the first martyr in the church.
We sometimes hear it said that Christianity at the beginning was actually a youth movement. It is not altogether inaccurate to state that it was a youth movement. Two men who held as prominent a place as any were Stephen and Saul of Tarsus, whom we will meet soon. These two men had a great deal to do with the shaping of the course of the early church. Both of them were remarkable young men. Both of them were gifted and used by the Holy Spirit. Yet the only time these two young men ever met, they were enemies. The cross divided Stephen and Saul of Tarsus just as truly as it divided the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus. Paul knew what he was saying in 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” When Saul saw Stephen, he thought Stephen was very foolish.
This address of Stephen is a master stroke. He reviews the history of the nation beginning with Abraham. That is where the history of the nation Israel began. They did not go back any farther. You will find the same thing in the Gospel of Matthew. This book, written to the nation Israel, traces the genealogy of Jesus Christ back to Abraham. If you want to trace it all the way back to Adam, you must turn to the Gospel of Luke. Stephen starts with Abraham, a man of faith.
Even though he traces the resistance and rebellion against God by the nation, still there was always a believing remnant.
This is true today, too. In the organized church, in the visible church which you and I can see, there is a remnant of believers. Not every one in the visible church is a true believer. People may ask, “Do you think So-and-So is a Christian?” The answer is that even though he goes to church and is a church officer, he may not be a Christian. Just as in the nation Israel there was the believing remnant, so in the visible church there is the little remnant of true believers.
Abraham was a man of faith. He believed God, and he obeyed God. Faith always leads to obedience. Stephen starts his narrative with Abraham in Mesopotamia, down in the Tigris-Euphrates valley. That was the place of Abraham’s hometown. It was there that God called him.
And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee [Acts 7:3].
God called Abraham away from his home because it was a home of idolatry.
Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on; yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child [Acts 7:4–5].
He is relating the story of Abraham. This shows the faith of Abraham. God had promised him a child, and God had promised him the land. Although Abraham had neither one, he believed God.
And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs [Acts 7:6–8].
Stephen goes from Abraham to the patriarchal period. He speaks of the brethren of Joseph, motivated by envy and hatred who sold Joseph into Egypt. But God overruled and used Joseph to save them. What we have here is really the Spirit’s interpretation of the Old Testament. That makes this a remarkable section.
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, three score and fifteen souls.
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem [Acts 7:9–16].
Now Stephen comes to another period in the history of these people. He is going to remind them of the deliverance out of Egypt. God made Moses the deliverer. And he shows that at first the children of Israel refused to follow Moses and that Moses had trouble with them all the way.
But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:
And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son [Acts 7:17–21].
The comment which Stephen adds confirms some of the things that we said when we were studying about Moses. If Rameses II was the pharaoh of the oppression, Moses could have been the next pharaoh. Pharaoh’s daughter brought him up as her own son. This pharaoh had no sons, so Moses would have been the next in line.
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds [Acts 7:22].
Moses was brought up in the wisdom of the Egyptians. The wisdom of the Egyptians is not despised even in our advanced day when we feel that we know about everything. Too often we do not give the Egyptians full credit for what they did know. They had developed mathematics, chemistry, engineering, architecture, and astronomy to a very fine point. They had developed these fields of study in a way that was really remarkable. Look at the pyramids. Look at the colors we find in the tombs, colors which have stood the test of the centuries. They understood about embalming. They had calculated the distance to the sun. My friend, they had a highly developed culture and were not an ignorant people.
Moses had all the advantages of that day, being raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was outstanding. Yet he was not prepared to lead God’s people. All the learning of the world of that day did not equip him to lead God’s people. All the wisdom that men have today is not enough for them to understand the Word of God. It is too difficult. Why? Because the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. These things are foolishness to him and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned (see 1 Cor. 2:14). Although Moses was learned in the wisdom of his day, he was not ready to deliver God’s people. So, after forty years of learning in Egypt, God put him out into the desert. There God gave him his B. D. degree, his Backside of the Desert degree, and prepared him to become the deliverer.
And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not [Acts 7:23–25].
Notice that Moses did what he considered to be a very fine thing to do. He intended to deliver his brethren. But they didn’t understand. Actually, neither did Moses understand. He still was not really ready, and God had to take him out to the desert to train him.
And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? [Acts 7:26–28].
Now Moses was frightened.
Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight; and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him [Acts 7:29–31].
Moses had wanted to deliver the children of Israel, but he wasn’t prepared for it, and the people weren’t prepared for him either. They wouldn’t accept his leadership. They resisted him. Then God called him to be the deliverer.
Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt [Acts 7; 32–34].
God told Moses, “I have heard their groaning.” He saw their need. That was the reason He delivered them. It was for the same reason that He provided a Savior for you and me. It wasn’t because we are such wonderful people. He didn’t look down and say, “My, they are so lovely down there. I must go down and save them. They are so sweet, and so kind, and so loving to Me, and so faithful to Me.” No! God looked down and saw nothing but corrupt, rotten sinners. We were all lost in iniquity. He loved us in spite of our unloveliness. That is the explanation.
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush [Acts 7:35].
Notice the emphasis that has been placed upon the ministry of the angels in the life of the nation Israel. You will find the ministry of angels prominent throughout Israel’s history. God gave the Law to Moses through the ministry of angels.
We hear a lot about the angels at Christmas. Whom were the angels addressing? And for what purpose? They had messages for the people of Israel—for Mary, for Joseph, for Zacharias, and for the shepherds.
God is not sending messages through angels during this period of the church. No angels have appeared around my place. And there have been none appearing to you. If you are seeing angels, you had better make an appointment with a psychiatrist. By contrast, angels did appear and bring messages from God to members of the nation Israel.
Now Stephen goes on to describe the wilderness experience.
He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us [Acts 7:36–38].
The word church here does not mean that there was a church in the Old Testament in the same sense that there is a church in the New Testament. The word for church is ekkleŒesia which means “called-out.” Even a group called out to mob somebody would be an ekkleŒesia, a called-out group. So, Israel in the wilderness was a called-out group. They were called out of Egypt, by God, for a particular purpose.
To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt [Acts 7:39].
Israel did not go back to Egypt in a physical, material sense. But in their hearts they went back to Egypt many, many times. In the same way there are many people today who say they deplore certain sins of the world and sins of the flesh. It is always so easy to point the finger at someone else and condemn him for his sin. A question we need to ask ourselves is: Would I like to do the same thing? Where is our heart? Israel went back to Egypt in their heart.
Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him [Acts 7:40].
They didn’t know what had happened to him, and they didn’t care. They had rejected Moses.
And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands [Acts 7:41].
Stephen is showing them that Israel has always been rebellious.
Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? [Acts 7:42].
They went into idolatry. That is why Moses (and later Joshua) pleaded with the people to choose God and turn from their idols.
Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David [Acts 7:43–5].
Jesus is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name Joshua.
Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob [Acts 7:46].
You see that the temple was David’s idea. I have always thought it should be called David’s temple even though Solomon built it.
But Solomon built him an house.
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Hath not my hand made all these things? [Acts 7:4, 7–50].
Now he comes to his condemnation of the religious rulers of that day.
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it [Acts 7:51–53].
Physically, these men were circumcised, but in their hearts and in their ears, they were uncircumcised. That is, they would not hear God any more than their ancestors down through the years had heard Him.
This is a masterful speech, Stephen reminds them of the deliverance out of Egypt. God made Moses the deliverer, but the children of Israel refused to obey him. The wilderness experience was a series of rebellions against God, brought to a climax in the making of a golden calf. A plague of idolatry broke out again in the land and resulted in the Babylonian captivity. Stephen concludes with Joshua, who led them into the land, and Jesus, who made the way to heaven. He charges that the Law was given to them supernaturally by the ministry of angels, and they did not keep it. Perhaps they knew that the birth of Jesus was announced by angels. Obviously, they have been the betrayers and murderers of Him.
MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN
Stephen became the first martyr. Also, in this portion of the chapter, we are first introduced to Saul of Tarsus.
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth [Acts 7:54].
How they hated Stephen for saying what he did!
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God [Acts 7:55].
Since God is a spirit, how can there be a right hand of God? Because at “the right hand of God” indicates the place of prominence, the place of honor. God had promised Jesus Christ that He would glorify Him and give Him a name that is above every name. Jesus Christ is exalted. He is at the right hand of God. In Hebrews 1:3 we are told, “… when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” The fact that He was seated at the right hand of God indicates that His work was completed—our redemption is finished. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t still working in our behalf. Here He is standing, ready to receive His first martyr.
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul [Acts 7:56–58].
These two young men—Stephen and Saul of Tarsus—are together here for the first time, the only time, the last time. They are enemies. They stand on the opposite sides of the cross.
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus) receive my spirit,
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep [Acts 7:59–60].
Stephen falls asleep. Jesus puts his body to sleep to await the Rapture. Stephen goes into the presence of Christ who is standing to meet him. Stephen is the first martyr of the church to go to be with his Lord.
The other young man there that day was a Pharisee, and he thought he had everything. He looked up into heaven when Stephen said that he saw the heavens open. I am sure that Saul looked up longingly and admitted to himself, I don’t see anything, but I’d like to see what he sees. I have an empty heart. Stephen was a tremendous witness to Saul. Stephen was the one, I believe, who prepared Saul for the appearance of the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road, as we shall see.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Conversion of Ethiopian eunuch (son of Ham)
We have now arrived at the second major division of the Book of Acts. You remember that we divided the book according to the Lord’s commission in Acts 1:8. First they were to witness in Jerusalem. Now we come to the Lord Jesus Christ’s work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles in Judea and Samaria. This section of the book includes chapters 8–12.
Chapter 7 concluded with a most unusual scene. It included the two young men who had the greatest influence upon the early church. The one was Stephen, the deacon, the young man who gave up his life, the first martyr in the church. That other was a young Pharisee who had charge of the stoning of Stephen. His name was Saul.
SAUL BECOMES THE CHIEF PERSECUTOR OF THE CHURCH, AND THE CHURCH IS SCATTERED
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles [Acts 8:1].
Saul was taking the lead in the persecution of Stephen, and he was in the cheering section. Now this young man, Saul of Tarsus, was amazed when he saw the face of Stephen. Stephen was looking into the heavens, and there he saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Young Saul looked up—he didn’t see anything. But, friend, he wished he could. He will see a little later. I believe that Stephen is the one who prepared Saul for the appearance of the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road.
Saul becomes the chief persecutor of the church. This causes the church to scatter. Actually, he does the church a favor. They were all settled down in Jerusalem, and I don’t think they would have moved out had it not been for the persecution which Saul of Tarsus instigated.
Judea and Samaria are the next territories which the Lord had told them to enter. Judea surrounds Jerusalem, and Samaria lies to the north of Jerusalem.
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him [Acts 8:2],
I would like to make a few remarks here about Christian burial. There is a question that comes to us today: Is it right or wrong for Christians to be cremated? There is nothing in the Bible against it. No one will lose salvation by being cremated. However, the burial of a Christian is like sowing seed. It is like putting the body into a motel so it can sleep until the resurrection.
This is the way Paul speaks of it in 1 Thessalonians 4. He speaks of the body as seed in 1 Corinthians 15. You don’t burn the seed before you plant it. Neither do you burn a person before you put him into a motel or hotel to go to sleep. Planting the body in the earth like a seed is a testimony—an evidence of your faith in a future resurrection. Undoubtedly the body of Stephen was terribly mutilated. They took him up tenderly and put him in the ground as you would plant a seed. Stephen had gone into the presence of Christ, who was waiting in heaven for him. His body went into the ground to await the resurrection. “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:4–4). I cannot see that cremation sets forth this idea. Rather, this is the picture of real Christian burial.
Some people protest that we are running out of space for graves. My friend, this old earth has taken in bodies for thousands of years now, and there is still room.
As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison [Acts 8:3].
This was a young man full of zeal. Remember that he later wrote about himself—“Concerning zeal, persecuting the church …” in Philippians 3:6.
Therefore thef that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word [Acts 8:4].
Here we see the effect of the persecution. Actually, it did not hinder the church but furthered the work of the church. Later on, Paul would give this same kind of testimony after he had been put into prison in Rome. “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12). I do not believe that the church can ever be hurt from the outside. It can be hurt from the inside, as we shall see later in this chapter.
PHILIP BECOMES THE CHIEF WITNESS AFTER THE DEATH OF STEPHEN
We are now introduced to the second deacon whom God used in a marvelous way.
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them [Acts 8:5].
The Lord Jesus had said they should be witnessess unto Him in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. Now the Word is going to Samaria.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did [Acts 8:6].
Stephen had had the sign gifts of the early church, and now we see that Philip had those same gifts. Not everyone had them—only those who were in the places of leadership, those who were taking the Word of God out to the world. There came the day when the sign gifts disappeared. They disappeared after the time of the apostles. By the time the canon of Scripture was complete and established, the credentials of a true man of God was correct doctrine rather than sign gifts.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them; and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city [Acts 8:7–8].
The gospel has now come to Samaria. Philip is well received in Samaria, and there, of all places, the gospel brings great joy.
Now because the church is growing very fast, there are people actually joining the church who are not believers. Although they are really unbelievers, they make a profession of faith. We will now meet one like that.
SIMON THE SORCERER
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one [Acts 8:9].
He sets himself up as some great one. We find the same sort of thing today. If someone claims to be a faith healer, that sets him apart, believe me. People may declare that the faith healers are humble. Humility is not manifest in services where a person is supposedly healing people and implying that he is the only person there who has that gift. That is “giving out that himself was some great one,” as Simon the sorcerer was doing.
To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries [Acts 8:10–11].
These people felt that Simon the sorcerer was like a god. Just as with these people, there are a great many people who are bewitched today. My friend, do not be bewitched by any man or his power. Even if a man is giving out the Word of God, do not look to the man. Look to the Word of God and check to see if he is presenting it accurately. Look to God. Turn to Him. When we get our eyes on man, we take our eyes off the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what had happened in Samaria.
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women [Acts 8:12].
Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, and many men and women believed. Simon came in contact with Philip, and apparently he made a profession of faith under the ministry of Philip. I believe that Simon is the first religious racketeer in the church—but, unfortunately, not the last. He professes to be a believer during the sweeping revival in Samaria under the ministry of Philip.
Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done [Acts 8:13].
Simon believes, he is baptized, and he becomes a friend of Philip. You would certainly think he was a real child of God. However, he is not converted. We will see that there are also others who are professing believers, but they are not born again. They have the head knowledge, they go along with the crowd, but they are not saved. Although they have been baptized with water, they have not been baptized into the church of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.
There are a great many people like that today. I receive many letters from people who have told me that since they have been studying the Bible along with our program, they have begun to examine their faith. Many have come to realize that they have just been following along with someone else and that they have not been genuinely, personally converted. Paul says, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves …” (2 Cor. 13:5). It is a very good thing to check yourself. See whether you are in the faith or not.
This man Simon had all the outward trappings. He answered that he did believe in Jesus, and so he was baptized. But it was not a genuine faith.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) [Acts 8:14–16].
When the apostles heard that there was a great moving of the Spirit down in Samaria, they sent Peter and John to check on it. They found a great company of professing believers who had not been born again. They had not been baptized into the church by the Holy Spirit. They were not indwelt by the Spirit of God. They were not saved. They had gone through an outward ceremony.
My friend, being baptized with water or going through some other ceremony will not make you a Christian. This gives the background to explain why Simon was able to put over his racket on the others. He liked this idea of performing miracles.
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost [Acts 8:17].
It may be that Philip had not told all the facts and conditions of the gospel. It may be that they had not accepted them. At any rate, now they are brought into partnership with the apostles. Now they believe the gospel and they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the Spirit of God has entered into them. I think this needs to be considered in its historical setting. It was the commission given to the apostles to open up each new area to the gospel. On the Day of Pentecost the gospel was given in Jerusalem. Peter and John are to bring it into Samaria and Judea. Paul is to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Jesus had given this commission. We are now seeing it fulfilled here in Samaria.
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost [Acts 8:18–19].
Simon wanted to pay for the gift. Why? Well, because this man is a religious racketeer. He wants to use it for profit.
How many such claims are made by individuals today! They claim that great miracles take place in their meetings and humbly say they have nothing to do with them. If that is so, why do they permit this type of deception to go on? Bewitch is the word used here. There have been religions racketeers around bewitching the multitudes from that day to this.
Persecution from the outside didn’t hurt the church. It scattered the believers and actually worked for the furtherance of the gospel. What hurt the church was that people got on the inside, professing to be believers when they were not believers. Always the church is hurt from the inside.
It was the same with the Lord Jesus. He was betrayed from the inside. He was betrayed to His nation by one of His own disciples. His own nation betrayed Him to the Roman Empire, and the Roman Empire crucified Him. Also today He is betrayed within the church.
It is like the wooden horse brought into the city of Troy. The city was impenetrable, it was invulnerable, until that wooden horse got on the inside. The Devil started out by persecuting the church, fighting it from the outside. He found that didn’t work. It just spread the gospel. Then he decided to start his work from the inside. That is where he can get in and do damage. How many pastors could testify to that today!
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God [Acts 8:20–21].
This is the reason we know this man is not converted. Simon Peter declares that his heart is not right with God. He is not converted. His big interest is in the money. That was the important thing to this man.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity [Acts 8:22–23].
You can’t make it any stronger than the way Simon Peter says it.
Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me [Acts 8:24].
Simon doesn’t ask to be saved. He doesn’t ask for prayer for his salvation. He just asks that none of those terrible things happen to him. We do not know if this man ever came to Christ.
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans [Acts 8:25].
The gospel is starting its journey to the ends of the earth. It started in Jerusalem. The apostles were there and a church was established. Soon the center will move to Antioch. Then it will move to Ephesus. Later it will move to Alexandria, then to Rome. Today, I don’t think there is any particular center of the church. It has gone to the ends of the earth.
I believe that one of the finest vehicles to get the gospel to the ends of the earth is radio. Through this mechanical means the church can do what has not been accomplished since the first century when the gospel did penetrate to all the known world.
PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN
In chapters 8, 9, and 10 we find the record of three remarkable instances of conversion. I think that these three have been lifted out and given to us particularly for a lesson. (Chapter 8 gives the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, a son of Ham. Chapter 9 gives the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, a son of Shem. Chapter 10 gives the conversion of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a son of Japheth. You will recall that the entire human family is divided into these three categories. This was an ethnological and a geographical division made after the Flood. Ham, Shem, and Japheth were the sons of Noah. We find here that the gospel reaches out to representatives of these three divisions of the human family.
You will also notice from these examples that in a conversion three factors must be brought into focus before there can be a conversion. All three of these are evident in these three representative conversions.
1. The work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had taken this man Philip to Samaria where there had been a great moving of the Spirit of God. Then the Holy Spirit moved him down to Gaza, and again we see His moving in the heart of the Ethiopian eunuch. The Spirit of God had gone ahead to prepare the heart and also to prepare the messenger. This leading of the Spirit of God is absolutely essential. I’m afraid that a great deal of personal work is done in a haphazard manner and without the leading of the Spirit of God. I believe that we ought to make it a matter of definite prayer before we talk to anyone. We should talk to the Lord about the individual before we talk to the individual about the Lord. It is not simply that we need the Holy Spirit to lead us. What we need is for the Spirit of God to go ahead of us and prepare the way, then to call us up to where He is. We want to go where the Spirit of God is moving. This is the first essential in a conversion. We find it true in the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch and also in the conversion of Saul and of Cornelius.
2. The Word of God. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). The Word of God is the second essential. The Holy Spirit will take the things of Christ and will reveal them to an individual. It is the Spirit of God using the Word of God. But, wait a minute, there must be a human instrument.
3. The man of God. The Spirit of God uses the man of God who delivers the Word of God to produce a son of God, one who is born again. We will see this in the record of the conversion of this Ethiopian eunuch.
The second part of chapter 8 brings us to another part of the ministry of Philip. The gospel had gone to Samaria, and there were many genuine believers. But we also saw that in Samaria evil came into the church in the person of Simon the sorcerer. Now, in contrast to Simon the sorcerer, we come to the experience of Philip with a eunuch from Ethiopia. Philip led this man to Christ, and he became a genuine believer, a wonderful man of God.
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert [Acts 8:26].
Samaria is an area which lies north of Jerusalem. Now Philip is told to go way down to the south. What we know as the Gaza strip is south, over along the Mediterranean. This was the trade route down into Egypt and Ethiopia. He would probably travel through Jerusalem to get there.
Philip had been speaking to multitudes in Samaria, and now he is sent down to a desert. He is to leave the place where there has been a great moving of the Spirit of God and go into a place, a desert, where there is nobody. However, when he gets there, he finds that God does have someone to whom he is to witness.
And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet [Acts 8:7–28].
We read here that this man of Ethiopia had charge of all the treasure of the queen. He was actually the Secretary of the Treasury. He was an official, and a high official of that day. This man was not traveling alone. He had a great retinue of servants and minor officials with him. He wasn’t sitting in a chariot with the reins in one hand and a book in the other hand as we see him pictured. This man was sitting back in a chariot, protected from the sun by a canopy. He had a private chauffeur and was riding in style.
He was a citizen of Ethiopia, but he had come to Jerusalem to worship. This indicates that he was a proselyte to Judaism. He had just been to Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish religion. Although Judaism was the God-given religion, he was leaving the city still in the dark. He was reading the prophet Isaiah, but he was not understanding what he was reading.
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot [Acts 8:29].
The Holy Spirit is leading, as He must in any conversion. Philip is the man of God whom the Spirit of God is using. The Word of God is already in that chariot, for the Ethiopian is reading from the prophet Isaiah.
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? [Acts 8:30].
Philip is a hitchhiker. When he hears what the man is reading, he asks, “Do you understand what you are reading there?” The Ethiopian doesn’t; so he stops his retinue and invites Philip to come up and ride with him.
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth [Acts 8:31–33].
Where was he reading? You will recognize that this is from the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. He was reading the seventh and eighth verses. It is obvious that he must have been reading for some time. So it is also obvious that he must have read the preceding verses: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:3–6).
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? [Acts 8:34].
What a marvelous place to begin! When the Spirit of God leads, how wonderfully everything opens up! He will take the things of Christ and make them clear.
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus [Acts 8:35].
The Holy Spirit will use the Word of God.
I do not believe that people can be converted by hearing a song. The song may affect a person emotionally and influence the will to make a decision for Christ. However, if the Word of God is not in it, there can be no true conversion. It requires the Word of God. How important that is!
Simon Peter, whom God used so wonderfully in the conversion of multitudes, makes it very clear that the Word of God must be involved if a person is saved. He wrote in his first epistle: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Pet. 1:23–25).
When the Spirit of God uses the Word of God, what is going to happen? These men were in the chariot, discussing the Word of God. Philip was telling the eunuch about Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God [Acts 8:36–37].
Remember that Philip had had an experience with Simon the sorcerer up there in Samaria. He is not about to have a repetition of that. When this man asks for water baptism, Philip wants to be very sure that he believes with all his heart.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing [Acts 8:38–39].
Philip is snatched off the page of Scripture. He is not needed here anymore. The Ethiopian rides off the pages of Scripture in his chariot. He went on his way, rejoicing. Now what about this man? The first great church was not in the United States, nor was it in Europe, nor was it in Jerusalem, nor was it in Asia Minor. The first great church was in northern Africa. The Ethiopian evidently went back and, through his witness and his influence, a church was begun there. You would find it very profitable to read about the early church in North Africa.
Now what about Philip?
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea [Acts 8:40].
Azotus is Ashdod, which is over in the Gaza strip. To reach Caesarea, he would have gone through Joppa. Tel Aviv is there today. So he went, preaching the gospel along the coast up to Caesarea. The gospel has gone to Judea and to Samaria and is moving out. The eunuch has carried it down to Ethiopia. Philip is carrying it along the coast to Caesarea.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Conversion of Saul of Tarsus (son of Shem)
This chapter tells about another remarkable conversion. The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch was in a chariot; the conversion of Saul of Tarsus was down in the dust. Probably he was riding a little donkey when he went up to Damascus, and he was knocked right down into the dust.
When we get to the Book of Philippians, we shall look at the theological, psychological, and philosophical aspects of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Here, we are dealing with the facts of what actually happened on the road to Damascus.
THE CONVERSION OF SAUL OF TARSUS
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem [Acts 9:1–2].
When the persecution broke out in Jerusalem, the church went underground. The apostles remained in Jerusalem, but many of the others were scattered—we found Philip up in Samaria and along the Mediterranean coast. The thing that triggered it was the stoning of Stephen, followed by persecution.
The other religious leaders in Jerusalem were satisfied after they had run the Christians out of Jerusalem. They were willing to let it stay at that point. But not Saul of Tarsus! He was the one who was breathing out threatenings and slaughter. He hated Jesus Christ. I do not think that the Lord Jesus Christ ever has had an enemy greater than this man Saul of Tarsus. He went to the high priest and said, “Look, I’ve heard that a group of them have run off up there to Damascus, and I’m going after them.” The fact of the matter is that he intended to ferret them out, anywhere they went. His goal was to exterminate the Christians.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [Acts 9:3–4].
Paul will recount this incident twice more in the Book of Acts. In fact, Paul never tired of telling about his conversion. We find him going over it again in his Epistle to the Philippians where he gets right down to the heart of the matter and tells what really happened to him. Here we are simply given the facts. He will go over them again when he gives his testimony before King Agrippa—that is a masterpiece.
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks [Acts 9:5].
Will you notice, here, the ignorance of Saul? He was possibly the most brilliant man of his day. He was probably a graduate of the University of Tarsus, the greatest Greek university of that day. He was a student in the school of Gamaliel, the Hebrew scholar. He was trained in the details of the Jewish religion. But he did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. “Who art thou, Lord?” Friend, to know Him is life. Saul didn’t know Him!
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do [Acts 9:6].
Saul is right down in the dust on that road to Damascus. This is a remarkable conversion. He immediately reveals his conversion. This man who hated the Lord Jesus, who did everything he could against Him, now calls Him “Lord.” And he asks what the Lord would have him do. He is ready to do the bidding of the Lord. He has been completely changed. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20). We can surely tell what has happened to this man.
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man [Acts 9:7].
Later on it says that they didn’t hear. Is this a conflict? No, they heard a voice but that was all. They couldn’t understand what was said. It didn’t make any sense to them. They didn’t see anyone. There was no one for them to see. They were speechless with amazement. We shall see this in more detail in Acts 22 and 26.
And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink [Acts 9:8–9].
This man was blinded by the light that he had seen from heaven. Here was a man who was puzzled as much as any man has ever been. Some people jump up and down when they are converted. Some shout for joy. Not Saul of Tarsus. There never was a man as confused as he was. Had we met him on one of those three days in Damascus and had we asked him what had happened to him, his answer would have been, “I don’t know.” But he is going to find out.
And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight [Acts 9:10–12].
Saul of Tarsus, a brilliant young man, is sitting in darkness and confusion. The Spirit of God comes to another man, Ananias, and sends him over to Saul of Tarsus.
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy nsMne.
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake [Acts 9:13–16].
God states two reasons for calling Saul. He was God’s chosen vessel for two things. First, he was to bear the name of Jesus. Notice that he is not called a witness as the disciples were. Although Paul may have seen Jesus at His crucifixion, he had not walked with Him in the days of His flesh. He really knew nothing about Him until that day on the road to Damascus. Now he is to bear that name. That is the same name we are to bear today, the name of Jesus.
He is to bear that name before three different groups: Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Gentiles are first on the list. Paul will be the great Apostle to the Gentiles. Then to kings—he will appear before kings, probably including Nero himself, and then to the nation Israel. When Paul goes into a city, he always will begin in the Jewish synagogue. The synagogue will be his springboard to put him into the community, into the life of the city. From there he will reach the Gentiles. But he will go to the Jews first.
Secondly, the Lord said He will show Saul how great things he must suffer for His name’s sake. He is chosen to suffer for Jesus Christ. In my judgment, there has never been anyone else who has suffered for the Lord as Paul the apostle suffered. None of us dare say, “I’m suffering more than anyone else. Why does God let this happen to me?” We may be suffering or we may think we are suffering more than we are. At any rate, none of us suffer as Paul the apostle suffered for the Lord.
Now as we look back on this remarkable conversion, you may remember that I said conversion requires the Holy Spirit using the Word of God through a man of God. Does this prove true in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus?
The Lord Jesus appeared to Saul personally. Before the Lord Jesus left His disciples, He told them that He was going away but that He would not leave them orphans. He promised them that He would send His Holy Spirit, and this is what the Spirit would do: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:14–15). Now I think that when our resurrected Lord appeared to Saul personally, the Spirit of God opened his eyes spiritually and closed them physically so that he might see the Lord Jesus. So the Holy Spirit was definitely at work.
How about the Word of God? How was that used in the conversion of Paul? Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee. He knew a great deal about the Word of God. In fact, if there ever has been anyone saturated with the Word of God, he was Saul of Tarsus. When reading his epistles, it becomes obvious that he was very fatuiliar with the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God were operative in Saul’s conversion.
How can one say that God used a man of God as the human instrument to reach Saul? Although a man of God was not present at the time, I believe the man whom the Lord used to reach Saul was none other than Stephen. These two young men, Saul and Stephen, met only once, and that was when Saul stood with those who killed him. Stephen had looked up into the heavens and said, “I see heaven open and Jesus standing there!” (see Acts 7:56). Saul of Tarsus looked up into the heavens and couldn’t see anything. Then he looked into the face of Stephen and he knew that Stephen was actually seeing something. I believe that Saul actually hoped that the heavens would open and that he, too, could have a vision of God. And he did on the Damascus road. It was Jesus Christ who was revealed to him.
I believe that God uses a human instrument in the conversion of every individual, although that individual may not be present at the moment of the conversion. That is the reason you and I should cast our influence for the Lord Jesus Christ at all times.
Recenty I received a letter from a man who is a barber. A certain man had been his customer for twenty years. One time when the customer got out of the chair and was paying for his haircut, he asked the barber, “Have you ever heard Dr. McGee on the radio?” The barber said he had not; so the customer walked over to his radio and turned it to the station on which we can be heard in that town. He said, “Every morning at eight o’clock! You listen to him!” That was the last time these two men saw each other. The customer died suddenly within a day or so. You can guess the end of the story. The barber started listening to the program. He had been listening to it for over two years when he wrote to me. He has come to know Jesus Christ as his Savior. The human instrument in his conversion was his old customer.
Dr. C.I. Scofield is the man who edited the Scofield Bible. Before his conversion he was an outstanding international lawyer, but he had the problem of being a very heavy drinker. He had a godly mother who prayed for him continually. She died before Dr. Scofield was converted. On one occasion Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer was praying with Dr. Scofield. He told us that he heard Dr. Scofield say, “Lord, if my mother doesn’t know that I have been converted. would You please tell her so?” God uses a human instrument in the conversion of every person, although that person may not be present at the moment of conversion. I don’t think a person can be converted without a human instrument. So why don’t you be an instrument? That doesn’t mean you have to get a person to his knees; it does mean that you get the good news of Jesus Christ to him. There will not be a real conversion without a man of God using the Word of God, directed by the Spirit of God.
Now, going back to Saul of Tarsus where we left him in Damascus, he is still sitting in solitary blindness, praying. Brilliant young man that he is, he is still somewhat confused since his conversion. So the Spirit of God appeared to Ananias and sent him over to help him.
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost [Acts 9:17].
What a change! He is still Saul of Tarsus, but now he is Brother Saul. He is not the enemy. He is a brother. Any person who loves the Lord Jesus Christ is a brother to any other believer. Unfortunately, I must add that brothers don’t always act like brothers.
Saul is to receive his physical sight. Also, he is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He is to be filled with the Holy Spirit for service. This is the experience which reveals itself in the life of the believer. He was baptized with the Holy Spirit on the Damascus road. In other words, he was saved on the Damascus road. But it wasn’t until this man Ananias came to him that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. He is going to become a witness for the Lord Jesus. He will receive his physical sight and his spiritual sight.
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose,and was baptized [Acts 9:18].
Now he is baptized with water as a sign and seal of his conversion. The water had nothing to do with his salvation. He had been baptized by the Holy Spirit—that is, he had been saved on the Damascus road. When Ananias had laid his hands on him, he had been filled with the Holy Spirit for service. And now he is baptized with water.
And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus [Acts 9:19].
SAUL BEGINS TO WITNESS AT DAMASCUS
And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God [Acts 9:20].
Saul of Tarsus begins to witness immediately. Why? Because he is filled with the Holy Spirit. He began to preach “Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”
Friend, you must know who Christ is before you can believe what He did. He died to pay the penalty for your sins. It is because He is the Son of God that He could die for your sins. I couldn’t die for your sins; you couldn’t die for mine. No human being can die a redemptive death for another human being. Only Christ could do this, because He is the Son of God. So Saul began to preach that Christ is the Son of God. That is the first thing you must know.
But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ [Acts 9:21–22].
The “very Christ” means the very Messiah. Saul confounded the Jews by preaching this. Saul of Tarsus is number one in several departments. He is number one in suffering; he is number one as a missionary. I think he is also number one in his I.Q.—he was a brilliant man. He was able to confound those who attempted to tackle him intellectually.
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket [Acts 9:23–25].
When the Jews couldn’t win by argument, they resorted to another tactic, which was to eliminate the enemy.
I’m sure it must have been quite a thrilling experience to have been let down over the wall in a basket. Yet we never read anywhere in the New Testament that Paul toured the Roman Empire giving a lecture on the subject, “Over the Wall in a Basket.” That ought to be a lesson for a great many folk who deal in sensationalism today. Here is a man who has had a most remarkable experience, but he has something more important to present.
We must never let our experience get in the way of presenting Christ. We must never let our person get in the way of the Person of Christ. Sometimes I hear the very pious prayer, “Hide the preacher behind the cross.” No, friend, that is not what he needs. Rather, we should pray, “Help the preacher to present Christ in such a way that the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and show them to us. Help him to present Christ!” This was Paul’s method.
SAUL IN JERUSALEM
And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple [Acts 9:26].
They thought this was a deception on the part of Saul of Tarsus, that he was worming his way in. They were experiencing persecution. And they probably had heard of Simon the sorcerer and the tactics he used in Samaria.
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus [Acts 9:27].
Good old Barnabas, whose very name means the “son of consolation and comfort”! He comes over and puts his arm around Saul. What a blessing he was to him! How we still need people who will put their arms around some new Christian and will help that new Christian along. Barnabas becomes the sponsor of Saul.
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem [Acts 9:28].
Paul is accepted into the assembly at Jerusalem and joins forces with the Jerusalem church.
And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him [Acts 9:29].
These are not Greeks. They are Israelites who have a Greek background. They had been brought up outside Israel somewhere in the Greek world. The witness of Saul was so powerful that they concluded the only way to get rid of his effectiveness was to eliminate him, to kill him.
Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus [Acts 9:30].
Paul goes to his hometown. He probably went back home to tell his father and mother, brothers and sisters, and other relatives about Christ. We know nothing about them. Paul never talks about his family—with one exception. In Romans 16 he mentions some folk who are related to him.
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied [Acts 9:31].
The church continued to grow. The gospel went into Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. It will start to go to the ends of the earth very shortly.
PETER’S MINISTRY IN LYDDA AND JOPPA
And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord [Acts 9:32–35].
Because Peter was an apostle, he had the sign gifts of an apostle.
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did [Acts 9:36].
This woman was engaged in social service. She had the gift of sewing. Do you mean to tell me that sewing is a gift of the Holy Spirit? Yes, it was for this woman. Many people today are seeking for some exciting, fleshly gift such as speaking in tongues. May I suggest seeking a gift that is practical? I say very carefully and kindly, “Dear sister, learn to sew.”
Sewing was the gift of Dorcas. I doubt that she ever spoke at a missionary meeting or taught a women’s Bible class. I don’t think she ever had such an opportunity because she was one of the early saints. But she did a lot of wonderful things for folk.
And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber [Acts 9:37].
Notice how the Christians prepared for burial in that day.
And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them [Acts 9:38].
They sent word from Joppa to Lydda that a very wonderful woman in the church there in Joppa had died. They apparently believed that Simon Peter could raise her from the dead. At least they asked him to come down.
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them [Acts 9:39].
You will notice that it was the widows who conducted this fashion show. They were all showing off the garments that Dorcas had made. Why did the widows do it? Because they were poor. They wouldn’t have had any clothes if it had not been for Dorcas. She had sewn their clothes for them. This was her ministry. Sewing was her gift of the Holy Spirit.
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive [Acts 9:40–41].
Here is an example of the exercise of a sign gift. We have in the Book of Acts, the historical book of the church, the ministries of Simon Peter who was an apostle and of Paul who was an apostle. Simon Peter was a minister to his own people; yet he was the one to open the door for the Gentiles. Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul, and he was the Apostle to the Gentiles. The record states that each one raised a person from the dead. Quite possibly they raised others, but these are recorded to show that these men had sign gifts. They could perform miracles. They could heal the sick. They could raise the dead. These were the marks, the evidences of an apostle. They were apostolic gifts. Paul says that the apostles are the foundation of the church in the sense that the church is built on them. They are the ones who put down the New Testament on which the church is actually built.
Today we do not need sign gifts. The issue today is doctrine. At the end of the era of New Testament writings, the apostle John wrote his epistles. Listen to his instructions for detecting deceivers: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 10–11).
Toward the end of Paul’s own ministry the record clearly shows that Paul did not exercise the gift of healing. For instance, notice that he left Trophimus at Miletum sick (2 Tim. 4:20). Why did not Paul heal his friend Trophimus? Paul, you see, had come to the end of his ministry, and the sign gifts even then were beginning to disappear from the church. At the beginning of Paul’s ministry, nothing of the New Testament had been written. Paul himself wrote the second book of the New Testament. When he went into a new territory with his message, what was his authority? He had no authority except sign gifts. However, after the New Testament was in written form, the emphasis shifted from sign gifts to correct doctrine. Paul warns that if a man does not have correct doctrine—even if he is an angel from heaven—you should not receive him. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8).
However, in these early days of the church, the apostles’ sign gifts were important. Notice the reaction of those who heard of Dorcas being restored to life.
And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord [Acts 9:42].
The sign gifts were used to confirm to them the gospel of grace.
And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner [Acts 9:43].
A tanner used acid to tan his animal hides. It really made the place quite odoriferous. When I was in Joppa, we were shown the place where Simon Peter is said to have stayed. Joppa is a rather picturesque village right on the water’s edge, and the tanner’s house was down there. The house looks old enough to have been there that long. So this may well have been the place where Simon Peter stayed.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Conversion of Cornelius, the Roman centurion (son of Japheth)
Chapter 10 continues the record of the ministry of Simon Peter. Later Peter will pass from the scene, and the history will continue with the ministry of the apostle Paul. Although Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, Peter opened the door to the Gentiles by entering the home of Cornelius and presenting salvation through Christ to his household.
CORNELIUS’ VISION
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band [Acts 10:1].
Remember that Paul had been in Caesarea (Acts 9:30) and probably some of the other apostles had been preaching the gospel along the coast. Tel Aviv is really a part of old Joppa. As one travels up the coast from Joppa, the next place of any size is Caesarea, which was really a Roman city. It was the place where Pilate lived. The governor and those who ruled the land stayed there. This is where Cornelius was stationed. He was a centurion, which means he was a commander of a hundred soldiers in the Roman army. The Italian band was a cohort of Roman soldiers recruited in Italy.
A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway [Acts 10:2].
He was “a devout man.” That means his worship was rightly directed. He recognized his dependence upon that which is divine. Remember that even a pagan can have devotion and a deep conviction to his gods. Sometimes we wish that Christians today had more devotion and conviction.
He was a devout man and “one that feared God.” He was not a Jewish proselyte in the strict sense of the term, but gravitated toward Judaism and could be called a “proselyte of the Gate.” Today we might say that he was a man who lived in the neighborhood, attended church on special occasions, was friendly toward the church, but was not actually a Christian. That could have been Cornelius. He feared God.
He “gave much alms to the people” means he gave many gifts of charity to the Jewish people. The nation Israel has always laid great stress upon giving. God had taught them this in the Old Testament. We speak of the tithe, but it is obvious from the Mosaic system that they actually gave three tenths. They gave for the running of the government (which was a theocracy at the beginning), they gave for the maintenance of the temple, and they gave a tenth of all that they produced. So they have been a giving, generous people.
It is interesting that even today many of our eleemosynary, that is, charitable foundations, were established by Jews. There is no group of people in our day that gives as generously as does the Jewish community in its support of the nation of Israel. They are a very generous people.
Cornelius “prayed to God alway.” This centurion took his needs to God. He needed to have more light. He wanted it. He probably didn’t really know too much about prayer, but he prayed.
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius [Acts 10:3].
This centurion was an officer in the Roman army, a career officer, and a man of influence. Also he had a tremendous influence on his own household, as we shall see. He was a good man to all outward observation. In America today he would pass for a Christian, a Christian of the highest degree, an outstanding man. But he actually was not a Christian. He had not even heard the gospel.
He is an example of a man who lived up to the light which he had. John 1:9 says this of Jesus: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” This centurion had not met Jesus Christ nor come into His presence, but he was living up to the light that he had. Paul is referring to those who do not live by the light they have in Romans 1:19–20: “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” This is God’s answer to that oft-repeated question, “What about the poor pagan, that ‘good’ heathen, who wants to know God but never had a chance? Is he lost?” The answer is that God will get light to such a person. God will enable him to hear the gospel. Now how will God get the gospel to Cornelius? The barriers seem insurmountable. The church at this time—and for the first eight years—was exclusively Jewish.
These Christian Jews were still going to the temple and observing many Jewish customs. They could do that under grace because they were trusting Christ. Then the gospel broke over into Samaria. The Jews in Jerusalem were surprised, but they recognized the hand of God in this. Now how is God going to open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles?
Paul is to be the great missionary to the Gentiles, but God has Paul out in the desert in Arabia, training him there. It is Simon Peter who must open the door to the Gentiles. God used perhaps the most prejudiced and religious bigot, the greatest extremist of the day. Obviously, the Holy Spirit directed every move in getting the gospel to the Gentiles. My friend, all genuine Christian work is directed by the Holy Spirit. No other work amounts to anything. The Holy Spirit had to work in the heart of the Gentile; the Holy Spirit had to work in the heart of the Jew. The Holy Spirit directed the bringing of the gospel to the gentile world.
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God [Acts 10:4].
An angel of God appeared to Cornelius in a vision. He was not dreaming but was given this vision while he was praying.
Now I do want you to notice that there are certain things that do count before God. These are things which can in no way merit salvation, but they are things which God notes. The prayers of Cornelius and his alms had come up for a memorial before God, and God brought the gospel to him. Wherever there is a man who seeks after God as Cornelius did, that man is going to hear the gospel of the grace of God. God will see that he gets it.
And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do [Acts 10:5–6].
The angel tells him where to find Peter. He doesn’t need more of an address. The odor of those hides down in that vat will lead them to the right place!
And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa [Acts 10:7–8].
These men won’t have any trouble finding the tanner’s house. While they are on their way, God must prepare Simon Peter.
PETER’S VISION
On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour [Acts 10:9].
It is absolutely necessary for God to prepare Simon Peter. You see, Simon Peter didn’t have the breadth that Paul had. Although he didn’t have the background or the training that Paul had, God can use him differently. I believe it is a tremendous mistake to think that every person has to be poured into the same mold for God to use him.
And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air [Acts 10:10–12].
Notice that there were beasts, all kinds of birds, and all kinds of bugs.
And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean [Acts 10:13–14].
While Peter is wondering what this means, a voice speaks to him. Isn’t it interesting that he calls Him, “Lord,” but he doesn’t obey what the Lord tells him to do?
Now don’t miss this. Here is a man who is on this side of the Day of Pentecost. He is living in this age of grace when it makes no difference whether we eat meat or whether we don’t eat meat. However, Peter is still abiding by the Mosaic system and he is not eating anything that is ceremonially unclean. He is sincere and honest about it. Someone may say that he ought to be broad-minded and eat everything. Well, you see that the Lord is teaching him that he is no longer under the Mosaic system and is free to eat anything. Today the big problem is that some people decide they don’t want to eat meat and then they try to put everyone else under that same system. My friend, under grace you can eat meat or not eat meat. That is your business. Eating some certain food may give you indigestion, but it certainly will not change your relationship with the Lord.
And the voice spake anto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common [Acts 10:15].
What God has made clean, don’t you call unclean. You can eat anything because God has said so.
This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven [Acts 10:16].
Peter was left wondering what it was all about.
Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,
And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee [Acts 10:17–22].
Simon Peter is to go to Caesarea. This little delegation from Cornelius gives an explanation to him, then extends an invitation to come with them to the house of Cornelius.
THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS
Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him [Acts 10:23–25].
We can see that Cornelius had quite an influence on his family and friends. He has called them together for this occasion. Also we can see that Cornelius is still a pagan, a heathen. When he is instructed by an angel to send for Simon Peter, he concludes that this man must really be important; so he falls down and worships Peter.
It is interesting to see Simon Peter’s reaction to this. Friend, Simon Peter would never have let you get down to kiss his big toe. He just wouldn’t permit it.
But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man [Acts 10:26].
Peter reached down and pulled him to his feet and said, “Stand up; I myself also am a man.” I like the way he did that.
And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean [Acts 10:27–28].
Peter stepped into the house. What a step that was! It was the first time that Peter had ever been in a gentile house. He still is really a little baffled at God’s command to go there.
He violates the first rule of homiletics when he begins his message with an apology. What he says is not a friendly thing to say. In fact, it is an insult. In essence, he said, “If you really want to know how I felt about this, well, I just didn’t want to come. I’ve never been in the home of a Gentile before. Never before have I gone into a place that is unclean!” But he does go on to add, “Even though I have never before been in an unclean home, God has told me not to call any man unclean. We are all sinners and we are all savable.” How would you feel, especially if you are a lady who is a house-keeper, if some visitor came into your home and his first words were, “I am coming into your home, which I consider dirty”? You wouldn’t exactly respond with a warm, friendly feeling, would you? Yet this is the substance of what Simon Peter said.
Because God had showed him that there was neither clean nor unclean, he continues his message.
Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? [Acts 10:29].
This amazes me. Why would Simon Peter ask that question? Why didn’t he immediately begin to tell them about Jesus Christ? Well, you see, the Spirit of God is in charge here, and He keeps Peter from rushing right into this.
This should be an important lesson for us. So often we are rather brisk and even crude in our witnessing. Because we find it difficult to witness, generally when we do it, we are very amateurish about it. We do it so abruptly and in such a way that often it offends people.
We need to be led by the Spirit of God. I personally believe that the finest kind of evangelism today is prayer evangelism. I mean that we should begin by praying for an individual. Then the day will come when we need to put legs on the prayer. Ask God to lead you. Friend, I know that He will lead you. If you have been praying for a loved one, or a friend, or a stranger, don’t just go to him in your ovm strength and in the power of the flesh. If you do, you will fail. Let God be the One to lead you.
Let me share with you one of my first experiences of witnessing. When I was a student in college, I was very zealous to be a witness for God, but I was rather timid about it, and, very frankly, I wanted to be sure I had the leading of the Holy Spirit. I didn’t have any money for bus or train fare, so I did a lot of hitchhiking. One time when I was out on the highway, a man in a brand new Model A Ford drove by and stopped fifty yards past me. Then he motioned for me to come on and get in. He said that he always looked over a hitchhiker before he picked one up. He introduced himself and told me he was a salesman for drug companies. He asked where I was going and I told him it was to Memphis. Well, he was going all the way to Memphis and he would be glad to take me all the way, but he did need to stop at several drug stores on the way to get his orders from them. Obviously, that was fine with me.
As we rode along, we talked of everything under the sun. Under my breath I was praying, “Lord, I’d like to witness to this man, but You will have to open the door for me. I’m not going to broach the subject because if I do, he’ll think he has some religious nut in the car with him. If I open the door, he will probably open the car door and tell me to get out.” So we rode along some more and just talked and talked. Finally he asked me whether I’d mind driving for him. Of course, I would love to drive that new car; so I did. He sat there and relaxed.
We got about sixty miles from Memphis and we had run out of conversation. There was a lull, and I was still praying, “Lord, we’re getting near Memphis and there still hasn’t been a door open for me. I’m not going to open it because I’m afraid he’ll throw me out. You open the door for me if You want me to witness.” We rode on for about ten more minutes, and then out of a clear sky he said, “You know, my wife and I went to church yesterday.” He looked at me and laughed, and I laughed. Then he said, “I don’t go very often. But that preacher said the funniest thing. He said Jesus was coming to this earth again. What do you think about that?”
Well, friend, I told him. Then I told him all about the first coming of the Lord Jesus. Finally I said, “The second coming of Christ means nothing to you now. You’ve got to come to Christ and accept what He did for you the first time He came if you are to have an interest in His second coming.” This man was wide open. He drove me to the dormitory where I stayed at the college. He parked there and said, “I want to see you again.” So I just blurted out, “Wouldn’t you like to accept Christ as your Savior?” He said, “I sure would,” I told him he could do that right there in the car. So we bowed our heads in prayer. I prayed and then asked him to pray, and he accepted Christ. Now I’ll be honest with you, I would never have opened my mouth if the Lord hadn’t prompted him to open up the conversation. We need to be led by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit had prepared his heart, and his conversion was genuine. The first sermon I preached after I was ordained in Nashville, as I looked down at the congregation, I noticed this man and his wife. He just sat there and smiled. Afterward I invited him to join my church. He said they had already joined a good church over in another part of town. He and his wife had become active Christians. What a wonderful experience that was!
We ought to be very careful in our witnessing that we are being led by the Spirit of God. Simon Peter does not walk right in and begin lecturing or preaching. He first finds out what is going on. “Why have you called for me? Why did you send these men for me?”
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side; who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God [Acts 10:30–33].
Cornelius tells him, “I really don’t know why I sent for you, except that God told me to send for Simon Peter. You must have some message for me.”
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all;)
That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached [Acts 10:34–37].
Apparently Cornelius and those assembled with him would have heard certain basic facts about Jesus of Nazareth and also about the ministry of John the Baptist.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly [Acts 10:38–40],
Notice carefully what Simon Peter does. He presents the facts concerning Jesus Christ, assuming there are some of the incidents which they already know. He makes it very clear to them that this Jesus was crucified on a tree and that He rose again on the third day. God raised Him and showed Him openly. This is the gospel. Nothing short of that will do.
This past Christmas I received many cards on which were printed the rather well-known message, “One Solitary Life.” It is very fine, there is no question about that. It is very readable, but there is a strange omission—a solitary omission in it. The most important fact is not recorded. It records that Jesus died, even mentions that He was buried, but completely leaves out His resurrection. Friend, there is not a single sermon preached, as recorded in the Book of Acts, that does not mention the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is the very heart of the gospel. Until that is preached, the gospel has not been preached. Jesus Christ died, He was buried, He rose again from the dead. Those are the historical facts. Your relationship to a risen Savior determines your eternal destiny. He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was raised again for our justification (Rom. 4:25).
Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins [Acts 10:41–3].
You may remember that I have pointed out Peter’s weaknesses and his faults. I actually rejoice in the fact that Peter was so human and so like another fellow I know very well by the name of McGee. But the important thing is that Peter preached the gospel. Here is the gospel: Jesus Christ died, He has risen, and whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins. If we do not tell people that message, we are not telling them the gospel.
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days [Acts 10:44–48].
This incident has been called the Gentile Pentecost. Peter was astonished that the Gentiles should receive the Holy Spirit. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit was made audible by their speaking in tongues. The tongues were an evidence to Simon Peter and the others with him that God would save the Gentiles and would give to them His Holy Spirit. Peter later relates this as evidence that these Gentiles had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and that God had granted repentance unto life also to the Gentiles (Acts 11:17–18). In Acts 15:7–11 Peter again refers to this incident, declaring that it proves that the Holy Ghost has been given to the Gentiles and that they are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ just as are the Jews. It is hard for us to realize the great barrier that existed between Jew and Gentile. The Jews of that day simply could not believe that Gentiles were going to be saved—in spite of the fact that the Lord had told them this was to be so. Then the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house are baptized in water.
Again let me call your attention to the fact that the Book of Acts records three representative conversions. The Ethiopian eunuch was a son of Ham. Saul of Tarsus was a son of Shem. Cornelius was a son of Japheth. In each instance the Holy Spirit moved, using a man of God and the Word of God.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Peter defends his ministry; gospel goes to Antioch
Peter recounts the events in connection with the conversion of Gentiles in the home of Cornelius. The news that the Gentiles had received the Word of God did not seem to bring any joy to the church in Jerusalem. They demand of Peter an explanation of his conduct, so Peter must defend his ministry—which is really difficult for Simon Peter, as he himself feels apologetic about it.
Antioch becomes the center of the gentile church.
PETER DEFENDS HIS MINISTRY
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them [Acts 11:1–3].
There was doubt and division. We need to understand that to the Jews the action of Simon Peter was a terrible thing. In fact, if we could have talked to Simon Peter a month before this, he also would have said it was a terrible thing to do. Actually, Peter gives them an apology. He makes it clear that he didn’t want to do it at all, but that the Spirit of God was in the whole episode.
But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air [Acts 11:4–6].
Listen to his account. He is still amazed at God’s command.
And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven [Acts 11:7–10].
The word for “drawn up” indicates all were suddenly withdrawn into heaven.
And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning [Acts 11:11–15].
Now Simon Peter tells what went through his mind.
Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? [Acts 11:16–17].
The purpose of the tongues was to give evidence to Simon Peter that the Holy Spirit had actually “fallen on them.” How else would he have known that they had been baptized by the Holy Spirit which placed them in the body of believers?
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life [Acts 11:18].
Even the Judaizers had to shut their mouths now. They had nothing more to say in objection, because this obviously was of God. So they glorified God. This was a great day—the door had been opened to the Gentiles! We see now that the stage is being set for the gospel to move out to the ends of the earth.
GOSPEL GOES TO ANTIOCH
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus [Acts 11:19–20].
The “Grecians,” you will remember, are Jews who spoke Greek and were Greek in their customs. So far, you will notice, the preaching has been to Jews only.
And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch [Acts 11:21–22].
There is a great moving of the Spirit of God in Antioch, and the church in Jerusalem hears about it. So the Jerusalem church sends Barnabas to Antioch. We are going to see now that Antioch becomes the second center of the church. In fact, the center actually shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord [Acts 11:23–24].
This is a wonderful thing that is said about Barnabas. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and full of faith. And, my friend, there is no reason why every Christian shouldn’t be a good person.
Barnabas became the pastor of the church there. He began “exhorting,” which would be preaching and teaching. And the congregation grew, for “much people was added unto the Lord.” As the church grew, it became evident to Barnabas that he needed an assistant pastor, and he knew where to get a good one.
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch [Acts 11:25–26].
Barnabas had to go find Saul and bring him with him. I detect in this that Saul was a little reluctant to come. He held back.
It was here that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ were first called “Christians.” I do not think this was a term of ridicule. I think it simply meant that these were the ones who were the followers of Christ, they were Christians. It is an excellent name.
And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul [Acts 11:27–30].
The incident that is recorded here is also verified in secular history. There was a general famine, but the effect was especially felt in Jerusalem where the church had been persecuted, decimated, and hurt. They were in dire need during this time. It is wonderful to see the fraternal spirit, the bond of love, that held the early church together. The other believers sent help to the troubled church in Jerusalem.
We remember that Saul had been one of those who had wasted the church in Jerusalem by his relentless persecution of them. How wonderful it is to see that by his own hands a transformed Saul now brings relief to that same church. That is Christianity in shoe leather, my friend. That is the way it ought to be
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Death of James; arrest of Peter
In this chapter persecution strikes through Herod Agrippa I. James is executed and Peter is imprisoned—but is miraculously delivered. Herod dies by a judgment of God. Although persecution comes, the church grows and the Word of God is multiplied.
DEATH OF JAMES
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church [Acts 12:1].
“Herod the king” is Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who attempted to put the Lord Jesus to death at the time of His birth). There never was a family more at enmity against God. As far as we know, not a single member of the Herod family ever really turned to God.
You will recall that up to this point the persecution against the church had been largely from the religious rulers, the Sadducees in particular. Now it moves into the realm of government. Persecution swings from religion to politics. Perhaps Herod did this to gain favor with certain influential groups. We know that he stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. The word vexed is hardly adequate to describe what he did. He carried on a brutal, unfeeling persecution of the church.
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword [Acts 12:2],
The fact is stated so bluntly—he killed James with the sword. James becomes another martyr in the church. He is the second martyr who is named. I am of the opinion that there had been many others who had already died for the name of the Lord Jesus.
And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) [Acts 12:3].
James is slain, but Peter will be miraculously preserved in all of this. Here we find an example of the sovereign will of God moving in the church. I’m sure there were many who asked, “Why in the world was James put to death and Peter permitted to live? Why would God do that?” Many ask that same question today. The answer is that this is the sovereign will of God. He still moves like this in the contemporary church. I have been in the ministry for many years, and I have seen the Lord reach in and take certain wonderful members out of the church by death. And then there are others whom He has left. Why would He do that? If He had asked me, from my viewpoint as the pastor, I would say that He took the wrong one and He left the wrong one! But life and death are in the hands of a sovereign God. When you and I rebel against His decision, it is simply too bad for us. This is His universe, not ours. It is God’s church, not ours. The hand of a sovereign God moves in the church.
James apparently was one of the heads of the church in Jerusalem. God permits Herod to slay him. Peter must have been a leader, too. God permits him to live.
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people [Acts 12:4].
The word Easter should be “Passover.” Actually, they are at the same time because you remember that Jesus ate the meal with His disciples just before He was crucified. However, the Jews in Jerusalem at this time would have been celebrating the Passover and not Easter.
He really put Peter under guard here. The guard is strengthened and enlarged. Four quaternions of soldiers to keep this man! Wouldn’t you say that he suspected someone would try to deliver Peter?
PETER’S DELIVERANCE
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him [Acts 12:5].
Another translation would be “but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him.” They didn’t come before God with a kind of grocery-list prayer. They went before God and earnestly prayed that this man Simon Peter be delivered. Their hearts were in their prayers.
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison [Acts 12:6].
How could Simon Peter sleep between two soldiers? Remember that he went to sleep also in the Garden of Gethsemane. I would say that Simon Peter was not troubled with insomnia. He didn’t have any difficulty sleeping. It seems he could sleep just about any place and any time. What a wonderful confidence he must have had in God to be able to sleep between these two soldiers!
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision [Acts 12:7–9].
The angel tells him to do a very reasonable thing—get dressed. There was nothing in the way of alarm, just sensible directions. Peter thought the whole thing was a dream, and he would have walked out of there without his shoes!
When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him [Acts 12:10].
They certainly had enough guards to keep Peter in prison. I really think that they expected something like this. You remember that the Lord Jesus had come forth from the grave. That was a source of real embarrassment to them. They do not intend to let something like that happen to them again. So they more than doubled the guard.
Remember that the church in Jerusalem is praying for Simon Peter while this is happening. As soon as Peter is out of danger, the angel lets Peter go on his own.
Let me call attention to the fact that the translation in verse 7 should be an angel of the Lord and not the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord in the Old Testament referred to the preincarnate Christ. Jesus Christ is now at God’s right hand in His glorified body. It was not the Lord Jesus who came down to deliver Peter. It was an angel whom the Lord Jesus had sent. The prayers of the church are definitely answered.
And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews [Acts 12:11].
Peter immediately recognizes that God has delivered him.
And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying [Acts 12:12].
The church at this particular time, and for about a hundred and fifty years after this, did not have church buildings. Today, when we talk of a church, we usually mean a building. We say, “The First So-and-So church is on the corner of Main and So-and-So.” Actually, that is not a church at all; it is a building in which the church meets. The church is the body of believers. At the beginning the church never met in a public building. They had none. They met in homes.
Now Mary, the mother of John Mark, apparently was a woman of means and had a home large enough for the church to meet there. They were gathered together praying for Simon Peter to be delivered.
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda [Acts 12:13].
“To hearken” means that she came to the door to listen. These were days of persecution. It was important to know who was knocking. Rhoda means “rose”; she was probably a servant girl.
And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate [Acts 12:14].
She forgot all about opening the gate, you see. She was so excited that she just left him standing there at the gate while she rushed back in to the people who were praying.
And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel [Acts 12:15].
When she tells them Peter is at the gate, they tell her she is crazy. “No,” she tells them, “Peter is at the gate.” “Well, did you see him?” “No, I didn’t open the gate but I heard him, and I know his voice.” “Oh,” they say, “it’s his spirit.” The word angel is pneuma, which really means “spirit” rather than angel. They are not saying that he has a guardian angel. They think it is his spirit. In other words, they think Peter is dead, that he has been slain by Herod.
It is interesting that while the church is praying for Simon Peter to be delivered, he is delivered; but when it happens, they don’t believe it. They think he has been slain and it is his spirit which has appeared.
It is a great comfort to me that the early church, with all of its tremendous spiritual power, did not believe that their prayers had been answered on this occasion. They didn’t believe that Simon Peter had actually been delivered. Isn’t that same thing true of us so many times? When we do have an answer to our prayer, we rejoice and talk about it as if we are really surprised. And we are surprised—to be honest, we really didn’t expect an answer. Yet God heard and answered our prayer. How gracious He is!
“But Peter continued knocking.” That’s just like Peter. Nobody’s opening the gate because they don’t believe their prayers have been answered—they are in there arguing whether it is Peter or whether it is his spirit. Peter wants in and he is about to knock that gate down!
But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place [Acts 12:16–17].
They just couldn’t believe their eyes. They just couldn’t believe that their prayers had been answered.
Now Peter got out of town. Since God had miraculously delivered him, couldn’t God have miraculously kept him safe in Jerusalem? Shouldn’t Peter have said, “I’m just going to stick around. God has delivered me out of prison and I know He can keep me”? Of course, God could keep him. But God expects us to use our common sense. Sometimes what looks like a tremendous faith in God is actually tempting God. Even after God has done some wonderful or miraculous thing for you and for me, He still expects us to use our common sense.
Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter [Acts 12:18].
Notice that Dr. Luke uses the diminutive—“no small stir.” When he says there was no small stir, believe me, he means there was a mighty big stir. Also in chapter 15 of Acts, when Judaism came into the church, Dr. Luke says they had “no small dissension.” He means they had a regular knock-down-drag-out. They had a real fight, a regular donnybrook. But Dr. Luke always uses that very gracious and gentle diminutive—“no small stir” and “no small dissension.”
When the soldiers found what had happened and realized that Simon Peter was gone, I think they called out half the army. They must have made a house-to-house search. Maybe they threw a guard around the city to prevent his escape. There was no small stir according to Dr. Luke. I’ll say not! There was a mighty big stir.
And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode [Acts 12:19].
Herod is cold-blooded and he is hardhearted. He has no regard for human life. By executing the guards, he is saying to the world that he does not believe Peter’s escape was an act of God. He is holding his men responsible. He executes all the soldiers who were guarding Peter. Then he goes down to Caesarea, which is a resort area on the Mediterranean. Pilate enjoyed it down there, and many of the Roman rulers stayed down there. Actually, it was the Roman headquarters. Romans, like Pilate, didn’t care for Jerusalem. They certainly didn’t love Jerusalem as King David had. So now Herod beats it down to Caesarea to have a little vacation.
DEATH OF HEROD
Now we will see that God holds Herod responsible for the light He has given him.
And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country [Acts 12:20].
Tyre and Sidon did business with Herod and when he was displeased, this hurt the economy of Tyre and Sidon. So they came down to make an overture to Herod.
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them [Acts 12:21].
Herod was pompous and lifted up by pride. He was also a pleasing speaker. He was the kind of politician who would have been elected no matter what party he would run for.
Herod is one of the men who is a miniature of Antichrist. John tells us this in 1 John 2:18: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” The people hail him as a deity.
And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost [Acts 12:22–23].
Friend, God will not share His glory with anyone. “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8). Herod refused to glorify God through the miracle of Peter’s escape from prison. And now he is willing to let the people deify him God judges him. God is jealous of His glory. What a lesson we have here!
Now one would think that with all this persecution taking place the poor church would be destroyed and disappear.
But the word of God grew and multiplied [Acts 12:24].
Persecution didn’t hurt the church at all.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark [Acts 12:25].
John Mark goes back to Antioch with Barnabas and Saul. Remember that they had been down in Jerusalem with the gift to the church there.
We have come now to the end of the second period of the Book of Acts. The gospel has gone into Judea and Samaria. Beginning with the next chapter we will see the movement of the gospel to the uttermost part of the earth. We are still in that movement today. I hope that you and I are both involved in it.
CHAPTERS 13–14
Theme: First missionary journey of Paul
We come now to the final major division of the Book of Acts. It is the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles to the uttermost part of the earth. The section includes chapters 13–28.
You will remember that the key to the book is the fact that Jesus said, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8). This was not a command to the church as a corporate body but to you and me individually. This witness was to go out to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, and then to the uttermost part of the earth. During the Jerusalem period we saw that the gospel went to the Jews, and the church was 100 percent Jewish—no Gentiles. During the next period we saw the gospel go to the Samaritans and we saw the conversion of some Gentiles. Now the gospel moves out officially on its way to the ends of the earth.
On its way to the ends of the earth the gospel came to my ancestors and to your ancestors. Today you and I are the beneficiaries of the fact that someone went down the road of this world to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. You and I ought to be in the business of taking the gospel down beyond where we are to some who have not heard.
In this surge of the gospel beyond the boundaries of Israel we find that Paul becomes the dominant leader and Peter disappears from the scene. God had used him mightily. Now Paul is the dominant one whom God will use.
As you will see by the map on page 570, Paul begins his journey with Barnabas. The first stop is the island of Cyprus, the home of Barnabas. They cross the island, then set sail from Paphos to go over to Perga in Pamphylia. Then they enter the interior of Asia Minor, which is now Turkey, and go into the Galatian country. They visit Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe; then they return through Attalia, and then sail back to Antioch.
BARNABAS AND PAUL SENT OUT FROM ANTIOCH
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them [Acts 13:1–2].
You will notice as they begin their ministry it is “Barnabas and Saul.” They will not be very far into the first missionary journey until Saul’s name is changed to Paul. It is soon evident that Paul becomes the leader and the chief spokesman; then this team is called “Paul and Barnabas.”
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away [Acts 13:3].
These men are now set aside as missionaries. Did you notice the church that sent them forth into the world? It was not the church in Jerusalem. I say to you very candidly, the church in Jerusalem was not a missionary church. The church in Antioch had the missionary vision. They fasted and prayed because of their earnestness and their desire for the will of God.
They laid their hands on these two missionaries they were sending out. We still do that today to our missionaries. Why? Is it that we are imparting something to them? I’m afraid all that we can impart to someone by laying our hands on them is whatever disease germ we have on our hands. The laying on of hands is a means of identifying, of declaring that we are partners with that one. So the Christians in Antioch are indicating by placing their hands on them that they are in a partnership with Paul and Barnabas in the enterprise of getting out the Word of God. They are sending these men out as their representatives. They will minister at home while Paul and Barnabas go to the regions beyond.
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus [Acts 13:4].
The important thing is that they are sent forth by the Holy Spirit. They will be led by the Holy Spirit of God. They went down to the seacoast town of Seleucia and sailed from there.
And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister [Acts 13:5].
Notice that they had John Mark along with them.
From the very beginning Paul adopts a method which he followed through his entire ministry. He always used the Jewish synagogue as the springboard from which he preached the gospel. A friend of mine was criticized for going to speak in a synagogue. This man preached the gospel, I can assure you. I reminded his critic that Paul always went first to the synagogue to preach. If he was going to find fault with my friend, he would also have to find fault with the method of the apostle Paul.
OPPOSITION AT PAPHOS
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus [Acts 13:6].
It would appear that their ministry didn’t have much success at Salamis. At least no record is given of any fruit from their ministry. They cross over the Isle of Cyprus to the other side of the island. In Paphos they encounter this opposition, which is actually satanic, through a sorcerer who had a tremendous influence on the Roman deputy, the governor of that island, Sergius Paulus.
Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith [Acts 13:7–8].
This is satanic opposition. This man had the governor under his influence. Unfortunately there are a great many rulers today who are under the influence of all kinds of cultism which is in opposition to the Word of God and in opposition to the gospel.
Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him [Acts 13:9].
Here his name is changed. Why was he called Paul? The name Paul means “small or little.” Some think that he took that name as an act of humility, that he no longer wanted to bear the proud name of Saul. It is possible he took the name of the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was his first convert.
And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? [Acts 13:10].
Paul may have been a mild man in some ways, but I tell you, when he encountered this kind of opposition, he denounced it with all his being. He recognized it as satanic and he denounced it. I think we ought to do the same today.
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand [Acts 13:11].
He was already in spiritual darkness. Now he is put into physical darkness as well.
Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord [Acts 13:12].
I call your attention to the fact that Paul had the sign gifts of an apostle. When he went over there to Paphos, he couldn’t ask them to turn to the New Testament. There was no New Testament for him to preach from or for them to turn to. He couldn’t preach from the Epistle to the Romans because he hadn’t written it yet. They couldn’t turn to the Gospel of John because John hadn’t written it yet. So how will they recognize his authority? It is by the sign gifts. Today, the New Testament is written. We are now given a different way to recognize authority. “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 10). This doctrine is in the Word of God, in the New Testament.
Probably the sorcerer had been doing some fancy tricks by the power of Satan. In that day a false prophet could probably heal and perform other miracles by the power of Satan.
Paul has his authority from the Lord Jesus Christ. He absolutely dominates the sorcerer by his message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sergius Paulus comes to the light. He has been in spiritual darkness but now believes and is astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem [Acts 13:13].
That is all Dr. Luke says; he mildly records the fact of John Mark’s departure. He doesn’t issue a tirade against him. We will learn later that John Mark actually deserted. He showed a yellow streak and ran home to mommy. Remember that his mother was a prominent member of the church in Jerusalem and that her home was the place of meeting for the church there. When he reached Perga and got a look into the interior of Asia Minor—the paganism and the physical dangers and hardships that were there—he decided that he hadn’t been called as a missionary. He heads in another direction, and that direction is home.
Later on we will find that Paul refuses to take John Mark on another missionary journey. In fact, Paul and Barnabas disagree so violently over the issue of taking along John Mark that Paul and Barnabas finally separated. Paul went one way and Barnabas went another way. Paul was wrong about John Mark. God didn’t throw him overboard because of his failure. Thank God, He doesn’t throw us overboard because of our failure either. He gave John Mark another chance. Later on Paul was big enough to admit he had been wrong, and when he was close to his death, he actually asked for John Mark to come to him. “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). This is the John Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark. He made good. Thank God, He gives us a second chance!
However here at the beginning John Mark is a failure. He left them and returned to Jerusalem. Meanwhile Paul and Barnabas go into the interior of Asia Minor.
PAUL’S SERMON AT ANTIOCH
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on [Acts 13:14–15].
Paul follows his method of going first to the synagogue. Jews were scattered throughout the Roman Empire, and they established synagogues in the cities in which they had settled. When visitors would come from Jerusalem, since they would want word from the religious center, they would invite the visitor to say something. This always afforded a marvelous opportunity for the apostle Paul. He certainly took advantage of it here.
This sermon which Paul preached in Antioch of Pisidia is one of the great sermons, in my opinion; yet it is generally passed by today. It is the first recorded sermon of Paul, preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. When they asked Paul whether he would like to say something, you can be sure that he wanted to say something. That was his whole reason for being there.
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience [Acts 13:16].
One would conclude from this introduction that there were some visitors there—probably Gentile proselytes.
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet [Acts 13:17–20].
Notice that Paul is doing the same thing that Stephen did before the Sanhedrin. He recounts Israel’s history as a nation.
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus [Acts 13:21–23].
After recounting their history, he will present to them the person of the Savior.
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent [Acts 13:24–26].
These people apparently had heard of John the Baptist. Now Paul will get down to the nittygritty.
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain [Acts 13:27–28].
As Paul is reviewing their history, he is pointing out that all this was done as a fulfillment of prophecy. They were fulfilling the prophets at the very same time they were reading them! They read without understanding what they were reading.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
But God raised him from the dead:
And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people [Acts 13:29–31].
You will notice that the core, the heart of every sermon preached in the New Testament, is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is the message. Simon Peter preached it; now Paul the apostle preaches it. There is not the slightest disagreement in the message of these two men. Don’t tell me these two men disagreed. They did not!
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee [Acts 13:32–33].
This Old Testament reference, Psalm 2:7, does not refer to the birth of Christ; it refers to the resurrection of Christ. “This day have I begotten thee”—not begotten in the Virgin Birth but actually in the resurrection from the dead.
And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption [Acts 13:34–35].
Paul enlarges upon the Resurrection. He is citing the same that Simon Peter did on the Day of Pentecost.
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses [Acts 13:36–39].
Now he is pinning this thing down. He is explaining the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is actually asking them for a decision to believe on the Lord Jesus.
Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you [Acts 13:40–41].
Here is his appeal to them. He urges them not to reject the message.
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath [Acts 13:42].
There were Gentiles there who said, “We would like to hear this same message.”
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God [Acts 13:43–44].
There must have been much discussion of Paul’s message. The next Sabbath day almost the entire city was there to hear Paul preach.
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming [Acts 13:45].
This time there was a big commotion because the leading religious rulers of the synagogue opposed Paul and Barnabas.
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region [Acts 13:46–49].
Here is the recurring pattern. The gospel is preached to the Jews first; they reject it; so they turn to the Gentiles with the good news.
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts [Acts 13:50].
They were run out of town; they actually were forced to leave the town.
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost [Acts 13:51–52].
Notice the condition of those who were converted. They were filled with joy, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost.
GALATIAN COUNTRY
Now in chapter 14 Paul and Barnabas face the almost impenetrable paganism of Galatia. I personally believe that the Galatian field was the hardest mission field that Paul ever entered. You need only to read the Epistle to the Galatians to discover that. Galatians was the harshest epistle that Paul wrote. He wrote it to a group of people who had a spiritual bent in the wrong direction. They were constantly going off the track. He visited those churches more than any others.
Let me give you this brief background of the Galatian country which Paul is entering on this first missionary journey. The people for whom the province was named were Gauls, a Celtic tribe from the same stock which inhabited France. In the fourth century & they invaded the Roman Empire and sacked Rome. Later they crossed into Greece and captured Delphi in 280 b.c. At the invitation of Nikomedes I, King of Bithynia, they crossed over into Asia Minor to help him in a civil war. They were a warlike people and soon established themselves in Asia Minor. In 189 b.c. they were made subjects of the Roman Empire and became a province. Their boundaries varied, and for many years they retained their customs and language. The churches which Paul established on this first missionary journey were included at one time in the territory of Galatia, so this is the name which Paul would normally give to these churches.
The people were blond orientals. These Gallic Celts had much of the same temperament and characteristics of the majority of the American population, which came out of that same stock in Europe and the British Isles. Caesar had this to say of them: “The infirmity of the Gauls is that they are fickle in their resolves, fond of change, and not to be trusted.” Another writer of that period described them as “frank, impetuous, impressible, eminently intelligent, fond of show, but extremely inconstant, the fruit of excessive vanity.” Paul wrote them a very harsh letter because they needed that kind of letter. The majority of the people in the United States are like them. That is the reason so many cults and “isms” have begun in this country. We are a fickle people. One day we follow one leader, and the next day we follow someone else. It is amazing to watch the polls of our political candidates. If they make one statement, one slip of the tongue, the entire population shifts from them to someone else. We are a fickle people—very much like the Galatians.
All of this should make this section especially interesting to us. Martin Luther used the Epistle to the Galatians for the Reformation because it was written to folk who are like we are.
THE WORK IN ICONIUM
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed [Acts 14:1].
If you follow the journey on a map, you will notice that they crossed over the length of the island of Cyprus, and then sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. Then they traveled up into the country of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. These are the cities of Galatia. So they are now in the heartland of Asia Minor.
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles [Acts 14:2–4].
Paul and Barnabas cause quite a division in the city. You must remember that Paul and Barnabas are both Jews. They always went to the Jews first and used the synagogue as a springboard to get to the Gentiles.
And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about;
And there they preached the gospel [Acts 14:5–7].
Because they didn’t get a very good reception in Iconium, they fled to Lystra and Derbe. However, we know that they came back through Iconium so there must have been some believers there.
THE EVENTS AT LYSTRA
And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked [Acts 14:8–10].
As we have seen, Paul and Barnabas had the gifts of an apostle, the sign gifts. They came into these places without any New Testament with the message of the gospel. What were their credentials? How could they prove their message was from God? The sign gifts were their credentials—they needed them. Today we have the entire Bible, and what people need today is to study this Bible and to learn what it has to say. If only we could get people to do that!
The other day I played golf with a very affable, generous, bighearted man. He is an unsaved man, and he told me very candidly that he was chasing around. Mutual friends had asked me to play with him. I attempted to talk with him about the gospel. He knew the facts of the gospel as well as I do. And you know something else? He believed them. He said he believed that Jesus died and rose again, and he believed that if he put his trust in Jesus, He would save him. So I asked him why he didn’t do that. Then he began to mention names, names of certain men whose lives just didn’t measure up to their profession of faith. So I said to him, “For goodness sake get your eyes off men. In the first century the apostles performed miracles and men got their eyes on the apostles. So it was necessary to get their eyes off the apostles and turn them to the Book which presents the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to get your eyes on the Word of God and learn what God says today. He tells us that the important thing is our personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. All those other men you mention will not even enter into the picture when you stand before the Lord Jesus someday. The only question will be your personal relationship to Jesus Christ as it is revealed in the Word of God. Go to the Word of God.” I’ll be very frank with you, I didn’t really get very far with this man. He did say that I had given him a new approach; he had never heard it that way before. He thought maybe he would try it. I encouraged him again to get his eyes off other Christians, because we all have feet of clay.
The people at Lystra were looking to Paul and Barnabas.
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men [Acts 14:11].
The man had real faith to be healed. When Paul told him to stand upright on his feet, he leaped and walked. Remember that the people in the area were pagan, heathen people. When they saw what Paul had done, they began to shout that the gods had come down in the likeness of men. Their eyes were on Paul and Barnabas. They were really excited about them.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people [Acts 14:12–13].
Paul is the leader of the team, the chief speaker, and the people want to make them gods. They bring garlands and sacrifice and are ready to worship them. Fickle! Does it remind you of someone else? In America it is a baseball player one year, then a politician, then a football star, then another politician. By the following year they are all forgotten, and it is someone else new. It is the same way with the preachers. One can preach the Word of God and everyone will acclaim him as a wonderful preacher. Then the next day they are ready to crucify him.
Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways [Acts 14:14–16].
Paul and Barnabas are not only startled and amazed that these people want to worship them, but they are completely shocked. They rush in among them, shouting, “We are human beings like you are!” You will remember that Peter had to say the same thing to Cornelius when Cornelius bowed down to him to worship him.
Certainly none of us is to bow down to worship any man. A Christian is not to be so obsequious that he gets down to lick the boots of anyone. Unfortunately, even in Christian work, we find some people who want others to bow to them. How tragic that is.
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them [Acts 14:17–18].
He is attempting to turn their attention to the living God who is the Creator. He wants to draw them away from their heathen, pagan idols and the mythology of the Greeks.
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead [Acts 14:19].
How amazing this is. Such fickle people! One day they are ready to worship Paul and Barnabas. as gods. The next day they stone Paul to death.
(How like Americans—we follow fads. One time it is the hula hoop. Then it is the miniskirt. We simply follow one fad after another.)
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city “supposing he had been dead.” Do you think he was dead? I’ll tell you what I think. I think he was dead. Later Paul writes of the experience he had: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:2–4). Who was that man? It was Paul himself. “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7). I don’t think that crowd left him there half dead; I think they left him dead. I believe that God raised him from the dead.
Why would God permit this stoning? Galatians 6:7 tells us: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Paul reaped what he had sowed. He had ordered the stoning of Stephen. Maybe someone will object that now he is converted. Yes, but even after conversion we will reap whatsoever we have sown. This is a law of nature as well as a law operating in our lives. We shall reap whatever we sow. Because Saul took part in the stoning of Stephen, years later the same thing happened to him.
Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe [Acts 14:20].
This is miraculous. A man who has been stoned would be brutally wounded. Paul rose up, and the very next day he was able to travel. This is a miracle whether or not he was actually raised from the dead.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God [Acts 14:21–22].
If you are following the map, you will notice that Derbe is the pivotal point. It is the end of the line. At this point they turn back and retrace their steps through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed [Acts 14:23].
They return through Pisidia and Pamphylia, and preached again in Perga. Then they go to Attalia, and sail from that port back to Antioch.
And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
And there they abode long time with the disciples [Acts 14:26–28].
Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch to give a report of the work because this is the church that had sent them out. They revealed that God had now definitely opened the door of the gospel to Gentiles. When the gospel started out, the churches were comprised entirely of Hebrews. Then they became partially Gentile. And now the gospel is going definitely to the Gentiles. Now the churches in Asia Minor are comprised entirely of Gentiles. Although there may also have been some Jews in these churches, it seems that in most places the Jews rejected the gospel and the Gentiles received it.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: The council at Jerusalem
Now that the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas has been completed and the churches which they established in the Galatian country are 100 percent gentile, the church faces its first great crisis.
In Judea many of the Hebrew converts are Pharisees who have no intention of giving up the Mosaic system. They assert that the Gentiles must also come into the church through the Mosaic system. In fact, they believe that Gentiles are not saved until they are circumcised.
The news of this contention reaches the church in Jerusalem. The apostles must now face up to the question. What course is the church to take? So in Jerusalem the first church council convenes to resolve the matter.
Down through history you will find that there have been other church councils that have decided other great issues, such as the validity and the inerrancy of the Scriptures. Another council decided upon the deity of Christ and the fact that He is both God and man. And there have been other important councils when differences arose in the church. Some folk may think that we need a council in our day. We certainly do. However, I am afraid there could never be an agreement because too many churches are far removed from the person of Christ. A council that cannot meet around the person of Christ is not actually a church council because the Lord Jesus Christ is the very center of the church. The issue is not one of ritual, or of membership, or of ceremony. The central issue is that of one’s personal relationship to Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, people who are personally far removed from Christ and who do not experience fellowship with Him want to argue about ritual. Oh, they may carry a big Bible under their arms, go to church on Sunday and sing the hymns lustily, but on Monday the Lord Jesus is far removed from them.
Friend, the Lord Jesus should occupy the very center of our lives. We should think of Him constantly. We should not see a sunset without thinking of the One who made it. He should be brought into our daily living, into all situations of life, our tensions and our anxieties.
Now let’s turn our attention to this council at Jerusalem. It is an outstanding group which has come together here. These men have convened in order to consider this great issue: law versus grace, or law versus liberty.
THE QUESTION OF CIRCUMCISION
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved [Acts 15:1].
Here is the crux of the issue. It is not simply a question of whether one should be circumcised or not, whether one should eat meat or not. The question is: Must one do any of these things in order to be saved? Now we will move on and penetrate a little deeper into their problem.
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question [Acts 15:2].
Again I call attention to Dr. Luke’s use of the diminutive. “No small dissension” really means they had a regular donnybrook! It was a heated debate.
We need to realize here that it is really the gospel which is under question at this council. The Epistle to the Galatians gives us a full explanation of the council.
The gospel is used in two senses in the New Testament. First of all, there are the facts of the gospel. These are absolutely basic and essential. Paul gives those facts in the first five verses of 1 Corinthians 15. It is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures; And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” These are the facts of the gospel, and they concern the person of Christ. I move on down to 1 Corinthians 15:15–17: “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” Face up to it, my friend; if Christ is not raised from the dead, then there is no gospel at all. But thanks be to God, “… now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20). The facts of the gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
The second sense of the gospel is the interpretation of the facts. It is this interpretation which is the basic truth in the Epistle to the Galatians. That is the crux of the whole matter at this first council at Jerusalem. Thus the gospel also hinges on this fact which Paul states in Galatians 3:22: “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” What must one do to be saved? Nothing more nor less than believe. Again in Galatians 2:15–16: “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” That is important to see.
The Judaizers of that day were different from the liberal of today. The liberal will actually deny the facts of the gospel. He will deny the physical resurrection of Christ. Some go so far as to say that Jesus Christ is just a myth, that He never lived or died. Most of them do not try to upset history quite to that extent. However, they deny that Jesus died for our sins.
In the first century the Judaizers did not deny the facts of the gospel—there simply were too many witnesses. Paul says that over five hundred people saw the risen Christ at one time. My friend, if you get five hundred witnesses into any law court, you will win your case! Also the apostles were witnesses to the risen Christ. They were there to testify to it. The facts of the gospel were not under question by the Judaizers.
The contention arose over the interpretation of those facts. What did Christ do for you on the cross? Is the work of Christ adequate to save you? Do you need to go through some ritual or something else in order to be saved? Must you go through the Law? These are the questions they were asking.
Now let’s return to Acts 15 and go with Paul and Barnabas up to Jerusalem.
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them [Acts 15:3–4].
Paul and Barnabas give a report to the church in Jerusalem just as they had done to the church in Antioch. They tell them, “We have preached the gospel, and men and women over in the Galatian country have trusted Christ. They know nothing about Mosaic Law. They trusted Christ and were saved.”
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses [Acts 15:5].
They wanted to add something to the gospel. Friend, whenever you add something to the gospel, you no longer have the gospel but you have a religion. You no longer have the gospel of Jesus Christ. The only approach that you can make to Jesus Christ is by faith. We must all come to Him by faith. He won’t let us come any other way. Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). He’s bottled the whole world into this. There is only one question God asks the lost world: “What do you do with My Son who died for you?” God doesn’t give us some little Sunday school lesson by saying, “I want you to be a good boy. I want you to join a church. I want you to go through this and that ritual.” That kind of teaching is only for an insipid religion. It does not come from God. God is saying, “My Son died for you. What will you do with Him?” The answer to that question will determine your eternal destiny. This is the issue being discussed at the council in Jerusalem. This is really exciting.
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter [Acts 15:6].
THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL
The apostles and elders had come together to argue this thing out. The disputes were hot and heavy. A decision must be made and Simon Peter is the first one to express his decision.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe [Acts 15:7].
I don’t think that this is the first time Peter spoke. If he had been quiet through all that time of disputing, it certainly would not have been consistent with his character. No, I’m of the opinion that he had already put in his two bits worth before this. But now he is going to sum up the whole thing. This is not a new decision for Peter. Peter had already declared this same thing at the time of the conversion of Cornelius. Remember that Peter himself had been shocked by the truth of it. He was told to go into the home of a Gentile and preach the gospel without the Law. The people were uncircumcised, they didn’t follow the Mosaic system, they ate pork—and yet they were saved!
The council would listen to Simon Peter because he was narrow-minded—I don’t say this in an ugly way—I mean that he was a Jew of the Jews. He himself said he had never eaten anything unclean, and he wouldn’t have thought of entering the home of a Gentile. He stuck as close to the Mosaic system as any man could. So if Peter spoke up, they would listen.
Now he testifies that the Gentiles had heard the gospel from his mouth, and they had believed. You mean they were actually saved? Yes, they were saved by grace. Peter himself had to learn that salvation is not decided by whether one eats meat or doesn’t eat meat, whether one eats pork or doesn’t eat pork. Salvation is not dependent on our observation of the Sabbath, or Sunday, or any other day. Salvation is by grace through faith. We are free to choose what we wish to do about these other things. We have freedom in that connection.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith [Acts 15:8–9].
Does Peter say that God purified their hearts by keeping the Law? No! By going through a ceremony? No! By joining a church? No! By faith. Peter said, “I went into the home of Cornelius. I gave them the facts of the gospel. They believed and were saved—the Holy Ghost came upon them just as He had come to us in Jerusalem.”
My friend, this is always the only way of salvation. It is by faith. You don’t have to do anything to merit your salvation. Jesus Christ did it all for you nineteen hundred years ago. All God asks you to do is to accept His Son who died for you.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? [Acts 15:10].
Simon Peter makes a tremendous admission here. He says that neither they nor their fathers kept the Law. I have said this many times before, and I will say it many, many times more: God has never saved anybody through the keeping of the Law. Do you know why? There has never been a person who has kept it. God saves on one basis and one basis only: faith in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Before the time of Christ, men brought a sacrifice to God. They brought that sacrifice by faith. Abel understood that the little lamb could never take away sin. He understood that the little lamb pointed to the One whom God had told his mother about. He had said that the Seed of the woman would come and would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). Abel believed that. He believed God. He was saved by faith.
So Simon Peter says, “To tell the truth—why don’t we admit it—we can’t keep the Law.” You see, there is nothing more hypocritical than to pretend that you are living life on a high spiritual plane, that you are living by the Sermon on the Mount and you are keeping God’s Law. There is no use pretending.
I wish I could look you in the eye and ask you, “Why don’t you admit that you are a lost sinner? Why don’t you confess that you do not please God, that you have no capacity for Him? Why don’t you come to God as a sinner and trust Christ as your Savior?” He will receive you! “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). That is the way I came to the Lord. Everybody I have ever met who has been saved has come to Him in that way. Saul of Tarsus came like that. The Ethiopian eunuch came like that. All who have come to Christ have come like that.
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they [Acts 15:11].
Simon Peter puts it so nicely. The Jews must be saved in exactly the same way that the Gentiles are saved. I’m pretty sure that Simon Peter still didn’t eat pork at this time, but he implies, “I’m not saved because I don’t eat pork; I’m saved because I have trusted Christ.” He is saved by the grace of God.
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them [Acts 15:12].
What a story they had to tell! I wish I could have sat in on the council of Jerusalem. Especially I wish I could have heard these two men tell their experiences in the Galatian country.
The next man to get up to speak will be James. I want to stop here for a moment to explain that this was not James, the brother of John, as he had already died a martyr’s death (Acts 12:2). There is some question as to who this James was. We know that he became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He has already been mentioned as a leader by Peter in Acts 12:17. This may have been James, the son of Alphaeus, one of the twelve (Matt. 10:3). However, the tradition of the church from the early church fathers has identified this man as James, the half brother of our Lord (Matt. 13:55), the same one who wrote the Epistle of James.
I should stop here to make another remark. I believe that the proper way to study the Book of Acts is to study it along with the Epistles. For example, we have already mentioned the Epistle to the Galatians, and during the study of Acts 13 and 14 would be a good time to read that Epistle. At this point in Acts 15 it would be appropriate to study the Epistle of James.
James is going to sum up the thinking of this council at Jerusalem, and He will put down God’s program for the future.
We need to remember that these men stood with their noses pressed right up to the window of the opening of a new dispensation. The church had been brought into existence at Pentecost; it was still very new, in its infancy. Some people still do not understand that we live in the age of grace, the period of the church. So let us not be too critical of these men who stood on the threshold of this new age.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me [Acts 15:13].
I take it that after Simon Peter spoke and after Paul and Barnabas gave their report, there was silence because no one had anything to say. Even the Judaizers were silenced by the reports of what had taken place.
When James speaks to the crowd on that day, he asks them to “hearken,” that is, to really listen. What he has to say is very important. So he means that you and I should listen to him, too. Probably all of us should spend more time listening to God and less time doing the talking. Well, now let’s listen.
Simon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name [Acts 15:14].
James completely agrees with Peter. They state the plan of God for today. Is God saving the whole world? No. Is God bringing in His kingdom? No. Then what is God doing today? He is visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. We learn in Revelation that standing before the throne of God there will be those of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. The Word of God is to go out into the world. There will be opposition to it and there will be apostasy, but the Word of God is to go out to all the world because God is calling out a people for His name.
This is why I am so anxious to get out the Word of God. Right now there are people of every color, every clime, every condition, every race, and practically every nation who hear Bible teaching by radio. We broadcast on stations that pretty well circle the globe. Thank God we can use this means to get out the Word of God. What does God do with that Word? He is calling out a people for His name. Not everyone who hears believes the Word. Not everyone accepts the good news of Jesus Christ. But of those who hear, God calls out a people for His name. Underline verse 14 in your Bible—I have it circled in mine. God is visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. I am so thankful that He has given me the opportunity to tell people about salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ and to teach them the Word of God.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written [Acts 15:15].
Do you think this new age is contrary to the teaching of the Old Testament? Well, it is not. The words of the prophets agree to this.
Now James begins to quote a prophet (see Amos 9:11–12). “After this,” which in the prophecy is “in that day.” What does it mean? After what? After God has called out a people for His name. God today is calling out individuals for His name. They become a part of the church, the body of believers. The day is coming when God will remove His church from this world—this we call the Rapture. It is the next event on the agenda of God. After this—after His church has left the earth—
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up [Acts 15:16].
The tabernacle of David is fallen down—there’s no doubt about that. There is no one around from the line of David. The only One who has that claim is sitting at the right hand of God at this very moment. But God is going to build it again. He is going to send Jesus back. God says to His Son: “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” (Heb. 1:13). God is bringing all the enemies of Christ to be put under His feet. The rebellion is going to be over one of these days. Until the day when He sends Jesus back, the Spirit of God is saying, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (Ps. 2:12).
The program of God is clearly outlined. He is calling a people out of the world now. His second step with the world will be to build again the line of David. That is, he will reestablish the Davidic rule over Israel.
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things [Acts 15:17].
Today He is calling a people out of the Gentiles. However, in that day there will be a great turning to God. This will be after the church has left this world. These are the ones who will enter the kingdom. The “residue of men might seek after the Lord” and “all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called” will turn to the Lord. This, then, will be the third step in God’s program.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world [Acts 15:18].
James has been doing the summing up. He understands that there is a definite program which God is following. Now James is ready to hand down his decision, and it is a very important decision.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood [Acts 15:19–20].
The decision is that Gentiles who have turned to God are not to be put under the Mosaic system. However, they are going to ask the Gentiles to do certain things out of courtesy. They will ask them to abstain from pollutions of idols. The reason this is so specifically mentioned will come up again in 1 Corinthians in the section about eating meat. The situation was that the gentile world of that day worshiped idols, and in a city like Corinth, for example, the people would take their best animals and offer them to their pagan gods. They were very clever about this. They would take the animal in and make an offering of it, and the gods, which were “spiritual,” ate the “spiritual” animal. Then the people would take the meat and sell it in the meat markets at the heathen temples. That was the place to buy the best steaks in that day—the filet mignon and the porterhouse and New York cuts.
The Gentiles were not offended by this. They had always bought their meat at these markets, and it was not a matter of conscience for them. However, for the Israelite Christian this would be very offensive. They had been brought up and trained not to eat anything that had been offered to an idol. So the thought here is that the Gentile who invites a Jewish brother over for dinner should not offend him by serving him something that had been offered to idols. So this request was not a matter of putting the Gentiles under Mosaic Law. It was a request that they should not do something which would be very offensive to their Jewish brothers.
They were also requested to abstain from fornication. Again, we need to understand the background to see why this is specifically mentioned. Adultery was so common among the Gentiles in that day that the conscience had been dulled. In fact, adultery was actually a part of the religious rite. The Gentiles who had become Christians were to “abstain from fornication.”
In America we are going back to paganism today. Folk talk about a new morality. Friend, what they call new morality is old paganism. Our ancestors came out of the forest half naked, eating raw meat, and indulging in gross immorality. There is nothing new about the “new” morality!
Also, the Jerusalem council asked the gentile Christians to abstain from things strangled and from blood, which would be very offensive to their Jewish brothers. This again was a matter of courtesy.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day [Acts 15:21].
I think we should review what James has said. He fits the church into the program of the prophets although the church is not a subject of prophecy. God is taking out of the Gentiles a people for His name today. Then the program of the prophets will follow.
1. ld;After this” means after the church is taken out of the world. “I will return” (v. 16) is the second coming of Christ described in Revelation 19.
2. He “will build again the ruins” of the house of David that today has fallen down (v. 16).
3. When Christ returns, there will be a way for the remainder of men to “seek after the Lord” (v. 17).
4. Then all the Gentiles will be in the kingdom “in that day” (Amos 9:11).
The important contrast is between “out of them (Gentiles)” (v. 14) and “all the Gentiles” (v. 17).
THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL IS ANNOUNCED
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia [Acts 15:22–23].
There are some new men mentioned here. Silas will be the partner of Paul on the next journey. Notice the love that is demonstrated in this letter. They wrote to the Gentiles who had turned to God and they called them “the brethren which are of the Gentiles.”
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment [Acts 15:24].
These people who had gone out, the Judaizers, had no authority from the church in Jerusalem. In fact, we can say that anyone who tries to put a believer under the Law today is not doing it on the authority of the Word of God.
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul [Acts 15:25].
Isn’t this a lovely expression?
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ [Acts 15:26].
The church sends out men who have been tested, men who have hazarded their lives. Friend, how much have you suffered for Him? What has it cost you? Have you paid a price in order to get out the Word of God?
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth [Acts 15:27].
You can see that if they had sent only Barnabas and Paul the people might have said, “Well, of course, these two men would bring back that kind of a report.” So they send along Judas and Silas in order to confirm the fact that this was the decision of the council.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things [Acts 15:28].
“It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us”—the Holy Spirit was guiding and directing them in this decision.
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well [Acts 15:29].
That is the report. That is all they have to say to them. Gentile believers are not required to meet any of the demands of the Mosaic system but they are to exercise courtesy to those who do—especially in the area of meats offered to idols, and of course they are not to commit fornication.
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation [Acts 15:30–31].
There is consolation and comfort in the gospel; there is nothing but condemnation in the Law. The Law condemns. The Law is a mirror. When I look in it, I say, “Oh, McGee, you are ugly! You have fallen short of the glory of God.” But the gospel says, “Come on to God. He wants to receive you. He will save you by His grace.” It is a comfort, you see.
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still [Acts 15:32–34].
It is evident that Paul and Silas got along well together. Silas must have liked Paul and enjoyed working with him. So he stayed there at the church in Antioch. He must have been excited about working with these gentile believers. At any rate, he stayed.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also [Acts 15:35].
Paul and Barnabas were actually the pastors of the church there.
PLANS FOR A SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do [Acts 15:36].
Paul had a concern for the churches, a genuine concern for the believers. Knowing how fickle the Galatians were, he thought it would be a good idea to go back again and to visit those churches.
And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark [Acts 15:37].
We know Barnabas as a very generous, gracious fellow. He is eager to give John Mark another chance. But I want to note that when he has made up his mind, he is hardheaded. Remember that both these men were human. Paul and Barnabas each took a stand and would not budge.
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work [Acts 15:38].
Paul had his convictions also. Barnabas wants to take John Mark along, and Paul will not do it. Well, I’m glad these two brethren had this little altercation because it teaches me that these men were human and that even the saints can disagree without being disagreeable. They didn’t break up anything. They did not split the church and form two different churches in Antioch. They just disagreed. It’s all right to disagree with some of the brethren.
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus [Acts 15:39].
The account does not follow Barnabas any longer. He went to Cyprus and there he had a great ministry. Barnabas had come from Cyprus; it was his home. He had a desire to take the gospel to his own people. We know from tradition that he had a great ministry there, and from Cyprus a great ministry was carried on in North Africa.
At this point Barnabas sails off the pages of the Scriptures. The Bible does not give us information about his ministry. From here on we are going to follow Paul.
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches [Acts 15:40–41].
The church now has two great mission projects where before they had only one. Barnabas is going in one direction and Paul is going another. This is God’s method. God will use both these men. Paul now has Silas with him, and the brethren recommended them “unto the grace of God.”
CHAPTER 16
Theme: The second missionary journey of Paul
The final verse of chapter 15 actually told of the beginning of the journey. Paul and Silas “went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.” From there they will go up into the Galatian country. Paul will visit the Galatian churches because that is where the problem had arisen with the Judaizers. The Epistle to the Galatians is Paul’s letter to them, sternly warning them about being led astray by those who are trying to put them under the Mosaic system. It is his strongest declaration and defense of the doctrine of justification by faith. Not only is a sinner saved by grace through faith, but the saved sinner lives by grace. Grace is a way to life and a way of life.
Again let me suggest that you follow Paul’s journey on the map. You will find that traveling with Paul is a very thrilling experience. On this second missionary journey we will go with him to Europe (after he has received the vision of the man in Macedonia). We will see that he arrives in Philippi where he ends up in the local jail. At midnight Paul and Silas pray and sing praises! An earthquake shakes the jail, the doors are opened, and the jailer opens his heart to receive Christ as Savior.
PAUL REVISITS THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium [Acts 16:1–2].
Paul first comes to Derbe, then over to Lystra where he finds this young man Timotheus. Paul knew his mother and his grandmother, and he had turned this young man to the Lord on his first trip. So Paul takes him with him. The team is now Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek [Acts 16:3].
I want to note carefully the method of the apostle Paul. When he went up to Jerusalem, he took along Titus, a Gentile, who wasn’t circumcised—and Paul wasn’t about to have him circumcised. However, now Paul wants to take along Timothy as a fellow missionary. He wants Timothy to go out to reach people for Christ. Since he doesn’t want any kind of argument or any reason for offense, he has Timothy circumcised. This is not because there is any merit in circumcision, but because he doesn’t want it to be an issue. This is what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:19–20: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law.” Paul did this in order to break down all arguments.
Sometimes people come to me and say they want to join a certain church but that church has a different idea of baptism than they hold. They ask if they should be baptized and join the church anyway. So I ask them, “Is the church a good Bible-teaching church? Does it teach salvation only and alone through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Is it a place where you can serve, and be blessed, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth?” If they can answer yes to these questions, then I tell them to go ahead and be baptized and affiliate with that church. There are fundamentals of faith in which there can be no deviation. However, there are forms and rituals which are not essential to salvation, and I believe there is a great deal of elasticity in these areas. This was Paul’s feeling. Certainly circumcision had no bearing on Timothy’s salvation, but the rite was performed so that the ministry of Timothy with the Jews would not be handicapped.
And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily [Acts 16:4–5].
Paul has another tremendous ministry in Galatia. Not only does he visit the churches which had been founded the first time, but multitudes in other places turn to Christ. New churches are formed and there is an increase in number daily.
PAUL GOES TO PHILIPPI
Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia [Acts 16:6].
Galatia includes all this area. I am of the opinion that Paul moved into the northern part of the country at this particular point. The province of Asia is down south where Ephesus is. In fact, Ephesus was the chief city of the province of Asia. Paul may have been planning to make a circuit through Asia Minor. This was a heavily populated area in that day, and it was really the center of Greek culture. This was a great commercial area, a great political area, a great educational area. Paul would make a great circle by going through the Galatian country, then Phrygia, then south into the province of Asia, and then back again to Antioch to report to the home church.
The Spirit of God had something else in mind. We are told that the Holy Spirit forbade him to preach the Word down in Asia. That is really amazing, isn’t it? Paul wanted to go there, and the Spirit of God wanted the Word of God given out, but the Spirit wanted Paul in a different place at this time. So Paul naturally thought that if he could not go south, he would go north. Bithynia was in the north, along the Black Sea. That also was a large population center, and there was a very heavy concentration of Hebrews in that area. This section is in Turkey today.
After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not [Acts 16:7].
The Spirit forbade them to go south into the province of Asia. Then the Spirit of God forbade them to go north into Bithynia. He has come from the east. Where will he go? Well, there is only one direction left and that is west. You see, it was not Horace Greeley of The New York Tribune who first said, “Go west, young man, go west.” Instead it was the Spirit of God speaking to the apostle Paul!
So Paul kept going west until he came to Troas. He had to stop there because from that point he would need a ship to continue. Paul couldn’t imagine what he was to do or where he was to go from that point.
And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas [Acts 16:8].
I think that if we had met Paul during the time of his delay in Troas, we could have asked him, “Paul, where are you going?” I’m sure his reply would have been, “I don’t know.” I’m afraid our next statement would have been something like this: “Now brother Paul, do you mean that the great Apostle of the Gentiles doesn’t know where he is going next? Surely you must know the will of God for your life.” Then we would have sat down for a nice long lecture on how to determine the will of God in his life. My, I’ve read so many books on that subject—it’s too bad Paul didn’t have one of those books with him at that time! Paul does not know the will of God. Why? Because the Spirit of God is leading him. Paul is simply waiting. It is going to take a mighty movement to get Paul out of Asia and move him over into Europe.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us [Acts 16:9].
This is Paul’s call into Macedonia. Now Macedonia is across the Aegean Sea, over in Europe. Paul is in Asia. The gospel is going to cross from Asia into Europe. The Spirit of God is moving him in that direction.
I do not know why Paul was not moved east to China. All I know is that the Spirit of God moved him west to Europe. I thank God that this is the direction he went. At that particular time my ancestors, from one side of the family, were roaming in the forests of Germany. They were pagan and they were evil, worshiping all kinds of idols. They were a low, heathen people. The other side of my family came from Scotland and perhaps my ancestors were already in Scotland at that time or came there a little later. At any rate, I am told they were the dirtiest, filthiest savages that have ever been on the topside of this earth. I thank God the gospel went to Europe to reach my people over there.
Now maybe you are smiling, thinking that your ancestors were very superior to mine. Well, you can wipe that smile off your face because your ancestors probably were living in the cave right next door to mine! They were just as dirty and just as filthy as mine were. Thank God the gospel crossed over into Europe. This was a great and significant crossing.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them [Acts 16:10].
Note it says “we endeavored to go.” We have never had “we” before. It has always been “they” or “them” or “he” or “him.” What about “we”? Well, Dr. Luke has now joined the party. It is really quite a party now—in fact, it is a quartet. There may have been others along also, but we have four who are named: Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Dr. Luke. This is quite a delegation that crossed over into Europe.
Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis [Acts 16:11].
Neapolis is just inland a little from the coast.
And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days [Acts 16:12].
Philippi was a colony in Macedonia, which means it was a Roman colony. This would be where the Roman governor resided. These people had Roman customs and they spoke Latin. It would be a city where they would “do as the Romans do.”
This is their first destination in Europe. Paul went to a strategic center to begin his ministry in Europe. That alone makes the church in Philippi a remarkable church. For other reasons, which we will learn when we get to the Epistle to the Philippians, we will see that this church was close to the heart of Paul. This was the church which loved him; and Paul loved this church. There were wonderful saints in this church, as we shall see.
PAUL’S MINISTRY IN PHILIPPI
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither [Acts 16:13].
Just outside the city, down by the river, there was a prayer meeting. I wonder whether that prayer meeting had anything to do with Paul coming over to Europe and the vision of the man of Macedonia! We will find that the “man of Macedonia” is a woman by the name of Lydia who was holding this prayer meeting.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul [Acts 16:14].
Thyatira is over in Asia Minor. It is the place where one of the seven churches was located which received admonition from our Lord in the second chapter of the Book of Revelation. This woman had come from over there. She worshiped the living and true God, but she had very little knowledge.
Lydia was a remarkable person. She was a dominant person and a leader. Apparently she was the leader of the prayer meeting. She will be the first convert to Christ in Europe.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us [Acts 16:15].
We do not know anything about Mr. Lydia, but he must have been around there somewhere. There are families like that, you know, where the woman is the dominant one in the family. Apparently that was the way it was in the family of Lydia. Thank God she was that kind of woman because her entire household turned to God through her witness. And now we find Paul and his group staying at her home and boarding there. I would assume she was a person of means and was able to take care of them.
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying [Acts 16:16].
Don’t think this was just foolish superstition. This girl was possessed by a demon. We are seeing a resurgence of demonism in our own day. I have before me now a letter from a Christian woman in El Paso, Texas. She got tied up in spiritism by just fooling around with it, not thinking that it was dangerous. She has quite a story. It was hearing the Word of God through our radio program that delivered her from it. She cried out to God, and He delivered her. Demonism is a reality. This girl in Paul’s day was demon possessed. She was a slave girl and her masters were using her to make a big profit. The Mafia had already begun in those days.
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit. I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers [Acts 16:17–19].
Paul was able to cast out the demon in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This dried up the profit her masters were making, and you know that, if you touch a man’s pocketbook, he will begin to move. So now these men really turn against Paul and his group.
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans [Acts 16:20–21].
Remember that Philippi was a Roman colony and practiced Roman idolatry. Paul and his men were charged with trying to change things. Of course the real issue was that the girl’s masters had lost their source of income.
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely:
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks [Acts 16:22–24].
These men are beaten, their backs are lacerated, and they are locked into the stocks.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them [Acts 16:25].
What a wonderful thing it is that these men were singing praises unto God while they were in such a miserable situation. No wonder the doors were shaken loose!
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled [Acts 16:26–27].
Let’s look at this Philippian jailer for a moment. He was responsible for those prisoners. He naturally assumed that if the doors were open and the chains lying loose, the prisoners would be gone. He would be responsible for their escape and would have to forfeit his own life. So he stands there, poised, ready to fall on his own sword. When a man is in a position like that, he thinks about eternity. This man did just that, as his question to Paul indicates.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? [Acts 16:28–30].
He had looked into eternity. He knew that he was a lost man.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house [Acts 16:31].
How can a man be saved? By believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Could he believe for someone else? No. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and if thy household believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, they shall be saved also. That is the meaning here.
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway [Acts 16:32–33].
What a difference! He had put the stripes on these men. Now he washes their stripes. He is a changed man.
And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house [Acts 16:34].
All in one night they were flogged, thrown into jail, freed by the direct intervention of God, and now they are being royally entertained in the home of these rejoicing young converts!
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.
And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace [Acts 16:35–36].
You see, they realize that what they had done was illegal. Now they are issuing orders to free the prisoners and get them out of town. However, Paul objects. He says that he will not leave under such circumstances.
But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out [Acts 16:37].
Of course Paul’s reason for insisting upon a public recognition of their innocence was to protect the new believers whom he would soon be leaving there in Philippi.
And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed [Acts 16:38–40].
CHAPTER 17
Theme: The second missionary journey of Paul continued (Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens)
REMARKS
In this chapter we continue with Paul on his second missionary journey. In chapter 16 we were with him when he crossed over into Europe, a memorable, significant, revolutionary crossing. It brought the gospel to the ancestors of many of us, who were by no means a superior people. Actually, God chooses the weak things of this world just to let the world know that it is all because of His sovereign grace and not because of merit. We thank Him for sending the gospel over into Europe.
We went with Paul first to Philippi where he received some rough treatment. Yet, a little church came into existence in that town. When we study the Epistle to that church, we will find that it was closer to the apostle Paul than any other church or any other group of believers.
Now he continues on his journey. I hope you will follow this on the map. You will notice that he goes to Thessalonica and Berea, still traveling westward into Macedonia, then south to Athens. Thessalonica will be his next significant stop for missionary activity.
PAUL’S MINISTRY IN THESSALONICA
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews [Acts 17:1].
As we have noted before, Paul used the synagogue as a springboard to get into a city or a community. This would lead him to the devout Jews of the city, and some of those Jews would believe. Never did all of them believe, but some of them did. In fact, most of them would reject him and this would push him right out to the Gentiles. Then some of the Gentiles believed. This is how a church would come into existence, a local church composed of Jews and Gentiles.
Amphipolis was also called “Nine Ways,” which name suggests its importance both strategically and commercially. Most cities are built on the pattern of a square, but this was like a roundhouse and the wall around it was round. It was an important station on the Via Egnatia, a Roman road which was the prominent thoroughfare through that area. It was five hundred miles from the Hellespont to Dyrrhachium on the Adriatic by this road. This would be the highway which the Roman army would use. This was the route the traders would travel. And now here come some missionaries on this road going to Thessalonica. Apollonia was another town on this same Egnatian Road.
Thessalonica was thirty-eight miles west of Apollonia on the Egnatian Road. It was inland but it was a seaport because three rivers flowed into the sea from there. It was a prominent city of that day, another Roman colony. Cassander rebuilt it in about 315 b.c. and it is thought that he named it after Thessalonica, the stepsister of Alexander the Great. There are some warm springs there and the earlier name of the town was Therma or Therme. Cassander was one of the generals of Alexander the Great, and he took over the rule of that area after the death of Alexander. At the time of Paul, however, the city was a Roman colony.
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ [Acts 17:2–3].
Paul followed his usual custom of first preaching in the synagogue. He was there only three sabbaths, which means that he could not have been there longer than a month. In that limited period of time he did his missionary work. Believers came to Christ, a local church was organized, and Paul taught them. In that brief time he taught them all the great doctrines of Scripture, including the doctrine of the Rapture of the church—we know this from his First Epistle to the Thessalonians which was the first Epistle that Paul wrote. Paul had quite a ministry there in one month’s time!
Now note his message. He was “opening and alleging”—that is, from the Old Testament Scriptures—“that Christ must needs have suffered.” He preached the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, showing that this was necessary, as set forth in the Old Testament. Friend, you will not find a message given in the Book of Acts either by Peter or by Paul in which the Resurrection is not the heart of the message.
Today we find so often that the Resurrection just doesn’t seem to be the heart of the message. What we talk about today is the cross—even in fundamental circles. But, my friend, we have a living Christ today. Someone has put it this way: “There is a Man in the glory but the church has lost sight of Him.” The Lord Jesus Christ is yonder at God’s right hand at this very moment. That is very important. It is one thing to talk about the historical death of Christ nineteen hundred years ago and His resurrection on the third day, but the question is: How are you related to it? That was Paul’s great theme in the Galatian epistle. Is it meaningful to you that Christ died and that He rose again? Are you related today to that living Christ? How has this been meshed and geared into your life?
Today we have conservatism in the church and we have liberalism in the church and, very candidly, neither group seems to be getting through to Him. Why not? Well, because every Sunday should be an Easter—on the first day of the week He came back from the dead! It is important to mention the resurrection of Christ because we are talking about the Man in the glory.
Unfortunately, that just doesn’t seem to be the emphasis. Pastors don’t emphasize it because seminaries don’t emphasize it. Take down any theology book and study it—Strong’s, Shedd’s, Thornwall’s, Hodge’s, and you will find that all of them have a long section on the death of Christ. That’s very important; thank God they have a long section on that. But they have a short section, just a few pages on the Resurrection. I think they missed the boat there. I think they should have put in a long section about the resurrection of Christ. That was the basis of New Testament preaching. I’m emphasizing this because it is very important. Paul was in Thessalonica only three Sabbath days, and the resurrection of Christ was his message.
Notice their reception of Him.
And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few [Acts 17:4].
Some of them believed. That always happens when you give out the Word of God. Some of them believe. Also some of them won’t believe. The minority believe; the majority will not.
When Dr. Luke says “of the chief women not a few,” he is using his usual understatement and means that a large number of prominent women came to the Lord. How wonderful!
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people [Acts 17:5].
Unfortunately, we also have some “lewd fellows of the baser sort” in our churches today.
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also [Acts 17:6].
Now don’t put that down as an oratorical gesture or hyperbole. When they said that these men were turning the world upside down, that is exactly what they meant. When Christianity penetrated that old Roman Empire it was a revolution. It had a tremendous effect.
Today we don’t see much revolution except in the wrong direction. It’s too bad we can’t have a great revolution of turning back to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the Word of God. Our country is a country filled with hypocrisy. We pretend that we are a Christian nation. We pretend that our leaders are Christian, that all the politicians are Christians, that everyone is a Christian. Friend, we are one of the most pagan nations this world has ever known. Christianity today is mostly a pretense. We need to recognize that we need to get back to the Word of God and to the living Christ. How important that is!
Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go [Acts 17:7–9].
Remember that this was a Roman colony, which was operated according to Caesar’s dictates. “They had taken security of Jason” means that he had to make bond.
PAUL’S MINISTRY AT BEREA
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews [Acts 17:10].
You would think that all this would dampen the enthusiasm of Paul, that it would slow him down. It didn’t slow him one bit and he is still going. He goes to Berea, which is a town down closer to the coast.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so [Acts 17:11].
These people were reasonable. They searched the Scriptures, and there came into existence a church in Berea. We don’t hear much about that church. It is interesting that the strongest churches arose where the persecution was the greatest. One of the troubles today is that the church is not being persecuted. In fact, the church is just taken for granted. The average Christian is just a person to be taken for granted. It wasn’t that way in the first century.
Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few [Acts 17:12].
Here goes Dr. Luke again with his diminutive “not a few.” Why doesn’t he say a great crowd of men and honorable women believed? When he says, “Not a few,” he means it was a multitude.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still [Acts 17:13–14].
Paul continues on his way without the other members of his team.
PAUL’S MINISTRY AT ATHENS
And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed [Acts 17:15].
Paul goes to Athens. He will wait for Silas and Timotheus there. He probably had said to them, “You go back to check on the believers in Thessalonica and see how the church is progressing there, and check on the believers in Berea; then join me in Athens.”
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry [Acts 17:16].
Athens was the cultural center of the world. In fact, when one thinks of Athens, one thinks about culture. Yet it was a city filled with idolatry.
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him [Acts 17:17].
When I was in Athens, I went down to that market. It is right at the foot of the Acropolis. I can imagine Paul walking up and down there. He was a tentmaker, you know, and I think he sold a few tents while he was there. While he was selling the tents, he was talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. The people began to get interested.
Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection [Acts 17:18].
The philosophy of the Epicureans was more or less hedonistic. The Stoics, a group who believed in restraint, were what we today call stoical. The Epicureans believed that you go the limit, and in that way you could overcome the flesh. They thought that you should give the flesh all that it wants. If it wants liquor, drink all you can hold. Concerning sex, believe me, the Epicureans could really join in the “new morality,” which was nothing new for them. By contrast, the Stoics believed that the body should be held under control.
Philosophers of both groups come to Paul to hear what he has to say. Paul has been doing a lot of talking and they call him a babbler. His subject is something new to them. Jesus and the idea of resurrection are to them “strange gods.”
I hear people say today that Paul got his idea from Platonism. They say he didn’t really believe in the bodily resurrection but in a platonic idea of a spiritual resurrection. It was more or less the influence of an individual permeating through society. This is the life after death. One still hears that type of thing today. It is found in liberalism, and it is nothing in the world but old Greek philosophy. But these Greeks, philosophers as they were, didn’t quite understand Paul. I think Paul was a little too deep for them. Philosophy had gone to seed in Athens at this particular time. However, they wanted to hear him.
And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? [Acts 17:19].
The Areopagus is a very peculiar formation of rock on top of which the Parthenon and the buildings connected with it stand. Frankly, it is a very lovely setting, beautiful buildings and beautiful statues, but a city wholly given over to idolatry. It is up from the market place of the city and Paul is brought there to speak. Probably every preacher who visits there reads Paul’s sermon from the top of Mars’ Hill. When I was there another preacher began to read it, and since I didn’t like the way he was reading it, I went way over to the other side of the rock. I sat with my Bible and read it silently. It was a thrilling experience.
Now these Greek philosophers say to him, “May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest is?” They want to know more about it. They are completely in the dark. They are worse off than the Galatians or the people in Philippi and Thessalonica. Why? Because they think they know something. The very hardest people in the world to reach with the Word of God and the gospel are church members because they think they don’t need it. They think the gospel is for the man on skid row and for some of their friends. Some church members can be mean and sinful and yet not recognize they really need a Savior, not only to save them from sin, but also to make their lives count for God.
For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) [Acts 17:20–21].
In this same way America is going to seed today. Have you ever listened to the talk shows? They are boring to tears. Everyone is trying to come up with something new. Each one is trying to say something novel. They try so hard to say something smart, something sophisticated; yet it is the same old story. Athens tried the same thing.
There must have been quite a bunch of loafers back in Athens. They didn’t work—they didn’t do anything. They just talked, propounding new theories and new ideas. The human family seems to reach that place of sophistication. They think they know something when they don’t. They don’t know the most important fact in the whole universe.
There are those who say that Paul failed on Mars’ Hill, that he fell flat on his face at Athens. I totally disagree with that. I believe this was one of the greatest messages that Paul ever preached.
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious [Acts 17:22].
He begins his message quite formally, “Ye men of Athens.” Then he says, “I perceive … ye are too superstitious.” The word superstitious is wholly inadequate to say what Paul really means. He is saying that he perceives they are in all things too religious. The Athenians were very religious. Athens was filled with idols. There was no end to the pantheon of gods which the Athenians and the Greeks had. There were gods small and gods great; they had a god for practically everything. That is what Paul is saying. They were too religious.
I sometimes hear people ask, “Why should we send missionaries to foreign countries? Those people have their religion.” I suppose that when Paul went down to Athens, somebody said, “Why are you going down there? They have religion.” I am sure Paul would have answered, “That’s their problem; they have too much religion.” A preacher friend of mine said many years ago, “When I came to Christ, I lost my religion.” There are a great many folk in our churches today who need to lose their religion so they can find Christ. That is the great problem. Some folk say, “People are too bad to be saved.” The real problem is that people are too good to be saved. They think they are religious and worthy and good. My friend, we are to take the gospel to all because all men are lost without Christ, which is the reason Paul went to Athens. The Athenians needed to hear the message of the gospel.
Notice that in Athens Paul did not go to a synagogue. He had no springboard in Athens. He begins his masterly address to “Ye men of Athens.” After he makes the observation that they are too religious, he continues:
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you [Acts 17:23].
“I … beheld your devotions.” He saw their objects of worship. He noted their altars and their idols and their temples. In fact, that very beautiful temple called the Parthenon was a temple built to Athena, the virgin goddess of the Athenians. There were idols all around. Paul said, “I observed all of this, and amidst the idols I found an altar inscribed to the unknown god.”
Now an altar to the unknown god could mean that the Athenians were broad-minded. They didn’t want to leave anyone out. If someone had come to Athens and said, “How is it you don’t have an altar to my god?” they would have answered, “Well, this altar is really to your god.” That way any stranger could come to worship at the altar to the unknown god, believing it was built for his god.
Or it could mean that they recognized there is a God whom they did not know. Many pagan folk recognize that behind their idolatry is a living and true God. They know nothing about Him, and they do not know how to approach Him. They have traditions that back in the dim and distant past their ancestors did worship Him. This could have been the case with the Athenians.
Paul uses this as the springboard for his message. He says he wants to talk to them about this unknown God. He says he wants to tell them about the God whom they don’t know. Perhaps that is not as diplomatic as his first approach. After all, the Athenians thought they knew everything. This crowd of philosophers met in Athens and talked back and forth, as philosophers do on college campuses today. And now Paul begins to talk to them about the God they do not know. Who is He? Well, first of all, He is the God of creation.
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands [Acts 17:24].
God had made very clear all the way through the Old Testament—even when He gave to Israel the pattern for the tabernacle and the temple—that He did not dwell in one geographical spot. Solomon acknowledged this in his prayer at the dedication of the temple: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). These men in the Old Testament recognized that God the Creator, the living God, could not live in a building that had been made by man. Man lives in a universe that God has made. Why does man get the idea that he can build a building for God to live in?
Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things [Acts 17:25].
Here is a masterly stroke by Paul. He tells them, “God doesn’t need anything from you. You built an altar to Him; you bring offerings to feed Him”—they wanted this unknown God to know that they were thinking of Him. Now Paul says, “God doesn’t need anything from you! God is on the giving end. He gives you life. He gives you your breath. He has given you the sun, the moon, and the stars. He has given you all things.” These Athenians worshiped the sun. They said that Apollo came dragging his chariot across the sky every day. Paul says that the sun is something that God has made, and it is a gift for you. The Creator is the living God. He is the One who has given you everything. By the way, He gives you salvation also. He not only gives you physical things but also gives you spiritual gifts.
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation [Acts 17:26].
So much has been made of this “one blood” business that I think we need to dissipate any wrong notions here. A better translation is, “He made from one every nation of mankind.” God has made one humanity. This verse is not talking about brotherhood. The only brotherhood which Scripture knows is the brotherhood of those who are in Christ Jesus. Perhaps I should amend that by saying there is a brotherhood of sin. We all are sinners. Paul’s statement that God “hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” is fascinating.
Not only is He the God who created the universe and who created human beings, but it is interesting to note that He also put them in certain geographical locations.
My doctor is a cancer specialist and he has told me to stay out of the sun here in California because I am a blonde. There seems to be even a medical reason why God put the darker races where the sun shines and put the light-skinned races up north where there is not so much sun. So some of us who are blonde and light-skinned need to be very careful about too much exposure to the sun. God is the One who has determined the geographical locations for His creatures. I guess some of my ancestors should have stayed where they belonged. Maybe I’m kind of out of place here in California, but I’m glad to be here and I try to be careful about protecting myself from too much sunshine. Now that is just a little sideline as an illustration.
God has put nations in certain places. It is interesting that the thing that has produced the wars of the past is that nations don’t want to stay where they belong; they want someone else’s territory. That has been the ultimate cause for every war that has ever been fought.
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us [Acts 17:27].
This phrase “feel after him” has the idea of groping after Him. Man is not really searching for the living and true God, but he is searching for a god. He is willing to put up an idol and worship it. Man is not necessarily looking for the living and true God, but he is on a search.
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring [Acts 17:28].
He does not call them sons of God but the offspring of God. He is referring to creation and the relationship to God through creation. By the way, this is not pantheism that he is stating here. He is not saying that everything is God. He says that in God we live and move and have our being but that God is beyond this created universe.
Paul quotes to them from their own poets. One of the poets he quoted was Arastus who lived about 270 b.c.. He was a Stoic from Cilicia. He began a poem with an invocation to Zeus in which he said that “we too are his offspring.” Cleanthes was another poet who lived about 300 b.c.. He also wrote a hymn to Zeus and speaks of the fact that “we are his offspring.” Paul means, of course, that we are God’s creatures.
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device [Acts 17:29].
In other words, he says we ought not to be idolaters. He has shown God to be the Creator. Now he will present Him as the Redeemer.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent [Acts 17:30].
There was a time when God shut His eyes to paganism. Now light has come into the world. God asks men everywhere to turn to Him. Light creates responsibility. Now God is commanding all men everywhere to repent.
He has presented God as the Creator in His past work. He shows God as the Redeemer in His present work. Now he shows God as the Judge in His future work.
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead [Acts 17:31].
When God judges, it will be right. Judgment will be through a Judge who has nail-pierced hands, the One who has been raised from the dead. Paul always presents the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a declaration to all men. It is by this that God assures all men there will be a judgment.
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter [Acts 17:32].
Do you know why they mocked? Because Platonism denied the resurrection of the dead. That was one of the marks of Platonism. It denied the physical resurrection. When you hear people today talk about a spiritual resurrection but denying the physical resurrection, you are hearing Platonic philosophy rather than scriptural teaching. Paul taught the physical resurrection from the dead. So when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked.
So Paul departed from among them [Acts 17:33].
Some critics have said that Paul failed at Athens. He didn’t fail, friend. There will always be those who mock at the gospel. But there will also be those who believe.
Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them [Acts 17:34].
There was quite an aggregation of converts in the city of Athens. When Paul went to a place and preached the gospel, he had converts. He didn’t fail. He succeeded. Wherever the Word of God is preached, there will be those who will listen and believe.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: The second missionary journey of Paul continued (Paul in Corinth; Apollos in Ephesus)
We are still on the second missionary journey of Paul. He is in Athens alone waiting for Timothy and Silas to come and join him and to bring reports from the churches in Berea and in Thessalonica. After his missionary thrust in Athens Paul goes on his journey to Corinth.
THE MINISTRY OF PAUL AT CORINTH
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth [Acts 18:1].
I have made the trip from Athens to Corinth by bus. Paul probably walked it. It would take a long time to walk that distance although it would be a beautiful walk. I enjoyed the scenery more since I was riding than I would have if I had been walking, I assure you. It goes past the site where the Battle of Salamis was fought at sea. This is where the Persian fleet was destroyed. There are other historical places along that way before arriving at Corinth.
In our study of the Epistle to the Corinthians, we will see the reason Paul wrote as he did to the believers at Corinth.
For now let me say that the city of Corinth was probably the most wicked city of that day. It was the Hollywood and the Las Vegas of the Roman Empire. It was the place where you could go to live it up. Sex and drink and all other sensual pleasures were there. In Corinth today one can see the remains of a great Roman bath. That is where they went to sober up. In the distance is the temple that was dedicated to Aphrodite (or Venus) in which there were a thousand so-called vestal virgins. They were anything but virgins; they were prostitutes—sex was a religion. Corinth was one of the most wicked cities of the day. Also there were two tremendous theatres there. People came from all over the empire to the city of Corinth.
Paul came to Corinth on his second missionary journey and again on his third journey. I believe it was here where Paul had one of his most effective ministries. It is my judgment that in Corinth and in Ephesus Paul had his greatest ministries. Ephesus was a religious center; Corinth was a sin center. Both cities were great commercial centers.
Now notice what Paul does on his first visit to Corinth.
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them [Acts 18:2].
In the city of Corinth he found this Jewish couple, recently come from Rome. The reason they had left Rome was because of anti-Semitism which had rolled like a wave over the earth. During the days of the Roman Empire this happened several times. At this time Claudius commanded all Jews to leave Rome. Among those who got out of Rome was a very wonderful couple, Aquila and Priscilla.
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers [Acts 18:3].
Aquila had come there because they were in business. They opened up their shop, and one day there came to their shop a little Jew who had traveled all the way from Antioch. They got acquainted and they invited Paul to stay with them.
What do you suppose they talked about? Well, Paul led them to the Lord. In the synagogue there were others who also turned to the Lord. However, there was also great opposition against Paul among the Jews.
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ [Acts 18:4–5].
Paul had waited in Athens for Timothy and Silas to come, but they didn’t show up. Now they come to him in Corinth and bring the report from the churches in Macedonia. When we get to the first Thessalonian Epistle, we will find that Paul wrote it during this period, after he had received Timothy’s report.
Now he feels that he must speak out, and he testifies that Jesus is the Messiah.
And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles [Acts 18:6].
Apparently it was at this time that Paul made the break that took him to the Gentile world. It would seem that from this point Paul’s ministry was largely to the Gentiles. We will find that true in Ephesus and less obviously in Rome.
And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized [Acts 18:7–8].
Paul spent about eighteen months in the city of Corinth where he had a tremendous ministry. When the Jews oppose him, he turns to the Gentiles. We find now that the Lord speaks to Paul because he is coming into a great new dimension of his missionary endeavor.
Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city [Acts 18:9–10].
Corinth was about the last place that you would expect the Lord to “have much people.” I have been through Las Vegas quite a few times. I’ll be honest with you—when I look at that crowd, I wouldn’t get the impression that the Lord might have people there. If the Lord were to say to me, “I have much people in this city,” I wouldn’t question the Lord, but it surely would be the opposite from my own impression.
Paul had already been in Corinth for quite a while, and I am sure that he was wondering about that city. I’m of the opinion that when he received this opposition, he was ready to leave and go somewhere else. However, the Lord Himself steps in and detains Paul. He tells him, “I have much people in this city.”
And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them [Acts 18:11].
After Paul has had several months of ministry in Corinth, again opposition will arise.
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat [Acts 18:12].
This “judgment seat” is the Bema seat. It is the Bema that Paul talks about in the Epistle to the Corinthians. I have been there and I have sat on the ruins of the Bema seat in Corinth. They brought Paul to the Bema seat, the judgment seat, and there they brought the charge against him.
Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law [Acts 18:13].
They didn’t mean contrary to the law of the Roman Empire or contrary to the law of Corinth. They meant contrary to the law of the Mosaic system.
And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
And he drave them from the judgment seat.
Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things [Acts 18:14–17].
I have read and heard Bible expositors condemn this man Gallio in no uncertain terms. He is pictured as an unfeeling typical judge of that day. I want to say something for the defense of Gallio. I thank God for him, and I personally think that he took the right position. I’ll tell you what I mean by that. He is probably the first person who made a decision between church and state. Gallio said that if the matter was concerning religion or about some religious thing, then they should take it and handle it themselves. He was a Roman magistrate and he was concerned with enforcing Roman law. But when the case did not involve Roman law, he would not interfere. He told them to handle religious matters themselves. He adopted a “hands off” policy. I like Gallio. He separated church and state. He would not interfere with Paul preaching in the city of Corinth. Corinth was a city of freedom, including religious freedom. Since the issue had to do with religion, he asked them to settle it themselves.
Now I want to say this: I wish the Supreme Court of the United States would adopt the same policy. I wish they would adopt a “hands off” policy when it comes to matters of religion. What right does a group of secular men have to come along and make a decision that you can’t have prayer in the schools? If a community wants prayer in their school, then they should have prayer in their school. If they are not having prayer in school, then the state should not force prayer in school. We claim to have freedom of speech and freedom of religion in our land. The unfortunate thing is that our freedoms are often curtailed. They are abused and misdirected. Under the guise of separating church and state, the freedom of religion is actually curtailed. If we are going to separate church and state, then the state should keep its nose out of that which refers to the church.
If this man Gallio were running for office, I would vote for him. I think we need men with this kind of vision. It says Gallio cared for none of those things. Of course not! He is a secular magistrate. He is not going to try to settle an argument about differences in doctrine. That’s not his business, and he’ll stay out of it. I would vote for him.
PAUL SAILS FOR ANTIOCH
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had avow [Acts 18:18].
There are a great many folk who find fault with Paul because he made a vow. They say that this is the man who preached that we are not under Law but we are under grace, and so he should not have made a vow. Anyone who says this about Paul is actually making a little law for Paul. Such folk are saying that Paul is to do things their way. Under grace, friend, if you want to make a vow, you can make it. And if you do not want to make a vow, you don’t have to. Paul didn’t force anyone else to make a vow. In fact, he said emphatically that no one has to do that. But if Paul wants to make a vow, that is his business. That is the marvelous freedom that we have in the grace of God today.
There are some super-saints who form little cliques and make laws for the Christian. They say we can’t do this and we can’t do that. May I say to you very candidly that our relationship is to the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is a love affair. If we love Him, of course we will not do anything that will break our fellowship with Him. Don’t insist that I go through your little wicket gate; I am to follow Him. He shows me what I can and cannot do in order to maintain fellowship with Him.
If one wishes to eat meat, there is freedom to eat meat. If one wishes to observe a certain day, there is freedom to observe it. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). The important thing is to do all to the glory of God. Eating meat will not commend you to God and neither will abstaining from meat commend you to God.
Let’s not find fault with Paul here. Poor Gallio and Paul surely do get in trouble with their critics right in this particular passage. I want to defend both of them.
Paul is now returning from his second missionary journey. He has made Corinth the terminus of his journey and now he is going back to Antioch. He sails from Cenchrea, which is the seaport over on the east side. There is a canal through the Corinthian peninsula today, but there was none in that day. They would actually pull the boats overland. I have a picture taken to show the rocks that are worn by the boats which were pulled over the isthmus to the other side. Cenchrea was the port of Corinth on the eastward side. Paul goes there with Aquila and Priscilla, and they take ship there. He is not going westward any farther; he is sailing for home.
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews [Acts 18:19].
You remember that when he came out on this second journey, the Spirit of God would not allow him to come down to Ephesus. Now, on his way back, he stops at Ephesus but he does not stay there very long.
When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus [Acts 18:20–21].
Again someone may ask what business Paul has in keeping feasts. Remember his background. He is a Jew like Simon Peter. He has the background of the Mosaic system. He knows a lot of his friends will be in Jerusalem for the feast. He wants to go up to witness to them. He feels that he must by all means keep this feast that is coming in Jerusalem. He is under grace. If he wants to do that, that is his business.
However, he did see that there was a great door open in Ephesus. He has the heart of a missionary, and he wants to return to them. Ephesus was one of the great cities of the Roman Empire.
And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch [Acts 18:22].
He landed at Caesarea. Caesarea and Joppa were the ports from which one could go up to Jerusalem. He went to Jerusalem and gave his report there. Then he went back up north to his home church which was in Antioch. This concludes the second missionary journey of Paul.
Notice that it isn’t long before he starts out on his third journey.
And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples [Acts 18:23].
This is now his third trip through the Galatian country. We will find that he will go to Ephesus on his third missionary journey. He is going to have a great ministry there. But right now someone else has come into Ephesus. He is Apollos, another great preacher in the early church. He is not as well known as Paul, but we can learn a great deal about him.
APOLLOS IN EPHESUS
And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus [Acts 18:24].
Apollos was a Jew, which meant he had the background of the Mosaic Law. His name, Apollos, is Greek. So he was a Hellenist of the Diaspora. He hadn’t been born in Greece or in that area of Macedonia; he was born at Alexandria in North Africa. Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, was one of the great centers of Greek culture. A great university was there and it had one of the finest libraries in the world. It was there that a Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, was made. There was a Jewish temple in Alexandria. The great center of the early church moved from Jerusalem and Antioch to Alexandria, and it remained important for several centuries of early church history. Athanasius, Tertullian, and Augustine, three great men of the early church, came from there. Philo, a contemporary of Apollos, mingled Greek philosophy with Judaism. This combined Platonism and Judaism. Apollos was obviously influenced by this background.
We are told that he was “an eloquent man,” a great preacher. Also he was “mighty in the scriptures,” which means he was well trained in the Old Testament.
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John [Acts 18:25].
That he had been “instructed in the way of the Lord” means he had an education by word of mouth not by revelation. And he was “fervent in the spirit”—not the Holy Spirit. He had a passion for the things of God. This is the Holy Spirit’s testimony about him. Frankly, friend, he was a great man, an outstanding man.
Apollos spoke and taught “diligently the things of the Lord.” He taught everything that he had learned, but he knew only about the baptism of John. He couldn’t go any further than that. He had not heard of Jesus.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly [Acts 18:26].
They invited Apollos home for dinner after the service. They realized that his information was very limited; so they told him about Jesus.
And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace [Acts 18:27].
Apollos was a brilliant man, but up until the time that Aquila and Priscilla took him home for dinner, he didn’t know the gospel of the grace of God. Here is a case where a woman helped a preacher a great deal. She taught him something that he didn’t know.
For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ [Acts 18:28].
“He mightily convinced” the Jews, showing them by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ. He had taught zealously the things of the Old Testament up through the ministry of John the Baptist. He knew nothing beyond the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla had the privilege of bringing him up to date and also to conversion. He then went to Achaia, visiting the churches in Greece, including Corinth and Athens, preaching Jesus as the Messiah and Savior.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Third missionary journey of Paul (Paul in Ephesus)
Paul’s third missionary journey began in the previous chapter at verse 23 when he left Antioch. In this chapter he retraces part of his first and second missionary journeys. Then he comes to Ephesus where he speaks daily in the school of Tyrannus for two years. Paul performs miracles which lead to the march against him led by Demetrius and his fellow silversmiths. The mob is quieted by the town clerk who urges them to appeal to the law rather than resorting to violence.
PAUL’S MINISTRY IN EPHESUS
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost [Acts 19:1–2].
You will remember that Paul had come through Ephesus on his return trip from his second missionary journey and had told them that he would come back to them if God so willed. He had not stayed in Ephesus previously and had had no ministry there. Now he returns to Ephesus, but he has been preceded there by that great preacher, Apollos. You recall that Apollos did not know anything about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until Aquila and Priscilla had talked to him. All he had been preaching was the baptism of John, which was as far as his knowledge went. As a result of this, the people who had heard his preaching had been instructed only as far as the baptism of John and had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul detected that.
“Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” is a poor translation. Both verbs receive and believe, are in the same tense. The American Standard Version translates the verse more accurately: “Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?” Paul is asking them, “When you believed, did you receive the Holy Spirit?” Their response was that they had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit. They had been instructed up to the baptism of John. They had not been taught about the Lord Jesus and didn’t know anything about Pentecost.
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism [Acts 19:3].
You see that these people were baptized, but they were not saved. They had not received the Holy Spirit because they were not saved. Friend, the moment you trust Christ you are regenerated by the Spirit of God, you are indwelt by the Spirit of God, you are sealed by the Spirit of God, and you are baptized into the body of believers by the Spirit of God. This happens the moment you believe and trust Christ. Paul detected that this had not happened to these people. Now Paul explains to them that they must trust the Lord Jesus to be saved. They respond to his message and many believe.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [Acts 19:4–5].
The baptism of John was a “baptism of repentance.” It was a preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the people turn to Christ and are saved. They did not get saved under Apollos because he didn’t even know about Christ when he preached to them. Some people interpret this passage to mean that they had been saved, and then later when Paul came they received the Holy Spirit. That is not true, as you can see.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
And all the men were about twelve [Acts 19:6–7].
These men could now speak the gospel in other languages—in tongues that could be understood. Ephesus was a polyglot city of the Roman Empire. There were many languages spoken there, just as there had been in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. East and West met all along that coast. It was a great city of that day. These men were now able to give the good news of Christ to the entire city. Notice there were twelve men. This was the beginning of the ministry at Ephesus. Paul had a great ministry in Corinth and an even greater ministry in Ephesus.
And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks [Acts 19:8–10].
Paul had to leave the synagogue because there was a great deal of opposition to him. He moved his place of operation and did his speaking daily in the school of Tyrannus.
What was this school of Tyrannus? Well, it was a school that was conducted for the Ephesians. They had a siesta in the middle of the day, probably for two or three hours. Paul, I imagine, rented the space and at siesta time, in the middle of the day, he preached the Word of God for a period of two years. As a result, the whole province of Asia heard the Word of God, both the Jews and the Greeks.
This gives us some concept of how the Word of God was growing in that day. Apparently from this vantage point the church in Colosse came into existence. You see, Paul wrote to the Colossians as he did to the Romans before he had visited them. Yet he was the founder of those churches. How could this be? By the simple fact that from the school of Tyrannus the gospel sounded forth—it went out everywhere. When the Corinthians wanted Paul to come over to them, he wrote to them, “For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:7–9). For two years the gospel sounded out so that everyone had heard it in the province of Asia. Probably the seven churches of Asia Minor came into existence through the preaching of Paul the apostle here at Ephesus. This may have been where he had his greatest ministry.
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul [Acts 19:11].
There are different words used in the Greek which our Bible translates as miracles. Here the word for “miracle” is dunamis from which we get our word dynamite. It means “an act of power.” God wrought special powers by the hands of Paul. He is exercising the gifts of an apostle.
This was a great religious center, possibly more than Athens or any other place. The great temple of Diana was there, and the worship connected with it was satanic to the very core. Now in order to meet that kind of opposition, God granted to Paul some special powers.
So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them [Acts 19:12].
What were these handkerchiefs and aprons which are mentioned here? Well, actually we could call them sweat cloths. Paul used them as he worked. Remember that he was a tentmaker and this was in a warm climate. While he was working, he would be perspiring. He would use these cloths, these handkerchiefs and aprons, to wipe his brow. They were dirty. They had his perspiration from his body on them. People would come and pick up these dirty cloths and would be healed of their diseases! In that area there were the mystery religions which used white garments and emphasized that everything must be very clean and white. Everything had to be just so. It seems that God was rebuking all of that sort of thing. He used these dirty, sweaty cloths to heal people.
This reveals the special power that was granted to the apostle Paul. As far as I know, this is the only incident like this that ever took place—including the day in which we live. It is almost blasphemous for anyone to send out a little handkerchief and claim there is a power in it. Paul’s handkerchief was an old sweat cloth. God used that to rebuke the heathen, pagan religions of that day. Diseases were healed and evil spirits went out of them when they picked up these dirty, sweaty cloths.
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth [Acts 19:13].
When they saw what Paul did, they tried to duplicate it. Now a specific incident will be related.
And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who arc ye? [Acts 19:14–15].
Notice that these were priests. The priests had actually gone into this type of thing. The Greek word here for “know” is ginoµskoµ. It does not imply a knowledge by faith. It means simply that the evil spirit knows who Jesus is.
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded [Acts 19:16].
The attempt of the sons of Sceva to try to duplicate the miracles of Paul backfired. It backfired to their humiliation and hurt and apparently was a great embarrassment for them.
And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified [Acts 19:17].
You can see the effect that this had. It caused the name of the Lord Jesus to be spread through that entire pagan city. Ephesus was a great city, and it was shaken by this.
The miracles which Paul and the other apostles performed were not the type of thing that one hears about today. For many years there have been stories of miracles being performed in Los Angeles and in Southern California, but they made no dent or impression on this great pagan city. The miracles of Paul shook Ephesus to its very foundation. The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified through them.
And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver [Acts 19:18–19].
That would be about $8,000.00 U.S. currency before inflation. That is quite a bonfire, by the way, an $8,000.00 bonfire! That’s what they had in Ephesus.
So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome [Acts 19:20–21].
“After these things were ended”—that is, these experiences which Dr. Luke has recorded here—it apparently was Paul’s intention to go to Rome on this missionary journey. The interesting thing is that he did go to Rome, but not the way he had planned to go.
So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season [Acts 19:22].
This is the time that he wrote to the Corinthians. Apparently Timothy and Erastus took the letter to deliver it. Although it was addressed to the Corinthians, the letter would reach the people in Macedonia, which would include Philippi and Thessalonica, and also the churches in Achaia, which would include Athens and Corinth. It was in this letter that Paul wrote that a great and effectual door was open for him in Ephesus but that there were many adversaries. We can see now that the adversaries were satanic. This was a center of pagan religion and of Satan worship. The Satan worship we see today is not something new at all.
And the same time there arose no small stir about that way [Acts 19:23].
Christianity had no name for the churches at that time—certainly no denominational name. It was simply called “that way.” It was a new way, that is certain. The way was the Lord Jesus who Himself said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen [Acts 19:24].
The temple of Diana was a great pagan temple, and it was the center of business. It was the bank of that day. It was also the center of sin. Gross immorality took place around it. It is true that religion can go to a lower level than anything else. That temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the largest Greek temple that was ever built. It was beautiful and was adorned with works of art, but the image of Diana or Artemis was hideous. It was not the Diana of the Greeks, a graceful image, but was the crude, many-breasted, oriental Diana. They were selling those silver images, and it was big business. Paul’s ministry was interfering with it.
Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth [Acts 19:25–27].
You can see that the uproar of the silversmiths led by Demetrius was centered, actually, around their bread and butter. They made those little images and sold them, and they were doing very well. There would be many people come to the temple of Diana in Ephesus since it was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. So these men were getting rich by selling these images. I tell you again, you cannot step on a man’s pocketbook without hearing him say, “Ouch!”
The worship of Diana had spread throughout Asia. Ephesus was a center of commerce and a center of religion and a center of worship. It was a center for the Oriental and the Occidental, a place where East and West did meet—the worst in both came to Ephesus.
And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians [Acts 19:28].
They went around the city with their placards shouting, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”
And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not [Acts 19:29–30].
Paul would have been mobbed, of course. He would absolutely have been killed. He already had one experience like that over in the Galatian country when he was stoned in Lystra.
And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre [Acts 19:31].
This is a mob action which is taking place. “The chief of Asia” were political or religious officials, called Asiarchs, who advised Paul against trying to address the mob. They told him it would be foolish and wouldn’t do a bit of good for him to get into the mob.
Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people [Acts 19:32–33].
Alexander was probably a convert who was with Paul.
But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians [Acts 19:34].
This was typical mob action. Many of them didn’t even know why they were gathered together. However, notice that they do not grant freedom of speech to anyone else. They would not permit Alexander to speak because they wanted to run around and squeal, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”
And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly [Acts 19:35–36].
The townclerk was, of course, a local official who told them that they were making too much out of this whole thing. He says, “Look at this great temple and at the great Diana. Nothing could happen to them. Nothing could be said against them!” Now, of course, they have been in ruins for nearly two thousand years.
For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another [Acts 19:37–38].
He is saying that if the silversmiths want to make a legal charge, the court is open.
But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly [Acts 19:39–41].
He told them that if they had some issue to bring up, they should all sit down and have an orderly meeting. They were to put down their placards and quit their shouting and running around. They were actually in danger of being accused of rioting. Riots are not something new, friend. This whole scene sounds very up to date.
He dismissed the crowd. When he called their attention to what they were actually doing, the crowd broke up and the people went home. Paul’s ministry in Ephesus is over now. He leaves Ephesus and goes back to Macedonia.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: Third missionary journey of Paul concluded
After Paul’s experience in Ephesus, he continues on to Macedonia, to Philippi, back to Troas, and to Miletus. The elders of the church in Ephesus meet him in Miletus and they have a tender reunion and a touching farewell.
PAUL GOES INTO MACEDONIA
And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece [Acts 20:1–2].
This means that he revisited Athens and Corinth.
And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus [Acts 20:3–4].
The men named are all believers who had come to Christ under the ministry of Paul. He has quite a delegation now. These men have become missionaries.
We need to recognize that when Paul went through Greece and Macedonia, he visited all the churches which he had founded there. He would have stopped at Athens and Corinth, at Thessalonica and Berea and Philippi. So he retraced his steps and visited all the churches that were in Europe—or at least in the European section of his third journey.
PAUL AT TROAS
You may remember that Troas was the springboard from which Paul leaped into Europe on his second missionary journey. Now he comes back to Troas on his last missionary journey.
These going before tarried for us at Troas [Acts 20:5].
The “us” indicates that Dr. Luke is still with Paul while the others go ahead of them to Troas.
This is quite a group of men, missionaries, who worked with Paul. I take it that these men had been traveling with Paul before. When Paul would have a ministry in a place like Corinth, probably these men would radiate out and have a ministry in the countryside and the small towns. We read in the Epistle to the Colossians about the fact that the Word of God had sounded out in that day to the whole world. That sounds unbelievable, but it was true. It was no oratorical gesture. Of course “the whole world” means the Roman world because that was the world of that day. The Word of God had spread throughout the Roman world. We get some insight here and recognize that there were other people working with the apostles. Acts traces the work of Peter and Paul as the dominant ones—Peter as the Apostle to the Jews and Paul as the Apostle to the Gentiles. What we have here in the Book of Acts is a very limited account of the missionary work that was going on.
And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days [Acts 20:6].
It is interesting that the trip that took them five days to make can now be made by tourists in about fifty minutes. How different transportation is today! Transportation is more efficient, but our ministry is certainly not as effective.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight [Acts 20:7].
There are several things I want to say about this verse. I want you to note that it was upon the first day of the week that they came together. Where we have a record of the day on which the early church met, it was always the first day of the week. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are to bring their gifts on the first day of the week (see 1 Cor. 16:2). In our verse in Acts here it says that “when the disciples came together to break bread” it was “upon the first day of the week.” This means that they celebrated the Lord’s Supper on Sunday. It was on this day that Paul preached to them. The early church met on the first day of the week. That was the important day because it was the day when Jesus came back from the dead. Under the old creation the seventh day was the important day, the Sabbath day. That belongs to the old creation. On the Sabbath day Jesus was dead, inside the tomb. On the first day of the week He came forth. We meet on that day because we are now joined to a living Christ. That is the testimony of the first day of the week.
Now the other thing that interests me about this verse is that Paul was going to leave them the next day; so he preached all the way to midnight. Now, I do not know any congregation that would listen to me until midnight. I’m of the opinion that there aren’t many preachers who would preach until midnight in these days in which we live. However, this is Paul’s last visit. It is a tender meeting. He is getting ready to leave and he will not be back. This gives him an excuse to preach that long.
I tell congregations very frankly that I’m a long-winded preacher. I’m known as that. I love to teach the Word of God. I have a system of homiletics that I never learned in the seminary. I picked it up myself—in fact, I got it from a cigarette commercial. This is it: It’s not how long you make it but how you make it long. I believe in making it long; my scriptural authority for it is that Paul did it. He spoke until midnight. You can’t help but smile at that.
And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together [Acts 20:8].
They had the place all lighted up. These early Christians didn’t stay up until midnight whooping it up, but they were still up at midnight listening to the Word of God and praising Him. May I say to you that we have let the world take away from us the fun that we ought to be having today with the things of God. So if your preacher goes a little overtime, friend, be patient with him. However, I think midnight was a little long for the apostle Paul to preach, because look what happened here.
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead [Acts 20:9].
A friend of mine who preached up in the country of middle Tennessee invited me to come there to hold some meetings in his church. In the summertime they would have quite protracted meetings at this Bible conference. It was interesting that in the back of the church there was a place for several pallets. When a little fellow would go to sleep, the mother holding him would simply get up and take him to the back of the room and put him down on the pallet. When another little fellow would go to sleep, his mother would get up with him and do the same thing. There would be six or more children asleep in the back of that church. One night after several mothers had put their children down on the pallet, my friend interrupted his message and remarked, “I’m a better preacher than the apostle Paul! Paul preached until midnight and he put only one to sleep. I’m preaching here until about nine o’clock and I’ve already put four to sleep!”
I confess that Paul’s experience has always been a comfort to me. When I look out at the congregation and see some brother or sister out there sound asleep, I say to myself, “It’s all right. Just let them sleep. Paul put them to sleep, too.”
Can’t you just see this Eutychus? It says that “he sunk down with sleep.” He was sound asleep, and I can imagine that he was snoring. He fell from the third loft—which means he was higher than the second floor. It is no longer a laughable experience. If this had been the end, it would have been a tragedy. But notice what happens.
And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted [Acts 20:10–12].
Paul raised this boy from the dead. You will remember also that Simon Peter raised Dorcas from the dead. This was a gift that belonged to the apostles. After the canon of Scripture was established, the sign gifts were not manifested—they disappeared from the church. When Dr. Luke writes that they “were not a little comforted,” he means they were really thrilled that this precious young man had been raised from the dead and was back in their midst. And now Paul continues to preach through the night even until daybreak. What a rebuke that is to us! In some churches there is a chorus of complaint if a pastor preaches ten or even five minutes longer than usual. These early believers sat up all night listening to Paul. I know someone is going to say, “If I could listen to Paul, I’d listen all night, too.” Probably Paul was nothing more than a humble preacher of the gospel. We do know that Apollos was an eloquent man, but that is not said of Paul. These believers simply wanted to hear the Word of God. How wonderful that is!
PAUL AT MILETUS
And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot [Acts 20:13].
Now they are traveling again. Dr. Luke and others of the group sailed to Assos but Paul traveled on foot. Why do you suppose Paul did that? Well, I’m sure it was so that he could witness along the way. I think as he walked, there were many places along the way where he would stop to witness to people.
And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus [Acts 20:14–15].
Now there is a good exercise in pronunciation as well as a little study in geography. I hope you will follow on a map these journeys of Paul. They make a nice little travelog.
For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost [Acts 20:16].
Paul wants to be in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost; so he is in a hurry. However, he was determined not to miss Ephesus. He stops at Miletus which is the port of Ephesus.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church [Acts 20:17].
A good map will show you that Ephesus was actually a little inland. The river there slowly filled up the harbor at Ephesus. Today the city of Ephesus is actually inland about two or three miles from the water’s edge. A great part of the city is as much as five miles inland. Miletus is right down on the coast. Paul sent for the elders of Ephesus to come to Miletus to meet him there.
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ [Acts 20:18–21].
Paul was a faithful witness for Jesus Christ. He pulled no punches. He could declare that he had given them the Word of God, the total Word of God. I am not the first one to have a through the Bible program—Paul taught it all. He gave to them the full counsel of God. He was faithful even in the face of opposition by the religious rulers of the Jews.
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God [Acts 20:22–24].
Here is a point over which many great teachers of the Bible differ. Some of my good friends in the ministry and many good, authoritative Bible teachers believe that Paul made a mistake in going to Jerusalem. They think that he should not have gone. However, this testimony which Paul gives is very clear. I believe that he was entirely in the will of God in going to Jerusalem. He is saying in effect, “I am going to Jerusalem. I am bound in the spirit because everywhere I have gone, the Spirit of God has shown me that bonds and affliction await me in Jerusalem.” Now that is different from Acts 16 when he was forbidden by the Spirit of God to preach in Asia. In fact God simply put up roadblocks which directed him to Europe. There is no roadblock here. Rather the Spirit of God is revealing to Paul what he will be walking into when he reaches Jerusalem. Paul makes it clear that he realizes he will suffer if he goes to Jerusalem. He says, “I don’t count my life dear. I’m willing to lay down my life for Jesus.” He wanted to bring the gift to the poor saints in Jerusalem in his own hands. In his swan song Paul wrote, “I have finished my course.” I think Paul touched all the bases. Jerusalem was one of those bases.
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God [Acts 20:25–27].
Paul knew that he would not see these folk again in this life. Paul also knew that he had honestly given to them the entire counsel of God.
As I write this, I am a retired preacher. I have made many blunders and have failed in many ways. But as I look back on my ministry, I can say truthfully that when I stood in the pulpit, I declared the Word of God as I saw it. I have the deep satisfaction of knowing that if I went back to any pulpit which I have held, I haven’t a thing to add to what I have already said. I don’t mean I couldn’t say it in a better way, but the important thing is that I declared the whole counsel of God. I have always believed that the important issue is to get out the entire Word of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood [Acts 20:28].
This is the business of the officers of the church. They are not to run the church, but they are to see that the church is fed the Word of God.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them [Acts 20:29–30].
Friend, I have seen that happen. The Devil wants to get into a church where the Bible has been taught. He would like to wreck a radio ministry that is teaching the Word of God. The Devil is not our friend; he is our enemy. He wants to stop the teaching of God’s Word. Paul warned them at Ephesus that this would happen to them. He tells them there will be little termites right in their midst who will really cause trouble for them.
Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified [Acts 20:31–32].
He commends them to God and to the Word of His grace. That is what we can do whenever we leave our people.
I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me [Acts 20:33–34].
Paul was not covetous of money. He worked in order to support himself and those who were with him.
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship [Acts 20:35–38].
This is a tender meeting between Paul and the elders of the church in Ephesus. These men love Paul and he loves them. It is difficult for them to let him go, knowing that they will not see him again in this life. They bid him a touching farewell.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Paul goes to Jerusalem and is arrested
Paul has made three missionary journeys. He is returning now, and it is almost like a wonderful victory march as he comes back into the city of Jerusalem. But along the way warnings are coming to him. He knows that trouble awaits him in Jerusalem.
Chapter 20 concluded with the tender meeting he had with the Ephesian elders at Miletus. Now he boards ship for the voyage that will return him to Israel.
PAUL AT TYRE
And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:
And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth [Acts 21:1–2].
Are you following him? He took a ship at Miletus and they sailed down to the southern coast of Asia Minor to Patara. There they changed ships. Now he is headed for Tyre on the seacoast north of Caesarea. It was actually on the coast of Israel in what was ancient Phoenicia. Today that is Lebanon.
Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden [Acts 21:3].
I love the way this is expressed here. I think the translators of our Authorized Version have captured something that the modern translations just miss. They “discovered Cyprus” on the left hand is a way of saying that as they were sailing towards Tyre, Cyprus loomed up in the distance on their left-hand side. Of course it doesn’t mean that they were the first people to discover Cyprus. They saw the island and were near enough to recognize it, but they did not stop there. They were on their way to Tyre, a great commercial center which had been there since ancient times.
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem [Acts 21:4].
This is the verse used by those Bible teachers who feel that Paul made a great mistake when he went up to Jerusalem. It shows that these men spoke to Paul through the Holy Spirit. If I understand this correctly, the Spirit of God is not going to contradict Himself. I believe He is saying the same thing here that He had said before. Paul is not to go up to Jerusalem unless he is prepared to make the required sacrifice. Paul keeps saying that he is willing to make the sacrifice. He is perfectly willing to lay down his life for the Lord Jesus. That is the way I think it should be understood.
For several reasons I do not believe that Paul stepped out of the will of God when he went up to Jerusalem. He had a sentimental reason for going there, but it was a good reason. He was carrying the offering from the gentile Christians to the suffering saints in Jerusalem. He wanted to present this to the church in Jerusalem with his own hands, because it was his hands that at one time had wasted the church in Jerusalem. He had been partly responsible for the state of penury in which the saints in Jerusalem found themselves. Paul did not want to send some representative to Jerusalem; he wanted to go to Jerusalem himself.
Another reason I do not believe that Paul stepped out of the will of God is because of his writings later on. When Paul was in prison in Rome, the church at Philippi sent to him an expression of their sympathy. They loved him and they sympathized with his condition. But Paul wrote to them, “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12). Because what happened to Paul did not hinder the spread of the gospel, I do not believe that Paul was out of the will of God.
Furthermore, you remember that when the Lord appeared to Ananias and told him to go to Paul after his conversion, He said to Ananias, “… Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15–16). Up to this point in our study of Acts, Paul has not appeared before kings and rulers, but we know it is in the will of God that he should do so. In the next chapters we will find that he does go before kings. He will testify before King Agrippa. It is probable that he appeared before Nero in Rome. We know for certain that he reached those who were in Caesar’s household because he sent greetings from them in his Epistle to the Philippians (4:22), which was written while he was a prisoner in Rome.
Finally, as I have already mentioned, in 2 Timothy 4:7 Paul writes, “… I have finished my course….” This was written at the end of his life. It seems to me that he would not say that if for a time he had stepped out of the will of God. I must confess that as I look back over my own ministry, I am confident that I stepped out of the will of God for a brief time. I didn’t do it purposely. I did it ignorantly. I did it in a headstrong manner. I think the Lord has a way of making these things up to us. But I do not think that Paul at the end of his life could write that he had finished his course if he had been out of the will of God.
I have spent some time on this because there is controversy over it. I have several very good friends in the ministry who do not agree with my point of view, but we are still friends. I love these brethren in the Lord. I just tease them and say I hope they will see the light someday. As one of them said to me, “When we get in the presence of the Lord, we will all be in agreement.”
And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed [Acts 21:5].
Again, this is a lovely thing that Paul did here. Paul and the people with him kneeled down there on the shore and prayed.
Friend, the best position to be in while praying is kneeling. However, you can pray in any posture and anywhere. Since I drive a great deal, I have learned to pray in the car. (When you drive the freeways of Southern California, you had better learn to pray!) But the most appropriate posture when we come into the presence of Almighty God is to kneel.
And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.
And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day [Acts 21:6–7].
I have often wondered why Paul didn’t stay there longer than that. You will notice the marvelous reception given to him and the number of believers in all these various places at that time. There must have been millions of believers in the Roman Empire by the end of the first century.
PAUL AT CAESAREA
And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him [Acts 21:8].
Paul is traveling down the coastline going from one place to another. I have driven that route by bus. Since there was no bus running in Paul’s day, I’m sure that he walked this route. And what a ministry he had! Think of the believers that he met on the way. He had a real ministry and a real opportunity.
As I have been going from church to church, from town to town, from city to city, from place to place, ministering the Word of God, it is a great encouragement to see what God is doing in the lives of folk. When I was a pastor, I had to keep my nose to the grindstone, and I developed an Elijah complex—“I’m the only one left. I’m all by myself. I am the only one standing for you, Lord.” Friend, if you could go over the ground I have been over in the past year, it would thrill your heart to know the number of wonderful churches, wonderful Christian works, wonderful Christian homes, wonderful Christian believers that there are in this country and in other countries of the world. It has been a real thrill to my own heart to meet these believers. Undoubtedly this was also the experience of Paul.
And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy [Acts 21:9].
Philip was an evangelist. The word literally means “one who announces good tidings.” This verse shows that women did occupy a prominent place in the church. These particular women had the gift of prophecy. The New Testament had not been written as yet; so the gift of prophecy was needed in the early church.
And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles [Acts 21:10–11].
The Holy Spirit is revealing to Paul what will happen to him when he goes up to Jerusalem. It is as though He is saying, “Paul, this is what you are going to face. Are you willing to do it?” God doesn’t want Paul to feel that He let him stumble unwittingly into a trap. Paul knows what awaits him, and he still is perfectly willing to go. Actually, this prophet is not telling him anything new. Back in chapter 20, when he was still in Asia Minor, he already knew that bonds and afflictions waited for him.
And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus [Acts 21:12–13].
Remember that this is Dr. Luke writing. He and the others didn’t want to see Paul go to Jerusalem. The Spirit of God is revealing to Paul that he is going to be bound. Paul is not only willing to be bound but is also willing to die for Jesus in Jerusalem. He asks the believers not to cry and to break his heart. It is touching here to see the concern of the believers for the apostle Paul. My, how they loved him!
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done [Acts 21:14].
And I think the will of the Lord was done.
PAUL AT JERUSALEM
And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.
There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly [Acts 21:15–17].
Notice that when the apostle Paul came to Jerusalem, the church that was there received him gladly.
And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present [Acts 21:18].
What a glorious reception by the church in Jerusalem! He is a veteran now, friend. He has been in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs [Acts 21:19–21].
The Jews twisted a little what Paul was actually doing. Paul did not really teach the things that they claimed he was teaching.
We come now to another interesting passage about which good Bible expositors offer different explanations. Was Paul out or in the will of God when he went to Jerusalem and took a Jewish vow that evidently involved a sacrifice?
The believers here in Jerusalem speak of the thousands of Jewish converts to Christ. These Jews who had found their completion in Jesus Christ had not forsaken the Mosaic Law. However, they could not insist that Gentiles must come urider the Law. On the other hand, Gentiles could not insist that the Jews forsake the practices of the Law—provided they were not trusting it for salvation. Those who insist that the grace of God did not force the Gentiles to keep the Mosaic Law seem to forget that the same grace permits the Jew to continue in its precepts if he feels it is the will of God.
For example, we know that Peter had eaten nothing contrary to Mosaic Law until he visited Paul in Antioch. Also, Jewish believers had an abhorrence of eating anything that had been sacrificed to idols. This did not bother the conscience of the Gentile. However, if the eating of such meat offended the conscience of another believer and caused him to stumble, then it was wrong. Paul makes it very clear that meat does not commend us to God. “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:8).
Paul also wrote that if a person was brought up under certain customs, the grace of God allows him to follow those customs after he has accepted the Lord Jesus as his Savior. “But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called” (1 Cor. 7:17–20).
Paul applies this principle in winning people for Christ. “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you” (1 Cor. 9:19–23). I do not think that we should criticize Paul for what he does here in Jerusalem. Grace permitted Paul to take a Jewish vow to win the Jews. If he had been a Gentile, it would have been questionable for him to adopt a foreign custom.
With that as a background, we understand Paul’s action.
What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them [Acts 21:22–26].
Now what should Paul do? He has arrived at Jerusalem and has been given a royal reception by the church. He has given them the gift from the gentile churches. They have listened to his report and rejoiced in the way God has saved the Gentiles. Now they turn to Paul and tell him that there are thousands of Jews in Jerusalem who are trusting Christ and have accepted Him as their Messiah and Savior. None of them want to have a division in the church. There is only one church of Jesus Christ, not a Jewish church and a gentile church. A Jew who comes to Jesus Christ does not stop being a Jew. So they say to Paul, “Look, you are a Jew. That is your background. And you want to win the Jews for Christ.” Paul says, “I sure do!” So they say, “Since you are a Jew, it wouldn’t hurt you to go with these four Jewish men who have made a vow. They have shaved their heads and are going into the temple. Would you go along with them?” Paul says, “Sure.”
Paul didn’t take this vow because he was commanded to do so. He took this vow because he wanted to win these people.
Friend, you don’t have to take a vow. But if you want to take a vow, you can. If you want to shave your head with a vow, that is your business. If you want to take a vow and let your hair grow long, that is your business. It is all right with the Lord. Under grace you have a right to do these things. Under grace you have the right to make a vow if you want to do so—just so you understand that you are not saved by what you do but by the grace of God.
PAUL IN THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place [Acts 21:27–28].
As mobs generally do, this mob acts on assumption and misinformation.
(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) [Acts 21:29].
Here we find this distinction that we need to make. Paul, a Jew, brought up in that tradition, went to the temple when he came to Jerusalem. Trophimus who was a Gentile Ephesian, apparently a convert through the ministry of Paul, when he was in Jerusalem with Paul, would have no inclination to go to the temple or take part in any ritual in the temple. That was not part of his background. Under grace he could have if he had wanted to. This is what I mean by our freedom under grace. Of course Paul knew that the vow he was taking had no bearing on his salvation. Both Jew and Gentile are saved only and alone by the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
Paul’s vow probably included fasting and eating certain foods. That was a part of his background. Today as I travel around, I find that a great many Christians are diet faddists. It always amazes me to find how many there are. They are constantly telling me their advice about what this or that diet will do for me. May I say that the only difference a diet will make is in your physical body. A diet will not commend you to God. Under grace you can go on a diet or not go on a diet. It may have something to do with your health and your physical condition. It has nothing to do with your relationship to God. Oh, if God’s people could only learn that!
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul [Acts 21:30–32].
Notice their bitterness and hatred of Paul. They hate him because he is teaching that one does not need to go through the Mosaic system to be saved. Paul is right in following one of the customs of his people if he wants to do it. He is trying to win his own people. Although it didn’t accomplish the purpose that he had in mind, I think it accomplished a Godgiven purpose.
The mob would have killed Paul if the captain and the soldiers had not intervened.
PAUL BOUND IN CHAINS
Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done [Acts 21:33].
This captain did not know Paul at all. He didn’t cry out, “Oh, this is Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles.” He wasn’t looking upon him like that at all. He didn’t know who he was and actually thought that he had committed some crime; so he put him in chains.
And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him [Acts 21:34–36].
Since the captain couldn’t learn anything from the mob, he took Paul to the castle in order to find out what the charge was against him. The mob was not willing to settle for anything less than the death of Paul.
And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? [Acts 21:37].
The captain was amazed. He thought that he had bound a common criminal, but this man speaks fluent Greek. The captain understood that because he was a foreign emissary.
Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? [Acts 21:38].
He thought that Paul was a mob leader, one of the protesters taking a mob out into the country.
But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people [Acts 21:39].
Paul speaks Greek, but he informs the captain that he is a Jew. When the captain learns who Paul is, he says, “Well, sure. I didn’t know who you were. Go ahead and speak to them.”
And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying [Acts 21:40].
Although Paul speaks to the captain in Greek, when he addresses this Jewish mob, he speaks in their native tongue, Hebrew. And the minute he begins to address them in Hebrew, the language they love and understand, they listen to him.
CHAPTER 22
Theme: Paul’s defense before the mob at Jerusalem
This chapter gives Paul’s message before the mob. He recounts his encounter with Christ and his subsequent experience which brought him to Jerusalem. Then Paul appeals to his Roman citizenship to deliver himself from the awful whipping of a prisoner.
Let us listen to Paul. Here is a great message of the apostle Paul.
PAUL’S DEFENSE BEFORE THE MOB
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you [Acts 22:1].
“Men?” Yes. “Brethren?” Yes, they belong to the same race. Yet these brethren want to kill him. Is he being sarcastic? No, because then he shows respect for the elder men, “and fathers.”
(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) [Acts 22:2].
The minute he begins to speak in Hebrew, they become quiet. It is like a raging wind suddenly dying down, like calming the waves of the seas. They are listening to a man who is one of them. He begins with his personal history.
I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day [Acts 22:3].
Paul is being persecuted by the Jewish leaders, by the religious leaders of that day. Paul shows them that he had been one of them—he had been a Pharisee. One of the reasons he has so much sympathy for them and is so loving toward them is that he knows exactly how they feel. He is giving them his background because he wants to win them for Christ.
Paul had a tremendous background. Tarsus was actually the center of Greek learning of that day. The finest Greek university in Paul’s day was in Tarsus, not in Athens or Corinth, which had passed their zeniths. Tarsus was a thriving Greek city and an educational center.
Undoubtedly Paul had been brought up in that university in Tarsus and had a Greek background, but he had also been in Jerusalem where he had studied under Gamaliel. They are listening to him now.
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women [Acts 22:4].
Notice that Paul calls it “this way” again. He doesn’t mention the church or the followers of Christ or Christians. He uses the term which they understand and which he understands. I think “this way” is still a good term to use. What is “this way?” Well, it is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is the person of the Lord Jesus.
He is saying to them, “Listen, I have the same background you folk have. I persecuted ‘this way.’ I know how you feel. I did the same thing.”
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [Acts 22:5–7].
Paul is telling them his experience.
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest [Acts 22:8].
I think you could have heard a pin drop in that crowd now.
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me [Acts 22:9].
I want to stop to notice something here. If you will recall where we read about the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, it says, “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man” (Acts 9:7). Here Paul says, “But they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.” This looks like it might be a contradiction, and it is something which the critic likes to pounce on.
Actually, there is no contradiction at all. The men heard a voice—they heard the sound, but they did not understand what the voice said nor did they know whose voice it was. They simply heard a voice.
And I said, What shall I do. Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard [Acts 22:10–15]. Notice that Paul had been given a private interview with the Lord Jesus. I believe that the Lord talked with him and taught him when he spent time out on that Arabian desert.
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jeru; salem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him [Acts 22:16–20].
Paul never forgot that he had been present at the stoning of Stephen and actually had had charge over it. It left an indelible impression on his mind and prepared him for his own conversion.
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live [Acts 22:21–22].
Paul mentions the Gentiles because he has been out in the gentile world speaking to them about Jesus Christ. The Jews know that. The minute he mentions the Gentiles, it is just like lighting a fuse. They will hear him no longer.
And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him [Acts 22:23–24].
You see, when Paul lapsed over into the Hebrew tongue and spoke to the mob in Hebrew, the captain stood there not able to comprehend what he was saying. The captain simply could not grasp what was happening nor could he understand the problem. All he could do when the mob broke into this rage was to take Paul inside the castle. He thought that since Paul was a prisoner, he would find out the truth about the whole matter by whipping him.
PAUL APPEALS TO HIS ROMAN CITIZENSHIP
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? [Acts 22:25].
Paul is being misunderstood all the way around. The Jews thought he had brought Trophimus into the temple, and he hadn’t done that. The captain thought he was an Egyptian who was a riot leader, and he wasn’t that man. Notice who he is. He is a Hebrew who can speak fluent Greek. Also, he is a Roman citizen. He now appeals to that citizenship to escape the scourging of a prisoner.
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born [Acts 22:26–28].
This captain, you see, was an ex-slave. He had saved his money or somehow he got the money to buy his freedom. He has advanced in the Roman army so that now he is a captain. He is amazed that he has a prisoner who is a Roman citizen who was born free.
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them [Acts 22:29–30].
The captain finds that he has a remarkable man on his hands. He is a learned man who speaks Greek. He is not a common crook by any means. He is a Jew, but he is also a Roman citizen. The captain says, “I am not going to treat Paul like a common criminal. We will have a hearing to find out what the charges are against him.” So the captain arranged a hearing before the chief priests and all their council.
Notice that Paul had many assets which made him suitable to be the missionary to the Roman Empire. He had a world view. Greek training had prepared him as the cosmic Christian. He was trained in the Mosaic system, which prepared him to interpret it in the light of the coming of Christ and His redemptive death and resurrection. Not the least of his assets was his Roman citizenship which finally opened the door for him to visit Rome.
CHAPTER 23
Theme: Paul’s defense before the Sanhedrin
Paul is now a prisoner, and we will follow his life as a prisoner. From this point on we find Paul giving a defense of himself and his ministry. He will appear before several rulers. Because the Jews are plotting his death, he will be taken down to Caesarea. He will spend about two years there in prison before he finally appeals and is sent to Rome.
You recall we have mentioned that there has always been some controversy, some difference of opinion, as to whether or not Paul should have gone to Jerusalem. Was he in the will of God when he did this? I contend that he was entirely in the will of God. I think that as we move on we will find again and again that Paul is in the will of God. It is true that he has been arrested, and it is true that he is having a rough time, but that does not mean that he is not in God’s will.
As we go along we can see the hand of God in the life of this man. The same One who moved in the life of Paul wants to move in your life and in my life today. That is the glory and wonder of it all, friend. Right down here where you and I walk in a commonplace way, God is moving in our lives. In one way we are living a very humble existence and many of us today have a very simple, routine life. Yet God is concerned and interested in us. God wants to give us that leading and guiding that you and I need for today in the complexity that faces us in our contemporary culture. Believe me, we need that help today. There is no question that we need God on the scene.
A great many people go to the extremes today. They are trying to have some great emotional or revolutionary experience such as Paul had. I don’t think that we need to do that. As a matter of fact, I doubt that you or I will have some great experience. It is by simple faith that one comes to Christ. We are to trust Him and to walk with Him. He will give the leading, the guidance, and direction in our everyday lives.
We have seen how the Roman captain arrested Paul and put him in prison and was going to beat him. He refrained from doing that when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen. He was amazed to find that Paul was a Jew who could speak Greek and was a Roman citizen. Paul was a highly educated, cosmopolitan gentleman.
Now the Sanhedrin, composed of the religious rulers, wants to try him. Paul makes a futile attempt here to explain his position and his conduct to the Sanhedrin. The Lord encourages Paul. Then we see that the plot to murder Paul leads to his transfer to Caesarea for trial before Felix. This is a remarkable section and a very thrilling account of the experiences of Paul as a prisoner for Jesus Christ.
PAUL’S DEFENSE BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth [Acts 23:1–2].
Paul is before the Sanhedrin. The chief priest and the council are there. The rudeness of the high priest is appalling. He was not about to let Paul speak until he was ready to hear him.
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? [Acts 23:3].
Under Roman law no man was to be punished until judgment had been handed in. Just because a man is arrested and accused of a certain crime does not grant liberty to those who had arrested him to abuse him. In that day the Roman law actually granted a great deal of justice. However, this incident and the trial of Jesus make us recognize that even the Roman law could be twisted and turned. Justice is dependent upon the one who is executing the law.
In our day there are a great many people who feel that if we change our form of government, or at least if we change our party from the one that is in power—whichever it may be—this will give us a solution to all our problems. It has never solved our problems in the past. The men who began our system of government had a great consciousness of God. Although a man like Thomas Jefferson was a deist and could not be called a born-again believer, he had a conviction that the Bible was the Word of God and he respected it. We don’t find that in our leadership today, and yet we wonder why the system won’t work. We think we need to change the system. Do you know what we need? We need to change men’s hearts. It is man that needs changing, not the system.
The high priest orders Paul smitten on the mouth, and Paul speaks out against him very strongly. This should dispel the idea that Paul was some sort of pantywaist. The concept that humility makes a person a sort of Mr. Milquetoast is all wrong. Actually, humility and meekness mean that you submit yourself to the will of God, regardless of the cost. Paul is a meek man and a humble man, but he is not about to take injustice lying down. He calls this man a whited wall. “While you are judging me according to the Mosaic Law, you are breaking the Law yourself.” That reveals that Paul also knew the Law. A man cannot be condemned or punished before judgment has been handed down.
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? [Acts 23:4].
Paul didn’t know this man was the high priest. Certainly he would recognize the high priest on sight. Before his conversion he had been a Pharisee in Jerusalem. I think this is another evidence that Paul had an eye disease and didn’t see too well. As we go in the Epistles, we will find other statements which indicate that Paul had trouble with his vision.
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people [Acts 23:5].
Paul knew the Law. He knew every detail of it. He knew that the Law said that rulers were to be respected.
This is something else that we have forgotten today. I personally believe that the president of the United States, regardless of who he is or how bad he is, ought never to be made a subject of a cartoon. He should not be ridiculed because of the position he holds. We should respect the office. We as human beings need to respect authority. Paul wrote; “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour” (Rom. 13:7). It is interesting that he wrote this at a time when Nero was on the throne in Rome, and Nero was a madman.
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question [Acts 23:6].
We are getting more of Paul’s background. His father had also been a Pharisee, probably a wealthy and influential man.
Paul uses the discord between two parties to further his own defense. The issue here is not the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is simply that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and had this hope, while the Sadducees did not. So Paul turns the trial into a theological argument between the “fundamentalists” and the “liberals.” That is easy to do. There never has been a time when you couldn’t get these two groups at each other’s throats! That is what Paul is doing here.
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God [Acts 23:7–9].
The Pharisees now come to Paul’s defense. When they find out he is a Pharisee, they rally around him to defend him.
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle [Acts 23:10].
This is the first time that Dr. Luke says there was “a great dissension.” Knowing how he uses understatements, I am of the opinion this is the worst dissension recorded in the Book of Acts concerning any group. Paul’s life is so in danger again that the Roman captain reaches in and saves him from the angry Sanhedrin. While I have defended Gallio’s concept of the separation of church and state, the state is protecting the apostle Paul at this point, which is quite proper. So the chief captain rescues Paul again without learning the real nature of the hatred against Paul.
THE LORD APPEARS TO PAUL
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome [Acts 23:11].
This again shows that Paul was not out of the will of God in going to Jerusalem. The Spirit of God had warned Paul that he could expect bonds and difficulties if he went to Jerusalem. In spite of this, Paul had gone to Jerusalem and had witnessed for the Lord Jesus in that city. Now God tells him that just as he has testified in Jerusalem so he will also bear witness in Rome. This is God’s method. Paul had never had such an opportunity to witness in Jerusalem before. Now God is going to give him the opportunity to witness in Rome. It is God’s will that he should go to Rome also.
It is important to note that there is no rebuke to Paul from the Lord. He doesn’t say, “Look, Paul, I told you not to go to Jerusalem because you would get in trouble there.” Rather, the Lord encourages him. He is using this means to get Paul over to Rome.
THE PLOT AGAINST PAUL
And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul [Acts 23:12].
Imagine they got pretty hungry and thirsty before this was all over!
And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to-morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him [Acts 23:13–15].
This is the plot to put Paul to death. It’s well that the Lord Himself has made it very clear to Paul that He has a different plan for him; he is going to Rome.
And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee [Acts 23:16–18].
Paul is exerting his right as a Roman citizen, which he has a perfect right to do. Also, we learn more about Paul’s family. We see that he has a sister who lives with her family in Jerusalem.
Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to-morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me [Acts 23:19–22].
In this way the captain is alerted to the plot against Paul.
Let’s stop to note something here. I find today that there is a group of super-pious folk, very sincere and very well-meaning, which tells me I should not go to a doctor concerning my cancer or other illnesses but that I should trust the Lord to heal me. Well, I certainly do trust the Lord; I have turned my case over to the Great Physician, and I believe He provides doctors. It would have been a simple thing for Paul to have told his nephew, “Thanks for telling me the news, but I’m trusting the Lord—so you can go back home.” But we find here that Paul used the privileges of his Roman citizenship which were available to him. Obviously the Lord provides these means and He expects us to use them. This in no way means that we are not trusting Him. Rather, we are trusting God to use the methods and the means to accomplish His purpose.
PAUL SENT TO CAESAREA
The chief captain goes into action. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night [Acts 23:23].
A centurion, you remember, had one hundred soldiers under him.
And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor [Acts 23:24].
This is quite an army that is going to escort Paul down to Caesarea. Is this what one calls trusting the Lord? Of course it is the captain who has ordered it, but Paul has called for this type of protection from him. Certainly Paul is in the will of God in doing this. It certainly reveals the danger that Paul was in. There is no doubt that the Jews had every intention to put him to death.
He is sending Paul to Caesarea to appear before Felix, the governor. The Roman governors had their headquarters in Caesarea and only occasionally went up to Jerusalem. Pilate had had his headquarters there. The ruins of that Roman city are still there today. It has a lovely situation on the coast.
I can understand why those Romans would rather live in Caesarea than in Jerusalem. The climate was delightful when I was there, and I got very cold in Jerusalem.
Paul is to be sent to Felix in Caesarea. This will remove Paul from the danger in Jerusalem.
And he wrote a letter after this manner [Acts 23:25].
Although Dr. Luke may have had the actual letter, when he says the letter was “after this manner” it probably means that he didn’t have access to the letter but is giving us the sense of it.
Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting [Acts 23:26].
Notice the formal manner of address. In those days they didn’t sign letters as we do today. They put their name at the beginning of the letter rather than at the end of the letter.
This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman [Acts 23:27].
The captain in Jerusalem wants the governor in Caesarea to know that he is performing his duty. He is protecting Roman citizens.
And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds [Acts 23:28–29].
It is clear that Claudius Lysias never did know exactly what the charge was against Paul. He knew it pertained to their law. Under Roman law Paul was not guilty of anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.
And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall [Acts 23:30–35].
We will find that his accusers were quick to come down to Caesarea. They didn’t hesitate to follow Paul. As we move along, I think you will detect that Paul is not defending himself as much as he is witnessing for Christ. The Lord Jesus had said he would witness before governors and rulers and kings. He is being brought before them. This is God’s method. Paul is in the will of God, and God is carrying out His purpose.
CHAPTER 24
Theme: Paul before Felix
This chapter opens and closes with Paul a prisoner in Caesarea. As we have seen, he was brought here secretly from Jerusalem to elude the Jews who had plotted his murder.
Candidly, Paul had failed in gaining the sympathies of his brethren for the gospel ministry in which he was engaged. I suspect that there was a time of mental depression and discouragement for him, because the Lord came to him in the night to give him encouragement (Acts 23:11). He told His faithful servant that he would witness to Him in Rome also. The Lord did not promise him that it would be easy. Many trying experiences and hardships were immediately before him. In fact, from here to his final martyrdom there was nothing but peril and danger—actually that had been the pattern since the day he was let down in a basket over the wall at Damascus.
In this chapter we will learn that the high priest Ananias and the elders come down from Jerusalem to accuse Paul before Felix. Paul is accused of sedition, rebellion, and profaning the temple.
PAUL BEFORE FELIX
And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul [Acts 24:1].
The accusers didn’t waste time. They came down after five days in order to press charges against Paul. They brought with them a man named Tertullus who would act as the prosecuting attorney. He was a clever and well-prepared man. The charge he brought was very well prepared, too. It was brief and to the point. I think he did the best he could with the charges he had.
And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence [Acts 24:2].
He starts out with flattery in his address to Felix. This had nothing in the world to do with the charge against Paul.
We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness [Acts 24:3].
Believe me, he is really buttering up the governor.
Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes [Acts 24:4–5].
He calls Paul a mover of sedition. He couldn’t prove that, of course.
Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so [Acts 24:6–9].
The “Jews” are the religious rulers who came down to press charges.
Notice he makes subtle insinuations about the way the chief captain handled the case. He cannot charge him with dereliction of duty, but there is a faint breath of criticism to the governor. He says the Jews could have handled this case adequately themselves. He has nothing but flattery for Felix, unjust charges against Paul, and subtle insinuations against Claudius Lysias.
So the charges against Paul are that he is a mover of sedition, he is a leader of a rebellious sect, and he has profaned the temple. Tertullus presents these charges for the religious rulers. Now Paul makes his defense before Felix.
Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship [Acts 24:10–11].
Paul is saying that he is delighted to present his case before Felix. He knows that Felix has been a judge of the people for a long time, which means that Felix understands their customs. So what Paul is going to say will not be something that will be strange or foreign to Felix.
And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets [Acts 24:12–14].
Since Felix understands the customs of the Jews, Paul tells him that he went up to Jerusalem to worship according to their custom. In substance he says, “I am in agreement with my nation. Only I must confess that the way in which I worship God is to them heresy.” But Paul makes it clear that the way he worships is according to the message to the fathers, that is, the Old Testament.
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust [Acts 24:15].
Have you noticed that the Resurrection is the very center of Christianity? It has been from the very beginning, friend. “What think ye of Christ?” is always the test. Did He die for your sins? Was He raised from the dead? Paul immediately comes to the core: the Resurrection.
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men [Acts 24:16].
Paul testifies that what he has done, he has done for the sake of his conscience.
Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings [Acts 24:17].
Paul came to bring to the church in Jerusalem the gifts which he had been gathering on his third missionary journey. I have a notion it was a substantial gift which the gentile believers sent to Jerusalem, and Paul wanted to bring that gift with his own hands.
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had aught against me [Acts 24:18–19].
The real accusers, if there were any at all, are not even present. The charge that Tertullus makes is that Paul had been stirring up people in the temple. Why don’t the people who were being stirred up testify against Paul? They aren’t there, and Paul calls attention to it.
Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council [Acts 24:20]. “Let them tell you about my appearance before the Sanhedrin. Did they find that I had done anything evil? Let them give testimony about that.”
Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day [Acts 24:21].
He tells Felix again that the real issue is the Resurrection. The Resurrection is the very heart of the gospel message. Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised again on the third day. In fact, I think of Christianity as an arch supported by two pillars. One pillar is the death of Christ and the other pillar is the resurrection of Christ. Without one or the other the arch would fall.
And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter [Acts 24:22].
Felix had been hearing about “that way”; he knew the death and resurrection of Christ was being preached. He realized that Paul was the expert, that Paul was the man who could tell him all about it. So he deferred the Jews because he wanted to have another hearing with Paul about this matter. He told the Jews he would wait until Lysias could come down, and then he could get the real story about what had happened to Paul. Apparently he could make no decision from the contradictory testimony that was offered here. Tertullus was making certain accusations. Paul said the real issue was the Resurrection. So he defers judgment.
And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him [Acts 24:23].
Actually, Felix should have freed Paul. However, he was a politician, an astute politician. He does give Paul a great deal of liberty while still keeping him a prisoner.
FELIX HAS PAUL IN FOR A PRIVATE AUDIENCE
And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee [Acts 24:24–25].
Asinner will never have “a convenient season” to hear the gospel.
This man Felix already knew something about the gospel, or “the Way,” which is synonymous with what we today call Christianity or the Christian faith. I personally would like to see the name “the Way” restored because Christianity, as it is used today, is a most abused word and has lost its real meaning.
I heard a man, actually a good preacher, say the other day that we live in a Christian nation. My friend, we don’t live in a Christian nation! This country is not Christian by any stretch of the imagination. We have a lot of church members, but the number of real Christians composes a small minority today.
Felix called Paul in to explain to him the gospel which had induced this entire situation. He called Paul in “and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.” Some Bible teachers caption this section “Paul’s Defense Before Felix.” I disagree with that. Paul was not defending himself here. What he was doing in this second appearance before Felix was witnessing to him, trying to win this man for Christ.
The scriptural record does not present this man Felix in the bad light that secular history does. I would like you to know what a rascal he really was. To know the man, we must turn to the record of that day. Felix was a freed slave who through cruelty and brutality had forged to the front. He was a man given to pleasure and licentiousness. By the way, his very name means “pleasure.” The Roman historian, Tacitus, says this concerning him: “Through all cruelty and licentiousness he exercised the authority of a king with the spirit of a slave.” This was the man into whose hands Paul was placed. Yet the Scripture does not condemn him.
His wife Drusilla sat there alongside him. Again secular history turns the spotlight on her for us. She was a daughter of Herod Agrippa I. Her father killed the apostle James—we have already seen that in Acts 12:1–2. The great uncle of this woman had slain John the Baptist. Her great grandfather tried to kill the Lord Jesus Christ.
This couple of rascals, Felix and Drusilla, are in an exalted position. They probably would never have attended a church in which the gospel was preached, nor would they have gone to hear Paul the apostle if he had come to town to preach. Yet here are these two who have this great opportunity given to them under the most favorable circumstances. They have a private interview with the greatest preacher of the grace of God that the world has ever known. God gives them a private sermon. Their palace becomes a church and their thrones become almost a mourner’s bench. Oh, the wonder of the grace of God to give these two a chance! The hour of salvation struck for them. The door of the kingdom was opened and they had their opportunity to enter. This is in fulfillment of the verse in the second psalm: “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth” (Ps. 2:10). It appears that they heard Paul with a great deal of interest. I think Felix would have liked to have made a decision for Christ. But he didn’t make that decision. He wanted to wait for a convenient season. My friend, the sinner will never have a convenient season to hear the gospel. Man does not set the time; God does.
Paul reasoned with him of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. This makes a very good sermon, by the way. Righteousness here is, I think, the righteousness of the Law, which man cannot attain. In other words, the Law reveals that man is a sinner, and he cannot even present a legal righteousness that would be acceptable to God. A sinner must have a standing of legal righteousness before God and he cannot provide it for himself. So God provides it for him in Christ Jesus. That is the “robe” of righteousness which comes down like a garment over those who put their trust in Christ. That is the righteousness “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Rom. 3:22). Paul reasoned with this man about the righteousness of the Law which he could not meet and the righteousness which Christ provides the sinner who puts his trust in Him. Then Paul talked of temperance, which is self-control. Felix was a man mastered by passion and cruelty. These two, Felix and Drusilla, great sinners, living in sin, did not know what real freedom was. Then Paul spoke about the judgment to come, which is the final judgment at the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11–15.
Friend, today your sins are either on you or they are on Christ. If your sins are on Christ, if you have put your trust in Him, then He paid the penalty for your sins over nineteen hundred years ago. They do not lie ahead of you for judgment in the future. But if your sins today are still on you, then there is yet a judgment to come. People don’t like to hear about judgment to come.
Felix and Drusilla did not like to hear about it either. But if your sins are not on Christ, that is, if you have not trusted Him as your Savior, then you are going to come up for judgment. You can close this book right now, but that doesn’t alter a thing. You cannot escape the fact that you are coming up for judgment.
Very few preachers touch on this subject. Those who still teach the Bible are the only ones who mention it at all, and most preachers soft-pedal it. I received a letter from a college professor in Virginia who wrote, “I listened to you and I was about ready to tune you out when I found out you were a hell-fire and damnation preacher. But I noticed that you didn’t handle it in a crude way, and then I noticed that you did offer salvation; so I continued to listen to you.” Hell-fire and damnation is a pretty good subject if it is used to lead one to Christ, friend. But it should never be used alone without the message of salvation which we have in Christ Jesus.
It is interesting to observe Felix here. When Paul had to appear before Felix, Ananias the high priest with the elders and with the great orator Tertullus came to bring their charges against him. Felix could immediately see that they had no real charge. He should have let Paul go free. But Felix was most of all a politician and did not want to antagonize the Jews. He did not do what was right but did what was politically expedient. Then Felix had this private interview with Paul, and Paul apparently really touched him. Yet he delayed his decision and postponed the day.
It has been proven out in the history of the human family for nineteen hundred years that folk can keep postponing making a decision for Christ until they come to the place where they cannot make a decision for Him at all. That is the reason that most decisions for Christ are made by young people—we ought to try to reach young people for Christ. Also this is the reason a person need not think that because he is getting older he is becoming smarter. Older people just become more hardened to the gospel. Years ago I heard the late Dr. George Truett, a great prince of the pulpit in Dallas, Texas, tell an incident that illustrates this fact. It was at the celebration of his fiftieth anniversary that a lawyer friend, who was not a Christian, came to him. He said, “George, you and I came here to Dallas at the same time. You were a young preacher and I was a young lawyer. I must confess that when I first heard you, I was moved a great deal by your sermons. Very frankly, there were nights when I couldn’t sleep. As the years wore on, the day came when I could listen to you and enjoy hearing you. Your message didn’t disturb me at all. And you’re a much greater preacher today than you were at the beginning.” The lawyer chuckled about it. He didn’t realize how tragic it was. He didn’t realize the place to which he had actually come. “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee,” said Felix. That time never came for Felix. That time never came for the lawyer in Dallas. That time does not come for a great many people who postpone receiving Christ.
He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him [Acts 24:26].
He was a clever politician and also a crook, by the way. He hoped that he would be bribed and then he would have let Paul go free.
But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound [Acts 24:27].
Felix played politics to the very end. He left Paul in prison. Again we say that Roman justice was no better than the men who executed it. Either Paul was guilty or he was not guilty. If guilty of treason, he should have been put to death. If not guilty, he should have been freed. One or the other should have been done. Under no circumstances should he have been left in prison for two years.
CHAPTER 25
Theme: Paul before Festus
Paul had been unjustly kept in prison for two years. Festus is the new governor who followed Felix. Now Paul will appear before this new governor.
We have seen Paul before the mob on the steps of the castle in Jerusalem. We have seen him before the Sanhedrin. We have seen him before Felix and then in private interview with Felix and his wife Drusilla. Apparently there were other meetings. Now he will appear before Festus. Later he will appear before Agrippa. Paul appeared before all these rulers and it must have been a tedious time for Paul, something to try his patience. However, I’m sure that he rejoiced in the opportunity given him to testify before the high political figures of the Roman Empire. Remember that when the Lord Jesus had apprehended Paul on the Damascus road, He had said, “… he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Paul is moving according to God’s plan and program.
Each time Paul tells about what the Lord Jesus had done for him, and he tells it with a great deal of conviction and enthusiasm. Paul witnesses a good confession of Jesus Christ. Although Felix trembled as he listened, the rascality and cupidity and covetousness of this man triumphed. He had his chance. He sent for Paul many times but he wanted a bribe, not salvation.
Those two years that Paul languished in prison are silent years in the life of Paul. Perhaps he chafed under it all. We don’t know. We do know that the hand of God was manifested in all this, and His purposes were carried out. How comforting this can be for us when our activity seemingly comes to a standstill.
PAUL APPEARS BEFORE FESTUS
Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither [Acts 25:1–4].
It seems that Festus understood the situation. I’m of the opinion that Felix told him about Paul’s imprisonment, and I think he explained the circumstances. I’m sure he told Festus that he had brought him to Caesarea to protect him from being put to death by the Jews. So when Festus gets word from the Jews that they want Paul in Jerusalem, he says, “Oh, I won’t bring him down here. I’m going back to Caesarea myself. I’m not going to stay around in Jerusalem.” Here was another Roman who preferred Caesarea to Jerusalem.
The enemies of Paul certainly didn’t waste any time getting to the new governor to try to get a judgment against Paul. I don’t know whether Festus was actually aware of their plan to ambush the party and kill Paul. I think he was, but it doesn’t really say that he knew about it. However, he refused to accede to their demands and requested instead that they come to Caesarea to bring charges.
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove [Acts 25:5–7].
Paul is again called upon to defend himself against the accusations of the Jews. However it provides an opportunity to present the gospel to Festus.
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? [Acts 25:8–9].
This Festus is another rascal. Paul is not only in the midst of a den of thieves, he is in the midst of a bunch of rascals.
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment scat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest [Acts 25:10].
There are some people who think that Paul made a mistake here, that he should never have appealed to Caesar. They think he should simply have let his case rest with Festus. Friend, don’t you see that Festus was going to use Paul for his own political ends? Festus was going to take Paul back to Jerusalem. Perhaps Festus was receiving bribes from the Jews who had come from Jerusalem. I am reluctant to criticize Paul. I don’t think that he made a mistake here. Paul was a Roman citizen and he exercised his rights as a citizen, which was the normal and the right thing for him to do. Going back to Jerusalem would have surely meant death for him. He doesn’t purposely make himself a martyr. In fact, he did what he could to avoid martyrdom.
Friend, there are a people today who wear a hair shirt—and God didn’t give it to them. In other words, they like to take the position of a martyr. I’ve had a number of people who have told me that I should rejoice that I have a cancer because now I can suffer for Christ and maybe die for Christ. Well, I can tell you, I don’t feel that way about it. I want to get rid of the cancer. I want to live. I think a person is depressed spiritually and mentally if he wants to put on a hair shirt and lie on a cold slab. Martin Luther tried that and he found it didn’t accomplish anything.
You will remember that two years before this the Lord had appeared to Paul and had promised him a trip to Rome (Acts 23:11). That’s what is taking place. He went to Rome by the will of God. He was in chains—but the Lord hadn’t told him how he would get to Rome. This was God’s method for him. When Paul wrote to the Romans, he told them that he was praying to be able to come to Rome and he asked them to pray that he might be able to come (Rom. 1:9–10; 15:30–32). I believe he went to Rome by the will of God.
For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar [Acts 25:11].
I detect a note of impatience here. Rome was noted for its justice, and Paul respected authority. However, Paul is not getting justice, and so he makes a legal appeal. God intended that Paul use his rights as a Roman citizen. It is very interesting for us to observe that God leads some people in one way and leads others in another way. Some of the others could not claim the protection of Roman citizenship.
I knew a wonderful Christian man and wife whom the Lord had blessed in a material way. They had built a lovely home, a home in which it was always a delight to visit. The man told me that he felt under conviction because he had a lovely home, and he wanted to open his home and use it for Christian witnessing and testimony as much as possible. So I asked him, “Did you ever stop to think that God blessed you materially and gave you such a nice home because He knew you were the kind of a man who would use his home for Him?” Then I said to him, “You just go ahead and fall into a sweet sleep every night, knowing that you are in the will of God and thanking Him for that lovely home.” Now the Lord didn’t give me that kind of a home because evidently He doesn’t intend for me to use my home for that type of thing.
What has the Lord done for you, friend? Whatever it is, you should use it for Him. If you are in a political position, you should use that position for Him. If the Lord has put something in your hand, use it for Him. Remember that Moses had a rod in his hand—just a rod, but he was to use it for God. That is the whole thought here. Paul had his Roman citizenship. It was a rod in his hand. He’s going to use it, use it for God. I don’t think that Paul made a mistake here.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go [Acts 25:12].
Festus is forced to concur with Paul at this point. He cannot prevent Paul from going to Rome to the court of Caesar.
KING AGRIPPA AND BERNICE COME TO VISIT FESTUS
And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus [Acts 25:13].
Festus had just come into office as the new governor; so the king comes over for a visit. I have a notion these politicians work together. They all belong to the same party.
And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him [Acts 25:14–15].
Agrippa and Bernice stayed there quite a long time. Dr. Luke calls it “many days.” Finally they ran out of conversation. Even a king and a governor finally run out of things to talk about. When there was a lull in the conversation, Festus said, “Oh, by the way, I should tell you about a prisoner that we have here. It’s a rather odd, unusual case. His name is Paul and he was arrested and brought down here by Felix. Felix left him for me. I’d like you to hear him.”
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him [Acts 25:16].
I’d like to call your attention to this. We sometimes think that Roman law was not just because we have seen how it went awry in the case of the Lord Jesus and also in the case of the apostle Paul. However this was not because of the law but because of the crooked politicians. We still operate under the principle of Roman law that no man is to be sentenced until he has been brought into the presence of his accusers and his crime be established.
Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive [Acts 25:17–19].
The issue is always the same: it is the Resurrection. We see from this that Paul had witnessed to the resurrection of Jesus Christ so that Festus knew about it.
And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him [Acts 25:20–22].
Actually, Festus was in a sort of hot seat here. The charge against Paul was sedition and for that he should die, but he had committed no crimes. Now Paul has appealed to Caesar. What are you going to do with a prisoner like that? So he asked Agrippa to help him out.
I’m of the opinion that Agrippa had previously heard about Paul and was actually anxious to hear him. He wanted to know more about the charges and he wanted to hear what Paul would have to say. So they arranged for a meeting.
It is interesting to see how this meeting was arranged by a king and a governor. Yet all the while they were actually fulfilling prophecy even though they were unaware of this. Paul is to appear before kings, as the Lord had said.
THE HEARING BEFORE FESTUS AND AGRIPPA
And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth [Acts 25:23].
What a scene this was! Wherever did a preacher have a greater audience than this man? The setting is dramatic with great pomp and ceremony. Paul appears in chains before this august company of rulers and kings. Festus is asking Agrippa to help him frame a charge against Paul to send him to Caesar.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him [Acts 25:24–27].
Paul uses this opportunity to preach one of the greatest sermons ever recorded.
CHAPTER 26
Theme: Paul before Agrippa
This testimony of Paul is not a defense of himself. It is a declaration of the gospel with the evident purpose of winning Agrippa and the others present to Christ. This is a dramatic scene, and this chapter is one of the greatest pieces of literature, either secular or inspired.
This chapter was marvelous to me even before I was saved. When I was a young man, I was connected with a little theater. You know that everybody at some time wants to be an actor, and I had the foolish notion that I could become one. The director suggested that I memorize chapter 26 of the Book of Acts. She didn’t give me the Bible, but this chapter was printed in some other book and I memorized it from that. I must say that it has always had a tremendous effect upon me.
PAUL’S TESTIMONY BEFORE AGRIPPA
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself [Acts 26:1].
The appearance of Paul before Agrippa is, in my judgment, the high point in the entire ministry of this apostle. It is a fulfillment of the prophecy that he should appear before kings and rulers. Undoubtedly it was God’s will that he should come before King Agrippa. I have already indicated that this made a profound impression on me when I memorized it. I must confess that it had some effect upon my decision later on to study for the ministry.
There are several features about this chapter that we ought to note before we get into Paul’s message before King Agrippa. First of all, I want to make it clear again that Paul is not on trial. This is not a court trial. Paul is not making a defense before Agrippa. He is preaching the gospel. In view of the fact that this great apostle had appealed to Caesar, not even King Agrippa could condemn him, and he is certainly out of the hands of Governor Festus, as the final verse of this chapter confirms: “Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar” (v. 32). They no longer had the authority to condemn him. Neither could they set him free. They are helpless. So Paul is not attempting to make a defense. Rather he is trying to win these men for Christ.
This was not a trial, but it was a public appearance of Paul before King Agrippa and the court so that they might learn firsthand from the apostle what “that way” really is. You see, everyone was talking about The Way. Someone would ask another, “Say, have you heard this new thing about The Way?” The other would reply “Well, I have heard some things about it. It is something new going around. What’s it all about?” I would imagine that even Festus and Agrippa had some sort of exchange like that. Agrippa would have said, “I’ve been hearing about this but I’d like to know more about it. We ought to get it from an expert.” Therefore they have this public appearance to explain The Way. I think this was one of the most splendid opportunities that any minister ever had to preach Christ. There has never again been an opportunity quite like this.
This was an occasion filled with pagan pomp and pageantry. It was a state function filled with fanfare and the blowing of trumpets. There was the tapestry and tinsel. The function was attended by all the prominent personages of that section and the prestige of Rome. It must have been a scramble for people to be able to attend this occasion. The purple of Agrippa and the pearls of Bernice were in evidence. There were the gold braid and the brass hats of the Roman Empire. The elect and the elite, the intelligentsia and the sophisticates had all turned out in full regalia. There would be the pride and ostentation and the dignity and display which only Rome could put on parade in that day.
Notice again how Dr. Luke records it: “And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth” (Acts 25:23).
This stirs the imagination. I trust that somehow we can picture this scene before us as we listen to the message of Paul. This elaborate gathering is for just one purpose: to hear from a notable prisoner by the name of Paul. He is the one who has already been over the greater part of the Roman Empire, certainly the eastern part of it, preaching The Way.
When the door of that great throne room swings open, a prisoner in chains is ushered into this colorful scene. He is dressed in the garb of a prisoner, and he is chained to two guards. He is unimpressive in his personal appearance. This is the man who teaches and preaches the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ for men because they are sinners and need a Savior. This is the one who can speak with authority about the new Way. And they will listen to this man because he knows how to speak and because he is an intelligent man. The light of heaven is on his face. He is no longer Saul of Tarsus but Paul the apostle. What a contrast he is to that gay, giddy crowd of nobility gathered there!
Festus told how the Jews had tried to kill Paul. My, how they hated him, and yet they had no real charge against him. That whole crowd looked at Paul, and I rather think that he looked over the whole crowd.
Paul is not a scintillating personality. Some liberal has called him, “Pestiferous Paul.” Well, you can call him that if you want to. Maybe in the Roman Empire that is what they thought of him. Remember that the Lord Jesus had said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). This man is true to the Lord Jesus, so the world will hate him.
I do not think, frankly, that Paul was physically attractive. Yet he had the dynamic kind of attraction which the grace of God gives to a man. He was energized by the Holy Spirit. Oh, that you and I might be able to say with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Now let’s turn our eyes from the glitter and the glamour of the occasion to the two men who stand out in this assembly: Agrippa and Paul. What a contrast! One of them is in purple, the other is in prison garb. One is on a throne, the other is in shackles. One wears a crown, the other is in chains. Agrippa is a king, but in the slavery of sin. Paul is a chained prisoner, rejoicing in the freedom of sins forgiven and liberty in Christ. Agrippa is an earthly king who could not free Paul nor himself. Paul is an ambassador of the King who had freed him and who could free Agrippa from the damning effects of sin.
We need to remember that King Agrippa was a member of the family of Herod. He belonged to the rottenest family that I know anything about. It is the worst family that is mentioned in the Bible. I think old Ahab and Jezebel were like Sunday school kids compared to the Herod family. You know the old bromide about giving the Devil his due. Well, let’s give the Herods their due. Agrippa was an intelligent man and a great man in many respects in spite of his background. He knew the Mosaic Law, that is, he knew the letter of it. Paul rejoiced in this because it gave him an opportunity to speak to a man who was instructed and who would understand the nature of the charges.
As I have said before, I can’t help but believe that Paul was getting a little impatient during those two years of incarceration. He had appeared before the mob in Jerusalem, before the captain, then before Felix (publicly, then privately many times), then he appeared before Festus. Now he must appear before Agrippa. None of these other men fully understood the background of the charges against Paul. Neither did they understand the gospel. This is true even of the Roman captain in Jerusalem. It is amazing that these people could have lived in that area, been exposed to Christians, have heard the apostle Paul, and still not really have understood. Yet that was the situation.
Paul’s plea to Agrippa to turn to Christ is magnificent. It is logical and it is intelligent. Rather than being a defense, it is a declaration of the gospel.
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently [Acts 26:2–3].
Paul is now speaking to a man who understands what he is talking about. Agrippa is an intelligent man, he knows the Mosaic Law, and he understands the Jewish background. Paul really rejoices in this opportunity to speak to such an instructed man who will understand the true nature of the case. Paul likewise is well instructed in the Mosaic Law, but Paul has met Christ. Now the Law has a new meaning for him. The soul of Paul is flooded with a new light. Now he sees that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness. Now he knows that God has supplied that which He had demanded. He knows that God is good and that through Christ God is gracious. Paul wants King Agrippa to know this. There is a consummate passion filling the soul of the apostle as he speaks. I think this is his masterpiece. His message on Mars’ Hill is great, but it does not compare at all to this message.
Although there were probably several hundred people present to hear this message, Paul is speaking to only one man, King Agrippa. Paul is trying to win this man for Christ.
Paul starts with a very courteous introduction, telling Agrippa how he rejoices in this opportunity. Then he proceeds to give King Agrippa a brief sketch of his youth and background. Then he tells of his conversion. Finally he makes his attempt to reach the man for Christ.
Now first of all I am going to ask you to read this entire message without interruption. Actually it tells its own story. Then I shall make some comments about it.
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles [Acts 26:2–23].
After Paul gives a simple explanation of his conduct, which was the natural outcome of his background, he goes on to tell how he lived a Pharisee, and then of the experience he had on the Damascus road.
He said, “I thought I should do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” The Lord Jesus has never had an enemy more bitter and brutal than Saul of Tarsus. He had an inveterate hatred of Jesus Christ and of the gospel. He tells how he wasted the church in Jerusalem and how he shut up many of the saints in prison. This is one reason he could endure two years of prison and such abuse from the religious leaders. He had been one of them. He knew exactly how they felt.
Then in verse 13 he recounts his experience on the Damascus road, how the Lord Jesus waylays him, how he falls to the ground and hears Jesus speak to him. Then Paul realizes he is going against the will of God. Many years later, as he was writing to the Philippians about this experience he said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:7–8). A revolution really took place in his life. He had trusted religion, but when he met Jesus Christ, he got rid of all his religion. What was gain he counted loss. Jesus Christ, whom he had hated above everything else, became for him the most wonderful Person in his life.
Then Paul describes for Festus and King Agrippa the reality of the vision he had. The Lord commissioned him to preach to the Gentiles and promised to deliver him from them. That was a telling blow since there he stands before these two powerful Gentiles who cannot touch him because he has appealed to Caesar—and yet he is able to preach the gospel to them!
Beginning with verse 19, Paul tells his response to the vision that he had. “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” The implication is, “What else could I have done. Wouldn’t you have done the same thing?”
From the beginning Paul is making it clear that The Way is a development and fulfillment of the Old Testament. “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come” (v. 22). It is not contrary to the Old Testament.
Now Paul presents the gospel to this man King Agrippa—and all the crowd assembled there that day heard it. “That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” (v. 23). I think Paul emphasized that word Gentiles because the king was a Gentile. Notice that he has presented the gospel: that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again. Paul as always emphasized the Resurrection. Friend, we should never preach the death of Christ without also preaching about His resurrection. Paul confronts that august assembly with the fact that God has intruded into the history of man and that God has done something for man. God demonstrated His love—God so loved the world that He gave His Son.
Suddenly there is an interruption. Evidently Governor Festus is on a hot seat.
And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness [Acts 26:24–25].
It seems unfortunate that Paul is interrupted at this point. But notice how courteously Paul answers him. Certainly his calm response demonstrates that he is not a madman and he is not a fanatic.
In our day, friend, there are many witnesses, especially ministers, who are so afraid that they won’t appear intellectual, but will be considered fanatical, that they do not declare the great truths of the gospel. Friend, we ought to be willing to take the place of madmen—but not act like them. We should present the gospel soberly as Paul did.
Notice that having answered Governor Festus, Paul went right back to King Agrippa with the question.
For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest [Acts 26:26–27].
It is possible to believe the facts without them being meaningful to you. You may know the facts of the gospel—that Jesus died for your sins and rose again—but your relationship to these facts is the thing that is essential.
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds [Acts 26:28–29].
Agrippa was an intelligent man. He answered, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Friend, do you know that you can almost be a Christian and then be lost for time and eternity? How tragic that is! “Almost” will not do. It must be all or nothing. Either you accept Christ or you don’t accept Christ. No theologian can probe the depths of salvation and its meaning. Yet it is simple enough for ordinary folk like most of us to understand. Either you have Christ or you don’t have Christ. Either you trust Christ or you don’t trust Christ. Either He is your Savior or He is not your Savior. It is one of the two. There is no such thing as a middle ground. It cannot be almost. It must be all.
Paul answered, “I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” Paul is saying that he longs for them to have a relationship to Christ and be like he is—except for the chains. He wouldn’t want chains on anyone. This is the man who had been a proud and zealous Pharisee. This is the man who a few years before bound Christians in chains and put them to death. Now his attitude is different. He wants all people to become Christians and to have a vital and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
One cannot help but be struck by the mighty transformation that had taken place in Saul of Tarsus. What is the explanation? It is that Jesus was alive! He was back from the dead. This is why Paul said very early in his testimony before Agrippa, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” There is nothing unreasonable about that. Nineteen hundred years of man’s development in knowledge in many fields makes the Resurrection even more credible in our day. Actually, it should be easier for you to believe in the Resurrection than it was for folk in that day.
Since Jesus is back from the dead, there is another and coming judgment. There is another throne, and Jesus is seated upon it. And there is another prisoner—the prisoner is you or me. Either you have bowed to Him and accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, or you will be accountable to Him in that day. The Resurrection is very important to the unsaved man as well as to the saved man.
And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar [Acts 26:30–32].
It is obvious that Paul is going to Rome now. We have mentioned before that there are those who question whether Paul did the right thing when he appealed to Caesar. Some feel that Paul made a mistake. I don’t think it was a mistake at all.
In the Epistle to the Romans Paul expressed his longing to go to Rome. “Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established” (Rom. 1:10–11).
He is going to Rome all right. You may question whether or not he had a “prosperous journey.” I have a friend in the ministry who ran a series of messages for young people (which were tremendous, by the way), and the title of the series was “Paul’s Prosperous Journey to Rome.” It was a prosperous journey in that it was the will of God that he should go to Rome.
CHAPTER 27
Theme: Paul goes to Rome via storm and shipwreck
This sea voyage might reasonably be called Paul’s fourth missionary journey. He was just as active when he went to Rome, he exercised the same latitude, he made as many contacts, and he witnessed just as faithfully as he had on his other journeys. Chains did not hinder him even though he made this entire journey in chains. He is the one who said “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound” (2 Tim. 2:9). Also he wrote to the Philippians that the things which happened to him worked out for the furtherance of the gospel (Phil. 1:12).
God is in all of this, friend. The trip this time will be a little different from the others. It is to be made at the expense of the Roman government because he is Rome’s prisoner. This is the fulfillment of Paul’s prayer that he might come to Rome.
When Paul appealed his case to Caesar, he was moved out of the jurisdiction of Festus, the governor, and King Agrippa. As King Agrippa had said after hearing his case, “This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar” (Acts 26:32). They couldn’t do anything about it now; they must send Paul to Rome.
In chapter 27 of Acts we have the record of his voyage to Rome. What we have here might be called the log of the ship. This chapter of Acts has been considered the finest description of a sea voyage in the ancient world that is on record today. Sir William Ramsay made a study of Dr. Luke’s writing, and he considers this a masterpiece and the most accurate that has ever been written. So we are coming to another great chapter in the Bible, as you can see.
Those of you who have studied Caesar in Latin may recall the account of the building of a bridge. That has always been a passage that stands out in the memory of all who study Latin because there are so many new words that pertain to the building of a bridge. This chapter in the Greek corresponds to it because there are many technical terms which Dr. Luke uses to describe this voyage.
Let’s take off now with the apostle Paul. We’re going to take a sea voyage to Rome. This is the final and most exciting travelog in the Book of Acts.
PAUL’S PROSPEROUS JOURNEY TO ROME
And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band [Acts 27:1].
This is the beginning of the voyage to Italy. Paul, along with other prisoners, is put in the charge of a centurion by the name of Julius. I would think it safe to say that Paul was the only one of the prisoners who was a Roman citizen. Probably the others were criminals who were sent to Rome for execution. Many of them would become gladiators and would be fed to the wild beasts. In that day there was a constant stream of human life from all corners of the empire that was being fed into the mall of this public vice there in the Colosseum in Rome. These prisoners would be utterly hopeless men. What an opportunity this gave Paul to bring the gospel of hope to this class of men. You will remember that the Lord Jesus Himself said that one of the reasons He came was to set the prisoners free—free spiritually, delivered from their sins and delivered from their guilt.
This centurion, Julius, was a very courteous pagan, as we shall see.
And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us [Acts 27:2].
Again, it will be a help if you will follow this voyage on a map. You will notice that now they are going up the coast of Israel. In other words, they don’t sail directly out to sea from the point of departure and then arrive at Rome. The ship hovers close to the coastline and goes up the coast of Israel.
And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself [Acts 27:3].
Sidon is a familiar place to us. Tyre and Sidon are up on the coast in Phoenicia in what is now the country of Lebanon.
Notice the liberty that is granted to the apostle Paul. I am of the opinion that here is a Roman official whom Paul reached with the gospel. His treatment of Paul is gracious. Even the great apostle Paul needed the fellowship and refreshment of Christian brethren. None of us are immune to that. We need the understanding and encouragement of one another.
And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary [Acts 27:4].
“Under Cyprus” actually means that they came all the way down south of Cyprus, which indicates they were encountering some north winds.
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia [Acts 27:5].
We’ve been with Paul over this water before. They are sailing along the southern coast of Asia Minor, hovering close to the shore along there.
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein [Acts 27:6].
If you check on your map, you will see that Myra is sort of a jumping-off place. This was the place at which they changed ships. The centurion found a ship of Alexandria, which means it had come up from northern Africa and was sailing to Italy.
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea [Acts 27:7–8].
They were headed for the island of Crete. Apparently they were still having difficulty sailing. Contrary winds were the great difficulty for sailing vessels of that day. They passed on the south side of the island and came to Lasea, which is on the south shore of Crete.
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them [Acts 27:9].
This means that it was late in the season and that winter was coming on. They had been hoping to get to Rome before the stormy season. It is interesting to note that Paul takes a moral ascendancy at this point. When the sailing became dangerous, Paul admonished them.
And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul [Acts 27:10–11].
One can certainly understand the centurion. After all, you would expect the captain of the ship to know more about sailing than Paul.
We see Paul under a real testing here. He certainly stands out. He makes a suggestion which, they will find later, should have been followed. The spiritual superiority of Paul is evident at this point. There is no confusion in the life of Paul, no uncertainty, no frustration. He is what would be called a poised personality. Paul knew the way he was going. “This one thing I do” was his declaration when he got to Rome. We can observe these qualities in his behavior, throughout the voyage. Paul lived his life as a man in touch with God.
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the southwest and north-west [Acts 27:12].
Crete is an island that lies off the coast of Asia Minor and also off the coast of Greece. It is the largest island and contains several good harbors.
Events are going to prove that Paul was right. Throughout this voyage the captain, the soldiers, and the sailors were depending on human speculation alone. Paul was looking to God.
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete [Acts 27:13].
To them the voyage was guesswork. The south wind blew softly, so they “supposed.” The captain was a man who looked to self and to the wisdom of men. Paul was looking to God. Later on Paul would tell these men, “I believe God” (v. 25). Notice he would not say that he believed in God, but “I believe God.”
Life is a great sea and our lives are little boats. We can sail our boats by human supposition if we so choose. Friend, there is a storm blowing out there, a bit of a gale. The tragedy is that, amid confusion, world chaos, and darkness, most men are still guessing. There are a thousand human plans for building a better world. Yet everywhere we look we see failure. We need men who know God. It was Gladstone who said, “The mark of a great statesman is a man who knows the way God is going for the next fifty years.” We don’t seem to find many such men around today.
THE STORM
But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon [Acts 27:14].
What is Euroclydon? Dr. Luke is using a very technical navigational term of that day. It has to do with the north wind, and it actually came north by east. In other words, the storm came down out of Europe. This was wintertime and the stormy season. It was a “tempestuous wind” and it is in this storm that Paul and all those on the ship with him are caught.
Now I want to stop here to point out something very interesting. You will remember that when Paul was in Ephesus, which was a time of triumph for the gospel, he expressed a great desire to visit Rome. It was the great yearning of his heart. “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome” (Acts 19:21). The hour of darkness came for Paul in Jerusalem. It looked as if he would never see Rome at all. In that hour of darkness, despair, and defeat, God appeared to him to reassure him. “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome” (Acts 23:11). The Lord had assured Paul that he would go to Rome.
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship [Acts 27:15–18].
They were out there in the Mediterranean Sea being driven westward from the island of Crete. It looked very much as if they would be wrecked on the little island of Clauda, which, by the way, is a very small island south of Crete. They had to let the wind take the ship. They threw all the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.
And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship [Acts 27:19].
They completely stripped the ship of everything that had any weight.
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away [Acts 27:20].
Dr. Luke says that “no small tempest” lay on them. We have already seen how Dr. Luke likes to use the diminutive like this. He means that it was really a terrible storm. In fact, they did not think they would escape from it alive. It was in the storm that the voice of the Lord was heard through the lips of Paul.
After fourteen days of wave and wind, the folk on the ship felt that they would not come through alive. They felt like this was it. However, the Lord had appeared to Paul and assured him that he was going to see Rome. With this assurance Paul was able to stand out above the others.
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island [Acts 27:21–26].
You can understand that this was a very encouraging word to all those who were on board the ship. In fact, it was the only thing they had to hold onto. Notice the wonderful testimony of the apostle Paul: “Whose I am, and whom I serve.” His confidence was in God: “Be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”
It was revealed to Paul that they would be cast upon an island. We will learn later that the island was Melita, which is just south of Sicily. So they had traveled quite a distance across the Mediterranean from the island of Crete. Melita is the island we know today as Malta.
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country [Acts 27:27].
“Adria” is the Adriatic Sea. The Adriatic Sea lies between Italy and Macedonia or Greece. Apparently they have been driven up and down the Adriatic in the storm, passing between Crete and Sicily. They are out in the deep, out in the open sea. On the fourteenth night about midnight it becomes apparent that they are being driven near some land.
And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day [Acts 27:28–29].
Their sounding showed that they were moving in closer to the land. Each sounding showed that the water was becoming more shallow.
Perhaps I should mention here that I have heard sermons on “Four Anchors,” and those anchors have been labeled about everything under the sun. Let us not fall into the trap of trying to spiritualize something which is very practical and very realistic. These men were in a ship and they were approaching land. Since they didn’t want to be cast upon the rocks, they threw out four anchors. It required all four to hold the ship. If you started to guess how many anchors it would take to hold you or to hold me, you would be trying to spiritualize this passage. In my judgment, that is a very foolish way to handle the Word of God.
And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved [Acts 27:30–31].
The crew was trying to abandon the ship, you see. They acted as if they were dropping anchor, but actually they were going overboard. They were leaving a sinking ship as the rats leave it. They were doing something which they should never have done.
Paul tells the centurion that the only assurance of safety is for all to remain with the ship. Paul has put his trust in God. What a wonderful thing it is to trust the Word of God. The angel of God had told Paul that he and the men would be saved. But they couldn’t be saved their way. They must be saved God’s way. God’s way was for them to stay with the ship. It was a question of believing that God would save them or not believing and taking matters into their own hands. Paul had told them that he believed God. And he tells them that if they want to be saved, all will need to stay on board the ship.
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off [Acts 27:32].
Paul has given the information to the centurion. The centurion is beginning to listen to Paul now. He gives the command and the soldiers cut the ropes to the life boats. Now everyone must stay on board.
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you [Acts 27:33–34].
You know very well, fourteen days of fasting would weaken even the hardiest men. Now Paul urges them all to eat. Apparently they had all fasted. The pagans had fasted because they were scared to death. Paul and the Christians may have fasted because they were doing it unto the Lord. Now they are near land and they all need their strength to make it to shore. So Paul uses sanctified sanity in the Lord’s service. He uses good sense.
In Christian work we need just good, common, sanctified sense more than in any other area of life. How foolish people can be and at the same time excuse it by saying they are simply trusting the Lord. My friend, the Lord expects us to use some common sense.
And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat [Acts 27:35].
Paul gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. This again is a wonderful testimony. This is Paul’s prosperous journey to Rome. Perhaps you are saying, “It doesn’t sound very prosperous to me! It seems to me he is out of the will of God!” No, my friend, Paul is not out of the will of God.
Do you remember another instance back in the Gospels when the Lord Jesus put His own disciples into a boat one night and sent them across the Sea of Galilee? He told them to go to the other side, and on the way over a storm arose on the sea. He sent them right into a storm. Now don’t say that Jesus didn’t know the storm was coming. He deliberately sent them into the storm! He is God. He knew about the storm, and He knew what He was doing. I personally believe that oftentimes the Lord deliberately sends us into a storm. We need to remember that we can be in the storm and still be in the will of God. He has never said we will miss the storms of life, but He has promised us that we will make the harbor. And He will be right there with us through the storm. That is the comfort that should come to the child of God in the time of the storm.
Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls [Acts 27:36–37].
There were 276 people on board—so it was a sizable ship.
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea [Acts 27:38].
They had previously thrown all the cargo overboard. Now they throw all their food overboard.
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land [Acts 27:39–44].
Their landing could be considered miraculous, although I am not going to insist that it was a miracle. However, God certainly fulfilled His promise that Paul and all the 276 people on the ship would get to land safely.
CHAPTER 28
Theme: Paul arrives in Rome
This, our final study in the Book of Acts, follows Paul from Melita to Rome. When Paul arrives in Rome, he ministers first to Jews and then to Gentiles. The narrative is not concluded but breaks off with Paul preaching in Rome. The acts of the Holy Spirit have not been finished even in our day. The Book of Acts will end with the Rapture.
THE LANDING ON MELITA
And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita [Acts 28:1].
This is the island which we know today as Malta. The bay where this took place is known today as Saint Paul’s Bay. This is a very interesting place to those of us who lived during World War II when this island made the headlines at the very beginning of the conflict. It was the most bombed spot of the war because it was in a strategic position. At that time General Darby was the general and the governor of the island. He was a Christian and a worthy successor to the apostle Paul. He said that he had no notion of surrendering. I think it is interesting to be reading about Paul landing at this bay and to realize that General Darby had command on that same island.
Certainly in the incident of this shipwreck and the landing of Paul on the island of Melita we see the providence of God in the life of the apostle Paul. All of this is recorded for our learning.
And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold [Acts 28:2].
It may cause us to smile a little that Dr. Luke labels the natives of the island “barbarous people.” The word barbarian was used to describe one who did not speak Greek. It does not imply tribal savagery. Here we have another instance of the kindness and the courtesy of pagans. Remember that there are 276 people who have landed on this little island. Out of this crowd, many are criminals who are being sent to Rome for punishment. Yet we find this wonderful compassion and helpfulness on the part of people who are pagans. We find in the Book of Jonah another instance of this same thing when the pagan sailors tried to spare Jonah. They didn’t want to throw him overboard even though he had told them they should do it. They tried to bring the ship to land but found out they couldn’t do it. Sometimes pagan folk are more gracious than the folk who are religious.
And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand [Acts 28:3].
You remember that at the end of the Gospel of Mark there is this promise: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17–18). I believe that these signs were confined to that time before the New Testament was completed when the believers needed the sign gifts to substantiate the message of the gospel.
My advice to you today is not to deliberately pick up a rattlesnake. I lived in Tennessee for many years and I have never known an authentic case where someone picked up a rattlesnake during a meeting, was bitten, and was unaffected by the venom of the snake. Most of them die. Those who live through it almost die. The venom has a tremendous effect upon them.
May I point out something else. Paul did not deliberately pick up this viper. Paul was not tempting God. I consider this another evidence that Paul’s “… thorn in the flesh …” (2 Cor. 12:7) was eye trouble. (I’ll develop that when we get to the Epistle to the Galatians.) Paul couldn’t see very well. When he picked up some sticks, there was a viper on the sticks and Paul just didn’t see it.
There is another interesting sidelight to the apostle Paul that I want you to notice here: the great apostle Paul gathered sticks. These people on the island had been very gracious to them. They had accepted the 276 strangers who landed there. It was cold and rainy, and they had started a big fire to help warm these people who had come in from the sea. When the fire began to go down, Paul went out to gather a bundle of sticks. This should dispel any notion that Paul was a lazy preacher. He himself tells us that he practiced his trade as a tentmaker so that he would not be a burden to the church. Obviously he was not afraid of work.
When Paul threw the sticks onto the fire, the viper would naturally crawl away from the fire. The viper not only bit Paul but actually fastened onto his hand.
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live [Acts 28:4].
The Greek word here for “vengeance” is dike which actually would be better translated “justice.” “Yet justice suffereth not to live.” In other words, they felt that Paul was guilty of a great crime, and justice was catching up with him. He had escaped from the sea but now he would surely die of the venom. Very frankly, I think they sat down to watch what would happen to him. They expected that any moment he would begin to show swelling in his hand and arm, then would fall down dead. They knew by sad experience, as that is what had happened to their own people. They expected it to happen to Paul.
Notice that these pagans did have a sense of justice. They assumed that Paul was a murderer and that he deserved punishment. In such a circumstance today, folk would be helping the criminal to get back out to sea to escape being punished. This incident shows that throughout the Roman Empire there was a sense of justice. Pagan Rome made that contribution to the world. Rome was noted for justice, not mercy. Sins were not forgiven. If you broke the law, you paid the penalty. Under the iron heel of Rome the world was crying for mercy. This was a preparation for the coming of Christ who came as the Savior from sin—that mankind might know the mercy and forgiveness of God.
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god [Acts 28:5–6].
The promise of God in Mark 16:18 was fulfilled in Paul’s experience. He suffered no ill effects from the venom. When folk today deliberately pick up snakes and claim that promise as their protection, they are far afield from what God had in mind.
When they saw that no harm came to Paul, they decided that he certainly could not be a criminal but was instead a god. Although they were equally as wrong in this judgment, it did give Paul a very important contact on the Island of Melita here.
In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him [Acts 28:7–8].
Paul was now exercising his gift as an apostle. He entered in and he prayed. Apparently he did not pray for the man; he prayed for himself. That is, he prayed to determine the will of God. Was this man to be healed through Paul? That is what he prayed to know.
So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary [Acts 28:9–10].
The question has been raised whether or not Paul preached the gospel in Melita. There are those who believe that this is one place where Paul did not preach. This is an instance where I think the Holy Spirit expects us to use ordinary common sense. Of course, he preached the gospel. We are coming to the end of the book, and the incident is related in a very brief and blunt manner. By now Dr. Luke expects us to know what Paul would do. Remember that Paul is the man who wrote, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). With the apostles, healing was God’s witness that the gospel they preached was from Him. It is very important for us to realize that Paul preached the gospel and that the healing was the result of it. It was the evidence of the truth he was preaching. I think it can be only a normal inference that Paul did exactly the same here as he did everywhere he went.
THE VOYAGE CONTINUES
And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux [Acts 28:11].
Since Paul stayed in Melita for three months, it is evident that the few verses given to us here are not the complete story of his ministry on that island. Therefore, I think we can be sure that Paul preached the gospel.
“Castor and Pollux,” the sign of their ship, were gods of the Romans. There is still a pillar to them in the Roman Forum.
And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli [Acts 28:12–13].
The storm is over. The Euroclydon, that tempestuous wind from the north, is passed. Now there is a south wind blowing again.
Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage [Acts 28:14–15].
Paul is now on the Appian Way. Again we see how important the encouragement of believers was to the apostle Paul.
PAUL IN ROME
And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him [Acts 28:16].
Paul apparently had the freedom to live in a house, but he was always guarded by a soldier. In fact, different soldiers took turns on guard duty.
And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had aught to accuse my nation of.
For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain [Acts 28:17–20].
We see Paul following his usual pattern of approaching the Jews first. He explains to them why he has been brought to Rome.
And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not [Acts 28:21–24].
We see here the kind of liberty that Paul had as a prisoner. Apparently he could have quite large crowds come to his home. However, there was always a soldier on guard to watch him.
Again we see that the apostle Paul used his background in the Old Testament to persuade the Jews concerning Jesus. As always, there was the double response to the message. Some believed, but others did not.
And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him [Acts 28:25–31].
The Book of Acts tells of the beginning of the movement of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Remember that in the Garden of Eden man doubted God and that led to disobedience. The way back to God is by faith, “… for obedience to the faith …” as Paul says in Romans 1:5. So we find in that day that some believed the gospel and some did not.
The Book of Acts ends with Paul “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence.” The record is not concluded. The Holy Spirit continues to work today. The acts of the Holy Spirit have not been finished even in our day. The Book of Acts will end with the Rapture, the coming of Christ for His own. The work of the church has not yet been completed; it is a continuing story. What you and I have done in the power of the Holy Spirit will be included in that record.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Alexander, J. A. The Acts of the Apostles. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1875.
Conybeare, W. J. and Howson, J. S. The Life and Epistles of St. Paul. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1855. (A classic work.)
Eims, Leroy. Disciples in Action. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1981.
Frank, Harry Thomas, editor. Hammond’s Atlas of the Bible Lands. Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, 1977. (Inexpensive atlas with splendid maps.)
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Acts of the Apostles. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1912. (A fine interpretation.)
Heading, John.Acts: A Study in New Testament Christianity. Kansas City, Kansas: Walterick Publishers.
Hiebert, D. Edmond. Personalities Around Paul. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1973. (Rich studies of people in contact with the Apostle Paul.)
Ironside, H. A. Lectures on the Book of Acts. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1943. (Especially good for young Christians.)
Jensen, lrving L. Acts: An Inductive Study. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968.
Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1890.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. Jerusalem to Rome: Studies in the Book of Acts. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974. (A splendid work for individual or group study.)
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Acts of the Apostles. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co.. 1924.
Rackham, R. B. The Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1901. (A detailed study.)
Robertson, A. T. Epochs in the Life of Paul. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1909.
Ryrie, Charles D. The Acts of the Apostles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1961. (A fine, inexpensive survey.)
Scroggie, W. Graham. The Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d. (Splendid outlines.)
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Outline Studies in the Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956.
Vaughan, Curtis. Acts. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.
Vos, Howard F. Beginnings in Bible Archeology. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1973.
The Epistle to the
Romans
INTRODUCTION
Let me say just a word concerning Paul the apostle. With his writings we actually come now to a different method of revelation. God has used many ways to communicate to man. He gave the Pentateuch—the Law—through Moses. He gave history, He gave poetry, and He gave prophecy. He gave the Gospels, and now we come to a new section: the Epistles, the majority of which were written by Paul.
Adolf Deissmann tried to make a distinction between epistles and letters. Having examined the papyri that were found at Oxyrhynchus in Egypt, he made a decision between literary and nonliterary documents, placing the Epistles of Paul in the latter category, thereby making them letters rather than epistles. However, a great many scholars today think this is an entirely false division.
These letters that we have—these epistles—are so warm and so personal that, as far as you and I are concerned, it is just as if they came by special delivery mail to us today. The Lord is speaking to us personally in each one of these very wonderful letters that Paul and the other apostles wrote to the churches. Nevertheless, Romans contains the great gospel manifesto for the world. To Paul the gospel was the great ecumenical movement and Rome was the center of that world for which Christ died. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is both an epistle and a letter.
Paul made this statement in Romans 15:15–16, “Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” Paul made it very clear here that he was the apostle to the Gentiles. He also made it clear that Simon Peter was the apostle to the nation Israel. For instance, in Galatians he said, “(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision” (Gal. 2:8–9). Therefore you see that Paul was peculiarly the apostle to the Gentiles. When you read the last chapter of Romans and see all those people that Paul knew, you will find that most of them were Gentiles. The church in Rome was largely a gentile church.
Paul also made the point that, if somebody else had founded the church in Rome, he would never have gone there. Instead, he said that he was eager to go there. “So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (Rom. 1:15). He wanted to go to Rome to preach the gospel. In Acts 26 Paul recounted to Agrippa the message the Lord gave to him when He appeared to him: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:17–18).
Further, Paul would never have gone to Rome, although he was eager to go, if anyone else had preached the gospel there ahead of him. In Romans 15:20 he said, “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation.” Paul, my friend, just didn’t go where another apostle had been. We can conclude, therefore, that no other apostle had been to Rome.
Now that leads me to say a word about Rome, and the question is: Who founded the church in Rome? I am going to make a rather unusual statement here: Paul is the one who founded the church in Rome, and he founded it, as it were, by “long distance” and used the “remote control” of an apostle to write and guide its course.
Let me make this very clear. You see, Rome was a tremendous city. Paul had never been there, no other apostle had been there, and yet a church came into existence. How did it come into existence? Well, Paul, as he moved throughout the Roman Empire, won men and women to Christ. Rome had a strong drawing power, and many people were in Rome who had met Paul throughout the Roman Empire. You might ask, “Do you know that?” Oh, yes, we have a very striking example of that in Acts where we find Paul going to Corinth. “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers” (Acts 18:1–3). Paul had met Aquila and Priscilla—their home was in Rome, but there had been a wave of antiSemitism; Claudius the emperor had persecuted them, and this couple had left Rome. They went to Corinth. We find later that they went with Paul to Ephesus and became real witnesses for Christ. Then, when Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans, they had returned to Rome, and Paul sent greetings to them. We do have this very personal word in Acts concerning this couple. What about the others? Well, Paul did know them. That means he had also met them somewhere and had led them to Christ. Paul was the founder of the church at Rome by “long distance”—by leading folk to Christ who later gravitated to Rome.
Paul knew Rome although he had not been inside her city limits at the time of the writing of the Roman epistle. Rome was like a great ship passing in the night, casting up waves that broke on distant shores. Her influence was like a radio broadcast, penetrating every corner and crevice of the empire. Paul had visited Roman colonies such as Philippi and Thessalonica, and there he had seen Roman customs, laws, languages, styles, and culture on exhibit. He had walked on Roman roads, had met Roman soldiers on the highways and in the marketplaces, and he had slept in Roman jails. Paul had appeared before Roman magistrates, and he had enjoyed the benefits of Roman citizenship. You see, Paul knew all about Rome although he was yet to visit there. From the vantage point of the world’s capital, he was to preach the global gospel to a lost world that God loved so much that He gave His Son to die, that whosoever believed on Him might not perish but have eternal life.
Rome was like a great magnet: It drew men and women from the ends of the then-known world to its center. As Paul and the other apostles crisscrossed in the hinterland of this colossal empire, they brought multitudes to the foot of the cross. Churches were established in most of the great cities of this empire. In the course of time, many Christians were drawn to the center of this great juggernaut. The saying that “all roads lead to Rome” was more than just a bromide. As Christians congregated in this great metropolis, a visible church came into existence. Probably no individual man established the church in Rome. Converts of Paul and the other apostles from the fringe of the empire went to Rome, and a local church was established by them. Certainly, Peter did not estabish the church or have anything to do with it, as his sermon on Pentecost and following sermons were directed to Israelites only. Not until the conversion of Cornelius was Peter convinced that Gentiles were included in the body of believers.
Summarizing, we have found that Paul is the one writing to the Romans. He was to visit Rome later, although he knew it very well already. And Paul was the founder of the church in Rome.
As we approach this great epistle, I feel totally inadequate because of its great theme, which is the righteousness of God. It is a message that I have attempted over the years to proclaim. And it is the message, by the way, that the world today as a whole does not want to hear, nor does it want to accept it. The world likes to hear, friend, about the glory of mankind. It likes to have mankind rather than God exalted. Now I am convinced in my own mind that any ministry today that attempts to teach the glory of man—which does not present the total depravity of the human family and does not reveal that man is totally corrupt and is a ruined creature, any teaching that does not deal with this great truth—will not lift mankind, nor will it offer a remedy. The only remedy for man’s sin is the perfect remedy that we have in Christ, that which God has provided for a lost race. This is the great message of Romans.
Friend, may I say to you that the thief on the cross had been declared unfit to live in the Roman Empire and was being executed. But the Lord Jesus said that He was going to make him fit for heaven and told him, “… Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). God takes lost sinners—like I am, like you are—and He brings them into the family of God and makes them sons of God. And He does it because of Christ’s death upon the cross—not because there is any merit inus whatsoever. This is the great message of Romans.
It was Godet, the Swiss commentator, who said that the Reformation was certainly the work of the Epistle to the Romans (and that of Galatians also) and that it is probable that every great spiritual renovation in the church will always be linked both in cause and in effect to a deeper knowledge of this book. It was Martin Luther who wrote that the Epistle to the Romans is “the true masterpiece of the New Testament and the very purest Gospel, which is well worthy and deserving that a Christian man should not only learn it by heart, word for word, but also that he should daily deal with it as the daily bread of men’s souls. It can never be too much or too well read or studied; and the more it is handled, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes.”
Chrysostom, one of the early church fathers, had the epistle read to him twice a week. And it was Coleridge who said that the Epistle to the Romans was the most profound writing that exists. Further, we find that one of the great scientists turned to this book, and he found that it gave a real faith. This man, Michael Faraday, was asked on his death bed by a reporter, “What are your speculations now?” Faraday said, “I have no speculations. My faith is firmly fixed in Christ my Savior who died for me, and who has made a way for me to go to heaven.”
May I say to you, this is the epistle that transformed that Bedford tinker by the name of John Bunyan. A few years ago I walked through the cemetery where he is buried, and I thought of what that man had done and said. You know, he was no intellectual giant, nor was he a poet, but he wrote a book that has been exceeded in sales by only one other, the Bible. That book is Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. It is a story of a sinner saved by grace, and that sinner was John Bunyan. And the record of history is that this man read and studied the Epistle to the Romans, and he told its profound story in his own life’s story, the story of Pilgrim—that he came to the cross, that the burden of sin rolled off, and that he began that journey to the Celestial City.
Let me urge you to do something that will pay you amazing dividends: read the Book of Romans, and read it regularly. This epistle requires all the mental make-up we have, and in addition, it must be bathed in prayer and supplication so that the Holy Spirit can teach us. Yet every Christian should make an effort to know Romans, for this book will ground the believer in the faith.
OUTLINE
I. Doctrinal, Chapters 1–8 (“Faith”)
A. Justification of the Sinner, Chapters 1:1–5:11
1. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–17
a. Paul’s Personal Greeting, Chapter 1:1–7
b. Paul’s Personal Purpose, Chapter 1:8–13
c. Paul’s Three “I Am’s,” Chapter 1:14–17 (Key verses, 16–17—the revelation of the righteousness of God)
2. Revelation of the Sin of Man, Chapters 1:18–3:20 (This is “Sinnerama.” Universal fact: Man is a sinner. Ecumenical movement is away from God. Axiom: World is guilty before God—all need righteousness.)
a. Revelation of the Wrath of God against Sin of Man, Chapter 1:18–32
(1) Natural Revelation of God (Original Version), Chapter 1:18–20
(2) Subnatural Response of Man (Reversion), Chapter 1:21–23
(3) Unnatural Retrogression of Man (Perversion), Chapter 1:24–27
(4) Supernatural Requittal of God (Inversion), Chapter 1:28–32
b. Revelation of the Sin of Good People, Chapter 2:1–16 (Respectable people need righteousness.)
c. Revelation of the Sin of Israel Under Law, Chapters 2:17–3:8
d. Revelation of the Universality of Sin, Chapter 3:9–20
(1) Judge’s Verdict of Guilty against Mankind, Chapter 3:9–12 (Man cannot remove guilt.)
(2) Great Physician’s Diagnosis of Mankind, Chapter 3:13–18 (Man cannot change his nature. Man has incurable disease.)
(3) Purpose of the Law, Chapter 3:19–20 (Law reveals sin, not salvation. Last word “sin,” 3:20.)
3. Revelation of the Righteousness of God (Righteousness Provided), Chapters 3:21–5:11 (Righteousness of God defined—not the character of God nor self-righteousness of man)
a. Justification by Faith Explained, Chapter 3:21–31 (Definition: Justification is the act of God that declares a sinner righteous by faith on the merit of Christ’s sacrifice. It is the addition of the righteousness of Christ as well as the subtraction of sins.) (Propitiation—“mercy seat” (Heb. 9:5); Redemption—to pay a price for deliverance. Propitiation is toward God. Redemption is toward sin.)
b. Justification by Faith Illustrated, Chapter 4:1–25 (Demonstrations—Abraham and David)
c. Justification by Faith—Results Derived, Chapter 5:1–11 Eight benefits:
(1) Peace—verse 1
(2) Access—verse 2
(3) Hope—verse 2
(4) Patience—Fruit of Tribulations—verse 3
(5) Love—verse 5
(6) Holy Spirit—verse 5
(7) Deliverance from the Great Tribulation—verse 9
(8) Joy—verse 11 (Reconciliation is toward man. Definition: Change from enmity to friendship. Justification by faith is an act of God which is permanent.)
B. Sanctification of the Saint, Chapters 5:12–8:39
1. Potential Sanctification, Chapter 5:12–21 (Federal headship, of Adam and Christ)
(a) Headship of Adam, Chapter 5:12–14 (Death—Sin)
(b) Headship of Christ, Chapter 5:15–17 (Life—Righteousness)
(c) Offense of Adam vs. Righteousness of Christ, Chapter 5:18–21 (Disobedience vs. Obedience; Judgment vs. Free Gift; Sin vs. Grace; Condemnation vs. Justification)
2. Positional Sanctification, Chapter 6:1–10 (Union with Christ in His death and resurrection, the basis of deliverance from sin)
3. Practical Sanctification, Chapter 6:11–23 (Obedience to God leads to the experience of deliverance from sin.)
4. Powerless Sanctification, Chapter 7:1–25
(a) Shackles of a Saved Soul, Chapter 7:1–14 (Spiritual Emancipation)
(b) Struggle of a Saved Soul, Chapter 7:15–25 (Civil War—No good in old nature, no power in new nature)
5. God’s New Provision for Sanctification, Chapter 8:1–39 (Powerful Sanctification)
(a) New Law: Holy Spirit vs. Law, Chapter 8:1–4
(b) New Struggle: Holy Spirit vs. Flesh, Chapter 8:5–13
(c) New Man, Son of God: Holy Spirit and Spirit of Man, Chapter 8:14–17
(d) New Creation: Old vs. New; Bondage vs. Liberty, Chapter 8:18–22
(e) New Body: Groaning vs. Redeemed Body, Chapter 8:23–27 (The Holy Spirit helps us in our present bodies.)
(f) New Purpose of God, Chapter 8:28–34 (God’s purpose guarantees the salvation of sinners.)
(g) New Security of the Believer, Chapter 8:35–39 (God’s love guarantees the security of the believer.)
II. Dispensational, Chapters 9–11 (“Hope”)
A. God’s Past Dealings with Israel, Chapter 9
1. Israel Defined, Chapter 9:1–5
2. Israel Identified, Chapter 9:6–13
3. Choice of Israel in the Sovereign Purpose of God, Chapter 9:14–24
4. Choice of Gentiles in the Scriptural Prophecies of God, Chapter 9:25–33
B. God’s Present Purpose with Israel, Chapter 10
1. Present State of Israel—Lost, Chapter, 10:1–4 (Reason: Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.)
2. Present Standing of Israel—Same as Gentiles, Chapter 10:5–12 (“For there is no difference”)
3. Present Salvation for Both Jew and Gentile—Hear and Believe the Gospel, Chapter 10:13–21
C. God’s Future Purpose with Israel—Remnant Regathered as a Nation and Redeemed, Chapter 11
1. Remnant of Israel Finding Salvation, Chapter 11:1–6
2. Remainder of Israel Blinded, Chapter 11:7–12
3. Reason for Setting Aside the Nation Israel—Salvation of the Gentiles, Chapter 11:13–21
4. Restoration of Nation Israel—Greater Blessing, Chapter 11:22–32
5. Reason for Restoring the Nation Israel, Chapter 11:33–36 (Locked in the riches of the wisdom of God)
III. Duty, Chapters 12–16 (“Love”)
A. Service of “the Son of God,” Chapters 12–13
1. Relationship to God (“Present—Yield”), Chapter 12:1–2
2. Relationship to Gifts of the Spirit, Chapter 12:3–8
3. Relationship to Other Believers, Chapter 12:9–16
4. Relationship to Unbelievers, Chapter 12:17–21
5. Relationship to Government, Chapter 13:1–7
6. Relationship to Neighbors, Chapter 13:8–14
B. Separation of “the Sons of God,” Chapters 14–16
1. Relationship to Weak Believers, Chapters 14:1–15:3 (Three Principles of Conduct for Christians)
(a) Conviction, Chapter 14:5
(b) Conscience, Chapter 14:22
(c) Consideration, Chapter 15:1–2
2. Relationship of Jews and Gentiles as Believers, Chapter 15:4–13 (Racial Relationships)
3. Relationship of Paul to Romans and Gentiles Generally, Chapter 15:14–33 (The Gospel and Gentiles, Chapter 15:16)
4. Relationship of Christians to One Another Demonstrated, Chapter 16:1–27 (Thirty-five persons mentioned by name—mutual love and tender affection)
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Paul’s personal greetings; Paul’s purpose; Paul’s three “I ams”; a natural revelation of God; subnatural response of man; unnatural retrogression of man
This opening chapter is an inclusive as it embraces the introduction, the missionary motives of the great apostle, the definition of the gospel, and the condition of man in sin which necessitates the gospel. This chapter furnishes the tempo for the entire epistle.
Romans teaches the total depravity of man. Man is irrevocably and hopelessly lost. He must have the righteousness of God since he has none of his own.
It is interesting to note that this great document of Christian doctrine, which was addressed to the church at Rome to keep it from heresy, did not accomplish its purpose. The Roman church moved the farthest from the faith which is set forth in the Epistle to the Romans. It is an illustration of the truth of this epistle that man does not understand, neither does he seek after God.
Verses 16 and 17 have long been recognized as the key to the epistle. These two verses should be memorized and the meaning of each word digested. The words will be dealt with individually when we come to them.
PAUL’S PERSONAL GREETINGS
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God [Rom. 1:1].
The name Paul comes from the Latin Paulus, meaning “little.” (He was Saul of Tarsus but was also called Paul as indicated by Acts 13:9.)
Paul identified himself to the Romans in the very beginning as a slave, or doulos, of the Lord Jesus Christ. He took the position of a servant willingly. The Lord Jesus Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, but He never makes us His slaves. You must come voluntarily to Him and make yourself His slave. He will never force you to serve Him. He said even to Jerusalem, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” (Luke 13:34). On another occasion our Lord said, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). It is wonderful beyond measure that you have the privilege of making yourself a bondslave to the Lord Jesus Christ. You must do it on your own; He will not force you.
On the road to Damascus, the Lord said to Paul, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” And Paul replied, “Who art thou, Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” It was at this moment that Paul came to know Him as his Savior. Then Paul’s question was, “What wilt thou have me to do?” (see Acts 9:4–6). This is when Paul made himself a bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle”—the infinitive of the verb “to be” is not in the original manuscripts. Paul was a “called” apostle—called is an adjective—he means that he is that kind of an apostle. It was not his decision that made him an apostle. It was God’s decision, and God called him. Paul first made himself a bondslave of Christ, and now he is a called apostle, a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. One whom He has chosen is the only kind of servant God will use. There are too many men in the ministry today whom God has not called. Paul could say, “… woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). You may remember that Jeremiah was called when he was a child (Jer. 1:4–10). God said of the false prophets, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied” (Jer. 23:21). Jeremiah was a called prophet, and Paul was a called apostle.
Paul says that he is an apostle, which means “one who is sent.” Our Lord said that he that is sent [apostle] is not greater than he that sent him (see John 13:16). The same word occurs again in Philippians 2:25. The word has the technical meaning in the New Testament of one chosen by the Lord Jesus to declare the gospel. He must be a witness of the resurrected Christ. Paul said that the resurrected Christ had appeared to him. “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time” (1 Cor. 15:8). Then Paul asks the rhetorical question, “Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? …” (1 Cor. 9:1).
Another evidence that Paul was an apostle was that he had what we call “sign gifts.” He said that he could speak in other languages, other tongues. I believe that when he went through the Galatian country, for instance, into that area along the Aegean Sea where there were so many Greek cities and tribes in which unfamiliar languages were spoken, Paul was able to speak the language of each tribe as he came among them. He had the apostolic gift of tongues. Also he had the gift of healing, a gift that I do not believe is in existence today. When God heals in our day, He does it directly. I tell folk that I take my case directly to the Great Physician, not to one of the interns. I know that God heals, but He does not give that gift to men in our day. However, Paul had the gift of healing; he was an apostle. He could also raise the dead. We have records of both Peter and Paul raising the dead. They were apostles.
Now, Paul is a bondslave of Jesus Christ; he is a called apostle; and he is “separated unto the gospel of God.” Notice that “separated” is used with the preposition unto, not from. He was separated unto the gospel of God.
The word separated is a marvelous word. There are several words that have almost an opposite meaning. For instance, there is the word cleave. An object can cleave to something or an object can be cleaved asunder. One time cleave can mean to join together and another time it can mean to separate. Paul was a separated Christian, but he was separated to something, not from something. I am afraid that many Christians today are only separated from something. When I hear some people talk, I get the idea that they are doing a spiritual striptease. They say, “I don’t do this and I don’t do that anymore.” Well, my friend, unto what are you separated? Paul tells us that the Thessalonians turned to God from idols. They did not get up in a testimonial meeting and say, “We do not go to the temple of Apollo anymore.” There was no need to say that because they were separated unto the Lord Jesus Christ. A Christian who is separated from something and not separated unto Christ will have a barren life. His life will be without joy, and he will become critical and sometimes cynical. A phrase in the marriage ceremony I use says, “Do you promise to love and to keep yourself unto her (or him) and no one else?” This is separation unto one person. That is what marriage is. Imagine a fellow on the first night of his honeymoon saying to his new bride, “I have a girl friend in this town. I think I will go to see her.” There are many Christians who practice that kind of “separation”! If you are separated unto Christ, you will have a life that appeals rather than one that turns people off. A little Chinese girl once said, “Christians are salt. Salt makes you thirsty.” Think it over, friend. Do you make anyone thirsty for Christ, the Water of Life?
The word separated is the Greek word aphonzoµ, the same word from which we get our word horizon. I have noticed when taking off on a plane that the horizon becomes enlarged. I remember a flight from Athens, Greece. When we took off, I tried to see the Acropolis and the ocean, but I could not see a thing. We had not gone far when I could see the ocean, the Acropolis, the outer islands, and the mountains. The higher we flew, the wider was the horizon. It is wonderful to be separated unto Christ because He brings you to the place where your horizons are enlarged. This is what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 13:11 when he says, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
I can recall a time in my early boyhood when I used to play house. Because there was a bunch of girls in the neighborhood and only a couple of boys, in order to play, we played house with the girls. There came a day, friend, when I outgrew that stuff, and I went outside and played baseball. The girls would say, “Let’s play house.” I would reply, “No, I am playing first base on the team. I am not interested in playing house anymore.” I had a new horizon. Today I am not only uninterested in playing baseball, I can’t play baseball. But I am interested in something else. My horizons have widened. And, friend, when you are separated unto Christ, it doesn’t mean you become little and narrow. Rather, life broadens out to include innumerable thrilling and wonderful experiences.
Now notice that Paul says he is separated unto “the gospel of God.” In other words, man did not create the gospel. When you and I arrived on the scene, the gospel had been in existence for over nineteen hundred years. He didn’t wait until we got here to see if we had a better plan. It is God’s gospel. We can take it or leave it. The gospel was originated by God.
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) [Rom. 1:2].
The gospel is not brand new. It was promised by His prophets all the way through the Old Testament. It is a message that God loves mankind and that God presents a way of saving mankind. It brings us into a love relationship. He loves us and gave Himself for us. How wonderful!
Verses 2–6 form a parenthesis which gives a definition of the gospel. First of all, it is all about Jesus Christ.
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh [Rom. 1:3].
The word concerning is the little Greek preposition peri—used also in periscope and perimeter—and means “that which encircles.” The gospel is all about Jesus Christ. It is what He has done. It is “concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
We have His full title here. He is the Son of God, and He is Jesus Christ our Lord. That is His wonderful name. We often hear today that we need the religion of Jesus. My friend, He had no religion. He didn’t need one—He is God. What we need today is to have a religion that is about Jesus, that surrounds Him, that is all about what He has done. Jesus Christ actually is God. He cannot worship; He is to be worshiped. Somebody objects, “But He prayed.” Yes, because He took the place of humanity. He prayed as a means of accommodation. For instance, at the grave of Lazarus the Bible says, “… Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 11:41–42). My friend, He prayed to help our faith, but He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice that He also is of the seed (the sperm) of David, according to the flesh. This is the humanity of Jesus. He is virgin born because He is declared—horizoned out to be—the Son of God with power.
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead [Rom. 1:4].
You see, the Resurrection did not make Him the Son of God; it simply revealed who He was.
Declared is from the same Greek word horizo, which we have seen before. Jesus is declared, He is horizoned, the Son of God. This gives us the perfect humanity of Christ and the perfect deity of Christ. One of the oldest creeds in the church states that He is very man of very man and that He is very God of very God. And Paul said it before the creed was written. Here it is. Jesus Christ is not any more man because He is God, and He is not any less God because He is man. He is God-man.
He is declared to be the Son of God “according to the spirit of holiness.” This could mean the human spirit of Jesus, but I personally believe the reference is to the Holy Spirit. I believe the Trinity is in view here.
Now notice that He is declared to be the Son of God “by the resurrection from the dead.” The Resurrection proves everything. It is Resurrection that sets Him forth as the Son of God. As you read through the Bible you will discover that the Lord Jesus Christ is presented in the power of His resurrection. First He is seen in the days of His flesh, walking upon the earth, despised and rejected of men. He is seen even in weakness as He sits down to rest at a well and as He sleeps through a storm on the sea. And He finally is brought to ignominy and shame and death upon a cross. Although He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief, there came a time when He was raised from the dead. His resurrection proves that He was accurate when He said, “… Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23). The days of walking along the dusty roads of Israel are over now; He has come back from the dead in mighty power. His resurrection proves His virgin birth. He is the Son of God with power.
Then there is another great truth here. We see Christ, resurrected and presently seated at the right hand of God in the heavens, interceding today for believers and giving them power and comfort. There is a Man in the glory, but the church has lost sight of Him. We need to recover our awareness of Him. Are you having personal contact with the living Christ today?
Also the resurrection of Christ insures that He will return to this earth as the Judge and as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will put down sin, and He will reign in righteousness on this earth. He will judge mankind, as Paul said to those glib, sophisticated Athenian philosophers, “… we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:29–31). It is a most solemn fact that because Jesus Christ came back from the dead, you will have to stand before Him someday. Will you stand before Him as one who has trusted Him as your Savior, or will you stand before Him to be judged? If you have not received Him as your Savior, the condemnation of God must be upon you. You cannot stand before Him in your own righteousness. You must be condemned to a lost eternity unless you trust Him as your Savior. The Resurrection is the guarantee that each one of us is going to have to face the Lord Jesus Christ.
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name [Rom. 1:5].
“Grace and apostleship” are significant terms. “Grace” is God’s method of salvation. None of us could ever have been saved if God had not been gracious. Although “apostleship” referred specifically to Paul and the others who were technically apostles, every believer is a “sent one.” The word in the Greek is apostoleµ, meaning “a sending forth.” Every believer should be a witness, one sent forth with a message. What are you doing to get the Word of God out in these days? That is the business of those who have received grace and apostleship.
For the “obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name”—this epistle opens with obedience and closes with obedience. In the final chapter Paul says, “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men” (Rom. 16:19), also “made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:26). Obedience to the faith is very important to God. God saves us by faith, not by works; but after He has saved us, He wants to talk to us about our works, about our obedience to Him. I hear many people talk about believing in Jesus, then they live like the Devil and seem to be serving him. My friend, saving faith makes you obedient to Jesus Christ.
Is there a difference in faith? There surely is. The difference is in the object of your faith. For example, I believe in George Washington. I consider him a great man, our first president, the father of our country. Also, I believe in Jesus Christ. Now my faith in George Washington has never done anything for me. It has nothing to do with my salvation and has very little effect upon my life. But my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is quite different. “Saving faith” brings us to the place where we surrender to the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us. While correct doctrine is very important, there is a discipline and a doing that goes with it. You can’t be the salt of the earth without combining both of them. By the way, have you ever considered that salt is composed of sodium and chloride, and each taken by itself would poison you? However, when they are combined, they form a very useful ingredient. Believing and doing go together, my friend, to make us the salt of the earth. My favorite hymn has always been “Trust and Obey,” by Rev. J. H. Sammis.
But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favor He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ [Rom. 1:6].
The called are the elect. Who are the called? Well, they are those who have heard. The Lord Jesus made it clear when He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). If you are following someone or something else, you haven’t heard Him, you are not one of His sheep. The ones who hear and follow Him are the called ones. Let’s not argue about election. It is as simple as this: He calls, and you answer. If you have answered, you are among the elect, one of “the called of Jesus Christ.” Paul assures the Roman Christians that they are called-ones.
This concludes the profound parenthesis in the introduction to this letter to the Romans. Dr. James Stifler calls our attention to four features of this parenthesis: Paul has a message in accord with the Scriptures; the message is from the risen Christ; the message is universal; and the message is for the obedience to the faith.
Now Paul returns to the introduction proper.
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ [Rom. 1:7].
“Beloved of God”—isn’t that lovely? God loved those believers in Rome. When I was there not long ago, there was a strike going on, and I found it a little difficult to love anybody as I was carrying my own suitcases up to my room and unable to get any kind of service—even a taxi. But God loves us. How wonderful!
“Called to be saints” should be simply “called saints”—the verb to be is not in the better manuscripts. They were “called saints” and this is the name for every believer. A saint is not one who has been exalted; a saint is one who exalts Jesus Christ. A person becomes a saint when Jesus Christ becomes his Savior. There are only two classes of people in the world: the saints and the ain’ts. If you are not an ain’t, then you’re a saint. And if you are a saint, you have trusted Christ. It is not your character that makes you a saint, it’s your faith in Jesus Christ and the fact that you are set apart for Him. As Paul said of himself in the beginning, he was a bondslave of Jesus Christ.
“Grace and peace” constitute the formal introduction in all of Paul’s letters. Grace (charis) was the Gentile form of greeting, while peace (shalom) was the Jewish form of greeting. Paul combined them.
PAUL’S PURPOSE
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world [Rom. 1:8].
Word had filtered out throughout the empire that many in Rome were turning to Christ—so much so that it disturbed the emperors. Later on, persecution began. Paul mentions here that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world.
I wonder about your group, your church. Has anybody heard about your personal testimony? What is it worth today? My, what a testimony this church in Rome had at the beginning!
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers [Rom. 1:9].
“The gospel of his Son”—in the first verse Paul called it “the gospel of God,” and later he will call it his gospel.
“Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.” Paul had a long prayer list. When I was teaching in a Bible institute, I gave the students the assignment of recording each time Paul said he was praying for somebody. Many of the students were deeply impressed at the length of Paul’s prayer list. He says here that he prayed without ceasing for the Roman believers.
Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you [Rom. 1:10].
Paul is praying for a “prosperous journey” to come to Rome. When we read about his journey in the Book of Acts, it doesn’t look exactly prosperous—he went as a prisoner, he got into a terrific storm at sea, the ship was lost, and he was bitten by a viper when he made it to land. Yet it was a prosperous journey.
He says he wants to come to Rome “by the will of God.” I believe he went there by the will of God.
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established [Rom. 1:11].
He wants to come to Rome to teach the Word of God. Paul loved to teach the Word of God. When a preacher does not want to teach the Word of God, he becomes a clergyman, he becomes an administrator, he becomes a promoter, but he is not a minister of the Word anymore. I know several men in this position. One man said, “I don’t enjoy preaching anymore.” I said, “For goodness sake, get out of the ministry. You have no business in the ministry if you don’t love to teach the Word of God!”
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me [Rom. 1:12].
In other words, Paul would communicate something, but the believers in Rome would also communicate something to him. They would be mutually blessed in the Word. Not too long ago I had the privilege of speaking to a conference of over a thousand students. I laid it on the line for those folks and was a little hard on them at the beginning. Then I saw how wonderfully they responded, and it opened my eyes to a new world. I left that conference singing praises to God for the privilege of being there. While I was ministering to them, they were ministering to me. This is what Paul is talking about here.
Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles [Rom. 1:13].
He was hindered from coming to them, although he longed to come. Many of these folks were his converts, as he had led them to Christ when he had met them in different parts of the Roman Empire. His desire to have “fruit among you” probably does not refer to soul winning, but to the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of believers (see Gal. 5:22–23).
PAUL’S THREE “I AMS”
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise [Rom. 1:14].
“To the Greeks, and to the Barbarians” was the Greek division of all mankind. The Greeks were cultured, educated, and civilized. The barbarians were those whom we label pagan and heathen today. Actually, it is a false division, but it encompasses all mankind and was understood by Romans.
Paul said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians.” How did he become indebted? Did he run up a bill for neckties and shoes (that is what Rome is famous for today) and forget to pay the bill? No, he had had no business transaction with these people. However, he had had a personal transaction with Jesus Christ which put him in debt to every man, because the grace of God had been so bountifully bestowed upon him. Paul was in debt to a lost world. I hear Christians say, “I pay my honest debts.” Do you? Not until every person has heard the gospel of Jesus Christ have you and I paid our honest debts. One day I was driving with a preacher friend of mine in the interior of Turkey. (Turkey is closed to the gospel—a person can get into trouble even propagandizing there.) As we were driving along, we came to a little town in which all of the signs were in Turkish, and we felt very much like strangers in a strange land. Then way down at the end of the street we saw a big sign which read: “Coca-Cola.” I said to my friend, “Is it not interesting that Coca-Cola in just a few years has done a better job of advertising and getting out its message than has been done with the gospel in over nineteen hundred years?” We have not paid our debt, friend, until all have heard the good news, and multitudes have not yet heard. Paul says, “I am debtor,” and that was another reason he wanted to come to Rome.
Then Paul has another “I am.”
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also [Rom. 1:15].
Paul has said that he is a debtor; now he says he is ready to pay. In other words, Paul says, “My side is ready.” In The Epistle to the Romans Dr. James Stifler writes, “He is a master of his purpose, but not of his circumstances.” He is not only ready, he is eager to preach it. Oh, how we need that enthusiasm and high anticipation of getting out the Word of God!
In the next verse we have the third “I am” of Paul. Also verses 16 and 17 give us the key to this great Epistle to the Romans.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [Rom. 1:16].
“I am not ashamed of the gospel” (“of Christ” is not in the better manuscripts). Paul says, “I am debtor…. I am ready…. I am not ashamed.” I’m debtor—that is admission; I am ready—remission; I am not ashamed—submission. These are the three “missions” of Paul: admission, remission, and submission.
Why did Paul say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel”? As I walked down the streets of Ephesus and looked at the ruins of marble temples, I realized that there was not a church building in Ephesus in the first century. In Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the gorgeous temple of Diana (or Artemis), but there was no church building. I suppose there were folk in Rome who were saying, “Well, brother Paul hasn’t come to Rome because he is just preaching a message geared for poor people. The message he preaches is without prestige; there are no great temples connected with it. He would be ashamed to bring it to an important place like Rome.” So Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.”
Now why is Paul not ashamed of the gospel? “It is the power of God”! The Greek word translated “power” is dunamis, from which we get our word dynamite. It is dunamis power! It is the kind of power Dr. Marvin R. Vincent calls divine energy! In itself the gospel has power, innate power.
It has power for a very definite thing: “It is the power of God unto salvation.” That is the end and the effect of the gospel. “Salvation” is the all-inclusive term of the gospel, and it simply means “deliverance.” It embraces everything from justification to glorification. It is both an act and a process. It is equally true that I have been saved, I am being saved, and
I shall be saved. The gospel is “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” It’s to everyone. It includes the entire human race, irrespective of racial or religious barriers. And it is personal; it is directed to every individual—“whosoever will may come.”
It is universal in scope, but it is limited to “every one that believeth.” This statement wraps up election and free will in one package. The only way of procuring salvation is by personal faith.
“To the Jew first, and also to the Greek” does not imply that the Jew has top priority to the gospel today. The important thing is to make sure the Jew is on a par with the Gentile as far as evangelism is concerned. Chronologically the gospel went to the Jew first. If you had been in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, you would have seen an altogether Jewish meeting. And Paul in his missionary journeys took the gospel first to the Jewish synagogue, but in Acts 13:46 we are told, “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” The gospel began in Jerusalem, a Jewish city, then spread to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Dr. Stifler calls our attention to three very pertinent truths in this verse: the effect of the gospel—salvation; the extent—it is worldwide—to everyone; the condition—faith in Jesus Christ.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith [Rom. 1:17].
“A righteousness from God is being revealed” is a literal translation. It should not be the righteousness of God, because that would be His attribute, and God is not sharing His attribute with anyone. It is a righteousness, and it is from God; it is not man’s righteousness. God has already said that He will not accept the righteousness of man, for the righteousness of man is as filthy rags in His sight according to Isaiah 64:6. Paul is talking about the imputed righteousness of Christ. God places a lost sinner in Christ, and He sees him in Christ. The believer is absolutely accepted because of what Christ has done for him. The only method of procuring this righteousness is by faith. It is a by-faith righteousness. You can’t work for it; you can’t make a deposit on it; you can’t buy it. You can do nothing but accept it by faith. “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:9).
The word for “righteousness” is dikaiosune. This word occurs ninety-two times in the New Testament, thirty-six times in Romans. The phrase “a righteousness from God” occurs eight times in this epistle. The root word dike means simply “right.” Justice and justify come from the same word. “To be right” is the primary meaning, which is the antonym of sin. Dr. Cremer gives this apt definition: “It is the state commanded by God and standing the test of His judgment; the character and acts of a man approved of Him, in virtue of which the man corresponds with Him and His will as His ideal and standard.” The righteousness he is talking about is what God demands, and it is what God provides—it is a righteousness that is from God.
“From faith to faith” simply means out of faith into faith. God saves you by faith, you live by faith, you die by faith, and you’ll be in heaven by faith. Let me use a homely illustration. Quite a few years ago I was born deep in the heart of Texas. When I was born, my mother said the doctor lifted me up by my heels, gave me a whack, and I let out a cry that could be heard on all four borders of that great state. I was born into a world of atmosphere and that whack started me breathing. From that day to this I have been breathing atmosphere. From air to air, from oxygen to oxygen. Much later, in the state of Oklahoma, I was born again. I was saved by faith, and from that time on it has been by faith—from faith to faith.
“As it is written” refers to Habakkuk 2:4, where the statement is made, “… the just shall live by his faith.” This is quoted in three great epistles of the New Testament: Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews.
“The just shall live by faith”—justification by faith means that a sinner who trusts Christ is not only pardoned because Christ died, but he also stands before God complete in Christ. It means not only subtraction of sin, but addition of righteousness. He “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25)—that we might stand before God complete in Christ.
The act of God in justification by faith is not an arbitrary decision on His part. He does not disregard His holiness and His justice. Since God saves us by grace, this means that there is no merit in us. He saves us on no other ground than that we trust Jesus. God is in danger of impugning His own justice if the penalty is not paid. He is not going to open the back door to heaven and slip sinners in under cover of darkness. But because He loves you, Christ died for you to make a way. The Lord Jesus Christ is the way to heaven. Since Christ paid the penalty for our sin, salvation is ours “through faith in his blood” (Rom. 3:25). The hymn writer is correct—
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
This concludes Paul’s introduction. Now he begins a new section in which he reveals the sin of man. My friend, this is “sinnerama.” The universal fact is that man is a sinner. The ecumenical movement is always away from God. We can put down the axiom that the world is guilty before God; all need righteousness. In this section Paul is not attempting to prove that man is a sinner. If you attempt to read it that way, you will miss the point. All Paul is doing is stating the fact that man is a sinner. He not only shows that there is a revelation of the righteousness of God, but that there is also the revelation of the wrath of God against the sin of man.
A NATURAL REVELATION OF GOD
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness [Rom. 1:18].
“The wrath of God is revealed.” Actually, if you want to know what salvation really is, you have to know how bad sin is. Stifler says, “Sin is the measure of salvation.” The wrath of God is God’s feeling, not His punishment of sin. It is His holy anger. Wrath is the antithesis of righteousness, and it is used here as a correlative.
“Is being revealed” is God’s answer to those who assert that the Old Testament presents a God of wrath, while the New Testament presents a God of love. There is a continuous revelation of the wrath of God in both the Old Testament and New Testament. It is revealed in our contemporary society. This is God’s constant and insistent displeasure with evil. He changes not. God is merciful, not because He is lenient with the sinner, but because Christ died. The gospel has not changed God’s attitude toward sin. The gospel has made it possible to accept the sinner. The sinner must have either the righteousness or the wrath of God. Both are revealed from heaven. And you can see it on every hand. If you want to know how bad sin is, look at the cases of venereal diseases today. You don’t get by with sin, my friend. I won’t give personal illustrations, but I have been a pastor long enough to see again and again the judgment of God upon sin. It is revealed from heaven. Also there will be a final judgment.
“Against all ungodliness”—ungodliness is that which is against God. It is that which denies the character of God. Oh, the irreligiousness of today! There are multitudes of people who disregard the very existence of
God—that is a state of the soul. That is sin. “Unrighteousness” is against man. Ungodliness is against God, but unrighteousness is against man. What does that mean? It is the denial of the rule of God. It is the action of the soul. That man who gets drunk, goes out on the freeway, breaks the traffic laws, and kills someone—that man is unrighteous. He is sinning against man. Another example is the man who is dishonest in his business dealings. God hates man’s unrighteousness. He will judge it.
“Who holds the truth in unrighteousness” is literally to hold down, suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The wrath of God is revealed against folk who do this.
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them [Rom. 1:19].
There is an original revelation from God.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God-head; so that they are without excuse [Rom. 1:20].
This universe in which you and I live tells two things about God: His person and His power. This has been clearly seen from the time the world was created. How can invisible things be seen? Paul makes this a paradox purposely to impress upon his readers that the “dim light of nature” is a man-made falsehood. Creation is a clear light of revelation. It is the primary revelation. The psalmist said, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained” (Ps. 8:3). Also “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1).
“His eternal power and Godhead”—His eternal power and deity, power and Person. Creation reveals the unchangeable power and existence of God. Paul said this, “… he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). And because all of us are the offspring (not the sons) of God, Paul said, “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29). Dr. James Denny writes, “There is that within man which so catches the meaning of all that is without as to issue in an instinctive knowledge of God.” I think the most ridiculous position man can hold is that of atheism. It is illogical and senseless. When the psalmist said, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Ps. 14:1), the word for fool means “insane.” A man is insane when he denies the existence of God.
“So that they are without excuse.” Creation so clearly reveals God that man is without excuse. This section reveals the historical basis of man’s sin. It did not come about through ignorance. It was willful rebellion in the presence of clear light.
SUBNATURAL RESPONSE OF MAN
If you examine the next few verses carefully, you will see that there are seven steps which mankind took downward from the Garden of Eden.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things [Rom. 1:21–23].
There is no such thing as man moving upward. These verses contradict the hypothesis of evolution. Man is not improving physically, morally, intellectually, or spiritually. The pull is downward. Of course this contradicts all the anthologies of religion that start with man in a very primitive condition as a caveman with very little intellectual qualities and move him up intellectually and begin moving him toward God. This is absolute error. Man is moving away from God, and right now the world is probably farther from God than at any time in its history. The fact of the matter is that every primitive tribe has a tradition that way back in the beginning their ancestors knew God. Dr. Vincent in Word Studies in the New Testament says, “I think it may be proved from facts that any given people, down to the lowest savages, has at any period of its life known far more than it has done: known quite enough to have enabled it to have got on comfortably, thriven and developed, if it had only done what no man does, all that it knew it ought to do and could do.” No people have ever lived up to the light that they have had. Although they had a knowledge of God, they moved away from Him.
“They glorified him not as God.” They did not give Him His rightful place, and man became self-sufficient. In our day man has made the announcement that God is dead. In the beginning the human family did not suggest that God was dead, they simply turned their backs upon Him and made man their god.
“Neither were thankful.” Ingratitude is one of the worst sins there is. You recall that the Lord Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to thank Him. Only ten percent were thankful, and I believe it is less than that today.
“Became vain in their imaginations”—they even concocted a theory of evolution.
“Their foolish heart was darkened.” They moved into the darkness of paganism. You see living proof of this as you walk down the streets of Cairo in Egypt or of Istanbul in Turkey. In fact, all you have to do is walk down the streets of Los Angeles to know that man’s foolish heart is darkened.
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” The wisdom of man is foolishness with God. Man searches for truth through logical reasoning but arrives at a philosophy that is foolish in God’s sight.
“And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” Have you noted that the unsaved world has made caricatures of God? Look at the images and the idols of the heathen. I was aware of this during my visit to the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. That city in the Roman Empire reached probably the highest degree of culture in civilization that any city has ever reached. Yet at the heart of that city was one of the most horrible images imaginable, enshrined in the temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Called also Diana, she was not the lovely image you see in Greek sculptures. She is like the Oriental Cybele, the mother goddess, the many-breasted one. She had a trident in one hand and in the other a club—she was a mean one. That is the idea the most cultured, civilized people had of God! She was a female principal, and gross immorality took place around her temple, and dishonesty of the worst sort. They had turned the glory of the uncorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man. Actually, idolatry is a cartoon of God; it is a slander and a slur against Him. Personally I do not like to see pictures of Jesus, as Paul said that we know Him no longer after the flesh (see 2 Cor. 5:16). He is the glorified Christ. He is not that picture you have hanging on your wall, my friend. If He came into your room, you would fall on your face before Him. He is the glorified Christ today. Don’t slur our God by having a picture of Him! The Greeks made their gods like men; the Assyrians and the Egyptians and the Babylonians made their gods like beasts and birds and creeping things. I walked through the museum in Cairo and looked at some of the gods they had made. They are not very flattering representations, I can assure you.
Man did not begin in idolatry. The savage of today is very unlike primitive man. Primitive man was monotheistic; idolatry was introduced later. In the Word of God the first record we have of idolatry is in connection with Rachel stealing her father’s idols (Gen. 31). Man descended downward; he did not develop upward. Religiously man has departed from God. Sir William Ramsay, who was once a belligerent unbeliever, wrote in The Cities of Paul: “For my own part, I confess that my experience and reading show nothing to confirm the modern assumptions in religious history, and a great deal to confirm Paul. Whatever evidence exists, with the rarest exceptions, the history of religion among men is a history of degeneration…. Is it not the fact of human history that man, standing alone, degenerates; and that he progresses only where there is in him so much sympathy with and devotion to the Divine life as to keep the social body pure and sweet and healthy?” My friend, the reason today there is failure in our poverty programs and health programs and other social programs is because of gross immorality and a turning away from God. They say, “We want to be practical, and we do not want to introduce religion.” That’s the problem. The only practical thing for man to do is to return to the living and true God.
UNNATURAL RETROGRESSION OF MAN
Now we see the results of man’s revolution against God. In the remainder of this chapter it says three times that God gave them up.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves [Rom. 1:24].
Man’s degeneration is measured by his perversion of sex. While many churches in our day are espousing sex perversion instead of condemning it, God says He has given them up. Idolatry and gross immorality are the bitter fruits of rejecting God’s revelation.
“God gave them up” is literally God handed them over—it is positive, not a passive attitude.
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen [Rom. 1:25].
“Who exchanged the true God for the lie.” The suggestion is that they turned from God to Satan, the author of the lie and the father of idolatry. This is idolatry which led to the lowest depths of moral degradation.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet [Rom. 1:26–27].
These are passions of dishonor and disgrace and depravity—regardless of what public opinion is today. Perversion entered into Greek life, and it brought Greece down to the dust. Go over there and look at Greece today. The glory has passed away. Why? These were their sins.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient [Rom. 1:28].
Anybody who tells me that he can be a child of God and live in perversion, live in the thick mire of our contemporary permissiveness, is not kidding anyone but himself. If he will come to Christ, he can have deliverance.
The next three verses list a frightful brood of sins which follow man’s rebellion against God.
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful [Rom. 1:29–31].
In my book Reasoning Through Romans, I define these sins, but it is enough to say here that this is what the human family is doing today. I used to tell the students in my classes to buy any of our metropolitan daily newspapers, sit down, and find a headline for every sin that is mentioned here. This is the condition, not only of Cairo, not only of Calcutta, not only of Peking, but also of the United States today. How much longer will God tolerate it and be patient with us? He has judged great nations in the past who have gone in this direction.
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them [Rom. 1:32].
Man has a revelation from God, but he flagrantly flaunts it by defying the judgment of God against such sins. He continues to practice them and applauds and approves those who do the same.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: God will judge self-righteous and religious people
In this chapter Paul is showing that God will judge self-righteous and religious people. There are many people like the man on the top of the hill who looks down at the man at the bottom of the hill and says, “Something should be done for that poor fellow. We ought to start a mission down there. We should start giving him soup and clothes and a shower bath. I am living on the top of the hill, and I do not need anything.” The hurdle to meet the demands of God is just as high on top of the hill as it is at the bottom of the hill. The only difference is that the man at the bottom of the hill will probably see his need sooner than the man at the top of the hill. Religious people, self-righteous people, and so-called good people need a Savior. In chapter 2 Paul sets down certain principles by which God is going to judge “good” people. Chapter 1 reveals the unrighteousness of man, and chapter 2 reveals the self-righteousness of man.
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things [Rom. 2:1].
This puts before us the very important issue of this chapter. It’s well to keep in mind here that Paul is not talking about salvation. He is talking about sin and the basis on which God will judge men. These principles of judgment are not the basis of salvation; they are the basis of judgment. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be judged by them. I thank God for a Savior today, and Scripture presents the gospel as the only means of attaining eternal life. To reject the Son of God immediately brings upon a person the judgment of God, and the only verdict here is guilty. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). And He says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). And then listen to the Lord Jesus after that marvelous, wonderful John 3:16—we generally stop there—but He continues. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:17–18). Also, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). So today these folk who do not have Christ are lost. You may be a religious person, you might be a good person, but without Christ, my friend, you’re lost.
“Thou art inexcusable, O man”—“man” is the Greek anthrope, a generic term meaning both men and women. It includes both Jews and Gentiles and refers to mankind in general.
“Whosoever thou art that judgest.” He passes now from the general to that which is specific, from the masses to the individual person. And he addresses any person of the human race, but he limits it to those who judge others. Now, the word here for “judge” carries the thought of judging with an adverse verdict. It can be translated, “Whosoever thou art that condemnest another.” Therefore this raises the question: What should be the attitude of a believer today toward this awful, horrible group who are mentioned in Romans 1? It should be this: We should want them to get saved; we should try to get the gospel to them; they are poor, lost creatures. It should be as the hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, expressed it:
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the
grave;
Weep o’er the erring ones,
Lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.
This should be our attitude, while making it clear that they need to be saved and delivered from perversion and immorality.
“For thou that judgest doest the same things” may give a wrong impression. “Same” is the Greek auta, and the meaning is not identical things, but things that are as bad in God’s sight as the awful, depraved acts of the heathen which are offensive to the cultured and refined sinner.
Let me illustrate this. I heard a man who is not saved say that he didn’t believe that hell could be heated hot enough for Hitler. My friend, he is sitting in judgment. He is taking the place of God. And you and I are sitting in judgment on those who are not on our plane. We use society’s standards today, and it varies. If someone does not measure up to the standard of your little group, you condemn him. I know some churches where members can get by with lying, with being gossipers, and with being dishonest, but they couldn’t get by with smoking a cigarette! They would be condemned for that. My friend, when you judge other people, you are assuming the position of judge. God is saying that by the same token that you have the right to judge other people by your standards, He has the right to judge you by His standards. If we could see ourselves as God sees us, we could see that we are obnoxious; we are repugnant! What contribution can you and I make to heaven? Would we adorn the place? I get the impression from some people that heaven is going to be a better place when they get there—yet the earth has not been a better place since they have been here! My friend, you try to deny God the same privilege you have of sitting in judgment on others. Well, God is going to judge you, and He won’t judge you by your standards, but by His standards. Does that begin to move you? It ought to, because I have found that we don’t come up to God’s standards.
Now Paul puts down the principles by which God will judge the refined and cultured sinner. Here is the first great principle.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things [Rom. 2:2].
In other words, he says, “We know that the judgment of God is according to reality.” There are so many folk today, including church members, who live in a world of unreality. They do not want to hear the truth of the gospel. Now, I hear a great many pious folk who say, “Oh, I do want to study the Bible.” And then when they get into the Word of God, they find what John found in the Book of Revelation when he began to see the judgments of God. When he first started out, it was thrilling, it was “sweet in his mouth.” But when he ate that little book, it gave him indigestion, it was “bitter in his belly” (see Rev. 10:9–10). And there are a great many Christians today, who say they want Bible study, but they don’t want reality. They do not want to hear the truth. “We know that the judgment of God is according to reality [the factual condition of man] against them which commit such things.”
Now keep in mind that these are principles of judgment, not principles of salvation. Man has an inherent knowledge that he must be judged by a higher power. The coming judgment of God is something every man out of Christ either dreads or denies. The Scripture is very clear on judgment. Paul said to the Athenians, “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). And Paul reasoned, you remember, with Felix about righteousness and self-control and judgment to come. And it frightened this fellow, Felix. In fact, he didn’t want to hear another sermon. The judgment of God is in contrast with man’s judgment. Man does not have all the facts and his judgment is partial and prejudiced. God’s judgment takes in all the facts. God knows the actual state of man—just what he is. And on that basis He will judge him.
As a boy, I used to pick cotton—and I wasn’t very good at it. I’d bring in a sack of cotton to be weighed, and they only weighed what I brought in. The man weighing the cotton didn’t ask me where I picked it or how I picked it or to whom it belonged; he just weighed it. “… Thou art weighed in the balances …” (Dan. 5:27), is God’s word to every man that boasts of his morality. I think the great delusion of the cultured person is that the depraved person must be judged, but he’s confident that he will escape because he’s different. Most people believe Hitler and Stalin ought to be judged, but they think they should escape. God will judge man for what he is in His sight. Do you want to stand before God on that basis? I don’t.
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? [Rom. 2:3].
Robert Govett has called attention to the four ways of escape which are open to the man who breaks human laws:
1. His offence will not be discovered.
2. He may escape beyond the jurisdiction of the court.
3. After arrest, there may be some legal technicality which will cause a breakdown of the legal procedure.
4. After conviction, he may escape from prison and stay under cover.
None of these avenues of escape are open to man in regard to divine judgment. Your offenses will be discovered. You cannot go beyond God’s jurisdiction. There will be no legal technicality. You will never be able to escape from prison. The writer of Hebrews asked, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation …?” (Heb. 2:3).
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [Rom. 2:4].
We ought to recognize today that the goodness of God is something that ought to bring us to our knees before Him. But instead of that, it drives men from God. The psalmist was disturbed by the way the wicked could prosper. God didn’t seem to do anything to them. In Psalm 73, he says, “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men…. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth…. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end” (Ps. 73:3–5, 9, 17). They will face God’s judgment, my friend.
And, by the way, if you’re a lost man, don’t think I am the sort of preacher that tries to take everything away from you. If you haven’t trusted Christ and your only hope is in this life, brother, you had better suck this earth like it is an orange and get all you can out of it. Drink all you can, sin all you can, because you won’t have anything in the next life. You had better get it while you are here if that’s the way you want to live. Eat, drink, and be merry. Tomorrow you die. My friend, you need a Savior. And the goodness of God ought to lead you to Him.
But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God [Rom. 2:5].
If you are not saved, let me say this to you: you know God has been good to you. God has blessed you. Think of the multitudes of folk on this earth who have nothing, who are literally starving to death. And here you are, a wicked man, living on top of the world. Do you think God is not going to judge you? Do you think that you are going to escape? My friend, the very goodness of God ought to lead you to repentance.
As we come to verse 6, we see the second great principle.
Who will render to every man according to his deeds [Rom. 2:6].
He shall reward every man according to his works. Absolute justice is the criterion of the judgment or rewards. Man’s deeds stand before God in His holy light. No man in his right mind wants to be judged on this basis. Remember Cornelius—he was a good man, but he was lost.
To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life [Rom. 2:7].
Let’s keep in mind that under this second principle, a way of life is not the subject. Rather, a way of life is the basis of judgment. The “do-gooder” will be judged according to his works. John said, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Rev. 20:12). The man who wants to work for eternal life may do so. He will be judged according to his deeds, but he is warned that they will avail nothing. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). Trusting Christ as Savior puts your name in the “book of life.” Eternal life is not a reward for effort; it is a gift to those who trust Christ.
Now notice the third principle of judgment.
For there is no respect of persons with God [Rom. 2:11].
This was also a great principle of the Old Testament. “For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward” (Deut. 10:17). Simon Peter discovered this when he went into the home of Cornelius. “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). God plays no favorites. He has no pets. All men are alike before Him. Justice is blindfolded, not because she is blind, but that she may not see men in either silk or rags; all must appear alike. Church membership, a good family, being an outstanding citizen, or having a fundamental creed give no advantage before God at all. Do you have a Savior, or don’t you? That is the all-important issue.
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law [Rom. 2:12].
This is another great principle by which God is going to judge. Notice how it is expressed in the next verse.
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified [Rom. 2:13].
I hear it said that the heathen are lost because they haven’t heard of Christ and haven’t accepted Him. My friend, they are lost because they are sinners. That’s the condition of all mankind. Men are not saved by the light they have; they are judged by the light they have. “For not the hearers of the law are just before God”—many folk seem to think that if they just approve the Sermon on the Mount, they are saved.
Now here is the fifth principle.
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) [Rom. 2:15].
God can and will judge the heathen by his own conscience. Some folk think because the heathen do not have the revelation of God that they will escape God’s judgment. But the fact is that they are not living up to the light they have. God will judge them on that basis.
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel [Rom. 2:16].
We have a false idea today that because we happen to be good folk, that is, we think we are, that we’ll be saved. God is going to judge the do-gooders. And He will judge them by Jesus Christ who said that if a man looks upon a woman to lust after her, he is guilty of adultery (see Matt. 5:27–28). This is only one example of the secrets of the human heart. Do you want the secrets of your heart brought out—not the lovely things you have said, but the dirty little thoughts that come to you? This should cause all of us to flee to Jesus to save us!
God is going to judge religious people, the Jews in particular, because theirs was a God-given religion.
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God.
And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law [Rom. 2:17–18].
Religion was no longer a crutch for this man. It caused him to be proud and self-sufficient. Light created an added responsibility, which brought a greater condemnation. The Jew had ten advantages over the Gentiles, which are listed in these verses. The first five are what he was: (1) Bears the name Jew; (2) rests upon the Law; (3) boasts in God; (4) knows the will of God; (5) proves the things which are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law.
And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law [Rom. 2:19–20].
The last five personal privileges of the Jew are what he did: (1) Art persuaded that thou thyself art a guide of the blind; (2) a light of them that are in darkness; (3) a corrector of the thoughtless or immature; (4) a teacher of babes or proselytes; and (5) having in the law the outward form of knowledge and truth.
Now here is Paul’s question:
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? [Rom. 2:21–22].
Paul mentions three common sins: (1) immorality—sin against others; (2) sensuality—sin against self; and (3) idolatry—sin against God.
“Teachest thou not thyself?” In other words, “Do you practice what you preach?” For many of us our preaching is better than our living.
“Dost thou commit sacrilege?”—or “Do you rob temples?” When the Jew was in Babylonian captivity, he took “the gold cure,” and, as far as I can tell, he was never given to idolatry after that. However, he didn’t mind handling merchandise that came from heathen temples and selling it in his business. Today there are certain Christians who handle merchandise in their business (in order to make money) that they would condemn in their church.
Now the three sins that Paul mentions—immorality, sensuality, and idolatry—he had dealt with in inverse order in chapter 1. Idolatry was the terrible climax for the Jew; he could go no lower than that. I wonder if you and I make a mockery of the person of Christ. Someone has put the question in poetic language:
The gospel is written a chapter a day
By deeds that you do and words that you say.
Men read what you say, whether faithless or true.
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
Now he deals with something that is extremely vital.
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision [Rom. 2:25].
Circumcision was the badge of the Mosiac system—and that’s all it was. There was no merit in the rite itself. That badge indicated that the man believed the Mosaic Law. Now for them to be transgressors of the Law brought circumcision into disrepute. That which should have been sacred, became profane.
This thought can be applied to our church sacraments. Water baptism is rightly a sacrament of the church, if it is the outward expression of a work of God in the heart. But it is a mockery if the person who is baptized gives no evidence of salvation. This also can be said of church membership. The lives of some church members make membership a mockery.
Listen to Paul as he continues:
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [Rom. 2:26].
To use another figure of speech, if my wife loses her wedding ring, that does not mean she becomes unmarried. Marriage is more than a wedding ring, although the ring may be the symbol of it.
And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? [Rom. 2:27].
Using again the illustration of a wedding ring, to wear a wedding ring speaks of something sacred. But to be unfaithful to that which it stands for makes the wedding ring a disgrace. On one occasion when I was in a motel in another city, I saw a man who was a deacon in a church, sitting at a table, having a very friendly talk with a very beautiful young lady who was not his wife. The thing that impressed me was that as his hand hung over the side of the table, the light was shining on his wedding ring, making it stand out. I thought, what a mockery! When the man saw me, he was embarrassed, of course. But, you see, the wedding ring was meaningless.
The point Paul is making here is that circumcision should stand for something.
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God [Rom. 2:29].
The Mosaic Law had already stated that circumcision was of the heart. Listen to Moses in Deuteronomy 10:16: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.”
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Availability of a righteousness from God
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? [Rom. 3:1].
“Profit” means that which is surplus, that which is excess, and the Question has to do with the outward badge of God’s special covenant with the Jews, circumcision.
It looks as if Paul is in danger of erasing a distinction which God has made. The question is, if Jew and Gentile are on the same footing before God, what then is the supposed advantage of the Jew and what good is circumcision?
Let me give you a statement of Dr. James Stifler: “If circumcision in itself does not give righteousness, if uncircumcision does not preclude it, what profit was there ever in it? A distinction that God made among men seems, after all, not to be one.” Now, this is the same question, I think, that we hear today. I get it because the gospel that I preach says that church membership has no advantage for salvation, that any rite or ritual you go through is meaningless as far as salvation is concerned. God has the world shut up to a cross. He’s not asking you to join anything or do anything. What God is asking the lost sinner to do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall be saved. And until a person answers that question, then God hasn’t anything else to say to him. After he’s saved, then God probably will talk to him about church membership and about baptism. We hear people say today, “Well, doesn’t my church, my creed, my membership, my baptism help toward my salvation?” The answer is no, it doesn’t help you toward salvation. But if you are saved, then these things are a badge, and these things are a means of communicating to the world who you are. But if you’re not measuring up, then your church membership and your baptism are a disgrace; and instead of being sacred they become profane.
Now Paul is going to answer the question: What advantage then did the Jews have?
Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God [Rom. 3:2].
Paul is saying, “Yes, the Jew has an advantage.” The advantage, however, created a responsibility. We need to note carefully the advantage the Jew had because there is a great deal of confusion in this area. I know men who are teaching in theological seminaries who make no distinction between Judaism in the Old Testament and the church in the New Testament. Paul is making it clear that God not only gave to the nation Israel the oracles of God—they were the ones who communicated the Word of God—but in the Word of God was something special for them. God is not through with the nation Israel. I always test a theologian at that particular point: Does God have a future for Israel? My friend, if God doesn’t have a future for Israel, I don’t think He has a future for you either or for that theological professor. All God’s promises are in the same Word of God. God is going to make good John 3:16, and God is also going to make good His covenant with Abraham in chapter 12 of Genesis. Listen again to Dr. Stifler as he is speaking of Israel: “His advantage was not that God sowed Judaism and the world reaped Christianity. That blots out Judaism. It was first of all ‘that unto them were committed to the oracles of God,’ not that they were made a mere Bible depositary, but that God gave them, as Jews, promises, not yet fulfilled, and peculiarly their own. The Old Testament, the record of its oracles, contains not one promise either of or to the church as an organization. It does not predict a church; it foreshadows a kingdom in which the Jew shall be head and not lose his national distinction as he does in the church.” Now, friend, I think that’s one of the most important and profound statements that has been made concerning the Word of God. At this point “great” theologians differ. Dr. Adolph Saphir was a converted Jew, and he made this tremendous, pointed statement: “The view that is so prevalent, that Israel is a shadow of the church, and now that the type is fulfilled vanishes from our horizon, is altogether unscriptural. Israel is not the shadow fulfilled and absorbed in the church, but the basis on which the church rests.” Friend, that is an important comment, and that’s what Paul is saying here—that the Jew has a great advantage. God has a future for him, and his faithlessness will not destroy God’s promise. Listen to Paul:
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? [Rom. 3:3].
“If some were without faith” is a better translation. Shall their lack of faith cancel out the faithfulness of God? This is another objection that would be put up, and Paul meets this by going back to the first. Now if the advantage of the Jew did not serve the intended purpose, does this not mean God’s faithfulness to His people is annulled? The Jew failed; doesn’t that mean God failed? No. God’s promise to send Israel the Redeemer was not defeated by their willful disobedience and rejection. All His promises for the future of the nation will be fulfilled to His glory in spite of their unbelief. Now, my friend, you may not like that, but I personally thank God that His promises to me do not depend on my faithfulness. If it had depended on me, I would have been lost long ago. Thank God for His faithfulness!
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged [Rom. 3:4].
In other words, the unbeliever that raises this question is a liar and God is going to make him out to be a liar someday. Why? Because the faithfulness of God is true and cannot be changed. How important that is! John says, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son” (1 John 5:10). How bad is it not to believe that God gave His Son to die for you? Well, I’ll tell you how bad it is: You make God a liar. That’s what you do when you reject His Son.
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) [Rom. 3:5].
By some subtle sophistry it might be argued that since the nation’s unbelief merely puts in contrast the faithfulness of God, God is not just to punish that which brings greater glory to Himself. A better translation would be: “Is God unjust who visiteth with wrath by judging” these people? Now this is the severest criticism that Paul faced in preaching the gospel of the grace of God. If God uses sin to get glory to Himself, then He should not punish the sinner. This, of course, was used by some as an excuse for sinning. We’ll find this again in Romans 6:1 and will deal with it then. Paul asks the question in such a way in the Greek as to demand a negative answer. God is not unjust. He says, “I speak as a man.” That doesn’t mean that Paul is not writing this particular passage by inspiration, but rather that he is presenting this question from the finite and human standpoint.
Now, the whole point is this: if my unrighteousness reveals the marvelous, wonderfully infinite faithfulness of God in the grace of God, then has God a right to judge me? That’s what Paul is asking here. This makes it very clear that the unsaved world in Paul’s day understood that Paul was preaching salvation by the grace of God. How wonderful!
God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? [Rom. 3:6].
If God would have no right to judge us because our sin merely reveals the grace of God, then God would have no right to judge any person, you see, because they would reveal something of the common grace of God.
Paul’s answer is again an emphatic and categorical denial of any such premise that God is unjust. The argument here is that if this particular sin merely enhances the glory of God and the grace of God, then all sin would do the same. Therefore, God would not be able to judge the world. He would abdicate His throne as Judge of all the earth. This specious argument would say that Hitler ought not to be judged. And whoever you are—even if you are an unbeliever—you do believe that some people ought to be judged. Now, you may not think that you ought to be, but you believe somebody ought to be judged. Everyone believes that. We have that innate sense within us today, and God has put it there.
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? [Rom. 3:7].
The lie here means moral falsehood. Each individual could claim exemption from the judgment of God because his sin had advanced the glory of God.
And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just [Rom. 3:8].
In this verse Paul drives his argument to its logical, yet untenable conclusion. This is called an argumentum ad absurdum. If sin magnifies the glory of God, then the more sin the more glory. Some had falsely accused Paul of teaching this absurdity. It was ridiculous, for it was Paul who insisted that God must judge sin. As surely as there is sin there must be judgment. You see, this facetious type of argument which Paul has met here makes a Robespierre a saint in the name of utilitarianism. It’s the old bromide that the end justifies the means.
Now we come to this section where we have the accusation of “guilty” by God against mankind. Paul is going to conclude this section on sin by bringing mankind up before the Judge of all the earth. And the accusation of “guilty” is made by God against all mankind—both Jew and Gentile, black and white, male and female, rich and poor. It doesn’t make any difference who we are; if we belong to the human race, you and I stand guilty before God. And then Paul is going to take us to God’s clinic. It’s a real spiritual clinic, and the Great Physician is going to look at us. We see that there are fourteen different charges made; six of them before the Judge and the other eight before the Great Physician who says we’re sick. In fact, we’re sick nigh unto death. To tell the truth, we are dead in trespasses and sin. That is our condition.
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin [Rom. 3:9].
Now Paul doesn’t mean “proved” here. That word is a little too strong; it does not have quite that shade of meaning, because Paul is not trying to prove man a sinner. Rather, he is showing that God judges sin. He assumes man is a sinner, and you don’t have to assume it—it is evident. He is merely stating that which is very obvious today. The better word is charged—“for we have before charged both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.” He is just stating the case, by the way, that it doesn’t make any difference who we are today—high or low, rich or poor, good or bad—we’re all under sin.
Now it’s very important to understand what it means to be “under sin.” Man is a sinner four different ways. God is giving man four strikes (in baseball you get only three). (1) Man is a sinner by act. (2) Man is a sinner by nature. Sinning does not make a sinner; we sin because we are sinners. (3) Man is a sinner by imputation. We’ll see that later in this epistle. (4) The estate of man is under sin. We all are under sin—the entire human family.
This is the first charge:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one [Rom. 3:10].
This should read, “It is written that there is none righteous, no, not one,” because it is a free rendering of Psalm 14:1 where David makes the positive statement that “none … doeth good.” “Doeth good” and righteousness are the same.
What does it mean to be righteous? Well, it means to be right. Right with whom? We are to be right with God. And if we are going to be right with God, it is a little different from being right with your fellow man. When we have differences with friends, we may or may not be to blame, but we have to reach some sort of compromise. But if we are going to be right with God, we are going to play according to His rules. Actually, you can’t play games with Him. You see, God’s salvation is a take it or leave it proposition. God is not forcing anybody to take His salvation. You don’t have to be saved. You can turn it down. God says, “This is My universe. You’re living on My little world, using My sunshine and My water and My air, and I have worked out a plan of salvation that is true to My character and My nature. My plan and My program is the one that’s going to be carried out. You’re a sinner, and I want to save you because I love you. Now here it is. Take it or leave it.” That’s what God is saying to a lost world. This is what He is saying to you. Have you accepted it? Well, I want you to know that I have accepted it. To be right with God, then, means to accept His salvation.
When I was in school, I had a professor of sociology who really enjoyed batting that little ball around, saying, “Who is right? Who is going to make the rules?” Well, I know one thing: that professor is not going to make the rules. I know something else: I am not going to make the rules, and you are not going to make the rules either. God makes the rules. Take it or leave it. That is God’s plan; that is God’s program. There is none who is righteous, none right with God. But He has worked out a plan. No one has done good according to God’s standard, according to God’s method. That is the Judge’s first charge.
The second charge is this:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God [Rom. 3:11].
In other words, there is none who acts on the knowledge that he has. No one is the person he would like to be.
The third charge:
“There is none that seeketh after God.” God is not concealed today. God is not playing hide and seek with man. He has revealed Himself. You remember that Paul told the Athenians, the philosophers on Mars’ Hill: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). He is not winking at sin today. God is out in the open telling man that he is a sinner and offering him salvation. And His salvation is clear, you see. That’s what He is saying here. And there is none that seeks after God. The anthologies of religion say man is out looking for God—how fallacious they are! It’s claimed that in the evolutionary process religion is man’s search for God. Well, actually, is religion man’s search for God? No. That’s not what the Bible teaches. Believe me, man hasn’t found out very much about God on his own. He hasn’t advanced very far in that direction, because he’s going the wrong way. He’s going away from God.
Then the fourth charge that He makes is:
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one [Rom. 3:12].
They’ve detoured. They left the way they knew was right. And primitive tribes have an ancient tradition that way back at one time their forefathers knew the living and true God. My friend, if you are honest, you know that you are not doing what you ought to do. Furthermore, you are not going to do it, although you know what it is. You have gone out of the way. Man has deviated from the way. This is the fourth charge that God makes.
The fifth charge is: “they are together become unprofitable.” The word unprofitable suggests overripe, spoiled fruit. It could be translated, “they have altogether become sour.” I am very fond of fruit, especially the papaya. But when it passes the ripe state and becomes rotten, there is nothing quite as bad as that. Mankind is not lush fruit; he is corrupt fruit. That is what the Judge of all the earth is saying.
The sixth charge: “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” This is a triple negative. Mankind is like a group of travelers who have gone in the opposite direction from the right one, and not one can help the others. Our Lord said to the religious leaders of His day, “You are blind leaders of the blind” (see Matt. 15:14). That is what the Judge of all the earth says about you and about me and about everyone on the face of the earth.
Now Paul transfers us over to God’s clinic into the hands of the Great Physician. This is a spiritual clinic, and the Great Physician says that we are spiritually sick.
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips [Rom. 3:13].
When you go to the doctor, what’s the first thing that he says to you? Well, I have to go in for a regular check-up because of the fact that I apparently have cancer in my system, and I report regularly in case of an outbreak. Well, it is a ritual for me to go in, and I sit down in the little room where he does his examination. Do you know the first thing that he says to me? “Open your mouth.” Then he takes a little wooden stick and pushes it around in my mouth, and he looks at my throat. Likewise God, the Lord Jesus, the Great Physician, does that with mankind. Do you know what He says? “Their throat is an open sepulchre.” Have you ever smelled decaying human flesh? When a little girl in Nashville was kidnapped many years ago, the sheriff of the county was a member and a deacon in my church. He called me up and told me they had found the body of a little girl, and they were going out to exhume it. He wanted to know if I wanted to go with them. I got to the place where they had taken the body out—it had been buried several days—and the body was corrupt. Oh, it was terrible! I’ve never been as sick in my life as I was at the odor of corrupt human flesh. I always think of that in connection with this verse.
When God looks down at you, friend, He doesn’t say what a sweet, fine little boy or girl you are. God says you smell like an open grave! Someone, I think it was Mel Trotter, said, “If we could see ourselves as God sees us, we couldn’t even stand ourselves!” Well, that is what Paul is saying here.
And “with their tongues they have used deceit.” That’s number two. And the second thing my doctor says to me (after he looks at my throat) is, “Stick out your tongue!” That’s what the Great Physician says to the human family. “Stick out your tongue.” And when God looks at the tongue of mankind—that means your tongue and mine—do you know what He says? “The poison of asps is under their lips.” There’s a snake house and a place for reptiles in the zoo in San Diego, California, which I have been through several times. As I look-at the vicious fangs of those diamondback rattlers, I think of the poison that is there. Friend, right now, if you go and look in the mirror, you will see a tongue that is far more dangerous than any diamondback rattlesnake. He can’t hurt your reputation at all. He can kill your body, but he can’t hurt your reputation. You have a tongue that you can use to ruin the reputation of someone else. You can ruin the fair name of some woman. You can ruin the reputation of some man. I think today the most vicious thing in some of our churches is the gossip that is carried on. I actually advised someone not too long ago not to join a certain church, because I happen to know that some of the worst gossips in the world are in that church. And I want to tell you they have slaughtered the reputation of many individuals. Do you know who they are? They are the so-called spiritual crowd. I call them the spiritual snobs, because that’s what they are. With their tongues they use deceit, and “the poison of asps [adder’s poison] is under their lips.” Oh, how vicious the human tongue is! How terrible it can be.
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness [Rom. 3:14].
This is the fourth thing the Great Physician says about man. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud; under his tongue is mischief and vanity. Also he is prone to curse. And if you listen to what is being said today, you know that cursing is in the vocabulary of all men, whether he is a ditch digger or a college professor. They’re better at using profanity than they are at any other language. A man challenged this verse one time when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles. He didn’t believe it was true. So I said to him, “Let’s test it. You and I will walk out here to the corner, and the first man who comes by, whoever he is, you punch him in the mouth and see what comes out. I guarantee that it will be as God says.”
Then God says the fifth thing.
Their feet are swift to shed blood [Rom. 3:15].
Isaiah 59:7 gives the unabridged version: “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.” What a picture this is of mankind—“Their feet are swift to shed blood.”
Destruction and misery are in their ways [Rom. 3:16].
Man leaves desolation and distress behind him. This is included in Isaiah 59:7 which we have quoted.
And the way of peace have they not known [Rom. 3:17].
Man does not know the way of peace. Look about you in the world today. After all these years man is still talking about peace, but he hasn’t found it. Just read your newspaper, my friend; there is no peace in this world.
There is no fear of God before their eyes [Rom. 3:18].
Paul seems to sum up all of man’s sin in this final statement. He has no fear of God at all. Man is living as if God does not exist. Man actually defies God. What a picture this gives of mankind!
Now we come to the final thing Paul has to say about sin. Because there are still those who will say, “Well, we have the Law and we’ll keep the Law. We will hold onto it.”
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God [Rom. 3:19].
Man cannot attain righteousness by the Mosaic Law. It is as if mankind in desperation grabbed for the Law as the proverbial straw when drowning. The Law won’t lift him up. Actually, it does the opposite. To hold onto the Law is like a man jumping out of an airplane, and instead of taking a parachute, he takes a sack of cement with him. Well, believe me, the Law will pull you down. It condemns man. It’s a ministration of death.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin [Rom. 3:20].
Now, I challenge any person today who believes that you have to keep the Law to be saved to take this verse and explain it. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” And “justified” means to be declared righteous, to be saved, to meet God’s standards. You can never do it, my beloved. It’s absolutely impossible for mankind to do. “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified.” Then what is the purpose of the Law? “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rather than providing a salvation for man, the Law reveals man to be a sinner.
Between verses 20 and 21 there is a “Grand Canyon” division. We move out of the night into the day. Now Paul begins to speak of God’s wonderful salvation. He will talk about justification by faith, which will be explained in the remainder of the chapter.
AVAILABILITY OF A RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets [Rom. 3:21].
“The righteousness of God” should be a righteousness of God, since the article is absent in the Greek. This “righteousness” is not an attribute of God—He says that He will not share His glory with another—nor is it the righteousness of man. God has already said that “… our righteousnesses are as filthy rags …” (Isa. 64:6), and God is not taking in dirty laundry. Then what righteousness is Paul speaking of? It is the righteousness which God provides. Christ has become our righteousness. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Also we are told in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” It is very important for us to recognize that God is the One who provides this righteousness. It’s not something that you and I can work out, but rather it is something that God has provided for us. A righteousness that God demands, God also provides.
This is a righteousness that is apart from the Law. That is, you can’t get it, my friend, by doing something or keeping something—not even God’s law. You can’t keep the Law to begin with. God can’t save you by law for the very simple reason that you can’t measure up to it. God can’t accept imperfection, and you and I cannot provide perfection. Therefore, He cannot save us by law. “Being witnessed by the law and the prophets” means that the Law bore witness to it in that at the very center of the Mosaic system was a tabernacle where bloody sacrifices were offered which pointed to Christ. Also the prophets witnessed to it when they spoke of the coming of Christ, His death and resurrection. For example, Isaiah prophesied, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all…. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isa. 53:6, 10).
Both the Law and the prophets witnessed to this righteousness that God would provide in Christ.
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference [Rom. 3:22].
When I was a young preacher I thought that the grace of God had to go way down to reach the bad sinners but didn’t have to go down so far to reach others who weren’t so bad. But now I know that God’s grace has to go all the way to the bottom to get all of us. Each one of us is completely lost outside of Christ. Either you are absolutely saved in Christ, or you are completely lost outside of Christ. All of us need the righteousness of Christ. There is no difference.
The righteousness of Christ comes to us through our faith in Christ. Great men of the past have given some apt definitions of this righteousness. William Cunningham wrote: “Under law God required righteousness from man. Under grace, He gives righteousness to man. The righteousness of God is that righteousness which God’s righteousness requires Him to require.” That is a deep definition, but it is a good one. The great Dr. Charles Hodge has given this definition: “That righteousness of which God is the author which is of avail before Him, which meets and secures His approval.” Then Dr. Brooks gives this definition: “That righteousness which the Father required, the Son became, and the Holy Spirit convinces of, and faith secures.” Dr. Moorehead writes: “The sum total of all that God commands, demands, approves, and Himself provides.” I don’t believe it can be said any better than the way these men have said it.
Now this righteousness, as we have seen, is secured by faith, not by works. Let’s look at these verses together.
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God [Rom. 3:22–23].
Let me give you a free rendering of these verses: Even the righteousness from God which is obtained by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe: for there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory [approval] of God. That this righteousness is by faith, not by works, the Lord Jesus made clear when they asked Him, “… What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28–29). And the important thing about securing this righteousness of God is not that there’s any merit in your faith or that there’s merit in just believing. Because, actually, faith is not a work on your part. The object of faith is the important thing. Spurgeon put it like this: “It’s not thy hope in Christ which saves you. It’s Christ. It’s not thy joy in Christ that saves you. It is Christ. And it is not thy faith in Christ that saves you, though that be the instrument, it is Christ’s blood and merit.” Now, friend, that’s very important to nail in our thinking.
And that righteousness is like a garment. It is available to all, but it only comes upon all that believe. And then he says that it’s needed by everyone: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Now that doesn’t mean that there is not a difference in sinners. Let me illustrate this with a very homely illustration. Let’s suppose that we folk here in California play a game called “Jumping to Catalina.” Catalina Island is out in the Pacific Ocean at least fifteen or twenty miles from the shore of California. We will go down to the pier in Santa Monica, and we will take a big running jump, and we’ll see who can jump to Catalina. Somebody’s going to say, “That’s an impossible jump!” Frankly, no one has jumped it, but it’s a lot of fun playing the game. Suppose you and I play the game. You may be able to jump farther than I can jump, but you will miss Catalina. And the fellow who jumps the farthest gets the wettest and has to swim farther back to shore. Of course, nobody could jump to Catalina. Some are better than others, but it’s rather childish to play a game like that and say, “I jumped farther than you did. I’m better than you are, and I’m better than half the church members.” Suppose you are—and you may well be—but what difference does that make? You have not come up to the glory of God.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [Rom. 3:24].
“Freely” is the Greek word doµrean, translated in John 15:25 “without a cause.” Our Lord Jesus said that they hated Him freely, without a cause—there was no basis for it. Now Paul is saying, “Being justified freely—without a cause.” There is no explanation in us. God doesn’t say, “Oh, they are such wonderful people, I’ll have to do something for them!” As we have seen before, there is nothing in us that would call out the grace of God, other than our great need. We are justified without a cause. It is by His grace, which means that there is no merit on our part. Grace is unmerited favor; it is love in action.
It is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Redemption is always connected with the grace of God. The reason that God can save you and me is that Christ redeemed us, He paid a price. He died upon a cross to make it available to us. You see, justification by faith is actually more than subtraction of our sins—that is, forgiveness. It is the addition of the righteousness of Christ. In other words, we are not merely restored to Adam’s former position, but now we are placed in Christ where we shall be throughout the endless ages of eternity the sons of God!
John Bunyan was driven almost to distraction because he realized that he was such a great sinner with no righteousness of his own. And he said at that time, “When God showed me John Bunyan as God saw John Bunyan, I no longer confessed I was a sinner, but I confessed that I was sin from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet. I was full of sin.” And Bunyan struggled with the problem of how he could stand in God’s presence even with his sins forgiven. Where could he gain a standing before God? And so, walking through the cornfields one night, as he wrestled with this problem, the words of Paul (who was another great sinner, who called himself the chief of sinners) came to him, and his burden rolled off his shoulders. The word from Paul was Philippians 3:9: “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” And when you read Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, you’re reading actually the story of Bunyan’s life. And you remember, when Pilgrim came with that great burden on his shoulders through the Slough of Despond, he didn’t know what to do until finally he came to the cross, and there the burden rolled off, and he trusted Christ as his Savior.
“By his grace” is the way God saves us. This is the fountain from which flow down the living waters of God in this age of grace. And so, because of what God has done—sending His Son to die—God is able to save by grace. And Paul in Ephesians 2:4–5 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy [that means He has plenty of it], for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).” And Dr. Newell said of that grace, “The grace of God is infinite love operating by an infinite means—the sacrifice of Christ; and an infinite freedom, unhindered, now, by the temporary restrictions of the law.” Today a holy God is free to reach down to meet your needs. How wonderful it is to know a holy God is free to save those who will trust Christ. Dr. Newell again said, “Everything connected with God’s salvation is glad in bestowment, infinite in extent, and unchangeable in its character.” And it’s all available, and only available, in Christ Jesus. He alone could pay the price. As Peter put it to the nation Israel, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus [Rom. 3:25–26].
Notice it is “faith in his blood.” That blood speaks of His life—“… without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). And I tell you, when you put a knife in the body of a man and the blood pours out, that man is a dead man because “the life of the flesh is in the blood.” And the life of Jesus Christ was given. That blood is a very precious thing according to Simon Peter.
Now, these two verses are filled with words that are jawbreakers: propitiation, righteousness, remission. Although they are difficult words, don’t be too frightened of them, because when we boil them down to our size, we find that in these two verses we have what Calvin called the very marrow of theology. Calvin also wrote: “There is not probably in the whole Bible a passage which sets forth more profoundly the righteousness of God in Christ.”
“God hath set forth”—God is the sole architect of salvation, and He is the One today who is able to save. You and I cannot save; no religion can save; no church can save. Paul said to the Corinthians, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ …” (2 Cor. 5:18). He did it. Now, He is giving to us the ministry of reconciliation, and so all that the holy God is asking you and me to do today is to be reconciled to Him. You don’t have to do anything to soften God’s heart. I have a friend who was an evangelist for years, and he always liked to get people to cry. I used to ask him how many tears you’d have to shed to soften God’s heart. “Oh,” he said, “don’t be ridiculous.” I told him, “I’m not being ridiculous. You are. You say you’ve got to come down to the altar and shed some tears.” My friend, God’s heart is already soft. All you have to do is come. He is reconciled to you. He says to you, “Be ye reconciled to God.” Christ exhibited or displayed.
“To be a propitiation” points back to the time over nineteen hundred years ago when Christ was set forth as the Savior. You will recall that the veil of the temple hid the mercy seat and only the high priest could go in past that veil. But today Christ has been set before us as the mercy seat. Speaking of the mercy seat, the writer of Hebrews says, “And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat …” (Heb. 9:5)—the Greek word for mercy seat, hilasterion, is the same word translated “propitiation.” Christ has been set forth as the mercy seat. You recall that the poor publican cried out, because he needed a mercy seat, “… God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13), which literally is, “God, if there were only a mercy seat for me, a poor publican, to come to!” You see, when a Jew became a publican, he cut himself off from the temple and from the mercy seat that was there. Paul is saying that now there is on display a mercy seat—God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. It is wonderful to know that we have a holy God who in joy and in satisfaction and delight can hold out to the world today a mercy seat.
And God doesn’t reluctantly save you. If you come, He saves you wholeheartedly, abundantly. Some folk tell me that after I am saved I still have to search and pray and tarry for something more. My friend, when I came to Jesus, I got everything (see Eph. 1:3). Oh, how good He was! He didn’t hold back anything. And He says to come, He can accept you. “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Actually, you and I were shut out from a holy God. But the way now has been opened up for us by His blood.
“To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.” That doesn’t mean your sins and my sins of the past; it means the sins of those who lived before the cross. You see, back in the Old Testament, they brought a little lamb. And I’m sure you don’t take a little lamb to church to sacrifice. Today it would be sinful to do that. But back then, before Christ came, it was required; the Law required it. Now, that little lamb pointed to the coming of Christ. No one back in those days believed that the little lamb could take away sins. I don’t think any of them did. Suppose you had been there when Abel brought a little lamb to God, “Abel, do you think this little lamb is going to take away your sin?” He would have told you no. And you would have said, “Then why did you bring it?” His answer would have been, “God required it. God commanded us to bring it.” Hebrews 11:4 tells us “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain….” In other words, he did it by revelation, because “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). The only way Abel could have brought that sacrifice by faith was for God to have told him to bring it. And that is what God did.
You might have said to Abel, “Specifically what do you think God has in mind?” And I think he would have said this, “Well, God has told my mother that there’s coming a Savior. We don’t know when, but until He comes, we’re to do this because we’re to come by faith.” And so the “sins that are past” means that up to the time when Christ died, God saved on credit. God did not save Abraham because he brought a sacrifice. God never saved any of them because they brought a sacrifice. A sacrifice pointed to Christ. When Christ came, He paid for all the sins of the past and also for the sins this side of the cross.
“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” On this side of the cross we don’t bring a sacrifice, but we are to trust in Christ and His blood.
Now Paul raises a question:
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith [Rom. 3:27].
If God is saving by faith in Christ and not by your merit, your works, then where is boasting? What is it that you and I have to crow about? We can’t even boast of the fact that we’re fundamental in doctrine. We have nothing to glory in today. Paul asks, “Where is boasting then?” And he answers the question he raises.
“It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” The word law in the first instance is not restricted to the Old Testament Law but means the principle of law—any law, anything that you think you can do. The second reference to law excludes the Old Testament Law and means simply a rule or principle of faith. In other words, God has the human race not on the merit system, but on the basis of simply believing what He has done for us. Therefore, it excludes boasting.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law [Rom. 3:28].
This is not a conclusion that Paul is coming to or even a summing up of what he has said. Rather, he is giving an explanation of why boasting is excluded. Why is boasting excluded? Man is justified by faith.
Now Paul not only drives the nail in, he turns the board over and clinches it. Listen to him:
Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also [Rom. 3:29].
In other words, does God belong to the Jews alone and not also to the Gentiles? And Paul says, “Yes, to the Gentiles also.” Now, listen to this. This is a very cogent argument. Paul says, “If justification is by the law, then God does belong to the Jews. But if justification is by faith, then He is the God of both Jews and Gentiles.” Now, notice the logic of this. If the Jew persisted in this position, then there must be two Gods—one for the Jews, one for the Gentiles. But the Jew would not allow this. He was a monotheist, that is, he believed in one God. Probably the greatest statement that ever was given to the nation Israel was Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: Jehovah, our Elohim is one Jehovah” (literal translation mine). That was the clarion message He gave in the pagan world before Christ came.
Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith [Rom. 3:30].
In other words, there’s only one God. And in the Old Testament, He gave man the Law. Man failed. God didn’t save them by their keeping the Law; salvation was always by the sacrifice which man brought in faith, pointing to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law [Rom. 3:31].
The reference to the Law, I think, brings in another meaning of this word. It is not restricted to the Mosaic system here. Neither does it refer to just any law. Rather, it refers to the entire Old Testament revelation. “Faith” excluded the works of the Law. But did it abrogate the entire Old Testament revelation? Of course not! Paul will demonstrate in the next chapter by Old Testament illustrations of two men, Abraham and David, that it did not exclude that. These two key men, outstanding men, were saved, not by law but by faith. To begin with, Abraham was born and lived and died four hundred years before the Law was ever given. Abraham did not live on the basis of the Mosaic Law since it was not yet given in his day. God saved him on a different basis, which is by faith. And somebody says, “Well, then what about David?” Now, very honestly, do you think David could have been saved by keeping the Law? Of course he couldn’t. The Old Testament made it very clear that David broke the Law. And yet God saved him. How? Well, He saved him by faith. David trusted God and believed God. Even in his sin, he came in confession to God. God accepted him and saved him by faith.
Today, my friend, when you and I will take the position that we’re sinners and come to God and trust Christ as our Savior—regardless of who we are, where we are, how we are or when we are—God will save us. For God today has put man on one basis and one basis alone. His question is, what will you do with My Son who died for you on the cross?
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Abraham; David; Abraham justified by faith
In this great section of justification by faith, we have seen the doctrine. Paul has vividly stated that man is a sinner. Then he revealed that God provides a righteousness for sinners, and justification by faith has been explained. Now he will illustrate this truth with two men out of the Old Testament: Abraham and David.
In Paul’s day Abraham and David were probably held in higher esteem by the nation Israel than any other two whose lives are recorded in the Old Testament. Abraham was the founder of the Hebrew race, and David was their greatest king. Paul uses these two Old Testament worthies as illustrations to establish his statement in chapter 3 that there is concord and agreement between the Law and the gospel. Although they represent two diametrically opposed systems, neither contradicts nor conflicts with the other. And they are not mutually exclusive. Even under the Law and before the Law, faith was God’s sole requirement. Abraham, before the Law, was justified by faith. And David, under the Law, sang of justification by faith. Paul is not presenting some strange new doctrine which cancels out the Old Testament and leaves the Jew afloat on the sea of life holding onto an anchor rather than being in a lifeboat. Paul is showing that Abraham and David are in the same lifeboat, which he is offering his own people in his day, labeled “justification by faith.” The Law was a pedagogue—it took the man under Law by the hand to lead him to the Lord Jesus Christ.
ABRAHAM
Now we see in the first five verses that Abraham was justified by faith.
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? [Rom. 4:1].
Let’s rearrange the modifiers and phrases to help us follow the thought of Paul: Therefore, what shall we say that Abraham, our first father, has found according to the flesh, that is, by natural human effort? The therefore that opens this chapter connects this argument with what Paul has been talking about back in the third chapter. The gospel excludes boasting and establishes the Law, as we have seen. Abraham and David confirm Paul in this thesis.
Paul uses the idiomatic phrase “What shall we say?” here and in the other argumentative portions of this epistle. In the first division, Paul did not attempt to prove or argue that man is a sinner. For this reason we did not find this phrase there. Also in the last section of this epistle, which is practical, it is entirely omitted.
“Abraham, our first father” reveals that the nation Israel began with Abraham. “First father,” I think, is a peculiar expression. It reveals the importance attached to Abraham, who was first chronologically and also first in importance. Many years ago when I was a pastor in Nashville, several friends that I had known before I studied for the ministry—they were Jewish friends—invited me to come up one evening to speak to a group in the Young Men’s Hebrew Association. So I spoke to them on the glories of the Mosaic Law. I was amazed to find that they reckoned their ancestry from Abraham—they never went past Abraham. Quite a few of their questions revealed that, and finally I asked them some questions. I asked, “Don’t you count Noah or Adam in the line?” These young Jewish friends laughed and said, “No, we stop with Abraham. He’s our first father.”
“Pertaining to the flesh” could modify Abraham, or it could modify the verb has found. What has he found according to the flesh? Abraham has found that Abraham’s works according to the flesh did not produce boasting but produced shame and confusion. That was Abraham’s works. He had nothing to boast of. Oh, don’t misunderstand; I think Abraham was a great man, and especially in that matter of Lot. He wouldn’t let the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah reward him. But in another section Abraham didn’t believe God, and he ran down to Egypt. This matter of that little Egyptian maid that he got and the son that came from her, these are things that are not to be boasted of by Abraham.
Now notice how Paul develops this.
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God [Rom. 4:2].
If Abraham were justified (declared to be righteous) by works—that is, the works of the flesh “he hath whereof to glory,” but not before God. He can glory in self, but he cannot glory before God. It was assumed that Abraham had good works that counted before God. And the fact of the matter is that Abraham had many good works. But the startling thing was to discover that these good works were not the ground of salvation but were the result of his salvation and the result of being justified by faith. You see, James and Paul did not contradict each other when James said, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21). The works that James described are not the works of the flesh under the Law, because Abraham wasn’t under the Law. They were works of faith. Abraham believed God, and he offered up Isaac. But did he actually do it? No, God stopped him and would not let him go through with it. Why? Because it was wrong. You see, Paul and James quote the same verse: Abraham believed God, and He counted it unto him for righteousness (cf. Gen. 15:6; James 2:23; Rom. 4:3). But James goes to the end of Abraham’s life, to the time that he offered up Isaac. Abraham stood on the same ground on which the weakest sinner stands. Granted that he did have works in which to boast, but he could never boast before God, because God does not accept the works of the flesh. The works of the flesh cannot stand before His holiness, and certainly Abraham’s works were tinctured.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness [Rom. 4:3].
Paul appeals to the Scripture as final authority. He even personifies it here—the Scripture is God speaking. What does the Scripture say? There is no other authority to which he can appeal. It was Dr. Benjamin Warfield who made this statement: “The Bible is the Word of God in such a way that whatever the Bible says God says.”
How I wish that more men who claim to be evangelical really believed the Word of God—that it is the Word of God, that it is God speaking. Paul quotes from the Old Testament directly about sixty times in this epistle. This quotation is, of course, from Genesis 15:6: “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Paul is saying, “Hear what the Scripture says; God is speaking to you in His Word.” How tremendous this is.
This promise was given to Abraham at a time when he raised a question with God: “… what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless …?” (Gen. 15:2). God gave him no assurance other than a confirmation of the promise that his seed would be like the stars. In other words, Abraham simply believed God. He took the naked Word of God at face value, and he rested in it. Newell puts it like this: “There was no honor, no merit, in Abraham believing the faithful God, who cannot lie. The honor was God’s. When Abraham believed God, he did the one thing that a man can do without doing anything! God made the statement, the promise, and God undertook to fulfill it. Abraham believed in his heart that God told the truth. There was no effort here. Abraham’s faith was not an act, but an attitude. His heart was turned completely away from himself to God and His promise. This left God free to fulfill that promise. Faith was neither a meritorious act by Abraham, nor a change of character or nature in Abraham; he simply believed God would accomplish what He had promised: ‘In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed’ (Gen. 12:3).” How wonderful! “Counted unto him for righteousness.” God counted, reckoned, it to him. God put it to Abraham’s account. He imputed it over to him for righteousness. It was not righteousness, but that is how God reckoned it.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness [Rom. 4:4–5].
It is a general rule that a workman is paid wages for the services that he renders. A man works for so much an hour, or he is paid so much for a particular job. Obviously Abraham was not a workman, for he did not earn what he received. His salvation was received on the only other basis, and that was undeserved favor—by the grace of God—and he believed God. “But to him that worketh not”—that is, there is nothing that you can do that will merit salvation. But you believe on Him, that is, on God, who declares the ungodly righteous. And the only kind of people God is saving are unrighteous people. Somebody says, “You mean that He doesn’t save good people?” Well, do you want to name one? God will save any man who is good. But Scripture, as we’ve already seen, says, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). This is according to God’s standard, not according to my little standard or your standard. If you want to name somebody who is good, you will make God out a liar. Are you prepared to do that? And, of course, you would have to prove your point.
“His faith is counted for righteousness.” Faith is the only condition. God accepts faith in lieu of works. There is no merit in faith, but it is the only way of receiving that which God freely offers. Faith honors God and secures righteousness for man. God put down righteousness in Abraham’s account to his credit. His faith counted for what it was not—a righteousness from God. This is important to see.
DAVID
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works [Rom. 4:6].
David lived under the Law—Abraham did not because no law had been given during his lifetime. The Mosaic system didn’t come along until four hundred years later. However, although David lived under the Law, David could never be saved under the Law. And therefore David described the blessedness that God reckons righteousness without works—because David had no works. The works that he had were evil. And therefore righteousness must be totally apart and separate from works. Righteousness must come on an entirely different principle.
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered [Rom. 4:7].
This is a direct quotation from Psalm 32, verses 1 and 2. And this is one of the great penitential psalms of David—Psalm 51 is the other one. These verses are the outcome of David’s great sin and his confession and acceptance which followed.
“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.” Are you one of the blessed ones today? Well, I’m glad to be in that company, in that number. “Blessed” expresses, oh, that glorious, wonderful joy of sins forgiven! This is the greatest statement of all, and David knew this by experience.
“Iniquities” is lawlessness. David deliberately broke the law. He didn’t do it ignorantly. He knew what he did, and he was forgiven.
“Are forgiven” refers to a definite and complete act of remission. A hard-boiled judge may under certain circumstances remit sins. But this speaks of the tenderness of God by taking the sinner into His arms of love and receiving him with affection. His sins are covered. How? Because Jesus Christ died and shed His blood, my friend.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin [Rom. 4:8].
In other words, joyful is the man whose sin the Lord will not put to his account. David was a great sinner. And God put away his sin, as Nathan informed him. Nathan said to David, “… The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Sam. 12:13). Nevertheless, David was chastened. David set his own penalty when he responded to Nathan’s account of the rich man who took the poor man’s ewe lamb: “And he shall restore the lamb fourfold …” (2 Sam. 12:6). Four of David’s children were killed—the child of Bathsheba, Amnon his firstborn, Absalom, and Adonijah. Sorrow plagued David all the days of his life. David’s guilt was not put on his account, though—Another bore it for him. Little wonder that he could say, “Joyful is the man whose sin the Lord will in no wise put to his account.”
ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness [Rom. 4:9].
The argument now returns to Abraham to illustrate that justification is universal. Since David has spoken of the joy of the man under law who has been forgiven, the answer of the Jew would be that David belonged to the circumcision and only the circumcision could expect this joy. For this reason Paul returns to Abraham to show that Abraham was justified before the Law was given and also before he was circumcised.
How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision [Rom. 4:10].
God made the promise to him, and he believed God long before there was any kind of agreement made at all—other than that God said He would do it. Abraham believed the naked Word of God.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith [Rom. 4:11–13].
God made that promise to Abraham long before circumcision was introduced. Abraham just believed God; that’s all.
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace [Rom. 4:14–16a].
You see, God saved Abraham by faith alone.
Now notice something else here. Abraham was justified actually by faith in the resurrection.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb [Rom. 4:19].
There is no merit in faith itself. You see, there was nothing around Abraham in which he could trust—nothing that he could feel, nothing that he could see,nothing. All he did was believe God. That’s important.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God [Rom. 4:20].
He was not double-minded. That’s the whole thought here. He looked away from his circumstances to the promise. He believed the promise, in spite of the fact that the circumstances nullified it. He put confidence in the promise because of the One who gave it, thus giving worship to God. You see, man was created to glorify God, but by disobedience he did the opposite. And, my friend, the only way you can glorify God is to believe Him.
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform [Rom. 4:21].
“Fully persuaded” means that he was filled brimful. There was no room for doubt.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness [Rom. 4:22].
This faith in the resurrection—life from the dead—is what God accepted from Abraham in lieu of his own righteousness, which he did not have. God declared Abraham righteous for his faith in the promise of God to raise up a son out of the tomb of death, that is, the womb of Sarah. God promises eternal life to those who believe that He raised up His own Son from the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, the place of death.
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead [Rom. 4:23–24].
The womb of Sarah was a tomb. It was a place of death. But out of that came life. Abraham believed God. And this is what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification [Rom. 4:25].
That is faith, not only in the death of Christ, but also in His resurrection. Matthew Henry put it like this: “In Christ’s death He paid our debt; in His resurrection He took out our acquittance.” God justifies those who believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. How wonderful this is! Have you gone that far with God? Do you believe Him?
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Benefits of salvation; sanctification of the saint
As we come to the fifth chapter of Romans, we find Paul answering one of the questions that would naturally arise in the minds of those who had read his epistle to this point. He has told us that we have been saved by the redemption that we have in Christ, the redemption that had been purchased at tremendous price upon the cross. It delivers us from the guilt of sin so that the sin question has been settled. This means that we will not come before God for judgment which will determine our salvation. It means that an eternal home is waiting for those who have trusted Christ. Now the question Paul will answer is: What about the here and now?
I have heard liberal preachers say, “I do not believe in a religion of the hereafter; I believe in a religion of the here and now.” In San Francisco in the early days of the “hippie” movement, I was talking to a young vagrant on a street corner, and he didn’t want to hear about Christianity. He said, “That’s ‘pie in the sky by and by’ religion, and I don’t care for that.” And so I said to this young fellow, “Then you believe in getting your pie here and now and not by and by?” He said, “That’s right.” I told him that it didn’t look to me like he was getting very much pie in the here and now, and he admitted that he wasn’t. So I said, “Well, it is tragic indeed to miss the pie here and now, and miss it hereafter also.”
Paul now is going to show that there are certain benefits that accrue to the believer right here and now when he trusts Christ, when he’s been justified by faith in the redemption that we have in Christ. And actually these are benefits that the world is very much concerned about, and would like to have them.
Many people are spending a great deal of money today trying to attain the things that are the present benefits of every believer. That doesn’t mean that all believers are enjoying them. However, God has them on the table for you, and all you have to do is reach over and take them (see Eph. 1:3).
BENEFITS OF SALVATION
1. Peace
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ [Rom. 5:1].
“Therefore being justified by faith” refers to the one act of faith the moment we trust Christ.
“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Bible mentions several kinds of peace. First, there’s world peace. The United Nations has worked for it as the old League of Nations did. They didn’t get anywhere in the past, and they’re not getting anywhere today. As I write this, a great many people believe that if you protest loudly enough you can bring peace to the world by human manipulation or psychological gyrations. Well, my friend, as long as there is sin in the hearts of men, there never will be peace in the world—not until the Prince of Peace comes. Christ will bring peace on this earth. But world peace is not the kind of peace that Paul is talking about here.
Then there is that peace which is known as tranquility of soul. That is the peace to which the Lord Jesus referred when He said to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you …” (John 14:27). This is a peace that comes to certain believers who have trusted Christ and who are resting in Him and who are doing His will. I wish I could say that I experience this peace all the time. I do not. I recognize that it is available for every believer today. I suppose I am like most believers in that I have up and down experiences. There are times when this peace floods my soul, and it is wonderful. But there are times when I am under pressure or under tension or when I am weary and this peace somehow eludes me. However, Paul is not referring to the peace of personal tranquility.
Then there is a third kind of peace which Paul mentions to the Philippian believers—“the peace that passeth all understanding” (see Phil. 4:7). Well, since it passes all understanding, I certainly don’t know what it is, and I have a notion that you don’t know either. The peace Paul is talking about, which he lists as the first benefit of salvation, is “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the peace that comes to the soul of one who has trusted Christ as Savior and knows that God no longer has any charge against him, that he is no longer guilty. He knows that God, who had to be against him in the past, is now for him. He knows that he has a salvation that is permanent and eternal. This is the peace that comes because of sins forgiven and because everything is right between you and God. You will notice that Paul mentions again and again that we have peace through the blood of Jesus Christ, which means that everything is all right between our soul and God. That is wonderful peace!
This was explained to me by a wonderful pastor when I was a young boy in my teens. He said that when man sinned in the Garden of Eden, not only did man run away from God—and found himself alienated from the life of God, with no capacity for God and no inclination to turn to Him—but God also had to turn away from man. Then when Christ died on the cross, God turned around, so that now a holy God can say to a lost sinner, “Come.” His arms are outstretched. He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will rest you” (Matt. 11:28, literal translation mine). This is peace, the rest of redemption.
My friend, God is reconciled. You don’t have to do anything to reconcile Him, as we have seen. A great many people think that you have to shed tears to reconcile God. You don’t need tears to soften the heart of God! You don’t have to do anything. Because Christ died on the cross, God is reconciled today. The message of the gospel is, “Be ye reconciled to God.” The next move is yours. When you accept His salvation, then you experience peace that your sins have been forgiven.
There are a great many people who pillow their heads at night, not knowing what it is to have peace in their hearts. Oh, how many weary souls today are laboring with a guilt complex and would love to go somewhere to have that guilt removed from their souls! A Christian psychologist told me several years ago, “The only place you can have a guilt complex removed is at the cross of Christ.” Peace is the first wonderful benefit that accrues to the child of God.
2. Access
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God [Rom. 5:2].
“Access” means that you and I have access to God in prayer. It’s wonderful to have someone to go to and talk to about yourself and about your problems and about your friends and your loved ones. Today we as children of God have access to a heavenly Father who will listen to us here and who does answer our prayer. Now, that doesn’t mean He answers it the way you want it answered, but He always hears you, and sometimes He shows He is a good Heavenly Father by saying no. He will answer according to His wisdom, not according to our will. You will notice that we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.
3. Hope
“And rejoice in hope of the glory of God” is the third benefit. The hope that is mentioned here is the hope that the Scriptures hold out. Paul said to a young preacher by the name of Titus, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). (I don’t think looking for the Great Tribulation is very much of a hope. I’m certainly not looking for it because that would be a dread rather than a hope.) To look for the Lord to come and take His church out of this world, that’s a glorious hope, and it will take place at His appearing.
Now, the child of God has this hope. That means he has a future. He has something to look forward to. You and I are living in a day when man has all the comforts of life in an affluent society, but the interesting thing is, he has no future. James Reston, one of the reporters and editors of The New York Times, several years ago made the statement that in Washington there is a feeling that the problems have so mounted and multiplied that man is totally incapable of solving the problems of this world. The Word of God, you know, goes along with that—I suppose that was one time that The New York Times and the Bible agreed. What a dark outlook is being given to us today, and the band can play and you can wave the flag all you want, but you’d better face facts: there’s a cancer in the body politic. One of the last statements that Bernard Shaw made before his death was that he had pinned his hopes on atheism, but he had found that atheism did not solve the problems of the world. Then he made this remarkable comment, “You are looking at an atheist who has lost his faith.” When an atheist loses his faith, he has nothing in the world to hold onto.
The world today is looking for a hope, looking for a future. This explains the restlessness that is throughout the world, and I think it explains a great many of the movements of the present moment. I believe it has driven a great many folk to alcohol and drug addiction and down other avenues that are dead-end streets. Why? Because they’ve lost hope of the future.
Well, the child of God has a hope, a blessed hope. And he knows that all things are going to work together for good (see Rom. 8:28). He knows that nothing is going to separate him from the love of God (see Rom. 8:39). How wonderful that hope is, the blessed hope of the church.
4. Triumph in troubles
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope [Rom. 5:3–4].
In other words, we joy in troubles, knowing that trouble works patience—patience doesn’t come automatically—and patience, experience; and experience, hope.
It is quite interesting to see the three words that are associated with trouble. One is joy, another is hope, and the third is patience. God has to work that into us although it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. In other words, it takes trouble to bring out the best in the believer’s life. The only way God can get fruit out of the life of the believer is by pruning the branches. The world does it differently. If you, as an unbeliever, are in a nice, comfortable situation and have no troubles, then you can have fun, you can also be patient, and you may have a little hope as you go along. But that is not the way it is with the child of God. Actually, trouble produces these fruits in our lives.
5. Love of God
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us [Rom. 5:5].
“The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” doesn’t mean our love for God; it means God’s love for us. And this love is made real by the Holy Spirit who is given to us.
6. The Holy Spirit
This is the first time in the Epistle to the Romans that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is mentioned. This is only a reference to Him in this list of present benefits. We will not come to the ministry of the Holy Spirit until we get to chapter 8 of Romans where He is mentioned more than twenty times. Here we are simply told that the Holy Spirit is given to every believer—not to only some believers, but to all believers. Even to the Corinthians Paul wrote, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). The Corinthian believers were certainly a carnal lot—in fact, Paul called them babes in Christ—yet the Holy Spirit indwelt them. That’s wonderful! I’m glad that, when I came to Christ, I got everything God offers in salvation.
And it is the Holy Spirit who actualizes, or makes real, the love of God in the hearts of believers—that is, God’s love for us. Today we need to be conscious of the fact that God loves us. How people need to be assured of that in their lives! Only the Spirit of God can make real to us God’s love.
Now notice how Paul explains the love of God.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly [Rom. 5:6].
Christ died for the ungodly—not for the good boys and girls, but for ungodly sinners—those who actually were His enemies, who hated Him, to whom He said when they were crucifying Him, “… Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do …” (Luke 23:34). And, friend, you and I were numbered with the ungodly.
A few years ago I talked to a young man who had love written on his cap, on his funny coat, on his trousers, and even on his shoes! I asked him why. He said, “Why, man, God is love.” I agreed with that. Then he said, “God saved me by His love.” I replied, “I disagree with that. God does not save you by His love.”
Now that seems startling to a great many folk even today. But actually, friend, God does not save you by His love. You see, God is more than love; He is holy and He is righteous. God cannot open the back door of heaven and slip sinners in under the cover of darkness, and He can’t let down the bars of heaven and bring sinners in. If He does that, He’s no better than a crooked judge who lets a criminal off. God has to do something for the guilt of sinners. There must be judgment, you see. However, God does love us. Regardless of who you are or what you have done, God loves you. It is wrong to say to children, “If you are mean, Willie, or if you do what is wrong, God won’t love you.” The interesting thing is that God will love little Willie, regardless of what he does. And He loves you. You can’t keep God from loving you. Now you can get to the place that you do not experience the love of God. For instance, you can’t keep the sun from shining, but you can get out of the sunshine. You can put up an umbrella of sin, an umbrella of indifference, an umbrella of stepping out of the will of God, which will keep His love from shining on you. Although all these things will remove you from experiencing God’s love, He still loves you.
As I was talking to this young fellow with love written on his clothing, I asked him to show me a verse in the Bible that said God saves us by love. Of course he didn’t know any. I said, “The Word of God says, ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God’ (Eph. 2:8). God saves us by His grace, not by His love. ‘God so loved the world’ that He saved the world? Oh, no—He couldn’t. A holy God has to be true to His character. But He did this: ‘… God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16).”
God has demonstrated His love for you, my friend, in that He gave His Son to die for you. He paid the penalty for your sin, and our holy God now can save you if you come His way. Of course, you’ll have to come His way. There is a mistaken idea today that you can come to Him your way. This isn’t your universe; it’s His universe. You and I don’t make the rules. He makes the rules. And He says that no man comes to Him except through Christ (see John 14:6).
Now notice how he continues.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die [Rom. 5:7].
Do you know any folk who would die for you? Could you put upon the fingers of one hand those who would be willing to die for you? By the way, could you put upon one finger those who love you enough to die for you? Well, you certainly could put it upon one finger, because God loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. And if it were necessary, He would appear today to die for you again, if it would take that to save you. He loves you that much.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us [Rom. 5:8].
He died for you and me. That is where God revealed His love. And God doesn’t save us by love. He now saves us by grace because the guilt of sin has been removed by the death of Christ, and He can hold out His arms and save you today.
7. Deliverance from wrath
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him [Rom. 5:9].
The “wrath” mentioned here is what the prophets spoke of: “That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Zeph. 1:15). What is the great day of wrath? It is what the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation. And Paul tells believers that we shall be “saved from wrath.” We have been saved from the penalty of sin; He is constantly saving us today from the power of sin; and He is going to save us in the future from the presence of sin. That means that every believer will leave this earth at the Rapture. We will escape that day of wrath, not because we are worthy, but because we have been saved by the grace of God. We have been saved by grace; we live by the grace of God; and ten billion years from today we will still be in heaven by the grace of God. We are saved from wrath through Him—through Christ.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life [Rom. 5:10].
You see, He died down here to save us; He lives up yonder to keep us saved.
8. Joy
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement [Rom. 5:11].
We joy in God! I think this is one of the most wonderful statements we have in Scripture. It means that right now, wherever you are, whatever your problems are, my friend, you can joy, rejoice, in God. Just think of it! You can rejoice that He lives and that He is who He is. You can rejoice because He has provided a salvation for us and is willing to save us sinners and bring us into His presence someday. He has worked out a plan to save us because of His love for us. Isn’t that enough to make you rejoice? Oh, the child of God should have joy in his heart. He doesn’t need to go around smiling like a Cheshire cat, but he certainly ought to have a joyful heart. I love the song, “Let’s Just Praise the Lord.” These are the eight wonderful benefits of salvation. Let’s just praise the Lord!
SANCTIFICATION OF THE SAINT
We have seen the salvation of the sinner; now we are coming to the sanctification of the saint. In salvation we are declared righteous, but God wants to do more than declare a person righteous. Justification does not make a person righteous. It means that before God’s holy court, before the bar of heaven, a lost sinner is now declared righteous, but his heart has not been changed. My friend, if you think God intends to leave a sinner in his sin, you are wrong. God wants to make us the kind of folk we should be. So God also has a plan in salvation whereby He not only declares a sinner righteous, but He is also going to make a sinner righteous. That is, God provides a way that a sinner may grow in grace and become sanctified (set apart) for God.
The remainder of this chapter is labeled potential sanctification. Now let me warn you that you may find this difficult to understand and difficult to accept.
In potential sanctification we have what is known as the federal headship of Adam and Christ.
HEADSHIP OF ADAM
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned [Rom. 5:12].
Let me give you my own translation of this verse, which may bring out the meaning a little better: “On this account (the plan of salvation for all by one Redeemer) just as through one man sin entered (as a principle) into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread throughout upon all men on the ground of the fact that all sinned.”
Now we need to understand that the sin we’re talking about is the sin of Adam, that first sin of Adam—not his second one or his third one or his fourth one—his first sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden, which brought death upon all of his offspring.
Now that brings me back to consider something that is very important: You and I are sinners, as we have said, in four different ways. (1) We are sinners because we commit acts of sin. Also, (2) we’re sinners by nature (sin doesn’t make us sinners, but we sin because we have that nature). (3) We are in the state of sin. God has declared the entire human family under sin. (4) Finally, you and I are also sinners by imputation. That is, Adam acted for the human race because he was the head of it.
It is on the basis of the federal headship of Adam that now God is able through the federal headship of Christ to save those who will trust Christ. This is what theologians have labeled the federal headship. Adam and Christ are representatives of the human race. Adam is the natural head of the human race. By the way, I accept that. I saw a bumper sticker that interested me a great deal. It read, “My ancestors were human—sorry about yours.” This lays in the dust the idea that you can be a Christian, believing the Word of God, and also accept the theory of evolution. Adam is the head of the human family. That is what Paul is saying here—he is the natural head. And his one act of disobedience plunged his entire offspring into sin. We are all made sinners by Adam’s sin.
First, let’s see what this does not mean. It does not refer to the fact that we have a sinful nature inherited from Adam. It is true that I got a sinful nature from my father, and he from his father, and on back. Also, I passed on that nature to my child and to my grandchildren. The first grandchild was such a wonderful little fellow, I was beginning to doubt the total depravity of man. But as he began growing up, he began to manifest this depraved nature. Now I have a second grandson, a redheaded boy, and does he have a temper! Now I am convinced again of the total depravity of man. I have seen a manifestation in those two little fellows of a nature they got from their grandmother (I think!). Although you and I do have sinful natures and do pass them on to our offspring, this particular verse does not refer to that fact.
Also, the verse before us that says “all have sinned” does not mean that we are guilty of a sinful act. Of course, we are guilty, but that is not what the verse is talking about.
Now let’s see what it does mean. It does refer to the fact that we are so vitally connected with the first father of the human race that before we even had a human nature, before we had committed a sin, even before we were born, we were sinners in Adam.
Maybe you don’t like that. But God says that that is the way it is. We see it illustrated in Hebrews 7:9, “And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.” That is, long before Levi was even born, he paid tithes to Melchisedec. How could he do it? “For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him” (Heb. 7:10). In just such a way, Adam’s sin was imputed to us. What Adam did, we did. God could put all of us in a Garden of Eden and give us the same test He gave to Adam. Do you think you would do any better with your sinful nature than Adam did without a sinful nature? I don’t think so. We might as well accept the fact that Adam’s one act of disobedience made all of us sinners.
Now let me give you a personal illustration. My grandfather lived in Northern Ireland although he was Scottish. Even in his day they were fighting, and he didn’t like it. So he emigrated to the United States. Now, what my grandfather did, I did. When he left Northern Ireland, I left Northern Ireland. And I thank God he left. I really appreciate what Grandpa did for me! What he did, I did because I was in him. The reason I was born in America is because of what he had done.
In this same way Adam’s sin is imputed to us.
We have already seen that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by the death of Christ. Christ is the head of a new race, a new redeemed man, and the church is His body, a new creation. The hymn writer put it accurately: “The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. She is His new creation by water and the word.” The church is a new creation, a new race. This is what Paul says, “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit…. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:45, 47). Now, there will not be a third Adam, for Christ is the last Adam. There will be the third and fourth and myriads of men because Christ is the second man, but He’s not the second Adam. He is the last Adam. He is the head of a new race. That is something that is preliminary.
As we go through this section, we will notice an expression that is very meaningful. It is “much more.” What Paul is going to say is that we have “much more” in Christ than we lost in Adam. That expression occurred in verse 9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” And in verse 10, “Much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” There is a great deal of “much more” in this section. In 1 Corinthians 15, verses 21–22, I read this, “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Now, death came by Adam. And if you want proof that the first sin of Adam was a representative act, consider why a little infant will die when that little child has not committed a sinful act. Well, that little infant belongs to the race of Adam. In Adam all die. You see, God did not create man to die. God had something better in store for man and does today.
Now, with that thought in mind, let’s move on to verse 13.
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law [Rom. 5:13].
From Adam to Moses sin was in the world, but at that time sin was not a transgression; it was merely rebellion against God. I think this is the reason God did not exact the death penalty from Cain when he murdered his brother. I cannot think of a deed more dastardly than what he did, but at that time God had not yet said, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exod. 20:13). Actually, God put a mark on Cain to protect him. A little later on you find that one of the sons of Cain, Lamech, tells why he killed a man. He says, “I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold” (Gen. 4:23–24). You see, Lamech had a reason. Also, that generation that was destroyed at the Flood was saturated with sin. They were incurable incorrigibles. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). But not one of them broke the Ten Commandments—because there were no Ten Commandments then. But they were judged because they were sinners. And, friend, that answers the question about the heathen being lost who haven’t heard the gospel. The answer is that all men belong to a lost race. It may be difficult for you and me to accept this fact, but you and I have been born into a lost race. We’re not a lovely people. We are not the product of evolution—onward and upward forever with everything getting better. You and I belong to a lost race, and we need to be redeemed. Even the very thoughtlife of man is alienated from God.
Somebody may say, “Then I think God is obligated to save all of us.” No, He is not. Suppose that you could go down to an old marshy lake covered with scum where there are hundreds of turtles, and you take a turtle out of there. And you teach this turtle to fly. Then this turtle goes back to the lake and says to the other turtles, “Wouldn’t you like to learn to fly?” I think they’d laugh at the turtle. They’d say, “No! we like it down here. We don’t want to learn to fly.” And that is the condition of lost mankind today. People don’t want to be saved. People are lost, alienated from God. Now, that’s a great truth that does not soak into our minds easily, because we have that lost nature. We just love to think that we’re wonderful people. But we are not, my friend.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come [Rom. 5:14].
Paul is personifying death. He speaks of the fact that death reigned like a king from Adam to Moses. Although he had not broken the Ten Commandments—because they hadn’t yet been given—man was yet a sinner.
The word death is used in a threefold way in Scripture. There is what is known as physical death. That refers only to the body, and it means a separation of the spirit from the body. This death comes to man because of Adam’s sin. Also, there is spiritual death, which is separation from and rebellion against God. And we inherit this nature from Adam, by the way. We are alienated from God, and we are dead in trespasses and sins (see Eph. 2:1). That is the picture that Scripture presents. Then there is eternal death. That is the third death that Scripture speaks of, and it is eternal separation from God. And, unless man is redeemed, eternal death inevitably follows (see Rev. 21:8).
Adam is here definitely declared to be a type of Christ—“who is the figure” or “he is the type of him who was to come.” That is, Adam is a type of Christ.
HEADSHIP OF CHRIST
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many [Rom. 5:15].
We have “much more” in Christ. Today we are looking forward to something more wonderful than the Garden of Eden. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13).
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification [Rom. 5:16].
Now I recognize that this is a difficult section, and this is one of the most difficult passages. To simplify it, all this section means is this: one transgression plunged the race into sin; and one act of obedience and the death of Christ upon the cross makes it possible for lost man to be saved.
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ) [Rom. 5:17].
Paul has previously stated (v. 14) that death reigns as king. Death came to the throne by one man who committed only one offense—that is, the original sin, the one act, involved the race. Here Paul presents another kingdom which is superior to the kingdom of death. It is the kingdom of life. It is offered to the subjects of the kingdom of death through the superabundance of grace. Man has only to receive it. The King of the kingdom of life is Jesus Christ. The gift comes through Him.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life [Rom. 5:18].
This is the underlying principle of the imputation of sin and the imputation of righteousness. This is the doctrine of the federal headship of the race in Adam and Christ.
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous [Rom. 5:19].
Here Paul sums up his argument on federal headship: Adam’s one act of disobedience made all sinners—not just possessors of a sin nature, but guilty of the act of sin. Christ’s obedience—His death and resurrection—makes it possible for God to declare righteous the sinner who believes in Him.
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound [Rom. 5:20].
When God gave the Law, He gave with it a sacrificial system. Then later on Christ came to fulfill that part of it also. In other words, God has given to the human race, a lost race, an opportunity to be delivered from the guilt of sins—not the nature of sin. You and I will have that old sin nature throughout our lives.
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord [Rom. 5:21].
“As sin hath reigned unto death”—you and I are living in a world where sin reigns. Do you want to know who is king of the earth today? Well, Scripture tells us that Satan is the prince. He is the one who goes up and down this earth seeking whom he may devour (see 1 Pet. 5:8). “Sin hath reigned unto death,” and the cemeteries are still being filled because of that.
“Even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” He is calling out a people—out of a lost race—and He is “teaching turtles to fly” if they want to. However, the turtle nature doesn’t want to fly. Man is alienated from God; he has a sin nature. Now God offers salvation to a lost race.
The claims of God’s righteousness are fully met in the death of Christ. The kingdom is fully and firmly established on the cross of Christ. All other ground is sinking sand. The believing sinner now has eternal life by being united to the last Adam, the raised and glorified Savior. This makes possible the sanctification of the saved sinner, which is the theme of the next chapter.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Positional sanctification; practical sanctification
We discovered in chapter 5 that sin has come through the headship of Adam and that sanctification comes through the headship of Christ. Because of the natural headship of Adam, sin was imputed to the human family. But there is another head of the human family, and that is Christ. He brings life and righteousness. He removes the guilt of sin from us. And on that basis, He can move into the lives of those who trust in Him and begin to make them righteous. That is, He can begin to make them good.
Now here in chapter 6 we begin with what I have labeled “positional sanctification.”
Let me say a word about this matter of sanctification. There is a difference between justification and sanctification. These are two words from the Bible, my friend, that you ought to cozy up to and get acquainted with. There is a difference between merely being saved from sin and being made the type of folk we should be because we are separated unto God.
Identification with Christ for justification is also the grounds of our sanctification. We are in Christ. These are two different subjects, but they are not mutually exclusive. Justification is the foundation on which all the superstructure of sanctification rests.
Now let me put it like this: justification is an act; sanctification is a work. Justification took place the moment you trusted Christ—you were declared righteous; the guilt was removed. Then God began a work in you that will continue throughout your life. I believe in instantaneous salvation, but sanctification is a lifelong process. In other words, justification is the means; sanctification is the end. Justification is for us; sanctification is in us. Justification declares the sinner righteous; sanctification makes the sinner righteous. Justification removes the guilt and penalty of sin; sanctification removes the growth and the power of sin.
God is both an exterior and interior decorator. He is an exterior decorator in that He enables us to stand before Him because He has paid the penalty and removed the guilt of sin from us. But He is also an interior decorator. He moves into our hearts and lives by the power of the Holy Spirit to make us the kind of Christians we should be. God does not leave us in sin when He saves us.
This does not imply that sanctification is a duty that is derived from justification. It is a fact that proceeds from it, or rather, both justification and sanctification flow from being in Christ, crucified and risen. The sinner appropriates Christ by faith for both his salvation and his sanctification. We’re told in 1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”
Up to chapter 6, Paul does not discuss the holy life of the saint. From chapter 6 on, Paul does not discuss the salvation of the sinner. He wasn’t talking about the saint and the life he is to live when he was discussing salvation. Now he is discussing that. Therefore, the subject of this chapter is the ability of God to make sinners, whom He has declared righteous, actually righteous. He shows that the justified sinner cannot continue in sin because he died and rose again in Christ. To continue in sin leads to slavery to sin and is the additional reason for not continuing in sin. The believer has a new nature now, and he is to obey God. This section delivers us from the prevalent idea today that a believer can do as he pleases. Union with Christ in His death and resurrection means that He is now our Lord and our Master. He gives us freedom, but that freedom is not license, as we are going to see.
POSITIONAL SANCTIFICATION
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [Rom. 6:1].
Paul is being argumentative. He wasn’t, you remember, when he was discussing sin. Rather, he was stating facts. He wasn’t trying to prove anything. He just looked at life in the raw, right down where the rubber meets the road, and said that we are all sinners. However, now he uses this idiomatic question which opens this chapter, and he is argumentative. In the Greek the question is asked in such a way that there is only one answer. He precedes the question with “What shall we say then?” After you see God’s wonderful salvation, what can you say to it? Our only fitting response is hallelujah! What else can you say to God’s wonderful salvation? Now Paul’s argumentative question is this: “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”
And this, my friend, is God’s answer to the question of whether, after we are saved, we can continue to live in sin. The answer is, “God forbid” or “perish the thought!” or “may it never be!”
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [Rom. 6:2].
The very fact that Paul is asking this question makes it obvious that he understood justification to mean a declaration of righteousness; that it did not mean to make a person good, but to declare a person good. Justification means that the guilt or the penalty of sin is removed, not the power of sin in this life.
Now he is going to talk about removing the power of sin. If God has declared you to be righteous and has removed the guilt of your sin, then, my friend, you cannot continue in sin. The answer is, “God forbid!”
“How shall we, that are dead to sin”—this is something that is misunderstood. We are never dead to sin as long as we are in this life. The literal translation is, “How shall we who have died to sin.” Note this distinction. That means we died in the person of our substitute, Jesus Christ. We died to sin in Christ. But we are never dead to sin. Any honest person knows he never reaches the place where he is dead to sin. He does reach the place where he wants to live for God, but he recognizes he still has that old sin nature.
It is verses like that that have led a group of sincere folk, whom I call super-duper saints—I hope I’m not being unfair to them—to feel they have reached an exalted plane where they do not commit sin. One such group is a branch of those who teach the “victorious life.” They feel they have reached the pinnacle of perfection. There are different brands of these, I know, but one group was especially obnoxious several years ago in Southern California. One young man approached me following a morning worship service, and he asked, “Are you living the victorious life?” I think I shocked him when I said, “No, I’m not!” Then I asked him, “Are you?” Well, he beat around the bush and didn’t want to give me a direct answer. He said he tried to. And I said, “Wait a minute, that’s not the question. You asked me if I am living it, and I said no. Now you answer me yes or no.” And to this good day he hasn’t answered me. Like most of them, he was a very anemic-looking young fellow; I suspected he was a fugitive from a blood bank. He continued arguing his case. “Well, doesn’t the Scripture say, ‘I am crucified with Christ?’ and doesn’t it say that we are dead to sin?” I said, “No, that is not what the Scriptures say. We died to sin in Christ—that’s our position—but we are never dead to sin in this life. You have a sinful nature; I have a sinful nature; and we’ll have it as long as we are in this life.” He persisted, “Then what does it mean when it says we are crucified with Christ?” So I told him, “When Christ died over nineteen hundred years ago, that is when we died. We died in Him, and we were raised in Him, and we are joined now to a living Christ. This is the great truth that is there. I don’t know about you, but I’m not able to crucify myself. The very interesting thing is that you can kill yourself in a variety of ways—by poison, with a gun, by jumping off a building—but you cannot crucify yourself. Maybe you can drive the nails into one hand on a cross, but how are you going to fasten the other hand to the cross? You cannot do it. How are you going to crucify yourself? You cannot do it. My young friend, you were crucified over nineteen hundred years ago when Christ died.”
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into this death? [Rom. 6:3].
This again is a verse that has been misunderstood. If you find water in this verse, you have missed the meaning.
Many years ago the late Dr. William L. Pettingill was conducting a conference in the church I was pastoring, and as I was driving him back to the hotel after a service, I said, “Dr. Pettingill, did I understand you to say there is no water in the sixth chapter of Romans?” (I should add that he was the strongest “immersionist” I have ever met in my life.) He laughed and said, “No, that’s not exactly what I said. I said that if all you see in Romans 6 is water, you have missed the point.” I said, “Well, if you go that far, that is wonderful for me because it confirms the great truth that is here.”
What did Paul mean by the word baptize in this third verse? I do not think he refers to water baptism primarily. Don’t misunderstand me; I believe in water baptism, and I believe that immersion best sets forth what is taught here. But actually he is talking about identification with Christ. You see, the translators did not translate the Greek word baptizoµ, they merely transliterated it. That is, they just spelled the Greek word out in English, because baptizoµ has so many meanings. In my Greek lexicon there are about twenty meanings for this word. Actually baptizoµ could refer to dyeing your hair. In fact, there was a group in Asia Minor who dyed their hair purple; and they belonged to a baptizoµ group. But here in Romans 6:3 Paul is speaking about identification with Jesus Christ. We were baptized or identified into His death. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body….” We are identified in the death of Christ, as Paul will explain in the next verse.
Now Paul is going to say that there are three things essential to our sanctification. Two of them are positional; one of them is very practical. For the two that are positional, we are to know something. Every gadget that you buy has instructions with it. When I buy a toy for one of my grandsons, I take it out of the box, and I try to follow instructions for assembling it—and sometimes it is very difficult for me to do. Well, living the Christian life is such an important thing that it comes with instructions. There are certain things we are to know. We are to know that when Christ died over nineteen hundred years ago, we were identified with Him. Let me make it personal. Nineteen hundred years ago, they led me outside of an oriental city by the name of Jerusalem. By the way, I stood at that spot not too long ago. I looked up to Gordon’s Calvary, the Place of the Skull, Golgotha. I tried to visualize the One who died there. When He died there over nineteen hundred years ago, He took Vernon McGee there. I was the one who was guilty. He was not guilty. Don’t argue with me about whether the Jews crucified Christ—He died on the Roman cross—but let’s not argue that. My sin put Him up there, and your sin put Him up there, my friend. We were identified with Jesus Christ. That is something that we should know, and it is very important for us to know. We’re identified with Him.
Now Paul will amplify this:
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life [Rom. 6:4].
“We are buried with him by baptism into death”—just as we are identified with Christ in His death, likewise are we identified with Christ in His resurrection. We are joined today to a living Christ. In other words, our sins have already been judged; we are already raised; and we are yonder seated with Christ in the heavenlies. My friend, there are only two places for your sins: either they were on Christ when He died for you over nineteen hundred years ago—because you have trusted Him as your Savior—or they are on you today, and judgment is ahead for you. There is no third place for them.
“We are buried with him by baptism [identification] into [His] death.” Frankly, although I was reared a Presbyterian, I think that immersion is a more accurate type of this identification. I think the Spirit’s baptism is the real baptism. Water is the ritual baptism, but I do think that immersion sets forth the great spiritual truth that is here. This is the reason a child of God should be baptized in water in our day. It is a testimony that he is joined to the living Christ. That is all important.
What did Peter mean when he said in 1 Peter 3:21, “… baptism doth also now save us …”? How does it save us? Well, in the preceding verse he talks about eight souls who were saved in the ark. They went through the waters of judgment inside the ark. The folk in the water were those who were outside the ark, and they were drowned. The eight people in the ark didn’t get wet at all—yet Peter says they were saved by baptism. Obviously the word baptism has nothing to do with water in this instance; rather it means identification. They were identified with the ark. They had believed God, and they had gotten into the ark. God saw that little boat floating on the surface of the water. Now today God sees Christ; He doesn’t see Vernon McGee because I am in Christ. He is my ark today. Christ went down into the waters of death, and we are in Christ. And we are raised with Him. We are joined to Him. This is important. Don’t miss it. If you do, you will miss one of the greatest truths of the Christian life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection [Rom. 6:5].
In other words, if we are united by being grafted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also united by growth—grafted, vitally connected—in the likeness of His resurrection. We actually share the life of Christ somewhat as a limb grafted into a tree shares the life of the tree. The life of Christ is our life now.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin [Rom. 6:6].
“Knowing this”—these are things we know.
When Paul says your “old man” is crucified with Him, he doesn’t mean your father; he means your old nature is crucified with Him. “That the body of sin might be destroyed”—the word destroyed is katargeo, meaning “to make of none effect, to be paralyzed or canceled or nullified”—“that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Paul is not saying that the old nature is eradicated. He is saying that since the old man was crucified, the body of sin has been put out of business, so that from now on we should not be in bondage to sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin [Rom. 6:7].
For he who died is declared righteous from sin. He is acquitted. That is his position.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him [Rom. 6:8].
If we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also be living with Him both here and hereafter. We share His resurrection life today, and we will be raised from the dead someday.
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him [Rom. 6:9].
“Knowing”—this is something else we are to know.
“He ever liveth” is the victor’s chorus. The glorified Christ says, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:18). The Resurrection opens up eternity to Christ, and it will open up eternity to those who will trust Him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God [Rom. 6:10].
He died one time, but He is alive today. And He ever lives to make intercession for those who are His. Because of this, He can save you right through to the uttermost.
Now we come to the second thing that we as believers are to reckon on.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Rom. 6:11].
“Reckon” doesn’t mean I “reckon” or “suppose,” as some of us Texans use it. Rather, we are to count on the fact that we are dead unto sin and alive unto God. We are to reckon (count on it) that our old nature lay in Joseph’s tomb over nineteen hundred years ago, but when Christ came back from the dead, we came back from the dead in Him. This is something to count on.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof [Rom. 6:12].
That is, don’t let sin keep on reigning in your body, that you should obey the desires of the body.
PRACTICAL SANCTIFICATION
We have seen that sanctification is positional. That means we are to know something. We are to know God’s method of making a sinner the kind of person He wants him to be. While justification merely declared him righteous, removed the guilt of sin, it did not change him in his life. It gave him a new nature. Now he is to know that he was buried with Christ and raised with Him. God wants him to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. The believer is joined to the living Christ. He is to reckon on that fact; he is to count on it. He is to consider it as true. You see, God saved us by faith, and we are to live by faith. Many of us, and that includes this poor preacher, have trusted Him for salvation, but are we trusting Him in our daily living? We are to live by faith.
Now we come to that which is very practical indeed. You are to yield yourself or present yourself to God.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God [Rom. 6:13].
Yield is the same word as present in Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God….” This is a presentation of yourself for service. Yield is the same word, and it means “to present yourself.” The idea of the surrendered life or the yielded life sounds colorless to so many people. We talk about surrendering and at the same time living the victorious life, and they seem to be a contradition of terms. I like the word present much better—“Neither present ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.” The reason most of us get into trouble is because we yield ourselves to the old nature. By an act of the will we can yield ourselves to do God’s will through the new nature.
A little girl fell out of bed one night and began to cry. Her mother rushed into her bedroom, picked her up, put her back in bed, and asked her, “Honey, why did you fall out of bed?” And she said, “I think I stayed too close to the place where I got in.” And that’s the reason a great many of us fall, my friend. It is because we are actually yielding ourselves to the old nature. We’re following the dictates of the old nature; that is what gets us into trouble.
Although we will not get rid of that old nature in this life, we are told now, “Yield yourselves unto God.” Just as you yield yourself to do sin, you are to yield yourself unto God “as those that are alive from the dead.” You’re now alive in Christ. You have a new nature. You’ve been born again.
“And your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” deals with that which is specific and particular. What is your real problem, friend? I know what mine is. What about yours? Whatever that specific thing is, yield it to God. A bad temper? Well, take that to Him and talk to Him about it. What about a gossipy tongue? A dear lady who attended a “tongues meeting” was asked if she wanted to speak in tongues. She exclaimed, “Oh, my no. I’d like to lose about forty feet off the one I have now!” If your tongue is your problem, yield it to God. And by the way, in this day in which we are living, what about immorality? Sex is the big subject of the hour. My, everybody’s getting in on the act today. Is that your sin? Well, you’re to yield yourself to God—your members “as instruments of righteousness unto God.” And don’t tell me you can’t do it. You can do it through the power of the Holy Spirit.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace [Rom. 6:14].
The Law was given to control the old nature. As a believer, you are not to live by the old nature. You have a new nature, and you are to yield yourself or present yourself to God. What a glorious, wonderful privilege it is to present ourselves to Him!
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [Rom. 6:15].
Let me give my translation of this verse, which may be helpful: What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? (Should we commit an act of sin? For you are no more under law, but under grace.) Away with the thought (perish the thought). The form of the question is put differently here than it was back in verse 1. Paul has demonstrated in the past fourteen verses that God’s method of sanctification is on the same basis as justification; it is by faith, faith that God can do it. You and I cannot do it. When we learn that we cannot live the Christian life, we have learned a great lesson. Then we are prepared to let Him live it through us.
Paul’s question here is whether there should be an assist given to grace to accomplish its high and holy end. In other words, the natural man thinks there ought to be some laws, rules, or regulations given. In the course of the church’s history we have had all kinds of groups that have come up with rules for living the Christian life. There were the Puritans, a wonderful group of folk, and we owe a great deal to them, but they had a strict observance of the Sabbath day (they called Sunday the Sabbath, which, of course, it is not). A strict observance of Sunday was an obsession with them. We have a carry-over of that today. There are a great number of groups who put down certain rules for a believer. Some of our fundamental people have made, not ten commandments, but about twenty new commandments. If the believer does certain things and refrains from doing certain other things, he is living the Christian life. This is the reason, friend, that I oppose the idea that you can become a wonderful Christian by taking some of these short courses being offered today. That’s not the way you are to do it. We have a girl in our office who took a course, and, oh, she was enthusiastic. But you ought to see her today. She is really in a depression. Why? Because she tried to do it by rules and did not let Christ do it.
The Christian life is not following certain rules; you can follow rules and regulations and still not be living the Christian life. Somebody asks, “Then what is the Christian life?” The Christian life is to be obedient unto Christ. It means communication with Christ. My friend, do you love Him? That’s the important thing. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15, italics mine). Identification with Christ is positional sanctification, as we have seen. That is basic. But obedience to Christ is the experience of sanctification, and that is practical sanctification. It is just as simple as that, my friend. It is not how you walk, but where you walk—are you walking in the light, walking in fellowship with Christ? Sin will break the fellowship, of course, and then we are to confess our sin. The Lord Jesus said to Peter yonder in the Upper Room, “If I wash you not, you have no part with me” (see John 13:8). We don’t have fellowship with Him unless we confess our sins to Him as we go along. Our part is confession; His part is cleansing (see 1 John 1:9). The important thing for you and me is to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to obey Him. Then we will be living the Christian life.
Vincent once said to Godet, “There is a subtle poison which insinuates itself into the heart even of the best Christian; it is the temptation to say: Let us sin, not that grace may abound, but because it abounds.” You see, there are many Christians today who say, “I am saved, and I can do as I please.” My friend, if you have been saved by grace, you cannot do as you please, as we shall see in the eighth chapter of Romans.
In his letter to the Galatian believers, Paul makes it clear that there are three ways in which you can live: (1) You can live by law; (2) you can live! by license; (3) you can live by liberty. To live by law, everyone puts down some principle. I read of a movie star who said that his whole life was given to sex—that’s his law; he lives by that. Regardless of who you are, if you are living by law, you are living by the old nature. Then, the other extreme which Paul is guarding against here, is license. If you are a child of God, you can’t do as you please; you have to do as Christ pleases. You must be obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ, present yourself to Him. This is practical, a great deal more practical than you may realize.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey: whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? [Rom 6:16].
“Know ye not”—when Paul says this, we can be sure that we believers don’t know, and we need to know.
“To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are.” Every person who is living is a bond servant to someone or something. I heard a contemporary commentator observe that every person obeys some person or some thing. That is true. You could even be obeying Satan himself. Because of our very natures, we are servants or slaves to something or to somebody.
Now Paul is saying here that the one who is our master is the one whom we obey. If you obey sin, then that is your master. Don’t say Christ is your master if you are living in sin; He is not your master. He brings you into the place of liberty. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36)—free to do what? You will be free to live for Him, free to obey Him. And the Lord Jesus said again, “… Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). Now let me use a very homely illustration. There is a very swanky club across the street from the church I served in downtown Los Angeles. It is made up of rich men, and I’m told that it costs several thousand dollars to join this club. If you belong to it, you probably own a Cadillac and have a chauffeur. Well, one day as I looked out the window, I saw a group of chauffeurs standing around talking, and there were several Cadillacs parked there. It was after lunch. Finally, I saw a very distinguished-looking gentleman come out of the club; he made a motion and said something. I couldn’t hear what he said, but I saw one of the chauffeurs leave the group of about fifteen men. He went over, opened the door of the car, the distinguished-looking man got in, then he went around, got in the driver’s seat and drove off. Now, I came to a very profound conclusion: that chauffeur was the servant or the employee of the man who called him. I don’t think those other fourteen chauffeurs were employed by the man in the car because they didn’t obey him. Only the man who obeyed him was working for him. He obeyed him because that man was his master. This is what Paul is saying. Regardless of who you are, whomever you obey, whatever you obey, that is your master. You are obeying something or someone.
Now that brings us to a personal question. Is Christ really our master today? Just because you don’t murder, you don’t lie, you don’t do other things the Mosaic Law prohibits, doesn’t mean you are living the Christian life. It may mean you are living a good life, but that is all. The Christian life is one where we obey Christ.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you [Rom 6:17].
In other words, when you were in the world, when you were lost, you obeyed sin. It was natural for you to do that. A man may live such an exemplary life that the chamber of commerce presents him with a medal and a loving cup and makes him the citizen of the year. I overheard such a man talking one time after he had been presented with the cup as the outstanding citizen of a certain community. The language of this man was the foulest language I had ever heard. He may be the outstanding citizen of that community, but it’s quite obvious whom he’s obeying. He is obeying the Devil! The fact that you obey Christ is the thing that is important.
Now, another thing that we need to understand is that, when you have been saved, you have a new nature that can obey Christ. Paul went through the experience, as we shall see in the next chapter, of being a new Christian and discovering that there was no good in his old nature. Paul says, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18). Although many of us have not discovered this, there is no good in us; the old nature has no good in it. You can do a lot to improve it, but you sure can’t make it good.
The second startling fact is this: there is no power in the new nature. That’s where most of us make our mistake. We think that because we are now Christians, we can walk on top of the world. We can’t. We are just as weak as we’ve ever been before. This is the reason that we have to walk by faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit of God can produce the Christian life, as we shall see.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness [Rom. 6:18].
We have been liberated. In other words, He has made it possible for us to live the Christian life. It does not mean that sin has been eradicated or removed. It does mean that now we can live for God.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness [Rom. 6:19].
Let me give you my translation of this verse: I speak in human terms on account of the difficulties of apprehension or the weakness of your human nature; for as you presented or yielded your members slaves for the practice of impurity and to lawlessness; even so now present your members slaves to righteousness.
Paul explains here, I think, why he uses the term servants. He half-way apologizes in the last verse for using it. Slavery was common in the Roman Empire. Out of the 120 million people in the Roman Empire, one half were slaves. Many Christians were slaves. And the little Epistle to Philemon reveals that freedom was a prized possession and difficult to obtain. Now Paul uses this familiar metaphor which he describes as “human terms”—“I’m speaking to you in human terms.” He doesn’t mean he is not speaking by inspiration, but he is speaking in a manner which we will understand. And we will understand by these human terms that we are actually slaves.
Now, the religious rulers were insulted when the Lord suggested that they were slaves of sin. Remember the Lord Jesus said to those Jews that believed on Him, “… If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:31–34). Oh, how many men and women today are slaves of sin! Observe the tragedy of our young people who have rebelled against the rules and regulations of the establishment and who have been destroyed by the thousands by drugs and alcohol! You may be delivered from one group with its rules and regulations, but if you don’t turn to Christ, you may be getting out of the frying pan and into the fire. What is happening in our culture today is one of the saddest things of our contemporary age. The Lord Jesus says that when you commit sin, you are the servant of sin.
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness [Rom. 6:20].
That is, you didn’t think of serving Christ then; you weren’t interested in that. You were free from Him.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death [Rom. 6:21].
You were not only free from Christ, you were fruitless. You did as you pleased. The only fruit was shame. Actually, it was not real freedom, it was license. Do you want to go back to the old life?
I receive scores of letters from young people who were formerly known as “hippies” and have turned to Christ. They are ashamed of that old life. When you drop into sin, does it break your heart? The difference between a child of God and a child of the Devil is that a child of the Devil just loves doing what the Devil wants done. But to the child of God it is a heartbreak.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life [Rom. 6:22].
He sets before believers now the golden and glad prospect that is theirs as slaves of God. They are freed from sin which leads to death, and they can have fruit which will abide into eternity. Life eternal is in contrast to death. An illustration of this is seen in the lives of pioneer missionaries. I think of the group of young people, some of them still in their teens, who went out to the Hawaiian Islands in 1819. They gave their lives gladly, joyfully, to the service of Christ. (They have been maligned in recent years. Oh, how the godless tourist loves to hear them ridiculed!) But they laid the foundation for the greatest revival that has taken place since Pentecost—more people were won to Christ per capita. I never grow weary of hearing their story. They had fruit, my friend. How wonderful it was!
Now Paul concludes this section:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord [Rom. 6:23].
The Devil is the paymaster, and he will see to it that you get paid. If you work for him, the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life. And you will receive that gift by faith.
You are saved by faith. You are to live by faith. You are to walk moment by moment by faith. You cannot live for God by yourself any more than you can save yourself. It requires constant dependence upon Him, looking to the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Shackles of a saved soul; struggle of a saved soul
The theme of sanctification began in the latter part of chapter 5 where it was “potential sanctification.” Then in chapter 6 we saw “positional sanctification”; that is, identification with Christ in His death and resurrection. We are to reckon on that, present ourselves to Him, and trust him to live the Christian life through us.
Now in the chapter before us there are two subjects: the shackles of a saved soul and the struggle of a saved soul. The Law cannot produce sanctification in the life of the believer; it merely shackles it. Neither can the believer produce sanctification in his life by depending on the desire of the new nature. Just to say you want to live for Christ won’t get you anywhere. You need to present yourself to Him recognizing that you are joined to the living Christ.
The importance of this chapter cannot be overemphasized. Let me give you a quotation from Dr. Griffith Thomas: “Dr. Alexander Whyte once said that whenever a new book on Romans comes out and is sent to him by its publisher for consideration, he at once turns to the comments on chapter VII, and according to the view taken of that important section he decides on the value of the entire work.” Then Dr. Frederic Godet makes this bold statement: “But it is a hundred to one when a reader does not find the Apostle Paul logical that he is not understanding his thought.” Paul is certainly logical all through this chapter.
When I was a young man, a very wonderful itinerant Bible teacher, who was a great blessing to multitudes of folk, was a great help to me. He was never a pastor, and he taught that we are to detour around the seventh chapter of Romans; we are not to live there. We are to get into the eighth chapter of Romans. For several years I taught that philosophy also. But I have now been a pastor for a long time and I have come to the conclusion that we are not to miss the seventh chapter of Romans. I am sure that many a pastor wishes his church members would get into the seventh of Romans, because the man who gets into the seventh of Romans will get into the eighth of Romans. I am of the opinion that the way into the eighth chapter is through the seventh chapter—at least that is the route most of us take. Well, you are not to detour around it, because if you do, you are not on the direct route. It reminds me of a jingle:
To dwell above
With the saints in love—
Oh, that will be glory!
But to stay below
With the saints I know—
That’s another story!
In this “struggle of a saved soul” a believer reaches out and grabs a straw. Sometimes that straw is the Mosaic Law. And he finds that he has gotten hold, not of a straw, nor even of a life preserver, but actually of a sack of cement, and it is pulling him under. He can’t live that way. As a result, multitudes of the saints accept defeat as normal Christian living. There are many saints who are satisfied to continue on the low level of a sad, shoddy, sloppy life. God doesn’t want us to come that route.
The “powerless sanctification” of this chapter shows us the way we are not to live. Many years ago a cartoon appeared in a daily paper—when it was popular to make things and repair things yourself—showing a mild-mannered man in a “Do-It-Yourself Shop.” His hands were bandaged, and one arm was in a sling. He was asking the clerk behind the counter, “Do you have any undo-it-yourself kits?” Today we as believers need to know that we cannot live the Christian life; we need to learn that we cannot do it ourselves. In fact, we need an undo-it-yourself kit; that is, we need to turn our lives over to the Spirit of God, yield to Him, and let Him do for us what we cannot do ourselves.
The Mosaic Law is where many Christians go to try to find Christian living. Now Paul is going to show that the Mosaic Law has no claim on the believer. Actually, the Law condemned man to die; it was a ministration of condemnation (see 2 Cor. 3:9). You don’t contact the judge who sentenced you to die and ask him how you are going to live!
SHACKLES OF A SAVED SOUL
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to) them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? [Rom. 7:1].
Know ye not” is an expression that occurs again and again in the writings of Paul. Putting it into the positive, it is, “Are you so ignorant?” When Paul says, “Know ye not,” you may be sure that the brethren did not know.
“I speak to them that know the law.” The Mosaic Law had had over a millennium’s trial with God’s chosen people in a land that was favorable and adaptable to the keeping of the Law—the Law was not only given to a people but to a land. Yet Israel did not keep the Law. Remember that Stephen in his defense said that they had “… received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it” (Acts 7:53). Peter calls it a yoke “which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10).
Now Paul will give an illustration that I think is a great one. Unfortunately folk try to draw from it rules for marriage and divorce. But Paul is not talking about marriage and divorce here. Rather, he is illustrating by a well-established and stated law that a wife is bound to a living husband and that death frees her from the status of wife.
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband [Rom. 7:2].
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives, but when the husband dies, she is completely discharged from the law of her husband. In other words, if he is dead, she is no longer married to him.
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man [Rom. 7:3].
Some folk insist that divorce and remarriage is not permitted under any circumstances according to this verse. We need to thoroughly understand the background. What would happen under the Mosaic Law if a man or woman were unfaithful in marriage? Suppose a woman is married to a man who is a philanderer, and he is unfaithful to her. What happens? He is stoned to death. When the old boy is lying under a pile of stones, she is free to marry another, of course. In our day we cannot apply the Mosaic Law—we can’t stone to death the unfaithful. And Paul is not giving us instructions on divorce and remarriage here; he will do that elsewhere. The point Paul is making here is that when a woman’s husband dies, she is no longer a wife, she is a singlewoman again. This is, I think, a universal principle among civilized people. There are heathen people who put the wife to death when the husband dies, but civilized folk have never followed that practice.
Paul goes on to amplify the law of husband and wife. He brings into sharp focus her status in the case that her husband is alive and again in the case that the husband is dead.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God [Rom. 7:4].
In other words: Accordingly, my brethren, you (old Adamic nature) also were done to death as to the Law; the Law was killed to you by means of the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to Him who rose from the dead, that we might bear fruit unto God.
The wife represents the believer in Christ. The second husband represents Christ. We are joined to Him. But who is the first husband?
Let’s see what some have said. Dr. William Sanday interprets him as the old state before conversion: “The (first) Husband—the old state before conversion to Christianity.” Dr. Stifler concludes that the first husband is Christ crucified. Dr. William R. Newell held that the first husband set forth Adam and our position in him.
Personally, I consider the latter the best interpretation, because all the way through this section, beginning at chapter 5 where there were two headships—Adam and Christ—we have seen the first Adam and the last Adam, the first man and the second man. We are joined to Adam through the old Adamic nature. The Law was given to control the old Adamic nature, but it failed through the infirmity of the flesh. The Law actually became a millstone around the neck of the Israelite. It never lifted him up, but it kept him in slavery for fifteen hundred years. Its demands had to be met, but man could not meet them. It was indeed a ministration of condemnation. If the Gentile had to adopt the Law when he became a believer, there was no hope for him either. Paul says that Christ died in His body, we are identified with Christ in His death, and now we are dead to the Law and the Law is dead to us. That first husband is Adam, and we are no longer joined to him. Now we are joined to the living Christ. We died with Him and we have been raised with Him. He is the second husband, the living Christ, who enables us to bear fruit. We know Christ no longer after the flesh; it is the resurrected Christ we are joined to. The Law is not given to the new man in Christ—old things have passed away and all things have become new (see 2 Cor. 5:17). The believer is not under law but under grace—this is the ipso facto statement of Scripture. Believer, believe it! It is so, for God says it!
Now let me illustrate this with a very ridiculous illustration that I heard when I was a student in seminary down in Georgia. Back in the antebellum days, before the Civil War, there was a plantation owner, a very fine, handsome man married to a beautiful woman, and they lived happily in a lovely home. Then he became sick and died suddenly. It was a great heartbreak to her, for she loved him dearly, and she did a strange and morbid thing. She had his body embalmed, placed in a sitting position in a chair in an air-tight glass case, and situated in the great hallway of her lovely southern home. The minute you opened the door, you were looking at him. Well, her friends realized that this wouldn’t do, so they urged her to go away and travel for awhile. So she went North, then traveled abroad for almost two years. During that time she met another man, fell in love with him and married him. On their honeymoon they came to her plantation home. The new bridegroom did as a new bridegroom is supposed to do, he picked her up and carried her over the threshold. When he put her down, he was staring into the face of a man in a glass case. He said to his bride, “Who is that” Well, she had forgotten about him. She told him that he was her first husband. They both decided it was time to bury him, which was the proper thing to do. She was married to a new man; the old man was dead. Now I confess that that is a ridiculous story; I sometimes wonder if it really ever happened. Whether or not the story is true, it is true that there are many believers today who have dug up the Law—in fact, they have never buried the Law. They have the Law sitting in a glass case, and they are trying to live by the Law in the strength of the old Adamic nature! How ridiculous! The believer is joined to the living Christ today, and the Christian’s life is to please Him. Oh, how important that is. I can’t overemphasize it.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death [Rom. 7:5].
Face this squarely, my friend. Are you able in your own strength to keep the Law? The Law was a straitjacket put on the flesh to control it. The flesh rebelled and chafed under the irksome restraint of the Law. The flesh had no capacity or desire to follow the injunctions of the Law. The flesh broke out of the restraint imposed by law and therefore brought down the irrevocable penalty for breaking the Law, which is death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter [Rom. 7:6].
“But now we are delivered from the law” means discharged or annulled from the law. Notice the paradoxes in this section. In verse 4 it was having died, they bear fruit; here in verse 6 they have been discharged, yet they serve. Today we are to serve Him, not on the basis or the motive, “I ought to do it,” but now, “I delight to do it because I want to please Christ.” The believer is set free, but now in love he gives himself to the Savior as he never could do under the Law. Note this little bit of verse I used to carry in my Bible when I was a student in college and seminary:
I do not work my soul to save;
That work my Lord hath done.
But I will work like any slave
For love of God’s dear Son.
We serve Christ because we love Him. Our Lord asked Simon Peter the direct question, “… Lovest thou me? …” (John 21:17). That is the question that faces you and me. God’s question to the lost world is: “What will you do with My Son who died for you?” However, His question to the believer is: “Lovest thou me?” The Christian life is Christ living His life through us today. We can’t do it ourselves, nor can we do it by the law. There is nothing wrong with the law—let’s understand that—the problem is with us.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead [Rom. 7:7–8].
Let me try to bring out the meaning a little more clearly: What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Away with the thought! On the contrary, I should not have been conscious of sin, except through law; for I had not known illicit desire (coveting). But sin, getting a start through the commandment, produced in me all manner of illicit desire. For apart from the Law sin is dead.
Paul, you recall, began his argument way back in the sixth chapter of Romans with this expression, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin?” Now again he says, “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin?” In the first part of this chapter Paul seems to be saying that law and sin are on a par. If release from sin means release from law, then are they not the same? Paul clarifies this. He says, “Perish the thought!” Paul will now show that the Law is good; it reveals God’s will. The difficulty is not with the Law; the difficulty is with us. The flesh is at fault.
Paul becomes very personal in the remainder of this chapter. Notice that he uses the first person pronouns: I, me and myself; they are used forty-seven times in this section. The experience is the struggle Paul had within himself. He tried to live for God in the power of his new nature. He found it was impossible. The Law revealed to Paul the exceeding sinfulness of sin. The Law was an X-ray of his heart. That is what the Law will do for you if you put it down on your life. The Word of God is called a mirror; it reveals what we are. If you have a spot on your face, the mirror will show it to you, but it can’t remove the spot. However, God has a place to remove it:
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
The Law reveals the exceeding sinfulness of sin. The Law is not at fault, but the old Adamic nature is the culprit. The admonition of prohibition contained in the Law makes clear the weakness of the flesh. It shows we are sinners.
Here in California a test was made some time ago. A mirror was put in a very prominent public place, and the test was to see if men or women looked at themselves more. I felt it was an unnecessary test; I could have told them that women looked at themselves more. But unfortunately, the test proved otherwise. We all like to see ourselves. We all like to look in a mirror—except one: the Word of God. We don’t like to look in that one because it reveals us as sinners, horrible, lost sinners.
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died [Rom. 7:9].
The Law is a ministry of condemnation. The Law can do nothing but condemn us.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death [Rom. 7:10].
Oh, the tragedy of the person who seeks to live by the Law! It does not lead him to life. While it is true that God had said, “This do and thou shalt live” (see Deut. 8:1), the doing of it was the difficulty. The fault was not in the Law, but in the one who thought the Law would bring life and power. It did neither. It merely revealed the weakness, inability, and the sin of mankind. If there had been a law which could have given life, God would have given it (see Gal. 3:21). But life and Christian living do not come by the Law.
Let me illustrate this. A car is a very useful thing. But a car in the hands of an incapable driver can be a danger and a menace. In fact, it can be a death-dealing instrument. The fault is not with the car; the fault is with the driver. The problem is man; he is the culprit.
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me [Rom. 7:11].
Sin is personified again here and is a tempter. Sin tempts every man outside the Garden of Eden relative to himself and God. In the Garden of Eden Satan made man believe that God could not be trusted and that man was able to become god, apart from God. Sin, like a Pied Piper, leads the children of men into believing that they can keep the Law and that God is not needed. This is the false trail that he has been talking about, which leads to death. It was ordained to life, Paul says, and he found it led him to death. Sin at last will kill, for the Law did bring the knowledge of sin, and man is without excuse. Again, the difficulty is not with the Law, but within man.
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good [Rom. 7:12].
The problem is a human problem. Man is the “x” in the equation of life. He is the uncertain one, the one who cannot be trusted.
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful [Rom. 7:13].
Is this a strange paradox? Is it a perversion of a good thing? The commandment was totally incapable of communicating life. Man must have recourse to help from the outside, because the commandment intensified the awfulness of sin.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin [Rom. 7:14].
This is Paul’s testimony.
“We know” was the general agreement among believers. The Law is spiritual in the sense that it was given by the Holy Spirit and is part of the Word of God. In other words, that is an expression in Scripture. For example, the Rock is called spiritual in I Corinthians 10:4, for it was produced by the Holy Spirit. Israel in the wilderness had spiritual meat and spiritual drink in this sense—that is, the Spirit of God provided it.
“But I am carnal.” This means, “I am in the flesh [Greek sarkinos].” It does not mean the meat on the bones of the body. This body of ours is neutral and can be used for that which is either good or bad. It is like the automobile I referred to. Carnality refers to this old human mind and spirit and nature which occupies and uses the flesh so that actually the flesh itself is contaminated with sin. (For example, look upon the face of a baby and then look at the face fifty years later. Sin has written indelible lines even upon the surface of the body.) Flesh is inert and has no capabilities or possibilities toward God. It is dominated by a sinful nature, the ramifications of which reach into the inmost recesses of the body and mind. The frontal lobe of the brain is merely an instrument to devise evil. The motor neurons are ready to spring into evil excesses. The heart of man is desperately wicked. He wants to do the things that are evil, and the body responds.
Paul describes his pitiful plight as a slave sold to a Simon Legree taskmaster with a whiplash of evil.
STRUGGLE OF A SAVED SOUL
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I [Rom. 7:15].
Here we have the conflict of two natures, the old nature and the new nature. There are definitely two “I’s” in this section. The first “I” is the old nature as he asserts his rights.
“For what I would” is what the new nature wants to do. “That do I not”—the old nature rebels and won’t do it. “But what I hate”—the new nature hates it—“that do I”; the old nature goes right ahead and does it.
Do you have the experience of this struggle in your Christian life? Do you do something, then hate yourself because you have done it? And you cry out, “God, oh how I’ve failed You!” I think every child of God has this experience. Paul is speaking of his own experience in this section. Apparently there were three periods in his life. First he was a proud Pharisee under the Mosaic system, kidding himself by bringing the sacrifices and doing other things which he thought would make him right with God. But the Law was condemning him all the while. Then the second period began when he met Christ on the Damascus Road. This proud young Pharisee turned to Christ as his Savior, but he still felt he could live the Christian life. His new nature said, “I am now going to live for God!” But he failed and was in the arena of struggle and failure for a time. I do not know how long it lasted—probably it was not long. There came a day when there was victory, but Paul did not win it; Christ did. Paul learned that it was a matter of yielding, presenting himself and letting the Spirit of God live the Christian life through him.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good [Rom. 7:16].
When the old nature breaks the commandment (in this instance it was coveting), then the new nature agrees with the law that coveting is wrong. Paul was not fighting the Law because he broke it. He was agreeing as a believer that the Law was good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me [Rom. 7:17].
In other words: It is no longer I (new nature) who am working it out, but sin (the old nature) living in me. You see, Paul still had the old nature.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not [Rom. 7:18].
Paul learned two things in this struggle, and they are something that many of us believers need to learn. “In me (that old nature we have been talking about) dwells no good thing.” Have you learned that? Have you found there is no good in you? Oh, how many of us Christians feel that we in the flesh can do something that will please God! Many believers who never find out otherwise become as busy as termites and are having about the same effect in many of our churches. They are busy as bees, but they aren’t making any honey! They get on committees, they are chairmen of boards, they try to run the church, and they think they are pleasing God. Although they are busy, they have no vital connection with the person of Christ. His life is not being lived through them. They are attempting to do it in their own strength by the flesh. They haven’t learned what Paul learned: “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” Let me make it personal. Anything that Vernon McGee does in the flesh, God hates. God won’t have it; God can’t use it. When it is of the flesh, it is no good. Have you learned that? That is a great lesson. The Lord Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh …” (John 3:6) (and that is all it will ever be), but “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin …” (1 John 3:9). My, how wonderful that is! We are given a new nature, and that new nature will not commit sin. I assure you that the new nature won’t commit sin. When I sin, it is the old nature. The new nature won’t do it; the new nature just hates sin. That new nature won’t let me sleep at night; it says, “Look, you are wrong. You have to make it right!”
Paul found out something else that is very important for us to learn: “for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” He found there is no good in the old nature and there is no power in the new nature. The new nature wants to serve God, but the carnal man is at enmity against God; it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (see Rom. 8:7). But the new nature has no power.
I remember when I started out, oh, I was going to live for God! That’s when I fell on my face, and I have never fallen harder than I did then. I thought I could do it myself. But I found there was no power in the new nature. And that is the reason that an evangelist can always get response in a meeting. I’m afraid ninety percent of the decisions that are made in our churches today have been made by Christians who have been living in defeat in their Christian lives. What they are really saying is, “I want to live for God. I want to do better.” Often an evangelist in a meeting says, “All of you that want to live for God, put up your hand. All of you today that want to come closer to God, put up your hand. Those of you who want to commit your life to God, come forward.” The minute an evangelist says that, he’s got me. That is what I want to do. That new nature of mine says, “I sure would like to live for God.” But there is no power in it. That is what multitudes of believers fail to recognize. There have been folk who have been coming forward for years, and that’s all they have been doing—just coming forward! They never make any progress. Oh, how they need to understand this truth!
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do [Rom. 7:19].
Have you experienced this?
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me [Rom. 7:20].
It is that old nature, my friend, that is causing us trouble.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me [Rom. 7:21].
When you are attempting to serve God in the Spirit, have you discovered that the old nature is right there to bring evil? Perhaps an evil thought will come into your mind. Every child of God, regardless of his state, must admit that in every act and in every moment evil is present with him. Failure to recognize this will eventually lead to shipwreck in the Christian life.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man [Rom. 7:22].
“The inward man” is the new nature.
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members [Rom. 7:23].
You see, you don’t get rid of the old nature when you are saved. And yet there is no power in your new nature. “I see a different law” is the enmity of the old nature against God. It causes the child of God who is honest to cry out, as Paul cried:
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [Rom 7:24].
This is not an unsaved man who is crying, “O wretched man that I am”; this is a saved man. The word wretched carries with it the note of exhaustion because of the struggle. “Who is going to deliver me?” He is helpless. His shoulders are pinned to the floor—he has been wrestled down. Like old Jacob, he has been crippled. He is calling for help from the outside.
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin [Rom. 7:25].
“I thank God [who gives deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This is the answer to Paul’s SOS. God has provided deliverance. It introduces chapter 8 in which the deliverance is given in detail. Both salvation and sanctification come through Christ; He has provided everything we need.
Run, run and do, the Law commands
But gives me neither feet nor hands.
Better news the Gospel brings,
It bids me fly and gives me wings.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The new man; the new creation; the new body; new purpose
This chapter brings us to the conclusion of sanctification. In fact, it presents three great subjects: sanctification, security, and no separation from God. Here it is powerful sanctification in contrast to powerless sanctification. In this chapter we are going to see God’s new provision for our sanctification.
While inadequacy has been my feeling all the way through this epistle, especially here I feel totally incapable of dealing with these great truths. This is such a glorious and wonderful epistle that all we can do is merely stand as Moses did at the burning bush with our feet unshod and our head uncovered, not fully realizing or recognizing the glory and wonder of it all.
Chapter 8 is the high-water mark in Romans. This fact is generally conceded by all interpreters of this great epistle. Spencer said, “If Holy Scripture were a ring and the epistle to the Romans its precious stone, chapter eight would be the sparkling point of the jewel.” Godet labeled it, “this incomparable chapter.” Someone has added, “We enter this chapter with no condemnation, we close with no separation and in between all things work together for good to those that love God.”
My friend, how could you have it any better than that? We find that there is to be given to the child of God in this life joy and peace. He is to live for God in the very presence of sin. Sin is not to dictate his life’s program. It has already been shown that there is nothing in the justified sinner that can produce this ideal state. We have seen that the new nature has no power and the old nature has no good. Then how is a child of God to live for God? Paul cried out for outside help, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). In other words, who is going to enable me to live for God?
Paul concluded chapter 7 by saying, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Now chapter 8 will give us the modus operandi; that is, the means by which the victory is secured.
This chapter introduces us to the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification. The Holy Spirit is mentioned nineteen times in this chapter. Up to chapter 8 there were only two casual references (see Rom. 5:5; 7:6). In this epistle we see the work of the Blessed Trinity:
God the Father in creation (Rom. 1:1–3:20)
God the Son in salvation (Rom. 3:21–7:25)
God the Holy Spirit in sanctification (Rom. 8:1–39)
Now here in chapter 8 we see the Holy Spirit and real sanctification. A life that is pleasing to God must be lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. As Paul said to the Ephesian believers, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in the regenerated life of a believer, delivering the believer from the power of sin—even in the very presence of sin—and performing all God’s will in the life of the believer.
Godet labels the first eleven verses “The Victory of the Holy Spirit over Sin and Death.”
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [Rom. 8:1].
“Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” does not really belong in this verse. Apparently some scribe picked it up from verse 4 where it belongs. The literal rendering is: “Therefore now, not one condemnation.” This is the inspired statement that, in spite of the failure that Paul experienced in chapter 7, he did not lose his salvation. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. However, he wasn’t enjoying the Christian life—he was a failure, and he was a wretched man. God wanted him to have joy in his life. Now how is he to have this? Notice the next verse.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death [Rom. 8:2].
This is a very important statement. This little word for occurs seventeen times in this chapter. Because it is the cement that holds the chapter together, it is a word that requires real mental effort. We need to follow the logic of the apostle Paul. One of the great expositors of Romans said that if you do not find Paul logical, you are not following him aright.
“The law of the Spirit” means not only a principle of law, but also the authority which is exercised by the Spirit.
“The Spirit of life” means the Holy Spirit who brings life because He essentially is life. He is the Spirit of life.
“In Christ Jesus” means that the Holy Spirit is in complete union with Christ Jesus. Because the believer shares the life of Christ, He liberates the believers.
“The law of sin and death” is the authority that sin had over our old nature, ending in complete severance of fellowship with God. That new nature could not break the shackles at all. Only the coming of a higher authority and power could accomplish this, namely the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit operates upon the new nature, which is vitally joined to the life of Christ. The man in Romans 7, who was joined to the body of the dead, is now joined to the living Christ also.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [Rom. 8:3–4].
We have here the whole crux of the matter. Let me give my translation, which may bring out several things we need to understand. “For the thing impossible for the Law in which it was powerless through the flesh, God, having sent His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin, and in regard to sin, He condemned the sin in the flesh; in order that the justification (the righteous result) of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to flesh but according to Spirit.”
It was impossible for the Law to produce righteousness in man. This is not the fault of the Law. The fault lay in man and the sin in his flesh. The Law was totally incapable of producing any good thing in man. Paul could say, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18). And, friend, that is Scripture, and that is accurate. Man is totally depraved. That doesn’t mean only the man across the street or down in the next block from you, nor does it mean only some person who is living in overt sin; it means you and it means me. The Holy Spirit is now able to do the impossible. The Holy Spirit can produce a holy life in weak and sinful flesh. Let me illustrate this truth by using a very homely incident. Suppose a housewife puts a roast in the oven right after breakfast because she is going to serve it for the noon meal. The telephone rings. It is Mrs. Joe Dokes on the phone. Mrs. Dokes begins with “Have you heard?” Well, the housewife hasn’t heard, but she would like to; so she pulls up a chair. (Someone has defined a woman as one who draws up a chair when answering a telephone.) Mrs. Dokes has a lot to tell, and about an hour goes by. Finally our good housewife says, “Oh, Mrs. Dokes, you’ll have to excuse me. I smell the roast—its burning!” She hangs up the phone, rushes to the kitchen, and opens the oven. Then she gets a fork and puts it down in the roast to lift it up, but it won’t hold. She can’t lift it out. She tries again, closer to the bone, but still it won’t hold. So she gets a spatula. She puts the spatula under the roast and lifts it out. You see, what the fork could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, the spatula is able to do. Now, there is nothing wrong with the fork—it was a good fork. But it couldn’t hold the flesh because something was wrong with the flesh—it was overcooked. The spatula does what the fork could not do.
The Law is like the fork in that it was weak through the flesh. It just won’t lift us up; it can’t lift us up. But a new principle is introduced: the Holy Spirit. What the Law could not do, the Holy Spirit is able to do. Therefore, you and I are to live the Christian life on this new principle. We are not to try to lift ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We’ll never make it that way, my friend. We make resolutions and say, “I’m going to do better”—all of us have said that. But did we ever do better? Didn’t we do the same old things?
God is able to do this new impossible thing by sending His very own Son, His own nature in the likeness of sinful flesh. Christ had the same kind of flesh that we have, apart from sin. Notice how the writer to the Hebrews puts it: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil…. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:14, 16–17). Also he says, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26). Then he says, “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me” (Heb. 10:5).
This was God’s way of getting at the roots of sin in our bodies, minds, and spirits. He could condemn and execute sinful flesh on the cross so that it had no more rights in human beings. God was able to deal with sin itself—Christ was identified with us—what condescension! Sin has been condemned in these bodies of ours. It has not been removed, in spite of the belief of some very sincere people. These bodies are to be redeemed—“… raised a spiritual body … ” (1 Cor. 15:44). Today, the Holy Spirit is the Deliverer from sin in the body. A great many people think it would be wonderful if Christ would come and take us out of this world of sin—and that would be wonderful. I wish He would come right now. However, there is something even more wonderful than that. It is this: He enables you and me to live the Christian life right where we are today in this old world of sin. That is more wonderful. Our Lord Jesus said in His high priestly prayer, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). Down here is where the victory is.
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled”—this is the passive voice. It means that the Holy Spirit produces a life of obedience which the Law commanded but could not produce. The Holy Spirit furnishes the power; the decision is ours.
The next verse introduces us to a new struggle. It is not for us to do the fighting. Now it is the Holy Spirit versus the flesh.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit [Rom. 8:5].
“Do mind the things of the flesh.” When I was holding a meeting in Middle Tennessee after I was first ordained, I was invited to dinner in a lovely country home. The housewife had prepared some wonderful fried chicken. When we were already sitting at the table, she went out to call her little boy again. After she’d called him several times, she came in and said, “That young’un won’t mind me.” And what she meant was, “That young one will not obey me.” Paul, you see, sounds like a good Southerner because he uses this word, “they mind the things of the flesh.” We have seen that before in the sixth chapter of Romans. My friend, if you live habitually in the flesh and obey the things of the flesh, and the new nature doesn’t rebuke you, you must not have a new nature—because “they that are after the Spirit [mind] the things of the Spirit.” A believer has been given a new nature, and now he can yield himself to the new nature. And this is an act of the will. This is the new struggle that’s brought to our attention. “The flesh” describes the natural man. The Lord Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh”—it will always be flesh. God has no program to change the flesh. Rather He brings in something new: “and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
A new struggle is brought to our attention. It is no longer the new nature or the believer striving for mastery over sin in the body; it is the Holy Spirit striving against the old nature. The little boy coming home from school was being beaten up by a big bully. He was on the bottom, and the big bully was pounding him very heavily. Then he looked up from his defeated position on the bottom, and he saw his big brother coming. The big brother took care of the bully while the little fellow crawled up on a stump and rubbed his bruises. The believer has the Holy Spirit to deal with the flesh, that big bully. I learned a long time ago that I can’t overcome it. So I have to turn it over to Somebody who can. The Holy Spirit indwells believers. He wants to do that for us, and He can!
“They that are after the flesh” describes the natural man. Paul paints his picture in Ephesians 2:1–3. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” This was the condition of all of us until we were saved.
And the “flesh” includes the mind. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled” (Col. 1:21). It includes the total personality which is completely alienated from God.
The natural man strives and even sets his heart upon the things of the flesh. Here is his diet: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). It is an ugly brood!
In Colossians Paul says: “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” (Col. 3:8–9). The Lord Jesus said: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19).
It is humiliating but true that the child of God retains this old Adamic nature. It means defeat and death to live by the flesh. No child of God can be happy in living for the things of the flesh. The prodigal son may get into the pig pen, but he will never be content to stay there. He is bound to say, “I will arise and go to my father.”
“They that are after the Spirit” are born again, regenerated and indwelt by the Spirit of God. They love the things of Christ. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1–2). And Paul says, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12). These are just some of the things for which the child of God longs. You and I cannot do these things by effort. It is only as we let the Spirit of God work in our lives that they will appear.
Here is another great principle.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace [Rom. 8:6].
“For to be carnally minded” means that you are separated from fellowship with God and that flesh is death here and now. The Spirit who indwells the believer brings life and peace. When we sin, we are to come to Him in confession and let Him wash us. This restores us to fellowship.
The “life” He offers speaks of full satisfaction and the exercise of one’s total abilities. Oh, to live life at its fullest and best! Many people think they are really living today, but it is a shoddy substitute for the life God wants to provide.
“Peace” means the experience of tranquility and well-being regarding the present and future. Oh, my beloved, how you and I need to get into that territory!
There is one thing for sure: if you are living in the flesh, and you are a child of God, you are not having fellowship with God. You can’t. The Lord Jesus in the Upper Room said to Simon Peter, “… If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). Now, my friend, He meant that. He will not fellowship with you or with me if we are committing sin and are continuing to live in the flesh. “Well,” somebody says, “what are we to do?” Do what Simon Peter had to do—he stuck out his feet and let the Lord wash them. And you and I need to go to Him in confession. First John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins.” Who is “we”? We Christians. “He is faithful and just …” when He does it, because it will take the blood of Christ, my friend. You and I do not know how wicked the old nature is. And we need to go to Him for cleansing.
The English poet, John Donne, using the mythological story of the labors of Hercules—where that strong man of the ancient world was confronted with the task of cleaning out the Augean stables—illustrates this important truth. Though Hercules was able to perform the task, Donne shows that man cannot clean the much greater filth of the human heart. He writes:
Lord I confess that Thou alone are able
To purify this Augean stable.
Be the seas water, and all the land soap
Yet if Thy blood not wash me—there’s no hope.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, keeps on cleansing us from all sin” (see 1 John 1:7). This old nature is totally depraved. God has no plan to redeem it. He gives us a new nature. And you and I can’t live for God in that old nature. If you continue to live in that old nature, you must not be a child of God. Somebody says, “Then if a child of God sins, what’s the difference between him and the lost man?” The difference is simply this: when the lost man goes out at night and paints the town red, he comes back and says, “I’ll get a bigger brush and a bigger bucket of paint next time; wow, I want to live it up!” While the child of God, if he does a thing like that, will cry out to God, “Oh, God, I hate myself for what I’ve done!” And this idea today that you can somehow train your old nature, and live in it, is false. That’s the thing that leads to legalism. Legalists—well, I call them Priscilla Goodbodies and Goody-goody-gumdrops, those sweet lovely people who are trying to control the flesh—they are so pious! I want to tell you, they are the worst gossips you have ever met.
Dr. Newell has put down some very interesting statements which I would like to pass on to you. “To hope to do better is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.” You say, “I hope to do better.” You know you’re not. You need to see yourself in Christ today and realize that only the Spirit of God moving through you can accomplish this. And then Newell says again, “To be disappointed with yourself means you believed in yourself.” Somebody says, “Oh, I’m so disappointed in myself.” Well, you had better be disappointed in yourself. You know no good thing is going to come out of the flesh, friend. Stop believing in yourself, and believe that the Spirit of God today can enable you through the new nature to live for God. Also Newell says, “To be discouraged is unbelief.” Somebody says, “Oh, I’m so discouraged.” My friend, that means you don’t believe God. God has a purpose and a plan, a blessing for you. And you need to lay hold of it. Here is another statement: “To be proud is to be blind.” We have no standing before God in ourselves. Oh, my friend, see yourself as God sees you. Here is the final gem: “The lack of divine blessing comes from unbelief, not a failure of devotion.” I am sick and weary of these super-duper pious, “dedicated” Christians who talk about their devotion. My friend, the lack of divine blessing comes because we do not believe God. It is not because of a lack of devotion. Oh, to believe God today! Now, real devotion arises not from man’s will to show it, but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and undevoted. Nothing I get from God has come through my devotion. I haven’t anything to offer Him. It comes because of His marvelous grace. And I’ve seen these folk who preach “devotion” troop down to dedicate their lives in services. I got so sick and tired of seeing that same crowd come down—and you could not trust them, my friend. They were liars. They were dishonest. They were gossips, and they would crucify you. May I say to you, you do not need to dedicate yourself. What you need today is to believe God can do something and you can’t do anything. Now, somebody says, “That’s pretty strong.” I hope that it is. I intend for it to be that way, because Paul is making it very clear here. The carnal mind is enmity against God.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God [Rom. 8:7–8].
This verse reveals how hopelessly incorrigible and utterly destitute the flesh really is. It is a spiritual anarchist. This demolishes any theory that there is a divine spark in man and that somehow he has a secret bent toward God. The truth is that man is the enemy of God. He is not only dead in trespasses and sins but active in rebellion against God. Man will even become religious in order to stay away from the living and true God and the person of Jesus Christ. Man in his natural condition, if taken to heaven, would start a revolution, and he would have a protest meeting going on before the sun went down! Jacob, in his natural condition, engaged in a wrestling match. He did not seek it, but he fought back when God wrestled with him. It wasn’t until he yielded that he won, my friend.
Anything that the flesh produces is not acceptable to God. The so-called good work, the civilization, the culture, and man’s vaunted progress are all a stench in the nostrils of God. The religious works of church people done in the lukewarmness of the flesh make Christ sick to His stomach (see Rev. 3:15–16).
I wonder if we are willing to accept God’s estimation of our human boasting. This is a terrible picture of man; but it is accurate. Yet there is deliverance in the Spirit of God. Are you willing, my friend, to turn it over to the Holy Spirit and quit trusting that weak, sinful nature that you have? That is the question.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his [Rom. 8:9].
This first “if” is not casting a doubt over the Roman believers’ salvation. They are saved. Let me give you a literal translation: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit since the Spirit of God really dwells in you.” That is the real test. But if anyone has “not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The true mark of a born-again believer and a genuine Christian is that he is indwelt by the Spirit of God. Even Paul could say to the carnal Corinthians: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). When Paul went to Ephesus the first time, he missed something; he missed the distinguishing mark of the believer. So he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They didn’t even know what he was talking about. So he asked them, “… Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism” (Acts 19:3). Well, John’s baptism was unto repentance; it was not to faith in Jesus Christ. So he preached Christ to them. Then they received Him and were baptized in His name (see Acts 19:5). A believer is a new creation. Do you love Him? Do you want to serve Him? Are these things uppermost in your mind and heart? Or are you in rebellion against God?
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness [Rom. 8:10].
In other words: Now if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead on account of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. He is saying here that you and I are in Christ, and since we are in Him, when He died, we died. And we are to reckon on this, as we have already been told. Also we are to yield, that is, present our bodies to Him. Don’t say you can’t do this—that is not the language of a believer. Paul could say, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
If you today are not conscious of the presence of the Spirit of God in your life and if you do not have a desire to serve God, then it would be well to do as Paul suggests, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor. 13:5). The Lord wants us to know that we are in Christ. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
If you are not sure that Christ is in you, He extends this invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Is your door open? Has He come into you? My friend, the body has been put in the place of death. This is something the child of God should reckon on. And he should turn over his life to the Spirit of God, saying very definitely, “I cannot do it, Lord, but You can do it through me.”
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you [Rom. 8:11].
These bodies that you and I have will be put in the grave one of these days, if the Lord tarries. However, the indwelling Holy Spirit is our assurance that our bodies will be raised from the dead (2 Cor. 5:1–4). Because Christ was raised from the dead, we shall be raised from the dead. The Holy Spirit will deliver us from the “body of his death”—this old nature.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh [Rom. 8:12].
In other words, we are not to live according to the flesh. God created man body, mind, and spirit. When man sinned, his spirit died to God. Remember that God had warned, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). After Adam ate of the fruit, he lived several hundred years—physically; but spiritually he died immediately. Man was turned upside down. The body, the old nature, the flesh became dominant. Today man is dead spiritually. Regeneration means that you are turned right side up, that you are born again spiritually, and that you have a nature which wants to serve God.
Oh, my friend, to stay close to Christ is the important thing. You can be active in Christian work, as active as a termite, yet Christ can be in outer space as far as you are concerned. The natural man says he owes it to his flesh to satisfy it. He may rationalize his dishonesty by saying, “A man has to eat.” A movie star has said, “I live for sex, and I have to have my needs met.” We hear this today on every hand. Satisfying the old nature has plunged our nation into the grossest immorality! But God says that we as believers are not debtors to the flesh. My friend, the flesh—and we all have it—is a low-down, dirty rascal. And we don’t owe it anything.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live [Rom. 8:13].
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die”—die to God. That is, you have no fellowship with Him. I am not talking about a theory; if you are a child of God, you know this from experience. If you are a child of God and you have unconfessed sin in your life, do you want to go to church? Do you want to read your Bible? Do you want to pray? Of course you don’t. You are separated from God.
“But if ye through the Spirit”—you can’t do it yourself—“do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Let’s be practical now. What is your problem today? Liquor? Drugs? Sex? You may say, “I don’t have those problems!” Then how about your thought-life? How about your tongue? Do you gossip? Do you tell the truth? Whatever your problem is, why don’t you confess it to God, then turn it over to the Holy Spirit? My friend, if you deal with it in reality, you won’t need to crawl up on the psychiatrist’s couch. He won’t help you. He can shift your guilt complex to another area, but he can’t get rid of it. Only Christ can remove it; He is in that business. He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will rest you” so that you will know what it is to have sins forgiven (see Matt. 11:28).
THE NEW MAN
We come now to a new section concerning the new nature of man.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God [Rom. 8:14].
That makes sense, doesn’t it? God does not drive His sheep; He leads them. When our Lord told of the safety and security of the sheep, He made it clear that they were not forced into the will of His hand and that of the Father. He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them [and I drive them out! Oh, no] and they follow me” (John 10:27). They are the ones who are safe and secure; they follow Him. They are led by the Spirit of God. They hear His voice because they have a new nature, and they follow Him.
I have been preaching the Word of God for a long time. I have found that those who are His sheep will hear His voice. The others—they hated me and wanted to get rid of me. Why? They were not His sheep. The Lord Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). A young pastor came to me and said, “I’m having all kinds of trouble!” I asked, “Who is giving you trouble?” He said, “My church officers and my Sunday school teachers.” So I asked him what he had been doing. He said, “Well, I’ve been preaching the Bible, following your Thru the Bible method.” I said to him, “Well, thank God. You will find that a lot of your folk are not really His sheep.” Friend, His sheep will follow Him—they have to because they are His, you see. That’s what Paul is saying here.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father [Rom. 8:15].
“Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear”—there is not that spirit of fear within you, wondering about your spiritual condition, unhappy, and despondent. Instead, you are filled with joy because you are His child. And the Spirit of God wells up within you, saying, “Abba, Father.”
The word Abba is an untranslated Aramaic word. The translators of the first English Bibles, who had great reverence for the Word of God, who believed it was indeed the Word of God, would not translate it. Abba is a very personal word that could be translated “My Daddy.” We don’t use this word in reference to God because of the danger of becoming overly familiar with Him. But it expresses a heart-cry, especially in times of trouble.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God [Rom. 8:16].
I found this true the first time I went to the hospital for cancer surgery. I turned my face to the wall, like old Hezekiah did, and said, “Lord, I’ve been in this hospital many times. I’ve patted the hands of folk and had prayer with them, and told them, ‘Oh, you trust the Lord; He will see you through.’ Lord, I have told them that, but this is the first time I’ve been in here. Now I want to know whether it is true or not. I want You to make it real to me. If You are my Father, I want to know it.” And, my friend, He made it real. At a time like that the Spirit of God cries out, “Abba, Father”—it just wells up within you. How sweet it is to trust Him, turn yourself over to Him.
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together [Rom. 8:17].
“If so be” assures the fact that the child of God will suffer with Him. I believe it could be translated “since we suffer with Him.” I don’t think the “if” is as important as some folk make it out to be.
My friend, what are you enduring for Him today? Whatever it is, Paul makes it clear that it is just a light thing we are going through now. But there is a weighty thing, an “eternal weight of glory” that is coming someday. In eternity we will wish that we had suffered a little more for Him, because that is the way He schools and trains us. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6).
THE NEW CREATION
This brings us to a new division in this eighth chapter of Romans.
Not only the bodies of believers are to be redeemed, but we’re going to find out that this entire physical universe, this earth on which you and I live, is to be redeemed. That is the purpose of God. In fact we’re trading in this old earth for a new earth, a new model, brand new, wherein there will be no sin. No curse of sin will ever come upon it again. That is something that is quite wonderful. Someone said to me not long ago, “I believe that healing is in the Atonement.” I think I shocked the person when I said, “I believe that too. Not only is healing in the Atonement, but a new body is in the Atonement, and a new world is in the atonement of Christ. But we don’t have it yet.” The political parties and the United Nations have been trying to bring in a new world for years, but we certainly do not have these yet. But Christ is going to bring it in someday through His redemption. And then I’m going to get a new body. I’m looking forward to that. This one I’ve got is wearing out, and I want to trade it in for a new one. And that’s coming. And healing—I’ll grant that it is in the Atonement, but I don’t have all of that yet. I still have cancer.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us [Rom. 8:18].
“I reckon” means that Paul calculates, counts upon, both the debit and credit side of the ledger of life.
“The sufferings of this present time” are the common lot of all believers. This generation, which is enjoying more creature comforts than any other in history, frowns upon this statement, but even present-day Christians cannot escape suffering.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God [Rom. 8:19].
Let me give my translation of this verse: For the creation, watching with outstretched head (head erect), is waiting (sighing) for the revelation of the sons of God.
The world is not waiting for the sunrise of evolution’s pipe dream. The pipe dream of evolution will never come true. However, creation is waiting “for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Creation is like a veiled statue today. When the sons of God have removed the outward covering of this flesh, creation also will be unveiled. What a glorious day that will be!
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope [Rom. 8:20].
“For the creation was subjected to vanity”—vanity means “failure, decay, something that is perishable.”
“Not willingly” means not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it on the basis of hope. King Solomon, who was quite a pessimist, by the way, wrote: “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again” (Eccl. 1:7). There is a weary round of repetition. The rivers run into the sea, and the Lord has quite a hydraulic pump that pumps the water right out of the ocean, and with His good transportation system, the wind moves the clouds across the dry land, and here comes the rain again. It fills the rivers, and the rivers run into the sea. There is a monotony about nature; you see it on every hand. Nature is waiting for the promised manifestation, the unveiling.
“Creation was subjected to vanity” because God made it that way. The curse of sin came upon man in Adam’s disobedience, but the physical world also came under the curse. Remember that God said to Adam, “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread …” (Gen. 3:18–19). I enjoy going out to the Hawaiian Islands; I know of no place quite as delightful. Yet on a golf course in that “paradise” I found—of all things—thorns! I knocked a ball out in the rough there, out in the lava, and I have never seen as many thorns as were there. I have a pair of shoes that have thorns in them to this good day—I can’t get them all out. Even in that paradise there are thorns. There is a curse on creation.
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God [Rom. 8:21].
Man has a dying body. As someone has said, “The moment He gives us life, He begins to take it away from us.” And there is death and decay yonder in nature. Go out in the beautiful forest, and there you see a tree lying dead, corrupt, rotting. That’s nature. And you catch the stench of the decaying bodies of dead animals.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now [Rom. 8:22].
Browning in his Pippa Passes writes.
God’s in His Heaven—
All’s right with the world.
The Christian knows that that is not true. God is in His heaven all right, but all is not right with the world. The Word of God is more realistic: “How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate” (Joel 1:18).
Some have called our attention to the fact that nature sings in a minor key. The wind blowing through the pine trees on a mountainside and the breaking of the surf on some lonely shore—both emit the same sob. The music of trees has been recorded, and it is doleful. The startled cry of some frightened animal or bird pierces the night air and chills the blood. Surely nature bears audible testimony to the accuracy of Scripture. Godet quotes Schelling in this connection, “Nature, with its melancholy chorus, resembles a bride who, at the very moment when she is fully attired for the marriage, saw the bridegroom die. She still stands with her fresh crown and in her bridal dress but her eyes are full of tears.”
It is accurate to say that “nature is groaning.”
THE NEW BODY
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body [Rom. 8:23].
Not only does nature groan, but the believer is in harmony with nature. This verse is devastating to those who propose the theory that the mark of a Christian is a perennially smiling face. They contend that a Christian should be a cross between a Cheshire cat and a house-to-house salesman. A Christian should grin—at all times? Smile your troubles away is good for Rotary, but it is not the Christian method.
We groan within these bodies. Some years ago when I began to move into middle age, I would come down the steps in the morning groaning because my knees were hurting. My wife told me I ought not to groan! I told her it is scriptural to groan. Paul says, “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven” (2 Cor. 5:2). Also the psalmist wrote, “I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears” (Ps. 6:6). Our Lord Jesus did some weeping also. Although I believe He was a joyful person, there were times when He wept. In these bodies we groan.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [Rom. 8:24].
“We are saved by hope” speaks of the work of Christ for us on the cross and our faith in Him. But that is not all. We have a redeemed body coming up in the future.
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it [Rom. 8:25].
You see, faith, hope, and love are the vital parts of the believer’s life. There would be no hope if all were realized. Someday hope will pass away in realization. In fact, both faith and hope will pass away in the glory which shall be revealed in us. Only love abides.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered [Rom. 8:26].
Years ago when the late Dr. A. C. Gaebelein was speaking, a very enthusiastic member of the congregation kept interrupting with loud amens. That annoyed Dr. Gaebelein. Finally, he told him, “Brother, the Scripture says that the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered—so don’t you utter them if it’s the Spirit of God.” We didn’t even know how we ought to pray; but the Spirit of God will make intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Have you gone to God sometimes in prayer when you actually did not know what to pray for? All you could do was just go to Him and say, “Father.” You could not ask anything because you didn’t know what to ask for. At times like this the Spirit “helpeth our infirmities.” How wonderful that is!
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God [Rom. 8:27].
Now, if I go to God in prayer and say, “Look, Lord, I want You to do it this way,” That’s the way I usually do it, and I may not get the answer the way I prayed. But it’s wonderful sometimes to go to the Lord and say, “Lord, I don’t know what to ask for. I don’t know what to say. But I’m coming to You as Your child. And I want Your will done.” And the Spirit of God then will make intercession for us according to the will of God. My, again, how wonderful that is!
NEW PURPOSE
We come now to the new purpose of God. If Romans is the greatest book of the Bible, and chapter 8 is the high-water mark, then verse 28 is the pinnacle. God’s purpose guarantees the salvation of sinners, and the next three verses give the “ascending process of salvation,” as William Sanday calls it.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose [Rom. 8:28].
I have translated it this way: But we know (with divine knowledge) that for those who love God, all things are working together for good, even to them who are called-ones according to His purpose.
The late Dr. Reuben A. Torrey (I had the privilege of being pastor for twenty-one years of the church that he founded) was a great man of God, greatly abused and misunderstood. He knew the meaning of this verse, and he called it a soft pillow for a tired heart. Many of us have pillowed our heads on Romans 8:28. We know the whole creation is groaning, but we also know something else: all things are working together for good—even the groanings.
“We know” is used five times in Romans, and “know” is used thirteen times. It refers to that which is the common knowledge of the Christian, that is, that which the Holy Spirit makes real. “Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth” (see 1 Cor. 8:1), and this is the knowledge that only the Spirit of God can make real to our hearts. Charles Spurgeon used to say, “I do not need anyone to tell me how honey tastes; I know.” And I can say, my friend, that I know God loves me. I don’t need to argue that point; I know it.
“For those who love God” is the fraternity pin of the believer. “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision [that is, there is no badge]; but faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6). Love is the mark. The apostle John put it like this: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation [the mercy seat] for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:10–16). My friend, you are going to have trouble believing that God loves you, and you will have difficulty loving God, if you are hating other Christians. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). And the apostle Peter said: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). The thing that will bring joy and brightness into your life is the sincere love of God.
“All things”—good and bad; bright and dark; sweet and bitter; easy and hard; happy and sad; prosperity and poverty; health and sickness; calm and storm; comfort and suffering; life and death.
“Are working together for good” is causative and means that God is working all things—there are no accidents. You remember that Joseph could look back over his life, a life that had been filled with vicissitudes, disappointments, and sufferings, yet he could say to his brethren—who were responsible for his misfortune—“… ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good …” (Gen. 50:20). And I am confident that we as children of God will be able to look back over our lives someday and say, “All of this worked out for good.” Job could say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him … ” (Job 13:15). That is the kind of faith in God we need, friend. We know that He is going to make things work out for good because He’s the One who is motivating it. He’s the One who is energizing it.
However, we often cry out, as Jeremiah did, “Why did you let me see trouble?” (see Jer. 11:14). It was during the San Francisco earthquake many years ago that a saint of God walked out into the scene of destruction and debris and actually smiled. A friend asked her, “How can you smile at a time like this?” Her reply was, “I rejoice that I have a God who can shake the world!” How wonderful to be able to face life—and death—unafraid. I think of Paul who could face the future without flinching. He said to his friends, “… What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Many of us would like to come to that place of total commitment to Him.
Now notice that all things are working together for good for them “who are the called” ones, and it is “according to his purpose.” This is something that is hard for a great many people to swallow. “The called” are those who not only have received an invitation, they have accepted it. And they were born from above. They know experimentally the love of God. Paul describes three groups of people, and I think they are the three groups that are in the world today: “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24). (1) The Jews trusted in religion, rite and ritual. To them the cross was a stumblingblock. (2) The Greeks (the Gentiles) trusted in philosophy and human wisdom. To them the cross was foolishness. (3) “The called” were a group out of both Jews and Greeks who were chosen not because of their religion or wisdom. God called them. To them the cross was the dynamite of God unto salvation. “The called” heard God’s call. That is important.
Let me go back to my illustration of the turtles. Suppose you go down to a swamp, and there are ten turtles. You say to the turtles, “I’d like to teach you to fly.” Nine of them say, “We’re not interested. We like it down here; we feel comfortable in this environment.” One turtle says, “Yes, I’d like to fly.” That is the one which is called, and that is the one which is taught to fly. Now that doesn’t have anything in the world to do with the other turtles. They are turtles because they are turtles. My friend, the lost are lost because they want it that way. There is not a person on topside of this world that is being forced to be lost. They are lost because they have chosen to be lost.
A boy down in my southland years ago wanted to join a church. So the deacons were examining him. They asked, “How did you get saved?” His answer was, “God did His part, and I did my part.” They thought there was something wrong with his doctrine, so they questioned further. “What was God’s part and what was your part?” His explanation was a good one. He said, “God’s part was the saving, and my part was the sinning. I done run from Him as fast as my sinful heart and rebellious legs could take me. He done took out after me till he run me down.” My friend, that is the way I got saved also.
This does not destroy or disturb the fact that “whosoever will may come” and “whosoever believeth.” Henry Ward Beecher quaintly put it, “The elect are the whosoever wills and the non-elect are the whosoever won’ts.” And it is all according to His purpose. And, my friend, if you have not yet got your mind reconciled to God’s purpose and to God’s will, it is time you are doing that, because this is His universe. He made it. I don’t know why He made a round earth instead of a square one—He didn’t ask me how I wanted it—He made it round because He wanted it round. My friend, His purpose is going to be carried out, and He has the wisdom and the power to carry it out. Whatever God does is right. Don’t you criticize God and say He has no right to save whoever wants to be saved. He has the right to do it. He is just and He is loving, and anything my God does is right.
There was a great theologian in the past by the name of Simeon. In his sermons on Romans 8 he said there were three reasons why he preached on the doctrine of election: It laid the axe at the root of pride, presumption, and despair. I like that. My friend, there is no place for human pride in the doctrine of election. It is God’s work, His wisdom, and His purpose that is being carried out. The will of God comes down out of eternity past like a great steamroller. Don’t think you can stop it. In fact, you had better get on and ride.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified [Rom. 8:29–30].
“For” refers back to verse 28 to remind us that he is not talking about anybody being elected to be lost, but he is speaking of “the called,” the predestined ones. Predestination never has any reference to the lost. You will never find it used in connection with them. If you ever hear someone talk about being predestined to be lost, you know he is not being scriptural.
Predestination means that, when God saves you, He is going to see you through. Whom He foreknew, He predestinated, and whom He predestinated, He called, and whom He called, He justified, and whom He justified, He glorified. In other words, this amazing section is on sanctification—yet Paul does not even mention being sanctified. Why? Because sanctification is the work of God in the heart and life of the believer. This is God’s eternal purpose. It just simply means this: When the Lord—who is the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, the Good Shepherd of the Sheep, and Chief Shepherd of the Sheep—starts out with one hundred sheep, He’s going to come home with one hundred sheep; He will not lose one of them. You may remember that our Lord gave a parable about this, recorded in Luke 15. There was a shepherd, a good shepherd, who represents the Lord Jesus. One little old sheep got lost, got away. You would think He might say, “Well, let him go. We’ve got ninety-nine of them safe in the fold. That’s a good percentage.” Anyone raising sheep knows that if you get to market with a little over fifty percent of those that are born, you’re doing well. But this is an unusual shepherd. He is not satisfied with ninety-nine. If He justifies one hundred sheep, He’s going to glorify one hundred sheep. I’ll make this rather personal. Someday He will be counting them in—“One, two, three, four, five … ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine—where in the world is Vernon McGee? Well, it looks like he didn’t make it. We’ll let him go because a great many people didn’t think he was going to make it anyway.” My friend, thank God He won’t let him go. That shepherd is going after him. The doctrine of election means that the Lord will be coming home with one hundred sheep! This is not a frightful doctrine; it is a wonderful doctrine. It means that Vernon McGee’s going to be there; and it means you are going to be there, my friend, if you have trusted Christ. This is a most comforting doctrine in these uncertain days in which we live.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? [Rom. 8:31].
“What shall we then say to these things?” My answer is, “What can I say? This is so wonderful I have nothing to add!”
“Who can be against us?” God is on our side. Nobody will be able to bring a charge against us in His presence.
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [Rom. 8:32].
How wonderful that is! He did not spare His Son. He spared Abraham’s son, but not His own. Since He gave His Son to die for us, He will give us all things that we need. Somebody may say, “But I may not be able to hold out.” He is going to do that for you—He will hold you. His sheep are safe, my friend. It is not because they are smart sheep. A rancher in San Angelo, Texas, who raises sheep, told me, “Sheep are stupid!” Also they are defenseless. They don’t have sharp claws or fangs to protect themselves. They can’t even run very fast. They are little old helpless animals. If a little old sheep stands up and sings, “Safe am I,” is that sheep safe? Yes. Smart sheep? No, stupid. That little sheep is safe because he has a wonderful Shepherd.
“How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Dwight L. Moody illustrated it somewhat like this: Suppose I go into the finest jewelry store in the land, and they bring out the loveliest diamond, and the owner says, “It’s yours!” And I say, “You don’t mean that you are giving me this valuable diamond!” He says, “Yes. I am giving it to you.” If he gave it to me, do you think I would hesitate asking him for a piece of brown wrapping paper to wrap it up and take it home with me? My friend, since God gave his Son to die for you, don’t you know that He is going to give you everything that is necessary in this life and in the life to come?
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us [Rom. 8:33–34].
God’s elect are justified sinners. God has placed His throne behind them. Who is going to condemn them? Nobody can condemn them. Why? “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again.”
Christ has removed all condemnation, and the believer is secure because of the fourfold work of Christ: (1) Christ died for us—He was delivered for our offenses; (2) Christ was raised from the dead, raised for our justification; (3) He is on the right hand of God. He is up there right now, my friend. He is the living Christ. Do you need Him? Why don’t you appeal to Him? (4) He maketh intercession for us. Did you pray for yourself this morning? You should have. But if you missed praying, He didn’t. He prayed for you. How wonderful! This fourfold work of Christ is the reason that nobody can lay anything to the charge of God’s elect.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [Rom. 8:35].
He mentions everything imaginable here.
Is it possible that “tribulation” or trouble can separate us? No, my friend, because He won’t let it. “Distress or anguish?” Oh, you may think God has let you down, but He hasn’t. “Persecution”—and this means legal persecution. It means there are those who will carry on a campaign against you. But that will not separate you from the love of Christ. “Or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” By the way, this is a brief biography of Paul’s life. He knows from experience that these will not separate you from Christ’s love.
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter [Rom. 8:36].
This is a quotation from Psalm 44:22: “yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” This is a frightful picture of the saints in this day of grace. I believe with all my heart that this is the attitude of a satanic system toward the child of God even in this hour. Also the history of the church reveals this. My friend, if you stand for God today, it will cost you something.
My first job, as a kid about fifteen years old, was in an abatoir, a slaughterhouse. I worked right next to the man who took a sharp knife and cut the sheep’s throat. To see animals slaughtered by the hundreds was a frightful spectacle. I got so sick I had to go outside and sit in the fresh air.
And, friend, it is sickening to see what is happening to some of the saints of God in our day. But even this will not separate us from the love of God.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us [Rom. 8:37].
How can a sheep for the slaughter be more than a conqueror? This is another wonderful paradox of the Christian faith. What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? It means to have assistance from Another who gets the victory for us, who never lets us be defeated. The victory belongs to Christ; not to us. The victorious life is not our life. It is His life.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [Rom. 8:38–39].
“For I am persuaded” means that he knows.
“Death” cannot separate us—in fact, it will take us into His presence. The response of many of the early Christian martyrs when they were threatened with death was, “Thank you, you will transport me right into the presence of my Savior.” You can’t hurt people like that.
“Life”—often it is more difficult to face life than to face death. But life’s temptations, failures, disappointments, uncertainties, and sufferings will not separate us from the love of God that is in Christ our Lord.
“Angels”—and I think he means fallen angels—“principalities and powers” are spiritual enemies of the believer (see Eph. 6:12). “Things present” means present circumstances.
“Things to come” refers to the future.
“Nor height, nor depth” may refer to the space age in which we live.
“Any other created thing” would include anything else you want to mention. Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God which is centered in Christ.
My friend, salvation is a love story. We love Him because He first loved us. Nothing can separate us from that. We entered this chapter with no condemnation; we conclude it with no separation; and in between all things work together for good. Can you improve on this, friend? This is wonderful!
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Israel defined; Israel identified; the choice of Israel is in the sovereign purpose of God; the choice of Gentiles in the scriptural prophecies
We have now come to the second major division of this epistle. Romans chapters 1–8 is doctrinal. Romans chapters 9–11 is dispensational. Romans chapters 12–16 is duty. The first eight chapters of Romans emphasize faith. Chapters 9–11 emphasize hope. Chapters 12–16 emphasize love. There is another way to view Romans: The first section deals with salvation; the second section with segregation; and the last section with service.
Paul has concluded the first eight chapters of Romans, and he has put salvation on a broad basis, because the entire human race is lost. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). God has made salvation available to everyone on one basis alone—faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is now ready to discuss the second major division.
Some have attempted to dismiss this section by labeling it an appendix. Others minimize its importance by terming it a parenthesis and not actually pertinent. However, it is not only pertinent, it is vital to the logic and doctrine of the epistle.
There is a sense in which chapters 8 and 12 can be joined together as two boxcars. But Paul was not making up a freight train when he wrote Romans. Romans is not a freight train but a flowing stream. Chapters 9–11 can no more be removed than you can take out the middle section of the Mississippi River without causing havoc. Griffith Thomas writes, “The chapters 9–10-11 are an integral part of the epistle and are essential to its true interpretation.”
There are certain grand particulars which reveal the significance of this section. They are: The psychological factor; the historical factor; the doctrinal factor.
The psychological factor has to do with the personal experience of the apostle Paul. It is not entirely accurate to state that Romans comes from the head of the apostle and Galatians comes from his heart. The heart of Paul is laid bare in the opening of chapter 9—and in fact, throughout this section. There is a great gap between chapter 8 and chapter 9. Chapter 8 closes on the high plane of triumph and joy in the prospect of no separation from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Chapter 9 opens on the low plane of despair and sorrow. Obviously a change of subject matter brought about this heartbreak in the apostle. This we shall observe when we consider the text.
The historical factor takes into account the unique position and problem in Paul’s day. Modern interpretation has largely failed to take into consideration this factor. The present-day church is for the most part Gentile, and the Jewish background has been all but forgotten. Men assume that the Old Testament promises are merged and dissolved into the church. The arbitrary assumption is that the church is heir to the prophecies of the Old Testament and that God is through with the nation Israel.
Some time ago a Christian organization held a prophetic congress in Jerusalem. It was rather amusing because a meeting that was to be so important ended up as a “tempest in a teapot.” Many writers who covered the congress said that the city of Jerusalem did not even know that it was taking place. It is interesting to compare this congress with the Council at Jerusalem in Acts 15 when the whole city was shaken. Half of those present in the congress had no place for the nation Israel in God’s plan for the future. They felt that God was through with Israel. If that were true, why did they go to Jerusalem to hold a prophetic congress? They could have gone just as well to Scappoose, Oregon, or Muleshoe, Texas. God is not by any means through with Israel, as we shall see. Stifler states this view:
It has been tacitly assumed in Christian interpretation that Judaism’s day is over; that an elect, leveling church built on faith in Christ was the intent of the law and the prophets; and that it was the duty of all Jews to drop their peculiarities and come into the church. Such an assumption the Jews ascribed to Paul. It is strangely forgotten that the mother church in Jerusalem and Judaea never had a Gentile within its fold, that none could have been admitted, and that every member of that primitive body of tens of thousands was zealous of the law (Acts 21:20). They accepted Jesus as the Messiah, but abandoned none of their Old Testament customs and hopes. Christianity has suffered not a little in the continuous attempt to interpret it not from the Jewish, but from the Gentile point of view. The church in Jerusalem, and not the church in Antioch or Ephesus or Rome, furnishes the only sufficient historic outlook (James M. Stifler, The Epistle To the Romans, p. 162).
My friend, it is a very narrow view to assume that God is through with the nation Israel. Paul’s answer to, “Hath God cast away his people?” is a sharp negative: “God forbid” (Rom. 11:1). He is going to show that the promises that God made to the nation Israel are going to be fulfilled to that nation. Also he will show that God has made certain promises to the church, and today He is calling out an elect people, both Jew and Gentile, to form the church. This is exactly the conclusion to which the Council at Jerusalem came (Acts 15). This is actually the crux of the interpretation of prophecy: “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:13–18).
James is making it very plain that God is calling out a people to His name. When He concludes this, He will remove the church from the earth and will turn again to Israel. But even at that time, God is not through with Gentiles. We are told that all the saved Gentiles at that time will enter the kingdom with Israel, and God’s kingdom will be set up on this earth. This historical factor cannot be ignored.
The doctrinal factor concerns the right dispensational interpretation and the sovereign purposes of God. Paul has traced in the first eight chapters the great subjects of sin, salvation, and sanctification—all the way from grace to glory. In this age, nationality, ritual, and ceremonies have no weight before God. Faith is the only item which God accepts from man. Any person, regardless of race or condition, can find mercy. This does seem to level out the very distinctions made in the Old Testament. But Paul is going to answer that, and he begins by the rhetorical question: “Hath God cast away his people?” (Rom. 11:1). The answer, of course, is that He has not. Paul began this epistle, you remember, by saying that the gospel is “to the Jew first” (Rom. 1:16), which I think means that chronologically it was given to the Jew first.
Chapter 9–11 is a very important section. It may not deal with Christian doctrine, but it deals with the eschatological, that is, the prophetic, section of the Bible that reveals God is not through with Israel.
Now as we begin chapter 9, notice that this has to do with God’s past dealings with Israel. In chapter 10 we will see God’s present dealings with Israel and, in chapter 11, God’s future dealings with Israel as a nation. God’s reason for dealing with the nation in the past did not derive from their exceptional qualities or superior efforts. On the contrary, all of God’s actions are found in His own sovereign will. He functions through mercy in His dealings with Israel and all others—with you and me. Luther’s statement affords a fitting introduction to this chapter. “Who hath not known passion, cross, and travail of death cannot treat of foreknowledge (election of grace) without injury and inward enmity toward God. Wherefore take heed that thou drink not wine while thou art yet a sucking babe.” This is strong medicine we are going to look at here.
ISRAEL DEFINED
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost [Rom. 9:1].
Let me give you my translation of this verse: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience in the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me.
This seems to be a very formal introduction coming from the apostle Paul, but you must remember that at the time he wrote this he was accused of being an enemy of his own people. We are told in Acts 23:12, “And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.” Now Paul uses an expression that is a favorite with him: “I tell the truth, I do not lie.”
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart [Rom. 9:2].
It is impossible for us to appreciate adequately the anguish of this great apostle for his own nation. His patience in the presence of their persistent persecution is an indication of it. He knew how they felt toward Christ and toward Christianity, for he once felt that way himself. He had been a Pharisee, a leader; he longed for them to come to Christ as he had.
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh [Rom. 9:3].
I’d like to give you a different translation of this: For I was wishing (but it is not possible) that I myself were accursed (devoted to destruction) from the Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
The verse presents a real problem in translation. If you want a free translation, here it is: For I was once myself accursed from Christ as my brethren, my kinsman according to the flesh.
Frankly, I do not understand Paul at all, if our Authorized Version has translated it accurately. Paul has just said in chapter 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Now Paul says, “I wish I were accursed.” That is idle wishing, Paul. You can’t be accursed—you just told us that. This, then is just an oratorical gesture; you are not sincere when you say a thing like this.
However, the apostle Paul is always sincere. He didn’t use oratorical gestures. So I believe he is saying, “For I was once myself accursed from Christ just like my brethren. I know I cannot be accursed, and I want them to come to know Christ and be in my present position.” Professor J. A. Bengel said, “It is not easy to estimate the measure of love in a Moses and a Paul.” Moses expressed the same sentiment in Exodus 32:31–32, “And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”
Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen [Rom. 9:4–5].
Paul raises the question: Who are Israelites? There are eight things that identify Israelites:
1. The Adoption. The adoption was national and pertained to the national entity, not to separate individuals. The only nation that God ever called His “son” is the nation Israel: “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn” (Exod. 4:22). Again in Deuteronomy 7:6 “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” Either God meant this or He did not mean it. And if He didn’t mean it, then I don’t know why you believe in John 3:16—both promises are in the same Book. I believe John 3:16, and I believe Deuteronomy 7:6. He said “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt” (Hos. 11:1). God speaks of the nation—not just an individual—the nation of Israel as being His son. He never said that of any other people. The adoption belongs to Israel.
2. The Glory. This was the physical presence of God with them as manifested in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Exodus 40:35 reveals, “And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” The children of Israel are the only people who have ever had the visible presence of God. There is no visible presence of God today. We need to remember that fact.
Many years ago there was an evangelist who put up a tent in Southern California. He bragged that you could see angels walking on top of the tent and that you could see angels inside the tent. The minute he made a statement like that I knew there was something radically wrong. I also knew there was an explanation, and there was—the man died an alcoholic. I imagine that, after two or three drinks, you could see angels walking on tents, and he probably did. But only Israel truly had the visible presence of God. The church does not have it. Why? Because the Spirit of God indwells every believer, making real the living Christ who is at God’s right hand.
3. The Covenants. God has made certain covenants with the nation Israel that He intends to carry out. Many of them He has already carried out. He said He would make them a blessing to all people. He said to David that this One would come in his line. All of this has been fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. God made many covenants with Israel—with Abraham, with David, with the nation—which He has not made with any other people. To Israel belong the covenants.
4. The Law. The Mosaic Law was given to the nation Israel. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine” (Exod. 19:5). Then God says in Exodus 31:13, “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.” This is for the nation Israel, you see.
I have been asked, “Why don’t you keep the Sabbath day?” I do not keep it because I am not a member of the nation Israel. Others have asked me, “Did God ever change the Sabbath day?” God has not changed the Sabbath, but He has sure changed us. We are in Christ, and that is a new relationship. He gave the Mosaic Law to Israel.
5. The Service of God. This had to do with the worship of the tabernacle and temple. They were to be a kingdom of priests. “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exod. 19:6). The nation failed God, but God did not give up His purpose that they should be priests. God took the tribe of Levi and gave them the responsibility of serving and caring for the tabernacle and, later on, the temple. In the future, in the millennial kingdom the nation Israel will once again be God’s priests upon the earth.
6. The Promises. The Old Testament abounds with promises made to these people. God told Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel” (Josh. 1:2). The children of Israel were to possess the land. I was over there some time ago, but I didn’t cross the Jordan because it wasn’t safe—probably someone would have shot at me. Several years ago I did cross the Jordan River, but not because God gave a command to Joshua and the people of Israel. I have never felt that any of the land of Palestine belonged to me. The land is beginning to bloom like a rose, but much of that land is still barren. It will be a beautiful land again when the Lord Jesus comes to rule. It has never been my land, and it never will be. The land of Palestine was given strictly to the Jews.
7. The Fathers. This refers primarily to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
8. Christ the Messiah. He came according to the flesh. When He came to this earth, He was a Jew. The woman at the well called Him a Jew (see John 4:9). Paul is careful to say that we know Him no longer after the flesh: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Cor. 5:16). Paul identifies Jesus as God, and to Paul He is the God-Man. John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Christ came as a human babe to the nation Israel. The woman at the well identified Him as a Jew, and I think she was in a better position to say who He was than some scholar in New York City sitting in a swivel chair in a musty library.
Perhaps “Christ the Messiah” should be separated from the other seven features because it is greater than all the others. “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:16).
ISRAEL IDENTIFIED
The Israel of another time period has already been defined. Now let us identify them in Paul’s day and in our day also.
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel [Rom. 9:6].
This is a strange expression. In other words, not all the offspring, the natural offspring of Israel, are the real Israel. The Jew in Paul’s day raised the question as to why the Jew had not wholeheartedly accepted Christ since theirs was an elect nation. Is not this failure on God’s part? Paul partially dealt with this problem at the beginning of Romans 3. Now Paul is going to make a distinction between the natural offspring of Jacob and the spiritual offspring. Always there has been a remnant, and that remnant, whether natural or not natural, has been a spiritual offspring. This is a distinction within the nation Israel, and he is not including Gentiles here at all. The failure was not God’s; but the people had failed. God’s promises were unconditional.
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but. In Isaac shall thy seed be called [Rom. 9:7].
This verse is a devastating blow to the argument of those who were attempting to stand against Paul. If the “seed” were reckoned on natural birth alone, then the Ishmaelites, Midianites, and Edomites would be included. A fine Arab man in Jericho said to me several years ago, “I want you to know that I am a son of Abraham.” I could not argue against that. He was a son of Abraham. These others were all the physical offspring of Abraham. To be the natural offspring of Abraham was no assurance that a person was a child of promise.
You will recall what the Jews said to the Lord Jesus on one occasion, “… Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.” Then the Lord continued saying, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a lair, and the father of it” (John 8:39, 44).
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed [Rom. 9:8].
The apostle Paul makes a clear distinction between the elect and the nonelect in the nation Israel. “The children of the flesh” are not the children of God. “The children of the promise” are the ones counted for the seed. In Acts 21:20 Dr. Luke tells us, “And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law.” There were in Israel thousands of Jews who turned to Christ after His death and resurrection. They were the elect, and Paul always called them “Israel.” When we come to the Book of the Revelation where our Lord was speaking to the churches (the turn of the first century), He says to them in effect, “They do not even belong to a synagogue that worships Me any longer; it is a synagogue that worships Satan” (see Rev. 2:9; 3:9).
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son [Rom. 9:9].
The children of the promise are not those who believed something—Isaac did not believe before he was born! Isaac was the promised seed. God promised, and God made good. Now we are coming to some strong statements.
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac [Rom. 9:10].
Isaac and Rebecca are likewise given as an illustration of this principle of the divine election.
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) [Rom. 9:11].
Although this verse is in parentheses, its truth is of supreme importance. Some explanation may be offered for God’s rejection of Ishmael, but that is not possible in the case of Isaac and Rebecca’s children—those boys were twins! God rejected the line of primogeniture, that is, of the first born, and chose the younger son. At that time Jacob had done no good, and Esau had done no evil. It does not rest upon birth—that was identical—and it does not rest upon their character or their works. Paul makes the entire choice rest upon “the purpose of God according to election.” He further qualifies his statement that it is not of works, but rests upon God who calls. However, the calling in this verse is not to salvation.
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger [Rom. 9:12].
This is a quotation from Genesis 25:23, which was given before the two boys were born. “And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated [Rom. 9:13].
This is a quotation from the last book in the Old Testament (see Mal. 1:2–3). This statement was not made until the two boys had lived their lives and two nations had come from them, which was about two thousand years later, and much history had been made. A student once said to Dr. Griffith Thomas that he was having trouble with this passage because he could not understand why God hated Esau. Dr. Thomas answered, “I am having a problem with that passage too, but mine is different. I do not understand why God loved Jacob.” That is the big problem. It is easy to see why God rejected Esau, friend. He was a rascal; he was a godless fellow, filled with pride, and from him came a nation that wanted to live without God and turned their backs upon Him. I can understand why God rejected Esau, but not why He chose Jacob. The Bible tells us that He made His choice according to His sovereign will.
THE CHOICE OF ISRAEL IS IN THE SOVEREIGN PURPOSE OF GOD
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid [Rom. 9:14].
What will we say to this? Is there injustice with God? Perish the thought! Let it not be. The answer is a resounding no!
The natural man rebels against the sovereignty of God. If anything is left to God to make the choice, man immediately concludes that there is injustice. Why is that?
There are people today who have applauded some of the presidents we have had during the 1960s and 1970s. Apparently—I don’t know if we will ever get the truth—there have been bad judgments made during their terms in office, and as a result thousands of our boys have died. Yet one of those men received more votes than any man who has run for president. The remarkable thing is that we often do not question the judgments of men, but we do question the judgments of God.
My friend, although we cannot intrude into the mysterious dealings of God, we can trust Him to act in justice. We cannot avoid the doctrine of election, nor can we reconcile God’s sovereign election with man’s free will. Both are true. Let’s keep in mind that this is His universe. He is sovereign. I am but a little creature on earth, and He could take away the breath from me in the next moment. Do I have the audacity to stand on my two feet, look Him in the face, and question what He does? That would be rebellion of the worst sort. I bow to my Creator and my Redeemer, knowing that whatever choice He makes is right. By the way, if you do not like what He does, perhaps you should move out of His universe and start one of your own so you can make your own rules. But as long as you live in God’s universe, you will have to play according to His rules. Little man needs to bow his stiff neck and stubborn knees before Almighty God and say, “There is no unrighteousness with Thee” (see John 7:18).
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion [Rom. 9:15].
Moses, you recall, wanted to see the glory of God. God said in effect, “I’ll show it to you Moses, but I’ll not show it to you because you are Moses.” Now, Moses was a very important person. He was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness. God says, “I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. I will do this for you, not because you are Moses, but because I am God!” Do you know why God saved me? It was not because I am Vernon McGee but because He is God. He made the choice, and I bow before Him.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy [Rom. 9:16].
God’s mercy is not extended as a recognition of human will, nor is it a reward of human work. Human-willing and human-working are not motivating causes of God’s actions. Man thinks that his decision and his effort cause God to look with favor upon him. Stifler states it succinctly when he says, “Willing and running may indicate the possession of grace, but they are not the originating cause” (The Epistle to the Romans, p. 172). God extends mercy, and He does it because he is God, my friend. Who are we to question Him? I bow before Him today.
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth [Rom. 9:17–18].
God says that He used Pharaoh. “But,” you may say, “he was not elected.” No, he sure wasn’t. Just think of the opportunities God gave him. Pharaoh would have said, “I am Pharaoh. I make the decisions around here. I reject the request to let the people of Israel go.” God says, “You may think you won’t, but you are going to let them go.” God’s will prevails. When the Scriptures say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it means that God forced Pharaoh to make the decision that was in his heart. God forced him to do the thing he wanted to do. There never will be a person in hell who did not choose to be there, my friend. You are the one who makes your own decision.
Thou wilt say then unto me. Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? [Rom. 9:19].
This is the reasoning of the natural man: If God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, why should He find fault with Pharaoh? Wasn’t he accomplishing God’s purpose?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? [Rom. 9:20].
Human reasoning is not the answer to the problem. The answer is found only in the mystery and majesty of God’s sovereignty. Faith leaves it there and accepts it in humble obedience. Unbelief rebels against it and continues on under the very wrath and judgment of the God it questions.
Johann Peter Lange has well stated it: “When man goes the length of making himself a god whom he affects to bind by his own rights, God then puts on His majesty, and appears in all His reality as a free God, before whom man is nothing, like the clay in the hand of the potter. Such was Paul’s attitude when acting as God’s advocate in his suit with Jewish Pharisaism. This is the reason why he expresses only one side of the truth.”
You cannot put one little star in motion;
You cannot shape one single forest leaf,
Nor fling a mountain up, nor sink an
ocean,
Presumptuous pigmy, large with
unbelief!
You cannot bring one down of regal
splendor,
Nor bid the day to shadowy twilight
fall,
Nor send the pale moon forth with
radiance tender;
And dare you doubt the One who has
done it all?
—Sherman A. Nagel, Sr.
The important thing is that God is God, and little man won’t change that.
In the next few verses Paul uses the illustration of the potter and the clay. God is the Potter and we are clay. God took man out of the dust of the earth and formed him. He didn’t start with a monkey—man made a monkey of himself, but God didn’t make him like that. God took man from the dust of the ground. The psalmist says, “… he remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). We forget this sometimes. As some wag has said, when dust gets stuck on itself, it is mud. Abraham took his correct position before God when he said, “… Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes” (Gen 18:27).
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [Rom. 9:21].
God reaches into the same lump of humanity and takes out some clay to form Moses. Again, He reaches in and takes out of the same lump the clay to make Pharaoh. It was all ugly, unlovely, sightless, and sinful clay at the beginning. His mercy makes a vessel “unto honour”; that is, a vessel for honorable use. It is the Potter’s right to make another vessel for “dishonour” or common use.
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? [Rom. 9:22–24].
Paul has already established the fact that God is free to act in the mystery and majesty of His sovereignty. Now Paul shows that God deals in patience and mercy even with the vessels of wrath. God did not fit them for destruction; the rebellion and sin of the clay made them ripe for judgment. God would have been right in exercising immediate judgment, but He dealt with these vessels, not as lifeless clay, but as creatures with a free will. He gave them ample opportunity to reveal any inclination they might have of obeying God. Although God hates sin and must judge it in a most final manner, His mercy is constantly going out to the creatures involved.
God suggests that the “vessels of wrath” are the Jewish nation, which was destroyed in a.d. 70. Jesus, you recall, announced this destruction, but He wept over the city, and He prayed, “… Father, forgive them …” (Luke 23:34). When the final judgment came in a.d. 70, God saved a remnant. These were “vessels of mercy.”
THE CHOICE OF GENTILES IN THE SCRIPTURAL PROPHECIES
This is the final division of the chapter. Paul has made it very clear that the nation Israel was chosen by the sovereign will of God, not because of their merit. God not only chose a nation and not only saved those in that nation who turned to Him—and it’s a remnant always—but among the Gentiles He is calling out a people today to His name.
As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God [Rom. 9:25–26].
“Osee” is the Greek name of the prophet Hosea. This is a quotation from Hosea 2:23, and it refers to the nation Israel. Peter refers this prophecy to the believing remnant in his day which perpetuated the nation. To his people who had turned to Christ, he says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9–10).
The second prophecy (v. 26) is from Hosea 1:10 and refers to Gentiles anyplace on the earth who turn to Christ now and in the future. As James put it: “That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things” (Acts 15:17).
And so God reached into Europe. He did not send the gospel into Europe because the people there were superior. Some members of the white race seem to think that they are superior people. They are not. The Chinese were way ahead of my ancestors in Paul’s day. My ancestors—and perhaps yours—were there in the forests of Europe. A branch of my family was over in Scotland. I am told they were the dirtiest, filthiest savages who have ever been on this earth. Do you think God carried the gospel to them because they were superior? They were anything but that. “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (v. 16). I thank Him for that—how wonderful it is!
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth [Rom. 9:27–28].
A literal translation would be: Isaiah also cried in anguish over Israel, if the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant only shall be saved; for He [the Lord] will execute His word upon the earth, finishing and cutting it short in righteousness.
The quotation Paul uses is from Isaiah 10:22–23. Only a remnant of Israel will be saved in the Great Tribulation Period. If you want to see the percentage, there are approximately fifteen million Jews today. In the Great Tribulation Period we know that only 144,000 Jews will be sealed—that is a small ratio. While I do believe others will be saved during that period, 144,000 will be His witnesses, and a small remnant will be saved. It has always been only a remnant with them, and it is only a remnant with Gentiles. Now don’t ask me why—it is God that shows mercy. If He saved only one, it would reveal the mercy of God, because none of us deserve His mercy.
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha [Rom. 9:29].
In this verse Paul is quoting from Isaiah 1:9. This is a startling statement, but it is a fitting climax to the sovereignty of God. Even the elect nation would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah in depravity and rebellion to God if He had not intervened in sovereign mercy and recovered a remnant. What an indictment of proud Pharisaism and proud church membership today! Only God’s mercy keeps any of us from going to hell, my beloved.
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith [Rom. 9:30].
This is a thrilling statement. Gentiles, without willing or working, found righteousness in Christ because God worked and God willed it. The Old Testament Scriptures had prophesied it. As we have seen, Isaiah had said that Gentiles were to be saved.
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness [Rom. 9:31].
In other words, Israel, pursuing after a law which should give righteousness, did not arrive at such a law. This is a terrifying statement. The Jews tried to produce a righteousness of their own through the Mosaic system. They didn’t produce it—look at the nation today. Religious people are the most difficult people to reach with the gospel—church members, who think they are good enough to be saved.
You will never be able to reconcile the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. But Paul is making it very clear here that if you are going to be saved it is your responsibility. It is “whosoever will may come” (see Mark 8:34) and “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). You can come; don’t stand on the sidelines and say, “I’m not elected.” But I have never heard of anybody being elected who didn’t run for office. If you want to be saved, you are the elect. If you don’t, you’re not. And that is all I know about it. I cannot reconcile election and free will. I have come to the place in the sunset of my life that I can say that God is sovereign, and He is going to do this according to His will. And His will is right—there is no unrighteousness with Him. He won’t make a mistake. Men make mistakes: men in government make mistakes, yet people believe in them. My friend, why don’t you believe in God? He is righteous, He is good, and whatever He does it right.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed [Rom. 9:32–33].
The quotation here is from both Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16. The Jews stumbled. To the Gentile the cross is foolishness. The one who believes, either Jew or Gentile, will be saved. The humble mind will come in simple faith. The natural man will still try to produce salvation by some natural process. He will try to reconcile the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man as if the puny mind of man is capable and infallible.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Present state of Israel; present standing of Israel; present salvation for both Jew and Gentile
We have seen the present state of Israel; they are lost. And that is their condition today. They are lost just as the Gentiles are lost. The reason is that Christ is the end of the law of righteousness.
Now Paul turns from the sovereignty of God to the responsibility of man. He began this thought in the concluding verses of chapter 9.
PRESENT STATE OF ISRAEL
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved [Rom. 10:1].
They are responsible, you see; they are responsible to God. Our Lord has said to them, “For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thv visitation” (Luke 19:43–44). That is the condition of the nation over there today. They are surrounded by nations that want to push them into the sea. Why? You can blame the Arab, you can blame Russia, you can blame everybody. You can blame God if you want to, because He says the reason they are in such a state—unable to have peace—is that they did not recognize their time of visitation. So Paul says, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Now notice the three great features in His statement:
1. Israel, with all they possessed (see Rom. 9:4–5) of religion, were not saved. May I say that probably 75 percent of church members are not saved. They are just members of a religious club. They are in rebellion against God in that they will not accept the righteousness God offers in Christ. You can be religious and lost. Israel had a God-given religion, but they needed to be saved. They had religion but not righteousness. They had more than any other nation, but they were lost. Paul’s desire was that Israel might be saved.
2. Israel was savable. Bengel says, “Paul would not have prayed had they been altogether reprobate.” They were savable. Who would have thought that my ancestors in the forests of Germany were savable? They were as heathen as anyone could possibly be. Yet at that time the Chinese had a civilization. Why didn’t the missionaries go in that direction? Why didn’t the apostles say, “Let’s not bother with those pagan Gentiles; they are not even savable”? Pagan Gentiles were savable, and the Jews were savable also.
3. They are on the same plane before God today as Gentiles and should be evangelized as any other people without Christ. There is no difference today. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The idea of a superior race or an inferior race is ridiculous. The ground at the foot of the cross is all level. Whoever you are, your social position, your church membership, your good works, or the color of your skin will not help you. Without Christ you are a hell-doomed sinner. God is just and righteous when He says that to you. Perhaps you say, “I don’t like what that preacher said.” Well, it is actually what God said, my friend. God is putting it in neon lights here. He doesn’t want you to miss it.
There are those today who believe that the gospel ought to go to Israel first. I think Paul meant that chronologically it went to the Jew first. For the first few years in the city of Jerusalem and in all Israel there was not a Gentile saved. The church was 100 percent Jewish. Although I do not believe we are told to evangelize the Jew first in our day, I certainly do believe that the Jew should not be left out. He is in the plan and purpose of God, and he should have the gospel. I disagree with a man like the late Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, a recent liberal theologian, who is reported to have said (by Time magazine in 1958), “Do not try to convert Jews … Jews may find God more readily in their own faith than in Christianity.” He maintains this viewpoint, so he says, “especially because of the guilt they are likely to feel if they become Christians.” However, coming to Christ is the way to get rid of guilt. They should have the gospel—all people should have it. God is prepared to show mercy today.
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge [Rom. 10:2].
I know some churches, friend, where the members are as busy as termites. On Monday night they play basketball. On Tuesday night it is football. On Wednesday night it is volleyball. On Thursday night it is baseball. On Friday night they just “have a ball.” They have something going on every night. They have a “zeal of God”—they like to do it all in the name of Jesus. But all they have is religion. My friend, do you have Christ? Have you accepted the righteousness that God offers in Christ Jesus? You cannot be saved on any other basis. You have to be perfect to go to heaven, and I have news for you: you are not perfect. Neither am I perfect. But I am going to heaven because Jesus died for me, was buried, and rose again from the dead. He was delivered for my offenses and was raised for my justification. He is my righteousness. I will go to heaven one day because He took my place. Is Jesus Christ your Savior? Forget your church membership for awhile. I do not mean to minimize your membership, but do not trust it for salvation. The average church today is as dead as a dodo bird. A fellow said to me some time ago concerning the church, “I would just as soon go out and play golf on Sunday.” Knowing the church he attended, I understood how he felt. In fact, I believe he could be more spiritual out on the golf course than he could be in a service in that church. The point is that he should find a church that is really preaching Christ. Oh, how wonderful He is! How important it is to have a personal relationship to Him.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God [Rom. 10:3].
This was true of Israel, and it is true of the average church member today. Dr. Griffith Thomas commented on this lack of discernment. “Is it not marvellous that people can read the Bible and all the time fail to see its essential teaching and its personal application to themselves? There is scarcely anything more surprising and saddening than the presence of intellectual knowledge of God’s Word with an utter failure to appreciate its spiritual meaning and force.” I have seen men, officers of the church, who carry such big Bibles under their arms that they leaned in that direction when they walked down the street. I watched them for twenty-one years and saw no spiritual growth. They just did not grow. They had no discernment whatsoever. So many church people have no real discernment of what it really means to be saved.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth [Rom. 10:4].
“Christ is the end of the law” means He is the goal. Our Lord made it clear. He said in effect, “I didn’t come to patch up an old garment; I came to give you a new garment—the robe of My righteousness” (see Matt. 9:16). The Mosaic Law was given to lead men to Christ; it wasn’t given to save men. Paul said to the Galatian believers that “… the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). The Law was not given to save us, but to show us that we needed to be saved. It takes us by the hand, brings us to the cross of Christ, and says, “Little fellow, you need a Savior.” The Law came to an end in Christ. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). William R. Newell (Romans Verse by Verse, p. 393) made the statement: “The Law is no more a rule of life than it is a means of righteousness.” It is for everyone that believes, which suggests both the freeness and universality of salvation. “Every one”—universal. “Believeth”—oh, the freeness of it! Why don’t you accept it?
PRESENT STANDING OF ISRAEL
For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them [Rom. 10:5].
Granted that you could attain a righteousness in the law, it would be your own righteousness, not God’s righteousness. It could never measure up to His.
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) [Rom. 10:6].
He talks about ascending up to heaven to bring it down, or going down to hell and bringing it up. My friend, the righteousness that Paul is talking about—he quotes from Deuteronomy 30:11–14—is available!
Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) [Rom. 10:7].
You don’t have to make a trip anywhere to get it.
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach [Rom. 10:8].
It is available right where you are sitting. A great many folk think they have to go to an altar in some sort of meeting to be saved. But salvation is available to you right where you are now.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation [Rom. 10:9–10].
There are many folk who maintain that a believer has to make a public confession of faith. That is not what Paul is saying here. It does not mean to go forward in a public meeting. In the church I served for twenty-one years I saw many people come forward, but they were not all saved. Paul is not saying that you have to make a public confession.
Paul is saying that man needs to bring into agreement his confession and his life. The mouth and the heart should be in harmony, saying the same thing. It is with the heart that you believe. Your “heart” means your total personality, your entire being. You see, there are some folk who say something with their mouths—they give lip service to God—but their hearts are far from Him. When you make a public confession, you be dead sure that your heart is right along with you; that you are not just saying idle words that mean nothing to you personally. If there is confession without faith, it is due either to self-deception or to hypocrisy. If there is faith without confession, it may be cowardice. It seems to me that Paul is saying here that James is accurate, “… faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). If you are going to work your mouth, be sure you have faith in your heart, my friend.
“Believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead” means that the resurrection of Christ is the heart of the gospel. As Paul said earlier, He “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25).
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed [Rom. 10:11].
Paul is quoting from Isaiah 28:16: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” The difference in our translation is not due to Paul’s changing the quotation. Rather, the word for confound and make haste is the same. It means to flee because of fear. Paul is quoting Isaiah to enforce his previous statement that the “by faith righteousness” is taught in other passages of the Old Testament. This passage also shows the universal character of salvation in the word whosoever.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him [Rom. 10:12].
There is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek (or Gentile)—all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All, if they are to be saved, must come the same way to Christ. The Lord Jesus said, “… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). You can’t come to Him by the Old Testament ritual or by the Mosaic Law. Salvation is offered to all people on the same basis of mercy—by faith. Hear and believe the gospel.
PRESENT SALVATION FOR BOTH JEW AND GENTILE
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved [Rom. 10:13].
This is a remarkable statement, which Paul draws from the Old Testament (see Joel 2:32), to enforce his argument that salvation is by faith. This makes it very clear that both Jew and Gentile are to call on the Lord. To “call upon the name of the Lord” means to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! [Rom. 10:14–15].
It is necessary to understand Paul’s position in order to appreciate these verses. The Jews, his own people, hated the apostle Paul even though they applauded Saul, the Pharisee. He is showing the logic of his position. They rejected his claim, or the right of any of the apostles, to proclaim a gospel that omitted the Mosaic system which had degenerated into Pharisaism.
Paul shows that there must be messengers of the gospel who have credentials from God. Paul, you recall, began this epistle with the claim that he was a called apostle of Jesus Christ (see Rom. 1:1). There follows a logical sequence. Preachers must be sent in order for people to hear that they might believe, for they would not know how to call upon God. Paul pinpoints all on believing. This, therefore, necessitated his ministry.
Paul clinches this bit of logic with a quotation from Isaiah 52:7 which says: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” This quotation precedes the marvelous fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, which is a prophecy of Christ’s death and resurrection. He opened it with the prophet’s query, “… Who hath believed our report? …” (Isa. 53:1). The law of Moses surely was not glad tidings of good things, but it was a ministration of death.
We are told here that the feet of those who bear glad tidings are beautiful. I believe that my radio program is important, and I am giving the rest of my life to it. I feel it is important to get God’s Word out to needy people. One day I was making tapes for the program in my bare feet. I looked at them and concluded that they are not beautiful. There is nothing about feet that causes them to be an object of beauty. But God calls beautiful the feet of His called-ones and His sent-messengers—beautiful. Johann Peter Lange has an appropriate word on this: “In their running and hastening, in their scaling obstructing mountains, they are the symbols of the earnestly-desired, winged movement and appearance of the Gospel itself.” That is one of the reasons I love the opportunity provided by radio today. We can scale mountains, go over the plains, reach over the vast expanses of water, and go into the inner recesses of the earth with the gospel. We can go into homes, automobiles, and places of business. We have been even in barrooms with the gospel by radio. It is wonderful to get out the Word of God. It is wonderful to have feet that the Lord calls beautiful!
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? [Rom. 10:16].
While we are amazed at the great number of folk who tell us that they have received Christ because of our ministry, when we look at the total picture, it is a very small minority. Who has believed our report? Not very many.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [Rom. 10:17].
Oh, this is so important! Faith does not come by preaching philosophy or psychology or some political nostrum; it comes by preaching the Word of God. Until you hear the Word of God, you cannot be saved, my friend.
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world [Rom. 10:18].
While I am not saying that Paul has reference to radio, it certainly applies to radio broadcasting. Radio is a marvelous way of getting God’s Word to the ends of the world.
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you [Rom. 10:19].
Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 32:21. Today God is calling out a people from among Gentiles. Paul will develop this thought in the next chapter.
But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me [Rom. 10:20].
Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:1: “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.” Even Isaiah predicted gentile salvation. The Gentiles in darkness were finding Christ. What excuse could Israel who had the Old Testament Scriptures offer? They are entirely without excuse.
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people [Rom. 10:21].
Have you ever stopped to think how tiresome it is to hold your hands out for a long period of time? Try it sometime and see how long you can do it. It is one of the most tiring things in the world. When Moses held up his hands in prayer to God for Israel’s victory in battle, Aaron and Hur had to prop up his hands because he got so tired holding them up (see Exod. 17:9–12). But God says, “I have been holding out My hands to a disobedient people” (see Isa. 65:2). No one knows how gracious God has been to the nation Israel.
Stephen’s final word to this nation is revealing: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it” (Acts 7:51–53). This is not confined to Israel. It could be said today that God is holding out His hands to a gainsaying world. I marvel at the patience of God. I do not mean to be irreverant, but if I were running the show on this little earth down here, I would make a lot of changes. I would move in like a bulldozer! But God is just holding out His hands to our gainsaying world.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Remnant of Israel finding salvation; remainder of Israel blinded; reason for setting aside the nation Israel; restoration of the nation Israel
We will see that God has a future purpose with Israel. In chapter 9 we saw God’s past dealings with Israel. In chapter 10 we saw God’s present dealings with Israel: a remnant of Israel is finding salvation. Perhaps you are saying, “Well, it must be a very small remnant.” It is larger than you might think it is. It is estimated that there are about fifteen million Jews throughout the world, and the percentage of those who are believers is probably much higher than that of the gentile world with its four billion people.
We have seen that the nation rejected Christ and the “by faith” righteousness of God in Christ which was offered to them. And now God has rejected them temporarily as a nation. Two questions naturally arise: Has God permanently rejected them as a nation? In other words, does the nation of Israel have a future? Secondly, are all the promises of the Old Testament nullified by the rejection of Israel? Remember that God had promised primacy to Israel in the Old Testament. He had said they would be the head, not the tail, of the nations (see Deut. 28:13). My friend, all the promises of the Old Testament will have a literal fulfillment. Paul will make that clear.
REMNANT OF ISRAEL FINDING SALVATION
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin [Rom. 11:1].
What people is Paul talking about? Israel. In case the amillennialist might miss this, Paul is very specific. Paul himself is present proof. He is a true Israelite of genuine stock. He is descended from Abraham; he is from one of the twelve tribes of Israel, Benjamin, one of the two tribes that never seceded from the nation. He was 100 percent Israelite.
“God forbid” is more accurately, Let it not be! It is a strong negative. Even the form of the question demands a negative answer. God has not cast away Israel as a nation.
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life [Rom. 11:2–3].
Paul uses old Elijah as an illustration, and he makes a good one. Elijah stood for God, and he stood alone. How I admire that man standing alone for God against 450 prophets of Baal. And Elijah goes to the Lord to complain. He says, “Lord, I am all alone; I am the only one left.” God says, “Wait a minute, you think you are alone, but you are not.”
But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal [Rom. 11:4].
Elijah was totally unaware that God had been working in the hearts of seven thousand men. If there were seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal, then it follows that there were about twice as many women who did not bow the knee either, if you go by percentages. For the northern kingdom this was a sizable remnant in the day of Ahab and Jezebel.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace [Rom. 11:5].
God always had a remnant in Israel. That remnant today is composed of those Jews who have come to Christ. This is the reason Paul will say later that all Israel is not Israel.
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work [Rom. 11:6].
In other words, grace and works represent two mutually exclusive systems. They are diametrically opposed to each other. The remnant at this time is composed of those who are not saved by works or by merit; they are saved by the grace of God. The future purpose of God—from the day Paul wrote down to the present—concerns those who will accept Christ.
What about those who do not accept Christ? Well, the remainder of Israel is hardened.
REMAINDER OF ISRAEL BLINDED
It is important to notice that they were hardened because they failed; they did not fail because they were hardened. A lot of folk get the cart before the horse—in fact, they get the horse in the cart, and it doesn’t belong there!
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded [Rom. 11:7].
Did they fail to come to Christ because they had been blinded? Oh, no. They had been exposed to the gospel as no other people have been exposed to it. God said, “All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Rom. 10:21). He has been patient with them. Now they are blinded because they would not accept the light He gave them.
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day [Rom. 11:8].
They had rejected, you see. When a man rejects, he becomes the most difficult to reach with the grace of God.
And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them [Rom. 11:9].
This is a quotation from Psalm 69:22 which says, “Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.” The table has reference to feasting, which is representative of material prosperity. The children of Israel had great feasts at which they were actually guests of God—they did not invite God to their feasts as the pagans did—rather, God invited them. The Passover was a notable example. The thought here is that they were feasting in a conceited confidence which was entirely pagan. Their carnal security deceived them as to their true spiritual ruin. They trusted the things they ate without any true confidence in God. My friend, this is the condition at the present moment of multitudes of church members. They come to the Lord’s Supper without a spiritual understanding.
Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back alway [Rom. 11:10].
God gives light in order that men might see, but if they are blind, they will not see. The light reveals the blindness of multitudes today. I am amazed that so many intelligent people do not seem to understand what the Bible is all about.
REASON FOR SETTING ASIDE THE NATION ISRAEL
The nation Israel was set aside for the salvation of the Gentiles. Paul deals with this in the following section.
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy [Rom. 11:11].
In other words: I say then, did they stumble in order that they might fall? Away with the thought—that’s not it. But by their false step, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke Israel to jealousy.
Now Paul opens this verse with the same engaging inquiry as he did verse 1. Do you remember that he raised the question, “Hath God cast away his people?” (v. 1). Rejection is only partial and temporary. His question is, “Have they stumbled in such a way that they will not rise again?” The answer is an emphatic negative. Their fall has enabled God through His providence to open the gates of salvation wide to the Gentiles. The Jew will see the reality of salvation of the Gentiles, that they are experiencing the blessings of God which the Jew thought could come only to him. This should move him to emulation, not jealousy as we define it. In our trips to Israel, we have had several guides who were Jewish. They were puzzled that we were so interested in things that are Jewish in the nation Israel. They marveled at that. I have visited other countries and enjoyed them. I enjoyed England because some of my ancestors came from that area. In Egypt I saw the pyramids and that great hunk of rock there, and now that I have seen it, I don’t want to see it again. But I have an interest in Israel that is not equaled in any other nation. The Jewish people don’t understand this. One Jewish guide talked to me about it. He said, “I want to know why these things are so important to you.”
Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? [Rom. 11:12].
Israel has been set aside; that is, God is not dealing with them as a nation at this time. When God does begin to deal with them, they won’t have any problem with the Arab—that conflict will be completely resolved. Israel will not live in fear, because God has made it very clear that every man is going to dwell in peace and tranquility. “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it” (Mic. 4:4).
Now since their setting aside has brought the grace of God to Gentiles, what about the grace of God toward the Gentiles after the Jews are received again? It will be multiplied. James made this clear at that great council at Jerusalem. He said that God is calling out from among Gentiles a people for His name just as He is calling out Israelites. Then God says, “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things” (Acts 15:16–17). This is my reason for periodically making a statement—that sometimes puzzles folk—that the greatest “revival” took place on this earth before the church got here. (I use the word revival in the popular sense of a turning to God.) A man by the name of Jonah went into the city of Nineveh and saw the entire city turn to God. It is true that there was a great turning to God on the Day of Pentecost (which marks the beginning of the church), but what was the percentage? Pentecost was a feast in Jerusalem to which all male Israelites were required to go—there must have been several hundred thousand Jews in the environs of Jerusalem. How many were saved? Well, judging from the record, there were probably about ten thousand who were saved after the first few days of preaching. That is actually a small percentage. And the greatest revival since then took place in the Hawaiian Islands. The percentage there was probably 50 percent. But that was small in comparison to the days of Jonah. And I believe that the greatest revival will take place after the church leaves this earth. Actually, the church has not done too well. I believe that after the church has been raptured, multitudes of Gentiles will turn to God—not only in the Great Tribulation Period, but in the Millennium. Gentile nations will enter the Millennium, and a great many of them are going to like the rule of Christ, and they will turn to God during that period. I believe this with all my heart.
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them [Rom. 11:13–14].
Perhaps my translation will help you in the understanding of these two verses: “But I speak to you, the Gentiles. Inasmuch, then, as I [Paul] am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry, if by any means I may move to emulation, that is, provoke to jealousy them of my flesh, and may save some of them.”
In other words, Paul says, in effect, “I am an apostle to the Gentiles, and I rejoice in that. But as I preach to the Gentiles, I hope it will move many of my own people to turn to Christ also.” Paul, you remember, wrote to the Corinthians, “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law” (1 Cor. 9:20).
This is the reason Paul went to Jerusalem with his head shaven and under an oath—he was trying to win his people to Christ. Should he have done this since he lived under grace? Living under grace means that he could do it if he wanted to. In his letter to the Corinthians he continued, “To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law” (1 Cor. 9:21). In other words, he was obeying Christ. Then Paul says, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). He was first of all fulfilling his office as an apostle to the Gentiles, and in so doing, he was trying to move his Jewish brethren to turn to Christ. Some turned to Christ—only a few—but some. In all of this Paul was fulfilling his ministry, and God was accomplishing His purpose in this age with both Jew and Gentile.
I understand the satisfaction Paul felt in doing what God had called him to do. God has a place for you, my friend. He may want you to get busy and teach a Sunday school class, do personal work, or reach people through a business enterprise. Or He may want you to support another who is really getting out the Word of God. Whatever it is, you will experience great satisfaction in doing what you are confident God has called you to do.
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? [Rom. 11:15].
It is wonderful to anticipate the future. I think the greatest days are ahead of us. From man’s point of view, the future is dark. Man has gotten his world in a mess. I felt sorry for a businessman to whom I was talking in Hawaii. We started chatting on the golf course. He told me that he was a businessman from Chicago—a vice-president of some concern. Obviously he had money, but, oh, how pessimistic he was about the future. Many thinking people are very pessimistic about the future of our civilization. But my God is on the throne, and He is going to straighten it out. The greatest days are yet in the future. Oh, the glorious future a child of God has. If I were not a dignified preacher, I would say Hallelujah!
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches [Rom. 11:16].
You may recall that in the Book of Numbers, God said, “Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations” (Num. 15:21). “Dough,” of course, is bread dough! A part of the dough was offered to God as a token that all of it was acceptable.
The “firstfruit” evidently refers to the origin of the nation: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
“Holy” has no reference to any moral quality, but to the fact that it was set apart for God. Now if the firstfruit, or the first dough—that little bit of dough—was set apart for God, what about the whole harvest? Since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were set apart for God, what about the nation? It all belongs to God, you see. God is not through with the nation Israel.
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree [Rom. 11:17].
You and I benefit because of the nation Israel. That is the reason I could never be anti-Semitic. I owe too much to them as a nation.
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in [Rom. 11:18–19].
The “olive tree” is a picture of the nation Israel, and the “wild olive” is the church. Everything you and I have is rooted in the fact that God called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that out of the nation Israel He brought Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord.
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear [Rom. 11:20].
The important thing is that they were set aside because of their unbelief. Oh, my Christian friend, you do not stand before God on your merit, your church membership, or your good life. You stand on one basis alone: your faith in Jesus Christ.
Now Paul gives a word of warning.
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee [Rom. 11:21].
Since God did not spare the nation Israel when they apostatized, the argument is that He will not spare an apostate church. I am more and more convinced that the church which is based on a philosophy or ritual or some sort of gyroflection—the type of church which was designated in the third chapter of the Book of Revelation as the church of Laodicea—will go into the Great Tribulation. As Dr. George Gill used to say, “Some churches will meet on the Sunday morning after the Rapture, and they won’t miss a member.” That’s Laodicea.
In contrast to this, He says to the church of Philadelphia, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation [that is, the Tribulation], which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). He promised to keep from the Tribulation that church which has an open door before it and is getting out the Word of God. My friend, I belong to that church; I hope you do also. It is an invisible body of believers. This is the church that will be taken to meet Christ at the time of the Rapture, which precedes the Great Tribulation.
RESTORATION OF THE NATION ISRAEL
Now we shall see that the restoration of the nation Israel will bring the greatest blessing.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off [Rom. 11:22].
These are stern words. Paul calls upon the Gentiles to behold two examples. Rejected Israel reveals the severity of God, but to the Gentiles who have turned to God, the benevolent goodness of God is revealed. These two sides of God need to be revealed today: the judgment of God against the rejection of Christ and against sin, and the grace of God to those that will trust Christ.
Paul did not have the complete picture of the severity of God toward Israel. The history of Israel in the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 and all that succeeded it is a terrifying story. My friend, let’s not trifle with the grace of God. It is grace which has brought us into the family of God and granted us so many privileges. After over nineteen hundred years the gentile church is as much a failure, if not more so, than Israel.
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again [Rom. 11:23].
Since God accepted Gentiles who had no merit, surely God can restore Israel who likewise has no merit.
“Again” is the key word. God will again restore Israel. The Old Testament makes it very clear that Israel is going to turn to God again. As an example, read Jeremiah 23:3–8, which is one of the many remarkable prophecies of the restoration of Israel. Zechariah speaks of this: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). This will be the great Day of Atonement. They will turn to God in repentance, and God will save them just as He saves us—by His marvelous, infinite mercy and grace.
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? [Rom. 11:24].
Paul continues the illustration of the olive tree. The olive tree is Israel with Abraham as the root. Some of the branches were cut off. The nation, as such, was rejected. God grafted in Gentiles, but not by their becoming Jewish proselytes, which would mean they would have to adopt the Old Testament ritual. Rather, He cut off Israel and grafted in the church—including both Jew and Gentile—directly and immediately upon Abraham by faith. If God could and did do that, it is reasonable to conclude that He can and will take the natural branches and graft them in again. In other words, He will not cast Israel away permanently.
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in [Rom. 11:25].
“The fulness of the Gentiles” began with the calling out of the church. “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14). It will continue until the Rapture of the church. Blindness and hardening of Israel will continue as long as the church is present in the world.
The word mystery needs a word of explanation. In the ancient world of Paul’s day there were mystery religions. Today it applies in a popular way to a story that has an unrevealed plot or person. It is used in Scripture in neither of these ways. In the New Testament the word is used to refer to that which had been concealed but is now revealed. The mystery here is the identification of the fulness of the Gentiles, which was not a subject of revelation in the Old Testament.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins [Rom. 11:26–27].
When Paul says “all Israel shall be saved,” he does not mean every individual Israelite will be saved. It is the nation he has before us in this chapter. In every age, only a remnant is saved. The quotation Paul uses is from Isaiah 59:20 in the Old Testament: “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.” The message to the individual is that he or she will have to “turn from transgression” to the Lord. There will be a remnant that will turn to Him. All of them will be saved. He speaks of the saved remnant as the nation Israel.
There is always only a remnant that is saved. There was a remnant in Elijah’s day; there was a remnant in David’s day; there was a remnant in Paul’s day; there is a remnant in our day; and there will be a remnant during the Great Tribulation Period.
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance [Rom. 11:28–29].
In other words, with reference to the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but with reference to the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts of grace and the calling of God are without repentance—without a change of mind. Paul is summing up the preceding discussion. There have been two lines of thought which are seemingly in conflict and contradictory, although both are true. In the first place, Israel is regarded as an enemy for the sake of the Gentiles—that is, so the gospel can go to the Gentiles. On the other hand, they are beloved for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore, a Christian cannot indulge in any form of anti-Semitism—that is a point I have made before, and I continue to make it.
The failure of Israel and our failure likewise do not alter the plan and purpose of God.
“The gifts” are not natural gifts, but the word has to do with grace.
The “calling” is not an invitation, but it is the effectual calling of God, which is “without repentance.” In other words, God is not asking even repentance from an unsaved person. The “calling of God” does not require any human movement. From God’s viewpoint it is without man’s repentance or change of mind. Some folk think they have to shed tears in order to be saved. Now certainly the shedding of tears could be a by-product of an emotional person who turns to Christ, but the tears have nothing in the world to do with your salvation. It is your faith in Christ that saves you. And neither is your faith meritorious. It is Christ who is meritorious. Your faith enables you to lay hold of Him.
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy [Rom. 11:30–31].
You see, Paul is writing to Gentiles—the church in Rome was largely composed of Gentile believers. By this time, many Gentiles were being saved. He is drawing a contrast here between the nation of Israel and the Gentiles. In times past, the Gentiles did not believe, but now a remnant of the Gentiles have “obtained mercy.” During this same time period Israel as a nation, which formerly believed, does not now believe. Paul puts down the principle by which God saves both Jew and Gentile: it is by mercy. Just as God showed mercy to the Gentiles, He will show mercy to the nation Israel.
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all [Rom. 11:32].
Both Jew and Gentile are in the stubborn state of rebellion and aggravated unbelief. Because of this, by grace we are saved, through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any of us should boast (see Eph. 2:8–9).
REASON FOR RESTORING THE NATION ISRAEL
What is the reason that the nation Israel will be restored? Well, that is locked in the riches of the wisdom of God. My friend, let’s rest on the fact that what God is doing is wise, it is right, and it is the best that can be done. You and I have an old nature that questions God when He makes a decision. I have heard many Christians say, “Why are the heathen lost when they haven’t heard the gospel? God has no right to condemn them!” My friend, God has every right imaginable. He is God. And what He is doing is right. If you don’t think it is right, your thinking is wrong. And if you don’t think He is being smart, you are wrong. God is not stupid. You and I may be stupid, but God is not. Oh, how we need to recognize this!
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! [Rom. 11:33].
Paul has come to the place of recognizing the wisdom and the glory of all that he has been discussing.
Godet’s statement on this section is worth quoting: “Like a traveller who has reached the summit of an Alpine ascent, the apostle turns and contemplates. Depths are at his feet, but waves of light illumine them, and there spreads all around an immense horizon which his eye commands.”
This section is pure praise and is no argument at all, yet it is the greatest argument of all. If we do not understand the why of God’s dealings with Israel, with the Gentiles, and with ourselves, it is not because there is not a good and sufficient reason. The difficulty is with our inability to comprehend the wisdom and ways of God. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14).
Once, while driving back from Texas to California, my little girl developed a fever of 104 degrees. I took her to a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. She did not understand why I had taken her to the hospital, especially when the doctor probed around and actually made her cry. She said, “Daddy, why did you bring me here?” She did not understand that, since she was sick, I was doing the wisest thing I could do under the circumstances and that I was doing it because I loved her. Oh, my friend, God is doing what is best for us. We may not understand the things that happen to us, but we must believe that it is for our good that God allows them. We are like little children, and we cannot understand God’s ways. Our circumstances may not always seem to be good, but they come from the “depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” God says to us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8–9). Oh, how we need to recognize this fact.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? [Rom. 11:34–35].
These questions that we have here are simple enough, but the answer is not so easy.
“Who hath known the mind of the Lord?” Well, no one knows the mind of the Lord—that’s the answer. It was Paul’s ambition to know Him. He says, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10).
“Who hath been his counsellor?” No one can advise God. I have seen a lot of church boards that felt they were really giving God good advice, but He doesn’t need it. Have you noticed that the Lord Jesus never asked for advice when He was here on earth? One time—before feeding the five thousand—He asked Philip, “… Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” Why did He ask that question? “And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do” (John 6:5–6). He didn’t need Philip’s advice. The fact of the matter is, he didn’t use His disciples’ advice. They said, “Send them away.” He said, “You give them something to eat.” My friend, God does not ask for advice, although a lot of folk want to give Him advice today.
“Who hath first given to him?” Have you ever really given anything to God which put Him in the awkward position of owing you something? If you were able to give God something, He would owe you something. What do you have that He hasn’t already given you? I think one reason many of us are so poor is simply because we return to Him so little of what he has given us. To tell the truth, God says He won’t be in debt to anybody. When somebody gives Him something, He turns around and gives him more. Years ago someone asked a financier in Philadelphia, a wonderful Christian man, “How is it that you have such wealth, and yet you give away so much?” The financier replied, “Well, I shovel it out, and God shovels it in; and God’s shovel is bigger than my shovel!” Oh, my friend, most of us are not giving God a chance to use His shovel! We cannot do anything for Him—He will give us back more than we give to Him.
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen [Rom. 11:36].
This just lifts me to the heights. Let me give you my translation: Because out of Him, and through Him, and unto Him are all things. To Him be the glory unto the ages. Amen.
Alford labeled this verse “the sublimest apostrophe existing even in the pages of inspiration itself.”
“Out of Him” means God is the all-sufficient cause and source of everything.
“Through Him” means God is the mighty sustainer and worker. “… My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,” Jesus said (John 5:17).
“Unto Him” means God must call every creature to account to Him. All things flow toward God.
“To whom be glory”—the glory belongs to Him in all ages. Are we robbing God of His glory by taking credit for things we have no business to claim? The glory belongs to Him.
Oh, my friend, what a section of Scripture we have been in, and we leave it reluctantly.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Relationship to God; relationship to gifts of the Spirit; relationship to other believers; relationship to unbelievers
This is the beginning of the final division in the Book of Romans. As you recall, the first eight chapters were doctrinal; the next three chapters were dispensational; now the emphasis in this last section is duty. We come now to the practical application of the theological arguments that Paul has placed before us. Here the gospel walks in shoe leather—and that is where I like it to walk.
In the first part of Romans the reader saw displayed the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith. But in this last section, the feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We are to stand in the battle; we are to walk in our life; we are to run in the race.
Someone may suggest that we have already studied the practical application in the section on sanctification. There the gospel walked in shoe leather, it is true, but there is a sharp distinction in these two sections. Under “sanctification” we were dealing with Christian character; in this section we are dealing with Christian conduct. There it was the inner man; here it is the outward man. There it was the condition of the Christian; here it is the consecration of the Christian. There it was who the Christian is; here it is what he does. We have seen the privileges of grace; we now consider the precepts of grace. Enunciation of the way of life must be followed by evidences of life. Announcement of justification by faith must be augmented by activity of life.
There is something else we should note as we proceed into this last section. The conduct of the Christian must be expressed in this world by his relationship to those with whom he comes in contact, and these relationships must be regulated in some way. It is so easy to put down rules of conduct, but Paul is not doing that. He has delivered us from the Mosaic Law, and he did not deliver us in order to put us under another legal system. There are a lot of Christians who call themselves separated Christians because they don’t do this, they don’t do that, and they don’t do about fifteen other things. I wish they would do something, by the way. I have found that those folk have gossipy tongues—you had better watch them. They ought to recognize that the child of God is not given rules and regulations. However, Paul puts down great principles that are to guide the believer. The Holy Spirit is giving the believer a road map of life, showing the curves but not the speed limit. He identifies the motels and eating places which he recommends without commanding the believer to stop at any certain one. Detours are clearly marked, and there is a warning to avoid them. The city of Vanity Fair is named, and the routes of exit are clearly marked. The believer is told to leave without being given the exact route by which to leave—there are several routes.
We are coming down the mountain top of Romans 8–11; we leave the pinnacle of Romans 11:33–36, and we now plunge down to the plane of duty—and it is plain duty. This is where we all live and move and have our being.
RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service [Rom. 12:1].
In other words: Therefore, I beg of you, brethren, by the mercies of God that you yield your bodies—your total personalities—a living sacrifice, set apart for God, well-pleasing to God, which is your rational or spiritual service.
Notice that the “therefore” ties it into everything that has come before it. Although it has immediate connection with that which has just preceded it, I am of the opinion that Paul is gathering up the whole epistle when he says, “Therefore.”
“I beg of you” is the language of grace, not law. There is no thunder here from Mount Sinai. Moses commanded; Paul exhorts. Could Paul have commanded? Well, he told Philemon that he could have given him a command, but he didn’t. Paul doesn’t command; he says, “I beg of you.”
“By the mercies of God”—the plural is a Hebraism, denoting an abundance of mercy. God is rich in mercy; God has plenty of it, my friend. He has had to use a lot of it for me, but He still has plenty of it for you. “Mercy” means compassion, pity, and the tenderness of God. His compassions never fail.
We are called upon to “present”—to yield. This is the same word we had, you recall, back in chapter 6. Although some expositors suggest that there it refers to the mind while here it refers to the will, I think it is a false distinction. The appeal in both instances is to the will. In the sixth chapter, the way to Christian character is to yield to Him. Here yielding is the way to Christian consecration and conduct.
He says to yield “your bodies,” your total personalities. The body is the instrument through which we express ourselves. The mind, the affections, the will, and the Holy Spirit can use the body.
Vincent has assembled the following Scriptures which reveal this wide latitude. We are told to glorify God in our bodies. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20). “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” (Phil. 1:20). “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Cor. 4:10).
By an act of the will we place our total personalities at the disposal of God.
This is our “reasonable service,” our rational service, and it is well-pleasing to God.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God [Rom. 12:2].
Kenneth S. Wuest has an excellent translation—actually an interpretation—of this verse: “And stop assuming an outward expression that does not come from within you and is not representative of what you are in your inner being, but is patterned after this age; but change your outward expression to one that comes from within and is representative of your inner being, by the renewing of your mind, resulting in your putting to the test what is the will of God, the good and well-pleasing, and complete will, and having found that it meets specifications, placing your approval upon it” (Romans in the Greek New Testament, p. 290).
Although this is rather elaborate, it is exactly what Paul is saying in this passage of Scripture. Paul is urging the believer not to fashion his life and conduct by those around him, even those in the church.
I know two or three groups of folk who, when they come together in a meeting, assume a front that is not real at all. They are super pious. Oh, I tell you, when they meet on Sunday night, you would think they had just had their halos shined. They are not normal and they are not natural. Yet if you want to hear the meanest and dirtiest gossip, you meet with that group! The child of God ought not to be like that. We ought to be normal and natural—or probably I should say, normal and supernatural. It is so easy to play a part. That is what the word hypocrite really means. Hupokrites is the Greek word for actors. They were playing a part. Hupokrites means to answer back. In acting it means to get your cue and to say the right thing at the right time. In our daily lives hypocrisy is to seem to be something that we are not. I have learned over the years that some folk who flatter you to your face, smile, and pat you on the back can be your worst enemies. They are dangerous to be with. It was Shakespeare who said something about the world being a stage and that every man must play a part. This is not true of the believer. He must be genuine because the Holy Spirit is working from within, transforming his life by “renewing” the mind.
Again and again Paul calls attention to this. To the Corinthians he said, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). Also to Titus he said, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
By permitting the Spirit of God to renew the mind, the believer will be able to test the will of God and find it good. The minute that you and I assume a pose and pretend to be something we are not, it is impossible for us to determine the will of God for our lives. By yielding, the will of God for the life of the believer becomes good and fits the believer’s will exactly. It’s first good, and then it is acceptable, and finally it is perfect, in that the believer’s will and God’s will are equal to each other. My friend, you can’t improve on that kind of a situation. Paul could say, “I can do all things.” Where? “Through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). The believer can do all things that are in God’s will. It is wonderful not to have to act the part of being Christian, but just be natural and let the Spirit of God move and work through you. Handley C. G. Moule (The Epistle to the Romans, p. 335) has put it like this:
I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.
Oh, to reach the place of just turning this over to the Lord! Paul begs us to do this. This is the way of happiness. This is the way of joy. This is the way of fullness in your life. If you are in a church or in a group of play actors, for God’s sake get away from it and try to live a normal Christian life where you can be genuine. A man said to me the other day, “My wife and I have quit going to such and such a group.” I asked why. He told me, “We just got tired of going to a place where you almost have to assume something that you are not. Everyone there is being absolutely abnormal. The way I found out was that I had an occasion to meet a super pious member of the group in a place of business. I hardly recognized the man—his manner and everything about him was different.” He was “conformed to the world” when he was not with the pious group. Oh, to be a normal Christian and enjoy God’s blessing.
RELATIONSHIP TO GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith [Rom. 12:3].
This is my translation: For I am saying through the grace given to me, to everyone among you, not to be thinking of himself more highly than that which is necessary to think, but to think wisely of one’s self, even as God has divided a measure of faith to each one.
My translation may have lost something of that pungent statement: “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” I imagine that when Paul wrote this, there was a whimsical smile on his face, because there are a great many Christians who are ambitious, who feel that they must have positions of prominence. And I have found out in Christian work that a great many folk in the church want to hold an office. If you want to be a successful pastor today and get a bunch of folk working like termites, you create a great many offices, committees, boards, and have presidents, chairmen, and heads of organizations. You will get a lot of people working who would never work on any other basis. Why? Because they think more highly of themselves than they ought to think.
What we need to do, as Paul says here, is “to think soberly.” He says that we ought not try to advance ourselves in Christian circles. There is the ever-present danger of the believer overestimating his ability and his character and his gifts. We need to have a correct estimation of ourselves in relationship to other members of the church.
When I became pastor of certain churches, I was invited to serve as a board member of certain organizations. Finally I was serving on about a dozen or fifteen boards, and I was really a bored member. I was bored for the simple reason that I don’t have gifts for that type of thing. To begin with, I don’t have the patience to sit and listen to pages of “minutes” that take hours to read. And the second thing is that I just don’t like to sit in a board meeting and listen to a group of incompetent men discuss spiritual matters. It took me a long time to find out I didn’t have the kind of gift that would make me helpful in such situations, and I was killing myself going to board meetings. The Christian life became a round of being bored. Finally one day I came to myself, like the prodigal son, and I sat down and wrote twelve or more letters of resignation. That was one of the happiest days of my life. And today I am not on anybody’s board. I have several friends who say to me, “Oh, won’t you be on my board?” I say, “No, I wouldn’t help you. I have no gift for it. I’m for you, I’ll even pray for you, but I cannot be on your board.” My friend, we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. We need to recognize our inabilities and do the things God wants us to do. It is a joy to get into the slot where God wants you to be!
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another [Rom. 12:4–5].
This is the first time that Paul has introduced the great theme of the church as the body of Christ. This is the primary subject in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians. The church as the body of Christ is to function as a body. This means that the many members do not have the same gifts. You may have a gift that I could never exercise. There are many members in the body, hundreds of members, and therefore hundreds of gifts. I do not think Paul ever gave a complete list of all the gifts because every time he dealt with gifts of the Spirit he always brought up new gifts which he had not mentioned in previous lists. I am sure the Spirit of God led him to do that.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith [Rom. 12:6].
“Gifts” is the Greek word charismata, which comes from the same stem as the word for grace. It can be translated as “grace” or “free gift” and is what the Spirit of God gives you. He gave to the church men who had the gift of a prophet, or a teacher, etc.
“Having then gifts”—each member of the body of Christ has a gift and a function to perform.
“Differing” means that the gifts differ; it does not mean that some folk do not have a gift. Every individual in the church has a gift. And the gift is part and parcel of the grace of God to us. When God saves you and puts you in the body of believers, you are to function. You are not to function as a machine, but as a member of a body, a living organization. When the gift is exercised, it is confirmed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Every believer needs to test his gift. If you feel that you have a certain gift and you are using it, you ought to test it. Analyze your effectiveness: Are you really a blessing to folk? Are you building up the church? Or are you dividing the church?
“Prophecy” here does not refer to prediction but to any message from God. Notice that prophecy is to be done in “proportion” (this is a mathematical term) to God’s provision of the faith and the power to match the gift.
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching [Rom. 12:7].
“Ministering” is performing an act of service, referring to a manifold ministry with practical implications. There are multitudinous forms for service in the body of believers which this gift covers—setting up chairs and giving out songbooks is a ministry. Some folk do not have a gift of speaking, but they do have a gift of service. I know one dear lady who can put on a dinner that will make everybody happy. And I believe in church dinners; if you look at me, you will know I have been to quite a few of them—and many that this lady put on. That is her gift, and I’ve told her that. She would never make a good president of the missionary society, and you wouldn’t want her to sing in the choir, but if you want to put on a church dinner for some purpose, she is the one to get. “Ministering” includes many gifts, my friend.
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness [Rom. 12:8].
“Exhortation” is the Greek word parakleŒsis, literally “a calling near” or “a calling for.” In other words, exhortation is comfort. Some folk have the gift of being able to comfort. I know one pastor who is not a preacher—he knows he is not—but if I were sick or had lost a loved one, he is the man I would want to come to visit me. He can comfort.
“He that giveth” is he that shares his earthly possessions. God may have given you a gift of making money—and that is a gift. I know several Christian businessmen who have the Midas touch. That is their gift.
“He that ruleth, with diligence” refers to the gift of leadership. There are certain men who are leaders, and they need to exercise their gift in the church so that everything might be done decently and in order. The business of the church requires a man with the gift of administration.
“He that sheweth mercy” indicates the gift of performing acts of kindness. For instance, there are some believers who can bring a sunbeam into a sickroom, while others cast a spell of gloom.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER BELIEVERS
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good [Rom. 12:9].
“Let love be without dissimulation”—that is, without hypocrisy. Don’t pat another believer on the back and say something that you don’t mean. Let love be without hypocrisy.
“Abhor that which is evil” means to express your hatred of that which is evil. When you find something wrong in the church, bring it to the attention of the proper authorities. If you are on the board of directors and you find things are being done which are not honest, you are to stand up for the truth. There are too many Mr. Milquetoasts and Priscilla Good-bodies, these sweet folk who haven’t the intestinal fortitude to stand for that which is honorable. This is the reason many good, fundamental churches are in trouble today. We need men and women with backbone to express their hatred for that which is evil.
“Cleave to that which is good.” Cleave means to stick like adhesive tape, to be welded or cemented together with the good things. The believer should always be identified with good things rather than shady or questionable practices.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord [Rom. 12:10–11].
My, how wonderful these things are: have a code of honor, and be aglow with the Spirit of God. Never flag in zeal—have a zeal for the things of God.
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.” In other words, as to your brotherly love, have family affection one to another. Farrar puts it in this language, “Love the brethren in the faith as though they were brethren in blood.” For example, three men are sitting together. Two of the men are identical twins; one twin is a Christian and the other is not. Sitting with these men is a believer from Africa. His culture, background, and language are all different. The color of his skin is different, but he knows the Lord as Savior. The Christian twin is actually closer to the man from Africa than he is to his twin brother. My friend, you ought to be nicer to your fellow believer because you will have to live with him throughout eternity. You had better start getting along now and practice putting up with his peculiar ways. However, he will have a new body then, and he will be rid of his old nature—and you will also! It will make it better for both of you.
“Not slothful in business” is better translated “never flag in zeal.” It has nothing to do with business. Luther gives it this translation: “In regard to zeal be not lazy.”
“Fervent in spirit,” or aglow with the Spirit suggests that our zeal and enthusiasm should be under the control of the Holy Spirit.
“Serving the Lord” points everything in Christian conduct toward this focal point.
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not [Rom. 12:12–14].
“Rejoicing in hope” should be the portion of the believer. The circumstances of the believer may not warrant rejoicing. The contrary may be true. But he sees the future, and in hope projects himself into other circumstances which are more favorable. I think of a brother down in my Southland years ago. In a church service they were giving favorite Scripture verses. He stood and said that his favorite verse was “It came to pass.” Everyone looked puzzled. The preacher stood up and said, “Brother, how in the world can ‘It came to pass’ be your favorite?” His answer was, “When I have trouble, and when I have problems, I like to read that verse, ‘It came to pass,’ and I know that my trouble or my problem has come to pass; it hasn’t come to stay.” He was looking for a new day out there, and that is what Paul has in mind when he says, “rejoicing in hope.”
“Continuing instant in prayer” is to be a man or woman of prayer.
“Distributing to the necessity of saints” means sharing the necessities of life with needy believers. A great many churches make a great deal of having a fund for the poor, but how much do they use it? God expects us to share what He has given to us with fellow believers who are in need.
“Given to hospitality” means actually to pursue hospitality. That is, we are to seek out other believers to whom we can extend hospitality. There may be a person in your neighborhood or even in your church who is introverted and retiring yet longs for Christian fellowship. We are to look him up and extend our fellowship to him.
“Bless them which persecute you” seems to be a needless injunction for believers. Surely one believer would not persecute another—or would he? It is difficult to bless a man who is kicking you! But we are to bless and “curse not.”
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits [Rom. 12:15–16].
“Rejoice with them that do rejoice.” The world’s motto is “Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone.” But that is not true of the believer. We are to enter into the joys and sorrows of other believers. Weep with those who weep.
“Be of the same mind one toward another” doesn’t mean uniformity of thought but that we are to have the mind of Christ.
Believers ought to enter emotionally into the lives of other believers. I think that is something that makes genuine Christians so wonderful.
“Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.” My friend, let’s not be afraid of associating with humble men and things of low estate. Paul said to the Philippians, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5)—what kind of a mind did Christ have? A humble mind.
“Be not wise in your own conceits.” In other words, stop being wise in your own opinion. What an injunction that is! A great many of the saints think they are spiritual giants, but they are not. Solomon, who was a man with wisdom from God, gave a very interesting injunction: “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him” (Prov. 26:12). I wouldn’t dare say a thing like that, but Solomon said it.
RELATIONSHIP TO UNBELIEVERS
You and I live in a world of unbelievers. What is to be our relationship with them?
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men [Rom. 12:17–18].
“Recompense to no man evil for evil.” The suggestion is that the believer may expect evil at the hands of the world. However, we are not to strike back.
“Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” There is nothing that can hurt the cause of Christ more than a dishonest Christian. The non-Christian is not concerned about the doctrine you hold—whether you are a premillennialist or whether you believe in election or free will. However, he does want to know if you are truthful or not, and he does want to know if you pay your honest debts. Are you a person that a man can depend upon? Providing things honest in the sight of all men is a lot better than giving out tracts, my friend. Let me illustrate this. Some years ago in Memphis, Tennessee, a Christian handed a man a tract. “What is this?” asked the man. The Christian replied, “It is a tract and I want you to read it.” “I don’t read,” the man replied, “but I will tell you what I will do—1 will watch your tracks!” Oh, how accurate that is! The world is watching the tracks that you make, not the tracts you give out. Don’t misunderstand me; giving out gospel tracts is important. But you had better have a life that will back them up when you give out tracts.
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably”—I love this because there are people that you just cannot get along with; they won’t let you get along with them. A dear lady who lived alone, a wonderful Christian, called me one day in deep concern because she had a neighbor whom she couldn’t get along with, and she wondered if I would come and talk with the neighbor. As I was driving out there, I was thinking that since this lady had been living alone, although she was a Christian, she might be a little difficult herself. So I went out and talked to her neighbor. Well, the neighbor told me what she thought of me as well as this dear lady. I went back to this wonderful Christian and said, “I don’t think you need to worry anymore if you can’t get along with her. Nobody can get along with that woman. The Bible says ‘as much as lieth in you’; it doesn’t say you have to get along with her. Just do the best you can.”
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head [Rom. 12:19–20].
This is one of the greatest principles you will find in the Word of God, yet it is the most difficult thing for a child of God to do. When somebody hits you on one cheek, it is difficult to turn the other cheek. I am like the Irishman who was hit on one cheek, and he got up and turned the other cheek. This time the fellow hit him so hard, he knocked him down. Then the Irishman got up and beat the stuffings out of the other fellow. Somebody asked him, “Why in the world did you do that? You turned the other cheek; why didn’t you leave it like that?” “Well,” he said, “the Bible says to turn your cheek, and I had only one other cheek to turn. The Lord didn’t tell me what to do after that, so I did what I thought I ought to do.” That is what most of us do. We find it difficult not to hit back. But the minute you and I take the matter into our own hands and attempt to work the thing out by hitting back as hard as we can, we have taken the matter out of God’s control, and we are no longer walking by faith. God is saying to us, “You walk by faith with Me, and let Me handle the matter for you, because I will handle it in a just manner. If this person has injured you, I’ll take care of him.” You and I can turn these matters over to the Lord, and we ought to do that. I can tell you what to do, but I confess that I find it most difficult to do myself. But there have been one or two times when I have turned it over to the Lord, and I have been amazed at how well He handled it. He does it a lot better than I do it.
There was a man, an officer in one of the churches I served, who did me a great injury, a terrible injury. My first thought was to clobber him, but I remembered this passage of Scripture. I went to the Lord and said, “Lord, I’d like to hit back and I can, but I don’t think I will. I’ll turn him over to You, and I expect you to handle him.” Well, I saw that man the other day. I have never looked at a person who is as unhappy as that man is. He has troubles, friend. The Lord has taken him to the woodshed and whipped him within an inch of his life. When I looked into that man’s face, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. I wish I could say that I turn all of these matters over to the Lord, but I confess that sometimes I hit back.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good [Rom. 12:21].
In other words, stop being overcome of evil; overcome evil by means of good. As the believer walks through this evil world with its satanic system, he cannot fight it. If you attempt to fight this satanic system, my friend, it will whip you. You cannot adopt the same worldly tactics of hate and revenge. If you do, you can be assured of defeat.
“Overcome evil with good.” God has given the believer the “good,” which is the Holy Spirit. He is to walk in the Spirit. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). Paul goes on to say, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Relationship to government; relationship to neighbors
As we come to chapter 13, we still are talking about the service of the sons of God. We are going to see that the believer has citizenship in heaven, but he also is a citizen in the world down here, which gives him a two-fold responsibility. If there is a conflict between the two always our first responsibility is to our Lord in heaven.
The Lord Jesus made it very clear that we have a responsibility to human government. You remember that He was asked by His enemies, “Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, or not?” He asked them to show Him a coin—He wanted to teach them from something they themselves had, and also I don’t think He had a coin in His pocket that day. He didn’t have much while He was down here in this world. He asked them whose superscription and whose image was on that coin. They said, “Caesar’s.” Then He made this significant statement, “… Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s” (Luke 20:25).
Governments are ordained of God, and He gave them certain authority. At the very beginning of human government He said, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Gen. 9:6). God has a regard for human life; it is precious in His sight. You have no right to take another human life. If you do, you are to forfeit your own life. Our contemporary society feels differently about it and makes the criminal the hero and the honest man the villain. We live in a day when evil is called good and good is called evil. However, believers have a responsibility to human government. In fact, Paul said to a young preacher, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” (1 Tim. 2:1–3). By the way, we are to pray for those in authority, not leave it to the preacher on Sunday morning.
The duty of the believer as a citizen of heaven is spiritual. The duty of a believer as a citizen under a government is secular. These two are separate functions, and to combine them is to fail to keep church and state separate and distinct.
The Jew in Paul’s day was reluctant to bow before the proud Roman state. Jewry had fomented disturbances in the city of Rome, and as a result Claudius had banished them on one occasion. The proud Pharisees rejected the Roman authorities in Palestine in their desire to restore the government to the nation of Israel; it was they who masterminded the encounter with Jesus and raised the issue, “Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” The implications smacked of revolution, as you can see. It is well to remember that the authorities in Paul’s day were mad and murderous. Nero was on the throne of Rome, and there was Pilate and Herod—all a bunch of rascals, yet he said that believers were to obey those in authority.
RELATIONSHIP TO GOVERNMENT
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God [Rom. 13:1].
We are to submit ourselves to governmental authorities for the very simple reason that they are ordained of God. It is true that the kingdoms of this world belong to Satan and that injustice and corruption abound in all governments; yet God still has control. History is the monotonous account of how a government flourished for a time in pomp and pride and then was brought to ruin and rubble. Why? Because corruption and lawlessness became rampant. As it did, God brought the government to an end. God still rules—even over this earth. God has not abdicated His throne; He is riding triumphantly in His own chariot. Neither is He disturbed about what is happening on this earth.
You will recall that when Uzziah, king of Judah, died, Isaiah was disturbed and very much discouraged. Uzziah had been a good king, and Isaiah thought the government would disintegrate after he was gone. So Isaiah went into the temple, which is a good place to go at a time like that. He came into God’s presence, and He saw the Lord sitting upon the throne, high and lifted up. In other words, God had not abdicated. Uzziah was dead, but God was not dead. God was still on the throne.
Now the allegiance of the Christian is to that throne. And his relationship to his government on earth is submission.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation [Rom. 13:2].
In other words, anyone resisting the authority is resisting the ordinance of God. And those resisting shall receive for themselves judgment.
The principle stated in verse 1 raised many questions which the following verses amplify and explain. This verse seems to preclude the possibility of a believer having any part in rebellion or revolution. What about it? James Stifler cites the examples of Cromwell and Washington. Both of those men led a revolution. Stifler offers no solution. I am not sure I have one either, but I am going to do the best I can to solve this. The believer has opposed bad government and supported good government on the theory that good government is the one ordained of God. The believer is for law and order, as over against lawlessness. He is for honesty and justice, as over against corruption and rank injustice. At great moments of crisis in history—and that’s where we are today—the believers have had difficult decisions to make.
I want to briefly give you my viewpoint, and I believe that it will coincide with history. During these last days, which I believe we are in right now, lawlessness abounds. The believer must oppose it; he must not be a part of it, even when it is in his own government. We need to beware of those who would change our government under the guise of improving it. Remember John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod, Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, James, the brother of John, was slain with the sword of Herod, and Paul was put to death by Nero. Yet Paul says, “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation” (v. 2). Therefore, Christianity never became a movement to improve government, help society, or clean up the town. The gospel was the power of God unto salvation of the individual. Paul never went around telling about the deplorable conditions of Roman jails—and he knew them well from the inside. When visiting Rome, my wife and I went to the Mamertine prison, and I got claustrophobia down there. I said to my wife, “Let’s get out of here!” But Paul couldn’t get out; they kept him down in that damp, dark prison. Remember he wrote to Timothy, “Bring my cloak with you” (see 2 Tim. 4:13)—he was getting cold down there.
It is very difficult to say that we are to obey a corrupt government. I am not impressed by these men—preacher or politician—who are running up the American flag and singing the national anthem as promotion for themselves. And behind it is corruption. Frankly, I feel resentful when I hear of certain government officials and certain wealthy men in positions of power who pay no taxes at all when I have a heavy tax burden. There is corruption in government from the top to the bottom, and it is not confined to one party. These unsaved, godless men who are in positions of government actually do not understand the American system. You see, the men who made our laws had a Bible background. I don’t know that Thomas Jefferson was a Christian—he was a deist—but he had great respect for the Word of God. Many of those men were outstanding Christians—John Hancock, whose name is first on the Declaration of Independence, was a real Christian. However, in our day the government is corrupt. I go to the civic centers in our cities, and I see fine buildings, costing millions of dollars, which have been built by contractors who are friends of the politicians. Also I see poverty areas. While both parties talk about eliminating poverty, the poverty remains. Oh, corruption is there. What’s wrong? Well, the thing wrong is the human heart.
What is the Christian to do? My business is to get out the Word of God, and my business is to obey the law. That is what Paul is saying here. Christianity is not a movement to improve government or to help society clean up the town. It is to preach a gospel that is the power of God unto salvation which will bring into existence individuals like the men who signed the Declaration of Independence and gave us a government of laws.
My friend, nothing is wrong with our form of government; there is something wrong with the individuals who are in positions of power. A professor in the history department of the University of Michigan summed it up well when he said, “America is in the hands of those who do not understand the spiritual heritage that we have.”
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil [Rom. 13:3–4].
The government is to maintain law and order. When it does not do that, it has failed. I feel that a Christian should be opposed to the breakdown of law and order. We are to respect our rulers who are enforcing the law. I have great respect for our army, although it is honeycombed with corruption. I have great respect for police officers, although I know they make mistakes.
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake [Rom. 13:5].
Christians are to obey the law not only because we’ll be judged and have to pay a fine if we don’t, but obey for conscience sake.
For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing [Rom. 13:6].
Although we may resent the way our tax money is being used, we are to pay taxes anyway.
In this verse the word for minister is one from which we get our word liturgy. It is strictly religious and is the same word used of angels in Hebrews 1:14 where they are called ministering spirits. This means that the ruler occupies a divinely-appointed office. He has no religious function, of course, but he holds a God-appointed office. That makes me pay my taxes, although I resent doing so.
We need today a heaven-sent revival. I am sick and tired of those who are shedding crocodile tears. They remind me of Lewis Carroll’s brilliant satire, Alice in Wonderland. You remember that the Walrus and the Carpenter in this story were walking along the seashore weeping because there was so much sand and not enough oysters. They kept on eating and eating and weeping and weeping. What a picture of corruption! But in all of this the believer should submit to his government.
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour [Rom. 13:7].
Although there may be unworthy men in the office, we are to respect the office. When I was in the army, I was told to salute the uniform. There were some folk in that uniform that I didn’t care about saluting, but I saluted the uniform. We are to show respect for authority. A Christian will be the best citizen although his citizenship is in heaven.
RELATIONSHIP TO NEIGHBORS
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law [Rom. 13:8].
Did you borrow your neighbor’s lawnmower? Take it back to him. Housewife, did you borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor? Return it, please. Owe no one anything. In this we find Paul saying that the believer is positively to owe no man anything but love. This is a great principle to guide Christians in installment purchasing. You may ask, “Do you think we should turn in our credit cards?” No, but you had better be able to see your way clear in order to pay your debts.
The believer always owes the debt of love to his neighbor. That does not necessarily mean the man next door, but all people with whom you come in contact. This love is not some sentimental thing. I get a little disturbed when I hear liberalism continually talk about love, love, love. How do you reveal love?
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself [Rom. 13:9].
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Now don’t tell me that you love someone and are committing adultery with that one. You can call that love if you want to, but it is nothing in the world but sex. It is licentiousness, it is fornication, and it is sin in God’s sight. God hasn’t changed His mind about it.
“Thou shalt not kill.” You can kill a person in more ways than pulling a trigger of a gun. You can destroy them by ruining their reputation.
“Thou shalt not steal.” If you love, you won’t get something dishonestly.
“Thou shalt not covet.” When your neighbor drives up in a new automobile, how do you feel about it? Sometimes we say, “I wish we had the car and they had one just like it.” What we really mean is that we would rather have that car than see them have it.
Paul is saying that our love for our neighbor is revealed in what we do rather than in what we say. He is not putting the Christian back under the Law; he is saying that love manifests itself in not committing adultery, not killing, not stealing, not coveting. You can talk about love all you want to, but if you commit these acts against your neighbor, you have no love for him.
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law [Rom. 13:10].
Loving your neighbor is the fullness of the law. This love, let me repeat, is the fruit of the Spirit.
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light [Rom. 13:11–12].
Paul said this nineteen hundred years ago, and certainly we ought to say it with a little more urgency in this day in which we are living. Let me give you my translation: And this—seeing that ye know the time or the season, that now it is the hour for you to wake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is passing, it is far spent, and the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
In this closing section an alarm clock goes off to waken believers who have gone to sleep in the world and have forgotten this added incentive for yielding their total personalities to God. My friend, this is not the time for the child of God to live for the things of this world. I think many a rich Christian is going to be embarrassed when the Lord comes. How big will your bank account be, my friend? Are you using your time and what you possess for God? I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye yield your total personalities—all you are, all you have—to God. This is rational. This is reasonable. This is what you are supposed to be doing, Christian friend.
If we really are looking for the return of Christ, it will purify our lives. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). These fellows who get divorces and live like the world, then talk about being premillennial and pretribulational and looking for the imminent coming of Christ, are not being honest. The apostle John says that that man is a liar! Let us wake up, my friend. Let us live for God in this hour!
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying [Rom. 13:13].
In other words, let us walk honorably as those in the day; not in revelings and drunkenness, not in sexual intercourse and dissolute abandon, not in strife and jealousy.
We hear a great deal about night life. The believer is identified with day life. He walks as one who belongs to the day.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof [Rom. 13:14].
Oh, how many believers are making every provision for the flesh but are making no provision to go into His presence. My friend, I beg you to put Christ first in your life and to get out the Word of God. This is all important.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Conviction; conscience
This chapter brings us to a new section, the final division in the Epistle to the Romans. It is: the separation of the “sons of God.” What do we mean by separation? Frankly, I am tired of “separated” and “dedicated” Christians who are not separated or really dedicated.
There are two areas of Christian conduct. In one area the Bible is very clear, as we saw in the preceding chapter. The duty of the Christian to the state is submission. He is to obey the laws of the land, he is to pay his taxes, and he is to show respect to those in authority. Also chapter 13 was specific on a believer’s relationship to his neighbor: He is to pay his bills; he is not to commit adultery, kill, steal, bear false witness, or covet what another has. In fact, he is to love his neighbor as himself. The believer is to be honest, and he is to avoid reveling and drunkenness, strife, and jealousy. The Bible is very clear on these things.
However, there is another area of Christian conduct on which the Bible has no clear word. Let me mention only two things: the use of tobacco and mixed bathing (that is, both sexes swimming together). If you don’t think these are questionable, let me give you an illustration out of my own experience. My wife was reared in Texas in a Southern Baptist church. She was brought up by a mother and father and pastor who believed that mixed bathing was sinful. Then when she came to California, you can’t imagine the shock she had the first time she went down to the beach with the young people from our church—even in those days they weren’t wearing much. My wife was in a state of shock for twenty-four hours after that! She had never seen anything like it. However, in the area from which she came the use of tobacco was not frowned upon. The officers of her church smoked; in fact, her pastor smoked. When she came to California, she found that using tobacco was taboo. If you were a Christian, you did not smoke.
Is mixed bathing all right in one place and wrong in another place? Is smoking right in one place and wrong in another place? I am sure that the hair on the back of the necks of some of the saints is standing on end, and they are thinking, Dr. McGee you ought to give a lecture against smoking, and you let this subject of mixed bathing alone. Let me assure you that I am not condemning either one, nor am I condoning either one. I’m not going to stick out my neck on questionable things any farther than Paul stuck out his neck.
In this section Paul puts down principles of conduct for Christians relative to questionable matters. He gives us three guidelines: conviction, conscience, and consideration. A Christian should have a conviction about what he does. Conviction means “that which anticipates.” Does he look forward to what he is going to do in high anticipation and enthusiasm? The second guideline is conscience. Does he look back on what he has done, wondering if he were right or wrong? Or does he even hate himself for what he has done? The third guideline is consideration for others. Are other people adversely affected by what he does? These three guidelines give us principles of conduct for our Christian lives.
In our day there are actually two extreme viewpoints about this matter of Christian conduct in questionable matters. And it has created an artificial atmosphere in which one is to live the Christian life. As a result we have abnormal or subnormal Christians in these extreme areas. One extreme position has no wall of separation from the world; the lives of these folk are carbon copies of the unsaved man of the world. Their lives are no different from what they were before their so-called conversion. They indulge in all forms of worldly amusement. They go everywhere the world goes, and they spend their time and energy in activities that have no spiritual profit. There are certain passages of Scripture that have no meaning for them at all. For example: “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Phil. 3:17–19). There are other folk who do not indulge in any form of worldly amusements, yet they are as worldly as they can possibly be. They gorge and gormandize themselves. They don’t get drunk, but they certainly overeat. Also they over talk—they are great gossips. They even tell questionable stories.
Again let me quote Paul: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). My friend, your thought life is bound to affect your conduct sooner or later. What you keep thinking about you will eventually do. I have found that a great many Christians think about a temptation for a long time before they actually submit to it. This sort of thing is done by a great many so-called Christians. Paul seemed to question whether or not they were Christians, because they lived exactly as the worldling lived.
Now there is a second group that is extreme in the opposite direction. They have reduced the Christian life to a series of negatives. Paul warned the Colossian believers against the group that was characterized by “Touch not; taste not; handle not” (Col. 2:21). These folk rejoice in salvation by grace and deliverance from the Mosaic Law, but they immediately make a new set of ten commandments—only they usually double that number. They become very self-centered, very critical, and very proud. These are the ones that Paul labels “weak in the faith” (v. 1), by the way. And they are the folk who have become very “separated.”
The following letter which I received several years ago illustrates the sad state of one who adopts this position.
I’ve returned to California after a year of full-time Christian service in Ohio and an extended trip east. But I’ve come back almost spiritually shipwrecked! Have been a Christian for three and one-half years and until recently was able to give a glowing testimony about being saved out of Unity.
But lately, I’ve been so dead that Christ seems way up there, and I’m way down here. I have all the negative virtues of a Christian (don’t smoke, drink, play cards, attend movies, use makeup), but those things do not make a happy Christian! My friends tell me I’m becoming bitter—and oh, I don’t want that to happen!
Before becoming a Christian, I was very ambitious, worked hard for whatever I believed in (and incidentally I was listed in Who’s Who)—but now I wonder what’s the use? The world is going from bad to worse. Everything is heading for disaster, and the only hope is to wait for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, my friend, this person was in a terrible condition! Notice how “separated” she was, but this kind of separation will not bring joy in the life.
Somewhere between these two extreme viewpoints of questionable matters in Christian conduct the believer is to walk. These are the Scylla and Charybdis through which the believer must sail his little bark on the sea of life.
I have given a great deal of space to these preliminary remarks because I know there are many puzzled Christians who will be helped by what Paul has for us in this important chapter.
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations [Rom. 14:1].
To put it another way: Now, the one who is weak in faith, receive him into your fellowship, but not with the view of passing judgment upon his scruples—that is, upon his conduct and upon his viewpoint.
“Now” connects this chapter to what has preceded it. The law of love will now go into action. Having condemned things (in the last part of Romans 13) which are immoral and obviously wrong, like killing, committing adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, and coveting, Paul now warns against the danger of condemning questionable matters which are not expressly forbidden in Scripture.
“The one who is weak in the faith” does not mean one who is weak in the great truths of the gospel—the facts of faith—but rather it refers to the abstract quality of faith. It means the faith of the weak falters and hesitates about matters of conduct. He does not know what he should do relative to certain things. This one is to be received into the fellowship of believers with open arms. You may not agree with him, but you are to receive him if he is a believer in Jesus Christ. You are not to receive him in order to start an argument about questionable things. One group of believers is not to sit in judgment upon another group of believers about questionable matters of Christian conduct. Some things are not expressly condemned in Scripture, but some believers separate themselves from these things. And if they want to do this, that’s their business. These things are not to separate believers. The Scofield Reference Bible has a very helpful note on this verse—“The church has no authority to decide questions of personal liberty in things not expressly forbidden in Scripture.”
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs [Rom. 14:2].
This verse may hurt the extreme separationist. The strong brother in the faith is the one eating all things; the weak brother is the vegetarian. The strong brother realizes that Jesus made all meats clean, “cleansing all meats” (see Mark 7:19). After the Flood God gave all meats to be eaten according to Genesis 9:3, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”
God made a distinction between clean and unclean animals for the nation Israel. The instructed believer knows this does not apply to him, for the apostle says in 1 Corinthians 8:8, “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.” You remember that Peter was given a practical lesson about this subject on the housetop of Simon the tanner in Joppa (see Acts 10:9–16). Peter was proud of the fact that he had not eaten anything unclean. Boy, was he separated, and he was proud of it! The Holy Spirit said to him, “… What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (Acts 10:15).
Paul could eat meat without his conscience bothering him, but Peter had scruples about it. The weak believer who has a background of eating vegetables finds eating meat repugnant to him.
What is the principle? One can eat meat and the other cannot eat meat. By the grace of God one is not to eat meat and the other is to eat meat. Now listen to Paul:
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him [Rom. 14:3].
I recognize that I am wrong when I condemn these extreme separationists. If they want to be that way, candidly, that is their business. The thing that upsets me is that they want to straighten me out. I know I need straightening out, but they are not the crowd to do it, I’m sure of that. One group is not to condemn the other. If you believe that you should not eat meat (he uses meat as an example, but this could apply to anything else not expressly forbidden in Scripture), then you should not eat meat, my friend. But if you believe that you can eat meat, then you go ahead and eat meat.
Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand [Rom. 14:4].
This is devastating. Paul asks, “What right have you to judge another man’s servant?” What right have you, Christian friend, to sit in judgment on another Christian’s conduct when it involves something that is questionable? Are you God? Is that person accountable to you? Paul says, “He is not accountable to you. He is accountable to God. He is going to stand before his own Master.”
Can you imagine being a dinner guest in someone’s home) and the servant brings in cold biscuits. You say to the servant, “What’s the big idea of bringing me cold biscuits?” And you chide—in our common colloquialism, bawl out—the servant! May I say to you, there would be an awkward silence in that home. That person is not your servant. Maybe she should not have served cold biscuits, but it is not your place to say so. I have a notion that the lady of the house will go back to the kitchen and will tend to the matter.
Now maybe you disapprove of my conduct in one of these doubtful areas. I don’t have to account to you; you are not my master. I am responsible to Jesus Christ. He is my Master.
CONVICTION
Paul gives us now the first great principle of conduct for Christians:
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind [Rom. 14:5].
“Fully persuaded” means to be convinced, to be assured in your own mind.
Now Paul changes his illustration from diet to the day question. Some people insist that the Lord’s Day is different. Some observe Sunday as the Lord’s Day and others observe Saturday. It is not the day that should be different, but the believer. The particular day is not the important thing. Paul said, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days” (Col. 2:16). Don’t you tell me what day I am to observe. I’m not responsible to you; I am responsible to the Lord Jesus. He is my Master.
When I was a student in seminary, I was in a denomination in the South that were strict Sabbatarians—Sunday was their sabbath, as they called it. And they didn’t believe in traveling on Sunday. I used to take a train to Augusta, Georgia, to preach, and I left on Saturday evening. Some of the officers of the church wanted to know what time the train got into Augusta! Well, it got in early Sunday morning, and one man said to me, “Doesn’t that disturb you?” I said, “It doesn’t disturb me at all.” Now, I respect that man, and I don’t think he ought to travel on Sunday. But when I am traveling from one speaking engagement to another, and it is necessary to travel on Sunday, I do it without the slightest compunction. Paul says that whatever we do, we should be fully persuaded, convinced, and assured in our own mind that it is the right thing to do.
“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” means literally he is to be filled to the brim—mind, heart, will, and the total personality. A believer should do only those things to which he can give himself fully and without reserve. My friend, whatever you do for God, you should do with enthusiasm. I think it is sinful the way some people go to church on Sunday. Can you imagine people going to a football game when the alma mater is playing with that same lackluster attitude they have when they attend church? Personally, I don’t go to football games because I think they are a waste of time. But I don’t criticize other folk for going—that’s their business. But when I go to play golf, I go with enthusiasm. And whatever I do for the Lord, I do with enthusiasm. I teach the Bible because I love to teach it. I would rather do it than anything I know of. One of the reasons church work is bogged down as it is today is that there is a lack of enthusiasm. A man is asked to teach a Sunday school class, and he says, “Oh, if you can’t get anybody else, I’ll take it.” Then don’t take it, brother, if that is the way you feel. It would be better for the class to have no teacher than a disinterested, unenthusiastic teacher. Some people are actually committing sin by doing church work! The first great principle is: “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
Now let’s bring this principle over to questionable things. Frequently folk, especially young folk, ask me if doing this or that is wrong. I say, “Well, for you I think it is wrong, but for me it’s all right.” Of course they ask me what I mean by that. I tell them, “I have no question about it. If I wanted to do it, I would do it with enthusiasm. The point is, you have a question about it. ‘Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.’ You wouldn’t have come and asked me the question if you had been persuaded in your own mind.” My friend, this is a great guiding principle: if you have a question in your mind about something you are doing—whatever it is—for you it is wrong. It might not be wrong for me, but it is certainly wrong for you.
You recall that Simon Peter followed the Lord afar off after He was arrested. Peter went that night into the judgment hall of the high priest. I sat in the hotel in Jerusalem in the old city on the side of the Valley of Kidron one morning. When the morning sun had come up, it set that whole city ablaze across the Kidron Valley. Over there is a church called the Church of the Cock Crowing. It is situated on the spot where the high priest’s judgment hall was located—that’s where Caiaphas had his home. And that is the place to which Simon Peter came and where he denied three times that he knew the Lord. I am convinced that Simon Peter should not have gone there that night. On the other hand, John, who apparently had a home in Jerusalem and was known in the palace of the high priest, went there and did not deny his Lord. It was all right for John to be there, but it was wrong for Simon Peter. Simon Peter was the weak brother, you see.
Today it is the weak brother who is the “separated” brother. That may seem strange to you. But the people who set up a little legal system of “dos” and “don’ts” bear watching. They are the weak ones. When I was a student in seminary, I used to have a water fight on Saturday night in the seminary dorm. One of the students would gather together two or three of the super-duper saints, and they would pray for us. (I always hoped he would pray that I would win!) We were pretty rough fellows. One night we soaked all the rugs, and we almost got booted out of the place. But this young fellow was a model student. About fifteen years later, I sat down with him and his wife and begged him not to leave her. He told me he had to. I said, “Why?” His reply was this, “Because I have a little daughter by a woman out in Australia, and I want to marry her.” He posed as a super-duper saint, but actually he was a weak brother.
Questionable amusements are wrong for the believer if they are questionable to him. If he can participate in them and maintain a close relationship to Christ, they are not wrong for him. Let me tell you a little story in this connection. Many years ago in Tennessee a young lady went to her pastor with the question, “Do you think it is wrong for a Christian to dance?” He said to her, “Anywhere you can take Jesus Christ with you is all right to go.” That made her angry. She said, “Well, I can taKe Him to the dance.” The pastor said, “Then go ahead.” So she went to the dance. A boy whom she had not met before cut in on her and danced with her. She had determined to take Jesus Christ with her, so she asked him, “Are you a Christian?” He said, “No.” Wanting to make conversation with her, he asked, “Are you a Christian?” She said, “Yes.” And this is what the unbeliever said, “Then what are you doing here?” After she got home that night she decided that maybe she couldn’t take the Lord Jesus Christ there after all.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks [Rom. 14:6].
Maybe you play golf on Sunday. If you can take Jesus Christ with you, if you can stop out on the ninth hole and have a prayer meeting with the foursome you are playing with, that would be fine. But what will the foursome playing behind you think when their game is interrupted in this way? When they see you are praying, one of them will say, “What in the world are they doing out here on Sunday morning?”
The important thing to note is that the day is to be “regarded” or observed unto the Lord.
Also, the one who eats meat gives thanks to God from his heart. The one who does not eat meat gives thanks to God from his heart. It is not what is on the table, but what is in the heart that is noted by God. It is the heart attitude that conditions Christian conduct.
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living [Rom. 14:7–9].
“None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” is generally quoted as a proof text that our lives affect others. However, that thought is not in this passage. The fact is that we as Christians cannot live our lives apart from Christ. Whether you live, you will have to live to Him; whether you die, you will have to die to Him. Our Christian conduct is not gauged by the foods spread out on the table, but by the fact that our lives are spread out before Him. That is the important thing. One day we are going to have to give an account of the things we have done in this life. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). At that time it will not be a question of the meat you had on the table; it will be the question of your relationship to Him when you sat down at that table. You can be godless without meat; and you can be godless with meat, of course.
Christ’s death and resurrection are given as grounds for Him to exercise lordship over both the dead and the living:
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God [Rom. 14:10–12].
“Why dost thou judge thy brother?” You remember that the Lord Jesus said to that bunch of Pharisees who wanted to stone an adulterous woman, “… He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 8:7). And not one of those boys threw any stones that day. My friend, you and I need to recognize that we have to give account of ourselves to Him. I’ll be honest with you, that disturbs me a little. I am wondering how I am going to tell Him about certain things. So I can’t sit in judgment upon you; I’m worried about Vernon McGee.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way [Rom. 14:13].
Paul is going to develop the thought that our conduct has to be for the sake of the weak brother. If I am traveling in the same car with a fellow who believes he should not travel on Sunday, I’m going to have to stay with him—not because I agree with him, but for the sake of a weak brother.
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died [Rom. 14:14–15].
Since Christ was willing to die for that weak brother, certainly we ought to be willing to refrain from eating something or doing something that would hurt him in his Christian walk.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of [Rom. 14:16].
In other words, liberty does not mean license. The believer is to use his liberty, not abuse it. We are always to keep in mind how our conduct will affect weaker Christians.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost [Rom. 14:17].
This is the only reference in this epistle to the kingdom of God. I do not believe the “kingdom of God” is synonymous with the kingdom of heaven in Matthew’s gospel, which finds its final fruition in the millennial and messianic kingdom here on earth. I believe that the kingdom of God embraces all that is in God’s created universe, which, of course, includes the church. It is broader and larger and includes God’s reign over all His creation. Lange’s definition is satisfactory: “The heavenly sphere of life in which God’s word and Spirit govern, and whose organ on earth is the Church.” This was our Lord’s use of the term. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Well, that is the heavenly sphere of life in which God’s Word and Spirit govern. As Stifler has said (The Epistle to the Romans, p. 245), “God rules everywhere, but there is a realm where he governs by spiritual forces or laws alone”—which is in the area of the life of the believer. Man is totally incapable of seeing or entering this kingdom without the new birth. This kingdom has nothing to do with eating or drinking, fasting, no meat on Friday, no pork, or a vegetarian diet. These things just do not enter into it.
“Righteousness” in this verse means the same as it does in chapters 1 and 3. It means to be right with God; it means a life lived well-pleasing to Him.
“Holy Ghost” apparently goes with righteousness and refers, not to our standing, but to our walk—we are to walk in the Spirit. It is practical rather than theological. It is moral rather than oral. It is a righteousness in the Holy Spirit rather than righteousness in Christ.
“Joy” is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. Unfortunately, it is often absent from the lives of believers. There should be joy in our lives. This doesn’t mean you have to run around smiling like a Cheshire cat, but it does mean you are to have a joyful feeling deep in your heart.
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men [Rom. 14:18].
Although, of course, there will be a literal kingdom on this earth, he is talking here about the spiritual realm that you enter by the new birth. Christ is not served by eating and drinking, but our service to Him must pertain to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. In these things a believer is well pleasing to God and approved of men.
“Approved of men” does not mean that men will get in your cheering section and applaud you because you are a believer. They may even persecute you. But underneath, men do approve of genuine believers, while they despise and reject that which is hypocritical and phony.
This is a great principle of conduct. The walk and talk of the believer should please God and meet the approval of the conscience of men.
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another [Rom. 14:19].
This is a twofold exhortation. To “follow after the things which make for peace” is to eagerly pursue this course of action. The believer is to make a definite effort to avoid the use of food or any physical thing which offends a Christian brother. This would be the negative aspect of the exhortation. The positive aspect is to press toward the mark of spiritual values: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These are the things which build up the believer.
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence [Rom. 14:20].
On account of food, do not tear down the work of God. Of course the believer has the liberty to eat meat or abstain from it—but neither will commend him to God. We are not to tear down the work of God in the heart of some weak believer for the sake of some physical gratification. That old bromide is active: one man’s porridge is another man’s poison. Esau, for instance, had no regard for God or for his birthright. He exchanged it for a bowl of soup. Well, don’t sell your birthright just to satisfy your appetite.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak [Rom. 14:21].
Paul returns to these two points: eating and drinking. Then he goes beyond them with the sweeping statement: nor anything. Anything that is questionable and is a matter of conscience for a weak brother becomes wrong for the strong one.
CONSCIENCE
Now verse 22 gives us the second great principle of Christian conduct.
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth [Rom. 14:22].
Let me give you my translation of this verse: The faith which thou hast, have thou thyself in the sight of God. Happy is the man who condemneth not himself in the things which he approves—that which he does.
This is the second principle of conduct for Christians. He has already dealt with the aspect of conviction. As we look toward doing something for God, we ask ourselves the questions: Will it be right for me to do this? Can I do it with excitement and anticipation and joy? Now this second exhortation looks back at what has been done. Happy is the man who does not condemn himself in what he has done. The believer should be able to look back upon his conduct without any qualms of conscience.
Let me use an illustration, and I trust you will not misunderstand it. I have been asked the question: “Can a Christian get drunk?” The answer is yes. The prodigal son in Luke 15 was a son out in the far country. I am confident that he got drunk in addition to a few other things, but he was always a son. Then what was the difference between him and the pigs? The difference was that none of those pigs said, “I will arise and go to my father.” You see, as the prodigal son was there with the pigs, he said to himself, I hate it here, and I’m going to get out of this. I am going back to my father and confess what a sinner I am. What, then, is the difference between the Christian who gets drunk and the non-Christian who gets drunk? The difference is simply this: the next morning the man of the world will get up with a headache, put an ice pack on it, and say, “Boy, I sure had a big time! I’m going to get a bigger bucket of paint and a bigger paint brush, and I am really going to paint the town red the next time!” But what will the child of God do? When he wakes up the next morning with a head as big as a barrel, he drops down by the side of his bed and cries, “Oh, God, I hate myself! I don’t want to do that again.” He confesses his sins to God. And the interesting thing is there is no record that the prodigal son went back to the pig pen. He didn’t like it there. That is the difference between a believer and an unbeliever. “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”
My Christian friend, do you look back and hate yourself for what you have done? That is your conscience condemning you. Regardless of what it was and regardless of how many other people do the same thing, for you it was wrong. You might have even been in a church (and a church can be a very dangerous place because Satan is there—he goes to church every Sunday morning, and he goes to the best churches). Do you come home from church and say, “I could bite my tongue off. I wish I hadn’t said what I did.” Well, you should not have said it. “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin [Rom. 14:23].
“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” My friend, you are to believe in what you are doing. If you don’t believe in it, you should not be doing it. Here is a new definition of sin for the believer: Any line of conduct or any act which is not the outflow of faith becomes sin. This is the Holy Spirit’s answer to questionable things. As the believer is saved by faith, just so the believer is to walk by faith.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Consideration of the weak brother; consolidation of Jews and Gentiles in one body; continuation of Paul’s personal testimony
We have been looking at the great principles of conduct for the Christian. In the preceding chapter we have seen two of these principles: conviction and conscience. Now we see the third: consideration of the weak brother, a thought which is continued from chapter 14. In the first three verses the subject is separation. Then we shall see the consolidation of Jews and Gentiles in one body to glorify God, and finally the continuation of Paul’s personal testimony as the apostle to the Gentiles and to the Romans in particular. This chapter concludes the major argument of the Epistle to the Romans. In the final chapter, Paul will lapse back to personal relationships.
A remark needs to be made here that radical higher criticism has questioned the authenticity of these last two chapters of Romans. Without any valid reason or documentary evidence, the Pauline authorship of these two chapters was rejected. Baur’s school led in this objection. Today the Pauline authorship is established, and we may conclude with this statement from Kerr in his Introduction to New Testament Study, “Despite these objections, the integrity of the epistle as it now stands is certain.”
CONSIDERATION OF THE WEAK BROTHER
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves [Rom. 15:1].
This is the third and last guiding principle which should govern the conduct of Christians. When you invite a Christian over to your house who doesn’t believe in dancing, don’t put on a square dance for him, because you will offend him. Now maybe you can square dance, but I cannot. Why? Because there are certain things I very definitely feel I cannot do because of a consideration of others. Neither have I been inside a motion picture theater in years—I can’t even remember the last time I went. Somebody says, “Oh, you are one of those separated fellows who doesn’t believe you can go to movies.” Maybe you can go—I’m not judging you if you do—but I cannot. One of the reasons is right here: consideration of the weak brother. “We that are strong” I feel applies to me. I feel that I could go without losing my fellowship with the Lord—I’m sure that many of these movies would disgust me today, to tell the truth. But a weak brother might be strongly influenced and his relationship to Christ actually damaged by certain movies. So we who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.
Paul identifies himself with the strong ones, and he insists that these should show consideration for the feelings and prejudices of the weak believers. He wrote to the Corinthians, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (1 Cor. 8:13). In other words, Paul said, “I can eat meat. I love a good pork roast. But I will not eat it if it is going to offend my brother.” Also Paul wrote, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth” (1 Cor. 10:24). Seek the interests of the other man. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification [Rom. 15:2].
“For his good to edification” means with a view to his building up. The objective of all Christian conduct is the edification of our neighbor. Of course our neighbor is not to be pleased to his detriment or loss. Paul said, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews …” (1 Cor. 9:19–20). A great many people criticize Paul and cannot understand why he would take a Jewish oath, shave his head, and go to Jerusalem to the temple. You will understand it if you understand what Paul is saying here: “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law” (1 Cor. 9:20).
Now let’s keep in mind that we are still in the area of questionable things, things that are not mentioned in Scripture as wrong. Going back to the example of the movies. Would I ever go to a movie? Yes, if I thought by so doing I could win someone for Christ. You may ask, “How far can you carry this?” Well, I know a group that went into a burlesque show to witness. I think they were in the wrong place. I know a girl who started going to nightclubs and drinking with her friends, thinking she could witness to them. But she became an alcoholic, and she didn’t win anybody. I can show you from Scripture that these things are wrong.
However, because the Scripture is silent on many things in our contemporary society, we have been given these great guidelines, three principles of separation: (1) Conviction. Whatever we do is to be done with enthusiasm because we are persuaded in our own minds that it is what God wants us to do. (2) Conscience. Our conduct should be such that we do not look back upon it with qualms of conscience. (3) Consideration. We should show consideration for the feelings and prejudices of the weak believers.
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me [Rom. 15:3].
The quotation here is from Psalm 69:9. This is an imprecatory psalm and also one of the great messianic psalms. Christ never put His own interest and pleasures first. Stifler thinks that Christ is presented here as an argument rather than as an example. In The Epistle to the Romans (p. 250) he writes, “The Scriptures are not in the habit of holding up Christ as an example, for men are neither saved nor sanctified by an example.” Always when Christ is given as an example it is in connection with the redeeming grace of God.
CONSOLIDATION OF JEWS AND GENTILES IN ONE BODY
Paul now begins to talk about the fact that Jews and Gentiles are in one body to glorify God.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope [Rom. 15:4].
The Old Testament, therefore, does have a definite application to believers today. I frequently receive letters from folk who say, “I didn’t know the Old Testament was so practical,” or, “I had not realized that the Old Testament had such meaning for us today. I did not know it spoke of Christ as it does.” Paul here says that it was written for “our learning.”
In my opinion, the greatest sin in the church of Jesus Christ in this generation is ignorance of the Word of God. Many times I have heard a church officer say, “Well, I don’t know much about the Bible, but …” and then he gives his opinion, which often actually contradicts the Word of God! Why doesn’t he know much about the Bible? These things were written aforetime for our learning. God wants you to know His Word. As an officer of the church, are you boasting that you are ignorant of the Word of God? Well, you had better get down to business and find out what God has said to you in His Word. Ignorance of the Bible is the greatest sin of the hour—in and out of the church. Paul says these things were written for your learning.
What will a knowledge of the Bible do for you? “That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” The Word of God imparts patience, comfort, and hope.
You won’t find any hope in the daily newspaper. You won’t find any hope in modern literature. Look at any field and see if you can find any hope. There is none whatsoever. It is dark and dismal when you look out at this world today. My friend, the only place you can find real hope is in the Word of God.
I was in the state of Washington, speaking at a Bible conference, and it rained and rained and rained. Then it rained some more. Oh, how dark and dismal the days were! For our flight back home we went to the airport, and it was still raining. The plane took off and went up through a heavy layer of cloud. In a few moments we broke out into the light—the sun was shining up there. Oh, how beautiful it was. Less than a mile up, the sun was shining. Here we had been living like a bunch of gophers in all that rain. Now, don’t misunderstand me—Washington needs all that rain to grow that lush vegetation and beautiful trees. But because I live in Southern California, I am used to sunshine, and I love it.
There are a great many Christians today who are living down beneath the clouds. The Lord says, “Come on up here and get in the sunshine of hope!” That is what the Bible will do for you, my friend. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). When I was teaching the life of David, scores of people told me what an encouragement David was to them. One person said that he was going through a very dark period in his life and that the study in the life of David delivered him from suicide. Well, that is the reason God put these things in His Word. God put David’s sin on display—and it wasn’t very nice—but God paints mankind exactly as he is for our learning. Everything in the Old Testament is written for our learning and to give us patience and to give us comfort and to bring hope into our lives.
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus [Rom. 15:5].
Paul pauses here to pray that the blessings which are channeled only through the Word of God might have their effect upon both Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ; not that they should see eye to eye with each other on meats and drink—they won’t—but that they might demonstrate that they are one in love and consideration one of another.
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ [Rom. 15:6].
There should be such a harmony in their praise that they reveal the unity of believers. When I was a boy in West Texas, we had a Methodist church on one corner, a Baptist church on another corner, and a Presbyterian church on the third corner. A story was told that one night the Methodists were singing, “Will there be any stars in my crown?” And the Presbyterians were singing, “No, not one; no, not one.” And the Baptists were singing, “Oh, that will be glory for me.” Well, that is just a story. I’m sure it never worked out that way, but sometimes it actually looks like that. However, if the Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians are really believers (just to be a member of one of these denominations doesn’t make you a believer, by the way), all three could sit down and sing the doxology together: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” That is the testimony we should give to the world.
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God [Rom. 15:7].
Let me give you my translation of this: Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received you to the glory of God.
God receives man—both strong and weak, high and low, Jew and Gentile—on the simple acceptance of Christ. Now let both the strong and the weak receive each other in fellowship. The glory of God is the supreme objective.
A man said to me the other day, “Since you are very critical of the Pentecostal point of view, why is it that Pentecostal brethren are friendly toward you and actually invite you to speak in their churches?” I said, “Well, the reason is that they have more of the grace of God than I have.” A recent letter from a Pentecostal pastor read, “We agree on too many things to let one or two differences separate us.” When we agree on the major doctrines of the faith, though we may differ on minor points, we need to receive one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Although I disagree with Pentecostal brethren on the matter of tongues, I see no reason why I should break fellowship with them. I just pray they will see it as I see it. And the very interesting thing is that one of these days, when we are in His presence, we will agree. In fact, all will agree with me. Do you know why? Because I am going to have to change a whole lot of things also. All of us will be changed, changed into His image and His likeness. Then all of us will agree. In view of that fact, we had better concentrate on the areas in which there is agreement now.
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name [Rom. 15:8–9].
When the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, He came as “a minister of the circumcision”—this is the only time it is mentioned. His ministry was confined to the nation Israel. He frankly said so Himself: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). Also He directed His disciples: “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6). Christ came to earth about nineteen hundred years ago. He came in this capacity to confirm the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God said that from the loins of Abraham He would bring One who would be a blessing to the world. Christ came to be a blessing to both Jew and Gentile. “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21). He could not have been “Jesus” unless He had been born in the line of Abraham and David and unless He followed the Law. They called Him Jesus after He was circumcised. He came to fulfill the entire Mosaic system. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4–5). Salvation came to Israel through Christ in confirming and fulfilling the truth of the Old Testament promises. Also by this method salvation was brought to the Gentiles. The Gentiles’ only claim was upon the mercy of God. No promise was ever made to their fathers. I do not know who my father was, way back in the beginning in the forests of Germany and in Scotland. I do not know his name. But I do know that God never made any promise to him. He did, however, make a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Christ came to confirm the truth of the promises made to the fathers of the Jews, and He also came that the Gentiles might obtain mercy. In this the Gentiles are to glorify God. I thank God that He brought the gospel to my ancestors. They were pagan and savage and had done nothing to merit God’s grace.
“As it is written” introduces four quotations from the Old Testament that show that the Gentiles are to praise God.
“For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name” is a quotation from Psalm 18:49. Christ is praising God through the Gentiles, which implies their conversion.
And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people [Rom. 15:10].
This quotation is from Deuteronomy 32:43. It concludes the song of Moses, which is a prophetic recitation of the history of the nation Israel until the coming of the millennial kingdom. Here the Gentiles are invited to join Israel in praise to God.
And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people [Rom. 15:11].
This is a quotation from the briefest psalm (see Ps. 117:1). It is an invitation to the Gentiles to join Israel in praise to God. It is interesting to note the occurrence of the word all twice in this brief quotation.
And again, Esaias saith. There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust [Rom. 15:12].
This quotation is from Isaiah 11:10. Though the Messiah is from the line of David, He is to rule over the Gentiles. Obviously it was the clear intention of God that the Gentiles should come to Christ. Some had come to Christ in Paul’s day, and they were the firstfruits of even a greater day. Remember that Paul was writing to the Romans, and the Roman church was largely a gentile church, as are our churches today.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost [Rom. 15:13].
“The God of hope” is a new title for God which is thrilling. The believing heart finds here the Rock of Ages who is the shelter in the time of storm. “The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” This is what a study of Romans should do for you. I trust it has given you joy and peace and that it has strengthened your faith. I trust it has brought hope and power into your life, my friend.
This is the benediction that concludes the doctrinal section of the Epistle to the Romans.
CONTINUATION OF PAUL’S PERSONAL TESTIMONY
At this point Paul resumes his personal testimony as an apostle to the Gentiles. You remember that he began this epistle in a very personal manner. Now he leaves the doctrinal section, and he picks up that personal note with which he began the epistle, in which he expressed the desire to visit Rome. “Now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you” (Rom. 1:10). Now listen to him.
And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another [Rom. 15:14].
This, I think, is one of the loveliest passages. Paul is offering in this verse a gentle apology for his frankness and boldness in speaking to the Romans in the doctrinal section. It was not because they were lacking in goodness and knowledge, but rather because they possessed these qualities that Paul was able to be so explicit. Isn’t that wonderful? He gave us the Epistle to the Romans so that he could talk to us about these important issues. My friend, an understanding of the Epistle to the Romans is an essential part of your Christian growth. Every Christian should make an effort to know Romans, for this book will ground the believer in the faith. Paul is being very humble and sweet about his exhortations in this epistle. He is not lording it over God’s heritage.
Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost [Rom. 15:15–16].
When Paul says, “I have written,” he is referring to this Epistle to the Romans. He is explaining the fact of his boldness by reminding the Romans that he is the apostle to the Gentiles. On the basis of this God-appointed office, which came to him through the grace of God, he is exercising that office in writing as he does to the Romans. He is ministering to them. This statement gives added weight to the inspiration of the writings of Paul. He adopts the language of the Levitical temple worship in describing himself as a minister preaching the gospel.
The Gentiles are “acceptable”—apart from the Law or any religion—through Jesus Christ as preached by Paul.
“Sanctified”—the Holy Spirit indwelt the gentile believers, beginning with Cornelius. The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit begins with Jew and Gentile the moment of regeneration when the Spirit of God takes up His abode within the believer. Paul gave the gospel, but God gave the Holy Spirit when they believed. It must be kept in mind that Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles in a very special sense. As a high priest, Paul offered up the Gentiles, making an offering unto God. It is difficult for us today to fathom the full significance of all this, and yet we as Gentiles have entered into all that this implies. My friend, if you have never thanked God for the apostle Paul, you should thank Him right now. God gave Paul to us. For this reason we should read his Epistle to the Romans.
I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God [Rom. 15:17].
Paul had written boldly to the Romans and was rather apologetic about it because he recognized that these saints in Rome probably did not need his instructions. In spite of this, however, he wrote with confidence to them. There is no personal assumption in this. He is a servant of Christ Jesus and is doing His will. This is important to see. There is one thing that should never characterize a servant of God, and that is pride. We should never become officious, but rather take the position that we are merely serving the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the One in charge.
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ [Rom. 15:18–19].
Paul is saying something very important in this passage. If we are to understand Paul, and especially whether he or Peter founded the church at Rome, we must pay close attention to what he says here. Paul is saying, “I will not take credit for the work of God that is being done by others—especially among the Gentiles.” Of course he couldn’t take credit for what was accomplished on the Day of Pentecost, which was the beginning of the ministry that resulted in the gospel going to the Gentiles. He couldn’t take credit for the gospel going to the first Gentiles. It was Simon Peter who took the gospel to the home of Cornelius. Paul will speak only of those things which Christ wrought by him. He had a peculiar ministry as the apostle to the Gentiles.
“Through mighty signs and wonders,” which were the credentials of the apostles and the ministers in the early church. These were given to establish the church on the right foundation before a word of the New Testament had been written. Paul, speaking to the Ephesian believers, says that they “… are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:20). He does not intend to say that the apostles are the foundation. There is no foundation but Christ: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). But the apostles are the ones who put down the foundation of Jesus Christ. That is what Paul is saying here.
Paul says that the gospel of Christ had come through him “unto Illyricum.” Illyricum was a province of the Roman Empire next to Italy. It extended to the Adriatic Sea and the Danube River. Paul, you see, had preached by this time from Jerusalem to the province next to Rome. He had not quite reached Rome. By the way, we have no record of Paul’s journey in this area. Undoubtedly he went many places that are not detailed for us. There are those who believe that Paul went to Spain. I believe this epistle reveals that he did go to Spain, and I think he also went to Great Britain because he covered the Roman Empire, as we shall see.
Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:
But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand [Rom. 15:20–21].
Perhaps my translation will make these verses a little clearer: Indeed, in this way having made it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, in order that I might not be building upon another man’s foundation: but as it is written, They shall see, those to whom there came no tidings of Him, and those who have not heard shall understand.
It was a point of honor with Paul—not competition—which caused him to go as a pioneer where the gospel had not been preached. Paul had a peculiar ministry. Paul did not minister where a church already existed or where others had gone. He was a true missionary, which is the meaning of the word evangelist in the New Testament. Paul never had a committee to do the groundwork ahead of him. When Paul entered a town, he was not given a welcome. The mayor did not greet him. If anyone greeted him, it was usually the chief of police, who generally arrested him and put him in jail. Since the apostles laid the foundation, the believers would have to be very careful to discern who the apostles were and to whom they were listening. Paul had the credentials God had given to the apostles. It is said of Paul and Barnabas, “Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (Acts 14:3). You see, these were the marks of the apostles and the early preachers of the gospel. They did not come with a New Testament in their hands—it hadn’t been written yet. They came with these credentials: mighty “signs and wonders.”
Of course the day came when signs and wonders were no longer the identifying mark. The apostle John, near the end of his long life, wrote; “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 10). Correct doctrine was the identifying mark for a man of God even then. And today the identifying mark is correct doctrine, not signs and wonders.
A tragic movement is going on at this writing. Coming to my desk is literally a flood of letters from people who are being carried away by fanaticism, by wrong teaching, and by false doctrine. Although there is a movement of the Holy Spirit today, there is also a movement of the Devil. Satan is busy. A great many people are being carried away and trapped by incorrect teaching. Paul has been so careful to emphasize the fact that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink. Well, the kingdom of God is not signs and wonders either. It is not any of these outward things. The kingdom of God just happens to be righteousness. I hear of groups meeting and indulging in all kinds of sexual rites—not living for God at all—yet talking about certain signs that they demonstrate, such as speaking in tongues. My friend, it had better be a clean tongue. If the Lord has come into your life, He will clean you up. A clean tongue and one that declares the Word of God accurately is what a great many folk need today. Paul always ministered where the gospel had not previously gone. He was a true evangelist, a true missionary.
Since Paul said that he did not go where the gospel had been preached before, who is the founder of the church in Rome? He makes it very clear, both in his introduction and at this point, that he is the founder of the church in Rome.
In Romans 16 we will be introduced to a group of people in Rome whom Paul knew. The record tells us that Paul led them to the Lord. He reached these people out in the Roman Empire and many of them gravitated to Rome. There they met together around the person of the Lord Jesus. I am sure they talked many times about their beloved pastor, Paul. He founded the church, not by going there in person, but by remote control—you might say, by spiritual radar.
“To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand” seems to be Paul’s life verse as a missionary. It is a quotation of Isaiah 52:15 from the Septuagint version. Paul was thrilled to go and preach the gospel to those who were spiritually blind. After Paul had preached, some brother would say, “I understand, brother Paul. I will accept Christ as my Savior.” My friend, there is no thrill equal to presenting Christ and having people turn to Him.
For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you [Rom. 15:22].
When Paul says that he had been “much hindered,” you may be sure of one thing: he was much hindered. Many roadblocks had been put in his way.
But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company [Rom. 15:23–24].
Paul makes it clear that he wants to take the gospel way out yonder and that he is coming to Rome. Now he says something unusually strange: “But now having no more place in these parts.” There is a question about what Paul meant by this. Was he saying that there was no longer an opportunity to preach the gospel in the section of the Roman Empire where he was at that time? Had the doors completely closed to him? Had everyone been saved? Had every nook and cranny been evangelized? I used to take the position that the answer was “no” to these questions. However, now that I have visited the sites of the seven churches of Asia Minor, I’m not sure that I was right, because Paul and the other witnesses had been faithful, and the gospel had been sounded out through that entire area. The Word had gone out. Dr. Luke says that everyone, both Jew and Gentile, had heard the gospel. This does not mean that they all had turned to Christ, but they all had heard. Now Paul is looking for new territory. He has his eyes on the frontier of the empire. He says, “Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you.” In other words, Rome was not his destination. He wanted to go to Spain. He had come from one end of the Roman Empire, and he wanted to go to the other end of the Roman Empire. He says, “For I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on way thitherward by you.” You see, Rome was not his terminal. He wanted to go all the way to the other end of the empire.
The question is: Did Paul ever go to Spain? If he did, we have no record of it. But neither have we a record of his journey to Illyricum; we would not know he had been there if he had not mentioned it in verse 19. Personally I believe that Paul did go to Spain and to the rest of the Roman Empire. My reason is a statement that he made when he came to the end of his life. He said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). Paul said he had finished his course. I don’t think he would have said that if he had not been to Spain, because Spain was on his itinerary.
Paul wanted to go to Spain and he also wanted to go to Jerusalem.
But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem [Rom. 15:25–26].
He wanted to go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the poor saints there, and he wanted to take it with his own hands. Why? Because with his own hands he had “wasted” the church at Jerusalem; he had led in the persecution of the believers in Jerusalem. Now it was in the heart of this great apostle to make up for that by taking a gift to them.
“A certain contribution.” The Greek word which is translated “contribution” is koinoµnia, meaning “a fellowship.” This word was used for everything that believers could share: Christ, the Word, prayer, the Lord’s Supper, and material gifts. Christians have fellowship with God, with Christ, and with one another when they give. Fellowship is not just patting somebody on the back. The knife and fork clubs meet every week, and that is fellowship as far as they are concerned. But for a believer, fellowship is sharing the things of Christ. Paul is talking here about going to Jerusalem where previously he had persecuted the church. Now he wants to have fellowship with them; he wants to take a gift to them. In Acts we have the historical record of this: Paul said, “Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings” (Acts 24:17). This collection was very important to Paul. We find him writing about it in 2 Corinthians—in fact, chapters 8 and 9 deal with it.
It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things [Rom. 15:27].
Paul makes it clear that it was a freewill offering. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). This is the offering Paul collected. Paul makes it very clear that it not only was a freewill offering (they couldn’t give any other way to please God), but he also enforces the fact that they had a moral obligation and debt to pay. The Gentiles had received the gospel from Israel. Our Lord Jesus said, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). You see, the gospel began in Jerusalem. Macedonia and Achaia were obligated to Jerusalem. Now some of the saints in Jerusalem were having financial difficulties, evidently because of persecution. Macedonia and Achaia could now pay a spiritual debt in the coin of the realm. This is foreign missions in reverse! It is the missionary church helping the home church. This very thing may take place in our nation, by the way, in the not too far distant future!
When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain [Rom. 15:28].
You can see that this gift was on the heart of the great apostle Paul—notice the zeal he had in taking it to Jerusalem. That trip, of course, placed him into the hands of his enemies who had him arrested. I disagree with some of my brethren who believe that Paul was out of the will of God during this time. I maintain that Paul was absolutely in the will of God when he went up to Jerusalem, as we have seen in the Book of Acts.
“And have sealed to them this fruit” is an awkward phrase for us and could mean no more than that he wanted a receipt for the offering. He secured to them the gift. It probably means that he wanted the Jerusalem church to see some fruits of their missionary efforts. I personally believe that if you are going to contribute money to some cause, you ought to know what it is doing. The area of Christian giving is one of grave danger today. I do not believe, Christian friend, that you should give to any work unless you know two things about it: (1) what it is doing, and (2) is it getting out the Word of God in a way that is effectual in hearts and lives?
And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ [Rom. 15:29].
This is Paul’s stamp of approval on his prosperous journey to Rome. He went there according to the will of God and in the fulness of his apostolic office. God gave him divine insight into this trip. Paul is not out of the will of God in going to Jerusalem. Neither was he out of the will of God in going to Rome. It may not look like a prosperous journey, but God used it that way. It is very easy for God’s children, when trouble comes and things look dark and doubtful, to say, “I must be out of the will of God.” My friend, just because you have trouble and disturbed feelings does not mean that you are out of God’s will. In fact, it may definitely mean you are in His will. If you are living in perfect calm today and nothing is happening, the chances are you are not in His will.
Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me [Rom. 15:30].
I have been dwelling a long time in this area. One reason is that this is a personal area, and Paul is laying bare his heart. The second reason is that we are seeing how Christianity functioned in the first century. We are seeing the practical side of Christianity. In the first part of Romans Paul gave us doctrine. Now Paul is putting that doctrine into practice.
This is one of the most solemn, earnest, and serious appeals of Paul for prayer that we find in the Bible. He says, “I beg of you, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that ye strive intensely with me in your prayers to God on behalf of me.” Paul recognizes that he is facing danger and has come to a crisis in his ministry. Enemies are on every hand. Paul had reason to fear, as succeeding events proved. He is asking for prayer in a very wonderful way, “through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul realized that everything that was to come to him had to come through Jesus Christ. He asked the believers in Rome to join with him in prayer. He says, “I want all of you to pray through Christ—He is our great Intercessor—go through Him to God on my behalf.”
By “through the love of the Spirit” he means that love is the fruit of the Spirit which joins all believers together. And, friend, we ought to pray for each other.
“That ye strive intensely for me.” The Greek word for strive is tremendous. We get our English word agonize from it. Paul is saying, “Agonize with me.”
“On behalf of me”—he is asking for prayer for his personal safety that he might come in “the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” Oh, my friend, how we need to pray like this—not just praying by rote or by going over our prayer list hurriedly. For the apostle Paul prayer was with great agony, great exercise of soul. He laid hold of God. This kind of praying is so desperately needed today! You and I need people who know how to pray for us.
That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints [Rom. 15:31].
In other words, this is Paul’s prayer request, and it is twofold. His life was in jeopardy from unbelievers in Judea, the religious rulers. He wanted to be delivered from them. Secondly, the church in Jerusalem might be hesitant in accepting a gift from Gentiles, and he wanted them to accept it. My friend, both requests were answered. Somebody says, “Yes, but he was arrested.” Right, but he was immediately put into the hands of the Romans and was enabled to appear before kings, and finally he actually appeared before the Caesar in Rome, which was the fulfillment of the will of God for the apostle Paul.
That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed [Rom. 15:32].
This is the conclusion of Paul’s prayer request. The prayer was answered: his life was spared, the church in Jerusalem accepted the gift, he did come with joy to Rome—in spite of the fact that he spent two years in jail at Caesarea, was shipwrecked on-the way, and when he arrived in Rome he was in chains. Yet Paul came in the joy of the Holy Spirit. Oh, how all of us need that kind of joy in our lives!
Did Paul find rest and refreshment in Rome? Well, the answer is debatable. He did find all this and more beyond Rome and Spain when he entered the presence of Christ. He wrote near the end of his life to Timothy, his son in the faith: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6–8).
This chapter concludes with Paul’s benediction:
Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen [Rom. 15:33].
“The God of peace” shows that Paul experienced peace in prison, in chains, in storm, and in shipwreck. I pray that you and I might have that kind of peace in our lives.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Commendation of Phebe; Christians in Rome greeted; conduct toward other Christians; Christians with Paul send greetings; concluding benediction
In this final chapter of Romans the gospel walks in shoe leather in the first century of the Roman Empire. It thrills my heart to know that in the pagan Roman Empire there were Christians, witnesses for Christ, walking down the streets of those cities with the joy of the Lord in their hearts. I consider this one of the most revealing chapters that we have in the Epistle to the Romans. Paul has left the mountain peaks of doctrine to come down to the pavements of Rome. Here we see Christianity in action. The great doctrines which Paul proclaimed are not missiles for outer space. They are vehicles which actually operated on Roman roads. The gospel was translated into life and reality. This remarkable chapter should not be omitted or neglected in any study of Romans. William R. Newell has well said, “The sixteenth chapter is neglected by many to their own loss” (Romans Verse by Verse, p. 548).
There are thirty-five persons mentioned by name in this chapter. All were either believers living in Rome or they were believers who were with the apostle Paul—he was probably in Corinth when he wrote this epistle. There is expressed a mutual love and tender affection which was a contradiction of Roman philosophy and practice. (Also, it is rather unlike some churches today!) These Christians were different. Little wonder that Rome marveled at these folk and exclaimed, “My, how these Christians love each other!”
COMMENDATION OF PHEBE
The chapter begins with a commendation of Phebe, the woman who brought this epistle to Rome.
I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also [Rom. 16:1–2].
Phebe is the first believer mentioned in this, another catalog of the heroes of the faith. She was a Gentile, as her name indicates. As I have already stated, there were many Gentiles in the church at Rome. She was named for the Greek goddess, Artemis or Diana, who in Greek mythology was the goddess of the moon, as her brother, Apollo, was the god of the sun. Many believers adopted new names at baptism, but Phebe kept her heathen name for some reason.
Phebe was the bearer of the Epistle to the Romans. Apparently she was a very prominent woman in the church, which means she was a woman of ability. She is called a “servant of the church which is at Cenchrea.” Cenchrea is the eastern seaport of Corinth. When I stood at the ruins of ancient Corinth, I looked down and saw in the distance Cenchrea. On that clear day, it looked much closer than the eight or nine miles it is said to be. Apparently Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans while he was at Corinth, and Phebe, who may have been a woman of means or engaged in business, took it with her to Rome. She is called a servant of the church, which means she was a deaconess. The Greek word diakonos is the same word used for deacon. It reveals the fact that women occupied a very prominent place in the early church.
It is my feeling that we would not be seeing women today occupying the position of pastors in the church (which is forbidden by Scripture) if they had been given their rightful position in the church. I think they should be deaconesses in the church and that they should sit on an equality with any other board of the church. The church needs some of the insights and sensibilities that women possess. God has made a woman finer than a man, just as a watch is finer than an automobile. She has been given a sense that man doesn’t have. For instance, she can watch a woman who is a complete stranger to her, and in five minutes she knows a great deal about her simply by observing her dress and her manner. Those of us who belong to the male side of the human race appear stupid at a time like that. We can see if she is good looking or not, but that is the extent of our observation. The church needs the insight that a woman has.
Paul apparently put into Phebe’s hand this Epistle to the Romans rather than trusting it to public transportation. Rome did have mail service, but it was slow. Paul, you see, is going back to Jerusalem, and Phebe brings his epistle with her to Rome.
“I commend unto you Phebe our sister”—Paul commends her to the believers there at Rome. She is the first woman mentioned in this final chapter.
CHRISTIANS IN ROME GREETED
Now Paul sends his greetings to quite a list of Christian folk.
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles [Rom. 16:3–4].
At this time there were gentile churches, you see, and I believe the church at Rome was largely gentile, made up of many races. It was integrated for sure.
“Priscilla and Aquila” were a Jewish couple. How had Paul met them, and in what way were they his helpers? Well, there had been a wave of anti-Semitism that had swept over the city of Rome, and Priscilla and Aquila had had to leave. They came to the city of Corinth while Paul was there and set up shop. Corinth was a good commercial center, and Paul was also plying his trade there. Since they were all tentmakers, this drew them together (see Acts 18:1–3), and Paul led them to the Lord. Then they were with Paul at Ephesus. Perhaps they had gone over there to open up a branch store. In Acts 18:26, we find that they were able to be helpful to Apollos: “And he [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” Notice that when we first meet them it is “Aquila and Priscilla.” Now here in Romans it is Priscilla and Aquila. Why are the names reversed? Well, I think here is a case when the woman became dominant in spiritual matters. Spiritually she became the leader, although they were both outstanding workers for Christ.
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ [Rom. 16:5].
The local church met in private homes at the very beginning. (See Acts 12:12; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2.) Sanday writes, “There is no decisive evidence until the third century of the existence of special buildings used for churches.” It is the belief of many folk today, and I have found this belief for years, that the church which began in the home will return to meeting in the home. Many of these great big buildings we call churches, with great steeples on them, are nothing more than a pile of brick, stone, and mortar. They are mausoleums, not living churches that contain a real, living body of believers. The church was never intended to be spoken of as a building. For the first three centuries the church was the body of believers and met in homes like that of Aquila and Priscilla.
Epaenetus is a Greek name meaning “praised.” Evidently he was Paul’s first convert in the Roman province of Achaia.
Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us [Rom. 16:6].
Mary is a Jewish name, the same as Miriam, meaning “rebelliousness.” She “bestowed much labour on us” means that she labored to the point of exhaustion. What a change had taken place in her life! Before becoming a believer, she was in rebellion, but now she “knocks herself out” for the sake of other believers, because she is now obedient to Christ.
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me [Rom. 16:7].
Andronicus is a Greek name, and the name has been identified with a slave.
Junia is a Roman name and can be either masculine or feminine. Paul calls them “my fellow countrymen,” which may mean that they belonged to the tribe of Benjamin as did Paul. It does not necessarily mean close blood relationship.
Paul says, they were “my fellow prisoners.” Evidently Paul had met them in one of the numerous prisons of the Roman Empire. These two were well-known to the apostles and were held in high regard by them. Paul had not led them to Christ, as is the natural assumption, for they were in Christ before he was.
The church in Rome was founded by Paul under most unusual circumstances. He had met Aquila and Priscilla in the Corinthian agora, the marketplace, and then he met these two men in jail. These had then gone to Rome and formed the church there.
Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved [Rom. 16:8–9].
Amplias is a common slave name and occurs in the tombs of the early Christians in the catacombs, always in a place of honor. He evidently was one of Paul’s converts and dear to his heart.
Urbane means “city bred.” In other words, his name actually means “city-slicker.” This was also a common slave name, and it may mean that he was brought up in the city rather than in the country. He is identified as a real worker among believers.
Stachys has been found listed in the royal household. It is a masculine name. He was beloved not only to Paul but to the church.
Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household [Rom. 16:10].
Apelles is the approved one. His is either a Greek or a Jewish name—the name was a common one among the Jews. He had stood some outstanding test. Tradition identifies him as bishop either of Smyrna or Heracleia.
Aristobulus has been identified by Bishop Lightfoot as the grandson of Herod the Great. Or possibly he was a slave who took the name of his master—we can’t be sure of this.
Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord [Rom. 16:11].
Herodion was evidently a Jew, as Paul calls him a fellow countryman. The name suggests the Herod family. He may have been a slave who adopted the name of the family to which he belonged.
Narcissus is the name of a well-known freedman put to death by Agrippina. The one whose name appears here was probably a slave who formerly belonged to him and had taken his name.
Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord [Rom. 16:12].
Tryphena and Tryphosa are euphonious names that mean “delicate” and “dainty.” I imagine these two little ladies were old maid sisters who came to know Christ. They may have been women of means, and they had supported the apostle Paul. Paul says that they labored “in the Lord”—they were real workers in the church at Rome.
“The beloved Persis” is another woman who “laboured much in the Lord.” Persis is the name of a freedwoman, and her position may have enabled her to do more than the preceding two sisters.
Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine [Rom. 16:13].
Although this man seems to stand in the shadows in this chapter, actually we can know a great deal about him—even to the color of his hair! His name means “red.” Red was the name by which he was called. However, there were many red-haired folk; it was not his hair that made him unusual. The thing that marks him out is the phrase that follows, “chosen in the Lord.” I love that. “But,” you may say, “were not the others in this chapter chosen in the Lord also?” Yes, they were all wonderful saints, but this man was outstanding. Perhaps a better translation would be “distinguished in the Lord.” He was a great saint of God.
That Rufus was prominent in the church is inferred in the reference to his father. When John Mark wrote his gospel, he wrote it primarily for the Romans. In it he mentions the incident of a man by the name of Simon carrying the cross of Christ. “And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross” (Mark 15:21). The Roman soldiers that day saw Jesus falling under the cross. Looking over the crowd they shouted, “Here!” to a big double-fisted fellow, Simon of Cyrene. “You come here and carry it.” And carry it he did—an act that has made him immortal. John Mark, writing to Rome, identifies Simon for them by adding, “the father of Alexander and Rufus”—all the saints at Rome would know Rufus because he was outstanding in the church.
Will you notice further that Paul’s greeting includes the mother of Rufus. “Salute Rufus … and his mother and mine.” While we know nothing of the mother of Paul the apostle and nothing of his father, we learn here of a godly woman in the city of Jerusalem, the wife of Simon the Cyrenian, who was like a mother to the apostle Paul. You may recall that the first time Paul came to Jerusalem following his conversion, the Christians feared him. They were unconvinced that this powerful Pharisee was genuine; they suspected trickery. Yet the mother of Rufus took Paul in, “You just come in and stay with Rufus in his room.” Looking back to that time, Paul writes concerning her, “She is Rufus’ mother, but she is mine also.” What a lovely tribute to this warmhearted Christian mother!
Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them [Rom. 16:14].
These are all just names to us, but Paul knew them. Probably he had led them to Christ.
Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them [Rom. 16:15].
Here is another group of believers who were in the church there in Rome.
CONDUCT TOWARD OTHER CHRISTIANS
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you [Rom. 16:16].
This was the formal greeting in Paul’s time—I don’t recommend it for today!
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple [Rom. 16:17–18].
Paul puts in this word of warning. We would do well to heed this warning also, my beloved.
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil [Rom. 16:19].
You see, their faith came abroad also, but the faith is manifested in obedience.
“Wise unto that which is good” means they must be instructed in the Word of God.
“Simple concerning evil” means without admixture of evil. To the Corinthians Paul said, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men” (1 Cor. 14:20).
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen [Rom. 16:20].
It is “the God of peace” who will put down Satan shortly. In the meantime we are to resist the Devil, be sober and vigilant.
CHRISTIANS WITH PAUL SEND GREETINGS
Now Paul sends greetings from those who were with him as he was writing this Epistle to the Romans.
Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you [Rom. 16:21].
All of these were companions of Paul. They send greetings to their fellow believers in Rome.
I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord [Rom. 16:22].
Paul, you see, had an amanuensis, a secretary, to write his letters. (The Epistle to the Galatians is the exception.)
Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother [Rom. 16:23].
Paul was staying in the home of Gaius, and Gaius wanted to send his salutations also.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen [Rom. 16:24].
BENEDICTION
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began [Rom. 16:25].
“The mystery” means that it had not been revealed in the Old Testament. It refers to the present age when God is taking both Jew and Gentile and fashioning them into one body, the church.
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith [Rom. 16:26].
Here we see the obedience of faith. When you trust Christ, you will obey Him, my friend. The Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Obedience is the work and fruit of faith.
My favorite hymn is “Trust and Obey” by John H. Sammis:
When we walk with the Lord
In the Light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go—
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and
obey.
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen [Rom. 16:27].
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barnhouse, Donald Grey. Romans. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1952–1960. (Expositions of Bible doctrines, taking the Epistle to the Romans as a point of departure.)
DeHaan, Richard W. The World on Trial: Studies in Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970.
Epp, Theodore H. How God Makes Bad Men Good: Studies in Romans. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1978.
Hendriksen, William. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1980.
Hodge, Charles. Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1886.
Hoyt, Herman A. The First Christian Theology: Studies in Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977. (Good for group study.)
Ironside, H. A. Lectures on Romans. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d. (Especially fine for young Christians.)
Jensen, lrving R. Romans: Self-Study Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, n.d.
Johnson, Alan F. Romans: The Freedom Letter. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1974.
Kelly, William. Notes on Romans. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1873.
Luther, Martin. Commentary on Romans. 1516 Reprint. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1976.
McClain, Alva J. Romans: The Gospel of God’s Grace. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1942.
McGee, J. Vernon. Reasoning Through Romans. 2 vols. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1959.
Moule, Handley, C. G. The Epistle to the Romans. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (See note below.)
Moule, Handley C. G. Studies in Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1892. (Originally appeared in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. These two books by Moule complement each other and are both excellent.)
Murray, John. Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965. (For advanced students.)
Newell, William R. Romans Verse by Verse. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1938. (An excellent study.)
Philips, John. Exploring Romans. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1969.
Stifler, James. The Epistle to the Romans. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1897.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. The Book of Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1946. (Fine interpretation.)
Vine, W. E. Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1950.
Wuest, Kenneth S. Romans in the Greek New Testament for English Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955.
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Right. (Romans). Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1977.
The First Epistle to the
Corinthians
INTRODUCTION
Paul addressed this epistle to the church which was in the city of Corinth. He wrote it from Ephesus around a.d. 55–57 (more likely 57). Carnal Corinth was the sin center of the Roman Empire in Paul’s day. It was labeled “Vanity Fair.” Its location was about forty miles west of Athens on a narrow isthmus between Peloponnesus and the mainland. It was the great commercial center of the Roman Empire with three harbors, of which two were important: Lechaeum, about one and one half miles to the west, and Cenchrea, about eight and one half miles to the east. Since the time of Paul, a canal has been put through the isthmus, and Corinth is no longer an important city.
Even the ruins of Corinth were lost to history for many years. A fishing village had been built over them. In 1928 an earthquake uncovered them, and now much of the city has been excavated.
During that time in history when Greece was independent, Corinth was the head of the Achaean League. Later, in 196 b.c., Rome declared it a free city. In 146 b.c. Corinth rebelled and was totally destroyed by Mummius, the Roman general. Its art treasures were taken to Rome and for a century it lay desolate. One hundred years later, in 46 b.c., Julius Caesar rebuilt the city in great elegance, restoring it to its former prominence and returning its former splendor.
In Paul’s day there were about four hundred thousand inhabitants in Corinth. It was located on this important isthmus, as we previously mentioned, and the commerce of the world flowed through the two harbors connected with the city of Corinth. The population consisted of Greeks, Jews, Italians, and a mixed multitude. Sailors, merchants, adventurers, and refugees from all corners of the Roman Empire filled its streets. A perpetual “Vanity Fair” was held here. The vices of the East and of the West met and clasped hands in the work of human degradation.
Religion itself was put to ignoble uses. A magnificent temple was built for the Greek goddess Aphrodite, or Venus as we know her by the Roman name. In it were a thousand priestesses who ministered to a base worship. Those thousand so-called priestesses were actually nothing in the world but prostitutes. Sex was a religion there. I believe that Corinth could teach this generation about sex. However, I think this generation already knows enough about that subject. We are overwhelmed with it ad nauseam today.
Not only was their religion debased, but the Greek philosophy was in its decay also. The city was given over to licentiousness and pleasure. The Isthmian games were conducted here. The people went on in endless discussions. It was into this kind of setting that Paul came, and later he said, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). This was a people given over to pleasure, debauchery, and drunkenness. In fact, they coined a word in the Roman Empire which was to “corinthianize.” Believe me, when you would “corinthianize,” it meant that you went to the very limit in sin.
Against this corrupt background Paul preached the gospel in Corinth. He founded a church there and later wrote two epistles to them. Paul came to Corinth on his second missionary journey, and it was the terminus of his third missionary journey. Acts 18:1–18 gives us the account of eighteen months spent in Corinth. It was in Corinth that he met Aquila and Priscilla. They had been driven out of Rome by an edict of Emperor Claudius. Suetonius writes that this edict was issued because of tumults raised by the Jews who were persecuting their Christian brethren.
When Paul first came to Corinth, he preached in the synagogue. As usual, a riot was the result. Paul usually had a riot, revolution, and revival wherever he went. Corinth was no exception.
On Paul’s third journey he spent a long period of time in Ephesus. It was in Ephesus that he did some of his outstanding work as a missionary. Probably that area was more thoroughly evangelized than any other. However, this caused the Corinthians to become disturbed. They were baby Christians, and they were urging Paul to come to them. Apparently Paul wrote them a letter to correct some of the errors that had come into that church. They, in turn, wrote to Paul asking questions that they wanted answered about political issues, religion, domestic problems, heathenism, and morality. Paul answered them and responded to more reports which were brought to him. We do not have that first letter which Paul wrote to them. The letter that followed the reports brought to him is the letter we know today as 1 Corinthians. That is the epistle we are about to study. Later on Paul wrote the letter we now call 2 Corinthians.
The keynote of this epistle is the supremacy of Christ, the Lordship of Jesus. That is so important for us to note, because that is the solution to the problems. You will find here that He is the solution to correct moral, social, and ecclesiastical disorders.
In this epistle we will also find the true doctrine of the Resurrection set forth. That makes this epistle tremendously significant.
A broad outline of this book divides it into three major divisions:
1. Salutation and thanksgiving, 1:1–9
2. Carnalities, 1:10–11:34 (Conditions in the Corinthian church)
3. Spiritualities, 12–16 (Spiritual gifts)
The spiritualities are far more important than the carnalities. I think we need to realize that over nineteen hundred years ago the church in Corinth was beset with problems. They had lost sight of the main objective, and they had gotten away from the person of Christ. As a consequence, they were overwhelmed with these problems.
Our contemporary church is likewise beset with problems. It is almost shocking to discover that the problems of the church today are the same as they were in Corinth over nineteen hundred years ago. I believe that the real problem today is that we have lost sight of the centrality of Christ crucified. We have lost sight of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That was the problem then, and it is still the problem now. Our study of this epistle should be a relevant and pertinent study for us.
OUTLINE
I. Salutation and Thanksgiving, Chapter 1:1–9
II. Concerning Conditions in the Corinthian Church, Chapters 1:10–16:9
A. Concerning Divisions and Party Spirit, Chapters 1–4
1. Centrality of Christ Crucified Corrects Divisions, Chapter 1
2. Clarity of Holy Spirit Corrects Human Wisdom, Chapter 2
3. Correct Conception of God Clarifies Christian Service, Chapter 3
4. Conditions of Christ’s Servants Constrain Christian Conduct, Chapter 4
B. Concerning Scandals in the Corinthian Church, Chapters 5–6
1. Impurity, Chapter 5
2. Lawsuits among Members, Chapter 6
C. Concerning Marriage, Chapter 7
D. Concerning Christian Liberty, Chapters 8:1–11:1
E. Concerning Women’s Dress, Chapter 11:2–16
F. Concerning the Lord’s Table, Chapter 11:17–34
G. Concerning Spiritual Gifts, Chapters 12–14
1. Endowment of Gifts, Chapter 12
a. Gifts Are Given to Maintain Unity in Diversity, Chapter 12:1–11
b. Members of Human Body Compared to Gifts of Holy Spirit, Chapter 12:12–31
2. Energy of Gifts—Love, Chapter 13
3. Exercise of Gifts, Chapter 14
a. Gift of Prophecy Is Superior to Gift of Tongues, Chapter 14:1–22
b. Order in Local Church for Exercise of Any Gift, Chapter 14:23–40
H. Concerning the Gospel, Chapter 15
1. Prominence of Resurrection in the Gospel, Chapter 15:1–4
2. Proofs of Resurrection, Chapter 15:5–19
3. Parade of Resurrection, Chapter 15:20–28
a. Christ, the Firstfruits, Chapter 15:20–23b
b. Those Who Are Christ’s (Church), Chapter 15:23c
c. Old Testament Saints, Tribulation Saints, Chapter 15:23c
d. Kingdom Set Up, Christ Reigning, Chapter 15:24–25
e. Death Destroyed, Chapter 15:26
f. Christ Returns to His Place in Trinity, Chapter 15:27–28
4. Program and Pattern of Resurrection, Chapter 15:29–50
5. Power of Resurrection, Chapter 15:51–58
I. Concerning Collections, Chapter 16:1–9
III. Closing Exhortations and Benediction, Chapter 16:10–24
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Centrality of Christ crucified; correction of divisions
SALUTATION AND THANKSGIVING
Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother [1 Cor. 1:1].
Will you notice in your Bible that the little verb “to be” is in italics, which means it is not in the original. It should read, “Paul, called an apostle.” This declares what kind of an apostle he is. He is a called apostle. God called him; the Lord Jesus Christ waylaid him on the Damascus road. Then the Spirit of God taught him yonder in the desert of Arabia. He is a called apostle.
He is an apostle of Jesus Christ “through the will of God.” It is the will of God that made him an apostle. This is so important.
It is wonderful today to be able to say, “I am where I am and I am doing what I am doing because of the will of God.” Is that your situation? If you can say that, then I do not need to add that you are a very happy, joyful Christian. You are not only a happy, joyful Christian, but you are one who is well-oriented into life. You have no frustrations. Of course you may have disturbing experiences occasionally, but down deep underneath there is that tremendous satisfaction. Paul had that when he could say that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.
“Sosthenes our brother”—apparently Sosthenes had brought the message from the church at Corinth, and now he is going to carry this epistle back to them. He is the one who is joining Paul in these greetings.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours [1 Cor. 1:2].
Notice it is “unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” It is called the church of God because He is the One who is the Architect of the church. The letter is directed to the “sanctified in Christ Jesus.”
The church is at Corinth, but it is in Christ Jesus. The address of the church is not important, but the person of Christ is all-important. What does it mean to be a Christian? It means to be in Christ! Whether you are at Corinth or at Los Angeles, at Ephesus or at New York City is incidental. The important question is: Are you in Christ Jesus?
Paul calls them “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” The term sanctification is used in several different ways, as we have already seen in Romans. Here it is positional sanctification, which is the position we have in Christ. When sanctification is joined to God the Father or God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is generally positional. When sanctification is connected with the Holy Spirit, then that is practical sanctification. We will learn in verse 30 that Christ has been made unto us sanctification—along with wisdom and righteousness and redemption. He is our sanctification.
You see, friend, you are not going to heaven until you are perfect—I am not either. And I am not perfect, not even near it. The fact of the matter is that if you knew me like I know myself, you wouldn’t listen to me. But wait a minute! Don’t tune me out because, if I knew you like you know yourself, I wouldn’t speak to you. So let’s just stay connected here, if you don’t mind.
Sanctification is a position we have in Christ. If you have trusted Him, He has been made over to you your sanctification. You are as saved right now as you will be a million years from now, because you are saved in Christ. You cannot add anything to that.
There is also a practical sanctification, which is something that varies. These Corinthians don’t sound like sanctified saints. The work of the Holy Spirit was not very much in evidence in their lives. But they were positionally sanctified in Christ Jesus.
They were “called to be saints”—again, note that “to be” is in italics, which means it is not in the original. Just as Paul was a called apostle, they were called saints. We are also called saints. We do not become saints by what we do; we become saints because of our position in Christ. The word saint actually means “set aside to God.” Every Christian should be set aside to God. For example, the pans and vessels that were used in the tabernacle and later in the temple were called holy vessels. Holy? Yes, because they were for the use of God. On what basis is a child of God a saint or holy? On the basis that he is for the use of God. This is the position that we have. I repeat again, one is not a saint on the basis of what one does. All of mankind is divided between the “saints” and the “ain’ts.” If you “ain’t” in Christ, then you are an “ain’t.” If you are in Christ, then you are a “saint.”
The Corinthians are called saints together “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” Possibly it would be more correct to say, “with all that in every place, both theirs and ours, who call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” This also indicates that the teaching of this epistle is addressed to the church at large, which is composed of all who call upon the Lord Jesus, whether it be in Corinth or elsewhere.
Now Paul uses his usual introduction: “grace and peace.”
Grace be unto you, and, peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 1:3].
Grace and peace are always in that sequence. Grace (charis) was the word of greeting in the Greek world. Peace is the Hebrew shalom, a form of greeting in the religious world. Paul combined these two words and lifted them to the highest level. You and I are saved by the grace of God; it is love in action. When we have been saved by the grace of God, then we can have the peace of God in our hearts. Have you received Christ as your Savior? Are your sins on Christ? If they are, you will have peace in your heart because He bore your sins. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Grace and peace are two great words.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 1:4].
“By Jesus Christ” would be better translated “in Jesus Christ,” because it is in Christ that we have all of these blessings. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (see Eph. 1:3). This is the place of blessing.
“Jesus Christ” should be Christ Jesus—Christ is His title, while Jesus is His human name. Christ is literally anointed, which is the official appellation of the long-promised Savior. Is it important to say Christ Jesus instead of Jesus Christ? It was to Paul. Paul tells us that he never knew Him after the flesh. That is, he didn’t know the Jesus who walked this earth in the days of His flesh. He may have seen Him; I think he was present at the Crucifixion. But his first personal contact was with the resurrected Christ, and to Paul He was always the Lord of glory. In most of Paul’s epistles it should read Christ Jesus rather than Jesus Christ.
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge [1 Cor. 1:5].
This is what Paul is talking about in Colossians 3:16 when he says: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Since I can’t sing it, I can say it; that is, I can talk about the Word of God. In some churches the Psalms are sung. I think the whole Bible could be put to music. But I couldn’t sing it. The important thing is to have the Word of Christ in our hearts. That does not necessarily mean to memorize it. It means to obey it. If Christ is in your heart, you are obeying Him, and you are thinking upon Him. He occupies your mind and your heart. Some of the meanest little brats that I have ever met have memorized over a hundred verses of Scripture. That doesn’t mean no one should memorize Scripture just because some mean brats have memorized it. It does mean that simply memorizing Scripture is not what is meant by hiding it in your heart. You hide it in your heart, my friend, when you obey Him, think about Him, are occupied with Him. “In every thing ye are enriched in [not by] him.” When He becomes the Lord in your life, it will solve many of your problems. That is what Paul is going to talk about in this epistle.
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 1:6–7].
Here he intimates one of the problems that this church was having. They were carnal. They were occupied with only one gift. Paul says at the very beginning that he doesn’t want them to come behind in any gift. There are many gifts. Paul wants all these gifts to be manifested in the church.
“Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” means that they are to be occupied with Him.
Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 1:8].
He says “blameless” he does not say they will be faultless. There will always be someone who will find fault with you. But you are not to be worthy of blame. “That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ” is not only referring to the present day, but to the day He will come and take His church out of the world. Paul will talk about that in this epistle also.
Now we come to the last verse of Paul’s introduction, the salutation and thanksgiving. This verse could easily be passed over with the feeling that you hadn’t missed very much. Yet I feel that verse 9 is probably the key to the epistle. It emphasizes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the solution to the problems that they had in the church and also to the personal problems that were present among the believers in Corinth. It is startling to note the similarities between the problems in the Corinthian church and the problems today. The solution is the same now as it was then.
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord [1 Cor. 1:9].
Have you noticed that the Lord Jesus Christ is mentioned in this section in practically every verse? Actually, it isn’t practically every verse; it is every verse. This is the ninth reference to Him in nine verses. It is obvious that Paul is putting an emphasis upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is an extended name given to our Lord here—“called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” This gives four points of identification for Him. So there is no way of misunderstanding.
He makes two tremendous statements: God is faithful, and we are called unto the fellowship of His Son.
“God is faithful.” Men are not always faithful. Even believers are not always faithful. But God is faithful.
“By whom ye were called” is the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
We are called “unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” The word that is important here in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ is fellowship. The word is the Greek koinonia, and it is used by Paul again and again. Actually, the word can have several different meanings. It can mean fellowship as we understand it today. It can be used to mean a contribution. In Romans 15:26 he says they made a certain koinonia for the poor saints which were at Jerusalem, and there it means a contribution. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 the word koinonia is used in connection with Communion. He is speaking of the Lord’s Supper and writes: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the [koinonia] communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the [koinonia] communion of the body of Christ?”
Koinonia can also mean a partnership, and I believe that is the way it is used here in this ninth verse. “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the [partnership] fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” Now this is without doubt one of the greatest privileges that is given to us. If you are in Christ, if you have come to Him and accepted Him as your Savior, then you are in partnership with Christ. He is willing to be our partner. Therefore this means an intimate relationship to Christ.
There are different kinds of partnerships. There can be a partnership in business. I know two men who are in partnership. These fellows were friends in the military service, and when they came out of the service years ago, they formed a partnership in business. One of them was converted to Christ; the other was not. It has been an unhappy partnership ever since then. They have a big business with a lot of investments and the partnership cannot be broken. It is a partnership, but it is not a happy one.
Then there is marriage with a partnership in a love relationship. This should be a very close, intimate relationship. There is a passage in the Old Testament that makes me smile because I know God had man and wife in mind when He wrote it. He said among other things that they were not to hitch an ox and an ass together for plowing. They were not to plow together. Well, in marriage I have seen many an ox and an ass hitched up together! That ought not to be, because marriage is a partnership.
What does it mean, then, to be in partnership with the Lord Jesus? For one thing, it means that in business you own things together with Him. Everything that I own belongs to Jesus Christ. It belongs to Him as much as it does to me. Therefore, He is interested in what I own. Now I must confess that there was a time when I owned a few things that I don’t think He cared about. There was a time when I very selfishly thought only of myself in connection with what I owned. But now, although I don’t own too much—when He is in partnership with me, He is not in what you would call big business—what I have is His. I have a nice Chevrolet car because a wonderful dealer helped me get it. When I drove out with it, it was mine, but I told the Lord Jesus that it was His, too. He has taken many a ride in it with me, by the way. Whatever I have is His also. I thank Him for my house, and I thank Him for taking care of it because it is His, too, you see. Whatever I have is His.
The marriage partnership means different things. It means having mutual interests. I’m in that kind of partnership with the Lord Jesus, too. That means that Christ is interested in me and I am interested in Him. That carries it to a pretty high plane, you see. Also, we have a mutual devotion. His resources are mine, and mine are His. He doesn’t get very much, but He owns me. I have presented my body to Him. Now that answers quite a few questions for me about where I can go and what I can do. For example, I used to smoke quite a bit. Now I have metastatic cancer in the lungs, and it would be pretty foolish for me to smoke now. However, long ago when I made the discovery, not just that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, but also that Christ belongs to me and I belong to Christ, I wanted to give Him the best body that I could. That is when I gave up smoking. That decided the question for me. Do you see that our decisions are made on a higher plane than simply “Dare I do this?” or “Ought I do that?” We belong to Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ belongs to us.
Also in the love partnership there is a mutual service. God accommodates Himself to our weakness. I need His gentleness, and I accept His power. A verse of Scripture which deals with this is a verse that I believe has been mistranslated. This was called to my attention by G. Campbell Morgan. The verse is Isaiah 63:9: “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” It sounds as if in our weakness He becomes weak. The better translation puts it in the negative: “In all affliction he was not afflicted.” That is a lot more meaningful to me. It means that when I stumble and fall, He does not stumble and fall. He accommodates Himself to my stumbling, my blindness, my ignorance, my weakness. Although He accommodates Himself to that, He does not become weak at all. I heard a preacher make the statement that if you get into trouble ignorantly without realizing it, or you are caught by circumstances, He will help you out of it. But if you go into sin deliberately and foolishly, He will let you alone rather than help you work it out. I am here to say that this has not been my experience. I have made many blunders, and I have stumbled and I have fallen. Many times I have done it deliberately. Yet my Lord never let me down. He was always there. He accommodated Himself to my weakness. How wonderful that is, friend! The partnership of Jesus Christ is the solution to the problems of life.
Verse 9 concludes Paul’s salutation. Actually, all the rest of the epistle is a big parenthesis until we come to 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” “Therefore” gathers up all this marvelous epistle and goes way back here to verse 9. I can depend on the faithfulness of God “by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
It has taken me a long time to learn this. In fact, I have had to retire to learn this. I am just going ahead with Him as my partner. I face all of today’s problems with Him as my partner. I can count on Him. I can look to Him. He is part and parcel of all of it. This is the solution to the problems and the frustrations of life, my beloved.
This concludes the introduction, which is a salutation and thanksgiving. The body of the epistle concerns conditions in the Corinthian church, and there were real problems, as we shall see.
DIVISIONS AND PARTY SPIRIT
Verse 10 begins a new section in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthian believers. He is addressing himself now to the primary problem in the Corinthian church. It is surprising to see that their problems have a very familiar ring. I don’t know of a church today that does not have problems, and many of them are the same as those that the Corinthian believers faced.
CENTRALITY OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED CORRECTS DIVISIONS
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment [1 Cor. 1:10].
Notice that the Lord Jesus Christ is again mentioned in this verse. This epistle emphasizes the lordship of Christ. We hear a great deal about His lordship, but we see very little of it today. For this reason the church and individual Christians have serious problems. It is not enough to talk about the lordship of Christ. Is He your Lord? Have you made Him your Lord and your Master?
“That ye all speak the same thing” doesn’t mean that everyone must say the identical words. It means believers shouldn’t be clawing one another to death, fighting with each other, hating each other.
The word for “divisions” is schisma. It means there should be no open break, no fracturing of the church, which is done by fighting, by gossip, criticism, hatred, or bitterness. Believe me, friend, I see that in many contemporary churches. These things cannot be in your life if Jesus Christ is your partner.
Let “there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” What is “the same mind”? Well, it is the mind of Christ (see Phil. 2:5–8).
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you [1 Cor. 1:11].
The word for “contentions” here is eris. Now Eris was the goddess of strife and wrangling. There was strife, quarreling, schisms, and wrangling in the church at Corinth. Paul got his information firsthand—he named his source—he said he got his information from Chloe. My friend, if you are going to make a charge, back it up with your name like Chloe did. When I first became pastor in downtown Los Angeles, a man came to me and said, “I want to tell you about a certain situation.” He told me about a certain man and, believe me, it wasn’t very nice. He wanted me to do something about it. He said, “You ought to bring this up before the board, and if they can’t handle it, then it should be brought before the church.” I answered, “Fine, that is the way it should be done. What night can you come?” “Oh!” he said, “I don’t intend to come. You’re the pastor, you are the one to handle it.” I answered, “You are right. I am the one to handle it. I am the pastor now. However, you will need to be present to make the charge.” “Oh,” he said, “I won’t do that.” So I told him, “If you are not willing to sign your name to the charge, we will forget it.” And we forgot it, because he refused to back up the charge with his name. One must admire Chloe there in Corinth. Chloe told it as it was, brought it out into the open, and said, “There is trouble in our church, bad trouble, and it needs to be dealt with.”
My friend, when there is sin in the church, it is like a cancer. It needs to be dealt with. When I had cancer, I went to my doctor for help. Imagine him saying, “Now we don’t want to get excited; we don’t want to get disturbed; we don’t want to become emotional; we don’t want to cause any trouble. We want you to have a nice, peaceful mind; so I will sprinkle a little talcum powder on this place and everything will be all right.” Well, friend, I would have smelled good, but I would have died of the cancer. You’ve got to deal with a cancer, and you’ve got to deal with trouble in the church. Woe to the man who exposes it, but if that is not done, the church is going to suffer. Of course it will!
The trouble with the church in Corinth was that they had a bunch of baby Christians. Babies generally do a lot of howling, you know. When I was a pastor in Pasadena, we had a nursery room for babies, and we called it The Bawl Room. I have learned that in some churches the entire church is a bawl room, because of the bawling baby Christians.
Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ [1 Cor. 1:12].
Divisions were being caused by believers following different leaders of the church. They formed cliques around certain men. In one group were the proud pupils of Paul; in another the adoring admirers of Apollos, and there were some who liked Simon Peter, or Cephas, and they formed the chummy cult of Cephas.
We know quite a lot about Paul. He was intellectual, he was brilliant, and he was courageous—but apparently not attractive physically. Simon Peter was fiery. He had been weak at first, but he became a rugged preacher of the gospel. He had a great heart and was very emotional. Apollos was one of the great preachers of the apostolic church. He was not an apostle and has not been given much recognition, but he was a great preacher. I think he was the Billy Graham of that day. All three of these men had strong personalities, but they did not cause the divisions. They all contended together for the faith. They maintained the unity of the Spirit, and they all exalted Jesus Christ. It was the members of the church in Corinth who were guilty of making the divisions.
One little group said, “Oh, we love brother Paul because he’s so spiritual.” Another group said, “We like Simon Peter because he pounds the pulpit and is so evangelistic.” Another said, “we love this man Apollos. He soars to the heights, and he reaches the multitudes.” They were not taking into account the fact that all three of them were God’s men. Paul is going to write to them about this. He is going to show them that the centrality of Christ is the answer to the factions and fractures in the church. My friend, there will be no solution until men and women are willing to come to the person of Christ.
In addition to the three groups, a fourth group was saying, “We are of Christ.” They were not actually putting Christ first, but they were the super-duper spiritual group. It is my private opinion that this was the worst group of all. They made a little cult of Christ. They had their little clique in the church and they excluded other believers. They were the spiritual snobs.
Do you realize that you and I are living in a day when the church has been destroyed from the inside? The problems are not on the outside today. Innumerable churches have long since been destroyed by liberals in the pulpit. Go around on Sunday night or at midweek service and see what the attendance is. Many churches are destroyed by the man in the pulpit. If the man in the pulpit is sound in the faith, you’ll find troublemakers in the pew. That is where strife is stirred up. This does more damage to the cause of Christ than alcohol or atheism or worldliness. In many churches they are doing what they did in the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee; they’re feudin’ and fussin’ like the Martins and the Coys.
Oh, the Martins and the Coys,
They was reckless mountain boys,
And they took up fam’ly feudin’ when they’d meet.
They would shoot each other quicker
Than it took your eye to flicker.
They could knock a squirrel’s eye at ninety feet.
Oh, the Martins and the Coys,
They was reckless mountain boys,
But old Abel Martin was the next to go.
Though he saw the Coys a-comin’
He had hardly started runnin’
’Fore a volley shook the hills and laid him low.
After that they started out to fight in earnest
And they scarred the mountains up with shot and shell.
There was uncles, brothers, cousins,
They say they bumped them off by dozens,
Just how many bit the dust is hard to tell.
Oh, the Martins and the Coys,
They was reckless mountain boys,
At the art of killin’ they became quite deft.
They all knowed they shouldn’t do it,
But before they hardly knew it,
On each side they only had one person left.
“The Martins and the Coys”
—Ted Weems and Al Cameron
This may sound corny and very silly, but unfortunately feudin’ and fussin’ go on inside churches. This is what they were doing in the Corinthian church. Now Paul tackles this problem. He asks,
Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? [1 Cor. 1:13].
The answer is obvious. Of course, Christ is not divided. Anything that breaks up the unity in Christ has something wrong with it—regardless of what it is. The crucifixion of Christ is the bedrock of Christian unity, and it is absurd to contemplate establishing a unity on any other basis.
“Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” In this instance I do not believe Paul is referring to water baptism, which was always in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Rather, he is referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. His question is: “Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” They would have to say, “Of course not! We weren’t baptized in your name. The baptism that placed us in the body of Christ was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. No man could do that for us.” You see, Paul is attempting to direct their thinking away from man and back to Christ. They needed to be occupied with the person of Christ. Very candidly, I have always been able to fellowship with any man, regardless of his label, if he can meet with me around the person of Christ.
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name [1 Cor. 1:14–15].
Here he is talking about water baptism. He is saying that he didn’t specialize even in that because of the danger of folk thinking that he was baptizing in his own name. You see, he is focusing on the centrality of Christ. There are folk even in our day who think that water baptism saves them or that it actually has some mystical power that cannot be gotten otherwise.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other [1 Cor. 1:16].
Paul attached so little importance to baptism that he couldn’t really remember whether he had baptized anyone else or not.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect [1 Cor. 1:17].
It is important for us to see today that there are a great many people who are dividing and separating over many secondary issues. This causes schisms and strife in the church. The church in Corinth was fractured by that kind of party spirit. Three men, Apollos, Paul, and Cephas, had brought to Corinth a message that had a unifying quality and power. The gospel they preached emphasized fusion and not faction. However, because these people were baby Christians, they began to put the emphasis on individuals. Now Paul is drawing their attention away from their factions and their party spirit and turning them to the centrality of Christ.
In the city of Corinth, as well as in many other cities of that day, the emphasis was on philosophy. We shall see this as we move into the chapter.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God [1 Cor. 1:18].
The cross divides men. The cross divides the saved from the unsaved, but it doesn’t divide the saved people. It should unite them, you see. A Dutch artist painted a picture called “The Last Judgment.” It depicts the throne of God, and away from that throne the lost are falling into space. And as they fall, they cling together. This is an accurate picture of the one world that men are working for today. The lost want to come together in one great unity, and they are going to accomplish a great union in the last days. But cutting across the grain of the ecumenical environment and the contemporary thought is the gospel of Christ. Lord Jesus called Himself a divider of men, and the dividing line is His cross. The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto the saved person it is the power of God.
Paul makes it very clear that his method was not in the wisdom of the words of the world, not in the method of dialectics of divisions or differences or opinions or theories, but he just presented the cross of Christ. That brought about a unity of those who were saved. To those who perish, the cross of Christ is foolishness; but to the saved man it becomes the power of God. The cross of Christ divides the world, but it does not divide the church.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe [1 Cor. 1:19–21].
Notice that it is not foolish preaching but the foolishness of preaching.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness [1 Cor. 1:22–23].
Notice that Paul divides mankind into two great ethnic groups: the Jews and the Greeks (meaning Gentiles). He recognizes this twofold division. The Jew represented religion. He had a God-given religion. The Jews felt that they had the truth, and they did—as far as the Old Testament was concerned. The problem was that it had become just a ritual to them. They had departed from the Scriptures and followed tradition, which was their interpretation of the Scriptures. The power was gone. Therefore, when Christ appeared, they asked for a sign. Rather than turning to their Scriptures, they asked for a sign. “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:38–40). The Lord Jesus gave to them the sign of resurrection.
The Greeks were the Gentiles. They represented philosophy. They were the lovers of wisdom. They said they were seeking the truth; they were searching and scanning the universe for truth. They were the rationalists. While the Jews ended up in ritual, the Gentiles ended up as rationalists and had to conform to a pattern of reason.
About four hundred years before Christ came, the Greek nation constructed on the horizon of history a brilliance of mind and artistic accomplishment of such dimensions that it still dazzles and startles mankind. It continued for about three centuries. By the time of Christ, the glory of Greece was gone. It just fizzled out. There were men like Pericles, Anaxagoras, Thales, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who left certain schools such as the Epicurean school, the Stoic school of philosophy, and the Peripatetic school. Then they all disappeared.
There followed two thousand years of philosophical sterility and stagnation in the world. Then there appeared men like Bacon, Hobbes, and Descartes, and there was a rebirth of great thinkers for a brief period of brilliance. This was again followed by decadence, and we are still in it today—even though some of our boys think they are very smart.
“What is truth?” asked the fatalistic Pilate. Bacon asked the same question, and philosophy is still asking that question. Philosophy still has no answers to the problems of life. “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
Someone has defined philosophy as a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there. The Greeks sought after wisdom. Today man is still searching for some theory or formula, and he thinks that it is through science that he will get the answers to some of the questions of life. Do you think that man today has the answers to the questions of life? I was interested in a statement which I found in a periodical: “The truth is that modern man is overimpressed by his own achievements. To put a rocket into an orbit that is more than a hundred miles from the surface of the earth takes a great deal of joint thought and effort, but we tend to overstate the case. Though men who ride a few miles above the earth are called astronauts, this is clearly a misnomer. Men will not be astronauts until they ride among the stars, and it is important to remember that most of the stars are thousands of lightyears away. The Russians are even more unrestrained in their overstatements, calling their men cosmonauts. Someone needs to say, ‘Little man, don’t take yourself quite so seriously.’”
Man today thinks he has a few answers. Where are the wise today? It is a good question to ask. You see, God has made foolish the wisdom of this world.
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” This is a tremendous statement.
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” The Jews found the Cross to be a stumblingblock, a skandalon. They wanted a sign. They wanted someone to show the way. They wanted a pointer, a highway marker. They would have accepted a deliverer on a white charger who was putting down the power of Rome. But a crucified Christ was an insult to them. That meant defeat—not victory. They didn’t want to accept that at all. “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Rom. 9:33). And Peter wrote this: “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet. 2:7–8). A crucified Christ was a stumblingblock to the Jew.
To the Greeks (or Gentiles) the cross was foolishness, an absurdity. They considered it utterly preposterous and ridiculous and contrary to any rational, worldly system. In Rome there has been found a caricature of Christianity, a figure on the cross with an ass’ head. Also in our day our Savior is being ridiculed.
Now Paul bears down on philosophy. While he was in the city of Corinth, he was preaching Christ. “And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6). Can philosophy lift man out of the cesspool of this life? It never has. Notice that men will be saved, not by foolish preaching, but by the preaching of “foolishness,” that is, by the preaching of the Cross. It is not the method but the message that the natural man considers foolish. Men still reject it. Today the wisdom of the world is to have an antipoverty program or some other kind of program. Or the wisdom of the world is to save man from his problems by education. May I say that what man needs today is the gospel. The wisdom of the world has never considered that.
Now Paul introduces another class of mankind. “Unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks”—these are the called, the elect. They have not only heard the invitation, they have responded to it. And they have found in the cross of Christ the wisdom and power of God which has transformed their lives, made them new men. The Lord Jesus molded eleven men, then called Saul of Tarsus, and sent them out. They took the gospel to Corinth with its sin, to Ephesus with its religion. For over nineteen hundred years the gospel has been going around the world, and it is the only help and the only hope of mankind.
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called [1 Cor. 1:24–26].
Some folk like to give emphasis to the prominent folk who have accepted Christ—the entertainment greats, the leaders in industry, and the prominent in government. But God majors in average people. He is calling simple folk like you and me.
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty [1 Cor. 1:27].
This does not mean these men are foolish. It means they seem foolish to the world. They are not weak; they are weak in the estimation of the world. This is God’s method. He even chooses the base.
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence [1 Cor. 1:28–29].
We do not have a thing to glory about.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption [1 Cor. 1:30].
Oh, my friend, He is everything that we need. I wish I could get that over to you. He has been made to us wisdom. He is our righteousness. He is our sanctification and our redemption. Whatever it is that you need today, you will find it in Him.
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord [1 Cor. 1:31].
Our glory should be in the Lord. We should glory in the Lord Jesus Christ today. Let me ask you, what do you glory in? What are you boasting of today? Are you boasting of your degrees? Of your wisdom? Of your wealth? Of your power? Are you boasting today of your position and your character? My friend, you don’t have a thing of which you can boast—and I know I haven’t. But we can boast of Christ. He is everything. He is everything that we need.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The clarity of the Holy Spirit corrects human wisdom
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God [1 Cor. 2:1].
First, I would like to call your attention to the fact that Paul did not use the philosophic method of preaching. He was not a textual or a topical preacher; he was an expositor of the Word of God. I personally believe that is God’s method. It was the method our Lord used, by the way. Neither did Paul use flowery nor oratorical language.
Secondly, Paul did not come in the wisdom of the world, declaring the testimony or the mystery of God. What does he mean by a mystery? We will be confronted with this word again in the epistle. A mystery simply means “that which had not been revealed before.” The mystery of God which Paul preached was that Jesus Christ had been crucified. That had not been preached before but now had been revealed. In the Old Testament the crucifixion of Christ was revealed in type and in prophecy only. The actual event was something new, something not previously revealed.
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified [1 Cor. 2:2].
Paul did not enter into philosophical discussions that gender strife. He simply stayed right with the preaching of the cross of Christ. He preached a crucified Savior, One who had died for the sins of the world. That is the type of ministry which is so desperately needed today.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling [1 Cor. 2:3].
Paul opens his heart and lets us see his inmost thoughts. He makes it very clear that while he was among them he was greatly disturbed. He was “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” Little wonder that he could say that God had chosen the weak things of this world. Paul had no exalted conception of himself; yet he was a great intellect and a great man in many ways. Obviously, he never thought of himself as great.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power [1 Cor. 2:4].
In our day we have a great many words of man’s wisdom. There is a great deal of preaching, but very little of it is done “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” The feeling is that we only need the right method or the right topic or the right style. Oh, how we need the power of the Holy Spirit in our preaching!
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God [1 Cor. 2:5].
In other words, if human wisdom is used to win a man, then his faith stands on human wisdom. If a man is brought to faith through the power of God, then his faith rests upon that. This is the reason I sincerely question a great deal of this apologetic preaching today—such as trying to prove that the Bible is God’s Word or that the first chapter of Genesis is scientific or that the Flood really happened. Don’t misunderstand me, there is a place for that, and I thank God for men who have specialized in those areas. But we need to understand that salvation does not rest upon whether we can actually prove the inspiration of Scripture, although I certainly believe we can prove it. The question is: What does your faith rest upon? Apologetic preaching will call our attention to the Word of God, but our faith must rest on the power of God.
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought [1 Cor. 2:6].
Paul says, “I do not use the worldly methods at all.”
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory [1 Cor. 2:7].
Again here is this word mystery. Let’s be clear on this word. It has no reference to what we commonly think of as an enigma or with a “who-done-it”—that is, a story dealing with the solution of a mysterious crime. It is not something of a secretive quality or character. The word mystery, as used in the Scriptures, refers to something which was not known in the past but is now revealed. This word occurs about twenty-seven times in the New Testament. Our Lord used it when He said “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…” (Matt. 13:11). The parables that follow in Matthew 13 are the “mystery parables.” Why are they called the mystery parables? It is because in them Jesus explains the direction that the kingdom is going to take in the interval between the rejection of the King and the time when He comes to set up His kingdom. That segment of history was actually not revealed in the Old Testament at all. God had not yet revealed that to men. When Jesus spoke the mystery parables in Matthew 13, He was revealing this for the first time. What had been previously hidden, Jesus revealed.
Now here in the Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul says, “God’s wisdom in a mystery.” This is quite interesting because it is a word that came out of Greek schools of philosophy, of the occult, and of science. Paul fastens on this Greek word, and he says, “We speak God’s wisdom in a mystery,” but he gives it an entirely new meaning. Mystery comes from the word meaning “mouth,” and it means to shut the mouth—it is something secretive. However, Paul never used it in that way. Rather, that which had been silent has now become vocal. That which had not been known and couldnot be known by human investigation now is known. “Mystery” in the New Testament always means something undiscoverable by the activity of the human intellect but is revealed so that human intellect can apprehend it.
“We speak the wisdom of God”—Paul says, “We have a philosophy.” It is not of this age, not of this world, but it is God’s wisdom, and it pertains to the cross of Christ. “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.”
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory [1 Cor. 2:8].
You see, they did not know.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him [1 Cor. 2:9].
This verse surely has been misunderstood. It has gone to a funeral too many times. This is a verse that should never go to a funeral. It has been wrongly used so many times to imply: Here lies dear Mr. So-and-So. His remains are here before us. In this life he didn’t understand too well, but now he is in glory and he understands all things. This is not what Paul intended this verse to convey! Paul is saying that right here and now there are certain things that the eye has not seen. We get a great deal of information through the eye-gate. We learn more through our eye-gate than we do in any other way. Another way we gain human wisdom is through the ear-gate. We certainly learn by hearing. Paul says there are certain things we simply cannot learn by hearing. Then he says, “neither have entered into the heart of man,” that is, by cogitation, thinking, or reasoning. There are certain things which cannot be attained by human means. You cannot discover God by searching for Him. The things which God has prepared for them who love Him are not gotten through the eye-gate, the ear-gate, or by reasoning. Then how are you going to get them?
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God [1 Cor. 2:10].
What we cannot get through the eye-gate or the ear-gate, the Spirit of God can teach us. There are many things we can learn by studying the Bible—such as the history of it, the poetry of it—but we cannot get spiritual truths that way. Why? Because “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.” There are certain things that only the Spirit of God can reveal to us.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God [1 Cor. 2:11].
You and I can understand each other because we have human spirits. For instance, I know how you feel when you fall down. It’s embarrassing, isn’t it? One snowy morning in Nashville I watched an elder of my church come out of his house with two scuttles full of ashes that he was taking out to the alleyway to dump into his garbage can. He slipped and fell, but he held onto the scuttles. He didn’t spill an ash, but he really fell hard. He got up and looked all over the landscape to see if anybody had watched him. Why did he do that? He was embarrassed. I knew exactly how he felt, because it sure did look funny and I couldn’t help but laugh. Because I have the spirit of man and he has the spirit of man, I knew exactly how he felt. However, I do not know how God feels. If I am to understand anything about God, He will have to reveal it to me.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God [1 Cor. 2:12].
There are certain things that we can understand only if the Spirit of God reveals them to us, and He does this freely. He wants to be our Teacher!
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual [1 Cor. 2:13].
Now Paul will make a very profound statement, and it is one of the axioms of Scripture.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned [1 Cor. 2:14].
But the natural man cannot receive the things of God. Why not? Because they are foolishness to him. If you are not a Christian, my friend, what I am saying seems foolish to you. If it doesn’t, there is something wrong with you or there is something wrong with me—one of us is wrong. God says the natural man finds the preaching of the cross of Christ for salvation foolish. It simply does not make sense to him.
“Neither can he know them.” When I was a student in college, I had the high-minded notion that anything that any man wrote I could understand. Well, I have found that isn’t true. Certainly I cannot understand the Word of God until the Spirit of God opens my heart and mind to understand. It is spiritually discerned. Only the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and show them unto us. The Lord Jesus said that: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13–14). My friend, unless the Spirit of God shows you the things of Christ, this Epistle to the Corinthians will mean very little to you.
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ [1 Cor. 2:15–16].
“He that is spiritual” is the one who has the Holy Spirit within him; he is a child of God.
He “judgeth all things” means that he understands these things. “Yet he himself is judged of no man” means that he is not understood. The spiritual man is in contrast to the natural man. He understands divine truth, but he is misunderstood by the natural man.
“Who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?” Who can instruct God? Who understands the mind of the Lord? We cannot tell God anything, but God can reveal a great deal to us. However, the Spirit of God cannot reveal spiritual things to us until we have the mind of Christ. If you are not a saved person, don’t you really think that the preaching of the Cross is foolishness? Don’t you think that a man dying on a cross is totally defeated? Doesn’t that impress you more as a bit of foolishness rather than the actual way of salvation? Yet God says that His method and His wisdom was to give His Son to die on the cross for us in order that we might be saved and that we must put our trust in Him. If you are being honest, I believe you must admit that it does sound foolish.
The other day I read a letter from a man who is a comedian. He says he is a comedian in a nightclub. He listens to me teach the Bible by radio, and he thinks I am an oddball. In fact, he thinks I am funnier than he is! Well, that is the way he should feel. Why? Because he is a natural man and cannot discern spiritual things.
You will remember that we labeled this chapter The clarity of the Holy Spirit corrects human wisdom. Paul has presented two classes of mankind: the natural man and the spiritual man.
The natural man is the man who is the son of Adam, born into the world with a sinful nature, a propensity to do evil. In fact, that is all the natural man can do. Even when we “do good,” we act from mixed motives. (After we become believers, we ought always to search our hearts to see if we are acting from mixed motives, even when we are trying to do the Lord’s work.) Paul says that the natural man will not receive the things of the Spirit of God; they are foolishness to him.
Yesterday in the mail I received a letter from a politician, a representative from this area to Washington, D.C. Reading this letter would lead one to think he is going to bring in Utopia and the Millennium altogether. My, he has happy solutions for all the problems of the world! Of course, the opposite party doesn’t have the benefit of his vast wisdom and knowledge. When I had read his letter through, I had the feeling of keen disappointment. First of all, I know he cannot do what he is saying he will do. Secondly, I realize that he is a natural man. He has no understanding of that which is spiritual. He is not interested in any spiritual solutions to the problems. He thinks he knows how to solve the drug problem, but not in a spiritual way. He promises to solve lawlessness, but not in a spiritual way. He knows no more about spiritual matters than a goat grazing upon grass on the hillside. Years ago it was Gladstone who said that the mark of a great statesman is that he knows the direction God is going to take for the next fifty years. This politician would certainly not qualify by that definition. Actually, we cannot expect too much of the natural man. He will tell you, “I do the very best I can,” which is probably an accurate statement.
Then there is the other man, the spiritual man. Paul says that the spiritual man “judgeth all things,” meaning he understands, he has a spiritual discernment. His spiritual discernment causes him to be misunderstood by the world because the natural man simply cannot understand why he does the things he does. That is the difference between the spiritual man and the natural man.
You will note that they are the kind of men they are because of their relationship to the Book, the Word of God. To the natural man it is foolishness. The spiritual man discerns the Word of God and recognizes its importance.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Correct conception of God clarifies Christian service
As we have seen in chapter 2, Paul has presented two classes of mankind: the natural man and the spiritual man. Now he makes a further division, and it is among believers: carnal Christians and spiritual Christians. Their status as carnal or as spiritual will manifest itself in their lives and in their Christian service.
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ [1 Cor. 3:1].
So here we have the third class. He is the unnatural Christian or the unnatural man. We learned about the natural man, also we learned about the spiritual man—whom we can call the supernatural man. Here we have the unnatural man. He is unnatural because he is a Christian but is still carnal. He is still a babe in Christ.
In the entire first part of this epistle Paul is speaking about carnalities. In the last part of the epistle he speaks of spiritualities. I think Paul got very tired of talking about carnalities because, when he reached chapter 12, you can almost hear him heave a sigh of relief. And he begins to talk to them about something else: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (1 Cor. 12:1).
The carnal Christian is the one who hasn’t grown up spiritually, and it is evident that he lacks spiritual discernment—not because he doesn’t have the Holy Spirit dwelling within him, but because he is not growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. Again this is a consequence of his relationship to the Word of God. That is so important to see. This unnatural man, this carnal Christian, is a babe in Christ. He has an ability but no desire. A baby has the potential to become a learned man, but he has to start out by drinking milk. Paul carries this figure of speech over to the spiritual level.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able [1 Cor. 3:2].
Paul cannot talk to such folk about spiritualities. They are not yet ready for it. First he must talk to them about their carnalities. Unfortunately, it is on this level that most church members are living today.
How can we identify the carnal Christian? It is the Christian who is using the weak arm of the flesh. He uses carnal methods to obtain spiritual goals. An obvious example is the kind of Christian who says, “Let’s have a banquet or let’s put on a musical and introduce some of this modern music.” This is carnality.
The Greek word for carnal is sarkikos, which means “fleshly.” In Latin and French the word carna means “sensual.” We get our word carnival from two words, carne vale, which mean “farewell flesh.” You see, carnival was something they had before the season of Lent. During Lent they would practice farewell to the flesh with certain denials of pleasure to the flesh; so just before Lent they would gorge and gourmandize the flesh, get drunk, satisfy and satiate the flesh in every possible way. Then they would be able to do without such things during Lent! An example of this is the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. That literally means “fat Tuesday” and refers to the Tuesday before Lent begins.
Paul described folk like this when he used the expression, “… whose God is their belly…” (Phil. 3:19). You say, “Oh, that’s crude.” I agree with you; it is crude. But the thing it speaks about is even more crude. This would be an apt description of a lot of folk. Their motto is: Do what comes naturally. Let the flesh have its way.
Perhaps you are saying, “Well, I’m not a carnal Christian. I don’t believe in carnivals—I even get sick on a Ferris wheel. I am a separated Christian.” What is the mark of carnality? Paul will tell us here.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? [1 Cor. 3:3].
You see, the carnal Christian is not necessarily one who rides on roller coasters. It does not mean one who promotes carnivals in his church. What is a carnal Christian? Where do you see him in evidence? Wherever there is strife and division, there is actually a “carnival” going on. In many of the fundamental churches one can see divisions and gossip and strife and bitterness and hatred. When that is going on, we know that the flesh is on display. Sometimes Christians can lose their tempers and cover it over by saying, “Well, I am just being frank.” No, they are just being mean, that’s all. My friend, you can turn a Sunday school class into a carnival, a missionary society into a carnival, or a prayer meeting into a carnival when you gossip or stir up strife and envy and division.
My friend, you may not do “worldly things” and still you may be a carnal Christian. Listen to Paul:
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase [1 Cor. 3:4–6].
Paul says, “Both of us are workmen for God.” Paul was the one who was the missionary—he had opened up new territory. Apollos came along and held meetings and preached and built up the saints. They were both servants of God.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase [1 Cor. 3:7].
The important thing is not who the preacher is; the important thing is whether God is using him. If God is using him, then God should have the credit for the results. Give God the praise and the glory.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour [1 Cor. 3:8].
We need to recognize that God uses many workmen. They may each be doing things a little bit differently. That is why we should not go into a tirade against any individual whom the Lord is using. There are many men who use different methods. Many men do things in a different way from the way I would do them. Yet God uses these men. We are all workmen together with God.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon [1 Cor. 3:9–10].
The foundation was put down over nineteen hundred years ago. You and I cannot put it down. All we can do is to point to that foundation which is Jesus Christ. We can build on that foundation. The important thing is to get out the Word of God and to preach the gospel which alone can save men.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 3:11].
Are you building on Him? That is the important question for the believer. When you came to Christ, you came with no works. You came bringing nothing to receive everything! You were put on that Rock which is Christ. Now you can build on that. This is where good works come in.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is [1 Cor. 3:12–13].
Paul says that you can build on the foundation that has already been laid with six different kinds of material: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Fire won’t hurt the first three on the list. Actually, the fire purifies gold and silver and precious stones. But fire certainly gets rid of the last three on the list. Wood, hay, and stubble will all disappear into smoke. The believer is at liberty to build on the foundation with any of these materials: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.
This teaches that the believer can work for a reward. If any man’s work abides, work that he has built on the foundation that has already been laid, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward [1 Cor. 3:14].
That is, he shall receive a reward if he is building with gold, silver, or precious stones.
I am of the opinion that we have many wonderful saints of God about us today. I have been able to meet some of these folk—some of them personally and some by letter—whom God is using in a marvelous way. They are building in gold.
As you well know, a little piece of gold isn’t as visible as a hay stack. Possibly God is the only One who knows that it is gold. Now a haystack is another thing—I have traveled across flat farmland, and it seemed to me I could see haystacks that were twenty miles away. There are a lot of folk building haystacks, and everybody hears about what they are doing. The haystacks are going to be tested someday, and then there won’t be one haystack left, because the testing is going to be by fire. The same thing will be true of works of wood or stubble.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire [1 Cor. 3:15].
You see the contrast: “If any man’s work abide” which he built on the foundation, he shall receive a reward; if any man’s work goes up in smoke, he will suffer a terrible loss, but he himself will be saved. He does not lose his salvation if he is on the foundation, which is trust in Christ, even though he receives no reward.
Friend, what are you building today? What kind of material are you using? If you are building with gold, it may not be very impressive now. If you are building an old haystack, it will really stand out on the horizon, but it will go up in smoke. I like to put it like this: there are going to be some people in heaven who will be there because their foundation is Christ but who will smell as if they had been bought at a fire sale! Everything they ever did will have gone up in smoke. They will not receive a reward for their works.
Now if you are a carnal Christian, you cannot expect a reward because you have not been rightly related to God through the Word of God. The carnal Christian is the one who does not know the Word of God. You see, one can identify the three categories which Paul mentions by their relation to the Word of God. The natural man says it is foolishness. The spiritual man discerns the Word, and it gives him spiritual insight. The carnal Christian says, “Let’s have a banquet and not a Bible study.” Or he says, “Let’s listen to music rather than to the teaching of the Word of God.” That is the way you can identify the carnal Christian.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are [1 Cor. 3:16–17].
The child of God is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul will bring this matter to our attention again. Our very bodies belong to Him!
THE BELIEVER POSSESSES ALL THINGS IN CHRIST
Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise [1 Cor. 3:18].
Unfortunately, most of our seminaries today are trying to train “intellectual” preachers. I have listened to some of them, and very few of them are really intellectual. May I say again that the important thing is to know and preach the Word of God. Oh, if only I could get that across to some of these smart-aleck young fellows in seminary! I have the privilege of speaking in many seminaries today, and I have met so many boys in the seminaries who want to be “intellectual.”
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s [1 Cor. 3:19–23].
Oh, how wonderful it is that we do not have to be confined to one narrow group or one particular denomination. Instead of feeling that we belong to so-and-so and can be taught by only one particular teacher or preacher, we can know that all the men of God belong to us. How wonderful! The reason I get along with the Pentecostal brethren is because I know they belong to God. Oh, my friend, those folk belong to me, too. And I belong to them. How glorious it is to meet around the person of Christ with other believers who are on the foundation which is Jesus Christ!
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Conditions of Christ’s servants constrain Christian conduct
This is the final chapter in which Paul is dealing with the divisions and the party spirit which was in the church in Corinth. In this chapter, he speaks of the conditions of Christ’s servants—and that is what should constrain Christian conduct.
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God [1 Cor. 4:1].
Let us pause to look at this wonderful verse. We are all “the ministers of Christ.” Every believer is a minister of Christ. Sometimes a member of a congregation will say, “There is my minister.” Well, I hope he is rather a minister of Christ, because he is responsible to Him. And you, as a minister of Christ, are responsible to Him.
We are all ministers. You are a preacher, whether you like it or not. Now don’t get angry with me for saying that. There was a man living near our church in Pasadena, when I was pastor there, who was an alcoholic, a real sot. He lived with his mother who was a wonderful Christian lady, and she asked me to talk with him. One day when I saw him staggering down the street, I just sort of detoured him into my study. He sat down and I told him what a sorry fellow he was. He agreed with every bit of it. Then I said to him, “Do you know that you are a preacher?” Well, he stood up and said, “Don’t you call me that—I’ll hit you!” He didn’t mind being called a drunkard or an alcoholic, but he surely didn’t want to be called a preacher! Well, we are all preachers. As I told him, “We preach some message by our lives. You are saying something to the world and to those around you by your life. You can’t help it. I live my life unto you and you live our life unto me. It’s just that way. We have that kind of influence.” My friend, if you are a believer, you are a minister of Christ. What kind of message are you giving?
Notice that a minister of Christ is a “steward of the mysteries of God.” In Paul’s day, a steward was the person who managed the household for the owner. He had charge of the house, the food, the clothing, and that sort of thing. He would give out things to the household as they needed them. Just so, a minister of Christ should dispense the Word of God to the members of the household.
Here we have that word mystery again. Remember that mysteries are those things which had not been revealed before but are now made known. The mysteries cannot be understood by the natural man. It is only the Spirit of God who can take the things of Christ and show them to us. The “mystery” here is actually the gospel, the Word of God. Since we are stewards of the “mysteries of God,” we are to dispense those mysteries.
After concluding His “mystery parables” in Matthew 13, “Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord” (Matt. 13:51). I’m inclined to think that they didn’t really understand at that time; Jesus doesn’t say whether or not they understood Him. But He does go on to say to them, “… Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old” (Matt. 13:52). That is what a steward of the mysteries of God should be doing—bringing forth out of the Word of God things new and things old. Folk sometimes say to me after a Bible study or after a sermon, “That’s old. I’ve heard that before.” I answer, “Well, I am a steward to bring forth things both new and old. Today I brought forth a little of the old. It is my business to bring forth the old as well as the new.” That is the calling of a steward of the mysteries of God, and I can’t think of any calling higher than that.
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful [1 Cor. 4:2].
Notice that it is not required of a steward to be eloquent or to have many gifts, only that he be found faithful. There are so many who will be rewarded someday, not because they did some great thing or had some great gift, but because they were faithful in what they did and how they did it. I learned over the years as a pastor of a church that there were always the faithful few. I could depend on them. And I knew where they stood.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord [1 Cor. 4:3–4].
These two verses actually present the three courts before which we all must appear. They may seem to be rather difficult verses, but actually they are not. They tell us that you have no right to sit in judgment on me, and I have no right to sit in judgment on you, because we both are going to stand before a higher court.
1. The first court is the lower court. It is the court of the opinion of others. He says, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment.” Phillips, in his paraphrase, gives an excellent interpretation of this. “But, as a matter of fact, it matters very little to me what you, or any man, thinks of me …” (1 Cor. 4:3, phillips). That is not a literal translation, but it is a good interpretation.
This is a striking statement, and it may sound as if Paul were antisocial. However, Paul was not callous or contemptuous of the opinion of others. He was not immune to the expression and the estimation of those about him. He defended his apostleship with great feeling when he was challenged by his critics. He was always hurt by false rumors. Right here in this very chapter he made mention of it: “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day” (vv. 11–13). You can see that Paul was very sensitive to the opinions of others; yet his life was not directed by them. They were not at the steering wheel of his life.
Whether we like it or not, we all stand before the judgment seat of others. It is something that we cannot avoid. Abraham Lincoln said, “Public opinion in this country is everything.” Unfortunately, it is true. There is a danger to defer to the opinion of others, to yield to the criticism of our enemies and surrender to them. Many of our courts favor the popularity of the crowd instead of justice—certainly the politicians favor the crowd. Some will surrender principles and honor and reputation. John Milton said, “The last infirmity of a noble mind is the love of fame.” Unfortunately, that is what many go out to seek today. Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune said, “Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today will curse tomorrow, only one thing endures—character.” Someone else has said, “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” I’m afraid that is true, also.
Although Paul was sensitive to the opinion of others, that opinion did not become the guiding principle of his life. “With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment.”
2. The second court is a higher court. It is the court of one’s own conscience. “Yea, I judge not mine own self.”
Is conscience a safe guide? Paul says that it is not an accurate guide. We are to be led of the Spirit. We have already studied about the age of conscience in the Book of Genesis, and there we saw that it ended in the judgment of the Flood. Christians should have an enlightened conscience. When it rebukes us and tells us that we are wrong, we should obey it. However, our conscience can also approve our easygoing ways and can appeal to our vanity and can flatter us. Then we should beware of it. We all stand or fall before this court.
It was Longfellow who put it like this: “Not in the clamor of the crowded street, Not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, But in ourselves, are triumph and defeat.” An honest man will not be guided by the opinion of others, but he will do what he thinks is right. It is a brave formula. It is a noble rule. Yet Paul said that he didn’t follow it: “… I don’t even value my opinion of myself … but that doesn’t justify me before God” (1 Cor. 4:4, phillips). It wasn’t that Paul knew some bit of evidence against himself. On the contrary, he says he knew nothing against himself, but that still didn’t clear him before God. It is characteristic of our human nature to be harsh on others and very lenient with ourselves.
That was David’s problem. He could see the evil in someone else, but he couldn’t see it in himself. How about us? When others hold tenaciously to some opinion, we call them contentious, but when we do it, we are showing the courage of our convictions. Others cause divisions and make trouble, but we are standing for the right. Others are backslidden when they forsake God’s house, but we have a good reason. You know we are not very apt to be severe upon ourselves. We always like to cast ourselves in a leading role, and generally we distort it.
No, we do not stand or fall before ourselves. God may reverse the decision of this second court, the court of our own conscience.
3. There is a third court before which we must stand—“he that judgeth me is the Lord.” The supreme court is of the one and only Master; it is the beµma or the judgment seat of Christ. Paul says that he is going to stand someday before the judgment seat of Christ. Each one of us will appear before that judgment seat. (He will say more about this in chapter 5 of his Second Epistle to the Corinthians.)
What is going to be judged there? We know that we shall not be judged for our sins, because a believer’s sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west (see Ps. 103:12). Our sins are under the blood of Jesus Christ and God remembers them no more. The believer will be judged for his stewardship. All our physical possessions—our bodies, our material resources, our giving—these are the things that will be brought up for judgment. So you can see that being a faithful steward is very important.
After all, we own nothing. We have learned before that all things are Christ’s and that we belong to him. We are in partnership with Him. We saw at the close of chapter 3 that all things are ours. Paul is ours and Apollos is ours. Calvin is ours and John Wesley is ours and Martin Luther is ours. This world we live in is ours—we can enjoy the beauty of its scenery, the mountains, the trees, the ocean, and life itself. (I wouldn’t want to be dead today, would you?) But even death is ours! Dr. Parker says, “Death is yours. It belongs to you. Death is not to master you, you are going to master it.” Death is yours. How wonderful that is. When we belong to Christ, all things are ours—present and future. And we are stewards of all He has entrusted to us.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God [1 Cor. 4:5].
He is the One who will judge. If we sit in judgment on someone else, we are taking the Lord’s place. This is why we need not react to insult or criticism by fighting back. God will judge us fairly, and He knows all the facts. (Anyway, we probably know worse things about ourselves than does the person who is criticizing us!) The hidden works of darkness are going to be brought out into the light in the presence of Jesus Christ. He will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. This is why we should be very careful how we live today.
Then there is this remarkable statement: “then shall every man have praise of God.” I believe that He is going to find something for which He can praise every saint of God.
In the Book of Revelation Christ has a word of commendation for each of the seven churches of Asia Minor—with the exception of Laodicea, which probably was not really His church anyway. He had words of commendation for the churches in spite of their faults. And I think He will be equally gracious to each individual saint.
A dear little lady in a church years ago always had something good to say about everybody, especially the preacher. One day they had a visiting preacher who delivered the most miserable sermon they had ever heard. The people wondered what in the world the dear little lady would say about such a sermon, and they gathered round as she went out. She smiled and shook hands with the preacher, then she said, “Oh, pastor, you had a wonderful text today!” And, my friend, I think our Lord is going to find something praiseworthy in each of us!
THE APPLICATION
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another [1 Cor. 4:6].
Remember that one of the problems in the Corinthian church was divisions. So now Paul says that he is using this for an illustration for them. Paul and Apollos were friends; they both belonged to Christ, and Christ belonged to both of them. Both men were exercising their gifts.
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? [1 Cor. 4:7].
Do you have a gift? You may have a very outstanding gift, but you have nothing to boast about, because God gave it to you. You are not the originator of your gift. We ought to thank God for our gifts.
Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men [1 Cor. 4:8–9].
The apostles in that great martyr period of the church have been set before the world as a spectacle. Not only are they a spectacle to the world but also to angels and to men—and I think that refers to us today. Other men have labored, my friend, and we have entered into their labors.
Now Paul will tell us what he had gone through in order that we might have this epistle and be enjoying the study of it right now.
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day [1 Cor. 4:10–13].
You and I can’t imagine how the apostle Paul suffered in order to get out the gospel of Jesus Christ. He evangelized Asia Minor. We are told that in the province of Asia everyone, both Jew and Gentile, heard the Word of God!
I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel [1 Cor. 4:14–15].
Paul was the missionary who led them to Christ. It is a wonderful thing to be the spiritual father of someone whom you have led to Christ.
For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church [1 Cor. 4:17].
We see here the personal esteem Paul had for Timothy.
Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power [1 Cor. 4:18–20].
Paul says that he is not so much interested in their talk, but he wants to know whether or not there is power in their lives.
What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? [1 Cor. 4:21].
Their attitude and action will determine how Paul shall come to them. Will he need to come with a “rod” of correction, or can he come in love and in a spirit of meekness?
CHAPTERS 5–6
Theme: Scandals in the Corinthian church
IMPURITY
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife [1 Cor. 5:1].
This was a case that was up before the church. This was not gossip. It could be translated: “It is reported actually and factually.” This was not just a rumor that was going around. This case was common knowledge. It was such fornication that was not even mentioned among the Gentiles. It was the sordid story of a man who took his father’s wife, his own stepmother.
And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you [1 Cor. 5:2].
The apostle is using strong language here. He is dealing with a very grievous sin. The congregation in Corinth was compromising with this evil.
We need to recognize that flagrant sin in the church must be dealt with. The Lord Jesus had given detailed instructions in Matthew 18: “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican” (Matt. 18:15–17).
They did not carry out this procedure in Corinth. This was a case of compromise with evil. John Morley has said that compromise is the most immoral word in the English language. I think I would agree to that. The church in Corinth was compromising itself by compromising with this evil.
There are certain things about this case that we need to note. This case was an acknowledged situation which had no need of proof. This was not a matter of gossip or of hearsay. Paul would never have brought up something like this if it had simply been a rumor.
Also we need to note that it was not a questionable sin. It was a glaring sin, and it was actually recognized by the world outside as being sin. It was incest. This is in contrast to questionable activities, which should not be brought out in the open and dealt with by the church. Let me give an illustration of what I mean.
A lady was converted in the church where I served as pastor. She called me one day about three months after her conversion, and she was very disturbed. She said, “I’m very disappointed and very discouraged. I have been a chain smoker and have wanted to give up cigarettes. I have tried for three months and I have failed. I have come to the place where I hate them and I hate myself for not being able to give them up. What should I do?” I gave her several suggestions. I said, “Look, it is a questionable sin, and it is one that you hate and want to give up. I don’t blame you; your testimony is involved. First of all, continue to pray, and ask your personal friends to continue to pray for you, as you say they are doing. Also I will pray for you. I know God will give you the victory, because you want it. Secondly, don’t be discouraged. And the third thing is: please do not tell it to the dear saints in the church. If you do, they will absolutely skin you alive, because they consider it the worst sin in the world.” After about three months I saw her coming into the church, and I could tell by her face something had happened. After the service she could hardly wait to talk to me. She said, “I have wonderful news for you. From the day I talked to you down to the present, I haven’t smoked once. God has given me deliverance!”
Now, smoking is one of the things I classify as a questionable sin. It is not mentioned in the Word of God; nor does it have any question of immorality connected with it. Therefore, it is to be handled differently. It is not to be brought before the church for judgment. By contrast, this case of immorality in the Corinthian church was a flaunting of God’s law. Therefore, this needed to be handled with church discipline. There was no doubt about this being a sin. It is not a questionable matter. It was such a horrible sin that it was not even practiced by the Gentiles outside the church.
I would like to say something to our present generation. Living together without being married is sin in God’s sight. It makes no difference what public opinion says about it or how many people are practicing it. The Word of God calls this sin, and there is no other way one can look at it. It is not a questionable sin as far as the Word of God is concerned.
The church in Corinth did not need to establish the fact that the man was living in sin. Their error was that they tolerated it. They condoned the sin by doing nothing about it. They compromised, and that is the worst thing they could have done. You can put this down as an axiom: A pure church is a powerful church; an impure church is a paralysed church. You can look around you at churches today and see whether or not that is true.
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus [1 Cor. 5:3–5].
Paul is telling them to meet together, and if this brother will not forsake his sin, they are to deliver him over to Satan. That is a tremendous statement. Does he really mean that? He said it; apparently he meant it.
This is something that the Word of God teaches. Do you remember that Job was delivered over to Satan? Satan came to the Lord and complained that He wouldn’t let him touch Job. He told God in effect, “You tell me how good a man Job is, but if You will just let me get to him, I will show You whether or not Job really is true to You. He will curse You to Your face!” So the Lord gave Satan permission to test Job—with the limitation that he could not take Job’s life. There is a great comfort in this for us: Satan cannot touch a child of God unless he has the permission of God Himself. And if God does permit it, then it is for a reason.
You will also remember that the Lord Jesus told Peter that Satan desired to have him to sift him as wheat. The Lord Jesus permitted Satan to do this to Peter. Peter was turned over to Satan, and that night he denied his Lord. What he did was just as dastardly as the crime of Judas Iscariot. However, Peter hated himself and he hated what he had done, but it taught him how weak he was. God used this experience to produce the kind of man who would get up and preach the sermon that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost.
Then there is the example in 1 Timothy 1:20 where Paul writes: “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.” These two men were professing Christians, but they were blaspheming. Paul says he delivered them over to Satan.
Now I realize there is danger of our feelings and our emotions getting involved, and there is a danger of fanaticism to which some people are inclined; but in our churches today we do have certain men and women who are hurting the cause of Christ. I believe we have the right to ask God to deliver them into the hands of Satan, to be dealt with, so that they won’t hurt and harm the body of Christ. I pray that God will deliver certain men over to Satan to let him give them a good workout. It will either bring them to God (if they are true believers) or it will reveal the fact that they are not genuine believers at all. If they are Christians, then they will come out clear-cut and come out clean for God and for the Lord Jesus Christ. I think we have a right to pray that prayer.
This is strong medicine! And for these carnal Corinthians it was strong medicine. Paul is writing that, although he can’t be with them in his body, he is with them in his spirit. He tells them the way he is voting. And his prayer is to deliver this man into the hands of Satan.
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? [1 Cor. 5:6].
Do you know what the church in Corinth was doing? At the same time that they were shutting their eyes to the sin that was in their own congregation, they were bragging about their other activities. They were glorying—boasting. Probably they bragged about the missionaries they sent out and about being true to the Scriptures and about winning souls for Christ. What hypocrisy! Yet there are many folk who feel that being busy in Christian work covers a multitude of sins. Paul says that their glorying was not good. Didn’t they know that a little leaven leavens the whole. lump? Leaven is never a symbol of the gospel; it is always a principle of evil, and it represents evil in this instance.
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us [1 Cor. 5:7].
What does leaven do to the bread? Well, you put it in the dough, set it in a warm place, and the bread begins to puff up. When it gets to a certain height, the bread is put into the hot oven. Why? To stop the leavening process. If the bread did not get into the oven, that leavening process would go on and the bread would rise higher and higher. Finally the whole loaf would be corrupt and rotten. Now that is exactly what happens with evil in the church if it is not dealt with. Finally the whole thing will blow up and will destroy the effectiveness of the church. A little leaven will leaven the whole lump; so it must be purged out.
In the Old Testament, after the Feast of the Passover there followed immediately the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Paul says that Christ, the true Passover Lamb, has now been sacrificed for us. This should be followed by lives that are free from leaven. Instead, this Corinthian congregation was allowing leaven—that is, evil—to come right into their church. These were the very ones who were talking about the death of Christ and the crucifixion of Christ, and yet they permitted leaven to enter into the church.
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth [1 Cor. 5:8].
Paul is not talking about how a person is saved. He is talking about the walk of the believer after he has been saved. Sincerity never saved anyone. But if you are a child of God, you will be sincere. The world today needs to see sincerity among believers and needs truth among believers. Paul says, “Let’s have sincerity and truth in the church there in Corinth.” You see, the church there was really insincere. They had gross immorality in their midst. They thought they could get by with this, and they pretended that everything was all right. They were pretending that they were telling the truth and living the truth when actually they were not.
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat [1 Cor. 5:9–11].
Paul had previously written to them and had condemned these sins. Corinth was a city given over to immorality. There were a thousand priestesses at the temple of Venus or Aphrodite who were nothing in the world but harlots. They were prostitutes, and the whole city was given over to this immorality in the name of religion. Now here they are permitting this immoral man to come into their fellowship and to eat with them. They patted him on the back and accepted him as one of their own when they knew he was living in sin. The church in Corinth thought they could drop down to the level of the world.
Does the church today think it can drop down to the immorality of the world and get away with it? My friend, the church today has lost its power. I am speaking of the church in general. Thank God there are still wonderful churches left, churches that stand out like beacon lights across this land, Bible churches that stand for the Word of God. The other day I heard of a young preacher who took a stand when they tried to introduce hard rock music into his church. It meant that he lost several hundred of his members who walked out. I thank God for a preacher like that, one with intestinal fortitude. Most men today are compromising and shutting their eyes and letting the world come in. The church has lost its power. An impure church is a paralysed church, and a pure church is a powerful church. That is true for the individual also.
Now Paul says this does not apply to fornication only. He also applies it to covetousness. How about a deacon in the church who has sticky fingers? How about the man in the church who has his hand on a lot of money? Paul also includes idolaters, those who are fooling around with other religions. I heard about a leading officer of a church who walked out and joined a cult. I am telling you that the Word of God teaches that a little infection in the church must be dealt with or else it is going to corrupt and wreck the church. A little leaven will leaven the whole lump.
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person [1 Cor. 5:12–13].
Paul says that he is not judging the people on the outside. That is not his business. He is to judge those inside the church. God will judge those who are on the outside. It is the business of the church to judge evil which is in the church.
We are interested to know how things worked out in Corinth. To find the answer we need to turn to 2 Corinthians 2:4–8: “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”
This immoral man had come in deep repentance after Paul put it down on the line in his previous epistle. Today we need a great deal of courage—not compromise—in the church to point out these things and say, “This is sin.” I think that when this is done, the believer who is in sin will confess, like this man in Corinth and like David did, and will repent and change his ways. The Corinthian church handled this very nicely. Why? Because Paul had the courage to write this kind of letter. In 2 Corinthians Paul explains why he had done it: “Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you” (2 Cor. 7:12).
Paul says that he wrote as he did for the welfare of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today we hear this flimsy, hypocritical attitude: “Well, we don’t want to air this thing. We don’t want to cause trouble. We’ll just sweep it under the rug.” My friend, God cannot bless a church or an individual that does this. If God did bless, God would be a liar. And you know that God is no liar. He will judge inaction in a case like this.
This chapter has a tremendous lesson for us. And it is very practical, is it not?
LAWSUITS AMONG MEMBERS
Chapter 6 will deal with the subject of the Christian and his relation to the state. The Christian is told that he has a dual citizenship. I think that is often misconstrued by outsiders as well as by believers. Philippians 3:20 states: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Greek word for “conversation” is politeuma, which literally means “Our politics is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
His citizenship in heaven does not relieve the Christian of his responsibility to the state. The Christian has a responsibility to each, that is, to God and to the state. Our Lord expressed this when the Herodians pressed on Him the subject of taxation. The Herodians asked, “Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” (Matt. 22:17). Jesus answered, “… Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21). The Christian has a responsibility to the state, and he also has a responsibility to God. The Christian has both secular and spiritual responsibilities.
The apostle Paul defines some very specific responsibilities of Christians to the state. There are certain guidelines which cannot be misunderstood. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:1–4: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Our obligation to the state is to attempt to have a peaceful, law-abiding society with recognition of authority. Why is this so important for the Christian? It is in order that we might get out the message of the gospel.
Paul discusses the same subject in Romans 13:1–4: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good….”
This was written at a time when the Roman government was tyrannical. The emperors of that era were dictators, and many of them were persecutors of the church. If anyone tried to oppose the Roman government, he was in real trouble, because there was no place to which one could flee where the government could not find him and arrest him. Even in that government, however, there was a freedom to preach the Word of God. That is the thing that Christians should keep in mind.
Back in Genesis we are shown that it was God Himself who ordained the state. As far as I can tell, that has never been changed. God put down this principle: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Gen. 9:6). To maintain the dignity and a respect for humanity, capital punishment must be used.
I have a letter from a very sweet lady who is very softhearted and feels that I am terrible because I believe in capital punishment. She says that Jesus wouldn’t do that. She wants to know whether I would be willing to pull the switch at the electric chair. Very candidly, I wouldn’t like to do it—that is not my job; I have been called to do something else. But I do want to say this: If this sweet lady wants to be safe in her home, there had better be somebody who is willing to pull that electric switch. We are living in a time of lawlessness. The reason is that we have softhearted judges, and I’m afraid some have been softheaded as well.
The church and the state were to be kept separate. The church was not to dominate the state, not to dictate to it. The state was not to control the church nor to take the place of God. In a secular society, secularism always takes the place of God. That is modern idolatry today. A great many people are putting secularism in the place of God. Someone sent me a modern-day parody on Psalm 23 which begins, “Science is my shepherd, I shall not want.” We find the church getting involved in secularism. I have a quotation from a liberal which reads: “To rebel against human law in the name of a higher law can be creative, saving the world from stagnation, but to disobey the law can also be anarchic and destructive, for too easily can men convince themselves that their opinions are those of God.” Too many of our statesmen today think they stand in the place of God and that they speak in the place of God.
With that kind of background I think we are prepared to look at chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians. We are still in that division of the epistle which deals with scandals in the Corinthian church. The first was concerned with impurity, and this chapter is concerned with lawsuits among members.
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? [1 Cor. 6:1].
This may sound to you like a very strange statement, and it may need some explanation. He does not say that Christians are not to go to law. If Christians did not use the benefit of the law, they would suffer great loss at the hands of the unsaved. He is saying that Christians should not go to law against each other—Christian against Christian. The differences between believers are not to be taken to a secular court. They should be settled by believers. This is something which churches and believers in general ignore today.
After I had come to Southern California as a pastor, I was rather amazed one day when a man came in quite excitedly and wanted to bring a charge against an officer of the church. He claimed this man had beat him out of a sum of money in a business deal. He said, “Now I want you to bring him up before the board and to make him settle with me.” I told him, “I think you are approaching this the right way. When can you appear before the board and make your charges?” “Oh,” he said, “I’ve told you about it. That is all that is necessary.” I pointed out to him that I had no way to verify the charge. It would be necessary for both men to appear before the board. Then I asked him, “Would you be willing to accept the verdict of the board?” “Well,” he said, “it all depends on how they decided it. If they decided in my favor, I would accept it.” So then I asked him if he would accept the verdict if it were against him, and he assured me that he would not. Of course, I told him that we might as well forget the whole matter. I said, “You are not really willing to turn this issue over to other believers for a verdict.”
Church fights should not be aired in state courts before unbelievers. Individual differences among Christians should be adjudicated by believers. It is bad enough when two Christians are divorced, but it is an extremely serious matter when Christians go before a secular court and air their differences before unbelievers. When a Christian couple come to me and tell me they simply cannot get along, and I see there is no way of working out a reconciliation, I advise a legal separation, not a court trial.
Why should a believer let other believers be the judges rather than take his case to the unsaved world for their judgment? Again, this does not forbid a Christian from going to court with an unbeliever. Why should two believers bring their differences to be settled by other believers? Paul gives a threefold reason regarding the capabilities of believers to judge.
THE CAPABILITY OF THE BELIEVERS
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? [1 Cor. 6:2].
My friend, if you are a believer in Christ, you will have a part with the Lord Jesus in ruling the earth someday. This is not talking about the judgment at the Great White Throne, which will be the judgment when the lost appear before Christ. No, this has to do with the adjudication of the affairs of the universe down through eternity.
1. Saints will judge the world.
The saints shall judge the world. I believe this has to do with what Paul wrote to Timothy, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Tim. 2:12). I believe this means that we shall pass judgment on the affairs in this world.
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? [1 Cor. 6:3].
2. Saints will judge angels.
Paul is using a series of “know ye nots.” When Paul said, “Know ye not,” you can be sure that the brethren did not know. This was a polite way of saying they were ignorant of these things.
This certainly opens up a whole new vista of truth. I do not understand what this means; it is beyond my comprehension. All I know is that man was made a little lower than the angels, and through redemption man was lifted into a place of fellowship with God, a position above the angels. Also, God permitted man to fall. He never would have permitted that if it would not work out for good. It will result in bringing man into a higher position. The old bromide is not true that says that the bird with the broken wing never flies so high again. Man flies higher. We are going to be above the angels. We are going to judge them and have charge of them. May I say again, this is beyond my comprehension, but I believe it.
To pick up the third “know ye not,” we skip down to verse 9:
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God [1 Cor. 6:9–10].
3. Unrighteousness is not in the kingdom.
Listen very carefully because this is important. No secular judge or jury is equipped to make spiritual decisions, because they do not comprehend spiritual principles. That is why court cases that pertain to churches and Christians go haywire the minute they hit the legal mills. A secular judge may know the material in the law books, but he knows nothing about spiritual decisions. He has no spiritual discernment.
To be very candid with you, it would be with fear and trembling that I would go into court and have a secular judge handle me or my property. I don’t think a secular judge is capable of doing that, and I don’t think a secular jury can either. Following a trial here in Southern California I looked at the jury shown on television and said to my wife, “I thank God my life is not in the hands of the twelve people I see there.” After the trial was over, some of the jurors made statements for the television program which revealed that they were not capable of judging the case. Yet Christians will trust that crowd rather than take their cases to other believers who do have spiritual discernment.
I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers [1 Cor. 6:5–6].
Of course, not every Christian is a capable judge, but Paul is saying, “I speak to your shame, isn’t there a wise man among you?” When you go to a secular court, you are saying that none of the saints are capable of judging. Well, I know some dear brethren in the Lord with whom I would be willing to risk my life. I am confident they would render a just verdict.
Now why does a Christian have a capability to judge? Paul will give us three reasons:
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God [1 Cor. 6:11].
“Ye are washed.” It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration …” (Titus 3:5). We have been born again, washed. Because the mercy of God has reached down and touched us, we ought to know how to extend mercy. We can be merciful because we have experienced mercy. We should recognize that there are many wonderful believers today who have been washed. We should trust ourselves to them rather than to the unsaved.
“Ye are sanctified.” Sanctification in the Corinthian epistles is of two kinds, but I think here it means positional sanctification, that is, being in Christ. This means that Christ is on our side and all believers are brothers in Christ. If another Christian judges me, it means that one of my brothers is judging me. I would be willing to trust myself to the judgment of a brother. A little girl was carrying a heavy baby down the street. A man saw her and asked, “Little girl, isn’t that baby too heavy for you?” “Oh, no,” she said, “he’s my brother.” The relationship makes a lot of difference. A brother is not too heavy. I am in Christ and my brother is in Christ; so I should be willing to trust my brother.
“Ye are justified.” The third reason my brother is capable of being a judge is that his sins are already forgiven, as mine are. He has been declared righteous before the throne of God, as I have been. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth” (Rom. 8:33). “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). A fellow Christian knows this, and I feel that he could handle my case better than anyone else.
THE BELIEVER’S BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any [1 Cor. 6:12].
There are a lot of things which a believer can do, but they are not expedient to do. I could mention many things; Paul mentions one here:
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body [1 Cor. 6:13].
Meats shall be destroyed someday. Our stomachs shall be destroyed someday. There is Christian liberty in what we eat.
In contrast, our bodies are not to be used for fornication. Our bodies belong to the Lord.
And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid [1 Cor. 6:14–15].
Young folks today think that they can live together without being married. One such couple came to me wanting to talk about going into Christian service. They weren’t married, but they were living together! I told them, “You get married.” They asked, “Why?” I said, “Because God commands it. That is the way God wants it to be. Until you are willing to do that, you cannot serve Him.”
What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body [1 Cor. 6:16–18].
My friend, you cannot live in immorality and serve Christ. Unfortunately, we find that public opinion generally accepts immoral persons; but God does not accept them.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s [1 Cor. 6:19–20].
Here is a remarkable truth which many believers have not received. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Because our bodies belong to God, we are not to share our bodies in fornication. This leads to a discussion of marriage, which will be the subject of the next chapter.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Marriage
This chapter concerns marriage; so we shall be discussing the subject of sex. I think we will probably handle it in a more dignified manner than is usual today because we are going to follow Paul.
In the previous chapter Paul had given them the spiritual truths that, by application to the problem of marriage, can solve matters that relate to sex in marriage. You will remember that he emphasized that our bodies belong to God and that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Our bodies are to be used for the glory of God.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman [1 Cor. 7:1].
It is obvious that the Corinthian believers had written a letter to Paul concerning this problem. We do not have the question, but we do have Paul’s answer. Paul has taken a long time to get to this. He first dealt with the divisions and the scandals in their midst. However, he has no reluctance in dealing with the subject of marriage, and he writes boldly and very frankly. Before we get into the text itself, I wish to deal with two introductory matters.
First there is the question: Was Paul ever married? If Paul was never married, then in his explanation he is simply theorizing. He is not speaking from experience. However, Paul did not do that. Paul always spoke from experience. It was not the method of the Spirit of God to choose a man who knew nothing about the subject on which the Spirit of God wanted him to write.
It has always been assumed that Paul was not married on the basis of the seventh verse: “For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.” If we are going to assume that Paul was not married, we need to pay attention to the verse that follows: “I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.” Someone will say, “He still says that he is unmarried.” Granted. We know he was not married. But notice that he mentions two classes here: the unmarried and the widows (or widowers). He could have been unmarried or a widower.
It is difficult to believe that Paul had always been unmarried because of his background and because of who he was. Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin. In Acts 26:10 Paul says, “Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.” How could he give his voice against them? It was by his vote in the Sanhedrin, which means he was a member of the Sanhedrin. Since Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin, he must have been a married man because that was one of the conditions of membership.
There was an insistence upon Jewish young men to marry. The Mishna said this should be at the age of eighteen. In the Yebhamoth, in the commentary on Genesis 5:2 it states: “A Jew who has no wife is not a man.” I believe it is an inescapable conclusion that Paul at one time was a married man. He undoubtedly was a widower who had never remarried. In chapter 9 we read, “Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?” (1 Cor. 9:5). I think Paul is saying, “I could marry again if I wanted to; I would be permitted to do that. But I’m not going to for the simple reason that I would not ask a woman to follow me around in the type of ministry God has given to me.”
It is my conviction that in the past Paul had loved some good woman who had reciprocated his love, because he spoke so tenderly of the marriage relationship. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25).
I would like to give you a quotation from F. W. Farrar who writes in his Life and Work of St. Paul: “The other question which arises is, Was Saul married? Had he the support of some loving heart during the fiery struggles of his youth? Amid the to-and-fro contentions of spirit which resulted from an imperfect and unsatisfying creed, was there in the troubled sea of his life one little island home where he could find refuge from incessant thoughts? Little as we know of his domestic relations, little as he cared to mingle mere private interests with the great spiritual truths which occupy his soul, it seems to me that we must answer this question in the affirmative.”
The position of many expositors is that Paul had been married and that his wife had died. Paul never made reference to her, but he spoke so tenderly of the marriage relationship I believe he had been married.
The second introductory matter is not a question but a statement. We need to understand the Corinth of that day. If we do not, we are going to fall into the trap of saying that Paul is commending the single state above the married state. One must understand the local situation of Corinth to know what he is talking about. Notice the first two verses again.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband [1 Cor. 7:1–2].
We need to understand Corinth. I have been to the ruins of ancient Corinth. Towering above those ruins is the mountain which was the acropolis, called Acro-Corinthus. The city was dominated by the Acro-Corinthus, and on top of it was the temple of Aphrodite. It towered over the city like a dark cloud. Today the ruins of a Crusader fort are there. When the Crusaders came, they used the stones from the temple of Aphrodite to build their fortress.
This temple was like most heathen temples. Sex was a religion. There were one thousand so-called vestal virgins there. In that temple you could get food, drink, and sex. Those vestal virgins were nothing in the world but one thousand prostitutes. Sex was carried on in the name of religion. That was the philosophy of Plato, by the way.
People tend to forget the immorality of that culture. A man once said to me, “Socrates wrote in a very lofty language.” Yes, sometimes he did. He also told prostitutes how they ought to conduct themselves. The whole thought was to get rid of the desires of the body by satisfying them. That is heathenism. That came out in two basic philosophies of the Greeks. Stoicism said the basic desires were to be denied; Epicureanism said they were to be fulfilled all the way.
The wife in the Roman world was a chattel. She was a workhorse. A man generally had several wives. One had charge of the kitchen, another had charge of the living area, another was in charge of the clothes. Sex was secondary because the man went up to the temple where the good-looking girls were kept. There they celebrated the seasons of fertility, and believe me, friend, that is what was carried on.
You will still find the same thing among the Bedouins in Palestine today. They have several wives, and it is a practical thing for them. One takes care of the sheep, another goes with the man as he wanders around, another stays back at the home base where they have a tent and probably a few fruit trees. He thinks he needs at least three wives.
Now Paul lifts marriage up to the heights, out of this degradation, and says to the Corinthians they are not to live like that. Every man is to have one wife, and every woman is to have her own husband. Paul lifted woman from the place of slavery in the pagan world, the Roman Empire, and made her a companion of man. He restored her to her rightful position. He was in Ephesus when he wrote to the Corinthians, and in Ephesus there was much the same thing in the awful temple of Diana. It was to the Ephesians that Paul wrote, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25).
Now I know somebody is going to say that he also told wives to obey their husbands. I would like to know where he said that. He did write, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Eph. 5:22). Have you ever looked up the word submit to see what it means? To submit means to respond. Wives are to respond to their own husbands. The wife is to react to the man. Man is the aggressor. He initiates the expression of love, and the woman is the receiver. This is not a matter of sex alone; it involves a couple mentally, spiritually, psychologically, and physically. Man is the aggressor; woman is the receiver.
God created man and woman that way in the beginning. He created woman as the “helpmeet,” a helper suitable for him or corresponding to him. She is the other part of man. When a husband says, “I love you,” she answers, “I love you.” When a man admits that he has a cold wife, he is really saying that he is a failure as a husband and that he is to blame for the condition.
Paul lifts woman from the slave state to that of a partner of man. Listen to the next verse:
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband [1 Cor. 7:3].
She is to respond to him. He is to tell her that he loves her.
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife [1 Cor. 7:4].
The man is not to run up to that temple of Aphrodite. That is sin. Love and sex are to take place at home. That is exactly what he is saying here. The only motive for marriage is love—not sex, but love. I am convinced that Paul had known the love of a good and great woman.
So many of the great men in Scripture knew the love of a woman. There are Adam and Eve, Jacob and Rachel, Boaz and Ruth, David and Abigail—it was Abigail who told David, “… the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God …” (1 Sam. 25:29).
It is said of John Wesley that when he came to America he was not a saved man. He wrote, “I came to this country to convert Indians, but who is going to convert John Wesley?” The story goes that the crown had sent to America an insipid nobleman. Due to the terrible custom of that day, the nobility was entitled to marry the finest, and he had married a woman of striking beauty and strong personality, who also was an outstanding Christian. Then there came into their colony this fiery young missionary. And these two fell in love. But she said, “No, John, God has called you to go back to England to do some great service for Him.” It was she who sent John Wesley back to England—to marry the Methodist church. Back in England Wesley was converted, and she was his inspiration. Behind every great man is a great woman.
Now Paul continues his guidelines for conduct in marriage.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment [1 Cor. 7:5–6].
He says this is not a commandment, but it is a guideline to follow so that Satan will not have an opportunity to tempt either member of the marriage relationship.
For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that [1 Cor. 7:7].
At this time Paul did not have a wife. He did not remarry. He was not taking a wife along with him on his travels.
There are people in the Lord’s work who have not married. They have made that kind of sacrifice—some for several years, some for their whole lifetime. You remember that the Lord Jesus said, “For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake …” (Matt. 19:12).
When I began in the ministry, I attempted to imitate a man who was a bachelor. I thought that was the happiest state, but I soon learned that it wasn’t for me. I wanted a wife. Paul says that is all right—“every man hath his proper gift of God.”
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn [1 Cor. 7:8–9].
It is better to marry than to burn with passion.
COMMAND TO THE MARRIED
And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife [1 Cor. 7:10–11].
Here is a commandment. Paul is putting it on the line. The wife is not to leave her husband, and the husband is not to leave his wife. If one or the other is going to leave, then they are to remain unmarried.
Now there was a new problem which presented itself in Corinth. After Paul had come and had preached the gospel to them, a husband in a family would accept Christ but the wife would not. In another family it might be that the wife would accept Christ and the husband would not. What were the believers to do under such circumstances?
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy [1 Cor. 7:12–14].
If one was married to an unsaved man or to an unsaved woman and there were children in the family, Paul said they should try to see it through. Paul says, “Stay right where you are if you can.”
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace [1 Cor. 7:15].
If the unbeliever walks out of the marriage, that is another story. Then the believer is free. Now the question which is asked is whether that one is free to marry again. I believe that under certain circumstances Paul would have given permission for that. I do not think one can put down a categorical rule either way for today. I think that each case stands or falls on its own merits. I’m afraid this can easily be abused, even by Christians. I am afraid sometimes a husband or a wife tries to get rid of the other and forces them to leave in order that they might have a “scriptural ground” for divorce.
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? [1 Cor. 7:16].
This should be the goal of the wife. I know several women who were married to unsaved men and tried to win them for Christ. This also should be the goal of the husband who is married to an unsaved woman. Winning them for Christ should be uppermost in their consideration.
But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches [1 Cor. 7:17].
Paul is advising people to stay in the situation in which they are. They are not to walk out of their marriage after they have heard and accepted the gospel. They are to stay married if the unbelieving partner will allow it.
This ought to answer the question for today. Unfortunately, there are some ministers and evangelists who have advised people who have had a divorce and have remarried to go back to their first mate after they had come to Christ. May I say, I can’t think of anything more tragic than that kind of advice. I know one woman who finally ended up in a mental institution because she followed the advice of some evangelist who told her to leave her second husband and her lovely Christian home and go back to a drunken husband whom she had previously divorced. How foolish can one be? We need to understand what Paul is saying here.
Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called [1 Cor. 7:18–20].
Paul now expands the application of this principle. It applies to other relationships in life. For instance, if when you are converted you belong to the circumcised, that is, if you are an Israelite, don’t try to become a Gentile. If you are a Gentile, don’t try to become an Israelite. Circumcision or uncircumcision is no longer important. Obedience to Christ is the issue now. The Israelite and the Gentile are one in Christ.
The whole point here is that in whatever state you find yourself when you accept Christ, stay right there. I have known many businessmen who get into some Christian organization after their conversion, and the next thing I know they come to me and say that they are thinking of giving up the business and going into full-time Christian work. My friend, if you are a successful businessman, God may have given you a gift to minister in that particular area. He may not intend for you to change and go into full-time Christian work. Let’s go on and listen to what Paul says.
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant [1 Cor. 7:21–22].
In that day there were slaves and freemen. If a person were a slave or a servant of a man, he was not to try to get loosed from that, thinking that God wanted him to be freed from his master.
I find today that there are many housewives who get the notion that they are to become great Bible teachers. They get so involved in it that they neglect their families.
I shall never forget the story I heard about the late Gypsy Smith. A woman came to him in Dallas, Texas, and said, “Gypsy Smith, I feel called to go into the ministry.” He asked her a very pertinent question (he had a way of doing that), “Are you married?” She said that she was. “How many children do you have?” She answered that she had five. He said, “That’s wonderful. God has called you into the ministry, and He has already given you your congregation!”
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men [1 Cor. 7:23].
You have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Now don’t be a slave to someone. Does this sound like a contradiction? Let me explain by an example. A cocktail waitress was converted by hearing the gospel on our radio broadcast. Everything about the Bible was brand new to her. She asked me a question about whether she should give up being a cocktail waitress because she just didn’t feel right about it. I answered her that it was up to her. I said, “That is a decision that you must make. If you have a conviction about it, then give it up. If you want to know what I think about it personally, I think you ought to give it up. However don’t give it up because I say so, but give it up if that becomes your conviction.” She did give it up and found another job within a couple of weeks. She had been bought with a price; she was not to be a servant of man.
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God [1 Cor. 7:24].
This is the important consideration. When a person is converted, whatever he is doing, wherever he is, he is to remain in that position as long as he is free in his relationship to God. God must be first. “Therein abide with God.” If his situation will not permit God to be first, then he should change the situation, as the cocktail waitress did.
CONCERNING MARRIAGEABLE DAUGHTERS
The discussion for the remainder of this chapter is an answer to the second question which the Corinthians had asked Paul and is related to the first question. Remember that all this must be interpreted in the light of what Corinth was in Paul’s day, and then it can be applied to the day in which we live. Corinth was such a corrupt place, and manhood was corrupted there. When womanhood is corrupted, manhood will descend to a low level—that has always been the story. So there was this question among Christian parents in Corinth: What should they do about their marriageable daughters? Before they were converted, their friends were drunken sots who went up to the temple of Aphrodite to the prostitutes there. What should the single Christian girls do now? Paul will deal with this question.
Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful [1 Cor. 7:25].
“Now concerning virgins”—several of the translations have it: “Now concerning virgin daughters,” which I think clarifies it. That is really what he is talking about here.
This reveals that Paul knew the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He taught. However, he specifically says here that concerning virgins he has no commandment of the Lord. “But,” he says, “I give my own judgment.” He is giving his opinion as a capable judge because he had obtained the mercy of God and he wanted to be faithful to God. In other words, he possessed the qualifications a judge should have, as he had told them in chapter 6.
I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife [1 Cor. 7:26–27].
“The present distress” was that awful situation in Corinth which Paul knew was not going to continue. Someone asked me, “Do you think this excessive immorality and this lawlessness in our nation will continue?” If it does continue, my friend, it will bring down our houses and destroy our nation—then it will be ended for sure.
Now what does he say? In he present distress, since you have come to Christ at such a difficult time, if you are bound to a wife, stay with her. If she is unsaved, stay with her as long as you can. If you are not married, then, because of the present distress with the tremendous immorality that is here, it would be best for you to remain single. Paul says this is his judgment.
But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you [1 Cor. 7:28].
Of course it is not sinful to marry. But the sea of matrimony is rough under the most favorable circumstances. He is trying to save them from much trouble. That reminds me of the country boy who was being married. The preacher said to him, “Wilt thou have this woman to be thy lawfully wedded wife?” The young fellow answered, “I wilt.” And I guess he did! In our day we are seeing the shipwreck of a growing number of marriages—even among Christians. The divorces in Southern California are now about equal in number to the marriages. That reveals we also have a “present distress.”
Now Paul goes on to discuss other things with them, all in the light of the present distress, the shortness of time, the urgency and immediacy of the hour. He mentions five things which are necessary, which are inevitable, and which are the common experience of mankind in this world. He discusses marriage, sorrow, joy, commerce, and then relation to the world in general.
Marriage is the first one he discusses. “Sure,” Paul says in effect, “it is all right to go ahead and marry, but remember that you will have trouble.” And they will. In counseling I have tried to tell young people that the romantic period will pass. When the first month’s rent comes due and there is not much money in the treasury, believe me, romance flies out the window.
But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none [1 Cor. 7:29].
Paul is saying that in spite of the stress of the times, they are to put God first. If you are married, can you act as if you are not married in that you put God first?
And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not [1 Cor. 7:30].
“And they that weep, as though they wept not.” Are you going to let some sorrow, some tragedy in your life keep you from serving God?
“And they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not.” Are you going to let pleasure take the place of your relationship to God, as many do?
“And they that buy, as though they possessed not.” Will you let your business take the place of God? Many a man has made business his god.
And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away [1 Cor. 7:31].
You and I are in the world, not of the world; but this doesn’t mean that we are to walk around with an attitude of touch not, taste not, handle not. We are to use this world. This past summer I made a trip up into the Northwest, and I stopped many times to look upon those glorious forests that they have up there. I used them—they blessed my heart. I enjoyed them. But I didn’t fall down and worship any one of those trees! We are to use the things of this world but not abuse them. We are not to substitute them for the Creator.
“The fashion of this world passeth away.” Do the things of this life control your life, or does Christ control your life? This is what Paul is talking about.
Now he goes back to a discussion of marriage.
But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord [1 Cor. 7:32].
Paul now gives some practical observations. The unmarried person doesn’t have to worry about changing the baby’s diapers or going out to buy food for the family. He or she can give his or her time to the things of God.
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife [1 Cor. 7:33].
The married man tries to please his wife. This is normal and natural, and Paul is not saying it is wrong.
There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction [1 Cor. 7:34–35].
Paul is making it very clear that the important thing is to put God first. That should be the determining factor for every person in a marriage relationship. I don’t care who you are or how spiritual you think you may be, if you are not putting God first in your marriage, then your marriage, my friend, is not the ideal Christian marriage.
He comes back to his judgment that the single person can attend upon the Lord without distraction.
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord [1 Cor. 7:39].
That is, she is to marry another Christian, of course.
But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God [1 Cor. 7:40].
Paul makes it clear again that this is his judgment, his advice. The important thing is to serve God, to put God first in your life. If a person is married, God should still be first in his life. Unfortunately, there are many Christian couples who are compatible—they are not going to the divorce court—but God does not have first place in their marriage.
In deciding your marital status, the most important consideration is not what your Christian friends will say or how society in general will regard you. The question you need to ask yourself is: In what way can I put God first in my life?
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Christian liberty regarding eating meat
We are in the section of the epistle dealing with Christian liberty, which extends from chapter 8 to the first verse of chapter 11. It touches on several aspects of Christian liberty. Chapter 8 deals with the problem of whether or not we should eat meat and the liberty that a child of God should have in this particular area.
We need to recognize as we go through this section of the epistle that Paul is writing to the Corinthians and that he has called them carnal, babes in Christ. He deals first with carnalities, and later he will deal with spiritualities. Since it is in the level of carnalities that the contemporary church lives and moves and has its being, this section is pertinent for you and me.
The subject of diet is just as controversial as marriage and divorce. Diet is a fad with many people. (Right at the moment diet is more than a fad with me, because my doctor has put me on a very strict diet.)
Diet generally is an essential part of the ritual of many of the cults and “isms.” Many of them have stringent rules about diet. It is interesting that God in the Old Testament gave Israel certain restrictions about eating meat. An edible animal had a parted hoof and chewed the cud. That eliminated the pig whose hoof is parted but does not chew the cud. There were also certain fowl and fish which were designated by name as unfit for food. You can find these listed in the Book of Leviticus and also in Deuteronomy, chapter 14.
A friend of mine, who belonged to a cult that would not eat pork, was discussing this with me one day. So I asked him, “Have you ever eaten ossifrage?” “A what?” “An ossifrage.” “Well,” he said, “I don’t even know what it is.” So I told him, “You’d better find out what it is because you may come to my house someday and I might serve you roast ossifrage, which for you would be as wrong to eat as pork.” It is amazing that the cults that place such importance on the Old Testament dietary regulations are so ignorant of the actual details.
Why did God give a special diet to Israel? He makes it very clear: “Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing” (Deut. 14:1–3). Also, I do believe that diet is important for health. God gave Israel foods that were good for them. Even doctors today prescribe diets which exclude certain foods.
The Bible puts up a red light and is very specific on many things which are wrong for us to do. For example, God condemns drunkenness. There can be no argument nor question about that. However, there is a gray area, questionable practices, doubtful things about which the Bible is silent. These are things which are neither black nor white, and the Bible doesn’t give us specific instructions. For example: Should a Christian smoke? In the South they think that mixed bathing is wrong and smoking is all right. On the West Coast boys and girls, men and women swim together without compunction, but they condemn smoking. There are different rules which have been put down by certain groups of Christians. They may be good rules or they may be bad rules—I’m not going to argue about that. What I want you to see is the great principle which Paul is laying down here.
There is another preliminary consideration which is an understanding of Corinth in Paul’s day. If you do not understand the background, you will miss the whole point of the chapter. It is this: the best place to eat in Corinth was not at the swankiest restaurant; the best place to get good meat was in the meat shop that was run by the temple.
In Corinth the people brought sacrifices of animals to offer to the idols. They would bring the best animals they had. The meat was offered to the idol, but it didn’t stay there long because they believed that the spirit of the idol ate the spirit of the animal—and that finished the meal for the idol. Then they took the meat to the shambles or stalls around the temple, which was the meat market where the meat was sold. If you wanted to buy fillet or the best steaks or the best prime rib roast in Corinth, you had to go to one of those shops at the temple to get meat which had been offered to idols.
Some of the Christians in Corinth were offended by this practice and were asking Paul about it. They would be invited out to dinner with another Christian family and would be served a lovely fillet mignon. During the course of the conversation they would say, “My, this is wonderful meat. Where did you get it?” The lady would answer that she got it at the temple meat market. This would offend the couple who felt that it was wrong to eat anything that had been offered to idols. This is the question which Paul discusses in this chapter. Should a Christian eat meat that had been offered to idols? This was a real problem to the people in Corinth, because many of them had come out of that background of idolatry, and they thought it was a compromise with idolatry. Others in the church felt that it made no difference. Let’s listen to Paul as he discusses this problem in the city of Corinth.
CHRISTIAN LIBERTY CONCERNING MEAT
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know [1 Cor. 8:1–2].
Knowledge blows up like a balloon or like an automobile tire. Love doesn’t blow up, but it fills up. Love for God and love for others should determine our conduct. Knowledge alone puffs up and tends to make us harsh in our dealings with others. This is a danger with a great many folk who feel that they have a lot of knowledge and yet in reality know very little.
Let me give an illustration. We had just concluded a service at a Bible conference in which six young men had received Christ. A man came to me and insisted that I break away from everyone else and discuss with him the subject of election (he erroneously felt that I had alluded to it in my message). I took a few moments to talk with him until I discovered that he didn’t want to discuss it; he wanted to tell me what he thought about election. I discovered that he had been reading on that subject recently and that he thought he knew everything about it. As I listened to him, I could picture myself as a young seminary student going into the office of a theological professor to tell him what I thought about election. I thought I was telling him something he didn’t know! Well, I don’t care what stage of spiritual development you are in today, you don’t know everything about any subject—and I don’t either. All of us are in the learning process. Paul could say of himself, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings …” (Phil. 3:10). It is the knowledge of Christ which we need above everything else. If the man who wanted to argue about election had been governed by love, he would have been rejoicing over the conversion of these young men and would not have taken me away from folk who needed encouragement and counsel.
Paul is saying that we have a certain knowledge and, because of that certain knowledge, our behavior is governed by it.
But if any man love God, the same is known of him [1 Cor. 8:3].
We ought to be governed by love rather than knowledge.
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one [1 Cor. 8:4].
After you have come to Christ, after you have the Word of God, you know that an idol is nothing. That is the way Paul spoke of the idols—they are nothing. There is but one God. So he says that the meat that was offered to the idol was not affected. Nothing happened to it. It was not contaminated. In fact, it was prime meat. So the instructed Christian could go there to get his meat and eat it with no problem.
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him [1 Cor. 8:5–6].
These idols were merely called gods. As I stood in the ruins of the temple of Apollo in Corinth, I thought of this passage of Scripture. I thought of all the sacrifices that had been offered to that image of Apollo there. It was nothing. The meat was brought in to the idol, put there for a little while, and then it was taken to the meat shop. It didn’t make any difference in the meat—the idol was nothing. The instructed Christian knew that. He knew there is but one God, the Father, and that there is but one Lord Jesus Christ. He made all things, and all things belong to Him.
Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled [1 Cor. 8:7].
The weak ones, the babes in Christ, the carnal Christians, these were the ones who were offended by the meat offered to idols. They did not have the knowledge. Their consciences bothered them. So they criticized the others who felt at liberty to eat the meat.
May I say that we still find the same thing today. We have people who call themselves separated Christians. They think they are being very spiritual when, actually, they are revealing that they don’t have the knowledge. They are the ones who say you can’t do this and that. They are the ones who are offended at Christians who use their Christian liberty. They are like the Christians at Corinth who were offended when they were served meat offered to idols and said, “Oh, no, we are separated. We won’t touch that meat.” That kind of separation is not due to spirituality; it is due to ignorance.
Now Paul lays down a great principle:
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse [1 Cor. 8:8].
Meat has nothing to do with our relationship to God.
You will remember that Simon Peter had trouble with this. He had been brought up to consider certain things unclean according to the Mosaic Law. When the sheet came down from heaven in his vision and the Lord told Peter to arise and eat, Peter refused. He said, “… Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean” (Acts 10:14). (He calls Him Lord at the same time that he is failing to obey Him.) Then the Lord said, “… What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (Acts 10:15). In other words, God is no longer making the distinction between the clean and the unclean animals. That is passed. Now we can eat any animal that we wish to eat.
Down in San Antonio, Texas, they can rattlesnake meat. Now if you are going to have rattlesnake for dinner, please don’t invite me to come over. This has nothing to do with religious scruples, but it has a lot to do with a weak stomach.
Paul has stated a great principle here. Meat does not commend you to God. You may do as you please in such matters. This is the liberty that a believer has.
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak [1 Cor. 8:9].
Now it is not a question of its being right or wrong to eat meat. It is a concern for others. You have the liberty to eat the meat if you want to. But what about your concern for others? You have the knowledge, but what about your love? Do you have love for your weak brother? Are you concerned how this will affect him?
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols [1 Cor. 8:10].
The reason many of us who are in Christian service do not do certain things is so that we may not offend others. Let me give an illustration. There was a time when I loved to dance. In fact, I was chairman of the dance committee of an organization before I accepted Christ. After I started studying for the ministry, I gave up dancing.
In college the president of the ministerial students was also president of the student body, and he was active in promoting dancing. Knowing I had been chairman of a dance committee, he tried to get me to help him. I told him, “No. I can’t do that.” I am not going to argue if it was right or wrong, because it is not a question of knowledge. There are many things I am at liberty to do which I do not do. Why? Well, my decision is on the basis of love. I do not want to hurt my weak brother. Because of my example, he might be out there on the floor dancing the fandango—or whatever they dance today—and I don’t want to be responsible for drawing him away from the Lord. He is a weak brother.
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? [1 Cor. 8:11].
You see, we operate on a different principle. It is not a question of an activity being right or wrong. It is a question of its effect on that weak brother or upon your neighbor. You see, knowledge, after all is a very dangerous thing.
But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ [1 Cor. 8:12].
When we are responsible for a believer falling away from Christ, we are affecting Christ Himself.
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend [1 Cor. 8:13].
Here is the motivation for action on these things. Paul will go over this same principle again in chapter 10, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Cor. 10:23).
There is no point in arguing about whether something is right or wrong. It is a question of the effect upon the weak brother. It is not a question of knowledge. All things are lawful for me. The liberty of the Christian is not pinned down by legality. He is not circumscribed by rules of conduct. His liberty is limited by love. His motivation should be not to offend the brother but to be a blessing to him. That is how to determine Christian conduct. That is the motivation for Christian conduct. My knowledge can tell me that it is perfectly all right for me to do something, but my love for the weak brother will keep me from doing it.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Christian liberty regarding service for Christ
In chapter 8 Paul dealt with the matter of Christian liberty in regard to eating meat which had been offered to idols. The principle he laid down was that in doubtful matters the motive for Christian conduct was regard for fellow believers. We won’t do anything which causes a weak brother to stumble.
This shows us that there is a limitation on our Christian liberty. This can be stated in a graphic way. You have a perfect right to swing your fist any way you want to, but where my nose begins your liberty ends.
Paul lays down this principle several times in the Epistle to the Corinthians. “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12). “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:8). “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Cor. 10:23). He goes on to say that no man should seek his own, but every man should seek the good of his neighbor. Christian liberty has its limitations for this reason.
Now Paul is going to illustrate this matter of Christian liberty in another field. He will discuss his own right as an apostle, his official right. Then he will discuss his right to be supported by the church. He had the right to expect the church to care for him and all his needs as a preacher of the gospel. He uses these personal matters to illustrate Christian liberty.
Paul first defends his official right as an apostle. Paul was in the habit of defending his apostleship because it was challenged in many places.
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? [1 Cor. 9:1].
“Am I not an apostle?” Of course the answer is, “Yes, Paul, you are an apostle.” The way this question is couched in the Greek demands a positive answer.
“Am I not free?” The answer is, “Yes, Paul, you are free.”
“Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” One qualification of an apostle was that he had personally seen Jesus Christ. Paul had satisfied that requirement.
“Are not ye my work in the Lord?” The Corinthian believers were the evidence of his apostleship.
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord [1 Cor. 9:2].
“If I be not an apostle unto others”—but he was an apostle to others. The “if” is the if of condition.
“Yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.”
As far as the Corinthian church was concerned, he didn’t have to defend his apostleship. It was evident to the Christians there that he was an apostle.
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Have we not power to eat and to drink? [1 Cor. 9:3–4].
The word for “answer” in the Greek really means defense. It is as if Paul were in court and were being charged concerning his apostleship. He is giving his defense to those who examine him. What is his defense?
“Have we not power to eat and to drink?” As an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul had a right to eat and to drink. As an apostle he had that liberty. However, that liberty is curbed and curtailed by others. He had made the bold declaration, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (1 Cor. 8:13). He had the right to eat meat, but he was not going to eat meat. Now that is an exercise of free will, isn’t it? It is free will to be able to do something and then choose not to do it. In a sense, that is a higher liberty, perhaps the highest liberty that there is. If you cannot do something, you do not do it; there is no exercise of free will in that. But if you are able to do something and then choose not to do it, that is a revelation of your free will.
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? [1 Cor. 9:5].
Evidently “the brethren of the Lord” refers to the half brothers of Jesus, James and Jude, who were apparently married. And Peter was married. They took their wives with them when they went out on their missionary journeys. Paul says that he has the same freedom, but he chose not to have a wife because he felt his ministry would be curtailed and hindered.
Today in Bible conference work if you take your wife, they wonder whether you can’t go anywhere without her. If you don’t take your wife, they wonder what is wrong. A preacher is in a bad way. When my daughter was growing up, my wife stayed at home to take care of her, and I would go alone to the Bible conferences. I would be quizzed by some of the curious saints and I would have to go into detail to explain why Mrs. McGee wasn’t with me. Now my daughter is grown and married, so my wife goes everywhere with me. Every now and then one of the saints asks, “Does your wife go with you all the time?” as if to say, “Can’t you ever get away from her?” In the ministry you will be questioned regardless of what you do.
Paul faced this same sort of thing. Paul says that he has the right to take a wife with him—he has that liberty—but he has made his decision to remain single. After all, he was a pioneer missionary, and his was a very rugged life.
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? [1 Cor. 9:6].
He is saying that he and Barnabas could stay home if they wished. In other words, “We don’t have to go as missionaries—our salvation wouldn’t be affected if we stayed home.”
Now he is going to get around to this matter of paying the preacher.
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [1 Cor. 9:7–9].
In those days an ox was used to tread out the corn. They hitched the ox to a horizontal wheel, and he walked around in a circle over the grain. This separated the grain from the chaff. Then the chaff was pitched up into the air so the wind would blow it away, and the good grain would fall down onto the threshing floor. God said they were not to muzzle the ox that was treading out the grain. Why? He was working and was to be permitted to eat the grain as he worked. That was the way God took care of the ox—He made that a law. The application is that the preacher is not to be muzzled. He is to be fed for his work.
I heard a story about a preacher in Kentucky who drove a very fine, beautiful horse, but the preacher himself was a very skinny fellow. One day one of his church officers asked him the question (which had been a matter of discussion), “How is it, preacher, that your horse is so fine looking and you are such a skinny fellow?” The preacher answered, “I will tell you. I feed my horse, and you are the ones who feed me.”
God says not to muzzle the ox that is working for you, and Paul applies that principle to pastors and teachers. God not only cares for oxen, He cares for preachers. Paul is saying that he, as an apostle who has fed others, has a right to be fed.
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? [1 Cor. 9:10–11].
Paul mentions this again in the Epistle to the Galatians. If folk have given you spiritual blessings, spiritual riches, then you should share your carnal blessings with them. I heard Torrey Johnson down in Bibletown in Florida say several times—and I think it is a good principle—that you ought to support the place where you get your blessing. Suppose you go down to eat at a certain restaurant. You don’t walk down the street and around the corner into another restaurant to pay your bill; you pay the restaurant that fed you. Yet many people do that sort of thing with their spiritual food. They get their spiritual blessings in one place, and they give their offerings in another place.
If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ [1 Cor. 9:12].
Paul has a right to be supported for his work. Yet, he doesn’t want to do anything that would hinder the gospel of Christ. Therefore he doesn’t receive any remuneration; he supports himself by plying his trade, which is tentmaking.
In our day there are many religious rackets. To say there are not is to be as blind as a bat. Unfortunately, there are men who make merchandise of the gospel of Christ—there is no doubt about it. However, it is God’s method that those who have a spiritual ministry are to be supported by those who benefit.
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? [1 Cor. 9:13].
That is God’s method.
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel [1 Cor. 9:14].
It is not wrong for the minister who has been a blessing to his people to be supported by the people. I have discovered that, when people receive a blessing, for the most part they will support the place where they get their blessing.
But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void [1 Cor. 9:15].
You see, Paul did not take a salary. He was able to say that the church in Corinth was not supporting him; he didn’t receive anything from them. Paul supported himself by tentmaking.
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! [1 Cor. 9:16].
I understand Paul’s feeling. To be frank with you, necessity is laid on me also. I dare not stop giving out the Word of God. Of course, I would not lose my salvation if I stopped, but I continue because I feel an inner compulsion, and also I love to teach and preach the gospel.
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel [1 Cor. 9:17–18].
Paul did not preach the gospel for an ulterior motive and neither do I. Yet God has promised a reward. I know we will not be disappointed.
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more [1 Cor. 9:19].
He had the freedom to make himself a servant!
Now he gives this very familiar testimony of his own ministry.
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak:I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you [1 Cor. 9:20–23].
Paul says, “I’m doing all of this because I am out on the racetrack. I am like an athlete out there running.” Running for what? A prize.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain [1 Cor. 9:24].
In an athletic event, only one can come in first. But in the spiritual race all of us can win the prize if we are getting out the Word of God.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible [1 Cor. 9:25].
The awards that God gives won’t swell your bank account down here and remain here when you leave; they will be for your eternal enrichment.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air [1 Cor. 9:26].
Paul says that he is not just shadowboxing. He is not just playing at this thing. He is not playing church. This is real.
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway [1 Cor. 9:27].
The translation “castaway” is unfortunate. The Greek word is adokimos, which means “not approved.” Paul is thinking of the judgment seat of Christ where the rewards are given. In his Second Epistle to the Corinthians he will talk about the fact that we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ where awards are given. Paul says that he is out on that racetrack trying to run so that he will get a reward. That is the reason he preaches the gospel as he does. Paul has liberty. This is the choice that he has made.
I think every Christian ought to work for a reward. We do not work for salvation; that is a gift given by the grace of God. My friend, if you are going to get a reward, you will have to work for it. If you are going to get a reward, then you had better get out on the racetrack and start moving.
CHAPTER10
Theme: Liberty is not license
We are still in the section concerning Christian liberty, which extends through this chapter and into the first verse of chapter 11. We are going to see another area of liberty illustrated through the nation Israel.
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea [1 Cor. 10:1].
“Moreover, brethren” ties into the last verse of chapter 9. Paul had just been saying that he did not want to be disapproved at the judgment seat of Christ, but he wanted to receive a reward.
“I would not that ye should be ignorant.” When Paul writes that, you can be sure that the brethren were ignorant or unaware of something he is going to explain to them. The church in Corinth was a mixed church; that is, it was made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Today a Jewish Christian is somewhat unusual, but in that day a Gentile Christian was more unusual, since the first Christians were Jews.
When Paul says, “All our fathers,” he is speaking to the Jewish part of the congregation. They, along with Paul, were Israelites and shared the same history.
“Our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea” refers, of course, to the time when the people of Israel were escaping from Egyptian bondage and crossed the Red Sea.
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
And did all drink the same spiritual drink:for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness [1 Cor. 10:2–5].
“Many of them” is in the Greek “most of them.” This shows how far a person can go and still be a believer. It reveals the wonderful liberty the Israelites had when they crossed the Red Sea. The Mosaic Law had not been given at that time; so they were not under law. They had great liberty, but they abused that liberty. Privilege is no insurance against ultimate failure. Many a rich man’s son has had to learn that. It has also been learned by many men who had certain privileges granted them in the political realm or in the business world or in the social world.
They “were under the cloud”—that is, they had guidance. They all passed safely through the sea.
They “were all baptized unto Moses.” Here we come again to that word baptized. Baptized can mean many things. I have a classical Greek lexicon which gives twenty meanings for the Greek word baptizo. Our translators never did translate the word; they merely transliterated it. They simply took the word out of the Greek and gave it an English spelling. Therefore, to try to say exactly what the writer had in mind is difficult, because the translators did not attempt to do that. They just spelled the word out. A great many folk have dogmatically narrowed down the word to one meaning.
Now baptizo means to “identify.” In fact, water baptism has that meaning, as it speaks of our identification with Christ. We are buried with Him by baptism—by the baptism of the Holy Spirit—that is what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is. He identifies us with the body of Christ—He puts us into the body as a member. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). Paul will deal with this in chapter 12.
But here we have the statement that they were “baptized unto Moses.” How were they baptized unto Moses? Don’t try to tell me that Moses had a baptismal service at the Red Sea and baptized them, because, actually, they did not get wet at all! The record in Exodus tells us that they went through the sea on dry ground. When God dried up the Red Sea for them, He dried it up—they didn’t get wet at all. They went over on dry land. The folk who really got wet were the Egyptians. They were soaked through and through. So obviously when it says they were baptized unto Moses, he is not talking about water. Neither is it the baptism of the Holy Spirit, because it says they were baptized unto Moses. Well, it simply means that they were identified with Moses. Hebrews 11:29 says, “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.” The children of Israel were identified with Moses. By faith they passed through the Red Sea. Whose faith was it? It wasn’t their faith. They had none. Read the story in Exodus—they wanted to go back to Egypt, and they were blaming Moses for bringing them out into that awful wilderness. It was Moses who had the faith. It was Moses who went down to the water and smote the Red Sea as God had commanded. It was Moses who led them across on dry ground. When they got to the other side, they sang the song of Moses (see Exod. 15). What a song it was! The people of Israel were identified with Moses.
All of this is a picture of our salvation. Christ went through the waters of death. And we are brought through by His death, identified with Him, and now identified with a living Savior, baptized into Christ. That is the way baptism saves us. When we trust Christ, the baptism of the Holy Spirit puts us in Christ.
Water baptism illustrates this and is very important, but it is merely ritual baptism. Real baptism is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now the people of Israel were baptized unto Moses, and they were able to cross the Red Sea. “And did all eat the same spiritual meat”—the manna. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ”—that is, it sets forth Christ.
“But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”
Why was all of this recorded for us? Paul tells us the reason:
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted [1 Cor. 10:6].
The first five verses give us the illustration of the liberty that these people enjoyed as a nation. Now in this very searching section we learn that these people abused their liberty. He makes an application of that for us. It happened to them for examples unto us. This was written for you and for me, and so we ought to pay close attention to it. The Israelites had this wonderful liberty, and what did they do with it?
It says that they lusted after evil things. What were those things? Well, we can turn back and see: “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a—lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (Num. 11:4–6). They lusted, we are told, after evil things. What was wrong with leeks, onions, and garlic? Well, if they ate those things they wouldn’t be very desirable companions, but the point is that they lusted for that which was outside the will of God for them. This was the beginning of their defection.
Have you noticed how many times it is desire that leads to sin? It started back in the Garden of Eden. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Gen. 3:6). It was the desire for something outside the will of God. What is desire, after all? Psychologists talk about inhibitions and prohibitions, and they speak of desire as the supreme thing in life. What is desire? In these instances it was to want that which was outside of the will of God.It wasn’t God’s will for them to have those things at that particular time.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play [1 Cor. 10:7].
An idol is anything in your life that you put in the place of God.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer [1 Cor. 10:8–10].
Paul lists some of the sins of the people. These people had continually murmured and complained against God. This is an illustration of those who want those things that are outside the will of God. God always has something good for His people. That was true then, and it is still true now. But they constantly wanted something that was beyond God’s will for them.
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come [1 Cor. 10:11].
We are to learn a lesson from all this. We do have Christian liberty, but our desires are to be according to the will of God. That is so important for us to see.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall [1 Cor. 10:12].
It makes no difference who you are, you could fall today. It would be very easy for any one of us to blunder and stumble and fall. One can be a mature Christian, a real saint, and still fall. Therefore, you and I need to be very careful that we stay in the realm of the will of God where we are not quenching the Spirit of God in our lives.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it [1 Cor. 10:13].
A great many people feel that nobody has ever been tempted as they are tempted. My friend, no matter what temptation you experience, there have been others who have had the same kind of temptation. The encouraging thing is that God will make a way of escape for you. God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can endure.
Dr. Hutton used to say it like this: “God always makes a way of escape and sometimes the way of escape is the king’s highway and a good pair of heels.” In other words, let the Devil see your heels—run as hard as you can to get away from the temptation. One of the reasons we yield to temptation is that we are like the little boy in the pantry. His mother heard a noise because he had taken down the cookie jar. She said, “Willie, where are you?” He answered that he was in the pantry. “What are you doing there?” He said, “I’m fighting temptation.” My friend, that is not the place to fight temptation! That is the place to start running.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say [1 Cor. 10:14–15].
Idolatry was a temptation in Corinth. Idolatry may not be a temptation to you, but the Bible tells us that covetousness is idolatry. There is a lot of that around today.
Paul is going on to teach that fellowship at the Lord’s Table requires separation.
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? [1 Cor. 10:16–19].
Paul’s argument here is quite logical. He says that an idol is nothing. So if you offer meat to an idol, it is nothing—the meat is not affected at all.
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils [1 Cor. 10:20].
Paul is still talking about Christian liberty. Although the idol is nothing, behind the idol is demonism—Paul recognizes this.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils [1 Cor. 10:21].
That is, for some people to eat meat which had been sacrificed to idols would be idolatry. A believer would have to examine his heart very carefully.
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? [1 Cor. 10:22].
Paul now comes back to what he said at the very beginning of this section on Christian liberty.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not [1 Cor. 10:23].
Paul says that he has the freedom to do these questionable things, things on which the Bible is silent as to their being right or wrong. For example, I think Paul would say, “If I felt that I should go to the games, I would go.” I think Paul must have attended the great Olympic events which took place in his day, because many of his illustrations are taken from athletic events that were carried on in the great Colosseum and stadiums of that day. Paul says all such things are lawful for him, but all things are not expedient because of the fact that the thing he could do might hurt a weak believer. He says, “All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” That is, they don’t “build me up in the faith.”
A young preacher once asked me, “Do you think a preacher ought to go to ball games?” He knew I didn’t go. I said this to him, “Although I always enjoyed participating in all athletic events, I’ve never been much of a spectator at any of them. I don’t have much interest in watching somebody else play football or baseball, especially when they are being paid for it. I always played for fun and enjoyed it. However, when I was in school, I read a very helpful book which pointed out that a preacher should confine his life to that which he can use in his ministry—what he sees, where he goes, what he experiences—because his total life is his ministry. Everything should be grist for his mill. In other words, a minister should take into the pulpit his entire life (he is not to have a hidden part) and be able to use all of it.” So I said to him regarding baseball, “If you can use the baseball game—and you can—there would be nothing wrong in your going. You could draw many good illustrations from a baseball game. However, it might not be expedient for you to go because it might have a bad influence on someone else.”
So Paul lays down this guideline:
Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth [1 Cor. 10:24].
The Christian has a tremendous liberty in Christ. However, we are to seek the welfare of the other man. So a Christian’s life should not be primarily directed and dictated by liberty. Liberty is limited by love. A Christian is not pinned down by legality; he is not circumscribed by strict rules. He is limited by love. He should be concerned about his influence and effect on others. That is the thought which Paul has here.
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof [1 Cor. 10:25–26].
The Christian can enjoy all the things of God’s creation—the beauties of it and the produce of it. The Lord has provided it.
Now Paul is going to give a very practical suggestion. He says that when you go out to eat, don’t say to your host, “This is a very lovely steak that you have here today. Where did you get it? My butcher doesn’t have meat like this to sell to the public.” Then your friend may tell you that he went to the temple to buy the meat. The best thing to do is not to ask where the meat came from.
Now Paul gives a very practical illustration:
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake [1 Cor. 10:27].
If you are invited to the home of an unbeliever, go and eat whatever is put before you. Don’t ask any questions.
But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof [1 Cor. 10:28].
Now there is another principle involved, and this is an entirely new matter. Paul has advised to eat everything and ask no questions. But suppose there is someone else at the table who sees you eat the meat and says, “This meat has been offered to idols.” In that case you should not eat the meat—not because eating it is wrong, but because it is obvious it may harm the person who pointed it out to you. It is not because of your conscience but because of his conscience that you should not eat the meat. There is no rule that you should not eat the meat. But out of your love, out of your desire to help that brother whose conscience is bothered, you should not eat the meat. That is the whole point.
Let me illustrate this. Down in Georgia they have a berry that is called a scuppernong. It is similar to a grape, but it grows singly on a vine. They make wine out of it. A friend of mine told me that he went to preach in a certain church and was invited out to dinner by one of the church officers. He was handed a glass of scuppernong. He didn’t know what it was, but he tasted of it. He realized that it had an alcoholic content—he is not a super pious individual, but he put the glass down. His host said to him, “What’s the matter? Don’t you like it?” He said, “I think it is delicious, but I noticed that it is wine, and I feel that I as a Christian should not drink it.” Well, that created a tense moment, but he got his point across. I feel that he did the right thing.
The question would arise: did that minister have as much right to drink it as the elder did? He did—there’s no question about that. But he also had a testimony, which is the reason he did not drink it. So many Christians are harsh in their dealing with others because their motive is legality—“I don’t do this, and you shouldn’t do it.” However, if their motive were love, the approach would be altogether different. Love for the other believer should be the motive in the Christian’s conduct.
Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? [1 Cor. 10:29].
Why should I be restricted by some of these weak brethren?
For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? [1 Cor. 10:30].
Paul asks, “Isn’t it unfair to judge me because of another man’s conscience?” He answers by stating a great principle:
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God [1 Cor. 10:31].
Paul has stated certain great principles that relate to Christian liberty. One of those principles is: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.” Also, “all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” Now here is another one: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” This is the test every believer should apply to his life. Not “should I do this, or should I do that,” but “can I do it for the glory of God?” Unfortunately, there are Christians who don’t even go to church for the glory of God. They go for some other reason—maybe to criticize or to gossip. With a motive like that it is better to stay at home. Whatever a believer does should be done for the glory of God. That is very important.
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God [1 Cor. 10:32].
Here Paul divides the whole world into three groups: Jews, Gentiles, and church of God. Some of these folks have differing beliefs. An example would be the Jewish abhorrence of pork. It would certainly give offense to invite a Jewish friend for dinner and serve him ham. A believer should love other people enough so that his actions will not offend them. There are a lot of Gentiles who have peculiar notions, too. It would be impossible to please all of them, but we should try not to offend those with whom we have contact. Neither should we offend those who are of the church of God. Some young people who were rebelling against “the establishment” came to me and said they had attended a certain church and were rebuked because of the way they dressed. They asked me if I thought the members of that church were all wrong. I told them I thought that both groups were wrong. Neither acted in love. The members of the church were wrong in criticizing them before others. On the other hand, these young folk knew their clothes and hair would be an offense to the members of the church. So none of them showed love toward the other. We are told that we are not to offend either the Jews, the Gentiles, or the church of God. This includes the entire human family. These are the three divisions of the human family today, but one of these days the church of God is going to leave this earth. Then there will be only the Jews and Gentiles in the world, and God has a tremendous program which will take place at that time.
Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved [1 Cor. 10:33].
Now primarily what we do we are to do for the glory of God—“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” A Christian woman can wash dishes and sweep the floor to the glory of God. A Christian man can mow the lawn and dig a ditch for the glory of God. Regardless of what you are doing, if you cannot do it for the glory of God, you should not be doing it. As we live like this we are a testimony to the world—that those who are lost might be saved.
Friend, it is more important for us to make tracks in the world than to give out tracts. A zealous man in Memphis, Tennessee, was handing out tracts to everyone. He handed a tract to a man, but he would not accept it. He asked, “What is that?” “A tract,” was the answer. “I can’t read,” said the man, “but I’ll tell you what I’ll do, I’ll just watch your tracks.” That is much more impressive. People read our tracks in life better than they read tracts that we hand out. It is a good thing to give out tracts, but along with them we must also make the right kind of tracks.
Now the first verse of chapter 11 belongs in this division:
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ [1 Cor. 11:1].
This is something that very few of us can say. Well, I shouldn’t include you, but it is something that I dare not say. I want you to be a follower of Christ and a follower of Paul—but don’t follow me in everything. What a tremendous testimony Paul gives in that statement!
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Women’s dress; the Lord’s Table
We have concluded the section concerning Christian liberty, which extended from chapter 8 to the first verse of this chapter. Now Paul is dealing with other matters about which the Corinthian church had written him.
Someone is probably saying, “Do you mean to say that God is giving instructions regarding trivialities like a woman’s dress? Certainly God cannot be concerned with what a woman wears or whether a man gets a hair cut!” Well, the Bible makes it clear that God is interested in what we are wearing and how we fix our hair. God says, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). This idea that only your hairdresser knows is not true; God knows, my friend. He has a great deal to say about these and related subjects. The most intimate details of our lives are under His inspection. There is probably no single item that takes up more space in newspapers, magazines, radio time, and television time than what men and women wear. The Word of God has some things to say about that, too.
WOMEN’S DRESS
Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you [1 Cor. 11:2].
Up to this point he had said, “I praise you not,” but here Paul has an item of praise for them. He praises them because they have remembered him in prayer and in their giving, and they were practicing the ordinances he had taught them.
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God [1 Cor. 11:3].
I realize full well that there are people today who like to emphasize the middle statement: “the head of the woman is the man.” But, my friend, when you put all these statements together, you don’t come up with a lopsided viewpoint. Paul is putting down another great principle here: This is authority for the sake of order, to eliminate confusion.
This principle is important in the church as well as the home. Several years ago a pastor was having trouble in his church, and I asked him what the problem was. He said it was that he had too many chiefs and not enough Indians—everyone wanted to be a leader. Today we find churches which have courses in leadership training. I’d like to know where you find that in the Bible. There are organizations which exist solely for the purpose of training young people to be public speakers. Paul says we are to “study to be quiet” (1 Thess. 4:11). I wish we could put the emphasis where the Bible puts it. We don’t need all this leadership training. We need folk who will act and live like Christians. That is the important thing.
The important word here is head. “The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” The head is that portion of the body that gives the direction.
This verse does not say that the head of every Christian man is Christ. The word man is generic—it is a general item. It says the head of every man is Christ. It is the normal and correct order for Christ to be the head of every man. Until a man is mastered by Christ, he is not a normal man. Some men are mastered by drink; some are mastered by passion; most are mastered by the flesh. Every man should be mastered by Christ. Augustine said, “The heart of man is restless until it finds its rest in thee” (Confessions, Bk. 1, sec. 1). The heart of man is restless until he makes Christ the head. Men who have accomplished great things for God have done this. I think of Martin Luther and Wilberforce and Augustine who were profligate until they were mastered by Christ. I hear it said of a man today, “He is a Christian man.” Is he mastered by Christ? That is the important thing, and that is what Paul is saying.
“The head of the woman is man”—there is no article in the Greek, it is not the man. Notice it is not every woman; it is not an absolute. It refers to marriage where the woman is to respond to the man. It is normal for the woman to be subject to the man in marriage. If a woman cannot look up to a man and respect him, she ought not to follow him and surely ought not to marry him. But a real woman responds with every fiber of her being to the man she loves. He, in turn, must be the man who is willing to die for her—“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25).
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan told about a friend of his and his wife’s who was a very brilliant woman. She had a strong personality, was an outstanding person, and was not married. He asked her one day the pointed question, “Why have you never married?” Her answer was, “I have never found a man who could master me.” So she never married. May I say that until a woman finds that man, she would make a mistake to get married. If she marries a Mr. Milquetoast, she will be in trouble from that day on.
“The head of Christ is God.” There is a great mystery here. Jesus said, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), but He also said, “… for my Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). In the work of redemption, He voluntarily took a lower place and was made lower than the angels. He walked a lowly path down here. We are admonished, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:5–7).
Now Paul is going to apply this principle of headship to the situation in Corinth. An unveiled woman in Corinth was a prostitute. The situation in your church or in your community may be different than it was in Corinth, but there is a principle here and it still applies today.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head [1 Cor. 11:4].
The rabbis of that day taught that a man was to cover his head. Paul says that they actually misinterpreted Moses and the reason for the veil. “And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished” (2 Cor. 3:13). This refers to an experience Moses had when he came down from the mount where he had communed with God. When he first came down, the skin of his face shone, but after awhile that glory began to disappear. Therefore, he covered his face so they wouldn’t discover the glory was disappearing (see Exod. 34:33–35).
Paul is saying to the men that they ought not to cover their heads. A man created in the image of God, who is in Christ by redemption, is to have his head uncovered as a symbol of dignity and of liberty. He is not to be covered when he prays or when he prophesies. When he is praying, he is speaking for man to God, making intercession. When he is prophesying, he is speaking for God to man. Whenever he is standing in these two sacred, holy positions he is to have his head uncovered.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven [1 Cor. 11:5].
They had a women’s liberation movement going in Corinth centuries ago, and it was going in the wrong direction. Paul says that the man should have his head uncovered but that the woman should have her head covered.
I want you to note that it says “every woman that prayeth or prophesieth,” which means that a woman can pray in public and it means she can speak in public. Folk who maintain that the Bible says a woman cannot do these things are entirely wrong. The woman has the right to do these things if God has given her that gift. Some women have the gift.
I know several women today who are outstanding Bible teachers. They can out-teach any man. One preacher told me this very candidly, “My wife is a much better Bible teacher than I am.” An officer of the church said they would much rather hear her speak than hear him speak. She had the gift of teaching.
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered [1 Cor. 11:6].
This had a peculiar and particular application to Corinth. The unveiled woman in Corinth was a prostitute. Many of them had their heads shaved. The vestal virgins in the temple of Aphrodite who were really prostitutes had their heads shaved. The women who had their heads uncovered were the prostitutes. Apparently some of the women in the church at Corinth were saying, “All things are lawful for me, therefore, I won’t cover my head.” Paul says this should not be done because the veil is a mark of subjection, not to man, but to God. Now this had a local application; it was given to the women in Corinth. Does it apply to our day and society? Well, I have heard that a new hat is a morale builder for women. A wife said to her husband, “Every time I get down in the dumps, I go and buy a new hat.” His response was, “I have been wondering where you got those hats!” Seriously, regulations for a woman’s dress are in regard to her ministry. If she is to lead, she ought to have her head covered. Other passages will give us more information about this. “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works” (1 Tim. 2:8–10). This states that if the woman is to lift up holy hands in the service in leading, she is not to adorn herself to draw attention to herself. Very candidly, it means that the woman is not to use sex appeal in the service of God. That is exactly what it means, my friend. She is not to use sex appeal at—all it will not win her husband to Christ either.
The Bible has more to say on this subject. “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives …. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Pet. 3:1, 3–4). God is saying that a wife cannot win her husband to Christ by sex appeal. This does not mean that she is not to be appealing to her husband, but it does mean that a woman never wins her husband to Christ by sex appeal. There are women in the Bible who had sex appeal: Jezebel, Esther, Salome. Then there are some who stand out in Scripture as being wonderful, marvelous, godly women whom God used: Sarah, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, and Mary the mother of Jesus. Then there is also something said to the husbands. “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7). Many a family today have their prayers hindered because the husband and wife are not getting along as they should.
Now Paul goes back to the principle he laid down for men in verse 4.
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man [1 Cor. 11:7–9].
The woman’s place is to be a helpmeet to the man. She is to be the other part of him. No man is complete without a woman except where God has given special grace to a man for a special work. Listen to the next verse.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels [1 Cor. 11:10].
Now here is a reference to angels that I don’t understand. I am of the opinion that we are being observed by God’s created intelligences. We are on a stage in this little world, and all God’s created intelligences are watching us. They are finding out about the love of God, because they know we are not worthy of the love of God. They probably think God would have done well to have gotten rid of us because we are rebellious creatures in His universe. But He didn’t! He loves us! That display of His love is in His grace to save us. The angels probably marvel at His grace and patience with little man.
Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord [1 Cor. 11:11].
The power of the woman is to hold her man because she is a woman. The man holds his woman because he is a man. This is the marriage relationship as God ordained it. When that relationship doesn’t exist, then God’s ideal is lost.
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God [1 Cor. 11:12].
They are inseparable. Man is not a sphere but a hemisphere; woman is not a sphere but a hemisphere. It is nonsense for either men or women to talk about liberation. The man needs the woman, and the woman needs the man. This is true liberty in the glorious relationship of marriage.
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? [1 Cor. 11:13].
A woman ought not to call attention to herself when she is speaking for the Lord or teaching a Bible class or praying. There should be no sex appeal. Also, she needs to remember that her sex appeal is a tremendous thing which has the power to either lift a man up or drag him down.
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? [1 Cor. 11:14].
As I write this, long hair is a fad among men. Men who let their hair grow so long that you can hardly recognize them seem to me to be expressing a lack of purpose in life. I wonder if it is a movement toward the animal world. Notice that Paul asks, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” We have an example of this in the Old Testament. The Nazarite vow was an act of consecrating oneself to God. It was symbolized by long, uncut hair. This meant that a Nazarite was willing to bear shame for God’s name. Even at that time men’s long hair was considered shameful.
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering [1 Cor. 11:15].
Now it is true that today we have liberty in Christ. The length of the hair is really not so much the issue as the motive behind it. Many men wear long hair as a sign of rebellion, and many women cut their hair as a sign of rebellion. Our moral values get turned upside down, and there is a danger of being an extremist in either direction.
Extremism leads to strange behavior like the lady who went to the psychiatrist because her family had urged her to go. The psychiatrist asked her, “What really seems to be your trouble?” She said, “They think it is strange that I like pancakes.” He answered, “There is nothing wrong in liking pancakes. I like pancakes myself.” So she said, “You do? Well, come over sometime; I have trunks filled with them!” You see, my friend, you can be an extremist in that which is a normal thing.
Now Paul says that it is not really the haircut or the style of the dress that is of utmost importance.
But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God [1 Cor. 11:16].
Paul concludes by saying that the church ought not to make rules in connection with the matter of women’s dress or men’s hair. The really important issue is the inner man. It is the old nature which needs a haircut and the robe of righteousness. My friend, if we are clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness and if our old nature is under the control of the Holy Spirit, that will take care of the outer man. The haircut and the style of clothes won’t make much difference. Paul is saying that he is not giving a rule to the churches. He just states what is best in his opinion. We should remember that in all our Christian liberty we are to think of others and of our testimony to others. We should be guided by the principles he has laid down: to glorify God, and not to offend others.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
Now we move to a new topic, and it seems we go from one extreme to the other—from hair and dress to the, Lord’s Supper. This is probably the most sacred part of our relationship to God. I am confident that the Lord’s Supper is something that is greatly misunderstood in our churches. As a result, it is almost blasphemy the way it is observed in some places. Paul is going to say here that God judges us in the way that we observe the Lord’s Supper. Actually, among the Corinthians some were sick and some had died because of the way they observed it. They did not discern the body of Christ. I wonder whether we discern the body of Christ today. Most, of us observe the method that is used. We note every detail of the ritual, but do we really discern the body of Christ in the Lord’s Supper?
The Lord’s Supper is the highest expression and the holiest exercise of Christian worship. In Corinth it had dropped to such a low secular level that they were practically blaspheming it. I would have included this section in the “spiritual” division of this epistle except for the fact that Paul is dealing with a very bad situation in Corinth. Therefore, I place it in the “carnal” division of the epistle.
Three of the four Gospels record the institution of the Lord’s Supper, and it is repeated in this epistle. It is interesting that nowhere are we commanded to remember the Lord’s birthday, but we are requested and commanded that those who are His own should remember His deathday.
Paul attached the utmost importance to the Lord’s Supper. In verse 23 he says, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread.” Paul received this by direct revelation: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). Paul received a direct revelation of the gospel and a direct revelation of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord gave him special instructions concerning it—remember that Paul was not in the Upper Room at the institution of the Lord’s Supper.
I admit that it is rather difficult to see the connection of what Paul says to the Corinthian church with our celebration of the Lord’s Supper. There is no exact parallel, because the situations are not similar. In that day the Lord’s Supper was preceded by a social meal. It was probably celebrated in the homes and celebrated daily. Acts tells us, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:46–47).
Aristides, an Athenian philosopher who lived in the early part of the second century, describes the way the Christians of his day lived: “Every morning and all hours and on the account of the goodness of God towards them they praise and laud Him…. And if any righteous person of their number passes away from the world they rejoice and give thanks to God…. If a child chance to die in its infancy they praise God mightily, as for one who has passed through this world without sin.” That is the statement from one who was not a member of the church but observed it from the outside in the second century.
The church in Corinth followed the procedure of having a meal in connection with the Lord’s Supper. After all, the Passover was that kind of celebration in the Upper Room. After our Lord had celebrated the Passover supper, He took bread and broke it. On the dying embers of a fading feast, He did something new. Out of the ashes of that dead feast, He erected a new monument, not of marble or bronze, but of simple elements of food.
Today we have a custom among churches, clubs, fraternities, banks, and insurance companies of getting together and having a meal and a time of fellowship together. A great many folk criticize church banquets, and I have too, when they center only on the physical man. In the early church they had these dinners for fellowship, and they were called an agape or “love feast.” This was a part of the fellowship of the church, the koinonia. In that day the social gathering led right into the Lord’s Supper. It was kept separate, but the agape always preceded the Eucharist. Later on these feasts were separated, and they are not practiced like that today. We do not have a “love feast” or dinner which precedes the Lord’s Supper.
Because of the separation, we do not duplicate the bad situation that prevailed in the Corinthian church. However, there are certain lessons here for us.
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse [1 Cor. 11:17].
The word declare is actually a command, and unto you in the Authorized Version is in italics, which means it is not in the original text. It should be “Now in this I command, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.” In other words, they should have come together for a great spiritual blessing, but it didn’t amount to that.
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it [1 Cor. 11:18].
He is not talking about an edifice, a building. He is talking about when the believers come together—that is the true church. Today when we speak of a church, we always identify a building as the church. We think of the Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Presbyterian church, or the independent church down on the corner. The chances are that those buildings are closed and nobody is there. The building is not the church—it is just a building. The church is the people. It is difficult for us to think in a context like that.
When the Corinthian believers came together, the divisive or party spirit that we saw in chapter 1 was carried over into the Lord’s Supper. That division was there.
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you [1 Cor. 11:19].
This helps to explain the cults and “isms” such as we have in Southern California. Why does God permit them? Let me give you an illustration. Have you ever noticed when a woman is cooking something and there is an accumulation on the top that she skims it off? Well, that is what God does. To tell the truth, I think the churches are filled with unbelievers today. A large percentage of the people in the churches are not saved at all. They are just members of a church. The Lord skims them off. How does He do that? Well, they go off into the cults and the “isms.” That is what Paul is saying here: “There must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” Heresy comes along in these cults or “isms,” and a lot of people go out of the churches and flock to them. The Lord is skimming them off so that those who are genuine may be revealed.
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper [1 Cor. 11:20].
The “this,” which is in italics in the Authorized Version, is not in the original. He is saying, “When ye come together into one place, it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper.” It is impossible for them to celebrate the Lord’s Supper because of the way that they conducted the feast which preceded it. Under such circumstances they couldn’t celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken [1 Cor. 11:21].
What a comment that is! Some poor fellow would come to the dinner, and he couldn’t even bring a covered dish of scalloped potatoes. He was that poor. And he was hungry. Next to him would sit a rich fellow who had fried chicken and ice cream, and he wouldn’t pass one bit of food to the poor fellow who was hungry. The fellowship was broken. There could not be fellowship when there was a situation like that.
And then there was something else.
What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not [1 Cor. 11:22].
If they were not going to share in true fellowship, they should have eaten at home. What they were doing was fracturing and rupturing the church. And some were actually getting drunk during this agape love feast. They were in no condition to remember the death of Christ at all. It would all be fuzzy and hazy to them. Paul says again, “Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.”
THE REVELATION TO PAUL
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread [1 Cor. 11:23].
Sometimes people say they want to celebrate the Lord’s Supper exactly as the Lord did—then they have it at an eleven o’clock morning service. If you want to have it at the time the Lord had it, it must be at night. They went in at night to eat the Passover supper, and it was at that supper that the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper.
It was the very same night in which He wa betrayed. At that supper He took bread.
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me [1 Cor. 11:24].
Paul wasn’t present in the Upper Room. He got this as a direct revelation from the Lord. It was the night when the forces of hell met to destroy our Savior. I think the simplicity and the sublimity and the sanity of this supper is tremendous.
Notice that it says, “when he had given thanks.” He gave thanks that night while the shadow of the cross hung over the Upper Room. Sin was knocking at the door of the Upper Room, demanding its pound of flesh. And He gave thanks. He gave thanks to God.
Then, “he brake it.” There has always been a difference of opinion among believers, on that. Do you break the bread, or do you serve it as it is? The Roman Catholics break it, the Lutherans do not, and most Protestant churches do not.
In several churches in which I served I instituted an evening communion, because the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper at night. I also tried something else. I asked the one who served the bread to the congregation to take a piece and break it before them. That spoke of the broken body of our Lord.
The breaking of the bread also indicates that this is something that is to be shared. Bengal made this statement: “The very mention of the breaking involves distribution, and rebukes the Corinthian plan of every man his own.”
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me [1 Cor. 11:25].
The bread speaks of His broken body; the cup speaks of the New Covenant. Have you noticed that it is called the cup? (It is also called the fruit of the vine in some instances, but it is never called wine). Have I heard that argued! “Should we have fermented or unfermented wine for the Lord’s Supper?” That is baby talk to ask questions like that. My friend, we can know it was unfermented. This is Passover, the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Do you think that they had unleavened bread and leavened grape juice (wine is leavened grape juice)? The whole business was unleavened—it had to be at the Passover feast. But the interesting thing is that here Jesus calls it the cup. His body was the cup that held the blood. He was born to die and to shed that blood. Again and again the apostles remind us that we have forgiveness of sins because of the blood, that He has extended mercy to us because of the blood. He did not open the back door of heaven and slip us in under cover of darkness. He brings us in the front door as sons because the penalty of sin was paid when the demands of a holy God were met. Let’s not forget that, my beloved, in this day when the notion is that God can shut His eyes to sin and do nothing about it. He has done something about it. This is the cup; it holds the blood of the New Covenant.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come [1 Cor. 11:26].
Paul here adds something new. In 1 Corinthians he is always opening up a door or raising a shade, letting us see something new. Here it is “till he come.” When we observe the Lord’s Supper, that table looks in three different directions. (1) It is a commemoration. He repeats, “This do … in remembrance of me.” This table looks back over nineteen hundred years to His death upon the cross. He says, “Don’t forget that. It is important.” That is to the past. (2) This table is a communion (sometimes we call it a communion service). It speaks of the present, of the fact that today there is a living Christ, my beloved. (3) It is a commitment. It looks to the future—that He is coming again. This table won’t last forever; it is temporary. After the service it is removed, and we may not celebrate it again because we just do it until He comes. It speaks of an absent Lord who is coming back. It looks to the future.
The Lord Jesus Christ took these frail elements—bread and grape juice, which will spoil in a few days, the weakest things in the world—and He raised a monument. It’s not of marble, bronze, silver, or gold; it is bread and juice—that’s all. But it speaks of Him, and it tells me that I am responsible for His death.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body [1 Cor. 11:27–29].
What does he mean to “discern” the Lord’s body? Looking back in church history you will find that the churches had a great problem in determining the meaning of this. What does it mean to discern the Lord’s body? The answer of the Roman Catholic church is that transubstantiation takes place, that when the priest officiates at the altar, the bread actually becomes the body of Christ, also that the juice actually becomes the blood of Christ. If this were true, to eat it would be cannibalism. (Thank the Lord, it does not change; it is still bread and juice). But they were wrestling with the problem. How do you discern the Lord’s body in this? In the Lutheran church (Martin Luther didn’t want to come too far, as he had been a Roman Catholic priest), it is consubstantiation. That is, it is in, by, with, through, and under the bread that you get the body of Christ. It is not the body, but it is the body. You can figure that one out—I can’t. Then Zwingli, the Swiss Reformation leader, came all the way. He said it was just a symbol. And the average Protestant today thinks that is all it is, a symbol. I disagree with that explanation as much as I do with the other two. It is more than a symbol.
Follow me now to the Emmaus road, and I think we shall find there recorded in Luke’s gospel, chapter 24, what it means to discern Christ’s body and His death.
Two of Jesus’ disciples, two believers, are walking home after having witnessed the terrible Crucifixion in Jerusalem and the events that followed it. Are they down in the dumps! As they walk along discussing these things, our resurrected Lord joins them and asks what they are talking about that makes them so sad. Thinking Him to be a stranger, they tell Him about Jesus’ being condemned to death and crucified and about the report of the women who went to the tomb. “And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he [Christ] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.” He acted as if He were going through the town without stopping. “But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” It was dangerous to walk those highways at night.
“And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them ….” A few days before He had eaten the Passover with His own, now these are two other disciples, and here is the first time after His resurrection He is observing the Lord’s Supper.“And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.” Wasn’t that wonderful to have Him present for the meal! In the meal He takes the bread, He breaks it, He blesses it, He gives it to them. “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us …” (Luke 24:24–32). He had a meal with them. Then what did He do? He revealed Himself. That was the Lord’s Supper.
Oh, friend, when you observe the Lord’s Supper, He is present. Yes, He is! This is not just a symbol. It means you must discern the body of Christ. You have bread in your mouth, but you have Christ in your heart. May God help us to so come to the table that Jesus Christ will be a reality to us. God forgive us for making it a dead, formal ritual!
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [1 Cor. 11:30].
They suffered sickness and death. Why? Because they had participated in the Lord’s Supper unworthily—that is, in an unworthy manner.
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world [1 Cor. 11:31–32].
This is talking about believers. We can judge ourselves when we are wrong. If we don’t, He will judge us. When we are judged of the Lord, we are chastened so that we shall not be condemned with the world. He is going to judge the world in the future. Therefore He has to deal with His own now.
Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come [1 Cor. 11:33–34].
There were other things wrong in the Corinthian church, but Paul is not going to write about them now. He says that he will straighten out those things when he gets there.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Endowment of gifts
The first section of 1 Corinthians had to do with carnalities, as we have seen. Chapter 12 begins a new section which deals with spiritualities. And the first three chapters concern spiritual gifts: chapter 12, the endowment of gifts; chapter 13, the energy of gifts; chapter 14, the exercise of gifts.
GIFTS ARE GIVEN TO MAINTAIN UNITY IN DIVERSITY
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant [1 Cor. 12:1].
Notice that in the text of your Bible the word gifts is in italics, which means that word is not in the original. It was added for the sake of clarity; but, very frankly, I don’t think adding the word clarified anything. Actually, it has added confusion. In The Revised Standard Versionit is spiritual gifts; in The New English Bible it is gifts of the Spirit; in The Berkeley Translation it is spiritual endowments. The Scofield Reference Bible has a good footnote about this.
The Greek word is pneumatika, which literally means “spiritualities.” It is in contrast to carnalities. One does not need to add the word “gifts.” Back in the third chapter Paul was discussing the divisions among the Corinthian believers, and he wrote, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1). That first section is about carnalities, because their questions were about carnalities and the things that carnal Christians would be interested in. The carnalities had to do with their divisions, their wrangling about different leaders, about adultery, about going to court against a brother, the sex problem, women’s dress and men’s haircuts, the love feast, gluttony and drunkenness at the Lord’s Supper. That is all carnality, and we can find the same things in the church today. The section on carnalities was corrective.
Now we come to the section on spiritualities, and this is constructive. Paul was glad to change the subject; I think he heaved a sigh of relief when he got here to chapter 12. He was willing to discuss the other problems with them, but he really wanted to talk to them about the spiritualities.
The modern church needs to change the same old subjects which are discussed. In a very sophisticated manner Christian educators say that we should tell our young people about sex. Friend, we had better tell them about spiritual things. There are so many programs in the churches that the young people never get anywhere near the Bible. They have conferences on whatever carnality is the popular issue or the fad for the moment. All of that is a sign of carnality.
In this section Paul will touch on three subjects: the unifying Spirit, the law of love, and the triumph the believer has in the Resurrection. The gifts of the Spirit just happen to be one of the spiritualities, by the way.
Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led [1 Cor. 12:2].
The idols were voiceless, dumb idols. Remember that previously Paul said the idols are “nothings.” That is why the meat offered to the idols was not contaminated. The idols were nothing. Unfortunately, everyone doesn’t quite understand that. Back in Psalm 115:5 the psalmist says, “They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not.” This is what Habakkuk wrote: “What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?” (Hab. 2:18).
The very interesting thing is that he is going to talk about the gifts that the living God gives to believers. So first he reminds them how they formerly were carried away unto these dumb idols.
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost [1 Cor. 12:3].
Here is a great truth, an absolute verity of the Christian life: the lordship of Jesus Christ. “No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed.” You cannot belittle Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God. It won’t work. Also, “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy [Spirit] Ghost.” Oh, of course we can pronounce the word Lord. But remember what the Lord Jesus said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:21–23). Why will that be? Because their profession is on the surface. The Lord Jesus was not their Lord.
Making Jesus Lord is a conviction of the soul. What is the central truth of the Christian faith? There are those who say it is the cross of Christ, but I rather disagree with that. Although we come to the Cross to be saved, we do not stay at the Cross. We become united to the living Christ. That is the thing which is all important.
Listen to the way Simon Peter concluded his message on the Day of Pentecost: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). He is the Lord. He is sovereign. His sovereignty is the important thing in the Christian life.
The Holy Spirit commands the soul’s obedience and allegiance to Jesus. The true church is made up of those who have gathered around that truth as interpreted by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit interprets the lordship of Jesus to my life. Remember the great question which Jesus asked, “… whom say ye that I am?” (Matt. 16:15). Jesus is still asking that same question. You may be of any occupation, any color, any status in life—whoever you are, wherever you are, however you are—Jesus asks you, “Whom say ye that I am?” He asked His disciples that question, and Simon Peter spoke for the group. He said, “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). He is the Anointed One. He is the King. He is the Lord. No man is fit to serve Christ’s church unless he has been mastered by Jesus Christ. We have seen that earlier in this epistle. Now Paul emphasizes that again.
The unifying work of the Holy Spirit today is to reveal the lordship of Jesus to all believers. Within this unity there is diversity of gifts.
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit [1 Cor. 12:4].
There is a distribution of gifts. In order to have the unity, He gives different gifts to different individuals. The Greek word for “gifts” is charisma. Some people try to make this word apply to tongues, and they speak of the charismatic movement. This reveals their ignorance, as the word refers to all the gifts which the Holy Spirit gives to the believers in the church.
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord [1 Cor. 12:5].
That is, there are diversities of ministrations, but the same Lord—the Lord Jesus Christ. It doesn’t make any difference which gift you may have. It is the Lord Jesus who is using that gift, and He is using it for His glory.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all [1 Cor. 12:6].
There are diversities of operations—that is, of the energy. But it is the same God who works in all, and He is the One who works in the believer.
This reminds us that there is but one God—but He is a Trinity. The Trinity works together; there is a unity. But there is a diversity in unity. Notice this: The Holy Spirit bestows the gifts; the Lord Jesus Christ administers the gifts—they are under His direction; the Father God supplies the power, and He energizes the gifts. All of this is for the one purpose of exalting and glorifying the lordship of Jesus Christ.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal [1 Cor. 12:7].
First of all, let’s define a gift. What is a gift of the Spirit? It is a capacity for service. It is a function. This is Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer’s definition: “A gift in the spiritual sense means the Holy Spirit doing a particular service through the believer and using the believer to do it.” To this I would like to add that it must be done in the power of the Spirit of God. To make this personal: I am nothing, I have nothing, I am of no use to God or man. That is not a pious platitude; it is a fact. But He gave me a gift, and I’m to exercise that gift. That is, I believe, the only way the Spirit of God will manifest Himself in my life.
“The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” “Manifestation of the Spirit”—that is what a gift is. A gift is the manifestation of the Spirit.
This does not necessarily mean the exercise of a natural gift. For example, a woman has a gift of singing. She has a marvelous voice. But if she does not sing in the power of the Holy Spirit, God can’t use it—and He doesn’t use it. This is the reason that music in the average contemporary church has sunk to such a low level. Musicians think that all they need is talent and training. They think if they have that, they have it made, and the Lord can’t get along without them. The fact of the matter is that He can get along better without them. I have been in many, many places across the country and have ministered in many pulpits. I have learned much through the years, and I can tell when a musician is adding to the service or detracting from it. I have had the experience of hearing a solo sung immediately before the message that absolutely ruined the message before I even stood to my feet. I have felt like getting up, pronouncing the benediction, and going home. Now let me make it very clear that I believe the Holy Spirit can use the natural ability of a believer if the believer will let Him do it. But natural talent alone is nothing unless it is under the control of the Holy Spirit.
There are those who have no particular natural talent. They say that since they can’t sing in the choir or teach in the Sunday school, there is nothing for them to do but to sit in the pew. That is one of the most tragic mistakes made in the church.
This verse tells us that every believer has a gift. Every believer! “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
The word for “man” in the Greek is anthropoµs, which is a generic term and actually means man or woman, boy or girl. It doesn’t make any difference who you are. If you are a child of God, you have a gift. You have been put into the body of believers as a member of the body, and you are to function as a member of the body of Christ.
“The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” What is the purpose of the gift? It is to build up the church, the body of believers. It is not to be exercised selfishly, but is to give spiritual help to other believers.
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit [1 Cor. 12:8].
“Wisdom” means insight into truth. I do not think everyone can come to an understanding of the Bible, which is the reason we need teachers, and the Spirit of God has given us teachers. “Wisdom” is insight into the truth of the Word of God. “Knowledge” means to investigate or to dig into the truth. Many people simply do not have the time to dig into the Word of God, to dig out the nuggets. One man who supports our radio program very generously says, “I’m just paying for the nuggets that you deliver to me.” As a businessman and executive he does not have hours and hours to study. I don’t think God is asking him to do that. He supports the program, and I do the digging for him. I think that is my gift. So he and I are working together as partners, each exercising his own gift. This is very practical.
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit [1 Cor. 12:9].
Faith, we are told in the Scriptures, is the substance of things hoped for. That is a gift. Some people have the gift of faith.
I have a combination of Scottish and German blood in me. When you get that combination, it’s bad. I have pessimist blood in me, and I look at everything from that point of view. In every church in which I served, God gave me several people who had the gift of faith. Many a time an officer has come and put his arm around my shoulder and said, “Look, preacher, this thing is going to come through just right.” And you know, it did. He had the faith; I didn’t. Faith is a gift of the Spirit.
“To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit.” That means that the sick were healed by the laying on of hands. I believe this was a gift given to the apostles and to men in the early church. I don’t think that gift is needed today. We should take our case directly to the Great Physician. We don’t need to go through a man or woman down here and ask them to pray for us or lay their hands on us. Take your case directly to Him.
Remember that the centurion came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant. He didn’t ask Jesus to lay hands on his servant. He simply asked Jesus to say the word and his servant would be healed. He had faith, such faith that Jesus marveled at him and said, “… I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Luke 7:9). So take your case directly to the Great Physician. It reveals a lack of faith in Him to go to a so-called healer.
I believe that the Holy Spirit gives certain gifts that are peculiar for specific ages. No one today has the same gift that Martin Luther had in his day. I think the Spirit of God gives gifts to the body of Christ so that it might function in the age in which it finds itself in order that the whole body might profit from it.
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues [1 Cor. 12:10].
“The working of miracles” is to do supernatural things. There were miracles in the apostolic age, but today we are seeing greater things. When Jesus was here and He spoke a word to a person—like the woman at the well or to Nicodemus—and that person was converted, I don’t marvel at that. But when I speak the Word or you speak the Word and somebody is saved, that is a greater work.
To “prophesy” means to declare the will of Christ. That is, to prophesy is to preach the Word of God. We need people today who are willing to do that. We need people who will speak the Word of God and then trust God to use that Word through His Spirit.
The “discerning of spirits” means the ability to distinguish between the false and the true.I am convinced that I do not have that gift at all. I have been deceived probably more than any preacher ever has been deceived. I have trusted men—certain preachers and certain church officers—and thought they were genuine; yet they have let me down horribly. I have been deceived by liars and dishonest folk whom I thought to be wonderful people. On the other hand, you find some people who have discerning of spirits. My wife has been a great help to me in this connection. She tells me, “Now you be careful there, watch out for that individual,” or, “I think this one is a very wonderful person.” She is generally right, and I am generally wrong. She has the discerning of spirits.
Another gift is “kinds of tongues” (the word divers is not in the original). Are these unknown tongues? No, you do not find unknown tongues in Scripture. These are known languages. There are still many, many languages into which the Bible has not been translated. Instead of wasting time trying to invent an unknown language, let’s get the gospel translated into these known languages that don’t have it yet. Some folk have the gift of translating.
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will [1 Cor. 12:11].
The Holy Spirit is sovereign in all this. However, we do have the right to pray for the best gifts, which is what Paul is going to tell these Corinthians. They were carnal Christians, living on a very low spiritual level. They were fascinated by the tongues movement. That is why Paul is discussing it in this epistle. He was trying to correct the things that were wrong in the Corinthian church, and there were many things wrong. He is showing them that there are many gifts and that the Holy Spirit distributes to each one individually as He wills.
MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN BODY COMPARED TO GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ [1 Cor. 12:12].
In the consideration of this passage let us drop down to include two other verses: “But now are they many members, yet but one body” (v. 20) and “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (v. 27). Paul is using a comparison to the human body. As one body has many members performing different functions, so the members of the church need to perform different functions. The human body has many members, hundreds, even thousands of members. In the church, the body of Christ, there are many gifts, hundreds, probably thousands of gifts.
On a hunting trip I stepped off a cliff and hurt my foot. When I went to the doctor, I asked him how many bones were in the foot. He told me there were twenty-seven. I said, “I think I hurt all twenty-seven of them!” “No,” he said, “you hurt only one.” Now I tell you, I may have hurt only one of them, but my whole foot was painful. When one member suffers, they all suffer.
The body is composed of many members.There are the bones and muscles, the glands and the organs, the nerves and the blood vessels. On one occasion, after I had spoken at a baccalaureate service in a prep school in Atlanta, Georgia, I went to a doctor’s home for dinner. He asked me if I knew which was the most important part of my body while I had been speaking. I guessed it was my tongue.“No,” he said, “the most important part of your body today was a member that no one was conscious of. It was your big toe. If you didn’t have a couple of big toes, you wouldn’t have been able to stand up there at all.”
I have thought a great deal about that. Suppose when I would go somewhere to preach, my big toe would rebel and say, “Look here, I refuse to go. I’ve been going with you for years and you have never called attention, to me. People see your lips and tongue and your face, but they don’t ever see me. Why don’t you ever take off your shoe and sock and let them get a look at me sometime?” Well, now, I don’t think folk would be interested in seeing my big toe—it is not very attractive. In fact, it is unattractive, yet it is an important part of my body.
There are many members in the body of Christ. Some of them we don’t ever see. Some of the most important members in churches where I have served have been men and women whom the church knew nothing about. They weren’t the officers or the Sunday school teachers or the soloist or the preacher. They were quiet, unobtrusive folk who prayed and who exercised their gift of faith.
Now how does a person get into this body of believers?
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit [1 Cor. 12:13].
This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who puts us into the body of believers and who gives a gift to each particular member. We are to function in that body, and we are to use that gift. It may be that we are the “big toes” with an unseen but important ministry. We each have a gift, and we are each to function.
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? [1 Cor. 12:14–17].
Suppose there would be a return of the gift of tongues such as there was in the apostolic times. It still would be true that not everyone would speak in tongues. The analogy is to our bodies. Our bodies are not all tongue. (I have met a few people who seemed to be all tongue, but they are exceptions!) The Holy Spirit is not going to give the same gift to every person. Like the human body, there need to be eyes and ears and feet and hands. Different people are given different gifts by the Spirit of God so that the body of Christ can function in all its necessary capacities.
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him [1 Cor. 12:18].
God is the One who sovereignty gives the gifts, and He gives them as it pleases Him. He is the One to be pleased, you see. These gifts are in the body so that the body can function.
A man in one of my congregations had an unusual gift. He was not an usher, but he would stand in the back of the church and if there was any kind of disruption or commotion in the service, he would take care of it. If a baby was crying in the church, one of the ushers might ask the mother to leave and antagonize her by doing so. But this man had a gift. He would go to the mother and play with the baby a few minutes and then say, “By the way, we have a nursery here. Would you like me to take the baby down there or show you where the nursery is?” The mothers always responded. He just had a way of handling people. As I told him, he had a rare gift and one that is needed in the church.
You may be surprised that something like that is a gift. Of course, it is a gift, and so is cooking or baking or sewing.
We can get some idea about gifts from incidents in the Bible. Ananias and Sapphira had gifts, but they had not submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and their gifts were not functioning for the Lord. So they fell down dead before Simon Peter. They couldn’t exist in the early church. They had gifts, but they were not exercising them as they should.
There was a woman by the name of Dorcas who had a gift of sewing, and she used that gift under the lordship of Christ. She exercised it in the will of God. When she died, Simon Peter went to Joppa and the widows had a regular fashion show as they showed Peter the dresses that Dorcas had made. The reason they wore them was that these were all that those poor women had to wear. Dorcas and her gift were important in the early church, so much so that Peter raised her from the dead. She had a gift that was still needed.
Simon Peter had a gift. He was the great preacher on the Day of Pentecost. God used him mightily. When God no longer needed his gift, he died—he was not raised from the dead.
My friend, the Spirit of God is sovereign in all this. He is the One who determines what is important and what is not important. If God has called you to bake a cake or to sew a dress, then do it. That is a gift. The Holy Spirit wants us to use our gifts and to bring them under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary [1 Cor. 12:19–22].
You and I need each other, and the Lord wants to use all of us.
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another [1 Cor. 12:23–25].
You have seen some little, underdeveloped boy taking exercises and lifting weights. He is trying to develop some muscles and trying to develop some strength. Just so, God pays attention to the body of believers so that the small gifts are developed. I think there are many gifts in the church which need to be developed today.
Perhaps you feel that you are not doing anything for the Lord. One of the most thrilling things in the world, especially if you are a young person, is to find out what God wants you to do and where He wants you to go. What a thrill, what an experience, what an adventure to find out what gift God has given you!
Paul goes on to say that this should all be done so that there is no schism in the body. The members should all have the same care one for another.
And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it [1 Cor. 12:26].
My friend, there is no place for jealousy in the church—we all are members of the same body. If one is honored, me all receive that honor. And when one member is suffering, we all suffer with him.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of hearings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues [1 Cor. 12:27–28].
What about the gift of “helps”? Oh, what a wonderful gift that is! If you have it, I hope you are exercising it.
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? [1 Cor. 12:29–30].
Some of these gifts have disappeared. They are not in the church because they are not needed in the church today. There are no longer apostles in the church, nor are there prophets—in the sense of being able to foretell future events.
Paul also makes it very clear that all people do not have all the gifts. Are all apostles? The obvious answer is, “No.” Do all work miracles, or do all have the gift of healing, or do all speak with tongues? The answer is, “No, they do not.”
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way [1 Cor. 12:31].
Although the Holy Spirit is sovereign in bestowing gifts, we have the right to ask God for the gift we want. He says we are to “covetearnestly the best gifts.”
Not having been brought up in a Christian: home, I had no Christian training at all. When I went away to seminary, I didn’t even know the books of the Bible.I had graduated from college where the emphasis was placed on the intellectual and the philosophical, and I was trying to be that kind of preacher. Then I heard Dr. Harry Ironside speak. He explained Scripture in a simple manner. And I heard him make the statement, “Put the cookies on the bottom shelf so the kiddies can get them.” And I remembered that my Lord had said “Feed my sheep” (see John 21:16). He hadn’t said, “Feed my giraffes.” So I went to God and prayed, “Lord, I want to be that kind of preacher.”
Later, I substituted for Dr.Ironside a Dallas Theological Seminary, and when he passed on, the seminary’s president, Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, called me on the phone He asked, “Would you take Dr. Ironside’s lectures here at the seminary?” I could hardly answer him clearly, and I almost rudely hung up the phone. I dropped to my knees, and confess that I wept as I thanked God. I said “Lord I prayed that You would let me teach like Dr. Ironside, and You have answered my prayer!” I coveted earnestly the best gift, and He answered my prayer. Although I am no Dr. Ironside, how I thrill today at the experience and the privilege of teaching the Word of God.
My friend, you have the right to ask God for thebest gift. Several folk have written this to me: “I certainly hope you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Well, for your information, I have received it, not as an experience or something I received after I was saved, but the Holy Spirit has put me into this body of believers, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Also these folk say, “We hope that ye will speak in tongues.” Well, my prayer is that I can speak in the English language a little better. Why? For the simple reason that the gift God gives us is for the profit—the wealth—of the church. Regardless of the gift God gives to you, the purpose of it is to be helpful to other believers, other members of the body.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Love—the energy of the gifts
This chapter is properly called the love chapter of the Bible. Many men have attempted to give an exposition of it. Frankly, I have preached on it only once or twice in my ministry. Although I have taught it whenever I have come to it in a program of going through the Bible on radio or at any of the churches I have served, candidly, it is a passage that passes beyond my comprehension and capability. In 1884 Henry Drummond wrote a very brilliant essay entitled, The Greatest Thing in the World. It was put into my hands very early in my Christian life. It is a great little book on this thirteenth chapter.
The word charity, which is used throughout this chapter, should be love. The Vulgate, which is the Latin translation, and Wycliffe’s English translation used the word charity, and this word was carried over into the King James Version. The Greek word is agape, which is properly translated love.
You will not find a definition of love in this chapter. Sometimes definitions are destructive. To try to define love would actually be a very serious violation of this chapter. When you try to define a rose, you can read the description of a rose that botany gives you, but that definition doesn’t picture a rose like I know a rose to be. Or have you ever had anyone describe a sunset for you? I remember one evening at the Island of Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands standing on the deck of a little boat and seeing the moon come up. It was such a thrill that it made the goose pimples come up all over me. I wish I could picture it for you, but I cannot. This chapter gives to us a display of love, not a definition.
There are three words in the Greek which are all translated by our one word love. There is the word eros. That is the word for passion, the word used for lust. It is used of Aphrodite and Eros, or Venus and Cupid as we more commonly know them. Sex would be our word for it today. This word does not occur in the New Testament at all.
Then there is the word phileoµ which means “affection.” We find that root in our words Philadelphia and philanthropist. It means a love of man, a love of a brother. It means human love at its highest, a noble love.
The word agapaoµ is the highest word for love in the New Testament and means “divine love.” It is more than love in the emotion; it is love in the will. It is love that chooses its object. It is a definition of God, for God is love. Now I am going to give you an outline of the chapter. Again, this seems like a violation of the chapter, but the mechanics will help us understand it.
The preeminence of love—its value (vv. 1–3)
The prerogative of love—its virtue (vv. 4–7)
The permanence of love—its victory (vv. 8–13)
Remember how this chapter follows the thought in chapter 12, which was the endowment of gifts. Chapter 13 tells of the energy of the gifts. All gifts of the Spirit are to be exercised in love.
PREEMINENCE OF LOVE—ITS VALUE
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal [1 Cor. 13:1].
I am sure the tongues of angels means eloquence. I have never heard an angel speak, but I think Paul had heard them.
The most marvelous eloquence without love is nothing in the world but a noisy bell. Dr. Scroggie says it like this: “Language without love is noise without melody.” McGee says it like this: “Chatter without charity is sound without soul.” You can sing like a seraph, but without love it is nothing but the hiss of hell. Love gives meaning and depth and reality, and it makes eloquence meaningful.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing [1 Cor. 13:2].
The first verse was speaking of love as it comes from the heart. This is from the mind, love as an act of the intellect. Knowledge alone is not sufficient. Love must be added to that knowledge. Understanding alone is not enough. Love must be added to that understanding. I feel this is the sad plight of Bible-believing churches in our day. There is a knowledge of the Bible and an understanding of the truths of the Bible but a lack of love. How terrible to find churches filled with gossip, bitterness, and hatred! Along with knowledge there must be love.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing [1 Cor. 13:3].
This love is an act of the will. Love involves the heart (v. 1), the mind (v. 2), and the will (v. 3). Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Although we are to covet earnestly the best gifts, they are to be exercised in love—and only the Spirit of God can do that.
Look at it this way: Write down a string of zeros—eloquence alone is zero, prophecy alone is zero, knowledge alone is zero, faith alone is zero, sacrifice alone is zero, martyrdom alone is zero. Six zeros still add up to nothing. But you put the numeral I to the left of that string of zeros, and every zero amounts to something. And, friend, love is the thing that needs to be added to every gift of the Spirit. Without love your gift is worthless.
PREROGATIVE OF LOVE—ITS VIRTUE
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up [1 Cor. 13:4].
“Love suffers long,” which means it is patient and kind. Love is impossible without kindness. Love without kindness is like springtime without flowers, like fire without heat. Remember how Paul admonished, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). This is the positive side. Now notice the negative side.
“Love envieth not.” Love does not envy, which means that love is content with its lot. We all know that life is filled with inequality. Some men are rich, and I hear Christians ask, “Why did God bless that man with so much wealth and not give me some?” Love recognizes that there are inequalities, and love is satisfied with its lot. Remember that the very first murder, when Cain slew Abel, was prompted by envy.
We do well to ponder the example of John the Baptist who showed no envy when the ministry of Jesus was growing in popularity with the people. John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). When we consider that we each have a different lot in life and each have a different ministry for the Lord, we should consider the words of our Lord Himself when He talked to Peter: “… If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me” (John 21:22). Bacon said that envy “is a vile affection and it’s most depraved of any thing.”
An example of a man who loved another man without envy is Jonathan. Although he was the crown prince, he did not envy David even though he knew that David would occupy the throne in his stead.
“Love vaunteth not itself.” Moffitt translates this “makes no parade.” It is not boastful or ostentatious. You know, there is a vulgarity about boasting.
A young preacher stood up in a conference in Tennessee and said, “I want you to know that I’m not a trained minister. I am an ignorant minister, and I’m proud of it.” The bishop answered him, “I can see you have a lot to be proud of, and, young man, it is dangerous to boast even about ignorance.”
Love is “not puffed up.” That means it does not travel on air—it is not inflated. You know what it is like to be traveling on a tire filled with air, then suddenly have a flat tire. There is many a flat tire even among Christians because there are so many who are puffed up. When the air is gone, there is nothing there!
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil [1 Cor. 13:5].
Love does not behave itself unseemly; that is, it doesn’t act peculiar. It is true that in 1 Peter the believers are called a peculiar people, but they shouldn’t act peculiar. It literally means a people for His possession. We are to exercise courtesy. We are not to be rude. We are not to act like strange people. We ought to be polite. Unfortunately, there is so much today that can be called unlovely religion. But love does not behave itself unseemly.
Love “seeketh not her own.” Love inquires into the motives for action; that is, it asks, “Why am I doing this?” Since I have been retired, I have examined my own heart as I never did before. I have searched out my own motives. Am I doing it out of love for Christ? That is so important. Love is the secret of service.
Love “is not easily provoked.” It doesn’t have a bad temper. Being provoked is the vice of the virtuous. I’m afraid it is the vice of many of us.
Love “thinketh no evil.” How sad it is to see people thrive on gossip. There are Christians who ladle up dirt. They are suggestive in what they have to say.
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth [1 Cor. 13:6].
Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but love rejoices in the truth. What brings joy to your heart? Bad or good? Which is it? If you hear something bad about someone who is your enemy or whom you do not like, do you rejoice? Or does it make you sad to see your enemy suffer?
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things [1 Cor. 13:7].
Love bears all things. “Bears” has the thought of protection. Love puts up an umbrella for others.
Love “believeth all things.” That does not mean that love is foolishly credulous. It does mean that love does not regard people with suspicion.
Love “hopeth all things.” Oh, the optimism of love!
It “endureth all things.” Love remains strong through testing.
We learn from all this that love is an abstract noun, but it is not to remain abstract. It is to be translated into life and action. It is to express itself in action through patience, through kindness, without envy, without boastfulness.
PERMANENCE OF LOVE—ITS VICTORY
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away [1 Cor. 13:8].
Love never fails. That is why at the end of the chapter it says, “Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Love abides. It is permanent.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote a poem entitled “I Loved Once,” in which she writes, “They never loved who dreamed that they loved once,” and “Love looks beyond the bounds of time and space, Love takes eternity in its embrace.” Love is deathless. It is never defeated, never disillusioned, never disappointed. Love that is a passion burns like a straw stack and is soon consumed. That is the reason there are so many divorces today. It was not the kind of love that holds two hearts together. Love is eternal. It is permanent. God’s love is that kind of love. How wonderful that is! His love looks beyond the bounds of time and space and takes eternity in its embrace. Christ never ceased loving. You can’t do anything to keep Him from loving. No sinner has committed an unpardonable sin. You may be in the state of unbelief, but He still loves you. You may have committed ever so great a sin, but He still loves you. You cannot keep Him from loving you. You can put up an umbrella to keep yourself out of the rain, but you cannot stop the rain from falling. Neither can you stop God from loving you—regardless of the umbrella of sin or unbelief that you are under.
It is so wrong to tell children that God won’t love them. I used to be in a Sunday school class of little fellows. They were a bunch of mean brats—I was the only good boy in the class! The teacher would say to us, “God won’t love you boys if you keep acting that way.” I used to think, God surely can’t love me very much. But He did in spite of my meanness. How wonderful it is to know that God loves us!
Prophecies shall fail—that is, they will be fulfilled. They will then be history, not prophecy. Tongues are going to stop. Knowledge will vanish away. For example, the science that I learned in college is already out of date. The science of today will be replaced by the science of tomorrow. Knowledge is progressive. It vanishes away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away [1 Cor. 13:9–10].
Paul says this:
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known [1 Cor. 13:11–12].
A great many people ask, “Will I know my loved ones in heaven?” You surely will. What is the scriptural proof? “Now we see through a glass, darkly.” You have never seen me. It is possible you may think you have seen me, but what you saw was a suit of clothes with a head and two hands sticking out of it. You didn’t really see me. And I have never really seen you, because we just see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know only in part, but then I shall know even as also I am known. Someone asked G. Campbell Morgan, “Do you think we will know our loved ones in heaven?” Dr. Morgan in his truly British manner answered, “I do not expect to be a bigger fool in heaven than I am here, and I know my loved ones here.”
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity [1 Cor. 13:13].
The object of our faith will be fulfilled. All our hopes will be realized. There will be nothing left to hope for; so hope will disappear. There will be no need for faith. However, love is going to abide. The greatest of these is love. Faith, hope, and love are the high words of the Christian vocabulary.
In this chapter Paul is not describing an abstract term—love. He is writing a biography of Jesus Christ. Of Him it was written, “… having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1). The love of Jesus is an eternal love. My friend, Jesus Christ will never cease loving you.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Exercise of gifts
We are in the section of the epistle concerning spiritual gifts. In chapter 12 we saw the endowment of gifts. Gifts were given to maintain the unity of the church in a diversity. Each member has a separate gift; yet all are to function together as the body functions with its many members. The eye cannot do what the ear does, and the ear cannot do what the eye does. Each must function in its own way.
We are put into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, and we are placed there to exercise a gift. Paul tells us at the end of chapter 12 that we should covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet he will show us a more excellent way. That way is by love. The entire chapter 13 is on the subject of love. He concludes by saying that the greatest of these is love, and he continues by saying that we are to follow after love.
GIFT OF PROPHECY IS SUPERIOR TO GIFT OF TONGUES
Paul now follows right on and says that we should follow after love, but we should desire spiritualities.
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy [1 Cor. 14:1].
We should desire spiritual gifts—I think it would be unusual if a Christian didn’t want that—“but rather that ye may prophesy.” To prophesy is to give out the Word of God, to speak it simply and to speak it intelligently.
He makes a distinction between the gifts which the Spirit gives and the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, etc., which are more important than the gifts of the Spirit. Some very sincere people say to me, “Dr. McGee, I am going to pray that you receive the gift of the Spirit.” I tell them I appreciate their interest, but I would rather they would pray that I may have the fruit of the Spirit. I wish I could see more fruit of the Spirit in the lives of the believers and in myself. I would like to see more love. That is the essential thing, and that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit of God can produce fruit in our lives.
“But rather that ye may prophesy.” Actually, Paul was trying to get the Corinthians off this preoccupation with tongues. In effect he is saying to them in this whole section, “Cool it, brethren, don’t go off into fanaticism or an emotional binge. Hold all things in their right proportion.” In the previous chapter he said that tongues will cease. They will stop. That is the same word that we see posted on the highway. A traffic officer once told me that s-t-o-p means stop! I am afraid a great many folk do not understand what Paul is saying here: “Whether there be tongues, they shall stop.” It was Dr. A. T. Robertson who made this statement: “Tongues seem to have ceased first of all the gifts.” Chrysostom, one of the early church fathers, writing in the third or fourth century, stated: “This whole passage is very obscure; but the obscurity arises from our ignorance of the facts described, which, though familiar to those to whom the apostle wrote, have ceased to occur.”
It is interesting to note that Jesus never spoke in tongues. There is no record of the apostles speaking in tongues after Pentecost. We do not have an historical record of Paul speaking in tongues or any sermon delivered in a tongue—although we know from verse 18 that Paul did speak in tongues because he said, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.” I did not realize the import of this statement until I was in Turkey. I visited the ruins of the seven churches there, and obviously Paul had preached in all of them; then going way out into the interior, into Anatolia, I realized that Paul had walked across that section—all the way from Tarsus, his hometown. It is a distance of hundreds of miles, and in that section there was tribe after tribe speaking different languages. I have often wondered how Paul was able to speak to them. Well, he spoke as the apostles did on the Day of Pentecost. Every man heard him speak in his own tongue. He probably said to the Corinthians, “If you want tongues, go out on the mission field and start speaking in the languages of those people.”
Today God has raised up certain organizations like the Wycliffe Bible Translators who are attempting to translate the Bible into all the known tongues of the world. That, my friend, is the greatest tongues movement that I know anything about!
We know that at one time Paul was caught up to the third heaven. He tells us that he heard unspeakable words. I don’t think those were unknown words or unknown tongues; they were words that he was not permitted to speak. Tongues are not a rapturous, ecstatic, mysterious language. They are not a mixed-up medley of rhapsody. Tongues were foreign languages. On the Day of Pentecost the apostles spoke in foreign languages so that every man there heard the gospel in his own language.
Now notice that chapter 14 is an extension of the love chapter. It begins: “Follow after charity [love], and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries [1 Cor. 14:2].
Note that the word unknown is in italics in your Bible, and that means it is not in the original Greek. Nowhere in the Bible does it speak of unknown tongues. It should read: “For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” Because nobody will understand him, he is not to speak in a language that is unknown to the group—unless somebody there can interpret.
We will see in this chapter that there are three gifts which Paul emphasizes: prophecy, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Have you ever noticed that there is very little reference to tongues in the Bible except in these three chapters? There are references to it in Mark 16:17 and Acts 2:3–4, 11; 10:46; 19:6. Cornelius and his household spoke in tongues. The disciples of John in Ephesus spoke in tongues after Paul had preached the gospel to them. We find, therefore, that tongues were used at the institution of the dispensation of grace. Every time tongues were used, they were used in that connection. There was speaking in tongues on the Day of Pentecost when the gospel went to the nation of Israel. There was speaking in tongues at the home of Cornelius when the gospel was opened to the Gentiles. There was speaking in tongues in Ephesus when the gospel moved out into the uttermost parts of the earth. Those are the three instances.
“For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” That is, he doesn’t understand it.
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort [1 Cor. 14:3].
Paul is emphasizing the gift of prophecy. He asks them not to go into the tongues which were delighting them, but to speak the Word of God which is for edification, for comfort, and for exhortation.
He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church [1 Cor. 14:4].
The tongue, when it is exercised by the individual, is a selfish sort of gift, but prophesying, or teaching, is for the edification of the church.
I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying [1 Cor. 14:5].
To prophesy is to give forth the Word of God. The important thing is not a tongues meeting but a Bible study. “He that prophesieth” is one that teaches. No one is to speak in tongues unless there is someone there to interpret so learning can take place.
Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? [1 Cor. 14:6].
Paul is saying, “If I don’t make any sense when I come to talk to you, what is the use of my coming?”
And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? [1 Cor. 14:7–8].
I have often thought that I could be a musician if I could do with a musical instrument what the “unknown tongues” folk do with sounds. Although I cannot read music and have no ear for it, I could just toot away on a horn. But of course it would just be a meaningless noise. Even a lifeless instrument like that is to have meaning in this world.
“If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” The trumpet was used to alert the troops for battle. And, my friend, today we need a clear-cut presentation of the gospel.
So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air [1 Cor. 14:9].
Paul says in effect, “Let’s get off this kick. Let’s start making sense, if you don’t mind.”
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church [1 Cor. 14:10–12].
There are many languages in the world However, there cannot be communication between people who do not speak the same language. If you speak in a language that in one in the church can understand, how can this edify the people in the church? That is the important issue. Does it edify the church? Does it build up the believers?
Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret [1 Cor. 14:13].
Anything that is said in a tongue should be interpreted. Otherwise it does not make any sense to anyone. If the speaker cannot interpret, then there must be someone else there who has the gift of interpretation.
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful [1 Cor. 14:14].
That, my friend, is the answer to those who say that they speak in tongues for their private devotions. If the “understanding is unfruitful,” you don’t get a spiritual lift out of it; that is, the Holy Spirit is not ministering to you. If you get a lift, it is merely psychological. Paul says your understanding is unfruitful.
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? [1 Cor. 14:15–16].
In other words, say something profitable so a brother can say “amen” to it.
For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue [1 Cor. 14:17–19].
Now I think Paul means that, as a missionary he had spoken in at least a dozen different tongues—and probably that could be multiplied by four or five. When he was out on the mission field with a foreign tribe, they couldn’t understand his language and he couldn’t understand theirs. Then he spoke to them in their tongue. He made sense to them, but it didn’t make sense to Paul himself. But when he is in the church where there are believers who speak the same language as he does, he will speak in a tongue that everyone can understand.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men [1 Cor. 14:20].
He is chiding the Corinthians again. He has called them carnal—babes in Christ. Now he tells them not to act like children.
In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord [1 Cor. 14:21].
You see, he does mean a language that is understood. He says, “I am going to speak to another people in their tongue.”
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe [1 Cor. 14:22].
This is what he is saying: “When I went out to the mission field [let’s say Antioch in Pisidia], they were speaking a different language, so I spoke to them in their own tongue. And when I presented the gospel to them in their own language, they believed. Now when I meet with these folk in the land of Israel, I speak in the language they know and I know. Therefore I am prophesying. That is, I am teaching the Word of God to them.”
ORDER IN LOCAL CHURCH FOR EXERCISE OF ANY GIFT
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? [1 Cor. 14:23].
We do not want a stranger to step into the church and think he has entered into a group of people who have gone mad. If there is one thing we need today, it is the logical, meaningful presentation of the Word of God. People in this world are intelligent, they are scientific, they are sophisticated. They want a logical message which can be understood. The Word of God needs to be presented so it can be understood.
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth [1 Cor. 14:24–25].
In other words, if you are preaching the Word of God and an unbeliever comes in, he will come under conviction and be converted.
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying [1 Cor. 14:26].
If there is going to be any speaking in a tongue, there must be an interpreter there, and the message must be edifying. A former student of mine, who had been a Roman Catholic, went into a tongues meeting and recited part of a mass in Latin. When he sat down, another man rose up to interpret. He went on to say this, that, and the other thing. Then this friend of mine got up and said, “I just want you to know that that is not what I said. I gave you the Latin mass.” And as he started to tell them what he had really said, the ushers hustled him out of the meeting and told him not to come back. I don’t blame them for that, and I do not think it was proper for my friend to do that. I simply tell this to emphasize the fact that speaking in a tongue may be the least edifying and may even be a hoax.
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God [1 Cor. 14:27–28].
Not only must there be edification, but there must be order. If someone is going to speak in a tongue, there must be an interpreter, and the message must make sense in conformity with the Word of God. If it is otherwise, the Spirit of God is not in it—you may be sure of that. If no interpreter is there, or if two or three have already spoken, the one wanting to speak in a tongue is to be silent. He can go off somewhere and speak by himself.
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace [1 Cor. 14:29–30].
There were prophets in the church of that day, and they could speak prophetically. We know that the daughters of Philip prophesied (see Acts 21:9). In the same chapter we are told that Agabus also prophesied. We don’t have that gift of foretelling the future anymore. Even the weatherman doesn’t do very well in the area of prediction!
For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted [1 Cor. 14:31].
They may all prophesy one by one. Everyone can have something to say about the Word of God. I have been greatly blessed by statements that some folk have made in testimony meetings.
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints [1 Cor. 14:32–33].
A church service is to be orderly.
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law [1 Cor. 14:34].
Now what is he talking about here? Tongues. He is not saying that a woman is not to speak in church; he is saying that she is not to speak in tongues in the church. My friend, if you take the women out of the tongues movement, it would die overnight. You may say, “That’s not a nice thing to say.” I know it’s not nice, but it is true.
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? [1 Cor. 14:35–36].
The Word of God came to them, of course.
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant [1 Cor. 14:37–38].
This is the real test. If a man today says that he is a prophet or that he is spiritual—because he can speak in tongues—let him acknowledge that what Paul is saying here is a commandment of the Lord.
Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Let all things be done decently and in order [1 Cor. 14:39–40].
Here again we are encouraged to covet the best gift. Evidently teaching the Word of God is the best one, and I thank God for that.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” This is a great principle. When I attended a tongues meeting in the South, I must confess that I could see neither rhyme nor reason in the entire service. It was all in confusion—not even an organized confusion, but hopeless confusion. Paul says that this is not the way things of God should be carried on.
This brings us to the conclusion of this section. If you have disagreed with me, I trust you will not fall out with me, but that you will search this Scripture. If I am wrong, pray for me.
CHAPTER 15
theme: Resurrection
We have come to a chapter that can be classified as one of the most important and crucial chapters of the Bible. If you would select ten of the greatest chapters of the Bible—which men have done from the beginning of the Christian era—you will find that 1 Corinthians 15 will be on your list and has been on practically all the lists ever made. It is that important. It is so important that it actually answers the first heresy of the church, which was the denial of the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this chapter Paul is coming to the third great spirituality. You will recall that first he dealt with carnalities. He dealt with those things which seemed so important to the Corinthians and still seem so important to us today. Then Paul turned from the carnalities to the spiritualities. How wonderful it is to know that every believer has a gift from the Holy Spirit. I can’t think of anything more thrilling than to know that God has given you and me a gift to function in this world and that we are to be partners with Jesus Christ in the tremendous enterprise of making Him known!
Then Paul goes on to the great love chapter. All gifts are to be exercised in love, and love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t something that we can work up. It is given to us. Above everything else we need to see love, this fruit of the Spirit, in the life of a believer.
Now we come to the third great spirituality, which is the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our own resurrection. The glory of the Chrisitan faith is that it never views life as ending with death. This life is not all there is. The Christian faith always looks beyond the sunset to the sunrise. It looks out yonder into eternity—and what a hope it offers! This is another factor which gives meaning and purpose to life. I expect to live an eternity. I am not in a hurry to get there, and I want to stay in this life as long as I can because I think that this is the place of service. I think this is the place of preparation. I think that rewards are determined by what we do down here, and I want to get a few good works on my side of the ledger. That is why I would like to stay here and serve Him as long as He will allow me to stay. We used to sing a song, “Will there be any stars in my crown?” I don’t hear that sung anymore. Why not? Well, it is because people are trying to be the star down here. Oh, my friend, that we might get the tremendous view which the resurrection of Jesus Christ should give to the believer. We have lost sight of the Ascension, and we have our minds on the incidentals. This adds up to one tragedy after another in the lives of professing Christians.
This great resurrection chapter actually deals with the gospel. It shows that the most important part of the gospel is the resurrection of Christ. Frankly, without that, everything else—even the death of Christ—is meaningless. He was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification according to Romans 4:25. In His death He subtracted our sins, but in His resurrection He gave to us a sure, abundant entrance into heaven. We stand in His righteousness. He was delivered for our offenses, but He was raised again for our justification (our righteousness).
Before we get into this chapter, it would be well to define and delineate very sharply the meaning of the Resurrection. The Resurrection is not spiritual, but it is physical. The word is anastasis nekroµn, which means the “standing up of a corpse.” These bodies of ours are to be raised; the Resurrection in Scripture always refers to the body. Anastasis means “to stand up.” Histemi means “to cause to stand.” Ana means the standing up of the body. It cannot refer to a spiritual resurrection.
C. S. Lewis, the brilliant Oxford don, ridiculed the liberals in England in his day. They would talk about the Resurrection being spiritual, so Lewis would ask, “What position does a spirit take when it stands up?” That is a question for the liberal to kick around for a while. Scripture teaches that the Resurrection means to stand up.
In Paul’s day, in Corinth and in the Roman world, there were three philosophies concerning death and life after death. There was Stoicism, which taught that the soul merged into deity at death. There was, therefore, a destruction of the personality. Such a concept makes the Resurrection a nonentity. Then there was the Epicurean philosophy, which was materialistic. It taught that there was no existence beyond death. Death was the end of existence. The third was Platonism which taught the immortality of the soul, believing in a process like a transmigration. You still find that teaching in Platonism today in the religions of India and in the cults of America. It denies the bodily resurrection. Because of these philosophies, when Paul mentioned the Resurrection while he was in Athens, they thought he was talking about a new god.
We need to understand very clearly that Paul is not talking about a spiritual resurrection. The soul does not die. The minute a body dies, the person goes somewhere. If the person is a child of God, to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:6–8). If a person is not a child of God, then he goes to the place of torment—our Lord labeled it that.
The divisions of this chapter are as follows:
1. The prominence of the Resurrection in the gospel—verses 1–4
2. The proofs of the Resurrection—verses 5–19
3. The parade of the Resurrection—verses 20–28
4. The program and pattern of the Resurrection—verses 29–50
5. The power of the Resurrection—verses 51–58
PROMINENCE OF RESURRECTION IN THE GOSPEL
Paul states that the Resurrection is part of the gospel; in fact, there is no gospel without the Resurrection. Dr. Machen says that Christianity does not rest on a set of ideas or creeds, but on facts. The gospel is not the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount. The gospel is a series of facts concerning a Person and that Person is Jesus Christ.
Now listen to the way Paul states it:
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures [1 Cor. 15:1–4].
The question sometimes arises whether the gospel originated with Paul. He says, “I delivered unto you … that which I received.” From whom did he receive it and where? He received it out yonder in that Arabian desert where the Lord took him and taught him. When Paul was confronted by the Lord on the Damascus road, he did not know that Jesus was back from the dead. He asked, “… Who art thou, Lord? …” (Acts 9:5). He didn’t dream that “the Lord” was Jesus. Paul himself had to be convinced of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He didn’t think it up. He received it.
Paul says that he declares the gospel to them. What is the gospel? “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” That is the gospel. These are the facts. My friend, there is no gospel apart from those three facts. That is what the gospel is. Jesus Christ died for you and for me. He was buried and He rose again. That is gospel—t’s good news.
Now suppose that you come to me today and say, “Teacher, I have good news for you—I would like to see you become a millionaire.” I would say, “Well, that would be nice.” Then you would tell me your plan. You would say, “You get a job, and in a thousand years you will be worth a million dollars.” I would say, “Well, I sure would like to have a million dollars; I could use it to get the gospel out, but if you think by my working I can make a million dollars, you are wrong. That’s not good news. In fact, it is bad news!” However, suppose you come to me and say, “I have discovered someone who was interested in you. In fact, he loved you so much that when he died he left you a million dollars!” That, my friend, would be good news!
The gospel does not tell us something that we must do. The gospel tells us what Jesus Christ has already done for us. He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, He rose again the third day.
He died. That is an historical fact. Very few would deny that. He was buried—that needs to be added. Why is that so important? It proves that He didn’t just disappear. It means that they actually, literally had His body. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea and the others who saw Him crucified knew who He was. They knew it was Jesus. They buried Jesus. That is very important. It confirms His death.
He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. The Resurrection is a part of the gospel. The tomb was empty. That is the proof. The gospel is that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. This is the first proof.
There is another proof of the Resurrection, and that is the experience of the Corinthians. Let’s listen to it again. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain” (vv. 1–2). “Unless ye have believed in vain”—that is, unless it was an empty faith.
There is a faith that is an empty faith, of course. But he says, “By which also ye are saved.” The church is the proof of the Resurrection.
There were eleven discouraged men in Jerusalem or its environs. They were ready to go back to fishing. They had just gone through enough trouble. If Jesus was dead, they didn’t want the body out of the grave. They wanted it to stay there. They wouldn’t go break a Roman seal and face a Roman guard to steal a body which could only bring them more trouble. Then what happened? Word came to them that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! That fact transformed these men. That revolutionary fact brought the church into existence. Through nineteen centuries there have been millions of people who have said that Jesus Christ is alive. You simply cannot explain the church apart from the Resurrection. I am saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Without His resurrection I would have no gospel, no living Christ, no Savior. The existence of the body of believers is the second great proof of the Resurrection.
There is another proof. Notice that it says He died for our sins “according to the scriptures” and that He was buried and rose again the third day “according to the scriptures.” What Scriptures? The Old Testament Scriptures. I would love to have been with Paul the apostle when he arrived in Europe and went to Philippi, Thessalonica, then down to Athens, and over to Corinth. I think he had with him a parchment which was the Old Testament. I imagine that when he went into a synagogue and mentioned the death of the Lord Jesus, the Jews said, “But this is not in our Scriptures.” Then he would turn to the Book of Genesis and say, “I’d like to remind you about the offering of Isaac and how Abraham received him back from the ‘dead’—he was ready to kill the boy. Now God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up freely for us all.” Then he would turn to the Mosaic system of sacrifice, to the five offerings in Leviticus, and show them how they pictured Christ, then to the great Day of Atonement and the two goats which pictured Christ’s death and resurrection. Also he would cite Aaron’s rod that budded and the Book of Jonah, which typifies resurrection. Then he would turn to Psalm 22 and Psalm 16. He would show them Isaiah 25 and in Isaiah 53 he would point out that He was wounded for our transgressions and He was bruised for our iniquities. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of all of us. So he could show them from the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus Christ was to die and to rise again. The expectation of the Old Testament was not for this life only but also for the life that is to come.
There are some folk who say they do not believe in a “hereafter religion” they want a here-and-now religion. May I say to you that I have both—a here-and-now religion and a hereafter religion.
PROOFS OF RESURRECTION—WITNESSES
Now as another proof of the Resurrection Paul lists a number of witnesses. You just can’t get around witnesses. Any lawyer today would love to have as many witnesses for his position as Paul lists here as proofs of the Resurrection.
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve [1 Cor. 15:5].
He mentions Cephas first. This is, of course, Simon Peter, to whom Jesus appeared privately. You may ask, “What took place?” It is none of my business, and I guess it is none of yours. It is not recorded for us. Jesus appeared to Peter. After all, he had denied Him. Peter had to get things straightened out with the Lord. You see, our Lord is still in the footwashing business.
Then He was seen “of the twelve.” Who are the Twelve? He appeared to Cephas privately, then He appeared to the ten (Judas was dead at this time). “The Twelve” was used as a collective term for the body of disciples. It does not necessarily imply that twelve disciples were present. However, when you put them all together and Paul joins them, you have twelve men.
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep [1 Cor. 15:6].
Jesus was seen of five hundred people at one time. I think this was up yonder around the Sea of Galilee. Remember that He had told them He would meet with them in Galilee. So I believe that His true followers went up to Galilee to meet Him there. As they traveled northward, I’m sure folk would ask them, “Now that Jesus is dead, are you going back to fishing?” They would answer, “No, Jesus is back from the dead and we’re going up there to meet Him.” There were five hundred of His followers who met Him there.
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time [1 Cor. 15:7–8].
“He was seen of James”—this was probably a private interview. He was seen again by all the apostles. Lastly, He was seen by Paul. My friend, it is very difficult to argue with a man who has seen Him.
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me [1 Cor. 15:9–10].
Paul calls himself the least of the apostles. He is being very modest here. Inspiration guarantees that this is a statement which came from his heart. My heart says, “Paul, you’re great. I can’t consider you the least of the apostles.” But Paul says he isn’t worthy to be called an apostle because he persecuted the church of God. He considered himself to be the chief of sinners. Yet he was the hardest worker of any of the apostles. But, very candidly, he tells us that it was the grace of God that enabled him to accomplish what he did.
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed [1 Cor. 15:11].
I am tired of men talking about being Christians and denying the facts of the gospel. You are not a Christian if you deny the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. You have a perfect right to deny these things if you wish, but you have no right then to call yourself a Christian. It says here that when these Corinthians heard the gospel, they believed, and that is when they became Christians.
This is so crucial and so critical that we are going to review it to emphasize it. What is the gospel? It is the good news that Christ died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. He didn’t vanish or disappear. He rose again. The tomb is empty. Jesus Christ is alive today. These are the historical facts. The gospel is not a theory, not an idea, not a religion. The gospel consists of objective facts. This is the gospel which Paul preached. It is not simply a subjective experience which Paul had; it is fact.
It tells us in verse 1 that the Corinthians received it and in verse 11 that they believed it. What does it mean to receive Christ? John 1:11–13 tells us, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” To receive Christ means to believe on His name. Our first verse says of the gospel relative to the Corinthians, “which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.” That was their current state. They stood in a living faith in relationship with a living Lord Jesus Christ. Where do you stand today?
The second verse says, “By which also ye are saved.” The gospel does not save if it is just a head knowledge. It is not just a nodding assent to the facts. It is the One of whom the gospel speaks who does the saving—Christ saves. When you accept the facts of the gospel, when you put your faith in Christ absolutely, then you are saved. As Spurgeon put it, “It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee. It is not thy hope in Christ that saves thee. It is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument.” It is Christ’s blood and merit that saves.
This gospel was preached to the Corinthians. Paul said, “You received it, you stand in it, and you are saved.” Then he adds, “Unless ye have believed in vain.” If their faith does not rest upon the facts, then it is a vain faith, of no effect, and theirs is not a genuine conversion. Faith itself has no merit. The important thing is the object of your faith—in whom you believe. Have you trusted a Savior who died, who was buried, and who rose again from the dead?
We spoke of the significance of the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures as an evidence of the Resurrection. Then there were the witnesses who were alive at the time Paul was writing: Cephas, the twelve, the five hundred, James, all the apostles, and finally he himself, all of whom saw the resurrected Christ. Of himself he says, “as of one born out of due time.” That is, his was not a late birth but an abortion, a premature birth. He is a picture of that remnant which is to be saved after the church is removed from this earth.
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? [1 Cor. 15:12].
Some of these people with backgrounds of Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Platonism were denying the Resurrection. It wasn’t that they were specifically denying the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but they did not believe in any resurrection at all.
Now Paul begins a series of “ifs”—“if Christ be not risen.” Paul faced the fact. My Christian friend, don’t hide your head like an ostrich under the sand and say, “Well, we can’t be sure about the Resurrection, so let’s not say too much about it. Let’s walk as if we were walking on eggshells.” My friend, I am on a foundation; that foundation is the Rock, and the Rock is Christ. He came back from the dead. Paul is not afraid that Christ might not have risen from the dead. He puts down these “ifs” as a demonstration of the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen [1 Cor. 15:13].
If there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ is not risen. They are linked together. And it is on the basis of the resurrection of Christ—Paul is going to say later on—that Jesus Christ is the firstfruits. That means there will be more to follow. He is the firstfruits, and later at His coming there will be the resurrection of those who are His.
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain [1 Cor. 15:14].
Perhaps you belong to a church which denies that Christ arose from the dead. If Christ is not bodily risen from the dead, then our preaching is vain. Not only that, but our faith is vain also. You might just as well drop your church membership. It’s no good. There is no reason to go to church or to hear a sermon if Christ is not raised from the dead.
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not [1 Cor. 15:15].
All the apostles were liars if Christ had not risen. Every one of these men was a false witness if Christ is still in the grave. Have you ever noticed that men do not die for that which they know to be a lie? Men do die for a lie, but they think it is the truth. For instance, millions of men died for Hitler because they believed in him. The apostles testified that they saw the risen Christ, and they were willing to die for that declaration. I’ll let you decide if they were right or wrong. But men do not die for what they know is a lie.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins [1 Cor. 15:16–17].
If Christ is not raised, then, my friend, you are a lost, hell-doomed sinner, and that is all you can ever be. If Christ be not raised, every one of us is still in our sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished [1 Cor. 15:18].
There have been millions upon millions of believers who have died trusting Christ as their Savior. If Christ is not risen, then every one of them has perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable [1 Cor. 15:19].
May I say to you that I think Christianity is a here-and-now religion. Paul makes that clear in the sixth chapter of Romans. But Christianity is also a hereafter religion. If Christ be not raised, we have been deluded and we are about the most miserable people in this world today. But we’re not! We are rejoicing!
That is the end of Paul’s “ifs.” Will you face up to the possibilities which he presents? Go through the “ifs” logically and you will see that the human family is lost and hopeless if Christ had not been raised from the dead.
PARADE OF THE RESURRECTION
So I want to join Paul as he declares the Resurrection—
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept [1 Cor. 15:20].
Christ is the firstfruits. In the Old Testament they had the festival of firstfruits when they would bring the first sheaf of grain to the Lord. This meant that there would be more to come, otherwise it couldn’t be the firstfruits. The fulfillment of that is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He came back from the dead in a glorified body. And He is the only one who has come back from the dead in a glorified body.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all he made alive [1 Cor. 15:21–22].
After the festival of the firstfruits came Pentecost, which was fifty days later. That found its fulfillment in Pentecost in the New Testament when the church began. But it will find its ultimate fulfillment when Christ comes for His own and they shall all rise to meet Him in the air. That will be the real Pentecost. A Pentecostal brother of mine said, “You know, Brother McGee, I’m expecting a Pentecost.” I shocked him when I said, “I’m looking for Pentecost too.” He said, “Oh, you don’t mean it!” I said, “I don’t mean it like you mean it—you think you are going to repeat the Day of Pentecost down here. The Pentecost I am waiting for is when the Lord Jesus comes to take His church out of his world.” Christ is the firstfruits.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming [1 Cor. 15:23].
How wonderful that is! “Christ is risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept”—meaning the sleep of death. “For since by man came death [that man is Adam], by man came also the resurrection of the dead.” “In Adam all die”—the proof that you are in the family of Adam is that you are going to die unless the Lord comes to take you in the Rapture. “Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.
“But every man in his own order.” There is not a general resurrection day. It is interesting that the Reformers recovered a great deal of the truth of the Bible, but they didn’t recover all of it. We are living in a day when there is much Bible study in the field of eschatology; that is, the doctrine of the last things—prophecy. It is a study of prophecy. In times when great truths are being recovered one also finds a lot of heresy and just plain “nutty” ideas. There is a lot of false teaching about prophecy, largely because of ignorance of the whole scope of Scripture. I firmly believe that the Book of Revelation should not be taught unless one has studied the other books of the Bible first. Prophecy is important, but it is not everything. The great Reformers recovered much Bible truth, but they missed this teaching of the Bible that every man will be raised in his own order, that there is not general resurrection day.
Christ is the firstfruits, and then “afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” What is He coming for? He is coming for His church, my friend.
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power [1 Cor. 15:24].
“Then cometh the end”—the end of what? The end of the age. How will the age end? There, will come the Great Tribulation, and then there is going to be the millennial kingdom here on the earth. Satan will be released again for a little while, then he will be cast forever into the lake of fire, and the Lord Jesus Christ will establish His kingdom forever. That will be the eternal kingdom. Actually, the eternal kingdom is a further projection of the millennial kingdom, only the millennial kingdom will be a time of trial. “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God.” When will this take place? At the end of the millennial kingdom, Christ will put down all rule and all authority and power.
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet [1 Cor. 15:25].
That is Satan.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death [1 Cor. 15:26].
I’ll be glad when we get rid of that fellow!
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him [1 Cor. 15:27].
So Christ is not subject to God—but wait minute, notice what the next verse says.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all [1 Cor. 15:28].
This means that when Christ has completed His millennial reign here upon this earth and has established His eternal reign (I believe that He will turn over to David His throne or the earth), then He will return back to His place in the Godhead where He was in the beginning, so that “God may be all in all.”
PROGRAM AND PATTERN OF THE RESURRECTION
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? [1 Cor. 15:29].
“What shall they do”—that is, what shall they accomplish?
We have already learned that the word baptize means identification with someone or something. In this case Paul is speaking of identification as a dead person. He asks, “What shall they accomplish which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?” Why are they then identified as the dead? This does not imply that the Corinthian believers were being baptized for their dead relatives or friends. It means that they were baptized or identified with Christ Jesus—who had died for them and He was now risen from the dead. They were dead to the world but were alive to Christ.
And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily [1 Cor. 15:30–31].
Paul is saying that if Christ be not raised from the dead, then they are foolish to put their lives in danger. However, since Christ is raised from the dead, believers are identified with Him. As Paul said to the believers at Rome, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3–4). We are joined to a resurrected, living Christ. “Now if Christ was not resurrected, then,” Paul says, “I am foolish to make the sacrifices I have made down here—my life stands in jeopardy every hour. I am constantly in danger of death.”
If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die [1 Cor. 15:32].
Paul asks, “Why should I be put in a lions’ cage for my faith in Christ if Christ did not rise from the dead? I am identified—I am baptized—into His death. I am identified as a dead man because I am joined to a living Christ.” Being identified with Christ in His death and resurrection is a tremendous fact! Let’s not reduce it to some little water baptismal service that would be meaningless.
If Christ is not risen and if the dead will not be resurrected, then we might as well adopt the hedonistic philosophy of the Epicureans who say, “Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die.”
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame [1 Cor. 15:33–34].
The Corinthian believers were being deceived by those who questioned the Resurrection. They were listening to those who had plenty to say but no knowledge of God. Paul is saying that if they get the wrong information, they will act wrong. He admonishes them to stop sinning—because there will be a resurrection.
But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? [1 Cor. 15:35].
Paul will answer two questions: the how and the what. Men fail to distinguish the difference between the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul. Plato and Cicero argued for the immortality of the soul. Paul is arguing for the resurrection of the body. The Sadducees denied any resurrection, any life after death. And Christ Himself had answered them: “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:31–32).
Paul has answered those who denied the resurrection of the body by the resurrection of Christ whose body was raised up.
Now the question is, “How can a body that dies be raised up again and be the same?” Paul says that we learn from nature that the bodies are not identical—they are the same but not identical.
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die [1 Cor. 15:36].
The answer to the first question: the how. He says in effect, “If you only had sense enough to see it, you would see that in a seed which is planted, there is dissolution and continuity—a seed that is planted will produce seeds which are essentially the same as that seed. But the seed itself has died and disintegrated, so that the seed it produces is not the very seed that died. It is like that seed, but it is not the same seed. In the seed that is planted there is a disintegration and yet there is a continuity. It is a mystery, but it is not an impossibility.”
What is death? Death is a separation. It is not the ending of the spirit or of the personality. These do not die. The real “you” goes on to be with the Lord if you are a child of God. It is the body that disintegrates. Death is a separation of the body from the individual, from the person. The body disintegrates, decays, decomposes. Dust to dust and ashes to ashes applies only to the body.
Paul now answers the second question: What body is raised up?
And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain [1 Cor. 15:37].
The sowing of grain is the illustration. Christ is the firstfruits, then we’ll be coming along later. We are waiting for the rapture of the church when Christ takes the believers out of the world. If at the time of the Rapture we are already dead, we will be raised up. If we are still alive at the time of the Rapture, we’ll be caught up and changed. The seed, you see, does not provide itself with a new body, neither does the sower, but God provides it:
But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body [1 Cor. 15:38].
Then Paul moves into another area. All of this is the mystery of life. Actually the mystery of life is greater than the mystery of death. When you sow wheat, wheat comes up—not barley or corn. That little grain that forms on the stalk is like the one you sowed—not identical, but certainly very similar.
Now he moves from the area of botany to zoology.
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds [1 Cor. 15:39].
The difference between a dead body and the resurrection body is greater than the difference between men and beasts, fish and birds. Paul says that all flesh is not the same flesh.
There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory [1 Cor. 15:40–41].
Now he has moved into the realm of astronomy and says that all the bodies of the solar system are not the same. The sun is not the same material as the moon, neither is it the same as the stars. The stars differ from each other. There is a solar system, a stellar system, planets, and suns.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption [1 Cor. 15:42].
You see, the body that was given Adam was always subject to death. Although he would not have died if he had not sinned, his body would have been subject to death. However, by resurrection we get a body that is incorruptible.
It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power [1 Cor. 15:43].
We will get glory and color and beauty and power—all of these things—with the new body.
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body [1 Cor. 15:44].
Many years ago in the city of New York (in fact, it was way back in the day when liberalism was called modernism, back in the 1920s) they had an argument about whether resurrection was spiritual. The liberal even today claims it’s spiritual. He doesn’t believe in bodily resurrection at all. A very famous Greek scholar from the University of Chicago read a paper on the passage from this verse. His paper put the emphasis on the word spiritual. He concluded by saying, “Now, brethren, you can see that resurrection is spiritual because it says it’s spiritual.” The liberals all applauded, and somebody made a motion that they print that manuscript and circulate it. Well, a very fine Greek scholar was there, and he stood up. And when he stood up all the liberals were a little uneasy. He could ask very embarrassing questions. He said, “I’d like to ask the author of the paper a question.” Very reluctantly, the good doctor stood up. “Now, doctor, which is stronger, a noun or an adjective? A very simple question, but I’d like for you to answer it.” He could see the direction he was going and didn’t want to answer it, but he had to. “Well,” he said, “a noun is stronger, of course.” “Now doctor, I’m amazed that you presented the paper that you did today. You put the emphasis upon an adjective, and the strong word is the noun. Now let’s look at that again. ‘It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.’” He said, “The only thing that is carried over in resurrection is the body. It’s one kind of body when it dies, a natural body. It’s raised a body, but a spiritual body, dominated now by the spirit—but it’s still a body.” And, you know, they never did publish that paper. They decided it would be better not to publish it. May I say to you, just a simple little exercise in grammar answered this great professor’s whole manuscript and his entire argument which he presented at that time.
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit [1 Cor. 15:45].
You see, the first man, Adam, was psychical—psuchen and zosan in the Greek. That means he was physical and psychological. The last Adam (Christ) is spiritual—pneuma or pneumatical, if you want the English equivalent.
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven [1 Cor. 15:46–47].
The first man is of the earth and is earthy—choikos, meaning “clay,” rubbish if you please. There is so much talk of ecology today. Who messed up this earth anyway? Man. Because man is earthy. Everything that is the refuse of man is rubbish. He is that kind of creature. He fills the garbage cans. But the Second Man is the Lord from heaven.
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption [1 Cor. 15:48–50].
We are all earthy. We are from Adam and that is our condition. But we are also in Christ. We are joined to Him, and therefore we have a hope, the hope of the resurrection in an eternal body which will forever be with Christ. Today we bear the image of the earthy, but we look forward to the day when we will bear the image of the heavenly.
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Our old bodies are not going to heaven—I’m glad of that. I would like to trade mine in. God is not going to send these bodies into a repair shop. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption. This body must be put into the ground, like a seed. It will come up a new body, a new tabernacle for us to live in. It will not be identical to the old body and yet it will be like the old body.
Out here on the west coast there are many atheists who have their ashes scattered out over the Pacific Ocean after they die. In other words, they challenge God to try to put all of those atoms together again. Our bodies are made up of a few chemicals. Most of the body’s composition is water, hydrogen, and oxygen, with other atoms thrown in with it. Do you think that God cannot bring those atoms together? Or maybe He wants to use other atoms. After all, hydrogen atoms are all very much alike. It wouldn’t make any difference to me if He used other atoms to make my new body. What nonsense to discount the Resurrection because of this! Yet one of the foremost arguments against the possibility of resurrection is that God would not be able to regather all those atoms! My friend, since He made the body to begin with, He certainly can make another like it. He is God, isn’t He? God will get your body together again whether it comes out of the grave or its ashes are scattered out there in the ocean.
The first heresy in the church was the denial of the bodily resurrection. We see how Paul has shown the truth of the Resurrection. He has spoken against the three major philosophies of his day. Stoicism said the soul merged into Deity at death and there was a destruction of personality. Paul says our bodies shall rise. Epicureanism said there was no existence beyond death. Paul says Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and our bodies, too, shall rise. Platonism believed in the immortality of the soul but denied the bodily resurrection. Paul says that our physical bodies shall be made alive as spiritual bodies.
POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed [1 Cor. 15:51].
What is a mystery? We have already discussed it several times. A mystery is something which had not been revealed in the Old Testament but is now revealed in the New Testament. It is something which you cannot learn by the eye-gate or the ear-gate. Nor has it entered into the heart of man—that is, it is not something man would have thought of. It is a fact which must be revealed by God.
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep”—we are not all going down through the doorway of death. “But we shall all be changed.” Whether you die or don’t die, you must still be changed, friend. Sometimes we hear people say, “I hope I am alive at the coming of Christ; so I will just go into His presence.” Well, before any of us can go into His presence, we’ll have to be changed.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed [1 Cor. 15:52].
“In a moment,” in the smallest particle of time. The word is en atomo from which we get our word “atom.” Scientists made a big mistake when they called that little fellow an atom. They thought they had found the smallest particle of matter, and now they can cut up the little atom like a railroad restaurant pie. It would have been better if we had named it a stoicheion, which means “a building block.” Actually, Simon Peter uses this word in his second epistle when he says that the elements (stoicheion) shall melt with a fervent heat. And he wasn’t even a scientist; he was a fisherman. But the Spirit of God knew a little about science!
We shall all be changed “in the twinkling of an eye.” How long is that? Is a twinkle when the lid goes down or when it comes up, or is it both of them? Well, it simply means in a moment, in a fraction of a second. There won’t even be time to say, “Here He comes” or “He is here!”
“At the last trump.” What is that? That is His last call. The trumpet is His voice. John tells us in the Book of Revelation, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” and when he turned to see who was speaking, he saw Christ (see Rev. 1:10–13). So “at the last trump” is the voice of the Lord Jesus. On His last call to mankind, He will call the dead back to life. He said, “…Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43). Someday He will say to me, “Vernon, come forth.” And He will also call you by name.
“And the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality [1 Cor. 15:53].
Notice the word must—it is emphatic. We cannot go to heaven as we are now. We cannot go to heaven with the old bodies we have. We wouldn’t be able to see what is really up there, nor could we hear the music. Our bodies are quite limited. We are almost deaf and blind as far as heaven is concerned. Even here on earth there is so little of the spectrum that we actually see and so little of the sounds that we actually hear. If we went to heaven in these old bodies, we would miss half of what was taking place. And, my friend, when I go up there, I don’t want to miss a thing! Therefore I’m going to need a new body. “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory [1 Cor. 15:54].
This is the victory of the Resurrection.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 15:55–57].
I heard a Bible teacher say that since God has taken the sting out of death, it is like a bee that has his stinger removed. Well, I can’t tell when a bee’s stinger has been removed. I can’t stop every bee and ask, “Say, do you have a stinger?” Therefore, I am afraid of every bee.
Death has lost its sting, because we are to look way out beyond death. It is a doorway that opens up the vast regions of eternity. It starts us down the hallway, not of time, but of eternity. But I don’t like going through that door.
“O grave, where is thy victory?” It looks as if the grave wins. Many a man has been a successful businessman, but death finally won over him. Many a politician gets elected to high office, even to the presidency, and then dies in office. They reach the heights, but death walks in on them and claims a victory. Death is an awful monster. However, Christ has been down through that way. Just as the ark went down into the Jordan River and over to the other side, so Christ has gone down through the waters of death for me, and He tells me, “I’m your Shepherd. Remember, I not only lead you through this life, but I’ll lead you through the deep waters of death, and I will bring you into eternity.” So like a little child I’m afraid, but I’ll put my hand in His nail-pierced hand, and He will lead me to the other side. “O grave, where is thy victory?”
“The sting of death is sin.” It is sin that has the real stinger.
“The strength of sin is the law.” The law is the mirror that shows us we are sinners.
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory.” How? Because we are smart and clever and are overcomers? No, the victory is through our Lord Jesus Christ. Speaking of the tribulation saints, Revelation 12:11 says that they overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb. That is the only way any of us will overcome.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord [1 Cor. 15:58].
I think this verse goes all the way back to chapter 1:9. “God is faithful [Oh, how faithful He is], by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” I have been called into the fellowship of His Son. Paul has already told us in this epistle that all things are ours. He said that Paul and Apollos and Cephas and the world and life and death and things present and things to come are all ours, and we are Christ’s. Life is ours, and I want to enjoy life. Death is ours, for we have the One who got the victory over death. Things present (the things of time) and things out yonder in the future are all ours. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Final exhortations
In this chapter we will find a potpourri, that is, a collection of things. First Paul discusses the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, but then he goes on to discuss other things. He will talk about opportunities and opposition, about watching and praying, about the conduct of the church, about the acid test of doctrine, and about that which is ecclesiastical. The total church is in view here. Verses 1–4 concern the collection; verses 5–9 are personal—Paul discusses his personal plans; verses 10–24 deal with personalities, folk who walked down the streets of corrupt Corinth and lived for Christ.
THE COLLECTION
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye [1 Cor. 16:1].
Paul begins this chapter by talking about taking up an offering! You would think that after Paul had discussed the Resurrection, that most glorious doctrine of the Christian faith, he would say, “Brethren, we are up in the heavenlies, so let’s just stay up in the clouds.” Instead, all of a sudden it seems like he has pulled out the plug. We find that we have just gone down to the very bottom. He is talking about a collection of money for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Some pious folk say, “You shouldn’t talk about a collection—that is a material matter. You should talk only of spiritual things.” Generally those people don’t want it talked about because the subject is a little bit embarrassing for them. Paul is going to lay out a method for Christian giving.
Now I hope you have your Bible open and that you will watch very carefully because I am not going to read it correctly. “On the Sabbath day let every one of you give tithes and offerings so that there will not be an offering when I come. It may be that when I get there we will have a special offering or probably a retiring offering.” Somebody will say, “You surely didn’t read it like it is.” No, I didn’t. But I read it the way it is often practiced today.
Now let us read it the way Paul wrote it.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come [1 Cor. 16:2].
“Upon the first day of the week.” If you don’t meet on the first day of the week to worship God, then you will want to meet on that day to make your offering, which is a part of worship. That is ridiculous, of course. When he says to bring your offering on the first day of the week, this was the day on which the church came together to remember the Lord Jesus in His death and in His resurrection. He rose on the first day of the week, which is Sunday, not the sabbath day.
“Let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.” He says nothing about tithes and offerings. They were to put aside their offerings as God had prospered them.
When I was pastoring a church in Texas, one of my officers owned several Coca-Cola plants, and one of them was in our town. He was a man of means, and he owned a ranch where we used to go to hunt and fish. Often he would ask me why I didn’t preach on tithing. One day I said, “Why should I preach on tithing?” He said, “Because it is the Bible way of giving.” I agreed, “Yes, it was the Old Testament way of giving, but under grace I don’t believe tithing is the way it should be done.” So he asked me, “How do you think it ought to be done?” I took him to this verse: “As God hath prospered him.” Now this was during the depression. If you are as old as I am, you will remember that the depression in the 1930s was a very serious time. So I said to him, “For some strange reason, Coca-Cola is selling, and you are doing very well. However, there are some members in our church who couldn’t give a tithe right now. I don’t believe God is asking them to give a tenth. There are a few people who are doing well, and they are to give as they have been prospered—and they are not to stop with a tenth. Probably they ought to give a half.” Do you know that this man never again suggested that I preach on tithing! The reason was that he was tithing, but he didn’t want to give as God had prospered him.
“That there be no gatherings when I come.” Paul didn’t want his meeting with them to be spoiled by high pressure methods of taking up an offering. In my day I sometimes had to give as much attention to the offering as to dealing with new converts. Paul tells us how an offering should be collected.
And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me [1 Cor. 16:3–4].
Paul asks them to pick a committee to take the collection to Jerusalem with him. It is well for more than one man to be responsible for the offering. It is dangerous to turn the offering over to a single individual and let one man handle it. Is it that there is a doubt about a man’s honesty if he is a Christian? Well, there may be. Even if a man is honest, there is a certain temptation involved. Paul gives us the best way to handle a collection. He uses very businesslike methods.
Paul talks here of their “liberality.” It is interesting to study the words used for Christian giving. In our passage here he calls it a logia or “a collection.” Then he speaks of their charis or “liberality”—that is the word for “grace.” In Romans 15:26 a “contribution” is called a koinoµnia, a fellowship. In 2 Corinthians 9:5 it is called a eulogia, which means “a bounty” or “a blessing.” Second Corinthians 9:12 calls it a diakonia, which is “an administration” or “ministry.” Acts 24:17 speaks of alms—eleeµmosuneµ, which is “a kind act.” All of these words refer to giving to the Lord, and each of these words can be used.
The interesting word here is “liberality,” which should be grace giving. How has God blessed you? Could your giving to the Lord be considered liberality? In the Book of Leviticus instructions are given about tithing by God’s people in the Old Testament. In the beginning the nation of Israel was a theocracy, and the tithes that the Israelites were to give supported both the government and the temple. They added up to about 30 percent of their total income. This gives us an indication of what the Israelite gave in the Old Testament under the economy of the Law. What do you think would be liberality under grace?
PERSONAL COMMENTS
Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.
And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go [1 Cor. 16:5–6].
“Whithersoever I go” means that Paul doesn’t know where he is going. Do you mean to tell me that the great Apostle of the Gentiles didn’t have a blueprint or a road map from the Lord telling him everywhere he was to go? No, he says that the Lord just leads him along. Paul is in the wonderful position of being gloriously unsettled. He is not sure what he is to do. This is a great satisfaction to me, because I don’t know about the future either. There are folk in Christian service who tell me where they are going and what they will be doing five years from now. This worries me, because I have never received directions like that from the Lord, and I hate to think they have a private line to the Lord that I don’t have! Then when I read about Paul’s not knowing what was ahead for him, it is a great comfort. To Paul and me the Lord doesn’t give a road map; He just leads us from day to day. We are gloriously unsettled.
For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit [1 Cor. 16:7].
Paul is saying here that he does plan to go to Corinth, but only if the Lord permits it. Shouldn’t we have plans? By all means we should make plans, but those plans always should be amenable to the will of God. We should be willing to change them. We should be willing to shuffle things around. When Paul went out, he did not have a rigid schedule for his missionary journeys. He went as the Lord led him. We see in the Book of Acts how the Lord just practically detoured him on the second missionary journey. Paul was going down into Asia; the Spirit of God sent him over to Europe. He didn’t know he was going to Europe—he didn’t have a visa for Europe—but in that day he didn’t need a visa. He went where the Holy Spirit led him.
But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost [1 Cor. 16:8].
That was his plan.
For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries [1 Cor. 16:9].
This is a wonderful verse that I have put with Revelation 3:8, (which is Christ’s message to the church in Philadelphia): “… behold, I have set before thee an open door …” And Paul says, “A great door and effectual is opened unto me.” These two verses I have found to be true in the ministry God has given to me. Also it is true today that there are many adversaries. Any man who will stand for the Word of God has many enemies. That was the experience of Paul, and it has been my experience also. However, the Lord opens the door and no man can shut it. Thank God for that!
So we see Paul, gloriously happy, rejoicing in the will of God. If the Lord wants him to go to Corinth, he will go.
PERSONALITIES
Now we come to the personalities. These were the folk who walked down the streets of Corinth. Corinth was a most corrupt city, a sensual city given over to immorality. They knew more about illicit sex than this generation knows today. Yet here were folk, walking the streets of Corinth, who knew the Lord Jesus and who lived for Him. They kept themselves unspotted from the world.
Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren [1 Cor. 16:10–11].
Why would they despise Timothy? Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth….” So he is telling the church in Corinth to accept Timothy although he is a young man. He is a preacher of the Word of God.
As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time [1 Cor. 16:12].
Remember that the Corinthian church had divisions over Paul and Apollos and Peter. But Paul loved Apollos, and he makes it clear that they are serving the Lord together. He assures them that Apollos will come to visit them at a later time.
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Let all your things be done with charity [1 Cor. 16:13–14].
What words these are for us today!
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,
That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth [1 Cor. 16:15–16].
When we read that word addicted, we immediately think of drug addiction. But these people were addicted to the ministry of the saints. That was a great ministry!
He urges the Corinthians to submit to those who come to serve them.
I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied [1 Cor. 16:17].
They apparently made up the delegation that brought the letter from the Corinthian church over to Paul. Paul tells the folk in Corinth that these three Christian fellows were so wonderful that they made up for the whole church.
For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such [1 Cor. 16:18].
Paul is saying, “Give them a vote of thanks when they get back.”
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house [1 Cor. 16:19].
That is where many of these people came to know about Christ.
All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss [1 Cor. 16:20].
Is this a permit for kissing? It certainly is—if it is a holy kiss. Most kisses are not!
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand [1 Cor. 16:21].
Paul dictated this epistle and then signed it.
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha [1 Cor. 16:22].
The Lord Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Do you love Me?” (see John 21:17). He didn’t ask Peter if he would deny Him again. He just asked, “Do you love Me?” That is the acid test today. Do you love Him?
Anathema means “accursed.” Paul is saying, “If any one does not love the Lord, let him be accursed.” Maranatha means “our Lord cometh.”
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen [1 Cor. 16:23–24].
If you love the Lord Jesus, you will love the saints. The epistle closes on the high note of love.
(For Bibliography to 1 Corinthians, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Corinthians.)
The Second Epistle to the
Corinthians
INTRODUCTION
The author of the epistle is Paul. Paul had written 1 Corinthians from Ephesus where he had been engaged in a great ministry. He had written, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9). I believe that Paul had his greatest ministry in Asia Minor—Ephesus being the springboard and the sounding board for the gospel. I believe that the gospel covered that area in a manner that was probably more effective than it has ever been in any other place at any other time. That is what Paul meant—“For a great door and effectual is opened unto me.”
Because of that ministry, Paul just couldn’t leave and go over to Corinth. In Corinth was that baby church which he had started. That church was filled with carnal Christians. They acted like babies. They wanted Paul to come, because they wanted attention. They wanted food and they wanted a change of garments—I guess you could say they were all wet. They were crying as babies cry. Paul couldn’t come, and they were a little miffed and a little hurt by it. So Paul had written his first letter and had told them that he would be coming later.
Paul remained in Ephesus approximately three years. He didn’t get to Corinth, and the Corinthians were still disturbed. He had sent Titus to Corinth because he could not personally go there at that time. Timothy had been with Paul in Ephesus, and these two left Ephesus and proceeded to Troas to wait for Titus to bring word from Corinth (see 2 Cor. 2:12–13). When Titus did not come, Paul and Timothy went on to Philippi. It was there that Titus met them and brought Paul word about the Corinthians. He brought good news from Corinth—that the Corinthians were obeying the things that Paul had told them to do in his first answer to their questions; that is, in 1 Corinthians.
At Philippi Paul sat down to write this second epistle. The Corinthians still wanted the great apostle to come and be with them. However, any breach between Paul and the Corinthian church was healed. In this epistle Paul opens his heart in a very wonderful way. To tell the truth, Paul lets us come to know him better personally in this epistle than in any other letter.
Second Corinthians deals with conditions of the ministry within the church. (First Corinthians dealt with conditions and corrections in the church.)
OUTLINE
This epistle is difficult to outline, as it is less organized than any of Paul’s other letters, but it contains more personal details. In each chapter there is always a minor theme developed, which sometimes seems to take the place of the major theme and is generally expressed in some striking verse. This may explain the seeming difficulty in outlining and organizing this epistle. We will note this as we consider each chapter.
I. Comfort of God, Chapters 1–7 Christian Living
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
B. God’s Comfort for Life’s Plans, Chapter 1:3–24
C. God’s Comfort in Restoring a Sinning Saint, Chapter 2
D. God’s Comfort in the Glorious Ministry of Christ, Chapter 3
E. God’s Comfort in the Ministry of Suffering for Christ, Chapter 4
F. God’s Comfort in the Ministry of Martyrdom for Christ, Chapter 5
G. God’s Comfort in All Circumstances of the Ministry of Christ, Chapter 6
H. God’s Comfort in the Heart of Paul, Chapter 7
II. Collection for the Poor Saints at Jerusalem, Chapters 8–9 Christian Giving
A. Example of Christian Giving, Chapter 8:1–6
B. Exhortation to Christian Giving, Chapter 8:7–15
C. Explanation of Christian Giving, Chapter 8:16–9:5
D. Encouragement to Christian Giving, Chapter 9:6–15
III. Calling of the Apostle Paul, Chapters 10–13 Christian Guarding
A. Authentication of Paul’s Apostleship, Chapter 10
B. Vindication of Paul’s Apostleship, Chapter 11
C. Revelation of Paul’s Apostleship, Chapter 12
D. Execution of Paul’s Apostleship, Chapter 13:1–10
E. Conclusion of Paul’s Apostleship, Chapter 13:11–14
CHAPTER 1
Theme: God’s comfort for life’s plans
The first two verses are an introduction to the epistle. Then the rest of chapter 1 is about God’s comfort for life’s plans. Paul really begins this epistle on a high note.
INTRODUCTION
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia [2 Cor. 1:1].
Paul is writing in the authority of “an apostle.” I feel that any minister today should speak with authority. There is no use trying to give out God’s Word unless the speaker is convinced of the truth of it himself. If he isn’t speaking the Word with authority, then he ought to start selling insurance, or work in a filling station, or do something else. He should not be in the ministry. We already have too many men who are unsure that the Bible actually is the Word of God—that is the weakness of the contemporary church.
In the early church, when persecution began, the believers said, “O Lord, Thou art God.” My friend, if you are not sure that He is God, you are not sure of anything. And they were sure of the Word of God. They rested upon it at all times. And Paul writes with this authority.
Paul was an apostle “by the will of God.” You can’t go any higher than that. That is authority. If your life is in the will of God, there is no question in your mind. If you are in the will of God, it makes no difference where you are or how you are or what your circumstances may be, you are in a wonderful, glorious place. You may even be lying in a hospital bed. If that is the will of God, that is the proper place for you. I have a friend who is a music director, and he generally begins a song service on some humorous note. I heard him say one time, “Wouldn’t you rather be here than in the best hospital in town?” I have always laughed about that, but I have also thought about it a great deal. If it is God’s will for you to be in the best hospital in town, then that is the greatest place for you to be.
“And Timothy our brother.” I love that. He is a Christian brother to Paul and to the church at Corinth. In another place Paul calls Timothy his son in the faith. However, when Paul is writing to the church, he puts Timothy right on a par with himself. I love the way Paul has of putting others on the same plane with himself.
“Unto the church of God”—this is God’s church we are talking about. I hear people say, “My church,” and sometimes they act as if it were their church. They forget that it is God’s church, that it is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ which He purchased with His blood. In view of the fact that He paid such a price for the church, you and I better not be cheap Christians, expressing our little will in the church. Let’s remember it is His church.
“Which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia.” Paul didn’t confine this to Corinth alone. Paul extended it to all Achaia because, everywhere the gospel went in that day, these people were witnesses. They carried the gospel out to others.
I have gone through that land of Achaia. It is beautiful country. They have the most beautiful grape vineyards I have ever seen anywhere. And beautiful flowers! I can visualize those early Christians, steeped in sin in the city of Corinth. Then when Paul came with the gospel, the scales fell from their eyes. The light broke upon their darkened souls. They turned from their sins to the living Christ. Then they went all over Achaia witnessing for Christ. Many were won for Christ. Paul was also talking to all of them—to “all the saints which are in all Achaia.” How wonderful that is.
Now friend, the church of God which Paul happens to be addressing is this church in Corinth. The church in your hometown, the church in your neighborhood, is also God’s church. Don’t forget that.
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ [2 Cor. 1:2].
Paul uses this salutation frequently. Grace and peace are those great gifts from God to the believer.
GOD’S COMFORT IN LIFE’S PLANS
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort [2 Cor. 1:3].
The word for “blessed” is actually praise—praise be to God. I wonder how much we really praise Him. I find that I am doing a better job of praising Him since I have retired than I did when I was a pastor.
David put it like this: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Ps. 34:1). That ought to get rid of the complaining of the saints. We are to praise the Lord. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me …” (Ps. 50:23).
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God is the Father. That is His position in the Trinity. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus Christ wasn’t begotten in the sense of being born. He is the only begotten One in the sense that He occupies a position that is totally unique. He is the eternal Son, and God is the everlasting Father. If you have a Father and a Son like that, then there never was a time when there was any begetting in the sense of being born, of having a beginning. Rather, it expresses the positions in the Trinity. They are both eternal.
Now Paul calls Him “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” I want to stop here and spend a little time on three words: love, mercy, grace.
So much is being said today about love. It is sloppy theology to say that God saves us by His love. Now it is true that God loves us. Oh, how He loves us! We just don’t know how much He loves us. It would break our hearts if we could comprehend how much God loves us. But God does not save us by His love. The Scriptures teach that we are saved by God’s grace.
Now what is grace? We call it unmerited favor, which means that God saves us on a different basis than merit. God loves us, but He does not save us by His love. He saves us by His grace. Why? Because He is also the God of all mercies—the father of mercies. Mercy means that God so loved us that He provided a Savior for us because He couldn’t save us any other way. Anything that we have today is a mercy from God. He is the Father of mercy. In fact, He is said to be rich in grace and rich in mercy.
Do you need any mercy today? If you need money, you go to a bank to get it. If you need mercy, go to the One who is the Father of mercies. If you need any help, go to Him. After all, anything and everything that you have today is a mercy from God. You don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve anything that I have. I don’t have much, but what I have is a mercy of God.
God was merciful to put me into the ministry. You don’t know me like I know myself. If you knew me as I know myself, you wouldn’t listen to me. Wait a minute—don’t cut me off. If I knew you like you know yourself, I wouldn’t be talking to you. I would quit right now. You see, you and I have been extended mercy, and I am in the ministry because of the mercy of God.
Now I must say something that is difficult for me to say: I have had cancer, probably still have it in my body, by the mercy of God. I hate to say it, but it is true. Everything that we have is a mercy. Not only is He the Father of mercies, He is also the God of all comfort. You can test that in the crucible of life. Suffering is the acid test. He is the God of all comfort. He will comfort you in the hospital. He will comfort you at the funeral home when you have a loved one there. He can comfort you in any place at any time. He is the God of all comfort.
There is an authentic comfort, and there is a counterfeit one. I don’t like to hear people sigh and say, “God has permitted this to come to me and I accept it,” when they don’t accept it but rebel against it. Be honest with God. Tell Him how you feel. Tell Him you don’t like what is happening to you. He knows all about it anyway. He wants you to talk frankly with Him. Comfort can be genuine or fake.
There is a popular notion that comfort is some sort of saccharin sweet sentimentality with a note of weakness. I can remember that when I was a little fellow I was always falling down and skinning my knees. I always wondered why my mother didn’t put me in long pants, but she never did. When I’d skin my knee, she would kiss it and say, “It’s all well now.” She kidded me into thinking it was well and I would quit crying. Now that is sentiment; it’s sweet and lovely. But there came a day when I went away to school and I got discouraged because I didn’t have any money. Then she sat down and talked to me. It was pretty strong medicine. She said, “Now you must be a man, my son.” That was comfort also.
People turn to all sorts of things for comfort. There is a whiskey called “Southern Comfort.” Well, I’m a Southerner, but that is not a comfort, my friend. That will ruin a home. Others turn to drugs for comfort, but there is no comfort there.
The Greek word for “comfort” is parakaleo, which means “to call alongside of.” The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete. He is called to our side. When the Lord Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, He said, “I will not leave you comfortless …” (John 14:18). The word He used there is orphanos—“I will not leave you orphans. I will send the Comforter to you, the Paraclete.” He said to His own men, “… It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7).
What is the Comforter then? He is not someone who simply kisses a bruise. He is a helper, a strengthener, an advocate. He is One who is called to help me and to strengthen me, to relieve the loneliness and assuage the grief and calm the fears. He means help in time of terrifying trouble. “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper” (Ps. 30:10). That is the cry of the soul that needs the Comforter. God is the God of all comfort.
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God [2 Cor. 1:4].
It is a very wonderful thing that we have a God who can comfort us in all our troubles. It is one thing to have comfort when the sun is shining and with someone patting us on the back. But, my friend, what we really need is comfort in the time of trouble.
We will see that Paul experienced that kind of comfort in his time of trouble. You see, we need the assurance of the presence of God in all the circumstances of life—in the area of our greatest need, in our loneliness, in the desperate hour of life.
Christianity is just a theory to many people. It is merely a profession; it is like a garment to be put on for special occasions and then wear lightly. It is a stagnant ritual and an empty vocabulary. My friend, may I say to you that the proof of Christianity is how it walks in shoe leather. It wasn’t just a theory to the apostle Paul.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation [2 Cor. 1:5–6].
We will find that Paul is going to talk a great deal about the trouble he had and was presently having and of God’s comfort through it all.
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us [2 Cor. 1:7–10].
This is wonderful. This explains why God permits us to have trouble or to be sick. Paul here says that he was sick nigh unto death. In fact, he had “the sentence of death” in him. He was so ill that I think the doctor told him he would die. There are others who think he is referring to the time the mob tried to attack him in Ephesus. They would have torn Paul to pieces, and he would have been made a martyr. He could have been referring to either experience; both would have carried the sentence of death. But Paul says that God who raises the dead “delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.” That is quite wonderful, and it ought to be practical for us today.
Let me say that God permits Christians to suffer. He has a good reason, a very wonderful purpose in it all. He intends for it to work out for the good of these believers. He intends for it to serve a good purpose so they can comfort someone else.
Everything that you and I have we have because of the mercy of God. And we have it for the benefit of others. Regardless of what you have, God has given it to you so that you can share it with others. He has given it to you as a mercy. If you have health, wealth, youth, talent, or a gift, He wants you to use it to share with others. Each issues from the mercy of God. And wait a minute—suffering also. If you are suffering for Christ, He permits that to happen to you.
Dr. Harry Ironside used to tell the story of a friend of his who was in Vienna, Austria, on a sightseeing bus trip. As they were traveling, some sheep got in the way of the bus and they were held up. The man sitting next to his friend was annoyed by it all because there were only two sheep dogs that were herding those sheep. So this friend, a Christian, said to this annoyed man sitting next to him, “Do you know the names of those two sheep dogs?” And he said, “Why, no, I don’t know the names. Do you know the names?” “Yes, I think I do.” “What are they?” His friend said, “One of them is named ‘Goodness’ and the other is named ‘Mercy.’” He said, “How in the world do you know that?” “Well, he said, I’ll tell you how. David said, ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives.’”
You might not think it was goodness and mercy to have a couple of dogs yapping at you to keep you from going to the left or to the right, but it is God’s mercy that keeps us in the straight and narrow way, and He uses trial and difficulty for that very purpose. He is “the Father of mercies.”
Now I am going to be personal. I had several recurrences of cancer and, I’ll be frank with you, my doctor didn’t offer me much hope. But God has been delivering me—it is amazing. That monster can turn on me at any moment; yet I trust that God will deliver. I received a letter from a man who to me seems arrogant. He wrote, “God has told me that you are going to get well; so you don’t need to worry about it any more.” I wonder, since I was the fellow who had the cancer, why didn’t God tell me that? Well, I’m just waiting on the Lord. I can say with Paul that I trust He will deliver me. We cannot be arrogant with God; we need to walk softly.
Paul is walking softly, but he can say with great assurance, “He has delivered me from death.” And he can say, “Right at the present, He is delivering me.” And then, without any boasting, he says, “We trust that He will yet deliver us.” Paul didn’t know that He would, but he believed that He would. Therefore, on the basis of that, Paul could rejoice in the fact that God was permitting him to give out the gospel in that day.
Paul appeals to these Corinthian believers for prayer.
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf [2 Cor. 1:11].
God wants us to do this. And I have appealed for prayer. Thank God, folk have been praying for me down through the years.
Yet I think God allows us to have trouble that we might comfort others. Our suffering is for the benefit of others—“that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble.” It is amazing how my experience with cancer has been a comfort to others. God permits us to have trouble so that we may be able to comfort others.
Listen to Paul again, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life” (v. 8).
If you are as old as I am, you may remember the fable we used to have in our readers in school. The sun and the wind were having a contest to see who was the stronger. There was a man walking down the street with his coat on and the wind said, “I can make him take his coat off.” So the wind began to blow. I tell you, it almost blew the man away. The harder the wind blew, the tighter the man wrapped his coat around him. The sun said, “Now it’s my turn to try.” The sun shone down so warm and nice that the man took his coat off. The sun accomplished what the wind could not do.
Now, generally, the wind of adversity won’t take us away from God. When the wind begins to blow, when it gets rough and tough, we turn to our Father who can comfort us. However, we are in a dangerous place when things are going too well for us. When the sun is shining, Christians have it too easy. They remove that robe of practical righteousness, and they begin to compromise with the world. This is exactly what many have done in our day.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward [2 Cor. 1:12].
“Our conversation” means our manner of life in the world. Paul says that he can rejoice because of the testimony of his life. He makes it clear that it was not by “fleshly wisdom.” And, my friend, it is not by our wisdom that our lives are a testimony to those around us. If we have been a testimony for God, it is because we have lived our lives in “simplicity and godly sincerity.” Paul is saying that by God’s grace suffering has produced this in his life. You see, suffering is a mercy of God, and it produces qualities in our lives that are to be shared.
When I was in the hospital for my initial cancer surgery, someone sent me this little poem:
I NEEDED THE QUIET
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside,
Into the shadows where we could confide.
Away from the bustle where all the day long
I hurried and worried when active and strong.
I needed the quiet though at first I rebelled.
But gently, so gently, my cross He upheld,
And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things.
Though weakened in body, my spirit took wings
To heights never dreamed of when active and gay.
He loved me so greatly He drew me away.
I needed the quiet. No prison my bed,
But a beautiful valley of blessings instead—
A place to grow richer in Jesus to hide.
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.
—Alice Hansche Mortenson
My friend, if today you are on a bed of pain, and you are in the will of God, that bed can become a greater pulpit than the one preachers stand behind.
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit [2 Cor. 1:13–15].
Paul is saying, “Wasn’t I a blessing to you the first time? Now I am coming a second time, and I want to be a blessing to you.”
And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? [2 Cor. 1:16–17].
Paul had hoped that he would be able to come to Corinth, but he hadn’t come there yet. Some of his enemies in Corinth were saying that he didn’t mean what he said. They accused him of being insincere. Now Paul is telling them that he certainly was sincere. He says that when he says yes, he means yes, and when he says no, he means no.
Believers today ought to be that kind of folk. They should not use lightness in making appointments and arrangements in the business world and in their daily appointments. We need Christian men and women who will stand by the things that they have said.
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay [2 Cor. 1:18].
Paul didn’t say, “I will come,” then, “I won’t come”—as though he was being fickle. Why? Because God had led him. He was in the will of God.
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea [2 Cor. 1:19].
The gospel that he had preached was a glorious, positive gospel, and it was “yea.” The gospel is something God has done for us—it is good news. We have not only the faithful God, but the sure Lord Jesus Christ.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us [2 Cor. 1:20].
Everything is positive in Christ. You see, God means well by you, Christian friend.
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts [2 Cor. 1:21–22].
Now you have here not only the faithful God, the true God, and the sure Lord Jesus, but you have the indwelling Holy Spirit. And I believe, very candidly, that you have here in this statement the total ministry of the Holy Spirit today.
“He which stablisheth us.” Now how do you become established? When Paul had written his first letter to these Corinthians—and they had been so fickle—he concluded by saying, “… be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). What does it mean to be established? We believe that is the work of the Holy Spirit. First of all, the Holy Spirit convicts. The Lord Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came into the world, He would convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. And the second thing that He would do (if, having been convicted, we confessed our sin and accepted Christ as our Savior) would be to regenerate us, you see. And He not only would regenerate us, He would indwell us. And not only would He indwell us, but He would baptize us.
And by the way, this expression here is quite interesting: “Now he which stablisheth us with you in [into] Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.” God who? God the Holy Spirit, if you please.
Sometimes, especially at funerals, we hear the song, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” Well, the word here is not safe in the arms of Jesus. When you are put into Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you are a part of His body. Rather than being safe in His arms, you are as safe as an arm of Jesus Christ. You are as safe as a member of His body. What a wonderful security that is!
In speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit, Paul uses the present tense. This is what He is doing for you today, my friend: He convicts you, He regenerates you, He indwells you, and He baptizes you.
“Now he which … hath anointed us, is God.” The anointing of the Holy Spirit is a neglected truth in our day. In 1 John 2:20 we are told, “But ye have an unction [that is, an anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” That anointing is the Holy Spirit. It takes the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27). This ministry of the Holy Spirit is very important. He doesn’t give you a mail-order degree, nor does this knowledge come in a gift-wrapped box. You have the Holy Spirit to teach you, Christian friend, and He alone can open the Word of God to you. That is the reason this is a miracle Book. The Lord Jesus said to His own men, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth …” (John 16:12–13). He wants to guide you into all truth.
“Who hath also sealed us”—that is a marvelous ministry of the Spirit. “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). Is it possible to grieve Him away? No, He has sealed us and is going to deliver us someday. This is somewhat like taking a letter down to the post office. Occasionally some of the mail is lost and never does get delivered. If we want to be very sure that a certain piece of mail arrives, we have that letter registered and a seal put on it. The postal service guarantees that they will get that letter to the person to whom it is addressed. Also, all legal documents bear a seal—“In witness thereof I set my seal” is the phraseology that has come down to us from old English. It is also a brand, a mark of ownership. In the early days of the West, when there were no fences, the cattlemen would brand their cattle. The brand was a mark of ownership.
The Holy Spirit puts a brand on you to show that you belong to God. My friend, if you are a little sheep of His, you are not going to get lost. Oh, you may stray away, but He will come to find you. The Holy Spirit is pictured in Luke’s parable as the woman sweeping the floor, looking for the lost coin until she found it (see Luke 15:8).
“And given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” would be better translated: you are “given the earnest, which is the Holy Spirit in our hearts.” You know that “earnest money” indicates there will be more to follow. When you put down earnest money on a piece of property, it is a pledge that you are going to pay more money on that property. In such a way, God has given us the Holy Spirit, which indicates there is more to follow. This is a wonderful thing.
When people buy on the installment plan, there is a possibility that the buyer may later defect, even though he has put a down payment on the merchandise. But there is no defection in this Buyer. He has purchased us with His blood. He has put down a purchase price, which guarantees that the saved soul will be delivered safely to the Father. It means that the saved soul is in escrow today.
God has put His Holy Spirit into every believer. He is the earnest. He has come into the life of the believer to bring the fullness of God to bear in our experiences. What is it that you need today? You know that He is rich in mercy—He is the Father of mercies. What do you need? Why don’t you go to Him and ask Him for it? Do you need power? Do you need joy? Do you need wisdom? Do you need help? These are comforts—He is the God of all comfort. Paul knew this; he had experienced it. Also, the writer knows it; he has experienced it.
Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth [2 Cor. 1:23].
Paul says that if he had come earlier, he would have done what he did in his first epistle. You have seen that 1 Corinthians is filled with correction. Paul was really stern in that epistle. In effect, he is saying, “If I had come, I would have been stern with you. But I wanted to spare you that; I wanted to see if you would work this thing out yourselves.”
Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand [2 Cor. 1:24].
Paul is saying, “I am not the bishop of your souls. I am not trying to lord it over you. You have complete freedom in Christ. I just want to be a helper of your joy; ‘for by faith ye stand.’” You and I too must stand in our own faith, my friend. Paul stayed away so that their faith might be strengthened and that they might grow in the Lord. And this is one of the reasons God permits many of us to undergo certain hardships and certain difficulties in our lives.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: God’s comfort in restoring a sinning saint
This epistle is teaching us wonderful truths about God’s comfort. In the first chapter we saw God’s comfort for life’s plans. Now we see God’s comfort in restoring a sinning saint. Before the apostle gets into this subject, he continues with the subject of chapter 1. He is explaining his motives for not coming for an earlier visit. Then he discusses the sinning saint in the congregation in Corinth. Finally, he shows that God causes us to triumph in Christ.
PAUL’S EXPLANATION CONTINUES
But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness [2 Cor. 2:1].
Paul admits that he was discouraged with them. If he had come to visit them, it would have been in sorrow.
For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? [2 Cor. 2:2].
Paul didn’t want to come in his sorrow, with tears in his eyes. He would have had them weeping, too. Then who would make Paul glad? They would all have been boo-hooing into their handkerchiefs.
And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all [2 Cor. 2:3].
Paul wanted to come to them in joy. He had been hoping to get word from them telling him that they had corrected those things about which he had written them.
Now Paul opens his heart to them.
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you [2 Cor. 2:4].
A great many people today fall out with the preacher when he preaches a message that is rather severe. Sometimes correction from the Word of God will really bear down on the congregation. Some people think that a pastor should not do that. May I say to you, my friend, that a faithful pastor must do that. The command is: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:1–2). Any man who stands in the pulpit today has a tremendous responsibility to rebuke what is wrong. Many of the saints don’t like this. Paul tells them here that his rebuke was not because he was opposed to them, but because he loved them. A faithful pastor shows his love by preaching the Word of God as it is rather than “buttering up” the congregation.
RESTORING A SINNING SAINT
Let me remind you that in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, he rebuked them because they were permitting gross immorality in the congregation. In fact, they had a case of incest in their congregation, and they were shutting their eyes to it. (Yet they were acting as if they were very spiritual!) This kind of gross immorality was something that was even shocking to the heathen; yet the congregation was ignoring it. Paul had written them to get this matter straightened out. He read the riot act to them. He told them, “… put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:13).
The congregation did listen to Paul. They excommunicated the man.
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many [2 Cor. 2:5–6].
They had obeyed Paul. They had excommunicated the man, which was the right thing for them to do.
Then the man acknowledged his sin and came under great conviction. Now what ought they to do? They should forgive him.
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him [2 Cor. 2:7–8].
“He will be overwhelmed, not only because of his sin, but because you won’t receive him. So now put your arm about him, and restore him to your fellowship.” To the Galatian believers Paul wrote: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices [2 Cor. 2:9–11].
You see, the Devil tries to push us one way or another. Sometimes the Devil gets us to shut our eyes to gross immorality. There are many instances of that in our churches today. I know one preacher who has had trouble with women in three different churches. Each church he went to serve knew his past record, and still they accepted him as pastor! In shutting their eyes to gross immorality, they were hurting the cause of Christ Jesus.
Now suppose he had repented and had really turned from his sin (which he did not), then they should have forgiven him. Unfortunately, many of our stiff-backed brethren will not forgive anything. That can be the work of the Devil as well as shutting one’s eyes to immorality. Satan gets the advantage of a great many Christians because they are unforgiving. There are two things that we don’t hear very often even in our conservative churches: we don’t hear folk admitting their sins and asking for forgiveness nor do we hear folk forgiving those who confess. There is an unforgiving spirit in many of our churches.
We need to remember that we are all capable of any sin. Whatever the other man has done, we are also capable of doing. When such a man repents from his sin, he is to be restored in the spirit of meekness. He is to be brought back into fellowship. This is part of the ministry. It is a glorious ministry, isn’t it?
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord [2 Cor. 2:12].
He came to Troas, and there he found an open door. It was the will of God for him to stay there and to preach the gospel rather than proceed on to Corinth at that time. Paul was not being fickle. He was being faithful. He was faithful to the opportunity which God gave him.
I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia [2 Cor. 2:13].
Even while he was preaching the gospel in Troas, he was grieved at heart because Titus hadn’t come to bring him word concerning the congregation in Corinth. He waited for Titus to come, but Titus didn’t come. Then Paul went over to Philippi in Macedonia. It was there that Titus came and brought word that the Corinthians had dealt with this sin in their congregation and that the man had now repented and had turned from his sin.
THE TRIUMPHANT MINISTRY
Now we come to what some have called the power of the ministry. It is part of the greatness of the ministry, and I rejoice today to be able to preach the kind of gospel and the kind of Word of God that we have to give. We are dealing here with a grand and glorious picture.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place [2 Cor. 2:14].
In this dramatic picture, Paul is saying that preaching the gospel is like leading a triumphal entry. The background is a Roman triumphal entry. One of the great Roman generals would go out to the frontier—to Europe where my ancestors were at that time, or down into Africa—where he would have victory after victory, for Rome was victorious in most campaigns. The conqueror would then return to Rome, and there would be a big, triumphal entry into the city. It is said that sometimes the triumphal entry would begin in the morning and go on far into the night. The Roman conqueror would be bringing in animals and other booty which he had captured. In the front of the procession would be the people who were going to be released. They had been captured but would be freed and would become Roman citizens. In the back of the procession would be the captive people who were to be executed.
In these triumphal entries there was always the burning of incense. They would be burning the incense to their gods to whom they gave credit for the victory. All the way through the procession would be clouds of smoke from the incense, sometimes even obscuring the procession as it passed by.
With this as a background, Paul is saying, “Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” This is wonderful, friend. You can’t lose when you are in Christ. You cannot lose! Paul says that God always causeth us to triumph. Wait a minute, Paul. Always? In every place? We know you had wonderful success in Ephesus, but you didn’t do so well in Athens. Do you feel that you triumphed in both places? “Yes,” Paul says, “He always causes us to triumph in Christ!”
“And maketh manifest the savour [the sweet incense] of his knowledge by us in every place.” Are you having a victory when no one turns to Christ? “Oh, yes,” Paul says.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish [2 Cor. 2:15].
In that triumphal entry were those who were going to be set free and those who were going to be executed—but all of them were in the triumphal entry.
To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? [2 Cor. 2:16].
Paul is overwhelmed by this—“who is sufficient for these things?” My friend, the greatest privilege in the world is to give out the Word of God. There is nothing like it. I would never want to run for the presidency of the United States. It is difficult to understand why anyone would want to be president in this day of unsolvable problems. But it is glorious to give out the Word of God! Do you know why? Because He always causes us to triumph!
While I was a pastor in Los Angeles, we very seldom had a Sunday when someone didn’t turn to Christ, and many times there were a great many folk.
When the gospel is preached and the multitudes accept Christ, that is wonderful. We can see the triumph there. We are a “savour of life” unto those who are saved. But now wait a minute—what about the crowd which rejects Christ? We are a “savour of death” to them. I often say to the congregation after I have preached a message, “If you go out of here after rejecting Christ, I am probably the worst enemy you will ever have, because now you cannot go into the presence of God and say that you never heard the gospel.” However, all people are now in the triumphal entry. Many will not be set free; they will be judged. But regardless of our destiny, we are in the great triumphal entry of Jesus Christ, because He is going to win, my friend! Every knee must bow to him, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every individual will have to bow to Him someday—regardless of whether He is the person’s Savior or Judge. No wonder Paul exclaims, “Who is sufficient for these things?”
“To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.” Today the incense is ascending; the Word is going out. And we are a savor of life to some and a savor of death to others.
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ [2 Cor. 2:17].
This is the entire plan of the Christian ministry. We are not to corrupt the Word of God or distort it or make merchandise of it, but to give it out in sincerity as the Spirit of God reveals its truth to us.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: God’s comfort in the glorious ministry of Christ
Paul has spoken of the triumph of the ministry. Now he deals with the accreditation of the ministry. He will reach the heights in this chapter.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? [2 Cor. 3:1].
Paul is asking, “Do I need a letter of recommendation from my employer? Do I need a letter from God testifying that I am His minister?” Paul says, “No, I don’t need to have that”—for this reason:
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart [2 Cor. 3:2–3].
The proof of the effectiveness of any ministry is whether or not it has a recommendation from God. He is not giving out letters of recommendation; the proof lies in the epistles that are written in the fleshly tables of the heart. I read many letters from folk who have turned to Christ because of my radio ministry. Several years ago a wonderful family came up to me in Houston, Texas. If no one else turned to Christ through my radio program there, I still would consider it worthwhile. They listened to the radio program for three months before they made a decision for Christ, and then the entire family, a handsome family, all received Christ. They are some of the epistles I have down in Texas. I have such epistles in practically every state of these United States and on many foreign shores. They are my letters of commendation.
Paul says to the Corinthian believers, “You are our epistles written in our hearts, known and read of all men.”
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward [2 Cor. 3:4].
This gives me confidence. I know the Bible is the Word of God. When I was in seminary, I believed it was the Word of God. I think that intellectually it can be determined that it is the Word of God. But today I don’t even need the intellectual demonstrations anymore. I’ve passed that. To me it is very simple—the proof of the Word of God is what it does. They say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. God put it like this: “O taste and see that the Lord is good …” (Ps. 34:8). This is His challenge to you.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God [2 Cor. 3:5].
I am sure that you have already sensed the weakness of the apostle Paul in this epistle of 2 Corinthians. But Paul could say, “For when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).
God is not looking for some big something or some big somebody. If He had wanted that, He couldn’t use me and He couldn’t use you. God chooses the weak things of this world, little things, insignificant things to accomplish His purposes. Our sufficiency is of God.
CONTRASTS BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life [2 Cor. 3:6].
We are ministers “of the new testament” would be better translated, ministers of the new covenant. We will see a contrast between the old covenant (the Old Testament) and the new covenant (the New Testament). There is a contrast here in several different ways.
“Not of the letter, but of the spirit.” In the Old Testament, and specifically in the Law, the letter kills; the letter of the Law actually condemns us. The Law says that you and I are guilty sinners. Those letters which were written on the tablets of stone condemned man. The Mosaic Law never gave life. That is the contrast he is making here. The letter kills. “For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”
I have often challenged congregations to name somebody who was saved by the Law. Did you know that even Moses, the law-giver, could not be saved by the Law? Do you know why not? He was a murderer! Also David broke the Law even though he was a man after God’s own heart. Friend, you can’t be saved by keeping the Law. The Law kills you; the Law condemns you.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away [2 Cor. 3:7].
The old covenant, the Law, was a ministration of death. When it says that it was written and engraved on stones, we know he is talking about the Ten Commandments.
It “was glorious.” It is the will of God, and it is good, even though it condemns me. There is nothing wrong with the Law. The problem is with me. It shows me that I am a sinner. “So that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away.” That glory on Moses’ face slowly disappeared.
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [2 Cor. 3:8].
If the Old Testament was glorious, how much more the New Testament!
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory [2 Cor. 3:9].
“The ministration of righteousness” is the righteousness which we have in Christ Jesus.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious [2 Cor. 3:10–11].
“That which is done away” is the Law. Notice that it is “done away.” Then how much more glorious is that which remains, that new covenant. He is making a contrast between the giving of the Mosaic Law and the day of grace in which we live.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished [2 Cor. 3:12–13].
To what is he having reference?
We need to recognize that there was a first giving and a second giving of the Law. When Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai, God gave him the tablets of stone, and God Himself wrote the Law on them. That was the Law that the children of Israel were to live by and actually be saved by (if they could keep it—which no one could). And they were going to be judged by it. While Moses was up on the mountain with God, the children of Israel were already breaking the first two commandments: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exod. 20:3) and “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image …” (Exod. 20:4). The Mosaic Law was a very strict, rigid law. Even Moses said, “… I exceedingly fear and quake:” (Heb. 12:21). It demanded an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, burning for burning, and cutting for cutting. It was absolute, intrinsic righteousness and holiness. Whatever a man deserved according to the Law that was what he was to receive. In Exodus 32 the people were already breaking the Law. What is going to happen? God told Moses to go down to the people. When Moses went down the mountain, he could see from a distance that the children of Israel were breaking the first two commandments, and he didn’t dare bring the tables of the Law into the camp. Why not? If he had, the entire nation of Israel would have been blotted out at that very moment. They would have been judged immediately because the breaking of those laws meant instant death. So Moses smashed those tablets of stone; then he went into the camp.
Now when Moses goes back to the top of Mount Sinai into the presence of God, we see that something happens. Moses recognizes that all Israel should be destroyed because of their sin, but he asks God for mercy. And God gives them a second chance as He gives Moses the second tables of the Law. Moses now understands that God is tempering the Law with mercy and grace. At the very heart of the Mosaic system is to be a tabernacle and a sacrificial system that will be the basis of approach to God, which is “… without shedding of blood [there] is no remission” of sin (Heb. 9:22). But “without holiness, no man is going to see God” (see Heb. 12:14). How in the world are we going to get into His presence? Well, God will have to make a way for us, and God did make a way. What a glorious, wonderful revelation this is. No wonder Moses’ face shone!
When Moses came down from the mount, he had the second tables of the Law, which was a ministration of condemnation and a ministration of death, demanding a righteousness of man which he was unable to produce of himself; but also there was the sacrificial system that manifested the grace of God. It was the grace of God, fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ, that Paul the apostle found—Paul, who had been a man under the Law, a Pharisee of the Pharisees—and that brought him to the place where he could say, “And be found in him [Jesus], not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:9). Now here is a ministration of glory indeed, and this is the glorious, gospel.
The Law was glorious. It offered man a way of salvation, but man was too feeble to fulfill its demands. It was a glorious way of life that was pleasing to God, but for man it became a ministration of death because of his lost condition.
However, the glory of the grace of God fulfilled in Christ is a ministration of glory indeed! In another passage it is called “the glorious gospel of the blessed God.” The word blessed means “happy”—the happy God. What is it that makes God happy? The thing that makes God happy is that He is a lover of men and He delights in mercy. He wants to save man. We are told in Micah 7:18: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” It is not God’s will that any of the human family should be lost. To the prophet Ezekiel God said, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek. 33:11). God wants to save—saving man is the thing that makes Him happy. We have a happy God. What a glorious picture this gives us.
When Moses came down from the mountain the second time, there was joy in his heart and his face shone. Now there was a way for the children of Israel to come into the presence of God through the sacrificial system.
Now let’s make this very clear again that the veil Moses put on his face was not because his face was shining with a glory so that they couldn’t look at him. It was because that glory was beginning to fade away. The fact that Moses’ face shone was a glorious thing, but the glory began to fade.
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ [2 Cor. 3:14].
Their minds are blinded until this very day.
The veil that Moses wore on his face is now a veil on the minds of God’s ancient people. It is still there because of the fact that these people actually do not see that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness. They do not see that He is the fulfillment of the whole Law. The blindness is still there.
When we get into the next chapter, we will find that the “god of this world” has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, and we will see why this is true.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart [2 Cor. 3:15].
When they read the Law, they actually think that they are able to keep it. But in reading the Old Testament we do not find the confidence that you would expect in the hearts and minds of God’s people. Even David raised some questions. Job was in absolute bewilderment. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept when he faced death. However, in this day of grace in which you and I live, even the weakest saint who trusts Jesus has absolute assurance of his perfect acceptance with God.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away [2 Cor. 3:16].
“It” refers to the heart. When the heart turns to the Lord Jesus Christ, the veil is taken away. Man’s trouble is heart trouble. He is blinded because of the sin in his life. When he is willing to turn from his sin and receive the Lord Jesus as his Savior, “the veil shall be taken away.”
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [2 Cor. 3:17].
Only the Spirit of God can lift the veil and help us to see that Christ is the Savior. He alone can do that. He is the One and the only One.
You notice that Paul here is saying the very same thing which Simon Peter had said: “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). My friend, if you do not see the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is not your Teacher because the Spirit of God takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us. The Spirit of God brings you into the place of liberty. He doesn’t put you under law. He delivers you from law and brings you to Christ. When He does—
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord [2 Cor. 3:18].
This is a very wonderful passage of Scripture. Paul has been talking about the veil being on the heart; then when we turn to Christ, that veil is taken away. Now as believers we are looking upon the Lord Jesus Christ—but even as believers our eyes are veiled when there is sin in our lives. But when that sin is confessed, and we are in fellowship with Him, we look to Him. Then we, with “open face” or unveiled face, beholding (not reflecting as another version translates it) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord—the idea is not of reflecting in order to transform, but rather that of beholding until transformed. Then we can reflect His image. I feel that a more accurate translation is: we “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Frances E. Siewert, who lived here in Southern California in Sierra Madre, worked on The Amplified Bible. When she was still alive, she and I used to carry on a friendly battle. She would hear me on the radio and sometimes when I referred to her amplified version, I would question some things. She was a brilliant woman, and I want to be very frank and say that I lost most of the battles. However, I won a friendly battle over this verse. Let me quote this verse to you from her earliest amplified version. “And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continue to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.” This is an excellent translation except for the word transfigured. Only the Lord Jesus was transfigured—I’ve never seen a saint yet that I thought had been transfigured. It is true that the Word of God is the mirror that we are to look at, and we are beholding Him—just looking at Christ. That is the reason we need to stay in the Word of God and behold the Lord Jesus. As you behold Him, you are transformed. In other words, the Word of God does more than regenerate you (we are regenerated by the Spirit of God using the Word of God). “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). Also the Word of God transforms us. Oh, this is so important! I wish I had spent more time looking in the mirror, beholding Him more. My friend, in the Word of God we see Him. He is not a super star; He is not just a man. In the Word of God we see the unveiled Christ. Oh, how wonderful He is!
Dr. H.A. Ironside told the story about an old Scot who lay suffering and, actually, dying. The physician told him he didn’t have very long to live. A friend came to spend a little time with him and said to him, “They tell me you’ll not be with us long.” That’s a nice thing to say to a man who is dying. Then he continued, “I hope you get a wee glimpse of the Savior’s blessed face as you are going through the valley of the shadow.” The dying man looked up when he gathered a little strength and answered, “Away with the glimpse, mon; it’s a full view of His blessed face I’ve had these forty years, and I’ll not be satisfied with any of your wee glimpses now.” How wonderful to behold Him today.
Perhaps some of you remember Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story about the great stone face. A little lad lived in a village where there was a mountain with a rock formation which they called the great stone face. The people had a legend that someday someone would come to the village who would look like the great stone face. He would do wonderful things for the village and be a means of great blessing. That story really took hold of the lad. During his lifetime he would gaze at the great stone face at every opportunity that he had, and he would dream of the time someone looking like the great stone face would come to the village. Years passed and as time went by, he became a young man, then an old man. He was tottering down the street one day when someone looked up and saw him coming and shouted, “He has come. The one who looks like the great stone face is here.” This man had looked at the great stone face for so long that now he bore its image.
Listen to me. Do you want to be Christlike? Then spend time looking at Jesus. I recall that Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer at the Dallas Theological Seminary used to stop us when we would sing the song, “Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord” by William D. Longstaff. He would say, “Change that first line. Let us sing ‘Take time to behold Him.’” Do you want to be holy? Then behold Him.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus;
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
I need this. I hope you, too, sense a need of seeing Jesus Christ on the pages of the Word of God so that you might grow more like Him.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: God’s comfort in the ministry of suffering for Christ
Here we have another facet of God’s comfort. We have seen God’s comfort for life’s plans in chapter 1. Then in chapter 2 it was God’s comfort in restoring sinning saints. Chapter 3 showed God’s comfort in the glorious ministry of Christ—wasn’t that third chapter wonderful? Now we are not going to come down from the mountain, but we are going to stay right up there as we see God’s comfort in the ministry of suffering for Christ. We may even have to climb a little higher, and I’m not sure but what we may get into an atmosphere where I really have difficulty in breathing. Paul says, “Come up higher,” and that’s what we want to do.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not [2 Cor. 4:1].
This is a glorious ministry. God has given to us a message which no man could have conceived. It would be impossible for a man to work out such a plan as the gospel presents. I don’t know why God allowed me to be a minister of the glorious gospel other than because of His mercy. We have seen before that God is rich in mercy. God did not exhaust His mercy before He got to me, because He saw that I would need a whole lot of it. He has been rich in mercy to me. By mercy He has permitted me to have a Bible-teaching radio program. Since it is by His mercy, we faint not. We rejoice in it!
What is so wonderful about this ministry? I’ll tell you what is wonderful about it. When I was in seminary, I studied religions. In fact, they so fascinated me that in the first few years of my ministry I almost decided to specialize in the field of comparative religions. Although I didn’t do that, I am acquainted with quite a few religions of the world. I want you to know the difference between Christianity—the gospel of the grace of God—and the religions of the world. It is very simply expressed by one word. All the religions of the world say, “Do, do, do.” The gospel says, “Done.” The gospel tells me that God has done something for me; I am to believe it; I am to trust Him. The only way I can come to Him is by faith. That is my approach to Him. “But without faith it is impossible to please him …” (Heb. 11:6). In contrast to this, the religions of this world all say, “Do.” It is almost amusing to see what the cults in this country say one must do to be right with God. One cult declares there are four things, one of them says there are seven things you must do, another has ten things you must do—the Ten Commandments.
Some of these cults say you must have faith. However, by “faith” they do not mean a trust in Jesus Christ, but rather an acknowledgment as historical fact that Jesus lived and that He died over nineteen hundred years ago. May I say to you, it will not save you simply to believe that Jesus died. My friend, Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again, according to the Scriptures. That is the important distinction. In His finished work we must put our trust. It is done.
At one time Paul had been under the Law. He knew what it was to be under a system of “do, do, do.” He says he was “an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee … touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Phil. 3:5–6). He was really under the Law, and he hoped that he would be able to work out his salvation. Then one day he met the Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. After he came to know Him as Lord and Savior, he wrote, “That I may … be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:8–9). You see, after Paul had stood in the presence of Jesus Christ, he saw that he could never make it on his own. Any righteousness he might have by the Law would not be enough. He would need to have the righteousness of Christ. Paul says that was a new day for him.
It is a new day for each of us when we recognize this fact. Today we need mercy. God has been merciful; God loved us. God in His mercy provided a Savior for us, and now He saves us by His grace. How wonderful He is!
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commanding ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God [2 Cor. 4:2].
We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus. However, after we have been saved, that gospel must live in us. We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty. Coming to Christ and trusting Him is more than an intellectual assent to the fact that Christ died on the cross. It is placing our trust in Him and experiencing His regeneration. When Christ has saved us, we ought to be an example of the gospel. In other words, the man who preaches the gospel should be a holy man. Paul says that we have “renounced the hidden things of dishonesty.”
The translation of this verse from The Amplified Bible is very good, and it brings out all the facets of these words which Paul uses in this verse. Compare your Bible with this version: “We have renounced disgraceful ways—secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, methods and arts that men hid through shame; we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God; but we state the truth openly—clearly and candidly. And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man’s conscience.”
We are not to walk in hypocrisy. We should not be unreal. Our behavior should not contradict that which we are preaching. It ought to be a conduct which meets the approval of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not perfect, but we are to walk in a way that is well pleasing to Him.
We are not to handle “the word of God deceitfully.” Someone has translated that “huckstering.” We are not to be huckstering the Word of God. This gets right down to where we live. Mr. Preacher, why do you preach? Are you preaching for money? You say that you preach for the love of souls, but is it really the love of souls? Or is it for money? I need to examine my own heart on this score. Paul wrote, “… woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16).
A person can preach the gospel and say things that are absolutely true, but at the same time his life can be speaking another message. I pray a great deal about this in my own life. I pray, “O God, don’t let me preach unless I can have a clear conscience, and unless I am preaching in the power of the Spirit of God.” I don’t want to preach unless there are those two things. It is a glorious thing to preach the gospel, but it is an awful thing to preach it if down underneath there is a lack of sincerity, a lack of being committed to Him and having a conviction about Him.
Actually, this is directed to the Christian layman. Do you want to be a witness for Christ? You are a witness either for or against Him. When Paul speaks of the ministry here, he is not referring to the clergy or the man in the pulpit; he is speaking of the man in the pew. The man in the pulpit is to train people for the work of the ministry. Our business is to help equip them for that work.
I heard a tremendous analogy the other day: Sheep produce sheep. The shepherd cannot produce sheep. He watches over the sheep. It is the sheep today who are going to win sheep, because sheep produce sheep. My business is to equip the layman to witness.
By the way, are you doing something to get out the Word of God? That is witnessing. God may have given you the gift of making money. Do you use it to send out the Word of God? Perhaps you are a man or woman of prayer, interceding for those who preach and teach the Word of God. You have contact with some person whom no one else could reach. Many people will not listen to me. They tune me in and then they tune me out. Maybe you can reach a person who will not listen to anyone else. God has called you to be a witness, my friend. This is tremendous!
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them [2 Cor. 4:3–4].
“The god of this world” should be translated “the god of this age.” I don’t like to hear Satan called the god of this world. One fall Mrs. McGee and I had the privilege of driving through eastern Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, around Virginia and across into Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. How beautiful it was! May I say to you that it was God’s world that we were looking at. Although sin has marred it, it is still God’s world.
Satan is the god of this age. He is running it. He runs the United Nations; he runs all the amusements; he is running the whole show as far as I can tell. He is the god of this age.
He has “blinded the minds of them which believe not.” Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t understand the gospel. I have heard it all my life, but it doesn’t mean anything to me.” I have heard people say that again and again. What has happened? The Devil has blinded them. The light is shining, but the Devil has blinded their eyes so they cannot see. This always reminds me of a group of miners who were trapped in a mine in West Virginia after an explosion. Finally rescuers got food over to them, and then they got an electric light over to the place where they were trapped. A young miner there was looking right into the light and said, “Why don’t they turn on the lights?” All of the men looked at him, startled. He had been blinded by the explosion. Satan blinds many folk. They say, “Why don’t you turn on the light? I don’t see the gospel at all.” That is the blindness that comes from Satan.
There are other folk who say, “There are things in the Bible that I cannot believe. I don’t know why, but I just can’t believe them.” I had a letter the other day from a man who accused me of preaching a gospel that is not true and of knowing that the Bible is not true. Oh, what arrogance! I wrote to him that I had never read a letter in which I had seen such a display of arrogance and ignorance. But do you know what was really his problem? It was not that there are things in the Bible which he couldn’t believe. The problem was that there was sin in his life, sin that the Bible condemns. He didn’t want to believe. That is the condition of a lot of folk today. The problem is not with the Bible; the problem is with their lives. My friend, if you choose to go on indulging your sins, then you can go on doing that. It is your loss. But you can turn to Christ. Don’t tell me you cannot. You can turn to Christ if you will. The moment a man comes to the place where he sees himself as a sinner and says, “I am ready to renounce my sin; I’m ready to receive Christ as my Savior,” he will be saved. The Word of God is light. Instead of saying you cannot see the light and instead of trying to blame the Bible, why don’t you face your sins before God? Then there will be no difficulty about your believing.
I would like to give you a quotation from Sir Isaac Newton. Certainly no one could say that he was not an intellectual or that he was not a man of remarkable ability. One day someone said this to him: “Sir Isaac, I do not understand. You seem to be able to believe the Bible like a little child. I have tried but I cannot. So many of its statements mean nothing to me. I cannot believe; I cannot understand.” This was the reply of Sir Isaac Newton: “Sometimes I come into my study and in my absent-mindedness I attempt to light my candle when the extinguisher is over it, and I fumble about trying to light it and cannot; but when I remove the extinguisher then I am able to light the candle. I am afraid the extinguisher in your case is the love of your sins; it is deliberate unbelief that is in you. Turn to God in repentance; be prepared to let the Spirit of God reveal His truth to you, and it will be His joy to show the glory of the grace of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ.” Sir Isaac Newton was not only a great scientist but also a great preacher. Why don’t people believe? Because Satan has blinded their eyes “lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” It is a glorious gospel, but it is glorious because it reveals the glory of Christ. Apparently that is what men do not want to see.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake [2 Cor. 4:5].
We preach Christ Jesus the Lord. Believe me, my friend, you and I are helpless when we give out the Word of God. There is an enemy opposed to us, and he blinds the minds of people.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [2 Cor. 4:6].
Paul goes back to the time of creation when God created light. I don’t know when creation took place. A great many folk believe that in order to be a fundamentalist one must believe that God created this universe in 4, 004 b.c. I do not know any of my fundamental brethren who hold that asinine viewpoint. Way back yonder in the beginning God created it. He did not give us the date. Our God is a God of eternity. He wasn’t just sitting around twiddling His thumbs waiting for man to appear on the scene. Man is a Johnny-come-lately, of course, but God has been here a long, long, long time. I hold the position that this universe has been here for a long time and that something happened to it. It bears evidence of some titanic convulsion that took place. Something must have happened to a perfect creation. We are told in Genesis 1 that God moved in. The Spirit of God moved, or the actual word is brooded, upon the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light!
Now Paul tells us that God, “who commanded the light to shine out of darkness [in Genesis 1], hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Just as the Spirit of God brooded over the waters, so the Spirit of God broods over a soul. He moves in to bring conviction to our hearts. Then He regenerates us. And the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, shines in. Here we are back looking at Him. As someone has said, “The look saves, but the gaze sanctifies.” We need to spend a lot of time looking at Him. But even doing this, we are weak vessels.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us [2 Cor. 4:7].
We are just an “earthen vessel.” The picture here is a vivid one. The Greek word for “earthen” is ostrakinos—this is what archaeologists are digging up today. Actually, many of their diggings are in the old city dumps where all the broken pottery (clay vessels) was thrown. When I was in Lebanon, I went down to Tyre and walked along an excavation. It goes across the place where Alexander the Great filled in between the mainland and the island to form a peninsula there. I walked out on that to see the excavation going on. There was so much broken pottery there that I could have filled bushel baskets. That is how we are pictured here—weak clay vessels, pottery that can be broken.
“But we have this treasure.” What is the treasure? That is the glorious gospel. We carry this glorious gospel in our little, old earthen vessels. That is why Paul says, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” Sometimes we get the idea we want to be a great preacher or even a great Christian. That is one reason that I am not sure we ought to be having all these testimonies that we hear today. It is pretty easy for a man to begin to brag in his testimony. If Jesus Christ is not glorified in a testimony, there is no point in it whatsoever. After all, we are just servants. That is the best that can be said of us.
The simile of earthen vessels takes us back to the incident at the time of Gideon. In Judges 7 we read that Gideon took only three hundred men with him to free their land of innumerable Midianite invaders. Each man had a trumpet and a torch and a pitcher or an earthen vessel. They carried their torches in the earthen vessels so that the light couldn’t be seen from a distance. Then when they got among the Midianites, they broke the earthen vessels. It wasn’t until the earthen vessel was broken that the light could shine out.
My friend, that is the thing which we need today. We need the vessel to be broken. The apostle Paul was a man who knew what it was to suffer for Jesus’ sake. That vessel had to be broken. The trouble today is that we don’t have very many who are willing to do that. I remember that Dr. George Gill used to tell us this in class: “When someone is born, someone has to travail. The reason that more people are not being born again is that there are not enough who are willing to travail.” We hear a great deal about witnessing today, but, my friend, what kind of a price are you willing to pay? It is not enough to just knock on a door and visit someone. I’m not minimizing that, and I’m not saying it isn’t important, but I am saying that the earthen vessel must be broken. We cannot have our way and His way in our lives. We need to make up our minds whether we are going to follow Him or not.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair [2 Cor. 4:8].
Paul is making a comparison here. He says, “We are troubled.” That is a comparative degree. But he says, “Yet not distressed.” That is a superlative. He was pressed for room, as it were, but he still had room to preach the gospel. There was hand-to-hand combat in the corner, but he still could turn to God.
“We are perplexed”—he was unable to find a way out—“but not in despair.” He did get out—the Spirit of God led him.
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed [2 Cor. 4:9].
He was “persecuted,” pursued by enemies, but he was “not forsaken”—he was not overtaken by the enemies. When he was in prison, he could write to the Philippians, “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places” (Phil. 1:12–13). Even when he was in prison he could always say that the Lord stood by him.
“Cast down, but not destroyed.” This is tremendous—he was smitten down; the enemy got him down, but the enemy did not destroy or kill him. Actually, in all these phrases Paul is making a play on words which is lost in the translation into English. If I could paraphrase it in English, it would be something like this: “I am struck down, but I’m not struck out.” Even at the end of his life Paul could say, “… I have finished my course …” (2 Tim. 4:7, italics mine). Paul seems to be fighting a losing battle. Can’t you sense that this man is very weak? And yet, in his weakness, he is strong. If we could have seen this little crippled, weak, sick Jew up against the mighty juggernaut of Roman power, we would have concluded that he was nothing. But, my friend, the fact is he brought a message that withered the Roman Empire. Even the historian Gibbon said that the Roman Empire could not stand up against the preaching of the gospel of Christ. (May I say that the gospel still continues to topple thrones.) Paul seemed to be so weak, and yet God delivered him again and again. He used miraculous means and He also used natural means. God will never forsake His servants.
You and I live in a day of compromise, a day of expediency, a day when we seem to measure a man by how popular he is or by how many friends he has. The late Dr. Bob Shuler, pastor in downtown Los Angeles, used to say, “I measure a man by the enemies he has.” It is important to make the right kind of enemies. Jesus said that if we would love Him and follow Him, the world would hate us. Paul had the right kind of enemies. I am confident that I have the right kind of enemies also.
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body [2 Cor. 4:10].
Remember that in 1 Corinthians 15:31 Paul could say that he died daily. In Romans 8:36 he wrote, “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” In 1 Corinthians 4:9 he wrote: “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.” Christian, do not be afraid to suffer. Jesus said the world would hate us if we were following Him. It is wonderful to take our place with the Lord Jesus Christ in these days.
For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh [2 Cor. 4:11].
We may actually be the strongest at the moment we feel the weakest.
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you [2 Cor. 4:12–14].
It is interesting to note here, and this is very important to see, that Paul did not consider death to be the end. He is looking on beyond. Death is merely one of the experiences which he will have. In the next chapter he will speak of the comfort in the ministry of martyrdom for Christ. There is a comfort in laying down your life for Jesus’ sake. He is saying here that he is joined to a living Christ. He is dead to the things of the world because he is joined to a living Christ. “He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus.”
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day [2 Cor. 4:15–16].
This is a wonderful verse. As we grow older, we sort of begin to die out as far as the body is concerned. However, we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. I said to my wife no later than yesterday, “I wish that I were thirty-five years old and knew what I know now.” This old body that I have is dying. I can tell it all over. I’m ready to trade it in on a new model. It is beginning to waste away, but the inward man is renewed day by day. I feel closer to the Lord today than I did the day I entered the ministry. I was young then and I had a lot of enthusiasm, but I didn’t know very much. What a stumbler I was and how often I failed. I was a real ignoramus then. Now I know a little more; I have grown a little down through the years.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal [2 Cor. 4:17–18].
Again he makes a contrast. Down here we seem to have a lot of trouble and, my, it does seem to last a long time, doesn’t it? It seems so hard. But when we begin to measure it by the weight of glory that is coming someday, it is a light affliction compared to that weight of glory. Someone has said, “At eventide it shall be light.” “… we spend our years as a tale that is told” (Ps. 90:9). Our years pass as “… a watch in the night” (Ps. 90:4). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” We are not to fix our gaze on the things which are seen. These things that we see around us are all passing away. The things which are not seen are eternal.
I think of the changes that have taken place right here in Southern California. There were a number of very wonderful Christians whom I knew when I came here in 1940. Many of them are gone today. The cities have changed—everything is different. The things which are seen are passing away. The things which are not seen, those are the things of eternal value, and they are beginning to loom larger and larger. “For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
My friend, I am looking for that city whose builder and maker is God. I love Pasadena; I love Southern California, but I can truthfully say that I am now looking for another city.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: God’s comfort in the ministry of martyrdom for Christ
In this section on the comfort of God, we have seen God’s comfort in the glorious ministry of Christ (ch. 3). How wonderful that He is an unveiled Christ whom we declare today! Also we have seen God’s comfort in the ministry of suffering for Christ (ch. 4), and now we shall see the comfort of God in the ministry of martyrdom for Christ.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens [2 Cor. 5:1].
I want you especially to notice what Paul is saying here. He says, “For we know [not we hope or we expect or even that we believe] that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” This is a positive “know.” He knows because of the fact that the Spirit of God has made it real to him.
The word for “tabernacle” is skeµneµ, which means “tent.” That is the same word that was used for the wilderness tabernacle of the Old Testament in the Septuagint, a translation of the Old Testament into the Greek. The Old Testament tabernacle, the Mosaic tabernacle, was a skeµneµ, a tent. It was a flimsy sort of thing.
This verse has always been a big question mark to me. I have never been too dogmatic about the interpretation of it. But I have now come to the conviction that what he is talking about here is not a temporary body. For many years I thought that God would have sort of a temporary body for us when we got to heaven. It would be like taking your car to the garage for repair work and having a loaner to drive until it is fixed. I thought that the Lord would give us a temporary body until our new body was given to us. I never liked that idea, but it seemed to be what Paul was saying. Now I don’t believe he is referring to a temporary body, because he says it is “eternal in the heavens.” He is talking about that new body that we are going to get.
We need to realize that there is an outward man and an inward man. Paul talked about that in the preceding chapter. The outward man perishes, but the inward man is renewed day by day. A great many people misunderstand that. I had a letter from a man who said the Bible is filled with contradictions, and he said, “I can prove there are contradictions. You talk about So-and-so having gone to be with the Lord, and then you talk about the body that is going to be raised and say that the person is going to be raised from the dead down here. Now that is a contradiction.” This man has missed the entire point. The body is put in the grave, but the individual, the real person, has gone to be with Christ—if that individual is a believer.
The things that are seen are temporal. Maybe you have seen me and maybe you haven’t. When I go to other areas for speaking engagements, some folk drive long distances because they have heard me on the radio and they want to see me. A family in Ohio drove fifty miles just to see how I looked. But actually they didn’t see me, they just saw the house, this old tent, I live in. I’ll be very frank with you, this old tent is becoming very weak, and it is flapping around. Solomon described old age in Ecclesiastes: “In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low” (Eccl. 12:3–4). The “keepers of the house” are the legs, and my old knees are beginning to tremble. “The strong men,” which are my shoulders, are bowed. My wife tells me to stand up straight, and I tell her I can’t stand straight. “Those that look out of the windows” are my eyes—I am wearing trifocals now. “The sound of the grinding is low”—I don’t hear as well as I used to hear. This is old age taking place in the outward man. The things that are seen are temporal.
Also, there is an inward man, and the inward man is spiritual. It is difficult for us to understand that. God is a person, but God is not a physical, a material Being. God is a Spirit. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,” Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:24.
I hear people say they don’t like getting old. My friend, I am enjoying it. I am really enjoying my retirement from a church because I am doing now what I want to do, and it is wonderful to be able to do that. My doctor has told me, “I want you to do what you want to do.” When my wife tells me to do something, I say to her, “Look, my doctor tells me to do what I want to do, and I don’t want to do this thing that you want me to do.” Sometimes I can get by with that, but not always!
Seriously, it is wonderful to know that every passing year brings me closer to Him. I am going to see Him someday; I am going to see the face of the Lord Jesus, the One who loved me and gave Himself for me. I rejoice in that prospect. To be very frank with you, I don’t have as much conflict with the world, the flesh, and the Devil as I used to have. I think they’ve given up on me. This old house is getting old.
Someone asked President Adams how he felt after he had become an old man. He answered, “I feel fine. This old house that I live in is really getting feeble. The shingles are coming off the top and the foundation seems to be coming out from underneath, but Mr. Adams is just fine, thank you.”
My friend, we have a house eternal in the heavens. This body of ours will be sown a natural body, but it will be raised a spiritual body. He is going to give us a new body up yonder.
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven [2 Cor. 5:2].
I’m groaning in this body. One just can’t help but groan. Several years ago I built a study up over my garage, which is right next to the house. I couldn’t study in my office at the church; so I transferred my study to this room above the garage. Sometimes, when I start down the steps in the morning, I notice that it isn’t as easy as it was some years ago. I used to come bounding down those steps in the morning, but now I groan with every step. My wife tells me, “You ought not to groan like that.” I remind her, “It’s scriptural to groan. Paul says we groan in this house, and I’m going to groan while I am in this old house of mine.”
If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked [2 Cor. 5:3].
This is interesting. One of these days Jesus is going to call His own out of the world. We will be caught up to meet our Lord in the air, and we are going to stand before Him. What will it be like for us? We will be clothed in His righteousness. We will not be found naked.
Not everyone will be clothed in His righteousness when they are raised from the dead. Christ “… was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25)—that is, our righteousness. But some folk have not accepted His righteousness. They have rejected Christ. Therefore, there is a resurrection of the just and of the unjust. Paul mentions this in Acts 24:15, “… that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and unjust.” Jesus said the same thing in John 5:29. “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” My friend, you are going to stand in His presence someday. Will you be clothed in the righteousness of Christ? Are you accepted in the Beloved?
This is a good time to mention that the Bible does not teach only one judgment day, but many judgments. (1) There was the judgment which Jesus Christ bore on the cross. It is because Jesus bore this judgment for us that He could say, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment]; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). (2) There is self judgment. We are told in 1 Corinthians 11:31, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” (3) Also there is the chastisement of God for the believer. The Lord takes us to His woodshed. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). (4) The works of the believer are to be judged, as we will see later in this chapter. (5) The nation Israel is to be judged. (6) The gentile nations are to be judged. (7) Fallen angels are to be judged. (8) Finally, there is the judgment of the Great White Throne. All the lost ones are brought there. They will appear naked. They will not be clothed in His righteousness. They will be judged according to their works, which is the way they wanted it to be.
For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life [2 Cor. 5:4].
If you feel like groaning, you just groan, my friend. It’s scriptural. We are burdened. Yes, we are. That is why we groan in these bodies. It is not that we are worried about being unclothed; we know that we shall be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. If He is our Savior, He is our only hope.
Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit [2 Cor. 5:5].
The earnest of the Spirit implies there is more to follow. He has given us the Holy Spirit down here in these weak bodies with all our feebleness, all our frailty. The Holy Spirit is just the earnest. Earnest money is the down payment. Christ has purchased us, and the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer is the down payment. One of these days we will move out of this old house and we will meet the Lord in the air. How wonderfully this opens up such a vista for us.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord [2 Cor. 5:6].
We are at home in the body. I like this body of mine. I still have a scar on the side of my temple where I fell against the bed when I was learning to walk. Down through the years I have gotten used to this body of mine, and I feel at home in it. However, as long as I am at home in this body, I am absent from the Lord.
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) [2 Cor. 5:7].
How could Paul be so sure that when we leave this body we will be present with the Lord? Paul says that we walk by faith. We take God at His Word. I would rather take His Word than anyone else’s word. Faith is taking God at His Word. We are living in these bodies, and we are absent from the Lord.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord [2 Cor. 5:8].
A better translation would be “at home with the Lord.” It contrasts being at home in the body with being at home with the Lord. Remember that the soul does not die. The soul never dies; the soul goes to be with Christ. It is the body that is put to sleep. It is the body that must be changed. Remember that there will be a generation that will not go through death, but their bodies will still need to be changed. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:51, 53). It is the body that goes to sleep and it is the body that is raised. Resurrection does not refer to the soul or the spirit. The English word resurrection is the Greek word anastasis, which means “a standing up.” It is the body which will stand up. Knowing these things, we walk by faith.
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him [2 Cor. 5:9].
The Greek word philotim that is translated “labour” literally means “to esteem as an honor”—to be ambitious. It is the same Greek word which is translated “study” in 1 Thessalonians 4:11: “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands….” Be ambitious to mind your own business! In the verse before us it is translated “labour”—we should be ambitious, we should labor, in such a way that we will be accepted of Him. This is not ambition to become a great somebody.
We are accepted in the Beloved. Paul makes this clear in Ephesians, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:5–6). Being accepted in Christ is my standing before God. God sees me in Christ, and He is made unto me all that I need: wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (see 1 Cor. 1:30). He is my perfection. God sees me in Christ, and I am complete in Him. You cannot add anything to completeness. When a person has 100 percent, that person has all of it. We who are believers have Christ, and we are accepted in the Beloved. Accepted in Christ is the standing that all believers have before God.
To be accepted of Him is a different thing. This has to do with our state and refers to the way we live our lives. Do we live for Christ? Are we ambitious to be accepted of Him? To be ambitious to be accepted of Christ certainly does not mean that we are to crawl over everybody and step on them in order to get to the top. I am afraid we have people in Christian work who are like that because they want to make a name for themselves.
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan tells how he wrestled with this problem. He was a school teacher when he was called as a minister. It was a very solemn moment for him. He felt that the Lord was saying to him, “You have been set apart definitely for the ministry of the Word. Now do you want to be a great preacher, or do you want to be My servant?” The first thought that Dr. Morgan had was, I want to be a great preacher. That ought to be a wonderful ambition, but after a while the Lord began to press it in upon him, “Do you want to be a great preacher, or do you want to be My servant?” Finally Dr. Morgan came to it. He saw that he had to make a choice. Finally he said, “O blessed Lord, I would rather be Thy servant than anything else.” He was willing to be an obscure preacher. May I say that in my opinion God made G. Campbell Morgan not only His servant but also made him a great preacher. Sometimes we think that our ambition ought to be to do something great for God. God says that He wants us to be His servants. That’s all. You and I need to come to the place where we can say, “Lord, just take me and make me and break me and do with me what You will.” God gave this word through Jeremiah: “And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not …” (Jer. 45:5). That’s putting it plain enough, isn’t it? My friend, are you trying to get great things for yourself? Oh, there are a lot of ambitious preachers and a lot of ambitious laymen and a lot of ambitious Christian workers and a lot of ambitious Christians—but with selfish ambition. Do you really want to be God’s servant? If you do, then you can accomplish something for which He will be able to reward you. To be honest with you, I’m beginning to become just a little worried about this. I want to make sure that I am His servant.
1. I am going to have to stand before Him someday and give an account of my service—and so are you. This should motivate us to serve Him acceptably.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad [2 Cor. 5:10].
This is the judgment seat, literally, the beµma. There is still a beµma in Corinth, and when we were there on tour, we took pictures of the ruins of it. This was the place where the judges of the city would meet the citizens and would judge them for certain things—there was no question of life or death. At the judgment seat of Christ only believers will appear. It is not a judgment of the believer’s sins, which Christ fully atoned for on the cross. The judgment is to see whether you are going to receive a reward or not.
When Paul says, “We must all appear,” remember that he is writing to believers. All we believers will be judged, that we may receive the things done in the body. We will be judged on the way we lived the Christian life, how we have lived in these bodies down here. When we go into His presence, we will be finished with these old bodies. The question He will ask is how we used these bodies. How did we live down here?
Paul faces this question when he writes to the Philippians. He says in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Then he talks of his desire to go to be with Christ but also of his desire to live longer so that he can minister to the Philippians. He wants to stay so that he can preach the gospel of Christ a little longer. I had the same reaction the first time I had surgery for cancer and there was not too much hope for me.
You see, I felt like the little boy years ago in my southland. The preacher asked one night, “How many want to go to heaven?” Everybody put up his hand except that one boy. The preacher looked down at him and said, “Don’t you want to go to heaven?” The boy answered, “Sure, I want to go to heaven, but I thought you was gettin’ up a load for tonight.” Like that boy, I didn’t want to go right away when I had the cancer. Paul didn’t want to go. He said he wanted to stay in his body and preach a little longer. He wanted Christ to be magnified in his body that he might be accepted of Him and that he might receive a reward.
This is the way I feel. I want to stay in this body and do as much for the Lord as I possibly can. Here is the first motivation for believers: We are all going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and we will answer to the Lord for our lives. We are going to give a report to Him. Let me make it very clear that this is not the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11–15 where only the unsaved will stand. If you are a believer, your name is written in the Book of Life, and you have eternal life. However, you will stand before the beµma, the judgment seat of Christ, to be judged for rewards. You and I will stand before Him. This should motivate us to serve Him acceptably. Then when we come into His presence, He will be able to say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
2. The fear of the Lord urges us to persuade men.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences [2 Cor. 5:11].
I think the word terror could better be translated “fear.” There is a great deal said in the Bible about the fear of the Lord. We are told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Prov. 9:10).
One of the tenets of liberalism is that we don’t need to be afraid of God. They characterize God as a sweet, indulgent old man whom you can treat most any way. Liberalism teaches the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man, which is one of the most damnable doctrines abroad today. Do you know that the Word of God says: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31)? Let us not give ersatz bread to the people. Let us not preach a watered-down, sunshiny gospel. Our God is a holy God, a righteous God. It is this holy God who loves you. It is this holy God who wants to save you. But, my friend, if you don’t come to God His way, you will have to come before Him in judgment. “Knowing therefore the terror [fear] of the Lord, we persuade men.” There is many a pulpit from which is never preached a sermon on hell. There are few sermons on punishment, few sermons on judgment. As a result, God’s judgment is almost a lost note in Protestantism today. The Lord Jesus said that He had come to seek and to save that which was lost. My friend, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. We need to fear the judgment of God. We need to recognize that we are going to be held accountable to Him.
For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart [2 Cor. 5:12].
In other words, if you are declaring the full counsel of God, you can do it in a loving manner. You don’t have to bring down thunder and lightning. However, we need to recognize and we need to state very clearly that men are lost. If we do say that, we are not commending ourselves; that is, we are not trying to become popular. I am always afraid of the soft-soap type of thing we hear today. There is so much today that goes the way of psychology, how to become a well-adjusted human being. May I say to you that if you are without Christ, it is not a psychological adjustment that you need. You are a hell-doomed sinner, and you are on the way to hell. What you need is Christ!
It may not make me popular to say this to you, but it is the Word of God. We don’t commend ourselves to you. We don’t want you to glory in us. The important thing for us to do is to declare the whole counsel of God. Our motivation to get out the Word of God is a recognition of God’s judgment. That is the thing that would arouse many a sleepy church member today.
Missionaries come and tell about the needs out yonder. May I say that there is a real need in this land of ours. The United States is one of the greatest mission fields today. People in our land are on the way to hell. You rub shoulders with them every day.
For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause [2 Cor. 5:13].
Paul says that the people may think he is crazy. That is all right. He is doing this for God. Or some people may think he is sober—well, it is for their sakes that he is sober.
3. The love of Christ constrains us.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again [2 Cor. 5:14–15].
“Constraineth us” is a phrase that has been misunderstood. The thought has been that the love of Christ restricts us or straps us down. That is not the meaning of the word that Paul is using here. He says it is the love of Christ that is pushing us out. It is the love of Christ that is motivating us. It is the love of Christ that causes us to give out the Word of God. The love of Christ constrains us.
“Because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.” It was this that sent Paul out to the ends of the earth with the message of the gospel.
“Because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.” Mankind is under the sentence of death. When Adam was yonder in the Garden of Eden, he was our federal head; he was the head of that old creation. That old creation was on trial in Adam. God told him, “… Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:16–17). Adam deliberately disobeyed God. He came under the sentence of death, and when he did that, he took the entire human race down with him, for all were represented in him. You and I have been born into a family of death. All mankind now is under the sentence of death.
Someone has said, “The very moment that gives you life begins to take it away from you.” When David wrote, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death …” (Ps. 23:4), he was not referring to the end of life; he was saying that all of life is like walking down through the great canyon of death, which gets darker and narrower until, finally, we must go through that doorway of death.
Dr. Ironside used to illustrate this in an unusual way, and I’ll give you my version of his very wonderful illustration. Behind my home is a lovely range of mountains called the San Gabriels. Mount Wilson is in this range, and on top of Mount Wilson is the Hale observatory. Now let’s think of Mount Wilson as representing Paradise, the place where God put man when He first created him. Adam had everything that was good for him, but there was one thing that God told him he was not to do. Adam was a sinless man and he faced a choice. God had asked him not to do one thing, and that was the very thing which Adam did. He fell. We call it the fall of Adam. He came tumbling down off that high mountain and landed way down in the valley where we are today. After he had fallen down into the valley he began to bring into this world a race of People. They don’t come into this world way up yonder where Adam had been on the mountaintop, on the plane where he had been when he was innocent, but down in the valley, the place to which Adam fell.
The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world all the way from heaven. He was the absolutely sinless One. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. He came down here to save sinners. He came down from heaven, but He didn’t go to the mountaintop. There are no people there—He couldn’t find any man on that plane of holiness. They are all in the valley. They are all dead in trespasses and sins. So what did He do? He came down into the valley. He came down into the place of death where all men are. “And that he died for all.” Because men were dead, He went down into death, and now He brings believers up with Him in resurrection life. Does He take them back up to the mountaintop where Adam had been? No, He takes them with Him into the heavenlies. We who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are now seated in the heavenlies. He has “… raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6).
“If one died for all, then were all dead.” He took our place. And those who believe on Him are risen with Him. They are not risen so they can be put back on the mountaintop and come tumbling down again. No, He takes them all the way up to the heavenlies. Christ took our place. And if we are going to live, it is going to be by faith in Him—that those through faith “should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” Christ died, not only that we should be delivered from death and judgment, but also that we should be brought up from our state of death into newness of life. Now our lives should be devoted to Him that we should live henceforth to the glory of God.
For the child of God this puts a whole new interpretation on the human family.
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more [2 Cor. 5:16].
Now we do not know men “after the flesh.” Now we see men through different eyes from those we used when we belonged to the world. Out in the world there are only lost men. I know a Ph.D. who teaches at Cal Tech in Pasadena. He is a brilliant fellow, but he is a lost man because he is not in Christ. I know a man from the gutter; he is also a lost man because he is not in Christ. “Henceforth know we no man after the flesh.” That is to say, we do not evaluate men according to their racial background or their social background or their color. We know that according to the old nature they are all lost in sin. But Christ died for all of them. Christ died for the Ph.D. and He died for the man in the gutter. He died for all.
James writes about this in the second chapter of his epistle. He says it is wrong to give the honored place to a rich man who comes into your midst with a ring on his finger and with fine clothing on his back while you give the poor fellow a place to stand in the back. Why is that wrong? Because as the children of God we are to look upon the whole human family as sinners for whom Christ died. Even the line between Jew and Gentile has been erased. All in the human family are sinners before God. The only solution for all is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We do not recognize any man after the flesh. All are on the same level.
“Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” I believe that Paul did know Christ after the flesh. I think that he was present at the crucifixion of Christ. I can’t imagine that brilliant young Pharisee not being present at the Crucifixion in Jerusalem.
Jesus Christ walked on this earth over nineteen hundred years ago. He was born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, walked in Galilee, began His ministry in Cana of Galilee, went to Jerusalem, died on a cross there, was buried outside the city in Joseph’s tomb, rose again the third day, appeared to those who were His own, and ascended back into heaven. We don’t know Him anymore as the Man of Galilee, friend. There is no Man of Galilee today.
At Christmastime there are a great many people who make a trek to Bethlehem. The place is crowded. What are they looking for? Are they looking for the Babe? He isn’t there! Jerusalem is crowded with tourists at Eastertime. Our risen Lord isn’t there. You see, we don’t know Him after the flesh anymore.
Right now, at this very moment, He is up yonder at God’s right hand. He is the glorified Christ. “Though we have known Christ after the flesh,” now we don’t know Him that way anymore. We are not identified with the One who walked on this earth over nineteen hundred years ago; we are identified with Him who is in glory. That is why it says that we have died with Him and have risen with Him and are now in Christ Jesus in the heavenlies.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new [2 Cor. 5:17].
Here we have a tremendous statement. Allow me to change the word creature to the word creation. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.” We hear this verse often at testimony meetings. People will quote this verse and tell about their conversion. They say they no longer indulge in certain bad habits that they had before their conversion, and they consider this change in their habits to be a fulfillment of this verse.
If you and I are a new creation in Christ Jesus, what are the old things that have passed away? Remember that we have talked about all mankind living at the bottom of the hill where all of us are sinners. Now that we have trusted Christ, those old relationships have passed away. We are no longer identified with Adam. We are no longer identified with the world system. We are now identified with Christ. We have been baptized into the body of believers and we belong to Him. The old things have passed away, and the new thing is this new relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are now in a relationship with the glorified Christ.
Let’s be very practical about this. You may ask, “I know that is a wonderful verse, but how may I know absolutely that I am a new creation in Christ?” Listen to what the Lord Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). Have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you trust Him? If you do, He assures you that you have eternal life and will not come into judgment; you have passed from death unto life. This makes you a new creation, no longer subject to judgment and death. You have passed into life.
Do not try to base your confidence on experience. You are a new creation because Jesus says so. The basis is the Word of God. You no longer belong to the old creation that fell in Adam. The new creation stands in Christ Jesus, and you are in Him if you are putting your trust in Him. You and I stand in the place of danger and temptation; we may fail in many, many ways, but the wonderful truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed us and we are a new creation in Him.
Now Paul is going on to talk about that.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation [2 Cor. 5:18].
The ministry of reconciliation is actually God’s call to lost men everywhere to come to Him with all their sins, all their burdens, all their problems, all their difficulties, and to be reconciled to God. I want to spend some time here to look at this matter of reconciliation. The word is used twice in this verse, twice in the next verse, and once in the following verse. Verse 21 doesn’t have the word in it, but it sums it all up. This is a most important subject, and we are in a very important section here.
First let me state that reconciliation is not the same as salvation. Reconciliation goes a step further. It is more than having our sins forgiven and divine justice being satisfied. Reconciliation involves a changed relationship—completely changed. It means to change something inside out and upside down and right side up. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.”
Notice that there is the Godward side of reconciliation. He is the One who did the reconciling. “God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.” It is repeated in the next verse.
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [2 Cor. 5:19].
Reconciliation is the ministry of changing completely. But who is changing completely? God is never changing—He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It says that God has reconciled us to Himself. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.” It is the world that has been reconciled. God has reconciled the world. As we look at the world, we can see that it is going on its sinful way. “We have turned every one to his own way” (see Isa. 53:6). But it is through Christ that the world is reconciled to God, through the death of Christ. This marvelous ministry of reconciliation is the work that Christ has done.
Let me call in another passage of Scripture concerning this. “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Col. 1:20–22). Compare this with Philippians 2:10 in which it says that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth—“under the earth” refers to hell. I want you to notice in the passage in Colossians, when it is speaking of reconciliation, only heaven and earth are mentioned. Hell is not reconciled to God. Although every being in hell will bow to Him, only those in heaven and earth are reconciled. In what way are they reconciled? “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Col. 1:21–22). The death of Christ is what reconciled the world to God.
Notice that God is not reconciled—He has not changed. But the world has been put in a different position. Why? Because Christ died. You see, when Adam sinned back there in the Garden of Eden, a holy God couldn’t reach down and save him. God had to do something about his sin. God had to judge man. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die …” (Ezek. 18:20). God had told Adam, “… for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Adam did die spiritually on that very day, and nine hundred years later he also died physically. When he died spiritually, he became alienated and separated from God; and he had no capacity for God. That is the condition of the world, and God had to judge that.
Now that Christ has died, the position of the world has been changed. Today God has His arms outstretched to a lost world. He says to a lost world, “You can come to Me.” The worst sinner in the world can come to Him. Today it doesn’t make any difference who you are, you can come to Him. Because Christ died, a holy God no longer deals with us in judgment, but now He reaches down to save all those who will come to Him. Jesus Christ bore all that judgment on Himself so that now the world is reconciled to God. You don’t have to do anything to win God over. God is not waiting around the corner to hit you over the head with a billy club. God is not angry with you. God does not hate you. God loves you. Christ did not come to charge man’s sins against him but to pay man’s debt.
The woman taken in adultery is an illustration of this (see John 8:1–11). The Lord Jesus said to that crowd of hypocritical religious leaders, “… He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Then Jesus wrote something in the sand, wrote something on the earth. It is interesting that in Jeremiah 17:13 it says, “… they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.”
It tells us that they left—beginning with the old Pharisees and then down to the younger ones. The older ones had more sense than the young fellows who hung around a little longer. I think probably one of the old fellows had had an affair with a woman over in Corinth. He thought nobody knew about it, but of course the Lord knew all about it. Perhaps Jesus just wrote down the name of that girl, and when the old Pharisee looked down and saw that name written on the ground, he said, “I just remembered I have another engagement,” and he tore out of there in a hurry. Before long they were all gone except one—only Jesus Christ was left. The only One who could have thrown a stone at her did not throw a stone. He asked, “Woman where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:10–11). “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” Jesus was not shutting His eyes to her sin, but for all that sin He was going to the cross. The condemnation was to fall on Him, and because she trusted Him, He could send her away uncondemned.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God [2 Cor. 5:20].
Who is an ambassador? Webster says an ambassador is a minister of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the official representative of his own government or sovereign. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ.” We are in a foreign land—Peter says that we are pilgrims and strangers down here. Paul says, “For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Since our citizenship is in heaven, we are ambassadors down here.
When one government sends an ambassador to another government, it means they are on friendly relations. God is still friendly with this world. He has sent us as His ambassadors. One day He will call His ambassadors home. Then judgment will begin.
When man sinned, God in His holiness had to turn away from the world. But God loved man, so He sent His own Son to die on the cross. Now God can hold out His arms to the world and say, “You can come.” We are His ambassadors. As His ambassadors, we are to tell folk, “God will save you!” All God is asking any man to do is to come to Him. God will not try to get even with you. He doesn’t want to punish you. He doesn’t want to lay a hand on you. He invites all people everywhere to come to Him.
This is a great day. We have the privilege of saying to you, “Be ye reconciled to God.” All He asks you to do is to turn to Him. How can He do this? It is because Christ bore it all for us.
On Him almighty vengeance fell
That would have sunk a world to hell,
He bore it for a chosen race,
And thus becomes our hiding place.
God is reconciled. You don’t need to do one thing to win Him over. You don’t have to shed tears to soften the heart of God. He loves you. He wants to save you. Why?
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [2 Cor. 5:21].
Jesus Christ took my place down here. He, who knew no sin, came that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He has given me His place, clothed in His righteousness. He took my hell down here so that I might have His heaven up yonder. He did that for me.
Christian friend, have you been able to get out this wonderful Word to anyone else? Whoever you are, wherever you are, however you are, what are you doing today to get this Word of reconciliation out to a lost world? God is reconciled. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He feels toward you just as He did the day Christ died on the cross for you and for all mankind. This is what the world needs to hear from you. The world is reconciled to Him, but they will have to turn around and by faith come to Him. Let’s get this word out, my friend.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: God’s comfort in all circumstances of the ministry of Christ
We find set before us here the requirements of a good minister of Jesus Christ. None of us can read this without saying again, “Who is sufficient for these things?” None of us could meet these high standards. But I want you to notice that we are still in the section of God’s comfort. Here we see God’s comfort in all circumstances of the ministry of Christ.
TRYING EXPERIENCES OF THE MINISTRY
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain [2 Cor. 6:1].
You will notice in your Bible that “with him” is in italics, which means that these two words have been supplied by the translators. It should be “We then, as workers together.”
There is a line that needs to be rubbed out, and that is the line between the clergy and laity. There are certain ones who have been given the gift of teaching. If I have any gift, it would have to be that one, because if I can’t claim that one, I don’t have any at all. There are those who are gifted to teach, those who are gifted to be pastors, and those who are gifted to be missionaries. We would term them the clergy. But God gives a gift to each member of the body of Christ. There ought not to be the distinction between the pulpit and the pew that we make today. We are all workers together. If you are one who sits in the pew, may I say that you are as responsible to get out the Word of God as I am. I have been given the gift of teaching. You may be a bank president or the president of a large corporation, a truck driver, a housewife, but you are responsible today to get out the Word of God. God has given to the church certain men who will teach, certain men who will act as pastors, certain men who have gifts that are used for the work of the ministry, which is the equipping of the believers to serve.
Again let me repeat the comment of Dr. Earl Radmacher, who is currently president of the Western Conservative Baptist Seminary: “Shepherds do not produce sheep. Sheep produce sheep.” You see, a great many people think it is the business of the evangelist and the preacher to win people for Christ. May I say to you that it is your business. God has given teachers and preachers and evangelists and missionaries to fill out and prepare the body of believers so that those who are sitting in the pews might be equipped for their ministry of going out to witness for Christ. The shepherd doesn’t produce the sheep. He feeds the sheep and he watches over the sheep. He shepherds the sheep, but he doesn’t produce sheep. He can’t. The sheep produce sheep.
Today the whole work of the church is bogged down because the sheep are not out witnessing. I want to raise the question again, and I know I am being very personal about it, what are you doing today to get the Word of God out to others? You can do something that I cannot do and that no preacher in the country can do. There are some people who have confidence in you. They will listen to you but they won’t listen to a preacher—unless you encourage them to listen. I know a very fine businessman who has a speech impediment and doesn’t feel he can speak very well to people. He takes tapes from our program and circulates them everywhere. He knocks on the door of one of his workers or associates, takes along a tape and a tape recorder, and invites them to listen to the tape with him. There is an example of witnessing. We are workers together.
Then Paul says, “We … beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” How can one receive the grace of God in vain? God has been showering His goodness and mercy on us. To receive His great goodness and to rejoice in the salvation of the grace of God and yet to live carnal, worldly lives is what it means to receive the grace of God in vain. Let me ask you this question: What response are we making today to the love of God’s heart?
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) [2 Cor. 6:2].
“Have I succoured thee” means I have helped you.
A great many people say, “Well, I won’t accept Christ now. I will do it some other time.” They postpone it. Some people want to wait until a certain evangelist comes to town or until they can attend a great meeting. Now I don’t know who you are or where you are right now, but if you are not saved, “now is the accepted time.” Look at your clock. Whatever time it is right now is the time for you. Somebody will ask, “Can’t I accept Him tomorrow?” Probably, but you have no promise of a tomorrow. The important thing is that God says the time is right now.
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed [2 Cor. 6:3].
We need to be very careful about personal behavior. We are to give no offense in anything. An offense here doesn’t mean hurting people’s feelings. I don’t think anyone can serve in the church today without hurting the feelings of someone. Some folk are there for no other purpose than to get their feelings hurt. You have heard the old saying about carrying your feelings on your sleeve. Well, a lot of the saints do just that. Dr. Harry Ironside put it something like this: If you don’t shake hands with them, they feel you intended to slight them. If you do shake hands with them, you hurt their arthritis. If you stop to speak with them, you are interrupting them. But if you do not, you are a little snooty. If you write them a letter, they know you are after their money. If you do not write, then you are neglecting them. If you stop to visit them, you hinder them from their work and bother them, but if you do not visit them, it shows you have no interest in them.
My wife and I got up early one morning and drove two hundred miles before breakfast. We were really hungry and we stopped in a dumpy little place where they served a good Texas breakfast with grits and hot biscuits. When I went to pay the bill, I noticed a sign up by the cash register. “We can’t please everybody but we try.” That may be a familiar sign to you, but it was new to me that morning and it made my day.
“Giving no offence” means that you are so to live that no one can point to you and say, “Because of that man’s life I have no confidence in the salvation he professes.”
Now Paul lists things that should characterize the ministry. They are quite interesting.
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses [2 Cor. 6:4].
“In much patience.” That is number one on the list. Believe me, I am bowled over by this very first one. I’ll be very frank to admit to you that patience is something I have always lacked. My wife and my best friends say this to me: “Vernon McGee, if you ever preach a sermon on patience and I am there, I’m going to walk out because I don’t think you are the fellow to speak on patience.” So do you know what? I’m not going to speak about patience now. I just want you to notice it is number one on the list.
“In afflictions.” This is something that a great many men in the ministry today must still bear.
“In necessities.” Folk who came through the depression or who were born in a poor home understand this. When I was a boy, I saw the time that there was not a one dollar bill in my home. We would have gone hungry had it not been for the fact that the grocer would sell us groceries on credit. There was many a time I had nothing in the world for supper, the evening meal, but just a glass of sweet milk with crumbled, cold biscuits in it. And do you want to know something? I still think that is delicious. It is better than a lot of French pastry I have eaten.
Dr. Harry Ironside tells about the time he as a young preacher preached in a place for three days and didn’t have a thing to eat during those three days. He was preaching to a group of people who thought he was living by faith, and they surely did let him do it. No money was given him for food. On the fourth morning he was debating whether to stay in bed for breakfast or to get up and tighten up his belt another notch when he noticed a letter being slipped under the door. He got up and opened it and all it said was, “Enclosed is an expression of Christian fellowship,” and there was a ten dollar bill in it. That morning he went out and had the best breakfast he had ever had in his life.
“In afflictions, in necessities, in distresses.” There are a great many folk living today who know what these are. The younger generation doesn’t know. That is what has made the generation gap. I try to tell my daughter about the depression. She answers me, “Dad, I don’t even know what you are talking about.” And she doesn’t know.
In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings [2 Cor. 6:5].
“In stripes.” I have a notion that very few of us know what physical stripes are such as Paul experienced. “Stripes” consisted of forty blows with a rod. However, we have been cut across the face many times by some insulting remark made by some pious saint in a very pious voice. There used to be a dear lady in my congregation who had a very sharp tongue. She would go out of the evening service and would say to me, “Pastor, you had a wonderful sermon this morning”—implying that I could preach a good sermon in the morning but that the evening sermon was not good. That is a way some folk hit a minister across the face.
Paul lists other things that he experienced in his ministry (which few men in my day have had to pass through): Imprisonments, tumults, labors, watchings, fastings—all were familiar to Paul.
Now he goes on to give another set of identifications of the ministry.
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left [2 Cor. 6:6–7].
“By pureness.” Believe me, it is important that a minister be pure in his life. Lack of pureness is one thing that hits and hurts the ministry today. It is always tragic when a minister turns up as a bad egg and is found guilty of immorality and impurity. Pureness is important—and it is important to God. “By knowledge.” I do not think that knowledge refers only to a knowledge of the Word of God. A minister of the Word should know a great many things, and he should keep himself abreast of the times in which he lives. “By longsuffering.” Here that comes up again. Longsuffering is patience in a different suit of clothes. “By kindness.” Oh, how folk long to have a pastor who has tender, kindly interest in them! “By the Holy Ghost.” God have mercy on any preacher who tries to preach without the Spirit of God leading and guiding. I am more concerned about that than any other thing. I was pastor in downtown Los Angeles for twenty-one years, and I had followed many great men. I often thought about Dr. R. A. Torrey, the great evangelist of the past, who had been the first pastor of that church. When I would go out to preach, the last thing I would say was, “O Lord, help me to preach in the power of the Holy Spirit!” Vernon McGee in himself is not very much in comparison to those men who went before him. An effective ministry can only be by the Holy Ghost. “By love unfeigned.” Genuine love is so desperately needed today. We do not need pious pretenders quoting pious platitudes. We do not need phony professors of faith who tell you how much they love you and then put a knife in your back. We need real, genuine love. We need the love that the Spirit of God puts into hearts. “By the word of truth.” The “word of truth” means that a preacher should know his Bible. He should preach “by the power of God,” which is possible only as a pastor spends time alone with God before he steps into the pulpit. “By the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left” is right living in all areas.
Next Paul gives us a set of nine paradoxes which should characterize a man of God.
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things [2 Cor. 6:8–10].
“By honour and dishonour.” Some may approve and some may disapprove. This gives a well-balanced ministry. “By evil report and good report.” Although some folk will say ugly things about us, we continue to serve the Lord. Shakespeare has one of his characters say, “They praise me and make an ass of me; now my foes tell me plainly I am an ass: so that by my foes, sir, I profit in the knowledge of myself, and by my friends I am abused.” Flattery harms us more than criticism! “As deceivers, and yet true”—we are called deceivers, yet we are giving out the true Word of God. “As unknown, and yet well known.” A minister of God may not be well known to the world, but he is known to God. “As dying, and, behold, we live”—Paul had taken the place of death, yet he had had new life in Christ. “Chastened, and not killed.” He often experienced persecution, beatings, whippings, stonings, and yet he lived on. “Sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing.” Sorrow was for the sins of the people and their rejection of the gospel, yet he was rejoicing in Christ. “As poor, yet making many rich.” Whenever you find a minister who is rich, watch out. Folk are not supposed to get rich in the ministry. “Having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” You recall that Paul had said in his first letter to the Corinthians that all things were theirs. This includes things in the world, life, death, present or future. “… All are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:22–23)—oh, how rich we are! And yet we are poor.
Paul has given us three sets of things which characterize the ministry. You will notice that the first set pertains to things which are physical, the second to things which are mental, and the third to things which are spiritual. All are important.
PERSONAL APPEAL OF PAUL
Paul just seems to cry out here. Oh, how he yearned for those converts of his in Corinth. They were little baby Christians, babes in Christ, carnal Christians, but his heart went out to them. It seems his heart almost breaks in this chapter and the next one.
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged [2 Cor. 6:11–13].
Paul is opening up his great heart of love, and he stirs up the hearts of those who love him. The interesting thing is that he apparently also stirred up the hearts of those who hated God and His Word and who tried to work injury upon those who loved Him and loved the Scripture. We find that was true in the early history of the church, and it is true today. If you stand for God, you will find that it will really cost you something.
We come now to an important passage of Scripture. It is a section which has been often abused and misinterpreted. Some folk try to make it hard as nails, unyielding and unloving. Yet what Paul is saying here is coming from the tender heart of a man whose heart was almost breaking because of his great concern for the Corinthian believers.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? [2 Cor. 6:14].
Paul here makes an appeal to the Corinthian believers to make a clean break with idolatry. They are to make a break from the sins of the flesh. They are to be separated from the worldliness that is in the world. Today we use the term “separated believers.” There are many folk who consider themselves to be “separated believers” who are actually as worldly as can be.
Back in the Old Testament under the Mosaic Law God gave a law to His people who were largely engaged in agriculture. He said that they were not to yoke together an ox and an ass. That would be yoking together unequal animals.
One was a clean animal and the other was an unclean animal. Here God is speaking to believers, and He says that the believer should not be yoked together with an unbeliever. How are people yoked together? Well, they are yoked together in any form of real union such as a business enterprise, a partnership, a marriage, a long-term enterprise.
Certainly marriage is the yoking together of two people. An unbeliever and a believer should not marry. A clean animal and an unclean animal should not be yoked together to plow. A child of God and a child of the Devil cannot be yoked together and pull together in their life goals.
Another example of such a relationship is identification with an institution. If a man is a professor in a seminary and he is conservative and holds the great truths of the Bible, but the seminary has gone liberal, such a man should get out of that seminary, because he is drawing a salary there and he is identified with their work and their organization. He is associated with it in a very tangible, real way. He is unequally yoked with unbelievers.
Suppose, however, that an evangelist comes to town and holds services for one or two weeks. Although he uses certain methods that you would not condone, he is preaching Christ and God is blessing his ministry, are you to join with him?
When I was a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, an evangelist came to town and, without saying a word to any of us who were conservative men, put his tent right across from my church and the Baptist church in that end of the city. Then he came over to solicit our help. I was somewhat reluctant because of the ethics of the man. He was really a sort of screwball in many ways. He would conduct the most informal services. He would stop in the middle of his sermon because he had forgotten to make an announcement or had forgotten to take up an offering. The Baptist pastor and I were good friends and both conservative, so we talked it over. We didn’t like all the methods of the evangelist, but we decided that we would support him. He was there for a couple of weeks and people were saved through his ministry. I would never have joined with him in any sort of permanent commitment because of his methods, but I gave him my support for the time he was there. We were by no means yoked together.
Notice how Paul did it. Paul would first go to the synagogue when he entered into a new city. Can you imagine a place where there would be more opposition to Jesus Christ than in the synagogue? Yet that is where Paul began. I am not condemning him for it because God led him to do it that way. Now if Paul had joined himself to one of those synagogues and had become the rabbi in one of them and had stayed there, then that could have been considered a yoke.
You see, Paul is talking about being yoked together in a permanent arrangement like marriage or a business partnership or a professorship in a school or membership in a church. This verse has no reference to my support of an evangelistic crusade. There are many men who do not carry on their ministries the way I do mine—and some of them are so much more successful than I am, that maybe they are right and I am wrong. Of course, I feel that I am right and I intend to go along as I am now. But this won’t keep me from having fellowship with men who do things a little differently as long as they are preaching the same gospel that I preach and they believe the Bible is the Word of God. Paul is talking about yoking ourselves with unbelievers, as he makes clear in the next verse.
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [2 Cor. 6:15].
Well, I certainly don’t have any part with them. I am not joining with them permanently in anything, and I trust you are not. Let’s not confuse this with our relationship with other believers who do things in a different way from what we do them.
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people [2 Cor. 6:16].
Now Paul specifically mentions idolatry. The temple of God has no agreement with idols. Where is the temple of God? Today the temple of God is the human body of each and every believer. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit. The one in whom God dwells cannot be in agreement with idols.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty [2 Cor. 6:17–18].
Paul is appealing to the Christian for separation and for cleansing. He is not to be in agreement with idolatry. He is to be separate from worldliness and from the spirit of worldliness which can creep even into the churches and into the lives of believers. The believer should not even touch the unclean thing.
Back in the Book of Joshua we learned how Joshua and the Israelites took the fortified city of Jericho by faith. However, Achan took the “accursed thing.” Israel had touched what God had declared to be unclean. Then they went up to the little city of Ai with great confidence because they were sure of an easy victory, but Joshua and Israel were overcome and defeated at Ai. God asks for a separation from worldliness and from the unclean thing.
There are a great many Christians who consider themselves separated. They wouldn’t think of doing this or of doing that. Yet they gossip and have the meanest tongues, never realizing that that very thing is worldly and unclean. Or they go in for the latest in dress or for gluttony and yet consider themselves to be separate from worldliness. I don’t mean to sit in judgment—and we ought not to sit in judgment on each other—yet I feel I must point out these things because we need to be very, very careful. It is very easy to talk about the things of God, to claim the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, to say we love Him, to consider ourselves separated unto Him, and still not in reality be separate from the world and separated unto Him.
When I made my decision to enter the ministry, the vice-president of the bank where I worked called me into his office. He was a godless man—he could swear as I’ve never heard anyone swear. I think it rather moved him when I announced that I was giving up my job to study for the ministry. He called me over to his desk and said, “Vernon, I want to tell you a story.” This is what he told me: During World War I he was working in another bank and with him worked a man as godless and worldly as could be. However, this man was the soloist in a church. One day the man who was now the vice-president went to church, and there he heard his co-worker sing a solo, “Jesus Satisfies.” A dear lady said to him afterwards, “Wasn’t that a marvelous solo? It sounded like it came out of heaven!” Since he knew this man at work, he knew that Jesus did not satisfy him. One day this same woman came into the bank to do some business, and the teller who had been the soloist was attempting to get a balance sheet balanced, but it was off, and he began to rip out oaths and curses. The lady was really shocked at this and asked my friend, “Who is that man?” He answered, “That is the voice you heard the other Sunday and thought it came right out of heaven.” The vice-president of the bank was a skeptic and a rascal because he had seen a professing Christian singing, “Jesus Satisfies,” when he knew Jesus did not satisfy that man. He knew that man was immoral, a drinker, and a man of vile language. He knew a Christian should not be like that, and it made him a cynical individual. He reached over and touched me on the knee and said to me, “Vernon, don’t be a preacher unless you mean it.” I have never forgotten that.
God says, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, … and touch not the unclean thing.” Don’t be a Christian unless you mean it. Don’t say that Jesus satisfies you if He is not really satisfying you. This is what Paul is talking about.
Then there is this glorious promise: “And I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” You will be the kind of son or daughter who brings honor to the Father.
A man told me about his boy going away to college. The boy had become alienated from his dad. He was still the man’s son, but the father said to me, “I can’t deal with him as I would like to as a father. I simply can’t talk to him the way I’d like to as a father.” This is what God is saying here.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God is always your Father. Don’t forget that. What God is saying here is that He would like to act like a Father to you. He would like to treat you as a son. If you are going off into worldliness, if you don’t mean what you say, if you are hypocritical in your life, then you can be sure of one thing: God the Father will take you to His woodshed. My friend, God does not want to be everlastingly taking you to the woodshed. That is why He asks you to come out from among them, to be separate, not to touch the unclean thing. Then God can have an intimate relationship with you as a Father with a son.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: God’s comfort in the heart of Paul
This is the last chapter in the section on the comfort of God. This is God’s comfort in the very heart of Paul, a very personal and a very wonderful chapter.
As a background for this chapter we need to remember that there had been a man in the church in Corinth who had been guilty of gross immorality. He had had an incestuous and adulterous relationship with his own father’s wife, his stepmother. The church hadn’t dealt with that situation, and Paul had reprimanded them in his first epistle and had said they must deal with it. Now as Paul is writing his second letter to them, they had dealt with this man with the result that he repented and confessed his sin. The church had been accurate in dealing with him. Paul’s letter had had the right kind of effect. Titus came to Paul with the report that this man had been weeping over his sin and that he felt utterly unworthy of further recognition by the church. It is to this matter that Paul is referring.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [2 Cor. 7:1].
What promises is he talking about? He is referring to those at the end of chapter 6. God has said that if we will obey Him, He will be a real Father to us, we will be real sons and daughters to Him, and He can deal with us in that relationship. This does not say that if we don’t come out and be separate, we will lose our salvation. It does mean that if we do not lead a clean life, God can’t treat us as a Father would want to treat His child. I gave the illustration of the father of a wayward son who said, “I’d like to treat him like my son but I cannot. He is alienated from me and he is in trouble and difficulty. He resents me and I can’t be a father to him.” He was the father of the boy, but he couldn’t act like a father. God wants to treat us as a Father. A great many of us do not know by experience what a wonderful Father we have. We don’t give Him a chance to be a real Father to us. What can we do to change that? Paul tells us, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves.” How can we cleanse ourselves? We cannot cleanse our own conscience from the guilt of sin. I am unable to wash out the stain of a guilty conscience, but God has done that through the death of Christ and the shedding of His blood. After we have been cleansed from our sins by the blood of Christ, our hearts still need a daily cleansing from the contamination of each day. When I receive the Word in faith and I act upon that Word, I am cleansed from all the filthiness of the flesh and spirit. This is what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). The best bar of soap in the world is the Word of God. It will really clean us up. The Holy Spirit enables us to deal with the sin in our lives.
Paul says we are to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit. All sin is filthiness in the sight of God. Then what is the difference between the sins of the flesh and the sins of the spirit?
The filthiness of the flesh are those sins which we commit in the body. This has to do with unholy lusts, unbridled appetites, drunkenness, gluttony, licentiousness, inordinate affection. These are the sins of the flesh. These are the dirty things. You and I need to be aware of the fact that we are living in a world today that is giving a respectability to the sins of the flesh.
An illustration of this is the attitude of the world toward liquor. Most people today say that alcohol is all right. It is well advertised in the media. The other day I heard an advertisement which said, “The mark of a mature, sensible, and successful man today is one who is able to drink cocktails.” What propaganda! What brainwashing of the people! No political dictator has done a more thorough job. The liquor interests do a fantastic amount of brainwashing. But wait a minute! The ad which I was quoting was not for Southern Comfort or Old Crow or some other brand of whiskey. It was an advertisement from an organization which deals with alcoholics. They added, “There are some people who just don’t know how to handle their liquor.” I’ll say there are! There are a whole lot of them—several million of them—and we, the taxpayers, are paying the hospital bills that the liquor interests create. This is an example of the sins of the flesh.
What does the Bible say about this? Listen to Habakkuk 2:15: “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!” God have mercy on you if you serve cocktails in your home and tempt your neighbor to drunkenness. The Word of God rebukes that.
Another illustration of the filthiness of the flesh is the bookstands filled with the vilest pornographic literature that is imaginable which glorifies the human body and sex. In this permissive society God’s Word still condemns the sins of the flesh. If you as a Christian are going to indulge in them, my friend, then God cannot act toward you as your Father. Although you may actually be His son, He cannot treat you as a Father would like to treat His son.
Now Paul mentions the filthiness of the spirit. What are some of those sins? Well, how about gossip, my friend? How about vicious slander against some Christian brother? There are a great many people who would never take a gun and pull the trigger to shoot a man down, but they will take the dagger of gossip and put it in his back when he is not listening. Some of the dear saints in the church engage in that kind of practice.
There are the secret sins of the spirit such as vanity and pride. Conceit, haughtiness, unbelief, and covetousness are the dirty sins of the spirit. There are a lot of saints in the church who live by a series of “don’ts”—don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t play cards. Not one of them would have a cigarette on the end of his tongue, but the words on the end of his tongue burn more deeply than a cigarette could burn. These are some of the sins of the spirit.
Now Paul says that we should “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way: “And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:13–14). Christ is my righteousness. Christ is my holiness. The problem is that my life and His perfection are really far apart. God says we are not to have such a big holiness gap. He wants us to be holy in our lives.
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man [2 Cor. 7:2].
Paul assures them that he has corrupted no man. He has defrauded no man. He didn’t come to them to take up offerings for all sorts of projects. I wish a great many Christians could say the same thing. I feel that sometimes things are not done correctly by the deacon boards in our churches. I think that if a person makes a donation for a specific purpose, it is the duty of the deacon board to make sure the money is used for that specific purpose. They do not have the liberty to say, “Oh, we’ll just put this in the general fund,” or, “We think it would be more important to use this to retire our debt on a building.” Paul could assure them that he had wronged no man, corrupted no man, defrauded no man.
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you [2 Cor. 7:3].
Paul loved these Christians. They were constantly on his heart.
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation [2 Cor. 7:4].
Now he tells them that he is comforted and is filled with joy. He goes on to give the reason for this.
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing [2 Cor. 7:5–9].
Now this is quite lovely, and the background will help us appreciate what he is saying. Remember that in Paul’s first epistle to them he wrote a very sharp letter. He called them “babes” and “carnal.” He pointed out the gross immorality among them, and he commanded them to deal with it and put it away. And they did deal with it as Paul had instructed them. When Titus arrived in Philippi to join Paul, he brought the news that the church in Corinth had dealt with the situation and that the guilty man had repented of his gross immorality. So Paul wrote in the second chapter of this second epistle that now they should forgive him and comfort him so that he wouldn’t be swallowed up in sorrow. He is to be taken back into the fellowship.
After he had left Ephesus, he had gone to Troas, and there he waited, but Titus didn’t come. Then he began to rebuke himself. He thought, Maybe I shouldn’t have written such a sharp letter to them after all. Or maybe I should have gone to them directly. He went on to Philippi, and it was there that Titus met him and brought him word from Corinth.
Someone is going to say to me, “I thought that the Scripture is verbally inspired and that Paul was writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit when he wrote to the Corinthians.” That is correct. This is the inspired Word of God. I believe that with all my heart. How is it then that Paul was rebuking himself? It was because Paul was human. God had him write like that to let you and me know how human he really was. Also it shows us how tender and sweet and loving he was and that you and I ought to be the same way. What a lesson in this for us! Once Paul had received the news he could write, “I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.”
It is possible that someone reading this page should sit down and write a letter to an individual whom he hurt years ago. If that someone is you, tell him that you are sorry and want to make things right. Do you know what you would do for him? You would make him exceedingly joyful. We all need to do more of that.
Paul gets very personal when he says, “When we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.” This is so personal I almost feel that we shouldn’t read it. But God used a man to comfort Paul: “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus.”
You could help some dear saint of God and be a comfort to him. My friend, when was the last time you went to your preacher and put your arm on his shoulder and said, “Brother, I’ve been praying for you. I see that you are working hard and standing for the things of God, and I just want you to know I am standing with you.” He would appreciate that.
Paul continues: “And not by his [Titus’] coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.” In other words, “You comforted Titus and Titus comforted me.”
The other day I was in a church service and a man came to me and said, “My brother who lives back East wrote me. He says that he has been listening by radio to that fellow McGee from California and that, if ever I should meet him, I should tell him that my brother accepted Christ as his Savior.” Now I don’t know why that man’s brother didn’t write to me and tell me that, but he didn’t. He wrote to his brother and his brother told me. I want to say to you that I was comforted by that. It made me know that my radio program is something that I should continue.
The Corinthians had said nice things about Paul. Friend, don’t be so hesitant to say something nice about someone else. Really, your tongue won’t fall out if you say some nice things.
“For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance.” You see, repentance and the shedding of tears are not the same. “For ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.”
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death [2 Cor. 7:10].
Here we find God’s definition of repentance—real repentance. Repentance is a change of mind. As far as I can tell, the only repentance God asks of the lost is in the word believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! What happens when one believes? There is a change of mind. There is a turning from something to Someone. Listen to what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “… how ye turned to God from idols …” (1 Thess. 1:9)—that was a change of mind. How did it come about? They first turned to Christ. When Paul had come to them, he hadn’t preached against idolatry, he had preached Christ to them. And they turned to Christ. But they were idolaters. So when they turned to Christ in faith, what else happened? They turned from the idols, and that turning from idols was repentance. That is the repentance of the unsaved; it is the repentance to salvation. I don’t know if God wants us to emphasize repentance to the unsaved; He does want us to emphasize Christ. When they respond to Christ, there will be a turning from their old unbelief to Christ.
However, God does emphasize repentance for the believer if he is going in the wrong direction, walking in sin. For him there is to be a turning, a repentance. A lot of people simply shed tears, which may not indicate true repentance. That kind of sorrow is the sorrow of the world and works death. True repentance is godly sorrow, which “worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of”—that is, repentance without regret.
My dad used to tell about a boat on the Mississippi River that had a little bitty boiler and a great big whistle. When it would blow its whistle while going upstream, the boat would start to drift downstream because the boiler was so small it couldn’t propel the boat and blow the whistle at the same time. There are a lot of folk who have a great big whistle and a little bitty boiler. They shed a lot of tears and make a big display, but there is no real repentance. They shed tears, but they keep on going in the same direction.
But with these Corinthian believers their repentance was real.
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all [2 Cor. 7:11–13].
He commends them for the fact that they really repented.
For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things [2 Cor. 7:14–16].
Paul has opened his heart and has shown his inmost feelings. He is full of joy and rejoicing. He has been comforted. This has been God’s comfort in the heart of Paul.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Example of Christian giving
The subject now changes. For the previous seven chapters Paul has talked of the comfort of God. I trust it has brought comfort and strength to you to know that you have a Helper in your Christian life. Our natural reaction is to say, “Paul, go on—tell us more about comfort.” However, he changes the subject abruptly. He now talks about the collection for the poor saints of Jerusalem. He brings us back to earth with a thump! The subject changes from Christian living to Christian giving, which is as vital a part as living.
This section, which includes chapters 8 and 9, divides this way:
1. Example of Christian Giving, chapter 8:1–6
2. Exhortation to Christian Giving, chapter 8:7–15
3. Explanation of Christian Giving, chapters 8:16–9:5
4. Encouragement to Christian Giving, chapter 9:6–15
During my twenty-one years as a pastor in downtown Los Angeles I do not think that I preached more than three messages on giving, yet we saw the giving double and triple several times during that period. This confirms my belief that God’s people will support a ministry that teaches and preaches the Word of God. I resent the high-pressure promotion and money-raising schemes which are being used in Christian work. I do not think they are scriptural by any means.
These two chapters give us the most extended and complete section on Christian giving that we have in the Scriptures. Actually, all we need to know is here. There are no rules, but there are certain clear-cut principles for giving. That may strike you as being unusual. Someone may say, “I thought we were to give a tithe.” No, that is not the rule for today. It might be a principle that you would like to follow, but it is not a rule for anyone today.
The word that is important in this section is the word grace. In this chapter the word grace occurs seven times, and it occurs three times in chapter 9—ten times in these two chapters. The subject is the grace of giving.
EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN GIVING
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia [2 Cor. 8:1].
I want to spend a little time here on that word grace. We find it here in the first verse. We find it again in the fourth verse: “Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” The word gift in our translation is actually “grace.” Another way of translation would be, “Praying us with much entreaty that we would give effect to the grace and fellowship of the service to the saints.” The word appears again in the sixth verse. “Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.”
He is calling giving a grace. It is a grace of God. It is a disposition created by the Spirit of God. He is writing to the Corinthians and is telling them that the Macedonians had that kind of grace, and he is hoping that the Corinthians will have that same grace.
The theologian defines grace as the unmerited favor of God. I agree with that, and yet it does not adequately describe this word. It may cause you to miss the rich flavor of it. I studied classical Greek before I studied Koiné, the Greek of the Scriptures, and I found that the Greek word charis means an outward grace like beauty or loveliness or charm or kindness or goodwill or gratitude or delight or pleasure. The Greeks had three graces: good, fine, noble. The Greeks were missionary-minded about their culture, and they wanted to impart this to others.
The Holy Spirit chose this word, gave it a new luster and a new glory, and the Christian writers adopted it. Paul uses it again and again. Now notice carefully this definition: The grace of God is the passion of God to share all His goodness with others. Grace means that God wants to bestow upon you good things, goodnesses. He wants to make you fine and noble, and He wants to bring you into the likeness of His Son. This is the grace of which Paul writes in Ephesians: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). We were lost sinners; we had nothing to offer God for our salvation; so He saved us by grace. He had a passion for wanting to save us. He loved us, but He could not arbitrarily forgive us because He is a holy God. He had to provide a way, and that way was that He sent His Son to die for us. We are told that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (see John 3:16). God is in the business of giving, not receiving. We need to make that very clear.
I think sometimes we give the impression that God is poor and that He needs our gifts. He doesn’t. God is not poor. He says, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (Ps. 50:10–12). God doesn’t get hungry. Even if He did, He would not tell us! God is not in need of anything.
The early church considered giving to be a grace. It was a passion, an overwhelming desire to share the things of God with others.
Paul is writing specifically of a local situation, and we need to recognize that. The Jerusalem church had been the first to give out the gospel—the gospel had begun there. Jesus had told the disciples they should be witnesses unto Him beginning in Jerusalem. The apostles loved Jerusalem, and they locked their arms around their beloved city until persecution drove them from it, scattered them abroad, sent them down the highways into Judea and Samaria and finally to the uttermost parts of the earth. The church in Jerusalem was weakened because of persecution. In fact, there was famine going on, and the church was poverty-stricken.
Now as Paul went about on his third missionary journey, he collected an offering for the church in Jerusalem. That is rather revolutionary. Here the mission churches are sending an offering to help the mother church. Today it is just the opposite. The home church sends out missionaries and supports them out in the foreign field. But in Paul’s day the foreign field was supporting the home church.
Paul was not yet able to come to Corinth; so in this letter he sends instructions to them about how to give. Because he intends to come to Corinth, he tells them that he doesn’t want any kind of promotion for giving—he doesn’t want to be taking up a collection while he is there. He doesn’t want to spend time talking about money after he gets there. This collection was to be done beforehand and then, when he arrived, he could spend his time teaching them the Word of God.
What a contrast that is to the usual method today. The usual invitation that I receive is to come over and hold a meeting and while I am there a love offering will be taken for me. If it were done as Paul suggested, a love offering would be taken before an evangelist or a Bible teacher came to speak.
Now I have given to you the color of the local situation and the background of the instructions in this epistle. The facts of the local situation have now passed into history, but the principles which Paul lays down abide. I believe they are as sharp and fresh today as they were when Paul first gave them.
In the first verse Paul cited the Macedonian believers as examples in Christian giving—this referred to the church at Philippi. In verse 2 he lists their motives and methods of giving.
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality [2 Cor. 8:2].
Notice that the Macedonians gave out of their “deep poverty.” They didn’t have riches. They didn’t give of their surplus or of their abundance; they gave out of their poverty. I’m afraid we don’t know much about that kind of giving today.
For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints [2 Cor. 8:3–4].
It would be more accurate to translate this: “Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the grace”—that gift they had taken up was a grace, and it was fellowship, which means it was a sharing of the things of Christ.
You and I cannot realize the love that they had one for another. We talk about social action in the church today; I must confess that we have almost lost sight of it in our fundamental churches. It is a wonderful thing to give to the missions, but must we neglect folks in our own congregations who are in need? Many of them don’t even want their needs to be known in the local congregation because they know it would become a subject of gossip in the church. They don’t want to accept help because they feel it would be more or less a disgrace. I’ve discovered this in my own ministry. Sometimes I could not reveal the name of the person in need to a committee or a group that wanted to know to whom the help was going, because the committee would not keep it in confidence, and by the time it got to their wives, it would be throughout the church. We have lost today this wonderful grace of giving.
Now notice what the believers in Macedonia had done—this is unusual.
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God [2 Cor. 8:5].
Paul says this was not something that he had expected. First of all, they had given themselves to the Lord. That is basic. Secondly, they had given themselves, apparently, to some local work of Christ and they were sold out to it. They gave themselves to Paul by the will of God, which means they helped him to get out the gospel. You see, they were sold out to God.
Back in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he wrote about the Resurrection and heaven (see ch. 15), and they were about to say, “Brother Paul, tell us more about heaven.” Then Paul shook them right down to their shoestrings by saying, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye” (1 Cor. 16:1). He wanted to talk to them about something very practical. And he tells them here in his second letter that they are not to give grudgingly. The Macedonian believers gave out of “the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty.” What a picture! God loves a cheerful giver, and we see it in shoeleather here—it was a fellowship. They shared what they had.
They owed the home church in Jerusalem for all their spiritual blessings. They had received the gospel from them. Now they were returning material gifts to the home church which was in such a sad situation. Paul writes in Galatians 6:6: “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” That literally means, “Pay the preacher.” It means, my friend, that you ought to support the work from which you derive a spiritual blessing.
A man, living out of fellowship with the Lord, heard our radio messages and the Word of God brought him back to the Lord. We have a building which belongs to “Thru the Bible” because he gave that building to us. He gave it hilariously. He gave it joyously. That is the way it should be given. It should be out of the abundance of joy. We are never to give reluctantly or because we think we ought to give. We should have a passion to give so that the Word of God can reach others.
You remember that the Lord Jesus stood aside and watched the people give in the temple—I think He still does that. The rich came in and gave large gifts, but the poor little widow came and put in her two mites. The Lord said she had cast in more than they all (see Mark 12:41–44). She gave of her poverty and she gave all that she had. If you measured the value of those little coppers against the riches of that temple, they didn’t amount to anything. But the Lord Jesus gives God’s evaluation: “And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had” (Luke 21:3–4).
It has been said, “When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing.” That is where a great many folk stop.
The story is told of a Scottish church that was attempting to raise money for a new building. One member of the church was a rich Scot who was known to be worth fifty thousand pounds. He was a typical Scot and was pretty stingy, like most of us are. A deacon came to see him and asked, “Brother, how much are you going to give for the new church?” The Scot replied, “Oh, I guess I’ll be able to put in the widow’s mite.” The deacon called out in the next meeting, “Brethren, we have all the money we need. This brother is going to give fifty thousand pounds.” The man was amazed. “I didn’t say I would give fifty thousand pounds; I said I would give the widow’s mite.” The deacon replied, “Well, she gave her all, and I thought that is what you meant to give!” It is interesting that God notes what you give but also what you keep for yourself.
In another church they were taking up an offering for a building program. The man calling on one of the members said to him, “How much are you going to give, brother?” “Well,” he said, “I guess I could give ten dollars and not feel it.” The man replied, “Then why don’t you make it twenty dollars and feel it?” You see, the blessing only comes when you feel it, my friend. This is the meaning of “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
The Macedonian believers gave themselves to God. And, my friend, if God doesn’t have you, He doesn’t want anything from you. If God doesn’t have the hand, He doesn’t want the gift that is in the hand.
Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also [2 Cor. 8:6].
Paul says that the grace which motivated the Macedonians should be the same grace that would motivate the Corinthians. The real test of any person lies in what he gives. Someone has said there are three books that are essential for a worship service: the first book is the Bible, the second is the hymn book, and the third is the pocketbook. Giving is a part of our worship to God. If we do not have the grace of giving, we should pray to God and ask Him to give us a generous, sharing spirit.
EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIAN GIVING
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also [2 Cor. 8:7].
Paul is commending them. They abound in faith; they were able to witness; they had knowledge and diligence; and they had love for Paul and for the other apostles. Now he asks them to abound in this grace also. What does he refer to? He means the grace of giving.
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love [2 Cor. 8:8].
Paul is saying here that giving today is not by law, by rote, or by ritual. I know that there are good Bible expositors who say we are to give the tithe. Obviously, the tithe was basic back in the Old Testament. However, if you examine it very carefully, you will find that the people gave three tithes. One was actually for the support of the government, which would be what we call taxes today. So the “tithe” is not the basis on which Christians are to give. Paul says, “I speak not by commandment.” He is not asking the Corinthians to give because it is a commandment.
Paul gives two reasons why he is asking them to give. The first is “by occasion of the forwardness of others”—which would be the example which the Macedonians had given. The second reason is to “prove the sincerity of your love.” It is still true today that the pocketbook is really the test of a man’s love. It is the most sensitive area of a Christian.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich [2 Cor. 8:9].
If you are looking for a standard for giving, here it is: the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He was rich but He became poor. He came down here and took a place of poverty. Imagine leaving heaven and coming down to this earth to be born in Bethlehem, to live in Nazareth, to die on a cross outside the walls of Jerusalem, and to be put into the darkness of a tomb! He was rich but He became poor for you and me.
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago [2 Cor. 8:10].
This indicates that the Corinthians had made a pledge or a promise and had begun to give for this collection a year earlier. This raises the issue of making a pledge to give a certain amount of money. Some people say they don’t think a Christian should make a pledge. I think we need to recognize that we sign pledges for everything else, and I think that people ought to be willing to make a pledge to God’s work. We promise to pay our rent; we sign notes when we buy an automobile or a refrigerator. I say that we can sign on the dotted line for God’s work, too.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have [2 Cor. 8:11].
Paul is saying they should carry through with their pledge. They should put their money where their mouth is. However, remember that this is not a commandment. We are not commanded to make a pledge. However, this verse does tell us that if we do make a pledge, then we are to carry it through and perform it.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not [2 Cor. 8:12].
Here is something very important to note. Each should give according to “that a man hath,” and he is to do it with a willing mind. No one is to give according to what he does not have.
In the section on 1 Corinthians, I gave an illustration which I will repeat because it is a very fine example of this principle.
When I was pastoring a church in Texas, one of my officers owned several Coca-Cola plants, and one of them was in our town. He was a man of means, and he owned a ranch where we used to go out to hunt and fish. Often he would ask me why I didn’t preach on tithing. One day I said, “Why should I preach on tithing?” He said, “Because it is the Bible way of giving.” I agreed, “Yes, it was the Old Testament way of giving, but under grace I don’t believe tithing is the way it should be done.” So he asked me, “How do you think it ought to be done?” I took him to this verse: “As God has prospered him.” Now this was during the depression. If you are as old as I am, you will remember that the depression in the 1930s was a very serious time. So I said to him, “For some strange reason, Coca-Cola is selling, and you are doing very well. However, there are some members in our church who couldn’t give a tithe right now. I don’t believe God is asking them to give a tenth. There are a few people who are doing well, and they are to give as they have been prospered—and they are not to stop with a tenth. Probably they ought to give a half.” Do you know that this man never again suggested that I preach on tithing! The reason was that he found out that a man is to give according to what he hath, not according to what he hath not.
The tithes were a basic measurement in the Old Testament, and I cannot believe that any Christian today who has a good income should give less than one tenth. In this time of great abundance Christians should be giving more than a tenth.
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened [2 Cor. 8:13].
Paul is saying that a burden should not be placed on anyone.
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality [2 Cor. 8:14].
Perhaps you have been blessed with a good automobile, a lovely home, nice furniture, and all the appliances that are considered necessary in our contemporary culture. May I say to you that God expects you to share in the Lord’s work. You may be like my rancher friend who would like to settle for the tithe. He wanted me to preach on the tithe so he would feel comfortable in his giving. After I had talked with him, I don’t think he ever felt comfortable about his tithe-giving. Those who are able to give should give, and we should not burden those who are unable to give.
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack [2 Cor. 8:15].
Paul gives the example of the gathering of the manna in the wilderness. Each was to gather enough for one day. Some man might go out with several baskets and say, “Let’s just fill them up. I’ll gather bushel baskets of manna while I can.” He would go out and greedily gather up much more than he needed. What would happen? After he had eaten what he needed for that day, he would find that all the rest had spoiled by the next morning. It was God’s plan that each one should have just enough and no more.
We will learn in chapter 9, verse 6, that “… He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” I think that God will begin to deal with you as you have been dealing with Him. I think that God keeps books. He does not put us under law because He wants our giving to be a grace, a passion, a desire to share. It should be a joyful experience. You ought to be able to say to other folk, “You ought to listen to Dr. McGee. He’s talking about the most wonderful privilege in the world. He is telling us how we can be happy by giving.” That may sound crazy to you, but that is exactly what Paul is saying here.
EXPLANATION OF CHRISTIAN GIVING
But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you [2 Cor. 8:16].
“Thanks” is the same Greek word charis, which has been translated “grace.” Although “thanks” is a good translation, it would be equally correct to translate it “grace be to God.”
Paul is saying that he sent Titus to get their offering, but it was already a grace in his heart. Titus wanted as much as Paul did to take up an offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind [2 Cor. 8:17–19].
You see, Titus and his companion had this grace in their hearts. The giving was to be for the glory of God. Whatever we give, my friend, should be for the glory of God.
Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us [2 Cor. 8:20].
Paul is saying, “We are going to be honest in the use of the money we collect from you and in the way we handle it.”
Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men [2 Cor. 8:21].
This is one of the more sensitive areas in the Lord’s work. Many Christian organizations and churches major in heavy promotion to encourage giving to a certain work. No effort—or at best, little effort—is made to tell how the money is used. There should be the presentation of tangible evidence that the money is used to give out the Word of God and that there are results that can be documented—not just isolated cases. There should be confidence in the organization to which we give—that it is honest and is operated on the highest level of integrity. We should not support an organization about which we have doubts. We must remember that this is a big, bad world and that there are religious racketeers in it. We need to beware.
Even Paul, this great apostle, says, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” It should be obvious that the money is being used for the purpose for which it is given.
And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ [2 Cor. 8:22–23].
They can trust Titus. He will make a good report. They can trust Paul who will also report to them. The money will not be delivered by just one person.
Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf [2 Cor. 8:24].
Paul is asking for proof of their love. You see, friend, if you really mean business, there will be more than verbiage. Giving will be a tangible expression of your love.
I’m afraid there are a great many Christians who are like the young fellow who wrote to his girl: “I would cross the widest ocean for you. I’d swim the deepest river for you. I would scale the highest mountain for you. I’d crawl across the burning sands of the desert for you.” Then he concluded with a P.S.: “If it doesn’t rain Wednesday night, I’ll be over to see you.” A great many of us like to talk about how we love Jesus, but we are not willing to sacrifice much for Him.
Paul is urging the Corinthians to show the proof of their love.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: Collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem
This chapter continues directly with the same subject which we had in chapter 8. There it was the grace of giving; now we have before us what Christian giving is.
EXPLANATION OF CHRISTIAN GIVING (CONTINUED)
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting [2 Cor. 9:1–4].
Paul says that he would be very embarrassed if he came over there, having boasted of them to other folk, and then found out they hadn’t given anything. Liberal giving is a real test of any church. I go to some churches that have real spiritual vigor; they are great churches, and I have found out that they are generous in their giving. I have also been to some churches that are really dead spiritually. And I have discovered that they don’t give much either. They are dead in their giving, too. The size of the offering is a pretty good barometer.
Now you see that these Corinthian Christians had made a pledge that they would give something toward the relief of believers in Jerusalem. May I say here that any pledge that a Christian makes is between that person and the Lord. It is a pledge to the Lord that you will do something or that you will give something.
I know a wealthy man who was asked, “How in the world did you become so rich when you give so much away?” “Well,” he answered, “The Lord shovels it in and I shovel it out and God has the bigger shovel.” My friend, we can never outgive God.
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness [2 Cor. 9:5].
You will notice that the gift is called a bounty. That indicates that it would be a generous gift, which is the evidence of the grace of God working in the heart.
ENCOURAGEMENT TO CHRISTIAN GIVING
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully [2 Cor. 9:6].
When Paul was talking to the Ephesian elders, he reminded them of this same thing. “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Apparently, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” was an expression which the Lord Jesus used constantly. I know that this has become a very trite bromide today. It is quoted a great deal and practiced very little.
The word blessed actually means “happy.” It will make you more happy to give than to receive. How does it affect you when you give?
Here is an acid test for you and for me today. Do we sow sparingly? Do we give in that way? Suppose a farmer would sow a bushel of grain on a particular plot of ground and reap an abundant harvest. Suppose he would say the next year, “There is no use wasting a bushel of grain on this ground this year; I will save half a bushel for myself and sow only half a bushel.” Any farmer knows that he would get a very small yield. The principle is that whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully.
When I was speaking at Siloam Springs, Arkansas, some folk came from Oklahoma City. The lady is about my age and she was raised in a little place called Tishomingo, Oklahoma. My father was killed in a cotton gin there and is buried there. In that day it was the custom when there was a death in a family for the neighbors and friends to send food to the bereaved family. I shall never forget the wonderful food that was sent to us at that time. This lady told me that she could recall as a girl that her mother cooked up a great deal of food and sent it over to our house. She said, “I never knew that years later I would be listening to you. We gave you physical food, and now you supply spiritual food for us.” They didn’t sow sparingly, and I hope they are reaping abundantly. I believe this is a true principle in every area of life. One of the reasons some of us are so poor today is that we are so tightfisted when we are dealing with the Lord.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver [2 Cor. 9:7].
What you feel right down in your heart you ought to give, that is what you should give. But here is the test: “not grudgingly.” God does not want any grudging giving. What does that mean? God does not want one penny from you if you would rather keep it for yourself.
Perhaps you say, “Well, I am an officer in the church and it is my responsibility to give.” Or, “I am a member of that church and I feel responsible.” It is true that the church may say that to you. As a pastor, I’ve told people, “This is your church and you ought to support it.” But God does not say that. He says that if you are going to give grudgingly, He doesn’t want it. Not only does God not want it, but I believe that God doesn’t use it either.
Not only does it say God does not want you to give if you give grudgingly, neither does He want you to give “of necessity.” He doesn’t want you to give at all unless you are giving willingly and gladly.
Some folk say, “Well, I had better give because everybody else is giving, and it would look bad if I didn’t give something.” That is giving of necessity. God does not want that kind of giving.
“God loveth a cheerful giver.” That should be the happiest part of the service. I have been in many churches where they take up an offering and then the congregation stands and sings, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” I think that is wonderful. The only thing that would be better would be if they would sing it first. This would put them in the attitude of giving and of giving joyfully. Also they would be able to reach for their wallets as they stood up! God loves a cheerful giver. If you can’t give cheerfully, God doesn’t want you to give.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work [2 Cor. 9:8].
I have never known anyone who has gone broke giving to the Lord’s work. There may be some who have, but I have never met them in my ministry. I believe that God will bless you. I don’t think the blessings He gives to you will always be material blessings. A great many folk think they can hold God to a promise of material blessings. I don’t think you can. He does promise to bless us with all spiritual blessings.
(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) [2 Cor. 9:9–10].
This is a quotation from Psalm 112. It calls the man blessed who fears the Lord and who gives to the poor. We are to share with those who do not have as much. I believe that in the church we ought to take care of our own. There are so many opportunities to share with folk. Many Christians have the gift of hospitality—and that is a gift. They have a way of opening their homes and making people feel at home. Often they take folk to church first so they hear the gospel and then have them in their home for dinner afterward. That is a marvelous way of witnessing. It is a way to reach the lonely and those who lack fellowship.
Paul gives the illustration of the farmer who doesn’t mind going out to scatter bushel after bushel of seed, because he believes that he will get an abundant harvest. It is God who multiplies the seed of the farmer. It is God who will multiply everything that you do for Him. So don’t be afraid to give to the Lord’s work.
I had an experience once when I had to encourage a young man not to give. He had been recently saved, and he was actually giving so much that he was not keeping enough for his own family. The Bible says that we are worse than the heathen if we do not take care of our own family (see 1 Tim. 5:8). I pointed this out to him and told him that he also needed to care for the necessities of his family, and after that he should give generously to the Lord. God does not want us to be extremists even in this matter of giving. We need to be balanced. We need good, sound, common sense and good, consecrated judgment.
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God [2 Cor. 9:11–12].
You see, when you give, it will cause people to thank God for you. It is God who will get the praise and the glory.
Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men [2 Cor. 9:13].
While I was visiting the mission field in Venezuela a certain missionary there told me about a family that I knew back in Los Angeles. The missionary said, “How generous they have been to me! I thank God for them.” That is the way Paul said it would be. Missionaries in Venezuela were thanking God for a family in Los Angeles. Is anyone anywhere thanking God for your generosity?
And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you [2 Cor. 9:14].
Giving is a grace. We are not Commanded to give a tithe. It is not to be something done under law. It is a grace. God asks us to give as a grace according to our circumstances. Some Christians should be giving much more than a tithe. Other Christians are not able to give at all. We are to give as we “are able.” Now Paul caps the whole subject of giving by saying:
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift [2 Cor. 9:15].
Regardless of how much you are giving, you cannot give like God gives. He has given an unspeakable gift. No man can approach the gift that God gave in giving His own Son to die. Think of this for a moment. We are back to what was said in chapter 8, verse 9. Though He was rich, He left heaven, left all the glory, came down as a missionary to this world. He came not only to live but to give His life in death for you. He came to die on a cross. He came to be brutally killed in order that you and I might have eternal life. He made His soul a sacrifice for sin for you and for me.
We are told in Hebrews that He did this “for the joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:3). Oh, my friend, He is the wonderful, glorious Savior! Don’t ever bring Him down to a low level. He is the Bright and Morning Star. He is the Son of God who has redeemed us. He is the unspeakable gift to you and me. That is the very apex of giving. No one can go beyond that kind of giving.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Authentication of Paul’s apostleship
Now we come to the last great division of this epistle, which is the calling of the apostle Paul. The first division I have called Christian living, the second one I called Christian giving, and this one I call Christian guarding. It was a radical change when we saw Paul begin to write about Christian giving. Now we come to an altogether new section, and it marks such a radical change in tone and style that many critics have supposed that this is the beginning of a third epistle. Candidly, I cannot accept that theory. The change in tone can be explained easily on another basis.
As we have seen, the church in Corinth was a divided church. Paul said when he first wrote to them, “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you” (1 Cor. 1:11). The majority of the church respected the authority of Paul. There was a minority who opposed Paul and rejected his authority. It would seem that in the first nine chapters he is addressing the majority. In chapters 10, 11, and 12 he is addressing the minority. It is like changing from daylight to darkness.
In this section we will find the apostle opening his great heart of love—his heart as a missionary and as a human being. We will meet him as we have never met him before because in this section he actually defends his apostleship.
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you [2 Cor. 10:1].
You remember that Paul had written a strong letter of correction. The minority criticized him severely, and they were saying, “Paul writes big, but when he is among us he is a nobody.”
Paul beseeches them by “the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” Paul came to Corinth as a tentmaker. He wasn’t chargeable to anyone, and he didn’t want to be. He would work in the marketplace all day. He would perspire and his hands would get dirty. He was working there, and he was talking to the multitude as they passed by. Now the Corinthians would say of him, “He’s not an apostle. Look at him. He’s a tentmaker. He is just an ordinary man.” Well, friend, he was an ordinary man, but he happened also to be an apostle. Paul looked just like anyone else. In fact, some people would have looked down on him because he labored with his hands. So when he says, “I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,” he is saying that he is like the Lord when He was here on earth. He says, “Who in presence am base among you.” He was not something special to see. He wasn’t a somebody. He was just an ordinary fellow making tents. So the Corinthians would be apt to say, “When he is among us, he is base. But when he writes to us, he is bold and writes with authority. Who does he think he is?”
Paul writes in the meekness and the gentleness of Christ. Our Lord didn’t lift up His voice to defend Himself. Our Lord was not striking in personal appearance, and He did not look as different as the artists would have us believe. He didn’t walk around with a halo around His head. He was meek and lowly, and that is to be the badge of His followers. That is the fraternity pin of believers.
So Paul writes to them and says, “Don’t let looks fool you.” Paul had the authority of an apostle. Paul had a divine mission. He spoke with authority. He was conscious of supernatural power, and he exercised supernatural power. Paul urges them not to force him to exercise his authority. He would like to come again in meekness and gentleness. He urges them not to think of him simply in the flesh.
I don’t think a minister of the gospel today needs to wear a robe or needs to button his collar in the back to prove he is a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe he can prove it by his life and in the fact that he preaches the Word of God. We still find the same tendency among some people as was present in Corinth. They want to degrade the man who teaches the Word of God. The Devil is very clever in this matter. Right now the Devil does not seem to be attacking the Word of God. There is a real interest in the Word of God among multitudes of people. So what does the Devil do? He attacks the reputation of the man of God who is preaching the Word of God. This is the way he gets in. He tries to discredit the man. That is exactly what happened to Paul.
I know of a church where the pastor taught the Word of God. There were some members there who didn’t like him at all, and when he left the church they attempted to crucify the man. Yet they would tell you they believed the Word of God, and they all carried big Bibles under their arms. They don’t really believe the Word of God—in fact, they don’t even know what is in it. If a pastor preaches the Word of God and does not cater to such a group, believe me, he is in trouble. That is the Devil’s method.
But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh [2 Cor. 10:2].
Paul is saying to them that they should not think of him as walking according to the flesh because he made tents and his hands got dirty and he was sweaty as he worked. This is the way they had evaluated him.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh [2 Cor. 10:3].
The Greek word for flesh is sarx, and it can be used in three different ways. It can speak of the body, the physical body that we have, the meat that is on the bones. It can speak of weakness, meaning that which is psychological. It can also mean that corrupt nature which you and I have, that fallen nature. That is the spiritual meaning. So this word can be used in a physical sense, in a psychological sense, and in a spiritual sense.
Paul uses the word flesh in all three senses but more frequently in the sense of the old Adamic, fallen nature. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). He is referring to the corrupt nature—he is using flesh in the spiritual sense.
When he says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh,” he is using flesh in the psychological sense. Paul says that he walked in the flesh—weakness. I do not think that Paul came to Corinth in the energy of the flesh. The warfare was spiritual warfare. In his letter to the Ephesians he wrote, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).
Paul did not come as an ordinary man who was dependent upon the principles of the natural. Paul didn’t come to Corinth to put on a Madison Avenue campaign. He didn’t use the methods of advertising and organization in human effort and energy. This does not mean that there is no time for us to use these. I am just saying that Paul didn’t use them. He was not one of the “personality boys” who use cleverness with many quotations and clichés and who soar to heights of beautiful language. He didn’t come on an anti-Nero or an anti-Caesar campaign. He didn’t come to Corinth to clean up the city. He didn’t come at the invitation of the Christians to put on a campaign.
Paul had written in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Paul had a grand perspective of an entire battlefield. There was a heaven to gain, and there was a hell to shun. He was in a warfare that was spiritual and that required spiritual weapons.
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [2 Cor. 10:4].
This is a parenthesis, and in this verse Paul does not even list the weapons. Spiritual warfare means that we have a spiritual enemy, and a spiritual enemy requires spiritual weapons. We are told that we have some weapons and they are mighty. They are effective. Are you able to identify those spiritual weapons which we need today?
Our first weapon is the Word of God. We need to have confidence in the Word of God. It is the sword of the Spirit. Paul could come to Corinth, that citadel of philosophy and religion, with the weapon of the Word of God. That is exactly the weapon that he used. Paul writes in Ephesians, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). Paul drew his trusty sword, and he depended upon the naked blade of it. He wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).
We, too, need to have confidence in the Word of God. We need to have a firm confidence in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures. This must be more than just a creed. I listened to a preacher who said he believed in the verbal inspiration of the Bible. He quoted poetry and some cute clichés and some pert epigrams. He had every form of philosophical argument but no exposition of the Word of God. May I say to you, that is not confidence in the Word of God, nor is it using the Word as a weapon.
I am conservative in my theology. I believe in the inspiration of the Word of God, which includes the Book of Genesis and especially the account of creation. I believe in hell. In fact, I believe the Bible from the beginning to the end. It is the sword of the Spirit, my friend. It is one of our weapons.
The second weapon is the presence of the Holy Spirit. Paul recognized his own human weakness. He knew that he was sealed by the Holy Spirit and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Another weapon of our warfare is prayer. Now it is true that there is very little about prayer in either of the Corinthian epistles. However, Paul certainly believed in prayer. In the Book of Ephesians he lists this as one of the offensive weapons. “… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph. 6:17–18).
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ [2 Cor. 10:5].
In this spiritual battle the warriors are successful. When I say this, I do not mean they are victorious. God gets the victory. When we are successful, the glory all goes to Him. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph”—how? “in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14). We won’t win everyone to Christ, but we can get the Word of God out. Thank God for the open door of witnessing in our day. We are not victorious, but we sure can be successful.
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s [2 Cor. 10:6–7].
Speaking to the opposition, Paul says, “We belong to Christ as much as anyone.”
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed [2 Cor. 10:8].
Paul has the authority of an apostle. It is not to destroy them, but for their edification—that is, to build them up in the faith.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible [2 Cor. 10:9–10].
Paul does not want his letters to be bold and terrifying and then he himself to be weak among them. I believe this indicates to us that Paul was not what one would call an attractive man. When people heard Paul, it was obvious to them that he was not preaching to them under his own physical strength or by his eloquence or by his personal magnetism. I think he must have been a weak-looking vessel. Perhaps, as with Samson in the time of the judges, it was obvious that his strength was not within himself but came from the Spirit of God.
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise [2 Cor. 10:11–12].
Paul is injecting a little note of humor. A great many folk compare themselves among themselves, which is the reason that many people in our churches think they have arrived. They feel they are really fine, outstanding, spiritual Christians because they compare themselves with other Christians in their group. That is not the yardstick we are to use, my friend. This is one of the tragedies of the hour. A person can be in a cold church and grow cold himself and yet not be conscious of it because he compares himself with the cold Christians around him. We all need to be around other Christians who challenge us. There are too many Christians who are in some little clique or group or church, and they feel smug and satisfied because they are all in the same boat.
But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you [2 Cor. 10:13].
The complaint of the Corinthian believers was that Paul would not come to see them. They said he would spend time with others but would not come to Corinth to see them.
How many Christians criticize their pastor because he doesn’t spend time visiting with them! They want more and more of his time. My friend, when a pastor spends his time petting and pampering people, he is wasting the Lord’s time. He needs to spend his time with those who are desperately in need of help. He also needs to spend time in the Word of God.
For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand [2 Cor. 10:14–16].
Paul tells them they must remember that he came to them first. He was the first one to bring the gospel to them, and he had traveled a long way from home to do that. He tells them that his method is not to come and be a pastor of a church. He had been called to be a missionary. After he would begin a work, he would travel on. He was always moving out to the frontier. He never built on another man’s foundation.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth [2 Cor. 10:17–18].
We stand before the Lord for His commending. This is actually a word of warning to us. Don’t criticize someone before you find out what his calling from the Lord is. One man may be gifted in personal visitation, another man may be gifted in the pulpit. If you have a man who is gifted in the pulpit, don’t criticize him, but give him the necessary time to prepare his messages. If he is doing that, then he cannot be spending his time running around to visit you. Another man may not be a brilliant preacher but may be an excellent organizer. Then that is his gift. Find out what the person’s gift is and help that person to exercise his gift. Don’t sit in judgment on him if he is not doing everything you think he should do.
Paul is telling the Corinthian believers that he is doing what God had called him to do. He was called to be a missionary, and that is what he is doing.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Vindication of Paul’s apostleship
Paul writes very intimately and very personally in this chapter. Paul reminds these folk that they are joined to the living Christ, and he expresses his deep concern for them. I can certainly say that the message of this epistle has been beneficial to me. I have spent a great deal of time studying it, and I have found it has had a real message to my own heart.
This final section of the Epistle to the Corinthians concerns the calling of the apostle Paul. In chapter 10 we found the authentication of Paul’s apostleship. Now we come to a very personal section which is the vindication of Paul’s apostleship.
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ [2 Cor. 11:1–2].
Paul came to Corinth. He preached the gospel. A church came into existence because Paul had espoused these people, these believers, to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ [2 Cor. 11:3].
I cannot overemphasize the need of more simplicity in getting out the Word of God. So many of our young preachers are the products of seminaries which are trying to train intellectuals. I was listening to one of these men the other day, and I couldn’t tell what he was talking about. After about fifteen minutes, I was convinced that he didn’t know what he was talking about. They try to be so intellectual that they end up saying nothing. What he needed to do was give out the Word of God. Oh, the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus!
Paul is still making an appeal to that minority group which had stirred up trouble against him and was trying to discredit his ministry. He has already explained the reason he didn’t come to spend more time with them. He had not been called to be a pastor. He was an “evangelist”—literally a missionary who did not want to build on another man’s foundation. He traveled onward and he moved out to the frontier. That was his service, his ministry.
Now he wants them to know that he is an accredited apostle. He writes, “I am jealous over you with godly jealousy.” Why was Paul willing to actually make himself a fool, as it were, for them? Although he would rather speak to them about Christ than to spend the time defending himself, now it was necessary to defend himself—“So I am speaking foolishly.”
He mentions this several times in this chapter. “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me,” in verse 1. “I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little,” in verse 16. He says it is going to be necessary for him to defend himself, to speak foolishly. The Greek word which is translated “foolish” or “fool” can mean stupid or ignorant or egotistic. Literally it would be “mindlessness,” with no purpose. Paul is saying that spending time in his defense is mindless because it is not getting out the gospel. It doesn’t serve the purpose of his ministry, and yet he feels he must do it because of the opposition of this critical group in Corinth. This is why he asks them to bear with his folly, to suffer him to be foolish so that he can defend his apostleship.
We see the working of Satan in all this. At the very beginning of the early church the Devil used the method of persecution, but he found that he wasn’t stopping the spread of Christianity. The fact of the matter is that the church has never grown as it did those first one hundred years after Christ lived. It swept across the Roman Empire, and by a.d. 315 it had gone into every nook and corner of the Roman Empire. That was during a period of persecution.
When the Devil saw that persecution would not stop the church, he changed to a different tactic. He joined the church. He began to hurt the church from the inside. He still does that today. He attacks the validity of the Word of God, and he tries to discredit the gospel. If that doesn’t work, he tries to discredit the man who preaches the gospel. So he tried to discredit Paul.
Paul makes it very clear that he would rather be preaching the gospel than be spending time defending himself. He takes the time to defend himself because he is jealous over the Corinthians. He loves them. He is afraid they will be beguiled by Satan just as Eve was beguiled by his subtlety. Paul knows that Satan works “so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him [2 Cor. 11:4].
We still face the problem today of the preaching of another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel. Some time ago there was a musical production called “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” which denies His deity and presents a “Jesus” who never lived. It is the “Jesus” of liberalism dressed in a new wardrobe. And the Jesus of liberalism never existed. If they deny the virgin birth of Jesus, they are talking about some other Jesus, not the Jesus Christ of the Bible. If they do not believe that He performed miracles, they have a different Jesus in mind, because the Jesus in the Gospels is the One who performed miracles. He is the One who died for the sins of the world, which they deny. They deny that He was raised from the dead bodily. They deny that He is the God-Man. Yet one of the oldest creeds declares that He is very God of very God and very man of very man. If that is denied, then a different Jesus is being presented.
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles [2 Cor. 11:5].
I would rate Paul as the number one apostle; he says he is not the least of the apostles. He wants these Corinthians to know that he is just as much an apostle as any of the others. Just because he came to them as a tentmaker and because he walked in the meekness and gentleness of Christ does not mean that he is not an apostle. You see how Paul is forced to defend himself.
But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things [2 Cor. 11:6].
Paul was a brilliant man, but he used simple language. There are two men who have had a great influence on my life. One was a scholarly man in Memphis, Tennessee, who taught in simplicity. The other was Dr. Harry A. Ironside who was known as a simple preacher. He was a brilliant man, but he preached with simplicity. He put the cookies on the lower shelf where the kiddies could get them. Simplicity was the method of Paul.
Paul says that he was rude in speech. I think that he actually adopted the language that the Corinthians would understand, and I am of the opinion that it may have been a rather rude approach. However, Paul was a brilliant man. From his writings I would judge that he had the highest I.Q. of any man who has walked this earth.
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself [2 Cor. 11:7–9].
Paul would not allow the Corinthians to contribute to his support at all. He had to work hard at making tents. Some others sent him some support to enable him to spend some time preaching the gospel, but the Corinthians did not help him. That his hands were calloused did not indicate that he was not an outstanding apostle.
As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we [2 Cor. 11:10–12].
Paul says that he is boasting because it is the truth and because he is jealous over them and fearful for them. Other men, such as Apollos, may have been more eloquent and polished than Paul and did not stoop to do manual labor. Comparison with others is not the issue. Paul worked as a tentmaker. He did not take remuneration from the Corinthians. This does not detract from his apostleship.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light [2 Cor. 11:13–14].
Evidently there were deceitful workers who attempted to make themselves apostles of Christ when they were not. They were actually servants of Satan.
People have the idea that Satan has cloven feet and horns. This kind of erroneous idea comes from the great god Pan of Greek mythology, who was portrayed as half animal and was worshiped as Dionysus. Likening Satan to Pan certainly is not the scriptural point of view. Satan himself is an angel of light. If he would make himself visible to you, you would see a being of breathtaking beauty. Paul draws from that this conclusion:
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works [2 Cor. 11:15].
The frightening statement here is that Satan has ministers. It makes your hair stand on end. As Satan is transformed into an angel of light, so his ministers are transformed as the ministers of righteousness. They are very attractive.
I remember as a boy in my teens I went to hear a lecturer from a certain cult. I was not brought up in a Christian family, and I didn’t know how to differentiate truth from untruth. This man read questions from the audience. I am of the opinion that no one really asked this question but that he made it up himself so that he would be able to make a point. He said someone asked whether he could explain the halo of light that was around his head. Well, I took a good, hard look and I couldn’t see any halo of light around his head. But don’t you see what he was doing? He was making himself to be a minister of light. He was glorifying himself. All Satan’s ministers glorify themselves. This is one way you can tell whether a man is preaching the simplicity of the Word of God or whether he is preaching some other Jesus and some other gospel.
I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting [2 Cor. 11:16–17].
Paul says he must go on in this mindlessness, and they should indulge him in this.
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise [2 Cor. 11:18–19].
He adds a bit of holy sarcasm.
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face [2 Cor. 11:20].
He gives them strong reproof here. He says someone can come in to them, put them back under the bondage of the Law, he can live off them, exalt himself, smite them, and they will put up with that. They will take that kind of treatment from a false teacher.
Now we come to a section where Paul describes his own life as a minister of the gospel. I must confess that I have been in the ministry for many years but when I read what this man Paul went through, I recognize that I have just been playing at it. I have not been a real servant of Christ as this man had been.
I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I [2 Cor. 11:21–22].
Paul says, “I can prove my genealogy.” There was no question who he was.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one [2 Cor. 11:23–24].
The Jews had a method in those days of delivering thirty-nine stripes, and to prevent killing the person, they would apply thirteen stripes on one side, thirteen stripes on the other side, and thirteen stripes on the back. Paul had had this kind of torture five times.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness [2 Cor. 11:25–27].
How many of us today could say that we have been through even the smallest part of anything like that? We sit in the lap of luxury. We live in an affluent society. We know practically nothing of hardship for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches [2 Cor. 11:28].
Those of us who are pastors have experienced the burden of a church. Paul had the burden of “all” the churches. We know a little of what that entailed.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not [2 Cor. 11:29–31].
Paul says, “Here is my report as a minister of Jesus Christ.”
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands [2 Cor. 11:32–33].
How embarrassing it must have been to have been let down in a basket! When I (and I’m sure other pastors have the same experience) go to a city to hold a meeting or a Bible conference, they always put me in a comfortable motel and are very hospitable to me. I am received with dignity. Imagine Paul having to be let down by the wall in a basket to escape those who were lying in wait to kill him. How embarrassing! Paul did all this for Jesus’ sake.
My friend, don’t brag about what you suffer for Christ. Read this over again. We must all bow our heads in shame and say, “Oh, Lord Jesus, help me to be true to You. Help me to be faithful to You.”
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Revelation of Paul’s apostleship
We hear a great deal in our day about space travel. This has been a big subject through the decades of the 60s and 70s. Men have been to the moon. Actually, that isn’t really very far when one considers space travel. It is a long distance to the moon, and yet it is small compared to the distances to Mars and other planets. Then when one measures the distance to our neighboring constellation of Andromeda that is way out there in space, we must say that man hasn’t been very far yet.
The very interesting thing is that the Bible has the record of three men who journeyed into outer space and then returned—none of whom are in the Old Testament. I know someone will say, “What about Enoch and Elijah?” I do not think they were caught up to heaven. The Lord Jesus said, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). Someone will say, “I thought Elijah was caught up to heaven.” Yes, but after all there are three heavens. There is the first heaven where there are the birds of heaven. There is the second heaven where there are the stars of heaven. There is the third heaven which is the abode of God. Elijah had been caught up into the air spaces. Up to the time that the Lord Jesus made that statement possibly there had been no one else who had been in outer space. He said that the Son of Man came down from heaven. Then we know of two other men who have been to heaven and returned. The apostle John on the Island of Patmos was caught up into heaven. He writes about what he saw and heard in the Book of the Revelation. He was in the third heaven where the throne of God is. “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Rev. 4:1–2). Paul was the other man who was taken up into heaven. The record of this is in the chapter before us.
Therefore there are three men who have been able to report from heaven. The Lord Jesus, who is God manifest in the flesh, said more about heaven than anyone else did, and yet He really said very little about it. John doesn’t have too much to say about it. Paul doesn’t have anything to say about it.
Paul tells us something here that he would not have mentioned at all if he had not been forced to defend his apostleship. He tells about his trip into outer space.
PAUL’S EXPERIENCE
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord [2 Cor. 12:1].
Paul had just listed many incidents showing how he had suffered for Christ’s sake. There wasn’t much glory in that. I think that the Spirit of God had him write down all his experiences so that no man would ever be able to say, “I endured more than Paul the apostle.”
Actually, we should be very careful about the songs we sing. I think of the one:
“Jesus, I my cross have taken
All to leave and follow Thee;
Naked, poor, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.”
—Henry F. Lyte
I heard a so-called converted Hollywood star sing that song! I don’t believe that person had given up very much. It would be hypocritical for most of us to sing it. It would be better if we all sang a song like this:
“Alas, and did my Saviour bleed
And did my Sovereign die!
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?”
—Isaac Watts
It is the Lord Jesus who needs to be glorified.
Today we hear testimonies from men and women about their conversions. Generally the testimony is a remarkable conversion. We don’t often hear about the “ordinary” conversions. The thing which I note in a testimony is the place the Lord Jesus occupies. Too often the story goes on and on about the person and what he did and how he lived in sin and how remarkably he changed, while very little is said about the Lord Jesus. Sometimes one wonders whether the Lord Jesus was really needed or not. He gets very little praise and very little glory in most testimonies I hear.
I just received a letter from a man who said, “I turned from a religious system to Christ.” Then Jesus became the center of his life and his sole occupation. He wants to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the thing that is important.
Having told us how much he had suffered for Christ’s sake, now Paul will come to visions and revelations from the Lord. We already know that the Lord had appeared to Paul on the Damascus road. Have you ever noticed that Paul has very little to say about those personal appearances? Now here is another such incident.
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven [2 Cor. 12:2].
It was the Lord Jesus who spoke of the birds of heaven, which fly up in the air spaces. They don’t go up very high. Out beyond that is the space that contains the stars of heaven. That still is not the same as the third heaven where the throne of God is to be found. How ridiculous it was for the cosmonauts in the Russian sputnik to say they didn’t see God when they went to the moon. They didn’t go far enough, friend. They must go to the third heaven to find the throne of God.
Paul speaks of his experience of being taken up into the third heaven. He dates it for us. He says it happened fourteen years before he wrote this epistle. That would be approximately the time when he had made his first missionary journey. We are told about his experience at Lystra on that first journey. “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” (Acts 14:19–20).
Was he dead? I don’t think they would have left him there unless they were pretty sure he was dead. It is my personal opinion that God raised him from the dead. Paul was rather uncertain whether this was a vision or whether he had been caught up in reality at that time. It is quite evident that he is describing his own experience here.
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) [2 Cor. 12:3].
Was he actually dead and caught up into heaven? Or had he been knocked unconscious and had a vision? Paul is not dogmatic about it, and we should not be dogmatic about it either. As I have said, I believe he was dead and that God raised him from the dead, but the result was the same either way. He saw the third heaven.
Notice his report:
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter [2 Cor. 12:4].
Most men would have written several volumes of ponderous tomes on such an experience. And they would have given a whole series of messages about it. But this is all that Paul says. This is his report. He says so much and yet he says so little. There is no description, no Chamber of Commerce advertisement, no promotion, no sales talk, no display, no hero worship of man.
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me [2 Cor. 12:5–6].
There is no self-glory here. The man who was taken up into the third heaven and heard unspeakable words is the same man who was let over the wall in a basket.
PAUL’S THORN IN THE FLESH
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure [2 Cor. 12:7].
Paul says he will tell us about his infirmities, but he will not tell us about the third heaven. Why? Because he was told not to talk about it.
I think many times Satan tries to remove God’s witnesses from the earthly scene. He wants to get rid of them. He uses sickness, disease, a thorn in the flesh.
What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh? I want to let you in on something, give you a little secret information which I hope you won’t divulge to anyone:I don’t know. I don’t know what Paul saw and heard in the third heaven, and I don’t I know what was his thorn in the flesh. I don’t know because he didn’t tell us.
An old Scotch commentator said Paul’s thorn in the flesh was his wife. Well, I’ll imagine that old Scot was having trouble at home, and I think he was wrong. I believe that Paul had been married but was a widower. He wrote lovingly of womanhood, and I think he had once had a wonderful wife. He would not remarry because he didn’t want to subject any woman to the hardships which he had to endure.
It is interesting that God put a zipper on the mouth of Paul and silenced him. He simply does not reveal these things to us.
Someone has said that the reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue! I suppose most of us would have wagged our tongues a great deal if we had been caught up into the third heaven. Now why did God give Paul a thorn in the flesh? It was to keep him humble, to keep him from exalting himself above measure, having had such a vision.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me [2 Cor. 12:8–9].
Now I have a notion that Paul’s problem was very poor vision. When we get to his Epistle to the Galatians, we will find that he mentions that he had to write in large letters, which would indicate that he did not see well. We will discuss that later. Whatever the thorn was, Paul asked the Lord three times to remove it, and the Lord refused. The Lord heard him the first time and the second time and the third time. It was not that the Lord did not hear his prayers; it was that the answer of the Lord was no.
Sometimes you and I keep asking the Lord for something to which He has already answered no. If He doesn’t give us what we ask for, we think He has not answered our prayer. More often than not His answer to my prayers is no. And eventually I discover that His no was the best possible answer He could have given me.
He said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” He said He would not remove the thorn but that He would give Paul the grace to bear the thorn. That is the wonderful thing about it all. “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” In other words, it was obvious in Paul’s ministry that he was so physically weak that the Spirit of God was empowering him. “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This was Paul’s response to the Lord’s answer. Paul would glory in his infirmities and not in the fact that he had had a vision. That is something you might turn over in your mind the next time you hear someone tell about a vision they have had of the Lord. It probably would be better if that person had a zipper on his mouth. The chances are that he had no vision at all but had eaten something he should not have eaten the night before.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong [2 Cor. 12:10].
What a contrast this man is to Samson in the Old Testament. The Spirit of God came upon Samson and he became strong. People marveled at his physical strength, but there came a day when he was very weak. The strong are made weak, and the weak are made strong. God can use the weak man.
I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commanded of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing [2 Cor. 12:11].
Notice how he elaborates on this. He is apologizing again even as he has done many times earlier. Paul considered himself the least of the apostles, yet he says, “In nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing” Someone should have defended him but, apparently, no one did.
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds [2 Cor. 12:12].
There were certain sign gifts which were given to the apostles to authenticate their message. They had the gift of healing. They could raise the dead and speak in tongues, which does not mean unknown tongues but languages and dialects. Paul had gone through the Galatian country, and there must have been fifty dialects and languages in that area. Paul could speak them all. Had he studied them? No. In that early day it was necessary to get the Word of God out into the Roman Empire in a hurry, and so these apostles were equipped with these gifts. Today missionaries and translators must spend years learning the languages they will use. “Signs of an apostle were wrought among you.” They could identify him as an apostle because he had the gifts of an apostle.
We have just come through a wonderful section of Scripture. Someone has said that one of the reasons Paul was not to tell us about heaven was because there would be a mass exodus up out of this world to get there. I don’t know about that, but it is true that we could spend our time contemplating heaven and lose sight of a lost world that needs to hear of the Savior. Heaven is a wonderful place, but very little is said about it in the Word of God. Probably it is so wonderful that human language cannot describe it. It is our business to try to reach folk with the gospel so that they will be in heaven someday.
Although I cannot tell you much about heaven, I can tell you about the One who is in heaven. We can talk about Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are to fix our eyes on Him. My, how this epistle has emphasized that! Beholding Him, we will become like Him in many ways. The pilgrim journey through this world will be a great deal easier if we will keep our eyes fixed on Him. The sun won’t be so hot, the burden of the day won’t be so heavy, the storms of life won’t be so fierce if we keep our attention fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
PAUL PLANS TO REVISIT CORINTH
For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children [2 Cor. 12:13–14].
Paul, you see, was their spiritual father. He had led them to Christ and had founded the church in Corinth.
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved [2 Cor. 12:15].
Paul says, “The more I love you, the less I am loved in return.” It sounds like a complaint, doesn’t it? But the Spirit of God insisted that he not tell about what he had seen in heaven but that he tell about his sufferings and disappointments down here.
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile [2 Cor. 12:16].
Oh, notice this man. He says, “I wasn’t after what you have, I was after you; I wanted to win you for Christ.” Isn’t that what the Lord Jesus had told His apostles? He said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19)—and He didn’t say that every fish they caught would have a gold piece in its mouth! He made them fishers of men—that is the emphasis.
Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? [2 Cor. 12:17–18].
Paul didn’t use clever methods; he preached the Word of God in simplicity. He didn’t send other men along after him to make a gain out of the Corinthians.
Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults [2 Cor. 12:19–20].
These are the things Paul expected to find in the church when he would get there. They expected a great deal of Paul. Paul expected a great deal of them. But what would he find? There would be debates and arguing.
I have been in the ministry for many years, and I am now to the place where I am in no mood for debate. Occasionally I get long letters from folk who listen to my radio program and want to debate a doctrine or a statement I’ve made on the radio. Friend, go on with your viewpoint and pray for me so that, if I am wrong, I will be led to the truth by the Spirit of God. You will not convince me with a long letter, because, frankly, I don’t have the patience to read it. Someone may say that I am very bigoted and narrow-minded. Well, maybe I am, but I just don’t believe that arguing and debating accomplish anything. Our business is to get out the Word of God, and I am not attempting to debate anything. I teach the Word as I come to it as I teach through the Bible.
The contemporary church is filled with the things Paul mentions here—debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, and backbitings.
“Have you heard about So-and-so?”
“No, I haven’t heard.”
“Well, I want to tell you.”
Then they say some pretty mean things about a certain individual. And there are the whisperings. Someone has said that some people will believe anything if it is whispered to them.
Then there is that word swellings. I have often wondered what Paul meant. Probably the best explanation is the one I heard Dr. H. A. Ironside give. He said this reminded him of a frog sitting on the bank of a creek or a pond all swelled up. He looks twice as big as he would ordinarily be. Then what happens? You throw a rock at him and, believe me, he becomes little again and goes right down into the water. Probably the best word that we have to describe “swellings” would be our word pompous. There are some pompous Christians.
“Tumults” are troubles in the church. Little cliques get together and they cause trouble. They circulate petitions to be signed and that sort of thing. That causes a tumult.
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed [2 Cor. 12:21].
Corinth was a vile city. It was known as a sin center throughout the Roman Empire. It was the Las Vegas and Reno and any other sinful city that you want to put with it all rolled into one. It was the place people went to sin. It is true that where sin abounded there grace did much more abound. Yet it caused the people of Corinth to look lightly upon these sinful things.
This does not present an attractive picture of the church, does it? I’m sure that as we have gone through this epistle you have thought, The local church in Corinth certainly was not a very good church. That is true. Not only was it true of that church, but it is also true of many of our churches today.
Let’s stop to look at this for a moment. Suppose the Lord took the church out of the world right now. What would happen if He removed all true believers who are in the world? We believe that the Great Tribulation would then begin. A part of the contribution to the Great Tabulation will be the absence of the church. The church today is the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and the Holy Spirit indwells the church today.
Is the world getting better or worse? Some people say that the church hasn’t improved the world because the world is worse now than it was nineteen hundred years ago. I disagree with that. I know it says in 2 Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived,” but that doesn’t say the world is getting worse; it says that evil men, will wax worse and worse. I think this means they will get worse in their lifetime and then another generation will come on.
The world is a little better today than it was over nineteen hundred years ago because at that time the world committed a sin which would have been an unpardonable sin had not the Lord Jesus said, “… Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do …” (Luke 23:34). They crucified the Son of God. I recognize that the world today by its rejection of Jesus Christ is crucifying Him afresh. The greatest sin in all the world is the rejection of Christ. The world of each generation has been guilty of that. The Lord Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit would come, He would convict the world of sin, “Of sin, because they believe not on me” (John 16:9). There are many sins which are bad, but the worst sin of all is the rejection of Jesus Christ. The greatest crime that was ever committed on this earth was the murder of the Son of God over nineteen hundred years ago. The world today is still just as corrupt, just as vile, just as mean, and just as wicked as it was then.
I will say that the world today is a better place to have a home than it was nineteen hundred years ago. We can live more comfortably. There are a great many things which make life easier and better than it was nineteen hundred years ago. However, we need to understand very clearly that it was never the purpose of the church to plant flowers in the world any more than it was Israel’s business to plant flowers in the wilderness. They were pilgrims passing through it and they had a message and a witness. This also has been the purpose of the church down through the ages.
The church is a group of people who ought to be holy unto God, ought to be living for God. I wish I could point to the church and say it is doing that and how wonderful it is. Its failure in this area is one of the reasons the present interest in the Word of God has in most instances bypassed the local church. It is too busy with its internal problems. Yet that does not destroy the fact that the church is that group which is loved by the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for it that He might wash it, that He might cleanse it, and that He might make each believer acceptable to God. Although we are far from what we should be, we should be moving in that direction.
So here in Paul’s Corinthian epistles we have an insight into a church which was in the worst city of the Roman Empire, and how bad it was! I don’t like to hear it said that the church does not in any way affect the world around it. It may look as if it has very little effect, and yet, then as now, if that group of godly people were to be removed from this world, the world would be much worse.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: The execution and conclusion of Paul’s apostleship
EXECUTION OF PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established [2 Cor. 13:1].
Paul is repeating what he has said earlier. He is going to Corinth for the third time to exercise his office as an apostle. Everything is to be authenticated when he gets there. Everything is going to be brought right out in the open. Paul is going to exercise his office as an apostle, and he is going to show proof of his apostleship by the power of Christ working through Paul’s weakness.
I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you [2 Cor. 13:2–3].
Paul had come to them in weakness, but the Word of God was mighty and had transformed them in that sin-sick city.
For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you [2 Cor. 13:4].
Paul says, “For though he was crucified through weakness.” It sounds strange to hear about the weakness of God. What is this weakness? When He went to the cross, my friend, that was the weakness of God. “Yet he liveth by the power of God.”
Now Paul goes on to something that is very important. There is an inventory which every Christian should make regularly.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? [2 Cor. 13:5].
This has nothing to do with free will or election or the security of the believer. Paul says we should examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith or not. We should be willing to face up to this issue. I think two or three times a year we should do this.
When my daughter was just a little thing, she made a confession of her faith to her mother when they were back visiting her grandmother in Texas. She came in one day and said out of a clear sky that she wanted to accept Jesus as her Savior. My wife took her into the bedroom, she got down on her knees and accepted Christ. Regularly after that I would ask her about her relation to Christ. When she got into her teens, she asked, “Daddy, why do you keep asking me whether I am a Christian or not or whether I really trust in Jesus?” I told her, “I just want to make sure. After all, you are my offspring and I want to be sure.” Now not only did I do that for her, I did it for myself also. I think every believer ought to do that.
But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates [2 Cor. 13:6].
Paul has made an inventory of himself, and he wants them to know that he is in the faith.
Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates [2 Cor. 13:7].
Paul is saying that he just wants them to be the type of believers they should be.
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth [2 Cor. 13:8].
Here is another great truth we should mark well. My friend, you can’t do anything against the truth. That is why I don’t worry about folk who are disagreeing about the Word of God. They cannot do anything against the truth. We should declare the Word of God and not spend our time defending it. God doesn’t ask us to defend it. He asks us to declare it, to give it out.
For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection [2 Cor. 13:9].
“Even your perfection” does not mean perfect as we usually think of perfection, but it means maturity. He wishes them to be mature Christians. He wants them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. We still hear that expression today—“Why don’t you grow up?” That is what Paul is saying to them. Grow up in Christ!
Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction [2 Cor. 13:10].
Paul is glad he can write to them at this time. He is writing for the purpose of building them up and not tearing them down.
CONCLUSION OF PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you [2 Cor. 13:11].
Again he says, “Be perfect”—grow up. Stop being baby Christians. That is something which could be said to many believers today.
“Be of good comfort.” He goes back to the word he used when he began this letter—the comfort of God. Remember that it means help. It means God is the One who is called to our side to help us, to strengthen us, to encourage us. God wants to do that for you today, my friend. No matter who you are, where you are, or how you are, God wants to help you. He can help you through His Word by means of the ministering of the Holy Spirit.
What great verses these are. God is with us to comfort us. We are to grow and mature. We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. Certainly we ought to go forward for God with such encouragement.
“Be of one mind” means to have the mind of Christ.
“Live in peace.” We cannot make peace, but we can live in peace.
“And the God of love and peace shall be with you.” This is the peace of God which passeth all understanding. It is the peace that God made through the blood of the cross. We are to live in that peace today. We are to rejoice in our salvation.
The God of love and peace shall be “with you.” Don’t miss that. You are not alone—God is with you today. How wonderful that is.
Greet one another with an holy kiss [2 Cor. 13:12].
I hope you won’t mind my telling you a story about the late Dr. Walter Wilson. A friend came to see him and his lovely wife. The friend greeted Dr. Wilson with a kiss because he was such a wonderful saint of God. Then he kissed his wife. He said to Dr. Wilson, “Now when I greet you, it is a holy kiss, but when I kiss your wife—wow!” May I say to you, my friend, if you are going to kiss, make sure it is a holy kiss. I would suggest that we confine our kissing to those of the same sex if we intend for it to be a holy kiss!
All the saints salute you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen [2 Cor. 13:13–14].
I have jokingly said that the apostle Paul was a Southerner because he uses the expression “you all.” You know that I am from the South and so you will forgive me if I, too, say, “you all.”
When he says that the blessing of the Trinity should be with “you all,” he includes us with the folk in the church in Corinth. We ought to revel in all that we have in Christ Jesus: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. How we ought to bear witness not only to the world but also to our own churches.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Boyer, James L. For a World Like Ours: Studies in I Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1971. (Excellent for individual or group study.)
DeHaan, M. R. Studies in First Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1956.
Gromacki, Robert G. Called to Be Saints (I Corinthians). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977.
Gromacki, Robert G. Stand Firm in the Faith (II Corinthians). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1978.
Hodge, Charles. An Exposition of First and Second Corinthians. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1869. (For advanced students.)
Hughes, Philip E. Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1962. (A comprehensive study.)
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on First Corinthians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1938. (A fine survey.)
Kelly, William. Notes on the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1878.
Kelly, William. Notes on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1882.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. A Heart Opened Wide: Studies in II Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1982. (Excellent.)
Luck, G. Coleman. First Corinthians. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1958. (A good survey.)
Luck, G. Coleman. Second Corinthians. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1960. (A good survey.)
Morgan, G. Campbell. The Corinthian Letters of Paul. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1946.
Morris, Leon. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1958.
Moule, Handley C. G. The Epistle of Second Corinthians. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d.
Robertson, A. T. The Glory of the Ministry. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1911. (Deals with II Corinthians 2:12–6:10, and should be read by every Christian worker.)
Tasker, R. V. G. The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1958.
Vine, W. E. First Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1951.
The Epistle to the
Galatians
INTRODUCTION
This epistle was probably written by Paul (Gal. 1:1) about a.d. 57, on the third missionary journey from Ephesus during his two years of residence there. There is substantial basis, however, for the claim that it was written from Corinth, shortly before Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans. Dr. Lenski advances the theory that it was written from Corinth on the second missionary journey about April, a.d. 53. After Paul visited the Galatians, he discovered that the Judaizers had followed him and the churches were listening to them. Paul wrote this letter to counteract their message and to state clearly the gospel.
Paul visited the Galatian churches on each of his three missionary journeys. There is no mention in the epistle of another visit to the churches. This epistle was evidently Paul’s last word to these churches, written after he had visited them on his third missionary journey.
In the case of the Epistle to the Galatians, the people to whom it was sent are important, which is not always true with other epistles. Also, the destination of this book has given rise to what is known as the North Galatian and the South Galatian theories. It seems more reasonable to suppose that it was sent to the churches in the area Paul visited on his first missionary journey, but this does not preclude the possibility that it had a wider circulation, even as far north as Pessinus, Ancyra, and Tavium. I believe that Paul was writing to all the churches of Galatia. This area was large and prominent and many churches had been established there.
The word Galatians could be used either in an ethnographic sense, which would refer to the nationality of the people, or it could be used in a geographic sense, which would refer to the Roman province by that name. Regardless of the position which is taken, there was a common blood strain which identified people in that area where there was a mixture of population. The people for whom the province was named were Gauls, a Celtic tribe from the same stock which inhabited France. In the fourth century b.c. they invaded the Roman Empire and sacked Rome. Later they crossed into Greece and captured Delphi in 280 b.c. They were warlike people and on the move. At the invitation of Nikomedes I, king of Bithynia, they crossed over into Asia Minor to help him in a civil war. They soon established themselves in Asia Minor. They liked it there. The climate was delightful, and the country was beautiful. When I visited Turkey, I was pleasantly surprised to find how lovely it is along the Aegean and inland, also along the Mediterranean.
In 189 b.c. these Celtic tribes were made subjects of the Roman Empire and became a province. Their boundaries varied, and for many years they retained their customs and own language. They actually were blond Orientals. The churches Paul established on his first missionary journey were included at one time in the territory of Galatia, and this is the name which Paul would normally give to these churches.
These Gallic Celts had much of the same temperament and characteristics of the American population, that is, of those who came out of Europe or England. It is interesting to see what was said concerning my ancestors (and maybe yours). Many of these Germanic tribes were wild and fierce. Caesar said of them: “The infirmity of the Gauls is that they are fickle in their resolves, fond of change, and not to be trusted.” This description fits the majority of Americans in our day. We are fickle in our resolves. We are fond of change—we want a new car every year. We like to get the magazine that is dated next week. Another described them as “frank, impetuous, impressible, eminently intelligent, fond of show, but extremely inconstant, the fruit of excessive vanity.” That is a picture of the American population today. A man runs for office and we vote for him. Then in four years we forget him. Do you remember who was president ten years ago? Or twenty years ago? We are fickle people, not very constant. I’m very happy that it was said we are eminently intelligent, because that’s what we think also. And the reason for our high estimation of ourselves is the fruit of excessive vanity.
In the Book of Acts we read that the Galatians wanted to make Paul a god one day, and the next day they stoned him. What do we do? We elect a man to the presidency and then we try to kill him in office. I think it is quite interesting that our system of government has survived as long as it has.
Therefore the Epistle to the Galatians has a particular message for us because it was written to people who were like us in many ways. They had a like temper, and they were beset on every hand by cults and “isms” innumerable—which take us, likewise, from our moorings in the gospel of grace.
1. It is a stern, severe, and solemn message (see Gal. 1:6–9; 3:1–5). It does not correct conduct as the Corinthian letters do, but it is corrective. The Galatian believers were in grave peril because the foundations of their faith were being attacked—everything was threatened.
The epistle, therefore, contains no word of commendation, praise, or thanksgiving. There is no request for prayer, and there is no mention of their standing in Christ. No one with him is mentioned by name. If you compare this epistle with the other Pauline epistles, you will see that it is different.
2. In this epistle the heart of Paul the apostle is laid bare, and there is deep emotion and strong feeling. This is his fighting epistle—he has on his war paint. He has no toleration for legalism. Someone has said that the Epistle to the Romans comes from the head of Paul while the Epistle to the Galatians comes from the heart of Paul. A theologian has said, “Galatians takes up controversially what Romans puts systematically.”
3. This epistle is a declaration of emancipation from legalism of any type. It is interesting to note that legalists do not spend much time with Galatians. It is a rebuke to them. This was Martin Luther’s favorite epistle. He said, “This is my epistle. I am wedded to it.” It was on the masthead of the Reformation. It has been called the Magna Carta of the early church. It is the manifesto of Christian liberty, the impregnable citadel, and a veritable Gibraltar against any attack on the heart of the gospel. As someone put it, “Immortal victory is set upon its brow.”
This is the epistle that moved John Wesley. He came to America as a missionary to the Indians. But he made a startling discovery. He said, “I came to America to convert Indians, but who is going to convert John Wesley?” He went back to London, England, and was converted. When I was in London I had a guide take us to Aldersgate and we saw the marker that designates the place where John Wesley was converted. (His was called an “evangelical conversion,” which is the only kind of conversion the Bible speaks of.) John Wesley went out to begin a revival—preaching from this Epistle to the Galatians—that saved England from revolution and brought multitudes to a saving knowledge of Christ. Wilberforce, one of his converts, had a great deal to do with the matter of child labor and the Industrial Revolution that brought about changes for the working man.
In a sense I believe this epistle has been the backbone and background for every great spiritual movement and revival that has taken place in the past nineteen hundred years. And, my friend, it will be the background for other revivals. I would like to see the Spirit of God move in our land today. I would like to hear the Epistle to the Galatians declared to America. I believe it would revolutionize lives.
4. Galatians is the strongest declaration and defense of the doctrine of justification by faith in or out of Scripture. It is God’s polemic on behalf of the most vital truth of the Christian faith against any attack. Not only is a sinner saved by grace through faith plus nothing, but the saved sinner lives by grace. Grace is a way to life and a way of life. These two go together, by the way.
OUTLINE
I. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–10
A. Salutation—Cool Greeting, Chapter 1:1–5
B. Subject Stated—Warm Declamation, Chapter 1:6–10
II. Personal—Authority of the Apostle and Glory of the Gospel, Chapters 1:11–2:14
A. Experience of Paul in Arabia, Chapter 1:11–24
B. Experience of Paul with the Apostles in Jerusalem, Chapter 2:1–10
C. Experience of Paul in Antioch with Peter, Chapter 2:11–14
III. Doctrinal—Justification by Faith, Chapters 2:15–4:31 Faith vs. Works, Liberty vs. Bondage
A. Justification by Faith—Doctrine Stated, Chapter 2:15–21
B. Justification by Faith—Experience of Galatians, Chapter 3:1–5
C. Justification by Faith—Illustration of Abraham, Chapters 3:6–4:18
D. Justification by Faith—Allegory of Hagar and Sarai, Chapter 4:19–31
IV. Practical—Sanctification by the Spirit, Chapters 5:1–6:10 Spirit vs. Flesh, Liberty vs. Bondage
A. Saved by Faith and Living by Law Perpetrates Falling from Grace, Chapter 5:1–15
B. Saved by Faith and Walking in the Spirit Produces Fruit of the Spirit, Chapter 5:16–26
C. Saved by Faith and Fruit of the Spirit Presents Christian Character, Chapter 6:1–10
V. Autographed Conclusion, Chapter 6:11–18
A. Paul’s Own Handwriting, Chapter 6:11
B. Paul’s Own Testimony, Chapter 6:12–18
1. Cross of Christ vs. Circumcision, Chapter 6:12–15
2. Christ’s Handwriting on Paul’s Body, Chapter 6:16–18 The New Circumcision of the New Creation
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Salutation—cool greeting; subject stated—warm declamation; Paul’s experience in Arabia
Galatians is God’s polemic against legalism of every and any description. The Mosaic Law is neither discredited, despised, nor disregarded. Its majesty, perfection, demands, fullness, and purpose are maintained. Yet these very qualities make it utterly impossible for man to come this route to God. Another way is opened for man to be justified before God, a way which entirely bypasses the Mosaic Law. The new route is by faith. Justification by faith is the theme, with the emphasis upon faith.
Three epistles in the New Testament quote Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by his faith.” Romans 1:17 emphasizes the just. Hebrews 10:38 emphasizes shall live. Galatians 3:11 emphasizes by faith.
In Romans the emphasis is upon the fact that man apart from the Mosaic Law is justified before God by faith. In Galatians Paul is defending the gospel from those who would add law to justification by faith. Faith plus law was the thrust of Judaism. Faith plus nothing was the answer of Paul.
The Judaizers questioned Paul’s authority as an apostle and his teaching that simple faith was adequate for salvation. Paul defends his apostleship and demonstrates the sufficiency of the gospel of grace to save.
SALUTATION-COOL GREETING
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) [Gal. 1:1].
Actually there is no parenthesis necessary in this verse. Paul is simply stating that he is an apostle. The word apostle is used in a twofold sense:
1. One of the Twelve (Acts 1:21–26)
a. With Jesus during His three-year ministry (v. 21);
b. Witness of His postresurrection ministry (v. 22);
c. Chosen by Christ (v. 22; Acts 9:15; 26:16–17).
2. One sent forth. This is the wider sense as used in Acts 11:22.
Paul, in my judgment, took the place of Judas. After the resurrection of Jesus, Matthias was chosen by the disciples to fill the place of Judas, but no information is given about Matthias except the account given in Acts 1:15–26. Matthias is never mentioned again. If the Holy Spirit had chosen him, certainly somewhere along the way He would have set His seal upon this man. Paul, however, proved he was an apostle, and Matthias did not. The election of Matthias as an apostle was held before Pentecost, which was before the Holy Spirit came into the church. For that reason I do not think that the Holy Spirit had anything to do with the selection of Matthias. There are also many elections in our churches today that are obviously not ordered by the Holy Spirit. I believe that Paul is the man whom the Spirit of God chose to take Judas’ place.
In this verse Paul also says that he is not “of men.” The preposition apo conveys the meaning of “not from men,” that is, it is not legalistic. He is not an apostle by appointment or commission after having attended a school or having taken a prescribed course.
Paul also declares that his apostleship is not “by man.” The preposition dia indicates that it was not through man, that is, not ritualistic by means of laying on of hands, as by a bishop or church court. Paul did not have the other apostles lay their hands on his head and say, “Hocus pocus, you are an apostle.”
Paul was an apostle. How? He was an apostle by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead. Jesus laid His hand upon Paul, called him, and set him apart for the office (see Acts 9:15–16).
Now I am an ordained minister from men and through men. I was told that I had to finish seminary and obtain certain degrees before I could be ordained. I did that. That was from men. That was the legalistic side. Next I went before a church body that examined me. Their decision was that I should be an ordained minister. In the Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, I knelt, and a group of men put their hands on me and said, “You are now an ordained minister.” That is the kind of minister I am. Paul said, “I am not that kind of an apostle. Men had nothing to do with it. I am an apostle directly by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead.”
And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia [Gal. 1:2].
You will notice that Paul’s greeting is cool, brief, formal, and terse. No one is personally mentioned. He is not writing just to one church. He is writing to several churches—“churches of Galatia.”
The word church is used in two ways in the New Testament. One meaning of church includes the entire body of believers, of all different groups, who have trusted Christ as Savior. The other meaning of church refers to local assemblies, which is how Paul uses the word here. There were churches, or local assemblies, in many parts of Galatia. There was a church in Antioch of Pisidia, in Derbe, in Lystra, and in other places he had visited. Paul was writing to all the churches, to all of the local assemblies; hence the local church—not the corporate body of believers—is in view here. In the Epistle to the Ephesians we look at the church as a corporate body of believers—the invisible church. But the invisible body is to make itself visible today in a corporate body. Believers should be identified with a local body of believers.
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ [Gal. 1:3].
This is Paul’s formal greeting that he uses in most of his epistles. The word grace (charis) in this verse was the gentile form of greeting in that day, while peace (shalom) was the religious greeting of the Jews. Now the grace of God must be experienced before the peace that is from God the Father can be experienced.
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father [Gal. 1:4].
This is another marvelous verse—I can’t rise to the level of it; I will simply say some things about it.
Jesus Christ “gave himself for our sins.” There is nothing that we can add to the value of His sacrifice. Nothing! He gave Himself. What do you have to give, friend? Anything? Can you add anything to His sacrifice? He gave Himself. How wonderful and glorious that is! I am speechless when I read a verse like this. He gave Himself! When you give yourself, you have given everything—who you are, what you have, your time, your talent—everything. He gave Himself. He couldn’t give any more. Paul just couldn’t wait to say it. Having mentioned Him, he says, “Who gave himself for our sins.” This is the germ of Paul’s subject.
Paul calls Him, “our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is my Savior. Can you say, “The Lord is my Shepherd?” It is one thing to say He is a Shepherd; it is another thing to make it possessive. The Lord is my Shepherd. The Lord is my Savior. Can you say that He is yours?
Paul goes on to say, “that he might deliver us from this present evil world.” Notice that the Lord delivers us from this present evil age. There is, therefore, a present value of the gospel which proves its power and genuineness. The gospel can deliver you. I have received letters from thousands of folks who have turned to Christ and have been delivered. They have been delivered from drugs, from alcohol, and from sex sins. Christ alone can deliver in cases like that. This proves the genuineness of the gospel. Christ gave Himself for our sins. He took your place and my place on that cross. He died for us and rose from the dead “that he might deliver us from this present evil world.”
All we have seen so far does not exhaust the richness of this verse.
Notice that His deliverance is “according to the will of God and our Father.” He can deliver us—and it will not be according to law. But it must be according to the will of God, my friend. The will of God is that, after He has saved us, we are not to live in sin. How wonderful this is! He can deliver us. He wants to deliver us. He will deliver us, and He will do it according to the will of God. It is God’s will that you be delivered.
This verse still is not exhausted. Christ gave Himself that He might deliver us according to the will of God. God can deliver us, but it will not be according to the Law. It must be according to the will of God, my friend. The will of God is that when He saves you, you are not to live in sin. He can deliver us and He wants to deliver us. It is His will that you be delivered. My friend, this is a verse that makes you feel like throwing your hat in the air, does it not?
To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen [Gal. 1:5].
This is a moment wherein Paul stops to render praise to God. I am convinced that we should praise God more than we do. Let us get right down to the nitty-gritty, right down where the rubber meets the road. Did you praise the Lord’s name this morning when you got up? Did you thank Him for a new day? You say, “It was raining.” But did you thank Him for it? Did you praise His name that He brought you to a new day?
I had to have a bout with cancer before I came to the place where I thank Him as I should. Now the first thing I do every morning—whether the sun is shining or it’s pouring down rain—is to say, “Lord, thank you for bringing me to a new day.” How wonderful He is! We need to praise Him more. I want glory to go to the name of my God and my Savior. I don’t want to stand on the sidelines and compromise by endorsing these contemporary dramatic productions and songs that are belittling the Lord Jesus Christ. I am speaking out against them, because He is God manifest in the flesh. He gave Himself for me. I want to praise His name! “To whom be glory for ever and ever.”
“For ever and ever” begins right now and is going on right into eternity.
This concludes Paul’s salutation. Although it contains some glorious truths, I think you will have to admit that it is a cool, impersonal greeting from the apostle Paul.
SUBJECT STATED—WARM DECLAMATION
Paul now states his subject. He goes from cold to hot. In fact, he is hot under the collar. Why? Because there are those who are mutilating the gospel. Paul would give his life for the gospel.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel [Gal. 1:6].
There are two aspects of the gospel, and it can be used in two senses: (1) the facts of the gospel, and (2) the interpretation of the facts. The facts of the gospel are the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Christ. Paul said to the Corinthians, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received [Paul didn’t originate the gospel; he received it], how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). These are the historical facts of the gospel which cannot be changed. You have never preached the gospel unless you have stated these facts. The second aspect of the gospel is the interpretation of the facts. They are to be received by faith plus nothing.
Now the subject of Paul’s letter to the Galatian believers concerns the interpretation of the facts of the gospel. The Judaizers had followed Paul into the Galatian country. They did not challenge the facts of the gospel. After all, five hundred people at once saw the Lord Jesus after His resurrection. When you have that many people around as witnesses, you don’t run around denying the facts of the gospel. The heresy they were promoting concerned the interpretation of those facts. They were very sly and subtle and said something like this, “Did Brother Paul come here among you?” The folk would say, “Yes, he came and preached the gospel and we accepted it. We are converted. We know Christ as our Savior, and we are in the body of believers.” The Judaizers would respond, “Oh, that’s wonderful. Brother Paul is accurate as far as he goes, but he doesn’t go far enough. Did he tell you that you should keep the Mosaic Law? Oh, he didn’t? Well, he should have told you that. Yes, you are to trust Christ, but you must also follow the Mosaic Law or you won’t be saved.”
This is one of the oldest heresies known, and it is still with us today. It is adding something to the gospel of grace; it is doing something rather than simply believing something. It is faith plus something rather than faith plus nothing. Every cult and “ism” has something for you to do in order to be saved.
It is interesting that Paul said to the Philippian jailer, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Acts 16:31). Simon Peter said to the Sanhedrin, “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Christ told the apostles to preach the gospel of salvation by grace. They were not to do anything to gain their salvation, but they were to trust what Christ already had done for them. The gospel shuts out all works.
Now Paul is writing to the Galatian believers and saying, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”—
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ [Gal. 1:7].
The word pervert is the Greek word metastrephoµ. It is a strong word, used by Dr. Luke in speaking of the sun turned to darkness (see Acts 2:20), and by James, speaking of laughter turned to mourning (see James 4:9). To attempt to change the gospel has the effect of making it the very opposite of what it really is. This is important to see.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed [Gal. 1:8].
This verse is as strong as anything could possibly be. Paul says that if an angel dared to declare any other message than the gospel, he would be dismissed with a strong invective.
If an angel should appear to me right now and say, “You are right as far as you go, but you also have to do something to be saved”; or if an angel should appear to you as you read this and say, “McGee is correct as far as he goes, but you have to do something else,” both you and I should say, “Get out of here; I’m not listening to you although you are an angel from heaven.”
My friend, in our day we hear many speakers who are trying to give us another “gospel.” They may look like angels to you—after all, Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, and his ministers are transformed as the ministers of righteousness (see 2 Cor. 11:14–15). Now hear Paul—
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed [Gal. 1:9].
In strong language Paul says, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed,” which literally means let him be damned. Friend, I cannot make that statement any stronger.
The gospel shuts out all works. Romans 4:5 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” I find a great many folk who think they have to become good enough to be saved. The other day a man said to me, “McGee, I want to become a Christian. I am going to try to be a little better, and if I improve, I am going to become a Christian.” I said to him, “If you improve, you will never become a Christian. The only class that God is saving is the ungodly. The Lord Jesus said He didn’t come to call the righteous; He came to call sinners. The reason He said that was because there is none righteous, no, not one. Even the righteousness of man is as filthy rags in God’s sight. Law condemns us, and it must make us speechless before grace can save us.”
Romans 3:19 tells us that, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” The real difficulty is not that people should be “good enough” to be saved, but that they are not “bad enough” to be saved. Humanity refuses to recognize its lost condition before God. This is the human predicament.
The Judaizers did not deny the facts of the gospel—that Jesus died and rose again. What they denied was that this was adequate. They insisted that you have to keep the Law plus trusting Christ. Paul is saying that whoever tries to mingle law and grace—let him be damned! Why? Because they pervert the gospel. They do not deny the fact of the gospel, but they misinterpret those facts. They pervert the gospel.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ [Gal. 1:10].
The word persuade means “to make a friend of.” The Scofield Reference Bible translates it “seek the favor of.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:4 and 4:1 it is “please God” in contrast to self or others. The preaching of the gospel is not pleasing to lost man. No man can please both God and man.
If you preach the gospel of grace today, you may get into trouble because it is the gospel of the grace of God that the sinner hates. Many unsaved church members do not want to hear the message of grace. They want to hear a message that appeals to the flesh. The gospel of grace puts us in the dust and makes us beggars before God.
By nature man responds to legalism. He thinks he doesn’t need a Savior. All he needs is a helper. Oh, my friend, we are sinking for the third time! We need somebody to save us. Those who preach law are popular. Not long ago I listened to a local Southern California preacher on television. From a technical and professional standpoint he has one of the finest programs. In his message he talked about Jesus coming into the world. He spoke of Christ’s death and resurrection. But he failed to mention that the people to whom he was speaking were sinners and needed a Savior. He neglected to inform his audience that Jesus died for them and they needed to trust Him to be saved. Rather, he talked about commitment. He invited folk to commit their lives to Christ. Let us be honest, friend. Christ does not want your old life and He does not want mine. We have nothing to commit to Him. He wants to do something through us today. Oh, if only we could learn that!
God is not even asking you to live the Christian life. In fact, you cannot live it. God is asking that He might live the Christian life through you. The Epistle to the Galatians teaches this. But first of all we must come to Christ as sinners and be saved. Our churches are filled today with people who are not saved. Do you know why? They have never come to Christ and received Him as Savior. They feel like they have something to commit to Him. You have nothing to commit to Him, my friend. He wants to commit something to you. He is the One who died, and He is on the giving end. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). It is just as simple as that. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? This is the important thing.
Man’s conscience witnesses to the law, and legal conviction will lead to works. Man tries to compensate for the fact that he is not doing enough. He tries to balance his good works against his sins and have enough on the plus side to be saved. The apostle Paul, you recall, tried to do this. And he had a whole lot on the plus side. But one day he came to Christ. Then he said, “What was gain for me became loss, and what was loss became gain” (see Phil. 3:7–8).
The Holy Spirit witnesses to grace today. This is gospel conviction that leads to faith. Actually the law denies the fall of man—this was the position of Cain. Grace acknowledges the fall of man, as Abel did when he brought his offering to God.
We come now to a new section that deals with the apostle Paul personally—his experience in Arabia, his experience with the apostles in Jerusalem, and his experience in Antioch with Peter. This will take us through the first half of chapter 2.
PERSONAL—PAUL’S EXPERIENCE IN ARABIA
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man [Gal. 1:11].
Paul is stating once again, as he did in verse 1, that he is a God-appointed apostle. When he says, “I certify you,” he means, “I remind you.” “After man” should be “according to man.” Paul did not get the gospel he preached from man. The Judaizers not only questioned Paul’s message, they also questioned his apostleship. He was not one of the original Twelve, but a Johnny-come-lately. They cast a shadow upon the validity of Paul’s authority as an apostle. Paul is going to take up this matter with them and show that his apostleship rests upon the fact that he was called directly by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ [Gal. 1:12].
Paul did not receive his apostleship by going to school. Neither did he receive it by being ordained or by hands being laid on his head. Paul’s apostleship and gospel came directly by a revelation (apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ. The Book of Revelation, sometimes called the Apocalypse, is from the same word. The gospel is a revelation as much as is the Book of Revelation. The gospel was unveiled to the apostle Paul. He did not become an apostle through Peter, James, or John. He was an apostle by the direct call of Jesus Christ.
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers [Gal. 1:13–14].
Paul says, “For ye have heard of my conversation,” that is, you have heard of my manner of life. Paul now calls the religion in which he was brought up the “Jews’ religion.” Paul was saved, not in Judaism, not by Judaism, but from Judaism.
Now notice this tremendous statement:
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus [Gal. 1:15–17].
The phrase “but when it pleased God,” in verse 15, means that Paul was called according to the will of God. The word heathen in verse 16 refers to Gentiles. Paul conferred not with flesh and blood—he didn’t get it from any man. Paul received the gospel directly from Jesus Christ.
Many years ago a so-called modernist, who taught old heresy, wrote a book about Paul. He also gave lectures, which I heard. He gave the apostle Paul credit for being a great brain. (I personally believe Paul had the greatest mind of any man who has ever lived. Many scholars, who are better acquainted with Paul than I am, also make this statement.) He pointed out that Paul was a brilliant student of the Mosaic system of Judaism and was a brilliant student of Greek philosophy, and then declared that Paul combined the two and came up with Christianity. Now Paul says here in Galatians that he didn’t get the gospel that way. He received the gospel by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days [Gal. 1:18].
I suppose that this verse is the same record that is given in Acts 9:26–29 which says, “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.”
When all of this is added up, it means that Paul spent less than three years in the desert. It is interesting how God has trained His men. He trained Moses in the desert. He put Abraham in a rather unique place to train him, and Elijah had that same type of experience. It has been God’s method to put His man out on the desert to train him. David was trained outdoors in the caves of the earth while he was running away from King Saul. Remember that he cried out to God that he was hunted like a partridge—it was open season on him all the time. The Lord used the same method with Paul. God sent him into the desert for less than three years. Then he went to Jerusalem, saw Peter, and stayed with him for fifteen days.
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother [Gal. 1:19].
Paul had no contact with the apostles except Peter and James, the Lord’s brother. That is all the contact he had with them, and he received nothing from them, as we shall see.
Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not [Gal. 1:20].
The modernist or liberal, to whom I referred, said that Paul got his gospel by making an homogenized stew out of Greek philosophy and the Mosaic system. Paul says here that he didn’t get the gospel from anyone else. Paul also says he does not lie. Someone is lying. I am too polite to call that modernist a liar, but in effect Paul does.
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
And they glorified God in me [Gal. 1:21–24].
The believers in Jerusalem were rather reluctant to accept the apostle Paul. Without the help of Barnabas, Paul would probably have waited a long time before the church in Jerusalem would have received him. These men were hesitant to receive Paul because he had persecuted the church, but they knew what it was to be converted. They knew what it was to have an absolutely earth-shaking experience that would transform a man. Yet they could not believe that Saul of Tarsus could be converted. It seemed not only improbable but impossible.
In verses 21–24 Paul outlines his first years after his conversion. I don’t think, friend, that they were the happiest years of his life. Apparently he tells us something about the failure in his own personal life in the seventh chapter of Romans. There were three periods in the life of the apostle Paul. Notice briefly the first two periods.
1. Paul was a proud Pharisee. He had a marvelous mind and was an expert in the Mosaic Law. As many of his biographers have said, the world would have heard of Paul even if he had not been an apostle and even if he had not been converted. I don’t think there is any question about that. He was an outstanding man. But he was a proud young Pharisee who thought he knew it all. He hated Christ. He hated the church and attempted to eliminate it. He was ruthless in his persecution of the church.
2. The second period began on the Damascus road when he was knocked down into the dust. This brilliant Pharisee found out that he did not know Jesus Christ, whom to know is life. He had thought Jesus was dead. And he asked, “Who art thou, Lord?” Jesus replied, “I am Jesus whom you persecute. When you persecute My church, you persecute Me” (see Acts 9:5). When Paul became acquainted with his Lord, he immediately asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” After Paul met Christ, he spent some time in Arabia. During those first years he attempted to minister and found that what he wanted to do he could not do. Finally he cried out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). It was not an unsaved man who said that; it was Paul the apostle in the first stages of his conversion.
3. Then came that glorious period when he walked in the Spirit. That was the time he could live for God. That is the place where many of us need to be today. There are so many unhappy Christians. They are saved, I think, but as Dwight L. Moody put it in his quaint way, “Some people have just enough religion to make them miserable.”
I wish we had more information on Paul’s experience with the apostles in Jerusalem. I am sure a question has already come to your mind. If Paul received the gospel apart from the other apostles—who were with the Lord for three years and saw the resurrected Christ—is Paul preaching the same gospel? This is an important matter at this point because if Paul is not preaching the same gospel, something is radically wrong. In the next chapter we shall see that the apostles in Jerusalem approved Paul’s gospel and that it was the same Good News.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Experience of Paul with the apostles in Jerusalem; experience of Paul in Antioch with Peter; justification by faith stated
Now we come to the second division of this personal section in Galatians. We have seen that the Lord Jesus Christ communicated the gospel directly to Paul. Was it the same gospel that the other apostles had received from the lips of the Lord? We will see the oneness of the gospel and Paul’s experience with the apostles in Jerusalem. We will see the communication of the gospel and see that the church in Jerusalem approved Paul’s gospel.
EXPERIENCE OF PAUL WITH THE APOSTLES IN JERUSALEM
Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also [Gal. 2:1].
It was a master stroke of Paul to take Titus with him. Titus was a young preacher and a Gentile. This, I believe, was the first great council in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 15. The question to be settled was whether men are saved by the grace of God or whether they should come in under the Mosaic Law. Paul had Titus there as exhibit number one. Titus had not been circumcised. Will he be forced to become circumcised? This was to become a very important matter.
You see, the Judaizers were going about saying that the church in Jerusalem held that all believers in Christ should be under the Mosaic Law. All of the men there at the Jerusalem church, which was an all-Jewish church, had certainly been under it. Many of them still went to the temple to worship. In fact, that must have been the Christian’s meeting place. Paul and Barnabas came there to get the official word regarding law and grace.
And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain [Gal. 2:2].
Paul recognized that if he were preaching a different gospel from what the other apostles were preaching, there was something radically wrong. Paul was willing to admit, “If I were preaching a different gospel, I would be wrong. I have run in vain. I have certainly been disillusioned and misinformed.” So he goes to Jerusalem and communicates that gospel to the apostles there.
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage [Gal. 2:3–4].
Out where Paul was preaching some folk had come into the church under false colors. Apparently they were not believers. They just came in to spy out the liberty which believers had in Christ. They found out that this young preacher, Titus, was a Greek and Paul had not compelled him to be circumcised. So what will the church at Jerusalem decide about him? Paul says, “Well, they didn’t compel him to be circumcised. They didn’t listen to the false brethren. If they had, we would be put right back under the bondage of the Mosaic Law rather than enjoying the freedom by the Spirit of God and the freedom in Christ.”
To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you [Gal. 2:5].
Paul stood by his guns. These false brethren said, “This man Titus who is here meeting with the church (and it was practically all Jewish then) has not even been circumcised!” Paul says, “No, and he’s not going to be circumcised. He is as much a believer as any of you. He has been saved by faith apart from the Law. He is not about to follow any part of the Law for salvation.” This is a tremendous stand that Paul is taking.
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me [Gal. 2:6].
Paul says, “We sat down with the apostles [at least he did, and I suppose Barnabas and Titus were there also] and communicated the gospel.” They said, “Now, Brother Paul, we’ve been hearing these reports. Tell us what you preach.” And Paul told them. Paul finds out that these apostles didn’t have anything to add to what he was preaching. He was preaching the grace of God; they were preaching the grace of God. They find they are in full agreement. They all are preaching the same gospel. This is tremendous!
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter [Gal. 2:7].
Let’s understand that there were not two gospels in the sense of Peter’s gospel and Paul’s gospel. These men were in complete agreement. The gospel of the circumcision and the gospel of the uncircumcision refer to the groups the gospel was going to. The Gentiles were the group that Paul was speaking to. He was called to go to the Gentiles, the uncircumcised. Peter was called to go to his own Jewish brethren who were the circumcised.
(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) [Gal. 2:8].
The proof of the pudding, of course, is always in the eating. What results were they getting? When Peter preached the gospel, quite a few people were saved. When Paul preached the gospel, quite a few people were saved. They were both preaching the same gospel.
Now bringing this principle down to where we live, the real test of any Christian work is not promotion. The real test is the results it gets. God’s people should be very sure that they are supporting a ministry that gets results. If it is not producing results, why in the world do you support it?
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision [Gal. 2:9].
The apostles accepted Paul’s apostleship. “The right hands of fellowship”—fellowship is the Greek koinonia, one of the great words of the gospel and the highest expression of a personal relationship. It means sharing the things of Christ.
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do [Gal. 2:10].
Paul came back later with an offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem because that church had been persecuted and was in a sad condition. Because Paul himself before his conversion had led the persecution, he wanted to bring the gift for the Jerusalem church with his own hands.
This was social service. A thing that we fundamentalists are guilty of is a lack of real service in this area. James, in his very practical epistle, says, “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:15–17). And the apostles there in Jerusalem said, “Now, Brother Paul, don’t forget to help the poor folk.” And Paul said, “That was the very thing I was eager to do.”
EXPERIENCE OF PAUL IN ANTIOCH WITH PETER
In this personal section of Paul’s life we have seen his experience in Arabia with the Lord Jesus Christ, and his experience with the apostles in Jerusalem. Now we see Paul’s experience in Antioch with Simon Peter—I love this section.
The church in Antioch was largely a gentile church, although it was a mixture of Jew and Gentile. We will not understand what happened there unless we consider how the early church operated. They had a love feast which was held in connection with the Lord’s Supper. Paul has a great deal to say about this subject in 1 Corinthians. The early believers came together for a meal, a love feast, before they celebrated the Lord’s Supper. When Gentiles were saved, a problem was raised. In the congregation were Jews who had never eaten anything which had been sacrificed to idols. The Gentiles had been idolaters, and they were accustomed to eating meat that had first been offered to idols. They also ate pork and other animals designated as unclean in the law of Moses. It made no difference to them because they had been reared that way.
What was going to be done to keep from offending the Jewish Christians? Well, in Antioch two tables were established. One was the kosher table; the other was the gentile table. Paul ate at the gentile table. Although he was a Jew, he ate with the Gentiles because he taught that whether you eat meat or you don’t eat meat makes no difference—meat will not commend you to God.
When Simon Peter came up to visit Paul in Antioch, it was a new experience for him because, although converted, he had never eaten anything unclean. Remember what Peter told the Lord on the roof in Joppa before he went to the home of Cornelius. He had a vision of heaven opening and a sheet being lowered in which were all kinds of unclean animals. “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (Acts 10:13–15).
Peter had been a believer for some time when he came to visit Paul in Antioch, but he had still followed the Jewish eating pattern. When Peter came to the church, he found there a gentile table and a kosher table. Now notice Peter’s reaction:
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision [Gal. 2:11–12].
Now this is probably what happened. When the time came to eat, Simon Peter went over to the kosher table, while Paul went over to the gentile table. Peter noticed that there was pork roast on the gentile table. After dinner Peter joined Paul and they went outside for a little walk. Peter said, “I noticed that you ate at the gentile table.” “Yes,” Paul said. “And I noticed that you ate pork tonight. Is it good? I never have tasted it.” “Yes,” Paul said, “it’s delicious.” Then Peter asked, “Do you think it would be all right if I ate over there?” And Paul said, “Well, it is my understanding that we are going to have some nice pork chops in the morning for breakfast. Why don’t you try it?” So in the morning when he came to breakfast, he went over to the gentile table, sat down gingerly and rather reluctantly took a pork chop. After he had tasted it, he said to Paul, “It is delicious, isn’t it!” Paul said, “Yes. After all, under grace you can either eat it or not eat it. It makes no difference. Meat won’t commend you to God.” So Simon Peter said, “I’ll be here tonight and I understand you are having ham tonight. I want to try that.” So at dinner time he starts rushing for the gentile table when he looks over and sees some of the elders from the Jerusalem church who had come to visit also. So Simon Peter went all the way around that gentile table, went over to the kosher table, and sat down like a little whipped puppy. Paul saw him do that, and this is what happened:
And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? [Gal. 2:13–14].
It was all right for Peter to eat at either table, kosher or Gentile. But after he had been eating at the gentile table and for fear of the brethren from Jerusalem goes back to the kosher table, he is saying by his action that the gentile table is wrong and the kosher table is right.
Now these brethren from Jerusalem were austere legalists. And under grace that was their privilege. I have no objection to folk today who feel that they should not eat certain meats. But they are also to give me the liberty of eating what I choose to eat. Frankly, I do not eat much pork myself for health reasons. But it is not a religious matter at all. Simon Peter turned from the liberty he had in Christ back to Judaism again.
The nature of Paul’s rebuke shows, first of all, the inconsistency of lawkeeping. If it was right for Simon Peter to live as the gentile believers lived, why should he desire the Gentiles to live as the Jews? That is what he was saying when he left the gentile table for the kosher table. If gentile living under grace apart from the Law was good enough for Peter, was it bad for the Gentiles themselves? If Simon Peter was free to live outside the Law, was it not lawful for the Gentiles to do the same?
DOCTRINAL—JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
This brings us to the doctrinal section of this marvelous epistle, which deals with justification by faith. In this section Paul takes his position as a Jew.
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles [Gal. 2:15].
The Jew in that day looked upon the Gentile as a sinner. In fact, Gentile and sinner were synonymous terms. Therefore, the rebuke that Paul gave shows the folly of lawkeeping—how really foolish it is.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified [Gal. 2:16].
This is a clear-cut and simple statement of justification by faith. Believe me, the legalist has trouble with this verse. I once heard a legalist preach on it, and it was certainly a travesty of interpretation. This verse will upset every legal system there is today. To say that you have to add anything to faith in Christ absolutely mutilates the gospel.
Notice what Paul says here. If a Jew had to leave the Law behind—that is, forsake it—in order to be justified by faith, Paul’s question is, “Why should the Gentile be brought under the Law?” That was the great argument at the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15: “Should the Gentile be brought under the Law?” Thank God, the answer, guided by the Spirit of God, was that the Gentile was not under the Law for salvation—not for his daily living, as he was called to a much higher plane.
Could the Gentile find justification under the Law when the Jew had already proven that it was impossible? The Jews had had the Law for almost fifteen hundred years and had not been able to keep the Law at all. Why force the Gentile under that which had not saved even one Israelite? Gentile believers were already justified by grace. It would be folly for the Gentiles to turn from grace to the Law which had been unable to justify the Jew.
“Knowing that a man.” Now let’s pick this verse apart. This is something you can know—you can know whether you are saved or not. What kind of “man” is this verse speaking about? Anthroµpos is the Greek word, a generic term meaning “mankind.” It speaks of the solidarity of the race, the common humanity that we all have. This breaks the social barrier of color. It breaks the barrier of race. It breaks the social barrier. All men are on one level before the Cross, and that level happens to be “sinner.” You are a sinner. I am a sinner. I don’t care who you are, you are a sinner in God’s sight.
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law”—the word the is not in the original; so it should read “not justified by works of law.” This includes the Mosaic system, and it includes any legal system. This is what I mean: if you say that you have to join a certain church or that you have to have a certain experience, or that you have to be baptized to be saved, you are contradicting this verse. “Knowing that a man is not justified by works of law”—any law. Paul embraces the whole legal system that is found in every religion. This makes Christianity different from every religion on topside of the earth. Every religion that I know anything about—and I have studied many of the cults and religions of this world—instruct us to do something. Christianity is different. It tells us that we are justified by faith; that is, faith is an accomplished act and fact for you. Every other religion says do. Christianity says done. The great transaction is done, and we are asked to believe it.
Let me call your attention to an important verse in 1 Corinthians: “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 12:3). Now the question for you and me is: how can we call Jesus accursed? If you say to me, “McGee, when you came to Christ and accepted Him as your Savior, you didn’t get all that was coming to you. The Holy Spirit can give you something that you didn’t get in Christ, and you ought to seek that today.” My friend, to do that depreciates the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross when He came to this earth to die for you and work out a salvation so perfect that when He went back to heaven He sat down at the right hand of God (see Heb. 1:3). He sat down because there was nothing else to be done. If there had been anything else, He would have done it before He sat down. When you say that He didn’t do it all for me, you are saying that Jesus is accursed. And you can’t say that by the Holy Spirit of God. That is, you are not giving me the word of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13–14). My friend, when you came to Christ, He gave you everything you will need in this life. Christ is the One who administers all the gifts. The Holy Spirit is the One who gives them, but He is working down here under the supervision of the second Person of the Godhead. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. My friend, we have everything in Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Amen—and when you say “amen,” you are through, my friend. Christ did it all.
This verse is so clear it is impossible to misunderstand it. “Knowing that a man [any human being—man or woman, black or white, rich or poor, Roman, American, Chinese] is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.” It is not faith plus something; it is faith plus nothing.
The verse continues: “even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ.” Who does Paul mean by “we”? He includes himself, meaning we Israelites. He is saying that he and his fellow Jews had to leave the Law, come to Christ, and trust Him in order to be justified by the faith of Christ rather than by the works of law.
The conclusion of this verse is so clear I feel that anybody can understand it: “for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Let’s not depreciate the work of the Lord Jesus by saying that we didn’t get everything from Him. I was a hell-doomed sinner. I trusted Him as my Savior, and I received a perfect salvation from Him.
Now the next verse, I am frank to say, is a little more difficult to understand.
But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid [Gal. 2:17].
The word justified is the Greek dikaiooµ, which means “to declare a person right,” or “to make him right.” We are declared to be right by our faith in Jesus Christ. It means that a sinner who is guilty before God, who is under condemnation and judgment, is declared to be right with God on the basis of his faith in the redemption which we have in Christ. It is not only forgiveness of sins, which is subtraction; it is the addition of the righteousness of Christ. He is declared righteous. The righteousness I have is not my own righteousness, because my righteousness is not acceptable; but I have a perfect righteousness which is Christ.
The sense of this verse seems to be this: Since the Jew had to forsake the Law in order to be justified by Christ and therefore take his place as a sinner, is Christ the One who makes him a sinner? Paul’s answer is, “Of course not.” The Jew, like the Gentile, was a sinner by nature. He could not be justified by the Law, as he demonstrated. This same thought was given by Peter in his address before the great council at Jerusalem: “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:10–11). You see, Peter and Paul were in agreement on the doctrine of justification by faith.
For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor [Gal. 2:18].
In other words, Paul is saying, “If I go back under law, I make myself a transgressor.”
However, he is free from the Law. How did he become free from the Law?
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God [Gal. 2:19].
Paul is saying, “When Christ died, He died for me. He died in my stead because the Law had condemned me.” You see, the Law was a ministration of condemnation; a ministration of death is what Paul calls it in 2 Corinthians 3:7. It condemns me. Even under the legal system, God would have had to destroy the nation Israel. But He gave the sacrificial system—five sacrifices—all of them pointing to Christ. God, by His marvelous grace, was able to save. Therefore the mercy seat was a throne of grace where a nation could find forgiveness of sins. The Law, therefore, condemned me. The Law has accused man. We stand guilty before the Law. So the Law actually is responsible for Jesus’ dying for us. The Law condemned us—said we had to die. All right now, if I am dead to the Law, then I am no longer responsible to the Law. The Law has already killed me. It has executed me, and I am dead—dead to the Law. Therefore, the Law could not do for me what Christ has done for me. He not only took my place and died for me, but He also did something else. He was able to give me life. He came back from the dead. You see, the Law arrested, condemned, sentenced, and slew us—that is all the Law could do for us. If you want to come by the Law route, you’ll get death. Only Christ can give you life. And, after all, life is what we need today.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me [Gal. 2:20].
This verse states a fact which is true of every believer. We are not to seek to be crucified with Christ. I have been to many young people’s conferences, and I do not think I am exaggerating when I say that I have seen thousands of young people accept Christ. I have also heard many of those young people at testimony meetings quote verse 20 as they put a faggot on the fire. They did not know any more about what this verse means than does a goat grazing on a hillside.
There are many people today who talk about wanting to live the “crucified” life. That is not what Paul is talking about in this verse. We are not to seek to be crucified with Christ. We have already been crucified with Him. The principle of living is not by the Law which has slain us because it found us guilty. Now we are to live by faith. Faith in what? Faith in the Son of God. You see, friend, the death of Christ upon the cross was not only penal (that is, paying the penalty for our sins), but it was substitutionary also. He was not only the sacrifice for sin; He was the substitute for all who believe.
Paul declares, therefore, that under the Law he was tried, found guilty, was condemned, and in the person of his Substitute he was slain. When did that take place? It took place when Christ was crucified. Paul was crucified with Christ. But “nevertheless I live.” How do I live? In Christ. He is alive today at God’s right hand. We are told that we have been put in Christ. You cannot improve on that. That ought to get rid of the foolish notion that we can crucify ourselves.
When I was a pastor in Los Angeles, a young man came to me after a service and asked, “Dr. McGee, are you living the crucified life?” I think I rather startled the boy when I replied, “No, I am not.” Then I asked him, “Are you?” He hesitated for a moment and then said, “Well, I am trying to.” Then I told him, “That is not the question you asked me. You wanted to know if I am living the crucified life. I told you no. Now you tell me yes or no about your life. Are you living the crucified life?” Once again he replied, “I am trying to.” I said to him, “You are either living it, or you are not living it. The fact of the matter is you cannot live it.” “Oh,” he said, “why can’t I?” So I pointed out to him that there is something interesting to note about crucifixion. You can commit suicide in many different ways. You can hang yourself, shoot yourself, take poison, jump off of a high building, or jump in front of a truck. There are many ways to end your life, but you cannot crucify yourself. When you nail one hand to the cross, who is going to nail your other hand to the cross? You cannot do it yourself. You must understand what Paul is talking about when he says, “I am crucified with Christ.” Paul was crucified with Christ when Christ died. Christ died a substitutionary death. He died for Paul. He died for you. He died for me.
In Romans 6 we are told that we have been buried with Christ by baptism, by identification. We have been raised with Him in newness of life, and now we are joined to the living Christ. Paul says that we do not know Him any more after the flesh. He is not the Man of Galilee walking around the Sea of Galilee. I walked about in that area some time ago and did not see Him; He is not there today. He is at God’s right hand. He is the glorified Christ.
Paul is saying, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live.” You see, the Law executed us. The Law could not give us life. Who gave us life? “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live.” How do you live? “Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” My friend, that is the important thing. He died for me down here that I might live in Him up yonder and that He might live in me down here. “And the life,” Paul says, “which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.” What kind of life is this? It is a life of faith—saved by faith, live by faith, walk by faith. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit.
“I live by the faith of the Son of God”—how tender this is—“who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Christ loved me, but He could not love me into heaven. He had to give Himself for me. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. You can only receive a gift by faith. This applies to any gift, for that matter. You have to believe that the giver who holds out the gift to you is sincere. You must believe that he is telling the truth when he holds it out to you and says, “It is yours.” You have to reach out in faith and take it before it belongs to you. God offers you the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus.
The content of this verse leads me to believe that Paul was present at the crucifixion of Christ. Paul was a Pharisee, and they were the ones who led in the Crucifixion. Paul was a leader in the persecution of the church. He was also one who hated the Lord Jesus Christ. He probably was attending school in Jerusalem, in the school of Gamaliel, at the time of the Crucifixion. I cannot believe this zealous young man would stay home on the day Jesus was crucified. The Scriptures tell us that the Pharisees ridiculed Jesus. They told Him to come down from the cross. Then they sat down and watched Him die—you cannot sink any lower than that. I believe Paul was there that day.
Now after Paul came to know the glorified Christ, the One who died down here, the One who rose again and is at God’s right hand, Paul could remember that day and say, “While I was there ridiculing Him, shooting out the lip at Him, expressing my hatred for Him, He loved me and He gave Himself for me!” He gave Himself—the supreme sacrifice. Paul called himself the chief of sinners, which was not hyperbole or an oratorical gesture. It was an actual fact; he was the chief of sinners.
My friend, you can tread underfoot the precious blood of Christ by ignoring Him, turning away from Him, or turning against Him as Paul did. But it was for that crowd that Jesus prayed, “… Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do …” (Luke 23:34). Even if you hate Him, He was loving you and giving Himself for you.
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain [Gal. 2:21].
The main thought in this verse is simply that if there had been any other way to save sinners, then God would have used that method. If a law or a religion could have been given that would save sinners, God would have given it. The only way that an infinite God could save you and me was to send His Son to die. He was willing to make the supreme sacrifice.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Justification by faith; experience of the Galatians; illustration of Abraham
EXPERIENCE OF THE GALATIANS
Paul now goes back to the experience of the Galatians. How were they saved? Were they saved by law or were they saved by faith in Jesus Christ? I personally believe in experience. I had a Methodist background as a boy. I went down to a penitent altar underneath a brush arbor in back of an unpainted Methodist church in southern Oklahoma. I was just a little fellow and I knelt there with an open heart. I believe in experience and when we come to chapter 4, we will deal further with the subject of experience.
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? [Gal. 3:1].
“O foolish Galatians”—senseless Galatians. The Greek word is anoetoi from the root word nous, meaning “mind.” He is saying, “You’re not using your mind—you’re not using your nous.”
“Who hath bewitched you?” Let me translate that in good old Americano: What’s gotten into you? “Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth”—“set forth” is literally placarded or painted. I am not sure that Paul actually drew pictures for the Galatians, but I am sure that he painted word pictures for them. I used to show a great many slides when I was a pastor. It is a marvelous way of teaching the Word of God. For example, I would not attempt to teach the tabernacle without using slides. Now that is the way you “set forth” a teaching, and that is the word Paul uses. “Set forth, crucified among you”—it was His death on the cross that made possible your salvation!
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [Gal. 3:2].
Now we need to be very careful here. The gospel is true irrespective of experience. What experience does is corroborate the gospel. There are many people today who reason from experience to truth. I personally believe that the Word of God reasons from truth to experience. Experience is not to be discounted, but it must be tested by truth.
Everyone has different experiences. I heard one of the founders of a cult tell about her experience. Then I heard another woman tell about her experience—and they are entirely different. Which person am I going to follow? To tell the truth, I am not going to follow either one of them.
One time a man got up in a meeting and read a passage of Scripture. He said, “Because there is a difference of opinion concerning the interpretation of this passage, and we don’t want any controversy, let me tell you about my experience.” Well, his experience was as far removed from what that Scripture said as anything could possibly be. He was basing truth on his experience. You simply cannot do that. Experience must corroborate the gospel.
“Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” What does Paul mean by the hearing of faith? Does he mean the ear, the organ of hearing, or the receiving of the message, or the message itself? I think he means the whole process. You have to hear something before you can be saved, because the gospel is something God has done for you, and you need to know about it.
In this section Paul is raising several questions. He tells these folk to look back on what had happened to them and asks six questions that have to do with their experience.
This is his first question: “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Nowhere—not even in the Old Testament—did anyone ever receive the Holy Spirit by the works of the Law. He is received by the hearing of faith. The Galatians never received the Spirit by the Law. The Holy Spirit is evidence of conversion. Scripture tells us, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13).
Now here is the second question:
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? [Gal. 3:3].
What Paul is asking is this: “If the Holy Spirit is the One who converted you, brought you to Christ, and now you are indwelt by the Spirit of God, are you going to turn back to the Law (which was given to control the flesh) and thick you are going to live on high plane?”
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain [Gal. 3:4].
Paul asked the Galatians, “Are you going to let all of the things you have suffered come to naught?” He reminded them that they had paid a price for receiving the gospel. Was it all going to be in vain, without a purpose?
Now he raises this question:
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [Gal. 3:5].
Paul refers to the ministry that he has had among them. You will recall that his apostleship was attacked by the Judaizers. They said that he was a Johnny-come-lately apostle—not one of the original Twelve. He was not with Christ during His ministry but came along later. Paul reminded the Galatians that he was the one who had come into their country, preached the Word of God to them, and performed miracles among them. He did not do it by the works of the Law—Paul would be very careful to say that. He preached the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who died for them, was raised again, and in whom they placed their trust. When they did that, a miraculous thing took place. They were regenerated. Paul had the evidence that he was an apostle. In that day signs were given to the apostles. As I understand it, the apostles had practically all the gifts mentioned in Scripture; they certainly had all the sign gifts. Paul could perform miracles. He could heal the sick. He could raise the dead. Simon Peter, one of the original Twelve, could do that also. To do this was the mark of an apostle in that day.
Now the apostles have given us the Word of God. We have a faith that is built upon Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone, and a faith built upon the foundation which was laid by the apostles and prophets. That which gave credence to the truth of their message was their ability to perform miracles. They had the sign gifts. (After they had given us the Word of God, the sign gifts disappeared. In fact, I think they disappeared with the apostles.) The important thing for us to note here is that Paul came to the Galatians not as a Pharisee preaching the Law, but as an apostle preaching Jesus Christ. That was something these people had experienced, and Paul rested upon that.
In summary, we have seen that justification by faith was the experience of the Galatians. That is why he asked them, “What has gotten into you?” He mentions the Holy Spirit three times in this section. He reminds them that they did not receive the Spirit by the Law. The Holy Spirit is evidence of conversion. It is important to see that the gospel is true irrespective of the experience of the Galatians or anyone else. The gospel is objective; it deals with what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us. Experience will corroborate the gospel, and that is what Paul is demonstrating in this section. The gospel is sufficient—experience confirms this.
ILLUSTRATION OF ABRAHAM
This section of justification by faith using Abraham as an illustration looms large in this epistle. Then follows an allegory of Hagar and Sarai, which takes us through the rest of chapter 4. So now we come to the heart of this book, the high water mark, where Abraham will be the illustration.
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness [Gal. 3:6].
This verse is a quote from Genesis 15:6 concerning Abraham, “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” This verse is also quoted in Romans 4:3. The illustration comes from the early part of the life of Abraham, his life of faith. Abraham is the great illustration of justification by faith. Paul uses him as an example in both the Roman and Galatian epistles. It cannot be said that Abraham was justified by the Law because the Mosaic Law was not given until four hundred years after Abraham. Neither can it be said that he was justified by circumcision because he was justified before God gave him the commandment of circumcision. Circumcision was the badge and evidence of Abraham’s faith, just as baptism is the badge and evidence of a believer’s faith today. Neither circumcision nor baptism can save. In fact, they make no contribution to salvation. They are simply outward evidences of an inward work.
The incident referred to is in Genesis 15. After Abraham encountered the kings of the East in his rescue of his nephew Lot, he refused to accept any booty from the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. God appeared to Abraham to assure him that he had done right in turning down the booty, saying, “I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.” Abraham was a practical sort of individual, and he began talking to the Lord rather straight—and I feel that the Lord wants us to do that, friend. He said, “I don’t have a son, and You told me I would.” The Lord said, “I’m glad you brought that up, Abraham, I’ve been wanting to tell you something.” God had already told him that his seed would be as numberless as the sand on the seashore. Now God takes him by the hand and tells him to look toward the heavens. It must have been night time. I am told that in that section of the world one can see about five thousand stars with the naked eye. With a sixteen inch telescope you would see fifty thousand stars, and I don’t know what you would see with a hundred inch or two hundred inch telescope. Be that as it may, I don’t think any telescope could give you the exact number of stars which could be seen at that time. In effect, God said to Abraham, “You can’t count the stars, and neither can you count your offspring.” Do you know what Abraham’s response was? “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). In the original it is very expressive. Literally it means that Abraham said “amen” to the Lord. God said, “I’m going to do it.” And Abraham said, “Amen.”
Does this have an application for your life and mine? It certainly does. God says to you and me, “I gave My Son to die for you. If you believe on Him you won’t perish. You will have everlasting life.” Will you say “amen” to that? Will you believe God? Will you accept His Son? If you do, you are justified by faith. This is what Abraham did. He believed God, and at that moment God declared him righteous. Because of his works? No! His works were imperfect. He didn’t have perfection to offer to God. (Paul will develop this thought a little later on.) Although Abraham did not have perfection at that time, afterwards he did because his faith was counted for righteousness. That is the doctrine of justification. Abraham stands justified before God.
Next Abraham said to the Lord, “Would you mind putting what you have told me in writing?” Perhaps you are saying, “I have read the Book of Genesis, and I don’t remember anything like that.” Well, it’s here in Genesis 15. Now notice: “And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it” (Gen. 15:7). Listen to Abraham’s response. He is talking back to the Lord—he’s not one of these superpious saints. “And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?” (Gen. 15:8). In other words, put it in writing. God said to Abraham, “Meet me down at the courthouse and I will put it in writing.” Now somebody says, “Wait a minute. It doesn’t say that.” But it does, friend. “And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon” (Gen. 15:9). That is the way they made contracts in that day. (Jeremiah also tells about making a contract in this way in Jeremiah 34:18.) You see, when a contract was made in that day, one man agreed to do something, and the other man agreed to do something in turn. They cut a sacrifice into two parts and put half on one side and half on the other side, then they would join hands and walk between the two halves. That sealed the contract. It was the same as going before a notary at the courthouse.
So Abraham prepared the sacrifices and waited—he waited all day. Fowls came down upon the carcasses and Abraham drove them away. God was late meeting Abraham; He did not get there until sundown. “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him” (Gen. 15:12). Just as he is about to sign the contract, God puts Abraham into a deep sleep. The reason for this is that Abraham is not to walk with God through the two halves—Abraham is not to promise anything. God is doing the promising. “And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces” (Gen. 15:17). You see, God passed through between those two halves alone because God made the covenant. And Abraham’s part was only to believe God. If the covenant depended on Abraham’s faithfulness—perhaps on his saying his prayers every night—he might miss one night, and then the promise would be no good. So God was the One who did all the promising, and the covenant depended on God’s faithfulness.
Friend, over nineteen hundred years ago Jesus Christ went to the cross to pay for your sins and mine. God is not asking you to say your prayers or be a nice little Sunday school boy to be saved. He is asking you to trust His Son who died for you. He makes the contract. He is the One who makes the promise, the covenant, and He will save you. That is the new contract, friend. The old covenant He made with Abraham. Abraham believed God. He said, “amen,” to God. Abraham believed, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. God is still asking us to believe Him. Put your trust in Christ and you will be saved. What a glorious picture we have here.
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham [Gal. 3:7].
God did this for Abraham before the Law was ever given. God did not make the covenant with him because of Abraham’s good works. He told Abraham, “I’ll do this for you if you believe Me.” Abraham said, “I believe You.”
God wants your faith to rest on a solid foundation. But, my friend, if you come to God, you must come to Him by faith. He has come to the door of your heart. He cannot come any farther. He will not break down the door. He will knock and say, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Only you can open the door by faith, my friend. When you and I trust Christ as Savior, we are saved the same way that Abraham was saved—by faith.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed [Gal. 3:8].
“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham.” If faith without works was sufficient for Abraham, why should we desire something different? And as the blessing was not for Abraham’s law-works, but for his faith, why should we turn from faith to law-works?
“God … preached … the gospel unto Abraham.” When did He do that? Well, the first illustration Paul gave us was at the beginning of Abraham’s life of faith. Now Paul refers to an incident near the end of Abraham’s life of faith recorded in Genesis 22. It was after Abraham had offered Isaac upon the altar. I say he offered him because he was just within a hair’s breadth of offering him when God stopped him. God considered that Abraham had actually done it. He demonstrated that he had faith in God, believing that God could raise Isaac from the dead (see Heb. 11:19). Now notice God’s response to Abraham’s act of faith: “And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Gen. 22:15–18). Apparently at this time God preached the gospel to Abraham, because the offering of Isaac is one of the finest pictures of the offering of Christ. Although God spared Abraham’s son, God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all.
The important thing that Paul wants us to see in Abraham’s life is that he obeyed the voice of God. Abraham was willing to offer his son when God commanded it, and when God said stop, he stopped. He obeyed the voice of God. He demonstrated by his action that he had faith in God. Again he believed God and He counted it to him for righteousness.
Some people are troubled because they feel that there is a contradiction in Scripture between what Paul says about Abraham and what James says about him. Paul says that Abraham was justified by faith. James says, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:20–21). However, James goes on to say, “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:22). John Calvin said it like this: “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” In other words, saving faith is a dynamic, vital faith that leads to works. I hope you understand that James is not talking about the works of law. James is talking about the works of faith. Faith produces works. This idea of saying that works will save you is putting the cart before the horse—in fact, some men put the horse in the cart!
It is important to see that faith leads to works, as it did in the life of Abraham. God sees our hearts. He knows whether or not we have trusted Christ as Savior. He knows whether or not we are genuine. Church member, why not be genuine? You can fool the people in the church, and you can fool your neighbors, and you can put up a pious front. But why not be real and have a lot of fun at the same time? You don’t have to pretend. You can be real and trust Christ as your Savior. And a living, dynamic faith will produce works.
A careful reading of the passage in James 2 reveals that James used the history of Abraham to show that faith without works is dead—it is the last of Abraham’s history because this is the last time God appeared to him. It is not that portion of Scripture to which Paul refers in Galatians where he says that Abraham was justified by faith. Paul says that faith alone is sufficient and proves his point from Abraham’s history as recorded in the fifteenth chapter of Genesis. James says that faith without works is dead and proves it by referring to Abraham’s history as found in the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. If Abraham had welshed in Genesis 22 and had said to God, “Wait a minute, I really do not believe what You say. I have been putting on an act all of these years,” then it would have been obvious that Abraham’s faith was a pseudofaith. But God knew back in Genesis 15 that Abraham had a genuine faith.
The works that James speaks about are not works of law at all. The Law had not been given during Abraham’s day. We need to recognize that. James 2:23 says, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” James, at the beginning of this verse, is going back to the reference that Paul gives at first concerning the beginning of Abraham’s life of faith. Then Paul says that the gospel was preached to Abraham at the end of his life when God made this promise to him.
There is no contradiction when you examine passages like the ones written by Paul and James. They are saying the same thing. One is looking at faith at the beginning. The other is looking at faith at the end. One is looking at the root of faith. The other is looking at the fruit of faith. The root of faith is “faith alone saves you,” but that saving faith will produce works.
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham [Gal. 3:9].
The word faithful in this verse is “believing”—believing Abraham. God saves the sinner today on the same basis that He saved Abraham. God asks faith of the sinner. God asked Abraham to believe that He would do certain things for him. God asks you and me to believe that He already has done certain things for us in giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Faith is the modus operandi by which man is saved today.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them [Gal. 3:10].
The important word here is “continueth.” I am willing to grant that maybe there was a day in your life when you felt very good, when you were on top of the world and singing, “Everything’s coming up daisies.” On that day you walked with the Lord and did not stub your toe. Then you say, “Well, because I did that, God saved me.” But notice what this verse says, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law.” How about that? Do you keep the law day and night, twenty-four hours every day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks out of the year in thought, word, and deed? If you are a human being, somewhere along the line you let down. You are not walking on top of the world all of the time. My friend, when you let down, the law can only condemn you.
I know a fine preacher who is always going around saying, “Hallelujah, praise the Lord.” Someone asked his wife if he was like that all the time. She said, “No, he has his bad days.” We all have bad days, don’t we?
If you are going to put yourself under the law, my friend, and you have a good day, you are not going to be rewarded for it. Suppose I had kept all of the laws of Pasadena, which is my home city, for twenty years. Then I wait at my house for the officials of Pasadena to come and present me with a medal for keeping those laws. Let me tell you, they do not give medals for keeping the law in Pasadena. If I had kept every law for twenty years and then stole something or broke a speeding law, I would be arrested. You see, the law does not reward you. It does not give you life. The law penalizes you.
Faith, my friend, gives you something. It gives you life.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith [Gal. 3:11].
Even the Old Testament taught that man was saved by faith. It does not say that anyone was saved by keeping the law. If you find that somebody living back under the law was saved by keeping the law, let me know. I have never read of anyone who was saved by keeping the Mosaic Law. As you know, the heart of the Mosaic system was the sacrificial system. Moses rejoiced that God could extend mercy and grace to people even under the law—that is the reason his face shone as it did. In Habakkuk 2:4 it says that “… the just shall live by his faith.”
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them [Gal. 3:12].
This also is an important verse. Faith and law are contrary principles for salvation and also for living. One cancels out the other. They are diametrically opposed to each other. If you are going to live by the Law, then you cannot be saved by faith. You cannot combine them. They are contrary.
Let me illustrate this. Our daughter came to visit us while we were in Florida, and we wanted to return to California by train. That was the time when passenger trains were being phased out. We tried to get a train route to California without going through Chicago—both of us wanted to avoid Chicago. Well, it seemed as though we would have to go halfway around the world to go from Florida to California; so we had to come back by plane. When we got the tickets, I said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could go by train and plane at the same time—sit in the plane and put our feet down in the train!” (I would feel much safer with my feet in the train, I assure you.) But that’s absurd. If we go by plane, we go by plane; if we go by train, we go by train. They have made no arrangements for passengers to sit in a plane and put their feet down in a train. My friend, neither has God any arrangement for you to be saved by faith and by law. You have to choose one or the other. If you want to go by law, then you can try it—but I’ll warn you that God has already said you won’t make it. “The law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.”
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree [Gal. 3:13].
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law”—the Mosaic Law condemned us. It is like the illustration I gave regarding keeping the civil laws in my hometown. I am not rewarded for keeping those laws, and if I break one I am condemned. Christ has redeemed us from the penalty of the Mosaic Law. How did He do it? By “being made a curse for us.” Christ bore that penalty.
“For it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” This is a quotation from the Old Testament, as we shall see, and is a remarkable passage of Scripture for several reasons. One reason is that the children of Israel did not use hanging on a tree as a method of public execution. Instead they used stoning. When my wife went with me to the land of Israel, she noticed something that I had not thought of. She said, “I have often wondered why they used stoning as a means of execution. Now I know. Anywhere you turn in this land there are plenty of stones.” Capital punishment in Israel was by stoning, not hanging. However, when a reprehensible crime had been committed, this was the procedure: “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (Deut. 21:22–23). That is, if he had committed an awful crime and had been stoned to death, his body could be strung up on a tree that it might be a spectacle. But it was not to be left there overnight. The reason He gives is this: he is accursed of God—“that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”
Christ was “made a curse for us.” The question is: When did Christ become a curse? Did He become a curse in His incarnation? Oh, no. When He was born He was called “… that holy thing …” (Luke 1:35). Did He become a curse during those silent years of which we have so little record? No, it says that He advanced “… in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Did He become a curse during his ministry? Oh, no. It was during His ministry that the Father said, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). Then He must have become a curse while He was on the cross. Yes, but not during the first three hours on the cross, because when He offered up Himself, He was without blemish. It was during those last three hours on the cross that He was made a curse for us. It was then that it pleased the Lord to bruise Him and put Him to grief. He made His soul an offering for sin (see Isa. 53:10).
“Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.” The Greek word for “tree” is xulon, meaning “wood, timber, or tree.” Christ was hanged on a tree. What a contrast we have here. He went to that cross, which was to Him a tree of death, in order that He might make it for you and me a tree of life!
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith [Gal. 3:14].
Israel had the Law for fifteen hundred years and failed to live by it. At the council of Jerusalem, in Acts 15, Peter said in effect, “We and our fathers were not able to keep the law. Why do we want to put the Gentiles under it? If we could not keep it, they won’t be able to keep it either.” Christ took our place that we might receive what the Law could never do. The Spirit is the peculiar gift in this age of grace.
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto [Gal. 3:15].
Suppose you make a contract with a man to pay him one hundred dollars. Then about a year later you decide you will pay him only fifty dollars. You go to him and say, “Here is the fifty dollars I owe you.” The man says, “Wait a minute, you agreed to pay me one hundred dollars.” You say, “Well, I’ve changed that.” He says, “Oh, no, you don’t! You can’t change your contract after it has been made.”
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ [Gal. 3:16].
God called Abraham and promised to make him a blessing to the world. He made him a blessing to the world through Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham. Christ is the One who brought salvation to the world.
The word seed refers specifically to Christ (see Gen. 22:18). Christ said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect [Gal. 3:17].
God made a promise, a covenant, with Abrabarn. When the Law came along “four hundred and thirty years” later, it didn’t change anything as far as the promises made to Abraham were concerned. Actually, God never goes back on His promises. God promised Abraham, “I am going to give you this land. I am going to give you a son and a people that will be as numberless as the sand on the seashore.” God fulfilled that promise and brought from Abraham the nation of Israel—and several other nations—but the promises were given through Isaac whose line led to the Lord Jesus Christ, the “Seed” of verse 16. God also promised Abraham that He would make him a blessing to all people. The only blessing, my friend, in this world today is in Christ. You may not get a very good deal from your neighbor or from your business or from your church. I don’t think the world is prepared to give you a good deal. But the Lord Jesus Christ has been given to you—that is a good deal! In fact it is the supreme gift which God has made. It is a fulfillment of God’s promise that He would save those who would trust Christ.
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise [Gal. 3:18].
The promise concerning Christ was made before the Mosaic Law was given, and that promise holds as good as though there had been no law given, my friend. The promise was made irrespective of the Law.
The question arises: Why was the Law given, of what value, is it? Now don’t think that Paul is playing down the Law. Rather, he is trying to help the people understand the purpose of the Law. He shows the Law in all of its majesty, in its fullness, and in its perfection. But he shows that this very perfection the Law reveals is the reason it creates a hurdle which you and I cannot get over in order to be accepted of God.
Now listen to Paul as he talks about the purpose of the Law.
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator [Gal. 3:19].
The question is: Wherefore then serveth the Law? He is giving a purpose sentence—what was the purpose of the Law? Paul says it was something that was added. It was added because—or better still—for the sake of transgressions.
“Till the seed should come”—that little word till is an important time word. It means the Law was temporary. The Law was given for the interval between the time of Moses until the time of Christ. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). It is very important to see that the Law was temporary “until the seed should come”—and that Seed is Christ.
The Law was added “because of [for the sake of] transgressions. It was given to reveal not remove sin. It was not given to keep man from sin because sin had already come. It was to show man himself as being a natural, ugly, crude sinner before God. Any man who is honest will look at himself in the light of the Law and see himself guilty. It was not given to prove that all men were sinners, nor was it given (as many liberals are saying today) as a standard by which man becomes holy. Oh, my friend, you would never become holy this way, because, first of all, you can’t keep the Law in your own strength.
Many folk think that man becomes a sinner when he commits a sinful act, that he is all right until he breaks over and commits sin. This is not true. It is because he is already a sinner that a man commits an act of sin. A man steals because he is a thief. A man lies because he is a liar. I find myself guilty of lying—although I blame it on other folk. I leave my house in the morning and the first person I meet says, “My, what a beautiful day!” And I say, “Yes, it is”—when truthfully it is a smoggy day here in pleasant California. I lie about it. Then he asks, “How are you feeling today?” Well, to be honest, I don’t feel well, but I say, “Oh, I’m feeling fine.” Right there in the first few minutes I have lied twice! It’s just natural for us to be that way, my friend. Some of us commit more serious lying than that. Why do we do it? We have that fallen nature. And the Law was given to show that we are sinners, and that you and I need a mediator—One to stand between us and God, One to help us out.
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law [Gal. 3:21].
“Is the law then against the promises of God?” The expression “God forbid” means certainly not. Why? If there had been another way of saving sinners, God would have used that way. If He could have given a law by which sinner could be saved, He would have done so.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe [Gal. 3:22].
We have seen that the Law brought death—“The soul that sinneth, it shall die …” (Ezek 18:20). The Scripture has “concluded all under sin;” therefore all died. What is needed, therefore, is life. We have seen that the Law brings death, which is all that it can do. It is not actually the degree of sin but the mere fact of sin that brings death. Hence, all are equally dead and equally in need. You may not have committed as great a sin as Stalin committed, but you and I have the same kind of nature that he had. In fact, it was Goethe, the great German writer, who made this statement: “I have never seen a crime committed but what I too might have committed that crime.” He recognized he had that kind of a nature. It is not the degree of sin, but the very fact that we are sinners that brings death.
Let me illustrate this fact of sin and not the degree. Picture a building about twenty-four stories high. There are three men on top of the building, and the superintendent goes up to see them and warns, “Now be very careful, don’t step off of this building or you will be killed. It will mean death for you.” One of the fellows says, “This crazy superintendent is always trying to frighten people. I don’t believe that if I step off this building I will die.” So he deliberately walks to the edge of the building and steps off into the air. Suppose that when he passes the tenth floor, somebody looks out the window and asked him, “Well, how is it going?” And he says, “So far, so good.” But, my friend, he hasn’t arrived yet. There is death at the bottom. The superintendent was right. The man is killed. Now suppose another fellow becomes frightened at what the superintendent said. He runs for the elevator, or the steps, and accidentally slips. He skids right off the edge of the building and falls to the street below. He, too, is killed. The third fellow, we’ll say, is thrown off the building by some gangsters because he is their enemy. He is killed. Now the man who was thrown off of the building is just as dead as the man who deliberately stepped off and the man who accidentally slipped off the building. All of these men broke the law of gravitation, and death was inevitable for all of them. It is the fact, you see, and not the degree. It is the fact that they went over the edge—they all broke the law of gravitation.
The question is, “Can the law of gravitation which took them down to death give them life?” It cannot. The Mosaic Law cannot give you life any more than a natural law can give you life after you have broken it and died. You cannot reverse the situation and come back from the street below to the top of the building and live, as it is done in running a movie in reverse. Death follows wherever sin comes. The law of sin knows nothing of extenuating circumstances. It knows nothing about mercy. It has no elasticity. It is inflexible, inexorable, and immutable. God’s Word says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die…” (Ezek. 18:20). To Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden God said, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). And in Exodus 34:7, He says that He “… will by no means clear the guilty….” Therefore, all have sinned and by the Law we are all dead. The Law slew us. It is called by Paul a “… ministration of death…” (2 Cor. 3:7). It is a ministration of condemnation. The Law condemns all of us.
Can the Law bring life? My friend, the Law can no more bring life than a fall from a high roof can bring life to one who died by that fall. The purpose of the Law was never to give life. It was given to show us that we are guilty sinners before God.
“The scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” is a tremendous statement.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed [Gal. 3:23].
“Before faith came” means, of course, faith in Jesus Christ who died for us.
Until the Lord Jesus Christ came, the Law had in it mercy because it had a mercy seat. It had an altar where sacrifices for sin could be brought and forgiveness could be obtained. Mercy could be found there. All the sacrifices for sin pointed to Christ. Before faith came, Paul says, we were kept under the Law—“shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.”
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith [Gal. 3:24].
This is a remarkable section. Paul is making it very clear here that the Mosaic Law could not save. Romans 4:5 tells us, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” God refuses to accept the works of man for salvation. God says that all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). God refuses to accept law-keeping. The Law cannot save; it can only condemn. It was not given to save sinners but to let them know that they were sinners. The Law does not remove sin; it reveals sin. It will not keep you from sin, because sin has already come. The Law shows that man is not the way Hollywood portrays him—a sophisticated, refined, trained sinner. Man is actually an ugly sinner in the raw.
I want to use a homely illustration that I think might be helpful. I am going to take you to the bathroom. I hope you are not shocked—television does it everyday, showing someone taking a bath or a shower. I am confident that almost everyone has a bathroom, and in that bathroom is a washbasin with a mirror above it. That washbasin serves a purpose and so does the mirror. When you get dirt on your face, you go to the bathroom to remove it. Now you don’t use the mirror to remove the dirt, do you? If you see a smudged spot on your face, and you lean over and rub your face against the mirror, and one of your loved ones sees you, he will call a psychiatrist and make an appointment to find out what is wrong with you. But, my friend, that won’t happen because none of us is silly enough to try to remove dirt with a mirror.
Today, however, multitudes of people in our churches are rubbing up against the mirror of the Law thinking they are going to remove their sin. The Word of God is a mirror which shows us who we are and what we are—that we are sinners and that we have come short of the glory of God. That is what the Law reveals. But, thank God, beneath the mirror there is a basin. As the hymn writer puts it,
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
—William Cowper
That is where you remove the spot. It is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that cleanses. The Law proves man a sinner; it never makes him a saint. The Law was given, as Paul says in Romans, that every mouth might be stopped and the whole world become guilty before God (see Rom. 3:19).
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster,” Paul says. Now he will go on to tell us what he means by this.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [Gal. 3:25].
“Schoolmaster” is the Greek paidagoµgos, and it doesn’t mean school teacher. Schoolmaster is a good word, but it meant something quite different back in the days of Paul. It meant a servant or a slave who was part of a Roman household. Half of the Roman Empire was slave. Of the 120 million, 60 million were slaves. In the home of a patrician, a member of the Praetorian Guard, or the rich in the Roman Empire, were slaves that cared for the children. When a child was born into such a home, he was put in the custody of a servant or a slave who actually raised him. He put clean clothes on him, bathed him, blew his nose when it was necessary, and paddled him when he needed it. When the little one grew to a certain age and was to start to school, this servant was the one who got him up in the morning, dressed him, and took him to school. (That is where he got the name of paidagoµgos. Paid has to do with the feet—and we get our word pedal from it; agogos means “to lead.”) It means that he takes the little one by the hand, leads him to school, and turns him over to the school teacher. This servant, the slave, was not capable of teaching him beyond a certain age, so he took him to school.
Now what Paul is saying here is that the Law is our paidagoµgos. The Law said, “Little fellow, I can’t do any more for you. I now want to take you by the hand and bring you to the cross of Christ. You are lost. You need a Savior.” The purpose of the Law is to bring men to Christ—not to give them an expanded chest so they can walk around claiming they keep the Law. You know you don’t keep the Law; all you have to do is examine your own heart to know that.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus [Gal. 3:26].
Paul is going to show in the remainder of this chapter, and in the first part of chapter 4, some of the benefits that come to us by trusting Christ that we could never receive under law. The Law never could give a believer the nature of a son of God. Christ can do that. Only faith in Christ can make us sons of God.
In this verse the word children is from the Greek huios, meaning “sons.” Only faith in Christ can make us legitimate sons of God. I use the word legitimate for emphasis, because the only sons God has are legitimate sons. You are made a true son of God by faith in Christ, and that is all it takes. Not faith plus something equals salvation, but faith plus nothing makes you a son of God. Nothing else can make you a son of God. “For ye are all sons of God.” How? “By faith in Christ Jesus.”
An individual Israelite under the Law in the Old Testament was never a son, only a servant. God called the nation “Israel my son” (see Exod. 4:22), but the individual in that corporate nation was never called a son. He was called a servant of Jehovah. For example, Moses was on very intimate terms with God; yet God said of him, “Moses my servant is dead” (see Josh. 1:2). That was his epitaph. Also, although David was a man after God’s own heart, God calls him “David my servant” (see 1 Kings 11:38).
My friend, even if you kept the Law, which you could not do, your righteousness would still be inferior to the righteousness of God. Sonship requires His righteousness, you see. The New Testament definitely tells us, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). We are given the power (Greek exousian, meaning “the authority, the right”) to become the sons of God by doing no more nor less than simply trusting Him. A Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus, religious to his fingertips (he had a God-given religion although it had gone to seed), followed the Law meticulously, yet he was not a son of God. Jesus said to him, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). I want to be dogmatic and very plain—neither your prayers, your fundamental separation, your gifts, nor your baptism will ever make you a son of God. Only faith in Christ can make you a son of God.
The most damnable heresy today is the “universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man.” It is this teaching of liberalism that has caused this nation to give away billions of dollars throughout the world, and because of it we are hated everywhere. All people are the children of God, they say, and so we have sat at council tables and have engaged in diplomatic squabbles with some of the biggest rascals the world has ever seen. We talk about being honest and honorable, that we are all the children of God, and we must act like sons of God. Well, the Lord Jesus Christ never said anything like that. He once looked at a group of religious rulers and said to them, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do …” (John 8:44). Now I did not say that; gentle Jesus said that. Evidently there were some people in His day who were not sons of God. My friend, I think the Devil still has a lot of children running around in this world today. They are not all the sons of God! The only way you can become a son of God is through faith in Jesus Christ.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ [Gal. 3:27].
I hope you realize that this verse is not a reference to water baptism. Water baptism is ritual baptism, and I feel that it is for every believer. Also I believe that the mode of water baptism should be by immersion (in spite of the fact that I am an ordained Presbyterian preacher), because immersion more clearly pictures real baptism, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit places you in the body of believers. Paul says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). This means that we are identified, we are put in reality and truth into the body of believers, the church. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” God sees you in Christ. Therefore He sees you as perfect!
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus [Gal. 3:28].
In this body of believers “there is neither Jew nor Greek.” In Christ are no racial lines. Any man in Christ is my brother, and I don’t care about the color of his skin. It is the color of his heart that interests me. There are a lot of white people walking around with black hearts, my friend, and they are not my brothers. It is only in Christ Jesus that we are made one. Thank God, I receive letters from folk of every race. They call me brother and I call them brother—because we are brothers. We are one in Christ, and we will be together throughout eternity.
“There is neither bond nor free.” In our day, capital and labor are at odds with one another. The only thing that could bring them together is Christ, of course.
“There is neither male nor female.” Christ does what “women’s lib” can never do. He can make us one in Christ. How wonderful it is!
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise [Gal. 3:29].
How can we be Abraham’s descendants? Because of the fact that Abraham was saved by faith, and we are saved by faith. Abraham brought a little animal to sacrifice, which looked forward to the coming of the Son of God, the supreme sacrifice. In my day, Christ has already come, and I can look back in history and say, “Nineteen hundred years ago the Son of God came and died on the cross for me that I might have life, and I trust Him.” Some time ago I had the privilege of speaking to a group of wonderful Jewish folk, and I started by saying, “Well, it is always a privilege for me to speak to the sons of Abraham.” And they all smiled. Then I added, “Because I am a son of Abraham, too.” They didn’t all smile at that. In fact, some of them had a question mark on their faces, and rightly so. If I am in Christ and you are in Christ, then we belong to Abraham’s seed, and we are heirs according to the promise. How wonderful this is!
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Justification by faith; allegory of Haqar and Sarai
Chapter 4 continues the section of justification by faith. Here we see that there is something else that comes through faith in Christ that we could never get by the works of the Law: it gives us the position of sons of God. It brings us to the place of full-grown sons. When we start out in the Christian life, we are babes and we are to grow to maturation. However, God gives us the position of a full-grown son to furnish us with a capacity that we would not otherwise have.
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all [Gal. 4:1].
The word child in this verse is not the same as child in Galatians 3:26 where it is from the Greek word huios, meaning “son.” Here it is nepios, meaning a little child without full power of speech. “The heir, as long as he is a child (a little one in the family), differeth nothing from a servant.”
Again we will have to go back to the Roman customs to see Paul’s illustration in action. In a Roman home servants had charge of different possessions of the master. Some had charge of the chattels, others of the livestock, others kept books for him, and others had charge of his children. When a little one was born into the home, the servants cared for him and dressed him in playclothes so that he didn’t look any different from the children of the servants with whom he was playing. And he had to obey the servants just like the other children did.
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father [Gal. 4:2].
“Until the time appointed of the father.” What time was that? It was the time when the father recognized that his son was capable of making decisions of his own, and he brought him into the position of a full-grown son. Notice that it is the father who determined when his son reached the age of maturity. It wasn’t an arbitrary law as we have in our society. It used to be that a young person became of age at twenty-one; now it’s eighteen. I think that some folk are as mature at eighteen as they are at twenty-one. Also there are other folk who haven’t reached maturity at sixty-five. But in Paul’s day, it was the father who decided when the age of maturity was reached. Then they held a ceremony, known as the toga virilis, which gave him the position of a full-grown son in the family.
In a Roman home it must have worked something like this. Suppose the father is a centurion in Caesar’s army. Caesar carries on a campaign way up in Gaul, and the man is up there several years—because that is where our ancestors were, and believe me, they were heathen! So he has trouble with them. He has to put them down, and it takes several years to do it. Because the army is pushing back the frontier of the Roman Empire, the father of the home is away for several years. Finally he returns home. He goes in to shave, and all of a sudden you hear him yell out, “Who’s been using my razor?” Well, I tell you, all the servants come running, because he is the head of the house. They say to him, “Your son.” He says, “You mean to tell me that my boy is old enough to use a razor!” The boy has grown to be a great big fellow. And the father says, “Bring him here.” So they bring him in—he’s a fine strapping boy—and the father says, “Well, now we must have the toga virilis, and we’ll send out invitations to the grandmas, the grandpas, the aunts, and the uncles.” So they all come in for the ceremony of the toga virilis, and that day the father puts around the boy a toga, a robe. That is what our Lord meant in His parable of the Prodigal Son. When the boy came home the father didn’t receive him as just an ordinary son, he received him as a full-grown son, put the robe around him, and put a ring on his finger. The ring had on it the signet of his father, which was equivalent to his signature and gave him the father’s authority. You could see that boy walking down the street now with that robe on. The servant better not say anything to correct him now, and he’d better not try to paddle him now. In fact, he’ll be paddling the servant from here on because he has now reached the age of a full-grown son. That is what Paul meant when he went on to say:
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world [Gal. 4:3].
“Under the elements of the world” means under the Law. Paul is saying that it was the childhood of the nation Israel when they were under rules and regulations.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law [Gal. 4:4].
At the time determined by God, God the Father sent forth God the Son, born of a woman, born under the Law. Mary was a Jewish woman. Out here on the West Coast there is a woman who is saying that Jesus did not belong to any race. How absolutely puerile and senseless! It is an attempt to take a saccharine sweet position which has no meaning whatsoever. The woman at the well (as recorded in the fourth chapter of John’s gospel) knew more than the woman out here knows today. She said, “How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? …” (John 4:9, italics mine). She thought He was a Jew, and our Lord didn’t correct her; so I conclude that she was accurate. If you don’t mind, I’ll follow her rather than some of my contemporaries who try to play down the fact that Jesus, according to the flesh, was a Jew. He had a perfect humanity. He also was God manifest in the flesh. In my day that is being questioned. However, the only historical Jesus that we have is the One who is described in one of the oldest creeds of the church as “very man of very man and very God of very God.” I agree with that creed because it is exactly what the Word of God teaches.
Now what was God’s purpose in sending forth His Son?
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons [Gal. 4:5].
God had a twofold purpose: (1) To redeem those under the Law. They were children under the Law. You see, the Law never made anyone a son of God. (2) That they might receive the adoption of sons.
Adoption has a meaning different from that of our contemporary society. We think of it in relationship with a couple that may not have children of their own. They go to a home where there are children for adoption and see a precious little baby there. Their hearts go out to him, and they adopt him in their family by going through legal action. When the little one becomes their child we call that adoption. However, the Roman custom in Paul’s day was to adopt one’s own son. That, you recall, was what was done in the toga virilis ceremony. Adoption (the Greek word is huiothesia) means “to place as a son.” A believer is placed in the family of God as a full grown son, capable of understanding divine truth.
In 1 Corinthians 2:9–10 we read, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” This simply means that the truth in the Word of God can only be interpreted by the Spirit of God, and until He interprets it, man cannot understand it. The Holy Spirit alone can interpret the Word of God for us. That is what makes the difference today in certain men. A man can bring to the Word of God a brilliant mind. He can learn something about history, archaeology, and language. He can become an expert in Hebrew and Greek but can still miss the meaning. Why? Because the Spirit of God is the teacher. Even Isaiah the prophet said that: “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isa. 64:4). If you want to know about Christ, only the Spirit of God can reveal Him to you. Even a mature Christian who has been in the Word for years is as helpless in studying the Bible as a newborn babe in Christ, because the Spirit of God will have to teach each of them.
I hope you will pardon my using a personal illustration. The only way I know a lot of these things is by pouring them through my own hopper—experiencing these truths myself. When I first started my training for the ministry, I was the youngest one in my class. When my father died, I had to quit school for three or four years in order to go to work. At that time I was the youngest one in my class. When I started my training for the ministry, I had those years of high school to make up, and when I went back to school, I was the oldest one in my class. When I entered seminary, I found that I was very ignorant of the Bible. I had never seen a Bible in my home. I had never heard a prayer in my home. I did not know the books of the Bible. I was ignorant, friend. No one could have been more ignorant of the Word of God than I was, and I felt it. I had to spend a lot of time memorizing the books of the Bible and many other basic things that I did not know when I first started studying. I developed an inferiority complex. When I preached as a young man, and I saw people with gray hair in the congregation, I would say to myself, What I am going to say will be baby stuff for those folks because they really know the Bible. However, I really had my eyes opened. I found out that there are still many people with gray hair who are babes in Christ. They have never grown up. The great truth which was given to me at this time was that the Spirit of God could teach me as a young believer as much as He could teach a mature Christian. We both could understand it if the Spirit of God was our teacher. This was a brand new truth for me, and it was a great encouragement as I was starting out in the ministry.
My friend, if you are a new believer, the same Spirit of God who is teaching me can teach you. If you are God’s child, He has brought you into the position of a full-grown son, into the adoption. And, my friend, there is nothing quite as wonderful as that! That gave me confidence when I was a young believer and it gives me confidence to this good day. My friend, the Spirit of God will lead you and guide you into all truth if you want to know it, if you are willing for Him to be your teacher.
This brings us to the third thing that faith in Christ does for us that the Law could never do for us, which is the experience of sons of God.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father [Gal. 4:6].
“And because ye are sons” is a very strong statement.
Romans 8:16 says it this way, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children [the sons] of God.” Paul continues to say in Romans, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live [as sons]. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:11–14). If you are a child of God, you will want to be led by the Spirit of God. The flesh may get a victory in your life, but it will never make you happy. You will never be satisfied with it, because “… ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.” You don’t need to say, “My, I’m not living as I should live, and I wonder if I’m a child of God.” My friend, “ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:15–16). This passage in the Epistle to the Romans is the unabridged edition of the parallel passage in Galatians. I wanted you to see all of it.
The word Abba was not translated, I am told, because the translators of the King James Version had a great reverence for the Word of God. When they came to the word Abba, they didn’t dare translate it into English because it was such an intimate word. It could be translated “my daddy.” God is my wonderful heavenly Father, but I would hesitate to call Him “daddy.”
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ [Gal. 4:7].
The Spirit, therefore, gives us an experience of being a son of God, whereby we can cry out—not just saying the word or putting on a false “piosity”—and call God our Father, because the Spirit is bearing witness with our spirit. This gives us the experience of being a son of God.
There are many folk who believe that the only way you can have an experience is either by reaching a high degree of sanctification—you’ve got to become holy—or you have to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as they call it. They insist that if you don’t get up to that level, you will never have an experience. My friend, let me assure you, if you are a new believer or a weak believer, that you can have an experience as a son of God without reaching those levels, because sonship comes to you through faith in Jesus Christ. When folk have reached a high level of spirituality, they tend to think they are superior to the rest of us. However, we are always God’s foolish little children. We are always filled with ignorance and stubbornness and sin and fears and weaknesses. We are never wonderful; He is wonderful. The Lord Jesus is wonderful, and faith in Him will give us an experience. I believe in experience, and I feel that a great many folk today need an experience with God.
Paul Rader, who was one of the greatest preachers this country has ever produced, used some very striking expressions. One day on the platform he said, “The old nature that you and I have is just like an old dead cat. What you need to do is reach down and get that old dead cat by the tail and throw it as far away as you can.” I can say “amen” to that. I wish I could get rid of my old nature. One day Dr. Chafer heard him use this illustration, and he said to him afterward, “Paul, you forget that the old dead cat has nine lives. When you throw him away, he is going to be right back tomorrow.” We will never become perfect saints of God, but we can experience being sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Many times you and I plod along in our Christian lives, and we don’t have an experience with God. Sometimes life becomes very drab and a little monotonous. But there are other times, especially when God puts us on trial and really tests us, that we have a wonderful experience with our Heavenly Father.
I recall when I was taken to the hospital to be operated on for cancer. No one was ever as frightened as I was because I am a coward, and I don’t like hospitals. (I thank God for them, but I still don’t like them.) I put on that funny looking nightgown they give you that is open in the back instead of the front, and I was trying to get up into the bed. I just couldn’t make it. A nurse came in and said, “What’s the matter? Are you sick?” I said, “No, I’m scared to death!” Then, when she came to get me ready for the operation, I said, “Just let me have a few moments alone.” I had visited in that hospital many times as a pastor—in fact, several hundred times. Now I turned my face to the wall just like Hezekiah did and I said, “Lord, I want you to know that I have been here many times, and I have patted people on the hand and told them that You would be with them. As their pastor I prayed for them and then walked out. But I am not walking out today. I am going to have to stay and be operated on myself. I don’t know what the outcome will be.” I had some things I wanted to tell God. I wanted to tell Him how He ought to work it out. But I just welled up inside, and said, “My Father, I’m in Your hands. Whatever You want done, You do it. You’re my Father.” He was so wonderful to me. That is when He becomes a reality, my beloved. We need to experience Him as our Abba, Father. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children [sons] of God” (Rom. 8:16). Now, I don’t wish you any trouble, but I think it is generally in times of trouble that God makes Himself real to us. I hope that someday you will have such an experience with our wonderful heavenly Father.
There is one more illustration I want to use before I move on. John G. Paton was a pioneer missionary in the New Hebrides. He went to the mission field as a young man with a young bride. When their first child was born, the child died and the wife died. He buried them with his own hands. Because he was among cannibals, he sat over the grave for many days and nights to prevent them from digging up the bodies and eating them. His testimony was that if the Lord Jesus Christ had not made Himself real to him during that time, he would have gone mad.
God makes Himself real during times of distress. When Paul was in prison, he could say, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me …” (2 Tim. 4:16–17). The Lord stood by Paul. He stood by John Paton. He stood by me. He will stand by you. How reassuring it is to have a Father like that! At such a time He says, “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). I trust you are His son.
Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods [Gal. 4:8].
Paul is speaking of the fact that the Galatians had been idolaters. When I visited that Galatian country in Asia Minor, where the seven churches were located, I saw how completely the population then was given over to the worship of idols. Paul describes idols as vanities—“nothings.” In 1 Corinthians 12:2 Paul called them “dumb idols.” They were nothing and could say nothing. He is telling the Galatians that idols are not real and cannot make themselves real to those who worship them.
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? [Gal. 4:9].
“Known of God” actually means approved of God or to be acknowledged of God. They had come to Christ through faith and God accepts that. Most of the believers in the Galatian churches were Gentiles. Now that they were Christians, they were turning to the Mosaic Law, which is, as Paul says, like going back into the idolatry they came out of.
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years [Gal. 4:10].
“Ye observe days,” meaning the sabbath days. Paul said to the Colossians, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days” (Col. 2:16).
“Months” probably refers to the observance of the “new moon” practiced by the people of Israel in the time of the kings. The prophets warned them against it.
“Times” should be translated seasons, meaning feasts. God had given Israel seven feasts, but they all had pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Years” of course would refer to the sabbatic years. The observance of all these things would put these gentile believers completely back under the Mosaic Law.
Today I hear legalists claim they are keeping the Mosaic Law, yet they are keeping only the sabbath day. My friend, all the law comes in one package, including the sabbatic year and the Year of Jubilee. James in his epistle said, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). That is, he is guilty of being a lawbreaker.
I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain [Gal. 4:11].
Paul is saying, in a nice way, that he thinks he has wasted his time among them. Since they have been saved by grace, their returning to the Law is the same as returning to their former idolatry. He reminded them that they had not known God by means of the Mosaic Law but by faith in Jesus Christ.
We have come now to a personal section (vv. 12–18). It is a polite word that Paul is injecting in this epistle.
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all [Gal. 4:12].
“Be as I am” is better translated become as I am. The Galatians had been listening to false teachers, and they were looking upon Paul as an enemy because he told them the truth. Paul is saying, “We are all on the same plane. We are all believers, all in the body of Christ. In view of this we ought to be very polite to one another.”
Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first [Gal. 4:13].
Now Paul makes an appeal to them on the basis of his thorn in the flesh. What was that thorn? Let’s read on.
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus [Gal. 4:14].
“And my temptation which was in my flesh” means the trial, which elsewhere he calls his thorn in the flesh.
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me [Gal. 4:15].
Probably Paul’s thorn in the flesh was some sort of eye trouble, and it evidently made him very unattractive. I cannot conceive of them wanting to pluck out their eyes and give them to Paul if what he really needed was another leg. Apparently Paul had an eye disease which is common in that land and is characterized by excessive pus that runs out of the eyes. You can well understand how unattractive that would be to look at while he was ministering to them. Paul says, “You just ignored it, and received me so wonderfully when I preached the gospel to you.”
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? [Gal. 4:16].
I had always wanted to place on the pulpit, facing the preacher, the words, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” A very fine officer of the church I served in downtown Los Angeles did this for me after he heard me express this desire. There is another verse I wanted to place on the audience side of the pulpit, but I never had the nerve to do it. It is these words of Paul: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” As you know, many folk today really don’t want the preacher to tell the truth from the pulpit. They would much rather he would say something complimentary that would smooth their feathers and make them feel good. We all like to have our backs rubbed, and there is a lot of back-rubbing from the contemporary pulpit rather than the declaration of the truth.
They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you [Gal. 4:17–18].
These verses are more easily understood in the American Standard Version which says, “They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them. But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.” Paul is saying that it is good to seek that which is the very best, but these Judaizers are after you in order to scalp you. They want to put your scalp on their belt and be able to say, “We were over at Galatia, and we had so many converts”—which, of course, would not be actually true. Paul had somewhat the same thing to say to the Corinthian believers: “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (2 Cor. 12:12–15).
You see, this same crowd of Judaizers had gone to Corinth. The Corinthian believers had loved Paul also, and Paul had to warn them of these men. False teachers are often very attractive. I am amazed at the very fine presentation the cults make. I have watched them on television programs that are done to perfection. That is the subtle part of it. Everything is beautiful to look at, and those taking part are attractive individuals. Also they present a certain amount of truth. For example, I listened to a man who is a liberal give the Christmas story during the Christmas season. No one could have told it better than he did. It was an excellent presentation. But when he began to interpret it, I realized that he didn’t even believe in the virgin birth of Christ. You see, the warning of Paul both to the Galatian and Corinthian believers is very timely for our generation also.
ALLEGORY OF HAGAR AND SARAI
This chapter concludes with an allegory of Hagar and Sarai. All is contrast in this section between these two women. Hagar, and every reference to her under other figures of speech, represents the Law. Sarai, and every reference to her under other figures of speech, represents faith in Christ.
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you [Gal. 4:19].
Paul addresses his allegory to the Galatian believers by using this tender expression, “My little children”—children is the Greek word teknia, meaning “born ones.” Paul has a very tender heart, and he likens himself to a mother.
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you [Gal. 4:20].
Paul wanted to be present so that he could speak differently. He was deeply concerned about these people. He had been using strong language in his letter, but you can see his tender heart.
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? [Gal. 4:21].
There are people who talk about the Ten Commandments or some legal system, but they don’t talk about the penalty imposed by the Law. They don’t present the Law in the full orb of its ministry of condemnation. Notice what happened when God called Moses to the mountain to give the Law: “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish” (Exod. 19:16–21).
God told the people to stand back, actually to stand afar off, when He gave Moses the Law. Exodus 20:18–19 says, “And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
We cannot conceive of how holy God is. You and I are renegades in God’s universe. We are in the position of being lost sinners in God’s universe with no capacity to follow or obey Him. Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” The carnal mind is enmity against God. My friend, the world is against God; it is not for God. The world is not getting better. It is becoming more evil each day, and it has been bad since the day God put Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. Romans 8:7 goes on to say, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” No wonder the children of Israel trembled and moved away from the mountain and said, “We will die.”
Now, my friend, God is high and holy and lifted up, and He dwells in glory. You and I are down here making mud pies in the world because physically we are made out of mud. We creatures walk about here on earth and have the audacity to walk contrary to the will of God! The carnal mind is enmity against God. That is man’s position in the world.
Paul says, “Listen to the Law. You haven’t even heard it yet.” It was true. The Galatians had not actually heard the Law. The giving of the Law was not beautiful and cozy, but terrifying. The Galatians seemed to want to be under law so Paul was going to let them hear it.
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman [Gal. 4:22].
Using an illustration from the life of Abraham (Gen. 16; 17; 18; 20; 21), Paul is going to make a contrast between these two boys that were born, one to Hagar and one to Sarai. One was the son of a bondwoman; the other was the son of a freewoman. The freewoman represents grace, and the bondwoman represents the Mosaic Law. He is going to point out the contrast between them in what he calls an allegory.
Paul is not saying that the story of Abraham is an allegory—some have interpreted this statement as meaning that—but Paul is saying that the incident of the two women who bore Abraham sons contains an allegory. It has a message for us today.
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise [Gal. 4:23].
“He who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh.” The Code of Hammurabi, which governed the culture in Abraham’s day, stated that the son of a slave woman was a slave. So even though Ishmael was Abraham’s son, he was a slave.
“He of the freewoman was by promise.” Isaac was a miracle child, that is, his birth was miraculous. Abraham was too old to father a child, and Paul says that the womb of Sarai was dead. She had passed the age of childbearing. The womb of Sarai was like a tomb, and out of death God brought life.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar [Gal. 4:24].
“Which things are an allegory,” meaning that these events in Abraham’s life contain an allegory. Paul is going to draw a lesson from it.
“For these are the two covenants”—the first is the covenant of the Law which Moses received from God on Mount Sinai.
“Which is Agar” (Agar is the Greek form of the name Hagar). Paul compares Hagar to Mount Sinai which is synonymous with the Mosaic Law.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children [Gal. 4:25].
In Paul’s allegory Hagar is Mount Sinai which corresponds to Jerusalem (the earthly Jerusalem of Paul’s day), because she was still in slavery with her children. In other words, Jerusalem (representing the nation of Israel) was still under the bondage of the Law.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all [Gal. 4:26].
“Jerusalem which is above” is the New Jerusalem which is presented to us in the twentieth chapter of Revelation as it comes down from God out of heaven. As old Jerusalem is the mother city of those under the law, so the New Jerusalem is the mother city of the believer under grace. The believer neither here nor hereafter has any connection with legalism.
For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband [Gal. 4:27].
From Sarai (who was barren until the birth of Isaac) there came more descendants than ever came from Hagar. Today the Arabs are fewer than the children of Israel. In this allegory, Paul is saying that God is saving under grace more members of the human family than He ever saved under the Mosaic Law by the sacrificial system.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise [Gal. 4:28].
Believers today are also children of promise. Our birth is a new birth, which comes about by our believing God’s promise: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God has said that if we trust Him, we’ll be born again. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23).
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now [Gal. 4:29].
My friend, the legalist hates the gospel of the free grace of God. When I was first ordained to the ministry, I preached a sermon on prophecy and made the comment that preaching on prophecy would get me into trouble. After the service, an elder came to me and said, “Vernon, you are mistaken. Preaching on prophecy will never get you into trouble. In fact, you’ll generally get a good crowd. People like to hear prophecy. But if you preach the grace of God, you’re going to get into trouble.” This is the reason that the gospel is trimmed down as it is today. I hear very little gospel, that is, the pure grace of God, preached these days. And I know why—if you preach that, you get a barrage of criticism. Folk insist that I have to also do something or seek something from another source—from the Holy Spirit, for instance, or go through some ceremony in order to receive something that I did not get when I trusted Jesus Christ. My friend, to say that is calling Christ a curse. If you have to add anything to what He did for you, then His death on the cross was in vain. Christ was made a curse for us; but if you don’t accept what He did for you, you are saying that you are not guilty, but that He is guilty. These words of Paul are as relevant in our day as they were in his day: “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” The natural man hates the gospel of the grace of God. My friend, it is in us to hate it, because it doesn’t require any doing on our part. Rather, it glorifies Christ and turns our eyes to Him.
Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman [Gal. 4:30].
God commanded the expulsion of the bondwoman and her son (see Gen. 21:10). Today God is saying to you and to me, “Get rid of your legalism. Put all of the emphasis on Jesus Christ.”
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free [Gal. 4:31].
Abraham could not have both the son of Hagar and the son of Sarai. He had to make a choice. Paul is saying that you can’t be saved by law and grace. You have to make a choice. If you try to be saved by Christ and also by law, you are not saved.
Let me ask you, have you really trusted Christ, or are you carrying a spare tire on your little omnibus; that is, do you feel that you are doing something or being something or trying to attain to something which adds to what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross? If you do, forget it and look to Christ alone; receive everything from Him. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is to receive all praise and glory.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Sanctification by the Spirit; saved by faith and living by law perpetrates falling from grace; saved by faith and walking in the Spirit produces fruit of the Spirit
SANCTIFICATION BY THE SPIRIT
This brings us to the third major division in Galatians after the Introduction. The first section was personal, and it was important for us to know the personal experience Paul had had. Following this was the doctrinal section of justification by faith in which Paul insisted that our salvation must rest upon God’s salvation and that there is only one gospel.
We come now to the practical side, which is sanctification by the Spirit. Justification is by faith; sanctification is by the Spirit of God. Scripture tells us, however, that the Lord Jesus Christ has been made unto us sanctification—that is, God sees us complete in Him. Regardless of how good you become, you will never meet His standard. You will never be like Christ in this life. Christ is the only One about whom God said, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). But the body of believers, the church, has been put in Christ. He is the Head of the body; those of us who are believers are His body in the world today—and we should represent Him, by the way.
The method of sanctification is by the Spirit. In this section we see the Spirit versus the flesh. Either it is a do-it-yourself Christian life or somebody else will have to do it through you. His method is doing it through you.
In this section we see liberty versus bondage. Any legal system puts you under bondage, and you have to follow it meticulously.
Let me illustrate this from my own experience with civil law with which all of us are familiar.
As I was driving my car early one Sunday morning, I came to a corner where there was a stop sign. It was so early, no one else was out; I looked up and down the street, but I didn’t stop—I just crawled through. A traffic officer appeared behind me; he came up to me and asked, “Did you see that stop sign?” I said, “Yes, I saw the sign; I just didn’t see you!” Then he asked, “Do you know what that sign means?” And he proceeded to give me a primary lesson in law. He said, “Stop means stop.” Well, I already knew that; I just wasn’t doing it. Believe me, the law puts you in bondage. And if you are going to drive a car, you had better be under law, because a lot of folk drive through stop signs and cause accidents. Stop means stop. I agreed with him on everything except one: I didn’t think I deserved a ticket. I argued with him about that. And he was a very nice fellow; he saw my point. He said, “Well, I grant you that there is nobody out this morning, but hereafter you stop. Will you?” I assured him that I would stop. Ever since then, even if it is early Sunday morning, I stop at that sign—and wherever I see a stop sign. Now that is legalism. It is an example of legalism that we all understand.
SAVED BY FAITH AND LIVING BY LAW PERPETRATES FALLING FROM GRACE
Paul begins on the note of liberty which we have in Christ. His subject in these first fifteen verses is “Saved by faith and living by law perpetrates falling from grace.” This is what it means to fall from grace: you are saved by faith, then you drop down to a law level to live. We will see this illustrated as we move into this section.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage [Gal. 5:1].
He is saying here that not only are we saved by faith rather than by law, but law is not to be the rule of life for the believer. We are not to live by law at all. The law principle is not the rule for Christian living. Paul is saying that since we have been saved by grace we are to continue on in this way of living. Grace supplies the indwelling and filling of the Spirit to enable us to live on a higher plane than law demanded. This all is our portion when we trust Christ as Savior. It is in Christ that we receive everything—salvation and sanctification. Don’t tell me I need to seek a second blessing. When I came to Christ, I got everything I needed. Paul tells me that I have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Let’s believe Him and start trusting. Let’s stop trying some legal system or rote of rules.
We have a liberty in Christ. He does not put us under some little legal system. We do not use the Ten Commandments as a law of life. I don’t mean we are to break the Ten Commandments—I think we all understand that breaking most of them (i.e., thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, etc.) would lead to our arrest by local authorities. Certainly Christians do not break the Commandments, but we are called to a higher level to live. That level is where there is liberty in Christ. I have a liberty in Jesus Christ, and that liberty is not a rule, but a principle. It is that I am to please Him. My conduct should be to please Jesus Christ—not to please you, not to please any organization, but only to please Him. That is the liberty that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing [Gal. 5:2].
Circumcision was the badge of the Law. A badge indicates to what organization or lodge you belong. Perhaps Christians should wear a badge because that is about the only way you could tell that some people are Christians. But Paul says that if you so much as put on the badge of the Law, which is circumcision, then Christ does not profit you anything.
Let me use a homely illustration to prove the point. Years ago a tonic called Hadacol was advertised. I don’t think it is sold any more. I am not sure of the details, but they found it was about seventy-five percent alcohol. A lot of people were using it. The company that made it was giving out glowing testimonials about its product. Now suppose a testimonial read something like this: “I took 513 bottles of your medicine. Before I began using Hadacol, I could not walk. Now I am able to run, and I am actually able to fly! I really have improved. But I think you ought to know that during that time I also concocted a bottle of my own medicine and used it also.” Now, my friend, that final sentence certainly muddied the water. There is no way to tell if it was the 513 bottles of Hadacol that cured him or his own concoction. The minute you put something else into the formula, you are not sure.
Now notice carefully what Paul is saying. If you trust Christ plus something else you are not saved. If you go so far as to be circumcised, which is only the badge of the Law, or if you go through some other experience and rest your salvation on that, “Christ shall profit you nothing.” How can He profit you anything when you have made up a bottle of your own concoction rather than trusting Him alone for your salvation?
The way Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer put it always impressed me. It was something like this: “I want to so trust Christ that when I come into His presence and He asks me, ‘Why are you here?’ I can say, ‘I am here because I trusted You as my Savior.’ If He asked me, ‘Well, that is commendable, but what have you done? I happen to know that you were president of a seminary, and that you were baptized. You were also a member of a church. You did many fine things during your ministry,’ then I would reply, ‘It is all true, but I never trusted in any of it for salvation. I trusted only You, my Lord.’” My friend, is that the way you are trusting Christ? Paul makes it very strong when he says, “if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” If you trust anything other than Christ, you are not a Christian.
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law [Gal. 5:3].
You cannot draw out of the Law just those things that you like. You cannot leave out the penalties and a great deal of the detail. You must take the whole Law or nothing. I am delighted that I am not under the Law. I have liberty in Christ! I must confess that I have a problem of always pleasing Him, but He is the One I am trying to please. I am not following some legal system. “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.”
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace [Gal. 5:4].
If you have been saved by trusting Christ, then go down to the low level of living by the Law, you have fallen from grace. This is what “falling from grace” actually means. I can remember as a student in a denominational seminary hearing one theologian say, “Falling from grace is the doctrine which the Methodists believe and the Presbyterians practice.” However, falling from grace does not mean falling into some open sin or careless conduct, and by so doing forfeiting your salvation so that you have to be saved all over again. It has no reference to that at all. “Falling from grace” is the opposite of “once saved always saved,” although both expressions are unfortunate terminology. Paul deals with this matter of falling from grace in the remainder of this chapter. He also deals with it in his Epistle to the Romans. In Romans he begins with man in the place of total bankruptcy—without righteousness, completely depraved, as unprofitable as rotten fruit. Man is a sinner before God. Then at the conclusion of Romans you see man in the service of God and being admonished to perform certain things. Not only is he admonished to perform certain things, he is completely separated to God, and he must be obedient to God.
There are two mighty works of God which stand between the man in his fallen condition and man in service to God. These are: salvation and sanctification. As we have seen, salvation is justification by faith. That is all-important. Sanctification means that after you are saved you are to come up to a new plane of living. I think the greatest fallacy is to believe that service is essential in the Christian life, that you must get busy immediately. The early church was more concerned with its manner of life, and that life was a witness to the world. Today the outside world is looking at the church and passing it by because we are busy, as busy as termites, but we do not have lives to back up our witness. Rather than concentrating on trying to do good, we ought to live “good.” If we are pleasing Christ, we will be doing good also. I think there is more about sanctification in the Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians than anything else.
Now how does God make a saved sinner good? Well, He gives him a new nature. Then he is to keep the Law? Oh, no. Emphatically no. This doesn’t mean he is to break the Law, but he is called to live on a higher plane. There is no good in the old nature. Paul found that out, and he also found out from experience that there is no power in the new nature. As to salvation, he said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing,” and he also found out, “… to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18, italics mine). And he cries out as a saved man, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). He is not afraid that he is going to lose his salvation, but he is a defeated Christian. God gives a new principle. We will find in this chapter that the new principle is the fruit of the Spirit.
Living the Christian life by this method for some Christians is as farfetched as living on the moon! They never expect to live there. Perhaps they have never even heard about the possibility. My friend, this is the life He wants us to live—by faith. We are saved by grace; we are to live by grace.
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith [Gal. 5:5].
“The hope of righteousness” is the only prophetic reference in the entire epistle. This is quite remarkable, because in all Paul’s epistles he has something to say about the rapture of the church or about Christ’s coming to earth to establish His kingdom. But here in Galatians he says only this: “the hope of righteousness by faith,” and the hope of righteousness is the Lord Jesus Christ. The only hope is the blessed hope, and Christ is made unto us righteousness.
As I have pointed out, the Epistle to the Galatians was very important to Martin Luther and to the other reformers. This is one of the reasons, I am confident, that they spent so little time on prophecy.
All the schools of prophecy—the premillennialists, the amillennialists, and the postmillennialists have quoted Martin Luther and the other reformers on this matter of prophecy. But I do not think that there was any development of prophecy beyond what the early church wrote until the twentieth century. In this twentieth century there has been tremendous development in prophecy. The Bible institutes were probably the beginning of this movement, then two or three of our seminaries that have emphasized the premillennial position have forced the others to study prophecy. Actually, amillennialists are just a group of the postmillennialists who were forced into the study of prophecy and came up with the theory of amillennialism. Of course, they have been great at quoting the fathers of the postapostolic period. They say, Augustine said thus and so, and he did say it. He was attempting to build the kingdom here, that is, the church was going to bring in the kingdom. This led to postmillennialism, which was, of course, a false position. I don’t feel that we should criticize Augustine for that since he was living in a day when the study of prophecy was not developed. The person of Christ was the great subject during his time, as salvation was the great subject later on.
Therefore the fact that Paul has only this brief reference to prophecy in his Epistle to the Galatians is understandable, since his emphasis is on the gospel and the Christian life. It is important to note the priorities in any book of the Bible and also the priorities that were in existence in any given period. Failing to do this leads to misinterpretation and misunderstanding which is the case in quoting church fathers on the matter of prophecy. After all, the authorities on prophecy are Paul, Peter, James, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We need to note what they have written on the subject of prophecy. But to the Galatians Paul writes simply, “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” I think Paul’s reason for saying this here is that believers are not going to reach perfection in this life. And the greatest imperfection I know of today is to think you have reached perfection. Folk who think they are perfect are imperfect like the rest of us—but they don’t know it.
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love [Gal. 5:6].
No legal apparatus will produce a Christian life. The formula is simple: “faith which worketh by love.” As we advance in Galatians, Paul will give us the modus operandi, but let us remember that it is a simple formula: “Faith which worketh by love.” That is the way to live the Christian life. Faith will work by love. Love will be the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? [Gal. 5:7].
Paul chides the Galatians. He is giving them a gentle rebuke. They were doing excellently until the Judaizers came along. “The truth” is the gospel, of course, and the Lord Jesus Christ in person.
This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you [Gal. 5:8].
It didn’t come from Christ but from a different source.
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump [Gal. 5:9].
In Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, leaven is always used as a principle of evil. In Matthew 13:33, when the woman hid leaven in three measures of meal, the leaven was not the gospel. It may be the kind of a “gospel” that is passing around today as legal tender, but it is still evil. In fact, Paul says that it is no gospel at all. The Lord Jesus warned His disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees (see Matt. 16:6). I think we need to be warned today of the leaven of legalism. It is an awful thing. Legalism says that when Christ died on the cross for you and me over nineteen hundred years ago, He did not give us a full package of salvation, but that I have to go through a ritual of baptism or seek something else from the Holy Spirit to get the rest of it. My friend, I received it all when I accepted Christ. Now I may have experiences after I am saved, but that does not add to my salvation. Christ is the One who wrought out our salvation. The Lord Jesus said that the woman would take the leaven and hide it in three measures of meal, symbolic of the gospel. In other words, leaven has been hidden in the gospel—and that makes it palatable to the natural man.
I was brought up in the South, and I never knew there was any kind of biscuits but hot biscuits. My mother used to bake them every day. Even yet I can see those biscuits in the dough stage, rising on the back of the stove. When they reached a certain height, she stuck them in the oven. They had leaven in them. When the biscuits were done, I would put butter and honey on them. There was nothing better! That is still my favorite dessert. There is a lot of leaven being put in the gospel today to make it more palatable. Natural man likes the leavened bread. It tastes good. However, we are warned not to do that.
I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be [Gal. 5:10].
Paul believed that the Galatians would ultimately reject the teaching of the Judaizers. He says, “I have confidence in you” that when you get your feet back on the ground, and your heads out of the clouds, you will return to the gospel that was preached to you, and you will see that the teaching of the Judaizers was an intrusion, that it was leaven.
And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased [Gal. 5:11].
This verse is important to note. Paul asks, “If I preach circumcision, why am I persecuted?” Adding something to the gospel makes it acceptable. The gospel, by itself, is not acceptable to the natural man. Preaching the gospel does antagonize some folk. Paul asks, “If I am including something else in the gospel, why am I being persecuted?”
“Then is the offence of the cross ceased.” Actually, the cross of Christ is an offense to all that man prides himself in. It is an offense to his morality because it tells him his work cannot justify him. It is an offense to his philosophy because its appeal is to faith and not to reason. It is an offense to the culture of man because its truths are revealed to babes. It is an offense to his sense of caste because God chooses the poor and humble. It is an offense to his will because it calls for an unconditional surrender. It is an offense to his pride because it shows the exceeding sinfulness of the human heart. And it is an offense to himself because it tells him he must be born again. You know, that was almost insulting to the Pharisee Nicodemus that night when Jesus told him, religious as he was, that he must be born again. For the same reason, a lot of ministers who are preaching the New Birth get in trouble with their congregations. Some members don’t want to be born again—they feel like they’re good enough as they are. It’s an insult to them. The Cross is an offense, but we need to guard against magnifying it.
One of my professors in seminary said a very wise thing. He said, “Young gentlemen, do not tone down the gospel, do not change it, because there is the offense of the Cross. You need to recognize it, but don’t magnify the offense.” Sometimes we become offensive in the way we give the gospel—may the Lord forgive us for doing that. When I was a pastor, a man on my staff antagonized a family and caused them to leave the church. I said to him, “Now look, you and I are not to antagonize people. If anything antagonizes them, let it be the gospel I preach—not you or me, but the gospel.”
I would they were even cut off which trouble you [Gal. 5:12].
I wish these Judaizers were removed from you.
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another [Gal. 5:13].
There are three methods of trying to live the Christian life—two of them will not work. One is a life of legalism, which Paul has been discussing. The other is the life of license, which Paul discussed in Romans 6: After we are saved by grace, can we live in sin? Paul’s answer is, “God forbid.” You can’t live in sin and be a Christian. Now you may fall into sin, but you will get out of it. The Prodigal Son can get in the pig pen, but he won’t settle down there—the pig pen won’t be his forwarding address. He will leave it. The Christian life is neither the life of legalism nor the life of license.
The third method of living the Christian life is the life of liberty, and in the remainder of this chapter he will give us the modus operandi for living by liberty. The life of legalism includes not only the Ten Commandments, but a set of regulations that Bible believers follow today. They tell you where you can’t go, and what you can’t do. I remember a wonderful woman who was a Bible teacher in Texas. She did an outstanding job of teaching the Bible. One day a dear little saint came up to me and asked, “Do you think she is really a Christian? She uses makeup!” Who in the world ever said that makeup was a test of whether or not a person is a Christian? I told this dear saint that the Bible teacher was living under liberty. She might have been using too much makeup, but at her age she probably needed to spread it on a little thicker. Candidly, I do not think it helps her too much, but she has liberty in Christ. Whether you eat meat or do not eat meat won’t commend you to God. Whether you use makeup or don’t use makeup won’t commend you to God. Paul is saying that you can keep every commandment and still not live the Christian life. Even if you kept all Ten Commandments and followed every commandment others put down for you to live by, you still would not be living the Christian life. Also there are the antinomians who think they can do as they please and be living the Christian life. These folk are as extreme as the legalists. The Christian life is not either one; it is liberty in Christ.
“Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.” What does the gospel of grace do for the believer? It is grace, not law, that frees us from doing wrong and allows us to do right. Grace does not set us free to sin, but it sets us free from sin. You see, the believer should desire to please God, not because he must please Him like a slave, but because he is a son and he wills to please his Father. He does what God wants, not because he fears to do otherwise like an enemy, but because he wants to do it, for God is his friend. God is the One who loves him. He serves God, not because of pressure from without such as the Law, but because of a great principle within—even the life of Christ that is within him.
We serve God because we love Him. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (see John 14:15). I have often wondered if a disciple had said, “I don’t love You,” would our Lord have said, “Then forget about My commandments”? The whole basis of obedience is a love relationship to Him. The Law never could bring us to that place. It was negative to begin with. It produced a negative goodness—which is the kind of goodness a great many people have today. Oh, if I could only get this truth through to a great many of the saints! Your negative goodness is a legal goodness. You can say, “I don’t do this and I don’t do that.” But what do you do? My friend, all legal systems produce only negative goodness. They never rise to the sphere of positive goodness where one does things to please God for the very love of pleasing Him. He wants us to serve Him on that kind of basis.
Now Paul is going to reduce it to a simple statement, then he will amplify what he means.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself [Gal. 5:14].
Here the Law is reduced to the lowest common denominator. This is the acid test for those who think they are living by the Law. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” The “one word” is love.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another [Gal. 5:15].
I have always wanted to preach a sermon on this text, and I would entitle it “Christian Cannibals.” Did you know that in many churches today the Christians bite, eat, and devour one another? And the bite is as bad as that of a mad dog. There is nothing you can take that will cure the wound. All you can do is suffer. There are a lot of mad dogs running around today. They will bite and devour you. Unfortunately, the world has passed by the church in our day, and I’m sorry it has because there are many fine people in our churches and many wonderful preachers throughout this country. But the lives of some Christians are keeping the world away from certain churches. I personally know examples of this. I know churches in which the Christians have no love for each other, but they bite and devour one another. It is a terrible thing!
SAVED BY FAITH AND WALKING IN THE SPIRIT PRODUCES FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Now Paul is going to contrast what it is to live in the desires of the flesh with the walk in the Spirit. This whole section gives the modus operandi.
As we enter this important section, I want to make a recapitulation and tie it in with what we have had. In this section the theme is sanctification by the Spirit. Paul has told us that we are to “stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (v. 1). From what has Christ set us free? Paul has already mentioned several things in this epistle. In chapter 1, verse 4, he tells us that Christ has set us free from this present evil world. That is, we don’t have to serve it. Then in chapter 2, verse 20, he says, “I live; yet not I.” You and I cannot live the Christian life, but Christ can live it in us. What wonderful liberty! In chapter 3, verse 13, he tells us that we have been delivered from the curse of the Law. We have been delivered from the judgment and the condemnation of the Law. In fact, we have been delivered from the very Law itself: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4–5).
Now Paul is going to contrast what it is to live in the desires of the flesh with the life of walking in the Spirit. Here is his injunction.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh [Gal. 5:16].
This verse states the great principle of Christian living—walk by means of the Spirit. The word for walk is peripateoµ, which means just “to walk up and down.” This Greek word was used for a school of philosophy in Athens, Greece, in which the founder walked up and down as he taught. The principle for us is walking in the Spirit. If we do, we will not “fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
The word lust in our usage today has an evil connotation, which the Greek word does not have. Lust of the flesh refers to the desires of the flesh, many of which are not immoral, but are of the flesh (music, art, and works of dogooders, etc.). There are many things which in themselves are not evil, but they can take the place of spiritual things. Some Christians can get wrapped up in a hobby which takes them away from the Word of God. Many Christians spend a lot of time worshiping before that little idiot box we call TV. Now don’t misunderstand—I watch TV. I am not under any law that says I can’t watch TV. There are a few programs one can enjoy. But watching TV is a desire of the flesh. If it takes you away from that which is spiritual, then it is wrong.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would [Gal. 5:17].
A transliteration of this verse will help convey the meaning: “For the flesh warreth against the Spirit, and the Spirit warreth against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” that is, the things that the old nature wanted to do. This is very important to see—the flesh wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit wars against the flesh.
A believer has a new nature. This is what our Lord said to Nicodemus when He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). The believer still has that old nature of the flesh, and he won’t get rid of it in this life. The idea that we can get rid of that old nature is a tragic mistake. John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). My friend, if the truth is not in you, then you must be a liar. That puts the “perfect” individual in the position of being a liar.
We have two natures—the old and the new. That is what Paul describes in the last part of Romans. He himself experienced the turmoil of two natures, and this has also been the experience of many believers. The flesh wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit wars against the flesh. Therefore, we cannot do the things that we would like to do. The new nature rebels against the old nature. They are contrary; they are at war with each other. Have you experienced this in your own life?
There is a song we sing entitled “Come Thou Fount” by Robert Robinson.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
It is a wonderful hymn. In the last stanza are these words:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
After this song was written, someone looked at it and said, “That is not my experience—I’ll change that.” So in some hymnbooks we find these words:
Prone to worship, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to love the God I serve.
Which is true? Well, both are true. I have a nature that is prone to wander, prone to leave the God I love. There are times when this old nature of mine wants to wander away from the Lord! Have you had this experience? Also I have a new nature that is prone to worship the Lord. There are times when I am riding along alone in my car, and I just cry out to Him, “Oh, Lord, how wonderful You are! I love You and worship You.” That is the expression of my new nature; my old nature never gets around to praising Him or loving Him. Every believer has an old and a new nature.
There are folk who say, “Well, I can’t tell whether I am walking in the Spirit or not.” Don’t kid yourself about this. You can know. Paul has spelled it out here so that you cannot miss it.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law [Gal. 5:18].
The Holy Spirit of God brings us to a higher plane.
Now Paul makes clear what the works of the flesh are:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God [Gal. 5:19–21].
This is an ugly brood of sensual sins, religious sins, social sins, and personal sins.
Sensual Sins
Adultery—omitted from the best manuscripts, included in fornication
Fornication—prostitution
Uncleanness—(akatharsia) impurity, sexual sins including pornography
Lasciviousness—brutality, sadism (we see this abounding in our day)
Religious Sins
Idolatry—worship of idols (this includes money and everything that takes the place of God)
Witchcraft—(pharmakeia) drugs (drugs are used in all heathen religions)
Hatred—enmity
Variances—eris (The Greek Eris was the goddess of strife) contentions, quarrels
Social Sins
Emulations—(zelos) rivalry, jealousy
Wrath—(thumos) a hot temper
Strife—factions, cliques (little cliques in a church hurt the cause of Christ)
Seditions—divisions
Heresies—parties, sects
Envyings—(phthonos)
Murders—omitted from the best manuscripts probably because it is included in other sins mentioned here. The Lord said if you hate you are guilty of murder
Personal Sins
Drunkenness
Revelings, wantonness
Notice that Paul concludes this list of the works of the flesh by “and such like,” which means there are many others he could have mentioned.
“They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” “Which do” indicates continuous action. Our Lord gave the illustration of the Prodigal Son who got down in the pig pen but didn’t stay there. The only ones that stay in a pig pen are pigs. If a son gets there, he will be very unhappy until he gets out. If you can continue to live in sin, you are in a dangerous position. It means you are not a child of God.
Now, having listed the works of the flesh, Paul will list the fruit of the Spirit. Notice the contrast: works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit. The works of the flesh are what you do. The Ten Commandments were given to control the flesh. But now the Christian life is to produce the fru
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law [Gal. 5:22–23].
The Lord Jesus Christ talked about the fruit of the Spirit in John 15. He said that without Him we could do nothing. And fruit is what He wants in our lives. He wants fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. In His parable of the sower, He spoke of seed bringing forth thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and an hundredfold (see Matt. 13). He wants us to bear much fruit. Now the fruit is produced by the Lord Jesus using the Spirit of God in our lives. He wants to live His life through us. That is the reason I keep saying that you are never asked to live the Christian life. You are asked to let Him live through you. No believer can live the Christian life himself. The old nature cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit.
Paul makes it clear in Romans 7:18 that the new nature has no power to produce the fruit of the Spirit. He said, “… to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” That is the problem with many of us. How do you do it? This is not a do-it-yourself operation. But how are we going to let the Spirit of God produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?
The subject of fruit bearing is an interesting one. When speaking about it, I like to use the illustration of my ranch. I have a ranch in Pasadena. It is not what you would call a big ranch. It is 72 feet wide and goes back about 123 feet. My house is right in the middle of it. I have a nice nectarine tree out in front, which really produces fruit. I have three orange trees, four avocado trees, a lemon tree, and a few other trees. There is never a period during the year in California that I do not have some fruit on some tree. I have observed that fruit is produced by the tree, not by self-effort. As far as I can tell, the branches never get together and say, “Let’s all work hard and see what we can do for this fellow, McGee, because he likes fruit.” I do enjoy fruit but, as far as I can tell, these branches that bear fruit just open up themselves to the sunshine and to the rain. Bloom appears, then the little green fruit forms, grows, and then ripens.
Another thing that I have noticed is that the limbs never leave the trunk of the tree—they don’t get down and run around. Our Lord said, “… As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” (John 15:4). Our problem is that we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, but when the altar gets hot, we crawl off. We are to abide in Christ if we are to produce fruit.
Paul is stating the principle of fruit-bearing so that we can understand it. The fruit is produced by yielding—by yielding to the sweet influences that are about us. I am not talking about the world and neither is Paul. We are to yield to the Holy Spirit who indwells us. The Holy Spirit wants to produce fruit—it is called the fruit of the Spirit.
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.” Notice it is singular: is, not are. You can argue about the grammar used here, but it happens to be singular in the Greek. This indicates that love is the fruit, and from it stems all other fruits. Love is primary.
Paul says that without love we “… become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). First Corinthians 13 was never intended to be removed from the Bible, beautifully framed, and hung on the wall. It belongs to the gifts of the Spirit, and the gifts are not to be exercised except by the fruit of the Spirit, which is love. You cannot exercise a gift without doing it by the fruit of the Spirit. Love is all-important. Paul continues to say in 1 Corinthians 13 that if you give your body to be burned and give everything that you have, but don’t have love, you are a nothing. We need to recognize the importance of what Paul is saying.
Another thing that Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 is that “love never seeks its own.” Love is always doing something for others. A gift is always to be exercised in the church. It is a manifestation of the Spirit to all believers. All believers have a gift, and it is to be exercised for the profit of the body of believers. My eyes operate for the benefit of the rest of my body. They guide my body in the right direction. They are important. I cannot imagine my eyes walking out on the rest of my body and saying, “We like looking around, and your feet get tired, so we are going to leave you for awhile.” They never do that. We need to recognize that no gift apart from the fruit of the Spirit is to be exercised—and that fruit is love. This is the kind of fruit the Lord Jesus was talking about in John 15. The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (vv. 22–23).
There is “no law” against them, and no law which will produce them. You cannot produce any of these by your own effort. Have you ever tried being meek, for instance? If you tried being meek, and accomplished it, you would be proud that you became meek, and then you would lose your meekness and humility.
For a moment let us look at the fruit of the Spirit. It should characterize the lives of believers. I used to hear the late Dr. Jim McGinley say, “I am not to judge you, but I am a fruit inspector, and I have a right to look at the fruit you are producing.” The question is, are you producing any fruit in your life?
Now love ought to be in your heart and life if you are a believer. But, friend, if there are sensual sins in your life, you will never know what real love is. There are many young people today who know a great deal about sex, but they know nothing about love. Love is a fruit of the Spirit, and God will give this love to a husband for his wife, and to the wife for her husband. I don’t think anyone can love like two Christians can love. My, how they can love each other!
I shall never forget the night I proposed to my wife. She did not accept me that night, but when she did, we had prayer and dedicated our lives to the Lord. I told her, “I am a preacher who speaks out plainly. I may get into trouble some day. We may find ourselves out on the street.” I shall never forget what she said to me: “Well, I’ll just beat the drum for you if you have to get out on the street!” That is love on a higher plane.
When we lost our first little girl, I did not want the doctor to tell my wife—I wanted to tell her. When I gave her the news, we wept together and then we prayed. Love like that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Joy is a fruit that the Lord Jesus wants you to have in your life. He came that we might have joy—that we might have fun. I wish we had more fun times in our churches today. The world has what they call the “happy hour” in cocktail parlors all across our land. People don’t look too happy when they go in, and they sure don’t look happy when they come out! They are a bunch of sots, if you please. That’s not joy. John says, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). These things were written that you might really enjoy life. Are you really living it up today, friend? I hope you are as a believer.
The third fruit is peace, the peace of God. Religion can never give this to you. Only Christ can give you deep-down peace—“… being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
There are some other fruits. Are you longsuffering—that is, patient and long tempered? This is an area where I need some help, and only the Spirit of God can do it. I found out that I cannot do it.
Then there is the fruit of gentleness, which means kindness; there is goodness, which means kind but firm.
Faith, in this list, means faithfulness. If you are a child of God, you will be faithful. If you are married, you will be faithful to your husband or wife. If you are an employee, you are going to be faithful to your job and to your boss. If you are a church member, you are going to be faithful to your church. You are going to be faithful wherever you are and in whatever you do.
Next comes meekness, and that does not mean mildness. Two men who were truly meek were Moses and the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps you don’t think Moses was meek when he came down from the Mount, found the people were worshiping a golden calf, and administered disciplinary judgment (see Exod. 32). But he was meek. Was Jesus meek when He ran the money-changers out of the temple? Meekness is not mildness and it is not weakness. Meekness means that you will do God’s will, that you are willing to yield your will to the will of God. Finally, there is temperance, which is self-control—Christian poise is so needed today.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts [Gal. 5:24].
When was the flesh crucified? When they reckon that when Christ died, they died, they will yield themselves on that basis. In Romans 6:13 Paul says, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). In all of these passages the thought is that when Christ was crucified, the believer was crucified at the same time. The believer is now joined to the living Christ, and the victory is not by struggling but by surrendering to Christ. The scriptural word is yield; it is an act of the will.
This is the key to it all:
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit [Gal. 5:25].
A professor in a theological seminary called my attention to the word walk in this verse several years ago, and it has meant a great deal to me. As you recall, back in verse 16 a “walk in the Spirit” is parapateoµ, but here “walk” is a different Greek word. It is stoichomen, which is basic and elemental, meaning “to proceed or step in order.” In verse 16 we were given the principle of walk; here in verse 25 it means to learn to walk. Just as we learned to walk physically by the trial and error method, so are we to begin to walk by the Spirit—it is a learning process.
Let me illustrate this principle with a ridiculous illustration. What is walking? Walking is putting one foot in front of the other. You may have heard about the knock-kneed girl. One knee said to the other, “If you let me by this time, I will let you by next time.” That is walking, putting one foot in front of the other. This means to learn to walk. How did you learn to walk? Were you given a lecture on the subject? Did you go to a school and take a course in learning to walk? One summer my grandson, who was about twelve months old at the time, stayed with us for a time. He was just standing and wobbling along. I did not put him in his high chair and tell him about the physical mechanism of the foot. I did not give him a lecture on the psychology of walking or the sociological implications of walking. If I had explained all of these things to my grandson, could he have lifted the tray of his high chair and walked off? No, my friend, that is not the way you learn to walk. You learn to walk by trial and error. One time my grandson fell down hard, and he had a big knot on his forehead. He fell many times, but before long he was walking and running andclimbing as surefooted as a mountain goat. He learned to do it by just doing it, by trial and error.
This is the way we are to learn to walk in the Spirit—by trial and error. I know people who have attended Keswick conferences, spiritual life conferences, and Bible conferences; they have their notebooks filled with notes on how to live the Christian life. Still they are not living it. What is the problem?
You have to learn to walk in the Spirit, which means you are to start out. Why not start now? Say, “I am going to walk in the Spirit. I am going to depend upon the Holy Spirit to produce the fruits in my life.” Perhaps you are thinking that you might fall down. I have news for you—you are going to fall. It will hurt. You say, “How many times will I fall?” I don’t know. I am still falling. But that is the way you are going to walk in the Spirit, and that’s the only way. My friend, you need to step out today and begin leaning upon the Spirit of God. Yield yourself to Him; it is an act of the will.
Every day I start my day by saying, “Lord, I can’t live today in a way that pleases You, and I want You to do it through me.” I find there are times when I don’t get but a few blocks from home when something happens. One morning a woman in a Volkswagen cut in front of me. I had been so nice and sweet up to then, but I drove up beside her car and I told her what she had done. And she told me a thing or two right back. When she drove off, I thought, My, I sure fell on my face! When I do that, I just get up and start over again.
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another [Gal. 5:26].
“Let us not be desirous of vain glory”—you and I are never going to be wonderful saints of God. He is wonderful. Oh, how wonderful He is! He is worthy of our worship. Let’s start walking, depending on Him like little children. That’s what He wants us to do.
“Provoking one another” is challenging one another. We are not to challenge and envy one another. We are to get down from our high chairs and start walking in the Spirit. The Christian life is not a balloon ascension with some great overpowering experience of soaring to the heights. Rather it is a daily walk; it is a matter of putting one foot ahead of the other, in dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Saved by faith and fruit of the Spirit presents Christian character; autographed conclusion; Paul’s testimony
This final chapter of Galatians brings us to the third step in this practical section of sanctification by the Spirit. We have seen that being saved by faith and living by law perpetrates falling from grace. Also we have seen that being saved by faith and walking in the Spirit produces fruit of the Spirit. In other words, we have seen what it means to walk in the Spirit. It is something we are to begin, and though we fail, we are to keep at it. Now we will see how the fruit of the Spirit will work out in our lives. Here is where we see it put in shoe leather where it can hit the pavement of our hometown.
SAVED BY FAITH AND FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT PRESENTS CHRISTIAN CHARACTER
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted [Gal. 6:1].
Who is the “man” mentioned in this verse? lt is a generic term and refers to any man or woman who is a Christian. The word fault, taken from the Greek paraptoµma, means “a falling aside or mishap.” It means “to stumble.” It may not refer to a great sin but to an awful blunder.
Now what is to be done to a person who is overtaken in a fault? Well, the “spiritual” folk, and many think they are spiritual, interpret this as meaning they are to beat him on the head with a baseball bat because he has done something wrong. There is a danger of not really wanting to restore him. We would much rather criticize and condemn him. However, the believer does not lose his salvation when he sins. If a Christian is overtaken in a fault, a spiritual Christian is to restore that one in the spirit of meekness. Meekness is one of the fruits of the Spirit.
The word used for “fault” in this verse is the same word used to describe the Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane when He fell on His face and prayed (see Matt. 26:39). It means “to stumble.” If a man be overtaken in a fault, he stumbles. He may commit a small sin or an awful blunder.
One of the wonderful things said about the Lord Jesus in prophecy is found in Isaiah 63:9, “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” Now the better manuscripts say, “In all their affliction He was not afflicted.” I like that much better. The Lord Jesus goes along with me through life, and when I stumble and fall down, He does not fall. He is not afflicted. He is there beside me and He picks me up, brushes me off, and tells me to start out again. It is a comforting thing to know that I have One near me who is not afflicted in my affliction.
The word used for “restore” in this verse is a verb which means “to set a broken bone.” If a fellow falls down and breaks his leg, what are you going to do? Are you going to walk off and leave him in pain? God says, “You who are spiritual set the broken bone. Get him back on his feet again.” It is to be done in the spirit of meekness.
One of the great preachers of the South was marvelously converted when he was a drunkard. His ministry was quite demanding and after a great deal of pressure and temptation he got drunk one night. He was so ashamed that the very next day he called in his board of deacons and turned in his resignation. He told them, “I want to resign.” They were amazed. They asked why. He frankly told them, “I got drunk last night. A preacher should not get drunk, and I want to resign.” It was obvious that he was ashamed, and do you know what those wonderful deacons did? They put their arms around him and said, “Let’s all pray.” They would not accept his resignation. A man who was present in the congregation that next Sunday said, “I never heard a greater sermon in my life than that man preached.” Those deacons were real surgeons—they set a broken bone; they restored him. There are some people who would have put him out of the ministry, but these deacons put that preacher back on his feet, and God marvelously used him after that.
“Ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” Notice that you are to restore him in the spirit of meekness. A spiritual man will have the fruit of the Spirit in his life: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and meekness. You are to restore him in meekness.
“Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Don’t think that you are immune to what you are pointing your finger and blaming another brother for doing. You could do the same thing. So restore him in the spirit of meekness.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ [Gal. 6:2].
This is a verse that caused me as a boy to wonder about the accuracy of the Bible.
Most little towns of a bygone day had a character known as the town atheist, a freethinker, generally a ne’er-do-well, although sometimes he was one of the leading citizens of the community. The little town in which I lived as a boy lacked many things. It didn’t have street lights. In fact, we didn’t have electric lights in our home, and I can remember using the lamp to study by in those days. Our little town didn’t have sidewalks; it didn’t have paved streets. It didn’t have running water—except what you ran out to the well to get; and we didn’t have inside plumbing. There were many things our little town lacked, but we did have a town atheist. He called himself a socialist. Each Sunday morning, weather permitting, he was down at the street corner on the town square, speaking. Generally he had about a dozen listeners, who were also loafers. On my way to Sunday school—I killed as much time as possible—I always stopped to listen to him. The thing that impressed me about this atheist was that his mouth was cut on a bias, and as he chewed tobacco an amazing thing took place. He not only defied the Word of God, he also defied the law of gravitation. You would think, according to the law of gravitation, that the tobacco juice would run out of the lower corner of his mouth. But it didn’t. It ran out of the upper corner. I used to stand there as a boy and wonder how he did it.
This man, I remember, always ridiculed the Bible, and he pointed out supposed contradictions. His favorites were these two verses in the sixth chapter of Galatians: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (v. 2). Then he would read, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (v. 5). He would read both verses, then lift his head and leer at the crowd and say, “You see, there is a contradiction in the Bible. One place it says that you’re to bear one another’s burdens, and then it says you are to bear your own burdens.” None of us in the little town knew how to answer him, so we just stood there with our mouths open and listened to him. Actually, the answer was very simple, but we didn’t know it in those days.
There are in the Scriptures eleven different words that are translated by our one English word burden. This means there are different kinds of burdens. There are some burdens that you can share; there are burdens that you must bear and you cannot share them with anyone. That is a very simple but a very satisfactory answer.
Now burdens are those things that we all have in common. All of us have burdens. Not all of us have wealth, but we have burdens. Not all of us have health, but we have burdens. Not all of us have talents, but we have burdens. Some of us lack even physical members—not all of us can see, not all of us can hear, not all of us have arms and legs, and certainly not all of us have good looks. We say that we all have the same blood, but it is not the same; it comes in different types. We do not have very much in common, but we all have burdens.
There is a Spanish proverb that goes something like this: “No home is there anywhere that does not sooner or later have its hush.” Also the French have a proverb: “Everyone thinks his own burden is heaviest.” A woman in Southern California who has done a great deal of work with children said, “Even children have burdens.” Burdens are common to the human family. We all have burdens.
However, not all of us have the same burdens. We have many different burdens. What Paul is doing in this sixth chapter of Galatians is dividing burdens into two classes: burdens which we can share, and burdens which we must bear, and cannot share. Those of us in our little town didn’t know there were two different words used in the Greek. In verse 2 you could translate it like this: “The burdens of each other, keep bearing.” The Greek word for burden is baros, meaning “something heavy.” Our Lord used it when He spoke about the burden and the heat of the day (see Matt. 20:12). And for the early church, when it met in its first council in Jerusalem, made this decision: “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things” (Acts 15:28, italics mine), speaking of a burden they were to share with the church in Jerusalem. Someone has said that a load is only half a load when two are carrying it. There are burdens today that we can share.
A woman boarded a bus with a very heavy basket. She sat down beside a man and put the basket on her lap. After noticing her discomfort he said, “Lady, if you would put that heavy basket down on the floor you would find that the bus would carry both you and your load!” May I say to you, there are burdens that you can let someone else bear with you.
Now burden (baros) means “fault”—“If a man be overtaken in a fault.” That’s his burden. You could help him bear it. It also means infirmity, a weakness, an ignorance, a pressure, a tension, a grief.
I think everybody has a fault. A man speaking to a group asked the question, “Is there anyone here who does not have a fault or do you know someone who does not have a fault?” No one raised his hand. After he had repeated the question several times, a little fellow in the back, a Mr. Milquetoast type, raised his hand. The speaker asked him to stand. “Are you the one who has no faults?” “Oh, no,” he said, “I’m not the one.” “Then do you know someone who does not have any faults?” “Well,” he said, “I don’t exactly know him, but I have heard of him.” The man who was lecturing said, “Tell me, who is he?” The little fellow said, “He’s my wife’s first husband.” And I have a notion that he had heard of him quite a few times, by the way.
All of us have faults, and that’s a burden. Many times we fall down, and many times we see a brother fall down. “Ye which are spiritual, restore such an one.”
Then there is another burden that you and I can share: tensions. Now you can take a tranquilizer, but, my friend, that really won’t solve your problems. We are living today in a time of tension such as the human family has never before experienced. I don’t know about you, but I live in “Tension Town.” Many of us in these great metropolitan areas are under pressure and tension today. This is certainly a burden we need to bear with one another.
Let me illustrate. A very dear man, in one of the churches I pastored, came to me and said, “Do you have something against me?” “No,” I said, “why do you say that?” “Well, I met you down on the street and you didn’t even speak to me.” I was amazed. “I didn’t?” “No. You just passed me right by. You looked right at me.” I said, “I didn’t see you.” “You must have—you looked right at me.” So I asked him what day that was, and realized it was the day the airlines got my tickets mixed up, and I was going down there to straighten them out. My friend, we are under tension at a time like that. And my friend was also under tension for assuming I had snubbed him. Well, I never shall forget, he put his arm around me and said, “I’m glad to know that.” You see, he was helping me bear the burden of tension. That’s something we can share with each other.
Now I come to the third burden you and I can share. That is the burden known as grief. The burden of tragedy, the burden of sorrow, the burden of disappointment is inevitable in the human family. If it hasn’t come to you, it will come. And when it comes we need somebody, a friend, to stand with us. The three friends of Job—we criticize them because they began a talking marathon, but actually they first spent seven days sitting with Job and sorrowing with him.
In a book of natural history there is a statement that reads: “Man is the only one that knows nothing, and that can learn nothing without being taught. He can neither speak, nor walk, nor eat. In short, he can do nothing at the prompting of nature but weep.” All that you and I know to do when we come into this world is weep. We come into this world with a cry, and we need comfort. From the very beginning and all through life we need comfort because of the fact that we have been born into this world of woe.
Ruth could say to Boaz, “Thou hast comforted me” (see Ruth 2:13). She was a stranger, an outcast, who had come from a foreign country and expected to be kept on the outside, but into her life came someone who showed an interest in her and extended to her certain courtesies. With appreciation she said, “Thou hast comforted me.”
Mary broke an alabaster box of ointment upon our Lord. She did this shortly before His crucifixion because she knew what was going to take place. No one else seemed to realize what was happening, but she knew. Jesus said, “Let her alone; for the day of my burial hath she kept this” (see Matt. 26:12). She alone entered into His sufferings. And He said, “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her” (Matt. 26:13). And the fragrance of that ointment has filled the world. Grief is a burden that you can share. There will be those who will come to you in your sorrow.
Our faults, our tensions, our griefs are some of the burdens that you and I can share.
Is thy cruse of comfort failing?
Raise and share it with a friend,
And thro’ all the years of famine
It shall serve thee to the end.
Love Divine will fill thy storehouse,
Or thy handful still renew;
Scanty fare for one will often
Make a royal feast for two.
Lost and weary on the mountains,
Wouldst thou sleep amidst the snow?
Chafe that frozen form beside thee,
And together both shall glow.
Art thou wounded in life’s battle?
Many stricken round thee moan;
Give to them thy precious ointment,
And that balm shall heal thine own.
—Author unknown
There are burdens that we can share.
Now let’s look at the other verse that tells us there are burdens which we cannot share.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another [Gal. 6:4].
I think he means that we are not to run around getting everybody to carry our burdens.
For every man shall bear his own burden [Gal. 6:5].
The word burden here is the Greek phortion, meaning “a load to be borne.” This word is used to speak of a ship’s cargo. Actually, it is used to speak of a child in the womb—only the mother could bear it, you see. This is a load that is impossible to share. While I never recommend J. B. Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English as a translation (it should not be called a translation), it is a most excellent explanation. Many times it throws light on a passage of Scripture. He gives this paraphrase of Galatians 6:5: “For every man must ‘shoulder his own pack.’” That’s it. Each man must shoulder his own pack. There is an old bromide: “To every man his work.” And another, a rather crude one, “Every tub must sit on its own bottom.” In other words, there are burdens today that you and I cannot share.
Every life, in one sense, is separated, it is isolated, it is segregated, it is quarantined from every other life. Dr. Funk, of the Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary, has compiled a list of words in which the saddest word in the English language is alone. There are certain burdens that you and I will have to bear alone. I will mention just a few of them here—you will think of others.
The first one I want to mention is suffering. You will have to suffer alone. No one can suffer for you. You are born into this world alone—and it’s a world of woe; you will suffer alone. You will have to face certain problems alone. There will be physical suffering that will come to you. You will get sick, and no one can take your place.
When my daughter was a very little thing, we were coming back from Texas, and she started running a high fever. We took her to the hospital at Globe, Arizona. A doctor gave her certain medication and told us, “You give her this and the fever will go down. It is getting late in the afternoon so keep driving to California and get out of this heat.” So we started out. In Phoenix we stopped for gasoline, and my wife took her temperature. It registered 104°—her temperature hadn’t gone down. We were frightened. We went to a motel, called a doctor, and told him the situation. He said to continue the medication and to bring her to the hospital in the morning. Never shall I forget my feelings as I carried her to the hospital and laid her down. Never in my life had I had that experience. I would have gladly taken that fever in my own body—gladly would I have done it. But, my friend, I could not do it. We have to suffer alone. You cannot get someone to substitute for you. Suffering is one thing that we cannot share. Mental anguish is another type of suffering that you cannot share. Oh, the number of folk who are disappointed. They are even bitter today because of some great disappointment. Suffering is a burden that we have to bear alone.
There is another burden that you and I cannot share with anyone else. It is death. We cannot share this with another. There will come a time when each of us will go down through the valley of the shadow of death, and we will go alone. Thomas Hobbes, an agnostic all of his life, a very brilliant man, said when he came to his death, “I am taking a fearful leap into the dark!” And then he cried out, “Oh, God, it is lonely!” Yes, it is. Death is a burden you cannot share. John Haye, at one time Secretary of State, was quite a writer. He wrote a poem portraying death entitled “The Stirrup Cup,” having in mind the cavalrymen who used to drink when they mounted their steeds. This is the way he began:
My short and happy day is done,
The long and lonely night comes on:
And at my door the pale horse stands
To bear me forth to unknown lands.
And, my friend, when death comes, you and I will be riding alone. Death is a burden that you will have to bear alone.
We come now to the third and last burden that I shall mention. It bears an unusual name, by the way. It is the Beµma. The Beµma is the judgment seat of Christ. It is not for the unsaved; it is for Christians. Oh, yes, there is a judgment for the unbeliever, the Great White Throne Judgment described in the twentieth chapter of Revelation. But the Beµma Seat is for the Christian. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Everything that we have done in the flesh as a Christian is to be judged to see whether or not we receive a reward. Salvation is not in question—that was settled for the believer at the cross of Christ. It is the works of the believer that are to be judged at the Beµma Seat. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12).
Then Paul puts down a principle which is applicable to every avenue of life but is specifically given to believers: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (v. 7). This principle is true in the realm of nature. You sow cotton; you reap cotton. You sow wheat; you reap wheat. And as a Christian you will reap what you sow. We like to sing “The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago.” In a believer’s life this is true—but what about the new account? What about the account since you were saved? What has your life been since you accepted Christ? Do you have sin in your life? Have you confessed it? We are all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Somebody will say, “I’m a Christian. I don’t have any sin.” You don’t? Then you are not in the light. If you will get in the light you will see the sin that is in your life. The light—which is the Word of God—reveals what is there. Try this one on for size: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Does that fit you today? I think it will fit all of us. He that knows to do good, and does it not, sins. Your life as a child of God is a burden that you carry, and you will have to bring it before Him some day.
Now there is another type of burden which you can neither bear nor share. It is a burden the Scriptures speak of: the burden of sin. Paul speaks of it in the first part of Romans. David in the Psalms says: “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Ps. 38:4). Sin is a burden you cannot share with anyone else. And sin is a burden you cannot bear, my friend. “My iniquities,” David says, “are gone over my head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” Also from the Psalms comes this longing: “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest” (Ps. 55:6). Have you ever felt like that? Sometimes the doctor recommends that we get away from it all. The psalmist says, “If I could only run away from it.” But you and I cannot run away from it because we have a guilt complex. A psychologist out here at the University of Southern California tells me that the guilt complex is as much a part of us as our right arm. The psychologists have tried to get rid of it. They have not succeeded. Everyone has it. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the writer of detective stories, and creator of Sherlock Holmes, liked to play practical jokes. At one time he sent a telegram to twelve famous people in London whom he knew. The telegram read, “Flee at once. All is discovered.” All twelve of them left the country—yet all of them were upright citizens. May I say to you, my beloved, we all have a guilt complex. Sin is that burden which we can neither share nor bear. It is too heavy for us.
There is only one place you can get rid of it, and that is at the cross of Christ. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Ps. 55:22). The Lord Jesus said: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He alone can lift the heavy burden of sin today, and it is because He paid the penalty for it. He alone can lift it; He alone can take it from you.
There are two famous pieces of sculpture that depict this. One is “The Dying Gaul” and the other is “The Laocöon,” which is in Rome at the Vatican. “The Dying Gaul” depicts a man who has been brought down as a captive and slave to Rome, then put into the arena as a gladiator and mortally wounded. He is lying there, his life blood flowing from him, and he is looking up for help. He is in a strange land, and there is nobody, nobody there to help him. A dying gladiator. May I say to you that this is a picture of any man today without Christ. Christ alone can help us, for that is the reason He came into the world. He said: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He also said: “… the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Christ paid the penalty for your sin and my sin. Like the dying gladiator, we can look to Him and be saved.
The other piece of sculpture is “The Laocoön.” A priest of Troy looked out and saw two sea serpents come and coil themselves about his two sons. He went to their aid, but he could not help them because the sea serpents also enmeshed him in their coils. There they are—all three of them going down to death. To me this illustrates the fact that personal sin is a burden that we cannot cope with. It will take us down to death—eternal death.
What do you do with your burdens?
There are some burdens that you can share. There are others that you must bear alone. But the burden of personal sin is a burden too heavy for you; it is the burden you cannot bear. Over nineteen hundred years ago Christ took the burden of your sin, and He bore it on the cross. Today your burden is either on you, or by faith you have received Christ as your Savior and it is on Him. It cannot be both places—your sin is either on you or it is on Christ. And Christ does not share it—He bore it all.
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things [Gal. 6:6].
This is probably the bluntest verse in the Bible. Paul is really putting it on the line. The Greek word koinoµneoµ, translated “communicate,” means sharing, taking part—sharing the things of Christ together. Paul is bluntly saying this: “Pay your preacher. If someone ministers to your spiritual benefits, minister to him with material benefits.” If God has blessed you materially and you are being blessed by someone spiritually, then you ought to minister to that person with material benefits. This is put on a grace basis of sharing, but believe me, friend, if you go into a grocery store and buy bread and meat and go by the checkout stand without paying for it, you are in trouble. There are many people who are ministered to spiritually, but when they go by the checkout counter, they don’t share. No one thinks anything about it. The Word of God says that you are to share with those who minister to you.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap [Gal. 6:7].
This is one of those remarkable verses in Scripture. This is an immutable law that operates in every sphere of life. In agriculture and horticulture if you sow corn, you get corn; if you sow cotton, you reap cotton. In the moral sphere you also reap what you sow. In the Book of Matthew, chapter 13, the Lord Jesus Christ told about a sower that went forth to sow. He also told us about a reaper that went forth to reap.
One day a visitor in a penitentiary passed by a cell where a man was patching his prison garb with needle and thread. The visitor, wanting to begin a conversation with the prisoner, said, “What are you doing? Sewing?” The prisoner looked up and replied, “No, reaping!” That is the point of this verse. The principle stated here is immutable, invariable, unalterable, and cannot be revoked. It cannot be changed one iota, and it is applicable to every sphere and field of life. When you sow wheat, you will get wheat. You will never pick a squash off of a walnut tree. Sometimes a watermelon vine extends out twenty feet in one direction, but it has never been known to make the mistake of putting a pumpkin on the end of it. It always puts a watermelon out there. There is wheat being found in tombs in Egypt that was put there five thousand years ago. They planted it and it came up wheat. In five thousand years the seed did not forget that it was wheat. What you sow you will reap and that will never change.
There are many men in the Bible who illustrate this principle. One of them is Jacob, whose story is told in Genesis 27–29. Jacob deceived his father, Isaac. He put on a goatskin and pretended to be his brother Esau, who was a hairy outdoorsman, in order to receive the blessing given to the oldest son. After deceiving his father, Jacob ran away and lived with his Uncle Laban for several years. He thought he had gotten away with deceiving his father. But remember, God says that what you sow you will reap. You won’t reap something similar; you will reap the identical thing that you sow. What happened to Jacob? He fell in love with Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter. He served seven years for her. They had the wedding, and when he lifted the veil, what did he have? He did not have Rachel, the younger daughter; he had Leah, the older daughter. I have a notion that Jacob learned a real lesson on his honeymoon. He had deceived his father by pretending to be the older son when he was actually the younger son. Now his uncle gave him the older daughter when he thought he was getting the younger daughter. Believe me, chickens do come home to roost!
In 1 Kings 21 we find the story of Ahab and Jezebel and their murderous plot to take Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard, but Naboth did not want to sell his land. But since Ahab and Jezebel were king and queen, they usually took what they wanted. Jezebel had Naboth killed and Ahab took possession of the vineyard. They thought they would get away with their evil deed, but God sent Elijah to them with a message: “… Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine” (1 Kings 21:19). Later Ahab was wounded in battle. He told his chariot driver to take him out of the battle, and the blood from his wound ran out into his chariot. After the battle, he was brought back to Samaria, and there in the pool of Samaria they washed the chariot, and the dogs licked up the blood.
Another example is the apostle Paul. He was a leader in the stoning of Stephen, and after his conversion, when he was over in the Galatian country, he was stoned. You may think that, because he was converted and his sins were forgiven, he would not reap what he had sowed. But it is a law of God that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
I remember well hearing Mel Trotter, the evangelist who was a drunkard before his conversion. I had invited him to Nashville, Tennessee, to hold evangelistic meetings. One night after a meeting we went to a place called Candyland and everybody ordered a great big sloppy banana split, or a milkshake, or a malt. All Mel Trotter ordered was a little bitty glass of carbonated water. Everyone began to rib him about it, and asked him for the reason. I shall never forget his answer, “When the Lord gave me a new heart at my conversion, He did not give me a new stomach. I am paying for the years I spent drinking.” May I say again, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked. You won’t get by with it.
I wish young people would realize the truth of this principle. Many of them are taking drugs. Many are trying to satisfy themselves by indulging in easy sex, free love. Some of them are already beginning to reap the results of what they have sown. Venereal disease has reached epidemic proportions in many states in America, and there is an alarming rise in mental disorders. Why? God says that you will not get by with sin—regardless of how many pills you take. God says you will reap what you sow. God will not be mocked. When you sow corn, you reap corn. When you sow sin, that is what you will reap. Someone may say, “I got converted.” That is wonderful, but you are still going to have a payday someday. You will still reap what you have sown.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting [Gal. 6:8].
Reaping “life everlasting” includes the fruit of the Spirit in this life and the glorious prospect of the future.
I think many Christians really ought to be fearful of the return of Christ for His own, because it is then that we shall go before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of the things done in the flesh. My friend, you may be saved, but it may still be very embarrassing for you in that day when you give an account of your life to Him. John mentions the fact that it is possible to be ashamed at His appearing (see 1 John 2:28). If you are going to live in the flesh, you will produce the things of the flesh. That does not, however, mean that you will lose your salvation, but it does mean that you will lose your reward, which will make it a day of shame and regret when you stand before Him.
God has put up a red light; now He puts up a green light. Here are words for your comfort and encouragement.
And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not [Gal. 6:9].
A father said to me some time ago, “I’m concerned about my boys.” He is a doctor, and he said, “The tide is against me. The schools are against me. Other parents seem to be against me, and even some friends are against me. But I want to raise my boys right.” If that is your concern, my friend, let me encourage you to sow the right seed. Be patient, and you will reap what you have sown. In Kansas you can’t go out and cut grain in January. You have to wait until the time of reaping comes. So just keep sowing. You may have problems and difficulties today, but just keep sowing the Word of God. The Lord has promised: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:10–11).
Remember that Abraham believed God and walked with Him in the land of Canaan. At that time the Canaanite—wicked and idolatrous—was in the land. A son, Isaac, was born to Abraham. When Isaac became a young man, Abraham took him to the top of Mount Moriah. In obedience to God’s command, Abraham prepared to offer his son as a sacrifice. God, however, did not let him go through with it. Abraham sowed to the Spirit and he reaped life everlasting.
Jochebed was the mother of Moses. Because of the terrible times in which they lived, she devised a plan to save his life, and he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. By God’s wonderful arrangement, Jochebed was able to be his nursemaid while he was young. Undoubtedly she taught Moses about God and His call to Abraham and about His purpose for Israel. Then she saw her boy grow up like an Egyptian. All Egypt was against her—the culture of Egypt, the pleasures of Egypt, the philosophy of Egypt, and the religion of Egypt. But there came a day when Moses forsook the pleasures and sins of Egypt and went out to take his place with God’s people. Jochebed reaped what she had sown.
We also have an illustration of this principle in the life of David. His sin was glaring, and many folk think of him as being a cruel, sinful man. But sin did not characterize David’s life. It is interesting that a drop of black ink on a white tablecloth can be seen from a long distance, but a drop of black ink on a black suit would never be noticed. Other kings during that period of time were so bad that, when they committed a sin such as David did, it would not be noticed. But in David’s life it stands out like a horrible blot. David had a heart for God. Even in his confession, he reveals his hunger and thirst for God. But David sowed sin and reaped a terrible harvest in the lives of his own children.
We reap what we sow, my friend. “And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith [Gal. 6:10].
Now Paul moves on. He says that we ought to be do-gooders. Now I recognize that the entire religion of liberalism is one of “doing good.” I believe in doing good, but you have to have the right foundation under the good deeds. The right foundation is the gospel of the grace of God and walking in the Spirit of God. When you walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is produced. Then, my friend, you are going to do good. You will do good for all men, especially for other believers.
AUTOGRAPHED CONCLUSION
This brings us to the last major division of the epistle to the Galatians. Three handwritings are mentioned in this final section. The first is Paul’s own handwriting.
Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand [Gal. 6:11].
“How large a letter” doesn’t mean a long letter. This Epistle to the Galatians is only six chapters, while his Epistle to the Romans (which deals with practically the same subject) is sixteen chapters. This could not be called a long letter. But Paul is saying that he has written with large letters, which is characteristic with folk who have poor vision. This, I believe, bears out the theory that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was eye trouble (see 2 Cor. 12:7). As you recall, he had said to them earlier, “… I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me” (Gal. 4:15). I am sure that Paul had a serious visual problem.
When Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, he dictated it to a secretary. And at the conclusion of the letter, Paul said to the secretary, “Now if you want to put in your greetings, go ahead and do it.” So in Romans 16:22 we have the secretary’s salutation: “I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.”
However, when Paul wrote to the Galatians, he was angry. He had heard that they were mixing the gospel with law—and when that is done, the gospel of the grace of God is absolutely destroyed. He couldn’t wait for a secretary to arrive—he just sat down and wrote to them himself. Because he didn’t see clearly, he wrote with large letters.
I studied Shakespeare under a very skillful scholar who was partially blind. During class he would put the book right up to his nose and move it back and forth as he read. When he graded our papers, he would write his comments in large letters in the margin. His comments were brief because the words he wrote were so large. Apparently, Paul’s writing was like that.
PAUL’S TESTIMONY
As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ [Gal. 6:12].
By exerting pressure and stressing circumcision among the Gentiles, the Judaizers hoped to escape the anger and wrath of Jews who were not believers. The Judaizers were the legalists of the day. Actually, you never get in trouble preaching legalism. It appeals to the natural man because law is given to curb him. A great many of us certainly feel that the old nature of the other man should be curbed.
I was talking to a man in a public place the other day when a boy drove about seventy-five miles an hour right through a dangerous intersection. This man wanted that boy arrested and put in jail. He wanted the boy to be forced to obey the law. This man rejects the grace of God—he is an unsaved man—but he certainly is for legalism. Every man wants the other man to obey the law.
Frankly, we also like a law we can obey. When I was a boy in school, I did some high jumping. In those days we started off with a three and one-half foot jump. When I jumped four feet, I had some difficulty. So when I practiced jumping, I always kept the bar at the four foot level. That is the way most people are about legalism. They want to be able to clear the hurdle, but they don’t want it to be too high for them. Legalism is popular. The grace of God is unpopular. The human heart finds it repulsive. It is the offense of the Cross.
For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh [Gal. 6:13].
By forcing the Gentiles to be circumcised the Judaizers would gain the credit for bringing them under the Law.
It is interesting that those who claim they live under the Law are not actually living by the Law. Many people who say that they live by the Sermon on the Mount are hypocrites. I know that to be true because of the experiences I have had in my ministry.
Let me cite an experience I had many years ago at a luncheon at the Chamber of Commerce in Nashville, Tennessee. When I was a pastor in that city, one of the elders in my church, who was a banker, was president of the Chamber of Commerce that year and invited me to speak to the group. I was a young pastor then—in fact, I was not yet married; it was my first pastorate. I arrived early and one of the officials was already at the speaker’s table. He began talking with me, and I have never heard a man swear more than he did—and I’ve heard some who are experts at it. I didn’t rebuke him, I just let him talk. Finally, in our conversation he asked me, “By the way, what’s your racket?” I told him I was a preacher. He looked at me in amazement and asked, “Are you the speaker today?” When I said I was, he immediately began to tread water fast! He said, “Well, we’re glad to have you, and I want you to know that I’m a Christian.” That was certainly news, because I would never have suspected it by the way he was talking. Then he enlarged upon it. He told me he was an officer of a very fashionable church in Nashville. He told me about all the wonderful things that he did, then he concluded by saying, “The Sermon on the Mount is my religion.” I said, “Fine. That’s great!” I shook hands with him, then asked, “How are you coming with it?” He looked rather puzzled and asked, “What do you mean ‘how am I coming with it?’” So I explained, “Well, you say the Sermon on the Mount is your religion, and I’d just like to know if you are living by it.” He said he tried to. “But that is not what the Sermon on the Mount is all about. It puts down a pretty severe standard and it hasn’t anything in there about trying. You either do it or you don’t do it. Now you say it’s your religion so I assume you do it.” He told me that he certainly tried. Then I began to push him a little, “Do you keep it?” He said, “I guess I do.” “Well, let’s see if you do. The Lord Jesus said that if you are angry with your brother you are guilty of murder. How do you make out on that one?” He hesitated, “Well, I might have a little trouble there, but I think I get by.” “All right, let’s try another commandment that the Lord Jesus lifted to the nth degree. He said if you so much as look upon a woman to lust after her, you’re guilty of adultery. How about that one?” “Oh,” he said, “that one would get me.” I thought it would. I said, “Look, you’re not keeping the Sermon on the Mount. If I were you I’d change my religion and get one I could keep.” Do you see what he was? That man was a hypocrite. He went around telling others that he was living by the Sermon on the Mount and he was breaking it at every turn. He needed the grace of God. And there are multitudes of people just like him in many churches today. Paul mentions that with this tremendous statement:
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world [Gal. 6:14].
Between Paul and the world there was a cross. That should be the position of every believer today. That will have more to do with shaping your conduct than anything else. You will not boast about the fact that you are keeping the Sermon on the Mount, or that you belong to a certain church, or that you are a church officer, or a preacher, or a Sunday school teacher. You will not be able to boast of anything. You will just glory in the Cross and the One who died there.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature [Gal. 6:15].
This brings us to the second kind of handwriting mentioned in these final verses.
Circumcision was the handwriting of religion and the Law. It was sort of a handwriting on the body. It served as a badge signifying that you belonged under the Abrahamic covenant. It never availed anything. Wearing a button or a pin, signifying that you belong to a lodge or a fraternity can become almost meaningless. “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision”—uncircumcision is of no value either. These things carry no value whatsoever. There are folk today who like to boast of what great sinners they were before their conversion. Well, whether or not you have been circumcised—whatever was your state—is of no importance. The essential thing is: Has the Spirit of God come into your life and made you a new creature in Christ Jesus? This can come about only through faith in Christ.
You see, Paul would never have had any difficulty with the legalism of his day if he had presented the gospel as only a competitor in the field. Let me illustrate what I mean. We have an abundance of soaps on the market. Those who promote them tell us they will make you smell good or make you feel good or are kind to your skin. So let’s you and me get out a new brand of soap, and we’ll call it Clean, since getting you clean is the purpose of soap, and that seems to be the one thing the advertisers have forgotten. We’ll start advertising it by claiming that it is the only soap that will make you clean. Our slogan will be “Buy Clean and get clean.” Now that will get us in trouble immediately when we claim that it is the only soap that will get you clean. Manufacturers of other soaps will really begin to howl. But this is what Paul was claiming for the gospel. If he had said, “Judaism is good but Christianity is better,” he wouldn’t have been in trouble, because that’s what advertisers say today—our product is better than other soaps on the market. That’s competition. No one would dare say that their soap is the only soap that would do the job. Notice that Paul is not claiming that his soap is only a little better than the soap of Judaism; he is saying that Judaism is nothing, that circumcision is nothing, that whether you are circumcised or not circumcised is nothing. He is saying that only the writing of the Holy Spirit in your life, giving you a new nature, is essential. My friend, that is putting it on the line!
Now we come to the third and final handwriting presented to us in this section.
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus [Gal. 6:16–17].
Notice the word marks. Paul is saying, “I bear in my body the ‘marks’”—the Greek word is stigmata—meaning ‘scar marks.’ If you want to see the handwriting of Jesus, look upon Paul’s body. In 2 Corinthians 11:23–27 he tells us, “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” The stigmata were the sufferings of Paul which he endured for the sake of the Lord Jesus.
In Paul’s day stigmata was used in three ways. When a runaway slave was found and brought back to his master, he was branded on the forehead. Also soldiers who belonged to famous companies had the names of their commanders tatooed on their foreheads. Then, too, devotees of a pagan goddess (and there was much of this in Asia Minor and throughout the Roman Empire in Paul’s day) had her name branded on their foreheads. Paul says, “I have on my body the stigmata of the Lord Jesus.” He is saying this in effect, “I have written to you out of deep emotion and with great conviction. If you want to know if I truly believe what I have written and if these things are real in my own life, read my body—look at my scars.”
I lived as a boy in west Texas before there were many fences, and we used to identify cattle by the brand of their owner. My friend, circumcision costs you nothing. It is only an outward sign. Paul says it is nothing, although he himself had been circumcised. But he bore the brand marks of the Lord Jesus upon his body and upon his life. I believe that in our day the Lord Jesus still stoops to write, not upon the shifting sands of the temple floor, but he writes upon the lives of those who are His own. His branding iron is on our hearts for eternity. Do we proudly wear His stigmata, willing to bear reproach for Jesus’ sake?
Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen [Gal. 6:18].
Paul concludes this marvelous epistle by commending the brethren to the grace of God.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Cole, R. Alan. The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965.
DeHaan, M. R. Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Radio Bible Class, 1960.
Gromacki, Robert G. Galatians: Stand Fast in Liberty. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979.
Hendriksen, William. Exposition of Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1968. (Comprehensive.)
Hogg, C. F. and Vine, W. E. The Epistle to the Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1922. (Excellent.)
Ironside, H. A. Expository Messages on the Epistle to the Galatians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1940. (All of his books are especially fine for young Christians.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Epistle to the Galatians. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. The Freedom of God’s Sons: Studies in Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1976. (Excellent for personal or group study.)
Luther, Martin. Commentary on Galatians. 1525. Reprint. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, n.d. (Abridged.)
Ridderbos, Herman N. The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1953.
Strauss, Lehman. Devotional Studies in Galatians and Ephesians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1957.
Tenney, Merrill C. Galatians: The Charter of Christian Liberty. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954. (Excellent illustration of ten methods of Bible study.)
Vaughan, Curtis. Galatians: A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972.
Vos, Howard F. Galatians—A Call to Christian Liberty. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971. (An excellent, inexpensive survey.)
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Free (Galatians). Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press (Victor Books), n.d.
Wuest, Kenneth S. Galatians in the Greek New Testament for English Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1944.
The Epistle to the
Ephesians
INTRODUCTION
A quartet of men left Rome in the year a.d. 62 bound for the province of Asia which was located in what was designated as Asia Minor and is currently called Turkey. These men had on their persons four of the most sublime compositions of the Christian faith. These precious documents would be invaluable if they were in existence today. Rome did not comprehend the significance of the writings of an unknown prisoner. If she had, these men would have been apprehended and the documents seized.
When these men bade farewell to the apostle Paul, each was given an epistle to bear to his particular constituency. These four letters are in the Word of God, and they are designated the “Prison Epistles of Paul,” since he wrote them while he was imprisoned in Rome. He was awaiting a hearing before Nero who was the Caesar at that time. Paul as a Roman citizen had appealed his case to the emperor, and he was waiting to be heard.
This quartet of men and their respective places of abode can be identified:
(1) Epaphroditus was from Philippi, and he had the Epistle to the Philippians (see Phil. 4:18); (2) Tychicus was from Ephesus, and he had the Epistle to the Ephesians (see Eph. 6:21); (3) Epaphras was from Colosse, and he had the Epistle to the Colossians (see Col. 4:12); and (4) Onesimus was a runaway slave from Colosse, and he had the Epistle to Philemon who was his master (see Philem. 10).
These epistles present a composite picture of Christ, the church, the Christian life, and the interrelationship and functioning of them all. These different facets present the Christian life on the highest plane.
Ephesians presents the church which is Christ’s body. This is the invisible church of which Christ is the Head.
Colossians presents Christ as the Head of the body, the church. The emphasis is upon Christ rather than on the church. In Ephesians the emphasis is on the body, and in Colossians the emphasis is on the Head.
Philippians presents Christian living with Christ as the dynamic. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).
Philemon presents Christian living in action in a pagan society. Paul wrote to Philemon, who was the master of Onesimus and a Christian: “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account” (Philem. 17–18).
The gospel walked in shoe leather in the first century, and it worked. This is the thing that we are going to see in this Epistle to the Ephesians.
Ephesians reveals the church as God’s masterpiece, a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament (see Eph. 2:10). It is more wonderful than any temple made with hands, constructed of living stones, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is the body of Christ in the world to walk as He would walk and to wrestle against the wiles of the Devil. Someday the church will leave the world and be presented to Christ as a bride.
Dr. Arthur T. Pierson called Ephesians, “Paul’s third-heaven epistle.” Another has called it “the Alps of the New Testament.” It is the Mount Whitney of the High Sierras of all Scripture. This is the church epistle. Many expositors consider this the highest peak of scriptural truth, the very apex of Bible revelation. That may well be true. Some have even suggested that Ephesians is so profound that none but the very elect (in other words, the chosen few) can understand it. I have always noticed that the folk who say this include themselves in that inner circle. To be candid with you, I do not even pretend to be able to probe or plumb the depths of this epistle nor to ascend to its heights. This epistle is lofty and it is heady. It is difficult to breathe the rarefied air of this epistle—you will find this to be true when we get into it. We will do the very best we can, with the aid of the Holy Spirit who is our guide, to understand it.
On several occasions I have had the privilege of visiting Turkey, and I have visited the sites of all seven churches of Asia Minor. Ephesus is where I spent the most time. I reveled in the opportunity of visiting Ephesus which was the leading church of the seven churches and was in a great city.
The Holy Spirit would not permit Paul on his second missionary journey to enter the province of Asia where Ephesus was the prominent center: “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia” (Acts 16:6). The Holy Spirit put up a roadblock and said to Paul, “You can’t go down there now.” We are not told the reason, but we know God’s timing is perfect. He would send him there later. So Paul traveled west into Macedonia—to Philippi, down to Berea, down to Athens, over to Corinth, and then, on the way back, he came by Ephesus. Oh, what a tremendous opportunity he saw there! “And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews” (Acts 18:19).
Paul was so favorably impressed by the opportunities for missionary work that he promised to return, which he did on his third missionary journey. He discovered that another missionary by the name of Apollos had been there in the interval between his second and third missionary journeys. Apollos had preached only the baptism of John and not the gospel of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. At that time Apollos didn’t know about the Lord Jesus, but later on he himself became a great preacher of the gospel.
Paul began a far-reaching ministry in Ephesus. For two years he spoke in the school of Tyrannus, and the gospel penetrated into every center of the province of Asia. Evidently it was at this time that the churches addressed in the second and third chapters of Revelation were founded by this ministry of Paul.
It is my firm conviction, after having visited Turkey and seen that area and having read a great deal on the excavations that have been made there, that the greatest ministry the gospel has ever had was in what is today modern Turkey. In that day there were millions of people living there. It was the very heart of the Roman Empire. The culture of Greece was no longer in Greece; it was along this coast, the western coast of Turkey, where Ephesus was the leading city. It was a great cultural center and a great religious center. The climate was pleasing, and it was a wonderful place to visit. The Roman emperors came to this area for a vacation. This is where the gospel had its greatest entrance.
Ephesus was the principal city of Asia Minor and probably of the entire eastern section of the Roman Empire. It was second only to Rome. The city had been founded around 2000 b.c. by the Hittites. It was what we call an oriental city, an Asian city, until about 1000 b.c. when the Greeks entered. There one would find a mixture of east and west. Kipling was wrong as far as Ephesus was concerned. He said, “East is east and West is west and ne’er the twain shall meet,” but they did meet in Ephesus.
Over this long period of about twenty-five hundred years, Ephesus was one of the great cities of the world. It was on a harbor that is now all filled up, silted in. It is not a harbor anymore; in fact, it is about six miles from the ocean today. At the time Paul went there, he sailed right up to that beautiful white marble freeway. It was a very wide street, and the marble for it was supplied from the quarries of Mount Prion.
The Temple of Diana in Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was the largest Greek temple ever constructed, 418 by 239 feet, four times larger than the Parthenon but very similar to it. It was built over a marsh on an artificial foundation of skins and charcoal so that it was not affected by earthquakes. The art and wealth of the Ephesian citizens contributed to its adornment. It had 127 graceful columns, some of them richly carved and colored. It contained works of art, such as the picture painted by Apelles of Alexander the Great hurling the thunderbolt.
Inside this beautiful temple was the idol of Diana. This was not the beautiful Diana of Greek mythology. It was the oriental, actually the Anatolian, conception of the goddess of fertility. It was not the goddess of the moon, but the goddess of fertility, a vulgar, many-breasted idol of wood. All sorts of gross immorality took place in the shadow of this temple.
A flourishing trade was carried on in the manufacture of silver shrines or models of the temple. These are often referred to by ancient writers. Few strangers seem to have left Ephesus without such a memorial of their visit, and this artistic business brought no small gain to the craftsmen.
It was to such a city that Paul came. He went first to the synagogue and spoke boldly for the space of three months. Then he went into the school of Tyrannus and continued there for two years “… so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10). This was probably the high water mark in the missionary labors of Paul. He considered Ephesus his great opportunity and stayed there longer than in any other place. The people of Ephesus heard more Bible teaching from Paul than did any other people, which is the reason he could write to them the deep truths contained in this epistle.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:8–9). Because Paul’s preaching was putting the silversmiths out of business, there was great opposition, and as a result there was a riot in the city. Paul was preaching the gospel of the living God and life through Jesus Christ. God marvelously preserved him, which encouraged him to continue (see Acts 19:23–41). Paul loved this church in Ephesus. His last meeting with the Ephesian elders was a tender farewell (see Acts 20:17–38).
A great company of believers turned to Christ. I think the gospel was more effective in this area than in any place and at any time in the history of the world. I believe the Ephesian church was the highest church spiritually. It is an amazing thing to me that there were people living in that pagan city who understood this epistle—Paul wouldn’t have written it to them if they couldn’t have understood it. Furthermore, in the Book of Revelation we find that Ephesus is the first one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in a series of churches that gives the entire history of the church. Ephesus was the church at its best, the church at the highest spiritual level.
You and I today cannot conceive the high spiritual level that the Spirit of God had produced in these Ephesian believers. They loved the person of the Lord Jesus and were drawn to Him. I have been a pastor for many years and I love to minister in our churches today. I must confess, however, that we are far from the person of Christ today. We are so enamored with programs, with church work, with an office in the church, that we get farther and farther from the person of Christ. The essential question is how much we love Him. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. Do we return that love? Do we respond to Him? Can we say, “I love Him because He first loved me”? This letter to the Ephesians ought to bring us very close to Christ.
Two books of the Bible which the critic says cannot be understood are Ephesians and Revelation. Liberalism says that Revelation is just a conglomerate of symbols that no one can decipher. Liberalism also says that Ephesians is so high it is beyond us.
Let me say that the two books of the Bible which can be arranged mathematically and logically are Ephesians and Revelation. There are no books more logical than they are. Years ago I got tired of hearing folk say, “I believe the Bible from cover to cover,” when they didn’t even know what was between the covers. They were just making a pious statement. If one really believes it is God’s Word, he will try to find out what it says. We need to get off this gimmick of methods and how to communicate to the younger generation and how to better organize the church and instead really learn what is in the Book. To help folk learn what the Bible is all about, I wrote a book called Briefing the Bible in which I attempted to give a helpful outline of every book in the Bible. As I was doing this, I found that Ephesians and Revelation were the two easiest books in the Bible to outline. Do you know why? Because they are logical. I don’t pretend to understand everything that is in these books, but I do say that they are logical and they are easily outlined.
Paul is logical in Ephesians and John is logical in Revelation. John was told to write of the things he had seen, of things that are, and of things that will be. There is a clear threefold division. And the book is arranged according to sevens. You couldn’t find anything better than that. The Epistle to the Ephesians is very logical. Of the six chapters, the first three are about the heavenly calling of the church and are doctrinal. The last three are about the earthly conduct of the church which is very practical. You see, the church has a Head. The Head of the church is Christ, and He is in heaven. We are identified with Him. But the feet of the church are down here on the earth. Paul won’t leave us sitting up there in the heavenlies; he says, “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1). In other words, Christian, it’s nice to sit up there in the heavenlies and boast of your position in Christ, but, for goodness’ sake, get down out of your high chair and start walking. We need to remember that in Paul’s day believers were walking in a pagan society in the Roman world. The first half is doctrinal and the last half is practical, which makes a very logical division in the book. We need both. We are not to live in the first three chapters only. They are wonderful, but the message must get down here where we live, down where the rubber meets the road.
The doctrinal section is also very logical. In chapter 1 the church is a body. In chapter 2 the church is a temple. In chapter 3 the church is a mystery.
When we get to the practical section, we find in chapter 4 that the church is a new man. The church is to exhibit something new in the world: walking through the world as a new man. In chapter 5 the church will be a bride. Don’t get the idea that the church is a bride now; the church is not a bride today. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “… for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” In effect he says, “I’m getting you engaged to Christ today, and someday the church will be His bride.” In chapter 6 the church is a soldier. A wag who heard me give this outline said to me, “That’s interesting. The church will be a bride, you say, and the church is a soldier. In a lot of marriages down here, they get married and then the fighting starts.” Well, that is not the way Paul meant it. He was being very practical. The church is a soldier, and there is an enemy to be fought. There is a battle going on in this world. The bugle has sounded. We need to stand for God today.
OUTLINE
I. Doctrinal, the Heavenly Calling of the Church (Vocalization), Chapters 1–3
A. The Church Is a Body, Chapter 1
1. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
2. God the Father Planned the Church, Chapter 1:3–6 (“A body hast thou prepared me”)
3. God the Son Paid the Price for the Church, Chapter 1:7–12 (“Redemption through His blood”)
4. God the Holy Spirit Protects the Church, Chapter 1:13–14 (“By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body”)
5. Prayer for Knowledge and Power, Chapter 1:15–23
B. The Church Is a Temple, Chapter 2
1. The Material for Construction, Chapter 2:1–10 (The “dead in trespasses” are made into a living temple)
2. The Method of Construction, Chapter 2:11–18
3. The Meaning of the Construction (quo animo), Chapter 2:19–22 (“Groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord”)
C. The Church Is a Mystery, Chapter 3
1. The Explanation of the Mystery, Chapter 3:1–4 (Not revealed in the Old Testament)
2. The Definition of the Mystery, Chapter 3:5–13 (Jews and Gentiles are partakers of the same Body—the Church)
3. Prayer for Power and Knowledge, Chapter 3:14–21 (“Strengthened with might” and “to know the love of Christ”)
II. Practical, the Earthly Conduct of the Church (Vocation), Chapters 4–6
A. The Church Is a New Man, Chapter 4
1. The Exhibition of the New Man, Chapter 4:1–6 (“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit”)
2. The Inhibition of the New Man, Chapter 4:7–16 (“No more children”—“grow up into Him”—“perfect man”)
3. The Prohibition of the New Man, Chapter 4:17–32 (“Walk not as other Gentiles walk”—“be ye kind one to another”)
B. The Church Will Be a Bride, Chapter 5
1. The Engagement of the Church, Chapter 5:1–17 (“For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”)
2. The Experience of the Church, Chapter 5:18–24 (“Be filled with the Spirit”)
3. The Expectation of the Church, Chapter 5:25–33 (“That he might present it to himself a glorious church”)
C. The Church Is a Soldier, Chapter 6
1. The Soldier’s Relationships, Chapter 6:1–9 (“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life”)
2. The Soldier’s Enemy, Chapter 6:10–12 (“The wiles of the devil”)
3. The Soldier’s Protection, Chapter 6:13–18 (“The whole armour of God”)
4. The Soldier’s Example—Paul, a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ, Chapter 6:19–22
5. The Soldier’s Benediction, Chapter 6:23–24
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The church is a body; Introduction; God the Father planned the church; God the Son paid the price for the church; God the Holy Spirit protects the church; prayer of Paul for knowledge and power for the Ephesians
Ephesians begins with the doctrinal section concerning the heavenly calling of the church, the vocalization.
INTRODUCTION
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ [Eph. 1:1–2].
This is the briefest of all the introductions to Paul’s epistles. It’s brief because, very frankly, this epistle was sent to the church in Ephesus but was intended to be for all the churches. In some of the better manuscripts en Epheso is left out—it’s not there. Ephesians was apparently the epistle that Paul referred to when he said in Colossians to read the epistle to the Laodiceans. In other words, this was a circular letter for the churches in that day. He’s not writing here to the local church as much as he is to the church in general, that is, the invisible body of believers.
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ” should be changed to Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I hope you’ll not think I’m splitting hairs here, but all the way through this epistle and in many other places it should be Christ Jesus. The word Christ is His title. That’s who He is: “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Jesus was His human name. Paul could say that “We know Him no longer after the flesh” (see 2 Cor. 5:16). Paul didn’t know Him as the Jesus of the three-years’ ministry but rather as the glorified Christ he met on the Damascus road. Paul always emphasized the name of Christ first—Christ Jesus.
Paul states that he is “an apostle.” What is an apostle? It is the highest office the church has ever had. No one today is an apostle in the church for the simple reason that they cannot meet the requirements of an apostle. Here are the requirements: (1) The apostles received their commission directly from the living lips of Jesus. Paul made that claim for himself. He wrote, “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)” (Gal. 1:1). This is the reason I believe Paul took the place of Judas. The disciples had selected Matthias, but I don’t find anywhere that Jesus Christ made him an apostle. Apparently all the apostles received their commission directly from the Lord Jesus. (2) The apostles saw the Savior after His resurrection. Paul could meet that requirement. (3) The apostles exercised a special inspiration. They expounded and wrote Scripture (see John 14:26; 16:13; Gal. 1:11–12). Certainly Paul measures up to that more than any other apostle. (4) They exercised supreme authority (see John 20:22–23; 2 Cor. 10:8). (5) The badge of their authority was the power to work miracles (see Mark 6:13; Luke 9:1–2; Acts 2:43). I do not believe such power is invested in men today. That was the badge of an apostle. John wrote at the end of the first century, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 10). The badge was no longer the ability to work miracles but having the right doctrine. (6) They were given a universal commission to found churches (see 2 Cor. 11:28). Paul expressly met these six requirements for apostleship.
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” Paul rested his apostleship upon the will of God rather than any personal ambition or will of man or request of a church. He wrote to the Galatians: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen …” (Gal. 1:15–16, italics mine). Paul said to Timothy: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:12–13). Paul made constant reference to the will of God as the foundation of his apostleship. You can check 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1. He says it in all these places.
“To the saints … at Ephesus.” The word for saint is hagios which means “holy” or “separated.” The primary intent of the word is “set aside for the sole use of God, that which belongs to God.” The pots and pans in the tabernacle were called holy vessels. Why? Because they were especially holy and very fine and nice? No. I think they were all beat up and battered after that long wilderness journey. They were holy because they were for the use of God. A saint, my friend, is one who has trusted Christ and is set aside for the sole use of God. There are only two kinds of people today: the saints and the ain’ts. If you are a saint, then you are not an ain’t. If you ain’t an ain’t, then you are a saint. Now there are some saints who are not being used of God. That is their fault. They are set aside for the use of God and for His service. Saints should act saintly, it’s true. But they’re not saints because of the way they act. They are saints because of their position in Christ. They belong to Him to be used of Him.
“At Ephesus.” We have already referred to that. You can put in the name of your town here. For me it could be “at Pasadena.”
“And to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” These are the believers. The believers and the saints are the same, you see. A saint should be saintly and a believer should be faithful. A believer is one who has trusted Christ and a saint is the same one. The term saint is the Godward aspect of the Christian. The term believer is the manward aspect of the Christian.
“In Christ Jesus.” This is the most wonderful thing of all. This epistle is going to amplify that so much, that I will be dwelling on that in more detail later on. To me the most important word in the New Testament is the little preposition in. Theologians have come up with some “lulus” trying to tell us what it means to be saved. How do you define our salvation? There are words like redemption, atonement, justification, reconciliation, propitiation, and the vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. All of these words are good; they are wonderful, but each one of them merely gives one aspect of our salvation. What does it really mean to be saved? It means to be in Christ. We are irrevocably and organically joined to Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 12:12–13). We are put into the body of believers. We are told, “… he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Cor. 6:17). We belong to Him, and there’s nothing as wonderful as that. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus …” (Rom. 8:1). Can you improve on that? Being in Christ Jesus is the great accomplishment of salvation. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer found that the word in occurred one hundred and thirty times in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus said, “Ye in me and I in you” (see John 15:4). How wonderful! We are in Christ. I can’t explain it; it’s so profound. Analogies may help us here:
The bird is in the air; the air is in the bird.
The fish is in the water; the water is in the fish.
The iron is in the fire; the fire is in the iron.
The believer is in Christ and Christ is in the believer. We are joined to Him. The head is in the body and the body is in the head. My body can’t move without the head directing it. The church, which is “the body of Christ” is in Christ, the Head. All the truths of Ephesians revolve around this fact.
Take time to look carefully at this epistle. I feel very keenly that along with Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Galatians, Ephesians should be given top priority among the epistles. I feel that these epistles have a throbbing, personal, living message for you and me today, probably as no other portion of Scripture does. They are the great doctrinal epistles. When God said to Joshua, “… arise, go over this Jordan” (Josh 1:2), I know He’s not talking to me; but He is giving instructions to Joshua. Yet, to me it has an application. The Epistle to the Ephesians is the Book of Joshua of the New Testament, and it speaks directly to me in a personal way.
“Grace be to you” Grace was the form of greeting of the gentile world in Paul’s day. The Greek word was charis. Two men met on the street and one would say to the other, “Charis” I walked down the streets of Athens with a Greek friend of mine who is a missionary. He spoke to several people as we went by, and I said to him, “It sounds to me like you greet them with the word charis” He laughed and said, “Well, it’s similar to it.” Apparently it’s still a form of greeting today.
“And peace.” The greeting in the religious world was “Peace” That is the word you hear in Jerusalem: “Shalom!”
Paul takes these two words which were the common greeting of the day and gives both of them a wonderful meaning and lifts them to the heights. The grace of God is the means by which He saves us. You must know the grace of God before you can experience the peace of God. Paul always puts them in that order—grace before peace. You must have grace before you can experience peace. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
You see the word peace everywhere today. Generally it refers to peace in some section of the world, or world peace. But the world can never know peace until it knows the grace of God. The interesting thing is, you don’t see the word grace around very much. You see the word love and the word peace. They are very familiar words, and they are supposed to be taken from the Bible, but often they don’t mean what they mean in the Word of God. Peace is peace with God because our sins are forgiven. Our sins can never be forgiven until we know something of the grace of God.
“From God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” The grace and peace are from God our Father. In fact, He becomes our Father when we experience the grace of God and are regenerated by the Spirit of God. Grace and peace also come from the Lord Jesus Christ. Why didn’t Paul say they also came from the Holy Spirit? Doesn’t Paul believe in the Trinity? Oh, yes, but the Holy Spirit was already in Ephesus indwelling believers. The Lord Jesus was seated at God’s right hand in the heavens. We need to keep our geography straight when we study the Bible. A great many people get their theology warped because they don’t have their geography right; and when we get that straightened out, it even helps our theology.
GOD THE FATHER PLANNED THE CHURCH
We come now to the second major division of the first chapter. It begins with a most marvelous verse.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ [Eph. 1:3].
We notice something that is very important here. He has blessed us. We praise Him with our lips because He first made us blessed. Our blessing is a declaration. His blessings are deeds. We pronounce Him blessed. He makes us blessed. The word blessed has in it the thought of happiness and joy. God is rejoicing today. He is happy because He has a way of saving you and He can bless you. It says He hath blessed us. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than this. He is not speaking here of something that may be ours when we get to heaven but of something that is ours right now. Somebody says to me, “Have you had the second blessing?” Second blessing! My friend, I’m working way up in the hundreds—in fact, up in the thousands. I’ve not only had a second blessing; I’ve had a thousand blessings. He’s blessed us, and He’s done it in Christ.
“In heavenly places in Christ.” You will notice that “places” is in italics in the text. It literally states, “in the heavenlies in Christ.” Here we are, blessed with all spiritual blessings, and it is in the heavenlies. I don’t know exactly where the heavenlies are, but I do know where the Lord Jesus is. He is at God’s right hand, and we are told here that these blessings are in Christ. May I say to you that we need to be careful with this. It does not say here that these blessings are with Christ (there are those who read it like that). Right now you and I are seated in Christ. When somebody asks, “Are you going to heaven some day?” the answer generally given is, “Well, I hope so.” Let me say this to you: if you’re going to heaven, you’re already there in Christ. He has blessed you in the heavenlies in Christ, and you are there regardless of what your position is down here. Your practice down here may not be good, but if you are a child of God, you are already in Christ. Some people even misunderstand it in another way. I was teaching Ephesians at a conference once, and they called on a brother at the end of the service to lead the prayer. He started by saying, “Lord, we just thank you that this morning we’ve been sitting in the heavenly places in Christ.” Well, he missed the point. We don’t have to come to a Bible study (as important as that is) and have our hearts thrilled with these great spiritual truths to be sitting in the heavenlies. The fact of the matter is, you are in the heavenlies in Christ even when you are down in the dumps. Everyone who is in Christ is seated in the heavenlies in Him. That is the position which He has given to us.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We praise Him. Why? Because He has blessed us. He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. The parallel here is Joshua in the Old Testament. We saw in the study of that book that Canaan was given to the children of Israel by God. Canaan is not a picture of heaven. Canaan is a picture of where we live today. It could never be heaven because there were enemies to be fought and battles to be won. Down here is where the battle is being fought. When we get to heaven, there will be no more battles. The interesting point here is that God gave them Canaan. All they had to do was lay hold of their possession. God told Joshua, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses” (Josh. 1:3). Joshua could say, “Well, Lord, you’ve already given it to us. You let us walk in and take it.”
My friend, God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. We are in Christ. Have you ever stopped to think of what we have in Christ? Christ has been made unto us justification and sanctification. When I started out in church as a boy, I was working for my salvation. I didn’t do very well with that. Then I learned that Christ is my justification. I tried to work to be good after I was saved, and I didn’t do very well at that either. Then I learned that Christ has been made unto me sanctification. You see, I have everything in Christ; I have been blessed with all spiritual blessings. You can’t improve on that, can you? When you come to Christ, you have everything in Him. Don’t come and tell me today that I have to wait until later on, that I have to tarry for the Holy Spirit to give me something special—for example, a baptism. I have it all in Christ. When you tell me that I did not get everything in Christ, you are denying what Christ did for me. I got everything when I came to Him.
Now there are two ways to treat these blessings, which are actually your spiritual possessions: either to lay hold of them or not to lay hold of them. Two stories illustrate what I mean, and both of them are true. When I was in Chicago many years ago, picked up the evening paper during the week and read a little article and clipped it out. It was way down at the bottom of the front page and wasn’t apt to be noticed. It read “The flophouses and saloons of Chicago’s Skid Row were searched today for one Stanley William McKenna Walker, 50, an Oxford graduate and heir to half of an $8,000,000 English estate. The missing persons detail hoped that somewhere among the down-and-outers who line the curbs and sleep off wine binges in the cheap hotels they would find Walker, son of a wealthy British shipbuilder.” I thought how tragic it was. Imagine being an heir to half of $8,000,000 and being a wino who’s sleeping in two-bit hotels. I felt like sitting down and weeping for that poor fellow. Then I began thinking of the children of God today who are living in cheap hotels, living off the little “wine” of this world. I don’t mean that literally, but that they engage in cheap entertainment down here. They are wealthy beyond the dreams of Croesus and are blessed with all spiritual blessings, but they live like paupers down here. There are a lot of folk in our churches who live like that today, and it’s tragic. I was telling this story when I was a pastor in Los Angeles, and a lady who was visiting from Chicago came up afterward and asked, “Dr. McGee, do you know the end of that story?” I said, “No, I never heard.” She said, “Well, they found him.” “Oh,” I replied, “that was wonderful.” “No,” she said, “they found him dead in a doorway on a cold night later on that fall.” How tragic to die like that man died. Many Christians live and die like that, and yet they are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
The second true story happened out West here, years ago. An heir to a British nobleman was living in poverty and barely eking out an existence. After the nobleman died, they began to look for his heir and when they found him, they told him about his inheritance. A great deal of publicity was made of it. Do you know what that fellow did? He immediately went down to the clothing store and ordered their best suit and then bought a first class ticket to return to England in style. Do you know why? He believed the inheritance was his, and he acted upon it. My friend, you can go either route. You can travel your Christian life in first class or in steerage. You can go second, third, or fourth class, and there are a lot of Christians doing that today. God wants you to know that you’ve been blessed with all spiritual blessings. He hasn’t promised us physical blessings, but He has promised spiritual ones, and these are in the heavenlies in Christ. My friend, you’re not going to have any spiritual blessing in this life that doesn’t come to you through Jesus Christ. That’s just how important He is. He not only has saved us, but He is also the One who blesses us. How we need to lay hold of Him today and to start living as a child of God should live!
We come now to a very important section. We are in that division of the outline which states that God the Father planned the church. You would not build a house today without a blueprint. What is God’s blueprint? What did God do in planning for the church? We find in this section that He did three things: (1) He chose us in Christ; (2) He pre-destinated us to the place of sonship; and (3) He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Now I know that we have come to a passage of Scripture that is difficult. You’ll have to gird up the loins of your mind because this is a very strong passage in the Word of God. We are going to talk about election and about pre-destination. These are two words that are frightening. Many people run for cover when they hear these words mentioned. But they are Bible words, and they have a meaning which is important for us to see.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love [Eph. 1:4].
This verse and the verses that follow are essentially the most difficult verses in Scripture to grasp. They are repulsive to the natural man, and the average believer finds them difficult to accept at face value. Although the statements are clear, the truth they contain is hard to receive. These verses are like a walnut—hard to crack but with a lot of goodies on the inside.
“According as” is a connective which modifies the preceding statement in verse three. The spiritual blessings which you and I are given are in accord with the divine will. All is done in perfect unison with God’s purpose. This world and this universe will operate according to the plan and purpose of Almighty God. “According as” looks back to the three-in-one blessing of the last verse. There are actually and ought to be three ins in verse three. There is, first of all, “in all spiritual blessings,” which are then wrapped “in the heavenlies,” and finally put in the larger package of “in Christ.” The whole thought is: Open your gift and see what God has done for you, and then move out in faith and lay hold of it and live today on the high plane to which God has brought you. He’s made you a son and blessed you with all spiritual blessings. We need to live like that in the world today.
Now all this was according to His plan. God the Father planned the church, God the Son paid for the church, and God the Holy Spirit protects the church. The source of all our blessings is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He carries our mind back to eternity past to make us realize that salvation is altogether of God and not at all of ourselves. You and I are not the originators or the promoters or the consummators of our salvation. God did it all. An old hymn puts it like this:
’Tis not that I did choose Thee
For, Lord, that could not be.
This heart would still refuse Thee
But Thou hast chosen me.
A favorite hymn of today says:
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God.
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” God planned our salvation way back yonder in eternity before you and I were even in this world at all. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who came down in time, and He wrought out our salvation upon the cross when the fullness of time had come. God the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts us today. He brings us to the place of faith in Christ and to a saving knowledge of the grace of God that is revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I heard this story many years ago. A boy in Memphis, Tennessee, wanted to join a conservative, fundamental church, and the deacons were examining him. They asked him, “How did you get saved?” He answered, “I did my part, and God did His part” The deacons thought they had him, so they asked him what was his part and what was God’s part. He said, “My part was the sinning. I ran from God as fast as these rebellious legs would take me and my sinful heart would lead me. I ran from Him. But you know, He done took out after me ’til He done run me down.” My friend, there is nothing in a theology book that tells it as well as that. God is the One who did the saving. Our part was the sinning.
The late Dr. Harry A. Ironside told this story. A little boy was asked, “Have you found Jesus?” The little fellow answered, “Sir, I didn’t know He was lost. But I was lost and He found me.” My friend, you don’t find Jesus. He finds you. He is the One who went out after the lost sheep, and He is the One who found that sheep.
God chose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world, way back in eternity past. That means that you and I didn’t do the choosing. He did not choose us because we were good or because we would do some good, but He did choose us so that we could do some good. The entire choice is thrown back upon the sovereignty of the wisdom and goodness of God alone. It was Charles Spurgeon who once said, “God chose me before I came into the world, because if He’d waited until I got here, He never would have chosen me.” It is God who has chosen us—we have not chosen Him. The Lord Jesus said to His own in the Upper Room, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you …” (John 15:16). Dr. G. Campbell Morgan commented, “That puts the responsibility on Him. If He did the choosing, then He’s responsible.” That makes it quite wonderful!
Israel furnishes us an example of this divine choosing. “Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:1–2). God chose Israel in time; He chose the church in eternity. Since God made the choice in eternity, there has not arisen anything unforeseen to Him which has caused Him to revamp His program or change His mind. He knew the end from the beginning (see Acts 15:18).
God did all this for a purpose: “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” God chose us in order to sanctify us. He saves us and He sanctifies us that we might be holy. That’s the positive side of His purpose. It has to do with the inner life of the believer. A holy life is demanded by God’s election. Now don’t tell me that you can say, “Well, I’m one of the elected. I have been saved by grace, and now I can do as I please.” Paul answered that kind of reasoning. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1–2). You can’t use grace as a license to sin, my friend. If you go on living in sin, it is because you are a sinner who hasn’t been saved. A sinner who has been saved will show a change in his way of living.
Not only did God elect us in order that we should be holy but also that we should be “without blame.” Now this is the negative side. The believer in Christ is seen before God as without blame. Again we see an example of this in Israel. God would not permit Balaam to curse Israel or to find fault with His people. “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them” (Num. 23:21). Yes, but if you had gone down there into the camp of Israel, you would have found that God did find fault with them and He judged them—He was sanctifying and purifying that camp.
God has chosen you in order that He might make you holy and in order that He might make you without blame. It means that your life has been changed. If there is no evidence of change, then you are not one of the elect. God wants his children to live lives which are not marked or spotted with sin. He has made every provision to absolve them from all blame. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2).
By the way, that answers once and for all the question of a limited atonement, that is, that Christ died only for the elect. This verse in 1 John makes it clear that He died for the world. I don’t care who you are, there is a legitimate offer that has been sent out to you today from God, and that offer is that Jesus Christ has died for you. You can’t hide and say, “I am not one of the elect.” You are of the elect if you hear His voice. You also have free will not to hear His voice. It is a glorious and wonderful thing that the God of heaven would elect some of us down here and save us. I don’t propose to understand all that—I just believe it.
The Lord gave us a picture of a great big, wide highway and off that highway is a little, narrow entrance. Over the entrance it says, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), and “I am the door …” (John 10:9). Now the interesting thing is that the broad highway on which most of the people are traveling leads down and gets narrower and narrower until finally it leads to destruction. You can keep on that broad highway if you wish, but you can also turn off if you want to. You can turn off at the invitation, “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). You can enter in at that narrow way, and the interesting thing is that the entrance is narrow, but then the road widens out. “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). You talk about the broad way! The broad way comes after you get through the narrow gate. But, you see, you must make the choice. Whosoever will may come—that includes you. It is a legitimate invitation.
D. L. Moody put it in his quaint way. He said, “The whosoeverwills are the elect and the whosoeverwon’ts are the nonelect.” It is up to you. The Lord has extended the invitation. Whosoever will may come. Don’t try to say that you are left out. God so loved the world. Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish. That “whosoever” means J. Vernon McGee. It means you—you can put your name right in there. Just because there are the elect, it does not mean we know who they are. You have no right to say that you are of the nonelect. If you will open your heart, you can come. That is all you have to do. I don’t believe in the idea today that you can have “mental reservations.” The problem is that you have sin in your life, and the Bible condemns it. If you come to Christ, it means you’ll have to turn from that sin, and some folk just don’t want to turn from their sin.
“Chosen us in him.” Again and again the Word of God emphasizes God’s sovereign choice. Paul states, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:13–14). Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:2, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.…” The interesting thing is that election and sanctification seem to go together and they are both in the Lord Jesus Christ. If God has saved you, He hasn’t saved you because you are good but because you are not good. Paul puts it in such a marvelous way: “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:14–16). Moses had gone to God in prayer, and God had answered, “Moses, I am going to hear and answer your prayer, but it is not because you are Moses and the deliverer. It is because I will show mercy on whom I will and I’ll show compassion on whom I will. It is not to him that wills nor to him that works but it is I who shows compassion.” Now, do you want to experience the compassion of God? Then you will have to turn to Him.
I think the best illustration of this is over in Acts 27. You remember that Paul was in a ship and there was a terrific storm so that the ship was listing and about ready to go down. They had already cast some of the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. Then Paul went to the captain and said, “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee” (Acts 27:22–24). Now that was God’s foreknowledge. That is election. God had elected that nobody on that ship would be lost. Just a little later, Paul found a group of the sailors about to let down a lifeboat into the sea. They intended to go overboard, hoping to get to land in that way. Then Paul said to the captain, “… Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 27:31). The captain could have said, “Wait a minute. You already told me that none would perish,” and he would have been right. That is what Paul had said. That was God’s side of it—none would perish. But the condition was, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” That was man’s side of it—they had to stay in the ship.
Now God knows who the elect are. I don’t. Someone came to Spurgeon one time and said, “Mr. Spurgeon, if I believed as you do, I would not preach like you do. You say you believe that there are the elect, and yet you preach as if everybody can be saved.” Spurgeon’s answer was, “They can all be saved. If God had put a yellow streak up and down the backs of the elect, I’d go up and down the streets lifting up shirt tails to find out who had the yellow streak up and down his back. Then I’d give that person the gospel. But God didn’t do that. He told me to preach the gospel to every creature and that whosoever will may come.” That is our marching order, and as far as I am concerned, until God gives me the roll call of the elect, I am going to preach the “whosoever will” gospel. That is the gospel we are to preach today.
Someone else has put it like this. On the door to heaven, from our side, it says, “Whosoever will may enter. I am the door: by Me if any man.…” Any man—that means you. You can come in and find pasture and find life. When you get on the other side of the door someday in heaven, you’re going to look back, and on that door you will find written, “Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.” I haven’t seen that side of the door yet; therefore, I give God (since He is God) the right to plan His church.
A friend of mine down in Florida once showed me the blueprint of a home he was going to build. He had planned it and had it all marked out in the blueprint. They had only laid the foundation, but he and his wife showed me where everything was going to be. Later on when we were in that home to visit them, it was just like they planned it. They didn’t have supernatural knowledge, but as far as I know, no one has questioned whether they had the right to do that or not. They did have the right, and they did it according to their plan. God has planned the church. After all, this is His universe, and the church is His church. What is His plan? “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”
Now the words in love are not connected with verse four, but actually with verse five. “In love,”
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will [Eph. 1:5].
Somebody says, “Oooh, there’s that word predestination, and that’s another frightful term!” Friend, that’s one of the most wonderful words we have in Scripture, and this a glorious section. It is something we don’t hear too much about today. If I were not going through the Bible, I would have probably avoided this and would have chosen something else. I would have talked about the comfort there is for the saints, which is the big theme of even most fundamental preachers today. We’re all talking about comfort, but what we have here is strong medicine. Some folk won’t be able to take the medicine; but if you take it, it’ll do you good. We need something pretty strong in this flabby age in which we live. We need to know that we’ve been chosen in Him in order to stand for God today. It will make a world of difference in your life.
We are treading on the mountain tops in Ephesians. We’re in eternity past when God planned the church. I wasn’t back there to give Him any suggestions or tell Him how I wanted it done, but He’s telling me how He did it. In essence, God says to you and me, “You either take it or leave it. This is the way I did it. Maybe you don’t like it, but this is the way I did it, and I’m the One who is running this universe, you see.” God hasn’t turned it over to any political party yet. Thank God for that! He hasn’t turned it over to any individual either. We can thank Him for that. He certainly hasn’t turned it over to me, and I tell you, all of us can shout a hearty “Amen” to that and thank Him He didn’t do it that way. God has done three things for us, however, in planning the church. First of all, we’ve seen that He chose us—and that’s a pretty hard pill for us to swallow. Secondly, the Father predestinated us to the place of sonship. Thirdly, the Father made us accepted in the Beloved.
I cannot repeat often enough that election is God’s choosing us in Christ. I emphasize again that men are not lost because they have not been elected. They are lost because they are sinners and that is the way they want it and that is the way they have chosen. The free will of man is never violated because of the election of God. The lost man makes his own choice. Augustine expressed it like this: “If there be not free will grace in God, how can He save the world? And if there be not free will in man, how can the world by God be judged?” Here again is Paul’s strong statement, “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid” (Rom. 9:14). Now if you think that there is some unrighteousness with God, you had better change your mind.
I get the impression in some of the evangelistic campaigns today that people are asked to come forward and even that coming forward is doing something. May I say to you that God says He is not saving any of us because we came forward, or because we are nice little boys or nice little girls, or because we have joined a church, or even because we have an inclination to turn to Him. God says that it is because He extends mercy. He had to say that even to Moses. Moses could have gone to the Lord and said, “Look, I’m Moses. I’m leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. I’m really up there at the top. You’d have a problem getting along without me. Therefore, I want You to hear my prayer.” If you read his prayers, Moses never prayed like that. It was God who said, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and compassion on whom I will have compassion.” He told Moses that He was going to hear and answer his prayer, but not because he was Moses, but because “… it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:16).
My friend, I’m going to be in heaven someday, and I’m not going to be there because Vernon McGee is a nice little boy. He’s not. You don’t know me like I know myself. If you knew me, you would tune me out right now. But wait a minute—don’t tune me out, because if I knew you like you know yourself, I wouldn’t even speak to you. So let’s stay together, shall we? We are both in the same boat—we are all lost sinners. I will not be in heaven because I am a preacher or because I joined a church. It will not be because I was baptized. I have been sprinkled and immersed. My wife belonged to a Southern Baptist church and she has always prided herself on being immersed. I tease her and say it sure will be funny if we get to heaven and find out the Lord really meant sprinkling after all. I tell her that that would leave her out, but I’m safe because I’ve been baptized both ways. You see, that is ridiculous—none of those things will put a person into heaven. The only reason I am going to be in heaven is because of the mercy of God. I am a lost sinner. Until you and I are willing to come to God as a nobody and then let Him make us a somebody, you and I will never be saved.
Your best resolutions must totally be waived,
Your highest ambitions be crossed.
You need never think that you will ever be saved,
Until first you have learned that you’re lost.
It is to the lost sinner that God is prepared to extend His mercy.
Don’t tell me you have “intellectual problems”—hurdles to get over. The problem with you and the problem with me was not that we had trouble with Jonah, or with Noah and the ark. Our problem today is that the Bible condemns the sin in our lives. God will save you when your heart is willing to turn to Him. He’s planned it like this in order that He might bring you and me into heaven someday; and when we get there, we are going to find out that He’s the One who did it.
Now in verse five we come to the next thing God did for us. “In love having predestinated us.” Some are going to say that they never knew you could get predestination and love together even in the same county, let alone in the same verse. But here they are. God’s love is involved in this word which has been frightful to a great many people. The word predestination comes from the Greek proorisos, and it literally means “to define, to mark out, to set apart.” It means “to horizon.” If you go outside and look around (especially if you’re in flat country), you only can see to the horizon. You’re “horizoned”; you’re put in that area. When it refers to God, predestination has to do with God’s purpose with those He chooses.
Predestination is never used in reference to unsaved people. God has never predestinated anybody to be lost. If you are lost, it is because you have rejected God’s remedy. It is like a dying man to whom the doctor offers curing medicine. “If you take this, it’ll heal you.” The man looks at the doctor in amazement and says, “I don’t believe you.” Now the man dies and the doctor’s report says he died of a certain disease, and that’s accurate. But may I say to you, there was a remedy, and he actually died because he didn’t take the remedy. God has provided a remedy. Let me repeat, God has never predestined anybody to be lost. That’s where your free will comes in, and you have to determine for yourself what your choice will be.
Predestination refers only to those who are saved. What it actually means is that when God starts out with one hundred sheep, He is going to come through with one hundred sheep. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:28–29). Dr. R. A. Torrey used to say that this is a wonderful pillow for a tired heart. Those who are called according to His purpose are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. We’re talking now about saved people. Romans goes on to explain how this is done. “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30). When God starts out with one hundred sheep, He will come through with one hundred sheep. You must admit that that is a good percentage.
Years ago I was told by a sheep rancher in San Angelo, Texas, that he would appreciate coming out with 65 percent. He said, “We can make money if we get to market 65 percent of the sheep that we start out with.” That makes you feel that it wouldn’t hurt too much if one little sheep got lost.
The Lord Jesus told a parable about a man who had one hundred sheep, and one little sheep got lost. You know, most of us get lost even after we have been saved. That doesn’t mean we lose our salvation, but we surely get out of fellowship with Him. Some people can get lost so far that they actually fear they have lost their salvation. But the little lost sheep is still a sheep even though he is way out yonder and lost. “All we like sheep have gone astray …” (Isa. 53:6). That’s our propensity; that’s our tendency; that’s the direction we go. We don’t go toward God, but we go away from Him. So what does the Shepherd do? He goes out to look for that one lost sheep! I’m confident that the man who raised sheep in Texas wouldn’t get up and go out into a cold, blustery, stormy night to get one little sheep. I think he would say, “Let him go.” Thank God, we have a Shepherd who never says that! He says, “I started out with one hundred sheep and I’m going to come through with that one hundred sheep.” Now, suppose the day comes when He is counting His sheep up in heaven, way out there somewhere in the future. He starts out, “One, two, three four, five … ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, ninety-nine, ninety-nine—what in the world happened to Vernon McGee? Well, We’ve just lost one, so We’ll let it go at that. A lot of folk didn’t think Vernon McGee was going to make it anyway.” Thank God, He will not do it that way. If I am not there when He counts in His sheep, He is going to go out and look for me, and He is going to bring me in. That is what predestination means. I love that word. It is God’s guarantee. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28). Always remember that if sheep are saved, it is not because they were smart little sheep. They are stupid little fellows. If they are safe, it is because they have a wonderful Shepherd. That is the glorious truth.
We are predestinated “unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.” Adoption means that we are brought into the place of full-grown sons. We have dealt with that in the Epistle to the Galatians. It implies two very important things. Adoption into sonship means regeneration. We have been regenerated by the Spirit of God. The child of God has been born again “… not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). He is born again into a new relationship. That is what the Lord Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus that he must be born again. Adoption also means a place of position and privilege. When we are saved, we are born into the family of God as a babe in Christ; but, in addition, we are given the position of an adult son. We are in a position where we can understand the Word of the Father because He has given us the Holy Spirit as our Teacher.
When my little grandson was almost two years old, he talked constantly, but I could understand only a few words that he said. Yet I could pretty well tell what he wanted and needed. He was just a little, bitty fellow and he couldn’t understand why I didn’t know what he was saying. He didn’t always understand me either, by the way. The wonderful thing is that I have a Heavenly Father today—and I’ve been a babe a long time—and He’s told me that He’s put me in a position where I can understand Him. How wonderful it’s going to be as my grandson grows up and we can really understand one another. God, however, communicates to us now. Paul tells us how: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Cor. 2:12). All of this is done in Christ Jesus. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus!” (1 Tim. 2:5).
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved [Eph. 1:6].
Since all is for the glory of God, Paul sings this glorious doxology, this wonderful psalm of praise. All is done on the basis of His grace and the end is the glory of God. The inception is grace; the conception is adoption; the reception is for His glory.
“Wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Who is the Beloved? It is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Lord Jesus who said, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). God sees the believer in Christ and He accepts the believer just as He receives His own Son. That is wonderful. That is the only basis on which I will be in heaven. I cannot stand there on the merit of Vernon McGee. I am accepted only in the Beloved. God loves me just as He loves Christ, because I am in Christ. Jesus said, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:23).
There has been, therefore, a threefold work performed by God the Father. He chose us in Christ. He predestinated us to the place of sonship. He has made us accepted in the Beloved. It is all to the praise of the glory of His grace. He is the One who gets the praise. He is the One who did it all.
All of this is for your good and my good. I just like to revel in this, I like to rejoice in this, and I talk about this because it is worth talking about. It is so much more valuable than a lot of the chitchat that I hear today that goes under the name of religion. How we need to see the grace of God as it is revealed in Christ!
GOD THE SON PAID THE PRICE FOR THE CHURCH
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace [Eph. 1:7].
Back in eternity past God chose us, predestinated us, and made us accepted in the Beloved. Now we move out of eternity into time, where the plans of God the Father are placed into the hands of Christ, who moves into space and time to construct the church.
It is an historical fact that Jesus was born into this world over nineteen hundred years ago. God intruded into humanity and after being on this earth for thirty-three years, He died upon a cross, was buried, rose again bodily, and ascended into heaven. Those are the historical facts that the Word of God gives us. While He was here, He redeemed us, and that redemption is through His blood. This is something which is not popular today. Most people want a beautiful religion, one that appeals to their esthetic nature. The cross of Christ does not appeal to the esthetic part of man; it doesn’t appeal to the pride of man. Unfortunately, the liberal churches and even a few so-called Bible churches make an appeal to the old nature of man and, therefore, there is no emphasis on the blood of Christ—it is considered repulsive.
Years ago a lady came up to the late Dr. G. Campbell Morgan. She was one of these dowagers who had a lorgnette (a lorgnette is a sneer on the end of a stick). She looked at him through her lorgnette and said, “Dr. Morgan, I don’t like to hear about the blood. It is repulsive to me and offends my esthetic nature.” Dr. Morgan replied, “I agree with you that it is repulsive, but the only thing repulsive about it is your sin and mine.” Sin is the thing that is repulsive about the blood redemption, my friend.
A new pastor came to a great church in Washington, D.C., and a couple came to him and said, “We trust that you will not put too much emphasis on the blood. The former pastor we had talked a great deal about the blood, and we hope that you will not emphasize it too much.” He answered, “You can be assured that I won’t emphasize it too much.” They looked pleased and thanked him for it. He said, “Wait a minute. It is not possible to emphasize it too much.” And he continued to stress the blood. It is repulsive to man, but it is through His blood that we have redemption.
After God the Father had drawn the blueprint, the Son came to this earth to form the church with nail-pierced hands. The entire context of the Old Testament sets forth the expiation of sins by the blood of an animal sacrifice. Yet this could not take away sins—only Christ could execute that. The writer to the Hebrews says it this way: “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb. 10:6–13).
“In whom we have redemption.” “In whom” refers to the Beloved, who is Christ. We are accepted in the Beloved, in Christ. Redemption is the primary work of Christ. The literal here is “In whom we have the redemption.” The word the gives it prominence, and the fact that it is named first gives it top priority. This is the reason Christ came to earth. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). He came to pay a price for your redemption and mine. We were slaves in sin, and He came to deliver us and give us liberty by paying a price for us.
There are three Greek words in the New Testament which are translated by the one English word redemption. The Greek word agorazo means “to buy at the marketplace.” Here is the picture of a housewife out in the morning shopping for the day. She sees some vegetables and a roast and puts down cash on the barrelhead. She pays the price and now they belong to her, of course. The only thought in this word agorazo, then, is to buy and take out. This is the word Paul used in 1 Corinthians 6:20: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The Greek word exagorazo means “to buy out of the market,” and it has the thought of buying something for one’s own use. You see, somebody could go into the marketplace and buy that roast and those vegetables and go down to the next town, where they are short of those items, and put them up for sale at a profit. Exagorazo means, however, to take goods out of the market place and never to sell them again, but rather to keep them for one’s own use. This is the word which is used in Galatians 3:13: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” This means that Christ redeemed us so that we would not be exposed for sale again. He has paid the price, and He has taken us off the market. We belong to Him.
The third Greek word for redemption is apolutrosis which is the word used here in verse seven. It means “to liberate by the paying of a ransom in order to set a person free.” It carries this same meaning in Luke 21:28: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Redemption is a marvelous word. It means not only to go into the marketplace and put cash on the barrelhead; it means not only to take it out of the market for your own private use, never to sell it to anyone else; but it also means to set free or to liberate after paying the price. The last applies to buying a slave out of slavery in order to set him free, and this is the word for redemption we have here in this verse. Man has been sold under sin and is in the bondage of sin. All one needs to do is look around to see that this is true. Man is a rotten, corrupt sinner and he cannot do anything else but sin—he is a slave to sin. Christ came to pay the price of man’s freedom. That is what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
This redemption is “through his blood”—that was the price which He paid. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). The blood of Christ is more valuable than silver and gold. For one thing, there is not much of it. A limited supply increases the value of a substance, but that really is not the reason for its value. One drop of the blood of the holy Son of God can save every sinner on topside of this earth, if that sinner will put his trust in the Savior. We have redemption through His blood, and the reason He saves us in that way is because “… without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). This is an Old Testament principle which is applicable to the entire human race from Adam down to the last man. We have been redeemed now, not with the blood of bulls and goats—that can’t redeem you—but with the precious blood of Christ.
“The forgiveness of sins.” Forgiveness is not the act of an indulgent deity who is moved by sentiment to the exclusion of justice, righteousness, and holiness. Forgiveness depends on the shedding of blood: it demands and depends on the payment of the penalty for sin. Christ’s death and the shedding of His blood is the foundation for forgiveness and, without that, there could be no forgiveness.
I think here we need to learn the distinction between human forgiveness and divine forgiveness—they are not the same. Human forgiveness is always based on the fact that a penalty is deserved and that the penalty is not imposed. It simply means that one wipes out the account. God is holy and righteous. Therefore divine forgiveness is always based on the fact that there has been the execution of the penalty and the price has been paid. Human forgiveness comes before the penalty is executed. Divine forgiveness depends upon the penalty being executed. It is really too bad that this is something which has bogged down our entire legal system today. That is why we are living in a lawless nation where it is not even safe to be on the streets of our cities at night. There has been a confusion between human forgiveness and the righteousness of the law. We are in trouble because of the leniency on the part of certain judges throughout our land. They sit on the bench and think they are being bighearted by letting the criminal go free. My friend, the righteousness of the law demands that a penalty must be paid. I once heard a judge say, “If God can forgive, then I can forgive.” But God paid the penalty and then He forgave. Is the judge on the bench willing to go and pay the penalty? I don’t think you have any right to take men out of death row unless you are willing to take their place, because a penalty must be executed.
A righteous God forgives on the basis that a penalty has been executed. When was it executed? When Jesus Christ shed His blood over nineteen hundred years ago. Sure, that’s not esthetic. It doesn’t appeal to the refined nature of civilized man today. Of course it doesn’t—man thinks his sin doesn’t really seem so bad. He tries to be sophisticated; he thinks he is suave and very clever. Friend, we are lost, hell-doomed sinners, and God cannot forgive us until the penalty has been executed. The good news is that the penalty has been executed. That is the reason that in the Word of God you will find forgiveness back to back with the blood of Jesus Christ. Forgiveness depends on the blood of Christ. That is how valuable His blood is. I have said it before, and I will say it again: you come to God as a nobody and let Him make you a somebody. He can forgive you your sins because He paid the penalty for your sins. This is the only way that you and I can have forgiveness for our sins.
The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “… Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46–47). Paul says the same thing in Colossians 1:14: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” When Jesus met Paul on the Damascus road, He told him to go to the Gentiles, “to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18). The shedding of the blood of Christ and His death on the cross is the foundation for forgiveness—sine qua non or without this there is nothing. God cannot forgive until the penalty has been paid.
The word for sins is paraptoma which means “an offense or a falling aside.” Paul describes the first sin of man as an offense in Romans 5:15. He uses the same word in Romans 4:25, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” “Sins” includes the entire list of sins which is chargeable to man. Augustine stated it succinctly: “Christ bought the church foul that He might make it fair.” He bought it with His own blood and paid the penalty for our sin.
“According to the riches of his grace.” That is an interesting expression. It doesn’t say out of the riches of His grace but according to the riches of His grace. Let me illustrate the difference. I read many years ago that when the late John D. Rockefeller played golf in Florida he always gave the caddy a dime. I always felt that that must have almost broke the man to pay out such a handsome sum. You see, he didn’t give according to his riches—he gave out of his riches. I think he could have done a little better than that, and if he had paid according to his riches, the caddy would have been rich. God has redeemed us according to the riches of His grace. God is rich in grace, and He is willing to give according to His riches of grace. He has had to bestow so much on me, but He has enough left for you who are reading this way up in Alaska. It may be cold up there, but God’s grace is rich up there. Some of you across the Pacific may read this, and He has grace for you. God can save you, and He can keep you, and it is due to His grace.
We are dealing with the work of God the Son on behalf of the church. That work is threefold: (1) Christ redeemed us through His blood; (2) He has revealed the mystery of His will; and (3) He rewards us with an inheritance.
We looked at the Greek words for redemption and saw that it involved the paying of a price which was the blood of Christ: we can have forgiveness because He paid the price. We know that God went into the marketplace where we were sold on the slave block of sin and He bought us, all of us. He is going to use us for Himself—He establishes a personal relationship. We saw also that He bought us in order to set us free. Now somebody will ask, “Doesn’t that upset the hymn that says, ‘I gave, I gave My life for thee. What hast thou done for Me?’?” My friend, it surely does. The very word for redemption in verse seven, apolutrosis, means that God never asks you what you have done for Him. That is the glorious thing about grace: when God saves you by grace, it doesn’t put you in debt to Him. He bought you in order to set you free.
Someone else will ask, “But aren’t we supposed to serve Him?” Certainly. But it is on another basis, a new relationship—the relationship now is love. The Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He didn’t say, “Because I’m dying for you, you are to keep My commandments.” He said, “If you love Me.” Today, if you love Him, He wants your service. If you don’t love Him, then forget about this business of service. One hears so much today about commitment to Christ. Friend, you and I have very little to commit to Him. We are to respond in love to Him, and that is a different basis altogether. We love Him because He first loved us.
I heard this story many years ago, and it’s the kind of story that you are not supposed to tell today, but I still tell it. I guess I’m still a square. It illustrates a great truth. In the South—and I hate to say, in the days of slavery—there was a beautiful girl who was put on the slave block to be sold. There was a very cruel slave owner, a brutal fellow, who began to bid for her. Every time he would bid, the girl would cringe and a look of fear would come over her face. A plantation owner who was kind to his slaves was there, and he began to bid for the girl. He outbid the other fellow and purchased her. He put down the price and started to walk away. The girl followed him, but he turned to her and said, “You misunderstand. I didn’t buy you because I needed a slave. I bought you to set you free.” She simply stood there, stunned for just a moment. Then she suddenly fell to her knees. “Why,” she said, “I will serve you forever!” Now that illustrates the basis on which the Lord Jesus wants us to serve Him. He loved you. He paid a price for you. He gave Himself and shed His blood so that you could have forgiveness of sins. This is all yours if you are willing to come to Him and accept Him as your Savior.
Now what if someone says, “But I don’t love Him.” Then He is not asking you to serve Him. But if you do love Him, then He wants you to serve Him. That is what it is all about. Never forget, your redemption and your forgiveness are “according to the riches of his grace.”
Now we are ready for the second work of God the Son on behalf of the church: Christ revealed the mystery of His will.
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him [Eph. 1:8–10].
What is a mystery in Scripture? It is not a whodunit or a mystery story, and it is not something you wonder about, like, Was it the butler who committed the crime? It is not something Agatha Christie wrote or a Sherlock Holmes story, by any means. A mystery in Scripture means that God is revealing something that, up to that time, He had not revealed. There are two elements which always enter into a New Testament mystery: (1) It cannot be discovered by human agencies, for it is always a revelation from God; and (2) it is revealed at the proper time and not concealed, and enough is revealed to establish the fact without all the details being disclosed.
The Scofield Reference Bible (p. 1014) lists eleven mysteries in the New Testament:
The greater mysteries are: (1) the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 13:3–50); (2) the mystery of Israel’s blindness during this age (Rom. 11:25, with context); (3) the mystery of the translation of living saints at the end of this age (1 Cor. 15:51–52; 1 Th. 4:13–17); (4) the mystery of the N.T. Church as one body composed of Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 3:1–12; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3); (5) the mystery of the Church as the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32); (6) the mystery of the in-living Christ (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:26–27); (7) the “mystery of God even Christ,” i.e., Christ as the incarnate fullness of the Godhead embodied, in whom all the divine wisdom for man subsists (1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 2:2, 9); (8) the mystery of the processes by which godlikeness is restored to man (1 Tim. 3:16); (9) the mystery of iniquity (2 Th. 2:7; cp. Mt. 13:33); (10) the mystery of the seven stars (Rev. 1:20); and (11) the mystery of Babylon (Rev. 17:5, 7).
Yet, even with all these, did you know that God hasn’t told us everything? There are a lot of things God hasn’t told us. There are many questions that I would like to ask God myself. A great many people send us questions, and we attempt to answer them. I have questions, too, but I don’t know who to ask because nobody down here knows the answers. Someday He will reveal them to us.
A mystery then is something God hasn’t previously revealed but now reveals to us. Now in these verses is a wonderful mystery that was not revealed in the Old Testament. First let me restate verses eight and nine to amplify their meaning somewhat: “Which He caused (made) to abound toward us: having made known [aorist tense] unto us in all wisdom and prudence the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him (Christ).” Notice that “in all wisdom and prudence” properly belongs with verse nine. What is the mystery of His will? First of all, it is something which is revealed according to wisdom and prudence. It is not some simple little “a-b-c” something. I very frankly rejoice that there are so many agencies and individuals who try to get out what they call the “simple gospel.” I thank the Lord that people write and tell us that we are making the gospel simple and they can understand it. I appreciate that because that is what we must do. Dr. H. A. Ironside used to say, “Put the cookies on the bottom shelf where the kiddies can get to them.” There is a “simple gospel” but, may I say to you, there are the depths and the wisdom of God that you and I can’t easily probe—sometimes not at all. We need to use all the mental acumen that we have in order to try to understand something of the great purposes of God, the plan of God. God wants us to know these things because now this mystery has been revealed.
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ.” Dispensation is another word like mystery. It is often misunderstood, and a great many people today think it is a dirty word. It is a great word! Some Bible teachers won’t even use the word because it is a word that is hated. There are a lot of words in the Bible that are hated—words like blood, and redemption, and the Cross. Paul says the Cross is an offense, but that cannot keep us from preaching about it. The Bible teaches dispensations, and so we will not avoid the subject at all.
Let me say first of all that a dispensation is not a period of time. That is where dispensation differs from the word age. We hear of the “age of grace”—that is a period of time. Dispensation is an altogether different word that is translated in several different ways. It can mean “a stewardship,” “an order,” or “an administration.” An English transliteration of the Greek word would be “economy.” It is an order or a system that is put into effect; it is the way of doing things.
For example, young people in school may take a course called home economics or domestic economy. They learn how to run a household. When a woman has her own home, she may decide to have baked beans one night and a roast the next night. She sets up the order of meals and that is the way she organizes her schedule. Down the street the mother in another family decides they won’t have a roast that night, but they will have fish. That is the way she runs her house, and she has a right to run it like that. There is also a political economy—a subject that is taught in our colleges today. A lot of students go into that field, and they learn how to run the government, the way to run a nation. England runs her government differently from the way we do in the United States. Each has a right to its own system and I wouldn’t say that either place has the right system. Russia has an entirely different system; we certainly wouldn’t better ours by taking theirs. Countries even have different systems of running traffic. In England they drive down the left side of the street. I enjoyed kidding our driver when we were in England, “Look out, there comes a car on the wrong side of the street!” “That’s all right,” he would say, “I’m going on the wrong side myself” In England, the right side is the left side. Now that is confusing to a poor American visiting over there.
A dispensation may fit into a certain period of time, but it actually means the way God runs something at a particular time: it is the way God does things. It is evident that God had Adam on a different arrangement than He has for you and me. I think even the most ardent antidispensationalist can understand that the Garden of Eden was different from Southern California today. And God dealt with Adam in a different way than He deals with us. (Now, I will admit that when people first moved out to Southern California, they thought it was the Garden of Eden. I thought so, too, when I first came here, but now it is filled with smog and traffic!)
Now God has never had but one method of saving folk; everything rests upon one method of salvation. The approach and the man under the system have been different, however. For example, Abel offered a lamb to God, and so did Abraham. The Old Testament priests offered lambs to God. God had said that was the right way. But I hope you didn’t bring a lamb to church last Sunday! That is not the way God tells us to approach Him today. We are under a different economy.
“Of the fulness of times.” What is the “fulness of times”? I can’t go into all phases of that, but God is moving everything forward to the time when Christ will rule over all things in heaven and earth. This is the fullness, the pleroma, when everything is going to be brought under the rulership of Jesus Christ. The pleroma is like a vast receptacle into which centuries and millenniums have been falling. All that is past, present, and future is moving toward the time when every knee must bow and every tongue must confess that Jesus is Lord. This is the mystery that is revealed to us, “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” We learn this about Christ, that God “… hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (Heb. 2:8). This states very clearly that we have not yet come to that time. We are under a different dispensation today; we live under a different economy. But God has revealed this to us that is to come to pass, something that had not been revealed in the past.
Heaven and earth are not in tune today—we are playing our own little tune. We have our rock music going down here, while the only Rock up there is the Lord Jesus. He is the Rock: He is that precious Stone that is the foundation upon which the church rests today. And the day will come when heaven and earth will be in tune and all things will be gathered together in Christ.
Now we come to the third work of God the Son on behalf of the church: Christ rewards us with an inheritance.
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ [Eph. 1:11–12].
Here is another marvelous truth. He gives us an inheritance—He rewards us for something we have not done. It is the overall purpose and plan of God that believers should have a part in Christ’s inheritance. They are going to inherit with Christ because they are in Christ. Paul writes, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:17). “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:21–23). I really don’t grasp at all this tremendous statement God makes to us, but it causes me to be lifted from the seat in which I’m sitting and carries me right into the sky. Everything is mine! Christ belongs to me. Paul belongs to me. Even death may belong to me. All is mine. It is mine because He has given it to me. Christ is mine. God is mine. What an experience for us!
I feel like shouting because this is so wonderful. God has predestinated this; He has determined it. This refers to the saved—remember that God never predestinated anybody to be lost. He predestinated us to receive an inheritance. If He hadn’t predestinated it to me, I would never get one. It is something I do not deserve. It is a reward out of His grace and not out of my merit. This is God’s will, and that is the only basis on which it is done. It is good, and it is right, and it is the best. Why? Because God has purposed it. You just can’t have it any better than that.
Oh, these are the three marvelous things Christ has done for us: He’s redeemed us with His blood; He’s revealed the mystery of His will; and He rewards us with an inheritance. How wonderful it is—I can’t lose! He paid for the church, and I belong to Him because He paid a price.
May I say that the church is very important to Him today. The little plans of men down here—they’re not important. We think they are. Men are running around with a blueprint for the world today, but they won’t even be around here in the next one hundred years—that crowd will all be gone. But God’s great plans will be carried out. Thank God for that!
Verse twelve is one of those glorious doxologies that we find throughout the epistles. You will notice that Paul stops and “sings” the doxology after he tells what each person of the Godhead has done. He has just finished telling us about the work of the Son. Then he writes, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” God does not exist to satisfy the whim and wish of the believer. The believer exists for the glory of God. When the believer is in the center of the will of God, he is living a life of fullness and of satisfaction and of joy. That will deliver you from the hands of psychologists, friend. But when you are not in the will of God, there is trouble brewing for you. Living in God’s will adds purpose and meaning to life: we are going to be for the praise of His glory. God will be able throughout the endless ages of eternity future to point to you and me and say, “Look there, they weren’t worth saving but I loved them and I saved them.” That is the thing which gives worth and standing and dignity and purpose and joy and glory to life. We exist today to the praise of His glory and that is enough.
This doxology looks forward, of course, to the coming of Christ. The third doxology, we shall see, concerns the work of the Holy Spirit.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT PROTECTS THE CHURCH
When we look at the work of the Holy Spirit, we see that (1) He regenerates us, (2) He is a refuge for us, and (3) He gives reality to our lives. We come first to regeneration.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise [Eph. 1:13].
This section, I believe, is one of the most wonderful in Scripture. “Well,” somebody says, “he doesn’t mention regeneration here.” Actually he does, and in a marvelous way, because now we’re passing from God’s work for us to the work of the Holy Spirit in us. The work of God in planning the church and the work of the Lord Jesus in redeeming the church and paying for it were objective. The work of the Holy Spirit in protecting the church is different because it is subjective; it is in us.
In this work of regeneration and renewing, the Holy Spirit causes a sinner to hear and believe in his heart, and that makes him a child of God. The Lord Jesus said, “… Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). How are we to be born again? John explains, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). We need simply to believe on His name.
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth” Hearing means to hear not just the sound of words but to hear with understanding. Paul wrote, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24). Who are the called? Are they the ones who just heard the sound of words? No, it means those who heard with understanding. God called them. It was not just a call of hearing words, but a call where the Holy Spirit made those words real. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, according to Romans 10:17. Those who are called hear the Word of God and they respond to it. Then what happens? Peter puts it this way: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). The Word of God goes out as it is going out even through this printed page. We are saying that the Son of God died for you and if you trust Him, you will be saved. “Well,” someone may say, “I read these words, but they mean nothing to me.” Someone else, however, will read or hear this message, and the Spirit of God will apply it to his heart so that he believes—he trusts—and the moment he trusts in Christ, he is regenerated. Believing is the logical step after hearing. It may not be the next chronological step, but it is the logical step. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth.” This is the best explanation of what it means to be born again that I know of in the Word of God. You hear the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation, the good news of your deliverance—and you put your trust in Christ.
“In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” I would like to remove the word after from this verse because these are not time clauses. They are what is known in the Greek as genitive absolutes, and they are all the same tense as the main verb. It means that when you heard and you believed, you were also sealed: it all took place at the same time. A truer translation would be, “In whom also you, upon hearing [aorist tense] the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, in whom also on believing [aorist tense] you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” This is, by the way, when the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs. You are baptized the moment that you trust Christ. You are also sealed the moment that you trust Christ. The Holy Spirit first opens the ear to hear, and then He implants faith. His next logical step, you see, is to seal the believer.
There are people today who argue whether God the Father or God the Son seals with the Holy Spirit, or whether the Holy Spirit Himself does the sealing. That type of argument wearies me. They tried to split hairs in that way in the Middle Ages and would argue how many angels could dance on the point of a needle. You toss that around for a little while, and it will get you nowhere. I understand this verse to mean that the Holy Spirit is the seal. God the Father gave the Son to die on the cross, but the Son offered up Himself willingly. So both the Father and the Son gave. God the Father and God the Son both sent the Holy Spirit to perform a definite work, but it is the Spirit who does the work. He regenerates the sinner and He seals the sinner at the same time, and I think that the Spirit Himself is that seal.
There is a twofold purpose in the sealing work of the Holy Spirit. He implants the image of God upon the heart to give reality to the believer. You know that a seal is put down on a document and that seal has an image on it. I think that is exactly what the Spirit of God does to the believer. “He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true” (John 3:33). Apparently, this is the thought here—God has put His implant upon the believer.
The second purpose of the sealing is to denote rightful ownership. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19). The fact that He makes you secure does not mean that you can live in sin. If you name the name of Christ, you are going to depart from iniquity. If there is not this evidence, then you were not regenerated or sealed.
The Holy Spirit is the seal, and that guarantees that God is going to deliver us. We are sealed until the day of redemption. The day will come when the Holy Spirit will deliver us to Christ. It’s nice to be sealed like that—we are just like a letter that is insured. In the old days they would put a seal on it. Today they just stamp it with a special stamp, but it still means that the post office guarantees to deliver that letter.
Now we come to the third and final work of the Holy Spirit in protecting the church.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory [Eph. 1:14].
Earnest money is the money that is put forth as a down payment and pledge on a piece of property. It means you want them to hold the property for you. It also means that you promise there is more money to follow. The Holy Spirit is our earnest money. He has been given as a pledge and token that there is more to follow in the way of spiritual blessings. We have already seen that we have an inheritance—there is more to follow. The Holy Spirit is that earnest, that guarantee.
All of this is to “the praise of his glory.” This is now the third doxology in this chapter. As we have seen, Paul gives a doxology after he considers the work of each member of the Trinity. Here it is to the praise of the glory of God that the Holy Spirit regenerates us, becomes our refuge and seal, and gives us reality. All these glorious truths now move Paul to prayer.
PRAYER OF PAUL FOR KNOWLEDGE AND POWER FOR THE EPHESIANS
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers [Eph. 1:15–16].
The Ephesian church was noted for its faith and love. Love wasn’t just a motto, not just a bumper sticker, for these people. There was real love expressed by the saints. It was based on their faith in the Lord Jesus. This was the church at its highest. In the Book of Revelation the Ephesian church represents the early church at its very best. Because of their faith and love, Paul thanks God for the Ephesians.
It seems that the circumstances that motivate us to pray are trouble, sickness, distress, or a crisis. People asked me to pray for a church recently because it was in trouble: there was no love for the brethren, it was filled with gossip, and Bible study no longer held the highest priority. I love this church and I do pray for them, but it is sad that there are so many negative things that always seem to motivate us to pray. Paul was often motivated by the good things. When you hear something good about a child of God, are you motivated to say, “Oh God, I thank You for this brother and the way You are using him”? When you hear of a wonderful Bible church where God is blessing the preacher, and the Word of God is going out, do you get down on your knees and thank God for it? My friend, isn’t it true that too often we turn in a kind of grocery list to God? “I want this, I want that, I want the other thing.” “Lord, will You do this, will You do that?” God is not a messenger boy. Why don’t we thank Him sometimes? We need more thanksgiving services. I think He would appreciate all of us having a time of thanksgiving regularly—not just once a year.
A preacher friend of mine told me that their prayer meeting got so stale and so dull and so small that they tried something new. They decided that at the prayer meeting they would do nothing but praise God and thank Him. He declared, “We sure had some brief prayers, but we had a good prayer meeting that night. Nobody asked God for anything. They just thanked Him for what He had done.”
Paul says, when he heard the good news and wonderful reports about the Ephesian church, “I…. cease not to give thanks for you.” It’s interesting that we don’t too often think of Paul as an oustanding man of prayer. We would put him at the top of the list as a great missionary of the cross. We can’t think of any greater example of apostleship than Paul. If you were to make a list of ten of the greatest preachers of the church, you would certainly put Paul as number one. He was also one of the greatest teachers. The Lord Jesus was, of course, the greatest of all—“… Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46)—and Paul certainly followed in that tradition. He is also an example of a good pastor. According to Dr. Luke, Paul wept with the believers at Ephesus when he took leave of them. He loved them, and they loved him.
I always judge the spiritual life of a church by the way they love their pastor, providing he stands for the Word of God. One can pretty well judge the attitude of the people by the way they love their pastor. Today we need to judge folk by their attitude toward the Word of God rather than how big a Bible they carry under their arms. The Ephesians not only loved Paul, but they loved God’s Word.
When you think of anyone excelling in any field of service in the early church, Paul the apostle must be up toward the top. How about being representative of a great man of prayer—would you put Paul in that list? We think of Moses as the great intercessor on the top of the mountain. We think of David with his psalms and his confession of his awful sin. We think of Elijah who stood alone before an altar drenched with water at Mount Carmel. Then there was Daniel who opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed even though he lived in a hostile land under a hostile power. The Lord Jesus was the Man of prayer, so much so that one of His disciples asked Him, “… Lord, teach us to pray …” (Luke 11:1). Did you know that Paul was also a great man of prayer? When I was teaching in the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, I would ask the students during their study of the epistles of Paul to make a list of all the prayers of the apostle Paul. They were to put down every time he said he was praying for someone. Lo and behold, student after student would come to me and say, “I had no idea that Paul had such a prayer list. I didn’t know he prayed for so many people!” Paul was a great man of prayer.
There are two of the prayers of Paul in this epistle. We are looking at the first one. Having set before us the church as the body of Christ, Paul falls to his knees and begins to pray. The other prayer is at the end of the third chapter. These two prayers in this epistle indicate Paul’s concern as a child of God for other believers. One of the ways one can judge whether or not a person is a child of God is by his prayer life. How much does he feel a dependence on God? If he has a need, he will go to God in prayer for himself. He will also go to God in intercession for others. Many people who have written from all over this country, and from other countries as well, have told me when I’ve met them, “I remember you in prayer.” Well, that to me is an indication of their faith. Remember that Ananias in the city of Damascus was disturbed when the angel told him to go to Saul of Tarsus. He objected because Saul was the man who was persecuting the church, but the angel said to him, “… behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). That was an indication to Ananias that something had happened to Saul of Tarsus.
“Cease not to give thanks for you.” Paul first of all gives thanks to God for the Ephesians. They were on his prayer list, and I guess all the churches were.
“Making mention of you in my prayers.” That means he called them all by name. I was with a great preacher one time, and some folk came up and spoke to him and shook hands with us. One man said to him, “I’m praying for you.” I shall never forget what the preacher asked him, “Thank you very much, but do you mention me by name? I don’t want the Lord to get me mixed up with somebody else.” Call people by name when you pray for them.
We have seen that the motive for Paul’s prayer was good news. Now we will see that he does not pray for material things but for spiritual blessings. These are the blessings that are all-important.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him [Eph. 1:17].
Paul, having written that the church is the body of Christ, and that God the Father planned it, God the Son paid for it, and God the Holy Spirit protects it, recognized that the Ephesians wouldn’t be able to understand all this unless the Spirit of God was their teacher and opened the Word of God to them. Only the Holy Spirit of God could reveal the knowledge of God.
When Dr. H. A. Ironside lived in Southern California as a young man and was preaching in this area, he would sometimes visit a wonderful man of God who had come from Northern Ireland because of his health. This man had what was called in those days “galloping consumption,” and he was living his last days in a little tent out back of the home of Dr. Ironside’s parents. He had been greatly used of God in teaching the Word. While Dr. Ironside would sit with him, he would open up the Scriptures in such an amazing way that Dr. Ironside one day asked him, “Where did you learn that?” “Well,” this man said, “I didn’t get it by going to seminary because I never went to seminary. I never learned it by going to college. No one particularly taught me. Rather I learned these things on my knees on the mud floor of a little sod cottage in the north of Ireland. There with my open Bible before me, I used to kneel for hours at a time and ask the Spirit of God to reveal Christ to my soul, and open the Word to my heart. He taught me more on my knees on that mud floor than I could have learned in all the seminaries and colleges of the world.”
Having known Dr. Ironside personally, I can say that he too practiced a dependence on the Holy Spirit in his own ministry. I remember when he was teaching us the Song of Solomon, he said that he was never satisfied with what he found in the commentaries, and he just got down on his knees and asked God to reveal to him the message of that book. Well, he wrote a commentary on the Song of Solomon and, very frankly, his interpretation of it is the only one that has ever satisfied my own heart.
What a wonderful, glorious thing it is to have the Spirit of God be the One to teach us. “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ … may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.” How will that take place? It will take place by the Spirit of God—the only One who can open our eyes—teaching us God’s Word.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints [Eph. 1:18].
More literally it reads, “the eyes of your heart being enlightened.” It is not the eyes of your mind but the eyes of your heart that must understand. One can be very brilliant intellectually, but that is no guarantee that there will be an understanding of spiritual truth. Scripture puts more emphasis on the understanding of the heart than of the head. Paul writes, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10).
I have no understanding of music whatsoever. I can’t sing and I can’t carry a tune. I recognize very few tunes, and I do not know what a pitch is. It is all a foreign field to me. One time a music director made the statement publicly that he could teach anybody to sing. I stood up immediately and said, “Brother, you have a pupil. Nobody has ever been able to teach me to sing.” The congregation laughed, and we made an engagement. I met with him every Thursday afternoon for a month, and at the end of the month he gave up. He said, “I believe you are right. You’ll never be able to learn music.” I asked, “How could I ever learn?” He said, “The only way in the world would be for you to be born again.” He didn’t mean spiritually; he meant born another person. My friend, as far as spiritual knowledge is concerned, no person can understand it apart from the Spirit of God. This is what we are told in 1 Corinthians 2:9–10: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”
I knew a dear lady in Sherman, Texas. We all called her “Grandma,” and she was a wonderful lady, but she could neither read nor write. I was just a first-year seminary student and I thought I had the answer to everything, so I went to visit her. I started out by trying to explain John 14 to her. I thought I’d make it simple for Grandma. She listened about five minutes and then said, “Young man, have you ever noticed this in that chapter?”—and then she went on to point out something from that Scripture. Well, to be honest, I hadn’t noticed it. I couldn’t understand how she could have such insight when she couldn’t read or write. She knew things I couldn’t find in the commentaries. How did she know? The eyes of her heart were opened by the Spirit of God.
The Spirit of God wants to teach us today. One of the reasons that God’s people are not in the Word of God is because they are not willing for the Spirit of God to teach them. They depend on a poor preacher like me or on a home Bible class. These all have their place but, Christian friend, why don’t you let the Spirit of God teach you? Spend time in the Scriptures. When you come to a particular passage of Scripture, you may think it to be a barren place. If you don’t understand it and you read it many times and don’t seem to see much of anything in it, then get down on your knees before the Lord and say to the Lord, “I missed the point and You will have to teach me.” This is what I do. He teaches me, and I know He will teach you.
“That ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” We have learned that we have an inheritance in the Lord. We are also to know that He has an inheritance in us. I think an illustration of this would be the land of Canaan. The land belonged to God, but He gave it to the children of Israel as their possession. The children of Israel are tied into that land; yet the day will come when God will take possession of this entire universe and will reclaim Israel as well as the land as His own. Today you and I, as believers, are His church and God operates through us, but the time is coming when we shall rule and reign with Him. He will claim us as His inheritance. I have wondered about that—this is an area that is just too deep for me to apprehend. I need the Spirit of God to make this real to me.
Paul continues his petition:
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power [Eph. 1:19].
Let me amplify this: What is the exceeding (intense) greatness of His power (dunameos—dynamite power) to usward who believe, according to the working (energeian—the energizing) of the strength of His might.
How great is that dynamite power, that energizing strength?
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places [Eph. 1:20].
It is power enough to raise Christ from the dead—a tremendous power. Not only is it resurrection power, but it is the power that set Christ at God’s right hand, and that is ascension power. We don’t make much of the Ascension in our Bible churches today; we emphasize Christmas and Easter, but we seem to forget the events after that. Have you ever stopped to think of the power that took Him back to the right hand of God? That, my friend, is power. We are beginning to see a little of it. Think of the power it takes to lift a missile off its base and take it out into space, and the power it took to take men to the moon and bring them back. That is power in the physical realm. The power that took Christ to the right hand of God is the same power that is available to believers today. That is why Paul prays that believers may know the greatness of that power. He writes, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection …” (Phil. 3:10).
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all [Eph. 1:21–23].
Paul concludes on a tremendously high note. The church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the head of the church. Someday everything is going to be under Him. The writer to the Hebrews makes it clear, “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (Heb. 2:8).
At the present time the only thing that is under Him is the church. By this I mean the true church, the real believers. There are many organized groups that call themselves churches but are not listening to the Lord Jesus. These churches are paralyzed. You see, the most tragic sight is a child of God lying on a bed, helpless, as if his brain is detached from his body. I’ve been in many churches that have been like that and there are many individual Christians today who act as if they are detached from Christ, the Head of the body. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). In other words, I can wiggle my little finger because my head is in charge of it; and when He wants you to “wiggle”—that is, exercise whatever gift He has given you—down here, you do it because of love, or else you’re not attached to Him. How important this is today! Paul pictures the church and our relationship to it in this way: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:12–13). The thing we need to see is that Christ is the Head of the body, His church, and we are under Him.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The church is a temple; the material for temple construction; the method of construction; the meaning of the construction
This chapter begins with the little conjunction and; so it is actually a continuation of the thought of the first chapter. Paul has been talking about that tremendous power that raised Jesus from the dead. We shall see that this power is the same power that makes us, when we were dead in trespasses and sins, alive in Christ. That takes power! It takes resurrection power. It is this power that so many of God’s children want to experience. Frances Ridley Havergal expresses it in as lovely and fine a way as it could be, and I’m sure it is a prayer in the hearts of many Christians today.
Oh, let me know
The power of the resurrection;
Oh, let me show
Thy risen life in calm and clear reflection;
Oh, let me give
Out of the gifts thou freely gavest;
Oh, let me live
With life abundantly because thou livest.
—Frances Ridley Havergal
Now it seems that God is rather reluctant about letting man have power. I think we can see why. God let centuries go by with man knowing nothing of atomic power. Then man discovered atomic power, and it changed the world. What did it do to the world? Did it make it a wonderful place in which to live? You know that it made the world a frightful place in which to live because it gave man the power to destroy the world. Man is dangerous today. We live like an ostrich with our head in the sand if we think to ourselves that no nation dares to release that atomic power. There are men in positions of power today who would turn it loose tomorrow, or even today, if they thought they could get by with it. Man is dangerous with the use of physical power. I think God is reluctant to give man power.
However, the power of God which the epistle speaks of is the power that God will release in the life of one who will turn to Jesus Christ. He will lift that person out of spiritual death into spiritual life. This power will be exhibited by the church because the church is the body of Christ in the world. The Lord Jesus expresses Himself in the world today through His church.
In many ways the church as a temple corresponds to the temple of the Old Testament which was, in turn, preceded by the tabernacle of the wilderness. The comparison is self-evident. The contrasts are sharp and striking. The tabernacle and the temple, for instance, were made of living trees of acacia wood that were hewn into dead boards. In order to form the church, God takes dead material and makes it into a living temple. The temple and tabernacle were dwelling places for the glory of God. The church is a dwelling place for the person of the Holy Spirit. The tabernacle and temple were for the performance of a ritual and the repetition of a sacrifice for sin. The church is built upon the one sacrifice of Christ in the historical past, a sacrifice which is not repeated. “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:25–26). Nor does the church have a ritual. It is a functional organism in which the Holy Spirit moves through the living stones.
Let me emphasize here that God has not given a ritual to the church as there was a ritual in the temple. Some folk think that they have had a church service by opening with the doxology, saying a prayer, singing hymns, and then sitting down to listen to the Scripture being expounded. Yet to them it was only a meaningless ritual—and the church has not been given a ritual. Someone may ask, “Then we’re not to do that?” Well, the point is that just going through the exercise of mouthing words has become a meaningless ritual to a lot of folk today. These things should have meaning. They are proper, of course, when meaning is expressed.
Now the church is not only minus a temple ritual; it is also not a temple “made with hands.” The impressive fact of the church age is that God is indwelling individual believers. Notice the following verses: “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24–25). “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19–20).
I want to emphasize here that Israel never did believe that God was confined to the temple. When Solomon was dedicating the temple, he prayed, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). Every instructed Israelite understood that God did not live in a temple—a little box. The liberals try to give the impression that they had such a conception. I heard a Vanderbilt University professor say that the Israelites had a primitive viewpoint of God; they thought He could dwell in a little box. I’d like to say that the professor had a primitive view of the Bible. If he had just read his Old Testament, he would have known that Israel did not believe that. God had told them that the temple was the place where He would meet with them. That is why they came to the temple with a sacrifice and a ritual. The church has none of that today.
Another sharp contrast to the Old Testament temple is the position of Gentiles. You will recall that the Gentiles had to come as proselytes and were confined to the court of the Gentiles. In Jerusalem today at the Holy City Hotel is a replica of the city of Jerusalem as it looked in the days of Herod, which were, or course, the days of Christ. The court of the Gentiles was way off to the left as you look into the temple. The Gentiles didn’t get very close. That is why Paul says in this chapter, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (v. 13). You see, we who are Gentiles have been brought in pretty close. In fact, we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ! You just can’t improve on that.
THE MATERIAL FOR TEMPLE CONSTRUCTION
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience [Eph. 2:1–2].
Now let me quote my own translation of these verses. (My translation is published only in my book, Exploring Through Ephesians. I have made no attempt to produce a polished translation. I simply pull the original Greek words over into English so that you might be able to get a little different view-point. I have done this for years—in Southern California it is known as The McGee-icus Ad Absurdum Translation.) Now here is a literal translation of the verse: And you being dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the age (spirit of the age, secularism, course, principle) of this world (cosmos, society, civilization), according to the prince of the power (authority) of the air (haze, smog), of the spirit that now worketh (energizes) in the sons (children) of disobedience.
“And you being dead in your trespasses and sins.” Perhaps you notice that I left out “hath he quickened,” which in your Bible is printed in italics. This means it was not in the original text but was inserted to smooth out the translation. I am perfectly willing to admit that something belongs there to give explanation, and “hath he quickened” is all right, but I am trying to pull out the original and give you the meaning without smoothing out the translation.
“You being dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the age”—the spirit of the age. That is, according to secularism, according to the way of the world, or according to the principle of this world. The “world” does not mean the physical universe. It means the cosmos, society, civilization, life-pattern, or life-style of the world today.
“According to the prince of the power [authority] of the air, the spirit that now worketh (that is, energizes) in the children [sons] of disobedience.” The Devil takes this dead material (we are dead in trespasses and sins) and he energizes us. That is the reason the cults are as busy as termites, and with the same results. False religionists put us to shame in their zeal. Satan is energizing them. People ask me whether I am aware that miracles are being performed in the cults. I won’t argue that. Maybe they are. I know some things are exaggerated in our day, but maybe some of them are true. Then who is doing the miracles? Satan is able to duplicate a great many of the miracles that are scriptural miracles. After all, weren’t the magicians of Egypt able to duplicate the first miracles performed by Moses? Of course the later miracles they could not duplicate. When man gets into the realm of the New Birth and closeness to God, Satan is powerless against him, but he is potent today to delude and to deceive and to lead people astray. He is potent today in the cults and false “isms” of the world.
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others [Eph. 2:3].
To better understand verses 1–7, we need to recognize that they comprise a single periodic sentence in the Greek language. Classical Greek is filled with periodic sentences, all kinds of genitive absolutes, phrases, and tenses—it is difficult to read. Koine Greek is generally easy to read, but here is a periodic sentence which reveals that Paul was capable of writing better Greek than the Koine of his day. The Authorized Version, by the way, breaks this into a sentence that ends at verse three. That is permissible and entirely right because verse four is a contrasting statement joined by the conjunction but.
We have already noted that the chapter begins with and, which connects it to the preceding chapter. In chapter 1 Paul had been talking about salvation and picked up the theme of the mighty greatness of His power in verse 19. This is the power that quickens dead sinners. Now here in chapter 2, verse 1, he says that we were dead in trespasses and sins. That speaks of the death of Adam which is imputed to us. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12). Adam’s sin made us the sons of a fallen man, and we all have the same nature that Adam had. It is a fallen nature with no capacity or inclination to God.
When I look back upon my own conversion, I really think it was a miracle. How in the world could God save a boy who had been brought up as I had been? My father had high moral principles and was known as an honest man, but he was not a Christian and was antagonistic to the church. He never darkened the door of a church, but he made me go to Sunday school as a boy—and I always protested about going. Then my dad died when I was fourteen, and I found myself adrift in the world. I ran all the way to Detroit, Michigan, to get away from every authority. I turned down work for Ford Motor Company and took a job with Cadillac. There I got into awful sin. I associated with a group of men, particularly a man from Hungary who thought I looked like his son who had died. He took me under his wing. But he was a sinful man and took me places where a sixteen-year-old boy ought not to go. I got homesick and went back home, and when I think back to it now, I realize that it was God who made me homesick. If I hadn’t gone back home, the Devil would have won the day. I was dead to God and to the things of God. Then a man told me I could have peace with God through Jesus Christ. How wonderful that was! I say it was a miracle. I wasn’t looking for God. I was running from Him as fast as I could because I was dead in trespasses and sins.
Adam died spiritually the day he disbelieved and disobeyed God. He ran away from God and tried to hide. He wasn’t looking for God. That is the position of natural man today. This idea that men have a little spark of the divine and are looking for God is as false as can be. On the day Adam disobeyed, he died to God and to the things of God, although he didn’t die physically until nine hundred years after he had eaten the fruit. But he had lost his capacity and longing for God. He was separated from God. After all, death is separation. All death is a separation. Physical death is separation of the spirit and the soul from the body. When someone dies, we don’t see the separation of the spirit and the soul; we see only the dead body. Spiritual death is a separation from God. After man sinned, he could go on living physically and mentally, but he was spiritually dead, separated from God. He passed that same dead nature on to all his offspring. It is only the convicting work of the Holy Spirit that can prick the conscience of any man in this world today. You can’t do it and I can’t do it. Only the Spirit of God can do it.
I had the privilege of being pastor of a great church in downtown Los Angeles. I followed great preachers including the first pastor of that church, Dr. R. A. Torrey. I wanted to do a creditable job, and I wanted to bring glory to God. I would always pray as I left the radio room to go to the pulpit platform to preach, “Lord God, I recognize that I am helpless and hopeless. I will be speaking into a graveyard—many sitting out there are dead in trespasses and sins. Oh God, I can be powerful if the Spirit of God will move.” Only the Spirit of God can speak so that dead men will hear. Thank God, the Spirit of God did move and continues to move so that dead men are able to hear! The Lord Jesus told His disciples that He would send the Comforter to them, “And when he is come, he will reprove [convict] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). Do you know that you and I who live in this world are living in a cemetery? Men are dead.
A famous judge traveled around this country years ago giving a lecture entitled: “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” A great preacher followed him on his speaking circuit with this message. “Millions Now Living Are Already Dead.” He was more accurate than the judge had been. Millions, actually billions, are dead in trespasses and sins.
An old Irishman was asked to define a cemetery. He said, “A cemetery is a place where the dead live.” That describes our world.
A trespass is what Adam did. He stepped over God’s bounds. Sin means to miss the mark. We just don’t come up to God’s standard at all. That is our condition: dead in trespasses and sins and energized by Satan. That is the description of us before we were saved, and every unsaved man is walking around in this world like a spiritual zombie.
The description of our past is not very pretty. We walked according to the spirit of the age. We conformed to the society and the civilization and the life-style of the world. We were walking according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that energizes the sons of disobedience. That is Satan and he takes folks and leads them around.
Today, when Christians talk about being separated from the world, they think of that which is fleshly or carnal or godless. The characteristic sins of the lost world are the mental and spiritual sins; and these are, actually, I think, in God’s sight, worse than the physical sins.
Listen to James 4:1–4: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
A great many folk come to church on Sunday, pious as a church mouse (however pious that may be), and think they are separated from the world. On Monday morning they start out in this rough, workaday world just as mean and hard and after the almighty dollar as everyone else. They want it to consume it on their own selves, for their own selfish desires. That is what James is talking about. The believer has been saved from that.
John puts it in these words: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15–17).
There are a great many people today who say they do not live in gross sin. They say, “No, I would not commit these sins. I wouldn’t live and act like certain people do.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan used to ask the question, “Would you like to live as they do?” Do you like to watch people sinning on the TV screen because that way you do those same things vicariously? I’ve always felt that the reason the story of the prodigal son is so popular with some is because of the way it is sometimes preached. You notice that the Lord Jesus never mentioned any of the sins that boy committed when he was in the far country, but I’ve heard sermons in which you were taken along with him from one night club to another, from one barroom to another, from one brothel to another. Some saints really enjoyed those sermons because they could enjoy the sin vicariously. That’s what John is talking about when he says love not the world. Do you really love it? How do you feel about it?
I remember when Mrs. McGee and I first came to California. We were just fresh out of Texas. In fact, I had never seen a body of water that I couldn’t throw a stone across. We were amazed at the ocean. We drove from San Diego to San Francisco. At that time Treasure Island was there with bright lights and colored walls and soft music. It was beautiful. We had a wonderful day. When my wife and I left that night, we boarded the ferry and we went up to the top deck. We were country—we wanted to see the whole thing. As we watched, Treasure Island began to fade away into the fog, and the music died out. I said to my wife, “I have had one of the most pleasant days of my life. I enjoyed every bit of it. But if right now Treasure Island disappeared and went down under into the bay, I wouldn’t shed a tear because I don’t love anything that is over there.” Then I added, “I hope I can always have that kind of an attitude toward the world.”
Christian friend, do you really long for the coming of the Lord for the rapture of the church? It is a wonderful thing to talk about, but I would like to ask you some questions: Will you weep when you leave this world because you are so wrapped up in it? Are you all wrapped up in a job or in a business, in a home or in some club, or in a worldly church? Would you be reluctant to go because everything will be changed? This is the way Simon Peter described the lost world: “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet” (2 Pet. 2:15–16). This is a picture of the lost world. Do you as a child of God fit into this picture?
Before we knew Christ we walked “according to the prince of the power of the air,” who is Satan. He was the energizer. We cannot serve both God and mammon. The one to whom we yield is our master. Even the Christian must choose whom he will serve. Some folk think that serving God means that you refrain from worldly dress and amusements and refuse associations with people who are liberal in their theology. That’s not separation, yet that’s what I hear today. It’s absurd to talk like that when your own life is filled with bitterness and hatred and selfishness, which are the gross sins, by the way.
“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh.” Notice Paul now says “we.” He includes himself; it is the first person, plural pronoun that he adopts. He puts himself right with this crowd, and you and I need to do this also. This verse could be amplified to read: “Among whom also we all had our conversation (our activities, our life-style) in times past in the desires of the flesh (that is, our old nature), doing the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts (our old nature and our mind), and we were by nature children of wrath even as others.” Unfortunately, there are Christians who live for that old carnal nature. They live just like the man of the world is living today. Their life-style is prompted and motivated by a godless philosophy and is controlled by satanic principles.
I visited the home of a man who is supposed to be an outstanding Christian businessman. He showed me his lovely home and told me about his children. Then he told me about his business and about the honors that had been conferred upon him. He never once referred to his relationship with Jesus Christ. You see, there is something wrong with a life-style that includes everything in the world but leaves Christ out of it.
In this section of the second chapter of Ephesians Paul is giving a description of the past, present, and future of the church and of all believers. It is a common experience to see a sign up by a house that reads, “Your Future Told.” Generally they have it figured out that soon you will come into a great fortune. The thing that always amuses me is that those places are usually in the poor section of town. They are not able to make a good living for themselves; yet they tell others that they will have a fortune coming to them. The Christian does not need to turn to such persons. God has already revealed to us our future as well as our past and present.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Eph. 2:4–6].
This little conjunction but is so important. But God, being rich in mercy, on account of His great love with which He loved us made us alive together with Christ. God is rich in mercy. He had mercy on me. He has had mercy on you. This is such a radical change from the first three verses, which are as black and hopeless as anything can be. Man is a complete failure. He is incapable of saving himself. God comes on this scene of death with His mercy. He does not have too little, too late. He has a surplus, for He is an infinite God who is rich in infinite mercy. He has what man needs. He has what you need. The only requirement is that you believe Him.
A poor woman from the slums of London was invited to go with a group of people for a holiday at the ocean. She had never seen the ocean before, and when she saw it, she burst into tears. Those around her thought it was strange that she should cry when such a lovely holiday had been given her. They asked her, “Why in the world are you crying?” Pointing to the ocean she answered, “This is the only thing I have ever seen that there was enough of.” My friend, God has oceans of mercy. There is enough of it. He saves us by His grace.
What does it mean to be saved by the grace of God? We were dead in trespasses and sins of and completely incapable of saving ourselves. God comes on the scene and by grace He reaches down to us. Why does He do it? He it does not find the reason in us; He finds it in Himself. When God came down to deliver Israel, it wasn’t because they were good and beautiful and were serving Him. They were not. They were a stiff-necked people. And they were idolaters—they worshiped a golden calf out there in the wilderness. But God says that He heard their cry. Why did that appeal to Him? Because He loved them. He loves you and He loves me. However, He doesn’t save us by His love. He saves us by His grace.
For years I had a Bible class in San Diego County. During that period Christian groups of young folk had worked on the beaches down there and had led quite a few of those young people to Christ. Some of them belonged to what we called the hippie group, but I want to say that I found many of them to be genuine I believers. I have come to the place that I do not judge a man by his dress any more than I would judge a book by its cover. They had listened to our radio program and to our tapes and had used our books—but I didn’t know that at that time. When I went down there for my first class one year, sitting on the first two rows were a bunch of these young people. I want to tell you, some of them were dressed in a very unusual manner! They had long hair and all that was associated with that culture. Very frankly, they shocked me at first, but I found out that they had their Bibles and notebooks, and some spiritual life, which you don’t always find in our churches today. These young people were actually showing real life.
One young fellow who had been attending came up to me. He had on a funny hat with “Love, love, love” written all over it. He had on a funny coat with “Love, love, love” written all over it. He had “Love, love” on his trousers and even on his shoes. I asked, “Why in the world do you have ‘love’ written all over you?” “Man,” he said, “God is love.” “Well,” I said, “I agree with you. Nothing could be truer than that.” Then he added, “God saves us by His love.” I answered, “I don’t agree with that. God doesn’t save us by His love. Can you give me a verse that says He does?” He scratched his head and thought a while and then admitted he couldn’t think of one. “Well,” he said, “if God doesn’t save us by love, then how does He save us?” I answered, “Very frankly, I’m glad you asked me that question because the Bible says, ‘By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ God saves us by His grace.” Then the boy wanted to know the difference. This is how I explained it to him: “God does love you. Don’t lose sight of that. God loves all of us. But God cannot, on the basis of His love, open the back door of heaven and slip us in under cover of darkness. He can’t let down the bars of heaven at the front door and bring us in because of His love. God is also light. God is the moral ruler of this universe. God is righteous. He is holy and He is good. That adds up to one thing: God cannot do things that are wrong—that is, wrong according to His own standard. So God couldn’t save us by love. Love had God strapped—we could say it put Him in a bind. He could love without being able to save. I thought you would quote John 3:16 to me. Let’s look at what that verse says: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ Does it say God so loved the world that He saved the world? No, that’s exactly what it doesn’t say. God so loved this world that He gave His only begotten Son. You see, God couldn’t save the world by love because He goes on to say, ‘that whosoever believeth in him should not perish.’ You and I are going to perish. We’re lost sinners, and God still loves us, but the love of God can’t bring us into heaven. God had to provide a salvation, and He paid the penalty for our sins. Now a God of love can reach out His hands to a lost world and say, ‘If you will believe in My Son, because He died for you—if you will come on that basis—I can save you.’ God doesn’t save us by His love. God saves us by His grace.”
Frankly, it is more wonderful this way. When I was a boy, I would get out of favor with my parents because of something I did wrong. But I can never get out of the favor of God. I can lose my fellowship with Him, because sin breaks fellowship, but I can never get out of His favor. I can grieve the Spirit of God, but I can always come back to Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!” (1 John 1:9). If we walk in darkness and say that we have fellowship with Him, we are lying. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If I walk in the light of the Word of God and I see that I have come short, the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, just keeps on cleansing me from all sin. Why? God does it by His grace. He is rich in mercy and grace.
God has His arms outstretched to a lost world and He says, “You may come if you will come My way.” Let me remind you that this is God’s universe, and He is doing things His way. You may think you have a better way, but you don’t have a universe to rule. He makes the rules in His universe and you’re going to have to come His way. He loves you; you can’t keep Him from loving you. Neither can you keep the sun from shining, but you can get out of the sunshine. Sin, being out of the will of God, turning your back on Him, all these will keep you from experiencing the love of God. If you will come to Him through Christ, He will save you and you will experience His love. God is rich in mercy.
God has lifted us out of a spiritual graveyard. Our present position is that He has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” What is our future?
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus [Eph. 2:7].
I translate it this way: “In order that He might show forth in the ages which are coming the exceeding (overflowing, intense) riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ.” Someday I am going to be on exhibit. Angels will go by and say, “See that fellow McGee. He was lost and wasn’t worth saving, but he’s here in heaven today. It is only through the grace and kindness of God that he was saved and brought here.” That is going to be for the praise of God throughout eternity. I am not going to get any credit at all, but I’m going to be there, and that’s good enough for me. I’m going to join that angelic host in singing praises to God because He saved me. This is the most wonderful expectation that we have—as far as I know. It is through grace. It is the “amazing grace,” as the hymn writer John Newton put it, “that saved a wretch like me.”
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast [Eph. 2:8–9].
These are the great verses that consummate this section on the believer’s past, present, and future. We were dead in trespasses and sin, God saved us by His grace, raising us now to heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and we will someday be in heaven displaying the grace of God. None of this depends on our own works or merit, “for by grace ye have been saved.” Notice I have changed it to the literal phrase “the grace.” The article points out that it is something special. The great emphasis is upon the grace of God. It is favor bestowed on the unworthy and undeserving.
Now don’t come along and say, “I hope to be saved.” If you have put your trust in Christ, you can say, “I am saved.” Someone may say, “Oh, I wouldn’t dare make a statement like that because I don’t know what the future holds.” Friend, your salvation rests upon the grace of God—not upon your faithfulness. You can be confident of this very thing, “… that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). If you are a child of God, you may wander from Him, but He will always make a way back for you because it is by His grace and that alone that you are saved. You have a finished salvation. On the basis of what Christ has done for you and on the fact that the Holy Spirit has inclined you toward Christ and you have believed the Word of God and have trusted Him, you can say, “I am saved” It’s not an “I hope so” salvation or an “I’ll try” salvation. It is a salvation that is by the grace of God, by means of faith, and it is not of yourself. It is a gift of God.
The grace of God has been defined theologically as “unmerited favor.” I like to speak of it as “love in action.” Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, the man who taught me theology, made this important statement about God’s grace and God’s love in his book, The Ephesian Letter, Doctrinally Considered.
A sharp distinction is properly drawn between the compassionate love of God for sinners, and His grace which is now offered to them in Jesus Christ. Divine love and divine grace are not one and the same. God might love sinners with an unutterable compassion and yet, because of the demands of outraged divine justice and holiness, be unable to rescue them from a righteous doom. However, as has been before stated, if love shall graciously provide for the sinner all that outraged justice and holiness could ever demand, the love of God would then be free to act without restraint in behalf of those for whom the perfect substitutionary sacrifice was made. This is Christ’s achievement on the cross. On the other hand, divine grace in salvation is the unrestrained compassion of God acting toward the sinner on the basis of that freedom already secured through the righteous judgment against sin—secured by Christ in His sacrificial death. Divine love might desire to save, yet be unable righteously to do so; but divine grace is free to act since Christ has died. It is to be observed, then, that the eternal purpose of God is not the manifestation of His love alone, though His love and His mercy are, like His grace, mentioned in this context and expressed in Christ’s death; but it is rather the manifestation of His grace.
Out of God’s infinite treasure chest He lavishes His grace upon sinners without restraint or hindrance.
Now faith is the instrumental cause of salvation. It is the only element that the sinner brings to the great transaction of salvation. Yet it too is the gift of God. I know someone will say to me, “Since faith is the gift of God and God hasn’t given it to me, then I guess I’m not to blame if I don’t believe.” The answer is this: God has made it very clear that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you want to trust Christ, you will have to listen to the Word of God. God will give faith to all who give heed to the message of the gospel.
We find this taught in 2 Corinthians. Moses had a veil over his face, not because he was blinding everybody like a headlight, but so that the people could not view the glory that was fading away. It was the glory that belonged to the Mosaic system and that belonged to the Law. “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14). There is no need for a veil today because He is the unveiled Christ; the gospel is freely declared. But we are told, “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away” (2 Cor. 3:15–16). What is “it”? It is the heart. When the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Anytime that you are ready to turn to Christ, you can turn to Christ.
Someone else objects, “Maybe I’m not given the gift of faith.” That’s not your problem. Your problem is that you don’t want to give up your sins which the Bible condemns. Whenever you get sick of your sins, when you want to turn from yourself, from the things of the world, from religion, from everything the Bible condemns, and turn to Christ, then you will be given faith. You can trust Him.
I am weary of hearing folk say they don’t believe because they have intellectual problems. Actually they have moral rather than intellectual problems if only they would face up to them. Sin is the real problem in the hearts of a great many folk today. Even many of the saints don’t enjoy their salvation for that very reason. Psychologists at Duke University made a study and found that the second most frequent reason people are emotionally disturbed and mentally unstable is because they live in the past. They are preoccupied with past mistakes and failures, and they look to themselves instead of looking to Christ and trusting Him.
Faith is that instrument of salvation. Spurgeon says, “It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy hope in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument; it is Christ’s blood and merit.” That is where the power is, and that is where the salvation is.
Paul is not talking about faith when he says, “And that not of yourselves.” He is talking about salvation. Salvation is a gift that eliminates boasting. It is all of God and not of us. It is God’s gift.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:10].
“We are his workmanship.” The Greek word is poiema from which we get our word poem. The church is His poem and His new creation. Paul is not talking about the local church here, but rather about that body of believers from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture, the real believers (and most of them are members of local churches). That body of believers is His workmanship and His new creation in Christ Jesus.
For what are we created? For good works. When we get to the last part of this epistle, we will be told how we are to walk in a way that is creditable and acceptable to God. While we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, we are to walk down here in a way that will bring glory to His name.
THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
Now we come to the method of the construction of the church as a temple of God.
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world [Eph. 2:11–12].
The church in Ephesus was made up largely of Gentiles. There was just a small colony of Jews there. Gentiles are further identified as the “Uncircumcision.” This label was put on them by the so-called “Circumcision,” the Jews.
God made a real distinction between Jew and Gentile, beginning with Abraham and advancing to the advent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Israel occupied a unique position among the nations. A Gentile could come in only as a proselyte. In time, this valid distinction caused friction because Israel became proud of her position. Israelites came to look down on Gentiles, and hatred crept into the hearts of both groups.
In these verses there is a description of the sad lot and hopeless plight of the Gentile. It is also an accurate picture of any lost man. This is what it means to be lost:
1. “Without Christ.” That is the best definition of a lost man. It is the opposite of being in Christ.
2. “Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel” or, alienated from the citizenship of Israel. That is the accurate definition of a Gentile. The Gentile had no God-given religion as had Israel. They had no right to go back in the Old Testament and take the promises which God made to Israel and then appropriate them for themselves. We don’t have that right either. God didn’t make those promises to us.
3. “Strangers from the covenants of promise.” God had made certain promises to the nation Israel. The covenants which God made with Israel are still valid, but no Gentile has any right to appropriate them. God has promised the children of Israel the land of Israel—all of it. They will get it someday, but it will be on God’s terms, not their terms.
When I was in Israel, I didn’t attempt to homestead or stake out a claim on the basis that God had promised it in the Old Testament. I understood that He was talking to Israel and not to me. The promise He has given to me is, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3).
4. “Having no hope.” Look at the religions of the world. They have no hope. They cannot promise resurrection and are pretty hazy about what happens after death. The cults offer no hope at all. They put up a hurdle that no honest human being could get over. Having no hope was the tragic plight of the Gentiles. To the lost man the present life is all-important, and if he misses out on the fun here, then he is doubly hopeless.
When Paul wrote this, my ancestors from one side of the family were walking through the forests of Germany, as heathen and pagan as they could be. The others were over in Scotland, and I am told their paganism and heathenism were even worse. That was our condition.
5. “And without God in the world.” This does not mean that God has removed Himself from man, but rather that man has removed himself from God. A man is godless because of choice. He is in the darkness, wandering about with the rest of lost humanity. Frankly, if I were in the position of the lost man today, I would crawl up on a bar stool and try to drink and forget it all. What else would a person do? I would have no hope. The only hope I could have here in this world would be to squeeze this life like an orange and get all the juice out of it that I could. There would be nothing to look forward to over there. That is what it would be like to be without hope and without God.
This is a terrible, awful condition that Paul describes. But now notice that something has happened.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ [Eph. 2:13].
In the temple was the court of the Gentiles way off to the side. Gentiles were permitted to come, but they were away far off. But now—for the Gentiles who are in Christ—all has changed. They were without Christ; now they are in Christ. The distance and barriers which separated them from God have been removed. They have been made nigh, not by their efforts or merits, but by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh [Eph. 2:14–17].
When you come to Jesus Christ, you are not only brought into a body, but you are also brought into a place where you stand before God on a par with anybody. I stand with you and you stand with me on equal footing. So today there should never be a point of separation for believers on any basis at all. We have been made one in Christ. If you are a believer in Christ—it makes no difference who you are—you and I are going to be together throughout eternity. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for us to speak to each other every now and then down here, would it?
The contrast in the passage is really between the Jew and Gentile. The Lord Jesus Christ is the peace that has been made between them. The middle wall, the fence, or partition, the enmity between the two, has been broken down. He has made a new man. We have been put together in Christ, and He has made peace. It means that we now have peace with God, and we should also have peace with each other.
God’s reconciliation is already complete. He is ready to receive you if you are ready to come. Therefore, the message that goes out is “… be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). If you will be reconciled, you will be brought into a new body, a body of believers, and it doesn’t make any difference whether you are Jew or Gentile. The color of your skin makes no difference. White, brown, red, black—all are one in Christ. We have been made one new man, and we should have peace.
The emphasis in this passage is upon the glorious person of Christ. He not only made peace by the Cross, but those who trust Him are placed in Him and become new men. God had made a difference originally by separating the Jew from the nations. The Jew eventually developed a spiritual pride, and this led to the ultimate hatred between Jew and Gentile. When a Jew and a Gentile are placed in Christ, there is peace. There is peace not only because of the new position, but also because something new has come into existence. Paul identifies this as a new man. That is why Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (1 Cor. 10:32). That “church” is the new man.
It is not that the Gentile has been elevated to the status of the Jew. God has elevated both to a higher plane. Chrysostom has stated it this way: “He does not mean that He has elevated us to that high dignity of theirs, but He has raised both us and them to one still higher…. I will give you an illustration. Let us imagine that there are two statues, one of silver and the other of lead, and then that both shall be melted down, and the two shall come out gold. So thus He has made the two one.” This is a marvelous illustration of how we have been brought together in Christ.
I do not believe in the universal brotherhood of man and the universal Fatherhood of God. To me that is a damnable heresy. I believe a true brotherhood is composed of those who are in Christ. A man may have skin as white as the driven snow, but if he is not a child of God, he is not my brother. A man may have skin as black as midnight, and if he is a child of God, he is my brother. We are something new. We are in Christ—a new man. This is the building, the temple, God is building today.
Rather than say the Gentile was elevated to the status of the Jew, one might say the Jew was brought down to the level of the Gentile because both Jew and Gentile are in the same state of sin. Actually we are all brothers as sinners, all sons of Adam. “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Rom. 3:9). That is the state we were all in. The peace referred to is between the Jew and the Gentile. When the Jew and Gentile come to the Cross as sinners, they are made into a new creation. They become a new man, the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament temple which succeeded the Mosaic tabernacle was marked by partitions. There were three entrances into the three departments: the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. Then there were sections partitioned off for priests, Israel, women, and Gentiles. Christ, by His death, took out the veil, and He became the Way (the outer court), the Truth (the Holy Place), and the Life (the Holy of Holies). Now we come through Christ directly into the presence of God the Father. Those who come to Him are removed from their little departments and are placed in Christ, the new Temple where there are no departments. The Cross dissolves the fences, and the gospel is preached to the Gentiles, those who were afar off, and to the Jews, those who were near. What a picture we have here!
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father [Eph. 2:18].
I wonder whether you have noticed that this little verse is a big verse? It is like a little atom. It has in it the Trinity. “For through Him [Christ] we both have access in one Spirit [the Holy Spirit] unto the Father [God the Father].” Jew and Gentile are on the same footing as sinners at the foot of the cross. In addition, through Christ they both have equal access to God, which is a glorious privilege for any human being. Paul makes it clear in Romans 5 that justification by faith is a benefit available to all. We have access to God through Jesus Christ, and that is wonderful.
Now I don’t think this means we can brazenly rush into the presence of God, but it does give us the real privilege to have access to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Any one believer has as much access to God as any other believer. People ask me why I didn’t have a select few pray for me when I had my bout with cancer. Why did I ask everybody to pray? I did it because I believe in the priesthood of believers, that is, all believers have access to Him.
THE MEANING OF THE CONSTRUCTION
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone [Eph. 2:19–20].
Paul reminds the gentile believers that though they were strangers and alienated from God, their present position is infinitely bettered. They are no more strangers and sojourners (foreigners). They are now fellow citizens with the saints.
“Saints” is not a reference to Old Testament saints. Gentile believers are fellow citizens with the New Testament Jewish saints, the other members of the body of Christ. They belong to a household, not as servants, but as relatives, as members of the family of God. They are His dear children. “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). We are little children. This is a new relationship, a relationship foreign to the Old Testament. Even David, the man after God’s own heart, is called “my servant David” in 2 Samuel 7:8; and God’s term for Moses was also “my servant” in Numbers 12:7.
Now this citizenship is not in Israel and the earthly Jerusalem, but it is in heaven. “For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). We are now fellow citizens. We belong to heaven at the present time. The word conversation should rightly be changed to citizenship and is translated that way in the American Standard Version. Another has well translated it, “Our city home is in heaven.”
We are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” This is important. It does not mean that the apostles and prophets were the foundation but that they personally laid the foundation. The early church built its doctrine upon that of the apostles. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
Much has been written about the identity of the prophets in verse twenty. Are they Old Testament prophets or New Testament prophets? The fact that the prophets are in the same classification as apostles without the article the would seem to designate them as New Testament prophets. I think you will find this confirmed when we get into the third chapter.
“Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” reveals that Christ is the Rock on which the church is built. Paul makes this very clear: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). Peter states it like this: “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet. 2:6–8). The important thing to note here is that Peter says that the Lord Jesus is that chief cornerstone. Therefore Peter understood what the Lord meant when He said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Jesus is talking about Himself. He is the Rock on which the church is built. The apostles and prophets put down the foundation, and Christ is the chief cornerstone, the Rock.
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit [Eph. 2:21–22].
The analogy to the temple of the Old Testament is obvious; yet there is a contrast revealed in the analogy. There were several buildings in the temple at Jerusalem. However, I don’t think Paul is referring to the different buildings. He means each individual believer is fitted into the total structure. Peter expressed it in the same way when he wrote that we are stones fitted in and built into a spiritual house (see 1 Pet. 2:5).
Paul speaks of the church as a temple which is currently under construction. That is quite interesting because in Paul’s day Herod’s temple was unfinished. It had been forty years in the building already in our Lord’s day, and it was destroyed in a.d. 70. Even when it was destroyed, it had not yet been completely built. The church is under construction today, and it will be finished.
“Groweth unto an holy temple”—it is growing unto an holy temple in the Lord. This confirms the fact that it is still unfinished. The structure is also different. It is not one stone put on top of another in a cold way. This temple is growing. God is taking dead material, dead in trespasses and sins, and is giving it life. The living, born again, stones are growing into a living temple.
As Solomon’s temple was built without the sound of hammer, so the Holy Spirit silently places each dead sinner into the living temple through regeneration and baptism. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).
It is called “an holy temple” or holy sanctuary. It is holy because the Holy Spirit indwells it. By the baptism of the Holy Spirit the saved sinner is placed “in the Lord.” The Holy Spirit indwells each believer. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9).
The church, the body of Christ, is “an habitation,” a permanent temple, of God in the Spirit. When believers come together in a building to worship, the Holy Spirit is present. In that sense God is in that building. But when every believer has left the building, God has left it also. God is not in any church building anymore than He is in any barroom. Today God indwells believers, not buildings. We have previously stated that God has never dwelt in any building made with hands, and it is a pagan philosophy which places God in a human-made structure.
The purpose of the church as a temple is to reveal the presence and the glory of God on earth. When believers assemble together in a church, the impression should be made upon the world, even in this age, that God is in His holy temple. The world should feel that God can be found in a church service. My question is: Can He? Perhaps more people would be attracted to the church if they were sure that God was present.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The church is a mystery; the explanation of the mystery; the definition of the mystery; prayer for power and knowledge
This is the final chapter in the doctrinal section of this epistle. We have learned that the church is a body and the church is a temple. Now we learn that the church is a mystery.
Let me give a preliminary word about what it means when we say the church is a mystery. There has been gross misunderstanding concerning the church as a mystery. The word for mystery bears no resemblance to the modern connotation of “whodunit?” In this sense, a mystery is something that had not previously been revealed but is currently made manifest. In this case it is the church which was not revealed in the Old Testament but is solely revealed in the New Testament. Moffatt translates the word mystery as “divine secret,” and Weymouth uses the word “truth.” I like the expression “divine secret.” A divine secret was something that God had not revealed up to a certain point. Now He is ready to reveal it. It has nothing to do with mystery such as those written by Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle, as I mentioned earlier when we discussed mystery in the first chapter.
There are two extreme viewpoints taken in our day concerning the mystery of the church, and I must say that these view points are a mystery to me. One extreme group ignores the clear-cut statement of Paul that the church is not a revelation of the Old Testament. They treat the church as a continuation of Israel. This is known as covenant theology. They appropriate all the promises that God made to Israel and apply them to the church.
Years ago Dr. Harry Ironside showed me a Bible used by the group holding the covenant theology viewpoint. In the books of the Old Testament prophets, they had headed some of the chapters: “Blessings for the Church.” Other chapters were headed: “Curses for Israel.” It’s quite interesting that the church took the blessings but left the curses for Israel! The truth is that both the blessings and the curses apply to Israel.
The other group places undue emphasis on Paul’s statements: “he made known unto me the mystery,” and “my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,” and they treat the mystery as the peculiar revelation to Paul. This is known as hyperdispensationalism. As a result there has been the pernicious practice of shifting the beginning of the church to some date after Pentecost. On this sliding scale several dates have been suggested, and when one becomes untenable, another is adopted. This claim to superior knowledge has ministered to spiritual pride. May I say that the church was not revealed in the Old Testament. When it was revealed, the revelation was not confined to the apostle Paul. One professor I had in a denominational seminary tried to trace the church back to the Garden of Eden! But the church is not in the Old Testament. On the other hand, one must admit something happened on the Day of Pentecost. On that day the Holy Spirit began forming the body of believers. That will continue until He takes the church out of the world. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God until the day of redemption, the day we are taken out of the world and presented to Christ. I don’t believe you can wash back and forth over the Day of Pentecost like the tide washing over the beach. Something did happen on that day—that was the birthday of the church.
THE EXPLANATION OF THE MYSTERY
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward [Eph. 3:1–2].
Let me give you my literal translation: “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of (the) Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, if so be (upon the supposition) that ye heard of the economy (dispensation) of the grace of God which is given me to you.”
Paul speaks of his present condition as a prisoner. He became a prisoner because he took the gospel to the Gentiles. Now the Gentiles are accorded new privileges, which he has enumerated in the preceding chapter. Those who were afar off, strangers, without hope, and without God, are now brought in through Christ. Because of all that, Paul is going to pray for them. But before he gets to his prayer, he digresses to speak of the mystery. Then he picks up his thread of thought again in verse 14. Notice the connection: “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles…. bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Everything between verses 1 and 14 is a parenthesis, a digression. Before he comes to his prayer, he is going to talk about the mystery.
“If so be” marks the beginning of the parenthesis. It is on the supposition that “ye have heard of the economy (or dispensation) of the grace of God which is given me to you.” Paul is speaking of the divine plan and arrangement by which God had called and sent him to the Gentiles. As compared to the other apostles, Paul’s ministry was different and special. “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter” (Gal. 2:7). The message was not different, but the ones to whom the message was to be given were different folk in a different category. Paul went to the Gentiles and told them, “You have been afar off, and now you can be brought in through Christ.” Peter went to his own people (Israel) and said, “… there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Paul said to the gentile, Philippian jailor, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). Both Peter and Paul had the same message, although it was to two different groups of people.
There is now a brand new thing taking place. It is a different economy or a different dispensation from what they had back in the Old Testament. When Paul had been a Pharisee and lived by the Law, he never went out to preach to the Gentiles—he was under a different economy. Now Paul is under a new economy, and he is a missionary to the Gentiles. This doesn’t mean that God’s method of salvation had changed. No man was saved by keeping the Law, but by bringing a bloody sacrifice when he saw that he had come short of the glory of God. That sacrifice pointed to Christ.
Now Paul is going to talk about this new economy.
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in a few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [Eph. 3:3–4].
“By revelation.” The hyperdispensationalists hold that because Paul said the mystery had been made known to him, he was the only one who knew it. However, in verse 5 Paul makes it clear that all the apostles knew it. That “revelation” began with Paul’s conversion when Christ informed him that when he persecuted the church he was actually persecuting Christ. The church is the body of Christ. Paul learned that God was doing something new. A church had come into existence on the Day of Pentecost.
I repeat that “the mystery,” the divine secret, was something not revealed in the Old Testament and therefore unknown to man. Now it is revealed in the New Testament. The word is used twenty-seven times in the New Testament, and it refers to about eleven different mysteries. Paul seems to be making a contrast with the mystery religions of the Graeco-Roman world. In my book Exploring Through Ephesians I include a thesis on those mystery religions that I wrote when I was in seminary. There were many in that day. These were secret lodges in which sadistic rites were performed. The initiate was warned not to reveal the secrets of the mystery religion. To the Greek, a mystery was a secret imparted to the initiate. To them it meant something disclosed or revealed to a candidate for admission, not something hidden or impossible to understand. To the man on the street who was not a member, these secrets would be a mystery in our sense of the word. In contrast to this, Paul says, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.” And we today are “stewards of the mysteries of God.” We are to give out the message. The gospel is not something to be kept in a secret lodge; it is the good news that is to be shouted from the housetops.
Paul uses the word mystery earlier in this epistle. In Ephesians 1:9 he says, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will.” In Ephesians 2:14–15 he explains what the mystery is. The mystery is that Christ is risen and is the Head of a new body made up of Jews and Gentiles and of all tribes and peoples of the earth. This was not revealed in the Old Testament. Paul put it like this: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25). Paul says it again in Colossians 1:26, “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.”
I would say that those who insist that the church is back in the Old Testament are more or less usurping the place of the Lord. They are telling something the Lord Himself didn’t tell. They act as if they know something God didn’t know. Mystery means that it was not revealed in the Old Testament. And since He didn’t reveal it, it isn’t there.
THE DEFINITION OF THE MYSTERY
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel [Eph. 3:5–6].
Paul certainly makes it clear here that this was not revealed to him alone.
Now he clarifies what he means by the mystery. There is a sharp contrast between the sons of men in past generations and the apostles and prophets of the church. No one in the Old Testament had a glimmer of light relative to the church. It is now revealed to His holy apostles. They are “holy” because they have been set aside for this office by God. The “prophets” are definitely New Testament prophets.
The “Spirit,” the Holy Spirit, is the teacher of this mystery. This is what the Lord Jesus promised when He told His disciples of the coming of the Holy Spirit. “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:15).
What precisely is the mystery? It is not the fact that Gentiles would be saved. The Old Testament clearly taught that Gentiles would be saved. Let me cite several passages: “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious” (Isa. 11:10). Another: “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isa. 60:3). Isaiah also wrote: “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6). Zechariah also mentions it: “And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee” (Zech. 2:11). And Malachi: “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of host” (Mal. 1:11).
If the mystery is not that the Gentiles would be saved, what is the mystery? Mark it carefully. The mystery was that the Gentiles and Israel were placed on the same basis. By faith in Christ they were both brought into a new body which is the church. Christ is the Head of that new body.
Therefore, now there is a threefold division in the human race:
All people were Gentiles from Adam to Abraham—2000 years (plus)
All people were either Jews or Gentiles from Abraham to Christ—2000 years
The threefold division is Jews, Gentiles, and the church from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture—2000 years (plus)
Paul referred to this threefold division when he said, “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (1 Cor. 10:32). Paul included the whole human family when he said that.
The church is not in the Old Testament de facto, although there are types of it in the Old Testament. Christ said, “… upon this rock I will build my church …” (Matt. 16:18, italics mine), and when He spoke that, it was still future. The church began on the Day of Pentecost, after Christ had returned to heaven. To say that the church began beyond the Day of Pentecost makes the church a pair of Siamese twins—a Jewish church and a gentile church coexisting. It is true that the church was all Jewish when it began, but there was a period of transition when Gentiles were brought into it. The church is one body, made up of both Jew and Gentile, and Christ is the Head of that body.
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power [Eph. 3:7].
Paul assumed no place of superiority in the knowledge of the mystery by virtue of the fact that he was the Apostle to the Gentiles. He takes only the title of diakonos which is translated “minister” and means a worker or helper or deacon.
It was the gift of God’s grace which had transformed him from Saul, the proud Pharisee who persecuted the church, to Paul, the apostle who was now a prisoner for Jesus Christ. He had been taken out of one group and put into another. He is now a member of the body of Christ. All that had been accomplished was through the working of the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul had both the gift and the power of an apostle.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ [Eph. 3:8–9].
We are living today in the economy, or the dispensation, or the mystery of the church (the gospel of grace), which from the ages past has been hid in God who created all things. My friend, there are a lot of things God has not told us yet, which is one of the reasons I am anticipating heaven. If you think I don’t know very much now, you are right. When I get to heaven, I am really going to start learning things. Really, God hasn’t told us very much. It’s amazing to think how little He has told us. For example, He never told anybody about that little atom. Nor did He tell anybody that there were diamonds deep in the earth. He has kept a lot of things to Himself. He allows man to make discoveries, but there are some things man can never find out except by revelation. The church was a mystery in that sense.
In verse 8 Paul calls himself “less than the least of all saints”—it is a comparative superlative. Paul always took the place of humility as an apostle. “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor. 15:9). “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:12–13).
A mighty revolution took place in the life of Paul. He was chosen to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. How wonderful!
“And to make all men see”—the mystery is not to be argued or debated but is to be preached. And Paul was to make all men see the economy (the dispensation) of the mystery.
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord [Eph. 3:10–11].
Another purpose of the mystery is revealed here. God’s created intelligences are learning something of the wisdom of God through the church. They not only see the love of God displayed and lavished upon us, but the wisdom of God is revealed to His angels.
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him [Eph. 3:12].
We, the Gentiles, and Paul, the persecutor, have freedom of speech before God and an access or introduction to Him. This all is made possible in Christ.
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory [Eph. 3:13].
He says, “I entreat you that you not lose heart in my troubles for you, which is your glory.” Because of the great goals of the mystery which Paul has enumerated, he is willing to suffer imprisonment as the Apostle to the Gentiles. He didn’t want the Ephesians to be discouraged, because the imprisonment of Paul was working for his good and their glory. “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Col. 1:24).
PRAYER FOR POWER AND KNOWLEDGE
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ [Eph. 3:14].
What was the cause? It was because of his deep interest in these Ephesians. He wanted them to enter into the great truth of this dispensation, this new economy in which we live, and to experience all the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus. That was the background. That is why he inserted the parenthesis between verses 1 and 14.
We have already called attention to the fact that Paul was a man of prayer. This is the second great prayer of Paul in this epistle. As he viewed the church as the poem of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the ages, he went to God in prayer that these great truths might become realities in the lives of believers.
In this verse we have another characteristic of the prayers of Paul. It reveals his posture in prayer. I do not want to be splitting hairs, but here it is: “I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I don’t insist that we all get down on our knees in our public prayer meetings today. However, I rather wish that we did.
During my first pastorate in Nashville, Tennessee, I conducted a meeting in Stone’s River Church near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It was one of the best meetings I have ever had. It was a little country church, and when I began, I said, “Let’s bow our heads in prayer.” I shut my eyes and heard a rumbling. It sounded as if everyone was walking out; so I ventured a look. I didn’t see a soul and thought they had really walked out on me. Since I was praying to the Lord, I just continued to pray. When I said, “Amen,” I opened my eyes and these people came up between those pews just like corn coming up out of the ground! They had all been down on their knees. We had a wonderful meeting. Now don’t misunderstand me—I’m not saying we had a great meeting just because they were down on their knees, but I do want to say that I think it helped a great deal.
In the formality and ritual of our new churches with plush seats and carpeted floors we are missing something in our relationship to the Lord. My feeling is that there ought to be more easy familiarity with each other in our churches but more worship and reverence for God, especially at the time of prayer.
As creatures we ought to assume our proper place before our Creator and go down on all fours before Him. Paul prayed that way and I have always felt that was the proper posture. I must confess that since I have arthritis I don’t do it like I used to when I would get down right on my face in my study and pray there. It is amazing how such a posture helps a person to pray. I think it is something that is good for man. I don’t insist on this; I merely call your attention to it. This is the way Paul did it, and I think he is a very good example for us today. Aren’t we told that our Lord went into the Garden of Gethsemane and fell on His face? I think it would be proper for us if we would get down on our faces before God.
There is another point which I think is rather important to note. We have here that Paul prayed to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will also notice that back in chapter 1, verse 17, he prayed to the “God of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We find that this was his formula, and I think it is a rather tight formula to address all prayers to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Someone may say, “Aren’t you splitting hairs?” Listen to the Lord Jesus: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you” (John 16:23, italics mine).
The disciples had been with our Lord for three years. I think they were like a group of children in many ways. I think it was, “Gimme, gimme” a great deal of the time. Then our Lord told them that He would be leaving them. After that they would not ask Jesus for anything. They were to direct their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus. What does Jesus mean by that? He means simply that if you and I were to pray to the Lord Jesus directly, we would rob ourselves of an intercessor. Jesus Christ is our great Intercessor. To pray in Jesus’ name means we go to God the Father with a prayer that the Lord Jesus Himself can lift to the Father for you and me.
We need to be very careful in our prayer life. Now that I am retired, I notice things I never noticed before. I was in a service not long ago in which they called on a visiting brother to pray for the meetings at this conference. The conference had gotten off to a marvelous start. The music had been excellent, the pastor had presided well, then they called on this brother to pray. He prayed for a great many things, and I counted three times that he prayed for me. When he prayed for me the second time, my reaction was, Well, you don’t need to tell the Lord that again! Then when he said it the third time, I thought, He will turn the Lord off—He’ll get tired of hearing that repetitious prayer. Perhaps after this brother had looked me over he decided I really needed praying for three times! Nevertheless, it was vain repetition as the heathen use. The Lord heard him the first time. We need to be very careful in our prayer life.
Have you noticed that Paul’s prayers are brief? Both prayers here in Ephesians and his prayer in Philippians are brief. In fact, all the prayers of Scripture are quite brief. The Lord Jesus said that we are not to use vain repetition as the heathen do—they think they will be heard for their much speaking. Moses’ great prayer for Israel is recorded in only three verses. Elijah, on top of Mount Carmel as he stood alone for God against the prophets of Baal, prayed a great prayer which is only one verse long. Nehemiah’s great prayer is recorded in only seven verses. The prayer of our Lord in John 17 takes only three minutes to read. But the briefest prayer is that of Simon Peter, “… Lord, save me” (Matt. 14:30). He cried out this prayer when he was beginning to sink beneath the waves of the Sea of Galilee. Some people think that was not a prayer because it was so short. My friend, that was a prayer, and it was answered immediately. If Simon Peter had prayed like some of us preachers pray on Sunday morning, “Lord, Thou who art the omnipotent, the omniscient, the omnipresent One …,” he would have been twenty feet under water before he got to his request. I tell you, he got down to business. Prayer should be brief and to the point.
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named [Eph. 3:15].
God has a wonderful family. A great many folk think that it is only me and mine—we four and no more. But it’s a little wider than that. Some folk feel that their little clique in the church is the only group the Lord is listening to. Some people think their local church constitutes the saints. Then there are others who think their denomination is the whole family of God. Then there are some who think it is just the church—that is, those saved from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture. My friend, God saved people long before the church came into existence, and He is going to be saving people after the church leaves. Also God has other members of His family. The angels belong to His family. He has created intelligences which the apostle John saw and said cannot be numbered. All of those are the family of God.
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God [Eph. 3:16–19].
Notice again that he prays according to the riches of His glory, not out of the riches of His glory. If He would take it out of His riches, He would be like Mr. Rockefeller who used to give his caddy a dime.
There are four definite petitions here which Paul makes on behalf of the Ephesian believers.
1. The petition is that the believers might “be strengthened with might [power] by his Spirit in the inner man.” The spiritual nature of the believer needs prayer as well as does the physical. How often the spiritual is neglected while all the attention is given to the physical side. Paul prays for the inner man because he realizes that the outward man is passing away. Power is needed to live the Christian life, to grow in grace, and to develop into full maturity—which is the work of the Holy Spirit.
We tend to pray a great deal for the outward man. It is a marvelous way to pray, praying for the physical needs of folk. Paul did, and he prayed for himself. Three times he asked God to remove the thorn in his flesh. It is wonderful to know that God does hear and does answer prayer, but we need to remember that the spiritual nature of the believer needs prayer as well as the physical. Only the Holy Spirit can supply power, living, and growth for the full maturity of the believer.
2. In the second petition Paul prays that “Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” This is to think the Lord’s thoughts after Him. “Ye in me and I in you.” Paul could exclaim, “… Christ liveth in me …” (Gal. 2:20). In Christ is the high word of this epistle. The wonderful counterpart of it is that Christ is in us. In Christ—that is our position. Christ in us—that is our possession. That is the practical side of it. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor. 13:5).
Christ has not come as a temporary visitor. He has come as a permanent tenant by means of the Spirit to live in our lives. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).
3. The third petition is a request that the believers may know the dimensions of the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ. He prays that they may be “rooted and grounded in love.” “Rooted” refers to botany, to life. “Grounded” refers to architecture, to stability. This is for all the saints.
Paul wants them to “know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” The vast expanse of the love of Christ is the love of God Himself. From this launching pad we can begin to measure that which is immeasurable and to know that which passes knowledge. This is one of the many paradoxes of the believer’s life.
The breadth. The arms of Christ reach around the world. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved …” (John 10:9). “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
The length. The length of it begins with the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world and proceeds unto the endless ages of eternity.
The depth. The depth goes all the way to Christ’s death on the cross. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8).
The height. The height reaches to the throne of God. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2:6).
Only the Holy Spirit can lead a believer into this vast experience of the love of Christ. Since it is infinite, it is beyond human comprehension.
4. The fourth petition is a final outburst of an all-consuming fervor that believers “might be filled up to all the fulness of God.” Christ was thus filled. In proportion to our comprehension of the love of Christ, we shall be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen [Eph. 3:20–21].
This is both a doxology and a benediction which concludes the prayer of Paul. It also concludes the first main division of this epistle. This is a mighty outburst of spiritual praise, which any comment would only tarnish. We are not able to so much as touch the hem of the garment of the spiritual gifts that God is prepared to give to His own. How wonderful this is! He wants to give to us super-abundantly. How good He is, and how small we are. We cannot even contain all of His blessings.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The church is a new man; the exhibition of the new man; the inhibition of the new man; the prohibition of the new man
We have now come to a new section of the Epistle to the Ephesians. The subjects of these last three chapters are the conduct of the church and the vocation of the believer. We have learned of the heavenly calling of the believer, and now we come to the believer’s manner of life, his earthly walk. This is not a worldly walk, but it is an earthly walk. The true believers, which collectively we call the church, are seated in the heavenlies in Christ. Christ is the Head of the body and He is seated at God’s right hand. But the church is to live down here on this earth.
In chapters 1–3 we have considered the calling, construction, and the constitution of the church. In this last section of the epistle we shall consider the conduct of the church, the confession of the church, and the conflict of the church. The church is a new man; in the future the church will be a bride; and the church is also a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
In the first three chapters we have been on the mountain peak of the Transfiguration, probably the highest spiritual point in the New Testament. That is the reason we spent so much time in those chapters. In this last division we descend to the plane of living where we confront a demon-possessed world and a skeptical mob. It is right down where the rubber meets the road. Are we able to translate the truths of the mountain top into shoe leather? Are we able to stand and walk through the world in a way that is pleasing to God? Our Lord said that we are in the world but not of the world.
It has been stated that Ephesians occupies the same position theologically as the Book of Joshua does in the Old Testament. Now we come to the position where this truth is manifest. Joshua entered the Land of Promise on the basis of the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. It was his by right of promise, and he led the children of Israel over the Jordan into the land. Passing over Jordan is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We as believers have been brought into the Promised Land. That is where you and I live—at least we should be living in resurrection territory today.
Joshua had to appropriate the land by taking possession of it for the enjoyment of it and for blessing in the land. Possession is the great word in the Book of Joshua. Although enemies and other obstacles stood in his way, Joshua had to overcome and occupy.
Position was a key word in the first half of Ephesians—God has blessed us “with all spiritual blessings” (Eph. 1:3). God has given them over to us, but are we walking down here in possession of them? The children of Israel had been promised their land, but it remained a “never-never” land to them until they entered it. “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses” (Josh. 1:3). God says, “Joshua, all of it is yours, but you will enjoy only that which you lay hold of.”
Now the believer is privileged to move in and occupy “all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.” However, the unsearchable riches in Christ must be searched out with the spiritual Geiger counter, which is the Word of God. Up until now the epistle has been glorious declarations, but now there will be commands. Those who have been called to such an exalted place are now commanded to a way of life which is commensurate with the calling.
Some people dwell on the first part of the epistle and become rather super-duper saints, very spiritual. I remember a family like this when I first came to Southern California. They attended the church which I pastored but were not members. They were lovely, active people. I asked them one day why they didn’t join the church. They looked up to the ceiling and said, “We’re members of the invisible church,” and fluttered their eyelids. I have learned that a lot of these folk who are members of the “invisible” church are really invisible—invisible on Sunday night and invisible on Wednesday night. In fact, they are invisible when you need help from them. Now, my friend, let’s be practical about this: the invisible church is to make itself visible down here in a local assembly.
We have come to the practical side of Ephesians, the earthly conduct of the church; and in this chapter the church is portrayed as a new man. The new man is to exhibit himself down here. The members of the invisible church are to make themselves visible. They are to be extroverts, if you please, and they are to get out the Word of God.
What follows here is restricted to those who are in Christ. The Spirit of God is talking to saved people. If you are not a Christian, God is not asking you to do the commands in this epistle. First you must become a child of His through faith in Christ; you must become a member of His body. What follows in this epistle is for those who have been redeemed and have heard the Word of truth. Dead men cannot walk no matter how insistently they are urged to walk. The dead man must first be made alive. Paul has told us that we were dead in trespasses and sins. That is the condition of all who are lost. The top sergeant doesn’t go out to the cemetery and yell, “Attention! Forward march!” If he did, there certainly wouldn’t be any marching. Nobody would move. They must first have life. It is interesting that the religions are saying to a dying world, “Do something and you will be somebody.” God says just the opposite: “Be somebody and then you can do something.” If you are not a Christian, you just stay on the sidelines and listen. You will learn what God would ask of you if you are going to become a believer; and when you look around you, you will know whether or not the saints are living as God wants them to live.
THE EXHIBITION OF THE NEW MAN
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called [Eph. 4:1].
“Therefore” is a connective, a transitional word. It is in view of all that God has done for the believer, which we have seen in the first three chapters of this epistle.
Paul is a “prisoner of the Lord.” He is a prisoner because of his position in Christ. Isn’t it interesting that Paul can be seated in the heavenlies in Christ and can also be seated in a prison because he was a witness for Christ to the Gentiles?
I “beseech [or beg] you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” This word for beseech or beg is the same word that we find in Romans 12:1. It is not the command of Sinai with fire and thunder; it is the gentle wooing of love: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God …” (Rom. 12:1).
We are to “walk worthy” of our calling. It is a call to walk on a plane commensurate with the position we have in Christ. “Only let your conversation [that is, your manner of life or your life-style] be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil 1:27). Again Paul writes, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10). Paul points to his own life as an example of the Christian’s walk: “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe” (1 Thess. 2:10).
Paul begs us to walk worthy of the gospel. People may not be telling you this, but they are evaluating whether you are a real child of God through faith in Christ. The only way they can tell is by your walk. It’s not so much how you walk as it is where you walk. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Walking in “the light” is in the light of the Word of God. How much time do you really spend in the Word of God? Your children know how much time you spend in the Bible. Also your neighbors know, and the people in the church know. If we wish to walk in fellowship with God, we must walk in the light of the Word of God.
We have previously told the incident of a man handing out tracts, a ministry, by the way, that takes much prayer and intelligence. A black man who could neither read nor write was handed a tract. He asked, “What is this?” When he was told it was a tract, he said, “Well I can’t read it; so I’ll watch your tracks.” That was the greatest short sermon this Christian could ever have had preached to him. Someone was watching his tracks.
Paul does his beseeching on the basis of their calling. He has just explained to the Ephesians that they live in the economy of the grace of God. They live under that dispensation.
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace [Eph. 4:2–3].
“Lowliness” means a mind brought low. Paul practiced what he preached. Lowliness means the opposite of pride. I wish our seminaries today would stop trying to make intellectual preachers and teach the young men to walk in lowliness of mind.
Years ago I heard the story of a very fashionable church in Edinburgh that wanted a pulpit-supply; so the seminary sent out to them a very fine young man who was brilliant in the classroom at the school. He had never had any experience, and he was filled with pride at ministering in this great church. When he got up before that group of people, he was struck with stage fright. He forgot everything he ever knew. He had memorized his sermon, but he forgot it. He stumbled through it and left the pulpit in humiliation, because he knew how miserably he had failed. A dear little Scottish lady went up to him and said, “Young man, I was watching you this morning, and I’d like to say to you that if you had gone up into that pulpit like you came down out of that pulpit, then you would have come down out of that pulpit like you went up into that pulpit.” He had gone up with pride, but he had come down with lowliness and meekness.
Lowliness is the flagship of all Christian virtues. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3). Lowliness characterized our Lord. He said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart …” (Matt. 11:29). There are too many Christians today who have a pride of race, a pride of place, a pride of face, and even a pride of grace—they are even proud that they have been saved by grace! Oh, how we need to walk in lowliness of mind!
The story is told of a group of people who went in to see Beethoven’s home in Germany. After the tour guide had showed them Beethoven’s piano and had finished his lecture, he asked if any of them would like to come up and sit at the piano for a moment and play a chord or two. There was a sudden rush to the piano by all the people except a gray-haired gentleman with long, flowing hair. The guide finally asked him, “Wouldn’t you like to sit down at the piano and play a few notes?” He answered, “No, I don’t feel worthy.” That man was Paderewski, the great Polish statesman and pianist and the only man in the group who was really worthy to play the piano of Beethoven.
How often the saints rush in and do things when they have no gift for doing them. We say we have difficulty in finding folk who will do the work of the church, but there is another extreme—folk who attempt to do things for which they have no gift. We need to walk in lowliness of mind.
“With all lowliness and meekness.” Meekness means mildness but it does not mean weakness. To be meek does not mean to be a Mr. Milquetoast. There are two men in Scripture who are noted for being meek. In the Old Testament it was Moses, and in the New Testament it was the Lord Jesus. When you see Moses come down from the mount and break the Ten Commandments written on the stone tablets and when you hear what he said to his brother Aaron and to the children of Israel, would you call that meekness? God called it that. When the Lord Jesus went in and drove the money changers out of the temple, was that meekness? It certainly was. The world has a definition of meekness and that makes it synonymous with weakness. The Bible calls meekness a willingness to stand and do the will of God regardless of the cost. Meekness is bowing yourself to the will of God.
“With longsuffering.” Longsuffering means a long temper. This is a fruit of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22). In other words, we should not have a short fuse. That is longsuffering.
“Forbearing one another in love” means to hold one’s self back in the spirit of love. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:13).
“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit.” The Lord Jesus prayed that we might be one: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21). The Spirit of God has baptized us into one body. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). Now believers are to keep the unity which the Holy Spirit has made. We cannot make that unity. We cannot join into an ecumenical movement to force a kind of unity. Only the Holy Spirit makes the unity, but we are to maintain it. All true believers in Christ Jesus belong to one body, and we should realize that we are one in Christ.
Now he goes on to list seven of those unities:
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all [Eph. 4:4–6].
1. “One body” refers to the total number of believers from Pentecost to the Rapture. This one body is also called the invisible church, but this is not wholly accurate. All true believers should also be visible.
2. “One Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit who baptizes each believer into the body of Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unify believers in Christ. This is the unity that the believer is instructed to keep.
3. “One hope of your calling” refers to the goal set before all believers. They will be taken out of this world into the presence of Christ. This is the blessed hope (see Titus 2:13).
4. “One Lord” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. His lordship over believers brings into existence the unity of the church.
5. “One faith” refers to the body of truth called the apostles’ doctrine (see Acts 2:42). When this is denied, there are divisions. There must be substance to form an adhesion of believers. This substance is correct doctrine.
6. “One baptism” has reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is real baptism. Ritual baptism is by water. Water baptism is a symbol of the real baptism of the Holy Spirit by which believers are actually made one.
7. “One God and Father of all” refers to God’s fatherhood of believers. Since there is only one Father, He is not the Father of unbelievers. Sonship can come only through Christ. The unity of believers produces a sharp distinction between believers and unbelievers. He is Father of all who are His by regeneration.
Paul has been talking about the church, the body of Christ, joined to Him who is in heaven at the right hand of the Father. The church is a new man. It is a mystery. This is all true because it is in Christ. Now some people can be so involved in these truths who are—as the saying goes—so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good. Paul is trying to show that we still walk down here in a very evil, very sinful world.
In his discussion of this walk of the believer, Paul speaks first to the individual. The individual is to walk in lowliness and meekness. Then he widens out to the entire church, which is one body and one spirit. Finally, he brings this passage to a great, tremendous crescendo, which pictures the eminence and transcendence of God.
God is “above all, and through all, and in you all.” This means that God is transcendent. He is above His creation. He is not dependent upon His creation. He doesn’t depend upon oxygen to breathe. He doesn’t have to bring up some supplies from the rear or go Saturday shopping in order to have food for the weekend. He is transcendent. He is not only transcendent, He is also eminent. He is not only above all, but He is through all and in you all. That means He is in this universe in which you and I live. He is motivating it and He is moving it according to His plan and purpose. That is what adds meaning to life. That is what makes life worthwhile.
Life gets a little humdrum now and then, doesn’t it? There is a monotony to it. Although I love taping broadcasts for my radio program, sometimes when I’m in my study every day for a couple of weeks, it gets monotonous, and I get weary. But then I come to this great thought: all of this is in the plan and purpose of God. Then I feel like singing the doxology or the Hallelujah chorus, and when I do, everybody moves out of earshot. But I can sing unto the Lord with a song that comes from my heart. The Bible says, “… making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19), and that is where mine certainly comes from—not from my mouth, but from my heart.
This chapter reminds me of a great symphony orchestra. When I first went to Nashville as pastor, some friends asked me to go to the symphony with them. They thought they were doing me a favor, but there are other things I would rather do than go to a symphony concert. Although I’m not musically educated, and I don’t understand music at all, I got a message at that concert. We had arrived early and I noticed all the instruments. It looked like over a hundred men came out from all the different wings and each went to his own instrument. My friends told me that they were “tuning up.” Each one played his own little tune and, I give you my word, there was no melody in it. It was terrible! They quit after a few moments, for which I was thankful. Then they disappeared into the wings. Soon they all appeared again. This time they were in full dress with white shirts and bow ties. Each man came to his instrument, but no man dared play it. Then the spotlight went to the side of the stage and caught the conductor as he walked out. He bowed several times and there was thunderous applause. Then he picked up a little stick and turned his back to the audience. When he lifted that baton, you could have heard a pin drop in that auditorium, then when he lowered it—oh, what music came out of that great orchestra! I had never heard anything that was more thrilling. It made goose pimples come over me and made my hair stand on end.
After that first tremendous number, I got a little bored; I began comparing it with life on this earth. Out in the world every person is playing his own little tune. Everyone is trying to be heard above the clamor of voices or carrying his own little placard of protest. Everyone seems to be out of tune, out of harmony, with everyone else. It doesn’t look very hopeful in the world today, and we look to the future with pessimism. Like Simon Peter walking on the lake, we see huge threatening waves. But one of these days there is going to step out from the wings of this universe, from God’s right hand, the Conductor. He is called the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He will lift that baton, that scepter, with nail-pierced hands. When He does that, the whole world will be in tune. He is eminent and He is transcendent. He is “above all, through all, and in you all” So don’t give up—the Conductor is coming. He will get us all in tune.
The church is to walk as a new man in this world. There is to be an exhibition. The church is to be an extrovert, to witness, to manifest life.
THE INHIBITION OF THE NEW MAN
Now we find that the church also has inhibitions and these are also important.
A little child doesn’t have inhibitions. I think of a time when I visited some people who were church members. They put on quite a performance of how pious and how religious they were. When we sat down at the table, they called on me to return thanks for the meal. Their little three-year-old was sitting in his high chair at the table with us. When I finished, he turned to his mother and said, “What did that man do?” Obviously, they didn’t very often give thanks for their meal. The little fellow was completely uninhibited in what he said.
Now a child may be uninhibited, but the church is not to manifest itself as a baby all the time. It is to grow up and develop some inhibitions. There are certain things an adult doesn’t say that a little child may say. The church is not to remain in babyhood but is to mature, and God has given to each child of His grace in which to grow.
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ [Eph. 4:7].
God has given gifts to believers, as we see in Romans 12 and again in 1 Corinthians, chapters 12–14. Although believers are to give diligence to maintain the unity of the Spirit, this does not mean that each is a carbon copy of the other. Each believer is given a gift so that he may function in the body of believers in a particular way. Paul writes, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Cor. 12:7). This means that a gift is the Spirit of God doing something through the believer for the purpose of building up the body of believers. It is for the profit of the whole body of believers. No gift is given to you to develop you spiritually. A gift is given to you in order that you might function in the body of believers to benefit and bless the church.
Many folks say, “Dr. McGee, we do not speak in tongues in the church. We do it for our private devotions.” I can say to them categorically from the Word of God that they are wrong. Gifts are given to profit the church. No gift is to be used selfishly for personal profit. In fact, it is not a gift if it is being used that way. A gift is given to every member of the body to enable him to function for a very definite reason in his position in the body.
Suppose my eyes would tell me that they are sleepy and will not get up with me. Suppose my legs say they won’t carry me downstairs to my study. I need both my eyes and my legs, and I hope my brain cooperates too. In fact, all the members of my body need to work together, each member doing the job it’s supposed to do.
Each believer is given a gift so that he may function in the body of believers in a particular way. When he does this, the body functions. That is where we find the unity of the Spirit. Along with the gift it says every one of us is given grace to exercise that gift in the power and fullness of the Spirit of God. When each believer functions in his peculiar gift, it produces a harmony, as does each member of the human body. However, when one member of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. This means, my friend, that if you do not exercise your gift in the body, you throw us all out of tune.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men [Eph. 4:8].
You will notice that this is a quotation from Psalm 68:18: “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.” Someone may point out that apparently there is a discrepancy here. Ephesians says, “He gave gifts unto men” and the psalm says, “He received gifts for men.” Is this a misquote from the Old Testament?
Please note that an author has a right to change his own writings, but nobody else has that right. I was misquoted in an article and the publisher had to apologize for misquoting me. However, I have a right to misquote my own writing if I want to do so, and if it serves my purpose.
In the verse before us the Holy Spirit changes the words, and He does it for a purpose. Back in the Book of Psalms we are told that the Lord Jesus had received gifts for men. He had all the gifts ready. Then He came to earth. Now that He has been here and has gone back to the Father, He is distributing the gifts among men. He is giving them to us through the Holy Spirit. Actually this passage shows again how very accurate the Bible is and that this is not a misquote.
“When he ascended up on high” refers to the ascension of Christ. At that time He did two things: (1) He led captivity captive, which refers, I believe, to the redeemed of the Old Testament who went to paradise when they died. Christ took these believers with Him out of paradise into the very presence of God when He ascended. Today when a believer dies, we are not told that he goes to paradise, but rather he is absent from the body and present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). (2) When Christ ascended He also gave gifts to men. This means that He conferred gifts upon living believers in the church so that they might witness to the world. In His ascension, Christ not only brought the Old Testament saints into God’s presence, but He also, through the Holy Spirit, bestowed His gifts. At the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit baptized believers into the body of Christ and then endowed them with certain gifts, enabling them to function as members of the body. The Holy Spirit put each of them in a certain place in the body, and He has been doing the same with each new believer ever since.
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) [Eph. 4:9–10].
The logical explanation of these verses is that since Christ ascended, He must have of necessity descended at some previous period. Some see only the Incarnation in this. The early church fathers saw in it the work of Christ in bringing the Old Testament saints out of paradise up to the throne of God. Although the Apostles’ Creed states that He descended into hell, it means hades, the place where the dead were, and it is not necessary to assume that He entered into some form of suffering after His death. His incarnation and death were His humiliation and descent, and they were adequate to bring the redeemed of the Old Testament into the presence of God. I recognize, however, that there are other interpretations.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ [Eph. 4:11–13].
I translate it this way: “He Himself gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets and some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers.” This verse does not refer to the gifts He has given to men, although it is true that it is He who has given the gifts. What Paul is saying here is that Christ takes certain men who have been given certain gifts and He gives them to the church.
Now notice the purpose for which these men are given to the church: “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” These gifted men are given to the church that it might be brought to full maturity.
“Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” This may sound selfish, but I trust it is understood. What is the purpose of the church in the world? It is to complete itself that it might grow up.
“He Himself”—this is very emphatic—it is the Lord Jesus Himself who gives gifted men to perfect the church. The Lord Jesus is the One who has the authority and is the One who bestows gifts.
He gave “some, apostles” to the church. An apostle was a man who had not only seen the resurrected Christ but had also been directly and personally commissioned by Him to be an apostle. He enjoyed a special inspiration. This is why Paul could state: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)…. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:1, 12). This office, by virtue of its very nature, has long since disappeared from the church.
He gave “some, prophets.” Here, as in other epistles, this has reference to New Testament prophets. They were men who were given, as were the apostles, particular insight into the doctrines of the faith (see Eph. 3:5). They were under the immediate influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which distinguishes them from teachers (see 1 Cor. 12:10). There is no one around today with the office of apostle or prophet in that sense. They themselves passed off the scene long ago, but they are still members of His church. His church exists not only on earth; part of the church is up in heaven with Him. They are part of that host which is in the presence of God. In another sense they are still with us today. Aren’t we studying the Epistle to the Ephesians right now? And who wrote it? The apostle Paul, and he is still with us even though he is up in heaven with Christ. He is absent from the body but present with Christ. Yet he is still a member of the church and he is still an apostle to us.
“Some, evangelists.” The evangelists were traveling missionaries. Paul was an evangelist. They were not evangelists as we think of them today. There was no committee or organization to set up a campaign. They went into new territory, and they did it all alone with the Spirit of God who went before them.
He also gave “some, pastors.” These men were the shepherds of the flock.
He gave some, “teachers,” the men who were to instruct the flock. This is the gift which is mentioned in Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28–29; and 1 Timothy 3:2.
God has given all these men to the church so that the church might be brought to full maturation where there will be inhibitions. You see, the church is not to make a “nut” of herself before the world; she is not to appear ignorant before the world. All these men are to prepare the church so that the believers might do the work of ministering and building up the body of Christ.
We call the pastor of a church a minister, but if you are a Christian, you are as much a minister as he is. You don’t have to be ordained to be a minister. The pastor has a special gift, a gift of teaching the Word of God so that his members, those who are under him, might do the work of the ministry—they are the ones to go out and do the visitation and the witnessing. I am afraid we have the church in reverse today.
At one time Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer led his own singing and also did the preaching when he started out as an evangelist. A dear lady came to him one night and said, “Dr. Chafer, you’re doing too much. You ought not to lead the singing and do the preaching both. Why don’t you get someone else to do the preaching?” Well, he was a musician, but he was primarily a great teacher. Teaching was his great gift, and he used it to equip others for the ministry.
At this point let me say that probably no man in the church has all the gifts; so do not expect your pastor or your minister to be all things. Don’t take the viewpoint that he has many gifts. His business is to build the members of the church for the work of the ministry.
Here is a little article that appeared in the bulletin of a small church in the East:
For centuries the principal responsibility for evangelism has been borne by the clergy. The laity were neither called to evangelistic activity nor believed it to be their responsibility. One of the most significant developments in the church (possibly the single most important development in recent centuries) is the revival of lay activity and the growing recognition that the layman is called to a ministry no less important than that of the minister. Elton Trueblood has said, “The Reformation has opened up the Bible to the common man; a new Reformation will open up the ministry to the common man.”
I agree with this article wholeheartedly, and I rejoice that today we are seeing laymen becoming more involved. So many young people today, young Christians, are getting involved in doing the witnessing. Now they need teaching. I think the only reason in the world that they listen to me is because they feel that I can teach them. Believers need teaching so that they can do the work of the ministry.
Sometimes folk get excited when they hear another using my materials. I had a call from a lady in Ohio. Apparently a preacher there was doing a pretty good job of imitating me. He was teaching from my book on Ruth and was even using my illustrations. She said, “I think it is terrible, and you ought to stop him.” I asked her if he was doing a good job, and she said he was. So I said, “Praise the Lord. I always felt someone would come along who would do it much better than I do it.” You see, my business is to try to prepare others to do the work of the ministry.
One minister wrote and said that he wanted to preach a sermon of mine and asked if he could have permission to do that. I replied, “There is only one thing I ask of you. Do it better than I did, brother.” Use the material. We are to build up the body of Christ.
I am going to talk to you very frankly. Don’t expect your pastor to do it all. He is there to train you that you might do the work of the ministry and that the church might become mature. We are not to act like a bunch of nitwits today. We are to give a good, clear-cut, intelligent witness to the world. I think the greatest sin in the local church today is the ignorance of the man sitting in the pew; he doesn’t know the Word of God, and that is a tragedy. I would hate to get into an airplane if the pilot didn’t know any more about flying than the average church member knows about Christianity and the Word of God. The plane wouldn’t make it—I think it would crash before it got ten feet into the air. That is the condition of the church today. All believers need to be trained in the Word of God so they can do the work of the ministry.
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive [Eph. 4:14].
“That we henceforth be no more children.” We are to have inhibitions. We are not to run around like a bunch of crying babies. You remember that Paul told the church in Corinth that they were carnal and that they were babies in Christ and a disgrace.
We are not (to use my translation) to be “tossed up and down and driven about with every wind of doctrine (teaching).” Notice that Paul does some mixing of metaphors here. He is trying to bring out vividly the danger of a believer continuing as a babe. You wouldn’t, for example, put a baby in a plane to pilot it. My little grandson is a smart boy, but he is not that smart. I wouldn’t allow him up there; he would crash. If children were in command of a ship, they would be tossed up and down, driven here and there without direction over the vast expanse of sea. They would become discouraged and seasick. They would lose their way. This is a frightful picture of the possible fate of a child of God.
The figure of speech changes again. “By the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” If you sent babes into the gambling den, the sharpies would take them in with their system of error. I wouldn’t think of sending my grandson to Las Vegas to play the slot machines! In fact, I wouldn’t want him there even if he lived to be a hundred years old.
Christ’s purpose in giving men with different gifts to the church is to develop believers from babyhood to full maturity. Teachers are to be pediatricians. I sometimes use the expression that I am primarily a pediatrician, not an obstetrician. The obstetrician brings the baby into the world. I know he has to get up sometimes at one o’clock in the morning to deliver a baby and that he spends many nights at his work, but he is through with the little angel after he is born. He turns him over to the pediatrician, who makes sure he has everything he needs for normal growth. I have been a pediatrician in my ministry and, only secondly, an obstetrician. I feel that I am called to be the pediatrician—that is, to give the saints the Word of God so they can grow.
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love [Eph. 4:15–16].
Believers are not to remain children, but rather that in “speaking the truth in love, [they] may grow up into him in all things.” The believer is to follow the truth in love; that is, he is to love truth, live it, and speak it. Christ is the truth and the believer must sail his little bark of life with everything pointed toward Christ. Christ is his compass and his magnetic pole.
“Which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted.” The body of believers is compared to the physical body and is called the body of Christ.
The body not only receives orders from the Head, who is Christ, but also spiritual nutriment. This produces a harmony where each member is functioning in his place as he receives spiritual supplies from the Head. Also the body has an inward dynamic whereby it renews itself. Likewise the spiritual body is to renew itself in love.
THE PROHIBITION OF THE NEW MAN
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness [Eph. 4:17–19].
We have seen the exhibition of the new man and the inhibition of the new man. Now we come to the prohibition of the new man. There is the negative side of the believer’s life, which I think is important for us to see. There is not enough emphasis on it. We talk about “new morality” which is nothing in the world but old sin. There is a liberty in Christ, but it is not a license to sin.
Scriptural prohibitions for the new man are different from some of the prohibitions that people set up. I can’t find, for example, where it says that women should not wear makeup. I know a group who for years judged the spirituality of women by the amount of makeup they wore. I’ve also seen young girls who thought they were spiritual because they had disheveled hair and no makeup on, and actually they looked like walking zombies. Christians should do the best they can with what they have. That doesn’t mean, of course, that they should be painted up like a barber pole. However, some Christians insist upon a number of these man-made prohibitions which are not found in Scripture.
God’s prohibitions for the new man are the negatives of His Word. We have had too much on the power of positive thinking today. We need a little of the power of negative thinking. Have you ever thought that in the Garden of Eden the primary command was a negative command? “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Then you come to the Ten Commandments. They are very negative but also very good. Now here in Ephesians we see some negative thinking, some prohibitions for the child of God. We are not to walk “as other Gentiles walk.” This is the negative side.
Paul returns at this juncture to the practical aspect of the believer’s walk. He had introduced it in verses 1–3, but he was detoured by the introduction of the subject of the unity of the church. Now he gives a picture of the lives of Gentiles and the lives of the Ephesians before their conversion. Remember in chapter 2, verses 11–12, he told how they had been far off, strangers without hope and without God, living in sin. That was their picture.
This is still a graphic picture of the lost man today. Paul gives four aspects of the walk of the Gentiles which illustrate the absolute futility and insane purpose of the life of the lost man.
“In the vanity of their mind” means the empty illusion of the life that thinks there is satisfaction in sin. Oh, how many people walk that way! I feel so sorry for these young people who have been taken in by the promoters of immorality as a life style. A girl told me that she had had two abortions—murdered two babies, and was not married—what a life! That is not the life of happiness that God has planned for His children, my friend. It is the walk of a lost person, walking in the vanity of the mind. It is an empty illusion of life.
Drinking cocktails is another illusion. Alcoholism takes its toll. An alcoholic woman has started listening to our Bible teaching program and is now fighting a battle to be delivered from alcohol. She says, “Oh, it seemed so smart, so sophisticated to drink cocktails!” How tragic.
“Having the understanding darkened” means that the lost man has lost his perception of moral values. That is exactly what is being promoted in our day—a loss of perception of moral values.
“Being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them” is a picture of all mankind without Christ. It is the rebellion of Adam which is inherited by all his children. What a picture it is of a man today. He thinks he is living. One man told me he spent a week’s wages for one evening in a nightclub. What for? To try to have a good time. That’s an expensive way to try to have fun. He was alienated from the life of God; he had no communication with God: he was dead in trespasses and sin. Such a man is ignorant of the inestimable advantage of a relationship with God. The result is a hardening of the heart.
“Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness [which is uncleanness], to work all uncleanness with greediness [or covetousness].” Their continuance in this state of moral ineptitude brings them down to the level where they have no feeling of wrongdoing. There are a lot of folk like that today. They are apathetic. The resultant condition is to plunge further into immorality and lasciviousness. This vicious cycle leads to a desire to go even deeper into sin. If you paint the town red tonight, you have to have a bigger bucket and a bigger brush for tomorrow night. The meaning here is to covet the very depths of immorality. Men in sin are never satisfied with sin. They become abandoned to sin. This is what it means in chapter 1 of Romans that God gave them up to all uncleanness through their own lusts. You can reach the place, my friend, where you are an abandoned sinner.
But ye have not so learned Christ;
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus [Eph. 4:20–21].
Here is the contrast with the life of the Gentiles. If anyone is not listening to Jesus, then Jesus must not be his Savior. The Lord Jesus is the Shepherd and His sheep hear His voice. If you haven’t heard His voice, then you are not one of His sheep.
What will change the Gentiles from their old nature? What are they to do? They are to listen to Christ. They are to hear Him. They are to be taught by Him. Those who are not His sheep will not hear Him.
When an unsaved man writes to me and says that he disagrees with me, I am not upset. I think, Fine. I hope you don’t agree with me. Something would be wrong if he did agree. The saved person looks to the Lord Jesus as his Shepherd. He listens to the Shepherd and he follows Him. The unsaved person goes his own way.
“The truth is in Jesus.” Although His life on earth cannot be imitated by anyone, the very life of Jesus is an example to the believer. Jesus is the One who has been the pioneer; He is the example of life here on earth. He is the One who also went through the doorway of death for us. There is no reason for any believer to be in the dark today or to be ignorant or to be blind.
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness [Eph. 4:22–24].
“That ye put off concerning … the old man … and that ye put on the new man.” We are to put off the old man and put on the new man in the same manner that we change our clothes. It is like putting off an old and unclean garment and then putting on a garment that is new and clean. The putting off the old man and putting on the new man cannot be done by self-effort, nor can it be done by striving to imitate Christ’s conduct. It has been done for the believing sinner by the death of Christ. We are like babes who cannot dress themselves. I have learned with my little grandson that a child doesn’t do very well when he tries to dress himself. As Christians we never reach the place where we can do that, and we don’t need to try. It already has been done for us. We are told in the Epistle to the Romans that the old man has already been crucified in the death of Christ. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:6). In view of the truth that the old man has already been crucified with Christ, we are to put it off in the power of the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that the flesh, the old nature, is ever eliminated in this life. We do not get rid of the old nature, but we are not to live in it; that is, we are not to allow it to control our lives.
On the other hand, we do have a new nature. This is the result of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Any man in Christ is a new creature. We are to live in that new nature, that new man. This is a repetition of the great message of Romans.
“Which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” This shows that this is the imputed righteousness of Christ, and that all is to be done consistent with the holy character of God. Since we have been declared righteous and we are in Christ seated in the heavenlies, our walk down here should be commensurate with our position.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil [Eph. 4:25–27].
Paul returns to the prohibitions which he began in verse 17. The believer is told to walk no longer as the Gentiles walk. These injunctions continue through the remainder of the epistle.
“Speak every man truth” is the injunction that leads all the rest. When the old man was put off in the crucifixion of Christ, the lying tongue and deceitful heart were put on the cross. One of the reasons Jesus had to die for us was because you and I are liars. We ought always speak the truth. David said, “I said in my haste, All men are liars” (Ps. 116:11). I remember hearing Dr. W. I. Carroll quote this years ago. He pointed out that David said he thought this “in his haste.” Dr. Carroll remarked, “I’ve had a long time to think it over, and I still agree with David.”
Speaking the truth would resolve most of the problems in the average church. Long ago I gave up the idea of trying to straighten out all of the lies that I hear in Christian circles. I found out that I could spend all my time doing that. Since believers are members of one body, speaking the truth is imperative.
Chrysostom drew this ridiculous analogy but it does illustrate the truth:
Let not the eye lie to the foot, nor the foot to the eye. If there be a deep pit and its mouth covered with reeds shall present to the eye the appearance of solid ground, will not the eye use the foot to ascertain whether it is hollow underneath, or whether it is firm and resists? Will the foot tell a lie, and not the truth as it is? And what, again, if the eye were to spy a serpent or a wild beast, will it lie to the foot?
The feet wouldn’t deceive the eyes because they are members of the same body. Neither would the eye deceive the feet. So in the church there ought to be honesty and truth among the members.
“Be ye angry, and sin not.” The believer is commanded to be angered with certain conditions and with certain people. There seems to be an idea today that a Christian is one who is a “blah,” that he is sweet under all circumstances and conditions. Will you hear me carefully? No believer can be neutral in the battle of truth. He should hate the lying and gossiping tongue, especially of another Christian. However, we should not hate or loathe the person with an innate hatred or malice, as Peter calls it. Malice is something that should not be in the life of the believer. “Wherefore laying aside all malice …” (1 Pet. 2:1). Malice has been described as congealed anger. When the wrong is corrected, there should be no animosity. Forgive and forget is the principle. Harboring hatred and sinful feelings gives the Devil an advantage in our lives. Many people have certain hang-ups. They hate certain people—they can’t get over it and can’t forgive. My friend, we should forgive and forget if the person is willing to give up his lying.
The Lord Jesus showed anger. He went into the synagogue, and there was a man with a withered hand. What angered Him was that the Pharisees had planted that man there just to see what He would do. “And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other” (Mark 3:5). Our Lord was angry at the Pharisees for doing such a thing. Also we are told that God is angry all day long with the wicked, but that the minute they give up their wickedness and turn to Him, He will save them. That should be the attitude of the believer.
I heard of a custodian who had remained in a church which had had lots of problems. There was trouble, bitterness, hatred, and little cliques in the church. They had had one pastor after another, but the custodian remained through the years. A visitor who knew about the church asked him how he had been able to stay so long under such circumstances. He replied, “I just get into neutral and let them push me around.” A great many people think that that is being a Christian. May I say to you that no Christian can be neutral. We are in a great battle, as we shall see later in this epistle.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers [Eph. 4:28–29].
“Let him that stole steal no more.” Man by his sinful nature is a thief as well as a liar. When I was a boy, I ran around with a mean gang of boys—I was the only good boy in the crowd, of course. During watermelon season, we stole watermelons. The farmer might have given us one out of his patch, but they tasted better if we swiped them. We also stole peaches and apples from the orchards. And in the winter-time we would steal eggs and take them down to Old Buzzard Creek and roast them. There wasn’t anything that was safe from us.
After I was converted, I still had this impulse. In fact, once I was going to visit a man who had a marvelous watermelon patch by the side of a country road. I was so tempted to take one of his watermelons that I actually stopped and got out of the car. Then I thought, “Wait a minute. I am going to see the man in a few minutes. He’ll give me one. There’s no reason for me to do this.” I got back in the car and drove off. When I told him my experience, he laughed. “You know,” he said, “I might have shot you if you had gone into that watermelon patch. I’ve had a lot of thieves in there stealing my watermelons, and they are pretty valuable today.” Stealing is in our hearts. We are just naturally that way. Paul says here that we are to steal no more, even when it may look as if it is all right.
“But rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” The believer is not to get rich for his own selfish ends. Rather, he is to help others with whatever he has that is surplus. Today there are many fine Christian ministries that lag and wilt for lack of funds. Why? Because many believers are accumulating riches for themselves and are not giving as they should give.
“Corrupt communication” means filthy speech—that which is rotten or putrid. An uncontrolled tongue in the mouth of a believer is the index of a corrupt life. Believers who use the shady or questionable story reveal a heart of wickedness. What is in the well of the heart will come up through the bucket of the mouth. The speech of the believer should be on the high plane of instructing and communicating encouragement to other believers. You can have fun and enjoy life—humor has its place—but our humor should not be dirty or filthy.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption [Eph. 4:30].
“Grieve not the holy Spirit of God.” The Holy Spirit is a person who can be grieved. What is it that grieves Him? It is the offenses that have been listed. When a Christian lies, it grieves the Holy Spirit. When a Christian has dirty thoughts, it grieves the Holy Spirit. What happens when any person is grieved? It breaks the fellowship. The Holy Spirit cannot work in your life when you have grieved Him, when fellowship with Him has been broken.
“Whereby ye are sealed”md;this tells us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit, but we cannot grieve Him away, because we are sealed in Him. How wonderful this is! You were sealed in the Holy Spirit at the moment of regeneration.
“Unto the day of redemption”—He seals you until the day when He will present you to the Lord Jesus Christ. A believer cannot unseal His work which continues to the day of redemption, but the believer may grieve Him. What is the great difference between Christians today? The real difference is that some Christians live with a grieved Holy Spirit and some live with an ungrieved Holy Spirit.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you [Eph. 4:31–32].
These last two verses are in sharp contrast one with the other. There is an additional listing of that which grieves the Holy Spirit in verse 31—these are sins of the emotional nature. Instead, the emotional responses, which God wants us to have, are given in verse 32.
“Bitterness” is an irritable state of mind which produces harsh and hard opinions of others. Someone once came up to me and told me what he thought of another Christian. A third Christian who was present later said, “Don’t put too much stress on what he said, Dr. McGee, because he is bitter.” A great many people are speaking out of bitterness, and when they do, it hurts. This grieves the Holy Spirit.
“Wrath, and anger” are outbursts of passion. Bishop Moule makes this distinction between them, “Wrath denotes rather the acute passion, and the other the chronic.”
“Clamour” means the bold assertion of supposed rights and grievances. There are people in the church who feel that the pastor isn’t paying attention to them if he doesn’t shake their hand. Sometimes they even become bitter and clamorous over a supposed slight. Who can say that the pastor must run around and shake hands with everyone simply to keep people happy? It is this kind of attitude that grieves the Holy Spirit.
“Evil speaking” is blasphemy, but it also means all kinds of slander; and “malice,” as we have noted before, is congealed hatred:
“Be put away from you.” All these sins are to be put away or, literally, taken away. In the Greek it is an aorist imperative, requiring a one-time decisive act if the Holy Spirit is not to be grieved. We must make a decision to put these sins away.
Now comes a marked contrast. “Be (become) ye” denotes the radical change that should take place in the believer so that there will be no vacuum in his life.
“Kind one to another” means Christian courtesy. “Tenderhearted” is a more intense word than kind. It means to be full of deep and mellow affection. Some believers are like that—they are wonderful friends. When they see you, they put their arms around you. I went to college and then to seminary with a fellow and then helped him in meetings for years. He is retired now. When we saw each other in Florida some time back, we just flung our arms around each other. We were tender-hearted toward one another—we love each other in the Lord.
“Forgiving one another” is a reflexive form of phrase. It is literally, “forgiving one another yourselves.” It means to give and take in relation to the faults of one another. We are to forgive rather than magnify the faults of others.
“Even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” All of this is to be done on a twofold basis. First, this conduct will not grieve the Holy Spirit. Second, the basis of forgiveness is not legal, but gracious. This is not a command under law but is on the basis of the grace of God exhibited in our forgiveness because Christ died for us. We are to forgive because we have been forgiven. It is not that we forgive in order to get forgiveness. Note the contrast: Christ was stating the legal grounds for forgiveness in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14–15). Here in Ephesians we are told to forgive on the basis of the grace of God which He exhibited in our forgiveness for Christ’s sake, because Christ died for us. This is quite wonderful!
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The church will be a bride; the engagement of the church; the experience of the church; the expectation of the church
There is really a mixing of metaphors here. In chapter 4 the church is called a new man, and now the church is to be a bride. The emphasis of this chapter is on the future—the church will be a bride. The church is not a bride today. The church is a new man walking in the world, and the church is espoused (engaged) to Christ but is not yet wedded to Him. The wedding hasn’t taken place yet. The church will be a bride with Christ after the Rapture. “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband…. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev. 21:2, 9).
On this earth we are to walk as a future bride. We are engaged now. This is what Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “… for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). When a girl is engaged and preparing for her wedding, she doesn’t have time for her old boyfriends. She won’t be going out with Tom tonight and with Dick tomorrow night and with Harry the following night. She is engaged, and she has no interest in them anymore. How can we who are engaged to Christ live as the world lives? We are going to be presented to Christ someday. We are going to live with Him throughout eternity, and He is going to be our Lord and our Master.
THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE CHURCH
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour [Eph. 5:1–2].
“Therefore” connects this section with the preceding where the walk of the believer is under consideration and continues the injunctions for Christian conduct. These injunctions have a definite bearing upon the church which will be presented to Christ without spot or blemish. Such a high and lofty goal, which is entirely the work of Christ, is a compelling dynamic for chaste conduct here and now.
We have learned that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer and seals every believer, but that we can grieve the Holy Spirit. If we engage in those things mentioned in chapter 4, verse 31, it means we will grieve the Holy Spirit—but it does not mean that we are no longer children of God. It does mean that the unsaved world won’t believe that we are the children of God. We are, however, sealed by the Spirit of God until the day of redemption, the day when the Spirit of God will present the church to the Lord Jesus. This goal should lead us to chaste conduct.
The believer is to be an imitator of God, especially in the matter of forgiveness. However, this applies to all aspects of the Christian walk. The Gentiles who formerly walked on a very low plane are now lifted to the high level of love. They are now called “dear children” or beloved children. The plane of love to which they are lifted is the love which Christ exhibited when He loved us enough to give Himself as an offering and a sacrifice for us.
“And hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” is a clear-cut reference to the cross. It makes the death of Christ more than the public execution of a criminal. The cross was the brazen altar where the Lamb of God was offered as the burnt sacrifice. That sacrifice takes away the sin of the world. It identifies Christ with every sacrifice that was offered in the Old Testament by God’s command. They all pointed to Him.
It is in view of the substitutionary, vicarious death of Christ upon the cross that the believer is to attain to such an exalted plane of love. The believer cannot walk with a grieved Holy Spirit, for only the Spirit can bring forth this fruit in the life. Remember that love is first on the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks [Eph. 5:3–4].
The sins described here are those which are prevalent among unbelievers. These are the common sins in the world today. All of them have to do with low forms of immorality. Paul is saying that the child of God cannot habitually engage in these. Even a slight indulgence brings about a revulsion and agony of soul. I have made this statement many times, and I repeat it again: If you can get into sin and not be troubled or bothered by it, you are not a child of God. I do not think there is any other alternative. But if there is conviction in your heart, you can rise and go to your Father as the Prodigal Son did. You are a son of the Father, and only sons want to go to the Father’s house. I have never heard of a pig that wanted to go there. The sins listed here are low sins which characterize the ungodly person.
When you as a believer go to God to confess your sins, you don’t just bundle them up and hand the bundle to God. It is not a wholesale affair. Rather, you spell out each sin to Him. For example, if you have a biting tongue and are a gossip who hurts people, tell Him that is your sin. When you go to God in confession and name the specific sin, it restores fellowship with Him. These sins are sins that believers drop into sometimes. When they do, they are to confess them to God. Fénelon puts it like this:
Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you to conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself as to others.
If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back; neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration, just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.
The great need of all believers is to go to God and tell Him what is really in our hearts. Someone may say, “It is just unbelievable that Christians would even commit such sins as are listed here.” Friend, if you had been a pastor as long as I have, you would know that they do fall into these sins. Many Christian people feel that they have committed an unpardonable sin, but they have not. There is a way back to God!
“Fornication” is accepted by the world as a norm of conduct. It is a sin that is looked upon as not being very bad. When the gross immorality of the hour started creeping in, it was called the new morality. Some time ago many of us were shocked when we heard that in the college dormitories the boys and girls were in the same building but on different floors. Now it has changed so that boys and girls are roommates. When I went to college, the boys could, visit in the living room of the girls’ dormitory. And I still think that is the best way to do it. I’ll stick with the Bible. Fornication is a sin. Regardless of where you are or who you are, if you are living in fornication today, you cannot be a child of God. Someone may say, “Wait a minute. You said a child of God could confess a sin and come back into fellowship with God.” That is right, but a child of God cannot confess a sin and then persist in living in that sin. That is a dead giveaway that such a person is not a child of God.
“All uncleanness” includes all forms of immorality.
“Covetousness” is a grasping desire—and not just for money or material wealth. It may be a desire to be mentally superior to someone else. It could be coveting a home or a position. Some people love to be president of something. Of course, it also includes the covetousness for money. It has been said that the miser thinks dollars are flat so he can stack them, and the prodigal thinks they are round so he can roll them. Whether one stacks them or spends them, covetousness means gaining everything for your own selfish ends.
Some people try to garner together all the honors of this world. I know ministers who would never be guilty of trying to get rich, but they surely are after position. They want a position in their denomination or in their community. Covetousness is a rotten sin that is in our old natures.
“Let it not be once named among you.” This means they are not to be spoken of with approval or desire. Obviously, I am naming these sins with neither approval nor desire.
“Filthiness” speaks of the utmost in depravity. These are the low-down, dirty things one hears today.
“Foolish talking” means to gloat or brag about sinning. Have you ever heard men or even women boast about how much they drank at a party? Have you heard them boast of their conquests in the realm of sex? That is foolish talking.
“Jesting” does not mean good, clean humor—I’d be guilty of jesting if it meant that. Jesting means to make light of sensuality and immorality. It means telling dirty stories.
“But rather giving of thanks” is to be the context of Christian conversation. I would often play golf with a very wonderful Christian layman whom I loved in the Lord. Sometimes an unsaved man would join us. He would make a few bad shots, and then he would lose his temper. He would ask God to damn the golf course, the sand traps, his golf clubs, and anything else he could think of. My friend would always say, “Praise the Lord, bless the Lord.” The unbeliever would ask, “Why do you say that?” The Christian would ask, “Why do you take God’s name in vain?” The reply would be, “It’s a habit.” “It’s also a habit with me,” my friend would say. “Every time I hear a man ask God to damn something, I praise and thank Him for something. I sort of want to balance the budget down here.” On several occasions that stopped the cussing. And it is good for us as Christians to make a habit of giving thanks.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God [Eph. 5:5].
It is clearly understood that the unregenerate man who practices these sins has no portion in the kingdom of Christ and God. If a professing Christian practices these sins, he immediately classifies himself. No matter what his testimony may be on Sunday or what position he may have in the church, such a person is saying to the lost world that he is not a child of God. To live in the corruption of the flesh is to place one’s self beyond the pale of a child of God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Be not ye therefore partakers with them [Eph. 5:6–7].
In view of the fact that the wrath of God will be poured out on the unregenerate because of these sins, it follows that the child of God cannot participate in them without incurring the displeasure and judgment of God. If such a person is really a child of God, God will judge him. He judged David, you may recall. When David slipped into sin, God put the lash on his back and never took it off. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32).
If you can sin and get by with it, you are not a child of God. Do you know why? Because God would have to condemn you with the world, which would mean that you are not saved. If you are a child of God and do these things, God will chasten you—He will take you to the woodshed right here and now. If God doesn’t chasten you, you are in a frightful condition. It means you are not His child, because God does not spank the Devil’s children.
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord [Eph. 5:8–10].
Paul reminds the believers of their former state prior to conversion. They were not just in darkness, they were darkness. We speak of the unregenerate as being in darkness, but it is worse than that. When I went alone to play golf on one occasion, I was teamed up with a man who was unsaved—in fact, he was a bartender. As he talked, I realized that he was not only in darkness, he was darkness. My, what a life that man had!
“Now are ye light in the Lord,” which means we are to reflect Him who is the Light of the world. Paul identifies the fruit of light. He marks out those characteristics which always accompany light: “In all goodness,” which means kindness; “righteousness,” meaning moral rectitude; and “truth,” referring primarily to sincerity and genuineness. The believer is to prove or test his life in this manner to see if he is in the will of God and therefore well-pleasing to Him.
You will remember that 1 John 1:7 speaks of walking in the light as He is in the light. Someone asked me what it means to walk in the light of God. Here we have a description of it from the Word of God: walk in kindness, in goodness, in righteousness (moral rectitude), and in truth, which is sincerity and genuineness. And this is to be our walk seven days a week—not only on Sunday. And it means twenty-four hours of those seven days and sixty minutes of every hour.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light [Eph. 5:11–13].
We are to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” A child of God simply cannot go along with the “works of darkness” as light and darkness cannot mingle in the physical world. For the things done in secret by them are even shameful to speak of. We are not even to talk about them.
Rather, we are to “reprove” or convict them. This does not mean that the believer is to become a reformer. It does mean that by the light of his life he is a rebuke to the works of darkness. Light reveals what the darkness conceals. Darkness is not driven away by preaching at it; darkness is dissipated by the presence of light.
There are too many Christians who take the critical method or the preaching method. They try to correct an unsaved person by saying, “You shouldn’t be doing that.” My friend, that is not the way to approach the darkness. You are to be light. You cannot preach to people about these things. You cannot tell them what to do and not do. I constantly get letters from people who are telling me that I should preach against certain sins. No, my business is to turn on the light of the Word of God—that which God calls right. You see, you are not able to win a person to Christ by lecturing to him and telling him what is wrong. You are not to try to get the unsaved man to change his conduct; he cannot change his conduct. He needs to be born again in order to change. You are not to shake your finger under his nose and say, “Don’t do that. Don’t be a bad boy.” You are to be light, and light will always affect darkness.
I remember a very dear lady in my congregation when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles. She was a dominant character, however. She came to me and told me that her husband was unsaved and asked me to remember him in prayer. I did so faithfully. Then she came to me and told me that he was coming to church but would never accept the invitation to receive Christ as his Savior. Then she told me this: “At breakfast I talk to him with tears about receiving Christ. Again at dinner I talk to him and cry.” I got to thinking what it would be like to have two meals a day with a crying woman. So I told her absolutely never to mention the subject to him again. She should fix him the nicest meals possible and be the sweetest person she knew how to be. “Oh,” she said, “that wouldn’t work. We are supposed to witness.” You see, she didn’t really understand what it meant to be a witness. Anyway, she did try the plan. She quit blubbering in his presence, and she stopped lecturing to him. In less than six months that man made a decision for Christ. He had been listening to the wrong preacher before that. She had been preaching to him when she should have been a light. Remember that darkness is not dissipated by lecturing or by preaching. Darkness is dissipated by light.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light [Eph. 5:14].
Here is a command which is humanly impossible to obey. How can a person awake from the dead? How can a person awake out of spiritual death? Only God can awaken us. I think what Paul means here is that the believers who have fallen into a spiritual stupor are to wake up.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is [Eph. 5:15–17].
My own translation is: “Look carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but be as wise men, buying up the time, because the days are evil. On this account become not senseless (foolish) but understanding (being prudent) what the will of the Lord is.” This is another injunction regarding the walk of the believer. He is to walk wisely. His walk is to reveal the urgency of the hour and the importance of living for God. The entire objective in his walk is to stay in the will of God. He walks in the will of God as a train runs on the track. His walk in this world demonstrates that he belongs to Christ.
When you walk into a place of business, you will find the salesman in there on his toes: he is dynamic. If a man is a child of God, how does he act when he is not in his place of business trying to make a dollar? Is he on his toes? Is he dynamic? Is he living for God? The believer is to walk in this world as though he belonged to Christ.
There is a saying that you never ask a Texan if he is a Texan. If he is a Texan, he’ll let you know it without your asking. If he is not a Texan, you wouldn’t want to embarrass him! My friend, a Christian ought to walk in such a way that you know he is a child of God without asking him. We all need to look carefully how we walk.
THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CHURCH
Each real believer should have an experience—I believe in experience. Now notice what is to be his experience:
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord [Eph. 5:18–19].
My translation puts it like this: “Be not made drunk with wine in which is riot (dissoluteness), but be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” This is not just a dry discourse against the evils of drunkenness, even though drunkenness was the besetting sin of the ancient world—and is still the besetting sin of the hour. It may actually be the sin that will destroy America. But this is not a lecture on drunkenness. Actually, Paul is making a comparison. Don’t be drunk with wine. Why not? because it will stimulate temporarily: it will energize the flesh, but then it will let you down and lead you in the direction of profligacy and dissoluteness and will finally eventuate in desperation and despair and delirium tremens. That is not what you need. Now it is true that people today feel a need for something, which I think explains the cocktail hour and the barroom. They turn to hard liquor to fill that need. If they are not children of God, they have no other resource or recourse. However, the child of God is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is to be the experience of the believer.
What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? We can find the analogy in the man who is drinking, which is the reason Paul uses it here. The man who is drinking is possessed by the wine. You can tell that a man is drunk. In contrast, it is the Holy Spirit who should be the One to possess the believer. It is a divine intoxication that is to fill that need. This is not an excessive emotionalism but that which furnishes the dynamic for living and for accomplishing something for God. When we are filled by the Holy Spirit, it means that we are controlled by the Holy Spirit.
The walk of the believer and his being filled with the Spirit are closely related. Paul says a believer is to walk carefully and “circumspectly” and “be filled with the Spirit.” These are commands which are given to the believer. This filling is a constant renewal of the believer’s life for strength and action, which is indicated here by the use of the present tense. The Spirit-filled believer not only walks wisely, but his Christian character is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22–23).
A believer is never commanded to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, but we are told that we are baptized into one body …” (1 Cor. 12:13). Did we do that by some effort on our part? No, it was by our faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit regenerates and indwells us. The Holy Spirit seals us, and the Holy Spirit baptizes us and puts us into the body of believers.
However, the believer needs the filling of the Spirit to serve Christ. The disciples were gathered on the Day of Pentecost. They needed to go out into the world for Christ, and they were filled with the Spirit. They had that experience which enabled them to witness on that day.
To be filled with the Spirit is, I think, as simple as driving to a filling station and saying, “Fill it up.” As I start out in the morning with the Lord I say, “Lord, I want to walk today in the Spirit. I cannot do it myself. I need Your power. I need Your help.” We as believers need to start the day by asking for an infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is something which is desperately needed by believers.
You may have been filled with the Spirit yesterday or last week, but that won’t suffice for today. I buy gasoline from a friend of mine who runs the station. I got my tank filled up one morning, and the next morning I was back again and said, “Fill ’er up.” He asked, “Where in the world have you been?” So I told him that I had been down to Yucca Valley, where I had spoken at a sunrise service and then a church service. You see, friend, when you are filled with the Spirit, you will do something for God; you will be walking in the Spirit. But that doesn’t mean you will have enough for tomorrow. You need another infilling for tomorrow. The old gas tank needs another fill up.
This is the reason some people can be so mightily used of God one day and feel so empty the next. I have had that feeling, and I’m sure you have. We need a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. This will enable us to walk in the Spirit. We may stumble and fall at times. My little grandson is learning to walk and right now he has a bruised spot on his forehead and on his nose. But he gets up and tries again and someday he will be a good walker. God wants you and me to learn to walk in the Spirit. He wants us to be filled with the Spirit.
Now what is one of the evidences of being filled with the Holy Spirit? It is “speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” It is a good thing that the Spirit of God said it was speaking one to another. If He had said singing, it would have left me out. I think “psalms” refers to the Book of Psalms, as probably all of them had been set to music. “Hymns” were composed by men to glorify God. They were on a very high plane. The “spiritual songs” were less formal than either psalms or hymns. Probably some of them were composed as the person was singing. This is the manifestation of the infilling of the Spirit because He brings joy into the life of the believer.
I’d like to mention one more thing about the comparison of being drunk with wine and being filled with the Spirit. I notice in motels and hotels where we stay as we go across the country that they have what they call the “happy hour” or the “attitude adjustment hour” or something else. Around five o’clock people go in, sit on a bar stool and drink so they will be sociable by six or seven and fit to live with for awhile. I have watched people go into those places, and they didn’t look happy when they went in, but neither did they look happy when they came out.
Now, believers need an attitude adjustment, but they don’t need the spirits that come from a bottle; they need to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that they might radiate the joy of the Lord. The apostle John says that one of the reasons he wrote his epistle was so that “your joy may be full” (see John 15:11). This fullness of joy is to be through our fellowship with the Father and with Jesus Christ (see 1 John 1:3–4). We ought to have a good time and we ought to have fun in the church—I don’t mean a period of silliness—but the joy of the Lord should be there. That kind of joy comes through the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ [Eph. 5:20].
Another evidence of being filled with the Spirit is an attitude of thankfulness. We note in the Book of Psalms a great amount of thanksgiving and praise to God. And it is on a high level. We don’t have enough of that among believers today. We should all say, “Praise the Lord, and thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.” Can you say that from the heart? It is no good unless it comes from the heart. The filling of the Spirit produces a life of thankfulness so that we can honestly thank God for all things.
As I write this, there is a great deal of nonsense being promoted which I call sloppy, agape. I heard recently, “Just say to everybody, ‘I love you.’” My friend, if you don’t love them, don’t say it. If you do love them, show it.
Dr. Howard Kelly was a great surgeon and a great obstetrician. He wrote in the field of obstetrics, and his works were classic among doctors for a long time. He was also a great Christian, a wonderful man of God. The story is told of his taking a walk in the country outside the city of Baltimore in one of those lovely rural areas. He became thirsty and stopped at a farmhouse to ask for a drink of water. A little girl answered the door. She said that her parents had gone to town and there was no water in the house but there was cold milk down at the spring. Would he like a glass of milk? He said “I surely would.” So he sat on the porch while she got a glass of milk and brought it to him. My, it was delicious! She asked, “Would you like another glass?” He said, “I surely would.” So she brought him another glass. He thanked her, then went on his way down the road, thinking what a lovely little girl she was. Not many days later the little girl became sick. She had a pain in her side and was taken to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Who do you suppose was the doctor who came in and examined her? It was Dr. Kelly, and he recognized her as the little girl who had given him the glasses of milk. He performed the necessary surgery and took special care of her. When it was time for her to go home, her parents came for her and waited anxiously for the bill because they didn’t have the money to pay for the operation and the hospital costs. When the bill was presented to them, they opened it with trembling hands. Under the total balance was written, “Paid in full with two glasses of milk,” signed “Dr. Howard Kelly.” This was love in action, and the love he expressed was the fruit of the Spirit, because Dr. Kelly was a wonderful Christian.
My friend, you don’t have to run around telling everyone you love them—show them that you love them. Be filled with the Spirit so there will be love and joy and thanksgiving in your life. This is very practical. This is down where the rubber meets the road.
Why don’t you “drive into the filling station” and ask God to fill you up? The old gas tank is empty. You and I don’t have anything worthwhile in ourselves. We need to go to Him and tell Him that we are empty and that we need the filling of the Holy Spirit so we can live for Him. We need to see that it is an impossibility by ourselves but that He can do it through us.
Let me repeat this because it is so important: we are told to be filled with the Holy Spirit—this is the only command given to the believer relative to the Holy Spirit. The other ministries of the Holy Spirit are accomplished in us when we receive Christ. Every believer is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God …” (John 1:12). The believer is also indwelt by the Spirit. “… Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). And the believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit “… in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13). Also the believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body …” (1 Cor. 12:13). These four ministries of the Holy Spirit take place the moment the believer puts his trust in Christ. It is all accomplished for us. The only thing which is left up to us is to obey His command to be filled with the Holy Spirit (see v. 18).
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God [Eph. 5:21].
“Submit” is a very interesting word. It does not mean obey. Paul is not saying that the child of God is a buck private in the rear rank taking orders from somebody in the church who thinks he is a sergeant or a captain. We do take orders, but they are from the Captain of our salvation.
Joshua thought he was a general of the children of Israel. He saw a Man with His sword drawn standing at the edge of the camp. He asked, “… Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” If I may put it in good old Americana, he said, “Who told you to draw a sword? I’m the general here!” It was actually a rebuke. Then that One (who was the preincarnate Christ) turned and said, “… Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come …” (Josh. 5:13–4). Joshua went down on his face and even took off his shoes because he was on holy ground. He learned that he had a Captain.
You and I are under a Captain, but the relationship is not military but on the basis of love. Our Lord said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). I think there is an alternative there: “If you don’t love me, forget the commandments.”
Now we see here that you and I are to submit ourselves “one to another in the fear of God.” That doesn’t mean we are to salute and fall down before some human being who outranks us. It does mean that in the fear of Christ we are to walk with one another in lowliness of mind.
If you will turn back to chapter 4, verses 1–2, you will see that Paul begins this section by saying that our walk should be in lowliness and meekness. That is the same thing that we have here. But notice in chapter 4 it begins with “I…beseech you.” This is not a command. It is the language of love. The fires of Sinai have died down, and now it is based on what has been done by Christ at Calvary. It is based on the grace of God. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness….”
“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” This means that you do not try to run the church. Pastors, officers in the church, members of the church, all of us are to submit ourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. It cannot be a “my way” proposition. No one can say, “I want you to know that I’ll do as I please. If I want to do it this way, I will do it this way.” Such an attitude is not a mark of a Spirit-filled believer. Submitting ourselves one to another in the fear of God is another mark of being Spirit-filled.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing [Eph. 5:22–24].
I have been doing some research on that word submit, and I have some rather startling things to tell you. The word submit relative to wives needs to be understood a little differently from the way it has been so often interpreted in the past. It is not, “Wives, obey your husbands. Submit is a very mild word. It is a loving word. It means to respond to your own husband as unto the Lord. The way we respond to the Lord is that we love Him because He first loved us. And notice that it says “unto your own husbands.” A very personal, loving relationship is the ground for submission. Paul is definitely speaking to believers about Christian marriage.
In this relationship of husband and wife, the man is the aggressor. He is the aggressor physically. He is the one who makes love. He is the aggressor in the home. He should be the breadwinner, the one who goes out with the lunch pail each day. And that doesn’t give him the authority to be a top sergeant in the home either, by the way. The wife is to respond to him as the believer is to respond to Christ—in a love relationship.
A rough old boy came to my office one day with a request. He said, “Dr. McGee, I want you to talk to my wife. She’s very cold, and she’s not acting as a wife should.” He didn’t know it, but that was a dead giveaway—he was admitting failure as a husband. He showed what kind of a husband he was to draw that kind of response. I asked him, “Have you told her lately that you love her?” He said, “No. She knows I love her. I don’t need to tell her that.” I said to him, “I think you do. She does not need to tell you that she loves you until you say it first.”
Woman is the responder, and man is the aggressor. The man is to say, “I love you,” and he is the one who does the proposing. She is the one to say, “Yes.” No woman is asked to say “I love you” to a man until he has said “I love you.” When a man says he has a cold wife, it is because she has a cold husband. He is not being the husband that he should be. It is not her business to be the aggressor. Her role is the sweet submission of love.
“The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.” In what way? It is a love relationship, and the husband is to be the head for the sake of order. You will find in this section of Ephesians that there are four different areas in which there is headship for the sake of order. Wives are to be subject to their husbands. Husbands are to be subject to Christ. Children are to be subject to parents. Servants are to be subject to masters. It is to be a sweet subjection, a willing subjection to someone who loves you. It is to be that kind of relationship. If there is no love in it, the idea of submission isn’t worth a snap of the finger.
I have done a great deal of marriage counseling in my day, and I would say that 75 percent of the fault in marriages is on the side of the men. It is the man who is to keep the lovelight burning. In the beautiful Song of Solomon, the bridegroom says to the bride, “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair …” (Song 1:15), and she responds, “My beloved is mine, and I am his …” (Song 2:16). He expresses his love first, and then she responds.
I know someone will say I am very idealistic and romantic about all this. Well, back in the Garden of Eden God made them that way. God started off with a romantic pair, Adam and Eve. Probably He didn’t give that woman to Adam until Adam realized that he needed someone. She was given as a helpmeet. A helpmeet is just the other half of man. Man is half a man without a wife. God joined them together and called them Adam—not the Adams.
Some young man will say, “Preacher, I’m not that kind of person. I’m no hero.” May I say to you that God never said that every girl would fall in love with you. Ninety-nine women may pass you by and see in you only the uninteresting boy next door. But one day there will come a woman who will see in you the knight in shining armor. It is God who gives that highly charged chemistry between a certain man and a certain woman.
My wife told me she thought I was the knight in shining armor. I want to tell you how it ended. Perhaps you have seen the television commercial of a knight in armor riding across the screen holding a can of cleanser. Do you know where he ended up? In that kitchen! Now that I am retired, that is where I have ended up. A friend of mine told me, “Now that you are retired, do things with your wife. When she washes the dishes, you wash the dishes with her. When she mops the floor, you mop the floor with her!” Well, I’m not about to do that, but I surely do wash dishes more than I ever did before.
Now let me say a word to you if you are a young woman. Perhaps you are not beautiful of face or figure. God never said you would attract every male—only animals do that. Ninety-nine men will pass you by and see no more in you than what Kipling described as a rag, a bone, and a hank of hair. But one day there will come by a man who will love you if you are the right kind of person. You will become his inspiration. You may inspire him to greatness—perhaps to write a book or to compose a masterpiece. If you are his inspiration, do not ignore him, do not run from him. God may have put you together for that very purpose.
You may be saying, “Preacher, you’re in the realm of theory. What you are talking about is idealistic. It sounds good in a storybook, but it doesn’t happen in real life.” You are wrong. It does happen.
Matthew Henry wrote the driest commentary I have ever read in my life, but, I want to tell you, he had a wonderful, romantic life as a young preacher. You would never think in reading his commentary that he was ever a romantic, but he was. In London he met a girl who belonged to the nobility. He was just a poor boy, but he fell in love with her and she loved him. Finally she went to her father to tell him about it, and her father tried to discourage her. He said, “That young man has no background. You don’t even know where he came from.” She answered, “You are right. I don’t know where he came from, but I know where he is going, and I want to go with him!” And she did.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was a clerk. He worked in a government customs office in New York City, and he was fired for inefficiency. He came home and sat down discouraged and defeated. His wife came up and put her arm around him and said, “Now, Nathaniel, you can do what you always wanted to do: you can write.” He wrote The House of the Seven Gables, The Scarlet Letter, “The Great Stone Face”, and other great works. So, you see, it does work out in life. It has worked out in the lives of multitudes of folk.
Paul’s instructions regarding the home teach that the Christian home is to be a mirror of the relation between Christ and the church. Christ’s relationship to the church is different from the relationship of husband and wife in that “Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” The husband is not the savior of the wife. But in the realm of submission the wife should be subject to the husband and to the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE EXPECTATION OF THE CHURCH
Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it [Eph. 5:25].
God never asked a woman to submit to any man who doesn’t love her and love her like this. Oh, this is Christian love on a high plane. Today young people are finding out about sex, and there are innumerable books on the subject of marriage. I may sound to you like an antiquated preacher when I say that they are nonsense. Only the Christian can know what is real love in marriage, because it is carried to the high plane of the relationship between Christ and the church. There is nothing else like that, my friend.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [Eph. 5:26].
“Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it”—that is in the past. In the present He is sanctifying the church with the water of the Word of God. The cleanser, which is the Bible, is better than any cleanser advertised on radio or television. The Word of God will not only take out the soiled spots, it will keep you from getting further spots in your life.
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish [Eph. 5:27].
In the future He will present it to Himself a glorious church, without a spot or wrinkle but holy and without blemish. We will see the church presented to Christ as a bride adorned for her husband when we study the Book of Revelation. May I say that every woman is beautiful on her wedding day. I have officiated at many weddings during my lifetime, and I have never seen an ugly bride. I have seen them before and after their wedding day, and I can’t honestly say that all of them are beautiful. But on the day of their marriage they are beautiful.
No young man engaged to a young lady thinks that she ought to be put through the fires of persecution or the Great Tribulation before he marries her. That is unheard of. So imagine anyone saying that the church must go through the Great Tribulation! She is engaged to Him, and He is cleansing the church by the washing of the Word of God. Keep in mind that when we use the word church we are not talking about an organization with a steeple, a pulpit, and an organ. We are talking about the body of true believers. This verse means that He is washing each believer, preparing each one for that great event. I believe that is something which is really taking place in our day.
So we have seen the past, present, and future. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. He is sanctifying the church with the washing of water by the Word. In the future the church will be presented to Him as a radiant bride with all sin removed. Then the church will be holy and unblamable.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church [Eph. 5:28–32].
I have quoted this entire passage so you can see how Paul draws on these two themes and goes back and forth, husband and wife, Christ and the church. After talking about Christ and the church, the subject goes back to husband and wife: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.”
The thing a couple needs for their marriage ceremony is not a champagne supper. They both need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. They will have the greatest honeymoon that any couple ever had. Those sophisticated boys and girls who talk about sex and extramarital relationships today don’t even know what real love is. They know a lot about sex, but they do not know anything at all about the beauty and the ecstasy and the sweetness of a real Christian marriage.
The husband is to love his wife because the marriage relationship makes the wife a part of his own body. It is like the church is the body of Christ and Christ is the head of that body. On this basis the husband is the head of the wife. It is unnatural for a man to hate his own flesh, so the husband is to love his wife because she is his own flesh.
Christ, knowing the weakness of the church, nourishes and cherishes her. Husbands are to do the same.
Verse 31 is a quotation from Genesis 2:24. Paul here refers to the relationship that existed in the Garden of Eden between Adam and Eve. That first couple is a figure of the future union of Christ and the church as Bridegroom and bride. Eve was created to be a helpmeet for Adam. She was taken from his side, not molded from the ground as were the animals. Adam was incomplete until they were together. God fashioned her, and I think she was the loveliest thing in creation when God brought her to Adam. One wag has said that she had to be better looking than man because God had practiced on man but He had experience when He made woman. She was a helpmeet for Adam. She compensated for what he lacked. She was made for him and they became one. In the Hebrew the word for “man” is ish and for “woman” it is isha. The word is almost the same—she was taken out of man.
I have two illustrations, taken from history, of this wonderful relationship between man and woman. That kind of thing is often lost today. The “new” morality and sexual freedom are putting a lot of young people in slavery. It simply will not work. God meant for Christians to have this relationship on a much higher plane.
The first illustration is the story of Abelard and Heloïse. When John Lord wrote his Great Women, he used Heloïse as the example of love, marital love. The story concerns a young ecclesiastic by the name of Abelard. He was a brilliant young teacher and preacher in what became the University of Paris. The canon had a niece by the name of Heloïse whom he sent to be under Abelard’s instruction. She was a remarkable person; he was a remarkable man. You know the story—they fell madly in love. But according to the awful practice of that day the marriage of a priest was deemed a lasting disgrace. When John Lord wrote their story, he gave this introduction which I would like to share with you. It is almost too beautiful to read in this day. It is like a dew-drenched breeze blowing from a flower-strewn mountain meadow over the slop bucket and pigsty of our contemporary literature. Here is what he wrote:
When Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, they yet found one flower, wherever they wandered, blooming in perpetual beauty. This flower represents a great certitude, without which few would be happy,—subtle, mysterious, inexplicable,—a great boon recognized alike by poets and moralists, Pagan and Christian; yea, identified not only with happiness, but human existence, and pertaining to the soul in its highest aspirations. Allied with the transient and the mortal, even with the weak and corrupt, it is yet immortal in its nature and lofty in its aims,—at once a passion, a sentiment, and an inspiration.
To attempt to describe woman without this element of our complex nature, which constitutes her peculiar fascination, is like trying to act the tragedy of Hamlet without Hamlet himself,—an absurdity; a picture without a central figure, a novel without a heroine, a religion without a sacrifice. My subject is not without its difficulties. The passion or sentiment is degrading when perverted, it is exalting when pure. Yet it is not vice I would paint, but virtue; not weakness, but strength; not the transient, but the permanent; not the mortal, but the immortal,—all that is ennobling in the aspiring soul.
Abelard and Heloïse, having fallen in love, were not permitted by the church to marry. Therefore they were married secretly by a friend of Abelard. He continued to teach. But the secret came out when a servant betrayed them, and she was forced into a nunnery. Abelard was probably the boldest thinker whom the Middle Ages produced. At the beginning of the twelfth century he began to preach and teach that the Word of God was man’s authority, not the church. This man, a great man, became bitter and sarcastic in his teaching because of what had been denied him. When he was on his deathbed, for he died a great while before Heloïse, being twenty years her senior, he asked that she be permitted to come to see him. The church did the cruelest thing of all—they would not allow her to come. Therefore he penned her a letter. To me it is the most pathetic thing I have ever read. He concludes it with this prayer: “When it pleased Thee, O Lord, and as it pleased Thee, Thou didst join us, and Thou didst separate us. Now, what Thou hast so mercifully begun, mercifully complete; and after separating us in this world, join us together eternally in heaven.” And I believe in God’s heaven they are together.
John Wesley’s story is not told in England; it is told in this country, in Georgia. When John Wesley came as a young missionary to Georgia, the crown had already sent a nobleman out there—I think they wanted to get rid of him at court because he was an insipid fellow, devoid of personality and masculinity. Yet due to the terrible custom of that day, the nobility was entitled to marry the finest, and he had married a woman not only of striking beauty and strong personality, but one who was an outstanding Christian. Then there came into their colony this fiery young missionary. Again you know the story—they fell in love. And that happens to be John Wesley’s love story. He begged her to flee with him and go live among the Indians. She said, “No, John, God has called you to go back to England, and He has called you to do some great service for Him.” It was she who sent John Wesley back to England. The night came for his ship to sail; they had to wait for the tide and the wind, and she came down to bid him good-bye. Oh, yes, she held him that night and he held her, but even the worst critics of Wesley say that nothing took place that was wrong. He still begged her to go with him among the Indians and live. The biographer of Wesley says that he came down that gangplank twice, but she sent him back, back to England—to marry the Methodist church. He returned to England a brokenhearted man; yet she had become his inspiration.
It is God who gives this kind of love to believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit. May I say to the young people today: Don’t accept anything that is second-rate. Don’t take anything but the very best that God has to offer you.
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband [Eph. 5:33].
“Nevertheless” brings us down to earth with a jolt. This is the practical part about marriage. Oh, how sin has marred this glorious relationship—as it has marred everything else—but this relationship can be yours if you want it to be the best.
Paul brings the reader back to the ordinary routine of Christian living in the home. “Let each love his wife as himself.” This shows the kind of husband to whom the wife is to be in subjection. The husband and the wife in the home are to set forth in simplicity the mystery of the coming glory. This is a very practical application of that which is highly idealistic. He brings the romantic into the realm of reality.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: The church is a soldier; the soldier’s relationships; the soldier’s enemy; the soldier’s protection; the soldier’s example—Paul was a good soldier of Christ; benediction
In the preceding chapter the church was designated as the bride of Christ. Now in this chapter it is to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I have told you that my humorous friend says this sequence is to be expected—after a couple gets married, the war begins. Therefore, the church should be a good soldier. He was being facetious, of course. In the future the church is to be presented as the bride of Christ. This is the expectation of the church. Today is the period of the engagement and exhibition of the church before the world.
Now the chapter before us presents another side of the life of a believer. In the world today the church is to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. In Ephesus there stood the great temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It stood for all that was pagan and heathen; it was grossly immoral. It was time for the believers in Ephesus to recognize that they had an enemy. Not only did the Christians in Ephesus have an enemy, but we have an enemy today. Our enemy is not the worship at the temple of Diana. I think we have something infinitely worse than that. We are seeing immorality and heathenism not only in the name of religion but actually in the name of Christianity—when it is not Christian at all!
The first part of the chapter opens with instructions to children, parents, servants, and masters. This may seem foreign to the life of a soldier. However, a soldier’s training does not start in boot camp; it begins when he is a child in the home.
In World War II they had a saying in the Navy that in the early days of our nation we had wooden ships and iron men, but now we have iron ships and paper-doll men. That is probably not entirely accurate, but a report from the Great Lakes Naval Training Station tells us that a shocking percentage of all young men in the United States attaining the age of Navy enlistment years must be rejected because of previous criminal records and because of personality, psychological, or health problems; also an alarming number of all enlistees fail to measure up to recruit training. Severe problems are faced in the training of young men who must be trained in the simple things that should have been learned at home. At seventeen a young man ought to be ready to launch into the training program. The Navy finds that they can easily put a uniform on the man. It is putting a man into the uniform that is causing such problems.
This same type of breakdown is attested to by foreign mission boards. A survey reveals that a very small percentage of students graduating from Christian Bible schools and colleges go into foreign missions, and a startling number return after the first term as casualities. Training is essential if the soldier is to fight properly and be victorious over the enemy.
The preparation of a soldier must begin in the home when he is a child—not in the church or in the Sunday school but in the home. Every child who doesn’t get that first lesson is handicapped. One of the great problems of our young people today, and some older ones too, is that they were not properly trained in the home. Proper training means discipline.
THE SOLDIER’S RELATIONSHIPS
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right [Eph. 6:1].
It is right because it is according to the will of God. It is actually more than right; it is just. It is a righteous thing to do because it is God’s way.
The first lesson that a soldier must learn is obedience to those in authority. He must follow orders. This basic training is learned in the home. After the soldier has learned to obey, then he is in a position to be promoted to the rank of an officer where he gives commands to others. To know how to give orders depends largely on how the soldier learned to obey. This basic training is found in the home with the parent-child relationship, and then with the master-servant relationship. The victories of the Christian life are won in the home and in the place of business.
You will remember that it is said of the Lord Jesus that as a boy He went down to Nazareth, and He was subject to Joseph and Mary.
There are two essential factors which must be taken into account in this verse and in this section:
1. It is assumed that Paul is talking about a Christian home, a home such as he had been discussing in chapter 5 regarding the marriage relationship. Obedience of children to parents is confined to the circumference of “in the Lord.” Christian parents have the privilege of claiming their children for the Lord. I think we all should do that. Even where only one parent is a believer, he may claim his children for God. “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy” (1 Cor. 7:14). This, of course, does not mean that the child is a believer just because he has a Christian parent. It does mean that the parent has a right to claim that child.
Notice that it says, “Obey your parents in the Lord.” I have great sympathy for a child who accepts the Lord and has an unsaved father or mother. There may be times when such a child must obey God rather than men.
2. The word for “obey” here is different from the word found in verse 22 of chapter 5. The wife is to submit. The wife occupies a place of equality with the husband, and submission is merely a question of headship. Here the child is to obey as the servant is to obey—the same word is used in verse 5.
Disobedience to parents is the last and lowest form of lawlessness to occur on this earth. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Tim. 3:1–2). Disobedience to parents is one of the characteristics of the last days. Today we hear of many cases of children rejecting parental authority and even killing their parents! This is indicative of the times in which we live.
Of course there will come a time in a boy’s life when he begins to rebel against his parents because it is time for him to move out and get married and start a home of his own. God has given him a nature that rebels against being a mama’s boy, tied to his mama’s apron strings for the rest of his life. God wants him to stand on his own two feet. This kind of rebellion, this struggle for independence, is different from disobedience.
When I was a pastor, I remember visiting in a home in which the father and I couldn’t even carry on a conversation because his little boy occupied the center ring of the circus. He was a little circus himself, and if you ask me, the dear little fellow was a brat. The father said, “I just can’t make that child obey me.” The father weighed about two hundred pounds, and the boy weighed about thirty pounds. Yet the father said, “I just can’t make him obey me.” Well, I think he could have, and I think he should have. God intended for the father to make him obey at that age.
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth [Eph. 6:2–3].
We have learned that the Ten Commandments are not the norm for Christian living—but that doesn’t mean you can break them. A youngster in the home is to honor father and mother, and as we grow older we are to continue to honor them by the life that we live. (It is interesting that all the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament with the exception of the commandment concerning the Sabbath day.) Honoring your father and mother carries with it a promise of long life to those who keep it ( see Exod. 20:12), and that promise is repeated here. It is the first commandment with promise. The other commandments promised something if they were not kept, but they didn’t promise anything if they were kept.
Samson and Absalom are two examples in Scripture of boys who did not follow this commandment, and their lives were short. Samson, a judge, died when he was a young man. Absalom rebelled against his father David, and he was killed when he was a young man.
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord [Eph. 6:4].
“Nurture” means discipline, and “admonition” means instruction. Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. No such commandment was given to parents under the Law. Under grace there are always mutual responsiblities and interactive duties. The parent is not to vent a bad disposition on a child or punish him in a fit of rage. It is the parents’ duty to teach the child the truths of the Scriptures and then to live them before the child. Don’t provoke your children to wrath. As a believer, you are to live at home like a believer.
“Fathers” includes the mothers also. However, the emphasis, I think, is on the father because the disciplining and training of the child is actually his responsibility, but it does include the mother also.
Children are not to be provoked to anger. This doesn’t mean that they are to be treated as if they were a cross between an orchid and a piece of Dresden china. I think that the board of education should be applied to the seat of learning whenever it is needed. The writer of Proverbs had a great deal to say about this: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes” (Prov. 13:24). “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying” (Prov. 19:18). “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15). “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell” (Prov. 23:13–14). “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame…. Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul” (Prov. 29:15, 17).
There is the story of the father whipping the little boy and saying, “Son, this hurts me more than it hurts you.” The boy replied, “Yeah, but not in the same place!”
These little ones who simply will not obey need to be spanked. They need a trip to the woodshed. A child should never be whipped while the parent is angry; this is stated very clearly. We are never to provoke our children to wrath, which will happen if they see that we are simply venting a mean disposition on them. They should be disciplined.
In Proverbs 23 we are told that when we spank our children they won’t die. I can remember that my mother whipped me a great deal more than my father did. She was the one at home with us, so she would get a switch and she could make it hurt. I was such a good boy I don’t know why it was that I got such a number of switchings! I did learn that if I would yell at the top of my voice, “You’re killing me, you’re killing me,” she would always let up because she didn’t want the neighbors to hear and say, “My, that poor boy’s mother is killing him!” I found out it sort of softened the punishment. Of course, she wasn’t trying to kill me. She was giving me the punishment I needed.
“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest … [and] delight unto thy soul”—a child in a Christian home should be given Christian instruction so that he might come to a vital relationship with Christ and be fortified when he comes in contact with the world. Every parent ought to have the privilege of leading his child to a saving knowledge of Christ.
My wife was never my assistant pastor—I insisted on that. I never let her become president of the missionary society or hold any office in any women’s organization in any church that I served. When I accepted a pastorate, I told my board, “My wife is my wife. She is not the assistant pastor. Her business is to take care of the home and the child.” I think that is important. My wife had the privilege that I’m afraid very few parents have today. I was out on a trip and my wife was visiting with her mother. Our daughter was about seven or eight years old at the time. She came in and said, “Mama, I want to accept Jesus.” My wife took her into the bedroom and got down on her knees with her and had the privilege of leading her own little girl to the Lord. I always felt that this was much more important than to try to be a personal worker in the church. I know a great number of personal workers in the church who have lost their own children. My friend, your first responsibility is to your own child. You had better concentrate on that child—do that instead of tending to everyone else’s business and trying to raise everyone else’s children. I realize it won’t make me popular to make such a statement, but God’s Word makes it clear that He gives us the responsibility for our own children.
“Bring them up in the nurture [discipline] … of the Lord.” Notice again that the discipline is to be of the Lord. The discipline and instruction are to be administered in the name of the Lord. That is important. Paul has taken the subject of submission first into the home with the husband and wife relationship, then with the parent-child relationship. Now he moves out of the home into the street, the workshop, the marts of trade. It is a different situation here, for there are no bonds of love such as are found in a home; yet children of God who are filled with the Holy Spirit will be submissive one to another.
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free [Eph. 6:5–8].
Servants (lit., slaves) are to be obedient to masters according to the flesh, meaning the masters down here on earth. Servants are not to serve with eyeservice—with one eye on the clock or working only when the boss is looking. They are not to serve as “men-pleasers.” In other words, they are not to butter up the boss. Service is to be done as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul.
There is a responsibility put upon a believer who is a laborer and also a responsibility put upon one who is a capitalist or an employer. This is the employer-employee relationship. In Paul’s day it was an even sharper division than it is now—it was really master and slave. Remember that this entire section began in chapter 5, verse 21, which says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” That sounds all right for Sunday, for the church service, but what about Monday morning when we go to work? Christian workers working for Christian owners of the factory will not need a labor boss to go to the capitalist and tell him what to do. I know of several businesses run by dedicated Christians. They have chapel service on company time, and they pay their workers while they are attending chapel. They are prosperous—God has blessed them. They don’t need a union. An employee in one of these companies told me, “If we were under a union, we wouldn’t be making what we are making right here!” We are talking about Christians, Christian workers and Christian owners. There are both sides to the coin. This gets right down to the nitty-gritty.
It is estimated that half of the 120 millions of people living in the Roman Empire were slaves. Christianity never attacked the evil of slavery. Rather it reached down to the slave in his degradation and lifted him up, assuring him of his liberty in Christ. The very nature of the gospel condemned slavery. It eventually broke the shackles of slavery from the bodies of men and cut the fetters from their minds and souls. Multitudes of slaves came to Christ, as we learn in Romans 16—many of those named there were slaves or members of the Praetorian guard.
In the United States of America the South had to lose the Civil War. I am a southerner, but I recognize the South had to lose because slavery was wrong. That doesn’t mean that the North was right in the method used, but it does mean that the principle of slavery was wrong.
“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters.” Notice the Word of God says to “be obedient.” This reveals that Christianity did not instigate revolution against the evil practice of slavery. It preached a gospel which was more revolutionary than revolution has ever been. Revolution has always had bad side effects, leaving bitterness and hatred which has lasted through the centuries. The gospel of Christ will break down the middle wall of partition—which in our day is prejudice and discrimination of one race against another—and will replace it with real brotherly love.
If the Word of God were preached as it was in the early days of these United States, and if those who profess to be Christian were obedient and loyal to those to whom they owe obedience and loyalty, it would change the entire complexion of American life today. A man is not a Christian just because he has made a profession of Christianity and calls himself a child of God on Sunday. Whether or not he is a genuine Christian is revealed by his loyalty to his employer, to his family, to his home, to his church, and to his pastor. When a professing Christian is disloyal in these areas of his life, the chances are he will also be disloyal to Christ. He certainly has no effective witness for Christ.
“Servants, be obedient to … your masters according to the flesh” makes it clear that slavery applied only to the bodies of men and not to their souls. This obedience was to be with “fear and trembling.” This does not mean abject and base cringing before a master, but it does mean treating him with respect and dignity.
“In singleness of your heart” means there should not be any taint of duplicity. There should be no two-facedness. There should not be the licking of the boots of the employer when he is around and then stabbing him in the back when he is away. Such action should never be in the life of a Christian.
The servant’s obedience is to be done “as unto Christ.” This shows that the slave has been lifted from the base position of degradation where he sullenly worked as little as possible and only when his master was watching. Now he is the slave of Christ, and Christ has made him free. He is to look above the earthly master in his attempt to please his Master in heaven. An earthly master could control only the bodies of the slaves. The slaves of Christ have yielded their souls to Him, even their total personalities. Remember that Paul called himself the bondslave of Jesus Christ.
“With good will doing service” shows that their attitudes should reflect their Christian service. When a child of God—whether a slave or a master, employer or employee—gets to the place where the motive of his life is to please Christ, then the hurdles posed by capital and labor are easily passed over.
In our day there is a new kind of slavery, and it is sweeping over the nations of the world. In our own land there is a slavery that is not only of the body but of the mind. Such slavery is far more pernicious and deadly than that of the Roman Empire. Multiplied thousands are willing to make any sacrifice today to foreign ideology, and you can call it any name you choose.
I had the privilege of speaking to a group of university students from Berkeley, California. These young men, who are majoring in political economy, have turned to the Lord. There was a time when they were slaves to a particular system of political economy, but now they are delivered from that. One young man told me, “One time I thought we could manipulate the economy and that we could make everyone prosperous and happy. I see now that only Christ will be able to bring in that kind of a society. That doesn’t mean we are not going to work for it, but it does mean that we know our goal is limited and only Christ can do it.”
What can break a man’s shackles? Only the power of the gospel of Christ. He will make you free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). It is Christ who offers freedom. Think of the thousands today who are trapped by drugs and by alcohol. There is slavery on every side of us.
We should be slaves to Christ and to no one or nothing else. Saul of Tarsus was a slave to an ideology. He was a Pharisee. When he came to Christ, he was made free. However, immediately he yielded to a new Master and said, “… Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? …” (Acts 9:6). He had become a bondslave to Jesus Christ.
The Lord has lifted the employee to a high position; He has dignified labor. It doesn’t make any difference whether a man is working at a bench or digging a ditch or working in an office or mining down in the bowels of the earth or farming the land on the top of the earth. If he is a child of God, he can say, “I serve the Lord Christ.”
William Carey was a shoemaker who applied to go as a foreign missionary. Someone asked him, “What is your business?” meaning to humiliate him, because he was not an ordained minister. Carey answered, “My business is serving the Lord, and I make shoes to pay expenses.” He was a servant of Christ. Oh, that men were that kind of workers today—it would change the whole labor scene.
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him [Eph. 6:9].
Something is also said to the masters. If you are an employer, before Christ you are just another man. God is no respecter of persons. What He has said to labor also applies to you. You come under the same category since you also have a Master, and your Master is Christ. This is the Christian relationship of capital and labor. The responsibilities are mutual. Masters are not to take advantage of their position as master. They are not to abuse their power. They are not to threaten. In the presence of Christ, the master and the servant stand on the same footing. They are brothers in Christ.
We find a very practical demonstration of this in the Epistle to Philemon. Philemon was a master who had a slave named Onesimus. Onesimus ran away from his master, and according to the law of that day, his master could have put him to death. However, after Onesimus trusted Christ, Paul sent him back to his master with the letter to Philemon. This is what Paul wrote: “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?” (Philem. 15–16). When both capital and labor are believers, they are brothers.
Don’t tell me Christianity is not practical. It is practical, and it will work. A great Chinese Christian, who had attended college here in the United States and knew America pretty well, said, “It is not that in America Christianity has been tried and found wanting. The problem over there is it never has been tried.” That is still the problem today—we have kept it behind stained glass windows. My friend, if Christianity cannot move out of the sanctuary and get down into the secular, there is something radically wrong. It will work if it is tried. It will work in this capital-labor relationship.
THE SOLDIER’S ENEMY
Now we come to the theme of this chapter, which is “the church is a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” We have seen the Christian in his relationships: God begins with him in the home. Then God has something to say to him as he moves out into the world where he is either an employee or an employer—he has to be one or the other, and as a child of God he has to contribute to the welfare of contemporary society. He needs to be a producer one way or the other.
Now we learn of the soldier’s enemy. There is a battle to be fought. One of the things that is commonly misunderstood today is that the child of God is in a battle, and the battle is being fought along spiritual lines.
If the duties which relate to the commonplace are not faithfully followed, there can be no great spiritual victories in the high realm of Christian attainments. It is pretty well known that I represent the fundamental position. I am premillennial, pretribulational, and a dispensationalist in my belief. I get a little weary and a little bored with folk who so insistently hold these same views, yet whose lives are lived in a very careless manner, not commensurate with this exalted, high position that we have. We are seated in the heavenlies! How wonderful. My friend, we are walking right down here on this earth, and our theology has to walk in shoeleather. If you are not living a life that pleases Christ, you are wasting your time attending Keswick conferences and Bible classes. Often in Christian circles we see a display of bitterness, vitriol, and hatred, which hurts the cause of Christ a great deal. Why is it that we can have so much exalted teaching and such low living? There are too many who are fundamental in their heads but liberal in their feet. There is a great danger in thinking that all we need is a head knowledge and a vocabulary so that we can spout out our position lucidly and fluently but can lead careless Christian lives. To do this is to misunderstand where the battle is being fought.
I do not think the Devil is concentrating in the nightclubs or on skid row or in the underworld or in the Mafia. I think he is concentrating on the church on Sunday morning. He is working on the spiritual front, and too many sleepy Christians seem to be totally unaware of that. Too many Christians are concerned about closing up the cocktail parlors when they need to be closing their mouths from gossiping and criticizing. The Devil is working in an area where we least expect to find him. He is not out on the town on Saturday night. He has gone to bed early so he can get up and go to church on Sunday morning. The spiritual battle is being fought wherever a man is giving out the Word of God, where a church is standing for the Word of God. That is the place the Devil wants to destroy, and that is the place of the spiritual battle.
Sometimes the most dangerous place you can be is in church on Sunday morning. Where was the most dangerous place in Jerusalem the night Jesus was arrested? Was it with the Pharisees? Was it with the cutthroats of the underworld? No. The most dangerous place was in the Upper Room with Jesus. Do you know why? That is where the Devil was that night. It is said that he entered into Judas Iscariot to betray Him. The Devil was there. I believe both Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter would testify to the fact that that was the most dangerous place to have been that night in Jerusalem. We need to recognize where the battle is being fought.
You may remember that at the beginning of our study in this Epistle to the Ephesians I compared it to the Book of Joshua. What Joshua is to the Old Testament, Ephesians is to the New Testament. Joshua led the children of Israel across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, and there were enemies in the land. There were battles to be fought, and there were victories to be won.
The Jordan River is not a picture of our death, and the Promised Land is not a picture of heaven. If you want to sing “On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand and cast a wistful eye,” you may, but that does not speak of our death. It actually speaks of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and you and I cross over—through the death and resurrection of Christ—out of the wilderness of this world into Canaan. The child of God should be living today in Canaan. Remember that Canaan does not represent heaven—it could not because there were enemies in Canaan and battles to be fought. You and I as believers are in the place of soldier service. The soldier’s enemy is identified, and the battle is before us.
When Joshua entered the Promised Land, there were three enemies that confronted him. First there was the city of Jericho, standing right in the way. Jericho represents the world today. What Jericho was to Joshua, the world is to the Christian. Joshua was told to march around the city—not fight it. We cannot overcome the world by fighting the world. It is a mistake if we try that method. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4–5). The only way we can overcome the world is by our faith and trust in God. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). The things of the world are passing away, and the child of God is not to love them. Our experience here is to be a Canaan experience.
The second enemy confronted by Joshua was the little town of Ai. Ai represents the flesh. Joshua thought it would be easy to overcome Ai, so he sent up a small detachment, and they were really whipped. When they came back, Joshua got down on his face and began to whimper and cry before God. God told him, “… Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned …” (Josh 7:10–11). And that sin had to be confessed and put away before God would give Israel the victory. And this is what you and I must do if we are to overcome the flesh.
Many Christians have a victory over the world; they are marching around Jericho, tooting a horn as the children of Israel blew their trumpets, saying, “I don’t do this and I don’t do that.” But they are being defeated by the flesh. They are overcome by temper. They are overcome by gossiping. One Christian man came to me and said, “Why in the world is it that I just continue to lie about everything?” Well, that’s what the flesh will do. The flesh is getting the victory over many of us, my friend. Ai represents the flesh.
Then thirdly, Joshua had to contend with the Gibeonites. They were clever, sly rascals. They lived just over the hill, but they took old, moldy bread and wore worn-out shoes and made everything look as if they had come on a long journey. They came into the camp where Joshua was and said, “Brother, we have heard about you. My, we’ve heard how God delivered you from Egypt and gave you victories over Sihon and Og, and we want to make a treaty with you. We want to be your friends” (see Josh. 9:4–11). That is the way the Devil approaches us. He is the deceiver, and he makes his ministers seem like angels of light.
Someone described a leader of a cult by saying, “I listen to that man. He is so attractive, so personable. He is really wonderful, and what he says thrills me.” Now listen to this and remember it: “… for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:14–15). Do you think that the Devil is going to knock at your door and say, “Look, I’m the Devil; I’m here to take you in; I’m here to fool you”? Obviously, that is not the way the Devil will approach you. He will use every possible way to deceive you. He may send someone to knock at your door and offer you literature that will “explain” the Bible. Or, he may approach you this way if you are in a church that is going liberal: “Remember, grandpa had a pew in the church and that window over there is named for grandma. You can’t afford to leave this church because you have so much invested here.” The Word of God says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord …” (2 Cor. 6:17). And the Devil says, “But we really need you here, so why don’t you just stick around?” You see, he is subtle.
The Gibeonites represent the Devil. They fooled Joshua, and he made a treaty with them. They were the ones who got him into trouble. At Ai the sin had to be confessed and dealt with severely before God would give them the victory, and that is the way we overcome the flesh. But what about the Gibeonites? Joshua made an alliance with them, and they gave him trouble. If we line up with Satan, we will find ourselves defeated. What can we do? Listen: We cannot overcome him ourselves. You and I are no match for the Devil. We are not even told to fight the Devil. We are told that God will fight for us.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might [Eph. 6:10].
Allow me to again use my translation: “Finally (in conclusion) be strengthened in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the armor (panoplia) of God in order that ye may be able to stand against the strategems (methodia) of the devil. For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of evil in the heavenly (places and things).”
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil [Eph. 6:11].
What in the world is Paul talking about? He is talking about spiritual wickedness, about that which is satanic. Notice that he is coming to the end of the epistle and says, “In conclusion be strengthened in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” You cannot overcome the devil in your own strength and your own power. Paul is definitely making a play upon two Greek words: The panoplia of God is needed and available to meet the methodia of the Devil. “Be strengthened in the Lord”—that is the only place you and I get power.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [Eph. 6:12].
The enemy whom the Christian is to fight is not flesh and blood. The enemy is spiritual, and the warfare is spiritual. That is why we need spiritual power. It is well to note that the flesh of the believer is not the enemy to be fought. The believer is to reckon the flesh dead and to yield to God. The way of victory over the flesh is outlined in Romans 6. Fighting the old nature will lead to defeat, and Paul records such an experience in Romans 7.
It is only God’s armor which can withstand the strategy and onslaught of Satan who has all kinds of weapons (spiritual missiles). We need an antimissile system if we are going to overcome him. That is why it is so important for the Christian soldier to recognize that he does not fight an enemy who is flesh and blood. We are not to fight other men. The enemy is spiritual, and the warfare is spiritual. The Devil is the enemy of every believer and the one here whom we are told we fight. The way to victory over the Devil is to obey the commands to “put on the whole armour of God” and “to stand” (v. 11).
We are in a spiritual battle. The Devil has in battle array his minions arranged by ranks. It says that we wrestle against them. This speaks of the hand-to-hand encounter with the spiritual forces of wickedness. The translation of verse twelve is not as strong as it should be. It should actually read, “For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against powers, against the world rulers of this darkness [and these are all spiritual], against the spiritual hosts of evil in the heavenly places.” This is our warfare, and it’s in progress now.
There is a demonic world around us and it is manifesting itself at the present hour. If I had said this when I was a young preacher, many would not have believed it. Or they would have said as did one dear lady, “Dr. McGee, you sound positively spooky.” Today, however, demonism is a popular subject and is plainly exhibited. We have the Church of Satan in many of our cities. There are strange things happening to certain of these weird, way-out groups. A man said to me recently, “Dr. McGee, this thing is real today.” Who said it wasn’t real? If you are an unbeliever in this area, open your eyes and see what is happening about us. People are being ensnared and led into all kinds of demonism. There are spiritual forces working in the world, evil forces working against the church. They are working against the believer, against God, against Christ. Don’t try to pooh-pooh these things. It is happening, and you and I alone are no match for it.
The fact that there is a spiritual enemy to overcome is well illustrated in the tenth chapter of the Book of Daniel. Daniel had been praying, and he didn’t get any answer. He had been praying for three weeks. “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled” (Dan. 10:2–3). Finally, an angel came and touched him and said, “… O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words” (Dan. 10:11–12). If that was true, then Daniel had every right to ask, “Then where in the world have you been for three weeks?” Listen to the angel continue, “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia” (Dan. 10:13). He was in conflict with a demon, and he had to go back for reinforcement. This was a spiritual battle that was going on, and we likewise have one today.
We have said that these powers are organized. Principalities are the demons who have the oversight of nations. They would correspond to the rank of generals. Powers are the privates who are the demons wanting to possess human beings. The rulers of the darkness of this world are those demons who have charge of Satan’s worldly business. Spiritual wickedness in high places are the demons in the heavenlies who have charge of religion.
Satan has a well-organized group, and his organization is manipulating in this world right now. The heartbreak, the heartache, the suffering, the tragedies of life are the work of Satan in the background. He is the cause of the great problems that are in the world today.
We have the enemy located and identified. That enemy is spiritual. It is Satan who heads up his demonic forces. Now we need to recognize where the battle is. I think the church has largely lost sight of the spiritual battle. We feel that if we have a lovely church building and are attracting crowds and if the finances are coming in, everything is going nicely. The financial condition of a church, however, is not where the battle is. I will grant that, if a church which has been supporting itself begins to get into debt, it is an indication that something is wrong: actually, it means the battle is being lost in the spiritual realm. There should be questions such as: Are the members of the church being built up in Christ? Is the Word of God being taught? Is there a spirit of love and cooperation among the members? Is gossip reduced to a minimum? There must not be an exercise in legalism but an exercise in right relationships among those who are the brethren in Christ. Where there is a spirit of criticism and of bitterness and of hatred, the Spirit of God cannot work.
Churches like to talk about the numbers who come to Christ. They like to talk about how many decisions they have had. Yet when the facts are really boiled down and examined and you look for the so-called converts two years later, you often find that they have disappeared. We don’t seem to realize that there is a spiritual warfare being carried on today and that people need to be grounded in the Word of God. It is a manifestation of demonic power that people are being blinded and carried away into all kinds of cults and religions and “isms” with false beliefs. As a result of all this, the Word of God sinks into insignificance in such churches and organizations. This is the work of the enemy, Satan and his demonic hosts.
THE SOLDIER’S PROTECTION
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand [Eph. 6:13].
We have identified the enemy. Now Paul begins to identify the arsenal which is available for defense. Nowhere is the believer urged to attack and advance. The key to this entire section is the phrase to stand.
The Bible speaks of believers as pilgrims. As pilgrims we are to walk through the world. The Bible speaks of us as witnesses, and we are to go to the ends of the earth. As athletes we are to run. We are to run with our eyes fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ: “… and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:1–2). However, when the Bible speaks of us as fighters, it says we are to stand. Very frankly, I would rather do a great deal of old-fashioned standing than fighting.
Many years ago Billy Sunday, the evangelist, attracted a great deal of attention by saying that up on the speaker’s platform he was fighting the Devil. I think that there was a great element of truth in that, because it was a spiritual battle. The battle is carried on wherever the Word of God is preached and the gospel is given out. That’s the battle line today. That is where the enemy is working. The enemy is not working down on skid row or partying it up on Saturday night.
Years ago when I was active in Youth for Christ as a young preacher, I was out every Saturday night. We used to say at that time that Saturday night was the Devil’s night and we were making it the Lord’s night. Well, now that I have had many more years to observe the situation, I think the Devil was at home in bed. I think he was resting up so he could come to church the next morning. Why should he want to fight his own crowd? They belong to him. I’m not sure he’s proud of them. In fact, I think he’s ashamed of a lot of these alcoholics and these down-and-outers and these up-and-outers. He could take no pride in them. He would rather be out fighting where the spiritual battle is.
Personally, I never felt that I should carry on that battle. That is, I never felt I should make the attack. The command is to stand. It is the Devil who will make the attack. Our command is, “Having done all, to stand.”
I have never been enthusiastic about a group of defeated Christians singing, “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war.” I think it is more scriptural for the believer to sing, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross.” Just to be able to stand in an evil day is a victory for the believer.
This is an hour when my heart is sad as I look at a great many churches. I love the local church and the local pastors. There are a great number of wonderful pastors fighting the battle. They are the men who are really on the battlefront today. I go to so many Bible conferences as a speaker because I want to help them. I have been a pastor long enough to know how wonderful it felt and how I always appreciated it when others came to me and stood shoulder to shoulder with me. My heart is sick when I see the attendance way down and the interest gone in churches that at one time were great churches. The members were blind to the fact that a battle was being fought there, a spiritual battle.
Do you pray for your pastor on Saturday night? Don’t criticize him, but rather pray for him. He needs your prayers. The Devil gives him enough opposition. You don’t need to join the crowd that crucifies the man who is preaching the Word of God. You ought to uphold his hands as Aaron and Hur upheld the hands of Moses on behalf of Israel. My heart goes out to pastors who are in need of congregations who will stand with them.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace [Eph. 6:14–15].
“Stand therefore.” This is the fourth time he gives this exhortation to the believer. This is the only place that I find Paul laying it on the line and speaking like a sergeant. Earlier he said, “I beseech you,” but now he gives the command to stand. Not only are we to be in a standing position, but we are also to have on certain armor to protect ourselves. We are not to be outwitted by the wiles of the Devil; we are to be ready for his attacks.
“Having your loins girt about with truth.” In the ancient garment of that day, the girdle about the loins held in place every other part of the uniform of the soldier. It was essential. To tell you the truth, if the girdle was lost, you lost everything. The garments would fly open and the pants would fall down. We see this routine in comedies, and the people laugh to see a man trying to run or fight with his trousers drooping down. It looks funny in a comedy routine, but it is not funny in a battle. A great battle in the past, we are told, was won by a clever general who told his men to cut the belts of their enemy while they were sleeping. The next morning the enemy troops were so busy holding up their trousers that they weren’t able to shoot their guns and, therefore, they lost the battle. We are told to be girded with truth in the face of the enemy. Truth is that which holds everything together. What is that truth? It is the Word of God.
We need people to give out the Word of God and to give it out just as it is written. Today we have many people giving testimonies. We have football players, baseball players, movie stars, television stars, all giving testimonies. Many of them do not know any more Bible than does a goat grazing grass on a hillside. We need people whose loins are girt about with truth. They need to know the Word of God. (I could give you the names of a dozen personalities who have gone off on all sorts of tangents, into cults and “isms.”) I admit that some testimonies are thrilling to hear, but they are coming from folk who are standing there about to lose all their spiritual garments! They are not girded about with truth, which is the Word of God.
Every piece of this armor really speaks of Christ. We are in Christ in the heavenlies, and we should put on Christ down here in our earthly walk. Paul has already told us to put on Christ. He is the One who is the truth, and we should put Him on in our lives.
Any testimony that does not glorify Jesus Christ should not be given. There are too many testimonies that glorify the individual, such as, “I was a great athlete,” or, “I was a great performer, and now I am turning over my wonderful talent to Jesus.” The implication is: Believe me, He is lucky to have me in His crowd! Friend, you are lucky if you have Him. He didn’t get very much when He got you, and He didn’t get very much when He got me. This is a day when the little fellow really doesn’t have very much to say. We get the impression that we need to be someone great in the eyes of the world. No, what we need is to have our loins girt about with truth so that we can give a testimony that glorifies Christ. Christ is the truth. Truth alone can meet error.
“Having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Christ is the righteousness of the believer. I do think, however, that it includes the practical righteousness of the believer. Let’s be clear that the filthy rags of self-righteousness are useless as a breastplate, but I do think that underneath there should be a heart and a conscience that is right with God. Only the righteousness of Christ can enable the believer to stand before men and before God, but the heart that is to be protected should be a heart that is not condemning the believer. It is an awful condition to have sin in the life while we are trying to carry on the battle. We can never win it that way.
“Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Shoes are necessary for standing. They speak of the foundation. We need a good, solid foundation, and preparation is foundational. I remember in hand-to-hand combat we were taught to make sure our feet were anchored. Are your feet anchored on the Rock? Christ is your foundation in this world. No other foundation can any man lay but the one that is laid, Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor. 3:11). We are to put on Christ. Oh, how we need Him today as we face a gainsaying world and also spiritual wickedness in the darkness of this world!
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints [Eph. 6:16–18].
The armor of the believer is a spiritual armor because we fight against a spiritual enemy. We are to stand in that armor, and that armor is Christ, the living Christ. Satan himself, in the Book of Job, describes how God protects His own. He said, “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? …” (Job 1:10). God has provided protection for us today in the armor He supplies.
“Above all, taking the shield of faith.” The shield covered all of the armor. The shield referred to is a large shield the size of a door. It was the shield of the heavy infantry. A soldier stood behind it and was fully protected. Christ is both the door to salvation and the door that protects the believer from the enemy without. This is the picture in John, chapter 10. Christ is both salvation and security.
“Faith” enables us to enter the door: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). That is salvation. What about security? Faith places us securely in His hands: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28). Faith enables us to lay hold of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith also enables us to stand behind that shield which will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
“The fiery darts of the wicked.” He is shooting them fast and furiously. I remember that when I was in college, I had a brilliant philosophy professor who had studied in Germany. I respected his intellect, although I didn’t realize at the time that he was intellectually dishonest. I looked up to him but, very frankly, he was taking my feet out from under me. I would try to answer him in class when I probably should have kept my mouth shut. But we became friends, and we used to walk together across the campus after class and discuss the questions I had raised. I came to the place where I went to the Lord in prayer and said, “Lord, if I can’t believe Your Word, I don’t want to go into the ministry.” Then the Lord in a very miraculous way sent me to hear a man who was the most brilliant man, I think, whom I have ever heard. He gave me the answer to my questions. Then I began to learn that when a fiery dart comes my way and I don’t have the answer, I am to put up the shield of faith. And this is what I have been doing ever since. I have found that the shield of faith has batted down the fiery darts of the wicked one.
I remember that I was upset about questions concerning the Genesis record of creation. I was ready to get out of the ministry because I couldn’t accept certain things. The problem was not with my pygmy intellect, although I thought it was at the time; I just didn’t know enough. So I put up the shield of faith.
Someone was walking with me in Israel as we were observing some excavations. He asked me, “Suppose they dig up something down there that looks like it disproves the Bible. What position would you take?” I answered, “I would put up the shield of faith, and that would bat down the fiery darts of the wicked one. I have learned that when a fiery dart is batted down, I will get the correct answer later on.” I remember a time when the authorship of John was being questioned—was the Gospel of John written by John? Today it is pretty well established that John was the writer, but at one time I had questions about it.
The fiery darts of the wicked one come fast and furiously, and they are going to continue to come. The only thing that will bat them down is this shield of faith. It is like a big door. The hoplites, the heavily armed soldiers in the Greek infantry, could move with those tremendous shields, put them out in front of them, and stand protected shoulder to shoulder, while the enemy shot everything they had at them. When the enemy was out of ammunition, they would move in, certain of victory. That is the way to stand against the fiery darts of the evil one.
“And take the helmet of salvation.” The helmet protects the head, and God does appeal to the mind of man. I recognize that He appeals to the heart, but God also appeals to the intellect. Throughout the Scriptures God uses reason with man. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25). Paul reasoned with Felix; he appealed to the mind of the man as well as to his heart. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
A theology professor who was a liberal said many years ago when I was a student, “Faith is a leap in the dark.” That is not true. God does not ask you to take a leap into the dark. In fact, God says if it is a leap in the dark, don’t take it. God wants you to leap into the light. God has a solid foundation for you, and how wonderful it is!
Christ is the salvation of the sinner. He is the One to receive the glory in it all. That plume on the top of the helmet is Christ. He has been made unto us salvation. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Even before His birth in Bethlehem He was marked out as the Savior.
Paul mentions this helmet in connection with salvation again in another epistle. “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8).
All the parts of the armor mentioned so far have been for defense. Have you noticed that? Everything is for the front of the individual. There is no protection for his back; nothing is provided for retreat. Believe me, a retreating Christian is certainly open season for the enemy; the enemy can get through to him.
Now we have two weapons for offense. The first one is the Word of God, called the sword of the Spirit. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). Christ is the living Word of God. He used the Word of God to meet Satan in the hour of His temptation. Out of His mouth goeth a sharp two-edged sword in the battle of Armageddon (see Rev. 1:16; 19:21). He gains the victory with that sword. What is it? It is the Word of God. We need that sharp sword going out of our mouths today. The Word of God is a powerful weapon of offense. You and I are to use it.
Our second weapon of offense is prayer—“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” Praying in the Holy Spirit is not turning in a grocery list to God. It means that you and I recognize our enemy and that we lay hold of God for spiritual resources. We lay hold of God for that which is spiritual that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. Paul here distinguishes between prayer and supplication. Prayer is general; supplication is specific. All effective prayer must be in the Spirit.
THE SOLDIER’S EXAMPLE—PAUL WAS A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST
Here is Paul’s example for us from his own experience:
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak [Eph. 6:19–20].
“And for me.” Paul now asks for prayer on behalf of himself. As he comes to the conclusion of this epistle, he moves into the area of the personal. He was a prisoner in Rome, and he suffered from a thorn in the flesh. Yet he does not ask for prayer that these physical handicaps be removed, but that he might proclaim courageously the mystery of the gospel.
“To make known the mystery of the gospel.” The gospel is a mystery that was not revealed in the Old Testament as it is now. The New Testament reveals that Christ died for all sins, was buried, rose again on the third day. This is the gospel and the message Paul was preaching.
“I am an ambassador in bonds.” Paul had just written about the spiritual warfare, and now we see that he was experiencing the onslaught of the enemy at the very moment he was writing.
“That therein I may speak boldly.” Paul asks for prayer that he may speak the gospel with boldness. We need that same prayer. We need a boldness to declare the Word of God.
But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts [Eph. 6:21–22].
Tychicus not only carried the epistle to the Ephesian believers, but he also gave a personal account of the conditions of and the prospects for the apostle Paul. Tychicus, the pastor of the Ephesian church, is an example of the many faithful servants of Christ in the early church. The apostle Paul had great confidence in him.
“That he might comfort your hearts.” Tychicus would allay any fears that the Ephesians might have about the condition of the apostle Paul. The brotherly love exhibited in the early church is the undertone of all of Paul’s epistles. Paul had a real concern for the brethren.
BENEDICTION
General Douglas MacArthur said that old soldiers do not die; they just fade away. Listen to Paul’s farewell.
Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen [Eph. 6:23–24].
Paul’s own swan song is found in 2 Timothy 4:6–8: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Paul reflected what a good soldier of Christ should be and what rewards awaited him.
He closes with a twofold benediction. Most of the great words of the gospel are contained in it: peace, love, faith, grace. Hope is absent, for the believer is in the heavenly places where all is realized.
“Peace” was the form of greeting of the Jewish world. A sinner must know the grace of God before he can experience the peace of God. This is the peace of God which passes all understanding.
“Love” in verse 23 means love for the other believers. This is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
In verse 24 the “love” is of the believer for the Lord Jesus Christ, and this love is in incorruptness (a better translation than “in sincerity”).
“Faith” means faith in Christ which produces active love. These flow from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Grace” is the key word of the epistle. It opened the epistle (Eph. 1:2) and is the subject of the epistle (Eph. 2:7–8). It now concludes the epistle. It is a fitting word because it is God’s grace which saved us and which sustains us today.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruce, F. F. The Epistle to the Ephesians. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1961.
Chafer, Lewis Sperry. The Ephesian Letter, Doctrinally Considered. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, c. 1935.
Foulkes, Francis. The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1963.
Hendriksen, William. Exposition of Ephesians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1967.
Hodge, Charles. An Exposition of Ephesians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1856.
Ironside, H. A. In the Heavenlies. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1937. (Especially good for young Christians)
Kelly, William. Lectures on Ephesians. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. Ephesians: The Glory of the Church. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971. (An excellent, inexpensive survey)
McGee, J. Vernon. Exploring Through Ephesians. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1961.
Meyer, F. B. Ephesians—Key Words of the Inner Life. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (Devotional.)
Moule, Handley C. G. Studies in Ephesians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1893. (Excellent. Romans, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon in the same series; 2 Timothy apart from this series.)
Paxson, Ruth. Wealth, Walk, and Warfare of the Christian. Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1939. (Excellent devotional emphasis.)
Strauss, Lehman. Devotional Studies in Galatians and Ephesians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1957.
Vaughan, W. Curtis. Ephesians: A Study Guide Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Rich. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, n.d.
Wuest, Kenneth S. Ephesians and Colossians in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1953.
The Epistle to the
Philippians
INTRODUCTION
The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians is one of the Prison Epistles. Paul wrote four epistles when he was in prison, and we have labeled them Prison Epistles. They are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and the little Epistle to Philemon.
The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians was written to the believers in Europe in the city of Philippi. This letter came out of a wonderful relationship that Paul had with the Philippian church. It seems that this church was closer to Paul than was any other church. Their love for him and his love for them are mirrored in this epistle. This epistle deals with Christian experience at the level on which all believers should be living. It is not a level on which all of us are, but it is where God wants us to be.
Paul visited Philippi on his second missionary journey. You will recall that he and Barnabas went on their first missionary journey to the Galatian country, where they had a wonderful ministry and founded many churches in spite of the persecution they encountered. Paul wanted to visit these churches on his second missionary journey. He wanted to take Barnabas with him again, but Barnabas insisted on taking his nephew, John Mark, who had been with them at the beginning of the first missionary journey. This young fellow, John Mark, you may remember, turned chicken and ran home to mama when they had landed on the coast of Asia Minor. Therefore, Paul did not want to take him the second time. So this split the team of Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas took John Mark and went in another direction. Paul, with Silas for a companion, retraced his steps into the Galatian country, visiting the churches which they had established on the first missionary journey.
It would seem that Paul intended to widen his circle of missionary activity in that area, because a great population was there, and it was highly civilized. Actually, Greek culture and Greek learning were centered there at this particular time. Dr. Luke in recording it says that Paul attempted to go south into Asia, meaning the province of Asia, of which Ephesus was the leading city. But when he attempted to go south, the Spirit of God put up a roadblock. Since he wasn’t to go south, Paul thought he would go north (where Turkey is today), but when “… they assayed to go into Bithynia … the Spirit suffered them not” (Acts. 16:7).
Now he can’t go south, he can’t go north, he has come from the east, there is but one direction to go. So Paul went west as far as Troas. That was the end of the line. To go west of Troas he would have to go by boat. So Paul was waiting for instructions from God.
Sometimes we feel that God must lead us immediately, but God can let us wait. I think He lets us cool our heels many times, waiting for Him to lead us. If you are one who is fretting today, “Oh, what shall I do? Which way shall I turn?” Wait, just wait. If you are really walking with the Lord, He will lead you in His own good time.
So Paul continued to wait in the city of Troas (we know it as Troy) for orders, and he got them finally. He was given the vision of the man of Macedonia, recorded in Acts 16:9–10.
Paul and his companions boarded a ship that took them to the continent of Europe. To me this is the greatest crossing that ever has taken place because it took the gospel to Europe. I am thankful for that because at this particular time my ancestors were in Europe. One family was in the forests of Germany. I am told that they were as pagan and heathen as they possibly could have been. Another branch of the family was over in Scotland. And they, I am told, were the filthiest savages that ever have been on topside of this earth. Now don’t you look askance at me, because your ancestors were probably in the cave right next to my ancestors and they were just as dirty as mine were. I thank God today that the gospel went in that direction, because somewhere down the line some of these ancestors heard the Word of God, responded to it, and handed down to us a high type of civilization.
So Paul crossed over into Europe, and his first stop was Philippi. “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us” (Acts 16:13–15).
Paul, you see, found out that the man of Macedonia was a woman by the name of Lydia, holding a prayer meeting down by the river. That prayer meeting probably had a lot to do with bringing Paul to Europe. I’m of the opinion there were many people in Philippi who saw that group of women down there by the river praying and thought it wasn’t very important. But it just happened to be responsible for the greatest crossing that ever took place! And Lydia was the first convert in Europe.
Now Lydia was a member of the Philippian church to which Paul wrote this epistle. We know something about some of the other members of this church also. There was a girl who was delivered from demon possession. “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (Acts 16:16–18).
Also the Philippian jailer and his family were members of this church. You recall that Paul and Silas were thrown into jail at the instigation of the masters of the demon-possessed girl who had been deprived of their income. God intervened for Paul and Silas in such a miraculous way that their jailer came to know Christ. “And [the jailer] brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house…. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house” (Acts 16:30–31, 34).
There were, of course, other members of this Philippian church whose stories we do not know. They were a people very close to the apostle Paul. They followed him in his journeys and ministered to him time and time again. But when Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, they lost sight of him for two years. They did not know where he was. Finally they heard that he was in Rome in prison. The hearts of these people went out to him, and immediately they dispatched their pastor, Epaphroditus, with a gift that would minister to Paul’s needs.
So Paul wrote this epistle to thank the church and to express his love for them. He had no doctrine to correct as he did in his Epistle to the Galatians. Neither did he have to correct their conduct, as he did in his Epistle to the Corinthians. There was only one small ripple in the fellowship of the church between two women, Euodias and Syntyche, and Paul gave them a word of admonishment near the end of his letter. He didn’t seem to treat the matter as being serious.
His letter to the Philippian believers is the great epistle of Christian experience. This is Paul’s subject in his epistle to the Philippians.
OUTLINE
I. Philosophy of Christian Living, Chapter 1
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
B. Paul’s Tender Feeling for the Philippians, Chapter 1:3–11
C. Bonds and Afflictions Further the Gospel, Chapter 1:12–20
D. In Life or Death—Christ, Chapter 1:21–30
II. Pattern for Christian Living, Chapter 2
A. Others, Chapter 2:1–4
B. Mind of Christ—Humble, Chapter 2:5–8
C. Mind of God—Exaltation of Christ, Chapter 2:9–11
D. Mind of Paul—Things of Christ, Chapter 2:12–18
E. Mind of Timothy—Like-minded with Paul, Chapter 2:19–24
F. Mind of Epaphroditus—the Work of Christ, Chapter 2:25–30
III. Prize for Christian Living, Chapter 3
A. Paul Changed His Bookkeeping System of the Past, Chapter 3:1–9
B. Paul Changed His Purpose for the Present, Chapter 3:10–19
C. Paul Changed His Hope for the Future, Chapter 3:20–21
IV. Power for Christian Living, Chapter 4
A. Joy—the Source of Power, Chapter 4:1–4
B. Prayer—the Secret of Power, Chapter 4:5–7
C. Contemplation of Christ—the Sanctuary of Power, Chapter 4:8–9
D. In Christ—the Satisfaction of Power, Chapter 4:10–23
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Philosophy of Christian living—Introduction; Paul’s tender feeling for the Philippians; bonds and afflictions further the gospel; in life or death—Christ
Paul’s letter to the Philippians is practical. It gets right down where we live. As we study this epistle, we won’t be seated in the heavenlies as we were in his letter to the Ephesians, but we will be right down where the rubber meets the road. It is a wonderful little epistle, and we will be enriched by the sweetness of it.
INTRODUCTION
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons [Phil. 1:1].
“Paul and Timotheus”—Paul associates Timothy with himself. Paul brings this young preacher and puts him right beside himself, encouraging him. Paul loved this young man Timothy. He was Paul’s son in the Lord, that is, he had won him to Christ; and Paul was very interested in him. Paul is constantly identifying certain young preachers with himself.
Now that I am getting old, I receive letters from former students and from many folk who in my ministry over the years have come to a knowledge of Christ. I feel that all of these are my children. I have a lot of children scattered around over this world, and I love them in the Lord. I understand how Paul felt about Timothy. Paul’s name has come down through the centuries, and everywhere you hear about Paul, you will hear about Timothy—Paul was responsible for that. How wonderful!
“The servants of Jesus Christ.” Paul identifies himself and Timothy as the servants of Jesus Christ. The word servants actually means “bondslaves.” This is in contrast to his epistle to the Galatians where he was defending his apostleship. He began with, “Paul, an apostle” He did the same thing to the Corinthians. He had to declare and defend his apostleship and wanted them to know he was apostle not of men, neither by man. He didn’t need to defend himself with these Philippians. They loved him, and they accepted his apostleship. They had all been led to the Lord by him. So Paul takes a humble place, his rightful position: “Paul and Timotheus, we both are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi.” Paul is not writing to one little clique in the Philippian church; he is writing to all the saints, and every believer is a saint. The human family is divided into two groups: the saints and the ain’ts. Saints are believers in Christ. They are saints, not because of their conduct, but because of their position in Christ. Saint means “holy,” set apart for God. Anything that is holy is separated for the use of God. Even the old pots and pans in the tabernacle were called “holy vessels,” and they were probably beaten and battered after forty years in the wilderness. They may not have looked holy, but they were. Why? Because they had been set aside for the use of God. Now that should be the position of every child of God. We are set aside for the use of God. Now, friend, if you ain’t a saint, then you are an ain’t.
The saints are “in Christ Jesus.” What does it mean to be saved? It means to be in Christ Jesus. When you put your trust in the Lord Jesus, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in you. The Holy Spirit baptizes you into the body of Christ. You are put in Christ by the Spirit of God.
Now these saints were in Christ, but they were at Philippi. You see, it doesn’t make any difference where you are at—that may not be grammatically correct, but it is a true statement. You may be at Los Angeles or Duluth or Moscow or Philippi. It won’t make any difference where you are at; the important matter is being in Christ Jesus.
I believe the little phrase in Christ comprises the most important words that we have in the New Testament. What does it mean to be saved? I asked a theology professor that question, and he gave me quite a lecture on the subject. I was a little dizzy when he finished. He explained words like propitiation and reconciliation and redemption. These are all marvelous words, and they are all Bible words, but not one of them covers the entire spectrum of salvation. The Spirit of God chose just one little word, the preposition in, to explain what salvation is. It is to be in Christ. How do you get in Christ? You get in Christ when you accept Him as your Savior.
“With the bishops and deacons.” Notice he is addressing a local church with officers. “Bishop” means overseer or shepherd. The word bishop actually refers to the office, while the word elder refers to the individual who is in that office, and they should be men who are mature spiritually. “Deacons” refers to spiritual men who are performing a secular service (see Acts 6).
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ [Phil. 1:2].
“Grace be unto you, and peace.” You will find this form of address in all of Paul’s epistles, and grace and peace will always be in that sequence. Grace and peace were both commonplace words of Paul’s day.
Grace was the word of greeting in the Greek world. In the Greek language it is charis. If you had walked down the street in that day, you would have heard folk greeting each other with, “Charis.” In fact, this greeting is still used in modern Greece. It means grace. They say it as we say, “Have a good day.” And God is saying to you, “Have a good eternity.” When folk say to me, “Have a good day,” they don’t contribute anything to make it a good day other than just saying that. But God has made the arrangement whereby you can have a good eternity, and it is by the grace of God.
“Peace” always follows grace; it never precedes it. While charis comes out of the Greek world, “peace” (shalom) comes out of the religious world; it is the Hebrew form of greeting. Actually, the name Jerusalem means “the city of peace.” Jeru-shalom—city of peace. It has never been that; it has been a city of war. Right now it is a thorn in the flesh of the world. No one knows what to do with it. There will never be peace in Jerusalem or in the world until the Prince of Peace comes to rule.
There is, however, a peace that comes to the believer through the grace of God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). This is the peace that a sinner can have with a holy God because Christ died for us, paid our penalty, and now God in His grace can save us. It is not that we bring God something for our salvation. Very frankly, we have nothing to bring to Him. I have never brought anything to Him—except sin. Christ paid the penalty for that sin so that a holy God can receive me. And He can receive you. In a world of turmoil, a world of tension, a world of trial, a world that is filled with things that are wrong, we can know the peace of God in our hearts. This is the peace of God that He gives to those who trust Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior. We must know the grace of God before we can experience the peace of God.
This grace and peace is “from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Let me ask this theological question: Isn’t Paul a trinitarian? Doesn’t he believe in the Trinity? Then why doesn’t he include the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son? The reason is that the Holy Spirit is already over there in Philippi, indwelling the believers. Certainly Paul believed in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and he is being very accurate here.
PAUL’S TENDER FEELING FOR THE PHILIPPIANS
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you [Phil. 1:3].
He begins the body of his letter in this very lovely manner, which reveals the sweet relationship between Paul and the Philippian believers. That is the way it ought to be today among believers, especially between pastor and congregation. The literal translation would be, “All my remembrance of you causes me to thank God.” Every time anybody would mention Philippi, Paul would just thank God for the believers there. That is something really quite wonderful.
Every now and then I get a letter from some organization that wants me to do something for them. That is perfectly legitimate for them to make such a request, but they begin the letter with, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Sometimes I’m not so sure they really feel that way about me, but they are preparing me for the request that is coming. But how wonderful it would be to have a church like the Philippian church. And how wonderful to be the kind of person about which it can be said, “All my remembrance of you causes me to thank God.” If Paul hadn’t said anything else about his relationship to this church, this would have been enough to reveal how special it was. You can check the other epistles—he didn’t say this to the other churches, certainly not about the Galatians or the Corinthians.
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy [Phil. 1:4].
“Always”—not just sometimes. Always in every prayer Paul remembered the Philippian believers.
The phrase “for you all” makes it very clear that Paul was speaking to all the saints that were in that church, the corporate body in the local church. When we reach the final chapter of this epistle, we will find that there was a little ripple of discord between two women in the Philippian church: Syntyche and Euodias. So Paul at the very beginning was careful to include all the saints in order that one group couldn’t say to the other, “He is writing to us and not to you.”
“Making request with joy.” Bengel said that the sum of this epistle is: “I rejoice; rejoice ye.” We realize what a remarkable expression this is when we consider where Paul was when he wrote. He was over in Rome in prison! He probably was not in the Mamertine prison at this time, but he was in a place equally as disagreeable.
Although the word joy appears nineteen times in this epistle, I have never felt that it should be called the “joy epistle.” If we are going to pick out the word that occurs more than any other word, we must take the name of Jesus Christ. His name appears over forty times in this epistle. He is the center of the epistle. He is the One who is the very source of joy. Therefore, the emphasis should be put upon Him rather than upon the joy. As we shall see, the philosophy of Christian living has to do with Him; the pattern has to do with Him. The price of Christian living has to do with Him, and the power has to do with Him. Actually, it is a personal relationship with Christ that brings joy to a believer’s life.
We try to produce joy in the church by external means. We have a program and tell folks, “Come and you will enjoy it.” We have a banquet—people enjoy a banquet—so we have joy, we say. Actually, joy does not depend upon outward circumstances. Real joy depends upon the inward condition of the individual. It depends on the proper attitude toward life. If you are complaining and whining about your lot in life, certainly you will not be experiencing joy. You may be able to go to a church banquet and have a little fun, but that will not be joy. When you and I get to the place where we find ourselves in the center of the will of God and know we are in His will regardless of our circumstances, then there will be joy in our lives.
Paul said, “Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.” The time of prayer was not an ordeal for Paul. He didn’t say Oh, I’ve got to go through the ordeal of praying for those folk again! No. He said, “As I am here in jail, it is a lot of fun to pray for you Philippians; it brings joy to my heart.”
Now, having told them he thanked God for them, he gives a reason.
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now [Phil. 1:5].
“For your fellowship in the gospel.” Now we have come to a very important word in this epistle. We do not want to pass over this word fellowship. This word is used widely in the church and outside the church. I don’t think that most people really know what the word means, and therefore they don’t use it properly.
Years ago I was invited down to Huntington Beach about once a year to give a message at a Rotary Club luncheon. A Christian doctor was chairman of the program committee down there, and he would invite me to come at Christmastime or Eastertime and give them the gospel—both barrels, which is what I always tried to do.
Over the speaker’s table they had a slogan: “Food, Fun, Fellowship.” Those three things belonged to the early church, and I didn’t feel that the Rotary Club should have bragged about having any one of the three. For food there would be embalmed chicken with peas as hard as bullets. For fun they had corny jokes. The fellowship consisted of patting someone on the back and saying, “Hello, Bill. How’s business?”
Now that is not fellowship in the biblical sense of the word. The Greek word is koinoµnia, and it means that which believers can share of the things of Christ. There are three elements that must enter into it: spiritual communication, sympathetic cooperation, and sweet communion. (1) Spiritual communication is sharing the things of Christ. This would be sharing the great truths concerning Christ. (2) Sympathetic cooperation means working together for Christ. That is why, when Paul used the word fellowship, he could be talking about Bible reading or Bible study together or prayer or celebrating the Lord’s Supper or taking up an offering. Paul called all of these koinoµnia—fellowship. The result would be (3) sweet communion. It makes us partners with Christ. This is true koinoµnia.
Paul wrote that this church was having fellowship with him. He had communicated to them the gospel. They had shared with Paul in a sympathetic cooperation. They had sent a gift to him and had ministered to his physical needs again and again. Then when they were together, they had sweet communion.
“From the first day until now”—Paul had enjoyed wonderful fellowship with them from the first day, that day he had met Lydia and her group praying by the riverside.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [Phil. 1:6].
Because this is my life verse and therefore very meaningful to me, I hope you won’t mind if I tell you about it. I was a very poor boy when I went away to college. My dad had been killed in an accident in a cotton gin when I was fourteen years old. My mother took my sister and me to Nashville, Tennessee. I had to get a permit that allowed a boy of fourteen to go to work, and I worked for a wholesale hardware concern. I had to be up by five o’clock in the morning to pick up the mail and have it sorted and on the desks of all the officials in each department. I should have been in school, and I wanted to go to school. Later I had the privilege of going back to school because a wonderful friend acted as a father to me. He had a son who was a drunkard. He had wanted his son to get a college education, but he didn’t; so the man helped me get a job, and I was able to go to college. Every year I thought it would be my last year. I never thought God would see me through—I had very little faith. The last year I was in college was during the depression; 1928 and 1929 were bad years. I couldn’t get a job and had no money.
On graduation day, after receiving my degree, I returned to my room in the dormitory, still in my cap and gown, and sat dejectedly on the edge of my bed. My roommate came and asked, “What in the world—did somebody die?” I said, “Just as well to. I thought God had called me to the ministry. I’m through college, the depression has hit, and I don’t even have a job for this summer. I haven’t a dime to go to seminary next year.” While we were still talking, the phone rang. It was for me. On the other end of the line was a dear little lady who asked me to stop by her home where she lived with her sister. They were both widows, and they looked as if they had come out of the antebellum days. They attended the church where I taught a class of intermediate boys, and I herded the boys into the church service every Sunday morning. The sisters sat in the pew behind us, and I always thought they disapproved. But in their home that day each handed me an envelope in memory of her husband. I left as soon as it was polite to go, hurried around the corner, and opened the envelopes. The first contained a check for $250; I hurriedly opened the other envelope and found another check for $250. Do you know what $500 was like during the depression? I felt like a millionaire!
That night the Sunday school had a banquet for me, a farewell banquet, and they gave me a check for $100. So now I had $600! That is the money with which I went to seminary the next year. That night at the banquet someone gave me this verse: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” That has been my life verse ever since that night.
Now let’s consider this verse for a moment.
“Being confident” is causative and could be translated, “Since I am confident of this very thing”—Paul knew what he was talking about.
“He which hath begun … will perform.” The word for “perform” means to carry through. He will consummate what He began.
“Until the day of Jesus Christ.” You and I today are not living in the Day of the Lord; we are not living in the day of the Old Testament; we are not living in the day of the Millennium; we are not living in the day of eternity; we are living in the day of Jesus Christ. That day will be consummated when He comes to take His own out of this world. And the Holy Spirit has sealed you and me until the day of redemption. Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). And until then, you can count upon God to consummate whatever He intends for you. He is going to see it through. How wonderful!
Now, my friend, let me ask you this: Is this practical for you and me? I don’t know what your circumstances are, but if you are a child of God, I am sure you can testify that God has brought you up to the present moment, hasn’t He? Can’t you look back over your life and see how He has led you and provided for you? Then why should you be concerned about tomorrow? Do you think He is going to let you down now? I confess that this was my thinking when I finished college.
You see, I went through college, but I didn’t enjoy it as I should have. I never had joy because I always was afraid I couldn’t go on. I just didn’t believe God would see me through. So many times we Christians act like unbelievers. In fact, we live and act like practical atheists. The graduation was a happy experience for my classmates. I could see those rich kids being hugged by their parents. No one was there to throw their arms around me, but it wouldn’t have made any difference if there had been a whole delegation of well-wishers, because I thought I was through. I felt called to the ministry, but there was no possible way for me to go on to seminary. However, I had a wonderful heavenly Father who, through Philippians 1:6, put His arms around me and said, “I’ll see you through.”
And I want to testify today that He is still keeping His promise. It has been a comfort to me since I have had several bouts with cancer to know that my heavenly Father said, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” He is a good Doctor also; in fact, He is the Great Physician, and He has said, “Whatever I have in store for you, I’m going to see you through until the day of Jesus Christ.” So I am in His hands.
This is a great verse of Scripture. Oh, I have held onto this during many a dark night when the storm outside was beating against my little bark. My, how wonderful to have a heavenly Father like this!
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace [Phil. 1:7].
“Even as it is meet”—meet is an old Elizabethan word that means “right.” Even as it is right for me to think this of you all.
“Because I have you in my heart.” Isn’t that a wonderful place to carry your Christian friends?
“Partakers of my grace” brings us back to the word fellowship. It is koinoµnia with a preposition that intensifies it: suqkoinoµnous, meaning “being all wrapped up together.” You may remember that lovely Abigail used these words when she talked to David: “… but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God …” (1 Sam. 25:29). Paul is saying that he and the Philippians are all wrapped up together as partners in the gospel.
This is what I mean when I say that there were tender feelings of the apostle Paul for this church at Philippi. He was closer to them than to any other church. It is so wonderful to have Christian friends like this who are sharing in the great enterprise of getting out the Word of God. There is that sympathetic cooperation, besides the spiritual communication, and it always produces sweet communion.
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ [Phil. 1:8].
That word bowels is offensive to some folk. One sweet little lady, who I’m sure had never used a bad word in her life, came to me and said, “Dr. McGee, don’t read it like that. That’s crude.” I answered, “That’s the way it is in the Bible, and that’s the way I think it should be read—just as it is.” Bowels really means tender feelings. This is really a marvelous statement. Paul says that he longs for all of them in the tender feelings of Jesus Christ. Actually, it is quite accurate to use the word bowels for tender feelings.
I was teaching this one night at Bible study, and at that time a psychologist from the University of Southern California attended the classes. I was teaching that bowels meant tender feelings. He said, “The ancients were right. They were accurate when they talked about our feelings being in the region of the bowels.” He said, “The average person thinks that everything he does is because he has thought it over and that he is very smart.” Then he touched me on the head and said, “Very little really takes place up here.” I really felt that he knew me when he said that.
He went on to explain that the brain is really a very marvelous telephone exchange. A message comes up through the sensory nervous system, up through the synaptic connections from the hand to the brain. Immediately there is a transfer made over to a motor neuron, and the message goes down over a different set of synaptic connections. For example, when you touch a hot stove, immediately the message goes up to the brain, and the brain returns the message, “Take your finger off that—you’ll get burned.” You react instantly. You do it without thinking, but there was a connection made up in the brain. By the way, many people drive an automobile like that—without thinking, which is quite obvious. Then he asked me, “How did you feel the first time you saw your wife? Where did that take place? Was it in the brain?” The psychologist points to my tummy and said, “There is where you live and move and have your being.” So Paul is expressing his most tender feelings, “I long after you.” It is not because they have given him something. His reaction is not mental but emotional. This is a wonderful expression.
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment [Phil. 1:9].
There is a lot of silly thinking about this word love. I often get letters such as this one: “You gave me the surprise of my life when you said that there are certain preachers who spread damnable heresies. Doesn’t Jesus say in His Holy Word that we are to love our enemies and do good to those who hate you?” Of course He said that, but we need to notice to whom He said it. The Lord Jesus had some very harsh things to say about the religious rulers of His day. He said “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do …” (John 8:44). Also He said, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt. 23:33). He called the Devil their father and a snake their mother! I don’t think any person could be more extreme.
Paul prays that your “love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment [or discernment].” We are to love all believers in Christ. Some of the believers are a little difficult to love. Some of our friends are even difficult to love. We are to love the unlovely, but we are to love with knowledge and with discernment. That does not mean we just let our love slop over on every side. It is to abound with discernment. Let me give you an illustration out of my own experience.
When I first went to downtown Los Angeles as a pastor, I soon found that there are certain groups that move through that downtown area and prey on church people and new preachers especially. One Sunday morning one of the personal workers came to me and said, “There’s a man here who has come forward and wants to talk to you about his salvation.” Well, I felt complimented. This man wants to talk to me; he won’t talk to anybody else. So I went over to talk to him, and by that time practically everybody had left the church. I began to explain the plan of salvation. I never saw a fellow so interested. He took my Bible and read the verses I indicated. Oh, he had it down to a system! Finally I asked him if he wanted to accept Christ. Tears came to his eyes and ran down his face. He said yes, he did. We got down on our knees, and he prayed. When we stood up, I made a mistake. I asked him how he was getting along. And he told me, “I hate to tell you this, but my suitcase is down here in a certain hotel. They won’t let me have it because I owe them seven dollars.” Well, what would you do? You had just led a man to the Lord, supposedly; you’re a Christian; you’re a preacher; you ought to love the brother. Well, I gave him the seven dollars, and I felt expansive. I told my wife about it and felt very good inside that I had been so generous. About six weeks after that I was going through the daily paper, and there was a picture of this man. I thought, How in the world did he get into the paper? And I read that he’d been arrested. He had spent the previous six months in Los Angeles living off the preachers, and his comment was, “They are the biggest saps in the world.” And I was one of them! I called up the late Dr. Bob Schuler, who was pastoring in downtown Los Angeles at Trinity Methodist Church, and asked, “Did this fellow come down to you?” “Yes,” he said. “Did you let him have seven dollars?” He said, “No. That’s what he wanted, but I’ve been down here a long time, Vernon. After you’ve been down here awhile, you’ll find there are some you can’t love.”
Paul says to let your love abound more and more, but let it abound in judgment, let it abound in being able to discern. Over the years when I would drive to my study in Los Angeles, I used to say to the Lord, “I’m going to meet new people today, and I don’t know them. Some of them I’ll be able to help. Others of them will put a knife in my back. Lord, help me to be able to distinguish between the two. Show me which I should help.” Actually this verse rescues a Christian from being naive and gullible. His love is to abound in knowledge and discernment.
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ [Phil. 1:10].
Here is another important verse that needs some explanation. When Paul says, “That ye may approve things that are excellent,” he means that you need to try the things that differ. This has to do, I believe, with the Lord’s will for your life. There are times when we must come to a decision when there are two or more routes that we could go. What one shall we take? Frankly, there are times when we don’t know. The Lord will not send an angel to tell us, nor will He turn on red or green lights to give us signals. He expects us to use a little consecrated and concentrated gumption. Therefore we need to try the things that differ.
A man was telling me about his business. He had two routes open to him, and he prayed about his decision. He tried one of them, and it didn’t work. He told me that when he saw it wouldn’t work, he came back to the crossroads and tried the other route. He said, “Then I was sure of the Lord’s will. The one route didn’t work, so there was only one other way open for me. I followed that one, and it was the right one.” God says we are to try the things that differ. Actually, that is the way He leads us.
“That ye may be sincere”—“sincere” is an interesting word which comes from the Latin sincerus, which means without wax. When the Romans became a world power, they were a very strong and rather brutal people. They destroyed a great many of the art treasures of Greece in many places. In the cities of Asia Minor, we can still see evidence of that. I was interested in looking at several of the temples over there; the temple of Diana must have been a beautiful thing from the architectural standpoint. But many of the art troves of Greece were broken up. When the Romans reached the point of development in their culture that they appreciated these things, they began to gather them up. Many of them were broken. When there was a crack in a statue or a vase, a dishonest dealer would fill it in with wax so that one couldn’t tell that it had been broken. Then he would sell it as a genuine, perfect piece. An unsuspecting man would buy it, take it to his villa, and display it in his garden. The next hot day he would walk out and, lo and behold, the wax would be running out of a crack in that lovely art treasure! Finally the reputable art dealers began to put on their material the word sincerus, meaning without wax. In other words, they guaranteed it was a perfect piece.
Paul is saying, “Don’t be a phony. Be real, be genuine, be sincere.” Applying this to the previous verse, don’t go around patting everyone on the back with a “Praise the Lord, Hallelujah” and telling them how much you love them, if you are going to stick a knife in their backs the minute they leave your presence. That is what he is saying here. Be sincere.
“Without offence” means blameless, which would be a better translation, because we cannot live the Christian life or preach the Word of God without offense to somebody. Remember that people were offended at Paul and his preaching. That is the reason believers should pray for their pastor if he is preaching the Bible. If he is really giving out the Word of God, there will be offense. He needs your support, your defense of him, your prayers for him.
I officiated at a funeral service for a movie star several years ago. I preached the Word of God, and the crowd attending the service didn’t appreciate what I said. They were antagonistic. I even got some telephone calls from some of the people. One of the television newscasters gave the report of the funeral and said, “Hollywood heard something today that they have never heard before”—I understand he was a Christian. But my message was an offense to most of that crowd. So you see, the Christian life and the preaching of the Word of God will not be without offense to someone, but Paul is saying that believers should be blameless.
When I first became pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I met Dr. Jim McGinnis who was in Chicago at that time. He asked me how I liked being a pastor in downtown Los Angeles. I said, “Well, I certainly am enjoying it. It is a marvelous opportunity, and the crowds are coming to church, but I find I can’t defend myself. I hear reports about me that are terrible.” He answered, “That’s all right. Just be sure that none of them is true.” We can be blameless, but we cannot be without offense.
“Till the day of Christ” has reference to His coming for His own. This is the second time the Rapture is mentioned in this epistle. A child of God should walk in the light of the imminent return of Christ all the time.
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God [Phil. 1:11].
The “fruits of righteousness” are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is producing fruit in the lives of the believers. “… The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance …” (Gal. 5:22–23).
BONDS AND AFFLICTIONS FURTHER THE GOSPEL
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel [Phil. 1:12].
Paul is speaking very emphatically to them. When the believers in Philippi heard that Paul was in prison, they sent a message to him by their pastor, Epaphroditus, and it probably went something like this: “Oh, poor brother Paul, we feel so sorry for you. Now your great missionary journeys are curtailed; you are in prison, and the gospel is not going out!” Paul said, “Look, I want you to know that the gospel is going out, and the things that have happened to me have not curtailed but have actually furthered the gospel.”
Now he will make clear what he means by this.
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places [Phil. 1:13].
The palace was actually Caesar’s court. Acts 28:16 tells us, “And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.” Paul was chained to a member of the Praetorian Guard, and these men were the Roman patricians, members of Caesar’s household.
When Paul was converted, the Lord Jesus said that Paul would “… bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Well, up to this time Paul had taken the gospel largely to the common, vegetable variety of citizens in the Roman Empire. But now he has members of the royalty chained to him! Every four hours, at the change of the guard, one guard would leave and be replaced by a new guard who would be chained to Paul. What do you think Paul talked about during those four hours? Can you imagine having your congregation chained to you? My guess is that some of them were happy to see their relief guard come. They would say, “Boy, am I glad to see you! This man Paul is trying to make a Christian out of me.” Many of them did come to know Christ. The gospel penetrated Caesar’s household. Later Tertullian wrote that the Roman government became disturbed when it was discovered that Christians were in positions of authority. Many of these men later died for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the first evidence Paul gave that his imprisonment had not hindered the furtherance of the gospel but that it had enabled him to bring the gospel right into Caesar’s household.
Not only did Paul’s imprisonment enable him to reach into Caesar’s household with the gospel, but it also accomplished something else:
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear [Phil. 1:14].
In the early church there were many men who were willing to go out as witnesses for Christ, but after hearing Paul speak, they would say something like this, “Man, I’d like to witness for the Lord, but I can’t tell it like Paul tells it.” So long as Paul was out preaching the gospel, others would feel unworthy, not competent or sufficiently trained. They considered Paul so much more effective than they could be. But then one day the word went down the Roman roads to all those centers where churches had been established that Paul was in prison in Rome. In many of those churches men would say, “Look, Paul’s in prison. He can’t go out anymore. I’ll go.” As a result many men started to preach the gospel. I am confident that hundreds and maybe even thousands of men hit the Roman roads and moved out from door to door to tell people about Christ. So Paul says, “Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Now I believe there is a third effect of Paul’s imprisonment which he does not mention. We can only get this from the perspective of history. Paul may not have realized the importance of his writing, but if he had not been put into prison, we would not have the Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. They are all marvelous epistles, and we would not have them today if Paul had not been in prison. I’m sure the Lord could have gotten this teaching to us some other way, but this was the way He chose. So Paul could say about his imprisonment that it had “fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.”
There was, however, a tragic difficulty in Paul’s day. We have the same thing happening in this day, and it is still tragic.
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will [Phil. 1:15].
When I first began to study the Bible, it was unbelievable to me that the preaching of the gospel of Christ could be done in envy and strife. But now that I’ve been in the ministry for a long time—I was ordained in 1933—I know that one of the things that hurts the preaching of the gospel probably more than any other single thing is the envy and the strife. Paul will mention envy and strife several times in this epistle. There must have been quite a few who were preaching the gospel in that way, envious of the apostle Paul, jealous because they didn’t have the results that Paul had.
One of the solutions to this problem of envy is for every Christian to recognize that he has a gift. We do not all have the same gift. The body could not function if we did. The problem is that some men who have one gift are envious of a man who has a different gift. You will remember that Paul told the Corinthians that the gifts are to be exercised in love. Every gift is to be exercised in love. My friend, if you will exercise your gift in love, you will not envy someone else. “… Love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Cor. 13:4). Envy says, “I don’t think much of you,” and pride says, “What do you think of me?” That is the difference between envy and pride, and the believer is warned against both of them. Paul put it very bluntly when he wrote, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7).
Strife is an interesting word. It is the Greek word eris, which means “to stir up”—referring to demons, the spirits, that stir up strife. Envy and strife! Those two still hurt the church. Alcohol and drugs on the outside of the church cannot hurt it nearly as much as the envy and strife on the inside of the church.
Notice, however, that there were some who preached Christ of good will.
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds [Phil. 1:16].
Those motivated by envy and strife preached Christ, but not sincerely. They actually did it to try to belittle Paul. They were envious of the apostle Paul, but they had not been able to say anything against him. Now that he was in prison and unable to defend himself, these men would go out and preach the gospel, but they also would have a few little things to say against Paul.
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel [Phil. 1:17].
These are the two groups. What is Paul’s attitude toward them?
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice [Phil. 1:18].
The important thing to Paul was that Christ be preached, no matter whether it was done in pretense or by true motives. It is tragic that at times Christ is preached in envy and strife. He is still preached in that way today, but we can always rejoice whenever Christ is preached.
I am a little rough on female preachers because I believe they are unscriptural, but, as I have said on several occasions, some women are preaching Christ better than the average male preacher. What is my position? I rejoice and thank God that Christ is being preached.
Dr. Ironside told the story of walking through a park in Oakland, California. A woman was preaching there, and his friend said to him, “Isn’t it a shame that this woman is here preaching?” Dr. Ironside said, “It’s a shame that there is not some man to take her place.” That is the problem. Thank God, Christ is being preached. That is the important thing. We can rejoice today whenever the Word of God is given out.
At the time I am writing, a great many folk are getting concerned about home Bible classes. I am rejoicing over them. I know sometimes they go off on a tangent, but not any more than some churches go off on tangents. We can rejoice that the Word of God is being taught.
It is interesting and also comforting to know that Christ can be preached insincerely, and yet people can still be saved. God honors His Word, not the man or the organization. We need to recognize that today. The Spirit of God is the only One who can bring blessings, and He can bless only when the Word of God is given out.
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ [Phil. 1:19].
By the word salvation Paul means his deliverance from prison.
“Through your prayer.” People have asked me why I asked everyone to pray for me when I had cancer. They said, “Didn’t you know that God would heal you if you go to Him in prayer?” May I say that the Bible makes it clear that God hears and answers the prayers of His people. We need to ask God’s people to pray for us. Paul says that through their prayers he hopes to be set free.
“Through … the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The only way you and I can get that supply that we need is through prayer.
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death [Phil. 1:20].
Paul said he did not want to be ashamed of his witness while in this life, and he did not want to be ashamed when he came into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle John mentions the fact that when Christ comes to take His church with Him, it is possible for believers to be ashamed at His appearing (see 1 John 2:28). We need to bear that in mind. All Christians ought to be concerned about that.
Years ago I began a prophetic congress in downtown Los Angeles which has spread over this entire area and has given a tremendous emphasis to prophecy. This has been carried out across our country today. I probably have spoken in more prophetic congresses than any one individual. So I want to say this: there are too many people who are talking about the coming of the Lord but are not ready for the coming of the Lord. You may ask, “Aren’t they saved?” Yes, they are saved. But I’m afraid they will be ashamed at His appearing. Their lives do not commend the gospel. Paul says that he doesn’t want to be ashamed before Christ at His coming.
You will recall that this chapter gives the philosophy of Christian living. You will find that Paul will sum up the theme of each of these four chapters in one verse, and sometimes in one sentence. The next verse puts this chapter in a nutshell.
IN LIFE OR DEATH—CHRIST
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain [Phil. 1:21].
Notice in your Bible that the verb is is in italics. That means it is not in the original but had been added to make the meaning clearer. The verse is actually, “For to me to live Christ, and to die gain.”
This is the philosophy of Christian living: To live Christ; to die gain. Dr. William L. Pettingill used to say that gain is always more of the same thing. If to live is Christ, then to die would be more of Christ. It means to go and be with Him.
Although it has taken me a long time to arrive at this conclusion, I am convinced that the most important thing in my life as a Christian is to have the reality of Jesus Christ in my life. This is not too popular today. People would rather talk about being dedicated, wanting to serve Him, or doing this and that. But the most important thing is to have fellowship with Him so that your joy might be full. Then we will have a powerful witness. The problem is that most people want the end but forget all about the means. The means, in this case, is fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything else is the fruitage of this fellowship. For to me to live Christ; to die is to be with Him.
Now we know why Paul was undisturbed by the criticism being leveled at him. You can’t hurt a man who is in fellowship with Jesus Christ. What could anyone do to such a man? “For to me to live Christ, and to die gain” is a high plane on which to live. I wish I could say I have reached that plane. I’m on my way, and I haven’t arrived, but that is my goal. What a glorious one it is!
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not [Phil. 1:22].
Paul didn’t know about his future, just as you and I don’t know about our future. We don’t know what any single day will bring forth.
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you [Phil. 1:23–24].
Paul says he was torn between wanting to go to be with the Lord, which is the better of the two, or to stay with the Philippian believers because they needed him.
The first time I had cancer surgery, a letter came from a lady that said, “I know that everybody is praying that you will get well, but I am praying that the Lord will take you home because to be with Christ is far better.” I wrote back and said, “Would you mind letting the Lord decide about this? I want to stay.” I want to stay a while longer to give out the Word of God. I’ve just now gotten to the best part of my ministry, and I don’t want to leave it. I’m asking God to let me stay with it. I think that is a normal feeling for a child of God.
It reminds me of a story of an incident that took place in my southland in a black church. The preacher asked one night, “How many of you want to go to heaven?” Everyone put up his hand except one little boy. The preacher asked him, “Don’t you want to go to heaven?” He answered, “I sure do, but I thought you were getting up a load for tonight.”
We all want to go to heaven, but not right now!
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again [Phil. 1:25–26].
Paul is practical. He still has work to do. These folk need his ministry. He wanted to get out of prison and go to be with them again.
People who are always saying, “Oh, if the Lord would only come,” should get busy. This is the only place where we can do any work that is going to count for a reward for Him. This is the stage on which you and I play our part. I want to stay as long as possible, and I have promised the Lord I will teach the Word as long as He lets me stay.
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel [Phil. 1:27].
The word conversation means your way of life. Not only our speech but our entire way of life should be a credit to the gospel of Christ.
“Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”—oh, how God’s people need to stand together for the furtherance of the gospel! If the church were what it should be in the world today, the world would listen to the message it proclaims.
Here Paul uses the word strive which is so different from the word strife about which he wrote earlier in the chapter. In the word strive is the thought of agonizing. We are to agonize together for the faith of the gospel.
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake [Phil. 1:28–29].
When you get to the place where He lets you suffer for Him, you have arrived—that is the high calling of Christ Jesus.
Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me [Phil. 1:30].
Paul certainly knew what it was to suffer for Christ. Suffering for Christ is a token of blessing, not a sign that God has turned His face away.
This concludes chapter 1 in which we have seen the philosophy of Christian living. The chapter is summed up in one verse: “For to me to live Christ, and to die gain.”
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Pattern for Christian living—others; mind of Christ—humble; mind of God—exaltation of Christ; mind of Paul—things of Christ; mind of Timothy—like-minded with Paul; mind of Epaphroditus—the work of Christ
In the first chapter we saw the philosophy of Christian living summed up in one verse: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Christ was the very center of Paul’s life. Now in this chapter we come to the pattern for Christian living, which is the mind of Christ, as we shall see.
It cannot be by imitation. I hear people talking today about following Jesus. I sometimes would like to ask these folk what they mean by that—specially when their lives do not conform to what they are saying. Are they trying to imitate Jesus? When Paul says here that Christ is the pattern for Christian living, he is not talking about imitation. He is talking about impartation. That is, the mind of Christ should be in us, and it can be there only by the power of the Spirit of God.
I learned a long time ago that when Vernon McGee does things, they are not only not done well, they are done wrong—always. I am accused of being rather strong-willed, and I have a tendency to move ahead on my own volition. But when I do that, I stub my toe. Then I say, “Lord, I’m ready now for You to take over.” It has been wonderful to see how the Lord does take over.
We need to learn to sit back and watch the Spirit of God move. That doesn’t mean that we simply sit and twiddle our thumbs. Of course we carry on the program that God has given us to carry on, but the power and the dynamic come from the Spirit of God.
In this chapter is one of the greatest theological statements made in Scripture concerning the person of Christ. Down through the centuries one of the most controversial issues has come out of that theological statement. In fact, it is the thing that probably divided Europe—it had more to do with it than anything else. The theory promoted was the kenosis theory, which is that at Christ’s incarnation He emptied Himself of His deity. This chapter will make it clear that He did not empty Himself of His deity.
THE PATTERN FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING—OTHERS
Before we get into the controversial issue, let’s notice the practical side—this is a practical epistle.
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies [Phil. 2:1].
The “if” which begins this verse is not the if of condition—this is not a conditional clause. You will find that many times Paul uses if as an argument rather than a condition. Paul is a logical thinker. It has been said that if you do not find Paul logical, you are not reading him aright. It would be more accurate to translate it: “Since there is consolation in Christ, and since there is comfort of love, and since there is the fellowship of the Spirit, and since there are bowels [tenderness] and mercy.”
Now in view of all this, Paul says:
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye he like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind [Phil. 2:2].
Even though he is in prison, he is rejoicing in the Lord, but he says that he would rejoice even more if he knew the gospel was working in the lives of the Philippian believers.
“That ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” You see, there had been a little difficulty, as we noted before, in the Philippian church—not much, but a little. Paul wants them to be of one mind.
He is not asking them to be carbon copies of each other. In most churches there are two groups of people: one group for the pastor and one group against the pastor. The folk that comprise these groups are not thinking for themselves but are carbon copies of the group leaders.
To be of one mind is to let the mind of Christ be in you. That permits differences of expressions, differences in gifts, differences in methods of service, even differences in minor doctrines. We won’t be beating each other on the head because we disagree on these things. If we have the mind of Christ, we will agree on the major tenets of the faith.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves [Phil. 2:3].
You remember that Paul has mentioned this before. He said that there were some people, who were preaching Christ out of envy and strife. Now he says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory.” I would say most of the difficulties in the church today are not due to doctrinal differences. They are due to strife and envy. Some people just naturally cause trouble. If we could follow this injunction, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,” I think it would solve 90 percent or maybe even 100 percent of the problems in churches today.
If you are doing something through strife in the church, you had better not do it at all. The same is true if you do things because you expect to be recognized. One of the reasons I don’t like to go to organizational meetings is that I get tired of people having to thank Mrs. So-and-so because she brought a bouquet of petunias or Mr. So-and-so because he brought in an extra chair—and you don’t dare leave out anyone because if you do, you will be in trouble. Do Christians need to be recognized and complimented and commanded for things they do? “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory”—trying to make a name for yourself.
“But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Perhaps this was the problem between Euodias and Syntyche. It may be that each felt she was being put down by the other.
If this verse were obeyed, I believe it would solve the problems in most of the music departments in our churches. It would eliminate this attitude: “Why don’t they call on me to sing? I have a much better voice than So-and-so.” The same could be said for problems on boards and on committees. It would eliminate the “power struggle” that goes on in some churches among the church officers.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others [Phil. 2:4].
Others! That is an important word.
I was absolutely overwhelmed to get a letter from another broadcaster with a gift for our broadcast enclosed. It came from a man whose broadcast is carried on one of the same stations as our broadcast in the state of Florida. He wrote, “What a blessing your broadcast is.” I don’t know anything about this man’s broadcast, but I can tell you something about his person. He was exhibiting the mind of Christ. He was carrying out the admonition of this verse: “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” His letter was a very humbling experience for me.
“Others?” is the key to this passage. It is the Christian faith which first made that word others important. Why did Christ come from heaven’s glory to this earth? It was for others. Why should we carry the gospel? For others. To think of others rather than ourselves is having the mind of Christ.
MIND OF CHRIST—HUMBLE
Now Paul is going to tell us about the mind of Christ.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus [Phil. 2:5].
The mind of Christ—what is the one thing that characterized it? Humility. You may recall that in Ephesians 4 we were told, “… walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Then it goes on to describe this, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:1–2). That is the mind of Christ.
You and I can’t be humble. We can’t be meek. We are not made that way. We want to stand on our own two feet and have our little say. All of us are like that. Don’t say you are not, because you really are. None of us wants to be offended. None of us wants to be ignored. We develop hang-ups if we are brought up in such a way that we have been trampled on.
I heard about the son of a very fine minister who had become a vagrant. Why? It was because he had an older brother who was a brilliant fellow. This boy was always hearing about the brilliant things his older brother was doing. So he just went in the opposite direction, rebelling against it. That is the natural reaction of the natural man. It wouldn’t even help matters to go to the boy and say, “Now listen, son, you just ignore all that.” He is not going to ignore it. A man who is not born again is not even in the territory of being willing to take a humble place.
We come now to one of the great theological statements in the Scripture. Some consider it the greatest doctrinal statement in the New Testament relative to the person of Christ, and it is known as the kenosis, the “emptying.” This passage will make it clear that He did not empty Himself of His deity. It will give us the seven steps of humiliation which Christ took. I wish I were capable of sketching for you the magnitude of what is being said in these next few verses. I wish we could grasp how high He was and how low He came. The billions of light years across known space are nothing compared to the distance He came.
We find here seven steps downward. Then we have listed for us seven steps upward, the exaltation of Christ. First, then, in humiliation, we see the mind of Christ. Then we will see the mind of God. It is in the mind of God the Father to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to know what you can do that will put you in the will of God—I don’t know where you are to go or what you do—but I can tell you this: Since it is the purpose of God the Father to exalt Jesus Christ, I believe that is the will of God for every one of us. We are to exalt Jesus Christ, wherever we are and in whatever we do. We are to be one with the Father in this ultimate purpose of the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
The first step downward was when He left heaven’s glory. He came down and down and down to this earth, all the way to where we are. You and I cannot even conceive of what a big step it was from heaven’s glory all the way down to this earth. Absolutely, it is beyond human comprehension to understand what our Lord really did for us.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God [Phil. 2:6].
This is, I confess, a rather stilted translation. When Christ was at the right hand of God the Father, He wasn’t hanging on to His position. There was no danger of His losing His place in the Godhead because of any lack on His part or because of the ability and ambition of a contender. He hadn’t gone to school to learn to become God; He had not advanced from another position. He was God. It wasn’t as if the Lord Jesus had to say to God the Father, “Now You be sure to keep My position for Me while I’m gone for thirty-three years. Keep a sharp eye out for Gabriel—I think he would like to have My place.” I am not being irreverent; I am trying to show you that this was not something that He had to hold on to. The position belonged to Him. He was God.
Nor did He leave heaven reluctantly. At no time did He say, “Oh, I just hate to leave heaven. I don’t want to go down on that trip.” He came joyfully. “… for the joy that was set before him …” (Heb. 12:2, italics mine) He endured the cross. He said, “… Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:7). He came to this earth with joy. He was not releasing something that He wanted to hold on to when He came to this earth.
Now we see the second step down.
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men [Phil. 2:7].
“Made himself of no reputation” means to empty—the Greek word is kenooµ. The kenosis theory derives its name from the word kenooµ. Christ emptied Himself. The question is: Of what did He empty Himself? There are those who say He emptied Himself of His deity. All of the Gnostics in the early church propounded the first heresy that He emptied Himself of His deity, that the deity entered into Him at the time of His baptism and left Him at the cross. Well, this theory is not substantiated anywhere in the Word of God. He emptied Himself of something, but it was not of His deity. He was 100 percent God when He was a baby reclining helplessly on the bosom of Mary. Even at that time He could have spoken this universe out of existence because He was God. There was never a moment when He was not God. The apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made…. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us …” (John 1:1–3, 14).
Well, then, of what did the Lord Jesus empty Himself when He came to this earth? I believe that He emptied Himself of the prerogatives of deity. He lived on this earth with certain limitations, but they were self-limitations. There was never a moment when He wasn’t God. And He was not less God because He was man, yet He emptied Himself of His prerogatives of deity.
The few shepherds and wise men, and even the multitude of angels, were a sorry turnout for the Son of God when He came to this earth. Not only should that crowd have been there, but the whole universe should have been there. All of God’s created intelligences should have been there. The hierarchy of Rome should have been there. There should not have been just a few wise men from the East. They should have come from the West, and the North, and the South. And the temple in Jerusalem should have been empty that day—they should all have gone down to Bethlehem. But they didn’t.
Why didn’t He force them to come? Because He had laid aside His prerogatives of deity. He was willing to be born in a dirty, filthy place—not the pretty, clean stable of Christmas pageants and Christmas cards. He was willing to grow to manhood in a miserable town named Nazareth. He was willing to be an unknown carpenter. He could have had the shekinah glory with Him all the time, but He didn’t. He didn’t have a halo around His head as we see in so many paintings of Him. Judas had to kiss Him the night He was betrayed so that the crowd would know which was the man they were to capture. He didn’t stand out from other men by some kind of inner light or glory around Him. He was a human being, but He was God manifest in the flesh. He laid aside the prerogatives of His deity.
Can we be sure of that? I think we can. After He had finished His ministry, He gathered His own about Him on His last night on earth, and He prayed a very wonderful prayer to His heavenly Father. One thing He said in that prayer was this: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5). Notice this carefully: He prayed to have His glory restored. He did not pray to have His deity restored, because He had never given up His deity. But now that He is returning to heaven, He is asking that His glory, the glory light, a prerogative of deity, be restored. Obviously He had laid that aside. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation.”
The third step downward in the humiliation of Christ is this: “And took upon him the form of a servant.”
Jesus came to this earth as a servant. He worked as a carpenter. I suppose if you had lived in Nazareth in that day, you could have gone by the shop where Jesus worked and told Him you needed some repair work done at your house—“I have a door that is coming off the hinges; I wonder if You would come and fix it?” I think He would have said, “I’ll be right: over.” You see, He took upon Himself the form of a servant. He could have been born in Caesar’s palace. He was a king, but He never made that claim during those early years—in fact, He didn’t make it until He rode into Jerusalem in the so-called Triumphal Entry.
He came into this world as a working man, a humble man, a little man. Not only did He humiliate Himself to become a human being, but He came among the majority where most of us are today. He was one of the little people.
The prophet Isaiah wrote that Christ would come as a “root of Jesse” (see Isa. 11:10). As a young preacher I often wondered why Isaiah didn’t call Him a root out of David. Well, I have discovered the reason. When Jesus was born, Mary, who was in the line of David (and Joseph, who was also in the Davidic line by another route), was a peasant. They were working folk living in that little, miserable, gentile town called Nazareth. Then wasn’t Jesus in the line of David? Oh, yes. David was anointed king, but his father Jesse was a farmer in Bethlehem, and his line had dropped back to the place of a peasant. Our Lord was born into a peasant family.
“He took upon him the form of a servant.”
The fourth step in His humiliation is this: “And was made in the likeness of men.”
For years this did not impress me at all, because I am a man and I like being a man. I couldn’t see that being a man was a humiliation. I think there is a dignity about being a human being that is quite wonderful. How can it be humbling?
Let me give you a very homely illustration that I trust might be as helpful to you as it is to me. I confess it is rather ridiculous, but it will illustrate the humiliation of Christ in His incarnation.
When we first came to California in 1940, we had the experience of living in a place where the bugs and the ants are not killed off in the wintertime. We got here the first of November and had not been here long until I found in the kitchen one morning a freeway of ants coming into the sink. They were coming down one side and going back on the other side. Also I found they had discovered the sugar bowl, and they had a freeway in and out of it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want ants in the sink and I don’t want ants in the sugar bowl. So I began to investigate and learned that the thing we had to do was to kill them. Now I’m just not sadistic; I’m not brutal; I don’t like to kill things. But I began to kill ants. I got ant poison, and we got rid of ants. Then when we moved over to our own home, here were ants. They had found out where we’d moved. I have a wonderful Christian friend who is in the bug-killing business. He comes to my place twice a year, sprays everything—under the house, under the eaves, the trees—everything, and you can’t find an ant on my place.
Now I do not know this to be a fact, but I have a notion that the ants had a protest meeting around my lot. Maybe they carried banners that read, “Down with McGee. He hates ants!” But, frankly, I don’t hate ants. That’s not my hang-up at all. If I had some way of communicating with those ants and getting a message to them, I’d say, “Look here. I don’t hate you. Just stay out of the sugar bowl, and stay out of the sink. I’ll put sugar and water outside for you—I’d be glad to do that if you’d just stay outside.” But I do not know how to get that message over to the ants—except by becoming an ant. Now suppose that I had the power to become an ant. (If I could do it, I would not do it because I know some folk who would step on me if I were an ant!) But listen, if I could become an ant—from where I am now down to the position of an ant—that would be humiliation, wouldn’t it? I’d hate to become an ant. But, my friend, that is nothing compared to what my Lord did when He left heaven’s glory and became a man, when He took upon Himself our humanity, when He was made in the likeness of men.
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross [Phil. 2:8].
The fifth step in our Lord’s humiliation is that He humbled Himself. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself.” You and I have been humbled by someone doing or saying something which has been humiliating to us. But notice that Christ “humbled himself.” This is a most difficult thing to do.
One of the finest things I ever heard about John Wesley was concerning an incident when he was about to cross a brook over which was a very narrow bridge, just wide enough for one person. As he was starting over, he met a liberal preacher of that day. This preacher swelled up and said, “I never give way to a fool.” John Wesley looked at him for a moment, smiled, and began to back off, saying, “I always do.” My friend, it is difficult to take that humble place, but it has made me think a great deal more of John Wesley. We find it difficult to humble ourselves, but our Lord humbled Himself.
Many of us have had humbling experiences. I am reminded of a summer conference at which I was speaking years ago. One of the speakers at this conference was a most dignified Englishman. He was a gifted speaker and very dignified. He was shocked when I wore a sport shirt even on the platform. To him that was the unpardonable sin. He wore a white shirt, collar, and tie; in fact, he wore a frock coat for the evening services! Well, one afternoon it rained, and in the auditorium a window glass had been broken out so that it had rained in on the platform. In those early days all the speakers in any week would march onto the platform every night, regardless of who was bringing the message. On that particular night I walked behind this dignified, formally dressed Englishman, and when he hit that wet spot on the platform, his feet went out from under him. Oh, how he sprawled! And, you know, everybody laughed. I laughed so hard I had to leave the platform. After I went back and sat down on the platform, I thought I never could quit laughing. The next night we started in as usual, and he was right ahead of me again. I reached over and said, “Say, it’d be nice to have a repeat performance tonight.” “Oh,” he said, “wasn’t that humbling!” Yes, he was humbled, but he did not humble himself. Many times we are humbled, are we not? But we do not humble ourselves.
The Lord Jesus humbled Himself, and that is altogether different.
We come now to the sixth step in His humiliation: “and [He] became obedient unto death.” Death is a very humiliating sort of thing. It is not natural. Sometimes at funerals I hear people say, “Doesn’t he look natural?” It is generally said by some well-meaning friend who wants to comfort the loved ones. I don’t know why it would be a source of comfort to think that Grandpa looks natural in death. I bite my lip to keep from saying, “No, he doesn’t look natural.” Death is not natural. God didn’t create man to die. Man dies because of sin, because of his transgression. Death came by the transgression of one man, and that man was Adam, and death has passed down to all men. Death is not natural. God did not create man to die.
Now when the Lord Jesus came to this earth, He was a little different from the rest of us. You and I came to live. I honestly don’t want to die. I want to live. I have come to the most fruitful part of my ministry, and I want to live as long as the Lord will let me. But the Lord Jesus was born to die. He came to this earth to die. He didn’t have to die, but He “became obedient unto death” and gave Himself up willingly. I have to die, but I don’t want to. He didn’t have to die, but He wanted to. Why? In order that He might save you and me if we will put our trust in Him. This is what He said, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep…. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again …” (John 10:15, 17–18).
The seventh and last step in the humiliation of Christ is “even the death of the cross.” Not only did He become obedient unto death, but to the death of the cross. This would make a greater impact on our consciousness if we said that Christ died in the electric chair or the gas chamber or by the hangman’s noose. It was that kind of disgraceful death. He came from the highest glory to the lowest place of humiliation. Why did He do it? Let’s go back to the word others. “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” He left all the glory of heaven and came down to this earth, became a man, and suffered the death of a criminal for others—for you and me. Thank God for that! This is the mind of Christ.
MIND OF GOD—EXALTATION OF CHRIST
Now the mind of God the Father is to glorify Christ. We have seen the seven steps downward; now we will see the seven steps upward. The mind of God is the exaltation of Christ.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name [Phil. 2:9].
Here is the first step up: “God also hath highly exalted him.” The supreme purpose of God the Father in this universe today is that Jesus Christ be glorified in the universe which He created and that He be glorified on the earth where man dwells, where man rebelled against God.
The thing that makes this little earth significant and important is the death of Christ down here—nothing else. Astronomers tell us that we are a little speck in space, and if our little world were to be blotted out, it wouldn’t make any difference to the universe. And that is absolutely true. Someone else has said that man is a “disease on the epidermis of a minor planet.” That is what we are! The thing that has lent dignity to man and has caused him to look up into the heavens and sing the doxology is the fact that Jesus Christ came to this earth and died on the cross for him. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him.”
Now the second step: “and given him a name which is above every name.” The next time you take His name in vain, think of this. God intends to exalt that name that you use as a curse word and drag in the mud. The other day a pilot who stepped off a plane on which a bomb had exploded—and it was almost a miracle that he was able to land the plane—just stood over at the side of the crowd and said, “Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ!” I don’t know if he was saying it as profanity—God have mercy on him if he did it that way. I hope that it was a prayer. The name of Jesus Christ will be exalted above the names of all the great men of this world and above the names of all the angels in glory.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth [Phil. 2:10].
In this verse we find the next three steps of Christ’s exaltation.
The third step: “That at the name of Jesus”—Jesus means “Savior.” Before His birth in Bethlehem, the angel said, “… thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Now notice the reference to prophecy: “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:22–23).
Can you show me anyplace in the Bible where He was called Emmanuel? When I entered the ministry, I had no problem with “Behold a virgin shall conceive.” Since He is God, how else could He get into the human family except by a miraculous birth? But the thing that did cause a problem in this verse was, “He shall be called Emmanuel” because I couldn’t find any place where they called Him Emmanuel. “Well, then,” you may say, “that prophecy was not fulfilled.”
Oh, my friend, this is one of the most wonderful fulfillments of prophecy you can imagine. The angel said, “Call Him Jesus because He’ll save His people from their sins.” Now think through this. You couldn’t call me Jesus—I can’t even save myself Neither would it be accurate to call you Jesus because you can’t save yourself. You see, all of us are in the same ship today. The human family is on a sinking ship, and it’s going down. If there is to be a Savior, He’s got to come from the outside. There are those who want to throw out a lifeline. But to do that is like being on a ship that is sinking, and somebody on the top deck says to those down in the steerage, “Let me throw you a lifeline.” But the top deck is going down too! You see, the rope has to come from some other place than the human ship. No human being can be a Savior. “You shall call His name Jesus because He is going to save His people from their sins.” How can He save His people from their sins? Because He will be Emmanuel, God with us. That little Baby who came yonder to Bethlehem is God with us. He took upon Himself, not the likeness of angels, but our humanity. He is Emmanuel, God with us. And because He is that, He can be called Jesus. And friend, nobody else can properly be called Jesus.
Now God says, “I’m going to exalt the name which was given to Him when He came to earth above every other name.”
Now notice the fourth step of His exaltation: “Of things in heaven.”
And the fifth step: “And things in earth.”
And the sixth step: “And things under the earth.” This verse is used by the Restitutionalists to support their theory that ultimately everybody will be saved. We had a spokesman of this cult in Los Angeles for many years. He made the statement that Judas Iscariot and the Devil would be walking down the streets of heaven together because ultimately all would be saved. of course it was unfortunate that he used this verse because when you compare it with Colossians 1:20, you see its true meaning. The subject in the Philippians passage is the lordship of Jesus. God has highly exalted Him, that at the name of Jesus every knee must bow, in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. That is, even hell will have to bow to Him because He is the Lord. He is God. But merely bowing does not imply salvation. Colossians 1:20 is not talking about lordship, but about Christ’s reconciling work, His redemptive work. And what was reconciled? What was redeemed? Was hell included? No. The things under the earth are not mentioned here. Why? Because this verse is talking about redemption, and there is no redemption in hell. By putting these two verses together it is clear that those in hell who bow to Jesus are merely acknowledging His lordship. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.”
Here now is the seventh and final step of Christ’s exaltation:
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father [Phil. 2:11].
Every tongue shall “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” That doesn’t mean that every tongue will confess Him as Savior. It is interesting that even in hell they must recognize the lordship of Jesus, which will, I think, increase their anguish.
I want to give a word of caution here. Be very careful about calling Jesus your Lord if He is not your Lord. He made the statement that many would call Him Lord, Lord, and even perform miracles in His name, yet He will say, “I never knew you” (see Matt. 7:21–23). My friend, you had better know Him as your Savior before you say He is your Lord. If He is your Savior, then you can become obedient to Him as your Lord.
I don’t even like to hear people sing, “What a Friend we have in Jesus.” We have a friend in Him all right, but listen to the words of Jesus: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14, italics mine). We can call Him our friend if we do what He commands us to do. He is not our Lord unless we obey Him.
MIND OF PAUL—THINGS OF CHRIST
We have been learning about the mind of Christ. We have seen it is not something which can be imitated. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” can only happen by impartation. It is the work of the Spirit of God within us which will produce the fruit of meekness or humility in our lives.
Now we are going to see the mind of Christ as it walked down the Roman roads. We will see it lived in Roman homes and in a Roman jail. We will see three examples given to us: the mind of Paul, the mind of Timothy, and the mind of Epaphroditus (pastor of the church at Philippi). In this heathen empire there were these three men who exhibited the mind of Christ and there may have been three million more, but these are the ones who are presented to us in this epistle.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling [Phil. 2:12].
“Salvation” in this verse is used, I believe, in a general sense. Paul is talking about working out their problems which they had in the church and working out the problems in their own Christian lives. He is not there to help them and is not sure that he ever will be there again because he is in a Roman prison. So he tells them to work out their “own salvation with fear and trembling.”
A preacher was reading this verse of Scripture in the morning service. A little girl whispered to her mother, “Mother, you can’t work out salvation unless it has first been worked in, can you?” Now that is a very good question. The next verse answers it.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure [Phil. 2:13].
So God works out that which He had worked in. If God has saved you, He has saved you by faith—plus nothing. God is not accepting any kind of good works for salvation. But after you are saved, God talks to you about your works. The salvation that He worked in by faith is a salvation He will work out also.
Calvin expressed it this way: “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” James states it like this: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:17–18). Only God can see the heart; He knows our true condition. He knows if I have saving faith; He knows if you have saving faith. But your neighbor can’t see your faith. The only thing he can see is the works of faith. True faith will work itself out so that the people around us will be able to tell that we are different, that we are Christians. We don’t need to wear a placard or some sort of symbol to identify ourselves as Christians.
Paul will talk about that faith which will work itself out in the lives of the Philippian believers.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings [Phil. 2:14].
Don’t accept an office in the church or in the Sunday school if you have to grumble about doing it. That absolutely wrecks more Christian work than anything else. Do all things without grumbling or disputing.
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world [Phil. 2:15].
Be like a light. When we go out at night we see the stars up there. When God looks down on this dark world, He sees those who are His own as little lights down here. The children sing “This Little Light of Mine.” Well, my friend, that’s exactly what it is. Paul says, “Among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” As the stars are up there, we are down here.
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain [Phil. 2:16].
Life and light are related. When we hold forth the Word of Life, we are lights in the world. Paul rejoices when he hears that the Philippian believers are manifesting their faith in good works. These believers were very close to the heart of Paul because they were his converts.
Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all [Phil. 2:17].
Here is one of the most wonderful verses in the entire Word of God. It pictures what the Christian life really should be. He is referring to one of the earliest offerings in the Old Testament. When we go back to Genesis 35:14, we find that Jacob set up a pillar at Beth-el, “and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.” Then in the books of Leviticus and Numbers the sacrifices are described. We learn that there was a drink offering which was to be added to the burnt offering and the meal offering. It was never added to the sin offering or the trespass offering. It was a most unusual offering in that it had nothing to do with redemption; it had nothing to do with the person of Christ. They would bring in a skin of wine and just pour it on the sacrifice which was being consumed by fire. What happened to it? It would go up in steam and disappear.
Paul is saying, “I want my life to be poured out like a drink offering on the offering of Christ.” Paul knows that the Lord Jesus Christ made the supreme sacrifice. He wanted his life to be a drink offering—just poured out to go up in steam. He wanted to be so consumed and obscured that all that is seen is just Jesus Christ. He wanted Christ to receive all the honor and the glory. This was the mind of Paul. I can think of no higher wish for the Christian life.
For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me [Phil. 2:18].
In other words, “If your life commends the gospel, my life is just poured out as a drink offering. Together we’ll rejoice over this.” It is a walk in humility. Only a person with the mind of Christ could be so poured out as a drink offering. How gloriously wonderful that is.
Paul ends on a note of joy and rejoicing. Today we often rejoice over the wrong things. We need to rejoice over the fact that Jesus died for us and that we can serve Him. When we hear of someone whom God is using or hear of a wonderful church where people are being saved and built up in the faith, we ought to rejoice. If we are walking in humility, we will rejoice at the success of others. We have too much strife and vainglory. That was hurting the cause of Christ in Paul’s day, and it still hurts the cause of Christ. The mind of Christ in the believer will bring joy and will bring glory to God.
MIND OF TIMOTHY—LIKE-MINDED WITH PAUL
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state [Phil. 2:19].
Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son. Paul had great confidence in him. He could trust Timothy to care for the state of the Philippian believers.
For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state [Phil. 2:20].
Here we have described the mind of Timothy, and we find that he is like-minded with Paul. Since he was like-minded with Paul, it means that he had the mind of Christ, and he was characterized by humility. We don’t need a National Council or World Council of Churches to bring men together. In fact, we don’t need any organization to bring them together. If they both have the mind of Christ, they are together.
Timothy had been faithful to Paul. Sometimes a convert later turns against the person who led him to the Lord. This is like a child turning against a parent. Paul had had that happen to him, but Timothy was faithful to him. Paul was sending him to the Philippian believers because he could trust him. It is wonderful to have men like-minded with Christ so they can work together.
For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s [Phil. 2:21].
There were many others who were seeking their own glory. They wanted to make a name for themselves. Because they were seeking their own glory, they were willing to belittle Paul.
How do you respect others who are standing for the Word of God today? When I hear a man of God being criticized, I recognize that somewhere there is strife and vainglory. The mind of Christ will not allow you to criticize another man who stands for Christ. Paul says, “I can’t trust these other men.”
But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel [Phil. 2:22].
People speak a lot about togetherness in our day. There can be no more togetherness than for two people to have the mind of Christ. They are together even though they may be miles apart. That is why there is such a bond between fellow Christians who have the mind of Christ.
When a Christian young man and a Christian young lady fall in love, there is a togetherness that you cannot have in just a sexual marriage. A relationship that is simply physical can be bought on any street corner. But when a husband and wife have the mind of Christ, they are really together. There is no human ceremony that can bring two people together in that way. It is a glorious, wonderful relationship.
Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.
But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly [Phil. 2:23–24].
Paul wanted Timothy to be the one who would bring them the message about what was going to happen to him there in the prison. Paul had hopes that he would be released from prison. Tradition says that he was released from prison and had quite an itinerant ministry after this, although this is not recorded in Scripture. When the Christians were persecuted under Nero, naturally Paul, the leader, was brought back and executed.
MIND OF EPAPHRODITUS—THE WORK OF CHRIST
Epaphroditus was another who had the mind of Christ. He and Paul and Timothy were all together, brethren in the Lord, serving the Lord. Remember that he is the pastor of the church in Philippi.
Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants [Phil. 2:25].
Paul had founded the church at Philippi, but Epaphroditus was not jealous of Paul. Paul loved Epaphroditus because he had the mind of Christ and Paul could trust him. He calls him “my brother, and my companion in labour, and my fellowsoldier.” Paul says, “He is my fellowsoldier—he fights with me. He doesn’t stick a knife in my back when I’m away. He doesn’t side with my enemies. He stands shoulder to shoulder with me for the faith.”
“But your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” He was of practical help to Paul who is confined there in chains.
For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick [Phil. 2:26].
This is almost humorous here. Epaphroditus got sick, and word was sent back to the church at Philippi that their own pastor was sick. He longed for them—he probably was a little homesick also. Then when he heard that the church back there was mourning for him because he was sick, he had a relapse because it hurt him that they were hurt because he was sick! There was sort of a vicious circle set in motion here. But it was good because it revealed the marvelous relationship between the church at Philippi and their pastor.
In my conference ministry I speak in many churches, and I have learned that I can judge a church by its attitude toward a pastor who preaches and teaches the Word of God. When a deacon takes me aside and says, “Dr. McGee, we have a fine young pastor, and he is preaching the Word of God,” this rejoices my heart. But sometimes a deacon takes me aside and says, “Say, how do we get rid of a pastor like we have? He is too opinionated, too dogmatic, and he wants to run things.” I ask him, “Is he teaching and preaching the Word?” When the deacon’s answer is, “Oh, yes, but we have had that all along,” I can see that the Word has had no effect upon that man. If his feeling is shared by the church in general, that church is doomed. The rejection of a Bible-teaching preacher is the death knell of many churches across this land of ours. You see, the Devil has been very clever. He has shifted his attack from the Word of God itself to the man who teaches the Word of God. I find this is true across the length and breadth of our nation. The real test of a church is its attitude toward its pastor.
Epaphroditus was greatly loved by his church, and that speaks well for the church in Philippi.
For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow [Phil. 2:27].
Let me point out something here that you may not notice. Many sincere believers today hold the theory that Christians should not be sick, that they should trust God to heal them. Let me ask a question: Why didn’t Paul heal Epaphroditus? He was so sick he almost died! You see, Paul and the other apostles had “sign gifts?” because they did not have what we have today, a New Testament. When Paul started out with the gospel message, nothing of the New Testament had been written. Paul himself wrote 1 Thessalonians, the second book of the New Testament to be penned. When he went into a new territory with his message, what was his authority? He had no authority except sign gifts, which included the gift of healing. But now Paul is nearing the conclusion of his ministry. You will remember that Paul had a thorn in the flesh which the Lord Jesus would not remove. Instead, He gave Paul the grace to bear it. Then you remember that Timothy had stomach trouble. If Paul had been a faith healer, why hadn’t he healed Timothy? Actually, he told him to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake. And in 2 Timothy 4:20 he said that he had left Trophimus in Miletum sick. Why hadn’t he healed him? And now Paul says he has this young preacher, Epaphroditus, with him, and he was so sick he almost died. Paul didn’t heal him. Rather, he gives all the credit to God; he says that God had mercy on him. His healing came about in a natural sort of way. Paul made it a matter of prayer, and God heard and answered prayer. Why hadn’t Paul used his gift of healing? Because at this late stage, even before the apostles disappeared from the scene, the emphasis was moving back to the Great Physician.
You see, this epistle is emphasizing the mind of Christ, a humble mind. If I were a faith healer, I would be in the limelight; I would be somebody very great and very famous. But I’m not. The Lord Jesus is the Great Physician. When it was first discovered that I had cancer, I received a great number of letters advising me to go to this healer and that healer. No, I didn’t go to anyone, my friend, except a very fine cancer specialist and the Great Physician. I had an appointment with Him and I told Him I wanted to live. I turned over my case to Him. And He gets the credit for what happened to me.
So here is Paul the apostle toward the end of his ministry putting no emphasis on healing whatsoever. He has a sick preacher with him, but he does not exercise the gift of healing that he had. Why? Because Paul is shifting the emphasis where it should be, upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now Paul is sending Epaphroditus back to them.
I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful [Phil. 2:28].
Paul wants them to rejoice, not sorrow. “And that I may be the less sorrowful”—he was disturbed about the church in Philippi because it had been mourning instead of rejoicing.
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation [Phil. 2:29].
How gracious Paul was with this preacher from Philippi! A man like Epaphroditus should be respected and loved.
And, my friend, we should respect the one who is teaching the Word of God. If he has a gift of teaching which God is using, both the gift and the individual should be respected. Our attention should be focused upon the Word of God. I just don’t participate anymore in conventions and seminars that focus attention on problems—the drug problem, the alcohol problem, the sex problem, the youth problems, and the senior citizen problems—and offer psychological solutions for them. My friend, the problem is that we don’t get back to the Word of God. It is the Word of God that reveals Christ and the mind of Christ.
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me [Phil. 2:30].
Epaphroditus was doing the work of Christ. He had to have the mind of Christ to do that.
It sends chills up and down my spine to read about these men. This is in the first century, at the time of the Roman Empire. The empire of Caesar Augustus moved out and took over the world. The law of Rome became supreme everywhere. There was no mercy shown to anyone, but there was law and order everywhere. There was not a power in that day that could protest against Rome. Then there went out this little man, Paul the apostle, and those who were like-minded with him, and they preached a gospel that there is a God of the universe who, through a redemption that He had wrought on a Roman cross, had provided mercy for mankind. Multitudes turned to the Lord Jesus in that day.
Now I see this little man, Paul the apostle, chained to a Roman soldier. What is he doing? Well, he is witnessing for Christ, and he is rejoicing in the Lord. He has the mind of Christ. Also I see a fine young man, Timothy, walking in that pagan city. You say you cannot live for Christ in a godless society? Look at Timothy. He did pretty well. He had the mind of Christ. And then I take a look at Ephaphroditus, a faithful pastor way up yonder in the city of Philippi—it was a Roman colony, but it was a pagan, heathen city. Epaphroditus had the mind of Christ.
Then I look at Vernon McGee, and I say to him, Stop offering excuses in this day in which you are living! If these men could have the mind of Christ in the first century, today in the twentieth century right where we are now, you and I can have the mind of Christ. Not by imitation, but by yielding to Him the Spirit of God can produce in our own lives the mind of Christ. Oh, how desperately this is needed in our day!
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Prize for Christian living; Paul changed his bookkeeping system of the past; Paul changed his purpose for the present; Paul changed his hope for the future
We have seen the philosophy of Christian living: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). We have seen the pattern for Christian living: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). Now we come to the prize for Christian living which is summarized in Paul’s personal testimony: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (v. 14).
We will see in this chapter that Paul changed his bookkeeping system of the past, he changed his purpose for the present, and he changed his hope for the future. Paul believed that God was going to establish a kingdom on this earth; he never changed his view on that. But he did see that there is a marvelous, wonderful hope for believers in Christ—both Jew and Gentile—the day when Christ will take His own out of the world.
PAUL CHANGED HIS BOOKKEEPING SYSTEM OF THE PAST
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe [Phil. 3:1].
“Finally, my brethren” gives us the impression that Paul is coming to the conclusion of this epistle. He must have intended this to be a very brief thank-you note to the Philippian believers. But we are just midway in the epistle; so obviously the Spirit of God prompted him to go on.
My wife reminded me in a conference some time ago that when I was speaking I said, “Let me say this to you in the final analysis, and then I’ll be through”—then I went on talking for another fifteen minutes. She said, “You weren’t through at all.” So I told her I was just being scriptural, that I was doing it the way Paul did it.
His final message was going to be, “Rejoice in the Lord.” I think that would still be his final message if he were here today. He has shown how three men, himself, Timothy, and Epaphroditus, all had the mind of Christ. They were able to rejoice even in sickness and imprisonment. The early church could rejoice amid the fires of persecution.
Besides, Paul is saying that it has been no burden to him to write this letter. He has no burden on his heart such as there had been when he wrote to the Galatians and the Corinthians. The Philippians have been a great joy to him. Now he wants them to rejoice, too. Notice that it is actually a command: “Rejoice in the Lord.”
“To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” It is safe for him to write to the Philippians. They were spiritually mature. They loved Paul, and he loved them. He felt close to them. So he says it is not grievous, or irksome, to write to them. It is safe for him to write to them because he knows they will understand.
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision [Phil. 3:2].
“Beware of dogs.” This is not a word of warning to the mailmen. I once had a dog that hated mailmen, and I don’t know why. We changed mailmen several times during the period we had him, and he had the same attitude toward each of them. But Paul is not referring to animals in this verse. We will get some insight into his thinking by turning back to the prophecy of Isaiah who warned against the false prophets of his day: “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” (Isa. 56:10). Isaiah was warning the people against the false prophets who were attempting to comfort the people and were telling them that everything was fine instead of warning them of coming disaster. The northern kingdom had already gone into captivity because the false prophets had given them a false sense of security. God was warning the southern kingdom not to do the same thing. He was calling the false prophets “dumb dogs.” They won’t speak out. They won’t tell it as it is. Dogs are those who are not declaring the full counsel of God.
We have the same grave danger in our affluent society. Comfort is the word of the day. We look for comfortable places to stay when we are traveling. We enjoy all the creature comforts that we can afford. The desire for comfort has carried over into the church. There is a danger of just comforting the people of the congregation because that is what they would like to have coming from the pulpit.
A prominent member of a congregation which I served left the church because he said I never gave him any comforting messages. I found out later that in his business he was not always ethical. In fact, some considered him very unethical. Frankly, he didn’t need messages of comfort. He needed messages of warning. I think that was what he didn’t like. It may be that he thought I knew something of his business dealings, which I absolutely did not know at the time. In fact, I have never preached a sermon at any individual in my life. I have tried to preach what the Word of God says. Often that is not a comforting message.
When I went to see my doctor, I tried my best to be evasive with him. I told him that I knew someone who had the same trouble I did and he was given medicine and recovered. As he examined me, he said, “Dr. McGee, if you need medication, I will give it to you, but I don’t think you need medication. You are in trouble.” Well, that was not a comforting message! He told me candidly, “I’m going to tell you the truth, because if I don’t, you will not have confidence in me. You have cancer.” I have thanked him for that ever since. I wanted to hear the truth. Don’t you want to hear the truth?
In Isaiah’s day there were a great many false prophets who were comforting the people when they should have been warning them. Isaiah likens the false prophets to dumb dogs. You see, a good sheep dog is constantly alert to danger. If a lion or a bear makes a foray into the flock, that dog will bark like mad and run it away if he can. He gives warning of the approach of any kind of danger. But the false prophets gave no warning at all. Therefore the southern kingdom had been lulled to sleep and resented Isaiah’s effort to arouse them.
America today is in the same position. We are going to sleep, my friend, under the comfortable blanket of affluence. We like the idea of comfort, of getting something for nothing, of taking it easy, of having a good day. My feeling is that somebody ought to do a little barking.
So Paul warned, “Beware of dogs”—beware of men who are constantly comforting you and are not giving you the Word of God.
“Beware of evil workers.” This is another group that would actually abuse and use believers. They are not honest.
“Beware of the concision”—he slurred the word circumcision and said concision. He is saying that they are no longer of the true circumcision, referring to the legalizers, those who were attempting to force Christians to keep the law of Moses for salvation and sanctification.
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh [Phil. 3:3].
“We are the circumcision.” What does Paul mean by that? He makes it very clear at the end of the Epistle to the Galatians: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Gal. 6:15). The old circumcision is out. God is not looking for a mere external observance. True circumcision is of the heart. It is the new birth, a new heart attitude toward God. True circumcision is being in Christ.
“And have no confidence in the flesh.” We do not have confidence in our old nature. We trust Christ alone. We do not look to ourselves for salvation, nor can we live the Christian life in our old nature. It must be Christ in us.
These legalizers would follow Paul in his missionary journeys. After he was gone, they would meet with the believers and say something like this: “Well, we know that brother Paul says we are to have no confidence in the flesh, that we are not to trust the rituals nor the sacrifices, and that the Law won’t save us. He does well to say that, because he doesn’t have very much to rest upon. He doesn’t have the background in Judaism that we do. He says that because of his ignorance and the failure of his life to measure up to the requirements of the Law. So of course he has no confidence in the flesh.”
Now Paul is going to answer that.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more [Phil. 3:4].
Paul says, “If there is any person who could have confidence in the flesh, then I could have even more confidence.” He is willing to stack his religious life against that of any man, and he knows that he could measure up to him and surpass him—“I more.”
Now he is going to list seven things in which he trusted at one time. This is religion. If anyone could have been saved by religion, Saul of Tarsus would have been the man.
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless [Phil. 3:5–6].
These are still things that people boast about today, but none of them can save you.
1. “Circumcised the eighth day.” This is a basic rite of the Mosaic system. Well, of course he didn’t get up out of the crib on the eighth day and go down to the temple or synagogue to have circumcision performed. It means that his parents took him on his eighth day to be circumcised. He is making it clear that he had godly parents. They reared him according to the Mosaic Law. You will remember that the Lord Jesus also had godly parents who brought Him to the temple to be circumcised.
One of the things that hurt me and held me back in my early ministry was the fact that I had not been brought up in a Christian home. My dad was a heavy drinker who would not darken the door of a church. He was very bitter and very prejudiced. He did make me go to Sunday school, and I thank God for that. But I never saw a Bible or heard a prayer in my home. When I went away to seminary, I did not know even the books of the Bible. I would meet other fellows who had been brought up in Christian homes. They seemed to know so much. I always felt deprived, felt that I had missed something. Well, Paul did not have this handicap. He could say, “I was circumcised on the eighth day,” which means he had godly parents.
2. “Of the stock of Israel.” Probably many of the Judaizers were half-breeds; Paul was not. He was of the stock of Israel. I think you could have checked Paul’s genealogy in the temple in that day. Paul had a genealogy, a background, and he knew he belonged.
3. “Of the tribe of Benjamin.” This is like saying that he belonged to the best family. Benjamin had been the favorite son of old Jacob. Rachel had given birth to Benjamin when she died, and she had called him “son of my sorrow,” but Jacob had named him “son of my right hand.” Rachel had been the bright spot in his life before Peniel, and when he had looked in the crib at little Benjamin, he had seen him as Rachel’s son. Benjamin became his right hand, his walking stick, the one on whom he leaned. Also the first king of Israel came from the tribe of Benjamin. His name was Saul, and I have a notion that Saul of Tarsus was named after him. So Paul could say with pride that he came from the tribe of Benjamin.
It is an advantage to be able to say, “My father was a minister of the Word of God,” or, “My father was a layman who stood for the Word of God.” On the other hand, sometimes it can work for a hindrance. I find people who say, “Dr. McGee, I was brought up in such-and-such a church; my grandfather was a founder of the church. There is even a window in the church dedicated to him. So I’ll never leave that church.” That can be a hindrance if the church has become liberal and the Word of God is no longer preached there. But for Paul, being of the tribe of Benjamin was a definite asset.
4. “An Hebrew of the Hebrews.” This means he was a leader. He was in the highest stratum of the religious circle. He was up at the top.
5 .“As touching the law, a Pharisee.” The Pharisees represented the very best in Israel. They were a religious-political party, and their aim was to establish the kingdom. They had arisen sometime after or during the Captivity. They were fundamental. They believed in the integrity of the Scriptures; they believed in angels; they believed in the resurrection and in miracles. They were also extremely nationalistic in their politics.
I think the reason they sent Nicodemus to see Jesus was because they thought, Here is a prophet come out of Galilee. If he will just let us hitch our wagon to his star, we’ll go places because we know how to manipulate Rome. The Pharisees thought they could bring the kingdom by political manipulation. They wanted to establish the kingdom of God here upon this earth. Paul could say that he was a Pharisee.
6. “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church.” Paul thought he was doing God’s will when he persecuted the church. The other Pharisees were willing to relax when they had run the Christians out of Jerusalem, but Paul was determined to ferret them out all over the world. That was his purpose on his way to Damascus at the time of his conversion.
7. “Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Notice that he does not say he was sinless or perfect; he says he was blameless. In Romans 7:7 Paul tells us his story: “… I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Paul does not claim sinless perfection. This commandment showed him his sin.
Now if you break the commandment, Thou shalt not steal, you’ll have the evidence or you may leave your fingerprints back at the scene of the crime. The same thing could be said about murder—you would have a corpus delicti on your hands. It is impossible to commit adultery without somebody else knowing about it. But you can covet and nobody would be the wiser. If Paul had kept quiet, we might think he had reached the place of sinless perfection, but he very frankly said he had not. He says that the Law “slew him.”
What he means by “touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” is that he had brought the proper sacrifice for his sin to make things right before God. Paul was sincere. Regarding the Law, Paul was a super-saint. He had every right to say, “If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.”
These were the things that Paul had on the credit side of the ledger. It was such a big total that he felt all of these things commended him to God. He thought they were all credits to him.
On the debit side of his ledger was a Person he hated. That was Jesus Christ. Out of his hatred Paul was trying to eliminate the followers of Jesus Christ.
Then one day the Lord Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus, and Paul changed his whole bookkeeping system. What had been a debit became a credit, and what he had considered a credit became a debit. It was a complete revolution.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ [Phil. 3:7].
On the credit side of the ledger Paul had been adding up his background and his character and his religion. It seemed like an impressive list—and it was, on the human plane. Suddenly it all became a debit—he no longer trusted in those things because he met Jesus Christ. He had hated Him before and was on the way to Damascus to persecute His followers, but now the One on the debit side was moved to the credit side. He put his entire trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, my friend, if the bookkeeping system of this country were transformed like that, it would upset the economy of the world. It would be a revolution. Actually, any conversion is a revolution because what things are gain become a loss, and loss becomes gain. It turns you upside down and right side up. It gets you in an altogether different position. That is what conversion is.
Now there is a time lapse between verses 7 and 8. I don’t know the length of time, but I think it extends all the way through Paul’s life from his conversion to the time he was writing this epistle. He had gone on his missionary journeys, and now he was in a prison in Rome.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ [Phil. 3:8].
Paul’s conversion was not just an experience of a moment. Conversion is not a balloon ascension. A great many people think that you can go down to some altar and have an experience, see a vision, and be carried to the heights—and that’s it. Oh, my friend, conversion is something that stays with you. It is not for just a moment. Although it happens in a moment of time, it continues for a lifetime. And sanctification is not a great emotional experience; it is a daily walk in dependence upon God.
Paul says that since that moment of his conversion he lives for Christ. He has suffered the loss of all things. Jesus Christ is uppermost in his thinking. The things that he used to consider most precious he now considers to be dung—that is strong language! He says he flushes his religion down the drain. He flushes away all the things he used to trust. Now he trusts the Lord Jesus and Him only for his salvation.
I remember hearing Dr. Carroll say, “When I was converted, I lost my religion.” A great many people need to lose their religion and find Jesus Christ as Paul did. He was so revolutionized that what had been his prized possession is now relegated to the garbage can!
Paul goes on with a theological statement of what happened to him.
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith [Phil. 3:9].
This is the verse that came to John Bunyan as he walked through the cornfields one night, wondering how he could stand before God. He said that suddenly he saw himself—not just as a sinner, but as sin from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. He realized that he had nothing, and that Christ had everything.
“Not having mine own righteousness”—his own righteousness, as he has made clear, is of the Law; that is, it is law-keeping. For example, he could boast of the fact that he kept the Sabbath day. But Paul now says to let no man judge you in respect of the Sabbath days (see Col. 2:16). My friend, I could boast of the fact that I preach so many times during the year and that I have a daily radio program, but these things count nothing for salvation. “Mine own righteousness” is a legal righteousness, and God has already declared that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in His sight (see Isa. 64:6), and God is just not taking in dirty laundry. However, He will take in dirty sinners, and He is the One who will clean them up.
Paul had given up his claim to all of his own righteousness.
When speaking at the Hollywood Christian group years ago, I recall a young couple who had been converted. They were talented kids and were really beautiful people. On the human side they had everything. They were called on to give a testimony before my message. They said that now that they had been converted they were going to use their wonderful talent for the Lord. So after I had finished teaching that night, I met with them over a cup of coffee. I said, “I have a question I would like to ask you that sort of bothers me. You made the statement that you have a wonderful talent to use for Jesus. I would like to know what it is. You danced in nightclubs, you sang in nightclubs, and you told stories in nightclubs. Do you think Jesus could use that?” Well, they said they hadn’t thought of it like that. I said, “Look, when you come to Christ, you come as bankrupt sinners. You don’t offer Him anything. You come with nothing. You are beggars. You have nothing; He has everything, and He offers it to you.”
Oh, my friend, let’s get this verse into our thinking! “Be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
“By faith” is the important word. That is the only way in the world you can get it. You can’t work for it; you can’t buy it; you can’t steal it. You just trust Him.
“The righteousness which is of God” came about because, when Christ died on the cross, He subtracted your sins, and He rose again from the dead for your justification, your righteousness. My friend, God can’t even stand us in our unregenerate state. We are not attractive to Him! The very fact that He loved us and gave His Son for us is the most amazing statement ever made. We are accepted in the Beloved.
PAUL CHANGED HIS PURPOSE FOR THE PRESENT
Paul is no longer going to try to build up legal righteousness. He isn’t going to see how religious and pious he can be or how much he can persecute the church. Since he has changed his bookkkeeping system of the past, he is also going to change his purpose for the present. Listen to what he is going to do:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead [Phil. 3:10–11].
Some people get the impression that being saved by faith means there is no motivation for conduct and works. They think that if a person is saved by grace it must mean he just sits around and twiddles his thumbs. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Saving faith is a faith that moves you. James said (and he is not talking about law-works but faith-works), “… shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). My friend, if you have been saved, I want to see your works. If you don’t have works, you are not saved! That is exactly what Paul is saying. If you have been saved by faith you have a new motivation, a new life purpose, a new life-style. If your faith in Christ hasn’t changed you, you haven’t been saved. You are still the same old man producing the same old life. Paul dissipates any notion that being saved by faith means you can sit in a rocking chair and rock yourself all the way to heaven.
Paul exhibits an effort and an energy that is derived from the Holy Spirit, which is far greater than any legal effort. Under the Law, this man was willing to go to Damascus to stamp out the followers of Christ. Under the grace-faith system, he will go to the end of the earth to make followers of Christ and to witness for Him. Faith produces something. Let us be perfectly clear about this. Your works have nothing to do with your salvation. You are shut up to a cross for salvation. God has only one question for the lost sinner to answer: “What will you do with Jesus who died for you?” If you will accept Him as your Savior, you are saved by faith. That is the righteousness that comes only by faith. Even your life after salvation doesn’t build up a righteousness that has anything to do with your salvation. Your faith in Christ is a motivation for you to live for God. That is the reason Paul went on to live as he did.
I just do not understand people who are doing nothing for God. Some people say that they can’t do anything. Well, to be very candid with you, you can help me or other Bible teachers get out the Word of God. I’m an old man, but I am not going to quit. I’m going to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. I have told God that if He would let me live, I’d get out His Word as long as I live. Oh, my friend, our faith in Christ gives a real motivation to work for Him!
“That I may know him”—Paul at the end of his life still had the ambition to know Christ. Today some saints give me the impression that they have complete knowledge and they only need to polish their halo every morning and are ready to take off at any moment. Yet Paul, the greatest missionary the world has ever seen, said at the end of his life, “My ambition is still to know Christ—His person and the power of His resurrection.”
The greatest comfort in my life is the reality of Christ. I need the reality of Christ in my life—now don’t point an accusing finger at me, because that’s what you need also.
“And the fellowship of his sufferings”—oh, how we need to know the fellowship of His sufferings! I was moved to tears by a letter from someone who, after reading our message on Psalm 22, wrote, “Oh, I never knew how much Christ suffered for me!” My friend, I want to know the fellowship of His sufferings, I want to enter into them. To know Christ and His work of redemption will engage our attention for eternity. We are going to spend all eternity praising Him for that. If you are bored with it now, if you don’t enjoy praising Christ now, I don’t know why you should want to go to heaven.
“If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” When Paul uses the word if he is not expressing a doubt about his participation in the Rapture. Rather, he is affirming that he will have part in it with great joy. Paul did not expect to attain perfection in this life; therefore, he wanted to have full participation in the coming Rapture. When someone tells me that he does not believe in the Rapture, I wonder about his relationship to the person of Christ. Paul is saying, “My ambition, the thing I’m moving toward, is not only that I might know Him but that I might have a meaningful, joyous part in the ‘out-resurrection,’ which is the rapture of the church.” The Old Testament saints are not to be raised until the end of the Great Tribulation Period (see Dan. 12:1–3). The rest of the dead will not be raised until the end of the Millennium.
Have you ever stopped to think what the coming of Christ really means? Most of us think, “Boy, it will get us out of this old world.” Paul says, “It will get me into His presence.”
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus [Phil. 3:12].
The knowledge that he will not attain perfection does not deter Paul from moving in that direction. Perfection means complete maturity. Paul knew he had not arrived. He certainly agreed with Peter that we should “… grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ …” (2 Pet. 3:18).
Now the next verse will give us the modus operandi of the life of Paul:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before [Phil. 3:13].
“I count not myself to have apprehended”—Paul is saying that he hadn’t arrived. Oh, so many saints feel comfortable in their ignorance. They think they know it all.
“This one thing I do.” Talk about the simple life—if we could get the Christian life down to where we should have it, it would really be an uncomplicated life. Paul had whittled his life down to one point.
“Forgetting those things which are behind.” He is leaving the past behind with all his mistakes, not letting it handicap him for the future. The future—he lives in the present in the anticipation of the future when he will grow and develop. (Someone has well said that today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.)
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus [Phil. 3:14].
“I press toward the mark for the prize.” Paul likens himself to a track star, running for a prize. We must remember that Paul had witnessed the Olympic Games—at least, he had every opportunity to do so. There was a great amphitheater in Ephesus which seated one hundred thousand people, and the Olympic Games were held there at times. Paul was living in Ephesus for three years, and it is difficult for me to believe that he hadn’t seen the games, especially since he used so many figures of speech that were taken from those athletic events.
“The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”—the prize is not some earthly reward but is to be caught up and be in the presence of Christ. “The high calling of God” is sometimes translated “the upward call of God.” We are going to be in His presence. We are going to be like Him. These are things that Paul says are out yonder in the future for him.
Now let’s be clear on one thing: we don’t run for salvation. Salvation is not the prize. Either we have Christ or we don’t have Him. We either trust Him or we don’t trust Him. The only way we can have salvation is through faith in Christ. It is a gift. A gift is different from a prize. The wonderful folk on our radio staff presented me with a birthday gift. Somebody said, “We have a gift for you, Dr. McGee,” and handed a box to me. I believed them and I took it. I didn’t put my hands behind my back and say, “Well, I’m not sure you really mean business. I am not sure that you intend to do this for me.” I just accepted it and thanked them for it. I didn’t have to run a race to win it; I didn’t have to work for it. It was a gift. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). Salvation is not won at a race. Salvation is a gift which is accepted.
Now Paul, after receiving eternal life, is out running for a prize. Christ became everything to him, and he is running a race that he might win Christ. In what way? Well, someday he is going to appear in His presence. His whole thought is: “When I come into His presence, I don’t want to be ashamed.” John said that it is possible to be ashamed at His appearing: “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). There are a great many Christians today talking about wishing Christ would come, who, if they really knew what it will mean to them, would probably like to postpone it for awhile. If you think that you can live a careless Christian life and not have to answer for it, you are entirely wrong. One of these days you will have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of the way you lived your life. I suggest that you get down on the racecourse and start living for Him.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you [Phil. 3:15].
“As many as be perfect”—what does he mean by that? I think I can illustrate this by my orange trees. My three orange trees are loaded with fruit this year. Some of the oranges are still green, but for this particular time of year, they are perfect. They are perfect oranges. But if you come and see me in a month, they will not be perfect oranges if they stay just like they are now. You see, when Paul says “perfect,” he means arriving where one should be in maturation. Another illustration would be that of a baby. Suppose we have a baby here seventeen months old. My, what a wonderful baby he is—he wins a blue ribbon. But if you see him seventeen years later and he is still saying, “Da-da,” there is something radically wrong. Maturation is the thought Paul has in mind. He is saying this: “Let us, therefore, as many as are complete in Christ, who are growing normally in Christ, let us be thus minded.” In other words, have the same mind as Paul. Get out on the racetrack with Paul and press on toward the same goal.
“And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” Maybe you have some other idea, and maybe God does have something else for you to do. If you are willing to do it, He will show it to you. God is able to lead a willing believer. You may remember that the psalmist told us not to be like the horse and the mule that must have a bridle in his mouth in order to be led. If God must lead you around like that, it will hurt. Why not let Him lead you by His eye? That is the way He would like to do it. This is what Paul is talking about—“God shall reveal even this unto you.” God will reveal His will to you if you want to be led. I hear Christians say, “If only I knew the will of God.” It’s a matter of being in touch with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a matter of drawing close to Him. It is a willingness to do His will when He shows it to you. There is no little formula for discovering the will of God. One cannot live a careless life and expect a vision or an angel or some green light to appear to show the way to go in a crisis. Knowing the will of God comes through a day-by-day walk with Him and a willingness to be led by Him. This will keep you on the right route through life, and it will be a great joy to your heart.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing [Phil. 3:16].
Paul is encouraging the Philippian believers to get out on the racetrack. He wants them to press on for the prize—the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Then he goes on to give himself as an example.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample [Phil. 3:17].
I wish I could say that. I can’t, but Paul could. He says, “If you want to know how to do it, watch me.” This is not to be an imitation. What he means is that you learn to share the power of Christ in the body of Christ, the church.
I believe it is proper for a believer to function within a Christian organization, a church. It doesn’t have to be a building with a tall steeple on it. Many folk think they must go to a certain type of building. That is not necessary. You can function within a Christian organization. My feeling is that if there is a good Bible church in your community where the Word of God is given out, you are out of the will of God if you are not identified with it. If there is a good Christian organization in your town through which God is working, and you are not supporting it, I think you are out of the will of God. This, I believe, is what Paul means here and what he says elsewhere.
Now Paul discusses the negative side.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) [Phil. 3:18–19].
This is as severe a condemnation as you can find of those who profess to be Christians. They claim to be Christian, yet they contradict their profession by their lives. Their God is their belly—that’s an awful thing! This means that they are led by their appetites. Some professing Christians have an appetite for money. They will do most anything for the almighty dollar. Others have such an appetite for sex that it becomes actually their god. Others covet—that is the cause of much of the strife and vainglory. The basic cause of it is that they have their hearts and minds on earthly things. They live for self and self only, and they actually glory in this. They are proud of what they should be ashamed.
Paul is saying that if you have trusted Christ, if you have had that kind of revolution that happened to him on the Damascus road, if Christ is the all-absorbing thinking of your mind and your time and your talent and your possessions, then this will tell in your life. James put it like this: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:17–18). In other words, my friend, if you haven’t any works you are not going to convince your neighbor. He will judge your faith by your works. As Calvin said, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” Some folk feel that the statement “whose God is their belly” is crude. Well, the statement is not crude, but the condition it speaks of is certainly crude. How tragic it is to see Christians who are given over to the passing things of this world, who “mind earthly things.”
PAUL CHANGED HIS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ [Phil. 3:20].
A better translation for “conversation” is citizenship. It means the total way of life; it means a new life-style. An even better translation is that made by Mrs. Montgomery: “For our city home is in heaven.” Probably that is closer to what Paul is saying. The Greek word for “conversation” is politeuoµ, meaning “to act as a citizen.” The city of Philippi was a Roman colony. In Philippi the laws of Rome were enforced. The people wore the same kind of styles that were worn in Rome. They spoke Latin. Everything in Philippi was like Rome because it was a colonial city.
Today, believers, collectively called the church, should be a colony of heaven, and they ought to act like they act in heaven and speak the language of heaven. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, but it should be our goal. Paul is saying that we are ambassadors of Christ here on this earth; we are to represent heaven and heaven’s message here upon earth today, because “our citizenship is in heaven.”
“From whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul expresses the hope of the believer on the high plane of praise to God. It is the joyful anticipation of His return.
The hope of the believer in the New Testament is never the Great Tribulation Period. After he says our citizenship is in heaven, he says that from there “we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” He doesn’t say anything about going through the Great Tribulation Period, which will be a time of judgment, and the church is delivered from judgment. Believers will not go through the Great Tribulation any more than Enoch went through the Flood. Many folk maintain that the Lord can preserve the church through the Great Tribulation. Yes, He can; God kept Noah in a boat through the Flood, but He took Enoch out of the world. There will be two groups of people who will be His during the Great Tribulation Period. One will be taken out, as He says to the church in Philadelphia: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). The other group will be going through the Great Tribulation. There will be a great company of Gentiles and there will be 144,000 of Israel who will go through the Great Tribulation Period because they are to be sealed by God.
Let me digress to say that the teaching that the church is to go through the Great Tribulation is becoming increasingly absurd to me. The advocates of this theory maintain that there is not a verse in Scripture that says the church will not go through the Great Tribulation. While it is true that it doesn’t say it in those words, neither is there a verse in Scripture that has anything to say about the church not doing other things. For instance, I am confident that we are all going to have a position, a job to do, throughout eternity, but Scripture does not go into detail on that sort of thing. However, Scripture is very clear on the fact that the church has a glorious, wonderful hope for the future. It seems to many of us that it is tissue-thin between where we are now and the Rapture of the church. However, Scripture does not tell us when Christ will come. Apparently Paul felt that during his lifetime the Lord could come, and there is no record of Paul’s expecting to first go through the Great Tribulation. He experienced a lot of trouble during his life, but he never interpreted that as the Great Tribulation. With a note of glad expectancy Paul says, “For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ”—after we go through the real Tribulation? It doesn’t say that in my Bible. Nowhere does it say the church is going through the Great Tribulation, my friend. Paul’s joyful expectancy makes it very clear that he was looking for Christ’s return, not for the Great Tribulation.
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself [Phil. 3:21].
“Our vile body” might be better translated “body of humiliation” or “body of corruption.” It means that He shall change our earthly body. This body that we have is an earthly body, subject to all kinds of limitations. It is adapted to this earth. We are not naturally equipped to go up into space. Our bodies are earthly bodies.
“That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” These bodies are corruptible bodies. One of these days you and I will move out of these bodies. We will leave them because they are corruptible. They are going to be changed—I’d like to trade mine in right now—“fashioned like unto his glorious body.” It will be a body like the one the Lord Jesus had after His resurrection. It will be a glorified body. Paul speaks of it in his letter to the Corinthians: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump …” (1 Cor. 15:51–52). The point is that it will be sudden—when the trumpet shall sound.
While I am dealing with misinterpretations of this passage, let me say that some folk assume that one of the angels spoken of in the Book of Revelation is to blow this trumpet. However, the one blowing the trumpet is not indicated here. The Book of Revelation deals with Israel. In the Old Testament we read that Israel was moved on the wilderness march by the blowing of two silver trumpets. Israel is accustomed to trumpets; we are not. Perhaps you are remembering that the “last trump” is mentioned in connection with the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God …” (1 Thess. 4:16). Notice it is the trump of God. Whoever turned it over to Gabriel and said Gabriel will blow his horn? I question if Gabriel even owns a horn. It is the Lord who will descend with the voice of an archangel and the trump of God. Both speak of the dignity and the majesty of that shout of His. His voice will be penetrating and awe-inspiring. Listen to the way John describes the voice of the glorified Christ: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet” (Rev. 1:10). And when he turned to see who was speaking, he saw the glorified Christ. It was His voice that John heard. There are no trumpets connected with the church.
Today Christ’s word to us is this: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). It is His invitation to the evening meal—the last call for dinner. It is an invitation to come to Him before the night of the Great Tribulation falls. When the door is opened, there will go from this earth a group of people who have been put on the launching pad of faith—and they won’t go through the Great Tribulation Period. May I say to you that those who expect the church to go through the Tribulation have, in my judgment, the flimsiest theory that is abroad, yet there are many intelligent men who hold this view. However, I find that these men spend more time with philosophy and psychology and history and related subjects than they do with the study of the Word of God.
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” This is exactly the same thought that John had: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Christ hasn’t appeared yet, but when He appears, we shall be like Him. Notice the high hope, the expectancy and excitement, the great anticipation of Christ’s return. (There is not the slightest suggestion that either Paul or John expected to first go through the Great Tribulation Period.)
Paul had a hope for the future. What is your hope for the future? The Great Tribulation Period? My friend, if that is your prospect, you are about as hopeless as the man who has no hope!
Taking a trip recently to the Hawaiian Islands, instead of flying the direct route, we came in from the north. The reason the pilot gave us was that there was a storm front on the southern route, and he skirted it, although it made us about thirty minutes late. I appreciated the fact that he went around the storm. It used to be that a pilot would say, “There is a storm front ahead of us, and we are going to have turbulence for the next thirty minutes.” I didn’t look forward to that—it was no blessed hope for me! But it surely is nice to have him say we are taking another route so we will miss the storm. And the Lord says to the church, “We’re going to miss the storm, the Great Tribulation.” My friend, you can twist it around to suit your own theory, but that is what He says. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” That was Paul’s hope for the future, and it is our hope.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Power for Christian living; joy—the source of power; prayer—the secret of power; contemplation of Christ—the sanctuary of power; in Christ—the satisfaction of power
We have seen the philosophy of Christian living, the pattern for Christian living, the prize for Christian living, and now we shall see the power for Christian living. All the others would be meaningless and useless if there were no power for them. A philosophy of life is no good unless there is power to carry it out. A pattern is no good unless there is power supplied to have that pattern in our own lives. A prize is no good if we cannot achieve the goal. Therefore, power is all important.
I would think one of the reasons that the Spirit of God did not let Paul end this epistle when he wrote in 3:1, “Finally, my brethren,” was because He wanted to let us know today that there is power for Christian living. We need to know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
We will find in this chapter that joy is the source of power; prayer is the secret of power; and contemplation of Christ is the sanctuary of power.
JOY—THE SOURCE OF POWER
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved [Phil. 4:1].
“My joy and crown”—you see, they were going to be in the presence of Christ someday, and Paul expected to receive a crown for winning these folk to the Lord. Also they were his joy down here. Oh, how he loved these believers in Philippi!
“So stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” And, as Paul said to the Ephesian believers, “… take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). The Christian faith will produce stability of life.
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord [Phil. 4:2].
Now he comes to the only problem in the Philippian church. There was a ripple on the surface, but it was not serious. Paul doesn’t even mention it until near the end of his letter. Apparently these two ladies were not speaking to each other. We have already seen this when he admonished the Philippian believers to be of the same mind in the Lord. He did not mean they must be carbon copies of each other. They may have differences of opinion about many different things, but that will not separate two people who have the mind of Christ. It is one of the glorious truths about the body of Christ that each member can be different and yet all are one in Christ.
And I entreat thee also, true yoke-fellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life [Phil. 4:3].
It is apparent that women occupied a prominent place in the early church, and for a woman to be prominent was unusual in that day.
Now that I am no longer a pastor I can say this (I always said it reluctantly or very carefully before): I believe that the reason women become preachers is because women have not been given their proper place in the church. The office of deaconess, even if it exists in the church, is treated very lightly. I believe that is an important office and should be recognized as such. The more I study the Word of God, the more I am convinced of this. Paul plainly said that “those women … laboured with me in the gospel.”
“With Clement also”—here is a believer over in Philippi whom we haven’t met before.
“With other my fellow-labourers”—apparently there was a great company of believers in Philippi “whose names are in the book of life.” That was the important thing: their names are in the Book of Life.
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice [Phil. 4:4].
This is a commandment to a Christian, a believer. Rejoice in the Lord always. That means regardless of the day, whether it is dark or bright, whether it is difficult or easy, whether it brings problems and temptations or clear sailing on cloud nine. We are commanded to rejoice. He repeats it, in case we missed it the first time: “again I say, Rejoice.” Joy is something we cannot produce ourselves; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
There is no power in a Christian’s life if he has no joy. One who does not experience the joy of the Lord has no power at all.
After Nehemiah had finished building the wall of Jerusalem, they set up a pulpit at the Water Gate, and there Ezra read from the Scriptures from morning until midday. These people had come out of captivity in Babylon. Most of them had never in their lives heard the Word of God. It overwhelmed them. They began to mourn and to weep. So Nehemiah said, “Wait a minute—you’re not to weep! This is a great day. You are to share in the blessings, the physical blessings, that God has given to you, and God wants you to enjoy them.” God has given to us richly all things to enjoy, and to enjoy means to rejoice. That’s your strength, that’s your power. You can’t be a Christian with power without joy—that’s what gets up the steam. Joy is the source of power.
Let me illustrate this because it is something that the world has taken over. In fact, the commercial world has made it rather hypocritical. A successful salesman is a very happy fellow. You have never gone into a store to buy something and had the salesperson weep on your shoulder when you asked about a certain product! Of course not. He begins to smile and say how wonderful the item is. How far would the Fuller brush man get if he were a sad little fellow who went around weeping at every door? Believe me, he doesn’t use that approach.
The Fuller brush man calls at our house on Saturdays. He is not a sorrowful fellow by any means. I don’t know whether he is having trouble at home or not, but he sure radiates joy. One Saturday morning my wife had gone to the market, and from my study window I saw him coming. I thought, I’ll ignore him because I’m busy, and I’m not going to fool with brushes today. So he came and pushed the doorbell. I let him push it. He pushed it two or three times. I thought, He’ll leave now. But he didn’t leave. He knew somebody was in the house, so he just put his thumb down on the doorbell and held it. Finally in self-defense I had to go to the door. When I opened the door, I expected him to be a little irritated because I had made him wait. But no, he was happy about it. Everything pleased him. He greeted me joyfully, “Dr. McGee, I didn’t expect to see you today!” With a scowl I said, “My wife has gone to the market. She’ll see you the next time you are around.” But that wasn’t enough for him. I do not know how he did it, but in the next ten seconds he was in the living room and I was holding a little brush in my hand. Then I couldn’t order him out—he’d given me a little brush. And so I stood there listening to his sales pitch. When he had finished, I said, “Now look, I don’t buy brushes and I don’t need one. My wife generally buys from you, and she’ll probably buy next time, but I haven’t time to look at them. I’m busy this morning.” So he thanked me and started down the walkway whistling! You would have thought I had bought every brush he had! I met a man who trains Fuller brush salesmen, and I told him about this experience. He said that they were so instructed; they are trained to radiate joy.
Now I do not know if that Fuller brush man was happy or not, but a child of God ought to have real joy, the joy of the Lord, in his life.
The world spends a great deal of money trying to produce joy, which they call happiness. Comedians are millionaires because they tell a few funny stories. People shell out the money to hear them. Why? Because they want to laugh. They are trying to find a little happiness as they go through life. The child of God who goes through life with a sour look and a jaundiced approach to this world, will never have any power in his life. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
The world tries to work up joy in another way. They call it the happy hour or attitude adjustment hour. They spend a couple of hours drinking and hope it will help them overcome the problems of life and give them a little happiness. I have watched the folk who go in there, and none of them look happy when they go in. In an hour or two when they come out, I can’t see that there has been any improvement. But they have had a “happy hour.” A great many people are trying to compensate for the inadequacies in their own lives in that manner.
I have thought it would be nice if churches could have an attitude adjustment hour. Here comes Mrs. Brown. She has just heard some choice gossip during the week, and she can hardly wait to spread it around in the church. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to take her into an attractive room and have a cup of coffee with her and get her into a sweet mood and rejoicing in the Lord so she would not go around spreading her gossip? Here comes Deacon Jones, breathing fire like a dragon because something doesn’t suit him. It would be nice to take him to that room and help him recover his cool so he could go in and enjoy the sermon. We need an attitude adjustment hour, a happy hour, in the church. Frankly, the Devil has gotten in his licks—he has made folk believe they can’t have fun going to church, and I think they can. I think it ought to be a joyful place and a place of power.
Sometimes prayer meetings are called the hour of power. Well, that is nice, but we need to get back to the source of the power which is joy. In our prayer meetings, before we ask God for something else, let’s pray that He’ll give us joy in our lives. There was a little song we used to sing at summer Bible schools (which I used to conduct as a young preacher) with these words:
Down in the dumps I’ll never go;
That’s where the Devil keeps me low.
That song has a sound theological message, because this is exactly what the Devil tries to do. He attempts to take away our joy because it is the source of power.
PRAYER—THE SECRET OF POWER
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand [Phil. 4:5].
Matthew Arnold, in one of his delightful essays, interprets it this way: “Let your sweet reasonableness be known unto all men.” I like that. We need to be reasonable believers, not bigots in our faith. Of course we ought to have deep convictions, but we should not be given to bigotry or riding a hobbyhorse—always emphasizing some little point. What we need to do is emphasize the big point—we do have one—the big point is the person of Christ. If we are going to ride a hobbyhorse, let Him be the hobbyhorse. “Let your sweet reasonableness be known unto all men.”
“The Lord is at hand.” Paul believed that the Lord Jesus would come at any moment. He was not expecting to enter the Great Tribulation; he says, “The Lord is at hand.” That’s quite wonderful!
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests he made known unto God [Phil. 4:6].
“Be careful for nothing” is sometimes translated: Be anxious for nothing, or not overly anxious. The fact of the matter is that Paul seems to be making a play upon two indefinite pronouns: nothing and everything. Let me give you my translation, which I call the McGee-icus Ad Absurdum. It goes like this: “Worry about nothing; pray about everything.” Prayer is the secret of power.
“Worry about nothing.” In verse 4 we were given one of the new commandments God has given us: Rejoice. Now here is another commandment. Worry about nothing; pray about everything.
Nothing is a very interesting word. If you have something, it’s not nothing—that is not correct grammar, but it is an accurate statement. Nothing is nothing, and you are to worry about nothing. Does this mean we are to look at life through rose-colored glasses, that we are not to face reality? Are we to believe that sin is not real, that sickness is not real, that problems are not real? Are we to ignore these things? No. Paul says that we are to worry about nothing because we are to pray about everything. Nothing is the most exclusive word in the English language. It leaves out everything. “Worry about nothing.” I confess that this is a commandment I sometimes break—I worry.
But the reason we are to worry about nothing is because we are to pray about everything. This means that we are to talk to the Lord about everything in our lives. Nothing should be left out. Some years ago, I am told, a dowager in Philadelphia came to Dr. G. Campbell Morgan with this question, “Dr. Morgan, do you think we should pray about the little things in our lives?” Dr. Morgan in his characteristically British manner said, “Madam, can you mention anything in your life that is big to God?” When we say that we take our big problems to God, what do we mean? They are all little stuff to Him. And what we call little He wants us to bring to Him also. As believers we need to get in the habit of bringing everything to Him in prayer—nothing excluded. When I go on a trip in my car and it involves several hours of driving, I invite the Lord Jesus to go along with me. I talk to Him and tell Him everything about Vernon McGee, things I wouldn’t tell you or anyone else. I tell Him everything. I think we ought to learn to do that. We ought to pray about everything.
Let me share with you an admonition by Fenelon, one of the mystics of the Middle Ages, which seems to encompass what Paul meant when he said, “Pray about everything.”
Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you to conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself as to others.
If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back; neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration, just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.
For many years I have carried this quotation in my Bible, and every now and then I take it out and read it.
Maybe you think it sounds very pious when I am willing to testify that I take my burdens to the Lord in prayer. I must confess that after I spread everything out before Him, when I finish praying, I pick it all right back up, put the problems back on my shoulders, and start out with the burden again. That is my problem. The Lord wants us to trust Him so that we worry about nothing, pray about everything. I wish I could say to you that I’m as free as the bird in the trees, free as the bees gathering honey. That’s the way He wants us to be.
We have a mockingbird in our yard. He gets my fruit, but I feel it is right for me to pay him something for the song he sings for me in the night. Now, actually, he isn’t singing for me. I don’t think he cares much whether I hear him or not. But he has a mate sitting on some eggs, and it would be a pretty boring job to sit on a bunch of eggs. So this mockingbird sings to his wife all during the night. The other morning I awakened around two o’clock, and, my, how he was singing to her! How lovely. While sitting outside on my patio I noticed this mockingbird. He looked at me with disdain, flew right over to my apricot tree and started to eat apricots. He never asked me for permission to eat. He is free. He doesn’t worry about finding something to eat. He knows those apricots will be there for him. My friend, do we really trust God like that? Worry about nothing and pray about everything.
“With thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Paul never lets prayer become a leap in the dark. It rests on a foundation. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Prayer rests on faith, and faith rests on the Word of God. Now he says that when you go to God with a request, thank Him. Thank Him right then and there.
I know some commentators who interpret this to mean that when you get your answer to your prayer, you are to go back and thank God. Well, that’s not what Paul said. Paul was able to express himself in the most versatile language which has ever been in the world, the Greek language, and he was able to say what he wanted to say. What he says is that when you make your requests, right there and then you are to thank God for hearing and answering your prayer.
Now perhaps you are thinking, But maybe God won’t answer my prayer. I have many unanswered prayers. My Christian friend, I do not believe that you have unanswered prayers, and I think you ought to be ashamed of yourself for saying that you have a heavenly Father who won’t hear and answer your prayers. You may have prayed for a certain thing and didn’t get it, but you did get an answer to your prayer.
Let me illustrate this with a very homely illustration. My dad was not a Christian, but he was a good dad. He ran a cotton gin, and the machine would always be running. I would go in there when I was a little fellow and ask for a nickel for candy. He would reach down in his pocket and give me a nickel. One time I asked him for a bicycle. He said he couldn’t afford it, and the answer was “No.” I can tell you today that I never made a request of him that he didn’t hear and answer. Most of the time the answer was no. Actually, my dad’s no was more positive than his yes. His no ended the discussion. In fact, I have never understood young folk today who keep on arguing with their parents after the parents have handed down a decision. When my dad said, “No,” that was the end of the discussion. I have learned now that the wise reply to most of my requests was no, although I did not think so at the time. But the fact is that he gave an answer to my every request.
God has a lot of spoiled children. When He says no to them, they pout and say, “I have unanswered prayers.” You don’t have unanswered prayers. God always hears and answers your prayers.
You can take anything to God in prayer, the big things and the little things. How can you sort them out? They are all little things to God. Let me give you another homely illustration. At the time of the building of the Panama Canal, after two or three failures, when the successful project was under way they wanted to go right through with it, and so the crew had no vacations. To compensate for it, the workers’ families were sent down to be with them. So a certain young engineer, his wife and little son were sent down. Because of the danger of malaria, they were put out on a houseboat. Every afternoon that young engineer could be seen rowing himself out to the houseboat. One evening he had those long blueprints all spread out while his little son with his toy wagon was playing at his feet. Suddenly the child began to cry. A wheel had come off his wagon. The little fellow had worked with it and tried his best to put it back, but it was a hopeless project for him. Now would you think that the dad would shush him and put him out of the room—maybe tell the mother to come and get him because he was disturbing his work? No. He just laid aside the blueprints of that great canal, picked up his little boy and asked him what was the matter. The youngster held up his wagon in one hand and the wheel in the other. The father took the wheel and put it on the wagon with just one twist of the wrist. He kissed away the little fellow’s fears and put him back on the floor where he played happily. He was a good father.
Now, my friend, it is God who put that father instinct deep down in the human heart of man because He is a compassionate Father. When a wheel comes off your wagon, it may look like an impossible problem to you, but He will hear and answer your cry. If He says no, it is because that is the best answer you could have. After I lost my human father, I lived several years before I turned to God and found that I had a heavenly Father. I learned that I can go to Him with my requests, and He answers me, as my human father used to do. And many times His answers are no.
When I was a young pastor in Texas, just married, I went to a certain city to candidate in a church. It was considered a strategic, outstanding church. After I’d preached twice that Sunday, I was given a call by the church. Then later they had to come back and tell me that the denomination would not permit them to call me. As I said, it was a strategic church and they needed a church politician there—which I was not. I didn’t go into the ministry for that purpose. But I felt that the Lord had made a great mistake by not letting me go to that church as pastor. Several years ago Mrs. McGee and I went by that church just to see it. It had gone into liberalism. Things have happened there that I’ll not mention. I said to her, “Do you remember years ago when I thought I should have had the call for that church?” She said, “Yes.” Then I said, “I thank God that He heard and answered my prayer the right way—not the way I prayed it.” I can look back and remember how I had cried to the Lord. I told Him how He had failed me and caused me to miss the greatest opportunity I ever had. Oh, I blamed Him, and I found fault with Him, and I actually scolded Him because He didn’t seem to know what was the best for me! He had shut that door so tight that the resounding slam was in my ears for several years after that. My friend, my heavenly Father had answered my prayer, and, I am ashamed of the fact that I did not thank Him at the time. My advice to you is this: Instead of saying that God has not answered your prayers, say, “My heavenly Father heard my prayer, but He told me no, which was the right answer.” We are to let our “requests be made known unto God with thanksgiving.”
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus [Phil. 4:7].
The Scripture speaks of other kinds of peace which we can understand. There is world peace. We have the assurance that someday peace will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. It will come through the person of Christ, the Prince of Peace. Also there is the peace that comes when sins are forgiven. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Then there is the peace that is tranquility. The Lord Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you …” (John 14:27). That is a marvelous peace, but it is not “the peace … which passeth all understanding.” I do not know how to tell you this, but I do know it is a peace in which we do not live at all times. I think it is a peace that sweeps over our souls at certain times. I stood on the big island of Hawaii and looked out at a sunset with Mauna Kea, that great snowcapped mountain out there in the tropics, in the foreground. As I looked at the majesty of God’s creation, what a peace came to me. I can’t tell you what it was—it “passeth all understanding.” And that same peace came when my heavenly Father let me have cancer. I went to the hospital frightened to death, and then the night I committed it all to him and told Him I wanted to know He was real, He made Himself real and that peace that “passeth all understanding” flooded my soul. I don’t know how to tell you what it is; I can only say that it is wonderful.
This peace “shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” There are those who say that prayer changes things. I can’t argue with that; prayer does change things. But that is not the primary purpose of prayer.
Notice that we entered this passage in anxiety, with worry, and we come out of the passage with peace. Between the two was prayer. Have things changed? Not really. The storm may still be raging, the waves still rolling high, the thunder still resounding. Although the storm has not abated, something has happened in the individual. Something has happened to the human soul and the human mind. In our anxiety we want God to change everything around us. “Give us this.” “Don’t let this happen.” “Open up this door.” We should be praying, “Oh, God, change me.” Prayer is the secret of power. We enter with worry, we can come out in peace.
Joy is the source of power; prayer is the secret of power.
CONTEMPLATION OF CHRIST—THE SANCTUARY OF POWER
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things [Phil. 4:8].
“Finally, brethren”—remember that he said, “Finally, my brethren” at the beginning of chapter 3, when he was just halfway through? Well, now he is nearly through and is giving his last admonitions.
This has been called the briefest biography of Christ. He is the One who is “true.” He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “Whatsoever things are honest”—He is honest. “Whatsoever things are just”—He is called the Just One. “Pure”—the only pure individual who ever walked this earth was the Lord Jesus. He asked the question, “Which of you convicteth me of sin?” No one did. He also said, “… the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). Satan always finds something he can hook onto in me. How about you? But there was nothing in the Lord Jesus. He was “… holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners …” (Heb. 7:26). He was lovely which means “gracious.” Virtue has to do with strength and courage. He was the One of courage, a real man. He took upon Himself our humanity. “If … any praise”—He is the One you can praise and worship today.
You and I live in a dirty world. You cannot walk on the streets of any city without getting dirty. Your mind gets dirty; your eyes get dirty. Do you ever get tired of the filth of it?
Hollywood ran out of ideas years ago, which is the reason Hollywood has dried up. Television is boring; it cannot help but repeat the same old thing. So what have they done? They have substituted filth for genius. Someone has called it the great wasteland. It is like looking at an arid desert, and yet millions keep their eyes glued to it. Their minds are filled with dirt and filth and violence.
If a Christian is going to spend his time with the dirt and filth and questionable things of this world, there will not be power in his life. The reason we have so many weak Christians is that they spend their time with the things of the world, filling their minds and hearts and tummies with the things of this world. Then they wonder why there is no power in their lives.
We need a sanctuary. We need something to think upon that will clean up our minds. Here are some questions to think about: How much time do you spend with the Word of God? How much time do you spend contemplating Christ? “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). The Word of God is a mirror, and in it we behold the glory of the Lord. The only way you can behold the living Christ is in the Word of God. As you behold Him, there is a liberty, a freedom, and a growth that He gives you. You cannot come by it in any other way.
Oh, how puerile, how inconsequential is the impact of believers’ lives! I am amazed at how easily Christians are taken in by every wind of doctrine that comes along. They are not able to discern truth and error. The one explanation, as I have pondered it in my mind, is ignorance of the Word of God. To have power in our lives we must contemplate the person of Jesus Christ, contemplating Him in the Word of God.
Too often people come to the church to be entertained. Someone has said that people come to church to eye the clothes or to close the eyes. Many seem to sit in a daze for an hour just to feel religious or pious. My friend, only the Word of God can bring strength to you. You need physical food when you are weak; you need bread and meat to give you strength. The Word of God is your spiritual bread and meat. The only way to grow spiritually is to spend time in the Word of God. It is the Word that reveals Jesus Christ. I believe He is on every page of Scripture if only we have eyes to see Him. We need to see Him. We need to have the reality of Christ in our lives. This is made possible as we, with an open face, behold the glory of the Lord.
I think one of the things that will cause believers to be ashamed at the appearing of Christ will be their ignorance of the Scriptures when they stand in His presence. I’m of the opinion He will say to many of us, “I gave you all the information you needed in the Scriptures. You didn’t listen to Me; you didn’t hear Me.” We say that one of the problems with our children is that they don’t listen to their parents. The problem with the children of God is that they don’t listen to their heavenly Father. Contemplation of Christ—that is the sanctuary of power. Many of us need to leave the busyness and dirtiness of this world and go aside with the Word of God where we can contemplate Him, worship Him, and praise Him.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God peace shall be with you [Phil. 4:9].
A better word for “do” is practice. Paul could say something that would be audacious if you or I said it: “Do what I do.” I don’t want my little grandson to follow down the pathway that I went. I don’t want him to have his grandpa for an example. But Paul could make his life an example to other believers. Paul lived in that sanctuary of power because He had made Christ the very center and periphery of his life.
IN CHRIST—THE SATISFACTION OF POWER
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity [Phil. 4:10].
At the beginning I said that the Epistle to the Philippians is primarily a thank-you note. Before Paul got down to the thank-you part, he dealt with Christian experience. He has been talking about Christian experience throughout the epistle. Now he is thanking them for their gift.
For two years the church in Philippi had lost touch with Paul. They did not know where he was after he had been arrested in Jerusalem and then put in prison for two years. The next time they heard about him, he had been transferred to a prison in Rome. They apologized to him for not having contact with him and for not communicating their gifts to him during those years. Paul is excusing them in a most gracious manner. He says, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.” In other words, “You had lost contact with me so that you didn’t have the opportunity to be helpful to me.” How gracious Paul was!
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content [Phil. 4:11].
Paul said that he never made an appeal to them. He never sent out an SOS for help. Paul had learned to be content in whatsoever state he was. It didn’t matter whether he was in prison or out of prison. Many of us think that if things are going right and if we are in the right place, then we will be contented. That means that we depend on the circumstances of life for our contentment. I have asked the Lord to give me contentment. I have prayed for Him to make me just as content tape-recording in my office as I am out in Hawaii enjoying the beautiful scenery. Our circumstances have a great deal to do with our contentment, don’t they? But Paul had learned to be content regardless of his state.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need [Phil. 4:12].
Paul says, “Though I appreciate your sympathy, I know how to live on the lowest plane economically, and I know how to live on the highest plane. I have done both.” There were times when he had nothing, and he was content. There were times when God had given him an abundance, and he had learned how to abound.
When I retired from the pastorate, I told my wife that there would be a terrible letdown in income and in our standard of living. I knew it would be hard for us. Paul knew how to abound and how to be abased, but we’re not very good at that. I guess the Lord knew all about it, because due to the generosity of some very wonderful folk our standard hasn’t come down. We have been able to live just like we did before. We were prepared to come down, but the Lord didn’t bring us down, and we do thank Him and praise His name for it.
It was the custom of Dr. Harry Ironside to go every year to Grand Rapids for a Bible conference at Mel Trotter’s mission. Mel Trotter had been an alcoholic, and after he had come to Christ, he opened a mission to reach other men who were in his former condition. The owner of a hotel which had just been built in Grand Rapids had been an alcoholic and had been led to Christ by Mel Trotter. He told Mel, “When you have a speaker or visitor come to your mission, you send him over to the hotel. We will keep him here free of charge.” When Dr. Ironside arrived at that hotel, the man ushered him up to the presidential suite. He had the best apartment in the hotel. Dr. Ironside had never been in a place like that before. He called Mel on the phone and said, “Listen, Mel, you don’t have to put me up like this. I don’t need all this luxury. All I want is a room with a comfortable bed, and a desk and a lamp where I can study.” Mel assured him that the room was not costing him or the mission anything; it was being provided free of charge. He said, “Harry, Paul said he knew how to abound and he knew how to be abased. Now you learn to abound this week, will you?”
Now we come to a verse that is often quoted, but I think there are only certain circumstances in which it should be quoted. This verse is geared to life. It gets down where the rubber meets the road. This verse needs to be worked out in life.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me [Phil. 4:13].
This really should be translated the way Paul wrote it: “I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me.”
When Paul says all things, does he literally mean all things? Does it mean you can go outside and jump over your house? Of course not. Paul says, “I can do all things in Christ”—that is, in the context of the will of Christ for your life. Whatever Christ has for you to do, He will supply the power. Whatever gift He gives you, He will give the power to exercise that gift. A gift is a manifestation of the Spirit of God in the life of the believer. As long as you function in Christ, you will have power.
Let me give you an illustration. My favorite mode of travel is by train. I fly only because I must. The train has lots more romance connected with it, and it is much more enjoyable. It gets you there later, but it gets you there. The Santa Fe Railroad used to have a train called the Super Chief which ran between Los Angeles and Chicago. That was a wonderful train, and I enjoyed traveling on it. It traveled with tremendous power. That Super Chief could say, “I can do all things a Super Chief is supposed to do on the tracks between Chicago and Los Angeles. I can pull up the Cajon Pass, the highest pass for any railroad in this country. I slow down a little bit, but I do not hesitate. I go right up to the top and down the other side. I can do all things!”
Now suppose the Super Chief had said, “For years I have been taking people back and forth from Chicago to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Chicago, and it gets a little monotonous. I noticed a little group of people got off at Williams, Arizona, to go to the Grand Canyon. I’ve been coming by here for years, and I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon. I think I’ll just take off across the desert here and look at the canyon for myself.” Now I don’t know that the train actually ever said that, but I do know that it left the tracks one day over on the side toward the Grand Canyon. I’m here to tell you that it never did make it to the Grand Canyon. The minute it left the tracks, it was a wreck. The train was helpless and hopeless the moment it left the tracks. As long as the Super Chief was on the tracks, as long as it was doing the thing it was supposed to do, it could do all the things a Super Chief should do. It could go up and down over those mountains, back and forth from Chicago to Los Angeles. But it was absolutely helpless when it left the tracks.
This is what Paul is saying about himself—“I can do all things in Christ.” Now, friend, if you are a member of Christ’s body, He is the Head, and you are to function in the context of His will for your life. His will is the track on which you are to run.
Now Paul is not saying that we can do all things. I can’t jump like a grasshopper can jump. When I was in school I was the high jumper, but I can’t jump anymore. You see, I can’t do all things, but I can do all things which God has for me to do from the time He saved me to the time He will take me out of this world.
“Through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Christ is the One who will strengthen you and enable you to do all that is in His will for you. He certainly does not mean that He is putting into your hands unlimited power to do anything you want to do. Rather, He will give you the enablement to do all things in the context of His will for you. When you and I are in Christ, and we are moving in Christ on those tracks, we are irresistible. There is no stopping us. But the minute you and I step out of that glorious position, step out of God’s will either by sinning, by our own willfulness, or by lack of fellowship, we are as much a wreck as that Santa Fe Super Chief was, and we are not going anywhere. But if we stay on that track, we can do all things in Christ. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). We had better make sure where we are before we start asking. It is essential to be in His will.
My friend, let me emphasize this: It is essential to be in God’s will, and His will is determined by a knowledge of His Bible. So many folk feel that if they can take a little course, it will solve all their problems. Well, it won’t solve them. I asked a fellow who paid out quite a sum of money to take a certain course, and he told me how it had helped him and his family—he said it had revolutionized them. Several months later I asked, “How is it going for you now?” He said, “We’re just about back where we were before we took the course.” Apparently it was not the problem-solver he thought it was. Then I asked him a direct question, “How much time do you really spend in the Word of God?” My friend, the Word of God is the answer; and it’s so simple I’m not able to charge for it! Why not forget the little courses that are being offered and get down to a serious study of the Word of God? Don’t stop with the Gospel of John, wonderful as it is. There are sixty-five other books in the Bible. If you get the total Word of God, you will get the total will of God for this life, and you will have a basis on which you can operate. There is joy, there is satisfaction and sheer delight in being in the will of God and doing what God wants you to do.
Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction [Phil. 4:14].
Paul wants them to know that he appreciates their gift—“Ye have done well, that ye did communicate with my affliction.” This is his personal thank-you.
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only [Phil. 4:15].
This church was a jewel. There are churches like it across this country today. They have a wonderful fellowship and a heart for the things of God. God is blessing them in marvelous, wonderful ways. The Philippian church was close to the apostle Paul. They were the ones who sent support to him—Paul was their missionary. Wouldn’t you have loved to have had Paul as your missionary and to have had a part in his support?
For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity [Phil. 4:16].
We know from the account in Acts 16 and 17 that Paul had to leave Philippi by the request of the authorities. He went on to Thessalonica where those who opposed the gospel he was preaching set the city in an uproar. No one was helping Paul but the Philippian believers—“For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”
Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account [Phil. 4:17].
That church in Philippi has been getting dividends on their contribution right down to the present time. Paul wrote them this epistle to thank them. We are studying the epistle today, and we are profiting from this study. This is a part of the dividends of their contribution. They have stock in the apostle Paul, if you please. They still have a part in getting out the Word of God!
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God [Phil. 4:18].
The priest in the Old Testament went into the holy place to put incense on the altar, and it ascended with a sweet smell. A Christian in his giving is like a priest making an offering to God. When it is made in the right spirit, it is, as Paul is saying to the Philippian believers, more than just making a donation or taking up a collection. It is an offering, an odor of a sweet smell to God. And that is what your gift is when it is given in the right spirit.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus [Phil. 4:19].
Thinking of their sacrifice to supply his need, Paul assures them that God would supply all their needs. He doesn’t say all their wants—he doesn’t include luxury items—but all their needs. However, He does supply luxury items many times. When He does, it is surplus. He does it out of His loving-kindness.
Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen [Phil. 4:20].
God gets all the glory. He will not share His glory with another.
Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household [Phil. 4:21–22].
He greets each believer personally. The believers who are with Paul also send their greetings. Again we are told that some were patricians, nobility, members of the household of Caesar. They now belong to Christ, and they want to be remembered to the Christians in Philippi.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen [Phil. 4:23].
Paul closes with a benediction, and I will close with a benediction. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Boice, James Montgomery. Philippians, an Expository Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971.
Getz, Gene A. A Profile of Christian Maturity: A Study of Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.
Gromacki, Robert G. Stand United in Joy: An Exposition of Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1980.
Hendriksen, William. A Commentary on Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1963.
Ironside, H. A. Notes on Philippians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Johnstone, Robert. Lectures on Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1875. (An excellent, comprehensive treatment.)
Kelly, William. Lectures on Philippians and Colossians. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
King, Guy H. The Joy Way. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1952. (A splendid devotional study in Philippians.)
McGee, J. Vernon. Probing Through Philippians. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1971.
Meyer, F. B. The Epistle to the Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications. (Devotional.)
Moule, Handley C. G. Studies in Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1893. (This is a reprint from The Cambridge University Bible for Schools and Colleges and covers Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Very helpful.)
Muller, Jac. J. The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians and to Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Joy of Living. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973. (A practical study of Philippians.)
Robertson, A. T. Epochs in the Life of Paul. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1909.
Robertson, A. T. Paul’s Joy in Christ: Studies in Philippians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1917. (Excellent.)
Strauss, Lehman. Devotional Studies in Philippians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1959.
Vine, W. E. Philippians and Colossians. London: Oliphants, 1955. (Excellent treatment by a Greek scholar.)
Vos, Howard. Philippians—A Study Guide. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975. (Excellent for individual or group study.)
Walvoord, John F. Philippians: Triumph in Christ. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971. (Excellent, inexpensive survey.)
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Joyful. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1974
Wuest, Kenneth S. Philippians in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1942.
The Epistle to the
Colossians
INTRODUCTION
The author of this epistle is the apostle Paul as stated in Colossians 1:1.
The Epistle to the Colossians is one of the Prison Epistles which are so called because they were written by Paul while he was in prison in Rome. The Prison Epistles include Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and the very personal Epistle to Philemon.
The year was about a.d. 62. Four messengers left Rome unobserved, but they each carried a very valuable document. Tychicus was carrying the Epistle to the Ephesians over to Ephesus where he was the pastor or the leader of that church. Epaphroditus was carrying the Epistle to the Philippians as he was the pastor in Philippi. Epaphras was carrying the Epistle to the Colossians; apparently he was the leader of the church in Colosse. Onesimus was carrying the Epistle to Philemon. Philemon was his master, and Onesimus, who had run away, was returning to him.
These four are companion epistles and together have been called the anatomy of Christianity, or the anatomy of the church. We can see that the subjects of these epistles cover all aspects of the Christian faith:
Ephesians is about the body of believers called the church, of which Christ is the head.
Colossians directs our attention to the head of the body who is Christ. The body itself is secondary. Christ is the theme. He is the center of the circle around which all Christian living revolves. Colossians emphasizes the pleµroµma; Christ is the fullness of God.
Philippians shows the church walking here on earth. Christian living is the theme; it is the periphery of the circle of which Christ is the center. Philippians emphasizes the kenoµsis, Christ becoming a servant.
Philemon gives us Christianity in action. We would say it is where the rubber meets the road, or in that day it was where the sandals touched the Roman road. It demonstrates Christianity worked out in a pagan society.
We can see why these four documents have been called the anatomy of the church—they belong together to make a whole.
I don’t think any armored car ever carried four more valuable documents. Do you realize that if today you possessed those four original documents as they came from the hand of Paul, you could probably get any price you wanted for them—you would have the wealth of a king! Well, we measure it in terms other than the dollar sign; their spiritual value cannot be estimated in human terms at all.
I have never been to Colosse although I have been in sight of it—I have seen it from a distance. The ruins of it stand there in the gates of Phrygia. It is over in the same area where Laodicea and Hierapolis are. There are some ruins of the city; there are no ruins of any church. The church at Colosse met in the home of Philemon. I doubt that there ever was a church building there.
A great civilization and a great population were in that area. It was more or less a door to the Orient, to the East; it was called the gates of Phrygia. Here the East and the West met. Here is where the Roman Empire attempted to tame the East and to bring it under Roman subjugation.
Colosse was a great fortress city as were Laodicea, Philadelphia, Sardis, Thyatira, and Pergamum. All of these had been great cities of defense against invasion from the East. But by the time of Paul the apostle the danger had been relieved because the Roman Empire was pretty much in charge of the world by then. As a result, the people had lapsed into paganism and gross immorality at the time of Paul. And Colosse was typical of the great cities of that day.
As far as the record is concerned, Paul never visited the city of Colosse. After I visited the Bible lands I could understand many things in Scripture that I had not understood before. Why didn’t Paul visit Colosse? It seems that he did not come in through the gates of Phrygia, but instead he came in to the north of Colosse over at Sardis. Apparently he took that Roman road to Ephesus and bypassed Colosse.
Even though Paul was never in the city of Colosse, he was the founder of the church there. Epaphras was the leader of the church, and he may have been the direct founder, but Paul founded the church at Colosse. He was the founder in very much the same way as he was the founder of the church at Rome: he touched multitudes of people in the Roman Empire who later gravitated to Rome and formed the church there. Paul may have visited Laodicea (although I doubt that very seriously), and believers may have come from there to Colosse. But converts from Paul’s ministry in Ephesus very definitely could have come to Colosse to form the nucleus of that church. Colosse is located just seventy-five to one hundred miles east of Ephesus.
Paul spent three years of ministry in Ephesus, two of them teaching in the school of Tyrannus. There was a tremendous civilization in that area—the culture of the Roman Empire was centered there. It was no longer centered in Greece which had pretty much deteriorated along with her philosophy and culture. But the Greek culture was virile in Asia Minor, the area known as Turkey today. It was in this area that Paul did his greatest work along with his co-workers. There were with him John Mark, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and apparently some of the other apostles. We know that the apostle John became the pastor at Ephesus later on.
Asia Minor was a great cultural center, but it was also a center for heathenism, paganism, and the mystery religions. There was already abroad that which is known as Gnosticism, the first heresy of the church. There were many forms of Gnosticism, and in Colosse there were the Essenes. There are three points of identification for this group:
1. They had an exclusive spirit. They were the aristocrats in wisdom. They felt that they were the people—they had knowledge in a jug and held the stopper in their hands. They felt they had the monopoly of it all. As a result, they considered themselves super-duper in knowledge and thought they knew more than any of the apostles. Paul will issue them a warning in the first chapter: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28). Perfection is not to be found in any cult or any heresy, but in Christ Jesus. All wisdom is found in Him.
2. They held speculative tenets on creation. They taught that God did not create the universe directly, but created a creature who in turn created another creature, until one finally created the physical universe. Christ was considered a creature in this long series of creations. This was known in pantheistic Greek philosophy as the demiurge. Paul refutes this in Colossians 1:15–19 and 2:18.
3. Another identifying mark of this group was their ethical practice of asceticism and unrestrained licentiousness. They got the asceticism from the influence of Greek Stoicism and the unrestrained licentiousness from the influence of Greek Epicureanism. Paul refutes this in Colossians 2:16, 23 and 3:5–9.
Colossians is the chart and compass which enables the believer to sail between the ever present Scylla and Charybdis. On the one hand there is always the danger of Christianity freezing into a form, into a ritual. It has done that in many areas and in many churches so that Christianity involves nothing more than going through a routine. On the other hand is the danger that Christianity will evaporate into a philosophy. I had an example of that when a man who was liberal in his theology asked me, “What theory of inspiration do you hold?” I answered him, “I don’t hold a theory of inspiration. I believe that the Word of God is the revelation of God as it says it is. That is not a theory.” We find people talking about theories of inspiration and theories of atonement—that is the evaporation of Christianity into a philosophy.
So there are two dangers. One is to freeze into form and become nothing but a ritualistic church; the other is to evaporate into steam, and be lost in liberalism and false philosophy. You will remember that the Lord Jesus said that He was the Water of Life. He didn’t say, “I am the ice of life”; neither did he say, “I am the steam of life.” He is the Water of Life—water at the temperature of life, neither freezing nor boiling.
The Water of Life is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Christ is to live in you. He is to walk down the street where you live. Christianity is Christ down where we live, Christ in the nitty-gritty of life, down where the rubber meets the road.
There has always been the danger of adding something to or subtracting something from Christ—the oldest heresy is also the newest heresy, by the way. Christianity is not a mathematical problem of adding or subtracting: Christianity is Christ. This is what Paul teaches in this epistle: “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9)—in Him dwelleth all the pleµromacr;ma. All you need is to be found in Christ Jesus.
Here is a quotation from William Sanday: “In the Ephesian Epistle the church is the primary object, and the thought passes upward to Christ as the head of the church. In the Colossian Epistle Christ is the primary object, and the thought passes downward to the church as the body of Christ.”
The dominating thought in this epistle is: Christ is all. He is all I need; He is everything. Charles Wesley put it like this in his lovely hymn, “Thou, O Christ, art all I want; more than all in Thee I find.”
Charles Spurgeon said, “Look on thine own nothingness; be humble, but look at Jesus, thy great representative, and be glad. It will save thee many pangs if thou will learn to think of thyself as being in Him”—accepted in the Beloved, finding Him our all in all.
I received a letter from a dear lady here in Pasadena. She is eighty years old and doesn’t expect to live much longer, but she is resting in Christ’s loving forgiveness. My friend, you cannot find a better place to rest.
If you are resting in Him, you will find that you don’t need to go through a ritual. You won’t need to do a lot of gyrations and genuflections. You won’t be discussing the theories of inspiration. You either believe that the Bible is the Word of God, or you don’t believe it is the Word of God.
Let us stop this so-called intellectual approach that we find in our churches today. It’s no good. When I started out as a pastor, I tried to be intellectual. An elder in the church in which I served came to me and talked to me about it, and he said, “We would rather have a genuine Vernon McGee than an imitation of anybody else.” You see, I was trying to imitate intellectual men whom I admired. We don’t need to do that kind of thing—we need to be ourselves. We need to get down off our high horses. Remember that the Lord Jesus is feeding sheep, not giraffes.
The practical section of this epistle shows us Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in the lives of the believers. The alabaster box of ointment needs to be broken today. The world not only needs to see something, but it needs to smell something. The pollution of this world is giving a very bad odor in these days. We need something of the fragrance and loveliness of Jesus Christ, and only the church is permitted to break that alabaster box of ointment and let out the fragrance.
OUTLINE
I. Doctrinal: Christ, the Fullness (pleµroµma) of God; in Christ We Are Made Full, Chapters 1–2
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–8
B. Paul’s Prayer, Chapter 1:9–14
C. Person of Christ, Chapter 1:15–19
D. Objective Work of Christ for Sinners, Chapter 1:20–23
E. Subjective Work of Christ for Saints, Chapter 1:24–29
F. Christ, the Answer to Philosophy (For the Head), Chapter 2:1–15
G. Christ, the Answer to Ritual (For the Heart), Chapter 2:16–23
II. Practical: Christ, the Fullness of God, Poured out in Life through Believers, Chapters 3–4
A. Thoughts and Affections of Believers Are Heavenly, Chapter 3:1–4
B. Living of Believers Is Holy, Chapters 3:5–4:6
C. Fellowship of Believers Is Hearty, Chapter 4:7–18
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Christ, the fullness of God—in Christ we are made full; Introduction; Paul’s prayer; person of Christ; objective work of Christ for sinners; subjective work of Christ for saints
INTRODUCTION
The four Prison Epistles of Paul which include the Epistle to the Colossians have been called the anatomy of the Church because their subjects cover all aspects of the Christian faith. In Colossians our attention is directed to the head of the body who is Christ. The body, the church, is secondary. Instead, Christ is the theme, and Christian living is centered in Him.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [Col. 1:1–2].
Paul calls himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ,” and he always says it is “by the will of God.” Paul was in the will of God when he was an apostle. God made him an apostle.
Are you in the will of God today? Are you serving Christ? Are you sure you are in the proper place? Are you sure you are doing the proper thing? I believe that every believer is called to function in the body of believers, but it is important to be functioning in the right way. There are too many people who are active, doing something that they are not supposed to be doing. Too often we try to imitate other people. We think, “I’ll get busy doing what brother so-and-so is doing.” We need to remember that our gifts are different, and we are each going to function a little differently. But we ought to be functioning. God made Paul an apostle. Did God put you where you are? When you know you are in the will of God, there is a deep satisfaction in life, by the way.
“To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse.” He is not talking about two groups of people. The saints and the believing brethren are the same. Faithful brethren are believing brethren, and they are saints. We are not saints because of what we do. We are saints by our position. The Greek word for saints means “to be set apart for God.” Those who are set apart for God and the believing brethren are the same group of people.
Notice that they are “in Christ” but they are “at Colosse.” The most important question is not, Where are you at? but Who are you in? That may not be good grammar, but it sure is good Bible. The saints are at Colosse—it is important that we have an address down here. But we ought to have an address up yonder also: in Christ.
“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We must know the grace of God in order to experience the peace of God.
In the better manuscripts “and the Lord Jesus Christ” is not added. It says simply, “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father.” It is important to remember that Paul is writing to counteract Gnosticism which was the first heresy in the church. This was the Essene branch of Gnosticism. They relegated God to a place far removed from man and taught that one had to go through emanations to get to God. Have you ever noticed that all heathen religions and cults have some sort of an “open sesame” before you can get in to God? Paul makes it very clear here that grace and peace come directly “from God our Father.” We can come directly to Him through Christ.
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you [Col. 1:3].
We can go directly to God. We do not need to go through any form of emanation at all. Anyone who is in Christ Jesus has access to God the Father. One of the benefits of being justified by faith is access to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Praying always for you.” You would find it very challenging to compile a list of the folk Paul said he was praying for, and add the Colossian believers to the list. He always prayed for them; they were on his prayer list.
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel [Col. 1:4–5].
Here Paul links the trinity of graces for believers: (1) faith—past; (2) love—present; and (3) hope—future.
Paul is going to talk about the good points of these believers. They had faith toward God. Faith rests upon historical facts; it is based on the past. It was based on what they had heard before “in the word of the truth of the gospel.” This refers to the content of the gospel, the great truths that pertain to the gospel of the grace of God. God has us shut up to a cross, and He asks us to believe Him. You haven’t really heard the gospel until you have heard something to believe. The gospel is not something for us to do. It tells what He did for you and for me over nineteen hundred years ago. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Faith is not a leap in the dark. It rests upon historical facts; it is believing God.
“And of the love which ye have to all the saints”—faith is based upon the past, but love is for the present.
It is nonsense today to boast of the fundamentalism of our doctrine and then to spend our time crucifying our brethren and attempting to find fault with them. There are too many “wonderful saints” looking down on their fellow believers who have not measured up to their high standard and who are not separated like they are separated. My friend, the world is not interested in that kind of approach. The world is looking to see whether Christians love each other or not. It is hypocrisy to consider oneself a Christian and then not to demonstrate love for the brethren. If we have disagreements with our brethren, we are to bear with them, we are to pray for them, and we are to love them. Remember that a Christian is a sinner saved by grace. None of us will ever be perfect in this life.
A man came to me to criticize a certain Christian leader—and I don’t agree with everything that leader does either—but the Spirit of God is using that man in a mighty way. So I asked the man who was complaining, “Do you ever pray for him?” He answered, “No, I don’t.” I replied, “I think that you ought to pray for him. You may not agree with him on every point, but the Spirit of God is using him.”
These Colossian believers had their good points. They were sound in the faith toward God. They were fundamental in their belief, and they also had love for the brethren. And Paul says that they had hope for the future—“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven.”
In 1 Corinthians also Paul lists these three graces, but he lists them a little differently: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13). He puts hope in second position and love is listed last. Why? Because love is the only thing that is going to abide. Love is for the present, it is true, but it is also going to make it into eternity. It is very important that we begin to exhibit love down here upon this earth, don’t you agree?
That “hope which is laid up for you in heaven” is the blessed hope. We are to look for the coming of Christ; we are to love His appearing.
“Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth [content] of the gospel.” The gospel is a simple message which God simply asks you to believe. You are asked to believe on the basis of certain facts: Jesus Christ was virgin born. He performed miracles. He is the God-man. He died on a cross, was buried, and rose again. He ascended back into heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit into the world on the Day of Pentecost to form the church. And He is sitting at God’s right hand today; His position there indicates that our redemption is complete. We are asked to enter into the rest which He offers to those who will come to Him. He has a present ministry of intercession for us. I think He has other ministries, too. And finally, He is going to return to this earth again. These are all part of the glorious gospel. This is the “content” of the gospel, as Paul expresses it here.
Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth [Col. 1:6].
Paul says the gospel has come to the Colossians as it has come to “all the world.” Dr. Marvin R. Vincent, a great expositor of the Epistle to the Colossians, as well as other expositors, believes this is hyperbole. I’ll be honest with you, I also had difficulty accepting this statement. Is Paul trying to say that at this particular time when he was in prison in Rome the gospel had reached the world? That is what he says. I have come to the position that I believe he meant what he said literally; it is not hyperbole. When I visited Asia Minor, I stood in Turkey at the city of Sardis and saw part of a Roman road that had been uncovered by excavation. That is the road that Paul traveled when he came down out of the Galatian country on the way to Ephesus. For three years he preached the gospel in Ephesus to people who were there from all over the Roman Empire. As a result, the gospel had gone ahead to Rome long before Paul was taken there as a prisoner.
The word for “world” here is kosmos, and it simply means the Roman Empire of that day. The gospel at that time had penetrated into the farthest reaches of the Roman Empire. It may have even crossed over to Great Britain. Every part of the Roman world had heard the gospel. I tell you, my friend, those early apostles were on the move! I am reluctant to criticize anything they did. Paul says here that the gospel had gone into all the Roman world.
“And bringeth forth fruit.” Wherever the gospel is preached it will bring forth fruit. Paul says that, and it is true.
I must confess my faith was weak when we began our radio program. I determined to give out the Word of God, but I’ll be honest with you, I expected to fall on my face and see great failure. The biggest surprise of my life was that God blessed His Word. Was I surprised! I thought He would let me down, but He didn’t. He said He would bless His Word, and we can count on Him to do that. It “bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.” I am overwhelmed today by the letters and by the people I meet who say they were brought to Christ through our radio ministry. It started out so weakly. It was just a Mickey Mouse operation if there ever was one. But God blesses His Word. I don’t only believe that; I know it. I won’t even argue with anybody about that. Some fellow comes to me and says, “Dr. McGee, I don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God.” And I say, “You don’t?” He says, “No. Aren’t you going to argue with me to persuade me?” I say, “Well, no.” And he asks “Why not?” I have to say, “Because I know it is the Word of God. I don’t only believe it; I know it.”
It would be just as if someone came to me and said, “Dr. McGee, I want to argue with you about whether you love your wife or not. I can give you several philosophical arguments that will show that you don’t love your wife.” Do you know, that fellow might out-argue me and whip me down intellectually. He might show me by logic and all types of argument that I don’t love my wife. Do you know what I would say? I’d say, “Brother, I don’t know about those arguments, but I want you to know one thing: I love my wife.” You see, that is something I know. I know I love her. I don’t need all those cogent, sophisticated, astute, esoteric arguments. There are some things we simply know.
And we should not let what we don’t know upset what we do know. That is important for us to see. Paul says that the gospel will bring forth fruit. That is the wonderful confidence that we can have.
As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ [Col. 1:7].
Apparently Epaphras was the leader or the pastor of the church in Colosse. (Epaphras sounds like the name of a medicine to me, but nevertheless, that was the name of the fellow.) Paul calls him “our dear fellow-servant.” Have you noticed how graciously Paul could talk about other servants of God? Paul had something good to say about those who were preaching the Word of God. But when he found a rascal, he was just like our Lord in that he would really reprimand evil when he saw it.
The Lord Jesus was so merciful to sinners. The woman taken in adultery should have been stoned to death, but notice how gracious our Lord was to her (see John 8:1–11). Then there was that arrogant Pharisee, Nicodemus, who came to the Lord Jesus and attempted to pay Him a compliment: “… Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God” (John 3:2). In effect, “We Pharisees know. And, brother, when we know something, that’s it!” The Lord Jesus so gently and so graciously pulled him down off his high horse. When the Lord got through with him, he was just plain, little old Nicky. Little old Nicodemus was trying to be somebody, but he was nothing in the world but a religious robot going through rituals. The Lord Jesus brought him down to the place where he could humbly ask, “How can these things be?” Then the Lord Jesus led him to see the Cross. How gracious He was in dealing with folk like that!
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit [Col. 1:8].
We will not find a great emphasis on the Holy Spirit in this epistle, but Paul does make it clear to the Colossian believers that they would not have been able to exhibit this love unless it were by the Holy Spirit. It was to the Galatians that Paul wrote that the fruit of the Spirit is love. In this epistle he will not dwell on that aspect. He is going to dwell on the person of Christ. As he does that, the Spirit of God will take the things of Christ and will show them unto us. That is the important work of the Holy Spirit.
PAUL’S PRAYER
In this next section we have Paul’s prayer for the Colossians. This is one of the most wonderful prayers in Scripture. It is a prayer that I think touches all the bases, and it will be very helpful for us to notice what Paul prays for.
It is very interesting that today we find people who are praying for these things. Paul makes it clear that we already have these things. Dr. H. A. Ironside speaks of the prayers that we hear people say which go something like this: “We pray Thee, forgive us our sins and wash us in the blood of Jesus. Receive us into Thy kingdom. Give us of Thy Holy Spirit, and save us at last for Christ’s sake. Amen.” Did you know that God has already answered every one of those petitions? God has forgiven us all our trespasses. We are cleansed by the blood of Christ. He has already translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit. “… if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). He has saved us eternally from the very moment we first believed the gospel. Therefore it would be more fitting to thank and praise Him for all these things than to be petitioning Him for what we already have. Instead of praying, “We ask this of Thee,” the prayer should be, “We thank Thee for all that You have already done.”
Now we come to this wonderful prayer that Paul prayed. First he will make several petitions, and then he will thank the Lord for the things He has already done for us.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding [Col. 1:9].
The first thing for which Paul prayed was that they might be filled with knowledge. The Greek word is epignoµsis which means “superknowledge” The Gnostics, the heretics there in Colosse, boasted that they had superknowledge. Paul says here, “I pray that you might be filled with knowledge, that you might have superknowledge.” But Paul confines this knowledge to knowledge of the will of God—this knowledge must be “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
Let me merely call attention to the fact that the word wisdom occurs six times in this short epistle.
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God [Col. 1:10].
His second petition is that they might be pleasing to God. That means that these Christians will not be bowing down to men or attempting to please them.
His third request is that they might be “fruitful in every good work.” The Christian is a fruit-bearing branch. Christ is the vine, and we should bring forth fruit.
“Increasing in the knowledge of God.” A Christian should not be static but alive and growing in the Word of God. So their increase in the knowledge of God is Paul’s fourth request.
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness [Col. 1:11].
Here is his fifth request. Strength and power can come only from God; they are produced by the Holy Spirit. These believers are to be strengthened with all might “unto all patience and longsuffering.” And this patience and longsuffering is to be “with joyfulness.”
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light [Col. 1:12].
Here is the beginning of the list of things for which Paul is thankful. All our prayers should be filled with thanksgiving. Paul is thankful that God by His grace has given us an inheritance with the saints in light. We ought to lay hold of that today. We should believe God and believe that His promise is true.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son [Col. 1:13].
Paul is thankful that we have been delivered from the kingdom of Satan. We were dead in trespasses and sins, going the way of the world. Now we have been translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love. This is the present aspect of the kingdom of God here on earth today. You can’t build the kingdom of God. The only way you can be a part of it is to open your heart and receive Christ as your Savior. That translates you into the kingdom of His dear Son.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins [Col. 1:14].
Not only have we been translated into His kingdom, but we also have forgiveness of sins in Him. This is always associated with the blood of Christ. God does not arbitrarily and sentimentally forgive sins. We have redemption through His blood—“redemption” is apolutroµsis which means “to set free an enslaved people.” He paid a price to deliver us out of slavery.
Paul has given thanks for five wonderful truths. If we are trusting Christ, God has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. God has redeemed us through Christ and has forgiven us our sins through His blood. Yet there are a great many Christian people today who pray for all five of these things. My believing friend, they are yours. Why don’t you thank Him for them?
PERSON OF CHRIST
We spoke of the person of Jesus Christ in our study of the Song of Solomon. In Colossians we come in close on the subject and learn the theology of it. This is a very lofty, very exalted, and very grand section of this epistle. The subject here is the person of Jesus Christ. We cannot say too much about Him, and we will never in this life be able to comprehend Him in all of His wonder and in all of His glory.
This section provides an answer to those who would deny the deity of Jesus Christ. To understand these verses is to realize how wonderful He really is. Paul is specifically attempting to answer one of the oldest heresies in the church, Gnosticism. Another of the first heresies was Arianism. Arius of Alexandria said that the Lord Jesus Christ was a creature, a created being. The Council of Nicaea in a.d. 325 answered this heresy saying, “The Son is very Man of very man, and very God of very God.” Later on in the history of the church, Socinus propagated the heresy that Jesus was not God and that mankind did not need a Savior from sin. He taught that we were not totally depraved. Today this is the basis of Unitarianism and some of the cults, including Jehovah’s Witnesses.
There are given here nine marks of identification of Christ which make Him different from and superior to any other person who has ever lived.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature [Col. 1:15].
1. He is the “image of the invisible God.” “Image” is eikoµn. How could He be the image of the invisible God? You cannot take a photograph or an image of that which is invisible. How could He be that? John makes this clear in the prologue to his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word.” That is a beginning that has no beginning—Christ has no beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1). And then John says, “And the Word was made [born] flesh …” (John 1:14). If you want the Christmas story in John’s gospel, that is it: He was born flesh. This is the way that He became the image of the invisible God. How could He be that? Because He is God. If He were not God, He could not have been the image of the invisible God.
2. He is “the first born of every creature.” This reveals His relationship to the Father and His position in the Trinity. God is the everlasting Father; the Son is the everlasting Son. His position in the Trinity is that of Son.
“Firstborn” indicates His priority before all creation. His headship of all creation does not mean that He was born first. We need to understand what the Scriptures mean by “first born.”
Nowhere does Scripture teach that Jesus Christ had His beginning at Bethlehem. We are told in the great prophecy of Micah 5:2 that He would be born in Bethlehem, but that He came forth from everlasting. Isaiah 9:6 tells us, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given….” The child is born, but the Son is given. He came out of eternity and took upon Himself our humanity.
Paul is dealing with one of the philosophies of that day, one of the mystery religions. It is called the demiurge, and it held that God created a creature just beneath Him; then that creature created a creature beneath him; then that creature created a creature beneath him. You can just keep on going down that ladder until finally you come to a creature that created this universe. These were emanations from God. Gnosticism taught that Jesus was one of these creatures, an emanation from God. Now Paul is answering that. He says that Jesus Christ is the Firstborn of all creation, He is back of all creation. The Greek word is proµtotokos meaning “before all creation.” He was not born in creation. He is the One who came down over nineteen hundred years ago and became flesh. He existed before any creation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1–3). God the Father is the everlasting Father. God the Son is the everlasting Son. There never was a time when Christ was begotten.
There are several places in Scripture where the Lord Jesus is called the Firstborn. He is called the Firstborn of all creation; He is called the Firstborn from the dead; and He is called the only begotten.
He is called the Firstborn from the dead later in this first chapter, verse 18. This is what the psalmist spoke of. “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee” (Ps. 2:7). Paul explained this idea further in that great sermon that he preached at Antioch of Pisidia in the Galatian country. Paul said there that the psalmist meant that Christ was begotten from the dead: “And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee” (Acts 13:32–33).
When Jesus Christ is called the Firstborn of all creation, it is not referring to His birth at Bethlehem. This is no Christmas verse. It means that He has top priority of position. It has nothing to do with His origin at all. The psalmist wrote, “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth” (Ps. 89:27). This makes it very clear that Christ as the eternal Son holds the position of top priority to all creation. In other words, He is the Creator. There is no demiurge, no series of creatures being created one after another. He Himself created all things.
Let me mention some other verses of Scripture that speak of the person of Christ. In Hebrews 1:3 we read: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” That doesn’t sound very much like He is a mere creature, does it? He is the Second Person of the Godhead. “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Now the Lord Jesus is not one of these creatures: “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Heb. 1:7–8).
So, my friend, what we are talking about here is not that the Lord Jesus was born a creature; we are talking about the fact that He is God. When He came into the world, a child was born but the Son was given and He had come out of eternity. The angel’s announcement to Mary was “… that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Why? Because that is who He is. He was the Son of God before He came into this world. “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
Now we come to the next two great statements concerning the Lord Jesus:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him [Col. 1:16].
3. “By him were all things created.” If all things were created by Him, that clears up the question of His being a creature or the Creator. The statement that He is the Firstborn of all creation does not mean that He was created, but rather He is the One who did the creating.
There are two kinds of creation, the “visible and invisible.” It is very interesting here to note that he mentions different gradations of rank in spiritual intelligences: thrones, dominions, principalities, powers. There are gradations in the angelic hosts. Other verses in Scripture tell us that there are seraphim and cherubim, and also the archangels. And then there are just the common, everyday, vegetable variety of angels.
In Ephesians we note the fact that our enemy is a spiritual enemy. Satan has a spiritual host that rebelled with him. So there are different gradations of rank among our spiritual enemies, too.
4. It is wonderful to know that all things were created by Him. But there is another truth given to us here: All things were created “for him.”
If you were to go out tonight and look up at the heavens, you would see a number of stars. Have you ever wondered why each star is in its own special position? Why is that star in that part of the heavens? It is in that part of the heavens because that is where Jesus wanted it. Not only did He create all things, but they were created for Him.
One of the most wonderful truths in this connection is that we are told that we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a big hunk of real estate coming to us someday. Maybe He will turn over a whole star to us. I don’t know; I have often wondered. I think we will be very busy in eternity. We will not be earthlings then, but we will be given a new body which is free from gravitation. We will be living in a city called the New Jerusalem. We will be able to travel through God’s vast universe. I don’t know how much of that universe He is going to turn over to us. He made it all, created it out of nothing, and He is going to run it to suit Himself. This is His universe. If you have wondered why a certain tree has a certain kind of leaf, it is because that is the way He wanted it. It was made by Him, and it was made for Him. We are going to enter into that someday: there is an inheritance prepared for us. I have never dwelt upon that very much because I feel that it is rather speculative. But I am sure that all of us wonder what it will be like when we are with Him in eternity. We do know it will be wonderful.
You and I are living down here in tents. Paul calls these bodies of ours just that—tents. He says, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved …” (2 Cor. 5:1). A tabernacle is a tent. This tent will go right back to the ground because the body is to be put into the ground at death. We will have moved out of our tent. He says, “… willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). When we are absent from these old bodies down here, we will be present with the Lord. We will be at home with Him.
You may be living in a home that cost $500,000. I have news for you: you are actually living in a flabby, old, frail tent—all of us are. But one of these days we will have our glorified bodies, and then we will receive our inheritance! You can have your $500,000 house—you won’t be in it long, anyway. Our new body is for eternity, and we will be at home with Him forever. This is the prospect ahead for the child of God. I’m rather looking forward to it. “All things were created by him, and for him.”
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist [Col. 1:17].
5. “He is before all things.” All fullness dwells in the preincarnate Christ, and all fullness dwells in the incarnate Christ. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). We are made complete in Him. He was before all things. He is the preincarnate Christ.
6. “By him all things consist.” He holds everything together. He maintains creation. He directs it. “Consist” is sunisteµmi which means to hold together. He is the super glue of the universe.
A few years ago in our lifetime, man did a very daring, and I think now, a very dastardly deed: he untied the atom. The Lord Jesus tied each one of those little fellows together when He created the atom. Man did what he called splitting the atom. Believe me, did he release power! Have you ever stopped to think of the tremendous power that there is in the atoms of this universe? If one bomb that we can hold in our hand can blow a whole area to smithereens, then how much power is tied up on this vast physical universe? Who is holding all that together? We are told that Christ not only created it but that He holds it together. I would say that holding it all together is a pretty big job. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who is able to do that.
We have this same truth repeated for us in Hebrews: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3). He’s a wonderful person, isn’t He? He’s a glorious person!
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence [Col. 1:18].
7. “He is the head of the body, the church.” I believe this is the key to the Epistle to the Colossians, which is really a companion epistle to the Epistles to the Ephesians and the Philippians. In Ephesians we had the emphasis on the fact that the church is the body of Christ down here in the world. The emphasis was upon the body. In Colossians the emphasis is upon the head of the body, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Ephesians we read, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22). And finally, in Philippians we see the church with feet, walking through the world—we see the experience of the church, the experience of the believer. These are companion epistles.
“The firstborn from the dead.” Did you know that there is only one Man who has been raised in a glorified body today? He is the firstfruits of them that sleep. When a loved one who is in Christ dies and you put that body into the grave, you are just putting it into a motel. It is like putting it into a hotel for a few days, because there is a bright morning coming. The body is put to sleep, but the individual has gone to be with the Lord. When Christ comes to take His church out of this world, then that body is going to be raised on the basis of His resurrection. It is sown in corruption, but it will be raised in incorruption (see 1 Cor. 15:42). We shall be just as He is. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
8. “That in all things he might have the preeminence.” You cannot think of anything more wonderful than this. The will of Christ must prevail throughout all of God’s creation. That is God’s intention. Even in spite of the rebellion of man down here on earth, God says, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion” (Ps. 2:6). God is moving forward today undeviatingly, unhesitatingly, uncompromisingly toward one goal. That goal is to put Jesus on the throne of this world which today is in rebellion against God. That is the objective of God.
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell [Col. 1:19].
9. “It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” The fullness is the pleµroµma. That is one of the most important words in this epistle. Over in Philippians it was the kenoµsis. That is, it emphasized that Christ emptied Himself and became a servant; He emptied Himself of the glory that He had with the Father. He didn’t empty Himself of His deity—He was God when He came to this earth. The pleµroµma, the full fullness of God, dwells in Him.
When He was down here on this earth, the pleµroµma was at home in Jesus. He was 100 percent God—not 99.44 percent, but 100 percent. That little baby that was lying on the bosom of Mary over nineteen hundred years ago seemed so helpless, but He could have spoken this universe out of existence. He is Man of very man; He is God of very God. That is who He is.
We can outline these verses from another perspective. I would like to do this for you in order to add to our understanding of this portion of Scripture.
1. Christ’s relationship to the Father—verse 15
2. Christ’s relationship to creation—verses 16–17
3. Christ’s relationship to the church—verses 18–19
4. Christ’s relationship to the cross—verse 20
OBJECTIVE WORK OF CHRIST FOR SINNERS
We are going to see here the things Christ has done for us.
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven [Col. 1:20].
“Having made peace through the blood of his cross” means that by His paying the penalty on the cross for your sin and my sin, peace has been made between God and the sinner. God does not approach man today and say to him, “Look here, fellow, I’m against you. You have been rebelling against Me. You are a sinner, and I am forced to punish you for that.” No, God is saying something entirely different to the lost sinner today. He says to you and to me, “I have already borne the punishment, I have already paid the penalty for all your sin. I want you to know that you can come to Me. Peace has already been made in Christ Jesus, if you will just turn and come to Me.”
This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Peace has been made through the blood of His cross. Paul puts forgiveness of sin right along with the blood of the cross. God can forgive because the penalty has already been paid. Jesus paid that penalty through the blood of His cross; therefore a righteous God can forgive you. God is not a disagreeable neighbor who is waiting around the corner to pounce on the sinner and to find fault with him. God has His arms outstretched and is saying, “Come, and I will give you redemption rest.”
“By him to reconcile all things unto himself.” Reconciliation is toward man; redemption is toward God. God is saying to all men today, “I am reconciled to you. Now will you be reconciled to Me?” That is the decision a man must make.
Paul explains this very clearly in his letter to the Corinthians. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:18–20).
A great many people have the idea that a man must do something to win God over to him. My friend, God is trying to win you over—the shoe is on the other foot. God is reconciled. He is asking man to be reconciled to Him.
“Reconcile all things”—some people take this statement and get the foolish notion that everybody is going to be saved. To understand this we need to pay a little attention to the grammar that is here. What are the “all things”? We will see that it is limited to all things that are to be reconciled, those which are appointed for reconciliation.
Maybe it would help us if we look at Philippians 3:8 where Paul says, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord….” What are the “all things” here? Does Paul include everything in the whole world? No, it refers to all the things that Paul had to lose. In the verses just previous Paul had enumerated all the religious pluses which he had had in his life. It is all these things which Paul counted for loss. Paul couldn’t lose something that he didn’t have.
“Whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” You will notice that Paul limits the “all things” that are appointed to reconciliation—he doesn’t mention things under the earth. In Ephesians 1:22 it says, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.” What are the “all things” that are going to be put under His feet? Well, in Philippians Paul wrote, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” (Phil. 2:10). Notice that all things are going to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ—all things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. That doesn’t mean that they are all reconciled. Paul makes no mention of things under the earth being reconciled to God.
My friend, don’t listen to the deception, the siren song, that all is going to work out well. Don’t think you can depend on God being nice and sweet and pleasant like a little old lady. Things in heaven and in earth are reconciled to God, but not the things under the earth. The things under the earth will have to bow to Him, but they are not reconciled to Him at all. This is the place and this is the life in which we need to be reconciled to God.
“Things in heaven”—not only must we be made ready for heaven, but heaven must be made ready to receive us. The Lord Jesus said, “… I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). By the Incarnation God came down to man; by the blood of Jesus man is brought up to God. This blood also purifies things in heaven according to Hebrews 9:23–24. Heaven must also be reconciled.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled [Col. 1:21].
God did not wait until we promised to scrub our faces, put on our Sunday clothes, and go to Sunday school before He agreed to do this work of reconciliation. It was while you and I were in rebellion against Him, while we were doing wicked works, that He reconciled us to Himself. No man can say, “I’m lost because God has not made adequate provision for me.” A man is lost because he wants to be lost, because he is in rebellion against God.
“That were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind.” This reminds us that there is a mental alienation from God as well as a moral alienation. A great many people think that men are lost because they have committed some terrible sin. The reason people are lost is that their minds are alienated from God. I think this explains the fierce antagonism toward God on the part of the so-called intellectuals of our day. There is an open hatred and hostility toward God.
Some time ago I had the funeral of a certain movie star out here in California. The Hollywood crowd came to the funeral. One of the television newscasters commented on the funeral, and I appreciated what he had to say about it. He said, “Today Hollywood heard something that it had never heard before.” But I also saw something there at that funeral that I had never seen before. I had never seen so much hatred in the eyes of men and women as I saw when I attempted to present Jesus Christ and to explain how wonderful He is and how He wants to save people. There is an alienation in the mind and heart of man.
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight [Col. 1:22].
“The body of his flesh”—here is an explicit declaration that Christ suffered—not just in appearance—but He suffered in a real body. This directly countered one of the heresies of Gnosticism in Paul’s day.
“To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” Unblameable means “without blemish.” That was the requirement of the sacrificial animal in the Old Testament. You and I cannot present perfection to God, and God cannot accept anything short of perfection. That is the reason we cannot be saved by our works or by our character. We simply cannot meet the demands of a righteous God. But He is able to present us unblameable. Why? Because He took our place. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Unreproveable means “unaccusable or unchargeable.” God is the One who justified us. If God declares us to be justified, who can bring any kind of a charge against us? He is the One who has cleared us of all guilt.
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister [Col. 1:23].
This is not a conditional clause that is based on the future. The if that Paul uses here is the if of argument. It does not mean that something shall be if something else is true; rather it means that something was if something else is true. We would say, “Since ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.” Paul’s point is that we have been reconciled—it is an accomplished fact. So if you are a child of God today, you will continue in the faith grounded and settled. You will not be moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard.
“Whereof I Paul am made a minister.” Paul loved to look back and rest in his glorious privilege of being a minister of Jesus Christ. I consider that the greatest honor that can come to any person. I thank God every day for the privilege that He has given me of declaring His Word—there is nothing quite like that.
SUBJECTIVE WORK OF CHRIST FOR SAINTS
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church [Col. 1:24].
Let me give you a free translation of this verse. “Now I, Paul, rejoice in the midst of my sufferings for you, and I am filling up in my flesh that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake, which is the church.” Paul is saying here that it was necessary for him to fill up in suffering that which was lacking in the suffering of Christ. Isn’t that a startling statement? Someone will say, “Doesn’t that contradict what you have been teaching all along? You say Christ suffered for us and paid the penalty and there is nothing we can do for salvation.” That is very true, and this verse does not contradict that at all.
Paul was suffering in his body for the sake of Christ’s body. The implication seems to be that there was something lacking in the sufferings of Christ. A second implication could be that it was necessary for Paul, and I think in turn for all believers, to make up that which is lacking. In other words, when Paul suffers for them, it completes the suffering of Christ.
All of this is rather startling because we have just called attention to the fact that this epistle teaches the fullness of Christ. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). Everything is centered in Him. He is to have the preeminence in all things. Yet here it would seem that there is still something to be done.
Paul is writing this epistle from prison, and he says he has fulfilled all his sufferings. You may remember that the Lord Jesus revealed to Ananias the reason He had saved Paul and how He was going to use him. “But the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way: for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15–16). Now Paul writes from prison and says that he has fulfilled that.
In our discussion of this verse I want to make one thing very, very clear, The sufferings of Paul were not redemptive. There was no merit in his suffering for others or even for himself as concerning redemption. Paul is very careful in his selection of words here. When Paul speaks of the redemption of Christ, he does not speak of suffering but of a cross, a death, and His blood.
There are two kinds of suffering. There is ministerial suffering and there is mediatorial suffering. Christ’s suffering for us was mediatorial. Actually, we can consider the sufferings of Christ and divide them into two further classifications. There is a sharp distinction between them. We will do that to clarify this passage of Scripture.
1. There are the sufferings of Christ which He endured and in which we cannot share.
He suffered as a man. He endured human suffering. He bore the suffering that is common to humanity when He was born in Bethlehem at His incarnation over nineteen hundred years ago. When He was born, did He cry like other little babies that come into the world? I have wondered about that, and I rather think that He did. He was clad in the garment of that frail flesh that you and I have. He could get hungry. He could become thirsty. He experienced loneliness. He suffered anguish and pain and sorrow. He could go to sleep in the boat because He was weary and tired. Those are human sufferings. We all have those.
Paul wrote, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Gal. 6:5). There are certain burdens we must each bear alone. We are born alone. So was our Lord. We feel pain alone. There are certain problems in life that each of us must face, and we face them alone. There is a sorrow that comes that no one can share with us. We become sick, and no one can take our place.
When my daughter was just a little girl I remember crossing the desert of Arizona coming back from the East. It was the hot summertime, and she had been sick. My wife took her temperature, and it was up to 104 degrees. We took her to the hospital in Phoenix. As she was lying there with that high temperature, I would have given anything in the world at that moment if I could have taken her place. I would gladly have taken that fever for her, but I couldn’t do it. We can’t share such things.
There will come a time when you and I will go down through the valley of the shadow of death. Humanly speaking, we will each die alone. That is the reason it is so wonderful to be a Christian and to know that Jesus is with us at that time when no one else can go through death with us.
Jesus Christ suffered human suffering. That is a suffering which cannot be shared.
The second suffering which He could not share was His suffering as the Son of God. He is God, yet He identified Himself with mankind. No mortal has ever had to endure what He went through. He was made like unto His brethren, and He Himself suffered; but He suffered as the Son of God.
We see this suffering in Psalm 69. It tells us in verses 11 and 12 that He was the song of the drunkards in that little town of Nazareth. And He said that He made sackcloth His garment. Oh, what He suffered because He was the Son of God! He was arrested. The soldiers of the high priest mocked Him. They put a robe on Him and a crown of thorns. They played a Roman game known as “Hot Hand” in which they blindfolded Him and then all the soldiers would hit Him with their fists. One of the soldiers would not hit Him, and when they removed the blindfold He was supposed to say which one had not. Even if He named the right one, they would never have admitted that He was right. Then they would put the blindfold on and play the game again. They all pounded Him until the Lord Jesus Christ was marred more than any man. They had beaten His face to a pulp before they ever put Him on the cross. He suffered in a way that no other man has suffered, because He suffered as the Son of God.
And then He suffered as the sacrifice for the sin of the world. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and none of us can enter into that suffering at all. We can appropriate His death for us, we can recognize the fact that He took our place, but we cannot enter into it. He alone went to the cross. He was forsaken of God and forsaken by men. His was not the blood of martyrdom; His was the blood of sacrifice.
In His first three hours on the cross, man did his worst. It was light from nine o’clock until noon; man was there at his evil worst. In the second three hours, from noon until three o’clock, it was dark; that was when God was doing His best. At that time the cross became an altar on which the Lamb of God was slain to take away the sin of the world. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust …” (1 Pet. 3:18). That’s a suffering that you and I cannot bear; He could not share that with anyone else.
2. On the other hand, there are the sufferings Christ endured which we can share. These are the sufferings which Paul refers to verse 24.
There is the suffering for righteousness’ sake. In the synagogue in Nazareth, His own hometown, Jesus said, “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth …” (John 8:40). He suffered for righteousness’ sake, and we are told very definitely that we will do the same: “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye …” (1 Pet. 3:14). Paul wrote to young Timothy: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
May I say to you that if you are going to live for God, if you, are going to take a stand for the right, you will find that you will be passed by. God’s men are passed by today in the distribution of earthly honors. The world will damn the man of God with faint praise, and they will praise him with faint damns. That is the way the world treats God’s men today. Athletes are lauded, people in the entertainment world are praised, politicians are praised, and professors are honored; but the man of God is not praised. If you stand for the things that are right in this world, you will suffer for righteousness’ sake. Paul understood this, and he wrote, “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter” (Rom. 8:36). That will be the lot of anyone who stands for God.
Then there is the suffering in the measure we identify ourselves with Christ for the proclamation of the gospel. John wrote, “… because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). The Lord Jesus made it very clear, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18–19). If you are not of the world, the world will hate you.
The popularity of the Christian with the world is in inverse ratio with his popularity with Christ. If you are popular with the world as a Christian, then you are not popular with Christ. If you are going to be popular with Christ, you are not going to be popular in this world. The child of God is to take his rightful place and identify himself with Christ. When we suffer for Christ, the Lord Jesus is also suffering through us, through His church.
You remember when the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, He said, “… Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4). That young Pharisee was startled and puzzled. Saul of Tarsus thought that he was persecuting Christians. He was shocked to learn that he was actually persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is what Peter wrote about our suffering: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:12–13).
There is one thing for certain: If the gospel is to go forward today, someone must suffer. The late Dr. George Gill said that when a child is born into this world, some woman must travail in pain; and the reason there are not more people being born again is because there are not enough believers who are willing to travail. Suffering is not popular—but that is what Paul is talking about in this verse.
All of us would like to see revival. We talk glibly about witnesssing and about living for God and all that sort of thing. My friend, may I say to you that if the gospel is going to go forward today and if people are going to be saved, someone is going to have to pay a price. How much are you paying to get out the Word of God? What is it really costing you? Are you willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel?
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God [Col. 1:25].
The word dispensation means economy—even by transliteration; it is a stewardship. We talk of political economy, domestic economy, business economy. God deals with the world on the basis of different economies or stewardships, but they have always been based on the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Before Jesus was born into this world, men brought a little lamb as a sacrifice, and they looked forward to the coming of Christ. They were not saved by that little lamb; but they brought the lamb in faith, and they were saved by the Christ who would some day die for them. That was the economy or the stewardship which God had set for the Jews in the Old Testament. We don’t bring a little lamb for a sacrifice today because it is now an historical fact that Christ has already come. All we have to do today is trust Him.
“The dispensation of God which is given to me for you,” Paul writes to the gentile people in Colosse. They are a part of this new dispensation. The Gentiles are to be included in the church.
“To fulfil the word of God.” This was something that had been hidden in the Old Testament, but now God has declared that the gospel must go to the Gentiles.
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints [Col. 1:26].
A “mystery” is something that had not been revealed in the Old Testament but is now revealed. We learn in Ephesians that the mystery was not the fact that Gentiles would be saved—that was known in the Old Testament. The mystery, the new thing, was that God would now put Israel on the same basis as the Gentiles. All men are lost; all men have sinned; all men have come short of the glory of God. Now God is taking both Jews and Gentiles, men out of all races, and He is putting them into a new body which is called the church. That was never revealed in the Old Testament, but it is now being revealed.
“Now is made manifest to his saints”—Paul wasn’t the only one who understood this mystery. God was making it known to His saints in that day.
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory [Col. 1:27].
“Christ in you, the hope of glory”—we are in Christ. The moment you put your trust in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit baptizes you and puts you in the body of believers. You and I have been brought into something new, the church, and the church has a glorious prospect ahead of it.
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus [Col. 1:28].
“Whom we preach.” The gospel is not what we preach, but it is whom we preach. No man has ever preached the gospel who hasn’t preached Christ. Jesus Christ is the gospel. He is eternal life. John wrote that he was going to show us eternal life, that he had seen eternal life (see 1 John 1:1–2). Whom had John seen? He’d seen Christ. And, my friend, today you either have Him or you don’t have Him. The gospel is Christ—what He has done for us in His death and resurrection and what He is going to do in the future.
“Warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom.” I believe there are two commands here for ministers today—these are two things we should be doing. We are to preach the gospel in order to win sinners to Christ and to save them from the wrath that is to come, and we are to teach every man in all wisdom. In other words, we are to seek to build up men and women so that they may grow in grace and be faithful members of the body of Christ; they are to be encouraged to serve Christ in the local assembly.
I am told that my teaching of the Bible helps the local churches, and that is the reason I have the support of so many pastors across this country. If I am not doing that, then I would have to say I am not fulfilling my ministry.
“That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Perfect actually means “complete or mature.” This is the goal of the teaching of the Word of God.
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily [Col. 1:29].
Striving means “to agonize.” Paul is giving us his very personal testimony: “This is what I’m laboring, striving to do.”
“According to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” Oh, this should be the desire of everyone today who is working for Christ—that He would work in us mightily to do two things: to get out the gospel that men might be saved and then to build them up in the faith. These are the two things the church should be doing today.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Christ, the answer to philosophy; Christ, the answer to ritual
In the first fifteen verses of this chapter we will see that Christ is the answer to philosophy. The remainder of the chapter will show that He is the answer to ritual. The answer to philosophy is for the head; the answer to ritual is for the heart.
Christianity has always been in the danger of sailing between Scylla and Charybdis. On one extreme Christianity is in danger of evaporating into a philosophy—then it becomes nothing but steam. The opposite danger is that it will freeze into a form and become nothing more than a ritual. There is a real peril on either side. But the Lord Jesus called Himself the Water of Life. He is neither steam nor ice—neither can sustain life. That is why we need to guard against following the line of philosophy or following the line of ritual. Christianity is Christ!
There were five errors that endangered the Colossian church which Paul will deal with in this chapter. They were:
1. Enticing words—verses 4–7
2. Philosophy—verses 8–13
3. Legality—verses 14–17
4. Mysticism—verses 18–19
5. Asceticism—verses 20–23
These are still dangers today. I think that most of us could sit down with this chapter and go through it to make an inventory of our spiritual lives. It would show us the direction in which we are going. A great many even so-called Bible believers have slipped into one or more of these errors.
CHRIST, THE ANSWER TO PHILOSOPHY (FOR THE HEAD)
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh [Col. 2:1].
Laodicea was near to Colosse. I have been to Laodicea but not to Colosse. Yet I stood on the high point of Laodicea and looked across the Lycos valley. There alongside the mountains at the gates of Phrygia, which lead into the Orient, were the ruins of Colosse. It was a great city, but it was not nearly as great as Laodicea. In Laodicea was one of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation; it was the church that is described as being lukewarm.
“Conflict” is our word agony. MacPhail calls this a prayer of agony. Paul saw that there was a grave danger in Colosse and in Laodicea, and it caused great conflict in the heart of the apostle. They were in danger of going off in one of two directions. There is still such danger, and we need a lot of agonizing prayer for the church today. This explains why we find the Laodiceans’ lukewarm condition in the Book of Revelation: they had lost sight of the person of Christ. Christ is the answer to man’s head; He is also the answer to man’s heart.
“For as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.” Colosse is located about 100 miles inland from ancient Ephesus. When Paul came through that area (which he did twice), he did not come down to Colosse and Laodicea. Even when he attempted to go down into Asia on his second missionary journey, the Spirit of God forbade him; so he turned and took the northern route. Then when he came on his third missionary journey, walking over the land, he again took the northern route, perhaps because he was already familiar with it. It is clear that he had not been to these cities because he writes, “and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.” This might be interpreted to mean that many new believers had come into the church since he had been there and that they had not seen his face. That meaning is highly unlikely; I think it means that Paul had never been there.
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ [Col. 2:2].
“That their hearts might be comforted.” Heart indicates the entire inner man. That means the whole propulsive nature of man. He is praying that their hearts, their humanity, their whole persons might be comforted.
“Being knit together in love” means compacted in love. Love will draw them together. After all, a church is not united by gifts or even by what we term today as spirituality. The bond that unites believers is love. It is the cement that holds us together—it is the Elmer’s glue of the church.
“Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.” Full assurance is an interesting expression; it literally means “to be under full sail.” It means that believers should be moving along spiritually—they should be moving along for God.
“To the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.” I grant that is a rather awkward expression, and a better translation would be: “the mystery of God, even of the Father, and of Christ.” Better and easier yet might be, “the mystery of God, even Christ.” I think that is the correct meaning of it.
What is “the mystery of God, even Christ”? The church is the mystery, for it had not been revealed in the Old Testament. God was going to save Gentiles—that had been made clear in the Old Testament, and He did save them. But on the Day of Pentecost God started a new thing. He began to call out a group of people into the body of believers, baptized by the Spirit of God into this body. This is what Paul is explaining in 1 Corinthians 12:12: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” You see, Christ had a physical body while He was here on this earth, and He has a spiritual body down here today. That body is the body of believers that have trusted Him, and the body is called Christ. That is why the Lord said to Saul of Tarsus, “Why are you persecuting me?” (see Acts 9:4). Saul was persecuting Him personally. The church is Christ—it belongs to Him. “The mystery of God, even Christ.”
In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul goes on to say of the church: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” We have all been baptized into Christ. We have all been made to drink into one Spirit. That is what brings the unity into the church. We are never commanded to make a unity of the church. It is impossible to join some organization and to expect that organization to bring about church unity. The Holy Spirit has already made that unity. He puts all believers into one body, and we are told to keep the unity of the Spirit. Our problem today is that we are not keeping the unity of the Spirit.
In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [Col. 2:3].
All that we need is in Christ. If only we could learn that! He is the reservoir of all knowledge.
In the science building where I went to college there was a motto on the bulletin board. It hung there the whole time that I was in college, and it made a great impression on me. I’m afraid I remember it better than I do the sciences that I studied there. It said, “Next to knowing is knowing where to find out.” I love that. I willingly admit that I don’t know everything—I’m sure you have found that out by now. But I know where to find out, because I know Somebody who does know. Christ has been made unto us wisdom. We need to rest in that. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him—how wonderful this is!
1. Now Paul will discuss the error of enticing words.
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words [Col. 2:4].
He is going to deal with the matter of philosophy and enticing words. Philosophy and psychology have been substituted for the Bible, and this is the thing that is enticing to so many young preachers in our seminaries today. I am amazed to find that some of these men with a Ph.D. degree from a seminary know so little about the Bible! They know all about Bultmann and Kant and Plato, but they don’t seem to know very much about the Word of God. That is the great problem of our day.
There was that same danger in Colosse and also in Laodicea. I think that is what actually killed the church in Colosse, and it made the church in Laodicea the weakest of the seven churches in Asia Minor. It was in the worst spiritual condition, and yet the people thought that they were well off. These cities were wealthy. They boasted of their wealth and affluence and also of their knowledge, but they were blind to their true spiritual condition.
Paul says, “Don’t let any man beguile you with enticing words.” Beguile means “to victimize.” Enticing words are a lot of oratory or sweet-talk.
I heard of a theologian who uses big words and tries to be very deep in his thinking. He was talking to a group of men for about half an hour. Another man walked up to the group and asked one of the men on the outside of the circle, “What’s he talking about?” The fellow answered, “He hasn’t said yet.” That is the problem—he never would say. All he did was talk with enticing words.
I know a dear lady who attends a certain church because, as she says “I just love to go there because the preacher uses such flowery language and he makes me feel so good all over.” That is the danger today. A great many people love this pretense toward intellectuality among preachers rather than the simple Word of God.
I started preaching before I went to college, and then in college I was exposed to liberalism because I went to a liberal college. That was all I knew at that time; I was not grounded in the Word of God at all, even though I had had a wonderful pastor. I thought I wanted to be an intellectual preacher—I thought that would be great. I thank God that that was knocked out of me in my second year of college. I became concerned with teaching the Word of God.
Paul warns us to beware that they will beguile us with enticing words and will victimize us. Their words cause many people to follow a certain individual instead of the Word of God. Like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, he starts playing, and the unwary start following.
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ [Col. 2:5].
At this time the word that was coming back to Paul was that this church was standing.
“Beholding your order.” Order is a military term, and it means “to stand shoulder to shoulder.” That is what believers ought to be doing—standing shoulder to shoulder. Instead, many today are trying to undermine or take advantage of another believer. Oh that we could stand shoulder to shoulder with one another!
Stedfastness means “to have a solid front, to be immovable.” The literal translation would be “stereotype,” or the opposite of movable type. Paul writes this same thought to the Corinthians: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). The Colossian church had a reputation for steadfastness, and Paul wanted them to continue like that and not be led away by the oratory of some.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him [Col. 2:6].
What does it mean to be saved, to be a Christian? Well, I have a letter from a man who tells me that I am not saved because I have frankly admitted that I am not perfect, that I do not keep all the Ten Commandments. He says that I am not saved until I do. My friend, salvation is to receive a person, and that person is Jesus Christ—“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord.”
“So walk ye in him.” Now that you have received Him, walk in Him, walk in the Spirit. Walking is not a balloon ascension. A great many people think the Christian life is some great, overwhelming experience and you take off like a rocket going out into space. That’s not where you live the Christian life. Rather, it is in your home, in your office, in the schoolroom, on the street. The way you get around in this life is to walk. You are to walk in Christ. God grant that you and I might be joined to Him in our daily walk.
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving [Col. 2:7].
“Rooted” means rooted like a tree, and a tree is a living thing. And we are to be “built up” as a house. A house is not a living thing, but it requires a tremendous foundation. Paul tells us in Ephesians that the foundation is Jesus Christ. Having received Christ, we are to walk in Him. Doing what? Being rooted, drawing our life from Him as a tree, and built up in Him, your faith resting upon Him.
That is why he adds, “and stablished in the faith.” A better translation would be “by your faith.” Faith is the means by which you and I lay hold of Christ.
2. Now Paul moves on to discuss the danger of philosophy.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ [Col. 2:8].
“Beware”—Look out! Stop, look, and listen!
“Lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit.” If you were to follow the history of philosophy beginning with Plato, including many of the church fathers, and coming down to more recent times (including Kant, Locke, and Bultmann, who seems to be the craze with some theologians right now), you would find that none of them have a high view of the inspiration of the Word of God. They are looking for answers to the problems of life, but they will not be found in philosophy.
A true philosopher is a seeker after truth, but truth is not found in human wisdom. Christ is the answer, the answer to philosophy. Paul wrote, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom …” (1 Cor. 1:30, italics mine). But false philosophy is like a blind man looking in a dark room for a black cat that isn’t there—there is no hope for its search for truth. Paul warns the Colossians to beware of this.
“After the tradition of men.” You may remember that the Lord Jesus condemned the religious rulers in His day because they taught the tradition of men rather than the Word of God. Very frankly, this is one of the reasons I have turned to the teaching of the total Word of God. It is so easy to lift out some peculiar interpretation of some particular passage and then ride that like a hobby horse. I believe in prophecy, but there is more in the Word of God than just prophecy. Some preachers dwell on the Christian life. That certainly is in the Bible, but there is more than just that. This is why I think it is so important for us to study the total Word of God.
“After the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” The Greek word for “rudiments” is stoicheion, which means “that which is basic,” the ABC’s. Some people try to build their Christian living on some worldly system that seems so simple. Our base is not philosophy or a worldly system; our base is Christ.
Now Paul will speak of Christ:
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily [Col. 2:9].
In Him dwelleth all the pleroµma—this is a clear-cut statement of the deity of Christ. It could not be stated any stronger than it is here. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead—not just 99.44 percent but 100 percent.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power [Col. 2:10].
You “are complete in him.” “Complete” is a nautical term, and it could be translated in this very vivid way: You are ready for the voyage of life in Him. Isn’t that a wonderful way of saying it? You are ready for the voyage of life in Christ, and whatever you need for the voyage of life you will find in Him. This is where we say that Christ is the answer. What is your question? What is it you need today? Are you carried away by human philosophy? Then turn to Christ. Are you carried away by enticing words? Are you carried away by the systems and traditions of men? Turn to Christ.
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ [Col. 2:11].
Paul is telling them to get rid of that which is outward. The real circumcision is the New Birth. He explained this to the Galatians: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Gal. 6:15). You and I become new creatures when we come to Christ and trust Him as our Savior. We rest in Him; we are identified with Him.
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead [Col. 2:12].
Lord Lyndhurst was the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain and possessed a sharp legal mind. He made this statement: “I know pretty well what evidence is; and I tell you, such evidence as that for the Resurrection has never broken down yet.” The death and resurrection of Christ is an historical fact. When Christ died you and I died with Him; He took our place. And when He was raised, we were raised in Him, and we are now joined to a living Christ. It is so important for us to see that we are joined to a living Savior.
It is so important to keep in mind that no outward ceremony brings us to Christ. The issue is whether or not we are born again, whether we really know Christ as Savior. If we do know Him, we are identified with Him. Identification with Christ is “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,” which is a spiritual circumcision.
When you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the body of Christ. It is by this baptism that we are identified with Christ, and we are also “risen with him”—joined to the living Christ.
“Through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead”—salvation is accomplished by the resurrection power of God. It’s not some philosophy; it’s not some gimmick; it’s not some little system; it’s not the taking of some course that will enable you to live for God.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses [Col. 2:13].
Salvation is not the improvement of the old nature; it is the impartation of a new nature.
Remember that Paul had to deal with two systems of Greek philosophy which were very popular in his day. They were diametrically opposed to each other, but they both came out at the same end of the horn. One philosophy was Stoicism, and the other was Epicureanism.
The Stoic taught that man was to live nobly and that death could not matter. The idea was to hold the appetites in cheek and to become indifferent to changing conditions. In effect they said, “Be not uplifted by good fortune nor cast down by adversity.” They believed that man is more than circumstances and that the soul is greater than the universe. It was a brave philosophy, you see. But the problem was how to live it. It was like the people who say that they are living by the Sermon on the Mount when actually they are many miles from it.
The Epicurean taught that all is uncertain. “We know not whence we came; we know not whither we go. We only know that after a brief life we disappear from this scene, and it is vain to deny ourselves any present joy in view of the possible future ill. Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
The interesting thing to observe is that both these systems attempted to deal with the flesh—that is, the old nature that you and I have—not the meat on our bones. The old nature works through our old habits, old desires, old testings and temptations. How are we going to bring that under control?
There are all kinds of gimmicks and systems that are set before us today to enable us to live the Christian life. I know people who have been to Bible conferences where the Christian life is taught, and at home they have a drawer filled with notebooks. But they are not doing so well in living the Christian life. Why not? Because we need to recognize this one important thing that Paul is saying here: we are joined to the living Christ. Now, if you are joined to Him, my friend, you are going to live as if you are. How close are you to Him? Do you walk with Him? Do you turn to Him in all the emergencies of this life? Is He the One who is the very center of your life?
3. As Paul turns now to the error of legality, we will again find that the answer is to come to the Word of God and through it to come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun.
It sheds a light on every age;
It gives but borrows none.
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross [Col. 2:14].
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us.” This old flesh of ours has been condemned. When Christ died, He died for you and me; He paid the penalty for our sin.
When the Lord Jesus died, Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross: “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews” (see John 19:19). He was being publicly executed on the grounds that He had led in a rebellion. This was, of course, not true, but that was the charge against Him. When the people standing there read that sign they understood that He had been disloyal to Caesar in that He had made Himself to be a king. To them that was the reason He was dying on a cross.
But when God looked upon that cross, He saw an altar on which the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world was offered. God saw another inscription there high above the inscription that man had written. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” What did God write on that cross? He wrote the ordinances—He wrote the Ten Commandments. He wrote a law which I cannot keep, ordinances which I am guilty of breaking. When Christ died there, He did not die because He broke them; He was sinless. But it was because I broke them, because I am a sinner, and because you are. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
Therefore, my friend, if God has saved you and raised you from the dead and joined you to a living Christ, why should you go back to a law that you couldn’t keep in the first place? You can’t even keep the law today in your own power and in your own strength. You see, the law was given to discipline the old nature. But now the believer is given a new nature, and the law has been removed as a way of life.
Let me give you an illustration. A man once came to me and said, “I’ll give you $100 if you will show me where the Sabbath day has been changed.” I answered, “I don’t think it has been changed. Saturday is Saturday, it is the seventh day of the week, and it is the Sabbath day. I realize our calendar has been adjusted and can be off a few days, but we won’t even consider that point. The seventh day is still Saturday and is still the Sabbath day.” He got a gleam in his eye and said, “Then why don’t you keep the Sabbath day if it hasn’t been changed?” I answered, “The day hasn’t changed, but I have been changed. I’ve been given a new creation. We celebrate the first day because that is the day He rose from the grave.” That is what it means when he says that the ordinances which were against us have been nailed to His cross.
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it [Col. 2:15].
The spiritual victory that Christ won for the believer is of inestimable value.
CHRIST, THE ANSWER TO RITUAL (FOR THE HEART)
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ [Col. 2:16–17].
Abeliever is not to observe ordinances that are only ritual and liturgical; they have no present value. God did give certain rituals for the people in the Old Testament. So what has changed? Paul explains that they were merely “a shadow of things to come.” We get our word photograph from the Greek word used here for “shadow.” All the rituals of the Law in the Old Testament were like a negative or a picture—they were just pictures of Christ. Now that Christ has come, we have the reality. Why should we go back and look at a picture?
I remember that, during the days of World War II, I performed the wedding ceremony of two wonderful young people here in Pasadena. (We knew a number of young men who went to war, and some of them gave their lives.) This young fellow was sent overseas, and while he was gone, his young bride carried the biggest purse I have ever seen (and I have seen some big ones). In that purse she carried a huge photograph of him. Most people carry a little bitty picture with them, but not this girl; she carried a photograph that you could have hung on the wall. She was everlastingly drawing it out and showing it to people. She’d say, “Isn’t he handsome?” (Between you and me, he wasn’t what I would call a handsome boy. He was a wonderful boy, but he was not handsome.) Then the day came when the war was over, and he was coming home. She went all the way to Seattle, Washington, to meet him. Now what do you think she did when she saw him coming down the gangplank? She hadn’t seen him in a couple of years. Do you think she took out that picture and looked at it? Do you think she looked at the picture and said, “Isn’t he wonderful?” I don’t think she even had that picture with her! She saw him and when she saw him, she didn’t need a picture—she threw her arms around him.
Many of us need to get off the merry-go-round of attending seminars, adapting gimmicks, jumping through everybody’s little hoop, and taking a shortcut to the abundant life. Have we really arrived? Some think they have. Let’s stop carrying around a faded photograph when we have the reality—“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
4. We come now to the warning against mysticism.
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God [Col. 2:18–19].
This is another point at which people get off the track. Paul is here condemning the Gnostics who made a pretense of wisdom. And we have today in our church circles a great many folk who assume a pious superiority—they are what I call “spiritual snobs.” It has been my experience that these people generally are very ignorant of the Bible. “Intruding into those things which he hath not seen”—that’s a pretense, putting on, acting like you have something that you don’t really have.
“And not holding the Head” means that such people have a loose relationship with Christ. In other words, their head is not screwed on as it should be, by the way.
5. The final warning is against the error of asceticism.
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh [Col. 2:20–23].
Here again, when Paul says “if ye be dead with Christ,” the translation would be better as, “since ye be dead with Christ.” In other words, since you have died when Christ died, do not return to pre-cross living.
I think, very candidly, that this is a terrible problem. There are people who follow some passing fad in the church. A few years ago the fad was that women couldn’t use lipstick (and some of them sure looked pale). I remember when I was teaching in a school that wouldn’t permit the girls to wear lipstick, a girl came to me and asked, “Do you think it is all right to use lipstick?” I answered her, “There are a lot of these folk around here who would look better if they used a little lipstick. God wants us to look the best that we can. Even when we have little to work with, we ought to do the best we can with it.”
What we are dealing with here is “the pride that apes humility” that Juvenal speaks of. It is the pride that says, “I deny myself, and I don’t do these things. Just look at me. I’m really sprouting wings, and I shine my halo every morning.”
“Not in any honour” means it is not of any value. My friend, that is asceticism that is no good. God wants you to rejoice in Him; Christ wants you to be close to Him. And if you’re going to walk with Him, my friend, you are going to have a good time!
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers; thoughts and affections of believers are heavenly; living of believers is holy
We come now to the line of division in this little epistle, which conforms to Paul’s regular way of dividing his epistles. He always gives the doctrinal section and then the practical section. Chapters 3 and 4 comprise the practical section of Colossians.
We have seen the preeminence of Christ in chapters 1–2. We have seen Him as He is, a member of the Trinity. He is very man of very man, but He is very God of very God. He is preeminent in creation because He is the Creator. He is preeminent in redemption for He is the Redeemer. He is preeminent in the church because He is the One who gave Himself for the church.
Now we have come to the place where Paul will insist that He must be made preeminent in our lives. Today we hear a great deal of talk about dedication. Well, what is dedication? A very brief definition is: Dedication is Christ preeminent in our lives.
You cannot just say, “I am a dedicated Christian,” and then live your life as you please as a great many people are trying to do today. No, if Christ is preeminent in your life, then you are going to live out His life down here on earth. Paul has already made this clear in the doctrinal section: “For in him [in Christ] dwelleth all the fulness [pleroµma] of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him …” (Col. 2:9–10). You are made full in Him. You are ready for the voyage of life in Him. In other words, Christ is really the solution to all the problems of life.
Paul has discussed the different things that lead people away from the person of Christ. He has warned against enticing words which carry people away by great oratory. He has warned against philosophy, legality, mysticism, and asceticism. All these lead people away from the person of Christ.
The Christian life is to live out the life of Christ. You and I will find in Christ Jesus all that we need. In this practical section of the epistle, Paul will show us Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers—that is the only way He can be poured out.
THOUGHTS AND AFFECTIONS OF BELIEVERS ARE HEAVENLY
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God [Col. 3:1].
Again, this is not the if of condition; it is really the if of argument. We saw this same thing back in Colossians 1:23 where we read: “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled….” There was no question about their continuing in the faith grounded and settled. The lives of these Colossian Christians evidenced their salvation. What was the evidence? It was faith, hope, and love—the fruit of the Spirit was in their lives. “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus”—the word had gotten around that they had a living faith in Christ Jesus; “and of the love which ye have to all the saints”—they loved the believers (Col. 1:4). Love among the believers is so important, and I do not mean this sentimental stuff that you hear so much about today. For instance, if you are a minister, you evidence your love for your congregation if you give them the Word of God, and you show your love for your pastor as a member of the church if you support his Bible-teaching ministry. My friend, love is very practical—it gets right down where the rubber meets the road. If it doesn’t, it’s no good at all. Love is that which manifests itself in reality. The Colossians had faith, and they had love. They also had hope: “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven …” (Col. 1:5). That hope is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His church. These three—faith, hope, and love—were the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believers in Colosse. Therefore, when Paul says “if,” it is the if of argument. Verse 1 here in chapter 3 would be better translated, “Since you are risen with Christ.”
“Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Where is Christ today? He’s sitting at the right hand of God.
What are we to do today? We are to “seek those things which are above.” Seek is an interesting word. It actually means “having an urgency and a desire and an ambition.” There should be an excitement that goes with seeking spiritual things.
When we watch the Olympic games, we see folk who are running or performing some athletic feat to win a gold medal. Believe me, those folk are seeking. I don’t see many saints looking for gold medals today, but we are to be seeking Christ with that kind of urgency.
“Those things which are above”—these are the things of Christ. I want you to note that Paul is not saying that we should seek such courses as are offered today that are a mixture of pseudopsychology with a smattering of Bible. This kind of teaching is handed out in a few night classes, and then some poor crippled Christians think they have the answers to the problems of life—all the way from a neurotic mother-in-law to a boss who is a dirty old man. They think some little course will teach them how to treat everybody and every problem. They consider it a do-it-yourself kit, a kind of an open sesame to a new life. Now I say to you, and I say it very carefully, you will only experience the new life as you “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
I will get even more personal in my illustration. You cannot find the answers in anything I have produced—either a book or a tape-recorded message. Now I am stepping on some toes, including my own toes. A couple came to me this past summer at a conference and said, “Dr. McGee, we have a certain tape of yours, and we play it at least once a week and listen to it.” My reaction was that they had better burn that tape. I had the feeling they were beginning to worship that tape and that tape wasn’t getting them through to Christ.
And now I’m really going to step on toes; Paul doesn’t say here to seek out and listen to any preacher or teacher! May I say this to you very kindly and very frankly: Don’t make Dr. McGee or any man your idol. If you do, you have an idol who has feet of clay. You would be looking to a man who is just like you are. I make a lot of mistakes. I’m not near the man I’d like to be, nor the husband I’d like to be, nor the father or grandfather I’d like to be. Don’t make anything man produces a god for yourself.
The purpose of this poor preacher is to get out the Word of God to you so that you can see the living Christ and get through to Him. If the Holy Spirit doesn’t use my ministry to get you through to the living Christ, then I have failed—then I have fallen flat on my face, and I am willing to quit. I believe with all my heart that the Bible is the one Book which reveals the living Christ, and that is my purpose in teaching it.
I would like to give you an illustration of this. I went to school with a fellow who was a Canadian, and he told me about his first trip to Niagara Falls. (By the way, Mrs. McGee and I saw it for the first time this past summer. When we were looking over the falls, I said to her, “Honey, I promised you we would go to Niagara Falls on our honeymoon. I think we are still on our honeymoon, and here we are.”) Well, my classmate told me that as a boy he got on a train on the Canadian side of the falls, which is the prettiest side. He said, “When I got off the train, I could hear the roar of the falls, but I couldn’t see them. I began to move toward the sound, and I came to a big building. I went into that building, which was like a Union Station in the United States: there was the popcorn vendor, the soda pop machine, the gift shop, and candy papers, chewing gum wrappers and even chewing gum on the floor. People were sitting all around. I was really disappointed, but I could still hear the roar of the falls. Then I looked down to the end of the building, and there I saw the biggest picture I had ever seen in my life. The frame of the picture took in most of the end of that building. It was a picture of Niagara Falls. I couldn’t believe that right there at the falls they would have a picture of them. I began to walk down toward that picture, and as I drew closer to it, I began to realize that through a frame I was looking at the real, living, running Niagara Falls!”
My friend, when you read the Bible, you are not looking at a dead person. You are looking at the real, living Christ. He is the One at God’s right hand. We are to seek those things which are above—we are to seek Him. That is why I have a ministry of teaching through the Bible. There is no shortcut. Some have suggested that I cut it down to a one-year program, but that certainly is not adequate. And, really, five years is not adequate. Some have suggested that I lengthen it to ten years, but that is not feasible for me. Even if we took ten, or even twenty years, we would not know it all. At the end of his life Paul could still say: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10).
Real study of the Word of God will get you through to the living Christ. Let me illustrate this with a letter from a listener to our radio program:
When we were studying Romans and Corinthians, I began to realize just how much of a carnal Christian I really was. I began to desire much more than that. So I began to pray that I might truly know Christ as God would want me to. Nothing happened for a while, but I kept praying. And then God did answer my prayer. One day you said that God sees us in Christ, and it was as though some dark, hidden thing had been brought out into the light. I had read Ephesians many times before, but that day your message really struck home. It is a wonderful thing to know that Paul’s prayer is still being answered today. I realized that day that God no longer looked down upon me as a poor sinner struggling upon this earth, but in Christ and that I belong to Him as a child….
May I say to you from my heart, get through to Christ. “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.”
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth [Col. 3:2].
Actually the word for “affection” is mind. Think about the things that are above. In Philippians Paul said that whatever things are true and honest and just and lovely, think on these things—the things of Christ. Life is full of its smaller problems (like whether or not you can get along with your mother-in-law), and they are very real to us, but by far the greatest need is for us to get through to Christ. That should come before everything else. “Set your affection on things above.”
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God [Col. 3:3].
“For ye are dead” might better be translated “for ye have died.” If you have died, when did you die? Paul wrote to the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ …” (Gal. 2:20). You died more than nineteen hundred years ago when Christ died. He took my place; He took your place. We died in Him.
“Your life is hid with Christ in God.” I have been taken out of the old Adam by baptism; that is, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have been taken out of Adam and placed in Christ. I am now in Christ. Now that I am in Christ, I should live out His life and let His fullness be lived out through me.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory [Col. 3:4].
If you have any life, it is Christ’s life. John wrote in his first epistle that it was his intent to “shew unto you that eternal life.” How could he show eternal life? He was going to show us Christ; Christ is eternal life. And one of these days those who belong to Him are going to “appear with him in glory.”
LIVING OF BELIEVERS IS HOLY
If we are truly risen with Christ this will be evident in two areas of our lives: (1) our personal holiness, and (2) our fellowship with others who are about us.
It seems that Christians are frightened of this matter of holiness. When I was a young preacher, I heard the late Bishop Moore of the old Southern Methodist church make this statement: “If Methodists were as afraid of sin as they are of holiness, it would be a wonderful thing.” This isn’t true of Methodists alone; it is true of most Christians. Somehow we don’t like this term holiness. It is a very good word, and that is Paul’s subject here—personal holiness.
Christ was born as a little Babe in Bethlehem, but He is no longer in that inn. He is up yonder at God’s right hand at this very moment. He’s on a throne—not in a cradle and not in an inn but in heaven itself. And He’s there for you and me today. Now, if you are in Christ, if you have accepted Him as your Savior, then that is going to show in your life down here. Friend, if it doesn’t tell in your life down here, then maybe you are not in Him up yonder!
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry [Col. 3:5].
Mortify means “to put to death, or put in the place of death.”
Fornication means “sexual immorality.” Is that your sin today? Let’s not kid ourselves—there are a great many folk who are covering up this sin, and yet they still talk about being dedicated Christians! Paul brings this right out into the open and tells us that we are to put our physical members in the place of death. Do your eyes cause you trouble? Do you look with the eye of covetousness, or the eye of lust? Put those eyes in the place of death, and now use them as the eyes of Christ to look upon Him. My friend, that will change things, will it not?
Uncleanness includes thoughts, words, looks, gestures, and the jokes we tell.
Inordinate affection means “uncontrolled passion or lust.” Every now and then someone will confess to me a sin in his life, and he will say “Well, I couldn’t help myself.” My friend, you ought not to get in that spot in the first place. It’s like the little boy whose mama called to him one night when she heard him in the kitchen, “Where are you?” He said, “I’m in the pantry.” He had the cookie jar open. She called, “What are you doing?” He answered, “I’m fighting temptation!” My friend, that is the wrong place to fight temptation. Don’t fight it there at the cookie jar, if you’re not to have the cookies. The same thing applies to inordinate affection.
Evil concupiscence—that means “evil desires.” Put them to death, my friend.
“Covetousness, which is idolatry” means when we always must have more. Is the almighty dollar your god today? Are you more interested in the dollar than you are in the living Christ? These questions can begin to hurt! Our bodies are the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit, and they are to be used for God.
When I drove to my office this morning there were a great many people on their way to work. Many of them were professional men and business executives. One man went by me in a Cadillac. He didn’t see me or anyone else because he was in such a hurry. I don’t know why he was hurrying, but I can guess. We see pictures of people in other lands going to heathen temples and worshiping there, and we feel sorry for them in the darkness of their idolatry. But I suspect that the fellow in the Cadillac was also in darkness, that he was on his way to worship his idol and to bow before it. His idol was the almighty dollar, and he was rushing to work to see how many he could make. A great many folk are overcome by this matter of covetousness. They covet the material things of this world—they want more money.
I would venture to say that covetousness is the root of most of the problems in our country today. “… the love of money is the root of all evil …” (1 Tim. 6:10). Money is not the problem—it can even be used for the glory of God. But there are many men, even Christians, who are working on that second million, and they don’t need it. It is because they worship an idol. If you are in Christ, He will come first and you will seek those things which are above.
For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience [Col. 3:6].
“For which things’ sake”—Paul means the things he has just been speaking of, the things which the world does.
“The wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” Men are not lost simply because they do these things, neither are they lost because they haven’t heard of Christ. Men are lost because they are sinners, sinners in their hearts. And, because they are sinners, they do these things.
In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them [Col. 3:7].
Those of us who now know the Lord practiced these sins in our lives at one time. I hope that we are not still doing them.
I met a young millionaire in Florida quite a few years ago. He very frankly admitted that before he was saved he worshiped the almighty dollar. He was always after the next dollar and then the next one. When he came to Christ, he decided to retire. He had already made a million dollars and any more that he made he wanted to put into the Lord’s work. He wanted to spend his time seeking the things of Christ.
Oh, my friend, do we put Him first? Or are we engaged in the very things that the world is engaged in and for which God intends to judge them? Well, how then can we expect that we shall escape the judgment of God? If you are in Christ, seek those things which are above, and you will not find yourself involved in the things of the world.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth [Col. 3:8].
These are the habits that we are to put off as we would put off a garment. We call a garment a habit, do we not. Many folk have a riding habit or a golfing habit. I have an old pair of slacks that I play golf in—that’s my golfing habit. (I don’t look very good, but that is what I wear.) Different people have different habits that they wear. Paul says that we are to put off these old practices as we’d put off a dirty, filthy garment. You don’t send it to the laundry—you throw it away! You put it in the garbage can. You “put off all these.”
The first is “anger.” There is a place for anger that is justified. You remember that the Lord Jesus was angry at the Pharisees because of the hardness of their hearts. That is not a sinful anger. The problem is that we become angry over the wrong things.
Anger becomes “wrath” when we develop an unforgiving spirit.
Someone has said that “malice” is congealed anger. It is an anger that has been nursed along. It is an anger that tries to take revenge and get even. Paul says that a Christian is to put that off like an old, dirty, filthy garment. That kind of behavior does not represent Christ.
“Blasphemy” can be of two kinds. There is a blasphemy against God and a blasphemy against man. The first type of blasphemy is to defame the name of God. It is not just taking His name in vain, but it is to misrepresent Him, to hate Him. I received a letter from a lady that tells about the death of her little three-year-old child and how she hated God because of that. Somebody gave her our little booklet, The Death of a Little Child, and she was brought to the Lord. She realized that she had been only a church member before and had not really been born again. You see that hating God for something that has happened is really blasphemy.
Did you know that you can also blaspheme another Christian when you make a statement about him that is not true? I remember years ago a statement that was made by a man about a preacher who was Arminian in his theology. The man who made the statement was a Calvinist, and he said that the preacher was “of Satan.” Well, my friend, when you say things like that, untrue things about a child of God, you are guilty of blasphemy.
“Filthy communication out of your mouth” means foul communication and includes both that which is abusive and that which is filthy. I can’t believe that Christians would want to indulge in that, but I am told that there are certain little groups which meet together and share dirty jokes. Some Christians use swear words. In fact, I have heard of Christian leaders doing that. I do not believe that you can be a child of God, friend, and live like that. These are things that are to be put off.
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds [Col. 3:9].
To whom is Paul speaking? He is writing this to believers, because he says, “seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” Is it possible for a Christian to lie? It certainly is. That doesn’t mean that you have lost your salvation when you do—otherwise many of us would have lost ours a long time ago. It does reveal that you don’t reach a place of perfection, my friend, nor do you get rid of the old nature, when you become a child of God.
I believe one of the first sins a little child commits is to lie. I heard the story about the little boy who came running into the house and said, “Mama, Mama, a lion just ran across our front lawn.” The mother said, “Willie, you know that was not a lion. That was a big dog that ran across the lawn. You go upstairs and confess to the Lord that you lied about that.” Little Willie went upstairs and after a while he came down again. His mother asked, “Did you confess your lie to the Lord?” He answered, “Yes, I did. But the Lord said when He first saw him, He thought he was a lion, too!” Lying is something that is deep-rooted in the human heart, and many Christians still indulge in it.
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him [Col. 3:10].
“Put on the new man.” If you take off the old garment, the old man, you put on the new garment, the new man. Nature abhors a vacuum. Putting off is not enough, we must live in the new man by the power of the Holy Spirit.
You and I have an old nature which has controlled us for so long that we have set up certain habits. That is why garment is such an effective term here—it’s a habit. We have developed certain patterns in the way we say and do things. We also have within us a complex nervous system that is conditioned to respond in a set fashion. If I put my hand down on red hot stove, a message travels through the nervous system to the brain. The message gets switched over to a motor nerve which goes back down to the hand and says, “Say, you crazy fool, take your hand off that red hot stove. You’re getting burned!” And you jerk your hand off the stove. Of course, it all happens more quickly than I can tell it. It is a reflex reaction that occurs very quickly. In the same way, our habit patterns are formed.
It is psychologically true that we are able to put off old habits and form new ones. But it is especially true for the believer because he has the power of the Holy Spirit within him. We are to “put on the new man.”
“Renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” You are to put on the new man, and that new Man is Christ. In that way the church is able to represent Him on this earth.
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all [Col. 3:11].
“Neither Greek nor Jew”—in the church, the body of believers, there is neither Greek nor Jew. This was a religious division or distinction that was made in Paul’s day.
“Circumcision nor uncircumcision.” This was also a religious division.
“Barbarian, Scythian.” Barbarians were those who were not Greeks, those whom we would call heathen today. The Scythian was the worst kind of barbarian. Scythia was north of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The people who lived there were probably the most barbaric the world has known. You talk about pagan, heathen, brutal, and mean! They would take their enemies and scalp them; then they would use the skull as a cup and drink the blood of their victims out of the skull! I cannot think of anything more heathen than that! Did you know that the ancestors of many of us who have white skin came from that territory? We are called Caucasians after the area where these barbarians lived.
Even in Paul’s day, some of these people were being led to Christ. The gospel had reached out and done a tremendous work, and some of them were in the church at Colosse. Missionaries had gone north beyond the Black and Caspian Seas—Scythians had been won for Jesus Christ. Even though they were barbarians, they were brought into that one body which is the church.
“But Christ is all, and in all.” You just can’t have it any more wonderful than that, my friend. This is something that is beyond description. Christ is the catalyst who brings together individuals and groups who are separate and makes them one in Him. A catalyst is a substance that is placed with elements that are opposed to each other and brings them together into a new compound. This is exactly what Christ does. We have all been made one in Him!
Remember that we are in the practical section of Colossians. In the doctrinal section we saw Christ who is the fullness of God and the head of the church. Believers have been made full, made complete in Him. We will find all that we need in Christ, not in any man-made legal or philosophical system.
Since we have risen with Christ, we are to seek those things that are above where Christ is at the right hand of God. We have seen that this will lead to personal holiness. Beginning now with verse 12 we will find that it will also lead to holiness in our relationship to others; then verses 18–21 will deal with holiness in the home; and verses 22–25 with holiness on the job. The Christian life is living out the fullness of Christ in our walk in the home, on the job, and in our social relationships.
Paul has clearly labeled the things of the old man that are to be put off. Now he will label the specifics that are to make up the wardrobe of the new man. We are going to see the latest in fashions for Christians, by the way. In fact, I have written a message on this passage of Scripture, and I have called it, “What the Well-Dressed Christian Will Wear This Year.”
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering [Col. 3:12].
“The elect of God.” There is a great deal of discussion about this matter of election. The fact of the matter is that if you have trusted Christ, you have on this new garment, and you are one of the elect. If these things that Paul is going to list are in your life, you’re of the elect. I couldn’t begin to tell you otherwise, nor argue any further about that—you’re of the elect. The elect of God are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
You will notice that the garments Paul is mentioning here are actually the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You and I cannot produce them in our lives. The minute you and I think about the wonderful position that we have in Christ and the high calling we have in Him, we have to recognize as we look at ourselves that we are impotent. We are weak and powerless, unable to “put on” these fruits. We are in the same position as the bride in the Song of Solomon. She had been kissed with the kiss of peace. Peace has been made with God. He has kissed us, my friend, and told us that our sins are forgiven us in Christ. How wonderful that is! But as the children of God we still sin. Then we need to remember the boy who got away from his father and his home, who lived in sin and wasted his fortune in riotous living. When he came back home, his father saw him afar off and ran and fell on his neck. What did he do? He kissed his son. That is the kiss of pardon, the kiss of forgiveness which God gives to His children.
We are in the position of the bride who says in the Song of Solomon, “Draw me, draw me” (see Song. 1:4). I am not able to attain to this wonderful position that I have in Christ. I can’t do it myself. So you and I find ourselves cast upon Him. This is where the Spirit of God moves in and enables us to walk in the Spirit.
Bowels of mercies means “heart of compassion.” How heartless this world is today. How indifferent and mechanical it has become! I find that much of the time I am simply a number. In the few business transactions that I have, a computer—a machine—does business with me. I can’t tell that machine how I feel. I can’t tell that machine when it has made a mistake. I can’t tell that machine when I have made a mistake. I just do business with that machine. It sends me a bill and I pay it—that’s all. I also do business with a bank. It has as much heart as the computer. In fact, the computer is the heart of the bank. Since I have had cancer I must also do business with my doctor. I have a very wonderful doctor who takes care of me, but when I had to be taken to the emergency room and had a strange doctor, I found that he considered me just a boy with a stomachache. I wasn’t a person to him at all. He just talked in big medical terms—that’s all I was to him.
Paul is saying that as believers we should have a heart of compassion in our relationships with those around us.
Kindness is a word that Paul uses that carries with it the thought of being “profitable.” It means to be helpful to others. There is another Greek word for kindness that has an element of sternness in it. You can be kind and still be stern, as when I tell my grandson, “Don’t you do that.” When I say that, I mean to be stern with him. But there is the kindness that means gentleness, and that is the word that Paul uses here.
Humbleness is “meekness.” As I say so often, meekness does not mean weakness. Notice that here Paul’s emphasis is “humbleness of mind.”
Meekness. Here the emphasis is meekness of spirit.
Longsuffering is the Greek word makrothumia, which means “long-burning”—it burns a long time. We shouldn’t have a short fuse with our friends and Christian brethren. We shouldn’t make snap judgments.
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye [Col. 3:13].
Quarrel actually is “complaint.” Paul is including situations where there is blame involved and the complaint is justified.
What are we to do in such circumstances? “Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” This does not mean that you become a doormat. But it does mean that when we have a complaint, we’re to go to the individual and try to work out the matter.
There are always going to be some people with whom you cannot work out things—we must realize that. When our Lord denounced the Pharisees, there was no mention of forgiveness—He just denounced them. They did not seek His forgiveness, of course.
Paul’s thought here is that Christ has forgiven us so much that it won’t hurt us to forgive somebody who has stepped on our toes. We are to forgive others in the same way that Christ has forgiven us.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful [Col. 3:14–15].
Charity is “love.” Put on love. We have here in these verses two fruits of the Spirit: love and peace.
Rule means “to umpire.” The peace of God should govern our hearts.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord [Col. 3:16].
There are many people who are great on doctrine and want to be fundamental in the faith. That is all-important, and I don’t think anyone emphasizes it any more than I do. These people can often be heard praising Bible study, yet they do not attend Bible study, and they know so little about the Word of God.
“The word of Christ.” The Lord Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). The best Saturday night bath that you can take is to study the Word of God.
Dwell means “to be at home, to be given the run of the house.” We should be familiar with the Word of God. The Bible should not be a strange book to you as it is to so many people today.
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts”—let it be an umpire. And then “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom”—let it be at home. Know Him. Be familiar with the Word of Christ; study it and know what He’s saying to you. That is where He is going to speak to you today, my friend—in His Word.
“Teaching and admonishing one another”—in what? “In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”
“Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” I can’t sing—so my singing never does get beyond that which is in the heart. The point is that we are to let the Word of God have this marvelous influence in our lives that Paul has described here.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him [Col. 3:17].
Do you want a norm for Christian conduct? Do you want a standard to go by? Do you want a principle rather than a lot of little rules? Paul gives us such a principle here. He does not say what we should or should not do. He simply says, “Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” My friend, whatever you do—at your place of employment, in your home, and in all relationships with others—can you say, “I’m doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus”? If you can say that, if you are doing it in His name, then go ahead and do it. This is a marvelous standard, a yardstick that we can put down on our lives.
Now Paul comes to the subject of holiness in the home. You will notice that he is dealing with the same things that he dealt with in the Epistle to the Ephesians. There he told them to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and then he gave them these same instructions. Here in Colossians he writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,” and then he goes on to give instructions for living.
What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? It means that you will have to be filled with the Word of Christ also. The Word of God is inspired by the Spirit of God. If the Word of God dwells in you richly, then you are filled with the Spirit of God. I do not believe that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit or that you can serve Christ until you are filled with the knowledge of His Word. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
Now, if the Word of Christ dwells in you richly, it will work itself out in your life, and it will have an effect on your home.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord [Col. 3:18].
This is for the purpose of order in the home. This is not for the purpose of producing a browbeating husband. I do not believe that God intends for a wife to submit to an unsaved husband who beats her or orders her to do things contrary to her walk with the Lord.
A woman wrote to me and said that her husband was an unsaved man. When he would get drunk, he would beat her. She felt as a Christian she ought to stay with him. I advised her to leave him. I do not believe that God ever asks any woman to stay with a drunken husband. She loses her own personality; she loses her own dignity, and she will find herself being brought down to his level if she submits to that. She is to submit “as it is fit in the Lord.”
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them [Col. 3:19].
The husband who loves his wife is the one to whom the wife is to submit. She is not to be the one to take the lead in the family, but she is to urge him to take the lead. I think we have had this thing all wrong for a long time. In my entire ministry I have removed the word obey from the marriage ceremony. I don’t think it belongs in there at all.
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord [Col. 3:20].
Children are to obey their parents. They are to honor their parents all their lives, but when they are children they are to obey them.
However, the child also needs to grow up. I don’t think this verse means that a twenty-four-year-old boy must stay tied to his mama’s apron strings. Whether he is married or single, when he has reached maturity, he is ready to get away from his parents. We see so many teenagers rebelling against their parents in our day. I believe that God may have put into the hearts of teenagers the necessity to get away. There is a period in their lives that is a weaning time, and they need to learn to be independent. I have seen some literature that tells young married couples that they are still to go to their parents and obey them. I think that is nonsense and entirely unscriptural (see Gen. 2:24). “Children, obey your parents in all things” is a verse for children, for minors.
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged [Col. 3:21].
Let me refer you to my book on Ephesians and my comment on Ephesians 6:4. The remarkable feature of this verse, as given both in Ephesians and Colossians, is that under the Mosaic Law, the commandment referred only to the children. There was no reference to parents. Had the Law developed in the parents a dictatorship rather than a directorship? No. The Book of Proverbs reveals that the responsibility to find God’s will for the child had been given to the parents: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).
Now the apostle moves on to the subject of holiness on the job, at the place of employment. He will discuss the relationships that exist on the job, the relationship of capital to labor.
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God [Col. 3:22].
Eye-service is a word peculiar in the New Testament to the writings of Paul. He means, “Don’t keep your eye on the clock. Keep your eye on Christ. He is the One whom you are serving.” That is the way you ought to do your job.
Sometimes Christians talk about being dedicated to the Lord and wanting to serve the Lord, but they are lazy. We had one boy working here at our radio headquarters who was like that. He stood around with his hands in his pockets all the while his mouth was going, but he thought he was dedicated! May I say something very frankly? If you are lazy on the job, you are not dedicated to Jesus Christ.
Paul had reduced the Christian life to its lowest common denominator. He had one simple goal: “… forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14). He had his eye, his mind, his heart, and his total affections fixed upon Jesus Christ.
“In singleness of heart, fearing God.” The idea here is not to fear the boss, but to fear God.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men [Col. 3:23].
When Paul says to work “heartily,” he means work from your soul. We have heard a lot about a “soul brother,” but we ought to have a little more “soul work.” If you can’t do something with enthusiasm unto the Lord, regardless of what it is, it is wrong for you. Some people write in and ask me, “Is it right for me to do this?” or “Is it right for me to go to this place?” Here is your standard: “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord.” That applies to everything. Even if you cannot go to a church with enthusiasm, I would recommend you quit going to that church.
“As to the Lord, and not unto men.” Whatever we do should be done to the Lord, not to men. We are not to be men pleasers.
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ [Col. 3:24].
Maybe you’re not going to have to report to your boss; or when his back is turned he doesn’t see that you are loafing on the job, not really giving him a full day’s work. But the Lord Jesus sees, and you are going to answer to Him. You are in Him, and you belong to Him. Therefore, you have to give an account of your life to Him.
Since we represent the Lord Jesus down here upon this earth, He is going to ask that His representatives be found faithful. There are a great many folk who are humble, little-known people that you and I know nothing about who have been faithful on the job. They have been faithful to their employer, faithful to their church, faithful to their homes, faithful to their pastor. Very few people know about them. The Lord knows. They will receive a reward. I think you and I are going to be surprised by the reward some people will get.
“For ye serve the Lord Christ.” This puts a different complexion upon Christian service down here. There are many people who are lazy in God’s work. I would say that laziness is one of the curses of the ministry. It is found in the church staff. It is so easy to loaf on the job because nobody is looking, nobody is watching. We need to remember that we serve the Lord Jesus, and we are going to give an account to Him.
But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons [Col. 3:25].
He is going to straighten out everything in your life and in my life that we don’t straighten out down here. This is exactly what this means.
It is a privilege to be in God’s service. It is a privilege to teach a Sunday school class. But don’t ever think that this makes you something special. When the Lord judges you, He will judge you on faithfulness. All will be judged alike. God is no respecter of persons.
My friend, we are joined to a living Christ. How wonderful it is! I cannot attain to it in my own strength. But He says He is going to help me. Only the Holy Spirit working in me can attain this high and holy calling. He wants me to mirror Him in every relationship I have down here. What a glorious calling you and I have! Doesn’t that give you enthusiasm today? Don’t look to the Babe in Bethlehem. Go to the living Christ who is at God’s right hand.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Fellowship of believers is hearty
We are in the section of this epistle which is dealing with holiness on the job, at the place of employment. Chapter 3 concluded with exhortations to servants or to employees. Chapter 4 will continue with exhortations to masters or to employers.
Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven [Col. 4:1].
“Masters”—Paul has something to say not only to the servant but also to the masters, to the bosses.
“Equal” means not to level down but to level up. The master is to do right by his servant.
“Knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” The master will stand before Christ someday. Every Christian employer, as well as employee, will stand before God. This does put the gospel in shoe leather, does it not? It gets right down where the rubber meets the road. Or, in this case, it gets right down where your foot is walking in the factory or in the office. Whatever you’re doing, you are to do it unto the Lord, because you are going to answer to Him if you are His child.
Now the next few verses present three more areas of Christian conduct which are important. They are prayer, our public walk, and speech.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving [Col. 4:2].
These two words go together: Pray and watch. They are very important. They remind us of the experience of Nehemiah. When the enemy tried to stop him from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he didn’t just throw in the towel and cry out that he couldn’t do the job. Nor did he simply say, “Well, we’ll make it a matter of prayer,” and then go on as he had been. No, this is what Nehemiah said: “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them” (Neh. 4:9). This is what Paul tells us here: Watch and pray.
An old pastor in Georgia used to make this statement: “When a farmer prays for a corn crop, God expects him to say ‘Amen’ with a hoe.” If you are praying about a certain matter, get busy with it.
I’m afraid we hear a lot of pious nonsense about prayer. I received a letter from a preacher who has cancer. He said, “I’ve been to Mayo Clinic. They found that I have cancer, and they recommend an operation. But I have come home and decided that I would do like you did: I will just trust the Lord.” I sat down and wrote him a letter in a hurry. I said, “Brother, I did trust the Lord but that wasn’t all that I did. I went to whom I think is the finest cancer specialist out here on the West Coast. My case was brought up before the UCLA Medical Clinic and was discussed there. They recommended the best thing that medical science knew to do. I have had two operations for cancer. My Christian brother, if you want to be an intelligent Christian (and I think you are), then you go back to Mayo Clinic as quickly as you can and tell them to operate if that is what they think is best. Then you trust the Lord, and He will bring you through it. That is what I did.” Watch and pray. Be on the job. This is so practical.
“With thanksgiving.” Be sure and thank God always because He is going to hear and answer your prayer. Maybe it won’t be the answer you wanted, but He will answer. This is like breathing: inhale by prayer, exhale by thanksgiving.
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak [Col. 4:3–4].
“Withal praying also for us”—Paul says, “Don’t forget to pray for us.” My friend, you can’t help Paul any longer by praying for him, but you can help your pastor and other Christian ministries.
“That God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.” Paul was in prison when he wrote this. He wanted to be released and go out through an open door that he might preach the gospel.
I consider every aspect of my ministry to be a door, and I ask God to keep the doors open. He has promised that He would. This is the verse that I have chosen for my ministry: “… behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name” (Rev. 3:8). He has set a lot of open doors before me, and I ask Him to open even more doors.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time [Col. 4:5].
“Walk in wisdom.” The child of God has a responsibility before the world today. Don’t be foolish as a child of God.
We hear so much pious nonsense in our day. There are those who said the Lord would return by 1980. I don’t know where they got such information. There were probably a lot of embarrassed folk with red faces in 1980. Christians have no right to make such statements before an unsaved world. Nor should we say we are trusting the Lord when our actions show that we really are not trusting Him. We should not do foolish things before the world.
A woman in Southern California wrote me a letter and rebuked me for going to the doctor for treatment of my cancer. She said that that was not trusting the Lord. She wrote, “I have cancer and I am trusting the Lord. I don’t go to the doctor.” They buried her not long ago; she died of her cancer. I’m afraid at times we are guilty of causing our neighbors to smile and say, “This Christianity is a foolish sort of thing.” We need to learn to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without.”
“Redeeming the time.” Buy up your opportunities. When you see an opportunity, pray that the Lord will lead you. Don’t force yourself on people. Just pray and ask the Lord to open the door, and He will open it. I wish I had space to tell you how many times this has happened in my life and in the lives of others. Let Him open the door—before you make the mistake of putting your foot in your mouth. I knocked on many doors when I was a pastor, and I often stepped in and put my foot in my mouth the very first thing. Since then I have learned to do a lot more praying before I walk in.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man [Col. 4:6].
Some people think this verse says, “Let your speech be salt,” and they really sting you with their little sarcastic remarks! But what it says is, “alway with grace, seasoned with salt.” A child of God should have a conversation that deters evil. It should withhold evil rather than promote it. I think it also means that a Christian should not be boring. We should be enthusiastic —“That ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS IS HEARTY
We come now to a remarkable list of names of people whom Paul knew. They are men and women who lived back there in the first century. They walked down the Roman roads, lived in Roman cities, and were under Roman rule. They were in the midst of paganism, but they were God’s children.
Many of these people lived in Ephesus. When I was in Ephesus, I climbed up in the theater there and from that height I could look down that great marble boulevard—I would call it Harbor Boulevard, because it leads right down to where the harbor was in that day. I thought, This is where one could have seen Paul come walking up the boulevard. There would be Tychicus coming up the way; and there’s Onesimus and Aristarchus and Epaphras—all those fellows. They were all Christians. They were God’s men back yonder in the first century.
The interesting thing is that Paul had never been to Rome nor had he been to Colosse, yet he gives a list of people that he knew, and many of them are from those two cities. This reveals that Paul had led many people to Christ who returned home to cities that he never was able to reach directly or personally. His ministry was a tremendous, far-reaching ministry.
All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord:
Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts [Col. 4:7–8].
“Tychicus” was the pastor of the church in Ephesus. He is mentioned in Ephesians 6:21, Acts 20:4, and 2 Timothy 4:12. He was a wonderful brother in the Lord.
With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here [Col. 4:9].
“Onesimus” was a slave of Philemon in Colosse. He had run away from his master, had been led to the Lord through the ministry of Paul, and was now being sent back to his master by him. Paul wrote a letter to Philemon when he sent Onesimus back, and he tells Philemon that Onesimus is his “beloved brother.” You can see from this that there is a new relationship in Christ. Master and slave are now brothers in Christ Jesus.
Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) [Col. 4:10].
“Aristarchus” was a fellow prisoner with Paul, and he was his friend.
“Marcus” is John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas—the son of his sister. He is the writer of the Gospel of Mark. You will remember that Mark left Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, and because of this Paul didn’t want to take him along on the second missionary journey. Paul was wrong in his judgment of John Mark. The boy made good, and Paul acknowledges that here. Paul gives the Colossians instructions, “Don’t reject him like I did. You folks receive him.” Paul mentions John Mark again in his second letter to Timothy: “… Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11).
And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me [Col. 4:11].
“Jesus, which is called Justus” would be the name Joshua in the Hebrew language. Being “of the circumcision” indicates he was Jewish. This shows us that there were a few Israelites in the church in Colosse. However, there were not many; the Colossian church was mostly Gentile. These men were wonderful brethren, helpers of Paul, and great missionaries themselves.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God [Col. 4:12].
“Epaphras” was the pastor in Colosse. Now he is in prison, so he has a new ministry, the ministry of prayer. I received a letter from a young preacher who is paralyzed and cannot preach any more. He wrote a most discouraged letter. I answered him like this: “I have a job for you: Pray for me.” Prayer is a ministry, too. If God takes you out of active service, pray for God’s servants. It simply means God has given you a new ministry; He has something different for you to do.
For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis [Col. 4:13].
These three cities were very close together. Hierapolis and Laodicea were about six to ten miles apart; they were both near Colosse. There were churches in all three places.
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you [Col. 4:14].
“Luke, the beloved physician.” Isn’t that a wonderful designation for him?
When Paul first mentioned Demas, he called him a fellow worker. Here he simply says, “and Demas”; I think this may indicate that Paul isn’t really sure about him at this time. Later on Demas will forsake Paul. How tragic that is.
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house [Col. 4:15].
These cities had great heathen temples, but the Christians met in homes. I used to hold the viewpoint and I still do—although I don’t emphasize it today as I did at one time—that as the church started in the home, it is going to come back to the home.
And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea [Col. 4:16].
“The epistle from Laodicea.” Paul does not say that he had written an epistle to the Laodiceans. Apparently the letters of Paul were circulated around, and the Laodiceans had read one of them. A great many of the scholars believe that this might be a reference to the Epistle to the Ephesians. Paul is telling the Colossians to read that epistle also and to share theirs with the Laodiceans.
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it [Col. 4:17].
“Archippus” is another man on Paul’s list in this letter. We do not know anything more about him than is mentioned here. He is a man who had a gift, and Paul is urging him to use that gift.
The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen [Col. 4:18].
Paul dictated most of his letters. (The letter to the Galatians was written in his own hand.) Here he gives his signature to the letter which he has dictated.
This is the second time that Paul says, “Remember my bonds”—or, “Pray for me.”
“Grace be with you. Amen.” Isn’t this a wonderful letter that we have read? Paul wrote to a church that he had never visited, but he knew many of the people and had led them to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Gromacki, Robert G. Stand Perfect in Wisdom: An Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1981.
Harrison, Everett F. Colossians: Christ-All-Sufficient. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971.
Hendriksen, William, Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1965.
Ironside, H. A. Lectures on the Epistle to the Colossians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1929.
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Epistles to the Philippians and Colossians. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. Treasures of Wisdom: Studies in Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1978. (Excellent.)
King, Guy H. Crossing the Border. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1957. (Devotional.)
Moule, Handley C. G. Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1893. (This is a reprint from The Cambridge University Bible for Schools and Colleges. This helpful series also covers Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians.)
Nicholson, William. Oneness with Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1903. (Devotional.)
Robertson, A. T. Paul and the Intellectuals. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1928.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Studies in Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1973. (Excellent.)
Vaughan, Curtis. Colossians and Philemon: A Study Guide. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980.
Vine, W. E. Philippians and Colossians. London: Oliphants, 1955. (This is an excellent treatment.)
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Complete. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1981.
Wuest, Kenneth S. Ephesians and Colossians in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1953.
The First Epistle to the
Thessalonians
INTRODUCTION
This wonderful epistle is almost at the end of Paul’s epistles as far as their arrangement in the New Testament is concerned. However, it was actually the first epistle that Paul wrote. It was written by Paul in a.d. 52 or 53.
Thessalonica was a Roman colony. Rome had a somewhat different policy with their captured people from what many other nations have had. For example, it seems that we try to Americanize all the people throughout the world, as if that would be the ideal. Rome was much wiser than that. She did not attempt to directly change the culture, the habits, the customs, or the language of the people whom she conquered. Instead, she would set up colonies which were arranged geographically in strategic spots throughout the empire. A city which was a Roman colony would gradually adopt Roman laws and customs and ways. In the local department stores you would see the latest things they were wearing in Rome itself. Thus these colonies were very much like a little Rome. Thessalonica was such a Roman colony, and it was an important city in the life of the Roman Empire.
Thessalonica was located fifty miles west of Philippi and about one hundred miles north of Athens. It was Cicero who said, “Thessalonica is in the bosom of the empire.” It was right in the center or the heart of the empire and was the chief city of Macedonia.
The city was first named Therma because of the hot springs in that area. In 316 b.c. Cassander, who was one of the four generals who divided up the empire of Alexander the Great, took Macedonia and made Thessalonica his home base. He renamed the city in memory of his wife, Thessalonike, who was a half sister of Alexander. The city is still in existence and is now known as Salonika.
The church in Thessalonica, established on Paul’s second missionary journey, was a model church. Paul mentions this in the first chapter; “So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia” (1 Thess. 1:7). This church was a testimony to the whole area that we would call Greece today. Paul also speaks of this church as being an example to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 8:1–5.
You will recall that Paul and Barnabas separated prior to the second missionary journey. Paul took Silas with him, and along the route he picked up Timothy and Dr. Luke. He revisited the churches in Galatia and then attempted to make a wider circle in the densely populated area of Asia Minor, known as Turkey today. I think he intended to carry on his missionary work there, because in his third missionary journey he did make Ephesus his headquarters and did what was probably his greatest missionary work. But on his second missionary journey, the Spirit of God put up a roadblock and would not let him go south. He attempted to go up into Bithynia, but again the Spirit of God prevented him. He couldn’t go north, and he couldn’t go south. So he moved to the west and came to Troas to await orders. He had the vision of the man of Macedonia, so he crossed over to Philippi. He found that the man of Macedonia was instead a woman by the name of Lydia, a seller of purple—she probably ran a department store there. Paul led her to the Lord along with others of the city. Thus, a church was established at Philippi.
Then Paul went to Thessalonica, and we are told in chapter 17 of Acts that he was there for three Sabbaths. So Paul was there a little less than a month, but in that period of time he did a herculean task of mission work. Paul was an effective missionary—he led multitudes to Christ there. And in that brief time he not only organized a local church, but he also taught them the great doctrines of the Christian faith.
Now Paul had to leave Thessalonica posthaste due to great opposition to the gospel. He was run out of town and went down to Berea. The enemy pursued him to Berea, and again Paul was forced to leave. Paul left Silas and Timothy at Berea, but he went on to Athens. After some time at Athens, he went on to Corinth. Apparently it was at Corinth that Timothy and Silas came to him and brought him word concerning the Thessalonians (see 1 Thess. 3:6). Timothy also brought some questions to Paul, problems troubling the believers in Thessalonica. Paul wrote this first epistle in response to their questions, to instruct them further and give them needed comfort.
Although Paul had been in Thessalonica less than a month, he had touched on many of the great doctrines of the church, including the second coming of Christ. It is interesting that Paul did not consider this subject to be above the heads of the new converts. Yet there are churches today that have been in existence for more than one hundred years whose members have but a vague understanding of the Rapture of the church and the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom here on earth. The Thessalonian church was not even a month old, and Paul was teaching them these great doctrines!
The apostle obviously had emphasized the second coming of Christ for believers and had taught that the return of Christ was imminent; for during the period of time since Paul had left, some of the saints who had come to know and believe in Christ Jesus had died, and this had naturally raised the question in the minds of the Thessalonians as to whether these saints would be in the Rapture or not. Paul presents the second coming of Christ in relationship to believers as a comfort, and this forms the theme of the epistle. This emphasis is in sharp contrast to Christ’s catastrophic and cataclysmic coming in glory to establish His kingdom by putting down all unrighteousness, as seen in Revelation 19:11–16.
The epistle has a threefold purpose: (1) To confirm young converts in the elementary truth of the gospel; (2) to condition them to go on unto holy living; and (3) to comfort them regarding the return of Christ. Paul’s message offered a marked contrast to the paganism and heathenism which were present in Thessalonica. A heathen inscription in Thessalonica read: “After death no reviving, after the grave no meeting again.”
In 1 Thessalonians the emphasis is upon the Rapture of believers, the coming of Christ to take His church out of the world. The fact that the coming of Christ is a purifying hope should lead to sanctification in our lives. There are a lot of people today who want to argue prophecy, and there is a great deal of curiosity about it. But John tells us, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). This hope should have a purifying effect in our lives. I am not interested in how enthusiastic and excited you get over the truth of the Rapture of the church; I want to know how you are living. Does this hope get right down to where you are living, and does it change your life?
In 2 Thessalonians the emphasis shifts to the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. There is a great deal of difference in our being caught up to meet the Lord in the air and His coming down to the earth to establish His kingdom. I think there is a lot of upside down theology today. We need to make a distinction between our being caught up and His coming down.
OUTLINE
I. The Christian’s Attitude toward the Return of Christ, Chapter 1 To serve … to wait … vv. 9–10
II. The Christian’s Reward at the Return of Christ, Chapter 2
III. The Christian’s Life and the Return of Christ, Chapters 3:1–4:12
IV. The Christian’s Death and the Return of Christ, Chapter 4:13–18
V. The Christian’s Actions in View of the Return of Christ, Chapter 5 Note twenty-two specific commands to Christians, beginning at v. 11
For this book we are suggesting two outlines. Each one gives a needed emphasis that is not in the other.
I. Coming of Christ Is an Inspiring Hope, Chapter 1
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–4
B. Gospel Received in Much Assurance and Much Affliction, Chapter 1:5–7
C. Gospel Results: Turned from Idols to God; Wait for Coming of Christ, Chapter 1:8–10
II. Coming of Christ Is a Working Hope, Chapter 2
A. Motive and Method of a True Witness for Christ, Chapter 2:1–6
B. Mother Side of the Apostle’s Ministry (Comfort), Chapter 2:7–9
C. Father Side of the Apostle’s Ministry (Charge), Chapter 2:10–13
D. Brother Side of the Apostle’s Ministry (Challenge), Chapter 2:14–16
E. Reward of a True Witness for Christ, Chapter 2:17–20
III. Coming of Christ Is a Purifying Hope, Chapters 3:1–4:12 Sanctification
A. Timothy Brings Good Report of Thessalonians, Chapter 3:1–8
B. Paul Urges Thessalonians to Continue to Grow in Faith, Chapter 3:9–13
C. How Believers Are to Walk, Chapter 4:1–12
IV. Coming of Christ Is a Comforting Hope, Chapter 4:13–18 What death means to a Christian; what the Rapture means to the church
V. Coming of Christ Is a Rousing Hope, Chapter 5 Leads to action; dead believers are asleep in Jesus; living believers are awake for Jesus
A. Call to Be Awake and Alert in View of Christ’s Coming, Chapter 5:1–10
B. Commandments for Christians, Chapter 5:11–28
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The coming of Christ is an inspiring hope
INTRODUCTION
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ [1 Thess. 1:1].
This introduction is typical of Paul’s other epistles, but there are some differences to which we need to call attention. Paul joins Silas and Timothy with himself in his greeting. Remember that Silas and Timothy had just returned to Paul with their report from Thessalonica. By joining their names with his, the Thessalonians would know they are all in agreement concerning this letter.
Also, Paul reveals his humility when he joins these men with himself Silas and Timothy would have been unknown had not Paul associated himself with them. This is a very noble gesture on the part of Paul. He is always identifying himself with the brethren. He was not aloof, separated, and segregated above all the others who were working for the Lord Jesus.
This is something we need to remember today in regard to the ministry. Don’t put your preacher on a pedestal; let him be right down among you. Those of us who are ministers are largely responsible for trying to make a difference between the clergy and laity. When I entered the ministry, I bought a Prince Albert coat with a long coattail. I wore a wing collar and a very white shirtfront and either a white or a black necktie. When I stood up in the pulpit, I looked like one of those little mules looking over a whitewashed fence, and I felt like one when I wore that garb! One day it came to me how ridiculous it was for me to dress differently from the officers and members of my church. None of them wore a robe or a Prince Albert coat, and I was no different from any of them. I don’t think that God is asking me to live any differently either. However, when I am teaching the Word of God, I am to be very conscious of the fact that I’m giving out His Word and actually acting in His behalf, and He expects that of everyone who gives out His Word. But as far as living is concerned, God expects all of us to live on a very high plane; the life of the teacher or minister is to be no different from the life of every believer in Christ Jesus.
I wish we could eliminate this distinction between the clergy and the laity. According to the Word of God, it is a false distinction. God has a very high standard of living for all of us. I am frank to say that a paid ministry has been the curse of the church, although I don’t think it could have been done otherwise in this day of specialization. However, we need to recognize that the heresies of the church have come in through a paid ministry.
There are two situations in the church which are dangerous. One is a minister who tries to exalt himself. The other is a layman who tries to be an authority on the Bible and has not really studied the Bible but has gone off on a tangent. The greatest discipline for me has been to teach the total Word of God. If a person will teach the total Word of God, he will deal with every subject in the Bible—he will be forced to play every key on the organ and to pull out every stop. It isn’t possible to ride one hobbyhorse and emphasize one theme to the exclusion of all others if one teaches the entire Bible. I wish we had that kind of discipline in our churches today. I wish every church would go through the entire Bible.
“Unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.” They may have a little different life-style and have different problems from the church in Philippi, but, just like the church in Philippi, it is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t read that in his other epistles because this is the first epistle Paul has written. He says it only once, and this will be enough. He won’t go over this again. When the Lord Jesus prayed to the Father, He asked, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one …” (John 17:21–23). Any believer who is in Christ Jesus is also in God the Father. That is a very safe place to be, safer than any safety deposit box!
“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” is a formal introduction which Paul uses in all of his epistles. Grace comes first, followed by the peace of God. Both the grace and the peace come from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers [1 Thess. 1:2].
Paul prayed for all of the churches that he had founded. Paul had a tremendous prayer list, and it would make an interesting study for you to find all the people who were on that list. You would be surprised how many different churches, individuals, and groups of people Paul prayed for.
“We give thanks to God always for you all.” Paul gives thanks for this church because of many things, and one of the most important was because they were an example; it was a model church.
The next verse is one of the most remarkable in the Bible, and it follows a pattern of the apostle Paul which we find in his writing. He emphasized the number three.
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father [1 Thess. 1:3].
“Remembering without ceasing [1] your work of faith, [2] and labour of love, [3] and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This is a very important verse of Scripture and contains a wealth of meaning. Paul associates the three Christian graces: faith and love and hope. In 1 Corinthians he also brought those three graces together. “And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13).
In New Jersey several years ago I had lunch with the scientist who had designed the heat shield that was on the space capsules to protect them when they go out into space and then reenter our atmosphere. He remarked to me, “Have you ever noticed that the universe is divided into a trinity?”
“No, what do you mean by that?”
“You and I live in a physical universe that is divided into time, space, and matter. Can you think of a fourth?”
I couldn’t think of any, so he continued, “Time is divided into three parts: past, present, and future. Can you think of a fourth?”
Again I couldn’t, so he went on. “Space is divided into length and breadth and height. They speak of a ‘fourth dimension,’ but it doesn’t happen to be in this material universe.”
You can see that this universe in which you and I live bears the mark of the Trinity. The interesting thing is that the Word of God does the same thing. Paul speaks of man as a trinity. We will discuss this specifically when we get into the fifth chapter, verse 23: “… and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This tells us that man is a trinity.
There are some other interesting examples of the significance of the number three. For example, have you noticed that in Genesis only three sons of Adam are named? I am sure that Adam and Eve had more than three sons; they probably had one hundred or more—they started the human race—but only three of the sons are named: Cain, Abel, and Seth.
In this verse Paul actually gives three graces of the Christian life. The past is the work of faith. The present is a labor of love. The future is the patience of hope. That is the biography of the Christian and the abiding, permanent, and eternal features of the Christian life.
Faith, hope, and love are abstract nouns. They seem to be way up yonder, but we are way down here. How can we get them out of space and theory into the reality of life down here? How can we make them concrete instead of abstract qualities?
This is like the story of the contractor who loved children. He put down a sidewalk one day—finished it in the afternoon. He came back the next morning to find that some children had walked on the concrete and had left their footmarks in it. He was very angry and was talking very loudly. A man who was standing by said, “I thought you loved children.” The contractor said, “I love them in the abstract but not in the concrete!”
So the question here is how we are going to get these words down into something concrete. Paul takes these three words from the “beautiful isle of somewhere” and puts them into shoe leather. He gets them down to where the shoe leather meets the sidewalks of our hometown. He fleshes up these abstract qualities by taking them out of the morgue of never-never land.
Notice how he does it. From the “work of faith,” the “labour of love,” and the “patience of hope,” he cites the three steps in the lives of the Thessalonian believers: “How ye turned to God from idols”—that’s the work of faith; “to serve the living and true God,” a labor of love; “to wait for his Son from heaven” is the patience of hope.
Now the “work of faith” is a strange expression because we are told that “… by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). Yet here it is called the work of faith. I think that Paul is making it very clear that he and James do not contradict each other. James writes, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). That is the work of faith. It is the way faith is demonstrated to others. (The writings of James and the writings of Paul certainly do not contradict each other—as some have suggested—because they are both writing about the same thing.)
Faith is the response of the soul of man to the Word of God. When a man responds to the Word of God, then he walks by faith. Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” The Lord Jesus said the same thing: “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28–29). He didn’t say that you can come to God with your works, but that you must come to God by faith. Then a faith that is living will make itself manifest; it will reveal itself in the life that is lived.
There is a good illustration of this in the life of the disciples, as recorded in Luke 5:4–5. The Lord Jesus said to Simon Peter, “… Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.” That is a statement of fact, a declaration of naked truth: “We fished all night, and we caught nothing. We know this sea, and there is no use going back out there.” But notice what Simon Peter adds, “Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” He says he will go back and fish again. My friend, that is the work of faith. As believers we need to realize that the work of faith is acting upon the Word of God. What is the work of God? It is to believe on Jesus Christ—that is how the Lord Jesus defined it: “… This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). When you act on what the Word of God says, your faith will be evident to the world. That is the work of faith.
We have the same thing illustrated in the life of Cain and Abel. What was the problem with Cain? He was a sinner by nature, but he was also a sinner by choice and act. We are told, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous …” (Heb. 11:4). How? By being a nice little Sunday school boy? No. Although he was a sinner as Cain was a sinner, Abel responded to the Word of God, and he believed God. When he believed God, he was saved. He manifested that faith by bringing the proper sacrifice. Faith is the connection between the believer and God. It communicates His Word to your heart and you respond. And that is what conversion is. Conversion is to believe God.
These Thessalonians turned to God from idols. Paul didn’t go into Thessalonica and say, “I don’t think it is proper for you people to worship idols. That’s a terrible thing to do.” He never said anything like that. When he went there he preached Christ! Idolatry wasn’t repulsive to these people, but when they heard Paul present Christ, they believed God and they turned to God. When they turned to God, they automatically turned from idols.
People often say to me, “You converted me.” I haven’t converted anyone—I can’t do that! One man said to me, “You saved me many years ago, and I’ll never forget you.” I answered him, “I appreciate your not forgetting me, but I didn’t save you. All I did was to present the Word of God. You believed the Word of God, and the Spirit of God did a work in your heart.” That is really quite wonderful, my friend.
Paul remembered without ceasing not only the work of faith of the Thessalonian believers but also their “labour of love.” Now, what is the labor of love? God does not save by love; He saves by grace, which is love in action. Labor and love don’t seem to fit together. But, you see, love will labor. And when it does, it just doesn’t seem to be labor. Let me repeat the illustration of a little girl carrying a heavy baby. A man passing by said to her, “Isn’t that baby too heavy for you?” She answered, “Oh no, he’s my brother.” Love makes all the difference in the world. Labor isn’t labor when it is a labor of love.
The Lord Jesus really put it right on the line when He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If you don’t love Him, you will find it nothing but tedium and labor to try to keep His commandments. I don’t think it is worthwhile trying.
Several years ago my daughter and I were riding into Los Angeles to the church which I was pastoring. She was helping us with some work at the church. We were stuck in the traffic on the freeway, and I remarked to her, “Look at all these people going to work this morning. Notice that nobody looks happy. Everyone has a tense look on his face. They are anxious and uptight. Ninety-nine out of a hundred are going to a job they hate doing.” I say it is wonderful to do what you love to do. Then it is a labor of love.
If working for the Lord is a great burden to you today, I believe the Lord Jesus would say to you, “Give it up, brother. Don’t bother with it.” He doesn’t want it to be like that. We are to love Him. Then whatever we do for Him will be a labor of love. That should characterize the life of the believer.
One time when Dwight L. Moody came home, his family said to him, “Cancel your next meeting. You look so weary and we know you are tired.” He gave this tremendous response, “I am weary in the work, but I am not weary of the work.” I tell you, it is wonderful to get weary in the work of God but not to get weary of the work of God.
Love to God is expressed in obedience. I get tired of all this talk about being a dedicated Christian. If you want to make that claim, then prove it, brother. Prove it by your love, and love manifests itself in obedience.
Now the third thing for which Paul commends the Thessalonian believers is their “patience of hope.” After they had turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, they also waited for His Son from heaven. That is the patience of hope.
Every man lives with some hope for the future. And that hope, whatever it is, will sustain him. Down through the centuries man has expressed this. Martin Luther said, “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” Long before him Sophocles, the pagan, had written: “It is hope which maintains most of mankind.” A modern man, O. S. Marden, says, “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” The poet, Alexander Pope, wrote: “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” A statesman, Thomas Jefferson, said, “I steer my bark with hope in the head, leaving fear astern.” And Carlyle, the Scottish philosopher, commented, “Man is, properly speaking, based upon hope, he has no other possession but hope; this world of his is emphatically the place of hope.”
What a glorious, wonderful life it is to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven. That is the “blessed hope.” Multitudes today place their hope in man, thinking that man can resolve all his problems and bring peace and prosperity to the world. Man cannot do that. If your hope is in this world, you are chasing a will-o’-the-wisp of happiness that will shatter like a bubble when you get it in your hands. You are following a Pied Piper who is playing, “I’m forever blowing bubbles.” God put man out of Paradise because man was a sinner, and man has been trying to build a paradise outside ever since. The church for years thought it was building the kingdom of heaven, and it was not. God wouldn’t even let man live forever in sin, and we can thank Him for that. Every age comes to a time of cosmic crisis and says, “Somehow we’ll work our way out.” Frederick the Great, the great emperor of Germany, said, “The time I live in is a time of turmoil. My hope is in God.” What is your hope today? Is your hope in some political party or in some man-made organization? God have mercy on anyone whose hope rests upon some little, frail bark that man is paddling! I don’t think that any man or any party or any group down here can work out the problems of this world. The sceptre of this universe is in nail-pierced hands, and He will move at the right time. This one thing I know: all things do work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His eternal and holy purpose (see Rom. 8:28).
So here Paul has brought together faith and love and hope, the three tenses of the Christian life: the work of faith, which looks back to the Cross and produces good works in the life; the labor of love, which is the present basis and motivation on which a child of God is to serve Christ; and the patience of hope, which looks into the future.
What a wonderful trinity of Christian graces! It should be the biography of every believer. It was the biography of the church in Thessalonica, and I hope it is the biography of your church, too.
Now Paul takes up another great truth—
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God [1 Thess. 1:4].
Here we come again to that word election. I dealt with this when I taught Ephesians: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph. 1:4). Afterward I received some letters criticizing me for being weak in emphasizing election, claiming that I had soft-pedaled it; others wrote that I was rather extreme and had gone too far in talking about it. Since I got both reactions, I came to the conclusion it must have been about right. I knew it couldn’t have been both extremes; so it must have been somewhere in the middle, which must be close to accurate.
Paul doesn’t mind writing about election in this epistle to the Thessalonian believers. And he presents it from God’s side of the ledger. You and I do not see His side, and we have never seen it. But there are certain great axioms of truth that we must put down. When I studied plane geometry, certain axioms were stated without being proven, such as the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. I have never had an occasion to dispute it, but nobody has ever attempted to prove it to me, although there is a proposition in geometry that will prove it. Nevertheless, there are certain things that we accept as fact without proof. And one of the things is the fact that there are certain things which cannot be proven to be true. Likewise Paul doesn’t attempt to argue election or to prove election; he simply states it as a fact. “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” That is God’s side of the picture.
The Creator has His sovereign right. Dr. Albert Hyma, of the University of Michigan, said that for the past fifty years America has been under the control of men who do not know the origin and the beginning of our nation. They do not realize that the Puritans had a tremendous impact upon this nation. One of the great truths that the Puritans stood for, and which was basic to their entire life-style, was the sovereignty of God. Behind election and all of life is the sovereignty of God. The Creator has His sovereign right.
We need to recognize that God created the universe. I’m not concerned with how He did it, nor am I concerned with the account in Genesis. I simply want to emphasize the fact that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Now there are those who are willing to say He created, but they deny Him the right to direct the universe. They deny Him the right to give a purpose to it. May I say to you that we live in a universe that was created by God and exists for His glory. Even in the Sermon on the Mount the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). He didn’t say your good works were to glorify yourself. Oh, no! They are to glorify the Father in heaven. May I say especially to you, my Christian friend, that God is the Creator, and this universe exists for His glory. He is God, and beside Him there is none other. He doesn’t look to anybody for advice. He is running this universe for His own purpose. He is directing it for His own glory. You and I live in a universe which is theocentric, that is, God-centered. It is not anthropocentric, man-centered; nor is it geocentric, earth-centered; but it is uranocentric, heaven-centered. This is God’s universe, and He is running it His way.
Something else needs to be said: God is no tyrant. God is righteous. God is just. God is holy. Everything that God does is right. You may not always think so, but I have news for you. If you do not think God is right in what He is doing, and if you think that God is not following the best plan, the news I have for you is that you are wrong. God is not wrong. You are wrong. You are the person who needs to get his thinking corrected, because if you don’t, you are out of step with the universe. This universe exists for God, for His glory, and for His purpose. There is nothing going to happen that will not work out to His glory. He is in charge, and He is running this universe today.
With this in mind, let’s consider something else. Have you ever stopped to consider the fact that you were born? You could have been nonexistent. I could have been nonexistent. God did not come to me and ask, “Vernon McGee, do you want to come into existence?” I wasn’t even in existence so that He could ask me! He is the One who thought of it. He is the One who is responsible for my existence. And He did not ask me whether I wanted to be male or female. He didn’t ask me whether I wanted to be born in this day and age. He didn’t ask me to choose my parents. He didn’t ask me to decide whether my parents would be godly or whether they would be wealthy—and they were neither one. God today is running this universe because it is His. You may not like it, but that just happens to be the way it is.
Now God is no tyrant—no one is chosen against his will, and no one is rejected against his will. God is right in all that He does. Paul asks, “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?” And he answers his own question with a strong negative, “God forbid” (Rom. 9:14). God is right in all that He does.
We need to get back to that place where we recognize that we are mere creatures. Not only creatures, but we are totally depraved creatures. I know it’s not popular to say this in our day. We like to scratch each other’s backs and tell each other how wonderful we are. That’s the reason they hand out loving cups, and these knife-and-fork clubs are always recognizing somebody as the outstanding something or other. The human race must do that in order to bolster us up and make us think that we are great down here. The fact is that we are in rebellion against God.
The fact that God even considers us as a nation is due to the early Puritans who founded this country. They are being downgraded in our day, but we have this great country because of them. Other men have labored, and we have entered into their labors. And one of the things that they emphasized was the liberty of each individual for private judgment. Even we as sinners have that right. Why? Because no other sinner has any right to make a decision for you and me. Today you and I enjoy the freedom that we have because of our Puritan forefathers. The present generation of politicians doesn’t even know what it’s all about, which is the reason democracy isn’t working. There is no way democracy can work unless the people understand the sovereignty of God, recognize they are His creatures, and fall down before Him.
Now let me repeat what Paul has said to the Thessalonian believers (v. 4): “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” Maybe you don’t like this verse, but this is the way it happened. And God is running this universe. Instead of joining a protest march against Him, I suggest that you fall down on your face before Him and thank Him that He has brought you into existence, and that He has given you the opportunity as a free moral agent to make a decision for Him. His invitation still stands, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). Are you thirsty? Then come to Christ. He stands ready to receive you. You say you are not thirsty? Then forget it. God offers a full and free salvation to this lost world today. He says to men and women, “Take it or leave it.” That is where our freedom comes in. We can either choose Him or reject Him. There is no middle ground. Each person has the freedom to do one or the other.
GOSPEL RECEIVED IN MUCH ASSURANCE AND MUCH AFFLICTION
Now here is another tremendous verse for us to study—
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake [1 Thess. 1:5].
Paul is saying, “You knew that when we came among you, we were just human beings—just weak human beings with lips and tongues of clay. All we could do was say words, but we gave out the Word of God. And the Word of God came to you, not in word only, but in power and in the Holy Spirit.” My friend, this fact makes my job the most wonderful job in the world. I love it. I love to teach the Word of God. Do you know why? Because when I give out the Word of God—although they are just words as far as Vernon McGee is concerned—when the Spirit of God takes those words and uses them, they are powerful! I suppose I have about five hundred letters on my desk right now that bear this out. For example, a wife has written that the first time she turned on my radio program, her husband spent thirty minutes cussing this preacher. But she continued to tune in the program, and one day he argued back at me. Then one day she forgot to dial in the program and he reminded her of it, and he listened. Finally the day came when he knelt by the radio and received Christ as his Savior! My friend, if you think that happened because I am a super-duper salesman, you are wrong. I’m not even a salesman—I couldn’t even give away five-dollar bills, because folk would think they were phony! But the thing that is so tremendous is that the Spirit of God will use the Word of God. That is our confidence.
Now hear me carefully: I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. And please don’t write to me and explain to me all the introductions and all the problems about text. I’ve been through seminary, and I have even taught introductory courses so that I do know a little about them. But I accept the Word of God as the inerrant Word of God, that it is God speaking to us. And I go further than that. I believe that the Spirit of God can cause the Word of God to penetrate into your heart and life and my heart and life so that we are transformed people. People are not born again by the weakness of the human flesh, not by saying a few words by radio or by the printed page. But they are “… born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). I believe the Spirit of God can take the Word of God and make it real to you. I believe the Word of God is that kind of thing. I don’t think the Spirit of God could do much with the telephone directory or the Sears and Roebuck catalog or with popular magazines that are published today. But I do believe that the Spirit of God can and will take the Word of God and perform the greatest miracle possible—changing an unbelieving, lost sinner into a child of God!
The Word of God went into Thessalonica, that Roman colony which was pagan and heathen and was controlled by one of the greatest political and military powers this world has known, and there it reached the hearts and lives of people and transformed them. That is what happened in Thessalonica, and it can still do the same today.
Let me repeat verse 5 because it is such an important verse: “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”
The first thing necessary is for a person to hear the Word of God. That is the factual basis. People must hear the gospel. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). That is the natural part of the process. But that doesn’t end it, because the Word of God is a supernatural book. Without the Holy Spirit the gospel is merely words. With the Holy Spirit it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. This is exactly what the Lord Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:7–11).
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost [1 Thess. 1:6].
Paul could cite Silas and Timothy and himself as examples. Personally, I would hesitate to give myself as an example; I don’t think I am a very good one. But Paul the apostle, going from place to place throughout the Roman Empire, offered himself as an example to these believers.
“Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.” Affliction (or suffering) and joy are two words that are actually antipodes apart—they are as far apart as the east is from the west. They don’t belong together. They are as extreme as night is from daylight, as cold is from heat. They are not things that we would associate together. If a person is suffering and in affliction, he cannot have any joy, according to our natural way of looking at it. And if he’s having joy in his life, then surely he isn’t suffering!
Yet there have been wonderful saints of God who have endured affliction and at the same time have had the joy of the Lord in their hearts. That is real triumph. We hear a lot about healing today, and I thank God that He has healed me. How wonderful it is! But I know some saints of God who are a lot more wonderful than I ever hope to be. These people are lying right now on beds of pain, beds of affliction, and they have the joy of the Lord in their hearts.
There is not a person today who is enjoying the world’s entertainment and is suffering at the same time. The world cannot put these two together. Paul says that the Word was received “in much affliction”—there was suffering, persecution, and heartache. But there was the joy of the Holy Spirit also. That is the bittersweet of life; that is like the Chinese dish they call “sweet-and-sour.” For the Christian there can be that which is sour and bitter in life, while at the same time there is sweetness in the heart and life.
A woman who was a rather famous poetess here in Southern California was a member of my church. I had the privilege of baptizing her. We baptized her in a bathtub because we couldn’t take her anywhere else. The minute I touched her she screamed, because she was in pain all the time. She gave me a copy of one of her last books of poetry. It was titled, Heart Held High. In the midst of extreme human suffering she had the joy of the Lord in her life. I always left her with the distinct feeling that I was the one who had been ministered to. I never felt that I did much ministering to her. It is wonderful to see a Christian who is suffering like that and can still rejoice in the Lord.
So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia [1 Thess. 1:7].
“In Macedonia and Achaia”—this refers to the European section of the Greco-Macedonia empire of Alexander the Great. The church at Thessalonica, a Roman colony, was an example—after just a few months—to all the other churches. What a glorious, wonderful testimony they had.
Today we often hear of individual Christians who are examples to others. However, there are actually very few churches which are known far and near as being examples of the Christian faith. I think it is strange that we do not have more local churches which are examples to all believers. It has been my privilege to travel around the country and speak in many churches across America. There are a few, but only a few, that I would name as examples.
GOSPEL RESULTS
For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing [1 Thess. 1:8].
Paul found that wherever he traveled the reputation of this church had already gone ahead of him. The believers were already talking about the church in Thessalonica; so it wasn’t necessary for Paul to tell them anything about it. This reveals something of the great reputation this church had in that day.
For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come [1 Thess. 1:9–10].
We have already looked at these two verses in connection with verse 3. Their response gave witness to the kind of “entering in” Paul and Silas and Timothy had had with them. Paul tells what that response was: (1) Your work of faith—how ye turned to God from idols; (2) your labor of love—to serve the living and true God; and (3) your patience of hope—to wait for His Son from heaven.
Now I would like to look at these verses from a little different point of view. When Paul arrived in Thessalonica, he did not announce that he would give a series of messages denouncing idolatry or telling about the errors that were involved in the worship of Apollo, Venus, or any of the other gods and goddesses of the Roman Empire. But when Paul arrived in Thessalonica, he preached Christ. When he preached Christ, they turned to God from idols. Notice that he doesn’t say they turned from idols to God. Someone will say, “You’re splitting hairs.” I surely am. These are hairs that need to be split. We need to do some straight thinking about this.
“How ye turned to God from idols.” We hear today that repentance is essential to salvation. Repentance and believing are presented as two steps in a process. Actually, they are both wrapped up in the same package, and you have them both right here. When Paul preached Christ, they turned to God from idols. I want you to see something that is very important. When they turned to God, that is the work of faith; that is what faith did. The Lord Jesus said, “… This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29, italics mine). These people turned to God from idols; they turned from idols, too. That’s right—and that is repentance. The repentance followed the turning to God. It didn’t precede it. When they turned to God, they automatically turned from idols.
Take your hand and hold it so the palm of your hand is facing toward you. Now turn your hand around. When you turned your hand around, the back side of your hand now faces you, and the palm of your hand automatically turned away from you. Just so, you cannot turn to Christ Jesus without turning from something, my friend. That turning from something is repentance.
We need to hold up Jesus Christ as the Savior from sin. A man needs to know that he is a lost sinner. He can sit and weep about his sins until Judgment Day, and it won’t do him one bit of good. I know an alcoholic man who died an alcoholic. He could sit in my study and cry about the fact that he was an alcoholic and how terrible he was to be a drunkard. He could shed great tears and repent, but nothing changed because he never did turn to Christ!
My dad used to tell about a little boat that went up and down the Mississippi River. It had a little bitty boiler and a great big whistle. When that boat was carrying a load and was going upstream, it was in trouble when the whistle would blow, because the boat would begin to drift downstream. There are a lot of people who have a little boiler and a great big whistle. They can repent and shed tears all over the place, but that doesn’t do any good. It is only when a person turns to Christ that he will turn from something. He will turn from his sin. If a man doesn’t turn from his sin, it is because he hasn’t turned to Christ.
I am sure that when the Thessalonian believers turned from their idols, they wept over the time they had wasted in idol worship. After they had turned to God, there was a real repentance over the misspent years. The turning to God came first, then they realized that turning to God meant turning from idols.
Now I want to point out that Jesus Christ the Savior of the world is to be preached to a world of lost sinners, but the message of repentance is preached to the church. Read the messages to the seven churches of Asia as recorded in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. The message of the Lord Jesus to the churches is to repent. Today it seems that the church is telling everyone outside the church to repent. The Bible teaches that it is the people in the church who need to repent. We need to get down on our faces before God and repent. That is not the message for us to give to the unsaved man down the street. He needs to know that he has a Savior.
“To serve the living and true God.” The Thessalonians were now serving God; it was the labor of love. You cannot serve Christ unless you love Him. The Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Suppose you don’t love Him? Then there are none of His commandments for you. You think you want to go out to preach the gospel, but you don’t love Him? Then stay home. To go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature is a command, and it is for those who love Him. If you don’t love Him, don’t do it.
When the Lord Jesus talked to Simon Peter (as recorded in John 21), He didn’t ask, “Peter, why in the world did you deny Me?” He didn’t say, “Peter, do you promise Me you will do better if I let you preach the sermon on the Day of Pentecost?” He never said anything like that. He asked, “Peter, do you love Me?” If Peter had said, “No,” I think the Lord would have told him to forget about service. Does that sound harsh to you? I didn’t say it; Jesus did: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
“And to wait for his Son from heaven.” That doesn’t mean to wait sitting down. It means you are busy. If you love Him, you will serve Him. You are busy for Him while you wait for Him.
When I first went to Cleburne, Texas, all the downtown churches had outdoor evening services on the lawn of the First Baptist Church. Since I was the new preacher in town, I was asked to preach the first night I was there. An officer of one of the churches had heard that I was a fundamentalist and a premillennialist. The next day he said to me, “I heard your sermon last night. You didn’t sound to me like one of those fellows who has his nose pressed against the window waiting for the Lord to come.” I told him that people who are waiting for the Lord to come don’t have their noses against the window. They are out, busy, working for the Lord. This was during the Depression, but I told him that while his and other denominations were calling their missionaries back from the field, the China Inland Mission, which was fundamental and premillennial, was asking for one hundred more missionaries to go to China. Who was really waiting for the Lord to come?
“To wait for his Son from heaven” does not mean to sit down. It means to be busy for the Lord. That is the patience of hope. It means to keep on serving the Lord, giving out the Word of God while you wait. The coming of Christ to take His church out of the world is not an escape mechanism. Rather, it is an incentive to serve Him and to give out the Word of God. “… Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The coming of Christ is a working hope
The coming of Christ for His church is called the Rapture of the church. It is not a doctrine to argue about; it is a doctrine to live. Unfortunately, there are many who believe Christ is coming after the Great Tribulation. There are those who believe He is coming before, and some believe He is coming during that period of time. Then there are others who don’t believe that He is coming at all, and yet they say that they trust Him as their Savior. For all the groups there is one important question: How does your interpretation affect your life? Does it do anything for you? If your view has no effect on your life, then you should reconsider what you believe. The expectation of the return of the Lord should be a motivating factor in the life of the believer.
MOTIVE AND METHOD OF A TRUE WITNESS FOR CHRIST
For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain [1 Thess. 2:1].
“In vain” means empty, without results. Paul says, “When we came to you, it was not just some theoretical proposition that we presented to you. We didn’t come to declare to you something that was new and novel and which had no effect on you at all. We didn’t just entertain you for a few days and then leave you.” Paul’s work was not in vain; it was not empty. When he came to Thessalonica, it rocked a great many folk, bringing many to a saving knowledge of Christ. And it brought a church into existence. Paul was not simply talking about a theory or a philosophy, but about something that worked in Thessalonica. The gospel walked down the streets of that city, and it got into the hearts and homes and lives of men and women.
But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention [1 Thess. 2:2].
The Greek word for “contention” is agoni, which means “conflict” or “agony.” There was a great deal of conflict and much inward agony when Paul came to them.
Paul says that he had been shamefully treated in Philippi. We know about that from the account in Acts 16. But when he came to Thessalonica, he came in boldness. In other words, he didn’t slow down because of his previous experience. He didn’t play down the gospel. After his terrifying experience, Paul didn’t say, “Now I’m going to change my approach. I’m going to be more tactful and less outspoken about the gospel.” No, Paul was not a secret believer. He spoke right out, just as he had done at Philippi.
You see, it would have been so easy for Paul to rationalize. He could have decided that he had better be more careful to win friends and influence people. Excessive tact and the soft sell were not Paul’s method. He boldly declared the gospel, and his experiences did not affect his approach.
Now when he entered in among them, he presented the Word of God. If you were asked to choose, what would you select as the greatest sermon of the apostle Paul? If we took a poll, I’m sure we would get many different answers. Rightly so. There was the great sermon at Damascus after his conversion. There was the sermon before Sergius Paulus on the island of Cyprus when he began his missionary work. Then there was a sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia on his first missionary journey—I consider that one of the greatest of his sermons. Then there were sermons in Athens on Mars Hill, in Ephesus at the school of Tyrannus, and his defense in Corinth. I think all of these are great. Someone might choose the message he gave in Jerusalem when he was arrested, or when he was brought before Felix and Festus and Agrippa. The one given before Agrippa is a masterpiece. Then there is his farewell speech on the beach to the elders of Ephesus. In every message he always presented Christ, His death and His resurrection.
If I were to pick the greatest sermon of Paul, I would actually pick none of these. I would choose instead his life in Thessalonica. His greatest sermon was not in writing or speaking, but in walking. It was not in exposition, but in experience; not in his profession, but in his practice. He took his text from James 2:26, “…faith without works is dead….” and he made his points on the pavement of the streets of Thessalonica.
Every believer is a preacher. Maybe you don’t like me to call you a preacher, but you are one nonetheless. You can’t escape it—you are saying something to somebody by the life you live. Perhaps your life is speaking to the child in your home. I think that is one of the reasons we have so many of our young people out on the highways and byways, the streets and alleys of this world. They watched mom and dad at home, and they didn’t like what they saw; so they took to the highways. The greatest sermon you will ever preach is by the life that you live.
Paul is going to tell us about the sermon he preached at Thessalonica (vv. 3–6), and he then will describe the relationship he had with the Thessalonians. He was like a mother to them in that he comforted them (see v. 7); he was like a father to them in that he charged them (v. 11); and he was like a brother to the Thessalonians in that he challenged them (v. 14).
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile [1 Thess. 2:3].
Deceit means “error.” The content of Paul’s exhortation was not adulterated. Paul did not water down the gospel. He never changed it to suit different groups.
One of the things that disturbs me about some ministers is that they give a good, clear-cut gospel message in one place, but then they show up in another place where they need to be equally clear in giving out the gospel, and they are fuzzy! This was not true of the apostle Paul—his “exhortation was not of deceit.”
Uncleanness means “sensuality.” Paul was not motivated by greed. He didn’t come to Thessalonica for the offering he would get or for the notoriety he would gain. He wasn’t seeking to be ministered to personally, but he came with pure motives. There was no uncleanness in that sense.
“Nor in guile”—he did not use wrong methods with them. He did not lower his standards to accommodate the prejudices and passions of the old nature. He did not use an appeal to the sinful flesh.
Many of us can learn a lesson from the apostle Paul at this point. I once knew a minister who had been a great preacher. But I lost much respect for this man because he went back to a church which he had formerly pastored, knowing that there was criticism of the present pastor. He played upon that criticism and encouraged it. Paul would never have done a thing like that. He didn’t bring the gospel to people in any form of guile at all.
Everyone who teaches the Word of God needs to ask himself whether he is doing it with any deceit or uncleanness or guile. We need to be honest with ourselves; we need to check our own motives. Do we teach in order to win friends and influence people? Or are we honestly trying to give out the Word of God? My friend, I must confess that I have made many mistakes. I have failed the Lord so many times that it is amazing that He doesn’t throw me overboard. If I were God, I would have been disgusted with Vernon McGee long ago. But I promised the Lord when I entered the ministry that I wouldn’t pull any punches. Honestly, I expected to get into real trouble, but the Lord has been good to me. I think He knew that I would start running if there were an occasion for it. I am grateful that I can look up to the Lord right now and say, “Lord, I’ve made a lot of mistakes and I have failed You, but I have given out Your Word the best I know how. If I could give it better, I would, but I’m doing the best that I possibly can by Your grace.”
I love this passage. Paul could tell the Thessalonians, “When I came to you, I want you to know that I had no ulterior motives. I didn’t come for your offering. I didn’t come in order to shear your sheep. I came to give you the gospel and then to build you up in the faith. That was my motive.” With that kind of motive a person is really sailing on a marvelous sea. There may be storms, but the Lord will bring His servant through.
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts [1 Thess. 2:4].
The word allowed means “to be tested or approved.” Paul was saying that he was no novice. He was not a manpleaser, nor had he ever sought popularity. He wasn’t trying to make a name for himself. When Paul preached, he was not preaching to find out what men would think of him, but what God would think of him. Paul used the blue litmus paper of God to put down in his life, and it stood the test. He never used any low or tricky methods.
For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness [1 Thess. 2:5].
Paul is speaking pretty frankly. He says that he never came into their midst to flatter anyone. He never played up to the rich people in the congregation. He didn’t try to butter up anyone.
Flattery disarms us—we really never know what to say. When people criticize me, I know what to say, but I never know what to say when someone flatters me. It disarms a person. In Twelfth-Night Shakespeare has his clown say, “Marry, sir, they praise me and make an ass of me; now my foes tell me plainly I am an ass: so that by my foes, sir, I profit in the knowledge of myself, and by my friends I am abused.” Our friends are probably more dangerous at times than our enemies!
Paul never used flattery. There is a group of wealthy laymen across this country who are literally owned by the people who flatter them. If a Christian work or program doesn’t butter them up, they are not the least bit interested in helping that program financially. God pity the church or the work that must depend on men who require flattery and compliments before they will give their support to the work. I think this is one of the curses in the Christian church today.
Paul did not use a “cloak of covetousness.” I really don’t think that money is the sin of the ministry. I have never felt that money was a great temptation for the men whom I know in the ministry. But the cloak of covetousness is a cloak of many colors. There are men who covet honor and fame and position. We need to search our hearts in order to uncover any covetousness there.
Many colleges have attempted to buy men by giving them honorary doctoral degrees. They have been given out by the score. The college then hopes for a donation or some other type of support. That is one reason it would be well if all doctoral degrees had to be earned.
Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ [1 Thess. 2:6].
Paul never sought position or honors. He never received any honorary degrees. He had pure motives.
THE MOTHER SIDE OF THE APOSTLE’S MINISTRY (COMFORT)
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children [1 Thess. 2:7].
The word nurse here means “a nursing mother,” like a mother bird. This is Paul’s positive expression of his relationship to the Thessalonians: “I’ve been a nursing mother, a mother bird to you.” Oh, the gentleness of Paul! He was as tender as a woman in his dealings with the church at Thessalonica.
The Lord Jesus said of Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:37). Jesus identifies Himself in many ways in Scripture. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. He protects His sheep, and someday He is going to gather them all into a fold where they will be safe with Him. Then He also uses this idea of the mother hen with her little chicks.
I was raised in the country, and I remember that in the spring of the year we would put an old setting hen on some eggs. Soon she had a little flock of chicks. She would go all around the yard clucking. We didn’t have a special chicken yard because we lived on a great big place by a cotton gin, and these chickens would roam over an area about a quarter mile square. When the rain would come, the mother hen would cluck, cluck, cluck, calling her chicks to the hen house. Sometimes they wouldn’t quite make it; so the mother hen would get all those little chicks under her, and she would cover them with her feathers. The rain would be running down off her, but all the little ones were safe under her wings. How many times the Lord Jesus says to us, “Just come in under My wings.”
Paul was that kind of minister. He loved the Thessalonians with a mother’s love. They were dear to him. There are still ministers like that today. Maybe they aren’t all great expositors, but they believe the Word of God and preach it. Such godly and experienced pastors are able to counsel people who are in need of help. You don’t need to be afraid to sit down and open your heart to such a man and let him help you.
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us [1 Thess. 2:8].
Dear is “beloved.” Paul had a genuine love for the Thessalonian believers, and he was willing literally to give his life for them.
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God [1 Thess. 2:9].
“Travail … labouring night and day”—that’s a mother’s work. We are familiar with the expression: “Man’s work is from sun to sun, but a woman’s work [or a mother’s work] is never done.” A mother is not a paid nurse. Paul is saying that he wasn’t a paid nurse who worked by the hour. He wasn’t a hired baby-sitter. He did not belong to a union.
Have you ever heard of a mothers’ union which insisted a mother would work only for eight hours of the day? Have you known any mothers who punch the clock and then turn away from their crying babies because they refuse to work anymore? Maybe some mothers will work out some kind of union agreement like that, but I don’t think real mothers would want it. Mothers work a little differently—night and day.
In New England there were two girls who worked together in the cotton mills. One of them quit working, and they didn’t see each other for several years. They met on the street one day, and the girl from the mill said, “What are you doing now? Are you still working?” The other one replied, “No, I’m not working—I’m married. I not only have a husband, but I also have a little boy. I get up at three in the morning to feed the baby. Then I get up early to fix breakfast and make a lunch for my husband. I take care of the baby through the day, and then I prepare dinner for my husband.” The first girl exclaimed, “I remember when you worked at the mill how you used to watch the clock. When that five o’clock whistle blew, you were out of there!” The young mother explained: “I don’t watch the clock anymore. I’m working longer hours, but it isn’t really work.” This girl was motivated by love, and it didn’t seem like work anymore.
That is what Paul is saying here. He loved these people. He labored over them night and day because he loved them.
A member of my church once asked me to go visit someone. He said, “You’re paid to do that.” Do you know what I told him? I said, “You go to see him—because you are not paid to do it, and you will probably do a better job than I could do. We are not to do the Lord’s work on the basis of pay!” I’m afraid that put him in an awkward position. He had to make that call, and I can assure you, he never asked that of me again. We are to care for one another with the tender care of a mother. That was what Paul did.
THE FATHER SIDE OF THE APOSTLE’S MINISTRY (CHARGE)
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe [1 Thess. 2:10].
“Ye are witnesses”—Paul is speaking of something which they know to be true. Notice the way Paul conducted himself among them.
“Holily”—he carefully discharged his duty to God. That is what holy living is. “Justly”—he also carefully discharged his duty to man. Paul had a duty to God and a duty to man; he discharged both of them.
I hear so many people talk about being “dedicated Christians.” If you hope to be a dedicated Christian, you must live a holy life before God. Watch God, and don’t watch the clock. Don’t work only when the boss is around. You should work all the time, because God is always around. Going down front in a church service, shedding a few tears, and having someone pray over you will not produce a dedicated life. What does your boss think of you? Or if you are a student, what does your teacher think of you? If you are lazy, then you are not dedicated. A dedicated life is a holy life, lived always in the presence of God.
“Unblameably.” This means that no charge could be maintained against the apostle and his companions. This doesn’t mean that his enemies didn’t accuse him—because they did—but the charges didn’t stick.
People will say ugly things about you, but the important thing is to make sure the criticisms are not true. Paul and his companions maintained a holy life. A holy life does count. It has nothing to do with obtaining your salvation, but it has everything to do with the salvation of folk around you, because they are watching you.
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children [1 Thess. 2:11].
“Exhorted.” The Greek word is parakaleo, which means that Paul came to the side of them to help, to entreat, and to convict them. It is the same word which is used for the Holy Spirit. You remember that the Lord Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit who would convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment (see John 16:7–11).
I have always felt that the gospel is not presented in the power of the Holy Spirit unless it is presented as something that the Holy Spirit can use to convict a man. That means that He convinces a man of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Those three elements are always in the gospel message.
Comforted is not used here in the sense we use the word today. We saw that meaning on the mother side of the apostle’s ministry. Rather, the word here means “to persuade.” There was an urgency in Paul’s message to the Thessalonians. He often said, “I beseech you”—I beg you. That is the way the gospel should be presented even today.
Paul “charged” them. This has a note of severity in it—it involves discipline. It is a virile word, a robust, firm, masculine word. I’m afraid that we find a lot of sissy preaching in our pulpits today. The popular thing is to have a little sermonette given by a preacherette to Christianettes. There is so little urgency. Someone has defined the average church service in a liberal church as when a mild-mannered man gets up before a group of mild-mannered people and urges them to be more mild-mannered. Oh, that is sickening, my friend!
My wife says that I indulge my flesh at Eastertime because I just have to laugh when I look through the paper and see what the liberal preachers are going to preach for the Resurrection. They have a problem with that. And I enjoy their discomfort! One preacher’s subject was given as “Easter Is a Time of Flowers.” Oh boy, don’t you imagine that was a virile, robust sermon? No wonder there are so many sick saints when they are being fed such watered down soup. A great Methodist evangelist in the South once said, “Some sermons don’t have enough gospel in them to make soup for a sick grasshopper.” In contrast, what a glorious thing the ministry of the apostle Paul was!
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory [1 Thess. 2:12].
“Walk worthy.” This is what Paul also wrote to the Ephesians: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1).
God has called the saints unto “his kingdom,” which refers to the millennial kingdom, and unto “glory,” which refers to the eternal kingdom. In other words, get a perspective of God’s great plan and purpose. Live in the light of eternity.
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe [1 Thess. 2:13].
Now here is the other side of the giving of the gospel. Paul has already said, “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost …” (1 Thess. 1:5). That is the way the gospel should be given out. But I hear a great many people criticize preachers, and I want to say this: If a man is presenting the gospel and it is going out in power, it should also be received as the Word of God.
How do you receive the Word of God? Do you receive it as the Word of God? Or do you get angry? Does the hair stand up on the back of your neck? Twice in all my years of ministry I was approached by a man after a sermon and asked if I had him in mind when I preached the sermon that morning. My friend, I didn’t even know those men were there! They were giving themselves an added sense of importance that wasn’t justified. But the real issue is that they weren’t receiving the Word of God as the Word of God.
The Word should go out as the Word of God, and it should be received as the Word of God. And, my friend, if you will receive it that way, then it will be able to work in you, and there’s blessing there for you. Otherwise, you are wasting your time in church.
We have seen how Paul has been giving out the Word of God. It irritated some people because God’s Word is salt, and salt stings when it gets into a fresh wound of sin in the life of an individual. The Word of God is also a light, but there are a lot of people who love darkness because their deeds are evil.
Paul is teaching in this chapter that the church of God should mirror the family of God down here on earth. He talks about a mother relationship to believers, a father relationship, and now a brother relationship. Sometimes people say, “Our church is a family church.” What they mean is that there is a nursery for the little baby, a junior church for all the little children of junior age, a teenage group, a couples’ group for dad and mom, and finally a senior citizens’ group for grandma and grandpa. That is what folk call a “family church.” I am not sure Paul would ever have divided up the church like that, and this is not what we mean when we say the church should mirror the family of God.
The church should be a revelation of God to the community just as a family should be. The relationships of husband, wife, and child in the home should reveal the threefold aspect of the love of God and Christ for the world. Paul has already spoken of the mother side of the local church. He was willing to work day and night to nurture them as a little bird is nurtured by its mother. He didn’t work an eight-hour day, but he was on the job for them all the time.
Then Paul says he was like a father to that church. A child in a home needs to experience both mother-love and father-love. It is a tragedy for children in our day when the parents are separated or divorced. The child very often fails to receive the love of the father. That father-love is expressed in discipline. Paul says he was like a father to the Thessalonian church.
There are some very fine Bible teachers who never preach anything but comfort. They are always comforting the saints. People love it, because everyone likes to be comforted. I like to have my back rubbed and my head also. That is physically comforting, and it is a joy. But we are not to have comfort alone; we also need discipline. I’m afraid that the father-side, the discipline-side, is woefully lacking, not only in our homes and in the state, but also in the church.
THE BROTHER SIDE OF THE APOSTLE’S MINISTRY (CHALLENGE)
Now the brother-side of the ministry within the church is represented by the child in the family.
For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews [1 Thess. 2:14].
“Brethren”—that is, brothers. What is it that makes men brothers? There are two things that make brothers. Regardless of race or color, it is true that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. No one escapes that category. This is the brotherhood of sinners. Since it is a brotherhood of sinners, it is not a loving brotherhood. You had better watch your brother; you can’t always trust him.
Now what is it that Paul says drew the Thessalonians together as brothers? “For ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen.” The Thessalonian church was largely a gentile church, and they were already experiencing persecution, although this was not yet the time of the great persecutions under the emperors. They were suffering in Thessalonica. Paul could say to them, “Before you began suffering, the brethren over in Jerusalem were already suffering at the hands of their racial brothers. This suffering draws you together and holds you together.” They were brothers in suffering; suffering is a cement that holds believers together.
The church is coming “unglued” in some areas of the world, and the reason for this is the same thing that was said of Israel in Deuteronomy 32:15: “Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.” That is, they entered a period of affluence, and they became critical. The church in America lives in affluence. But, frankly, I think that persecution may be just around the corner.
There are many in the church who are praying for revival. I know of a number of prayer groups which meet regularly to pray for revival. I have never heard of them praying that they might all suffer or be persecuted in order to bring in revival. I do not think that revival will come to this country under the present state of conditions. Right now there is a renewed interest in the Word of God, and some call it revival. However, I don’t call this revival. I believe that if revival came to the church, we would all know it. No one would need to ask, “Do you think this is revival?”
But I do believe that if suffering came to the church, it would draw believers together. We would cut out all this nonsense of picking at the other fellow. We would recognize that every child of God is our brother. There may be some disagreement on various points, but every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is my brother. We are in the family of God, and we should mirror this before the world. When the church really mirrors this before the world, then revival will come.
We try to make a detour and a shortcut to revival by praying for it. Why don’t we pray the conditions that produce revival? It was man’s extremity that brought revival at times in the past. The great Wesleyan movement came out of the dark days in England when they were on the verge of a revolution. It seems it takes such conditions for revival to occur. Maybe we are not far from that in our country today.
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost [1 Thess. 2:15–16].
This I consider to be a remarkable passage of Scripture. It reveals a great principle: God permits sin to run its full course. The figure of speech which the prophets used was that the cup of iniquity must be filled up. God is permitting the cup to be filled. God won’t check it so that Satan will never be able to say, “See, I never was given a chance because God wouldn’t permit me to go all the way.” I think the time of the Great Tribulation is the time when God will allow Satan full rein.
REWARD OF A TRUE WITNESS FOR CHRIST
But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire [1 Thess. 2:17].
“Brethren”—again, this is the real brotherhood. This is the real ecumenical movement. When a person is in Christ Jesus, he is a brother to all others who are in Christ. Outside of Christ there is only the brotherhood of sinners.
“Being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart.” Isn’t this lovely of the apostle Paul? He was actually run out of Thessalonica, but his heart was still there. He hated to leave these Christians and wanted to be able to see them again. By the way, he did.
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us [1 Thess. 2:18].
Paul had spiritual discernment to see that it was Satan’s strategy that kept him from going to Thessalonica. The word Satan actually means “adversary.”
I believe that today Satan seeks to hinder any program of getting out the Word of God. We have seen several instances of this. Many times my Bible teaching program has been on a radio station by which we were reaching an entire area, and things were going so nicely. Then a godless man would buy the station, and he would take all religious programs off the air. That is the work of the enemy, the adversary. He doesn’t want the Word of God to be given out.
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
For ye are our glory and joy [1 Thess. 2:19–20].
Paul says that one of the great things he anticipates when Christ comes to take His church will be the opportunity to see these people whom he has led to the Lord. The Thessalonian believers whom he had won to Christ were a joy for him here and would be hereafter.
By the way, is anyone going to be in heaven who will come up to you and thank you for having a part in giving out the Word of God? Have you given your support to missions? If you have, someone you have never known, someone from the other side of the earth, may come up to you and thank you for your support of missions. He will thank you for being interested in getting out the Word of God because the Word reached him and enabled him to be saved. That, my friend, is going to be part of the reward that we will get in heaven. We need to recognize that. It is a wonderful hope to look forward to the time when Christ Jesus takes the church out of this world. It is even more joyous to know that someone who trusted Christ because of your witness will go along with you to meet the Lord!
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The coming of Christ is a purifying hope
The great theme of 1 Thessalonians is the rapture of the church. The great theme of 2 Thessalonians is the revelation of Christ; that is, His coming to the earth to establish His kingdom. The thing that impresses me is the practicality of these doctrines which Paul taught to the Thessalonians. Today the schools of eschatology, or prophecy, have gotten this teaching way out into left field where it becomes sort of an extraneous thing. It becomes something that is nice to talk about and even to argue about, but it is not too meaningful to life. They do not teach it as something that must be geared into life and that can walk in shoe leather down here. Paul’s teaching is entirely different.
The theme of this chapter is that the coming of Christ is a purifying hope. It will change your life, affect your life-style, if you hold to the hope of the rapture of the church; that is, the imminent coming of Christ for His own. If that doesn’t affect your life, you don’t really believe it. It is just sort of a theory or a philosophy with you. This theme becomes the very heart of the epistle, and we will be dealing with it from chapter 3 through verse 12 of chapter 4.
TIMOTHY BRINGS A GOOD REPORT OF THE THESSALONIANS
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone [1 Thess. 3:1].
Paul longs to return to the Thessalonians but remains back at Athens alone so that he could send Timothy, and perhaps Silas, Dr. Luke, and others to Thessalonica.
Wherefore—this important word ties this chapter back in with what Paul had talked about in the previous chapter: the family relationship that exists in the church. He had been a mother to the church, a father to them, and a brother. He had led them to the Lord, and he loved them. He said that they would be his glory and his joy at the coming (parousia) of Christ, at the appearance of the Lord Jesus when all believers will receive their rewards.
Now because Paul had a real affection for them, he was frustrated in not being able to return to them. He had been hindered by Satan. Paul had to leave Thessalonica so quickly that there were many unfinished teachings and doctrines that he had not been able to develop fully. He not only longed to return, but he wondered about the future of the believers there. Paul desired to comfort them. In other words, he was demonstrating the thing he mentioned at the beginning of the letter—a labor of love.
Love is not affection or just a nice, comfortable, warm feeling around your heart. Love seeks the welfare of another. That is the way love is expressed for anyone. If you love someone, you seek his welfare and you actually would jeopardize your own life for the person whom you love.
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith [1 Thess. 3:2].
Because of his concern, Paul sent Timothy back to the Thessalonians. He calls Timothy “our brother, and minister of God.” The word for “minister” is the Greek diakonos from which we get our English word deacon; it literally means “servant.”
“Our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ.” The gospel of Christ is the sphere of service. Paul was not just a do-gooder. Sometimes fundamentalists are criticized because our main objective is to get out the Word of God. We make that primary. We are criticized for not emphasizing the social aspect of the gospel enough. May I say that there has never been any great social movement that was not anchored in the preaching of the gospel. The child labor laws came out of the great Wesley meetings. The labor movement today owes a great deal to John Wesley even though they have moved so far from the source that they don’t recognize it. Hospitals have followed the preaching of the Word of God. If people will respond to the message of the gospel of Christ, their lives will be transformed, and then these good works will flow out of that change.
We are moving more and more into a welfare program in our country. This has become one of the most corrupt things that has ever taken place in our government. I don’t think any of us can grasp the corruption that is connected with this vast program. Why does that happen? Because it is not anchored in the gospel of Christ.
The liberals who do the criticizing of us act as if they are the do-gooders. Have you ever known a do-gooder who really did something good? What are they doing? They actually encourage immorality and license. They haven’t lifted up mankind. They are not able to release the kids from drugs. In fact, when I was in Portland, Oregon, one of the liberal churches there was using the church as a place to dispense birth control pills to the girls who wanted them!
Paul says that Timothy was a servant and that his sphere of service was the gospel of Christ. That is to be our sphere also. And when the gospel of Christ is given out, my friend, there will be a whole lot of doing good that will take place. The only criticism I’ve ever had of the do-gooders is that their doing good is merely temporary assistance. They are not helping folk permanently by bringing them into a right relationship with God. Only the gospel of Christ can do that.
“To establish you … concerning your faith.” This same wonderful word was used back in the Book of Exodus when Moses went up to the mountain to hold up his hands in prayer to assure Israel’s victory: “But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” (Exod. 17:12, italics mine). “Stayed up” is the same word as “establish.” Paul sent Timothy over to them to stay them up, to hold them up, to establish them. People still need the same thing today. They need to be established in the faith.
“To comfort you concerning your faith.” Comfort means “to encourage.” He sent Timothy to hold the Thessalonians up and to encourage them in the faith.
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto [1 Thess. 3:3].
Here is a statement that is a little hard for any of us to swallow. He says that “no man should be moved,” which means he should not be disturbed, “by these afflictions.” Afflictions here means “pressures, tensions.”
Then Paul makes the amazing statement that “we are appointed thereunto.” We know that we are going to go through storms. They will be temporary storms, but we cannot escape them. We are going to have trouble down here. The Word of God makes that very clear. Paul wants the Thessalonians to stand for the Lord in the midst of afflictions.
There are other passages of Scripture which teach this same truth. The Lord Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Tribulation is the trouble that all of us are going to have. There is no way around it. Yet the Lord Himself tells us to be of good cheer even in the midst of trouble.
If you are a believer, you are not going to escape trouble. To accept Christ does not mean to take out an insurance policy against suffering. The fact of the matter is that you will have trouble after you become a child of God, even if you haven’t had any trouble before. He has never promised that we would miss the storm, but we will go through all the storms of life. What He does say very definitely and dogmatically is that He will go with us through the storms and that we will reach the harbor. Any boat which He is in will not go to the bottom of the Sea of Galilee but will reach the other side. You and I are in the process of going to the other side.
Paul reinforces this: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12, italics mine). There are no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts” about it (see 1 Pet. 4:12–19).
The time to be concerned is when there is no cloud in the sky, no ripple on the sea, and everything is smooth and nice. Then you might question your salvation. But if you are experiencing trouble down here, if the pressures and tensions of life are on you, then that is a sign that you are a child of God. This is the way God teaches us to rely on Him.
For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know [1 Thess. 3:4].
I remember hearing about a congregation in Memphis, Tennessee, where the pastor asked for some favorite verses of Scripture. One man got up and said his favorite verse was, “And it came to pass.” He sat down, and everyone looked puzzled. The pastor asked him how in the world that could be his favorite passage. He answered, “When I get in trouble, I turn to where it says, ‘It came to pass,’ and I know my troubles came to pass. They didn’t come to stay.” God will bring us through the storms. We will finally be rid of all our troubles. How wonderful that is. Our brother may have misapplied the verse, but his theology was absolutely accurate and agrees with what Paul is saying here.
Tribulation is the same word as affliction. This does not refer to the Great Tribulation. It refers to the “little tribulations.” We are all going to have a little trouble down here. Such troubles are for the purpose of bringing us closer to God. They promote sanctification in the life of the believer.
For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain [1 Thess. 3:5].
“The tempter” is none other than Satan. In chapter 2 Paul said, “Satan hindered us.” In other words, Paul is saying to the Thessalonians, “Satan is giving me a bad time, and I fear he may be giving you a bad time also.”
Another purpose of afflictions is to test the genuineness of our belief. Trouble is the acid that tests the genuineness of the coin of belief. There are true believers and there are a lot of counterfeit ones. One thing that will really reveal the genuineness of faith is the ability to endure trouble through faith in God. Afflictions reveal the genuine believer, and this is the occasion of Paul’s rejoicing.
But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you [1 Thess. 3:6].
It was wonderful when Paul got word from them, and that word was a good report. They were enduring their afflictions.
Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith [1 Thess. 3:7].
“In all our affliction”—Paul tells them that he has also had afflictions. The good report from them is a comfort to him.
For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord [1 Thess. 3:8].
“We live” means that as believers we enjoy life. If should really be translated “since”—“since ye stand fast in the Lord.” Even in trouble you can enjoy it—that’s not always easy to do, my friend. This is what Peter writes: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:12–13). You cannot lose as a Christian. Even if you have trouble, it is going to work out for your good—you can always be sure of that.
PAUL URGES CONTINUING GROWTH
For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God [1 Thess. 3:9].
Joy is associated with life, and sorrow is associated with death. However, sorrow increases the capacity of the heart for joy. Paul wants the Thessalonians to know how to rejoice. Being a Christian is a wonderful thing!
Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? [1 Thess. 3:10].
Paul’s labor in Thessalonica was very rudely interrupted—he was run out of town—and he wanted to return to continue his teaching ministry. Paul wanted to teach the Word of God.
Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you [1 Thess. 3:11].
Oh, how Paul prayed for the opportunity to return to them!
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints [1 Thess. 3:12–13].
“Abound in love.” Abound means “exceed,” and love is the Greek agape. In this epistle, love is seen only in action—“labor of love.” It is not affection, but an active seeking of the welfare of another.
“To the end”—love has a purpose; it is not an end in itself.
“He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness”—the desired end of their love for one another is that they would develop a character of holiness. If you were tried in court for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? We are going to appear before Him someday, and He is going to judge our works. This may terrify you, but He also is going to judge our character as believers and determine the reward we will receive. My Christian friend, what kind of a life are you living today?
“At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” Most schools of thought would agree that this verse indicates that the saints are going to come with Christ when He comes to the earth to establish His kingdom. But this verse also seems to indicate that He doesn’t reward them until that time when He comes to the earth to establish His kingdom. Yet many of us believe that believers will come before the judgment seat of Christ before that; that is, we believe that when He takes the church out of the world, the world enters the Great Tribulation Period, and then He comes to establish His kingdom at the end of the Great Tribulation Period. So the question naturally arises: When is He going to present us “unblameable in holiness before God”? Is it when He takes the church out of the world? Or, will it be at the time He comes to the earth to establish His kingdom? The answer depends upon our understanding of this phrase, “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
There are different Greek words for “coming” or “appearing.” The first of these words is epiphaneia; we get our word epiphany from it. The first coming of Christ was an epiphany. It has the idea of a shining through. The King James translation uses the word appeared: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). The Lord Jesus came in person as a little Babe in Bethlehem more than nineteen hundred years ago. It was a breaking through, a shining through of the Lord. It was His epiphany. This word can be used of His first coming or His coming to take the church out of the world or His coming to set up His kingdom. All three have the idea of a breaking through, a shining through, and the actual presence of the Lord Jesus.
A second Greek word is apokalupsis, which means a “revelation” or an “unveiling.” That is actually the name of the Book of Revelation. One could hardly call His first coming an unveiling, because actually His glory was veiled in human flesh when He was born in Bethlehem. It was like the shekinah glory in the tabernacle of the Old Testament which was back in the Holy of Holies where only the high priest was allowed to enter. There was a veil which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the tabernacle. When the Lord Jesus was here the first time, His glory did not show forth; it was veiled in human flesh. When He comes again, His glory will shine forth. So this is a word that refers to His second coming.
The third Greek word is parousia. It literally means “presence” or “being alongside.” It is commonly translated “coming,” but it actually means “presence.” We use coming in that same way today. I have been introduced to an audience with the words, “We are thankful for the coming of Dr. McGee.” I wasn’t coming at that time: I was already there. It means that I was present, sitting on the platform, and they were happy that I had come. Sometimes in the King James translation, parousia is translated as “presence” and sometimes as “coming.” “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only …” (Phil. 2:12). In 1 Thessalonians 2:19 as well as in the verse we are considering, parousia is translated “coming.”
Therefore, “at the coming of our Lord Jesus” refers to the fact that believers are going to be present with the Lord Jesus at the very moment that we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. He will take us home to glory, to the place that He has prepared for us. So that this “coming” does not refer to the return of the Lord with His saints to establish His kingdom, but to our coming to heaven into the presence of the Father. We have the same thought in 1 Thessalonians 2:19: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” We will come into the presence of the Lord Jesus and at that time will be presented “unblameable in holiness before God.”
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The coming of Christ is a purifying hope; the coming of Christ is a comforting hope
HOW BELIEVERS ARE TO WALK
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more [1 Thess. 4:1].
This section teaches how the believers are to walk down here in light of the coming of Christ. It is bound up in that little word walk, which we find in this verse and again in the twelfth verse. This is the practical aspect of the hope of the coming of the Lord. We like to look forward to the day when we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. But, my friend, in the meantime our feet are down here on the ground and we need to do some walking. We are to walk in a way that will please God.
“As ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” We should keep improving. We should grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. The walk of the believer is very important. It is emphasized in many portions of Scripture, and it is the emphasis here. A believer cannot do as he pleases; he does as Christ pleases.
For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus [1 Thess. 4:2].
In regard to their walk, we will find Paul giving some commandments to the Thessalonians. You will remember that the Lord Jesus also gave commandments. Some of these commandments are new commandments.
Let me say this very carefully: The Ten Commandments have no part in a sinner’s salvation, nor are they standard for Christian conduct. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to take us by the hand, as a pedagogue would take a little child by the hand, to bring us to the Cross and say to us, “Little fellow, you need a Savior!” The Ten Commandments are like a mirror which lets us see that we are sinners. The Ten Commandments were not given to save us; they were given to show us that we are sinners and that we need a Savior. That is their purpose.
However, there are commandments for believers, and the standard for Christian conduct which they set is on a much higher plane than the Ten Commandments. In chapter 5 we will find twenty-two commandments for believers given.
Now the question naturally arises: If man could not keep the Ten Commandments, how can he keep higher commandments? The Bible makes it very clear that man was not able to keep the Ten Commandments. The nation Israel transgressed these commandments as Simon Peter confessed: “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe…. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:7, 10–11).
Now if we can’t keep the Ten Commandments, how are we to keep any higher commandments of Christian conduct? Man cannot do it himself. This can be attained only by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within the believer (see v. 8).
“For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.” Paul has some commandments for believers. We are not lawless. We should be disciplined, and we should be in obedience to Christ. It should be a love relationship—we should be motivated by love—the Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication [1 Thess. 4:3].
Sanctification is a very wonderful word, but I am afraid that it is greatly misunderstood. If you go through the Scriptures, you will find that sanctification has several different meanings. When it is used in reference to Christ, as it is here, it means that He has been made over to us sanctification—and you cannot improve on that! Therefore, it does not simply refer to a sinless state, but rather that we have been set apart for God. For example, Simon Peter speaks of the fact that “… holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21). Now some of those holy men have life stories that don’t make them sound very holy! Moses, for instance, was a murderer. David, who wrote so many wonderful psalms, was also a murderer. But they were sanctified, holy, because they had been set aside for God.
Sanctification of the believer is a work of the Spirit of God. We need to review the threefold aspect of it, because this is so very important:
Positional sanctification means that Christ has been made unto us sanctification. We are accepted in the Beloved, and we will never be more saved than at the moment we put our trust in Christ. We are never accepted because of who we are, but because of what Christ has done. This positional sanctification is perfection in Christ.
Practical sanctification is the Holy Spirit working in our lives to produce a holiness in our walk. This practical sanctification will never be perfect so long as we are in these bodies with our old sinful flesh.
Total sanctification will occur in the future when we are conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. Then both the position and the practice of sanctification will be perfect.
The literal meaning of the word sanctification is to be “set apart for God.” The moment a lost sinner comes to Christ and accepts Christ as Savior, that person is set aside for God’s use. This is clearly taught in the Old Testament in the tabernacle. God taught the Old Testament believers great doctrinal truths through very simple, practical lessons. In the tabernacle there were vessels and instruments which were used in the sacrifices. After they had gone through the wilderness for forty years, those pots and pans and forks and spoons were pretty well beaten and battered. I don’t think they were very attractive. I think that any good housewife would have said, “Let’s trade them in on a new set. Let’s throw these away.” However, God called them holy vessels. They were holy because they were set aside for the use of God. That is what made them holy.
In the same way this applies to a person. When he comes to Christ, he is saved. He is redeemed; he belongs to Christ. Paul says, “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” You have been set aside for a holy purpose, for God’s use. Every child of God—not just preachers or missionaries or Christian workers, but every believer—is set aside for the use of God.
“That ye should abstain from fornication.” Don’t think it was only the Thessalonians who needed this admonition from Paul. Don’t think they were the only ones who engaged in sins, especially the sins of the flesh. Don’t think it was only in Roman times that idolatry involved sins of sex. Today we are seeing the rise of the worship of Satan and the practice of the occult. There are all kinds of amulets and rituals connected with such worship. Also there is astrology which seeks to tell people about themselves. And there is always sex involved in all of it.
The great tragedy today is to hear of some Christian worker who has become involved in sexual sin. And, unfortunately, there are even churches that will defend a minister who has been guilty of such. We are people who are supposed to be set aside for the use of God! Paul says that you cannot be involved in sexual sin and at the same time be used of God. One cannot live in sin and be a preacher or singer or Sunday school teacher or an officer in the church. I don’t care who you are, if you do, you will wreck the work of God.
Now, should a Christian strive for holiness? I think so. But you and I need to recognize that it is only in Christ that we can be acceptable to God. Paul says that we have been sanctified, brought to this high state, set apart for the use of God. Now what?—
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God [1 Thess. 4:4–5].
All around these Thessalonian believers were the pagans who combined sex and religion. Sex was a religion among the Greeks. You could go to Corinth and find that out, but you didn’t have to go to Corinth—you could find it out right in Thessalonica.
Paul says that we are to live a life that commends the gospel. The loose living that we find among some believers today brings the gospel into disrepute. Such people are not living for God or serving God. You cannot serve God and live in sin. He doesn’t accept that.
“That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.” The immorality that exists in our day is absolutely astounding. A very fine Christian leader who holds Bible classes on the campus of a college here in California told me that the boys’ dormitory is Sodom and the girls’ dormitory is Gomorrah. These poor kids know all about sex, but they don’t know about love. God says that the body should be saved for the marriage relationship, and this applies to men and women. There are all sorts of reasons given for the fact that there is so much unhappiness in marriage. The problem is that the marriage partners are not people who have been set apart for the use of God and who are faithful to each other in a love relationship. When a person saves his body for marriage and is faithful to his partner, he is possessing his vessel “in sanctification and honour.” Such should be the practice of every child of God. Believe me, Paul puts it on the line.
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified [1 Thess. 4:6].
“That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter.” You have to be honest if you are going to be a child of God.
“Because that the Lord is the avenger of all such.” I’ve lived long enough as a Christian and as a pastor to see this principle worked out in the lives of many believers. I’ve observed certain believers who have been dishonest in their dealings with others, and God is an avenger—He moves in and judges them.
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness [1 Thess. 4:7].
A child of God cannot continue in sin. The prodigal son may get in the pigpen for a time, but he won’t live in the pigpen.
He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit [1 Thess. 4:8].
A child of God is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He cannot continue to live in sin because the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The time will come when the child of God will long for holiness in his own life.
The Holy Spirit is the only means by which we can live for God. We see in Paul’s Galatian epistle that the child of God is not to indulge in the sins of the flesh. Instead, there should be the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in the life. In Romans 8:3, Paul makes it very clear: “For what the law could not do….” Why? Is the Law wrong? No, the Law is not wrong; the Ten Commandments are not wrong. The problem is with man, not with the Law. Man cannot attain to the level of the Ten Commandments, nor can he live by the commandments in the New Testament. It is the Holy Spirit within the believer who has been given to him to enable him to live a life for God.
God has given the Holy Spirit to every believer. He is not something to be sought after a person is saved. The moment a sinner trusts Christ, that person is indwelt by the Spirit of God. In Acts 19 we find that when Paul arrived in Ephesus, he found people who were professing to be Christians, but he saw that they were not indwelt by the Spirit of God. He asked them whether they had received the Holy Spirit when they were saved. They told him they had never even heard about such things; they had heard only of the baptism of John. So Paul preached the gospel to them, and then they were saved and received the Holy Spirit. You receive the Holy Spirit only when you are converted and come to Christ. At that point the believer receives and is baptized with the Holy Spirit and is placed into the body of believers to function in it. A person may have many infillings of the Spirit after that, and I think we need a constant infilling of the Holy Spirit. It is only the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables us to lead holy lives.
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another [1 Thess. 4:9].
Love is the subject, and the statement he makes is rather amazing. A believer must have love for the brethren. It is a supernatural love that is taught of God: “The fruit of the Spirit is love.” It is not a theoretical kind of love, not just an abstract term. We have mentioned before that it cannot be just love in the abstract, but it must be love in the concrete. Such love can only be produced in the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit. Notice that after Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit, brotherly love is the first thing that he mentions.
He writes, “As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.” I believe that love is the identifying mark of a child of God.
My roommate in college and I could wrestle, fight, argue, try to get dates with the same girl, and all that sort of thing. One day really had a knock-down-drag-out fight. We had literally torn up the room. He proceeded to tell me what he thought of me, and it was not very complimentary. Then I proceeded to tell him what I thought of him and that wasn’t very complimentary either. All of a sudden it occurred to me, “Look, you are the greatest proof that I am a child of God! One of the evidences that a person is a child of God is that he loves his brother. John emphasizes it and it is in 1 Thessalonians that we are taught of God to love our brother. In spite of the fact that you are the most contemptible person I have ever met, the most unlovely person I have ever met, I love you!” He looked startled and began to laugh. “You know, I love you, and you’re lots worse than I am!”
This man is now a retired preacher, just as I am. Once in awhile we have an opportunity to see one another. He is still a very ornery individual, but I love him because he is a child of God. And I think he loves me. That is the proof that we are the children of God.
And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more [1 Thess. 4:10].
Love for the brethren is an area for growth and development. Very candidly, some of the saints are not very lovely. Someone has put that fact into this little jingle:
To dwell above with saints in love
Oh, that will be glory.
But to stay below with the saints I know—
Well, that’s another story.
These Thessalonians did love the brethren, but evidently their love had not reached the summum bonum of life. They weren’t perfect in their love, and there was still room for improvement.
There are going to be some personality conflicts among the saints. It may be better for such people not to be together too much nor to put arms around each other and walk together. That doesn’t mean we should hate them. We can still love them as the children of God. For example, I know a minister whose methods I absolutely despise, but I can truthfully say that I love him. I know of no one who gets up and presents Jesus Christ as wonderfully as this man does, and I love him for it.
The real test is our love for the brethren. If you want to put the blue litmus paper down in your life to test it and find out whether or not you are a genuine believer, this is the place to put it down: Do you love the brethren?
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you [1 Thess. 4:11].
“That ye study to be quiet.” That is an interesting commandment for Christians. We have all kinds of schools today to teach people to speak. Every seminary has a public speaking class. Perhaps they should also have a class that would teach their students to be quiet. A lot of saints need such a course!
A lady went to a “tongues meeting,” and the leader thought she was interested in speaking in tongues. He asked her, “Madam, would you like to speak in tongues?” She answered, “No, I would like to lose about forty feet off the one I have now!” We need to study to be quiet. That is a commandment.
“And to do your own business”—that is another good commandment. It means to mind your own business. “Tend to your own knitting” is the way I used to hear it as a boy. Keep your nose out of the affairs of other people. This is good advice for Christians.
“And to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” I believe that every Christian should have some type of activity whereby he is doing something that is tangible for God. That would be a wonderful thing.
That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing [1 Thess. 4:12].
“Walk honestly”—this is also something that the saints of God need to do today. It will gain the respect and the confidence of mankind. Our walk should be honest before God and man.
I have letters from several organizations which use methods to raise money that seem very questionable to me. Certain organizations have men out contacting people who have become senile, attempting to get them to make their wills over to their organizations. That is one reason you ought to make your will before you become senile. There are unscrupulous people who are out to get your money—there is no question about that. A child of God cannot do such questionable things because we are to “walk honestly toward them that are without.” That means that all dealings with unbelievers are to be scrupulously honest. God will judge us if we do not walk honestly.
THE COMING OF CHRIST IS A COMFORTING HOPE
We come now to the next section of this epistle, a section which has been labeled one of the most important prophetic passages in the Scriptures. It teaches the imminent and impending coming of Christ for His church. That does not mean the immediate or soon coming of Christ. Paul never uses an expression like that. He did not want people to assume it would be in their own lifetime or shortly afterward. It has been more than nineteen hundred years now. But when we say that the coming of Christ is imminent, we mean that it is approaching or that it is the next event on the agenda of God’s program.
Let me illustrate my point. One time when Mrs. McGee and I flew to Florida on a new DC-10 from the Los Angeles International Airport, we had a friendly captain who began to talk to us soon after our flight had begun: “The weather is lovely here in Southern California as you can see. The weather in Miami, Florida, is also very good, and we expect it to be nice when we arrive there. We fly over Texas, and of course nobody knows what the weather will be there, but we should have a good flight today. Our next stop is Miami.” Now there was not a single passenger who jumped up, grabbed his luggage, and rushed for the door because the captain had said, “Our next stop is Miami.” That stop was imminent. In other words, we would not make any other stop before that one. It would be five hours before we would arrive at Miami, but we were prepared for that stop because it was imminent—it was the next stop.
The difference between waiting for the stop at Miami and waiting for the coming of Christ for His church is that we knew that Miami was five hours away. We don’t know how far away the coming of Christ is. It could be five hours or five days or five weeks or five months or five years or five hundred years. We simply do not know. Still, it is imminent; it is the next event.
Paul makes it very clear that he believed in the imminent return of Christ. In verse 15 of this chapter he says, “We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord.” Paul believed that the Lord Jesus Christ could come in his lifetime. He did not say or believe that He would come in his lifetime, but he said that He could come. This was the attitude he expressed as he wrote to Titus: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
There are those who accuse Paul of changing his position on the imminent coming of Christ as he himself grew older. Remember that this epistle to the Thessalonians was his earliest letter. Did Paul change his theology? When he wrote to the Philippians he was an old man, a prisoner in Rome, and he said: “For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Paul, at the end of his life, was still looking for Him. In other words, Christ’s coming was imminent.
Paul labeled this coming of Christ for His church, when we are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, the rapture of the church. There are those today who hold a different viewpoint. They say the Bible does not teach the Rapture and that one cannot find that word in the New Testament. I insist that it is there. It is found in this chapter in verse 17: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” The Greek word translated as “caught up” is harpazoµ. It means “to catch up or grasp hastily, to snatch up, to lift, to transport, or to rapture.” Rapture is just as good a word as caught up. It is a matter of semantics, whichever word you choose to use. The fact is that the Bible teaches that believers in Christ are to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Paul taught the rapture of the church. Now if you would like, you could just say you believe in the harpazoµ—that’s the original Greek word, and it means “rapture” and it means “caught up.” Nonetheless, the point is that the rapture of the church can take place at any moment; it is the next happening in the program of God.
Now I want to make a very startling statement about this passage of Scripture. Actually, the primary consideration here is not the Rapture. The precise question Paul is answering is: What about believers who have died before the Rapture has taken place?
We need to review the background of this epistle in order to understand why this question was so important to the Thessalonian believers. Paul went to Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. “… three sabbath days [he] reasoned with them out of the scriptures” (Acts 17:2). That means that Paul was there less than a month. In that month’s time, he performed a herculean task. He did the work of a missionary. He preached the gospel, converts were made, and he established a church. Then he taught these new believers the great truths of the Christian faith. It is interesting that he even taught them of the rapture of the church.
When I was a young preacher in a denomination, they didn’t have much to say about prophecy. Very candidly, I don’t think the ministers knew very much about it. They would give an excuse, saying, “You shouldn’t preach on that. That is deep truth and should be given to mature saints. It shouldn’t be given to new believers.” Well, it’s too bad that Paul didn’t know that, because he hadn’t been with the Thessalonians for a complete month and yet he was teaching them prophecy. In fact, when we get to the second epistle we will find that he taught them about the Great Tribulation and the Man of Sin, the Antichrist who is to come. Paul ran the whole gamut of prophecy for these Thessalonians. It is nonsense to say this is not to be given to new believers. It is to be taught to them, and Paul is the demonstration of that.
It is clear that Paul taught the Thessalonians that the rapture of the church might occur at any moment, that it was imminent. Then Paul left Thessalonica; he went to Berea, established a church and was there for some time. Then he took a ship and went over to Athens. We don’t know how long he was there either. He was waiting for Timothy and Silas to bring word from Thessalonica. They didn’t come, and he went on down to Corinth. After he was there for awhile, Timothy and Silas came. They came with questions from the Thessalonians to ask of Paul. So Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to encourage them and to answer their specific questions with regard to the rapture of the church. During this unknown interval of time after Paul had left them, some of the saints in Thessalonica had died. A question arose in the minds of the believers. Had they missed the Rapture?
Obviously Paul had taught them the imminent coming of Christ, or this question would not be pertinent at all. Paul had told them that the Lord Jesus might come at any moment. These saints had died, and the Lord hadn’t come—had they missed the Rapture? What would happen to them? Paul gives the answer to this question in this epistle.
To us the question the Thessalonians had is not meaningful in the same way as it was to them. That is because you and I live nineteen hundred years this side of 1 Thessalonians, and literally millions of believers have already gone down through the doorway of death. Therefore, most of the church has already gone ahead, and a small minority remains in the world.
Paul had taught the Thessalonians that the coming of Christ was imminent, and this is still what we believe today. Between where we are right this moment and the coming of Christ for the church it is tissue-thin, which means it could happen any moment—even before you finish reading this page—or the coming of Christ could be way down yonder in the future.
There is a grave danger today in setting dates for the coming of the Lord. Some are doing that, and it is dangerous because they do not know when He will return. The Lord said that we do not know the hour He will come. They might pick the year correctly, but they surely won’t pick the hour—I don’t think they will even hit the year. When they set dates, they are robbing believers of the opportunity of looking for Him to come.
Now the Thessalonians were concerned about the saints who had died before the Rapture had taken place. We need to keep that in mind as we go through the rest of this chapter.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope [1 Thess. 4:13].
“I would not have you to be ignorant.” I love the way Paul says that. We have seen it before in the Corinthian epistles. When Paul says, “I would not have you ignorant, brethren,” you can pretty well put it down that the brethren are ignorant. Paul just didn’t come out and say so in a flat-footed and crude way. He is more polite and diplomatic. I would say that he did it in a very Christian way.
“Concerning them which are asleep.” Paul is referring to the death of the body. This never refers to the soul or the spirit of man, because the spirit of man does not die. We shall note that as we move through this section, but first I want to mention several reasons that the death of the body is spoken of as being “asleep.”
1. There is a similarity between sleep and death. A dead body and a sleeping body are actually very similar. I’m sure you have been to a funeral where someone has remarked that So-and-so looks just as if he were asleep. Well, in a way it is true—the body of a believer is asleep. A sleeper does not cease to exist, and the inference is that the dead do not cease to exist just because the body is asleep. Sleep is temporary; death is also temporary. Sleep has its waking; death has its resurrection. It is not that life is existence and death is non-existence, you see.
2. The word which is translated “asleep” has its root in the Greek word keimai, which means “to lie down.” And the very interesting thing is that the word for “resurrection” is a word that refers only to the body. It is anastasis, and it comes from two Greek words: histemi which means “to stand,” and ana, the preposition, “up.” It is only the body which can stand up in resurrection.
C. S. Lewis in his Screwtape Letters uses a little sarcasm to ridicule the liberals who believe that the resurrection is a resurrection of the spirit and not of the body. He asks what position the soul or the spirit takes when it lies down in death, or what position the spirit takes when it stands up in resurrection! If you want to believe in soul sleep, you must explain how a soul can lie down and then stand up. Obviously “asleep” refers to the body.
The same Greek word for “sleep” is used here as is used when referring to a natural sleep when the body lies down in bed. Let me give you two illustrations of this. “And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow” (Luke 22:45, italics mine). Imagine that Peter, James, and John went to sleep at this time of crisis! The word is the same word that is used here in 1 Thessalonians. Again, in Acts 12:6, “And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison” (italics mine). One thing we know for sure about Simon Peter is that he didn’t have insomnia! Even at times of great crisis, he was able to sleep. Again, the same word for “sleep” is used, and it is the natural sleep of the body.
3. The Bible teaches that the body returns to the dust from which it was created, but the spirit returns to God who gave it. Even the Old Testament teaches this. In Ecclesiastes 12:7 we read: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” “The dust”—that is our body. God told Adam, “… for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:19). It was the body that was taken from the dust, and then God breathed into man the breath of life, or the spirit, you see. It is the body that will go to sleep until the resurrection—only the body. The spirit of a believer will return to God.
The spirit or the soul does not die, and therefore the spirit or the soul is not raised. Only the body can lie down in death, and only the body can stand up in resurrection. This is quite obvious when Paul says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:8).
The body is merely a frail tent that is laid aside temporarily in death. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1). The Greek word for “tabernacle” here is skenos, which means “a tent.” The bodies we live in are tents. I have news for you: You may live in a home that cost $250,000, but the place where you really live is in a little tent. God put every single one of us into a tent. It is not a matter of some living in a hovel and some in a mansion—we have all been given the same kind of tent. You could reduce the body to its component chemicals, and I am told the whole amount would sell for about $4.00, although inflated prices may push it a little higher. Every one of us lives in a tent that is worth about $4.00! It can be blown down at any moment. If you don’t believe that, step in front of a car and you will find that your tent will fold up and silently slip away. Our bodies are actually very frail.
“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven” (2 Cor. 5:2). “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan…” (2 Cor. 5:4). We groan within our tents. Have you discovered that?
I met an old man at the corner bus stop many years ago. He must have been pretty close to eighty. He was swearing like a sailor. I said to him, “Brother, you won’t be here very long, and you are going to have to answer to God.”
“How do you know I won’t be here very long?” he asked.
“God is telling you so. He has put gray in your hair, a totter in your step, a stoop in your shoulder, and a shortness of breath when you walk. He is trying to tell you that you won’t be here much longer. You are living in a little tent down here, and you are going to be slipping away soon.”
I am told that when President Adams was an old man, a friend inquired about his health. He answered that he was fine, but the house he lived in was getting rickety and was not in good repair. That is the kind of body each of us is living in, my friend.
When I was a young man, I could bound up and down the steps to my study. Today it is different. I come down the steps one at a time, and there is no more bounding. My knees hurt, and I groan. My wife tells me I groan too much, but I tell her it is scriptural to groan. Paul said that we groan in these bodies.
These old bodies are going to be put into the grave, and there they are going to sleep. The spirit goes to be with the Lord.
Paul wrote, “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Cor. 5:6–7). Now we are at home in this body; this is where we live. People don’t really get to see us, you know—we are hidden in our bodies. Sometimes people who come to rallies or services when I speak, tell me they have heard me on the radio and they have come just to see how I look. I always feel like saying, “You really haven’t seen me. All you have seen is a head and two hands sticking out of a suit of clothes. You don’t see me—I live within this body.” This house I live in isn’t in such good repair, but that’s where I will live as long as I walk on this earth.
Paul goes on to say, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). I can’t think of anything lovelier than that. If you should attend my funeral, I wouldn’t want you to come by and say that I look so natural. Friend, I won’t even be there. You will just be looking at my tent that I have left behind. It’s my old house, that has been put to sleep. I will be gone to be with the Lord. At the resurrection our bodies will be raised up.
Many years ago in the city of New York (in fact, it was way back in the day when liberalism was called modernism, back in the 1920s) they had an argument about whether resurrection was spiritual. The liberal even today claims it’s spiritual. He doesn’t believe in bodily resurrection at all. A very famous Greek scholar from the University of Chicago read a paper on the passage from 1 Corinthians 15: “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:44). His paper put the emphasis on the word spiritual. He concluded by saying, “Now, brethren, you can see that resurrection is spiritual because it says it’s spiritual.” The liberals all applauded, and somebody made a motion that they print that manuscript and circulate it.
Well, a very fine conservative Greek scholar was there, and he stood up. When he stood, all the liberals were a little uneasy because he could ask very embarrassing questions. He said, “I’d like to ask the author of the paper a question.” Very reluctantly, the good doctor stood up. “Now, doctor, which is stronger, a noun or an adjective? A very simple question, but I’d like for you to answer it.” He could see the direction he was going and didn’t want to answer it, but he had to say that a noun is stronger, of course. “Now doctor, I’m amazed that you presented the paper that you did today. You put the emphasis upon an adjective, and the strong word is the noun. Now, let’s look at that again. ‘It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.’” He said, “The only thing that is carried over in resurrection is the body. It’s one kind of body when it dies, a natural body. It’s raised a body, but a spiritual body, dominated now by the spirit—but it’s still a body.” And they never did publish that paper. They decided it would be better not to publish it. May I say to you, just a simple little exercise in grammar would have answered this great professor’s whole manuscript and his entire argument which he presented at that time.
Daniel is another writer who spoke of the death of the body as “sleep.” “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2). Dust will go back to dust—that’s the body; but the spirit goes to God who sent it.
4. The early Christians adopted a very wonderful word for the burying places of their loved ones—the Greek word koimeterion, which means “a rest house for strangers, a sleeping place.” It is the same word from which we get our English word cemetery. The same word was used in that day for inns, or what we would call a hotel or motel. A Hilton Hotel, a Ramada Inn or a Holiday Inn—they are the places where you spend the night to sleep. You expect to get up the next day and continue your journey. This is the picture of the place where you bury your believing loved ones. You don’t weep when you have a friend who goes and spends a weekend in a Hilton Hotel, do you? No, you rejoice with him. The body of the believer has just been put into a motel until the resurrection. One day the Lord is coming and that body is going to be raised up.
Now let us return to our consideration of the actual text of verse 13: “That ye sorrow not, even as others [the rest] which have no hope.” The pagan world had no hope; so for them death was a frightful thing. In Thessalonica they have found an inscription that says: “After death no reviving, after the grave no meeting again.” The Greek poet Theocritus wrote, “Hopes are among the living; the dead are without hope.” That was the belief of the ancient world. It is pretty pessimistic and doleful.
Believers are not to sorrow as the pagans. I have officiated at many funeral services during the years of my ministry, and I can always tell if the family is Christian. I can tell by the way the people weep whether they have hope or not. Christians weep, of course—there is nothing wrong with that. Paul never says that believers are not to weep. What he does say is that we are not to sorrow as the others which have no hope. A Christian has a sorrow at the death of a loved one, but he also has hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him [1 Thess. 4:14].
I want you to notice that Paul says that “Jesus died and rose again.” It doesn’t say Jesus slept—He died. How accurate this is!
There are three kinds of death in Scripture. There is physical death, which is the separation of the spirit from the body. That is what we ordinarily call death. Adam didn’t actually die physically until 930 years after the Fall.
Then there is spiritual death. Paul says that to be carnally minded is death, which is separation from God. This is what happened to man in the Garden of Eden when God said that man would die in the day he ate of the fruit. Man became separated from God. Adam hid from God; he ran from God when God came into the garden—there was now a separation between them. Adam did die the day he ate the fruit—a spiritual death. Paul describes this spiritual death in Ephesians 2:1: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
A famous judge toured around this country some years ago giving a lecture entitled “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” There followed him a famous Baptist preacher whose lecture was “Millions Now Living Are Already Dead.” And they were dead—spiritually dead.
The third death is eternal death. That is eternal separation from God. This is the second death described in Revelation 20:14.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep [1 Thess. 4:15].
“By the word of the Lord” is Paul’s assurance that he is giving God’s answer to their question. Paul knows that they had been worrying about those who had died before the Rapture and wants them to know that the dead in Christ will have part in the Rapture.
“We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” The word prevent is an old English word meaning “precede.” Those who are alive at the time of the Rapture will not be going ahead of them—in fact, the dead in Christ will be going first.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first [1 Thess. 4:16].
“The Lord himself shall descend from heaven” I love that—He won’t be sending angels. When He comes to the earth to establish His kingdom, He will send His angels to the four corners of the earth to gather the elect, who will be both Israelites and Gentiles who enter the kingdom. However, there is no angel ministry connected with the Rapture of the church. Angels announced the birth of Christ, but how was He announced? As the Son of David, the newborn King. He was announced as a King. The wise men wanted to know where they could find Him who was born King of the Jews. In contrast to this, at the establishment of the church on the Day of Pentecost, there, were no angels. The Holy Spirit Himself came down. When the Lord takes His church out of the world, the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven. There will be no angels. Angels are connected with Israel but not with the church at all.
He will descend from heaven “with a shout.” That is the voice of command. It is the same voice which He used when He stood at the tomb of Lazarus and said, “Lazarus, come forth” (see John 11:43).
“The voice of the archangel.” Now wait, isn’t that an angel connected with the Rapture? No, it is His voice that will be like the voice of an archangel. It is the quality of His voice, the majesty and the authority of it.
“The trump of God.” Will there be trumpets there? No, it is His voice that will be like a trumpet. Can we be sure of this? In Revelation 1:10, John, who was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, wrote, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” He turned to see who it was, and he saw the glorified Christ. It is the voice of the glorified Christ that is like the sound of a trumpet.
That ought to get rid of all this foolishness about Gabriel blowing his horn or blowing a trumpet. I don’t think Gabriel even owns a trumpet, but if he has one, he won’t need to blow it. The Lord Jesus is not going to need the help of Gabriel. Do you think the Lord Jesus needed Gabriel to come and help Him raise Lazarus from the dead? Can you imagine the Lord Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus saying, “Gabriel, won’t you come over here and help Me get this man out of the grave?” How absolutely foolish! The Lord Jesus will not need anyone to help Him. When He calls His church, their bodies will come up out of the graves.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord [1 Thess. 4:17].
Again, “caught up” is the Greek harpazoµ, meaning “to grasp hastily, snatch up, to lift, transport, or rapture.”
It is going to be a very orderly procedure. The dead will rise first. Here comes Stephen out of the grave. It may be that he will lead the procession since he was the first martyr. Then there will be the apostles and all those millions who have laid down their lives for Jesus. They will just keep coming from right down through the centuries. Finally, if we are alive at that time, we will bring up the rear of the parade. We will be way down at the tail end of it. Most of the church has already gone in through the doorway of death.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words [1 Thess. 4:18].
Does he say, “Wherefore terrify one another with these words”? Of course not. My Bible says, “Wherefore comfort one another.” It not only means to comfort in the usual sense of the word, but also to instruct and to exhort one another and to talk about these things. My friend, Jesus is going to take His own out of this world someday! What a glorious, wonderful comfort this is! The bodies of the dead will be lifted out. Then whoever is alive at that time will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. In fact, we shall come back with Him to the earth to reign with Him at the time He sets up His kingdom.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The coming of Christ is a rousing hope
In this final chapter of 1 Thessalonians we see the Christian’s actions in view of the return of Christ. In chapter 1, you will recall, we considered the Christian’s attitude toward the return of Christ. Now, if the attitude does not lead to action, something is radically wrong. The coming of Christ is a rousing hope which leads to action!
CALL TO BE AWAKE AND ALERT IN VIEW OF CHRIST’S COMING
The believer in Christ is to be awake and alert in view of Christ’s coming, because the believer will not enter into that awful night of the Great Tribulation Period, which is labeled the Day of the Lord. That Day of the Lord begins with night because that is God’s way of marking time. He begins that way in Genesis where it says that the evening and the morning were the first day. God begins in night but moves to light. So the Great Tribulation leads into the glorious millennial reign of Christ when the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings.
The Day of the Lord is an expression we need to examine.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you [1 Thess. 5:1].
“Times and seasons” are not the property of the church; they belong to this earth and to an earthly people—both Israel and the Gentiles who will be saved in that day. The church is looking for a Person, not for times and seasons. The word for “time” is the Greek chronos, from which we get our English word chronology. The times and seasons or the chronology is not for the church.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night [1 Thess. 5:2].
The Lord Jesus does not come to the church like a thief in the night. The church is looking for and waiting for the Lord to come. You don’t wait for a thief and look for him and leave a note for him on the back door when you leave your house—“I left the back door open for you, Mr. Thief, and you’ll find the family silver in the third drawer to the right in the dining room.” I don’t imagine you have ever left such a note. The chances are that you check everything before you leave the house, making sure that your home is doubly locked. You want to keep the thief out. So the Lord Jesus does not come as a thief to the church. However, the Lord Jesus does come like a thief to the world after the church has been raptured. As I have said, the Day of the Lord will come suddenly to the earth, and it will begin with the night of the Great Tribulation Period; then finally Christ will come personally to this earth.
The Day of the Lord will come suddenly—
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape [1 Thess. 5:3].
Do you notice the change of pronouns here? In the first two verses Paul is addressing the “brethren,” and he says that it is not necessary for him to write to them about the times and seasons, because they will have nothing to do with it—believers will be gone at that time. But here in verse 3 the pronoun changes to “they”—“when they shall say, Peace and safety.”
Again let me repeat that the Day of the Lord is a period of time which begins with the Great Tribulation and goes through the millennial reign of Christ here upon the earth. There are many passages of Scripture which speak of this. For example, in Isaiah, chapters 12–13, you can read how God moves down in judgment on society and government, on the military and commerce and art and pomp and pride and religion. “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it” (Isa. 13:9). It starts out as a day of wrath: “For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine” (Isa. 13:10). In the prophecy of Joel we are told: “Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come” (Joel 1:15). Joel goes on in chapter 2 to describe it as “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness …” (Joel 2:2). That is the picture given to us in the Old Testament. The Day of the Lord is a period which begins with the Great Tribulation and goes through the millennial reign of Christ. That is a theme in the Old Testament.
Now the event described in chapter 4—the coming of Christ to take the church out of the world—is not even mentioned in the Old Testament. It is there by type, of course, such as the experiences of Enoch and Elijah, both of whom were taken up alive to be with the Lord. But it is not taught in the Old Testament that the Lord Jesus is going to take a company of people out of this earth to be with Himself. This is a glorious, wonderful truth which was revealed first in the Upper Room when the Lord Jesus said, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). As far as I know, that is the first time this truth is revealed in the Bible. And Paul developed it in 1 Thessalonians 4.
However, in the fifth chapter he is speaking of something which was well known in the Old Testament.
“When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them.” It is going to be a big surprise to the world. They are not going to expect it. I believe that the “big lie,” which we will see in the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians, is the promise of peace and safety. The Lord Jesus warned of that: “Take heed that no man deceive you.” The world expects to enter a great era of peace, the Millennium, but they will find themselves plunged into the Great Tribulation, which will include the greatest war the world has ever seen. It will come upon them suddenly like a thief in the night.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness [1 Thess. 5:4–5].
The Rapture of the church actually does two things: (1) It ends this day of grace in which we are today, this calling out a people for His name and bringing many sons home to glory. This is what God is doing in our day. The Rapture not only ends that, but (2) it begins the Day of the Lord. The Great Tribulation will get under way when the church leaves the earth. The one event of the Rapture will end the day of grace and begin the Day of the Lord. It closes one day and opens another.
“But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” Why won’t it? Well, because we won’t be here. We found in chapter 4 that “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout” and take His church out of the world.
“Ye are all the children of light.” In other words, you don’t belong to that dispensation which is coming in the future. You belong to the dispensation of grace in which we are today.
Friend, if you do not learn these distinctions which are made in the Scripture, you will be hopelessly confused. I know of no one so hopelessly confused as some theologians in seminaries today. I’ve talked to them. One man told me that he had simply given up on the study of prophecy and would have nothing to do with it. Why? Because he was not willing to sit down and study the entire Scriptures.
When the Day of the Lord comes, we are going to be with the Lord. We are not in darkness. That day will not overtake us as a thief in the night. He doesn’t come as a thief to take His church. The church is looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior.
Now Paul gives the admonition to the believers—
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober [1 Thess. 5:6].
You see, the rapture of the church, that blessed hope, could take place at any time. Because of this, we should not be sleeping Christians.
I heard a song leader down in Georgia, who, in his very quaint way, uttered a great many wise sayings. He was right on target with his remarks. He said, “We are now going to sing ‘Standing on the Promises.’ There are a lot of folk today who are singing ‘Standing on the Promises,’ but they are just sitting on the premises!” And some of them are actually sleeping pillars in the church today.
Now Paul is saying that, in view of the fact that the Lord Jesus is going to take His church out of the world before that awful period of tribulation, “let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
The word sober has several meanings. It can mean “to stay sober” in the sense of not using an alcoholic stimulant, but there are also other kinds of drunkenness besides that caused by alcohol or drugs. A lot of people get drunk on power or on the making of money or on the pleasures of this world. The child of God is to stay sober and is to watch. Why? Because these tremendous events are to take place in the future.
I believe we are close to the time of the return of the Lord. I don’t know, of course, but I think we are. And I know I can say with Paul: “… for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11).
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation [1 Thess. 5:7–8].
Again he mentions the word sober. Let’s understand that we have a duty to perform.
“Putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” This speaks of a soldier’s duty and is a call to that kind of duty. The breastplate of faith and love is to cover the heart, the vital part of the body. The helmet is the hope of salvation. As I write this, it isn’t the style for men or women to wear hats—most people today go bareheaded—but it should be the style for every Christian to wear the helmet of the hope of salvation.
“Faith … love … hope”—this is now the third time these key words have appeared in this epistle: the labor of love, the work of faith, the patience of hope. Faith is a saving faith, and a saving faith produces works. Calvin said, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” “Faith” looks to the past when we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. “Love” is for the present, which is the relationship the believer should have with those around him. The “hope of salvation” is that blessed hope of the future. We are not looking for the Great Tribulation Period. I don’t see how there could be any rejoicing in that! We are looking for that blessed hope, which is the consummation of our salvation.
John writes, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). God is not through with me, so don’t you be impatient with me. A little lady down in West Texas in a testimony meeting said, “Most Christians ought to have written on their backs, ‘This is not the best that the grace of God can do.’” I know that I ought to have that written on my back. Since He is not through with me yet, don’t be impatient with me, and I won’t be impatient with you—because I don’t think He is through with you either. Today we have “the hope of salvation,” which is that He will consummate that which He has begun in us. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Thess. 5:9].
“God hath not appointed us to wrath”—that ought to be clear even to amillennialists, but for some reason they miss the point. God hasn’t appointed us to the day of wrath, the Great Tribulation. It is a time of judgment, and the church is not going through it because Christ bore our judgment.
Perhaps you are saying, “McGee, do you think you are good enough to be taken out in the Rapture?” No, I’m not even good enough to be saved. But God saved me by His grace, and when He comes to take His church out of the world, I’m going along with all the super-duper saints—because of the grace of God.
“But to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” God has not destined us for wrath, for the Great Tribulation, but for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him [1 Thess. 5:10].
Whether we die first or whether we live until His coming, we shall live together with Him. Most of the church has already gone through the doorway of death. What a parade that will be someday—beginning with Stephen and the apostles, the martyrs, all those who have fallen asleep in Jesus down through the years, and then those who are still alive at His coming, and if you and I are still alive, we will bring up the rear. Thank God, we shall be there by the grace of God!
Now what will these wonderful truths do for you? The next verse tells us: “Wherefore comfort yourselves together.” What a comfort all of this is to us as believers!
COMMANDMENTS FOR CHRISTIANS
We come now to a series of twenty-two commandments for Christians. These are the commandments for believers—not just ten of them but twenty-two of them! Up to the time we are saved, God has us shut up to a cross. That is, God is not asking anything of us except this question: “What will you do with My Son who died for you?” After we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, then God talks to us about our lives. The child of God is not under the Ten Commandments as the way of life—he is way above it. He is to live on a much higher plane, as we can see by the commandments in this section. These commandments are practical—right down where the rubber meets the road. It is a wonderful, glorious thing to keep looking for the coming of Christ, but it is also very important that we keep walking down here on the sidewalks of life—at home, in the office, in the schoolroom, wherever we are called to walk.
The Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). There are some Christians who have never listened to His commandments. Well, here are twenty-two of them. They are given like military orders, brief and terse. They are barked out like a second lieutenant would give them to you. We were just told to be sober and to put on the uniform of warfare (see v. 8). Now the orders are given, and they seem to be categorized—that is, certain ones are related to each other.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do [1 Thess. 5:11].
The first commandment is to “comfort yourselves together,” which means to encourage one another in the faith.
The second commandment is to “edify one another.” The Thessalonian believers were already doing that, Paul says. Edify means “to build up one another.” You and I should be a team working together, edifying each other with the Word of God.
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves [1 Thess. 5:12–13].
Here are three commandments that seem to belong together. “Know” or understand those who teach the Word of God. It means we should recognize them. When Paul wrote this, he was speaking to the local situation in Thessalonica. He had been with them less than a month. He had won them to Christ and had taught them. A church had been started, we would say, “from scratch.” There wasn’t a believer there before Paul had arrived and presented the gospel to them (see Acts 17:2–3). So all the Thessalonian believers had come to know Christ at about the same time. Now among them certain ones would have been given the gift of teaching. Some would have the gift of preaching and some of helping. Every believer receives a gift when he is saved, and that gift is to be exercised in the body of believers to build up the body of believers. But I have a notion that among the believers in Thessalonica there could have been this attitude: So-and-so and I were saved at the same time. I knew him before he was a believer. Where did he get the idea that he could teach me? So Paul is telling them that certain men and women had been given certain gifts of leadership, and they should respect them. They should look to them for admonition.
We still have the problem today that very few people in the church pay any attention to the teachers God has given them. People say they believe the Bible is the Word of God and they believe every word of it. Then why don’t they obey it? Why don’t they listen when it is being taught? One man said to me very candidly, “I believe the Bible from cover to cover, and I am ignorant of what is between the covers.” Now that is an untenable position to hold. I think if people knew what was between the covers, they would believe it. But it is a hypocritical position to say you believe it and then be ignorant of what it says. Anyone who says he believes the Bible is the Word of God is obligated to know what it says. Therefore, those who are preaching and teaching the Word of God should have the attention of the believers.
Now the fourth commandment is “to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.” I have always appreciated people who love the Word of God because I have found that they become my friends. One of the things I have so appreciated about my radio ministry is the number of friends that God has raised up for me across this country. Many of them have written to say their home is open to me (of course, I can’t accept all those invitations), but when I am in their town, they do nice things for me. They reveal their love. When they reveal that love to me—and I’m hard to love—it reveals that they honor the Word of God since I teach the Word of God.
Then the fifth commandment: “And be at peace among yourselves.” These all come together in one package. You can’t have everybody running the church. You can’t have everybody running any kind of organization. There must be a certain one with authority.
I think one of the great problems in many churches today is a case of the old bromide, “too many cooks spoil the broth.” There needs to be one who is the leader and who is followed. With that arrangement you can have peace. But when everybody is trying to play his own tune, you have anything but harmony and peace!
Now here are the sixth through the ninth commandments—
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men [1 Thess. 5:14].
“Warn them that are unruly.” This would naturally follow the fifth commandment: “Be at peace among yourselves.” The “unruly” are those who are out of step. My feeling is that they are loners, and they like to do their own little thing rather than support the work which God is doing. They are to be warned.
“Comfort the feebleminded.” What does he mean by “feebleminded”? Well, a better word would be fainthearted. He is not referring to folk with mental problems. But here are folk who are fearful to move out for God, and they need encouraging. There is many a saint today who needs someone to put his arm around him and say, “Brother, you’re going to make it. I’m for you and I am praying for you.” My, what comfort and encouragement that would be to the fearful, the fainthearted—and sometimes all of us get discouraged and become fainthearted!
“Support the weak” is the eighth commandment. There are folk who are weak in the faith. They cannot get in step because they are little babies. They are not able to march with the rest; so help them. Lift them up, and carry them along.
“Be patient toward all men.” That means: Don’t lose your temper. That is so difficult! In business or in our other relationships with people, we meet ungodly, unholy, cantankerous, unsaved people who are definitely trying to trip us or to abuse us in some way, and it becomes very difficult to be patient and not to lose our tempers. But God commands us to be patient with everybody.
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men [1 Thess. 5:15].
Now here is the tenth commandment: “See that none render evil for evil unto any man.” In other words, don’t fight one another.
The eleventh—“but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” There are three philosophies of life or three standards of conduct. The pagan world operates on a philosophy which does evil in spite of good. In other words, you get the other fellow before he gets you. Use any kind of method. He may have treated you well, but if you can get the advantage over him, do that. That is pagan and heathen philosophy.
Then there is the standard of the so-called refined, cultured, and educated world. That is, do good to those who do good to you. The political parties in our country operate on that principle. If one person helps a man to get into political office, the politician reciprocates by offering the man a job or office. You take care of your own. That is the philosophy of the so-called civilized world. Jesus said, “And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same” (Luke 6:33).
The Christian is to live under a different standard. We are to do good to those who do evil to us. That is contrary to the natural man. The minute someone hits us, we just naturally want to hit him back. This is the philosophy that Paul is talking about—“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good”—even to those who do evil to you.
Now the twelfth commandment—
Rejoice evermore [1 Thess. 5:16].
I think these next three commandments go together. “Rejoice” does not mean to be happy. This is not the happy hour that he is talking about—happy is not a New Testament word. This is a joy in the Lord as Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). My, what a commandment! You won’t find that in the Ten Commandments! The child of God has no right to go around with a sour puss. The child of God has no right to be a cantankerous individual. If you are a child of God, you are to rejoice evermore! That, incidentally, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace. If you cannot rejoice, then begin reading the Word of God and calling on God to put joy in your heart. He will do it.
Pray without ceasing [1 Thess. 5:17].
This has to do with an attitude of prayer. I don’t think this means that one is to stay on his knees all the time. But it means to pray regularly and to be constantly in the attitude of prayer.
Associated with that is this fourteenth commandment—
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you [1 Thess. 5:18].
This tells us to “give thanks” in all circumstances, not just once a year, but all the time.
This “is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” If you come to me and ask what is the will of God for you, I can tell you three specific things that are the will of God for you: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. That is the will of God for you.
Now the fifteenth—
Quench not the Spirit [1 Thess. 5:19].
One of the figures that is used for the Holy Spirit is fire. How do you quench a fire? You dampen it down and don’t let it burn. To quench the Spirit means that you refuse to do the will of God; that is, you are not listening to the Holy Spirit. You refuse to let the Holy Spirit be your Guide to lead you. You and I quench the Holy Spirit when we take matters into our own hands.
This is the same teaching that Paul gave to the Ephesian believers: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). You cannot grieve a thing; you grieve a Person. The Holy Spirit is a Person, and He is grieved by sin in our lives. Also, He is quenched when we step out of the will of God.
Despise not prophesyings [1 Thess. 5:20].
Do not look down upon Bible study as something that is beneath you. Do not be indifferent to the Word of God. We have a lot of folk who are in Christian service, but they are ignorant of the Bible and they look down on Bible study. Occasionally I hear such a person saying, “You just spend all your time in Bible study and you don’t do anything. What you need to do is get out and get busy.” Well, what is needed is to get busy studying the Word of God, and after you do that you will see how to get busy and really be effective.
We had a Bible study downtown in Los Angeles, averaging fifteen hundred people every Thursday night over a period of twenty-one years—what a thrill that was! What a privilege that was! But sometimes folks would make a remark like, “You need to get out and do something, not just go to sit and listen to the Bible.” The interesting thing is that those people who came to sit and listen to the Bible did go out and do something. There are several hundred of those people who are out on the mission field; there are several hundred who are witnessing for God; and there are several hundred in the ministry. I notice that the boys who do not study the Word of God run down like an eight-day clock. Their ministries don’t last too long. The sixteenth commandment which Paul gives the Thessalonians is “despise not prophesyings,” that is, the teaching of the Word of God.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good [1 Thess. 5:21].
“Prove all things.” Don’t be taken in. To put it crudely, don’t be a sucker. Don’t be misled into supporting a project just because somebody sends you a picture of pathetic looking orphans. Don’t contribute to things you know nothing about. Don’t fall for some promotion job. Investigate. Investigate anything to which you give your support. Christians ought not to be gullible. We are to prove all things. This also means that we are not to be taken in by flattery. There are many deceivers in the world.
“Hold fast that which is good.” Hold to that which is true and genuine.
Abstain from all appearance of evil [1 Thess. 5:22].
This nineteenth commandment is the answer for questionable pastimes and amusements. If there is any question in your mind whether something is right or wrong, then it is wrong for you. Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Now notice that man is a triune being—
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Thess. 5:23].
Man is a triune being; body, soul (mind), and spirit. “Sanctify you wholly”—not perfectly, but we are to reach a place of maturation. We should not continue to be babes in Christ; we should be growing to maturity.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it [1 Thess. 5:24].
You can depend upon God.
Brethren, pray for us [1 Thess. 5:25].
This twentieth command is to pray for those who give out the gospel. You can’t pray for Paul today, but you can pray for me, and I would appreciate it. You can pray for your pastor and your missionaries. I know they would appreciate it also.
Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss [1 Thess. 5:26].
This is a commandment, too. Just make sure it is a holy kiss! In our culture and with our customs, a warm handshake will do.
I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren [1 Thess. 5:27].
That is the twenty-second commandment, and I have obeyed it by quoting this entire epistle to you!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen [1 Thess. 5:28].
And I pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with you my beloved.
(For Bibliography to 1 Thessalonians, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Thessalonians.)
The Second Epistle to The
Thessalonians
INTRODUCTION
The second epistle followed shortly after the first epistle in a.d. 52 or 53.
The Christians in Thessalonica were still baby Christians when Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians. His first letter to them had given rise to further questions, and Paul is attempting to answer them in his second letter. There was circulating in the Thessalonian church a letter or report, purported to have come from Paul, which was inclined to disturb the Christians. This false report claimed that Christ had already come and had already gathered out the church to Himself, and that the world was then living in the judgments of the “day of the Lord.” These people were being persecuted, as we saw in the first epistle. They were suffering for the gospel’s sake, and it was easy for them to believe that they had entered the Great Tribulation Period, and that all of the believers (not only the dead) had missed the Rapture. Paul attempts to allay their fears by writing this epistle and stating definitely that “our gathering together unto him” is yet future (2 Thess. 2:1), and that “the day of the Lord” has certain forerunners which must first come: the apostasy and the “man of sin” must come first. Therefore they could reasonably believe they were not in the Great Tribulation.
Paul says that the outward organization of the professing church is going to go into total apostasy. In Luke 18:8 the Lord asked, “… when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” The way the question is couched in the Greek it demands a negative answer. He will not find the faith on the earth when He comes again. The organized church will be in total apostasy. This is confirmed in the Book of Revelation. In the fourth chapter the church has been removed from the earth, and nothing is left but an empty shell of an organization that has a form of godliness but denies the power of it. That same organization is the great harlot in chapter 17 of Revelation, which is about as frightful a picture as you will find in the Word of God.
The Thessalonian believers thought they had entered the Great Tribulation Period, and ever since that time folk who have gone through persecutions and tribulations have believed that they were in the Great Tribulation Period. For example, during World War II at the time of the blitz in Britain, some of the British ministers who were conservative in their faith came to the conclusion that they had entered the Great Tribulation and that the church was going to go through it.
A good friend of mine, a preacher from England, believes that the church will go through the Tribulation. In fact, he believes the church is in it right now. Well, he is living in California now, and one day we were having lunch together with a mutual friend who was a layman, who had bought us big T-bone steaks. The subject of the church and the Tribulation came up, and he insisted that the church was in the Great Tribulation. To confirm his argument he said, “McGee, if you had been in Great Britain during the blitz, and night after night had gone down into the subways with your people, the members of your church, and practically every night one person would have a nervous breakdown because of the strain, and would have to be taken the next day to the country, you would share my belief.” I said to him, “If I had been in Great Britain, and in the blitz as you were, I am convinced that I would have thought as you did, Boy, this is the Great Tribulation! But after the war was over if I had come to the United States and was having lunch with a couple of friends and was eating a T-bone steak, I think I would pinch myself and ask myself, Is this really the Great Tribulation Period? If this is the Tribulation, let’s have more of it since it will mean more T-bone steaks.” He looked at me and said in that British disdainful voice, “McGee, you are being ridiculous!” So I told him that I didn’t think I was being ridiculous; I thought he was being ridiculous.
The description of the Tribulation in the Bible is much worse than anything that happened during World War II. This period has been so clearly identified by Christ that there is no reason for getting panicky and for being stampeded into an unwarranted position. Christ said that there is coming a small interval which will be blocked off by “… such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21). Nothing like it has taken place before, and nothing like it will ever take place afterward.
While 1 Thessalonians emphasized the return of Christ for His church in what we call the “Rapture,” 2 Thessalonians emphasizes the return of Christ to the earth the second time, when He returns in judgment and sets up His kingdom here upon this earth. This is called the revelation. You see, at the Rapture, the emphasis is not upon His coming to earth, because He doesn’t come to the earth. He makes it clear that “we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air” (see 1 Thess. 4:17). “Caught up” is the Greek word harpazoµ, meaning “to snatch away.” We shall be snatched away or raptured to meet Christ in the air. However, the revelation of Christ is when He returns to the earth to set up His kingdom. In the time gap between these two events will be the Great Tribulation Period.
As we saw in 1 Thessalonians, the Rapture is not a subject of the Old Testament; that teaching does not appear in the Old Testament. The hope of the Old Testament saints was an earthly hope. They were looking for their Messiah to come and establish a kingdom here upon this earth—which would be heaven upon earth. The expression “kingdom of heaven” means the reign of the heavens over the earth. That is putting it as simply as I know how. Some of the theologians really have made it complicated—so complicated that I wonder if they are trying to establish some kind of a theory. But the kingdom of heaven which Jesus talked about is the reign of the heavens over the earth, because this earth is going to become a heaven when He is here.
OUTLINE
I. Persecution of Believers Now; Judgment of Unbelievers Hereafter (at Christ’s Coming), Chapter 1:1–12
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
B. Persecution of Believers and Fruits of It, Chapter 1:3–7
C. Judgment of Wicked at Christ’s Coming, Chapter 1:8–12
II. Program for World in Connection with Christ’s Coming, Chapter 2:1–12
A. Rapture Occurs First, Chapter 2:1
B. Day of Lord Follows; Introduced by Total Apostasy and Appearance of Man of Sin, Chapter 2:2–5
C. Mystery of Lawlessness Working Today; Lawless One Restrained by Holy Spirit, Chapter 2:6–8
D. Lawless One to Appear in Great Tribulation Period, Chapter 2:9–12
III. Practicality of Christ’s Coming, Chapters 2:13–3:18
A. Believers Should Be Established in Word, Chapter 2:13–17
B. Believers Should Be Established in Walk, Chapter 3:1–7
C. Believers Should Be Established in Work, Chapter 3:8–18
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Persecution of believers now and judgment of unbelievers hereafter (at Christ’s coming)
INTRODUCTION
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [2 Thess. 1:1].
Paul’s greeting is his usual friendly greeting to a church which is theologically and spiritually sound. Paul includes the greetings of Silas (a contraction of the name Silvanus) and Timothy (Timotheus is the Greek form). These three men had endured a great deal for the sake of the gospel. Paul and Silas were in the prison at Philippi. Paul, Silas, and Timothy had gone to Thessalonica together, and later Paul had to leave them. He waited for them in Athens and, when they did not come, he went on to Corinth where they finally met. It was at that time Paul wrote his first epistle to the Thessalonians to answer some of the questions that had come up since he had been there.
When Paul writes his second epistle, he identifies his two co-workers who are brethren with him. He would identify himself with men who, for us today, would be totally unknown had not Paul included them in these epistles. This reveals something of the character of Paul. A man who had been a proud young Pharisee has become a humble follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and a servant of His and an apostle of His.
“Unto the church of the Thessalonians.” That was the local church in Thessalonica. Paul believed in the local church, and that church in Thessalonica was “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He probably did not mention the Holy Spirit because the Spirit was in the church in Thessalonica indwelling the believers. The indwelling Spirit enabled them to manifest the life of Christ and to walk worthy of the high calling of God. Their position, however, was in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. This means, my friend, that Paul taught the deity of Christ. There was no doubt in Paul’s mind that Jesus Christ was God the Son.
In John 10:27–29 the Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” In this first verse you have the two hands of deity which belong to the Lord Jesus and God the Father. That is where the church is positionally—the Thessalonian church was there, and I hope your church is there. The important thing is not the name of your church. The important thing is that you and other true believers are in Christ Jesus, and that makes the local church very important. The Holy Spirit indwells true believers, and by His power they can manifest Christ in the local neighborhood, in the community, in the town, in the state, and in the world, showing forth the life of God. That is what Paul is saying to these believers in his introduction.
Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [2 Thess. 1:2].
Grace and peace are two important words in the gospel. Grace comes first. If you have experienced the grace of God, that means you have been saved. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). When you come to God as a lost sinner, bringing nothing, and receiving everything from Him, then you have experienced the grace of God. He offers you salvation—the gift of God is eternal life. You cannot work for a gift, and if you do, it ceases to be a gift and it becomes something you have earned. It becomes a payment. God is not patting you on the back because you are a nice Sunday school boy. Salvation is God offering you, a lost, hell-doomed sinner, eternal life if you trust Christ. That is grace.
“Peace”—if you have experienced God’s grace, then you know something about His peace. Peace is the world’s softest pillow that you can sleep on at night. It is the peace that comes when you know that your sins are forgiven. Peace comes, not from some psychological gyrations you go through, or through the counsel of a psychiatrist, but it comes from a supernatural source—from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”; it is supernatural. If you don’t have it, you can have it, because it is the gift of God which is given to sinners who turn to Christ.
PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS AND FRUITS OF IT
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth [2 Thess. 1:3].
The word charity in this verse is “love.” In verse 4 Paul speaks of patience and faith. In verses 3 and 4 we have that little trinity that Paul uses: faith, love, and patience. These three words are abstract terms, but we must bring them out of the abstract into the concrete. Get them walking on the sidewalks today. This again is the “work of faith” which Paul mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Saving faith produces works. A saving faith will produce a love in the heart for God’s children. My friend, if you are a child of God, you will have to love me whether or not you want to, and I’m going to have to love you. It is a wonderful arrangement!
In the next verse Paul picks up the third word, which he uses with “love” and “faith.” It is “patience.” This is not the patience of waiting in a traffic jam or waiting for a light to turn green. It is the patience that is willing to live for God and accept whatever He sends your way, knowing that all things do work together for good. It is the patience that has as its goal coming into God’s presence someday. This enables you to get over the rough places that come into your life. The life of a Christian reminds me of traveling over a highway. Many years ago I used to cross the country by automobile from Texas to California. There would be many places where a detour sign would put us on a rough old road. But along the way we would see a sign that read “5 miles to the double highway,” and the rough road became a little bit smoother by knowing that we would hit the asphalt or the concrete in a little while. And many of us are on a detour in this life. The road is rough, and we are called upon to suffer. Well, if you have a good view of the future, it will give you the patience of hope—a hope that looks way down yonder to the good smooth road coming up. And it may be closer than you think.
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet.” The word meet means “proper”—it is right and fitting for us to thank God for you.
“Because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity [love] of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.” You cannot grow toward God without growing outward toward your brother. When you grow toward God in grace and knowledge and faith, you grow toward your brother in love.
And God must send us a little trouble because that is the discipline which produces patience in our lives. It enables us to look down into the future with hope.
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure [2 Thess. 1:4].
“Tribulations” are afflictions. The church will not go through the Great Tribulaton, but we will go through the little tribulation. We all will have trouble down here. If you are not having any troubles, then there must be something wrong with you, because the Lord disciplines His children.
Patience is an interesting word. The Greek word translated by the English word patience has the literal meaning of “standing under.” It means to be placed under. A great many people try to get out from under the problems and difficulties. The person who is patient is able to stay under, and he keeps on carrying the load. He doesn’t throw it off; he doesn’t try to get rid of his responsibility.
These Thessalonian Christians had a real testimony in the Roman world of that day. (Thessalonica was a Roman colony, and people were going to and fro from that colony, so the word got out everywhere.) The patience and faith of these Christians were unshaken as they were enduring a great deal of trouble, persecutions, and afflictions.
Trouble is not something strange. The Word of God makes it clear that we are going to have trouble in this life. Peter expressed it like this: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Pet. 4:12). Sometimes we hear Christians say, “I don’t know why God let this happen to me. Nobody else has ever had to go through this.” It is safe to say that such a statement is not true. Whatever you are going through, you have company. It is not a strange thing for suffering to come to us. Peter goes on to say, “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:13). Peter warns that Christians sometimes get themselves into trouble. “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters” (1 Pet. 4:15). A Christian can get himself in hot water because he talks too much—talking about others. Or he can suffer persecution because he is dishonest. There is no advantage to that kind of suffering. That is not the discipline in life which will develop patience. That is simply getting what you have coming to you. Peter goes on, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Pet. 4:16). There is a difference between being disciplined to learn patience and the punishment of the wicked. God disciplines His children for their development, for their growth, that they might have patience and a hope for the future. We don’t need to get too comfortable down here. When we do, we no longer have the hope before us of the Lord’s return.
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer [2 Thess. 1:5].
Our suffering has nothing to do with salvation, but it sure prepares us for our eternal state. When you and I look back to this life on earth, maybe some of us will wish that we had had a little bit more discipline than we got!
While the judgment of the wicked begins with verse 8, this is certainly the introduction to it.
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you [2 Thess. 1:6].
When God judges, God is righteous in it. Paul asks the question: “Is there unrighteousness with God?” The answer is, Let it not be—“God forbid” (see Rom. 9:14). Whatever God does is absolutely right. He can do no wrong. Sometimes we complain about the things that happen to us because we are ignorant; we do not understand God’s ways. But God has a very definite purpose for all that He does. And God is righteous in sending the Great Tribulation. It is a judgment of sinners.
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels [2 Thess. 1:7].
The Lord Jesus is coming in judgment.
JUDGMENT OF WICKED AT CHRIST’S COMING
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power [2 Thess. 1:8–9].
The Word of God actually says very little about heaven. One of the reasons is that it is so wonderful we could not comprehend it. And the Lord does not want us to get so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. He wants us to keep our eyes on our pathway down here, and I think He wants us to keep our noses to the grindstone much of the time. In other words, He has a purpose for our lives on earth, and He wants us to fulfill that purpose.
Scripture not only says very little about heaven, it says less about the condition of the lost. It is so awful that the Holy Spirit has drawn a veil over it. There is nothing given to satisfy the morbid curiosity or the lust for revenge. When God judges, He does not do it in a vindictive manner. He does it in order to vindicate His righteousness and His holiness. There is nothing in the Scriptures to satisfy our curiosity about hell, but there is enough said to give us a warning. It does not mean that it is less real because so little is said. Actually, Christ Himself said more about hell than did anyone else. Hell is an awful reality. I am not going to speculate about it; I’m just quoting what is said right here: He is coming “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
Hell is ridiculed today, but that does not mean it doesn’t exist. Our beliefs are sometimes only wishful thinking. For example, it was the popular notion that Hitler would not plunge Europe into a war and turn Europe into a holocaust of flaming fire. But he did. Chamberlain, the man with the umbrella, went over to meet with Hitler and Mussolini, and he came back saying that we would have peace in our time. Well, we didn’t have peace, and we don’t have peace in the world today. Also, many people thought that Japan would never attack America. Our government did not believe she would, and the liberal churches at that time were teaching pacifism. Well, whether they believed it or not, there was a vicious attack at Pearl Harbor.
Friend, we might as well face the fact that there is a hell. Christ is returning to this earth some day. First He will take His own out of the earth, and then His coming will be a terror to the wicked; it will be a judgment upon those who “know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Do you want to work for your salvation? Jesus said, “… This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). That is what the Word of God teaches.
I know that it is not popular to talk about hell and judgment. Even the Christian testimonies that we hear and read are filled with I, I, I—“I became successful in business. I saved my marriage. My personality changed.” Nothing very much is said about the Lord Jesus. How many testimonies have you heard in which it is said, “I was a hell-doomed sinner going straight to hell, I was lost, and He saved me”? The important thing to say in a testimony is not what He has given you but from what He has delivered you. That was the whole purpose for the coming of our Savior. He came to redeem us! He didn’t come to give us new personalities or to make us successful. He came to deliver us from hell! That’s not popular to say. Folk don’t like to hear it.
There are too few people today who are willing to confront folk with the fact that they are lost. Suppose you were asleep in a burning building, and a man rushed into that building to rescue you. He awakened you, picked you up, and carried you bodily out of that burning building. He liked you; so he made you his son. He brought you into his lovely home and gave you many wonderful gifts. Now if you had the opportunity to stand before a group of people and tell about this man and express your appreciation in his presence, what would you thank him for? Would you thank him for making you his son? I hope you would. But wouldn’t you really thank him most for the fact that he risked his life to save you out of a burning building? Nothing else would have mattered if he had not rescued you from a flaming death.
Now, my friend, the judgment of the lost is coming. If you want to stay in that class, you shall be judged. Somebody needs to tell you the facts, and I am telling them to you right now.
Again, who are the lost? They are those who (1) “know not God” and who (2) “obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Let me repeat verse 9: “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day [2 Thess. 1:10].
The coming of Christ to the earth in judgment will justify the believers who have put their trust in Him, and it will glorify the Savior.
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ [2 Thess. 1:11–12].
“That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you.” If God has prospered you, made you a financial success, and you can glorify Christ, that’s fine. But somehow I am more impressed by a little woman who has been flat on her back in a hospital most of her life—yet has a radiant testimony for Christ. Certainly Christ is being glorified in her.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The program for the world in connection with Christ’s coming
Back in 1 Thessalonians, beginning at verse 13 of chapter 4, we called attention to the Rapture of the church; we also spoke of the Day of the Lord, the Great Tribulation, and the coming of Christ in glory to this earth. In this epistle the emphasis is going to be on the Great Tribulation Period, but we are also going to find one of the finest passages on the Rapture of the church.
THE RAPTURE OCCURS FIRST
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him [2 Thess. 2:1].
“Our gathering together unto him” is the Rapture of the church. The first aspect of Christ’s coming is in view in this verse. There is no judgment at this time.
THE DAY OF THE LORD FOLLOWS THE RAPTURE
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand [2 Thess. 2:2].
In many good Bibles with notes you will find the note in the margin—if it has not already been changed in the text—that this should read “the day of the Lord is at hand” rather than “the day of Christ is at hand.” The Day of the Lord has no reference to the church. After the Rapture, the day of Christ, or the age of grace, comes to an end and the Day of the Lord begins. The Day of the Lord is a subject which is often mentioned in the Old Testament, whereas the Rapture is not. The Day of the Lord begins with night. Joel tells us it is darkness and not light. It is a time of judgment. It opens with night just like every Hebrew day opens: “… the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1:5, italics mine).
“Nor by word, nor by letter”—apparently someone had been circulating a letter or an oral word among the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord had come. It is interesting that there is always a group of super-duper saints who seem to think they get direct information from the Lord. They don’t think they need to study the Word of God; they imagine they get their information directly through dreams or visions or special revelations. Now, friend, I admit that it is much easier to pick up all your information in a telephone conversation than it is to go to school or take up the Bible and study it, but it won’t be coming straight from God. So there was circulating in Thessalonica a word that had come to them, and it was a special “revelation,” something that Brother Paul had not told them.
“Nor by letter” would indicate that a spurious letter had been circulating. Or perhaps someone simply said they had seen such a letter.
“Nor by letter as from us” would mean that they said the letter supposedly came from Paul, Timothy, and Silas.
The word they circulated was that “the day of the Lord is at hand.” This had caused a problem with the Thessalonian believers, and we can see why. They were enduring persecution. Because they were having trouble, it was very easy for someone to say, “Well, this is the Great Tribulation that we are in. The Day of the Lord has come, and we are already in it.”
The Day of the Lord is a technical phrase that speaks of the period beginning with the Great Tribulation and continuing through the Millennium. It is a day that begins with judgment. Joel describes the Day of the Lord in some detail in chapter 2 of his prophecy, and Peter quoted him on the Day of Pentecost. His listeners knew that there was a day coming when the Spirit of God would be poured out—but it was the coming Day of the Lord of which they knew. In Acts 2:20 Peter says, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.” Certainly that had not happened at Pentecost. At the crucifixion of Christ there had been an earthquake and darkness, but on the Day of Pentecost there was nothing like that at all. There was a rushing sound like a mighty wind, and it had the appearance of tongues of fire as it rested upon each of those present. There was no wind, but it sounded like a hurricane when it hit the town, and it caused everybody to rush up to the temple area to see what had happened. Peter is saying that the Day of Pentecost was similar to the day Joel described: “You think these men are drunk? They are not; they are filled with the Holy Spirit.” Because of Joel’s prophecy, the orthodox Jews in that day believed there was a day coming when God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh—but on the Day of Pentecost it was not poured out on all flesh. The Day of the Lord is yet future.
Peter refers to the Day of the Lord again in his epistle: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” We have already seen that for the church He will not come as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5). The church is to be awake and waiting for Him. It is to the sleepy world that He will come as a thief in the night. Peter goes on to say, “… in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). Again, this did not happen on the Day of Pentecost.
Another Scripture which shows that the Day of the Lord has no reference to the church is Revelation 6:17: “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” That is not for the church. The church is to look for Him—a Person—to come, because we are identified with Him.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [2 Thess. 2:3].
“Let no man deceive you by any means.” If we are not to be deceived, then let’s listen to Paul.
“For that day shall not come.” Which day? The Day of the Lord—not the Rapture. The Day of the Lord shall not come except there be the fulfilling of two conditions: (1) “There come a falling away first” and (2) “that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” Both of these things must take place before the Day of the Lord can begin, and neither one of them has taken place as yet.
There must be “a falling away first.” Many have interpreted this to mean the apostasy, and I agree that it does refer to that. But I think it means more than that, as a careful examination of the word will reveal. The Greek word that is here translated as “falling away” is apostasia. The root word actually means “departure or removal from.”
Paul says that before the Day of the Lord begins there must first come a removing. There are two kinds of removing that are going to take place. First, the organized church will depart from the faith—that is what we call apostasy. But there will be total apostasy when the Lord comes, and that cannot take place until the true church is removed. The Lord asked, “… when the Son of man cometh [to the earth], shall he find [the] faith …?” (Luke 18:8). When He says “the faith,” He means that body of truth which He left here. The answer to His question is no, He will not find the faith here when He returns. There will be total apostasy because of two things: (1) the organization of the church has departed from the faith—it has apostatized and (2) there has been another departure, the departure of the true church from the earth. The departure of the true church leads into the total apostatizing of the organized church. The Day of the Lord cannot begin—nor the Great Tribulation Period—until the departure of the true church has taken place.
Paul is not going into detail about the rapture of the church because he has already written about that in his first epistle: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17). That is the departure, the removal, of the church.
The organized church which is left down here will totally depart from the faith. We see it pictured as the great harlot in Revelation 17. The Laodicean church, which is the seventh and last church described in the Book of Revelation, is in sad condition. I think that is the period we are in right now. When the true believers are gone, it will get even worse. It will finally end in total apostasy.
From the viewpoint of the earth the removal of believers is a departure. From the viewpoint of heaven, it is a rapture, a snatching or catching up. I think the world is going to say at that time, “Oh, boy, they are gone!” They think that fellow McGee and other Bible teachers are a nuisance, and they will be glad when they are gone. The world will rejoice. They do not realize that it will be a sad day for them. They think they will be entering into the blessing of the Millennium, not realizing they are actually entering into the Great Tribulation Period, which will be a time of trouble such as the world has never before seen.
Sometime ago Mrs. McGee and I were at the Los Angeles airport to take a morning flight to Florida. We always go early to have breakfast at the airport. While we were waiting, a big 747 was getting ready to go to the Hawaiian Islands. There was a fine-looking Marine Corps fellow there with his pretty wife and a precious little baby. But they looked so sad. A few minutes later when it came time to board the plane, they stood up. The father put his arms around them both, and they just wept. Then he picked up his bag and disappeared through the gate. It was a departure. It was an apostasia, a removal. The young wife picked up the baby and slowly walked back to the escalator, tears running down her face. My heart went out to her. Life would be hard for her now.
I couldn’t help but think that that is the way it will be for the world. When the church departs, many people will be glad to see us go. The liberals will be glad to get rid of us. There will be rejoicing. But they do not realize how hard it will be for them. They are going to enter the Great Tribulation Period.
The second thing which must happen is that the “man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” When he is revealed the Great Tribulation Period has already begun. Here he is called “the man of sin.” John calls him “the antichrist.” John is the only one who uses that term, by the way. The Antichrist has about thirty different titles in the Bible. He is a subject of the Old Testament. He is going to be Satan’s man. This is the man who will put the Roman Empire back together again, and he will finally become a world dictator. He is going to deceive the world. He could be in our midst today, but he won’t be able to appear in power or reveal who he is until after the Great Tribulation Period begins.
Paul tells us more about him—
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God [2 Thess. 2:4].
One of his claims will be that he is God. In Revelation 13 we find that the beast out of the sea (the Antichrist) brings together western Europe, and he will put it back together again. When he does this, he will show himself as God. The world will think that he is Christ. That is the big lie.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [2 Thess. 2:5].
Paul hadn’t hesitated to talk about these things. Some say that a preacher shouldn’t dwell on these topics. Well, Paul did. Paul says, “When I was with you, I told you about him.”
MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS WORKING TODAY, RESTRAINED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time [2 Thess. 2:6].
What can withhold evil in the world? The only One I know who can do that is the Holy Spirit. Governments can’t do it—they are not doing it. The Roman Empire couldn’t do it; it was an evil force itself.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way [2 Thess. 2:7].
Let me give you a clearer translation of this verse: “For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only he who now hinders will hinder, until he be taken out of the way.”
“The mystery of lawlessness” had begun to work already in Paul’s day, and it continues to work. The Lord Jesus gave a parable in Matthew 13 which reveals the condition of the world today. These are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and they explain the condition of the world and of the church in the world today. The Word of God is being sown out in the field of the world, but an enemy has come in and has sown tares. The tares and the wheat are growing together—the Word of God and lawlessness grow together today. The world is getting worse, and in a sense, the world is getting better, because I think the Word of God is going out more than it ever has in the history of the world. The doors are open—the Word is growing, the wheat is growing. But the tares are growing also.
Lawlessness will continue to get worse and worse, but the Holy Spirit will not let Satan go all the way in this age. When the Holy Spirit will be removed, it will be like taking the stopper out of the bottle—the liquid of lawlessness will pour out all over the world in that day.
When will the Holy Spirit be taken out? He will be taken out with the church. Won’t the Holy Spirit be in the world during the Great Tribulation? Yes. Wasn’t He in the world before Pentecost? He surely was. He was present in the days of the Old Testament, but He was on a different mission. And He will be on a different mission after the church is removed. Now the Spirit of God is sealing us until the day of redemption when He will present us and deliver us to the Lord Jesus. If He didn’t do that, we would never make it. After He does that, I believe He will come back to the earth to resume His former mission down here. But He will not hinder evil—He will let the Devil have his day for a while. Believe me, I don’t want to be on the earth when the Devil has it! It looks bad enough to me as it is today; so I don’t want to be here when it is turned over to him.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming [2 Thess. 2:8].
“That Wicked”—the Antichrist, the Man of Sin—will be a world dictator. Nobody can stop him. No power on earth—only the coming of Christ will stop him. As God’s people in Egypt were helpless and hopeless until God delivered them, so the believers during the Tribulation will be helpless under the power of the Antichrist until the Lord Jesus comes to the earth to establish His kingdom. “The Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,” that is, the Word of God which is the two-edged sword that proceeds from His mouth shall consume the Antichrist. It was the Word of God that created this universe. All God had to do was to speak. God said, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen. 1:3). The Lord Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. Today we have the Bible, which is the written Word of God. The written Word is about the living Word, and it is alive and potent. When the Lord Jesus returns, He comes as the living Word of God.
“And shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” “Brightness” is the Greek word epiphaneia or “epiphany” in English, and it refers to the shining forth of His coming. When the Lord Jesus came to Bethlehem, it was His, first epiphany. Titus 2:11 uses that word epiphaneia when it says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (italics mine). That was the gracious appearing of His coming.
As George Macdonald put it:
“Thou cam’st, a little baby thing,
That made a woman cry.”
When He comes again it will be another epiphany. He will take His church out of the world, and then He is coming to the earth to establish His kingdom. His first coming had two episodes of coming, if you want to look at it that way. He came to Bethlehem as a little baby, and then later He began His ministry at the age of thirty years when He walked into the temple and cleansed it. His second coming also has two phases. He calls for His church to meet Him in the air, and then He comes down to the earth to establish His kingdom. At that time the Antichrist shall be consumed and destroyed with the brightness of His coming.
LAWLESS ONE TO APPEAR IN GREAT TRIBULATION
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders [2 Thess. 2:9].
This is the Antichrist, Satan’s man, the Man of Sin, the lawless one. He will come “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”
“Power” here is dunamis in the Greek. It means a physical power whose source is supernatural. He will be quite a healer and a miracle worker. I think he will be able to walk on water. I think he might be able to control the wind. Remember that Satan at one time let a wind destroy the sons and daughters of Job. I am always afraid when anyone tells me of someone who is performing miracles today, because the next miracle worker predicted by the Bible is the one whose coming is after the working of Satan. I am always afraid that miracle workers have not come from heaven. The Devil will send this man with power and signs and lying wonders. That is the reason it is so important for us to get our eyes off men and to get them on Christ, to walk by faith in Him.
“Signs” means tokens. They have the purpose of appealing to the understanding. This man will have signs which will appeal to the scientific world of that day as well as to politicians and the religious world. I am amazed how even today people are taken in by the phoniest kinds of things. Someone has asked me, “Why do you think that happens?” I believe the answer can be expressed like this, “Those who do not stand for something will fall for anything.” People who are not rooted and grounded in the Word of God will fall for all kinds of signs.
“Lying wonders” will produce an effect upon observers. In that day, people all over the world will be talking about the Man of Sin, saying, “My, this world ruler we have is a great fellow. Look at what he can do!”
Who is it that will fall for his lying wonders? Those who would not believe the gospel—
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved [2 Thess. 2:10].
He will do this “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.” Why?—“because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” I do believe that the gospel is going to go out to the ends of the earth. It may even be the church that accomplishes this. I think it is penetrating pretty well today by radio into areas where individuals cannot go. But there will be those who hear and refuse to receive the truth.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie [2 Thess. 2:11].
God will let the world believe a lie. Why does He do that? Isn’t that a little unfair? No, it is just like it was when God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh wasn’t weeping for the children of Israel, longing to let them go free, being held back from his good intentions by God! If you think that, you are entirely wrong. Pharaoh did not want to let them go, and what God did was to force him to make a stand and come to a decision. God forced him into a situation which revealed what was already in his heart. We see a lot of people pussy-footing around today. They won’t take a stand for God. They won’t listen to the gospel. They are closed to it. God graciously gives them His Word, but they don’t want it. After they have heard the Word of God but have refused to accept it, God will send them “strong delusion.” Why? Because they would not receive the truth. Then they are open to believe the lie.
People who have stopped going to churches where they heard the gospel are wide open to the cults and the “isms” of our day. That is why so many of the cultists go around on Sunday morning, knocking at doors. They know that the weak people will not be in church on Sunday morning. They are not interested enough in the Word of God to be in church. The cults know that they can get those people, because if they will not receive the truth, they are open for anything else that comes along.
I have been simply amazed at some intelligent people who have sat in church, heard the gospel, rejected it, and then turned to the wildest cult imaginable. They will follow some individual who is absolutely a phony—not giving out the Word of God at all. Why? Because God says that is the way it is: When people reject the truth, they will believe the lie.
God is separating the sheep from the goats. God uses the best way in the world to do it. If people will not receive the love of the truth, then God sends them a “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” What is the “lie”? The lie of Antichrist is that Jesus Christ is not the Lord, that He is not who He says He is. He will tell people that they are really smart in not becoming religious nuts who believe in Jesus. He’ll have some good explanation for the departure of the saints from the earth at the Rapture and will congratulate the people on having waited to build a kingdom on earth with him. The people will believe him and will believe that Antichrist will bring them the Millennium. They will not realize that they are entering into the Great Tribulation. That is the lie, and people will believe it because they believed not the truth.
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness [2 Thess. 2:12].
God is going to judge those who have rejected the truth. I have said this many times, and I am going to say it again: If you can sit and read the Word of God in this book and continue to reject Jesus Christ, then you are wide open for anything that comes along to delude and deceive you. You will never be able to go into the presence of God and say, “I never heard the gospel.” If you turn your back on the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are wide open for delusion and you are a subject for judgment. As a believer giving out the gospel, I am a savor of life to those that are saved and a savor of death to those that perish (see 2 Cor. 2:15–16). I have really put you out on a limb, because you cannot say you have never heard the gospel. You have heard it, and you have probably heard it in several different places. If you reject Jesus Christ, then I am the savor of death to you. If you accept Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior, then I am the savor of life to you.
PRACTICALLY OF CHRIST’S COMING
Now Paul moves into the practical side of this epistle. In the light of the knowledge of future events, the believer should live a life that demonstrates that he believes in the coming of Christ. Believing in the coming of Christ doesn’t mean to run out and look up into the sky and say, “Oh, I wish Jesus would come!” That is just pious nonsense. It will be manifest in three different ways if a person believes in the coming of Christ: it will affect his attitude toward the Word, his walk, and his work.
BELIEVERS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ [2 Thess. 2:13–14].
I believe these two verses give the total spectrum of salvation. In other words, they give you salvation “from Dan to Beer-sheba”—all the way from the past, the present, and down into the future.
1. “Chosen you to salvation.” This is so clearly taught in Romans 8: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [Dr. R. A. Torrey used to say that this verse was a soft pillow for a tired heart. It surely is that.] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:28–31).
That is exactly what Paul is writing here in 2 Thessalonians: “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.” That looks back to the past. All I know is what it says, and I believe it. Do you mean to tell me that God chose us before we even got here? Spurgeon used to put it something like this: “I am glad God chose me before I got here, because if He had waited until I got here He never would have chosen me.” It simply means that you do not surprise God when you trust Christ. But there is another side of the coin: “Whosoever will may come.” The “whosoever wills” are the chosen ones, and the “whosoever won’ts” are the nonelect. Jesus said, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). That is a legitimate offer of salvation—a sincere, definite offer with no complications attached. If you don’t come, the reason is not because you are not elected. Not at all. The reason you don’t come is that you’re not thirsty; that is, you don’t think you need a Savior. If you are thirsty, then come to Christ.
2. “Through sanctification of the Spirit.” “Chosen you to salvation” looked back to the past, and now sanctification by the Spirit looks to the present. You are sanctified both as to position and as to practice. When you accept Jesus Christ as your own Savior, you are in Christ—that is positional sanctification; that is the past tense of salvation. Then there is also the practical side of sanctification which concerns your life. Through the Spirit of God you are to grow in grace.
3. “Belief of the truth.” That means that a believer is going to study the Word of God. That is the way he is going to grow and develop.
4. “To the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is future. This refers to the Rapture. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Then there is the statement in Colossians 1:27, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” That looks forward to the future. What a glorious, wonderful prospect we have before us!
We see that these two verses have given us the full spectrum of salvation: we have been saved, we are being saved, we shall be saved. It is all the work of God.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle [2 Thess. 2:15].
Paul is referring to what he had taught them when he was with them. It is the Word which enables the believer to stand and be stable.
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work [2 Thess. 2:16–17].
The Lord Jesus Christ brings comfort and consolation to our hearts. He does this through His Word. That will establish us in every good word and work. The study of the Word of God will lead to the work of the Lord.
Not only will the Word of God “comfort” us, but it will also edify us. “Stablish you” means we are to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God so that we are not carried away by every wind of doctrine. Our minds and hearts will be centered on Him. That will keep us from going out after every fad of the day and reading every new book that comes off the press. Nor will we be running to little study courses here and there to be built up for the moment. We need to be established in the faith.
It is the Word of God then that will lead you to do the work of God. In chapter 3 we will see that believers should also be established in their walk and in their work down here. You see, it is rather deceitful (to yourself and others) to talk about how much you love the coming of the Lord if you do not study His Word. Then your belief does not manifest itself in your life and it doesn’t make you work. If you really believe Christ is coming, you’re going to be busy working for Him. You are going to give account to Him someday. If He is going to be here tomorrow, we want to be busy today. We shouldn’t have our noses pressed against the window looking for Him to come, or to be always looking up into heaven for Him. Instead, we should be looking around doing the work of the Lord down here. That is the greatest proof that we believe in His coming.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The practicality of Christ’s coming
Chapter 2 concluded with the fact that believers should be established in the Word—the Word of God. Paul spoke about God comforting our hearts and establishing us in every good word and work. This has to do with loyalty to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also Paul spoke in chapter 2, verses 13–14, of the marvelous position we have in Christ. We are chosen—“God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit.” And we are called of God “to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is heady stuff! It is exciting and thrilling.
Now here in chapter 3 Paul says that there are certain responsibilities that we have as believers. As Paul put it to the Ephesian believers, “… walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1). Now Paul is saying the same thing to the Thessalonian believers.
BELIEVERS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN THEIR WALK
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith [2 Thess. 3:1–2].
He is saying here that the Word of God enables the believer to walk before the wicked world. The Word establishes a believer in his walk.
“Finally, brethren”—he is coming to the conclusion of his letter.
“Pray for us.” Prayer is something that every believer can engage in. I do not think prayer is a gift of the Spirit. Prayer is something that all believers should do. Every work must have prayer behind it if it is to succeed. Every successful evangelist and preacher of the Word, every teacher of the Word who is being used of God, has people who are praying for him. Paul is asking the Thessalonians for prayer so that “the word of the Lord may have free course.” Paul had a very unique ministry. He was a missionary. He was an evangelist as we think of evangelists today. Actually that word evangelist in the New Testament means “missionary.” Also, he was a pastor and a teacher of the Word. He fulfilled all those offices, and he had fulfilled them all to the Thessalonians. He had led them to the Lord and taught them; now he is acting as their pastor in his letters. He is not only instructing them in the Word, but he is attempting to comfort them and to counsel them. One of the things he enjoins them to do is pray. “Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.”
You cannot pray for Paul today, but you can pray for Vernon. I would appreciate your prayers that the Word of the Lord as I give it out may have free course and be glorified. The Word of God needs to be exalted today. Pray that people will exalt the Word of God in their own lives. It troubles me and it worries me to see that even those who claim to believe the Word of God give so little attention to it. Pray that if people profess to believe the Word of God, they will get into it and find out what it says.
My friend, let me urge you to pray for your pastor. Let me say something very carefully. I know what it is to be a pastor, and I know what it is to be a Bible teacher holding conferences. I want to say to you that it is a lot easier to go around and hold conferences than it is to be a pastor. A pastor has a great responsibility because, very frankly, he deals with a great many folk who are unreasonable. Paul asks prayer that he “may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.” Did you know that there are wicked persons in the church? A pastor needs to be delivered from such folk.
The work of an evangelist is like the work of an obstetrician. He delivers the little baby into the world, and that is quite an undertaking, of course. But then he turns over the little one to the pediatrician. He is the one who sees to it that his diet is right, that he is burped properly, that he gets his shots, and so forth. The pastor, you see, is the pediatrician. He is the one who must deal with cantankerous saints and baby Christians. That is quite a job. My heart goes out to the pastor.
When I go out to speak at conferences, I meet some wonderful pastors. The only churches I want to go to are the ones where the pastor is preaching and teaching the Word of God and stands for the things of God. On the other side of the coin, that is the only kind of man who will have me in his pulpit! Recently, as we left such a church, I said to my wife: “We have had a wonderful ministry here at this church for the week. I’ve been here just long enough—I think these people are wonderful, and they think I am wonderful! I left before they got acquainted with me and I got acquainted with them. Also I think I helped the pastor; he tells me that I did. But he is the one who is carrying the burden and the load there. He is the one who has the problems. I can simply walk away from them.” I think the work of an evangelist or of an itinerant Bible teacher, as some of us are, is easy compared to the work of the man who is the pastor.
Paul asked for prayer that he might be delivered from “unreasonable and wicked men.” I find that the spreading of the gospel is hindered more by people in the church than by anything else. No liquor industry, no bar-room, no gangster ring has ever attacked me—at least I have never known about it. But I have had so-called saints in the churches attack me. As you know, in our churches we have the saints and the “ain’ts,” and there are a lot of “ain’ts.” They can give a pastor a rough time. It’s too bad that we can’t all settle down and give out the Word of God.
Now when he says, “For all men have not faith,” that is really “the faith.” All men do not have the faith. That is, they do not hold to the doctrines as the apostles taught them. The foundation of the church rests upon the doctrine which the apostles have given to the church. That is what we should teach and preach.
It is one thing to hold the truth of the coming of Christ, to love His appearing; but it is another thing to walk worthy of that great truth. This is what Paul is writing about to the Thessalonians. If we really love His appearing, we will prove it by our relationship to the Word of God and by our walk through this life.
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil [2 Thess. 3:3].
That is so wonderful! I have let Him down on several occasions, but He has never let me down. He is faithful. He is always faithful. Christians should hold tenaciously to this little verse. The Lord is faithful, and He will establish you.
Christians need to be established. Right now the home is in disarray, the church is in disarray, and the lives of believers are in disarray. We need to be established. How can you as a believer be established? By coming to the Word of God and letting it have its influence in your life. The Lord operates through His Word. The Word of God will keep you from evil. Someone has said, “The Bible will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from the Bible.”
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you [2 Thess. 3:4].
Christians are commanded to do certain things, and there are specific commandments for Christians. We saw that in Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians where he records twenty-two commandments in the fifth chapter. There are not only ten but twenty-two commandments which the believers are to do. The Lord Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments!” (see John 14:15) and these are His commandments.
Paul had “confidence in the Lord touching” them. He committed them to the Lord with the confidence that they were doing and would continue doing the things which he commanded. He believed that this Thessalonian church which had a wonderful testimony would continue to maintain that testimony.
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ [2 Thess. 3:5].
The believer is to walk in “the love of God.” My friend, if you are walking today in the sunshine of His love, the love of God is shed abroad in your heart and you know He loves you. And you can manifest that love by the power of the Spirit, because only the Spirit of God can make God’s love real to us. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. You can’t naturally love every Tom, Dick, and Harry—and I’m of the opinion God does not expect that of us. Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians that our love is to be in judgment, which implies that we should be careful about loving those around us. There are folk who will hurt us if we open our arms to them.
“Into the patient waiting for Christ.” This does not mean that you are to argue about being premillennial or pretribulational or posttribulational or amillennial, but that you are to be patiently waiting for the coming Christ. Oh, what wonderful verses these are!
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us [2 Thess. 3:6].
“Now we command you, brethren”—Paul doesn’t beat around the bush!
The believer is not to walk with the “disorderly.” I know men who insist that we should go into the barrooms, sit down with the drunkard and have a beer with him as we witness to him. Unfortunately, I know of a young lady who became an alcoholic by following that procedure. God says that we are to “withdraw” ourselves from the disorderly. Certainly we are to witness to them, but we are not to fraternize on their level.
God makes it very clear whom we are to follow—
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you [2 Thess. 3:7].
Birds of a feather flock together. You will be like the crowd you run around with. Believers need to be very careful about the company they keep and the people with whom they associate.
BELIEVERS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN THEIR WORK
The Thessalonians were walking in a right relationship to the Lord Jesus, and they were being persecuted for it. Paul comforted them, instructed, and encouraged them. Now he lets them know that he also is undergoing persecution and difficulty. And, friend, if you stand for the Lord, it will cost you something.
We have seen that the believer is to be established in the Word of God. Then we have noted how important the walk of the believer is, and how his walk should be grounded in the Word. Now we come to the work of the believer, which is also very practical. This involves things in which we need to be engaged—that the Word of God may have its way in our hearts and lives.
Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you [2 Thess. 3:8].
“Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought”—that is, for nothing; he paid for what he ate.
“But wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.” His practice was that he would not let anyone pay him for his missionary work among them. I think this applied especially to his first missionary journey. When he arrived in town as a missionary, there was no reservation for him at the local motel. There was no stipend given to him, no love offering taken for him the first time he was there. He was very careful about paying his own way. He mentions that to the Thessalonians and also to the Corinthians. When he was establishing churches he supported himself by tentmaking.
However, after the churches were established and Paul had come back to visit them a second and a third time, he did receive an offering from them. He makes it clear to the Galatians that they should give. He thanks the Philippians for their gift. He himself took an offering on his third missionary journey to be given to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Obviously, the great truth of the coming of Christ had not caused Paul to become some sort of a fanatic or to take some unreasonable position in relation to money matters.
In every age there are fanatical people. In the last century there were those who expected the return of Christ; so they sold their homes and property, wrapped themselves in white sheets and got on the top of the roof to wait for the Lord to come! There were several actions which identified them as fanatics. For example, why get on the roof? Couldn’t the Lord draw a person into the air from the ground as easily as from a roof? If one needed to get up on a roof, then wouldn’t a mountaintop be better? And then, why in the world would one need a white sheet? I think the Lord is going to furnish us with suitable coverings when we come into His presence. And why would they sell their property and turn it into money? Did they think they could take the money with them? You see, people can do some very peculiar, senseless things because they say they believe in the soon coming of Christ. The fact is that there is no other doctrine in the Bible that will make you work harder or more sensibly for Christ. If you believe that He is coming, you will work for Him. You will be busy for the Lord in some phase of His work. You will be putting out a few seeds of the Word of God in the field of the world so that they might bring forth a harvest.
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us [2 Thess. 3:9].
Paul is saying that as an apostle who had led them to the Lord and established a church among them, he had the right, the authority, to claim an offering. However, he did not do this because he wanted to be an example to the believers in Thessalonica that they might not be led to some fanatical position.
A young couple who had been in my classes when I taught at a Bible institute were inclined toward fanaticism. They thought they were super-duper saints, way out ahead of everyone else. But their exam papers were graded Cs or Ds, because they didn’t really know the Word, although they affected to be very spiritual. (Incidentally, I don’t think a person can be truly spiritual and be ignorant of the Word of God.) They came to me after I had become a pastor in that city and said they wanted to go to the mission field. They attended the church I served although they were not members. I asked them if they had their financial support. They said no. I asked, “Do you mean that you are going to the mission field without support?” “Oh,” they said, “we’re going to trust the Lord.” Well, I said, “It’s nice to trust the Lord, but can’t you trust Him to raise your support here? Must you wait until you get into the mission field to trust Him for support? Why don’t you get under a reputable mission board and work with them? If the Lord has called you to go to the mission field, He will raise up support for you—the Lord will lay your needs on the hearts of certain folk who will pray for you and support you financially.” No, they didn’t want to do it that way, they were just going to trust the Lord. Well, this young couple went out to the mission field, and there they became casualties. They had to be brought home with money that some friends raised to pay their passage. Since that time they have separated and are divorced. She is married again. I have heard that he has lost his faith altogether, although I doubt that he ever really had faith. Their behavior was foolish and fanatical.
Paul was making missionary work very practical. He supported himself by working with his hands, and he did it to be an example to the Thessalonian believers. He is going to make a point of this in the next verse.
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat [2 Thess. 3:10].
A believer who is looking for the Lord to return is not a dreamer; he is a worker. No work—no food. That is the rule laid down by the apostle. “If any would not work, neither should he eat.”
It is amazing how fanatical people can get about these things. The dean of men at Moody Bible Institute told about an incident that happened about fifty years ago. Two young men roomed together who were other examples of those super-duper saints who thought they were completely sanctified. One day they didn’t appear in the dining room for breakfast or for lunch or for dinner; so the dean went up to see what was the problem. They were just sitting there, looking out into space. He asked them if they were sick. No, they weren’t sick. “Then why haven’t you come down for meals?” They said, “We’re just trusting the Lord. We are waiting for Him to tell us whether we should go down to eat.” “Are you hungry?” They admitted that they were hungry. “Don’t you think that is one of the ways the Lord has of letting you know that you ought to go down to eat?” They said, “No, we are waiting for special revelation from Him, and we are not going to move until then.” So the dean said to them, “I have news for you. You are going to move, but not down to the dining room. You are going to move out of school. You cannot stay here.” There is no place for that kind of fanaticism.
Today we are seeing a kind of fanaticism in the area of prophecy. It is quite interesting that in this epistle which deals largely in prophecy, almost half of it is given over to that which is practical. He puts the emphasis on the practical side of the great truth of the coming of Christ for His church. It is one thing to get fanatical about prophecy; it is quite another thing to believe the prophetic truth and then have it meshed and geared into our living down here so that it becomes practical and working.
We are to work while we wait. A gardener for a large estate in northern Italy was conducting a visitor through the castle and the beautiful, well-groomed grounds. As the visitor had lunch with the gardener and his wife, he commended them for the beautiful way they were keeping the gardens. He asked, “By the way, when was the last time the owner was here?” “It was about ten years ago,” the gardener said. The visitor asked, “Then why do you keep up the gardens in such an immaculate, lovely manner?” The gardener answered, “Because I’m expecting him to return.” He persisted, “Is he coming next week?” The gardener replied, “I don’t know when he is coming, but I am expecting him today.” Although he didn’t come that day, he was living in the light of the owner’s imminent return. The gardener wasn’t hanging over the gate, watching down the road to see whether his master was coming. He was in the garden, trimming, cutting, mowing, planting. He was busy. That is what Paul is talking about when he says we should be established in the work of the Lord in view of the fact that He is returning.
“If any would not work, neither should he eat.” You see, the Thessalonians had a few fanatics who simply withdrew themselves and decided that they were going to spend all their time looking for the Lord’s return. Paul writes, “Don’t feed them. They have to go to work.”
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies [2 Thess. 3:11].
Here we are told the situation. There were some who were not working at anything constructive. They were not interested in getting out the Word of God, but they were busy—they were busybodies. They were really making a nuisance of themselves, and they were causing trouble in the church in Thessalonica. It takes just one bad apple to spoil the barrel; it takes just one little fly to spoil the ointment; and one fanatic in the church can affect the spiritual life of a great many people. That is the reason Paul had said before that they were to withdraw themselves from the ones who walk disorderly, and I’m sure he had the busybodies in mind. They were busy as termites and just as effective as termites in the church at Thessalonica.
Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread [2 Thess. 3:12].
This doesn’t sound very spiritual, does it? It doesn’t sound very theological. But it certainly is practical. It would solve a great many problems in the average church if the busybodies, the troublemakers, would work with quietness and do something constructive. It is interesting that the man who was the biggest troublemaker in any church that I served was the smallest contributor—and I found that out by accident. The treasurer of the church was talking to me about the trouble this fellow had been, and I said, “Well, he is a man of means; and I suppose a very generous giver, and he naturally is interested in how his money is being spent.” The treasurer looked at me and laughed. He said, “That man gives ten dollars a year for the Lord’s work!” Believe me, he certainly gave us more than ten dollars worth of trouble! There must have been people like that in Thessalonica. Paul says that they were to quietly go to work and mind their own business.
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing [2 Thess. 3:13].
How wonderful this is! A believer who holds the blessed hope should not grow weary of working for the Lord. As Moody put it, “I get weary in the work, but not weary of the work.”
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed [2 Thess. 3:14].
People in the church ought to withdraw from troublemakers in the church. However, many people more or less court their favor, because they don’t want those people to talk about them, knowing they have vicious tongues. But withdrawing from the gossips would be the best thing that could happen in many churches.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother [2 Thess. 3:15].
An attempt should be made to win the wayward member.
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all [2 Thess. 3:16].
Isn’t this lovely!
The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle:so I write [2 Thess. 3:17].
This is an epistle from Paul signed with his own hand.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen [2 Thess. 3:18].
His letter ends with a benediction. It is the conclusion of a wonderful epistle which teaches that the knowledge of prophecy, rather than leading to fanaticism or laziness, brings peace to the heart.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Hiebert, D. Edmond. The Thessalonian Epistles, A Call to Readiness. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1971. (An excellent, comprehensive treatment.)
Hogg, C. F. and Vine, W. E. The Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1914. (An excellent, comprehensive treatment.)
Ironside, H. A. Addresses on I and II Thessalonians. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Kelly, William. The Epistles to the Thessalonians. Oak Park, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1893.
MacDonald, William. Letters to the Thessalonians. Kansas City, Missouri: Walterick Publishers, 1969.
Ryrie, Charles C. First and Second Thessalonians. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1959. (Fine, inexpensive survey.)
Walvoord, John F. The Thessalonian Epistles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1955.
The First Epistle to
Timothy
INTRODUCTION
The First Epistle to Timothy introduces us to a new set of epistles which were written by Paul. There are three of them that belong together (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), and they are called “The Pastoral Epistles,” because they have to do with local churches. You will find that these pastoral epistles are in contrast, for instance, to the Epistle to the Ephesians. There Paul speaks of the church as the body of believers who are in Christ and the glorious, wonderful position that the church has. The church which is invisible, made up of all believers who are in the body of Christ, manifests itself down here upon the earth in local assemblies, in the local churches.
Now, just to put a steeple on a building and a bell in the steeple and a pulpit down front and a choir in the loft singing the doxology doesn’t mean it is a local church in the New Testament sense of the word. There must be certain identifying features. I have written a booklet called The Spiritual Fingerprints of the Visible Church, in which I point out that a local church must manifest itself in a certain way in order to meet the requirements of a church of the Lord Jesus.
These three epistles were written to two young preachers who worked with Paul: Timothy and Titus. They were a part of his fruit; that is, they were led to Christ through the ministry of Paul. He had these men with him as helpers, and he instructed them about the local church.
In all three epistles Paul is dealing with two things: the creed of the church and the conduct of the church. For the church within, the worship must be right. For the church outside, good works must be manifested. Worship is inside; works are outside. That’s the way the church is to manifest itself.
Paul deals with these two topics in each of the three epistles. For instance, in 1 Timothy, chapter 1, is faith, the faith of the church—its doctrine. Chapter 2 is the order of the church. Chapter 3 concerns the officers of the church. Chapter 4 describes the apostasy that was coming, and chapters 5 and 6 tell of the duties of the officers.
In 2 Timothy, Paul deals with the afflictions of the church in chapter 1 and the activity of the church in chapter 2. Then the apostasy of the church and the allegiance of the church follow in chapters 3 and 4.
Titus has the same theme. Chapter 1 tells of the order of the church, chapter 2 is about the doctrine of the church, and chapter 3 is the good works of the church.
So there is creed on the inside of the church and conduct on the outside. Within is worship and without are good works.
The church today manifests itself in a local assembly. It first puts up a building. In Paul’s day, they didn’t have a building. That’s one thing they didn’t need because they were not building churches. They generally met in homes and probably in public buildings. We know in Ephesus that Paul used—probably rented—the school of Tyrannus. I suppose Paul used the auditorium during the siesta time each day. People came in from everywhere to hear him preach. That could be characterized as a local assembly, and it became a local church in Ephesus.
In order to be a local assembly, the church must have certain things to characterize it. It must have a creed, and its doctrine must be accurate. There are two verses that summarize Paul’s message in these epistles: “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other [different] doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:3). It is important that a church have correct doctrine. That’s what I mean when I say that a steeple on a building doesn’t make it a local church by any means. Then again Paul said to this young preacher: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The local church is made up of believers who are members of the body of Christ. In order for them to function, they need leadership. Somebody has to be appointed to sweep the place out and somebody to build a fire in the stove—if they have one.
In the first little church that I served, I swept the church out sometimes, and on Sunday morning, because it was a little country church, the first one who got there built a fire in the stove. I always tried to be a little late, but I’d say that half the time I built the fire. Those things are essential. Also it’s nice to have a choir and a song leader. In addition to this, Paul is going to say that officers are essential for a church to be orderly. There must be officers, and they must meet certain requirements. The church should function in an orderly manner and manifest itself in the community by its good works. Unfortunately today that is idealistic in most places because the local church doesn’t always manifest what it should.
From these Pastoral Epistles have come three different types of church government which have been used by the great denominations of the church. The churches never disagreed on doctrine in the old days as much as they disagreed on this matter of church government, that is, how the local church is to function. I marvel that they could get three different forms of government out of these three Pastoral Epistles, but they did.
1. There is the episcopal form of government where there is one man, or maybe several men, who are in charge at the top. The Roman Catholic church calls that man a pope. In other churches he is called the archbishop; if there are several leaders, they are called bishops. The Church of England and other churches follow the episcopal form of government. They are controlled by men at the top who are outside the local church.
2. Another form of church government is known as the presbyterian or representative form of government. The local church elects certain men from its membership, called elders and deacons, to be officers, and the government of the local church is in their hands. Unfortunately, the churches were bound together by an organization above the level of the local church, and that organization could control the local church.
3. The third type of church government is the opposite extreme from the episcopal form, called the congregational form of government. You see it, of course, in the Congregational and Baptist churches. The people are the ones who make the decisions and who are actually in control. The entire church votes on taking in members and on everything else that concerns the local church.
Perhaps you are wondering how they could get three forms of church government from the same words in the Pastoral Epistles. Well, of course, certain words were interpreted differently. I’ll try to call attention to these various interpretations as we go through the Pastoral Epistles.
The very interesting thing is that in the early days all three forms of church government functioned and seemed to work well. But in recent years all three forms of government have fallen on evil days; they don’t seem to work as they once did. Men who are members of all three forms of government tell me that there is internal strife and disorder and dissension. What is wrong? Immediately somebody says, “Well, the system is wrong.”
This is an interesting question since we have a representative form of civil government in this country. It was patterned after the church government. You see, the early colonists didn’t want a king. That was the only form of government they had known, and they had had enough of a king. They did not want an autocratic form of government, and they were rather reluctant to let the people rule. That may seem strange to you when you listen to local politicians today who talk about “everybody having a vote.” In colonial times women didn’t vote; men who were not landowners did not vote. Only those who had property and belonged to a certain elite class voted.
The reason the colonists did not want a king to rule over them was because they couldn’t trust human nature, which means they couldn’t trust each other. We think of those men as being wonderful, political, patriotic saints. Well, they were human beings and filled with foibles. They knew they couldn’t trust each other, so they would not put power in the hands of one man. They were also afraid to put power in the people’s hands because they had no confidence in the people either.
That contradicts the concept that the politician purports when he says that the majority can’t be wrong—or “The voice of the people is the voice of God.” Frankly, that’s just not true.
Why is it, then, that our forms of church government are not working as they should? Well, I want to say—and I hope I’m not misunderstood, because I recognize my inability to express it in the way I’d like to express it to you—that I believe Paul is saying in this epistle that the form of government, important as it is, is not as important as the caliber and character of the men who are holding office.
These epistles outline certain requirements for officers, such as being sober, having one wife, etc. These requirements are essential and are the subjects of debate in the local churches. But here is something more important that I have never heard argued in my forty long years as a pastor, and that is the most basic requirement for officers. Paul is trying to convey to us that the men who are officers must be spiritual, because no system will function unless the men who are in the place and position of authority are right. If they are wrong, no system—whether it is congregational or episcopal or presbyterian—will work.
That, my friend, is the problem. It is the problem today in politics, and it is the problem today in the church. When we elect a man, he must be successful in his vocation and he should have leadership ability. I think those are good requirements, but we need to determine if he is a spiritual man.
Paul is going to emphasize two aspects of the spiritual officer: he must be a man of faith, and he must be motivated by love. Unless those two characteristics are operating in his life, the officer can’t function in the church no matter how much ability he has.
What this simply means is that the authority the officers have is actually no authority at all. Paul says that when you’ve been made an elder or a bishop or a deacon in the church, you have an office and you may feel very pompous and authoritative, but Paul says you really have no authority. Well, what does he mean? He means that Christ is the Head of the church, and the Holy Spirit is the One to give the leading and the guiding and the direction. The officer is never to assert his will in anything; he is to find out what the will of God is. That means he will have to be a man of faith.
He also will have to be motivated by love. Now that doesn’t mean that he is to go around soft-soaping everybody and scratching their backs, trying to be a man-pleaser, but he is to carry through the will of Christ in that church. It is his job to make sure that Christ is the Head of the church. Oh, how I’ve spent weary hours in board meetings talking about some little thing that had absolutely nothing to do with the spiritual welfare of the church, but had a lot to do with the will of some hardheaded, stubborn officer who thought he was a spiritual man. Such a man had no idea that he was to carry through the will of Christ because, to begin with, he had never sought the will of Christ. All he was attempting to do was to serve his own will because he thought his will was right.
Oh, my friend, Christ is the Head of the local church today. We see this in the very first verse where Paul calls Him “the Lord Jesus Christ.” He is the Lord, and, remember, that means He is Number One. The Lord Jesus said in His day, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). A lot of people call Him “Lord” today in the church, and they’re not following Him at all. To be an officer in the church means that you’re to carry through the will of Christ, His commandments, and His desires. He is the Head of the local church. That is what is needed today, is it not?
Therefore, I am not prepared to argue with anybody about the form of government in his church. If you think yours is the best form, fine! You go along with it. But it will work only if you have the right men. It won’t work—no matter what the form is—if you have the wrong men. The unspiritual officer is the monkey wrench in the machinery of the church today. Although it is the business of the church to get Him through to the world, that is the reason we don’t see much evidence of Christ.
In 1 Timothy, then, we deal with the nitty-gritty of the local church, with the emphasis that it is the character and caliber of her leaders that will determine whether the church is really a church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
OUTLINE
I. The Faith of the Church, Chapter 1
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–2
B. Warning against Unsound Doctrine, Chapter 1:3–10
C. Personal Testimony of Paul, Chapter 1:11–17
D. Charge to Timothy, Chapter 1:18–20
II. Public Prayer and Woman’s Place in the Churches, Chapter 2
A. Public Prayer for the Public and Public Officials, Chapter 2:1–7
B. How Men Are to Pray, Chapter 2:8
C. How Women Are to Pray, Chapter 2:9–15
III. Officers in the Churches, Chapter 3
A. Requirements for Elders, Chapter 3:1–7
B. Requirements for Deacons, Chapter 3:8–13
C. Report of Paul to Timothy, Chapter 3:14–16
IV. Apostasy in the Churches, Chapter 4
A. How to Recognize the Apostates, Chapter 4:1–5
B. What the “Good Minister” Can Do in Times of Apostasy, Chapter 4:6–16
V. Duties of Officers of the Churches, Chapters 5–6
A. Relationship of Ministers to Different Groups in the Local Church, Chapter 5
B. Relationship of Believers to Others, Chapter 6
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The faith of the church
Paul’s emphasis here will not be a doctrinal statement of the Christian church, but a warning against false teachers in the local church. He will stress that the gospel of the grace of God is central in doctrine and concerns the person of Christ.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction to 1 Timothy is unlike any other in Paul’s epistles. Perhaps you had come to the conclusion that they were all the same, but the introductions to the Pastoral Epistles are a little different. Dr. Marvin R. Vincent has said that the salutation on 1 Timothy as a whole has no parallel in Paul.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord [1 Tim. 1:1–2].
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God.” Paul asserts his apostleship to Timothy, and he has certainly done so before. In Ephesians he says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God …” (Eph. 1:1, italics mine). Now what is the difference between the commandment and the will of God? The will of God and the commandment of God are the same, but yet they are not exactly synonymous. All the commandments which you find in the Bible reveal the will of God. This would include much more than the Ten Commandments. For example, we are told that it is the will of God that we pray: “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:17–18). There are many things which are the will of God, and they are expressed in His commandments. However, I do not think that we have revealed to us all of the will of God, even in the sum total of the commandments in Scripture. The will of God is therefore a much broader term than the commandment of God.
Remember, however, that we have revealed to us enough of the will of God to know that man is not saved by obedience to the commandments of God. This is important to reiterate as there are so many today who say the Law is essential to our salvation.
In verse 8 of this chapter, Paul writes, “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.” How are we to use the Law? First, we need to see that the Law is good: “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). It is the very fact that the Law is good and demands absolute goodness from man (in whom there is no good thing) that the sinner cannot obey it. Paul says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). The Law or the commandments of God were given to reveal the will of God and to show that in order for a sinner to be saved it is necessary to find a way other than obedience to a perfect law; to understand this is to use the law “lawfully.”
The glory of the gospel is that God found a way that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. In Acts Paul preached: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [that is, the Lord Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38–39). Why could they not be justified by the law of Moses? Because it was a ministration of death: the Law condemned them. The Law wasn’t given to save us, but to reveal that God is holy and that you and I are not holy. The way that God found to save us is the way of the Cross, the way of the Lord Jesus. “I am the way,” He says, “the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The Law is not the way to God; Christ is the way.
When Paul wrote to the Ephesians that he was an apostle by the will of God, that was true. But when he wrote to this young preacher Timothy, he said, “I am an apostle by the commandment of God. He made me an apostle. It is not just because I am in the will of God today that I am an apostle. There was a time when He commanded me to be an apostle.” I think Paul might have been rather reluctant to become an apostle. I’m sure he could have offered excuses to the Lord as Moses did. He hadn’t been with the Lord as the other eleven apostles had been. He never knew Him in the days of His flesh; he knew Him only as the glorified Christ. He said he was unworthy to be an apostle. But the Lord Jesus had said, “I command you,” and that is the reason Paul could walk into a synagogue or go before a gainsaying audience in Athens, or a group of rotten, corrupt sinners in Corinth, and boldly declare the gospel. He was a soldier under orders, an apostle by commandment—not by commission, but by commandment. No one laid hands on Paul to make him an apostle, but the Lord Jesus personally gave him the authority.
Jeremiah had this same kind of authority. He was a shrinking violet, a retiring sort of person, the man with a broken heart. Yet he stepped out and gave some of the strongest statements that ever came from God. Why could he do that? He was a soldier under orders—under orders from God.
Any man who is going to speak for God today needs to do it with authority or he ought to keep quiet. A man who gets up in the pulpit and says, “If you believe in a fashion, I expect that maybe you’d be saved if you believe in a way on Jesus.” Such a wishy-washy man has nothing to say for God at all. Paul was an apostle who spoke with the authority of God.
“God our Saviour”—is God our Savior? He certainly is: “… God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …” (John 3:16). God provided the sacrifice, and the Lord Jesus is the One who came to this earth and executed it.
“And the Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.” To say that Christ is our hope may seem strange to you, as it is not found often in Scripture. Actually, the only other time you will find it is in Colossians 1:27: “… Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The Lord Jesus died to save you. He lives to keep you saved. He is going to come someday to take you to be with Himself and to consummate that salvation. He is our faith when we look backwards; He is love when we look around us today; and He is our hope as we look ahead. But it is hope, actually, all the way through our lives, and that hope is anchored in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Timothy”—sometimes he is called Timothy and sometimes Timotheus. Timotheus is made up of two Greek words which mean “that which is dear to God.” Timothy was dear to God, he was dear to the apostle Paul, and he was dear to the local churches.
We read of Timothy in the books of Acts, Ephesians, and Philippians. His father was a Greek. His grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, became Christians before him. He lived in Lystra where Paul was stoned. I feel that Paul was actually raised from the dead at that time, and this may have had a lot to do with the conversion of Timothy. As a young man he probably was rather skeptical, and this event may have helped convince him and bring him to conversion. After his conversion he became an avowed follower of Paul.
Timothy was a man who had a good reputation. We read of him in Acts 16:2–5: “Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.” As Timothy worked with Paul he became one in whom Paul had the utmost confidence, while others in the churches proved to be false brethren who deceived him.
It is the joy of every pastor to have wonderful friends in his church. I have lived and ministered in Pasadena, California, since 1940. I meet people everywhere, some who came to know the Lord as early as 1940 or 1941, who are still following in the Lord’s steps, and they are loyal, faithful friends of mine. That is why we keep our ministry’s headquarters here, for we have a host of wonderful, trusted friends in this area.
Paul had those whom he couldn’t trust, but Timothy was one he could trust. He wrote in Philippians: “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me” (Phil. 2:19–23).
“Timothy, my own son in the faith” could be translated as “my true son in the faith” or “my genuine son in the faith.” Paul had led Timothy to the Lord, and they were very close.
“Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” At first this may appear to be the same as the introductions to Paul’s other epistles. Yes, Paul has used grace and peace before, but we have another word here, and that is mercy. Mercy is a word that was used in the Old Testament and was equivalent to the word grace. It was the Old Testament sacrifice that made the holy and righteous and just throne of God into a mercy seat.
When you and I come to God, we don’t want justice, for we would be condemned. What we want and need from God is mercy. And God has provided mercy for all His creatures. He has all the mercy that you need. Yet His mercy is just like money in the bank which will do you no good unless you write a check, and the check you need to write is the check of faith. God is rich in mercy, but when He saves you, He saves you by His grace. God is merciful to you, and He is merciful to all sinners in the world, even those who blaspheme Him and repudiate Him and turn their back on Him. He sends rain on the just and the unjust—He doesn’t play favorites, even with His own people. Sinners today get rich and they prosper. They often seem to do better than God’s own people. He is merciful to sinners. But when you come to God, you must come by faith—write the check of faith—and then God will save you by His grace.
These three words—love, mercy, and grace—are a little trinity. Love is that in God which existed before He could care to exercise mercy or grace. God is love; it is His nature, His attribute. Mercy is that in God which provided for the need of sinful man. Grace then is that in Him which acts freely to save because all the demands of His holiness have been satisfied. Therefore, because God is merciful, you can come to Him, and by His grace He’ll save you. You don’t have to bring anything, you cannot bring anything, because it would only be filthy rags to God.
A do-gooder is one who thinks he does not need the mercy of God, that his own good works will save him. I knew a man who, although he was on his deathbed, said to me, “Preacher, you don’t need to tell me that I need Christ as a Savior and that I need the mercy and the grace of God. I don’t need it: I’m willing to stand before Him just like I am.” Then he went on to tell me all that he had done in his life. He had been deeply involved with the Community Chest and with an orphans’ home and on and on. Oh, he was a do-gooder, and he was going to stand before God on that! My friend, a do-good salvation will not do you any good when you really need it. The salvation God provides will enable you to do good, the kind of good which is acceptable to Him. The righteousness of man is filthy rags in His sight.
So we have found that Paul uses here (and throughout all of the Pastoral Epistles) expressions that we will not see elsewhere in his writings. He obviously spoke to these young preachers in an intimate and more personal way than he did in his public speaking or writing. Wouldn’t you love to have been Timothy, to have traveled with Paul and have the great apostle open his mind and heart to you? Well, my friend, the Spirit of God is here and He is talking to us through this epistle which Paul wrote to Timothy.
Although 1 Timothy is intimate and personal, it has to do with the affairs of the local church, the body of believers as it manifests itself in the community. And I want to say here—perhaps it reveals the pastor in me—that every believer should be identified with some local church.
“God our Father”—God is Paul’s Father, He is Timothy’s Father, and He is your Father if you have received Christ. He is my Father because I have received Christ and been brought into the family of God. What a privilege that is! Paul had been a Pharisee, and in Judaism he had never had the privilege of calling God his Father.
“Jesus Christ our Lord.” Anything that is done in the local church needs to be done in the name of Christ and at His command. He is the Head of the church; He is the Lord. The Lord Jesus said, “You call Me Lord, Lord, and yet you don’t do the things I say; you don’t obey Me.” Could He say the same thing to many of us today? He warned that there are going to be many at the judgment who will say, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do this and that, and the other thing? We were as busy as termites for You!” And He will have to say to them, “I don’t even know you. I didn’t know you were doing that in My name, for you certainly didn’t seek My will. You didn’t seek to obey Me.” We need not only to call Him Lord but also obey Him as Lord.
WARNING AGAINST UNSOUND DOCTRINE
We have said that this epistle deals with the creed and the conduct of the local church. Your creed must be right before your conduct can be right. It is almost an impossibility to think wrong and act right. One time a man complained to me: “When a woman driver puts her hand out the window at an intersection it means nothing but that the window is open! You never know what she is going to do, because sometimes she signals left and turns right, and sometimes signals right and turns left!” It is sad that man often tries to act right even though his thinking is very wrong. It is impossible to keep that up for very long, my friend.
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine [1 Tim. 1:3].
“That thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine”—in other words, that they teach no different doctrine. Paul wrote to the Galatians that there was no other gospel. The Judaizers there were preaching another gospel, but Paul said there was none other. There is only one gospel, and there is only one doctrine.
“Doctrine” refers to the teaching of the church. What should be the teaching of the local church? It should be what it was from the very beginning. Following the Day of Pentecost it is recorded that “they continued in the apostles’ doctrine.” This was one of the four things which characterized that church: (1) The apostles’ doctrine; (2) fellowship; (3) prayers; and (4) the breaking of bread, or the Lord’s Supper. These are the four “fingerprints” of the visible church. A church is not a true church of Christ of its doctrine is not the apostles’ doctrine.
I recognize that our varying interpretations of the Scriptures lead us to disagree on some points of doctrine. I had lunch one time with a very fine, outstanding Pentecostal preacher here in Southern California. We talked over what we agreed on and what we disagreed on, and it was not as severe a difference as some might think. As we concluded he said to me, “Dr. McGee, we agree on so much, and we agree on what is basic, therefore we ought not to fall out on the things that actually are not essential things.” I was glad he felt that way. I am sorry everybody doesn’t believe like I do, but there are some who don’t.
However, we must hold to the apostles’ doctrine, the basic truths of the faith. The apostles taught the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, the integrity and inerrancy of the Word of God. And they taught the deity of Christ. We will see in this very epistle that Paul had an exalted view of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who say he did not teach the deity of Christ. Well, of all things, that is one thing on which Paul is as clear as the noonday sun. He clearly taught the deity of Christ. Even here in this chapter when he says, “God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord,” he places Christ right beside God, making it clear that He is God.
“I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus.” Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus while he himself was in Macedonia. Ephesus was a very important city, and Paul had spent more time there than anywhere else and had his greatest ministry there. Timothy was to remind the Ephesians to teach no other doctrine. If the teaching of the church is not right, it is not a church. It does not matter how many deacons, elders, pastors, song leaders, choirs, or Sunday schools it might have. If the doctrine is not there, it is not a church. The doctrine must be that of the apostles.
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do [1 Tim. 1:4].
“Neither give heed to fables,” or do not give heed to myths. Ephesus was the heartland of the mystery religions of that day. In that great center there was the temple to Hadrian, the temple to Trajan, and the great temple of Diana. All of that centered in Ephesus. These were all based on the mythology of the Greeks, and the Ephesian believers were to shun them.
Paul’s reference to “fables” or myths could possibly mean the philosophy of Philo. Philo was an outstanding and brilliant Israelite who took the Old Testament and spiritualized it. In other words, he attempted to introduce the myth viewpoint. We have some of this same teaching in our old-line denominational seminaries today. They teach, for example, that the Book of Genesis is a myth, that the stories there are myths and the men didn’t actually live. There is such an accumulation of evidence to support the Book of Genesis from the recent findings of archaeology that the liberals seem to have backed down from this teaching somewhat.
“Endless genealogies.” This could refer to the false teaching that the church is just a continuation of Judaism, that it is just one genealogy following another and not a matter of God dealing with man in different dispensations. Such teaching leads to great confusion as to the positions of Israel and the church in God’s program.
Also the Greeks were teaching at that time what was known as the demiurge, and this teaching became a part of the first heresy within the church, which was Gnosticism. They taught that there were emanations from a divine center. The original created a being, and that being created another being below him, and he created another, and then another, and so on down the line. They wanted to fit Jesus in somewhere along that line as one of the created beings.
“Which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith.” In other words, Paul tells Timothy that all these types of false teaching won’t build you up in the faith. I think we can observe today in the liberal churches the fruit of their many years of unbelief. It has produced a hard core of almost heartless individuals who absolutely lack faith. They have rejected the Word of God, and the results we see in their churches are unbelievable.
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned [1 Tim. 1:5].
“Charity [love] out of a pure heart.” Paul again is using intimate expressions in writing to this young preacher that you will not find in his epistles to the churches. He tells Timothy that what is taught in the church should produce love out of a pure heart. A “pure heart” is in contrast to our old nature. It means a person who has been made righteous in Christ and can now manifest the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love.
There are three things that should be manifest in the church. The first is faith—faith in God and in His Word. The second is love. Love is not something you simply mouth all the time. Love is an active concern for others, which means you won’t gossip about them or in any way bring harm to them.
I know of one church that has done everything it can to wreck the ministry of its pastor. The one thing they aren’t justified in saying is that he didn’t teach the Word of God—he did teach it. Yet they had accused him of not having taught it. And at the same time they talk about love. What hypocrisy! Love is not something you just talk about; it is something that must be made manifest.
Faith should be lived out in the life of a church, and love should be lived out. You do need an organization and church officers, but whether you have an episcopal or congregational or presbyterian form of government does not make much difference. If faith and love are lacking, you have nothing more than a lodge, a religious club of some sort. But if faith and love are manifest, the form of government is not too important.
The third thing that should be manifest in the life of a church is “a good conscience.” I do not believe that conscience is a good guide even for a believer; yet a believer ought to have a good conscience. When you lie down at night, do you feel bad about something you’ve said or done during the day? Many sensitive Christians are like that. I had a call one time from a person who was weeping and said, “I said something about you that I should not have, and I hope you’ll forgive me.” I hadn’t known anything about it, by the way, but apparently he hadn’t been able to sleep that night because of it. It is good to have a sensitive conscience. Many have consciences that have been seared with a hot iron; that is, they are insensitive to right or wrong.
These three wonderful graces—love, a good conscience, and faith—are the things Paul says should be manifested by believers in a local church.
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling [1 Tim. 1:6].
“Vain jangling” means empty chatter, beautiful words, flowery language. There are people who will butter you up and pat you on the back, but it means nothing. It’s all just talk.
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm [1 Tim. 1:7].
Paul is really laying it on the line. He makes it clear there are those who teach error, and they do it with assurance. They reject the Word of God and actually do not understand what they are talking about.
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully [1 Tim. 1:8].
In this section where Paul is warning believers against unsound doctrine, he has mentioned the mystery religions and the idolatry that abounded in Ephesus where young Timothy was. He has also warned against the false teaching that sought to make the Old Testament merely a mythology. Now Paul warns against legalists, those who taught that the law is a means of salvation and a means of sanctification after salvation.
The Law served a purpose, but God did not give it as a means of salvation. The Law condemns us; it reveals to man that he is a sinner in need of a Savior. Under the Law the best man in the world is absolutely condemned, but under the gospel the worst man can be justified if he will believe in Christ.
The sinner cannot be saved by good works for he is unable to perform any good works. Paul wrote in Romans, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). This idea that in and of yourself you can please God absolutely contradicts the Word of God. It is impossible to please Him—you cannot meet His standard.
Good works cannot produce salvation, but salvation can produce good works. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto good works. Paul makes this very clear in Ephesians 2:8–10 where we read: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
“We know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.” The Law reveals the will of God—it is morally excellent. It is good for moral conduct but not for obtaining salvation. It cannot save a sinner, but it can correct him or reveal that he is a sinner. That is its purpose.
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine [1 Tim. 1:9–10].
The Law was not given to the righteous man, the one who has been made righteous because of his faith in Christ. That man has been called to a much higher plane before God. The Law was given for the lawless. “Thou shalt not kill” is not given to the child of God who has no thought of murdering anyone, who does not want to hurt but wants to help. That commandment was given to the man who is a murderer at heart. It is given to control the natural man. The Law is “for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons.” Those who have come to Christ were not saved by the Law, but by the grace of God. They have been brought into the family of God and have been brought to a plane of living higher even than that given in the Law.
Let me give two illustrations of this that I trust will be helpful. Imagine a judge on a bench who has a lawbreaker brought before him. He is guilty, and he should pay a heavy fine and go to prison. However, the judge says, “I have a son who loves this prisoner although he has broken the law and I must condemn him. My son is a wealthy man and has agreed to pay his fine. He’s also agreed to go to prison on behalf of this man. Therefore, his penalty has been fully paid. I am going to take this criminal into my home, and I am going to treat him as a son of mine.” When the judge takes the criminal into his home, he no longer says things like, “Thou shalt not kill” or “Thou shalt not steal” (Exod. 20:13, 15). The man is now his son. The judge will talk to him about loving the other members of his family, how he is to conduct himself at the table, treat his wife with respect, and take part in the family chores. You see, this man is treated on an altogether different basis from what he was before. That is what God has done for the believing sinner. We are above and beyond the law. The law is for that fellow out yonder who is a lawbreaker. It is given to control the old nature, the flesh.
The other illustration is one that Dr. Harry Ironside told me years ago. After teaching at an Indian conference in Flagstaff, Arizona, Dr. Ironside took one of the Christian Indians with him to Oakland, California. Among other things, this Indian was asked to speak at a young people’s group that was mixed up on the ideas of law and grace. They were confused about the place of the law in the Christian life. The Indian told the group, “I came here from Flagstaff on the train, and we stopped over for several hours in Barstow. There in the station’s waiting room I noticed signs on the walls which said, ‘Do Not Spit on the Floor.’ That was the rule there. I looked down on the floor, and observed that nobody had paid any attention to the law. But when we got here to Oakland I was invited to stay in a lovely, Christian home. As I sat in the living room I looked around and noticed pretty pictures on the walls, but no signs which said ‘Do Not Spit on the Floor.’ I got down on my hands and knees and felt the rug and, you know, nobody had spit on the floor. In Barstow it was law, but in the home in which I’m staying it is grace.”
Under law man never kept it, he couldn’t measure up to it, and he broke it continually. Under grace a man is brought into the family of God, and he is not going to murder or lie. If he does, he is surely out of fellowship with God.
“Any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.” Paul adds this in case he had left out something. It covers any and all sin he may have omitted in his list.
PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF PAUL
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust [1 Tim. 1:11].
Again this is one of those unique statements that Paul uses in writing to this young preacher which you will not find in his epistles to the churches. It might be translated: “According to the gospel of glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” Isn’t that a wonderful way to speak of it!
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry [1 Tim. 1:12].
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord” —Paul emphasizes the Lordship of Christ.
“He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” The idea of ministry is greatly misunderstood in our day. All believers are in the ministry; not one of us is out of the ministry if he is a child of God. The word Paul uses here for ministry is the same as the word for deacon, and every believer is a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul even calls rulers ministers—“ministers of God.” We say that we have voted for a certain man or that the people put a man into his office, but I think that sometimes God overrules who is to be put into office. Rulers are supposed to function as ministers of God.
Paul is grateful to God that He has put him into His service as a missionary. Every believer has some service to perform for the Lord.
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief [1 Tim. 1:13].
“Who was before a blasphemer”—Paul uses this awful word and says that he was a blasphemer. He had blasphemed the Lord Jesus, and he had hated Him. I think he was present at the Crucifixion and ridiculed the Lord Jesus. Paul says that he had been a blasphemer, a persecutor, and that he had injured the church.
“But I obtained mercy.” When Paul speaks of his salvation he says he was saved by the grace of God. It was the mercy of God that put him into the ministry.
I have never really figured out why the Lord has used me in this ministry of giving out the Word of God. If you had said to me when I was a young, smart-alecky bank clerk that I was someday going to be in the ministry, I would have said it was absurd. I didn’t want it, and I didn’t have anything that would commend me to it. But God by His mercy, my friend, has put me into His service, His ministry. He is rich in mercy, and I have used quite a bit of it in my lifetime!
“Because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” This was Paul’s condition, and it was the condition of all of us before we came to Christ.
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus [1 Tim. 1:14].
Paul was saved by the grace of God who brought him to the place of faith and love “which is in Christ Jesus.” Again, these are the things that will be manifest in the life of a believer.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief [1 Tim. 1:15].
This is a very important verse of Scripture because it affirms that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” He didn’t come to be the greatest teacher the world has ever known, although He was that. He didn’t come to set a moral example, but He did do that. He came into the world to save sinners.
When you give your testimony make sure that you don’t tell people how wonderful you are or all you have accomplished. Tell them you were a sinner and that Christ saved you. That is what is important.
“Of whom I am chief.” When Paul says he was the chiefest of sinners, he is not using hyperbole. He is not using high-flung oratory. He is speaking the truth. He was the chief of sinners; he blasphemed the Lord Jesus and shot out his lip at Him.
“But,” Paul says, “I’ve been saved.” The Lord Jesus came to save sinners, and if you say, “I don’t think Christ can save me—I’m the worst,” you are wrong. Paul is the chief of sinners, and the chief of sinners has already been saved. So you will be able to be saved if you want to be. The decision rests with you. All you need do is turn to Christ, and He’ll do the rest. He is faithful—Paul says, “This is a faithful saying.”
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting [1 Tim. 1:16].
“Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy”—you see, he needed mercy in order to become a minister, to be a missionary.
“That in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”
Paul said that he was not only a preacher of, but also an example of, the gospel.
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen [1 Tim. 1:17].
Paul simply couldn’t go any further without sounding out this tremendous doxology. Who is “the King eternal”? He is the Lord Jesus Christ. And who is the Lord Jesus? He is “the only wise God.” Don’t tell me that Paul did not teach that the Lord Jesus was God. Paul considered Him to be God manifest in the flesh, and here he gives this wonderful testimony to that.
CHARGE TO TIMOTHY
This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare [1 Tim. 1:18].
“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy.” Although his letter to Timothy is very practical and has to do with the local church and Timothy’s responsibilities in it, it also reveals something of the wonderful personal relationship that must have existed between the apostle Paul and Timothy. This is Paul’s personal charge to Timothy as a young man in the ministry.
“Son Timothy”—he was Paul’s spiritual son; Paul had led him to Christ.
“According to the prophecies which went before on thee.” Paul had real spiritual discernment, and evidently God had directed him to take this young man along with him and allow him to have the position which he held in the early church.
“That thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” You ought never to fight a war unless your heart is in it, unless you are fighting for a real cause and intend to get the victory. As a Christian, Timothy had a real enemy. He was involved in a spiritual warfare. Paul wanted him to fight a good fight and not to make shipwreck of the faith—as others were doing.
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck [1 Tim. 1:19].
Living the Christian life is not as simple as some would like us to believe. It is more complex than walking when the light is green and not walking when the light turns red. We have intricate personalities, and Paul is saying there is real danger for us in our human inconsistencies and failures. I assume you are not living in some ivory tower somewhere. Some Christians feel they are, that they are above the landscape and the smog and are way up yonder. But for those of us today who are walking on the sidewalks of our cities and rubbing shoulders with rough humanity and the problems of the world, we find that there are inconsistencies and failures in our lives. The danger we face is that of accommodating our faith to our failure.
A man I knew came home from the mission field and got a job doing something rather ordinary. He said, “The Lord led me to do this.” He had trained about nine years to be a missionary, and now he said the Lord had led him back home to take a job that just wasn’t very important. I asked him if he really felt that that was the way the Lord leads, and he insisted it was. He repeats this so frequently that I am afraid what actually happened was that he accommodated his faith to his human failure on the mission field. That is a grave danger for all of us. My friend, when you and I fail—when there is inconsistency in our lives—we ought to go to Him and tell Him that we have fallen short, that we haven’t measured up. As we will read shortly in 1 Timothy, the Lord Jesus is a wonderful mediator between God and man. We need not be afraid to go to Him.
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme [1 Tim. 1:20].
“Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander”—Paul cites two examples of apostates in his day. He mentions them elsewhere in Scripture, and he doesn’t have much good to say about either one of them. In 2 Timothy he writes, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil …” (2 Tim. 4:14).
“Whom I have delivered unto Satan.” These men had failed, they were apostates, and Paul exercised a ministry which I feel only an apostle can exercise. He says, “I have delivered [them] unto Satan.” This is not something we could put under the name of ecclesiastical discipline or excommunication today. It is Paul exercising what was his prerogative and position as an apostle; he hands over these men to Satan.
We have another occasion of this mentioned in 1 Corinthians where Paul writes: “For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:3–5). This is an authority the apostles had which we do not have today. We have no right to deliver any man over to Satan, but the apostles did. Peter exercised it also: I imagine that if we could talk to Ananias and Sapphira they would be able to tell us something of his authority as an apostle (see Acts 5:1–11).
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Public prayer and woman’s place in the churches
PUBLIC PRAYER
Public prayer is prayer for the public and for public officials.
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty [1 Tim. 2:1–2].
Paul says that Christians are to pray for public officials, and I take it that he meant that the prayers were to be made in the church. To bring this up-to-date, he is saying the Democrats ought to pray for the Republicans, and the Republicans ought to pray for the Democrats. Many years ago a famous chaplain of the Senate was asked by a visitor, “Do you pray for the senators?” He replied, “No, I look at the senators, and then I pray for the country!” That is exactly what Paul says we need to do. We need to pray for our country, and we need to pray for those who have authority over us. If you are a Republican and a Democrat is in office, pray for him. If you are a Democrat and a Republican is in office, pray for him.
“For kings.” Paul says we are to pray for the kings who rule. You may ask, “Yes, but are we to pray when the government is a corrupt one?” Paul is saying we are to pray even if it’s a corrupt government. We are to pray for whoever is in power. Remember that the man who was in power in Rome when Paul wrote was bloody Nero, yet he says we are to pray for kings, whoever they are.
“That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” Any government is better than no government. Some people may question that, but an evil, corrupt government, if it really governs, is better than anarchy. I agree with those who argue that politics is crooked—man has certainly corrupted and misused political power—but there does remain a semblance of law and order. Civil government is a gift from God, and we ought to give thanks for it and pray for it. Many of us fall short of praying for our government in order that we might continue to live quietly and peaceably.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth [1 Tim. 2:3–4].
A second reason we should pray for government is in order that the gospel might continue to go out to the lost. I believe that we are actually going to see the persecution of Christians in this country in the future. I do not mean the persecution of church members—the liberal church is so compromised today that they will go along with whatever comes along. I am saying that genuine believers in Christ may encounter persecution. Paul was beginning to experience persecution himself, and he said the believers were to pray for the leaders who were responsible for it. It was “good and acceptable in the sight of God” to pray for these men. Why? Because it is God’s will that all men might be saved.
It is not important for you and me to get a certain man elected to office. I have never in my ministry recommended a candidate for office. I am not called to do that, and I don’t believe any minister is. I am to pray for our leaders regardless of who they are in order that the gospel can go out. I want a man in office who is going to make it possible for the Word of God to continue to be given to the lost. This should be our concern and our prayer.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus [1 Tim. 2:5].
“For there is one God.” The Romans worshiped many gods, and today people worship many gods in a different sort of way. People are giving themselves to many things—some to pleasure, some to entertainment, and so on. The entertainment world, for example, has become a religion of sorts for many people. There are women who would sacrifice their virtue in a moment and men who would sacrifice their honor in order to become a movie or television star. People have many different gods today. But there is only one God, and He is the Creator.
“And one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” In Old Testament times the Israelite went to the temple where there were many priests. He could go to God through them. Paul is saying that now there is only one Mediator to whom we are to go. We are not to go to any human being down here; it is not necessary to go through a minister. There is a Mediator between God and man.
We need a mediator, we need a priest, and we have one, the Great High Priest. Job’s heart cry even in his day was, “Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). In effect, Job was crying out, “Oh, if there were somebody who could take hold of God’s hand and then take hold of my hand and bring us together that there might be communication and understanding between us!”
Well, my friend, today we have a Mediator—the Lord Jesus Christ has come. He has one hand in the hand of Deity because He is God. He is able to save to the uttermost because He is God, and He has paid the price for our salvation. He is a Mediator because He has also become man. He can hold my hand; He understands me. He understands you; you can go to Him, and He is not going to be upset with you. He will not lose His temper or strike you or hurt you in any way. You may say, “Well, I’ve failed. I’ve done such-and-such, and I’ve come short of the glory of God.” My friend, He knows that, and He still loves you and wants to put His arm around you.
Isaiah wrote of the Lord: “In all their affliction he was afflicted …” (Isa. 63:9). Some scholars say that this should read, “In all their affliction he was not afflicted.” Either way you read it, it is wonderful. I think maybe God wants us to see it both ways, but I like it, “In all their affliction he was not afflicted.” God went through the wilderness with the children of Israel. When they failed and disobeyed at Kadesh-Barnea, He didn’t say, “Well, goodbye—I’m through with you, you’ve failed.” No, He went with them for forty years. But He also went on ahead: He gave Moses their instructions for living for the time when they would enter the Promised Land. But He waited for them and dealt patiently with them in their time of affliction in the wilderness. He wasn’t afflicted; He didn’t break down and fail but just stayed there with them.
He has dealt with me in the same way, and it is wonderful to have such a Mediator through whom we can go to God. And you should go through Him, because there is really no use coming and telling me your troubles. I may not be sympathetic with you; I might not really understand your case. He does. He’s human. He is a daysman, a Mediator. He has put His hand in mine. I don’t put my hand in His; He puts His hand in mine. That is the wonder of it all! He has come down and put His hand in mine and taken hold of me, but He also holds on to God because He is God, and He has brought us together.
This Mediator is the One the world needs to know because there is but one way to salvation. Peter said to the religious leaders of his day: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Christ is the only way, but the tremendous thing is that He will bring you right through to God if you will turn to Him.
One time while in Canada I was told that I needed to get onto a certain freeway to get to Detroit, Michigan, but if I missed that freeway I was in real trouble. It took a great deal of manipulating around, but once I managed to find that freeway it brought me right into Detroit. I was thankful for the man who had said, “There is only one way.” I am also thankful that I have been told there is one way to God, one Mediator. He is the only One who can bring us together: He can bring us to God because He is God and He is also a man, “the man Christ Jesus.”
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time [1 Tim. 2:6].
“Ransom” is antilutron in the Greek, and it means a “redemption price.” Christ paid a price for our redemption. We needed to be redeemed—you and I were lost sinners, and He was the ransom.
Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity [1 Tim. 2:7].
“I am ordained” might be better translated “I am appointed.” Paul says that he was appointed a preacher and an apostle.
“Preacher” comes from the Greek word kerux, which means “a herald or a trumpet,” referring to one who gives out the gospel. He has been appointed one to declare the gospel.
“(I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;).” It might seem strange to you that Paul would say this to a young preacher who is his personal friend. I think he is saying it to encourage him—Timothy knows it is true.
“A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity [truth].” Again this is something that he did not write to the churches. He has always said that he is an apostle of the Gentiles; here he says that he is not only the apostle to give the gospel, but he is also the one to teach the Gentiles.
HOW MEN ARE TO PRAY
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting [1 Tim. 2:8].
“I will”—Paul is not making this a matter of his will, but is saying, “I desire.”
“That men pray every where”—that is, in every place where believers meet. Paul is talking about public prayer, prayer in the public service.
“Lifting up holy hands.” This was a custom practiced in the early church. It revealed the dedication in the lives of those praying.
Now there are those who lift up their hands in services today, and they are sometimes criticized for it. There is nothing wrong with lifting up your hands if it is something you feel you want to do. Personally, I have always hesitated to do it because I’m not too sure about my hands, whether they are clean or not, clean physically or otherwise. Notice that Paul says, “holy hands.” This would mean that they are hands dedicated to God’s service. My friend, you ought not to poke up your hands in a meeting if those hands are not used for the service of Christ.
“Without wrath”—all sins have been confessed. You don’t come in prayer with anger in your heart, or a bitter spirit, but with all your sins confessed.
“Without … doubting.” In Hebrews 11:6 we read: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” When we come to God in prayer, we are to come in faith. One of the reasons I feel that our prayer meetings are not better attended today is that people lack faith. They do not believe that God is going to hear and answer prayer.
I do not mean to be irreverent, but I sometimes think that the Lord must yawn during our prayer meetings because they are so boresome. Prayer should be made in our public services by those who have their sins confessed, who come without bitterness in their hearts, and who come in faith, believing that God will hear and answer. It is this kind of prayer that will make a prayer meeting what it ought to be.
HOW WOMEN ARE TO PRAY
Paul has given the way that men ought to pray, and now he will say how women are to pray. This passage will also touch on the matter of women’s dress and their place in the local church.
We live in a day when there are two extreme positions relative to the place women should occupy in the local and visible church. Both positions use this passage of Scripture to support their stand.
One position permits women to occupy a place of prominence and leadership in all public services. They have women preachers, choir directors, and officers. No position is withheld from them and, as a result, the women are not only prominent but we find that they become dominant in the church.
When I was a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, a tent was put up across the street from my church. The Baptist preacher in town was a good friend of mine and together we went over to meet the husband and wife team who were going to hold meetings. The wife did the preaching, and the husband did all the leg work. We watched him putting up the tent and setting out the benches and all that sort of thing. He also led the singing. That’s all right if you like it that way, but I don’t. However, the Baptist preacher and I gave the meetings all the support we could, because they had good meetings and she did preach the gospel. This is an example of the fact that God has used some of these groups who have women preachers in a definite way; but I think, frankly, that He has used them in spite of, not because of, the position of women among them.
The other extreme position on this issue is taken by those who do not allow women any place at all in their public services. You never hear the voice of a woman in public in their meetings, not even in singing. I have had opportunity for good ministry among some of these folk, but believe me, they push their women to the background. I fear that they lose a great deal of talent and that the women could make a marvelous contribution if they were permitted to do so.
To illustrate this, allow me to tell you a story, and I hope you understand that I do so in a facetious manner. There is a little town in the Midwest where there lived a very prominent maiden lady. Everyone agreed that she would have made some man a wonderful wife, but she had never been asked and she died an old maid. The society editor for the local newspaper who normally would cover such a story was out of town, and the sports editor was asked to write up a little notice of this lady’s death. He concluded the article with these words:
Here lie the bones of Nancy Jones:
For her, life held no terrors.
She lived an old maid, she died an old maid:
No hits, no runs, no errors.
Churches miss something when they will not use the talent of their women. God can and will use them in His work.
The confusion that exists about this rather practical issue has been brought about by a misunderstanding of this passage of Scripture and also by an unfamiliarity with the Roman world of Paul’s day.
Let’s establish first that God has used women. In the Word of God we see Deborah, Queen Esther, Ruth, and others. In church history, we find women like Mary Fletcher and Priscilla Gurney. There are multitudes of others whom God has used in a wonderful way.
However, in the Roman world the female principle was a part of all the heathen religions, and women occupied a prominent place. The worship of Aphrodite at Corinth was probably one of the most immoral in which prostitution was actually made into a religion. The thousand vestal virgins who were in the temple of Aphrodite on top of the Acropolis there in Corinth were nothing in the world but prostitutes. They were characterized by very disheveled hair. The reason God said that a woman should have her head covered was so she would not be associated at all with religions like this. Also, in Ephesus where Timothy was at this time, women occupied a very prominent position in the worship at the temple of Diana. In all the mystery religions there were priestesses. It is because of these heathen practices that Paul is emphasizing in this passage that this matter of sex is not to enter into the public prayer in the services of the Christian churches. We need to approach this passage with these factors in mind.
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works [1 Tim. 2:9–10].
“In like manner also”—Paul has said how men are to pray in public, and now he will say how women are to pray. Note that he is saying women are to pray. That is not the issue, but he is telling them the way in which they are to pray in public. His emphasis will be upon inner adornment rather than outward adornment. Women are to pray in public, but they should not dress up from the viewpoint of appealing to God in a sexual or physical way.
I want to make it very clear that I feel that a woman should dress as nicely as she possibly can. There is nothing wrong with a woman dressing in a way that is appealing to her husband (or, if she is single, to a man). I have made this statement before, and one lady wrote me in reaction to it:
I never thought I’d see the day when I would feel a need to take you to task over anything. Usually I agree with you on everything that you say. But on Friday morning in your last study in Proverbs, I guess you hit a raw nerve. You were admonishing young men on choosing a wife, and you said, “First of all, make sure she’s a Christian.” I agree with that. Then you said, “And if possible, choose a pretty one.” Really, Dr. McGee, do you think that’s quite fair? After all, there are far more plain, ordinary-looking girls and women than really pretty ones, and pray tell, where would they be if men chose only pretty ones? I happen to be one of those plain, ordinary-looking women, and I’m so glad my husband didn’t choose one of the pretty ones, or I’d have missed out on twenty-five years of happy married life. I’m not really angry with you. How could I be when you’ve taught me so much of the deep truths of God’s Word? I just wanted you to know that I think you ought to say a little something for us women whom the Lord did not choose to bless with physical beauty.
I want to say something to that woman and to others: Have you ever stopped to realize that when your husband fell in love with you he thought you were beautiful? Yes, he did. I shall never forget the night that I met my wife. It was a summer night in Texas, and we were invited to the home of mutual friends for dinner. Frankly, these friends were trying to bring us together. I didn’t want to go because I had an engagement in Fort Worth that night. My wife didn’t want to go because she was going with another fellow! But that night when I saw her—I never shall forget her dark hair, her brown eyes—there in the candlelight I looked at her, and I fell in love with her. I proposed to her on our second date, and the reason I didn’t propose on that first date was that I didn’t want her to think I was in a hurry! She’d never won a beauty contest, but she was beautiful. How wonderful it was!
I have a notion your husband thought you were beautiful also, and there is nothing wrong in dressing in a way to be attractive to him. But when you go to God in prayer, you don’t need that outward adornment. You need that inward adornment. When a woman is going to sing in church, to speak or to have any part in a church service, she ought to keep in mind that her appeal should in no way be on the basis of sex. She should seek to please God, and there is no way in which she can appeal to Him on the basis of sex at all. Such appeal characterized the pagan religions in the Roman world, and Paul is stressing that it should not be a part of the public services of the Christian churches.
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence [1 Tim. 2:11–12].
These verses have to do with the learning and teaching of doctrine. Keep in mind that the women led in the mystery religions of Paul’s day, and they were sex orgies. Paul is cautioning women not to speak publicly with the idea of making an appeal on the basis of sex. Paul strictly forbade women to speak in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:34.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety [1 Tim. 2:13–15].
It was the sin of Eve that brought sin into the world. Now every time a woman bears a child, she brings a sinner into the world—that is all she can bring into the world. But Mary brought the Lord Jesus, the Savior into the world. So how are women saved? By childbearing—because Mary brought the Savior into the world. Don’t ever say that woman brought sin into the world, unless you are prepared to add that woman also brought the Savior into the world. My friend, no man provided a Savior: a woman did. However, each individual woman is saved by faith, the same as each man is saved by faith. She is to grow in love and holiness just as a man is.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Officers in the churches
REQUIREMENTS OF ELDERS
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work [1 Tim. 3:1].
“This is a true saying” could be translated, “This is a faithful saying.” In other words, this is a saying that stands the test of time; it is one you can depend upon.
“If a man desire the office of a bishop” means if a man seeks the office of a bishop. This has in it the thought that there will be the active seeking of the office. I believe that a man who has the qualifications ought to seek the office. He ought to want a place where he can use the gift that the Spirit of God has given him. If the Spirit of God has not given him the gift and is not leading him, then it would be a tragedy indeed if a man sought the office of bishop. This also suggests that there was not just one bishop in the church, but there were several.
“The office of a bishop.” Bishop is a word that has been misinterpreted and interpreted differently by different groups. Those who practice the episcopal form of church government put great emphasis upon this word and its interpretation.
Bishop actually means “an overseer, a superintendent.” In the early church the pastor was called by several different titles: (1) he was called a presbyter, or elder; (2) he was called a pastor, or shepherd; (3) he was called a bishop, or an overseer; and (4) he was called a minister. The pastor was never called “reverend,” and I don’t think any preacher should be so called. Reverend means “terrible, that which incites terror.” It is a name which applies only to God.
I take the position that the terms elder and bishop refer to the same person. Those who hold to the episcopal form of church government will, of course, disagree with me altogether. I believe that the use of “elder” (presbuteros in the Greek) refers to the person who holds the office, and it suggests that he must be a mature Christian. On the other hand, the use of “bishop” (episkopos in the Greek) refers to the office that is held. Therefore, these two words apply to the same individual or office.
A bishop in the early church never had authority over other bishops or elders. He did not have authority over churches. You do not find such a practice presented in the Word of God. Even Paul, who founded a number of churches, never spoke of himself as the bishop of a church, or as the one who was ruling a church in any way whatsoever. Therefore, the minister is one who is to serve the church, not rule over it.
“He desireth a good work”—he is seeking a place where he can serve in the church.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach [1 Tim. 3:2].
We have given here the positive requirements of an elder—the things he ought to be.
“Blameless.” The thing that must be understood is that you will be blamed for things if you hold an office, any office, in the church. What is important is that the accusation must not be true. An elder must be blameless in the sense that he will not be found guilty of anything that he might be accused of.
Shortly after I had been called to a pastorate in downtown Los Angeles, I met Dr. James McGinley in Chicago. He asked me, “How do you like being pastor in that great church?” “Well,” I said, “it’s a marvelous opportunity, but I find myself in a very unique place: I am accused of many things, and I can’t defend myself. You cannot spend all your time answering everybody, so I’ve determined to just preach the Word of God and not try to answer them.” Dr. McGinley said, “Just rejoice that the things you are accused of are not true.” It is nice to be in that position, and that should be the position of a bishop—blameless: accused but not guilty.
“The husband of one wife.” This can be interpreted two ways. It could mean that he ought to be married. I feel that Paul had this in mind. You may say, “Well, Paul was not married.” I take the position that Paul had been married and his wife had died. He could not have been a member of the Sanhedrin without being married. He simply had not married again, perhaps because of his travels as an apostle.
When I first became a pastor I was not married and I was frequently kidded by a friend who said I had no right to be a pastor if I wasn’t married. Using this verse, he would say, “You should be the husband of one wife.” However, I think that the primary meaning here is that the bishop or elder should not have two wives. Polygamy was common in Paul’s day, and bigamy was certainly prevalent. The officer in the church should be the husband of one wife.
“Vigilant” means temperate. The elder should be calm and not credulous. He should be a man who knows how to keep his cool.
“Sober” means sober-minded or serious. He means business. This does not mean an elder cannot have a sense of humor, but he should be serious about the office which he holds.
“Of good behaviour.” An elder should be orderly in his conduct. He doesn’t do questionable things. I knew a minister who got himself into a great deal of difficulty because of his careless actions. The rumors were that he had had an affair with a woman in his congregation. I’m confident from all the information that came to me from several sources that he was not guilty, but he certainly had been careless in his conduct. He was a young minister, and often at church social gatherings, he would kiddingly say that he was going to take another man’s wife home. He would take her, leave her off at her door, and then go on to his home. All this was done with a great deal of kidding, but it caused some people to raise their eyebrows and start talking. My feeling is that the conduct of an officer or a minister should be absolutely above reproach. Kidding is fine, but it should not lead to questionable activity.
“Given to hospitality” means that an elder is to be a hospitable individual. He is the type of fellow who invites his preacher or others out to lunch. I’ve always liked fellows like that and have had the privilege in recent years of meeting many wonderful and hospitable laymen in my travels all over the country. One will come and put his arm around me and say, “Now can I help you in some way? Is there anything I can do?” They do things like having a bowl of fruit or a bouquet of flowers sent to my hotel room where I happen to be staying. One time in San Diego I broke off a capped tooth, and a doctor friend recommended a dentist there. That dentist is such a wonderful man I still go all the way to San Diego for my dental care. Such hospitable men can be found all across our country.
“Apt to teach.” This is something I emphasize, because I do not feel any man ought to be an elder in a church unless he can teach the Word of God. I used to say to my church officers that I wished it was possible to give a theological exam to each one of them to determine if he was qualified to be an officer. I never actually did that, but I always thought it would be a good idea.
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous [1 Tim. 3:3].
Now we come to the negative qualifications—the things an elder should not be.
“Not given to wine”—he should not be a drunkard.
“No striker”—not violent or pugnacious.
“Not greedy of filthy lucre.” He shouldn’t have a love of money. The love of money is a root of all evil we are told in Scripture (1 Tim. 6:10). The way a church officer handles his money can lead him into a great deal of trouble—either his own money or the church’s money.
“Patient” means reasonable. He should be a reasonable man, someone you can talk to or reason with.
“Not a brawler.” He should not be a contentious person. Men who are constantly stirring up trouble in a church should never be selected as church officers.
“Not covetous” again refers to the love of money, but it also suggests an idolatry, actually the worship of money. He should not be a man who puts the pursuit of wealth above everything else.
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity [1 Tim. 3:4].
An elder should have the authority in his own home—without being a dictator.
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) [1 Tim. 3:5].
A man does not know how to rule the house of God if he cannot rule his own home.
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil [1 Tim. 3:6].
“Not a novice” means not a recent convert, not someone who has recently been saved. Sometimes a man is converted one week, and the next week he is made a church officer or asked to give his testimony. He is not ready for it. This is a caution that needs to be heeded today.
I had the privilege for several years of teaching a Bible study group of Christians in Hollywood. It was natural for them to want to push to the front some prominent personality who had recently made a decision for Christ. However, the cause of Christ is hurt when those who are young in the faith attempt to speak on matters of doctrine about which they are not knowledgeable.
“Lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Pride was the Devil’s great sin. Also it is often the sin of officers in the church and of preachers. It is a danger for all of us, but it is reprehensible when it is in the church.
Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil [1 Tim. 3:7].
“Them which are without” means those who are outside the church. In other words, if a man has a bad reputation on the outside—if he doesn’t pay his bills, is untrustworthy, or is a liar—he immediately is not a candidate to be an officer in the church. If he is such a man he is really a candidate of the Devil—he would better represent the Devil than he would represent the cause of Christ.
REQUIREMENTS OF DEACONS
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre [1 Tim. 3:8].
The word that is translated “deacon” here is the same word that is sometimes translated as “minister.” Paul and Apollos are called deacons. The Lord Jesus is called a minister in Matthew 20:28. In Romans 13:4 government officials are called ministers, and in 2 Corinthians 11:15 ministers of Satan have the word applied to them. Deacon or minister, therefore, is a general term for a servant or a worker.
We think of the account in Acts 6 as giving the occasion when the office of deacon began in the early church. However, the Greek word for deacon is not even used there. But I’m confident we have scriptural grounds to say that those men were being appointed as deacons in the church.
A deacon, although he deals with the material matters of the church, should be a spiritual man. We have a problem today when we appoint a man as a deacon on the basis of physical rather than spiritual qualifications. We think that because a man is a successful businessman he will make a good deacon. There are too many men who are appointed to office on that basis.
I have attempted to emphasize in 1 Timothy that the local church is an organization that needs to make itself manifest in the community, and in doing so it gets right down where the rubber meets the road. It must deal with the problems of a building, supplying heat and light, and a lot of material issues that don’t seem very romantic. However, the important matter is still that a church is to have a spiritual ministry in the community. We often put the material qualifications first, but the men who are in office must have the spiritual qualifications for their office. Someone has put it like this: “When a church ceases to be in touch with another world, she is no longer in touch with this one.” I agree with that 100 percent. Until the spiritual aspects are emphasized, a church cannot accomplish the material and practical functions down here. The deacons, therefore, are to have certain spiritual qualifications.
“Grave”—he should be a man of dignity.
“Not double-tongued.” A deacon should not be two-faced. A man’s word should amount to something. It can be dangerous when a man tries to please everybody or doesn’t have the courage to stand on his own two feet. There is a fine balance between being a Mr. Milquetoast and being a dictator. An officer in the church needs to be somewhere between those two.
“Not given to much wine.” I take this just as it is: the Bible teaches temperance, and that is important to see. I do not think the Bible teaches total abstinence because there weren’t many medicines in those days and wine was used as a medicine. In 1 Timothy 5:23 Paul encourages Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach’s sake. Even today many of the medicines we take contain a high percentage of alcohol.
The problem we encounter with alcohol in our day is the way it is used as a beverage, and I feel that the church should teach total abstinence because the abuse of alcohol is so prevalent. I do not believe that a Christian should use alcohol as a refreshment or a drink.
“Not greedy of filthy lucre.” This means that a deacon should not have an insatiable love of money. He should be a man of integrity and should handle the money of the church in an honest way. There is nothing that can hurt a church more than the accusation that the deacons are juggling the finances. Money given to a church for a specific cause needs to be carefully allotted to the intended cause.
I have discovered in my experience in the ministry that most of the churches I know are run by men of high integrity, but it is that small minority of dishonest men who are muddying the waters and causing difficulty. If there is one thing a church ought to be able to present to the world it is the fact that it is honest and holds a place of high integrity in financial matters.
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience [1 Tim. 3:9].
“The mystery of the faith” means the revelation of the gospel of Christ. When Paul says “the faith” he is not speaking of the abstract quality of faith, but of the doctrines of the faith. He speaks of it as a “mystery” because these doctrines were not revealed in the Old Testament but are now revealed in the New Testament. We are told in Acts that the early church “continued in the apostles’ doctrine.” The apostles’ doctrine was “the faith” of the early church. It should be the faith of the church today, and the church needs to represent that faith before the world.
There are a great many people who think the faith is outmoded and needs to be changed. An editorial in one of our national magazines a number of years ago supported this idea by suggesting an updated list of the “seven deadly sins.” Their new list included selfishness, intolerance, indifference, cruelty, violence, and destructiveness. The list replaced lust, of course, with prudery. Lust was replaced, they said, because it had become as commonplace as the neighborhood newsstand or cinema. Gluttony was not included because it was considered a cholesterol problem but not a theological one. Words like covetousness and sloth were deemed antiquated. The article noted that different segments of society have different concepts of what constitutes sin. For example, young people would have placed irrelevance and hypocrisy high on their list of sins, but destructiveness would not have been included unless it meant only destructiveness of the environment. Similarly, elderly people would want noise, hair, and incivility included on their list. Some would argue that the new list simply contained old sins under new names. For example, selfishness had merely replaced covetousness. The article contended that the old names were obsolescent and needed changing if sin was to retain any contemporary, moral force at all. It concluded by affirming that sin is a concept well worth saving!
I would emphatically agree that sin is a concept worth saving, but I must insist also that sin has in no way changed. What the Bible calls sin is still sin. Human nature is still human nature. The spiritual qualifications which the Bible lays down for church officers must still hold good today if the church is to represent the Lord Jesus Christ here on this earth. The church and its officers must hold to New Testament doctrine, calling sin the sins which are clearly labeled as such in the Word of God.
“In a pure conscience”—not with the conscience that has been seared with a hot iron (see 1 Tim. 4:2).
And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless [1 Tim. 3:10].
A man should not be shoved into office a month after he joins a church and before he has proved that he is the type of man that Scripture has described here.
Now Paul has a word about the wives of deacons. They must measure up to certain standards also.
Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things [1 Tim. 3:11].
“Grave”—they should be serious, able to be calm and cool.
“Not slanderers” means they are not to be gossips. A gossipy deacon’s wife can cause much trouble in the church.
“Sober,” again, is sober-minded.
“Faithful in all things.” She should be faithful to her husband, to Christ Himself, and to His cause.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well [1 Tim. 3:12].
The deacons are to meet the same personal and family requirements that were given for the elders.
For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus [1 Tim. 3:13].
“Good degree” could be read “good standing.” In other words, a deacon who serves well will become known as a man who is to be trusted.
“Boldness” means confidence and courage in witnessing. Remember that a deacon primarily has a spiritual office. I remember the case of one man who was a deacon and was asked to take the office of an elder. Well, he didn’t think he was spiritual enough or knew the Bible well enough to be an elder. If that was true, then he should not have been a deacon either, but he had been selected a deacon because he was a successful businessman. The spiritual requirements should be met by both elders and deacons before they are allowed to represent the church of Christ.
REPORT OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY
These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly [1 Tim. 3:14].
Paul was in Macedonia, and Timothy was in Ephesus. Paul was hoping to be able to join Timothy shortly.
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth [1 Tim. 3:15].
I have selected this as the key verse of this epistle because 1 Timothy is a book about church order. While he is away Paul writes, “I’ve written this to you so you will know how to act in the house of God.”
“The church of the living God”—Paul is speaking to the church that is the church.
“The pillar and ground of the truth.” “Pillar” means the stay, the prop, or that which is foundational. What Paul is saying is that the church is the pillar, the bedrock—it is the prop and support of the truth. If the officers do not represent the truth, the church has no foundation, no prop, and it cannot hold up the truth of God.
Some men purport to represent the truth, but they actually do not represent the truth in the way they lead their lives. I knew a deacon once who carried the biggest Bible I have ever seen. Every time you saw him he was weighed down on one side carrying that Bible. But he was a man you couldn’t depend upon—there was a question about his integrity. He hurt the church he served and brought it into disrepute. Paul is writing to tell the church how it should act so that it can represent and proclaim the truth of God to the world on the outside.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory [1 Tim. 3:16].
This verse probably constitutes one of the earliest creeds of the church. Some think that it was one of the songs of the early church.
“Without controversy”—means confessedly, or obviously.
“Great is the mystery of godliness.” The mystery of godliness is that God in the person of Jesus Christ entered this world in which we live, paid the penalty of sin, and is making men and women godly—that is, with Godlikeness.
“God was manifest in the flesh.” Certainly Paul is teaching the virgin birth of Christ, but he is also speaking of Christ’s existence before His incarnation. That existence was spiritual: He was “… in the form of God …” (Phil. 2:6). Hebrews speaks of Christ as “… being the brightness [effulgence] of his [God’s] glory, and the express image of his person …” (Heb. 1:3). The Lord Jesus Himself said, “God is a Spirit …” (John 4:24).
Now from this condition as God—not seen with human eyes—Christ came into manifestation—into sight—in the flesh. He became a man and entered into human conditions. And under these human conditions the attributes of His essential spiritual personality were veiled. This is the thought John gives in his gospel: “… The Word was made [became] flesh.” He was born flesh “and dwelt [pitched His tent here] among us …” (see John 1:14). Just as God was not visible in the tabernacle in the wilderness, so Jesus Christ was veiled when He tabernacled among us in human flesh. He did not appear to men what He really was; man did not recognize who He was. The One who in the beginning was God, was with God, and who made all things, became a little, helpless baby. He was the image of the invisible God and had all power in heaven and in earth, but down here He took upon Himself human flesh. Because He was not recognized by man, He was treated as an imposter, a usurper, and a blasphemer. He was hated, persecuted, and murdered. God manifest in the flesh was poor, was tempted and tried, and actually shed tears.
“Justified in the Spirit.” Yet in all that, He was not justified in the flesh, but in the Spirit. He was manifest in the flesh—that is how the world saw Him; but He was justified or vindicated in the Spirit in His resurrection. There were times when His glory broke out down here; there were revelations and expressions and witnesses of who He really was. There were angels at His virgin birth. His glory was seen at His baptism, at His transfiguration, and at the time of His arrest. The things that occurred at the time of His crucifixion caused the watching centurion to say, “Truly this was the Son of God” (see Matt. 27:54). But it was when He came back from the dead that we see Him now justified. He was manifest in the flesh, but justified in the Spirit: “sown a natural body; raised a spiritual body” (see 1 Cor. 15:44). No enemy laid a hand upon Him after He was raised from the dead. He will never be dishonored again.
However, because He came down here and has now returned to the right hand of God, we can be justified. Down here He was delivered up for our offenses—He took our place as a sinner, and now He gives us His place up yonder and we are justified. How wonderful this is!
“Seen of angels”—it doesn’t say that He saw angels; rather, they saw Him. He has gone back to heaven, and now all the created intelligences of heaven worship Him because He wrought redemption for mankind. Little man down here hasn’t caught on yet, but the song that will be sung throughout eternity is the song of redemption.
“Preached unto the Gentiles [the nations]”—this is still happening today.
“Believed on in the world.” Many today are trusting Him as their Savior.
“Received up into glory.” Today Christ is at God’s right hand. At this very moment, my friend, He is there. Have you talked to Him today? Have you told Him that you love Him, and have you thanked Him for all He has done? How wonderful He is!
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Apostasy in the churches
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE APOSTATES
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils [1 Tim. 4:1].
“Now” would be better translated “but.” This would set in sharp contrast the early doctrinal creed given in the final verse of the preceding chapter and the apostasy within the church that Paul is now going to discuss.
“That in the latter times.” Elsewhere in my writings on 1 Timothy I have said that this expression refers to the last days of the church on the earth, but I want to change my mind on that. I now feel that this refers to the days of the church beginning immediately after the life of Paul. The apostasy of the church had begun even at that time. You remember that when Paul was in Ephesus he warned them that there would come wolves in sheep’s clothing who would deceive the believers. John said, “Already there are many antichrists”—already error had entered the church. The first great church was the Coptic church in Africa; it was way ahead of the others. North Africa produced some of the greatest saints in the early church, including Augustine, Tertullian, and Athanasius, but that church went off into heresy and departed from the faith.
When Paul says here, “in the latter times,” he does not have the second coming of Christ in view at all. However, in 2 Timothy 3:1 where he says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (italics mine), he is using a technical expression that always refers to the last days of the church on the earth before the Lord Jesus takes it out. The “latter times” mentioned here refers to our times today—Paul was speaking of what lay just ahead for the church in his day.
“Some shall depart from the faith.” Paul is warning that there will be heretical teachers who will mislead a great company of people. There will be a departure from the faith. Paul wrote also in 2 Thessalonians 2 of the apostasy to come. Actually this matter of apostasy has been in the church a long time, and it will not be new at the end of the age by any means.
It has grown and will continue to grow, however. When the church of Christ is raptured, there will be left behind a totally apostate organized church.
“Depart” is aphistemi in the Greek, and it means “to stand away from.” A departure suggests not only that you have a point to which you are going, but also a point from which you have come. Those who apostatize are ones who have professed at one time to hold to the faith, but now they have departed from it. There cannot be an apostasy in paganism because they have never professed the faith. They never professed to trust Christ as Savior. They have never heard about Him, and there can be no apostasy among them. The apostasy comes within the organized church among those who profess to the faith and then depart from it.
“Giving heed to seducing spirits.” Now when they depart from the faith, what is responsible for it? What has caused them to depart? Is it because they have become better educated, more intellectual? Is it because of scientific developments and increased knowledge which reveals that the faith can no longer be held? No, Paul says, “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits.”
“Seducing” actually means wandering, roving, and it comes from the word vagabond or deceiver or seducer. In fact, Satan is all those things. They shall give heed to satanic spirits.
“Doctrines of devils [demons].” People will give heed to doctrines of demons. It is alarming to a great many people that even in our very materialistic age there is a return to the things of the spirit world and a great emphasis upon it.
Christians are told to “… try the spirits whether they are of God …,” because there have gone out into the world these seducing spirits (1 John 4:1). The test that we should apply is the creed that was given in 1 Timothy 3:16: “… God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit ….” The only way of salvation is through the death of Christ, and it is by this truth we can test the doctrines of demons today.
There is a small segment of those who claim to be believers who are placing a great emphasis on demonism. They are very interested in this subject and are reading everything they can find about it. I think that we are seeing a real manifestation of the spirit world today, but the best thing you and I can do regarding the Devil is to show him a clean pair of heels. We should not be a bunch of heels, sticking around and getting ourselves involved in all of this. Paul warns us against being seduced by the doctrines of demons. We should stay clear of them, testing each spirit by its acknowledgment of the deity of Christ and by its acknowledgment that God was manifest in the flesh and that we are justified through the redemption He wrought for us on the cross.
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron [1 Tim. 4:2].
“Speaking lies in hypocrisy;” The apostate will pretend to be very pious and very religious. I have come to be suspicious of this pious position taken by super-duper saints who claim to have something special. My friend, if you do have the truth it will make you humble, because the first thing you will find out is how little you know. I realize that I have much more to learn about the Bible. There are those today, however, who know very little about the Word of God, but they speak as if they were authorities. “Speaking lies in hypocrisy,” they pretend to be something they are not.
“Having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” In 1 Timothy 1:5 we read that the things which should characterize the visible church are faith, love, and a good conscience. We should be tenderhearted people.
There is far too much talk about sex in the church today. I have heard of things happening in some churches that make my hair curl. Things are being said and done which I do not think could be done unless your conscience has been seared with a hot iron and you have gotten away from the Word of God. It is important in the plan and purpose of God that the church have a tender conscience and not stoop to such low levels.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth [1 Tim. 4:3].
Even in Christ’s day there were folk who went off from Judaism into cults and “isms.” This is not something new in our day; it has been going on for a long time.
“Forbidding to marry.” In Christ’s day there was a group down by the Dead Sea known as the Essenes. It was from among them that the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. When Christianity came along, many probably joined the Palestinian church and helped to produce most of its characteristic heresies, including the regulation of not marrying.
“Commanding to abstain from meats.” There are those who make certain rules and regulations about diet that are not in the Word of God. They go off on this as if food could commend them to God. It is true that if you eat the wrong kind of food you will get a tummy ache, but it has nothing to do with your spiritual life, my friend.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer [1 Tim. 4:4–5].
The Word of God does not condemn food; it commends it. If you can return thanks for the food, that sanctifies it for your body. “If it be received with thanksgiving”—there are some foods I cannot be thankful for. There are certain foods that would really put me down physically if I ate them, and I cannot be thankful for them. Also, I am told that there is a place in San Antonio, Texas, that cans rattlesnake meat! It is a delicacy, they say. Well, if you served me rattlesnake meat for dinner and asked me to return thanks for it, I’m not sure that I could. But if you can receive it with thanksgiving, my friend, then go ahead and eat it, whatever it might be—it’s perfectly all right.
WHAT THE “GOOD MINISTER” CAN DO IN TIMES OF APOSTASY
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained [1 Tim. 4:6].
“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things.” Paul has warned Timothy of the apostasy and false teachings that were to come into the church. There will be men who profess to the faith and then come to the place where they deny it. In turn, Timothy is to warn the believers about these things.
“Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ.” Every believer is a minister, but here Paul has in mind Timothy as a teacher of the Word of God. That is a gift that some men have and some don’t. But all believers are ministers.
“Nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine”—this is how the believer is to grow in the Word of God. We are not to go off on tangents about diet or some other aesthetic program as if it would commend us to God. Instead our diet is to be “nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine.”
“Whereunto thou hast attained.” Some interpreters think that there was a danger in Ephesus in the midst of so much false religion and work of Satan that Timothy would go off into it all, but Paul said that Timothy had attained unto the things he has mentioned and commends him for it.
Paul has warned Timothy about apostasy and false teachings, but he will mention more things that Timothy should avoid:
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness [1 Tim. 4:7].
“But refuse profane and old wives’ fables.” As a young boy I remember there were a lot of sayings that the older people would quote to us children. I remember one dear Christian woman who had some peculiar ideas. One was that everybody should take sulphur and tartar mixed with a little honey or molasses. I was fed that because my mother listened to her. I took enough sulphur and tartar to make a small mountain! I have no idea whether it did me any good or not, but she thought it was the only thing I needed as a boy. Similarly, when it was discovered that I had cancer I was given over a hundred books on diet to help rid me of the cancer. I couldn’t have followed one of these books without contradicting another! One said to eat plenty of grapes, the other said not to eat grapes. One would say to take honey, another to keep away from it. I decided to listen to the Great Physician and to leave my case in His hands.
“And exercise thyself rather unto godliness”—Timothy is to practice godliness in his life. Too many people emphasize the don’ts more than they do the exercise of godliness.
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come [1 Tim. 4:8].
“For bodily exercise profiteth little.” There are those who believe that Paul is downgrading physical exercise. I don’t understand it that way at all. Paul spent about three years in Ephesus where there was a great coliseum in which the Olympic Games were held at times. The coliseum seated 100,000 people, and foot races were often held there. Paul uses the figure of the race and makes a correspondence to the Christian life and walk in 1 Corinthians 9:24–27. I believe Paul knew something about exercise. I stood in the city of Sardis one time and observed the Roman road that was being excavated to the east and the west of that city. Paul walked that road nineteen hundred years ago, preaching the gospel of Christ. He didn’t travel in a bus or in an automobile. He didn’t ride a horse or even a donkey. Paul walked there, and it took a rugged individual to cover the ground that he covered throughout the Roman Empire. He may not have done much jogging, but he did a great deal of walking.
Paul’s emphasis on godliness rather than on physical exercise is because the Ephesians were a people given over to games and athletics. We are also that kind of a nation. Many of our cities have coliseums where great spectacles are conducted, and many believers put more emphasis on athletics than they do on the things of God. There are church officers who spend more time during the summer in the ball park than they spend in prayer meetings. Paul is not saying bodily exercise is wrong. He is saying, “Let’s hold things in correct perspective.”
“But godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” Bodily exercise will help you only in this life, because when you get a new body it won’t make any difference whether you’ve exercised this one or not. “But godliness is profitable unto all things.” Those who argue that a Christian can fall into sin and can always come back to God on easy terms, are right. But, my friend, a godly life pays off not only down here, it will pay off in eternity. The Prodigal Son lost a great deal by going to the far country, and any Christian who lives a careless life rather than a godly life will find that even in eternity he will pay for it. Are you as anxious about godliness as you are about physical exercise, about athletic events? The physical ends at the end of this life, but godliness is carried over into the next.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation [1 Tim. 4:9].
Paul is emphasizing the point he has just made. In other words, he says, “Here’s something you can count on.” You could count on it in the first century in Ephesus, and you can count on it in Los Angeles in the twentieth century. And we can count on it in the twenty-first century, if we make it that far.
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe [1 Tim. 4:10].
“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach.” If you stand for Jesus Christ today it will cost you something. There is no question about that.
“Who is the Saviour of all men.” We hear a great deal of discussion about what color of eyes Christ had. Was He blond or brunette? How tall was He? I talked to one man who was disturbed to see a picture of Christ painted as a black man. “Why not,” I said, “He’s the Savior of all men.” The color of His skin or of His hair is not the important thing. Scripture never gives us that kind of information about Him. Even the FBI doesn’t know. What Scripture does say is that He is the Savior of all men. Whoever you are, He’s your Savior and He’s the only Savior.
“Specially of those that believe.” He is the Savior of all men, but you can turn Him down if you want to. Let me illustrate this for you. They say that a plane leaves the Los Angeles International Airport every minute, and I could get on any one of them (if I had the courage!). All I need to do is get a ticket and get on the plane. It’s a plane for everybody, you see, but not everybody will take it. Christ is the Savior of all men, but only those who believe will be saved (see John 3:16; 1 John 2:2).
These things command and teach.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity [1 Tim. 4:11–12].
“Let no man despise thy youth.” Paul knew that there would be those in the church who would say of Timothy, “Well, he’s just a young fellow—he doesn’t know yet.” Maybe there were some things he didn’t know, but he was not to let anyone despise his youth.
“But be thou an example of the believers.” How could Timothy keep people from despising his youth? By not acting like a young fool. When I began as a young minister, even before I was ordained, I told an old, retired minister that I felt a little embarrassed and even frightened when someone with gray hair would come into the church to hear this young preacher who was still a student. He advised me, “Don’t ever worry about that. Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but make dead sure you are an example of the believers.” The important thing is not your age, but whether you are an example.
Paul tells Timothy in what ways he is to be an example: “in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” There is nothing new about the “new morality” today, but, believe me, the morality of the Bible is brand new to some folk! This is God’s standard—six ways in which we should be an example.
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine [1 Tim. 4:13].
The minister is to read the Scripture publicly. For what purpose? To comfort and to teach. The Word of God needs to be read, and until the church is getting people into the Word of God, it is missing its main function.
This was applicable to Timothy personally also. The minister can grow personally only by reading the Word for his exhortation and instruction. A growing minister will make a growing church. One of the greatest things ever said concerning Dwight L. Moody was said by a neighbor: “Every time Mr. Moody comes home, you can just tell how much he’s grown spiritually.” Are you further along spiritually today than you were this time last year? Are you growing in grace and the knowledge of Christ? The only way to do so is by reading the great truths of the Word of God.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery [1 Tim. 4:14].
“Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” The Spirit of God gives to every believer a gift, and Timothy had a gift that he was to use.
“Which was given thee by prophecy”—evidently Paul had predicted what this young man would do.
“With the laying on of the hands of the presbytery”—the laying on of the hands of the officers of the church. The laying on of hands never communicates anything, my friend. There are those who believe that something will be transferred to the person by the laying on of hands, but the only thing that will be transferred is disease germs—that’s all! Laying on of hands indicates partnership in the ministry. I always insisted that my church officers lay their hands on every missionary we commissioned. Every minister who is ordained should have hands put on him by those who are partners with him. That is what it means, and it is quite meaningful.
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all [1 Tim. 4:15].
“Meditate upon these things”—be diligent in your study. There is no excuse for a minister not to study the Word of God, and there is no excuse for any Christian not to study the Word of God.
“Give thyself wholly to them.” I will not accept a daily devotional time as a substitute for reading and studying the Word of God. It will not work to open your Bible to read a chapter at night when you have one eye closed and both feet already in bed. Nor will it work in the morning when you are half awake, or at the breakfast table when you are about to take off for work. My friend, you couldn’t study geometry, higher mathematics, or science like that. The Word of God is worthy of all that you and I can give to it, and we can never give as much as it should have.
“That thy profiting may appear to all.” The greatest compliment you could give your preacher would be to be able to say, “You are really improving in your preaching.” That’s the best thing you could say.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee [1 Tim. 4:16].
May I say this kindly, but I must say it: God have mercy on the minister who is not giving out the Word of God! That is a frightful sin. It would be better to be a gangster than to be a man who is supposed to give out the Word of God and fails to do so.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Duties of officers in the churches
Both chapters 5 and 6 will deal with this very practical matter of the duties of officers in the church. This gets right down to the nitty-gritty of church life today. There is nothing romantic in this, but it is very realistic and meaningful for us.
RELATIONSHIP OF MINISTERS TO DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren [1 Tim. 5:1].
“An elder”—the first relationship discussed is Timothy’s relationship to elders. There has been some difference of opinion as to whether Paul is referring to the office of elder or to an elder person, someone who was older than Timothy. In the early church the “elder” was an office, but the word used here refers to the individual. I think Paul had both aspects in mind: he is speaking of a mature child of God, and a man who occupied a certain office. Paul means both for the simple fact that an elder was an elder—an older man.
“Rebuke not an elder, but entreat [exhort] him as a father.” Timothy was not to rebuke an elder publicly, but he was to entreat him privately. Timothy was a young man, and he needed to be very tactful in his relationship with these older men in the church. In other words, he was not to take the position of a know-it-all or of a dictator over these older men. He was to encourage them and have a word privately with them if he thought it was necessary.
“And the younger men as brethren.” A sweet relationship should exist between Timothy and the older men and also with those of his own age.
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity [1 Tim. 5:2].
“With all purity.” A minister of a church should be very careful in his relationships with the opposite sex. Nothing hurts a church more or has more frequently wrecked the ministry of a church than sin in this area. When a minister must leave a church because of such a problem, the spiritual deadness in the church is very noticeable. Nothing can destroy the spiritual life of a church more than this kind of an experience. The “new morality” cannot and will not work in the church.
Paul has discussed Timothy’s relationship with the men in the church—older and younger, and then the women—older and younger. He comes now to his relationship with a third group—
Honour widows that are widows indeed [1 Tim. 5:3].
“Honour” is a very interesting word, and in the Greek it is the same word from which we get our English word honorarium. It has in it the thought of value being attached to something. Sometimes when I speak at a church on a Sunday or for a week of special services I receive a check that says on it, “Honorarium.” In other words, they have attached value to what I have done.
The early church took care of their widows, and they were very careful about it. The care of widows was the problem that arose in Acts 6. The Greeks (who were Jews from outside of Israel) felt that their widows were being neglected in favor of the others. The apostles had men appointed to handle the care of the widows so that they themselves could continue to concentrate on the preaching of the Word. Paul is giving instruction here as to how the care of the widows is to be carried out.
“Honour widows that are widows indeed.” The instruction given in the Word of God is very practical. It uses a whole lot of common sense and is not moved by sentimentality. Christians are known to be tenderhearted, and there are a lot of people today who have their hands out to us. We need to be very careful. The early church took care of widows, but they didn’t do it in some haphazard, sentimental way. The deacons were to make an investigation to see who were truly widows, where the need was, and how much need there was.
There are not many liberal or even conservative churches who are taking care of the widows in their midst. This is a much neglected area today.
Paul is going to go into this in very specific detail:
But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God [1 Tim. 5:4].
“Nephews” here are grandchildren. The investigation should determine whether the widow in question has children. Why aren’t they supporting her? Does she have grandchildren? They have a responsibility toward her. This was God’s method, and I think it still is God’s method.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day [1 Tim. 5:5].
Now this widow is “a widow indeed”—a real widow. She is “desolate,” that is, she is in need. She is a godly woman, and she prays. She not only prays for the church and the pastor, but she prays for herself and for her need. She has a right to do that. And I want to say that God uses us to help answer such prayers. He makes it clear that when we find a widow like this we are to help her. It is quite lovely when we do things God’s way.
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth [1 Tim. 5:6].
But if you go over to a widow’s house and find that she is having a cocktail party, I would say that she is not the widow to help. It does not matter how prominent her son, or her sister, or her brother might be in the church, she is not to be helped.
And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless [1 Tim. 5:7].
Paul is saying, “Timothy, you make this very clear to the church in order that they might act in an honorable way in these matters.”
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel [1 Tim. 5:8].
My friend, I don’t know how I could make this any stronger than it’s made right here: the widow is to be taken care of by her own flesh and blood. It does not matter what type of testimony a man may give at a businessmen’s meeting, or what kind of a testimony a woman may give to the missionary society, if they are not taking care of their own, they have no testimony for God. They are worse than infidels. Scripture is very clear here—you might miss some things in Scripture, but you cannot miss this.
Let not a widow he taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man [1 Tim. 5:9].
“Into the number” refers to the group of widows which were to be helped. Why did they have this age limit? Because if she was under that age she could still work and take care of herself.
Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work [1 Tim. 5:10].
“Well reported of for good works.” Paul is saying that it is good to consider what kind of person the widow has been in the past. Check back in her life. Don’t help everyone who comes along. But if she is the kind of person he has described and she is in need, you are to help her.
I wish that the church could get back to these very basic and simple principles and get away from the sentimental and emotional appeals that we hear instead. We respond to sentimental pleas from unworthy causes which are appealing to our soft hearts and neglect those in our very midst who have real need. We overlook the wonderful widow in our own church who is lonely and seldom visited. Her children have moved away or have died, and she may have physical need. Too often the church ignores such need. But if a church took care of its widows, its testimony would not go unnoticed by the world.
I believe that these widows who are helped by the church ought to be deaconesses in the church—they should render some service to the church. For example, several years ago I called a widow in my church and asked her to visit a lady whose husband’s funeral service I had just conducted. The death had left the lady without family or friends, and I asked the widow to visit her because she would understand the woman’s need—she had been through it herself. They became warm friends and grew in their relationship to God because of it. A widow can and should serve in some way in the church.
But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith [1 Tim. 5:11–12].
The younger widow is likely to want to remarry—and that’s all right, as I see it. But notice that there is the danger of remarrying for the wrong reasons. There is the danger that she will forget all about her faith. The church is to be very careful and test the young widows also.
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not [1 Tim. 5:13].
In other words, they carry garbage from one place to another, and the garbage is gossip. They go about, “speaking things which they ought not.” There is the danger for the young widow, who has been relieved of the responsibility of being a wife and homemaker (perhaps having no children), that she will become a regular gadabout.
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully [1 Tim. 5:14].
The woman is the homemaker.
In this whole section Paul is giving instructions about the behavior of men and women who are in the church. He is stressing that these relationships should be on the highest level as a testimony before the world—that they “give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.”
For some are already turned aside after Satan [1 Tim. 5:15].
They were not genuine believers, of course.
If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed [1 Tim. 5:16].
Each family should support its own widows, so that the church can concentrate on the widows who are without family and are in real need.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine [1 Tim. 5:17].
The early church paid their teachers, and a good teacher, I think, was paid a little bit more.
For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward [1 Tim. 5:18].
Paul is quoting here from Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7. I have known very few preachers who I thought were money-lovers; most men are in the ministry for a different motive, than that. You are not going to hurt the preacher if you give him a generous offering. Be generous also to a visiting Bible teacher if his ministry is a blessing to you.
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses [1 Tim. 5:19].
If this procedure were observed it would cut down a great deal on the gossip and misunderstanding and the strife that goes on in our churches today. Paul says that the pastor and every member of the church should refuse to let anyone whisper into his ear any gossip about the pastor or a church officer. People should be able to prove their accusations before witnesses. The important thing is that you should have the facts before you talk. And if you have the facts, rather than scatter the scandal abroad, you should seek to correct the problem by going to the proper authorities. Any accusation should be given before more than one witness.
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear [1 Tim. 5:20].
If the facts are known that a church leader has sinned, he is to be rebuked. The question arises, Is this to be done publicly? I believe that when a member of a church sins and it does not concern the congregation it should never be brought out into the open, nor should it be confessed publicly. However, when a leader of the church, an officer in the church, sins, and it has hurt the church, then I think it is time to call names. It may also be time to drop his name from the roll of membership. Great harm can be done to a church by sin in the life of its leaders, and this is the way Paul says it should be dealt with.
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality [1 Tim. 5:21].
Timothy is to treat everyone in the church alike. There may be an officer in the church who is a wealthy man and who has been good to the pastor. Perhaps he has bought the pastor a suit of clothes or helped him buy a new car. A pastor will often brag that such a man is a member of his church, and he may not feel inclined to bring any charges against him even though it is evident the man is guilty. Paul says that we are not to show partiality in the church. James said the same thing in James 2.
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure [1 Tim. 5:22].
We read earlier that the officers were to be installed by the laying on of hands (see 1 Tim. 4:14). We saw that the laying on of hands indicates partnership in the ministry. The thought here is that this is not to be done “suddenly,” not to a neophyte, someone who has been recently converted.
If we exalt a young Christian to the position of a teacher before he is thoroughly grounded in the Word, the theology he teaches is apt to be weird theology. The church ought to be a place of instruction where the Word of God is taught and men and women are built up in the faith. Instead, today we often develop what I call Alka-Seltzer Christians and Alka-Seltzer churches—it’s all fizz, foam, and froth, a lot of emotion, and a lot of talk about love, love, love. It is important that love be displayed in a church, but it needs to be anchored in the Word of God. Our mistake is that we often interpret some sort of experience as being the test of spiritual maturity. We’ve got the cart before the horse. The Word of God is the test, and experience can prove the truth of it. We can be certain that an experience which contradicts the clear teaching of the Bible is not from God at all.
There were many young converts in the Ephesus area, and they needed teaching. It was a serious business for young Timothy to select the teachers and appoint them to teach the Word of God.
“Neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” In other words, “Don’t compromise, Timothy. Don’t let someone talk you into letting a young convert teach. You will be a partner in sin if you do. Make sure the teachers are anchored in the Word of God.”
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities [1 Tim. 5:23].
I have to smile when I read this verse. It has certainly been abused in its many interpretations. Obviously the wine is not being used as a beverage but as a medicine.
Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after [1 Tim. 5:24].
Sometimes God will judge a Christian’s sin right here and now, but if He doesn’t judge him immediately it does not mean that He is not going to judge. I have observed this over many years and have seen that eventually God will move in judgment.
Paul wrote about this to the Corinthians where there were some who were not commemorating the Lord’s Supper in the proper manner. He said, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30). Paul said that some were already being judged by God. Some were actually sick; others had died as a judgment of God.
Paul went on in 1 Corinthians to say, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). When a Christian sins, he can judge himself. That doesn’t mean he is just to feel sorry for his sin. He is to deal with it: that is, if it has hurt somebody, he’s to make it right; and he is to turn from that sin. If he doesn’t do these things, he has not judged himself.
First Corinthians continues: “But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32). The world commits these sins, and God judges. Neither is a Christian going to get by with them: either you will judge yourself, or God will judge you. If you judge yourself, the matter is settled. If not, He will judge. Sometimes that judgment will occur here and now. If not, it will be dealt with when you appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid [1 Tim. 5:25].
The same principle applies to good works. Sometimes God blesses a believer down here for something he’s done for which God can reward him. Others are going to have to wait until they are in His presence to receive their reward, which will be the case of a great many Christians.
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Duties of officers in the churches (concluded)
RELATIONSHIPS OF BELIEVERS TO OTHERS
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort [1 Tim. 6:1–2].
“Servants”—Paul is going to deal with the relationship of capital and labor. The Christian should render a full day’s work for whomever he is working. If he agrees to work until five o’clock, he should work until five o’clock. Then sometimes workers leave with their pickaxe hanging in the air—they don’t finish up. The Christian is to turn in a full day’s work for a full day’s pay.
Now suppose a Christian has a Christian boss. That puts their relationship on a different basis; it brings it to a level above any kind of contract. I know of a manufacturing plant in Dallas, Texas, where the owners are Christians and many seminary students are employed. I have had the privilege of speaking to them in a forty-five minute chapel service they have and for which time the workers are paid. The spirit is marvelous there, and one time I commended the management for it. They replied, “Don’t commend us! We find that these Christian men are better workers than anybody else. It’s a two-way street. They are such wonderful employees that we don’t feel that we are giving them anything. They give so much to us.” What a wonderful relationship!
You see, Christianity gets out into the workshop. It gets its hands greasy. It gets its feet down in the mud sometimes—not the mud of sin, but the mud of hard work.
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself [1 Tim. 6:3–5].
There are some proud men in the ministry, and they do cause trouble. Pride will always cause trouble, and it is unbecoming in a child of God. We ought to recognize that we are sinners saved by the grace of God. Pride is a constant danger—pride of place, pride of race, pride of face, and pride of grace. Some people are even proud that they’ve been saved by the grace of God! But, my friend, we Christians have plenty to be humble about. We have a very sorry and sordid background. We are sinners saved by the grace of God.
But godliness with contentment is great gain [1 Tim. 6:6].
It is important that the child of God find satisfaction with his position in life.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out [1 Tim. 6:7].
This is a true axiom. As one of our American millionaires was dying, his heirs waited outside his room. When the doctor and lawyer finally came out, they eagerly asked, “How much did he leave?” And the lawyer said, “He left everything. He didn’t take anything with him.” We come into the world empty-handed, and that is the way we leave it. This is the reason a child of God ought to be using his money for the work of God. I believe that making a will is fine, but it is often much abused. As someone has rhymed it,
Do your givin’
While you’re livin’.
Then you’re knowin’
Where it’s goin’.
A child of God should make sure that he is supporting the work of God in some way.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition [1 Tim. 6:8–9].
Riches will not bring satisfaction.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows [1 Tim. 6:10].
Money is not evil in itself—it is amoral. Notice it is the love of money that is a (rather than the) root of all evil.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness [1 Tim. 6:11].
These are the virtues that a man of God should pursue.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses [1 Tim. 6:12].
“Fight the good fight of faith.” This fight may be outward or inward, physical or spiritual.
“Lay hold on eternal life.” Let me ask you a question: If you were arrested for being a Christian and were brought into court, would there be enough evidence to convict you? This is what Paul is talking about. “Lay hold on eternal life”—make it clear by your life that you are a child of God.
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Tim. 6:13–14].
“God, who quickeneth all things” means God who gives life to all things.
“Keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable” means to keep the commandments Paul had given him without stain and reproach. My friend, if you are following Christ, you will act like a child of God.
Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen [1 Tim. 6:15–16].
“Who only hath immortality.” Jesus Christ is the only One who has been raised from the dead in a glorified body.
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life [1 Tim. 6:17–19].
“Charge them that are rich.” These verses are a warning to those who are rich.
“Ready to distribute” means ready to sympathize, ready to share.
“Lay hold on eternal life” means the life which is life indeed.
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen [1 Tim. 6:20–21].
In other words, don’t try to be an intellectual preacher or teacher or Christian.
“Science falsely so called” should be translated the falsely named knowledge. Paul is speaking of the Gnostic heresy, but this can certainly be applied to all human philosophies.
(For Bibliography to 1 Timothy, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Timothy.)
The Second Epistle to
Timothy
INTRODUCTION
The following is an approximate calendar of events which will orient us to the position that the Second Epistle to Timothy occupied in the ministry of the apostle Paul. Paul wrote this epistle around a.d. 67.
[c. a.d. 58]—Paul was apparently arrested in Jerusalem.
[c. a.d. 61]—This is the approximate time that Paul arrived in Rome. He had spent these three years in prison, going from one trial to another before different Roman rulers.
[c. a.d. 61–63]—Paul underwent his first Roman imprisonment. We do not have this recorded in the Book of Acts, which breaks off at the very beginning of Paul’s first Roman imprisonment.
[c. a.d. 64–67]—Paul was released from prison, and during this period he covered a great deal of territory. It was during this time that he wrote 1 Timothy and Titus from Macedonia.
[c. a.d. 67]—Paul was arrested again.
[c. a.d. 68]—Paul was beheaded in Rome. Before his death he wrote 2 Timothy.
The two verses that state the theme and sound the tone of this second epistle are these: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2).
You can, I think, emphasize one word in this epistle above other words. That word is loyalty: (1) loyalty in suffering (ch. 1); (2) loyalty in service (ch. 2); (3) loyalty in apostasy (ch. 3–4:5); and (4) Lord loyal to His servants in desertion (ch. 4:6–22).
The deathbed statement of any individual has an importance which is not attached to other remarks. This is what lends significance to 2 Timothy. It is the final communication of Paul. It has a note of sadness which is not detected in his other epistles. Nevertheless, there is the overtone of triumph: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,” written by Paul as his own epitaph (2 Tim. 4:7). Also, because this was his last letter, Paul was very personal. In these short four chapters, there are approximately twenty-five references to individuals.
In this little book of 2 Timothy an ominous dark cloud is seen on the horizon. It is the coming apostasy. Today apostasy has broken like a storm, like a Texas tornado, on the world and in the church. What do we mean by apostasy? Webster defines apostasy as “total desertion of the principles of faith.” So apostasy is not due to ignorance; it is a heresy. Apostasy is deliberate error. It is intentional departure from the faith. An apostate is one who knows the truth of the gospel and the doctrines of the faith, but he has repudiated them.
Paul here in 2 Timothy speaks of the ultimate outcome of gospel preaching. The final fruition will not be the total conversion of mankind, nor will it usher in the Millennium. On the contrary, there will come about an apostasy which will well-nigh blot out the faith from the earth. In fact, there are two departures that will occur at the end of the age: One is the departure of the church, which we call the Rapture, translated from the Greek harpazoµ, meaning “caught up.” “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [or raptured] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air …” (1 Thess. 4:16–17). When the believers are gone, the organization, the old shell of the church that’s left down here, will totally depart from the faith. That is the second departure, the departure from the faith. The Lord Jesus Himself gave this startling statement concerning it: “… when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). As couched in the Greek language, it demands a negative answer. So the answer must be, “No, He will not find the faith on the earth when He returns.”
This view is not in keeping with the social gospel today, which expects to transform the world by tinkering with the social system. Such vain optimists have no patience with the doleful words of 2 Timothy, and they classify me as an intellectual obscurantist! But, in spite of that, the cold and hard facts of history and the events of the present hour demonstrate the accuracy of Paul. We are now in the midst of an apostasy which is cut to the pattern of Paul’s words in remarkable detail.
The visible church has entered the orbit of an awful apostasy. The invisible church—that is, the real body of believers—is not affected. The invisible church today is still here; and, although I wish it were a little more visible than it is, it’s on its way to the epiphany of glory. It is moving toward the Rapture. That is a very comforting thought in these days in which we live.
Because of the threat of apostasy, Paul emphasizes the Word of God here more than he does in any other epistle. In fact, both Paul and Peter agree. Each of them in his “swan song” (2 Tim. and 2 Pet.) emphasizes the Word of God and the gospel.
My friend, the gospel rests upon a tremendous fact, and that fact is the total depravity of man. In other words, man is a lost sinner. A contemporary educator has put it something like this:
Where education assumes that the moral nature of man is capable of improvement, traditional Christianity assumes that the moral nature of man is corrupt and absolutely bad. Where it is assumed in education that an outside human agent may be instrumental in the moral improvement of men, in traditional Christianity it is assumed that the agent is God, and even so, the moral nature of man is not improved but exchanged for a new one.
Man is in such a state that he cannot be saved by perfect obedience—because he cannot render it. Neither can he be saved by imperfect obedience—because God will not accept it.
Therefore, the only solution is the gospel of the grace of God which reaches down and saves the sinner on the basis of the death and resurrection of Christ. Faith in Christ transforms human life. We have a showcase today all over this globe of men and women who have been transformed by the gospel of the grace of God.
Liberal preaching, instead of presenting the grace of God to sinful man, goes out in three different directions. From some liberal pulpits we hear what is really popular psychology. It majors in topics such as this: “How to Overcome” or “How to Think Creatively” or “How to Think Affirmatively or Positively.” It says that we’re on the way upward and onward forever! That is popular psychology, and it doesn’t seem to be getting us anywhere.
A second type of liberal preaching involves ethics. It preaches a nice little sweet gospel—a sermonette preached by a preacherette to Christianettes. The message goes something like this: “Good is better than evil because it’s nicer and gets you into less trouble.” The picture of the average liberal church is that of a mild-mannered man standing before a group of mild-mannered people, urging them to be more mild-mannered! There’s nothing quite as insipid as that. No wonder the Lord Jesus said to the church of Laodicea: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:15–16). That would make anybody sick to his tummy. That’s another reason I call these people Alka-Seltzer Christians. They’re not only fizz, foam, and froth, but they cause you to need an Alka-Seltzer.
Then there’s a third type of liberal preaching which is called the social gospel. They preach better race relations, pacifism, social justice, and the Christian social order. It is Christian socialism pure and simple.
In contrast, when the true gospel is preached and men come to Christ, they all become brothers. We don’t need all this talk about better race relations. You cannot create better relationships by forcing people together. Only the gospel of the grace of God will make a man into a brother of mine. When that happens the color of a man’s skin makes no difference at all.
The solution to man’s problems can come only through preaching the grace of God. We need to recognize (as Martin Luther put it) that God creates out of nothing. Until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him. The grace of God through Jesus Christ is the way to transform and save mankind. That is what this epistle teaches, and that is why it is important for us to study 2 Timothy.
OUTLINE
I. Afflictions of the Gospel, Chapter 1
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–7
B. Not Ashamed, but a Partaker of Affliction, Chapter 1:8–11
C. Not Ashamed, but Assured, Chapter 1:12–18
II. Active in Service, Chapter 2
A. A Son, Chapter 2:1–2
B. A Good Soldier, Chapter 2:3–4
C. An Athlete, Chapter 2:5
D. A Farmer, Chapter 2:6–14
E. A Workman, Chapter 2:15–19
F. A Vessel, Chapter 2:20–23
G. A Servant, Chapter 2:24–26
III. Apostasy Coming; Authority of the Scriptures, Chapters 3:1–4:5
A. Conditions in the Last Days, Chapter 3:1–9
B. Authority of Scriptures in the Last Days, Chapter 3:10–17
C. Instructions for the Last Days, Chapter 4:1–5
IV. Allegiance to the Lord and of the Lord, Chapter 4:6–22
A. Deathbed Testimony of Paul, Chapter 4:6–8
B. Last Words, Chapter 4:9–22 “The Lord stood with me”.
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Afflictions of the gospel
INTRODUCTION
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus [2 Tim. 1:1].
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.” You recall that in Paul’s first epistle to Timothy he said, “by the commandment of God” (1 Tim. 1:1), and we saw that the commandments of God revealed the will of God, but that they were not the total will of God. Here he says “by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.” How do you accept a promise? You do it by faith. That is the only way you can obtain eternal life. He offers it to you as a gift. You accept a gift because you believe the giver. You receive eternal life by believing in the Giver. The Lord Jesus gives you eternal life when you trust Him as Savior because He paid the penalty of your sin. He today can offer you heaven on the basis of your faith and trust in Him. When you believe Him and come His way, you honor Him. Therefore “the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus” makes it clear that through Christ is the only way you can get eternal life, my friend.
To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord [2 Tim. 1:2].
Paul greets Timothy as his “dearly beloved son” because Timothy was a great joy to the apostle Paul. Then he goes on to say, “Grace, mercy, and peace.” As we mentioned in studying 1 Timothy, the salutation includes the word mercy (which is not found in the greetings of Paul’s other letters). God is merciful when He does not give us what we deserve; that is, judgment and condemnation. Paul needed a great deal of mercy, and we do too. Fortunately, God is rich in mercy toward us.
“From God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” The emphasis here is upon the lordship of Jesus Christ.
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day [2 Tim. 1:3].
Timothy was on the apostle Paul’s prayer list. When I taught at a Bible institute, I always had the students find out who was on the apostle Paul’s prayer list. They made the list by going through the letters of Paul and noting every time Paul said he prayed for somebody. By the way, how many preachers do you have on your prayer list? I hope you have your pastor.
Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy [2 Tim. 1:4].
It is quite obvious that Paul loved Timothy, and this verse tells us that Timothy also loved Paul. The fact that Paul has been arrested, is back in prison, and even faces death really affects Timothy. Paul says, “I am mindful of your tears. And if I could only see you, that would bring joy to my heart.”
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also [2 Tim. 1:5].
Paul came out of Judaism, but this boy Timothy, apparently, was brought up in a Christian home. Both his grandmother and his mother were Christians. I’m sure that had a lot to do with this young man turning to Christ. Timothy’s father was a Greek, and it is not known whether he was in the faith.
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands [2 Tim. 1:6].
When Paul put his hands on Timothy, that meant that Timothy was a partner with Paul; he shared with him the gift of teaching the Word of God. I am of the opinion that Paul intended for his mantle to fall upon Timothy. This young man was close to Paul, and when Paul was in prison in Rome, he said of Timothy, “… I have no man likeminded …” (Phil. 2:20). Here was a man who could carry on the teaching and preaching of Paul, and therefore Paul made him his partner. They were together in the ministry.
Now notice that Paul admonishes Timothy to “stir up the gift of God, which is in thee.” This man had a gift, and Paul urges him to stir it up. What would that indicate to you? I wonder if Paul was concerned about Timothy there in Ephesus. Ephesus housed the temple of Diana and was one of the great “sin spots” in the Roman world. Paul had spent three years in Ephesus himself, and he knew that there were many allurements and enticements in the city. I wonder if he was afraid that Timothy might be reluctant and hold back from teaching the whole counsel of God. We can see Paul’s concern for this young man whom he called “my dearly beloved son.”
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind [2 Tim. 1:7].
The word fear is better translated “cowardice.” I think that many of us have misinterpreted this—I know I have in the past. I remember that when I first began to travel by air, I didn’t want to, but I was forced to use that mode of travel to meet my engagements. I certainly didn’t enjoy it. At first, this disturbed me a great deal. I would make a flight, and then I would rebuke myself because of my fear. I tried to fight my fear.
Well, fear is a natural thing, and it is a good thing. For example, I am afraid of a lion. If there were one loose in the street, I would find a good place to hide. It is normal and good to have a sense of fear. But many of us, for some reason, have a fear of height, which makes us fear flying. I prayed about it and wondered why God didn’t remove that from me, because I read in this verse that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear.”
However, Paul is speaking not of a good kind of fear, but of cowardice. Paul is saying, “God hath not given us the spirit of cowardice; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
“A sound mind” means discipline. In other words, God does not intend that defeat should be the norm of Christian living. We should be disciplined Christians rather than slaves to our emotions. We are all moved by our emotions. That is why people will send money to organizations that advertise with the picture of a poor, hungry, little orphan. But Christians are not to be motivated by their emotions. Our emotions are not to master us. We are to be disciplined.
How does this apply to the question of fear? Is it wrong for me to have a fear of flying? No. It would be wrong for me to stay at home. You see, if I am a disciplined Christian, I am going to grit my teeth, go down and get that ticket, and take that trip because God has called me to an itinerant teaching ministry. Overcoming emotions means not letting your emotions stop you from doing something you should be doing. When you have a fear of flying, you discipline yourself to fly anyway. But you still live with your emotions. If you do like I do, you sit there on the plane, gritting your teeth and wondering how many more hours it will be, with every hour seeming like an eternity. If the plane starts bouncing around, I have a tendency to grab the seat in front of me. I know that the seat in front of me is not any safer than the seat I’m sitting in, but somehow I feel better when I have hold of it! Paul’s admonition to Timothy is a wonderful help to me. God is telling me that I am not to be a defeated Christian; I should not let my emotions control my life.
On a tour to Bible lands I didn’t want to go with the tour to Egypt, because on a previous trip I’d had a bad experience there, and I was very emotional about it. I didn’t like Cairo, and I didn’t want to go there. But the Lord forced me to overcome my feelings. I had planned to go ahead to Jerusalem, rest there a couple of days, and wait for the tour to reach me. But every hotel was filled, and we couldn’t get a reservation. Then I thought of another way. I could stay in Athens and then just fly into Jerusalem at the same time the tour group did. But do you know what? There wasn’t any hotel space in Athens, either. The only place I could go was to Cairo! The Lord made me overcome my emotions, and I’m thankful He did, because I had a delightful visit, and I learned a great deal.
NOT ASHAMED, BUT A PARTAKER OF AFFLICTION
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God [2 Tim. 1:8].
I have labeled this chapter, “Afflictions of the gospel” because there is a feeling today that the Christian life is a life that ought to be very easy, nice and sweet, bright and breezy. A great many of us think that we have an indulgent heavenly Father who is just going to put us on a bed of roses, remove every stone out of our pathway, and not let anything serious happen to us. A retired lawyer sent me this statement which he found in a will. It read: “To my son I leave the pleasure of earning a living. For twenty-five years he thought the pleasure was mine. He was mistaken.” And a great many Christians expect their heavenly Father to make things easy for them.
The Lord Jesus made it clear that we would have trouble. He said, “… In the world ye shall have tribulation [trouble]” (John 16:33). Christians will not go through the Great Tribulation, but you and I are certainly going through our own little tribulations. Samuel Rutherford made this statement: “If you were not strangers here, the hounds of the world would not bark at you.” The Lord Jesus warned us that the world would not like Christians. He told His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). There is something wrong if you become too popular as a Christian. I am afraid that many Christians are thinking like a little boy in Sunday school whose teacher asked, “Johnny, which of the parables do you like best?” The little fellow answered, “The one where everybody loafs and fishes.” No, my friend, the Christian life is not a bed of roses. We are to be “partakers of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God”
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [2 Tim. 1:9].
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling”—not because of who we are or what we have done—“not according to our works.” But—
“According to his own purpose and grace.” God’s wonderful purpose in the gospel was hidden in ages past but is now revealed through Paul. It had been a mystery in the Old Testament, an unrevealed secret, but is now revealed in the New Testament.
“Which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”—all along God had this plan for us.
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel [2 Tim. 1:10].
Now this is a verse that deserves great emphasis.
“Who hath abolished death” is literally since He has made of none effect death. Death means something altogether different to the child of God—Christ made it of no effect. Now, God did not eliminate death. Remember that Paul is writing this letter from prison where the sentence of death is upon him. But Paul is not talking about physical death. He means spiritual death, eternal death, which is separation from God. Christ has indeed abolished spiritual death so that no sinner need go to a place where he’ll be eternally separated from God. Christ is our Mediator, the one Mediator between God and man. God is satisfied with what Christ has done for us. The question is: Are you satisfied? Or are you trying to save yourself by your own good works? Let me repeat what I have said before: Man cannot be saved by perfect obedience, because he is incapable of rendering it. He cannot be saved by imperfect obedience, because God will not accept it. There is only one solution to the dilemma, and that is the One who said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles [2 Tim. 1:11].
Paul says he’s a “preacher,” a herald of the Word of God. He also says that he’s “an apostle, and a teacher.” As an apostle he had several gifts. I personally doubt whether any man since the apostles has more than one gift. I’ve met preachers who thought they could sing, but my experience has been that either they couldn’t sing or they couldn’t preach—it was one or the other. I don’t believe He will give us two or more gifts, because it is difficult enough to exercise one.
NOT ASHAMED, BUT ASSURED
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day [2 Tim. 1:12].
“I am not ashamed.” Although he was in prison and the sentence of death was upon him, he was not ashamed of the gospel. Paul had written to the Romans in 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth….” And back in verse 8 of the first chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul urges Timothy not to be ashamed either. Sometimes Christians are very reluctant to witness. We are all tongue-tied at times, but we ought not to be.
“He is able to keep that which I have committed [entrusted] unto him.” Literally, the deposit. This means that Paul deposited his faith in Christ until the day of judgment. Or it can mean that “God made a deposit with me.” God’s deposit of gifts in Paul’s life made him a debtor to the entire world.
My friend, you and I are debtors. Perhaps you are saying, “I want you to know that I pay my honest debts.” Well, you and I have not paid our honest debts until every person on topside of this earth has heard the gospel.
“He is able to keep that which I have committed.” It is a great comfort to know that all we are and all we have is in His hands.
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus [2 Tim. 1:13].
“Sound words”—the words of Scripture are inspired. I believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Word of God and do not think that any other viewpoint is satisfactory, and certainly it does not satisfy the demands of Scripture.
That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us [2 Tim. 1:14].
It is important to see that the Christian life can be lived only in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul talked about power, love, and a sound mind back in verse 7, all of which are fruit of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote that “… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance …” (Gal. 5:22–23).
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes [2 Tim. 1:15].
Paul gives the actual names of those who have been unfaithful to him. Back in the first chapter of 1 Timothy Paul noted that some had fallen away, here it is all—that is, all who area now in Asia who had formerly been with him in Rome. I call your attention to this because it seems to me that apostasy is not the thing that characterizes only the last days of the church. It has occurred throughout the entire history of the church. I had a church history professor who said that the history of the church is the history of apostasy or, as he put it, the history of heresies. How true that has been.
The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well [2 Tim. 1:16–18].
Here is a wonderful saint of God. I’d have loved to have been Onesiphorus (and I would have hated to have been Hermogenes). Onesiphorus, apparently from Ephesus, was in Rome on business. He was a busy man, but he had time to look up Paul who was in prison. How lovely! Probably Paul had led him to the Lord, and you can’t despise a man who has led you to Christ.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Active in service
The second chapter of 2 Timothy is delightful. In these verses there are seven figures of speech that are used to describe the duty and the activity of a believer, which need to be impressed upon us more and more as we approach the end time.
A SON
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus [2 Tim. 2:1].
Paul begins with the first figure of speech “Thou therefore, my son.” Timothy was not the son of Paul in a physical way. He was his spiritual son in the sense that it was under Paul’s ministry that this young man had turned to Christ. A child of God is born into God’s family by means of his faith in Christ. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). Timothy is in the family of God, and he is a child of God. Because of this very reason, Paul says these words to Timothy:
“Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” I love this—“be strong in grace.” My friend, if you think that you can grit your teeth and go out and live the Christian life on your own, you’re in for a great disappointment. If you feel that you can follow a few little rules or some clever gimmicks to make you a mature Christian, then you have fallen into a subtle trap of legalism. Paul gives no rules, and the Word of God has no rules to tell the child of God how to live the Christian life. We are saved by grace, and now we are to live by the grace of God and be strong in that grace.
Let me give you an example from my boyhood. My dad traveled a great deal in his work, and he always put down a few rules for me to follow while he was away. Some of them I obeyed. I had to cut the wood, and I didn’t mind that. One time we had a place with a lot of trees on it, and I really enjoyed the exercise of cutting the trees into firewood. But my father had some other rules that I frankly didn’t go for. I hate to admit this, but one of those rules was that I should attend Sunday school. The interesting thing is that he never went himself, but he always made me go. Anyway, when he was away from home, I didn’t go. One time I was fishing, and he came home suddenly and found me. I had just pulled out a fish, turned around, and there stood my dad. He said, “Son, are you having any luck?” Well, my luck ran out right at that moment! I appealed to him and admitted that I had done wrong, and by grace he was good to me. He said, “I brought home a sack of candy for you and your sister to divide. I wasn’t going to let you have it, but I think I will now.” I really took advantage of his good nature and the fact that I was his son.
My father died when I was fourteen, but now I have a heavenly Father, and I sure do appeal to His grace. When things go wrong down here, I go to Him and appeal to Him. When I fail, I don’t run from Him like I used to. I have found that when I am away from Him, the whipping He gives me hurts lots worse. I don’t want to get out at the end of that switch where it really stings. I come in close to Him, and the closer I am the less it hurts. I am a son of my heavenly Father. What a marvelous figure of speech!
When I hear Christians say, “I don’t do this, and I don’t do that, and I am following a set of rules,” I immediately recognize that they know very little about the grace of God. They are trying to live the Christian life in their own strength. Paul says, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also [2 Tim. 2:2].
Paul was greatly concerned about the future. He wondered, just as we do when we approach the end of our ministry, if other men will come along who will preach and teach the Word of God. Sometimes we develop an Elijah complex. At times when I was a pastor in Los Angeles, I cried like Elijah, “Oh, Lord, I’m the only one left!” But I found out that was not true. All over the country I’ve seen the Lord raise up fine young preachers who are standing for the things of God. It is a real concern to us older men that there be young men who will be faithful in teaching God’s Word. So Paul was admonishing Timothy to pass along the things he had been teaching him to “faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” And God will raise up men with gifts of teaching—this is the way He moves even today.
As sons of God we ought to be concerned about our Father’s business. The Lord Jesus in His humanity as a boy said, “I must be about my Father’s business.” Well, I have become a son of God—not like the Lord Jesus, but I’ve become a son of God through faith in Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that [do no more nor less than] believe on his name” (John 1:12). Now that I am a son of God I am interested in my Father’s business. By the way, are you interested in your Father’s business? And the main business is getting out the Word of God. But we need to recognize that we need the grace of God to do the business of God—as well as in every facet of our lives as His children.
Perhaps you are thinking that you are disappointed with yourself. If you are, that means you must have believed in yourself. You should not have. You are to walk by the grace of God—“We walk by faith and not by sight.” Or perhaps you are discouraged. If you are, that means you do not believe God’s Word and way of blessing. You really thought you could do it your way, and now you are discouraged. Or you may be saying, “I hope I can do better in the future.” Then you do expect to get some good out of the old nature! Oh, my friend, be strong in the grace of God.
A GOOD SOLDIER
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier [2 Tim. 2:3–4].
The Christian is a soldier. How is the child of God a soldier? The last chapter of Ephesians tells us that the believer is fighting a spiritual battle and that he needs to put on the armor of God. Paul said to the Ephesians: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:12–13).
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.” Imagine a soldier in the midst of battle going to his sergeant or his lieutenant and saying, “Sir, I’m sorry to have to leave, but I have to go over into the city to see about some business; and then I have a date with a local girl, and I just won’t be able to be here for the battle tonight!” A great many Christians are trying to fight like that today!
“That he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” The believer is to establish his priorities. Here he is to endure hardness, which means to suffer hardness, as Paul was suffering. There are those who interpret this verse to mean that a Christian is not to get married. Well, he is not talking about celibacy, but he is talking about being so entangled in worldiness that he is not able to live the Christian life.
Let me give you an example. A lady called me one morning while I was a pastor in Los Angeles. She said, “I was at church yesterday when you asked for those who wanted to accept Christ. Well, I did accept Christ, but I made no move to come forward for a particular reason that I want to tell you about. My husband died recently and left to me the operation of our liquor store. I am calling you now because I don’t think I can continue operating it. If you say to get a hammer and break every bottle, I’ll do it. But tell me what I should do.” What would you have said? I’ll tell you what I told her, “Don’t go in there and break bottles. You won’t stop the liquor business by breaking up a few bottles. If you could, I’d be in favor of it. But that has been your only income. I would say that you should sell the store and go out of the business.”
In that way we are not to entangle ourselves in the things of this life. The child of God is to recognize that he is a soldier. And we are to recognize that the Christian life is not a playground; it is a battlefield. It is a battlefield where battles are being won, and where battles are being lost also. There is a real spiritual battle going on.
AN ATHLETE
And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully [2 Tim. 2:5].
Here Paul is comparing the Christian to an athlete. “Strive” refers to contending in the game. He wants to win, and he is doing everything he can to be the winner. Someone has said in a very succinct manner, “The only exercise some Christians get is jumping to conclusions, running down their friends, sidestepping responsibility, and pushing their luck.” That is not the kind of exercise Paul is talking about. He spoke of the Christian life as being a racecourse, and he said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). Paul also said that he wanted to keep his body under control (see 1 Cor. 9:24–27). Paul’s goal was to run the Christian race in such a way that the One who is at the end of the race—the Lord Jesus—would be able to reward him and be able to say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). A child of God is to “strive”; God intends that he win the race. Every child of God needs to recognize this.
He is to “strive lawfully.” That is, he has to play by the rules. There is no shortcut toward living the Christian life. Forget the gimmickry today that condenses Christianity into a little course or a few rules and regulations. God gave us sixty-six books, and each one of them is very important. It takes the composite picture to give us the mind and the Word of God. We are to study the whole Bible. An athlete can’t cut the corner of a racetrack. Neither can a baseball player run by second base without touching it; he has to touch all the bases to score. A child of God has to do that, too. If you’re going to win, you can’t take any shortcuts.
A FARMER
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits [2 Tim. 2:6].
The fourth description of a believer is a husbandman or farmer, the one who tills the field and sows the seed of the Word of God. We hear a great deal today about “laying sheaves at the feet of Jesus.” I certainly hope that we will be able to put a few there, but also there has to be the sowing and laboring in the field. After the farmer has done that, there will be a harvest. This is the reason I don’t cooperate with the great movements abroad that are going to convert the world by evangelism. My feeling is that the Word of God has to be sown, and I take the position that the total Word has to be sown before there can be a harvest.
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel [2 Tim. 2:7–8].
“Remember that Jesus Christ”—the word that is not in the original but was supplied by the translators. Paul just stops to say, “Remember Jesus Christ.” Isn’t that lovely! What about Him? He’s of the seed of David. That means He’s going to sit on David’s throne down here. Also, He was raised from the dead, “according to my gospel.” It is Paul’s gospel because he’s the one who preached this gospel.
Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory [2 Tim. 2:9–10].
“Wherein I suffer trouble.” You may get in a little trouble if you stand for the Word of God. Paul got into trouble “as an evil doer, even unto bonds.” He was in prison for teaching the Word of God.
“But the word of God is not bound.” Although Paul was in chains, he discovered that the Word of God was still going out in the Roman world. Even with a mad caesar on the throne, a dictator of dictators, who had imprisoned Paul to silence him, the Word of God was not bound. Thank God, it still is going out to the world in our day.
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him [2 Tim. 2:11].
“It is a faithful saying” or better: “Faithful is the saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.”
“If we be dead with him” should be “if we have died with him.” When did we die with Him? When He died over nineteen hundred years ago. When we come to Christ and receive Him as our Savior, His death becomes our death. We are identified with Him and are raised with Him in newness of life. This means that this very day He wants to live His life out through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us [2 Tim. 2:12].
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” I personally believe that not all believers are going to reign with Him. I believe that this verse narrows it down to those who have suffered for Him. I’d be embarrassed if I were put on the same par with the apostle Paul in heaven, because I haven’t suffered as he did. I would be apologizing to him constantly for being placed beside him. I believe this verse is referring to a definite group of Christians who have really suffered for Christ. In the Roman world of Paul’s day there were many Christians who were martyred—five million of them, according to Fox—because they refused to deny Christ.
“If we deny him, he also will deny us.” This is very strong language. It reveals, however, that Paul believes that faith without works is dead (see James 2:17). You see, Paul and James never contradict each other. James is talking about the works of faith, and Paul is saying that genuine faith will produce works. Calvin put it like this: “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.”
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself [2 Tim. 2:13].
God “cannot deny himself.” He cannot accept as true one who is false. That’s the reason He gave such a scathing denunciation of the religious rulers of His day. He called them hypocrites because they were pretending to be something they were not. If Christ accepted someone who is not genuine, He actually would be denying Himself because He is true. Therefore, we should be genuine, my friend.
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers [2 Tim. 2:14].
“Strive not about words” means disputes of words. God’s people need to stick to essentials. We don’t need to argue about empty words or philosophies or our little differences. The pastor of an Assembly of God church wrote to me saying that he appreciated our ministry and that he recommends our notes and outlines to his church, although we don’t agree on everything. And we don’t—I can’t see his point of view on some matters and he can’t see mine. Perhaps when we get to heaven, we will find it true that there are three sides to every question: your side, my side, and the right side. Maybe the Lord will have to straighten out both of us. But the important thing is that he and I ought not to argue since we agree on the essentials. And that is the way we both want it. I think we waste a lot of time in a negative approach and trying to correct other believers. Instead of doing that, let’s try to stay on the positive side and enjoy each other’s fellowship in the gospel.
A WORKMAN, A TEACHER
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth [2 Tim. 2:15].
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God.” You are to study, eager to do your utmost, to present yourself approved unto God. The workman here is evidently a teacher, which means he is to be a diligent student of the Word of God.
“Rightly dividing the word of truth” means to handle rightly the Word of God. To rightly divide the Word the Christian is to be a skilled workman like an artisan. The student of the Word must understand that the Word of God is one great bundle of truth and that it has certain right divisions. The Bible is built according to a certain law and structure, which must be observed and obeyed as you go through the Word of God. You can’t just lift out a verse here and a verse there and choose to ignore a passage here and a passage there. It is so easy to do this, but the Bible is not that kind of Book. This is the reason I maintain that the Bible is to be taught in its entirety.
Here is a quotation that reveals the ignorance of a man who failed to recognize that the Word of God is one great unity that needs to be rightly divided to be understood. I’m quoting from an article: “In short, one way to describe the Bible, written by many different hands over a period of three thousand years and more, would be to say that it is a disorderly collection of sixty-odd books which are often tedious, barbaric, obscure, and teeming with contradictions and inconsistencies. It is a swarming compost of a book, an Irish stew of poetry and propaganda, law and legalism, myth and murk, history and hysteria.” That man really spoke a mouthful. His verbiage is quite verbose and reveals a woeful ignorance of the Bible. And he reveals the result of not rightly dividing the Word of God.
Now what is meant by rightly dividing the Word of truth? Well, there are certain dispensations in the Word of God, different methods whereby God dealt with man. The basis of salvation always remains the same. Man is saved only by believing in the atoning death of Christ. But man expresses his faith in God in different ways. For example, Abel and Abraham brought little lambs to sacrifice to the Lord. But I hope you don’t take a lamb to church next Sunday morning, because you would be entirely out of order. It’s all right for Mary to have a little lamb that follows her to school, but your little lamb should not follow you to church. The reason is that the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world has already come. That Lamb is Jesus (see John 1:29). You see, Abel and Abraham looked forward to the Lamb of God, and we look back to His death. That is an illustration of rightly dividing the Word of truth. I wish that the man who wrote the article I quoted knew a little bit about the Bible. In his article he says that the Bible is the Book nobody reads, and obviously he belongs in that class. Before any person can speak authoritatively on any subject he has to know the subject. I would certainly recommend that this man study the Word of God before he attempts to write about it!
A child of God needs to study the Word of God. When I began my study for the ministry, I attended a denominational school, and I confess that the Bible was utter confusion to me. At that point I would have agreed with the author of this article. Then there was placed in my hands a Scofield Reference Bible, and I sat under the teaching of a wonderful pastor who led me to listen to men like Dr. Harry Ironside, Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, and Dr. Arthur I. Brown. Those men blessed my soul, and the Bible became a new Book to me. It started making sense because it was being rightly divided, according to dispensations which exhibit the progressive order of God’s dealings with humanity. For instance, to recognize the distinction between law and grace is basic to the understanding of the Scriptures. And Paul is telling Timothy to study, to be diligent in his study of the Word, so that he may be a teacher who rightly divides the Word of truth.
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness [2 Tim. 2:16].
Avoid empty chatter that has no value whatsoever.
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus [2 Tim. 2:17].
I don’t know much about these two men Paul mentions here, but they apparently were apostates.
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some [2 Tim. 2:18].
In that day, there were some who were teaching that the resurrection had already taken place, which meant that those still living had missed it!
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity [2 Tim. 2:19].
“Having this seal.” The seal was a mark of authentication and ownership. “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” Back in Deuteronomy 6:8–9 God told His people to take His commandments, “And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” The Israelite was to use his house as a billboard for the Word of God. That identified him as a worshiper of God.
Now how about the believer today? How does he advertise the fact that he is a child of God? “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” That is how the people are going to know who belongs to God. This is what separation is: separation from evil and separation unto Christ. If you name the name of Christ, be sure you’re not living in sin. Unfortunately, there are some who assert fundamental doctrines and faith, and then it turns up that they have had an affair with a woman or have been proven dishonest. The Lord knows those who are His because He can discern the heart, but all that the world can look at is the outward life. My friend, the world certainly makes sin look attractive by clever advertisements on billboards. How do we as believers compare? Are our lives an attractive advertisement for Christ?
A VESSEL
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work [2 Tim. 2:20–21].
In these verses a believer is pictured as a vessel. If a vessel is to be usable, it must be clean. For example, imagine you are walking across a desert, and you come to an oasis. You are parched and almost dying of thirst. You find two cups there. One is made of gold and highly ornamented, but it’s dirty. The other is an old crock cup. It will just barely hold water because it is cracked, but it is clean. Which one would you use? Now give God credit for having as much intelligence as you have. He too uses clean vessels; He does not use dirty vessels. Remember in the second chapter of John’s gospel we read of the Lord Jesus making wine at a wedding. He had the servants drag out the old beat-up crocks (which the Jews used for purification) and had them filled with water. He took those old unattractive crocks and used them for His glory. And today God is looking for clean vessels to use—not beautiful, but clean.
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart [2 Tim. 2:22].
Oh, how many times He has placed together “faith, love, and peace,” and they do sum up the Christian life. These things should not be just mouthed from the pulpit but should be lived out through the lives of those in the pew.
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes [2 Tim. 2:23].
Some folk are continually wanting to argue with me about nonessentials. I don’t have time for that. We are living in a world that is on fire! Let’s get the Word of God to it before it is too late.
A SERVANT
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth [2 Tim. 2:24–25].
Finally, a believer is like a servant, and he is to be gentle to all men. It may seem like we have a contradiction here. The soldier was to fight, but the servant is not to fight. Is this a contradiction? No, it is a paradox. When you are standing for the truth, you are to be definite and let people know where you stand. Don’t be a coward! Someone has put it this way, It is said that silence is golden, but sometimes it is just yellow! My friend, stand for the truth. However—
“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.” If you are trying to win a person to Christ, don’t argue with him. If he disagrees with you, let him disagree with you. Just keep on giving him the Word of God.
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will [2 Tim. 2:26].
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The coming apostasy and the authority of Scripture
In this chapter Paul warns of the apostasy that will come in the last days. He also gives us the antidote for that apostasy, which is the Word of God. That is why this chapter is so important and meaningful for us today.
APOSTASY IN THE LAST DAYS
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come [2 Tim. 3:1].
“This know also.” Paul is telling Timothy something very important that he wants him to know. He is telling him what to expect and what is to be the future of the church—it is not a very bright future for the organized church.
“The last days” is a technical term used in several places in the New Testament; it speaks of the last days of the church, immediately preceding the rapture of the church. The last days of the church are not the same as the last days of the nation Israel, which is mentioned repeatedly in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament the last days are called the “end of the age” or “the time of the end,” which is the Great Tribulation Period. That is quite different from the last days of the church, which precede the Rapture of the church.
The apostasy that began in the church in Paul’s day will continue. Paul warned the church at Ephesus that false leaders would enter the church after his decease. He told them in Acts 20:29–30: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” They won’t give out the Word of God but will fleece the congregations. Believe me, false teachers shear the sheep pretty close!
“Perilous times shall come,” which means grievous or desperate times are coming. That doesn’t look like the conversion of the world, does it? It doesn’t appear that the church is going to bring in the Millennium or is going to convert the world. The Bible doesn’t teach that it will. That is the pipe dream of a great many idealists and a great many folk who have lived with their heads ostrich-like in the sand and have never faced reality.
Instead, notice what will be coming in the last days. We have nineteen different descriptions given in the next few verses. It is an ugly brood, but we want to look at them because they present the best scriptural picture of what is happening today. We are, I believe, moving into the last days of the church. My reason for saying this is that the things mentioned in these verses have appeared today. If you look back in the history of the church, you could certainly find some of these things in evidence, but I don’t think you could ever find a period in which all of them are so manifested as they are today. I believe we are now in these “perilous” days which are described in this section. I don’t know how much longer it will last, but I’m sure it’s going to get worse, not better.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God [2 Tim. 3:2–4].
There are nineteen words or phrases used to describe the last days.
1. “Lovers of their own selves”—self-lovers. This is very much in evidence in our culture today. An article by a newspaper correspondent who had covered Washington, D.C., for many years, noted that the one thing which has characterized Washington for the past twenty years is that those who are in position want the reporters to praise them. In fact, they insist upon it. That is not confined to Washington. Hollywood is probably one of the greatest places for scratching each other’s backs. One actor will publicly say something nice about another, then the other one will return the favor. You find this in every walk of life. Even schools have self-love. If a man boosts a school, then the school boosts him by giving him an honorary degree. Also, you can find this in the churches. Paul goes on to say, in chapter 4, verse 3, that congregations will follow teachers “having itching ears.” These teachers want their ears scratched—they want to be complimented. To be complimented, you have to compliment. So the teachers compliment their congregations and their boards of officers. They don’t tell the people that they are sinners and need a Savior; they tell them how wonderful they are. It is interesting that the love of self characterizes our contemporary society. Probably there has never been a time when it has been so common.
2. “Covetous” means lovers of money. This follows self-love, because lovers of self become lovers of money. This old nature likes to have a lot of money spent on it. Remember that Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:10, “…the love of money is the root of all evil….” Money itself is not bad. The problems come in our attitude toward our money. Covetousness reveals itself not only in the acquisition of wealth but also in the use of it.
3. “Boasters.” That word has in it the idea of swaggerers. You can sometimes tell a proud man by the way he walks. He walks like a peacock; he swaggers.
4. “Proud” means haughty.
5. “Blasphemers” is better translated railers. I remember the story of a fellow whose wife said to him, “Everyone in town is talking about the Smiths’ quarrel. Some of them are taking her part and some are taking his part.” He chimed in, “Well, I suppose a few eccentric individuals are minding their own business.” Well, railers include those who are always poking their noses into somebody else’s business.
6. “Disobedient to parents.” Certainly this is self-evident. Oh, the thousands of boys and girls and teenagers who are in complete rebellion against their parents!
7. “Unthankful.” Many people receive kindnesses from others without even thinking of thanking them. And they accept everything from God without ever returning thanks to Him.
8. “Unholy” is profane. They are actually against God in their conversation and in their manner of life.
9. “Without natural affection” means having abnormal relationships. We are living in a day when homosexuality is being accepted as normal conduct. Yet in Romans 1:24 Paul clearly states, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.” Humanity sinks to its lowest level when it accepts homosexuality.
10. “Trucebreakers” are people who are impossible to get along with. They are irreconcilable—they won’t let you get along with them. I recall seeing a little sign in a restaurant out in West Texas which read, “We can’t please everybody, but we try.” Well, you can’t please everybody; there are folk who are impossible to please.
11. “False accusers” certainly abound today!
12. “Incontinent” means without self-control. That, again, characterizes a large segment of our contemporary society.
13. “Fierce” means savage. In our day the city streets have become asphalt jungles. Many of them are unsafe even in the daytime.
14. “Despisers of those that are good” is better translated haters of the good. We see evidence of that abroad!
15. “Traitors” are betrayers. There are some folk whom you don’t dare trust.
16. “Heady” means reckless.
17. “Highminded” means blinded by pride or drunk with pride.
18. “Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” This actually characterizes mankind in our day. Never has there been a time when so much money has been spent in order to provide pleasure. Look at the athletic and entertainment events today. These are the things that are attracting millions of people. That is exactly the route Rome took when it went down. The mob was provided with grain and circuses, and then Rome fell. That same thing is happening today. I have always loved to participate in athletics, but I could never understand this type of athletics that just sits and beholds. I never thought that it was very exciting to go out to the coliseum and sit with 85,000 people to watch twenty-two men working for $25,000 (or more) apiece. Of course I would like to be out there myself, but I am not interested in watching them as much as I would be in watching a ditchdigger because he is not as money hungry. I don’t blame any man for making as much money as he can, but the point is that billions of dollars are being spent for entertainment because men are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away [2 Tim. 3:5].
19. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” They go through the rituals of religion but lack life and reality.
“From such turn away” means that the believer is to avoid them. Let me ask you a question: If you are in a dead, cold, liberal church, and you are a true believer, what are you doing there when the Word of God says to avoid those things? All across this country there are wonderful pastors who are faithfully preaching the Word of God. Why aren’t you supporting and standing with these fine men?
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth [2 Tim. 3:6–7].
“Silly women” means silly women of both sexes. There are some people who have attended Bible conferences for years, but they don’t know any more about the Word of God now than they did when they began. They have never matured. Their lives are not changed. Friend, if you find yourself in that category today, get down on your knees and ask God to forgive you!
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith [2 Tim. 3:8].
“Jannes and Jambres” apparently were the names of the two magicians called in by Pharaoh when Moses began the miracles and the plagues came upon Egypt. We would never have known the names of these magicians if Paul hadn’t given them to us. Of course, that opens a great reservoir of speculation as to where Paul got those names. The simple answer is that the names were revealed to him by the Spirit of God. I don’t think that the specific names add much information to the account, but it does reveal that Paul knew their names and that the magicians were real individuals who did withstand Moses. You can read about them in the seventh chapter of Exodus.
The account in Exodus reveals that Satan has power, supernatural power, and also that he is a great little imitator—he imitates the things that God does. Jannes and Jambres were able to perform miracles by the power of Satan. Moses did them by the power of God. This is, I believe, the reason reference is made to them here. We need to understand in our day that Satan can imitate the power of God. John warns us in 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” Satan can imitate the power of God. In our day I’m afraid that in many places a manifestation of power is misunderstood as coming from God when it really comes from Satan.
“Men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” Paul is saying that men on the contemporary scene, like Jannes and Jambres, have corrupt or depraved minds. “Reprobate concerning the faith” means that they have discarded the faith—rejected it totally. We have had a classic example of this within the past few years. There was a bishop of the Episcopal church out here on the West Coast, a man apparently of tremendous ability, but he and his family were delving into that which was spiritualistic, bordering on the supernatural. As nearly as I can tell, this man rejected the great truths of Scripture, and he made a trip to Palestine in an attempt to disprove some of the great truths of the Word of God. Well, rather than disproving any of them, he certainly proved some of them—and this is one of them. A very strange thing happened out there in a wilderness area for the man to die as he did. I don’t propose to offer any explanation, other than he is a noteworthy example of one who once professed to believe the Word of God but became, as the Scripture says, a reprobate, a castaway. He discarded the faith.
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was [2 Tim. 3:9].
The experience of that Episcopal bishop should be a tremendous warning to Christians. You can dabble in spiritism if you want to, but you are toying with something that is dangerous. There is a manifestation of satanic power about us in our day. It is an anomaly that our crassly materialistic age, which had rejected the supernatural altogether, is discovering the reality of the supernatural, although much of it is satanic, of course.
AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURES IN THE LAST DAYS
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience [2 Tim. 3:10].
Timothy knew Paul, knew him well. Paul’s life was an open book, as every Christian’s life ought to be.
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me [2 Tim. 3:11].
Timothy knew well Paul’s suffering which he had endured in his journeys. Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra were all places in the Galatian country where Paul had gone on his first, second, and third missionary journeys. When Paul was at Lystra, he was stoned and left for dead—I think he was dead and God raised him up from the dead. Paul said that God intervened in his behalf. “But out of them all the Lord delivered me.” Timothy knew of these things because he and his family were from that area.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution [2 Tim. 3:12].
I believe that we are beginning to move into a time in this country when it will cost you something to be a Christian. Melvin Laird, long before he was Secretary of Defense, made a statement in San Francisco at a Republican convention. I do not know the circumstances which prompted the statement, but he said, “In this world it is becoming more and more unpopular to be a Christian. Soon it may become dangerous.” We are seeing the accuracy of this statement. Real Christianity and real Christians are becoming very unpopular.
I am not really moved today when the press cries that there is no freedom of the press. The bleeding-heart press has played that theme for all it’s worth, but have they said anything about the fact that real Christianity is stifled by the press? When was the last time you read a sympathetic article of the biblical position? The media stifles news that presents real Christianity. If a fundamental preacher gets any publicity, it will be distorted and misrepresented. Of course, if a preacher gets on the wrong side of the law he will make the front page; but if he saves a group of people from going to hell he is ignored. Friend, we are moving into an orbit when Christians may have to pay a price to stand for the faith.
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived [2 Tim. 3:13].
“Seducers” are sorcerers or imposters—either one. “Deceiving, and being deceived”—leading astray, then in turn led astray themselves.
Such is the picture of the last days before the Rapture of the church. Now what can a child of God do in days like these?
ANTIDOTE FOR APOSTASY
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been as sured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [2 Tim. 3:14–15].
The only antidote against a world of apostasy is the Word of God. The only resource and recourse for the child of God is the Word of God.
Paul tells Timothy to continue in the things he had learned. He had learned the Holy Scriptures because his grandmother and mother were Jewish women and had seen to it that Timothy grew up on the Word of God.
“Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” What kind of salvation is he talking about? After all, Timothy was already saved. Well, salvation occurs in three tenses. There is the past tense: I have been saved from sin. The present tense is: I am being saved from sin. The third tense is future: I shall be saved from sin. Let me elaborate. In the past tense, we have been saved. Christ bore a judgment death for us. When we believe on Him, we pass from death to life, and we are no longer under condemnation—“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus …” (Rom. 8:1). We are also being saved. He is working out a salvation in us, and we won’t even have that perfected in this life. But as we look into the future we know a day is coming when “… it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him…” (1 John 3:2). Paul is saying that the Scriptures not only give us the modus operandi of being saved (that is, passing from death to life and having eternal life and becoming a child of God), but it saves us in this present evil world—enables us to grow and gives us deliverance down here. It is my contention that the constant study of the Word of God is the only help that any of us has. It is able to make us “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” And I think it makes us wise in knowing how to live down here.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness [2 Tim. 3:16].
When Paul says “all scripture,” he means all of it, from Genesis to Revelation. Somebody will say, “But don’t you know that Revelation hadn’t been written at the time 2 Timothy was written?” Yes, I know that. But the important thing to know is that Revelation became Scripture, so it is covered by this word all.
The word inspiration means “God breathed.” The writers of Scripture were not just pens that the Lord picked up and wrote with. The marvel is that God used these men’s personalities, expressed things in their own thought patterns, yet got through exactly what He wanted to say. Through these men God has given us His Word. He has nothing more to say to us today. If He spoke out of heaven today, He wouldn’t add anything to what He has already said.
“Is profitable for doctrine.” Scripture is good “for doctrine,” that is, for teaching. That’s why we teach it.
It is good “for reproof,” which means conviction. Studying the Bible should bring conviction to us. In fact, that is the way you can test whether the Word of God is moving in your life. If you read this Book like any other book, then the Spirit of God is not moving in your life. But if it convicts you, then you know the Holy Spirit is at work within you.
It is “for correction,” that is, setting things right in your life—correction of error.
It is “for instruction,” which means discipline, thinking and acting in accordance with God’s will.
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works [2 Tim. 3:17].
“Perfect” doesn’t mean that you and I will reach the kind of perfection where absolutely everything we do is right. Rather, it means we will attain full maturation. (There are a lot of baby Christians around today.) We’ll be complete, full-grown people.
“Throughly furnished” is thoroughly furnished. That is, the Word of God can fit you out for life for every good work. My friend, I am against these little programs and systems that purport to bring you to Christian maturity in a few easy lessons. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and all of it is to be used in order to meet your needs.
As we come to the conclusion of chapter 3, let me remind you that Paul has talked to Timothy in a very personal way. Timothy had been taught the Word of God, and now he is to declare the Word of God. Paul has emphasized that in the days of apostasy our resource, our recourse, is to the Word of God, and it will adequately meet our need.
This is exactly what the Word of God is doing in the lives of multitudes of folk who write to me in response to my Bible-teaching radio program. We have seen that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God—it is God breathed. It says what God wants said, and it has said everything He wants to say. For this reason it meets the needs of the human heart. Let me share one letter with you that bears testimony to this fact. It came from Nashville, Tennessee:
I do not intend to make this lengthy. In my mind I have composed page after page to tell you what your teaching of the Word has meant to me and my husband. We were in the same boat, floating along without a navigator. Some day I hope to be able to tell you how joy has been brought into our lives at a time of many family problems and unanswerable questions, how in our middle years we know more love and hope and zest for living than in our younger years, how our Father used sorrow and you and the “Thru the Bible” ministry to be a great part in bringing this about. I want to point out three things that neither of us (reared by believing parents, and ourselves lifelong church-goers) knew until two years ago when we started tuning you in. We don’t know why we didn’t see for ourselves. We had teachers who tried to tell us, and we read the Bible. I think the Lord was preparing us. I’m able to see His providence now. But we knew nothing of our sin nature or of the Holy Spirit except as mentioned in the Apostle’s Creed. We knew the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and we believed this. But we didn’t know that the Holy Spirit was within us. Nor did we know of the resurrected life. We were fighting the losing battle of trying to be good and had just about given up on it when we started listening to “Thru the Bible.” We then realized that indeed we did have to give up and that God would start us in the right direction through His grace manifested by Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The reason I have quoted this letter is to show you that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. God says that His Word is profitable, and this couple in Nashville has certainly proven that it is. When it gets into your life it does something that no other Book can do because it is the very Word of God.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Instructions for the last days
It is with a note of sadness that we come to the final chapter of 2 Timothy. Paul will be giving Timothy instructions for the last days. Then we will have Paul’s deathbed testimony, which probably are his last written words. We will detect his feeling of loneliness. He is in Rome, alone and incarcerated in that horrible Mamertine prison. He is cold and asks Timothy to bring his cloak. I have been down in that prison—I’d hate to be imprisoned there! He is lonely and the hours are long. He asks Timothy to bring his books, especially the parchments.
But with the sadness and loneliness we will also hear a note of victory as Paul gives his final charge to his son in the faith. As we hear him, we will be hearing from God the thing He wants us to hear. This is His final word to you and me. If you are not prepared to accept this, I don’t think that He has anything more to say to you.
PAUL’S CHARGE TO TIMOTHY
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom [2 Tim. 4:1].
This is a very solemn charge or command in the presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Who shall judge the quick and the dead” the living and the dead.
“At his appearing and his kingdom.” Christ’s appearing and His kingdom are not the same thing. His appearing is the epiphany, the Rapture of the church. His kingdom refers to the revelation of Christ when He returns to earth to establish His kingdom. Twice He will do some judging. He will judge His own when He takes them out of the world. Also, He will judge those who turn to God in the Great Tribulation. All of us who are believers will come before Him for judgment at one time or another. Our lives are going to be tested to see if we are to receive a reward or not.
Paul is saying, “In view of the fact that you, Timothy, are going to stand before Him to have your life judged, this is what you are to do.” These instructions to Timothy are just as pertinent in our day as at the time they were given by the mouth of Paul. This is what God is saying to you and me right now.
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine [2 Tim. 4:2].
“Preach the word” means to proclaim the Word, to give it out, to herald it. This phrase is sort of a rallying cry, a motto that people respond to. You remember that we had such a thing during World War II: “Remember Pearl Harbor.” Back in the Spanish-American War, it was “Remember the Maine.” This is our rallying cry today: “Preach the Word.”
“Be instant [diligent] in season, out of season.” In other words, he means we should preach at any time. If someone wakes you up at two o’clock in the morning you ought to be able to give out the Word of God.
Notice that He does not say to preach about the Bible. A wiseacre student in my class at seminary often came up with some good comments. One day he said to the professor, “You could graduate from this seminary and never own a Bible.” Why did he say that? He said that because we studied about the Bible; we did very little studying of the Bible itself. Paul tells us to preach the Word, not just talk about it.
Here is another subtle point: Paul does not say to preach from the Word. He does not say to lift a verse from the Bible and then weave a sermon around it. Someone has well said that a text is a pretext that’s taken out of its context. We are not to preach about the Word of God or from the Word of God, but preach the Word of God itself!
“Be instant in season, out of season.” The word instant means “diligent,” or even better “urgent.” There is a compulsion upon us. We should be chafing at the bit, ready to give out the Word of God. “In season, out of season” means any time of the day or night, any time of the year, under any and all circumstances.
“Reprove”—it should be given with conviction.
“Rebuke” actually means to threaten! It reminds me of a black minister, a wonderful man of God, whose pulpit I have often shared. I heard him really threaten his people. He said he didn’t want any deacons who were not going to “deac.” If they didn’t intend to “deac” he didn’t want them on the board. Not many preachers have the courage to say that!
“Exhort” means comfort. There are times when believers really need comfort.
“With all longsuffering” means that all of us who give out the Word of God need to exercise a great deal of patience.
“Doctrine” means, as we have said previously, teaching. Every minister should have a teaching ministry.
All of this is included in preaching the Word of God.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears [2 Tim. 4:3].
“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” I wonder if our contemporary society has come to this place. Although we are startled, amazed, and overwhelmed by the number of people today who are listening to the teaching of the Word, compared to the total population, that group is a very small percentage indeed. There are very few church members who will endure sound doctrine. They don’t want to hear it. What do they want?
“After their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” Dr. Marvin R. Vincent discusses the meaning of this sentence in his Word Studies in the New Testament, Volume IV, pages 320–321:
[They] shall invite teachers en masse. In periods of unsettled faith, skepticism, and mere curious speculation in matters of religion, teachers of all kinds swarm like the flies in Egypt. The demand creates the supply. The hearers invite and shape their own preachers. If the people desire a calf to worship, a ministerial calf-maker is readily found.
That certainly is true today. Someone has said that the modern pulpit is a sounding board that is merely saying back to the people what they want to hear.
“Having itching ears.” Again I quote Dr. Vincent, page 321:
Clement of Alexandria describes certain teachers as “scratching and tickling, in no human way, the ears of those who eagerly desire to be scratched….” Seneca says: “Some come to hear, not to learn, just as we go to the theatre, for pleasure, to delight our ears with the speaking or the voice or the plays.”
What a picture of our day! As someone has said, some people go to church to close their eyes and others to eye the clothes! In other words, they don’t go to church to hear sound (lit., healthy) doctrine! They don’t want to hear the Word of God; they want a substitute. Dr. Warren Wiersbe, former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, has said:
They want religious entertainment from Christian performers who will tickle their ears. We have a love for novelty in the churches today: emotional movies, pageants, foot-tapping music, colored lights, etc. The man who simply opens the Bible is rejected while the shallow religious entertainer becomes a celebrity. And verse 4 indicates that itching ears soon will become deaf ears as people turn away from the truth and believe man-made fables.
That is a very excellent statement, and now let us read verse 4—
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables [2 Tim. 4:4].
They want something novel, something that will entertain them.
When I first came to California, the late Dr. Arno C. Gaebelein, a great man of God who had been a very outstanding teacher, wintered out here in Pasadena, and I went to visit him. He asked me how I liked California, and I replied, “I love it here, but it’s very interesting that if I teach the Book of Revelation, I can fill the church (even during midweek service), but if I begin teaching the Epistle to the Romans, I can practically empty the church. I find there are people who will run all the way across this area to find out from a speaker just how many hairs are in the horse’s tail in Revelation.” He then made a statement to me that I shall never forget, “Dr. McGee, you’re going to find out in your own ministry that there are a great many people more interested in Antichrist than they are in Christ.”
There are a lot of folk with itching ears. They like to hear about these strange, weird, unusual things. They want to be entertained, but they don’t want to be given the Word of God. Many people have told me that, when they started listening to me on the radio, they not only didn’t like my accent, they didn’t like what I said. They accused me of stepping on their toes. But I didn’t even know them—I didn’t step on their toes; the Word of God did. I was just preaching the Scriptures. Then as they continued to listen, they found out that the Word of God was good for them. I’m sure there are many folk from whom I have never heard who tuned me in, then tuned me out—because they didn’t want to hear the Word of God; they preferred to be entertained.
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry [2 Tim. 4:5].
The work of an evangelist didn’t mean what it does today. In Paul’s day an evangelist was a traveling teacher, a missionary. Paul was an evangelist in that sense. Now he says to Timothy, “You are to do the work of an evangelist,” which is what he did do when he was with the apostle Paul.
“Endure afflictions”—he warned that Timothy would suffer hardships for preaching the Word of God in the last days.
PAUL’S DEATHBED TESTIMONY
Now we come to a great passage of Scripture. Paul has written here his own epitaph.
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing [2 Tim. 4:6–8].
“I am now ready to be offered.” If you had gone into that execution room in Rome, you would have seen a bloody spectacle. Very candidly, it would have been sickening to see him put his head on the chopping block, to watch the big, burly, brutal Roman soldier lift that tremendous blade above his head, then with one fell swoop sever the head from the body and see the head drop into a basket on one side and the body fall limp and trembling on the other side. But Paul says if that’s all you saw, you really didn’t see very much. That happened to be an altar, and his life was being poured out as a libation, a drink offering. Paul used that figure of speech before in his letter to the Philippians, when he was arrested for the first time and thought death was before him. He wrote in Philippians 2:17, “Yea, and if I be offered [poured out as a drink offering] upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” He wanted his life to be poured out. Now he could say at the end of his life that his life had been poured out like a drink offering.
What was the drink offering? There were no specific instructions given by God to the Israelites concerning the drink offering. However, it is mentioned again and again in Exodus and Leviticus. The wine was taken and poured over the sacrifice, which, of course, was really hot because it was on a brazen altar with fire underneath it. You know exactly what would happen. The drink offering would go up in steam. It would just evaporate and disappear. That is exactly what Paul is saying here. “I have just poured out my life as a drink offering on the sacrifice of Christ. It has been nothing for me but everything for Him.” Paul’s life would soon disappear, and all that could be seen was Christ. This is one of the most wonderful figures of speech he has used. So many Christians try to be remembered by having their names chiseled in stone or by having a building named in their memory. Paul was not interested in that type of thing. He says, “My life is a drink offering poured out; Christ—not Paul—is the One who is to be exalted.” This is a very rich passage of Scripture. Paul’s epitaph is divided into two sections. The first is retrospect, in which Paul looks back upon his earthly life—this is right before he is executed. Then the second part of the epitaph is the prospect. He looks forward to eternal life. The earthly life and the eternal life are separated by what we call death down here.
Paul sums up his life in three different ways: “I have fought a good fight.” He has been a soldier, a good soldier. There had been a battle to be fought and a victory to be won. Here at the end of his life he says, “I have been a soldier of my Savior.” My friend, all believers should take that position. There is a battle to be fought, and every Christian should be a defender of the Word of God and stand for the great truths of the Bible.
“I have finished my course.” Life is not only a battle, life is a race. Paul was a disciplined athlete who was striving to win the prize. During the race Paul was keeping his body under subjection. He was attempting to live the Christian life in such a way that he would not be disapproved. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection….” Paul also wrote in Hebrews 12:1–2 (I consider him the author of that book): “…let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith….” Now at the end of his life he could say, “I have finished my course”—he had touched all the bases; he had completed all that God had planned for Him.
“I have kept the faith.” Life had been a trust from God, and he had been a good steward. He had kept the faith. He had never veered from the great truths and doctrines in the Word of God.
What tremendous statements these are!
Now let’s return to his statement in verse 6: “my departure is at hand.” Departure is from a different Greek word than the one used in 1 Thessalonians for the departure of the church at the Rapture from this earth. Paul himself was going through a different doorway. Believers who are living when the Rapture takes place will not go through the doorway of death. “… We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” (1 Cor. 15:51–52). The Greek word which Paul uses in speaking of his departure is analusis, an entirely different word. It is made up of two words, one of which is luo, which means “to untie or unloose.” Analusis could be used to refer to untying anything, but basically it was a nautical term used for a ship which was tied up at the harbor, ready to put out to sea.
Paul had an altogether different conception than that which is popular today. I’ve heard this so often at funeral services: “Dear Brother So-and-so. He’s come into the harbor at last. He’s been out yonder on a pretty wild sea, but the voyage is over now, and he’s come into the harbor.” Paul is really saying just the opposite of this. He’s saying, “I’ve been tied down to the harbor.” And that is what life is—we haven’t been anywhere yet; we’ve just been tied down to this little earth.
I know of only one writer from the past who has caught this meaning of Paul’s. Tennyson wrote as the first verse of his poem, “Crossing the Bar”:
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea.
That’s what death is for the child of God. It is a release for us.
Paul says, “Don’t look at my execution and let blood make you sick. I’m like a ship that has been tied up at the harbor. When death comes, I’m really taking off to go and be with Christ, which will be far better.”
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.” This brings us to the positive side. Paul is looking forward to the future. He is expecting a crown of righteousness. A crown is a reward, and he will receive his reward someday. I don’t think it has been given to him yet, but the Lord has it for him when He starts passing them out.
There are several such crowns mentioned in the New Testament. For example, 1 Corinthians 9:24–25 reads: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” That is the athlete’s crown for being a winner on the racetrack of life. Also there is the soulwinner’s crown, mentioned in Philippians 4:1: “…my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown….” A crown is given for having a part in leading folk to the Lord. Paul will have many crowns—there is no doubt about that.
“A crown of righteousness” is, I believe, the reward for a righteous life, and Paul will receive that.
“Unto all them also that love his appearing” does not refer to the doctrine you hold regarding His appearing. You may be a premillennialist, a postmillennialist, or an amillennialist. I have news for you: there’s no reward for holding any one of those views. The question is: Do you love His appearing? To love His appearing means that you will have to love Him. Oh, my friend, do you have a close relationship with Him? Have you ever told Him that you love Him? (I have a notion that Paul told the Lord every day that he loved Him, because he had hated and persecuted Him before.) There is a crown for those who love His appearing. I would like to have that crown. I believe it will shine brighter than all the others.
PAUL’S LAST WORDS
We have heard a triumphant note in the preceding verses, but now it’s not so triumphant. Paul faces the reality of his situation.
Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me [2 Tim. 4:9].
Why does he say this? He is lonesome. When I visited that Mamertine prison, I thought of these words.
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia [2 Tim. 4:10].
Demas took off—he couldn’t stand the heat. So he left Paul and went to Thessalonica, which was quite a distance.
“Titus unto Dalmatia.” I don’t know if these other brethren had a legitimate excuse for leaving Paul, but I think Titus did. Paul probably sent him to Dalmatia to perform a ministry in his behalf. I don’t know enough about Crescens to defend him.
Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry [2 Tim. 4:11].
“Only Luke is with me”—good old Dr. Luke stood by Paul clear to the end.
“Take Mark, and bring him with thee.” Remember that Paul wouldn’t take John Mark with him on his second missionary journey. But Paul had been wrong about Mark, and now he was able to say that Mark was profitable to him in his ministry—and I am glad he said that here as one of his last words.
And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus [2 Tim. 4:12].
Paul sent him back to Ephesus because he was the pastor of the church there. He couldn’t stick around Rome indefinitely since he was pastoring a church.
Now notice something that is quite revealing—
The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments [2 Tim. 4:13].
Paul asks for his cloak or coat which he had left at Troas. This reveals a little of Paul’s suffering. I have been in that prison in May and June, and it was cold in there. This is a request for his physical need.
“And the books, but especially the parchments”—he needed something to read, something for his mind.
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works [2 Tim. 4:14].
His “reward” won’t be what Alexander would consider a reward! I am sure God will judge him for what he did to Paul.
Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words [2 Tim. 4:15].
Paul warns Timothy to be on guard against him. He is one of those laymen who will soft-soap you, then put a knife in you when you turn your back. Watch out for him.
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge [2 Tim. 4:16].
“At my first answer” was either the preliminary hearing which opened Paul’s final trial, or it was his first trial in Rome three years earlier. Paul was alone at that time.
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion [2 Tim. 4:17].
Paul had asked Timothy for his cloak—something for his body—and his books and parchments—something for his mind; now here is something for his spirit: “The Lord stood with me.” All of us, whether in or out of prison, have needs in these three areas. It is wonderful to be able to say, “The Lord is with me.”
“I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion”—he was spared execution at that time.
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen [2 Tim. 4:18].
Paul knew he was going to be translated to heaven.
Paul concludes this personal letter to Timothy with references to these mutual friends—
Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen [2 Tim. 4:19–22].
Notice that he again urges Timothy to come, and to come before winter. This concludes the tremendous swan song of the apostle Paul.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Berry, Harold J. Studies in II Timothy. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1975.
Garrod, G. W. The Epistles of St. Paul to Timothy. Ripon, England: William Harrison, 1898. (An analysis.)
Guthrie, Donald. Pastoral Epistles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1957.
Hendriksen, William. Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1957. (Comprehensive.)
Hiebert, D. Edmond. First Timothy. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1957. (Fine, inexpensive survey.)
Hiebert, D. Edmond. Second Timothy. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1958. (Fine, inexpensive survey.)
Ironside, H. A. Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Epistle to Timothy. London: C. A. Hammond, 1889.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. The Pastoral Epistles. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1958. (Excellent.)
King, Guy H. A Leader Led. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1951. (Excellent devotional treatment of 1 Timothy.)
King, Guy H. To My Son. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1944. (Excellent devotional treatment of 2 Timothy.)
Moule, Handley C. G. The Second Epistle of Timothy. London: Religious Tract Society, 1906. (Devotional.)
Stock, Eugene. Plain Talks on the Pastoral Epistles. London: Robert Scott, 1914.
Stott, John R. W. Guard the Gospel. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1973. (2 Timothy.)
Vine, W. E. The Epistles to Timothy and Titus. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965. (Excellent.)
Wuest, Kenneth S. The Pastoral Epistles in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1952.
The Epistle to
Titus
INTRODUCTION
Apparently Paul and Titus had been together in a ministry on the island of Crete (see Titus 1:5). I do not know how long they had been there. As we go through the epistle we will learn something about the people who lived on this island—Paul didn’t think too much of them, by the way. Paul evidently left to go to another place and then wrote this epistle to Titus, giving him instructions about what he was to do as a young preacher while remaining in Crete. The date he wrote it was around a.d. 64–67.
The fact that Paul’s and Titus’ ministry on Crete is not mentioned in Acts reveals that the Book of Acts does not contain all the record of the early church. Actually, it is a very small record, and only the ministries of two of the apostles are emphasized: Peter in the first part of the book and Paul in the second part. We do not have a complete record of even these two men’s ministries.
In the two epistles to the Thessalonians Paul’s great emphasis is on the coming of Christ—it is a bright and beautiful hope for him. Critics of Paul will point out that this was his position early in his ministry but that later on he did not emphasize it. However, Titus was written about the same time as 1 Timothy, right at the end of the ministry of the apostle Paul. In Titus 2:13 Paul writes: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” My friend, Paul had not lost the blessed hope of the church. I think it was shining bright and will shine even brighter “… until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Pet. 1:19).
Timothy and Titus were two young preachers whom Paul had the privilege of leading to the Lord. Paul calls both of them his sons, his genuine sons; that is, he led both of them to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Paul wrote letters to both of these brethren; we have two epistles to Timothy and one epistle to Titus. These letters are called Pastoral Epistles because in them Paul gives instruction to these young preachers concerning the local church. These letters also prove very profitable to us today. We have so much other instruction relative to the local church—I suppose we could fill a whole library with the books that have been written on how to run the local church. In Scripture we have only these three epistles, and they are very brief; yet they do give us the essential modus operandi for the church. What they do impress upon us is that if there is a lack or a need in a church, it isn’t a problem with the organization or with the system that is being used. Rather, if there is a need in a church, it is a spiritual need.
Frankly, we know very little about either of these young preachers, Timothy and Titus. Titus, however, seems to have been a stronger man, both physically and spiritually. Paul expressed less concern for Titus’ welfare than he did for Timothy’s. Titus was probably more mature, and he possessed a virile personality.
Timothy was a Jew who was circumcised by Paul, but Titus was a Gentile, and Paul refused to circumcise him. We read in Galatians that Paul took Titus with him to Jerusalem, and since he was a Gentile, Paul would not permit him to be circumcised (see Gal. 2:1–3). But when he took Timothy with him, Paul had him circumcised (see Acts 16:1–3). Paul circumcised one young preacher and refused to circumcise the other. If you must draw a rule from that, it can only be this: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Gal. 6:15).
Paul said that he wanted to be all things to all men that he might win some to Christ—to the Jew he wanted to be a Jew, and to the Gentile he wanted to be as a Gentile. He had Timothy circumcised because they were going to go into the synagogues. But in that great council of the church in Jerusalem, the gospel was at stake, and Paul would not permit one bit of legalism to slip in (see Acts 15); therefore he refused to let Titus be circumcised.
It is a dangerous thing to put down a series of little rules that are nothing in the world but a ritual whereby you attempt to live the Christian life. My friend, unless you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ all else comes absolutely to nought.
In this epistle to Titus we have a fine picture of the New Testament church in its full-orbed realization in the community as an organization. I hear many folk today who say they are members of “a New Testament church.” I would like to ask them if they have had anybody drop dead in their church recently. I am sure that they would exclaim that they had not had that experience! Well, in the early church, the New Testament church, we read of Ananias and Sapphira who dropped dead in the church because they had lied to the Holy Spirit (see Acts 5). I think that if this principle were operating in our churches today, the average church would need to be turned into a hospital or even a mortuary!
The ideal church, according to this epistle, (1) has an orderly organization, (2) is sound in doctrine, and (3) is pure in life, ready to every good work. This is the picture of the New Testament church that this epistle to Titus presents to us. In Timothy the emphasis was upon the need for sound teaching in the church. In Titus the emphasis is put upon the importance of God’s order for the conduct of the churches. In fact, Titus 1:5 is the key to the entire epistle: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.” Titus was to set things in order in the churches in Crete.
In chapter 1 Paul says that the church is to be an orderly organization (see Titus 1:5). In chapter 2 he emphasizes that the church is to teach and preach the Word of God: “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). He says that the church must be doctrinally sound in the faith. And then in chapter 3 we see that the church is to perform good works: “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work” (Titus 3:1). In other words, the church is saved by grace, is to live by grace, and is to demonstrate her faith to the world by her good works.
I would say that it would be very difficult today to find a church that is using all three of these prongs, that is stressing all three of these tremendous emphases. Some will emphasize one, while others emphasize another. Let’s look at each one a little more closely:
First of all, the church is to be an orderly church. Everything, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, should be done decently and in order (see 1 Cor. 14:40). Sometimes you don’t find much order in a church, and often the reason is that there are a few officers who are trying to run the whole thing. Such a church is in real trouble and is a heartbreak to its pastor. The church is to be an orderly church, not run by a couple of deacons.
Secondly, in many churches you will find that there is no emphasis at all upon sound doctrine. Because of this, I always stress to young pastors that they should not focus on building a church or building an empire of any kind. I tell them just to teach and give out the Word of God. Rather than build an organization—that is, a lot of buildings—they should build into the lives of men and women. Whatever organization they have built in a church may be wrecked by others later on after they have left. That will be a real heartbreak to a pastor unless he has before him the goal of building into the lives of men and women. That should be the emphasis in any church.
Finally, a church should be ready for every good work. Sometimes we fundamentalists put such a great emphasis on doctrine (although I don’t think we overemphasize it) that we do underemphasize good works. A church should be engaged in good works. Many Christian organizations are so concerned with getting in the finances to carry on their program that they become more interested in getting people to give than in helping those people. A lot of folk need help—not just spiritual help but also physical help. We need to do things for people, to help them with their physical needs.
I am happy that I can say there are many churches which are carrying on a work of helping people. I know of one church which has people who go out and visit shut-ins; they read to them, sew for them, and do many other helpful chores. That’s a lovely thing to do. Our government is able to provide some care for the poor and needy, and that is wonderful, but we can go and sit down and talk with lonely people like this, which is a much-needed ministry today.
This is only a brief resumé of this epistle to Titus. Liberalism has attempted to emphasize the third chapter which deals with good works, forgetting the two chapters on order and doctrine which precede it. Until a church has all three of these aspects that Paul has outlined, it has no claim to be called “a New Testament church.”
OUTLINE
I. The Church Is an Organization, Chapter 1
A. Introduction, Chapter 1:1–4
B. An Orderly Church Must Have Ordained Elders Who Meet Prescribed Requirements, Chapter 1:5–9
C. The Bad Reputation of the Cretans, Chapter 1:10–16
II. The Church Is to Teach and Preach the Word of God, Chapter 2
A. The Church Must Teach Sound Doctrine, Chapter 2:1–10
B. The Church Must Preach the Grace of God, Chapter 2:11–15
III. The Church Is to Perform Good Works, Chapter 3
A. Good Works Are an Evidence of Salvation, Chapter 3:1–7 (The works of the Holy Spirit)
B. Good Works Are Profitable for the Present and Future, Chapter 3:8–15
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The church is an organization
INTRODUCTION
The introduction to Titus is characteristic of those in the Pastoral Epistles, but it is not characteristic of Paul’s other epistles.
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness [Titus 1:1].
“A servant of God”—the word servant here actually means “bond slave.” Paul says that he is a bond slave of God. We know from the Old Testament that a bond slave was one who chose to remain a slave of his master for life.
“An apostle of Jesus Christ.” Paul is defending his apostleship. The reason that he asserts his apostleship here is that he is going to give instructions to the organized church. These instructions come from an apostle, the appointed writer of the Lord Jesus who was now communicating with His church through His apostles. The Epistle to Titus is a communication from the Lord Jesus to us also.
“According to the faith of God’s elect.” Paul does not say “for the faith,” but “according to the faith”—in other words, according to the norm or standard of faith which is set for God’s elect today. Whether you are saved or not does rest on what you believe. Tell me what you think of Jesus Christ; tell me what you believe about His death on the cross and what it means to you; tell me what you believe about His resurrection and what it means to you; tell me whether you believe the Bible to be the Word of God. With this information I think I can deduce whether you are a child of God or not. This is the norm, you see: “according to the faith of God’s elect.”
“God’s elect”—this is the way Paul speaks of saved people. He is not discussing the doctrine of election at all.
“And the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness.” This could be better translated “the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness.” The Greek preposition is kata, meaning “according to.” My friend, if the truth that you have does not lead to a godly life, there is something radically wrong with your faith.
I was told once of a preacher who drinks, cusses, and runs with the country club crowd. On Sunday he preaches the gospel, and people come forward every week. Another pastor in that community asked me, “Dr. McGee, how is it that that man is prospering?” I told him I honestly did not think the man was prospering. Maybe he is bringing a lot of numbers into the church, but he is not building the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Truth will lead to godliness, and if it doesn’t lead to godliness, it is not truth, my friend.
Paul will dwell on this theme that when the gospel is believed it will lead to godliness because the people on the island of Crete were abusing the grace of God. They said that if they had been saved by grace they were free to live in sin if they wanted to. Paul answers that right here in this first verse by saying that when the truth of God is believed it will lead to godliness. Grace saves us, but it also lays down certain disciplines for our lives and calls us to live on a high plane. You cannot use the doctrine of the grace of God to excuse sin. If you think that you can be saved by grace and live in sin—may I say this kindly, but I must say it—you are not saved by grace; you are not saved at all. Salvation by grace leads to a godly life.
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began [Titus 1:2].
“In hope of eternal life.” The idea here is resting upon the hope of eternal life. In Titus we will see that Paul speaks of grace in three time zones. In Titus 2:11–13 we see all three: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation”—that is past; “teaching us”—that is present; and “looking for that blessed hope”—that is future. This is the hope that Paul is speaking of, and he says we are to rest upon that hope.
“Which God, that cannot lie.” This hope was promised by a God who cannot lie. In Romans 3:4 Paul wrote: “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar….”
Sometimes we believers almost make God out a liar by the lives we live. We say we believe something, but we don’t really believe, and we act as if we don’t believe. Paul says God cannot lie.
I have often wanted to preach a sermon on things that God cannot do. This is one: God cannot lie. Do you also know that you see something every day that God has never seen? You have seen your equal; God has never seen His equal. Why cannot God lie when we can? Well, you can do something God cannot do.
You see, God must be true to Himself. He is holy and He is righteous—that is His nature, and there are certain things He cannot do because of His nature. It is not because it is impossible for Him to do it; but because God is true to His nature, He cannot do it. He is righteous, He is just, and He never deceives. He is One you can depend upon.
“Promised before the world began”—this promise was made back in eternity.
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour [Titus 1:3].
“In due times” means in His own seasons. God moves in a very orderly manner in what He does. God has made the peach tree to bud in the spring—it will not stick out those beautiful buds when the first snow falls; it waits until spring.
“Hath in due times manifested his word through preaching.” The word that is translated here as “preaching” comes from the Greek word kerux, which means “a herald” or “trumpet.” A trumpet was used in that day to make a proclamation. If a ruler had a proclamation to make, a trumpeter came out and blew a trumpet, and then the proclamation was made. That is the idea here. Paul is saying that God has in the correct seasons manifested His Word through a proclamation. He then adds that it has been committed to him to proclaim the Word “according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”
To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour [Titus 1:4].
“To Titus, mine own son” or my genuine son. Paul had led Titus to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Titus was Paul’s spiritual son.
“After the common faith”—the common faith is the faith that is shared by all, the faith that all believers must have. It is a living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.” The grace of God has appeared, and, therefore, God extends mercy to us today. I don’t know about you, but I use up a whole lot of the mercy of God. I am grateful that He is good to me and does not deal with me according to my orneriness and disobedience. He has simply been good to me. Grace, mercy, and peace—peace is the present possession of the believer, but there is a peace coming when the Prince of Peace comes also. All these are “from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.”
AN ORDERLY CHURCH MUST HAVE ORDAINED ELDERS WHO MEET THE PRESCRIBED REQUIREMENTS
That is a pretty long title, but it belongs to a very important section of Scripture.
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee [Titus 1:5].
Paul had left Titus in Crete to organize local churches with elders as spiritual leaders. The island of Crete is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea. There was a great deal of mythology and tradition connected with this island as there generally was with all of the Greek islands. According to their tradition, Minos was the one who first gave laws to the Cretans. He conquered the Aegean pirates who were there, and he established a navy. After the Trojan War, the principal cities of the island formed themselves into several republics, mostly independent. Crete was annexed to the Roman Empire about 67 b.c. These chief cities were Knossos, Cydonia, and Gortyna, and apparently there were churches now in all these places. Paul seems to have done a very effective missionary work on the island, but we have no record of it in Scripture whatsoever. There is actually no absolute proof that before his voyage to Rome he ever went to the island of Crete. But from the information we are given in this little epistle, we are led to believe that he was there and left Titus to organize the churches which were founded by him and Titus.
Crete was evidently a pretty bad place, and the people were not very good people. Paul himself says that they were liars, and that is certainly the thing for which they were noted in that day. There was a Greek word, kretizein, which means to speak like a Cretan and was synonymous with being a liar. One of their own poets wrote, “Crete, which a hundred cities doth maintain, cannot deny this, though to lying given.”
Although they were known as liars, and Paul will have other uncomplimentary things to say about them, many of them turned to the Lord, and Paul writes to Titus to organize their churches.
“Set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city.” The gift of an elder is a gift of men to the church. Putting your hand on the head of some men and going through a little ritual will not make them elders. But I believe it is important to do that with men who do have the gift of elders. I think the churches in Crete had elders, but they had never been ordained, or set aside. They were men who had a gift of supervision of the churches and were exercising that gift without an authority. Titus is to “ordain elders”—appoint them, set them aside—“in every city.”
“As I had appointed thee.” Paul says, “I have appointed you, Titus, and you are to appoint elders in these cities.”
A man who holds the office of elder should have the gift of an elder. There are certain men who are made officers in the church who have no gift for it at all. That is half of our problem in many churches today, and the other half is that there are good men who have the gift and are not made officers in the church. As a result, some of our churches get into the hands of the wrong folk, and all sorts of problems arise.
Now here are the requirements for the men who are to hold this office:
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly [Titus 1:6].
“If any be blameless”—that does not mean he must be perfect, without sin. It does mean that any accusation that is brought against him must not be found to be true. His life must be above reproach.
When someone can point a finger at an officer of the church and accurately accuse him of dishonesty, then the cause of Christ is hurt. It does not matter how naturally gifted a man may be, if someone can say that his speech does not reflect a dedication to Christ, then the cause of Christ is hurt, and that man should not be an officer of the church.
“The husband of one wife, having faithful children.” The idea here of “faithful children” means believing children. If a man cannot lead his own children to the Lord, he ought not to be an officer in the church. Please do not misunderstand me. I recognize that today in many wonderful Christian homes there is a son or daughter who is away from the Lord and who gives no evidence of godly upbringing. A man may be a fine, godly man who has wonderful Christian home, and he may not be guilty of anything that caused that boy or girl to turn from Christ, but he should not be an officer in the church. As an officer in the church, he might be called upon to make a judgment about someone else. That person in turn could point his finger and say, “What about you? What about your son, your daughter? What right have you to talk to me?” For the cause of Christ and for the sake of the office, an officer in the church must have believing, obedient children.
“Not accused of riot or unruly.” “Of riot” could be translated of profligacy. They are not to be out in a protest movement carrying placards, but instead they should be concerned with living a life glorifying to the Lord Jesus and with getting out His Word.
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre [Titus 1:7].
This is so practical! A bishop (or elder) must not be “selfwilled” for he is a steward of God as well as a representative of the people. He is in the church to find and do God’s will.
“Not soon angry” means not touchy.
“Not given to filthy lucre,” that is, not covetous.
These are to be characteristic of “a bishop.” As we have said before, elder and bishop are synonymous terms. The word elder (presbuteros) refers to the individual, and he was to be a mature person both physically and spiritually. A bishop (episkopos) was an overseer; he ruled the church. Therefore, this word has reference to the office. But never was a church to have only one man made bishop or presbyter. There were always several.
There has been some disagreement as to whether there were elders already in the churches in Crete and Titus was to ordain them, or whether there were none and Titus was to now appoint some. If the latter was the case (which I do not think it was), then I feel that the churches would have had to agree upon the men Titus appointed. However, that is not the main issue, and it should not be the issue in churches today. Paul’s emphasis is upon a man’s personal requirements to hold such a position in a church.
But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate [Titus 1:8].
These are the requirements of the elder, and their meaning is familiar to us.
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince gainsayers [Titus 1:9].
A better rendering of this verse would be: “Holding fast the trustworthy word according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound teaching and to convict the gainsayers (heretics).”
There were two things that an officer should do: (1) He should be able to exhort, that is, to teach the Word of God; and (2) he must be able to confute or refute the heretics. I feel that men who hold office in a church should be Bible-trained men. During World War II we had what was called “ninety-day wonders.” The army needed more officers and so they put them through a short course in a hurry, and they came up with some rather peculiar second lieutenants in those days. Remember that Paul told Timothy to “lay hands suddenly on no man …” (1 Tim. 5:22). You are not to have a man converted one night, ask him to give his testimony the next night, make him an officer in the church on the third night, an evangelist on the fourth, and the pastor of the church on the fifth night! We sometimes do things like that today, and it is very unfortunate for the church. A church officer should be able to stand on the Word of God and to give it out.
THE BAD REPUTATION OF THE CRETANS
Paul is now going to talk about the bad reputation of the Cretans. We must remember that all men are sinners; we are all brothers in the sense that we are all sinners. All men are not in the brotherhood of God, because that comes only through the New Birth by becoming a son of God through faith in Christ. But surely we are all sons of Adam, and “in Adam all die,” because all have sinned (see 1 Cor. 15:22). However, these Cretans had a particularly bad reputation:
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision [Titus 1:10].
“Vain talkers” means empty chatterers. There are certain Christians (perhaps you know some) who are rather frothy at the mouth; they just talk a blue streak. I rode once with a man for two hundred miles, and from the moment I got in his car until I got out, the only thing I had to do was grunt and he would keep on talking! If you had added up all he had to say, it was just a great big bag of nothing, a whole lot of hot air. There are many empty talkers. It is all right to have fun and be lighthearted, but what Paul is condemning is constant chattering with nothing but empty words.
“Deceivers, specially they of the circumcision.” Paul is referring to those who were seeking to contradict his teaching.
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake [Titus 1:11].
“Who subvert whole houses” means to overthrow whole families. This was very serious. Wherever the Word of God is sown, the Devil gets in—he’s the enemy and he always sows tares among the wheat. I have found this to be true in my own experience. I was back East one time in an area in which our radio program is heard. We are reaching multitudes there, and many have come to Christ. But while I was there I learned that our broadcast is immediately followed by the broadcast of one of the cults. The speaker on that program attempts to “correct” my teaching of the Bible—the Devil always gets in. Similarly, a great work of Christ had been done in Crete, but the enemy was right there to sow his own seed.
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies [Titus 1:12].
“Evil beasts” means the Cretans were rude and cruel. “Slow bellies” means lazy gluttons. Paul is not being very complimentary here, is he? But this is the reputation they had in the Roman world of Paul’s day. Paul is quoting a Cretan poet, Epimenides, who was born in Crete several centuries earlier. Another poet wrote, “Crete, which a hundred cities doth maintain, cannot deny this, though to lying given.” Paul said, “Cretians are alway liars.” This does not mean that everybody who lived in Crete was a liar anymore than when you say that all Scottish people are tightfisted—some are very generous. But the Cretans had the general reputation of being liars.
It is marvelous what the grace of God can do and did do among the people of Crete. They were liars, beastly, lazy people, who were big eaters. Many of them turned to Christ, and their lives were changed.
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith [Titus 1:13].
Paul tells Titus that he is going to have to be a little more strict with the Cretans than he would with others because of their background and their very nature.
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth [Titus 1:14].
“Not giving heed to Jewish fables.” Paul’s reference here is not just to legalism. There grew up around the Mosaic Law a great deal of writing, which includes the Talmud and much more. I have not read very much in these Jewish writings because they never really interested me. But I have read some, and there are some pretty wild tales in them.
“Commandments of men, that turn from the truth.” The Lord Jesus rebuked the religious rulers for adding traditions to God’s law, and that is what Paul is talking about here. The teaching of legalism is in two phases—one is that you are saved by the Law, and the other is that you are to live by the Law. Both of these teachings are very dangerous. We are saved by the grace of God and are actually called to live on a higher plane than that of the Ten Commandments. God gave the Ten Commandments to a nation, and I feel that they should be the law of the world today. When God says, “Thou shalt not kill,” that is for everyone, Christian and non-Christian—that is for the whole world. However, those who are saved by the grace of God are given instructions for living that is on an even higher plane than that.
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled [Titus 1:15].
This is the verse that is used by the folk who say that if we are saved by grace, it doesn’t make any difference how we live; that is, if we are saved, we are pure and can live in any way we like. Certain cults, have developed this teaching, saying they can live in sin (they don’t call it sin—it’s not sin for them) because “unto the pure all things are pure.”
What Paul is talking about has nothing to do with moral issues at all. He is speaking to this issue of legalism and the eating of meats. The teaching of many legalistic cults often includes a very unusual diet. But Paul says, “Unto the pure all things are pure.” In other words, whether you eat meat or don’t eat meat makes no difference at all. All food is clean. If you want to eat rattlesnake meat, that is your business; it’s my business to keep away from it if I can! You can eat anything you want—“unto the pure all things are pure.”
If you are an unbeliever, any special diet you might concoct will make no difference in your relationship to God—it will not save you. You can eat all the vegetables you want, but if you are not right with God, they will not make you pure. The Lord Jesus said that it is not the thing that goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him (see Matt. 15:18–20).
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate [Titus 1:16].
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him.” Many believers today can deny and do deny God by the lives that they live. And they deny the Word of God. I knew a man who was an officer in the church, and he carried the biggest Bible I have ever seen. When he put it under his arm, he leaned to that side! Everybody believed him to be very pious, but outside the church he had the reputation of not really being honest. He carried a big Bible, but he didn’t really believe it. You see, you can deny the Bible by the life you live, and you can deny God by the life you live.
“Being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Ceremonies and rituals cannot change the evil heart of man. Only the Word of God can change the human heart. When the heart is changed, the life will reveal the change. Paul and James were never in disagreement—they both said that faith without works is dead. Saving faith produces a godly life. As Calvin said, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.”
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The church is to teach and preach the Word of God
THE CHURCH MUST TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE
The church must teach sound doctrine or it is not a church. I have written a little book entitled The Spiritual Fingerprints of the Visible Church in which I go back to the Day of Pentecost where we are told that those who were added to the church on that day “… continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). These were the identification marks of the early church: the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. It really doesn’t matter how high the steeple may be or how beautifully the chimes may play, it is the message that is going out from the pulpit which will tell you whether the church is really a church, organized as Paul understood it and as the Word of God declares it.
In the first chapter we found that the elders whom Titus was to ordain were to be able to do two things: to exhort and to refute or confute the heretics. It is important not to spend your entire ministry refuting everybody. There are some men who have what I would call a negative ministry—all they do is attack the enemies of the gospel. That is important, but I believe we all need a balanced ministry. An elder should be able to exhort from the Word of God as well as be able to answer a heretic. In this second chapter Paul’s emphasis will be upon the teaching of the Word of God.
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine [Titus 2:1].
“Sound doctrine” means the apostles’ doctrine. The number one thing of importance to the early church was the apostles! doctrine. What we read in these epistles is also a part of the apostles doctrine, by the way.
First of all, Paul has a message for the senior citizen—for the senior citizen who is male and for the senior citizen who is female.
That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience [Titus 2:2].
They are to be sound in their love and in patience. They are to be “sober,” that is, very vigilant, very serious. They should be men who are respected and self-controlled.
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things [Titus 2:3].
“In behaviour as becometh holiness”—the aged women are to be reverent in their behavior
“Not false accusers,” that is, not gossips, and “not given to much wine,” or not drunkards.
“Teachers of good things.” The older women are to teach the younger women:
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed [Titus 2:4–5].
“Keepers at home” means they are to be workers at home. I may get in trouble here, but I must say this: A wife’s first responsibility is in her home. The home is not a playpen; it is a serious responsibility to be a wife and to care for children in the home. It is not something to be taken lightly.
I am confident that Paul would never have approved of the women’s lib movement. I will stick my neck out even further and say that I am opposed to it—I think it’s wrong. I believe that a woman wants to be treated like a woman and not like a man. I was in a large business establishment recently where there were fifty stenographers, and from what I heard they were really promoting women’s lib in that office. I agree that women should be promoted according to their ability and paid according to their ability, but I noticed when we came to get on the elevator the ladies felt like they should get on first. I let them do that because I was taught to do so. If these women really want equality in every way, they should not be working just in offices, but they should also take work as ditchdiggers. However, I am convinced that that is not really what they want. My friend, the biggest and most important business in the world is the making of a home.
“Good” means kindly.
“Obedient to their own husbands.” The idea of obedience here is that the women should respond to their husbands. Paul uses the same Greek word in Romans 8:7 where it is translated “subject.” He says there, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (italics mine). Paul’s thought is that the natural man cannot respond to God; he cannot obey God; he has no way to respond to God. Now the wife is to respond to her husband; he is the aggressor, and she is to respond to him.
A great, big, brawny fellow once came to see me in my office, and he said, “I want you to talk to my wife and tell her to obey me!” I told him I would do nothing of the kind, and he asked me why. I said, “When’s the last time you told your wife that you loved her?” He couldn’t remember and said, “What has that got to do with it?” I told him, “That has everything in the world to do with it! Until you tell her that you love her, I don’t see why she should respond to you. Didn’t you tell her you loved her when you were courting? Well, just keep that up. The thing to do is to just keep up the courtship. You keep telling her that you love her, and she will respond to you a great deal better than she has been.” The wife is to respond to the love of her husband.
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded [Titus 2:6].
Now Paul turns his attention to the young men, and he probably means that Titus is the one who is to teach the young men.
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity [Titus 2:7].
Paul says to this young preacher Titus, “You be a pattern, an example, for the other young men.”
“In doctrine shewing uncorruptness.” “Uncorruptness” has the idea of uncorruptness—that is, in his teaching he is to show his complete faith in the Word of God and appreciate the seriousness of the matters he is dealing with.
Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you [Titus 2:8].
In other words, your conversation should reveal the fact that you are a child of God.
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again [Titus 2:9].
“Exhort servants”—now Paul turns his attention to another group. In the early church there were many slaves. In fact, 90 percent of the names on the walls of the catacombs are those of slaves or ex-slaves. The gospel met a great need for this class of people in that day.
“To be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things.” Again, the idea behind obedience is that they should respond to their masters, be interested in them and in their work. Anyone, especially those in Christian work, should put their heart into their job or else get out of it. If you work for a Christian organization, you do it because you want to work for it. I hope you get a good living out of it, but that is not the point. Christian work is to be done with the heart as well as with the head and hands.
“Not answering again,” that is, not talking back to your employer.
Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things [Titus 2:10].
“Not purloining” means not stealing. Businesses lose many millions of dollars each year because employees steal from them. “Not purloining” means you should not be a thief.
“But shewing all good fidelity”—showing faithfulness.
“That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” The Greek word for “adorn” is the same word from which we get our English word cosmetics. I am often asked whether I feel Christian women should wear makeup. I would say yes, the kind Paul is speaking of here, and plenty of it. “Adorn the doctrine of God”—in other words, if you are sound in the faith, you should be wearing the appropriate cosmetics. I would like to see more of the lipstick of a kind tongue. Speaking kindly is a mighty fine lipstick. And then the face powder of sincerity and reality. My, there are all kinds of cosmetics that you should use today as a Christian.
THE CHURCH MUST PREACH THE GRACE OF GOD
Now Paul interrupts these admonitions to put a doctrinal foundation under the lives of these people. He states the gospel, and he states it in three time zones—the past, the present, and the future.
I grew up in the horse-and-buggy days, and I never cease to wonder at the speed of jet travel. Beside the actual speed of the planes, the crossing of time zones makes it possible to arrive at the end of a three- or four-hour flight and see that it is only an hour later than it was when you started. I understand they are working now on a plane that will travel three times the speed of sound. That means you could leave Dallas, Texas, and arrive in Los Angeles two hours before you left Dallas! That would be a wonderful thing.
However, I think the most wonderful thing in the world is that the grace of God is in three time zones. We see that in the next three verses: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared” (v. 11)—that’s the past time zone; “teaching us” (v. 12)—that’s the present time zone of grace; and “looking for that blessed hope” (v. 13)—that is the future time zone. These, then, are the three time zones of grace. Let us look at them a little more closely:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men [Titus 2:11].
Paul says to the Cretans, “I want to put under you the doctrine of the grace of God because you need a solid foundation.” The grace of God is the way God saves us. Years ago I heard a great preacher, Dr. Dodd, in Shreveport, Louisiana, say, “My pulpit is a place for good news; my study is the place for good advice.” The gospel is not good advice—it is good news. It is even more than that; it is the power of God unto salvation.
Paul is enjoining Titus to demand of the Cretans that they live lives that adorn the gospel, for it is the power of God. There is absolutely no excuse for any Christian to live a life of defeat and failure—“for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
“Hath appeared” means it shines forth—it is the epiphany. What the Lord Jesus did for us when He came more than nineteen hundred years ago is the gospel, the good news. He died for us, and He rose again. God doesn’t save us by His love, and He doesn’t save us by His mercy. Ephesians tells us: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8, italics mine). Mercy is the compassion of God that prompted Him to send a Savior to mankind. If one man could be saved by the mercy of God, all mankind would be saved. It wouldn’t have been necessary for Christ to die; the cross would have been circumvented. God loved men, but He didn’t save us by His love. Love is the divine motive, but God is not only love, He is righteous and holy and just. The holy demands of God, His just claims, and His righteous standard had to be met. The love of God may long to save us, but the immutable law of justice makes love powerless to do so. Therefore, Christ, by dying for our sins, met the holy demands of God’s justice, and He can now save us by grace. How wonderful it is to be saved by the grace of God! When we were guilty, Christ paid the penalty. Grace is not complicated or implicated with human effort. God doesn’t ask your cooperation; He doesn’t ask for your conduct or your character in order to save you. God only asks men to believe Him, to trust Him, and to accept Christ. God’s way is the best way, and it is the only way.
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world [Titus 2:12].
God is not trying to reform this world; He is redeeming men who accept Christ. The gospel does not appeal to Christ-rejecting men to do better. When a person says, “I am going to try to do better,” I think he is a liar. If you have rejected Jesus Christ, you might as well try to get all you can out of this life, because this life is all that you are going to get. Today our government is trying to get people to stop smoking; they’re trying to educate people to the dangers of cigarettes. However, God is not asking you to do such things. You might as well eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you’ll die. God doesn’t want to reform you; He wants to redeem you.
“Teaching us”—teaching means child-training. God is calling those who are His own, who are redeemed, to live for Him and to avoid “worldly lusts.”
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ [Titus 2:13].
“Looking for that blessed hope”—this is the next happening in the program of God: Christ is coming to take His church out of this world.
“The glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” This reveals that Paul taught the deity of Christ; he speaks of the great God who is our Savior, and who is He? He is Jesus Christ. And what did He do?—
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works [Titus 2:14].
He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us. He paid a price for us that He might redeem us “from all iniquity.”
“And purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” “A peculiar people” would be better translated “a people for His possession.” It is true that God wants you to live for Him and wants you to do good works, but He will have to redeem you first, my friend.
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee [Titus 2:15].
Paul says to Titus, “You are a young man. Don’t let them despise you because of the life you live.” Titus should be able to teach all these things with authority.
This has been a wonderful epistle. Every young preacher ought to study carefully the Book of Titus.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The church is to perform good works
This epistle gives us the picture which covers the entire spectrum of what God wants for the church. We saw in the first chapter that God wants the church to be an orderly organization. Then we saw in the next chapter that the church is to be sound in doctrine. Now we shall learn that, to be all that God wants for the church, the church is to perform good works.
GOOD WORKS ARE AN EVIDENCE OF SALVATION
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work [Titus 3:1].
The very first thing he mentions here is the fact that the church must have members who are law abiding. A believer should obey the laws of the land in which he lives unless those laws conflict or contradict his duty and relationship to God.
I always felt embarrassed when I taught evening Bible classes in downtown Los Angeles and would be requested to announce that someone had parked in a no parking place. Or sometimes I had to announce that a car was blocking a driveway so that the people who owned the driveway couldn’t get out. That kind of parking was breaking the law on the part of someone in my class who apparently didn’t pay very much attention to the fact that a Christian is to be subject to principalities and powers.
Now that brings up the question of what a believer should do when the laws of the land conflict with his duty and relationship to God. For example, should a young man who is drafted into military service go out to war when his real Christian conviction tells him otherwise? Fortunately in our country such a young man with real convictions against war can be a conscientious objector. He need not go into the armed forces to carry a gun, but he can spend the same amount of time as the other young men in the army but be assigned noncombat duties. I think any young man should be commanded for that, because I believe it takes courage and conviction for a young man under those circumstances to stand on his two feet and say, “Yes, I’ll serve; I’ll wear the uniform, but I cannot conscientiously carry a gun.” I think that sympathy and understanding should be granted to such a young man.
On the other hand, there have been many young men in this country who have run away to escape the draft. They did not run away because of religious conviction. I can’t think of any other explanation than that they were disloyal to their country. They were not obedient to this nation. These young men wanted to enjoy all the blessings and benefits of our nation but did not want to meet its responsibilities. They have broken the law and should pay the penalty.
We are to be subject to the principalities and powers over us. A church should teach this; part of the message that should be given to church members is that they should be obedient to the powers that be. That obedience is not the man but to the office that he represents. Perhaps you resent the manner in which a police officer gives you a citation for a traffic violation, but you should respect the uniform he wears. He represents the segment of our society that protects our persons and our property. Without them we would be in a bad way today.
This verse also raises the question of whether a Christian should go into politics or not. I believe that the individual Christian is free to go into politics, but I do not believe that the church should go into politics. If we would have a real moving of the Spirit of God, many, of the men from our churches would go into these different offices in government today.
A good example of this is the Wesleyan movement in England. Wesley never tried to straighten out the king of England or even the Church of England. He just went out and preached the Word of God. Men were converted, among whom were men like William Wilberforce, the great philanthropist and abolitionist. They were men who had been gamblers and drunkards, with no concern for the poor, until they came to know Christ. These men started the great labor movement associated with the Wesleyan revival in England, which was the beginning of the movement against child labor and the protection of workmen on the job. We need individuals who will enter into government and take social action, but the church as an organization is not called upon to go into politics.
“To be ready to every good work.” The church is to instruct individuals to be eager, to be anxious, and to learn to perform good works. We’ll note this as we go along.
Now there is also a negative side to the exhortation:
To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men [Titus 3:2].
“Speak evil of no man” means we are to malign no one, and we are not to repeat gossip. It has been said that you can’t believe everything you hear today, but you can repeat it! That is what he is talking about here—we are not to repeat what we hear. Many evil reports are passed from person to person without even a shred of evidence that the report is true. Another old saying is that some people will believe anything if it is whispered to them!
However, if the church has solid evidence that a member is doing something evil, that member should be named. You may remember that Paul named certain men who were evil men: Phygellus and Hermogenes, Hymenaeus and Philetus, and Alexander the coppersmith. Then he also said that Demas had forsaken him, having loved this present world.
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another [Titus 3:3].
This is a picture of the unsaved today, and a picture of you and me before we knew Christ. We were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to lusts and pleasures, living selfishly, and hating others. That is a picture of the lost world.
You can go to visit in non-Christian homes, and you will find these things. Go into any business, any office, any factory, and you will see these things present. Unfortunately, you can see some of these same things in our churches. There can be a pretense of loving, but under it there is envying and hating and gossiping. You can find churches divided into little cliques and groups; yet they boast about how sound they are in the faith. That is a disgrace to the cause of Christ. This is a picture of the unsaved given to us here. It ought never to be a picture of you or me as believers.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost [Titus 3:4–5].
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” Verse 3 gave us a picture of how we were before we came to know Christ. It is important to understand that becoming a Christian doesn’t mean just turning over a new leaf—you will find yourself writing on the new leaf the same things that you wrote on the old leaf. Making New Year’s resolutions and promising to do better doesn’t make you a Christian. Nor are you saved on the basis of works of righteousness, good deeds, which you have done.
“But according to his mercy he saved us.” Because Christ died for us and paid the penalty for our sins, God is prepared to extend mercy to us; it is according to His mercy that He saved us. And He is rich in mercy, which means He has plenty of it. Whoever you are, He can save you today because Christ died for you. He paid the penalty and makes over to you His righteousness!
“By the washing of regeneration.” “Washing” means laver—it is the laver of regeneration. In the Old Testament the laver, which stood in the court of the tabernacle and later the temple, represented this.
This washing of regeneration is what the Lord was speaking about in the third chapter of John: “… Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The water represents the Word of God—the Bible will wash you. It has a sanctifying power, a cleansing power. We are cleansed by the Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God—“born of water and of the Spirit.” That is the way we are born again.
“And renewing of the Holy Ghost”—He regenerates us.
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour [Titus 3:6].
Have you noticed that in everything God does there is a surplus? He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life [Titus 3:7].
“The hope of eternal life” is again pointing to the great hope of the believer, the coming of Christ for His church.
GOOD WORKS ARE PROFITABLE FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men [Titus 3:8].
The fact that the believer is saved by the grace of God does not excuse him from performing good works. The fact of the matter is, he is to “be careful to maintain good works.” Paul says that Titus should just keep affirming this constantly.
My friend, after you have been saved, God is going to talk to you about good works. Until that time, God is not even interested in your “good works” because what you call a good work, God calls dirty laundry. The righteousness of man is filthy rags in His sight (see Isa. 64:6). He doesn’t want any of that. He wants to save you. If you do come to Him just as you are, He will save you, because He has done something for you. He is not asking you to do something—what could you do for God? After you are saved, after you are a child of God, then He wants to talk to you about producing good works. He wants you to get involved in getting out the Word of God to others.
“Be careful to maintain good works.” These are things that you should think about and consider; ponder, be anxious to be producing works for God.
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain [Titus 3:9].
We are to defend the faith, Paul says, but we are not to do it by argument or debate. That does no good; that never led anyone to the Lord. You may whip a man down intellectually by your arguments, but that does not touch his heart and win him for Christ. Stay away from foolish questions and genealogies and contentions.
That is the reason I do not develop certain subjects that are sensational. For example, during this period of time in which I am writing, demonism seems to be the topic of the hour. I have had any number of letters saying, “Dr. McGee, give a series on demonism. Write a book about it.” Let’s not get involved in that kind of thing. I would much rather tell you about the Holy Spirit who can indwell you. If He is in you, no demon could ever possess you! “… greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). That is what we need to know. It is so easy to get sidetracked.
A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject [Titus 3:10].
We have been asked to join in certain projects in which there are some heretics. I am not interested in being joined with anyone who has views that are in opposition to the Word of God. God tells us here to be separate from heretics. Just let them alone; reject them.
Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself [Titus 3:11].
The heretic is one who has turned aside from the truth.
When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful [Titus 3:12–14].
Paul gives a final admonition about good works. We must “learn” to maintain good works. It’s something that must be worked at. A great many people think it is easy; we need to know what God considers good works, and we need to learn how to do them.
Paul concludes this practical letter to Titus with a benediction.
All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen [Titus 3:15].
(For Bibliography to Titus, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Timothy.)
The Epistle to
Philemon
INTRODUCTION
This is one of the most remarkable epistles in the Scripture. It is only one chapter; so you may have trouble finding it. If you can find Titus, just keep on going; if you find Hebrews, you have gone too far.
The Epistles (letters) in the New Testament were a new form of revelation. Before them, God had used law, history, poetry, prophecy, and the gospel records. When God used the Epistles, He adopted a more personal and direct method. And there are different kinds of epistles. Some were directed to churches; some were directed to individuals and are rather intimate.
Frankly, I believe that Paul had no idea his letter to Philemon would be included in the canon of Scripture, and I think he would be a little embarrassed. Reading this epistle is like looking over the shoulder of Philemon and reading his personal mail. Paul wrote this letter to him personally. That does not detract from the inspiration and value of this epistle. The Holy Spirit has included it in the Scriptures for a very definite reason.
Behind this epistle there is a story, of course. Philemon lived in a place called Colossae. It was way up in the Phrygian country in the Anatolian section of what is Turkey today. No city is there today—just ruins. But it was a great city in Paul’s day. One of Paul’s epistles was written to the Colossian believers. There is no record that Paul ever visited Colossae, but since there are many things we do not know, I suspect that Paul did visit that city.
The story of this epistle was enacted on the black background of slavery. There were approximately sixty million slaves in the Roman Empire where the total population did not exceed one hundred twenty million. A slave was a chattel. He was treated worse than an enemy. He was subject to the whim of his master.
In Colossae was this very rich man who had come to a saving faith in Christ. He apparently had come down to Ephesus, as Paul was there for two years speaking in the school of Tyrannus every day, and people were coming in from all over that area to hear him. There were millions of people in Asia Minor, and Philemon was just one of the men who came to know the Lord Jesus.
Now Philemon owned slaves, and he had a slave named Onesimus. Onesimus took a chance one day, as any slave would have done, and made a run for it. He did what most runaway slaves apparently did—he moved into a great metropolis. This slave made it all the way to Rome. In that great population, he could be buried, as it were, and never be recognized.
One day, this man Onesimus, who had been a slave, found out that there was a slavery in freedom and there was a freedom in slavery. When he was a slave, he didn’t worry about where he was going to sleep or what he was going to eat. His master had to take care of that. Now he has a real problem in Rome. I think he’s homesick and maybe hungry. I can imagine him going down the street one day and seeing a group of people gathered around listening to a man. Onesimus wormed his way into the crowd, got up front, and saw that the man was in chains. Onesimus had run away from chains, and he thought he was free, but when he listened to that man—by the way, his name was Paul—he thought, That man’s free, and I’m still a slave—a slave to appetite, a slave to the economy. I’m still a slave, but that man, although he is chained, is free.
Onesimus waited until the others had drifted away and then went up to Paul. He wanted to know more about what Paul was preaching, and Paul led him to Christ; that is, he presented the gospel to him, told him how Jesus had died for him and how He had been buried but rose again on the third day. He asked Onesimus to put his trust in Christ, and he did. Onesimus became a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Then Onesimus did what any man does who has been converted; he thought back on his past life and the things which were wrong that he wanted to make right. He said to Paul, “Paul, there is something I must confess to you. I’m a runaway slave.” Paul asked him where he had come from, and Onesimus told Paul it was from Asia Minor, from the city of Colossae. Paul said, “There’s a church over there. Who was your master?”
“My master was Philemon.”
“You mean Philemon who lives on Main Street?”
“Yes.”
“Why, he is one of my converts also. He owes me a great deal.”
“Well, Paul, do you think I should go back to him?”
“Yes, you should. Onesimus, you must go back, but you are going to go back to a different situation. I will send a letter with you.”
And we have his letter before us—the Epistle of Paul to Philemon.
In the human heart there has always been a great desire to be free. But right now there are millions of Americans who are slaves to alcohol. They are not free. They are alcoholics. Then there are those who are slaves to drugs. There are those who are slaves to the economy. There are slaves to the almighty dollar. We are living in a day when people pride themselves on being free. They think they are free, but the Lord Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, then are you free indeed” (see John 8:36). You will not get arguments for or against slavery from this epistle. What you do learn is the freedom that is above all the slavery of this world. It is the freedom that every one of us wants to have.
OUTLINE
I. Genial Greeting to Philemon and His Family, vv. 1–3
II. Good Reputation of Philemon, vv. 4–7
III. Gracious Plea for Onesimus, vv. 8–16
IV. Guiltless Substitutes for Guilty, v. 17
V. Glorious Illustration of Imputation, v. 18
VI. General and Personal Items and Requests, vv. 19–25
Theme: Revelation of Christ’s love for us; demonstration of how brotherly love should work
The primary purpose of this epistle is to reveal Christ’s love for us in what He did for us in pleading our case before God. This is one of the finest illustrations of substitution. “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account” (v. 18). We can hear Christ agreeing to take our place and to have all our sin imputed to Him. He took our place in death, but He gives us His place in life. “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself” (v. 17). We have the standing of Christ before God, or we have no standing at all. Onesimus, the unprofitable runaway slave, was to be received as Paul, the great apostle, would have been received in the home of Philemon.
The practical purpose is to teach brotherly love. Paul spoke of the new relationship between master and servant in the other Prison Epistles. Here he demonstrates how it should work. These men, belonging to two different classes in the Roman Empire, hating each other and hurting each other, are now brothers in Christ, and they are to act like it. This is the only solution to the problem of capital and labor.
GENIAL GREETING TO PHILEMON AND HIS FAMILY
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow-labourer [Philem. 1].
Paul does not mention the fact that he is an apostle. When he was writing to the churches, he gave his official title: an apostle of Jesus Christ. But this is a personal letter to a personal friend. He doesn’t need to defend his apostleship. He intended for this to be very personal, and I think he would really be surprised to know it can be read by the whole world.
“Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” I have noticed that several of the commentaries try to change this and explain it away by teaching that Paul really meant that he was a prisoner because he was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But that is not what Paul said, and Paul had the ability of saying exactly what he had in mind. He was using the Greek language, which is a very flexible, versatile language. He said he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
If we had been there we might have had a conversation with Paul like this:
“Poor Paul, it’s too bad these Romans put you in jail.”
“They didn’t put me in jail.”
“Oh, we know what you mean. Those hateful religious rulers brought a charge against you.”
“They didn’t put me in jail either.”
“Who put you in jail, then?”
“Jesus Christ. I’m His prisoner.”
“You mean to tell me that you would serve Someone who would put you in prison?”
“Yes, when it’s His will for me to be in prison, I’m in prison. When it’s His will for me to be out of prison, I’ll be out of prison. When it’s His will for me to be sick, I’m going to be sick. I belong to Him. Since I belong to Him, I have learned to be content in whatsoever state I am in. Everything is all right. Don’t worry about me.”
Obviously, the letter to Philemon is one of the Prison Epistles. It goes along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.
“And Timothy our brother” is really “and Timothy the brother.” That means he is not only Philemon’s brother and Paul’s brother, but he is your brother if you are a Christian. We all are brothers in Christ.
“Unto Philemon our dearly beloved.” Does that sound as if Paul is really buttering him up? I think so. But he loved this man, and he is going to make a request of him.
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house [Philem. 2].
“And to our beloved Apphia.” She apparently was the wife of Philemon. While Philemon is a Greek name, and he was a citizen of Colossae, Apphia is a Phrygian name. That would suggest to me that a young businessman by the name of Philemon went into new territory. He didn’t go west as a young man; he went east—way up on the frontier. He got into business in Colossae and became a wealthy man there. He met and married a Phrygian girl named Apphia. They both now have become Christians. Isn’t that lovely?
“And Archippus our fellow-soldier.” I would assume this is their son. He is not a soldier of the Roman army, but a soldier in the army of Jesus Christ. Paul had written elsewhere that we all are to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ.
“And to the church in thy house.” Not only had they been converted, but they had a church in their house. Let’s think about this for a moment. The church building has become so all-important to people today that it is all out of relationship to the real purpose of the local church. The local church in Paul’s day wasn’t down on the corner in a separate building—they didn’t have any building. There were the great temples to the pagan gods, but the early church didn’t have buildings; they met in homes. It is estimated that for two hundred years the church met in homes.
The great cathedrals of the past were actually never meant for public meetings. Westminster Abbey in England, for example, was never intended for public services. It was built in the shape of a cross as a monument to Jesus Christ. Although I think they had the wrong idea—instead of spending all that money on a cathedral, they should have used it to send out missionaries—that was their way of expressing their devotion. The idea of putting the emphasis on a building and on a building program is a little out of line with the example of the early church.
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [Philem. 3].
This is the usual greeting of Paul to every person and every church to which he wrote.
GOOD REPUTATION OF PHILEMON
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers [Philem. 4].
Here is a man for whom Paul prayed. If you are writing out a prayer list of the apostle Paul, be sure to put Philemon on that list. The thought here is that every time Philemon’s name was mentioned, Paul prayed for him. This would indicate that Philemon was a rather prominent person.
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints [Philem. 5].
The life of Philemon was a testimony. Paul describes it in a lovely way. He showed love toward the Lord Jesus and toward other believers. His faith was toward the Lord Jesus, and he was faithful to other believers. That is interesting.
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus [Philem. 6].
His faith was shared. The life of Philemon was a testimony. “Every good thing” was the result of the fact that “… it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother [Philem. 7].
Paul had great joy and consolation in the love of Philemon for other believers and for him.
“Bowels” or heart implies the entire psychological nature. It is the inner life of the believers that had great satisfaction through him.
There are many wonderful Christians across this land whom I have had the privilege of meeting, of being in their homes, and of having fellowship with them. That has been one of the greatest joys of my ministry. Philemon was the kind of person who would have entertained evangelists and conference speakers in his home. He was a marvelous individual.
GRACIOUS PLEA FOR ONESIMUS
Wherefore, though I might be much hold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ [Philem. 8–9].
Paul is making a gracious plea for Onesimus. He is coming to the purpose of his letter. He approaches his subject diplomatically and cautiously and lovingly. He is going to make his request to Onesimus on a threefold basis:
“For love’s sake.” This is the love of Paul and Philemon for each other as believers in Christ Jesus.
“Being such an one as Paul the aged.” Paul was only in his sixties, but he was an old man. He had suffered and had been persecuted as a missionary for Christ. This had aged him. Paul says to Philemon, “You know that I am an old man now.”
“A prisoner of Jesus Christ.” It is evident that he could not come to Philemon in person.
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds [Philem. 10].
Paul is pleading on behalf of his son. Paul was not married, but he had many sons. He calls Timothy and Titus his sons, and now Onesimus. These are his spiritual sons. He had led Onesimus to the Lord even though he himself was a prisoner at the time.
Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me [Philem. 11].
The name Onesimus means “profitable.” Paul really has a play on words here that is tremendous. He is good at that, by the way. Since his name literally means profitable, Paul is saying, “When you had Profitable, you didn’t have Profitable. Now that you don’t have Profitable, you do have Profitable.” You see, as a slave Onesimus wasn’t very useful. He didn’t work because he wanted to work. His heart wasn’t in it, and I guess I can’t blame him for that. But now Paul is sending him back to Philemon as a believer, and he says, “He is going to be profitable to you now. However, I don’t want him to be received as a slave.”
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel [Philem. 12–13].
Paul is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus just as if he were receiving Paul. Now Paul admits that he would have liked to have kept Onesimus. I’m sure Paul would say, “My first thought was that this man knows how to serve, and I need somebody. I am here in prison, old and sick and cold. This fellow could help me. My first thought was to keep him here and just let you know that I have him here with me.” But Paul couldn’t do that. He says—
But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly [Philem. 14].
Paul is saying, “I wouldn’t keep Onesimus because that wouldn’t be right—although I thought of it. If you willingly want to send him back to me, that will be all right.” Did Philemon send Onesimus back to Paul? Again, that is something we do not know. I think he did. I would imagine that on the next boat going to Rome, there was Onesimus with a lot of things to add to Paul’s comfort.
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? [Philem. 15–16].
Since Onesimus has become a believer, his status and relationship to Philemon are different. He is still a slave according to the Roman law, but he is more than that to Philemon. He is now a beloved brother.
GUILTLESS SUBSTITUTES FOR GUILTY
This verse, together with the next verse, gives us one of the grandest illustrations of full substitution and imputation. Behind Paul’s plea is Christ’s plea to the Father on behalf of the sinner who trusts Christ as the Savior. That sinner is received on the same standing that Christ is received. In other words, the saved sinner has as much right in heaven as Christ has, for he has His right to be there. We are accepted in the beloved (see Eph. 1:6).
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself [Philem. 17].
“Since you count me as a partner, I want you to receive him just like you would receive me. You always put me up in that guest room. Don’t send him out in the cold; put him up in the guest room.”
GLORIOUS ILLUSTRATION OF IMPUTATION
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account [Philem. 18].
We think that the credit card is something new in our day. We can buy almost anything with a credit card—from a gallon of gas to a chain of motels. Credit cards are used so much that one restaurant posted the sign: “We take money too.”
Paul also had a credit card. He had a credit card because he was a believer in Christ. Paul says, “Look, if Onesimus stole something from you or did something wrong, just put it on my account. Put it on my credit card.”
All of this is a glorious picture. When I come to God the Father for salvation, I can hear the Lord Jesus Christ say, “If Vernon McGee has wronged Thee or oweth Thee anything, put that on My account.” Christ on the cross paid the penalty for my sins. But that isn’t all. I am sure that God the Father would say, “That fellow Vernon McGee is not fit for heaven.” Then the Lord Jesus would say, “If Thou count Me therefore a partner, receive Vernon McGee as Myself.” That is what it means to be in Christ—accepted in the Beloved. Oh, what a picture this is of the way God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ accept you and accept me. That makes this a very precious epistle.
GENERAL AND PERSONAL ITEMS AND REQUESTS
I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides [Philem. 19].
“I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it.” The Lord Jesus Christ gave His life and shed His blood to pay our entire debt of sin.
“Albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.” Paul had led Philemon to the Lord. How could he ever repay Paul for that?
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord [Philem. 20].
Paul is pleading for Onesimus.
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say [Philem. 21].
As you can see, this is a personal letter, and in a sense we are reading it over the shoulder of Philemon. Paul expresses his confidence in him and actually feels that Philemon will do more than he requests.
It is characteristic of real believers to do more than is requested. Jesus asks us to go the second mile. Maybe the reason that some of us are so poor today is that we have been stingy with the Lord. The Lord is a generous Lord. We should be generous people.
But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you [Philem. 22].
Paul expects to be released from prison. He requests prayers for that purpose. Since this letter was probably written during Paul’s first confinement in Rome, he was released and probably visited Philemon personally.
There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow-labourers.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen [Philem. 23–25].
This beautiful little letter concludes with personal greetings to mutual friends.
(For Bibliography to Philemon, see Bibliography at the end of 2 Timothy.)
The Epistle to the
Hebrews
INTRODUCTION
The Epistle to the Hebrews is of such importance that I rank it beside the Epistle to the Romans (which is excelled by no other book). I have wondered how to give this magnificent Epistle to the Hebrews the introduction it deserves. Before me are excellent expository works that other men have written, and I have decided to let four of them introduce this epistle to the Hebrews to you, since each of them makes statements that are all-important. They have said what I would like to say. First I will quote from G. Campbell Morgan’s book, God’s Last Word to Man:
The letter to the Hebrews has an especial value today because there is abroad a very widespread conception of Christ which is lower than that of the New Testament. To illustrate what I mean by this, a recent writer has said:
“One of the best things we can say about human nature is this, that whenever a situation occurs which can only be solved by an individual ‘laying down his life for his friends,’ some heroic person is certain to come forth, sooner or later, and offer himself as the victim—a Curtius to leap into the gulf, a Socrates to drink the hemlock, a Christ to get himself crucified on Calvary.”
I am not proposing to discuss that at any length, but at once say that to place Christ in that connection is to me little short of blasphemy. We may properly speak of “a Curtius,” “a Socrates,” but when we speak of “a Christ,” our reference to Him is not only out of harmony with the New Testament presentation, but implicitly a contradiction of what it declares concerning the uniqueness of His Person.
This is a tremendous beginning for the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Dr. William Pettingill, in his book Into the Holiest: Simple Studies in Hebrews, has a different emphasis in his opening statement:
From Adam to Moses, through 2500 years, and from Moses to Malachi, through 1100 years, the prophets were speaking for God to man. But at the end of the 3600 years their revelation of God was only partial. Then after a silence of 400 years, when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, and in that Son the revelation of God is perfect.
That is another tremendous statement.
Now I’m going to give a third introduction to the Epistle to the Hebrews. It comes from the excellent book by E. Schuyler English, Studies in The Epistle to the Hebrews:
The Epistle to the Hebrews, one of the most important books of the New Testament in that it contains some of the chief doctrines of the Christian faith, is, as well, a book of infinite logic and great beauty. To read it is to breathe the atmosphere of heaven itself. To study it is to partake of strong spiritual meat. To abide in its teachings is to be led from immaturity to maturity in the knowledge of Christian truth and of Christ Himself. It is to “go on unto perfection.”
And here is a further statement:
The theme of the Epistle to the Hebrews, the only book of the New Testament in which our Lord is presented in His high priestly office, is the supreme glory of Christ, the Son of God and Son of man.
This is tremendous!
Now I turn to the fourth author, Sir Robert Anderson, and quote from his book, The Hebrews Epistle in the Light of the Types. As we go through this epistle I trust I shall be able to emphasize this which he emphasizes so well, and I also trust that this introduction will clarify the thought:
That the professing Church on earth is “the true vine”—this is the daring and impious lie of the apostasy. That it is “the olive tree” is a delusion shared by the mass of Christians in the churches of the Reformation. But the teaching of Scripture is explicit, that Christ Himself is the vine, and Israel the olive. For “God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew.”
This Epistle to the Hebrews was not accepted by the Western church for a long time, and the reason is found at this particular juncture: the church wanted to usurp the place of Israel. They adopted all the promises God had made to Israel and spiritualized them, applying them to themselves and rejecting God’s purposes in the nation Israel. As a result, you’ll find that the church in those early days became actually anti-Semitic and persecuted the Jew! Therefore, to say that God is through with the nation Israel is a sad blunder, and I trust that this epistle may be helpful in our understanding the great truth that a Hebrew is a Hebrew, and when he becomes a Christian, he is still a Hebrew. When any person becomes a child of God, it does not change his nationality at all, but it brings him into a new body of believers called the church. Today God is calling out of both Jews and Gentiles a people for His name. When that is consummated, God will take His church out of the world, and He will pursue His purpose with the nation Israel, fulfilling all of His promises to them and through them to the gentile world in that day. I am indebted to these four wonderful expositors of the Word of God for helping us to get on the springboard so that we can plunge into the water of the Word.
The human author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has always been a moot question. Although the Authorized Version has the heading, “Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews,” there is still a question as to authorship. The Revised Version and other later versions correct this and simply entitle it the Epistle (or letter) to the Hebrews. If you are acquainted with the literature of the Scriptures, you recognize that there is no unanimity of thought and no agreement as to who is the author of this epistle. When I was a seminary student, I wrote a thesis on the authorship of Hebrews, and I attempted to sustain the position that the apostle Paul is the author.
When I wrote my thesis I thought I had solved the problem and that the world would be in agreement that Paul wrote Hebrews! But I find that there is just as much disagreement today about the authorship as there was before I wrote my thesis! Neither John Calvin nor Martin Luther accepted Paul’s authorship, and neither did many others of the past. On the other hand, many do accept Paul as the author. However, the human author is not the important thing, but the fact that the Epistle to the Hebrews is part of God’s inspired Word is important.
In spite of the fact that the Pauline authorship cannot be stated in a dogmatic fashion, there is abundant evidence that Paul was the author. Both internal and external evidence support the authorship of Paul. The writer had been in bonds (see Heb. 10:34). He wrote from Italy (see Heb. 13:24). His companion was Timothy (see Heb. 13:23). The writing is Pauline. Also, in my opinion, Peter identifies Paul as the writer (see 2 Pet. 3:15–16). I believe that there is good and sufficient reason for Paul’s changing his style and for not giving his name in the epistle. I’ll call attention to these things as we go along. (See the Appendix for a full treatment of the subject of authorship.)
The date of writing is particularly important in the case of the Epistle to the Hebrews because of the authorship question. Many scholars, even sound scholars, have taken the position that it was written after a.d. 70. Some give the date of a.d. 85, a.d. 96, and others up in the 90s. However, as you read this epistle, you are forced to the conclusion that the temple at Jerusalem was still standing at the time it was written. This means it had to have been written before a.d. 70, since Titus the Roman destroyed the temple in a.d. 70 and Paul had already gone to be with the Lord. I believe that it was written by the apostle Paul and it was written before a.d. 70.
Coleridge said that Romans revealed the necessity of the Christian faith but that Hebrews revealed the superiority of the Christian faith. This thought, running all the way through, is expressed in the use of the comparative word better, which occurs thirteen times. The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that the Law was good, but that grace, under Christ, is better and that the glory that is coming is going to be the best. The Epistle to the Hebrews presents that which is better. The word perfect occurs fifteen times (with cognate words). It is an epistle that challenges us. Let us occurs thirteen times, and let occurs five times.
Two verses especially convey to us this “better” way: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (Heb. 3:1). We are to consider Him. Then in Hebrews 12:3 we read the challenge: “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” That is exactly what we are going to do as we study the Epistle to the Hebrews. We are going consider Him, the Lord Jesus Christ. I am convinced that that is the most important thing which any Christian can do.
OUTLINE
I. Christ Better Than Old Testament Economy, Chapters 1–10 (Doctrinal)
A. Christ Is Superior to Prophets, Chapter 1:1–3
B. Christ Is Superior to Angels, Chapters 1:4–2:18
1. Deity of Christ, Chapter 1:4–14
2. Humanity of Christ, Chapter 2:1–18 1st Danger Signal: Peril of Drifting, Chapter 2:1–4
C. Christ Is Superior to Moses, Chapters 3:1–4:2 2nd Danger Signal: Peril of Doubting, Chapters 3:7–4:2
D. Christ Is Superior to Joshua, Chapter 4:3–13
E. Christ Is Superior to Levitical Priesthood, Chapters 4:14–7:28
1. Our Great High Priest, Chapter 4:14–16
2. Definition of a Priest, Chapter 5:1–10 3rd Danger Signal: Peril of Dull Hearing, Chapter 5:11–14 4th Danger Signal: Peril of Departing, Chapter 6:1–20
3. Christ Our High Priest after Order of Melchizedek, Chapter 7:1–28
a. Christ Is Perpetual Priest, Chapter 7:1–3
b. Christ Is Perfect Priest, Chapter 7:4–22
c. Christ in His Person Is Perpetual and Perfect Priest, Chapter 7:23–28
F. Christ as Our High Priest Ministers in Superior Sanctuary by Better Covenant Built upon Better Promises, Chapters 8:1–10:39
1. True Tabernacle, Chapter 8:1–5
2. New Covenant, Better than the Old, Chapter 8:6–13
3. New Sanctuary, Better than the Old, Chapter 9:1–10
4. Superior Sacrifice, Chapters 9:11–10:18
5. Encouragement, Chapter 10:19–25 5th Danger Signal: Peril of Despising, Chapter 10:26–39
II. Christ Brings Better Benefits and Duties, Chapters 11–13 (Practical)
A. Faith, Chapter 11:1–40
B. Hope, Chapter 12:1–29
1. The Christian Race, Chapter 12:1–2
2. Believers Are Now in Contest and Conflict, Chapter 12:3–14 6th Danger Signal: Peril of Denying, Chapter 12:15–29
C. Love, Chapter 13:1–25
1. Secret Life of Believers, Chapter 13:1–6
2. Social Life of Believers, Chapter 13:7–14
3. Spiritual Life of Believers, Chapter 13:15–19
4. Benediction, Chapter 13:20–25
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels
The first section in this epistle is doctrinal. The first ten chapters reveal that Christ is better than the Old Testament economy. The second and last section of this epistle is practical, showing that Christ brings better benefits and duties. By the way, this is a pattern that the apostle Paul follows in his other epistles; that is, the doctrinal side and then the practical side. In my opinion, there is an abundance of evidence that Paul did write this epistle to the Hebrews.
Although I cannot be dogmatic about the authorship of Hebrews, I can say very dogmatically that we are dealing with the Word of God—that which the Spirit of God has given to us. Because the Holy Spirit is unquestionably the author of this epistle, the human writer and the dating are secondary. The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the greatest epistles we have in the Word of God. It is not pious cant when I say that I do not feel worthy or competent to deal with this great epistle. This is the reason I let four outstanding expositors introduce the epistle for me. From four different viewpoints each one came to this one point of emphasizing the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore I claim the promise of the Lord Jesus when He said that when the Spirit of God would come He would take the things of Christ and show them unto us (see John 16:12–15.)
We need to keep in mind that this epistle is directed to Hebrew believers who stood at the juncture of two great dispensations. The dispensation of law had come to an end. The sacrifices in the temple that had once been so meaningful were now meaningless. What God had before required was now actually sin for a believer to practice, as this epistle will make very clear. The Epistle to the Hebrews is addressed to Hebrew believers, although its teachings are for believers of every race in every age. It is very meaningful to you and to me today. However, we do need to keep in mind that it was written to and for Hebrew believers. For example, to say that Christ is superior to the prophets would be especially meaningful to a Hebrew.
CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO THE PROPHETS
God, who at sundry times and in divers [diverse] manners spake in time pas unto the fathers by the prophets [Heb. 1:1].
You will notice that this verse and this book begin with the word God. There are certain premises upon which this book rests. When you study geometry, there are certain axioms with which you must begin, and if you don’t, you won’t begin at all. If two plus two does not equal four, then you are at sea as far as mathematics is concerned. A straight line is the shortest distance between two points; that is a proven fact, and it is accepted. When that fact is established, you can move on and prove something else. In the Book of Hebrews, as in the Book of Genesis, no attempt is made to prove God’s existence. Both books assume that there is a God. The Bible makes no effort to try to prove the existence of God. There are courses in seminaries today that try to build up some philosophic system by which the existence of God can be proven. I have been through courses like that, and I know what I’m talking about when I say it is a great waste of time. There is something wrong with you if you can’t walk out and look up at the mountains, or go down to the seashore and look at the sea, or look up into the heavens, and recognize that there is a Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). My friend, if the created universe is not saying something to you about a Creator, there is something radically wrong with your thinking. As a young fellow said to me about an atheist, “Dr. McGee, he isn’t dealing with a full deck!” It is the fool who has said in his heart that there is no God (see Ps. 14:1).
The second assumption we find in Hebrews 1:1 is that God has spoken. Realizing that God is an intelligent Person and that He has given mankind a certain degree of intelligence, if we didn’t already have a revelation from Him, I would suggest that we wait for it. It is only logical that the Creator would get a message through to us. Well, my friend, He has communicated with us. And the revelation that we have is the inspired Word of God. The first verse of Hebrews assumes that the Scriptures we have are divinely inspired. The revelation to which he refers is the revelation of the Old Testament as we have it today.
There are those who feel that Paul did not write the Book of Hebrews because it was written in such magnificent Greek. It was written by one who was a master of the Greek language. There is a smoothness and beauty in it that we miss in the English translation. Right at the beginning of this book there is a play upon two words. The word for “sundry times” in the Greek is polumeroµs, and the word for “divers manners” is polutropoµs. Notice the beauty of that—polumeroµs and polutropoµs. It is almost poetic—it sounds like Homer. But there is more than beauty; it is a tremendous statement.
“Sundry times” does not speak of time as we think of it. The emphasis is that God spoke through Moses, but before that He spoke to Abraham. He apparently spoke to Abraham through dreams and by sending the angel of the Lord to him, but when He spoke to Abraham, He did not tell him what He told Moses. God didn’t say anything at all to Abraham about the Law. He did not give him the Ten Commandments, but later God did give the Ten Commandments to Moses. Even later on He told David that a King would be coming in his line who would be a Savior. And when David was an old man, he said that there was a King coming in his line who would be his Savior. God did not give that information to Moses, and He did not give it to Abraham. In fact, God gave Moses a law that Israel was not to have an earthly king because God would be their king. God, however, knew the human heart, and in time Israel wanted to be like the other nations round about them and have a human king. It was marvelous how God moved in a time like that. He granted their request, although He sent leanness to their souls. He used that as the method of getting the Messiah, the Savior, into the world. This first verse is telling us that God did not give all of His truth to Abraham, but added to it as He dealt with different men through the years. And in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son. There is a development of the truth in the Bible.
“Divers [diverse] manners!” means that God used different ways of communicating. He appeared in dreams to Abraham, but He gave Moses the Law. Later on He made certain promises to Joshua. He spoke through dreams, He spoke through the Law, He spoke through the types, He spoke through ritual, He spoke through history, He spoke through poetry, and He spoke through prophecy. He used all these different ways over a long period of time, using about forty-five writers and communicating His Word over a period of about fifteen hundred years. The writer to the Hebrews is saying something quite wonderful to us at this point.
Have you ever stopped to think that the multiplicity of writers in and of itself makes the Bible a remarkable book? Shakespeare’s writing was great on the human plane, but Shakespeare was the only author of his works. He didn’t wait for a modern Hollywood writer to write any of his plays. (In fact, the Hollywood writers wreck Shakespeare’s plays!) On the other hand, God used many, human writers to write the Bible. He used men with different backgrounds and different abilities. One of them, Simon Peter, did not do so well with the Greek language, but I am not going to criticize him because I had nine years of Greek and I do much worse with it than Simon Peter did. But God used Peter, nevertheless. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews (and I believe it was Paul) was a master of the Greek language. When Paul wrote to the Galatians and to the Corinthians, he got right down where the rubber meets the road. He used the language that they used down on the waterfront, and Paul had been down on the waterfront because He traveled a great deal by boat. But his letter to the Hebrews is a work of art.
Oh, this epistle opens on a grand scale: “God!” There is nothing before it to try to prove He exists. If you deny the existence of God, the problem is with you, not with God. So many little men who carry a Ph.D. degree deny that God exists. My thought is, Who are they? Put one of those puny, little minds down by the side of God and it becomes obvious why God did not waste His time proving who He is. If any person is going to come to God, that person must first believe that God is.
“Spake in time past unto the fathers.” Who are the fathers mentioned in this verse? They are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Moses, David, Isaiah, etc. These are the fathers, but they are not my fathers—and they may not be your fathers either. Obviously this is being written to people who could call Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob their fathers, which is the reason it is called the Epistle to the Hebrews. Nevertheless, He is God of the Gentiles also, and we can be thankful for that!
“Spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” A prophet is one who speaks for God, and in the order of speaking for God he could speak of things that were in the future. God spoke through many men who were prophets, and they were tremendous men with tremendous messages. It took all of them put together to give us the Old Testament, but the best that could be said is that they gave merely a partial revelation.
But now we will see that God has spoken finally, completely, adequately, and assuredly in His Son—
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds [Heb. 1:2].
Now God has spoken finally through His Son—literally, “spoke to us in Son.” Or, as Dr. Westcott put it, “God spoke to us in one who has the character that He is a Son.” God has spoken through His Son. If He spoke out of heaven at this moment, He would repeat something which He has already said, because, my friend, we have the last word from God to this world in Jesus Christ.
“Hath in these last days spoken unto us.” The word us is very important, referring to the same ones to whom He spoke through the prophets in Old Testament times—Hebrew believers. You remember that the Father spoke out of heaven saying, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5). Since the Father has given His final word in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the final word for you and me also. The Son is the One who is before us.
“Spoken unto us by his Son.” Therefore Christ is superior to all of the Old Testament writers, because the revelation is filled up in Him. He fulfills all of the Old Testament, and He Himself gives God’s final word to man. As Christ Jesus said when He was here over nineteen hundred years ago, “… he [the Holy Spirit] shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:15), so that the Spirit of God, speaking through John and James and Dr. Luke and Paul and Peter and the other writers of the New Testament, has given us the full revelation from God.
Now we are shown the superiority of the Son in seven matchless statements. None of us, I am sure, feel that we can comprehend any one of them completely.
“Whom he hath appointed heir of all things.” The Lord Jesus Christ is heir of all things. Now this raises a question. In John 1:3 we read, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Creation is His, for He created it, we are told. It belongs to Him already, so how can He be the heir of all things? Well, He came to earth and took upon Himself our humanity. The first man in the human race was given dominion over this creation. We do not emphasize this enough, because in Genesis tremendous statements are made in just a few words. Once, when we took a group to Israel, we had an Israeli Christian speak to us. When he came to the end of his message, he wanted to give an illustration, and he said, “I want to say this to you in little words.” What he meant was a few words; he intended to make it brief. That is the way Moses wrote the first eleven chapters of Genesis—with “little words.” He made it brief. When God says He gave man dominion over all the earth (see Gen. 1:26), He did not make him sort of a first class gardener to set out rose bushes and prune the plum trees. That is not what Adam did. Adam had dominion. Dominion has to do with rulership. All creation was under him. I believe that when Adam wanted more moisture over on the west forty, he needed only to call for it. When he wanted the heat turned on, he could turn it on. I think he controlled this earth; but when he sinned, he lost that control.
When the Lord Jesus came to this earth, He became a man. He performed miracles in every realm. He had control of the human body. He had control of nature—He could still storms, and He could feed five thousand people. He recovered what Adam had lost. The Lord Jesus is going to be heir of all things, and we are told in Scripture that we are heirs of God. Romans 8:16–17 tells us, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ….” Joint-heirs is an interesting word. It does not mean equal heirs. Let me illustrate that. Some folk have been very interested in our radio program and have given us wonderful support. They will mention us in their will. Sometimes we are mentioned as a joint-heir in the will, and sometimes we are mentioned as an equal heir. For example, a will might read, “I want so much to go to such and such a cause and so much to go to the Thru the Bible Radio Network.” That makes us an equal heir with someone else. When an inheritance is left to us like this, we are free to do whatever we want to with it. But when we are a joint-heir in a will, it means that somebody else has the control of the inheritance, and they allocate just so much out to each one at the proper time; they manage the estate. Well, the Lord Jesus Christ is the heir, and we are just the joint-heirs. He will be in control, and He may put you or me in charge of a little something in the universe. In that way we are joint-heirs with Christ—we have an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, and it is reserved in heaven for us. We have this inheritance because of the many wonderful things the Lord has done for us. He recovered what Adam lost, and even more than that, He has made us joint-heirs with Himself. Christ is the One who is going to inherit everything. As far as we know, no prophet in the Old Testament was ever promised anything like that. You see, the writer of this epistle is showing us that Christ is superior to the prophets.
“By whom also he made the worlds.” Many people believe this refers to the creative act— “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Actually, it does not refer to that at all. The Greek word here for “worlds” is aioµn. It means “ages”—“by whom He made the ages.” This goes beyond His being the Creator. This lends purpose to everything. He is the heir who gives the program for the future. He made the ages, giving purpose for everything. Not only did He create everything, He did it for a purpose.
The Bible makes sense. God had a reason for the things He did, and He has a reason today for the things He continues to do.
For example, God created man and put him in a garden. He put down one condition for living there: Man was not to eat the fruit from a certain tree. There was nothing wrong with the fruit; it was God’s test to that man to see if he would obey Him. (The problem was not the fruit on the tree; it was the pair on the ground!) Man absolutely and completely failed God’s test at that time.
God has a program and purpose in everything. There came other periods when God tested man. The time came when He gave man the Mosaic Law. It, again, was a test of man’s obedience. Today you and I live under grace. We are saved by grace; we could never be saved by the Law. Firstly, it wasn’t given to us in this age, and, secondly, we couldn’t keep it. We cannot measure up to the righteous standard that God has set. It ought to be quite obvious to every person that God cannot save us by works. He cannot save us by perfect works because we cannot produce perfection; neither can He save us by imperfect works because His standard is higher than that. Therefore God had to have another way, and today it is by grace that we are saved.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator of this universe, and there is purpose to it. Abroad today is the idiotic notion that the universe is running at breakneck speed through time and space like a car that has lost the driver. The interesting thing is that when a car loses the driver there is a wreck, but this universe, even according to the scientists, has been running millions of years, and it has been doing pretty well, by the way. The sun comes up at a certain time every morning; it is very precise. The moon stays in a predictable orbit. As one of the men who works on the moon modules says, all they have to do is aim, and the moon will be there when the module gets there. You can always depend upon the moon. It is not running wild. The moon doesn’t head in another direction when it sees a module coming toward it. The movement of the moon is absolutely predictable. This is not a mad universe in which you and I live. It has purpose, and the Lord Jesus is the One who gives it purpose.
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high [Heb. 1:3].
What tremendous statements we have here!
“Who being the brightness of his glory.” Brightness means “the outshining”; it means “the effulgence.” The material sun out in space gives us a good illustration of this. We could never know the glory of the sun by looking at it because we can’t look at it directly—it would blind us if we tried. But from the rays of the sun we get light and we get heat, and probably we get healing from it. That is the way we know about the sun. Now in somewhat the same way we would know very little about God apart from the revelation that God has given in His Son. The Lord Jesus Christ is the brightness we see. No one has seen God, but we know about Him now through Jesus Christ. Just as the rays of the sun with their warmth and light tell me about the physical sun, so the Lord Jesus reveals God to us today.
“The express image of his person.” That word “express image” is the Greek charakteµr, the impressed character, like a steel engraving. We get our English word character from this. We say that the Lord Jesus Christ is the revelation of God because He is God. He is not just the printed material; He is the steel engraving of God because He is the exact copy, the image of God. Paul said in Colossians 2:9, “… in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” How wonderful He is!
“Upholding all things by the word of his power.” That little baby Jesus lying helplessly on the bosom of Mary in Bethlehem could have spoken this universe out of existence. He upholds all things by the word of His power. He not only created all things by His word, but He holds everything together.
Have you ever stopped to think about the amount of power that is required to hold it together? Man has learned very little about that power, but he has learned something. For instance, man has discovered the atom, a little bitty fellow. And when man untied the atom (they call it splitting the atom), he sure did release a lot of power. Who put all that power in the atom? Who holds all the little atoms together? The Lord Jesus Christ. He furnishes the program and the purpose; He is the person of God, and He is the preserver of all things. He not only created the universe by His word, but He holds everything together. If He let go today—well, since you and I are held on this earth by His glue, His stickum, which we call gravitation—we would go flying out into space. He holds everything together. This universe would come unglued without His constant supervision and power. He is not like an Atlas holding up the earth passively; He is actively engaged in maintaining all of creation. As far as I can see, that is greater than creating it in the beginning. He keeps the thing running, keeps it functioning. This is one of the tremendous things He is doing today.
“When he had by himself purged our sins.” The Lord Jesus Christ provided the cleansing for our sins. This, by the way, is the only purgatory mentioned in the Bible. He went through it for you and me; there is no purgatory for anyone who trusts Christ because He purged our sins. He has paid the penalty for them. How wonderful He is! The purging was accomplished by what He did on Calvary for you and for me. And today we are accepted in the Beloved. The one who comes to Christ receives a full redemption and complete forgiveness of sins.
“Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” This actually is the message of Hebrews. The Lord Jesus received a glory and a majesty when He went back to the Father’s throne that He never had before. There is something in heaven today that was not there twenty-five hundred years ago or in eternity past, because in the glory now is the Man with nail-pierced hands and the prints of nails in His feet and a spear wound in His side. Even in His glorified body they are there, and when we see Him, we shall know Him by the prints of the nails in His hands. Twenty-five hundred years ago He was God, but today He is the God-man.
“Sat down” does not indicate that He is resting because He is tired—or that He is doing nothing. It means that when He finished our redemption, He sat down because it was complete. This is exactly what the seventh day meant in creation—God rested on the seventh day. Was He tired? No. As John Wesley said, when He created the universe He didn’t half try. He rested because it was complete; there was nothing more that He needed to do.
Never, since I have been a pastor, have I been able to close my desk and go home with the satisfaction that everything has been done. There is always something incomplete—you should see my desk right now! My work is never complete, but Christ sat down because His work of redemption was complete. Friend, you cannot lift your little finger today to add to the redemption He wrought for us on the cross. He has completed our redemption, and we are complete in Christ. In Colossians 2:9–10 we are told, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” We are made complete in Him, made full in Him, and we are accepted in the Beloved.
The present ministry of Christ is another aspect of this. This, I think, was in the mind of the writer who said, “There is a man in the glory, but the church has lost sight of Him.” His present ministry can be expressed like this: He died down here to save us; He lives up there to keep us saved. He has a ministry of intercession, a ministry of shepherding, a ministry of disciplining His own. Although He is at God’s right hand now, He is still vitally interested in those who are His own, and He is available to us.
My friend, what do you need? Do you need mercy? Do you need help? Do you need wisdom? Whatever you need, why don’t you go to Him for it? If you ask Him to intervene in your behalf, He will work it out according to His will (not yours). Prayer is not to persuade God to do something that He didn’t intend to do; prayer is to get you and me in line with the program of God. And Christ is at the right hand of the Father, ever living to make intercession for us. We can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. This is the present ministry of Christ, and it makes these verses in Hebrews pretty real to you and to me. My friend, Buddha can’t help you; Mohammed can’t help you; no founder of the modern religions can help you. A friend told me of how he was healed by a so-called faith healer who is now dead. I asked him, “Can she help you now?” He retorted, “No, of course not, she is dead!” “Well,” I said, “Jesus is alive. Our Great High Priest is alive today.”
When we were at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem I heard a thrilling story about a group of young people in Moscow who unfurled a banner at Lenin’s tomb on Easter Sunday morning. The banner read, “Lenin is dead—Jesus is alive.” Then they sang some resurrection songs. I don’t know that anyone was won to the Lord through this, but it certainly was a brave effort on the part of youth, and their message is the message of the Book of Hebrews. “Lenin is dead—Jesus is alive.” He is the One who can help us. He is the One to whom we can turn. This is the great message of the Epistle to the Hebrews. When He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” He took with Him a glory that even God did not have, which was the body in which He had wrought out your redemption and mine upon this earth. He gave Himself; He shed His precious blood that you and I might have life.
CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO ANGELS
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they [Heb. 1:4].
Christ is superior to the angels. Angels were prominent in their ministry to Israel in the Old Testament. The Law was given by the agency of angels (Ps. 68:17; Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19). Cherubim were woven into the veil of the tabernacle, and cherubim were fashioned of gold for the mercy seat. We find that Isaiah had a vision of the seraphim. And in the Book of Revelation we find that after the church is removed, there is an angel ministry of judgment that is going to take place.
Now I say this rather carefully: angel ministry is not connected with the church. I know someone is going to say, “Brother McGee, after all, we have a guardian angel.” Where did that idea come from? I don’t think we have guardian angels. Some people say, “Oh, but we need to have a guardian angel.” Let me ask you a question: “Are you a child of God?” If you are, you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, who is the third Person of the Godhead. What could a guardian angel do for you that He couldn’t do for you? Do you want to think that over for a while? My feeling is that the angel ministry is not connected with the church at all. This subject is becoming exceedingly difficult and dangerous today because there is manifestation of demonism, and several writers are saying that demons are directing them—but they call them angels. My friend, an angel ministry is not for our day.
The idea of an active angel ministry in the church came about because some of the early church members who were marvelous artists liked to paint angels. I doubt whether any of them ever saw an angel, but they painted angels. If you have ever been in the Sistine Chapel in Rome and looked up at the ceiling, you get the feeling that angels are hovering over you. They are as thick as pigeons up there! They are everywhere. They are connected with everybody and everything. Michelangelo certainly did like to paint angels. Although I am glad that I’ve seen the Sistine Chapel, I wouldn’t give five cents to see it again. I know that statement will be a heart-break for some art lovers, but I don’t care to see it again because it teaches as fact that there are angels connected with our lives today. My friend, we have to do with a living Savior! Let’s just push the angels aside because we don’t have to go to God through angels. We have the Holy Spirit, and we have Christ, our great Intercessor. Let us get our minds off angels and center them upon the person of Christ. He is superior to angels.
“Being made so much better than the angels.” The word angel simply means “messenger,” and it doesn’t mean anything else other than that. Angels worship the Lord Jesus. They are created creatures. Christ is better than the angels, and that statement is made definitely and dogmatically for us in Hebrews. In the Old Testament it is believed by many that the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as “the angel of the Lord.” But in the New Testament He becomes a man, and having assumed human form, He does not appear as the Angel of the Lord any longer. He is the man, Christ Jesus. He is the Son of Man today. That is the emphasis of this Hebrew epistle.
Beginning with Hebrews 1:5 there is a series of quotations from the Old Testament; in fact, there are seven quotations, and six of them are from the Book of Psalms. The Psalms have more to say about Christ than they have to say about any other person. It is a H-I-M book—it was the hymn book of the temple, but it is all about Him; it is praise to Him. You have a more complete picture of Christ in the Psalms than you have in the Gospels. These quotations in Hebrews are very important. The waiter of Hebrews quotes from the Old Testament to enforce his point, which is superiority of the Son over the angels.
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a son? [Heb. 1:5].
“Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee” is a quotation from Psalm 2:7. In Acts 13 we have recorded Paul’s great sermon at Antioch in Pisidia in which he quoted Psalm 2:7. Paul said that it had no reference to Bethlehem, but it referred to the Resurrection of Christ—when He was brought back from the dead. Therefore, Christ is the only One who could die for the sins of the world. No angel could save us, my friend. Only Christ could become a man and pay the penalty, which was death. “The wages of sin is death.” He had to shed His blood, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Therefore, He made that redemption for you and for me. Then He was brought back from the dead. Why? Because He is the Son. He was begotten from the dead.
“I will be to him a Father, and he shall he to me a Son” is a quotation from 2 Samuel. This is God’s promise to David when He made His covenant with him: “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will he his father, and he shall be my son …” (2 Sam. 7:12–14). Now, there are those who say that this one in David’s line was only Solomon. Well, Hebrews 1:5 makes it very clear that when God gave that promise to David it had reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have heard arguments pro and con on this, but arguments are pointless when we have the clear scriptural confirmation that this refers to Christ. He alone fulfilled it.
And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him [Heb. 1:6].
Now let me rearrange this a little: “And again he bringeth in the first begotten into the world. He saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”
This verse is a quotation from Psalm 97:7 and Deuteronomy 32:43 in the Septuagint version (though not in the Hebrew of the Old Testament). The angels of God are wonderful, but they are inferior to the Son. They are His angels, they are His ministers, and they are His worshipers. They worship Him. He does not worship them.
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire [Heb. 1:7].
This is a quotation from Psalm 104:4. The angels belong to the Lord. They are His ministers and worshipers. This is very important to see. The writer of Hebrews, who I believe is Paul, is showing that Christ is superior to the angels, and He is using the Old Testament Scriptures to prove it. Can you see how absolutely important the first two chapters of Hebrews are? They put down a foundation for the rest of the book which deals with the present ministry of Christ for believers today. Oh, that we might be conscious of the fact that there is a living Christ at God’s right hand at this very moment! He is more real than I am, because when you read these words, there is no telling where I will be. We just don’t know what a day will bring forth. But Christ is going to be right up yonder at God’s right hand for you and for me. He is the real, living Christ today.
It is easy to understand that angels were very important to the Hebrews because most of them were well acquainted with the Old Testament. They thought of angels as next to the very throne of God. They had read of the appearance of angels to many of God’s servants and to many of the prophets. Angels were very important beings to them.
As I have already mentioned, I do not believe there is an angel ministry to the church in our day. I do not believe that angels appear to men. If you think you have seen an angel, you should check with your doctor or with a psychologist because you saw something besides an angel.
This reminds me of the two fellows who met after not having seen each other for a long time. One of them said “Are you married?” The other one replied, “Yes, I’m married!” His friend then asked, “What kind of a girl did you marry?” “Well,” replied the other fellow, “I married an angel.” The other one said, “You sure are lucky. Mine is still alive!”
Well, human beings never become angels. God has made this universe so that there are things visible and invisible. In Colossians 1:16 we read that Christ created things visible and invisible. For example, you cannot see an atom, but it is material and it becomes energy. God created intelligences that are above man. You and I live in a universe about which the Lord has said, “In my Father’s house are many moneµ, meaning “abiding places” (see John 14:2). Created intelligences live in these abiding places, and God has created a great deal more in this universe than you and I could ever dream of today. Man did not come from animals. There is a material kingdom. There is the animal kingdom, the human kingdom, and a spirit kingdom. There are creatures below man and creatures that are above man. We did not come from animals, and we will never become angels.
You may remember the song, “I want to be an angel and with the angels sing.” When I was a little boy in Sunday school, the teacher would line up the little brats (I was the only good boy in the class) and have us sing, “I want to be an angel and with the angels sing.” The last thing I wanted to be was an angel! And I still feel that way. I am very happy that the Scripture makes it clear that I am not going to be an angel.
The word angel (Gr.: aggelos) means “messenger” and may be applied to a human or divine messenger. There is an order of creatures that is supernatural, and we see that in the Scriptures. I think it would really surprise us if we had any conception of the number of angels in the universe. They are called the “host of heaven,” and that means there are a whole lot of them. Their numbers apparently are not diminished or added to in any way, but we have no idea how many angels there are. They have an important part in God’s plan, but Christ is superior to the angels.
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows [Heb. 1:8–9].
These verses are a quotation from Psalm 45:6–7 which reveals that it is one of the great messianic psalms. Psalm 45 tells us that there is One coming in the line of David who will rule in righteousness. David is so thrilled about this prospect that he says, “… My tongue is the pen of a ready writer” (Ps. 45:1). David is saying, “I could tell you about this much better than I could write about it.” This One who is coming, according to the writer to the Hebrews, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who will rule in righteousness. God has not given the right to rule the earth to any angel.
“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity” is a tremendous statement. Imagine this old earth being ruled by One who loves righteousness and hates iniquity!
“Thy throne, O God.” This is God the Father calling God the Son God! Do you want to deny that Christ is God manifest in the flesh? If you do, then may I say that you are contradicting God Himself. God called the Lord Jesus God. What are you going to call Him? I don’t know about you, but I am also going to call Him God. He is God manifest in the flesh. He is superior to angels because He is going to rule over the universe. He is the Messiah. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is going to rule over the earth some day.
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail [Heb. 1:10–12].
These verses are quoted from Psalm 102:25–27. This is a tremendous statement telling us that the Lord Jesus is the Creator. These are tremendous contrasts given to us in this section: Angels are the creatures; the Lord is the Creator.
But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? [Heb. 1:13].
This verse is a quote from Psalm 110:1, a psalm that is quoted more than any other psalm in the New Testament. The Psalms teach the deity of Christ. There is a more complete picture of Christ in the Psalms than in the Gospels.
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? [Heb. 1:14].
Right away somebody is going to say, “Doesn’t it say here that the angels are going to minister to the heirs of salvation?” Let’s read the verse like it is. The angels are going to minister to those “who shall be heirs of salvation.” This verse is looking forward to the time when God turns again to the nation Israel, and to the gentile world—after the church is removed from earth. Notice that it does not say that the angels are ministering to those who are right now the heirs of salvation. You see, God is moving according to His program and He has a purpose for everything He does.
Christ is the Son; angels are servants. Christ is King; angels are subjects. Christ is the Creator; angels are creatures. Christ at this moment is waiting until His enemies will be made His footstool. The Father never gave such a promise to an angel, but He says that some day His Son shall rule. This tremendous section sets before us the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is higher than the angels.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Humanity of Christ
After seeing the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ in chapter 1, we come to the humiliation of Christ in chapter 2. He became a man, and when He did, He became lower than the angels. He was created a man in the womb of the Virgin Mary and took upon Himself our humanity. Therefore, Christ is the revealer of God, and He is the representative of man. We are going to find out two things about Christ in the Book of Hebrews: (1) He reveals God to man; and (2) He represents man before God.
I have a representative in heaven; I have someone there who represents me. I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling that in my state capital and in my national capital those who are elected to represent me are not representing me at all. They are all out for themselves and their own little pet programs, and it doesn’t make much difference to them what happens to the public. The only time they are interested in me is when I vote, and then I become the darling of the politicians. Then you and I are the intelligent public who cannot go wrong, provided we vote for them!
It is wonderful to have a representative before God, one who does represent us. It is good to know that we have somebody there for us, because Scripture tells us that Satan, the accuser of the brethren, has access to God and accuses us before God day and night (see Rev. 12:10). Satan could tell God some pretty bad things about us, and so I am thankful I have a representative in heaven.
First we saw Christ higher than the angels, because He is God. Now we see Him become lower than the angels. He was made in the likeness of man, and we see here His humanity.
There are six danger signals in the Book of Hebrews. They are warnings to the people of Israel that they fail not to enter into the full blessings which God has provided through Christ. These six danger signals can be likened to highway markers to warn the reader. These danger signals are as follows:
Peril of drifting, 2:1–4
Peril of doubting, 3:7–4:2
Peril of dull hearing, 5:11–14
Peril of departing, 6:1–20
Peril of despising, 10:26–39
Peril of denying, 12:15–29
There are two places in which a believer can live. He can live in the desert and have a wilderness experience, or he can enter into the blessings of God by spiritually crossing the Jordan River. We find the example of this in Israel. God warned them at Kadesh-Barnea that they would miss His full blessings if they failed to enter into the land.
Now I have literally crossed the Jordan River, and it wasn’t pleasant at all. I was on a bus that stopped five times, and by the time we got to the Allenby Bridge I was so disgusted I didn’t know whether I even wanted to cross the Jordan River. As we drove over it, I looked at that little muddy stream and thanked God that I had crossed the spiritual Jordan in Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection. That is, I had been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him in newness of life. That is what is meant by a Christian crossing the Jordan. Joshua literally led the children of Israel across the Jordan. Christ spiritually leads the ones who believe in Him across the Jordan into a newness of life.
THE FIRST DANGER SIGNAL: PERIL OF DRIFTING
Let’s realize that this is a warning for every child of God in our day also, a warning that there is a danger of drifting.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip [Heb. 2:1].
Because this last revelation was superior to the Old Testament dispensation and came from One who is superior to angels, we are to pay particular attention to the warning. The responsibility is now greater.
“Let them slip” is drift past them. It indicates neglect, that is all. Neglect in any area of life is tragic, but in the spiritual realm, hearing the gospel message and doing nothing about it is infinitely more tragic. What must I do to be lost? Nothing!
The story is told of the man who went to sleep in his boat one night on the Niagara River. Before long his boat drifted down to the rapids and he was caught. It was too late for him to do anything. He went over the falls and was killed. Someone asks the question, “What must I do to be lost?” We are given the answer for “What must I do to be saved?” in Acts 16:31: “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved….” But what is the answer for “What must I do to be lost?” Well, the answer is nothing. You and I belong to a lost human family. We are not on trial. I get a little weary of hearing that God has us on trial. He doesn’t have us on trial; we are lost. Today He is saving some—those who will turn to Christ. The rest are already lost. You don’t do anything to be lost, because that is your natural condition.
There is great danger in neglect in every area of life. Many years ago I had a wonderful secretary who developed cancer of the hip. The doctor told her that she must have an operation, but she kept postponing it. Finally the day came when it was too late to do anything. She had been warned, but she just drifted, just neglected taking any action until it was too late.
When you move neglect to a higher realm, hearing the gospel message and doing nothing about it is infinitely more tragic. A great many folk hear the gospel and give mental assent to it, but do nothing about it.
Some time ago a man said to me, “McGee, some day I am going to take up your offer and accept Christ.” Right now, however, this man is drifting. I don’t know how far along he is, but the day will come when he will be in the rapids, and then it will be too late—he will go over the falls. He may have a heart attack or be in an accident, and his chance to receive Christ will be gone. I would like to get all the folk that hear the gospel into the “now” generation. “Now” is the accepted time. “Now” is the day of salvation. There is a real danger of drifting, and Hebrews warns us about it.
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward [Heb. 2:2].
For example, when the two angels came to Sodom with the announcement that Sodom was to be destroyed, Sodom was destroyed exactly as they said. In fact, whenever an angel brought a message, you could depend on its being carried out just as it was stated.
Now notice the question—
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him [Heb. 2:3].
A great Welsh preacher began his sermon by saying, “I have a question to ask. I cannot answer it. You cannot answer it. Even God cannot answer it.” Then he gave this as his text: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” And I have a sermon entitled, “A Question that God Cannot Answer.” I do not mean to be irreverent, but God makes it clear that He cannot answer the question, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Do you know a way of escape? The only way is Christ. He said so in John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” In the Scriptures we also read, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 16:25). There are many ways that seem right to men. In California you can hear about as many ways as you want to hear. If you are looking for a religion, you will find one in California. If you don’t find one that you like, you can start one, and I will guarantee that you will find some followers who will go along with you. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end are the ways of death. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? What do you do to be lost? Nothing. You can be lost by neglect.
“Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord” is, of course, the Lord Jesus when He was here. He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden…” (Matt. 11:28) and “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
“And was confirmed unto us by them that heard him,” refers to His disciples and others who heard Him and witnessed His death and resurrection—then went everywhere preaching the gospel.
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? [Heb. 2:4].
I think the writer of Hebrews has definite reference here to the Day of Pentecost when the gifts of the Holy Spirit were exercised. The gifts, of course, confirmed the message. To whom? To the nation Israel.
What tremendous truths we have here in this first danger warning. It is a warning sign, not about speeding up but about drifting—just drifting by these great truths which we may have been taking for granted.
SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST TO ANGELS IN HIS HUMANITY
The humanity of Christ needs to be emphasized as well as His deity. You see, He brought deity down to this earth, and He took humanity back to heaven.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak [Heb. 2:5].
To begin with, let us understand what world the author is talking about. A great many folk think immediately that the “world to come” is heaven. However, the word for “world” in this verse means “inhabited earth” in the Greek. This verse is talking about the people of this earth. It is used in Matthew 24:14 which says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world [inhabited earth] for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” It is also used in Romans 10:18, “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the [inhabited] earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” The word world could not refer to heaven or to eternity. It does not refer to this dispensation of grace in which we live today. It speaks of the messianic kingdom, the kingdom that is coming on the earth. Hebrew believers, schooled in the Old Testament, knew that the theme song of that book was the coming kingdom over which one in David’s line would rule. The messianic kingdom became the theme song of every one of the prophets.
“Unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come”—the millennial kingdom that is coming upon the earth. Not only have angels not ruled in the past, they will not rule in the future. They have been servants and messengers in the past, and they will continue to be servants in the future. This is the thought expressed here.
Now he turns to Psalm 8 and gives us an interpretation of that marvelous psalm which has to do with creation.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? [Heb. 2:6].
Verses 6–8 are a quote from Psalm 8:4–6. Let us pause here for just a moment. Who is man anyway? Man is just a small creature on one of the minor planets. Someone put it like this, “Man is a rash on the epidermis of a minor planet.” That really puts man in his place, but I suppose it is more or less accurate. We are very small in God’s universe. Someone else has said, “When you pick up the minutest piece of creation, the parts of an atom, and then you reach out to the largest, man is probably halfway between.” Man stands about halfway in the physical creation, but the important thing is that the Lord of Glory, the second person of the Godhead, became Jesus, a man.
“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” The answer to that is, “Jesus became a man. He left heaven’s glory, came down to this earth, and He didn’t become an angel.” That is what the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews is going to tell us. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?” What is man?
Of himself, man is nothing. Physically, if you break down the elements of his body into chemical components and put them on the market, at one time he would only have been worth about ninety-eight cents. Today due to inflation man’s worth is a little more than that. But it is not of much value, especially when you think of how much a dollar is worth. So, physically, man is not very valuable. Mentally, man thinks he is something, but he knows very little. What does man actually know about this vast universe in which we live? We have spent billions of dollars to send a man to the moon to see if we could find out how it all began. Since our nation doesn’t believe the first chapter of Genesis, we are exploring the moon! Genesis 1:1 certainly sounds a lot better than any of man’s theories. Man today isn’t very much physically or mentally. He can’t lift very much, and he can’t do very much. Man is quite limited. When you take a good look at man, you see that he is a lost sinner. He is in terrible condition. What is man that God was mindful of him?
“Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Well, He visited us because He wanted to communicate with us, and He wanted to save us because He saw our lost condition.
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands [Heb. 2:7].
God made man lower than the angels at the time of creation. Psalm 8 makes it abundantly clear that man was made lower than the angels. The One who was superior, higher than the angels, was willing to come down below angels. He became not an angel but a man!
Many of us believe that the One called the “angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament is Christ. I went across the Brook Jabbok not long ago (Jabbok is in the kingdom of Jordan) and remembered that somewhere along that little creek (and that is all I would call it) the Angel of the Lord wrestled with Jacob. That Angel of the Lord we believe is Christ.
We read in the New Testament that when Christ came to earth He became lower than the angels. Apparently angels are the measuring rod; they are the standard of the bureau of standards. Christ was above the angels, but when He became a man, He became lower than the angels. Why did the Lord do it? He did it so that He could reveal God. Also He is the representative of man before God. He brought God to earth and took man back to heaven. If you and I get to heaven it will be because we are in Christ.
This is God’s original purpose with man—“Thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands.” Man is going to do something that angels have never been able to do. Angels do not rule God’s universe. They are God’s messengers. There was an angel who attempted to rebel against God. He tried to set up his own kingdom. He attempted to become a ruler. His name was Lucifer, son of the morning. We know him today by the name of Satan, or the Devil. He was an angel of light, but he rebelled and said in his heart, “…I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…. I will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:13–14). God does not intend him or any angel to rule; but He has created man to rule.
Man, however, as we see him today is not capable of ruling. He is demonstrating this in all the capitals of the world—so much so that it makes me bow my head in shame. Man cannot rule, but he thinks he can—he has adopted Satan’s viewpoint. He is attempting to rule without God. God could bless our nation today, as He blessed it in the past when men recognized their dependence upon God. But man in and of himself is not capable of ruling.
Because of making trips to England, I have studied a great deal of English history. I wanted to look at the abbeys, the castles, and the cathedrals with some degree of intelligence as to their background. I did not realize just how bloody the kings of England had been. The minute a man became king, he killed all his relatives so no one could take the throne away from him. If you were a brother or a cousin of a king, you were in trouble. He was apt to take you to the Tower of London—many a man lost his head there. Man, regardless of his race, is not capable of ruling this earth as God intended.
However, by redemption, God is going to bring man back to the place where he can rule. In Psalm 8 is the statement: “thou … hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.” Man lost that dominion in the Garden of Eden when he disobeyed God, but Christ has recovered it.
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him [Heb. 2:8].
“Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet”—whose feet? Christ’s—not man’s. “But now we see not yet all things put under him.” Although our earth has not slipped out from under His control, He is not ruling today. When the Lord Jesus does rule on this earth, there will be no need of a hospital or a jail. There will be no crime or poverty. When He rules this earth it will be a millennial paradise. As the writer quotes Psalm 8, he makes it abundantly clear that the psalmist spoke of Christ, and the prediction is not fulfilled up to the present moment.
Now we have the very heart of this chapter—
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man [Heb. 2:9].
“But we see Jesus.” Because of what the Lord Jesus has done, we behold Him. We see Jesus. This word see does not mean a casual look. The word means that we look upon Him with understanding. We recognize that in Him is something that our little minds do not grasp. We look upon Him in faith, in trust, in wonder, in awe, and in worship. All of this is wrapped up in the phrase, “We see Jesus.” Do you “see” Him today? Has the Spirit of God taken the veil from your eyes so that you can see Him?
“We see Jesus.” Notice that Jesus is His human name. At His conception the angel announced, “… thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
“Who was made a little lower than the angels.” The emphasis is not on being made lower than the angels, but upon the word little, and in that word the emphasis is upon time. We could say, “Who was made, for a little time, lower than the angels.” For that brief time that He was upon earth (thirty-three years) He was made lower than the angels.
“For the suffering of death”—rather, because of the suffering of death. Christ alone could redeem man, and He could do it only by dying upon the Cross. It was the only way.
“Crowned with glory and honor” He wasn’t crowned with glory and honour by His death but because He came to this earth and died on the Cross for you and for me. Let me emphasize again and again that there is a Man in the glory. He wasn’t there some twenty-five hundred years ago. Instead He was the second Person of the Godhead—let’s call Him Jehovah, for Jesus is Jehovah. And He was and is God, very God of very God. But today He is also very man of very man. He took upon Himself humanity, and because He did this, He was given glory and honor in heaven that wasn’t there before.
“Should taste death for every man” means that He not only experienced the pangs of death, but He had the experience of what death really is—the very fullest depth of it. He drank the cup of death. That bitter cup was pressed to His lips, and He drank every bit of it. He did this for you and me.
“By the grace of God.” He did this by the grace of God—that God could be gracious to you and to me today and save us.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings [Heb. 2:10].
Jesus was not a man in whom God did something. The humanity of Jesus doesn’t mean that He was a religious genius. It doesn’t mean that He was a martyr to a cause. It doesn’t mean that He was setting a good example. Christ’s humiliation accomplished two things: (1) It brought glory and honor to the person of Christ; and (2) it procured man’s salvation by making man’s salvation possible. Christ took humanity to heaven, and there is not only a Man in glory, but there is a glory in that Man which was not there before.
“It became” simply means that it was fitting for Him—it was harmonious and consistent with His Person and purpose to bring many sons unto glory in this way.
“It became him [the Lord Jesus] for whom are all things, and by whom are all things.” He made all things, and they were for Him. If you want to know why this universe exists, it is because Jesus wanted it; it was His will. That is the origin of this universe—it began in the mind of Christ.
“In bringing many sons unto glory” is God’s present purpose. God also has a future purpose of putting His King on His holy hill of Zion (see Ps. 2). God is moving forward with that program, but right now He is calling out a people for His name; He is bringing many sons home to glory. I read a letter a few moments ago from a young man who had sunk as low as one can go on dope and had spent time in prison. Now the Lord Jesus has saved him. We are seeing this happening all over the world. God is still calling out people for His name, bringing many sons unto glory.
“To make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” The word captain, translated “author,” appears again in chapter 12, verse 2. The same word is translated “prince” in Acts 3:15. It means “originator or leader.” A captain is one who initiates and carries through. In other words, the Lord Jesus is the Alpha and Omega of everything. He is the beginning and the ending. He starts it, and He completes it. He is the Captain. He originated our salvation, and He consummated it. How did He do it? He did it by coming down to this earth and taking upon Himself our humanity. What did He do when He came to earth? He tasted death for every man. He came to redeem mankind and to procure man’s salvation. He revealed God on earth, and today He represents man in heaven. We will see that when we get to the subject of His priesthood.
“Perfect through sufferings.” He was made perfect in the sense of being made complete. “Perfect” is from the Greek word teleioµ, meaning “to carry to the goal; consummate; complete.”
He was made perfect through suffering. Although He was the Son of God, and though He was God Himself, His perfect life does not save us. His virgin birth does not save us. Actually, His teaching does not save us. His miracles do not save us, nor does His example save us. But it is His death upon the cross that saves us. He was made complete; He reached completeness by dying on the cross. If you could convince me that God has decided to remain aloof from man, and all He did for this lost world was to pitch the Bible down here, and as He sits in heaven, He looks down on man and says, “It’s too bad you are in such a mess; here is a Book, and I hope you can work your way out,” then I am prepared to turn my back upon Him. But that is not what God did. He came down to earth and took upon Himself our humanity. Because He suffered and died upon the cross, I am prepared to trust in Him. I am prepared to love Him because of what He has done for me and all lost mankind.
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren [Heb. 2:11].
“He that sanctifieth”—to be sanctified doesn’t mean what the average person thinks it means. For many years I thought it meant to be a nice, sweet, little boy. Well, sanctification when it is used in connection with the Holy Spirit has to do with the work of God in us, to make us the kind of representative He wants down here on this earth. It is the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of the redeemed. However, sanctification when it is used in connection with the person of Christ (as in this epistle to the Hebrews) is not purification. It is not a condition but a position that we have in Christ. He was the Just One who took the place of the unjust that He might bring us to God. And He has brought us now into the family of God.
“For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” In the family of God, He is not ashamed to call us brothers. Now, of course, I would not dare call Him brother, but He has brought us into the family of God. He is the firstborn among many brethren; He is the head of the family, and He calls us brethren because we all become sons of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
My friend, this makes it very clear that the heresy about the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man is entirely false. It is probably the most damnable doctrine there is abroad today.
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee [Heb. 2:12].
This verse is a quotation from Psalm 22, the great psalm of the cross. The first part of Psalm 22 denotes the humiliation of Christ, and you actually are given the seven last words of Christ on the cross. Beginning with verse 22 of the psalm you have the exaltation of Christ: “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee” (Ps. 22:22). I am of the opinion that we could restrict this verse to the Hebrew brethren because it was written to the Jews.
“In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” The word church is “congregation” rather than the technical meaning of the word church.
Now here is another quotation from the Old Testament, Isaiah 8:17–18.
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me [Heb. 2:13].
This verse reveals how the Holy Spirit interprets Scripture. There are those today who try to give an interpretation of the prophets that eliminates any reference to Jesus Christ at all. In fact, when I read Isaiah 8:17–18, it seems that the writer is talking about the sons of Isaiah, at least that is the way I understand it. But here in verse 13 the Holy Spirit of God interprets that reference in Isaiah in such a way that it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone today who attempts to eliminate the Lord Jesus from the prophets, therefore, is contradicting the interpretation that the Holy Spirit has given in the New Testament.
You will remember that when the Lord Jesus came back from the dead He said, “… go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). When Jesus said, “Go to my brethren,” He was referring to His apostles at that particular time, and they were, of course, all Jewish. I emphasize this because I think it is very important to keep before us the ones to whom this epistle was written. It will enable me to give a correct interpretation that, I trust, might lead to an application to your heart and to my heart.
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil [Heb. 2:14].
This statement emphasizes the Lord’s incarnation.
“As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.” Christ came in a way they were not expecting Him to come. However, they should have known, because the prophets had made clear the way He would come to earth the first time. As George Macdonald put it:
They were looking for a King
To slay their foes and lift them high;
Thou cam’st, a little baby thing
That made a woman cry.
Because we were made of flesh and blood, He took upon Himself flesh and blood. And He came into this world by human birth just like you and I came into the world.
“That through death he might destroy him.” Christ Jesus came not only through birth—His birth didn’t save anyone—but through death. It is by His death He saves us, not by His birth or by His life. His death brought to us salvation and deliverance from spiritual and eternal death.
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage [Heb. 2:15].
In my opinion, E. Schuyler English (Studies in the Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 82) has the correct interpretation of this verse:
The Law of God demanded and does demand death for sin. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” “The wages of sin is death.” Satan was the cause of man’s sin in the first place and, even though he is a usurper, he can claim, justly so in a sense, that the sinner must die. He had the power, the authority to demand that every sinner should pay sin’s penalty. And on account of this all men, because all are sinners, were fearful of death and subject to bondage, because of sin, to serve it and thus serve Satan.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham [Heb. 2:16].
In the Old Testament Christ took on the nature of angels. He did that when He appeared as the Angel of the Lord, and these Hebrews understood that. When Christ left heaven and came to earth, He came past the angels and came to fallen man. He took on Him the seed of Abraham. He came in the line of Abraham. God began the preparation at the very beginning with Adam and Eve. At that time God said that there would come the seed of the woman (see Gen. 3:15). Then God said He would come in the line of Abraham, and a little farther along we learn that He would be born in the tribe of Judah, of the family of David, of the nation Israel. He was to be born of a virgin. The Lord put up enough highway markers so that everybody—not only wise men, but everybody—should have found their way to Bethlehem when Jesus was born.
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people [Heb. 2:17].
The Lord Jesus came down to earth in the likeness of men. In Philippians 2:7 we read, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” It was a real likeness to men. This likeness, Vincent tells us, is “closest where the traces of the curse of sin were more apparent—in poverty, temptation, and violent and unmerited death.” Christ could have been born in the palace of Caesar, but He was born in real poverty, in a stable behind an inn. Why? So that He could know something of the effect of sin on humanity. Where do you see it? You see it in poverty. You see it in temptation. You see it in violent and unmerited death. That is where you see sin manifested.
I think it is tragic when innocent people suffer. Some time ago in Pasadena a dear, talented, Christian woman, an outstanding artist up in her 80s, was followed home by a teenager who cruelly and brutally murdered her. How terrible it was! And nothing was done about it. Thank God, He is going to make things right some day.
When Christ came to earth, He knew what real poverty was. During World War II, I went through El Paso, Texas, on the train. Before the train pulled into the station, the conductor came by and said, “Don’t get off the train because there are people in this station who have been there for a week and cannot get out. They are desperate. If you leave your seat, one of them will take it and you will never get it back. Stay right where you are.” We did what he said, but once the train started its journey again, I searched out the conductor and asked him what it was all about. He told me that many of those people were camping in the station, waiting for a seat on a train. Remember, this was during the war, and many men were being shipped overseas. One young woman told the conductor that her husband had been shipped out and she was stranded. She couldn’t get back to her people; so she was just waiting in the station. He also told me that a little boy had been born in that station the other night. Imagine being born in a station! The little fellow is a great big fellow now, and I sure hope someone has told him about Jesus, because He also was born in a crush like that when there was a great movement of humanity. You recall that it was Caesar who made a tax bill requiring that every person under the domain of Rome be enrolled in their hometown for taxing. Mary had to go to Bethlehem although it was near the time for her baby to be born. When she got to Bethlehem, there was no room in the inn, and so the Lord Jesus Christ was born in a stable. He could sympathize with that baby born in El Paso’s Union Station, couldn’t He?
The Lord Jesus came to earth and took on a human body. He is able to sympathize with you and me. I don’t care who you are or where you are, He knows you and He understands you—not just because He is God, but because He became a man. He knows exactly what you and I are going through today.
At the time this book is being written there is a great deal of poverty in the Middle East, especially among the Arabs. My heart goes out to the refugees there. We cannot condone their rash acts and murder which they have committed, but do you know that some of them have been living in those wretched camps since 1948? Their living conditions are absolutely horrible. Even their own brethren, the other Arabs, have not permitted them to integrate among their people. They have been confined to these camps. Well, there was wretched poverty in the Middle East when Jesus lived there. And “it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.” He came in poverty. The poverty of Jesus’ family is almost unspeakable. He was born into a race that was under the heel of Rome; they were in subjection to Rome. He wasn’t born in a palace; He was born in a stable. He was in all points made like unto His brethren. He became one of them. If you had seen that little boy playing in Bethlehem, wearing a little ragged garment, you would not have known who He was. When the artist paints Him, He stands out like a bright cameo, but He was probably just a dirty-faced little boy, not any different in appearance from His playmates. He was made like unto His brethren.
In emphasizing the deity of Christ there is a danger of underestimating His humanity. I am happy that I was not born in Bethlehem. I am delighted that I was not raised in Nazareth. I want to tell you that even today the children in those towns don’t have much of a chance. Just think of what it was like in Jesus’ day! Jesus Christ became a real human being, and He came out of that background. He was a root out of a dry ground. You have never had a thought nor have you ever suffered anything that He doesn’t already know about. For this reason He can be a merciful and faithful High Priest.
“That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” It is more accurate to say “to make propitiation,” rather than “reconciliation.” Christ made a mercy seat for you and me to come to. And, my friend, what we need is mercy. God has a great deal of it available to us because Jesus made a mercy seat, and you can go there and get all you need. I don’t know about you, but I need a whole lot of it, and after I have used up a great deal of it, there is still plenty of it for you today. Christ made a mercy seat for the sins of the people, and that is the only place you can get God’s mercy.
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted [Heb. 2:18].
“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted”—the word should be tested. The Lord Jesus was tested, not only for forty days (that was a testing in a particular way), but during His entire life He was tested.
I want to look closely at this verse because some of you are going to disagree with what I am going to say about it. The question is asked concerning the testing of Jesus, “Could He have succumbed to the temptation? Could He have fallen?” The answer is no. When we speak of being tempted to do something wrong, what we actually mean is that we have the opportunity to do wrong, and we want to do it. Now the opportunity was the testing, but the desire to do wrong was sin, and a sinful desire is itself sin. The Lord Jesus never had that sinful desire. He was not a sinner, but He certainly had the opportunity. Knowing how hungry and weak He was from going without food for forty days, Satan began his temptation by saying, “Why don’t you make these rocks into bread?” If you have been to that land, you know that there are a whole lot of rocks there! That was the temptation. He could have made stones into bread, but He didn’t. His test was greater than mine. I want you to know that if I could make stones into bread I’d be in the bakery business! He could have, but He didn’t. He had the opportunity to do it, and that is the test. He did not yield to it. He did not desire to yield to the test; and he could not so desire because of the very fact that He was God.
Again I ask the question: Could Jesus have sinned? The answer is no, He could not have sinned. What then was the purpose of the testing? I feel that I can answer that best with an illustration.
When I was a boy, I lived in West Texas on the east fork of the Brazos River. In the summertime there wasn’t enough water in the river to rust a shingle nail, but in the wintertime you could have floated a battleship down there. The little town has disappeared now, but when I lived there, the Santa Fe Railroad went through it and across the Brazos River. One winter we had a flood that washed out the railroad bridge—it was a wooden bridge. So the railroad company came in and replaced it with a steel bridge. When it was completed, they brought two engines to our town, stopped them on top of the new bridge, and tied down their whistles. Well, nobody in our little town had ever heard two whistles at one time, so we all rushed down to the bridge—all twenty-seven of us. We stood there watching, and one of the extroverts of our town asked the engineer, “What are you doing?” He said, “We are testing the bridge.” So he asked, “Do you think it will fall down?” With a sneer, the engineer said, “Of course it won’t fall down!” “Then why are you doing this?” This was the engineer’s answer: “We are putting these two engines there to prove that it won’t fall down.”
Jesus, you see, was tested to prove that He was who He claimed to be. That is very important. Actually, if Jesus of Nazareth had sinned, it would not have proven that God in the flesh could sin. Rather, it would have proven that Jesus of Nazareth was not God in the flesh. The testing proved that He was God in the flesh. Because of who He is, He cannot sin. And the writer of the Hebrew epistle adds that He was tested in all points like we are, yet was without sin (see Heb. 4:15).
“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” The word succour means, of course, “to come to the aid of, help, assist.” Because He suffered being tempted, He is able to help others who are tested. As we get further along in this epistle, we will be studying the priesthood of God. We will see that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to help those who are tested. If there is one thing I hope this study in the Book of Hebrews will achieve, it is to make you and me very conscious that we have an High Priest. He is alive at this moment. He is at God’s right hand, and, best of all, He is available to us. When I wake up in the dark watches of the night and toss and turn, as I sometimes do, with some burden on my heart, I can look up. My High Priest is up there. He knows me, He understands, and I can take my burden to Him. When that dark moment comes, and you and I go down into the valley of the shadow of death, we have a great High Priest up yonder who will help us. No matter what happens, no matter what the test, He is able to help us. I am afraid that we do not use His services as we should. We forget about Him and try to fight our battles alone. My friend, He is available. He wants you to come to Him.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Christ is superior to Moses
We have already seen that Christ is superior to the prophets, and we have just concluded the section which proves Him to be superior to the angels. Now we will see that He is superior to Moses.
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus [Heb. 3:1].
This chapter begins with the word Wherefore, and this is another reason I feel that Paul is the author of this epistle. Paul used the words wherefore and therefore as sort of a hinge or cement to present that which is logical. Now in the verse before us, wherefore is even more than that. It is like a swinging door which goes back and forth both ways. Or it can be looked at as a marker when you come in on a freeway or come in on a main thoroughfare. The warning is, “Look both ways.” The word wherefore looks back at what the writer has already said, and it looks forward to what he will say.
“Wherefore, holy brethren.” The word brethren means those who were Hebrews like Paul was. Paul after the flesh was a Hebrew. He called the Jews his brethren after the flesh. They are called “holy” brethren in this verse, not because of the things they did, but because the word holy means “separated”—they were separated unto God. They belonged to Him.
“Partakers of the heavenly calling.” The nation Israel had an earthly calling. All the promises of the Old Testament given to Israel had to do with this earth. He promised them rain from heaven; He promised them fertility of the soil and bountiful crops. These are physical blessings, although He promised them spiritual blessings as well. Today the idea that anything physical cannot be used in a spiritual way is wrong. That is one reason people don’t like to have money mentioned in church. What is wrong with money? It can be used in a spiritual way; it is not very impressive to hear somebody pray for something and then not back it up with his pocketbook. For example, if you are going to pray for missions, I would suggest you give to missions if you want to make your prayer effective. Otherwise your prayer is just like a lot of wind escaping—that’s all. It is spiritual to give; that is one of the ministries a priest performs. He offers up spiritual sacrifices. Giving is one of them, and the praise of our lips is another.
The brethren who are partakers of the heavenly calling previously had an earthly calling, but now they have come up to date and they belong to the “now” generation of those of Israel who have turned to Christ. The writer to the Hebrews will be making it very clear that they have moved into a different age. In the past they offered animal sacrifices according to the Mosaic system, and it was right to do so. But now it is wrong because the sacrificial system has all been fulfilled in Christ, and they have a heavenly calling. The earthly calling hasn’t disappeared, but it has been changed for the heavenly calling—so that they are partakers of the heavenly calling.
Several missionaries in Israel try to make this clear to us in our day. When witnessing to a Jew we tend to give the impression that he will have to cease being a Jew. I don’t know why we do this. A man can still be a Jew and be a Christian. If we are German, English, or French, we are still that when we become a child of God. Nobody asks us to give up our nationality. And the Jew is still a Jew after he has come to Christ. He has moved along with the revelation of God, and he is a partaker now of the heavenly calling. This is important to see. The Epistle to the Hebrews becomes almost meaningless if you don’t consider to whom it was written—and also when it was written.
Someone sent me John Wycliffe’s Golden Rule of Interpretation. John Wycliffe lived from 1324 to 1380, and although that was a long time ago, I think his Golden Rule is still gold; it is not tarnished at all. Listen to his Golden Rule:
It shall greatly help thee to understand Scripture if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, and to what intent, under what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth.
My friend, you can’t improve on that. If we just take that rule of John Wycliffe’s and apply it to Hebrews, I don’t think we will have trouble understanding this epistle. The phrase “partakers of the heavenly calling” would be perfectly meaningless apart from applying it to these Hebrew Christians.
“Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” I would like to change the word profession to confession. And the word for “Christ” is not in the better manuscripts. Some of the newer translations have made that clear, and for that reason I would like to change the verse as follows: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession [that which we confess], Jesus.”
“Consider” Him. The Greek word translated by our English word consider conveys the fact of faithful attention, giving of time, and perceiving thoroughly with the mind. It is a very significant word, and we need to recognize that it means we are to give careful and serious and prolonged thought to this One.
“Consider the Apostle.” What does the writer mean? The Lord Jesus was an apostle in the very basic meaning of the word. I don’t think we need to read anything into this word. After all, what is an apostle? An apostle is one who is sent. Jesus was sent from God to this earth. “Consider the Apostle,” because He was sent from God to this world. He is a messenger; He is God’s messenger. He is the revelation of God. Consider Him. He comes from God as an Apostle, but notice also—
“Consider the Apostle and High Priest.” His priestly function will be the subject of this epistle. (The writer just mentions it at this point, but when he comes back to it, that is all he is going to talk about. We will have to wait until we get to chapter 5 to see that.) An high priest is going in the opposite direction from an apostle. An apostle, like a prophet, came from God to man with a message; he spoke for God to man. However, an high priest was going on the other side of the freeway in the opposite direction. He was going from man to God; he represented man before God.
Now Jesus is our High Priest. Who is He? He is Jesus—the emphasis is upon His humanity. Again let me remind you that there is a Man in the glory today, and He represents us up there. My, I’m very happy that He is up there, because we are told that He is an Advocate for us; He defends us; He is on our side.
There are times when I feel that I am not quite making myself clear when I am talking to somebody. For example, some time ago I tried to explain to an audience the feeling I had when I was told that I had cancer. I felt that I wasn’t getting through, that they really didn’t understand. But I have the comfort of knowing that there is somebody who understands—Jesus understands exactly how I felt.
The Lord Jesus Christ understands how you feel today. My friend, we need to consider this—give serious thought to it and our careful attention. We have an Apostle who came from God, and He is our High Priest who has gone back into God’s presence and is there for you and for me today.
This is quite a wonderful verse, as you can see!
CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO MOSES
Now the writer is going to show that Christ is superior to Moses. You see, having shown the superiority of Christ over the prophets who spoke for God in the Old Testament, and having shown His superiority over the angels, now he must show that He is superior to Moses because Moses is very important to the Hebrews. Several years ago a group of rabbis held a debate in Denver, Colorado. The subject of the debate was: “Who was greater, Abraham or Moses?” It is my understanding that it was decided that Moses was greater than Abraham. If that is true, if Jesus is to be considered, He has to be superior to Moses. The writer to the Hebrews is going to show this.
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house [Heb. 3:2].
The Lord Jesus “was faithful to him that appointed him.” He was faithful as He came down to this earth to represent God to man, and He is faithful as He represents us to God.
“Also Moses was faithful in all his house.” Whose house are we talking about here? The word house occurs seven times in the next few verses. It is very important to determine whose house this is. Is it Moses’ house? I don’t think so. It is God’s house. Moses was faithful in God’s house. He was called to do a certain thing, and he did it. He was found faithful.
It is true that Moses made some mistakes—in fact, he recorded them. He wrote the Pentateuch, but the mistakes are not in what he wrote, because God told him what to write. The mistakes were in his actions. He had a temper, and one time when God told him to speak to the rock, he hit it instead. It was wrong because that rock pictured Christ, and Christ’s work for us. Many years earlier God had instructed Moses to smite the rock (see Exod. 17:6), and once smitten it need not be smitten again. Christ was smitten once for us; it was not necessary for Him to be smitten again. But Moses lost his temper. He did not know the implication of what he was doing when he smote the rock the second time. Although he made some mistakes, now that his life is past, it is wonderful indeed to note that the thing God remembers is his faithfulness. Faithfulness is the thing for which the Lord Jesus will commend His own—“… Well done, thou good and faithful servant …” (Matt. 25:21). Regardless of who we are or what work the Lord has given us to do, we are to be faithful.
I once held meetings for a wonderful preacher. He did not play golf, but since his assistant did, his assistant took me out to play golf. While we were playing, he took the opportunity to let me know he was unfaithful to the pastor. He made little dirty digs about the man and said things he would not have said had he been faithful to the pastor for whom he was working. He was disloyal to him. The following day he said to me, “I have made arrangements for us to play at a certain golf course.” I said, “I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to go out today,” and I never played golf with that man again.
The next time I went back to that church the assistant pastor was gone, and I asked the pastor about it. He told me, “That man got us in a lot of trouble. We found out he was very disloyal.” I wondered at the time if I should have told the pastor about his assistant. I have no use for a man who is not faithful to the man he is to serve. If you cannot be faithful to the man you are working under, you ought to leave your position. If you are not faithful to him, you are not faithful to God. If you are like that, and I am especially thinking of pastors, then you are a man that cannot be trusted. I would never trust that man as an assistant pastor under any circumstances. That assistant pastor wrote to me later and wanted me to recommend him to a church. I did not recommend him. How can you recommend a man as a pastor when he was not faithful as an assistant?
God says that Moses was faithful. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear God say of you, “He was faithful”?
Now notice that the verse began by saying that Christ was faithful—“who was faithful to him that appointed him.” How, then, was He superior to Moses?
For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house [Heb. 3:3].
Moses was faithful in God’s house, but the Lord Jesus is the one who built the house. He is the Creator; Moses is a creature. There is the difference, my friend.
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God [Heb. 3:4].
“Every house is builded by some man [someone].” You can’t have a house without a builder—it can’t just grow! Every house is built by someone.
“But he that built all things is God.” The Lord Jesus is God, and He is the Creator. Moses never made that claim for himself.
And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end [Heb. 3:5–6].
Not only is Christ superior to Moses in that He is the Creator and Moses is a creature, but also the best thing that could be said of Moses is that he was a servant of God—never was he called a son of God. Christ is the Son of God. There is quite a difference between the son in the house and a servant in a house. So Christ is superior to Moses on two counts: Christ is the Creator and He is the Son. This is very important to see.
“If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Paul had a way of using “ifs,” not as a condition but as a method of argument and of logic. We would understand him better if he had said, “Since we hold fast the confidence.” In other words, if we are sons of God and if we are partakers of the heavenly calling, we will be faithful and we will hold fast. This is the proof that we are of God’s house.
For example, 1 John 2:19 puts it this way, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (italics mine). I have always believed that God has permitted the cults to come along to draw out of the churches those who are not really believers. The cults serve as God’s strainer. The proof that you are a child of God is that you hold to the faith. That doesn’t make you a child of God, but it does prove that you are a child of God. If you are a believer, you will hold on, not because you are able but because He is able to make you stand.
So the writer of this Hebrew epistle (who I believe to be the apostle Paul) is using the “if” of argument. “If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” means that you are a partaker of the heavenly calling; you are among the brethren.
I have always used the Bible as a means of testing. If a person really is a child of God, he will hold to the Word of God, and he is going to love the Word of God because he wants to hear his Father talking to him.
Now let’s pursue a little further the contrast between Moses and the Lord Jesus Christ. Both Moses and the Lord Jesus enunciated an ethical system. It is generally agreed, even among those outside the fold of Christ, that Moses gave the greatest legal system which ever has been given and that Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount enunciated a tremendous system of laws. However, there is a vast difference between the two. You see, the laws which came from God through Moses had to do with conduct. However, when the Lord Jesus gave what we call the Sermon on the Mount (beginning with those marvelous beatitudes: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”), we see that instead of dealing with conduct, they deal with character. The ethical demands of Christ, apart from the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection, present a hopelessly high system. The Sermon on the Mount, apart from the redemption we have in Christ, has made more hypocrites in the church than anything else. Folk today teach the ethic and say we are to keep the commandments of the Sermon on the Mount! My friend, only through the redemption in Christ can we even approach that standard. When God spoke through Moses yonder on top of Mount Sinai, there was thunder and lightning and earthquake and terror. God warned the people to stand afar off and not to let even the cattle touch the mount. But in this age of grace God has not spoken in that manner; He has spoken from the top of a hill called Calvary. On that hill there was a cross and on that cross there was a broken, bruised, dying man—who was more than a man. He was God. And by His death upon that cross has flowed down to this world the grace of God.
How I thank God that He does not save by law! If He did, Vernon McGee would have to admit that he had failed and would have to look for another route. Thank God, there is another route—the grace of God.
“If [since] we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Since you are a child of God you will be rejoicing in the hope firm unto the end. This is another reason it is difficult to tell if folk in our churches are really saved. Some of them look and act as if they had been weaned on a dill pickle! They are not rejoicing in Christ.
Oh, my friend, Jesus is superior to the prophets, He is superior to angels, and He is superior to Moses. How wonderful He is! No wonder we are told to consider Him. In Hebrews 3:1 we are told to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession [confession], Christ. In Hebrews 12:3 we are going to be admonished again: “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” A person would be very discouraged if all he had was the Sermon on the Mount. I feel sorry for you if you are attempting to make the Sermon on the Mount your religion. If you don’t have redemption in Christ, you are flying under false colors.
We are to consider Him—consider Him in His person, consider Him in His performance, His work upon the cross. Someone has put it poetically:
When the storm is raging high,
When the tempest rends the sky,
When my eyes with tears are dim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When my plans are in the dust,
When my dearest hopes are crushed,
When is passed each foolish whim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When with dearest friends I part,
When deep sorrow fills my heart,
When pain racks each weary limb,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When I track my weary way,
When fresh trials come each day,
When my faith and hope are dim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
Clouds or sunshine, dark or bright,
Evening shades or morning light,
When my cup flows o’er the brim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
“Consider Him”
—Author unknown
My friend, we are to consider Him in this epistle, and we will need the Spirit of God to make Him real to us.
THE PERIL OF DOUBTING
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice [Heb. 3:7].
Notice that we have another wherefore which opens this section. We had a wherefore in verse 1, a wherefore here in verse 7, and we are going to have wherefore again in verse 10. It is a very important word. As I said, it is a swinging door that swings back into the past and swings out into the future. Also it is a danger signal as you come down the great highway that leads to heaven. In effect, it warns: Look both ways before you pull out—some crazy driver may be coming down the wrong side of the highway.
Wherefore, that is, in view of what has already been said, since the word spoken by the prophets and the word spoken by angels and the word spoken by Moses was so important, what about the importance of the word spoken by Jesus? We need to be very careful about doubting Him.
“To-day if ye will hear his voice” begins the quotation from Psalm 95:7–11.
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) [Heb. 3:8–11].
I believe that Christ is in every psalm, although I admit that I am not able to find Him in every psalm. However, here He is in Psalm 95: “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation [testing] in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted [tested] me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest” (Ps. 95:7–11).
Hebrews 3:7–11 interprets this portion of Psalm 95, and Israel is given to us as an example. Let’s consider this for a moment. The generation of Israel that came out of Egypt doubted God, and because of their doubt they never entered the land of Canaan.
“They shall not enter into my rest.” I have marked in my Bible that final word rest. There are at least a dozen references in this chapter and the next chapter to the word rest, but it does not always mean the same kind of rest.
There is the rest of salvation. The Lord Jesus referred to this in Matthew 11:28 when He said in effect, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will rest you; that is, I’ll lift the burden of sin from you.” Because He bore it for us upon the cross, our sins are forgiven, and we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, you don’t have to do anything so that God will forgive you; Christ has already done it when He died for you. All you have to do is believe and receive Christ.
The people of Israel now know the rest of redemption. They are no longer slaves in Egypt. They came out by blood—blood on the doorposts. They came out by power—God brought them across the Red Sea. God had delivered them. But then the Lord Jesus went on to say, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29). That is a different kind of rest. It is not the rest of redemption; I would call it the rest of obedience, the rest of enjoying the Christian life.
When the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, as they crossed over the Red Sea, they sang the song of Moses—“… I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea!” (Exod. 15:1). “God has delivered us—how great He is!” After they left Sinai, an eleven-day journey could have gotten them into the Promised Land. But no, they had to send spies in to search out the land. It wasn’t necessary—God said He would take care of them, but they didn’t believe God. So God yielded to their wishes and let them send in spies. Although the spies did see the wonderful land, they were most impressed by the giants, and they saw themselves as grasshoppers. They didn’t see God. They returned to the people with a false report—except Caleb and Joshua who insisted that God could handle the giants if they trusted Him. But the people accepted the majority report (this is my reason for believing that committees are not satisfactory for doing the Lord’s work), and they spent forty years on a journey that should have taken a few days. What was the reason? Unbelief.
You see, they didn’t believe God enough to enter into the land. They believed Him enough to come out of Egypt, but not enough to enter Canaan. God said that that generation of unbelievers would die in the wilderness and He would bring their children into the Land of Promise. And we find later that Joshua did bring the next generation into the land. They had to cross another body of water, the river Jordan. How did they do it? Well, God sent the ark of the covenant (symbolic of God’s presence) ahead on the shoulders of the priests. When their feet touched the brink of the river, the waters of Jordan were cut off. “And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan” (Josh. 3:17). Then they took twelve stones out of the middle of the river, where the priests still stood with the ark, and placed them as a memorial on the shore, Then they replaced them with twelve stones from the Land of Promise. When the waters of Jordan returned and covered those twelve stones, it was symbolic of the death of Christ. The twelve stones which were taken out of the river and placed as a monument on the other side speak of the resurrection of Christ.
Paul talks about this in Romans 6:4, where he says, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” We are now joined to a living Christ, and that is the only way we will enjoy Canaan. Canaan is not heaven. We are going to find out that there is an eternal rest, and Jesus gives that rest, but the question today is, “Have you entered into the rest that believers are to have as they sojourn on earth?” Are you a rejoicing Christian today? You will find out that the only way to do it is to study and believe the Word of God. How many Christians today, how many church members really study the Word of God? The Book of Hebrews is going to tell us that the Word of God is quick and powerful. Now that refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, but it also refers to the written Word. Therefore, the only way you and I can stay close to Him is to stay close to the Word of God. And the only way you and I can enjoy the grapes and fruits of the land, and the beauty and enjoyment of it, is by studying God’s Word. Without a personal acquaintance with the Word of God, being a church member is like wearing a yoke, being browbeaten to give money, and having to do certain things. Everything is a duty instead of a drawing to the wonderful person of Christ.
The writer of this Hebrew epistle is speaking to those who are already saved but have not entered into the blessings of the Christian life. They doubt God, and as a result they are having a wilderness experience.
“Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.” Notice where they erred. In their minds? No, in their hearts. Now hold that thought in your mind for a moment. The generation of Israel who came out of Egypt were cited to the Hebrew believers in the apostolic days as a warning not to repeat their sin. There was a danger of their doing that. And, my friend, we have the same danger, the danger of erring in our hearts.
“So I sware in my wrath”—it was not necessary for God to take an oath, but He did.
“They shall not enter into my rest.” God said that, because of unbelief, the generation of Israelites would not enter into the land of promise. And, my friend, until you not only accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, but walk with Him by faith, committing your life to Him, you are not going to know anything about the joys of Canaan. Unfortunately, we have a great many wilderness Christians in our churches. The wilderness is a place of death; it is a place of unrest; it is a place of aimlessness; and it is a place of dissatisfaction. To those Israelites out there in the wilderness God said, “You are not going to know what rest is.” And there are many believers today who just don’t know what rest really means. They have never entered into it because they must enter by faith.
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God [Heb. 3:12].
You may ask, “Could that be true of a believer?” It certainly could. It is very important to realize that God was angry with their sin. What was their sin? It was not murder; it was not stealing; it was not lying. What was it? My friend, they didn’t believe God. That was their great sin.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin [Heb. 3:13].
“Exhort one another”—we ought to do this, my friend, exhort and encourage one another.
“Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Although this is primarily a warning to believers not to miss their blessings because of the deceitfulness of sin, it has application to the unsaved person also. Unbelief in the heart is what is robbing folk of salvation. When someone tells me that he has an intellectual problem that hinders him from receiving Christ, I simply do not believe it.
Let me illustrate this from an experience I had when teaching a weekly Bible class in downtown Los Angeles. One evening a broker noticed the great crowd going into the church. They all had Bibles, and they looked as if they were interested in where they were going, so he was curious as to what could attract so many people to church in the middle of the week. Now this broker was a fine man in many ways. If you had met him, you would have said he was a fine man. Well, he followed the crowd into church and stayed through the service. Later he came up to me and said, “All you did was teach the Bible! Is that what brings people in?” I told him that I thought it was since that’s all we did on Thursday nights. Well, the man continued to come on Thursday nights, and then he started coming on Sundays, and soon he was under conviction.
One day he came to my study and said, “I thought I was a Christian. Now I know I am not. I am only a member of a church. But, I have a few intellectual problems with some of the things you have said. One of them is the story of Jonah. It is impossible for me to believe that a man could live inside a fish for three days and nights.”
I asked him, “Who told you that Jonah lived three days and three nights inside a fish?”
“I have heard preachers say it. Isn’t it in the Bible?”
“Not in my Bible.” So I turned to the Book of Jonah and showed him what it did say, then turned to the New Testament and read what Jesus had said about it: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40). I said to this broker, “If you are going to have trouble with the resurrection of Jonah, then you will have trouble with the resurrection of Jesus.”
“Well,” he said, “I didn’t know it was that way. That is no problem for me at all now.”
“Do you have another intellectual problem?”
“Maybe I don’t.”
I looked him straight in the eye and asked, “What sin do you have in your life that is keeping you from Christ?”
He turned red and asked, “Has somebody been telling you about me?”
“No, I just know that your intellectual problem is really a heart problem. There is something in your life that is keeping you from Christ.”
He broke down. In fact, he wept and confessed that he had been paying the rent for his secretary’s apartment and was spending a great deal of time there. I asked if his wife knew about it. He said that he had kept it a secret. Then I asked him, “Then that’s your trouble, isn’t it—you wouldn’t want to give up your secretary for Christ?”
He looked at me and said, “Yes.” Then he said, “I’ll stop the rent and I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
Well, he not only talked to her, but he fired her. She threatened to expose him, but she didn’t. He got down on his knees that very day in my office and accepted Christ as his Savior.
My friend, I have been a preacher for a long time, and I have learned that people don’t really have intellectual problems which keep them from Christ, but they sure do have sin problems.
There is another passage of Scripture (in 2 Corinthians 3, beginning with verse 6) that deals with Moses, which I would like to call to your attention. “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament [covenant]; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” The Law condemns us, you know, but only the Holy Spirit can give us life. “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones [this is the Ten Commandments], was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away.” Paul is not saying that the Law wasn’t glorious; it was, but that glory was to disappear. Now let’s drop down to verse 11: “For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.” He is making a contrast between the glory of the Law, which actually made Moses’ face shine, and the greater glory that we have in Christ. “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished” (2 Cor. 3:12–13). You see, Moses didn’t put a veil over his face as a dimmer, to dim the glory (which is the general interpretation) but the glory was disappearing and he put a veil over his face so that folk wouldn’t know about its disappearance. But there is another glory now, the glory which is in Christ. “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart” (2 Cor. 3:14–15). You see, unbelief is not an intellectual problem; it is a heart problem. Perhaps you, my friend, are one who has not come to Christ because there is sin in your life and you do not want to give it up. The minute your heart is ready to give it up, at that moment your “intellectual” problems will dissolve. He will take the veil away from your mind, and you can come to Christ and be saved. Now notice verse 16: “Nevertheless when it [the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” The veil will be removed from your mind when your heart turns to Christ. And the next verse: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” The Holy Spirit will move into your life and make Christ real to you, as He is doing for multitudes of folk in our day. Then when we come to Him—“… we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:17–18). If you turn to Him—oh, my friend, the future that will await you as you grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him!
Now let’s return to verse 13 where we are reminded, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” We as believers need to beware of the deceitfulness of sin. We can actually come to the place where we feel our lives are satisfactory to God although we are leading a wilderness life. For example, a believer can be dishonest and yet say that his conscience does not condemn him! Then he should condemn his conscience, because it has become hardened through continuance in sin. I know men in the ministry who have been totally dishonest; they have been found to be liars, yet they can get down on their knees and pray the most pious prayers I’ve ever heard. And their conscience does not condemn them. Of course it doesn’t condemn them, because it has become hardened; they are permitting sin in their lives.
This writer of the Hebrew epistle goes back to the wilderness experience of Israel, applies it to the Hebrew believers of the first century, and steps on our toes also. It is the Holy Spirit who applies these truths to our own hearts.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end [Heb. 3:14].
“We are made partakers of Christ.” Just think of that! We are in Christ. He belongs to us.
“If we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end” is the same argument he used in verse 6. We prove that we are members of Christ’s house, that we belong to Him, “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”
Now in this section the emphasis is upon the rest which is ours if we trust Christ. Scripture presents a fivefold rest: (1) creation rest; (2) entrance into Canaan; (3) the rest of salvation; (4) the rest of consecration; and (5) heaven. Here the writer is talking about the rest of fully trusting God, not only for salvation but for daily living.
While it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation [Heb. 3:15].
The quotation concludes with a quotation from Psalm 95, which we have already seen in verses 7 and 8. Obviously he repeats it to remind the reader that these truths are not for yesterday only, but for us today.
If you would ask me, “Preacher, what is the great sin in your life, what is it that has held you back more than anything else?”, I would have to admit that it is unbelief. As I look back upon my years of ministry, I realize that I did not believe God as I should have. And today there is one thing I want above everything else, and that is to believe God. I want to commit my life to Him completely, turn everything over to Him.
Flying from London to Los Angeles not long ago, we had a cloud cover until we got over Greenland. Then I could see the icebergs. They may be pretty in pictures, but when I looked at them from a height of thirty-eight thousand feet, they didn’t look so pretty. They looked cold and foreboding. I saw a glacier coming down between two mountains to the water’s edge. I prayed right there. I said, “Lord, You know I trust You when I am on the ground, but I have difficulty trusting You when I am flying. I am in a place right now where I need to trust You. Help me to put all of my weight down in Your arms and rest in You.” For the first time in my life I went to sleep on an airplane! I have never done that before. I always had to stay awake so I could help the captain of the ship. But this time I went to sleep and left it all to the Captain of my salvation. When the plane landed in Los Angeles, I said, “Thank You, Lord, for the little victories. Maybe it wasn’t much for You, but it was a whole lot for me.”
My friend, this is the “rest” the writer of this Hebrew epistle is talking about, the rest of fully trusting God—not only for salvation but for daily living, for the help and the wisdom and the strength we need to live the Christian life.
The people of Israel wandered in the wilderness because they did not have faith to enter the Promised Land. As we have seen, Canaan does not represent heaven; it represents the place of spiritual blessing and victory. The apostle Paul was, I believe, speaking of his own experience when he cried, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). That is not the cry of an unsaved man, it is the cry of a saved man who is a defeated Christian, who finds no satisfaction in Christ because he is not trusting. The problem was lack of faith.
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses [Heb. 3:16].
In the word provoke is the thought of God’s being highly displeased with them because they had heard but did not believe. They had had faith enough to come out of Egypt, but that was as far as it went.
But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? [Heb. 3:17].
Again, what was their sin that so grieved God? It was unbelief. We do not recognize—and I am sure they did not recognize—that doubting God’s Word is such a serious sin. It is one of the worst because it leads to other sins. For these Israelites in the wilderness it led to calf worship; it led to fornication, and it led to an absolute denial and rejection of God, as they turned their backs upon Him and even wanted to go back to Egypt. They decided that slavery in Egypt was better than walking by faith into the Promised Land!
Unfortunately, there are many Christians who still walk after the world. They do not know what it is to really trust Christ and walk in complete faith and trust in Him.
Now notice the question: “With whom was he grieved forty years?” He was grieved with that crowd that came out of Egypt. They had sinned, and their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Only two men out of that crowd had faith to believe God, and they were Joshua and Caleb. They were the only two who made it into the land. Even Moses did not make it into the Promised Land, although his problem was not so much a lack of faith, as it was actual disobedience when he struck the rock in anger rather than speaking to it as God had commanded.
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? [Heb. 3:18].
“And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest”—that is, the rest of Canaan; he is not speaking of heaven. Because of their unbelief they knew nothing about walking in Canaan, enjoying its fruits, and finding satisfaction in simply trusting God. God said that they would not enter into His rest. And He took an oath on that. Believe me, God doesn’t have to take an oath, but when He does, you know He really means business.
Again, about whom is He talking? Those who did not believe. Their worship of the calf and their fornication were not the sins that kept them from God’s blessing. It was the sin of unbelief. Oh, my friend, unbelief not only robs us of blessing, but it leads to other sins as well. The other day a man said to me, “Here I am a Christian and I did this stupid thing.” Well, the thing that he did was actually dishonest. But the point is that he was deeply concerned about his dishonesty but was ignoring the root of it—he hadn’t believed God. That did not disturb him at all.
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief [Heb. 3:19].
I suggest that you underline this verse in your Bible. This is what is robbing you and me of many blessings—unbelief.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Christ is superior to Joshua; Christ is superior to the Levitical priesthood
In the first two verses of chapter 4 we have a continuation of the warning concerning doubting which was given in chapter 3.
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it [Heb. 4:1].
We have come to the first “Let us” in this Epistle to the Hebrews. Constantly Paul urges the Hebrew believers to go on with the Lord; he is constantly challenging them. This is the first “Let us,” but there is a whole lot of “Let us” in this epistle.
“Let us therefore fear.” There are always those folk who are eager to find fault even with the Word of God, and they will say that this statement is a contradiction of other statements in the Bible. We are told in Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear….” And in 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul wrote, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Well, I have an answer for those folk in a message I have called, “When It Is Not Wrong to Fear.” I hope that you are afraid of a rattlesnake. If I see one coming down the road, I don’t simply move to the righthand side, I give him the whole road! There are certain things that you and I would do well to fear—“Let us therefore fear.” I wish there were more concern among believers today about ignorance of the Word of God. In a church I pastored, a man was on our church board who was on about every board in town because he had a lot of money. He actually boasted of how many boards he was on. Then one day he boasted to me of how ignorant he was of the Word of God! The writer to the Hebrews said, “Let us therefore fear.” That man should have said to me with great concern, “Oh, my ignorance of the Word of God! I am afraid of it.” There are very few believers who are afraid of their ignorance of the Scriptures.
When Paul says, “Let us therefore fear,” he is speaking of a good fear. When I take my grandsons for a walk, I warn them not to go out into the street. I want them to be afraid to go out into the street—that is a good fear. The Word of God says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” (Prov. 1:7). That is the kind of fear you and I are to have.
The fear he is talking about is for a purpose: “Lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” He is going to talk a great deal about rest in this chapter. The word rest occurs eight times here. There are several different kinds of rest, including Sabbath day or creation rest, and Canaan rest. Here he is speaking of Canaan rest. He is saying to believers, “Be afraid, because you do not want to miss it.” How many believers are missing that rest today? Have you entered into rest? Do you know, Christian friend, what it is to really trust Christ and rest in Him?
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it [Heb. 4:2].
Here is the “rest” of salvation, the rest of trusting Christ as Savior. They heard the gospel but did not believe it.
CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO JOSHUA
Moses led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but he could not lead them into Canaan. Joshua led them into the land, but we will see here that he couldn’t give them rest. Many of them never found rest—they never really laid hold of their possessions in the land. The world, the flesh, and the Devil rob many of the blessing God has for them. You and I live in a mean, wicked world. This world is not a friend of grace; it is not the friend of believers. Many of us have not discovered that yet.
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world [Heb. 4:3].
He is discussing here salvation rest, the rest of trusting Christ. Let me ask you a question: If you knew a man who professed to be a Christian and whom you really believed was a born-again believer, and he suddenly stopped living the Christian life and began acting like the world, if he stopped going to church, stopped giving to the Lord’s work, and stopped all his participation in Christian activity, would you think that he had lost his salvation? If you were that person, would you feel that you had lost your salvation? If you think that this would cause you to lose your salvation, may I say to you that way back in your mind and deep down in the recesses of your heart, you are not really trusting Christ. You are believing that those activities add to your salvation, but they do not. You are to completely trust Christ. Don’t misunderstand me. I believe that if you are trusting Christ you are going to be doing those things, but doing those things has nothing in the world to do with your salvation. My friend, have you really entered into rest?
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works [Heb. 4:4].
This is the Sabbath. God rested on the seventh day, and that was the Sabbath day. However, the Sabbath today is not a day you keep or observe. Have you entered into the real Sabbath today? Do you know what it is to trust Christ and Christ alone for your salvation? Are you trusting anything else? Is He it? Have you entered into rest?
I had a good friend who was a doctor and who observed Saturday as the Sabbath. We used to play tennis together, and we got pretty well acquainted with one another. One day after we had played three sets of tennis, we sat down on the bench, and we began to have what you would call a religious argument. He looked at me and said, “McGee, do you keep the Sabbath day?”
“Yes, I keep the Sabbath.”
He looked at me real hard and said, “What day?”
I said to him, “Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then I start all over again on Saturday.”
He said to me, “What in the world do you mean?”
“Well, the way I understand the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Sabbath day is now this day of grace in which we live, and Christ, after He died on the cross and came back to life, went back to the right hand of the Father and sat down. He sat down, not because He was tired, but because He had finished your redemption and mine. So now He tells me, ‘You rest in Me.’ I have a Sabbath day everyday—I rest in Christ.”
That doctor friend looked at me in amazement. “Well,” he said, “that’s better than having just one day, isn’t it?”
I said, “It sure is. Seven days a week is a sabbath of resting in Christ.”
And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief [Heb. 4:5–6].
It is unbelief that robs you of the rest of salvation, that robs you of the rest of satisfaction and blessing which God can give to you. Oh, the wonderful rest that He wants to give to us!
Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a time; as it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts [Heb. 4:7].
He is not saying tomorrow, but today. Today is the day for you and me. Today, right now, wherever you are, look at your watch or clock. What time is it? Well, this is the time of salvation. Now, right now you can trust Christ to save you. “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day [Heb. 4:8].
Joshua is the Old Testament or Hebrew word for “savior” Jesus is the Greek or New Testament word, meaning “savior.” In the verse before us—Joshua: “For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” When Joshua was old and stricken in years, there was yet very much land to conquer. The people of Israel had not entered into all the blessing God had in store for them. Joshua wasn’t able to secure it for them. But, my friend, if you trust Christ, Christ can let you enter into the Canaan of the present day, in which there will be fruit and blessing and joy in your life. Oh, how we need this today! What robs us of it? Unbelief.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God [Heb. 4:9].
Here the writer is projecting into the future when all the people of God are going to find a heavenly rest. Heaven will be a place of deep satisfaction, of real joy, and real blessing. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his [Heb. 4:10].
We shouldn’t get the impression that when God rested on the seventh day He sat down and said, “My, I’m tired. I’ve been working for six days, eight hours a day, from sunup to sundown, and I’m weary! I’ll pull up the rocking chair and rest.” That is not the thought behind “rest” at all. The thought here is the rest of completeness. Creation is finished. God has never been in the business of creating since then. There were just so many atoms which He needed for His universe, and He just made them all at once. He hasn’t made any more since then. Now there have been quite a few changes taking place in the universe, but it is just those original little atoms rearranging themselves.
You and I live in a universe where creation is over with—except in the new creation. That new creation began yonder at Calvary and the Day of Pentecost. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Sons of God are the only things God is creating today—through faith in Christ. And there is a rest that He has promised to them. God has promised a heavenly rest, but, my friend, He wants us to enjoy ourselves even now. As someone has said, “All the way to heaven is heaven.” We ought to enjoy this life. That is what the writer is talking about here: God rested, He ceased from His labors, and He is finished. Therefore, you do not have to lift your little finger to do something toward your salvation. Isn’t it really a matter of conceit on our part to think that you and I as sinners could do anything that would cause God to say, “Oh my, what a nice little fellow you are! I’m so happy to have you in heaven because you are going to add a great deal to it.”? Well, my friend, that is not the picture at all. He did it all for us. Even our righteousness is filthy rags in His sight. He cannot accept our righteousness, because we really do not have any. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). Therefore He offers a finished salvation to us, and when we trust Christ we become new creations in Him.
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [Heb. 4:11].
I think the supreme satisfaction that can come to a child of God is that he is in the will of God, doing the work of God, and trusting and just resting in Him. That is the glorious place to which God wants you and me to come. Mary came to that place. She sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha was back yonder in the kitchen with those pots and pans. Martha wanted to serve Christ, but she just didn’t know what real rest was. She probably decided she was going to bake something and reached for a pan. It was not big enough and she was going to put it back and get a bigger one, but she dropped it on the floor. What a time she had with those pots and pans! She was really worn to a frazzle and finally lost her temper. But Mary was just sitting at Jesus feet, doing nothing—she had already done her work. We need to learn to find our satisfaction sitting at Jesus’ feet.
“Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.” Someone will say, “Do I have to labor to enter into rest?” Yes, my friend. This is sort of like the Irishman who said he intended to have peace in his home even if he had to fight for it. Fighting for peace? Yes! I wish America had learned that lesson. May I say to you, you must win a war before you can have peace. You have to have a victory before you can have peace. He says here, “Let us labor in order to rest.” After all, when you have worked at something and come to the end of the day and sit down, isn’t there a satisfaction in what you have done? Oh, today, we need to lay hold of God! To lay hold of God in prayer, and in faith, and to be used of Him. Oh, my Christian friend, let us labor toward that end.
“Lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” The only thing in the world that can rob you of that rest is unbelief. Ever since I retired from the pastorate my prayer has been, “Oh, God, help me to trust You.” I was a pastor for forty years, and very frankly, I look back and have to say that I wish I had trusted Him more. Many times I was so fearful and unbelieving. So today I want to simply lean back and trust Him, How wonderful He is! He is worthy of our trust.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart [Heb. 4:12].
“For”—Paul used the words wherefore, therefore, and for as cement to hold together his argument. Someone has said, “Regardless of what you want to say about Paul, one thing you have to say is that Paul is logical.” Paul was a marvelous logician, and I believe he wrote this epistle. For is a little word, but it is a big word. Someone has said, “God swings big doors on little hinges.” Here is one of those little hinges, but there is a big door hanging on it.
“The word of God.” There are some expositors who consider the “word” here not to be the written Word, but the living Word who is the Lord Jesus Christ. However, in Scripture the written Word is called the living Word. I believe the reference here is primarily to the written Word of God. As the written Word reveals Christ—it is a frame that reveals the living Christ—the reference here could be to both the written and living Word.
Quick is “living.” The Word of God is living.
“Powerful”—the Greek word is energes, meaning “energizing.” The Word of God is living, and it energizes.
“Sharper than any two-edged sword.” I had a professor in seminary who said to a group of us young preachers: “Remember when you preach the Word of God that it is quick and sharp, but it is a two-edged sword. It will cut toward the congregation, but the other side is going to cut toward you. Therefore, don’t preach anything that you are not preaching to yourself.” I have found many times in my ministry that I am preaching to myself. The sermon might not have been for anybody else, but it was for me.
I have a friend who likes to kid me about my recording of tapes for our radio Bible study broadcasts. He says, “There you are, sitting in your study, just talking to yourself!” Very candidly, that is the way it works out many times as I sit there teaching the Bible. I’m speaking to myself. It may not apply to anyone in the radio audience, but it applies to me. The Word of God is two-edged. It will cut toward the other fellow, but it will also cut toward you and me. The Word of God is a two-edged sword, and it will penetrate.
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). The Thessalonians received the Word not just as an ordinary word, but they received it as the very Word of God. Paul said that when he gave out the Word of God “… my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor. 2:4). We receive many letters from those who listen to our radio Bible study broadcasts, from folk who through the Word have been brought to a saving knowledge of Christ, brought to a place where they enjoy their Christian faith, and brought to a place where they enjoy prayer. That is the purpose of the Word of God—it will have an effect upon you and your life.
It has been said, “The Word of God will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Word of God.” A great many believers do not spend enough time in the Word of God. A great many preachers do not spend enough time in the Word of God. The greatest discipline a preacher can have is to go through the Bible book by book with his congregation. That is a discipline which even if it does not help the congregation, it will surely help the preacher. In every church which I have served as a pastor, I have gone through the Bible with the congregation. It surely helped me—it was good for me. The Word of God is sharp; it is living and powerful and sharp.
“Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” There are many people who try to make a distinction between soul and spirit, devising some ingenious psychological division between the two. Do you know that only the Word of God can divide the soul and spirit? You and I cannot do that. When I talk about the soulish part of man and how God has given us the Holy Spirit, I suddenly find that I am no longer making a distinction between the soul and spirit—only the Word of God can do that. There are times in the Scriptures when “soul” and “spirit” are used synonymously. There are other passages where it is clear that the soul and spirit are separate and are not the same thing. Only the Word of God can divide soul and spirit.
“Of the joints and marrow.” The Word can get right down even in this flesh of ours and make a distinction (see Ps. 32:3).
“A discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Greek word for “discerner” actually means “critic.” We have today many critics of the Word of God. However, the Word of God is the critic. It criticizes you. It criticizes me. No man is in a position to sit in judgment on the Word of God. There are many reasons for that, and one reason is that there is no other book like it. The Word of God was written over a period of fifteen hundred years, by about forty-five different authors, some of whom had never heard of the others. Yet they are all in agreement. They all present the same great story. They all present a glorious salvation. May I say to you, no man is in a position to sit in judgment on such a remarkable book.
I had an opportunity one time to listen to a very fine, brilliant, Shakespearean scholar. Many scholars are not humble, but this man was a very humble man. When he had finished his lecture he said, “Today I have attempted to give to you a critique of Shakespeare, but now I would like to say to you that I am in no position to sit in judgment on Shakespeare.” It took a humble man to say that. Nor can any man sit in judgment on the Bible, my friend. You really don’t know enough to sit in judgment on this Book. This Book surely sits in judgment on us. It is sin that keeps men from Christ today. It is not intellectual problems of the head, but it is problems in the heart which keep men from God.
“A discerner [critic] of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” You see, the Bible does not deal with acts primarily. What the hand does is because of what the heart thought. The heart had the action of the hand in hand before the hand got hold of it. Therefore the Word of God goes down and deals with the heart. The Lord Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19). My, that’s a filthy list, but that is what is in your heart and mine. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). No man can, but God does. The Word of God gets down and deals with the nitty-gritty of our hearts. It gets down and meets us right where the rubber meets the road, right down where you and I live and move and have our being.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do [Heb. 4:13].
You cannot conceal anything from God. I labored under the delusion as a young Christian that I would not let God in on everything in my life, even my plans. I prayed that He would give me certain things and do certain things for me, but I never let Him know my motives. I thought the prayer would sound better that way. To tell the truth, I didn’t need to let Him know my motive because He knew it all the time. He is the one who knows the thoughts of the heart, and everything is open to Him. My friend, your life is an open book to Him. People ask me, “Do you think we ought to confess everything to Him?” Well, why not? He already knows—you might just as well tell Him all about it.
CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD
Beginning with verse 14 of this chapter through verse 28 of chapter 7, the writer of this epistle is going to show that Christ is superior to the Levitical priesthood. This was very important for Hebrew believers to see because they were accustomed to approaching God through their high priest of the Levitical order, the priests who served first in the tabernacle and then in the temple. It was through them that they made their commitment to God and brought their sacrifices.
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
The Lord Jesus Christ himself is our Great High Priest. Paul was so concerned and enthusiastic about the priesthood of Christ that way back in chapter 3 he said, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (Heb. 3:1). He wanted to get the folk who were reading the epistle to immediately consider our High Priest. This is going to be the subject of much of the rest of the epistle, and, of course, there will be application of this great truth also.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession [Heb. 4:14].
Christ is our High Priest. The pagan notion of priesthood colors our thinking in reference to a priest. A pagan priest actually barred the approach to God, claiming possession of some mystical power essential to bringing an individual to God. A person had to go through this priest who claimed to have this particular access. That type of thing denies the finished work of Christ and the priesthood of all believers. The priesthood of all believers was one of the great truths which John Calvin emphasized. All of us need a priest—we have a lack; we need help, and we all have our hang-ups. Job’s heart-cry was, “Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). Job longed for a mediator or priest who would stand between him and God, who would put one hand in Job’s hand and his other hand in God’s hand, and thus bring them together. Christ is that mediator, that priest, through whom every believer has personal access to God.
“We have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens.” Let me say right away that the Lord Jesus Christ was not a priest while here on the earth. The only mention in Scripture of His ever making any kind of sacrifice (He never needed to make a sacrifice for Himself, of course) was the time He told Simon Peter to catch a fish and take the gold piece out of its mouth that He might pay a necessary temple tax from which the priests were exempt. He did that, I think, to make it very clear that He was not a priest here on earth. To be a priest you had to be born in the line of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi. The Lord Jesus was a member of the tribe of Judah. He was not in the priestly line. He was in the kingly line. When He was here on earth He came as a prophet speaking for God. He went back to heaven a priest to represent us to God. He became a priest when He ascended into heaven. He died down here to save us, and He lives up there to keep us saved. It is true that when He was here He offered Himself upon the cross, and that is the function of a priest, but to be a priest to represent you and me He had to wait until He returned to heaven.
Christ occupies a threefold office: (1) He was a prophet when He came over nineteen hundred years ago—that is the past; (2) He is a priest today—that is for the present; and (3) He is coming someday to rule as a king—that is for the future. He occupies all three of these offices, and He is the great subject of this Epistle to the Hebrews.
“Let us hold fast our profession”—“profession” should be confession. Paul says, “Let us,” to challenge us, to call us to do it, actually, to command us to do it. Let us hold fast our confession.
Notice that he does not say, “Let us hold fast our salvation.” He is not talking about our salvation, but about our testimony, our witness down here. He is talking about our living for Christ. Christ died down here to save us, and He lives up yonder to keep us saved and to enable us to give a good witness. Some people say, “I can’t live the Christian life.” Well, I have news for you. It is true that you cannot live the Christian life, and God never asked you to live the Christian life. I have been thankful that He has not asked that of me, because I have tried it and it didn’t work. We cannot do it in our own strength, but He asks that He might live it through us. He lives up yonder in order that you and I might hold fast to our confession, our testimony down here.
When we come to chapter 11 we will find a regular roll call of the heroes of the faith which shows what faith has done in the lives of men and women in all ages. All of those listed there had a good witness, a good report. Theirs was a good witness through faith—they lived by faith.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin [Heb. 4:15].
You will notice in your Bible that the word yet is in italics, meaning that it has been added by the translators. Christ was tempted without sin—tested without sin. In the testing of Jesus in the wilderness, He could not have fallen because He is the God-man. However, the pressure of testing was actually greater upon Him than it would be upon us. He could say, “… the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). Satan finds something in me and in you also, but he could find nothing in the Lord Jesus. Let me illustrate this for you: A boat standing in water can only tolerate so much pressure. If the pressure becomes too great, there will be a rip in the hull of the boat and water will come in, and thus the pressure is removed. That is the way you and I are—we give in to the pressure, we yield, and then the pressure is gone. Jesus never did yield, and therefore there was a building up of pressure that you and I never experience. In the same way, the cars of a freight train all have a weight limit which they can carry. If that limit is exceeded, you will have a swaybacked car, one that is bowed down in the middle. It gives in—it can only carry so heavy a load. That is true of all of us. We can carry just so much and not any more. May I say to you, the weight of temptation Jesus Christ could carry was infinite—He was tested without sin. But He was tested, and for that reason He knows how we feel. We have a High Priest who understands us.
I have always felt that for the nation Israel the death of Aaron was in one sense of greater significance than the death of Moses. Aaron was their great high priest. Many Israelites had been brought up with Aaron, had played with him as a boy, and had gone through the wilderness with him. They could go to Aaron and say, “Look, Aaron, I did this, and I should not have done it. I have brought my sacrifice.” And Aaron could sympathize with them. He knew exactly how they felt. But when Aaron died I imagine they wondered whether that new priest, the son of Aaron, would understand. Would he be able to sympathize and to help? We have a Great High Priest who is always available, and He does understand. He does not understand us theoretically, but down here He was tested, and He was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” He knew what it was to hunger. He knew what it was to be touched with sorrow—Jesus wept! He was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities … yet without sin.”
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need [Heb. 4:16].
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.” I must confess that I have never really liked our translation of “boldly,” but neither do I know how to change it. The word boldly has the thought of being brazen—there is sort of a flippancy suggested by it—or of being cocksure. That is really not the idea. It is a very interesting word in the Greek—parrhesia. It denotes the freedom of speech which the Athenians prized so highly. They were perhaps the first to feel that the average citizen should have freedom to speak.
“Let us therefore come [with great freedom] unto the throne of grace.” We can speak freely to the Lord Jesus Christ. I can tell Him things that I cannot tell you. He understands me. He knows my weaknesses, and I might just as well tell Him. I have learned to be very frank with Him. I have not attempted to become buddy-buddy with Him—I despise that approach. He is God, and I come to Him in worship and with reverence. But I am free to speak, because He is also a man. He is God, but He is a man, and I can come to Him with great freedom. I can tell Him what is on my heart. I can open my heart to Him. I suspect, therefore, that all these very pious and flowery prayers we make are not impressive to Him—especially when we are attempting to cover up what is in our hearts and lives. I wonder if the Lord doesn’t tune us out when we do not come to Him with freedom and open our hearts to Him. That is one of the reasons our prayer meetings are not more effective. We come to Him rather restrained, without being open and sincere.
“Unto the throne of grace.” God’s throne is a throne of grace. Formerly a throne of judgment, it is now a mercy seat, a throne of grace.
“That we may obtain mercy.” We need a lot of mercy. Mercy is something that is in one sense negative—it speaks of the past. We are redeemed by the mercy of God. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us …” (Titus 3:5). He has been merciful to me.
“And find grace to help in time of need.” Help is a very positive thing—it speaks of the future. We may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Ps. 23:1). I have noticed that one of the newer translations reads, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have not wanted.” How ridiculous! Of course, he had not wanted in the past, but the beauty of it is that David could say, “I shall not want.” Why? Because the Lord is my Shepherd. I have an High Priest up yonder, and I can go to Him as my Shepherd.
By the way, have you been to Him yet today? What did you tell Him? Did you tell Him that you love Him? Did you confess your sins to Him? Well, why don’t you? He already knows it, but why don’t you tell Him? Don’t put up a front to Him. He already knows that you can come to Him only on His merit. Go to Him with freedom and talk to Him—there is mercy and grace to help in time of need.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Definition of a priest
This chapter continues the great theme of Christ as our High Priest, showing that He is superior to the Levitical priesthood, with which the Hebrews were so familiar.
In the first ten verses we have the definition of a priest. Christ, as we have already said, has the threefold office of prophet, priest, and king. He is God’s final word to man. In Christ God has said all He intends to say. As a prophet, He spoke over nineteen hundred years ago. Now He is the Word of God. He is the priest for the now generation. Some day in the future He is going to come as king. Right now He is our Great High Priest. We have access to Him. He is a Great High Priest, just as Aaron was a great high priest.
And every believer is a priest, just as all the tribe of Levi were priests. We can offer sacrifices to God as priests. Praise is a sacrifice that we can offer. Have you praised Him today? We can also offer our substance, the fruit of our hands, the fruit of our minds, or our time. Believers can make all of these things an offering to Him. And prayer is the work of a priest. To recognize our position and privilege eliminates all of the mechanics we have today. It puts aside all of the methods that we use. We see two extreme approaches to God through worship today. One is a very emotional approach, and the other is a very ritualistic approach. Both of them are soulish and not spiritual worship at all. We simply need to come to Him and get rid of all the mechanics and the methods.
Someone sent me a story about the astronaut who was in his capsule just ready to close the door in preparation for the launching, when a reporter asked him a question. Reporters, I have observed, sometimes ask some rather asinine questions. This reporter asked, “How do you feel when you are an astronaut ready to take off?” The astronaut replied, “How would you feel if you were sitting on top of fifty thousand parts, each supplied by the lowest bidder?” That is the way many people worship today. They are ritualistic or they are emotional; they go by their feelings rather than by the Word of God.
The concluding verse of chapter 4 urges us to come in freedom to the throne of grace. We need mercy and we need help. He is in the position to supply these because He is our Great High Priest.
DEFINITION OF A PRIEST
For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins [Heb. 5:1].
This verse gives us the definition of a priest. He must be taken from among men, which means he must be a man. He must be a representative, you see. He represents man, but he represents man to God. He is ordained for man in things pertaining to God. Because he goes before God, he must be acceptable to God. That is the suggestion in “is ordained for men in things … to God.” In verse 4 we are told specifically that no man takes this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. He must be ordained of God. Therefore a priest is: (1) taken from among men; (2) ordained for men (on behalf of men); and (3) goes to God for men.
We can now draw a distinction between a priest and a prophet. A priest goes from man to God; he represents man before God. A prophet comes from God to man with a message from God. Therefore the Old Testament priest did not tell men what God had to say—that was the ministry of the prophet. The priest’s ministry was to represent man before God. Now in the present age our Lord Jesus Christ is the only priest. It is He who represents us before God.
The priesthood functions, not for lost sinners, but for saved sinners. You will recall that John said, “My little children [my little born ones], these things write I unto you, that ye sin not …” (1 John 2:1). Well, I’m sorry, John, but you are talking to a boy who has sinned. Even as a child of God I have sinned. I am thankful that he covered me when he added, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Christ represents me up there. When my enemy, Satan, accuses me before the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ represents me. He is my High Priest. That is one reason why I would never be satisfied just to have a priest on earth. I want to make this very clear, and I am not attempting to be critical. If someone is going to represent me before God, I want to be sure that he is acceptable to God. Is he one who has accreditation? Has he passed his bar examination so he can represent me in heaven? We can pray for one another, but we cannot represent one another in heaven. But because I need somebody to represent me, I am very happy that I have my Great High Priest who represents me before the Father.
“That he may offer both gifts and sacrifices.” Notice that the priest may offer both gifts and sacrifices. The writer is going to make it abundantly clear that He had something to offer: He offered Himself. Compared to the precious blood of Christ which has redeemed us, silver and gold would be like lead or dirt.
“That he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins”—notice that it is sins, not sin; it is plural. It speaks of the life of the believer. For example, when you lost your temper, did you go to God and confess that sin? You have a representative who is there to make intercession for you. He represents you before God.
Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity [Heb. 5:2].
We have a Great High Priest who could say, when He came to the end of His ministry on earth, “Which of you convinceth [convicts] me of sin? …” (John 8:46). The Lord’s disciples had been with Him for three years, and if there had been anything wrong, they would have known. He was impeccable; He did not commit any sin. Yet because He lived on this earth as a man, He understands us.
He “can have compassion on the ignorant.” What does that mean? “Compassion on the ignorant” refers to sins of ignorance. Leviticus 4:1–2 deals with these sins. If you don’t think you have committed a sin in the past few days, and you feel like you have really been living in the heights, I have news for you. You commit sins that you are not even aware of, and He, our Great High Priest, takes care of that for us. He can have compassion on the ignorant. You see, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12, italics mine). “All we like sheep have gone astray …” (Isa. 53:6). God compares us to sheep, because all sheep go astray.
“He himself also is compassed with infirmity.” Aaron was touched with infirmity or weakness, but Christ was touched with a feeling of our infirmity or weakness. He knows how we feel about things. He is the perfect mediator, you see. When we fall, He doesn’t get down in the dirt with us; He is there to lift us out of it.
The trouble with Aaron was that he might condone the sins that he also had committed. Or he might condemn the sins that he had not committed himself. That would always be a danger. But Christ is able to show mercy, and He neither condones nor condemns. When we come to Him to make confession of our sins, He doesn’t give us a little lecture about doing better next time. He just extends mercy to us. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just [as our High Priest] to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). It is wonderful to have a High Priest like He is!
Now we see a contrast between Aaron and Christ because there is no counterpart of this requirement of the Aaronic priesthood in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins [Heb. 5:3].
You will recall that on the great Day of Atonement Aaron first brought a sacrifice and took the blood into the Holy of Holies for his own sins. He had to have his own sin question settled first before he could represent the people. There is no counterpart of this in Christ. Christ did not have to make an offering for Himself. He made an offering for you and me.
And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron [Heb. 5:4].
As we saw earlier, Christ was a priest because He was acceptable to God.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee [Heb. 5:5].
I want to make it abundantly clear that the “begotten” here has nothing to do with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. It has everything to do with the garden near Calvary where He was buried after His crucifixion because that is where His resurrection took place. He was begotten from the dead. His priesthood began when he went back to heaven, and that speaks of His resurrection.
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec [Heb. 5:6].
The order of Aaron is not adequate to set before us the priesthood of Christ. So our Lord is not an High Priest in the order of Aaron, although Aaron is the type, and Christ the antitype. Christ is the Son, and Aaron is just a servant.
“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Who is Melchisedec (spelled Melchizedek in the Old Testament)? The only historical record that we have of him is in Genesis 14 where he is described as a “priest of the most high God.” He went out to congratulate Abraham on his victory over Chedorlaomer and his allies in which Abraham recovered all of the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, including his nephew Lot, and also brought back all the booty. The king of Sodom met Abraham and offered him all of the booty. Abraham was under some temptation, but he turned down the offer. In Genesis 14:18 we read, “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.” The account continues in Genesis 14:19–20, “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” We are told that Melchizedek was the king of Salem (Salem means “peace”) and he was also king of righteousness. He walks out onto the pages of Scripture out of nowhere— we have no inkling where he came from—and he walks off the page of Scripture the same way. There is no other historical mention of him.
In Psalm 110 we see the prophecy of Melchizedek—that there is coming one who is to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews now gives us the interpretation of Melchizedek.
Let me say at this point that there are some very fine expositors who think that Melchizedek is the preincarnate Christ. Well, I cannot accept that interpretation because Melchizedek is a type, of the Lord Jesus. Obviously, the antitype cannot be the type—or you wouldn’t have a type. Therefore, I interpret Melchizedek as a human being who was the literal king of Salem. Two excellent expositors, G. Campbell Morgan and Lewis Sperry Chafer, hold that he was the preincarnate Christ; so you will be in good company if you take that position.
However, I believe Melchizedek was a type given to us by Moses and guarded by God. He just walks out of nowhere and walks back into nowhere. He had no beginning or ending of days. The Lord Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end. He is Alpha and Omega (see Rev. 1:8). He started it all, and He will end it all. He is the AMEN. He is the One who is the eternal God and as such has no beginning or ending. The writer is telling us that we have a priest like that—He is after the order of Melchizedek. We will see an interpretation of this in chapter 7.
This brings us to a verse that I feel totally inadequate to deal with. I feel that I am just standing on the fringe in my understanding of it.
Speaking of the Lord Jesus—
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared [Heb. 5:7].
Scripture tells us that on three occasions Jesus wept. I am of the opinion there were other occasions, but the record gives us only three. One was at the tomb of Lazarus. At that time, although He knew He would restore Lazarus to life, His heart went out in sympathy to the two sisters who were so deeply grieved. Because He wept for them, I know how He feels when you and I stand at the graveside of a loved one.
At another time He wept over the city of Jerusalem. Since He wept over Jerusalem at that time, I am sure He has wept many times over the cities in which you and I live. They certainly provide Him with reasons for weeping!
Then the third time He wept was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Why did He weep there? A cynic and unbeliever made the statement that he wished he had been present so he could have killed the Lord Jesus in some way other than by crucifixion. In saying this, it is evident that he perceived something that some believers do not firmly grasp. He would have liked to have kept Jesus from the Cross, which is exactly what the Devil wanted to do. I believe that Satan attempted to slay the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. When He prayed in the garden, “Let this cup pass from me” (see Luke 22:42), the “cup” was death. He did not want to die in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“And was heard in that he feared.” If our Lord Jesus prayed in the garden to let the cup pass because He didn’t want to die on the cross, then He wasn’t heard—because He did die on the cross. My friend, He was heard; He did not die in the Garden of Gethsemane.
You see, prophecy had made it abundantly clear that He was to die on a cross. We do not have a better picture of crucifixion than in Psalm 22. The cross was an altar on which the Son of God shed His blood, paying the penalty for your sin and my sin. “The life of the flesh is in the blood,” God said, “and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls …” (Lev. 17:11). In the Old Testament the blood of animal sacrifices only covered over the sin, but the blood of Christ was given “to make atonement for your souls.” Christ shed His blood on the cross, which was an altar. He told Nicodemus, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14). He did not want to die in the garden. That, I think, was His prayer, His human prayer, as He wept and sweat great drops of blood. Our Lord was near death as He approached the cross, and He prayed to be delivered from death so that He could reach the cross. And we are told that He “was heard in that he feared.”
“In that he feared”—fear is not something that is always wrong, as we have seen elsewhere in this epistle. It would be abnormal not to fear some things. And I think we need a little more fear in our churches; we need the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. The Lord Jesus feared.
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him [Heb. 5:8–9].
“And being made perfect”—that is, made complete, made full.
“Eternal salvation”—the only kind of salvation He offers is eternal. If you can lose it tomorrow, then, my friend, it is not eternal. It is some other kind of salvation. But He offers only eternal salvation.
“Unto all them that obey him.” What is obedience? A crowd of people asked Jesus, “… What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” (John 6:28) Jesus replied, “… This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). Do you want to obey God? Then trust Christ. That is what He is saying.
But there is something here that I do not understand—I am frank to admit it. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” Why did the Son of God need to learn obedience by suffering? And why did He need to be made perfect when He already was perfect? I stand here in the presence of a mystery, a mystery that I cannot fathom. I know only that God got something out of the death of Christ that has made heaven more wonderful and has added something to heaven where everything is perfection and that the Son of God has learned something!
Now I am well acquainted with the explanations that men give, but none of them satisfy me. I just recognize that it is a great mystery. Christ took upon Himself our humanity, and in that humanity He obeyed God. He said, “I have come to do my Father’s will” (see John 6:39). Paul said of Him, “… [He] took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:7–8, italics mine). My friend, I want you to know that when I die (if the Lord tarries) I won’t do it obediently. I don’t want to die. I think it is morbid when folk always talk about wanting to die. I want to live on earth as long as I can. When I had cancer, many people wrote to me and said, “We are praying for you. We are asking that the Lord spare your life.” I am thankful because the Lord heard those prayers. But one dear lady in Southern California wrote to me and said, “I am not praying that the Lord will leave you here. I know you are ready to go, so I am praying that He will take you home.” I wrote back to her in a hurry and said, “Listen, you let the Lord alone in this matter. It is just between Him and me. I don’t want you to tell the Lord when you think He ought to take me home. I want to stay here, and I’ll appreciate it if you don’t pray that prayer any more. At least, change it. Tell the Lord that you made a mistake, and that McGee wants to stay.”
When the writer to the Hebrews says that Christ learned obedience by the things which he suffered, I don’t understand it. I simply recognize that I am in the presence of a mystery—that even my Lord learned something!
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec [Heb. 5:10].
Called means “saluted” and refers to Melchizedek.
Now the writer will discuss this matter of the priesthood of Christ, that Melchizedek was given to us in the Old Testament as a type of the high priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE PERIL OF DULL HEARING
The writer puts up the third danger signal; it is like a red light flashing. He is getting ready to bring us out on the highway, but before he does, we’ve got to look both ways. There is the danger of being dull of hearing. He devotes the remainder of the chapter to this, because in the next chapter (after still another danger signal) he will deal with the great subject of Christ our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing [Heb. 5:11].
“Of whom we have many things to say.” The writer says, “I still have a lot of things to say.”
“And hard to be uttered.” Why is it hard to be uttered?
“Seeing ye are dull of hearing.” The writer, who I think was Paul, could state it all right, but they couldn’t grasp it.
Have you ever said to your husband or wife after a Bible-teaching sermon, “I don’t think the pastor was quite up to it today. I didn’t feel his message was equal to what he is capable of giving.”? Did you ever stop to think that the problem that day may have been with you? Are you dull of hearing? The problem may not be in the speaking, but the problem may be in the hearing.
Ear trouble, today, is the big problem of believers. Christ as a priest after the order of Melchizedek is a difficult subject, and the writer is going to deal with it forthrightly. To understand the subject requires sharp spiritual perception. It requires folk to be spiritually alert and to have a knowledge of the Word of God and to be close to it. The Hebrew believers who are being addressed here had a low SQ, not an IQ, but an SQ—spiritual quotient. It was hard to teach them because it was difficult to make them understand. They were babies, as many of the saints are today, and they want baby talk even from the preacher. They don’t want to hear anything that is difficult to understand. This is the reason some preachers are getting by with murder in the pulpit—they murder the Word of God. They absolutely kill it and substitute something from their own viewpoint, and the congregations like that kind of baby talk.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat [Heb. 5:12].
“Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.” Some of them want a D.D. degree, but they don’t even know their ABCs. “First principles” is from the Greek word stoicheion (from which we get our English word atom, by the way), meaning “primary elements”—the ABCs of the Christian life. They ought to be teachers and mature saints, but instead they are still little babies needing someone to burp them.
For example, one Sunday after the morning service a church member stopped to talk to me while I was shaking hands with folk who were leaving. He said, “Dr. McGee, do you have anything against me?” I said, “No. Why do you say that?” “Well, you passed me yesterday on the street, and you didn’t speak to me.” That is baby talk. I didn’t even see that person, and it is perfect nonsense to talk like that. Someone else said, “Why didn’t the soloist sing this morning? We wanted to hear the soloist sing.” Oh, my gracious, what little babies, wanting their rattles, and wanting the bottle with the nipple on it!
To these Hebrew believers the writer says, “You are such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. You are not of age; you are not full grown; you haven’t reached maturation.” Now a baby cannot eat meat, but an adult can enjoy milk. I will admit that a lot of saints today sit and listen to baby talk from the pulpit. It is tragic indeed that they have to endure this, but they do.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe [Heb. 5:13].
He doesn’t know the Word of God.
I don’t want to step on your toes, my friend, but I’d love to be helpful to you. You cannot grow apart from the Word of God. I don’t care how active you are in the church. You may be an officer. You may be on every committee in the church. You may be a leading deacon or elder. I don’t care who you are, or what you are; if you are not studying the Word of God, and if you don’t know how to handle it, you are a little baby. It is tragic to occupy a church office when you are just a little baby. You ought to come on and grow up. It is tragic that there are people who have been members of the church and have been saved for years, and they are still going around saying, “Goo, goo, goo.” They have nothing to contribute but little baby talk. All they want is to be burped periodically.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil [Heb. 5:14].
In 1 Corinthians 3:1–2, Paul says, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” In 1 Peter 2:1–2, Peter says, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Danger signal: peril of departing
This chapter, by all odds, contains the most difficult passage in the Bible for an interpreter to handle, regardless of his theological position. Dr. R. W. Dale, one of the great minds in the earlier field of conservative scholarship, wrote:
I know how this passage has made the heart of many a good man tremble. It rises up in the New Testament with a gloomy grandeur, stern, portentous, awful, sublime as Mount Sinai when the Lord descended upon it in fire, and threatening storm clouds were around Him, and thunderings and lightnings and unearthly voices told that He was there.
Every reverent person has come to this section with awe and wonder. And every sincere expositor has come to this passage with a sense of inadequacy, and certainly that is the way I approach it.
DANGER SIGNAL: PERIL OF DEPARTING
In the previous chapter the danger signal was the peril of dull hearing. Now as the Hebrew Christians can already see persecution coming, there is a danger of their turning from their confession of Christ and going back to Judaism. He mentions the baby things of Judaism which had to do with ritual. He encourages them to grow up, to go on to maturity.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God [Heb. 6:1].
“Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ” is literally “leaving the word of the beginning concerning Christ.” For a builder it means to leave the foundation and go up with the scaffolding, or for a child in school to go on from his ABCs to work on his B.A. or Ph.D. It is preparing believers for a trip up to the throne of God.
“Let us go on” is horizontal, not perpendicular.
“Unto perfection” is maturity, full age.
There are six foundational facts in the Old Testament which prefigure Christ in ritual, symbol, and ceremony: (1) repentance from dead works; (2) faith toward God; (3) doctrine of baptisms; (4) laying on of hands; (5) resurrection of the dead; and (6) eternal judgment.
“Repentance from dead works.” The works were the works of the Mosaic Law. They were continually trying to keep the Law, then breaking it, then repenting. That is baby stuff, the writer tells them.
“And of faith toward God.” The Old Testament taught faith toward God; so just to say you believe in God doesn’t mean you have come very far. The Old Testament ritual presented a faith in God by approaching Him through the temple sacrifices, not through Christ as High Priest.
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment [Heb. 6:2].
“Doctrine of baptisms [washings]” has nothing to do with New Testament baptism. They refer to the washings of the Old Testament ritual, and there were many of them. The Hebrew believers were wanting to return to these things which were only shadows; they were the negatives from which the spiritual pictures were developed. They prefigured Christ, the reality.
“Laying on of hands.” This was also an Old Testament ritual. When a man brought an animal offering, he laid his hands on its head to signify his identification with it. The animal was taking his place on the altar of sacrifice.
“Resurrection of the dead” was taught in the Old Testament, but now they needed to come up to the resurrection of Christ and to the living Christ.
“Eternal judgment” was taught in the Old Testament.
And this will we do, if God permit [Heb. 6:3].
This brings us to that passage which has caused as many difficulties as any in the Scriptures. Some consider it the most difficult passage to interpret.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak [Heb. 6:4–9].
Verse 9 is the key to the passage, but we need the context to understand what is being said.
As we study this section, we are immediately confronted with the amazing fact that generally commentators have avoided this chapter. Even such a man as Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, the prince of expositors, has completely bypassed it in his book on Hebrews. However, when we do come upon the interpretations available and summarize each, we can well understand why men have chosen to remain clear of this scene of confusion because we can get many interpretations.
In the interest of an honest search after the evident meaning of these verses, let us examine some of the interpretations.
The most unsatisfactory to me of all interpretations is that the Christians mentioned here are Christians who have lost their salvation. That is, they were once saved but have lost their salvation. There are many folk who hold this position, and for the most part they are real born again Christians themselves. However, this belief makes them as uncomfortable as I am when I am making a trip by plane. I know that I am just as safe on that plane as anyone there, but I do not enjoy it as some of them do. There are many folk today who are not sure about their salvation and therefore are not enjoying it. Nevertheless they are saved if they have fixed their trust in Christ as their Savior. The essential thing is not the amount of faith they have but the one to whom it is directed. They turn to this passage of Scripture more than any other since they deny that we have a sure salvation which cannot be lost and that the believer is safe in Christ.
I want to make it abundantly clear that I believe we have a sure salvation because Scripture is very emphatic on this point. Paul says in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus …” and, my friend, he expands that great truth to the triumphant climax of such a bold statement as, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth” (Rom. 8:33). The throne of God is back of the weakest, humblest man who has come to trust Christ, and today there is not a created intelligence in God’s universe that can bring a charge against one of these who is justified through faith in His blood. Paul continues in Romans 8:34–39: “Who is he that condemneth? [1] It is Christ that died, [2] yea rather, that is risen again, [3] who is even at the right hand of God, [4] who also maketh intercession for us.” My friend, if you drink in those words you will have a great foundation of assurance. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Does that satisfy you? Well, let’s keep going. Paul is not through yet. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Can you mention anything that Paul didn’t mention in this passage? Can you find anything that could separate you from the love of Christ? May I say to you, this list takes in the whole kit and caboodle. Here we have a guarantee that nothing can separate us from the love of God—nothing that is seen, nothing that is unseen, nothing that is natural, nothing that is supernatural can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Lord Jesus Christ also makes some tremendous statements about our absolute security. Listen to Him, trust in Him, and believe Him. The Word of God is living and powerful, my friend. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life” (John 10:27–28). What kind of life? Eternal life. If you can lose it, it is not eternal! “And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29). It is not a question of your ability to hold on to Him; it is His ability to hold on to you. He says here with the infinite wisdom and full authority of the Godhead that He can hold us and that they who trust Him shall never perish. The question is: Is your hope fixed in God who is all-powerful, or in a god who may suffer defeat?
I have cited only some of the passages of Scripture that make it abundantly clear that you and I cannot be lost after we have been born again into the family of God. We become children of God through faith in Christ. Once a person has become a child of God through faith in Christ he has eternal life. I cannot accept the interpretation that the people in Hebrews 6:4–9 were once saved and had lost their salvation.
There is a second interpretation that has some merit in it. There are those who contend that this is a hypothetical case. “If they shall fall away.” There is only a possibility that this might happen. The writer does not say that it happens, only that it might be possible. Those who contend that this is the correct interpretation say that it is the biggest “IF” in the Bible, and I would agree with them. If I did not take another position on the interpretation of this passage in Hebrews, I would accept this one.
The third interpretation points out that in verse 6 there really is no “if” in the Greek. It is a participle and should be translated “having fallen away.” Therefore these folk have another interpretation, which is that the passage speaks of mere professors, that they are not genuine believers. They only profess to be Christians. Well, I cannot accept this view, although such scholars as Matthew Henry, F. W. Grant, and J. N. Darby hold this thinking, as does C. I. Scofield in his excellent reference Bible—a Bible which I feel every Christian should own, although in some cases I do not concur with the interpretations given in the notes, as in the instance before us.
I do not accept the view that these folk are professors rather than genuine believers. The Bible does speak of those who merely profess Christ. There are apostates in the church. For instance Peter in his second epistle wrote: “It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet. 2:22, ASV). Those folk were professors, not genuine believers. But in chapter 6 we find genuine believers, because they are identified as such in many ways. If you will move back into chapter 5 to get the entire passage, you will notice that it is said of these people that they are dull of hearing (see Heb. 5:11)—it does not say that they are dead in trespasses and sins (see Eph. 2:1). And in Hebrews 5:12 it says that “when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you … and are become such as have need of milk….” They need to have milk because they are babes. An unsaved person doesn’t need milk; he needs life. He needs to be born again. He is dead in trespasses and sins. After he is born again, a little milk will help him. Therefore I believe the writer to the Hebrews is addressing baby Christians, and he is urging them to go on to maturity.
There are other expositors who take the position that since the ones spoken of here are Jewish believers of the first century, the warning can apply only to them. At the time Hebrews was written, the temple was still standing, and the writer is warning Jewish Christians about returning to the sacrificial system, because in so doing they would be admitting that Jesus did not die for their sins. Therefore, those who hold this reasoning say that verses 4–6 apply only to the Jewish Christians of that day and have no reference to anyone in our day.
There is still another group which stresses the word impossible in Hebrews 6:4. It is impossible to renew them—the thought being that it is impossible for man, but it is not impossible with God. They remind us that the Lord Jesus said that “… It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24). Of course it is impossible for any of us to enter heaven on our own; we must have a Savior, a Redeemer. Therefore, this again is an interpretation that I cannot accept.
You can see that there are many interpretations of this passage—and, of course, there are others which I have not mentioned.
Now there is one interpretation that has been a real blessing to my heart, and I trust you will follow me patiently, thoughtfully, and without bias as we look at it. Because I was dissatisfied with all the interpretations I had heard, I actually felt sad about it. Then several years ago I picked up a copy of Bibliotheca Sacra, a publication of the Dallas Theological Seminary, and read an article on the sixth chapter of Hebrews written by Dr. J. B. Rowell, who was then pastor of the Central Baptist Church in Victoria, British Columbia. His interpretation was the best that I had heard. I give him full credit for it. This is not something that I thought of, although I have developed it to fit my own understanding, of course.
First of all, let me call to your attention that the writer is not discussing the question of salvation at all in this passage. I believe he is describing saved people—they have been enlightened, they have tasted of the heavenly gift, they have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and they have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come.
The whole tenor of the text reveals that he is speaking of rewards which are the result of salvation. In verse 6 he says, “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance”—not to salvation, but to repentance. Repentance is something that God has asked believers to do. For example, read the seven letters to the seven churches in Asia, as recorded in Revelation 2 and 3. He says to every one of the churches to repent. That is His message for believers.
So the writer of Hebrews is talking about the fruit of salvation, not about the root of salvation. Notice verse 9 again: “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation [he hasn’t been discussing salvation but the things that accompany salvation], though we thus speak.” He is speaking of the fruit of the Christian’s life and the reward that comes to him as the result. The whole tenor of this passage is that he is warning them of the possibility of losing their reward. There is danger, Paul said, of our entire works being burned up so that we will have nothing for which we could be rewarded. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:11–15). The work of every believer, my friend, is going to be tested by fire, and fire burns! The work you are doing today for Christ is going to be tested by fire. For example, when all of those reports that some of us preachers have handed in about how many converts we have made are tried by fire, they will make a roaring fire—if our work has been done in the flesh rather than in the power of the Spirit. We will have nothing but wood, hay, and stubble that will all go up in smoke.
Someday every believer is going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I wish I could lay upon the heart of believers that it is not going to be a sweet little experience where the Lord Jesus is going to pat us on the back and say, “You nice little Sunday school boy, you didn’t miss a Sunday for ten years. You are so wonderful.” The Lord is going to go deeper than that. He is going to test you and see if you really had any fruit in your life. Have you grown in grace and knowledge of Him? Have you been a witness for Him? Has your life counted for Him? Have you been a blessing to others? My Christian friend, I am not sure that I am looking forward to the judgment seat of Christ, because He is going to take Vernon McGee apart there. I will not be judged for salvation, but because I am saved, He is going to find out whether or not I am to receive a reward.
Now notice that he is illustrating the fruit of the Christian’s life: “For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned” (vv. 7–8). If the believer’s life brings forth fruit, it receives blessing from God; if it brings forth thorns and briers, it is rejected.
When the apostle Paul wrote to Titus, a young preacher, he dealt with the matter of works: “Not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us…” (Titus 3:5, ASV). From this, one might be inclined to think that Paul is not going to have much regard for good works, but move down in that same chapter to verse 8: “…I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works….” Good works do not enter into the matter of salvation, but when one becomes a child of God through faith in Christ, works assume supreme importance. My friend, if you are a Christian, it is important that you live the Christian life.
When I was a university student the psychologists were discussing a matter which they have moved away from now. It was: Which is more important, heredity or environment? Well, my psychology professor had a stimulating answer. He said that before you are born, heredity is more important, but after you are born, environment is the major consideration! Now let’s carry that line of thought over to our present study. Before you are born again, works do not enter in, because you cannot bring them to God—He won’t accept them. Scripture says that the righteousness of man is filthy rags in His sight (see Isa. 64:6). You don’t expect God to accept a pile of dirty laundry, do you? He is accepting sinners, but He accepts us on the basis of the redemption that we have in Christ. When we receive Christ as Savior, we are born anew and become a child of God. When that happens, we are, as Peter put it, “… an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9, ASV). Now after you have been saved, you are to show forth by your good works before the world that you are redeemed to God. Therefore the Christian has something to show forth, and that is the thing which is to be judged. If he is going to continue as a baby and be nothing but a troublemaker, turning people from Christ instead of to Christ, there will certainly be no reward. In fact, there will be shame at His appearing.
“For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (vv. 4–6, ASV). These verses bring us to the very center of this study.
“And then fell away”—fell away is an interesting word in the Greek. It is parapitoµ and means simply “to stumble, to fall down.” It would be impossible to give it the meaning of “apostatize.” It is the same word used of our Lord when He went into the Garden of Gethsemane, fell on His face, and prayed.
There are many examples in Scripture of men who “fell away.” The apostle Peter fell, but he was not lost. The Lord Jesus said to him, “I have prayed that your faith might not fail” (see Luke 22:32). Peter suffered loss, but he was not lost. John Mark is another example. He failed so miserably on the first missionary journey that when his uncle Barnabas suggested that he go on the second journey, Paul turned him down. He as much as said, “Never. This boy has failed, and as far as I am concerned, I am through with him” (see Acts 15:37–39). Well, thank God, although he stumbled and fell, God was not through with him. Even the apostle Paul, before he died, acknowledged that he had made a misjudgment of John Mark. In his last epistle he wrote, “… Take Mark and bring him with thee; for he is useful to me for ministering” (2 Tim. 4:11). Now, neither Peter nor John Mark lost their salvation, but they certainly failed and they suffered loss for it.
Read again verse 1 and notice that the writer is talking to folk about repentance from dead works—not salvation, but repentance. You will recall that John the Baptist also preached this to the people: “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance …” (Luke 3:8). He was referring to that which is the evidence of repentance. Repentance in our day does not mean the shedding of a few tears; it means turning right-about-face toward Jesus Christ, which means a change of direction in your life, in your way of living.
Many of the Jewish believers were returning to the temple sacrifice at that time, and the writer to the Hebrews was warning them of the danger of that. Before Christ came, every sacrifice was a picture of Him and pointed to His coming, but after Christ came and died on the cross, that which God had commanded in the Old Testament actually became sin.
You see, those folk were at a strategic point in history. The day before the crucifixion of Jesus they had gone to the temple with sacrifices in obedience to God’s command, but now it was wrong for them to do it. Why? Because Jesus had become that sacrifice—once and for all. Today if you were to offer a bloody sacrifice, you would be sacrificing afresh the Lord Jesus because you would be inferring that when He died nineteen hundred years ago it was of no avail—that you still need a sacrifice to take care of your sin. It would mean that you would not have faith in His atonement, in His death, in His redemption. As someone has said, we either crucify or crown the Lord Jesus by our lives. Today we either exhibit a life of faith or a life by which we crucify Him afresh—especially when we feel that we have to get back under the Mosaic system and keep the Law in order to be saved. It is a serious matter to go back to a legal system.
Notice again verse 6 as the Authorized Version translates it: “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.” Actually the if is not in the text at all. It is “having fallen away,” or “then fell away”—a genitive absolute. It is all right to use the “if,” providing you use it as an argument rather than in the sense of a condition.
Why would it be impossible to renew them again unto repentance? Remember we are talking about the fruit of salvation. It is a serious thing to have accepted Christ as Savior and then to live in sin, to nullify what you do by being a spiritual baby, never growing up, doing nothing in the world but building a big pile of wood, hay, and stubble. Paul said the same thing in different language in 1 Corinthians 3:11 which says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Your salvation is a foundation. You rest upon it, but you also build upon it. You can build with six different kinds of materials—wood, hay, stubble, gold, silver, and precious stones. What kind of building materials are you using today? Are you building up a lot of wood, hay, and stubble? There is a lot of church work today that is nothing but that. We are great on organizations and committees, but do our lives really count for God? Are there going to be people in heaven who will be able to point to you and say, “I am here because of your life and testimony,” or, “I am here because you gave me the Word of God.” Oh, let’s guard against building with wood, hay, or stubble!
By the way, there is a difference between a straw stack and a diamond ring. And you can lose a diamond ring in a hay stack because the ring is so small. I am afraid that a great many folk are building a straw stack to make an impression. One pastor told me, “I’m killing myself. I have to turn in a better report this year than the report last year. We have to increase church membership and converts and giving to missions.” Oh, if this pastor would only dig into the Scriptures and spend much time in God’s presence. Then he would be teaching his people the Word and many would be turning to Christ and would be growing in their relationship with Him. Every man’s works are going to be tested by fire. What will fire do to wood, hay, and stubble? Poof! It will go up in smoke. There will be nothing left. That is what the writer is saying.
In John 15 the Lord Jesus talks about the fact that He is the vine, the genuine vine, and we are the branches. We are to bear fruit. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit …” (John 15:7–8). He wants us to bear much fruit. When there is a branch that won’t bear fruit, what does He do? “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6). He will take it away; He will remove it from the place of fruitbearing and that is what the Lord Jesus is saying.
I see God doing this very thing today. And as I look back over the years, I have seen many men work with wood, hay, or stubble. And I have seen others work with gold. I know a layman who was a very prominent Christian when I came to the Los Angeles area almost forty years ago. Then he became involved in a dishonest transaction. He has lost his testimony, and yet he was a very gifted and likeable man. I still consider him my friend, but I wouldn’t want to go into the presence of Christ as this man will have to go when his life is over.
Also I recall a minister who was very attractive—a little too attractive. He was unfaithful to his wife, had an affair with another woman, and finally divorced his wife. And all the while he tried to keep on teaching! But his teaching didn’t amount to anything—he was just putting up a whole lot of straw. He was not even baling hay; he was just making a big old haystack. Finally the match was put to it, I guess, because he certainly didn’t leave anything down here.
Oh, how careful we should be about our Christian lives. And we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength. We need to recognize that Christ is the vine. If we have any life, it has come from Him, and if there is any fruit in our lives, it comes from Him. We are sort of connecting rods, as branches connect into the vine and then bear fruit. Christ said that, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” (John 15:4).
“If they shall fall away” or “having fallen away,” it is impossible to renew them to repentance. They can shed tears all they want to, but they have lost their testimony. For example, a preacher came and talked to me about his situation. He moved away from this area and attempted to establish a ministry. But he failed. He had an affair with a woman, and he had lost his testimony. He was through. “It is impossible to renew them again unto repentance.” I don’t question his salvation; he is a gifted man who could be mightily used by God but is not. “Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” My friend, any time you as a born again child of God live like one of the Devil’s children, you are crucifying the Son of God—because He came to give you a perfect redemption and to enable you by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be filled with the Spirit and live for Him.
“For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God” (v. 7, ASV). The garden produce is a blessing to man—my, it is delicious! “But if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned” (v. 8, ASV). “Rejected” is adokimos, the same word Paul used when writing to the Corinthian believers, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27). “Castaway” is the same word adokimos, meaning “not approved.” In effect, Paul is saying, “When I come into His presence I don’t want to be disapproved. I don’t want the Lord Jesus to say to me, ‘You have failed. Your life should have been a testimony but it was not.’” Oh, my friend, you are going to hear that if you are not living for Him! I know we don’t want to hear these things, but we need to face the facts.
Now notice the key to this chapter: “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak” (v. 9). The writer to the Hebrew believers is saying, “I am persuaded that you are going to live for God, that you are not going to remain babes in Christ but will grow up.”
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister [Heb. 6:10].
“Work and labour of love” won’t save you, but if you are saved, this is why you are rewarded. This is where good works come in. Although they have nothing to do with your salvation, they certainly do have a very important part in a believer’s life.
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end [Heb. 6:11].
We need that “full assurance of hope unto the end.”
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises [Heb. 6:12].
God has made a lot of promises to us if we are faithful to Him.
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself [Heb. 6:13].
As you know, when you take an oath, you take it on something greater than you are. Since there is nothing greater than God, He swore by Himself.
Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee [Heb. 6:14].
God promised that to Abraham (see Gen. 22:15–18; Heb. 11:19).
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise [Heb. 6:15].
There is something here that is quite wonderful. Abraham patiently endured, and a new assurance came by trusting God. When you trust God, you walk with Him. You grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him through the study of His Word. This brings you to a place of assurance that cannot be gainsaid.
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife [Heb. 6:16].
When men confirm a statement with an oath, it is an end of every dispute.
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath [Heb. 6:17].
When God does a thing like this, He doesn’t need to take an oath, but He does take one to make it very clear how all-important it is.
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us [Heb. 6:18].
“That by two immutable things”—what are the two immutable (or unchangeable) things? The Lord promised Abram descendants as innumerable as the stars of heaven (see Gen. 15:4–5), then later He confirmed His promise with an oath (see Gen. 22:16–18). God confirmed His unchangeable Word of promise by a second unchangeable thing, His oath. These two immutable things gave Abraham encouragement and assurance.
Now what are the two immutable things for us today? Not only do we have the promise made to Abraham for our encouragement, but we have a far richer revelation of God’s love—the gift of His Son. The (1) death and resurrection of Christ and (2) His ascension and intercession for us are the two immutable things.
These four great facts give us an assurance and provide a refuge that we can lay hold upon.
“Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” This reminds us of the cities of refuge which God provided for the children of Israel (see Num. 35; Deut. 19; Josh. 20–21). Those cities of refuge serve as types of Christ sheltering the sinner from death. It was a very marvelous provision for a man who accidentally killed someone. Maybe the one whom he killed had a hotheaded brother who wanted vengeance. So the fugitive could escape to a city of refuge where he would be protected and his case tried. If he was acquitted of intentional killing he must remain within the city until the death of the high priest.
What a picture this is for us today! This reveals that Christ is our refuge. My friend, I have already been carried into court, and at the trial I was found guilty. I was a sinner. The penalty which was leveled against me was death—and it has already been executed. Christ bore the penalty for me, you see. Because He died in my place, I am free. I have been delivered from the penalty of sin; never do I have to answer for it again. I am free now to go out and serve Him. I now have a High Priest, a resurrected Savior, to whom I can go. What a wonderful picture of my Savior this gives! The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). “Ensamples” are types, and Melchizedek is a type of Christ. Millions of things could have been recorded, but God chose to record only these things because they enable us to grow in our understanding of Him and our relationship to Him.
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec [Heb. 6:19–20].
When Christ ascended back to heaven, He assumed the office of High Priest.
“Entereth into that within the veil.” Christ as High Priest entered into the temple in heaven (after which the earthly tabernacle was patterned, Hebrews 8:5). He passed through the veil into the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God, and presented His blood there. Then He “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Now one difference between Aaron and the Lord Jesus is (and I say this reverently) that poor old Aaron never did sit down. There were no seats in the tabernacle—there was the mercy seat, but that typified God’s throne. Aaron only hurried in and hurried out. But you and I have a superior High Priest. He has gone in. He has sat down. He has a finished redemption.
Jesus Christ is the “forerunner,” which implies that others are to follow.
“As an anchor of the soul.” We have an even stronger encouragement than Abraham had in his time, because our High Priest has entered in advance into the presence of God for us, and He is there today interceding for us.
CHAPTER 7
Theme: Christ our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek
The rest of the Epistle to the Hebrews deals with the subject of the living Christ who is at this moment at God’s right hand. It is a subject that is really neglected in the church today. We talk a great deal about the death and resurrection of Christ—and that is wonderful—but my friend, we need to go on to a living Christ who is at God’s right hand and who has a ministry there for us. Now the reality of that ministry to us is what is going to test our spiritual life. Here is a barometer or Geiger counter which you can put down on your life: how is the truth of this chapter of Hebrews going to affect your spiritual life?
The writer to the Hebrews is going to make a comparison and contrast of the priesthood of Melchizedek and the priesthood of Aaron.
CHRIST IS PERPETUAL PRIEST
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him [Heb. 7:1].
The little word for is used by the writer to the Hebrews as cement to hold together what has been said previously and what he is now going to say. It refers us back to verse 20 of chapter 6. Melchizedek is a type of Christ. In the historical record Melchizedek is called “king of Salem” and “priest of the most high God” (see Genesis 14:17–24). Not much is said about Melchizedek in Genesis 14—frankly, I would have forgotten about him, but the Spirit of God didn’t forget about him. When we come to Psalm 110 there is this prophecy concerning the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ: “… Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4).
You and I are living in the day of Christ’s priesthood. There are many critics today who do not like the term dispensations. Many preachers won’t mention the word. I mention it because the Bible uses the term. Dispensations are the different ages or time-periods showing the progressive order of God’s dealing with the human family. This is an example: Back in the Old Testament Aaron was the high priest and there was a literal tabernacle down here. Today we have an High Priest, but He is not ministering in any building down here. He is up yonder at God’s right hand, and He is there right now.
While there are not many references to Melchizedek in the Old Testament, there are quite a few references to him right here in the Epistle to the Hebrews. In Hebrews 5:10 we read, “Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” Then again in Hebrews 6:20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Now here in verse 1 the writer says, “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him.” He is going to talk a great deal about Melchizedek in this chapter. The very key to this chapter is found in verse 17: “For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”
Since we are going to look at Christ as a priest after the order of Melchizedek, we need to know all we can about Melchizedek, and we need to go back to the account in Genesis 14. The events of Genesis 14 took place after Abraham’s nephew Lot had moved down to Sodom, and we have in this chapter the first account of a war. The kings of the east formed a confederacy and came against the kings of the west, that is, those who lived around the Dead Sea. The kings of the east won and lugged off the people as slaves and the wealth of the cities as booty.
Word was brought to Abraham that Lot was being carried away into captivity. Abraham immediately armed about 318 men out of his own household, which means he had quite a household. Each man that he could arm must have had at least one woman and a child. Therefore Abraham must have had about a thousand people who served under him! He took these 318 men, and by a surprise attack he was able to get a victory over the kings of the east. All he was concerned about was rescuing Lot, but in so doing he was able to rescue the king of Sodom and all the others.
In Genesis 14:17 we are told: “And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.” The king of Sodom made Abraham an offer which he refused, then out of nowhere we read: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God” (Gen. 14:18).
To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace [Heb. 7:2].
It has been supposed by some that Salem was Jerusalem. I do not think that is true at all. Salem is not a place—the word salem means “peace.” He does not say that Melchizedek was king of Jerusalem. He was king of peace; he was a man who could make peace in that day. I am sure he was king of a literal city somewhere, but it doesn’t mean he was king of Jerusalem—it could have been any place. He was king of peace.
Melchizedek was also the “King of righteousness.” That is what the name Melchizedek means: melek is a Hebrew word meaning “king,” and tsedeq means “righteousness.” Jeremiah speaks of Jehovah-tsidkenu, meaning “Jehovah our righteousness.”
Melchizedek is a type of Christ—he represents Him in several different ways. He is king of peace and king of righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ is a King. He is righteous—He was made unto us righteousness.
Melchizedek was “priest of the most high God.” The Lord Jesus is our Great High Priest.
Now the very interesting thing is that when Melchizedek came out to meet Abraham, he brought bread and wine. I believe that these two Old Testament worthies, these patriarchs, celebrated the Lord’s Supper together! They were looking forward to the coming of Christ two thousand years before He came. Today you and I meet and partake of bread and wine, looking back to the coming of Christ two thousand years ago. They celebrated the Lord’s Supper together. Don’t ask me to explain it—I can’t explain it; I can just call your attention to it. This is something before which we stand in profound awe and wonder and worship. This is where faith treads on the high places.
Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually [Heb. 7:3].
Here Melchizedek is a picture of Christ and a type of Christ in another way. The Lord Jesus comes out of eternity, and He moves into eternity. He has no beginning and no end. He is the beginning. He is the end. You can’t go beyond Him in the past, and you can’t get ahead of Him in the future. He encompasses all of time and all of eternity. Now how can you find a man who pictures that? Melchizedek is in the Book of Genesis, a book that gives pedigrees—it tells us that Adam begat so-and-so, and so-and-so begat so-and-so, Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob and Esau, and you follow the genealogies on down—it is a book of the families. Yet in this book that gives the genealogies, Melchizedek just walks out onto the pages of Scripture, out of nowhere, then he walks off the pages of Scripture, and we do not see him anymore. Why did God leave out the genealogy of Melchizedek? Because Melchizedek was to be a type of the Lord Jesus in His priesthood. From the prophecy given in Psalm 110 we see that Melchizedek is a picture of Christ in that the Lord Jesus is the eternal God, and He is a priest because He is the Son of God, and He is a priest continually. That is, He just keeps on being a priest—there will be no change in His priesthood because He is eternal.
In the Genesis account we see that Melchizedek came to Abraham at just the right moment. Abraham was about to be tested, and he needed someone to encourage him and to strengthen him. Melchizedek came with bread and wine, and he was the priest of “the most high God.” (This is the first time in Scripture that God is called “the most high God.”) He came just as the king of Sodom was making a proposition to Abraham: “Now Abraham, it was nice of you to recover Lot and the rest of the people, and we appreciate that. I know you don’t want to make the people slaves; so give us the people, and you keep the booty. You keep it, Abraham, it’s yours.” Now according to the Code of Hammurabi of that day, the booty did belong to Abraham, but Abraham said, “Why, I wouldn’t do that at all. I won’t take even a shoestring from you—not even a thread. I refuse to receive anything from you” (see Gen. 14:23).
Then God appeared to Abraham and said, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen. 15:1).
Melchizedek came and ministered to Abraham. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest, and He ministers to us today. I will be very frank with you, if He doesn’t minister to you and bless your heart and life, it is because you are still a little babe and you haven’t grown up. You have not entered into the great truth presented here. My Christian friend, have you gone through trials and deep waters, and has Jesus ministered to you and helped you? Are you conscious of the fact that He blesses you every day?
On one tour that I conducted to Bible lands I left half-sick and would not have gone if my wife had not urged me to do so. I just didn’t feel up to the trip. On the trip I was sick several times and had to drop out of the tour a couple of days. But God was so good to us. We had good weather; we never had a bad flight, and the Lord was just good to me in so many ways. I was conscious of the fact that my High Priest was on the job; He was doing His job, my friend, and He was blessing. I’m talking to you about reality. I’m not talking to you about a theory, about a religion, or about a ritual that you go through. I’m talking to you about a Man in the glory who is alive, and He is the living God. Is He the living God to you?
Notice what it says in Genesis 14:19—“And he [Melchizedek] blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth.” You and I live in a universe that belongs to Him; He owns it, and He has said that all things are ours today. Do you enjoy a sunrise? Just this morning I went by myself out to a nearby golf course, and I saw the sun come up over the Sierra Madre mountains. He did that just for me this morning. What a performance He put on. He is wonderful! What a glorious day it is! He is the living Christ. I just thanked Him again for bringing me to another day, and I thanked Him for being so good to me, and I told Him that I love Him. The living Christ is yonder at God’s right hand. How real is He to you?
CHRIST IS PERFECT PRIEST
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils [Heb. 7:4].
Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. He recognized that Melchizedek was above him and that he was the priest of the most high God.
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham [Heb. 7:5].
In Abraham the sons of Levi, who were descended from Abraham, paid tithes to Melchizedek. This shows that Melchizedek was superior to Aaron and his family.
My friend, one of the ways in which you recognize the lordship of Jesus Christ is by coming and making a gift to Him. Every gift ought to be more than just to a church or to some other ministry; it should be a gift to the Lord Jesus Christ. You recognize His lordship, and you are a priest worshiping when you bring a gift to Him.
But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises [Heb. 7:6].
You would think that Abraham would be superior to Melchizedek, but he was not. Melchizedek was a Gentile who was the priest of the most high God. I do not know where he got his information about God, nor do I know the background of this man. If anyone tries to tell you more about him, he is guessing. Also there are a whole lot of things I can’t explain about the Lord Jesus because He is God. I do know that He is my Great High Priest today—and that’s all I need to know.
And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better [Heb. 7:7].
Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek who was better than he was. When you and I worship the Lord Jesus and bow before Him, we recognize His superiority.
And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth [Heb. 7:8].
“Here men that die” refers to the Levitical priests; “but there he” refers to Melchizedek.
You can offer yourself to Him, and He will receive you. When I offer myself to Him, He doesn’t get much, but I have offered myself to Him and am thankful that he will accept me.
And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him [Heb. 7:9–10].
“Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.” The priestly tribe of Levi was in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithes to Melchizedek, and thus Levi also paid tithes to Melchizedek. In the same way, back yonder when Adam sinned, I also sinned. In Adam all died. The reason you and I are going to die, if the Lord tarries His coming, is that we are in Adam and we sinned in Adam. However, today I am perfect, because I am in Christ. Do you realize that? God sees me in Christ, and I am perfect in Him. I am accepted in the Beloved. My friend, this is great scriptural truth, and it is stated in simple language.
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? [Heb. 7:11].
In other words, the thing which characterized the Aaronic priesthood is that it was incomplete. It never brought perfection, complete communion with God. It never gave redemption and acceptance before God to the people. It never achieved its goal. Therefore we need Christ.
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law [Heb. 7:12].
We are not under the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law belonged to the Aaronic priesthood where they offered bloody sacrifices. The Mosaic Law and the Aaronic priesthood go together.
For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood [Heb. 7:13–14].
The Lord Jesus came in the tribe of Judah and therefore could never be a priest here on earth. The priestly tribe was the tribe of Levi. The priesthood had to be changed since Christ did not come from Levi.
And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest [Heb. 7:15].
This is what the prophecy in Psalm 110 said concerning the Messiah who was to come.
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec [Heb. 7:16–17].
Christ became a priest by His resurrection from the dead; He has an endless life.
For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof [Heb. 7:18].
The Mosaic system went out of style—it wore out. It never gave what man must have: perfection.
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God [Heb. 7:19].
We come to God through Christ. We have seen that the Lord Jesus Christ is a perpetual priest and He is a perfect priest. The Aaronic priesthood could not fill the bill. Now we have a perfect priest, and that one is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has provided salvation for you and me. God has taken us out of Adam and put us in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). We are no longer joined to Adam but are now joined to the living Christ.
We will summarize the contrast between the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Melchizedek as follows:
Law vs. Power
(law restrains—power enables)
Commandment (external) vs. Life (internal)
Carnal (flesh) vs. Endless (eternal life)
Changing vs. Unchanging
Weakness and unprofitableness vs. Nigh to God
Nothing perfect vs. Better hope
And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) [Heb. 7:20–21].
In Psalm 110 is a prophecy of the fact that the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, would be in the line of Melchizedek as priest. “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4). One thing that makes the priesthood of Christ superior is the very simple fact that it rests not only upon the Word of God but upon the oath of God. All the Old Testament tells us of the tribe of Levi is that they were set aside for that particular function—no oath was given concerning them.
By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament [Heb. 7:22].
The word testament should be “covenant.” We have not only a better priesthood in Jesus Christ, but it is also by a better covenant. Christ is our High Priest. He ministers in a superior sanctuary, by a better covenant, and built upon better promises—we will see this subject expanded in chapters 8 through 10. The Lord Jesus’ priesthood is superior in every department.
CHRIST IN HIS PERSON IS PERPETUAL AND PERFECT PRIEST
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death [Heb. 7:23].
In other words, the Aaronic priesthood of the Old Testament always ended by death. Aaron died, just as Moses did. I have always felt that the death of Aaron—if it wasn’t greater—was just as great a loss to Israel as the death of Moses. In his death they lost their high priest, the one who had gone with them through the wilderness, the one who knew them and understood them. Now they would have to have a new priest. You and I don’t have a changing priesthood—Christ will always live to make intercession for us.
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood [Heb. 7:24].
The Lord Jesus won’t be dying anymore. He died once for our sins, but never again will He die. He is there all the time for you.
I received a letter once from a man in Puerto Rico who comes home late at night from his work in an oil refinery. He listens every night at 11:30 to our radio Bible study program. The Spirit of God ministers the Word of God to him down there late at night. The Lord Jesus knew all about that man long before I got his letter and learned of him. I didn’t know him, and I didn’t know he was listening to the radio broadcast. The Lord Jesus knew all about him, because He has an unchangeable priesthood. He is on duty twenty-four hours a day. That means that at 11:30 at night He knows this man, understands him, and ministers the Word of God to him. I rejoice in being able to give out the Word of God today because I am assured that the Spirit of God will be ministering it to folk. The Lord Jesus is the Great High Priest. While that fellow was listening, I was asleep in bed on the other side of the continent. But while I am sleeping there is a High Priest up yonder who will make the Word effective. How wonderful this is! Let’s give Him all the praise and glory.
The following verse is perhaps the key verse to this entire section, and it is the very heart of the gospel.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them [Heb. 7:25].
“Wherefore”—again we have this little hinge on which a big door swings. It swings back into what has been said before and swings on into what is ahead.
“He ever liveth.” It says, first of all, that Christ is not dead, but He is living. Right at this very moment He is alive. We emphasize the death and resurrection of Christ, but we ought to go beyond that. We have to do with a living Christ. We know Him no longer after the flesh. We know Him today as our Great High Priest at God’s right hand. My friend, that is what we need to go on today—that is where we need to put the emphasis. He died down here to save us, but He lives up there to keep us saved.
“He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.” He is able to keep on saying you. “To the uttermost” means all the way through. He is able to save us completely and perfectly. He is the Great Shepherd who up to this very moment has never lost a sheep. Do you want to know something? He never will lose one. If you are one of His sheep, you may feel like you are going to be lost, but He is up there for you and He is watching over you.
“He ever liveth to make intercession.” Intercession actually means “intervention.” He intervenes for us. “… We shall be saved by his life” (Rom. 5:10). John wrote, “My little children [born ones], these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” Well John, you are not talking to me because I do lots of things that are wrong. Now, John, do you have a word for me? John went on to say, “And if any man sin”—now we are getting somewhere!—“we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). An advocate is a paraclete, a comforter, someone to stand at our side. He is Jesus Christ the righteous. Everything He does is right. Everything He does is righteous. We shall be saved by His life.
How wonderful to know we have a living Christ! You are not alone, my friend. It is just baby stuff to sit down and cry, “Oh, I’m having this problem, and I’m so alone. There’s nobody to help me. To whom shall I go?” My friend, what do you think He is doing up there? Aren’t you conscious of Him? Why don’t you turn to Him?
I remember talking to the mother of a man who was leaving his wife and running away with another woman. I took the mother with me when I went to talk with the other woman. She would not change her mind and was determined to go with this man. This poor mother, as I took her home, just got down on the floor of the car and began to cry out, “Oh, God, why have you forsaken me?” But by the time I got her home, she was more composed and apologized, “I’m sorry I said that God has forsaken me. I don’t believe that He has.” I assured her that we can be sure of the fact that He ever lives to make intercession for us. Though we are faithless, He is always faithful to us. It is wonderful to know He is up there, my friend.
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens [Heb. 7:26].
He “became us” means Christ is just what we need. He is the one who fills the bill. He is just right for us—we couldn’t have anyone better than He is.
“Holy”—that is, in relationship to God. He is the holy one.
“Harmless” means that He is free from any malice, craftiness, or cleverness. When He gets you off when you sin, it is not because He is a clever lawyer. It is because He is the one who paid the penalty for you, and the penalty absolutely has been paid.
“Undefiled”—He is free from any moral impurity. My friend, this is God’s answer to the blasphemous films, songs, and literature of our day. The Bible makes it clear that the Lord Jesus was free from moral impurity.
He is also “separate from sinners.” He is like us, yet unlike us. He could mix and mingle with sinners, and they didn’t feel uncomfortable in His presence, but He was not one of them. His enemies accused Him of associating with publicans and sinners. He sure did, yet He wasn’t one of them. He was separate from sinners.
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, First for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself [Heb. 7:27].
Notice that the Lord Jesus did not need to offer any sacrifice for His own sin—He had none.
If it were necessary for the Lord Jesus to come back and die for you again, He’d be back, my friend. He would be back today. But He won’t be back to die for you—He died once.
The continual sacrificing in the Old Testament must have gotten pretty old and pretty tiresome. I am sure that many times when the priests would meet there at the laver to wash their hands and feet, one of them would turn to the other and say, “How many times have you been here today?”
“Well, I don’t know. I’m sure I have been here at least a dozen times.”
The other would reply, “Well, I have been here fifteen times. I’ve washed my hands here so many times that I’ve got dishpan hands! And look at my feet—they look like I’ve been standing in water all day. I’m so tired of going to that altar and offering sacrifices again and again and again.”
I want to tell you, it must have been pretty wearisome, and if Aaron had overheard them talking, I think he would have said, “I agree with you that this ritual gets tiresome, but do you know what God is trying to tell us? He is trying to tell us that sin is an awful thing and that it requires the shedding of blood. But He has One who is coming someday who is going to die on a cross for us. When He does, there is going to be no more shedding of blood. He will have paid the penalty.”
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore [Heb. 7:28].
The high priest in the Old Testament had to offer a sacrifice for himself—the Lord Jesus never did.
We have a High Priest who can be touched, who can be reached today. He is there to help and He understands, but He is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: The true tabernacle; the New Covenant is better than the old
The high watermark of this magnificent epistle is before us in this chapter—actually it began in the previous chapter at verse 25: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” This verse is the key to this section. You see, the emphasis is upon the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is living. He is not dead—He is not on a cross; He is not lying in a grave. He arose from the dead, and the emphasis is upon our living Christ. Then verse 26: “For such an high priest became us [He is what we need], who is holy [in His relation to God], harmless [He never does anything to harm—He is never moved by anger], undefiled [free from any moral impurity], separate from sinners [in His life and character, although He is right down here among us and wants us to come to Him], and made higher than the heavens [He is in the presence of God].” The value of His sacrifice is stated in verse 27: “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” His sacrifice was not of silver or gold or bulls or goats; He offered up Himself! There is nothing of greater value than He. Verse 28: “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.” You do not place your confidence in a mere man when you place your confidence in Jesus; you place your confidence in the God-man. Because He is a man, He can sympathize with you and is able to meet your need. He is a royal priest. He is a righteous priest. He is a peace-promoting priest. He is a personal priest—He is for you personally. He didn’t inherit the office; that is, He didn’t come in the line of Aaron. He is an eternal priest.
Now here in chapter 8 we are told that He ministers in a superior sanctuary by a much better covenant, which is built upon better promises.
THE TRUE TABERNACLE
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens [Heb. 8:1].
“This is the sum.” He is not actually summing this up, although that thought is included. He is doing more than that. Let me give you a literal translation: “In consideration of the things which are spoken, this is the focal (chief) point. We have such an high priest, who sat down in the heavens on the right hand of the Majesty.” As we have said, this is the high watermark of Hebrews.
“Who is set on the right hand of the throne.” Christ did something which no priest in the Old Testament ever did. There is not a priest in the line of Aaron who ever had a chair in the tabernacle where he sat down. He was on the run all the time. Why? Because he had work to do. All of these things are shadows that point to a finished sacrifice. Now that Christ has died, all has been fulfilled, and we do not need to wonder if we are doing enough to merit salvation. All we need to do is turn to Jesus Christ and trust Him as our Savior. He sat down because He had finished our redemption. He asks only that we accept it.
A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man [Heb. 8:2].
Bezaleel was the master craftsman who made the beautiful articles of furniture for the tabernacle. The mercy seat and the golden lampstand were of gold and highly ornate. It was all man-made, although the Holy Spirit directed him. In contrast, the Lord Jesus ministers in a tabernacle that He Himself has made in heaven.
Now we are going to see something that I feel totally inadequate to present.
For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law [Heb. 8:3–4].
This verse makes it clear that at the time the Epistle to the Hebrews was written the temple in Jerusalem was still in existence and that in it priests were still going about their duties.
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount [Heb. 8:5].
It is my belief that when God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle in the wilderness, God gave him a pattern of the original in heaven, the true tabernacle (v. 2), meaning genuine.
The tabernacle in its beautiful simplicity furnishes a type of Jesus Christ (which is almost lost in the complicated detail of the temple). The tabernacle was called a tent, the sides of which were upright boards, covered on both sides with gold. It measured thirty cubits long and ten cubits wide and was divided into two compartments. The first compartment was called the Holy Place. In it were three articles of furniture: the golden lampstand; the golden table of showbread; and the golden altar where incense was offered—no sacrifice other than incense. The lampstand was a type of Christ, the Light of the World. The table of showbread symbolized Him as the Bread of Life. The golden altar at which the high priest offered prayer, spoke of Christ, our Great Intercessor. Then on the great Day of Atonement the high priest passed through the separating veil to the inner compartment, the Holy of Holies, in which were two articles of furniture. (1) The ark of the covenant was a box made of wood, covered with gold inside and outside, in which were the Ten Commandments written on tables of stone, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded. The Ten Commandments speak of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law, and He is the only one who ever kept it in all of its detail. Then the pot of manna speaks of the fact that He is the Bread of Life even today. Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of Christ’s resurrection. (2) The ark of the covenant was covered with a highly ornamented top called the mercy seat. Crowning it were two cherubim of beaten gold. Once a year the high priest placed blood on the mercy seat, and that is what made it a mercy seat. That was God’s dwelling place; that is, the place where God met with the children of Israel.
Around the tabernacle was a court, surrounded by a linen fence one hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide. In that outer court were two articles of furniture. The first was the brazen altar where all sacrifices were made. The sin question was settled there, but since saints still sin, there was also a laver where the priests could wash, signifying the cleansing from sin.
Now, the Holy Place is where the priests served and where they worshiped. We worship God when we pray, feed upon His Word, and walk in the light of His presence, that is, in obedience to Him.
No one but the high priest (and he only once a year) entered into the next compartment, the Holy of Holies. But when the Lord Jesus died, the separating veil was rent in twain—torn in two—signifying that He had forever opened the way into the Holy of Holies and the presence of God. We might say that the Lord Jesus Christ took the tabernacle, which was horizontal, and made it perpendicular to the earth so that the Holy of Holies is now in heaven—because that is where He is. And we are going to find in the following chapter that the golden altar of incense, together with the ark of the covenant, are now in heaven. They are there because Christ Himself is there.
If you had been in the wilderness with Israel, you would have seen the tabernacle in the heart of the encampment, with the tents of the tribes camped all around it. You would have seen the pillar of cloud over the tabernacle by day and the pillar of fire by night. You would have seen the priests busily running to and fro carrying on their ministry of offering sacrifices and observing all of the ritual which God had commanded.
Now all of that was a shadow of a reality. The reality itself was in heaven. And today Jesus is there in the heavenly tabernacle functioning in behalf of you and me.
Now perhaps you are saying, “You said that when we got to this section that the writer of this epistle would start serving porterhouse steaks. Well, it seems that we are still drinking milk, because what we have been studying so far seems very simple. When are we going to get something deep?” Well, the beefsteak is ready now, and I’d like to put it right down before you.
I’ll put it in the form of a personal question. My friend, is Christ real to you right now? If you still like to run around in a ritual and have a nice beautiful church service (there is nothing wrong with that—don’t misunderstand me), but if you think that is worship, and if you think that you are serving God by just teaching a Sunday school class or singing in the choir, I have news for you. He is trying to tell us, friend, that Jesus is up yonder in heaven for you right at this very moment. What does that really mean to you? Come now, don’t choke on this steak. Don’t ask for a glass of milk. Don’t start running around doing little things. Let the pots and pans alone, Martha; you don’t need to be handling them right now. Let’s sit at Jesus’ feet. Let Him be a reality in our lives. When you left the house this morning, did you take Him with you? Were you conscious of His presence? He is in heaven serving you, friend! Christ is your intercessor. You are to go to Him to make confession of your sin. Why is it that you are worrying your pastor to death with your problems? Why do you keep going to him for counseling? Isn’t Jesus real to you today? Quit being a little baby that has to be burped all the time. Grow up! Come into the presence of the living Savior. That is what the writer is talking about. Oh, may God take the veil from our eyes, and may He make Jesus Christ—in all of His power, and in all of His salvation, and in all of His love, and in all of His care for you—a true reality!
I have been asked, “Why don’t you run up the American flag? Why don’t you fight corruption and lawlessness?” The reason I don’t preach about those things is because I teach the Word of God, and I am trying to get folk into the presence of the living Christ. When that is accomplished, all of those other things will drop into their right places. If you walk in the light of His presence, you are going to walk with Him down the street. If you go into a barroom, Christ is going to have to go in with you. I don’t know whether you would want to take Him into a bar or not. When Christ is with you, there are many things you are going to have to stop and consider. You will watch your conduct when you are conscious of the presence of Jesus Christ with you all of the time. He is the living intercessor today. He is alive.
Again let me say that the Lord Jesus ministers in a better tabernacle, the genuine tabernacle in heaven. He has made the throne of God a throne of grace, and we have been bidden to come there with great confidence and assurance that He is there. The thing you and I need to pray above everything else is: “Lord, I believe. Help Thou mine unbelief.” I don’t know about you, but my unbelief is bigger than my belief. We need to come to Him by faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). So you and I need to have the reality of Jesus Christ in our lives. You will not see Him with your physical eye nor hear Him with your physical ear, but you will behold Him with that inner eye and hear Him with that inner ear which only faith can open.
Oh, how wonderful this is! Perhaps you think we have bogged down in this section. No, we are in His presence. We are at the high watermark. We are walking in the tall corn now. This is a wonderful section of God’s Word.
THE NEW COVENANT IS BETTER THAN THE OLD
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises [Heb. 8:6].
“He obtained a more excellent ministry.” The tabernacle down here was a shadow of the real tabernacle up yonder in heaven. Christ lives up there and He can keep us saved. Somebody asks me, “Do you think you can lose your salvation?” Well, I’ll make a confession to you. I would lose my salvation before the sun goes down if Christ were not up there right now. He is having a problem with me—and maybe He is having a problem with you—but, thank God, He is there. My, how we need Him!
“He is the mediator of a better covenant.” We have what is known as a New Covenant today; we call it a new testament. The New Testament is actually a New Covenant which God has made, and it is in contrast to the old covenant of the Old Testament. God gave to Moses the Law, then He gave to him instructions for the tabernacle with its service. It was there that sin was dealt with. No one was ever saved by keeping the Law. No one ever came to God and said, “I have kept all Your commandments, therefore receive me.” No, instead they were continually bringing sacrifices because they had transgressed God’s law. The Law revealed to them that they had come short of the glory of God. The sacrificial system was all shadow. Although the tabernacle God gave to them was a literal tabernacle, it was a shadow of the real tabernacle in which Christ ministers today. In other words, so far we have seen that we have a better priest; we have a better sacrifice; we have a better tabernacle. All of this converges yonder at the brazen altar because Christ is all three: He is the better priest who ministers there. He is the better sacrifice—He offered Himself And He ministers in a better tabernacle, for He offered His own blood for your sin and my sin.
At this point I would like to refer you to my book, The Tabernacle, God’s Portrait of Christ. In it I go into much more detail, and I take the position that Christ offered His literal blood in heaven. It is my opinion that He was on His way to do this when He appeared to Mary. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). I think He was at that moment our High Priest on His way to offer His literal blood in heaven. And I believe it will be there throughout eternity to remind us of the price that He paid for our redemption. When my book was first published, it was reviewed by a Christian magazine. The critic recommended it but warned that I took this literal view. The critic called it a crude concept. Well, I don’t think that the blood of Christ is crude—either when it was shed on earth or offered in heaven. Simon Peter, who was not what one might call a cultured individual, called it precious blood. A society dowager approached a great preacher in the East years ago. Looking at him through her lorgnette (a lorgnette, you know, is a sneer on the end of a stick), she said, “I hope you will not be like our last preacher. He was rather old-fashioned and put great emphasis on the blood. The blood offends my aesthetic nature. Don’t you think it is crude?” His reply to her was, “Madam, I see nothing crude about the blood of Christ except my sin and your sin.” I agree with him wholeheartedly. I say to you very definitely and dogmatically that I believe His blood is even now in heaven, and throughout the endless ages it will be there to remind us of the awful price Christ paid to redeem us.
“Which was established upon better promises.” Back in the Old Testament God had given the Mosaic Law, and when the people of Israel broke it, they brought the sacrifices. Before God gave the Mosaic Law and the instructions for approaching Him through the tabernacle ritual, they came to God by faith like Abraham did. Then when we move back of the time of Abraham, we find that Noah was on a different basis altogether. I don’t feel that you can read the Bible intelligently without seeing that God dealt with men differently in different ages. If you don’t want to call them dispensations, then you use your own word, but if you accept the inerrancy of Scripture and believe it is the Word of God, you are faced with the dispensational system—if you read it aright.
The writer of this epistle says that now we have a “better covenant” and that it is based upon “better promises.” Although you and I as Christians have been made a part of it, God is not through with the nation Israel, and these “better promises” are going to be fulfilled for them in the future Millennium.
When you read the Old Testament prophets, you just cannot get away from the fact that God is going to return the children of Israel back to their land. (As far as I can see, the present return of the Jews to Israel is not the fulfillment of prophecy.) For example, notice this prophecy in Jeremiah: “Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof” (Jer. 30:18). Then in Jeremiah 31:8 we read, “Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.” This verse mentions the north country, which is Russia. The Jews are having a hard time getting out of Russia today, but when God steps in, there will be no trouble getting out of Russia and going to Palestine. Continuing on in the Book of Jeremiah we are told, “Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he” (Jer. 31:10–11, italics mine). The Jews are not in Israel under God’s redemption today—they are far from Him. But when that day comes, there will be a fulfillment of what the writer to the Hebrews is talking about when he says that there are going to be better promises on a better covenant that God will make with these people. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:31–33, italics mine). In effect, God says, “I gave it to them before and wrote it on a cold hard stone—and they couldn’t keep it, but now I am going to write it on the fleshly tablets of the heart.” He has not done this up to the present moment. As I write this, I have just returned from the land of Israel and I saw no turning to God at all. One of the tour guides whom I had the privilege of meeting was a very attractive and likeable fellow. After I had witnessed to him, I told him, “You ought to be telling me about Jesus. You are a Jew, and you are living here in this land where He lived. He died for the sins of the world. I’m a poor Gentile who has come from afar. You ought to be telling me about Him—and here I am telling you!” He just laughed. May I say to you, friend, the Jews are not back in their land according to this promise. But someday Jeremiah’s prophecy is going to be fulfilled. Listen to him: “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me [they don’t know Him today], from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34). This is what the writer to the Hebrews is talking about. The New Covenant is established upon better promises. Christ is the mediator of the better covenant because it contains better promises.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second [Heb. 8:7].
“For if that first covenant had been faultless”—the first covenant was not adequate, which created a necessity for a better covenant. Somebody says, “Then the old covenant was wrong.” Now, that is not the case. Listen to the next verse:
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah [Heb. 8:8].
“For finding fault with them”—not with it. The problem never was with God’s covenant. There is nothing wrong with God’s law, but there is a whole lot wrong with you and me. You and I are not able to keep the Law; we are not able to measure up to its requirements.
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” We have just read about that in Jeremiah’s prophecy, and you can read about it in the rest of the prophets.
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord [Heb. 8:9].
The people broke the first covenant. It did not enable them to perform what it demanded.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people [Heb. 8:10].
The New Covenant will be written upon their hearts—not upon tables of stone—so that they will be able to obey it.
And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more [Heb. 8:11–12].
There will be full forgiveness of sin. There will be complete pardon.
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away [Heb. 8:13].
So, my friend, we are not under the Mosaic system. God says that it is an old model and He has brought in a new model. That New Covenant He has made through the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Savior. Let me repeat, He did it, not because there was something wrong with the old covenant, but because there is something wrong with us. I feel sorry for folk today who have come back to the old covenant. They try to keep the Sabbath day and they try to keep the Mosaic Law. Oh, my friend, if they will really study it and are honest, they know they are not keeping the Mosaic system. They come short. All of us need to come to God for mercy, and accept in His New Covenant the provision of a Savior.
The Law was totally incapable of producing any good thing in man. Paul could say, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). And, friend, that is Scripture, and that is accurate. Man is totally depraved. That doesn’t mean only the man across the street or down in the next block from you, nor does it mean only some person who is living in overt sin; it means you and it means me. The Holy Spirit is now able to do the impossible. The Holy Spirit can produce a holy life in weak and sinful flesh.
Let me illustrate this truth by using a very homely incident. Suppose a housewife puts a roast in the oven right after breakfast because she is going to serve it for the noon meal. Time goes by and the telephone rings. It is Mrs. Joe Dokes on the phone. Mrs. Dokes begins with “Have you heard?” Well, the housewife hasn’t heard, but she would like to; so she pulls up a chair. Someone has defined a woman as one who draws up a chair when answering a telephone. Mrs. Dokes has a lot to tell, and about an hour goes by. Finally our good housewife says, “Oh, Mrs. Dokes, you’ll have to excuse me. I smell the roast—it’s burning!” She hangs up the phone, rushes to the kitchen, and opens the oven. Then she gets a fork and puts it down in the roast to lift it up, but it won’t hold. She can’t lift it out. She tries again, closer to the bone, but still it won’t hold. So she gets a spatula. She puts the spatula under the roast and lifts it out. You see, what the fork could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, the spatula is able to do. Now, there is nothing wrong with the fork—it was a good fork. But it couldn’t hold the flesh because something was wrong with the flesh—it was overcooked. The spatula does what the fork could not do.
The Law is like the fork in that it was weak through the flesh. It just won’t lift us up; it can’t lift us up. But a new principle is introduced: the Holy Spirit. What the Law could not do, the Holy Spirit is able to do. Therefore, you and I are to be saved and are to live the Christian life on this new principle. We have a New Covenant based upon better promises; God has given to us the Holy Spirit and Christ, our intercessor, is up yonder to help us today.
This is a very wonderful passage of Scripture. If you want to get off the milk diet (although milk is good for you, and there is milk in the Word), learn to eat some meat along with it. The meat is to put the emphasis upon the living Christ, His ascension, and His intercession yonder in heaven for you and for me. My friend, when we lay hold on the living Christ, we have gone to the heights. We cannot go any higher than that in this age in which we live.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: New sanctuary better than old; the superior sacrifice
NEW SANCTUARY BETTER THAN THE OLD
Our subject is the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ who is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Presented to us are two ministries which are in sharp contrast. The Levitical service, the ministry of the Aaronic priesthood, was carried out in an earthly tabernacle down here. That sanctuary on earth was merely a type of the one which is in heaven, the sanctuary in which the Lord Jesus is serving today. This sanctuary in heaven provides for better worship. A great many people consider the Law from the standpoint of the Ten Commandments, but the Epistle to the Hebrews approaches the Law from the viewpoint of its place of worship and its priesthood. That approach puts the emphasis on the settling of sins, and, as the writer will point out, the Law never really settled the sin question. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:4).
Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary [Heb. 9:1].
The word for “service” here would be better translated as “worship.”
“A worldly sanctuary” does not mean worldly as we usually think of it, but it means a sanctuary of this world; that is, it was made of materials of this world. It was made so long, so wide, and so high, and there was a ritual that the people went through in the sanctuary down here. In that sense it was of the world. The writer is going to further contrast it with the sanctuary that is in heaven.
For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary [Heb. 9:2].
“For there was a tabernacle made”!—notice that we are not taken back to the temple. There is no reference made to Herod’s temple for the sake of this illustration. Although the third temple was then in existence, when the type is given, the writer goes beyond them all to that very simple structure that God gave to Moses in the wilderness. “There was a tabernacle made,” and it was made of the things of this world. It was patterned after the one in heaven, but it was much inferior in many different ways, as we shall see.
“Which is called the sanctuary”—that is, it was the Holy Place. The tabernacle proper was just a big gold box thirty cubits (about forty-five feet) long, ten cubits (about fifteen feet) wide, and ten cubits high. It was divided into two sections. The first was the Holy Place in which there were certain articles of furniture: the table of showbread and the golden lampstand. Then, in the background was the golden altar, the altar of incense, which speaks of prayer—no sacrifices were ever made there.
And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly [Heb. 9:3–5].
In the Holy of Holies (which was separated from the Holy Place by a veil and into which only the high priest entered), there were two articles of furniture. There was the ark, which was just a box made out of gopher wood and overlaid inside and outside with gold, and on top of the ark was a highly ornamented top called the mercy seat. It was fashioned with cherubim, made of pure gold, looking down upon the top of the box. That was where the blood was placed, and that was what made it a mercy seat—for “without shedding of blood is no remission” of sins.
“Which had the golden censer,” that is, the golden altar. Notice that a change has been made—we are told that the golden altar is inside the Holy of Holies rather than inside the Holy Place. Why has it been moved to the inside? The veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was made of fine twine Egyptian byssus linen with the cherubim woven into it, and it spoke of the humanity of the Lord Jesus. When He died on the cross, He gave His life, His human life, and at that time the veil was rent in twain. So the veil which was torn in two has been removed, signifying that the way to God is wide open, because Christ has made a way. He said, “No man cometh to the Father, but by me” (see John 14:6). The veil has been rent in twain, and we can come right into God’s presence today. But what happened to the golden censer or the golden altar? It has been moved inside the Holy of Holies. Aaron on the great Day of Atonement came with the blood to sprinkle upon the mercy seat, taking a censer filled with coals and with incense in it, and he went inside the Holy of Holies. He was actually transferring, as it were, the altar of incense to the inside. He took the censer of burning coals from off the altar with sweet incense on it, and took it into the Holy of Holies, but he brought it back out again. And he had to do that again the next year and then again the next.
However, we have a Great High Priest who is our great intercessor always at the golden altar making intercession for us. His prayers are heard, by the way. Therefore, the golden altar is on the inside, but it is also on the outside, because you and I can come through Him by prayer. That is what Paul meant when he said, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access …” (Rom. 5:1–2).
The writer mentions also the things which were in the ark. “Wherein was the golden pot that had manna”—this speaks of the present ministry of Christ. He feeds those who are His own. He feeds them with His Word. He is the Bread of Life. The Bible is God’s bakery, and if you want bread, that is where you will go to get it.
“And Aaron’s rod that budded.” This speaks of the death and resurrection of Christ, because it was a dead rod and life came into it.
“And the tables of the covenant” speaks of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled all the law.
“Of which we cannot now speak particularly.” The writer means he doesn’t have time to dwell upon the tabernacle, because the things that he is emphasizing are the priesthood and worship. He is concerned about what real worship is and how we are to worship.
Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God [Heb. 9:6].
“The priests went always into the first tabernacle.” The priests went continually—they never finished the job. If they went today, they would be going again tomorrow, and the next day, and on and on and on. I am of the opinion that it must have become very monotonous over the years for a priest to continually go through this ritual. The very repetition of it meant that it was not sufficient, that is, that one time would not do. However, we are going to see that Christ went once into the Holy Place—it was necessary for Him to go just one time.
“Accomplishing the service of God” should be “accomplishing the worship of God.” This was the ultimate goal of it all, that God’s people might worship Him. This is speaking of real worship, not just a church service where an order of service is followed. When real worship takes place it is a worship that draws us into the presence of Christ where we can adore Him.
The word worship comes from the same Anglo-Saxon root word as worth. To worship is to give someone something of which they are worthy. The Lord Jesus Christ is worthy to receive our praise and our adoration. That is worship, and from that follows service. Real worship will always lead to service. In the midst of His temptation in the wilderness, the Lord Jesus answered Satan, “… For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4:10, italics mine). You will not have to beg and coax and goad people into doing something, if they are participating in real worship of Christ—because real worship leads to service. Many ministers spend a great deal of time urging people to do something—urging them to give, urging them to do visitation, urging them to teach, or urging them to sing. Real worship will lead to service. Such worship is possible only through Jesus Christ.
The ritual of the tabernacle never brought the people into the presence of God. The high priest alone went into the Holy of Holies.
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people [Heb. 9:7].
He is speaking now of the great Day of Atonement. This was Yom Kippur, in one sense the high day in the life of the nation Israel. This is the day that the great high priest went into the Holy of Holies on behalf of the nation. And on the basis of his having done this, the nation was accepted for another year.
Our Great High Priest has gone into the Holy of Holies, into the very presence of God. He has gone in, and He has not come out. He is going to be there as long as we are in the world. When He does come out, He is coming out after His own—we are a part of Him; we are the “body” of Christ.
The purpose of all of this is to make real to your heart and mine the presence of the Lord Jesus. Did you start out the day with Him? This is a hurly-burly world you and I are in, and it has no time for Him. As you have rushed through this day, has He been with you? Have you worshiped Him? To worship Him we do not have to go to church and sing the doxology (although the writer of this epistle is going to urge us to do that, because we need to be with God’s people and participate in concerted, corporate worship; it is essential for our growth) but we can worship Him anywhere. You can worship Him at the end of a cotton row or a corn row. You can worship Him on the freeway. You can worship Him in the office. You can worship Him in the classroom. My friend, I don’t care where you are, you can worship Him. You and I need to pour out our hearts in adoration and praise unto His holy name.
Now our High Priest has gone into the Holy of Holies on our behalf this very day. And you can see how superior this is to the past when the high priest went in on just one day each year—and didn’t stay; in fact, he hurried out. Tradition tells us that he actually had a chain around his foot, because if he did anything wrong, he would have been struck dead and they would have had to pull him out and get a new high priest.
Oh, the wonder and the glory of it all! Our High Priest has gone into the very presence of God for you and me, and He is there today. Someone has given a little different translation of Hebrews 9:24, and I want to give it to you at this point: “For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us.” Moses asked to see God’s face but was told that no man could see God. However, you and I have a High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God.
We do not worship Him by going through a ritual. We do not worship Him by burning candles or incense, or by having a nice little altar fixed up. Some Protestant churches have really gotten involved in such things.
The last time I was in the church of a minister friend I asked him why he had a cross set up on the table used for the Lord’s Supper. He said, “Oh, not only that, but did you notice the candles?” I hadn’t noticed them, but he also had a candle at each end of the table. He said, “That’s to help the people with their worship.” My friend, if you need that kind of help, you are not worshiping Him. The woman at the well asked the Lord Jesus where the people should worship God, and the Lord replied, “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23). I have another minister friend who is very concerned with Jewish evangelism, and he has a menorah with seven candles on it in his church. He told me that it was to keep their minds centered on the fact that they have an obligation to the Jewish people. If we need that sort of thing in our churches, we are not really worshiping God.
Oh, that you and I could get into His presence and smell the sweet incense of His presence—not with our noses but with our hearts and our souls and our minds. I pray that I might be conscious of the sweetness of His presence, that I might walk in the light of His Word, and that there might be reality in my life every day. I covet that for you too. We need to put away our bottle of milk with its little nipple, and we need to feed on the meat of the Word. We need to get into the presence of the living Christ who is our Great High Priest ministering yonder at a better tabernacle than the one that was on this earth. We can worship the living Christ today.
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing [Heb. 9:8].
In other words, all of this was a picture and a type that the way into the very presence of God (actually, right into the very face of God) had not yet been opened.
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation [Heb. 9:9–10].
“That could not make him that did the service perfect,” could read “that could not make the worshiper perfect.”
The way to God in the tabernacle was actually blocked by the three entrances and compartments. In other words, the people could come only to that outer entrance and bring their sacrifice. If a man brought a little lamb, he would put his hand on it in an act of identification since it would die in his place, and then the priest would take it from there. It would be slain and offered upon the brazen altar. The individual who brought the lamb could go no farther than the entrance. Then, as far as the Holy Place was concerned, only the priest could go in there. And into the Holy of Holies neither the priest nor the people could go. Only the high priest could enter in there. Therefore, the tabernacle was a temporary, makeshift arrangement. The service of ritual and ordinances was given for just a brief time.
Now Christ can bring us to God, but only He can bring us there. “… No man cometh unto the Father,” He said, “but by me” (John 14:6). Such is real worship, and real worship will lead to service. Once we get into the presence of God, there will be no problem about serving.
Worship is something that the liberal today condemns. Years ago the late Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick said that the world tried to get rid of Jesus in two ways—one was by crucifying Him and the other was by worshiping Him! My friend, it is blasphemy to say that if you worship Him you are no better than those who crucified Him! We approach a holy God today on the basis of a crucified Savior. He alone can cause us to worship.
That is the reason for Paul’s writing to the Ephesians: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Now notice the first thing Paul speaks of after being filled with the Spirit: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:18–19). That is worship. My friend, the greatest thrill in the world for a child of God is to be filled with the Spirit of God and to have the Spirit of God take the things of Christ and make them real to us. What joy that brings to our hearts! If you have been in the presence of God to worship, you will have joy in your heart and you will have a song in your heart. Some of us have difficulty getting that song to our lips—I always have!—but it is certainly down in my heart. It is wonderful to worship Him.
I want to recapitulate what we have said concerning the sanctuary here on earth which is inferior to the one in heaven. To do so, I will share from an outline put out by a good friend of mine, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe (Be Confident). This is what we have seen concerning the sanctuary here on earth:
1. It was on earth. It was a worldly sanctuary, that is, it was made of earthly things, material things. It was erected on this earth down here.
2. It was but a shadow of things to come. It never was the reality. So many of us have things mixed up. We go back and study about the tabernacle, and we can really get our interest centered in that earthly tabernacle. But, at best it was just a shadow, a picture of the real one that is in heaven.
3. It was inaccessible to the people. You just couldn’t get in there. If you had been an Israelite in that day, you couldn’t go rushing into the presence of God. You would have been stopped at that first entrance. You would have needed a sacrifice there, and you couldn’t have gone any further—the priest served for you. However, today we are a priesthood of believers, and each one of us has access to God. That is one of the great privileges we have because Christ has rent the veil in twain. He has gone into the presence of God, into the face of God. He is right there, my friend, and He is there for us. The Israelites didn’t have that privilege under the old covenant.
4. It was temporary. But the Lord Jesus Christ is going to keep the way open for eternity. I have a notion that Vernon McGee is going to need someone who will keep it open for him throughout eternity. The earthly tabernacle was only a temporary arrangement.
5. It was ineffective to change the hearts of the people. This is the thing I want to emphasize above everything else. The earthly sanctuary had nothing in the world to do with changing people’s lives. But today you can come to Christ, and He can change your life. He alone can enable you to worship God in spirit and in truth and make Him a reality in your life. Many folk today just play church—like we played house by the hours when we were kids. I know a lot of Christians who are grown up and have gray hair, and they’re still playing church. They go to committee meetings, they’re on the board, some sing in the choir, some teach a Sunday school class—they are as busy as termites and just about as effective. They think they are serving God. My friend, you can never serve Him until you have worshiped Him.
THE SUPERIOR SACRIFICE
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building [Heb. 9:11].
“Of good things to come” really means good things that have come to pass. Oh, the good things that have come through Him!
“A greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands.” This tabernacle is nothing that man has built down here. The better tabernacle does not belong to this natural creation as to materials or builders.
Let me say this very kindly. All of this business today of trying to sweeten up the worship service with pictures and stained glass windows and candles and crosses ministers to the flesh. It is fleshly—it ministers to the physical side of man. It doesn’t minister to his spiritual needs at all. We need to recognize that there is a real tabernacle in heaven; there is a real High Priest there, and there is spiritual worship. You can worship Him anywhere, and it is wonderful when people can come together in a church and really worship God. I’m sure many of you have been in a service like that, and it is a wonderful thing.
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us [Heb. 9:12].
I believe this verse proves that Christ took His literal blood to heaven. If that is not what the writer is talking about here, I do not know what he is saying. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves”—that is literal blood. “But by his own blood,” this is the literal blood which He shed on the cross. “He entered in.” How? By His own blood. His was a superior sacrifice and the only one worthy of the genuine tabernacle.
“Having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Notice that in your Bible the words for us are in italics, indicating that they are not in the original manuscript. They were added to smooth out the translation, which is all right, but they are not the emphasis of the verse. The emphasis is upon the contrast that Christ entered once into the Holy Place and obtained eternal redemption. The Israelite priests went in continually, and they got a temporary sort of thing. Only Christ went in once and obtained eternal redemption. This now puts the authority and the importance upon the sacrifice of Christ, and it reminds us that the life of Christ never saved anyone. You can follow His teachings and think you are saved, but, my friend, His teaching never saved anyone. It is the death of Christ, it is His redemption that saves.
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh [Heb. 9:13].
“And the ashes of an heifer” is a reference to the ordinance of the red heifer in Numbers 19. The heifer was burned completely and its ashes kept in a clean place. When a man became ceremonially defiled (primarily by touching a dead body), the priest would take the ashes, mingle them with water, and sprinkle the offender. This served to ceremonially purify him so that he could be restored to fellowship. I would like to have you notice that here the heifer has a particular symbolism. A female, instead of a bull, is used. We are told in 1 Peter 3:7 that the female is the weaker vessel. Our defilement actually comes through our weakness. We are weak, and Christ came down and experienced physically, in the flesh, our weakness.
We are told also that a red heifer was used. The red, I think, speaks of the fact that Christ became sin for us—not in some academic way, but He actually became sin for us. How do we know that red is the color of sin? Isaiah said, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18, italics mine). So it must be a red heifer, speaking of the fact that He became sin for us.
The animal must also be without blemish. It certainly could not represent Christ unless it was perfect. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
The red heifer must be an animal upon which a yoke had never been put. This symbolizes the fact that although Christ was made sin for us, He was never under the bondage of sin.
The heifer was to be led outside the camp and there slain before the high priest. In this we have pictured that the Lord Jesus is both the offering and the High Priest—He offered Himself.
The blood of the offering was to be sprinkled by the high priest before the tabernacle seven times. Many people think that seven is the number of perfection in Scripture. That is only indirectly true; the primary meaning is completeness. It speaks here of the fact that Christ’s sacrifice is a finished transaction—one sacrifice takes care of the sin of the believer.
The carcass of the heifer was to be burned—again in the sight of the high priest. You see, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus freely gave Himself, but we probably have never thought of the sorrow that was in heaven the day He died.
Numbers also tells us that cedar and hyssop were to be put with the sacrifice. This is rather suggestive to me. First Kings 4:33 says, “And he [Solomon] spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall….” Solomon ran the gamut of trees and plant life; he was a dendrologist and knew the entire field. I think this is what Isaac Watts meant by “the whole realm of nature.” Therefore I believe this speaks of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ not only redeemed mankind, but He has redeemed this world. We live in a world that is cursed by sin; it is now groaning and travailing in pain, but it is to be delivered. Someday it is to be redeemed, and sin is to be removed.
A little later in this chapter we are told that even heaven itself had to be cleansed (see v. 23). Someone says, “My gracious, is it dirty in heaven?” Yes, that is where sin originated, where Lucifer led his rebellion. Therefore, Christ’s sacrifice was adequate and it was complete. It was a finished transaction that covered all of God’s creation which has been touched by sin.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”
—Isaac Watts
The ashes of the heifer were to be kept in a clean place and then mixed with water when they were used. I think that the water speaks of the Word of God. It is the Word of God which reveals sin in the life of the believer.
The sacrifice of Christ provided redemption for the future—for your redemption and my redemption. It also provided redemption for the sins of those in the Old Testament. The Old Testament saints were saved by faith—Abraham was saved by faith. How? He believed God and brought a lamb. Was that lamb adequate? No; it prefigured Christ. The sacrifice of Christ looks forward and it looks backward.
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [Heb. 9:14].
If the blood of animals could remove ceremonial defilement, surely the blood of Christ can take away the guilt of sin. After all, if the blood of bulls and goats had been adequate, Christ never would have shed His blood to do the adequate job.
“Purge your conscience.” The ordinance of the red heifer in Numbers 19 speaks of the life of the believer and the fact that as believers you and I need constant cleansing. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth [keeps on cleansing] us from all sin…. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7, 9). You see, the blood of Christ cleanses, not the flesh, but the conscience.
It is the conscience of man that needs to be cleansed. You and I have not really arrived until we enter into this marvelous sacrifice of Christ, recognizing His authority to absolutely forgive and cleanse us from sin. It is the conscience that has been made alert by the Word of God, but it can also rest in a finished salvation. We can pillow our heads at night knowing that our sins are entirely, totally, fully forgiven. We can know that we are right with God because Christ has made it right.
I heard a story of a man who had a little boy who did something wrong and went to his father to ask him to forgive him. The father told the little boy he would, and said, “Because you have come and confessed it, I will forgive you.” But the little boy came again and asked forgiveness. The father said, “Sure. I’ve already forgiven you.” The little boy kept coming back and coming back and coming back. Finally, the father said, “Son, I’m going to paddle you, if you don’t quit coming to me! I told you I’d forgiven you.”
How many times do we find believers who say, “Oh, I’m not sure I’m saved. I’m not sure I’m saved.” And they keep going to the Lord. My friend, I think He would say, “I’ve already forgiven you. If you trust in My Son, your sins are forgiven.” We need to enter into that and rest upon His Word.
“Purge your conscience from dead works.” Dead works have to do with works that you do thinking they will save you. You see, we are dead in trespasses and sins, and all that a dead person can do is dead works. I have never heard of a dead person doing live work—it just can’t be done. Anything that you do to try to earn your salvation is a dead work.
Because good works are never a cause of salvation but are a result of salvation, the writer goes on to say, “purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” The word serve is actually worship—“to worship the living God.” Worship and service go together. You can’t serve God without worshiping Him; neither can you worship Him without serving Him. When I see a lazy saint doing nothing for God, I don’t question his salvation, but I do question his worship. Does he really worship God? Oh, if you fall down before Him in adoration and praise, then you are going to get up on your feet to start doing something for Him, my friend.
I had this bit of verse written in the first Bible I ever owned, which my mother had given to me:
I do not work my soul to save—
That work my Lord has done.
But I will work like any slave
For love of God’s dear Son.
—Author unknown
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance [Heb. 9:15].
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament [or, covenant].” The emphasis is upon the fact that He is the mediator of the New Covenant. Those who came under the old covenant, the Old Testament saints, were saved because they were looking forward to His coming when they brought their sacrifices. I do not know how much they understood, and yet the Lord Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). Genesis doesn’t tell us that; the Lord Jesus did. I believe that all of the Old Testament worthies looked forward to the coming of Christ. In other words, God saved on credit. The blood of bulls and goats never took away their sins. They brought the sacrifices by faith, and when Christ came, He died “… for the remission of sins that are past …” (Rom. 3:25); that is, He died for the sins of all from Adam right down to the time of the cross. And since then, you and I also come to Him by faith.
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth [Heb. 9:16–17].
“Testament” could be translated will. If you have made a will and you are still alive, your will does nothing for anyone. It doesn’t operate until you die. Now the reference here is to a will that was made by a man who died. He couldn’t save anyone as long as He lived. Don’t misunderstand me—what I am saying is that the life of Christ could never save you. It is the death of Christ which saves you.
Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission [Heb. 9:18–22].
The word blood occurs in this section six times, revealing the place and the power of the blood in the Old Testament ritual. “Without shedding of blood is no remission” is the axiom of the Old Testament. Also the blood is very important in the New Testament. As the hymn writer put it, “there is power in the blood of the Lamb.” In Revelation we find that the victory was won through the blood of the Lamb, not through some individual’s ingenuity, or physical strength, or even spiritual strength.
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these [Heb. 9:23].
These heavenly things needed cleansing because sin originated in heaven (see v. 11). The blood of bulls and goats has never been shed in heaven—there is no denying that that would be crude. However, the blood of Christ, we believe, is in heaven and that is not crude at all.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us [Heb. 9:24].
The tabernacle on earth was just a figure—the reality is in heaven. “Now to appear in the presence of God for us” means before the very face of God. Christ has not entered into a man-made sanctuary. It is spiritual but real. He died on earth to save us. He lives in heaven to keep us saved. He is there for us.
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others [Heb. 9:25].
The high priest entered the earthly tabernacle with blood not his own, and he entered often.
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself [Heb. 9:26].
“But now once in the end of the world” should read “the end of the age.” This has no reference to what some people call the end of the world. Actually, the Bible does not teach the end of the world; it does teach the end of the age.
“Hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Christ came, made under the Law. He appeared at the end of the Law age, and He instituted a new age, the age of grace.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment [Heb. 9:27].
Death is in the natural sequence of events for man. For the unsaved man, after death there is nothing but judgment. If the death of Christ does not save you, there is nothing ahead of you but judgment.
Death is not appointed unto all men—thank God for that. It is appointed unto men once to die, but some are not going to die. I hear people talk today about old age and, oh, how they want to die and get into the presence of the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind waiting. I’m in no hurry to die! I hope I can live until He comes. I don’t know whether I will, but that is the way I would like it.
Oh, joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying,
No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying,
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives “His own.”
O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song, Christ returneth!
Hallelujah! hallelujah! Amen, Hallelujah! Amen.
“Christ Returneth”
—H.L. Turner
These words by H. L. Turner in “Christ Returneth” express the thoughts we cherish about His coming.
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation [Heb. 9:28].
This is not speaking of the Rapture, but of His coming as sovereign to judge the earth. (However, believers will not come into judgment.) When He appears the second time it will not be to settle the sin question. He is not going to come the next time to walk around the Sea of Galilee or through the streets of Jerusalem to see what men will do with His sacrifice. He is coming in judgment.
Therefore today we can put it very simply: there is just one of two places for your sin—either your sin is on you, or it is on Christ. If you have not accepted the sacrifice of Christ, if you are not trusting Him as your redeemer, if He is no authority to you, then there is nothing ahead of you but the judgment of the Great White Throne. No one who appears there is going to be saved, but everyone will be given a fair chance to present their works and discover that God was right all along. And I have news for you: God is always right. So today if your sin is on you, there is nothing that can remove it but the death of Christ.
When Christ comes the next time it will be “without sin unto salvation”—that is, He will complete salvation at that time. Our salvation is in three tenses: I have been saved; I am being saved; I shall be saved. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Now that is going to be a great day. It is going to be a great day for Vernon McGee, so don’t you be dissatisfied with me, will you not? God is not through with me.
Down in Mississippi a dear little lady wearing a sunbonnet got up in a testimony meeting under the brush arbor and said, “Most Christians ought to have written on their backs, ‘This is not the best that the grace of God can do.’” Well, that should be written on the backs of all Christians. God is not through with any of us. Thank God for that! He is going to appear the second time without sin unto salvation—He is going to deliver us. But, my friend, He will not come to settle the sin question for anyone who has not accepted Him—to them He is coming as judge.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Encouragement
Without a chapter break, the writer of this epistle continues with the subject of the superior sacrifice.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect [Heb. 10:1].
As he concluded chapter 9 the writer said that if Christ had failed to save in His death at His first coming, there would be nothing after ward but judgment. My friend, if you reject Jesus Christ as Savior, you will have the saddest funeral possible. I have conducted many funerals, and some of them were for unsaved people. There is no sorrow like that of a funeral in a family of unsaved people—and that’s the way it should be. I recall one instance in which a wife, who was almost an alcoholic, had lost her husband. She had leaned on him a great deal. I tried to give a message, not of comfort, but of good news, presenting the gospel. Afterward she came to me, looked into my face and asked, “Is there any hope at all?” I said, “Well, there is a hope for you.” There was no hope for him whatsoever. He was a blasphemer, and he had told me that he had no use for the church; he had no use for Jesus Christ; he had no use for anything Christian. There was nothing ahead for him but judgment.
Beginning with this word for the writer continues the theme of Christ’s sacrifice for sin.
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.” The Mosaic Law served a good purpose in that it was a picture which taught Israel. Because God had taught Israel so thoroughly, He judged the nation severely. When the Lord Jesus was there in the flesh He said, “… how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” (Luke 13:34). My friend, if you don’t believe that God’s judgment was really a severe one, go to Jerusalem and walk around the streets of old Jerusalem. Walk in the area where we know Jesus moved. All of it is covered over with debris today. Why? Because the city has been judged. Oh, how often the Lord had attempted to gather His chosen people to Himself? He had given them the Old Testament with the clear teaching of the tabernacle ritual.
Contrast the light that they had to the darkness in which my ancestors lived way up there in Germany. Boy, were they pagan and heathen in those days! And my ancestors over in Scotland were dirty and filthy. Then the gospel came to them, and, thank God, some of them trusted Christ. I had a grandfather on my father’s side who apparently was a godly man. I am thankful for the men who carried the gospel to Europe. That gave the Gentiles a break, you see.
But the nation of Israel had the Old Testament, which was (and still is) a picture book, a book of ABCs. That is the reason so many folk miss its meaning. When theologians come to it, they have to find something profound in it. But it is a simple picture book in which God is trying to tell all of us little children down here that He died for us. It is just as simple as that, my friend.
Now let me call your attention to another thing that is very important. Notice that the Law had to do with the tabernacle and the sacrifices. This idea that you can separate God’s commandments from His ceremonial law is entirely wrong. If you want to return to the legal system and put yourself under the Ten Commandments, you had better build a little tabernacle for yourself and start raising goats and sheep, because you are going to need them. But, my friend, Christ finished all of that. We now are on a different basis, a higher plane altogether. For instance, God wants to bring joy into your life. The Law never promised joy. There was thunder and lightning, and people were smitten dead at the giving of the Law. But when Jesus came, it was He who died that we might have life.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins [Heb. 10:2].
“For then would they not have ceased to be offered?” If the sacrifice they offered could have taken away their guilt, one sacrifice would have been enough.
It is very interesting to note that after the Lord Jesus died, it was only a few years until the temple was destroyed. And Israel has not been able to put up another temple. Oh, they have a little miniature temple for display over on the new side of Jerusalem at the Holy City Hotel, but they don’t have a temple today. It doesn’t look as if they will get one soon either. You see, when Christ became the sacrifice, that ended the need for the tabernacle and temple.
Today Israel is not offering sacrifices. I spoke to a very delightful Jewish guide in Jerusalem. His hair was as gray as it could be. He said that it had turned gray when he was only nineteen years of age after he had heard that his father and mother, sisters and brothers had been killed in Russia. He was a delightful fellow, and he took me around to show me the model of the temple at the hotel I mentioned. As we were looking at it, I asked him (although perhaps I should not have), “Where is the brazen altar?” He looked at me with surprise and said, “Oh, we have come past that. Today we have an ethical religion.” Well, a lot of folk have an ethical religion, but, my friend, that bloody sacrifice was necessary that the human family might have forgiveness of sins.
“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.” They would no longer have any feelings of guilt or consciousness of sin.
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year [Heb. 10:3].
So, actually, what those sacrifices did was to remind the Israelite that the sacrificial system was not complete—or they wouldn’t have to come back and repeat it every day. The sacrifices were only a shadow, skian in the Greek, meaning “a hazy outline.” The old sacrifices were shadow, never substance. And, my friend, shadows are not enough. You can’t live in the shadow of a house; you need a house.
Again, the sacrifices would not have had to be repeated if they had been complete. For instance, when a man says that he is cured of disease and yet he is still taking medicine every hour, that man is not cured. And when a man keeps bringing sacrifices every year, that man is not cured of sin. It is Christ who made the one sacrifice once and for all. In those sacrifices there was a reminder of sins year by year. Here they go through the great Day of Atonement every year. What did it mean? The answer had not arrived until yonder on Golgotha when Jesus cried out, “Tetelestai!” Finished! My friend, then it was finished. And the next year there was no need for a Day of Atonement. In fact, he will tell us that to go through a sacrifice today is to trod underfoot the blood of Jesus.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins [Heb. 10:4].
The blood of the animal sacrifices only covered over the sins until the Lamb of God would come to take away the sin of the world (see John 1:29).
Now here is a tremendous passage—
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all [Heb. 10:5–10].
I want to insert a cross reference here to make this section of the Word of God very meaningful to you. Going back to the Book of Exodus, we find in chapter 19 the preparation for the giving of the Mosaic Law, and in chapter 20 the giving of the Ten Commandments. After that, God makes a gracious provision by the sacrificial system. You see, the altar goes right along with the Law. Then in chapter 21 we come upon something that seems very much out of place. It is one of the most beautiful references in the Bible. The Law has been given, and now God says to Moses: “Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. [They couldn’t have a slave of their own people more than six years.] If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her masters, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl [the lobe of the ear would be pierced]; and he shall serve him for ever.” (Exod. 21:1–6).
In that day if you saw a man walking along with a hole in his ear, you would know that he had been given a wife, and that he had paid the price of permanent servitude for her. It was a tremendous law and certainly a lovely thing, but what is the meaning of it?
Well, let’s follow the meaning of it. In Psalm 40:6–7 we read, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened [that is, pierced with an awl]: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.” This is quoted in the Book of Hebrews and applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is one of the most beautiful pictures in Scripture. The Lord Jesus came to this earth, grew to manhood, and at thirty years of age He began His earthly ministry. When He came to the end of that ministry, He could say, “Which of you convicteth me of sin?” (see John 8:46). He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He could have stepped off this earth any day that He wanted to, gone back to heaven and left this earth in sin—left you and me in the slavery of sin. But He loved us, and God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. So instead of His ear being pierced with an awl, He was given a body. A body for what? For death—to die on the cross. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Referring back to that law in Exodus, if a master gave his slave a woman to marry, and he loved her, he could choose to stay in slavery with her. In like manner the Lord Jesus Christ has been given the body of believers which we call the church as His bride. In His prayer in John 17:9 the Lord said to His Father concerning them, “They are mine. You gave them to Me.” The Lord loves us; He paid the price for us. But the interesting thing is that He didn’t stay in slavery; He went back to the right hand of the Majesty on high, and some day He is going to take us out of the slavery of sin to be with Him. He alone could do that. How wonderful this is!
There is a green hill, far away,
Without a city wall.
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.
There was no other good enough,
To pay the price of sin.
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven to let us in.
“There is a Green Hill Far Away”
—Mrs. Cecil F. Alexander
What a beautiful picture of Christ this section of Scripture gives us!
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins [Heb. 10:11].
The offerings could only cover the sin; they were an atonement, but they could never take away sins. The offerings were just a reminder that men were sinners and that the sin question had not yet been settled.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God [Heb. 10:12].
Why did He sit down? Was He tired? No. Did He sit down because He did not want to do anything? No. Jesus sat down because His work was finished—“one sacrifice for sins for ever.”
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool [Heb. 10:13].
Our Lord is just waiting. There are a few more people to be saved. We pray, “O come now, Lord Jesus,” but He says, “No, not yet. We are going to wait, because I want to save some more.” He is giving you an opportunity, friend, if you are not saved. Psalm 110:1 says, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool,” referring to the second coming of Christ to the earth. But in the meantime He is waiting for more of the human family to come to Him.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified [Heb. 10:14].
One offering does what many offerings could not do. If Christ cannot save you and keep you, then God has no other way to save you and keep you.
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more [Heb. 10:15–17].
This is the essential part of the quotation from Jeremiah 31. God says, “I’m going to make a new covenant with Israel.” God is not through with them. If you will read your Bible you will see that.
Now let me remind you that in this section of Hebrews we are seeing the greatest division in the Word of God. It is like a Grand Canyon which is placed between the old covenant and the new covenant, the Old Testament and the New Testament. And let’s remember that God gave both of them. Referring back to verse 9, notice that it says, “He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.” He taketh away the first (that is, the first covenant), that He may establish the second covenant. When the Lord Jesus died upon the cross, something very important happened: the veil was rent in twain. No longer are men to come to God through the sacrifice of the blood of bulls and goats; now the Lord Jesus has made a way for us through His own body—a way for you and me. Notice again verse 10: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once.” In the Authorized Version the two words for all that conclude this verse are in italics, meaning they were supplied by the translators. The verse is more accurate without them, because the emphasis is on the fact that Christ did it one time so that sacrifices are to end. It is interesting that ever since the destruction of the temple in a.d. 70 by Titus the Roman, there has been no bloody sacrifice offered in Jerusalem. There are no blood sacrifices being offered there today, and the prospects for them being offered in the near future are very dim. Christ took away the fist that He might establish the second.
The importance of this cannot be over-emphasized. You see, in the first covenant were many rules and regulations. The old covenant was a law, a law that had a great many details. There was the ceremonial law with many details in regard to the sacrifices; there were the Ten Commandments and other commandments or rules. Actually rules and regulations appeal to human nature. Men feel that it is easy to obey rules, which is the reason so many folk today will tell you that the Sermon on the Mount is their religion. They may not know exactly what it says or what it means, but they like it because it has rules, which they kid themselves into believing they can follow. The whole history of mankind and the multitude of cults and “isms” springing up in our day demonstrate that this is true. Man likes to live by certain rules and follow certain rituals.
Now in the new covenant we are under an altogether different system. Paul had mentioned to the Corinthian believers: “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament [the new covenant]; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Cor. 3:6) Some strange individuals have come up with the novel interpretation that this verse means they should not study the Bible! They say that “the letter” means the Bible and it is the Spirit that gives life. Well, of course that is not what Paul is saying, as the following verse makes clear. “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious….” Obviously, this refers to the Ten Commandments, so now we know that the “letter” is the commandments. The Ten Commandments were the ministration of death. My friend, the Law kills. The Law never saved anyone. It will kill you because it brings you under the judgment of God. It is the Spirit who gives life, and you and I are living in this day when the Holy Spirit is the one who regenerates us, who leads us, and who shows us the will of God.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin [Heb. 10:18].
“Now”—the sacrificial system began with Abel and ended with the death of Christ. This verse concludes the doctrinal section.
ENCOURAGEMENT
Hebrews 10:19–25 is the practical section of this chapter, and it speaks of privilege and responsibility.
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus [Heb. 10:19].
“Boldness” is boldness of speech; it has no thought of arrogance. Now notice this care fully—how do we get into the holiest, that is, into God’s presence? By the blood of Jesus.
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh [Heb. 10:20].
That veil was torn in two when Christ was crucified on the cross, which indicated that the way to God was open.
“Through the veil, that is to say, his flesh”—flesh is the same word we find in the prologue of John’s gospel where he said that “the Word became flesh.” John didn’t say that it was a new and living way open to God, because the Incarnation, the life of Christ saves no one. We enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Our right of entrance is not through His incarnation but through the rending of the veil; that is, through His death. You and I have the privilege of worshiping God, not because of the life of Jesus, but because of His death for us upon the cross. Oh, my friend, this distinction is so important!
“By a new and living way.” The word new is from the Greek word prosphatos, meaning “newly slain.” It speaks of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ has opened up for you and me a new and living way to God through His crucifixion, through His death upon the cross. The old sacrifices won’t help you anymore, friend.
And having an high priest over the house of God [Heb. 10:21].
What a wonderful privilege to have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, who always lives to make intercession for us.
“Through the veil”—when Christ dismissed His spirit as He hung there upon the cross, the veil of the temple was torn in two, which opened the way into the very presence of the Father.
Now we have an invitation. Some expositors believe it is directed to the unsaved. I believe it is both to the unsaved and to the saved. Since we have an High Priest at the right hand of God—
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water [Heb. 10:22].
This has to do with the dedication of priests in the Aaronic priesthood. Moses sprinkled them with the water of dedication. And they had to be washed, denoting that they were set aside for the service of God. In like manner our dedication to God enables us to draw near with a true heart.
“In full assurance of faith,” or in fullness of faith, has nothing to do with the amount of our faith; it has everything to do with the object of our faith. Real faith always depends on the object of faith. You see, faith can be misplaced—you can put your faith in some individual on earth and be disappointed. Faith is not just believing that there is a God—all that means is that you are not an atheist. Not only should you have a knowledge of God and know the way of righteousness, but you should act upon your faith. Real faith means that you have really received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. That has been made very clear to us. In John 1:11–12 we read, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that [do no more or less than] believe on his name.” Faith in Christ means to receive Christ as Savior. Faith is action based on knowledge. God never asks us to take a leap in the dark. I disagree with the theologian who said, “Faith is to leap in the dark.” If this is true, don’t leap, because you may find yourself going off a ten-story building! You don’t need to leap in the dark, because God has given us knowledge. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). God has put down a foundation for our faith. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). You get on the foundation, friend. That’s knowledge, but it is faith that puts you there. Faith is action that is based on knowledge, which means to trust Christ personally as your Savior.
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” This means that you and I as believers are members of a priesthood. One of the great truths that John Calvin recovered was the priesthood of all believers. Every believer is a priest, and as such, you can come to God with boldness of speech. So many people ask the preacher to pray for them, which is all right, but we need to remember that all believers have access to God. You have as much right in God’s presence as I have, or as anyone else has, because we come by this “newly sacrificed” way that Christ has made for us. It is on that basis that we come to God.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) [Heb. 10:23].
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith.” Actually, “faith” has in it the thought of hope. Let us draw near to God, but let us hold fast our confession of faith. Why? Because we have a hope, and hope is for the future, you see. How wonderful it is that we can come near to God in the full assurance of faith, and also that we can hold fast the confession of our faith because we have a hope. As the hymn writer has put it,
So near, so very near to God,
We cannot nearer be;
For in the Person of His Son,
We are as near as He.
So dear, so very dear to God,
We cannot dearer be,
For in the Person of His Son,
We are as dear as He.
—Author unknown
We are to draw near (v. 22). We are to hold fast (v. 23). And now a third thing:
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works [Heb. 10:24].
“Let us consider one another to provoke”—“provoke” is from the Greek word paroxusmos, from which we get our English word paroxysm, which literally means “with a view to excitement.” Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
Do I annoy you? Some Christians tell me that I have troubled their conscience. Well, I hope I have troubled your conscience so that you will love one another and so that you will do some good works for God.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching [Heb. 10:25].
If there ever was a time when believers needed to come together, it is today. Instead of chopping down each other, we need to draw together in love around the person of Christ.
“Exhorting one another.” We need to study the Word of God together. God has something for a group that He will not give to any one individual. One of the reasons I like to teach the Word of God is selfish. It is because God won’t let me grow in the knowledge of His Word unless I share it. We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. If you have a Bible study at your church, be sure to go because there is a blessing for you there that you can’t get when you study the Bible by yourself.
So these are the three “let us” verses:
Draw near in faith (toward God)
Draw near in hope (for ourselves)
Draw near in love (for others)
This presents again the three graces: faith, hope, and love. How practical this epistle is!
“As ye see the day approaching.” To the Jewish people who are being addressed in this epistle, “the day approaching” probably meant the day when their temple would be destroyed, which it was in a.d. 70. Remember that the believers were meeting together in the temple. That is where they were on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came. Peter and John were going into the temple when they met the lame man at the beautiful gate. But where will they gather together after the temple is destroyed? The writer is urging them, “As you see the day approaching when you won’t have a meeting place, just keep meeting together.” And the church started by meeting in private homes, by the way.
DANGER SIGNAL: THE PERIL OF DESPISING
This is the most solemn warning of all. In fact, it makes your hair stand on end!
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins [Heb. 10:26].
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Simon Peter said, “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Pet. 2:21). The warning is to the Hebrew believers because many of them were continuing to go to the temple and some were actually offering sacrifices there. They were keeping up a front, pretending that they were still under the Mosaic Law. In so doing they also were making it clear that the sacrifice of Christ was meaningless to them. Since the animal sacrifices prefigured Christ’s sacrifice, now that Christ had died on the cross, all of that was fulfilled. Therefore, what before had been done in obedience to God’s command, now has become willful sin. To continue to offer blood sacrifices which had been fulfilled by Christ was a frightful, terrible thing. They were acting as if the temple sacrifices were going on forever. The writer to the Hebrews is telling them that they cannot look to the temple any more, because there is no longer a sacrifice for sin. If a person rejects the truth of Christ’s death for sin, there is no other sacrifice for sin available, and there is no other way to come to God. They are to look to Christ now rather than to the temple. If they refuse to do this, there is nothing left for them but judgment. The Word of God is very expressive in this connection.
“If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth.” This means to go on sinning willfully by offering the sacrifices. It is an attitude toward the Word of God which God calls willful rebellion. There is no more sacrifice in the Old Testament or the New Testament for presumptuous sins.
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries [Heb. 10:27].
If the death of Christ over nineteen hundred years ago was not adequate, then nothing is adequate. God is not going to do something else to redeem us. Christ is not going to die again—and, of course, it is not necessary for Him to do so. It becomes willful disobedience on the part of those who “have received the knowledge of the truth” to continue with the temple ritual and offering of sacrifices.
Now he will make a comparison.
He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses [Heb. 10:28].
Now note the comparison—
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? [Heb. 10:29].
This is probably the most solemn statement in the Word of God.
“Wherewith he was sanctified” refers to Christ, the Son of God. They crucified “to themselves the Son of God afresh” (Heb. 6:6). To act as if the death of Christ is inadequate to settle the sin question, and to go on as if He had not died, is to treat the blood of Christ as something you despise. Knowledge creates responsibility. If, after you have heard the gospel, you turn your back on Jesus Christ—my friend, someone ought to tell you that you are going to hell! This is not what I say; it is what God says.
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people [Heb. 10:30].
Friend, God is going to judge. He is the sovereign ruler of this universe. We are all going to have to appear before Him. God has a sovereign right to judge, which He has not surrendered. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Pet. 4:17–18).
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God [Heb. 10:31].
This is a very interesting verse, and it will be profitable to spend a little time with it. This verse is for Christians and unbelievers also. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! In Ezra 7:9 we read, “For upon the first day of the first month began he [Ezra] to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.” In this verse the hand of God is upon this man for good. And God wants to put His hand upon you for good, but sometimes He puts a very heavy hand upon His children. He chastens them—or as we say, He takes them to the woodshed. I have been to the woodshed. Maybe you have been there, too. David had been there, and in Psalm 32:4 he says, “For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.” What was God doing? He was chastening David. He had taken him to the woodshed. David tried to cover up his sin, but God forced him to confess it and deal with it. For a similar reason sometimes God’s heavy hand is upon us who are His children.
However, God’s hand of chastening is altogether different from His hand of judgment. He says, “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense.” God does not take vengeance in a spiteful or vindictive manner. But God is going to judge sin, and that is something that needs to be emphasized in our day. Listen again to the psalmist: “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them” (Ps. 75:8). You see, the psalmist as well as the prophet spoke of judgment as a time coming when the cup of wrath will be filled up. And it is filling up today. God is in no hurry to move; He is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish, but that cup of judgment is filling up. And, my friend, it is a bitter cup.
This cup of God’s judgment is ahead of everyone “who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” My friend, if you despise what Christ has done for you on the cross, there is nothing ahead of you but judgment. You have no hope whatsoever.
This is the same point the writer is making to these Hebrew believers. Under the Mosaic Law they could bring a sacrifice every year—or any day if they wanted to. But they cannot do that any longer; that is over. Now they have to turn (even as we do) to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now the writer gives a personal word to these Jewish folk to whom he is writing:
But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions [Heb. 10:32].
I assume that the Hebrews to whom this epistle was written were saved. There seems to be no question in the writer’s mind about their being believers.
Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance [Heb. 10:33–34].
“Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock.” The Christians were made a public spectacle.
“And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods.” Apparently some of the believers had been imprisoned for their faith while others had experienced the seizure of their possessions. The writer is reminding them of their faith and patience during this trying time.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward [Heb. 10:35].
“Cast not away therefore your confidence” is another way of saying “let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering.”
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise [Heb. 10:36].
Patience and faith are wedded in Scripture. After exercising faith in the midst of trials, then they are to display patience with the future hope of the fulfillment of faith.
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry [Heb. 10:37].
I hear the expression many times, “I’ll see you next time, Dr. McGee, if the Lord tarry.” I’ve got news for people who say that. The Lord is not going to tarry. Some folks act as though He keeps putting off His coming, that He is tarrying. He is not going to tarry. It is on His calendar to come. Somebody asks, “When is He coming?” Well, the Lord won’t let me see His calendar; so I don’t know. I hear some folk talk as if they have seen His calendar, but I think they have been looking at man’s calendar, because nobody has seen God’s calendar. However, we can be sure that Christ will come on the day appointed; it is as certain as His first coming to this earth.
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him [Heb. 10:38].
This verse is a quotation from Habakkuk 2:3–4, quoted also in Romans and in Galatians. It is an important verse. Each epistle that quotes this verse puts a different emphasis on it. In the Epistle to the Romans the emphasis is upon “the just shall live by faith”—how God justifies the sinner. Here in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the emphasis is upon “the just shall live by faith.” There have been several references to the living God, and this epistle tells of a living intercessor. He is the same one who died on the cross for us and came back from the dead. The emphasis is upon His resurrection and His being the living Christ at God’s right hand. Therefore since we who are His own have a living God and a living Savior at God’s right hand, we shall live by faith. As I have said before, our faith is not a leap in the dark. It rests upon the Word of God. The just shall live by faith. Now in the Epistle to the Galatians Paul emphasizes faith; the just shall live by faith.
“If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Draw back means “to take in sail.”
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul [Heb. 10:39].
The writer to the Hebrews did not consider that they had drawn back, but he is speaking of the danger of doing so, and he is giving them this warning. Since draw back means to “take in sail,” the believer is like a sailor who should let out all the sail. That is what the writer has been telling these folk—“Let us go on!” His thought is that a believer could reef his sails—become stranded because of discouragement, because of persecution, because of hardship, because of depression. But since we have a living Savior, let’s go on. Let’s open up all the sails. Let’s move out for God.
You remember the story of the French Huguenots. They were persecuted, and they were betrayed. When France destroyed them, it destroyed the best of French manhood and womanhood. The French Huguenots went into battle, knowing they were facing certain death, and their motto was: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The nation of France has never since been the nation it was before it destroyed these people.
We believers today need a motto like the Huguenots. There is a lot of boo-hooing today among Christians. There is a lot of complaining and criticizing. There are a bunch of cry-babies and babies that need to be burped.
Oh, my Christian friend, the whole tenor of this marvelous epistle is “Let us go on.” So let us go on for God!
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Faith
CHRIST BRINGS BETTER BENEFITS AND DUTIES
Chapters 11–13 constitute the second major division of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Up to this point the epistle has largely dealt with that which is doctrinal, but we are now coming to that which is very practical. We begin with the chapter that is often called “the faith chapter,” and that is very interesting because the average person does not think that faith is a very practical sort of thing—we will find that it is.
Chapter 11 is also called by many “the catalog of the heroes of faith.” I want to look at this chapter from the viewpoint of faith—what faith has done in the lives of men and women in all ages, under all circumstances, from the very gate of the Garden of Eden down to the present moment. This chapter illustrates this for you and me, and these people are witnesses who encourage us to live by faith.
It is so easy to make the Christian life a series of rules. One of the reasons that so many people like to get under the Sermon on the Mount or the Ten Commandments is because men love rules and regulations. It seems so simple and easy to obey rules. Whenever I drive to a new location, I always ask the individual to tell me how to get there. They generally write it out for me: “Turn left here, go so many blocks, and then turn right.” I like it that way because it is easy to follow. Life is like that for a great many folk—they want to follow a neat set of rules. But in this chapter we are going to find people who went an altogether different route. They walked by faith, and that is the way God wants us to walk today.
We will also see in this chapter that unbelief is the worst sin anyone can commit. God has a remedy for every sin but the state of unbelief. This does not mean that there is an unpardonable sin. There is no act which you could commit today that God would not forgive tomorrow. But if you continue in a state of unbelief, God has no remedy for that at all.
DEFINITION OF FAITH
The first statement in this chapter is a scriptural definition of faith:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen [Heb. 11:1].
God has two ways in which men can come to Him today. The first is that you can come to Him by works. Yes, if you can present perfection in your works, God will accept you—but so far nobody has been able to make it. Adam didn’t, and no one since has ever been able to do it. Abraham didn’t, and David didn’t, and Daniel didn’t. None of them made it by being perfect. Therefore this is not a satisfactory way to come to God, but many people are hobbling along that futile route.
The only other way to come to God is to come by faith. Many folk don’t find faith a very satisfactory way either and feel like the little girl who was asked to define faith. She said, “Well, faith is believing what you know ain’t so.” That is what faith means to many. They think it is a leap in the dark, an uncertainty, or some sort of a gamble. If that is what it means to you, then you do not have faith, because “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” which means that faith rests on a foundation.
To other folk faith is a great mystery. It is a sort of sixth sense, some intuition into the spiritual realm, or an open sesame to a new world. Faith to some of these people is like belonging to a secret order into which you are initiated, and there are some mystical works which God will accept in lieu of good works if you just believe hard enough. My friend, the demons do a pretty good job of believing, and they are not saved. There are a lot of cults and “isms” today which are demonic and are run by demons. Faith for these people is like a fetish or some good luck charm which you hang around your neck or carry with you. But that is not faith.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon said: “It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ that saves thee, though that be the instrument. It is Christ’s blood and merit.” That is what saves you, my friend. Faith just lays hold of it—that is all. Faith, therefore, is not something mysterious at all—it is that which looks to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith is not something which is added to good works. Some folk in our churches today treat faith like it is the dressing which is added to the salad of good works. You have a salad and you put French dressing on it, or bleu cheese dressing, or Italian dressing. Many people just add their faith as a dressing on top of their good works. My friend, that is not faith at all.
Let’s look at the scriptural definition of faith that is given to us here: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” I like very much what Dr. J. Oswald Sanders (of the China Inland Mission which is now called the Overseas Missionary Fellowship) said: “Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen.” That is good.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” The Greek word for “substance” is hupostasis. It is a scientific term, the opposite of hypothesis or theory. It is that which rests upon facts. In chemistry it would be the chemical which settles at the bottom of the test tube after you have made an experiment.
In my college chemistry class the teacher would give each one of us students a test tube and ask us to find out what was in it. I would take some of whatever was in the tube and add another chemical or two to it and heat it on the Bunsen burner to discover what was in the tube. One day I nearly blew up the laboratory with my experiment because something had been put in the test tube which should not have been put there. Five years later the janitor who swept out the laboratory told me he was still sweeping up little pieces of the big glass Florentine receiver which I had used in my experiment! Fortunately, the glass flew only onto my vest and not into my eyes. I experimented with one test tube for two weeks before I went to the professor to tell him what I thought was in it. I said it was a certain kind of powder and he told me I was right. I had a substance in the bottom of the test tube, and the professor, because he knew his chemistry, was sure of what it was (I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t too sure!). But that substance in the bottom of the test tube was what I was looking for. That is the reality. And that is what faith is—faith is a substance.
Dr. A. T. Robertson translates substance as “title deed.” What is the title deed? What is the substance? It is the Word of God, my friend. If your faith does not rest upon the Word of God, it is not biblical faith at all. It has to rest upon what God says. Actually, it means to believe God.
The question is whether you believe God or not. Don’t come up with the “I’ve got intellectual problems” excuse, because that won’t work. The thing that keeps men from the Word of God is sin. It is sin in your life that keeps you from coming to God. It is the heart that needs to believe—it is “the heart that believeth unto righteousness.” When you are ready to give up your sin, the Holy Spirit will make real to you the Word of God.
A very fine man who heads up a wonderful Christian organization in this country sent me (and other ministers) a book he had written and requested my evaluation of it. It is a very fine book, but it is in the realm of apologetics, proving that the Bible is the Word of God. It is one of the best books on the subject I’ve seen, and I told him so. But I also told him very candidly that I have come to the place in my ministry where a book like that is of no value to me. I already believe the Bible to be the Word of God. I’ve already been through all those little experiments. I have proven what it is. I know the Bible is the Word of God. I’ve put it all in the test tube. I’ve made the experiment. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” I know it is the Word of God. The Spirit of God has made it real to me.
Paul wrote to the Colossian believers, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9). To know the will of God is to know the Word of God. He prayed that they might know the Word of God. The Greek word for “knowledge” which Paul used is epignoµsis. There were Gnostics in that day who professed to have super knowledge. Paul told the Colossians that he wanted them to have superknowledge which was genuine by knowing that the Bible is the Word of God, and he believed that the Holy Spirit would make it real to them.
Don’t misunderstand me: I did go through a period in college when I almost gave up the ministry. I had an unbelieving professor who was an ordained Presbyterian preacher. I admired the man because he was an intellectual, but he was taking the rug out from under me and taking it out fast. The things he was teaching were about to rob me of my faith, and I had to go to God in prayer. Then I met a man who had two degrees for every degree the first professor had, and this man put me back on the track. He showed me that there were answers for the questions the other man had raised. So I have the answers for myself. I’ve got a substance in my test tube, and I don’t need to make any more experiments today. I know the Bible is the Word of God.
Therefore faith rests upon the Word of God. Our dogmatism comes from this Book. That is the reason the writer to the Hebrews said in Hebrews 10:39, “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” There are only two ways to go. Either you are going backwards, or you are going to go forwards. Anything that is alive cannot stand still. Out yonder in the forest there is regression and deterioration taking place, but there is also growth and development. Nothing alive out there is standing still—it cannot.
“The evidence of things not seen.” We have seen that faith is the substance of things hoped for—that is scientific. The second word used here is “evidence.” In the Greek the word is elegchos. It is a legal term meaning “evidence that is accepted for conviction.” When I was studying classical Greek in college, I observed that this word is used about twenty-three times in Plato’s account of the trial of Socrates. Evidence is something you take into court to prove your case. It is that which the entire business world rests upon. Business is transacted by faith. I have a credit card, and when I drive into the gasoline station I hand it to the attendant. When he takes the card, he believes the oil company will pay him; he believes that I am the owner of the card and that I am the one who will pay for the gasoline in the long run. I say that man has a lot of faith. The oil company also believes that I’m going to pay. (Actually, they know I am going to pay, because they will take away my card if I don’t!) But the whole transaction takes place by faith. Any man who accepts a cheek written to him by another is moving by faith. This is elegchos, evidence which is accepted in a court of law.
Faith is not a leap in the dark. Faith is not a hope-so. Faith is substance and evidence—substance for a scientific mind, and evidence for a legal mind. If you really want to believe, you can believe. You can believe a whole lot of foolish things, but God doesn’t want you to do that. He wants your faith to rest upon the Word of God.
For by it the elders obtained a good report [Heb. 11:2].
Who are “the elders”? The elders could be one of three different groups. It could be just a group of old people, or it could refer to the office of elder in the New Testament church. Remember that Paul told young Titus that he was to appoint elders in the churches. Or, finally, “elders” could refer to Old Testament saints. These saints were referred to in Hebrews 1:1, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers….” The fathers are the elders. This verse could be rendered, “By such faith as this the fathers received witness.” These Old Testament worthies believed God, and for them it was not a leap in the dark and it was not a hope-so. Their faith rested upon evidence. Noah built an ark, and he did it by faith. What kind of faith? Was it just some dream he had? No. God gave him an abundance of evidence because Noah walked with God for many years.
The problem with many of us today is that when a crisis comes to us and we ought to be able to rest in God and lay hold of Him, we are not able to do so. When we haven’t been doing it all along, it is such a new experience for us that it is very difficult to do. However, if you learn to trust God when the sun is shining, it is easier to trust Him on the day when there are dark and lowering clouds in the sky and you are in one of life’s storms.
“The elders obtained a good report.” Because they were wonderful people? No, because they believed God. I think Abraham was a wonderful man. He probably had more going for him than the best Christian today. Even the world would have counted him an outstanding individual. But we are told that it was by faith that Abraham believed God. “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness” (see Gen. 15:6). God put righteousness to his account, not because of his good works, but because he believed God. “The elders obtained a good report,” and they did it by faith.
God wants us today not only to be saved by faith, but to walk by faith. Christ died down here to save us—we look back in faith to Him. Now we walk daily by faith—we look up to Him, the living Christ. That gets right down where the rubber meets the road. That’s for right now. Are you going shopping today? Are you going to work? Are you going to school or to some social engagement? Well, then go by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We walk by faith, not by sight. That is how God wants us to live this life.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear [Heb. 11:3].
There are two explanations for the origin of this universe. One is speculation, and the other is revelation. By faith we accept revelation, and, my friend, by faith you will accept speculation. Speculation has many theories, and many of them have been abandoned. Right now the theory is evolution, but even evolution, I am told, is going out of style today. It is the best the unbeliever can hold on to, but it is mere speculation, and they have to have a whole lot of faith to go along with it!
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.” Actually, this could read, “the ages were set up by the Word of God.” The Word of God, we have already been told, is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. The Word of God is more powerful than an atom or hydrogen bomb. Someone has said that atom bombs come in three sizes: “big,” “bigger,” and “where is everybody?” Well, the Word of God is even more potent than that, because the Word of God has the power to transform lives. And when you and I come to the Word of God, we either accept or reject God’s statement concerning the origin of the universe: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). That is revelation. Either you believe God, or you go by speculation. Don’t tell me that evolution is scientific. It is not. If it were, then all the scientists would be in agreement—and they certainly are not in agreement. Today many outstanding scientists are beginning to let go of their worship of evolution. They see so many fallacies in it that they are moving away from it. You either believe God (that’s revelation), or you believe speculation. Faith must be anchored in something.
I heard this whimsical story about a guide in a museum who was taking a group of people through the museum and they came to a reconstructed dinosaur. You know how they find one bone and make up the rest of it so that they have a great big dinosaur! Well, the guide said, “This dinosaur is two million and six years old!”
Of course, the crowd looked at him in amazement, and one extrovert said, “What do you meant two million and six years old? Where did you get the six?”
“Well,” the guide said, “when I came to work here six years ago, it was two million years old. Now it is two million and six years old!” My friend, that shows how utterly ridiculous all this dating—which goes back millions of years—can really become.
Faith means that you have a solid basis for the origin of the universe. I won’t have to change my theory as scientific knowledge grows; it has been in operation a long time: “God created the heaven and the earth.”
We come now to consider the faith of individuals. I want to give you a quotation from The Triumphs of Faith by Dr. G. Campbell Morgan which is fitting at this point. He said, “Life is to be mastered by faith, and not by doubt; it is to be forevermore illuminated by hope, and not darkened by despair; and in its activity love is to be practised in fellowship.” We are going to see this illustrated as we consider the lives of these people. Faith is not some jewel like a diamond which you put in a case and look at. That is the reason I do not want to call this chapter a catalog of the heroes of faith. These are men and women who got right down to the nitty-gritty of life—faith was operative in their lives. Faith is not something which you put on display in a showcase. Faith rests upon the Word of God.
We are given here the experience of three individuals who lived before the Flood—antediluvians we call them (one of them even lived through the Flood and after it). Abel is the first, and in him you have the way of faith. Then in Enoch we have the walk of faith. And in Noah we have the witness of faith. These men lived before the Flood, and faith was in operation at that time. These men walked by faith, lived by faith, and were saved by faith.
THE FAITH OF ABEL
Now with Abel God put down the principle once and for all that men must approach Him on only one basis: by faith, and that salvation will be by faith in Christ. Not only did Abraham see Christ’s day and rejoice, but so did Abel.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh [Heb. 11:4].
I want to go back to the Book of Genesis and the story of these two boys, Cain and Abel. I want us to see just what it was that Abel had and Cain didn’t have. What was the difference between these two boys?
In Genesis 4:1 we read, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.” What she really said was, “I have gotten the man from the Lord.” What man is she talking about? Well, God had made it clear to Eve that there would be coming one in her line, “the seed of the woman.” Speaking to Satan, God said, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). But, you see, Adam and Eve did not know that the struggle with sin was going to last so long. They thought their first son would be the man who was coming to defeat Satan, but Cain was not the Savior; he was a murderer.
We read further in Genesis 4:2, “And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of the sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” We ought to stop here and make a comparison between the boys, because they were actually antipodes apart, although they were brothers, the sons of Adam and Eve. The late Dr. Henry Rimmer thought they were twins. I don’t think they were twins, but I do think they were more alike than twins today could possibly be. For instance, in a family today you can have two boys, and the first boy might be a fine, upstanding boy. He goes through school, makes straight A’s, goes to college, and then becomes a professional man, perhaps a doctor. But the other boy doesn’t do well in school at all, and he drops out. He begins to drink and to smoke marijuana and get into trouble. Now what is the explanation? The psychologist will come along and say that according to the Mendelian theory the upstanding young man has taken after an ancestor on the mother’s side of the family, but the other boy takes after an ancestor on the father’s side. That is the explanation that is often given, but you cannot use that method with Cain and Abel. Who were the ancestors of Cain and Abel? They didn’t even have grandparents. You cannot use the explanation of heredity for the difference in these two boys. I think they were as alike as two peas in a pod—they looked alike and acted a like in many ways, but they were different.
Neither can you use the explanation of environment as making the difference between Cain and Abel. A great many people today think that environment is what makes the real difference between men. They say that if we could just make the environment all right, every person would be all right. If we could just get rid of the slums and put people into nice homes, then the people would be nice also. But it doesn’t always work that way. These two boys had the same environment. I cannot think of a home that was as much the same for two boys as was the home of Cain and Abel.
Genesis 4:3 goes on to say, “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.” “In the process of time” means at the end of days. I think it was the Sabbath day, for these boys belonged to the first creation, the old creation. They came at a specified time.
“That Cain brought”—the word brought has in it the thought that it was brought to an appointed place.
“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:4–5). Now what was the difference between the two offerings? Didn’t both of them come in obedience to God? No, they did not. You see, God had revealed to them that they were to bring a sacrifice, a lamb, and that little lamb pointed to Christ. Someone will argue that Genesis does not say that. No, it doesn’t say that, but Hebrews 11 does say it: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” How could he? He came by faith.
What is faith? Let’s look at it again: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (see Rom. 10:17). Abel had a revelation from God. So did Cain. They were both in the same family. But Cain ignored it, and he brought what he wanted to bring, the fruit of the ground—that which he had produced. In other words, here is the first man who brought his works to God. A lot of people are still coming to God the same way—they come by works. They have done this and that. Cain brought that which he had raised.
But Abel brought a lamb and slew it. If you had been there, you might have asked, “Brother Abel, why are you bringing a lamb?”
He would have said, “God commanded it.”
“Do you think the little lamb takes away your sin?”
“Of course not,” he would have said. “I just told you that God commanded us to bring it. He said to my mother that there is One coming in her line who is going to be a Savior, and that Person is the One to whom this little lamb points. I am coming by faith, looking to the time when a deliverer and a Savior will come.”
There at the very beginning God made clear the way to Himself. “Without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.” We come to God on the one basis that we are sinners and that the penalty for our sins must be paid. That is the reason a little lamb had to be slain. That little lamb couldn’t take away sin, but it foreshadowed the coming of Christ who is “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” And it was offered in faith.
Abel’s offering pointed to Christ, and he came by faith—that is the way of salvation. God made the way very clear at the beginning, my friend. Today, though a man be a stranger and a wayfaring man and a fool, he need not err therein. God has made it very clear to us: Christ is the way to Himself; God gave Him to die for our sins. Abel, therefore, illustrates to us the way of faith—it is the blood-sprinkled way, the way that is Christ.
THE FAITH OF ENOCH
We come now to Enoch, and in him we see the walk of faith. If you come to God through Christ, then you are to walk with Him. It is then the walk of the believer that becomes important.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God [Heb. 11:5].
Genesis 5 is where we find Enoch mentioned for the first time, and it is a very sad chapter. “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him” (Gen. 5:1). We are told that Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a son, Seth. Then Adam died, and Seth lived and begat a son. Then Seth died. “In Adam all die”—that is the way that it’s been going on for a long, long time. The fifth chapter of Genesis is just like walking through a cemetery and reading what is engraved on the tombstones. It really becomes monotonous, but it is still the rather sad story of mankind even today. It is the same picture as the present hour in which we live. Things haven’t changed much—man still dies. Oh, I know we have extended man’s life span, but what are a few years when you put them down next to a thousand years, or even eternity?
But in Genesis we read of Enoch: “And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him”(Gen. 5:19–24). That is the story of Enoch. Genesis 5 gives us a certain genealogy; it follows a very definite line. We are told that all these begat sons and daughters, but we are not told anything about them. Just one particular son is lifted out—Enoch, the son of Jared.
We are told that Enoch lived sixty-five years and begat a son by the name of Methuselah. Enoch had other children, but apparently his firstborn was Methuselah. “And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah.” I do not know what he did before he begat Methuselah, but I’m sure he did not walk with God. It might have been a careless life. It could have been a life that was lived in indifference, or perhaps in open sin. The record does not say. It simply says that he walked with God after he begat Methuselah. One day he went into the nursery and looked down into the crib at that little fellow who was kicking and gooing—his name was Methuselah. We always think of Methuselah as being an old man who had such a long beard that it got in his way and he walked on it. But at this time he was just a little baby, and when this man Enoch looked down at that little baby, he recognized his responsibility, and it changed his life. He started to walk with God.
My friend, if the presence of a baby in the home won’t change your life-style, nothing else will. Even the preacher won’t be able to say much that will affect you, but these little ones have a way of speaking for God, even though they don’t say a word. They come out of the everywhere into the here, and they seem so fresh, and somehow or other they bring a message from God. Certainly Methuselah did for this man Enoch, and it changed his life-style.
The record tells us that after Methuselah, Enoch had other children, but it does not tell us that he died. Notice: “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” In Enoch we see the walk of faith. The writer to the Hebrews says, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death … for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” His walk pleased God because he walked by faith, not by rules and regulations. He believed in God, and he walked in a manner that pleased Him. Then God took him. He didn’t die—he was translated. This is the first rapture of a man recorded in the Bible. He was removed from this earth’s scene and was taken away.
We have quite a picture here, by the way, which I think has a spiritual message for us. There are those who believe the church will go through the Great Tribulation Period, and they have used Noah as an example. But Noah represents, not the church, but those in the world who are going to be saved during the Great Tribulation. God is going to keep them. Who are they? They are the 144,000 of Israel and also a great company of Gentiles. They are not part of the body of believers that we designate as the church. We are told in the Book of Revelation that before the winds of the Great Tribulation begin to blow across the earth and the four horsemen of the apocalypse begin to ride, 144,000 out of the nation Israel will be sealed and also a great company of Gentiles. These are represented by Noah. My friend, God can keep you in the Great Tribulation, but it is not a question of whether or not God can keep you, the question is what God says, and He says He is going to remove the believers. He told the church in Philadelphia, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). What hour is going to try the earth? The only one mentioned in Scripture is the Great Tribulation Period. This great company of both Jews and Gentiles are to be kept—and Noah represents them. Enoch is the man who represents the church. Enoch didn’t go through the Flood. He had been translated. He was not in the ark. God could have put him in the ark, but He didn’t. He could have kept Enoch in safety during the Flood, but instead He removed him, and that is what He is going to do with the church—Enoch represents the church.
“By faith Enoch was translated.” Translated is a good translation, because it means to take something out of one language and put it into another. I have enjoyed listening to the tapes of our radio Bible study broadcasts in Spanish although I can’t understand a word that is being said. The man who is giving my message in Spanish is reading it, but you would never know it. He’s doing an excellent job. The manager of the station in South America says they have everything in that broadcast except my Texas accent! Well, I like the way the man does it, and it is a translation. It was taken out of the English language and put into the Spanish language for South America.
Enoch was translated out of one sphere of life and translated into another. The best way I know to describe it is the way it was told by a little girl who came home from Sunday school, and her mother asked, “What did your teacher tell you about today?”
The little girl said, “She told us all about this man Enoch.” You can see that this was a good Bible teaching Sunday school.
And the mother said, “Well, what about Enoch?”
So the little girl told her mama this story: “Enoch lived a long time ago, and God would come by every afternoon and say to him, ‘Enoch, would you like to take a walk with Me?’ Enoch would say, ‘Yes, I’d like to take a walk with You, God.’ And so every day God would come by Enoch’s house, and Enoch would go walking with God. One day God came by and said, ‘Enoch, let’s take a long walk today. I want to talk to you.’ So they started out. Enoch got his coat—even took his lunch, and they started walking. They walked and they walked and they walked, and finally it got late. Enoch said, ‘My, it’s getting late, and I am a long way from home. Maybe we’d better start back.’ But God said, ‘Enoch, you are closer to My home than you are to your home, so you come on and go home with Me.’ And so Enoch went home with God.” I don’t know how to tell the story any better than that. And that is what will happen one day with the church. The church, that is, the body of true, believers, walking with God like Enoch was, will one day go home with Him. The Lord Jesus is coming: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17).
But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him [Heb. 11:6].
“But without faith it is impossible to please him.” Enoch pleased God. How did he do it? By faith. My friend, unless you are willing to come God’s way and believe Him, you cannot possibly please God.
“For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” In this Hebrew epistle there is a great deal said about rewards, and the reason is that the emphasis is on the Christian life. In light of the fact that we have a living Savior up there who is for us, there is a reward for living the Christian life. But salvation is not a reward—it is a free gift. You work for your reward, but not for salvation. Salvation comes by faith, and the walk of the Christian is also by faith. Enoch walked with God by faith.
THE FAITH OF NOAH
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith [Heb. 11:7].
Abel showed the way of faith; Enoch illustrated the walk of faith; and now Noah is the witness of faith.
“By faith Noah … to the saving of his house.” Many of us are accustomed to saying that Noah preached 120 years and never made a convert. Actually, that is not quite accurate. It is true that he didn’t win any of the Babylonians living there in Babel, but he surely won his family. He led every member of his family to the Lord, and that was really something.
Again, we need to go back to Genesis and look closely at this man Noah. We are told in Genesis 6:5, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” That is a sad commentary on mankind. Man surely got away from God in a hurry after he left the Garden of Eden. However, we are told that there was one godly man left: “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9). Does this mean he was only a nice man who paid his debts and did many helpful things for people? No, he did more than that: “Noah walked with God.” How did he walk with God? The writer to the Hebrews tells us: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saying of his house.”
This man Noah believed God when God told him He was going to destroy the earth by a flood. There are some people who suggest that up to this point it had never even rained on the earth—and that is probably true. But way up on dry ground, probably near Mount Ararat, away from even the Euphrates River, this man Noah began to build a boat because God said there was going to be a flood.
God gave Noah the instructions for the boat. It wasn’t that clumsy-looking thing that you see pictured in Sunday school papers. When I was a little boy, my thought was, Id sure hate to be in that boat! Probably it was very modern-looking equipment, and the size and construction of it would conform to modernship building. We are told that the length of it was 300 cubits, the breadth of it was 50 cubits, and the height of it was 30 cubits. And it didn’t have just one little window in the side. God said to Noah, “A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it” (Gen. 6:16). The window went all the way around the top, and the roof came down over it. The ark was 300 cubits, or about 450 feet, long, and it had three decks. The men in that day were good builders and they were familiar with this type of construction. Therefore Noah began to do what I’m sure the population in his day considered to be a very foolish thing. I’m of the opinion that the sightseeing buses ran a tour out to where he was building the boat—and I’m sure it was a popular tour.
I have often wondered what it was that brought Noah’s three sons, Ham, Shem, and Japheth, back home. These boys, I’m sure, had moved away and started their own businesses. Perhaps Ham was a contractor, a successful builder himself, down in Babel. Maybe one day he was meeting with a contractors’ convention where he heard a man telling about a trip he’d made to the north country. There he had heard of a man who was building a boat on dry ground. He felt it was really ridiculous, and everybody agreed, including Ham. But then Ham, knowing his dad lived up there and having heard some things about his dad, asked the man if he had seen the boat builder. The man said he had seen the builder and the builder’s name was Noah. Ham probably turned white when he heard that. He stood up and said, “Listen, that’s my father who is building that boat. I agree with you—it sounds foolish. I laughed as you laughed, but you don’t know my dad. My dad walks in the fear of the living God. I’ve gotten away from that, but if my dad says a flood is coming, it’s because God has caused him to give out a message of warning. You can just put it down that God has spoken to him and a flood is coming. I was brought up in that home, and I know that I might cut corners but my dad wouldn’t. My dad never told a lie. My dad lived for God. If you don’t mind, I’m going to get my hammer and saw, and I’m going up there to help him build that boat!” I think Shem and Japheth had similar experiences and went back home to help their dad. Why? Because this man Noah had a witness for God.
My friend, I say this very candidly, the most important thing you can do is to witness to your own family—not by everlastingly giving them the gospel, but by living it before them and letting them see that you have a reality in your life. This reminds me of an encounter that Gypsy Smith had when he was holding meetings in Dallas, Texas. A lady came up and told him that God had called her to preach. He felt the same way about women preachers as I do, and so he asked her if she was married. She was. He said, “How many children do you have?” She had five children. “Isn’t that wonderful,” Gypsy told her, “God has called you to preach, and He’s already given you a congregation!” May I say to you, whether you are a preacher or not, if you are a child of God and you have a family, that is your congregation. God gave you that congregation. Noah won his family. No one outside his family believed, but his family believed because they knew his witness. Noah “prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” What a wonderful thing that he was able to do that!
THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH
We come now to Abraham, the man who is known as the man of faith. That is the way he is identified in the Word of God. Abraham is the supreme illustration of faith in the Epistle to the Romans and also in the Epistle to the Galatians. The writers of the Gospels refer to him, and even the Lord Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). In Abraham we will see the worship of faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went [Heb. 11:8].
We have seen in this epistle that the worship of God leads to obedience to God. It leads to work for God. It leads to doing the thing God wants you to do. We do not need to spend time browbeating people, telling them they should get busy for God—that is not the proper motivation. But if they can truly worship God and catch something of the glory of the person of Christ, then you can depend on them to work for God and to obey Him. The most important word in this verse and in this entire section is obeyed, and worship leads to obedience.
In Genesis 12 where the story of Abraham begins, we read that he came out of Ur of the Chaldees and went to Haran. He delayed in Haran and lost a great deal of time, but finally he went to the land of Canaan. When he appeared in the land, God appeared to him. “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him” (Gen. 12:7). Everywhere this man went he built an altar. When he came into the land of Shechem he built an altar. When he went down to the plains of Moreh he built an altar unto the Lord. Everywhere Abraham went he built an altar to God. I have been impressed on my trips to the Holy Land with the number of buildings that Herod put up. He not only built the temple, which was never really completed, but he also built palaces and forts and cities all over that land. But there was no actual worship of God on his part. All Abraham did was put up an altar, but he worshiped God, and that led to obedience of God. He worshiped God by faith; then he obeyed God by faith.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised [Heb. 11:9–11].
When God told Sarah at ninety years of age that she was to have a child, she laughed because it was ridiculous—it seemed utterly preposterous. She couldn’t accept it, but God gave her the strength and power to believe Him. Many of us need such strength. Do you remember the man who brought the demonpossessed boy to the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus told the man that He could help him if he would believe. The man said, “I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.” The man recognized that he had a weak faith, but the Lord Jesus must have given him the faith because He healed the boy (see Mark 9:17–27). Sarah had a little boy named Isaac. Why? She “received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Sarah represents the power (or strength) of faith.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable [Heb. 11:12].
This is what happened, and it all took place by faith. But notice that Abraham and Sarah never saw the fulfillment of God’s promise to them:
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth [Heb. 11:13].
Walking by faith will cause all of us to recognize that as children of God we are just pilgrims and strangers down here on this earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country [Heb. 11:14].
Faith looks out yonder to the future. And the child of God today is looking to the future.
I am not in the employ of the local chamber of commerce, but I very frankly love Southern California. I have lived here longer than I’ve lived any place in my life—since 1940—and I love it, in spite of the smog and the traffic and all these people who followed us out here. I wish we could have put a wall around California (after we got here, of course!), and then we could have had this wonderful place to ourselves. All of us who have come out here certainly haven’t helped the place, but I still prefer it to any other. I have a “ranch” out here in California. It’s not what you call a big ranch—it’s about 72 feet wide and about 128 feet deep. But I have my house right in the middle of it, and I have it well stocked. I have orange trees, avocado trees, tangerine trees, nectarine trees, apricots, plums, and lemons. You see, I’m really a rancher. The other day I just looked up and thanked the Lord that He gave me that place. It is the first place I have ever owned and paid for, but He gave it to me, and I thank Him for it. However, I told Him, “Don’t let me get in love with this place, or I won’t want to leave it to go to a better place.” We are strangers and pilgrims down here, because we are walking by faith, looking to a better place. “For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.”
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city [Heb. 11:15–16].
Anyone can turn around and go back to the world if he is satisfied with the things of the world. However, a child of God, by faith, is going ever onward.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son [Heb. 11:17].
Now we come to the end of Abraham’s life, and the supreme sacrifice he made in offering up Isaac, the boy that God had given to him.
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called [Heb. 11:18].
Abraham had other children, but Isaac is the one called “his only begotten.” (The word son in verse 17 is not in the original text.) Isaac was the only begotten because God gave the promise concerning him.
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a Figure [Heb. 11:19].
God did not ask Abraham to offer up Isaac until he had come to the end of his life. The reason is that Abraham would not have had the faith to do it. God will never test you “above that ye are able” (see 1 Cor. 10:13). Therefore God never asked Abraham to give up Ishmael, that is, to sacrifice him on an altar. Do you know why? Well, to begin with, Ishmael wasn’t the promised son. And the second thing is that Abraham would not have done it, you can be sure. Abraham even begged God not to send Ishmael away but to let him keep the boy and make him the son of promise. You see, Abraham wasn’t ready at that time to do such a thing. And certainly at the beginning of Isaac’s life when he was just a baby, Abraham never would have offered him. When Isaac was about thirty-three years of age, Abraham was ready to obey God and trust Him. Therefore, we have here the testing of faith.
I want to look at Abraham a little bit differently from the way we ordinarily see him. We usually think in terms of the great promises which God made to him concerning the land to be given to him and the multitudes which would come from him. But what was it that Abraham actually received during his lifetime? What was it that he actually saw? He did not see the fulfillment of those great promises, but what God did give to him was a home. When he was a young man living in Ur of the Chaldees, he one day said to a beautiful young girl, “I love you. I want to marry you.” And so Abraham and Sarah got married.
Then one day Abraham came home—it was a home of idolatry—and he said to Sarah, “The living God has called me. He wants me to leave this place.”
I can just hear Sarah say, “But you have a good business. All your relatives live here. Your friends live here. And, by the way, where are you going?”
Abraham would have to say, “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean that God called you and you don’t know where?”
He said, “God will lead me, and I’m going out.”
And Sarah said, “I’ll go with you.” And so this young couple went out. They didn’t have too much faith. They took papa with them and some of the relatives, and they came to Haran. They hung around Haran until Papa Terah died and they buried him.
Then Abraham moved into the land and God appeared to him. God said to him, “Abraham, I am going to do all these things I promised, but I am also going to give you a son.” Now that is what is going to make the home—Abraham and Sarah are going to have a son.
Abraham and Sarah had the basis for a godly home in that day. It was the kind of home God wants young people to have today—we call it a Christian home. To establish this godly home God did not give them a course or send them to a preacher for counseling. Frankly, we preachers have done too much counseling, telling young people how they ought to do it. We have become too idealistic, but God was very practical. He said, “Abraham, if you are going to have the kind of home I want you to have, you are going to have to get away from papa and mama.” That is what God meant at the very beginning when He said to Adam and Eve, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). Although Adam and Eve didn’t even have a mother and father, God set down this great principle at the very beginning.
I never thought that I would be a grandfather who would tell the parents how to raise a child. I didn’t do so well myself as a parent, but I have learned that it is the easiest thing in the world to tell them how to do it. Well, they will make mistakes, but it is none of my business. We made our mistakes, and they will make theirs. Papa and mama are not to interfere with the home of the children. God got Abraham as far away as possible where relatives were not going to be able to interfere. I think this is primary to building a godly home.
God had Abraham leave his home. It was a godless home he left, a home of idolatry. Joshua made that clear (see Josh. 24:2).
A great many rules and regulations concerning marriage are being given to young couples in our day. I don’t want to sound revolutionary, but I do want to say what the Word of God says to do. You can forget the rules and regulations until you are walking by faith. If you are a child of God, you are to walk by faith in that home. The father is to walk by faith, and the mother is to walk by faith. And do you want to know something? The home will never be an ideal home. I am weary of hearing folk tell how they went to a counseling session and now they have the most glorious home you have ever heard of. Well, may I say to you, I have been married to my wife for a long time and we disagree on many things. The fact of the matter is, she has a right to be wrong! But we’ve always been able to come to the place where I could put my arm around her and tell her I love her in spite of the fact that she is wrong. My young Christian friend, if you think you are going to start an ideal Christian home, I think you are mistaken. You will find that you will be tested just as Abraham was tested when he ran off to Egypt. I am of the opinion that all the way to Egypt, Sarah said, “Abraham, I don’t want to go down to Egypt.” But they went to Egypt. He almost lost Sarah to someone else down there because he lied and said she was not his wife. That certainly is not an ideal home, is it?
When Abraham returned to the Promised Land from Egypt, we find that he had trouble there with his nephew. Maybe Abraham should have left him in Ur of the Chaldees, but finally Lot moved down to Sodom, leaving Abraham alone up in the hill country. Here again, we see that neither Abraham nor Sarah were what we would call ideal. Abraham doubted God. He didn’t believe that God ought to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. God had to make it clear to him that what He was doing was a righteous and just thing. And He had to make it clear to Sarah that He could give her power to have a son. He gave them that little child to raise in their home.
Abraham and Sarah’s home was the kind of home God wants you to have. If you think that following a few little rules is going to avoid all the rough places and hardships in life, you are wrong. You will find out that one day you will argue with your wife. You are going to find out that one day you are going to have a problem with the child God gives you. Your home will not be ideal by any means. How are you going to handle all these problems? By faith, my friend, by faith. When you and I have reached the place where we are willing to put our child upon the altar for God, then you and I have arrived. Abraham and Sarah’s home was just about as near to what God wants down here as any of us will be able to attain.
Christian friend, if it is going hard with you and you are having problems, then God is trying to teach you something. Let God be your teacher. Don’t run to your pastor or think you can take a course that will solve all your problems. You and I are going to have problems, but if we walk by faith, He will see us through.
Abraham’s worship of faith led to obedience in his life, so that it could be said of him, “… Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3).
THE FAITH OF ISAAC
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come [Heb. 11:20].
Notice that very little is said concerning Isaac, especially when it is in contrast to his father Abraham. What can we say concerning Isaac? He represents the willingness of faith. Isaac was a grown man, probably around thirty-three years of age, when his father Abraham offered him on the altar. That certainly demonstrates his willingness!
“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” The one thing that is pinpointed in Isaac’s life is his faith in blessing his sons. Now that seems a very strange thing. Isaac was a well digger. He would dig a well in a certain place, and the enemy would take it away from him. He would then dig another well, and again it would be taken away from him. In many ways he was a rather colorless individual, but the thing that characterized him was willingness. He was willing to bless Jacob and Esau concerning things to come, but there was nothing in the immediate present that would cause him to bless them.
THE FAITH OF JACOB
We come now to a very colorful individual—
By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff [Heb. 11:21].
This man Jacob lived a life of faith in relationship to his father, and to his son Joseph, and to his grandsons. But the one thing that was selected out of his life happened when he was dying. You must wait until the end of this man’s life before you can say that he was a man of faith. At the time of his death he blessed both of the sons of Joseph, his grandsons, and he worshiped “leaning upon the top of his staff.”
There are several things which we can observe from the life of Jacob. He is an illustration of human nature and of the fact that it is by grace that we are saved. If it had not been for the grace of God, Jacob would have been lost. He had no human merit—none whatsoever. I’m not sure but what that is a picture of all of us.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling.
“Rock of Ages” —Augustus M. Toplady
Dr. J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, had a way of emphasizing the fact that before God we are nothing, and that God is the only one who can take nothing and do something with it. He told the story of a young, self-confident missionary who arrived on the field with his wife. Finally one day the young fellow came to Dr. Taylor and told him that it was difficult for him to think he was nothing. “Young man,” Dr. Taylor said, “you are nothing, whether you believe it or not. You can just take God’s word for it!”
This man Jacob is a picture of our human nature. We hear a great deal today in psychology about prenatal care, natal care, and postnatal care, and how important these are in shaping the life of the individual. The gynecologist and the psychologist give a lot of emphasis to the care of a baby before birth, at birth, and immediately after birth. What can be said of Jacob’s life in these respects? The Bible tells us that Jacob and Esau struggled within their mother. Even before birth, Jacob was wrestling and trying to get the upper hand! He struggled even at birth. He came out last, but he came out holding on to the heel of his brother. He was a heel-grabber, and he was that all of his life. Also Jacob was a deceiver and he was a rascal. God, however, did transform his life.
First of all, in the life of this man, we find that he was a deceiver in relationship to his father. God had promised Jacob the blessing, but he couldn’t wait for it. He took it from his brother Esau by a very deceptive method, which forced him to leave home, and he spent the night in Beth-el. He was very homesick, but no change had taken place in his life. Even when he went down to live with his Uncle Laban he was still relying on his wits. Then God had to stop him when he was finally returning to the land. The Lord wrestled with him that night at the brook Jabbok. That night God crippled him—He had to get Jacob.
Later in the life of Jacob we see that the very sin he committed came home to him in the life of his son Joseph. One day his sons brought that very bloody coat of many colors which belonged to Joseph, and they said to Jacob, “Is this the coat of your son? Do you recognize it?” And Jacob began to weep. In the same way in which he had deceived, he was deceived by his sons into thinking that Joseph had been killed. The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children—this is certainly an example of that.
However, at the end of this man’s life, the writer to the Hebrews shows us Jacob’s faith in relationship to his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. “By faith Jacob, when he was a dying….” He is on his deathbed, and this is the first thing in his life you can lift out and say, “By faith Jacob….”
He “blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped.” For the first time there will be obedience in his life. It has always interested me that he worshiped “leaning upon the top of his staff” What staff? Remember that he had been crippled, and he had a staff that enabled him to walk. Even when death came, this man did not want to lie down and die. There was no blessing in the life of Jacob. It was a life of sin and deception, chicanery and crookedness—and no blessing ever eventuates from sin.
The important thing for you and me to see is that God can take any life and straighten it out. Where there is confusion and deception, if there is faith anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can lay hold of Him. Faith was operative in the life of Jacob, but we have to come to the end of his life to see it.
THE FAITH OF JOSEPH
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones [Heb. 11:22].
I am confident that the writer to the Hebrews and the Holy Spirit of God could have chosen many incidents from the life of Joseph which would illustrate faith. We could cite the time when this man was down there in Egypt and put into prison. You would think that this was going to be the end for him, and many of us would have cried out in complaint at that time. But that incident was not recorded here. And there are so many other illustrations of faith in the life of this man Joseph. What a contrast he is to his father Jacob! There are no faults or flaws in his life.
There is probably no one in the entire Old Testament who is more closely a type of the Lord Jesus Christ than is Joseph; however, he is never spoken of as a type in Scripture. The analogy between the two is striking. Joseph was the best beloved son as was the Lord Jesus. Joseph had a coat of many colors which set him apart from his brethren and gave him lordship over them; he had a vision and his brethren thought he was a dreamer. The Lord Jesus, too, came with a message, and they thought he was a dreamer. Joseph obeyed his father, and the Lord Jesus said He had come to do the Father’s will. Joseph’s brethren hated him; it is said of the Lord Jesus, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). Joseph was sent by his father to seek his brethren, and the Lord Jesus came to this earth seeking the lost. Joseph found his brothers who were shepherds in a field; shepherds came by night when the Lord Jesus was born. His brethren mocked Joseph, refused him, and plotted to kill him; the same happened to the Lord Jesus. Joseph was sold into slavery, and the Lord was sold for thirty pieces of silver. Joseph’s coat was dipped in blood; the soldiers gambled for the vesture of the Lord Jesus Christ, with His blood upon it. Joseph was sold into Egypt where God raised him up to save (in a material way) the world; the Lord Jesus went down into death—after having been tempted by the world, the flesh, and the Devil—to become the Savior of the world—both Jew and Gentile. While on the throne, Joseph gave bread to the people; Christ is the Bread of Life. While in Egypt, Joseph got a gentile bride; the Lord Jesus is calling out of this world a people to His name. Joseph made himself known to his brethren when they came to Egypt; someday the Lord Jesus will make Himself known to His own brethren.
The interesting thing about Joseph is that he had faith in the dream which was given to him, faith while in the pit into which he was placed, faith all the while he was in Egypt, and faith was what buoyed him up through all the adverse circumstances. You would think that at the end of his life he would be satisfied with Egypt—but not this man. He said, “When the day comes that the children of Israel leave this land, be sure and take my bones with you” (see Gen. 50:25). Why didn’t they take his body right then and bury it yonder in the land of Ephraim? The reason is quite obvious: this man was a national hero at the time. But there came a day when there rose a pharaoh who knew not Joseph, and when the children of Israel left, they took up his bones and buried them at Shechem in the Samaritan country.
THE FAITH OF MOSES
Now we move down quite a few years to the time when the children of Israel are in slavery in the land of Egypt. Moses represents the sacrifices of faith.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment [Heb. 11:23].
Moses had godly parents who were willing to take a real stand for God. Faith was involved in the very birth of Moses.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season [Heb. 11:24–25].
We see faith at work in the life of Moses. He was brought up in the palace and would have been the next pharaoh, but Moses had faith to choose the right.
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward [Heb. 11:26].
Someone else other than Abraham saw Christ’s day and rejoiced—Moses did.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible [Heb. 11:27].
Moses had faith to act—faith will lead to action. Many folk today are saying, “I believe, I believe,” but do nothing. May I say, faith reveals itself in action. God saves us without our works, but the faith that saves produces works. Therefore Moses “forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them [Heb. 11:28].
Moses had faith to obey God. God said to do this, and Moses did it. This is exemplified in the life of this man. He forsook the pleasures of Egypt, went out into the desert, and came back to deliver his people. This is faith to obey God.
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned [Heb. 11:29].
Whose faith do we see here? Is this the faith of the children of Israel? No. They had none. When they saw Pharaoh and his chariots coming, they said in effect to Moses, “Let’s get back to Egypt as quick as we can! We made a mistake in leaving.” It was Moses who had faith. He went down to the water’s edge and smote it with that rod; and it was by his faith that the waters opened up and they were able to march over to the other side. Then they sang the song of Moses. The people are identified with Moses, but this was Moses’ faith.
THE FAITH OF JOSHUA
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days [Heb. 11:30].
We have in the life of Joshua the watch of faith. If you had met Joshua about the fifth day they were marching around the city of Jericho, you might have said to him, “It doesn’t look like you are getting very far. Why are you doing such a foolish thing? You are a general with a whole lot of intelligence, but you are not using your intelligence.”
He would have said to you, “You have forgotten that I saw the captain of the hosts of the Lord, and He told me that headquarters is not in my tent, but in heaven. I found out that I am not the general. I happen to be a buck private in the rear ranks, and I am to take my orders from Him. He said to march around the city, and I am marching around. You just watch—these walls will come down. I’m following the strategy of Someone who knows.”
In Joshua we see the watch of faith. Faith to believe God—General Joshua had learned that.
THE FAITH OF RAHAB
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace [Heb. 11:31].
I want to call Rahab’s story the wonder of faith.
Her story is in connection with the story of the walls of Jericho. She was living inside the city, and I am sure that after seven days those on the inside were wondering what was going to happen.
“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not.” Many years ago a book was published with the title Religion in Unlikely Places. I do not know if Rahab was included in that book—I never read it—but she certainly should have been. Jericho was the last place in the world you would have looked for faith. Rahab lived in a very wicked, pagan, and heathen city—and she practised the oldest profession there. Those who practice that profession have usually been considered to be sinners—until recently, of course, when the “new morality” came along. This woman was a sinner, and yet we are told here, “by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not.” I’m sure that the mayor of the city and others who were in high position felt that they were good enough to have been saved, but they were not saved. We are told they perished in the city because of just one reason: they did not believe God.
We will see that God was very generous in the way He dealt with the city of Jericho. I know the critic finds a great deal of fault with God for destroying the people of Jericho. I had a professor in college who could weep crocodile tears because of what happened to the people in the city of Jericho. The thing that always disturbed me about this man was that he showed very little interest in other people—including his students, by the way—but he could really work up a lather when it came to the people of Jericho.
We want to look closely at this woman Rahab, because she expressed her faith in a very definite way. When the people of Israel had crossed over the Red Sea, that word got to Jericho, and the inhabitants of Jericho lost their courage. But they never dreamed that during flood season the great host of Israel could be brought across the Jordan River. There was no bridge on which they could cross, and the river was on a rampage at that time. How in the world could the people get over? The people of Jericho had felt that they had time to plan a defense and didn’t have to worry until the flood season was over.
Then Joshua sent spies into the city of Jericho, and they came into contact with the harlot Rahab. I have a notion she made a business proposition to them, but I do not know whether they accepted or not. I do know they made it very clear that they were on a mission, that they needed protection, and that God was going to give the city of Jericho into their hands. They at least gave her that much information. She took them in and hid them on the roof of her house and no doubt risked her own life in doing that. She asked one favor from these men, “When you take this city, I want you to remember me and my family. I want you to save us.” And they promised to do that. They told her to put out a scarlet line in the window to identify her house, and that when Joshua took the city he would be very careful to save her and her household.
Rahab’s testimony is found in the Book of Joshua: “And he said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Josh. 2:9–11).
This is a strange statement that comes from this woman, but it is a tremendous revelation of the fact that God did not arbitrarily destroy the city of Jericho. You see, for forty years word had been filtering into Jericho about a people who crossed the Red Sea. In other words, Rahab said, “It was forty years ago when we heard about that. And I for one believed. Others believed the facts, but they did not believe in God. They never trusted the living God.” Later on, they heard how God was leading Israel and that He had given them victory on the other side of the Jordan against the Amorites. Jericho should have profited from that information. Finally Israel miraculously crossed the Jordan River and parked right outside the door of Jericho. What had God been doing? He had been giving the city an opportunity to believe in Him, to trust Him, and to turn to Him.
I think it should be obvious to anyone that if God saved this harlot who believed in Him, He would have saved the mayor of Jericho and He would have saved anyone in the city if he had trusted Him as this woman trusted Him. He saw all of them on one basis—He saw them all as sinners. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Rahab probably was a more open sinner than the mayor was. I am of the opinion that the mayor’s private life would not have stood inspection, and I am sure that that was true of many others in that city, but they had ample opportunity to trust God. They had forty years to decide whether they would believe God, and they did not.
If that college professor of mine were still alive, there is a question I would love to ask him. God gave them forty years to make up their minds whether they would trust Him or not. Only one woman made up her mind to trust God, and God saved her. It is obvious that since she was saved, anyone else would have been saved if they had trusted God. Now if you think forty years was not quite long enough, do you feel that God probably should have given them forty-one or forty-two years? My friend, if after forty years they are not going to believe God, they are not ever going to believe God. God is longsuffering. He is patient. He is not willing that any should perish. Even a harlot who will trust Him, God will save. The people of Jericho believed the facts which they heard, but they didn’t trust God. If they had, they would have been saved.
Now when this woman evidenced that she believed God by asking the spies to save her when they took the city, she took a step of faith, and in that step of faith she risked her life. Her faith began to move. Faith goes into action—it does not sit on the sidelines. So this woman Rahab “perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. “We have heard what God has done through you, and we believe it,” she said. “I trust Him. I trust Him to the extent that I am willing to risk my life.” She evidenced the faith that she had.
We see in this woman Rahab the wonder of faith. We see that in this lost world God doesn’t view one group of people as so much better than another group of people. God sees us all as sinners, and when anyone will turn to Him, God will save him. How wonderful He is!
THE FAITH OF “OTHERS”
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets [Heb. 11:32].
The writer of this epistle has come to a point in the history of the Old Testament at which he says, “What more can I say now?” He could go in any direction and could list heroes of faith, if you want to call them that. He could demonstrate how faith has worked in the lives of many men and women. So he gives us a list and makes it clear that he is not able to discuss them in detail, but that all should be included in this marvelous chapter.
We see the war of faith in the lives of these men he mentions. Not one of them is dealt with in detail, but all have something in common: everyone mentioned here was a ruler. Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and Samuel were all judges; David was a king. They were all rulers, and they were all engaged in a war for God. Each one of them won that battle by faith.
I will not be able to go into detail with each of these men, but I would like to take note of this man Gideon. Many people say that all they have in their church is a “little Gideon’s band.” What they mean is that they have a small number of people. But, my friend, it was not the small number that was significant about Gideon’s band—it was the faith these men had. Yet Gideon was a man who actually had very little faith at the time when the Lord called him.
Gideon was a judge at the time the Midianites had taken the land of Israel. The Hebrews couldn’t even harvest their crops—the Midianites would take it from them. This young man Gideon was down by the winepress harvesting grain. That is not where he should have been. The grain was usually taken up to the top of the hill, pitched up in the air where the wind could drive the chaff away. In that land the wind blows in the afternoon. But Gideon was a coward. He took the grain down there by the winepress—way down in the valley, where no one could see him. Talk about an operation of frustration! You can just see Gideon down there pitching up the grain. When there is no wind to blow the chaff away, do you know what is happening? The straw comes falling down around his neck. I can’t think of anything more uncomfortable and discouraging than to pitch up the grain and have all the straw down your back!
Well, that was Gideon, and it was at that time the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said, “… thou mighty man of valour” (Jud. 6:12).
That really wasn’t the proper address for Gideon, and he didn’t think the angel was talking to him. I think he looked up and said, “Who me?” He was the biggest coward of all, and he was willing to admit it. “Why,” he said, “I belong to the smallest tribe. My family is the small family in the tribe. And I’m the smallest potato in the family. You picked the smallest pebble on the beach—I’m a nobody.”
And God said to him, “That’s the reason I picked you—because you are a nobody. I want you to believe Me.” We will find that God began to strengthen the faith of that man until the day came when with only three hundred men he was able to get a victory over the Midianites. Faith operated in the life of this man Gideon.
How many Christians today feel like there must be some great big show, some big demonstration, some big meeting if the ministry is going to be of the Lord? May I say to you, God doesn’t move quite like that. I’m of the opinion that the greatest work for God is being done by individuals and by little groups throughout this country and around the world. I was amazed to meet a man in Lebanon who, by the way, is a member of the Gideons International. He is an active Christian layman and a real witness for Christ. You don’t hear about him—he’s not one who is getting publicity. And then, in the land of Israel, there is a very wonderful Hebrew Christian who has been persecuted a great deal, but he is a real witness to God. There are a great many “Gideons” around today, and they move by faith. God will use a nobody if he will trust Him. God is moving in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.
The writer to the Hebrews mentions Gideon, Barak, and Samson. I don’t know whether I would have put Samson in the list or not. Samson was a real failure as far as his service was concerned, but He did believe God. There was a time when the Spirit of God came upon him and he began to deliver Israel; he never completed the job, however. The writer goes on to mention Jephthah and David (oh, we could stop and talk a long time about David!) and Samuel and the prophets. But the writer makes it clear that time would fail him to mention them all.
Now notice what all these men did—theirs was the war of faith:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions [Heb. 11:33].
“Stopped the mouths of lions”—we know this refers to Daniel, although he isn’t mentioned by name here.
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens [Heb. 11:34].
This is the war of faith, and these are the victors.
We see now the wideness of faith—faith has moved into every area of life:
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection [Heb. 11:35].
“Women received their dead raised to life again”—remember the widow of Zarephath whose son Elijah raised back to life (see 1 Kings 17:17–24).
“And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.” In other words, he is now talking about martyrs.
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth [Heb. 11:36–38].
Here is another group of people. They didn’t gain great victories out on the battlefield. They didn’t enter the arena of life before large audiences and perform great feats for God. These are the “others,” and they are the ones who, if you want heroes, are really God’s heroes. They had trials and mockings and scourgings and bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned and they were “sawn asunder.” Jerome insists that it was Isaiah who was sawn asunder, but of course that is only tradition. We don’t know who suffered that cruel, horrible death. And others were tested, tempted, and slain by the sword.
I want you to notice a contrast here. Back in verses 33 and 34 when we were talking about the victories which were won, it spoke of how they “subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword.” They escaped the edge of the sword, but here in verse 37 the others were “slain with the sword.” How do you explain this? One group by faith escaped the edge of the sword, and another group by faith were slain with the sword. We have come to a question which is still to me a very difficult subject: Why do the righteous suffer?
I know that if you are in good health today it is easy for you to toss it off and say of others, “Well, God is testing them.” However, these people went through all these things by faith. They didn’t look upon it as if they were being tested. They endured because they did it by faith. They could trust God when the day was dark, when the night was long, the suffering was intense, and when there was no deliverance for them at all.
Others were tortured; others were slain by the sword. It is wonderful to be able to get up and quote Scriptures such as Psalm 34 which says, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them…. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:7, 17). That is wonderful, and God does that. But what about the “others,” the others who didn’t escape the edge of the sword? What about those who suffered? Stephen could look at the religious rulers of his day and say, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?” Prophets never had it easy, my friend. Stephen himself was the first martyr to the Christian faith. Before they stoned him to death, Stephen told them, “…they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers” (Acts 7:52). And when the Lord Jesus called Saul of Tarsus, that brilliant young Pharisee, He said, “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). The Lord Jesus has also made it very clear to us, “…In the world ye shall have tribulation [trouble]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Finally, it says of Paul and Barnabas as they went out on one of their missionary journeys that they went “confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation [trouble] enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
My friend, there are a great many people who have demonstrated their faith by winning battles and by being delivered, but there are others, multitudes of them, who have suffered for the faith. Down through the long history of the church there have been the Waldensians, the Albigenses, the Huguenots, the Scottish Covenanters, and many others.
The poetess Martha Snell Nickelson was a member of my church when I was pastor in downtown Los Angeles, and I had the privilege of baptizing her. She suffered a great deal—so much so that we had to baptize her in the bathtub in her own home. She screamed with pain whenever she was touched. This woman went through untold suffering before she passed on into the presence of the Lord. And right now there are literally thousands of heroes of faith lying on beds of pain. It is nice to read about walking out onto the stage of life and gaining a great victory. It is wonderful to be able to report that you have been healed. But what about those who are suffering? What about that unknown missionary out yonder on the field who is suffering for Jesus’ sake? What about the minister who suffers?
Let me pass on to you something which I learned recently that deals with this question. The apostle Peter wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:12–13). Paul made this statement to the Colossians: “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Col. 1:24). How could Paul fill up the sufferings of Christ? Wasn’t Christ’s redemption for us complete and perfect? It certainly was, but there are certain sufferings that the Lord Jesus experienced in His life down here which were not redemptive sufferings. His redemptive sufferings took place on the cross—none of us can add anything to that. But you and I, if we are going to stand for Him, are going to have to pay a price for it. Some of us may have to suffer just a little.
Will you forgive me for being personal here? When I had my first bout with cancer, the Lord healed me. I rejoice in His goodness and grace and mercy to me. I have gloried in that, and I promised Him that I would give Him all the glory if He would heal me. I guess I have talked pretty loud about what God has done for me. Then I began to receive hundreds of letters from people—people who have terminal cancer and ask for prayer. I try to be faithful in remembering them in prayer. But frequently I get a letter from a loved one saying that one of these suffering saints has gone to be with the Lord. I especially remember a letter from a woman whose husband had suffered a great deal with cancer and then died. I had to take a second look at this thing. God doesn’t always raise up a person from a bed of sickness. While some are healed, there are thousands today who are in the hospitals, thousands lying on beds of pain.
Do you know what the Lord did after healing me of cancer? He gave me gallstone trouble. It took a while for the doctors to even diagnose the problem, and I suffered a great deal. I think the Lord was saying to me, “I’m going to give you a thorn in the flesh so you will keep your mouth shut. You boast too much about the way I moved in your behalf. I want you to remember that I do not always heal everyone. The ones who really suffer are the greatest saints. They are the ones who know what real faith is. You don’t know what it is to trust Me in a time like that.” The Lord put me flat on my back, and I have never suffered as I suffered at that time. Then the Lord sent me through a battle with hepatitis, and I want to tell you, I thought He was against me. I went to Him and talked this thing over. It was at that time that He spoke to me from this chapter about the “others”—the others who were slain by the sword, the others who suffered—and who did it by faith.
My friend, if you can walk up and give your testimony and tell how God has healed you—and I could join you in that—or if you can get up and say how successful you have been in business, I want to remind you that there are multitudes of God’s saints today who are suffering. They are paying a tremendous price. Do you know how they are doing it? They are doing it by faith. They have lots more faith than I have, and I think they are choicer saints than I am. I have been humbled by many a letter from some wonderful saints who are doing a work for God, tucked away in out-of-the-way places and suffering for their faith.
The writer to the Hebrews is speaking of a company of people who lived by faith. He simply calls them “others”—I love that! I don’t want you to forget the “others” who are today living by faith and dying by faith. The suffering has ended for many of them, and they have already gone into the presence of the Lord and will never have to die again. This passage means something to me that it didn’t before, and I hope it means something new to you also.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise [Heb. 11:39].
What promise is it that they did not receive? God made many promises, and many of them received the promises that He made to them. But the promise is His promise that He will raise them up and that there will be a kingdom established here on this earth. They have not received that promise yet, because God is still today calling out a people to His name, and, as it says here in Hebrews, “bringing many sons home to glory.” “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.” We are told here the reason for that—
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect [Heb. 11:40].
God has us in mind! Wasn’t that gracious of Him? “That they without us should not be made perfect.” God is very patiently calling people out of this world to His name—and that is the church. And until that church is completed, He is just going to keep calling them out.
We have seen in this chapter the world and the work of faith. I want to say something, and I hope I will not be misunderstood. I do not want to hear the testimony of a person who has been saved a week or a month or three months, although I do rejoice in their salvation. But let me illustrate my point: I got a letter the other day which told me about a man who had accepted the Lord Jesus under my ministry in 1943. He had just died, and I understand that a marvelous testimony was given at his funeral as to the wonderful man of faith he was. When I am told by young people how many have accepted Christ through their witnessing, I want to say to them, “Well, it will be wonderful if three years from today or thirty years from today you can come back to me and say that these all lived and died by faith.”
Some people feel that faith is something untried, something you really can’t be sure of, something that doesn’t really rest upon a foundation. My friend, we have had here a company of witnesses. Many of them lived long lives—they lived by faith. They found out that it works.
Again may I say that I no longer give apologetic messages, proving that the Bible is the Word of God. I just give messages from the Bible. I let the Holy Spirit minister the Word to folk. I just preach the Word of God to them and, when I do that, I receive many letters telling how their faith has been strengthened. You do not have to tell me how wonderful faith is. I am an old man now. I’ve been at this a long time, and you don’t have to tell me this thing works. I know it works.
You see, when they made the first airplane and even when the thing flew off in the air, there were those present who said they didn’t believe it and they couldn’t believe their eyes. Well, there are a lot of folk today who are just as blind as a bat spiritually. They say, “I want it proven to me.” My friend, if you are honest and are willing to put away the sin in your life and turn to Jesus Christ and trust Him as your Savior, then I would like to talk to you three years from today, because nobody would need to prove anything to you. You would know faith works.
There are multitudes around us right now who can say “Amen” to all of this. They already know that faith works. It’s operative. It’s real. It is something genuine. My friend, have you come out of the realm of make-believe and into the realm of reality? Have you found out what Jesus Christ really can do for you?
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Hope
We are in the practical section of the Epistle to the Hebrews where we see that Christ brings better benefits and duties. Chapter 11 is the faith chapter; chapter 12 is the hope chapter; and chapter 13 is the love chapter.
THE CHRISTIAN RACE
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God [Heb. 12:1–2].
We read in the first part of this epistle of the peril of drifting; that is, of just being hearers, drifting along, and doing nothing at all about God’s salvation. Now in the last part of the epistle the writer is speaking to believers of the peril of remaining stationary. He is saying, “Let’s get into the race. Let’s get moving and not just drift along. We are racers.” I would say that one of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is the peril of just remaining stationary, of doing nothing.
When someone becomes lost in the extreme cold of the far north there is grave danger of freezing to death. The first step in that process is to fall asleep. You have to fight sleep, and you must keep moving or you will freeze to death. In a spiritual sense, the danger is the same for us as believers. We have to force ourselves to stay awake and keep moving forward in our relationship with Christ. Otherwise we will just fall asleep.
I like to tell the story about the old cowboy at one of the great camp meetings they used to have years ago in West Texas. A little lady got up and gave her testimony. She said, “The Lord filled up my cup twenty years ago. Nothing has run in, and nothing has run out.” The old cowboy sitting in the back spoke out and said, “I bet it’s filled with wiggletails by now!”I think that is the condition of a lot of believers today. They can say the Lord has filled their cup, but there’s no running over. They’ve just remained that way. I agree with the cowboy, there are a whole lot of wiggletails in the cups that people are boasting of today.
“Wherefore,” we are told, we are to move out, and we are to live by faith. Why? Wherefore is another one of these little words that cement the chapter that goes before with the chapter that is coming up—and that is what it does here. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.”
For many years I took the position that the “witnesses” are the Old Testament saints, many of whom are listed in chapter 11, and that they are sitting in the grandstand watching us run the race of life today. I personally couldn’t think of anything more boring for them than to watch us run the Christian race down here the way some of us are running it! And I no longer believe that that is what this verse means.
When my understanding of this verse changed, it cost me the use of a marvelous illustration, but I will pass it on to you because it is a very sentimental story which does make a point. Years ago a friend invited me to the kickoff luncheon for the Rose Bowl game in Pasadena where I heard a newscaster tell this story. He told of a famous football coach in the East. The coach had a player who was known for two things. The first thing he was noted for was his faithfulness at football practice. He was the first one out and the last one to leave, but he never could make the team—he just wasn’t quite good enough. The second thing he was famous for was that his father often visited him on campus and they would be seen walking arm in arm across campus, very much engrossed in conversation. Everyone noticed that and thought it was wonderful. Well, one day the coach got a telegram saying that the boy’s father had died. The coach was the one chosen to tell the sad news to the boy, and so he called him in and told him. The boy was greatly shaken, of course, and had to go home for the funeral. But he was present at the next game, sitting there on the bench. Then he came over to the coach and said, “Coach, this is my fourth and last year, and I’ve never played in a game. I’m wondering if today you could put me in for just a few minutes and let me play.” And so the coach put him in because the boy’s father had just died. To his amazement, the boy turned out to be a star! The coach had never seen anyone play a better, a more brilliant game, than this boy played—so he never took him out of the game. When the game was over, the coach called the boy off to the side and said to him, “Listen, I’ve never seen anyone play like you played today, but up to today you were the lousiest football player I’ve ever seen. I want an explanation.” And the boy said, “Well, coach, you see, my dad was blind, and this is the first day that he ever saw me play football.”
If this Scripture means that the Old Testament saints who have gone before are sitting in the grandstand watching us run the race, then that story would be a good illustration. However, that interpretation is not accurate at all. The witnesses are not sitting in the grandstand; they are the ones who have already run the race down here. They are the ones who were down on the racetrack as you and I sat in the grandstand watching them run the race of life in chapter 11. And they ran it by faith. Those who would be called a howling success by the world ran the race by faith. And those who suffered what the world would call miserable defeat, also ran the race by faith. Although they suffered and were slain by the sword, they were just as great heroes. They all witnessed to us. We watched them as we went through chapter 11, and there were many more in the Old Testament, as the writer told us that time would fail him to tell of all of them. They witnessed to us, and encouraged us to run by faith and to live by faith.
Therefore the Christian life is here likened to a Greek race. Christ is the way to God, and along the way the Christian as a soldier is to stand firm, as a believer is to walk, but as an athlete, he is to run the race. And one day we are going to fly, my friend—that will be at the Rapture. We are going to do a little space travel to the New Jerusalem.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” We have here another “let us” salad. Now this is not a danger signal that is put up here at all, but it is a challenge to us. Let us now get out of the grandstand; let us get down on the racecourse of life, and let us do whatever God has called us to do wherever He has called us to live and move and have our being. Let us run the Christian race, and let us move out for God. That is the whole thought here.
We are challenged to run with patience, having laid aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us. God has saved us from sin. He has brought us into the heavens, actually, into the holy place, and He has made us to sit in heavenly places. He’s given to us His Holy Spirit. But in spite of all that He has provided, the average Christian falls down and stumbles and wanders like a man lost in the dark. What is wrong with the Christian life as it is being lived at the present time? I will come back to the same string which I play on all the time, because I think this is the answer: the problem is that Christians do not go on with God. They get saved, give a testimony of their salvation, and that’s all they ever have. They never maintain a serious study of the Word of God, which is essential to growth. They are like the little girl who fell out of bed one night. When the little girl began to cry, her mother rushed in and said, “Honey, how come you fell out of bed?” The little girl replied, “I think I stayed too close to the place where I got in.” That is the problem of the Christian today. We stumble and falter and fail because we are staying too close to the place where we got in. We need to go on—this is a race, you see.
The Christian life is a race—win or lose—and it is the only race where everybody can win. Paul wrote, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all …”—they all run to receive a prize. He went on to say, “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly …” (1 Cor. 9:24, 26). And again, he rebuked some of his followers saying, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you …?” (Gal. 5:7).
We are encouraged by these witnesses. They are not spectators; they are testifying to us. They are in the cheering section, encouraging us to run the Christian life. Abraham is saying to you and me, “Move out by faith.” Moses is saying to you and me, “Move out by faith.” Daniel is saying to you and me, “Move out by faith.”
Now there are two conditions to be met: “Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” What does he mean by “lay aside every weight”? Weights are highly unnecessary in a race; in fact, they are a hindrance. We ought not to be using weights.
I remember years ago when Gil Dodds, a very fine Christian, was a famous runner in this country. Some of us went out to the track at the University of Southern California, to watch him run. He ran around the track a couple of times with tennis shoes on. Then he stopped and changed into some other shoes. One of the fellows there asked why he needed to change shoes. He took one of the tennis shoes and one of the lighter pair of shoes and tossed them both to the man who had asked the question. Believe me, there was not much difference in the weight of the shoes, but just enough, he said, to cause him to lose the race.
In the Christian life there are a lot of things that are not wrong in and of themselves, but Christians should not be carrying those weights around. Why? Because you won’t win the race. I’m going to use an illustration, but please don’t think I am picking on this one particular thing, because I am not. You must determine for yourself what you can do as a child of God, and I must determine that for myself. But one young lady went to her pastor and asked, “Is it all right to dance?” Her pastor replied, “Sure it is, if you don’t want to win.” The point is that it is not a question of right and wrong for a Christian in his conduct—it is taken for granted that you are going to do what is right. The question is: Will it hurt my testimony? Will this keep me from winning the race? Will this be a weight in my life? There are many Christians today who are carrying around a weight they ought not to be carrying around. Don’t ask me to argue with you about whether dancing is wrong. I won’t argue about any of those things which separationists say you cannot do if you are a Christian. I don’t say you can’t do it. All I’m saying is: Are you in a race? Do you want to win? Are you looking to Jesus? That becomes the important thing.
“And the sin which doth so easily beset us.” What is “the sin”? This is not just sin in general; it is the sin. Again, we are cast back into the previous chapter by the wherefore which opened this chapter. What was the great sin in the last chapter? It was unbelief. Unbelief is the sin, and there is nothing which will hold you back as unbelief will. It is just like trying to run a race with the weight of a sack of wheat on your shoulder and your feet stuck inside an empty sack! You’ll never be able to do it, and you cannot do it in the Christian life either. Unbelief is what holds many of us back, and if I may make a personal confession, I am confident that it has held me back more than anything else in my Christian life.
BELIEVERS ARE NOW IN CONTEST AND CONFLICT
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds [Heb. 12:3].
The words patience (in v. 1) and endured (in v. 2) are from the same root. Trouble generally produces patience and endurance.
These Hebrew believers had come out of a religion that had a tremendous ritual and a great temple. The temple of Herod, although it was not completed even at the time it was destroyed in a.d. 70, was a thing of beauty and actually awe inspiring. Also there was a great ritual that went with it. It had been a God-given religion at the beginning, but it had been debauched and prostituted by the time this Hebrew epistle was written. Nevertheless, as far as religion was concerned, they had it. Now these believers had given up all of that; they no longer were going through all that religious ritual. They had now come to consider Him, that is, Christ, and He was everything. He was the temple. He was the ritual. He was Christianity. He was all of it. There was this simplicity in Christ, and the writer now calls them to consider Him.
They are to know what He endured when He was down here and how He learned patience. We are told in the beginning of this epistle, in the section which presented His humanity, that He learned a great many things down here although He was and is God. In the flesh He learned something which God had to experience by taking on our humanity and suffering for us. He endured and He learned patience.
“Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” May I say this to you very candidly: unless you stay close to the Word of God where the Holy Spirit can take the things of Christ and make them real to you, you are going to get weary of the Christian life, and you are going to faint in your minds. This is the reason there are so many discouraged Christians around today. My friend, if you come to the Word of God and get close to Jesus Christ, you are going to be encouraged. You will not grow weary of this life down here. Oh, my friend, we are living in the greatest days that have ever been!
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin [Heb. 12:4].
This simply indicates that at this time the temple was not yet destroyed. The persecution from the Gentiles of the Roman Empire which was going to come had not yet broken upon these believers. “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood.”
He is saying to them, “Although you are having a very difficult time and you are having your problems and troubles, the only cure for your weakness, your weariness, your faltering, your failing, your stumbling, and your discouragement is to consider Him. Consider Christ.”
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” —Helen H. Lemmel
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him [Heb. 12:5].
The writer is quoting here from Proverbs 3:11–12— “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
Their only resource was Christ—not a temple, or a ritual, or a religion. They were almost outcasts at this time, and the writer is telling them not to forget this exhortation from God to His children.
The word children is used in the Authorized Version, but in the Greek son and sons are used six times in verse 5–8. The Greek word for “son” is huios, and it means “full-grown son.” Now there are a great many saints today who do not think they need to be disciplined, but discipline is for mature saints, people who have been walking with the Lord for a long time. There was a time when I had come to the place where I thought I didn’t need to be disciplined anymore. I thought I had come a long ways. But the Lord put me flat on my back physically to let me know that there was some more disciplining to be done.
The word chastening means something a little different from what we think today. We think that chastening is punishment. The Greek word is paideuoµ, and it means “child training or discipline.” You see, the Lord disciplines His own children.
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons [Heb. 12:6–8].
The question is sometimes asked, and it is a very pertinent question: Why do the righteous suffer? When illness confined me to my home and I spent most of my time flat on my back for about a month, I had a great deal of time to study, and I want to pass on to you what the Lord has shown me through my own experience.
Let’s put this down as an axiom of Scripture: God’s children do suffer. The Bible doesn’t argue about that—the Bible just says that it is true. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Ps. 34:19). In the Book of Job we read, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). The Lord Jesus said, “… In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And even Paul said, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
Why do God’s people suffer? There is no pat answer to that. No one little verse of Scripture answers it. I have gone through the Scriptures and listed seven reasons why God’s children suffer. I would like to share them with you:
1. The first reason that we suffer as God’s children (and even as His mature sons) is because of our own stupidity and our own sin. First Peter 2:20 reads, “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently….” The word faults refers to a sin where you missed the mark—you just didn’t quite make it. “For what glory is it, if … ye shall take it patiently?” Peter says there is no value in the suffering which was caused by our own foolishness.
How many of you years ago invested some of your savings in a wildcat oil well in Texas? I was a pastor in Texas for many years, and I can tell you about a whole lot of folk who own dry oil wells. I know of one man in particular whose family is practically in poverty today because of such an investment. He has suffered because he played the fool.
I know another man who came to me in Los Angeles, and said, “Dr. McGee, I have certainly played the fool. My wife and I haven’t been getting along too well recently. I had to work late one evening and called my wife and told her so. There is a very attractive woman in my office who has been very sympathetic toward me, and she had to work late also. All of a sudden it occurred to me that it would be nice to have dinner together. We didn’t do anything but go out to dinner, and it was a friendly sort of dinner. But the wrong person was in that restaurant and saw us. He called my wife and told her. It never went any further than that, but it could have turned into a really bad thing. I played the fool.” You know, a lot of saints suffer because of stupidity.
2. The second reason we suffer is for taking a stand for truth and righteousness. I can guarantee that if you take a stand for truth and righteousness, you are going to suffer. How many men and women could testify to that? Peter says, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Pet. 3:14). Many people deliberately take a stand for God, and they have suffered for it.
However, we can be foolish and misguided in our thinking concerning this. One man came to me and told me that where he worked everybody was his enemy because he had stood up for God. Well, another Christian man who was an official in that same concern told me that this man was trying to lecture everybody—even during work hours! He was making an absolute nuisance of himself by attempting to witness to people while they were busy on their jobs. You see, he wasn’t really suffering because he took a stand for truth and righteousness.
3. We suffer for sin in our lives. Paul says, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). However, if we are God’s children and refuse to deal with the sin in our lives, God will deal with it. He will judge us.
4. The fourth reason we suffer is for our past sins. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). One time when I was a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, we had Mel Trotter, the great evangelist and converted drunkard, for a series of meetings. One night after the service we all went to a place called Candyland. The rest of us got big sodas or malts, but he got a little glass of soda water. The others began to kid him about it, and he made this statement, “When the Lord gave me a new heart, He didn’t give me a new stomach.” Liquor had ruined his stomach, and he was still suffering because of that.
5. The fifth reason God’s children suffer is for some lofty purpose of God which He does not always reveal to the believer. We see this in the Book of Job. Job suffered because he was demonstrating to Satan and the demon world and to the angels of heaven that he was not a timeserver, that every man does not have his price and that he loved God for Himself alone. I hope I never have to suffer as Job did.
6. The sixth reason Christians suffer is for their faith, as we saw in chapter 11 of this epistle. Some demonstrated their faith, and great victories were won. Some were delivered by the sword; some were slain by the sword. I think of the French Huguenots who went into battle, knowing they would all be slain. Yet they went into battle saying, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” You see, they suffered for their faith.
7. The seventh and last reason God’s children suffer is for discipline. That is what we have here in verse 6: “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” This means child training or discipline, not punishment. Punishment is to uphold the law. A judge punishes, but a father chastens and he does it in love. God uses chastening to demonstrate His love for us. And the writer makes it very clear that you are an illegitimate child if you are not chastened by the Lord, my friend. Many people say, “Oh, why did God let this happen to me? I must not be a Christian.” The fact is that your suffering is the proof that you are a child of God.
I think that if you are an intelligent Christian, when you are in trouble and do not know why, you will go to the Lord and talk to Him about it. I am sure that He will get the message to you and let you know why you are in trouble. The reason may not be that He is judging you. God does judge us, and that is punishment, but He is also our loving, heavenly Father who disciplines His children.
When I was a boy I, with several other boys at school, got into trouble. My dad came down to the school where there were several hundred children, but when he walked across that schoolyard, do you know who he was after? He was after his son, and he took his son home and disciplined him. He didn’t discipline those hundreds of other children—because they weren’t his. He disciplined only his boy, the boy whom he loved. My dad died when I was fourteen, and now I have a heavenly Father who does the same thing—He disciplines me in love.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [Heb. 12:9].
Believe me, I listened to my dad. I hadn’t heard about the new psychology in which you don’t pay any attention to your parents, and your parents aren’t supposed to discipline you. My dad disciplined, and I listened to him. The writer says that if we listen to our earthly parents, “shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” Whether or not you listen to your earthly father, you had better listen to your heavenly Father.
The writer to the Hebrews goes on to make a suggestion. He says, “Be in subjection to the father of spirits, and live.” Does he mean live it up? I think he means to live a Christian life in all its fullness—that’s the positive side. But I think there is also a negative aspect, which is that the heavenly Father disciplines in very severe ways sometimes, and there is a sin unto death. The sin unto death is a sin that a child of God can commit, and sometimes the heavenly Father will take a disobedient child out of this world because he is disgracing Him. The writer is saying that you had better listen to your heavenly Father because He is disciplining you in love, but if you persist in going on in sin, He may take you home.
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness [Heb. 12:10].
Sometimes I think my earthly dad got a little angry with me and vented his anger on me—but even then he did it for my profit, I’m sure. My heavenly Father disciplines me for my profit also—there is no doubt about that!
“That we might be partakers of his holiness.” I believe that there is no way you can become a full-grown child of God living in fellowship with Him (that is the main thought behind “holiness”) except through the discipline of God.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby [Heb. 12:11].
This is like the boy whose father said to him before he whipped him, “Son, this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” The boy said, “Yes, Dad, but not in the same place.” God chastens His children. He does not get any particular joy out of it, but He does it because you and I need it. Not only does chastening not seem to be joyous, it isn’t joyous, but grievous—that is our experience.
Although no chastening at the time is fun, “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” God does not discipline you without purpose.
I am reminded of the story of the man who lived in a home for the mentally ill. There was a visitor one day who saw the man beating himself on the head with a baseball bat. The visitor went up to him and said, “Why in the world are you hitting yourself on the head with the baseball bat?” The man replied, “It feels so good when I quit!” God does not discipline you just to make you feel good when it is over. He doesn’t give you ill health just so you will appreciate good health when it returns. There is always a purpose in the discipline of God for you.
Now what is your reaction when God disciplines you? There are four reactions we can have to God’s discipline that are mentioned in this chapter. I want us to take a look at each of them:
1. “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord …” (v. 5). The first reaction is that you can despise the chastening. You can treat it lightly and accept no message from it at all. You simply become a fatalist and say, “Well, I’m having trouble. Everybody has trouble.” You do not recognize the fact that your heavenly Father is disciplining you, and you do not get His message in it at all.
2. “… nor faint when thou art rebuked of him” (v. 5). There are those who respond in this way (I would call it the crybaby reaction): They begin to cry and say, “Why did this happen to me? It is not worth living a Christian life. I have served the Lord, and now He’s letting this happen to me.” In other words, they just faint away. Many saints take that attitude. However, when I was going through a serious illness several years ago, I received several thousand letters from people all over this country and throughout the world. Many of those people were suffering much more than I, and their attitude made me feel ashamed of myself. They had been on beds of pain for months—several of them for years—and they wrote the sweetest letters I have ever read. Those letters came from folk who had real victory. We hear of meetings where people are healed and where they talk of great victories. Well, to be very frank with you, if you want to know where the great victories are being won today, go to the hospitals or visit some dear shut-in saints who have been in bed for months, and listen to them talk. You can faint, but these saints don’t faint because the Lord is strengthening them.
3. “If ye endure chastening …” (v. 7). This is a dangerous response to have because it is so close to that which is true, but this is the response of the super-duper pious saints. To me they are like the Indian fakir who crawls up on a board filled with nails and lies down. He doesn’t have to lie down there, but he does it. There are a lot of saints who accept the discipline of the Lord in a passive way: “Oh, this is of the Lord, and I will endure it.” God never asks you to take that pessimistic, super pious attitude. If you are in trouble, why don’t you go and ask Him, “Lord, why did You send this to me? There is a lesson here, and I want to learn it.” Don’t accept it in a passive manner, simply enduring it but complaining all the time.
4. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (v. 11). Have you ever done sitting-up exercises? Once I became acquainted with a man who jogged around the golf course where I played golf. He was inclined to be a little chubby, so he exercised in order to lose weight. Are you exercised when you get into trouble? When you have to suffer? When an enemy comes across your pathway? Stop and ask God, “Why in the world did You let that fellow come across my pathway?” You know, God does it for a purpose. God does all these things for a purpose, and we need to be exercised by them. The apostle Paul said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27). Paul exercised himself—that is, he didn’t give in to the desires of his body—because he did not want to come before God’s presence some day and be disapproved. My friend, whoever you are or wherever you are, it is time to take your sitting-up exercises.
I would like to give this word of personal testimony. A number of years ago when I had cancer, my first question to the Lord was, “Why?” It didn’t take me long to discover that it was my heavenly Father punishing me—I understood that. I was a hardheaded child of God, but I got things squared away with Him. He healed me of the cancer and richly blessed the growth of our radio broadcast ministry. Then suddenly I was knocked down with another illness. The doctor told me to stay on my back, and I did so for three weeks or more. I learned something during that time which I would like to pass on to you. God wasn’t judging me this time, because I’ve learned to keep my account short with Him. I get things straightened out with Him about every day. I do fail Him—I guess I’m still as hardheaded as I ever was—but I go to Him and confess my sin. I believe I am in the will of God. So I went to Him that second time and cried, “Lord, why in the world did You let this happen to me? I want to go on with the radio ministry.” He put me flat on my back, and He said, “You are My son, and I am your Father. There are a lot of things you haven’t learned yet. You may have the notion that your radio ministry is essential and that I can’t get along without you, but how did I get along without you before you got here? You are going to lie here and learn something. I am your Father, and you need to learn to endure for Me. You do not know how to rest, and you do not know how to wait on Me.” It took me a while, but I finally said to Him, “All right, Father, if You want me to lie here, I’ll lie here. I want to learn the lesson You have for me.”
We need to be exercised by the Lord’s discipline, and then we will not find ourselves in the position described in the following verse—
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees [Heb. 12:12].
Don’t go through life as a Christian, complaining all the time. I used to have a friend who, when I asked how he felt, always told me how he felt—he took fifteen minutes to tell me how he felt, and he never felt good. Therefore I quit asking how he felt. He was going around all the time with his hands hanging down and with feeble knees. May I say to you, someone is watching you. How do you endure the trouble that comes from God? Do you endure it by being exercised by it? Do you say to yourself, It is my Father, and He is chastening me. There is a purpose in it and a lesson I want to learn. We should start our sitting-up exercises: “One, two, three. One, two, three. Lord, I’d like to know why I am suffering this way.”
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed [Heb. 12:13].
I’ll be very honest with you and admit that I have never clearly understood what the writer meant when he said, “Make straight paths for your feet.” Are we to walk the straight path so that the weak saints might follow in our footsteps? Or, are we to walk the straight path so that we don’t get in the habit of limping through life? There are a lot of lamebrained Christians today who complain and criticize and are not witnesses for God at all—and yet they appear very super pious.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord [Heb. 12:14].
Be encouraged and be at peace with all men; that is, with all who will let you be at peace with them. There are some people who just won’t be at peace. Follow peace with all men—with all Christian men. We should make this one big cross-country race where there are a lot of us running the Christian life together.
“And holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” If that means that I have to produce holiness, then I am going to give up, because I haven’t any holiness. But, oh, the peace that I have which came through the blood of Christ! “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). If I have any holiness, it is because Christ has been made unto me righteousness—He is my righteousness. If I get into the presence of God it will be because Christ died for me. That is encouraging, my friend. It makes me want to get out and run the Christian race.
DANGER SIGNAL: THE PERIL OF DENYING
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled [Heb. 12:15].
“Looking diligently” has in it the thought of direction. And what is that direction? “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:2).
“Lest any man fail of the grace of God.” The word here for “fail” is not apostasy—this is not speaking of the danger of apostatizing. It means simply to fall back. In other words, a believer must keep his eyes on the Lord Jesus, not on men. If he doesn’t keep his eyes on Him, he is apt to get to the place where he does not avail himself of the grace of God.
Now God has a tremendous reservoir of grace, and He wants to lavish it upon His children. He is prepared to do that, and He is able to do that. Christ paid the penalty for our sins, and God is rich in mercy, rich in grace, and He wants to expend it upon us. The problem is that many of us do not avail ourselves of His grace. But you see, we are talking here about reality—something that you can go to God for and lay hold of it. That is the glory of it all, and that is the message of this epistle. Have you gone to Him today, my Christian friend? Have you talked to Him—yes, reverently, but really talked to Him like He is your Father? Tell Him about yourself. Tell Him you need grace. We all need grace and it is available, but we’ve got to apply for it. We need to ask Him for it. Do not fail of the grace of God.
“Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” One critical, ugly saint in a church can stir up more trouble than you can possibly imagine, just like one rotten apple in a barrel spoils all the others. We need to ask God for grace to endure whatever we are going through, and not become bitter toward any one or toward any circumstances.
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright [Heb. 12:16].
Fornication here is spiritual fornication. There is the danger of turning from God to the things of the flesh, and it could be most anything of the flesh. As far as Esau was concerned, it was the selling of his birthright, a spiritual birthright that entailed so much. It meant that Esau would be in the line that led to the Messiah, and it meant that he should be the priest of the family of Abraham. But he didn’t care for it; he was not interested in spiritual blessings.
“Profane person” does not mean that Esau cursed a great deal. It has no reference to that at all. The word profane comes from two Latin words: pro, meaning either “before” or “against,” and fanum, meaning “temple.” Therefore, it means against the temple or against God. It means that Esau was just a godless fellow. He saw no need of any recognition of God, or of any relationship to Him, or of any responsibility toward Him. So he despised his birthright and counted it as something of no value. He was even willing to trade it in for a bowl of food! There is many a man who has sold his soul. Some have sold it for liquor, some for drugs, some for sex, and some for dishonesty. There is a danger for the child of God to turn from God to the things of the flesh. We will either go forward in our relationship with Christ or fall back—we won’t stay in the same place.
For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears [Heb. 12:17].
Few passages have been as misunderstood as has this passage of Scripture. It gives the impression that poor Esau wanted to repent and God wouldn’t accept his repentance. However, the writer is saying something altogether different from that. Esau despised his birthright and then found out later that there was also an inheritance attached to it—he would inherit twice as much as any other son of Isaac. The point is that Esau was interested in that which was physical. When it says, “he sought it carefully with tears,” it means that he did a great deal of boohooing. He was like the thief who began to weep when he was caught and to say he was sorry. But he wasn’t sorry he was a thief; he was sorry that he’d been caught. Likewise, Esau was not repenting because he wanted to turn to God and receive His spiritual blessing. He repented because he had missed out on something material. He was actually against God.
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) [Heb. 12:18–21].
The writer is speaking here of the giving of the Law to Moses on top of Mount Sinai, and he is speaking of the old covenant. The people to whom he was writing were Hebrews who had turned to Christ. We need to keep that in mind all the time in this epistle. We must remember that the early church—the three thousand who were saved on the Day of Pentecost—were not Gentiles but were Jews. Until Paul and Barnabas and the other missionaries began to move out, the early church for those first few years was 100 percent Jewish.
Now these Jews in Jerusalem who had turned to Christ find themselves at a great loss. They had been accustomed to going to the temple. They had been accustomed to hearing the Mosaic Law read. But now they are shut away from the Law, and now they are shut out from the temple. They are no longer a part of the system at all, and they feel very much on the outside. Therefore, I think the writer is saying to them, “You come now to a mount that is different from Mount Sinai, and you do not want to go back to that.” Mount Sinai was the place where the Law was given and three thousand people were slain (see Exod. 32), but three thousand people were saved on the Day of Pentecost. There was death at the giving of the Law; there was new life when the gospel was preached on the Day of Pentecost. The giving of the Law was by no means a delightful experience. There was thunder and lightning, earthquake and storm, blazing fire and the blast of a trumpet that grew louder and louder and louder. It was a terrifying experience—so much so that the people said to Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die” (Exod. 20:19). Now the writer to the Hebrews says, “You don’t want to go back to that system. We have left all that behind us.”
When I was a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, there was a lady in my church who was a very lovely person, but I always felt that she was one of those Paul spoke of when he said, “… Silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:6–7). She was a woman who was sort of a social hanger-on. She belonged to a very wealthy family, went to their cocktail parties, and engaged in their sins, but she still wanted to go to the Bible classes. She attended my church but never became a member. And she pretended to be quite a Bible student. She said to me one day after I had preached a sermon about the Law, “Dr. McGee, the giving of the Law is so beautiful, isn’t it?” I had to say to that dear lady, “The giving of the Law is not beautiful. I think it is one of the most frightening scenes in the Bible! And it was a law that these people were told would never be able to save them. God gave them a sacrificial system whereby they could bring a sacrifice. A little animal had to die because the Law couldn’t save them. The Law actually condemned them.”
These Hebrew Christians had been accustomed to going to the temple and going through that ritual. Now there was nothing for them to go to, no ceremony, and no sacrifice to bring. So the writer tells them that they really do have something—
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels [Heb. 12:22].
Remember that he is speaking to Hebrews. Mount Zion was David’s place in Jerusalem. His palace was located there, and he was buried up there. Zion was David’s favorite spot. Many of the Jewish believers had still been going up to the feast in Jerusalem, but the persecution had broken out, and Christians had been driven out of Jerusalem. So he assures them they have a Jerusalem in heaven. Mount Zion is the heavenly city, the eternal city of the living God. The Book of Revelation calls it the New Jerusalem. I cannot give you the number or the street name, but my future address is in the New Jerusalem. This is what we have come to by God’s grace. We have something far better in Christ than the Jews ever had under the Law.
“And to an innumerable company of angels.” I have made the statement—and I will stick to it—that angel ministry is not connected with the church. But we are going into the New Jerusalem some day, and the Book of Revelation shows us a huge worship scene there, a great scene which John saw and tells us about. John said in effect, “There is a company of created intelligences there, ten thousand times ten thousand of them.” And then he looked around and said, “My, I didn’t see that other crowd out there—there are more than any man can number.” They are God’s created intelligences called angels.
I have never seen an angel, but I’ve often wondered about them. I am going to come some day to the New Jerusalem and join with you in that great worship of the Lamb, and all these created intelligences will be there. One thing I want to do is just to talk to some of them. Wouldn’t you like to talk to them? I’ve never had the privilege. Whenever I meet someone who tells me they have had a dream or a vision and an angel spoke to them, I tell them they ought to think back to what they had for supper the night before—that may explain the presence of an angel! You haven’t seen an angel my friend; you may think you have, but you haven’t. Yet the time will come when we will go to the place where they are.
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect [Heb. 12:23].
“The firstborn” does not refer to Christ here, although He is called that elsewhere in Scripture. The writer is speaking of the ones who have been born again. They are the only ones who are going to be there. This is the church of firstborn ones, those who at the Rapture will be caught up to this place.
Their names “which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all.” I thank God that when I get into the presence of “the Judge of all,” there is one who will already have paid the penalty for my sins, and my record will be clear.
“And to the spirits of just men made perfect.” “Perfect” does not mean complete or perfect as you and I think of it. It refers to Old Testament saints whose salvation has been made complete now that Christ has died as the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world.
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel [Heb. 12:24].
“And to Jesus”—then we are going to be brought into the presence of Jesus.
“The mediator of the new covenant.” He is the mediator of the New Covenant—He is not going to thunder from Mount Sinai. Even when He was here, He sat down on a mountain and gave the law for His kingdom. I think it is going to be lots sweeter when we come into His presence some day and see Him as the mediator of the New Covenant.
“And to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Abel’s blood cried for vengeance, but the blood of Christ speaks of salvation. This is wonderful.
Back in verse 3 we read, “Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself….” The writer is trying to get these Hebrew Christians to take their eyes off the temple, off a bloody sacrifice, off a ritual, and on to the person of Christ. Today we need to get our eyes off a church, off religion, off an organization, and off a man. No man down here should be the one to whom we are looking. Look to Jesus—look only to Him. The temple with all its splendor and ritual was passing away and was to be destroyed—now they are under a new economy.
Consider Him. Look to Jesus. Someone has said that this is the simplicity of our faith, and I agree with that, but there is a danger of oversimplification under the evangelistic methods which are being used today. I have a little book which I have entitled Faith Plus Nothing Equals Salvation because I believe this is true. Faith alone can save. However, today we have an epidemic of easy believism. Many folk have made salvation a simple mathematical equation: If you can say yes to this, yes to that, and yes to a half-dozen questions, then you are a Christian. This type of approach leaves no room for the work of the Holy Spirit and for the conviction of sin. It just means a nodding assent, a passing acquaintance with Jesus. It does not mean that you are born again.
There is a word that is being overworked today: commit your life to Christ. What kind of life do you have to commit to Christ? If you are coming to Christ as a sinner, you don’t have any life—you are dead in trespasses and sins. The Lord Jesus is the one who said, “I have come that you might have life.” You do not commit a life, but He committed His life for you and He died for you. You are dead in trespasses and sins, and He has life to offer to you: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
We also hear people say, “Give your heart to Jesus.” Well, my friend, what do you think He wants with that dirty, old heart? Read the list of things He said come out of the heart (see Matt. 15:19). They are the dirtiest things that I know. He didn’t ask you to give your heart to Him. He says, “I want to give you a new heart and a new life.” We need today the conviction of sin, to know that we are sinners. We have made salvation a very jolly affair. An evangelistic crusade today is just too ducky; it’s so sweet, and it’s so lovely. I don’t see people come weeping under conviction of sin.
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven [Heb. 12:25].
“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.” Since the Lord Jesus Christ is so wonderful and since His words are very important, it pays you to give attention to Him—it will be very profitable to you.
“For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.” If you want to see what happened to a people under the Law, go to the nation of Israel even today. They are not dwelling in peace. Theirs has been a really sad story for over nineteen hundred years. Why? Because they refused to hear Him. They also refused to hear the Law, and for that God judged them. It is a serious business not to listen to this warning. Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). If you do His will you will find out whether it is true or not, but if you refuse—how will you escape if you neglect so great a salvation?
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven [Heb. 12:26].
At the giving of the Law there was an earthquake, and at the crucifixion of Christ there was an earthquake. Now God is saying that the day is coming when He is going to shake everything. When I look at the tall buildings in downtown Los Angeles, I am tempted to say to them, “I want to get a good look at you today because you may not be here tomorrow.” God says He is going to shake the earth and heaven itself. Do you know why He is going to do that? God is going to shake everything to let all His created universe know that there are some things which are unshakeable, and one of those things is living faith in Jesus Christ. He is the Rock that we rest upon, and He cannot be shaken. Do you want a secure place today? He is the place to go. He is the air raid shelter that is safe today. Men want to make the world safe, but no man can make this world safe, nor can any world organization such as the United Nations make it safe. It is not even safe for me to walk at night down the street on which I live. However, God is going to make it safe some day, and in order to do that, He is first going to shake everything.
And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain [Heb. 12:27].
In other words, we had better be very careful that we build our lives on the right foundation. Are we building on sinking sand? Or are we building upon the Rock which is Christ?
“That those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” God will remain. His word will remain, and the eternal kingdom to which believers belong will remain.
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear [Heb. 12:28].
As believers we are moving toward a heavenly kingdom, but as we move toward the heavenly kingdom we need to recognize that we should be serving God down here. But how are we to serve Him? Well, we are to serve Him “acceptably.” How do we serve Him acceptably? “With reverence and godly fear.” My friend, Christianity is not playing church, and it is not assuming a pious attitude. It is a living, vital, and real relationship with Jesus Christ that transforms your life and anchors you in the Word of God.
For our God is a consuming fire [Heb. 12:29].
You can take that or leave it, but it just happens to be in the Word of God. This is a solemn reminder that grace is available for you to serve God, but don’t trifle with God, my friend. Don’t think you can play fast and loose with God and get by with it.
I remember that when I first came to Pasadena as a pastor in 1940 I was asked by a lady to go see her husband. They were a lovely couple, but the husband was sick and in bed at home. In fact, he never got out of that bed; he died there. When I went to see him, I presented the gospel to him. He heard me courteously and then said this, “Dr. McGee, I would like to tell you right now that I accept Christ as my Savior, and I will do that, but I have trifled and played with God so often down through the years that I don’t even know myself when I’m sincere and when I’m not sincere.”
My friend, don’t trifle with God. That day may come when you won’t even know where you stand with Him at all. I tell you, our God is a consuming fire, but he is also a gracious, glorious, wonderful Savior.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Love
As we have said, chapter 11 is the faith chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews; chapter 12 is the hope chapter; and chapter 13 is the love chapter. Another outline that has been suggested for this section is as follows: chapter 10 the Christian’s privilege; chapter 11 the Christian’s power; chapter 12 the Christian’s progess; and chapter 13 the Christian’s practice. That is not the best outline, but it is good for Chapter 13—in chapter 13 we will see the Christian’s practice.
SECRET LIFE OF THE BELIEVER
Let brotherly love continue [Heb. 13:1].
“Brotherly love” should be translated as brother love. The writer of this epistle is writing primarily to Hebrews, but what he has to say has application to us. Both Jew and Gentile have been brought into one body, the body of believers. The cement, the Elmer’s glue, that holds us together is brother love—not brotherly love, but brother love. We are not to love like brothers, but we are to love because we are brothers.
Now if you are a child of God you are my brother. I get many letters that say, “I am a black person. But I listen to your program and I want you to know that I am a believer and I love you.” I appreciate that so much. What difference does the color of the skin make when we are children of God? When He has given us new hearts and washed us white as snow, we are brothers, we are in the family of God, and we are to love one another.
I like to illustrate the Christian life as a triangle: The Christian life is a life of faith and of love toward God and of love toward others. “Let brother love continue.”
Now here is stranger love—
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares [Heb. 13:2].
“Some have entertained angels unawares.” The word angel may refer to superhuman beings or it may refer to human beings who are messengers from God. The same word is used to address the leaders of the seven churches of Asia Minor in chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation, in which I take the position that the “angels” are human messengers; that is, they are the teachers or leaders of the churches being addressed.
The writer mentions that there are those in the Old Testament who “entertained angels unawares.” Abraham was one of them, and Jacob was another (although he didn’t do much entertaining that night as he was too busy wrestling!); Joshua also entertained an angel.
The basic thought of this verse in the Hebrew epistle is that we are to extend love to strangers by showing hospitality to them. We ought to be careful that our love is exercised with judgment, but we need to recognize that there are folk around us to whom we could be very helpful. We should extend our love to them, and in doing this we might meet some very wonderful people.
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body [Heb. 13:3].
Paul himself was in bonds. He knew a great deal about that, and so he says, “Remember the needy and those in trouble. Show love to those who are in need.” You see, the church is a body—when one member suffers, all of us suffer. When I was seriously ill sometime ago I had the opportunity to experience this myself. A letter from one dear lady caused me to shed tears: “Dr. McGee, I’m inactive now, and I’m not able to do anything. I prayed to God that I would be able to take your disease upon myself so that you could go on with your ministry.” May I say to you, we don’t find that kind of spirit in every church or every group of believers, but we need it and I thank God there is a lot of it around.
We talk a great deal about the Christian fellowship which we have in our little group meetings or around the banquet table. But what about the poor saint who is off yonder lying on a bed and whom no one has visited? Many of you could have a wonderful ministry visiting the sick and lonely. This is the brother love that he is talking about here. Brother love is not something that takes place only in the church or in little groups that meet together. There has been a new phrase coined in our day: “body truth.” Gracious, that truth has been in Scripture all these years; it is not something new. And you exercise that body truth by going out there to that individual who is in need. We do not hear that aspect emphasized very much today.
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge [Heb. 13:4].
“Marriage is honourable in all.” The writer is condemning asceticism here. Young man, if you find a Christian girl who will have you, get married. Young lady, if you find a Christian fellow who will have you, get married. I believe that God will lead you to the right one, if you are willing to be led in that way.
Marriage is honorable in all, and sex is to be exercised within the framework of marriage. God gave marriage to mankind for the welfare of mankind. I know I sound like a square, because this idea of living together without being married has become very commonplace, but I must tell you, young person, that you will surely pay for it if you attempt to live together outside the bonds of marriage. The home is the very center of the whole social structure, and it is the very center of the church.
“And the bed undefiled.” There is nothing wrong with sex—except that it is being taught too much in our schools today. When I was in London sometime ago, I learned that they were going to cut down on teaching sex. They found that it led to more rapes in the schools than ever before, and they felt it to be responsible for an epidemic of venereal disease.
“But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). This is very severe, but after years in the ministry, I have watched many Christians who have tried to get by with sexual sins, and I do not know of any who have been able to do it. Maybe they have not been detected, but they have not gotten by with it; God has judged them.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee [Heb. 13:5].
“Your conversation” means your manner of life. Don’t be known as a moneygrabber, as one who puts the almighty dollar above almighty God. He may not make you a millionaire, but He will never leave you or forsake you. Isn’t it wonderful to have Him say that to you? It does not matter who you are or what you do, if you have responded in faith to the Word of God, you have been brought to the place where you can know that He will never leave you or forsake you. I have a notion that I have friends today who would forsake me, and I may have relatives who would forsake me. But the Lord Jesus will never forsake me. I hope you have Him on your side.
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me [Heb. 13:6].
The Hebrew Christians in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria were going to face punishment and trials in the next few years. They needed to remember that God was not going to forsake them, and that they could say in spite of what happened, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
It is interesting to note what happened when some of the prisoners of war finally were able to return home after the war in Vietnam. During the war, many radicals in the United States were concerned over the fate of the POWs, and they made trips to Vietnam and led protest rallies on their behalf. But when the POWs were released, very few of the radicals showed any interest in them. When the prisoners of war came back to this country many of them testified that they had turned to Jesus, and it was Jesus who helped them. Of course, the news media didn’t like that or want to talk about that. But Jesus never forsook them—He stayed with them and saw them through. He is the one who will see you through, too. I don’t think the radicals or the politicians will help you much. I am tired of listening to them. I want to listen to Jesus, because He will never leave me nor forsake me.
SOCIAL LIFE OF THE BELIEVER
Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation [Heb. 13:7].
There are some ministers who use this verse and say that the members of their church are to obey them. However, it seems rather that the thought here is of leadership. He is speaking of spiritual leaders, and spiritual leaders are to lead folk to Christ. If a man is presenting Christ and is attempting to bring people into the presence of Christ, then that is a man to whom you should be loyal. But to be loyal to a man simply because he is the pastor of a church is not what Paul is talking about at all.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever [Heb. 13:8].
“Jesus Christ.” There is no accident in the Word of God; that is, no word is ever used carelessly. Jesus is His human name; Christ is His title, that which speaks of His deity.
Jesus is the name which links Him with mankind. It identifies Him as the most wonderful person in this world.
Jesus, Name of sweetness,
Jesus, sound of love;
Cheering exiles onward
To their rest above.
Jesus, oh the magic
Of the soft love sound;
How it thrills and trembles
To creation’s bound.
—Author unknown
How wonderful Jesus was as a person when He was down here. People crowded around Him because He was so human. The mobs followed Him and they loved Him. It was the teaching of Jesus they hated—it was not Jesus the man. He was wonderful, my friend.
Christ is a title which speaks of His messianic mission to this earth—He is God manifest in the flesh. “Jesus Christ”—how marvelously these two are meshed together here. He is Jesus Christ, and He is the same.
I feel inadequate to deal with this very marvelous verse, but I do want to say that it has probably been misapplied as much as any verse in the Word of God. There are many who use this verse and say, “When Jesus was here nineteeen hundred years ago, He performed miracles; therefore we ought to perform them today. He healed nineteen hundred years ago, and so we ought to be healing today. He is still in that same business.”
Jesus Christ is the same, but we need to understand how He is the same. He is the same in His character, in His person, and in His attributes, but He is not the same in place or in performance. When I was in the land of Israel I didn’t see Him over there. I saw very little evidence at all of Him in that land. Over nineteen hundred years ago He was in Bethlehem as a little baby, but He is no longer a baby and He is not in Bethlehem. Later He was a little boy playing in the streets of Nazareth. I walked down the streets of Nazareth, but I didn’t see Him. I saw a lot of little boys, but He was not one of them. A few years later as a man He walked through that land, and He did heal. I was in Jerusalem and I saw Golgotha, but there is not a cross there and He is not on a cross today. The whole thought of this epistle is that He is now at the right hand of God: “… We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb. 8:1); and we are to look “unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:2). He accomplished our redemption nineteen hundred years ago, and He sat down at the right hand of God. Right now He is up yonder, but some day He will come as the King to the earth to establish His kingdom. He has not yet called His church out of the world, but some day He will do that. You see, Jesus is not the same in place and performance, but He is the same in His attributes.
When He was here nineteen hundred years ago, He was God who came down to our level. When I have been in the land of Israel and have considered that fact, I have truly marveled at it. He came to a place where there was no great wealth or pomp or ceremony. He did not come to Rome, the center of power and government. He did not come to Athens, the great cultural center. He did come to an insignificant outpost of the Roman Empire, and He came to the level of the common man.
Because we are often afraid that we will be misunderstood when we speak of Christ’s humanity, we do not emphasize it as we should. Rather, we emphasize His deity, and we need to do that because the liberal speaks of nothing but His humanity, and even that he does not truly understand. But in His humanity, I think that Jesus was the most attractive person who ever walked this earth—not because He was God, but because He was a man, a real man.
Have you ever wondered why the crowds were attracted to Him and followed Him? He was strong but gentle—so gentle that little children came to Him. However, He could drive the money-changers out of the temple and they ran for cover, because He was man enough to put them out. Also He was attractive. He had what we call today charisma. People followed Him because they loved Him, and they knew they were in the presence of a man who was a man. In Capernaum He healed a leper and then had to leave because the crowds pressed around Him so that He couldn’t even continue His ministry. Even publicans and sinners came to Him, which was the thing that so angered the religious crowd. If He came to your town today—I hate to say this—I don’t think He would come to your church. I have a notion you would find Him where the crowd is; He would be mixing with people and probably holding a child or two. When He went to Jericho at the end of His ministry, again we find that the crowds lined the way so that little Zacchaeus had to climb up a tree in order to see Him, but even there our Lord stopped and brought him down out of the tree. How sensitive the Lord Jesus was to human need, and how wonderful He was in His person!
I want to say something very carefully: it was the person of Christ that appealed; it was not His teachings. His great declaration that He was going to die to redeem men was not popular. At the very beginning of His ministry, it was His teaching that offended. He taught that He was the Bread of Life and that He had come to give His life that men might have spiritual food, and added, “Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” And John’s record tells us, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:65–68). The crowd narrowed down, and only twelve stayed with Him. Why? Because of His teaching. And actually Simon Peter rebuked Him when He spoke of His impending death, “… Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (Matt. 16:22). Even His loyal disciples didn’t like that kind of teaching. When men came into contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, they found grace and truth; they found sweetness and strength; they found meekness and majesty; they found light and love. He appealed to men, but when he died on a cross that cross became an offense. The Cross is still an offense, but Jesus is still attractive.
It is said that when Savonarola in the city of Florence went before the great populace and said, “Be free,” they applauded him. But when he said to them, “Be pure,” they ran him out of town. They refused his teaching when it did not appeal to them. The Lord Jesus said to men, “You have to turn from sin. You cannot live in sin. I have come to make you free, but I will have to give My life for you and you will have to come as sinners to Me.” And sinners came—when men were desperate, they would come to Him. I believe that is the only way men will come to Him even today.
I wish that I could present Him as He really was nineteen hundred years ago when He came to this earth. How wonderful He was! Today, your sorrow is His sorrow, and your joy is His joy. He will be the same in the future—“the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” He is never going to change. Some day we will be in His presence. How wonderful that will be!
Before we leave this subject, let me share with you an excerpt from a booklet written by Dr. C. I. Scofield, entitled The Loveliness of Christ:
First of all, as it seems to me, this loveliness of Christ consists in His perfect humanity. Am I understood? I do not now mean that He was a perfect human, but that He was perfectly human.
In everything but our sins, and our evil natures, He is one with us. He grew in stature and in grace. He labored, and wept, and prayed, and loved. He was tempted in all points as we are—sin apart. With Thomas, we confess Him Lord and God; we adore and revere Him, but beloved, there is no other who establishes with us such intimacy, who comes so close to these human hearts of ours; no one in the universe of whom we are so little afraid. He enters as simply and naturally into our twentieth century lives as if He had been reared in the same street.
He is wonderful, my friend, and you ought to know Him. Paul, who came to know Him, found that even at the end of his life he wanted to know Him better. He said, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection …” (Phil. 3:10). Today my one ambition is to know Him and to get out His Word—I cannot think of anything better to do.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein [Heb. 13:9].
It is amazing that most of the cults today go in for special diets. I believe that food is important as far as the health of the body is concerned, but it has nothing to do with your relationship to God. Paul wrote, “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:8). He is saying the same thing here. Do not go off into these strange cults and teachings in which diet and ceremonies and rituals and little study groups are supposed to make you a super-duper saint. Nothing in the world is going to build you up but the Word of God. The Word of God will build you up if it brings you to the person of Christ, and only the Holy Spirit can take the things of Christ and make them real unto you.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle [Heb. 13:10].
A comparison is being made here between what Israel had under the old covenant in contrast to the better things of the new covenant. Believers today have an altar, but this altar is not the Lord’s Supper as some people have mistakenly interpreted it to mean. We do not have a material altar with a local address, but we have an altar which is in heaven. It is the throne of grace up yonder. It was a throne of judgment—He condemned us there—but now that the blood has been placed there, we can come and find grace and salvation.
I would like to say at this point that Christian fellowship is not a church banquet. For years while I was in the ministry I heard it said: “Come to the banquet. We are going to have some marvelous Christian fellowship.” No, you’re not, my friend. You are just going there for a good time and to fill your little tummy. The only place you can have real Christian fellowship (koinoµnia) is around the Word of God. It is the Word of God which brings you to the person of Christ and enables you to see Him in all His glory. It is then that you will have fellowship and a good time with other believers. Our Lord is wonderful, my friend—it is terrible to pass Him by.
For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp [Heb. 13:11].
The writer is referring to the sin offering. When Christ died it was for the fact that you and I are sinners. Not only do we commit sin, we are sinners by nature, and He took our sins on Himself that He might give us a new nature.
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate [Heb. 13:12].
Jesus died outside the city. Why? Because He was the sin offering. The sin offering was taken away from the temple and “burned without the camp.” Jesus was our sin offering, and He paid the penalty for our sin.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach [Heb. 13:13].
The writer is saying to these Hebrew Christians, “Don’t mind leaving the temple. Don’t mind leaving the rituals. Those things are not helpful. Go to Him—Go to Christ.”
My friend, we, too, are to go to Him. We are on our way to a heavenly Jerusalem. This is real separation he is talking about here. Today we put the emphasis on separation from; we are separated from something—that is, “I don’t do this and I don’t do that.” Real separation is not from; it is unto. Paul said he was separated unto the gospel, separated unto Christ, separated unto the Word of God. In fact the word Hebrew means the “one who crossed over.” Abraham was called a Hebrew because he had come from the other side of the Euphrates River, signifying that his old life was gone. The children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, and they were delivered from slavery; they were redeemed, and a new life was then possible. Then they had to cross the Jordan River to live in the Promised Land, the land of Canaan, the kind of life that we also should live down here.
We are to go “without the camp, bearing his reproach.” The Hebrew Christians hated to leave the temple and their religion. Many people today are wrapped up in “churchianity,” thinking that because they are members of a church they are saved. They need to get away from ritual and religion and come to Christ. Come to Him—that is real separation, and that is real salvation.
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come [Heb. 13:14].
Again the writer makes it clear that we have nothing permanent down here.
SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE BELIEVER
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name [Heb. 13:15].
A child of God is a priest today and can bring sacrifices to God. There are four sacrifices of a believer. (1) You can sacrifice your person (see Rom. 12:1). Someone has said, “When one truly gives himself to the Lord, all other giving becomes easy.” (2) You can sacrifice your purse (see 2 Cor. 8:1–5). If He doesn’t have your purse, He doesn’t have you. (3) You can offer the sacrifice of praise, which we find in this verse: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (4) Finally, you can offer the sacrifice of performance or doing good, which we find in the following verse—
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased [Heb. 13:16].
When you took that basket of fruit over to that dear, lonely, and sick child of God whom everyone has forgotten about, you were a priest offering a sacrifice to God. It was well pleasing to Him—He took delight in your doing that. Again I must refer to the time when I was seriously ill and flat on my back. At that time I received many letters from folk who were lots worse off physically than I was. They wrote lovely letters, and every one of them was a sacrifice. And many folk helped me in a tangible way, and that too was a sacrifice well pleasing to God. My friend, if Christianity does not walk in shoe leather it is no good at all. The Lord Jesus is up yonder at the right hand of God—that is where He is as Head of the church—but His feet are down here right where the rubber meets the road. He wants Christianity to be in shoe leather, and He would like to walk in your shoes.
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you [Heb. 13:17].
We had this same thought in verse 7. If your pastor is a man of God who is teaching the Word of God then you are to obey the Word of God as he has given it to you. It would be better to not hear the Word of God, than to hear it and not obey it.
Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly [Heb. 13:18].
“Pray for us.” Evidently the readers of this epistle knew the writer, and I believe the writer was Paul.
“For we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.” It is wonderful to pillow your head at night with a good conscience, a conscience enlightened by the Word of God. A great many people are not walking in the light. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:6–7).
But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner [Heb. 13:19].
This statement also makes me believe that Paul wrote this epistle. Apparently he was in prison at this time, and he is saying to these Hebrew Christians, “I want to come back and be among you again”—after all, he was a Hebrew himself.
BENEDICTION
Now we come to the benediction, a benediction which I have used thousands of times in my ministry.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen [Heb. 13:20–21].
“That great shepherd of the sheep.” The Lord Jesus is here called the Great Shepherd. In Psalm 22 He is presented as the Good Shepherd, and in John 10:11 He calls Himself the Good Shepherd. As the Good Shepherd He gave His life for the sheep. As the Great Shepherd He is the one who perfects the sheep and builds them up. We see that here and also in Psalm 23. He leads us beside the still waters and leads us to the place where the grass is good and green and very tender, that is, to the Word of God. Then in Psalm 24 He is presented as the Chief Shepherd. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet. 5:4). He died in the past as the Good Shepherd; He is the Great Shepherd today; and He is coming some day as the Chief Shepherd for His sheep. He started out with one hundred sheep, and do you know how many sheep He is going to have with Him in heaven? Ninety-nine? No. He is going to have all one hundred sheep with him there.
“Through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” Christ’s blood is the basis of every covenant God has ever made.
“Make you perfect”—this has been the purpose of the Epistle to the Hebrews. We have been told, “Let us go on to perfection.” He means for us to go on to maturation, to being full-grown children of God. It is marvelous to admire a little baby lying in the crib, but if you come back in twenty years and he is still lying there, saying, “Da-da-da,” something is radically wrong. There are a lot of such saints who need to come to maturation, to grow up, and the Epistle to the Hebrews will help them to do that.
“In every good work to do his will.” What is the important thing for a child of God? To do His will—to allow Him to work His will in your life, “working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words [Heb. 13:22].
Notice how personal this is. I have to smile when he says he wrote this “in few words.” To my judgment this is a long letter, but he calls it “few words.”
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you [Heb. 13:23].
Again, this sounds like Paul. Apparently Timothy had been in prison. A note in my Bible at the bottom of this chapter says, “Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy.” That is not part of the text, but it is some man’s interpretation. This man could be wrong, and I could be wrong in saying that Paul wrote this epistle. The important thing is that the Holy Spirit wrote it and that He takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us.
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you [Heb. 13:24].
The writer was in Italy, and so was Paul.
He closes this epistle with a wonderful benediction, and I will close with it also. I cannot improve on it because it interprets itself—
Grace be with you all. Amen [Heb. 13:25].
APPENDIX
Theme: The authorship of Hebrews or did Paul write Hebrews?; internal evidences on authorship; date and destination; arguments available on authorship; a defense of the Pauline authorship
THE AUTHORSHIP OF HEBREWS OR DID PAUL WRITE HEBREWS?
The Epistle to the Hebrews presents many moot problems. Some of them are in conjunction with the question of authorship, which we shall consider under the following divisions:
1. Internal evidence on authorship (Is Hebrews an epistle or treatise?)
2. Date and destination
3. Arguments available on authorship
4. A defense of the Pauline authorship
It is evident that we are contending for the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. First we shall present all arguments against it, as indicated by the headings. Then we shall present the evidence that establishes the Pauline authorship in our own thinking.
INTERNAL EVIDENCES ON AUTHORSHIP
The deciding factor in determining the authorship, according to one writer, is that tradition and history shed no light upon the question of the authorship of Hebrews. This probably is being considered first because we do not agree with the writer on this statement. Rather, we believe that both history and tradition lend a deciding voice to this question.
We are therefore thrown back, in our search for the author, on such evidence as the epistle itself affords, and that is wholly inferential. It seems probable that the author was a Hellenist, a Greek-speaking Jew. He was familiar with the Scriptures of the OT and with the religious ideas and worship of the Jews. He claims the inheritance of their sacred history, traditions and institutions (1:1), and dwells on them with an intimate knowledge and enthusiasm that would be improbable, though not impossible, in a proselyte, and still more in a Christian convert from heathenism. But he knew the OT only in the LXX [Septuagint] translation, which he follows even where it deviates from the Hebrew. He writes Greek with a purity of style and vocabulary to which the writings of Luke alone in the NT can be compared. His mind is imbued with that combination of Hebrew and Greek thought which is best known in the writings of Philo. His general typological mode of thinking, his use of the allegorical method, as well as the adoption of many terms that are most familiar in Alexandrian thought, all reveal the Hellenistic mind. Yet his fundamental conceptions are in full accord with the teaching of Paul and of the Johannine writings.
The central position assigned to Christ, the high estimate of His person, the saving significance of His death, the general trend of the ethical teaching, the writer’s opposition to asceticism and his esteem for the rulers and teachers of the church, all bear out the inference that he belonged to a Christian circle dominated by Pauline ideas. The author and his readers alike were not personal disciples of Jesus, but had received the gospel from those who had heard the Lord (2:3) and who were no longer living (13:7) …. The letter [Paul] quotes the OT from the Hebrew and LXX but Hebrews only from LXX …. For Paul the OT is law, and stands in antithesis to the NT, but in Hebrews the OT is covenant, and is the “shadow” of the New Covenant. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II, p. 1357.)
We have quoted voluminously from this writer because his main thesis is to show that Paul could not have been the author. His sole proof is based on the internal evidence from the epistle.
In considering the internal nature of the epistle, a word must be said relative to the question: Is it really an epistle? There is no word of salutation or greeting in this Epistle to the Hebrews, such as marks the other New Testament books, with the possible exception of 1 John. It is in the form of a treatise rather than a letter. In it are long, philosophical sentences written in purest idiomatic Greek. It bears no mark of a translation from the Hebrew, as Clement of Alexandria suggests. This is an inference on his part because it was written to Hebrew-speaking Jews. The length of the epistle is another thing that might suggest a treatise, yet note the author’s own words in this respect, “… for I ave written a letter unto you in few words” (Heb. 13:22). Delitzsch has this enlightening comment to make on this epistle:
We seem at first to have a treatise before us, but the special hortatory reference interwoven with the most discursive and dogmatic portions of the work soon show us that it is really a kind of sermon addressed to some particular and well known auditory; while at the close the homiletic form changes into that of an epistle.
According to Deissmann’s definition of an epistle as distinct from a letter, we feel sure that this would allow it to fall under the category of an epistle. Its conclusion is that of an epistle. Later in our discussion we shall present a reason for the omission of a greeting. These problems are intimately tied up with the question of authorship, especially when one attempts to maintain the Pauline authorship. We agree with Plumer that this is an epistle.
As we conclude this section on the internal nature of the Epistle to the Hebrews, we should note that this epistle is in composition and lofty concept the masterpiece of the New Testament, although there is no conclusive evidence for the authorship. Only suggestions and intimations shed light on this problem. In our defense for the Pauline authorship we shall undertake to show that the suggestions and intimations point to Paul as the author, yet we are not dogmatic in stating that the proof is positive.
DATE AND DESTINATION
The latest date for the composition of Hebrews is a.d. 96. The earliest date cannot be determined so easily. It must have been written after a.d. 50 if it is made dependent on Paul’s epistles. All critics fix the dating between these two terminal points. Moffatt shows that Clement, Justin Martyr, Hermas, and Tertullian knew of it and quoted from it. Clement quoted from it at length. By the second century it was widely circulated and read. Rees places the date around a.d. 80, Moffatt around a.d. 85. Here is a list of the probable datings: Basnage—a.d. 61; L’Enfant and Beausobre a.d. 62; Horne and Bagster—a.d. 62 or 63; Pearson, Lardner, Tomlin, Mill, Wetstein, and Tillemont—a.d. 63; Authorized Version and Lloyd—a.d. 64; Michaelis—a.d. 64–65; Scott—a.d. 65; Ebrard before a.d. 58. The number of dates given suggests that the means used to arrive at a date was by way of the lottery, not by process of scholarship. However, Hebrews must have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Because there is constant reference to the Old Testament ritual being in progress at that time, certainly there would have been reference to the destruction of the temple. Having examined the arguments carefully, we are fully persuaded that those who place the dating of it after the destruction of Jerusalem do not sufficiently answer the question of why the writer omitted reference to this catastrophe.
E. Schuyler English gives us this word:
It is also obvious that the epistle was written before the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. For at the time of its composition Mosaic institutions were still being observed—priests were offering gifts according to the Law (8:3–5) and the temple was still standing (13:11–12). The temple was in Jerusalem.
Godet has a fitting comment:
This epistle, without introduction or subscription, is like the great High Priest of whom it treats, who was without beginning of days or end of years, abiding an High Priest continually. It is entirely fitting that it should remain anonymous.
The epistle was first accepted by the Eastern church. Athanasius accepted it, and the council of Carthage confirmed it in a.d. 397. Paul’s name was on the epistle about the time it began to circulate.
The consensus is that Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians. But where were the Jewish Christians located? It was not written for the whole body of Jewish believers everywhere. It was written to a particular church located in a particular place. The epistle bears testimony to this: The church had for some time obeyed the gospel (Heb. 5:12); past conduct inspired confidence in their sincerity (Heb. 6:9); they had been kind to God’s people (Heb. 6:10); note other personal references in Hebrews 10:32–34; 13:19, 23. Was this church in Palestine or out of Palestine? It is around this question that the argument on destination is based.
First of all, there is evidence that the first readers were Jews. The epistle assumes an intimate knowledge with the Old Testament. The readers were of the same lineage as Jews in the Old Testament (Heb. 1:1; 3:9). Zahn has this comment to make:
Hebrews does not contain a single sentence in which it is so much as intimated that the readers became members of God’s people who descended from Abraham, and heirs of the promise given to them and their forefathers, and how they became such. 13:13 shows that both the readers and author were members of the Jewish race.
Now we shall try to determine to whom or rather what particular church the author was addressing. This epistle is addressed to the Hebrews, which word in the New Testament does not apply to all Jews. It was used for those who were more thoroughly of Jewish origins and habits and who spoke the vernacular of Palestine. The other Jews outside of Palestine were designated Hellenists. Lindsay says that Acts 6:1 makes this distinction clear. DeWette says that Eusebius, speaking of the Jews of Asia Minor, styles them not Hebrews but ex Hebraion ontes. Chrysostom says that this epistle was sent to Jerusalem. The fact that the epistle was written in Greek does not negate the evidence that it was sent to Palestine, for it is natural for a writer out of Palestine to write in the universal language of his day. The Palestinian Jews were well acquainted with Greek, as Deissmann has clearly demonstrated. In fact, it was the language of communication. DeWette held to the opinion that this epistle was destined to parts other than Palestine; yet he acknowledges that the Jewish character of the epistle—the persecutions which they were enduring, the consequent risk of apostasy, and the ancient opinion—reveal Palestine as the more probable destination. Ebrard wrote, “We are at liberty to seek these Jewish Christians only in Jerusalem.”
ARGUMENTS AVAILABLE ON AUTHORSHIP
We can say with Shakespeare that we have now come to the very heart of the matter. There is less evidence for the authorship of this epistle than of any other book of the New Testament. Others have problems of authorship, but there is some definite evidence available and some general agreement, at least, regarding the author. For example, nearly all critics say that some John wrote the fourth Gospel. But there is no such agreement regarding Hebrews. Moffatt rightly says that few characters in the New Testament have escaped the attention of those in late days who have sought to identify them as the author of Hebrews. Apollos, Peter, Philip, Silvanus, Prisca, Barnabas, and Paul have all been suggested as the possible author. To Moffatt’s list we might add the names of Luke, Silas, Clement of Rome, Ariston, and Titus, all of whom have been suggested as the possible author. Out of this dozen, one is privileged to take his choice—or refrain from doing so, as Moffatt does. Moffatt concludes that the author was one of those unknown personalities in whom the early church was more rich than we realize. There is absolutely no basis, other than conjecture, for asserting that most of these were the author, although several have a plausible claim.
As we examine their claim to authorship, Luke and Clement are easily eliminated because a comparison of their writings to the Epistle to the Hebrews reveals a difference in style, composition, and influence. Clement quotes from Hebrews, and his own writings show marked differences. (See introduction of Moffatt’s commentary on Hebrews.) So little is known of the others, with the exception of Barnabas, that it is impossible to establish a case for or against them. Barnabas will be considered in the three theories that are presented.
In the early church were three traditions regarding the authorship of Hebrews: The Alexandrian tradition supported the Pauline authorship; the African tradition supported the authorship of Barnabas; Rome and the West supported the idea that it was anonymous.
1. Alexandrian tradition: Clement says that his teacher, probably Pantaenus, explained why Paul did not address his readers under his name. He further states that Paul wrote it in Hebrew and Luke translated it into Greek. Origen follows Clement, but knowing that the view of Alexandria was criticized, he concludes that the author is “known only to God.” By the fourth century the tradition of the Pauline authorship was well established in Alexandria, Syria, and Greece. This tradition prevailed until the revival of learning. Eusebius favored the Pauline tradition, as did Dionysius of Alexandria, Alexander of Alexandria, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius, the Council of Laodicea of a.d. 363, and Erasmus. Among those who denied the Pauline tradition were Irenaeus, Cyprian of Carthage, Tertullian, Caius and Novatus, presbyters of the church at Rome. Calvin did not accept the tradition, for he says, “I, indeed, can adduce no reason to show that Paul was its author.” Luther and Moll defend the authorship of Apollos against the Pauline tradition. Thus we see that tradition was probably equally divided.
2. African tradition: This view supported Barnabas as the author of Hebrews. Tertullian was the leading exponent, for he attributed the epistle, without question, to Barnabas. This is the most tempting suggestion, as Wickham remarks. It suits the character of Barnabas. Barnabas was a “Levite of the country of Cyprus,” a Hellenist by birthplace, but a Hebrew by race, interested in the sacrificial system, companion of Paul (yet one who entertained views of his own), the “son of consolation,” the mediator and peacemaker between old and new. Zahn infers that this tradition arose in Montanist churches and originated in Asia. However, this tradition was superseded by the Alexandrian tradition, for in a.d. 393 the council of Hippo reckons thirteen epistles to Paul, but in a.d. 419 the council of Carthage reckons fourteen to Paul, which would include Hebrews.
3. Roman tradition: This view said the author was anonymous. No tradition of authorship appears before a.d. 400, according to Rees. Stephen Gobarus, writing in a.d. 600, says that both Irenaeus and Hippolytus denied the Pauline authorship. The epistle was known to Clement of Rome, and he mentions no one as author. Another suggestion as to the authorship of Hebrews is mentioned by Plumer. It is that of Zenas, the lawyer. This makes thirteen guesses as to the author of Hebrews.
A DEFENSE OF THE PAULINE AUTHORSHIP
We are not holding dogmatically or tenaciously to an obsolete view. Rather, we have examined the evidence and find no reason to reject the Pauline authorship. It is not our purpose in this section to affirm that Paul wrote Hebrews, but to set forth our reasons for tentatively accepting the Pauline authorship, or the authority, that this epistle rests upon, for the canonicity of this epistle depends largely upon the view of authorship. It was accepted into the canon on Pauline authority; and with that removed, it is possible to reject this great epistle.
Under the first heading (Internal Evidences on Authorship) we attempted to show that all the light from the epistle itself reveals only the fact that the author is anonymous. His name is nowhere mentioned in the epistle. Now, using the internal evidence, we want to show how Paul could be the author.
So far we have tried to show two things: (1) there is no evidence, external or internal, to support any claim as to the authorship, except it be Paul; (2) there is nothing incompatible with thinking that Paul wrote it.
Now we shall take our third burden of proof and attempt to show that internal and external evidence support the Pauline authorship.
1. Internal Evidence: Origen remarked that the thoughts (noemata) of this epistle all bore the stamp of Paul’s mind, but the language was Hellenikotera, purer Greek than his. Following is Lindsay’s list of representations and images which are found in Hebrews and in Paul’s other epistles, which are not found in the works of other New Testament writers.
Compare Heb. 1:1, 3 with 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15–16.
Compare Heb. 1:4; 2:9 with Phil. 2:8–9.
Compare Heb. 2:14 with 1 Cor. 15:54, 57.
Compare Heb. 7:16, 18–19 with Rom. 2:29; Gal. 3:3, 24.
Compare Heb. 7:26 with Eph. 4:10.
Compare Heb. 8:5; 10:1 with Col. 2:17.
Compare Heb. 10:12–13 with 1 Cor. 15:25.
DeWette and Bleek have concluded that since Hebrews reads more like Paul’s writing than any other New Testament writings, it was written by a disciple of Paul. The opponents of the Pauline authorship are quoted to show that this book is not unlike Paul’s writings and could have been written by Paul. Paul obviously meets this requirement.
Some have claimed that Hebrews 2:3 excludes Paul as the author because he says in Galatians 1:11–12 that he received his gospel not from men but from God. However, this is not incongruous with Paul’s statement in Galatians. Paul is evidently using the editorial “we” that is used so effectually in the New Testament. If Paul places himself in the same category with the other Christians at Jerusalem, he could not say that we received it from God on the road to Damascus about midday on a mule. Paul’s conversion was peculiar to himself. Then the Galatians passage does not exclude the fact that Paul did not have it confirmed unto him by the ones who heard the Lord. In Galatians he is defending his apostleship and is therefore showing from whence he received his authority.
As to the statement that Hebrews 13:7 reveals that the apostles were no longer living at the time Hebrews was written, we can hardly see where this verse establishes any such view.
Regarding the fact that the Epistle to the Hebrews quotes the Old Testament from the Septuagint Version, it is possible for Paul to have quoted only from the Septuagint in Hebrews and from both the Septuagint and the Hebrew in his other epistles. The fact that there are more quotations in this book than in any other New Testament book shows that the author is placing a great deal of stress on these quotations. Instead of quoting from memory, he would have a copy of the Old Testament at hand. Paul did quote from the Septuagint frequently, and he could easily have used it exclusively in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Rees says that Paul’s Christology turns about the death, resurrection, and living presence of Christ in the church. In contrast, the Epistle to the Hebrews centers about the high priestly nature of Christ’s work. He evidently is thinking of Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Corinthians, and Romans, for the rest of Paul’s epistles deal no more with these subjects than does Hebrews. This method of trying to distinguish different authors by difference of style is not conclusive, to say the least. Certainly it is not a valid argument in this epistle.
We come now to the problem of the absence of the author’s name in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Why did the author conceal his name? The theory has been advanced that had Paul been the author he would have subscribed his name, and the fact that his name does not appear shows he did not write it. We submit Plumer’s answer to this sort of reasoning:
Moreover, if Paul is proven not to be its author because it lacks his name, the same reasoning would prove it had no author at all, for it bears no name whatever.
Now let us examine the reasons why Paul might have concealed his name. Dr. Biesenthal, writing on Hebrews, advances a new and interesting theory for the reason the writer concealed his name. He shows that Christianity’s teaching that animal sacrifices were no longer needed was being felt in heathendom. Consequently, sacrifices at births, marriages, and other occasions, were being neglected. The priestly class, which lived by these sacrifices, and the large cattle industry, were being threatened by utter ruin. This created a great antagonism against Christianity. Dr. Biesenthal, a Hebrew by race, concludes that for this reason the writer withheld his name from this epistle which so bitterly denounces animal sacrifices.
Also Paul himself was a man who was hated by the Jewish nation. To them he was no less than a traitor. This brilliant young Pharisee, who was well versed in the ritual of Moses, as he himself claims, was anathema to his brethren in the flesh. In writing to them this learned work, composed in the best Greek, he withheld the name that would prevent its circulation among those to whom it was originally destined.
There is another reason we think to be more valid, which was presented even by the Alexandrian tradition. It is that Paul left off his salutation, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,” because he was not the apostle to the Jews but to the Gentiles. Another more recent suggestion on this line comes from a consideration of Hebrews 3:1: “… Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Christ is the great Apostle in this epistle and the writer would not subscribe his name beside the one of Christ. Certainly the fact that the writer did not mention his name does not eliminate Paul from the list of possible authors.
There are a few suggestions in the epistle that point to Paul as author. The writer was a Jew acquainted with the details of Mosaic ritualism (Heb. 13:13). He was acquainted with Greek philosophy, or rather, Alexandrian thought. The author of this epistle had been in prison in the locality where the ones addressed resided (Heb. 10:34). He was at that time in prison in Italy (Heb. 13:19, 24).Timothy was his companion and messenger (Heb. 13:23). When Paul was in Rome in prison he used Timothy to carry messages, and he sent him on a trip from the west to the east (Phil. 2:19). The writer hoped to be liberated (Heb. 13:19). This is the same thought that is expressed in Philippians 1:25 and Philemon 22. While these suggestions are not conclusive, who better fits this description than Paul? An appropriate supposition from Lightfoot concludes this section on internal evidence: “The very style of it may argue the scholar of Gamaliel.”
The dating of the Epistle to the Hebrews does not conflict with the Pauline authorship. If it were written before the destruction of Jerusalem, which we believe to be correct, it coincides nicely with Paul’s imprisonment at Rome. Paul’s last visit to Jerusalem helps explain the epistle. The Book of Acts tells us that Paul went up to Jerusalem in spite of the warning of the Spirit. His arrest was the result of having gone into the temple to purify himself with the four men who had a vow. This he was asked to do and to make apparent that he walked orderly and kept the Law. Did he do wrong. This is not a question for us to answer. The point is that he—knowing that he was dead to the Law—acted through zeal and love for his brethren. The believers at Jerusalem still clung to the Law and to the temple. When Paul was in Rome, he wrote this epistle to show these Jews the better things of the New Covenant and to warn them not to be drawn back into Judaism. This throws a great deal of light on Hebrews 13:13: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp [Judaism], bearing his reproach.”
The Spirit of God could have used this epistle for the comfort of Jewish Christians right before the destruction of the temple. We suggest this to show that the dating and destination are not incompatible with the Pauline authorship.
2. External Evidence: Several of the early church fathers who favored the Pauline authorship have been mentioned, but we have reserved for this section other evidence that confirms us in our view that Paul wrote Hebrews. This is Origen’s statement in full regarding the author of Hebrews.
The thoughts are Paul’s, but the phraseology and composition are by someone else. Not without reason have the ancient men handed down the Epistle as Paul’s, but who wrote the Epistle is known only to God.
We especially note that clause which is italicized. Evidently there was already in Origen’s day a tradition that Paul wrote this epistle. Quite evidently it was the opinion of the earliest church in the East that Hebrews was Paul’s epistle. It was not until a later day, and by a church more remote from Palestine, that the tradition arose of another author. Jerome, the greatest of the Latin fathers, considered Paul the author. It was during the third and fourth centuries that the Pauline authorship was denied in Rome. It is also interesting to note that during this same period the epistle was held in disrepute. After it regained its place as canonical Scripture, it was also considered as Pauline. Lindsay makes this valuable comment on the Western tradition. Jerome suggests that at first it was received in Rome as Scripture and received also as Pauline. It is significant that both go together.
Others could be mentioned, but they would add nothing decisive either way.
We now turn to a bit of evidence that is enlightening. Peter wrote to those of the circumcision, to believing Jews everywhere. In 2 Peter 3:15 he mentions the fact that Paul had written to them. He separated this epistle from the others of Paul (v. 16). No epistle of Paul other than Hebrews answers, to this statement. If Hebrews is not the epistle, then the epistle to which he refers has been lost.
To conclude our remarks, we quote a statement from Weymouth that illustrates how easy it is to defend a theory and support it with misinformation:
The only fact clear as to the author is that he was not the Apostle Paul. The early Fathers did not attribute the book to Paul, nor was it until the seventh century that the tendency to do this, derived from Jerome, swelled into an ecclesiastical practice. From the book itself we see that the author must have been a Jew and a Hellenist, familiar with Philo as well as with the Old Testament, a friend of Timothy and well known to many of those whom he addressed, and not an Apostle but decidedly acquainted with Apostolic thoughts; and that he not only wrote before the destruction of Jerusalem but apparently himself was never in Palestine. The name of Barnabas, and also that of Priscilla, has been suggested, but in reality all these distinctive marks appear to be found only in Apollos. So that with Luther, and not a few modern scholars, we must either attribute it to him or give up the quest.
This statement is very sweeping, incorrect, and superficial. He does not even present the facts.
While we do not dogmatically assert our thesis of the Pauline authorship with any such note of certainty, we do not see fit to change our view without sufficient evidence. We still believe it to be reasonable to accept the Pauline tradition.
We deplore the fact that the King James Version carries the heading, The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews. It should read, The Epistle to the Hebrews. Such is the tenet that we affirm in this paper.
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR APPENDIX
Calvin, John. Commentary of Paul the Apostle on Hebrews. 1567 Reprint. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Edwards, T. C. “The Epistle to the Hebrews,” Expositor’s Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Gaebelein, Arno C. “The Epistle to the Hebrews,” The Annotated Bible. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, article on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925.
Lindsay, W. Lectures on The Epistle to the Hebrews. International Critical Commentary. Edinburgh, Scotland: T. & T. Clark, 1867.
Moffatt, James. “The Epistle to the Hebrews,” International Critical Commentary. Edinburgh, Scotland: T. & T. Clark, 1924.
Plumer, William. Commentary on Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth, n.d.
Wickham, E. C. Epistle to the Hebrews. London, 1910.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Bruce, F. F. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.
DeHaan, M. R. Hebrews. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959. (Message given on the Radio Bible Class.)
English, E. Schuyler. Studies in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1955.
Hoyt, Herman A. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Winona Lake, Indiana: Brethren Missionary Herald Co., n.d.
Hughes, Philip Edgecumbe. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977.
Ironside, H. A. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers.
Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1905.
Kent, Homer A., Jr. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1972. (Excellent.)
MacDonald, William. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1971.
Meyer, F. B. The Way into the Holiest. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1893. (A rich devotional study.)
Murray, Andrew. The Holiest of All. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1894. (Excellent devotional treatment.)
Newell, William R. Hebrews, Verse by Verse. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1947. (Excellent.)
Pfeiffer, Charles F. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1962. (Good, brief survey.)
Phillips, John. Exploring Hebrews. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1977.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. Hebrews: A Devotional Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1962. (Excellent.)
Vine, W. E. The Epistle to the Hebrews. London: Oliphant, 1957.
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Confident. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1977.
Wuest, Kenneth S. Hebrews in the Greek New Testament for English Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1947.
The General Epistle of
James
INTRODUCTION
The Epistle of James is the first in a group of epistles customarily called General Epistles, which includes James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude. They are designated as general or “catholic” epistles in the sense that they are universal, not being addressed to any particular individual or church, but to the church as a whole.
The problem of authorship is a major one. There is no question that James wrote the Epistle of James, but which James was the author? Some find at least four men by the name of James in the New Testament. I believe that you can find three who are clearly identified:
1. James, the brother of John and one of the sons of Zebedee. These two men were called “sons of thunder” by our Lord (see Mark 3:17). He was slain by Herod who at the same time put Simon Peter into prison (see Acts 12:1–2).
2. James, the son of Alphaeus, called “James the less” (see Mark 15:40). He is mentioned in the list of apostles, but very little is known concerning him. I automatically dismiss him as the author of this epistle.
3. James, the Lord’s brother. He was a son of Mary and of Joseph, which made him a half brother of the Lord Jesus. In Matthew 13:55 we read: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” In the beginning, the Lord’s brethren did not believe in Him at all, but the time came when James became head of the church at Jerusalem. In Acts 15 James seems to have presided over that great council in Jerusalem. At least he made the summation and brought the council to a decision under the leading of the Holy Spirit. I believe it was this James whom Paul referred to in Galatians 2:9, “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” This James is the man whom we believe to be the author of this epistle.
This epistle was written about a.d. 45–50. There have been those who have said that James wrote his epistle to combat the teachings of Paul; they argue that James emphasizes works while Paul emphasizes faith. However, the earliest of Paul’s epistles, 1 Thessalonians, was written about a.d. 52–56. Therefore, even Paul’s first epistle was not written until after the Epistle of James, which was the first book of the New Testament to be written.
It is clear that James’ theme is not works, but faith—the same as Paul’s theme, but James emphasizes what faith produces. Both James and Paul speak a great deal of faith and works. They give us the two aspects of justification by faith, both of which are clear in the writings of Paul:
1. Faith—we are not justified by works. Paul wrote, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). And he also wrote, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us …” (Titus 3:5).
2. Works—we are justified for works. In Titus 3:8 Paul says, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works….” In Ephesians 2:10 he tells us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Faith is the root of salvation—Paul emphasizes that; works are the fruit of salvation—that is the thing James emphasizes. Or, we can express it this way: Faith is the cause of salvation, and works are the result of salvation.
When Paul says that works will not save you, he is talking about the works of the Law. When James emphasizes that works are essential, he is talking about works of faith, not works of the Law. He said, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). God looks down and sees your heart, and He knows whether you believe or not—that is justification by faith. But your neighbor next door doesn’t see your heart; he can only judge by your works, the fruit of your faith.
The following are what I consider to be the two key verses of this epistle. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20).
The Epistle of James deals with the ethics of Christianity, not doctrine. He is really going to bear down on the practical, but he will not get away from the subject of faith. James was evidently a very practical individual. Tradition says that he was given the name “Old Camel Knees” because he spent so much time in prayer.
Due to its practical nature, this epistle has been compared to the Book of Proverbs as well as to the Sermon on the Mount. James argues that justification by faith is demonstrated by works; it must be poured into the test tube of works (ch. 1–2), of words (ch. 3), of worldliness (ch. 4), and of a warning to the rich (ch. 5).
OUTLINE
I. Verification of Genuine Faith, Chapters 1–3
A. God Tests Faith by Trials, Chapter 1:1–12 (Twofold result: development of patience here, v. 3; reward hereafter, v. 12.)
B. God Does Not Test Faith with Evil, Chapter 1:13–21 (Evil comes from within—the flesh, v. 14.)
C. God Tests Faith by THE WORD, Not by Man’s Words, Chapter 1:22–27 (Doing, not doctrine, is the final test of faith; knowing is not enough.)
D. God Tests Faith by Attitude and Action in Respect of Persons, Chapter 2:1–13
E. God Tests Faith by Good Works, Chapter 2:14–26 (Abraham is an illustration of works, v. 21.)
F. God Tests Faith by the Tongue, Chapter 3 (“What is in the well of the heart will come up through the bucket of the mouth.”)
II. Vacuity and Vapidness of Worldliness, Chapter 4 (Worldliness is identified with fighting and the spirit of dissension, vv. 1–2.)
III. Vexation of the Rich; Value of the Imminent Coming of Christ, Chapter 5 (The soon coming of Christ produces patience, vv. 7–8, and prayer, vv. 13–18.)
A. Riches Are a Care (Rich Warned), Chapter 5:1–6
B. The Coming of Christ Is a Comfort, Chapter 5:7–12
C. The Prayer of the Righteous Is a Power, Chapter 5:13–20
CHAPTER 1
Theme: God tests faith by trials; God does not test with evil; God tests faith by the Word, not by man’s words
The Epistle of James is a very practical book which deals with the ethics of Christianity rather than with doctrine. James will really bear down on some practical issues, but the theme of faith is also seen throughout his entire epistle. The emphasis in James is on the works which are produced by faith. In the first three chapters he is going to speak of the verification of genuine faith and give us some of the ways God tests faith.
GOD TESTS FAITH BY TRIALS
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting [James 1:1].
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” “Servant” is literally a bond slave. Now I do not know about you, but I am confident that if I had been the Lord’s half brother on the human side, somewhere in this epistle I would have let you know that. I would have brought in that fact in a very pious and humble way, but I surely would have let you know. However, James does not do that. Instead, he calls himself a bond slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
At first the Lord Jesus’ human brethren did not believe He was the Son of God. They had been brought up with Him and had played with Him. They had seen Him grow. They noticed that He was unusual, but they did not believe that He was the Savior of the world. Our Lord Jesus was so human when He was here on this earth that even His own brethren did not believe at the first. Of course, your family members are always the hardest people to reach, yet they are the ones we should reach. James came to know the Lord Jesus not only as his blood brother but as his own Savior, and then he became His bond slave. Notice what James calls Him—he uses His full name, the Lord Jesus Christ. James says, “He is my Lord.” Jesus was His human name, and James knew Him as Jesus, his half brother; but he also knew Him as Christ, the Messiah who had come and had died for the sins of the world. Jesus was not just a name, but He was called Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.
“To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” It is obvious that James is referring to the believers in Israel. He is writing to the Christian Jews of that day. After all, the early church was 100 percent Jewish for quite a period of time. A few Gentiles became believers, and then a great revival broke out in the heart of the Roman Empire in the area of what is Turkey today. That is where the seven churches of Asia Minor were located. But James, evidently writing before this took place, is addressing the Jewish believers.
“To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” Today people speak of the “ten lost tribes of Israel,” but no tribes really got lost. God scattered them throughout the world. They did not settle in England or the United States, although there are many Jews in both places. They are on every continent of the world. There is a tremendous Jewish population in Russia. There are some in China, some in Japan—they are “scattered abroad.” James wrote this epistle to believing Jews of that day who were scattered abroad.
“Greeting”—that translation is a little stilted, for the word in the Greek literally means “rejoice.” He writes to them and says, “Rejoice.” James was not sour-tempered. James was a man with a lot of life in him.
Now James is going to speak of rejoicing under unusual circumstances—
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations [James 1:2].
“Divers temptations” means various trials. In other words, when you are having trouble, don’t start crying as if something terrible has happened to you. You are to rejoice and count it all joy that God is testing you in this way!
The question is often asked whether the Christian is to experience joy in depth in all the trials and tensions of life. Very frankly, the answer is no—that is not what James is saying here. It leads to unreality to say that you are reconciled to the will of God when troubles come to you when you really are not reconciled. People piously say they have accepted God’s will yet go around with a long face and weep half the time. My friend, you are not reconciled to the will of God until you can rejoice.
James goes on to make it clear that God does not give us trouble for trouble’s sake; it is not an end in itself.
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience [James 1:3].
God has a goal in mind—you can count on that. James is speaking here about the attitude of your heart toward your trouble. The Greek aorist tense used here suggests that the joy is the result of the trial. In Hebrews 12 we see that one method God uses in the life of the believer is chastening, which literally means “child training.” Trials are meaningless, suffering is senseless, and testing is irrational unless there is some good purpose for them. God says there is a reason for them, and it is a good reason. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). When the external pressures of testing are upon us and we are placed in the fires of adversity and tragedy and suffering, the attitude of faith should be that God has permitted it for a purpose and He has a high and lofty goal in view. We can know that God is working something out in our lives.
I must hasten to add that this does not necessarily mean that we will understand what purpose God has in it. This is the test of faith. We walk by faith and not by sight. Someone in the Middle Ages said, “God nothing does, nor suffers to be done, but what we would ourselves, if we could see through all events of things as well as He.”
What are some of the purposes served in the testing of faith? In this epistle, James says that testing is the proof positive of genuine faith. Let me use a rather homely illustration. Some years ago I had the privilege of leading to the Lord a secretary to one of the officers in a large airplane plant here in Southern California. On a number of occasions she asked me to speak to a Bible study class in that plant. While I was there I learned something of how airplanes are built. They start out by designing a new plane on the drawing board. Then blueprints are drawn up and models are made. The models are tested, and then construction begins. After about two years the first plane will roll off the assembly line. The question remains: Will it fly? Will it perform? Will it stand the test? So a test pilot must then put the plane through the paces up in the air. When the plane has proven to be all that the maker has said it is, there is confidence in the plane and the airlines will buy it. It is then brought to the airport where passengers will board it, and the plane thus becomes serviceable and useful. In the same sense, ore is brought to an assayer to prove that it is gold or that it is silver. He will put a fire under it and pour acid on it, and then he declares whether or not it is genuine. Likewise God puts faith to the test to prove that it is genuine. Someone has expressed it like this: “The acid of grief tests the coin of belief” There is a lot of truth in that.
God tests our faith for a purpose: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” He tests us in order that He might produce patience in our lives.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing [James 1:4].
It is patience which will make you a full-grown Christian, but how does God produce patience in you? The very interesting thing is that patience is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You will never become patient by trying to be patient, but neither will the Holy Spirit place it on a silver platter and offer it to you as a gift. Patience comes through suffering and testing.
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” You will never be a “perfect”—that is, a complete, fully mature—Christian without patience. Some Christians therefore have never really grown up but have remained babes. I made the statement as a pastor one Sunday morning that there were more babes in the church service than there were in the nursery downstairs. I tell you, I didn’t get too many laughs from that comment. The difference, however, is that the babies in the nursery were beautiful, but the ones sitting in the church service were not very pretty. There is much clamoring and criticizing, turmoil and tension in our churches today. The reason is that many Christians have not grown up; they are still babes.
David wrote in Psalm 131, “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child” (Ps. 131:1–2). In other words, David said, “I found out I had to grow up. I needed to get off milk and start eating porterhouse steak. I needed to eat of the Bread of Life.” God tested David, and that testing enabled him to grow up.
Paul wrote in the Book of Romans that patience is one of the results of being justified by faith: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope”(Rom. 5:3–4). There is a purpose in it all, you see.
There are many shallow and superficial saints today. There are many who are insecure as Christians. There are believers who try to be intellectual and who question the Word of God. And there are those who feel that as Christians we should try the “new morality.” My friend, the problem with such believers is that they have never grown up—they are still little babes. God gives testing and trials to produce patience in our lives and that we might become full-grown children of God. How we need that today.
God must send us trouble so that we learn patience, which will also produce hope and love in the lives of men and women. Over the years of my ministry I have seen the Holy Spirit work this out in the lives of many folk. I recall one man who, when I first knew him, was always finding fault; as a pastor I had never had such a critic before. Then he began to attend the midweek Bible study at the church. I noticed that he brought his Bible and took notes. Over a period of ten years God sent that man a great deal of trouble, but he grew up and became one of the sweetest Christians I have ever known in my life. This is the type of testing which God gives to those who are His own.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him [James 1:5].
“Wisdom” here is related to the trials which James has been talking about. You and I have troubles and trials and problems. How are you going to solve this problem? How are you going to meet this issue? How are you going to deal with this person? If you lack wisdom in regard to a problem, you need to go to God in prayer.
Wisdom is the exercise and practical use of knowledge. Many people have knowledge, but they do not have any practical sense whatsoever. Even to this day I get a good laugh just thinking about the man with a Ph.D. with whom I used to play golf. One day out on the golf course it began to rain, and he looked at me in utter amazement and asked, “What shall we do now?” Well, you don’t need a Ph.D. to know that you need to get in out of the rain! I said to him, “I think we’d better seek shelter.” Wisdom is to know how to act under certain circumstances of testing, of trial, or when problems or questions arise. Life is filled with these, and you and I need wisdom from God.
“That giveth to all men liberally, and up-braideth not.” God is in the business of giving out wisdom “liberally,” that is, simply. He will just simply help you out in times like that. He “upbraideth not” means, according to Marvin R. Vincent in his Word Studies in the New Testament, it is the “pure, simple giving of good without admixture of evil or bitterness.” If we lack wisdom, let’s go to God who will hear and answer our prayer.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed [James 1:6].
Maybe it is not your problem, but it has been my problem over a great deal of my Christian life that I simply have not believed God. Don’t misunderstand me—I have trusted Christ as my Savior, and I believe with all my soul that He saved me and is going to save me for heaven. I believe that with all my heart, but down here in this life, where the rubber meets the road, is where I have had my problems. For example, I went through college in almost total unbelief—I didn’t believe God could put me through college. I was a poor boy who had to borrow money and work at a full-time job. It was difficult. Every year I would finish, thinking I would not be able to come back the next year. Lo and behold, God always opened up a door, and I was able to continue. I was actually a miserable fellow as I went through college; when I look back, I realize I could have had a lot more fun if I had only believed God.
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” Why don’t you believe God, my friend? Do you as a Christian have a long face today? Are you wondering how your problems are going to work out? I know exactly how you feel—I’ve been there. Why don’t you believe God? Why don’t you trust Him and turn them over to Him? I know I do not have the brains to meet the problems of life; I know I am not capable of living in this complex civilization, but I have a heavenly Father who can supply the wisdom that I need.
“For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” We say, “I believe God is going to work this out,” but then we jump at it ourselves and make our own decision. So often I turn a problem over to the Lord and believe Him, but then the next day I do not believe Him. I decide that nothing has shown up by way of solution, so I will solve it myself. That’s where I make my mistake. Such a man is “like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord [James 1:7].
If you are going to work out your problem for yourself, then God cannot work it out for you. Instead of going like a bull into a china closet and trying to work something out, why not turn it over to God?
Now James gives a proverb, and it is a good one—
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways [James 1:8].
This was Israel’s big problem. Hosea said Israel was like a silly dove. She first flew off to Egypt seeking help, and then she flew to Assyria. She turned first to one and then to the other, but she did not turn to God. Many times when a problem comes up we go here and there trying to solve it, until it occurs to us that we have never taken it to God. When you started out today did you turn the issues of the day over to God? I used to do a great deal of counseling as a pastor, and I would meet many new people during the day. One of the prayers I always prayed was, “Lord, I’m going to meet some new people today, and I don’t know how to treat them. This man may prove to be a wonderful friend who wants to help me get out the Word of God. This other man may be seeking to hurt my ministry. Lord, help me to know the difference. Help me to be able to know which man I can put my arm around and help, and make me wary of the man who does not want my help at all. Lord, give me wisdom today.” We need wisdom to meet the issues of life.
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted [James 1:9].
You may say, “I’m just a poor individual. I don’t have very much. I don’t have any wealth.” My friend, if you are a child of God you have a lot of wealth. You have treasure in heaven. And have you ever stopped to think what you have down here, what you have in Christ? We have everything in Him. Paul wrote, “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:21–23). I belong to Christ, and everything He has He will make over to me. I have life. I have blessings. Even death is coming to me someday, if Christ doesn’t come in the meantime. All of that is from Him, and all of these things we can rejoice in. It does not matter if you are the humblest saint or the poorest person on earth, you are rich in Christ, my friend, and you have something to rejoice over.
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away [James 1:10].
I always think of this verse when I walk across the campus of my alma mater. Every building there is named for some rich man. Do you know where those rich men are today? They are like the flowers which bloomed yesterday but are gone today. I think of how powerful they were, the riches and the influence they had, but today they are pushing up daisies somewhere and they have faded away. Don’t rejoice in the fact that you are a rich man, because you will not have your money very long. You may have invested in gilt-edged bonds, and you may have stocks which you do not think you will lose. My friend, you may not lose them, but those stocks and bonds are going to lose you one of these days. In death you will not be able to hold on to them. The old adage says, “There’s no pocket in a shroud.” You won’t be able to take it with you. The rich man is like the flower of the grass—he shall pass away.
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways [James 1:11].
I had the privilege years ago of speaking occasionally to a group of Christians in Hollywood, California. Among those who attended was a movie star who had become a Christian later on in life. She was getting old at that time, and when I looked at her I thought of how that beauty, which had brought her fame and fortune at one time, was now passing away. God says that the rich man shall “fade away in his ways.”
My friend, rejoice today that you have a Savior who is not only going to save you for heaven—that’s good enough for me—but He is going to help you this very day.
When I teach the Book of Proverbs I liken it to a young man who is considering the catalogs he has received from different universities—among which is the University of Wisdom. Here in the Epistle of James we find a different school—the School of Hard Knocks. That is the school most of us are in today. God wants to bring all those who are His own to full maturity as Christians, and He has many tests for doing that. He tests all of His children to see whether or not they are genuine, to weed out the phonies and the pseudosaints. He also wants to give assurance to His children. We should not regard our trials as evidence that we are not His children but rather as proof positive of our faith. My friend, if you are not having a little trouble today, you should question your salvation; if you are having trouble, that is a good sign that you belong to Him. While God has many goals in His testing, the one James has emphasized here is patience. God not only wants to give you proof that you are a genuine child of His, he also wants to produce patience in your life.
Much has been written about testing and God’s purposes in it. William Penn, the man from whom the state of Pennsylvania got its name, made this statement: “No pain, no balm. No thorn, no throne. No gall, no glory. No cross, no crown.”
Someone else has expressed it like this: “If I must carry a burden, Christ will carry me. Sometimes we must be laid low before we look high. In ourselves we are weak, even where we are strong. In Christ we are strong, even where we are weak. It’s not how long you’ll live, but how you are going to live.” This perspective is important to have.
Many people wonder why in the world they must endure a particular experience. A number of years ago I received a letter from a Christian man who wrote: “I have a wife who has been sick for the past twenty years and has been paralysed for the last ten years with Parkinson’s disease. There is no hope of her ever leaving the hospital. How can a loving Father make a person suffer and linger as she has? And I know she loves the Lord.” This man was genuinely concerned. He didn’t have an answer for his problem, and neither did I. I couldn’t tell him why it was happening, but I could tell him there was a purpose in it and that God was working out something in her life.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him [James 1:12].
“Temptation” is the same word as we have had before, which is sometimes translated as “testing” or “trying.” “Temptation” is a good translation if you understand it in a good sense, as we will see later in this chapter.
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” Testing is one of God’s methods of developing us in the Christian faith. This is the way He is going to enable us to grow and develop patience in our lives down here, but He also has something in mind for the future—“the crown of life.”
Testing of any kind, but especially if it is a severe calamity or tragedy, has a tendency to produce a miasma of pessimism and hopelessness. I do not blame the man whose wife was ill with Parkinson’s disease for feeling like he did. I do not blame him for asking, “Why?” But the child of God can have the confidence that God is doing it for a very definite reason and that He has a purpose in it all.
However, the man of the world will sink beneath the waves of adversity. Life, even at its best, makes him pessimistic. How many pessimists are there today? How many cynics? How many are there who are filled with bitterness, although they have everything? We are seeing an epidemic of suicides among teenagers, and thousands of other young people are dropping out of society today. Why? It is because they have no goal in life. One of the more sensible news commentators made this remark: “Back during the Depression people had a will to live and there were very few suicides, but today when everything has been given to them they want to die.”
When faith is tested and surrounded by darkness, when the waves are rolling high and all seems lost, the child of God knows that this is not the end. It may be gloom now, but it will be glory later on. As the psalmist said “… weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps. 30:5). James says here, “He shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
I have noticed that people who have suffered a great deal have been brought into a closer loving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Someone has expressed it like this:
Is there no other way open, God,
Except through sorrow, pain, and loss,
To stamp Christ’s likeness on my soul—
No other way except the cross?
And then a voice stills all my soul
As stilled the waves of Galilee,
“Can’st thou not bear the furnace heat
If midst the flames I walk with thee?
“I bore the cross. I know its weight.
I drank the cup I hold for thee.
Can’st thou not follow where I lead?
I’ll give thee strength. Lean hard on Me.”
—Author unknown
You see, suffering brings an individual into a loving relationship with Christ. And it causes him to look forward to that day when he will be brought into the presence of the Lord Jesus who will give him the crown of life.
What is “the crown of life”? There are many crowns mentioned in Scripture which are given as rewards to believers. A crown is not salvation, but it represents a reward. It is something that is given to an individual as a reward. For example, there was an unknown boy from California who went to the Olympic Games and won six gold medals. Suddenly his face was seen on every billboard, on television, and even in commercials. I am told he also signed a movie contract. He won six medals—he received his rewards. My Christian friend, the Lord Jesus has a reward for those who will endure down here. James says, “He shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Testing will either drive you to the Lord or it will drive you away from Him. So many Christians become bitter. My friend, it is not going to be a pleasant experience to come someday into the presence of Christ if you have let the very thing your heavenly Father was using to develop your character and to bring you into a loving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ make you bitter. We will have testings, but there is going to be a crown of life for those who persevere under trial.
I have done a great deal of reading about the crowns which are mentioned in Scripture, and I sometimes wonder where some of the interpreters get all their information. Let me give you my very simple interpretation of what I think a crown of life is. We find in Scripture that there are different kinds of punishment for the lost. Some will receive so many stripes, others will receive more stripes. There are degrees of punishment for the lost. Likewise there are degrees of rewards for believers. I do not expect to receive the reward that a man like Paul the apostle or Martin Luther or John Wesley will receive. Although I don’t expect to receive a reward as they will, I do hope that I can come in for something—I am very much interested in that. I think that a “crown of life” is that which can bring you into a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus more than anything else possibly could.
In the Book of Revelation it speaks about the Lord giving to each of His own a stone with a name written on it (see Rev. 2:17). We have assumed that that means He will give each of us a new name. There’s an old favorite gospel song that says, “There’s a new name written down in glory….” Well, it is not the new name spoken of in Revelation, but it is your name that is written down in glory if you are a child of God. As best as I can determine, the new name spoken of in Revelation means that God is going to give each of us a stone on which there is written a name of Christ which applies to our experience with Him. To you He means something a little special other than what He might mean to someone else. In other words, the Lord Jesus means something to you that He does not mean to me. He means something to me that He does not mean to you.
I can remember a time in my life as a young fellow that I stood at the crossroads at a Bible conference, trying to decide if I would go into the ministry or continue to follow a life of sin. There was a girl there at that conference in whom I was very much interested, but she was not really what you would call Bible conference material. I never shall forget that night yonder in Middle Tennessee. I crawled in under a water maple tree which was thick with leaves. In the shade—for the moon was shining brightly—I got down on my face and told the Lord Jesus that I needed His help and strength to make a decision. As a result of that night He means something to me that I’m sure He does not mean to you. You probably have a precious moment in your life which I have not experienced. I believe that the new name written on a stone is going to reflect what Christ means specially to you.
It is my conclusion that the crown of life means that you are going to have a degree of life in heaven which someone else will not have. There are a lot of folk who have gone through this world without doing anything for God. I thank God there was one thief on a cross who turned to Christ, but I cannot imagine that he will get very much of a reward, especially when I compare him to a man like Paul the apostle. Imagine what it is going to be like someday when Paul receives the crown of life!
Paul was very much interested in the crown of life, and James was interested in it too. There will be a crown of life, but you cannot receive that crown of life until you have been out on the racecourse of life, until you have gotten right down where the rubber meets the road and where life is being lived out. If you can live for God down here, my friend, He has a crown of life for you someday. That is something to which we can look forward.
When I think of the testings of this life, I am reminded of the deacon who got up in a testimony meeting in which the people were being asked to give their favorite verses of Scripture. This deacon got up and said, “My favorite verse is ‘It came to pass.’” The minister looked up in amazement, and all the people were puzzled. Finally, the pastor asked, “Brother, what do you mean your favorite verse is ‘It came to pass’?” The man replied, “When I have trouble and trials, I just go to the Lord and praise Him and say, ‘I thank You, Lord, that it came to pass—it didn’t come to stay!’” Thank God for that, my friend. I don’t know a better way of putting it: The trouble hasn’t come to stay.
James uses the same argument to warn the rich when he says, “You are like the grass and the flower of the grass.” It may look pretty for you today. Life may be beautiful, my friend, but the flower is withering and your riches will not deliver you. Someday you will stand before Jesus Christ. Every human being is to stand before Him—the unbelievers will stand before God at the Great White Throne judgment. Also all believers, called the church, will go beforehand to the bema seat of Christ to see whether or not they will receive a crown of life. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to have that crown, the crown which He offers to those who, after they have endured the testings of this life, love Him.
GOD DOES NOT TEST WITH EVIL
“Temptation” is used in two senses: testing under trial, as we have seen in verse 12, and now solicitation to evil, verses 13–14. James is now going to talk about that temptation, which is temptation to do evil. People often say that the Lord tested them when it wasn’t the Lord at all. God cannot be tempted with evil, and He does not tempt with evil. James deals with something here which is very important for God’s children to understand, because we often blame God for a great many things in our lives for which He is not responsible.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man [James 1:13].
We have seen in the preceding verses that God tests His own children, but now James makes it very clear that God never tests men with evil and with sin. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God”—a more literal translation is this: “Let not one man being tempted say, I am tempted of God.” Notice that James is no longer using the noun temptation as he was previously. He is now using the verb; he is speaking of the action.
The natural propensity of mankind is to blame God for his own fumbles, all of his foibles, all of his faults and failures and filth. From the very beginning, since the time of the fall of man, this has been true. Adam said, “… The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:12)—he really passed the buck! The woman did the same thing; she said, “… The serpent beguiled me …” (Gen. 3:13). Actually, all three of them were responsible.
We often hear questions like this: Why does God send floods and earthquakes and allow the killing of babies? We blame God today for the result of the greed and avarice and selfishness of mankind—that is what is really responsible for floods and earthquakes. Man builds too close to a river and, when in the natural course of events the river rises, he calls it a flood and an act of God. But man thinks it is more pleasant to build by the river, or it’s nearer transportation, or that is where the business is. It is actually the greed and avarice of man that causes him to build where it is really dangerous to build.
If you are going to live in Southern California, for example, you are going to take a chance on having an earthquake—you can be sure of that. We had a small one just the other evening as my wife and I were sitting in our den. The seismologists predict that we are in for a big earthquake here, yet people are still streaming into Southern California and putting up high-rise buildings. We ought not to blame God if a slab of concrete falls off one of those high-rise buildings and kills one of our loved ones. It would be much safer in the wide open spaces of Texas. I’m a Texan, but who wants to go back there? I know it’s nicer there than when I was just a boy growing up, but I want to stay here in California. However, I’m not going to blame God when the earthquake comes. We have already been warned that it is coming.
Men also blame God in their philosophies today. Pantheism, for instance, says that everything is God, but good is God’s right hand and evil is His left hand. Fatalism says that everything is running like blind necessity. If there is a God, they say, He has wound up this universe like an eight-day clock and has gone off and left it. Materialism’s explanation of the problem with the human race is that the loftiest aspirations and the vilest passions are the natural metabolism of a physical organism.
God has answered these philosophies in His Word. There is no evil in God. In Him all is goodness and all is light and all is right. John wrote in his first epistle, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light [that is, He is holy], and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). The Lord Jesus made this very interesting statement: “… for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). That means there is no evil or sin in Him. But every time Satan gets around me, he is able to find something in me.
Let me introduce something which is theological at this point: Jesus could not sin. Someone will immediately ask, “Why, then, was He tempted?” In Matthew 4:7 our Lord said to Satan, “… It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” God wants to save from sin, and He does not tempt men to sin—He wants to deliver men. He never uses sin as a test, but He will permit it, as we shall see. The Lord Jesus had no sin in Him—“The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” The reason He was tempted was to prove that there was nothing in Him. After He had lived a life down here for thirty-three years, Satan came with this temptation, a temptation that appealed to man’s total personality—the physical side, the mental side, and the spiritual side of man. The Lord Jesus could not fall, and the testing was given to demonstrate that He could not fall. If He could have fallen, then any moment your salvation and mine is in doubt. The minute He yielded to sin, we would have no Savior. His temptation was to prove that He could not sin.
Let me illustrate this with a very homely illustration from my boyhood in west Texas. My dad built cotton gins for the Murray Gin Company, and we lived in a little town that was near a branch of the Brazos River. In the summertime there wasn’t enough water in that river to rust a shingle nail, but when it began to rain in wintertime, you could almost float a battleship on it. One year a flood washed out the wooden bridge on which the Santa Fe railroad crossed the river. They replaced it with a steel bridge, and when they completed it, they brought in two locomotives, stopped them on top of the bridge, and tied down both of the whistles. All of us who lived in that little town knew for sure that something was happening. We ran down to see what it was—all twenty-three of us! When we got there, one of the braver citizens asked the engineer, “What are you doing?” The engineer replied, “Well, we built this bridge, and we are testing it.” The man asked, “Why? Do you think it’s going to fall down?” That engineer drew himself up to his full height and said, “Of course it will not fall down! We are proving it won’t fall down.” For the same reason, Jesus was tested to prove that you and I have a Savior who could not sin. God cannot be tempted with sin, and God will not tempt you with sin.
However, God does permit us to be tempted with sin. In 2 Samuel 24:1 we read, “And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.” Frankly, that was sinful. Then, did God tempt David with evil? My friend, to understand the Bible you always need to get the full story. In 2 Samuel you have man’s viewpoint of the events recorded. From man’s viewpoint it looked as if God was angry with Israel and He simply had David do this. However, in 1 Chronicles we are told God’s viewpoint of it: “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel” (1 Chr. 21:1). Who provoked David to sin? It was Satan, not God. God merely permitted Satan to do that because He was angry with Israel and their sin. God never tempts men with evil.
Who is responsible for our propensity to evil? What causes us to sin? Someone will say, “Well, you have just shown that it is Satan.” Let’s look at what James has to say in verse 14—
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed [James 1:14].
We are talking here about the sins of the flesh. Who is responsible when you are drawn away to do evil? When you yield to evil temptation? God is not responsible. The Devil is not responsible. You are responsible.
A man got lost in the hills of Arkansas back in the days of the Model T Ford. He had lost his way, and there were no highway markings. He came into a small town and saw some little boys playing there. He asked one of them, “Where am I?” The little fellow looked at him puzzled for just a moment. Finally he pointed at the man with his finger and said, “There you are!” My friend, when you ask, “Who tempted me to do this?” God says, “There you are. It’s in your own skin—that is where the problem is.”
“Every man is tempted.” Every man—this is the declaration of the individuality of the personality in the race of mankind. Just as each one of us has a different fingerprint, each one of us has a different moral nature. We have our own idiosyncrasies, our own eccentricities. All of us have something a little different.
One man was talking to another and said, “You know, everybody has some peculiarity.” “I disagree with you,” said the other. “I don’t think I have a peculiarity.” “Well, then, let me ask you a question. Do you stir your coffee with your right hand or with your left hand?” asked the first man. “I stir it with my right hand,” the other man replied. “Well, that’s your peculiarity. Most people stir their coffee with a spoon!” May I say to you, all of us have our peculiarities. One person may be tempted to drink. Another may be tempted to overeat. Another may be tempted in the realm of sex. The problem is always within the individual. No outside thing or influence can make us sin. The trouble is here, within us, with that old nature that we have.
I think of the little boy who was playing around one evening in the pantry. He had gotten down the cookie jar. His mother called to him and said, “Willie, what are you doing in the pantry?” He said, “I’m fighting temptation!” He was in the wrong place to fight temptation, but that is the same place a lot of grown-up people are today. Many things are not bad within themselves, but it is the use we make of them that is wrong. Food is good, but you can become a glutton. Alcohol is medicine, but you can become an alcoholic if you abuse it. Sex is good if it is exercised within marriage. When it is exercised outside of marriage, you are going to experience several kinds of damage. Our society has an epidemic of venereal disease because of the looseness of the “new morality” today.
Many psychologists are trying to help us get rid of our guilt complexes. A Christian psychologist who taught in one of our universities here in Southern California told me one time, “You need to emphasize in your teaching that guilt complex more than you do. A guilt complex is as much a part of you as your right arm. You just cannot get rid of it.”
However, the godless psychologist may attempt to remove the guilt complex in the wrong way. For example, a Christian lady called me one time and said, “Dr. McGee, a most frightful thing has happened to me. I’ve been having a real problem and have been on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to certain trials I’ve been going through. I went to a psychologist whom my doctor recommended. When he found out that I was a Christian, he said, ‘What you need to do is to go downstairs to the barroom and pick up the first man you find there. Then you’ll get rid of your guilt complex.”’ I agree with the woman that such counsel is frightful indeed!
Then there are other psychologists who say, “What about your background? Did your mother love you? Did anything unusual happen while you were in the womb?” If you said, “Well, my mother was caught in a rainstorm while she was carrying me,” the psychologist would say, “That’s the reason you’re a drip!” Well, he practically says that when he blames his patient’s problems on the mother.
My friend, you could solve a great deal of your problems for which you are blaming someone else if you would say to the living Lord Jesus who is right now at God’s right hand, “I’m a sinner. I’m guilty.” Then He will remove your guilt complex—He is the only One who can do that.
Proverbs says, “For as he [man] thinketh in his heart, so is he …” (Prov. 23:7). The solicitation to sin must have a corresponding response from within. James says that it is of your own lust (lust is an overweening desire and uncontrolled longing) that you are drawn away into sin. The Lord Jesus said, “I will draw all men unto Me” (see John 12:32), but the scoffer says, “He’ll not draw me!” My friend, He will not force you. Hosea tells us that He will only use bands of love to draw us to Himself. He wants to woo and win you by His grace and love. Frankly, evil is attractive today; it is winsome. We are told that Moses was caught up at first in the pleasures of sin. Man can be enticed; the hook can be baited. If he yields, before long a person will become an alcoholic or a dope addict.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death [James 1:15].
In other words, when the desire of the soul, having conceived, gives birth to sin, the sin, having been completed, brings forth death. James uses a very interesting word here: “when lust hath conceived.” The word actually means “to become pregnant.” Conception is the joining or union of two. The desire of this old nature of ours joins with the outward temptation that faces us and thus becomes sin. The Lord Jesus said, “If you are angry with your brother, you are guilty of murder”—because it begins in the heart and moves out into action. He also said, “If you look upon a woman to lust after her, you have already committed adultery with her”—because it begins in your heart. That is where sin always begins.
The natural question at this point is: Is temptation sin? Of course it’s not sin; the answer is definitely no. It is when the conception takes place—when the thought in the heart is carried out in action—that temptation becomes sin. Martin Luther expressed it in this novel way: “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.” Sin is the consummation of the act inwardly and outwardly.
Temptation in and of itself is not sin. We all have an evil nature—there is no use trying to kid ourselves concerning that. We all have been tempted to do evil; everyone has a weakness in the flesh. One person may be a glutton and another may be a gossip. Both sins are absolutely of the flesh; both come from within. It is only the Lord Jesus who could say, “… for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30).
“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin.” There cannot be a stillbirth. Lust is going to bring forth something. When that evil thought in the heart is joined to the outward temptation, there is a birth—a birth of the act, a birth of sin.
Now we rationalize sin today. We rationalize our bad tempers. We rationalize our gossip. We rationalize a lot of polite sins, and we even rationalize gross immorality; but the Bible calls them sins.
“And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” There are three kinds of death spoken of in Scripture. There is (1) physical death, and that comes to every man, you can be sure of that. Then there is (2) spiritual death, which is the condition of the lost man—he is “dead in trespasses and sins” (see Eph. 2:1). Finally, there is (3) eternal death, which is the fate of the man who dies an unbeliever. The word death here primarily means “separation.” Therefore, for a believer it means that when sin is born in his life, when it becomes an action, his fellowship with God is broken. There is a separation. In 1 John 1:6 we read, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” You cannot have fellowship with Him and permit sin continually to happen in your life.
The great sin today, I suppose, is adultery. It is something that nearly every person has been faced with—and it is not something new. I think that the emphasis that is given to sex in our society and the present-day mode of dress have led to the committing of adultery probably more than it ever has been committed in American history. Certainly, adultery along with the free use of alcohol have pulled down the great nations of the past. Wine, women, and song have brought down the great nations of the world. Rome did not fall to some outside conqueror; Rome fell from within because it was honeycombed with sin.
I recall a fine-looking young man who came to me and said, “I’ve fallen in love with a very beautiful girl. I want her to be mine.” I asked him, “Have you asked her to marry you?” “Well, not exactly,” he said. “She’s married.” I said, “You had better give up this notion right now.” The young man went on to say, “But I want to ask you if it would be wrong for her to get a divorce and for us then to get married?” I told him, “Certainly it would be. You’ve been tempted, and I mean tempted a great deal, but as a child of God you would never be able to get by with such sin.” I went on to tell him of several instances of couples who thought they could get by with it but were never happy.
It is tragic today when people think they can get by with sin. When lust conceives, it brings forth sin. The only kind of little brat that lust can bring into the world is sin, and sin will bring forth death. Sin will bring forth separation of fellowship with God if you are His child, and He will judge you for it unless you judge yourself.
That young man left my office after I had tried to put the fear of God in him. He was a wonderful Christian, and he surely had been tempted. He came back a few weeks later and said, “Dr. McGee, we have made our decision.” I was certainly afraid they had made the wrong one, but he went on, “We recognize that in this life we never could be joined together. That’s entirely out of the question for us. I’m simply asking God to let us be together someday in heaven.” He worked with a very large company, and he told me that he had asked for a transfer to another city. I don’t think a month went by before he came to me after the morning church service, shook my hand, and told me good-bye.
Temptation—there is a lot of it today. Many Christians say, “Oh, the Devil tempted me.” My friend, temptation cannot conceive until it is joined with the desire of your evil nature. The important thing is that when it is joined, it will bring forth sin, and sin eventually brings forth death. If you are a child of God, it immediately breaks your fellowship with Him—and that is a death, by the way.
Do not err, my beloved brethren [James 1:16].
“Do not err”—the word here means to wander, to roam about, or to stray. It is like the little lost sheep the Lord Jesus told about which the shepherd went out after. James is saying, “Don’t wander. Don’t think that somehow you can get by with sin.” The habitual and perpetual sinner definitely does not have a line of communication with God; he never has been born again. If you can live in sin and enjoy it, you are not a child of God—it’s just that simple.
The story is told of the Calvinist and the Arminian who were having an argument. The Calvinist believes that once you are saved you can never be lost; the Arminian believes you can lose your salvation. The Arminian said, “If I believed your doctrine and were sure I was converted, I would take my fill of sin.” To which the Calvinist replied, “How much sin do you think it would take to fill a genuine Christian to his own satisfaction?” May I say to you, that is a tremendous answer. If you can be satisfied with sin, you need to examine yourself to see whether or not you are in the faith. “He that falls into sin is a man,” someone has said. “He that grieves at sin is a saint. He that boasts of sin is a devil.” My friend, all of us are subject to temptation, but let’s make sure that we do not give birth to sin. There can be no abortion here if you go through with temptation. Sin and death will be the end result.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning [James 1:17].
One side of the moon is dark, and the other side is light. But in God there is no dark side. In all of us there is a shadow; you and I cast a shadow. The story is told that when Alexander the Great had conquered the world and returned to Greece, he looked up his old teacher, Aristotle, to tell him all that had happened. When he found Aristotle, he was taking a bath. Alexander stood in the doorway and told Aristotle what had happened. Then he said, “Now I am prepared to give you anything in the world that you want. What do you want?” Aristotle looked up and replied, “I want you to get out of my light!” May I say to you, that’s all any of us do—we cast a shadow. But there is no shadow in God at all.
“With whom is no variableness.” God doesn’t vary, He doesn’t change, as the laws of creation reveal. God is not on a yo-yo like a lot of Christians are today—up today and down tomorrow, and round and round they go.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” I have a friend who is an insurance agent, and I like to kid him about the wording in his house insurance policy. It says that the policy does not include certain things which might happen to your house, including “any act of God.” I said to him, “What in the world do you think God is going to do to my house?” “Well,” he said, “there could be a cyclone or something like that.” I asked, “Do you think God is to be blamed for that?” I realize that it is just an expression which is used, but it has been the custom down through the centuries to blame God for such things. My friend, if you have a good gift, it came from Him. Count your many blessings today: the sunshine, the rain, the cloudy day, the bright day, the green grass, the water you drink, and the air you breathe. God gave us clean air and pure water. It is man who has polluted it. God gives good gifts, my friend. God is good! You and I don’t really understand how good He is.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures [James 1:18].
This is definitely a reference to the new birth. How does He beget us? “With the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” Beget means “to bring forth.” There are those who say, “Well, if I am predestined to be lost, there is nothing I can do about it. And if I am to be saved, I’ll be saved.” There are two wills involved here—“Of his own will begat he us.” Again, you have in conception two coming together—there is no other way for a conception to take place. Therefore, when His will is joined with your will, you will be born again. Don’t tell me that you are not responsible. It is not His will that any should perish. You are begotten by the Word of God. When you are willing to come, when you believe the Word of God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will be born again. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23).
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to bear, slow to speak, slow to wrath [James 1:19].
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren”—James is talking to the child of God.
“Let every man be swift to hear.” Swift to hear what? To hear the Word of God, of course. After you have been begotten by the Word of God, you are not through with it. You are going to grow by the Word of God. You have something that is living, powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword (see Heb. 4:12). “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). However, as a child of God you are in dwelt by the Spirit of God who wants to teach you the Word of God. The Creator of this universe and the Redeemer of lost sinners wants to talk to you, my friend. James says, “Be swift to hear. Be alert.” As I stand before a church congregation, I sometimes feel like crying out to them, “Wake up!” or, “The place is on fire!” because I would like to get them alert and moving. Oh, how we need to be alert and quick to hear the Word of God.
“Slow to speak.” God gave us two ears and one mouth—there must be a very definite reason for that. There is a real danger of our talking too much. There are those who argue that the minute someone is saved they should begin to witness. I do not think a newborn Christian is quite ready to witness. If he got saved last night, we want to hear his testimony today—especially if he is a prominent person, if he is a rich man, if he has been a gangster, if he is in the entertainment business, or if he happens to be an outstanding politician. Those are the ones whose testimonies we are eager to hear. I often regret it when singers give a little talk before they begin their song. Many times I have just bowed my head in embarrassment at some of the things they have said. One sweet little girl had a lovely voice, but when she got up and said, “I’ve just been saved two months,” I cringed, and I had a right to, because what she went on to say was as contrary to the Word of God as anything possibly could be. I also think it is a tragedy that some of these Hollywood entertainers have been encouraged to testify shortly after their salvation experience simply because they are well-known persons. Their theology is sometimes as rank as it can be. They need to study and know the Word of God before they are pushed up front to speak. God says we are to be quick to hear but slow to speak.
Someone will ask, “But aren’t we to witness?” Yes, but be very careful how you witness and make sure about your own life first. The story is told about Socrates and a young man who was brought to him to enter his school. Socrates was a school teacher as well as a philosopher. The young man came in and was introduced to Socrates. Before he could say a word, the young man started talking, and he talked for about ten minutes. Finally, when the young man finished, Socrates said, “I’ll take you as a student, but I’m going to charge you twice as much.” The young man asked, “Why are you going to charge me double?” Socrates’ reply was this: “First I am going to have to teach you how to hold your tongue and then how to use it.” James says, “Quick to hear but slow to speak.” Christians need to be very careful not to reveal their ignorance of the Word of God. Listen to Him. Yes, the Bible says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,” but we need to be very careful what we say.
“Slow to wrath”—that is, slow to anger. Don’t argue about religion and lose your temper. It is good to be a fundamentalist, but don’t start fighting about every little jot and tittle of theology with everybody in sight who disagrees with you. After all, you don’t have all the truth.
Be “slow to wrath.” Don’t get angry. Jonathan Edwards was the third president of Princeton and probably one of America’s greatest thinkers and preachers, but he had a daughter who had an uncontrollable temper. One day a fine young man at the school, who had fallen in love with her, came to Jonathan Edwards and asked for her hand in marriage. (That was the custom in that day, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside now.) Jonathan Edwards said, “You can’t have her.” The young man said, “But I love her.” Edwards said, “You can’t have her.” The young man said, “But she loves me.” Again Edwards said, “You can’t have her.” “Why can’t I have her?” he protested. “Because she is not worthy of you,” replied Jonathan Edwards. “Yes, she is a Christian, but the grace of God can live with some people with whom no one else could ever live.” May I say to you, there are a lot of unworthy Christians today with uncontrollable tempers that spoil their testimonies as much as anything in this life can spoil them.
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God [James 1:20].
The anger of man is contrary to the will and work of God. This is the reason we shouldn’t argue about religion. I have never yet found anybody who agrees with me 100 percent or with whom I agree 100 percent, but that is no reason for me to fall out with him. Someone came to my office the other day while I was listening to our broadcast as it came over the radio. He said to me, “What are you doing?” And I said to him, “You know, I am listening to the only man with whom I agree 100 percent!”
James says, “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” You may feel that you are angry because you are a defender of the faith, but, my friend, the wrath of man simply does not work the righteousness of God. Don’t kid yourself that you are angry for His sake, because He’s not angry—He’s in the saying business.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls [James 1:21].
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness”—that is, put away all filthiness of the flesh. “And super-fluity of naughtiness” is better translated as “abundance of wickedness.”
“And receive with meekness the engrafted word.” The word engrafted should be “implanted”—the implanted Word of God. In other words, you are to receive the Word of God. I believe the Word of God is the greatest preventative against the sins of the flesh. The old Scottish preacher said, “Sin will keep you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin.” He was certainly accurate in that.
“Which is able to save your souls.” James is speaking to those who have been saved. You have received the implanted Word—it has been planted in your hearts. The Word has already brought salvation to you, but you have a life to live as a Christian. Salvation is in three tenses: I have been saved; I am being saved; I shall be saved. James is speaking here of salvation in the present tense.
GOD TESTS FAITH BY THE WORD, NOT BY MAN’S WORDS
The child of God can never get away from the Word of God. Every child wants to hear the voice of his father, especially if it is a voice of comfort as well as a voice of correction. One who isn’t interested in the Word of God or doesn’t stay near it—if he is a child of God—is going to get into trouble.
For a great many people this is the most familiar verse in the Epistle of James—
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves [James 1:22].
You and I live in day when we have many translations of the Bible. They are multiplying—every year, two or three new translations are published. Personally, I have not found a new translation that I feel is really adequate to take the place of the Authorized Version. I think the Authorized Version needs improving in certain places, but I still use it, as you well know. However, we do need a new translation! It should be different from Tyndale’s and from the Authorized Version and from the American Standard and from all of these new translation. Any Christian could make this new translation. You could make a new translation of the Bible. You might say, “You don’t know me. I’m not capable—I’m not familiar with the original languages, and I know nothing about the handling of manuscripts.” My friend, in spite of your limitations—which may be many—it is still possible for you to make the best translation of Scripture that has ever been made. Do you know what the name of the translation is? It is known as the Doer’s Translation. “Be ye doers of the word.” That’s a good translation—a Doer’s Translation.
Paul put the same thought in just a little different phraseology: “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:2–3). The world today is not reading the Bible, but they are reading you and me. Someone has expressed it poetically.
The Gospel is written a chapter a day
By deeds that you do and by words that you say.
Men read what you say, whether faithless or true.
Say, what is the Gospel according to you?
In verses 22 through 25 we have come to the real pragmatism of James. I like to outline these verses like this: (1) Verse 22—the demands of the Word; (2) verse 23–24—the danger of the Word; and (3) verse 25—the design of the Word. We have in this section that which is substantive, that which really gets down to where we live.
Here in verse 22 we have the demands, or the imperatives, of the Word: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” There is an element about the Word of God which makes it different from any other book. There are many books which you can read to gain information, knowledge, intellectual stimulation, spiritual inspiration, amusement, or entertainment. But the Word of God is different, and this is probably the reason it is not as popular as other books: it demands action. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” It requires attention. The Lord Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17, italics mine). The Word of God demands action: “O taste and see that the Lord is good …” (Ps. 34:8, italics mine).
You can read history, but it asks nothing of you. You can read literature, but there are no imperatives, no declarations, and no explanations, although it may have a lesson to teach which may or may not have been in the mind of the author. You can read science, but it makes no demands on you whatsoever. You can read a cookbook and it gives you a recipe, but it does not say you have to cook. There is no demand that you mix up a batch of biscuits or that you make a chocolate cake. However, the Word of God is a command. It is a trumpet. It is an appeal for action. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). The message of the Lord Jesus Christ is (1) “repent”; (2) “come unto Me”; and (3) “believe” (see Matt. 11:28; Mark 1:15). The Word of God demands belief.
All advertising today is high-pressured. It is being used on radio, television, billboards, and in newspapers and magazines. They all use the hard sell. We are not only being brainwashed by the news on television and radio, we are also being brainwashed by advertising. Madison Avenue is throwing everything at the consumer. You are to buy a certain make of car, and you are told how wonderful it is over last year’s model—when about all they did was to make the steering wheel a little smaller than last year’s. And you are told if you don’t use a certain deodorant you will lose your job. But the Word of God says that you are going to die in your sins if you don’t turn to Christ! Talk about high pressure—that is high pressure! The Word of God says, “… behold, now is the accepted time …” (2 Cor. 6:2, italics mine), and, “… To-day if ye will hear his voice” (Ps. 95:7, italics mine).
I believe that the greatest failure of the Christian church in recent years has been at this point. After World War II the Western world came out of the bomb shelters and went to church—prompted by fear of the bombs but not by fear of God. Church membership and attendance soared to new heights. I am very thankful I had a ministry during that period. I had a full church, and it was to me a glorious, wonderful time for ministry. But at that same time, lawlessness and immorality increased dramatically. Drunkenness, divorce, and juvenile delinquency escalated. And in the lives of Christians there was a total breakdown in separation from the things of the world. What had happened? The church had been getting out the Word of God in the passive voice; it had been giving it out in the subjunctive mood, but God had originally given it in the imperative mood. We had forgotten that a leather-bound Bible needs some shoe leather to go with it. Memorizing Scripture is good, but it also demands action.
“But be ye doers of the word.” James does not use the ordinary Greek verb for “be,” which is eimi; the word here is ginesthe which literally means “to become, to be born, to come into existence.” The imperative given here is for the born-again child of God. God is not asking the unsaved person to do anything, except one thing—and that is actually not doing, but believing. When the people came to the Lord Jesus and asked, “What shall we do that we might inherit eternal life?” He replied, “Do? Why, this is the will of God that ye believe on Him whom He has sent” (see John 6:28–29). Doing, as far as God’s will is concerned, for the unsaved is believing on Christ. God is not asking the unsaved to do anything at all; He wants to tell them that He has done something.
As a boy I played baseball on the school lot on Saturdays. I played first base, and it was a wonderful thing to which I really looked forward. We played the teams of other high schools around us, and it generally ended up in a fight no matter who we played. One Saturday as I was playing ball, I saw my dad coming up, and I knew he wasn’t coming to see the game. He had come to tell me he had some work for me to do. The truth is, I had neglected taking care of my chores before I had left home. My dad didn’t ask any of the other boys to do a single thing—he just asked me. Why? Those other boys weren’t his sons; I was.
My friend, God isn’t asking anything of you until you become His child. But to those of us who have become children of God, He says, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
It is sometimes difficult for us preachers to see that we also need to be doers of the Word. I remember one time playing golf with a medical doctor friend who is also a wonderful Christian. Another friend of this doctor wanted to join us, so the doctor introduced me to his friend, saying, “This is Dr. McGee.” The man said, “Oh, we have two doctors.” I wanted to make it clear to him what kind of doctor I was, so I said, “I’m a doctor who preaches, and he’s a doctor who practices.” May I say, we need more Th.D.’s who practice as well as preach!
Someone expressed it in a little poem like this:
It’s easier to preach than to practice;
It’s easier to say than to do.
Most sermons are heard by the many,
But taken to heart by the few.
—Author unknown
Hearing the Word of God will lead to doing by those who are His children. It will not lead to rote and ritual and habitual action; it will not lead to the drab, the monotonous, or the routine. The intent of the Word is to produce creative action and to make for productive performance, exciting living, and a thrilling experience. If we are motivated by an inner desire and are enjoying Spirit-filled living, you and I can go out on the golf course and enjoy playing golf and then enjoy Bible study equally as well—in fact, it will be thrilling to us.
Hearing the Word will lead to doing for God that which is motivated by an inner desire. As we began our radio broadcast ministry, we also began to build up our office staff. I know that it is the finest staff I have ever had in all my years of ministry. God has sent each individual to us, and each has made a marvelous contribution. They are creative and dedicated workers. It is my feeling that in God’s work we need that which is creative, that which is dynamic, that which produces.
“And not hearers only.” There is a difference between being a student in a class and being an auditor. I used to have quite a few folk who would audit my classes when I was teaching at the Bible Institute in downtown Los Angeles many years ago. I had more trouble with the auditors than I ever did with the students. They were constantly telling me I was too hard on the students. They didn’t realize I needed to be hard-boiled, but the students understood that I was kidding them half the time. Those auditors never had to take exams; they never had to make preparation; they never wrote any papers; they never got a diploma. They didn’t do anything. They just sat there. Faith leads to action, my friend—it will make you more than an auditor.
The story is told of a man who was always talking about his faith—he never did anything for anybody, he just talked about his faith. One day a friend came along and saw him stuck in the mud with his wagon. The friend said, “Well, you sure are well established in the faith!” May I say to you, what we need to do today is to keep moving. After we get established, we need to keep moving in the faith and not get stuck in the mud.
“Deceiving your own selves.” Self-deception is a terrible thing. The apostle John says that those who say they don’t have any sin in their lives do not deceive anyone but themselves (see 1 John 1:8). It is very easy to fall into the trap of rationalizing our sin and rationalizing our inaction.
In verses 23 and 24 we have the danger of the Word—
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass [James 1:23].
“A man beholding his natural face in a glass.” A very highly polished piece of brass was used as a mirror in that day. A mirror is a very interesting thing, and it is used here as a picture of the Word of God. When you look into a mirror, you see a reflection of yourself—you see yourself as you really are.
You may have noticed that on some pictures of Abraham Lincoln there is a wart on his cheek but that on others it is not there. As one artist was preparing to paint his portrait, he began to have Lincoln move around. He said, “President Lincoln, will you sit here?” Then this man would move his easel and have Lincoln shift around again. President Lincoln began to smile because he saw what the artist was doing. He was trying to get Lincoln in a position where the wart would not show. Finally the artist was satisfied, and he asked, “President Lincoln, how do you want me to paint you?” Lincoln replied, “Paint me just as I am—wart and all.” That’s what a mirror would tell you; if you have a wart, it will show up. That is one reason many of us don’t like to spend too much time in the presence of a mirror. My friend, the Word of God will tell you what you are.
“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.” Someone will say,“It ought to say woman.” A woman usually carries a little mirror around with her to be sure her hair and makeup are all right. But what about men? Do they look in mirrors? They are just as vain, my friend. A man likes to be sure his tie is straight and his hair is combed. We are living in a day when our appearance seems to be important. A mirror reveals our flaws.
There is a danger, though, of looking into the mirror, seeing the flaw but doing nothing about it.
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was [James 1:24]
James is answering what he has said in verse 19 where he wrote, “Be swift to hear, slow to speak,” Here his emphasis is, “Don’t be so quick or hasty as you look into the mirror.” The thought in being “swift to hear” is to give it all your attention, to be alert to the Word of God. What James is saying here is, “Don’t treat it casually. Don’t go over it hurriedly like that.” Any man who is just a hearer of the Word and not a doer—his knowledge of the Bible doesn’t lead to action—is like a man beholding his natural face in mirror,“for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.”
Folk who do not like to read in the Bible the fact that they are sinners simply pass over those sections. That is the reason, I think, that textual preaching is outmoded. I feel that we need to go through the entire Word of God and not pull out nice, sweet verses here and there. God did not give His Word in verses; verses are man-made. We need to take the Word of God as it is. The Word is a mirror that reveals what is wrong with you. A man who goes to the doctor and has an X-ray taken which reveals a cancer in his body can respond by saying, “Now, look, doctor, I don’t put such much confidence in X-rays. I think I’ll just ignore it and forget it.” I’ve known some people who have said that, and they have died. When the doctor told me that I had cancer, I wanted treatment just as quickly as I could get it. My friend, you cannot afford to read the Word of God and not respond to it. It demands your response, and if you don’t respond,you are responsible. If the doctor tells you you have cancer and you don’t do anything about it, is the doctor responsible? He absolutely is not responsible at all. God has given you His Word, and you are responsible for your response to it. To a man who has been born again, the Word will say, “Look, you are no longer growing. You are actually leaving your first love.” God uses His Word to remind us of Himself and to call us back.
One time I heard a song leader down in Chattanooga, Tennessee, say, “Let’s stand and sing ‘Standing on the Promises,’ but the trouble is that we sing ‘Standing on the Promises’ when we are really sitting on the premises.” That is what James is telling us not to do. The Word of God is a mirror which reveals our shortcomings, and we are not to forget what it says. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Word reveals us as we. are, penetrating below the surface of our beings.
The Bible is not a popular book today. It is the best seller but the worst read. It is not popular because it shows us who we are. Many years ago in eastern Tennessee the story went around about a mountaineer’s contact with some tourists who had camped in the hills around his area. Because the mountain folk didn’t see many tourists in those days, when the tourists left, this particular mountaineer went to look around the area where they had camped. He found several things they had left behind, including a mirror. He had never seen a mirror before. He looked into it longingly and said, “I never knew my pappy had his picture took!” He was very sentimental about it, of course, and took it home. He slipped into the house, climbed up into the loft and hid the mirror. His wife saw him do that but didn’t say anything. After he went out of the house, she went up to see what he had hidden. She found the mirror, and when she looked into it, she said, “So that’s the old hag he’s been running around with!” May I say to you, it is so easy to read the Word of God and to think it is a picture of someone else. It is a picture of you, and it is a picture of me.
In verse 25 we see the design of the Word—
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed [James 1:25].
Looketh means “to look attentively, penetratingly.”
“The perfect law of liberty.” This is not the Mosaic Law; it is the law of grace. James does not talk about law here in the same sense that Paul does. When Paul talks about law, he is talking about the Mosaic Law. When James talks about law, it is the law of faith. There is love in law in the Old Testament, and there is law in love in the New Testament. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). However, the Lord also said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), and Paul said, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). What law? Christ’s law. John says in his first epistle, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments …” (1 John 5:3).
When you are driving down a freeway, you will see that it is loaded with traffic, and it is also loaded with laws. If you want to have freedom to drive down that freeway, you had better obey the laws. There is liberty in Christ, and it is the only true freedom. However, you can be sure that if you are in Christ, you are going to obey Him—and His laws are not hard; they are not rigorous. Because you are a child of God, your freedom does not entitle you to break the Ten Commandments. Those laws are for the weak, for the natural man. Laws are for lawbreakers: what to do, where to go, and how, with a punishment prescribed for those who break over. Honest citizens do not need the law. I do not know one half of the laws of this state in which I live, but every shyster lawyer knows them, because he is seeking loopholes to break those laws.
Today God has called His children to a higher level. A child of God has a spiritual spontaneity, a high and lofty motive, an inspiration of God. The believer has no desire to murder. He lives above the law. He is now motivated by the love of the Savior, and he desires to obey Him. The more we read and study the Word, the more we will learn, we will love, and we will live. Joy fills and floods the soul. We are not like galley slaves, whipped and chained to a bench and doing that which we do not want to do.
You and I may not need to know all the laws of our state or of our country, but we certainly need to know the Word of God if we are to live for Him. I do not agree with the popular song today which says, “You don’t need to understand, you just need to hold His hand.” My friend, you do need to understand. You’re not apt to be holding His hand unless you do understand. There are too many folk today who are ignorant of the Word of God. It is no disgrace to be ignorant. I don’t know about you, but I was born ignorant. I didn’t know A from B when I was born. I couldn’t even walk or talk. I was in bad shape, but I didn’t stay in that shape and neither did you. It’s no disgrace to be ignorant, but it’s a disgrace to stay ignorant if you are a child of God.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain [James 1:26].
Religious and religion are not actually Bible words—that is, they occur only about half a dozen times in the New Testament. James uses them more than any other New Testament writer. The word religion comes from a Latin word which means “to bind back.” Although Herodotus used the word, it was not a word used commonly in the Greek language. He spoke of the religion of the Egyptian priests. The word has to do with going through a ritual, a form, or a ceremony.
There are many religions today, and they can demonstrate that they have faithful, zealous followers. But you cannot call a religion Christian simply because it conforms to certain outward forms of ritual. Christianity is not a religion; it is a person, and that person is Jesus Christ—you either have Him or you don’t have Him.
James is saying here that if a religious man does not control his speech, his religion—regardless of what it is—is vain. What about the Christian and his tongue? James is going to have a great deal to say in chapter 3 about the child of God and this matter of bridling the tongue. Someone has said, “You can’t believe half of what you hear, but you can repeat it.” That is a real problem in the church today. We have too many people who have unbridled tongues.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world [James 1:27].
This is a tremendous statement. “Pure” is the positive side, and “undefiled” is the negative side. You need to have both if you are to have the right kind of religion—and Christianity certainly ought to produce this.
“To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.” This is the positive side. A child of God ought to be in personal contact with the sorrow of the world and the problems of the people of the world. This is where the politicians are very clever. They go out and meet the people and shake their hands. They make a personal contact. In the same way, Christians should be getting out where the people are. I feel there is a grave danger in our having a religion of the sanctuary but not a religion of the street. We need a religion of the street also. We should be in contact with the world in a personal way, with tenderness and kindness and helpfulness.
“And to keep himself unspotted from the world.” This now is the negative side. Contact with the world does not mean that we should become implicated in the things of the world. As believers we are in this world but we are not of this world.
I think of the story of the little boy whose mother had died. His father was a poor man, but he worked and tried to raise the little fellow. There was a wealthy couple, relatives, who became interested in the boy. They said to the father, “You are not able to give the boy everything in life. We are wealthy; we can give him everything.” So the father went to the little boy to talk to him about going to live with these folks. He said to the little fellow, “They’ll give you a bicycle, give you toys, and give you wonderful gifts at Christmas. And they will take you on trips. They will do things for you that I can’t do for you.” The little boy said, “I don’t want to go.” And the father said, “Why?” The boy said, “They can’t give me you.” That’s what the little fellow wanted. There are a lot of people out yonder today who want that personal contact. My friend, you can bring a Christian contact to these people with sweetness and love and consideration and kindness. But let us remember to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. We can get so implicated in the things of the world that it becomes a dangerous thing.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: God tests faith by attitude and action in respect of persons; God tests faith by good works
GOD TESTS FAITH BY ATTITUDE AND ACTION IN RESPECT OF PERSONS
In the first thirteen verses of this chapter, James is going to deal with how we are to treat people in the different strata of society. How do you treat the rich man? How do you treat the poor man? How do you treat the average man whom you meet today? This section deals with God’s war on poverty and, interestingly enough, also God’s war on riches. This is God’s war on poverty and riches. His war on poverty is a little different from that of our government; no matter which political party has been in office, neither the federal nor the state governments have been able to deal successfully with this problem.
Both poverty and riches can be a curse. Part of the curse on the human race is poverty and riches. The writer in the Book of Proverbs says, “… give me neither poverty nor riches …” (Prov. 30:8). The most difficult people to reach are those who are the most poverty-stricken and those who are the richest; it seems to be almost impossible to reach either class with the Word of God.
The real problem is actually the imbalance of wealth in the world. The problem today is not between political parties, and it is not even between the races. The problem in the world is the imbalance of wealth. Take for example the nation of India where it is estimated there will soon be a population of one billion. There is great famine and starvation in that land; they starve by the thousands over there. Contrast that with the luxury and abundance which the wealthy have today. God goes after this problem in this epistle. He is on the side of the poor—I’m very, delighted to say that. After all, when the Lord Jesus came into the world, He wasn’t a rich man’s boy; He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in His mouth. He was born in poverty. He was born in a borrowed stable. He had to borrow loaves and fishes from a little lad to feed the crowd. He spoke from a borrowed boat. He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (see Matt. 8:20). He had to borrow a coin to illustrate a truth. He borrowed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. He borrowed a room to celebrate the Passover. He died on a borrowed cross—it belonged to Barabbas, not to Him. They put Him in a borrowed tomb—it belonged to Joseph of Arimathaea.
When I was in college, we had a preacher who came and talked about “the blessings of poverty.” Now I was a poor boy, and I mean poor, my friend. I was going to school on borrowed money and was working full time. That man spoke every morning in chapel, and I was told that he got $15,000 a year (that was back in the days when a dollar was worth a dollar). It was a lot of money for a preacher in that day. You know, what he had to say just ran off my mind like water off a duck’s back—he had no message for me. The blessings of poverty? I just happen to know, since I was born that way and haven’t gotten too far from it yet, that there are no blessings in poverty. Poverty is a curse, and part of the curse which Christ bore was poverty.
Riches can also be a curse, as James will show in this epistle. Paul said, “For the love of money is the root of all evil …” (1 Tim. 6:10). Paul and James certainly agree here. You can spend your money for the wrong items. You can deposit your money in the wrong bank. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal” (Matt. 6:19). All the banks are telling us where to put our money, but God says, in effect, “I’ve got a bank, and I will keep investments up there for you.” James will be harsh with the rich, as we will see in chapter 5. Proverbs 30:8 should be the philosophy of every Christian: “Give me neither poverty nor riches.”
What is God’s solution to the problem of poverty? It is not to rob the rich in order to take care of the indigent, the lazy, the indolent, the drones, the loafers, the sluggards, and the laggards. On the other hand, God would never destroy the dignity and the self-respect and the integrity and the honor of the poor by placing them on charity. God’s war on poverty and riches does not march under the banner of the dollar where millions are appropriated for relief. And it is not aimed primarily at the head or at the stomach, but at the heart. It is a war against class. James is talking about distinctions and divisions among believers which have been brought about by money.
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons [James 2:1].
“Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ” should be “Hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice that James is His half brother according to the flesh, but he gives Him here the full name, “our Lord Jesus Christ.” And he calls Him “the Lord of glory.” Here is a strong assertion of the deity of Christ. I know of no one who was in a better position to determine the deity of Christ than a younger brother of the Lord Jesus who was brought up in the same home with Him. Frankly, I think James is in a better position to speak on the deity of Christ than some theologian sitting in a swivel chair in a musty library in New York City, removed from the reality of even his own day. Such a man is really far removed from the reality of the first century and the home in which Jesus was raised. Therefore, I go along with James, if you don’t mind. He is the “Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
What James is telling us here is not to profess faith in Christ and at the same time be a spiritual snob. Don’t join some little clique in the church. All believers are brethren in the body of Christ, whatever their denomination. There is a fellowship of believers; friendship should be over them as a banner. James is addressing the total community of believers—the rich, the poor, the common people, the high, the low, the bond and free, the Jew and the Gentile, the Greek and the barbarian, male and female. They are all one when they are in the body of Christ. There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers.
James says, “Don’t hold your faith with respect of persons.” If you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and another person belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ, he is your brother. Furthermore, if a sinner comes into your assembly or you otherwise come into contact with him, remember that he is a human being for whom Christ died. He stands at the foot of the cross, just as you stand at the foot of the cross.
The Old Testament taught Israel not to regard the person of the rich or of the poor. God, in the Mosaic system, cautioned: “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Lev. 19:15). Simon Peter learned this lesson at Joppa when God let down from heaven the sheet full of unclean animals and commanded him to eat of them. Peter concluded from that experience, “… Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).
James uses a stinging illustration to make his point:
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment [James 2:2].
The word assembly here means synagogue. Evidently the Jewish Christians were calling the place where they met a synagogue. They had erected no buildings and frequently met in private homes, but the chances are that in many places they rented a synagogue. They met on Sunday rather than on Saturday and therefore did not conflict with the meeting of the Jews.
“A man with a gold ring” doesn’t mean he wore a single ring, but that he had his fingers loaded down with gold rings, which was an evidence of wealth. “Goodly apparel” means that he had on fine clothes, bright clothes. He was ostentatious, if you please. His clothing is contrasted with that of the poor man.
Someone has said, “Some go to church to close their eyes, and others go to eye the clothes.” We have made Sunday a time when we Christians put on our Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. A great many people come to church overdressed. There is a dash and a splash and a flash about them. There is a pomp and pomposity. It’s glitter and gaudy, and vulgar and vain, also.
This rich man makes his entrance into church with flags flying and a fanfare of trumpets. There is parade and pageant. It is as if he drives up in his gold Cadillac, getting out as his chauffeur opens the door for him. He walks in, strutting like a peacock. He is like the rich man the Lord Jesus spoke of in the true story of the rich man and Lazarus: “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19). He “fared sumptuously” means that life was one continual party for him.
In contrast, the poor man, whom James mentions here, comes in with tattered and torn clothing. It may be clean, but there is evidence of patches and poverty. He may even be shabby and shoddy. He may be dilapidated and deteriorated. He may have seen better days, but he doesn’t have any Sunday clothes. James places these two men in contrast—each is at an extreme end of the social ladder.
In our affluent society we use other occasions as an excuse to dress up, but certainly many people use church as an occasion to do that. Easter Sunday is a good example of this. In Southern California, ladies usually don’t wear hats to church, but on Easter Sunday we always have a parade of new hats in church. When I was a pastor I would sometimes look out over the congregation and say, “Well, they are as wild as ever!” and everybody knew I was talking about the hats. My wife told me the ladies didn’t like my wisecracks, so I had to quit doing that. Another example is that when I began in the ministry I wanted to look like a preacher, and I think I really overdid it. I wore a Prince Albert coat and striped trousers. I had a wing collar and a black bow tie. I even wore a derby hat. You would have thought I was a barker in a circus or the maitre d’ at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Then one day I looked down into the congregation at a couple who were people of means; in fact, they were very wealthy. I noticed how unostentatiously this man was dressed. He had on a highpriced suit, but it was very modest. And his wife was well dressed, but not overdressed. I thought, My, here I am up here dressed as a person ought not to be dressed who is coming in to worship God. So the next Sunday I came to church in everyday clothes, and I have been wearing them ever since, just like the man who is sitting in the pew. My friend, there is a danger of putting an emphasis upon clothes.
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool [James 2:3].
In our day this would be like putting the poor man way back where the ushers sit or telling him to stand up in the rear. In that day there were a few seats down front where only the prominent people were allowed to sit. In the United States there was a day when we had paid pews in our churches. They had a little door to them, and only the family which paid for that pew could sit there on Sunday. You couldn’t sit with whomever you wanted to sit. Today we have our little cliques who take a certain section in a church, and woe to the stranger (especially if he is not well dressed) who comes in and sits next to that crowd! I can assure you he will get a cold shoulder.
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? [James 2:4].
After James has put these two men in contrast, he asks, “Aren’t you actually being partial in yourselves or aren’t you making distinctions among yourselves and becoming judges with evil motives?”
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? [James 2:5].
“Hearken, my beloved brethren”—James is talking to believers, and he calls them “brethren.”
A poor believer certainly is looked down upon in certain churches, and yet he may be the richest man spiritually in that church.
The Word of God says a great deal about the poor. God has made it very clear from Genesis to Revelation that He has a concern and consideration for the poor. It is as true in Moscow, Russia, as it is in the cities of New York, Washington, or Los Angeles that the poor never get a fair deal, and they never have. As long as men are natural men who are not born-again Christians, the poor will never get a fair deal in this world. Their only hope is in Jesus Christ.
Listen to the Word of God: “But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty” (Job 5:15). And in Job 36:15 we read, “He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.” Psalm 9:18 says, “For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.” Again in Psalms we read, “Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor” (Ps. 68:10). “For the Lord heareth the poor …” says Psalm 69:33. “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy” (Ps. 72:12–13). Then in Psalm 102:17 we read, “He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.” There is Scripture after Scripture that speaks of the poor and of God’s concern for them. In marvelous Psalm 45 we read of the One who is coming who will reign on this earth in righteousness, and in Isaiah 11 we read, “But with righteousness shall be judge the poor …” (Isa. 11:4).
God has a great deal to say about the mistreatment of the poor on this earth by the rich and by those who are in power. Someday they will have to answer to Him for it. But the poor can be rich in spiritual things, and that is the important thing for the poor man to see.
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? [James 2:6].
Whether it is at the hands of a rich corporation or of a rich labor union, the powerful are not giving the poor an honest deal. Every year the politicians come out to us when they are running for office and say that they are going to work for and help all of us poor people. It does not make any difference what political party is in power, they wind up exploiting us. If I sound rather cynical, my friend, it is because I was born a poor boy and I have not gotten very far from that even to this day. From that viewpoint I am cynical because I have seen the way the poor are treated on this earth. Their only hope is in Jesus Christ. They have been despised by the world. The rich and powerful want their vote, but that ends their interest in them.
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? [James 2:7].
Worthy is better translated as “honorable.” My friend, when you mistreat the poor, you are blaspheming the name of Christ.
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well [James 2:8].
If you want to please God, to obey Him, and to discharge your responsibility, James makes it very clear what you are to do: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” That is the summation of the whole manward aspect of the Mosaic Law.
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors [James 2:9].
The Law condemns discriminating between the rich and poor. Someone will say, “Well, I didn’t commit murder, and I haven’t committed adultery.” You haven’t? Listen to what James says—
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all [James 2:10].
James is not saying that if you break one commandment, you have broken them all. He is saying you are guilty of breaking the commandments no matter which one it is that you broke. A man may be in prison as a murderer, look across the aisle and say to another fellow, “I’m not a rapist. I never broke that law”—yes, but he is behind bars; he is a murderer. It is ironic when a prisoner actually murders another prisoner because he considers his crime a terrible thing! But, my friend, you do not have to go to the penitentiary to find that attitude; you will find people outside of prison who are looking down upon others in the same way.
We all stand before God as lawbreakers.
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law [James 2:11].
To break one law makes a lawbreaker.
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty [James 2:12].
The “law of liberty” is the law of Christ. The Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What is His commandment? “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment [James 2:13].
Many years ago in New York City there lived a wealthy couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Whitemore. They were entertaining guests one night and, in order to do something different, they went down to the Bowery to the mission of Jerry McAuley. These people went in and sat down in the back to take in the service that night. This wealthy couple belonged to a very fashionable church, but they had no more heard the gospel than a person living in the darkest heathenism in the world. As they heard Jerry McAuley preach, their hearts were touched, and they saw themselves as sinners. They went forward, and that night the mink knelt with the rags as they accepted Christ. Mr. and Mrs. Whitemore became workers in that area, and she established a home for wayward girls. She became known as the Rose of Mulberry Bend and was instrumental in beginning the movement for a ministry to such troubled girls.
How we need to recognize today that it is sinful to think that we are better than someone else and to look down upon others. It does not matter who the man is, before God that man is on the same plane as you are. We are sinners and need to come as that rich couple came—we need to come to the Cross and accept Christ as our Savior.
Another story is told that took place in London when a great preacher, a very fine young man, by the name of Caesar Milan was invited one evening to a very large and prominent home where a choice musical was to be presented. On the program was a young lady who thrilled the audience with her singing and playing. When she finished, this young preacher threaded his way through the crowd which was gathered around her. When he finally came to her and had her attention, he said, “Young lady, when you were singing, I sat there and thought how tremendously the cause of Christ would be benefited if you would dedicate yourself and your talents to the Lord. But,” he added, “you are just as much a sinner as the worst drunkard in the street, or any harlot on Scarlet Street. But I am glad to tell you that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will cleanse you from all sin if you will come to Him.” In a very haughty manner, she turned her head aside and said to him, “You are very insulting, sir.” And she started to walk away. He said, “Lady, I did not mean any offense, but I pray that the Spirit of God will convict you.”
Well, they all went home, and that night this young woman could not sleep. At two o’clock in the morning she knelt at the side of her bed and took Christ as her Savior. And then she, Charlotte Elliott, sat down and, while sitting there, wrote the words of a favorite hymn “Just As I Am”:
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come!
And then the final stanza:
Just as I am—Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come!
My friend, may I say to you, that this is the basis on which all of us must come to Christ.
GOD TEST’S FAITH BY GOOD WORKS
In verses 14–26 James shows that God tests faith by good works. There are those who say that we have in this section a contradiction to the writings of Paul, because Paul made it abundantly clear that faith alone could save you. We have his clear statement in Galatians 2:16—“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified”(italics mine).
I have divided this section up as follows: (1) The interpretation of faith (v. 14); (2) the identification of faith (vv. 15–20); and (3) the illustration of faith (vv. 21–26).
First we have the interpretation of faith. When we understand the definition of faith as it is used by Paul and James in the context of their writings, we can see that Paul and James are in perfect agreement, that they are discussing the same subject from different viewpoints.
Paul says that a man is not saved by the works or the deeds of the Law. In Romans 3:28 he writes, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” In Galatians, as we have noted, Paul says that a man is justified not by works but by faith in Christ Jesus. How then are we going to reconcile Paul and James? As someone has said, “Paul and James do not stand face to face, fighting against each other, but they stand back to back, fighting opposite foes.” In that day there were those who were saying that you had to perform the works of the Law (the Mosaic Law), that you had to come by the Law, in order to be saved. Paul answered that by saying that the works of the Law will not save you and that only faith in Christ can save you. Both Paul and James, therefore, are defending the citadel of faith. To see that, we need to understand the use of their terminology. Paul says that saving faith—a faith which is genuine and real—will transform a person’s life. Paul said of himself, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7). A real revolution took place in his life when he came to Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:1–2 Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain;” that is, unless it was just an empty faith (italics mine).
Now let us look at what James has to say—
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? [James 2:14].
James is not talking about the works of the Law. He simply says that the faith which saves you will produce works, works of faith. The faith that James is talking about here is professing faith, that which is phony and counterfeit. Paul refers to the same idea when he says in 1 Corinthians 15:2, “… unless ye have believed in vain.” Paul also wrote, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith …” (2 Cor. 13:5).
One of the greatest dangers for us preachers of the gospel is that we like to see people converted, and we are willing to accept a brazen and flippant yes from some individual who says, “Yes, I’ll trust Jesus.” However, it might be just an impertinent, impudent, and insolent nod of the head; it is so easy today to be as phony as a three-dollar bill.
The story is told that the Devil had a meeting with his demons to decide how to persuade men that God was nonexistent. Since they themselves believed in His existence, they wondered just how to do it. One demon suggested that they tell people Jesus Christ never really existed and that men should not believe such fiction. Another demon suggested that they persuade men that death ends all and there is no need to worry about life after death. Finally, the most intelligent demon suggested that they tell everyone that there is a God, that there is Jesus Christ, and that believing in Him saves, but all you have to do is profess faith in Christ and then go on living in sin as you used to. They decided to use this tactic, and it is the tactic the Devil uses even today.
Paul and James are in perfect harmony in their teaching. When Paul speaks of works, it is works of the Law. He says in Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” He is saying in effect, “Yes, the Law is a mirror—it reveals you are a sinner—but it cannot save you; the works of the Law cannot save you at all.” James also says that you have to have something more than just the works of the Law. He wrote, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (v. 10). As someone has put it, “Man cannot be saved by perfect obedience, for he cannot render it. He cannot be saved by imperfect obedience because God will not accept it.” The only solution to this dilemma is the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, and both James and Paul emphasize that.
In Galatians 2:16 Paul made it clear that men are not saved by the Law, but later in that epistle he wrote, “And let us not be weary in well-doing …” (Gal. 6:9). There is a lot of doing that goes with believing. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:6–7). In this section of his epistle when James speaks of works, he is speaking of the works of faith. Paul also wrote about works of faith: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6). Both of these men taught that faith must be a working faith. As John Calvin put it, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.”
Saving faith, therefore, is alive; professing faith is dead. We have a lot of so-called professing Christians today who are members of churches. They are nothing in the world but zombies. They are walking around as if they are alive, but they are dead.
A girl once asked her Sunday school teacher, “How can I be a Christian and still have my own way?” The teacher gave to her Romans 8:5 which says, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” If you are a child of God, you cannot have your own way. You are going to do His way. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be …. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you …” (Romans 8:7, 9). Paul says that now that you are indwelt by the Spirit of God, you can produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life; if you don’t, there is something radically wrong. A Christian doesn’t do as he pleases. he does as Christ pleases.
During the depression there lived in Pittsburgh a tycoon who was having all kinds of problems in his life. He went to his pastor and, after talking over his problems, he said, “I love my Savior. I love my family. I love my church. I love my business. But there are times I feel like walking out on all four of them.” The pastor looked him straight in the eye and said, “Well, why don’t you?” The man replied, “The reason I don’t is that I am a Christian.” May I say to you, saving faith which makes one a Christian will lead to good works. However, we are so anxious to get church members that we accept them on the slightest profession. As a result, many churches are filled with professing Christians who are really unbelievers.
When we understand how Paul and James use the words faith and works, we can see that they are in total agreement in their teaching.
Now James deals with the identification of faith. Saving faith can be recognized and identified by certain spiritual fingerprints. There is a verification of genuine faith. James gives us this practical illustration—
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; not-withstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? [James 2:15–16].
Pious clichés and Christian verbiage are not the evidence of saving faith. There must be a vocation to go along with the vocabulary. You can be very pious and say to an individual, “Brother, I will pray for you, and I know the Lord will provide.” My friend, the Lord put you there as a child of God to do the providing. I get a little weary sometimes when wealthy Christian laymen pat me on the back and say, “Dr. McGee, you are doing a fine thing. You are doing the right thing in giving out the Word of God,” but they do not have a part in supporting this ministry financially. I have a hard time believing they are sincere. You may piously say to someone, “Oh, brother, I’m for you.” Are you for him? Are you back of him? My friend, a living faith produces something—you can identify it.
The Lord Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Then in Romans 13:8, Paul says, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” The point is that you cannot say you are a child of God and live like a lawless individual. I do not mean that whenever a bum asks you for twenty-five cents in order to buy wine you should give it to him. And I do not think that you should believe every individual who professes to be a Christian. We need to test them out to see whether they are or not. My heart is warmed when I think of a certain man I know who is rendering financial assistance to someone in need and of a lady of means who is supporting a missionary abroad and telling no one about it. May I say to you, you are telling by your life whether your faith is genuine or not.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works [James 2:17–18].
“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead.” The faith is dead? Why? Because living faith, saving faith, produces works. You have to draw that conclusion from James’ illustration. He is talking about the fruit of faith. Paul talks about the root of faith. Those are the separate emphases of each man, but both Paul and James say that faith alone saves. Paul also says that faith is going to produce fruit—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace …” (Gal. 5:22). The Lord Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit …” (John 15:5).
A minister once talked to a man who professed conversion, and he asked, “Have you united with the church?” “No, I haven’t,” the man replied. “The dying thief never united with the church, and he went to heaven.” The minister asked, “Have you ever sat at the Lord’s table?” “No, the dying thief never did, and he was accepted” was the answer. The minister asked, “Have you been baptized?” “No,” he said, “the dying thief was never baptized, and he went to heaven.” “Have you given to missions?” “No, the dying thief did not give to missions, and he was not judged for it” was the reply. Then this disgusted minister said to the man, “Well, my friend, the difference between you two seems to be that he was a dying thief and you are a living thief.”
My friend, we often sing, “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise,” but we do not even use the one tongue we have. And we sing, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small,” and then we give nothing at all to Him. James says it is faith that saves, but saving faith produces something.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble [James 2:19].
Lip service is not the evidence of saving faith—even the demons believe.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? [James 2:20].
Faith without the fruit of faith is empty and futile as far as the world is concerned.
Now James will give us the illustration of faith—in fact, there will be two illustrations.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only [James 2:21–24].
Paul said that Abraham was justified by faith (see Rom. 4:3), and Genesis tells us that he was justified by faith (see Gen. 15:6; 22:1–14). Was Abraham justified when he offered his son Isaac? The question is: Did he offer his son Isaac? And the answer is: No, he didn’t. Then what was Abraham’s work of faith? How did works save him? His faith caused him to lift that knife to do a thing which he did not believe God would ever ask him to do. But since God had asked him, he was willing to do it. He believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead. Abraham never actually offered Isaac, because God provided a substitute, but he would have done it if God had not stopped him.
This is a choice illustration of the fact that you demonstrate your faith by your actions. The action of this man was that he believed God.
James uses a second illustration—
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? [James 2:25].
How was Rahab justified by works? She received the Israelite spies, concealed them from her own people, then told them how to escape without being detected (see Josh. 2). That woman living there in the city of Jericho jeopardized her life by turning her back on her old life and on her own people. What was gain to her became loss. She did not say to the Israelite spies, “I’ll just stand on the sidelines when you enter the city and sing, ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow.’” She did not just say, “Jesus saves and keeps and satisfies.” She did not say, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” She said to them, “I’m going to do something. I will hide you because I believe God is going to give the people of Israel this land. We have been hearing about you for forty years, and I believe God.” My friend, she believed God, and she became involved. She was justified before God by her faith: “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:31). However, before her own people and before the Israelites, she was justified by works.
Many years ago I went to a nursery and bought a bare root which was labeled “Santa Rosa plum.” It wasn’t even as big as a broom handle, and it looked no more alive than a broom handle. I was told to put it in the ground in a certain way, and I did that. I watched it, and the next spring it began to shoot out leaves. In three years them were blossoms on it, and then there was fruit. Do you know what kind of fruit was on that tree? Plums. The root of that tree was a plum root.
Faith is the root, and the root produces the kind of fruit that the root itself is. If you have a living faith, there is going to be fruit in your life. Paul says, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves …” (2 Cor. 13:5).
And James continues—
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also [James 2:26].
Faith without works is like a dead body in a morgue. James said that; Paul said that, and Vernon McGee believes both of them because they are giving us God’s Word for it.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: God tests faith by the tongue
GOD TESTS FAITH BY THE TONGUE
Ihave written a booklet on the third chapter of James, and it has a sensational title; but my sensationalism is no greater than that of the Bible, for my title is a Bible title: Hell on Fire. We will see that that is the expression James uses here in talking about the tongue.
We have heard a great deal in recent years about freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and it has become sort of a sacred cow. However, freedom of the press in our day means that they can brainwash you according to the liberal viewpoint, and freedom of speech means that you can use vile language. I would like for someone to grant us freedom of hearing. I have only one mouth, but I have two ears, and I think my can ought to be protected as well as my mouth. We need freedom of hearing today as well as freedom of speech.
This chapter deals with “Freedom of Speech in God’s University,” which is another way I have labeled this particular chapter. I also like the title, “God Bugs Your Conversation.” There is no question that God has the right to bug, or to listen in on, our conversations. He has had that right for a long time, and He has heard everything that you and I have said. It is estimated that the average person says about thirty thousand words every day. (I know two or three people who exceed that number!) That is enough to make a good-sized book. In a lifetime, you or I could fill a library with the words we have said. God has that recorded, by the way, because He bugs your conversation.
I suppose that the present-day movement for freedom of speech began at the Berkeley campus of the University of California some years ago. It was given coverage by the news media out of all proportion to its importance; that news coverage itself was another attempt at brainwashing. A great many taxpayers and prominent citizens were concerned that this great university, which is supported by their tax money, could be shut down and made a ridiculous spectacle by a few radicals, while the majority of the students were intimidated and their good intentions of getting an education were reflected upon.
Now the problem of freedom of speech is not only out yonder in the university and in the news media, but it is in the church also. The problem in the church is the problem of gossip. Each one of us who is a Christian needs to be concerned about our freedom of speech.
Just as I do with the Book of Proverbs, I liken the Epistle of James to a course in God’s university. James is the dean of God’s university as we consider this controversial subject, and he has quite a bit to say concerning the use and abuse of the tongue. We have seen in this epistle that God tests faith in many different ways. Here God tests our faith by our tongue. We want to reach up on the shelf of the laboratory of life and take down an acid to test our faith. Actually, this acid is more potent than hydrochloric or sulfuric or any other acid. The label on the bottle is “Tongue.”
However, we are not talking about the chemistry of the tongue but about the theology of the tongue. James has already indicated that he was going to come to this subject. He said back in chapter I, verse 26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” He also said, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19). You have two ears, and God gave them to you so that you can hear twice as much as you can say.
The tongue is the most dangerous weapon in the world. It is more deadly than the atom bomb, but no careful inspection is made of it. Some wag made the statement that it was a miracle in Balaam’s day for an ass to speak, but today it is a miracle when he keeps quiet. Someone else pointed out that it takes a baby two years to learn to talk and fifty years to learn to keep his mouth shut.
The story is told of a man who had been fishing out on a pier for several hours and had not caught anything. As two women walked out on the pier, he finally pulled in a fish. It wasn’t a very large fish, and one of these two women took it upon herself to rebuke this man: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for so cruelly catching this poor little fish?” And the man, without even looking up, because he was a little discouraged anyway, said, “Maybe you are right, lady, but if the fish had kept his mouth shut he wouldn’t have been caught.”
Another has expressed it this way:
If your lips would keep from slips,
Five things to observe with care:
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how, and when, and where.
—Author unknown
The importance of the tongue has been expressed in many different ways, and practically every nation has had something to say about it. I read this in Spurgeon’s “Salt Cellars” years ago:
“The boneless tongue, so small and weak,
Can crush and kill,” declared the Greek.
“The tongue destroys a greater hoard,”
The Turk asserts, “than does the sword.”
A Persian proverb wisely saith,
“A lengthy tongue—an early death”;
Or sometimes takes this form instead,
“Don’t let your tongue cut off your head.”
“The tongue can speak a word whose speed,”
The Chinese say, “outstrips the steed”;
While Arab sages this impart,
“The tongue’s great storehouse is the heart.”
From Hebrew wit this maxim sprung,
“Though feet should slip, ne’er let the tongue.”
The sacred writer crowns the whole,
“Who keeps his tongue doth keep his soul!”
All of these sayings are very wise. I believe fervently that the most dangerous thing in the world is the tongue. I think the church is more harmed by the termites within than by the woodpeckers on the outside. Someone has put it like this: “Thou art master of the unspoken word, but the spoken word is master of you.” In other words, my friend, once you have said it, it is beyond your control.
All of that is preliminary. Let us look now at what James has to say concerning the tongue—
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation [James 3:1].
Mastersmeans “teachers.” James is saying that a teacher has a greater responsibility, and the reason for that is the grave danger of teaching the wrong thing. I am absolutely amazed and overwhelmed at the way so many Christian folk fall for all kinds of teaching, particularly that which has to do with prophecy. All a teacher needs today is a glib tongue. People are accepting all kinds of methods and cults and “isms”; yet many of these teachers, as far as the total Word of God is concerned, are absolutely ignorant. I rejoice in home Bible classes, and I think they have filled a real vacuum that existed, but I find that some of the leaders are teaching all kinds of vagaries, giving the wrong interpretation of Scripture. They need to know more of the Word of God than they do.
The ease with which people fall for their teachings has ministered to a great deal of conceit and pride on the part of many teachers. One young fellow that I had the privilege of leading to Christ has gone off on a tangent in his teaching. I tried to get him to study the Word, but he did not. He has now started a class, and he is very glib of tongue. Someone in his class went to him and said, “Do you know that what you have taught is contrary to most Bible teachers and especially to the man who led you to the Lord?” The young man replied, “Oh, Dr. McGee? Well, maybe he needs to correct his theology.” Well, frankly, maybe I do. I am amazed the more I study the Word of God. The thing that discourages me is that it reveals my ignorance, not my knowledge. I realize I have a long way to go, but the young man who made that statement has even farther to go. However, he does not recognize his own ignorance.
I am reminded of what a preacher said of another young man who had just started out in the ministry. When someone pointed out his prideful attitude, the preacher said of the young man, “Yes, he thinks he is the fourth person of the Trinity.” It is so easy for a preacher or teacher to become proud.
The tongue is very dangerous. James is saying here, “My brethren, be not many teachers.” Don’t think that the minute you become a child of God you can start a Bible class and teach the Book of Revelation.
“Knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” Frankly, it is frightening to realize that God will judge us for the way in which we teach His Word, and we will be under His condemnation if our teaching is wrong. My friend, the more opportunity you have to give out the Word of God, the greater is your responsibility to God Himself.
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body [James 3:2].
“For in many things we offend all” means that in many ways we all stumble. All of us do—there is no exception to that.
“If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.” The word perfect means he is a full-grown Christian as he should be—just as a baby grows up, becomes a little child and matures to full adulthood.
James says the perfect man is “able also to bridle the whole body.” In other words, if he can control his speech, he can control his entire body, in fact, his whole life. The tongue lifts man from the animal world. It keeps him from being a gibbering ape or an aping parrot. Man is not an inarticulate animal or a mockingbird. Man can put thought into words; he can express himself; he can be understood; he can communicate on the highest level. The tongue is a badge which you and I wear—it identifies us. It is the greatest index to life. It is the table of contents of our lives.
Our tongues give us away; they tell who we are. Quite a few years ago I was rushing with my wife and little girl from a conference at Salt Lake City to a conference in the San Francisco Bay area. As we came over the High Sierras and Donner Pass, we stopped at a little town—I don’t even know the name of it—and pulled into a filling station. I stepped out of the car and said to the young man there, “Fill ’er up!” That’s all I said, but as I was looking out at those mountains and the lovely scenery, I became conscious that he was eyeing me. Finally, I turned to him and smiled. He said to me, “Are you Dr. McGee?” I said, “I sure am. Do I know you?” He said, “No.” I said, “Do you know me?” He said, “No. I’ve never seen, you before, but up here, especially during the wintertime when we are all snowed in, we listen to you every Sunday night on the radio. We’ve been doing it for years. I’d know your voice anywhere.” I’ve had that same experience a number of times. You see, my tongue gives me away.
Remember the maid who said to Simon Peter, “… thy speech betrayeth thee” (Matt. 26:73)—he could not deny that he was from Galilee. Your speech tells who you are; your tongue gives you away. It tells where you came from. It tells whether you are ignorant or educated, cultured or crude, whether you are clean or unclean, whether you are vulgar or refined, whether you are a believer or a blasphemer, whether you are a Christian or a non-Christian, whether you are guilty or not guilty. My friend, I am of the opinion that if you had a tape-recorded message of everything you have said this past month, you would not want the world to hear it.
Now let’s put the acid down on your tongue and mine. James will first deal with the unbridled and unrestrained tongue—
Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body [James 3:3].
The illustration James uses here is the horse. It was David who said, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me” (Ps. 39:1). In other words, David said that because he wanted to give the right kind of testimony, he would put a bridle on his mouth. My friend, there are a lot of Christians today who ought to have a bridle put on their mouths.
The bridle bits are not impressive in size, but they can hold a high-spirited horse in check and keep him from running away. If you are old enough, you may have recollections of the horse-and-buggy days. I can recall seeing a horse run away, turn over a buggy, and bring death and destruction to a family. In the same way, the tongue can run away. Someone said of another individual, “His mind starts his tongue to wagging, and then goes off and leaves it.” We should not go through life like that—there needs to be a bridle for the tongue.
Now James is going to use a different illustration—
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth [James 3:4].
Large ships can be controlled by a little rudder which few people even see. A fierce storm may drive a ship, but a little rudder can control it. The tongue can also change the course of our lives. Men have been ruined by the tongue; many the fair name of a woman has been wrecked by some gossipy tongue.
James says that the tongue is more dangerous than a runaway horse or a storm at sea. I believe that liquor is eating at the vitals of our nation today, but did you know that the tongue is condemned more in Scripture than alcoholism is condemned? Liquor and alcoholism may bring our nation down, yet the tongue is even more dangerous than that. Proverbs 6:16–17 says, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” A lying tongue is one of the seven things God hates.
The tongue can really get us into trouble—there is no question about that. Again, someone has put it in words like this:
A careless word may kindle strife;
A cruel word may wreck a life.
A bitter word may hate instill;
A brutal word may smite and kill.
A gracious word may smooth the way;
A joyous word may light the day.
A timely word may lessen stress;
A loving word may heal and bless.
—Author unknown
I was very impressed when I read General Montgomery’s farewell words addressed to the Eighth Army in Italy following World War II. He said to them, “Command must be personal and it must be verbal; otherwise it will have no success, because it is wrapped up in the human factor.” Continuing, he said this: “I often have at the back of my mind a passage from the New Testament, ‘Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?’” (see 1 Cor. 14:9). That is the kind of tongue I want to have as I teach the Word of God—the tongue that both a little child and the older folk can understand. Someone asked me one time, “How in the world can the same message bring a nine-year-old child and a university professor to the Lord?” I must confess, I do not know the answer to that question. But I do believe that God blesses His Word and that it must be taught simply. We must put the cookies on the bottom shelf where the kiddies can get them. God did not say, “Feed My giraffes”; He said, “Feed My lambs” (see John 21:15).
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell [James 3:5–6].
This is where I got the title for my little book on this third chapter of James, Hell on Fire. That is what the tongue can be and is in many cases. There are those who have questioned my use of the word hell, arguing that it is not properly translated in this verse. The Greek word used here is gehenna; it is not sheol. It refers to the valley of Hinnom where the fire never went out. This word is used only twelve times in the New Testament; the Lord Jesus used it eleven times, and James used it once. This is a correct translation: the tongue is “set on fire of hell.”
It is quite impressive that James compares the tongue to a fire. I do not know whether you have ever seen a forest fire, but each summer out here in California we have an epidemic of them. They are very devastating, and many times absolutely uncontrollable; they have to burn themselves out in many instances.
Fire has been, of course, one of the greatest friends of man and nature. Some historians say that civilization began when man discovered fire. When it is under control, it warms our bodies, it cooks our food, and it generates power to turn the wheels of industry. It is dangerous, though, when it is out of control. It is a tragedy when a house is on fire. You hear a siren in the night, and you know that a group of men is rushing to put out a fire. Even in our present civilization we are not able to control fires. The London fire of 1666 destroyed London. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern in Chicago in 1871 and started that great and historic fire. And still today we see great devastations caused by fire.
The tongue is like a fire; when it is under control, it is a blessing; when it is out of control, it is devastating. It can be a cure, or it can be a curse. In Proverbs 12:18 we read, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” The tongue can be like a sword that kills, but it also can be health itself. What a picture this is of the tongue! Again in Proverbs we read, “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness” (Prov. 15:14).
Let me repeat the proverb I quoted a little earlier: “Thou art master of the unspoken word, but the spoken word is master of you.” If you haven’t said it, you cannot be held responsible, but once you’ve said it, it can condemn you. I have learned through personal experience that a slip of the tongue (especially if it’s made on a radio broadcast which is heard by many) can have great repercussions. You remember that Simon Peter’s tongue betrayed him, and he denied that he knew his Lord. But on the Day of Pentecost, what was it that the Lord used? It was the tongue of that blundering, stumbling, bumbling fellow, Simon Peter. The tongue can be either a curse or a cure.
Brush and forest fires scorch and blacken and are a plague. Like a fire, the tongue can burn through a church, burn through a community, burn through a town, and even burn through a nation.
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison [James 3:7–8].
In my younger days, when the circus was coming to town, a group of us young folk would gather at some home, have a time of fellowship and a late dinner, then go down to the railroad yards to watch the circus come in and unload. As the parade of moving it out to the circus grounds was in progress, we would go along with it and then watch the tent being put up. One time we were even invited to have breakfast with them in the cook tent. My, what a thrill that was! Clyde Beatty was then with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus, and he had charge of the wild animals. He was the one who went into the cages and put them through their paces. We were in that tent, not as paid customers, but just watching them put up everything. Clyde Beatty went to a cage in which there were some little lion cubs; I think there were three or four of them. He took them out and began to play with them. He rolled them, and they bit at him; he grabbed them and turned them over, just having a big time with them. We went over and asked him why he did that. He said this: “I would never go into a cage with a lion that I had not brought up from the time it was a cub. You cannot train an old lion. I begin with these little ones, and when they grow up into fine, fierce-looking young lions, I will take them into the cage with me. But they know me, and I know them.” May I say to you, you can tame a lion; you can tame an elephant, but you cannot tame the little tongue. As someone has said, “The most untamable thing in the world has its den just behind the teeth.” That’s one little animal which no zoo has in captivity, no circus can make it perform, no man can tame it. Only a regenerate tongue in a redeemed body, a tongue that God has tamed, can be used for Him.
It is interesting to note that Paul said, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9, italics mine). In other words, we are to sing a duet, the tongue and the heart are to be in tune. The Lord Jesus said, “… for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34)—what is in the heart will come out. Someone has said, “What is in the well of the heart will come out through the bucket of the mouth.” If it is in your heart, you are going to say it sooner or later. It is interesting that when our Lord came to that dumb man, the gospel writer is very careful to say, “He touched his mouth!” My friend, if He has touched you, He has touched your mouth also.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be [James 3:9–10].
The tongues which you and I have are capable of praising God or blaspheming God. As we have said before, the tongue is that which lifts man above the animal world. Man is not a gibbering ape or a mockingbird. Man can communicate with man, and he can communicate with God. When a man can sing like an angel on Sunday and then talk like a demon during the week—you label him as you want to—the Bible calls that man a hypocrite.
When I announced in the bank where I worked as a young man that I was going to study for the ministry, one of the vice-presidents of the bank called me into his office. He had been a good friend of mine, and he knew something of my life and how I had lived. He said to me, “Vernon, I hope you are going to be a genuine preacher and a genuine servant of God.” He said, “The reason I am not a Christian today is because of an experience had during the war.” (He was referring to World War I.) He went on to tell me how the bank had set up a branch bank at the powder plant at Old Hickory outside of Nashville, Tennessee. One of the tellers there was also a soloist in a church in downtown Nashville. One Sunday as that teller came out of church, the bank vice-president overheard one of the ladies say, “You know, that man is one of the most wonderful men in the world. He sings just like an angel!” This vice-president made no comment at the time. But that woman owned property, and she had business at the bank out at Old Hickory. She came in one day and was talking to him when suddenly they heard the vilest language imaginable. It came from the teller who had attempted to balance and he hadn’t balanced. (I was a teller for several years, and I know that this is one of the most discouraging things that can happen.) Well, when this man didn’t balance, he began to explode with blasphemies, and the lady said, “Who in the world is that?” The bank vice-president said, “That’s your soloist who sings like an angel on Sunday!” A man can bless God with his mouth, and he can blaspheme God. You can do both with the mouth you have. The Lord Jesus said that what is in the heart will come up through the mouth; you can be sure your tongue is going to say it.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh [James 3:11–12].
In other words, a man can be a two-faced, double-minded, and forked-tongued individual—he can say both good and bad. But no fountain down here on this earth is going to give forth both sweet and bitter water, nor will a tree bear both figs and olives.
Now the tongue reveals genuine faith, because it is with the mouth that confession is made of that which is in the heart—
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom [James 3:13].
The tongue can reveal genuine faith. It can give a testimony for God. It can speak wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth [James 3:14].
Strife and bitterness are certainly not the fruits of faith, but the tongue can stir up that kind of thing. James is making a contrast between the tongue of the foolish believer and the tongue of the wise believer. In fact, an uncontrolled tongue raises the question in the minds of others whether a man is a child of God or not. You cannot make me believe that a genuine believer can curse six days a week and then sing in a choir on Sunday. He cannot tell dirty jokes and then teach a Sunday school class, telling about the love of Jesus. That tongue which you have can do either one, but if it does both, it is that which stirs up strife. We are told here, “Lie not against the truth.” A lying tongue is one that denies the Lord during the week by its conversation.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish [James 3:15].
James makes it very clear that strife and envying do not originate with God. They do not come from Him at all—it is “earthly, sensual, devilish.”
Knowledge is proud that she has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that she knows no more.
—Author unknown
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work [James 3:16].
An uncontrolled tongue produces envying and strife which lead to “confusion and every evil work.” Scripture makes it very clear that God is not the author of confusion. The confusion we find in the world today is a confusion brought about by the work of the Devil using that little thing, the tongue, which causes so much trouble. This verse will tie in very closely with what James has to say in the next chapter where he will define what worldliness really is.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy [James 3:17].
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure”—that is, it’s not mingled or mixed; it’s undiluted; it’s the original. It is that wisdom which comes down from God, and James clearly identifies it: it is “then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Dr. Samuel Zwemer mentions the fact that false teaching always produces strife and envy and trouble. He says, “You cannot explain the wickedness of the world as merely human. It is human plus something, and that is why non-Christian religions are successful. They are supernatural, but from beneath.” Anything that causes divisions and strife—it matters not which church it is in—is not of the Lord, you may be sure of that. You may boast of your fundamentalism, but if you are causing strife, you are sailing under false colors.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace [James 3:18].
These are the fruits of faith. There must be righteousness before there can be peace. I wish this idea would reach the United Nations. I wish it would reach Washington, D.C., and Moscow and Peking and all the other capitals of the world. You cannot have peace without righteousness. There is a day coming, the psalmist says, when peace and righteousness will have kissed each other (see Ps. 85:10). Today they don’t even know each other; they wouldn’t even recognize each other.
Chapter 3 concludes the first major division of the Epistle of James in which James has dealt with the verification of genuine faith. There is a difference in faith: you can believe the wrong thing, or you can just nod your head and call that faith, but saving faith is that which produces good works.
In these three chapters James has shown various ways in which God tests our faith to prove that it is genuine. First of all, God tests faith by trials. Dr. Richard H. Seume is an outstanding Bible teacher who has suffered with kidney trouble for a number of years. I would like to share with you something which he said (as quoted by Dr. Lehman Strauss in his book, James Your Brother), because I know that it comes from a preacher who is not giving us his theory or is ideas but who knows what it means to suffer. Dr. Seume wrote:
Life on earth would not be worth much if every source of irritation were removed. Yet most of us rebel against the things that irritate us, and count as heavy loss what ought to be rich gain. We are told that the oyster is wiser; that when an irritating object, like a bit of sand, gets under the mantle of his shell, he simply covers it with the most precious part of his being and makes of it a pearl. The irritation that it was causing is stopped by encrusting it with the pearly formation. A true pearl is therefore simply a victory over irritation. Every irritation that gets into our lives today is an opportunity for pearl culture. The more irritations the devil flings at us, the more pearls we may have. We need only to welcome them and cover them completely with love, that most precious part of us, and the irritation will be smothered out as the pearl comes into being. What a store of pearls we may have, if we will!
We saw, therefore, that (1) God tests faith by trials; (2) God does not test faith with evil; (3) God tests faith by the Word; (4) God tests faith by attitude and action in respect of persons; (5) God tests faith by good works; and (6) God tests faith by the tongue. James has made it very clear that genuine faith will be evident in the life of the believer.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Vacuity and Vapidness of Worldliness
VACUITY AND VAPIDNESS OF WORLDLINESS
James will deal with several very important questions in this chapter: What is worldliness? How does a Christian right the Devil? What is your life? All of these will anchor back into the subject of worldliness.
James will first answer the question: What is worldliness? I believe the average Christian in our so-called fundamental churches would give one of several answers. Some would say that worldliness is a matter of the kind of amusements you attend or indulge in: What kind of movies do you go to? Do you dance? And, do you drink? That is what they would call worldliness. May I say to you, James would not agree with them.
Others would say that it is the kind of crowd you run with, the gang you hang around with. After all, birds of a feather flock together, and if you are with a worldly crowd that engages in these things, then you are worldly. I am sorry to have to tell you, if you gave that answer in Jame’s college, you would fail; you wouldn’t pass the course.
Still others would say that worldliness is a matter of the conversation you engage in. You must learn to say “Praise the Lord” and “Hallelujah” at the right times. Worldliness is when you engage in worldly conversation. Again, that is not the answer; you have failed the course.
Someone else will answer that worldliness is the way that you dress. I have news for you: you have not passed the course.
Others may say it is a person who engages in business and the making of money to the exclusion of all else and who neglects the church; that person, they say, is a worldly individual. You still have not passed the course in James’ college.
Yet another may answer that it is the person who does not go to church, but spends time on the golf course, fishing, boating, or watching his favorite team play baseball.
My friend, I do not approve of any of the things which I have mentioned here, but they just don’t happen to be worldliness. Most of those sins are sins of the flesh—not of the world. If you put down any one of those as your answer to James’ question, you have flunked the exam; you’ve failed the subject, and you’ve busted the course. None of those answers is correct. They may be symptoms of the disease, but nobody ever died of symptoms—they die of the disease. These are simply evidences of the real problem, which is deeper.
A brother of Henry Ward Beecher, a pastor in upper New York state, had a clock in his church that never would keep accurate time. So this man put a sign under that clock which read: “Don’t blame the hands. The trouble lies deeper.” This is what we need to recognize in ourselves. What we call worldliness is just the hands of the clock; the real trouble lies deeper.
William Thackeray, who was a Christian, dealt with this subject in his novel, Vanity Fair, in a way that probably no one else has dealt with it. His novel is about the world, and he wrote it on the background of the wars of Napoleon. He presents characters who are all filled with weaknesses and littleness, pettiness and jealousy, envy, discord and strife—all of that is there. Someone once asked Thackeray, “Why don’t you have some wonderful heroes in your novels? You always present little people.” Thackeray replied, “I hold a mirror up to nature, and I do not find heroes among mankind. They are filled with littleness and pettiness and strife and sin.” When you get to the end of Vanity Fair, Thackeray does a masterly thing. He says, “Come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.” That is man. As Shakespeare said, he “struts and frets his hour upon the stage.” Man is filled with worldliness.
Dr. Griffith Thomas pinned it down a little closer when a person who was very much distressed came to him one day and asked, “Don’t you think that the world is becoming Christian today?” Dr. Thomas said, “No, I do not think that is true. I think the world is becoming a little churchy, but I think the church is becoming immensely worldly.”
Since World War II there has been a breakdown of the wall of separation between the church and the world. The separation that many had practiced was legalistic and, I think, unscriptural. The church was like the little Dutch boy who was keeping his thumb in the dike. Then, in the aftermath of the war, along came television, lawlessness, immorality, and juvenile delinquency; first the beatniks, then the hippies, then dope and marijuana, and the philosophy of existentialism. A tidal wave swept over the dikes of separation, and even the little Dutch boy was washed away.
There is no simple answer to the question: What is worldliness? But I am going to let James give what I think is his very definitive answer. What is worldliness? James says that worldliness is strife and envy. We need to go back to chapter 3 to pick up his thoughts. In James 3:13 we read, “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” Faith is the major in James’ university, and all elective courses are related to faith. Works of faith bring meekness. Then we read, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle” (James 3:17). There is meekness or humility, and humility means submission.
In James 3:16 we read, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” That is worldliness. And worldliness in the church has produced all the cults, denominations, factions, divisions, and cliques which have arisen and abound in the church today. There is a spirit of rivalry and jealousy in the church. In the previous verse, James describes this as “earthly”—that is, it is confined to the earth. It is “sensual”—that is, psychological. And then it’s “devilish” or demonic, which is something quite terrible, my friend.
What do envy and strife produce in this world? They produce “confusion and every evil work.” With this as background, we can recognize what James is saying now in chapter 4—
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? [James 4:1].
“Wars” have to do with the wars of nations. “Fightings” have to do with little skirmishes—that little fight you had in the church—you remember?
“Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” You wanted to have your own way. “Lusts that war in your members” are actually sensual pleasures. Strife and turmoil are created by conflicts and the overweening demands of the members of the body for satisfaction.
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not [James 4:2].
Selfish desires, James makes it very clear, lead to war. This spirit of strife is worldliness; it is not Christian, and it is not the Christian approach. These are the things which represent the old nature. A man must be regenerated by faith in Christ and be indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
What James describes here is the spirit of the world. When the spirit of the world gets into the church, you have a worldly church. My friend, do you think it is bad out on the battlefield? Did you think it was bad in Vietnam? Well, it was, but inside some churches and inside the hearts of some individuals it is just as bad. In the business world there is dog-eat-dog competition—that is worldliness. Political parties split, and one group becomes pitted against another. As capital and labor meet around the conference table, there is a battle going on. In the social world there are climbers on the social ladder who are stepping on the hands of others as they go up. In your neighborhood and mine one family does not speak to another family. Within families there are quarrels, brother against brother. Then that spirit gets into the church. That, my friend, is worldliness.
“Yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” Our desires should be taken to the Lord in prayer—to have them satisfied or denied or refined—and then we need to accept the answer from Him. What is the cure for worldliness? It is prayer. It is, therefore, faith in God. The apostle John put it like this, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The answer is to trust in God absolutely, to go to Him in prayer and commit to Him that which is in your heart. When you find that there is strife and envy in your heart, talk to Him about it. Many of us go to the Lord to tell Him how good we are. And because we have been good little boys and girls who have gone to Sunday school, we think He ought to give us a lollipop or a Brownie button or something of that sort. My friend, we need to get right down to the nitty-gritty where we live. Consider these words which were written by a great saint, a mystic of the Middle Ages, Fénelon:
Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you to conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself as to others.
If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back; neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration, just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.
When I was laid aside for some time with an illness, I found that all things do work together for good. My wife and I were able to sit at home for a longer period of time than we ever had since we were married. Even on our honeymoon I candidated at a church. From that day to this we have been on the go. We found that there were some things we really needed to talk over that otherwise might have been misunderstood. We had wonderful talks, and we just laid bare our hearts to each other. It was the most joyous experience. I said to her, “Honey, this is more wonderful than our honeymoon was!” That is the kind of relationship we ought to have with God.
Having studied the Word of God and having read these words by Fénelon, I came to the conclusion that I was going to tell the Lord Jesus everything. I have talked to Him about everything in my life that was sinful and questionable. He knows, He understands, and He’s forgiven me.
The only way to take away that envy and jealousy and strife which is in your heart is to go to the Lord Jesus. You don’t need to go to the psychiatrist; he’ll just move your problem from one area to another. You need to get rid of that hang-up by going to the Lord Jesus, getting on His couch, and telling Him everything.
James says that the solution is for you and me to pray, but we often pray for selfish ends—
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts [James 4:3].
Even when we do ask God for something, we ask in order that we might spend it in a very selfish way.
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God [James 4:4].
Because we are willing to compromise with the world in order to attain our goals, James calls us “adulterers and adulteresses.” This is the way of the world: take by force what you want; by hook or by crook lay hold of it; be envious and jealous of other folk, and cause strife. That is worldliness.
“Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” I have never joined any of the clubs or lodges such as the Lions, the Moose, the Elks, or the Rotary Club. I have been asked to join, but I do not join them. I’ll tell you the reason. I have enough trouble with worldliness in the church; I do not need to join a worldly organization.
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? [James 4:5].
Are we trying to kid ourselves that we are nice, sweet, little folk who have no envy and jealousy in our hearts? I heard a woman say one time, “I have a very wonderful husband. He is not jealous of me.” I want you to know that something is wrong if a husband is not jealous of his wife. If he loves her, he will be jealous of her. God says that He is jealous of His children. But what about jealousy in the wrong sense—jealousy when we do not get elected to a committee or do not receive recognition in the church that we feel we deserve? And what about the strife we cause with these tongues of ours? James says that the solution to the problem is to go to the Lord Jesus and tell Him about our problem, tell Him everything.
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble [James 4:6].
I have said this again and again: God is overloaded with grace. You and I just don’t know how gracious He is. He has an abundance of grace. Grace has been defined as unmerited favor, but I call it love in action. God didn’t save us by love. He gave His Son, and it is by His grace that we are saved. He has so much of it. You may say, “Oh, I am so wrong on the inside, so sinful.” Go to Him and tell Him you are wrong on the inside, and ask Him for grace to overcome it. He will give you grace. He is the living Christ, interceding at God’s right hand for you.
Now some may doubt the surplus of His grace. May I say to you, all the medicine in the world cannot cure the sick; the remedy must be taken. Likewise, God has the grace, my friend; lay hold of it! It is possible for a man to die of thirst with a pure spring of water right before him. He has to drink of it; he has to appropriate it before it can save his life. You don’t blame soap and water for the fact that there are dirty people in the world, do you? There is plenty of soap and water to clean you up, my friend.
“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” This is the kind of container that the grace of God must be carried in; it must be carried in an humble individual.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you [James 4:7].
When you go to a doctor for medical care, you submit yourself to him. One time when I was sick, the doctor gave me half a dozen prescriptions. The man might have been trying to poison me, but I had faith in him and took his pills. They helped me because I submitted to him. “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” You may ask, “How am I going to resist the Devil?” James is going to be very practical. He has just said that we need a little more grace—He “giveth grace unto the humble.” In other words, you are not going to be able to resist the Devil in your own strength. You and I are surrounded by evil influences. Temptation, as we have seen, is on every hand. God supplies His grace as needed, and His supply never runs out. “This is yours,” God says. “You are to lay hold of it.”
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded [James 4:8].
God comes to the door of your heart; He will not come any farther. He knocks, and you have to let Him in. That is the only way He is going to get in, my friend.
It is said that one time Martin Luther threw an inkwell at the Devil. Somebody might say that was a crazy thing to do, but it is not if you are resisting the Devil. James tells us that the way to resist the Devil is to draw near to God. The Devil will flee from you, because he doesn’t like God as company. The Devil will not get to you unless you get too far away from God. A wolf never attacks a sheep as long as it is with the rest of the sheep and with the shepherd. And the closer the sheep is to the shepherd, the safer it is. Our problem is that we get too far from God.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness [James 4:9].
There are certain conditions which call for mourning and not for joy. Sin is never to be treated lightly. When I hear a Christian make light of sin, I have a sneaking notion that, on the side, when nobody is looking, he is indulging in sin. You are not to treat sin lightly, my friend; you are to mourn over your sins. The problem today is that Christians are not mourning over their sins.
We have several outstanding evangelists and some great evangelistic meetings in our day, but why is it that there is no revival in the church? I think James is giving us something to think about in what he says here. I remember asking this same question of Dr. John Brown, who was one of the great evangelists in the past. As we sat on his front porch in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, I asked him why, even in that day, evangelism was not reviving the church as it had when he was active in the ministry. He told me about the meetings which he had held in my present hometown of Pasadena, California, where he had a tent set up on a big vacant lot at the corner of Washington and Holliston. He said this to me, “Dr. McGee, I preached six weeks to the Christians before I ever attempted to give an altar call for the unsaved—and revival came to the churches.” When I came as pastor to a church in Pasadena, I could still see the effects of Dr. Brown’s meetings in that church. Why? For the very simple reason that sin had been dealt with in the lives of believers. Too often we refuse to deal with it. We need to mourn over our sins.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up [James 4:10].
“He shall lift you up.” This is our problem today: We think we are smart. We think we are strong. We think we have ability. We think we are good. God says that there is no good within us. There is nothing in us that attracts Him, that is, in the way of goodness; it is just our great need that draws Him to us. If we are willing to humble ourselves and get down where He can lift us up, He will lift us up.
I observed a lifeguard once as he hit a drowning fellow with his fist and knocked him out. The lifeguard explained that the drowning man was struggling and that he could not help him until he gave up. I think sometimes God gives us the fist so that we just give up and let Him take over.
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? [James 4:11–12].
If you judge your brother, you disobey the law, which is putting yourself above the law and treating it with contempt. In other words, who do you think you are? When you begin to talk like that, you are moving into the position of God. There are two types of people today who seek to take the position of God. One is the sinner who says, “I’m good enough to be saved. Lord, I don’t need your salvation. You just move over, and I am going to move up and sit beside you. I am my own savior.” But, my friend, God says in His Word that He is the only Savior. Then there is the other fellow who sits in judgment on everyone else. He doesn’t judge himself, but he judges everyone else. James is saying that judgment is God’s business. Jesus said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). There are many Christians who, in effect, say to the Lord Jesus, “You move over. I’m going to help You. We are going to have a Supreme Court, and I am going to be one of the judges.” We have a lot of believers like that today; boy, what a Supreme Court the church could furnish Him! James says that we are to judge ourselves and to go to Him in humility.
Go to now, ye that say, To-day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain [James 4:13].
Here is something else Christians do—we like to make big plans for the future. It has taken me a long time in life to learn just to play it by ear. Normally I accept speaking engagements quite some time ahead of schedule, but in periods of serious illness I have been forced to cancel some engagements. I have hated to cancel them, but the Lord has brought this passage of Scripture to my mind: “Come now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and hold a Bible conference. We will have a wonderful time there, and we believe it is the Lord’s will.” That is not exactly what James said, but that is how the Lord has said it to me.
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away [James 4:14].
James says that we do not know what tomorrow holds. “For what is your life?” He says it is just a vapor, a fog. “It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” We have a lot of fog here on the West Coast. You can be driving along the coast on a marvelous day when the ocean is as blue as indigo and the sky almost as blue as the ocean, but if you stop at a motel for the night, you may find in the morning that everything is shrouded by fog. Life is like a mist on a mountainside—uncertain, transient, and temporary.
Human life lived apart from and without God is the most colossal failure in God’s universe. Everything else serves a long and useful purpose. The sun in the sky is prodigal of its energy—we use very little of it. The moon also serves a purpose; many of you fellows got married because of that moon up there. It is the poet who said, “Only man is vile.” Human life apart from God is out of joint, dislocated, a colossal failure. One of the reasons is the brevity of this life. We are allotted only three score and ten years; if we get any more, they are filled with aches and pains. Oh, the brevity of human life! Many of us never learn to really live down here upon this earth.
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that [James 4:15].
Our lives are in the hand of God.
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil [James 4:16].
Man cannot boast; if he does, it is sin.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin [James 4:17].
There are a great many people today who are sinning and don’t know it. If you know to do good in certain cases—if you know that you should do a certain thing or help a certain cause—and you do not do it, that is sin.
Our lives are brief, and we should not spend our time in strife and envy and jealousy. It spoils a life. We need to come to Christ, put our lives down before Him, and really start living. He has said, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He wants to give you a life that is a life indeed. Are you living that life today?
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Riches are a care; the coming of Christ is a comfort; the prayer of the righteous is a power
RICHES ARE A CARE
We have come to a remarkable section of the Epistle of James which may seem out of place in this epistle. A cursory reading of these first six verses might give the impression that James is teaching a socialistic doctrine of “soak the rich” or “let’s divide the wealth.” But on the contrary, a careful reading of these verses reveals that James is not teaching any such thing. He was instructing believers as to their attitude and action in a world that was going to the bowwows, a world filled with injustice, where freedom was only a dream. The Roman world of James’ day was not like the modern world in which we live. The life-styles were entirely different. There was no middle class in the days of James. There were the very rich, the filthy rich, and the very poor, the filthy poor. The majority of the Christians of that day came from the very poor and slave classes. They had no great cathedrals on boulevards, and they were not building kingdoms as are many of these great churches which are spending millions of dollars these days. The early church just wasn’t that kind of church.
As we approach this passage of Scripture, we should understand that James is not condemning riches. Riches in themselves are not immoral; they are not moral, either. They are just unmoral or amoral. The Bible actually does not condemn money. A great many people have the viewpoint that there is something dirty about money; they call it “filthy lucre.” Scripture doesn’t say that. What Scripture does say is that “… the love of money is the root of all evil …” (1 Tim. 6:10). The problem is not in the coin; the problem is in the hearts of men and women. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil. James was not condemning people just because they were rich but because of their wrong relationship to their riches. He was concerned with how they got their money and what they were doing with it after they got it.
The Lord Jesus Christ had a great deal to say about money and about riches. He gave three parables which I think will help us to understand what James is saying. In Luke 16:19–31 we have the story (which I think is a true story) of the poor man, Lazarus the beggar, and the rich man. This parable has to do with the way the rich man spent his money. He was really living it up. It is interesting that this beggar, Lazarus, was placed at his gate. Who put him there? I don’t know, but in some way the rich man was responsible for him. And the rich man let the beggar have the crumbs from his table. May I say to you, I would wager that the rich man deducted those crumbs from his income tax! Nevertheless, we are told that the dogs licked the beggar’s sores while the rich man “fared sumptuously.” It was the way this man became rich that in some way made him responsible for the beggar’s condition. Someone will ask, “What makes you think that?” Well, where did the two men go after death? Lazarus went to Abraham’s Bosom, and the rich man went to hell. That shows us how God judged the lives of these two men, my friend.
In Luke 12 the Lord Jesus gave a second parable about a rich man. This man is the one who built bigger barns—at least he had plans to build them. However, he never did build the barns because he died. The Lord Jesus Christ never condemned that man for being rich; when He stated it, He just stated it as a fact. To all outward appearances, this man was a good man and an honest citizen. But he hoarded his money. He wanted to live it up in his old age, and he gave no thought to eternity. The Lord Jesus called him a fool. Actually, he was more than covetous; he was selfish. He was hoarding his money for himself, and that, may I say, is a form of idolatry. We are told in the Word of God that covetousness is idolatry; it is the worship of things. But selfishness is when you worship yourself. There is a lot of that going on today; in fact, it is even being taught as a Christian virtue. We are told that we are to have great respect for ourselves and great confidence in ourselves. But the Lord Jesus said, “… without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).
There is a third parable concerning riches which the Lord Jesus gave. It is the parable of the unjust steward by which we are taught the wise use of money by Christians. God holds man responsible not only for how he makes his money but also for how he spends it.
There is another question we should consider before we examine the text. Are the rich whom James is condemning here Christians or non-Christians? Are they the godly rich or the godless rich? There is some controversy and difference of opinion among commentators on this question. I personally believe that they are the godless rich, and in that I follow the opinion of one whom I respect a great deal, John Calvin. Thomas Manton writes that it was Calvin’s judgment that “these six verses are not so much an admonition as a denunciation, wherein the apostle doth not so much direct them what to do, as foretell what should be done to them, that the godly might be encouraged to the more patience under their oppressions; for that the apostle inferreth plainly.”
Why does James turn from talking to the godly and begin talking to the ungodly? The fact of the matter is that he doesn’t change. He is still speaking to the godly. How can that be, when he is so obviously speaking to the rich? As he speaks to the ungodly, he is at the same time telling the godly that they live in a godless world, where the godless rich will impose certain hardships upon them and take advantage of them and where they will be at the mercy of these wicked, rich men. The Lord Jesus Christ had already made a general reference to this when He said, “… In the world ye shall have tribulation [trouble]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
The godly are to be patient in these circumstances, knowing that God will deal with the godless rich in eternity if not here. This is made very clear in verse 6 of this chapter: “Ye have condemned and killed the just”—God condemns these actions of the rich; “and he doth not resist you”—but God permits them, so it seems, to get by with it. However, He will judge them in the end. May I make this rather startling statement. I would rather go to hell a poor man than a rich man. But I thank God that I am not going there, and that is because Christ died for me and I have accepted His gift of eternal life.
David was troubled by the prosperity of the wicked; it bothered him no end. In Psalm 37:35–36 we read, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Earlier in this psalm, David gives the same advice that James gives: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (Ps. 37:7). That is a tremendous statement, and he is speaking of the godless rich. David was troubled by this until he went into the temple and saw that, in time, God would deal with these people.
Let us come now to the text—
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you [James 5:1].
Is James speaking to the godless rich of his day or of some future day? He is giving a warning to the rich in his day, and it has an application for any day and certainly for our day. James wrote this epistle, we believe, somewhere between ad. 45 and 50. Many others now give the date as a.d. 60. Regardless of the date, the destruction of Jerusalem was in the near future, for in a.d. 70 Titus the Roman came and destroyed Jerusalem as it had never been destroyed before. He plowed it under. He hated Christians and he hated Jews, and they both were in that city. Believe me, when he got through, there were no rich Jews left. They had either been killed or had been put in slavery, and all the riches had been destroyed or lost or confiscated. James can make these strong statements in view of what was coming, for the Lord Jesus had predicted this before He ascended back to heaven. He told His disciples, “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh” (Luke 21:20). That was fulfilled in a.d. 70.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten [James 5:2].
In light of the coming of Christ, they are warned that all the riches of the world will come to naught. This obviously would not impress a godless rich person in that day any more than it would today; however, the rich man knew that the future was uncertain for him, just as many realize that today. There is always a danger of a panic, a crash, a drought, or a depression. That has been the order of the day since men started to mint money.
There will always be good years, and there will always be bad years. Some of us can remember the depression of the early 1930s when millionaires by the score leaped out of the windows of skyscrapers, and many rich found that they became paupers overnight. Some former millionaires sold apples at street corners, and gilt-edged stocks and bonds in safety deposit boxes were not worth the paper they were written on.
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days [James 5:3].
James says, “Do you know how your silver and gold are going to rust? It is because you are going to decay.” This is the judgment that comes upon the godless rich like the men in two of the parables which Christ gave. Death came to both of them, and death certainly separates a rich man from his money. It is said that when one of the Vanderbilts was dying, the family was waiting in an outer room. When the lawyer and the doctor came out, one of the more outspoken members of the family stepped up to the lawyer and asked, “How much did he leave?” The lawyer replied, “He left it all. He didn’t take any of it with him.” May I say to you, that is the way that it rusts, my friend. A gentleman was being shown through the magnificent grounds of a rich nobleman’s estate, and he said to the owner, “Well, my lord, all this and heaven would be noble; but this and hell would be terrible.”
James is condemning the godless rich for hoarding their money. Gold and silver do rust. It’s boom today and bust tomorrow. When a man makes a million, he is not satisfied with that. He wants to make two million. It’s like drinking sea water—the more you drink, the thirstier you get. The rich keep on making millions, but it doesn’t make them any happier.
We had here in America two men who were billionaires whose lives are an example of the futility of riches. Both of them were remarkable men who built great financial empires. Howard Hughes was one of them, but in his last days, from all we can learn, he was a recluse and a sick man. He could not have been happy in those years. All that money just didn’t seem to do him very much good. The other man, J. Paul Getty, was reported in the press to have made this statement: “I’d give all my wealth for just one happy marriage.” How tragic!
God gave wealth not to be hoarded but to be dispensed. The rich man in Christ’s parable planned to build bigger barns in which to store his goods and his fruits. But you can eat only so much; you can drink only so much, and you can wear only one suit at a time. After the first million dollars, when you start gathering more millions, they are just like a pile of rocks. You cannot eat them; there is nothing you can do with them. That is the reason our Lord called that man a fool. Instead of filling his own barn, he should have gone and filled someone else’s barn.
I know a Christian farmer who lives in the fruit belt of California. He told me that the organization of farmers to which he belonged asked him to dump some of his fruit crop in order to keep the prices up. He said that tons of fruit had been destroyed. There were a lot of folk who could have used and enjoyed that fruit. James says that wealth is to be dispensed and not hoarded.
Let me pass on to you two little stories which have come my way. A certain young person very impatiently said, “I’m living now, and I mean to have a good time. The hereafter isn’t here yet!” A very wise companion replied, “No—only the first part of it; but I shouldn’t wonder if the ‘here’ had a good deal to do with shaping the ‘after.’”
There was an irreligious farmer who gloried in the fact that he was an agnostic. He wrote a letter to a local newspaper, saying, “Sir, I have been trying an experiment with a field of mine. I plowed it on Sunday. I planted it on Sunday. I cultivated it on Sunday. I reaped it on Sunday. I hauled it into my barn on Sunday. And now, Mr. Editor, what is the result? I have more bushels to the acre in that field than any of my neighbors have had this October.” The editor wasn’t a religious man himself, but he published the letter and then wrote below it: “God does not always settle His accounts in October.” God has eternity ahead of Him, my friend.
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth [James 5:4].
James condemns the godless rich not only for hoarding money but for making it in a dishonest way. They have robbed the poor to get rich. In the parable, the rich man let fall some crumbs for the beggar. What a message is in that! That beggar had been placed at the rich man’s gate because the rich man was responsible for him.
In Proverbs 22:7 it says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” God condemns the godless man who makes his money in a dishonest way, especially when it is by putting down the children of God. God may do nothing now, but He is going to judge in the future. If men are making their riches by stepping on the hands of those beneath them, then God will judge that. This should serve as a word of warning to the rich man, to great corporations and labor unions, and also to great church organizations. God will judge the way men make their money and the way they spend it.
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter [James 5:5].
The rich were spending their money in a sinful manner. The miser says, “Dollars are flat to stack them,” but the spendthrift says, “They are round to roll them.” Either way, God says that you are wrong, my friend.
Again, let me quote a proverb: “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit” (Prov. 18:11). Then in Proverbs 28:11 we read, “The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.” This is the picture of the two godless rich men whom the Lord Jesus told about; both wanted to live it up. One wanted to store it up now and then live it up in his old age. The other rich man was living it up at the time while the beggar lay outside his gate. If you have decided to live for this life only, be sure to live it up, but God says you are a fool, my friend.
Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you [James 5:6].
“Ye have condemned and killed the just.” When we look about us at our own government and the other governments of the world, it would seem that there is a power structure which manipulates government and which manipulates the economy. We hear a great deal about the freedom of the press, but that freedom is a freedom to brainwash people to their way of thinking. Although we are supposed to have freedom of speech and of religion, on the most powerful radio stations in any city in this country, you cannot buy time on weekdays for the teaching of the Word of God. That is true no matter how much money you might have to pay for it.
“And he doth not resist you.” The rich seem to be getting by with it today, and the sinner is getting by with it. That disturbed David at first. He said, “They spread themselves like a green bay tree and do not cease from flourishing.” If I do something wrong, I get punished for it. God takes me to the woodshed, but the king of Babylon just keeps on going and nothing stops him. Actually, that is God’s judgment on the wicked. He is not judging them now, but the end to which they come is very terrible. Riches have never brought happiness to mankind at all.
There is a lesson here for the rich man who is a Christian. How big is your bank account? If Jesus should come right now, would you be willing to let Him look into your safety deposit box? He is going to do that someday. How are you making use of your riches?
Proverbs 30:8 says, “… give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me.” I am thankful that I am neither rich nor poor, because if I were rich, I would forget God, and if I were poor, I might steal. I thank God that I can go down the middle of the road today in the middle class.
THE COMING OF CHRIST IS A COMFORT
James had made it very clear what kind of world we live in. It’s a big, bad world with a dog-eat-dog philosophy. Those who are climbing up the ladder of riches are stepping on the fingers of others as they go up. Should Christians join some organization and go all out for good government? Certainly we ought to be interested in trying to elect the best men. However, we cannot change this world, my friend. What, then, can we do? Listen to God; He is speaking now to His own children—
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain [James 5:7].
The Word of God has a great deal to say about the fact that when Christ comes and sets up His kingdom, the poor are going to get a good deal, a right and honest deal, for the first time in the history of the world. This is something that all of the prophets mentioned and which they emphasized. In Isaiah 11:4 we read, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor.…” Believe me, the poor have not had a good deal yet. If you think that by changing a political party you will somehow get a good deal for the poor, you are wrong. I don’t mean to be a pessimist, my friend, but you simply cannot look to mankind, to men who are grasping for power and money, and expect them to act righteously. It does not matter what they promise, they are not going to take care of the poor. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ. If there is any group of people who ought to be interested in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the poor people of this world, because He is going to give them the right kind of deal when He establishes His kingdom here upon earth.
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.” This is a tremendous statement. The coming of Christ will correct the wrongs of the world. We can read this again and again in Scripture. Not only do the prophets mention it, but Christ Himself made it clear in the Sermon on the Mount (which will be the law of His kingdom) that He intends to give the poor a square deal under His reign (see Matt. 6:19–24).
“Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” In other words, when the farmer plants his grain, he doesn’t go out the next morning to see if it is time to harvest it. James says, “Be patient. The harvest is coming.”
We often hear it said that Christians are harvesting when they go out in evangelism to give out the Word of God. I disagree with that. The Lord Jesus was at the end of an age when He said to His disciples (He was sending them out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, not worldwide), “… The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few …” (Luke 10:2). They were at the end of the age of law. Every age has ended in judgment; the present age will end in a judgment from God. That will be the harvest. In Matthew 13 the Lord Jesus said that He will send His angels to do the gathering in for the harvest. Believers do not harvest. He is the one who separates the wheat from the tares. Therefore, what are we doing when we give out the Word of God? The Lord Jesus is also a sower, and today He is sowing seed. I consider that to be my business. I teach the Word of God, and there is nothing in the world I can do but simply give it out. I’m just sowing seed. Some falls on good ground. Maybe not too much of it, but some falls on good ground. Hallelujah for that! Our business is growing seed.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh [James 5:8].
All the way through Scripture we are taught that we should live in the light of the coming of Christ.
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door [James 5:9].
It would be very embarrassing if the Lord should come while you are sitting in judgment on someone else. You would suddenly find yourself in His presence with Him judging you. What James is really saying here is, “Set your house in order. Get your affairs straightened out before He comes, because He is going to straighten them out if you don’t.” This is very important for believers to realize.
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience [James 5:10].
The prophets are an example to us. They suffered, and they were patient.
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy [James 5:11].
“Ye have heard of the patience of Job.” That is about all I know about Job’s patience—I’ve heard of it. As I read the Book of Job, I feel Job was very impatient. Actually, he learned patience. He was an impatient man, but he learned patience.
“And have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” In other words, the Lord is full of pity or compassion and is merciful. You have to go to the end of Job’s trial to see that he learned a great lesson and that the Lord was indeed compassionate and generous with him.
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation [James 5:12].
In other words, my friend, when you say you are going to promise something, it ought to be as if you were in a courtroom and had taken an oath to tell the truth. All your conversation ought to be like that. I can remember when my dad went to the bank one year to borrow money to get his cotton gin started. The banker was busy and said to my dad, “Go ahead and take the money.” My dad said, “But I haven’t signed the note.” I never shall forget what the banker said, “If you say you will repay it, that is just as good as if you have signed a note. So come in later and sign up.” May I say to you, a man’s word ought to be just that good. Some people, even if they take an oath on a stack of Bibles, do not honor their word.
THE PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS A POWER
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms [James 5:13].
James says that the afflicted are to pray and the merry are to sing psalms. Sometimes a song leader will get up in a service and say, “Now everybody sit up and smile.” I used to have a song leader like that in a church I pastored years ago. I told him, “Don’t you know that in this congregation there are people who are really burdened? As I look out there, I see one man who is a doctor and who has been busy all week taking care of patients. I also see a lady who is a buyer in a department store. She is weary and tired. And you ask them to sit up smile!” No, you don’t have to sit up and smile. The afflicted are to pray. The merry are to sing psalms. Some people go to church and then try to work up some enthusiasm. We ought to have the great passion and enthusiasm in our hearts even before we go to church, but we do not need to put on a false front.
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord [James 5:14].
A few years ago there was a tragic incident which occurred in a little town near Los Angeles where a man threw away the insulin that his little son was supposed to take because he said God was going to heal his son. The little fellow died, and then the man, who must be very fanatic, said, “The Lord is going to raise him up from the dead because he has been anointed.” The leaders of the denomination to which the man belonged said that he had never been taught anything like that. I believe that is true because I have had the privilege of meeting on several occasions with the man who taught theology in one of the outstanding Pentecostal schools. He said this to me, “Dr.Mcgee, I want you to know that I agree with you that not everyone can be healed. It must be the will of God in order for someone to healed.” That is my position, and I agree with what he said.
If you say that it is God’s will for every Christian who gets sick to be healed, you must agree that the logical conclusion of that line of thinking is that the Christian will never die. He will be healed of every disease which causes death. May I say, that is ridiculous. I have been healed of cancer, but I expect to die, if the Lord does not come in the meantime. It is a cruel hoax perpetrated upon simple believers that it is God’s will for all to be healed.
James is not actually asking a question here. He is saying, “Someone is sick among you.” What are you to do? “Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him”—that’s the first thing. The second thing is—“anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
There are two Greek words which are translated “anoint” in the New Testament. One of them is used in a religious sense; that word is chrioµin the Greek. From that we get the word Christos; Christ was the Anointed One. It means to anoint with some scented unguent or oil. It is used only five times in the New Testament, and it refers to the anointing of Christ by God the Father with the Holy Spirit.
The second word translated “anoint” is aleiphoµ. It is used a number of times in the New Testament. In Matthew 6:17 we read, “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face.” That simply means to put oil on your hair so that you will look all right. Trench comments that aleiphoµ is “the mundane and profane word.” The other, chrioµ, is “the sacred and religious word.” The word used in this verse in James is aleiphoµ, and all it means is to rub with oil. You remember that when Hezekiah was sick, they put something medicinal on that boil he had. James is saying something very practical here. He says, “Call for the elders to pray, and go to the best doctor you can get.” You are to use medicine, my friend. It is a mistaken idea to say that this refers to some religious ceremony of putting a little oil from a bottle on someone’s head, as if that would have some healing merit in it. It has no merit whatsoever. James is too practical for that.
James is also a man of prayer. He says, “Call for the elders to pray” This is the reason that when I get sick I ask others to pray. I believe in the priesthood of believers. James makes this very clear in the following verses—
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall he forgiven him.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may he healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much [James 5:15–16].
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick.” I believe you are to call on God’s people to pray for you when you are sick.
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” We are to confess our sins to God but our faults one to another. If I have injured you, then I ought to confess that to you. But I will not confess my sins to you, and I do not want you confessing your sins to me. You are to confess that to the Lord. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). I cannot forgive sins; neither can any clergyman forgive sins—only God can do that.
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James was a great man of prayer. He was called “Old Camel Knees” because, having spent so much time on his knees in prayer, his knees were calloused. He speaks now of another great man of prayer, Elijah (Elias is the Greek form of Elijah)—
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit [James 5:17–18].
Can you imagine that? Elijah was a weatherman for three and a half years, and for three and a half years he held back the rain! It did not come until he prayed. You are the same kind of person Elijah was. Elijah wasn’t a superman; he was “a man subject to like passions as we are.” But he was a man who prayed with passion, and that is the kind of praying we need today.
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins [James 5:19–20].
“Converteth the sinner from the error of his way.” Some expositors believe that this refers to a child of God who has gone astray. However, I believe it refers to an unsaved person who has not yet come to the truth.
“Shall hide a multitude of sins.” When he comes to a saving knowledge of Christ, his sins—though they be multitudinous—will be covered by the blood of Christ. The wonder of justification by faith is that once God has pardoned our sins, they are gone forever—removed from us as far as the east is from the west.
This is a wonderful conclusion for this very practical Epistle of James.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Adamson, James. The Epistle of James. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976. (For advanced students.)
Brown, Charles. The Epistle of James. London: The Religious Tract Society, 1907. (Devotional.)
Criswell, W. A. Expository Sermons on the Epistle of James. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975.
Gaebelein, Frank E. The Practical Epistle of James. Great Neck, New York: Doniger & Raughley, 1955.
Gwinn, Ralph A. The Epistle of James. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1967. (Shield Bible Study Series.)
Hiebert, D. Edmond. The Epistle of James. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1979. (Highly recommended.)
Ironside, H. A. Notes on James and Peter Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Johnstone, Robert. Lectures on the Epistle of James. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1871. (Comprehensive.)
Kelly, William. The Epistle of James. London: G. Morrish, n.d.
King, Guy H. A Belief That Behaves. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1945. (Excellent.)
Knowling, R. J. The Epistle of St. James. London: Methusen, 1904.
Luck, G. Coleman. James, Faith in Action. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1954. (A fine, inexpensive survey.)
Neibor, J. Practical Exposition of James. Erie, Pennsylvania: Our Daily Walk Publishers, 1950.
Plummer, Alfred. The General Epistles of St. James and St. Jude. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d. (Expositor’s Bible.)
Robertson, A. T. Studies in the Epistle of James. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1915. (Excellent.)
Strauss, Lehman. James, Your Brother. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1956. (Very practical.)
Tasker, R. V. G. The General Epistle of James. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1957. (Tyndale Commentary series.)
Vaughan, Curtis. James, A Study Guide. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969.
Zodhiates, Spiro. The Behavior of Belief. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970. (Comprehensive.)
The First Epistle of
Peter
INTRODUCTION
Simon Peter—“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers” (1 Pet. 1:1).
Peter has been called the ignorant fisherman, but no man who had spent three years in the school of Jesus could be called ignorant. The Epistles of Peter confirm this. Peter deals with doctrine and handles weighty subjects. In the first few verses he deals with the great doctrines of election, foreknowledge, sanctification, obedience, the blood of Christ, the Trinity, the grace of God, salvation, revelation, glory, faith, and hope. My friend, you just couldn’t have any more doctrine crowded into a few verses! The way in which he handles these great themes of the Bible reveals that he was by no means an ignorant fisherman.
A great change is seen in the life of Peter from these epistles. He had been impetuous, but now he is patient. He was bungling, fumbling, and stumbling when he first met Jesus. Our Lord told him in effect, “You are a pretty weak man now, but I am going to make you a Petros, a rock-man. And you will be built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ who is the Rock.” Peter made it very clear that the Lord Jesus is the Rock on which the church is built. It is very interesting that although his name means “rock,” he says that all believers are little rocks also: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5). In other words, he is saying that every believer is a Peter. Simon Peter never takes an exalted position, as we shall see in his epistles. As he opens his epistle, he calls himself an apostle—he is just one of them. Although whenever the names of the apostles were enumerated, his was always first on the list, and although the Lord chose him to preach the first sermon on the Day of Pentecost, he did not feel that he was exalted above the others.
Peter wrote his epistles after Paul had written his epistles, somewhere between a.d. 64 and 67, after bloody Nero had come to the throne and persecution was already breaking out. According to tradition, Peter himself suffered martyrdom.
“The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son” (1 Pet. 5:13). There are those who think that Babylon is used here in a symbolic manner or in a metaphorical sense and that Peter really meant Rome. However, there is no reason for him to use it in a metaphorical sense. Peter was an apostle who did not write in a symbolic manner such as we find used by John in the Book of Revelation. Peter writes very literally and practically. He gets down to where the rubber meets the road, right down on the asphalt of life. I believe that if he had meant Rome, he would have said Rome.
My own opinion is that Simon Peter never did go to Rome. I think he was in Asia Minor, the great heart of the Roman Empire, but he was not the apostle who opened up that territory. I think he followed Paul. Paul would not have gone to Rome if Peter had already been in Rome preaching the gospel there, because Paul made it very clear that he went into places where the gospel had not been preached before. Since Rome was on Paul’s itinerary, it seems obvious that Paul, not Peter, founded the church at Rome.
Another very valid argument to indicate that Peter was in Babylon rather than Rome is based on the list of places which he addresses: “To the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pet. 1:1). All those places are in Asia Minor (the area which is called Turkey today). In listing them, he moves from east to west. This suggests that the writer was in the east at the time of writing. The natural and ordinary way to list geographical places is beginning from the point where you are. When I am in California and talk about going east, I would say that I am going through Arizona, Texas, and finally New York. It is normal to begin where I am and to name the places in sequence. Since Peter lists the places from east to west, it would seem logical that he was in literal Babylon.
After the Babylonian captivity, only a very small group of Jews returned to their land—actually there were fewer than sixty thousand. There was still a great colony of Jews in Babylon. Additional Jews had fled to Babylon when severe persecution began under Claudius in Rome. We know, for example, that Priscilla and Aquila fled to Corinth from Rome. Many others fled to Babylon. There was persecution both of Christians and of Jews. Since we know that the ministry of Peter was primarily to the Jews it seems most logical that he ministered to Jewish colonies in Asia Minor, and particularly in Babylon. Babylon was still a great city there on the Euphrates River, and many of the Jews had remained there after the end of the Captivity.
In spite of the fact that Papias mentions the death of Peter as occurring in Rome, there is no substantial historical basis for this supposition. I see no reason to discount the fact that Simon Peter was the apostle to those of the nation of Israel who were scattered abroad. I believe Peter went east while the apostle Paul went west.
The great theme of this epistle of Peter is Christian hope in the time of trial. Although Peter deals with great doctrines and handles weighty subjects, he doesn’t write in a cold manner. Peter has been called the apostle of hope while Paul has been called the apostle of faith and John has been called the apostle of love. This epistle puts a great emphasis upon hope, but I believe that the word which conveys the theme of this epistle is suffering. Peter also emphasizes the grace of God, and some expositors feel it is his main emphasis. However, the word suffering or some cognate words that go with it occur in this epistle sixteen times. Hope is always tied with the suffering. Therefore, I think it is fair to say that the theme is the Christian hope in the time of trial.
Peter will have a great deal to say about the suffering of Christ. The suffering of Christ has been dealt with by the writer of the Hebrew epistle and by James in his epistle. Also the prophets certainly mentioned it. However, Peter will handle the subject a little differently.
Peter speaks out of a rich experience. Dr. Robert Leighton, in his book, A Practical Commentary on First Peter, makes a very timely comment that applies to Simon Peter. Let me share this with you because it is worth noting:
… it is a cold and lifeless thing to speak of spiritual things on mere report; but when men can speak of them as their own—as having share and interest in them, and some experience of their sweetness—their discourse of them is enlivened with firm belief and ardent affection; they cannot mention them, but straight their hearts are taken with such gladness as they are forced to vent in praises.
For this reason, Simon Peter, while writing of suffering, emphasizes joy!
This leads me to say something very important regarding young preachers. In this day we have about us some very wonderful young expositors of the Word. I thank God for them. However, as I have listened to two or three of them, I feel very much as Dr. G. Campbell Morgan felt in his day. He and his wife went to hear a young preacher in whom they were particularly interested. He was eloquent, fine-looking, and he delivered a great sermon. Afterward, on the way home, Mrs. Morgan was profuse in her praise and was surprised that Dr. Morgan made no response. Finally she asked, “Don’t you think he is a great preacher?” He answered, “He will be after he suffers.” Well, time went by, and this young man found out by experience what it cost to stand for Christ. He went through persecution; he experienced problems in his church; and one day he stood at an open grave as he buried one of his little children. Dr. Morgan and his wife went to hear him again because they loved this young man. After the service Mrs. Morgan asked, “Well, what do you think of him now?” Dr. Morgan answered, “He is a great preacher.” You see, suffering had made the difference.
This has been my personal experience also. As a young preacher, I spoke a great deal about standing for the Lord and about suffering. I used to go to hospitals and pat people on the hand and pray with them. I would tell them that the Lord would be with them. At that time I was a professional preacher, saying what I did not know to be true from my own experience, although I believed it. But the day came when I went into the hospital myself. Another preacher came in and prayed with me. When he started to go, I said to him, “I’ve done the same thing you have done. I’ve been here, and I have told people that God would be with them. Now you are going to walk out of here, but I am staying, and I will find out if it is a theory or if what I have been telling people is true.” Friend, I found out it is true. Now it is no longer a mere theory. I know it by the fact that the Word of God says it and by the fact that I have experienced it. I don’t argue with people about these things any more because there are certain things I know. I would never argue with you about whether honey is sweet or not. If you don’t think it is sweet, that is your business. I had some this morning for breakfast, and I know it is sweet. That is the knowledge that comes from experience.
Simon Peter is not going to give us his theory of suffering. Simon Peter is going to speak to us out of his own tremendous experience, and it will become very wonderful to us as it becomes your experience and my experience.
OUTLINE
I. Suffering and the Security of Believers, Chapter 1:1–9 Produces Joy
II. Suffering and the Scriptures, Chapter 1:10–25 Produces Holiness
III. Suffering and the Suffering of Christ, Chapters 2–4
A. Produces Separation, Chapter 2
B. Produces Christian Conduct, Chapter 3
1. Conduct in the Home, Chapter 3:1–7
2. Conduct in the Church, Chapter 3:8–17
3. Christ’s Suffering Preached by the Spirit in Noah’s Day, Chapter 3:18–22
C. Produces Obedience to the Will of God, Chapter 4
IV. Suffering and the Second Coming of Christ, Chapter 5
A. Produces Service and Hope, Chapter 5:1–4
B. Produces Humility and Patience, Chapter 5:5–14
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Suffering and security produce joy; suffering and the Scriptures produce holiness
SUFFERING AND THE SECURITY OF BELIEVERS
A great many folk have never had the feeling of assurance in their salvation. The security of the believer is a doctrine which I believed, although it took me a long time to come to the place of assurance in my own salvation. And there are many folk who do not have the assurance of their salvation. Why? Because suffering and the security of the believer go together. And do you know what this produces? It produces joy! Can you imagine that?
Now this first verse is just loaded with meaning.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia [1 Pet. 1:1].
First of all, note his name: Peter, Petros, a stone. He is now the rock-man. The Day of Pentecost is behind him, and he knows what it is to take a stand for Christ. He has been arrested and put in jail. He has been threatened, and he realizes that there is crucifixion on a cross ahead of him. Peter is a man who knows what he is talking about.
My friend, I must confess that I am not impressed by professors in theological seminaries, with little if any experience as pastors, who get up and spin off some little theory to prepare young men for the ministry. They don’t really know the problems of a pastorate because they haven’t had the experience. They don’t know what it is really to suffer for Christ. After hearing them, I feel like turning back to Peter’s first letter and reading it again, because I believe Peter—he knew what he was talking about. I’m sorry, but I don’t trust these young professors. I want to hear from the man who has gone through the experiences.
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Peter is an apostle of Jesus Christ—that is all he claimed to be. Although he always heads my fist of apostles—I love him—he is not to be placed above the other apostles. When Paul went to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles, he talked with Peter, James, and John. He said that they seemed to be pillars of the church, but he did not learn the gospel from them. Paul makes it very clear that he received the gospel directly from Jesus Christ by revelation. Nowhere does Peter claim superiority. He was an apostle—that’s all.
“To the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” He is writing to the strangers, or aliens, who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire. They were Jews, called the Diaspora because they were no longer in the land of Palestine. Due to persecution and other reasons, they had settled throughout the empire. If you will check a map, you will find these places are all in Asia Minor, the area we know as Turkey today. You may recall that Paul on his second missionary journey tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of God would not allow him to go there. It is my conviction that Simon Peter had already preached the gospel there and that the Holy Spirit wanted Paul to go to people who had not heard the gospel. Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, and Simon Peter was the apostle to Israelites who had turned to Christ.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied [1 Pet. 1:2].
The apostle Peter immediately plunges us into deep doctrinal waters. For instance, he presents the doctrine of the Trinity: the foreknowledge of God the Father, sanctification of the Spirit, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. My friend, don’t let anyone tell you that the Bible does not teach the Trinity—the Bible is full of it! We certainly cannot consider Peter to be an ignorant fisherman, by the way, because he is talking about things that most of us do not know much about.
Theologians try to help us understand the tremendous doctrines of election and foreknowledge. For example, here is a statement from Lewis Sperry Chafer’s Systematic Theology:
Having recognized the sovereign right of God over His creation and having assigned to Him a rational purpose in all His plan, the truth contained in the doctrine of election follows in natural sequence as the necessary function of one who is divine (Vol. VII).
We must recognize that our God is a sovereign God and that this little universe is His. He created it. I don’t know why He created it as He did, but since He is absolutely omniscient (knowing everything), and since He is omnipotent (having all power), and since He is sovereign, I conclude that He can do anything He wants to do that is consistent with His character.
He has a right to plan for the future. Apparently He did some planning. We call those plans the decrees that God had in His mind in the very beginning. That is to say, He had a plan that He was going to follow. He decreed to create the universe, and He did it. He never asked you or me about it. In fact, He has never asked me whether I wanted to be in existence. He could have left me out altogether. And He could have left you out, but He didn’t! Thank God, He thought of you and me.
Also there was the decree to permit the fall of man. This, I think, took a great deal of planning on God’s part, knowing that when He created the free moral agent called man, he would fall when given a free choice. Mankind chose to disobey God, but God had made arrangements for it. He had the decree to elect some to salvation, and He had the decree that He would send a Savior into the world. He certainly did that. He made a decree that He would save those who came to Him, the elect. You can call them anything you wish, but the people who turned to Christ for salvation are the elect. You may say, “Well, He didn’t choose everybody.” I don’t find that in Scripture. The Lord Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). His invitation to “whosoever will” is, “Come unto me” (see Matt. 11:28). It is a legitimate invitation to everyone, but there must be a response, and the response is your responsibility and my responsibility.
Peter really gets us into deep water when he says, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God.” You see, God is moving according to His plan. There must have been an infinite number of plans before Him, but He chose this one. Why? Because He knew it was the best possible plan, and little man is in no position to challenge His choice. He is the Creator and we are only creatures. You and I didn’t even determine the time we would be born, or the family into which we would come, or our height, or the color of our eyes, or our IQ. Whatever we are today is by the grace of God. He is the one who determined all of those things for us. They are all a part of His great plan.
I don’t know why we find fault with God for having a plan. Perhaps some folk imagine that He is up to some dirty tricks—but He is not. Oh, my friend, God is good and gracious and long-suffering. He wants to save us, and He wants us to have happy lives. God is the one we can trust. How strange it is that some folk object to God’s having a plan when they are perfectly happy to have men follow a plan.
For example, when my wife and I were to leave London, we boarded a plane that would bring us home to Los Angeles. When we were airborne, the captain talked to us on the intercom. I was happy to note that his voice sounded mature and that he spoke with assurance. I was sure he had flown that plane before. He outlined our flight plan, “We are going to fly over Scotland and over northern Ireland, and then we will cross the Atlantic. We will be going over Iceland, but we won’t be able to see it because there are clouds over it. When we get to Greenland, I hope you will be able to see it. We may hit a little choppy weather there, but it’s not bad. The cloud cover that is there now is breaking up. We will cross Hudson Bay and Labrador and will fly across those ice fields there. It looks like a very pleasant flight and a very smooth trip.” You talk about foreknowledge and election! That whole trip was decided for us. And no one ran up to the cabin to protest, “You have no right to plan our trip!” We were delighted that he was following a plan.
My friend, I am sure glad that the God of this universe has a plan and that He knows what He is doing and where He is going and that He is doing the very best for us. I say hallelujah for election which is according to the foreknowledge of God. God is able to carry out His plan exactly because He knows everything. The pilot of the plane had gotten word about weather conditions, and his flight was plotted for him to follow—but it could have been upset. Not so with God’s plan. Our God knows everything. He knows every condition; He knows everything that is foreseeable and unforeseeable. So you and I can trust Him implicitly. When Peter says, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God,” he is telling us what God the Father did.
Now he tells us about the work of the Holy Spirit: “through sanctification of the Spirit.”
Let me remind you that when the word sanctification is identified with Christ, it means that He is our sanctification; we will never be any better, as far as our position is concerned, than we are at this moment because we are complete in Him, and we are accepted in the beloved. We cannot add to that; it is our position in Christ.
However, when the word sanctification is identified with the Holy Spirit, it means something else. When Peter says, “Through sanctification of the Spirit,” he is talking about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world who not only converts us—is responsible for our New Birth—but He also begins to work in our lives to bring us up to the place of maturation where we become full, mature Christians. Unfortunately, there are many Christians who have been saved for fifty years or more and yet will be going into heaven as babes in Christ. They haven’t matured at all. It will be embarrassing to go into the presence of God as still a burping baby! The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify us down here on this earth. How I wish there were more emphasis on that!
There are abroad in our land, at the time of this writing, at least twenty-five organizations or ministries which have become expert in telling you how to become an adequate Christian, a fulfilled Christian, and how you can be comfortable as a Christian. My friend, I hope you never get to the place where you do not feel your inadequacy and your dependence upon Jesus Christ as your Savior. I am tired of these “adequate” Christians. And some of them I meet convince me that I don’t want to be “adequate,” if that is adequateness! Now, please don’t feel that I am being critical of one particular person or organization. I am simply insisting that the Word of God tells us that sanctification is by the Holy Spirit of God—not by some method of man’s design.
Let me repeat that all of the Trinity is mentioned in this verse: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”—He planned it; “through sanctification of the Spirit”—He protects us today, and it is through the “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”—personal application of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, obedience.
Perhaps you are wondering how you can know if you are elect. Henry Ward Beecher divided folk into two categories: the “whosoever wills?” and the “whosoever won’ts.” You can know which one you are by making this simple test: Have you become obedient to Him? Is Christ really your Lord? If He is, you will love Him. The Lord Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Do you do what you want to do and call that the will of God for your life? Or do you do what He wants you to do? If you are His, you will be obedient to Him.
“And sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” There is often a silence about the blood of Christ, even in fundamental circles. As long as the blood of our Lord coursed through His veins, it had no saving value for us; but when that precious blood was shed, Christ Jesus gave His life. The life of the flesh is in the blood. He shed that blood that you and I might have life.
Remember that Peter is writing to Jews who had been brought up in Judaism. They were the Diaspora, believing Jews living in Asia Minor. They knew the Old Testament, and they understood that the high priest on the Day of Atonement took blood with him when he went into the Holy of Holies, and that he sprinkled the blood seven times on the mercy seat. Now the Lord Jesus Christ has taken His own blood to the throne of God (the throne at which we are judged as guilty sinners), and He sprinkled His blood there. He gave His life and paid the penalty for us. Now that throne of judgment is the throne of grace where you and I can come and receive salvation.
My friend, the gospel has not been preached until the meaning of the blood of Christ has been explained. It may offend you aesthetically—the offense of the cross is that He shed His blood. Of course it is not pretty, but your sin and my sin are not pretty either. Our ugly sin is what made it necessary for Christ to die for us.
This reminds me of a story about a terrible accident which occurred at a railroad crossing. Several people were killed when the train hit a car. There was a court trial, and the watchman who had been at the crossing at the time of the accident was questioned.
“Where were you at the time of the accident?”
“I was at the crossing.”
“Did you have a lantern?”
“Yes.”
“Did you wave that lantern to warn them of the danger?”
“I certainly did.”
The court thought that was enough evidence. When the watchman walked out of the court he was heard to mumble to himself, “I’m sure glad they didn’t ask me about the light in the lantern because the light had gone out.”
My friend, there can be a lot of lanterns waved in the circles of fundamentalism and evangelicalism and conservatism. However, unless there is the message of the blood of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of the blood which cleanses us from all sin, there is no light in the lantern.
Now we come to one of the key words: “Grace unto you.” Because of the work of the Trinity—God had you in mind, Christ died for you, and the Holy Spirit has come to indwell you to make you a better person—now God can save you by grace.
“Grace unto you, and peace.” Without the grace of God, you will never know the peace of God. I received a letter from a man in a cult which revealed that he didn’t have peace. I can tell you right now that if you do not believe that Christ shed His blood for your sins, you will not have peace in your heart. You don’t even need to tell me that you don’t have peace. Peace and assurance and joy come when you know that your sins have been forgiven.
Simon Peter is not waving a lantern that has no light. He is not talking about something that is purely theoretical. This rugged fisherman knows grace and peace through the blood of Christ because Jesus Himself told him about it. He knows it because he had seen Jesus die; he saw where He had been buried, and he saw the resurrected Christ. The old wishy-washy, mollycoddling, shilly-shally man has now become a rock-man. He could stand at the Day of Pentecost and preach about Christ’s death and resurrection. He could go to jail, be persecuted, write an epistle like this, and finally be crucified for the gospel.
Now, after spending some time considering the second verse of Peter’s epistle, I am sure you will agree with me that Peter was not an ignorant fisherman, by any means. He has been dealing with the tremendous doctrines of election, foreknowledge, foreordination, and predestination. All of these great concepts are on God’s side of the fence, and none of us can come up with a final explanation. We are dealing with an infinite God who knows everything. His foreknowledge means that He knows every plan that is imaginable, and He knows exactly what He is going to do. We call that foreordination. At this point, let me give you another statement, which is a good one, from Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer’s Systematic Theology:
… foreknowledge in God is that which He Himself purposes to bring to pass. In this way, then, the whole order of events from the least detail unto the greatest operates under the determining decree of God so as to take place according to His sovereign purpose. By so much, divine foreknowledge is closely related to foreordination. Likewise, foreknowledge in God should be distinguished from omniscience in that the latter is extended sufficiently to embrace all things past, present, and future, while foreknowledge anticipates only the future events (Vol. VII).
My friend, let me repeat that we are dealing with an infinite God. You and I have a little, finite mind. I am told that if a brain weighs eight ounces, it is pretty heavy. But I don’t believe that an eight-ounce brain can comprehend the infinite God of the universe. Since He is omniscient, knowing everything that is possible to know—everything that is happening and everything that could happen—I am trusting Him and I intend to continue in that direction.
Now in the next verse Peter looks back to the past.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [1 Pet. 1:3].
The word blessed, which is used here, is a different word from the blessed that is used in the Sermon on the Mount. The word used here is the Greek word from which we derive our word eulogy. It means “to praise.” In the New Testament this word is never used in reference to man. God does not praise man, but man is to praise God, and He is the Father.
In our culture today we hear the fathers praising their sons. It isn’t very often that we find a son praising his father. But we are to praise God the Father.
“The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in a unique way. Remember that the Lord Jesus made this distinction when He spoke to Mary Magdalene on the morning of His resurrection: “… I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). He is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ because of His position in the Trinity. They are equal. But you and I do not call Him Father, except on the basis that Peter mentions here: He has begotten us. The word begotten has to do with the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
“Hath begotten us again unto a living hope.” (I have substituted the word living for the Old English word lively.) You and I have a living hope, a hope that rests upon the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And since Christ was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God, this is a further reference to the Holy Spirit.
This is a paean of praise to the Trinity. This is our song because we have been begotten, born again, as we shall see in verse 23, “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
Notice that the living hope we have rests upon the blood of Christ. A body without blood is a dead body—it has to be. If it is a living body, it will have blood coursing through it. You and I today have a living hope because of the blood of Christ shed for us. He died that you and I might live—because He paid our penalty. It is “a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Peter emphasizes the resurrection of Christ. The Resurrection was his great theme on the Day of Pentecost and in all of his messages. He said in effect, “All that you have seen here today is because Jesus whom you crucified has come back from the dead.” And when he writes his epistles, he anchors them in the resurrection of Christ.
Paul does the same thing. He tells us that Jesus Christ was delivered for our offenses; He died for our sins. But He was raised for our justification, that we might be in Christ, accepted in the beloved, able to stand before God. He doesn’t simply subtract sin from us; He makes over to us His righteousness. We stand before God in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Peter has described to us what God has done for us in the past. Now he moves into the future.
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you [1 Pet. 1:4].
“An inheritance incorruptible,” meaning that it is nondestructible. It cannot be damaged in any way—no rust, no moth, no germ, no fire can touch it.
“Undefiled” indicates that it is not stained or defiled by anything. We will not get this inheritance illegally.
“That fadeth not away.” We won’t inherit it and then find it to be worthless, like some stock that once had value and then became completely valueless.
“Reserved in heaven for you.” The word reserved means it is guarded. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are taking care of it for us. We couldn’t have it in a better safety deposit box than that!
I heard of a man who was willed a beautiful Southern home in Louisiana, but the very night the original owner died, the house caught on fire and burned down—and there was no insurance. The wonderful home that he was to inherit went up in smoke.
My friend, as believers, we have an inheritance that is incorruptible. This is a wonderful thing to look forward to!
It will help us to appreciate this verse if we remember that Peter had in mind Jewish Christians who were suffering trial and persecution for their faith. They had been forced to leave their homelands and whatever inheritance would have been theirs. Their ancestors had been delivered out of Egypt, and all through the wilderness wanderings they had the hope of the Promised Land before them. They praised God as the Creator of the world and as their Redeemer from Egypt. However, the believers to whom Peter was writing (and you and I as well) praise God as the Father of the incarnate Son, the Lord Jesus, the author of the new creation and of a spiritual redemption. Also, He gives a living hope, a hope that will never die. He has begotten us and made us His sons through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. And in addition He has reserved for us an inheritance—not on earth but an inheritance in heaven. That inheritance is imperishable, indestructible, and no enemy can take it away from us. Someone has expressed it poetically:
It will always be new; it will never decay.
No night ever comes; it will always be day.
How it gladdens my heart with joy that’s untold
To think of that land where nothing grows old.
Unfortunately, in our day our attention has been taken away from that which is future because so much emphasis is placed on the present.
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [1 Pet. 1:5].
“Kept by the power of God” emphasizes the keeping power of God. Kept is probably one of the most wonderful words we have here—“kept by the power of God through faith.”
The story is told of a Scotsman, who was typically economical, leaving instructions that only one word should be engraved upon his tombstone. But that one word, taken from this verse, is one of the greatest I know. It was the single word KEPT. He was “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
The apostle Paul said the same thing: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). My friend, do you think He can keep you? Oh, I am weary of the emphasis being put on the work of the flesh. We are being told that if we follow some little set of rules, we can become “adequate Christians.” I wonder if the fellows who are giving all these messages have reached some celestial level which the rest of us have not been able to attain. They ask, “Are you sufficient, are you satisfied?” My answer is, “No—I am pressing on the upward way, I am pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I am not satisfied. I have not found life sufficient.” My friend, let me add a strong statement that may startle you: You cannot live the Christian life! Perhaps you are asking, “Do you really mean that?” Yes, I do. I would challenge you to show me a verse or any Scripture where God has asked you to live the Christian life. He has never done that. I have an old nature, and that old nature will be with me as long as I am on this earth. Sometimes that old nature really shows. I have a bad temper that flares at times. I say things even to my wonderful wife so that I must go later and make up with her. I take her in my arms and tell her I’m sorry for what I said. She forgives me, and it is always wonderful to make up, you know. However I still have an old nature-and you do, too. And neither of us can change our old natures by trying to follow a little set of rules. We can no more change that old nature than we can take a gallon of perfume out to the barnyard, pour it on a pile of manure, and make it as fragrant as a bed of roses. My friend, you have that old nature, and you cannot change it.
The only way in the world that you can live the Christian life is by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the fact that you are kept by the power of God—right on through until the day when you will be delivered to Him in heaven. As we are going to see, it all has to do with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
We come now to the key verse of this epistle—
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations [1 Pet. 1:6].
The suffering and the security of the believer produce—of all things—joy! They can do that because of the work of the Triune God. God our Father, according to His mercy—oh, He has been so merciful!—has begotten us, given us a new nature and a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And out yonder in the future He has a marvelous inheritance waiting for us.
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice.” Rejoice in what? In something good? No, “in heaviness through manifold trials.” This places in contrast two words that are worlds apart: rejoice and trials.
Peter gives us reasons for enduring trials down here in this life. “Now for a season”—the trials will not be long, compared to eternity. In our day there is too much emphasis on the present life. Psychology and materialism have slipped into the church. We are told that we must develop ourselves into a full-orbed individual. If we are having trouble, something is wrong with our Christianity. Oh, my friend, it doesn’t mean that at all!
Instead of so much introspection, we ought to be looking outward to the great God we have and to the marvelous inheritance which He has ready for us to receive some day. We should stop this attempt to improve our old nature through the power of the flesh. God is the one who is in the business of improving us. He is the one who is trying to bring us to a maturity in our Christian life. God’s way of improving us is through manifold trials.
We have been told this in previous books—in fact, it is almost like a stuck recording. Jesus told us not to be dismayed. He said that in the world we would have troubles. In the Epistle to the Hebrews we learned that God tests us by trials and troubles. James wrote about the testings that come from God. And Paul had a great deal to say about suffering. Now Peter comes along and says the same thing.
I know it is not at all popular to teach that God will prove us and lead us on to maturity through suffering. People would rather be encouraged to think that they are somebody important and that they can do great things on their own. My friend, we are nothing until the Spirit of God begins to move in our hearts and lives. We have nothing to offer to God. He has everything to offer to us.
We need always to remember that our trial are only temporary. Paul says the same thing: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17–18).
The things at our fingertips which we consider so valuable are not really of value. They are simply passing things when measured in the perspective of eternity. All these things are destructible. They are corruptible, and they can be defiled. The things of this world do fade away. The things we cannot see are the eternal, things. They are of real value.
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it he tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ [1 Pet. 1:7].
Peter uses here a very apt illustration, and he uses a wonderful word: precious. A dear lady of my acquaintance, a real saint of God up in her seventies, really overworks this word precious. Everything is precious to her. She has told me that I am precious and my radio program is precious. She told me that something I had said was precious. People had given her a gift and that was precious, and she says she had a precious time visiting with her friends, and they had a precious meal together. Well, precious is a woman’s word, but notice who uses it here—Simon Peter, that great, big, rugged fisherman. He speaks of the trial of our faith being precious. And he uses the word precious seven times, as we shall see.
“The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold.” After gold is mined, it is put into a smelter, a red-hot furnace. The purpose is not to destroy the gold; it is to purify the gold. When the gold is melted, the dross is drawn off to get the pure gold. Later on, Peter will also make an application of this regarding the suffering of our Lord. He says that we have been redeemed, not with gold or silver, but with something infinitely more precious than that—the blood of Christ.
When God tests us today, He puts us into the furnace. He doesn’t do that to destroy us or to hurt or harm us. But He wants pure gold, and that is the way He will get it. Friend, that is what develops Christian character. At the time of testing, the dross is drawn off and the precious gold appears. That is God’s method. That is God’s school.
We don’t hear that teaching very much in our day. Rather, we are being taught to become sufficient within ourselves. Oh, my friend, you and I are not adequate; we are not sufficient, and we never will be. We simply come to God as sinners, and He saves us by His grace through the blood of Christ. Then He wants to live His life through us. He tries to teach us this through our trials. He is drawing us closer to Him.
There are no shortcuts to maturity. All the gimmickry and new methods will lead to a dead-end street. The only thing that will bring us into a true maturation is the trial of our faith which God sends to us.
“At the appearing of Jesus Christ.” I believe that at the appearing of Jesus Christ, we will thank God for our trials—in fact, we may wish we had experienced more of them because, when we are in His presence, we will see the value of them. Just think of the trials the apostles went through! Simon Peter, when he wrote this epistle, knew that crucifixion was ahead of him. He says that the trials are going to bring out the gold when we appear in Christ’s presence. That’s the thing toward which we are to look forward.
Now Simon Peter will say something very precious—
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory [1 Pet. 1:8].
This verse ought to mean a great deal to us. Remember that Peter had seen the Lord Jesus personally and had traveled with Him for three years. He had failed miserably during that period. Then one morning on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the Lord prepared breakfast for the men who had been fishing all night, and I guess He was waiting for Peter. I would have expected Him to say, “Peter, I can’t trust you. Why did you deny Me? I’m going to have to put you on the sidelines. I cannot use you.” But no, He didn’t say that. Rather, He said, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” (see John 21:17). That was His question: Do you love Me? The man who had been a braggadocio before was no longer bragging. He finally just cried out, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” And the Lord Jesus said, “I’m going to let you feed My sheep” (see John 21:16–17). And it was Peter who preached the first sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Now Peter says to you and me, “Whom having not seen, ye love.” The Holy Spirit is the one who can make Him real to you and me. My friend, this is the secret of the Christian life. When we love Him, everything else falls into place. If you do not love Him, no course in the world is going to help you. And neither will He commission you to feed His sheep.
“Though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Does this set your heart to beating faster? Are you really in love with Him, or do you have a dead religion that is quite meaningless? Oh, my friend, Christ is so wonderful! Simon Peter loved Him. Paul loved Him, and all of those who have genuinely served Him have loved Him. I hope you love Him today. If you do, it will solve a lot of your problems. It will help the husband-wife relationship. It is wonderful how the love of Christ draws our hearts together. Not only will it help you in your home, it will help you in your church. Loving Christ draws believers together. It will help you in all your relationships if you love Him.
“Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Loving Christ brings rejoicing to your heart. Are you a rejoicing Christian, my friend? You should be. You are a child of the King, and you have an inheritance coming to you some day. How wonderful it is to be His child!
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls [1 Pet. 1:9].
Salvation was a subject of prophecy in the Old Testament. Both the prophets and apostles bore witness to the truth of it. What an encouragement that was to the Diaspora, those who were suffering for their faith.
SUFFERING AND THE SCRIPTURES
Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you [1 Pet. 1:10].
All the prophets prophesied diligently concerning it.
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow [1 Pet. 1:11].
The prophets spoke of “the sufferings of Christ” and the grace of God. We find this in Isaiah 53 and in Psalm 22 as well as in many other Scriptures.
“And the glory that should follow” is found, for example, in Isaiah 11 and Psalm 45. The prophets all spoke of Christ’s suffering and of the sovereignty and of the glory that is to come when Christ comes as King to the earth to establish His kingdom.
“The Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify.” This tells us specifically that the prophets of the Old Testament wrote by the Spirit of Christ. This is one of the many statements contained in the Word of God declaring that the Old Testament was inspired of God. These men wrote by the “Spirit of Christ.”
The prophets wrote some things which they themselves did not grasp. They searched for the meaning diligently, “searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” There are many places in the Old Testament that speak of the suffering of Christ, and there are many other places that speak of the sovereignty of Christ, of the kingdom age. Grace and glory are combined, and it was difficult for them to understand this. For example, Isaiah wrote in the fifty-third chapter of the sufferings of Christ; then in the eleventh chapter he wrote of the Messiah coming in power and glory to the earth to establish His kingdom. This seeming contradiction was very puzzling to the prophets, and they tried to find out how both could be true. As the prophets looked down the corridors of time, they saw these two events as two great mountain peaks, but they could not see the valley of time between them.
You and I are in the unique position of living in that interval of time between the suffering of Christ, which is in the past, and the glory of Christ, which is yet in the future.
It will help you to understand the prophecies of the suffering and sovereignty of Christ if you picture the two events as two great mountain peaks. Here in Pasadena we have a backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountains. As the crow flies, they are about five miles away, but driving the winding road to get there makes them about twenty-five miles away. Mount Wilson is in the foreground and is approximately six thousand feet high. Behind that peak we can see another peak, Mount Waterman, which looks as if it is the same height as Mount Wilson. Actually, Mount Waterman is over eight thousand feet high. However, it looks as if they are the same height and that they are right together. In actual fact, they are not together at all. A tremendous valley separates them—between twenty-five and thirty-five miles across—and I estimate that it is probably fifty miles from one mountain peak to the other. Yet, seeing them from a distance, you would think they were right together.
In just such a way, the prophets looking into the future saw the suffering of Christ and the glory of Christ as two mountain peaks, which appeared to be right together. I am of the opinion that there were sceptics and higher critics in those days who argued, “This is a conflict; the Scriptures are in contradiction. You cannot have it both ways. Either He comes in suffering or He comes to reign.” Of course we know now that both are true. And the valley between is the church age, which already is approaching two thousand years in length.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into [1 Pet. 1:12].
Now the apostles are saying, “We are preaching the same thing that the prophets did.” The only difference was that the prophets could not make the distinction between Christ’s suffering and glory while the apostles were in the position of being able to understand the distinction.
“Which things the angels desire to look into.” It is my opinion that the angels, God’s created intelligences, are standing up yonder looking at you and me wondering why we don’t get busy and give out this tremendous message today. They desire to do it themselves. They would love to come and proclaim it to the world. You recall that the angel Gabriel came and made the announcement to Mary and later to Joseph that Jesus was to be born. Also, he came to tell Zacharias that he was going to have a son, named John, who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. I am sure that Gabriel would love to come down again and say to me as I make my radio broadcast, “Move over, McGee, you are not putting enough into it. This thing is lots more wonderful than you are making it!” Although he would like to come down, God won’t let him. He says to Gabriel, “No, I’ve got to use that poor instrument, McGee.” Today he is using human instruments to get out His Word, because we are not living in the day of the ministry of angels. We are living in the day of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As children of God we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit—“… if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). If you are Christ’s, you are indwelt by the Spirit of God.
Now, do you think that an angel could do something for you that the Spirit of God could not do? No. We are living in the day of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the day of grace, when the Spirit of God takes the things of Christ and reveals them unto us. What are we to do in light of this?
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ [1 Pet. 1:13].
“Gird up the loins of your mind.” This is a figure of speech based on the gathering and fastening up of the long Eastern garments so that they would not interfere with the wearer’s vigorous movements. It was an expression that was understood in Peter’s day, but I would like to bring it down to good old Americana. I think we would say, “Get with it!” Or maybe we would say, “Get turned on!”
“Be sober.” You won’t need drugs; you won’t need alcohol. Let the Word of God turn you on. However, “be sober” means more than this. It means to be sober minded, to adopt a serious attitude in the study of the Word of God.
“And hope to the end.” This is the great epistle of hope. Why (as we have already seen) should the child of God be willing to endure trials? Because we have a hope, and that hope rests upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“The grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” At the time when the Lord Jesus comes to take the church out of the world, He will bring plenty of grace with Him. By His grace, He will take out every believer. And each believer’s works are to be judged at Christ’s judgment seat (Beµma Seat). At that time we will either suffer loss or receive a reward—and that certainly will be by His grace!
The fact that we will be judged someday is another incentive to endure the trials of this world. How we live down here upon this earth is very important. Today believers are confronted with the demand to lead transformed lives which only the Word of God can produce in us. One of the reasons God lets us go through trials and troubles is because He wants to fashion us according to His plan. We are to yield to Him in all our tribulations.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance [1 Pet. 1:14].
“As obedient children.” The Scriptures will lead us to obedience. You may recall that James said, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only …” (James 1:22). The Word of God not only brings us hope, but it also leads to our obedience. The Word of God is to be obeyed; we are to yield to its instruction.
While I was ill, several folk sent copies of this poem by Alice Hansche Mortenson, which was a great comfort to me:
I NEEDED THE QUIET
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside,
Into the shadows where we could confide.
Away from the bustle where all the day long
I hurried and worried when active and strong.
I needed the quiet though at first I rebelled
But gently, so gently, my cross He upheld,
And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things
Though weakened in body, my spirit took wings
To heights never dreamed of when active and gay.
He loved me so greatly He drew me away.
I needed the quiet. No prison my bed,
But a beautiful valley of blessings instead—
A place to grow richer in Jesus to hide.
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.
Why did He draw me aside? So that I might spend time in the Word of God. Oh, how important it is in the lives of believers!
“Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance”—that is, not conforming your behavior to what it used to be before you knew better. We are to live lives which reveal that we have been transformed from the inside. We are not to walk around with an artificial smile on our face like a floorwalker at Macy’s who acts as if he is delighted to serve you when in reality his corns are killing him and he wishes you would go home and stay home. We are not to be artificial. We are to so yield to God that we will be genuinely transformed.
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [1 Pet. 1:15].
Holiness is something that is really misunderstood. To the average person, holiness means to assume a very pious attitude, to become almost abnormal in everyday life. It is thought to be a superficial thing.
My friend, the Lord wants you to be a fully integrated personality. He wants you to enjoy life and have fun—I don’t mean the sinful kind of fun, but real delight and enjoyment in the life He has given to you. Holiness is to the spiritual life what health is to the physical life. You like to see a person who is physically fine, robust, and healthy. Well, holiness is to be healthy and robust spiritually. Oh, how we need folk like this today!
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy [1 Pet. 1:16].
Is our holiness to be an attribute like God’s holiness? No. Our God is absolutely perfect, and we will never, while we are in this life, reach that state. Oh, I have met several folk who thought they had reached that state, but I could not find anyone who would agree with them that they had reached that exalted level. Then what does it mean to be holy as God is holy?
Our God is a complete, wonderful personality. Although you and I are mere human beings, we can be full grown; we can reach maturation. A beautiful little baby in a crib may win a blue ribbon, but if he is still a little baby in a crib seventeen years later, something is wrong. He should be a healthy young fellow turning out for football practice. As Christians, we should be growing spiritually like that. What can produce this kind of growth? The Word of God.
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear [1 Pet. 1:17].
“Without respect of persons” means without partiality. God judges every man’s work impartially. God doesn’t have little pets. God is going to judge the work of every Christian fairly. This has nothing to do with your salvation; it has everything to do with the kind of life you are living down here on this earth. The fact that God is going to judge us ought to cause us to become very sober minded and to give a little more attention to the life that we are living. My friend, let’s make sure that we are not superficial. Are you trying to keep a smile on your face and radiate happiness and sunshine everywhere you go? The gospel does not sprinkle rosewater on a bunch of dead weeds. The gospel transforms lives and brings with it a living hope which rests upon the resurrection of Christ. Believers have life from the living Savior who is up yonder at God’s right hand.
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot [1 Pet. 1:18–19].
“Forasmuch as ye know”—and I hope you know that you have been redeemed.
In these verses Peter is speaking of the objective work of God for your salvation, which is redemption. My friend, He had to pay a price for you. You and I stood under the judgment of God, for the Scripture says “… the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:4). God has never revoked that decree. God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The immutability of God is the terror of the wicked—if they give any thought to it at all. We hear it said that we are living in a new age with new thoughts and new values, but God has not changed. There would be no reason for Him to change because He knew the end from the beginning. Neither did He learn anything when He looked at the morning newspaper or heard the television newscaster this morning. It didn’t give Him any information because He knows all things—past, present, and future. And God has not changed His decree that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
“Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold.” Although silver and gold can be purified by being put into a crucible—heated red-hot so the dross can be drawn off—even they will corrupt in time. If you have table service of silver which you use only for guests, you know that whenever you bring it out, it is tarnished and looks like pewter. It is corrupting. Silver and gold are perishable. We are not redeemed with corruptible things.
“From your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.” Life is vain; that is, it is empty without the redemption of Christ. There is nothing quite so meaningless as human life apart from the redemption of Christ. Everything else in this world serves a purpose. Every animal and every plant on this earth serves a purpose. The sun, the moon, and every star in the sky serves a purpose. But man without God is meaningless. Someone has said that mankind is just a rash on the epidermis of a minor planet! Well, that’s about all man is apart from God. We have not been redeemed by corruptible things—not anything from this empty life. Man has nothing to offer to God for his own redemption. My friend, what do you have that God needs?
God taught me how unimportant I was one summer when He put me flat on my back. I was scheduled to conduct Bible conferences in the Northwest, and I thought they were important. God said to me something like this, “Listen, I got along without you before you got here, and I’m going to get along without you after you leave. You think that speaking at those conferences is important, but I want you to learn what is important. I want you to lie here flat on your back and look up to Me to find out that your relationship with Me is the most important thing there is. I have some things to teach you. Sometimes when you teach My Word, you teach way out ahead of where you are living. I want you to find out that what I say in My Word is true, and a little suffering isn’t going to hurt you at all. It is going to mold you and shape you the way I want you to be.” My friend, I learned that I have nothing that God needs.
What can you or I do today to redeem ourselves? Nothing! Then how can we be redeemed?
“With the precious blood of Christ.” Here again Simon Peter, that rugged fisherman, says that the blood of Christ is precious. As I have said before the blood of Christ is not mentioned in some religious circles. The words are omitted from the hymnals of many liberal churches. Their reasoning is that the blood is crude. Well, I don’t think it is crude, and certainly Simon Peter didn’t think it was crude. He said it was precious.
“With the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Simon Peter, who lived with Jesus Christ for three years, said that He was without blemish and without spot. He was absolutely sinless. I will take Peter’s word for it—certainly he is in a better position to judge than modern authors who depict Jesus as just another sinful man. The modern authors write for money, but Simon Peter wasn’t in the moneymaking business. All he got for his witness of Christ was suffering and finally crucifixion. He said that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” This is an objective statement of our redemption. This is what God did for you and me.
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you [1 Pet. 1:20].
“Who verily was foreordained”—a better word is foreknown. Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world.
Now let me give you a tremendous statement from The Scofield Reference Bible (p. 1333):
The sovereign choice of God in foreordination, election, and predestination logically originated in the divine decision based on His eternal omniscience of all possible plans of action. The order logically, not chronologically, is omniscience, divine decision (foreordination, election, predestination), and foreknowledge. As God’s decision is eternal, however, so also His foreknowledge is eternal. As foreknowledge extends to all events, it includes all that is embraced in election, foreordination, and predestination. Election is, therefore, according to foreknowledge, and foreknowledge is according to election, meaning that both are in perfect agreement.
When we begin to deal with words like foreordination, election, predestination, foreknowledge, etc., I feel that we, with our finite minds, treat God as if He were a great big computer. He isn’t that at all. He has a heart bigger than the whole universe. When I was in seminary studying theology, it seemed pretty important to know whether or not foreknowledge comes before foreordination; but, frankly, since that time I have not been concerned with which comes first. I realize now that the important thing is that Christ was “foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” To put it very simply, the cross of Christ was not an ambulance sent to a wreck. Christ was the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world because God knew all the time that Vernon McGee would need a Savior, and He loved him enough to provide that Savior. I don’t need a computer to go over this. I only need a God with a great big heart of love who provided redemption by His grace.
Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God [1 Pet. 1:21].
“That raised him up from the dead”—Simon Peter keeps reminding us of the resurrection of Christ.
“That your faith and hope might be in God.” Previously he put together the words grace and hope; now it is faith and hope. Peter is the great apostle of hope, and hope rests upon the resurrection of Christ and upon the fact that we have a living Savior who will be returning some day.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently [1 Pet. 1:22].
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.” The Word of God is a miracle cleansing agent. On television today advertisers make great claims for their soaps and other cleansing agents. They tell us how superior their product is over the products of their competitors. All of them are trying to sell a “miracle” product. My friend, the only true miracle cleanser in this world is the Word of God. It is the best bar of soap that you can get. The Word of God will really take spots out, and many of us need to get closer to it.
“Unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” Your relationship to the Word of God will lead you to a right relationship with other believers.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever [1 Pet. 1:23].
Peter brings us back to the Word of God again. He is talking now about the subjective work of God in salvation. We have seen that the objective work of God was that Christ died—that’s our redemption. It happened over nineteen hundred years ago, and we can’t add anything to it. However, if you are to become a child of God, you must be born again, born from above. This, you recall, is what the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, as recorded in John 3:3. Nicodemus was a man who was religious to his fingertips, yet the Lord Jesus told him that he must be born anothen, meaning “from above,” by the Spirit of God.
“Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” You cannot be saved, you cannot be born again apart from the Word of God. This Book is the miracle that is in the world today. Although I believe this, I never cease to marvel at the letters I receive from folk who tell me that they have been born again and their lives have been transformed from listening to my Bible-teaching radio broadcast. It is wonderful, but I don’t understand how it happens; I only know that it is the result of the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.
We are living in a day when a great deal is said about virility. Men want to be vigorous and virile; women want to be sexy. Much emphasis is put upon that today. I hope you won’t misunderstand when I say to you that if you want something that is virile and vigorous and sexy in a proper sense, turn to the Word of God. It is full of life, and it is life-giving. Put your arms around the Savior by putting your trust in Him, and a new birth will take place. There will be a miraculous birth because the Word of God is virile and vigorous and it can penetrate your heart and make you a child of God. Oh, my friend, how important this is! Yet people are so preoccupied with sex and virility that they miss it. They are running around after emptiness. Sometimes I think that the whole human race is becoming obsessed with it. You would think that this generation had discovered sex! If they would only realize that the thing that really brings a birth within us is the Word of God as it reveals Christ to us. Then something tremendous takes place within us, and we are born again!
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away [1 Pet. 1:24].
Don’t ever think that there is something of value in us that we can offer to God. All the glory of mankind is like the fragile flower of grass. In other words, mankind is like the grass which I can see from my window. It is nice and green in the summertime, but it is brown and dead in the wintertime.
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you [1 Pet. 1:25].
My friend, we need the preaching and the teaching of the Word of God above everything else. I do not mean to minimize the place of music, the place of methods, and the place of organization, but there is absolutely no substitute for the Word of God today. “The word of the Lord endureth for ever.”
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The suffering of the saints and the suffering of Christ; suffering produces separation
THE SUFFERING OF THE SAINTS AND THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST
In chapters 2–4 Peter deals with the suffering of God’s children and the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in these three chapters we will see what suffering accomplishes in the lives of believers: Suffering produces separation (ch. 2); suffering produces Christian conduct (ch. 3); and suffering produces obedience to the will of God (ch. 4).
SUFFERING PRODUCES SEPARATION
In speaking of separation, or living for the Lord, there is the danger of adopting one of two extreme viewpoints, both of which I consider very much out of line with Scripture. One of them is thinking that human nature is such that all it needs is merely new direction, it needs to be given a purpose and a little reformation. The folk who take this position believe that since there is nothing wrong with human nature, they need only to awaken the individual to his marvelous energy and intellect and moral nature so that he will be able to live for the Lord. That is one view of what it means to live the Christian life.
The second extreme viewpoint is that when one is born again, he receives something that is supernatural (which he does receive), but then he merely sits on the sidelines while God accomplishes in his life all that needs to be done. Folk in this class become very pious. To me they are like a puffed up frog. They never seem to grow and develop into loving, full-orbed, normal Christians.
Now this second chapter will make it very clear that you and I, through the New Birth (born again of incorruptible seed, the Word of God), have a new nature, and we are to live in that new nature by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have been brought into a loving relationship with the one whom, having not seen, we love. Simon Peter saw Him and loved Him, and although you and I have not seen Him, the Holy Spirit can make Him real to us so that we love Him in that way also.
My friend, when you were first born again, do you remember how sweet and wonderful it was? Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). The Corinthian Christians had become very carnal. Their first love, that honeymoon love for Christ, was gone. God spoke of this same thing to His people Israel just before they went into the Babylonian captivity: “… Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown” (Jer. 2:2). The children of Israel demonstrated that love when they first came out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea. They sang a song of praises to Jehovah: “… I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (Exod. 15:1). Yet it wasn’t too long before they became complainers before God. God remembers that.
My friend, today real separation rests upon the fact that you have been born again, you now have a new nature, and you are now in love with Christ. Your love for Him makes you want to please Him.
The great object in the purposes of God is to have folk saved, not only from judgment and the lake of fire, but saved from the present world. He wants them saved, not only for heaven by and by, but for the heart of Christ now. The work of Christ on the cross settled every question that sin has raised between God and our souls. The future is bright with the glory of God, and we have been brought into the value of that work of redemption. We have been born again, and no one—not even Satan—can change that.
However, my friend, how are we doing today in our Christian lives down here on the earth? How is our relationship with our fellowmen and with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby [1 Pet. 2:1–2].
You see, we cannot expect God to do everything for us; He has certain things for us to do for ourselves. First, there are certain things that we are to lay aside. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesian believers, likens it to the taking off of a garment: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts…. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another” (Eph. 4:22, 25).
Paul uses a different figure to describe this to the Corinthians. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:7–8). When the Israelite observed the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, he didn’t eat leavened bread; that is, he didn’t go on living the same kind of life he had lived before. He was feeding in a different place on a different kind of bread. And it was a means of growth for him. Likewise, Paul is saying to the Corinthian believers that when they come to Christ, they are to get rid of the old leaven, which is symbolic of malice and wickedness in their lives. You see, we will never become perfect in this life, because we will always have that old nature.
“Laying aside all malice.” What is malice? The best definition I have found is congealed anger. It means to have an unforgiving spirit. My friend, are you carrying bitterness in your heart and a chip on your shoulder? Although you witness about being born again and about loving Jesus, nobody around you will be able to distinguish that if you are carrying malice, congealed anger, in your heart.
“And all guile.” Guile is using cleverness to get even or to try to make a good impression upon someone. Ananias and Sapphira used guile when they tried to represent themselves as being very generous givers to the church. That old nature which you and I have is good at that sort of thing. J. B. Lightfoot calls it “the vicious nature which is bent on doing harm to others.”
“And hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.” Hypocrisy is, of course, attempting to be what you are not. And evil speaking means slander.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word.” Instead of “sincere” milk, I translate it pure milk or spiritual milk. Just as a hungry baby reaches for the bottle, a believer is to desire the Word of God.
I remember when our little grandson was born. Because his father was over in Turkey at the time, his mother brought him into our home. We had him with us those first few months, and every now and then it was my task to give him his bottle. I want to tell you, that little fellow went into high gear when he saw that bottle of milk. He started moving his hands, his mouth, his feet—he was reaching out for it with every part of his body. At that time I was still the pastor of a congregation, and I thought, I wish I had a congregation that would reach out after the Word of God like that!
My friend, without a hunger for the Word of God you will not grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. You will not develop as a Christian—you will always be in your babyhood. We must remember that a little baby and a full-grown man are both human beings, but they are in different stages of growth and development. The little one needs milk so he can grow up to become a man. Now, how does a Christian grow? He grows by studying the Word of God. There is no growth apart from the Word of God.
I receive letters from many pastors who tell me that they are wet nurses for a lot of little babes. As one pastor said, “I spend my time burping spiritual babies!” Those babies should grow up so they wouldn’t need a pastor to pat them and burp them all the time. And they would grow if they desired the pure milk of the Word.
It is my conviction that the “pure milk of the word” means the total Word of God. We don’t grow spiritually by lifting out a verse for comfort here and there. We need the total Word of God to grow. We need a full, well-balanced diet. Of course, we start out with milk, but the day comes when we want a porterhouse steak, a good baked potato, a green salad, and maybe some black-eyed peas on the side. And you get all the spiritual nutrition you need in the total Word of God.
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious [1 Pet. 2:3].
“If so be” should be translated “since”—since ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. You see, at the moment of salvation, a child is born with an appetite for the Word of God, just as a newborn infant immediately starts to eat. When my little grandson came home from the hospital at only two or three days old, all we had to do was stick a nipple in his mouth. He knew what to do. I didn’t give him a lecture on how to drink milk; he seemed to know all about it. In the same way, I don’t think we need programs to teach the spiritual babes in Christ how to get into the Word of God. Instead of programs, we need to give them the Word so they can feed on it.
What, then, is real separation? Real separation (we need to note this carefully) is a separation from the works of the flesh. Too many Christians feel that they must be separated from the world. No, we are in the world, and we must live in the world even though we are not of the world.
Let me give you an illustration about the wrong idea concerning separation. I drove an evangelist around Nashville, Tennessee, almost half of one night, trying to find a restaurant that didn’t serve beer. This was his idea of separation from the world. We finally found one, and he got ptomaine poisoning from eating in that place! I wouldn’t have eaten in it. I told him, “If I were you, after this I would go into a restaurant that serves good food and simply disregard the beer.” You don’t need to drink the beer just because you eat the food. Separation from the world does not mean that you cannot go into a restaurant that serves liquor.
Malice, hypocrisy, envy, evil speaking—these are the things from which we should be separated. Only the Spirit of God working within us will produce that kind of separation. And until you and I are willing to give up malice, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking, we will never grow to Christian maturity.
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious [1 Pet. 2:4].
“To whom coming, as unto a living stone.” We don’t come to a little Babe in Bethlehem; we come as little babes to a living stone. The living stone is Christ. After the confession of Simon Peter, the Lord Jesus said, “… upon this rock I will build my church …” (Matt. 16:18). Simon Peter makes it very clear here that the living stone is not himself but that the living stone is Jesus Christ.
Jesus again refers to Himself as a stone in Matthew 21:42, 44: “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?” This is a quotation from Psalm 118. Now, speaking of Himself He says, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
Christ Jesus is that foundation stone of the church. He is that stone today. Paul writes, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). When you come as a sinner and fall on that stone, you are broken. However, in your brokenness that stone becomes a foundation for you, and that is your salvation. However, if you reject that stone, you are not through with the stone. Daniel, in his vision, saw a “stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet” (see Dan. 2:34). That is the stone of judgment which will come to smite the earth. This stone symbolizes Christ. He also will be the stone of judgment to this earth. What a picture of the Lord Jesus is given to us here!
Here is something else that is wonderful—
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ [1 Pet. 2:5].
“Ye also, as lively stones.” Lively is an old English word for living. “Ye also, as living stones.” How are we living stones? We have been “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (v. 23, italics mine).
“Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.” You will recall that after Peter’s confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” the Lord Jesus said to him, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (see Matt. 16:16, 18). The name Peter means “rock,” and the Lord Jesus was saying to him in effect, “You are going to be a little stone, a pebble, but on this foundation stone [Christ] I am going to build My church.” The Lord Jesus is the foundation stone, and we know that Peter understood it that way, because he said, “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.” Just as Simon Peter was one of the little stones, you are one of the little stones and I am one of the little stones which are built into this spiritual house. When we are born again, become children of God, we are put into this building of God.
If we turn back to the Epistle to the Ephesians, we will find that Paul also uses this illustration of a building. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19–22). Today God is building a temple, a living temple. Those of us who come to Him as the sinners we are, who fall upon Him, cast ourselves upon Him for mercy, are saved. And He makes us a part of the living temple He is building upon the foundation stone, which is Christ Himself.
“An holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” Another picture which this epistle gives to us is that of a holy priesthood. All believers are living stones. All believers are priests. We are a holy priesthood, and later Peter calls it a royal priesthood. As priests we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God in Jesus Christ. Praise to God is such a spiritual sacrifice. Your monetary offering to the Lord is such a spiritual sacrifice. I don’t know why people think that money cannot be spiritual. It all depends on the way money is used. And then, you can offer yourself to God. That is a spiritual sacrifice.
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not he confounded [1 Pet. 2:6].
This is a quotation from Isaiah 28:6: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” This stone is symbolic of Christ. Scripture makes this fact very clear.
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto you them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner [1 Pet. 2:7].
“Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.” A better translation would be, “For you therefore which is the preciousness.” For you who believe there is the preciousness of Christ. I think it is so interesting that Simon Peter, the big, rugged fisherman, uses the word precious. We think of it as a word used in the vocabulary of women, but whenever Peter speaks of Christ or of His blood or any part about Him, he uses the word precious.
“But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed [rejected], the same is made the head of the corner.”
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed [1 Pet. 2:8].
This is a very important passage of Scripture. You will recall that it is a quotation from Psalm 118:22. There is a tradition that takes us back to the time of the building of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In 1 Kings 6:7 we read this about the actual construction of the temple: “And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.” The stones, you see, were hewn to exact measurement in the quarry; and when they reached the building site, there was no sound of a hammer—they were just fitted into place.
Well, the tradition is that at the beginning of the project a very large, fine-looking stone came up from the quarry, but the builders couldn’t fit it in any place; so they moved it to one side. Because it was in the way, eventually they just pushed it over the brow of the hill to make room for the other stones that they were receiving and forgot about it. Finally, when all the stones had been fitted into place, they sent down word to the quarry, “Send up the cornerstone.” The building was finished except for the cornerstone. Word came back, “We sent the cornerstone to you at the very beginning.” Then they remembered, “That’s the stone we pushed off the hill!” So with a great deal of effort, they had to haul that stone back to the top of the hill, and they found that it did fit right into place. If this tradition is accurate, it certainly explains the verses before us.
The stone, which the builders rejected, has become the head of the corner. The stone is, of course, a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He came into the world He was rejected by His own people—“He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). Not only then was He rejected, but you and I live today in a Christ-rejecting world. At the time this is being written, we are in the Christmas season. I don’t know about your town, but in my town Christmas is being celebrated, but Jesus Christ is being rejected. About the most hypocritical thing in the world is to reject the one whose birthday you are celebrating! My friend, the Lord Jesus Christ is to you today either a stepping stone or a stumbling stone.
This brings us to a very wonderful passage of Scripture which reveals that a Christian’s life is to be commensurate with his position in Christ. And until we live that life, we are not experiencing normal Christian living.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light [1 Pet. 2:9].
He is saying several very wonderful things about us here. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people of His own—not a “peculiar people.” God’s people are not supposed to be oddballs or crackpots or ready for the funny farm. Some folk seem to think that is what “peculiar” means. It is more meaningful to use the translation: a people of His own.
1. We are a “chosen generation,” that is, an elect race. Back in the Old Testament God chose, Israel as His people, and in the Scriptures there are two elect groups of people: the nation Israel, called an elect nation, and the church, called an elect nation and an elect people.
Now keep in mind that Peter is writing to his own people, the Diaspora, Jewish Christians who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire and even beyond it. In effect he is saying, “Although right now you certainly do not look like a chosen generation, an elect race, you are. Because you have come to Christ, you are a chosen generation, you are an elect nation, just as the children of Israel were elect. The keys of the kingdom have been given to the church, and we today are to give out the gospel because the church is the chosen instrument. This honor has been conferred upon believers. It is as if God had stamped out for you and me a wonderful medal on which is inscribed: You are an elect race; you are a chosen generation.
Many vain attempts are being made in our day to identify certain people of this earth with the ten “lost” tribes of Israel. They are said to be the gypsies, the Mormons, the Adventists, or the British-Israel group—which is probably the most vocal. Well, if they could prove that England and America were settled by the ten “lost” tribes of Israel, what have they proven? God has set aside the nation Israel temporarily, and today God is doing a new thing. He is calling out an elect race, a chosen generation, from every tongue and nation and people—both Jew and Gentile—and they are brought into a new relationship to God in the church.
Although you and I say that we have come to Christ, He says that He has chosen us. I like that. It reminds me of the story of two little urchins from the slums of New York who got to Macy’s department store and were looking in the window at the merchandise on display. They saw things which they could never have, but they played a game with each other.
One said, “I choose this.”
The other said, “I choose that.”
The boy said, “I choose the ball.”
The girl said, “I choose the doll.”
You and I are just like poverty-stricken little urchins in this world, but when we say, “I choose Jesus,” we find that He has already chosen us. How wonderful that is! The Lord Jesus said of His own apostles, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you …” (John 15:16). It is wonderful to know this. I am not being irreverent when I say that, since He has chosen me, He is responsible for me. The responsibility is His because I belong to Him. How wonderful it is that He has chosen us!
2. We are “a royal priesthood.” Back in the Old Testament God first of all chose the entire nation of Israel to be His priests. (I believe that in the Millennium the whole nation of Israel will be priests here on this earth.) However, they sinned, and so God chose one tribe out of that nation. The priests came from this one tribe. Today there is no priesthood on earth which God recognizes—except one. Today every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is a priest. Israel had a priesthood; today the church is a priesthood.
When I was a pastor, I preached a message entitled, “You Are a Catholic Priest.” The word catholic means “general,” of course. In that sense every believer is a catholic priest, and all have access to God. Since we belong to Christ, we can come into His presence, into the very holy of holies. Simon Peter tells us here that we as believers are members of a royal priesthood. We are children of the King. A little later on in this epistle we will read that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and that He hears their prayers. Oh, how wonderful this is!
3. We are “an holy nation.” The nation Israel was never holy in conduct, and the same can be said of the church. Israel’s failure is glaring; the church’s failure is appalling. Yet we are holy in our relationship with Him because Christ is our righteousness. If you have any standing before God, it is not in yourself; it is in Christ. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than that today I stand complete in Him. What a joy it is to be a member of a holy nation, which is a new nation in the world today.
4. We are “a peculiar people”—a people of His own. We are a people for acquisition, a people for God’s own. possession. We belong to Him. Therefore, there is in the world not only a new nation but also a people that belong to Him. I don’t know why some Christians are afraid of this concept. It doesn’t mean that we are to be peculiar in conduct and act strangely but that we belong to Him. We are His very own people. We can compare it to a boy who goes out and gets a job and makes his own money for the first time. His dad has been giving him an allowance, but now the money belongs to him. It is something that he worked for, and it is his very own. Well, Christ’s work, His work of redemption, required the shedding of His blood, as we have seen in this epistle, and now He has a people for His very own.
In the high priestly prayer of the Lord Jesus, He says, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me …” (John 17:6). Also He said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). How wonderful it is that the Father has given us to Christ!
And God calls His own. He calls you today, my friend. It doesn’t matter who you are or to which race you belong. Jesus Christ is calling to you to be His own. He wants you to join a chosen generation and a royal priesthood. He is not inviting you to wear robes or to recite rituals but to join a priesthood that has access to God. He is asking you to belong to a new nation. He does not mean Germany or England or Japan or even the United States. He asks you to belong to that great company of believers out of every nation. “… happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 144:15). “So we [are] thy people and sheep of thy pasture …” (Ps. 79:13). Through the prophet Isaiah God says, “… for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isa. 53:8). And in the New Testament, “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate” (Heb. 13:12). Oh, what a wonderful position we have in Christ!
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy [1 Pet. 2:10].
“Which in time past were not a people.” We didn’t belong to God but were far from Him.
“Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” My friend, there is one gift that you won’t want to miss, and the name written on the box is “mercy.” It is a big box because God is rich in mercy. If you need any today, you can go to Him for it.
Again, remember that Peter is writing specifically to the Diaspora, his people who were scattered abroad. “Which in time past were not a people”—they had rejected Christ as their Messiah and God had rejected them. “But are now the people of God.” God was (and is) doing a new thing in calling out a people and extending His mercy to them.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul [1 Pet. 2:11].
The child of God is to publish His praises. In what way? By singing hymns? Well, it is all right to do it that way, but you can better show forth His praises by not manifesting the works of the flesh. Earlier Peter has told us that the works of the flesh are malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, and slander. We publish His praises by displaying our attitudes which have been shaped by the Word of God.
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation [1 Pet. 2:12].
“Having your conversation [behavior] honest among the Gentiles.” You see that true Christian separation is not some pious position that is to be assumed. It is not simply refraining from doing worldly things. It is very positive action. It includes honesty and good works. All believers in any kind of business dealing show forth the praises of God by their honesty. That is a witness to the world.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well [1 Pet. 2:13–14].
Mad Nero was just coming to the throne in Rome as the new emperor. The Roman Empire boasted itself that it gave justice to man. However, it was like every other government, including our own. The poor man has never had a fair chance. The rich man has always been able to buy lawyers who were smart enough to evade the law. The poor man is the one who has the problems with the law.
Then what should be the believer’s relationship to the law? He is to obey the law. That is what Peter is saying here—“submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake” Since they were under Roman law, they were to obey it. Although Rome intended that their laws should be just, they were not. Remember that Roman law crucified Christ and persecuted the early Christians; yet Rome boasted loudly about justice. It sounds like modern America where religion—that is, the preaching of the Word of God—is very politely being suppressed. Are we to rebel against the government? No. We are to obey the laws of the land.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men [1 Pet. 2:15].
When the Christian submits to government and to those who are in authority over his life, he is again revealing the praises of God through his life. I have never accepted joyfully a traffic ticket, but I pay my fine and try to be more careful to obey the laws. We are to be obedient to the law because we are giving a testimony.
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God [1 Pet. 2:16].
The relationship of the believer to other people is a testimony which speaks louder than the message from the pulpit. You see, the believer in Christ has a liberty which the man outside of Christ does not have. Believers have a marvelous liberty in Christ Jesus. I personally believe that I could go places and see things which the average Christian could not. Although I don’t think I would be hurt by them, I avoid them because of my testimony. I don’t want to use my liberty as a cloak of maliciousness; that is, I don’t want my weaker brother to be hurt by what I do. We must remember that although we are free, we are the servants of God.
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king [1 Pet. 2:17].
“Honour all men.” A Christian should respect other human beings. He doesn’t say to love all men—believe me, some of them are very unlovely!
“Love the brotherhood.” While we respect all men, we are to love the brotherhood, meaning other believers.
“Fear God.” Certainly we as believers are to reveal by our lives that we are God-fearing people.
“Honour the king.” We owe an honor to the office of the man who rules over us. I have never voted for a president whom I really wanted. I have always voted against the other candidate. I have never known a president who I felt was really capable. However, regardless of who is president and regardless of his inability, he should be honored because of his office. I am not impressed by some Scripture-spouting, pious individuals who attack the president of the United States. The office is to be honored.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [1 Pet. 2:18].
“Servants, be subject to your masters.” In our contemporary culture we would say, “Employees, be subject to your bosses.” Many folk tell me how wonderful it is to work for a Christian boss. But what if you are working for a godless fellow?
“Not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [perverse or unreasonable].” You are to be subject to him also, as long as he is not asking you to do that which is illegitimate or dishonest.
“Be subject” has in it the idea of freedom of choice. It is subjecting yourself, something you do voluntarily—not because you feel that your boss is a great person but because of your testimony for Christ. Christians also reveal the praise of God by their attitudes and actions in labor relationships.
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God [1 Pet. 2:19–20].
“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?” “Glory” could be translated “fame or praise.” Buffeted means “to be struck with the fists.” This was often the treatment of slaves in Peter’s day. If a slave would steal or lie or become rebellious and refuse to work, his master might take him and give him a real going over with his fists. Peter is saying that if you have been beaten for any such fault, and you take it patiently, you have nothing to brag about. The beating was your own fault. God is not going to commend you for your patience in a case like that.
My friend, it may be possible that you are having problems and difficulties because you played the fool. A businessman said to me recently, “I have played the fool!” He had played the stock market and lost all his capital. He went bankrupt. When I was talking to him, he was suffering for his own foolishness. To recognize his fault and take the subsequent suffering patiently did not commend him to God.
“But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” Of course, the natural reaction in all of us is to strike back when we have been unjustly treated. I confess that this is my first reaction, but I am learning to let God take care of it. God says in Romans 12:19, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” and He does a much better job of it than I could. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven …” (Matt. 5:11–12). And Peter says, “This is acceptable with God.”
Peter doesn’t get very far without telling us about the Lord Jesus again, and here he reminds us of the sufferings of Christ, which are an example to us as believers.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth [1 Pet. 2:21–22].
When our Lord Jesus Christ was here on earth, He suffered two kinds of suffering: He suffered as a human being down here when He became a man, suffering for righteousness’ sake. Also, He suffered for the sins of the world.
Now, His suffering for the sins of the world is not an example for us—it is our redemption. It is something we believe and accept, but we can by no means imitate it. However, in His life down here He did leave us an example. In Nazareth during His first thirty years He suffered ridicule and misunderstanding, as Psalm 69 makes clear. Then, when He moved out in a public ministry, the gospel records tell us how He suffered for righteousness’ sake. When you and I suffer for our faith, we remember the example He left for us in that connection.
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously [1 Pet. 2:23].
He let His Father settle the account. Again let me remind you of Romans 12:19: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the, Lord.” Let’s allow God to handle those accounts for us also. And He will handle them, by the way.
Jesus is suffering for the sins of the world in the next verse—
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed [1 Pet. 2:24].
This is not an example that is set for us. You and I cannot suffer to wash away our own sins, much less suffer for the sins of the world. Peter is talking here about redemption. “That we being dead to sins”—that was our condition.
“By whose stripes ye were healed.” Healed of what? I notice that when so-called faith healers use the words, “by whose stripes ye were healed,” they refer to Isaiah 53:5 rather than to this verse in 1 Peter, because Peter makes it evident that the healing is of sins. I certainly agree that the Lord Jesus came to be the Great Healer—but the Great Healer heals of sins. No human physician can handle that problem. And Peter’s use of these words from Isaiah 53:5 reveals that the prophet Isaiah was not speaking primarily of physical healing but of that which is more important and more profound, healing from sin.
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls [1 Pet. 2:25].
Humanity, both lost and saved, are called sheep. “Ye were as sheep going astray.” This, too, is a quotation from Isaiah 53: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6).
As you can see, the suffering of Christ is actually the theme of the last part of this chapter. Christ suffered to set us an example, and He suffered a vicarious, substitutionary death for our sins.
“But are now returned [the same word is often translated converted] unto the Shepherd and Bishop [overseer] of your souls.”
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Suffering produces Christian conduct in the home—in the church; Christ’s suffering preached by the Spirit in Noah’s day
In chapter 3 Peter teaches that suffering will also produce Christian conduct in the life of the believer. This conduct will be manifested in two different places, in the home and in the church.
CONDUCT IN THE HOME
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives [1 Pet. 3:1].
“Likewise” means “in the same manner”; thus verse 1 ties right back into chapter 2 which discussed separation. “Conversation” would be better translated as “behavior.” Separation and conduct are blended and molded together here.
In Ephesians 5 we find this same theme of the position of the wife in the home. However, Peter is presenting an altogether different situation from that which Paul discussed in Ephesians. Paul dealt with the relationship between a Christian wife and a Christian husband who were both Spirit-filled believers. That entire section in Ephesians begins with “… be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). When you are filled with the Spirit, what are you to do? Paul says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Eph. 5:22), and “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). He is speaking of a Christian home in which both the husband and wife are Spirit-filled believers, and the relationship is one in which the man loves his wife and is willing to die for her.
Now for the sake of order in any situation, there must be headship, In marriage, that headship has been given to the husband. When the wife is told to submit, however, it is not like the obedience of a child. Many men when they marry think of their wife as being a sort of first child and that she is to obey them like a child is to obey. That is not true at all. As we have suggested before, submission has to do with that which is voluntary. Paul is saying to the wife, “Submit yourself. This man loves you, and you are to submit to him.” The better word, because it means more, is respond. Respond to this man. If he comes to you as your Christian husband and puts his arms around you and says, “I love you more than anything else,” then certainly you should respond, “I love you.”
Down through the years I have counseled a great many young people who have asked me to unite them in marriage. I never majored in trying to marry as many as I could; very frankly, I always did it with fear and trembling. I would like to mention very briefly some things I have told them.
Marriage is made on three different planes. The first is the physical plane, and that is important. It is the thing which the world talks about a great deal, the sexual relationship. It is a wonderful thing to have a wife whom you can put your arms around and love. Between two believers, sex can become the most precious, most beautiful, most wonderful thing there is in this world. It is my conviction that believers are the only ones who can really enjoy the physical relationship to the fullest. There is no question that the physical relationship is a wonderful thing.
When I got married, my wife felt she was not cut out to be a preacher’s wife. She had been brought up in a little town in Texas and had seen how the preacher’s wife was expected to do so much work in the church. I took her over to talk with Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer one day, and I explained her fears to him. Neither of us will ever forget what Dr. Chafer said. He told my wife, “I am out speaking in Bible conferences a great deal. When I come home, I am not looking for an assistant pastor, I’m not looking for an organist, I’m not looking for a soloist, and I’m not looking for the president of the missionary society. I want a woman there to meet me who is my wife and whom I can put my arms around and love.” The physical relationship is an important relationship.
The second plane in a marriage is the mental or psychological relationship, which is also very important. It is nice when the husband and wife enjoy doing the same things. On one of our tours to Bible lands, there was a very wonderful couple who were in their fifties. They would get up early in the morning and take a hike, and again at night they would walk together. They would visit certain places which were not included in the tour. They enjoyed doing things together, and it is wonderful to have that kind of relationship. The thing that makes the comic strip “Maggie and Jiggs” so funny is that Jiggs wants to go to Dinty Moore’s where they have corned beef, cabbage, and beer, and Maggie wants to go to the opera where they have champagne. Their interests and their appetites are altogether different. That, of course, does not make for a healthy relationship. Because so many husbands and wives do not share the same interests, there are many clubs and lodges today where each can get away from the other and do what they want to do. How tragic that is!
The third plane in a marriage is the spiritual relationship, and this applies to a marriage between two believers. When problems and trouble and sorrow and suffering come, a husband and wife should be able to kneel down, come to God in prayer, and meet around the Word of God together. You can break the other two ties, but “… a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:12). When you have all three, you have a wonderful marriage. The first two cords can break, but if the third one will hold, the marriage will hold. However, when the third one is broken with the others, the marriage has gone down the tube, my friend. I have to admit it, there is very little hope for a marriage like that.
We have been discussing marriage between two believers. Suppose, however, that the wife is married to a man who is not a Christian. To begin with, she should not have married him, if that was the situation before they married. Any man or woman who marries a non-Christian is in trouble. Scripture forbids marriage between a believer and an unbeliever. In Deuteronomy we read, “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22:10). There are a lot of them yoked together today, and it is a big mistake.
One young lady came to me and said, “Dr. McGee, my fiancé is not a believer, but I am going to win him for the Lord.” I said to her, “Have you won him yet?” “No,” she said, “he won’t even come to church with me yet.” So I told her this: “Your greatest influence with that young man is right now. The day you get married, your influence to win him for the Lord will greatly diminish. You’ll never be able to preach to him again. You are going to be living with him, and he’s going to be watching you very carefully from now on. If you can’t get him to church now, you’re in trouble.” She didn’t like what I said. In fact, she went and got another preacher to perform the ceremony because I would not perform it. I do not marry—and have never knowingly married—a saved and an unsaved person; I believe that is entirely wrong. She got someone else to marry them, but she came back in two years weeping and wanting to talk to me because she had gotten a divorce from him. That marriage was headed in that direction even before it started, my friend.
In this passage here in 1 Peter, we have that unfortunate relationship in which there is a saved wife and an unsaved husband; apparently, the wife became a Christian after they had married. Is she to change after her conversion and become a sort of female preacher in the home in order to lecture her husband and to present the gospel to him? No, she is to continue on in the same position of being in subjection to him. To be in subjection means to submit yourself. This is a voluntary step; it is not a command. The wife is to continue on in this relationship of voluntarily being in subjection, letting her husband—though unsaved—continue to be the head of the house.
Suppose, however, that her husband wants her to go with him to the nightclub and drink cocktails? Is she to do that? I would hope that even these most rabid folk who say that she should obey her husband would agree that she should not do such things. However, there are those who are giving that kind of counsel today.
A lady who attended my church when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles had an unsaved husband who wanted her to go to a nightclub, which apparently was a sort of burlesque. Some evangelist had counseled her that she was to obey her husband even in this, and so she went. It offended her sensibilities, and she was under great conviction about it. She actually came to the place where a doctor told her that she would have to enter an institution for psychopathic treatment because she could not go on under that type of pressure. Well, she heard me speaking on the radio, and it was evident that I had a little different idea about it. When she came to talk to me, I told her that I did not believe that Simon Peter intended for her to do these things. I said that after her conversion she was to try to win her husband and to be subject to him. But I went on to ask her what she would do if her husband wanted her to go out and commit a robbery. Would she have to join him in that and drive the car for him? She said she was sure that the evangelist would not want her to go that far.
May I say to you, her submission was to be voluntary. God certainly did not command her to engage in sinful or questionable activities which would spoil her testimony. A Christian wife must live very carefully before an unsaved husband. Her preaching is not going to do a bit of good. “That, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the behavior of the wives.” In other words, she is to preach a wordless sermon by her pure life which she lives before him. And that has nothing in the world to do with submission to him.
While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear [1 Pet. 3:2].
Peter says that your husband will recognize that you have now changed and want to live a pure life for God and that you no longer want to indulge in the things of the world. Therefore, that is the testimony which you can give to him.
Another lady came to me when I was a pastor and said, “Dr. McGee, I bring my husband to church every Sunday.” (She was the kind of woman who could bring her husband; she was a dominant personality.) She continued, “He is not saved, and every Sunday I think he will make a decision for Christ but he doesn’t. On Monday morning I sit at the breakfast table just weeping and telling him how I wish he would accept Christ. When he comes home from work in the evening, again I just sit there at dinner and weep and beg him to accept Christ.” I got to thinking about what she had said. How would you like to have dinner every evening and breakfast every morning with a weeping woman? I wouldn’t care for it myself, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that either. So I called her up and said, “Suppose that for a year’s moratorium you simply do not talk to your husband about the Lord at all?” She said, “Oh, you mean that I’m not to witness?” I said, “No, I didn’t say that. Peter says that if you cannot win your husband with the Word, then start preaching a wordless sermon. How about your life? What kind of life are you living before him?” I want to tell you, that put her back on her heels because she wasn’t living as she knew she should live. But she agreed to my suggestion because she did want to win him, and she was a wonderful woman in many ways. I was amazed myself when, in six months’ time, her husband made a decision for Christ one Sunday morning. The wordless sermon had won, my friend.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel [1 Pet. 3:3].
Obviously, this verse does not prohibit all adorning—if it did, it also would prohibit all apparel!
In the Roman Empire a great emphasis was put upon the way women arranged their hair. If you have seen any pictures of that period, you know that the women loaded their heads down with all kinds of hair, not their own hair but someone else’s. They really built their hair up, and they wore jewelry in it. Today we have very much the same kind of emphasis upon hair and dress. If the unsaved man you are going to marry cannot be won to Christ by your sex appeal before you marry, you will never win him to Christ by sex appeal afterward. A wife can apply a gallon of perfume and wear the thinnest negligee there is, but I tell you, she will not win him for the Lord that way.
I do believe, though, that a Christian woman should dress in style. At the Bible institute where I used to teach, someone had given the girls the notion that they should never use any make-up and need not give any care to the way they dressed. I used to tell those girls that we all ought to look the best we can with what we’ve got to work with, although some of us don’t have much to work with! I said, “Some of you would look a little bit better if you would put on just a little make-up, because you look like you came out of the morgue. That is simply not attractive, and it does not commend you to God.”
Peter’s point here is that you cannot win an unsaved man by sex appeal.
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price [1 Pet. 3:4].
A woman is to wear an ornament, but it is to be an ornament on the inside, the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. In the little Book of Ruth, we read that when Boaz went into the field and saw that beautiful maid of Moab, Ruth, he fell in love with her. But have you noticed something else? Boaz had heard of her character. He had heard that she had a marvelous, wonderful character, and he fell in love with her total person.
We have many very helpful cosmetic products today, and I see nothing wrong in using anything that will make you look better. All of us want to look the best we possibly can. Alexander Pope has well advised:
Be not the first by whom the new are tried,
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.
Be in style. Dress up in a way that is becoming, but don’t try to use that as the means of winning someone to the Lord. We need more inward adornment today—that is the thing which is important.
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands [1 Pet. 3:5].
There are a number of fine examples of such women in the Old Testament. I have already mentioned Ruth who was in the genealogical line that led to Christ. We are also told that Rachel was a beautiful woman, and Jacob fell in love with her. She was the one bright spot in that man’s life, which was a pretty dark life, by the way.
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement [1 Pet. 3:6].
Sarah was such a beautiful woman that several kings wanted her as a wife, and Abraham had a great problem in that connection. But she called Abraham “lord.” She looked up to Abraham. It is wonderful when a wife can look up to her husband.
Now Peter speaks to the husbands—
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered [1 Pet. 3:7].
Although this seems to imply that both the husband and wife are Christians, I believe that these instructions to husbands would be applicable either way.
A husband is to treat his wife as the weaker vessel, and he is to give her honor because of that. I do not think the current women’s liberation movement is going to last very long. I think a woman wants to be a woman, just as a man wants to be a man. Because she is the weaker vessel, she is to be treated with honor. The man is to give first place to her. She gets into the car first as he holds the door for her. When they enter a room, she goes first. As they walk down the sidewalk, he walks on the outside for her protection. He is to treat her with honor. When a woman loses her place, she doesn’t go up; she goes down. When she takes her place, she can be treated with honor and given her rightful position. I think every husband ought to treat his wife as someone special.
“That your prayers be not hindered.” Peter says that if you are not getting along as husband and wife, it will ruin your family altar, and there is no use praying together. If you are fighting like cats and dogs, well, God just doesn’t hear cats and dogs. But when you are in agreement, you can pray together and your prayers will not be hindered.
Before we leave this particular section of Scripture, I would like to add one further word. Marriage is something which God has given to the entire human family, not only to Christians or to the nation Israel. In the Book of Genesis we are told that God made man, and at that time man was alone. I think the Lord let Adam be alone for a long time to let him know he was missing something. Then Scripture says that God took man and from man He made woman. Using the Hebrew words, Genesis 2:23 reads, “She shall be called Isha, because she was taken out of Ish.” She is called “… an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18, italics mine); that is, a help that was fit for him. In other words, she was to be the other half of him. He was only half a man, and she was to be the other part of him. With that in mind, you can see that the marriage relationship is not to be one of a man insisting on treating his wife like a little child who has to jump every time he says so. She is there to help him. She is there to be a part of him. She is there to love him. And he is there to love and protect her. That is the ideal relationship in marriage.
CONDUCT IN THE CHURCH
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous [1 Pet. 3:8].
Believers are to be like-minded, sympathetic, tenderhearted, and courteous, which means they are to be humble-minded, not trying to lord it over one another. This is to be the attitude and action of a believer among other believers.
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing [1 Pet. 3:9].
This is turning the other cheek. If another believer says something evil about you, something that is not true, are you to strike back? No. Commit him to the Lord—the Lord will take care of him. If we take this position it will break down all the little cliques and stop all the fighting within the church. Remember that we are representing the Lord.
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile [1 Pet. 3:10].
All of us want to live, but unfortunately there are a lot of believers today who are not enjoying life. They are not living life to its fullest, not getting all they should out of life. When I was a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, many years ago, a young medical student—who was the president of the young people’s group in the church and not much younger than I was—said one day, “Vernon, I want life to be like an orange to me, an orange out of which I can squeeze every drop. I want to live for God!” “For he that will love life”—if you want to really live, here is a good formula, and here is the key to it. Peter says that we are to refrain from constantly speaking evil of others. And we are to refrain from speaking “guile,” from being deceptive and not telling the truth.
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it [1 Pet. 3:11].
A child of God is not to sit back and act piously. Let’s live it up, my friend, but let’s not live it up by indulging in gossip and evil. Let’s live it up by turning away from evil and pursuing that which ministers to peace. Let’s live for God today. How important this is!
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil [1 Pet. 3:12].
This is an amazing passage of Scripture. Peter is quoting here from Psalm 34: “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth” (Ps. 34:15–16). This is a strong statement as it is given here in this psalm. It is something the Word of God has emphasized a great deal. God has guaranteed to hear the prayers of those who are His own. He has not guaranteed to hear the prayers of those who are not His own. The only prayer that a sinner can pray is, “Lord, I admit that I am a sinner, and accept Jesus Christ as my Savior, and ask that You accept me in Him.” That is a prayer that God will hear and that God will answer. Many people today have the idea that an old reprobate can live any kind of life he wants and then come to God in prayer when he is in trouble and expect God to hear and answer him. As the movies and the novels tell it, the old reprobate comes home to find his little girl sick in the hospital, and so he gets down on his knees and calls upon God to raise her up. How sentimental that is! May I say this very plainly: it is nonsense, and it is absolutely unscriptural. Let that old reprobate get right with God, and then God will hear and answer his prayer. It is a false idea today to think that you can call on God under any circumstances whether or not you are His child. My friend, He has not promised to hear the prayers of those who are not His own.
In Ecclesiastes 2:17 we read the statement of a man who has tried everything in life. He has lived like a reprobate, and he says, “Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” How many men and women today who are involved in living for the things of this world suddenly wake up and find that it’s not worth it? Life is monotonous, and life is not worth it. No wonder they put a gun to their heads and blow their brains out. No wonder some of them jump off bridges. No wonder some take an overdose of sleeping pills. My friend, it is not until you come into a right relationship with God that you can live life to its fullest.
Does that mean that a child of God is living on a pretty high plane above the problems of this world? Listen to Peter—
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? [1 Pet. 3:13].
Does that mean that God gives you an armor so that nobody can touch you at all?
But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled [1 Pet. 3:14].
Suffering for the right should bring joy to the child of God. Some Christians actually make themselves obnoxious in their witness to others, thinking they are taking a stand for the Lord. But if we have simply taken a quiet stand for the right and for God, we ought to rejoice if we suffer for that. I must repeat this again: you are not going to escape suffering in this world if you are a child of God. Someone has said, “Jesus often spoke of Christianity as a banquet but never as a picnic.” How true that is! He never said that we are going to have it easy down here.
I truly wish that I could elucidate this next verse in such a way that it would bless your heart. I will do my best.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear [1 Pet. 3:15].
This means you ought to know more than a little about the Bible. The tragedy of the hour is that there are so many folk who say they are Christians, but the sceptic is able to tie them up into fourteen different knots like a little kitty caught up in a ball of yarn—they cannot extricate themselves at all. Why? Because of the fact that they do not know the Word of God.
“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.” Oh, today, do you have a little sanctuary, a little chapel in your own heart? When you are riding along in the car or walking down the street or are in the shop or office or classroom, is there a little chapel in your heart where you can withdraw and sanctify the Lord God in your heart? If there is, folk outside will know that you belong to God, and you will not have to mouth it all the time or make yourself obnoxious by making some pious statement. Oh, if in our lives today we would sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. How we need to do that!
Habakkuk wrote, “But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab. 2:20). On Sunday you may go to your church, but the world is passing you by, headed for the beach, headed for the mountains, headed for the desert, headed for places of amusement. The whole world is not keeping silence before Him. Why? Because we as individuals need to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts.
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ [1 Pet. 3:16].
In other words, make sure that those who speak evil of you are in error. Shortly after I had come to downtown Los Angeles as pastor of a church there, I met Dr. Jim McGinley in Chicago at the Moody Founder’s Week conference, and he asked me, “How do you like being pastor of that great church?” I said, “It’s wonderful, but I find myself in a place where I cannot really defend myself. I don’t intend to get up in the pulpit every Sunday morning to explain all the things that have been said about me. My business is teaching the Word of God. Yet none of the things that have been said are true.” Dr. McGinley said to me, “Just thank the Lord that what they say is not true.” In this verse Peter is saying, “Have a good conscience so that when you hear these rumors about yourself, it will not bother you because you know they are not true.”
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing [1 Pet. 3:17].
If you suffer for Christ’s sake, you can rejoice in that; but if you are suffering because you have played the fool, because you have gotten into trouble and into sin, then that is a different story altogether.
CHRIST’S SUFFERING PREACHED BY THE SPIRIT IN NOAH’S DAY
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit [1 Pet. 3:18].
It is important for us to see that Jesus Christ became a human being, and it was in His humanity that He died on the cross. He died on the cross, and it was the Holy Spirit who raised Him from the dead.
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison [1 Pet. 3:19].
This has been a most misunderstood passage of Scripture. The key word to this entire passage is in verse 20; it is the little word when—
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water [1 Pet. 3:20].
When did Christ preach to the spirits in prison? “When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah.” In Christ’s day, the spirits of those men to whom Noah had preached were in prison, for they had rejected the message of Noah. They had gone into sheol. They were waiting for judgment; they were lost. But Christ did not go down and preach to them after He died on the cross. He preached through Noah “when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah.” For 120 years Noah had preached the Word of God. He saved his family but no one else. It was the Spirit of Christ who spoke through Noah in Noah’s day. In Christ’s day, those who rejected Noah’s message were in prison. The thought is that Christ’s death meant nothing to them just as it means nothing to a great many people today who, as a result, will also come into judgment.
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ [1 Pet. 3:21].
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” To what baptism does this refer? It is not water baptism but the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is real baptism, and water baptism is ritual baptism. Now I believe in water baptism, and I believe immersion is the proper mode. However, the important thing here is to see that it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit which puts you into the body of believers.
“Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh”—it is not just by water, for that will not put away the filth of the flesh. “But the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”—that is, a faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ which brought the work of the Holy Spirit into your life and regenerated you.
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him [1 Pet. 3:22].
This verse is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. You and I are little sinners down here, but we can come to Him, receive Him, and thus join the great company of the redeemed. We are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ because He is raised from the dead and is today at God’s right hand.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Suffering produces obedience to the will of God
SUFFERING PRODUCES OBEDIENCE TO THE WILL OF GOD
In this passage of Scripture Peter makes it very clear that when life is easy there is danger of drifting into a state of mind which accepts every blessing in life as if it were owed to us. We come to the place where we do not prize or value life as we should. As a Christian, what value do you put upon life? God permits His children to suffer in order to keep us from sin and to give us a proper value of life. I hear so many young people today say that they did this or that in order to find a new direction for their life. May I say to you, suffering will give a new direction to life. David discovered this and wrote in Psalm 66:10, “For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.” God puts us through the test that it might draw us to Himself and give us a new direction and drive for life. Such is the purpose of suffering.
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin [1 Pet. 4:1].
I must confess that I have recently been given new insights into this verse. Over the years it is a verse that has disturbed me a great deal, and I have never gone into a great deal of detail in my teaching on it. I have been rather amazed to discover that other commentators have likewise more or less bypassed it rather than dealing with it in detail. I trust that the Spirit of God will give us an understanding that will make this verse helpful to us.
“Forasmuch” refers us back, I believe, to 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” These two verses go together, and this is again a reminder that in His human body Christ not only endured pain but He was actually put to death in the flesh.
In recent years there was a very popular book, When God Died, as well as a popular theology which said, “God is dead.” Well, God never died, my friend, and He is not dead today—He hasn’t even been sick. Christ died in His human body, which He took yonder at Bethlehem. As the writer to the Hebrews put it, He was “in all points tempted like as we are.” He knew what it was to suffer. He knew what it was to bleed. He knew what it was to shed tears. He knew what it was to be brokenhearted. He was perfectly human, and He died in that human body.
Christ brought an end to His relation to the sins of man when He died on the cross because He bore the penalty for sin in His own body. We are told back in 1 Peter 2:24, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” Three times (1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; 4:1) Peter says that it was in His flesh and in His body that Christ paid the penalty for man’s sin. That leads me to say this: Christ did not die in sin, nor did He die under sin, but He died to sin. He took my place, He took your place, and He paid the penalty for our sin. From that point on, Christ will not come back to die for sin. He will no longer have any relationship to sin Himself because of the fact that He arose from the dead. When He came back from the dead, He came in a glorified body. He was “quickened by the Spirit,” or “made alive by the Spirit” is the better translation (see 1 Pet. 3:18). He has a life that now lives in a body. He is up yonder in a body that is completely devoted to the service of God, for He is God and He is in the enjoyment of full and free access to God and to all creation.
Now Christ is able to make over this benefit to us. Peter tells us, “Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.” “The same mind” actually means “the same thought.” Some people have said that it means resolution, but that is not quite the idea. This refers to the thought which leads to a resolution. This is what Paul spoke of when he said, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5).
“Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh,” Peter says, and those of us who have suffered in the flesh have “ceased from sin.” The translation of the word ceased is a very unsatisfactory one, and this is what had disturbed me about this verse. The Greek word translated as “ceased” is pauoµ. In the active voice, pauoµ means “to stop or to cease.” It is used like that in 1 Corinthians 13:8, “Whether there be tongues, they shall cease”; that is, tongues are going to stop, and that is something I have emphasized in my teaching. When I was in Athens, Greece, I took a walk from the Hilton Hotel down to Constitution Square. As I would come to a corner, I would see a sign like our “Stop” sign, only there it said, Pauoµ. Pauoµ means “to stop” when it is used in the active voice. An active verb means that the subject does something; a passive verb (or the middle voice in the Greek) means that the subject is acted upon and the subject itself doesn’t do anything. In this verse which we are studying, pauoµ is in the middle voice or the passive. Therefore Dr. Joseph Thayer, in his lexicon of the New Testament, translates this literally as “hath got release.” In other words, if you have suffered in the flesh, you’ve got release from sin.
Just what does Peter mean by this? First of all, I would say that God will use suffering to keep you from sin. I am confident that many of us have experienced that personally. Suffering will keep us from sin, but Peter is saying more than that here. Peter says we have got release from sin. That means that God has made an adequate provision for you and me to live the Christian life. Dr. Griffith Thomas has said that in this verse Peter puts Paul’s Romans 6 into a nutshell of just one verse. Romans 6 is that chapter which speaks of the provision God has made for you and me to live the Christian life.
Peter has made it very clear that we have been born again by the Word of God. The Spirit of God using the Word of God will produce a son of God. And that son of God now has a new nature, a new nature that is not going to live in sin.
The Bible’s illustration of this truth, which I use a great deal, is the story of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:11–32). The Prodigal Son got down in the pigpen, but, you see, he wasn’t a pig. He had the nature of his father who lived down the road in that wonderful mansion. Because that boy had the nature of his father, he didn’t like eating out of a trough. He didn’t like eating the swill that the swine ate. He enjoyed sitting down at a table covered with a white linen tablecloth and eating with a knife and fork. He liked having a nice steak or prime rib before him, with all the other delicacies, topped off with ice cream. That boy didn’t care for the pigpen for he had the nature of his father.
Peter says you are now identified with Christ. When you came to the Lord Jesus and were born again, the Spirit of God baptized you, that is, He identified you with Christ. Now let that mind, that thought, be in you which is in Christ. Christ is up yonder at God’s right hand in a body totally devoted to the service of God for you and me. Do you think, my friend, if you have really been born again, if you are really a child of God with a new nature, that you can go on living in sin? Now I am a Calvinist and I emphasize the security of the believer. However, I think that there is such an overemphasis on that point that many of our Arminian friends also need to be heard today. This is one reason I feel as kindly as I do toward the Pentecostals; they are preaching a doctrine that has been largely forgotten, the doctrine of holiness. They emphasize that believers should live a holy life for God today. My friend, you cannot be a child of God and go out and live in the pigpen. Let’s face it—if you do, you are a pig. Pigs live in pigpens and they love it, but sons do not love the pigpen.
Peter says that God has made every provision for you: you are born again, indwelt by the Spirit, baptized by the Spirit, identified with Christ, and you can now live life by the power of the Spirit of God. In Romans 7 Paul shows how the Christian is defeated when he lives in the flesh, but in Romans 8 he tells how God has provided the Holy Spirit that we might live by the power of the Spirit. Again I come back to this word pauoµ. It is not used in the active voice; what we have here is a word that does not mean “cease,” but means “hath got release.” God has made every arrangement for you and me not to live in sin today. It would be impossible for us to live in sin. Oh, the son might go to the pigpen, but you can put this down for sure, he will not stay in the pigpen. One day he has to say, “I will arise and go to my father …” (Luke 15:18).
If you are living in sin today and you are comfortable in it, I would surely question your salvation. Someone may ask, “Can a Christian do this or do that?” He might do it one time, my friend, but if he lives in sin there is something radically wrong. A child of God with a new nature longs to please Christ in all things. This is the reason that I believe the study of the entire Word of God is essential today. I know that I will be accused of playing on an instrument of only one string. Well, since I’m no musician, I have an instrument with only one string on it, and it is this: You need the total Word of God—not just a few little verses to draw out some little legalistic system by which to live the Christian life. You cannot live the Christian life by following rules. You can live the Christian life only by having the mind of Christ, by having the Spirit of God moving in you to please God and to refrain from those things which bring disgrace to Him.
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God [1 Pet. 4:2].
Paul speaks very strongly in this connection in Romans 8: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5–6). What does Paul mean when he says “to be carnally minded is death”? Do you lose your salvation? No, it means you are dead to any fellowship with God. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). My friend, you cannot live in sin and have fellowship with God. Sin is what is keeping people away from the Word of God today. I have to confess that Christians are a minority, and in teaching through the entire Bible as I do, I appeal only to the minority of the minority. A great many folk are trying to find a shortcut to living the Christian life, and there is no shortcut. God says that He will use suffering in your life in order to keep you from sin.
“That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” We no longer take life for granted, for we have suffered, and God will use that suffering to keep us from sin.
As he continues, Peter begins to look ahead. Life is short—
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries [1 Pet. 4:3].
After we have been converted, we would be very foolish to spend our lives in the things which we did before. In fact, we cannot do that. We are now joined to Christ; we are united to Him, and we cannot run with the world to sinning. We must live today for God. What a tremendous truth this is! Life is short; time is fleeting, and we must recognize that we are going to come before Him for judgment before long.
“When we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” Simon Peter spells out the sins here. Homer Rodeheaver was a personal friend of mine, and I loved him in the Lord. Years ago as we were having lunch together, I said to him, “Homer, you were with Billy Sunday for so many years. What do you say was the secret of his ministry?” He replied, “He preached on sin, and he always was specific when he spoke about sin. He spelled it out.” Simon Peter spells it out here.
“Lasciviousness”—that’s living in sexual sin. “Lusts”—that includes a great many things, lusting after the things of the flesh. “Excess of wine” is drunkenness. “Revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” “Banquetings” should be translated “carousing.” “Abominable idolatries”—the Scriptures tell us that the love of money is the root of all evil; covetousness is idolatry in our day. These are the things which will take you away from God, and Peter clearly spells them out.
I am afraid that today we have a great many preachers who are pretty indefinite about sin. Some wag wrote: “If you’ve got religion, you don’t know it. If you know it, you haven’t got it. And if you’ve got it, you can’t lose it. And if you lose it, you didn’t have it. And if you never had it, you can’t get it.” Some of the talk I hear today sounds as vague as that. My friend, sin is spelled out here. It is written in bold letters; it’s in neon lights in the Word of God, and there is no way of missing it.
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you [1 Pet. 4:4].
Either you are going to please God or you’ll please men. And if you are pleasing men, you will not please God. The Lord Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). If the world does not hate you, then there is something radically wrong.
When I was sixteen years old, I began to work in a bank. They put me on the teller’s cage when I was seventeen and promised me that the next year I would be made a junior officer. I felt that I was well liked and popular in that bank. Then I went to a young people’s conference where I made my decision for Christ and to study for the ministry. I came back to the bank and resigned, yet they let me have a part-time job—they were good to me in that way. But I found out that I was no longer the popular boy in that place. As a Christian I became very unpopular. In fact, the fellows with whom I had run ridiculed me, and they did a good job of it because they knew what my life had been before. That was a very difficult decision I made at that particular time.
I hope that I am not misunderstood when I tell this little story. In those days I went to dances; in fact, I was chairman of a dance committee. After I made my decision for Christ, I thought I would break off my old ties gradually. I went to the next dance with the idea that I would not dance but I would just stand around in the stag line. As I was standing there, I felt very much out of place. There was a fellow there from the bank above whom I had been promoted. He didn’t care much for me, especially when I announced that I was studying for the ministry—yet he was an officer in a church himself. He came over to me at that dance and said, “This is a h— of a place for a preacher to be!” Do you know, that was the first time he had ever told me the truth. I agreed with him. I found out that you cannot break off gradually. The world is not going to appreciate you very much when as a Christian you try to continue on with them. I walked out of that place, never to walk back in again.
My friend, I do not believe that you can go on in sin if you are a child of God. You have the nature of Christ; you are joined to Him. He suffered down here once; He is suffering no more, but He can help you. He sent the Holy Spirit down to indwell those who are His own. We have been baptized into the body of believers, as Peter has pointed out to us, and now, being filled with the Holy Spirit, we can live for God. We cannot do it in our own strength but in His strength.
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead [1 Pet. 4:5].
“Ready to judge the quick [the living] and the dead.” The whole world, the living and the dead, are going to be judged by the Lord Jesus someday. Will He judge believers, too? He sure will! Not for salvation, which was assured when they became children of God, but He will not let a believer get by with sin since He is judging the world for sin. Because God does judge Christians in the world—He chastens His children—the unbeliever had better beware. He is warned that he will come up someday for judgment.
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit [1 Pet. 4:6].
“For this cause!”—that is, because of coming judgment, the gospel was preached. God wants the gospel preached to all men. And if they don’t hear the gospel or respond to the gospel, He makes it very clear that they are already dead in trespasses and sins, and they will be judged as men in the flesh. But if they accept Christ, they can live according to God in the Spirit. The Lord Jesus said in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”—he was in a state of death. He further amplified this thought at the time of the death of Lazarus: “Jesus said unto her [Martha], I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25–26, italics mine). In other words, you and I were dead in trespasses and sins. Paul meant the same thing when he wrote to the Ephesians, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). We were spiritually dead. Paul went on to say, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world…. fulfilling the desires of the flesh…” (Eph. 2:2–3). Peter is saying the same thing here in this verse. The gospel is being preached, and when the gospel is being preached, two things happen. Some accept it, and if they accept it, they are going to live for God and live throughout eternity. Others reject it, and those who reject the gospel are the men who are dead in sins and are dead to God throughout eternity; that is, they have no relation to Him whatsoever.
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer [1 Pet. 4:7].
“But the end of all things is at hand.” That has been true since the day the Lord Jesus went back to heaven. Paul could say that the coming of Christ was imminent: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Peter says, “The end of all things is at hand.” God is going to bring this world to a standstill one of these days while He judges it. He will take His own out of the world, and there will be a lot of things to straighten up in the lives of believers. They will go before the judgment seat of Christ, not regarding salvation but regarding rewards, regarding the life which they have lived for God. This is another reason we should live for God—we are coming up for judgment.
“Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” “Sober” should be translated “sober-minded.” Peter uses this expression a great deal. He actually means, “Be ye therefore intelligent.” Be an intelligent Christian. An intelligent Christian is one who knows the Bible; that is, he will know it the best he can. (I often make the confession that I marvel at my ignorance of the Word of God. The more I study it, the more I see how little I really know about the Word of God.) But, my friend, an intelligent, sober-minded Christian is going to know all he can about the Word of God.
The Christian is also to be intelligent in this evil world. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). You need to have the wisdom of a serpent today; if you don’t, another snake around the corner is going to bite you, I can assure you of that!
“Watch unto prayer.” In other words, prayer should have in it that anticipation, that expectation of the coming of Christ. Our prayer meetings are dead today because we are not looking for Him. He is the living Christ. We ought to talk to Him now for we are going to talk to Him hereafter. And at the judgment He is going to talk to us—that is the thing I’m not so sure I’m looking forward to!
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins [1 Pet. 4:8].
“Have fervent love among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins.” Peter is talking about our relations as believers today. The writer of the Proverbs said, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” (Prov. 10:12). Hatred in a church will stir up strife. This little clique will be against that little clique, and these folk will be against somebody else, and all that type of thing. But love covers up all that. Maybe you don’t like the way your pastor combs his hair. I knew a pastor in Texas who told me that he had a lock of hair right on top of his head which would always stand up no matter how he combed it. He said that the choir threatened to quit because of it. They sat behind him and could always see that hair come up sometime during his sermon. They actually became angry with him because of that lock of hair. Every time he went for a haircut he had the barber cut it off because he did not want to offend his choir. Imagine that type of thing! If they had had love in their hearts, that lock of hair wouldn’t have bothered them one bit.
Use hospitality one to another without grudging [1 Pet. 4:9].
I think hospitality can also be expressed in ways other than entertaining in your home. The minister who is traveling and speaking in conferences needs to be alone. He and his wife need to have a room in a motel where he can study and pray rather than be in a home where he has to carry on conversation all the time. May I say, if you want to extend hospitality to your visiting speaker, take care of his motel bill. Maybe you could also invite him out for dinner.
“Without grudging.” However we extend our hospitality, it should be done with real warmth.
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God [1 Pet. 4:10].
“As every man hath received the gift”—“the gift” means a particular spiritual gift, and there are many gifts. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that there is one body and many members and that the church is a body in which there are many members and many gifts. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know what your gift is; I do know that if you are a child of God, you have some gift and you are to be using it in serving one another.
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen [1 Pet. 4:11].
If a man is not speaking the Word of God, he has no business standing in the pulpit. We have no business saying we are teaching the Bible when we are not really teaching it.
“If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth.” In other words, here is one man who teaches the Bible one way and another who teaches it another way, and you say, “I like this one, and I don’t like the other.” Well, the other man’s method may appeal to someone to whom your man doesn’t appeal. We should let each one minister “as of the ability which God giveth.”
“That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Peter says that we are to teach the Word of God in such a way that God may get glory through Jesus Christ.
Peter is now going to talk about a different type of suffering. The people to whom he was writing were now moving into the orbit of the hurricane of persecution which broke out during the reign of Nero. Nero had already begun the persecution of the Christians in Rome, and it was spreading out through the empire. Peter warns his people that they are moving into that orbit of suffering. Many of them would become martyrs. You and I may not become martyrs—I trust we won’t—but we are going to suffer in this world, my friend.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you [1 Pet. 4:12].
“Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try [test] you.” When suffering comes most of us react as if it were something strange—we feel that nobody else has ever suffered like we have suffered. When I was a pastor in Cleburne, Texas, I went one day to a home on one side of the railroad tracks to visit a family in which there had just been a suicide. I went there to minister the Word to them. They said to me, “Dr. McGee, why in the world did this happen to us? No one has ever been called upon to suffer as we are suffering.” When I left their home I crossed over to the “wrong side of the railroad tracks” to visit another family. They too had just had a suicide in the family. Do you know what they said to me? “Dr. McGee, why should this happen to us? No one has ever been called upon to go through anything like this.” We all tend to think that our suffering is strange, that it is unlike anything that has been suffered before.
My friend, I do not know what your problem is, but I assure you that it is not something strange. Others have gone through the same thing, and you will never be the one who will suffer more than anyone else. When Paul was chosen as an apostle, the Lord said, “… I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). Paul has gone the limit of suffering; therefore you will not be going the limit, and you should not consider your suffering a strange thing. All of us fall into this fallacy in our thinking. I know that I could not believe it when the doctor told me that I had cancer. I thought you could have cancer, but I never thought I could have cancer. I thought that cancer was something for somebody else but not for me.
“The fiery trial which is to try [test] you” should be “which is testing you”—that is, it was going on right then—“as though some strange thing was happening unto you.” These believers were already being tested by suffering. Suffering is not something which is accidental; it is the normal Christian experience. Peter says, “Don’t think it’s strange, because this is the normal experience of believers.”
“Fiery trial” is literally smelted in a furnace. David spoke of the fact that God’s testing of him was like putting silver into a furnace to purify it. We find this thought throughout all of Scripture. Peter has now mentioned this fiery trial several times. He had personally endured suffering, and he was yet to die a martyr’s death by crucifixion.
This little poem expresses it the best—
Out from the mine and the darkness,
Out from the damp and the mold,
Out from the fiery furnace,
Cometh each grain of gold.
Crushed into atoms and leveled
Down to the humblest dust
With never a heart to pity,
With never a hand to trust.
Molten and hammered and beaten
Seemeth it ne’er to be done.
Oh, for such fiery trial,
What hath the poor gold done?
Oh, ’twere a mercy to leave it
Down in the damp and the mold.
If this is the glory of living,
Then better to be dross than gold.
Under the press and the roller,
Into the jaws of the mint,
Stamped with the emblem of freedom,
With never a flaw or a dint.
Oh, what a joy, the refining,
Out of the damp and the mold.
And stamped with the glorious image,
Oh, beautiful coin of gold!
“In the Crucible” —Author unknown
God has a purpose in our suffering, my friend.
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy [1 Pet. 4:13].
Why are we to rejoice in trials? Because suffering prepares us for the coming of Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” I think we need to face up to the fact that there is no shortcut to living the Christian life. There is no easy way. Let me repeat, the Christian life is a banquet—because He has invited us to the table of salvation—but it is not a picnic. We are to suffer for Him and with Him. And we will know the reason for each testing when we stand in His presence someday. I tell you, I would be embarrassed to sit down with Paul in glory and be on the same level with him, because he suffered so much. And today some folk criticize Simon Peter, but we are also going to look up to him when we get to heaven. The Word of God makes it very clear that suffering is a part of the Christian life. Suffering is what develops you. We hear so much talk about how everything is supposed to be smooth and lovely in the Christian marriage and in the Christian home. My friend, I do not agree with that at all—sorrow and suffering will come to the Christian home. I know of nothing that drew my wife and me together like the death of our first little one. And believe me, we wanted that little one. We sat in that hospital room and simply wept and prayed together. That is still a sacred memory in our lives—it did something for us.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified [1 Pet. 4:14].
This is strange language, whether it is in the Greek or in the English. “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you ought to rejoice in it,” Peter says.
“For the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.” Again may I say, suffering is a token that you are a child of God. The greatest proof that you are a child of God is that you can endure suffering. If you are being carried around on a silver platter with a silver spoon in your mouth, you must not be God’s child because that is not the way He does things.
“On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” You can glorify God whatever comes. It is said that during the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906 there was a dear, wonderful Christian lady who came out and was singing praises to God. Everybody else was crying, and some were praying for the first time in their lives. Someone asked her, “What do you mean by singing praises to God at a time like this?” She replied, “I thank God that I have a God who is strong enough to shake this little earth!” I say “amen” to that. However, there are very few people who could praise God during the time of an earthquake.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters [1 Pet. 4:15].
Peter puts murder right down with gossiping and criticizing others; he makes no distinction between them at all. Paul did the same thing. Actually, Paul and Peter and James agree on everything. They are all preaching the same gospel that produces the same kind of a life.
Peter says that we ought not to be suffering for our own sins. God never tests you with sin, my friend; He never tests you with evil, as James makes clear to us in his epistle. Peter says, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer.”
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf [1 Pet. 4:16].
My heart goes out to the Christian who is in prison today because he is truly suffering punishment. However, if he is suffering because of his own sin, he cannot glorify God for the fact that he is in prison, but he can glorify the Lord and witness for Him in the midst of it.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? [1 Pet. 4:17].
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” Believers are going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). “We”—Paul is talking about Christians. “That every one may receive the things done in his body”—that is, the things done while you were living down here. “According to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”—we all must come before Christ’s judgment seat.
Peter continues, “If it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” Christ has paid the penalty for our sins, but suppose that we have lived a life that has not brought glory to Him? My friend, we are to be judged. And if God is going to judge His own, what about the lost world which would not hear or obey the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? [1 Pet. 4:18].
In other words, we as believers just barely made it. The righteous are saved only by the death of Christ and their faith in Christ. That is the only way we ever got saved, and we just barely made it, my friend. During a recent period of physical recuperation, my wife and I reminisced about our past lives. We really got acquainted in new ways, and I kidded her, “My, I’m just now coming to know you. I think maybe we ought to get married now that I know you!” But I also said to her, “When I look back at my life, how I started out on the wrong track, the wrong foot, it is nothing but a miracle that God ever saved me. I just marvel at it. I just barely made it.”
John Wesley spoke of himself as “a brand plucked from the burning,” and that is true of most of us. When John Wesley came to America, he was not saved, he was not a Christian. He made this statement, “I came to America to convert Indians, but who is going to convert John Wesley?” His biographer tells us that at the governor’s court in Georgia he met one of the noblemen of Great Britain who had been sent over to administer that area. He was a very wealthy man with a name, and he had married a beautiful, young wife. That young woman and John Wesley began to eye each other, and evidently John Wesley fell in love with her. He asked her to leave and go with him to live among the Indians. And he thought he was a Christian and a missionary! But she sent him back to England, saying, “John, this won’t work. I love you, and I’ll always love you, but God has called you to do something for Him.” She evidently was a Christian, and so she sent him back to England. It is said that three times he started up the gangplank, and three times he started to walk back. But she motioned him to go, and he went back to England. One night walking down Aldersgate, he went upstairs and heard a man speaking on Galatians. Later, he could write in his journal, “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt that I did trust Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation, and there was given to me an assurance that He had forgiven me of my sins.”
Now if the righteous scarcely be saved, if they be but brands plucked from the burning, “where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Peter asks. My friend, if you are not a Christian, and if Vernon McGee just barely made it and made it only by trusting Christ, how do you think you are going to make it? There is not but one hope—there is only one way of salvation. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way” (see John 14:6).
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator [1 Pet. 4:19].
Those who have really suffered know what it is to commit themselves to God. Paul spoke of this when he said, “… I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). What had Paul committed unto Him? Some people believe this refers to the gospel which God committed to Paul. I’ll agree with that, but I think the deeper meaning is that Paul is saying, “I came to Christ and simply committed everything to Him. I made a deposit. What things were gain to me I counted loss, and what was loss became gain to me, in order that I might win Christ.” Paul listed about eight different things that he formerly trusted for his salvation (see Phil. 3:1–6). Then he said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:7–8). In effect, he was saying, “I flushed all that down; I trusted that no longer. I only trusted Christ.”
Peter says, “Let them that suffer … commit the keeping of their souls to him.” Have you really trusted Him? You probably have a safety deposit box in which you keep your valuables. When you go to sleep at night, you don’t worry about them at all. My friend, I went to sleep last night, and I didn’t worry about Vernon McGee’s soul. Do you know why? I went to sleep last night in peace because Christ has taken care of all that. I’ve made my deposit with Him, and I trust Him today. Have you made a deposit with Him? Have you committed your soul to Him? May I say, if you have done that, even when trouble comes to you, even when the dark day comes, even when you are called to go down through the valley, you can do it knowing that He will take care of you.
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
“God Hath Not Promised”
—Annie Johnson Flint
Have you made your deposit, my friend? Have you committed your soul unto Him?
CHAPTER 5
Theme: Suffering and the second coming of Christ produce service and hope, humility and patience
SUFFERING AND THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
In this final chapter of 1 Peter, suffering and the second coming of Christ are brought together. What is the relation of our suffering to the second coming of Christ? The Christian life began for each of us with the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross where He bore the penalty of our sins. There is also suffering in the life of the child of God today because God uses suffering in our lives to sharpen us and to make us the kind of Christians that He wants and that He can use. I have divided this chapter into two sections: Verses 1–4 teach that suffering produces service and hope; verses 5–14 teach that suffering produces humility and patience.
We have, therefore, the suffering of Christ in the past and the present suffering of the saints, and then we have the second coming of Christ. Every Christian ought to have the second coming of Christ in his plan and his program for the future. We are often told that we need to have a life plan. Is the second coming of Christ—when He comes to take you out of the world and then returns with you to reign on the earth—a part of your program? Or is it some ethereal, ephemeral thing which hangs out there in space like a will-o’-the-wisp that really has no meaning in your life at all? His second coming is not just a doctrine; it is something which enters into our lives. There is nothing which will buoy you up in time of trouble and suffering like the reality of the second coming of Christ. I am going to see Him some day; I am going to come into His presence! What a time of real blessing that will be, and Peter tells us that our present suffering is related to that.
SUFFERING PRODUCES SERVICE AND HOPE
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed [1 Pet. 5:1].
Peter begins by asserting his position; however, he doesn’t call himself even an apostle here. He is speaking of the fact that he is an elder—“who am also an elder.” That means there were other men who were elders. The Greek word used here, presbuteros, is a word which is sometimes used in speaking of a person being an elder or older person. The Greek word which is translated “bishop” is episkopos, and it speaks of the office of the man, not the person of the man. It is the spiritual office of shepherding; the same word is used for “shepherd.” This is all that Simon Peter ever claimed to be—he calls himself a fellow elder. He never claimed a superior place above his brethren, but as a fellow elder he exhorts them.
“And a witness of the sufferings of Christ.” Peter was in a unique position because he was a witness of the sufferings of Christ.
“And also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.” In the past Peter saw that glory. In his second epistle, Peter identifies this as taking place on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter saw Him die yonder on Mount Calvary, and he saw Him transfigured yonder on the Mount of Transfiguration. That mount was probably in the north, and I have always felt that Mount Hermon could have been the place, although the geographical location is not important. What took place there is important, and Peter says that he was a witness of it. However, there is a glory that is coming in the future which will be greater than that—“the glory that shall be revealed.”
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind [1 Pet. 5:2].
Peter is emphasizing the fact that an elder, occupying the office of a bishop (elders are never spoken of in the singular, there was never to be only one), is to be the shepherd of a flock. Shepherding suggests provision and protection, supervision and discipline, instruction and direction. The ministry of an elder is to be performed in a very positive way, but Peter also gives a negative injunction.
First of all, Peter says that elders are to minister for the right reason, in the right spirit, not because they must do it but because they freely choose to do so. Will you notice what he says: “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly.” Do it willingly. God doesn’t want you to take an office in the church in this pouting spirit: “Well, if you can’t get anybody else to do it, I’ll do it.” My friend, don’t you do it, because that is not the reason to serve Him. There is no value in serving Him if you are doing it under constraint.
“Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.” Peter makes it clear that there must not only be the right reason—the right spirit, because they freely choose to serve—but there must also be the right motive for service. It is not to be for material gain but for the sheer delight of doing it. An elder is to find satisfaction in the job itself rather than in what he gets out of it.
A number of years ago my daughter and I were driving the freeway into Los Angeles together since she also had a job with the church that I was then serving as pastor. As usual, we got stuck in the traffic on the freeway. I said to her, “Look around at these people. Do you see anybody who looks happy? There they sit, under tension and pressure, trying to get to a job which they despise. Most people today are doing a job they do not like to do at all. It’s wonderful to be in the Lord’s service where you can do your job because you love to do it and you want to do it.” That has made the ministry of teaching the Word of God a sheer joy to me. Simon Peter says that there must be a right motive in Christian service.
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock [1 Pet. 5:3].
In other words, an elder should exercise his ministry in the right manner, not driving but leading, not domineering but setting an example. It is a work, therefore, in which he ought to be an example to the flock. I do not think that a preacher should get into the pulpit and browbeat his congregation to do something that he actually is not doing himself. I made it a practice never to ask my congregation to give to any cause to which I didn’t also give. I do not think we have a right to make a demand of other folk that we are not doing ourselves.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away [1 Pet. 5:4].
An elder’s ministry should be done with the proper awareness that he serves the Chief Shepherd to whom he is answerable and who will Himself reward his service with rewards which are eternal. Don’t get the impression that we are working for nothing. We are not. Paul made it clear that a Christian is not work for nothing. You are to work for Him and look to Him for a reward some day. That is the way we are to serve Him.
“Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” There are many crowns mentioned in Scripture, including the crown of life and the crown of righteousness. What is a crown of glory? I believe that it means we are going to share some day in His glory.
In a study I made many years ago, I found about a dozen different words in the Old Testament which were translated by the word glory. Glory is a word that is often used today. What do you understand by the word glory? How big is glory? What shape is it? What color is it? What is glory? I suspect that the average Christian would have nothing but the foggiest notion about the meaning of glory.
I have found that glory does have shape and size. Listen to the Word of God: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). The size of the universe, as determined by our scientific measurements, is staggering yet is probably only the front yard of God’s great universe. That is glory—the greatness of our God.
What about the color of glory? Look up at this vast universe at night; look up at the sky. And look at the earth. In the fall, especially if you live in New England, take a good look at the leaves on the trees. It is wonderful to be in that part of the country and to see all the color. That’s glory—the glory of God. I know a retired man who lives here in Southern California, and he raises some of the most beautiful roses and zinnias I have ever seen. Oh, are they colorful! One time while I was visiting him in his garden, he reached down and lifted up the head of one of those zinnias, and he said, “In the springtime I simply put a little seed in the ground. Look at what has come up! And then they try to tell me there is no God!” Glory has color, my friend.
May I say to you, God’s glory is something that is quite wonderful, and we are going to share in that some day. He calls it a crown of glory.
Peter calls Him “the chief Shepherd” here. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep—that is seen in Psalm 22. The Great Shepherd watches over the sheep—that is seen in Psalm 23. In Psalm 24 He is the Chief Shepherd who is coming again. Some day our Chief Shepherd is going to appear, and He will still have with Him His flock, and we will be members of that flock. How wonderful this is!
SUFFERING PRODUCES HUMILITY AND PATIENCE
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time [1 Pet. 5:5–6].
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.” This has been reversed in our day—today the elder is supposed to submit to the younger. Young people are the ones who are protesting, and they are the ones who want to discard the establishment. However, the Christian young person needs to realize that the Word of God says, “Ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.” After all, your father, if you have a good or a godly father, has a lot of sense and maybe more sense than you have.
A friend of mine told me, “I was ashamed of my dad at the time when I went away to college. Although he had made good money, and he was an executive, I was ashamed of him. He had such old-fashioned ideas; he was a real square. When I finished college and got out in the business world, I didn’t see him for a couple of years. When I did see him again, I was absolutely amazed to see how much he’d learned in just six years!” A lot of young people find out, after they themselves have been out in the school of hard knocks for awhile, that their dads have learned a great deal.
“Yea, all of you be subject one to another.” In other words, believers should not insist on having their way over others.
“And be clothed with humility.” Actually, we are to be armed with it; that is the picture that is given here.
“For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Peter has talked a great deal about humility and about grace. A proud person will not be able to experience the grace of God. It is only when you and I come in humility that we will be able to know the grace of God.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” In view of the coming of Christ, humility should be the attitude of the child of God. Christ is the one who will establish justice and make things right when He comes. You cannot straighten out this world, although you may think you can.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you [1 Pet. 5:7].
“He careth for you” literally means that it matters to Him concerning you. Peter is talking about anxiety. The Lord Jesus said, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will rest you” (see Matt. 11:28). Bring your burden of sins to Him, and He will save you. Then come to Him later on, and He will meet you and help you with your problems. Cast your care upon Him. Paul told the Philippian believers, “Worry about nothing; pray about everything.” That is, take it to the Lord in prayer, and leave it there—don’t pick it up again.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [1 Pet. 5:8].
The word sober is from a different Greek word than that used in 1 Peter 4:7. Here the word means “to be watchful.”
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” We are told to resist Satan; the Devil is loose in the world today.
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world [1 Pet. 5:9].
“Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” The picture here is of an army standing against an enemy. We should stand with other believers. I do not think you can resist the Devil by yourself. You not only need the armor of God, but you will also need other believers to stand with you. That is the reason that whenever I have need, I let all the listeners to my radio broadcast know about it. I want them to stand with me in prayer—we need to do that. “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you [1 Pet. 5:10].
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus”—that is, “in Christ Jesus.” We will have no glory in ourselves. The church is sort of like the moon which simply reflects the light of the sun. Our glory will be only reflected glory, but we in Christ are going to share in that glory. Actually, the word Jesus is not in the better manuscripts; rather, this is that phrase which we often find in the New Testament—“in Christ.”
“After that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect”—that is, bring you to perfection. “Stablish, strengthen”—the Lord Jesus told Simon Peter to strengthen the brethren (see Luke 22:32). “Settle you”—that means to restore you.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen [1 Pet. 5:11].
This is the benediction. And then Peter adds a little P.S.—
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand [1 Pet. 5:12].
Peter is the author, but Silvanus wrote this for him. If you don’t like the quality of the Greek here, blame Silvanus.
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son [1 Pet. 5:13].
“The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you.” I think “Babylon” here means Babylon, although some think it is a figurative name for Rome. Simon Peter is too practical to have used a figurative term.
“And so doth Marcus my son.” Marcus is John Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Mark, who was not Peter’s natural son but his son in the faith. Although at one time Paul would not take him along on a missionary journey, Mark made good.
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen [1 Pet. 5:14].
“Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity.” Someone has said, “A kiss to a young girl is hope, to a married woman is faith, but to an old maid is charity.” In our country and culture, I think we had better just use the handshake as the means of Christian greeting.
This is Peter’s final benediction: “Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barbieri, Louis A. First and Second Peter. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1977. (Fine, inexpensive survey.)
English, E. Schuyler. The Life and Letters of St. Peter. New York, New York: Our Hope, 1941. (Excellent.)
Hiebert, D. Edmond. The Epistle of I Peter. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1983. (Excellent, comprehensive treatment.)
Ironside, H. A. Notes on James and Peter. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Kelly, William. The Epistles of Peter. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Leighton, Robert. A Practical Commentary on First Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1845.
Lumby, J. Rawson. The Epistles of Peter. (Expositor’s Bible.) Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1943.
Meyer, F. B. Tried by Fire (1 Peter). Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, n.d. (Rich, devotional study.)
Robertson, A. T. Epochs in the Life of Simon Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, n.d.
Stibbs, Alan. The First Epistle General of Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. The Apostle Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1956. (Excellent.)
Wolston, W. T. P. Simon Peter—His Life and Letters. London, England: James Nisbet and Company, 1896. (Excellent.)
Wuest, Kenneth S. Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament for English Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1942. (1 Peter.)
The Second Epistle of
Peter
INTRODUCTION
Simon Peter is the author of this epistle (see 2 Pet. 1:1). However, the Petrine authorship of this epistle has been challenged more than the authorship of any other book in the New Testament. Dr. W. G. Moorehead wrote years ago, “The Second Epistle of Peter comes to us with less historical support of its genuineness than any other book of the New Testament.” Nevertheless, this challenge caused conservative scholars to give adequate attention to this epistle so that today it is well established that Peter wrote this letter.
In my teaching I spend very little time on issues of introduction, that is, on the authorship and other critical issues that have been raised concerning the different books of the Bible. I would ordinarily just pass over this because, to me, 2 Peter is a part of the Word of God and I think there is an abundance of evidence both internal and external. However, since I would not want to be accused of not even being familiar with the questions that have been raised concerning its authorship, we will face the facts on this issue.
The Second Epistle of Peter was a long time in being accepted by the church into the canon of Scripture. It was accepted at the council that met at Laodicea in a.d. 372 and then again at Carthage in a.d. 397, which was really the first time that the church had taken that kind of stand. Jerome accepted 2 Peter for the Vulgate version of the Scriptures, but it was not included in the Peshitta Syriac version. However, that version is not an acceptable one at all—there are other things about it that I am sure we would all reject—and, therefore, it is perfectly meaningless that 2 Peter was not included in it. Eusebius, one of the early church fathers, placed 2 Peter among the disputed books. Origen accepted it. Clement of Alexandria accepted it, and he wrote a commentary on it. Second Peter is quoted in the Apocalypse of Peter, which, of course, is not accepted as canonical. The Epistle of Jude apparently draws from 2 Peter and demonstrates that Jude was well acquainted with it. There are allusions and quotations from 2 Peter by some of the early church writers, including Aristides, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Ignatius, and Clement of Rome. You will also find that Martin Luther accepted it as genuine. Calvin actually doubted it but did not reject it. Erasmus did reject it.
That gives you some of the history of the background of this epistle, but the reasons that this epistle has been rejected by some cannot be substantiated. There is a great deal of internal evidence, especially certain autobiographical sections (see 2 Pet. 1:13–14; 1:16–18; and 3:1), which are to me absolutely conclusive that Simon Peter wrote this epistle.
Peter’s second epistle was written about a.d. 66, shortly after his first epistle (see 2 Pet. 3:1) and a short while before his martyrdom (see 2 Pet. 1:13–14).
Second Peter is the swan song of Peter, just as 2 Timothy is the swan song of Paul. There are striking similarities between the two books. Both epistles put up a warning sign along the pilgrim pathway the church is traveling to identify the awful apostasy that was on the way at that time and which in our time has now arrived. What was then like a cloud the size of a man’s hand today envelops the sky and produces a storm of hurricane proportions. Peter warns of heresy among teachers; Paul warns of heresy among the laity.
Both Peter and Paul speak in a joyful manner of their approaching deaths (see 2 Pet. 1:13–14; 2 Tim. 4:6–8). Paul said that he knew that the time of his departure had come. He had finished his course. He had been on the racetrack of life, and now he was leaving it. He had fought a good fight, and he had kept the faith. A crown of righteousness was laid up for him. You will find that same triumphant note here in 2 Peter as Peter also faced the prospect of death.
Both apostles anchor the church on the Scriptures, on the Word of God, as the only defense against the coming storm of apostasy. It is no wonder that the enemy has attacked 2 Peter, because this is one of the finest shields that has been given to us to ward off the darts that the Wicked One is shooting at us today.
The similarities between 2 Peter and Paul’s last epistle, 2 Timothy, also explain the sharp contrast between Peter’s first and second letters. The subject of the second epistle has changed from that of the first; and the difference is, therefore, as great as that which exists between Paul’s letters to the Romans and to Timothy.
In 2 Peter we see that apostasy is approaching, the storm is coming. How are we to prepare to meet it? There is only one way, Peter says, and that is through knowledge. Not only through faith in Christ, not only by believing in Him, but also to know Christ. “And this is life eternal,” the Lord Jesus said, “that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). We are to know Him and not only know about Him. I read the other day of an American preacher in Europe who is trying to start what he calls a Christian church without using the names of God and Christ. That is the most ridiculous thing that any man could possibly do. If he wants to start some kind of organization, let him go ahead and do it, but he cannot start anything that is Christian without Christ! To attempt to do that would be just like trying to make a peach pie without peaches or like trying to drive a car without any gasoline in the tank. If you are a Christian, you must know Christ. That means not to know about Him but to know Him—there is a great difference there.
The great subject of this epistle is going to be not only the apostasy but also that which will be our defense—knowledge. Where is this knowledge, and how does it come to us? Peter will say that the only way is through the Word of God, “a more sure word of prophecy,” which he will talk about (2 Pet. 1:19).
You see, my friend, the Christian life is more than just a birth. It is a growth, and it is a development. The key to this entire epistle is the last verse: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (2 Pet. 3:18). Throughout the years of my ministry, I have often made the statement that I am not an obstetrician, I am a pediatrician. An obstetrician brings the little baby into the world. I thank the Lord that hundreds of people have been converted through listening to the Word of God, but actually I began my radio ministry of teaching the Word of God with the intention of helping believers to grow up in the faith. I am not an obstetrician bringing babies to birth, but a pediatrician whose job it is to give believers the milk of the Word and then to try to give them a porterhouse steak now and then. My friend, you will not be able to live for God in these days of apostasy unless you have a knowledge of the Word of God—and that is Peter’s theme.
The theme of this second epistle is explained on the basis of the words which Peter uses here as contrasted to his first epistle. He does use certain words in both epistles. One word is precious which occurs twice in the first chapter. Peter, a great, big, rugged fisherman talked about things that are precious—that’s a woman’s word. The word faith is used again in this epistle and occurs twice in the first chapter. But the word that is especially characteristic of this second epistle is knowledge. It occurs sixteen times with cognate words. The epitome of the epistle is expressed in the injunction given in the final verse. This man Simon Peter went off the air saying, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” This is what true Gnosticism is all about. The Gnostic heresy was that they had some little esoteric knowledge that no one else had. They had a form or formula, a rite or ritual, a secret order or password that you had to get on the inside in order to find out. Peter says that real knowledge is to know Jesus Christ.
OUTLINE
I. Addition of Christian Graces Gives Assurance, Chapter 1:1–14 “The full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” is the foundation on which Christian character is built.
II. Authority of the Scriptures Attested by Fulfilled Prophecy, Chapter 1:15–21 Scripture give light for obedience in dark days.
III. Apostasy Brought in by False Teachers, Chapter 2 Church should beware of false teachers and not false prophets.
IV. Attitude Toward Return of the Lord—a Test of Apostates, Chapter 3:1–4
V. Agenda of God for the World, Chapter 3:5–13
A. Past World, 3:5–6
B. Present World, 3:7–12
C. Future World, 3:13
VI. Admonition to Believers, Chapter 3:14–18 Knowledge of God’s program is an incentive to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 1
Theme: Addition of Christian graces, gives assurance; authority of the Scriptures attested by fulfilled prophecy
As I mentioned in the Introduction, this marvelous little epistle is the “swan song” of the apostle Peter; that is, it is his final word to believers before his death by crucifixion. He warns them of the apostasy which is coming, particularly of the heresy among teachers, and he seeks to anchor their faith on the Scriptures as the only defense against the coming storm.
In the first fourteen verses of this chapter, we shall see that the full “knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” is the foundation on which Christian character is built.
ADDITION OF CHRISTIAN GRACES GIVES ASSURANCE
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ [2 Pet. 1:1].
When we run across that little word precious in this very first verse, we recognize it as Peter’s word—he uses it several times in his first epistle, and he is the only writer of Scripture who uses it in this sense. It is like being able to recognize the handwriting on a letter. It is like seeing Simon Peter’s signature when we see the word precious here.
“Simon Peter” is the way he begins this second letter. In his first epistle he simply used the name Peter. Simon was the name given to him at his birth, but Peter, meaning “rock,” is the name our Lord Jesus gave to him. He uses both names in this epistle. Simon, the man of weakness, and Peter, the man of strength, the wishy-washy man and the rock-man—he has been both. But as he writes this epistle, we may be sure of one thing: he is the rock-man now, the man who is to be crucified for Christ.
“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle.” The word servant actually means “bond slave.” He doesn’t take an exalted position in the church. He refers to himself as a bond slave—also an apostle (that is his authority), but notice that he does not say the apostle, but an apostle; he was only one of them.
“To them that have obtained like precious faith with us.” What he is saying here is quite wonderful. When he uses the word faith, I think he means the body of truth which we call the gospel. He is saying, “You have received it, and it is up to you what you do with it.”
Those who hold what I call a hyper-Calvinistic viewpoint say that you have to be chosen before you can be saved and that God has to give you the faith to believe. Well, I’ll go along with part of that, but I also insist that the reason some folk don’t come to Christ is made clear for us in the Word of God. Notice 2 Corinthians 3:15–16: “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” When it says that “it” shall turn to the Lord, what is “it”? Well, since the antecedent is the word heart, it is saying that when the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. My friend, if you are not a believer today, don’t say it is because you have some mental reservations. The fact is that you have some sinful reservations. When the heart will turn to the Lord, then He will lift the veil. Anytime you are ready God is ready, and He will save you. It is not God’s will that any should perish. Today it is “whosoever will may come” and “… God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, italics mine). All He asks you to do is believe. He doesn’t even ask you to clean up before you come to Him—but He will clean you up if you really mean business with Him.
They “have obtained like precious faith”—how? “Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” This is the righteousness which is made over to us when we trust Christ as Savior. You see, He not only subtracts our sin, He also adds to us His own righteousness. We are not like criminals who have been pardoned and turned loose; we have been given a standing before God, and that standing is in Christ—accepted in the beloved!
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord [2 Pet. 1:2].
“Grace and peace be multiplied.” Grace and peace are always in this order. We must first know the grace of God—that God has saved us, not through our merit, our character, or anything in us, but He has saved us because of our faith in Christ. Because He loved us enough to die for us on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins, it is possible for Him to reach down and save us. Therefore, my friend, God saves you by grace. He saves you when you simply trust Christ, with no merit on your part. Once we experience God’s grace, we can experience the peace of God also. This is what Paul is saying in his epistle to the Romans: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
Again let me say that we cannot consider Simon Peter an ignorant fisherman. As we see in his first epistle, he deals with more doctrine in a brief letter than any other New Testament writer. He takes up all controversial matters and handles them in a masterful way.
And he is a New Testament writer who uses arithmetic. He says, “Grace and peace be multiplied”—he is talking about multiplication. Paul didn’t go into mathematics. He said that God is rich in grace and that the peace of God passes all understanding, but Simon Peter gets down to where the rubber meets the road. He takes out the multiplication table and says, “I hope grace and peace will be multiplied unto you.” How wonderful this is.
He doesn’t just leave it there. How will “grace and peace be multiplied unto you”? Will it be through some vision you have? Oh, no—“through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.”
Now we are back to this word knowledge. We will be seeing it again and again in this epistle because of its importance. Paul also emphasizes this. Writing to the Philippians, he said, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings …” (Phil. 3:10)—oh, to know Him! Christianity is a Person. We are not only to believe Him but also to know Him, my friend. He is the living Savior who right at this moment is at God’s right hand.
It was the prophet Daniel who wrote, “… but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Dan. 11:32). My friend, you are not going to do anything for God in the way of service until you know Jesus Christ.
How does this knowledge come to you? Well, Peter won’t leave you in doubt; he won’t let you hang in midair. When he gets through with this epistle, you will know that the knowledge of Jesus Christ comes through a knowledge of the Word of God, the sure Word of God.
To illustrate what Peter is meaning by the knowledge of God, let me use the example of a well-known man who is no longer living. Suppose someone were to ask me, “Do you know the late President Eisenhower?” I would answer, “No, I never knew him.”
“But you certainly heard about him.”
“Yes.”
“And you have seen him.”
“Yes, I even saw him play golf once. I watched him hit the ball one time, but then the Secret Service men glared at me; so I had to get out of the territory. I did see him hit the ball, and the interesting thing is that he didn’t do much better than I do. But I cannot really say that I knew him.”
“If he were living today and were to walk right into your study, do you think you would know him?”
“I think I would recognize him, but I can’t say that I would know him. I never knew how he felt about things. I suppose that Mrs. Eisenhower and his other loved ones knew him, but I never knew him.”
When Peter writes, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,” he uses the Greek word epignoµsis, meaning “super knowledge.” It is a knowledge which comes by the Holy Spirit’s taking the things of Christ and making them real to us. My friend, I believe that you can know Jesus Christ better than you can know your closest loved one. And you can tell Him things that you would not dare tell your closest loved one. The important thing is that to know Him is life eternal.
To know Him in this way, we first have to be born again, as Peter says, “… not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23).
I remember hearing the late Dr. Herbert Bieber make the statement that after he was saved, he went to seminary to find out what had happened to him. That’s good, and it reveals that you can trust Him and still not really know His Word.
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue [2 Pet. 1:3].
“His divine power” has given to us all of the things which you and I need to live life to the full. I don’t know about you, but I have always wanted to live it up. I don’t mean that I have wanted to go out and paint the town red—you run out of paint when you attempt that sort of thing. But “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” Don’t say that God has not made an arrangement for you to live for Him. He has made every arrangement for our life in Christ and our godliness of life for Him.
“Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” Again we see this word knowledge. It is only through the knowledge of Christ that you can really learn to live down here and grow to be a more godly person. The only way in the world that you can become the kind of person with a fully developed personality is through knowing Jesus Christ. The knowledge of Him that “hath called us to glory” means to be like Christ.
“And virtue”—virtue means something more than we commonly think it means. I have spent a great deal of time with some of the words Peter uses because of their importance. The word virtue is not confined to chastity. We use it today when we refer to a woman being virtuous or morally chaste. Actually, virtue as Peter uses it has to do with excellence and courage. It means that you have the courage to excel in life. You don’t have to live a little, mousy Mr. Milquetoast life and be a yes-man to everything that comes along. You can stand on your own two feet, state your position, and be counted for God. We certainly need that kind of “virtue” in this hour in which we are living, and the only way we can get it is through the knowledge of Christ. This is the formula Peter is giving to us here: “through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust [2 Pet. 1:4].
Now why would Simon Peter call promises “precious”? In the first verse he talks about the precious faith that we have; now he talks about the precious promises that have been given to us. My friend, there have been given to you and me some glorious, wonderful promises here in the New Testament. Peter calls them “exceeding great and precious promises.” For example: “… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37); and “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28)—the rest of redemption. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; forI am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your soul” (Matt. 11:29)—that’s the rest of commitment of your heart and life to Christ. And another promise: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Another wonderful promise is that of eternal life: “He that hath the Son hath life …” (1 John 5:12). “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). All these wonderful promises come through a knowledge of Jesus Christ and by faith in Him.
“That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,” that is, that you might be a child of God! What a tremendous truth this is. This is overwhelming! When you are born again, you are given the nature of God, my friend. Don’t let anybody deceive you into thinking that the Christian life is a little series of dos and don’ts—that if you do this and don’t do that, you are living the Christian life. Oh, my friend, you are a partaker of the divine nature, the nature of God, and you want the things of God.
“Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” This in itself is a tremendous statement. A little later Peter will speak of the make-believers who have escaped the pollutions of the world. What a difference there is between escaping the pollutions of the world and escaping the corruption of the world. The corruption of the world is that which is within us. The pollution of the world is that which is on the outside. At the time I am writing this, a great deal is being said about the antipollution programs. The feeling is that if we clean up the environment, it will produce nicer people. Well, it won’t do a thing for the old nature, my friend.
Religious people go through an antipollution program on Sundays. They participate in a little ritual, a little washing, a little of this and a little of that. My friend, you can be religious to your fingertips and still be as corrupt as anyone can possibly be. Some folk that you see on Sunday don’t look like the same folk when you see them on Monday. Why? Well, they have been through only an antipollution program on Sunday.
If you are going to escape the corruption of the world, you will have to have a new nature. You will need to be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
However, although you have the nature of God through being born again, that doesn’t mean that you have lost your old nature. There a continuing conflict in the life of a believer between his new nature and his old nature. The best illustration of this in Scripture is that which our Lord gave us when He told the parable of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11–32). Notice that the son could go to the far country because he still had an old nature. He could spend his money in riotous living, and he could even get down in the pigpen. But, you see, he was a partaker of the nature of his father, and his father didn’t live in a pigpen. His father lived up there in a wonderful mansion. His father believed in godliness and cleanliness, and there was nourishing food on his table.
Now, that boy wouldn’t have been his son if eventually he hadn’t said, “I will arise and go to my father …” (Luke 15:18). He had to say it. You couldn’t find a pig in the pigpen that would say that. Not one of those pigs went with him to the fathers house. I read an article the other day by a man who raises pigs, and he claimed that they are clean little fellows. Well, he evidently has a breed of pigs which I know nothing about. However, we will see in 2 Peter 2:22 that a pig can get washed and cleaned up. Although he may become a tidy little fellow, even join a church, and become a deacon or a minister in the pulpit, he is still a pig and will eventually return to that pigpen. But the son is a partaker of the nature of his father, and he will eventually return to his father’s house.
My friend, when you and I are children of God, we have the nature of God. Isn’t that wonderful! We can understand God when He speaks through His Word and the Spirit of God makes it real to us.
But Peter doesn’t stop with this, he goes on to say, “And beside this….” I feel like saying to Simon Peter, “What in the world can you add to the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fact of our being partakers of the divine nature?” I think that Simon Peter would answer, “Well, when you get that far, you have only started. There is a great deal beyond salvation.”
Perhaps it will surprise you to know that there is something beyond salvation. You may recall that Paul said to Timothy that the Scriptures “… are able to make thee wise unto salvation …” (2 Tim. 3:15). Since Timothy was already saved, what does Paul mean by that? Well, salvation is in three tenses. Salvation is in the past tense: “I have been saved.” It is also in the present tense: “I am being saved.” And it is in the future tense: “I shall be saved”—“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). I am not like the Lord Jesus now—I have not yet arrived—but I am in the process.
Now Peter is going to talk to us about Christians maturing. After a person is born again, he should not stay in the crib saying, “Da-da-da,” the rest of his life. Nor should he need to be burped every so often. He should get to the place where he begins to grow up.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity [2 Pet. 1:5–7].
“And beside this, giving all diligence.” The Christian life is a very serious business. However, we have made it sort of an extracurricular activity. The present-day thinking is that it is not something to be taken into the business world or the schoolroom or into social life. Rather, it is something sort of like your Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes which you wear only at certain times. However, Peter said that it is something to which we are to give “all diligence.”
When Peter lists these graces which are to be added to our faith, they are not like a series of beads that you count off. Nor are they like a stack of dominoes which you stand on end in a long line, then when you push the first domino down, all the others fall down in a line. It is not like that at all. Neither is it like placing one brick upon another in building a structure. I know that Peter, in his first epistle, uses the figure of living stones being built up into a “spiritual house,” but remember that all the stones were living stones.
Rather, the Christian life is a growth. This is the way Peter explains it in this epistle which closes with the tremendous statement, “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). A familiar illustration is that of a growing tree. You know the old proverb that great oaks from little acorns grow. (Sometimes we turn it around and say, “Great aches from little toecorns grow,” but that is a different matter!) I am sure that you have watched a tree grow. I have a little redwood tree which was given to me by a dear lady who had previously lived in Oregon. It was just a little, bitty fellow in a can when she brought it to me. I didn’t have a place for it at the time; so I just put it down in front of our living room window, intending to move it sometime. Well, the years went by, and that little six-inch tree is now almost as tall as I am and probably too big to move successfully. Likewise, the Christian life is to be a growth and a development.
Out in the woods two things are happening, things which are actually transfigurations. The vegetation that is living is growing, and the vegetation that is dead is decaying. Those are the two processes which are taking place out there. And one of those processes is taking place in your Christian life and mine.
If you are a child of God, you are to grow. And Peter lists the different attributes which are to characterize our growth. At the beginning, my little tree had very delicate needles, but they are different now—they are sturdy looking. And there should be growth and development like that in the Christian life.
Peter begins by saying, “Add to your faith virtue.” The “faith” is saving faith, that which gave you your divine nature, that which gave you forgiveness of sins and made over to you the righteousness of Christ. Now you are to add to that, first of all, “virtue.” Down through the centuries, some English words have changed their meaning, and virtue is one of them. Virtus to the Roman of the first century meant a great deal more than chastity. It characterized the very finest of Roman manhood: strength, valor, courage, and excellence. My friend, these same qualities should also characterize your life and mine. How the world needs believers who have the courage to stand for that which is right and to stand up and be counted for God in this day! Therefore Peter is saying, “Add to your faith courage.”
“Add … to virtue [courage] knowledge.” Here the Greek word for “knowledge” is gnosis, meaning “to know God in His salvation.” It indicates growth. In verse 2 the word knowledge was the Greek word epignoµsis, meaning “super knowledge.” Paul, writing to the Colossian believers, said that he prayed that they might have this epignoµsis, the super knowledge. The Gnostic heresy, which was abroad in that day, claimed to impart super knowledge by their secret rituals. However, “knowledge” for both Peter and Paul meant growth and development in the Christian life, and super knowledge was the goal as the Holy Spirit confirmed the Word of God to the heart.
Let me give you a personal example. When I was in college, I had doubts; in fact, I was very much of a skeptic and rather cynical at that time. Although I believed the Word of God, my faith was being torn to shreds in the liberal college I was attending. In fact, I said to one of the ministers who helped me a great deal that if I could not be convinced that the Bible was the Word of God, I would get out of the ministry. At that time I had faith, but it was a very weak faith. However, I can say dogmatically today that I not only believe the Bible is the Word of God, I know it is the Word of God. The Holy Spirit has confirmed it to me, and, friend, you cannot have a higher confirmation than when the Holy Spirit confirms the Word of God to your heart and life and makes it very real to you.
When young people ask me about a book which will show that the Bible is the Word of God, I have several in my library to suggest, but I haven’t read one of those books in years. When I was their age, all I did read was books on apologetics. Well, I have long since passed that stage. My faith doesn’t need that kind of propping up now. Some folk accuse me of being too dogmatic. No, I’m not too dogmatic; I am just sure and positive, that’s all. If I didn’t believe the Bible to be the Word of God, I wouldn’t be teaching it. As I told that minister when I was in college, I would not go into the ministry unless I could stand in the pulpit with complete confidence in the Book which I was presenting.
Can you imagine a pilot taking two or three hundred people across the country in one of those great planes and saying, “Throw out the logbook and the maps and the charts. I don’t have any confidence in them”? May I say to you, if you are sitting on such a plane, you are in trouble. But, of course, a man who is a commerical pilot believes in his logbook and his maps and charts. There is no need for you to get out of your seat and go to the cockpit and argue with him about them. He knows. He has information which has been confirmed to him—he has flown that route hundreds of times.
My friend, you can be sure of the Word of God, and as you study it and share it with others, the Spirit of God will confirm it to your heart, and you will experience growth in your spiritual life. This is what Peter had in mind when he said to add to your courage knowledge. You need courage to declare the Word of God. You are not apt to give out the knowledge that you have of Christ unless you have the courage to do it.
“Add … to knowledge temperance.” That word temperance in our day refers to only one thing. A better word is self-control. As believers, we are to be self-controlled in every area of our lives.
“Add … to temperance [self-control] patience.” Many folk have the wrong concept of what patience really is. They think it means sitting in a traffic jam on the freeway in the morning without worrying about getting to work. Well, that is not patience. It just gives you an excuse for being late to work. Patience is being able to endure when trials come. Patience is endurance. It is built upon knowledge and courage. Like a growing tree, a Christian should be developing courage, then knowledge, then self-control, and then endurance.
“Add … to patience godliness.” Godliness is another word which has been lost in the shuffle. It means exactly what it says—to be like God. After you have been born into the family of God, you want to be like your Father—Godlike. It doesn’t mean that you will be like God, but it does mean that you have that desire and aim in your life. I think of the words of a song we sing, “Oh, to be like Him….” Well, it should be more than a song; it should be the desire of every individual who is a partaker of the divine nature. I believe there is a time in every boy’s life when his dad is his hero and sometimes his idol. It is a terrible day when that idol falls from its pedestal, but it happens, and often the boy grows bitter. Well, we are children of God, and because of this, we want to be like our Father. And, my friend, He will never disappoint us. He is not only our hero, He is our God, the one we worship and praise. The word godliness has in it that very thought of praise and worship of God. It speaks of a dependence upon God and a life that is devoted to Him.
“Add … to godliness brotherly kindness.” We can make that a stronger expression by translating it “love of the brethren.” We are to love other believers. I receive many letters from those who listen to my Bible teaching on radio in which they say that they love me. And I can respond, “And I love you.” If I met these folk personally, I am sure we would be more restrained, but certainly we should love the brethren. I have the opportunity of meeting with some very wonderful Christians—both laymen and preachers. Sometimes we eat lunch together; sometimes we play golf together; and sometimes we have a service together. It is a joy to have a sweet and loving relationship with the brethren.
“Add … to brotherly kindness charity.” Again, the word charity means something entirely different in modern America from what it meant in 1611 when the King James Version was written. Since “brotherly kindness” is specifically for other believers, it is obvious that “charity” is to be directed to outsiders. I interpret it as meaning that we are to love the sinner as God loves him. God loved him enough to redeem him, but He hates his sin and will judge it unless he does turn to Christ. I take the position that loving a sinner does not mean getting down on his level and participating in his sin. Rather, we are to love him by bringing the gospel to him. My friend, the way we reveal our love to those outside the faith is to care enough to attempt to win them to Christ.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ [2 Pet. 1:8].
“If these things be in you.” You see, Peter is not talking about the externalities of religion. He is not speaking of rituals or religion or liturgy. He is speaking of that which is inside the Christian. The reason he said that we have escaped the corruption of the world is because we are partakers of the divine nature. Corruption is inside the human heart. Later on he will say that the unsaved, that is, the apostates, escape the pollutions of the world (by going through a ceremony or acting religious), yet their hearts are not changed.
When he says, “If these things be in you”—what things? The things he has mentioned in the preceding verses: faith and courage and knowledge and self-control and patience and godliness and love of the brethren and love for the outsider. All of these things are to be within us.
“If these things be in you, and abound.” Here he starts multiplying again. Peter is great with mathematics.
“They make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful.” The word barren actually means “idle.” This has to do with what we call the fruit of the Spirit. We cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit by sitting on the sidelines. While it is true that the fruit of the Spirit is the work of the Holy Spirit—that is, we cannot produce it by ourselves—we are to yield ourselves to Him, present our bodies definitely to Him, and draw from the Vine, the Lord Jesus Christ, the fruit of the Spirit. Again, the fruit is: faith, courage, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, love of the brethren, and love for the unsaved. He doesn’t want us to be barren.
“Nor unfruitful” has to do with that which is, I believe, objective. Being barren has to do with that which is subjective, that which is internal. You have had, I am sure, the experience of meeting Christians who sound like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal or an empty barrel. They are barren as far as the fruit of the Spirit is concerned. In contrast to this, we as believers are not to be unfruitful. Our lives are to be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit that Peter has been telling us about. My friend, does your life influence other people? Are you helping to get the Word of God out to folk who need it?
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins [2 Pet. 1:9].
Now Peter is touching on something which is very important to us; that is, sterility in the lives of many church members in our day. Their lack of enthusiasm will eventuate in their not being sure that they were ever really saved. Paul gives this admonition: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity” (1 Cor. 16:13–14). Then when he concluded his second letter to the Corinthians, he said, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor. 13:5). This is a very strong statement. You are to examine yourself to make sure you are in the faith. If you have the idea that you can live a careless life and still be a Christian and know it, you are wrong. It is impossible. You may be a Christian, but you sure won’t know it. Many years ago a young preacher in Cannon Beach, Oregon, said to me one evening, “There are many Christians who believe in the security of the believer, but they do not have the assurance of their salvation.” You see, the security of the believer is objective; the assurance of salvation is subjective. Peter has well stated it: “He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” He has forgotten that he has been saved.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall [2 Pet. 1:10].
“Give diligence to make your calling and election sure”—he means, of course, more sure. In other words, the security of the believer is objective; it is something that cannot be disturbed. However, your assurance can certainly be disturbed by the life you live. If your life is not lived in sincerity and truth, you are bound to lie on your bed at night and wonder if you really have been born again. While it is true that Christ has done everything necessary to save you and keep you saved, your Christian life to be meaningful is something that you have to work at.
I have been married for a long time, and I never have to lie awake at night and wonder whether or not I am married; but to make my marriage meaningful, I have to work at it, and I have been working at it for a long, long time.
Likewise in your Christian life, “make your calling and election more sure.” That is, let it become subjective in your own heart—to know that you are a child of God.
“For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” I have talked with many Christians who have gotten into sin. It is very interesting to me that I have never yet talked to one who had the assurance of his salvation before he got into sin. You see, the person who lacks assurance lacks a solid foundation under him.
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ [2 Pet. 1:11].
Notice that Peter will put an emphasis not upon the Rapture but upon the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom upon this earth. Why? We find out in verse 14: “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.” You see, Peter is one apostle who did not look forward to the Rapture. He knew he would never live to see the Rapture because the Lord Jesus had told him that he was to die a martyr’s death. Therefore, he knew that shortly he must put off his tabernacle, that is, his body. This is a wonderful way to speak of death. Since Simon Peter knew that shortly he would move out of his body and into God’s presence, he spoke of the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, knowing that there would be no Rapture ahead for him.
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth [2 Pet. 1:12].
Knowing that he would not be with them very much longer, he felt called upon to stir up these saints to grow in grace, lest spiritual senility set in. There are Christians today—and I am sure you have met some of them—who are actually spiritually senile. They are tottering around, not seeming to have all of their faculties.
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance [2 Pet. 1:13].
“I think it meet”—that is, I think it fitting—“as long as I am in this tabernacle.” Again he is speaking of his body as his tabernacle. As long as he had life, he was going to remind them of these important things.
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me [2 Pet. 1:14].
Here Peter is referring to what Jesus had told him that morning when He had prepared breakfast for them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after His resurrection. He had said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” Then John comments, “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God …” (John 21:18–19).
This passage in 2 Peter has been one of the most important sections in the entire Word of God. I have gone over it rather carefully so that you might know and understand what Peter is saying here.
You can see now why I have been calling this epistle Peter’s swan song. It is, as it were, his deathbed statement. When a man is on his deathbed, he is apt to say something of importance even though he has not said anything of importance up to that time. If he has been a liar all of his life, the chances are that on his deathbed he will tell the truth.
It is interesting that the Word of God attaches some importance to deathbed statements. Let me illustrate this from the Old Testament.
Genesis 49 gives us a scene that is sad and rather dramatic. Jacob called his twelve sons to stand around his deathbed as he makes a prophecy concerning each one of those boys. Those prophecies have been literally fulfilled.
When Moses knew that he would not enter the Promised Land but would die on Mount Nebo in the land of Moab, he gathered the twelve tribes about him and blessed each of them before his death—very much as Jacob had done before him. It was a very important discourse that he gave to them at that time.
When Joshua was old and ready to depart from this life, he also gathered the tribes of Israel together and delivered to them his final charge. Then he challenged them to follow God and gave the testimony of his own life: “… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).
When David was about to die, he called Solomon to him. I don’t believe that David would have chosen Solomon for his successor; he would have preferred Absalom, but Absalom had been slain. David said to Solomon, “I go the way of all the earth.” (What a picture that is of death! I don’t know who you are or where you are, but I can tell you the road on which you are traveling. You are going the way of all the earth, and that is to the cemetery. I realize that this doesn’t sound very good, but all of us are on that route.) Then David charged Solomon with the responsibility of building the temple of God, and he exhorted all Israel to help him, for “… Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God” (1 Chron. 29:1).
Then, in the New Testament when the Lord Jesus came into Jerusalem for that last Passover, He made it very clear to His own in His Upper Room Discourse that it was His last time with them while He was here in the flesh—before He would die and rise again in a glorified body. Oh, what tremendous truths He gave to them on that last evening!
The apostle Paul, as we have seen, gave his final epitaph in 2 Timothy. This is his swan song: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6–8).
Now Simon Peter says, “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle.” He knows that he has come to the end of his earthly life. Tradition tells us that he was crucified with his head down, and some folk have interpreted that to mean upside down. I personally don’t think it means that. Rather, I believe the implication is that our Lord held his head up as He looked into the heavens, but Simon Peter felt himself to be unworthy to die in the same manner his Lord had died; so he died with his head down.
When Simon Peter said, “I must put off this my tabernacle,” he was referring, of course, to his body. The word Peter used for “tabernacle” is the Greek skeµnoµma, which means “a tent or a dwelling place.” Both Peter and Paul used that expression when referring to the body. Paul wrote, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1). A tent is a pretty flimsy sort of thing, and if you don’t believe that your little tent is flimsy, you step out on one of the freeways across this country, and you will find that your little tent will fold and you will silently slip away.
When we die, it is this little body that you and I live in that is put to sleep. The body sleeps in the dust of the earth. When God created Adam, He took his body out of the dirt. Man was created out of the earth. Our bodies contain fifteen or sixteen elements which can be found in the average soil today—that is the composition of the body. The body is put to sleep and returns to the dust of the earth. The Greek word that the Bible uses for “sleep” means “to lie down.” In classical Greek it means “to go to bed.”
A man who believes in “soul sleep” discussed this with me. I told him that “to sleep” means to go to bed and facetiously asked him to tell me which end of the soul he would stick under the cover and which end would go on the pillow. He hasn’t been able to enlighten me yet, of course, because it is the body that sleeps, not the soul. It is the body that is like a tent. It is very feeble, and one of these days we are going to put it aside.
Paul also says, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). That is the way both Peter and Paul speak of death. This little tent we live in is put down into the grave. It goes to sleep, but the soul never dies. And, of course, the soul is never raised from the dead since it never dies. The word resurrection refers to the body. In the Greek it is anastasis, which means “to stand up,” and obviously that refers to the body.
AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES ATTESTED BY FULFILLED PROPHECY
Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance [2 Pet. 1:15].
“After my decease”—the word he uses means “exodus.” He will just be moving out of his house, his tabernacle, down here; he will be putting it off as if it were a garment, and he will be making his exodus. Now the word exodus implies that death doesn’t end it all. When the children of Israel went out of Egypt, the Egyptians said, “We are through with them. This ends it.” But it didn’t end it. Israel continued on in the wilderness and finally entered into the Promised Land, and Egypt doesn’t seem to be through with them even to this good day! And for this man Peter, death was merely an exodus; it wasn’t an end to it all.
“To have these things always in remembrance.” Peter is saying that, in the light of his approaching death, he wants to bring before us certain things to keep in remembrance. And the thing he will really emphasize is the validity of the Word of God.
Now, there is a way of looking at the remainder of Peter’s epistle that may be a little difficult to understand, but there are two forces in the world today. There is centrifugal force and centripetal force. A centrifugal force impels outward from a center. If you tie a ball on a string and swing it around your head, the ball will pull on the string, trying to get away from you. The centripetal force is just the opposite—it pulls toward a center or axis. Peter will deal with these two conflicting forces in relationship to the Word of God. There is a centrifugal force that impels outward from the world in which you and I live today, and there is centripetal force that pulls us into the world and away from the Word of God. My friend, the centrifugal force is the Word of God. It is the only thing that can pull us away from the world system. A letter from an alcoholic who began listening to our Bible teaching program by radio tells how the Word of God pulled him away from the bottle and from a worldly life and pulled him toward God.
Peter has already told us that we are to make our calling and election more sure, and he wants us to know that we have an authority on which we can depend. Somebody is going to raise the question, “How do you know that the Bible is really the Word of God?”
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty [2 Pet. 1:16].
This is something that is very important for us to see.
“We have not followed cunningly devised fables.” The Bible is not a pack of lies. The Bible is not a fairy story. The Bible is not a myth. The Bible is historical and factual. If you are sincere and want to give up your sins, God will make it real to you. If there is a veil over your eyes, it is not because you are mentally blind; it is because you do not want to give up your sins. When you and I are willing to do that, God will make the Bible real to us.
“But were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Now, I tell you, that is just a little disconcerting. When did Simon Peter see the power and coming of Jesus Christ?
He will make it clear that he is referring to the transfiguration of Jesus Christ.
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount [2 Pet. 1:17–18].
Obviously, Peter is referring to the Transfiguration. We need to understand the significance of this event. What did Jesus mean in Matthew 16:28? “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” This has led some people to claim that the kingdom was well established at this point. (It is unfortunate that we have a chapter break at this point in Matthew’s account—remember that in the original manuscripts there are no chapters.) The account continues: “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light” (Matt. 17:1–2).
The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a miniature picture of the kingdom. Moses and Elijah appeared there with Christ. Moses represents the Law in the Old Testament. Elijah represents the prophets in the Old Testament. What were they discussing? They were discussing Christ’s decease, His exodus, His passing from the room of this world into the presence of the Father. That is what they had written about in the Old Testament, and that is what they were talking about at the Transfiguration. Then there were the three disciples present to observe the Transfiguration. They represent the living saints. Moses and Elijah represent the dead saints of the Old Testament. The church was not yet in existence, but the three disciples who were there would constitute the beginning of that body of believers which is the church. They would be the apostles. So the Transfiguration gives us a miniature picture of the kingdom.
Immediately after the Transfiguration, Jesus Christ and the disciples came down from the mount, and there they found a man with a demonized son. The other disciples could do nothing to help the boy. The observing people were jeering and ridiculing the disciples. That is a picture of the present day. The kingdom is in abeyance. Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God, and all the Old and New Testament saints who have gone before are with Him. While down here on this earth we are living in a demonized world. If you doubt this, all you have to do to be convinced is to read your newspaper or watch your television newscast. The world is in a terrible mess. The church, which ought to have a message of hope and power for the world, is not helping this demonized world. As a result, the church is being ridiculed—and in one sense, rightly so—because the church is not about the Father’s business as it should be.
Now Simon Peter has said that he was with the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was one of the eyewitnesses. Then he says this strange thing:
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts [2 Pet. 1:19].
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy”—when he uses the word prophecy he doesn’t necessarily mean the prediction of the future, although he includes that. He means the entire Word of God, because he speaks of the Scriptures as having been spoken by God. And the prophets, as he will make it clear in the next verse, were more than amanuenses who took dictation from God; rather, they expressed their own feelings and thoughts. Nevertheless, God was able to transmit His complete will and word through the men who wrote Scripture. This is the thing that makes it a miraculous Book. You see, the Word of God is not only divine; it is human, very human. It is like the Lord Jesus who was both God and man. The Bible is a God-book and a man-book. It deals with human life, right down where you and I live and move and have our being, yet it is God speaking to man in a language that is understandable to him.
A great many people think, “Oh, if only I could have been with Peter. If only I could have seen those things.” Friend, you have something even better. You have the Word of God. It will speak directly to you if you will open your heart and allow it to speak. The Word of God is better than seeing and hearing.
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy”—rather, “the word of prophecy is made more sure.”
“A light that shineth in a dark place.” The Word of God is a light, a lamp, a source of light, like the sun in the sky. It is a centrifugal force. As the sun gives out its light, throwing it out to the universe, so the Word of God sends out a light, a force, and a power. It is the only tangible supernatural thing that we have in this world today. The Word of God is the only physical miracle that we have from God in this hour in which we live.
It will be that until Jesus comes—“until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” Jesus is called the Bright and Morning Star in Revelation 22:16. Until He comes, His Word is the centrifugal force going throughout the world and drawing men away from the world system and putting them into the arms of God. What a picture we have here!
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation [2 Pet. 1:20].
“Knowing this first.” Simon Peter says that this is the first thing we are to know. The word knowing is a knowledge that comes, not only from the Word of God, not only from facts that can be ascertained—if you have an honest heart, you can find out whether the facts in the Bible are accurate or not—but these are things which you can know by the Holy Spirit’s making them real to you. As I have said before, I have long since passed the stage when I wanted the Bible proved to me. When I was in college, I did want the Bible proved to me; and if I found that archaeology had dug up a spadeful of dirt somewhere that proved a fact in the Bible, I would clap my hands like a little child and shout, “Wonderful!” I don’t do that anymore. I don’t need a spadeful of turned-up dirt to prove the Bible to me. The Spirit of God Himself has made the Word of God real to my heart. I know there is a transforming power in God’s Word. I get letters from all over the world which testify to that fact. There is power in the Word of God. This is something that we can know, and the facts, confirmed by the Holy Spirit, make it real to us.
“No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” What Peter is saying here is that no portion of the Scripture is to be interpreted apart from other references to the same subject. That is the reason I put up such an objection to this idea of pulling out one little verse of Scripture and building a doctrine on that one verse. If you cannot get the whole body of Scripture to confirm your doctrine, then you had better get a new doctrine, my friend.
I think a good illustration is the difference between riding in a good, solid, four-wheeled wagon and on a unicycle. If you have ever seen a person ride on that one wheel of a unicycle, you have noted that he does a lot of twisting and turning and maneuvering around to stay balanced on that one wheel. In the circus I once saw a man riding way up high on a unicycle, and all of a sudden it went out from under him, and he fell backwards. Believe me, he had a bad fall. And I thought, Oh, how many Christians are like that today. They base what they believe on a single verse. While it is wonderful to have one marvelous verse of Scripture, if it tells a great truth, there will be at least two or three verses and usually a whole chapter on it somewhere in the Bible. Simon Peter is telling us that no passage of Scripture should be interpreted by itself. We need to confirm it with other Scriptures.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost [2 Pet. 1:21].
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.” Obviously he is referring to Old Testament prophecy. It didn’t come by the will of man. That is, Isaiah, for example, did not sit down saying, “I think I’ll write a book because I need some money. I’ll send it to the publisher, and he will send me an advance check, and then I’ll get royalties for it.” That is the reason some men write in our day, but that is not the way Isaiah did it. Listen to Peter: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.” The prophecy of Isaiah was not something that Isaiah thought up.
“But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” “Holy men” does not mean that the writers were some super-duper saints. It means holy in the sense of being set apart for this particular office. If you are a holy Christian, it means that you are set apart for Jesus Christ. Holy means “to be set apart.”
“As they were moved by the Holy Ghost [Spirit]” is a delightful figure of speech. The Greek actually portrays the idea of a sailing vessel. The wind gets into those great sails, bellies them out, and moves the ship along. That is the way the Holy Spirit moved these men.
Here in California we have a yacht regatta each year. The yachts line up and start for Honolulu, Hawaii, to sail in around Diamond Head. (A man must be rich enough to own such a sailing yacht and to have the time to enter such a regatta.) Some time ago a doctor performed an operation on me one day, and the next day he was off sailing to Honolulu! When he got back, I was asking him about it. He told me that they have an extra sail which they put out when they get a good wind and that moves the boat right along. Well, this is exactly what Peter is saying in this verse of Scripture. These men who were set apart for the writing of the Scriptures were moved along by the Spirit of God.
Now let me remind you that this is Peter’s swan song, and, like Paul in his swan song, he emphasizes the importance of the Word of God for the days of apostasy. Paul said, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God …” (2 Tim. 3:16), and Peter is saying that the writers of Scripture were moved along by the Holy Spirit. The thought is the same. It is wonderful to see how God could take each man and use him, without changing his style or interfering with his personality, to write His Word so that His message comes across. While Paul the apostle wrote eloquent Greek, Peter the apostle—since he was a fisherman and Greek was his second language—wrote Greek that was not quite as good. Yet God used both of these men to write exactly what He wanted to say—so much so that, if God spoke out of heaven today, He would have to repeat Himself, because He already has said all that He has to say to mankind. God has gotten His Word to us through men of different personalities and different skills. For this reason I call it a man-book and a God-book.
The written Word, like the Lord Jesus, the living Word, is both human and divine. The Lord Jesus could weep at a grave, but He could also raise the dead. He could sit down at a well because He was tired and thirsty, but He could also give the water of life to a poor sinner. He could go to sleep in a boat, but He could also still the storm. He was a man, but He was God also. And the Bible is both human and divine.
Simon Peter is telling us that we have “a more sure word of prophecy.” He puts a sure rock under our feet. The Scriptures are something that we can have confidence in. No wonder the Word of God has been attacked more than anything else. If the enemy can get rid of the foundation, he knows that the building will come crashing down.
It is sheer nonsense for a preacher to stand at a pulpit and preach a sermon showing that he does not believe that the Bible is the Word of God. That, to my judgment, is as silly as the poor fellow in the insane asylum whom a visitor saw using a pickax on the foundation at the corner of the dormitory in an attempt to destroy the foundation. The visitor, wanting to be sympathetic, asked the man with the pick, “What are you doing?”
“I’m digging away the foundation. Can’t you see?”
“Yes, but don’t you live in this building?”
“Of course I do, but I live upstairs.”
For a preacher to discredit the Word of God is equally as insane. My friend, the Scriptures as we have them are a solid foundation on which to rest our faith.
The last time I was in Greece, I went again to the Acropolis in Athens and examined the Parthenon. I have examined it several times to make sure I am accurate in this statement: there are not two parallel lines in the place, nor is there a straight line. If you go to one end and look down, you will see that it comes up to a hump in the middle and then goes back down. The Greeks had learned that the human eye never sees anything straight which is straight. This, I believe, is the reason God says that we are to walk by faith and not by sight. We can’t trust our own eyes nor our own ears, but we can rest upon the Word of God.
One of the greatest proofs that the Bible is indeed the Word is fulfilled prophecy. Over one-third of the Scripture was prophetic at the time it was first written. It is not to be treated as speculation or superstition because of the fact that a great deal of it has already been literally fulfilled. As someone has well said, “Prophecy is the mold into which history is poured.” Fulfilled prophecy is, to me, one of the great proofs of the accuracy of Scripture. Peter has said, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” Since one-fourth of prophecy has been fulfilled, this means that one-fourth of one-third of the Bible is fulfilled prophecy. Man cannot guess that accurately! There were three hundred thirty prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the first coming of Christ, and all of them were literally fulfilled. No human being can guess like that.
Let me give you an example. Suppose that right now I should make a prophecy that it is going to rain tomorrow. I’d have a 50 percent chance of being right, because it either will or it won’t. But suppose I add to that the prediction that it would start raining tomorrow morning at nine o’clock. That would be another uncertain element. I am no mathematician, but it seems to me that this would reduce my chance of being right by another 50 percent. Now suppose that I not only say it is going to start raining at nine o’clock but also that it will stop raining at two o’clock. According to my figuring, that would bring down my chance of being correct to 12 1/2 percent. And it would be a lot less than that if you figure it according to a twenty-four hour day. But suppose I add three hundred uncertain elements. I would not have a ghost of a chance of being accurate. Yet the Word of God hit it, my friend. It is accurate. The Bible has moved into the area of absolute impossibility, and that to me is absolute proof that it is the Word of God.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: Apostasy brought in by false teachers
APOSTASY BROUGHT IN BY FALSE TEACHERS
We have seen in the previous chapter the centrifugal force of the light of Jesus Christ that draws men away from the world and toward God. Now let’s talk about the centripetal force; that is, the force that impels folk toward the world. It is a gravitational force, the pull of the world away from the Word of God.
The days that Peter is talking about in this chapter have now come upon us in our day.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction [2 Pet. 2:1].
“But there were false prophets also among the people.” Peter is writing to Jewish Christians, and “the people” he is talking about is Israel. There were false prophets among the people of Israel, Peter says, “even as there shall be false teachers among you,” that is, among believers, the church. There were false prophets in the Old Testament, but there are false teachers today. My friend, we do not need to beware of false prophets at all—that is not our problem. Any man who attempts to prophesy today will soon be proven a liar—there is no question about that.
During World War II, there was here in Pasadena, California, a man who predicted that the end of the world would come (if I remember correctly) on September 15, 1943. When that day came, newspaper reporters filled his yard and waited. Eventually he had to come out and say that he had misfigured it. He said that instead it would be September 15, 1944. The ministers in Pasadena who were meeting together in a prayer fellowship at that time were concerned about this man’s prophecies and wanted to get a statement into the newspaper. I said to them, “Forget it. As far as I am concerned, on September 15, 1944, the man will be proven a liar.” You know, the world didn’t come to an end the next year either. What happened was that the newspaper reporters laughed at and ridiculed that man. Of course, it hurts the cause of Christ when anyone does that sort of thing. The man disappeared from this area, and I do not know where he is today.
We do not need to pay any attention to false prophets, but let me say this to you: You do need to check false teachers. You need to check all teachers, including the one whose book you are reading right now. I urge you to check what I say by the Word of God. Don’t believe it because Vernon McGee says it. One man told me, “I teach a Sunday school class, and if anyone questions what I say, I tell them, ‘Well, McGee says that.’” That is the wrong approach, my friend. The Word of God is what you are to rest upon.
I am amazed today how easily people are deceived by all kinds of teaching. People will fall for anything, and if you do not believe that, you ought to see the elaborate operations and headquarters of some of the cults which are located here in Southern California. You would be amazed, for it reveals that there are a great many people who have not heeded Peter’s warning that false teachers are abroad. Instead, they listen to them and give them financial backing.
Some wag has put it like this:
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand
Make the mighty oceans
And the beauteous land.
So the daily pressures,
Subtle though they be,
Serve to shape the oddballs
We call you and me.
“Little Drops of Water”
—Author unknown
We oddballs down here can really be taken in. Peter says, “Beware of false teachers.”
In chapter 1 we saw that there were prophets of God in the Old Testament, and they prophesied 100 percent accurately. Peter now says, “But there were false prophets also among the people.” There were not only true prophets but also false prophets among the people of Israel. One example of this is the time that Ahab and Jehoshaphat went out against the Syrians (see 1 Kings 22). They called in a bunch of the false prophets of Baal who urged Ahab and Jehoshaphat to go to battle. Jehoshaphat saw immediately that they were not getting a word from God, and he said, “Don’t you have a true prophet of God here?” Ahab said, “Yes, but I keep him in prison because he never says anything good about me.” Today a great many people don’t like a preacher unless he says something nice about them all the time. Ahab was like that. This prophet of God, Micaiah, told him the truth, and Ahab didn’t like that. But they brought Micaiah in, and he told Ahab, “If you go to battle, you will be slain.” Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and said, “See, he never says anything good about me!” It’s too bad that Ahab didn’t listen to him, because he was slain just as Micaiah said he would be. Micaiah was a true prophet of God, but there were also several hundred false prophets at that time.
“Even as there shall be false teachers among you.” Dr. Marvin R. Vincent, in his very fine Word Studies in the New Testament, says that this Greek word for “false teachers,” pseudo-didaskalos, occurs only here in the New Testament. As we have said before, false teachers are the danger for the church today, and believe me, they are dangerous. What is a false teacher? A false teacher is one who knows the truth but deliberately lies for some purpose. It is either for some selfish reason, or he wants to please people, or he does it for money. There are many teachers like that today. They preach and say what people want them to say, although they know what the truth is—that is a false teacher.
There are other men who teach error ignorantly. Some of the great reformers of the past and some of the great post-apostolic church fathers believed and taught some things which we do not hold to today. We believe they were entirely in error on certain things. Those men were not false teachers. They believed they were teaching the truth, and that does not put them in the category of a false teacher. A false teacher knows what he is doing, and he does it deliberately.
“Even as there shall be”—Peter puts this period of apostasy out yonder in the future because it would be beyond his death. Jude also discusses this same subject of apostasy. The very fact that 2 Peter and Jude are so much alike has caused some of the critics to say that one copied from the other. Let me state it a little differently: When God wants to emphasize something, He says it twice. That is the reason that the Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you.” One “verily” is enough for Him, but when He says it twice, you had better sit up and listen. Therefore, this is something that God considers rather important. However, when Jude wrote, he said that there were already false teachers in the church. They came in quite early, by the way, and they have been in the church ever since.
I think we have in this first verse a good definition of false teachers: “Who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” “Damnable heresies” actually means destructive heresies. That which identifies these false teachers is that they deny Christ’s work of redemption for them. They will appear in the church as members of the church; they will claim to be Christians, and they will work secretly under cover of hypocrisy.
Years ago I preached in a church which was a very fine, fundamental church where the people loved the Word of God. They called a pastor to that church whom they had questioned concerning whether he believed the Scriptures and whether he believed in their plenary, verbal inspiration. He had answered affirmatively to every question they asked. About two years later, I was in that city and found that the members of the church had scattered and were attending other churches. They told me that this man had absolutely misrepresented himself—that’s what the kinder people said. Some said, “He lied to us.” That’s exactly what he had done. He had come into that church and actually been a hypocrite. He said one thing when he actually believed another.
Now false teachers have some true doctrine. There is not a cult that I know of which does not have some truth in it. That is the one thing that makes them very dangerous, ten thousand times more dangerous than if they were 100 percent in error. These teachers generally believe some things that are true. Our Lord said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Paul warned the church at Ephesus, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29). These wolves in sheep’s clothing will absolutely destroy the flock and scatter them.
Our Lord made this clear when He gave us a picture of the condition of the kingdom after His rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection. He would not establish His kingdom on earth at that time, but He said that the kingdom of heaven would be like a sower sowing seed, like a mustard tree, and like leaven. Leaven has gotten into the bread today. The bread is the Word of God, and there is a lot of false teaching that goes out under the guise of being the Word of God.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of [2 Pet. 2:2].
“And many shall follow their pernicious ways.” False followers will go after false teachers. I do not believe that God’s elect can be permanently deceived. I believe that God permits a lot of the cults and “isms” in order to draw away from the true church that which is false, because those who are phony will go after that sort of thing. This is exactly what Paul said would take place: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). In other words, the genuine child of God will not go in that direction. The Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and they will not follow a false shepherd” (see John 10:27). When you see people take out after one of these false teachers, they are either ignorantly deceived or they are deliberately deceived because that is what they believe and what they wanted to hear all the time.
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not [2 Pet. 2:3].
“Feigned words”—the Greek word for “feigned” is plastos. Dr. Joseph H. Thayer, in his lexicon of the New Testament, says that plastos means “moulded, formed, as from clay, wax, stone.” Plastos—does that sound like another word you’ve heard? We have a new word, a word that wasn’t even in existence in Peter’s day, yet in a way it was. Plastic—that’s the word Peter uses here. I love that, because today you can buy a plastic pitcher, you can buy a plastic bucket, you can buy plastic dishes, you can buy plastic toys. You can buy almost anything in plastic because plastic can be molded into every possible shape.
May I say this, and I do want to say it kindly. There are also plastic preachers who can be molded and shaped by the people that they serve. They say what their congregations want to hear. They use plastic words. This is the reason that neo-orthodoxy, when it first appeared, deceived so many people. When I came to Pasadena many years ago to pastor a church here, another pastor came about the same time. He was an outstanding liberal who is pretty much known all over the world today. A member of his church attended my Bible class, and she said, “Oh, he is sound in the faith because he uses the same language that you do.” I said, “Fine, but does he mean what I mean by it?” She was sure that he did. On Easter Sunday she called me and said, “Dr. McGee, you have been wrong in criticizing this man. He spoke of the resurrection of Jesus today.” I asked her, “But did you go up afterward and ask him whether he believed that Jesus was raised bodily from the tomb?” She replied, “I’m sure that that is what he meant.” I told her, “I’m, sure that he didn’t, but you ask him.” The next day she called me, weeping, and said, “You know, he just ridiculed the idea of the bodily resurrection!” So I explained to her, “These fellows use our vocabulary, but they don’t have our dictionary.” In other words, they may say something, but the important thing is what they mean by what they say.
Peter tells us that false teachers will speak with feigned words, plastic words, words that are just molded words. They will fit their words to the people to whom they are speaking. They speak one thing to one crowd and then talk differently to another crowd. I know a man who can bring a fundamental message if he is in a fundamental group, but when he gets with a liberal group, he is just about as liberal as they are. He is a plastic preacher—you can pour him into any mold, and he will accommodate himself to it.
What is the motivation for these false teachers? I tell you, Simon Peter puts it right out in the open here: “And through covetousness.” They do it because they are covetous. Covetousness is actually a form of idolatry. Sometimes it may be that they are covetous for a position, for a name, for popularity. Many of them are covetous of money.
I am not talking through my hat, my friend. I could give you example after example of the fact that there are many false teachers abroad today, but I will give you just one. I read a report in a very fine Christian publication which tells about a service held by a well-known evangelist. They reported that the preacher introduced the evangelist, saying, “He is a man after my heart because he loves money just like I love it.” As the evangelist spoke, he was forceful, he was dynamic, and he put on quite a show. For forty-five minutes he did not read one Scripture verse, not even his text. He partially quoted only three or four verses. He used the personal pronoun I 175 times. He referred to Jesus Christ only eleven times. There was laughter every two minutes during his message—he was quite a comedian. When the invitation was given, some twenty young people responded to the urgings of the evangelist and went forward. For what? They had not heard the gospel! This is something that is so prevalent in our country today. The average church member doesn’t know the gospel when he hears it and does not recognize when he doesn’t hear it. This is the tragedy of the hour in which we live. There are many false teachers abroad today.
I urge you to check on all Bible teachers and radio preachers that you listen to. Check on me. Am I teaching the Word of God? Examine the Word of God and see whether I am or not. And check yourself. Every child of God should examine himself to see whether or not he is in the faith.
“And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.” In other words, these false teachers are doing it for money. I personally resent all forms of promotion today. When I return from a trip and sort through my accumulated mail, I will sometimes pitch letters into my wastebasket without even opening them. The name of the organization is on the envelope, so I know who they come from. I’ve been getting their letters for years, although I’ve never contributed to those organizations. I don’t know why they keep sending out all that propaganda, but I do know this: they want to make merchandise of me. It is my conviction that an organization ought to appeal only to folk who are interested in their certain work. There are many fine mission organizations, and there are many fine Christian radio programs, but there are some that are nothing in the world but promotion. One of the marks of a false teacher is that he is a promoter. He is not interested in giving you the Word of God; he is not attempting to help you. He is attempting to get something from you, to make merchandise of you. You are sort of a food trading stamp for him or a luxury car for him.
“Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” This is something that has disturbed a great many folk, including some in the Bible. For example, the psalmist was disturbed that the wicked were getting by with their sin—or so he thought. But then he said, “I went into the temple of the Lord.” What did he learn in the temple? All he learned in the temple was that God is in charge and He will take care of the wicked (see Ps. 73).
The apostle Paul was mistreated again and again, and he resented it. He would not let the authorities at Philippi release him from jail and urge him to leave town secretly. He was a Roman citizen, and he forced them to do it the right way. But Paul told us not to take vengeance. We are to turn our case over to God. The minute that we try to get revenge we are taking God’s place, because “… Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). And if you try to get revenge, you depart from your walk of faith. However, walking by faith does not mean that you are a Mr. Milquetoast whom everyone can push around and treat any way they please. Rather, it means that you can say, “All right, brother, you have mistreated me, you have done this to me, but I’m going to turn you over to the Lord.” Paul wrote, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works” (2 Tim. 4:14). “The Lord will take care of him. I’ve turned him over to the Lord,” Paul said concerning another brother who had mistreated him.
Peter assures us that God will also take care of these false teachers someday. When I heard of the death of a certain liberal not long ago, a man said to me, “Well, he’s better off today than he was when he was in this life.” Frankly, I’m not so sure about that because he must give account to God for his life. I would not want to have to go into the presence of God someday and have the Lord say to me, “Look, McGee, you came to a passage of Scripture that time, and you soft-pedaled it because you were afraid of criticism. You didn’t teach it like it is written.” God would hold me accountable for that. I will have to turn in a report to Him for my Bible-teaching ministry. May I say to you, you are going to have to turn in an account to God also.
It may look like God is slumbering; it may look like God is taking a nap. He may not seem to be doing very much about these false teachers, but He is, my friend. Habakkuk wondered whether God would do anything about the enemies of Israel, but he found out that in reality God was moving much too fast for him—He was not slumbering at all.
Now Peter will give us three examples of apostates in the past. His first example is of the angels who sinned (v. 4), and it is an example of how the Devil works. His second example is that of the world of Noah’s day (v. 5), and it is the example of the world. The third example (v. 6) is the turning of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, and that is the example of the flesh. We have here the world, the flesh, and the Devil, but Peter puts the Devil first-the Devil, the world, and the flesh. These are the three enemies that you and I need to be aware of John, the apostle of love, says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world …” (1 John 2:15, italics mine). “The world” does not mean the beautiful flowers, the mountains, the trees, and the sea. It means the world system down here that is against God—that is what we are not to love.
Peter will talk first about the Devil and about the fact that God in the past has judged angels. The subject of angels and demons is highly debatable and very popular today. In fact, there is too much attention being given to it. Many books are being written about Satan and about demons and all that sort of thing. I suppose they have their place, but my feeling is that the positive side needs to be emphasized more. I have a message that I give, “Who is Antichrist?” and I always conclude that message by saying that I don’t know much about Antichrist and I don’t want to know much about him. The One I want to know is the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot find anywhere where Paul or any other of the writers in Scripture say, “That I might know the Antichrist….” But Paul does say, “That I may know him [the Lord Jesus], and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…” (Phil. 3:10). It is life eternal to know God, the Father, and the Son, the Lord Jesus, whom He has sent (see John 17:3). Scripture does not instruct us to know Antichrist or to know all about Satan. It is true that we are not to be ignorant of his devices. We need to beware of him, but we can pay too much attention to him.
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment [2 Pet. 2:4].
“For if God spared not the angels that sinned.” Many commentators feel that this refers to the events of Genesis 6. I do not agree, because I do not believe that the “sons of God” mentioned there were angels. Genesis talks about the genealogy of man. It concerns that family which was leading to the coming of Christ, which would bring Him into the world. That line intermarried with the world, with the line of Cain, and brought about a generation who were so sinful that God finally brought the Flood upon them. That is what Genesis 6 is all about, and I do not think this verse here in 2 Peter has any reference to that at all.
Then what does this verse have reference to? I will have to do just a little bit of speculating, yet Scripture does give us some hazy glimpses of this. We find that Jude refers to these things also; the Book of Revelation gives us some inkling of it; and several of the prophets open this area to us just a little.
Man was sort of a Johnny-come-lately on this earth—we haven’t been here too long. Before man was here on earth, apparently there was another creation. God had a program going long before man appeared on the scene, and there were many created intelligences. From among those angels, who were God’s creation and who were His messengers, some rebelled against Him and apparently followed Satan. We are told in Revelation 12:7, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.” Back in the past there was a rebellion against God led by the creature we know today as Satan or the Devil. He has many names—he is the great deceiver; he is a liar from the beginning. This creature rebelled against God, and there followed with him a great company of angels.
Peter tells us that some of the angels who rebelled are already in chains, they are already incarcerated, but some of them have not yet been brought into that place of being inoperative. They are very active in the world today, and I believe they are the demons that we read about in the Word of God. I think we are seeing today a reappearance of the supernatural. I have considered giving a message on this subject of demons because so much that is false is being taught today. There is a reality in the supernatural world, and because a so-called miracle takes place does not mean that God did it. After all, Satan has a certain degree of power.
Therefore, this verse is a reference to that which took place before man was put on this earth, when there was a rebellion against God led by Satan.
“Cast them down to hell.” The word for “hell” here is an unusual word which does not occur in very many places in Scripture. The Greek word is tartarus. The Greeks spoke of the lost being in tartarus. It is not hell as we think of it. Hell has not really been opened up to do business yet and will not be opened up until much later. The Devil is not in hell; he is abroad in God’s creation. He goes into the presence of God, according to the Book of Job; and he is like a roaring lion, going up and down this earth, seeking whom he may devour, Peter told us in his first epistle. Although Satan is not in hell, certain of his angels have already been incarcerated.
“And delivered them into chains of darkness.” The Greek word for “chains” is seira. Many believe it should be seiroµos, for that is the word used in many of the better texts. Seiroµs means “pits or caverns.” The two words are very similar. Apparently these angels are in pits of darkness. People think of hell as being a place of fire, but I think it is a place of darkness. Darkness and fire just don’t go together, because a fire makes light. Can you imagine being in darkness for eternity?
“To be reserved unto judgment.” They have not yet been judged. The indictment has been made against them. God has declared them guilty, and they are waiting for the judgment to come.
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly [2 Pet. 2:5].
“And spared not the old world.” In chapter 3 Peter will talk about three worlds—the world that was, the world that is, and the world that is to come. God “spared not the old world,” that is, the world before Noah.
“But saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness.” There were seven others with Noah. Noah, his three sons, their wives, and Noah’s wife are the eight persons who came through the Flood.
“Bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.” The people were religious; they simply left the living and true God out of their religion. They were living as if God didn’t exist at all. They were living in the flesh. It is a false idea today that you and I, in the flesh, have some good in us. Paul says, “I have discovered that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing” (see Rom. 7:18).
I read a report by Dr. Turnbull in his book, Mountain People. He made a study of a people called the Ik who have been discovered in Africa and who are absolutely living lower than animals. Dr. Turnbull reports that the children are cast off by the mother at the age of three and must provide for themselves or die. They find berries and bark and insects, and they scavenge around for what is left by wild animals. The stronger ones literally take food from the mouths of the elderly. The author said that it would be an insult to animals to call these people’s behavior bestiality. Dr. Turnbull (who is a humanist and not a Christian) said that the Ik teach us that our much-vaunted human values are not inherent in humanity at all, but are associated only with a particular form of survival called society, and that all, even society itself, are luxuries that can be dispensed with. In other words, man apart from God is nothing in the world but an animal, and it is an insult to an animal to say that. You see, it is God who gives values; it is God who gives moral standards, and none of them are inherent in us.
Noah lived in a day when there was rebellion against God, a day when the world had become lawless. Genesis tells us, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Violence was abroad in the earth in that day. God moved in with the judgment of the Flood and brought an end to that pre-Noachic world. It was a world that had become, with the exception of one man and his family, a totally godless world. God did well in bringing judgment at that particular time. You can well see that it would not have been long until the entire world would have been in such a condition that God would have had to judge it and there would have been salvation for no one after that. In His judgment God had in mind the future that was coming, and His judgment reveals His care and respect for the human life He had created.
Immediately after the Flood, in order to curtail lawlessness and crime, God gave to man this edict: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Gen. 9:6). It is nonsense today to argue against capital punishment by saying that the Bible says, “Thou shalt not murder.” “Thou shalt not murder” has reference to an individual who harbors hatred in his heart and, expressing his own fleshly feelings in anger or hatred, he slays another human being. My friend, that’s murder. But God has given to governments the authority to execute any man who takes another man’s life. Why? Listen to me for just a moment: You do not show respect for human life by letting off a murderer who has destroyed another human being. You show respect and value for human life when you take the life of a murderer who fails to respect another human being but despises him by killing him for some selfish or sinful reason.
Today the pendulum of the clock of public opinion is over on the side of the criminal. The sympathy goes to him: “Oh, he’s a human being. We don’t want to take his life.” But he took someone else’s life! We have had many softhearted and softheaded judges in this land, and we are far from God and His Word. Lawlessness has become so bad that the people of California have voted to reinstate capital punishment. Yet it is almost impossible to enforce it because of the godless leaders we have today. They know not God. They know not God’s plan and program. Instead of being put in prison, the criminals are running the streets today, and the honest citizens are in prison in their own homes. I was in a home recently in the East where there were half a dozen locks on one door because that lovely home had been broken into. Criminals and thieves are abroad today. Dignity and respect for human life are shown when they are locked up, my friend.
Our nation has more than three strikes against it. Not only are we a nation of alcoholics, but also of murderers and thieves. The situation is alarming. Why have we come to this point? When I was in college, they didn’t teach morals because they said that was not the purpose of education. “After all,” they said, “if you just educate little Willy, he will come out all right.” Little Willy is sort of a cross between a piece of Dresden china and a hothouse orchid. You don’t want to apply the board of education to the seat of knowledge for fear you might ruin his little “umph” and he won’t be able to express himself like the little flower that he is! Well, little Willy is expressing himself today: he is a thief, he’s a murderer, he’s a homosexual. My friend, may I say to you, the Lord Jesus said that out of the human heart proceed the ugliest, nastiest things that are imaginable. We need discipline. The unsaved world must have discipline from a government. If it does not, that nation will be destroyed. God laid down this principle for governments following His judgment upon the world of Noah’s day.
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly [2 Pet. 2:6].
You can read the record of this in Genesis, chapter 19. It was the flesh that God judged at Sodom and Gomorrah. The inhabitants were given over to sodomy. Homosexuality was approved of in Sodom, and it is approved of in the United States.
The flesh is an ugly thing. You and I have that old nature, and it is a nature which expresses itself in that which is ugly, that which is wicked, that which is nasty. You cannot make me believe that by making homosexuality lawful somehow or other you have added dignity to it. God has said that when men go down that low, He gives them up. You can take it or leave it, but that’s what the Word of God says (see Rom. 1:18–32). The very fact that we have been lenient and have smiled on this type of thing has caused it to increase and grow within our land.
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the Filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) [2 Pet. 2:7–8].
“And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” This word vexed doesn’t seem to me to convey what Peter is really saying. Many people say that Peter does not use good Greek, and yet I have had to look up the meaning of more words that Peter uses than even the apostle Paul uses. The Greek word he uses here is kataponeoµ, which means, according to Trench, “to tire down with toil, to exhaust with labor.” It means “to afflict, to oppress with evil,” actually, “to torment.” One of the methods that communism has used and which apparently is used now in many places is to break down an individual by constantly putting him under a bright light, constantly plaguing him with questions, by pulling out his fingernails, and by doing all manner of torture to him. This word has that idea in it. Lot vexed his soul in the city of Sodom. He was never happy there. He was tormented on the inside. It was torture for him to live in Sodom.
I never got that impression of Lot while reading the Book of Genesis, by the way. I’m glad for Peter’s comment—otherwise I would be apt to say that Lot was not saved. By reading the story back in Genesis of when Lot went down to the city of Sodom, got into politics there, and lost most of his family, I would come to the conclusion that he was not saved. Even when you read what happened with the two single daughters who escaped with him, you might wish that they too had stayed back in Sodom. The point Peter is making is that God got Lot out of that city; He knows “how to deliver the godly.”
We are told in verse 6 that all of this is given to us as an example. An example of what? I think that you and I are going to get two big surprises when we get to heaven. The number one surprise will be that there are not going to be some people in heaven who we were sure were going to make it. They really weren’t genuine, although we thought they were. The second and bigger shock will be this: There are going to be some people in heaven who we never even suspected were real born-again children of God. They didn’t have very much of a testimony down here. Lot is an example of this—I don’t think this man had any testimony for God at all. When the angels came and said that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed, Lot went around to his sons-in-law and said, “I’ve got word from God that He is going to destroy this city. He’s going to judge it. Let’s leave!” The record says, “But he seemed as one that mocked.” I suppose that they said, “We don’t believe you, old man. The kind of life you’ve been living down here doesn’t reveal to us that you have had very much faith and confidence in God.” If I had only Genesis to read, I would have come to the conclusion that Lot didn’t make it to heaven, that he was not a saved man. But Peter says, “He delivered just Lot”—and that does not mean only Lot, because his two daughters went with him, and his wife, although she didn’t get too far away. Lot was called “just” because he was justified in God’s sight.
“And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation [manner of life] of the wicked.” He didn’t go for the way they lived; he hated it. He was a just man, which means that he was justified before God because he trusted God as Abraham did, although he didn’t lead a life like Abraham, one that was a testimony to the world. Lot stands on the page of Scripture as a saint of God who was justified because of his faith, but his life denied everything he believed and he never had a moment’s peace down here.
“For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing.” Just think of the filth that that man had to listen to! Very candidly, I do not believe that a child of God can continually engage in filthy conversation. Filthy conversation will lead to filthy action.
God said to this man, “Lot, you will have to get out of the city. I cannot destroy it with you in it.” You see, in the meantime there was a man named Abraham who was not criticizing Lot but was praying for him. That is a good lesson for many of us. There is a preacher, a friend of mine, who criticizes everything and everybody. One day he was criticizing an outstanding Bible teacher whom I respect and know that God has mightily used. I said to my friend, looking him right straight in the eye, “Have you ever prayed for him?” He turned red and said he hadn’t. I said, “Instead of criticizing him, why don’t you pray for him? If you think he is wrong, pray for him.”
Abraham prayed for the city of Sodom. He wanted his nephew Lot to be spared. Abraham asked God to spare the city for the sake of fifty righteous people. He finally got it down to ten righteous people, and then he stopped praying because he was afraid that Lot was not really a child of God. But Lot was, and God got him out. God said, “I cannot destroy the city until you get out.”
Mrs. Lot left with him, but she looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. That may sound strange. Why should she be turned into a pillar of salt just because she looked back? My friend, it’s what turning and looking back means. Why did she look back? It is obvious that, although she walked out of Sodom, she had left her heart back there. She was intertwined in everything that took place in that town—she belonged to the country club, the Shakespeare club, and every other kind of club. Perhaps the bridge club was having a meeting that afternoon and she really wanted to go. I think she plagued Lot, saying, “Why do we have to leave like this?” Another reason she turned and looked back was because she didn’t believe God would destroy the city. Well, He did destroy the city, and He turned her into a pillar of salt.
The greatest lesson for us in these verses is that God’s rescue of Lot from Sodom prefigures the rapture of the church. May I say to you, the rapture of the church will take place before the Great Tribulation Period, before the judgment comes, because God will not let any of His saints go through it. Even those who are like Lot, the weakest saints, will be taken out. Lot made it, and if you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you can be sure that you will be going out too. This is a marvelous example of the fact that the church will not go through the Great Tribulation Period. They have been justified by faith in Christ, and this man Lot was justified also.
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished [2 Pet. 2:9].
To those who believe that the church is going through the Great Tribulation Period, I would like to say that God knows how to deliver His own. You may not know how, but God knows how. He also knows how “to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” God knows the difference between the godly and the unjust—I don’t. The wheat and tares are growing together today, and He said, “Let them alone. Let them both grow together.” I’m not worried about the tares today, although I must confess that I wish there weren’t so many of them. But wheat and tares are growing—the Word of God is getting out in this glorious day in which we live. One of these days He will make the separation, when He takes His own out of the world and when the lost will be brought before the Great White Throne for judgment.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities [2 Pet. 2:10].
“But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness.” This is a strong statement that Peter makes here. It actually means in the defilements—the defilements of uncleanness. This is a picture of those who are really lower than animals. They are those who delight in that which is vulgar, vile, and vicious. They relish that type of thing.
“And despise government.” Many commentators say that this refers to government here on earth. I have reason to believe, since this word occurs so few times in the Word of God, that it really means “dominion.” The same word kurioteµs is translated “dominion” in verse 8 of Jude and “lordship” in the first chapter of Ephesians. In Ephesians it has to do with spiritual governments. In other words, they despise that which is spiritual, that which God has ordained above us: the angels and the way God is running His universe. They are the ones who ask God to damn everything under the sun. They are not pleased with anything.
Not only that, Peter says, “Presumptuous are they.” That means they are daring. They are daredevils. They don’t mind blaspheming. It makes them feel expansive and big to use such language.
“Self-willed”—that is, they are going to do their own thing.
“They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.” The word for “dignities” is actually glories. They speak evil of that which is sacred, that which is holy. Isn’t it interesting that men take God’s name in vain? They don’t take the city’s name in vain or their boss’s name in vain or the name of some person they hate. But they take God’s name in vain. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, of glories, of this order that God has established in His universe.
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord [2 Pet. 2:11].
The false teachers are lifted up with pride, and they do something that angels don’t dare to do. In the little Epistle of Jude, we find that Jude gives a specific instance of this when Michael the archangel was disputing with Satan about the body of Moses. You see, the Devil didn’t want Moses to appear later in the Promised Land (at the transfiguration of Jesus), and so there was some dispute. God buried the body of Moses. And Jude tells us that Michael would not bring a railing accusation against the Devil, but he simply said, “… The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 9). This is a spirit that we need to manifest today, a spirit of humility, in the sense that we turn all of this over to God. It is pride that causes us to speak as we do. When I hear someone, sometimes even a Christian, talking about the Devil, ridiculing him and calling him names, I have to say that Michael the archangel wouldn’t do that, and if Michael, exalted as he is, wouldn’t do it, a little man down here on earth needs to be very careful.
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption [2 Pet. 2:12].
“But these, as natural brute beasts.” These apostates are like wild animals. We hear a great deal today about man descending from an animal, but both the Old and New Testaments make it very clear that man is capable of living lower than the animals. He’s not descended from anything. He’s right down with them, if you please, and lives like an animal. Peter will give an illustration of this a little later on in this chapter.
They are natural wild animals, “made to be taken and destroyed” just like an animal is taken. They’ve descended to that low plane and have reached the place where they are hopeless and helpless.
They “speak evil of the things that they understand not.” This that Peter says of false teachers can also be applied to many others. Something that has amazed me ever since I became a Christian is how smart some men who are not Christians can be and yet they do not at all understand the Word of God. There have been many brilliant men in the past who had no knowledge of what the Word of God is about. Let me give you an example.
William Wilberforce, a member of the British Parliament, was an alcoholic and lived a very fast life until he was converted. He wanted his friend, Edmund Burke, to hear one of the great preachers of Scotland, and when they were up in Scotland, he took Burke to hear this preacher. Afterward, he was interested to get Burke’s reaction to the sermon. His reaction was very simple, and it revealed something. Burke said, “That man is a brilliant orator, but what was he talking about?” Edmund Burke, one of the great English statesman, when he heard a gospel message, said, “I don’t even know what he is talking about!”
Also I was very much interested to read recently something about a great denomination in this country, a church that down through the years has preached justification by faith. They made a survey and found that 40 percent of their members believe they are saved by their own works. How tragic it is to see that people do not understand the gospel! Many who have been hearing it year in and year out do not understand it at all.
“And shall utterly perish in their own corruption.” Earlier Peter talked about the fact that the child of God has escaped the corruption of the world—but these have not escaped the corruption. Some of them have escaped the pollutions of the world. In other words, there are many lost sinners who say, “I wouldn’t do the things that this low-down individual is doing”—and he wouldn’t. He has escaped the pollutions, but he has not escaped the corruptions. On the outside he is religious; he goes through forms; he does certain works, but his heart is not right with God at all. He has a corrupt heart, and he has done nothing whatsoever about that.
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you [2 Pet. 2:13].
In verses 13–14 we see in the description of apostates the utter corruption of the human heart. When a man thinks wrong, he is going to act wrong—you just cannot escape that fact. There are a great many people who say, “This is my life. I can live it as I please.” It is well known that we have men today in government who are definitely immoral. They have affairs with women who are not their wives. We know that most of them drink, and many of them drink to excess. They say, “This is my business. My private life is my business.” My friend, their private lives are not their business if they are representing this government and representing my country. If they want to lead that kind of life, they ought to get out of government, because they are hurting their country and they are hurting us. We want men in government who are sober, men who are honest, men who are moral men. This is what is desperately needed today.
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children [2 Pet. 2:14].
My, this is harsh language that Peter uses in speaking of false teachers! They are guilty of all of these immoral excesses, and don’t kid yourself that God does not intend to judge them someday.
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness [2 Pet. 2:15].
Balaam is mentioned three times in the closing books of the New Testament. In 2 Peter it is the way of Balaam. In Jude it is the error of Balaam. And it is the doctrine of Balaam in the Book of Revelation. Each one is different. What is “the way of Balaam”? Peter says he is “the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Balaam knew that he should not go and prophesy against Israel, but he loved the price that was being offered to him. Therefore, “the way of Balaam” is the covetousness of one who does religious work for personal profit.
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet [2 Pet. 2:16].
Peter says that Balaam was mad to go and that the jackass he was riding spoke to him. Some wag has said that in the old days it was a miracle when a jackass spoke and now in our day it is a miracle when one of them keeps quiet! This jackass spoke to Balaam and rebuked him because of his covetousness.
My friend, I believe that you can judge the religious racketeer by his standard of living. A friend of mine heard me make the statement that people should check up on radio broadcasters and see what kind of homes they live in and what cars they drive. He thought I was wrong to have made a statement like that, but he decided to check up on one man. He found that man living in a very costly home with two Cadillacs parked in front and an expensive swimming pool behind it. My friend had also heard about certain other excesses in that man’s life, and so he decided that he was supporting the wrong broadcaster. “The way of Balaam”—covetousness. This is one of the ways a false religious teacher can be identified, and God will judge him for it.
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever [2 Pet. 2:17].
As a boy I lived in West Texas. We left there in the third year of a three-year drought. I can remember when we would go into the fields and chop cotton—believe me, in those days cotton didn’t grow well in that country even if there was rain. But sometimes late in the afternoon big thunderheads, big clouds, would gather overhead, and there would be lightning. We’d think, My, we are going to have rain—but we didn’t have rain. How dry it was! Many people are following false teachers who are like that. They are “wells without water.” They are like clouds, beautiful clouds. Oh, how tremendous it is to see and hear these folks. They are very impressive, but there is no water in the well, and there is no rain in the clouds. People are thirsting today for the Word of God, and yet it is not being given to them.
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error [2 Pet. 2:18].
“For when they speak great swelling words of vanity.” These false teachers use beautiful, flowery language. They soar to the heights oratorically, speaking in basso profundo voice.
“They allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness.” It is a religion that appeals to the eye, a religion that appeals to the ear, a religion that appeals even to the nose. One preacher said to me, “I always have my church sprayed on Sunday morning.” He wants it to smell good. Don’t misunderstand me—I think the place ought to look nice; the music ought to be good music, and I don’t mind a fragrant smell, but those things are not to be depended upon. They are the lusts, the desires, of the flesh. But Peter is accusing the false teachers of more than this. “Through much wantonness” refers to lewdness, sexual excesses.
This man Simon Peter is really being sarcastic now—
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage [2 Pet. 2:19].
“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption.” Some habit has these false teachers enslaved, and yet they are promising liberty to others!
“For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” This is the picture that we have before us: they promise liberty, but they don’t really know what it is themselves.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning [2 Pet. 2:20].
These apostates have a head knowledge of Christ. They know the truth but have no love of the truth. They reject what they once professed and become enslaved in some sort of corruption.
And, my friend, I hear many folk say, “Oh, I am very religious. I belong to a certain church. We don’t believe the Bible is really the Word of God, but we talk a lot about love and brotherhood. We have a beautiful church and a lovely service that makes us feel good.” Such people have escaped the pollutions of the world. They are horrified when they read of crime and violence in the newspaper. You see, they have escaped the pollutions of the world but not the corruptions.
“Through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” It is not that they haven’t heard the gospel. They have heard the gospel. One man told me, “I listen to your Bible broadcast nearly every day.” But he had to admit that he didn’t believe anything; he even doubted that there was a God. That man knows the gospel. When someone asked me, “Why don’t you present the gospel to him sometime when you’re playing golf?” I told him, “He’s heard me present the gospel over a hundred times. There is no need of saying any more.” Peter says, “They are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”
In this chapter Peter has dealt very definitely with the apostasy that was coming into the church through false teachers who were creeping in and teaching false doctrines, teaching that which is contrary to the Word of God. Peter says that they pervert the truth of God, and they do it for their own advantage. These false teachers exalt themselves instead of exalting Christ. They do not use the Word of God except for a few little proof texts that more or less clothe their teaching with a pious halo. They use big words which are counterfeit words. They try to impress people that they are very intellectual, and they are interested in making money. They claim that they can change people. I know that I will get into trouble by saying this, but I think you ought to examine very carefully anyone who claims to have a supernatural power to heal or to perform miracles. Another thing that sometimes identifies a false teacher is that he is living secretly in lust and sin. You and I cannot fight these false teachers; I’m not attempting to fight them; I’m just trying to expose them. But one day God is going to expose them, and He is going to judge them.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them [2 Pet. 2:21].
Now Peter concludes all this by saying that it actually would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to then turn from the gospel.
I have done something in my ministry which has not been original with me at all. I heard the late Dr. A. C. Gaebelein say this, and it was so effective and so true that I have used it on many occasions. I will sometimes conclude a message by saying, “Friends, if you came in here today unsaved and you walk out of here unsaved, I am the worst enemy that you have ever had, because you have heard the gospel and you can never go into the presence of God and tell Him that you have never heard the gospel. You have heard it, and it will be worse for you when God pronounces judgment than for any heathen in the darkest part of the earth today.”
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire [2 Pet. 2:22].
Peter speaks of these false teachers, using the term dog. To the Jewish mind there was nothing lower than a dog, by the way. “The dog is turned to his own vomit again.” Peter draws from Proverbs 26:11 to show that they will return to their true, natural, unchanged condition.
“And the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” It is Simon Peter who gives us the parable of the prodigal pig. You may never have heard the parable of the prodigal pig, but here it is. It is, of course, based on the parable of the prodigal son, which is one of the greatest parables the Lord Jesus ever gave (see Luke 15:11–32).
There are those who say that you cannot preach the gospel from the parable of the prodigal son. However, the first time that I ever went forward in a meeting was under a brush arbor in southern Oklahoma in a little place called Springer. It’s not much of a place today, I’m told, and it certainly wasn’t in that day. I went forward and knelt down, and all I can remember of that night is that the preacher preached on the prodigal son. I can remember the figures of speech that he used. He took the prodigal son through all the nightclubs and places of sin. That night all the saints sinned vicariously through the preacher’s message. Believe me, it was a very effective message. I’m confident that others got saved that night, but nobody took the time to explain to me about the gospel. I didn’t really understand it, and my life afterward revealed that I wasn’t saved, but my heart was certainly open for it.
Actually, the story of the prodigal son is not how a sinner becomes a son but how a son becomes a sinner. The account, as recorded in Luke 15, is a familiar story. You remember that there was a father who had two boys. One of the boys, the younger one, wanted to take off for the far country. Dr. Streeter calls this the sin of propinquity. That is a big word, but it simply means that the things near at hand are not so attractive but that the faraway places have an allurement, an enchantment. I think the chief allurement of sin is its mystery. The old bromide that grass is greener on the other side of the fence is the story of this boy.
So the boy ran away and soon was living it up. When he had plenty of money, the fair-weather friends were with him, but they soon faded away. He ended up having to go out and get a job working for a man who raised pigs. When the Lord Jesus mentioned that, both the publicans and Pharisees winced, because a Jewish boy could have sunk no lower than that. He hit bottom. In effect, he was on drugs, involved in sexual immorality, and all that type of thing. This boy was down in the pigpen.
Again, let’s understand what the parable is primarily teaching. It is not showing how a sinner gets saved, but it reveals the heart of the Father who will not only save a sinner but will take back a son who sins. Someone asked the late Dr. Harry Rimmer, “Suppose the boy had died in the pigpen? What then?” Dr. Rimmer said, “Well, if he had died in the pigpen, there is one thing for sure, he would not have been a dead pig. He was a son.” He was a son when he left home; he was a son when he got to the far country; he was a son while he was living in sin; and he was a son in the pigpen. And because he was a son, he made a statement one day, a statement that no pig could ever have made. He said, “My father lives up yonder in that great big home. He has servants who are better off than I am. I am his son, but I’m living down here with the pigs. I will arise, and I will go to my father.” No pig could say that, unless he was going in the opposite direction, heading back toward the pigpen.
Now what is the father going to do with his boy when he returns home? According to the Mosaic Law, that boy was to have been stoned to death (see Deut. 21:18–21)—but he wasn’t stoned to death. The son went back and made his confession, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you!” But his father wouldn’t let him finish. You would expect the father to have said to one of his servants, “Go down and cut off some hickory limbs and bring them back to me. I’m going to whip this boy within an inch of his life. He has disgraced my name; he’s spent my substance; he’s wasted his time. He has been in sin, and I’m going to teach him.” But that’s not what happened at all. The boy, you see, had gotten his whipping in the far country. All prodigals get their whipping when they are away from home. When they come back to the heavenly Father, there is always a banquet, a robe, and a ring. And “they began to be merry.” The fun was up at the father’s house and never in the pigpen.
The interesting thing now is that Peter says, “And the sow that was washed [returned] to her wallowing in the mire.” Now we can add something to the parable of the prodigal son. One of those little pigs in the pigpen said to the prodigal son, “You say you want to leave this lovely pigpen with all of this nice mud and goo, and you want to go up to your father’s house? That sounds good; in fact, you’ve sold me. I think maybe I’d like to go up there with you and try it myself.”
So the prodigal son told him, “If you go up there, things are sure going to be different! You are going to have to clean up.”
When they got to the father’s house, the father put his arms around the boy and said, “Bring forth the robe.” Actually, he could smell those clothes his son had been wearing in the pigpen, and what he really meant was, “Give him a good bath and then put a new robe on him. He can’t smell like that or live like that in my house.”
The little pig went with the prodigal son, and he had to get all cleaned up too. They washed this little pig up nicely and tied a pink ribbon around his neck. They brushed his teeth with Pepsodent, and the little pig went squealing through the house. But it was only a couple of days until the little pig came to the prodigal son with a downcast look and said, “Prodigal Son, I don’t like it here.”
And the son said, “Why, I am having the best time I’ve ever had in my life since I came home, and you say you don’t like it here! What’s wrong?”
The little pig replied, “I don’t like this idea of having white sheets on the bed. If we could just get to a place where there is plenty of good, sloppy mud, I could sleep better there.”
“We just don’t do that here in the father’s house,” said the prodigal son. “You just can’t live in a pigpen here”
“Another thing I don’t like is sitting at a table, using a knife and fork, and having a white tablecloth, and eating out of a plate. Why couldn’t we have a trough down on the floor and put everything in there? We could all jump in and have the biggest time of our lives.”
“We don’t do that here!” said the son.
And the little pig said, “Well, I think I’ll arise and go to my father.” His old man wasn’t in that house, and so he started back to his home. He had been all cleaned up, but he went back to the pigpen and found his old man right down in the middle of the biggest loblolly you’ve ever seen—mud all around him, dirty, filthy, and smelly. That little old pig began to squeal and made a leap for it. He jumped in right beside his father, saying, “Old man, I sure am glad to get back home!” You know why? Because he was a pig.
I had the privilege of being pastor in a downtown Los Angeles church beginning in 1949. Those were the years when subdivisions were beginning to be built in Southern California. That’s the period when the population doubled again and again. People came from everywhere, and we saw a tremendous ingathering in the church I pastored during that period. I have always thanked the Lord that He gave me the privilege of being in that unique position at just the right time.
Although it was a great time because so many folk turned to the Lord, there was always the problem of how to tell the pigs from the sons—that is, professing Christians from real born-again believers. It was difficult and confusing, but I learned something. I found that at one end of the road was the Father’s house, at the other end of the road was a pigpen, and there were always prodigal sons who were going back to the Father’s house.
I talked to a preacher’s son one time when he came in to see me. He was a handsome young man who had come out to Hollywood to make it big, but he was one of those who didn’t have the charisma and didn’t quite make it. He got in with the wrong crowd and began to drink. He saw that he was going down and down. He was a prodigal son—he wasn’t a pig. He hated the life he had been living. When he came to see me, he said “My dad is a wonderful man. I’ve let him down so, and I just don’t know how he would receive me. I don’t know whether I can go home or not.”
I said, “Let me call him, and if he doesn’t want to talk to you, we’ll just hang up,” and the boy agreed. So I called this man who is a very fine minister, and after we had exchanged a few pleasantries about the weather and such, I knew that he was wondering why I was calling him. I said, “I have somebody here in my study who would like to talk to you.”
He knew who it was. He knew that his boy wasn’t a pig but a son. That father broke down and said, “Is it my boy?”
I said, “Yes.”
“Let me talk to him.” The boy began to weep, and I’m sure the father was weeping too.
I just walked out of my study to let them talk. I came back in after the young man had hung up, and he said to me, “I’m going home.”
However, the transition is always confusing because sometimes the prodigal sons are on the other side of the road going down to the pigpen. To add to the confusion, sometimes a pig will get out of the pigpen and go up to the Father’s house. But he is a pig—he won’t like it there. He may get all washed and cleaned up and become very religious. Sometimes he may even be made a deacon in the church. You just can’t tell because he’s all cleaned up on the outside; but inside he has the heart of a pig, and a pig loves the mire.
One time a lady came to me and said, “I used to know this man back East when he was a superintendent of a Sunday school and a deacon in the church. He’s here on the West Coast now. He’s drinking, he’s divorced his wife, and he’s running around. Is he saved or not?” I told her I didn’t know, and she said, “You mean that you are a preacher, and you don’t know whether that man is saved or not?”
I said, “No, I really don’t know. I couldn’t tell you, because all I can see is the outside. But I’ll tell you what we’ll do. We are in this great metropolitan area where there is a road with a pigpen at one end of it and the Father’s house at the other end. I’ve learned that, if you wait long enough, all the pigs will go down to the pigpen and all the prodigal sons will go home to the Father’s house. Just wait and see. If that man continues to live in the pigpen, we can know that he is a pig—because Peter says that the pig that was washed has now returned to her wallowing in the mire.”
This is the mark of the apostate, and it is a frightful picture. I know of no more frightful picture in the Word of God other than chapter 18 of the Book of Revelation.
I will conclude with a poem written by a friend who heard me preach on this subject of the prodigal pig.
A Pig is a Pig
“Come home with me,” said the prodigal son.
“We’ll sing and dance and have lots of fun.
“We’ll wine and dine with women and song.
You’ll forget you’re a pig before very long.”
So the pig slipped out while the momma was asleep,
Shook off the mud from the mire so deep.
Around his neck was a bow so big,
He’s gonna show the world, a pig’s not a pig!
With his snout in the air he trotted along,
With the prodigal son who was singin’ a song.
It must be great to be a rich man’s son,
He would surely find out ’fore the day was done!
It didn’t take him long to realize his mistake—
He’d been scrubbed and rubbed till his muscles ached!
He squealed when they put a gold ring in his nose
And winced with pain when they trimmed his toes.
He sat at the table on a stool so high,
A bib around his neck and a fork to try,
While the prodigal son, in his lovely robe,
Kept feeding his face, so glad to be home!
When the meat came around, the pig gave a moan—
It looked too much like a kind of his own.
He jumped from his chair with a grunt and a groan,
Darted through the door and headed for home.
His four little feet made the dust ride high
For he didn’t stop till he reached that sty!
It’s what’s on the inside that counts, my friend,
For a pig is a pig to the very end!
—Evelyn C. Sanders
CHAPTER 3
Theme: Attitude toward return of the Lord, a test of apostates; agenda of God for the world—past world, present world, future world; admonition to believers
There are three major divisions in this chapter: (1) The attitude toward the return to the Lord as a test of apostates; (2) the agenda of God for the world; and (3) the admonition to believers.
This is another remarkable chapter which Peter has written.
ATTITUDE TOWARD RETURN OF THE LORD—A TEST OF APOSTATES
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance [2 Pet. 3:1].
Simon Peter makes it clear that he is the writer of both epistles.
“I stir up your pure minds”—“pure” is not the best translation. A better translation would be “sincere.” I don’t think that the saints back in Peter’s day had minds which were any more pure than our minds are today—and I haven’t found anyone yet who I thought had a pure mind. If you feel that you have a pure mind, I just haven’t met you yet.
There is a certain cult which began in Chicago and majored in contemplation. Instead of having a big temple, as many of the cults do, this cult prepared little booths where a person may go and contemplate and think beautiful thoughts. These booths have beautiful pictures in them; the furnishings are rather plush, and everything is there for comfort to make the person feel good. Everything about the surroundings is lovely. The person is to sit in that booth and think pure thoughts.
I read about that when I was in Chicago many years ago and thought I would try it out. I didn’t want to go to the cult’s booths; so I sat in my hotel room. There were pictures on the wall—they weren’t masterpieces, to be sure, but the room was attractive. I sat there and said to myself, “Now I am going to think some beautiful thoughts.” Do you want to know something? I could think of the meanest, dirtiest things I have ever thought of in my whole life!
My friend, our minds are not pure minds, and the word Peter uses means “sincere” rather than pure. He is addressing genuine believers.
He is saying, “I want to stir up your sincere minds by way of remembrance.” This is not something new he is going to talk to them about; he just wants to stir up their memories.
A man said to me, “I have a good memory. My problem is that my forgettery is even better.” Well, many of us have that same problem, and Simon Peter could tell you about it from his own experience. On that night when he denied our Lord while he was warming his hands by the enemy’s fire, he forgot all about the fact that the Lord Jesus had said that he would deny Him. The record tells us, “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Luke 22:61). Peter had forgotten all about it, you see. He had the same frailties that we have, and so he wants to stir up their (and our) sincere minds by way of remembrance.
Now what is it that he wants them to remember?
That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour [2 Pet. 3:2].
“The holy prophets” are the Old Testament writers. “And of the commandment of us the apostles.” Notice that Simon Peter doesn’t put himself in a position of being above the other apostles; he is just one of the boys. Before he finishes this epistle, he will refer to something Paul had written, which means he includes Paul as an apostle also. He is saying that the things he is going to remind them of had been written about by the other apostles and also had been the subject of the Old Testament prophets.
Now notice the subject—
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts [2 Pet. 3:3].
“Knowing this first”—this was something they were to know first of all.
“There shall come in the last days”—these are the days in which you and I live, and they will continue on into the Great Tribulation Period after the church is gone from the earth.
“Scoffers” will be the apostates whom he described so vividly back in chapter 2. These scoffers evidently will be members of churches, and many of them pastors, who will be “walking after their own lusts,” their own desires, not attempting to follow the Word of God. You see, it is this type of person who attacks the truths of the Bible. If a man is willing to forsake his sins and is willing to receive Christ, God will make His Word real to him. Paul, writing in 2 Corinthians 3, said that a veil is over their minds; but if their hearts will turn to God, the veil will be removed. Their problem is not intellectual; their problem is heart trouble. And so they put forward a false argument:
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation [2 Pet. 3:4].
“Where is the promise of his coming?” In other words, they will say something like this, “Some of you premillennial folk have been saying for years that the Lord Jesus is going to come back and take the church out of the world, and then after a seven-year period of tribulation, He will come to the earth to establish His kingdom. Well, where is He? Why hasn’t He come?” They are going to scoff at it. The second coming of Christ will be denied—not only by the atheist or Communist standing out yonder on a soap box, but it will also be denied by those who stand in the pulpit and profess to be believers.
Now what did the Old Testament prophets write about? They wrote about the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. What did the New Testament apostles write about? They wrote about Christ’s coming to take the church out of the world and then, after the Great Tribulation, about His coming to the earth to establish His kingdom. Notice that the Old Testament prophets did not write about the church—not one of them did. They wrote only about His coming to earth to establish His kingdom.
It was the Lord Jesus Himself who first revealed that He would be coming for His own. He said, as recorded in John, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself …” (John 14:2–3). The place He was going to prepare was not down here. It was not on the other side of the Mount of Olives—if you doubt that, go look at it; it is a desolate place. Our Lord went back to heaven, and that is where He is preparing a place for us. And He promised to come back for us. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, we are told that we will meet Him in the air.
Let me repeat: The prophecy in the Old Testament of Christ’s coming was to establish His kingdom upon the earth; the prophecy in the New Testament of His coming was first to take His church out of the world and then to come to establish His kingdom upon the earth.
“For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” This is the “proof” which the scoffers will offer, and, by the way, it is the most prevalent argument given in our day. “The fathers” would refer all the way back to father Adam.
The scoffers adopt the doctrine of laissez faire or let’s continue with the status quo. Nothing unusual has happened in the past. Things have just progressed along. Man has evolved, and things have come along gently and nicely in the past. Peter is going to say, “That’s where you are absolutely wrong. If you think nothing has happened in the past, let me tell you about it!”
AGENDA OF GOD FOR THE WORLD
Now Peter is going to talk about three worlds in one. That is not something strange to us. Older folks will remember using two-in-one shoe polish. Then there was a sewing machine company that put out three-in-one oil. Well, you and I live in a three-in-one world.
We have been hearing a great deal about one world, and certainly the world is moving toward the day when a world dictator will take over. I don’t think there is any question about that in the minds of thoughtful men. Great thinkers of this century have taken the position that we have come to a crisis and to the end of man on the earth.
PAST WORLD
Peter presents a three-in-one world. Let’s first look at world number one, the world that was.
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished [2 Pet. 3:5–6].
“For this they willingly are ignorant of.” My, this puts a great many scientists and Ph.D.’s in a pretty bad light!
“The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” That is, the world of people and of animals disappeared. This could refer to the world before Adam was put here, or it could refer to the Flood in Noah’s day. I have vacillated between these two viewpoints, but I lean toward the latter now.
Regarding the first viewpoint, let me say that many of us believe that there is a hiatus between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 and that a great catastrophe took place at that time. Today this view is largely rejected by the majority of Christians who are scientists. However, scientists change their theories over the years, and I am not prepared to go along with them yet.
There was a judgment in the pre-Adamic world, before man was put here. We have a suggestion of what took place in Isaiah 14:12–14: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Satan’s desire was never to be unlike God. He wanted to take God’s place. And there are a great many human beings who want to be little gods down here. Any man who is working on his own salvation, whose theory is that he is good enough for heaven, ignores the fact that he is dealing with the holy God. He does not seem to realize that man is a sinner, that man is lost, and that God has provided a way of redemption for him. The Lord Jesus said, “… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Remember that it was the God-man who said that! Now, if you think you can go to the Father on your own, what you are saying is this: “Move over, God. I’m coming up to sit beside you because I am a god also.” That, you see, was Satan’s desire, and it occasioned a judgment which evidently took out of heaven a great company of angels who had joined forces with Satan, Lucifer, son of the morning.
The other possibility is that Peter is speaking about the water judgment that took place in Noah’s day. I have asked several outstanding Bible teachers what judgment they thought Peter had in mind, and there was some disagreement although most of them thought it referred to the Flood of Noah’s day. Surely that seems to be the suggestion here.
The antediluvian civilization was destroyed with a flood, and there is abundant evidence for this. The great shaft which was put down at the site of ancient Ur of the Chaldees shows that there were several civilizations destroyed. In the excavation, the archaeologists came to a great deal of sand and silt with quite a bit of sediment which was deposited there by a flood. Then beneath all this, they found the remains of a very high civilization. Personally, I believe that Peter refers directly to the Flood of Noah’s day, and surely this earth bears abundant evidence of such a flood.
Now, whether Peter was referring to the pre-Adamic judgment or to the judgment in Noah’s day is a matter of conjecture. It makes no difference at all which view you hold as to when the world was “overflowed with water, [and] perished.” The important thing is that it did occur at some point in the past. There is abundant evidence that some great cataclysm did take place and that all things have not continued as they were from the beginning of the creation.
PRESENT WORLD
Now Peter presents world number two, the world that is. You and I live in world number two.
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men [2 Pet. 3:7].
This says that this earth has been stored up for fire. This is a very interesting expression, by the way, and it not only means stored up for fire but also stored up with fire (that could easily be the translation of it). The suggestion is that there are resident forces present in the world which could destroy it. It is not that God is going to rain fire down from heaven but that this earth carries its own judgment. How well we know this today! You and I are living on a powder keg-or, more literally, on an atom bomb. There will never be another flood to destroy the world. That judgment is past; water destroyed the world that was. Now the world that is is reserved for another judgment, the judgment of fire. In other words, this present order of things in this world is temporary. It is moving toward another judgment, and Peter will give us more details in verse 10.
“Kept in store” is the same Greek word that the Lord Jesus used when He told of the man who was laying up treasure. Well, God had been laying up this secret of how He made this universe, and it seems that man has broken into God’s secret treasure house. It seems that man has opened a veritable Pandora’s box, and today thoughtful men are frightened.
Dr. Urey from the University of Chicago, who worked on the atomic bomb, began an article several years ago in Collier’s magazine by saying, “I am a frightened man, and I want to frighten you.”
Winston Churchill said, “Time is short.”
Mr. Luce, the owner of Life, Time, and Fortune magazines, addressed a group of missionaries who were the first to return to their fields after World War Il. Speaking in San Francisco, he made the statement that when he was a boy, the son of a Presbyterian missionary in China, he and his father often discussed the premillennial coming of Christ, and he thought that all missionaries who believed in that teaching were inclined to be fanatical. And then Mr. Luce said, “I wonder if there wasn’t something to that position after all.”
Dr. Charles Beard, the American historian, says, “All over the world the thinkers and searchers who scan the horizon of the future are attempting to assess the values of civilization and speculating about its destiny.”
Dr. William Yogt, in the Road to Civilization, said, “The handwriting on the wall of five continents now tells us that the Day of Judgment is at hand.”
Dr. Raymond B. Fosdick, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said, “To many ears comes the sound of the tramp of doom. Time is short.”
H. G. Wells declared before he died, “This world is at the end of its tether. The end of everything we call life is close at hand.”
General Douglas MacArthur said, “We have had our last chance.”
Former President Dwight Eisenhower said, “Without a moral regeneration throughout the world there is no hope for us as we are going to disappear one day in the dust of an Atomic Explosion.”
And Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, ex-president of Columbia University, said, “The end cannot be far distant.”
If men from all walks of life are speaking in this manner, certainly you and I, who have believed the Bible and who have had through all these years such a clear statement concerning the judgment that is coming upon this world and the way in which it is to be destroyed, should be alert. Do not misunderstand me, I am not saying that the atomic bomb will be God’s method for the destruction of this world. I am merely saying that man at last has found out that this passage in 2 Peter makes good sense. This is a way that is not only logical but is scientific by which God can destroy this universe.
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day [2 Pet. 3:8].
Now it is obvious that the destruction of the earth and heavens will take place during the Day of the Lord, which is an extended period of time including the seven years of tribulation and the one thousand years of the millennial kingdom. When the Lord Jesus returns to the earth at the end of the Great Tribulation Period and establishes His kingdom here, He is going to renovate this earth—but that will not be a permanent renovation. Not until after the Tribulation and after the Millennium will the dissolution of the earth and the heavens (of which Peter speaks) occur. So you see, my friend, even if the Rapture should take place tomorrow, it still would be a thousand and seven years before this destruction.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance [2 Pet. 3:9].
God is longsuffering; He is patient; He is not rushing things. After all, He has eternity behind Him and eternity ahead of Him. He doesn’t need to worry about time! To Him a thousand years is as one day and one day is as a thousand years. But the point is that the final judgment, the dissolution of the earth and the heavens, is coming. In the meantime, He is giving men everywhere a further opportunity to repent and turn to Himself. This is the reason you and I need to get the Word of God out. It is the only thing that can change hearts and lives. It is by the Word of God that folk are born again—as Peter said in his first epistle, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23).
“Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” It is not God’s will that you should perish. One of the reasons that you have been reading this book is simply because God does not want you to come into judgment; He wants you to pass from death unto life. And you can do that—you can turn to Him and receive the wonderful salvation that He has for you.
Do you know that you cannot keep God from loving you? You can reject His love, but you cannot keep Him from loving you. Neither can you keep it from raining, but you can raise an umbrella to keep the rain from falling on you. Also, you can raise the umbrella of indifference or the umbrella of sin or the umbrella of rebellion so that you won’t experience God’s love, but you cannot keep Him from loving you.
A story comes out of Greek mythology which illustrates my point: A young man had a very wonderful mother, but he fell in love with a very ungodly girl. The ungodly girl hated the boy’s mother and could not bear to be in her presence. It was not because the mother rebuked her, but her very character and her very presence were a rebuke to this girl. Nevertheless, this boy was desperately in love with her, for she was beautiful. And finally he pleaded with her to marry him, and she said, “Only on one condition: you must cut out your mother’s heart and bring it to me.” Well, this boy was so madly in love and so desperate that he descended to the low plane of committing this diabolical deed. He killed his mother, cut out her heart and was taking it to the girl when, on the way, he stumbled and fell. The heart spoke out, “My son, did you hurt yourseIf?”
My friend, you can slap God in the face; you can turn your back on Him; you can blaspheme Him, but you cannot keep Him from wanting to save you. You cannot keep Him from loving you, for He provided a Savior, His own Son, to die in your place. The Lord Jesus will save you if you will receive the salvation He offers. My friend, things are not going to continue as they are now. Oh, I know the monotony of life today, the ennui of it all. Well, it is coming to an end, and judgment will come. You and I are living in a world which is moving toward judgment.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up [2 Pet. 3:10].
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” There is some argument as to whether this takes place at the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom or at the end of the millennial kingdom. I am convinced that the Day of the Lord is an extended period of time which opens with the Tribulation, followed by the thousand-year reign of Christ, the brief rebellion led by Satan, and the judgment of the Great White Throne. Then, as we find in the Book of Revelation, the new heavens and the new earth come into view.
“As a thief in the night,” the same expression which Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, indicates that it will begin unexpectedly.
“In the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” The Greek word used here for “noise” is rhoizeµdon. It is the word used for the swish of an arrow, the rush of wings, the splash of water, the hiss of a serpent. Have you ever listened to an atom bomb go off? Do you remember a number of years ago when they were experimenting with the bombs and we could see and hear them on television? This is the very word and the only word I know that could describe such a noise.
“And the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” You see, matter is not eternal as was once believed; you can get rid of matter—that is, it can be converted into energy. Peter speaks here of “the elements,” the little building blocks of the universe, the stoicheia as it is in the Greek. Stoicheion is a better word than our word atom which comes from a Greek word meaning something you cannot cut, because we have found that an atom can be cut and it can be taken apart.
“Melt” employs one of the simplest Greek words, the verb luoµ, which simply means “to untie or to unloose.” By untying the atom, man has been able to produce a little bomb that can do tremendous wonders. Today men are trying to release that energy because you and I live in a world that is running out of resources. When God stocked this earth, He put plenty of oil in it, and He put plenty of groceries here. It was like a great supermarket. Men came and prostituted this earth. They have polluted the earth and are beginning to use up all that God had put in the pantry and all that He had put in the filling station. But there is a tremendous potential of energy in the little atom, and I tell you, when God destroys this earth someday, it is going to be a tremendous thing. I think that it will be just like a great atomic explosion, and the earth will go into nothing. I have always felt that the Lord will probably turn the little atoms wrong side out and use the other side of them for a while. When He does that, man will never be able to untie them again.
“The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” This will certainly include the tremendous amount of water that is on the earth—it will be burned up. We know today that water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen, and both of them are gases that are inflammable and can be very explosive. Firemen tell us that there are certain kinds of fire which, when water is put on them, are only helped along by it. Firefighters have to use certain kinds of chemicals to put out such fires. “The works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Peter is saying that God will judge in the future just as He has in the past. At the beginning of this chapter, Peter says that the scoffers will say, “All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (v. 4). The scoffer’s great fallacy is in not knowing the past, yet it is the evolutionist who makes so much of the fact that there was a great catastrophe in the past. The great mountains out here in the West, the High Sierras, were thrown up at that time by some great convulsion of nature. That happened sometime in the past, and it was a judgment of God, if you please.
The Day of the Lord will include judgment also. The “day of the Lord” is a familiar term in Scripture. The prophets used it, the Lord Jesus used it, and many of the New Testament writers used it. It is a technical term. The Day of the Lord begins in darkness, as the Old Testament prophets said—it begins with tribulation. It ends with this great atomic explosion, this great judgment of the earth by its being dissolved by fire. Between these two great events is the period of the seven years of tribulation, the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom, the millennial kingdom, the brief release of Satan and the rebellion of those who rally to him, Satan’s final confinement, and the Great White Throne judgment of the lost. Then after the judgment of the earth, which Peter is describing, the new heaven and the new earth come into view.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness [2 Pet. 3:11].
Now Peter says that, in view of the fact of what has happened and what God is going to do in the future, you and I ought not to be standing on the sidelines, twiddling our thumbs, and indulging in criticism. Christians find it so easy to criticize others, but specifically, what are you doing today to get out the Word of God? That is the important question in this hour for every Christian, every church, every pastor. Every person sitting in the pew needs to say to himself: “I am not here to sit in judgment on the preacher; I’m not here to judge other Christians; I am here to get out the Word of God, to do something positive. The question is: What am I doing to that end?”
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? [2 Pet. 3.12].
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.” Peter is writing to the Diaspora, the Jews scattered abroad, and he says that the day of God is coming.
“Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved.” After the dissolution of the present heavens, the day of God, which is eternity, as we see in Revelation 21:1, will come.
“Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” This is one of the most remarkable statements you could possibly have coming from a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. I don’t imagine that Peter figured out how the water, that sea where he fished, would burn. He didn’t know how all this could be dissolved and melted. But the elements, that which we call atoms, the building blocks of the universe, are to be absolutely melted. However, this time Peter uses a different Greek word for “melt” than he used in verse 10. It is teµkomai, a word that means actually “wasting away, the wasting away of nature.” This could possibly suggest the effects of radioactivity when an atomic bomb goes off.
FUTURE WORLD
Now Peter comes to that which is ahead—the world that shall be. Just because the earth will be dissolved does not mean that God is through with the earth. As the earth was judged in the past, it will be judged in the future, but the earth will go on.
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness [2 Pet. 3:13].
Righteousness does not dwell in this earth today. It is not at home in this earth. It’s not at home in Washington, D.C. It’s not at home in any of the capitals of the world. It’s not at home in your hometown, and it’s not at home where you live today. But righteousness will dwell in the new earth and in the new heavens.
In Hamlet Shakespeare described his day by saying, “The time is out of joint.” He was right—the times are out of joint. Some other poets have waxed rather eloquent, have soared to the heights and, I think, have misrepresented things. For instance, Browning, in “Pippa Passes,” wrote:
The lark’s on the wing;
The snails on the thorn:
God’s in his heaven—
All right with the world!
The lark is on the wing, the snail is on the thorn (in fact, he’s in my backyard), God is in His heaven, but things are not right in the world today. I’m glad there is another world, a new heaven and a new earth, that is coming on. It is going to be wonderful. I have always enjoyed trading in my old car and getting a new model. God has a new model of the earth coming on, and I’ll be glad when it arrives. It will be a wonderful earth because it will be characterized by righteousness, and it will be an earth in which righteousness will actually dwell.
ADMONITION TO BELIEVERS
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may he found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless [2 Pet. 3:14].
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things”—that is, since we know that the earth and all its works will be burned up, we realize how important a life of godliness is here and now. We are to live a holy life down here, a life separated unto God. Friend, after all, what is really worthwhile in this earth today? What are your goals? Are you a productive Christian moving toward a worthwhile goal? Somebody says, “I want to raise my family.” That’s worthwhile. Somebody else says, “I want to make a good living for my family and to educate my children.” That’s worthwhile. Although these things are worthwhile, what is really the object of your life? Is it to live for God? If you live for God, all of these secondary issues, I believe, will take care of themselves.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you [2 Pet. 3:15].
“The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.” That is, His patience in delaying His return in judgment is providing an opportunity for men to be saved. Our patient waiting, is a mental adjustment to the present world situation. We do not need to be alarmed today. God is in His heaven. Things are not right in the world, but He is going to make them right someday. This is the message of the New Testament, and Peter reminds us that Paul also wrote of this.
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction [2 Pet. 3:16].
Peter says that what Paul wrote was Scripture. And he says that Paul wrote of truth in depth. He certainly did that, and in my opinion Peter did that pretty well himself here in this epistle.
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness [2 Pet. 3:17].
There is something that we are to know, my friend. Oh, don’t be a lazy Christian not learning the Word of God. There is no little gimmick, there is no little course you can take in a week, there is no little program that you can go through that will change and revolutionize your life—there is no easy way. We are to seriously study the entire Word of God, not just a few little verses of Scripture that we throw about and kick around like a football. Peter says, “Ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” My friend, if you have a comprehensive knowledge of Scripture and apply it to your own life, you will be a steadfast Christian.
As we saw at the beginning of this epistle, Peter’s characteristic word is knowledge. The epitome of his entire epistle is expressed in the injunction of this final verse:
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen [2 Pet. 3:18].
“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” True knowledge is not some esoteric information concerning a form or formula, a rite or ritual; nor is it some secret order or password, as the Gnostics claimed. It is to know Jesus Christ as He is revealed to man in the Word of God. This is the secret of life and of Christian living (see John 17:3).
Notice how Peter uses the name—“our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” How precious the Lord Jesus had become to this rough, old fisherman! As J. Niebor has well said, “He obeyed Him as Lord, he loved Him as Saviour, he adored Him as the greatest human, Jesus, he worshipped Him as the mighty anointed Son of God, Christ.”
Peter concludes his swan song with this paean of praise: “To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
Oh, my friend, that you and I might know Jesus Christ! Someone has put it like this:
We mutter and sputter;
We fume and we spurt;
We mumble and grumble;
Our feelings get hurt.
We can’t understand things;
Our vision grows dim,
When all that we need
Is a moment with Him.
—Mary Helen Anderson
Only as we spend time with Him, as He is revealed in His Word, can we grow in our knowledge of Him.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barbieri, Louis A. First and Second Peter. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1977. (A fine, inexpensive survey.)
Criswell, W. A. Expository Sermons on the Epistles of Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.
English, E. Schuyler. The Life and Letters of St. Peter. New York, New York: Our Hope, 1941. (Excellent.)
Ironside, H. A. Notes on James and Peter. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Kelly, William. The Epistles of Peter. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d.
Robertson, A. T. Epochs in the Life of Simon Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1933.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. The Apostle Peter. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956. (Excellent.)
Wolston, W. T. P. Simon Peter—His Life and Letters. 1896 Reprint. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, n.d. (Excellent.)
Wuest, Kenneth S. In These Last Days. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954. (Deals with the epistles of 2 Peter, John, and Jude.)
The First Epistle of
John
INTRODUCTION
Some expositors consider the epistles of John to be the final books written in the Bible. Certainly John’s epistles are the last which he wrote.
The three epistles are called letters; yet the first epistle is not in the form or style of a letter. It has no salutation at its beginning nor greeting at its conclusion. Its style is more that of a sermon. It bears all the marks of a message from a devoted pastor who had a love and concern for a definite group of believers.
John served as pastor of the church in Ephesus, which was founded by Paul. It has been the belief of the church down through the years that John wrote his gospel first, his epistles second, and finally the Revelation just before his death. However, in recent years some of us have come to the position that John wrote his epistles last. Therefore, he wrote his first epistle after his imprisonment on the Island of Patmos. This places the date about a.d. 100. John died in Ephesus and was buried there. The Basilica of St. John was built over the grave of John by Justinian in the fifth century.
To understand the First Epistle of John we must know something about the city of Ephesus at the beginning of the second century. It was very much like your city or hometown today. There were four important factors which prevailed in Ephesus and throughout the Roman world:
1. There was an easy familiarity with Christianity. Many of the believers were children and grandchildren of the first Christians. The new and bright sheen of the Christian faith had become tarnished. The newness had worn off. The thrill and glory of the first days had faded. My, how exciting it had been to be a believer on that day when Paul had come to town and challenged Diana of the Ephesians! The whole town had been in an uproar. In Acts 19 we read of the effect Paul’s teaching had upon the synagogue at Ephesus and also the impact of his daily sessions in the school of Tyrannus for two years. How fervent their love and zeal for Christ had been in those days. But many years later, when the Lord Jesus sent a letter to the Ephesian believers through John while he was in exile on the Island of Patmos, He said, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4). It was as Jesus had long before warned, “… because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:12). The Ephesians’ devotion and dedication to Christ was at a low ebb.
2. The high standards of Christianity made the Christians different, and the children and grandchildren of the first Christians did not want to be different. The believers were called saints—from the Greek word hagios. The primary intent of the word is “set aside for the sole use of God—that which belongs to God.” The pots and pans in the temple were said to be holy because they were for the use of God. The temple was hagios; the Sabbath was hagios. Now the Christians were to be hagios—different, set aside for the use of God.
But the Ephesians had become assembly-line Christians, programmed by the computer of compromise. They had become plastic Christians. They were cast in a different mold from the disciples to whom Jesus had said, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19). And also in His high priestly prayer to His Father are these words: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14). There was a breakdown of the Judeo-Christian ethics and a disregard of Bible standards.
3. Persecution was not the enemy of Christianity. The danger to the Ephesian church was not persecution from the outside but seduction from the inside. The Lord Jesus Himself had warned of this: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:24). And the apostle Paul had said to the Ephesian elders: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29–30).
Christianity was not in danger of being destroyed; it was in danger of being changed. The attempt was being made to improve it, give it intellectual respectability, and let it speak in the terms of the popular philosophy.
4. Gnosticism was the real enemy of Christianity, and, my friend, it still is. Gnosticism was the basic philosophy of the Roman Empire.
Gnosticism took many forms. However, one primary principle ran through this philosophy: matter or material was essentially evil; only the spirit was good. All the material world was considered evil. Therefore Gnosticism despised the body. They held that in the body was a spirit, like a seed in the dirty soil. The same principle is in modern liberalism which maintains that there is a spark of good in everyone and that each person is to develop that spark of good. The Gnostics sought to cause the “seed,” the spirit within them, to grow and tried to get rid of the evil in the body.
There were two extreme methods of accomplishing this goal as practiced by the Stoics and the Epicureans. The apostle Paul’s encounter with these two sects is recorded in Acts 17:18: “Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection.”
The Stoics were disciples of Zeno, and their name came from the Painted Portico at Athens where Zeno lectured. They were pantheists who held that the wise man should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submissive to natural law. They observed rigid rules and self-discipline.
The Epicureans took their name from Epicurus who taught in Athens. They accepted the Greek gods on Mount Olympus. They considered pleasure rather than truth the pursuit of life. Originally they sought to satisfy intellectual, not sensual, gratification; but later they taught their followers to satisfy the body’s desires so it wouldn’t bother them any more.
There were all shades and differences between the two extremes of Stoicism and Epicureanism, but all of them denied the messiahship of Jesus. I believe John had them in mind when he wrote: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). They denied the Incarnation, reasoning that God could not have taken a human body because all flesh is evil. Therefore John distinctly declared, “And the Word was made [born] flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And in his epistle he wrote: “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:2–3).
Docetic Gnosticism, considering the Incarnation impossible since God could not unite Himself with anything evil such as a body, taught that Jesus only seemed to have a body, but actually He did not. For example, when He walked He left no footprints.
Cerinthus was more subtle in his teaching. He declared that there was both a human Jesus and a divine Christ, that divinity came upon Him at His baptism and left Him at the cross. In fact, the Gospel of Peter, which is a spurious book, translates the words of Jesus on the cross like this: “My power, my power, why hast thou forsaken me?”
The early church fathers fought this heresy and maintained that “He became what we are to make us what He is.” It is my firm opinion that John wrote his first epistle to answer the errors of Gnosticism. Actually there is a fivefold purpose expressed in 1 John: (1) 1:3, “That ye also may have fellowship with us [other believers]: and … with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ;” (2) 1:4, “That your joy may be full” (3) 2:1, “That ye sin not” (4) 5:13, “That ye may know that ye have eternal life” and (5) 5:13, “That ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
First John has been called the sanctum sanctorum of the New Testament. It takes the child of God across the threshold into the fellowship of the Father’s home. It is the family epistle. Pauls epistles and all the other epistles are church epistles, but this is a family epistle and should be treated that way. The church is a body of believers in the position where we are blessed “… with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, Translation mine). We are given that position when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing on the Lord Jesus brings us into the family of God. In the family we have a relationship which can be broken but is restored when “we confess our sins.” Then “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
First John is the book which I used when I began my ministry in a new church. (I didn’t at the first church I served because I was a seminary student and didn’t know enough to begin in the right place.) But in the four churches I served during my forty years of pastoring, I began the midweek service with a study in 1 John. I am convinced that this epistle is more important for believers in the church than the church epistles. When we moved into this wonderful book, I saw the midweek service attendance increase. We saw a phenomenal increase in attendance in the last two churches I served. During the time we studied this little epistle the attendance doubled, doubled again, and then doubled again, so that we had as many people in attendance at the midweek service as we had in the Sunday evening service. Sometimes the midweek service would surpass the Sunday night service. My friend, it is very important to understand this little book.
OUTLINE
In 1 John there are three definitions of God: God is light, God is love, and God is life, which I have used to form the three major divisions of this epistle.
I. God Is Light (1:5), Chapters 1:1–2:2
A. Prologue, Chapter 1:1–2
B. How the Little Children May Have Fellowship with God, Chapters 1:3–2:2
1. By Walking in Light, Chapter 1:3–7
2. By Confessing Sin, Chapter 1:8–10
3. By the Advocacy of Christ, Chapter 2:1–2
II. God Is Love (4:8), Chapters 2:3–4:21
A. How the Dear Children May Have Fellowship with Each Other, Chapter 2:3–14 (By Walking in Love)
B. The Dear Children Must Not Love the World, Chapter 2:15–28
C. How the Dear Children May Know Each Other and Live Together, Chapters 2:29–4:21
1. The Father’s Love for His Children, Chapters 2:29–3:3
2. The Two Natures of the Believer in Action, Chapter 3:4–24
3. Warning Against False Teachers, Chapter 4:1–6
4. God is Love: Little Children Will Love Each Other, Chapter 4:7–21
III. God Is Life (5:12), Chapter 5
A. Victory Over the World, Chapter 5:1–5
B. Assurance of Salvation, Chapter 5:6–21
CHAPTER 1
Theme: God is light; how the little children may have fellowship with God
Under the broad heading, God is Light, we see first the prologue of this epistle, then we shall see how the “little children,” as John calls believers, may have fellowship with God.
As I mentioned in the Introduction, John has written to meet the first heresy which entered the church, Gnosticism. The Gnostics boasted of a superknowledge. They accepted the deity of Jesus but denied His humanity. Notice how John will give the true gnosticism—that is, the true knowledge of God.
GOD IS LIGHT: PROLOGUE
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life [1 John 1:1].
“That which was from the beginning.” What beginning is John talking about? In the Scriptures are three beginnings, two of which we are very familiar with. The first is found in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” That is an undated beginning. We do not know when God created the heaven and the earth. I have read book after book, volume after volume, on the questions raised by the first chapter of Genesis. If I stacked up all those books, I am confident that they would reach the ceiling of my study. And after reading all of them, I am convinced that not one scientist or one theologian has the foggiest notion when Genesis 1:1 really happened.
I am told that today there are some Christian scientists who are taking what they call the “new earth view.” They are claiming that the earth on which we live is not as old as the science of the past claimed it to be.
When I started school it was estimated that the earth was three to seven hundred thousand years old. Then science began to speak in terms of millions of years. By the time I finished school it was estimated that the earth was about 2 1/2 million years old, and then, I understand, they reached the billion mark.
Now some scientists are moving away from the older dating of the earth and are setting a more recent date. Well, Genesis 1:1 would fit into either theory, a new earth or an old earth, since it is not dated. All that the first verse in Genesis declares is that God created the heaven and the earth. Until you are ready to accept that fact, you are not prepared to read very much further in the Word of God, because the remainder of the Bible rests upon that first verse. Did God create this universe or is it a happenstance? It is ridiculous to think that the universe just happened. As Edwin Conklin put it, “The probability of life originating by accident is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary originating from an explosion in a print shop.” My friend, there is intelligence behind this universe in which you and I live. As to the date of the beginning, we do not know; but if you need a few billion years to fit into your scheme of interpretation, it is here because we are dealing with the God of eternity. God has eternity behind Him. Although I don’t know what He was doing before He created the heaven and the earth, I know He was doing something. Then God created the heaven and the earth, and He did it for a purpose. He is working out a plan in His universe today which is bigger than any human mind can comprehend. When God recorded His act of creation, He wasn’t trying to give us a study in geology. However, He put a lot of rocks around for you to look at if you are interested in trying to figure out a date.
There is a second beginning which we find in the Word of God. It is the first verse in John’s gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He adds, “The same was in the beginning with God.” Then he comes to the act of creation: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1–3). My friend, go back as far as you can think, beyond creation, back billions and trillions of years, and out of eternity comes the Lord Jesus Christ. Way back there He is already past tense; He is the Ancient of Days. Notice that John has written, “In the beginning was [not is] the Word.” In other words, this is a beginning that doesn’t even have a beginning because He had no beginning. “In the beginning was the Word” means that you can go back in the past as far as you want to, put down your peg anywhere, and Christ comes out of eternity to meet you. That is big stuff; it is bigger than my little mind can comprehend. I am unable to grasp the immensity of it until I come to John 1:14: “And the Word was made [born] flesh….” That takes me back to Bethlehem where He was born, and I begin to catch on at that time.
The third beginning is the one we began with in 1 John 1:1—“That which was from the beginning,”which refers to the time Christ came into this world at Bethlehem. When He was about thirty years old, John became acquainted with Him. John and his brother James met Him in Jerusalem. Later they were with their father, mending nets, when Jesus came by and called them to follow Him. They left their father (probably a well-to-do fisherman) with the hired men and followed Jesus. Now John says, I want to tell you about Him, and he asserts the reality of the total personality of Jesus: (1) “We have heard” (through the ear-gate); (2) “we have seen” (through the eye-gate); (3) “we have looked upon” (lit., gazed intently upon); and (4) “our hands have handled.”
John, of course, is speaking of the incarnation of Jesus and of his own association with Him when He was here upon this earth.
“Which we have heard.” John is not prattling about his opinions and his speculations. He is talking about the fact that he heard the Lord Jesus, heard His voice, and when he listened to Him, he listened to God.
“Which we have seen with our eyes.” Not only had the apostles heard Him speak, but they also had seen Him with their own eyes. In our day we cannot see Him with our physical eyes, but we can see Him with the eye of faith. Peter told us, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). And the Lord Jesus said to Thomas, who would not believe He had been resurrected until he could see and handle Him, “… Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). We today are walking by, faith, and the Lord Jesus Christ can be made as real to us as He was to Thomas. As the hymn writer expressed it—
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present help is He;
And faith has still its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.
“We May Not Climb”
—John G. Whittier
“Which we have looked upon.” The word looked is from the Greek word theaomai from which we get our English word theatre, meaning “to gaze intently upon.” The theatre is a place where you sit and look, not just with a passing glance but with a gaze—a steady gaze for a couple of hours. John is saying that for three years they gazed upon Jesus. It was John who wrote, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14). During the wilderness march, the people who had been bitten by the serpents were to look for healing to that brass serpent which had been lifted up on a pole. John is applying that to the Lord Jesus and saying that now we are to look to Him in faith for salvation. After we have done that, we are to gaze upon Him—and we will do that in this epistle. To look, saves; to gaze, sanctifies. John wrote in his gospel, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Many of us need to do more than simply look to Him for salvation. We need to spend time gazing upon Him with the eye of faith.
“Our hands have handled.” John says that they did, more than merely gaze upon Him from a distance; they handled Him. John himself reclined upon His bosom in the Upper Room. Speaking to His own after His resurrection, He said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet” (Luke 24:39–40),
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan takes the position that when the Lord Jesus held out His hands to Thomas and to the other disciples, they were so overwhelmed that they did not handle Him. Instead, they bowed down in reverence to Him. That would be the normal thing to do, but John makes it clear that they handled the Lord. This is one place where I disagree with Dr. Morgan, (and I disagree with him in a few other places, too,) but I dare not disagree with a man of his caliber unless there is a reason for it. But when John says that they handled Him, I think he means they felt His hands and fingered the nailprints which convinced them that He was indeed man, the Word made flesh, God manifest in the flesh.
After the death of Paul, about a.d. 67, a heresy arose in the church called Gnosticism. Gnosticism is the opposite of agnosticism. Agnosticism holds that the reality of God is unknown and probably unknowable. There are many agnostics in our colleges and universities, as you know. Charles Spurgeon used to say that agnostic is but the Greek word for the Latin ignoramus. So one might say, “I don’t believe the Bible, because I am an ignoramus!” The agnostic says, “I do not know.” The Gnostic says, “I do know.” The Gnostics were a group which came into the church claiming to have a superior knowledge which simple Christians did not have. They considered themselves super-duper saints, knowing more than anyone else knew.
The Gnostics came up with quite a few novel ideas, which I have dealt with in more detail in the Introduction. One of their heretical teachings was that Jesus was merely a man when He was born. He was just like any other human being at the time of His birth, but at His baptism, the Christ came upon Him, and when He was hanging on the cross, the Christ left Him. John refutes this teaching in no uncertain terms when he said in his gospel record, “The Word was born flesh.” And here in his first epistle, he emphatically declares that after Jesus came back from the dead, He was still a human being. In essence John says, “We handled Him—He was still flesh and bones.” You see, John is not talking about a theory. He is talking about Someone he heard, he saw, and he handled.
(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) [1 John 1:2].
“For the life was manifested.” That is, the life was brought out into the open where men could see it. John is talking about the Word of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ, as we shall see in the next verse.
On one occasion after I had given a message, a man whom I would call a smart aleck came to me with this question: “You talked about eternal life. What is eternal life? I would like to know what eternal life is.” So I gave him this verse: “The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.” Then I said to him, “The eternal life that John is talking about is none other than Jesus Christ. If you want a definition, eternal life is a Person, and that Person is Christ. It is so simple that even you can grasp it. You either have Christ, or you don’t have Christ. You either trust Christ, or you don’t trust Christ. If you do trust Christ, you have eternal life. If you don’t trust Christ, you don’t have eternal life. Now, since that’s eternal life, do you have eternal life?” He turned and walked away without answering, which was an evidence that he did not have eternal life, and he did not want to pursue the matter any further.
HOW TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
Now John is going to say something which is quite wonderful. He is going to tell us that we can have fellowship with God! One of the most glorious prospects before us today is that you and I can have fellowship with God.
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ [1 John 1:3].
“That which we have seen and heard”—this is the third time he has said this, and it should be penetrating our consciousnesses by now.
Why, John, are you repeating this? “That ye also may have fellowship with us.” He is saying that believers can have fellowship one with another.
“And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” How are we going to have fellowship with God? It does present a dilemma. God is holy. Man is unholy. How can this gulf be bridged? How can you bring God and man together, or as Amos put it, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). How are we ever going to have fellowship? To get over this seemingly impossible hurdle, John is going to present three methods. Two of them are man-made methods and won’t work. The other one is God’s method, and it is the only one that will work.
Before we get into that, let me say a word about the word fellowship. Fellowship is the Greek word koinoµnia, and it means “having in common or sharing with.” Christian fellowship means sharing the things of Christ. And to do this, we must know the Lord Jesus—not only know about Him, but know Him as our personal Savior.
In our day we have lost the true meaning of the word fellowship. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Several years ago I used to go to Huntington Beach in Southern California and speak to a Rotary Club. A wonderful doctor who was the program chairman told me that they could probably take me once a year; so he invited me for either Christmas or Easter and told me to give them both barrels. (I tried to give them both barrels, and since he is no longer program chairman, they haven’t invited me back!) One of the things I noticed in the place where the Rotary Club met was a large banner over the elevated speaker’s table with the words, “Fun, Food, Fellowship.” Well, the food was nothing to brag about—embalmed chicken and peas as big as bullets. The fun was corny jokes. The fellowship consisted of one man patting another on the back and saying, “Hi, Bill, how’s business?” or, “How’s the wife?” Then they sang a little song together. That was their idea of fellowship.
Well, the Christian idea of fellowship is not much different. When you hear an announcement of a church banquet, it is almost certain that you will be urged to come for food and fellowship. What do they mean by fellowship? They mean meeting around the table and talking to each other about everything under the sun except the one thing that would give them true fellowship, the person of Christ.
Now let me give you an illustration of one place where the word fellowship is used correctly. I had the privilege of being at Oxford University as a tourist and seeing the Great Quad, the Wren Tower, and the different schools that comprise Oxford University. I visited one school which specialized in Shakespeare. Now suppose you wanted to know all about Shakespeare because you wanted to teach that particular subject. You would go to Oxford University and attend the particular school specializing in that subject. When you ate, you would sit down at the board, and there you would meet the other men who were studying Shakespeare, and you would meet the professors who did the teaching. You would hear them all talking about Shakespeare in a way you never had heard before. For instance, in the play Romeo and Juliet most of us think that Juliet was the only girl Romeo courted. It is shocking to find that when he said,
“One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun
Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun,”
that fickle fellow Romeo was talking about another girl! You would hear many things that would alert you to the fact that you had a lot to learn about Shakespeare. So you would begin to study and pull books off the shelf in the library and go to the lectures. After you had been at the school for two or three years, they would make you a fellow. Then when you would go in and sit at the board with the other students and professors, you would join right in with them as they talked about the sonnets of Shakespeare. You would have fellowship with them, sharing the things of Shakespeare.
Now fellowship for the believer means that we meet and share the things of Christ. We talk together about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. That is the kind of fellowship that John is speaking of when he says, “That ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
WALK IN LIGHT
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full [1 John 1:4].
Now this is the second reason he mentions for writing his epistle: “That your joy may be full.”.How wonderful to have joy—not just a little joy but a whole lot of joy because we are experiencing fellowship. Koinoµnia sometimes refers to the act of fellowship—the communion service in a church is an act of fellowship; giving is an act of fellowship, and praying is an act of fellowship. But in this chapter John is talking about the experience of fellowship, such as Paul had in mind when he wrote, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings …” (Phil. 3:10).
My friend, the ultimate aim in preaching is that, through conviction and repentance, men and women might come to salvation and that it might bring great joy to their hearts, like the Ethiopian eunuch who came to know Christ with the help of Philip. He didn’t continue his trip bragging about what a great preacher Philip was; he went on his way rejoicing. Why? Because he had come to know Christ. The purpose of John’s epistle is that you and I might share together these wonderful things of Christ, that the Spirit of God might make the Lord Jesus and the Father real to us in such a way that our fellowship might be sweet.
Now we return to the problem which I mentioned earlier. John has said that he has written these things so that we can have fellowship and so that our joy might be full, and our joy would naturally be full if we could have fellowship with God. However, there is a hurdle to get over. John faces up to a real dilemma which every child of God recognizes. The very possibility of man having fellowship with God is one of the most glorious prospects that comes to us, but immediately our hopes are dashed when we face up to this dilemma:
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all [1 John 1:5].
“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” means that God is holy, and we know that man is unholy. How can the gulf be bridged between a wonderful Savior and Vernon McGee? What a difference there is! The canyon between us is steep and deep. How can God and man be brought together? The cry of Job was for a “daysman” who might lay his hand upon Job and upon God and bring them together (see Job 9:33). Through Isaiah God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways …” (Isa. 55:8). How is a sinful man going to walk with God?
John tells us that God is light. This is, in fact, a definition of God. I have divided this epistle into three parts and each part is a definition of God: (1) God is light; (2) God is love; and (3) God is life. But how in the world are we going to have fellowship with God? It looks as if we are going to have to do one of two things. We either have to bring God down to our level, or we will have to take man up to God’s level. Neither one of these things can be done, and yet men have tried it. John shows the impossibility of the first one and then gives us a great definition of God: God is light.
Modern science, I am told, is not quite sure what light is. Is it energy or is it matter? What is light? Oh, the source of light is one thing, but when you turn on the light in your room, the darkness lurking in the corner becomes light. What has happened? What was it that went over there in the corner and drove out the darkness? Or did it drive out the darkness? Because when the source of light up in the ceiling goes off, darkness returns to the corner. What is light?
Well, when John says that God is light, he is revealing many facets about the person of God. Although it doesn’t cover the whole spectrum of the attributes of God, it says a great deal about Him.
First of all, light speaks of the glory, the radiance, the beauty, and the wonders of God. Have you seen the eastern sky when the sun comes up like a blaze of glory? A friend and I once camped on the edge of Monument Valley in Arizona. It was a beautiful spot. We spent the night in sleeping bags. When I awoke the next morning, my friend was standing there, watching as the dawn was breaking. I asked him what he was doing up so early, and he made this statement: “I am watching God create a new day.”.Oh, what a thrill it was to be there and watch God create a new day! All of a sudden the sun peeped over the horizon, then it came marching over in a blaze of glory. I must confess that it became pretty hot later in the day, but what a sunrise it was! God is light. Oh, the beauty and radiance and glory of God!
Another characteristic of light is that it is self-revealing. Light can be seen, but it diffuses itself. It illuminates the darkness. It is revealing. It lets me see my hands—I’ve been handling books, and I see that one of my hands has dirt on it, and I’m going to have to take it out and wash it. If it hadn’t been for the light, I would not have seen the soil. Light reveals flaws and impurity. Whittier put it like this:
Our thoughts lie open to Thy sight;
And naked to Thy glance;
Our secret sins are in the light
Of Thy pure countenance.
And Dr. Chafer used to say it this way: “Secret sin down here is open scandal in heaven” Our sins are right there before Him, because God is light.
Also light speaks of the white purity of God and the stainless holiness of God. God moves without making a shadow because He is light. He is pure. The light of the sun is actually the catharsis of the earth. It not only gives light, it is also a great cleanser. Many of you ladies put a garment out in the sun to clean it or to get an odor out of it. The sun is a great cleansing agent. Light speaks of the purity of God.
Light also guides men. It points out the path. Light on the horizon leads men on to take courage. It gives them courage to keep moving on. God is light. Let me go to the other extreme. Darkness is actually more than a negation of light. It is not just the opposite of light. It is actually hostile to light. The light and holiness of God are in direct conflict with the evil darkness and chaos of the world.
Now we are presented with this dilemma. I am a little creature down here on earth filled with sin. If you want to know the truth, I am totally depraved. Without the grace of God for salvation, I would be nothing in the world but a creature in rebellion against God, with no good within me at all. God has made it very clear that He finds no good within man. Paul says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). Paul also says, “… There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). Not only have they no innate goodness, but they are in rebellion against God.
Paul goes on to tell us about the rebellion that is in the human heart. He says, “… the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). We are living in a world today that is in rebellion against almighty God. God is holy. I am a sinner. I am saved by grace, yes, but how am I going to have fellowship with Him? How am I going to walk with Him? Men have attempted to do this in three different ways which are presented here, and two of those ways are wrong.
REDUCE GOD TO MAN’S LEVEL?
The first method is to bring God down to the level of man.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth [1 John 1:6].
“If we say that we have fellowship with him”—there are a lot of folk claiming to have fellowship with Him when they do not in reality at all.
“We lie, and do not the truth.” Do you understand what John says in this verse? He is rather blunt, don’t you think so? He says that we lie. It is not a nice thing to call another man a liar. John says that if you say that you have fellowship with God and you walk in darkness—that is, in sin—you are lying. I didn’t say that. I am too polite to say that, but John said it. We always think of John as being that little ladylike apostle who carried a handkerchief in his sleeve. I don’t know how the rumor got started that John was that kind of a man, unless it began during the Middle Ages when an artist painted him with curls! I suppose the artist got the idea of curls from the fact that John is called the apostle of love. But our Lord never called him that—He called him a son of thunder! If John and that artist meet on the corner of Glory Avenue and Hallelujah Boulevard in heaven, I tell you, that artist is going to know what thunder and lightning both are, because I think John is going to level with him, “What is the big idea of giving the world the impression that I was a sissy-type individual?” John was a great, big two-fisted, rugged fisherman, and he is the one who says, “If you say you are having fellowship with God and you walk in darkness, you lie, because God is light; God is holy.”
We hear so much about sin among Christians today. One of the headlines in a newspaper here in Southern California told of some members of a cult committing adultery. (I don’t know if that report was accurate or not, but I don’t think the paper would have risked a lawsuit by printing it if it had no basis of truth.) Yet this cult brags about keeping the Mosaic Law and having reached a wonderful level of life. Of course, one of the Ten Commandments is “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exod. 20:14), but they would attempt to explain that away in some manner. My friend, if you are going to walk with God, you are going to walk in light. And if there is sin in your life, you are not walking with Him. You cannot bring Him down to your level.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin [1 John 1:7].
“If we walk in the light,” that is, if we walk in the light of the Word of God. Dr. Harry Ironside tells of his own confusion of mind relative to this verse. Noticing that the cleansing of the blood depends upon our walking in the light, he read it as though it said, “If we walk according to the light, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” He thought it meant that if he was very punctilious about obeying every command of God, God would cleanse him. Then he noticed that it does not say if we walk according to light, but if we walk in the light. The important thing is where we walk, not how we walk. Have we come into the presence of God and allowed the Word of God to shine upon our sinful hearts? You see, it is possible to walk in darkness, thinking you are all right.
Let me illustrate this. I went squirrel hunting several years ago when I was holding meetings in my first pastorate in Middle Tennessee in a place called Woodbury. After the morning service a doctor came to me and asked me if I would like to go squirrel hunting, and I told him there was nothing I would rather do. After lunch he brought me a shotgun, and we drove out to his farm and parked in the barnyard. We walked along by the creek there and had some good hunting. Finally we came to a fork in the creek, and he said to me, “I’ll take the right fork, and you take the left fork. It will lead you around the hill and back to the barnyard. We will meet there.” In the meantime it looked like it was going to rain. It had drizzled once or twice and stopped. When I started out by myself, it started drizzling again. I kept going, and I made the turn around the hill. I noticed quite a few caves in the hill, and when it started to really rain, I knew I was going to get wet; so I crawled into one of those caves. I went into the largest one I could find and sat in that dark cave for about thirty minutes. I began to get cold and decided I needed a fire; so I gathered together a bunch of leaves scattered on the floor of the cave and put a match to them. I soon had a small fire going, and when I looked around the cave, I found out that I wasn’t alone. I have never been a place in which there were so many spiders and lizards as there were in that cave! Over in one corner was a little snake all coiled up, just looking at me. My friend, I got out of there in a hurry, working on the assumption that possession is nine-tenths of the law, and since those creatures had the cave ahead of me, it belonged to them. I proceeded down to the barn and really got soaking wet, but I wasn’t going to stay in that cave!
Now let me make an application. I had been sitting in comfort for about thirty minutes while I was in darkness, but when the light of the fire revealed what was in the cave, I could no longer be comfortable there. My friend, across this land today are multitudes of folk who are sitting in churches every Sunday morning but are not hearing the Word of God. As a result, they are sitting there in darkness, hearing some dissertation on economics or politics or the “good life” or an exhortation on doing the best they can. And they are comfortable. Of course, they are comfortable! But if they would get into the light of the Word of God, they would see that they are sinners and that they cannot bring God down to their level. John has said that if a person says he is having fellowship with God but is living in sin, he is lying.
During my many years as a pastor I have encountered a great deal of this. I think of a layman who was a good speaker and went about giving his testimony to different groups. Then it was discovered that he was living in adultery—for several years he had been keeping a woman on the side. When it was discovered, my, the damage it did to the cause of Christ. And that man still insists that he is having fellowship with God! I recognize that we are living in a day when moral standards are changing drastically and folk rationalize their sinning and try to explain it away, but they cannot bring God down to their level. If you are living in sin, God will not have fellowship with you. If you think otherwise, you are fooling yourself or using a psychological ploy to put up a good front. And many of our psychological hang-ups today center around this very point. As someone commented, after hearing me speak on this subject, “What you mean, Dr. McGee, is that there are hypocrites in the church.” And when you come right down to the nitty-gritty, that’s what we are talking about. Hypocrites. They profess one thing, “I’m having fellowship with God,” and all the while they are walking in darkness. John says that they are lying.
Now, suppose you are a child of God, and you are living in sin—but you see it now in the light of the Word of God. Have you lost your salvation? When the light in my study revealed that spot of dirt on my hand, I went and washed it off. And John says, “And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” That word cleanseth is in the present tense—Christ’s blood just keeps on cleansing us from all sin. You haven’t lost your salvation, but you have lost your fellowship, and you cannot regain your fellowship with God until you are cleansed.
You see, John is talking about family truth. At the time I am writing this, there is abroad a great emphasis on what is known as body truth. Some folk have stumbled onto it for the first time and have gone off the deep end in their overemphasis of it. Body truth is great and it is an important part of New Testament teaching, but family truth is also important. If you are in the family of God and have sin in your life, God is not going to treat you like the sinner outside of Christ. He is going to treat you like a disobedient child. He will take you to the woodshed for punishment. Remember that He took David to the woodshed, and certainly Ananias and Sapphira didn’t get off easily. My friend, our attempt to bring God down to our level simply will not work. However, that is one method which is often used in an attempt to bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful man.
CONFESS SIN
Another method which is often used is an attempt to bring man up to God’s level. They say that man has reached sinless perfection and that he is living on that very high plateau. Well, John deals with that approach. Listen to him—
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us [1 John 1:8].
This is even worse than being a liar. When you get to the place where you say you have no sin in your life, there is no truth in you at all. This doesn’t mean you are simply a liar; it means you don’t even have the truth. You are deceiving yourself. You don’t deceive anyone else. You deceive only yourself.
I ran into this problem very early in my training for the ministry. When I went to college as a freshman, my first roommate was a young man who was also studying for the ministry. He was a sweet boy in many ways. The only trouble with him was that he was perfect. When I found the room which had been assigned to me, my roommate was not at home, but when he came in, he introduced himself and informed me that he had not committed a sin in so many years—I have forgotten if he said one, two, or three years. It shocked me to meet a fellow who didn’t sin. I had hoped he would be my buddy, but he wasn’t a buddy. You see, in every room where I have lived, things go wrong once in awhile. And there I was living in a room in which there were only two of us and one of us couldn’t do anything wrong. So when something went wrong, guess who was to blame? Now I admit that usually it was my fault—but not always. Although he was a nice fellow, he hadn’t reached the level of perfection which he claimed; he wasn’t perfect. After the first semester, a freshman was permitted to move wherever he wished, so I told him, “I’m moving out.” He was greatly distressed and said, “Oh, no! Where are you going?” I told him, “I have met a fellow down the hall who is just as mean as I am, and I’m going to move in with him.” So I did move out, and I understand he didn’t get a roommate after that. My new roommate and I got along wonderfully well. In fact, I still visit him down in the state of Florida. We are old men now and we still have wonderful times together. Neither of us is perfect although we have mellowed a bit down through the years.
My friend, if you feel that you have reached the state of perfection, I really feel sorry for your spouse because it is hard to live with someone who thinks he is perfect. John says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We cannot bring ourselves up to God’s level. It is impossible to reach perfection in this life.
Let me give you another instance of this because I think it is important. When I first came to Pasadena, I knew a man who served for a while as chaplain at the jail. He was a wonderful, enthusiastic Christian. I certainly had no criticism of him. But one day he met me on the street and said, “Brother Vernon, I got sanctified last night.” I said, “You did! What really happened to you?” He told me that he had reached the place where he could no longer sin.
Well, I didn’t see him for a while after that, but one of the officers of the church I served at the time lived next door to him. The son of the man who had reached perfection came to visit and parked his trailer in the back yard with part of it on the property of the man who was an officer in my church. He said nothing for a while, but the time came when he had to build a shed on that spot. The neighbor knew he was intending to do this, but he made no mention of it. Finally, when it looked as if the son was going to stay and he felt that he could wait no longer to build, he went to his neighbor and asked him to move the trailer. Well, the fellow lost his temper and really told him what kind of a neighbor he thought he was. The man who was the officer in my church casually mentioned the incident to me one day; so I couldn’t wait to meet that fellow and finally I looked him up. I said to him, “Didn’t you tell me that you got sanctified?”
“Yes.”
“And when you got sanctified, you reached the plane of sinless perfection?”
“Yes, I think I have reached it.”
“Well, your neighbor is a member of my church and he tells me that you really lost your temper the other day and told him off in a very unkind, un-Christianlike manner.”
He began to hem and haw. “I guess I did lose my temper. But that is not sin.”
“Oh, if it’s not sin, what is it?”
“I just made a mistake. I recognize that I shouldn’t have done it—so that’s not a sin.”
“Well, I want you to shake hands with me now, because I’ve reached that plane, too. I don’t sin; I just make mistakes—and I make a lot of them. But, brother, the Word of God will make it very clear to you that losing your temper and bawling out your neighbor as you did is sin.”
My friend, whom do you think you deceive when you say that you have no sin? You deceive yourself, and you are the only person whom you do deceive. You don’t deceive God. You don’t deceive your neighbors. You don’t deceive your friends. But you sure do deceive yourself. And John says that the truth is not in a man like that because he can’t see that he is a sinner and that he has not reached the place of perfection. Yet a great many folk are trying that route in their effort to bridge the gap between themselves and a holy God.
Since you cannot bring God down to your level and you cannot bring yourself up to His level, what are you going to do? John gives us the alternative here—
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [1 John 1:9].
“If we confess our sins.” Here is another one of our “ifs.” We have seen several of them: “If we say that we have fellowship” (v. 6); “If we walk in the light” (v. 7); and “If we say that we have no sin” (v. 8). Now here is the right method for bringing together a sinful man and a holy God: confession of sins.
What does it mean to confess our sins? The word confess is from the Greek verb homologeoµ, meaning “to say the same thing.” Logeoµ means “to say” and homo means “the same.” You are to say the same thing that God says. When God in His Word says that the thing you did is sin, you are to get over on God’s side and look at it. And you are to say, “You are right, Lord, I say the same thing that You say. It is sin.” That is what it means to confess your sins. That, my friend, is one of the greatest needs in the church. This is God’s way for a Christian to deal with sin in his own life.
The other day I talked to a man who got into deep trouble. He divorced his wife—he found out that she had been unfaithful. He lost his home and lost his job. He was a very discouraged man. He said to me, “I want to serve God, and I have failed. I am a total failure.” I very frankly said to him, “Don’t cry on my shoulder. Go and tell God about it. He wants you to come to Him. Tell Him you have failed. Tell Him you have been wrong. Tell Him that you want to say the same thing about your sin that He says about it. Seek His help. He is your Father. You are in the family. You have lost your fellowship with Him, but you can have your fellowship restored. If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins.”
After we confess our sins, what does God do? He cleanses us. In the parable, the Prodigal Son came home from the far country smelling like a pigpen. You don’t think the father would have put a new robe on that ragged, dirty boy, smelling like that, do you? No, he gave him a good bath. The Roman world majored in cleanliness, and I am confident that the boy was bathed before that new robe was put on him. The next week he didn’t say, “Dad, I think I will be going to the far country and end up in the pigpen again.” Not that boy.
When you have confessed your sin, it means that you have turned from that sin. It means that you have said the same thing which God has said. Sin is a terrible thing. God hates it and now you hate it. But confession restores you to your Father.
John concludes this by saying—
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us [1 John 1:10].
Now don’t make God a liar. Why don’t you go to the Lord, my friend, and just open your heart and talk to him as you talk to no one else. Tell Him your problems. Tell Him your sins. Tell Him your weakness. Confess it all to Him. And say to your Father that you want to have fellowship with Him and you want to serve Him. My, He has made a marvelous, wonderful way back to Himself!
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The advocacy of Christ; how the dear children may have fellowship with each other; the “dear children” must not love the world
This chapter is a continuation of the thought begun in the previous chapter regarding the manner in which “little children” may have fellowship with God. We have seen that we can have fellowship with God by walking in the light, that is, in God’s presence. The second thing we must do in order to maintain that fellowship is to confess our sins to Him. When we walk in the light, we know that the blood of Jesus Christ keeps on cleansing us from all sin, but we also know that there is imperfection in our lives and that we must go to Him in confession.
In chapter 2 we come to the matter of the advocacy of Christ. We will now see the conclusion of that which began with 1 John 1:5, where John said, “This then is the message.” What is the message? It is the message of the gospel of the grace of God that takes the hell-doomed sinner and by simple faith in Christ brings him into the family of God where he becomes an heir and joint-heir with Jesus Christ. It is the relationship with the Father that is all important.
FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD BY THE ADVOCACY OF CHRIST
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous [1 John 2:1].
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” John is writing these things to us because God does not want His children to sin. Although God has made ample and adequate provision for us not to sin, our entrance into His provision is imperfect—because of our imperfection. Notice that this verse does not say that we cannot sin, but John is writing to us that we may not sin. God wants us to walk in a manner that is well pleasing to Him; that is, He wants us to walk in obedience to His Word.
Let me remind you that 1 John is a family epistle; it emphasizes the relationship of the family of God. I mention this again because there is so much emphasis in the contemporary church on “body” truth; that is, that all believers are part of a body. “Body” truth is the message of Ephesians, and it is wonderful, but now we need to move out a little farther into “family” truth. We need to recognize that we are in God’s family and that our relationship is all important. We need to have fellowship with our heavenly Father.
“My little children” is an interesting expression. It comes from the Greek word teknia and probably should be translated “my little born ones” or “my little born-again ones.” I like the Scottish term best, “my little bairns.”
“These things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” None of us has reached that exalted plane, although there are those who claim sinless perfection. I am reminded of an occasion when a speaker was emphasizing the fact that nobody is perfect. Finally he became very dramatic and oratorical and asked, “Is there anybody here who has ever seen a perfect man?” No one responded until one little fellow in the back of the auditorium, sort of a Mr. Milquetoast, put up his hand.
The speaker asked, “Have you seen a perfect man?”
The little fellow stood to his feet and said; “Well, I have never seen him, but I have heard about him.”
“Who is he?”
“He is my wife’s first husband.”
Well, I imagine he had heard about him a great deal! But the truth is that none of us has reached that exalted position of perfection.
Several years ago a speaker was telling a story about a family that was going to take a trip for a couple of days. They did not want to take their little girl along, so they left her with neighbors, who had four boys. When they returned, the little girl said to her daddy, “There are four boys in that house where I have been staying. They have family worship there every night. Each night their father prays for his four little boys.”
Her father replied, “That certainly is good to hear.”
“Daddy, he prays that God will make them good boys, and he prays that they won’t do anything wrong.”
Her father said, “Well, that’s very fine.”
The little girl was silent for a moment, and then she added, “But, Daddy, He hasn’t done it yet”
If we are honest with ourselves, we too will have to say that God hasn’t made us perfect yet either. We have not reached that exalted plane of sinless perfection. John says, “My little born ones, my little bairns, I write these things unto you that you may not be sinning.” God doesn’t want you to live in sin. We are going to find later that John is going to say, “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not” (1 John 5:18). This means that whosoever is born of God does not practice sin; that is, live in sin. The prodigal son got up out of the pigpen and went home to his father. He did not stay in the pigpen. Why not? Because he was a son and not a pig. Also we need to realize, as it is stated in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not”
Today you and I may be able to say, “I don’t think I have done anything real bad.” But how about doing good? James says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). There are sins of commission and sins of omission. You and I are to walk in the light. When we walk in the light, we will see just how far we have fallen short of what God wants. Every sincere child of God wants to have fellowship with Him, and yet he knows within himself that he has fallen far short of the kind of life he should have. There is sin in his life, and sin, be it ever so small, breaks communion with the Father.
It is said of Spurgeon that when he was crossing a street one day, he suddenly stopped. It looked like he was praying, and he was. One of his deacons waited for him on the other side of the street and said to him, “You could have been run down by a carriage [this was before the day of the automobile]. What were you doing? It looked like you were praying.”
Spurgeon replied, “I was praying.”
The deacon then asked, “Was it so important?”
“Indeed it was. A cloud came between me and my Savior, and I wanted to remove it even before I got across the street.”
Many Christians are living lives in which they are constantly disobeying God, yet they wonder why they aren’t having fellowship with Him. They need to recognize that sin causes a break in fellowship.
They need to know that they have not lost their salvation, because in the next breath John adds, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Notice that John says, “We have an advocate with the Father”—John doesn’t call Him by the impersonal name God because He is still our Father even though we have sinned. Therefore we need to recognize that our salvation rests upon what Christ has done for us, and that is a finished work. Someone has expressed it like this:
Upon a life I did not live,
Upon a death I did not die,
Another’s life, Another’s death,
I stake my whole eternity.
It is finished, yes, indeed;
Finished, every jot!
Sinner, this is all you need!
Tell me, is it not?
—Author unknown
We cannot add anything to a finished work. What Christ has done is all we need for salvation.
However, if you and I are going to have fellowship with Him, we need to recognize something else.
“And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.” Who is He? He is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” The word advocate is from the Greek parakleµtos, the same word which is translated “comforter” in John’s gospel. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter down here, and Christ is our Comforter up there.
Advocate—a paraclete, a helper—is a legal term. It means “one who will come to your side to help in every time of need.” We have a wonderful heavenly Father, and we don’t lose our salvation when we sin, but there is somebody up there who wants us to lose it, and that is Satan. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. In Revelation 12:10 we are told that he accuses us before our God day and night. Satan is there at the throne of God accusing you and accusing me. Remember how he accused Job. In effect, he said to God, “If you will let me get to him, I’ll show You that he will curse you.” When that happens in our case, the Lord Jesus is able to step in as our Advocate. He died for us! Yet the accuser is there, and some folk are very disturbed by that. But the Advocate is far greater than the accuser. Someone has expressed this in beautiful poetic language:
I hear the accuser roar
Of ills that I have done;
I know them well, and thousands more,
Jehovah findeth none.
Though the restless foe accuses—
Sins recounting like a flood,
Ev’ry charge our God refuses;
Christ has answered with His blood.
—Author unknown
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world [1 John 2:2].
“And he is the propitiation for our sins.” The word propitiation, as it is used here in John’s epistle, is a different word from that used in the Epistle to the Romans. In Romans the meaning is “mercy seat”—Christ is the propitiation, the mercy seat, the meeting place between God and man. However, here in 1 John propitiation means “an atonement or an expiation.” It means that sins have been paid for by the suffering of Another. Christ is my Advocate, interceding for me, and He Himself is the propitiation.
Notice that John does not say that if anyone repents, he has an Advocate nor if anyone confesses his sins, he has an Advocate. Neither does he say that if anyone goes through a ceremony to get rid of his sins, he has an Advocate. What he does say is that if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father. Before we even repent of that cruel or brutal word we said, the very moment we had that evil thought, and the moment we did that wrong act, Jesus Christ was there at the throne of God to represent us as Satan was there accusing us.
Then, because of the faithful advocacy of Christ, the Holy Spirit brings conviction to us, and we confess our sin to the Father. As we said before, to confess means that we get on God’s side and we see our sin from His viewpoint and confess that it is sin.
The sincere child of God wants to please the Father, and he walks along with that in mind. The psalmist expressed it this way: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23–24).
Dr. Harry Ironside has illustrated the confession that God requires with an incident in his own home. He had trouble one evening with one of his boys, so he sent the boy upstairs and told him not to come down to supper until he confessed the thing he had done wrong. The boy would not admit anything at all. Finally the boy called for Dr. Ironside to come upstairs and asked if he could go down to supper. His father said, “It depends upon you.” The boy said, “If you think I have done something wrong, I am sorry.” His father said, “That won’t do.” Later the boy called him upstairs again, and this time he changed his story a little. He said, “Well, since you and mother both think I have done something wrong, I guess I have. I want to come down to supper.” Once again his father told him that that wasn’t good enough. Dr. Ironside went downstairs, and later on he heard the boy almost weeping. He said, “Dad, please forgive me. I know I have done wrong. Please forgive me.” Then the lad came downstairs, and the family had a wonderful supper together because fellowship had been restored.
My friend, if you are a child of God, you are in the family of God, and He wants to have fellowship with you. I don’t care about these little rules you are following. You think that some way you are going to be able to live the Christian life by following rules. My friend, God doesn’t want you to be a programmed computer. He is not trying to do that to you. You are a human being with your own free will, but you are a member of His family, and He wants to have fellowship with you. We can talk to Him like we can talk to no one else.
Up to this point, John’s subject has been that God is light and how God’s dear children may have fellowship with Him. Now in this second section, the subject is that God is love and how God’s dear children may have fellowship with each other. Before, he was talking about walking in light; now he will be talking about walking in love. Love is the very heart of this epistle. The word occurs thirty-three times, and there is a great emphasis upon it.
HOW TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments [1 John 2:3].
First of all, let me point out that this verse has nothing to do with the security of the believer. John is talking about assurance. As God’s children, we are in a family. But how can we have the assurance that we are in God’s family? He is telling us that assurance comes by keeping His commandments.
“If we keep his commandments” does not refer to the Ten Commandments. John is not dealing with any legal aspects; he is dealing with family matters. The Ten Commandments were given to a nation, and on these commandments every civilized nation has based its laws. The Ten Commandments are for the unsaved. Now God has something for His own family, and they are commandments for His children. For example, in Galatians 6:2 the family is told, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” In 1 Thessalonians 4:2 Paul tells the family of Christ, “For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.” Some of those commandments are mentioned in the last chapter of 1 Thessalonians. I have counted twenty-two commandments in that chapter, and here are a few of them. “Rejoice evermore”—God wants you to be a joyful Christian. “Pray without ceasing” refers to an attitude of prayer. That is, when you get off your knees, you still are to walk in a prayerful attitude. “Quench not the Spirit”—don’t say no to Him. These are some of the commandments which the Lord Jesus has given to believers, and if we are to have fellowship with the Father and enjoy it by having assurance in our own hearts, we must keep His commandments. We do not feel that we are free to do as we please. The Christian doesn’t do as he pleases; he does as Christ pleases.
“And hereby we do know that we know him.” Remember that throughout this epistle John is answering the Gnostics who claimed to have a superior knowledge that no one else had—and generally it was heresy. The apostle John is saying that the important thing is to know Jesus Christ. And how can we have the assurance that we know Him? My friend, although a great many folk believe in the security of the believer, they don’t have the assurance of salvation, and the reason is obvious. We cannot know that we are children of God if we are disobedient to Him. Obedience to Christ is essential and is the very basis of assurance. You cannot have that assurance (oh, you can bluff your way through, but you cannot have that deep, down-in-your-heart assurance) unless you keep His commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him [1 John 2:4].
I would call this very plain talk! In the previous verse John has said that we know that we know Him—this is the positive side. We know by experience in contrast to the esoteric knowledge of the Gnostics. Now he presents the negative side: disobedience to Christ is a proof that we do not know Him. This is plain and direct language. Disobedience to Christ on the part of a professing Christian is tantamount to being a liar. In other words, his life is a lie.
There are a great many people who say they are children of God, but are they?. It is one thing to say you are a child of God, and it is another thing to be a possessor of eternal life, to have a new nature that cries out to the Father for fellowship and wants to obey Him. You cannot make me believe that all of these church members who have no love for the Word of God and are disobedient to Christ are really His children. I do not believe they have had the experience of regeneration. John is making it very clear that we know that we know Him because we keep His commandments.
Let me repeat that John is not talking about the Ten Commandments that were given to the nation Israel in the Old Testament. John is talking about the commandments that Christ gave to the church. If a child of God does not have a love for these commandments, he is in the very gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, as the Scripture says (see Acts 8:23).
The Lord Jesus, when He was here in the flesh, said of the Father, “… I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). I can’t say that, but I can say that I want to please Him, and I have dedicated my life to that end. Although I sometimes stumble and fall, I want to please Him. While it is true that “he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life …” (John 3:36), it corroborates his faith when in his heart he knows that he wants to do God’s will. The natural man never did want to do God’s will. Oh, boy, this is a strong statement which John makes! “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” And John will tell us that the Holy Spirit is the one who prompted him to say it. The truth is not in a man who claims to be a child of God but does not keep His commandments.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him [1 John 2:5].
I want to make a distinction that I find very few expositors make. Even The Scofield Reference Bible does not make this distinction. I feel there is a difference between the Word of God and the commandments of God. Somebody is going to call my attention to the fact that the commandments are the Word of God. Well, commandments are the Word of God, but the Word of God is not all commandments. It is more than that. I hope you see the distinction. There are commandments in the Word of God, but the Word of God is not only, commandments. The Word is the expression of the will of God, either by commandment or otherwise. In the Word of God you have His complete revelation to us about His will for our lives.
In John 14:15 the Lord made this statement: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” In John 14:23 He said, “… If a man love me, he will keep my words….” What is the distinction here? Let me illustrate this. Suppose the home of a young boy is in the country. His father is a farmer. One day, when the boy is on his way to school, his father says, “Son, I’ll milk the cow when I come in from the field each day, but when you get home from school, I want you to chop wood, put it on the back porch, and tell your mama so she can make a fire in the cook stove and in the fireplace.” When the boy comes home, he obeys his father’s commandment that he chop wood. He spends about an hour and a half chopping wood after school, and he stacks it on the back porch. Then one morning at the breakfast table, the father says, “I don’t feel well today. I feel so bad that I don’t think I can go out and work in the field today.” But he goes out anyway. Now when the boy comes home from school, although his only commandment is to chop wood, he knows that his father is sick and doesn’t feel like milking the cow, so he not only chops the wood but he milks the cow also. He chops the wood because he was commanded to do so, but he milks the cow because he loves his father.
In just this way a child of God not only wants to obey the commandments of God but he also wants to obey the Word of God. He wants to please his Father in everything that he does. I get the impression from many folk that they want to live as much like the unsaved as possible and still be Christians. I would never give an answer to a young person who asked me if a Christian could do this or that and still be a Christian—because they were asking the wrong questions. The right question to ask is this: “What can I do to please my heavenly Father?” You see, a genuine child of God wants to please Him; he does not try to live right on the margin of the Christian life.
There are many Christians in our day who feel that they need to be broad-minded. They are against whiskey, but they use beer and they use wine, which gives them the feeling of being broad-minded. And, of course, they feel that I am very narrow-minded. Well, it is not a question of a thing being right or wrong—I hope you are above that plane, my Christian friend—the question is: does it please my heavenly Father? I want to do the thing that will please Him, bring joy to His heart and fellowship and joy to my own life. All of this, you see, is on the basis of love: “If you love me, keep my commandments,” and “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” If you love Him, you will do more than keep His commandments; you will do something extra for Him.
I feel that a great many folk have in their thinking only the sins of commission and forget about the sins of omission. James said, “… to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). There are many things I know I should do, but I neglect to do them. These are sins of omission. The Bible makes no distinction between the gravity of sins of commission and sins of omission. They are equally bad.
My friend, verse 5 is very important. Let me repeat it: “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected [that is, realized in practice]: hereby [by this] know we that we are in him.” When the love of God is perfected in you, it means that you have passed the commandments and you just want to please God.
I suggest that you take an inventory of yourself. What is your attitude toward sin? Does it trouble you? Does it break your fellowship with the Father? Does it cause you to cry out in the night, “Oh, God, I’m wrong, and I want to confess the wrong I have done. I want fellowship with You.” On that basis God will restore fellowship with us, and the assurance of salvation comes to our hearts.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked [1 John 2:6].
We cannot do or be all that the Lord Jesus Christ did or was, but if we set our hearts on doing our Father’s will, which was the thing that the Lord Jesus put uppermost in His life, then we are walking as (in the same manner as) He walked.
I hear the word commitment a great deal these days. When an invitation is given after a message, the question is asked, “Do you want to commit your life to Christ?” What do they mean by that? Well, let me tell you what John means by full commitment. It is to love Christ. And if you love Christ, you are going to keep His Word—you can’t help it. You want to please the person you love. You don’t want to offend; you want to please. This is the reason I send a dozen American Beauty roses to my wife occasionally. You see, the question is not “Are you committed to Christ?” The question is, “Do you love Christ?”
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning [1 John 2:7].
“An old commandment which ye had from the beginning.” From what beginning? Well, the “beginning” in 1 John is the incarnation of Christ. It began in Bethlehem, then worked itself out in a carpenter shop and three years of public ministry. The “commandment which ye had from the beginning” was what the Lord Jesus gave to His apostles when He was with them on earth—which He repeated many times. For example, in John 13:34–35 we read, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” And in John 15:10, 12, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love…. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
John is saying, “This old commandment is what I am giving to you. It is what the Lord Jesus said when He taught here upon this earth.” Then John continues—
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth [1 John 2:8].
Now why is it a new commandment for believers who are regenerated and indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Because it was given on the other side of the cross, before the coming of the Holy Spirit. On this side it is new.
Believers are to do the will of God; and the will of God, first of all, is to love Him. This identifies a believer. A believer is one who delights to do the will of God. Because “the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth,” the believer ought to be able to say that he is getting to know the Lord God better and that he is understanding His will more perfectly. Schiller, the great German poet, said, “I see everything clearer and clearer.” And that should be the experience of every child of God. Every day we should be growing, and it is impossible to grow apart from a study of the Word of God. The written Word reveals the living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the Bread of Life and the Water of Life. We will famish if we don’t feed upon Him.
Let me repeat that the great problem in the world today is that the majority of believers are trying to follow a few little rules and regulations; they are programmed like a computer. They feel that they are living the Christian life if they do all those little things. Oh, my friend, you are not a computer; you are a human being. If you are a child of God, you have a new nature—although you still have your old nature in which “… dwelleth no good thing …” (Rom. 7:18). But your new nature wants to do God’s will; it wants to please Him.
“The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth” would be better translated, “the darkness is passing.” As you look around you today, you will see that the darkness has not passed yet. Ignorance of the Word of God is still much in evidence. The “true light,” who is the Lord Jesus Christ, is breaking upon this world. He still is the most controversial person who has ever lived on the earth.
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now [1 John 2:9].
It is impossible for you as a child of God to walk in the light and hate your brother. If you do hate another Christian, it means there is something radically wrong with your confession of faith. This doesn’t mean that there are not some people whose manners and habits will be objectionable to you. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be some believers who have certain habits that you don’t approve of—that is understandable. But to hate them reveals that you are in darkness. Hatred of a fellow believer is evidence that a person is not in the light. This is something we need to keep in mind. There is the natural darkness in which all men are born. Paul talks about it in Ephesians 4:18, where he says, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” That is the condition of mankind by nature. But our condemnation is not because of what we are by nature. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). This is important. Don’t let it slip by you. We are not responsible because we are sinners by nature; we are responsible if we reject the Savior. We are not responsible because we were born in darkness and because our understanding is darkened; we are responsible if we reject the light that comes to us through the Word of God.
If you walk in the light, it will chase away all darkness. Instead of turning from its searching rays, let it search your heart. If a man keeps on rejecting this light, there will come a day when God will withdraw the light altogether. Or that man will become sunburned. Esau was that kind of man. He was red. He was sunburned. He was not only sunburned physically, he was also sunburned spiritually. What is sunburn? It means the skin will absorb all the rays of the light except one particular ray, and that is what burns. The soul that will not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the Light of the World, will become sunburned, just as Esau was.
John gives us a test to see if we are in darkness. This is the test—
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness bath blinded his eyes [1 John 2:10–11].
When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He said, “… I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). My friend, we need to apply John’s test to our own lives. Have you really trusted Christ? Is He your light? Is He the one who is so guiding you that you are not hating your brother?
Here is a bit of poetry which sets this truth before us—
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light.
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy days be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my star, my sun,
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till traveling days are done.
“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”
—Horatius Bonar
Now, of course, there are other believers whose habits you dislike. You may have a distaste for some of their expressions. You may even have a personality that clashes with that of another brother. But that doesn’t mean you hate him.
When I was attending seminary, I roomed with a fellow who had some of the meanest habits I have ever seen in a Christian. He would start singing at night after I went to bed and was asleep. He wouldn’t sing all day long, but at eleven o’clock at night, he was ready to tune up. He had a lot of mean habits like that. So one day I told him, “You know, you are the greatest proof to me that I am a child of God.” He asked, “What do you mean?” I replied, “You are the most nauseating, the most sickening Christian that I have ever met, but I do want you to know something—I love you.” He looked right at me and said, “I want you to know that you are the most abominable Christian I have ever met, and I also want you to know you are the hardest person in the world to love, but I love you.” Years later that fellow got into some trouble. I made a trip to see him, to see if there was anything I could do to help him. When I met him, I found that he wasn’t any more lovable than he had been when I roomed with him. He was even more objectionable, and I think he found me the same, but I didn’t hate him. That man was a child of God, and God marvelously used him in the ministry. In many ways he was a great fellow. I don’t know why it is that when a Christian finds he doesn’t like somebody, he thinks the only alternative is to hate him. You don’t have to hate him at all; you are to love him as a child of God.
My friend, John has given here a tremendous statement: “He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” If you want to know for sure that you are a child of God, apply this test to your own life. If you are hating your brother, you are dwelling in darkness. If you are loving your brother, you are dwelling in light.
The Christian life is like a triangle. Let me diagram it for you (see below). God is at the top of the triangle, and the light of God comes down into your heart and life. Your love for God goes up, for you love Him because He first loved you. If you are walking in the light down here, it means you are going to love your brother also. You cannot say you love God and hate your brother. That is absolutely impossible, and John will make this very clear later on.
At this point it seems to me that we have a departure from the theme which John has been following. He begins to talk about the three different degrees of believers.
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake [1 John 2:12].
These whom he calls “little children,” the Greek teknia, little born ones, I think refer to all believers, regardless of their age or their maturity as believers. The basis on which all Christians rest is the forgiveness of sins because of the shed blood of Christ. “Your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.”
Some Christians stay in that position of little children and never move out of that area.
Now John moves to another group—
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father [1 John 2:13].
“Fathers” are the saints who have known the Lord Jesus for many years and have grown and matured. Personally, I think that David wrote Psalm 23 when he was an old man. He could never have written that psalm as a young shepherd, because it is a psalm which had grown out of life’s vicissitudes. David had faced all sorts of problems and dangers, and he had lived in fellowship with God. He was a matured child of God and would certainly fall under John’s classification of “fathers.” I have called Psalm 23 the psalm of an old king. I believe David wrote it as he was seated upon his throne, looking back over his life. He remembers that shepherd boy who would take the flocks out to pasture on the hills of Bethlehem, how he would protect them from the bears and lions. Then he remembers when he was made king and became the shepherd of a people. As he looks back over his checkered career, he recalls his wonderful friendship with Jonathan, his flight from King Saul, then his reign in Hebron, and finally when God made him king over all twelve tribes. Then he remembers his awful sin and God’s gracious forgiveness when he confessed it to Him. He recalls the trouble in his home (because God had taken him to the woodshed), especially the rebellion of Absalom, the son whom he most loved. He recalls his flight from Jerusalem and being holed up again and then receiving the news of Absalom’s death, which had been a heartbreak to him. With these things in mind, the old king says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). As a mature child of God, he recounts how God led him in green pastures and beside still waters and restored his soul. It is folk like David whom John is addressing as “fathers.”
“I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.” The “young men” are not as mature as the fathers, that is, they haven’t had the experience the fathers have had, but they have learned the secret of overcoming the enemy by the blood of Christ. They have learned how to live for God. Don’t tell me that a young person cannot live for God in this day.
“I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.” The “little children” in this case is the Greek paidia, immature little folk. They are the ones who know they are the children of God, but that is about all they know—and some of them feel that is all they want to know. Oh, how many children of God fall into this classification! In some churches you feel as if you are in a spiritual nursery! Although the folk are physically fullgrown, some of them with gray hair, they are still spiritually immature. They never did grow up.
Now John has something more to add; so he goes over each of these degrees of believers again.
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one [1 John 2:14].
“I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.” John doesn’t add anything to that because you can’t go beyond that. As Paul expressed it, knowing “… him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10) is what makes one a father in Christ.
My friend, how do you get to know somebody? By living with him day by day. I have discovered that my wife knows me. She has been living with me for over forty years so she knows me very well. And the summer I was forced to stay home because of illness, she and I sat on our back patio and really got acquainted with each other. We talked about many things from the time we met down to the present. Although I was sick during that time, it was the greatest summer I have ever spent. I know her better now, and she knows me better.
Now how are we going to know the Lord Jesus Christ? My friend, the only way you can know Him is in the Word of God. That is where He is revealed. Many folk feel that if they go to a Bible study once a week, they will become super-duper saints. But the Word of God is like food. I’ve conducted Bible studies once a week over the years, and I certainly approve of them, but imagine going in and eating a good meal and then saying, “I’ll be back for another meal in a week.” Well, if you don’t get any food in the meantime, you will be in bad shape. This is the reason I have maintained a daily Bible-teaching program by radio. The Word of God is the Bread of Life. If we are to know Christ, we must live with Him in His Word as we go through the joys and sorrows of this life.
Now John addresses the second group—“I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” In the previous verse John said that the young men were strong and they were able to overcome the wicked one. But now he gives the secret: “the word of God abideth in you.” My friend, how can you and I overcome the wicked one? With the Word of God. In Ephesians 6 the Christian’s armor is listed, piece by piece, and the weapon of offense is the “… sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). If you are going to be able to defend yourself against the Devil, you will have to have a good knowledge of the Word of God. The reason so many believers are succumbing to the sins of the world is that they are not studying the Word of God. You eat three times a day—you need physical food to be strong—and, believe me, you need spiritual food to be strong also.
DEAR CHILDREN MUST NOT LOVE THE WORLD
This is a section which a great many would separate from what has gone before, but I feel that it is very much a part of what John has been talking about. John has been telling us how we as God’s children can know that we are His children. He has said that the way we can know is by the fact that we love Him and keep His commandments. Later on, John is going to say that His commandments are not grievous. We are not talking about the Ten Commandments here but about the commandments which the Lord Jesus gave, for we have been brought into the Holy of Holies in a very personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Someone has made this division which I like: The Epistle to the Romans deals with how we come out of the house of bondage; Ephesians is how we enter the banqueting house; Hebrews is how we approach the throne of grace, but 1 John is how we approach the divine presence.
The way in which we can have assurance and be a proof not only to our neighbor but also to ourselves that we are genuine children of God is by our obedience to Him and our desire to please Him in all we do. I feel that there are some folk today who more or less grit their teeth and say, “Yes, I’ll obey Him.” But their motive is not love, and love should be the motive for obedience to Him. The Lord Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
My friend, when you obey the commandments of Christ because you love Him, a great many of the family problems will be solved and a great deal of the uncertainty in your own heart will disappear. If someone is offering a little course to follow in living the Christian life, people come running. A great many folk like to lean on something—even if it is a poor, broken reed which won’t hold them up.
Christianity is based on a love relationship. Salvation is a love affair. John is going to tell us more about this later when he says, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him [1 John 2:15].
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” What “world” is John talking about? He does not mean the world of creation, that is, the system and order found in the physical creation. In spring the flowers bloom and the trees put out leaves. In the fall the leaves begin to turn all kinds of beautiful colors, like yellow and gold and red. Then the leaves fall off, and winter soon comes. This is not the world we are warned against loving. This is the world God created for our enjoyment.
It is just as the poet says in “The Vision of Sir Launfal”—
And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays;
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur, or see it glisten.
—James Russell Lowell
I learned that poem when I was in grammar school, and it has always stayed with me. My birthday is in June, and in June I always think of how wonderful nature is.
The hymn writer has put it like this—
Heav’n above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen.
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
“I Am His, and He Is Mine”
—Wade Robinson
Isn’t that lovely? John is not talking about the physical earth where beautiful roses and tall trees grow. The wonderful mountains and the falls and the running streams are not what we are to hate. Rather, they are something we can admire and relish and enjoy.
Nor is the world about which John speaks the world of humanity or mankind. We are told that “God so loved the world.” What world? The world of people, of human beings. “… God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …” (John 3:16).
Then what world does John mean? The Greek word for “world” here is kosmos. It means the world system, the organized system headed by Satan which leaves God out and is actually in opposition to Him. The thing which we need to hate today is this thing in the world which is organized against God.
Believe me, there is a world system in operation today, and it is satanic. John mentions this in his gospel where the Lord Jesus says, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). “The prince of this world”—the prince of the world system, which is included in the civilization that you and I are in today. The world system belongs to Satan. He offered the kingdoms of this world to the Lord Jesus, and I don’t think he left out the United States when he made the offer—it all belongs to him, and we are not to love this world. We read in John 16:11, “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” Again, the Lord Jesus is referring to the satanic system that is in this world today. In Ephesians 1:4, when Paul speaks of “…the foundation of the world…”, he is talking about the material creation, but when we come to Ephesians 2:2, he says, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world….” What is “the course of this world”? This is a world that is filled with greed, with selfish ambition, with fleshly pleasures, with deceit, and lying and danger. That is the world we live in, and John says that we are not to love the world. We are living in a godless world that is in rebellion against God. Our contemporary culture and civilization is anti-God, and the child of God ought not to love it. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Many of us must move in the business world, many of us must move even in the social realm, but we do not have to be a part of it.
We need to recognize that we are going to be obedient to one world or the other. You are either going to obey the world system and live in it and enjoy it, or you are going to obey God. Listen to Paul in Galatians 6:14: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” In effect Paul is saying, “There stands between me and this satanic world system, a cross. Both are bidding for me and, as a child of God, I am obedient unto Him, and I glory in the cross of Christ.” You can be sure that the world today is not glorying in the cross of, Christ!
Peter also speaks of this: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world …” (2 Pet. 2:20, italics mine). He spoke earlier of the corruption of the world. We live in a world that is corrupted and polluted. We are hearing so much today about air pollution and water pollution, but what about the minds which are being polluted by all the pornography and vile language? What about the spirit of man that is being dulled by all these things?
“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” You may run with the Devil’s crowd all week long and then run with the Lord’s crowd on Sunday, but it is obvious that the love of the Father is not in you.
In Romans 7 Paul describes his own struggle as a Christian. He says in effect, “I have discovered that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. I have found that there is no power in the new nature. What I would not do, I’m doing. What the new nature wants to do, the old nature balks at—the old nature backslides and will not do that thing.” So there is a real conflict which goes on in the heart of the Christian as long as he is in the world with that old nature. For the old nature is geared to this world in which we live; it’s meshed into the program of the world.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world [1 John 2:16].
John lists these three things that are in the world. These are not only the temptations which face us, they are also the temptations which Satan brought to Eve (see Gen. 3:6) and to the Lord Jesus Christ (see Matt. 4:1–11).
1. “The lust of the flesh.” Eve saw that the tree was good for food—if you were hungry, it was a good place to eat. Scripture condemns gluttony and the many other sins of the flesh. So many things appeal to the flesh. There is an overemphasis on sex today both in the church and out of the church—it is all of the flesh. Satan brought this same temptation to the Lord Jesus: “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matt. 4:2–3). The Lord Jesus could have done that. The difference between the Lord Jesus Christ and myself is that if I could turn stones into bread, I suspect that I would be doing it, but He didn’t. He was being tested in that same area in which you and I are being tested—the desires of the flesh. We are being tested, and there is no sin in being tested. The sin is in yielding to the temptation. This same principle applies to sex or to any other realm of the desires of the flesh.
2. “The lust of the eyes.” Eve saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes. Remember also that Satan showed the Lord Jesus Christ all the kingdoms of this world. Let me tell you, they are very attractive, and they are in the hands of Satan. There is a godless philosophy which is trying to get control of the world today. There will come a day when Antichrist will arise—he is coming to rule this world for Satan. This is an attractive world that we live in, with all of its display, all of its pageantry, all of its human glory.
3. “The pride of life.” Eve saw that the tree was to be desired to make one wise. Many people like to pride themselves on their family. They pride themselves on the fact that they come from a very old family and upon the fact that they belong to a certain race. There are a number of races which are very proud of that. That was the appeal which Hitler made to the German people, and it is an appeal to any race. That is a pride of life. It is that which makes us feel superior to someone else. It is found even in religion today. I meet saints who feel they are super-duper saints. As one man said to me, “I heartily approve of your Bible study program on radio.” In fact, he has given financially to our program to help keep it going. He said, “I know a lot of people who listen to it, and they need it,” but he very frankly told me, “I don’t listen to it.” He felt that he didn’t need it, that he had arrived, that he was a very mature saint. Of course, it proves that he is a very immature saint when he even talks like that. Satan took the Lord Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and said, “Cast yourself down. A great many people will witness it, and You will demonstrate to them Your superiority.” It was probably at a feast time when many would have seen Him, but the Lord Jesus never performed a miracle in order to demonstrate His superiority.
These are the three appeals that the world makes to you and me today. But when we make our tummy our goal in life, when we attempt to make beauty our goal, or even when we attempt to make that which is religious our goal, it leads to the most distorted view of life that is possible. These things are of the world, and they become deadly. We are told that we are not to love these things because God does not love them—He intends to destroy this world system someday. What is our enemy? The world, the flesh, and the Devil. This is the same temptation which Satan brought to Eve and to the Lord Jesus. He has not changed his tactics. He brings this same temptation to you and to me, and we fall for it.
Now John gives us the reason we are not to love this world—
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever [1 John 2:17].
I have always enjoyed going to England and visiting such places as the Tower of London, Tewkesbury Castle, Warwick Castle, Hampton Court, Windsor Castle, and Canterbury. Many of us have ancestors who came from over there, but those folk were a bloody, cruel, vain, and worldly people. Just recall the way Henry VIII took Hampton Court away from Cardinal Wolsey who was the one who had built it. Poor old Cardinal Wolsey before he died said something like this, “If I had only served my God like I served my king, I wouldn’t be here today.”
My, how Henry VIII could eat! And when he got tired of a wife—he had several—he just sent her to the Tower to be beheaded. Go and look at all of that today—“the world passeth away.” What a story of bloodshed is told at the Tower of London, of the pride of life and of the lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes also—how beautiful Windsor and Hampton Court are! Even the arrangement of the flowers was made by Sir Christopher Wren, the wonderful architect who also built St. Paul’s Cathedral. There is a glory that belongs to all of that, but it has already passed away. England is just a third-rate power in the world today and maybe not even a third-rate power. All of that has passed away and the lust of it. Where is the lust of Henry VIII today? It is in one of those tombs over there. Just think of all the glory which is buried in Westminster—all of that has passed away.
When I look back to when I was a young man, I wish that somehow I could reach back there and reclaim some of those days and some of the strength which I had then. I wish I could use for God what I squandered when I was young. “The world is passing away.”
“But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” Why don’t you work at something which is permanent, something which has stability, something which is going to last for eternity?
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time [1 John 2:18].
The word translated “little children” here is slightly different from the word that is translated in the same way back in verse 12. There it is a term of affection and implies all who are born into God’s family, God’s little born ones, little bairns as the Scottish term is. These little children here indicate the first degree of spiritual experience which we have seen in verses 12–14: the fathers at the top, then the young men, and then the little babies. Here John is talking to the little babies again. The little babies haven’t grown up yet. They are passing through this world, and the chances are that they have been tripped up by one of these three things which John has just mentioned.
“It is the last time.” We are living in the last day here upon the earth. It has been the last time for a long time. This is the age when God is calling out a people for His name. You can say at any time during this period, “Now is the acceptable time. Today if you will hear His voice.” Why the urgency about salvation? Because, my friend, you might not be here tomorrow. Tomorrow I might no longer be heard preaching on the radio. It just might be that we will not be around, so it is important that I give out the Word, and it is important that you hear the Word.
“As ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” Many antichrists had already appeared in John’s day, but there is coming the Antichrist. What do we mean by antichrist? I think that this word has been misunderstood and, as a result, the person who is coming has been misunderstood. Antichrist is made up of two words: the title Christ and the preposition anti. It is important to see that anti has two meanings. It can mean “against.” If I am anti-something, that means I am against that thing. Anti can also mean “instead of, an imitation of.” Therefore, it can be a substitute. It can be either a very good substitute or just a subterfuge for something.
The question arises, therefore: Is the Antichrist to be a false Christ or is he an enemy of Christ? Where does Scripture place the emphasis? There are several references to Antichrist in 1 John, but the only things we can derive from this verse is that there is going to be the Antichrist and that there were already many antichrists in John’s day. What was the thing which identified an antichrist? He was one who denied the deity of Christ. That is the primary definition of an antichrist which we are given in 1 John, as we shall see when we come to verse 22. This is the emphasis in 1 John, but you will recall that the Lord Jesus said, “… many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matt. 24:5). That is antichrist—instead of Christ, claiming to be Christ.
I personally believe that there are going to be two persons at the end of the age who will fulfill both of these types—being against Christ and claiming to be Christ. Scripture presents it that way in Revelation 13. There we have presented a “wild beast” who comes out of the sea, and Satan is the one who calls him forth. That is the political ruler, and he is definitely against Christ. There is a second beast who comes out of the land. He appears to be a lamb, but he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He pretends to be Christ who is “… the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He will be a religious ruler. The political ruler will come out of the gentile world, the former Roman Empire. The religious ruler will come out of the nation Israel—they would not accept him as their Messiah unless he did. So that you have actually two persons who will together fulfill this term antichrist. They are coming at the end of the age, and both of them can be called Antichrist—one against Christ and the other instead of Christ.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us [1 John 2:19].
This is very solemn. John says that some who had made a profession of being Christians in that day had all the outward trappings of being Christians. They bore the Christian name, and they identified themselves with some local assembly, some church. They were baptized, immersed, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They took the bread and the cup at the communion service. But John says that the way you can tell whether or not one is really a child of God is that eventually a man will show his true colors and will leave the assembly of God if he is not a child of God. He will withdraw from the Christians, the body of believers, and he will go right back into the world.
We see in 2 Peter what I call “the parable of the prodigal pig.” Peter speaks in that epistle of “… the sow that was washed …” (2 Pet. 2:22). Not only did a son get down in the pigpen, but also a little pig got washed. A little girl pig went up to the Father’s house, became very religious, got all cleaned up with a pink bow around her neck and her teeth washed with Pepsodent, but she found she didn’t like the Father’s house because she was a pig. So one day she said, “I’m going to arise and go to my father, my old man.” Her old man was down in a big loblolly of mud. The little pig went home, and when she saw her old man, she squealed, made a leap, and landed in the mud right by the side of him. Why? Because she was a pig. “They went out from us, but they were not of us.” That’s a harsh, cruel statement, but it happens to be a true statement. There are many who make professions of being Christians, but they are not really Christians.
Remember that the Lord said of Judas, “But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table” (Luke 22:21). Right there, at the first communion service, there was a traitor, Judas Iscariot, and he was one who was identified with the group of faithful disciples. We read in John 6:70, “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a demon?” Judas was never anything else although he looked like an apostle, he acted like an apostle, and he had power, I believe, to perform miracles. He went out with the others, and they were not able to identify him as being a phony, but he was.
John makes a very solemn and serious statement here, and he makes this statement to us today. The Lord Jesus said to a very religious man, Nicodemus, that he must be born again. He said to him that night, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). John says here, “They went out from us, but they were not of us.” They looked as if they were true children of God, but they actually were not, and the real test, of course, was the Word of God. This ought to cause every Christian, including this poor preacher who writes this, to ask himself the question: Have I really faced up to my sins in the light of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ? Have I come to God in repentance, owning my guilt and acknowledging my iniquity? Have I cast myself upon Him and Him only for my salvation? Have I evidence in my life of being a regenerate soul of God? Do I love the Word of God? Do I want the Word of God? Is it bread to me? Is it meat to me? Is it drink to me? Do I love the brethren? And do I love the Lord Jesus Christ? These are the things which we need to consider, my friends, and the Word of God enjoins us in this particular connection.
After presenting justification by faith in no uncertain terms, Paul goes on to make it clear in Galatians 6:15, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” You cannot even boast of the grace of God and say, “Oh, I don’t trust in church membership. I don’t trust in baptism.” Well, whether or not you believe they are necessary for your salvation, the essential question is: Have you really been born again? Or, perhaps you are one who is trusting in these things. Again the important question is: Are you a new creation in Christ Jesus?
Paul spoke to the Corinthians, some of whom had reason to believe they might not be children of God: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor. 13:5). My friend, it is very important that you really know that you are a child of God. Paul also wrote earlier to the believers in Corinth, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13). Friend, how are you doing with the Christian life? Are you really a child of God today? Is there evidence in your life that you are a child of God? I’m not talking about whether you have committed a sin or not, but what did you do after you committed the sin? Did you continue on in sin? The prodigal son got into a pigpen, but he did not continue there—that was not his permanent address. If you had mailed him a letter after he had been there a few weeks or months, unless the pigs had forwarded it, he wouldn’t have gotten your letter. That was no longer his address; he had gone home. The child of God, after he has sinned, is going to go to God with hot tears coursing down his cheeks and crying out to Him in confession. If he doesn’t do that, he’s not God’s child.
God’s child must hate sin. This light view of sin which we have today is simply something that is not quite scriptural. I am afraid that there are many church members who are just taking it for granted that they are children of God because they are as active as termites in the church—and they have just about the same effect as termites.
Let me pass this little story on to you. I have heard it told several different ways, and I don’t know which way is accurate. Years ago in London, living down in the slums, there was a woman of the underworld, a prostitute. She had a little son, and she became terribly sick. She was frightened because she knew she was dying, and she sent her little son to get a minister, as she put it, “to get me in.” She told the little fellow, “You go get a minister to get me in.”
The little fellow went out looking for a church. He had to go a long way before he found a very imposing looking church. He went around to the rectory, and the minister came to the door when he rang the bell. The minister looked at this little urchin and said, “What do you want?” The little boy replied, “My old lady is dying. She wants you to come and get her in.” At first the minister thought the boy meant that his mother was out drunk somewhere, so he said, “Get a policeman. It’s raining tonight, and I don’t want to go out. Get a policeman to get her home.” The little fellow said, “She’s already home. She’s not drunk. She is home in bed, and she is dying. She wants somebody to get her in, and she wants me to get a minister. Would you come?” That liberal minister was stunned for a moment. He knew that he should go, that he couldn’t turn down a request like that, so he got his coat and umbrella, and he went with the little fellow. They walked and walked and came finally to a very poor section of London and found the creaky stairs which led to an upstairs bedroom.
All the way over, the minister had thought, What will I say to her? I can’t say to her what I have always preached to my people. He had always told his congregation that they were people of culture and refinement, that they were to keep that up and continue to be very cultured and refined. He thought, What in the world can I say to her? I can’t even tell her to reform. She ought to be reformed, but it is too late now. What can I tell her? Then he remembered that as a boy his mother had always quoted John 3:16, and in desperation he turned to that verse when he sat down beside this woman. It actually wasn’t too familiar to him, but he read it to her: “… God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The dear woman wanted to go over the verse with him. She said, “Do you mean that in spite of the type of person I am, all I have to do is just trust in Jesus?” He said, “Well, that is what it says here. It says that God gave His Son to die on a cross. It says, ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up’ (see John 3:14). That is, what I read here, and so that is what you are to do.” This dear woman, before she died, right there accepted Christ as her Savior. The preacher himself told the story afterwards, and he said, “That night I not only got her in, but I got myself in.” My friend, are you sure that you are in? Are you sure that you have trusted Him and that He is your Savior?
Some people will write me and say, “You have no right to ask questions like that because we have been members of the church for thirty years.” Well, I think you ought to examine yourselves and see whether you are in the faith or not. It is wonderful to make an inventory and find out where you are. There was a time in the Thru the Bible radio ministry when we didn’t know where we were financially because our accountant became too ill to help us. When we got an accountant, we found that, although we had thought we were sailing along on nice, blue seas, we really weren’t. Thank the Lord, we found it out in time—but it was only because we examined our condition. A great many church members need to examine themselves. Are you really in the faith? Do you really trust Christ? Someone will say, “You are robbing me of my assurance of salvation.” My friend, I believe in the security of believers, but I also believe in the insecurity of make-believers. We need to examine ourselves to see what kind of believer we really are.
At the beginning of this chapter, John made it very clear that we can know that we are God’s children and that we can have fellowship with Him. In spite of the fact that we are His feeble, frail, faltering, falling little children, we can still have fellowship with Him because the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, just keeps on cleansing us from all sin. We have an Advocate up there with the Father, and He’s for us—He is on our side.
Then beginning at verse 3 we saw that God is love. This is the very heart of this epistle. Love is mentioned about thirty-three times. John said that the dear children may have fellowship with each other by walking in love. In other words, the little children must recognize that they are called to live a different kind of life. They now have been given a new nature. They now can live for God. Obedience is the test of life. We can know whether we really have life or not if we keep His commandments—and not only His commandments but His Word. Obeying His Word means we are willing to go even farther than anything he had commanded.
The difference between law and grace is brought out by what John has said. The law said: If a man do, he shall live. But grace says the opposite: If a man live, he will do. That is, a man must have a life from God before he can live for God. He cannot by the old nature live for God. This is the radical difference between law and grace. The law says, “Do,” but grace says, “Believe.” It is a different approach to the same goal. The only problem is that law never did work for man because it is impossible for the old nature to please God. We all have come short of the glory of God. John showed that the real test is: Do I delight in the will of God? Do I love His commandments? If you are a child of God, you have a new nature, and now you want to please Him. It has been expressed like this in a little jingle:
My old companions, fare you well.
I cannot go with you to hell.
I mean with Jesus Christ to dwell.
I will go with Him, and tell.
—Author unknown
That may be a very poor piece of poetry, but it certainly expresses it as it really is. You cannot be having fellowship with God and other believers if you are living in sin.
Proverbs 28:13 says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Though we know that the blood of Christ does indeed cover us from all sin, we cannot walk and live in sin and at the same time have fellowship with God and with other believers. If you and I have a life which commends the gospel, it is another assurance that is given to us. I personally do not think you can have real assurance down deep in your heart unless you are obedient unto God. I believe that you can know beyond the peradventure of a doubt that you are a child of God. Such assurance is not presumptuous, it is not audacious, it is not being arrogant, it is not effrontery, it is not a gratuitous assumption, it is not overconfidence, it is not self-deception, it is not wild boasting, it is not self-assertion. In fact, it is true humility. Knowing that you are saved and the eternal security of the believer are not the same; they are not synonymous, although they are related. The Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28). If you are His sheep, you will hear His voice. You are not boasting when you say that you know you are saved. You are saying that you have a wonderful Shepherd. You are not saying that you are wonderful but that your Shepherd is wonderful. What a tremendous truth this is!
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things [1 John 2:20].
What John means here by “unction” is anointing. We have an anointing, and that is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We are going to see this later in verse 27 where John says, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.”
“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” The Holy Spirit indwells every real believer and is able to reveal to him all things. “… Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit …” (1 Cor. 2:9–10) so that we have someone dwelling in us who can reveal to us these things which are in the Word of God. We have an anointing, and every person can have the assurance of his salvation. If you really want to do business with God, if you really want to get right down to the nitty-gritty with Him, come to Him, ask for light, ask for guidance, and ask for His assurance.
“And ye know all things.” John means that all the things that you should know as a child of God are potentially yours to know. This does not mean that you have suddenly been given a Ph.D. degree in spiritual things. It does mean that by the Holy Spirit you can study the Word of God, and then through the experiences which God sends to you, you have the possibility of growing in these matters.
Many a child of God grows in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. I have been amazed at the number of lay people whom I have met in my ministry who have done so. The first time I discovered this was when I was a student in my first year in seminary during the Depression, way back in the late 1920s. I was asked to go to a little Baptist church in the cotton mill section of Sherman, Texas. I went up there and preached four times that Sunday. I never will forget that! Because the cotton mill hadn’t been operating for over a year, they gave me thirty cents for an honorarium! A friend of mine, a fellow student, went with me, and on the way home he asked, “Why are you so quiet?” I told him, “The offering I got was thirty cents!” He said, “Well, this is a real event for you. This is probably the only time that you will ever be paid exactly what you are worth.” Thirty cents—but, gracious, that had to be spread over the four sermons which I had given!
We had dinner, that is, the noon meal, that day in a home where there was an elderly woman whom everybody called “Grandma.” (There were about twenty people there, but I don’t think she was a grandmother to everybody!) She told me that she had come in a covered wagon in the early days and that she had loaded the rifle for her husband as he had shot at attacking Indians. She had been a real pioneer. But she had never learned to read nor write, and she wasn’t able to go to church. The people asked me, “Would you read something to Grandma?” Being a first-year seminary student, I thought I would give her the benefit of my vast knowledge of Scripture (which, by the way, wasn’t so vast). I thought I would take something easy and familiar so I began to read John 14. As I went along, I wanted to explain it to Grandma—after all, she couldn’t read nor write, and I thought I should help her. I made a comment or two as she sat there, and I thought she looked a little bored. After a few minutes she said, “Young man, had you ever noticed this?” Frankly, she made comments to bring out some things in that passage which I had never heard before. In fact, there was no professor in school who had ever mentioned what she mentioned about that passage of Scripture. Before we got through the chapter, she was telling me and I was listening.
This friend of mine who had come with me was sitting over in the corner, and I knew he was really going to get me for this. On the way home that night, he made another comment. He said, “My, you sure were helpful to Grandma today!” I said, “Where in the world do you suppose that woman learned so much about John 14?” He replied, “Did it ever occur to you that maybe the Holy Spirit is her Teacher? Maybe you and I have been listening to the wrong teachers!” John is saying here that we need to let the Holy Spirit be our Teacher. “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” That’s potential—it is up to you whether you are going to learn or not.
I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth [1 John 2:21].
“I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth”—they had the gospel; they had the truth. John is not writing something new to these folk. He is writing to them for what I think is a twofold purpose. One is to encourage them, and the other is to warn them because there was false teaching going out in that day.
“But because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” John is saying that they had the truth, but now lies were coming in. Gnosticism was coming in, and there were many antichrists who were appearing.
Who is an antichrist? We have already said just a few words about this, but now John will say a little bit more—
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son [1 John 2:22].
The language is much stronger here; it is, “Who is the liar?” In other words, all lies are summed up in the one who is the prince of liars, the Devil. There is coming a man who is Satan’s man, and he is the liar. And a liar is one who does not tell the truth.
“Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” John gives us now the definition of antichrist. This will be the embodiment of the Antichrist, but there are many antichrists. There were some in John’s day; there have been some down to our day, and there are many today. Who are they? They are easy to recognize—they are those who deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, those who deny that Jesus the man is the Christ, the Messiah, the one who is God, the one whose name is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the one who is pictured in the Old Testament. To deny that is being antichrist.
We have many systems in the world today which deny Him. They are against Christ, and they also imitate Him and try to take His place. In the early church it was Gnosticism. Irenaeus made this statement, “They [that is, the Gnostics] say that Jesus was the son of Joseph and born after the manner of other men.” That is the way Irenaeus identified the Gnostics in his day.
Liberalism and all of the cults and “isms” today have also denied His deity. Very candidly, I do not mind saying that the rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” is antichrist. It does not by any means present the Jesus of the Bible who is the Savior of the world. Many years ago Dr. William E. Hocking, who was professor of philosophy at Harvard University, wrote Living Religions and a World Faith. He made this statement, “God is in His world, but Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed are in their little private closets, and we shall thank them, but never return to them.” You can see that that is simply a direct, rank denial of the deity of Christ. The one “that denieth the Father and the Son”—that will be the sure mark of the Antichrist, and there are many antichrists even today, of course.
John has identified antichrist for us as the one who denies the Father and the Son. Now he will make it clear in verse 23 that you cannot deny the Son without denying the Father. You see, the deity of Christ is essential to your salvation because if He is not God, the man who died on the cross over nineteen hundred years ago cannot be your Savior—in fact, He could not even be His own Savior. None of us as human beings can die for the other. It was necessary for God to become a man in order that you and I might have redemption. Therefore, John says—
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also [1 John 2:23].
When you say that you believe in God and deny the deity of Christ, you really do not believe in God, certainly not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is the one who sent His Son into the world to die for our sins. And since the Son is God, He alone is the one who could make a satisfactory sacrifice to God for our sins. Had he been anyone else other than God, He Himself would have been a sinner.
In the great Riverside Church in New York City when Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick was the pastor, the cover page of a bulletin at that time said, “Whoever you are that worship here, in whatever household of faith you were born, whatever creed you profess, if you come to this sanctuary to seek the God in whom you believe or to rededicate yourself to the God in whom you do believe, you are welcome.” It goes on to say a lot about peace and the Fatherhood of God, but I’m nauseated reading that far so I will not quote any more of it. It sounds sweet and flowery; it appeals to the natural man, but John’s whole point is that we need to beware of this, for this is antichrist. We need to emphasize this very important verse.
Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father [1 John 2:24].
“Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning.” “The beginning” in 1 John goes back to the incarnation of Christ. That “which ye have heard from the beginning,” that which you heard concerning His incarnation, that which you heard concerning His life, that which you heard concerning His death and resurrection—in other words, that which they had heard from the beginning when the apostles began to preach the gospel.
“If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” I know a man who heard our Bible-teaching radio program more than twenty years ago in San Diego. I’m not going to tell you about his life before then, but when he heard the broadcast, right there and then he accepted Christ as his Savior. God put him at the head of the Christian Servicemen’s Center in San Diego, and it is one of the finest in the world. Down through the years, he has been responsible for leading literally thousands of sailor boys and soldier boys to the Lord. I thank God for the testimony of this man’s life because John says that if you abide in Him, that is the evidence that you are a child of God.
It is essential, therefore, to have a living faith which rests in the One who came to this earth more than nineteen hundred years ago. In his gospel John wrote, “… the Word was made [became] flesh, and dwelt among us …” (John 1:14). How tremendous that is! “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). He has “declared”—exeµgeomai, exegeted God. He has led God out to where we can know about Him because God became a man. That is the only way you and I could know about Him. We can now know about God. The important thing in this whole section of Scripture is communion with the Father and with the Son. The emphasis here is not so much upon having life in Christ through faith in Him, but the emphasis is upon having communion and enjoying that fellowship with Him which is so essential.
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life [1 John 2:25].
The only kind of life that God offers is eternal life. If you lose it tomorrow or next week or next year, it isn’t eternal life that you have. It is some other kind of life, but not eternal life.
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you [1 John 2:26].
Seduce means “to lead astray, to lead from the truth.” I think that seduce is a good word here because it applies in exactly the same way in both the physical and spiritual realms. In other words, you lead a person to commit spiritual adultery when you lead him away from the truth.
Even in John’s day there were those coming along who were beginning to deny the Father and the Son, beginning to deny that the Lord Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be. They were seducing some of those who were professing Christians. John says that the thing which you must hold onto is that God has promised you eternal life if you put your faith in Christ, and you do not need to add anything to that.
John was telling the people of his day that they did not need what the Gnostics were teaching. The Gnostics pretended to have super-duper knowledge, that they knew a little bit more than anyone else. I am afraid that in our own day there is a real danger when a great many people are going to so many Bible classes. There is the danger of their becoming super-duper saints. A lady said something to me the other day which I didn’t appreciate very much because I know her husband so well and he is a wonderful Christian. She’s been going to Bible classes, and they have been fine classes. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not criticizing the Bible classes. However, she was adopting a very superior attitude toward her husband, that she knew more than he knew, and that she was really the one who could teach him. Very frankly, I don’t think she could. He is a very intelligent man, and although he is not able to be in as many Bible classes as she is, what he does hear has an effect upon his life. So there is a real danger of present-day Gnosticism, of professing to have a superknowledge and maybe even a super-experience, of becoming a super-duper saint where there is just no one else at your level.
Such a position is a dangerous one to come to because if you come into a knowledge of Christ and you begin to grow in grace and knowledge of Him, you will have the same experience that John the Baptist had, which he expressed this way, “He [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
I’m going to make a confession to you, and I hope you won’t let it out but will just keep it in the family. In one sense it is a little disturbing to me that my study of the Word of God does not reveal how much I know, but rather it reveals how much I don’t know and how woefully ignorant I am. I am studying the Bible now as I never have in my entire life, but when I graduated from seminary, I practically knew it all; there was very little that I thought I needed to learn after that. There were certain things I thought I knew at that time, but very frankly, I’m coming now to find that I didn’t know them at all. I thought I did, but I didn’t know them at all. There is a vast field of knowledge today for the child of God. It behooves us to make this matter of coming to know Christ through His Word a serious business and to give it top priority in our lives. That is the thing that is all important, and all that John is really saying is, “I don’t want you to become a super-duper saint. I want you to rest upon the promise of God.”
Now John is going to say to them, “You know Him as your Savior—hold on to that—but now you also want to have communion with Him and the Father, and to have fellowship with Him and the Father and with other believers.”
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him [1 John 2:27].
“Anointing” is the Greek word charisma. We speak of a certain speaker or preacher as having charisma. If he doesn’t have charisma, he doesn’t get very far today, you’ll have to admit that. When I went to my classical dictionary, I must say I was shocked and disappointed. This word means “to smear on”; it means to take an ointment and smear it on. It is like when you take a medicated petrolatum and put it on your chest at night—you are anointing yourself, you are smearing it on. That is literally what charisma means. I checked with Dr. R.C. Trench and Dr. Marvin Vincent, two outstanding Greek scholars, and they also have come up with the same meaning. Charisma means “to smear on.”
But what does this mean for us today as believers? Back in the Old Testament, by the command of God, the Israelite priests were anointed with oil. That anointing indicated in a physical way that they were specially endued by the Holy Spirit to perform a certain function. That is what the anointing here means for us today. “But the anointing which ye have received of him”—that is, you and I have received an anointing of God. When you are saved, one of the things which the Spirit of God does for you is that He anoints you. He anoints you to understand divine truth which you could not understand before.
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you.” The important thing to note here is that John is not saying that we do not need teachers. We do need teachers, or else Paul was certainly wrong in Ephesians when he made the statement that God has given to the church certain men who are gifted—some who are teachers, some who are evangelists, and some who are shepherds to minister to and counsel folk. Paul said that God has given these men to the church to build up the body of believers. I think it is important that we all sit under good teachers.
As I think back over my life, I thank God for the godly men who have crossed my pathway. They are the ones who are responsible for my being in the ministry. I have the pictures of four men hanging on the wall of my office at the headquarters of our radio ministry. The combined influence of these four men is the reason that I entered the ministry. These men affected my life. You may not know these men, but I am going to give you their names. The first man is a man by the name of Joe Boyd who was a layman in Nashville, Tennessee. When no one else seemed interested in a young fellow who wanted to study for the ministry, Joe Boyd got interested. He is actually the man who did the footwork of making it possible for me to get a job so that I could go to college and for me to get a loan so that I could go to college and seminary. He followed my ministry, and I was his pastor for three years. He was a wonderful man, and I thank God for him. Next to his picture is the picture of the pastor whom I followed in that church in Nashville, Dr. A.S. Allen. He is one of those unsung preachers whom you never hear about today, but he is one of the greatest preachers I ever listened to. Next to his picture is that of Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary. My, when I heard him preach, that’s what turned me on. I thought, This is the thing that I want to do. Next to Dr. Chafer is the picture of probably the brainiest man whom I have ever met, Dr. Albert Dudley. He is a man who had great influence upon the turn which I took in the ministry to become an expository preacher rather than a preacherette giving little sermonettes to Christianettes. I thank God for him and for all these men.
Therefore, John is not saying that teachers are not essential, but he is saying something that is important for God’s children today. “But the anointing which ye have received of him”—this has been referred to before when he spoke of “the unction of the Holy One,” the anointing of the Holy Spirit. One of the Holy Spirit’s ministries is to teach us. He is able to guide us into all truth. The Lord Jesus, the great Teacher, said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit will teach us all things, that is, all that you and I are able to contain.
“But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” There has been given to you an anointing whereby you are enabled to understand all truth because “… the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Paul also wrote earlier, “… Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit …” (1 Cor. 2:9–10). This is the anointing of the Holy Spirit for a believer.
This is one reason we encourage folk to get into the Word of God and to study it. I received a letter from a dear lady who makes a tape recording of our radio program and then listens to it again and again. She also reads repeatedly the passage of Scripture being taught. All of a sudden her eyes are opened, and she sees the Lord Jesus in a new way. What has happened? She has had an anointing. I believe in that kind of anointing, but I don’t believe in a lot of the silly stuff that is going on today which is purely emotional and which doesn’t enlighten you to understand and love the Word of God and to love the Lord Jesus. It does not matter how much whoopee you put into your religion, you can just whoop it up and have all kinds of emotion, but all that is of no value. It is enlightenment that we need today.
The whole point is that there ought to come a day when you and I can stand on our two feet as far as the Word of God is concerned and, as Peter says, “… be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). We ought to be able to do that. But there is also a grave danger in this which I want to very carefully point out. I know people who have been going to Bible classes and have been studying the Bible for years, but they never get anywhere. They are the ones who bring Bible teaching into disrepute. I see people at Bible conferences in the summertime—I’ve seen them there every summer for thirty years—and they are today right where they were thirty years ago. They are like “… silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:6–7). They don’t seem quite to arrive, but they always have their Bibles and are always writing a few little notes down. At a summer conference where I was speaking sometime ago, a woman came to me with the same question that I am confident she had asked me twenty-five years ago at another summer conference! She had a notebook, and she was still taking it down—“ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
In other words, we ought to get to the place where the Spirit of God is our Teacher. As you study the Word of God, do you ask the Spirit of God to teach you and to lead you? If you don’t understand something the first time, get down on your knees and say, “Lord, I miss the point. I don’t understand this. Make it real to me. I want this to be real to me.” This is important, and this is what John is saying here. “The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you.” There are certain things which the Spirit of God can make very real to you.
“But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie.” The Lord Jesus said, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:24). But it will not be possible to deceive the elect. The Antichrist will not deceive the elect who are left on the earth when he comes. And today no antichrist will deceive them. I knew a couple who had recently been saved, and they got into a liberal church. I met them when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles. They told me, “We worked our way down Wilshire Boulevard, going from church to church until we got to your church. We knew we were not hearing the truth of God at the churches we visited, but we couldn’t put our finger on it. We knew the teaching was wrong, but we didn’t know how it was wrong”—they were just new converts. God’s little children are going to follow the pattern the Lord Jesus spoke of when He said, “My sheep hear my voice …” (John 10:27). God’s children are not going to follow a false shepherd. They hear His voice, and the Spirit of God can be their Teacher. This should be a great comfort to us. We need to test every teacher we hear—it would be well if you tested me. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Is this that McGee is teaching the truth of God? Make it real to my heart, too. I want to know for myself whether it is true or not.”
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming [1 John 2:28].
“And now, little children”—dear little bairns, little born ones, meaning all God’s children, irrespective of maturity.
“Abide in him.” This is not really the imperative here but the indicative. In other words, John is saying, “You are abiding in Him.” I want to repeat that John is speaking here of fellowship. To abide in the Lord Jesus is to live in fellowship with Him. To abide in Him means to have communion with Him.
“That, when he shall appear.” This is actually, “If he appear,” but the if is not one of doubt. The if hasn’t anything in the world to do with a doubt of the fact of His coming, but it has to do with the uncertainty as to the circumstances. Although we may have an anointing, we do not know when Jesus is coming That is one thing which He has reserved for Himself to know.
Why has He not revealed to us the time of His coming? “That, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” A Christian ought to live in the light of the imminent coming of Christ. If you tell me today that He is not coming for another ten years (I may not live that long!), then I do not need to worry about today, and I can be a little careless in my living. But if He might come today, if He came right at this moment, He would catch me preparing this Bible study and that would be fine. I hope He will come at a time like that, but I don’t know when He will come. There are times when I get behind a driver who won’t let me around to pass him, and I tell him what I think of him. If the Lord were to come at that moment, I might be ashamed at His appearing. So you and I need to be living all the time in the light of His imminent return.
“When he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” A great many people are talking about the coming of Christ, and they get very excited about it; but it certainly is going to be embarrassing for them because they will not have any confidence and they are going to be ashamed before Him at His coming. Why? Because of their lives. The Lord Jesus says, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Rev. 22:12). Many people will look around for their reward, and they will find that they haven’t got any. Paul wrote, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” ( 1 Cor. 3:15). It is very important to have a life that commends the gospel.
John is saying here the same thing that Peter said: False doctrine and false living go together; true doctrine and true living go together. Every now and then you hear of a cult leader who is in trouble because he is guilty either of adultery, or of taking money which doesn’t belong to him, or of beating some person out of money. Why? False doctrine leads to false living. True doctrine leads to true living. There is nothing that will affect your life as much as the knowledge that you are going to stand in the presence of Christ and give an account of your works. Every believer will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). The issue of salvation has already been settled because we are His children and in His presence. It is not a question of whether you are saved or lost; it is a question of whether or not you are going to get any reward or recognition. There will be some folk who will not get any recognition. Paul writes further, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …” (2 Cor. 5:11). The Rapture is not going to be such a thrilling event for a great many believers because of the lives they lived down here.
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him [1 John 2:29].
This is the final proof, this is the litmus paper which is put into the solution to tell whether it is acid or base. It surely will tell every time. The Word of God is the real test. In effect John is saying that God’s children look like the Father—they take after their Father. If they don’t take after the Father, they must not be the Father’s children. It is just as simple as that, my friend.
CHAPTER 3
Theme: How the dear children may know each other and live together; the Father’s love for his children; the two natures of the believer in action
HOW THE DEAR CHILDREN MAY KNOW EACH OTHER AND LIVE TOGETHER
The last verse of chapter 2 belongs here with the first three verses of chapter 3. First John 2:29 reads: “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” It is one thing to testify that we know Christ and are in Him; it is quite another to have a life that reveals that He is our righteousness. It is wonderful to know positionally that we are in Christ and that we are accepted in the Beloved, but it is altogether different to have a life down here that is commensurate with that. John is telling us that the way we recognize other believers is by their lives and not by their lips. Righteousness is a family characteristic of the Father and His children. God’s children take after their Father—they have His characteristics.
THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not [1 John 3:1].
This is a very wonderful statement that John makes here. Let me give you my very literal translation of this verse: “Behold ye, of what sort of love the Father hath bestowed upon (given to) us, that we should be named children of God, and we are: and because of this the world does not know (begin to understand) us, because it did not know (begin to understand) Him.”
John is saying that we do not expect to be the sons of God, we are the sons of God. A better translation includes the words “and we are.” The child of God can say emphatically, “I am a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.” We don’t hope to be, we don’t expect to be, but the thrilling fact is that every believer can exult and rejoice and constantly thank Him that he is God’s child. We are boasters not in ourselves, but we are boasting of the wonderful Shepherd that we have. John makes it perfectly clear that if you are a born again child of God, you are going to exhibit a life that conforms to the Father. A child of God need not be in the false position of saying as an old hymn says:
’Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thought,
Do I love my Lord or no?
Am I His, or am I not?
—Author unknown
John says, “Now we are the children of God”md; right now we are the children of God.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” The kind of love that John is talking about is a strange kind of love, an unusual kind of love, a kind of love to which we are not accustomed. God loves us. What manner of love the Father has for us! The love of God—that is, His love for us—is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. John will go on to show that God has demonstrated His love by giving His Son to die for us. How many of us have someone who would die for us? How many folk would you be willing to die for? God loves you, and He has proven His love—He gave His Son to die for you.
The greatest motivating force in the world is God’s love. Love is the greatest drive in the human family. A man falls in love with a woman, a woman falls in love with a man, and some make such tremendous sacrifices for each other. When human love is genuine love, it is a beautiful thing, it is a noble thing, it is a wonderful thing, and it is a tremendous drive. But God’s love for His children far exceeds anything we can experience on the human plane.
The true child of God is going to prove his spiritual birth by being obedient to God’s Word. God’s wonderful love for us should motivate us. It is that which is going to cause us to want to live for God. Behold, what an unusual kind, what a different kind of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God.
John has emphasized that we are God’s children, right now. This brings me to say that our salvation is in three tenses: I have been saved; I am being saved; and I shall be saved.
1. I have been saved. The Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The moment you trust Christ you receive everlasting life, and you will never be any more saved than you are the moment you trust Him. You are born again, born into the family of God. John is addressing “little children”—these are God’s children. He says, “What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” Why? Because we are His children. He has bestowed His love upon His children, and they respond to that love by obedience unto Him and by living a life that is well pleasing to Him.
2. I am being saved. Paul said, “… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:2–3). Peter said, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ …” (2 Pet. 3:8). John is talking to us along the same lines here. If we are the children of God, we are going to be obedient unto Him, we are going to grow, we are going to develop, and we are going to go on in the Christian faith. Therefore, we can say that we are being saved.
3. I will be saved. When the Lord Jesus comes again for His own, we will experience the final stage of our salvation. Sin no longer will have power over us, and we will be with the Lord forever.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is [1 John 3:2].
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God”—not tomorrow, but right now—that is the wonderful part of it. The world won’t understand us, that’s for sure, because it didn’t understand Him. It takes a spiritual insight, and that comes through the anointing which we have talked about that He has given to us. The Spirit of God is the one who can make this real to us, and only the Spirit of God can do that, my friend. Until He confirms it to your heart, of course, you must say, “I don’t know whether I am saved.” But the Spirit of God can confirm this to your heart.
John says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” But someone says to me, “McGee, I’m a little discouraged with you. I think you ought to be a little farther along.” I would agree with you on that. I wish I were a better man, and I wish I knew more about the Word of God. Yes, I’d be willing to go along with that—I ought to be farther along than I am. But don’t you be discouraged with me, and then I won’t be discouraged with you because of the fact that “it doth not yet appear what we shall be.”
“But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” This is a wonderful prospect! He sees in you and in me what He will make out of us. I’m thankful that God is not through with me. If I thought He was through with me now, I would be very much discouraged, but He is yet to perform a work.
The story is told that when a great big piece of marble was brought in to him, Michelangelo walked around it, looking at it, and then said, “My, isn’t it beautiful!” One of his helpers who was standing there said, “Well, all I see is a great big piece of marble—that’s all.” Michelangelo exclaimed, “Oh, I forgot. You don’t see what I see. I see a statue of David there.” The helper looked again and replied, “Well, I don’t see it.” Michelangelo said, “That is because it is now in my own mind, but I am going to translate it into this piece of marble.” And that is what he did. God says, “It doth not yet appear what you shall be.” He sees what He is going to make out of us someday. We are discouraged when we look at each other as we are now, but God sees us as we shall be when He shall appear and we shall be like Him. What a glorious prospect this is for us!
“We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” We are going to see the glorified Christ. We are not going to be equal to Him, but we are going to be like Him in our own way. This does not mean that all of us are going to be little robots or simply little duplicates—it is not that at all. We will be like Him but with our own personalities, our own individualities, our own selves. He will never destroy the person of Vernon McGee. He’ll not destroy the person that you are, but He is going to bring you up to the full measure, the stature where you will be like Him—not identical to Him, but like Him.
It is going to be wonderful in heaven that we will love everybody—I’m excited about that. But the most wonderful thing about heaven to me is that everybody is going to love me! That’s going to be quite a change, and I’m looking forward to it. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” This is another great incentive to Christian living. I do not think there is anything else quite like it.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure [1 John 3:3].
If you believe that Jesus is coming and that someday you are going to be like Him, that will cause you to live a pure life down here. I know of nothing that is such a great incentive for holy living. We are not wonderful now, but we shall be wonderful someday.
There is nothing that should encourage holy living like the study of Bible prophecy. Today we see a lot of careless, slipshod living, but also a great emphasis on prophecy. I hear people say, “Oh, I’m waiting for the Lord to come!” Brother, my question is not whether you are looking for the Lord to come, but how are you living down here? How you live down here determines whether or not you are really looking for the Lord to come.
We are going to accomplish our goal someday. The New Jerusalem where we will live is going to be a place where He will wipe away all tears. There’ll be no sorrow, there’ll be no suffering. All of that is wonderful, but the most wonderful thing that strikes me in Revelation 21 is that He says, “… Behold, I make all things new …” (Rev. 21:5, italics mine). That is what I like. I do not know about you, I can speak only for myself, but I very frankly make this confession: I have never really been the man that I’ve wanted to be. I am at the age now where I guess a man begins to dream a little. And as I look back over my life, I realize I’ve never been the man that I have wanted to be, and I’ve never been the preacher I have wanted to be. I’ve never really preached the sermon that I wanted to preach. People have been kind to me and have said nice things, and I appreciate that, but I know in my own heart that I wish I could do better.
I’ve never been the husband that I’ve wanted to be. Previously I mentioned an illness I had several years ago which necessitated a three-month rest. My wife and I sat out on our patio and did a great deal of reminiscing. As I reviewed my life, I thought, My, I wish I had been a better husband than I was. I should have been. And I’ve never been the father that I wanted to be. Some people think I’m a little too much for my grandsons. Well, I’m trying to make up for them what I left out for my own child.
I’ve never really attained my goal. I thank God for the way He has led me. He’s been good to me in my life, and I rejoice in the fact that He’s given to me a Bible-teaching radio ministry. I never thought He’d do that, but He has. I have not attained my goal, but He says, “Behold, I make all things new.” He is saying, “Vernon McGee”—and He is saying this to you, too—“We are going to be able to start all over again. You are really going to live an eternal life, and you are going to attain your goal.” Won’t that be wonderful to grow in grace and the knowledge of Him, not only in this life, but for all eternity? What a prospect lies before us!
John is telling us here of the wonderful love the Father has for His children. I have been saved, I am being saved, and I am going to be saved. It’s going to be wonderful someday. So you don’t be discouraged with me, and I won’t be discouraged with you.
THE TWO NATURES OF THE BELIEVER IN ACTION
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law [1 John 3:4].
Again let me give you my very literal translation of this verse: “Everyone that doeth sin, doeth also lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” I have before me two very fine Greek commentaries, and they make it clear that the word translated “committeth” sin is literally “doeth” sin, meaning one who lives continually and habitually in sin. You know folk like that. I used to live that way, and the fellows working around me in the bank lived that way. Frankly, working in the bank was secondary. Our interest was in women, in liquor, and in having a good time. That was what we thought life was all about in those days, and that was what we called living. We lived in it continually, and we talked about it continually. That is what John means here: “Whosoever committeth sin”—whoever goes on committing sin, whoever simply lives in sin.
“Transgresseth also the law.” God has made certain laws. God did say, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exod. 20:14), and He means that today also. All of this free, new way of looking at things is not a new way at all. It is as old as the hills. The fact of the matter is that it goes back to the jungle, it goes back to paganism.
“For sin is the transgression of the law.” God has put up the Law so that we can know that we are sinners, so that we can know what He requires. That is the purpose of the Law. The Law was never given to save, it was given to reveal to man that he is a sinner.
Sin is basically and fundamentally that which is contrary to the will of God. In other words, a sinner is one who is insubordinate to the will of God. A little girl was asked in Sunday school to give her definition of what sin is. She said, “I think it is anything that you like to do.” You know, she wasn’t far from the truth, because this old nature that you and I have is absolutely contrary to the will of God. Paul emphasizes that in Romans 8:5, “For they that are after the flesh [the old nature] do mind [obey] the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” How are you living? In the flesh or in the Spirit?
Paul goes on to say, “For to be carnally minded is death….” Death is separation from God, and that is the thing which John is talking about. You cannot have fellowship with Him and be a carnal Christian. It is impossible to do that. I am afraid that there is too much talk today about, “Oh, how I love God, how I am serving Him, and How wonderful He is.” How pious some folk are! But, my friend, they are not in fellowship with Him because “… to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God [that is, disobedient to God]: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:6–7).
Paul makes it clear that before the Law was given there was sin, but it wasn’t transgression. The statement here in John, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law,” does not give a complete definition and is not really a good translation. That is why in my translation I have put it like this: “Everyone that doeth sin, doeth also lawlessness.” Paul wrote earlier in Romans, “… for where no law is, there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15); but there is sin because he says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12). That is, we sinned in Adam—his sin was ours. “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Rom. 5:13). Man was still a sinner and was insubordinate to God; nevertheless, it was not transgression of the Law—because the Law hadn’t been given yet.
We read further in Romans: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come” (Rom. 5:14). They sinned—why? Because they were sinners. In Isaiah 53:6 we have a true picture of every unsaved man: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Everyone has turned to his own way. Those three words tell our story: his own way. What’s your problem? What’s my problem? We want to have our way. The little baby in the crib is squealing at the top of his voice—what’s the matter with the little fellow? He wants his own way! We are born with that nature, a nature which is in rebellion against God.
This is the way the hymn “I Was a Wandering Sheep” by Horatius Bonar puts it:
I was a wandering sheep,
I did not love the fold,
I did not love my Shepherd’s voice,
I would not be controlled:
I was a wayward child,
I did not love my home,
I did not love my Father’s voice,
I loved afar to roam.
But the child of God has now come to God, and he has been born again.
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin [1 John 3:5].
Only the Lord Jesus can take away sin. He came for that purpose.
Two things are important for us to see here. In John’s gospel he wrote, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He bore the penalty of sin. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ died for the sin of the world. Now here in John’s epistle he shows that Christ takes away the practice of sin in the life of the believer. Christ is the “propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). What is the difference? Well, He died a redemptive death to pay the penalty of our sin, but He also died that He might deliver us from the power of sin right here and now.
“And in him is no sin.” The literal translation of this is: “in Him sin is not.” He died a redemptive death—He was our sin offering. He was without sin; He was without spot or blemish as was the Levitical sin offering. Therefore He is able to remove the guilt of sin and to provide the power to deliver us from the habit of sinning. He has given to us a new nature that we might live for Him today.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him [1 John 3:6].
“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not”—that is, that new nature of yours will not sin; it never sins. Dr. H. A. Ironside puts it this way: “ [Christ], this absolutely sinless One, who in grace became sin for us that we might be reconciled to God, dwells by the Spirit in the believer, and our new nature is really His very life imparted to us.” If you are God’s child, that new nature will not go along with the old nature and commit sin. The believer who abides in Christ does not practice sin—he doesn’t live in it. The sinner lives in it all the time, but the child of God has a new nature, and he cannot live a sinful life. This is pictured for us in the story of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 5:11–24). Only pigs live in pigpens; sons do not. Somebody will say, “But the son got into the pigpen.” He surely did, my friend, but he got out of the pigpen, too—let’s remember that. The child of God can get into it, but he will get out. Why? Because he is a son of the Father, and he takes after his Father. His Father is righteous, and the son wants to live that kind of life.
God provides the power to deliver from the habit of sinning, and that is all that John is saying here—“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.” Now if you go off to the pigpen, that’s the old nature, and if you stay in that pigpen, you never were God’s child. If you can be happy in sin, my friend, then you are not God’s child because God’s children have the nature of their Father. Sometime ago I received a letter from a young man which may help to illustrate my point here:
I come to you with a very critical problem and hope that you will help me for I am desperate and have nothing left to try or anybody to turn to …. I know that am a new born again Christian, although many times I had doubts. But know that have been saved. Brother, I don’t know what you are going to think when you find that I am a homosexual. Perhaps you’d think that I am living in false assurance of eternal life, but, believe me, this is not the case. I know I’m saved, but I lost the joy of my salvation for awhile. And I try to live a Christian life, and I never was so miserable ….
This young man’s letter is actually encouraging because he says that he is a homosexual but that he is miserable in it. He has no joy; he has no peace. Of course, he doesn’t. I will not question whether or not he is a child of God, but I do want to say something to him and to the many others who are just like him: My friend, God can give you deliverance from it. You need to claim that from Him. Ask Him to bring you to the place of peace and joy in your life. If you are God’s child, you will never be content in a sinful state. The people are wrong who maintain that homosexuality is merely another life-style. God calls it sin, and God says there is a deliverance. Now there may bean abnormality involved. I am confident that consulting a Christian psychologist would help, but make sure you go to a true Christian psychologist. The other crowd would probably push you farther into your problem, and you would never be delivered out of it. God can and will deliver you because you are His child. That is what the Word of God says here, and if you believe it, God can deliver you.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous [1 John 3:7].
“Little children”—John is talking to those who are God’s children; he is not talking to the world.
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” This is the thing which reveals the child of God. To abide in Him does not mean just positionally. It is true that you have a position in Christ that can never be disturbed, but there is also a practical consideration down here. If you abide in Him in fellowship and service, sin must be given up.
I talked to a young man in Phoenix, Arizona, one time who said to me, “Dr. McGee, I’ve been listening to you on the radio. think you can help me. I’m an alcoholic. I accepted Christ several years ago, and can go for along time without drinking, but then I will again find myself drunk. I hate myself.” This fine looking young fellow who was an executive began to weep as he talked. He said, “I know eventually it will affect my job if I keep this thing up. I don’t want to drink, because I am a child of God. And don’t tell me I’m not because I have accepted Christ. I’ve driven fifty miles to get here this morning so that I might ask you this question: Is there deliverance for me?” I told him there was. If he has the nature of his Father, there is one thing that is sure—God will not let him be content and happy in his sin. That was an unhappy young man, the most unhappy young man I had seen in a long time. I told him, “Every time you fall down, brother, go back to your heavenly Father and tell Him what you did. Tell Him that you don’t want to disgrace Him again. The day will come when He will deliver you.” That has been the story of other men, and it is the story of any sinner who professes Christ and finds himself bound down by a habit. God can and will deliver him.
I happen to be a fellow who knows something about that of which I am speaking here. When I was young, God in a very marvelous way intervened in my life. My mother’s side of my family were German, and I want to tell you, they were heavy drinkers—the whole outfit. My father was not an alcoholic, but he was also a heavy drinker. I grew up in that atmosphere, and I started out that way. I thank God for a deliverance from it when I was still just a boy. My friend, I know He can deliver you, and He will deliver you from your sin. This epistle deals with living, right where we are. You cannot simply take some little course and get the deliverance. You are going to have to call upon God for it and have real contact with Him.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil [1 John 3:8].
“He that committeth sin is of the devil.” We need to recognize that the Devil is the source of all sin. He is the one who is responsible for sin being brought into the world. He is the one who led our first parents into sin. And the reason that you and I have a sinful nature today is because of the Devil. “He that committeth sin is of the devil.” Remember that the Lord Jesus said to the religious rulers of His day, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do …” (John 8:44). The interesting thing is that we will take after our father. If your father is the Devil, then you are going to act like him. If your father is our heavenly Father, then you have His nature, and you are going to act like Him.
“For the devil sinneth from the beginning”—that is, he started out sinning, and he has been at it ever since. He is in rebellion against God.
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Only Jesus Christ can deliver you, my friend. Go to Him. Don’t come to me because I cannot help, and no one else can either. But He can, He is the Great Physician, and I urge you to go to Him with your problem.
The Lord Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. John the Baptist said, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He took away the penalty of sin. Since you’ve trusted Christ, your sins are behind you, and you are saved in Him. Your sins will never again be brought up as far as your salvation is concerned because you have trusted Him. But John tells us here that the Lord Jesus not only takes away our sin, but He also was manifested to take away our sins—plural. He was without sin—He had no sin nature. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners …” (Heb. 7:26). But He was a human being, and He died as our sin offering, paying the penalty for our sin. But John also says back in verse 5 of this chapter that He was “manifested to take away our sins.” The word our is not in the better manuscripts; it is literally “manifested to take away sins”—that is, to take away the sins of all believers. In other words, He died to make it possible for you and me to live the Christian life.
This brings us right to the subject of this section from verse 4 to verse 24: every believer has two natures. This is what Paul talks about at length in Romans 7. He says there, “For the good that I would [the desire of this new nature that I have] I do not [that is, the old nature which has been in control so long takes over]: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom. 7:19). The new nature desires to do good, but the old nature drags its feet. The old nature will not serve God; it is in rebellion against God. Paul writes further, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7–8). You cannot please God until you are born again. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you”—there is no idea of a condition here, but rather Paul is saying, since “that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). Let me be very clear that we are talking about born-again believers. We are not talking about professing Christians; we are not talking about church members; we are not talking about those that have simply been baptized without ever having been saved; we are not talking about those that go through a ritual or belong to some system. We are talking about those that have been born again. The Lord Jesus was manifested “that he might destroy the works of the devil,” to make it possible for you and me to live for God.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God [1 John 3:9].
“Whosoever is born of God”—this is the new birth we have been talking about. This is what the Lord Jesus spoke of when He said to a religious ruler, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” A child of God is given a new nature, and that new nature does not and will not commit sin. The reason that the prodigal son could not stay in the pigpen is that he was not a pig. He was a son of the Father, and he longed for the Father’s house. If you are a child of God, you will want to be in the Father’s house, and you will long for it.
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin”—unfortunately, this gives a wrong impression here. The idea is not just one act of sin; the idea is that he does not live in sin. John has said earlier in chapter 2, “If any man [any Christian man] sin, we have an advocate with the Father”—the believer will sin. However, John makes it very clear that it is God’s will that we live without sin: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not” (1 John 2:1). Sin is anything contrary to the will of God, but when sin comes into our lives, John says that we have an advocate with the Father, and “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Again, John is talking to believers, and he is saying that believers will sin. Therefore, when John says, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin,” he is saying that that new nature will not continue to live in a pigpen—never, under any circumstances will it do that.
“For his seed remaineth in him.” If you are a child of God, you have a divine nature.
“And he cannot sin.” Why? Because he “is born of God.” John is talking about something that is real and genuine. He is not talking about some little profession which you made when you went down to the front of a church and shed a few tears. The question is: Have you been born of God? I believe in the security of the believers, but I also believe in the insecurity of make-believers. It is well for us to take an inventory and to look at our lives. We must examine ourselves and see whether we are in the faith or not. Are you really a child of God? Do you long after the things of God? That is the important thing.
Someone might say of this young man who is a homosexual, “He cannot be a child of God.” I say that he can be; but if he is a child of God, he is going to give up that sin. A prodigal son ought not to be in a pigpen, and he will not live there. He is going to get out. The day will come when he will say, “I will arise and go to my Father.” And his Father is not anywhere near that pigpen—He is as far from it as He possibly can be.
Whosoever is born of God does not practice sin. He does not go on in sin. When we received a new nature, we did not lose our old nature—that is the problem. No wonder Paul cried out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24). Only the Spirit of God can deliver you, my friend. If you recognize that you are helpless and hopeless, if some sin binds you down, spoils your life, robs you of your joy, and you are miserable, then may I say to you that He can and He will deliver you—if you want to be delivered. If you want to get rid of that sin, if you really want to serve Him, if you mean business with Him, He means business with you. “For his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother [1 John 3:10].
“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.” I think we need a little more manifesting today because many of the children of God look like they belong to someone else, or at least they look as if they are orphans. There are two families in the world. The teaching of the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man I consider to be a damnable heresy. The Bible doesn’t teach that God looks upon all people as His children. The Lord Jesus said to the religious rulers, “Ye are of your father the devil …” (John 8:44). Someone has said that the reason a Christian ought not to marry a non-Christian is that if you marry in the family of the Devil, you are going to have trouble with your father-in-law! How true that is. There are the children of God and the children of the Devil—there are two families in the world.
John is going to show that there are two things which manifest the child of God. Now God knows our hearts and knows whether or not we have really been born again and are His children. But our neighbor next door doesn’t know that. The only way for him to know is for the life of God to be manifested in us. It is not necessarily manifested by lip and language, but it is manifested by our living.
I want to use a very homely illustration which I trust will demonstrate the fact that the believer has two natures. I live on a ranch here in California. Now before I go any further, I must tell you about a lady who asked her neighbor, “Did you know that Dr. McGee owns a ranch in California? I’m amazed that a poor preacher can own a ranch!” The neighbor laughed and said, “Why didn’t you listen to him carefully? He told you how big his ranch is.” So I will tell you that my “ranch” is 72 feet wide and 123 feet deep. In the middle of that ranch is my home. But I do have a lot of fruit trees. I have three orange trees, a tangerine tree, a lemon tree, and a plum tree. I have an apricot tree, a fig tree, and quite a few guava bushes. So that is quite a ranch! I love fruit, and I enjoy getting out in my ranch and looking around. Very seldom, when I am at home, does a day pass without my going all the way around my yard, looking at every tree.
Also, I have four avocado trees which had grown wild out here in this dry land, but grafted into them are several very fine varieties of avocados. You can see where the bud is—it is just about as high as my head on one particular tree.
Below that graft, every now and then a branch will come out from the wild or the old nature of that old avocado, and I have to trim it off. Sometimes I am busy in our conference ministry, and I don’t get to tend to things like that. The limb will then come out below the bud, and it will bloom and bear fruit. But it’s the poorest fruit you can imagine—it’s just no good at all. Above the bud, oh, it bears luscious fruit. My problem is to keep those limbs cut off below the bud so that it will not bear fruit down there. I want it to bear fruit up above where it has a new nature. This avocado tree can bear either kind of fruit—it’s just up to me which I want.
My friend, I’m just like that avocado tree. I have two natures. I can be mean and live on a pretty low plane. I have a nature that is that way. All of us have that old nature. We never get rid of it in this life, and we all come short of the glory of God. But above that, in my new nature, is where I can bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. I feel good today, and I have the joy of the Lord in my heart, but tomorrow you may find me down in the dumps. Now I ought not to be there, but that is something that happens, and when it does, I’m living in the old nature.
In Galatians Paul tells the believers to learn to walk in the Spirit. You cannot do it yourself In Romans 7 Paul discovered two things. there is no good in the old nature, and there is no power in the new nature. You must have help. It does not matter who you are, you cannot live the Christian life yourself It is only by the Spirit of God working in you that you can produce that good fruit, and He wants us to produce fruit.
The Lord Jesus said, “I am the true [genuine] vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:1–2). He wants us to produce fruit, but He also tells us that He will prune us. When I prune that avocado tree up above the graft, it bears better fruit. God prunes us to get good fruit. Sometimes down there in that old nature, we will also bear fruit. That is called the works of the flesh, and they are not very attractive, they are not anything to brag about.
“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.” You can tell them apart by their fruit. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20), the Lord Jesus said. As the late Dr. James McGinley used to say, “I’m not to judge you, but I am a fruit inspector.” We ought to be able to find a little fruit on our fellow believers, and in 1 John 3:10 John gives us two clear marks of identification of a true child of God.
“Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God.” It does not matter who he is or what profession he makes, if a person is not trying to live for God, he is not a child of God. It does not matter how active you are—you may be a deacon in the church, you may be as busy as a termite—but John says that the important mark of identification is: “whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God.” That is a strong statement, but John said it, and the Spirit of God said it through him.
“Neither he that loveth not his brother.” Here is the second mark of identification. Do you love other Christians? If you are a child of God, you are going to love other Christians.
The word love is going to occur again and again in this epistle. We need to get our understanding of it straight right here at the beginning. There are actually three Greek words that are translated by our one English word love. The first Greek word is eros, and it is never used in the New Testament. It refers to erotic love, having to do with sex. The Greeks talked a great deal about sex, and they had the god Eros and the goddess Aphrodite, the worship of whom involved sex. Again may I say, the word eros is never used in the New Testament. The second word, phileoµ, means “friendship.” It means a love of the brethren; it is a brother sort of love. The third word, the highest word, is agapaoµ. That is God’s love: “For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16, italics mine). Agapaoµ is the word John uses here as he tells us that we are to love our brother. We hear a great deal of talk today about love, love, love, and many times it is articulated in the context of sex; but in the Bible, love has no relationship to that whatsoever.
“Neither he that loveth not his brother” means that we are to have a concern for our Christian brother; we are to be helpful to him. It does not mean that you necessarily care for his ways, his conversation, or the things that interest him. It does not mean you have to run up and put your arms around him. It means that you are to be concerned for him. You cannot harbor hatred in your heart against another believer. We will see in the next chapter that this love is not something that is sloppy and slippery by any means. It does not mean that you are to help, that is, to be taken in by every Tom, Dick, and Harry who comes along. We are warned to be very careful indeed and to keep our eyes open, but we are to have a love in our hearts for our brethren in the Lord. This love is to be a concerned love, a love that acts, a love that does something beneficial.
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another [1 John 3:11].
John often speaks in this epistle about “the beginning.” The beginning he is talking about is the incarnation of Christ.
“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” John is merely reaffirming here what the Lord Jesus had taught: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). This love is to be the mark of Christ’s disciples. John says, “What I am telling you is not new. You have heard this from the beginning. The Lord Jesus taught it to us, and all the apostles have taught this. We have heard from the beginning that we should love one another.” Love of other believers is something that is woefully lacking today in many places.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous [1 John 3:12].
“Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.” Cain and Abel were blood brothers and were very much alike in many ways. But Cain killed his brother. Why? “Wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” What was Cain’s problem? His problem was jealousy or envy—that was Cain’s sin.
Jealousy is perhaps not the best word to describe Cain’s problem. Jealousy has in it the note of suspicion; for example, a man may be jealous of his wife, meaning that he probably, loves her but suspects that she may not be faithful to him. Therefore, I think the better word to use here would be envy. Envy and jealousy are given in the dictionary as synonyms, but there is a distinction between them without there really being a difference.
Envy is the thing which characterized Cain. He was envious of his brother, and it led to murder. Envy is that which is in the human heart. As someone has said, “The most destructive force in the world is jealousy and envy.”
Let me give you a definition of envy: “discontent or uneasiness at the sight of another’s excellence or good fortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages.” That exactly describes Cain. A definition of envious would be: “actuated or directed by or proceeding from envy; jealously pained by the excellence or good fortune of another.” This kind of distinction should be noted: a woman is not envious or jealous of a man’s courage, and it is also true that a man is not jealous of a woman’s beauty; rather, we are envious of that which we would desire to have.
Envy and jealousy among believers in the church hurt the cause of Christ today probably more than anything else. It is that old secret sin that many believers cover up. How many soloists are jealous of another soloist? How many preachers are jealous of another preacher? A great deal of backbiting that goes on in the church has its root in one thing: jealousy. Boy, that is a mean one! And jealousy is the reason that Cain killed Abel—God had accepted his brother’s works and not his own.
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you [1 John 3:13].
John says, “Don’t act as if some strange or weird thing has happened to you if the world doesn’t accept you, because the world is not going to accept you.” John makes it very clear all the way through this epistle that he is merely passing along the teachings which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself gave. In John 15:18–19 the Lord Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
This has always been a problem for many of us in the ministry. I have never really appreciated it when anyone would say, “When you were a pastor in such-and-such a place, you were a popular minister.” I’m not sure that I care for that because there is a certain crowd I would deeply regret to be popular with. If I ever was popular with them, I should not have been, and I don’t want to be popular with them because the Lord Jesus is not popular with that crowd. I watched a minister on television the other night as he had a marvelous opportunity to witness for Christ. But instead he played up to that unbelieving crowd, and he said some nice, flowery, complimentary things, and he was applauded for it. I wondered if there was not sorrow in heaven because he was in a crowd where Jesus was not popular but he was popular with them.
The child of God needs to recognize that the world will hate him. There is an offense of the Cross, but we should guard against magnifying the offense by making ourselves objectionable and obnoxious. Many Christians do that, and they are rejected, not because they are Christians, but because they are simply obnoxious—they would be obnoxious whether they were Christians or not. Let’s make sure that Christ’s rejection and our rejection are for the same reason.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death [1 John 3:14].
“We know that we have passed from death unto life.” You can know whether you are a child of God or not. The idea that we cannot know is a big mistake because the Word of God says that we can know that we have passed from death unto life. How do we know it? “Because we love the brethren.” Do you have a love in your heart for the brethren?
One of the greatest experiences that I have had in my ministry is to travel throughout this country, speaking at conferences in many places and meeting many wonderful believers. We have had several rather interesting experiences as we have gone on our way. I recall one time when I was in a city in the East, and I felt very much alone. My wife was not with me at the time, and I felt very, very lonesome. I had gone into a restaurant and had just given my order to the waitress when a man sitting at the next table got up and came over to me. He said, “Dr. McGee, I didn’t expect to see you here!” I said, “Well, to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?” He said, “I have never met you before. To tell the truth, I’ve never seen you before, but I listen to you on the radio. May I sit down?” So he sat down, and he and I had one of the most wonderful times of fellowship. How did we have it? Well, he was a child of God, and I am a child of God. He hadn’t even known that I was to be speaking in that area, but he came with his wife to the meetings after I told him about them. We went out after the service for refreshments, and I probably ought to say that he picked up the tab—which to me was a proof that he was a real brother! It is quite wonderful to be in the ministry today and to meet wonderful Christians all around the country.
Another time I was on a golf course in Florida, and there was a couple ahead of us who were slowing us down. I even yelled at them one time because of it. Finally, when we came right up to where they were playing, the man looked at me and said, “Dr. McGee, I didn’t know you were here playing golf. In fact, I didn’t even know you were in this part of the country. Were you the fellow who was trying to hurry us along?” When I admitted that I was, he said, “I’ll be very frank with you. I’ve been to the doctor, and I’m not too well yet so I must play slowly.” So I had to apologize to the man for my being very rude and abrupt and trying to get him to hurry. Then we just had a wonderful time of fellowship. Our twosome joined his twosome, and we played along together. We got so involved talking that the foursome behind us yelled at us for not moving along! Again, that was someone I had never seen before, and yet I found him to be my brother, and we enjoyed fellowship together. This is what John is talking about. Do you love the brethren? When you can meet around the person of Christ, when you can talk about Christ with other folk, you have a brother or sister, my friend.
“He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” There are those who do not seem to have any concern for the children of God, but you and I are to have a concern. I always look forward to our Bible conference tours because a lot of the folk will be people whom I have never met before. Yet we will have about two weeks of the most wonderful fellowship that you have ever heard of. Why? Because we love the brethren, and that’s a proof of our salvation, friend. There is no greater proof than that as far as your heart is concerned.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him [1 John 3:15].
“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.” I didn’t say that; John said that, and again he is quoting the Lord Jesus. In Matthew 5:21–22 we read, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” May I say to you, these are strong words. The Lord Jesus said that if you have hatred in your heart toward your brother, it means that you are a murderer. Envy and jealousy lead to hatred, and hatred is murder. How many murderers are there around today? By this standard that God has put before us, there are more murderers out of jail than there are in jail.
I am sure you realize that this passage does not teach that an actual murderer cannot be saved. Christ paid the penalty for all sins—even taking the life of another. However, when a man is saved, he will no longer live in hatred.
May I remind you that John’s emphasis in this section is the two natures of the believer. When you become a child of God, you do not get rid of your old nature. Rather, you have two natures—an old nature and a new nature. We have seen that the new nature is the only nature that can please God. Man in his natural state is unable to please God; the carnal mind is enmity against God. Therefore, as believers, there are times when we feel like praying, and there are times when we do not feel like praying. There is a hymn (“Come Thou Fount” by Robert Robinson) that says:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love.
Someone read that and said that it didn’t express his feelings; so he changed the wording. You will find one version in some songbooks, the other version in other songbooks. The other wording is:
Prone to worship, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to serve the God I love.
Which is true of a believer? Is he prone to wander, or is he prone to worship? I would say that both are true. I have a nature that I’ve discovered is prone to wander. I have another nature that’s prone to worship. God says, “If you are My child, then you will manifest My nature. You will manifest that new nature which I have given to you.”
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren [1 John 3:16].
“Hereby perceive we the love of God.” You will note that in your Bible of God is in italics which means that those words are not in the better manuscripts or not in the manuscripts at all. They were added for clarification, but I don’t think they are necessary. It literally says, “Hereby perceive we the love.” This is to be our example—the way God loves. How does God love? “Because he laid down his life for us.” This is the standard that is put before us.
“And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Now I don’t know about you, but I have not come up to that level in my life. Do you know many people who would put their lives on the line for you? And how many of us would be willing to put our lives on the line for someone else? Today we do not see this spirit manifested as it should be. And yet I was greatly touched when I was ill with cancer the first time because several people wrote to me and said that they would be willing to take my cancerous disease to themselves. They wanted me to be able to finish making the tape recordings for our five-year “Thru the Bible” radio program. I had never known anyone who would be willing to go that far. I recognized, of course, that those folk couldn’t do that for me. When one has a disease, that is a case where every man bears his own burden. Although they couldn’t take my disease, their willingness to do so was the thing that made such a tremendous impression upon my heart and life.
This is the real proof that God loves us: He gave His Son to die for us. That is the standard—He is our example—and John says therefore that we should be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren. Until you and I have come up to that high level, we are not exhibiting the love that we should have for the brethren.
Now how does this love in action work itself out?—
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? [1 John 3:17].
John is saying that love is not a sentiment; it is that which expresses itself in action. James also had a great deal to say about this in his epistle. There he wrote, “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15–16). When a brother in need comes to some folk, they simply say, “I’ll pray for you, brother.” But the important thing is whether or not our love is manifested in what we are doing. One of the most tragic things in the world will be when many believers come into the presence of Christ, having had this world’s goods down here and not having used them for the cause of Christ.
In a family situation you may talk about loving, but love is not made in the parlor or in the bedroom; love is made in the kitchen. A man may leave his home at five o’clock in the morning and explain it by saying, “I’m going to work. I have a wife and two children to feed.” You might say to him, “I wouldn’t worry about them. You are not going to make a fool of yourself by going out and killing yourself working for them, are you?” He will tell you, “I sure am. I love them, and they are mine.” If you went up into the kitchen of his home, you would likely find his wife up early in the morning, having burned her fingers taking the biscuits out of the hot oven. The poor girl is tired and weary in the evening when he gets home, and yet she continues to work and to care for the children. You say to her, “I wouldn’t be bothered if I were you,” but she says, “This man is my husband, and I love him.”
Real love gets into action. We see it in a home where there is love between a man and a woman, but what about love among believers? It ought to get into action; it ought to start doing something one for another. Until it does, my friend, it is the worst kind of hypocrisy. You express your love of the brethren by what you do for them, not by what you say. Our tongue is very good at running way ahead of our feet, but true Christianity, the real article, is a matter of the heart and not of the head or the tongue. John tells us very definitely here that if we are children of God, we will manifest this love.
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth [1 John 3:18].
Self-sacrificing love is required of us as believers. It may not be necessary to give our lives, but certainly it is necessary to give of our substance. Christianity is a love relationship.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him [1 John 3:19].
If our lives manifest these things that John has talked about, we will have an assurance when we come before God in prayer. John has made it very clear that it is possible to be ashamed at the appearing of Christ. A great many folk talk about the coming of Christ, but they don’t seem to be doing anything. When you and I come into His presence, it is going to be a very awesome experience because He is going to demand some fruit. What have you been doing? He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). One of His commandments is to get the Word of God out, to take it to the ends of the earth. Are you involved in that in any way? Are you involved in anything that reveals that you are a child of God?
When I was a boy living out in the country, how wonderfully love was expressed among those people. Whenever anybody got sick, the neighbors would come in and help. I know that there are all kinds of new methods of doing things, but frankly, I’d sure like to get back to that day when the neighbors did come in to help and to take an interest. Today we expect some bureau of the government to take care of an individual and to take him to the hospital which we think is the best place for him. A great many Christians are not getting involved in the very thing that the Lord is interested in, but, my friend, we are going to have to give an account before Him someday.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” If you are a child of God and are using your substance—whether you are rich or poor—to get the Word of God out, God gives you an assurance in your heart that you are in His will and that you are doing the thing He wants done. Then you have an assurance when you go before Him in prayer, and you will have an assurance when you stand before Him someday. Paul had this assurance when he said, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness …” (2 Tim. 4:8)—Paul knew that; he had that assurance.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things [1 John 3:20].
The child of God can have an assurance, but suppose we are not doing what we should be doing? Does that mean that we have lost our salvation or that we did not have it to begin with? John says, “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” We don’t lose our salvation. If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, greater than our lack of assurance. He is going to hear our prayer. Isn’t He a wonderful God? When we fail Him, He won’t fail us. You may not have any assurance when you go before Him. A great many Christians come to Him really empty-handed: “I have done nothing for You, Lord. I have done nothing at all, and yet I am coming to You in prayer.” God is greater than your heart; He will hear your prayer. He is going to deal with you. He will hear and answer according to His will. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” You can depend on Him. Even if you don’t have assurance, friend, just keep going to Him.
That young man who was struggling with alcoholism said to me, “I’ve prayed about this,” and I said, “Pray some more.” He said, “Well, I just don’t feel like I have any assurance at all. I’ve failed Him so.” I told him, “God knows your heart. The way you’re talking to me, I believe you’re sincere, and I believe you mean business. I know that God is going to give you deliverance from this. Of course you don’t have any assurance because you’ve failed Him. But He is greater than your heart, and He knows you, and He knows you are sincere. He is going to deal with you—you can depend on it.”
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God [1 John 3:21].
If our heart does not condemn us, it gives us a confidence, an assurance in prayer. There was a certain minister who meant a great deal to me when I was a young preacher. I always loved to hear him pray because he prayed with assurance. He did not pray to God willy-nilly, shilly-shally, mollycoddle—he went to God with great assurance. I always wanted to be on that man’s prayer list. I had a feeling that whenever he began to pray, whatever the Lord was doing, He would say, “Wait a minute. I’m going to listen to My child down there. He’s praying, and he knows what he is talking about.” I wanted to be on that man’s prayer list. I even prayed that he would put me on his prayer list, but I didn’t ask him to because I felt that it wouldn’t be as effective as if he volunteered it. He knew I was a pastor of a church and had a great opportunity, and one day he said to me, “Vernon, I’m praying for you.” Oh boy, that was a great day! May I say to you, it is wonderful to have assurance when we pray. “If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight [1 John 3:22].
Love in action gives assurance in prayer. When your life is pleasing to God, you can expect Him to hear and answer your prayer. That is something that is desperately needed today. Remember the early church when persecution first broke out and the apostles were warned to stop preaching the name of Jesus. They went back and reported this to the other Christians, and the group went to God in prayer. They didn’t pray that the persecution would stop—they didn’t pray anything like that. They began their prayer by saying, “Lord, thou art God” (see Acts 4:24). This is the thing which seems to be absent in so many churches today. Folk are not sure that our heavenly Father is God, that He does run this universe, and that He is in charge. John says, “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment [1 John 3:23].
In other words, John says, “Don’t say you believe on Him and then not love one another.” With one breath you praise the Lord and say you trust the Lord Jesus, but then you say how much you dislike So-and-so. John is not talking about a love in which you just go up and put your arms around someone; he’s not talking about a love that you just talk about. His love is not in your lip or your language but in your life. It will be expressed in genuine concern for the individual. You will not be gossiping about him. You will not be hurting him in any way. But you will be concerned about him. This is so desperately needed today. This is the Christian life in a nutshell: “That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment”.
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us [1 John 3:24].
The Holy Spirit verifies these things to our hearts if we have not grieved Him. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we do not do His will. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we do not do that, we grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to every believer, as Paul makes clear in Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if [lit., since] so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The mark that you are a child of God is that you are indwelt by the Spirit of God, and it is the Holy Spirit who will verify these things and make them real to your heart.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: Warning against false teachers; God is love—little children will love each other
WARNING AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS
We have come to a very difficult section of Scripture here in the fourth chapter of 1 John. One of the reasons is that we are dealing with the spirit world which none of us knows too much about. The second reason is that we are in the Devil’s territory. As a pastor I found that whenever I would preach about the Devil, he always managed to cause some interruption in the church service. Generally, he would pinch some baby, or someone would cause some kind of disturbance in the service. It is amazing how he works.
This is a very important passage, but there is a danger of going off the deep end here and becoming rather fanatical. I believe that there is an abnormal preoccupation with the occult on the part of many Christians today which is a most dangerous thing, but we do need to know what the Bible teaches about it.
In the first six verses of this chapter, John gives a warning against false teachers, false prophets. He gives us this warning, having just established the fact that we have been given the Spirit of God and that we have been given an anointing to understand the things of God.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world [1 John 4:1].
We are dealing here with the spirit world, and the Bible has a great deal to say about it. For instance, we read in Psalm 104:4, “Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire.” That is quoted in Hebrews 1:7, “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Down a little farther in the first chapter of Hebrews, we read, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14). I have never seen an angel, and I have never had a visit from one of them. I personally do not feel that they have a ministry to the church today. My belief is that since we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, no improvement can be made on that arrangement. I would much rather have the uncreated Holy Spirit than a created angel following me around and ministering to me. I think that we need to put the emphasis upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and in our lives.
Not only are there good angels who serve God, but there are also fallen angels. They too are called spirits in the Scriptures. The Gospels speak a great deal of the fact that in Christ’s day there were “unclean spirits.” That is what is known as demonism; we call them demons because the Scriptures use that term.
As believers we are warned to put on the whole armor of God because we are in a gigantic battle which is beyond the flesh, a battle that is a spiritual battle. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” As this verse suggests, the Devil has his demons pretty well organized. In his army of demons he has the generals at the top, the lieutenant colonels, and then on down to the sergeants, the corporals, and the plain, ordinary infantrymen or soldiers. I think that God has His angels organized in pretty much the same way.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [prove] the spirits whether they are of God.” A few years ago that sounded rather spooky, but we have moved from the time when the supernatural was ridiculed, especially among the intelligentsia, to a day when Satan has become an obvious reality and is now worshiped openly. Much of this is taking place on or near our college campuses. I know of a couple of satanic churches here in Los Angeles, and there may be many more. What a few years ago was considered to be way out in left field today exists out in the open. The report came from Florida that a young boy of only seventeen years of age was murdered, and they found that it was done to appease Satan. The satanic priestess down there, just a young woman of twenty-two, had said that this boy should be killed!
Quite a few things which have happened in our day are really spooky. We had, for instance, the appearance of the book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The author, Richard Bach, said that a voice dictated the book to him and that it was not his own style of writing. I understand that many churches recommended the reading of this book and that several good men were taken in by it. It is the story about a theological concept of a young sea gull which has human attributes. He soared off toward unlimited perfection and found that each of us is just an idea of the Great Gull. This book teaches that birth and sin and sickness and death are not realities but only illusions, that what the biblical writers call sins really are virtues, and that freedom is freedom to do what one pleases. All of that is not new but is actually out of the very pit of hell itself—it is satanic.
We are seeing a manifestation of demonism today, and it is all around us. It is strange that this has happened in this materialistic age that once would have nothing in the world to do with the supernatural. When I was in college any concept of the supernatural was frowned upon and looked down upon. It did not make any difference what IQ you had or what grades you made in school, if you believed in the supernatural, you were considerably less than intelligent and you were radically wrong—and they didn’t hesitate to tell you so. Today that has all changed. Many young people have gone off the deep end into this because they never have had any Bible training at all.
John has been speaking here to God’s children. He has told us how we are to love each other and to help each other, but we must be careful. Paul wrote to the Philippians whom he loved a great deal, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (Phil. 1:9). It is a wonderful thing to love, but you and I are in a big, mean, wicked world, and this world we live in will take us in; it will deceive us. We need to be careful. This lovey-dovey idea the liberals have—love slopping over on every side—is not what the Word of God teaches. Paul prayed that the Philippian’s love might abound in knowledge and judgment. Don’t be taken in by everyone who comes along and says that he is a Christian, because many of them are not.
When I was first a pastor in downtown Los Angeles, I had to discover through experience that all of the bums—and that’s the best word I know for them—will take advantage of you. One Sunday morning after the service, those who had come forward in response to the invitation were being dealt with, when one of them said that he wanted only me to talk to him. I was quite flattered when the personal worker came and said, “This man wants you to talk with him.” So I went over to him and gave him the plan of salvation. He seemed very interested. In fact, when I would read a verse, he would then take the Bible and read it for himself. (He knew what he should do!) Then he said that he wanted to accept Christ; so we got down on our knees; he shed tears and professed to receive Christ. When we got up, I made the mistake of asking him how he was getting along. He said, “I hate to say this, but my suitcase is down yonder in a hotel.” It was one of the cheap hotels in the downtown area. “They won’t let me have my suitcase because I can’t pay my bill. I’m greatly embarrassed by it.” He told me that his bill was seven dollars. Well, what are you going to do for a man who has apparently just accepted the Lord and has lost his suitcase? I gave him seven dollars. I went out and got into our car where my wife was waiting for me. I became very expansive as I told her what I had done and how wonderful it was.
Time went by, and about six weeks later I saw the man’s picture in the newspaper. He had been arrested. He said, “I’ve been living in Los Angeles for six months, and I’ve lived off the preachers. They are the biggest saps in the world.” Well, I happened to have been one of them! I called up a good friend of mine, the late Dr. Bob Shuler, who was then pastor of Trinity Methodist Church. I asked him, “Did he come to see you?” He said, “Yes.” “Well, did he get to you?” I asked, and he said that he hadn’t. When I told Dr. Shuler that he had gotten to me, he said, “Well, Vernon, I have been in downtown Los Angeles longer than you have, and I’ve had a little more experience. Don’t let them take you in. Remember that the Bible says to try the spirits to see whether they are of God or not. A lot of these men are phonies.” Yes, the bum was a phony, and he had taken me for seven dollars, but I had learned my lesson. Paul prayed that the Philippians might not only grow in their love, but in judgment and knowledge. You need to use love wisely. You need to be very careful.
John says here, “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits.” When I hear of some person who seems to have supernatural power, to heal, or to impart a gift, I don’t get excited. Someone asks me, “Why don’t you go hear So-and-so?” Well, I don’t want to waste my time. I am told to test, to prove the spirits. There is a lot of hocus-pocus going on today which I can assure you has nothing supernatural in it at all. It is just camouflaged Christianity.
“Because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” The “false prophets” are false teachers. Paul used the word that way in 1 Corinthians 14:3, “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” Prophesy here means “to teach, to exhort, to instruct.”
There are many teachers abroad today of whom we need to beware. Right now prophecy is becoming an interesting subject and rightly so. But again, the thing which needs to be said was said very well by Sir Robert Anderson: “Beware of the wild utterances of prophecymongers.” There are many today who are saying more than the Scriptures say so that we need to be very careful. Just because a man comes along saying, “Lord, Lord,” does not mean that we should love him. That may be the man who is more dangerous than a rattlesnake because he may be teaching a false doctrine. He may not really be teaching the Word of God, although he carries a big Bible under his arm.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God [1 John 4:2].
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God.” How are we to distinguish? John tells us the way: “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.” This is where it all begins—in Bethlehem. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, and it begins there with His incarnation. Calvary and the Garden Tomb are meaningless unless He is who He claimed to be, unless He is the Godman. The way that you can determine the false teachers is that they will deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. That does not mean that they do not talk nicely about Him. They talk about what a remarkable youth He was and that He was a superior child who was born into the world. They say that He was a religious genius and that He was intoxicated with God. They say that He probably had a greater knowledge of God than any other man. He was a “superstar,” you know. They can say a lot of nice things about Him, but ask them if He was God manifested in the flesh.
John speaks of “the Word” in his gospel. Who was the Word? He was God, and He created all things, and He became flesh. Where? Yonder at Bethlehem, at the Incarnation. Jesus came there. When you deny the Incarnation, the deity of Christ, then you deny His work upon the cross because it all rests upon who He is. The false teachers attempt to tear Him down by complimenting Him. That is the way the Lord Jesus is being treated today in many circles. But He is who He claimed to be—God of very God.
John is meeting head-on the early heresy of Gnosticism, one of the branches of which said that Christ came upon Jesus at His baptism and left Him at Calvary. That is not what the Word of God teaches. The Word of God says that that Babe in Bethlehem was more than a remarkable baby, that His death upon the cross was not an ordinary death, and that when He rose from the dead, He rose bodily from the dead. He “… was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). Isaiah wrote, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …” (Isa. 9:6). The child is born, but the Son is given. The Son came out of eternity, the Ancient of Days, but the child, His humanity, was conceived in the virgin’s womb. He came forth yonder in Bethlehem where a few shepherds and wise men came to worship Him. He was more than just a precocious child. He was the precious Prince of Peace who made peace by the blood of His cross and some day shall bring peace to this war-weary world that we are living in. The important thing for us to note is that this is the mark of whether a man is a false prophet or not—“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God.” Let’s find out what a person believes about Jesus Christ. That’s important, very important.
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world [1 John 4:3].
This is the third time John has mentioned Antichrist. John is the only writer who mentions him and he does so only in his epistles. In the second chapter of this epistle, John says, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18). And then again we read, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22).
As we saw in chapter 2, anti can mean two different things. It can mean either “against” or “instead of,” that is, an imitation. We have that idea presented in Scripture. The Lord Jesus said, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matt. 24:5)—in other words, they imitate Him. Antichrist is used, therefore, in the sense of pretending to be Christ. The other meaning is to be against Christ.
Revelation 13 presents to us the two beasts of the end time. The first beast is the great political ruler who is coming—Antichrist to rule the world, a world dictator. Then there is a religious ruler who is coming, and he is called the false prophet. He will cause the world to worship the first beast. He will come like a lamb, but underneath he is a wolf—he will imitate Christ. I believe that there will be two men and that it will take both of them to fulfill all that is said in Scripture about Antichrist. There will be a great political ruler at the end of time, and there will be a great religious ruler at the end of time.
All our contemporary civilization is building up to the coming of Antichrist. There is coming a great religious ruler, and all the religions of the world will amalgamate under his leadership. The movement is in that direction even today. We also have that same kind of movement politically. There is a moving today toward one ruler for this world. He will bring peace into the world temporarily, but it is going to be the most frightful time the world has ever seen.
In chapter 2 John says, “Even now are there many antichrists” (1 John 2:18), and there are quite a few of them about in our day, but they are not the Antichrist. They are false teachers who are moving the world closer and closer to that day, preparing the world for the one finally to appear.
In these first six verses of chapter 4, we have what some have called a parenthesis. Maybe they are not quite that, but this is certainly a red light that John puts up here, a caution sign, a stop-look-and-listen sign. He says that love must be exercised with judgment and knowledge. We are to love believers, but we need to be sure that the so-called believers are not false teachers. We are to prove the spirits, for there are false prophets around who are teaching false things. In John’s own day there were the Docetic and Cerinthian Gnostics who denied the humanity of Christ, and in so doing, they also denied the deity of Christ; they made Him out to be a very strange and weird individual.
For some reason, God’s people have always been credulous and gullible. There are many believers who fall victim to what Dr. A. T. Robertson called “the latest fads and spiritualistic humbuggery.” There is a lot of that going around in our day. Therefore, John spends the time to give us this warning to beware that false teachers will deny the incarnation of Christ. Don’t tell me that the Virgin Birth is not important. Some people ask, “Can you be a Christian and deny the Virgin Birth?” You cannot—that is impossible because the mark of a false teacher is at that very point. When you destroy the Virgin Birth, you destroy His death upon the cross for the sins of the world and His bodily resurrection—in other words, you wreck the Christian faith. This is the reason that the Virgin Birth is the place where there has been so much denial in our day, and that denial, of course, is that which reveals a false teacher immediately.
John is saying that God’s children ought not to be deceived by false teachers. The objective way to identify them is that they deny the incarnation of Christ. Now John gives us the internal, the subjective evidence in verse 4—
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world [1 John 4:4].
There is no reason for you to be taken in by satanic teaching or the denial of the deity of Christ. A man said to me once, “I used to be in a certain church, and I was a high officer in the church. Then I got saved, and my eyes were opened. I knew then I was in the wrong place because they were denying the deity of Christ. So I got out.” Why did he get out? Well, he was indwelt by the Spirit of God who had revealed the truth to him. “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”—so that there is no excuse for you to be taken in today by a false teacher, a false prophet, or a false teaching. The thing to do is to go to God and ask that the Holy Spirit lead you and teach you. If you are in fellowship with Him, the Spirit of God is going to make the issue clear to you.
I knew a dear lady right here in Southern California who told me that when she first began to listen to my radio broadcasts, she was very critical of them. She was in a cult, and she felt that what I said contradicted what she was being taught—it sure did! But she began to test it by the Word of God. She was really a born-again Christian but had gotten caught up in this cult. Her eyes were opened because the Spirit of God was there to teach her. “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” You can overcome all the false teaching you hear because of the indwelling Spirit of God.
Every Christian is indwelt by the Spirit of God. Listen to what Paul has to say: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9, italics mine). Back in the fifth chapter of Romans, Paul tells us of one of the present results of being justified by faith: “… the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5). Again, we read in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” Was Paul talking to some super-duper saints, some who had really arrived, some very spiritually-minded saints who were living on a high plane? No. He was writing to the Corinthians, and he called them carnal and babes in Christ. The Corinthian Christians were just about everything they should not have been, and yet they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Every child of God is indwelt by the Spirit of God.
This is the reason that you do not need an angel to appear to you tonight to tell you what you need to know. Rather, you need to have the Holy Spirit teach you, and the Holy Spirit teaches through His Word. You cannot stay away from the Bible, be ignorant of it, ignore it, and yet expect to have the Spirit of God lead you and guide you. I try to get people into the Word of God because I have seen that the Spirit of God opens people’s hearts, and He protects them from this world in which we live. We are living in a big, bad world, and we need to be warned concerning the false teaching that is around us.
John tells us that we can test the teachings of men. This test is just like putting litmus paper into a solution to tell whether it is an acid or a base. This is a test which will work: Does the teaching deny the incarnation of Christ? That is the spirit of antichrist, my friend. You do not want to follow that. It is contrary to Christ, although it may imitate Him. Generally, these false teachers are very attractive persons. Many of them have charisma, and they make a fleshly appeal to folk. But they can be tested by the Word of God for the Holy Spirit is there to be our teacher and guide.
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them [1 John 4:5].
False teachers do get a following. The occult and the cults are growing much faster today than is Christianity. They have the advantage of appealing to the flesh which we do not. I think it is tragic to have Christians using fleshly means to draw in a crowd. We need to be very careful of the methods which we use. If they are fleshly methods, God cannot bless them at all. We need to be sure that the Word of God is being given out. I do not care whether several thousand people come to your church—that is not the important thing. I am interested in the message. Is the Word of God being given out? Is it given out in the power of the Spirit so that the Spirit of God can take it and use it? The message should not be a great deal of pious promotion for some sentimental appeal that causes you to give. The question is: Is the Word of God going out from your church? Are folk coming to know Christ? You would not want to invest money in a company simply because they have a nice, beautiful building and the president is a very handsome fellow with a warm personality and charisma. If you are going to invest in that company, you will want to know whether it is making money or not. Is it getting results? Is something happening there? God intends us to use a little consecrated common sense when we are dealing in the area of religion.
“They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” When John used Cain and Abel as an illustration in chapter 3, he said that Cain was not righteous and was not God’s child. He did not say that Cain wasn’t religious. Cain did bring an offering; in fact, I have a notion his offering was much more attractive than Abel’s offering. Cain’s was beautiful; it was the fruit of the field, but Abel’s was bloody and would have been sickening, nauseating to some people. However, Abel’s offering is the one which God accepted because it recognized the sin of man and his need of a Savior. Cain did not recognize that at all. The flesh depends on itself; it does not depend upon God.
John has made very clear to us that the important thing is that Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be, and that is the thing that we need to be very clear on in order to determine whether a teaching is true or not.
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error [1 John 4:6].
I used to tell the people of my church that I use the Bible as a Geiger counter. A Geiger counter tells you whether or not there is uranium there in the rocks and in the soil. So I just run the Geiger counter over the congregation, and the Bible is what I use—it’s my Geiger counter. I want to tell you, God’s children will always respond to it. That was my confidence as a pastor, and that is my confidence as I write this book: God’s people are going to hear. And, my friend, I do not expect the other crowd to hear. If they don’t want to hear it, all they have to do is close this book. The Christian ministry does not depend upon them for support; God’s people are to support God’s work. After all, the ark of the covenant was carried on the shoulders of the priests of Israel. The ark speaks of Christ, and if we are to take Him to the world, we must carry Him on our shoulders. The supreme encouragement of the ministry is to know that God’s children will hear you. The elect cannot permanently be deceived. Christ said it is not possible to deceive the elect.
John was sure of who the Lord Jesus was. He could say, “And the Word was made [became] flesh, and dwelt [pitched His tent] among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Then John gave us the purpose of his gospel: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31). John had indubitable, indestructible, inevitable evidence that Jesus was who He claimed to be. John knew that, and that is something we need to be a little more sure of today.
GOD IS LOVE: LITTLE CHILDREN WILL LOVE EACH OTHER
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God [1 John 4:7].
“Beloved, let us love one another.” Why? “For love is of God.” Let’s be very careful here as to what John is talking about. He has just given a warning against false teachers who are not to be loved—let’s be clear on that. I don’t pray for them. I do not give any pious platitude, saying, “Oh, I’ll pray for them.” I’m not praying for them. They are the children of the Devil. I’m praying for God’s people, and I’m praying for the lost sinner who will turn to Christ if I can just get the Word to him. Having given a warning against these false teachers, John returns now to the theme of this section: believers are to love one another.
Again, may I say that the word for love here is not eros; John is not talking about sex. All through this section, the word for love is agape love. It is not sentimental, it is not sexual, and it is not social love. It is supernatural love. It is that which the Holy Spirit can put in our hearts, and only the Spirit of God can make it real to us. It is the love of God, and only the Spirit of God can enable us to extend this love to others.
This is not the kind of love you have for friends whom you delight in being with. I am afraid this verse has been misused by many. When I was a student in college, I used this verse in courting a girl: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God.” But the kind of love I was talking about was not the kind John was talking about, I can assure you of that! I surely did misinterpret this, and I must confess that I did not have a very lofty purpose at that particular time. “Beloved, let us love one another”—that is, love other believers.
“Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” This is approaching it from the human viewpoint. When you meet a person who says he is a believer, and you find that he loves you and loves other brethren, you can know that he is a born-again child of God. I think people write things in letters to me that they probably would not say to me in person. Many people write, “Dr. McGee, I love you,” and then they go on to tell me why. One family, for instance, wrote, “You brought our two children to the Lord.” Their love for me is an evidence that they are real born-again children of God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love [1 John 4:8].
“He that loveth not knoweth not God.” This is another test of whether or not you are a child of God. I’m not asking you if you love your papa and your mama. I’m not asking you whether you love your wife or your husband or your children or your kissin’ cousins—I’m not asking you that. But I am asking you this: Do you love other believers?
Maybe someone will say, “Well, I can love some of them.” That is helpful—you are moving in the right direction. There are some believers who are very unlovely, but I think that we can love them in the sense that we can have a concern for them. I do not think it is essential to put our arms around them. The way you can show your love is by your concern for others which is going to result in helping them.
John gives us now another definition of God: “God is love.” We have three great definitions of God in this wonderful little book: (1) “God is light” (1 John 1:5), and that was the theme from chapters 1:1 to 2:2; (2) “God is love” (1 John 4:8–16), the very heart of this epistle is the theme from chapters 2:3 to 4:21; and (3) “God is life” is the theme of chapter 5. These are the three great definitions of God which John gives to us, and they constitute the major divisions of this very marvelous epistle.
John says here and again in verse 16, “God is love.” Dr. Harry Ironside has a very remarkable story relative to this which I am going to pass on to you because I think it demonstrates in a wonderful way the truth that only Christianity reveals the God of love. In The Epistles of John Dr. H. A. Ironside writes:
Years ago a lady who prided herself on belonging to the intelligentsia said to me, “I have no use for the Bible, for Christian superstition, and religious dogma. It is enough for me to know that God is love.” “Well,” I said, “do you know it?” “Why, of course I do,” she said; “we all know that, and that is religion enough for me. I do not need the dogmas of the Bible.” “How did you find out that God is love?” I asked. “Why,” she said, “everybody knows that.” “Do they know it yonder in India?” I asked. “That poor mother in her distress throwing her little babe into the holy Ganges to be eaten by filthy and repulsive crocodiles as a sacrifice for her sins—does she know that God is love?” “Oh, well, she is ignorant and superstitious,” she replied. “Those poor wretched negroes in the jungles of Africa, bowing down to gods of wood and stone, and in constant fear of their fetishes, the poor heathen in other countries, do they know that God is love?” “Perhaps not,” she said, “but in a civilized land we all know it.” “But how is it that we know it? Who told us so? Where did we find it out?” “I do not understand what you mean,” she said, “for I’ve always known it.” “Let me tell you this,” I answered; “no one in the world ever knew it until it was revealed from heaven and recorded in the Word of God. It is here and nowhere else. It is not found in all the literature of the ancients.”
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him [1 John 4:9].
How does God love you? Well, you won’t find that love in nature, but you will find a bloody tooth and a sharp claw—that is what nature reveals to us. You will find the love of God at Calvary. There is where you find the love of God manifested. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” God has proven His love. He laid down His life for us, and that is the proof of His love. Paul wrote, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die” (Rom. 5:7). I don’t know whether or not you could get anyone to lay down his life for you; I think I’d have a little problem finding someone myself. But God has proven His love by giving His Son to die for you! He gave Him to die for you, not after you won a Sunday school attendance bar for not missing a Sunday in five years, but God loved you when you were yet a sinner. “For when we were yet without strength [while we were lost, while we were absolutely unlovely], in due time Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6). God loved us! “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). The explanation of this love is found in Him and not in us—because we are not lovely, and some of us do not ever seem to become very lovely.
“God sent his only begotten Son into the world.” Here is another verse to which those who would like to rob us of the deity of Christ turn. When Jesus Christ is called “the only begotten Son,” it means that He has a unique relationship with the Father. He was not created. God called the created angels His sons, and He says that those who trust Christ are sons of God, but yet He says that the Lord Jesus is “the only begotten Son.” It is interesting that the same thing is said of Isaac: “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” (Heb. 11:17, italics mine). At that time Abraham already had his son Ishmael, and later on he had other sons. Ishmael was Abraham’s son, just as much his son as Isaac was. In fact, Ishmael probably looked as much like Abraham as Isaac ever did. But Isaac is called “his only begotten.” Why? Because he was unique, his birth was miraculous, and he stood in a unique relationship which was not shared by Abraham’s other sons. The position of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Godhead is that of the eternal Son of the eternal Father. We cannot have an eternal Father without an eternal Son. God is not a father in the sense that a human being is a father. “God is a Spirit” (see John 4:24), the Lord Jesus said. The “only begotten Son” is the Father’s unique son. Others are sons by creation, as Adam and the angels, or by new birth, as believers are, but Jesus Christ alone is the unique Son.
“That we might live through him.” How are we going to live through Him? We are going to live through Him because He died. His death gives us life.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins [1 John 4:10].
John has used the word propitiation previously: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). This word is quite remarkable. I recognize that there are two different Greek words translated as “propitiation” in the New Testament; actually, it is the same word, but two different forms of it. Dr. A.T. Robertson, whom I consider to be the greatest Greek scholar of them all, writes that here the word propitiation is a predicate accusative in apposition with huion, that is, the Son.
Propitiation means “mercy seat”; it is the same as the Old Testament word atonement, meaning “to cover.” Let me make this as clear as I possibly can. In the tabernacle in the Holy of Holies there was the ark of the covenant. On top of that ark there was a highly ornamented lid crowned with two cherubim of solid gold, facing each other and looking down upon the lid of the box. The ark was a very beautiful thing, for it was all made of acacia wood, and covered inside and outside with gold. The lid was called the mercy seat. It was here that the nation of Israel met God in the person of the high priest. Once a year and only once a year, the high priest came into the Holy of Holies, bringing blood to be sprinkled on the mercy seat. That is what made it a mercy seat because they could meet God only in that way. God loved them, but He didn’t simply slop over with love and say, “You can come to Me any way you want.” This was the way they were to come to God: On that great Day of Atonement, the high priest went in and sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat. That meant that the nation was accepted by God for another year, and then they would need to go through it again the next year.
Now here in the verse before us, the Lord Jesus Christ is called “the propitiation for our sins” which means that He is the mercy seat for our sins. Jesus is Himself the mercy seat because He died down here for us—“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). He has made expiation for our sins so that you and I can come with boldness to God’s throne of grace. That throne is now a throne of grace because there is mercy there for us. That is what Christ did, and that is the way God demonstrated His love for us.
Twice in this chapter John gives us the definition, “God is love”—in verse 8 and again in verse 16. This is a very wonderful thing, but I would have you notice something about it. You cannot say God is mercy. You cannot say God is grace. You cannot even say God is justice. You can say God is holy because that is what “God is light” means. But you can also say God is love. However, I must add that God does not save us by love. He loves us, and we don’t want to lose sight of that, but God just cannot open the back door of heaven and slip us in under cover of darkness because He loves us. And God cannot let down the bars of heaven and bring us in the front door. God cannot do that, and God will not do that because He is a holy and righteous God.
We have seen so many shenanigans go on in the execution of justice in this nation of ours, and as a result, the judges and others who are in authority have wanted to get rid of capital punishment. Why? Because they know that if a man has money or influence, his life will not be taken. It is the poor fellow who cannot escape his due punishment. The tragic thing today is that we believe that justice can be bought. My friend, even though God loves you, He does not save you by love, and He cannot save you by love. God had to do something about the fact of sin because He is holy and righteous, and what He does is right. So God gave His Son to die on the cross for you and me, to pay the penalty for our sin so that a holy God can now reach down and save us. It is only on that basis that a holy God can save us. Christ is the mercy seat, and that is where God reveals His love. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
“Herein is love, not that we loved God”—we didn’t love Him first. God didn’t give His Son for us because we were attractive, or because we were good, or because we promised to do something. God loved us “while we were yet sinners.” We need to recognize that you and I today are sinners and that “… God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). God did it at that time, and God loved us at that time. He has made a way for us, if we will accept it. Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). You either come His way, or you don’t come, my friend. It is nonsense to think that because God is love, everything will work out all right and everyone will ultimately go to heaven. It is going to work out all right because the lost are going to a lost eternity, and the saved are going to a saved eternity—that’s the reason things are going to work out all right. Are they going to work out all right for you? They will, if you come God’s way—this is tremendously important.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another [1 John 4:11].
God has demonstrated His love for us; therefore, you and I ought to love on that plane. John says, “Beloved, if God so loved us.” This carries our minds back to verse 10: “Herein is love … that he loved us, and sent his Son.” He loved us enough to give His Son as a propitiation for our sins.
If we love those who love us, or if there is a selfish motive in our loving them, there is no value in that. The Lord Jesus said, “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Matt. 5:46).
“We ought also to love one another.” I like that—when John says ought, he means it. He is not talking about the cheap sentiment which a great many people entertain today. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If you really love Him, keep His commandments. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). How about it, my friend? Do you mean to tell me that you can hate Christians down here and still love God? I want to say to you very frankly that if you cannot demonstrate in your life that you have love for other believers, there is a serious question whether you are a child of God or not. There is a lot of nonsense going on today. We are not talking about backslapping, calling somebody “brother,” or behaving so nicely in the church. But do you have a concern for believers? Do you have a concern to get out His Word? Do you have a concern to serve Him?
The Lord Jesus could say even on the cross, “… Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do …” (Luke 23:34). The first martyr of the church, Stephen, said the same thing. Can you forgive like that today? Are you able to forgive those who have hurt you and harmed you and yet profess to be children of God? And if they cannot return your love, there is some question whether they are children of God or not. This is the real test, the acid test, and it hurts—does it not? We do not hear this type of teaching in these little seminars which talk about how to live the Christian life and how to get along with your spouse. John gives us the bedrock of it all: Do you love God? And do you love other believers?
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us [1 John 4:12].
“No man hath seen God at any time.” Some folk challenge this statement by pointing out scriptural illustration of those who have seen God. Of course, there was Adam, and then Moses who talked with God face to face and was hidden in the cleft of the rock as He went by. And Isaiah says, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (Isa. 6:1). We find that Ezekiel had visions of God, and the Lord appeared to Daniel and to others. And yet John said in his gospel, “No man hath seen God at any time.” But John does not conclude his statement with that; he goes on to say, “… the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18)—that is, He has exegeted Him. When God appeared to men in the Old Testament, they did not see God, for God is a Spirit and that is the way we worship Him. Those men saw what is known as a theophany. That is, God manifested Himself in some form to these men, but He did not reveal Himself in all of His fullness. So that John says in his epistle, even after the Lord Jesus had gone back to heaven, “No man hath seen God at any time.” The Lord Jesus said to Philip, “… he that hath seen me hath seen the Father …” (John 14:9). But how did they see Him? He was veiled in human flesh, so much so that multitudes who saw Him did not recognize Him. He grew to manhood yonder in Nazareth, veiled in human flesh—they did not know that He was the Son of God. No man has seen God in all of His fullness. That is still true today.
The point that John is making here is that no man has seen God at any time, but God today can manifest Himself through believers loving each other. Since the world in general is not seeing Jesus as He is presented in the Word of God, the only way it will know of God’s love is through the lives of believers who represent Him. None of us knew about God’s love until God showed it to us on the cross when Christ died, and He makes it real to us by the Holy Spirit. “And … the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5). And “… God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners [while we were dead in trespasses, while we were ungodly], Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). It is still true that there is none that seeketh after God, so God has come down seeking man. He came down nineteen hundred years ago, manifesting Himself in the Lord Jesus Christ, and all I know about God is what I know in the person of Christ. I do not know how God feels about certain things; I do not know what He thinks about certain things. But when I follow the Lord Jesus and listen to Him, I know what God is thinking, I can feel the heartbeat of God. I know how He feels at a funeral, for the Scriptures tells us that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). I know how He feels about little children because He took them up in His arms and blessed them. I know these things because the Lord came and manifested God.
How is this wicked world in which you and I live to know God? Unfortunately, too many believers are trying to please the world instead of trying to preach to the world. We are concerned about what the world thinks of us, but the important thing is: What do they think of Jesus? What do they think of us as we represent Him? Someone has put it like this: “At the age of twenty, we do not care what the world thinks of us. At thirty we worry about what the world is thinking of us. At forty we discover that it wasn’t thinking of us at all!” That is about true. We today are to witness to the world. How are we going to witness? By giving out the Word? Yes, that is all important. But the world is hungry for love; they do not know what love is. Their definition of love would be a three-letter word spelled s-e-x. That is the love the world knows about, but they don’t know anything about the love of God. They do not know how wonderful He is, but He can be manifested in us.
“And his love is perfected in us.” His love is developed in us. It is a growth in us. The world is not seeing enough of this love, and yet it has seen it in the lives of a great many believers.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit [1 John 4:13].
You see, it is only by the Holy Spirit within us. This is not a human love. You and I cannot work it up. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23). Love heads the list. Many believe that love is the fruit and that the others stem from love. If you read 1 Corinthians 13, you will come to the conclusion that joy comes out of love and peace comes out of love. In The Epistles of John Dr. Ironside records this incident concerning Chiang Kai-shek at the time he was ruling mainland China.
We all noticed a short time ago the account of the professed conversion of the President of China. We hope there has been a real work in his soul, but time will tell. I was reading how he came to his Christian wife who was saved long before he made a profession, and said, “I can’t understand these Christians; why, they have been treated most abominably here, they have been robbed, beaten, many of them killed, they have been persecuted fearfully, and yet I never find one of them retaliating, and any time they can do anything for China, for our people, they are ready to do it; I do not understand them.” “Well,” said his wife, “that, you see, is the very essence of Christianity. They do that because they are Christians.”
There is a need for a great many more pagans to be able to see this love in the lives of believers. This is a teaching that is surely neglected today. How often do you hear this taught in the church, on radio, or in these little seminars which are held? Is this the teaching which is given as being basic and all important?
When the love of God is in a home you don’t need to worry about the wife’s place and whether she is to obey her husband or whether the husband is to be the head of the house, and all of that argument. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). If he loves her, if she is a woman for whom he would lay down his life, if the wife can say that she loves him with all her heart and would do anything for him, then I don’t think you need a lot of little rules to go by. There is a monument which I have seen, a statue of a pioneer woman, a fine looking young woman with a sunbonnet on. She has about five children around her holding on to those long skirts which they wore back in those days. She’s holding a gun, and out ahead of her is her husband. She is loading one gun, while he shoots another. He is out there protecting her. Do you know, friend, I don’t think that woman needed any lectures on sex. If she had five children, I think she could have given you some lectures on it! And I don’t think she needed to have a lecture on how to keep her husband. She had no trouble keeping him. They loved each other, and they were bound together. How wonderful love is! If the child of God could only manifest the love of God to others round about him!
“Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Back in verse 4 John says, “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” You are indwelt by the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God can produce this love in your heart. You cannot produce it; I cannot produce it. I cannot love like this. My natural bent is that when somebody hits me, I hit back. But if we are filled by the Spirit of God who indwells us, we are going to manifest this kind of love to the world.
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world [1 John 4:14].
This is the gospel witness. This is the message which we have to give. This is the purpose of our love. Again I must come back and repeat: Christian love is not sloppy or sentimental; it is not sexual; it is not social. It is not something that you have at the church banquet. It is something which reveals itself when we take Christ to a lost world of sinners. That is the way we manifest our love.
This kind of love is hard to understand. I have been with missionaries in many places—in Israel, in Africa, in Lebanon, in Turkey. I have been with them in France and in Italy, and I have been with them in Mexico, in Venezuela, and in the Caribbean. The thing which I have noted about these missionaries is that they love people, and a lot of the people they love are very hard to love. But they have a love for them, and it is wonderful to see it. What are they doing? They are taking the gospel out to these people, and that is the thing that God has commanded them to do. When they first got there, maybe they didn’t love the people. But after you have ministered to people, my friend, you will love them, or you just couldn’t be God’s child.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God [1 John 4:15].
This is where you begin with Him—don’t tell me that the Virgin Birth is not important. This is the gospel: “… how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). My friend, if He is not who He said He was, His death and resurrection are absolutely meaningless; in fact, He was not raised from the dead if He is not who He said He was. But the evidence is all on the side that He did arise from the dead, and the proof of it is that He was virgin born; He was who He claimed to be.
“Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” This is the reason that the Lord Jesus could say, “Whatever God does, I do.” He made this tremendous claim: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). How is that possible? He had just said in John 5:19, “… The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” He is going to raise the dead, and He is going to judge all of the dead. Therefore, He can say to you today that because of who He is, if you will hear His voice and if you will believe on Him, you will be saved.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him [1 John 4:16].
These are inextricably intertwined and interwoven together. You simply cannot say that you love God and that you are a child of God when you hate the brethren down here.
This is the second time in this chapter that we have had the definition, “God is love.” An easy way to remember where in chapter 4 it occurs is this: multiply four by two and you get eight—it occurs in verse 8 the first time; then multiply eight by two and you get sixteen—it occurs in verse 16 the second time. First John 4:8 and 16 give the definition, “God is love.”
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world [1 John 4:17].
Our love is made “perfect,” and that means complete.
“That we may have boldness in the day of judgment.” If you and I love God, love the Lord Jesus, and love one another as brothers and sisters in the faith, then that will give us boldness, and we will not have any fear of the day of judgment.
“Because as he is, so are we in this world.” In other words, we are just like the Lord Jesus. He was raised from the dead, we are told here, and He has life. Well, we have that life too, and He is up yonder at God’s right hand for us. We are in Christ, and we are accepted in the Beloved.
Therefore, John can go on to say—
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love [1 John 4:18].
There is nothing like fear in the human heart, but the child of God does not need to fear any judgment which is coming. It was all settled when Christ died for you.
“He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” If you are fearful, you cannot enjoy your salvation. Joy stems from love, and if you have love for the Lord Jesus, for God, and for your brethren, then fear has been cast out.
We love him, because he first loved us [1 John 4:19].
He loved us when we were unlovely. He is worth loving. He is worthy. The Lamb is worthy of all of our love, all of our devotion, all of our service.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? [1 John 4.20].
I didn’t say this; John said it. John says that if you say you love God and hate your brother, you are a liar.
“For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” There is a great deal of nonsense and pious hypocrisy going on today even in our fundamental churches. If we do not love our brother, then we do not love God either.
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also [1 John 4:21].
This is a commandment. God does not ask you if you feel like it or if you want to. He says, “This is what I command you. Because I love, you are to love.” I get a little weary hearing the talk of “dedicated” and “consecrated” Christians who are lazy on the job. You are not dedicated to the Lord unless you demonstrate it in your life and in your service.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: God is life; victory over the world; assurance of salvation
GOD IS LIFE
In this chapter we have come to the last major division of this very wonderful little book. In the first part of this epistle, we saw that God is light. In the very extensive center section, we saw that God is love. The subject of this final chapter is God is life.
VICTORY OVER THE WORLD
In these first five verses, John talks about victory for the believer over the world. The “world” here is the cosmos, that is, the world with all of its organizations, all of its governments, all of its selfishness, its greed, its sorrow, its sickness, and its awful sin. John is going to say that it is possible for the child of God to have a victory right down here over this world.
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him [1 John 5:1].
God is life, and that life comes through being born of God. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God”—this is the method, this is how one is born again. John makes it very clear here and in the opening of his gospel that you become a child of God through simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the exousian power, the right, the authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that [don’t do any more nor less than simply] believe on his name” (John 1:12). This means that when you trust Christ, you trust who He is as well as what He did. What He did has no value if He is not who He said He was. Again I must say that the Virgin Birth is very essential. Who is this that died for the sins of the world? It was not an ordinary man who did that because an ordinary man is sinful himself and could not even die to obtain his own salvation. He could die only a judgment death, being eternally separated from God. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” It is faith which produces the New Birth.
Once you have been born again, how do you know that you have been born again? Do you have some great, overwhelming experience? Do you enter some ecstatic state? Not necessarily; some people do I am told, but that is not the usual procedure. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” When you trust the Lord Jesus Christ, you are born again, and God becomes your heavenly Father. He is God the Father, and He becomes your heavenly Father. If He is your heavenly Father and you are begotten of Him, then you will love Him. But it doesn’t stop there—you are also going to love the one who is begotten of Him. In other words, you are going to love other of God’s little children. John has said this before, and he has said that it is not something new with him. In 1 John 3:11 we read, “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” And the Lord Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one to another” (John 13:35).
This expression, “born of God,” is very, very important. Being born of God hasn’t anything to do with the fact that you have joined a church or gone through a ceremony. If you are born of God, I hope you have joined a church and that you take part in the ordinances of your church, but following certain rituals does not make you a child of God. The important thing is: Are you born of God? Have you been born again? You are born again when you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and the proof of it is that you love God. You love your Father—He begot you—and you are going to love His other children because they are your brothers and sisters. This cannot be confined to a certain denomination, church, race, clique, or group. The one who is born again will love others who are born again.
This is the epistle on how you can have the assurance of your salvation, and all along John has been giving to you some of the evidences that you are a child of God:
1. “If you know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him” (1 John 2:29). A child of God will practice righteousness in his life. This does not mean that righteousness is the unusual thing, the abnormal thing, or that once in awhile you practice it. It is to be the practice of your life. You will slip and fall sometimes, but righteousness will be the practice of your life if you are His child.
2. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 John 3:9). A child of God will not practice sin. He will not live in it, revel in it, or make it his life. The life-style of a sinner is sin; he lives in sin all the time, and you don’t expect him to do differently. We all lived in sin until we came to Christ.
3. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7). A child of God will love other Christians. This is another test that will give assurance to you that you are born of God: Do you love other Christians?
4. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (v. 4). A child of God will overcome the world.
5. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” (v. 18). A child of God keeps himself from Satan.
Two of the evidences, two of the birthmarks of a child of God are given right here in this chapter. We will discuss these last two in more detail as we come to them. John is going to emphasize certain tests of true sonship—love, obedience, and truth. No one can quarrel with these words. Love, obedience, and truth are marks of the child of God.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments [1 John 5:2].
What does John mean here by “his commandments”? The commandments, as I understand it here, are not referring to the Old Testament law at all, but they are the commandments which the Lord Jesus gave when He was here. For example, we find not ten commandments but about twenty-two in the fifth chapter of 1 Thessalonians: “Rejoice evermore” (v. 16); “Pray without ceasing” (v. 17); and “Quench not the Spirit” (v. 19), etc. These are the commandments for believers today. Every child of God wants to keep these commandments as the practice of his life. This is something that he desires to do, something that he longs to do.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous [1 John 5:3].
The New Scofield Reference Bible has changed “grievous” to burdensome. I’m not going to quarrel with that because it is a good translation, but the literal is really, heavy. His commandments are not heavy. This does not mean that they are difficult to keep but rather that they do not impose a burden when they are kept. John is saying that the child of God wants to keep His commandments. It is something that he wants to practice; it is not difficult for him to do these things at all. The little girl who was carrying a big, heavy baby was asked by a concerned woman, “Little girl, isn’t that baby too heavy for you?” The child replied, “He’s not heavy. He’s my brother.” It makes all the difference in the world, you see, when he’s your brother. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” The point is that they impose no burden on us because we are keeping them through love.
The story is told about a man and his family who years ago drove into a little town in Oklahoma in a covered wagon. They stopped at the town store to talk to the owner as he sat on an apple box out in front of the store. “What kind of town is this here?” they asked him. The storekeeper said, “Well, what kind of town did you come from?” “Oh,” the man said, “we came from a wonderful town. Everybody there seemed to know each other, seemed to care about each other, and had a concern for each other. They were very wonderful people. We really hated to leave, but we wanted to move west. We’re not sure where to settle down. What kind of town is this?” The storekeeper said, “This is just the same kind of town which you left. It’s that kind of town.” The man said, “Well, then, I think maybe we’ll settle here,” and they drove on down the street.
In a little while another covered wagon drove up in front of the little store. The man asked the storekeeper, “What kind of town is this?” So the storekeeper again said, “What kind of town did you leave?” “We were glad to get away from it,” the man said. “They were some of the meanest people that I have ever met. They were never very neighborly or very helpful. We never had any friends there, and that’s the reason we left.” The storekeeper told him. “Well, I think you are going to find this is the same kind of town. We are the same kind of people.” And the second man decided to drive on.
Another citizen of the town who had been sitting there with the storekeeper said, “Wait a minute! What do you mean by giving those two men two different viewpoints of this town?” And the storekeeper replied, “I’ve learned that any town will be the same kind of town that you have left—because you will be the same kind of person.”
May I say to you, the child of God ought to recognize that he is not to be looking for someone to do something for him, but he is to be expressing love in real action and in real concern for others. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). If you love the Lord Jesus, if you love your heavenly Father, you are going to love other believers. You will know that you are keeping His commandments, and they will not be a burden to you at all. The Lord Jesus said, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). It will be heavy unless you have the real love for the Lord and you truly want to serve Him. Then church work and other ministries will never become difficult.
Dr. Ironside taught this epistle of John while I was in seminary, and he told us this story:
Some time ago I read of a man who spent a few months in India. When he came back, he was discussing India at the home of some of his friends, and the talk drifted to missions, and this man, out of his wide experience, about five months in India, said, “I have no use for missions and missionaries. I spent months there, and didn’t see that they were doing anything; in fact, in all that time I never met a missionary. I think the church is wasting its money on missions.” A quiet old gentleman sat near. He had not said anything, but now spoke up and said, “Pardon me; how long did you say you were in India?”
“Five months.”
“What took you there?”
“I went out to hunt tigers.”
“And did you see any tigers?”
“Scores of them.”
“It is rather peculiar,” said the old gentleman, “but I have spent thirty years in India, and in those years I never saw a tiger but I have seen hundreds of missionaries. You went to India to hunt tigers and you found them. I went to India to do missionary work and found many other missionaries.”
It’s owing to what you are looking for, my friend. Are you concerned about God’s work today? Are you concerned about getting out God’s Word? Some folk say, “Well, I don’t see that much progress is being made.” You just don’t happen to be where the action is, for the Word of God is going out, and it is having its effect in hearts and lives.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith [1 John 5:4].
Since we hear so much about “victory” in the Christian life today, it may seem strange to you that it occurs so rarely in the New Testament.
What is it that overcomes the world? It is our faith. It is faith that saves us, and it is faith that keeps us. We are saved by faith; we walk by faith. We are born children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, and faith is the only way in which you and I will be able to overcome this world around us.
Now we have an enemy, and John has talked about this enemy before: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15). There is in the world that which is of the flesh, that which is of the world, and that which is of the Devil. As Wordsworth put it, “The world is too much with us.” As believers we are in the world, but we are not to be of it. This world that you and I are in is a big, mean, bad world. We can be caught up in it very easily—we can be trapped by it.
There is an illustration of this in the Old Testament which I think might be helpful to us at this point. It is the story of Joshua and the children of Israel entering the Promised Land. First, I must say that the Promised Land is not a figure of heaven. Our songs which talk about Canaan being heaven and the place to which believers are going simply do not fit what God teaches us in His Word. Actually, Canaan represents a condition in which believers ought to be living down here. We can live out in the wilderness, and there are a great many wilderness believers today. They do not have any fun at all, although they think they do at times. There’s no fun out in the wilderness. The wilderness march was not easy. But the land of Canaan is where we are blessed with all spiritual blessings.
When Joshua entered the land, it was not handed to him on a silver platter. If you and I today are to enjoy the spiritual blessings which are ours, we need to recognize that we have a battle to fight; the enemy holds the territory, and he is not going to let us have any kind of deliverance or victory without a battle. When Joshua entered the Promised Land, therefore, there were three enemies that stood before him. Until he overcame them, he was not able to take the land.
The first enemy was Jericho, and Jericho represents the world. That was the first place Joshua struck. It was obvious that what he was trying to do was to split the land into two divisions and then take one at a time. Then the second enemy was little Ai which represents the flesh. Joshua sent a small contingent up there, thinking it would be easy to take, but that is the one place where he received a telling defeat. Many Christians overcome the world, but they are always overcome by the flesh. In other words, there are many saints who don’t engage in worldly practices, but they go to church and gossip—they indulge the flesh. They can blow the trumpet around Jericho, but they don’t blow the trumpet around Ai. Then finally there were the Gibeonites who represent the Devil. They deceived Joshua. The Devil was a liar from the beginning. He still deceives and works wilily.
Let’s come back to verse 4 and look at it in reference to Jericho. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.” If you are a child of God, you are going to overcome the world. How will you gain that victory? “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” It is not by fighting but by faith. How did this man Joshua overcome Jericho? Jericho was the enemy which was out in front of him, and he had to take that city. How was he going to take the city? By fighting it? He did not fight it at all, but God told him what to do. God said, “I don’t want you to make an assault upon the city. I don’t want you to use a battering ram to try to get through the gate. The thing which I want you to do is to march around the city. Instead of putting only your elite army up in front—the Marines or the special guards—I want you to also put the priests up there with the ark of the covenant. And the priests shall carry horns, and the trumpets are to be blown as they go around the city. But you are not to make an attack upon the city.” It was a most unusual method which God gave to Joshua!
I am confident that the city of Jericho had braced itself for the onslaught of these people who had crossed the Jordan River at flood stage—which must have seemed to Jericho to be an impossibility and a foreboding of things to come. So they shut up their city, ready to defend themselves against Israel. I think that their guard up on the gate gave the signal, “Here they come—the whole army of Israel!” As Israel marched up to the gate, you must remember that there was an army on the inside ready and waiting for them. But when the children of Israel came up to the gate, they made a right face and kept on marching. They marched once around the walls of the city, and then they went back into camp!
You can be sure that there was a meeting of the general’s staff in the city of Jericho that night to try to figure out the strategy that Israel was using against them. As best they could, they prepared themselves for the next day when the guard on the gate again yelled down and said, “Here they come!” They braced themselves for the battle in case Israel tried to break through the gates. Probably there were soldiers up on top ready to pour boiling oil or water down upon them and to shoot arrows, but Israel didn’t attempt to come through. They simply marched around the city again, and they repeated that for six days. By that time, the army staff inside the city of Jericho had just about gone crazy. They didn’t know what in the world was taking place.
On the seventh day, when Israel had gone around one time, the general’s staff heaved a sigh of relief and said, “It sure looks like they’re not going to take the city. They are just doing something very crazy.” From the world’s viewpoint, it was very crazy—you must admit that this was an unusual strategy. But this time the guard said, “Wait a minute! They are not returning to camp. They are marching around again!” And Israel proceeded to march around the city seven times. Then what happened? The priests of Israel blew the trumpets, the people shouted, and the walls of Jericho fell down! The children of Israel probably completely encircled the city, and when the walls of Jericho fell down, the army on the inside was certainly taken by surprise.
How did the children of Israel take the city of Jericho? By fighting? They did not fight at all. They were marching around according to the order given not by Joshua but by that unseen Captain of the host of the Lord. Frankly, I used to have a problem with this incident in Scripture. My problem was not with the walls of Jericho falling down—that fact has been pretty well established by archaeological excavations—but the thing that disturbed me was why a man of Joshua’s proven ability as a military leader would use tactics like this. It is true that God commanded it, but I still think that Joshua might have disagreed with the tactics.
The answer lies in that earlier incident when Joshua saw the man with the drawn sword standing at the edge of the Israelite camp (see Josh. 5:13–15). Joshua went out and said to the man—if you want it in good old Americana—“What’s the big idea? Who told you to draw a sword?” Joshua’s question was, “… Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” (Josh. 5:13). That’s the way our translation gives it, and it is a good translation, but probably Joshua really meant, “What’s the big idea? Who gave you an order to draw a sword?” Joshua thought he was in charge. But when the man turned and answered, Joshua realized that He was a supernatural person. I personally believe that He was none other than the preincarnate Christ. Then Joshua fell at His feet and worshiped Him. So you see, before the battle of Jericho, this man Joshua learned that he was not really in charge. General Headquarters was not in his tent but in heaven with the Captain of the host of the Lord, for that is how the Stranger identified Himself, “… Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come …” (Josh. 5:14). In other words, the Lord was telling Joshua, “This battle you are fighting is a spiritual battle as well as a physical one, and I’m the Captain.” So General Joshua was now going to take his orders from the “captain of the host of the Lord, ” and the Captain said, “March around the city.” With this incident in mind, I don’t have any trouble understanding Joshua. If you had met him and asked him why in the world he was using such a crazy maneuver, I think he would have agreed with you, “Say, this is crazy, isn’t it? But after all, I’m just taking orders.”
If you have ever had any army experience, you know that a buck private never talks back to a captain. That is, when the captain says,“Go, do this,” the private doesn’t stop and say, “I’ve been thinking this over myself, and I think there is a better way of doing it.” Did you ever hear of a buck private saying that to a captain? No! He says, “Yes, sir! I’ll go do it.” And he goes and does whatever the captain has commanded. When I was in the National Guard, some fellows got into trouble by slipping out during the night. The next day, the captain gave them an order to dig a hole. He said, “I want this hole six feet long, I want it three feet wide, and I want it five feet deep.” The fellows dug the hole and then went in and reported to the captain. The captain came out, looked at the hole, and he said, “Now I want you to fill it back up with the dirt.” They had to fill it back up! That sounds sort of crazy, but they had to obey orders.
Joshua was obeying orders. He was being obedient. He believed the Captain. Hebrews 11 tells us, “By faith the walls of Jericho felldown …” (Heb. 11:30). It wasn’t by fighting or military skills but by faith that the walls of Jericho fell down.
What is the lesson for us today? You and I cannot overcome the world by fighting it. This is one reason that as a pastor I never engaged in any reform movement, no matter how worthwhile it was—and I agreed that many of them were good. I would never serve on the committee, nor would I have part in it as pastor of a church because I do not think I was called to get into that at all. You don’t overcome the world by fighting it. I knew a former movie star many years ago who called me when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles and asked if I would serve on a committee to help reform downtown Los Angeles. Downtown Los Angeles needed reforming then, and it still does, but I never felt I was called to do that. I refused to serve on the committee, and she couldn’t believe it. She said, “Do you mean to tell me that you won’t serve on the committee? As a preacher you are not interested in that?” I said, “I didn’t say that. I just won’t serve on the committee.” And I told her why. I said, “The Lord called me to fish in the fishpond, but He never told me to clean up the fishpond. So my business is fishing, giving out the Word of God. I let the Spirit of God do any cleaning up that’s to be done. That is the department He is in, and I’m not in that department.” She didn’t like it, but she had to accept it, of course. I don’t fight the world today. I’m not in any great reformation movement. I’m not trying to straighten up our government, although I think it needs straightening up. I think that both the Democratic and the Republican parties are in a shambles today. We are without leadership as a nation. Although I recognize all of this, it is not my business to try to change it. My business is to give out the Word of God.
Although he had the army, Joshua’s business was not to fight. His business was to believe God. He believed God, and the walls fell down. My friend, today we are saved by faith, and if we are going to overcome this world, we’ll not overcome it by fighting it. We are going to overcome it by faith. That is the only way you and I can deal with this world in which we live, and that is the great message which is here for us.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? [1 John 5:5].
When you really trust Christ, it is not a question of your own power, but you are kept by the power of God through faith. We have faith in Christ for salvation in the future and faith in Christ for salvation from the world here and now.
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth [1 John 5:6].
You will recall that at the crucifixion of Jesus His bones were not broken in fulfillment of Scripture. In order to hasten death, the Romans would sometimes break the legs of those who were hanging on the crosses, but John tells us in his gospel: “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe” (John 19:33–35). John was present at the crucifixion of Christ, and he noted something that no one else noted. Chances are that he was closer to the cross than any of the other apostles. He noted that when that soldier pushed the spear into the side of Christ, there came out blood and water—not just one element, but both elements.
Here in his epistle John makes application of this. He emphasized it in his gospel, and now he comes back to it here and says, “He that came by water.” “Water” speaks of what? It speaks of the Word of God. The Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, “… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The water is the living Word applied by the Spirit of God. “He that came by water”—the Word of God that the Spirit of God uses. “And blood” refers to the death of Christ. “Even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.”
“And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” It is the Spirit who can make these truths live. May I make this rather startling statement: The Lord Jesus told the disciples that between His death and resurrection and the Day of Pentecost they were to tarry in Jerusalem and to do nothing—they were not to witness. Why? They could not witness effectually without the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if anyone is to be saved, not only is Christ’s redemptive death essential, but also that the Spirit of God work in hearts and lives. I am encouraged by letters from listeners to our Bible-teaching radio broadcasts because they demonstrate that the Word of God taken by the Spirit of God can apply the blood of Christ to hearts and lives. Christ died for our sins, but the Spirit of God must make that real to us. Only the Spirit of God can make the death of Christ real to you, and only the Spirit of God can make the resurrection of Christ real to you.
In verse 7 it looks as if there are added three more witnesses which are in heaven—
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one [1 John 5:7].
In a very scholarly presentation, Dr. A. T. Robertson states that this verse is not in the better manuscripts. I heard Dr. Robertson lecture when I was a student in seminary, and, he probably knew more Greek than anybody who has lived in our generation. I remember that when he got up the first day to lecture on the Epistle to the Romans, he had a great big sheaf of notes. He didn’t even look up at the class because he was busy just straightening out those notes. Then he looked up and said, “I don’t see how the apostle Paul ever wrote the Epistle to the Romans without my notes!” Of course, everybody roared at that. Well, Dr. Robertson was a great Greek scholar, and he makes the statement that verse 7 is not in the better manuscripts but was probably written in the margin by some scribe. You must remember that the Bible at first was handwritten. The first book printed was the Bible, but that was not until Gutenberg invented the printing press which was a long time after John and his day. Evidently some scribe put what we have as verse 7 in the margin, and then later on another scribe came along and thought it was to be included in the text. There is nothing wrong with the verse, but we do need to recognize that it is not in the better manuscripts. If we want to be scholarly and accurate and to be able to defend the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible, we need to know these things.
In other words, there are not six witnesses presented here. The three in heaven given inverse 7 would do us very little good down here on earth, but it is the three witnesses on earth which we are concerned about and which have a direct bearing on us. That is what needs to be emphasized.
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one [1 John 5:8].
What is the agreement which these three witnesses have? Well, they agree in one purpose, that is, the purpose of presenting Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world who shed His blood upon Calvary and paid the penalty for our sins.
“There are three that bear witness in earth,” and these three are right here right now. The Holy Spirit will take the Word of God and apply it to your heart. You are reading this book long after the time I actually wrote it. I believe that the Holy Spirit is here, leading right now as I write. When you read this, the Holy Spirit will be there to take His Word and apply it to your heart. He bears record, if you please, and He is a witness. His witness is that you might come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
How are you going to come to that knowledge? Through the Word of God. You see, the blood of Christ delivers us from the penalty of sin. The Word of God delivers us from the defilement of sin in the world today. This is my reason for being a fellow with a one-track mind. All I have ever emphasized in my ministry is the Word of God. I just have one tune that I play—I just have one message that I give. I hope it doesn’t get too monotonous but, my friend, the Word of God is the only thing which can clean up your life even as a believer, and it is the only thing which will keep it clean. This is something very important to know.
We are living in a day when a great deal of attention is given to cleanliness, in fact, too much attention. You are led to believe that if you don’t use a certain miracle bar of soap, you will be out of it, you may even lose your job, and certainly all of your friends are going to desert you. But if you use a certain brand—it’s a “miracle” substance—it will clean you up, and even clean your clothes up. It will clean up everything but what is on the inside of you; it won’t clean up that. Only the Word of God can do that.
The only true miracle cleansing agent in the world today is the Word of God. It can clean you up; it can save you: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). For the Word of God presents Christ who shed His blood for your sins and my sins. He died for our sins; He was raised for our justification. Not only can it save you, but the Word of God can also keep you clean while you are down here. You can use every kind of spray deodorant there is, you can rub it on, you can pour it on, you can buy it in the giant economy size, put it in your swimming pool, and swim in it, my friend, but it won’t clean you on the inside. Only the Word of God can keep you clean today. That is the thing which John is emphasizing here. These three bear witness on earth—the Spirit uses the water of the Word and applies the blood for our salvation. These three all agree in one—that is, they want to get you saved and keep you saved.
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son [1 John 5:9].
I don’t know about you, but many folk whom I have talked to have reached a credibility gap between themselves and the news media, the politicians, and all who are on television today. I’ll be very candid with you that there are certain news commentators whom I won’t listen to any longer. I know that they are doing nothing in the world but giving out propaganda. They are not giving facts. Everything they give is biased and distorted and twisted for a liberal position. Apparently, they are willing even to misinform you, and they are willing to withhold facts to gain their objective. I have come to the place where it does not matter who they are or to what party they belong, I have no confidence in politicians. Therefore, we are in a place today where it is difficult to receive the witness of men, but the interesting thing is that John Q. Public swallows it hook, line, and sinker. You can tell by the different polls which are taken that a man’s influence or his popularity is determined by what the news media say about him. The biggest frauds in the world can be built up by the media—Hollywood, of course, has done this for years. Most people do receive the witness of men; they are taken in by it. If it is said over television or if it is put into print, they will believe it. There are many people who believe whatever they read or hear, but they will not receive the witness of God! Oh, my friend, the witness of God is greater!
“For this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.” God today is not giving out news on every subject. His news is good news, and it is about His Son who died for us on the cross. That is His message.
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son [1 John 5:10].
“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells you, and He testifies that these things are true. This is one of the great encouragements in teaching the Word of God by radio. Many people who listen have never seen me (I guess that may be a good thing!), but they have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, and when they hear the Word of God, they accept it because the Spirit bears witness that they are hearing the Word of God. This is quite wonderful, and it is the greatest encouragement in preaching and teaching the Word of God, whether it be from the pulpit, over radio, or through the printed page.
“He that believeth not God hath made him a liar.” When you don’t believe God, you add to your other sins by implying that He is a liar. God says, “Trust Christ, and I’ll save you.” If you say, “I don’t need Christ to be saved,” then you are calling God a liar. I receive many letters like the one from a woman who thought that since she was a member of the church and did a lot of good things, she was all right. She had to listen to the teaching of the Word of God for a long time before she realized that she was a sinner and that she needed Christ as her Savior.
“Because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” What is “the record”? John is going to tell us—
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son [1 John 5:11].
What is the record? “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Eternal life is to have Christ. It boils down to this one point. This is the gospel in a nutshell. This is the simplest test that can be made—
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life [1 John 5:12].
“He that hath the Son hath life.” He didn’t say, “He that belongs to the church has life.” You might say, “I’m a Baptist” or “I’m a Methodist” or “I’m a Presbyterian” or “I’m a Nazarene” or “I belong to the Church of God.” It does not matter what church you belong to—your church membership does not mean you are saved. Then what does it mean to be saved? “He that hath the Son hath life.” The question is: Do you have Christ? Is He your Savior? Are you trusting Him in such a way that no one on earth or in heaven can shake your confidence in Him? My friend, if you haven’t come to that point, you haven’t come anywhere at all. To be saved means you trust Christ, and it means you have Christ as your Savior. “He that hath the Son hath life.” He’s our lifeboat. He’s our lifeline. He’s our only hope. We are lost without Him, but if we have Him, we have life.
“And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” My friend, can it be made any clearer than that? Let’s forget about religion. Let’s forget about all this churchianity. Let’s forget about all this gimmickry that is going on today—taking little courses, going through little rituals, all that sort of thing. Forget about it, my friend! The important thing is: Do you have Christ? Is He your Savior?
This is the reason John has emphasized that Jesus is the Son of God. I want to say to you, He is wonderful. He is God manifest in the flesh. He is the only one who can save us. He is absolutely unique. There is no one else like Him. He’s the only begotten Son of God. He died upon the cross because He alone could pay the penalty for our sins. He rose again, and He is living right this moment at God’s right hand for us. He is the living Christ. Do you have Him today as your Savior? That is the only question you need to answer. If you have Him, you have life—you are saved. That is the record. Do you believe God, or don’t you believe God? If you don’t believe Him, you make Him a liar.
My friend, John has this down right where you can get it. You cannot miss this. The only thing right now that will keep you from coming to Christ is the sin in your life that you don’t want to give up. That is the only thing in the world which will stop you. That is the decision you make.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God [1 John 5:13].
John has a twofold purpose in writing this epistle: (1) “that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”—that’s salvation, and (2) “that ye may know that ye have eternal life”—if you have Christ, if you have believed Him, you have life. A great many people say, “I just want to believe that I have eternal life.” The question is: Whom do you believe? Not what do you believe, but whom do you believe? Do you believe God? Do you believe the record that He gave? He says that if you have the Son, you have life. Now do you believe that? John didn’t say if you feel like it or if you have joined something, but if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. And if you have Him, then you have life.
This is the reason John has written this epistle—“that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” This was also the purpose of the gospel which John wrote: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written [John didn’t write everything, just certain things], that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God [that’s who He is]; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31).
If you have the Son, you have life—John wants you to know that, and you honor God when you know it. That simply means that you are not making God a liar, but you’re trusting Him. It is not a matter of how much faith you have or how you feel about it, it is whether or not you trust Christ. That’s all important.
Having this assurance of eternal life will do something for our Christian life here and now—
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us [1 John 5:14].
Our assurance will give us confidence in prayer, and believe me, we need confidence in prayer. This word confidence actually means “boldness.” “This is the boldness that we have in him.” This assurance will give boldness in prayer to the child of God.
“If we ask any thing according to his will”—our prayer must be according to the will of God. If you and I are in fellowship with Him, walking with Him, then our prayer would be for God’s will in every circumstance. George Müller put it like this: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.” It is not trying to get God to do something which He is reluctant to do, but prayer is to be our thinking His thoughts after Him. This is the thing which gives us confidence when we turn to God in prayer.
“He heareth us.” You can be sure that He not only hears our prayer, but He also answers our prayer. God will hear the prayers of His children, but He will not always answer them by giving us what we ask. John is saying here that we can have the confidence that He will answer our request according to the way we pray—when we pray in His will.
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him [1 John 5:15].
It is wonderful to know that you and I have a heavenly Father. If we are in fellowship with Him, if we are not regarding sin in our lives, and if there are no other hindrances to prayer in our lives, we are not going to pray selfishly. When we are walking in fellowship with Him, when we are following Him, we can have the confidence that He will hear what we ask and answer our prayer. We are not to come to Him with mistrust or in a begging attitude, but we are to come with boldness to ask that God’s will be done.
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it [1 John 5:16].
“Death” refers here to physical death. It has no reference at all to spiritual death because the child of God has eternal life. John is saying that believers can commit a sin for which their heavenly Father will call them home; that is, He will remove them from this life physically, perhaps because they are disgracing Him.
Let us look at some people in Scripture who have committed a sin unto death. Moses and Aaron committed a sin unto death. You will recall that Moses got angry when the children of Israel kept begging for water and, instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded him, he smote the rock twice. He shouldn’t even have touched that rock. It had already been smitten once before, and he should have rested upon that. The rock was to be an example and a type of Christ. Paul wrote, “And [the children of Israel] did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4). Christ died only once, and Moses spoiled the type by striking the rock twice. “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Num. 20:12). There was for this man Moses a restoration in that he could continue leading. However, he began to plead with God to forgive him and to permit him to enter the land, but the Lord told him in effect, “Although I have restored you to your place of leadership, you are not going to enter the land.” When Moses kept after the Lord, the Lord said to him, “… speak no more unto me of this matter” (Deut. 3:26). Moses and Aaron both had sinned a sin unto death—physical death.
In the New Testament we have another example of this in Ananias and Sapphira. They were a part of the early church, and they were guilty of a lie (see Acts 5:1–11). They had been willing to give a false impression to the early church; they were willing to live a lie. Because of that, God removed them from this earthly scene.
There is another incident of this mentioned in 1 Corinthians. Some of the people there had actually been getting drunk at the Lord’s Supper, and they were missing the meaning of it altogether. Paul wrote to them, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30, italics mine)—that is, they were dead. Paul is saying that they had committed a sin unto death.
Someone might ask at this point, “What is a sin unto death?” First, let me be clear that John was not speaking of an unpardonable sin. We are talking about a sin unto physical death, not spiritual death. These people were God’s children. He would never have taken them home if they had not been His children. The Lord doesn’t whip the Devil’s children—He whips only His own. When His children sin unto death, He will take them home.
What is this sin? What is it specifically? Well, for Moses and Aaron it was one thing—they lost their tempers, and they destroyed a type of the Lord Jesus. Ananias and Sapphira were living like hypocrites. And in the city of Corinth, there were believers who were getting drunk and were disorderly at the Lord’s Table. So a sin unto death is no one thing specifically. I have a notion that for you it would be different from what it would be for me, but I am of the opinion that every believer is capable of committing the sin unto death—whatever it is for him. You can go on in sin until God will remove you from the scene. This does not mean that every Christian who dies has committed the sin unto death, but it is possible to do that.
Absalom also committed a sin unto death. I believe that Absalom was really a child of God, but he led a rebellion against his father, King David. I have observed something over a period of years. I have watched how God has dealt with troublemakers in the church. I’ve not only seen Him remove them by death, but I’ve also seen Him set them aside so that they were of no more use in the service of God at all. It is possible to commit the sin unto death. Let me repeat that it is physical death not spiritual death.
Let me illustrate this. There is a mother who has a boy, Willie—her little angel child, of course. Next door, though, there lives a little brat about the age of her little angel, and they play together out in the backyard. One day as she is working in the kitchen, she hears that little brat yelling at the top of his voice. She rushes to the door, looks out, and there is her precious little angel on top of the little brat next door, just beating the stuffing out of him! She says, “Willie, you are going to have to come into the house if you are not nice to the little boy next door.” He says, “Yes, Mama. I’ll be better.” She says, “Well, if you are not, I’m going to have to bring you into the house.” So she goes back in, and about thirty minutes go by, but again she hears that familiar cry of the little brat next door. She goes to the door, and the same sight greets her. Her precious little angel is on top of the brat next door, just beating the stuffing out of him. She says, “Willie, come into the house.” He says, “I don’t want to come into the house.” She says, “I said that if you did that again, you would have to come into the house.” He balks, “I don’t want to come into the house!” So what does she do? She goes out and gets him by the hand, and she takes her precious little angel, yelling at the top of his voice, into the house. He had to come in. He may not be her precious little angel anymore, but he still is her son—that fact never was disturbed, but he can no longer play outside. I think that if a child of God goes on disgracing the Lord down here, the Lord will either set him aside or take him home by death. God doesn’t mind doing that. I think He does it in many instances.
All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death [1 John 5:17].
Believers who are alive today have all sinned, but we haven’t sinned a sin unto death. We did something that was wrong, it was unrighteousness, but God didn’t take us home. If He were taking home every believer who sinned, I would have been taken home a long time ago.
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not [1 John 5:18].
“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” As we have seen in this epistle, you and I have two natures: an old nature and a new nature. That new nature will not sin. It never sins but has a desire for God and for the things of God. That old nature will sin, and it is because of it that a believer does sin.
“But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” This is another verse which makes me believe that the child of God can never be demon possessed. I believe that Christians can get to the place where they are oppressed by demons, but if they are actually demon possessed, I would question their salvation—even though they may think that they are born again. Why? Because “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The Holy Spirit would not be dwelling where a demon was.
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness [1 John 5:19].
This is the text of a sermon which I have preached on several occasions entitled “When the Devil Puts the Baby to Sleep.” “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth [actually, lies asleep] in wickedness [or, in the arms of the wicked one].” In other words, the Devil has the world asleep. The Devil is saying to Vernon McGee, “Sh-h-h. Hush! You’re waking people up, and we don’t want to do that! They are very comfortable. Many people in churches are dead in trespasses and sins, and we don’t want to wake them up. Let’s leave them alone.” The Devil is concerned when people are awakened. You and I are living in a world that is asleep in the arms of the wicked one—if you look around today, you must agree with that statement.
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life [1 John 5:20].
My friend, Christianity is not a religion. It is a Person, and that Person is Christ. If you have Him, you have salvation—and it is not a religion.
John concludes his epistle by saying—
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen [1 John 5:21].
Anything that stands between Christ and the believer is an idol. John says that you are to keep yourself from the things of the world which occupy your mind and your attention. Covetousness is idolatry; other things are idolatry. Many people are worshiping many things in this wicked world today. These things are nothing in the world but idols. God’s first statement to us is: “In the beginning God created …” (Gen. 1:1). Among His last words to us are these: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
(For Bibliography to 1 John, see Bibliography at the end of 3 John.)
The Second Epistle of
John
INTRODUCTION
A man whom I knew years ago in the South had the best way to divide the three epistles of John that I have ever heard. He called them “one-eyed John,” “two-eyed John,” and “three-eyed John.” I do not think you will forget the three epistles of John if you remember them like this. That man, by the way, was one of the three conservative ministers in the community in which I served in Nashville, Tennessee, at that time. He was a real brother in Christ. Any Christian, regardless of his race, nationality, or station in life, if he is right on the inside, if he has been born again, is my brother. That is the great truth taught in 1 John which will be continued in 2 and 3 John with a different emphasis.
We are considering here, then, “two-eyed John.” Your first impression, I am sure, is the brevity of these two last epistles. It is something that is almost startling. You might wonder why just thirteen verses in the second epistle and fourteen verses in the third epistle should be included in the Scriptures. Both of the epistles are very brief indeed. Someone will say, “Doesn’t their brevity discount their message? Obviously, John didn’t have too much to say.” Not at all. Their brevity does not in any way take away from the importance of these epistles. In fact, it actually enhances them. Although they are very brief, these epistles are very important, and they are essential for getting a proper perspective of the first epistle and avoiding a perverted viewpoint. Let me illustrate it like this. My doctor at one time gave me two kinds of medication that I was to take whenever I suffered certain symptoms. One was a pill so small that I had trouble locating it in the bottle. The other was a capsule which looked like it was too big to swallow. I needed almost a gallon of water to get it down—I had to float it first! But I discovered in using both of them that the smaller one, the teeny-weeny one, was the more potent of the two. In fact, I found out it was the more important one: if the big one didn’t work, then I used the little one. So it is with 2 and 3 John. Their brevity does not make them less potent.
The writer of this epistle is the apostle John. We call him the apostle of love. The Lord Jesus called him a “son of thunder” (see Mark 3:17). I think you can add to the thunder a little lightning, for in his epistles he makes it very clear that you must exhibit love to the brethren or you are not a child of God. John wrote this epistle around a.d. 90–100.
This epistle is like the Book of Philemon in that it is a personal letter. It is written by John to “the elect lady.” The question is often asked whether the Greek word electa is a title or whether it refers to a Christian lady in the early church by the name of Electa. You must recall that John is the apostle who writes of the family of God. Paul writes of the church of God, while Peter writes of the government of God. If you will keep that in the background of your thinking as you come to these epistles written by these different men, it will help you to understand many things they are saying. Regardless of whether it is addressed to an individual or to a church, John is thinking of it in the context of the family of God. Apparently, there was some Christian lady or a local church which was extending hospitality to all those who claimed to be Christian, although some were heretics who denied the deity of Christ and the other great truths of the Christian faith. John warns here in this epistle against entertaining such folk. This is actually the purpose of this little epistle.
The theme of this epistle is: “For truth’s sake.” When truth and love come into conflict, truth is the one that is to predominate; it is the one that has top priority. Have you noticed that in 1 Corinthians 13:13 Paul didn’t say, “Now abideth faith, hope, truth, and love”? He just said, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity [love], these three; but the greatest of these is charity [love].” But when truth is brought in, then truth comes first.
In other words, truth is worth contending for, and it is wrong to receive false teachers. This is the position that I take very definitely. I believe that the truth in the Word of God is worth contending for. When I say truth, I mean, first, that which is basic to the fact that the Bible is the Word of God—there is no question in my mind about it. The second thing of essential importance is the deity of Christ and His work upon the cross for us. When I meet a man who is true on these essentials, then he and I can disagree on non-essentials. I have a very good friend who is a Pentecostal preacher. When we play golf, he and I naturally get into a friendly argument. I always end up by saying to him, “Brother, you and I agree on so many things. I love to hear you talk about the Lord Jesus and about His death on the cross. You thrill my heart when I hear you talk about those things. But I want you to know that we disagree on a few points, and I’m going to pray for you because I think you are wrong.” Well, you know, he turns around and says the same thing to me, and we leave each other laughing. As far as I know, that man has never said an unkind word to me or about me. He is my brother. I wish he could see some things as I do, but it will just have to be that way until he gets a little more light—and I want to be patient with him! But he stands true on the inspiration of the Scriptures, he stands true on the deity of Christ, and he stands true on the fact that Christ died for us. When a man does that, he’s my brother, and I cannot escape that fact.
The key word in John’s first epistle is love, but it is a love that is confined to the family of God. The little children are to love each other in the family of God. This is the mark of a child of God: he loves Christ, and he loves the brethren. How God’s little children are to love each other is the entire sum and substance of that epistle.
It would be helpful to go back to the first epistle and pick up this thought again: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10). John purposely cast this truth in the negative so that there would be no way in the world that any individual who claims to be a Christian and does not measure up could wiggle out of it. You cannot wiggle out of this: if you do not practice righteousness in your life, you are not of God. This is the outward badge of a child of God. You are to know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, and the proof to others is that you practice righteousness in your life. And if you do not love your brother (your Christian brother—this is not the universal brotherhood of man, for the Bible does not teach that), then you are not a child of God. I didn’t say this—John said it. If you don’t like it, then you take it up with him. John said that you can tell if someone is a genuine believer by his righteous life and his love for other Christians.
But what about the lost sinner who is not in the family of God? Are we to love him? Well, we are told in the Gospel of John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Follow me carefully now. We are to love people to the extent of taking the gospel to them. We see in the Book of Jonah that Jonah did not love the Ninevites, but God sent him there because God loved them and God said, “Since I love them and they have turned to Me, Jonah, I want you to love them also.” This is the relationship the child of God is to have to the lost world. You cannot love the sinners and their sin—we are not asked to do that. We are asked to love them enough to take the gospel to them. That is the important thing. We are to love them in that sense because God loves them. And then, when they turn to Christ, we will love them also.
Now another question arises: What is to be our relationship to false teachers, to those who deny the deity of Christ? John is going to make it very clear in this second epistle that this is something we need to beware of. He says in verse 7, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” What should be our relationship to false teachers? Follow me very carefully because this is going to be the nub of this epistle, and if you and I don’t get this correctly, we are going to go haywire in our interpretation and come up with a pseudoliberal viewpoint. All of this “love, love, love” stuff today actually is not biblical at all. We are told to love everybody, but there are some whom the Scriptures tell us not to love but to be very careful of. John writes, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world …” (1 John 2:15). The things that are in the world are identified with the people who are in the world and who have made it as it is. Our love is to take the gospel to them, to give them the Word of God.
John’s emphasis in his first epistle is upon love, but the key word in this second epistle is truth. Now when truth and love are in contrast and conflict, which one should prevail? If we get the answer to that, then that will determine our relationship to the false teacher, to the one who denies the deity of Christ. The so-called apostle of love is going to shock you and me out of our sentimental complacency and our sloppy notion of love. Which one should prevail—truth or love? His startling reply is that truth comes first. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He didn’t say, “I am love,” but He said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). You have to come to the Father through Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Why? Because He’s not only the Way, but He is the Truth. It was John who wrote later on that “God is love.” After the Lord Jesus was here and had said that He was the Truth, then John said, “God is love” (see 1 John 4:16). My friend, love can be expressed only within the bounds and context of truth. Love can be expressed only within the limitation and boundary that Scripture sets. Therefore, what about the false teacher? May I say to you, you are not to love the false teacher. John is going to make that abundantly clear. In fact, he is going to say something quite amazing. He says, “You are not even to entertain him in your home. You are not in any way to receive him or to have fellowship with him.” That is just about as strong as it possibly can be.
We need to notice another important word in order to get a proper perspective of what John will be talking about in this second epistle as well as in the third epistle. In the first epistle John said that we are to “… walk in the light, as he is in the light …” (1 John 1:7). Truth and light are the same; they are the Word of God. As we have already seen, love and truth are inseparable. Christ is the epitome of both; He is the incarnation of both. He is the Truth, and He is love. God is love, and He is God. In addition to truth, there is a second word which is featured in this brief epistle—it is the word walk. In 2 John 1:4 you will notice that John says, “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father” (italics mine). And then in 2 John 1:6, we read, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” (italics mine). Back in the first epistle, John wrote, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10). That righteousness is Christ, and to deny the deity of Christ is certainly not to do righteousness—the truth is essential. “Neither he that loveth not his brother”—this is the second thing that is very important, the walk. With this second word, we go to the opposite end of the spectrum of the Christian life. Not only is truth essential, but the walk is essential, and therefore we are told to love the brethren.
This epistle, therefore, will not give us a balanced viewpoint of the first epistle. Our contemporary idea of “love, love, love,” that we are to love everyone who comes along, I do not find in the Word of God. When John is speaking of love here, he makes it clear that it is love within the family of God. We need to be very careful about this because a great many are interpreting agape love as nothing in the world but sex. One morning I received a phone call from a lady who had come to know the Lord through our radio ministry. She said to me, “Dr. McGee, I just want you to know that I love you.” She sort of caught herself and then said, “I hope you understand that I’m not talking about man and woman love. I’m saying that I love you as a brother in the Lord who led me to Christ.” Well, I understand that, and I believe that is the kind of love which John is talking about here.
This love in the family of God needs to be exhibited today in the church. I think it is time for many of the churches that have built up a reputation for being fundamental in the faith to now exhibit love among the brethren. I would say that I need that in my own life; I am sure you need more love in your life also.
However, this love is not to slop over. We need to recognize that it has a boundary within the family of God. Along comes one of these heretics, as they did in John’s day. He is apostate; he is actually an antichrist; that is, he denies the deity of Christ. John says, “When one of these fellows comes along, you are not to extend love to him. You are not even to entertain him.”
OUTLINE
I. Love Expressed in the Boundary of Truth, Verses 1–6 (“Love in truth”)
II. Life Is an Expression of the Doctrine of Christ, Verses 7–11 (False doctrine leads to evil deeds.)
III. Personal Greeting, Verses 12–13 (False teachers are not to be received by the Christian, but true teachers are to be received with joy.)
The message of John’s second epistle is essential to having a proper perspective of what he has said in his first epistle. He deals here with the polarity of the Christian life—truth and love. He answers the question: When truth and love come into conflict, which is to predominate, which is to have top priority?
LOVE EXPRESSED IN THE BOUNDARY OF TRUTH
The Elder unto the Elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth [2 John 1].
The Second Epistle of John is a personal letter from “the elder unto the elect lady and her children.” The Greek word for “elder” is presbuteros (presbyter), and it has a twofold meaning. It can mean a senior citizen, referring to age, or it can be a title, referring to an office in the church, a minister or a teacher. I am sure that John is primarily calling himself an elder, speaking of his office in the church. I think he also infers the fact that he is now an old man. He is actually up in his nineties, approaching one hundred, as he writes this epistle. Notice that John does not call upon his office as an apostle. I think the reason is quite obvious: the one to whom he is writing accepts his authority. All he calls himself here is “the elder.”
“Unto the elect lady and her children.” The word electa could be the name of a prominent woman in the church, or it could be the local church itself that John has in mind. “Her children” could be either the physical children of the woman or the spiritual children of the church. These could be interpreted either way. I emphasize the church rather than the individual, applying it to the church at large and the church today. When I say the church, I am not thinking of any local church or any denomination, but the total body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This epistle has been relevant for the church down through the centuries, and what is written here has been very productive in the life of the church. I believe that since our contemporary church has such an emphasis on love, we need this little epistle to cause us to shape up and to get a correct perspective of what love is.
“Whom I love in the truth.” The word truth is emphasized in this epistle, and as I have said in the Introduction, it is the key word to the epistle. Christian love can only be expressed in the bounds of the family of God, those who have the truth. “The truth” here is the Word of God and also the one who is revealed in the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. “Whom I love in truth” is the correct, literal translation. John is saying two things here: (1) That the object of his love must be another believer in Christ, a genuine believer; and also (2) that he is genuine in asserting this, that expressing his love is not just a pious platitude he is uttering here.
“And not I only, but also all they that have known the truth.” John embraces the rest of the body of believers here. They also love either this church or this particular woman in the church because of her outstanding testimony.
For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever [2 John 2].
“For the truth’s sake” means a defense of the truth. We need to recognize that the truth needs to be defended. We need to stand for the truth of God and for the Word of God. Many of our so-called conservative men have adopted a very sophisticated and blasé method in an attempt to be clever in what they teach and preach. They will not come out flat-footed and say it just as it is, but they toy around with it and build up some clever alliteration. I’m for alliteration, as you well know, but the point is that the truth needs to be stated clearly.
I had an interesting encounter with a certain teacher several years ago. I was told by a student of his that he didn’t believe a certain doctrine, and I quoted him on it. The man became very much irritated with me, which he had a right to be if I were wrong. I told him, “I’d like for you to clarify this. If you will just write me a letter and state clearly what you believe, I’ll be very happy to read it and to make my apology.” Instead of writing that kind of letter, he wrote a letter in which he made it clear he was highly incensed at me for even suggesting he didn’t believe such and such a doctrine. So I wrote to him again and said, “All you have to do to clear this up is just to state clearly what you do believe.” At the bottom of the page I wrote, “I believe—” and “I do not believe—” and I left him space for his answer, making it very easy for him to reply. That really irritated him, and I was blasted with another letter. So I dropped the matter and found out later that the reason he didn’t answer was because he actually did not believe the doctrine I had questioned him about. But he had attempted to cover up his disbelief. My feeling is that I would respect him for what he believes. Although it is different from what I believe, I would never consider a man to be a heretic or an apostate who believes what he believes. But I cannot respect the fact that his method was and is today never to be clear on exactly what he does believe.
“For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.” Thank God, we will have the truth forever. In this day when you can’t believe politicians, you can’t believe college professors, you can’t believe the scientists, and you can’t believe the military leadership, it’s nice to have someone in whom you can believe—the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us”—the indwelling Spirit of God makes these things real to us. “And shall be with us for ever”—the truth will not change; it is unchangeable. Someone has put it like this: “What is true is not new, and what is new is not true.” Like a great many generalizations, that has some exceptions to it, of course, but usually it is true.
In verse 3 John adopts a greeting that is a little different from that of Paul and Peter and James and even himself.
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love [2 John 3].
There are three words here that we need to be clear on in our thinking. They differ without there really being a great difference in the sense that they all apply to the same thing. The words are love, mercy, and grace. John introduces the word mercy here in his greeting.
What is the difference between the love, the mercy, and the grace of God? We read in Ephesians 2:4–5, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).” This is such a wonderful Scripture because it combines all three: Paul says that God is rich in mercy, and because of His great love for us, He saves us by grace. What is the love of God? Well, God is love. Before anything was created, God was love. Somebody says, “Whom did He love?” Well, the Trinity existed, and we know the love which existed between God the Father and God the Son. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer writes, “Love is that in God which existed before He would care to exercise mercy or grace.” Love is the nature of God; it is what is called an attribute of God. God is love, but the interesting thing is that the love of God never saved a sinner. The love of God caused God to move in the direction of mercy and grace; it caused Him to exercise mercy and grace.
Now the question arises: What is the difference between mercy and grace? Dr. Chafer very exactly expresses it: “Mercy, on the other hand, is that in God which duly provided for the need of sinful man.” God is rich in mercy. Why is He rich in mercy? Because He is love. And because God is love, He, by mercy, provided for the need of sinful man. But mercy didn’t save man. Again, I quote Dr. Chafer: “Grace is that in Him which acts freely to save because all the demands of holiness have been satisfied.” God today is free to act in grace. You are a sinner who cannot provide anything for God. You haven’t anything to offer to Him. But now grace means that God can come to you, a lost sinner, and say, “I am love, and I am rich in mercy. I love you, and I have provided by My mercy a Savior for you.” Now if you will trust Him, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
There is a fine distinction here between these words, and someone will say, “It looks like a distinction without a difference.” Well, there is a difference in that which doesn’t differ. Salvation all stems from the love of God, but God does not save by His love or His mercy. After all, our God is a holy God, and the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …” (John 3:16): You see, God did not so love the world that He saved the world—He didn’t do that. God so loved the world that by His mercy He provided a Savior for the world, and He can now save by grace.
There is something else here that is important to see. Salvation is not only the expression of the love of God, but it is also an expression of the justice and righteousness of God. We not only need John 3:16, but we also need Romans 3:26: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” In order to justify you when you trust Christ, God has to be righteous and holy and just. He cannot simply open the back door of heaven and slip you in under cover of darkness. You and I are not fit for heaven. We are alienated from Him. We have no fellowship with Him. Communication broke down in the Garden of Eden, and He is the one who renewed it. Because He must be just and righteous, His mercy provided a Savior, and it was because He loves you. He can be righteous and do this—“that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Therefore, John can now write, “Grace be with you”—that is the way God saves you. “Mercy”—mercy provided a Savior. “And peace”—when you have all this, then the peace of God that passeth all understanding is going to keep your heart. As John said, “For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever.” You will know that these great truths are not something which God is going to change. He is not going to change His mind tomorrow and say, “Well, I’m going to act differently. I think public opinion is going in another direction, so I’ll change and go with public opinion.” God doesn’t change; He is not a weather vane. I am reminded of the farmer who had on his barn a weather vane which said on it, “God is love.” A preacher drove up to the farm and said to this man, “Do you mean that God’s love is as variable as that weather vane?” The farmer said, “No, I don’t mean that. I mean that it does not matter which way the wind is blowing, God is still love.” My friend, that is true. Our God is love, and because He is love, He has provided salvation for you. He will never change.
“Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Lord Jesus Christ is the one who died for you. He is “the Son of the Father”—that is His position in the Trinity.
“In truth and love.” Remember that love must be exercised in the context of truth. There are folk who write to me and say, “You are very dogmatic in your teaching.” I always appreciate those letters because I am not always sure that I give that impression. I want to give that impression when I am teaching the Word of God. I am very dogmatic about it. Now if you ask me what I think I’ll be doing this afternoon, I must say that I don’t know because my wife hasn’t decided yet! I’m not dogmatic about what I am going to do this afternoon. But right now I am writing about 2 John, and I am very dogmatic about what he says here.
I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father [2 John 4].
“Thy children” are either the physical children of this woman or the members of the local church. I think it could be either, and it probably refers to both. “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth.” “Walking in truth” refers to the manner of life, meaning walking in obedience to the commandments from the Father. It is wonderful to have children who are walking in truth.
“As we have received a commandment from the Father.” The commandment is that we walk in the light as He is in the light, that we order our lives by the Word of God.
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another [2 John 5].
“The beginning” refers to the beginning of the ministry of Christ in His incarnation.
The teaching that the Lord Jesus gave was: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples”—not because you are fundamentalists but “if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35, italics mine). John says that this is the commandment that we have had from the beginning, that we are to love one another.
Here we have it: walking in truth and loving one another (again, we are talking about loving fellow believers). This is the balance that is needed today in the church, or else any church will become lopsided. We can become oversentimental in the church. There is a lot of sentimental tommyrot going on, and it is as sloppy as can be: “Oh, we love each other. We have the agape love”—and all that sort of thing. But are you walking in the truth? Are you really walking in the knowledge of the Word of God? All the apostles emphasized that we are to walk in love. My friend, this is very important in these days in which we live. It’s wonderful if you are a fundamentalist—I hope you are—but I hope you are walking in love because you really are not a fundamentalist unless you are.
The objective polarity of the Christian faith and the Christian life is truth and love. John emphasized love in his first epistle, but he also said that that love is for the brethren, it is for believers, it is for those who are in Christ. He said, “My little children, I want you to love one another”—that is, other believers. I do not quite understand this idea of watering down the Christian faith and saying that we are to love everybody, because I know that when you make a statement like that, you don’t love everybody. It is just impossible to do that. There are too many in this world who are unlovely. A lot of us are unlovely, and, as a result, we are not loved. But God loves the world. We are not worth loving, but God loves us all. The important thing is that He tells believers to take the gospel to the world. That is the way that you and I can show our concern and love, if you want to call it that. We are to take the gospel to the lost because God loves them, and then if we take it to them, a love will be begotten in our hearts for those who are actually our enemies. The important thing to see is that God is love—it is His attribute—and His love has provided a Savior for us. But truth is also very important, and you cannot put love above truth, because when you do, then you sacrifice truth. This is John’s emphasis in this second epistle.
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it [2 John 6].
What is love? It is to walk after His commandments. The Lord said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This is another way of saying the same thing. The Lord’s commandments are more than the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are basic to government and basic to civilization, but the Christian is called to a higher plane where he is to produce in his life, by the Spirit (it is the fruit of the Spirit), love, joy, peace, long-suffering, etc. If these things are in us and abide in us, you and I are walking after His commandments. If they are not in us, we are not walking after His commandments.
“And this is love.” Let me say it again: Love is not made in the parlor—it is made in the kitchen. Love is not made in the bedroom—it is made out there in the laundry room. Does she wash his clothes? Does he bring home his paycheck? Does he support his family? That is the way you express love in the family, and that is the way you express love in the church—in your concern and in your help for others. You cannot say that you are loving someone unless you have a concern for him, especially a concern for his spiritual welfare.
“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.” Now this is getting right down into shoe leather. This is getting right down where the rubber meets the road. This is sidewalk salvation. It is that which can walk down the street. You must recall that men like John and Paul were writing to people who lived in the Roman world. In Paul’s day the emperor was bloody Nero. John saw one emperor after another rise who persecuted the Christians. Beginning with Titus, the Roman general who destroyed Jerusalem in a.d. 70, the persecution was severe. The Roman world was a brutal world, a cruel world, a world that was pagan to the core. And yet here were men and women who were walking down Roman roads, living in pagan cities, and they were walking after His commandments. They were translating the gospel into life. This is the thing that is desperately needed in our day.
“This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” In other words, John is saying, “This thing is not to be put on ice. It is not something to be stored on the shelf. You have heard it from the beginning. The Lord Jesus taught this. Now let’s get busy and walk in it. Let’s manifest love to those outside.”
LIFE IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
Again there arises before us the other end of this polarization: love is on one side, and the truth is on the other. John now issues his warning—
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist [2 John 7].
“An antichrist” should read the antichrist. John said in his first epistle that already there were many antichrists and that there was the spirit of antichrist. How do we identify the spirit of antichrist? John gives us the answer: “Who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” The spirit of antichrist is to deny the deity of Christ. It is to deny everything that is said about Him, everything that He said, and everything that He did for us in redemption by dying on the cross and by being raised bodily from the dead. That is antichrist, and that is the spirit of antichrist.
The spirit of antichrist eventually will be headed up, I believe, not by one man but by two men, because two men are described in Revelation 13. One of these is a great political ruler, an enemy of Christ—he is against Christ. The other is a religious ruler who will imitate Christ and cause the world to worship the first beast, that is, to worship the political ruler. This is coming in the future, and everything this side of it is preparing the way for the coming of this one; so much so that when the political ruler and the religious ruler finally appear, the world will be ready for them. And it looks to me like the world is almost ready for them right now. To begin with, the political ruler will promise peace in the world, and for three and one-half years, he will do a pretty good job of it—but it is not permanent. It will build up to a mighty catastrophe that is ushered in by the war of Armageddon which will last for approximately three and one-half years until the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom.
At that time also, there will be one religion, and certainly we are moving in that direction even now. It will be a world religion where they will all pool their thinking. It will be a religion that doesn’t really believe anything. There will be nothing to hold them together. We are so often urged today to get rid of that which separates us. My friend, if we get rid of all that separates us, there will not be anything left to hold us together. This is the problem with that type of thing. I am reminded of the story of the little boy who was walking down a jungle trail in Africa, carrying a polkadot umbrella. He met an elephant who said to him, “Where are you going, little boy?” The little boy said, “I’m not going anywhere,” to which the elephant replied, “Well, I’m not either. Let me go with you.” That is the kind of church union that is coming about today. They are going nowhere, they believe nothing, and therefore, they can all get together. This is the deceiver who is finally going to come, one to head up religion and one to head up the politics of this world. This is the Antichrist who is to come.
“For many deceivers are entered into the world.” Gnosticism was running riot in John’s day. Everywhere the gospel has gone, the cults have always followed. The “isms” always follow the preaching of the gospel—they never go before. There were coming along at that time quite a few of what was known as the Gnostic sect which was actually divided into many groups. There were the Cerinthian Gnostics who followed a teacher in Ephesus whose name was Cerinthus. There is a tradition that John, who was the pastor of the Ephesian church, went down to the public bath and saw old Cerinthus taking a bath also. So John got out of the pool, grabbed up his clothes, and didn’t put them on until he got outside, because he wouldn’t have anything to do with that heretic. Well, that is a tradition and may or may not be true, but it certainly expresses the viewpoint of John in his letter here. The Cerinthian Gnostics correspond to several of the cults today in that they taught that Jesus and Christ were two different entities altogether and that the divine came upon Jesus at His baptism and left Him at the cross. There were also the Docetic Gnostics who denied the reality of the physical body of Christ. They said that the apostles thought they saw Jesus, but He actually was not a real person; He was just an appearance. We have a few cults which have picked up that heresy also. This is the reason John said in his first epistle, “We have seen Him. We have heard Him. We’ve gazed upon Him. We’ve handled Him. We know what we are talking about, and He was a real man.”
Then there were certain Jewish sects in that day, and when Christianity came along, they picked up a great deal of the Christian teachings. Evidently, there was a group of Essenes down at Qumran where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls. And at Masada, which fell in a.d. 73, three years after the fall of Jerusalem, there were about 967 zealots who had also picked up some of the teachings of Christ. Both groups had twisted, distorted, and warped conceptions of the person of Christ.
The thing that John is saying here and, which is all-important today is that there are many deceivers who have entered into the world. They seem to have sort of centered right here in Southern California. This is a great incubation center for all kinds of false teachings. I used to say, as I spoke across this country, “I come from a land of flowers, fruits, and nuts—mostly religious nuts. I trust that you folk don’t think that I am one of them!” The important thing is that the way you tell one who is true is by his viewpoint, his teaching, his beliefs concerning the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless he thinks rightly of Him, everything else goes down the tube, and that person is a false teacher.
This does not mean that a person cannot hold a different view from what you and I would hold, for example, on election. Election has been a debatable point. John Wesley taught one thing, and John Calvin taught another viewpoint on it. But both of those men believed in the deity of Christ, and when you believe in the deity of Christ, it means you believe in the Virgin Birth, it means you believe the record that we have in the Word of God, and it means you believe in the apostles’ doctrine which they taught in their epistles. There was a difference of opinion about election between these two men, but neither of them was a false teacher because both of them agreed on the essentials of the faith.
Let me use just one other illustration in this connection. I graduated and received my B.D. degree from my denominational seminary, as well as having done graduate work at Dallas Theological Seminary where I received my master’s and doctor’s degrees. That denominational school was amillennial, and they were dead set against the premillennial position. One of the professors and I became very good friends, and I admired him a great deal. That man could exalt the person of Christ. He could defend the virgin birth, the blood redemption, and the bodily resurrection of Christ in a way that I have heard no other person do. I actually sat in his classroom in tears as I heard him exalt the Lord Jesus. But he simply hated premillennialism. He didn’t hate me—he and I were good friends. Because of the fact that he exalted Christ, I never felt we ought to separate or that I ought to break fellowship with him. He was no antichrist. He was a believer. He was an intellectual, and even they are wrong in some things, so I just took it for granted that he was wrong in that particular sphere. I am sure that someday, when he and I get to heaven, we will be in agreement. It may be that both of us will have to change a little relative to our beliefs concerning these secondary matters. I do consider them secondary when you put them down beside the person of Christ. It is what you think of Him that is all-important.
John has emphasized that you are to walk according to the commandments of Christ, and the proof that you are a child of God is that you walk in love for the brethren. Now John has uttered a warning that many deceivers have come into the world. The believer today walks a very dangerous pathway through the world. To the left side of the pathway is the jungle of liberalism and apostasy. It is a beautiful but dangerous jungle because in it are beautiful but dangerous animals which are ready to devour us. I heard recently of a young man who had been in the armed forces and had had a real witness for Christ. But he apparently was lured to a seminary that destroyed his faith. This boy now has gone out into social service work, and his testimony is null and void. He is doing nothing but treading water. My heart goes out to a young fellow like that.
Then, on the opposite side of the pathway, there is a wilderness filled with rattlesnakes. It is the wilderness of extreme fundamentalism which is totally devoid of love. The only thing they think is important is to have the right doctrine. A brother may pat you on the back one day, but the next day, because you do not cross your t’s or dot your i’s as he does, he will attempt to destroy you by circulating a report in order to nullify your influence. Because of an overweening ambition, he will trample you underfoot. Your reputation is not safe in his hands, and he will exhibit hatred and bitterness rather than love toward you.
I have been in active Christian service since 1930, and I’ve met some of the great men of this century, giants of the faith who preached the truth. None of these men ever attempted to separate brethren or to dull the effectiveness of another’s ministry by some slurring gossip. May I say to you, these men were great men, not only in doctrine but also in their lives. I have learned over the years that God’s men who stand for the truth and who preach the Word of God, by and large, are men upon whom you can depend and who are very gracious in every manner.
I remember hearing this story of the late Dr. Harry Ironside when he was holding a conference at one of the prominent conference centers across this country. Some people go to these summer conferences for just one purpose, and that is to compare one speaker to another speaker and to try to set up some sort of conflict between them. I was told that a man came to Dr. Ironside at this conference and said to him, “Dr. Ironside, Dr. So-and-so was here last week and said such and such. But today you said the very opposite thing. Now which is correct?” The man was mentioning a minor point of doctrine. It was nothing vital but was simply a difference of opinion. All of us have differences of opinion, but we can differ without being disagreeable. So Dr. Ironside said to the man, “Well, I didn’t know that Brother So-and-so taught that. That’s quite interesting. Maybe I should look into it. I could be wrong.” And then he walked away. The man stood there with his mouth open, because he surely couldn’t get an argument there! May I say to you, I am confident that Dr. Ironside didn’t feel that he was wrong, but he at least shut up that brother and kept him from trying to drive a wedge between brethren. This is the thing that, in my judgment, is actually more dangerous than liberalism.
I can spot a liberal, and I can say truthfully that I do not associate or fellowship with them. I have nothing in common with them. At one time, I was accused falsely by extreme fundamentalists of fellowshiping with a certain bishop during an evangelistic campaign here in Southern California. The truth is that I never even met the man. I had no reason to. He and I were in two different spheres of activity altogether, and I had no fellowship with him. But I have found that the most dangerous ones for me are the extreme fundamentalists. I would say that I am more afraid of them. They prattle pious platitudes and claim that they have the truth. But woe unto the man who disagrees with them on minor matters, especially the matter of separation, as if that were the all-important issue. Their priorities are not doctrine but assassination of character and name-calling on the lowest level. I have met both ministers and members of churches who frighten me more than a rattlesnake. The venom of bitterness and jealousy and hatred was dripping from their mouths as they feigned their love and devotion to Christ and to the truth. The great message of 2 John is that truth walks in shoe leather, and if it does not, it is dangerous. My friend, we need to be very careful of both extremes of the spectrum of faith today.
John says that the way you are going to tell if one is not a child of God is: “Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10). Love and righteousness are the two manifestations of a child of God. We are to be aware of those who are not believers, the deceivers who deny the deity of Christ. John is saying that if you deny the deity of Christ, you are not a Christian. You may be religious, but you are not a Christian—let’s understand that. After all, Christian means one who is a follower of Christ, one who believes in Him. You cannot be a follower of Christ unless you believe in His virgin birth, unless you believe in His deity, His miraculous life, and His work of redemption upon the cross.
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward [2 John 8].
You do not lose your salvation when you have fellowship with the wrong folk—we need to understand that very clearly—but you do put yourself in a dangerous position. It does mean that the minute you and I identify ourselves with a cult or go off into this type of thing which denies the deity of Christ, we have lost our reward. There will be no reward for a believer who has done this.
Every believer ought to be working for a reward, to be able to hear Him say someday, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (see Matt. 25:21). At the end of his life, Paul was able to say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day …” (2 Tim. 4:7–8). During his life, he wasn’t sure of it, for he said that he didn’t want to be disapproved when he came into the presence of Christ. Therefore, it will behoove us to be very careful not to be taken in by deceivers.
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son [2 John 9].
The word transgresseth is a very interesting word. In the Greek it is proagoµ. Agoµ means “to go”; pro means “before.” Proagoµ means “to go before or to go ahead.” Therefore, the meaning here is not so much to transgress as to go farther than is right. This is the meaning that Thayer gives in his Greek lexicon of the New Testament—to go farther than is right. “Whosoever goes farther than is right, that is, goes to some extreme.” This is what the Gnostics claimed for themselves. The word gnosis, means “knowledge.” The Gnostics claimed to have a little more knowledge than anyone else, something that made them super-duper saints. There are a few saints in that category today; they feel that they have something the rest of us don’t have. Every now and then, I get a letter from some person who tells me I’m lacking somehow. I recognize that I am, but I don’t feel they are the ones to tell me because they tell it from the viewpoint that they have it and I don’t. They feel like they are super-duper, and they manifest no love for the brethren, which means they are not abiding in the doctrine of Christ. This is the thing that characterizes them.
In my Southland there were a group of people when I was a boy who were known as Holy Rollers. I attended several of their meetings when I was a young fellow just for the entertainment of watching them roll, and they actually rolled. Yet they preached the gospel, and many of them were real believers. Bishop Moore of the old Southern Methodist church was at a conference of Methodist preachers where he was approached by a young country preacher who asked, “Bishop Moore, do you think the Holy Rollers will go to heaven?” The bishop replied, “They will if they don’t run past the place!” It seems to me that that is the condition of which John is speaking here: Whosoever goes farther than is right, whoever becomes an extremist “and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.”
I was reading sometime ago about several theologians in the East who met with a group of preachers. Together they came to the conclusion that they no longer needed to answer the fundamentalists on the question of the virgin birth of Christ or the deity of Christ or whether Christ died for our sins. They feel like they have graduated from that. They have become highly intellectual, totally sanctified, and have reached the summum bonum of life. They are now up at the apex, looking down on all the rest of us poor folk who believe in the deity of Christ and His death for our sins. To my judgment they have transgressed, abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and have not God. No wonder they came to the conclusion that God was dead! But He wasn’t dead. They were dead—“dead in trespasses and sins” (see Eph. 2:1). “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.”
“He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” If you are abiding in the doctrine of Christ, you have God the Father, and you have God the Son, and you have access to the Father through the Son. We have access to God through Christ, by His marvelous, infinite grace if we abide in the doctrine of Christ.
The word abide means “to remain”—this is a permanent arrangement. Someone told me that he had asked a liberal preacher in Los Angeles years ago what he thought about me. This liberal preacher is an outstanding man, a very fine man in many ways. I have always respected him because he is one of the few honest liberals I have met. He just came out and said that he believed practically nothing, and he stuck by his guns. I simply feel he should not be in the ministry. He is sort of like a man selling Fuller brushes who doesn’t have any brushes to sell. This liberal preacher said, “Well, I respect McGee and his viewpoint. The thing is that it’s old-fashioned, and he hasn’t changed it in years. He apparently hasn’t grown a bit.” May I say to you, that is about the nicest compliment the man could have returned to me because I haven’t changed and I intend for it to be that way. John is saying here that he who abides in the doctrine of Christ, who remains in it and doesn’t change, has both the Father and the Son.
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed [2 John 10].
I cannot think of a stronger statement than this. We need to recall the background of this letter again. John is writing to “the elect lady,” who may have been an outstanding woman in the church, noted for her hospitality. Apparently, she is a woman of means who can entertain guests lavishly. She is very generous. Evidently, some of these Gnostics came by, and she entertained them. Then she was under conviction about it, and she wrote to John. What should she do in a case like that? Should she entertain them? She would feel badly if she turned them away. What really should be her attitude toward an apostate, toward a heretic, toward one who denies the deity of Christ but pretends to be a follower of Christ? Should she entertain him in her home?
We need to understand also that there were no Howard Johnson motels or Holiday Inns or Hilton Hotels or Ramada Inns in the Roman Empire. The little inns that they had were pretty bare places to stay. An inn was not even a place where you got a bed. You had to bring your own bed with you. All you did was rent a space to put down your little mat or pad on which you would sleep. Maybe there were people sleeping on both sides of you, at your head, and down at your feet—all around you. That was the method for travelers in that day. So the homes of believers were always open to traveling evangelists and Bible teachers in the days of the early church. When these men would arrive in a town, there would always be some home where they would be entertained. Remember how Paul stayed in the home of Aquila and Priscilla when he was in Corinth? That was the method in the early church and the general practice of the day.
I can remember when I was a boy in our little town in west Texas that my mother would invite a visiting preacher to come for dinner and sometimes to spend the night. My dad never liked that, I can tell you. He was not a believer, and he didn’t care to have a preacher for dinner or to have him spend the night. We were poor folk, and so the preacher didn’t get lavish entertainment. But he would usually get fried chicken, and my mother really knew how to fry chicken. That was the practice in our little town. Even up to this day, the Holiday Inn hasn’t gotten there; in fact, there isn’t a motel of any kind or description there. In that day the preacher was entertained in the home, but today my recommendation to you is to entertain him in a motel or hotel. That would be the proper way to do it today. The average minister needs a great deal of privacy for study and prayer, and he cannot get it when he is entertained in a home. However, I must say that there are a few homes across this country that I have always enjoyed going into, because I can make myself at home and I feel at home there. They just let me do what I need and want to do, and it is a joy to be there.
This woman to whom John is writing is a woman of hospitality, and she has this question about entertaining false teachers. John lays it on the line here: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.”
Now John says something else that ought to alert every one of us today—
For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds [2 John 11].
If you entertain a false teacher, if you support him, you are a partner with him in his deeds. This is the reason that you ought to investigate everything that you give to as a Christian, because if you are giving to the wrong thing, God considers you a partner in it.
The Lord Jesus gave a parable in this connection in which he told about a man who was working for another man and was about to be fired (see Luke 16:1–13). The man called in all his employer’s creditors and offered them a discount if they would pay their bills, which they, of course, were glad to accept. He did this so that after he was fired he would be able to appeal to them for help since he had helped them. That was crooked—our Lord did not say it was right; He made it clear that it was wrong. He said, “The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” They are clever out yonder in the business world. There’s many a man trying to make a fast buck today. It is a case of dog-eat-dog. Therefore, if the man in the world is wise about the way he invests his money and the way he uses his money, what about you, Christian friend? Are you moved by some sentimental story, and do you give because of that? Are you moved by a picture of a few orphans, of little children in foreign countries? Do you know that your money is getting to them? Are you motivated today by sentiment? If you are a partner in that which denies the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He is and stands for and all that He did for us, if you are supporting that sort of thing, God will hold you responsible for it. He said that the children of the world are wiser than we are. We ought to get smart. We ought to wise up to this and not be taken in by it. Charity has become a big racket today. Collecting money under false pretenses is one of the biggest rackets there is. This is the reason I sometimes mention that I haven’t yet started an orphans’ home for stray cats in the Aleutian Islands! In fact, I don’t know whether there are any cats up there or not. My business is giving out the Word of God, and I hope this is your business, too.
PERSONAL GREETING
Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen [2 John 12–13].
In other words, John says, “I can tell it better than I can write it.” David said the same thing, “… my tongue is the pen of a ready writer” (Ps. 45:1). When David began to write that wonderful forty-fifth psalm, a psalm of praise to Christ, he simply said, “I wish I could tell it to you. I can say it better than I can write it.” This is the reason I love the radio ministry. I can say it lots better than I can write it.
“The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.” Apparently, they were children of a sister of this elect lady, or it was a sister church sending greetings to this lady and to the local church there.
This is a tremendous little letter, and its message ought to alert every believer today.
(For Bibliography to 2 John, see Bibliography at the end of 3 John.)
The Third Epistle of
John
INTRODUCTION
The writer of this little epistle is John the apostle. I rather facetiously call this epistle “three-eyed John” because a very fine black preacher whom I knew years ago in the South called John’s epistles “one-eyed John,” “two-eyed John,” and “three-eyed John.” I don’t know of a better way of remembering these epistles than this. This epistle, therefore, is “three-eyed John.”
It is now the belief of some expositors that John wrote these epistles last—after he wrote the Book of Revelation. I’m rather inclined to agree with that viewpoint. This means that these epistles were written close to the end of the first century, somewhere between a.d. 90–100, but it would be very difficult to date them exactly. John probably wrote all three epistles very close together. I don’t think there would be much difference in time from one epistle to the other.
In his first epistle, John emphasizes the fact that the family of God is held together by love and that the little children are to love one another. He makes it very clear that if they don’t love one another, they are not God’s children. Children have a love for those who are in their family—that is the normal thing even in natural relationships down here on this earth.
In the second epistle, however, John puts up a tremendous warning that there are apostates, there are many antichrists, and there are many deceivers in the world. He says that a child of God is not to love them. We are not to be concerned with their welfare in the sense of entertaining them in our homes. The child of God is to keep a very close account and to make sure that those he entertains, those he supports, are true to the Word of God; that is, that they believe in the deity of Christ, that they believe that He is God manifest in the flesh. John wrote, “And the Word was made flesh …” (John 1:14). He had already said that the Word was God. Therefore, Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. He is God dwelling, tabernacling in human flesh. Until a person believes that, he doesn’t have a Savior. If Jesus Christ is just a man and that is all that He is, we do not have a Savior. There is no reason to remember His birth and no reason to remember His death or resurrection if He is just a man. It is all-important to recognize that He is God manifest in the flesh and that His work on the cross was a work that has power to save us. There is power in the blood because of who He is and because He died and rose again bodily. Those who deny these truths are not to be extended the fellowship or the support of the church. John goes so far in the second epistle as to say that believers are not to even bid such a person Godspeed. John said not to help him on his way or give him support. If you do, you are a partaker of his evil deeds, and you are a partner with him. Therefore, it behooves a child of God to know whom he supports.
As we come now to the third epistle, there is a similarity to John’s second letter in some ways. It is very personal in character, and it carries the same theme of truth. Truth again is presented as all-important. When truth and love come into conflict, truth must survive. This means that you are not to love the false teacher. Walking in truth is all-important.
However, this third letter differs from the second in other ways. As you will note from the Outline which follows, this epistle deals with personalities. Also, in the second epistle, John says that the truth is worth standing for, but in this third epistle, John’s emphasis is that the truth is worth working for. Someone has put it like this: “My life in God—that’s salvation. My life with God—that’s communion and fellowship. But my life for God—that’s service.” This epistle deals with my life for God, and it has to do with walking and working in the truth. Love can become very sloppy; it can become misdirected, and it certainly can be misunderstood if it is not expressed within the boundary of truth.
OUTLINE
I. Gaius, Beloved Brother in the Early Church, Verses 1–8 (Gaius, the one to whom the letter is addressed, is urged to extend hospitality to true teachers of the Word.)
II. Diotrephes, “who loveth to have the preeminence,” Verses 9–11 (Evil deeds are an expression of false doctrine.)
III. Demetrius “hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself,” Verses 12–14 (A good life is an expression of true doctrine.)
Years ago I preached a sermon on the subject, “You Will Find Them in the Yellow Pages,” in which I dealt with two men from this little epistle of 3 John—Diotrephes and Demetrius—and with Demas whom Paul spoke of in 2 Timothy 4:10 (see also Col. 4:14; Philem. 23–24). Demas had been a fellow laborer with Paul but had deserted the work; he loved the world and departed from Paul. My sermon was about Demas, Diotrephes, and Demetrius—each of their names begins with a D. I probably should have included Gaius who is also mentioned in this epistle—and if his name had been Daius, I’m sure I would have!
Modern advertising tells us that we can always find it in the Yellow Pages. It does not matter whether you want to purchase an aardvark or a zebra, an atom splitter or a zymometer, an abacus or a zygote, you will find it in the Yellow Pages. If we could get ahold of the Yellow Pages of the Roman Empire in the first century, we would probably find these men listed there. However, we do find them in the Word of God, and they give us the answer to some very interesting questions: How did the believers of the first century make out? How were they holding out at the close of the first century? Did they all become martyrs? Were they all paragons of virtue? Were they all worthy followers of Christ? Were they worthy examples of the faith? Among the millions who turned to Christ in the first three centuries, how did the average believer turn out? Well, here in this epistle we find two who were outstanding men of God—Gaius and Demetrius. These men really stood for the faith of God. We also find one who was not outstanding. Diotrephes was not standing at all; he was doing anything but standing for the truth.
GAIUS—A DELIGHTFUL BROTHER
The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth [3 John 1].
“The elder.” As he did in the second epistle, John adopts the term elder. It could refer to his age. He is in his nineties, and certainly he is a presbyter, an elder, in the sense of age. He is a senior citizen at this time. Also, elder speaks of an officer in the early church, and certainly John could claim that. In fact, he could have claimed more. He could have said, “I am an apostle,” but he doesn’t do that. Gaius is a friend, and you don’t write that way to your friend. At least, I don’t write that way to very personal friends. I write to several fellows with whom I was in school and who are old men now—I’m the only one who has managed to stay young, but they’ve gotten old! I call each one of them by his first name, and when I sign my name, I don’t mention the title Doctor at all—those fellows would laugh at me. I simply write my name, Vernon or Mac. I was called Mac when I was in college and seminary. I go by that appellation, and so I just sign that way. John is writing to a personal friend, and he simply says, “The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius.”
“Unto the well-beloved Gaius”—I love that. John’s letter is addressed to a believer in the early church by the name of Gaius. Gaius was a beloved brother in the church. Four times John calls him “beloved” (vv. 1, 2, 5, 11). John knows and loves him in the Lord, and he now writes a letter to this brother who apparently is in some local church.
“Whom I love in the truth.” Immediately we are told that Gaius is sound in doctrine. He accepted the deity of Christ. Gaius is a man who stood for the truth, and he not only stood for the truth but he also worked for the truth. Here is a man who walked and worked in love. He manifested love. You have to think right if you are going to act right—that is true in any sphere of life today.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth [3 John 2].
“Beloved”—John evidently thought a great deal of Gaius and was very close to him since, again, he calls him “beloved.”
“I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health.” Very frankly, John makes it clear that he wants Gaius to prosper not only financially (he apparently was a man of means), but John also says, “I want you to prosper in your health.” Evidently, Gaius was not a well man.
“Even as thy soul prospereth.” And John wanted him to prosper also in his soul, to grow spiritually. There are a lot of Christians today who are sick spiritually. They have good health physically, but they have pretty bad health spiritually. It is certainly well for a child of God to have both. Good health physically is wonderful to have—many of us didn’t appreciate it until we lost it. And it is important to have good health spiritually. What physical health is to the body, holiness is to the spiritual life of the believer. To be healthy spiritually is holiness; it is to be growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ.
There were traveling around in that day many men who were teaching the Word of God and doing missionary work. Gaius would open his home to them and entertain them. He was not only a largehearted man, he not only walked in love, but he also walked in truth, and he tested these teachers. And in spite of his poor health, he was able to be very active in hospitality.
For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth [3 John 3].
Many of these traveling evangelists and missionaries reported to John the graciousness of Gaius and his walk in the truth. They said, “When you go to the church where Gaius is one of the leaders, you will find he is a very wonderful man. He is not only a man of means but also a very generous man. I was entertained in his home.” In that day they didn’t put the traveling preacher in a Howard Johnson’s or a Ramada Inn because there weren’t any. If there had been, I believe they would have put him there. But generally, the little inns in the Roman Empire were flea-bitten places, dirty, and sometimes very sinful; so the custom of that day was to entertain these men in homes.
“For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” This is the testimony that other brethren gave concerning Gaius. This was their judgment of him. “The truth” is actually the doctrine and the teaching of the apostles. The article should be omitted: “walkest in truth.” This refers not only to doctrine but also to his conduct. The mark of the believer is to walk in truth. Truth is that which is dominant. The summum bonum for the Christian is whether or not he is walking in the truth and walking in the light. It isn’t how you walk but where you walk that is important. Are you walking in the truth? Walking in the truth also means walking in the right conduct or walking in love of the brethren.
Those who were out in a teaching ministry in the early church would come to Gaius’ town and to his church, and they would find that his home was wide open to true brethren. Gaius had a spiritual discernment. He could tell who were the genuine believers and who were not. After all, all you need to do is to make sure about a man’s relationship to the person of Jesus Christ.
What think ye of Christ? is the test
To try both your state and your scheme.
You cannot be right in the rest
Unless you think rightly of Him.
—Author unknown
You must think rightly of Him in order to be right in everything else. These brethren testified, “Brother Gaius tested us out. He found out whether we believed in the deity of Christ. He found out whether we believed in the Virgin Birth and whether we believed that Christ died a redemptive death upon the cross and was raised bodily from the grave. When he found out that we did believe these things, he opened his home and received us and discovered that we also had a love for the brethren. And then his heart was open to us.” What a marvelous testimony Gaius had!
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth [3 John 4].
This is a great comfort. This is wonderful encouragement. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” John had been the pastor of the church in Ephesus and had led many to the Lord. It is a great joy to him, now that he is an old man, to hear that his converts, scattered out over the area of Asia, are still walking in truth. Here again “walking in truth” means walking in right doctrine and in love for the brethren—his children manifested these things.
It is a great joy to me today to get letters from those who were led to the Lord over the years of my ministry. They say, “We are still walking in the truth,” and perhaps they tell about how they are in a Bible church and are attempting to serve the Lord. That brings joy to my heart. When I hear of young ministers who used to be in my classes and who are now standing for the truth, that brings joy to the heart. My daughter is like a great many other young people today. She thinks her dad is just a little old fogy, more or less a back number. The other day she went out to hear a young man whom I had the privilege of teaching. After she and her husband had gone to hear him, she came back to tell me how wonderful he was and what a glorious message he brought. She told me what the message was as if it was something I had never heard before. It did sound strangely familiar, but I never said anything to my daughter—I just listened as she told me how wonderful it was. Then she said, “You know, Dad, you may not be able to speak to young people today, but he is able to speak to young people, and they listen to him. His church is filled with young people.” Well, I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t really want to tell her that that fellow’s message just happened to be one of my messages. I was glad that he gave it. I am sure that my daughter has heard me give it, but it didn’t mean anything when Dad gave it because I’m an old fogy. But this young, sharp boy put in a lot of new words that young people use today that aren’t a part of my vocabulary, and of all things, it is just a brand-new message! Do you think I feel badly over that? You do not know what great joy that brought to me in my heart. I know exactly how John felt. John says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” Isn’t that wonderful? You cannot help but rejoice in that, especially when you have come to the sundown period of life and you know that your future is no longer ahead of you. My future is behind me, and I rejoice in these young preachers who are coming along. And to feel that maybe I had a little part in their training and to know that young people are crowding in to hear them is a wonderful thing.
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers [3 John 5].
Gaius was evidently one of the children of John, one of John’s converts. His conduct conforms to his doctrine, and it is marvelous when that takes place.
From verse 5 to 8, John commends Gaius for having received and entertained the true teachers of the Word. Let me draw the contrast: In 2 John the apostle warns against receiving false teachers, but in 3 John he encourages the believers to receive the true brethren. Just because you have been deceived and stung for awhile ought not to keep you from receiving the true brethren. I know a lady who supports our radio ministry in a very wonderful way. She is down on the church, and I recently found out why. She happens to be a widow and a very attractive person. She went to a couple of churches where the pastors made a pass at her. Believe me, that turned her off, and she now has nothing to do with the church. Frankly, I have urged her to get into a good Bible church where there are real men of God who will not be doing that sort of thing. Many of us have been disappointed and deceived by false brethren, but we should not let that deter us from supporting that which we believe is of the Lord. This woman gives support only to radio ministries today. Very frankly, I think she’s wrong. I don’t think she is wrong to support radio—don’t misunderstand me—but I do feel that one or two sour experiences ought not to sour you against the church.
John tells us in his second epistle that many deceivers have gone out into the world. Why not be like Gaius and have a little discernment? Don’t support anything—including a church or a radio ministry—until you are sure that it is of God. Be sure that the Word of God is being given out. Be sure that they love the brethren (and that they don’t love the “sistern” too much!). John is talking about things that are very practical today. He is really getting down to the nitty-gritty, right down where the rubber meets the road, right down where the ball hits the bat. He is encouraging Gaius to support the true brethren in the Lord.
Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well [3 John 6].
These brethren would return from a trip to John’s church. I have a notion that when they came together for the purpose of worship, John would say, “Well, I see Brother So-and-so. He’s been out evangelizing, and we’d like to have a word from him. We’d like to have a report as to how the Lord led him and how the Lord blessed him.” Brother So-and-so would get up and give his report, and he would say, “When I came to this place, there was a brother there by the name of Gaius, and he is a choice servant of God. He opened his home to me, but he doesn’t do that for everybody because he certainly examined me. He made an inspection of me to make sure I was teaching the Word of God. He wanted to know whether or not I believed the Word of God and whether or not I was walking in love. He tested me and found that I was, and then he just opened up his heart and home to me, and we had wonderful fellowship.” Now John is writing to Gaius, and he says, “I have heard this now from several, and I want you to know how much it delights my heart.”
“Whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well.” In the second epistle, John says that if you bid Godspeed to false teachers, you are a partaker with them, you are guilty of their deeds. But now he says that if you help those who are giving out the Word of God and who are walking in love, you do well. This is actually something you should be doing. Why?—
Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles [3 John 7].
John writes to Gaius, “These brethren went forth, trusting the Lord, and you opened up your home to them. They are genuine, they are real, and you received them.” These men went out at great sacrifice. They didn’t receive a salary; they didn’t receive any remuneration. They went out trusting the Lord, and homes were opened to them. In some places they were given support; in other places they were not.
“Taking nothing of the Gentiles.” This, my friend, is another way of testing that which is genuine or not. Are you supporting something that is simply a religious racket for money, something that is trying to get every Tom, Dick, and Harry to donate to the cause? Or is it a work of the Lord that depends on the Lord’s people? John says that these true men would take nothing of the Gentiles, that is, from unbelievers.
I always try to make it clear on our radio broadcast that we are just asking believers to support the program. If an unbeliever is listening, we’d rather he not give. We hope he listens; we hope he sends for the literature, but very frankly, I do not really believe God can bless what an unbeliever gives. We believe the scriptural method is to ask only believers to give. These men went forth, taking nothing from the Gentiles. They would not appeal to unbelievers to give to the Lord’s work. I know there are many who disagree, but I do not believe that unbelievers should be asked to support the Lord’s work. As the ark went through the wilderness, it was carried on the shoulders of the Israelite priests. They could not even put it on a cart. God said that the priests were to carry it. And God’s priests today are His believers. Every believer is a priest, and you and I are to carry the Lord Jesus Christ into this world today. Therefore, we do not ask unbelievers to give, but we do ask believers to give—especially those who not only believe in Christ but who also believe that we are giving out the Word of God today. And we do not apologize for asking believers to give because we believe that the Lord’s work is to be carried forward in this method.
We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth [3 John 8].
In other words, you would be a partner with these men if you opened your home to them, if you supported them and helped them on their way. In the second epistle, John warns “the elect lady” not to receive apostates into her home because if she does, she is a partner with them in their evil deeds. Now that warning might cause someone just to shut his home and not receive true brethren either; that is, some might shut up their homes to all who might come in order to make sure that they did not entertain false teachers. But John says, “Wait just a minute. If they are men walking in the light, if they are men walking in love, and if they are men who have the life of God within them, you should receive them.” I think you can tell when a man is speaking by the Holy Spirit. I am sure there was better discernment in the early church than there is in the church today. I am confident that, although we may know more Bible than they did, we certainly do not have the spiritual discernment that they did. But when a man is distinguished as being a man of God who is doing God’s work, he should be supported. “That we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.” When Gaius helped them along, he became a partner with them in getting out the Word of God.
DIOTREPHES—A DICTATOR
Gaius was such a wonderful fellow, one of those choice saints in the early church. You could wish that all of the men in the early church were like that, but I am sorry to have to report that they were not. We come now to another man, Diotrephes, and this is what John has to say of him—
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not [3 John 9].
John wrote a pentateuch of the New Testament (just as Moses wrote the Pentateuch of the Old Testament); John wrote a gospel, the Revelation, and three epistles. That makes five books—he wrote a pentateuch. If it is true that John wrote his epistles after the Book of the Revelation, this epistle is his swan song. It was written toward the close of the first century, and by that time, many wonderful believers had been brought into the truth and into the church. We might wonder how they got along. Were they all paragons of virtue? Were they all outstanding men of God? Were they worthy followers of Christ? Well, there were some like Gaius, real men of God, men of courage, outstanding men who stood for the things of God. However, there were also men like this man Diotrephes. He is a very different type of individual from Gaius. The thing that marks Diotrephes is that he loved to have the preeminence. Gaius is the delightful brother, but Diotrephes is the dictator. It is said that he even opposed the apostle John. John had written to this church to receive certain men, among whom was an outstanding preacher of the gospel, one of those unknown saints of God, whose name was Demetrius, but this man Diotrephes would not receive him. As I have mentioned previously, the early Christians practiced hospitality. Peter mentions it in 1 Peter 4:9, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” Paul also talks about it in 1 Timothy 5:9–10; Romans 12:13; and Titus 1:8. I do not know whether Diotrephes was a preacher or a layman in his church, but he would not even open his home to any of these men whom John had recommended. The reason is that he loved to have the preeminence. His motto was “to rule or ruin.” He was going to have his own way, and it did not make any difference what the result might be.
In verse 8 John urged, “We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.” May I say to you, there is a real compulsion today upon the child of God to support those who are giving out the Word of God. If you have a preacher who is doing that, you should support him. That was the practice in the early church.
Diotrephes is a man who puts on airs. He is pretentious. He is vainglorious. He struts around as a peacock. He has an overweening ambition. He is puffed up, inflated like a balloon. He is one whom you have to receive with a flourish of trumpets. He comes in in a blaze of glory. That’s Diotrephes. John will bring five charges against him: (1) He must occupy the leading place in the church; (2) he actually refused to receive John; (3) he made malicious statements against the apostles; (4) he refused to entertain the missionaries, the ones who were traveling through the country (and the reason obviously is that he wanted to do the speaking and teaching himself); and (5) he excommunicated those who did entertain the missionaries. In other words, Diotrephes wanted to be the first exalted ruler of the church. Woe unto you if you attempted to oppose him. If he was a layman, I sure feel sorry for his pastor. I am of the opinion he tried to keep his pastor under his thumb in order that he could preside. He wanted to be the one to be heard. Diotrephes was a man who was self-opinionated. He was self-exalting instead of self-effacing. I am sure that he would have claimed to have been a self-made man instead of having let the Holy Spirit make him over. He was self-sufficient, and I think he was guilty of self-admiration also. He was self-willed, self-satisfied, and self-confident. He felt that he could do all the teaching and preaching and that he did not need these other men to come and minister.
As I am saying all of this, I wonder if you recognize this fellow. In many churches today, there are men like Diotrephes, men who want to run the church. I am no longer a pastor of a church, and I can say frankly what I think and what I know to be true. I’m not speaking of any theory whatsoever but of what I know from experience over the years. I have met men who, although they put up a very pious front, have tried to run the church. I have known men like that in churches I have served but, thank the Lord, I never had much trouble with them. Sometimes it is a little clique which will do anything in order to rule. I have watched such people wreck church after church—a little group or an individual like Diotrephes who loves to have the preeminence.
I am going to say something now that may be very harsh. There are many men who may mean well but who enjoy leading in the church. They enjoy being up before a group of people. For the most part, the ones I have met are almost Bible ignoramuses—they know very little about the Word of God. But they love to talk, and their talk has actually sometimes caused me to bow my head in shame as I was sitting there on the platform. Some of the things they say are totally unscriptural, totally beside the point, and dead as a doornail. Then they wonder why their church is losing members. They wonder why people are not coming. It is very evident why. There are many who ought to keep quiet in the church. Remember that Paul said, “Study to be quiet” (see 1 Thess. 4:11). Instead of trying to teach young people to talk, we ought to teach them to keep quiet because we have many older ones today who talk too much. My friend, we ought not to talk in church unless we have something to say, unless we have something from God to say.
Many folk want to be up front in church. Not only have I met Diotrephes, but I have also met Mrs. Diotrephes in the church today. May I say that there are certain people who ought not to sing solos in the church. They do not bring glory to God, and sometimes they select songs which absolutely hurt the service rather than help it. My friend, you ought to search your heart before God before you stand up in the church and begin to sing or talk. Some soloists like to make a little talk before they sing a song. Many times the message they bring is just about as phony as anything can be. They want to tell you why they are going to sing that particular song. Why not just sing the song? If the song has a message, that is all the message a soloist needs to give.
I say all this because I am deeply concerned. I once had the opportunity to observe the moviemakers out here in Hollywood as they worked on the filming of a scene. When I got tired of watching and left, they had already shot that one scene fifteen times, and they were still working on it! I thought as I left, Oh, if only God’s people would work as hard to do everything in the church service to bring glory to the name of Christ! It all deserves the best we’ve got, my friend.
All of us need to search our hearts—even the ministers. Why are you presiding? Why are you leading? Why do you sing? Do you love to have the preeminence? Are you doing this for the glory of God? Certainly we need somebody to preside. We need somebody to sing a solo. We need somebody to teach the Word. Many are needed, but search your heart before you do anything because you can wreck a church if you are one like Diotrephes who loves to have the preeminence.
Mrs. McGee and I were ministering in a certain church where they did not have a pastor at the time. When we left after the service, she said to me concerning the man who presided, “He certainly did enjoy presiding, didn’t he?” I replied, “Yes, he loved it, and I’m wondering whether they really are seeking for a pastor with that man presiding.” He was not only presiding, he was killing the church. The attendance was way down. I felt very sorry for the pastor who would come to the church because he certainly was going to have trouble with that individual.
John now says that he is going to deal with this problem—
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church [3 John 10].
“Wherefore, if I come”—I do not think this is the if of doubt. We shall see at the end of the epistle that John intends to come and he is coming. But we never know what a day will bring forth. John says, “If I come,” in the sense of, “If something should come up, if something should happen, I might be unable to make the trip.” But his intentions are to come. There is no doubt in his mind about that.
“I will remember his deeds which he doeth.” In Christianity, the important word is truth, and truth manifests itself in love—it is just as simple as that and as important as that. Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence which, by the way, is a characteristic of the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is meekness, but Diotrephes was a dictator. Meekness does not necessarily mean weakness or cowardice. Someone has said, “Silence is golden, but sometimes it is yellow.” It is too bad there weren’t those in the church who spoke out against Diotrephes. Moses was considered a meek man, but when he got up and talked to the children of Israel, he didn’t sound like a meek man according to our notion of meekness. He spoke with the authority God had given him. The Lord Jesus was meek and lowly, but He went in and cleansed the temple. This is the reason I feel I should speak out on this because nobody else speaks along these lines as far as I know. When this thing is hurting our churches, somebody should say, “Look, brother, sit down. You are spoiling things. You ought not to be loving the preeminence all the time. You should learn to be meek and let others speak.” John says, “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth.” Diotrephes exhibits that which is not the mark of a believer, by any means. He apparently did not have the truth.
“Prating against us with malicious words.” Diotrephes was attempting to completely destroy the effectiveness of the apostles and especially of John. John says, “When I get there, I’m going to deal with him. I’m going to speak out against him. I’m going to let it be known that this man is using malicious words.”
A man called me sometime ago who was a member of a church that I served at one time. He wept as he said, “I want you to forgive me for saying the things I said about you.” He had gone so far as to say that I had left the church in debt. I have never left in debt any church that I have served. The fact of the matter is that I left that church with a tremendous reserve fund, but he, along with a few others, simply did not mention that. As a result, a false report went out. I told him, “You don’t have to ask me to forgive you. You need to ask the Lord’s forgiveness.” He said, “I’ve already repented and talked to Him.” I told him, “It would be nice if you would now give the true report to those you gave the false report.” He had been a Diotrephes. He enjoyed presiding. He enjoyed having his way. Apparently, a change has come over him now. He is in another church, and I understand that he is doing a good job. I rejoice in that. But he was a Diotrephes. I feel that I should have dealt with him more severely than I did when I was there because John says, “I intend to deal with Diotrephes.”
“And not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” Imagine this fellow! He is excommunicating anybody who would entertain these men John had recommended. What a horrible picture this is! If you want to wreck a church, just have a man like this or a little group like this and, my friend, you will wreck the church. The sad situation is that there are too many men like this today in Christian circles.
You can call John an apostle of love if you want to, but the Lord Jesus called him a son of thunder. I think they had a regular thunderstorm when John arrived at this church because he said he was going to deal with Diotrephes. It is too bad other churches don’t deal with Diotrephes, because he will wreck a church if he is permitted to go on.
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God [3 John 11].
John encourages Gaius to continue doing that which is good. Again, he emphasizes that the one who practices righteousness is a child of God but the one who does not practice righteousness is not born of God.
DEMETRIUS—A DEPENDABLE BROTHER
We come now to the third man, Demetrius. He is a lovely fellow. You just cannot help but rejoice in him. Gaius is a delightful brother, Diotrephes is a dictator, and now we will find Demetrius to be a dependable brother.
Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true [3 John 12].
“Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself.” Here is a man sound in the faith. “Yea, and we also bear record.” In the mouth of two witnesses, a thing is established. Demetrius has a good report of all men; the truth bears witness to him, and John says, “I bear witness also.” “And ye know that our record is true.” This church knows that John bears a true witness.
Demetrius is obviously one of these wonderful saints of God whom Diotrephes had shut out of the church. We have only one verse about Demetrius—this is all we know. He is never mentioned again in Scripture. However, this one verse of Scripture gives us an insight into the Christian character of this noble saint of God. We cannot identify him with any other of the same name. His name means “belonging to Demeter,” that is, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture. This identifies him as a convert from paganism. He evidently was brought up in a pagan home and worshiped the gods of the Greeks and Romans. This man, converted, now goes around teaching the Word of God. He adorned the doctrine of Christ. Others testified to his character, and he was true to the doctrine of Scripture.
Demetrius is evidently among the group of men whom John mentions that Diotrephes was not receiving. He is one of the itinerant preachers who went about in the first century—humble, unknown, and unsung. He is a member of that great army which carried the gospel throughout the Roman Empire so that it could be said that the whole world had heard the gospel. The whole Roman world of that day, the whole civilized world, was entirely evangelized. They were pushing out beyond its borders when the apostasy began to set in, when there came in men like Diotrephes.
Demetrius is one of the shining lights of the New Testament, a humble saint of God. Around us today, there are multitudes of people like him. They are not a Diotrephes. And they are not even a Gaius—they are not outstanding Christians. They are just humble saints of God, doing the thing God has called them to do. In a humble way, they are maybe just teaching a little Sunday school class. I heard the other day about one who teaches the handicapped. How wonderful that is, but nobody knows about her. Nobody has ever given her a loving cup. They ought to, but they never have. She doesn’t want it, and she would be embarrassed if you gave her one. There are many saints of God like that today. God is using them in a small way. They are not trying to be the chief soloist; they are just singing in the choir. They don’t try to be the main speaker. They don’t want to preside. They don’t want to be the chairman of every board in the church. They are willing just to fade into the woodwork of the church. But they are pillars of the church. They are supporting the work, and they are encouraging the preacher.
One of the most wonderful church members I ever knew was a dear little lady who came in every Sunday morning on a cane. She never missed a Sunday morning, and she always had something nice to say. She was always encouraging the preacher. She told me one time, “I think that’s my job. It’s all I can do.” Well, she did other things, too. The church is filled with wonderful saints of God. Don’t get the impression that I think that everybody in the church is a Diotrephes. Thank God that there are very few of them. In this epistle here, it is two good men to one bad. I think the average is better than that today in the church—I think maybe it is one hundred to one. Thank God for the Demetrius folk in our churches today.
The tense that John uses here indicates that Demetrius had a good reputation in the past and that he still has a good reputation. Over a long period, Demetrius has demonstrated a time-tested faith. He is Demetrius, the dependable brother. The church knows him as a man of God. Now you might deceive the church, but Demetrius was tested by the truth. He measures up to the definition of a believer. John knows him and agrees. There are three witnesses to the fact that Demetrius adorns the doctrine of Christ.
The real test of the Christian life is not in the arena backed by applause. It was not before the crowd in the Colosseum. There were five million martyrs who bore testimony to the truth of the gospel in the first three centuries and who laid down their lives for Christ. Did you know that there were many more millions who bore witness by the faithful lives they lived each day? Nothing spectacular, nothing sensational, nothing outstanding—they just lived for God. They had a purpose, they had a direction, and they had a thrilling experience. (Our contemporary civilization is experiencing a decadence that characterized Rome in the first century. After World War II, an Englishman wrote the play, Look Back in Anger. It revealed a bottomless pessimism without any hope for the future. This attitude produced the Beatie-brained mob of youth we have today who are without direction. Three young people I met in Athens told me they simply wanted to drop out of society.) Into the decadent first century, with its low morals and erosion of character, there came the message from God that He had given His Son. There were multitudes who came into contact with Him, and they got involved. May I say to you, you may not find their names in the Yellow Pages, but you will find them in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They lived for God unknown to the world, and they died unknown to the world. But they are known to God, and their names are inscribed on high.
I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee [3 John 13].
Though he wrote the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation, two of the longest books of the New Testament, John very frankly says he would much rather tell it to you than write it to you.
But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name [3 John 14].
Someday this will be true for you and me: we will be able to speak face to face with John. I want to talk with him about these little books he wrote. There are a lot of questions I want to ask him. But, of course, he is referring to the fact that he will come and speak face to face with these men of the first century. He will speak face to face with Diotrephes. I feel sorry for old Diotrephes—I’m sure he really got it in that day. And John will speak to Gaius and Demetrius, those wonderful men of God. He says, “We shall speak face to face.”
“Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.” Isn’t that a lovely way to end this letter? John says, “I want you to know that our friends who are here with me greet you. And will you greet the friends by name? Go and say to Demetrius, ‘Demetrius, I have a message from John. He wanted to greet you and to tell you he will be coming our way before long.’”
Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius—these are the three men who pass before us in this little epistle. Christianity was on trial in the first century. Two of these men who are mentioned in this epistle are genuine. They are real and wonderful children of God. One is a delightful brother; another is a dependable brother. But the third is a dictator and a phony. May I say to you, the gospel walked in shoe leather in the first century in the Roman Empire. And it needs to get down where the rubber meets the road in our day. In spite of any energy shortage, we need to get the gospel onto the highways and byways of life.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Boice, James Montgomery. The Epistles of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.
Burdick, Donald W. The Epistles of John. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1970.
Ironside, H. A. The Epistles of John. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1931.
Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Epistles of John. Addison, Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers, 1905.
Mitchell, John G. Fellowship: Three Letters From John. Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1974.
Robertson, A. T. Epochs in the Life of the Apostle John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1933.
Stott, J. R. W. The Epistles of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.
Strauss, Lehman. The Epistles of John. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith. The Apostle John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956.
Vaughan, Curtis, 1, 2, 3 John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970.
Vine, W. E. The Epistles of John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.
Wuest, Kenneth S. In These Last Days. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954. (Deals with the epistles of 2 Peter, John, and Jude.)
The General Epistle of
Jude
INTRODUCTION
Studying the little Epistle of Jude is like working a gold mine because of all the rich nuggets which are here just for the mining.
The writer is Jude, which is the English form of the name Judas. Jude, he tells us here, is the brother of James. Now, in the gospel records there are three or four men by the name of James, and there are three men by the name of Judas. We are helped in our identification of the writer of this epistle by the record in Matthew: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” (Matt. 13:55). So two of these brothers, James, the writer of the Epistle of James, and Judas, the writer of the Epistle of Jude, are half brothers of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two other men by the name of Judas, and they both were among the twelve apostles of our Lord. The best known, of course, is Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed the Lord. The other apostle by the name of Judas is distinguished in this way: “Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” (John 14:22, italics mine). The way he is identified is just that he is not Judas Iscariot. Therefore we believe that the writer of this epistle is the third Judas which Scripture mentions, Judas, the half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice that neither James nor Jude identify themselves as brothers of the Lord Jesus. James introduces himself as “… a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ …” (James 1:1). And Jude introduces himself as “the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James.” Jude calls himself the servant, meaning “bond slave,” of Jesus Christ. Why didn’t James and Jude capitalize on their blood relationship with Jesus? I think the reason is obvious. Neither James nor Jude believed in the messianic claims of Jesus until after His resurrection. It was the Resurrection that convicted them and confirmed to them that Jesus was who He claimed to be. Up until that time they thought He had just gone “off” on religion, that He was, as the Scripture puts it, beside Himself. But after His resurrection they became believers. You see, it was possible to grow up in a home with Jesus in the days of His flesh and not recognize Him. I believe we see in Psalm 69 that He suffered loneliness and misunderstanding during those growing up years in Nazareth. Therefore His brothers felt that, although they had been reared with Him, they hadn’t really known Him at that time. As Paul expressed it later, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Cor. 5:16). Jude, though a half brother, recognizes that Jesus is the glorified Christ and that human relationship is not meaningful to him in any way. He had to come to Christ as a sinner, accepting Him as Savior just as anyone else did.
By the way, this is the marvelous answer of both James and Jude to an attitude which arose after the era of the apostles. There was a brief period when the family of Jesus was revered in a rather superstitious and sacred way as if they were something special. Actually, they were not superior; they were simply human beings who had to come to Christ just as you and I must come to Christ.
I have always felt that Protestantism has ignored Mary. She was a wonderful person. It was no accident that she was chosen of God to bear the Son of God, but that does not mean she is to be lifted up above all other people. She takes her own rightful place. Elizabeth called her blessed among women, not blessed above women, and Mary herself confessed her need of a Savior (see Luke 1:47). Therefore the brief period through which the church went when the family of the Lord Jesus was elevated to a very high position would certainly have been opposed by James and Jude. They themselves took the position of being merely bond slaves of Jesus Christ.
This book was written around a.d. 66–69.
The theme of the book is assurance in days of apostasy. Jude picked up the pen of inspiration to write on some theme or truth concerning the gospel and our salvation. He could have chosen the subject of justification by faith, but Paul had written on that in Romans. He could have chosen the resurrection of Christ, but Paul had written on that in 1 Corinthians. Or he could have chosen the doctrine of reconciliation, but Paul had written on that in 2 Corinthians. Probably Jude could have written on the great subject of faith, but Paul had written on that in Galatians. Or he could have selected the church as the body of Christ, but Paul had written on that in Ephesians. Or he could have selected the person of Christ, but Paul had written on that in Colossians. Jude could have written about our Great High Priest, but the writer to the Hebrews had already written on that. Or he could have chosen the subject of fellowship, but John was going to write on that later on. So the Spirit of God caused him to develop another subject rather than to develop one of the great doctrines. The Spirit of God arrested his purpose before he could even put down his subject and directed him into another channel. Jude’s subject is the coming apostasy. He gives us the most vivid account that we have of the apostasy, and he presents it in a very dramatic manner. Jude hangs out a red lantern on the most dangerous curve along the highway the church of Christ is traveling. Jude describes in vivid terms and with awe-inspiring language the frightful conditions that were coming in the future. This little epistle is like a burglar alarm. Apostates have broken into the church. They came in the side door while nobody was watching. And this little epistle is like an atom bomb. The first bomb did not fall on Hiroshima or Nagasaki; it fell when Jude wrote this little epistle. It’s an atom bomb, and it exploded in the early church as a warning.
Jude gives the only record in Scripture regarding the contention of Satan with Michael the archangel over the body of Moses. It is a very remarkable passage of Scripture.
Also, Jude records the prophecy of Enoch, which is found nowhere else in Scripture. He sees the Lord coming with ten thousands of His saints.
The little prophecy of Jude affords a fitting introduction to the Book of Revelation.
OUTLINE
I. Occasion of the Epistle, Verses 1–3
A. Assurance for Believers, Verses 1–2 (Sanctified, kept, called)
B. Change of Theme to Apostasy, Verse 3
II. Occurrences of Apostasy, Verses 4–16
A. Inception of Apostasy, Verse 4
B. Israel in Unbelief Destroyed in Wilderness, Verse 5
C. Angels Rebelled; Kept in Chains, Verse 6
D. Sodom and Gomorrah Sinned in Sexuality; Destroyed by Fire, Verse 7
E. Modern Apostate Teachers Identified, Verses 8–10 (Despise authority)
F. Cain, Balaam, Korah—Examples of Apostates, Verse 11
G. Modern Apostate Teachers Defined and Described, Verses 12–16
III. Occupation of Believers in Days of Apostasy, Verses 17–25
A. Believers Warned by Apostles That These Apostates Would Come, Verses 17–19
B. What Believers Must Do in Days of Apostasy, Verses 20–25
1. Build Up
2. Pray In
3. Keep Themselves
4. Look For
5. Have Compassion
6. Save Others
7. Hate Evil
OCCASION OF THE EPISTLE
In the first three verses, Jude gives the occasion for his writing this epistle. Jude will tell us that he intended to write on some theme of our salvation, but the Spirit of God put up a red warning sign and instructed him to call attention to the days of apostasy which would be coming upon the church.
ASSURANCE FOR BELIEVERS
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called [Jude 1].
“Jude,” as I pointed out in the Introduction, is the English form of the name Judas. In the New Testament, there are three men who bear the name Judas, but we have very good evidence which identifies the writer of this epistle as the half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“The servant of Jesus Christ.” The word servant is literally “bond slave.” He claims no blood relationship with the Lord Jesus as if that would give him a superior position. This ought to lay to rest the notion which arose in the early church, in the post-apostolic period, that the family of Jesus was to be held in reverence because they were super-duper folk. Dr. Marvin R. Vincent, the outstanding Greek scholar, comments in Word Studies in the New Testament:
That Jude does not allude to his relationship to the Lord may be explained by the fact that the natural relationship in his mind would be subordinate to the spiritual (see Luke xi. 27, 28), and that such a designation would, as Dean Alford remarks, “have been in harmony with those later and superstitious feelings with which the next and following ages regarded the Lord’s earthly relatives.”
“The brother of James,” as we have said in the Introduction, is the way Jude identifies himself. Both James and Jude were half brothers of the Lord Jesus, and James was the writer of the epistle which bears his name. He was mentioned by the apostle Paul as one of the pillars in the church at Jerusalem.
“To them that are sanctified by God the father.” The Greek text of Nestle and that of Westcott and Hort, which are the best Greek texts that we have, use the verb agapaoµ, meaning “to love,” instead of hagiazoµ, meaning “to sanctify.” Most scholars agree that “to love” is more accurate than “to sanctify,” and it makes little bit more precious to our hearts to know that we are loved or beloved by God the Father.
I would like to share with you the translation of Kenneth S. Wuest, the late Greek scholar at the Moody Bible Institute. His translation (Word Studies from the Greek New Testament), though a bit involved, in many places brings out the original meaning:
Jude, a bondslave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who by God the Father have been loved and are in a state of being the permanent objects of His love, and who for Jesus Christ have been guarded and are in a permanent state of being carefully watched, to those who are called ones.
This is a wonderful passage of Scripture. We are beloved by God the Father and preserved for Jesus Christ.
There are several words I must deal with in this text because of their importance. The first word is preserved. It is this word that gives us the key to the Book of Jude which presents the apostasy as it is presented nowhere else in Scripture. How frightful it is! But Jude doesn’t write just to frighten the daylights out of us. Nor does he write just to draw a vivid picture for our information; he gives us this background in order that he might give assurance in days of apostasy. He uses the word keep four times, which is what the word preserve means. They are kept in Jesus Christ—God is the one who keeps them. Notice verse 21 says “keep yourselves in the love of God” and verse 24 says “now unto him that is able to keep you from falling.” You may call it anything you want to, but it gives assurance of salvation to the believer even in the dark days of apostasy.
As we shall see, you and I are presently living in the apostasy. How much farther we will go into it before the Rapture, I do not know—nor does anyone else know. But we definitely are in times of apostasy.
Now looking again at the word preserved, it is interesting to note that in the physical world there are two ways of preserving food. One is with vinegar, and the other is with sugar. There are many saints in our day who I think are preserved all right, but they are preserved in vinegar—that is, they act that way. They have a vinegar disposition. Also, there are saints who preserved in sugar. They are sugar and spice and everything nice—and these are not all women either. But even those who seem to be preserved in vinegar are preserved by God’s grace, which preserves or keeps them. The apostle John will tell us in Revelation 12:11 that “… they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb …”, and that is the only way believers are going to make it through the Great Tribulation. And that is the only way we are going to overcome—by the blood of the Lamb. There is no merit or power in us to overcome the Evil One.
I must resort back to the illustration which the Lord Jesus Himself gave when He said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Then He goes on to talk about His sheep, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27–29).
Now if a sheep is kept in safety, it is no credit to the sheep. A sheep cannot defend itself. It doesn’t have sharp fangs and claws to fight its enemy. Neither can it run. A jackrabbit can’t defend itself either, but a jackrabbit can get away from trouble. A sheep can’t even do that. A sheep is helpless. When one of God’s sheep says that he knows he is saved, he is not boasting of his own merit; he is boasting of his Shepherd. He has a wonderful Shepherd. My friend, if you are saying that you are not sure of your salvation, you really are reflecting upon your Shepherd, because He says that He can keep you. He says that no created thing is able to take you out of His Father’s hand. It is a question of whether or not you can hold on to Him. It is a question of His holding on to you. He says that He can, and it is a matter of your trusting Him.
You see, salvation rests upon the Word of God. It is up to you whether you will believe Him or not. Your assurance of salvation rests upon that because He has made it very clear that you have a sure salvation. Here in Jude we are presented with the dark days of apostasy, and God still says that He is able to keep His own.
“And called.” Not only are we preserved in Jesus Christ, safe in Him, but we are also called. The word called, as it is used in Scripture, is not only an invitation that is sent out, but it is an invitation that is sent out and accepted and made real because of the Spirit of God. Let me give you Paul’s statement as found in 1 Corinthians 1:22–24: “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (italics mine). My friend, if you have found in Christ the wisdom and power of God and you have trusted Him, you are one of “the called.” The invitation is sent out, and when it is accepted and believed, then you are the called. That is exactly what Jude means here, and Paul spelled it out for us as well.
Mercy unto you, and peace and love, he multiplied [Jude 2].
We need to recognize the difference between these three words: mercy, peace, and love; then we need to see the strong relationship between them.
Love is an attribute of God. Because God is love, He is merciful and has provided grace. The love of God encompasses all mankind—“God so loved the world” (see John 3:16). It is not His will that any should perish. Today He loves every human being on this earth. He has no favorites. Way back in the Book of Exodus, God made it clear to even a man like Moses that He did not answer his prayer because he was Moses; “And he said, I … will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy” (Exod. 33:19). God answered Moses’ prayer because He found the explanation in Himself; He treats all His creatures alike in that sense. My friend, God loves you today. If you knew how much He loves you, it would break your heart—you would be in tears.
Now you can keep from experiencing God’s love, but you cannot keep Him from loving you. You can’t keep the sun from shining, but you can put up an umbrella to keep the sun from shining on you. And there are certain umbrellas you can put up to keep from experiencing the love of God: the umbrella of resistance to His will, the umbrella of sin in your life, etc.
Although God loved you, He did not save you by love. You see, God has other attributes. He is holy. He is righteous. He is just. He simply cannot let down the bars of heaven and, by lowering His standards, bring you in. He cannot do that any more than a human judge can uphold the laws of the land and yet accept a bribe under the table for letting a criminal off. If he does that, he is a crooked judge. And if God is going to do that with human beings, He is no better than a crooked judge. I do not mean to be irreverent because God is not a crooked judge. God has to maintain His holiness and His righteousness and His justice.
“God so loved the world,” and He loved the world with a merciful love, a love that had a concern and care for human beings. And because of it, He gave His only begotten Son—He provided His Son as the substitute. Now God, on a righteous basis, can save a sinner if he will come to Him and accept His salvation. This is called the grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).
In Synonyms of the New Testament Dr. R. C. Trench, who was a great Greek scholar, made a clear distinction between these words:
While charis [grace] has thus reference to the sins of men, and is that glorious attribute of God which these sins call out and display, His free gift in their forgiveness, eleos [mercy], has special and immediate regard to the misery which is the consequence of these sins.
Now you can see that the grace of God, not the love of God, has to do with the sins of men. God has provided a Savior who has paid the penalty for sins. On that basis, God saves sinners. That is the grace of God.
However, sin has brought tragedy to the human family. We often hear the question: Why does a God of love permit cancer? Well, disease and death came to the human family as consequences of sin. God sees the misery that sin has caused, and the mercy of God goes out to man. God is rich in mercy. If you come to Him as a sinner and accept His salvation, He will save you by grace. Then, because He is rich in mercy, He will extend His mercy to you. He will bring comfort to you at that time. He will help you and comfort your heart. You can trust Him in your time of need.
The fellow who is writing these words has had two major operations for cancer, and the doctors tell me the cancer is still in my body and can break out anytime. To be frank with you, from where I sit right now I have a great big question: Why? And I am asking the Lord why. But my only refuge is in my heavenly Father. I know He has the answer, although He hasn’t told me what it is. What I’m asking from Him is mercy. He has already saved me by His grace, but now I want His mercy. Mercy is that love of His which goes out to us in our misery here upon this earth.
A sinner needs the grace of God, and he sure needs a whole lot of mercy—I’ve been using a great deal of it these past few years.
Let me share with you from Dr. Trench again. I will repeat what I have already quoted and then go on:
While charis has thus reference to the sins of men, and is that glorious attribute of God which these sins call out and display, His free gift in their forgiveness, eleos, has special and immediate regard to the misery which is the consequence of these sins, being the tender sense of this misery displaying itself in the effort, which only the continued perverseness of man can hinder or defeat, to assuage and entirely remove it…. In the divine mind, and in the order of our salvation as conceived therein, the eleos (mercy) precedes the charis (grace). God so loved the world with a pitying love (herein was the eleos), that He gave His only begotten Son (herein the charis), that the world through Him might be saved (compare Eph. 2:4; Luke 1:78–79). But in the order of the manifestation of God’s purposes of salvation the grace must go before the mercy, the charis must go before and make way for the eleos. It is true that the same persons are the subjects of both, being at once the guilty and the miserable; yet the righteousness of God, which it is quite necessary should be maintained as His love, demands that the guilt should be done away before the misery can be assuaged; only the forgiven can be blessed.
God must pardon before He can heal. Men must be justified before they can be sanctified. In the order of the manifestation of God’s purposes of salvation, the grace of God must go before the mercy of God. The grace must go before and take away and make way for the mercy of God.
The “peace” of God is that experience which comes to the heart that is trusting Christ. Paul says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1, italics mine). Peace with God is to know that God is not difficult to get along with. He is not making it hard for me; He is not making it hard for you. He wants us to know that He hasn’t anything against us now that we know that we are sinners and have trusted Christ as our Savior. The world may point its finger at you and reject you, but God has accepted you. He loves you, and He wants to give you that peace so that at night you can pillow your head on God’s promises. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Dr. R. A. Torrey used to call this verse a soft pillow for a tired heart. What a wonderful promise it is!
CHANGE OF THEME TO APOSTASY
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints [Jude 3].
“Beloved.” When Jude uses that term, it really means folk who are loved of God, God’s beloved children.
“Common salvation.” Let’s understand that the word common is the English translation of the Greek word koineµs. The New Testament was not written in classical Greek but in koineµ Greek or common Greek, meaning that it was understood by everyone, educated and uneducated, all over the Roman Empire in the days of the apostles. When Jude said that he had intended to write of the “common salvation,” he must have been referring to something that people throughout the Roman Empire would understand.
Now Jude says here that he was planning on writing on some facet of our salvation. It could have been on redemption, on the person of Christ, on sanctification, or any number of themes, but he didn’t write on any of those themes because “it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” The thought here is that the Holy Spirit detoured Jude from writing on some theme of the faith in order that he might sound a warning concerning the impending apostasy.
The apostasy is a departure from the faith, that is, from the apostles’ doctrine. Apostasy was just a little cloud the size of a man’s hand in Jude’s day, but now it is a storm of hurricane force that fills the land. As Jude writes about the apostasy that was coming on the earth, we can see that many of the things he mentions are already taking place in the world in our day. My friend, the apostasy is not something we are looking forward to; the apostasy is here. It is all about us today.
“Needful.” There was a compulsion, a necessity, a constraint upon Jude. He said, “When I was about to write to you about some great doctrine which the apostles gave us, a necessity was laid upon me instead to exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith.”
“Contend.” There are expositors who suggest that this means to contend on your knees. Well, I have never been able to find any authority for that view, but the thought here is to contend without being contentious. I wish we fundamentalists could contend for the fundamentals of the faith without being fiery and contentious. As Paul put it, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt [ready] to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Tim. 2:24–26). The word contend, as Jude uses it, has in it the idea of agony. The Greek word is epagoµnizesthai, and we get our English word agony from the noun of this word. Instead of writing on some great doctrine, Jude is saying that we are to contend or defend the great doctrines of Christianity.
“Contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” “The faith” was the body of truth given once for all. In the Book of Acts it is called the apostles’ doctrine: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Notice that the apostles’ doctrine is the first thing mentioned. Since that is number one on God’s church parade, our church is not a church unless it is doing just that.
We are told in Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love or, as someone has translated it, “truthing in love.” My friend, if you are going to give out the truth, give it out in love. If you do not give it out in love, there is some question about whether or not you are actually giving out the truth. And we are to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us—in meekness and fear. A believer should not have a short fuse and become angry when someone differs with him.
Dr. Kenneth S. Wuest has one of the finest books available which gives the literal translation of Jude. Notice his translation in Word Studies from the Greek New Testament:
Divinely-loved ones, when giving all diligence to be writing to you concerning the salvation possessed in common by all of us, I had constraint laid upon me to write to you, beseeching (you) to contend with intensity and determination for the Faith once for all entrusted into the safe-keeping of the saints.
OCCURRENCES OF APOSTASY
Now Jude will set before us the reason we should contend for the faith. Something is happening to the church, and Jude sounds an alarm.
INCEPTION OF APOSTASY
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ [Jude 4].
“Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation” should be made clear first of all. It actually means that they were written of beforehand. The word ordained is prographoµ, meaning “to write beforehand.” It simply means that other writers had sounded the warning about apostates.
“There are certain men crept in unawares”—they are creeps! Crept in is one of the most interesting phrases in the Greek language. It is pareisdunoµ. Dunoµ means “to enter;” the preposition eis means “into;” and para means “beside.” It means “to enter alongside” or, as Dr. Vincent puts it in his commentary: “To get in by the side, to slip in a side door.” This is the way the apostates have come into the church.
I have been in the church for many years. I have been and am still an ordained Presbyterian preacher—although I am in no denomination today and have no denominational connections at all. As a young person I remember that the church was by and large sound in the faith. When I went to the denominational college, I began to discover that there were ministers who denied practically every tenet of the faith. That opened up a new world to me. Then when I went to the denominational seminary, I found that the liberal element was still growing. The day came when I left that denomination and came to California. Here I entered another denomination, and when I saw it going into liberalism, I got out. I wasn’t put out; I just stepped out voluntarily. During that long period I saw how these men were able to take over a church. They came in the side door. They came in by professing one thing and believing another. They did not come in the front door—that is, they did not declare their doctrinal position. Many of our good laymen have been deceived by ministers like that. Scripture has warned about them. For instance, Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:13–15). The expression “transforming themselves” in this verse is very interesting. It is in the Greek metascheµmatixontai, meaning “the act of an individual who is changing his outward expression by assuming an expression put on from the outside.” It is a method of Satan.
Over the years I have seen as many as a dozen strong, outstanding churches across America fall into the hands of liberalism by this method. It is the most deceitful method in the world. Let me give you an instance of one church. I won’t give the location, because the chances are that you know one like it in the area in which you live. It was at one time a church in which the Word of God was preached, people were being saved, and hearts were being blessed. Then the pastor retired or resigned, and a new man appeared on the scene. When he met with the pulpit committee and met with the elders, they asked him about his doctrinal beliefs. He assured them that he believed in all the great doctrines of the faith. You see, he came in the side door because he really did not believe them. He only pretended to believe them and pretended to be sound in the faith. And the interesting thing is that his trial sermon sounded as though he were sound in the faith. He had probably read Spurgeon or Warfield or G. Campbell Morgan and had borrowed enough of their material to preach a good sermon. Hearing him, the congregation thought, This young man is just fine; so they called him as their pastor. But remember that he came in by the side door; he did not believe the doctrine that he preached. Before long they discovered that they had a liberal on their hands. Generally, fundamental churches consider ousting the preacher to be a bad method; so they tolerate him. However, my feeling is that since he came in by the side door, he should be booted out the back door. But they don’t do that. Right at this moment I know of two or three churches which are being ruined by men who pretended to be what they were not.
Remember that Jude said that they “were before of old ordained to this condemnation”—that is, they were written of beforehand. Jude is saying, “I’m not telling you something new—others have written of this also and have warned you of that which is coming.”
Paul is one who repeatedly warned of the apostate. The last time he went by Ephesus, at his last visit with the Ephesian elders, he gave this warning: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:29–31). Although Paul warned them of apostates, the day came when the Ephesian church yielded to them.
Paul also warned the young preacher Timothy: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts” (2 Tim. 3:5–6). One of the greatest movements we have seen in our day is the formation of women’s Bible study classes all across this country. I thank God for them. However, it needs to be watched very carefully because, since it is a success, you will find that somebody is going to try the side door and slip in. In the history of the church there has never been a woman theologian, and that is very strange indeed. Also, it is true that women have played a prominent part in many of the cults and heresies that have come into the church. While I don’t claim to be an authority in this field, it seems to me that a woman is built finer than a man. She has finer sensibilities and a closer perception than a man has. For this reason she needs to be treated with more care. I have to be more particular with my watch than I have to be with the motor in my car. There is a grave danger (and I have heard this voiced by several ministers across the country) of these women’s movements operating totally outside the church and not cooperating with the church at all. This is also true of the youth movement which is taking place. Also, I have found in my radio ministry that I move largely outside the local church. However, I do try to work with the local church, and I believe that all of these movements should work with the local church if it is a Bible-believing church. Paul is warning about false teachers coming in the side door, and I believe that any movement today which the Spirit of God seems to be blessing needs to be watched very carefully because of the fact that the Devil is going to come in the side door if he can. And if you think he is coming in as the Devil, you are wrong. His ministers pretend to be ministers of light.
The final test, the acid test, of any movement is the teaching regarding the person of Jesus Christ. If it denies the deity of Christ, you can rule it out immediately, but you have to be very careful about this matter of the deity of Christ. There are many facets by which they can deny the deity of Christ and yet give the impression that they actually believe in Him as the Savior of the world. Simon Peter warns of this: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Pet. 2:1).
And Paul, writing to the Galatians, warns: “And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage” (Gal. 2:4). My friend, we need to guard every movement today which God is blessing. These organizations which are outside the church may go off on tangents because the ministers of Satan are waiting to come in the side door.
“Ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” They are by nature ungodly men, and they do two things: (1) They distort and deny the grace of God—“turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” and (2) they deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ—“denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Ungodly” means that they simply leave God out of their lives.
It is important to evaluate whether or not a man who teaches and preaches the Word of God is a godly man. I was amazed to hear from a couple who, I thought, had good spiritual discernment. They attended the classes of a Bible teacher and were greatly impressed by him. In fact, they considered him outstanding. They were willing to tolerate the fact that this Bible teacher was having an open affair with a woman who was not his wife! A man may be an interesting Bible teacher and still be an ungodly man. We need to look at their lives. Are they leaving God out of their lives?
Lasciviousness is a very important word. I suppose the best synonym is wantonness because wantonness has in it the thought of lawlessness and arrogance—doing as you please even if you offend the sensibilities of others. Jude says that the ungodly turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness—into immorality. The apostle Paul warned the Galatian believers about the danger of turning the grace of God into license—permitting them to live any way they pleased. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13).
Gross immorality characterizes the apostasy of our day. They have thrown overboard all of the great precepts of Scripture concerning morality, and they call it the new morality. There is a growing danger in this country of the church actually espousing and condoning gross immorality. One writer has said that “one of the troubles with the world is that people mistake sex for love, money for brains, and transistor radios for civilization.” The creed of the present day, according to the late Dr. Wallace Petty, can be stated in the following six articles: “God is a creation of wishful thinking; religion is a mechanism of escape from reality; man is a glorified gorilla who asks too many questions and represses too many desires; morals are a matter of taste; love is an art; and life is a racket.” That is the viewpoint of some folk in our day.
The wantonness that we are seeing is marked by an arrogant recklessness of justice. Another definition is “willfully malicious.” Marriage is flouted and considered unessential. You may live with whomever you wish to live with in total disregard of the morality which builds homes and thereby builds a nation. As far back as 1959 Vice Admiral Robert Goldthwaite, Chief of Naval Air Training, told a large group of leading educators, business men, law enforcement officials, and others that there is “a surge of immorality in civilian and military life.” He said that “moral decay” is an acute national problem, and there is urgent need to improve “moral leadership” among youth. During the years since then, the moral decay has reached such proportions that we should be alarmed. We ought to be very careful about the folk who are teaching in our churches. Are they teaching a loose morality? Jude warns us to be on our guard against that.
The other thing that characterizes an apostate is that he denies the Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. He will talk about God and the Lord Jesus, but he denies who and what they actually are.
In Jude’s day the apostasy was Gnosticism. Gnosticism taught that the body was essentially evil, that all matter was evil, and that the spirit alone was good. The conclusion drawn from this was that it didn’t matter what a man did with his body. He was free to satisfy the lusts of the body. He was free to practice blatant immorality, shameless sin, and arrogantly and proudly to flout that sin publicly. That was a perversion of grace.
The same ideas have sprung up again today. The new morality is no newer than the old Gnosticism, the first heresy. The other facet of Gnosticism was a denial of the true God and true Man, our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the mark of an antichrist. John calls such people antichrists in his epistle. It is always the spirit of antichrist which denies the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have spent a long time on this verse because of the importance of the matters it sets before us.
ISRAEL IN UNBELIEF DESTROYED IN THE WILDERNESS
Now Jude is going to give us six examples of apostasy in the past.
Before we look at this section, let me remind you of what the apostasy is. Thayer gives this meaning for the Greek word aphisteµmi: “to remove, to withdraw, to go away, to depart.” When the word is used in 2 Thessalonians, I take the position that it has a twofold meaning. It means the removal of the church since in Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians he spoke of the rapture of the church. The Rapture must come first—the aphisteµmi, the departure, the removal of the church. The removal of believers from the earth will lead to the total apostasy—that is, the departure from the faith. Our Lord Jesus asked the question, “… when the Son of man cometh [to the earth], shall he find [the] faith …?” (Luke 18:8). The way the question is couched in the Greek demands a negative answer. Therefore, the answer is no, He will not find the faith on the earth when He returns. There will be a total departure, a total apostasy. Now that cannot come about until the true believers are removed from the earth—and, of course, this can occur at any moment.
Jude is now going to give us six examples of apostasy in the past; that is, departures from the faith. There will be three groups and then three individuals. First, the three groups—
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not [Jude 5].
In the wilderness Israel in unbelief was destroyed, and it is an example that God does judge apostates. When Israel came to Kadesh-Barnea, they refused to enter the Promised Land.
Now the spies had brought back a report to Kadesh-Barnea that everything God had told them about the land was accurate. But the spies (with the exception of two) didn’t believe that God could bring them into the land, and they persuaded the people to believe that. At first they didn’t want to believe that it was a good land. After they were convinced it was a good land, they wouldn’t believe that God could bring them into the land. They preferred to stay in the wilderness rather than believe God. That is an example of apostasy, a departure from the faith. They departed from the whole basis on which they had left Egypt. God had given them a promise with two parts to it: “I will take you out of Egypt, and I will bring you into the land.” But Israel’s unbelief pushed them back into the wilderness, and God left them there for thirty-eight more years until all of the adult generation had died—with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. Israel had used their children as an excuse for not going into the land; so God said, “But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised” (Num. 14:31).
My friend, in our own lives we sometimes use our children’s welfare as an excuse for not serving the Lord. While that sounds very noble, it infers that God isn’t thinking of our children. God will take care of them and us when we obey Him.
The new generation of Israel did cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land, even as God had promised. However, the generation that had apostatized, that had departed from the faith, were destroyed in the wilderness, and they are the first example that Jude gives.
ANGELS IN REBELLION KEPT IN CHAINS
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day [Jude 6].
This opens up to us a truth that we don’t get with such clarity in any other section of the Word of God, although we are told that there will be a judgment of angels. Sometime in the past they didn’t keep “their first estate.” God created angels with a free will. Angels do not reproduce as human beings do; therefore, they do not inherit a sinful nature as humans do. Each angel is created by God with a free will. Now, some of these spiritual creatures were caught up in a rebellion, and now they are reserved in chains.
Apparently, the fallen angels are divided into two groups. The group whose rebellion was so great is evidently locked up, incarcerated, and has no freedom of movement any longer. The other group of fallen angels apparently has freedom of movement and is under the leadership of Satan. It seems evident that these are the demons mentioned in Scripture and that are coming into prominence in our day.
For many years the liberal wing of the church has denied the supernatural and denied that there were any such creatures as angels. We are living in a materialistic age, and the viewpoint was that God and the idea of angels were superstitions that we no longer needed. I believe it was Huxley who said that the belief in God was like the fading smile of a Cheshire cat, that it was disappearing in this scientific age.
Back in 1963 Ben Hecht wrote an article under the title, “New God for the Space Age.” Let me quote the first few paragraphs:
The most amazing event to enter modern history has been generally snubbed by our chroniclers. It is the petering out of Christianity. Not only are the Bible stories going by the board, but a deeper side of religion seems also to be exiting. This is the mystic concept of the human soul and its survival after death.
Parsons are still preaching away on this topic and congregations are still listening. But congregation and parson both seem to have moved from church to museum.
Fifty years ago religion was an exuberant part of our world. Its sermons, bazaars, tag days, taboos and exhortations filled the press. Its rituals brought a glow to our citizenry. At their supper tables a large part of the voting population bowed its head and said grace.
Religion today is a touchy subject, not because people believe deeply and are ready to defend such belief with emotion, but because they do not want to hear it discussed. They do not know quite what they feel and they do not know what to say about God, His angels and the record of His miracles. Not wanting to sound anti-Christian (or antisocial or anti-anything not under general condemnation) they settle for silence. In this silence, more than in all the previous agnostic hullabaloos, religion seems swiftly disappearing.
Remember that Ben Hecht wrote that in 1963. Since that time there has been a tremendous revival.
For many years liberalism has been predicting the death knell of the church and of all that is supernatural. Around 1963 Gibson Winter, a professor of ethics at the University of Chicago Divinity School, wrote a book entitled The Suburban Captivity of the Churches in which he made this statement:
U.S. Protestantism—once famous for its diversity—is homogenizing into what is almost a new faith, and if it continues in its present direction, it will be stone-cold dead in a couple of dozen years.
I could give you quotations ad nauseam of what liberals said a few years ago. For instance, a man at the Chicago Theological Seminary made the statement that Protestantism has gotten so prosperous statistically that it has lost all internal discipline whatsoever. “It looks frightfully confining from the outside, but on the inside it has no discipline, no integrity.”
These quotations give a picture of the contemporary liberal church.
However, more recently there has been a revival of interest in that which is supernatural. It is quite interesting that the revival did not come from within the church, not even from within the fundamental church. It came on the campuses of the colleges, especially the campuses of some colleges which a few years ago were totally materialistic and denied everything of the supernatural. Today they are talking about demonism, about Satan, and actually about God and the Bible. All of a sudden an interest in the supernatural has appeared again, and angels seem to make sense even in the space age.
Men and women are concerned as they look about at a world of materialism that has gone crazy. We know how to get to the moon, but we do not know how to control human nature here on this earth. A great problem is arising right here in Southern California. A reputable paper has come out with the fact that Los Angeles is becoming an armed city with gangs who roam the streets. They are free to roam the streets while law-abiding people are imprisoned in their homes, afraid to venture out. Los Angeles has become an armed camp.
A few years ago this materialistic generation was saying that human nature was getting better, and since it has been improved, we don’t need all of our laws; so the lid was taken off. My friend, we found out that instead of its being a bucket of rosewater, it was a bucket of stinking garbage! Vile and unspeakable crimes have been committed; unbelievable immorality has taken place. The question is being asked, “Where does all this vileness and evil come from?” As someone has expressed it, “If there were not the Devil, men would have to invent a devil to explain all the evil which is in this world today.”
It really is not possible to deny that humanity is depraved. None of us seems to realize fully that we belong to a race that is totally depraved and that we live in a world that is under the control of Satan. It was thought that the removal of laws and restrictions would produce a wonderful, free society. However, the developments of recent years have caused men to return to the supernatural. Unfortunately, the emphasis has been on the evil spirits. Men have found they must believe in the evil spirits to explain the wickedness they find in the world.
Well, the Bible has something to say about it. My friend, the Bible is very much up to date. It is the Bible that tells us about the angels which rebelled against God and about those whom “he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”
The Word of God has a great deal to say about the judgments that are coming. Folk without a knowledge of the Bible speak of one great judgment day which is coming. Well, the Great White Throne judgment is coming in the future for the unsaved (see Rev. 20:11–15), but actually there are eight judgments mentioned in the Word of God. One of those eight judgments is the judgment of angels, which will take place during the last days.
In 1 Corinthians we are told the order of the resurrections—“… Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [The power is obviously evil power, the demonic forces which are in the world.] For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” (1 Cor. 15:23–25). So during the Millennium these demonic powers will be judged.
The Scriptures have a great deal to say about the judgment of angels. Let me cite another passage: “Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” (1 Cor. 6:3). This is something that we would not have known if Paul hadn’t mentioned it. We will be with our Lord during the Millennium. (We’ll probably commute back and forth from earth to the New Jerusalem which is the eternal home of the church.) And at some period, probably during that thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth, there will be the judgment of angels. Although we were created lower than the angels, someday we will have part in their judgment.
Peter gives another reference to the judgment of angels which corresponds to that of Jude: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [hades, the place of the unsaved dead], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Pet. 2:4). “Chains of darkness” could not refer to our conception of chains as a series of connected metal links, because angels are spiritual creatures and it would be pretty difficult to put a physical chain on them! The word chains is “bonds,” indicating that they are heavily guarded in a certain place. Again I turn to Dr. Wuest’s translation:
And angels who did not carefully guard their original position of preeminent dignity, but abandoned once for all their own private dwelling-place, with a view to the judgment of the great day, in everlasting bonds under darkness, He has put under careful guard.
As we have seen, this company of angels is awaiting the judgment which apparently will come during the last days.
The other group of fallen angels are the demons which are abroad in the world today. Demonic power, of course, is a reality, although I personally feel that it is being overplayed at the time I am writing this. There is probably a good percentage of so-called demon activity that is phony, but certainly some of it is impossible to explain as natural phenomena. This is the reason the movie, The Exorcist, got under the skin of so many people. Although some of it was fictional, it was based on a factual case. It is an example of the forces of evil that are in the world. It actually took place, and there are other cases like it.
The Book of Revelation has several references to the judgment of fallen angels. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). This is a reference to hell, which is the lake of fire. If you want to argue about its being literal fire, that is all right. It is even more literal than fire and worse than fire. Fire is a very weak symbol of how terrible it is going to be. After all, these are spiritual beings which are mentioned here, and fire as we know it would have no effect upon a spiritual being. Also, we learn from this verse that the Devil is not in hell today. A great many folk think he is there now, but instead he is very busy in your town and mine. Also, he has quite an army of helpers, both supernatural and natural—many folk are helping him, perhaps without realizing it.
Also, the Devil will be responsible for the terrible persecution of believers and especially of Israel during the Great Tribulation of the last days. He will be cast out of heaven: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:9). Satan will be bound during the kingdom age: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season” (Rev. 20:1–3). And finally he will be consigned to the lake of fire, which we have seen in Revelation 20:10.
SODOM AND GOMORRAH SINNED IN SEXUALITY
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire [Jude 7].
This is Jude’s third example of apostasy in the past. He has mentioned Israel in their unbelief, the angels which kept not their first estate, and now the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them. These cities were so completely judged that they probably are buried beneath the Dead Sea today. Some people believe that they have located them. I am not sure whether or not this is true, and the exact location is unimportant. The important thing to know is that God destroyed these cities because the people defiled their flesh. They were given over to homosexuality or sodomy.
It is interesting that in the parlance of our day sodomy is called homosexuality, adultery is called free love, the drunkard is a respected alcoholic, and the murderer is temporarily insane. Satan is doing a good job of indoctrinating the world with a new vocabulary. Nevertheless, sodomy in God’s sight is gross immorality and the vilest sin of all. The fact that God has judged men in the past for sins of sensuality ought to be a warning to our generation. God will judge any civilization that moves too far in this direction, and I wonder if we haven’t done just that.
MODERN APOSTATE TEACHERS IDENTIFIED
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities [Jude 8].
These apostate teachers are the ones that we are to beware of. As Jude puts it back in verse 4, they “crept in unawares”; that is, they came in sideways, they came in the side door, they slipped into the church under false colors. Their credentials and their creeds were not the same. They pretended to be something they were not.
There are four points of identification of apostate teachers that Jude gives to us in this verse:
1. They are “filthy dreamers.” You will notice that the word filthy is in italics in the Authorized Version, which indicates that it is not in the better manuscripts, and we can actually leave it out. They are dreamers—they live in an unreal world, a world that does not exist. My feeling is that the theological liberal has never dealt with reality. Liberalism is rather romantic. It sounds good on paper. It is nice to be able to solve all your problems by positive thinking, but there is a lot of power in negative thinking also. We need today to learn how to say no as well as to say yes. Liberals are dreamers in the sense that they will not face up to reality.
Many years ago I read an editorial in Woman’s Home Companion which refers to a group of liberals who have since disappeared from the scene (however, there is a new crop of them abroad in the land today). The editorial reads:
A pledge “to have no part in any war” has been taken by a large body of leading Protestant clergymen in the east. Among them are some of the wisest and most influential ministers we have—men such as Fosdick, Holmes and Sockman in New York for example. This Covenant of Peace Group declares that war settles no issues, is futile and suicidal and is a denial of God and the teachings of Christ. It asserts that the “chain of evil” which holds us to war can and must be broken now. This is noble doctrine. However much events may lead us to differ with it, when these bold and sincere men stand in their pulpits and preach this rejection of all war, let us remember that these clergymen by their record have earned the right to their belief. In a great democracy suppression of the clergy in war or in peace can never justly become an instrument of policy, as it has under the dictators.
Such antiwar philosophy was carried over recently into the years of the war in Vietnam. It got us into a great deal of trouble and difficulty. The protest meetings that it inspired in this country actually prolonged the war and led to the killing of a great many more American boys who would not have been killed otherwise. Such thinking is to not realize that we live in a big, bad world and that reality is something you have to rub your nose into. It is something that you simply cannot ignore. Even steel-belted tires have to get down and go over the rough places, and some of them go flat, by the way. These men are dreamers. They are dealing with that which is not real at all. As long as we have a big navy and as long as we have atom bombs, it is nice to sit back in the cloister of the church and to make brave statements like this, but it just doesn’t work out.
I have a notion that these men stay out of the ghettos and other such places at night, although they may talk very bravely in the daytime. In a denomination which has boasted of how they want to work among the minority groups, they have closed one of their churches which was located in a minority community. I think they have made a big mistake in doing that.
These men are dreamers, and they have gotten into the church and have used the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine making the statement that war is a denial of the teachings of Christ! The Lord Jesus made the statement, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace” (Luke 11:21). The way you are going to protect your own is by being armed. He also said that the king who is going to war is going to sit down and figure it out (see Luke 14:31). He didn’t say it was wrong to figure it out. He said the king had better figure it out, and if he is smart, he will figure out how he is going to carry on that war. May I say to you, these men have failed to face up to what the Lord Jesus Christ really said. He told His disciples, when He first sent them out, that they were to take nothing with them, not even a pocketbook (see Mark 6:7–9). However, when they had returned and He was sending them out to the ends of the earth, He said, “Be sure and take your pocketbook. And you had better take your American Express and Diner’s Club cards and your gasoline credit cards. Also, it might be well to have a sword. You will need it to protect yourselves” (see Luke 22:35–36). May I say to you, what nonsense this is—these are dreamers who talk like this. It sounds good to say you don’t want to have a part in war. All of us can agree with that. That’s sort of like Mother, apple pie, and the American flag—we all are for it. It’s great to have no part in war, but we have to face up to reality also. This is a deceptive message that they bring. It’s nice to preach it to a well-heeled crowd on Sunday morning when there is no war and everything seems peaceable.
2. The second thing that Jude says about the apostate teachers is that they “defile the flesh.” The thought that Jude has in mind here is that they engage in base and abnormal immorality. This is the same as the “strange flesh” in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that he talked about earlier. Many churches today have gone on record that they approve of homosexuality. My friend, God judged the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels are also a warning to us because they are going to be judged—they are being held for a judgment. And God would not let even His own people whom He had brought out of Egypt enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief. All these are examples to us today, and we had better recognize the fact that God will judge our “new morality.” It is neither new morality nor new immorality; there is really nothing new about it. It goes back to Sodom and Gomorrah, and it goes back even to the days of Noah.
3. These apostate teachers “despise dominion,” which means they reject authority. They are the crowd that wants to get rid of the death penalty. They are the crowd that wants to turn everybody loose to do his thing in his own way. We are seeing what is taking place as a result. Society has broken out today like a cancer in the body politic. We thought we were a civilized people, but we are nothing in the world but a group of savages. And it is because of this matter of despising dominion, of rejecting authority. We want certain laws repealed. For example, we don’t want divorce. The argument given is that there is no reason to have divorce laws, that we ought to just let people stop living together. This breaks right across the morality of any nation, my friend, for the home is the bedrock of any society. During the war in Vietnam, it was tragic to see men with their collars buttoned in the back leading in the protest marches. I felt that the collar buttoned in the back was a real token that they were going in the wrong direction.
4. False teachers “speak evil of dignities.” This means that they disrespect dignities. They protest against rules and those in authority. In other words, they take it out on the police because they represent authority, or they take it out upon men in high places. The president, the governors, and the mayors are made responsible for anything that happens in the nation or the state or the city, regardless of whether they are responsible or not. Why? Because there has been a loss of respect for authority. Now I will grant you that some men in authority have not been worthy of respect, but the office certainly demands respect. Jude will give us an example of this in the next verse.
Let’s notice again the characteristics of these apostates who have come into the church. They came in the side door. They are ungodly. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. They deny the Lord Jesus Christ. They are dreamers, they defile the flesh, they despise dominion, and they have disrespect for dignities. These are the things that characterize them, and they are dangerous because of the way they have come into the church.
For ten long and weary years, the Greeks laid siege to the city of Troy, but they did not make a dent in the fortifications. It seemed impregnable, and they could not get an entrance into the city. Then there came forth a suggestion. The suggestion was to build a wooden horse with soldiers concealed inside, to leave it outside the gate, and then to pretend to sail away. So they made the wooden horse, the soldiers were put inside, and it was put by the gate of the city of Troy. Well, curiosity got the best of the Trojans. When they saw the Greeks sailing away, they thought the war was over. They went out, saw the horse, and decided to pull it inside the city. It certainly was a novelty, something to have. That night, the soldiers who were on the inside climbed out, and they were able to unlock the gates of the city from the inside. In the meantime, under cover of darkness, the fleet of Greek ships returned. They had only pretended to sail away. What an entire army of mighty men could not do from the outside in ten years, a few soldiers did from the inside. In the same way, the church has been harmed today from the inside and has been taken over by liberalism. Actually, the church has never been harmed from the outside. Persecution caused it to grow by leaps and bounds. Today we are witnessing the destruction of the church from the inside—it’s an inside job. Christ was betrayed from the inside, not from the outside. One of His own betrayed Him over to His nation; His nation betrayed Him over to the Romans, and the Romans brought Him to the cross. The church is being betrayed today by the ones who have gotten in by the side door.
The apostasy that was a little cloud the size of a man’s hand is now a raging storm that is lashing across the church, casting up foam and fury. We need to hang out this epistle as a storm warning because the apostasy is here in our midst today. I do not say this with any joy or bitterness, but I make it as a statement of fact. All the great denominations of the past are largely gone; that is, they have departed from the faith, probably never to return. They’ve gone into never-never land. As far as I know, there is no record of a church or any organization or an institution, having once departed from the faith, ever returning. I am told there have been some individuals who have, but I do not know any of them.
The Wesley movement which began in England, for example, was a come-out movement. It was begun when the church became cold and indifferent in that day, and the church of Wesley became a warm incubator in which to reproduce life. But I am sorry to say that today in many places it is a deep freeze that preserves the outward form of Wesley but does not have the warmth and the life that was once there.
I must be very frank to say that I do not think that fundamentalism as it is today is the answer. I perceive a real weakness which I think will ultimately undermine even fundamentalism. That weakness is this: Fundamentalism has been exact and precise in doctrine, but in many places it has been devoid of ethics and morals. There are no high principles and practices. There has been a moral breakdown outside in contemporary society, and, unfortunately, it is mirrored in our conservative churches. I was with a group sometime ago which is a fine group, but they are an illustration of what I mean. They are insistent and even belligerent about doctrine and about separation. But when it was called to their attention that one in their midst was guilty of immorality, they actually defended him! The ethical practices of another individual smelled to high heaven although he called himself a fundamentalist. May I say to you, this group took a ho-hum attitude. This hurts the cause of Christ a great deal because it comes from the inside.
We are living in days of apostasy. It may be that there are some who would say to me, “Preacher, you are really being sensational. Aren’t you exaggerating just a little bit?” I don’t think I am, my friend; in fact, I am not sure but what I am giving this in low key to you. I would like to pass on to you the results of a study that was made and some statements made by liberal preachers some years ago now. The situation today is even more alarming than this:
Out of a poll of 700 preachers, the following results were given: 48% denied the complete inspiration of the Bible; 24% rejected the atonement; 12% rejected the resurrection of the body; 27% did not believe that Christ will return to judge the quick and the dead. A Washington, D.C., minister said, “We liberal clergymen are no longer interested in the fundamentalist-modernist controversy. We do not believe we should even waste our time engaging in it. So far as we are concerned, it makes no difference whether Christ was born of a virgin or not. We don’t even bother to form an opinion on the subject.” An Arlington, Va., minister said, “We have closed our minds to such trivial consideration as the question of the resurrection of Christ. If you fundamentalists wish to believe that nonsense we have no objection, but we have more important things to preach than the presence or absence of an empty tomb 20 centuries ago.” A leading minister in Washington, D.C., said flatly, “In our denomination what you call the ‘faith of our Fathers’ is approaching total extinction. Of course a few of the older ministers still cling to the Bible. But among the younger men, the real leaders of our denomination today, I do not know of a single one who believes in Christ, or any of the things that you classify as fundamentals.”
My friend, have I exaggerated? Have I overstated the case of whether we are in the apostasy or not?
Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee [Jude 9].
This is a most remarkable verse of Scripture. Here is Wuest’s very fine translation of it: “Yet Michael, the archangel, when disputing with the devil, arguing concerning the body of Moses, dared not bring a sentence that would impugn his dignity, but said, May the Lord rebuke you.”
Satan is a fallen creature and an avowed enemy of God, yet Michael, when contending about the body of Moses, would not bring a sentence that would inpugn the dignity of Satan. Michael even respected the position of Satan. Clement, one of the early church fathers, quotes from an apocryphal writing dealing with the funeral of Moses. When Michael was commissioned to bury Moses, Satan opposed it on the grounds that, since he was the master of the material and matter, the body belonged to him. Michael’s only answer was, “The Lord (that is, the Creator) rebuke thee.” Satan also brought the charge of murder against Moses. Also it is suggested that Satan wanted to hinder the later appearance of Moses at the Mount of Transfiguration.
Lucifer was a creature of God and apparently the highest creature that God created. And then evil was found in him. Don’t think that evil means that he went out and stole something. The evil that was in him was that he put his will against the will of God. He was lifted up by pride, and he wanted to become independent of God. He actually thought he could dethrone God—at least from part of His universe. As far as this world is concerned, God has permitted him to carry on this rebellion, and God has a high and holy purpose in it. But this creature still believes he will be able to take a segment of God’s created universe and be the ruler over it. I’m sure that Satan wants this earth as his.
“Yet Michael … durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” Michael didn’t curse Satan. He didn’t call him a long list of names. I’m sure that many of us would have been perfectly willing to have done that. We really would have read the riot act to him, but Michael didn’t. Do you know why? Michael is an archangel, and all he did was to say, “The Lord rebuke you.” He didn’t go into a long tirade of epithets or of condemnation, although he could have. Why? Michael had respect unto his office, his position—Lucifer had been created the highest creature.
This is a lesson that you and I need to learn. A great many believers have not learned to bow even to God. My friend, you and I are creatures; He is the Creator. What right have you and I to question anything that He does? Don’t misunderstand me. If you think that I piously accept everything that comes my way, you are wrong. I talk back to Him many times, and I want to know why He lets certain things happen to me. Maybe you do that also. But we need to recognize that God is the Creator; He is also our Redeemer. He is the One who loves us. But our God is high, holy, and lifted up. He is a just and righteous God. He never makes any mistakes. He never does anything wrong. Everything He does is right and, therefore, you and I can trust Him. But do we do that? Do we respect His authority? Do we respect His person? In that day when men must give an account, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to say, “You said, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but you didn’t do the things I commanded. Each one went his own way and did that which was right in his own eyes.” This is the picture of mankind. How about you? How about me today? What a lesson Michael the archangel is to us!
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves [Jude 10].
I would like, as best I can, to make this verse understandable to you because it is another very important verse in this epistle. When Jude says, “But these speak evil,” the Greek word is blasphemeoµ which by transliteration is our English word blaspheme. The apostates actually blaspheme.
“These speak evil of [blaspheme] those things which they know not: but what they know naturally.” Jude uses two different words here which are both translated “know.” May I say, without recognizing that, it is difficult to determine exactly what Jude means here. The first “know” is eidoµ which speaks of “mental comprehension and knowledge … referring to the whole range of invisible things,” as Vincent defines it. Knowledge is not confined to what you can pour into a test tube or look at under a microscope, although a great many people think that it is. The finer things of life are things you cannot put under the microscope; you cannot pour them into a test tube. For example, what about a wonderful piece of music? What happens if you try to stick it down a test tube or look at it under a microscope? Music needs to be translated into sound, and the ear needs to hear it—you cannot see it at all; it is actually invisible. Love is also invisible—you couldn’t put love under the microscope. How about faith?—you can’t put it under the microscope. My friend, there are a great many things I know, and I know them without any proof from the laboratory. I know them because I have experienced them. The Holy Spirit has made them real to my own heart. “But these speak evil of those things which they know not.” That Washington, D.C., preacher thought he was very brilliant to say that he no longer believed in the Resurrection. May I say to you, there are many things he doesn’t know.
The second word for “know” which Jude uses here is epestamai, which means “to understand.” Vincent says that it was used “originally of skill in handicraft” and that it “refers to palpable things; objects of sense; the circumstances of sensual enjoyment.” These are things you can pour into the test tube. All that these folk know is what they can handle and what they can see. They are like brute beasts because, after all, a brute only knows about the hay or the grass or the corn or another animal that it can eat. This refers to that which they know by instinct. For example, in the fall of the year, the ducks are in Canada, having had a nice summer up there, but all of a sudden they take off. Somebody says, “Boy, are they smart! Those ducks know that before long it will be winter, that snow will be on the ground, and that the lake is going to freeze over. So they take off for the south, and they go all the way down to Mexico and into Central America. They are really very smart!” No, they are not. They move just like a beast, just like a bird moves—by instinct. There is no comprehension, no understanding.
This generation that thinks it is so smart because it only believes what it can pour into a test tube is a poor generation. They do not understand anything that a brute beast couldn’t understand. They have not reached the higher plane of knowledge, what Paul called epignoµsis. Paul says, “You can know that the Bible is the Word of God. You can know that Jesus is the Savior of the world.” These men, knowing just physical things, think they know everything that can be known, and they corrupt themselves in these things. This is the picture of the apostates that Jude gives to us.
CAIN, BALAAM, AND KORAH—EXAMPLES OF APOSTATES
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core [Jude 11].
Jude has already given three examples of apostate groups: the children of Israel, the angels who rebelled, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now we are given another three by way of illustration, and these three are individuals.
“Woe unto them!” The word for “woe” is the Greek word ouai. The very pronunciation of this word is a wail—“Ouai, ouai!” It denotes a wail of grief or of denunciation. Here it is more a wail of denunciation, but it is both. Of these apostates whom Jude has just identified, he now says, “Woe unto them!”
“For they have gone in the way of Cain.” Cain was a religious man but a natural man. He believed in God and believed in religion, but he did it after his own will. He denied that he was a sinner, rejected redemption by blood, and thought that he could come his own way to God. Hebrews 11:4 certainly tells the story: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” Cain is dead also, yet he speaks. The way of Cain is the way of a man who refused to bring a little lamb which pointed to Christ. In other words, Cain did not come to God by faith. He did not believe God when He said that man was to bring a little lamb for a sacrifice, that without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins, and that the penalty must be paid. Cain thought that he could come to God his own way, and that is the picture of the apostate today. The apostate calls himself a liberal and a modernist; but, my friend, this is as old as the Garden of Eden. Right outside the Garden of Eden, Cain was a modernist and a liberal. He believed in religion and God, but he did it his own way, not God’s way.
“And ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward.” Here we have the error of Balaam; in 2 Peter 2:15 it is the way of Balaam; and in Revelation 2:14 it is the doctrine of Balaam.
In 2 Peter we see the thing that was the undermining of the man; that is, Balaam was guilty of covetousness which is idolatry. He was a hired preacher. He wanted to make a buck with the gift he had, a gift that was apparently God-given. This was the way of Balaam, and it was his undoing. A man can seek for something other than money, however. He can seek for prominence, for popularity, for fame, for applause, or for position. There are many different things which would put a man in the way of Balaam. Jude says that this marks the apostate.
In the Book of Revelation, you have the doctrine of Balaam. Numbers 22–25 tells us that this man could not bring a curse against the nation Israel, and so he told Balak that by sending the Moabite women into the camp of Israel, he would be able to bring fornication and idolatry into their homes through mixed marriages. You can be sure of one thing: from Genesis to Revelation, God warns against the intermarriage of believers and unbelievers. You cannot condone such marriages on any basis whatsoever. It is unfortunate that too many young people are not warned of this because it has resulted in a great deal of unhappiness.
The error of Balaam here in Jude is that he thought God would have to punish Israel for their sins. He did not recognize that there is a morality that is above natural morality. He thought that a righteous God had to curse Israel. He was totally unaware of the morality of the Cross. It is taught in the Old Testament that God can maintain and does enforce His authority, but He can be just and the justifier of a believing sinner. Balaam did not understand that God would forgive the nation Israel when they turned to Him. It is sometimes difficult for someone to understand how a man can be converted. When I worked in a bank, was led to Christ, and wanted to study for the ministry, my fellow workers, most of whom were church members, could not understand how I could study for the ministry. And they had ample reason to wonder about that, by the way. They couldn’t understand that God had forgiven me and that I had a new life now. They just didn’t believe that. They didn’t believe it because they couldn’t understand it. This is the same problem that Balaam had.
“And perished in the gainsaying of Core [Korah].” You will perhaps recall that Korah led a rebellion against Moses (see Num. 16). He came to the conclusion that Moses was not the only one around who had access to God. Korah rebelled against God’s constituted authority, who was Moses. He wanted to intrude into that which was sacred. In effect he asked, “Has God only spoken to Moses? Who does Moses think he is?” Actually, Moses didn’t think too much of himself or that he had any undue qualifications; in fact, Moses wanted to disqualify himself as the leader of the people out of Egypt. But God had called Moses, and this man Korah rebelled against him. He contradicted the authority of Moses; he intruded into the office of the priests, and he died. In other words, he was a rebellious man, rebelling against God. Jude says that such rebellion characterizes the apostate.
Notice that the things which are true of these three individuals from the Old Testament are also the things which are true of apostates. Cain did not believe that you need to come to God by faith and that you need a bloody sacrifice because man is a sinner. He believed that if you have a religion, that is all you need. The apostate goes along with that. The error of Balaam is to think that a holy God must punish sin and that sinners cannot be forgiven. The apostate makes the same mistake. He says, “How in the world can the sacrifice of Christ save anyone? A man has to do this for himself.” And the apostate rebels against God as Korah did. They assume an authority that is not theirs. They stand in the pulpit and give out politics instead of giving out the Word of God. Instead of telling what God says, they tell people what they say and what they think. A man said to me some time ago, “I have dropped out of my church. I am tired of listening to a preacher who gives political economics and attempts to stand in the position of being an authority on government. He assumes that he has all knowledge, and he never uses the Word of God. He never tells what God says or what God thinks, and I’m tired of listening to him.” I know nothing about that man’s church, but I assume that that preacher is an apostate because he has the mark of the apostate. These three men from the Old Testament illustrate this to us today.
MODERN APOSTATE TEACHERS DESCRIBED
In the next few verses the modern apostate teachers are defined and described. You will not find anywhere language more vivid, more graphic, more dramatic, more frightening than the description of the apostate in the last days.
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots [Jude 12].
Again let me share with you Dr. Wuest’s translation, which makes the description of the apostate teachers even more vivid:
These are the hidden rocks in your love feasts, sumptuously feasting with you without fear, as shepherds leading themselves to pasture, waterless clouds carried past by winds, autumn trees without fruit, having died twice, rooted up.
What a picture we have here!
“These are spots in your feasts of charity.” The word spots is better translated “hidden rocks” by Dr. Wuest. The picture is of hidden rocks which wreck a ship. They make what Paul calls “shipwreck” of the faith, and Paul names two men who evidently ran into an apostate, a hidden rock, and made shipwreck of the faith (see 1 Tim. 1:19–20). An apostate may be compared to the tip of an iceberg. Very little of it is visible, but if a ship runs into it, the ship will go to the bottom of the sea. Oh, how many people there are, especially young people, whose faith has not only been shaken but wrecked by a person who is an apostate!
“These are spots in your feasts of charity.” The “feasts of charity” were love feasts which were held in the early church before the communion service. It was a time of fellowship when believers brought food and shared a meal together. The poor could bring very little, but it was a time of sharing what they had. Well, the apostates came in with ravenous appetites. They could eat more than anyone else—“feeding themselves without fear.” They were shepherds who were feeding themselves instead of their flock. Not only in the matter of food but also in their failure to teach the Word of God to their flock, it was evident that they were concerned only about themselves.
Milton describes this kind of situation when he writes of his friend, Lycidas. In his poem, he expresses his grief for the young man who had been a great preacher and expositor of the Word but was drowned in the Irish Channel. Milton describes the situation in England as it prevailed in his day: “The hungry sheep look up and are not fed.” What a picture of an apostate in the pulpit!
“Clouds they are without water.” They may look as if they are filled with the Word of God, but they are empty and dry. They may wear robes and speak in pompous, pontifical voices with great authority. They have had courses in public speaking and homiletics, and they know how to spiritualize a text of Scripture and make it mean something entirely different from what God intended. They are like beautiful clouds that drift across the sky without giving any refreshment to the earth.
In my boyhood days I can remember chopping cotton in the summertime and watching the clouds pass over. Oh, how I prayed for rain so I could quit chopping cotton, but there was no rain in those clouds. They were nothing but snowy white puffs. There was no water in them at all. Well, that is Jude’s picture of apostates. They do not have the water of life. They actually know nothing about the Word of God.
“Trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” When the Lord Jesus gave the warning against false teachers, He said, “… by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20). Jude says that the apostate has withered fruit, he is “twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” It was Dwight L. Moody who said that when a man is born once, he will have to die twice and that when a man is born twice, he will have to die only once. Well, Jude says that the apostates are spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins—and yet trying to lead others! Also the apostate’s body will have to die; so he is twice dead. What a picture of the apostate—and Jude is not through with him.
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever [Jude 13].
In the previous verse he said they were like clouds carried about by the wind. These men generally speak on current events every Sunday. They pick up something out of the newspaper or something they have seen on television, and that becomes their subject for the coming Lord’s Day. They do not really give the interpretation of the Word of God which would be applicable for the day.
Now here Jude says that they are “raging waves of the sea.” They just stand in the pulpit and rant. Dr. Thayer says that these false teachers are “impelled by their restless passions. They unblushingly exhibit in word and deed, their base and abandoned spirit.”
“Wandering stars.” Wandering stars just wander through space. They are lawless in that they follow no course whatsoever.
“To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” This refers to hell. One symbol of hell is fire, and the other is blackness of darkness. The great emphasis has been placed upon the symbol of fire. Hell is literal, of course, but to say it is literal fire isn’t quite adequate for this reason: there will be spiritual creatures there as well as man—and the worst sins of man are spiritual sins such as unbelief. Therefore, physical punishment wouldn’t be quite adequate. My feeling is that man will wish it were literal fire because it will be so much worse than fire. The other symbol, “blackness of darkness,” is to me far more frightening. And I believe that a lost man carries his darkness with him—not only physical darkness but spiritual darkness. John Milton, who had an insight into many spiritual truths, penned these lines:
He that has light within his own clear breast,
May sit in the centre, and enjoy bright day;
But he that hides a dark soul, and foul thoughts
Benighted walks under the midday sun;
Himself is his own dungeon.
That is tremendous! My feeling is that the horrors of hell will be increased by those who go there. For instance, there is a place on earth called Hell’s Kitchen. Is the difference in the kind of real estate that is there? No, the difference is in the people who are there. This, together with the concept of physical darkness, is to me frightful beyond words. If you have ever been down in Carlsbad Caverns when the lights are turned out, you know what real darkness is. I’d hate to be down there forever, my friend!
We come now to another remarkable passage of Scripture, and the only place it occurs in the Word of God is here in Jude.
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him [Jude 14–15].
This prophecy of Enoch is not found in the Old Testament. In Genesis 5 we have the record of Enoch, but we are told nothing about his prophecy. Enoch is not a common name; so we may be sure that the man Jude mentions is Enoch of the antediluvian period, the man who walked with God and God took him.
Now let me quote what Dr. Wuest has written about this Book of Enoch:
The quotation is from the apocryphal Book of Enoch. This book, known to the Church Fathers of the second century, lost for some centuries with the exception of a few fragments, was found in its entirety in a copy of the Ethiopic Bible in 1773 by Bruce. It consists of revelations purporting to have been given to Enoch and Noah. Its object is to vindicate the ways of divine providence, to set forth the retribution reserved for sinners, and so show that the world is under the immediate government of God.
Enoch prophesied regarding the false teachers of the last days, and that is a remarkable thing! God apparently did not want the Book of Enoch in the canon of Scripture or it would be there—you may be sure of that. Godly men recognized that it was an apocryphal book, but here is one prophecy that God wanted put into His holy Word. It is a prophecy concerning the coming of Christ with His saints.
We know from the record in Genesis that Enoch was translated, that is, he was removed from the earth without dying. And sometime in the future the church, meaning true believers, are to be removed from the earth without dying. Of course, through the centuries since the time of Christ, believers have been dying so that at the present time most of the church has already passed through the doorway of death. And at the time of the Rapture they are to be caught up together with the living believers to meet the Lord in the air. This teaching is not in the Old Testament at all, yet Enoch is a type or a representative of the believers who will take part in the Rapture. Enoch was removed from the earthly scene before the judgment of the Flood came upon the earth. And the believers who compose the true church will be removed from this earth, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, before the judgment of the Great Tribulation breaks upon the earth.
Now, after the Great Tribulation, the Lord Jesus will return to the earth. However, at the time of the Rapture He does not come to the earth, but the believers are caught up to meet Him in the air. When we say that the Rapture is the second coming of Christ, we are not quite accurate if we mean that Christ is coming to earth at that time. No, the Rapture is the removal of the church. Then the visible church which is left on the earth, composed of folk who are not true believers, will totally depart from the faith and will enter the Great Tribulation Period. And at the end of the Tribulation, the Lord Jesus will actually come to the earth “to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed,” as Jude has prophesied. This is a remarkable passage of Scripture.
Now notice the penetrating truth brought out in Dr. Wuest’s translation of Jude 14–15:
And there prophesied also with respect to these, the seventh from Adam, Enoch, saying, Behold, there comes the Lord with His holy myriads, to execute judgment against all and to convict all those who are destitute of a reverential awe towards God, concerning all their works of impiety which they impiously performed and concerning all the harsh things which impious sinners spoke against Him.
It is quite interesting that “holy myriads,” which has to do with the numbers of the saints, can be supernatural or natural creatures, which probably means that the church will come back with Christ when He returns to the earth. If the church does come back with Him to reign on the earth, obviously it had to leave the earth sometime before. You simply have to believe in the Rapture if you believe that Christ is coming back to earth with His saints.
“To execute judgment upon all.” When Christ returns to the earth, He is going to execute judgment. Jesus Himself said this in His Olivet Discourse. It is mentioned again and again in the Word of God, and we have seen it in the Old Testament.
“To convince all that are ungodly among them” or, as Dr. Wuest has translated it, “to convict all those who are destitute of a reverential awe towards God.” They are ungodly in the sense that they leave God out. And that is something that is quite popular today.
“Of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed.” Dr. Wuest translates it: “concerning all their works of impiety which they impiously performed.” Their works are actually anti-God.
“And of all their hard speeches [harsh things] which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
Now this prophecy of Enoch, and it is a great prophecy, deals with the judgment upon the organized church which will be in total apostasy after the Rapture. You see, the Rapture will rupture the church—the true believers will leave the earth, and the make-believers will remain and will be here when Christ comes to judge men in that day.
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage [Jude 16].
Here are five additional identifications of apostates. (1) They are murmurers. Murmuring means to mutter complaints. This is not loud, outspoken dissatisfaction but muttering against God in an undertone. (2) They are complainers, complaining about their lot in life, discontented, never satisfied. If they recognize God at all, they blame Him for everything that has happened to them. I have received hundreds of letters from folk who tell me how discontented, dissatisfied, and unhappy they were with their lot. Then when they came to Christ, all of that changed. And another characteristic of apostates is that (3) they walk after their own lusts or desires. Those desires could be good or bad—not necessarily desires which are base like immorality. It could be anything that leaves God out. It could be a sailing boat, good music, or literature, or even religion in which they find a certain amount of satisfaction, but in their hearts they are discontented. (4) Their mouth speaks great swelling words; that is, they are immoderate and arrogant; they use extravagant language, which is fizz and foam but has no content. I was rather amused by listening to a politician being interviewed. He used a great many modern expressions which are being overworked today. When he had finished, I analyzed what he had said and realized that he hadn’t said anything—he had been just talking. He had not committed himself to anything whatsoever. Well, there are a great many men in the ministry who talk like that also. (5) They have men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. This is literally “admiring countenances.” They are great at applauding others—and they say a lot of things which are not true—because they are looking to men for their promotion, their advantage. You may recall that the Epistle of James has something to say about this: “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2:1–4).
We see this kind of thing going on in our churches all the time. I went into a church some time ago where I was to preach. The folk didn’t know me very well—certainly the ushers did not. Since I arrived early, I thought I would just go in without identifying myself. When I entered the sanctuary, two ushers were busy talking to each other and paid no attention to me; so I just waited. Finally one of them said, “Want a bulletin?”
“Yes, thank you!”
“Were do you want to sit?”
“Well, I don’t know. Where would you want to seat me?”
“How about taking that seat right there?” He wasn’t about to take me down to the front section although there were plenty of seats available. He was not in a friendly mood at all. So, instead of sitting down, I just walked on back. Later when I came out on the platform, I looked back at that usher. Believe me, he was white. After the service he came to me very apologetically. He said, “I didn’t know you were going to be our speaker today. I didn’t realize that you were Dr. McGee.”
“Well,” I said, “it really wasn’t very important for you to recognize me because, very frankly, I was going to preach here today regardless of whether the ushers let me in or not. But I really think it is important that you usher strangers and visitors to a seat and be very friendly with them.”
My friend, as believers we certainly should not have “men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.” Yet I notice this attitude both in churches and in certain Christian schools. One school will give a man from another school an honorary doctor’s degree—something he didn’t work for. Then that brother will arrange to have his school confer a doctor’s degree on the brother who gave him his degree.
Also, this same type of thing is sometimes practiced by preachers. We speak in a certain church, and the pastor introduces us as some great person, which we certainly are not. Then when he comes over to our church to speak, we introduce him as some great person—whether he is or not. Frankly, we should not use that method because it is less than honest. And that is the method of apostates. They do not look to God. They are not concerned whether or not the Lord Jesus will say to them, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” They are more concerned to have the applause of the crowd.
When I was in a certain conference, a very timid preacher came to me with a question. He asked, “Do you preach in your church the way you are speaking here?”
“Certainly. Why not?”
“Well, if I preached that way in my church, I am confident that I would have to resign.”
I said to him very frankly, “I certainly feel sorry for you, and I think that your church is in a bad way. The message you heard me give was given in my church before I came here—I practiced on them!”
Having men’s persons in admiration because of some advantage they will get from it, looking to men for promotion instead of looking to God for promotion, is certainly a condemnation and the mark of an apostate.
OCCUPATION OF BELIEVERS IN DAYS OF APOSTASY
In verses 17–19, believers are warned by the apostles that these apostates would come. Then in verses 20–25, we will see what believers must do in these days of apostasy.
BELIEVERS WARNED THAT APOSTATES WOULD COME
Jude reminds believers that the apostles warned that these apostates would come. In other words, he is saying that this ought not to disturb us. The apostasy is something God has permitted, and He has permitted it for a purpose.
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ [Jude 17].
Jude is turning away from describing the apostates, and he says, “But, beloved.” He is turning the page as it were, and now he is talking to the beloved. The beloved are not those beloved of Jude. (However, I do think Jude loved them because he would not have written such a strong epistle if he had not loved them and desired to tell them the truth.) The word he uses here means that they are beloved of God. These are the ones who are experiencing the love of God in their lives, and for that reason they are called “beloved.”
“Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” All the way through the Word of God, you will find that we are told to remember. In other words, we are to remember the Word of God. You and I should know the Word of God so that our memories can call it up when we need to have these great truths brought to our attention.
“But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is evidence that Jude was not the apostle by that name. He is, as we have indicated, Jude, the half brother of the Lord Jesus. In spite of his blood relationship to Jesus, he takes a very humble attitude. He will use the apostles to corroborate what he is going to say, as he has done before in this epistle. He said earlier, “What I am going to write to you about the apostasy is not new with me. I’m not the only one who has written on it. Others have written of it beforehand.” Now he says here, “You are to remember the words that were spoken to you by the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.” We will see before we finish this epistle that it is all-essential to know what the Word of God has to say. I do not believe that you can stand for God in this world without tripping up unless you have a knowledge of the Word of God—it is essential. I have seen individual after individual, both men and women, trip up and fall in their Christian walk. I can attribute every such instance that I know of to a lack of knowledge of the Word of God. How important it is for us to know what the Word of God has to say.
We come now to a very important passage of Scripture where I feel that I need a special anointing of the Holy Spirit as I write because it deals with a distinction that is not always made today.
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These he they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit [Jude 18–19].
I will begin by giving you Dr. Wuest’s translation of verses 17–19:
But, as for you, divinely-loved ones, remember the words which were spoken previously by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, In the last time there shall be mockers ordering their course of conduct in accordance with their own passionate cravings which are destitute of reverential awe towards God. These are those who cause divisions, egocentric, not holding the spirit.
In verses 17–18, Jude says in effect, “Remember what the apostles said to you. They told you that there would come mockers in the last time and that they would walk after their own ungodly lusts.” That is, the desires of the apostates are totally apart from God and from the will of God.
In verse 19 Jude defines the apostates: “These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.” He has given us so many descriptions of the apostate that there is no reason for us to miss him at all. I believe that you can test an unregenerate person, even an unregenerate minister, by the Word of God. I like to say that I use the Word of God as a Geiger counter. When I give out the Word of God, the Geiger counter registers, and I get a response from the folk who have heard it. Many tell us how the Word of God has actually revolutionized their lives and their homes. It has made everything different, even for those who are believers. But there is another group of people who think that I am a loony bird, that I’m way out in left field, and that teaching the Word of God is a very foolish sort of thing. So you can see that the Geiger counter of the Word of God works, and by it you can test the unregenerate person.
“These be they who separate themselves.” First of all, Jude says that the apostates cause divisions in the church. Vincent says that Jude is speaking of those who “cause divisions in the church…. Of those who draw a line through the church and set off one part from another.” Liberalism was responsible for splitting the great denominations of the church. The liberals took over the church and then said that the fundamentalists were the ones dividing it. Of course, it was not the fundamentalists who divided the church. They were the ones who were holding to the great doctrines upon which the denominations were founded. The original creeds of all the denominations are sound creeds. Although they differ a little at some points, there are no differences at all on the great basics.
The liberals were first called modernists because they wanted to change things. They never liked that name, but they like the name of liberal today. However, the liberal, instead of being broad-minded, whether he is in theology or politics, is to my judgment the most narrow-minded person in the world. Frankly, he is a dangerous man to deal with, because he will deal with you in a vitriolic manner, with bitterness and hatred, and he will not mind hurting you.
“Sensual”—the word is psuchikos from which we get our English word psychology. It means a life that centers about the individual; that is, the “I.” It is an egotistical way of living in which the individual becomes all important: “I come first.” It is selfish; it is natural. It is the life of the unrenewed man, the man who is not born again.
This is Alford’s statement:
The psucheµ [that is, the soul] is the centre of the personal being, the “I” of each individual. It is in each man bound to the spirit, man’s higher part, and to the body, man’s lower part; drawn upwards by the one, downward by the other. He who gives himself up to the lower appetites, is sarkikos (fleshly): he who by communion of his pneuma (spirit) with God’s Spirit is employed in the higher aims of his being, is pneumatikos (spiritual). He who rests midway, thinking only of self and self’s interests, whether animal or intellectual, is the psuchikos (sensual), the selfish man, the man in whom the spirit is sunk and degraded into subordination to the subordinate psucheµ (soul).
The natural man, the sensual man, is a selfish man who lives like an animal. He wants to get all he can. He wants to eat all he can. He wants to get all the money and favor he can. He lives entirely for himself. All this has to do with a man in his natural makeup today.
“Having not the Spirit.” The apostates do not have the Holy Spirit of God; they are not indwelt by the Spirit of God. You will remember that when Paul got to Ephesus, this was the question he directed to those people who were passing as believers but who were not believers. They had heard only of the baptism of John, and Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?” They knew nothing about it. They had heard about the ministry of John but had not been taught about the Lord Jesus’ death and resurrection. When Paul explained these things to them, they accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit (see Acts 19:1–7).
We need to understand that man is a tripartite being; that is, he has a threefold nature. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 we read: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Man has a body, a soul, and a spirit.
If you read very carefully the account of the creation of man in the Book of Genesis, you will find that physically, man was taken from the ground. There are about fifteen elements in the dirt which are made into our bodies. When we get through with our bodies, at the time of death, we will be moving out of them, and these bodies will return back to the earth. At the resurrection of the believer, the body will be raised a spiritual body. It is sown in corruption, and it is going to be raised in incorruption.
What happened to this physical man that God created? He was given what we would call a soul—but that word is often misunderstood. He was given the psychological part of himself; that is, that part which directs him in his approach to the physical universe. He gets hungry; so he goes and eats. He desires entertainment, and he provides that for himself He may be a very generous individual, very amiable, very attractive, and he may have what we call charisma. Many unsaved people are like that. They are likable folk, and I sometimes wish that all believers were as gracious as some unsaved people whom I meet. Although unsaved folk can be very attractive on the surface, they are very different underneath, of course. This is man’s psychological nature.
But God also breathed into man’s breathing places the breath of life, or the wind, the pneuma, the spirit. This is man’s human spirit, and it is above the psychological. It is that which looks to God, that which longs for God, that which wants to worship.
Man, therefore, has a tripartite nature. He is a trinity: the body or the physical side, the soul or the psychological side, and the spirit or the pneumatic side. The psychological side is what Jude calls “sensual” here in verse 19.
Now what really happened at the fall of man? I like to think of man in his tripartite nature as a house with three floors. On the first floor is the dining room and the kitchen—that is the physical. On the second floor is the library and the music room—that is the psychological. On the top floor is a chapel, a place to worship—that is the spiritual. On the top floor is also the Word of God, because man will not understand it without the Spirit of God leading him; the natural man would not even want it. The spiritual was on the top floor, but at the Fall, man actually died spiritually, and the house turned upside down. The physical side got up on top. Man today in his natural state is primarily physical. Meat and potatoes are top priority. Self-preservation is the first law of life. Man is like the animal world in that he is physical, but man is also psychological. He is self-conscious. He enjoys music. He loves beauty. And he also indulges in immorality. This is the area, the sensual part of man, that Jude refers to here. At the Fall, therefore, the spiritual part of man died. Man no longer had a capacity for God; in fact, he was now an enemy of God.
However, when you and I came to Christ and trusted Him as Savior, we were given a new nature, and that new nature can now respond to the Holy Spirit of God. But we still have that old nature. We are still fleshly, and we can live in the flesh. Paul had a great deal to say about this in the eighth chapter of Romans. He writes in verse 5: “For they that are after the flesh [this is the natural man, the apostate] do mind the things of the flesh [that is all they are interested in]; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit [these folk seek to please God].” Paul goes on in verse 6 to say, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” When you live in the lower nature—the psychological, the sensual—you are dead to God and have no fellowship with Him. That fellowship is broken. John says, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” [1 John 1:6]. But he who lives in the Spirit and attempts to please God is truly living it up. The spirit of such a man, instead of going downward and doing the things the flesh wants to do, does the things God wants done. Now Paul says in Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God [this is the reason Adam ran away from God]: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” You cannot bring that old nature into obedience to God. You cannot reform man. Romans 8:8–9 tells us: “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that [lit., since] the Spirit of God dwell in you….” You cannot please God in the flesh. You can only please Him when you yield to Him and come to the place where He can use you.
This brings me to consider what happens when a man is converted. Before our conversions, you and I were dead in trespasses and sins. We could walk around, we were physically alive, but we were spiritually dead. When a man hears the gospel, the Spirit of God applies it to his heart, and he trusts Christ. We say that he is born again. The spiritual nature is reborn, and he now has a capacity for God. There is no power in that new nature; so the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within him. This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you …” (Rom. 8:9). In other words, the indwelling Spirit is the mark that you are a child of God. The Holy Spirit is not something that you get ten days or so after you are converted. If you don’t get Him at the moment you are converted, you are not converted because it is the Holy Spirit who regenerates—we are “born of the Spirit” (see John 3:8). The Holy Spirit is there not only to help you but also to interpret to you the Word of God. And the Word of God is no longer foolishness to you, because a new world and a new life have been opened to you.
However, there is the struggle that goes on which Paul talks about in Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh lusteth [warreth] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” There are these two natures within a believer. The old nature, this lower nature, this psychological part of man, wants to turn away from God. This spiritual part now wants to turn to God. If you are a child of God, you know about that conflict. There are times when you want to turn away from Him, and there are times when you want to turn to Him. This is the reason most of us are like a roller coaster in our Christian lives. We go up today, and it is great, but then we go down tomorrow. What a trip it is—up and down! It ought not to be that way, but, unfortunately, most of us would have to testify that that is true of us.
In 1 Corinthians 15:45 Paul talks about the Resurrection, and he has this to say: “… The first man Adam was made a living soul [that is, the psychological]; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit [that is, a life-giving spirit].” This is the difference between Adam No. 1 and Adam No. 2, between Adam in the Garden of Eden and the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The Lord Jesus came to give His life that He might be a life-giving Spirit. Paul goes on to say in verses 46–47: “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural [Adam was a psychological being]; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” This, I believe, is the big difference between Adam before his fall and the man today who is regenerated. We are today made sons of God and are given a spiritual nature with a capacity for God. Man’s highest nature at the beginning was that God breathed into his breathing places, but that was a spirit that could fall. We have a nature today that is a sinful nature, and we will have it as long as we are in this body because it actually controls this body—this is the psychological part of man. But at the moment of regeneration we were given a new nature which responds to God and cannot fall.
When I first studied psychology (it was one of my major areas of study at one time), they said that psychology was the study of the soul of man. Then they got away from that, and they said it was the study of the mind of man. Behaviorism came along and then Freudianism later on, and they took their theory of man farther and farther away from anything psychological or even mental. Man became nothing in the world but a sort of robot or IBM computer. You can press a certain button and always get a certain reaction from him. As a result, the saying went around that psychology first lost its soul, and then it lost its mind. I do not know whether it has recovered it or not!
The thing that I want to emphasize here is that the flesh pulls man down and the Spirit pulls man up. Jude says that these apostates never get into the realm of the Spirit—“having not the Spirit.” They are “sensual”; they never get above the psychological state. Therefore, it is very easy to tell whether or not you are a child of God, my friend. Paul lists the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19–21, and if you are producing those in your life, you are living in the flesh. He then lists the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22–23. If you have those things in your life, you are a child of God. But the apostate does not have those things in his life. He cannot have them because he does not have the Spirit of God.
I have spent a little time with this because I feel it is very important that you and I understand ourselves and why we have all the conflicts and frustrations that we Christians have. We have two natures. The psalmist says that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (see Ps. 139:14). Man is a very complicated creature. A man walks this earth today with a body that is taken out of the dirt, but he also has a capacity for God. A man who wants to worship and serve God can become a son of God through faith in Jesus Christ—what a glorious prospect this is!
WHAT BELIEVERS MUST DO IN DAYS OF APOSTASY
Now having described the apostasy that was coming and the apostates who would come into the church, Jude mentions seven things which believers can do in days like these in which you and I are living.
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost [Jude 20].
“But ye, beloved”—he is talking to believers, those beloved of God. What can we do today?
1. “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith.” What does he mean by that? Well, building up yourselves on your most holy faith means that you study the Word of God. It is my conviction that since God gave to us sixty-six books, He meant that we are to study all sixty-six of them—not just John 3 or John 14 and other favorite passages. Oh, how many Bible classes go over and over the same books: John, Romans, maybe Ephesians, and they don’t miss Revelation. Do not misunderstand me, all those books are very important, but what about the other sixty-two books? Why don’t we study all of them? My friend, if you are going to build up yourself on your most holy faith, you must have the total Word of God. You cannot build a house without a foundation; then you will need to put up some timbers that will hold the roof; then you are going to need a roof on it and siding and plaster on the inside. And this is what the total Word of God will do for you. This is what we are to do in days of apostasy.
Both Peter and Paul urged believers to study the Word of God in days like these. Paul wrote in his swan song: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed …” (2 Tim. 2:15). Then in the next chapter Paul said that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. My friend, the recourse that you and I have as children of God in these days is the Word of God.
The reason many folk fall by the wayside is because the seed (which is the Word of God) fell among stones. It didn’t get deeply rooted. Unless you study all of the Word of God, get down in the good, rich soil, you are not going to become a sturdy, healthy plant. It won’t be long until you will be stepped on and the sun will burn you out. You will not be able to stand in days like these.
Peter in his second epistle, writing of the apostasy, says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:19–20). You cannot just pull out one or two little verses and think you have a good knowledge of the Bible. It is a tragedy to build a system of doctrine based on a few isolated verses drawn out of the Scriptures.
This reminds me of the story of President Lincoln having his portrait painted. The artist kept shifting Lincoln around trying to get him at an angle so the wart on his face wouldn’t show. Finally, after he had him adjusted to his satisfaction, he said, “Mr. Lincoln, how do you want me to paint you?” Lincoln said, “Paint me just as I am—wart and all.”
My friend, certainly there are parts of the Word of God that you will not enjoy reading. There are sections that will step on your toes, and you would like to avoid that. But today it is necessary to build up ourselves on our most holy faith because these are days of apostasy.
“Your most holy faith” does not refer to your own personal faith. Rather, it is the faith, the body of truth which has been given to us in the Word of God. When the church first came into existence, this was called the apostles’ doctrine. Of this Mayor says:
The faith here is called ‘most holy’ because it comes to us from God, and reveals God to us, and because it is by its means that man is made righteous, and enabled to overcome the world.
2. “Praying in the Holy Ghost.” Jude mentions the second thing we are to do in days of apostasy. The word Ghost is the Greek pneuma, more frequently translated “Spirit.” “Praying in the Holy Spirit” is an unusual phrase, occurring at only one other place in the Scriptures. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul mentions putting on the whole armor of God, and each piece of armor is for defense with the exception of two items. One offensive weapon is “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph. 6:18). The second offensive weapon was mentioned in verse 17, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” This is precisely what Jude writes. First, we are to build up ourselves on our most holy faith; then we need to pray in the Spirit.
Many years ago in Dallas, Texas, there was a very fine man, Mr. Will Hawkins, who had a radio program which he called “The Radio Revival.” I do not know of any program during the Depression and afterwards that influenced people more than his program did. One of the features of his radio broadcast was what he called a sword drill, a test of the knowledge of the Word of God, and I thought it was about the best way it could be used. My friend, you and I need a sword drill; that is, we need to listen to God first before He has to listen to us, because we could say a lot of foolish things. We are to take the sword of the Spirit, because we need to build up ourselves in the faith—we should learn to use that sword.
Praying in the Holy Spirit is a little different from handing God a grocery list of “Gimme, gimme, gimme.” Don’t misunderstand me, petition, as it is called in theology, is a part of prayer. But how about praise and how about worship? Our prayer should include adoration and praise to almighty God. Dr. Earl Radmacher once told me about directing a prayer meeting in a church he pastored. The prayer meetings had been pretty dead, as most church prayer meetings are, unfortunately. They should be the real powerhouse of the church body, but they usually are not. One night Dr. Radmacher announced that they were not going to have any requests but only praise and thanksgiving to God for what He had done for them. Dr. Radmacher said that it turned out to be the briefest prayer meeting they had ever had! It is amazing how few things we thank God for and how little praise goes up to Him. However, petition is certainly important, and prayer that includes that is a real ministry. When Paul asked the Christians in Rome to pray for him, he wrote: “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me” (Rom. 15:30). The word for “strive” is agonize. We are to pray like that.
Praying in the Holy Spirit means that we pray by means of the Holy Spirit; we are dependent upon Him. Paul wrote in Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” You and I actually do not know what to pray for. We are like little children. When I take my little grandson to the store, he wants everything he sees. He asks for things that he shouldn’t even have because they would not be good for him. Then I think, That’s just the way we pray. We are like little children: “Lord, I want this—Lord, give me that.” God doesn’t always give us what we want. Why doesn’t He? Because when we pray like that, we are not praying in the Spirit. We need to learn to let the Holy Spirit make intercession for us.
Years ago a missionary in Venezuela sent me a little cross on which was printed a definition of prayer: “Prayer is the Holy Spirit speaking in the believer, through Christ, to the Father.” That is a very good definition of prayer.
My friend, we need to learn to pray. No wonder the disciples, having heard the Lord Jesus pray and thinking of their own little paltry prayers, said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (see Luke 11:1). Many of us need that, but there is very little instruction today about learning to pray. Yet we need to learn to really pray in these days of apostasy.
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life [Jude 21].
This verse gives us two more things we as believers are to do in days of apostasy.
3. “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” We need to recognize that God loves the believer. We have seen that Jude addresses the believers as “beloved.” Let me repeat—this does not imply that he loves them or that they love him but that they are beloved of God. Again, let me say that you cannot keep God from loving you, although you can put up an umbrella or a roof so that you will not feel the warmth of God’s love. Jude is saying, “Keep yourselves out there in the sunshine of God’s love.” Let His love flood your heart and life. This is needed in days of apostasy.
4. “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” There was a man here in Southern California, a professor in a seminary, whom I had asked to preach in the church I served, and someone questioned that he really believed in the rapture of the church. So I had lunch with him and asked him this specific question: “Do you believe in the imminent coming of Christ?”
“I do.”
“On what basis do you believe that He will take the church out? That is, on what grounds do you and I expect to be taken out at the time of the Rapture?”
He said very definitely, “I was saved because God extended mercy to me, and when He takes me out of the world at the time of the Rapture, it still will be by the mercy of God.”
That is a good answer, and it cleared up all doubts of his position on the rapture of the church.
My friend, as we have seen, the mercy of God is the fact that God has a concern and care for you today. And He has an abundance—He is rich in mercy. He was so concerned about you that He extended His mercy to you and saved you by His grace.
Notice that Jude says, “Looking for the mercy.” The word looking is the Greek word prosdechomai, meaning “to expect, to wait for.” The Lord Jesus wants us to live in an attitude of expectation for His return. At the time of the Rapture, I am expecting to leave this world, and I hope it will happen during my lifetime. But I will be going out because of His mercy, not because of who I am. If it depended upon who I am, I wouldn’t make it.
When I first went to Nashville, Tennessee, there was a very fine Bible class there that had been taught the theory of a partial rapture; that is, that only the super-duper saints would go out at the Rapture. They were a wonderful group of folk, and they supported my ministry in Nashville. I even had the privilege of teaching the class several times. However, in talking with some of them, especially the leaders, they made it clear that they expected to go out at the time of the Rapture because they were the super-duper saints, but I had the feeling that they weren’t sure about me. Well, I want them and everyone else to know that when the Lord takes the church out, I’m going along—whether you like it or not—because I am looking for that mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now notice Dr. Wuest’s translation of verse 21:
With watchful care keep yourselves within the sphere of God’s love, expectantly looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ resulting in life eternal.
And of some have compassion, making a difference [Jude 22].
5. “Of some have compassion.” There is some question among Greek scholars as to the correct translation of this verse. Instead of “making a difference,” I prefer the rendering “who are in doubt.” There are a great many good, sincere folk today who are in doubt. They do have honest doubts, and we need to be patient with them. Being in the ministry I have had some difficulty in being patient with some folk. I remember a woman who came to our midweek Bible study in a church I served many years ago. Every week for six weeks she came to me with some question. I had the feeling that she was trying to trap me or trick me with her questions, and one night I answered her so sharply that she turned and walked out. The woman who always came with her was a member of my church, and she came to me afterward and said, “Dr. McGee, be patient with her. She is a very brilliant woman. In fact, she is listed in Who’s Who. But she has been in practically every cult here in Southern California, and she is really mixed up. Now she is trying to find her way out. Will you be patient with her?” Well, knowing her background, of course, I was patient after that and answered her questions the best I could. About three months later she accepted Christ as her Savior. I had a wonderful letter after she had returned to Ohio in which she told how the Lord was leading her.
My friend, we are living in days when there is so much doubt cast upon the Word of God that those who really want to believe it have problems in doing so. We do well to be patient with them—they are honest doubters.
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh [Jude 23].
6. “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire” refers to sinners whom we consider hopeless. It seems impossible that they will ever be saved. And yet I have seen some of these folk come to know Christ by hearing God’s Word by radio. Jude admonishes us not to give them up—“others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.” What a tremendous statement!
In Zechariah 3:2 we read this: “And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” When God intended to save Jerusalem, He said, “I am just taking a brand out of the fire.” Apparently there is no one who is beyond redemption, if they want to be saved.
7. “Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” The word flesh refers to the psychological part of man, the part of man that can go only so far. It can, for example, appreciate good music, but it cannot be acceptable to God. There have been attempts to come up with the right word for this psychological part of man. The word soul is not adequate because it doesn’t express what it should. Some call it the selfish part of man. That is not a good definition because some psychological people are very generous although they are not Christian. Others speak of it as the animal, which is even worse. Although these people generally attempt to satisfy the lower nature, animal is not the proper word. Still others call them intellectual, which is the worst one of all. Lange, in his Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, attempts to adequately describe these folk:
He is becoming flesh, wholly carnal or animal. If allowed to continue he will become utterly dehumanized, or that worst of all creatures, an animal with a reason, but wholly fleshly in its ends and exercises, or with a reason which is but the servant of the flesh, making him worse than the most ferocious wild beast—a very demon—a brutal nature with a fiend’s subtlety only employed to gratify such brutality. Man has the supernatural, and this makes the awful peril of his state. By losing it, or rather by its becoming degraded to be a servant instead of a lord, he falls wholly into nature, where he cannot remain stationary, like the animal who does not “leave the habitation to which God first appointed him.” The higher being, thus utterly fallen, must sink into the demonic, where evil becomes his god, if not, as Milton says, his good.
The fact is that the child of God should hate “even the garment spotted by the flesh.” God cannot use anything that the flesh produces. Everything that Vernon McGee does in the flesh is repulsive to God. He hates it. And we should learn to hate it.
This little Epistle of Jude closes with a glorious benediction.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen, [Jude 24–25].
Let me give you a literal translation:
Now unto him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you (make you stand) before the presence of his glory blameless with great rejoicing, to the only wise God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty and might and authority, before all time both now and forever. Amen.
If you want to know the place that Jesus Christ should have in your life, especially in these days of apostasy, here it is in this marvelous benediction.
“Through Jesus Christ our Lord”—He is God. And He is our Lord; He should be the Lord of our lives. Glory should be given to Him. We should glorify Him, tell how great He is, how wonderful He is, how mighty He is and mighty to save. He is majestic, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is mighty—all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. This universe has not slipped from under His control. All authority belongs to Him, and whether you like it or not, you are going to bow the knee to Him someday.
In these days of apostasy, God’s children need to bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ and to try to hold Him up before a gainsaying world.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Coder, S. Maxwell. Jude: The Acts of the Apostates. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1958.
Ironside, H. A. Exposition of the Epistle of Jude. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.
Kelly, William. Lectures on the Epistle of Jude. Denver, Colorado: Wilson Foundation, 1970.
Wolff, Richard. A Commentary on the Epistle of Jude. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960.
Wuest, Kenneth S. In These Last Days: II Peter, I, II, III John, and Jude in the Greek New Testament for the English Reader. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954.
Revelation
INTRODUCTION
As we begin this book of Revelation, I have mingled feelings. I am actually running scared as we come to this, one of the great books in the Word of God. Candidly, I must also say that it is with great joy that I begin it. Let me explain why I say this.
It has long been my practice, when I need a time of relaxation, to read a mystery story, a detective story. I confess that mystery stories have been more or less a hobby of mine over the years.
I do not read much of Agatha Christie anymore for the very simple reason that I have read so many of hers that I can usually figure out who the killer is, who committed the murder. Now I read Dorothy Sayers. By the way, she is a Christian, and she gets a great deal of Scripture into her books. The unsaved are reading the Bible without realizing it. Anyway, I have always enjoyed mystery stories.
When I began my ministry, I was a single man, and on Sunday nights after the evening service, I would get into bed and read one of the mystery stories.
Well, about one o’clock in the morning I would get to the place where the heroine has been tied down to the railroad tracks by the villain, and old Number 77 is going to be coming along in about twenty minutes. She is in a desperate situation. I think that the hero is going to be able to get there and rescue her, but I find out that he is in that old warehouse down by the pier, tied to a chair under which is a stick of dynamite with the fuse already lighted! Well, I can’t leave the hero and heroine at one o’clock in the morning in that kind of position. But, since it is time for me to turn over and go to sleep, I slip over to the final page. A different scene greets me there. I see the hero and the heroine sitting out in a yard. I see a lovely cottage encircled by a white picket fence. They are married now and have a little baby who is playing there on the lawn. What a wonderful, comfortable scene that is!
So I would just turn back to the place where I stopped reading, and I would say to the hero and heroine, “I don’t know how you are going to get out of it, but I tell you this: It’s going to work out all right.”
My friend, I have a book in the Bible called the Book of the Revelation, and it tells me how this world scene is going to end. I will be frank to say that I get a little disturbed today when I see what is happening in the world. It is a dark picture as I look out at it, and I wonder how it is going to work out. Well, all I do is turn to the last book of the Bible, and when I begin to read there, I find that it’s going to work out all right. Do you know that? Emerson said that things are in the saddle, and they ride mankind. It does look that way. In fact, it looks as if the Devil is having a high holiday in the world, and I think he is, but God is going to work it out. God Himself will gain control—in fact, He has never lost control—and He is moving to the time when He is going to place His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, upon the throne of His universe down here. It does look dark now. I think that any person today who looks at the world situation and takes an optimistic view of it has something wrong with his thinking. The world is in a desperate condition. However, I’m no pessimist because I have the Book of Revelation, and I can say to every person who has trusted Christ, “Don’t you worry. It’s going to work out all right.” My friend, the thing is going to come out with God on top. Therefore, I want to be with Him. As Calvin put it, “I would rather lose now and win later than to win now and lose later.” I want to say to you, friend, that I am on the side that appears to be losing now, but we are going to win later. The reason I know this is because I have been reading the Book of Revelation. And I hope that you are going to read it with me.
As I have said, I approach the Book of Revelation with fear and trembling, not primarily because of a lack of competence on my part (although that may be self-evident), but many other factors enter into this feeling. First of all, there may be a lack of knowledge on the part of the readers. You see, the Book of Revelation is the sixty-sixth book of the Bible, and it comes last. This means that we need to know sixty-five other books before we get to this place. You need to have the background of a working knowledge of all the Bible that precedes it. You need to have a feel of the Scriptures as well as have the facts of the Scriptures in your mind.
There is a second factor that gives me a feeling of alarm as I enter this book. It is the contemporary climate into which we are giving these studies in Revelation. It is not primarily because of a skeptical and doubting age—although it is certainly that—but it is because of these dark and difficult and desperate days in which we live. We see the failure of leadership in every field—government, politics, science, education, military, and entertainment. Since the educators cannot control even their own campuses, how are they going to supply leadership for the world? Business is managed by tycoons. And the actors can be heard on the media talk programs. Listening to them for only a brief time reveals that they have nothing to say. They do a lot of talking, but they say nothing that is worthwhile. None of these groups or segments of our society have any solutions. They are failures in the realm of leadership. There is a glaring lack of leadership. There is no one to lead us out of this moral morass or out of the difficult and Laocoön-like problems which have us all tangled up. We are living in a very difficult time, my friend. In fact, I think that it is one of the worst in the history of the church.
Knowledgeable men have been saying some very interesting things about this present hour. Please note that I am not quoting from any preachers but from outstanding men in other walks of life.
Dr. Urey, from the University of Chicago, who worked on the atomic bomb, began an article several years ago in Collier’s magazine by saying, “I am a frightened man, and I want to frighten you.”
Dr. John R. Mott returned from a trip around the world and made the statement that this was “the most dangerous era the world has ever known.” And he raised the question of where we are heading. Then he made this further statement, “When I think of human tragedy, as I saw it and felt it, of the Christian ideals sacrificed as they have been, the thought comes to me that God is preparing the way for some immense direct action.”
Chancellor Robert M. Hutchins, of the University of Chicago, gave many people a shock several years ago when he made the statement that “devoting our educational efforts to infants between six and twenty-one seems futile.” And he added, “The world may not last long enough.” He contended that for this reason we should begin adult education.
Winston Churchill said, “Time may be short.”
Mr. Luce, the owner of Life, Time, and Fortune magazines, addressed a group of missionaries who were the first to return to their fields after the war. Speaking in San Francisco, he made the statement that when he was a boy, the son of a Presbyterian missionary in China, he and his father often discussed the premillennial coming of Christ, and he thought that all missionaries who believed in that teaching were inclined to be fanatical. And then Mr. Luce said, “I wonder if there wasn’t something to that position after all.”
It is very interesting to note that The Christian Century carried an article by Wesner Fallaw which said, “A function of the Christian is to make preparation for world’s end.”
Dr. Charles Beard, the American historian, said, “All over the world the thinkers and searchers who scan the horizon of the future are attempting to assess the values of civilization and speculating about its destiny.”
Dr. William Yogt, in the Road to Civilization, wrote: “The handwriting on the wall of five continents now tells us that the Day of Judgment is at hand.”
Dr. Raymond B. Fosdick, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said, “To many ears comes the sound of the tramp of doom. Time is short.”
H. G. Wells declared before he died, “This world is at the end of its tether. The end of everything we call life is close at hand.”
General Douglas MacArthur said, “We have had our last chance.”
Former president Dwight Eisenhower said, “Without a moral regeneration throughout the world there is no hope for us as we are going to disappear one day in the dust of an atomic explosion.”
Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, ex-president of Columbia University, said, “The end cannot be far distant.”
To make the picture even more bleak, the modern church has no solutions for the problems of this hour in which we are living. There was a phenomenal growth in church membership, especially after World War II, but that took place for only a few years. The growth went from 20 percent of the population in 1884 to 35 percent of the population in 1959. That was the high point of Protestant church membership. And it would indicate the possibility of a church on fire for God. Then it had wealth and was building tremendous programs, but recently the church has begun to lose, and it certainly is not affecting the contemporary culture of the present hour.
As far back as 1958 the late David Lawrence wrote an editorial which he entitled “The ‘Mess’ in the World.” He described it very accurately, but even he did not have a solution for it. As we look out at the world in this present hour, we see that it is really in a mess.
For a long time now men in high positions have looked into the future and have said that there is a great crisis coming. (I wonder what they would say if they lived in our day!) As a result of this foreboding, there has been a growing interest in the Book of Revelation.
Although good expositors differ on the details of the Book of Revelation, when it comes to the broad interpretation, there are four major systems. (Broadus lists seven theories of interpretation and Tregelles lists three.)
1. The preterist interpretation is that all of Revelation has been fulfilled in the past. It had to do with local references in John’s day and with the days of either Nero or Domitian. This view was held by Renan and by most German scholars, also by Elliott. The purpose of the Book of Revelation was to bring comfort to the persecuted church and was written in symbols that the Christians of that period would understand.
Now let me say that it was for the comfort of God’s people, and it has been that for all ages, but to hold the preterist interpretation means that you might as well take the Book of Revelation out of the Bible, as it has no meaning at all for the present hour. This viewpoint has been answered and, I think, relegated to the limbo of lost things.
2. The historical interpretation is that the fulfillment of Revelation is going on continuously in the history of the church, from John’s day to the present time. Well, I believe that there is a certain amount of truth in this as far as the seven churches are concerned, as we shall see, but beyond that, it is obvious that the Book of Revelation is prophetic.
3. The historical-spiritualist interpretation is a refinement of the historical theory and was advanced first by Sir William Ramsay. This theory states that the two beasts are imperial and provincial Rome and that the point of the book is to encourage Christians. According to this theory, Revelation has been largely fulfilled and contains only spiritual lessons for the church today.
The system we know today as amillennialism has, for the most part, adopted this view. It dissipates and defeats the purpose of the book. In the seminary of my denomination, I studied Revelation in both Greek and English from the standpoint of the amillennialist. It was amazing to see how the facts of the Revelation could be dissipated into thin air by just saying, “Well, these are symbols.” But they never were able to tell us exactly what they were symbols of. That was their problem. The fact of the matter is that some very unusual interpretations arise from this viewpoint. One interpreter sees Luther and the Reformation in a symbol that to another student pictures the invention of the printing press! In my opinion, interpretations of this type have hurt and defeated the purpose of the Book of Revelation.
4. The futurist interpretation is the view which is held by all premillennialists and is the one which I accept and present to you. It sees the Book of Revelation as primarily prophetic. Most premillennialists follow a certain form of interpretation that conforms to the Book of Revelation. (We will see this in the outline of the book.) It begins with the revelation of the glorified Christ. Then the church is brought before us, and the whole history of the church is given. Then, at the end of chapter 3, the church goes to heaven and we see it, not as the church anymore, but as the bride which will come to the earth with Christ when He comes to establish His kingdom—that thousand-year reign that John will tell us about. It will be a time of testing, for at the end of that period Satan will be released for a brief season. Then the final rebellion is put down and eternity begins. This is the viewpoint of Revelation which is generally accepted.
In our day there are many critics of this interpretation who not only attempt to discount it but say rather harsh things about it. One recent book of criticism, written by a layman, quotes me as being unable to answer his argument. Well, the fact of the matter is that he called me at home one morning as I was getting ready to go to my office. I wasn’t well at the time, and I didn’t want to get involved in an argument with a man who obviously was very fanatical in his position. In his book he makes the statement that I was unable to answer his question. If he misquotes the other Bible expositors as he misquotes me, I would have no confidence in his book whatsoever.
In his book he maintains that the premillennial futurist viewpoint is something that is brand new. I’ll admit that it has been fully developed, as have all these other interpretations, during the past few years. When I was a young man and a new Christian, I was introduced to the theory known as postmillennialism. The postmillennialists believed that the world would get better and better, that the church would convert the whole world, and then Christ would come and reign. Well, that viewpoint is almost dead today. After two world wars, a worldwide depression, and the crises through which the world is passing, there are very few who still hold that viewpoint. By the time I enrolled in the seminary of my denomination, every professor was an amillennialist, that is, they didn’t believe in a millennium. It was to that view that most of the postmillennialists ran for cover. There was one professor in the seminary who was still a postmillennialist. He was very old and hard of hearing. In fact, when they told him that the war was over, he thought they meant the Civil War. He was really a back number, and he was still a postmillennialist.
At the risk of being a little tedious, I am going to give you the viewpoints of many men in the past to demonstrate that they were looking for Christ to return. They were not looking for the Great Tribulation, they were not even looking for the Millennium, but they were looking for Him to come. This expectation is the very heart of the premillennial viewpoint as we hold it today.
Barnabas, who was a co-worker with the apostle Paul, has been quoted as saying, “The true Sabbath is the one thousand years … when Christ comes back to reign.”
Clement (a.d. 96), Bishop of Rome, said, “Let us every hour expect the kingdom of God … we know not the day.”
Polycarp (a.d. 108), Bishop of Smyrna and finally burned at the stake there, said, “He will raise us from the dead … we shall … reign with Him.”
Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who the historian Eusebius says was the apostle Peter’s successor, commented, “Consider the times and expect Him.”
Papias (a.d. 116), Bishop of Hierapolis, who—according to Irenaeus—saw and heard the apostle John, said, “There will be one thousand years … when the reign of Christ personally will be established on earth.”
Justin Martyr (a.d. 150) said, “I and all others who are orthodox Christians, on all points, know there will be a thousand years in Jerusalem … as Isaiah and Ezekiel declared.”
Irenaeus (a.d. 175), Bishop of Lyons, commenting on Jesus’ promise to drink again of the fruit of the vine in His Father’s kingdom, argues: “That this … can only be fulfilled upon our Lord’s personal return to earth.”
Tertullian (a.d. 200) said, “We do indeed confess that a kingdom is promised on earth.”
Martin Luther said, “Let us not think that the coming of Christ is far off.”
John Calvin, in his third book of Institutes, wrote: “Scripture uniformly enjoins us to look with expectation for the advent of Christ.”
Canon A. R. Fausset said this: “The early Christian fathers, Clement, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus, looked for the Lord’s speedy return as the necessary precursor of the millennial kingdom. Not until the professing Church lost her first love, and became the harlot resting on the world power, did she cease to be the Bride going forth to meet the Bridegroom, and seek to reign already on earth without waiting for His Advent.”
Dr. Elliott wrote: “All primitive expositors, except Origen and the few who rejected Revelation, were premillennial.”
Gussler’s work on church history says of this blessed hope that “it was so distinctly and prominently mentioned that we do not hesitate in regarding it as the general belief of that age.”
Chillingworth declared: “It was the doctrine believed and taught by the most eminent fathers of the age next to the apostles and by none of that age condemned.”
Dr. Adolf von Harnack wrote: “The earlier fathers—Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, etc.—believed it because it was part of the tradition of the early church. It is the same all through the third and fourth centuries with those Latin theologians who escaped the influence of Greek speculation.”
My friend, I have quoted these many men of the past as proof of the fact that from the days of the apostles and through the church of the first centuries the interpretation of the Scriptures was premillennial. When someone makes the statement that premillennialism is something that originated one hundred years ago with an old witch in England, he doesn’t know what he is talking about. It is interesting to note that premillennialism was the belief of these very outstanding men of the early church.
There are six striking and singular features about the Book of Revelation.
1. It is the only prophetic book in the New Testament. There are seventeen prophetic books in the Old Testament and only this one in the New Testament.
2. John, the writer, reaches farther back into eternity past than does any other writer in Scripture. He does this in his gospel which opens with this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Then he moves up to the time of creation: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Then, when John writes the Book of Revelation, he reaches farther on into eternity future and the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
3. There is a special blessing which is promised to the readers of this book: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 1:3). It is a blessing promise. Also, there is a warning given at the end of the book issued to those who tamper with its contents: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18–19). That warning ought to make these wild and weird interpreters of prophecy stop, look, and listen. It is dangerous to say just anything relative to the Book of Revelation because people today realize that we have come to a great crisis in history. To say something that is entirely out of line is to mislead them. Unfortunately, the most popular prophetic teachers in our day are those who have gone out on a limb. This has raised a very serious problem, and later on we will have repercussions from it.
4. It is not a sealed book. Daniel was told to seal the book until the time of the end (see Dan. 12:9), but John is told: “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 22:10). To say that the Book of Revelation is a jumble and impossible to make heads or tails out of and cannot be understood is to contradict this. It is not a sealed book. In fact, it is probably the best organized book in the Bible.
5. It is a series of visions expressed in symbols which deal with reality. The literal interpretation is always preferred unless John makes it clear that it is otherwise.
6. It is like a great union station where the great trunk lines of prophecy have come in from other portions of Scripture. Revelation does not originate or begin anything. Rather it consummates and concludes that which has been begun somewhere else in Scripture. It is imperative to a right understanding of the book to be able to trace each great subject of prophecy from the first reference to the terminal. There are at least ten great subjects of prophecy which find their consummation here. This is the reason that a knowledge of the rest of the Bible is imperative to an understanding of the Book of Revelation. It is calculated that there are over five hundred references or allusions to the Old Testament in Revelation and that, of its 404 verses, 278 contain references to the Old Testament. In other words, over half of this book depends upon your understanding of the Old Testament.
Let’s look at the Book of Revelation as an airport with ten great airlines coming into it. We need to understand where each began and how it was developed as it comes into the Book of Revelation. The ten great subjects of prophecy which find their consummation here are these:
1. The Lord Jesus Christ. He is the subject of the book. The subject is not the beasts nor the bowls of wrath but the Sin-bearer. The first mention of Him is way back in Genesis 3:15, as the Seed of the woman.
2. The church does not begin in the Old Testament. It is first mentioned by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 16:18: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
3. The resurrection and the translation of the saints (see John 14; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; 1 Cor. 15:51–52).
4. The Great Tribulation, spoken of back in Deuteronomy 4 where God says that His people would be in tribulation.
5. Satan and evil (see Ezek. 28:11–18).
6. The “man of sin” (see Ezek. 28:1–10).
7. The course and end of apostate Christendom (see Dan. 2:31–45; Matt. 13).
8. The beginning, course, and end of the “times of the Gentiles” (see Dan. 2:37–45; Luke 21:24). The Lord Jesus said that Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles until the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
9. The second coming of Christ. According to Jude 14–15, Enoch spoke of that, which takes us back to the time of the Genesis record.
10. Israel’s covenants, beginning with the covenant which God made with Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3. God promised Israel five things, and God says in Revelation that He will fulfill them all.
Now I want to make a positive statement: The Book of Revelation is not a difficult book. The liberal theologian has tried to make it a difficult book, and the amillennialist considers it a symbolic and hard-to-understand book. Even some of our premillennialists are trying to demonstrate that it is weird and wild.
Actually, it is the most orderly book in the Bible. And there is no reason to misunderstand it. This is what I mean: It divides itself. John puts down the instructions given to him by Christ: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” (Rev. 1:19)—past, present, and future. Then we will find that the book further divides itself in series of sevens, and each division is as orderly as it possibly can be. You will find no other book in the Bible that divides itself like that.
To those who claim that it is all symbolic and beyond our understanding, I say that the Book of Revelation is to be taken literally. And when a symbol is used, it will be so stated. Also it will be symbolic of reality, and the reality will be more real than the symbol for the simple reason that John uses symbols to describe reality. In our study of the book, that is an all-important principle to follow. Let’s allow the Revelation to say what it wants to say.
Therefore, we have no right to reach into the book and draw out of it some of the wonderful pictures that John describes for us and interpret them as taking place in our day. Some of them are symbolic, symbolic of reality, but not of a reality which is currently taking place.
The church is set before us in the figure of seven churches which were real churches in existence in John’s day. I have visited the ruins of all seven of them and have spent many hours there. In fact, I have visited some of them on four occasions, and I would love to go back tomorrow. To examine the ruins and study the locality is a very wonderful experience. It has made these churches live for me, and I can see how John was speaking into local situations but also giving the history of the church as a whole.
Then after chapter 3, the church is not mentioned anymore. The church is not the subject again in the entire Book of the Revelation. You may ask, “Do you mean that the church goes out of business?” Well, it leaves the earth and goes to heaven, and there it appears as the bride of Christ. When we see her in the last part of Revelation, she is not the church but the bride.
Then beginning with chapter 4, everything is definitely in the future from our vantage point at the present time. So when anyone reaches in and pulls out a revelation—some vision about famine or wars or anything of that sort—it just does not fit into the picture of our day. We need to let John tell it like it is. In fact, we need to let the whole Bible speak to us like that—just let it say what it wants to say. The idea of making wild and weird interpretations is one of the reasons I enter this book with a feeling of fear.
It is interesting to note that the subject of prophecy is being developed in our day. The great doctrines of the church have been developed in certain historical periods. At first, it was the doctrine of the Scripture being the Word of God. This was followed by the doctrine of the person of Christ, known as Christology. Then the doctrine of soteriology, or salvation, was developed. And so it has been down through the years. Now you and I are living in a day when prophecy is really being developed, and we need to exercise care as to what and to whom we listen.
When the Pilgrims sailed for America, their pastor at Leyden reminded them, “The Lord has more truth yet to break forth from His Holy Word…. Luther and Calvin were great shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not the whole counsel of God…. Be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to you from the written word of God.” That, my friend, is very good advice because God is not revealing His truth by giving you a vision or a dream or a new religion. Therefore, we need to be very sure that all new truth comes from a correct interpretation of the Word of God.
As I have indicated, the twentieth century has witnessed a renewed interest in eschatology (the doctrine of last things) which we call prophecy. Especially since World War I, great strides have been made in this field. New light has fallen upon this phase of Scripture. All of this attention has focused the light of deeper study on the Book of Revelation.
In the notes which I have made on this book, I have attempted to avoid the pitfall of presenting something new and novel just for the sake of being different. Likewise, I have steered clear of repeating threadbare clichés. Many works on Revelation are merely carbon copies of other works. In my own library I have more commentaries on the Revelation than on any other book of the Bible, and most of them are almost copies of those that have preceded them.
Another danger we need to avoid is that of thinking that the Book of Revelation can be put on a chart. Although I myself have a chart and have used it in teaching, I will not be using it in this study. The reason is that if it includes all it should, it is so complicated that nobody will understand it. On the other hand, if it is so brief that it can be understood, it doesn’t give enough information. I have several charts sent to me by different men in whom I have great confidence. One of them is so complicated that I need a chart to understand his chart! So, although I won’t be using a chart, I will use the brief sketch below to attempt to simplify the different stages of the Revelation and also give the overall picture. As you can see, it begins with the cross of Christ and His ascension. In chapter 1, we see the glorified Christ. In chapters 2–3 we see the church. In chapters 4–5 we see that the church is in heaven. Then on earth the Great Tribulation takes place, chapters 6–18. In chapter 19 we see that Christ returns to the earth and establishes His kingdom, and chapter 20 gives us the thousand-year reign of Christ. Then the Great White Throne is set up, the place where the lost are judged, and in chapters 21–22 eternity begins. That is the Book of Revelation.
Stauffer has made an important observation:
Domitian was also the first emperor to wage a proper campaign against Christ, and the church answered the attack under the leadership of Christ’s last apostle, John of the Apocalypse. Nero had Paul and Peter destroyed, but he looked upon them as seditious Jews. Domitian was the first emperor to understand that behind the Christian movement there stood an enigmatic figure who threatened the glory of the emperors. He was the first to declare war on this figure, and the first also to lose the war—a foretaste of things to come.
The subject of this book is very important to see. To emphasize and reemphasize it, let me direct your attention to chapter 1, verse 1—“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass” (italics mine). Let’s keep in mind that this book is a revelation of Jesus Christ. In the Gospels you see Him in the days of His flesh, but they do not give the full revelation of Jesus Christ. There you see Him in humiliation. Here in Revelation you see Him in glory. You see Him in charge of everything that takes place. He is in full command. This is the unveiling of Jesus Christ.
Snell has put it so well that I would like to quote him:
In the Revelation the Lamb is the center around which all else is clustered, the foundation upon which everything lasting is built, the nail on which all hangs, the object to which all points, and the spring from which all blessing proceeds. The Lamb is the light, the glory, the life, the Lord of heaven and earth, from whose face all defilement must flee away, and in whose presence fullness of joy is known. Hence we cannot go far in the study of the Revelation without seeing the Lamb. Like direction posts along the road to remind us that He, who did by Himself purge our sins, is now highly exalted and that to Him every knee must bow and every tongue confess.
To that grand statement I say hallelujah! For the Lamb is going to reign upon this earth. That is God’s intention, and that is God’s purpose.
As I have said, the Book of Revelation is not really a difficult book. It divides itself very easily. This is one book that doesn’t require our labor in making divisions in it. John does it all for us according to the instructions given to him. In verse 18 of the first chapter the Lord Jesus speaks as the glorified Christ: “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Notice the four grand statements He makes concerning Himself. “I am alive. I was dead. I am alive for evermore. And I have the keys of hell [the grave] and of death.” Then He tells John to write, and He gives him his outline in chapter 1, verse 19: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” My friend, this is a wonderful, grand division that He is giving. In fact, there is nothing quite like it.
He first says, “I am he that liveth.” And He instructs John, “Write the things which thou hast seen.” That is past tense, referring to the vision of the Son of Man in heaven, the glorified Christ in chapter 1.
Then He says, “I was dead, and, behold, I am alive.” And His instruction is, “Write the things which are.” This is present tense, referring to Christ’s present ministry. We are going to see that the living Christ is very busy doing things today. Do you realize that He is the Head of the church? Do you know the reason the contemporary church is in such a mess? The reason is that the church is like a body that has been decapitated. It is no longer in touch with the Head of the church. We will see Christ’s ministry to the church in chapters 2–3.
Thirdly, Christ said, “I have the keys of hell and of death.” And when we get to chapter 5, we will see that no one could be found to open the book but one—the Lord Jesus Christ. So chapters 4–22 deal with the future, and Christ said to John, “Write the things that you are about to see after these things.” It is very important to see that “after these things!” is the Greek meta tauta. After what things? After the church things. So in chapters 4–22 he is dealing with things that are going to take place after the church leaves the earth. The fallacy of the hour is reaching into this third section and trying to pull those events up to the present. This gives rise to the wild and weird interpretations we hear in our day. Why don’t we follow what John tells us? He gives us the past, present, and future of the Book of Revelation. He will let us know when he gets to the meta tauta, the “after these things.” You can’t miss it—unless you follow a system of interpretation that doesn’t fit into the Book of Revelation.
As you will see by the outline that follows, I have used the divisions which John has given to us:
I. The Person of Jesus Christ—Christ in glory, chapter 1.
II. The Possession of Jesus Christ—the church in the world is His, chapters 2–3.
III. The Program of Jesus Christ—as seen in heaven, chapters 4–22.
The last section deals with the consummation of all things on this earth. This is what makes Revelation such a glorious and wonderful book.
In the first division of the Book of Revelation we will see the person of Christ in His position and glory as the Great High Priest who is in charge of His church. We will see that He is in absolute control. In the Gospels we find Him to be meek, lowly, and humble. He made Himself subject to His enemies on earth and died upon a cross! We find a completely different picture of Him in the Book of the Revelation. Here He is in absolute control. Although He is still the Lamb of God, it is His wrath that is revealed, the wrath of the Lamb, and it terrifies the earth. When He speaks in wrath, His judgment begins upon the earth.
The person of Jesus Christ is the theme of this book. When the scene moves to heaven, we see Him there, too, controlling everything. Not only in Revelation but in the entire Bible Jesus Christ is the major theme. The Scriptures are both theocentric and Christocentric, God-centered and Christ-centered. Since Christ is God, He is the One who fills the horizon of the total Word of God. This needs to be kept in mind in a special way as we study the Book of Revelation—even more than in the Gospels. The Bible as a whole tells us what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. The Book of Revelation emphasizes both what He is doing and what He will do.
The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, closes with the mention of the Sun of Righteousness which is yet to rise. It holds out a hope for a cursed earth, and that hope is the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Book of Revelation closes with the Bright and Morning Star, which is a figure of Christ at His coming to take the church out of the world. The Rapture is the hope of the New Testament, just as the revelation of Christ was the hope of the Old Testament. And the Book of Revelation will complete the revelation of Christ.
Notice also that there is a tie between Genesis and Revelation, the first and last books of the Bible. Genesis presents the beginning, and Revelation presents the end. Note the contrasts between the two books:
In Genesis the earth was created; in Revelation the earth passes away.
In Genesis was Satan’s first rebellion; in Revelation is Satan’s last rebellion.
In Genesis the sun, moon, and stars were for earth’s government; in Revelation these same heavenly bodies are for earth’s judgment. In Genesis the sun was to govern the day; in Revelation there is no need of the sun.
In Genesis darkness was called night; in Revelation there is “no night there” (see Rev. 21:25; 22:5).
In Genesis the waters were called seas; in Revelation there is no more sea.
In Genesis was the entrance of sin; in Revelation is the exodus of sin.
In Genesis the curse was pronounced; in Revelation the curse is removed.
In Genesis death entered; in Revelation there is no more death.
In Genesis was the beginning of sorrow and suffering; in Revelation there will be no more sorrow and no more tears.
In Genesis was the marriage of the first Adam; in Revelation is the marriage of the Last Adam.
In Genesis we saw man’s city, Babylon, being built; in Revelation we see man’s city, Babylon, destroyed and God’s city, the New Jerusalem, brought into view.
In Genesis Satan’s doom was pronounced; in Revelation Satan’s doom is executed.
It is interesting that Genesis opens the Bible not only with a global view but with a universal view—“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). And the Bible closes with another global and universe book. The Revelation shows what God is going to do with His universe and with His creatures. There is no other book quite like this.
OUTLINE
I. The Person of Jesus Christ—Christ in Glory, Chapter 1
A. Title of the Book, Chapter 1:1
B. Method of Revelation, Chapter 1:2
C. Beatitude of Bible Study, Chapter 1:3
D. Greetings from John the Writer and from Jesus Christ in Heaven, Chapter 1:4–8
E. The Post-Incarnate Christ in a Glorified Body, Judging His Church (the Great High Priest in the Holy of Holies), Chapter 1:9–18 “we know him no longer after the flesh”
F. Time Division of the Contents of Apocalypse, Chapter 1:19
G. Interpretation of the Seven Stars and Seven Lampstands, Chapter 1:20
II. The Possession of Jesus Christ—The Church in the World, Chapters 2–3
A. Letter of Christ to the Church in Ephesus, Chapter 2:1–7
B. Letter of Christ to the Church in Smyrna, Chapter 2:8–11
C. Letter of Christ to the Church in Pergamum, Chapter 2:12–17
D. Letter of Christ to the Church in Thyatira, Chapter 2:18–29
E. Letter of Christ to the Church in Sardis, Chapter 3:1–6
F. Letter of Christ to the Church in Philadelphia, Chapter 3:7–13
G. Letter of Christ to the Church in Laodicea, Chapter 3:14–22
III. The Program of Jesus Christ—The Scene in Heaven, Chapters 4–22
A. The Church in Heaven with Christ, Chapters 4–5 “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also”
1. Throne of God, Chapter 4:1–3
2. Twenty-four Elders, Chapter 4:4–5
3. Four Living Creatures, Chapter 4:6–11
4. Book with Seven Seals, Chapter 5:1–4
5. Christ: the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Lamb Which Has Been Slain, Chapter 5:5–10
6. Myriads of Angels of Heaven Join the Song of Praise and Redemption, Chapter 5:11–12
7. Universal Worship of the Savior and Sovereign of the Universe, Chapter 5:13–14
B. The Great Tribulation in the World, Chapters 6–18
1. Opening of the Seven-Sealed Book, Chapters 6–8:1
a. Opening of the First Seal, Chapter 6:1–2 (Rider on a White Horse)
b. Opening of the Second Seal, Chapter 6:3–4 (Rider on a Red Horse)
c. Opening of the Third Seal, Chapter 6:5–6 (Rider on a Black Horse)
d. Opening of the Fourth Seal, Chapter 6:7–8 (Rider on a Pale Horse)
e. Opening of the Fifth Seal, Chapter 6:9–11 (Prayer of the Martyred Remnant)
f. Opening of the Sixth Seal, Chapter 6:12–17 (The Day of Wrath Has Come—Beginning the Last Half of the Great Tribulation)
g. Interlude, Chapter 7
(1) Reason for the Interlude between the 6th and 7th Seals, Chapter 7:1–3
(2) Remnant of Israel Sealed, Chapter 7:4–8
(3) Redeemed Multitude of Gentiles, Chapter 7:9–17
h. Opening of the Seventh Seal—Introduction of Seven Trumpets, Chapter 8:1
2. Blowing of the Seven Trumpets, Chapters 8:2–11:19
a. Angel at the Altar with Censer of Incense, Chapter 8:2–6
b. First Trumpet—Trees Burnt, Chapter 8:7
c. Second Trumpet—Seas Become Blood, Chapter 8:8–9
d. Third Trumpet—Fresh Water Becomes Bitter, Chapter 8:10–11
e. Fourth Trumpet—Sun, Moon, Stars Smitten, Chapter 8:12–13
f. Fifth Trumpet—Fallen Star and Plague of Locusts, Chapter 9:1–12
g. Sixth Trumpet—Angels Loosed at River Euphrates, Chapter 9:13–21
h. Interlude between the Sixth and Seventh Trumpets, Chapters 10:1–11:14
(1) The Strong Angel with the Little Book, Chapter 10:1–7
(2) John Eats the Little Book, Chapter 10:8–11
(3) Date for the Ending of “The Times of the Gentiles,” Chapter 11:1–2
(4) Duration of the Prophesying of the Two Witnesses, Chapter 11:3–12
(5) Doom of the Second Woe—Great Earthquake, Chapter 11:13–14
i. Seventh Trumpet—End of Great Tribulation and Opening of Temple in Heaven, Chapter 11:15–19
3. Seven Performers During the Great Tribulation, Chapters 12–13
a. The Woman—Israel, Chapter 12:1–2
b. The Red Dragon—Satan, Chapter 12:3–4
c. The Child of the Woman—Jesus Christ, Chapter 12:5–6
d. Michael, the Archangel, Wars with the Dragon, Chapter 12:7–12
e. The Dragon Persecutes the Woman, Chapter 12:13–16
f. Remnant of Israel, Chapter 12:17
g. Wild Beast Out of the Sea—a Political Power and a Person, Chapter 13:1–10
(1) Wild Beast, Description, Chapter 13:1–2
(2) Wild Beast, Death-Dealing Stroke, Chapter 13:3
(3) Wild Beast, Deity Assumed, Chapter 13:4–5
(4) Wild Beast, Defying God, Chapter 13:6–8
(5) Wild Beast, Defiance Denied to Anyone, Chapter 13:9–10
h. Wild Beast Out of the Earth—a Religious Leader, Chapter 13:11–18
(1) Wild Beast, Description, Chapter 13:11
(2) Wild Beast, Delegated Authority, Chapter 13:12–14
(3) Wild Beast, Delusion Perpetrated on the World, Chapter 13:15–17
(4) Wild Beast, Designation, Chapter 13:18
4. Looking to the End of the Great Tribulation, Chapter 14
a. Picture of the Lamb with the 144,000, Chapter 14:1–5
b. Proclamation of the Everlasting Gospel, Chapter 14:6–7
c. Pronouncement of Judgment on Babylon, Chapter 14:8
d. Pronouncement of Judgment on Those Who Received the Mark of the Beast, Chapter 14:9–12
e. Praise for Those Who Die in the Lord, Chapter 14:13
f. Preview of Armageddon, Chapter 14:14–20
5. Pouring Out of the Seven Mixing Bowls of Wrath, Chapters 15–16
a. Preparation for Final Judgment of the Great Tribulation, Chapters 15:1–16:1
(1) Tribulation Saints in Heaven Worship God Because He Is Holy and Just Chapter 15:1–4
(2) Temple of the Tabernacle Opened in Heaven that Seven Angels, Having Seven Golden Bowls, Might Proceed Forth, Chapters 15:5–16:1
b. Pouring Out of the First Bowl, Chapter 16:2
c. Pouring Out of the Second Bowl, Chapter 16:3
d. Pouring Out of the Third Bowl, Chapter 16:4–7
e. Pouring Out of the Fourth Bowl, Chapter 16:8–9
f. Pouring Out of the Fifth Bowl, Chapter 16:10–11
g. Pouring Out of the Sixth Bowl, Chapter 16:12
h. Interlude Kings of Inhabited Earth Proceed to Har-Mageddon, Chapter 16:13–16
i. Pouring Out of the Seventh Bowl, Chapter 16:17–21
6. The Two Babylons Judged, Chapters 17–18
a. The Apostate Church in the Great Tribulation, Chapter 17
(1) Great Harlot Riding the Wild Beast, Chapter 17:1–7
(2) Wild Beast Destroys the Great Harlot, Chapter 17:8–18
b. Political and Commercial Babylon Judged, Chapter 18
(1) Announcement of Fall of Commercial and Political Babylon, Chapter 18:1–8
(2) Anguish in the World Because of Judgment on Babylon, Chapter 18:9–19
(3) Anticipation of Joy in Heaven Because of Judgment on Babylon, Chapter 18:20–24
C. Marriage of the Lamb and Return of Christ in Judgment, Chapter 19
1. Four Hallelujahs, Chapter 19:1–6
2. Bride of the Lamb and Marriage Supper, Chapter 19:7–10
3. Return of Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Chapter 19:11–16
4. Battle of Armageddon, Chapter 19:17–18
5. Hell Opened, Chapter 19:19–21
D. Millennium, Chapter 20
1. Satan Bound 1000 Years, Chapter 20:1–3
2. Saints of the Great Tribulation Reign with Christ 1000 Year, Chapter 20:4–6
3. Satan Loosed After 1000 Years, Chapter 20:7–9
4. Satan Cast into Lake of Fire and Brimstone, Chapter 20:10
5. Setting of Great White Throne Where Lost Are Judged and Follow Satan into Lake of Fire and Brimstone, Chapter 20:11–15
E. Entrance Into Eternity; Eternity Unveiled, Chapters 21–22
1. New Heaven, New Earth, New Jerusalem, Chapter 21:1–2
2. New Era, Chapter 21:3–8
3. New Jerusalem, Description of the Eternal Abode of the Bride, Chapter 21:9–21
4. New Relationship—God Dwelling with Man, Chapter 21:22–23
5. New Center of the New Creation, Chapter 21:24–27
6. River of Water of Life and Tree of Life, Chapter 22:1–5
7. Promise of Return of Christ, Chapter 22:6–16
8. Final Invitation and Warning, Chapter 22:17–19
9. Final Promise and Prayer, Chapter 22:20–21
CHAPTER 1
Theme: The Person of Jesus Christ
In the first division of this book we see the person of Christ. We see Christ in His glory and position as the Great High Priest who is in charge of His church. We see Him in absolute control. In the Gospels we find Him meek, lowly, humble, and dying upon a cross. He made Himself subject to His enemies on earth. He is not like that in the Book of Revelation. He is in control. He is still the Lamb of God, but we see the wrath of the Lamb that terrifies the earth.
The major theme of the entire Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are both theocentric and Christocentric. Since Christ is God, He is the One who fills the horizon of the total Word of God. This needs to be kept in mind in the Book of Revelation more than in any other book of the Bible, even more than in the Gospels. The Bible tells what He has done, is doing, and will do. Revelation emphasizes what He is doing and what He will do. We need to keep that in mind.
THE TITLE OF THE BOOK
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John [Rev. 1:1].
In my book Reveling Through Revelation I have included my own literal translation of each verse of the Book of Revelation, and in this book I will use some of it also. I don’t use it because it is better. For many years I have called my translation the McGee-icus Ad Absurdum translation. I would not defend it if anyone made an attack upon it. It is merely an attempt to lift out of the Greek what John is actually saying and to try to couch it in language that may be a little more literal and understandable to us in our day. It will appear in italicized type after the King James version:
The unveiling of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show unto His bond servants things which must shortly come to pass completely, and He sent and signified it (gave a sign) by His angel (messenger) to His servant John.
First of all, please note that the title of this book is Revelation—singular, not plural. A retired preacher came to me when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles to make an attack upon my interpretation of the Book of Revelation. He said, “You just don’t know anything about Revelations,” using the plural. I replied, “Brother, you are absolutely accurate in that I know nothing about the Book of Revelations. I have never even seen that book.” He was astounded and later embarrassed by his own ignorance when he realized that the Book of Revelation is the Revelation. It is the apokalupsis, that is, “the uncovering, unveiling, or revelation” of Jesus Christ.
“To shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.” In the last chapter of Revelation, John is instructed, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 22:10). It is not a sealed book; it is open and to be understood in our day. This is in contrast to the prophecy in the Book of Daniel which Daniel was instructed to seal. Our Lord Jesus gave what are known as the “mystery” parables. Very frankly, to the majority of the church today they are still a mystery. But our Lord put it like this: “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them” (Mark 4:11–12). You see, my friend, in the Gospels we have only the half-story. We need the Book of Revelation because it is the consummation of it. Of course, it can be understood only if the Spirit of God is our teacher. But the Book of Revelation takes off the veil so we can see Christ in His unveiled beauty and power and glory. This book is the opposite of a secret or a mystery. It is a disclosure of secrets, and it is called prophecy in the next verse, as we shall see.
When a so-called Christian says that he does not understand the Book of Revelation, it makes me wonder, because this book was given to us in order that we might understand these mysteries of the kingdom of God.
“To show” means by word pictures, by symbols, by direct and indirect representations.
“And he sent and signified it.” That is, he used symbols. And keep in mind that the symbols are symbolic of reality. Peter gave us a great rule for the interpretation of prophecy in 2 Peter 1:20: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” You don’t interpret a single text by itself; you interpret it in the light of the entire Word of God. Ottman said, “The figurative language of Revelation is figurative of facts.”
“To shew … things” assures us that what John tells us is not ethereal and ephemeraldream stuff. There is a hard core of real facts in this book. What are “things”? One night Mrs. McGee and I took care of our little grandson. We let him play in the den where we keep a bunch of toys for him to play with when he stays with us. He went into the den and got out all of those things. In fact, he calls them his things. He spread them all over the floor of the den. We indulge the little fellow, and we didn’t make him pick up all of his toys after he was through playing. We didn’t pick them up either. So later that night, when I walked through the den, I stepped on some of his things. In fact, I stumbled over them and took a tumble. You can say that “things” are symbols, but you don’t take a tumble over symbols. And in the Book of Revelation, the “things” are made out of hard stuff. These “things” are reality. Any time John uses a symbol, he will make it clear to us that he is using a symbol. And we can be sure that he is using a symbol because the reality is far greater than the symbol. In fact, the symbol is a poor representation of the reality.
“Must”—He says that they must shortly come to pass. The word must has in it an urgent necessity and an absolute certainty.
“Shortly” has a connotation that is very important for us to note. The word occurs quite a few times in the Scriptures. For instance, we have it in Luke 18:8 where our Lord says, “I tell you that he will avenge them [His elect] speedily….” The word speedily is the same word as shortly. It means that when the vengeance begins, it will take place in a hurry. There will be no waiting around for it. That implies that the Lord is not coming soon, but that when He does return, the things He is talking about will happen shortly and with great speed. His vengeance will take place in a brief period of time.
John tells us that it is the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him. Notice the steps of revelation: It originated with God, it was given to Jesus Christ, He gave it to His angel, His angel gave it to John, and from John it goes to His servants that they might know what is coming to pass. And that is the way it has come to you and me today.
The Steps of Revelation
By the way, this raises a question that I sometimes hear. Someone says, “Well, preacher, you painted yourself into a corner, because you said that angels are not connected with the church age.” Yes, and I still say that. The angel mentioned here is a heavenly messenger, but notice that John is writing primarily about future things; that is, what Jesus is going to do in the future. And beginning with chapter 4, everything is future and will take place after the church has left the earth. Therefore, we see angels coming back into prominence. This is true to the way the book moves.
THE METHOD OF REVELATION
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw [Rev. 1:2].
Who bore witness of the Word of God, and of the testimony (witness) of Jesus Christ, even as many things as he saw.
“Who bare record” or, as I have translated it, “who bore witness” is in the Greek an epistolary aorist. It means that John projects himself up to where his readers are, where you and I are in this day, and he looks back at what he is writing.
“Of the word of God.” The “word of God” refers, I believe, to both Christ and the contents of this book. He is the living Word, and when the written Word reveals Him to us, He is the living Word, you may be sure of that.
“And of the testimony [witness] of Jesus Christ.” I prefer the word witness rather than testimony. It occurs ninety times in the writings of John—fifty times in his gospel record.
“And of all things that he saw.” He was an eyewitness of the visions. What John saw, he made pictures of, and the Book of Revelation is television, friend. It was the first television program ever presented, and it is one you would do well to watch. It came from heaven from God the Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and it was given to an angel who gave it to John, who wrote about what he saw. Not only did John hear, he also saw, and these are the two avenues through which we get most of our information. I sometimes wonder if John didn’t smell things just a little bit, too, because there are parts of this book where you catch the odor also.
THE BEATITUDE OF BIBLE STUDY
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand [Rev. 1:3].
This verse gives us the beatitude of Bible study. This is the first of seven beatitudes found in the Book of Revelation. This verse says, “Blessed is he that readeth,” and that means the reader, or in the church, the teacher. Both those who read this book and those who hear it will be blessed. And both the reader and the hearer are to keep those things which are written in the book. The threefold blessing comes from reading, hearing, and keeping. I believe those who go through the Book of Revelation will receive a special blessing. I really believe it because that is what John says.
“For the time is at hand” does not mean that the things which are mentioned at the end of the book are happening in our day, but it does mean that the beginning of the church on the Day of Pentecost began this movement of the Lord Jesus’ ministry in heaven. We are going to see a vision of Him in this chapter, a vision of the glorified Christ. Then we will see what His ministry is, and that will move us right on into the future.
GREETINGS FROM JOHN, THE WRITER, AND FROM CHRIST IN HEAVEN
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne [Rev. 1:4].
This is a very wonderful greeting! “John to the seven churches which are in Asia.” “Asia” encompassed a great deal of what we generally call Asia Minor or modern Turkey. Notice that John connects no title with his name. I have a notion that John was well known in these seven churches. We know that he had been pastor of the church at Ephesus, and apparently he had oversight of all the churches in that area.
Before we go further, let me call your attention to the number seven. In this verse there is the mention of seven churches and seven Spirits. The number seven has a religious meaning in the Word of God, which was apparent to the people in John’s day but is totally foreign to us in our day. The gambling sector of our society is very conscious of numbers, as are folk who are superstitious, but we are not accustomed to attaching any religious significance to numbers. However, in the Word of God the number seven is prominent. It does not denote perfection, but it does denote completeness. Sometimes completeness is perfection, but not always.
Seven speaks of that which is complete and that which is representative. In a particular way, seven has to do with God’s covenant and dealings with Israel. For instance, the Sabbath, circumcision, and worship are all hinged around the seventh day. As you go through the Word of God, you notice that Jericho was compassed about seven times, Naaman was instructed to dip in the Jordan River seven times, there were seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in Joseph’s time in Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar was insane for seven years, there are seven beatitudes in the New Testament, there are seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer, there are seven parables in Matthew 13, seven loaves fed the multitude, Jesus spoke seven times from the cross, and in the Book of Revelation the number seven cannot be ignored or considered accidental. Seven is the key number of this book.
Here in the fourth verse, John writes to the “seven churches.” Weren’t there other churches in Asia? We know there were churches at Colosse, Miletus, Hierapolis, Troas, and at many other places. I have stayed at Hierapolis. It is still a place, and it is about ten miles from Laodicea, which is now in ruins. There are three motels at Laodicea and a store or two. The ruins of Hierapolis are absolutely magnificent and quite significant, because they reveal what a tremendous place it was at one time. In contrast, the ruins of Laodicea are, for the most part, under a wild oat field. They have not been excavated. John was directed to write to seven churches, and Hierapolis was not one of the seven, although it was an important center of Christian influence and the ruins of four early Christian churches have been found there. John was directed to write to only seven certain churches because he was giving the complete history of the church and they were representative churches, as we shall see.
“Asia” refers to the provinces which include Lydia, Mysia, Caria, and parts of Phrygia. It does not mean the continent of Asia nor does it include all of Asia Minor (Asia Minor is a term which was not used until the fourth century a.d.), but it covers a great area of Asia Minor, especially along the coast.
“Grace be unto you, and peace.” The word grace is charis, the Greek form of greeting, and peace is shalom, the Hebrew form of greeting. Peace flows from grace, and grace is the source of all our blessings today. The Book of Revelation reveals the grace of God and also peace. We don’t need to be frightened as we study this book; we can have the peace of God in our hearts.
It is “from him … and from the seven Spirits,” which brings the Trinity before us. The “seven Spirits” refer to the Holy Spirit and probably have reference to the seven branches of the lampstand, as we shall see later on.
“Which is, and which was, and which is to come” emphasizes the eternity and immutability of God. Notice now the mention of each member of the Trinity: “Jesus Christ” (in the next verse) refers to God the Son, the “seven Spirits” refer to the Holy Spirit, and “him which is, and which was, and which is to come” refers to God the Father.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen [Rev. 1:5–6].
In these two verses we have the titles which are given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the interesting thing is that there are seven titles:
1. “Faithful witness”—Jesus Christ is the only trustworthy witness to the facts of this book. The facts are about Him. He testifies of Himself. It is difficult to believe other people, but we can believe the Lord Jesus.
2. “First begotten of the dead” is firstborn from the dead. Firstborn is the Greek prototokos, which has to do with resurrection. He is the first to rise from the dead, never to die again. This is a marvelous picture! Death was a womb which bore Him. He came out of death into life. The tomb was a womb, as far as He was concerned. He is the only One back from the dead in a glorified body. No one else has come that route yet, but His own are going to follow Him in resurrection, and the Rapture will be next (see 1 Thess. 4:14). Then will come the revelation when He will come to the earth.
3. “The prince [ruler] of the kings of the earth” speaks of His ultimate position during the Millennium. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9–11).
4. “Unto him that loved us” is actually in the present tense and emphasizes His constant attitude toward His own. The Book of Revelation should not frighten us too much because of the fact that it is from the One who loves us. Jesus Christ didn’t love us only when He died on the cross, although He loved us at that time, but He also loves us today. Right at this very minute, Jesus loves you.
5. “Washed [loosed] us from our sins in his own blood.” The blood of Christ is very important. It is not just a symbol. In the Old Testament, God taught His people that the “… life of the flesh is in the blood …” (Lev. 17:11). In this verse God goes on to say, “I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls ….” When Christ shed His blood, I think every drop came out of His body. He gave that for you and for me. He gave His life, if you please. He died, and I am not inclined to belittle the blood of Christ as some men are doing today. I still like the song with these words:
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
“There Is a Fountain” —William Cowper
Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). Because of that shed blood, Paul could write to the young preacher Timothy, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). He loosed us from our sins in His own blood. What a wonderful, glorious thing!
6. “And hath made us kings and priests [a kingdom of priests] unto God and his Father”—believers are never called kings. They are a kingdom of priests and are going to rule with the Lord Jesus. Quite frankly, I don’t get wrought up over the popular song, “The King Is Coming.” The King is coming, all right, but when He comes as King, He will come to the earth, and at that time He is going to put down all unrighteousness. But before He comes to earth as King, He will come in the air, an event we call the Rapture. At that time He will come as my Savior. He comes as the Bridegroom for His bride, the church, whom He loves and gave Himself for. He comes as the lover of my soul. For this reason I am not thrilled with “The King Is Coming.” My relationship to Him is much closer. He is my Lord. He has not made us “kings and priests,” He has made us a kingdom of priests, and we are going to reign with Him.
It is interesting to note that it reads, “unto God and his Father.” Why doesn’t it read, “unto God and our Father”? Because He is the Father of Jesus in a sense that He is not our Father. You see, we become sons of God through regeneration, being born from above, by accepting Him as Savior. But Christ’s eternal position in the Trinity is that of the Son.
7. “To Him the glory and the dominion unto the ages of the ages!” (my own translation). This is emphasizing eternity. “Amen.” Christ is the amen, as we saw in Isaiah. That is a title for Him. Jesus Christ is both the subject and the object of this book. He is the mover of all events, and all events move toward Him. He is the far-off eternal purpose in everything. All things were not only made by Him, but all things were made for Him. This universe exists for Him.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen [Rev. 1:7].
“Behold, he cometh with clouds” denotes the personal and physical coming of Christ.
“And every eye shall see him” reveals that His coming will be a physical and bodily appearance, an appeal to the eye-gate. As far as we know, when Christ takes the church out of the world at the Rapture, He doesn’t appear to everyone. I don’t believe in a secret rapture as some folk have attempted to describe it, but at the time of the Rapture He does not come to the earth. Believers are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. If Christ will be coming to the earth at that time, there is no point in being caught up in the air. Therefore, this is not the Rapture which is being described in this verse. This is His return to the earth as King.
“Every eye shall see him.” The emphasis in the Book of Revelation is upon His coming to this earth to establish His kingdom.
“All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” Probably a better translation is this: “All the tribes of the earth shall beat their breasts because of him.” This is going to be the reaction of all Christ-rejectors. The world will not want to see Him.
“Even so, Amen” means “Yea, faithful.” He is going to do it, my friend. He is not going to change His mind about it. He is faithful.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty [Rev. 1:8].
“I am Alpha and Omega.” This is quite a remarkable statement in the Greek language. The alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. From an alphabet you make words, and Jesus Christ is called the “Word of God”—the full revelation and intelligent communication of God. He is the only alphabet you can use to reach God, my friend. The only language God speaks and understands is the language where Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega and all the letters in between. He is the “A” and the “Z,” and He is the “ABC.” If you are going to get through to God the Father, you will have to go through the Son, Jesus Christ. Here the emphasis is upon the beginning and the end. Here in the original Greek the Omega is not spelled out as is the Alpha. Why? Because Christ is the beginning, and the beginning is already completed. But the end is yet to be; so He didn’t spell out the Omega in this instance. One day He will complete God’s program. This is a very interesting detail in the Greek text.
“The beginning and the ending” refers to the eternity of the Son and His immutability. Concerning this, Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” When it says that He is the same, it does not mean that He is walking over yonder by the Sea of Galilee today. He is not. But it means that in His attributes He is the same. He has not changed. He is immutable. Since He is the beginning and the ending, He encompasses all time and eternity.
“Saith the Lord” is an affirmation of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Which is,” that is, at the present time, He is the glorified Christ.
“Which was”—past time, the first coming of Christ as Savior.
“Which is to come”—future time, the second coming of Christ as the Sovereign over this earth.
Verses 4–8 have comprised this very remarkable section of greetings from John, the writer, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that He says He loves us; so let’s not be afraid of anything that is to follow.
THE POST-INCARNATE CHRIST IN A GLORIFIED BODY JUDGING HIS CHURCH
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ [Rev. 1:9].
I, John, who am your brother, and partaker with you in the persecution (for Christ’s sake), and kingdom and patience in Jesus; I was (found myself) in the isle called Patmos because of [Gr.: dia, on account of] the Word of God and the witness of Jesus.
“I John”is used three times in this Book of Revelation—the other two are at the end of the book.
“Your brother, and companion in tribulation” does not refer to the Great Tribulation. John was in trouble. Domitian (a.d. 96), the Roman emperor, had put him in prison on the Isle of Patmos. John had been active in the church at Ephesus, and he had supervision over all the other churches, and he had been teaching the Word of God. You get into trouble when you teach all of the Word of God. John knew all about trouble, and so did the early church. So if it comes to you and me, it is nothing new at all.
Again let me say that John is not referring to the Great Tribulation but to the persecution that was already befalling believers. And “the kingdom” refers to the present state of the kingdom. By virtue of the new birth, which places a sinner in Christ, he is likewise in the kingdom of God. This is not the millennial kingdom—that has not been established yet. Christ will institute it at His coming.
Someone has said that we are living today in the kingdom and patience—patience is where the emphasis is.
John explains the reason he was on the Isle of Patmos. He was exiled there from about a.d. 86 to 96. It is a rugged, volcanic island off the coast of Asia Minor. It is about ten miles long and six miles wide.
“Jesus,” you will notice, is the name used by John in both his gospel and in the Apocalypse. When he wants to bring glory to Him, he calls Him Jesus, and then he lifts Him to the skies. I hope that we can do that, also.
Before we look at the next verses, let me remind you that John was given this great vision on the lonely Isle of Patmos. It is a vision of the post-incarnate Christ in His glorified body as He is judging His church. In other words, we shall see the Great High Priest in the holy of holies.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea [Rev. 1:10–11].
I was (found myself) in (the) Spirit in the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great sound, as of a (war) trumpet, saying, What you are seeing, write (promptly) into a book, and send (promptly) to the seven churches, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
My own translation is not a finished translation by any means, and I do not recommend it, but it is an attempt to get from the original Greek what is actually being said.
The Holy Spirit is here performing His office work. That is why I pray that the Spirit of God might take the things of Christ and show them unto us. That is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ said the Holy Spirit would do when He came. The Lord’s exact words were, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13–14).
We are beginning to get a vision of the glorified Christ. We are considering Him in His office as the Great High Priest today.
I fully recognize that in myself I am totally incompetent to try to explain these tremendous verses. Only the Spirit of God can make them real to us. However, Hebrews 3:1 tells us, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” So we are considering Him in His present office of Great High Priest.
“I was in the Spirit,” John says. The Holy Spirit was moving upon John and giving him a panoramic picture. This is cinerama. It is sight and sound. It is an appeal to both the eye-gate and the ear-gate.
“On the Lords day.” The meaning of this is controversial. Some outstanding Bible scholars interpret this as being a reference to the Day of the Lord. While I certainly respect them and their viewpoint, I cannot accept this view, although the great theme of Revelation will deal with the Day of the Lord, which is the Tribulation Period and the millennial kingdom. But John says that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and, in my judgment, the Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are two different things. We recognize that anti-fat and fat auntie are two different things and that a chestnut horse and a horse chestnut are two different things. And I would say that the Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are two different things also, and that the Lord’s Day refers to what we call Sunday.
“I … heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” Who was it? He will tell us—
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle [Rev. 1:12–13].
And I turned to see the voice which was speaking with me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands One like to a Son of Man, clothed with a garment, reaching to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle.
John heard a voice like a war trumpet, and it spoke to him. When the Lord Jesus descends from heaven to remove His church from the earth, He will come with a shout. First Thessalonians 4:16 tells us about it: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” His voice will be like the voice of an archangel, and His voice will be like a trumpet, because it is identified here as just that. But it will be Christ’s own voice. He is not going to need any archangel to help Him raise His own from the dead.
What a thrill it is to see this picture of the Lord Jesus Christ! It is a vision of One like the Son of Man. He is “clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breast with a golden girdle.” The seven golden lampstands remind us of the tabernacle. There it was one lampstand with seven branches. Here it is seven separate lampstands. Since these lampstands represent seven separate churches (v. 20), the difference is explained. The function of all is the same. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the light of the world, and when I leave, you are to be the light in the world” (see John 8:12).
We see the Lord Jesus Christ pictured here as our Great High Priest. His garments are those of the high priest—check Exodus 28:2–4. The garments represent the inherent righteousness of Christ. In Him is no sin, and He knew no sin.
Concerning the girdle, Josephus states that the priests were girded about the breasts. The ordinary custom was to be girded about the loins. But the emphasis here is not on service but on strength. It speaks of His judgment in truth.
We are asked to consider our Great High Priest as He stands in the midst of the churches. He is judging the churches; He is judging believers that the light might continue to shine. My friend, it is important to see what Christ’s present ministry is.
This is a subject about which I have wanted to write. I haven’t gotten around to it yet and may never write it, but I have a title for it: The Contemporary Christ. I hear so many foolish things that are being said about what Jesus is doing in our day. My friend, the Scripture does not leave us in the dark regarding what He is doing today. It mentions three very definite ministries.
First, there is the intercession of Christ. He is our Great High Priest. He is standing at the golden altar in heaven today, where He ever lives to make intercession for us (see Heb. 7:25). We love that part of His ministry. It is a wonderful thing.
Secondly, we have the intervention of Christ. He steps outside of the Holy Place to the laver. There He washes the feet of those who are His own. He washes those who have confessed their sins. Christians have sin, and those sins must be confessed in order to have fellowship with Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He is girded today with the towel, and He carries the basin; He intervenes on our behalf.
John also says in his first epistle: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” He has made every provision that we sin not. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t reached that state yet. And, frankly, I have never met anyone who has. But John says, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father …” (1 John 2:1). Christ is our advocate. That is, He is on our side defending us when we are accused, and Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
There is yet another ministry of Christ that is not very popular. It is the ministry mentioned in the first chapter of Revelation, and I think that is one reason this section of Revelation is so little known. Here we see His ministry of inspection. What Christ is doing today is clearly outlined in the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, but He did not start twiddling His thumbs. When we are told that He “sat down,” it means that He finished His work of redemption for man. He died on earth to save us, and He lives in heaven to keep us saved. I think He is busier today trying to keep us saved than He was when He was on earth.
We have the three ministries of Christ; we have His intercession, His intervention, and His inspection. The inspection of Christ is what we are going to look at now. Where is He now? We see Him walking in the midst of the lampstands. In the Book of Exodus we see the golden lampstand. It was the most beautiful article of furniture in the tabernacle. It was made of solid gold, and there were three branches on each side of the main stem. The top of each stem was fashioned like an open almond blossom, and the lamps were set there. The lamps represent the Holy Spirit; the golden lampstand itself represents Christ—His glory and His deity. Christ sent the Holy Spirit into the world. The golden lampstand holds up the lamps, and the lamps, in turn, reveal the beauty and glory of the lampstand. That is the picture we have in Revelation. I trust that even now the Holy Spirit will make Christ, in all of His glory, wonder, and beauty, real to you that you may see yourself in the light of His presence as He inspects you. That is not a popular teaching today. We don’t like to be inspected, but in Revelation we see Him walking in the midst of the lampstands, performing His ministry of inspection.
In the tabernacle the high priest had the sole oversight of the lampstand. The other priests had other duties to perform, but the high priest took care of the lampstand. He was the one who lighted the lamps. He poured in the oil and trimmed the wicks. If one of the lamps began to smoke and did not give a good clear light, he was the one who snuffed it out. The Lord Jesus is walking in the midst of the lampstands today. He is in the midst of His church, made up of individual believers. He is doing several things: He trims the wicks. In John 15 we are told that He prunes the branches of believers so that they might bring forth fruit. One of the reasons He lets us go through certain trials on earth is so that He might get some fruit off our branches or that He might make our light burn more brightly. He is the One who pours in the oil, which represents the Holy Spirit. I get so tired today of hearing people say, “The Holy Ghost this, and the Holy Ghost that.” My friend, Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. He is the One who sent the Holy Spirit into the world. He said that when the Holy Spirit came He would do certain things, not just any old thing you want Him to do. The Holy Spirit is doing what the Lord Jesus sent Him into the world to do. Christ is the Head of the church. The Lord wants light, and He is the One who pours in the Holy Spirit to get that light. If there is any light coming from my ministry, it comes from the Holy Spirit. He is the source. No light originates in Vernon McGee. I found that out a long time ago.
Christ does something else, and it makes me shiver. He sometimes uses a snuffer. If a lamp won’t give good light and it keeps smoking up the place, the Lord Jesus snuffs it out. This is what John meant when he said that there is a sin unto death (see 1 John 5:16). You and I can be set aside. Oh, the number of people whom I have known to be set aside—preachers and elders and deacons and Sunday school teachers! Christ put them aside. He is walking in the midst of the lampstands, and He wants them to produce light.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters [Rev. 1:14–15].
“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow” speaks of His eternal existence. He is the Ancient of Days (see Dan. 7:9).
“His eyes were as a flame of fire” speaks of His penetrating insight and eyewitness knowledge of the total life of the church. He knows all about you. He knows all about me. He sat over the treasury and watched how the people gave. Last Sunday He watched you when you put your offering in the plate. You didn’t think anybody knew what you gave, did you? Also, His eyes met those of Simon Peter after he had denied Him. After that happened, Peter went out and wept. If you could only see the eyes of your Savior today! My friend, He is looking at us.
“His feet like unto fine bras” or burnished brass is symbolic of judgment. That brass or brazen altar outside the tabernacle proper represents Christ’s work down here on earth when He died on the cross. It was there that He bore your judgment and my judgment for sin. And now He is judging those of us who are His own.
General Nathan Twining was the man who gave the command to drop the first atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He later became the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he dropped another “atom bomb” on December 10, 1959, and it had just about as great a repercussion as the literal bomb did. He dropped the latter bomb when he told the French in particular, and the other European countries in general, that they were not carrying their share of the defense of NATO and that they were falling down on their responsibility in defending Europe. He told them that NATO was coming unglued. The repercussions from his announcement are still reverberating through Europe today. Although General Twining was accurate in his charges, the reaction was bitter, and there were counter charges made, and denials and excuses were offered. About that time, when President Eisenhower went to Europe, he received the coolest reception he had ever experienced. Why? The human heart resents criticism.
Human nature rebels against judgment being passed upon it. Man likes to be handed a passel of little rules and regulations which he can keep. That is the reason so many study courses are popular with Christians—they want to be legalistic. They don’t want to live by grace. Give Christians a few little rules they can go by, and they are very happy. The result, however, is a group of Band-Aid believers. They put on a little Band-Aid here and another one there, and they think that is all that is necessary to heal a broken leg. Why? The human nature that man has will purr like a pussycat when flattered, but it will bristle like a porcupine when failure to do a job is noted. That is the reason that the present position of Christ and His contemporary work of inspection are largely ignored by the church. He occupies the position of Judge of the church, and He does not flatter; He does not ignore what He sees; He does not shut His eyes to sin and wrongdoing. His constant charge and command to His own is “Repent!” We are going to see this as we move along in the Book of Revelation. He says to His church, “Change or I will come to you and I will remove your lampstand” (see Rev. 2:5). The church has smarted and squirmed under this indictment down through the ages and still does. This is the result of the natural resentment that is in the heart of lukewarm believers. And the “Laodicean” church pays scant attention to what Christ has to say. As someone has said, “There is a Man in glory, but the church has lost sight of Him.”
“His voice as the sound of many waters” is the voice of authority—the voice that called this universe into existence, the voice that will raise His own from the grave, the voice that will take His own out of the world to be with Him.
All these figures add to the picture of Christ as our Great High Priest, inspecting and judging His church. Consider your Great High Priest. The Spirit of God will help you see Him in all of His beauty and glory. How wonderful He is!
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength [Rev. 1:16].
“He had in his right hand seven star” means that He controls this universe.
“Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.” One man asked me, “Do you think that a literal sword goes out of His mouth?” Of course not! Scripture tells us that the sword represents His Word. In Hebrews 4:12 we read, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God judges by His Word. He judges by it today. When He speaks the Word, my friend, you had better sit up and take note because He means business.
“His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” You can’t even look at the sun. Do you think you will be able to look at the Creator who made the sun, the One who is the glorified Christ? How wonderful He is!
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last [Rev. 1:17].
John is the disciple who had an easy familiarity with Christ on earth. He is the man who reclined upon His bosom in the Upper Room. John was very close to the Lord Jesus—in fact, he didn’t mind rebuking Him on an occasion. But when he saw the glorified Christ on the Isle of Patmos, he did not go up to Him and pat Him on the back or shake hands with Him. He didn’t even try to begin a conversation. He fell at His feet as dead! The effect of the vision upon John was nothing short of paralyzing.
My friend, since John reacted like that, we can be sure that when you and I get into the presence of the Lord Jesus, we are not going to approach Him in a familiar way. We will fall at His feet as dead. He is the glorified Christ today. And let me say that I do not like the irreverence of the “Jesus culture” that we see today, speaking of Him or to Him as if He were a buddy. Nor do I like to hear someone sing or say that Jesus is a friend of theirs. Now, you may think I am hard to please. You are right; I am. But Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). If you say that Jesus is a friend of yours, you must be implying that you are obeying Him. Oh, my friend, if we could see Him in all of His glory and His beauty, we would not get familiar with Him.
But the marvelous thing is that He says, “Fear not.” This is the greeting of Deity addressing humanity. And He gives four reasons why we should not fear.
1. “I am the first and the last.” This speaks of His deity. He came out of eternity, and He moves into eternity. The psalmist says, “Be fore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2). The word everlasting means from the vanishing point in the past to the vanishing point in the future He is God. He is first because there were none before Him, and He is last for there are none to follow Him.
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death [Rev. 1:18].
2. “I am he that liveth, and was dead”—or, the living One who became dead. This speaks of His redemptive death and resurrection. Most of us have a guilt complex. We are afraid somebody will point a finger at us and say, “You are guilty.” We are, of course, but Paul deals with this question in Romans 8:34, where he says, “Who is he that condenmeth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Where is the fellow who is going to condemn you? Paul says, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ who died.” Do you find fault with me? Do you say I am a great sinner? I want you to know that Christ died for me, and He is risen from the dead. He rose for my justification to show that I am forgiven and that I am going to heaven someday. And He is even at the right hand of God—how wonderful—and He makes intercession, that is, He prays for me. We see this in His next reason:
3. “And, behold, I am alive for everinore.” This refers to His present state. He is not only judging, but He is making intercession for us. How we need that!
4. “And have the keys of death and of hades.” The keys speak of authority and power. Jesus has power over death and the grave right now—because of His own death and resurrection. Hades is the Greek word for the unseen world. It can refer to the grave where the body is laid or to the place where the spirit goes.
My friend, you and I can take comfort in the fact that Jesus has the keys of death. He is the One who can relieve us of the terrible fear of death.
TIME DIVISION OF THE APOCALYPSE’S CONTENTS
The following verses give us the chronological order and division of this Book of Revelation in three time series: past, present, and future. Right now I am making this division arbitrarily, and then as we progress through the book I can demonstrate that it is accurate.
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter [Rev. 1:19].
1. “Write the things which thou hast seen.” Up to this point what had John seen? He had seen the glorified Christ. Let me remind you that this is a Christocentric book. The glorified Christ is the subject. Don’t get your eyes on the horsemen or on the bowls of wrath or on the beasts—they are just passing through. Fix your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who was, who is, and who will be. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And John is to write the vision he has had of Him.
2. “The things which are.” What are the things that are? They are the things that pertain to the church, church things. And we are still here after nineteen hundred years. The matters concerning the church are recorded in chapters 2–3.
3. “The things which shall be hereafter.” Or, as my own translation reads: the things which you are about to see after these things [meta tauta]. This is the program of Jesus Christ, and we shall see that the church goes to heaven, and then we shall see the things that take place on the earth after the church leaves it. This program of Christ is covered by chapters 4–22.
INTERPRETATION OF SEVEN STARS AND SEVEN LAMPSTANDS
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches [Rev. 1:20].
You see, John will make it clear when he is using symbols, and he will help us understand what the symbols mean. Otherwise, he is not using symbolic language but is taking about literal things.
“The mystery of the seven stars … and the seven … candlesticks.” A mystery in Scripture means a sacred secret, that which has not been revealed before. And this had not been revealed before it was given to John. It pertains specifically to that which John has seen. He is the only one who has looked upon the glorified Christ. You may ask, “Hadn’t Paul seen the glorified Christ?” Well, what did Paul see? He said that he saw “… a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun …” (Acts 26:13). I can’t even look at the sun, and I don’t think Paul could have seen Christ in all of His glory, but he knew that He was there. The brightness even blinded Paul for a few days. Therefore, John was the first to see the glorified Christ.
The “seven stars” are identified as the “seven angels.” Ale stars represent authority. In Jude, verse 13, apostates are called wandering stars. The word angel literally means “messenger” and may be either human or angelic beings. It could refer to a messenger of the angelic hosts of heaven or to a ruler or a teacher of a congregation on earth. I like to think that it refers to the local pastors of the seven churches which we are going to look at in the next two chapters. I like to hear a pastor called an angel because sometimes they are called other things. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll hold to that interpretation.
“The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” The English word candlestick should be lampstand since it holds lamps rather than candles. It represents the seven churches of Asia, as we shall see. Then, in turn, these represent the church as a whole, the church as the body of Christ.
INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTERS 2 AND 3
This brings us to the section on the “church,” which is also called the body of Christ. He loved the church and gave Himself for it. The church is the body of believers which the Father has given Him and for whom He prayed in John 17.
After chapter 3, the church is conspicuous by its absence. Up to chapter 4, the church is mentioned nineteen times. From chapter 4 through chapter 20 (the Great White Throne Judgment), the church is not mentioned one time. The normal reaction is to inquire as to the destination and location of the church during this period. It certainly is not in the world. It has been removed from the earth.
These seven letters have a threefold interpretation and application:
1. Contemporary—they had a direct message to the local churches of John’s day. I intend to take you to the location of these seven churches in these next two chapters. I have visited the sites of these.churches several times, and I want to visit them again and again, because it is such a thrill and because it brings me closer to the Bible. You can get closer to the Bible by visiting these seven churches than you can by walking through the land of Israel. The ruins have an obvious message. John was writing to churches that he knew all about. In The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia Sir William Ramsay said, “The man who wrote these seven letters to the seven churches had been there, and he knew the local conditions.”
2. Composite—each one is a composite picture of the church. There is something that is applicable to all churches in all ages in each message to each individual church. In other words, when you read the message to the church in Pergamum, there is a message for your church and a message for you personally.
3. Chronological—the panoramic history of the church is given in these seven letters, from Pentecost to the Parousia, from the Upper Room to the upper air. There are seven distinct periods of church history. Ephesus represents the apostolic church; Laodicea represents the apostate church. This prophetic picture is largely fulfilled and is now church history, which makes these chapters extremely remarkable.
Now let me call your attention to the well-defined and definite format which the Lord Jesus used in each one of the letters to the seven churches:
1. There was some feature of the glorified Christ (whom John saw in chapter 1) that was emphasized in addressing each church. A particular thing was emphasized for a particular purpose, of course.
2. The letters are addressed to the angel of each church. As I have said, it is my understanding that the angel is just a human messenger whom we would designate as the pastor of the church.
3. He begins by stating to each, “I know thy works,” although there has been some question about that in regard to a couple of the letters.
4. He first gives a word of commendation, and then He gives a word of condemnation. That is His method, but the exceptions should be noted. There is no word of condemnation to Smyrna or Philadelphia. Smyrna was the martyr church, and He is not about to condemn that church. Philadelphia was the missionary church that was getting out His Word, and He didn’t condemn it. He has no word of commendation for Laodicea, the apostate church.
5. Each letter concludes with the warning, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith.”
In this second major division of the book, we see the things that are, that is, church related things. Each of the seven letters is a message which the Lord Jesus sent to a particular church.
We today may not be conversant with the fact that in the first and second centuries letter-writing and travel were commonplace in the Roman Empire. There was extensive communication throughout the Roman Empire during that period. Therefore, the seven letters of the Apocalypse are very remarkable for other reasons, the most important of which is that they are direct letters from Christ to the churches. (This means that we have two epistles to the Ephesians—one that Paul wrote and one that the Lord Jesus gave through John.) Dr. Deissmann, in his book, Light from the Ancient East, made a distinction between letters and epistles which has been proven to be artificial and entirely false. The fact that these are called letters to the seven churches rather than epistles does not lessen their importance. They had an extensive outlet, and they reached multitudes of people. There were many outstanding churches in the Roman Empire, but these seven outstanding churches were chosen for several reasons, one of which was that they were located in probably the most important area of the Roman Empire during the first, second, and even third centuries. The area was important because it was where East and West met. By 2000 b.c. there was a civilization along the coast of Asia Minor (the modern west coast of Turkey). It is a very beautiful area. It reminds me of Southern California—but without smog, of course. Not only is it beautiful, but some of the richest land is there. In ancient times the heart of the great Hittite nation was located there. Ephesus was founded about 2000 b.c. by the Hittites, as was Smyrna (modern Izmir). Pergamum obviously was founded later, and then Thyatira and Sardis even later, and they were made great during the time of Alexander the Great. The Anatolian civilization met the Greek civilization there. You can always tell the difference because the gods of the Anatolians (a more primitive people) were beasts, whereas the gods of the Greeks were projections and enlargements of human beings.
Ephesus was a city of about two hundred thousand people. It was a great city and had a huge outdoor theater which could seat about twenty thousand people. It was a place of resorts, and the Roman emperors came there. It was a city constructed of white marble, a beautiful place, and Paul commented on that. If we think that the impact of the gospel was not great in that area, we are entirely mistaken. Such was the impact of the gospel on Ephesus that four great pillars or towers were placed at the entrance to the harbor, and upon them was the emblem of the cross. One monument was dedicated to Matthew, one to Mark, one to Luke, and one to John. Only one pillar stands there today, but it still bears the symbol of the cross. And there are other evidences of the tremendous impact of the gospel where pagan temples were later turned into churches.
After the ministry of Paul and John, there was a tremendous Christian population in that area. It seems that Paul had his greatest ministry in the city of Ephesus, and Luke writes, “… all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10). Not all turned to Christ,but everyone heard. That was probably the greatest movement that has ever taken place in the history of the church.
CHAPTER 2
Theme: The church in the world
Ephesus was not only a beautiful city, it was the chief city of the province of Asia. It was called “the Vanity Fair of Asia.” Pliny called it “the Light of Asia.” It was both the religious and commercial center of that entire area which influenced both East and West—Asia and Europe. When Paul landed at the harbor in Ephesus, he looked down Harbor Boulevard, all in white marble. As he moved toward the center of the city, he saw all sorts of lovely buildings, temples, and gift shops. There was a large market on his right as he went up the boulevard, and ahead of him on the side of a mountain was a theater that seated twenty thousand people. Off to his left was the great amphitheater that seated over one hundred thousand people. At times there were as many as one to two million people gathered in Ephesus. It was here that Paul had his greatest ministry, and it was here that John later became pastor.
This city was first formed around the temple of Diana by the Anatolians who worshiped Diana. The first temple was a wooden structure, built in a low place very near the ocean—in fact, the waters lapped at the very base. In time, the Cayster and the little Maeander River brought down so much silt that, by the time of Alexander the Great, it had filled in around the temple. I have never seen any country that washes as much as that valley washes. The river itself is as thick as soup because it is carrying so much soil deposit. When Alexander took the city (by the way, the temple burned on the night Alexander was born), he turned it over to one of his generals, Lysimachus. Because the silt was coming and the harbor was filling up, Lysimachus moved the people to a higher location, and that is where the ruins of the city can be seen today. It is the city which was there when Paul came.
At the site of the old temple, a foundation of charcoal and skins was laid over this low, marshy place, and Alexander the Great led in the construction of a new temple of Diana which became one of the wonders of the ancient world. It was the largest Greek temple ever constructed. In it were over one hundred external columns about fifty-six feet in height, of which thirty-six were hand carved. The doors were of cypress wood; columns and walls were of Parian marble; the staircase was carved out of one vine from Cyprus.
The temple served as the bank of Asia and was the depository of vast sums of money. It was an art gallery displaying the masterpieces of Praxiteles, Phidias, Scopas, and Polycletus. Apelles’ famous painting of Alexander was there. Behind a purple curtain was the lewd and crude image of Diana, the goddess of fertility. She was many-breasted, carried a club in one hand and a trident in the other. Horrible is Diana of the Ephesians could be accurately substituted for “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Diana was the most sacred idol of heathenism. Her temple was four times larger than the Parthenon at Athens, and it was finally destroyed by the Goths in a.d. 256. Of course, it was standing in Paul’s day. If you want to see something of the magnificence of the place, go to Istanbul, to the Hagia Sophia. Those beautiful green columns that are there were taken out of the temple of Diana by Justinian when he built Hagia Sophia. Seeing only these columns gives us some conception of the beauty of the temple of Diana.
Around the temple of Diana were performed the grossest forms of immorality. She was worshiped by probably more people than was any other idol. The worshipers indulged in the basest religious rites of sensuality and the wildest bacchanalian orgies that were excessive and vicious. And farther inland, the worship of Diana became nothing more than sex orgies, and her name was changed from Diana to Cybele.
Paul came to Ephesus on his third missionary journey to begin a ministry. For two years the Word of God went out from the school of Tyrannus. Of this experience Paul wrote, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9). Later John, the “apostle of love” and the “son of thunder,” came to Ephesus as a pastor. He was exiled to Patmos, then after about ten years of being exiled and imprisoned, he returned to Ephesus. The Basilica of Saint John, which is located on the highest point there, is built over the traditional burial spot of the apostle John.
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS
The Lord Jesus Christ speaks to this church in the midst of crass materialism, degraded animalism, base paganism, and dark heathenism. Note this carefully, because I consider this message to be one of the most important of all.
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesues write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks [Rev. 2:1].
This is my translation:
Unto the messenger of the church in Ephesus write; These things saith the One holding the seven stars in His right hand, the One walking (up and down) in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.
Notice that He holds in His hand the church. It is under His control. He doesn’t have that control now, but He did then. “He walketh” literally means that He is walking up and down. I believe that He is still walking up and down in our day and that He is still judging the church.
He has seven words of commendation for this church:
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted [Rev. 2:2–3].
1. “I know thy works.” We need to understand that He is speaking to believers. The Lord Jesus does not ask the lost world for good works. For example, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). In Romans 4:5 Paul says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Christ is talking to His own. After you are saved, He wants to talk to you about good works. He has a lot to say about this subject. In Ephesians 2:8–10 we read, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Paul could write to Titus, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). Someone has said, “The Christian ought to be like a good watch—all gold, open-faced, well-regulated, dependable, and filled with good works.” The Lord Jesus is saying to the church in Ephesus, as Paul had said, “… be filled with the [Holy] Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). And Paul went on to tell them what they could do as Spirit-filled believers. And now the Lord Jesus commends them for their good works.
2. “I know … thy labour.” What is the difference between work and labor? The word labor carries a meaning of weariness. In the gospel record it says that Jesus became wearied with His journey. That was the weariness which Ephesian believers experienced. They suffered weariness in their labor for Him.
3. “I know … thy patience.” Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
4. “How thou canst not bear them which are evil.” They would not endure evil men.
5. “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” They tested everyone who came to Ephesus claiming to be an apostle. They would ask them if they had seen the resurrected Christ, and they soon found out whether or not they were really apostles. If they were not, they asked them to leave town. The Lord Jesus commended them for testing men, and I feel this is more needed today than it was even then.
6. “Hast borne … for my name’s sake hast laboured.” For His name’s sake they were bearing the Cross. They preached Christ. They believed in the virgin birth of Christ; they believed in His deity; they believed in His sacrificial death and resurrection. And they paid a price for their belief.
7. “And hast not fainted.” More accurately, it is “hast not grown weary.” What does He mean by this? Earlier He said that they had grown weary, and now He says they have not grown weary. Well, this is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. I can illustrate it by what Dwight L. Moody once said when he came home exhausted after a campaign and his family begged him not to go to the next campaign. He said to them, “I grow weary in the work but not of the work.” There is a lot of difference. You can get weary in the work of Christ, but it is tragic if you get weary of the work of Christ.
These seven words of commendation, which the Lord Jesus gave to the local church at Ephesus, also apply to the period of church history between Pentecost and a.d. 100, which the Ephesian church represents. Now He has one word of condemnation:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love [Rev. 2:4].
Nevertheless I have against thee that thou art leaving thy best love.
They had lost that intense and enthusiastic devotion to the person of Christ. It is difficult for us to sense the state to which the Holy Spirit had brought this church. He had brought the believers in Ephesus into an intimate and personal relationship to Jesus Christ. He had brought them to the place where they could say to the Lord, “We love you.” This may seem like a very unimportant thing to us today, but their love for the Lord was very important to Christ. He was saying to the Ephesians, “You are leaving your best love.” They hadn’t quite departed from that love, but they were on the way. It is difficult for us in this cold, skeptical, cynical, and indifferent day in which we live to understand this. The world has intruded into the church to such an extent that it is hard for us to conceive of the intense, enthusiastic devotion the early church gave to the person of Christ. The early church first went off the track not in their doctrine but in their personal relationship to Jesus Christ.
Ephesus was a great city, and it had many attractions that were beginning to draw believers away from their first love for Jesus Christ. This was the church that became so potent in its evangelism in that area of about twenty-five million people that even the Roman emperors and the nobility of that day had an opportunity to hear the gospel. In that area there was such a mighty moving of the Spirit of God that it has probably never been duplicated since.
Every now and then we meet someone or read about someone who has had that close personal relationship with Christ. David Brainard, the missionary to Indians in this country, was such a man. He suffered from what was then called consumption (we know it as tuberculosis). He would travel to the Indians by horseback, and sometimes he would have a convulsion, vomit blood, become unconscious, and fall off his horse. He would lie in the snow, and when that happened, his horse learned to stay right there. When he regained consciousness, he would crawl back onto his horse and be on his way to preach to the Indians. As he went, he would cry out, “Lord Jesus, I’ve failed You, but You know that I love You.” He had that close, intimate relationship with Christ.
My friend, that personal relationship is all-important in our day, also. We are so involved in methods—I am rather amused at some of the Band-Aid courses which are being offered—and they are making Band-Aid believers. Generally, the course is some little legal system that gives you certain rules to follow and certain psychological patterns to observe which will enable you to solve all your problems. They try to teach you how to get along with yourself (that’s a pretty big order!), with your neighbors, and especially with your wife. All of those relationships are very important, and a great many people think that if they can follow a few rules, they will have the key to a successful Christian life. My friend, let me put it in a nutshell by asking one question: Do you love Jesus Christ? I don’t care what your system is, what your denomination is, what your program is, what little set of rules you follow, they will all come to naught if you don’t love Him. Although some systems are better than others, almost any system will work if you love Christ. An intimate relationship with Christ will make all of your relationships and all of your Christian service a joy.
The story is told in New England about two girls who worked in a cotton mill. They were friends, but when one of them quit working there, they lost touch with each other. Finally, they met one day on the street. The working girl asked her friend,
“Are you still working?”
“No,” she said, “I got married!”
When that girl worked in the mill, she watched the clock, and every evening when five o’clock came, she had her coat on and was on her way out. It was hard work, and she didn’t like it. Now she is married and she says that she has quit working.
Well, if you could look at her life, you wouldn’t think she had quit working. She gets up earlier than ever before to prepare breakfast for her husband and to pack his lunch. Then she throws her arms around him as she tells him good-bye. All day long she is busy cleaning house and washing clothes and caring for two little brats who are two little angels to her because they are hers. Then when five o’clock comes, she doesn’t put on her coat and leave; she starts cooking dinner. About six o’clock here comes her husband. She is right there at the door to throw her arms around him and tell him how much she has missed him that day. When a man comes home in the evening, opens the door, and hears a voice from upstairs or from the rear of the house calling, “Is that you?”, he knows the honeymoon is over. But this girl is in love. Her husband’s workday is over, but hers has only just gotten started. She serves dinner to her husband and feeds the children. Then she washes the dishes, puts the children to bed—and that’s not easy—and works around getting things ready for her husband for the next day. I tell you, she is weary when she finally gets into bed—but she’s not working anymore, she says! Why? Because she is in love. That’s the difference.
My friend, when your home life and your church, life become a burden, there is something wrong with your relationship with Christ. When you get that straightened out, other things will straighten out also.
This is the reason the Lord Jesus said to the Ephesian believers, “You are getting away from your first love, your best love.” What is the solution for them?
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent [Rev. 2:5].
“Remember.” That is the first thing they were to do. Memory is a marvelous thing. Someone has said that God has given us memories so we can have roses in December. Well, here in California we have short memories so we have roses all year-round. But memory is a wonderful thing. Someone else has said that memory is a luxury that only a good man can enjoy. My friend, do you remember when you were converted? Do you remember what a thrill it was and what the Lord Jesus meant to you? Have you become cold and indifferent to Him? Are you in a backslidden condition? Remember. Remember where you once were. You can get back to that same place.
“And repent.” Believe me, Christians need to repent. We need to break the shell of self-sufficiency, the crust of conceit, the shield of sophistication, the veneer of vanity, get rid of the false face of “piosity,” and stop this business of everlastingly polishing our halo as if we were some great saint. Repent! Repentance means to turn back to Him, and it is the message for believers. How dare the church tell an unsaved man to repent. What he needs to do is to turn to Christ for salvation. When he turns to Christ, he will turn from his sin—as the Thessalonians “… turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven…” (1 Thess. 1:9–10). But the church needs to repent, and that is the message they do not want to hear today. Remember, repent, and return unto Him.
“Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove the candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Christ says that He will remove your lampstand. Oh, how many churches in our day have been practically closed. Once the crowds came, but they don’t come anymore because the Word of God is no longer being taught. My friend, Christ is still watching the lamps, and He doesn’t mind trimming the wicks or even using the snuffer when they refuse to give light.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate [Rev. 2:6].
Nicolaitans is a compound word. Nikao means “to conquer” and laos means “the people.” We get our word laity from that. It is difficult to identify who the Nicolaitans were. Some scholars think that they were a priestly order which was beginning to take shape and attempt to rule over the people. Another theory is that there is no way to identify this group in any of the early or late churches. The third explanation is that there was a man by the name of Nicolaus of Antioch, who apostatized from the truth and formed an Antinomian Gnostic cult which taught (among other doctrines) that one must indulge in sin in order to understand it. They gave themselves over to sensuality with the explanation that such sins did not touch the spirit. That “Nicolaitans” refers to this cult is probably the best explanation. The church in Ephesus hated it. A little later on we will see that the church in Pergamos [Pergamum] tolerated it.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God [Rev. 2:7].
“He that hath an ear.” This is what I call a “blood-tipped ear,” which was the requirement for the Old Testament priests. Not everyone can hear the Word of God. Oh, I know they can hear the audible sound, but they miss the message. The Lord Jesus uses the phrase to alert dull ears. We learn from the gospel records that He often used that expression. He said that they have ears to hear but they hear not. Now He speaks to those with spiritual perception.
“Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” “The Spirit” is the Holy Spirit, the Teacher of the church.
“To him that overcometh” refers to genuine believers, and we can overcome only through the blood of the Lamb.
“Will I give to eat of the tree of life.” You will recall that man was forbidden to eat of the Tree of Life after the Fall, as recorded in Genesis 3:22–24. But in heaven the “no trespassing” sign will be taken down, and all of us will be given the privilege of eating of the Tree of Life. I don’t know what kind of fruit it has, but I believe it will enable us really to live it up. Most of us don’t know much about living yet. We have sort of a vegetable existence down here, but we will have a good fruit existence up there—we’ll eat of the Tree of Life. We are going to live as we have never lived before.
“The paradise of God” means the garden of God. Heaven is a garden of green primarily and is not just a place with streets of gold.
The church of Ephesus represents the church at its best, the apostolic church.
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA
Smyrna is the martyr church, the church that suffered martyrdom for Christ. The word Smyrna means “myrrh” and carries the meaning of suffering.
The city of Smyrna is still in existence in our day. It has a Turkish name, Izmir, which may lead you astray, but it is the same city. It has been continuously inhabited from the time it was founded. I have been there; in fact, we stay in Izmir when we visit the sites of the early churches in that area. It is a commercial city. There are those who have told us that Izmir will soon be larger than Istanbul. It will certainly be a larger commercial center. There is a tremendous population there. The modern city covers so much of the ruins of ancient Smyrna that you are apt to miss the beauty which was there.
I have taken some pictures of it and use them as slides in an illustrated message. I try to point out the beauty of that harbor. It is very large and one of the most beautiful harbors that I have seen. In fact, Smyrna was one of the loveliest cities of Asia. It was called a flower, an ornament, and it has been called the crown of all Asia. The acropolis is located on Mount Pagos. In fact, the early city that goes back to about 2000 b.c., a Hittite city at that time, was built around the slope of Mount Pagos. Later Alexander the Great had a great deal to do with building it into the beautiful city that it became. There were wide boulevards along the slopes of Mount Pagos. Smyrna was called the crown city because the acropolis was encircled with flowers, a hedge, and myrtle trees. The city was adorned with noble buildings and beautiful temples—a temple of Zeus, a temple of Cybele (Diana), a temple of Aphrodite, a temple of Apollo, and a temple of Asclepius. Smyrna had a theater and an odeum, that is, a music center—it was the home of music. Also it had a stadium, and it was at that stadium that Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna and student of the apostle John, was martyred, burned alive in a.d. 155.
In Christian literature, Smyrna means “suffering.” The Lord Jesus, in His letter addressed to the church there, said that He knew their sufferings and their poverty. He had no word of condemnation for them or for the church at Philadelphia. They were the churches that heard no word of condemnation from Him, and it is interesting that these two cities, Smyrna and Philadelphia, are the only two which have had a continuous existence. Their lampstand has really been moved, but there are a few Christians in Izmir. Although they are under cover, they have made indirect contact with us when we have been there. They do not come out in the open because Christians are persecuted even today in modern Turkey.
As Ephesus represents the apostolic church, so Smyrna represents the martyr church which covers the period from about a.d. 100 to approximately a.d. 314, from the death of the apostle John to the Edict of Toleration by Constantine, which was given in a.d. 313 and ended the persecution of Christians—not only in Smyrna but all over the Roman Empire.
Now here we have the Lord Jesus addressing the church at Smyrna. It is His briefest message, and it is all commendatory—everything He has to say to them is praise.
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive [Rev. 2:8].
And to the messenger of the church in Smyrna, write, These things saith the first and the last, who became dead, and lived.
This verse is a reference to chapter 1, verses 17–18, which says, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” The Lord chose from the vision of Himself that particular figure which was fitting for each church. To the church in Smyrna the Lord describes Himself as “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.”
“The first and the last” means that there was nothing before Him and there will be nothing to follow Him. He has the final disposition of all things. The persecuted believers needed to know that He was the One in charge and that the persecution was in the planning and purpose of God.
“Who became dead, and lived” has a real message for martyrs. His experience with death identified Him with the five million who were martyred during this period. (According to Fox’s Book of Martyrs, five million believers died for Christ during this period.) Christ was triumphant over death and can save to the uttermost those who are enduring persecution and martyrdom.
He has something further to say to them—
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life [Rev. 2:9–10].
There are seven things in this church which the Lord commanded:
1. “Tribulation” is mentioned first. The word works is not in the best manuscripts. I prefer to leave it out, but if you want to include it, fine. Remember, this is not the Great Tribulation; it means simply trouble. Since the awful persecution of the church by the Roman emperors is not called the Great Tribulation, surely our small sufferings are not the Great Tribulation. But the church in Smyrna endured much tribulation, and they suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. “Poverty” denotes the lack of material possessions. The early church was made up largely of the poorer classes. When the wealthy believed in Christ, their property was confiscated because of their faith. “But thou art rich” denotes the spiritual wealth of the church—they were blessed with all spiritual blessings. Notice the contrast to the rich church in Laodicea. To that church He said, “You think you are rich, but you are really poor and don’t know it.”
When I am a visiting conference speaker in churches across the land, pastors like to tell me about the millionaire or persons of prominence whom they have in their congregation. Well, the martyr church couldn’t brag about that. They had in their congregation slaves, ex-slaves, runaway slaves, freed slaves, poor people, and those who had lost whatever money they had when they became Christians.
3. “The blasphemy of them which say they are Jews … but are the synagogue of Satan.” The implication is that the Jews in Smyrna who had come to Christ were Jews inwardly as well as outwardly. In Romans 9:6 Paul says that not all Israel is Israel. It is his religion that makes a Jew a real Jew. His religion is the thing that identifies him. Speaking of them nationally, the Lord said that their father was “… a Syrian ready to perish …” (Deut. 26:5). But Smyrna was a city of culture in which many Jews had discarded their belief in the Old Testament. Although they said they were Jews, when a Jew gives up his religion, there is a question whether or not he is a Jew. In Germany many tried to do that, by the way. Down through the years there has been only a remnant of these people who have truly been God’s people.
4. “Fear none of those things” is the encouragement of the Lord to His own in the midst of persecutions. This is the second time in this book that the Lord has offered this encouragement. History tells us that multitudes went to their death singing praises to God.
5. “The devil [Satan] shall cast some of you into prison.” We are going to look at this fearful creature later on, but Christ labels him as being responsible for the suffering of the saints in Smyrna. You and I tend to blame the immediate person or circumstance which serves as Satan’s tool, but the Lord Jesus goes back to the root trouble.
I would like to insert a personal word at this point. I could classify and pigeonhole everything that has come into my life as God’s judgment or God’s chastisement, but when I began experiencing so many physical problems, I was puzzled. Then quite a few people began writing to say, “I believe Satan is responsible for the things that are happening to you.” And I decided this must be the explanation for the many physical problems that afflicted me.
6. “Ye shall have tribulation ten days.” There were ten intense periods of persecution by ten Roman emperors (these dates are approximate):
Nero—64–68 (Paul was beheaded under his reign)
Domitian—95–96 (John was exiled during that period)
Trajan—104–117 (Ignatius was burned at the stake)
Marcus Aurelius—161–180 (Polycarp was martyred)
Severus—200–211
Maximinius—235–237
Decius—250–253
Valerian—257–260
Aurelian—270–275
Diocletian—303–313 (the worst emperor of all).
7. “Be thou faithful unto death”—and they were. They were martyrs for Him. He promises them “a crown of life.” Remember that He is addressing the believers who lived in Smyrna, the crown city. It is interesting that to them He is saying that He will give crowns—not crowns of flowers—or of anything else perishable—but crowns that will be eternal.
The Lord has special crowns for those who suffer. I know many wonderful saints who are going to get that crown some day. My friend, if you are suffering at this moment and you have wondered if He cares, He has something good for you in eternity. You will get something that no one else will be getting, except others in your condition. God’s Word says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).That crown of life means that you are really going to live it up someday. What a glorious prospect that is for invalids and those on beds of pain today.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not he hurt of the second death [Rev. 2:11].
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Have you heard Him today? Is He speaking to you?
“The second death.” Dwight L. Moody put it like this: “He who is born once will die twice; he who is born twice will die once.” And if the Rapture occurs during his lifetime, he won’t even have to die that one time. The “second death” is the death which no believer will experience. The first death concerns the body. The second death concerns the soul and the spirit; it is eternal separation from God. No believer will have to undergo that.
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM
In our King James text this city is called Pergamos, but in Turkey it is called Pergamum, and I assume that is the correct spelling.
The church in Pergamum is representative of church history during the period of approximately a.d. 314 to a.d. 590. I call it paganism unlimited because during this time the world entered into the church and it began to move away from the person of Christ. This letter was Christ’s message to the local church at Pergamum, of course, but it also has this historical significance.
First, let me give you the location of Pergamum. Izmir is the great city where tourists go because the airport and the hotels are there. You go about sixty-five miles south to reach Ephesus and about seventy miles north to reach Pergamum. These three were the royal cities, and they vied one with another. Smyrna (Izmir) was the great commercial center, Ephesus was the great political center, and Pergamum was the great religious center.
Pergamum was the capital of the kingdom of Pergamum. The acropolis still stands there, and the ruins of the great temples and the city are on top of it. It was a city in Mysia, labeled by Pliny “by far the most illustrious of Asia.” It is one of the most beautiful spots in Asia Minor. Sir William Ramsay says that it was the one city that deserved to be called a royal city. In it was a temple built to Caesar Augustus, which made it a royal city. Augustus came to this beautiful area when the climate got cold in Rome. There was a healing spa there. It was not the commercial city that Smyrna was because it was not a seacoast town and it was off the great trade routes which came out of the Orient. But it was a fortified, stronghold city, built to withstand the enemy. It was built on a mountain, and the acropolis dominated the whole region of the broad plain of the Caicus. The original city was built between the two rivers which flowed into the Caicus and entirely surrounded this huge rocky hill, this promontory that stood out there alone. To visit it makes quite an impression. First you see that great mountain standing there, and you see the ruins on top.
Not only did Pergamum boast great temples, but it also had the greatest library of the pagan world. It was a library of over two hundred thousand volumes. In fact, the city got its name from the parchment (pergamena) which was used. This great library was the one which Mark Antony gave to his girl friend, Cleopatra. She lugged it off to Alexandria in Egypt, and that library was considered the greatest library the world has ever seen—and it originally came from Pergamum.
If you are ever in Istanbul and go into Hagia Sophia, you will see there a great alabaster vase, taller than I am and a thing of beauty, which was brought there from Pergamum. Of course, the city of Pergamum was rifled and denuded by the enemy when they finally took the city and destroyed it.
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges [Rev. 2:12].
“To the angel of the church in Pergamos.” This letter was addressed, as were other letters, to the angel or messenger of the church, which was probably the one we would call the pastor.
“These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges” means the Word of God. The Word of God has the answer to man’s need and man’s sin, which in Pergamum was false religion. It was a city that emphasized religion, and the only way it could be reached would be by the Word of God.
I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth [Rev. 2:13].
“Where thou dwellest.” The Lord commends this church for three very definite things. First, He takes note of their circumstances. He knew that these believers were living in a very difficult place. And, my friend, the Lord takes note of our circumstances. Sometimes we are inclined to condemn someone who is caught in a certain set of circumstances, but if we were in the same position, we might act in an even worse way than he is acting.
“Even where Satan’s seat [throne] is” reveals that religion was big business in Pergamum and that Satan’s headquarters were there. This ought to settle the question for those who think that Satan is in hell at the present time. He has never yet been in hell because hell hasn’t opened up for business yet. Satan will not be in hell until much later, as we shall see in chapter 20. At the present, Satan is loose and is the prince of this world, controlling kingdoms and going up and down the earth as a roaring lion, hunting for whom he may devour (see 1 Pet. 5:8). But he does have headquarters, and Christ said they were in Pergamum at that time. Since those days, I think that he has moved his headquarters around to different places. I used to get the impression that he had moved them to Los Angeles, and he may have done so because that is another great religious center of every kind of cult and “ism” and schism.
The reason our Lord said that Satan’s throne was in Pergamum was because of the heathen temples there. Of course, all of this is in ruins today. There are markers and some reconstruction going on there now. But in John’s day it was Satan’s throne. As you enter the gate of the city, you see that the first temple to your right is the imposing temple of Athena. Directly above it is the great library. You would see the great temple of Caesar Augustus and Hadrian’s great temple, which covers quite a bit of territory. There are other things that are quite interesting. There is the great altar to Zeus with an idol on it near the palace of the king. It is a very impressive spot, and some folk believe that it was the throne of Satan. Well, I think that it is included but that Satan’s throne is a combination of all of these.
There are two other areas which are especially outstanding. One of them is the temple of Dionysius. I crawled down the side of that mountain to get pictures of the ruins of the temple of Dionysius, which is beside the ruins of the theater there. Some folk asked me why I did that. Well, Dionysius is the same as Bacchus, the god of wine, the goat-god. He is depicted with horns, but with his upper part as a man and his lower part as a goat, with cloven feet and a tail. In our day that is the modern idea of Satan, but the notion that Satan has horns, cloven feet, and a forked tail did not come from the Bible. Where did it come from? Well, it came from the temple of Dionysius, the god Bacchus, the god of wine or alcohol. My friend, we ought to be proud that we are Americans, but we also need to bow our heads in shame. Do you know how we got this country in which we live? We got it from the Indians (and I guess they got it from someone else), but the way we got it was not by bullets but by alcohol. Also Hawaii was taken away from the Hawaiians by giving them liquor. Alcohol has taken more territory than anything else. Satan is the god of liquor all right!
Then the other outstanding temple was of the god Asklepios. Down from that great promontory was the greatest hospital of the ancient world. It was the Mayo Clinic of that day. It was, first of all, a temple to Asklepios. If you are looking at the Greek god Asklepios, it is a man, but when you see the Anatolian or Oriental Asklepios, it is a serpent. There in Pergamum it was a serpent. I have pictures which I took of that great marble pillar which stands like an obelisk now but apparently was a pillar in the temple of Asklepios. The construction of the temple was unusual in that it was round. There they used every means of healing imaginable. They used both medicine and psychology—and about everything else.
Put yourself in this situation: you go down long tunnels, and above are holes that look like airholes for ventilation but are not. As you walk along these tunnels, sexy voices come down through the holes, saying to you, “You are going to get well. You are going to feel better. You are going to be healed.” (Does that have a modern ring?) You go down to the hot baths where you are given a massage. There is a little theater there where they give plays of healing. If they haven’t healed you by now, as a last resort they put you in that temple at night and turn loose the nonpoisonous snakes which crawl over you. (That is known as the shock treatment in our day!) If they don’t heal you, they will drive you crazy, that’s for sure. They have a back door where they take out the dead. They don’t mention the ones they don’t heal; they speak only of those who recover.
Caesar Augustus loved to go there. He wasn’t exactly sick; he was an alcoholic. They just dried him out every year when he would come over. This was a great place, and for seven hundred years it was a hospital that people came to from all over the world. May I say to you, healing was satanic in those. days. There is no question about the fact that there were good men there who used medicine, but basically, it was satanic. It was where Satan’s throne was. That is important to see.
Now here is another word of commendation to the believers at Pergamum, “thou holdest fast my name.” They were faithful in their defense of the deity of Christ.
As we have noted, the church at Pergamum is representative of the church in general during the years of a.d. 314 to approximately a.d. 590. Actually, it was an age that produced great giants of the faith. When the Arian heresy (which denied the deity of Christ) arose, Athanasius from North Africa was the great defender of the faith, and because of him the Council of Nicea in a.d. 325 condemned Arianism. And another man was Augustine, who answered the Pelagian heresy which denied original sin and the total corruption of human nature and also denied irresistible grace. These are two giants during this period who stood unshakably for the great doctrines of the faith.
“And hast not denied my faith” refers to the body of true doctrine which is believed by Christians.
“Even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr.” Antipas was a martyr about whom we know nothing at all. He apparently was the first one at Pergamum, and there was a great company of martyrs who followed him.
So far Christ has had only words of commendation for the church at Pergamum, but now He condemns two things which were in that church—
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate [Rev. 2:14–15].
The two items for condemnation were the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. “The doctrine of Balaam” is different from the error of Balaam (see Jude 11), which revealed that Balaam thought that God would curse Israel because they were sinners. It is also different from the way of Balaam (see 2 Pet. 2:15), which was covetousness. But here in the verse before us, it is the doctrine or teaching of Balaam. He taught Balac the way to corrupt Israel by intermarriage with the Moabite women. This introduced into the nation of Israel both idolatry and fornication. And during the historical period which the church at Pergamum represents, the unconverted world came into the church.
“The doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” We have seen that the church in Ephesus hated it, but here in Pergamum there were some who were holding that doctrine. Although we do not know exactly what the doctrine was, it probably was a gnostic cult developed by Nicolaus which advocated license in matters of Christians’ conduct and apparently a return to religious rituals by clergy, ignoring the priesthood of all believers. Christ says that He hates it! You see, Christ hates as well as loves. We had better be careful that we are not indulging in the things that He hates.
Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth [Rev. 2:16].
“Repent.” In other words, the only cure was repentance (metanoeµson, “a change of mind”). God’s Word says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness?” (1 John 1:9). If they would not repent, the Lord said He would fight against them with the sword of His mouth, which is the Word of God. What a mistake we make if we think that the church has the authority to decide what is right and what is wrong. The true church is made up of believers in Jesus Christ, and they form what Scripture calls the body of Christ. They are to be lights in the world. And if we are going to be lights in this dark world, we need to be careful to identify with the person of Jesus Christ and to recognize, not the church, but the Word of God as our authority.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it [Rev. 2:17].
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” This is to you and me today.
“To him that overcometh” is the definition of a genuine Christian. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb. Never are we overcomers, but we overcome by His shed blood. We know that the victory was won by Christ and not by ourselves.
“Hidden manna” speaks of the person and the death of Christ as He is revealed in the Word of God. In fact, Jesus said that He Himself was the Bread: “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:32–35). The believer needs to feed on Christ—this is a must for spiritual growth. And, actually, Christ is hidden from view; He is not known or understood in our day. My, how folk misrepresent Him and abuse Him!
“I … will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” A white stone suggests that believers are not black-balled in heaven. Trench said, “White is everywhere the color and livery of heaven.” Frankly, this is rather a difficult figure to interpret. But it is helpful to learn that the people of Asia Minor to whom John was writing had a custom of giving to intimate friends a tessera, a cube or rectangular block of stone or ivory, with words or symbols engraved on it. It was a secret, private possession of the one who received it. Well, Christ says that He is going to give to each of His own a stone with a new name engraved upon it. I do not believe that it will be a new name for you and me but that it will be a new name for Him. I believe that each name will be different because He means something different to each one of us. It will be His personal and intimate name to each of us.
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA
The church at Thyatira is representative of Romanism, which takes us into the Dark Ages from a.d. 590 to approximately a.d. 1000. It was a dark period.
When you leave Pergamum, you begin to move inland. Thyatira and the remaining three churches are inland. Thyatira was situated in a very beautiful location. Sir William Ramsay has written this about it:
Thyatira was situated in the mouth of a long vale which extends north and south connecting the Hermus and Caicos Valleys. Down the vale a stream flows south to join the Lycus (near whose left bank Thyatira was situated), one of the chief tributaries of the Hermus, while its northern end is divided by only a ridge of small elevation from the Caicos Valley. The valleys of the two rivers, Hermus and Caicos, stretch east and west, opening down from the edge of the great central plateau of Anatolia towards the Ægean Sea. Nature has marked out this road, a very easy path, for the tide of communication which in all civilised times must have been large between the one valley and the other. The railway traverses its whole length now: in ancient times one of the chief routes of Asia Minor traversed it.
Thyatira was located in this long vale or pass. Thyatira was a city built for defense. However, most cities built for defense were situated upon an acropolis or a promontory and walls were put around them. But Thyatira was different. It stood in the middle of that vale on a very slight rising ground. Its strength lay in the fact that Rome stationed the elite guard there.
Thyatira was built by Lysimachus and again by Seleucus I, the founder of the Seleucid dynasty, whose vast realm extended from the Hermus Valley to the Himalayas. It finally fell to the enemy. No city in that area was so completely destroyed and rebuilt as was this city. For this reason, it is very disappointing to visit the ruins of Thyatira in our day. They cover only one very small block.
This city became prosperous under the sponsorship of Vespasian, the Roman emperor. It was the headquarters for many ancient guilds: the potters’, tanners’, weavers’, robe makers’, and dyers’ guilds. It was the center of the dyeing industry. This is where the labor unions must have originated! Lydia, the seller of purple, who in Philippi became Paul’s first convert in Europe, came from here (see Acts 16:14). That purple color spoken of is what we know today as “Turkey red”—and I mean that color is red. The dye was taken from a plant that grows in that area. Apollo, the sun god, was worshiped here as Tyrimnos.
And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass [Rev. 2:18].
This pictures the Son of God in judgment. His eyes are like a flame of fire, searching them out, and His feet are like burnished brass, which represents judgment. Christ is judging this church.
However, He has words of commendation for this church. If you think that the Roman church during the Dark Ages is to be condemned wholeheartedly, you need to check up on the history of it. The Lord Jesus says,
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first [Rev. 2:19].
Christ has six words of commendation for the church of the Dark Ages in which were many true believers who had a personal love of Christ which was manifested in works. Works are actually credentials of true believers. James says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18).
The six words of commendation are:
1. “Works” were the credentials of real believers. There were many who lived spotless lives and by their good works “adorned the doctrine.”
2. “Love.” It was a church in which there was love, in spite of the fact that it had gone in for ritualism. There were some wonderful saints of God during that period: Bernard of Clairvaux, Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, John Huss, Savonarola, and Anselm were all men in the Roman church.
3. “Faith.” Though it is placed after works and love in this instance, it is the mainspring that turns the hands of works and love.
4. “Ministry” is service.
5. “Patience” is endurance in those days of darkness.
6. “Thy last works are more than the first.” In this church, works increased rather than diminished.
All six virtues are produced within the believer by the Holy Spirit.
There is one frightful charge of condemnation:
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth her self a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols [Rev. 2:20].
But I have against you that you tolerate the woman (wife) Jezebel, who calls herself the prophetess, and she teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
Jezebel had brought paganism into the northern kingdom of Israel. And evidently there was in the local church at Thyatira a woman who had a reputation as a teacher and prophetess who was the counterpart of Jezebel, the consort of Ahab.
And concerning the historical period of the Dark Ages which the church at Thyatira represents, pagan practices and idolatry were mingled with Christian works and worship. The papacy was elevated to a place of secular power under Gregory I (a.d. 590), and later by Gregory VII, better known as Hildebrand, (a.d. 1073–1085). The introduction of rituals and church doctrine supplanted personal faith in Jesus Christ. Worship of the Virgin and Child and the Mass were made a definite part of the church service. Purgatory became a positive doctrine, and Mass was said for the dead. The spurious documents labeled Donation of Constantine and Decretals of Isidore were circulated to give power and rulership to the pope.
As Jezebel killed Naboth and persecuted God’s prophets, so the Roman church instituted the Inquisition during this period.
“Seduce” means a fundamental departure from the truth, according to Vincent. Jezebel stands in sharp contrast to Lydia, who came from Thyatira. Jezebel is merely a forerunner of the apostate church, as we shall see in chapter 17.
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not [Rev. 2:21].
“Space” is time. The Lord Jesus Christ has patiently dealt with this false system for over a thousand years, and there has been no real change down through the centuries in this system. In fact, Rome boasts that she never changes—semper idem, always the same.
Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds [Rev. 2:22].
“Great tribulation” could refer to the persecution which Rome is enduring under communism. Or it may mean the Great Tribulation into which the apostate church will go.
“Their deeds” should be translated her deeds.
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works [Rev. 2:23].
“Children” are those who were brought up under this system.
“And I will kill her children with death” is translated by Vincent: “Let them be put to death with death,” referring to the second death.
“All the churches” refers to the church of all the ages.
“The reins” means literally the kidneys and refers to the total psychological makeup—the thoughts, the feelings, the purposes. When He searches the reins and the hearts, it means that He searches our entire beings.
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden [Rev. 2:24].
But I say to you, to the rest in Thyatira, who do not hold this doctrine, which are of those who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put upon you none other burden (weight).
The church in Thyatira, we know from history, had a very brief existence because it went down with the city when it was captured by the enemy.
“The depths of Satan” perhaps refers to a gnostic sect known as the Ophites who worshiped the serpent. They made a parody of Paul’s words. All heresy boasts of superior spiritual perception, and that is what this group did.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come [Rev. 2:25].
Obviously, Christ is beginning to say to His church, “I am coming to take you out, and because of this, you should stand fast for Me.”
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations [Rev. 2:26].
The works of Christ are in contrast to the works of Jezebel. The works of Christ are wrought by the Holy Spirit. We overcome by faith and not by effort.
“I give power over the nations” was explained by Paul when he wrote to the Corinthian believers: “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? … (1 Cor. 6:2).
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father [Rev. 2:27].
This is a reference to the millennial reign of Christ in which believers are to share.
And I will give him the morning star [Rev. 2:28].
Christ is the Bright and Morning Star (see Rev. 22:16). Christ’s coming for His own at the Rapture is the hope of the church. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [Rev. 2:29].
The children of Jezebel will not hear, but the true children of the Lord Jesus will hear, for the Holy Spirit opens the “blood-tipped ear.”
CHAPTER 3
Theme: The church in the world—continued
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS
In the panorama of church history, Sardis represents the Protestant church during the period between a.d. 1517 and approximately a.d. 1800. It began, I believe, when Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses onto the chapel door of the church at Wittenburg, Germany. It is an era which started with the Reformation and takes us into the beginning of the great missionary movement in the history of the church.
Sardis was the capital of the great kingdom of Lydia and one of the oldest and most important cities of Asia Minor. It was located inland and built on a small, elevated plateau which rises sharply above the Hermus Valley. On all sides but one the rock walls are smooth, nearly perpendicular and absolutely unscalable. The only access is on the southern side by a very steep and difficult path. One time when I was there, another preacher and I tried to make the climb. He went farther than I did, but we both gave up long before we reached the top.
As the civilization and the commerce grew more complex, the high plateau became too small, and a lower city was built chiefly on the west side of the original city. The old city was used as an acropolis. Actually this made it a double city, and it was called by the plural noun Sardeis or Sardis. The plain was well watered by the Pactolus River. It became the center of the carpet industry and was noted for its wealth. Coins were first minted there. Its last prince was the wealthy Croesus who was captured by Cyrus. He was considered the wealthiest man in the world, and everything he touched seemed to turn to gold. Sardis was ruled by the Persians, by Alexander, by Antiochus the Great, and finally by the Romans. It was destroyed by an earthquake during the reign of Tiberius.
In our day the ruins of the temple of Cybele and also of the temple of Apollo can still be seen. It is one of the few double temples that you will find in the world. Cybele was known as Diana in Ephesus, but when you get inland, she becomes a nature goddess. She was the goddess of the moon, and Apollo was the god of the sun—they were brother and sister. This was a very corrupt worship, much like the worship of Diana at Ephesus.
Extensive excavations have taken place at Sardis. They are rebuilding the gymnasium and also the synagogue. And they have dug up the Roman road that is there. The thing that thrilled me when I looked at that road was that I knew the apostle Paul had walked up and down it.
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead [Rev. 3:1].
“These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars.” He presents Himself to the church at Sardis as the One having the seven Spirits of God; that is, He is the One who sent the Holy Spirit into the world.
As we have seen, Sardis represents the Protestant church. My friend, the church today needs the Spirit of God working in it. We think we need methods, and we have all kinds of Band-Aid courses for believers in which you put on a little Band-Aid, and it will solve all your problems. What we really need to do is to get to the person of Christ whom only the Holy Spirit can make real and living to us. This is the thing Protestantism needs today.
Following the dark night of the Dark Ages, the Holy Spirit was still in the world doing His work. He moved in the hearts of men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and many, many others.
“I know thy works.” This is the word of commendation. Remember that the Reformation recovered the doctrine of justification by faith, and this faith produced works.
“That thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” Protestantism today, as a whole, has a name that it lives, but it is dead. Many Protestant churches today are just going through the form. They are building all the time, and people are coming, especially on Sunday mornings. But there are not many at the midweek service, when they really ought to come to hear the Word of God. “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” This is a frightful condemnation and is a picture of Protestantism today.
We need to recognize that all of the truth was not recovered by the Reformation. For example, I believe that the doctrine of eschatology, prophecy, is just now being developed in our own day.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God [Rev. 3:2].
Let me give you my translation of this verse:
Wake up and watch out and establish the things that remain which were about to die, for I have found no works of thine fulfilled (perfected) before my God.
This is the second word of condemnation, and it is a word of warning which had particular meaning in Sardis. As I have said, Sardis was located on the top of a mountain. It had one entrance on the southern side which was the only way you could get into the city in the old days. Therefore, all that Sardis had to do was to put a detail at that one place to watch the city. But on two occasions in their history they had been invaded by their enemies because they had felt secure, believing that the hill was impregnable, and the guard went to sleep on the job. In 549 b.c. the Median soldiers of Cyrus scaled the parapet, and then again in 218 b.c. Antiochus the Great captured Sardis because a Cretan slipped over the walls while the sentries were careless. What the Lord says to this church at Sardis is this: “You wake up and watch out!” This was embarrassing because of the two occasions in their history when they had been caught napping. He says to the church, “Don’t you go to sleep!”
Protestantism, as a whole, has turned away from looking for the coming of Jesus Christ, and they have built up these systems that certain things must be fulfilled before He can come. My friend, it is tissue-thin from where we are right now to the coming of Christ for His church. He could come the next moment or tomorrow. Don’t say that I said He is coming tomorrow because I don’t know. It may be a hundred years, but, my friend, His imminent return is what we are to look for. Sardis didn’t know when the enemy was coming, and we don’t know when Christ is coming—we have no way of knowing at all.
In view of the fact that the Rapture could take place at any moment, the church is to be alert. The date is not set, nor even the period in which He will come, and the reason for that is that the church is to be constantly on the alert for His coming—“Looking for that blessed hope …” (Titus 2:13). You see, anyone can make ready for a fixed hour, but you must always be ready for an unexpected hour. The Lord Jesus is saying to Protestantism that they are constantly to be on the alert.
“For I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Protestantism did recover the authority of the Word of God, the total depravity of man, and justification by faith, but there are many other things that they did not recover. The Reformation was not a return to the apostolic church.
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee [Rev. 3:3].
“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.” The idea is that they were to hold fast to these things because they were about to die. The great truths which were recovered in the Reformation are being lost. For instance, the Protestant church, by and large, has lost the authority of the Word of God. Rather than holding to the doctrine of the total depravity of man, many of our conservative churches are improving and using cosmetics on the carnal nature, thinking that somehow or another you can get up a few little rules and regulations which are going to enable you to live the Christian life. Also, the great doctrine of justification by faith has been pretty much abandoned, and a legalistic message is given that you have to do something in order to be saved. These are the things which characterize Protestantism today; it is very far from its original position.
“If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” As we have seen, Sardis was built high upon a mountaintop which was impossible to scale except at one point. There is so much erosion of the soil in Turkey that two thousand years ago—in the days of Paul and John—the mountain was much higher and even more inaccessible than it is today. In spite of that, there were these two occasions when enemy soldiers gained entrance to the city. This was very embarrassing to this city—two times it was captured because the guard went to sleep. The Lord says to the church at Sardis, “Don’t you go to sleep. Wake up and watch out.” He could come at any moment. The people of Sardis did not know when the enemy was coming, and we do not know when the Lord Jesus is coming.
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy [Rev. 3:4].
But thou hast a few names (persons) in Sardis that did not besmirch (defile) their Christian life (garments); and they shall walk with me in white (garments); for they are worthy.
In Israel it was never the corporate body of the total national life but always a remnant that was true to God. Here the church is told, “You have a few.” In Luke 12:32 the Lord called His church “little flock.” Protestantism today has its saints who love the Word, who are faithful to Him even in these days, and who stand by the Word of God. They do not engage in sin-defiling activities, nor are they engaged in fleshly activity.
Protestantism has produced some great men, and I will mention some, although I am going to leave out a great many. I think of the Reformation leaders: Martin Luther and John Calvin stand out, head and shoulders, above all others. Of course, there was John Knox, a great man of God who did so much for Scotland. Later on, there was John Bunyan, the great Baptist who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress, which tells of his own life and how God marvelously saved him. John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist church. God marvelously saved that man and used him in such a way that he is given credit by historians for saving England from the revolution which destroyed France and prevented it from ever becoming a first-rate nation again. Wesley has been called the greatest Englishman of all. He certainly did more for that country than any other Englishman who has ever lived. Then there was a man like John Moffat, the Scotchman who went to Africa, and David Livingstone who first opened up that continent. William Carey went to India and later was followed by a sickly young man by the name of Henry Martyn. Finally, I always like to include Titus Coan, who led the greatest revival since Pentecost out in the Hawaiian Islands.
Protestantism has had some names who didn’t defile themselves and were true to the Word of God. There are quite a few such men living today, but I wouldn’t dare to begin to name them because of the fact that I would be apt to leave some out who ought to be included.
Protestantism has certainly produced some great men of God. Romanism did the same thing, even during the Dark Ages, but that does not mean to commend the system. The system of Romanism and the system of Protestantism, as they are revealed in the great denominations which have departed from the faith, to me are the organizations which will eventually bring in the apostate church because they have departed from the great tenets and doctrines of the Christian faith.
Verse 5 is a difficult passage of Scripture—
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels [Rev. 3:5].
“He that overcometh.” The one who overcomes by the blood of Christ, of course, never does it because of his own strength, cleverness, or ability.
Now He makes this statement which has caused the difficulty in understanding: “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” It is interesting to note that in the genealogies there are only two books which are identified: (1) “the book of the generations of Adam” (see Gen. 5:1)—we are all in that book, but it is a book of death—and (2) “the book of the generation of Jesus Christ” (see Matt. 1:1). The phrase, “the book of the generation,” is an unusual expression. It occurs only in connection with Adam and then in connection with Christ.
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ is the Book of Life. I believe that you get into that book by faith in Christ. This, then, raises the question here: Is it possible for you to be in the Book of Life and then have your name blotted out? Can you lose your salvation? If that is true, then the Lord Jesus should not have said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Again and again throughout Scripture we have the assurance given to us of our salvation.
I would like to give you now an excerpt from Dr. John Walvoord’s book The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which is a very good explanation of what is meant in this verse:
Some have indicated that there is no explicit statement here that anybody will have his name blotted out, but rather the promise that his name will not be blotted out because of his faith in Christ. The implication, however, is that such is a possibility. On the basis of this some have considered the book of life not as the roll of those who are saved but rather a list of those for whom Christ died, that is, all humanity who have possessed physical life. As they come to maturity and are faced with the responsibility of accepting or rejecting Christ, their names are blotted out if they fail to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour; whereas those who do accept Christ as Saviour are confirmed in their position in the book of life, and their names are confessed before the Father and the heavenly angels.
I think that that is a good, sound interpretation.
In Revelation there is a great importance placed on this book (see Rev. 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:19). In these references the thought is that there are those whose names are recorded and those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life. We will talk about it again, especially when we get to the last reference in the twenty-second chapter.
Some have identified the two books in chapter 20, verse 12, as the book of profession and the book of reality. They hold that names are erased from the book of profession but not from the book of reality. Others have suggested that all names are placed in the Book of Life at the beginning, but some are removed. A person’s lack of decision for or rejection of Christ causes his name to be removed at the time of death. Both of these views propose serious objections as well as having good points to commend them.
I am confident that the whole thought is simply that it was amazing that anyone in Sardis would be saved but that there were some whose names He said would not be blotted out of the Book of Life. He didn’t say that anybody had been blotted out; He just said that even in Sardis there would be some saved. May I say to you, the important thing is whether or not your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I do not believe that after you are saved you would ever be able to lose that salvation.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [Rev. 3:6].
This, again, is the blood-tipped ear that needs to hear the voice of the Spirit speaking through the Word of God the message of Christ to His church today.
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA
The church in Philadelphia represents what I call the revived church, dating from approximately the beginning of the nineteenth century to the Rapture. This is the church that has turned back to the Word of God. Today in Protestantism and also in the Roman Catholic Church, there are multitudes of people who are turning to the Word of God. Mail which I receive from all over the world indicates that there are people wanting to hear the Word of God and who are hungry for it. This period is pictured in the church of Philadelphia.
I have visited the city of Philadelphia, and it is today a rather prosperous little Turkish town. It is located in a very beautiful valley that is inland a great distance, about 125–150 miles from the coast. The valley is a very wide one which runs north and south, and the Cogamis River of that valley is a tributary of the Hermus River. The city was built on four or five hills in a picturesque setting. Today it is spread out a great deal, and it is a typical Turkish town.
Philadelphia is in an area that is subject to earthquakes. The great population that was in that area left primarily because of earthquakes and, of course, because of warfare. When Tamerlane and the other great pagan leaders came out of the East, it was a time when all those who were left were slaughtered. Therefore, today no descendants of the original population are there. However, this city has had continuous habitation from its very beginning.
This city was like a Greek island out in Lydia, out in the Anatolian country, an area which the Greeks considered to be heathen and pagan—the Greek word for it was barbarian. In fact, anyone who was not a Greek was considered a barbarian in those days. The Lydian language was spoken there at first, but by the time of the apostles, the Greek language had taken over, and it was a typical Greek colony. This was the outpost of Greek culture in a truly Asiatic and Anatolian atmosphere. It was called a “little Athens” because of the fact that it was in this area and yet was truly Greek.
It was a fortress city used to waylay the enemy who would come in to destroy the greater cities like Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamum—those were the three great cities. These other cities were largely fortress cities where garrisons were stationed either to stop the enemy or delay him as he marched toward the western coast.
Philadelphia is in a country where erosion is at work; the soil is quite alluvial, but it is very fertile soil. Beautiful laurel trees, many flowers—I noticed that they are growing just about everything that is imaginable. It was particularly celebrated for its excellent wine. Great vineyards covered the surrounding hills, and the head of Bacchus was imprinted on their coins.
The city did not get its name, as so many seem to think, from the Bible. Actually, the city got its name because of the love that Attalus II had for his brother Eumenes who was king of Pergamum. Attalus had a great love and loyalty for his brother, and because of that it is called “the city of brotherly love.”
In a.d. 17 a great earthquake struck this city and totally destroyed it. The same earthquake totally destroyed Sardis and many other Lydian cities throughout that area. Tiberius, the emperor at that time, allocated a vast sum of money for the rebuilding of these cities, and they were then restored.
This is the one church besides Smyrna for which our Lord had no word of condemnation. Why? Because it had turned to the Word of God. It is interesting concerning the two churches which He did not condemn that the places are still in existence, although the churches have disappeared. However, in Philadelphia there is something quite interesting about which I would like to tell you. First of all, there are the remains of a Byzantine church, which reveals that Christianity was active there up until the twelfth or thirteenth century. The people who are caretakers of that area today must be Christians. Although I could not converse with them, they very graciously brought me a pitcher of water and a dipper on the very warm day I was there. The man and his wife who brought it were all smiles. I couldn’t talk to them, and they couldn’t talk to me, but I felt that we did communicate something of Christian love.
The remains of that Byzantine church are still there, but that is not the pillar that is mentioned in verse 12, although many believe that it is, and that is where the guides take the tours. However, before my first trip there, I had seen a picture of a big amphitheater in Adam’s Biblical Backgrounds; so I told my guide that I wanted to go up there on the side of the hill. The amphitheater was no longer there, but there was a Turkish coffee shop where my guide talked to a man. He said that there had been an amphitheater but it was totally destroyed except for one pillar. I have a picture of that pillar which is hidden away under the trees. Why did the Turkish government get rid of that amphitheater? I’ll tell you why: The Seljuk Turks brutally killed the Christians in Philadelphia, and they wanted to get rid of every vestige of that old civilization. Today they would rather that you and I forget about it.
Philadelphia is the place where Christian and Saracen fought during the Crusades, and in 1922 Turkey and Greece fought in Philadelphia. There are apparently a few Christians there today, as I have suggested, but they are under cover because they would be severely persecuted.
The church of Philadelphia continued into the thirteenth century. This church was in a very strategic area to be a missionary church, and that is actually what it was. I have labeled it the revived church because it returned to the Word of God and began to teach the Word of God.
This represents something that I think we see in Protestantism today. It began back in the last century and has gained since then, so that Bible teaching is not something that is new, by any means, but it has certainly become rather popular today. We feel very definitely that our Bible-teaching radio program has come in on the crest of a wave of interest in the Word of God.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth [Rev. 3:7].
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write.” The angel is the human messenger, the pastor, of the church. This is the Lord’s method in all of these churches.
“These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” In each of these messages, the Lord always draws something from that vision of Himself as the glorified Christ, our Great High Priest, in chapter 1. Here He reminds them that He is holy. He was holy at His birth, He was holy at His death, and He is holy today in His present priestly office. He was so called at His birth when the angel said to Mary, “… therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35, italics mine). And in His death He was holy. We are told in Acts 2:27: “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (italics mine). He was holy in His death and in His resurrection. What a marvelous thing this is! He is also holy today in His high priestly office. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26, italics mine).
“He that is true.” John 14:6 tells us, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life….” True means “genuine” with an added note of perfection and completeness. Moses did not give the true bread; Christ is the true Bread (see John 6:32–35).
“He that hath the key of David.” This is different from the keys of hades and death which we saw in chapter 1, verse 18. This speaks of His regal claims as the Ruler of this universe. “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:32–33). He will sit on the throne of David in the Millennium, but today He is sovereign, sitting at His Father’s right hand, waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool.
“He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” He is the One today who is able to open and to close, and because of that He is a comfort to us (see Matt. 28:18–20).
I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name [Rev. 3:8].
I know thy works: behold, I have given thee a door opened, which none can shut, for thou hast a little strength [Gr.: dunamin], and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name.
This is the verse that we have taken as the maxim for our “Thru the Bible” radio program. We began with it at the first, and it means a great deal to us.
The church at Philadelphia was the one which was true to the Word of God. In our day the church which it represents could not be called the Protestant church or the Roman Catholic church or any other church. Actually, it represents all churches the world over—regardless of their labels—which still remain true to the Word of God.
The Lord commends the Philadelphian church on seven counts:
1. “I know thy works.” The Lord Jesus is looking for fruit; He is looking for works in the lives of believers. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8–10).
My friend, there is something wrong with your faith if it doesn’t produce works. Good, old, practical, camel-kneed James was a great man of prayer who said, “… shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). “Works” are not works of law but works of faith. Calvin said, “Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is not alone.” Saying faith produces works.
2. “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” This could be a door to the joy of the Lord or to a knowledge of the Scriptures. I personally believe that it is a door to the knowledge of the Scriptures, which means that if He opens the door, He intends for you to move in because He will open a door of opportunity for witnessing and for proclaiming the Word of God. I believe that both go together.
3. “For thou hast a little strength [dunamin].” Dunamin is the Greek word from which we get our English word dynamite. He says, “You have a little power.” This was a humble group of believers which did not have impressive numbers, buildings, or programs. I get a little weary today hearing every Christian group making reports. Even here at “Thru the Bible” we like to tell you how many radio stations our broadcast is heard on. My, how we like to talk about those things! My friend, that type of thing is not worth anything. We like to talk about the hundreds of letters we receive from those who have accepted Christ—that’s nothing. The important thing is whether or not we are getting out the Word of God. He will do the counting. God has His own computer which is registering all this, and He tells us that we had better not. The apostle Paul said, “I don’t even judge myself” (see 1 Cor. 4:3). Why not? In effect he is saying, “I may report too many converts. I may speak ‘evangelistically’ and give you a wrong figure. I may look at this a little differently than God does. I need to wait until I get into His presence for the accurate rendering of it.”
4. “And hast kept my word.” In a day when there was a denial of the inspiration of the Scriptures, this church believed the Bible to be the authoritative, inspired Word of God. A twentieth-century theologian, of course of the liberal ranks, stated that no intelligent person could believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible. Well, that sure puts me in a bad light! I am, therefore, not an intelligent person because I do believe in the inspiration of the Bible—that is, if his definition is right, but I do not think he is right even about that.
5. “And hast not denied my name.” In a day when the deity of Christ is blatantly denied by seminary and pulpit, here is a group of believers who have remained true to Him by proclaiming the God-man and His substitutionary death for sinners.
This church in Philadelphia has been labeled many things. Some have called it the missionary church; some have called it the serving church; some have called it a live church—all of these are accurate. I personally like to call it the revived church or the Bible-believing church; it is the Bible church. The thing that the Lord Jesus emphasizes is this: “Thou … hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” In that day of unbelief and skepticism, the Lord Jesus is commending this church because it has kept His Word. This is the church that got out the Word of God and, as far as we know, this church lasted longer than any other of the seven churches mentioned here. Until the thirteenth century, it had a continuous existence. It was destroyed by the Seljuk Turks when they came in and brutally murdered all the believers who were left in this church. It was also a missionary church. It is the belief now that the fact that Christianity penetrated into India as early as it did was because this church had sent out missionaries.
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee [Rev. 3:9].
Let me give you my translation:
Behold I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them that they shall come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
The remnant of Israel which was being saved had left the synagogue by this time. They had given up the Law as a means of salvation and sanctification. Those who continued in the synagogue were now in a false religion. As Paul makes it clear, “… For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6)—they were no longer true Jews. He considered the true Israelite to be the one who had turned to Christ.
Ignatius, according to Trench and reported by Vincent, refers to a logical situation where converts from Judaism preached the faith they once despised. By the way, the Roman Empire used Jews for the purpose of colonizing. They would send a regular colony of them into a foreign area, as they did into this section, and this is the reason there were so many Jews there.
6. “Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” The Lord Jesus says here that He will make the enemies of the Philadelphian church to know that He loves this church. This is His sixth point of commendation.
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth [Rev. 3:10].
Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I, also, will keep you out of (from) the hour of the trial, which is (about) to come upon the whole inhabited world to test (try) them that dwell upon the earth.
7. This last commendation is that this church kept the Word of Christ in patience. This is evidently the patient waiting for the coming of Christ for His own (see 2 Thess. 3:5). It has been in the present century that the doctrines of eschatology have been developed more than in all previous centuries combined. During the past forty years, there has been a revival of interest, both in Europe and in America, in fact, all over the world, relative to the second coming of Christ. Even the liberals talk about it now and then.
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience.” I believe that God today is still patient with a world that has rejected His Word. It is not like it was back in the days of Noah. They didn’t have the written Word of God, yet God judged them; they did have a man bringing the message to them. But today we do have the Word of God. There is a Gideon Bible in practically every hotel and motel room throughout the world. In the different countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa, I find that the Word of God has penetrated all of these areas. The Philadelphian church is the church that believed in the Word of God.
“I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Christ’s final word of encouragement to His church is that it will not pass through the Great Tribulation. The church is to be removed from the world (see 1 Thess. 4:13–18), which is its comfort and hope (see Titus 2:13). Such is the patient waiting of the church “… who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:12). The church is not anticipating the Great Tribulation with all of its judgment (see John 5:24; Rev. 13:1–8, 11–17), but rather it is looking for Him to come.
“The hour of temptation” is definitely a reference to the Great Tribulation—it’s worldwide. After the preliminaries are put down in chapters 4–5, in chapters 6–19 you have presented the Great Tribulation Period. This is the period that He says is coming upon all the world to test those that are upon the earth.
“I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” He says that He will keep them not only from that awful holocaust that is coming on this earth, that period of judgment, but also from the hour of temptation. Therefore, this is to my judgment a complete deliverance. When He says, “keep thee from the hour,” I have translated it, “keep thee out of the hour of trial.” By any stretch of the imagination, you could not say that this church is going through the Great Tribulation Period. I believe that the period of the Philadelphian church continues right on through to the rapture of the church. This is the church which will go out at the time of the Rapture.
The church of Laodicea, as we shall see, is an organization which will continue on in the world, although the Lord gives a marvelous invitation to it, and many even in that Laodicean church will turn to Christ and be taken out at the time of the Rapture. But there is a church that goes through the Great Tribulation Period, and that is the apostate church, the church of Laodicea.
What we have here, therefore, is the coming of Christ to take His own out of the world and His promise to the church of Philadelphia that it will not go through that particular period that is coming on the earth.
I would like to give here another quotation from Dr. John Walvoord’s book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ:
If the rapture had occurred in the first century preceding the tribulation which the book of Revelation describes, they were assured of deliverance. By contrast, those sealed out of the twelve tribes of Israel in 7:4 clearly go through the time of trouble. This implies the rapture of the church before the time of trouble referred to as the great tribulation. Such a promise of deliverance to them would seemingly have been impossible if the rapture of the church were delayed until the end of the tribulation prior to the second coming of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom.
Christ says to the church—
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown [Rev. 3:11].
“Behold, I come quickly.” “Quickly” does not mean soon. Rather, it has the idea of suddenness and an air of expectation; that is, He will come at a time they know not. It does not mean He is coming immediately, but His coming will be sudden. This is the promise that is the hope of the church. Actually, the church is not looking for the Great Tribulation Period. Nowhere are you told that you are to gird up your loins, grit your teeth, and clench your fists because the Great Tribulation is coming and you are certainly going through it! He never said that, but “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Let me say again that the Philadelphian church represents the revived church, the church that has returned to the Word of God. It is this church that is to be raptured, His true church, and I do not think you can put them in any denomination or any local church. They are scattered throughout the world today, and you will find some of them belonging to some very funny organizations. I don’t understand that, but that is apparently none of my business; that is something they will have to straighten out with the Lord.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name [Rev. 3:12].
There are two pillars in Philadelphia today. One is that of the Byzantine church, which I do not think is the reference here. But there is also a pillar on the side of the hill, hidden among those cedar and laurel trees. That pillar is all that remains of the city of John’s day. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God.” The church down here was destroyed, but the permanent pillar is up yonder.
“And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” This is the passport and visa of the believer which will enable him, as a citizen of heaven, to pass freely upon this earth or anywhere in God’s universe. He is a pillar to “go no more out,” but with God’s passport he is to go everywhere. Although this is paradoxical, it is all wonderfully and blessedly true.
“I will write upon him my new name.” This is His name. We do not have a new name; rather, He is saying that He has a new name for Himself that He will give to us. This new name is a personal relationship we will have with Him.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [Rev. 3:13].
The Lord has a message that He gives to each one of these churches. It applied to that local church, but it also applies to us today.
CHRIST’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA
The letter of Christ to the church in Laodicea is the last of these seven letters. Sir William Ramsay calls Laodicea “the city of compromise.” This city was founded by Antiochus II (261-246 b.c.). It had a Seleucid foundation. Seleucus was one of the generals of Alexander who took Syria. Lysimachus took Asia Minor, but apparently Seleucus moved over into his territory and took some of his ground, including this city.
Laodicea was about forty miles east and inland from Ephesus on the Lycus River, which flows into the Maeander River. It is located at what is known as the “Gate of Phrygia.” Out of the Oriental East, the great camel caravans came down through the Gate of Phrygia and through Laodicea. This road came out of the East and went to Ephesus, to Miletus, and also up to what is called Izmir today but was Smyrna in that day. Laodicea was in a spectacular place, a great valley. Today its ruins are largely covered up with the growth of what looks like wild oats. Its name means “justice of the people.” It was named for Laodice, the wife of Antiochus. Although there were several cities which bore this name, this was the most famous one of all.
Between Laodicea and going on up to the Phrygian mountains, there was in this valley a great Anatolian temple of the Phrygian god, Men Karou. This was the primitive god of that area. The temple was the very center of all society, administration, trade, and religion. There was a great market there, and strangers came from everywhere to trade. I suppose that the large market in Istanbul today is very similar to it.
Laodicea was a place of great wealth, of commerce, and of Greek culture. It was a place of science and of literature. It boasted an excellent medical school which, again, was very primitive and actually very heathen. Here is where they developed what was known in the Roman world as Phrygian powder, a salve for the ears and the eyes. Laodicea was also a center of industry with extensive banking operations. Cicero held court here. It is said that he brought notes here to be cashed in this city. Jupiter, or Zeus, was the object of worship in Laodicea.
The city was finally abandoned because of earthquakes. The very impressive ruins of two Roman theaters, a large stadium, and three early Christian churches are still there. The city itself has not been excavated. In other words, these ruins which I have mentioned protrude through all the debris and wild growth that is there. I have heard that there is an American foundation which has set aside two to three million dollars to excavate Laodicea. I would love to join that excavation for it would be very worthwhile.
Laodicea was a place of great commerce where they made clothing. As you stand on the ruins of Laodicea, you can look around at the nearby hills and see where Colosse is located and also Hierapolis, where there are springs. The greatest ruins are not in Colosse or Laodicea but in Hierapolis. The hills have a very funny color. The people took the clay from those hills, put it with a spikenard, and made it into a salve for the eyes and ears. This salve was shipped all over the Roman Empire. Today the chemical analysis reveals that there is nothing healing in that clay at all, but somebody made good money at it in that day. We like to think we are civilized today, but there is a lot of medicine on the market that won’t do you a bit of good; yet we are buying it just as fast as we can because of high-pressure advertising. We had better not criticize these people too much—but the Lord Jesus did. He is going to tell them that they had better get the real eye salve that will open their eyes.
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God [Rev. 3:14].
And to the messenger of the church in Laodicea write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
This is the only place in Scripture where Amen is a proper name, and it is the name of Christ. In Isaiah 65:16 it should read, “the God of the amen.” In Isaiah 7:9 the word believe is amen. In 2 Corinthians 1:20 we read, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” The Lord Jesus is the Amen. He has the last word. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the One who is going to fulfill all the promises of God, and He lets the Laodiceans know this because this is the church that has rejected the deity of Christ. The word Amen is the only thing that He draws out of the vision of Himself that we had in the first chapter.
“The faithful and true witness.” This reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ alone is the One who will reveal all and tell all. This is the day when it is very difficult to hear the truth. We certainly don’t get it through the news media or from the government. Both our educational institutions and the military are great brain-washing institutions. Whom can you believe? Well, there is One who is the faithful and true witness even in the days of apostasy. You cannot believe the church in many instances today; the liberal church has no message for this hour.
“The beginning of the creation of God” means that He is the Creator. We live in a day when the myth of evolution, the evolutionary hypothesis, is that which is accepted. A college professor, a friend of mine, who has accepted the evolutionary hypothesis, said to me, “I want facts. I want science.” I said, “Wait a minute. There are not but two explanations for the origin of this universe in which you and I live. One is speculation, because nobody was there to see it and nobody is able to come up with the answer. The other is revelation—what the Word of God has to say. Very frankly, the difference between you and me is that you accept speculation and I accept revelation. As far as I am concerned, I feel that I am on more solid ground because I have the testimony of the One who did the creating, and He ought to know something about it.” The Lord Jesus is “the beginning of the creation of God.”
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth [Rev. 3:15–16].
With the other churches, when the Lord Jesus said, “I know thy works,” He meant good works; He was commending them for good works. But the Lord Jesus has no word of commendation for this church. All is condemnation here. Even the “works” here are not good works; they are evil works.
“That thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” This had a background and a local meaning for the people in that day. Being down in the valley, they had difficulty getting water in Laodicea. As I stood there in the ruins, I looked south toward the Phrygian mountains, some of which are very high. I was there around the first of June, and there was still an abundance of snow on top of those mountains. The Laodiceans built an aqueduct to bring that cold water down from the mountains. When it left the mountains, it was ice cold, but by the time it made that trip all the way down the mountains to Laodicea, it was lukewarm. And lukewarm water is not very good.
Down in the valley where the Lycus River joins the Maeander River, there are hot springs. The springs are so hot that steam is produced. The Turkish government has capped it and is using it today, and I understand they intend to develop its use even more because it is there in abundance. It is the hottest water you can imagine; a lot of it is just steam. However, when they would take this hot water up to Laodicea, by the time it got there, it was no longer hot—it had become lukewarm water.
When the Lord Jesus said to the Laodicean church, “You are neither cold nor hot,” they knew exactly what He was talking about. They had been drinking lukewarm water for years. Water left the mountains ice cold, and it left the springs steaming hot, but when they got it, both were lukewarm, and it was sickening. We like to put a little ice in our water, and many folk drink hot water, but lukewarm water is just not good, my friend. The Lord Jesus said that this church was neither cold nor hot and He would spew it out of His mouth.
A cold church actually means a church that has denied every cardinal doctrine of the faith. It is given over to formality and is carrying on in active opposition to the Word of God and the gospel of Christ. You find today in liberalism that they are in active opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hot speaks of those with real spiritual fervor and passion like the Christians in Ephesus, although they were even then getting away from their best love. Oh, the Spirit of God had brought them to a high pitch in their personal relationship to Christ!
But the Laodicean church was neither hot nor cold—just lukewarm. Between those positions of hot and cold, you have this lukewarm state. I would say that this is a picture of many, many churches today in the great denominations that have departed from the faith. Many churches—both in and out of these denominations—attempt to maintain a middle-of-the-road position. They do not want to come out flatfootedly for the Word of God and for the great doctrines of the Christian faith. And at the same time, they do not want to be known as a liberal church. So they play footsie with both groups. I have broken fellowship with quite a few men who are extremists in both directions, some extreme fundamentalists and some extreme liberals. And many of these men attempt to play both sides of the street. That is a condition that is impossible. This is the thing that makes the Lord Jesus sick. He very frankly says that He will spew them out of His mouth.
To my judgment this middle-of-the-road position is the worst kind of hypocrisy there is. “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (v. 1). “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5).
In its beginning Protestantism assumed the position of believing all the great doctrines of the Christian faith. The creeds of all the great historic denominations are wonderful creeds. The Westminster Confession of Faith is unparalleled in my estimation, but it is now largely repudiated by the church that owned it for years. The Heidelberg Catechism is a marvelous confession, but who is following it? Who believes these wonderful creeds in our day? The churches have a form of godliness but are denying the power thereof. They have a name that they live, but they are dead. They are neither hot nor cold—they are lukewarm.
This is the condition of the church today, and unfortunately, it is the condition of a great many so-called fundamental, conservative churches. Thank God that there are many who do not come under this classification. But the thing that is absolutely startling and frightening and fearful is that He says, “I will spue thee out of my mouth.” In other words, “I will vomit you out of my mouth.” Does that sound to you like the church which He’s going to rapture, to whom He says, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3)? I don’t think so. That is the church He draws to Himself, but here is a church He just vomits out because it is lukewarm. Lukewarm water makes you sick at your stomach. I am of the opinion that if He spoke to a lot of churches today, He would say, “You make Me sick at My stomach. You’re professed Christians. You say you love Me. You say it, but you don’t mean it.”
This is a heart-searching message for this hour because we are living in the time of the Laodicean church and of the Philadelphian church. Both of them are side by side, and there is a great bifurcation in Christianity today. It is not in denominations, and it is not Romanism and Protestantism. The great bifurcation consists of those who believe the Word of God and follow it, love it, obey it, and those who reject it. That is the line of division today.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked [Rev. 3:17].
Thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and thou dost not know that thou art the wretched one and miserable (the object of pity) and poor and blind and naked.
“Because thou sayest, I am rich.” The city of Laodicea was a rich city. I suppose that Laodicea and Sardis were probably two of the richest cities in that entire area at that particular time.
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” They believed that the dollar was the answer to every problem of life. After World War II that was the assumption that the American government was run on. All we did was dole out dollars all over the world, thinking that we would buy friends, make peace, and settle the problems of the world. Very frankly, I believe that our nation has probably complicated the world more than anything else. We thought that all we had to do was to allocate money and we would solve the problems of the world. My friend, riches never solved any problem. This church in Laodicea tried it: “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
The Laodicean church made its boast of material possessions. Conversely, the church in Smyrna was poor in material things. It was the church of slaves and poor folk. There were not many rich and not many noble in the early church. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:26, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”
The present-day church boasts of large membership, prominent people, huge attendance, generous giving, and ornate buildings. A phenomenal growth in Protestant congregations, 242,000 in 1970 to 78,900,152 in 1980 (according to the World Christian Encyclopedia) would indicate the possibility of a church on fire for God. And there are other indications: Wealth beyond the wildest dreams of our forefathers; mass evangelistic meetings attended by tens of thousands; and use of other mass media such as radio and literature increasing constantly.
Worldly wealth is the measuring rod for the modern church. Spiritual values have been lost sight of or are entirely ignored. The church as a whole is not only rich in earthly goods, but it actually is in the business of accumulating wealth. People are urged to make their wills in favor of so-called Christian organizations. Some radio and television programs and other professed Christian works are operated as promotional schemes to raise money to provide luxurious care for the promoters. My friend, you ought to check how the money you give to Christian work is being spent. When you write your will, I hope you will leave money for Christian work, but you ought to make sure that after you are gone, it is going to be spent for that which you intended.
On the spiritual side of the ledger, the Laodicean church is “the wretched one.” It is worse off than any of the seven churches. It is to be pitied because it is spiritually poverty-stricken. In it is no study of the Word, no love of Christ, and no witnessing of His saving grace; yet it is blind to its own true condition. It lacks the covering of the robe of righteousness.
A pastor in Arlington, Virginia, put this in his church bulletin some years ago. It is an “Open Letter to Jane Ordinary”—
Dear Jane:
I am writing to help you shake this feeling of uselessness that has overtaken you. Several times you’ve said that you don’t see how Christ can possibly use you. The church must bear part of the responsibility for making you feel as you do. I have in mind the success-story mentality of the church. Our church periodicals tell the story of John J. Moneybags who uses his influential position to witness for Christ. At the church youth banquet, we have a testimony from All-American football star, Ox Kickoffsky, who commands the respect of his teammates when he witnesses for Christ. We are led to think that if you don’t have the leverage of stardom or a big position in the business world, you might as well keep your mouth shut. Nobody cares what Christ has done for you.
We’ve forgotten an elementary fact about Christian witness, something that should encourage you: God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise. He has chosen what the world calls weak to shame the strong. He has chosen things of little strength and of small repute, yes, and even things which have no real existence to explode the pretensions of the things that are, that no man may boast in the presence of God.
When Jesus Christ chose His disciples, He didn’t choose Olympic champs or Roman senators. He chose simple people like you. Some were fishermen, one was a political extremist, another was a publican, a nobody in that society. But these men turned the Roman world upside down for Christ. How did they do it? Through their popularity? They had none. Their position? They had none. Their power was the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Jane, don’t forget that we still need the ordinary in the hands of Christ to turn the world upside down.
In the church today we sing:
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation by water and the word:
From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.
“The Church’s One Foundation” —Samuel J. Stone
Yet the inscription on the cathedral in Lübeck, Germany, is still true:
Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:
Ye call Me Master and obey Me not.
Ye call Me Light and see Me not.
Ye call Me Way and walk Me not.
Ye call Me Life and choose Me not.
Ye call Me Wise and follow Me not.
Ye call Me Fair and love Me not.
Ye call Me Rich and ask Me not.
Ye call Me Eternal and seek Me not.
Ye call Me Noble and serve Me not.
Ye call Me Gracious and trust Me not.
Ye call Me Might and honor Me not.
Ye call Me Just and fear Me not.
If I condemn you, blame Me not.
This is the church in Laodicea. This is the church that Stanley High spoke of when he said:
The church has failed to tell me that I am a sinner. The church has failed to deal with me as a lost individual. The church has failed to offer me salvation in Jesus Christ alone. The church has failed to tell me of the horrible consequences of sin, the certainty of hell, and the fact that Jesus Christ alone can save. We need more of the last judgment and less of the Golden Rule, more of the living God and the living devil as well, more of a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. The church must bring me not a message of cultivation but of rebirth. I might fail that kind of church, but that kind of church will not fail me.
My friend, we are living in the Laodicean period today, and the church is failing to witness to the saving grace of God.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see [Rev. 3:18].
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich”—this is the precious blood of Christ.
“And white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear”—this speaks of the righteousness of Christ.
“And anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see”—this speaks of the Holy Spirit who opens the eyes of believers today.
This admonition was very meaningful to the church at Laodicea. Sir William Ramsay has this very helpful comment in his excellent book, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia:
The Laodicean Church must also learn that it is blind, but yet not incurably blind. It is suffering from disease, and needs medical treatment. But the physicians of its famous medical school can do nothing for it. The tabloids which they prescribe, and which are now used all over the civilized world, to reduce to powder and smear on the eyes, will be useless for this kind of ophthalmia. The Laodiceans must buy the tabloid from the Author himself, at the price of suffering and steadfastness.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent [Rev. 3:19].
This word zealous means “to be hot.” This is His last message to the church. He says, “Be zealous.” Be hot. Get on fire for God. He is ordering this church to forsake its lukewarm state, and He says, “Repent.” This church needs repentance more than all the others. And the message of repentance is for the contemporary church, but you will not be popular if you preach that, I can assure you. It is not too late even for those in this church to turn to Christ: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Beginning at verse 20 is a general invitation which goes out from the Lord Jesus at any time—
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me [Rev. 3:20].
This is a picture of the Lord Jesus at the heart’s door of the sinner. It is a glorious picture. The English artist, Holman Hunt, attempted to put this concept on canvas. He pictured Christ standing at a door. When he first painted the picture, he invited his artist friends to criticize. One of them said to him, “Holman, you have left off a very important part of the door. You left off the handle of the door.” Hunt replied, “This door is a picture of the human heart, and the handle of the door is on the inside.” This is the picture of Christ we have in Revelation. He stands at the door and knocks. He will not crash the door. Regardless of what some extremists say on this matter of election, the Lord Jesus has moved heaven and hell to get to the door of your heart, but when He gets there, He will stop and knock. You will have to open the door to let Him in.
“I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” This speaks of fellowship, of feeding on the Word of God, and of coming to know Jesus Christ better.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne [Rev. 3:21].
Again, I call attention to the fact that when the Lord Jesus speaks of His relationship with the Father, He always makes it unique. He says, “My Father.” He said, “… I ascend unto my Father …” (John 20:17, italics mine)—not our Father—because the relationship is always different with Him.
The Lord Jesus is preparing us for the next scene that will be coming up when He says, “and am set down with my Father in his throne.” This is the picture that we are going to see in the chapters which follow.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [Rev. 3:22].
This is a special message from the Lord Jesus to all the churches for which you need the blood-tipped ear to hear. This is the reason that you and I must be very careful in our study of the Word of God, that we not run ahead of the Spirit of God, but that we let Him be our teacher. If you have a blood-tipped ear, He wants you to hear what He has to say. Only the Spirit of God can make the Word of God real to you.
This concludes the messages to these seven churches. These are “the things which are,” and they have been very important. I have spent a lot of time with these seven churches because they relate to the period in which we live and to our crowd. If we are a member of His church, we are also a member of His body, a part of that great company, beginning with the Day of Pentecost and coming down to the present hour, who have trusted the Lord Jesus as their Savior.
We have seen these seven churches blocked off into very definite periods of time, and they are largely fulfilled. I believe that we are in the period of the last two churches. As we have said before, there is a bifurcation in the organized, visible church today. There is that church, represented by the Laodicean church, which is moving farther and farther into the apostasy, and there is also that church which is staying by the Word of God, the church represented by the Philadelphian church. This is the church which will be raptured. The other church has a tremendous organization, including all the denominations, all those which profess to be Christian churches but which have long since departed from the Word of God and from the person of Christ. This is the division that exists in the church. One church will be raptured; the other will go into the Great Tribulation Period.
There has been a message for each of these churches. Personally, I enjoy going through these messages since I have now made several trips to the churches in Turkey, that is, Asia Minor. I have visited the ruins of all seven of these churches at least twice and some of them as many as four or five times. As we have come to each church, I can see the ruins before my eyes, and I can visualize the local situation. The Lord Jesus spoke to that local situation, and He was also blocking off all of church history because these are seven representative churches which cover the complete period of the church while it is here on the earth. And there is also a message in each of these for you and for me today.
To the church at Ephesus, there was a warning given that is also for us today. It was a warning of the danger of getting away from the best love, that is, getting away from a personal and loving relationship with Jesus Christ. The real test of any believer, especially those who are attempting to serve Him, is not your little method or mode or system or your dedication or any of the things that are so often emphasized today. The one question is: Do you love Him? Do you love the Lord Jesus? When you love Him, you will be in a right relationship with Him, but when you begin to depart from the person of Christ, it will finally lead to lukewarmness. The apostate church was guilty of lukewarmness. It may not seem to be too bad, but it is the worst condition that anyone can be in. A great preacher in upper New York state said: “Twenty lukewarm Christians hurt the cause of Christ more than one blatant atheist.” A lukewarm church is a disgrace to Christ.
The Lord Jesus told the church in Smyrna not to fear suffering. Believe me, that is one thing that we in the church are frightened of today. We do not want to pay a price for serving the Lord Jesus, and yet that is His method.
To the church in Pergamum He said, “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam …. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate” (Rev. 2:14–15). There is a grave danger in wrong doctrine today, and that was the thing that was wrong in the church in Pergamum.
To the church in Thyatira He said, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (Rev. 2:20). The “new morality” is a grave danger for many today. Some folk think they can accept Christ and then live on a low plane. You will not get by with it, my friend, if you are His child.
In the church in Sardis, the Protestant church, there was the danger of spiritual deadness. He said, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (v. 1). What about your church, brother? Is it alive? Are you alive? Or are you dead in a dead church today? Many folk are in that condition, and yet they talk about holding the historic doctrines of the faith. But, my friend, the glaring defect in Protestantism today is deadness. And that is the worst thing of all.
The church in Philadelphia was not in any grave danger. The Lord Jesus does not condemn that church at all, but He does say, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (v. 11). What was it they had? He had commended them because they had kept His Word. We, too, need to be careful about this. As I look back now over the years of my ministry, I see men who started out true to the faith, many of them much stronger men than I was, men who defended the Word of God in a way that I did not in those early days, but they have now departed from the faith. I am amazed at that, but that is a grave danger even in the church in Philadelphia today. Nothing should deter us at all from keeping His Word.
To the church in Laodicea the Lord Jesus said, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (v. 16). This is the apostate church which professes to be Christian but lacks reality. But even to this church He issues a final call to repentance and an invitation to come to Himself.
CHAPTER 4
Theme: The church in heaven with Christ
We have seen the history of the church in the seven churches of chapters 2–3, but as we come to chapter 4, the question naturally arises: What has happened to the church? From chapter 4 through the rest of the Book of Revelation, there is no mention of the church except when you get to the invitation at the end, which is a general invitation and hasn’t anything to do with the chronology of the book. From here on you will not find the word church mentioned. Up to this point, the word church has occurred again and again, in fact nineteen times. But now the church goes off the air—there is no mention of it. It has gone off the air because it went up in the air; it was caught up in the air to meet the Lord in the air. The church has gone to heaven—that is what has happened to it. The Rapture takes place during the Philadelphian period, and the so-called church which continues on the earth is just an organization. It will go through the Great Tribulation Period, and we are finally going to hear it called a great harlot—what a frightful designation! Actually, the most frightful picture in the Bible is the seventeenth chapter of Revelation. Are we going to see the church again? Yes, but she is no longer a church; she is a bride—a bride adorned for her Husband.
Chapters 4–22 comprise the final major division of this very wonderful book. John was given the division of this book, and he passed it on to us. We ought not to miss it, for He said in chapter 1, verse 19, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter”—that is, meta tauta, meaning “after these things.” “Things which must be hereafter” of verse 1 corresponds to “the things which shall be hereafter” of chapter 1, verse 19. Both are meta tauta in the Greek, indicating a change from this to an entirely different scene and subject.
Several striking facts make it self-evident that we advance to a new division beginning with chapter 4. The climate and conditions change radically:
1. The church is no longer seen in the world, although up to chapter 4, there have been nineteen references to the church in the world. In fact, the subject of chapters 2–3 has been entirely devoted to the church in the world. However, from chapter 4 to the end of the Revelation the church is never mentioned in connection with the world. The final and lone reference is a concluding testimony after the world’s little day has ended (see Rev. 22:16). Christ said of His own, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). He also said to His own men, “… I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).
2. The scene definitely shifts to heaven in chapter 4. Since the church is still the subject, we follow it now to its new home—heaven. How did the church get to heaven? This is a good question, and Paul gives the answer: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). He defines the operation in 1 Corinthians 15:51–52: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Faith places the sinner on the launching pad, in the guided missile of the church, from whence he shall go to meet the Lord in the air. The saints enter the opened door to heaven. The church is with Christ, and Christ is in heaven, directing the events of the Great Tribulation Period that we are going to see when we get to chapter 6.
3. The church is not a name but a definition of those who have trusted Christ in this age. This is something which we need to get fixed in our minds because our thinking on this today is often muddled. The word church is ekklesia in the Greek; kaleoµ means “to call,” and ek means “out of.” Therefore, ekklesia means “a group of people called out of the world.”
When the church arrives at its destination in heaven, it loses the name by which it was known in the world and other terms are used to describe it. We are going to see it in chapter 4 as twenty-four elders, representatives of the church in heaven. We are also going to see the church in heaven as a bride, coming down to her new home, the New Jerusalem.
The apostate organization, which bears the ecclesiastical terminology and continues on in the world, is not hereafter given the title of “church” either, but the frightful label of “the harlot.” The late Dr. George Gill said years ago in a seminary class, “There are going to be some churches which will meet the next Sunday after the Rapture, and they won’t be missing a member—they will all be there.” Why? Because it is the church of Laodicea—that is, it professes to be Christian but lacks reality.
4. The judgments beginning at chapter 6 would not be in harmony with the gracious provision and promise that God has made to the church. If the church remained in the world, it would frustrate the grace of God because He has promised to deliver us from judgment.
5. Finally, to continue from chapter 3 to chapter 4 without recognizing the break is to ignore the normal and natural division in the book as stated in chapter 1, verse 19.
As we enter this last division of the book with all of its judgment and wrath, it is well to keep in our perspective that Jesus Christ is central. He is directing all events as He brings them to a successful but determined conclusion. There is “in the midst of the throne … a Lamb” (Rev. 7:17). He is a Lamb because He died for the sins of the world. And He is the One who is going to judge.
After these things, after the church things have concluded, the scene shifts from earth to heaven. It is a radical change. However, the Word of God describes personages and activities in heaven as normally as it described them on earth. There is no strain or involvement in superstition or mystery. The bridge over thegreat gulf is passed with ease and a reverent restraint. Only the Holy Spirit could describe things in heaven with as much ease as He describes things on the earth. What would have happened if a man had written this book? You know that the minute he got to the heavenly scene, he would have the wildest sort of things to say. How do I know that? Well, read the books that are out today which try to describe the overworld and the underworld and the unseen world. They are always rather startling and amazing. In fact, the use of this approach is one way that we can know a book is false. There is an awful obsession today, even among some Christians, with the subject of demons and of the Devil. I have no truck with that outfit at all. I have often been asked why I haven’t written a book on this subject. Frankly, at first I thought I would, but when so many books started coming out, all as wild as a March Hare and all dealing with the sensational, I changed my mind. You don’t have the sensational here in Revelation. We simply move to heaven, and the scene is awe inspiring, but it lacks that which man would put in.
The church is not seen under the familiar name it had in the world, but is now the priesthood of believers with the Great High Priest. Heavenly scenes and creatures greet us in this section (chs. 4–5) before our attention is drawn to the earth where, at the opening of the Great Tribulation, the four horsemen are to ride.
THE THRONE OF GOD
Christ is viewed here in His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King. He is worshiped as God because He is God.
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter [Rev. 4:1].
Here is my translation of this first verse:
After these things [Gr.: meta tauta] I saw, and behold a door set open in heaven; and the first voice which I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me and saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass after these things [meta tauta].
“After these things” (meta tauta) is used twice here; it both opens and closes the verse. This repetition certainly lends great emphasis and importance to the phrase. Apparently, John was afraid the amillennialists would miss it; so he used it twice in this particular place.
“I saw”—that is the eye-gate. “I heard”—that is the ear-gate. This is like a television program which we are looking at. This is the first great television program. We have had a wonderful treat in our day to view a television program from the moon, but that is nothing in comparison—here is a television program from heaven! This ought to interest believers a great deal and not cause us to take off like a skyrocket into some wild sort of dreamy stuff Heaven is a real place. There is a lot of reality there, and we ought not to get uptight over this scene that is now before us. We need to handle it in a normal way, but I admit that I cannot help but get excited about it all.
“I saw, and behold a door set open in heaven.” This is one of the four open doors in the Book of Revelation:
1. In chapter 3, verse 8, speaking to the church in Philadelphia, the Lord Jesus says, “I have set before thee an open door.” It seems that this refers to a door of opportunity for giving out the Word of God.
2. The open door of invitation and identification with Christ is in chapter 3, verse 20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” That door is the door to your heart.
3. We have an open door here in verse 1, which is the way to God through Christ, as we shall see.
4. In chapter 19, verse 11, we see a door opened in heaven again. That is the open door through which Christ will come at His second coming. He comes out at the end of the Great Tribulation to put down all of the unrighteousness and rebellion against God and to establish His kingdom.
John did not see this door opening as the Authorized Version of verse I suggests. This door was open all the time. It is the door through which believers have come to God for over nineteen hundred years. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). He also said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). The open door to heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ. He also is the One who will come to the door of your heart—that is the wonder and glory of it all.
We enter by faith. In modern terminology, we might express it thus: faith puts us on the launching pad of the church, which is Christ, and at the Rapture we go through this door like a guided missile. It is not just shot out into space going nowhere, but if man can hit the target of the moon, I do not think the Lord Jesus will have any trouble getting His church into heaven.
“Come up hither” is heaven’s invitation to John, and it is an invitation to all of the fellowship that know Christ as Savior. John wrote in 1 John 1:3: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
John is saying in effect, “We heard it, we saw it, and we declare it unto you. I am letting you know this so that you can have fellowship also, and one of these days you will be going up through that open door.”
“And the first voice which I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me.” This is the sound which calls the church to meet Christ in the air. And whose voice is it? It is the voice of Christ. This introduces us to one of the simple symbols which occurs frequently from here on in the Revelation. That it is a symbol is evident—a trumpet does not speak. Jazz devotees describe the trumpet playing of certain musicians by saying that their trumpets “talk.” When jazz addicts say that, they are just using a symbol. A trumpet never talks. The voice of Christ is like a trumpet, and this is the voice that Paul wrote of in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
This is a definite statement concerning the Rapture. When anyone tells you that the word rapture is not in the Bible, remember that the Greek word for “caught up” is harpazoµ; it means “caught up, raptured, or snatched up.” Hal Lindsey calls the Rapture “the great snatch.” I guess that is good vocabulary for young people today, but I prefer the term “caught up,” and it means rapture. If you don’t like the word rapture, then call it harpazoµ. That’s what Paul called it. We are to be caught up, and His voice will be like a trumpet. It pulled John up, and someday it will pull you and me up.
“Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must come to pass after these things.” After what things? After the church has completed its earthly ran and is caught up.
And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne [Rev. 4:2].
At once (straightway) I found myself in the Spirit: and behold, a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne.
“At once (straightway)” denotes the brevity of time, which is one of the characteristics of the Rapture. Paul said that we are to be caught up “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (see 1 Cor. 15:51–52). A twinkling of an eye is pretty brief Some psychologist has measured it. He considered the twinkling of an eye to be, not the going down of the eyelid, but the going up of the eyelid—that is reducing it to a fine point! But he determined that it is 1/1000 of a second. That is how quick the Rapture is going to be—immediately, straightway, at once.
“I found myself in the Spirit,” In other words, the Holy Spirit is still guiding John into new truth and is showing him things to come (see John 16:13).
“And, behold, a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne.” The throne was already there, but John now sees it for the first time. Our attention is now directed to the center of attraction. The throne represents the universal sovereignty and rulership of God. It means that He is in control. The general headquarters of this universe is in heaven, not in Washington, D.C., or London or Moscow or any other place down here. This is the picture that we are given in the Word of God. We read in Psalm 11:4, “The Lord is in his, holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men” (see also Ps. 47:8; 97:2; 103:19; Ezek. 1:26–28). It is the throne of God the Father, and Jesus sits at His right hand. Psalm 110:1 tells us, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my tight hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (see also Heb. 1:3; 12:2). The Lord Jesus is in charge of all events here.
The throne of grace now becomes a throne of judgment. This is another reason that I say very definitely that the church is gone from the world when this takes place. If the church were still on the earth when Christ has left the place of intercession and has come to the place of judgment, He is in the wrong place for the church.
And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald [Rev. 4:3].
All that we see here is color, beautiful color like precious stones. We do not get a picture of God at all—He never has been photographed. Our attention is directed to the One who is seated on the throne. Although He is God the Father, we should understand this to be the throne of the triune God. Nevertheless, the three persons of the Trinity are distinguished: (1) God the Holy Spirit in verses 2 and 5; (2) God the Father here in verse 3; and (3) God the Son in verse 5 of chapter 5. What we have before us here is the Trinity upon the throne.
John could distinguish no form of a person on the throne, only the brilliance and brightness of precious stones.
“And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper.” The jasper stone was the last stone identified in the breastplate of the high priest (see Exod. 28:20). It was first in the foundation of the New Jerusalem and also the first seen in the wall of the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21:18–19). It was a many-colored stone with purple predominating. Some identify it with a diamond. It was in the breastplate of the high priest of Israel, representing little Benjamin whom Jacob called “the son of my right hand.” Perhaps this speaks of Christ as He ascended and took His place at the right hand of the Father.
The “sardine stone” is the sixth stone in the foundation of the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21:20). Pliny says it was discovered in Sardis from which it derived its name. In color it was a fiery red. The sardine stone was the first stone in the breastplate of the high priest, representing the tribe of Reuben, the first-born of Jacob. And Christ is the Son of God, the firstborn from the dead.
“Rainbow” is the Greek word iris, which can also mean “halo.” While the rainbow is polychrome, here it is emerald, which is green (see Ezek. 1:28). After the judgment of the Flood, the rainbow appeared as a reminder of God’s covenant not to destroy the earth again with a flood (see Gen. 9:13–15). It appears here before the judgment of the Great Tribulation as a reminder that a flood will not be used in judgment. Green is the color of the earth. The suggestion here is that of the prophet Habakkuk: “… in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2)—and God will do that.
THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold [Rev. 4:4].
There has been a great deal of speculation as to who these elders are. The Greek word for “elders” is presbuteros. By the way, the word presbyterian comes from that, and I am reminded of the story about the little girl who came home from her Presbyterian Sunday school, and her mother asked her what they had talked about. “We talked about heaven,” the little girl replied. “Well, what did they say about it?” her mother asked. “The teacher said that there were only twenty-four Presbyterians there!”
Seriously, elders were representatives. We know that Israel had elders and that elders were appointed in the early churches to rule and to represent the entire church (see Titus 1:5). Their role was clearly understood by the people in John’s day. These twenty-four elders stand for the total church from Pentecost to the Rapture. Therefore, I can say categorically and dogmatically that here is the church in heaven.
“White raiment” is the righteousness of Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:21).
“Crowns of gold” indicates that the church will rule with Christ (see 1 Cor. 6:3). Crowns are also given as rewards (see 2 Tim. 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Pet. 5:4) when the bema judgment, the judgment seat of Christ, takes place.
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God [Rev. 4:5].
The tense here is the present tense; it should be proceed, not proceeded. It is taking place right there and then.
“Lightnings and thunderings” always precede a storm in the Midwest and generally indicate the intensity of the storm. I think that the meaning here is that judgment is coming.
“And voices” indicates that it is not a haphazard judgment, but it is directed by the One on the throne.
“The seven Spirits of God” is a clear reference to the Holy Spirit.
THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind [Rev. 4:6].
“A sea of glass” denotes its appearance and not the material of which it is made. This sea is before the throne of God and is another indication that the emphasis is not on mercy but on judgment. This sea represents the holiness and righteousness of God (see Matt. 5:8; Heb. 12:14).
We are told in 1 Thessalonians 3:13, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” This placid sea indicates the position of rest to which the church has come. No longer is she the victim of the storms of life. No longer is she out there on the tossing sea.
“Four beasts” are literally “four living creatures.” The Greek word is zoµa, from which we get our English word zoo. It doesn’t mean a wild beast as we might think. We will have a wild beast when we get to chapter 13, but that is a different word and a different type of beast. This is just a living creature. The emphasis is not upon the bestial, but upon the vital, upon the fact that they are living.
“Four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” This speaks of their alertness and awareness. They resemble both the cherubim of Ezekiel 1:5–10; 10:20; and the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2–3.
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle [Rev. 4:7].
I agree with those who identify each of these living creatures with the gospel which it represents, and I believe this is accurate, although such an application is questioned a great deal.
“The first living creature was like a lion,” and the first Gospel represents the Lord Jesus as the King. He was born a King, He lived a King, He died a King, He was raised a King, and He is coming again as a King. Everything He does in the Gospel of Matthew He does as the King. Remember that God said that the tribe of Judah was like a lion, that the King, the Ruler, would come from that tribe, and that the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh came (see Gen. 49:9–10; Rev. 5:5).
“The second living creature like a calf [ox].” This is the beast of burden, the servant animal domesticated. In the Gospel of Mark, Christ is presented as the Servant. There is no genealogy given in this gospel. If you hire someone to mow your lawn or to wash your dishes, you do not ask him who his papa and mama are. What difference does it make? You want to know whether or not he can do the job. The Gospel of Mark presents Christ as the Servant.
“The third living creature had a face as a man.” The third Gospel, the Gospel of Luke, presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man. It is His humanity that is emphasized.
“The fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.” He communicates the deity of Christ as seen in the Gospel of John.
These living creatures also represent the animal world, as suggested by Godet. The lion represents wild beasts, the calf represents domesticated beasts, the eagle represents birds, and man is the head of all creation. Note that there is no mention of fish. In the new heaven and the new earth, there will be no more sea, and since there is no sea, you will not need any fish. Nor will there be reptiles. The serpent will not be there to introduce sin as he did at the beginning.
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come [Rev. 4:8].
These six wings correspond to the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2.
Instead of had, it should be having—this is the present tense. This is where the action is, and this is talking place.
That which they say repeatedly is, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” This is the same refrain as that of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:3.
“Which was, and is, and is to come” refers to Christ. He identified Himself at the very beginning of this book in just that way: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8). He is identified for us, and therefore we do not need to speculate in places like this.
And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created [Rev. 4:9–11].
This is the first great worship scene which we see in heaven.
When should be whensoever, indicating that this is a continual act of worship. In other words, praise and adoration are the eternal activity of God’s creatures in heaven. The creature worships the Creator as the triune God: “Holy, holy, holy.” Worship is the activity of heaven.
I have a sermon which I have not preached in quite some while, which is entitled, “Why Do You Want to Go to Heaven?” Many people say that not everybody who is talking about heaven is going to heaven. The better question is, Why do you want to go to heaven? Is the idea to miss hell? I myself do not think that to be an unworthy motive, but may I say to you that if you go to heaven, you are going to find yourself either getting down on your face or getting up, worshiping the triune God and especially the Lord Jesus Christ. If you find worship boring down here and you are not interested in worshiping the Lord Jesus and expressing your heart’s desire to Him, why in the world do you want to go to heaven? We are going to spend a lot of time up there worshiping Him.
“And cast their crowns before the throne.” The crowns of the church are laid at Jesus’ feet as an act of submission and worship. Many people talk of there being a crown for them over there. Frankly, if we get a crown at all, I think that after we wear it for awhile and the newness wears off, we are going to feel embarrassed. What in the world are we doing wearing a crown? The only One worthy up there is the Lord Jesus. Therefore, we are going to lay our crown at His feet.
“For thou hast created all things.” Dr. Walvoord, in his very excellent book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, calls attention to something here that I think is important. The living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne. They worship Him for His attributes, because He is who He is. However, the four and twenty elders who represent the church worship Him not only because of His attributes but also because of what He has done. Here they worship Him as Creator—“thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” In other words, the church comes out of this little earth which is God’s creation, and they join in the worship because He created this earth down here. Genesis 1:1 is accurate, and the church believes it.
“And for thy pleasure they are and were created.” “For thy pleasure” is more accurately translated “because of thy will.” The reason that God created this earth and that things are as they are is because it was in His plan and purpose. I do not understand a great deal of what He is doing, and I do not understand a great deal about this universe in which I live, but I do know that it is created this way because this is the way He wanted it. He is in charge, and we are to worship Him because He created this little earth. I am glad that He did, and I am glad that He created me. He could have forgotten all about me, but I am glad that I was in the plan and purpose of God. We worship Him because of that.
CHAPTER 5
Theme: The church in heaven with Christ—continued
Chapter 5 continues this scene of the church in heaven with Christ. I think it is well for us to spend a little time here to get acquainted with where we are going. I am sure that you would not buy real estate in Florida without seeing it first, although I had an uncle who did just that. After he went down and saw it, he reported that he had some of the finest alligators that he had ever seen—all of his property was under water! He had bought it sight unseen. We have a lot of uninhabitable desert here in California, and even in the Hawaiian Islands there are great areas of nothing but a lava bed. You had better know what you are buying. Therefore, if you are going to heaven, you will want to know something about where you are going, and that is the reason this chapter ought to be interesting to you.
In chapters 4–5 we find that the church (the body of believers) is in heaven with Christ. The Lord Jesus said to his disciples, “… I go to prepare a place for you…. that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). We are going to be with Him.
The scene of chapter 5 is set in heaven, preparatory to the events of the Great Tribulation. Since the church is in heaven with Him, it surely could not go through the Great Tribulation down here on the earth. The throne was the center of chapter 4. The Lion and the Lamb, both of whom represent Christ, are the center of chapter 5. Christ is the Lamb on the throne. He is both Sovereign and Savior. He is in full charge of all the events which follow in this book. Let us not lose sight of Him.
THE BOOK WITH SEVEN SEALS
This chapter opens with and, a connective, a little conjunction, which indicates that something went before. It is the string that ties us back to chapter 4. Actually, we don’t need a chapter division here because it is all the same subject.
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals [Rev. 5:1].
Here is my translation of this verse:
And I saw on the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed (sealed tightly) with seven seals.
“I saw”—John is the witness of these events; this is something that he sees. Someone pointed out to me in a letter sometime ago that I have the habit of saying, “Isn’t this a wonderful picture?” or, “Isn’t that a picture for you?” I wasn’t aware that I use that expression as I teach, but I guess I do. I think that we ought to bring all our senses to bear upon the Word of God and especially in studying Revelation. John is seeing, and he is hearing. This is the reason that I frequently use slides to illustrate my sermons. I receive some criticism for that, but may I say to you, we need to see and to hear a lot of things to aid our understanding of the Scriptures. The Word of God should grasp and lay hold of all of our senses, even of our taste and smell. For example, there are certain scenes in Revelation where you can smell the fire and brimstone.
God the Father holds here in His hand a scroll which is rolled tightly and sealed closely with seven seals. Stauffer is the one who calls our attention to the fact that the Roman law required that a will be sealed seven times, as illustrated in the wills left by Augustus and Vespasian. While it is interesting that this method was used, we know that in the Book of Revelation the number seven is not just an accidental number and that it wasn’t used only because they used it in the Roman Empire.
Godet considers this scroll to be “the book of the new covenant.” Others label it “the book of judgment.” Walter Scott considered it “the revelation of God’s purpose and counsel concerning the world.” It perhaps should bear no title because it is, as Dr. Harry Ironside has suggested, the title deed to this world. You will remember that when the children of Israel were going into captivity, Jeremiah was instructed to have his servant go and buy some property and to get the title deed to it, because God promised that Israel was going to be returned to the land (see Jer. 32:6–15).
Who holds the title deed to this earth down here? It is none other than the Lord Jesus; He alone has it. In Daniel 7:13–14 we read: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
This suggests, I believe, that what is being handed over to the Lord Jesus (we will see it handed over to Him) is the title deed to this world in which you and I live. He created it, He redeemed it, and it belongs to Him.
In Zechariah, which is a book that you need to know in order to know Revelation, we read: “Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof is ten cubits. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it” (Zech. 5:1–3).
This flying roll is the same thing as the scroll here in Revelation. Some think that the Ten Commandments are on this roll and that the world is to be judged by those commandments. I am not sure that that is it. Many suggestions have been made in an attempt to identify this book, but this is one place where we cannot be dogmatic.
The suggestion, which I consider to be more in line than any other, is that this book represents God’s new covenant with Israel. God talks about this covenant a great deal. In Jeremiah we read, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah…. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:31, 33). Paul writes in Romans: “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26–27).
In Hebrews we find these words: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (Heb. 10:16). This is what Jeremiah had spoken of. The writer to the Hebrews continues: “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Heb. 10:17–18).
The old covenant which God had made with Israel depended upon man. The Ten Commandments said, “Don’t, don’t, don’t.” It depended upon the weak arm of the flesh, and as a result, it failed. This was not because there was anything wrong with the Ten Commandments or with the Law that God gave. The problem was with man. The same thing occurred in the Garden of Eden. Many people think that there was something wrong with the forbidden fruit or that the tree was something unusual. I think it was good fruit and just like any other. The problem was not the fruit on the tree but the pear (pair) on the ground! This New Covenant depends upon the power of the throne of God; it depends upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof [Rev. 5:2].
Who has the right and title to this world? Who can rule it? Who can establish justice and righteousness? Do you think that maybe the Democrats can do it? Do you think that the Republicans can do it? Do you think that any administration can do it? Do you think the United Nations can do it? I trust that you are not so deluded at this late time in the history of the world that you believe that man can solve his own problems. The Word of God makes it very clear that he cannot.
“A strong angel” means a powerful angel. He has “a loud voice.” This is speaking now of power, that which is needed to make this covenant effective.
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon [Rev. 5:3].
No man of Adam’s line has a right to open the book and to take charge of this earth. There have been a great many who have tried to do it. Adam lost dominion through sin. Moses was the lawgiver, but he was also a lawbreaker. David and his line failed. None of Adam’s line qualifies. There is none today. The Ruler must be a Redeemer, the Sovereign must be a Savior of mankind, and Jesus Christ is the only One. Stand aside, Adam, you cannot do it, and neither can any of your children. Satan is working at it, but he cannot do it either. The question is: Who is going to be able to do it?
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon [Rev. 5:4].
John is disturbed by this a great deal. This man had a real passion for prophecy. He had a holy affection and a pious curiosity. He wanted to look into the things that even angels cannot look into. John enters into the drama because he has come from earth. The Revelation was written in tears. Is the earth to continue in sin and sorrow? Is there no future for the earth? Listen to what Paul has to say: “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:23).
Is no one competent to rule this earth? John is overwhelmed by the possibility that there may be no one. Again Paul writes: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Rom. 8:22).
Personally, I believe that evolution is the most pessimistic philosophy and theory that anyone can entertain today. No wonder it has led to so many suicides among the intelligentsia. What hope is there for the future if it took millions of years to get to where we are today? Isn’t there someone who can straighten out this problem? It is so petty and little and narrow-minded for politicians to say that they are going to make peace in our time. It is even more tragic to hear the church say that they can straighten out the affairs of the world or even that they can evangelize the world. My brother, may I say to you, there are just not any around who can qualify to open this book and to take charge of this earth that we are on. And John weeps a great deal because of this.
It is a good thing that this book was not opened here in Southern California because we have a whole passel of preachers who say that they can tell you what is on the inside of this book, on the outside, and all around it. They can even tell you what’s on the cover! They have all the answers. If John had just been in California, instead of being on the island of Patmos, they could have given him the answers! Well, John didn’t have the answer, but there will be One who can open the book, as we shall see.
CHRIST, THE LION AND THE LAMB
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof [Rev. 5:5].
And one from among the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book, and the seven seals thereof.
Evidently, any one of the elders could have answered. They had spiritual illumination. I think that this further identifies them as the church because the Lord Jesus had said to His own: “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who has the right and title to this earth. He not only redeemed you and me, but He also redeemed the earth. He is identified in this section in all His ministries that relate to the earth.
“The Lion of the tribe of Juda” identffies Him, of course, with the tribe of Judah of the people of Israel. When old Jacob was dying, he called his twelve sons around him, and this is the prophecy he gave concerning Judah: “Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Gen. 49:9–10). The Lord Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is also “the Root of David.” In 2 Samuel 7, that great chapter of God’s covenant with David, He says, “I am going to bring One in your line who shall rule, not only over these people, but over the whole earth.” The Lord Jesus Christ has the right to rule, as He is the fulfillment of the prophecies made in the Old Testament relative to the future of the world. All of those prophecies will be fulfilled at His second coming to the earth to establish His kingdom.
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth [Rev. 5:6].
John is still a spectator to this scene. He says, “I beheld, I saw this.”
“A Lamb”—the word there is in the diminutive; literally, it means a little lamb. This denotes its gentleness and its willingness to be sacrificed. Christ was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and He did not open His mouth at all (see Isa. 53:7). He was the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world (see John 1:29).
“As it had been slain” indicates the redemptive and vicarious, substitutionary death of Christ. The emphasis is upon the fact that He was slain with violence.
“Stood” should rather be “standing.” This speaks of His resurrection. He is no longer seated at the right hand of God. He is moving now, and He is moving to power. He is coming to this earth. The judgment of the Tribulation is about to strike the earth. The winds are already blowing on the earth.
“In the midst of the throne” is indicative of the fact that He is before the throne and ready to act as the righteous Judge.
“Seven horns” denotes complete power. A horn speaks of power (see Dan. 7–8). He is omnipotent. “Seven eyes” denotes complete knowledge. Christ is omniscient. He is the omnipotent and omniscient God. He moves in the fullness of the Spirit, who is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.
The Lord Jesus Christ is a Lion and a Lamb. The lion character refers to His second coming; the lamb character refers to His first coming. The lion is symbolic of His majesty; the lamb is symbolic of His meekness. As a lion He is a Sovereign; as a lamb He is a Savior. As a lion He is a Judge; as a lamb He is judged. The lion represents the government of God; the lamb represents the grace of God.
And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne [Rev. 5:7].
“Took” is correctly “hath taken.” The Lord Jesus moves to the throne through the Tribulation Period. He judges the world in righteousness before He reigns in righteousness. He is no longer the intercessor of the church, for the church is now with Him. He is beginning to act as Judge. The movement here is important.
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints [Rev. 5:8].
“When he had taken [took] the book” is in the aorist tense, meaning completed action. This is the great movement of all creation, and the Lord Jesus takes over now.
Notice the worship of the Lamb by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. “Harps” denote praise. The elders do not play on the harps; they are just a token of praise to God. I am so glad to have found out that I am not going to be an angel playing on a harp in heaven—that just doesn’t appeal to me! You may want a harp, and if you want one, I guess in heaven they will get one for you, but I am thankful that I don’t have to have one.
The twenty-four elders act as priests. Only the church is a priesthood of believers in heaven. Dr. Carl Armerding gives the arresting thought that the prayer of Christ for believers in John 17 is answered in the elders: our Lord’s prayer that they might know Him, that they might be with Him, and that they might behold His glory is all answered in this scene of the elders in heaven.
The “vials full of odours” is more accurately “bowls full of incense.” These are identified as “the prayers of saints.” Obviously, the elders represent the body of Christ, which is called the church and they are the priesthood.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth [Rev. 5:9–10].
And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book and to open the seals of it: for thou wast slain and didst purchase unto God in thy blood [men] of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, and madest them unto our God a kingdom and priests, and they shall reign on the earth.
“They” indicates that both the living creatures and the elders sing this song. The angelic hosts join the church in praise.
“Sing” (present tense) denotes the continuation of praise. Praise is directed to the Lamb with the book. He is praised now as the Redeemer of men in all ages and races. In heaven is going to be the first time that I will sing. I have never been able to sing, but I am going to be in that chorus, and I am going to sing praises unto Him.
The “new song” is the song of redemption. The old song is the song of creation. In the Book of Job we are told that the sons of God sang. They were singing because God was the Creator; they didn’t really know anything about the love of God then. Now we can sing about our Savior who loves us and who gave Himself for us. What a picture we have here!
“Worthy” reveals that He now fills the entire horizon of praise and worship. Actually, worship is returning to worth, that which belongs to Him; and He is the only One worthy of praise.
“And hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.” They sing of His shed blood in heaven. Down here many denominational churches are taking out of their hymn books all references to His blood, but in heaven they will be put back in the hymn book. I guess that may be the reason the Lord isn’t going to embarrass some of those folk by taking them into heaven, because they would have to sing about the blood there.
The change of the pronoun from “us” to “them” is important. They are praising the Lamb for those yet to be saved on the earth—the tribulation saints.
“A kingdom and priests” refers to the tribulation saints. The church will not reign on the earth, but over the earth.
MYRIADS OF ANGELS JOIN THE SONG
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing [Rev. 5:11–12].
And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands (myriads), and thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to take the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and horror, and glory, and blessing.
When John says, “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,” I think that he means they were innumerable. In effect John says, “At first I looked and I saw a company of angels around the elders, and they were singing—and I thought that was great. But all of a sudden I looked out yonder and, boy, there was a crowd which I could not count!” Nobody could have counted them. A computer couldn’t count them. God’s created intelligences were praising Him. My friend, I do not know why you want to go to heaven if you do not want to worship and praise Him down here.
UNIVERSAL WORSHIP OF THE SAVIOR AND SOVEREIGN
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever [Rev. 5:13–14].
Every animate creature of God joins in this universal act of worship, both in heaven and earth. Evidently, the animals in the earth and the fish in the sea join in this volume of praise! The living creatures add their amen to it, and the church falls down in silent adoration and praise.
If I could, I would sing the “Hallelujah Chorus,” for as we come to the end of this very remarkable scene in heaven, we see that all praise and honor and worship must go to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not in the habit of praising and worshiping Him, why don’t you start right now?
CHAPTER 6
Theme: Opening of the first six seals
The sixth chapter of Revelation is the great watershed, the great divide, of the Book of Revelation. Here is a division that is all-important. Traveling on Highway 66 across northern New Mexico, you go through Albuquerque, then Gallup, to Winslow, Arizona, and up to Flagstaff. Somewhere in that area there is a place called the Continental Divide. I am told that you could drop a chip in a stream which is flowing on the west side of the divide, and it would end up in the Pacific Ocean, or you could put a chip in a stream on the east side of the divide, and it would eventually end up in the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Gulf of Mexico. This is a very important division which separates those two chips so that they find themselves worlds apart. We have such a great divide at chapter 6 of the Book of Revelation.
The third and final major division of Revelation began with chapter 4 where we found ourselves transferred to heaven. John was caught up to heaven, and we went right up with him and began to see things in heaven. However, we did not see anything labeled the church, because the church was the name given to it down here on the earth. But we did see the twenty-four elders. The elders had to get there some way—they were caught up, and they represent the church which will be at this time in heaven with Christ. From here on in the Book of Revelation, the church is no longer mentioned on the earth at all. There is an invitation at the end of the book which comes from the church, but that refers to this day in which we live.
You can see an orderly process in the Book of Revelation, and we need to follow Peter’s rule for prophecy: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20)—that is, you do not interpret any prophecy by itself Each prophecy must be looked at as a part of a system and a program, and it must fit in with the others. By the time we get to the sixth chapter, a great many forget that John gave to us an orderly division of the Book of Revelation. John was told in Revelation 1:19, “Write [1] the things which thou hast seen”—that was that glorious vision of the glorified Christ as the Great High Priest amidst the lampstands, where He is keeping the light burning here upon the earth. [2] “…And the things which are”—that was the seven churches which represent the total earthly experience of the church from the Day of Pentecost to the parousia, from the Upper Room to the upper air, the total history of the church on earth. [3] “…And the things which shall be hereafter [meta tauta].” The earthly career of the church was ended in chapter 3. John said meta tauta, after these things, twice at the opening of chapter 4. He did that for the benefit of those who hold the historic viewpoint of Revelation, the amillennialists. Beginning, therefore, with chapter 4, John is showing us “the things which must be hereafter.”
In chapters 4–5, we were in heaven with John. The first thing that we saw was a throne, and the Lord Jesus was there. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah who is sitting at God’s right hand, waiting until His enemies are to be made His footstool down here. He is also the Lamb, and we saw the emphasis upon His first coming. The Lamb, because He is the Redeemer, is the One who is able to take the seven-sealed book, which is the title deed of this earth.
Do you know that the Lord Jesus is the only One who is able to judge this earth? He is the One who is able to judge, not only because of who He is—He is God manifest in the flesh—but also because of what He has done. He created this earth, and that gives Him a right. He is worshiped in chapter 4 as the Creator. But then He also redeemed this earth, and in chapter 5 He is worshiped as the Redeemer. Since He is the Creator and the Redeemer, He is the only One worthy to judge this earth. He is the only One who is able to rule this earth. What a reflection upon the consummate conceit of little men down here who want to be judges! What right has the Supreme Court to judge anyone? What right has the Senate or the House of Representatives or the president to judge anyone? Who do they think they are? May I say to you, the Lord Jesus Christ alone is worthy to sit in judgment. Until one of these men can measure up to Him, he is not really in a position to judge in his own ability and strength. Any human judge who does not look to God is not worthy to sit on any bench and judge anyone. The injustice that is upon this earth today is brought about by little man sitting in judgment upon others. Jesus Christ is worthy. That is the picture that is given to us at the close of chapter 5.
OPENING OF THE SEVEN-SEALED BOOK
As we come to chapter 6, the scene shifts to the earth, and the question naturally is: What happens on the earth when the church leaves? The Great Tribulation takes place, and that is the subject of chapters 6–18. The opening of the seven-sealed book is the subject specifically of chapter 6 through verse 1 of chapter 8. These seven seals open up the Great Tribulation Period. The Lord Jesus breaks the seals, and the four horses ride forth. We will see the martyred dead during that period and the coming of the day of wrath. In a very orderly way, the seventh seal introduces the blowing of seven trumpets (see Rev. 8:2–11:19). The blowing of the seventh trumpet introduces seven startling persons (see Rev. 12–13). The beast out of the sea introduces the seven bowls of wrath (see Rev. 15–16). The last bowl of wrath brings to us the burden, or the judgment, of Babylon, and that brings to an end the Great Tribulation Period (see Rev. 17–18), and then Christ comes to the earth.
It is interesting to note that upon Babylon are the first and the last judgments. Babylon, at the Tower of Babel, represents the first organized rebellion against God (see Gen. 11:1–9). Babylon also represents the last rebellion against God, both religiously (see Rev. 17) and politically (see Rev. 18). This brings to an end man’s little day on this earth.
The important thing for us to keep before us is the One who is worthy to open this book. He is directing everything now. As we were told at the beginning, this is the Revelation, the unveiling, of Jesus Christ. He is no longer walking among the lampstands, for they have all been removed from this earth. He is no longer the High Priest, standing as intercessor, but He is now the executor of God’s will upon the earth as He opens the seals of the book. All the judgments of the Great Tribulation usher forth from the seals out of which come the trumpets, the persons, and the bowls.
The Great Tribulation is triggered from heaven. Jesus Christ directs the entire operation. This is the reason that Psalm 2:9 says, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron….” Many will say that they don’t like all this. Do you have a better suggestion as to how He should put down the rebellion on this earth? If you do, would you pass it on to the Lord Jesus? How do you think He should put it down? Suppose He came like He did more than nineteen hundred years ago. Do you think they are ready in Moscow, in the Kremlin, to turn authority over to Him? How about in any other country? How about in our country? I’m telling you, they are not about to turn it over to Him in Washington, D.C. Neither of our political parties is interested in putting Jesus Christ on the throne. They have some very unworthy men on both sides who would like to be on the throne. My friend, may I say to you that He alone is the One who is worthy. And how is He going to come to power? Exactly as the second psalm says: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.” We are going to see that taking place from now on in the Book of Revelation—this is judgment on the earth.
The church will be delivered from this period of judgment. Why? Is it because they are such nice, sweet, Sunday school children? Oh, no. They are sinners, but they are saved by the grace of God. Only those who reject the grace of God go into the Great Tribulation Period. This is my reason for believing that God has raised up the medium of radio in our day to get the Word of God out to the ends of the earth. He is going to let them all hear the gospel, and when they make their decision, that will decide whether or not they are going into the Great Tribulation.
Chapters 4–5 were but the preparation for that which was to follow—the judgment of the earth. In chapter 4 we saw the throne and the triune God; in chapter 5 we saw the book and the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are certain factors that are brought into focus which increase the intensity and the ferocity of the Great Tribulation:
1. The Holy Spirit will restrain evil no longer. Do I mean that He will leave the world? No, He won’t leave. He was in the world before the Day of Pentecost, but on the Day of Pentecost He assumed a new ministry of baptizing believers into the body of Christ, a ministry of indwelling them, of filling them, and of leading and guiding them in this world. He will take the church out of this world, but that does not mean that He is going to leave. He will still be here, but He will not restrain evil any longer. In other words, man is going to have his little day during that period, and so is Satan. This is the reason I don’t want to be here.
2. The true church, as light and salt, will be gone from the earth. Although the church has very little influence in the world today, it still has a little, but when it leaves the earth, there will be none left.
3. The Devil knows that he has but a short time. He is going to make hay while the sun shines. He is going to take advantage of it during this period, and God is going to give him free rein.
4. Evil men will be free to carry out their nefarious plans. In other words, Antichrist will be able to take over this earth for a brief period of time.
5. There will be direct judgment from God. We see that here in v. 17, which says, “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
I do not think that the Great Tribulation breaks suddenly like a great tornado. The opening of the seals is gradual, logical, chronological. They are opened one at a time. The Book of Revelation makes sense, my friend.
As we come to the text of this chapter, may I make the statement very carefully that, from chapter 4 on, this is speaking of the future. Now if it is future and if we today are in the time of “the things which are,” the period of the church, we cannot drag any of the seals, the trumpets, the bowls, or the persons up into our own day. I do believe we are seeing the setting of the stage, but I do not think that any of these things are taking place today. Yet we find that a great many persons are interpreting this section in just that way. It is sensationalism, of course, and I guess it gets listeners and sells books, but it surely isn’t according to the way John put it down here. I simply want to lay it down as an axiom that from chapter 6 on it has reference to the future, and none of these things has come to pass as yet.
The section of Revelation which deals with the seven churches could be fitted into history, but you cannot fit any of this which follows into history. The differences between the two great systems of interpreting prophecy—the futurist and the historic viewpoints—really become manifest at this point in Revelation. The historical theory takes the position that all of this is history and can be fitted into history. It is quite interesting to me that many who hold the historical viewpoint assume that this is future from here on, or a little farther down they make it future—in other words, they just can’t fit it into history. The amillennialist tends to fit everything from here on into history. As a result, there are about fifty different systems of interpretation, according to Dr. Walvoord, that have come out of the historical viewpoint. My friend, forty-nine of those are bound to be wrong, and personally, I think the other one is also wrong!
I went to a seminary that was amillennial, where they attempted to fit the rest of Revelation into the historical, or the amillennial, viewpoint. It became ridiculous and even comical at times. For example, when we reached the place where Scripture says that Satan was put into the bottomless pit, we were taught that that has already taken place. I asked the professor, “How do you explain the satanic activity that is taking place today?” He replied, “Satan is chained, but he has a long chain on him. It is like when you take a cow out into a vacant lot and tether her out on a long rope and let her graze.” That was his explanation! And my comment was, “Doctor, I think Satan’s got a pretty long chain on him then, because he is able to graze all over the world today!” It really makes some Scriptures seem rather ridiculous when you follow the historical viewpoint.
May I say very definitely that John has made it clear that we have now come to future things, and anything from here on through chapter 20 is still future. We are following a chronological order here, and it is very logical. You simply cannot say that these events are taking place today, and you cannot fit them into history.
OPENING OF THE FIRST SEAL—RIDER ON A WHITE HORSE
The Lord Jesus Christ takes the seven- sealed book, and He breaks the first seal.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer [Rev. 6:1–2].
Here is my own translation of these verses:
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as a sound of thunder, Go. And I saw, and behold a white horse, and one sitting on him having a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering, and to conquer.
Christ is going to break all the seals, ad seriatum, right in order. He is in full charge, and every creature in heaven is moving at His command. So the four horsemen are now to ride forth. He breaks the seal, and says, “Go.” Although the King James Version gives the impression that an invitation is given to John to “Come and see,” the phrase “and see” should be omitted, and since the order issues from heaven, the proper translation is “Go.”
It is restated by John that he “saw” and he “heard.” This is television that we are looking at.
Attempts to determine the symbolism of the rider on the white horse have given rise to many differences of opinion. The preponderate interpretation among commentators is that he represents Christ. They use Psalm 45 and Revelation 19 in support of their position. But most of the contemporary Bible expositors of the premillennial school say that the white horse and the rider is Antichrist. That is the position of Scott, Ironside, Chafer, Walvoord, Woodbridge, and Pentecost. And it happens to be my position also. It would be pretty difficult for the Lord Jesus, who is the One opening the seals, now to make a quick change, mount a horse, and come riding forth.
To me that would be a rather inconsistent and unbelievable position. I personally take the viewpoint that this is Antichrist, this is an imitation of Christ, this is one who pretends to be Christ, who comes forth.
We are moving today in the direction of a world dictator. More and more is this true. All the nations of the world are disturbed. Lawlessness abounds, and governments are not able to control as they should. This is all preparing the way for the coming of one who is going to rule.
Antichrist does not appear as a villain. After all, Satan’s angels are angels of light. He is not going to have horns or cloven feet. Rather, he is going to be the most attractive man the world has ever seen. They will elect him, and the world will acclaim him because he has come in his own name. But when he takes over, it sure is going to be bad for the world.
This is not just the ravings of a preacher here in California. This is something that other men in other walks of life, who apparently make no great claims to being Christians, have said. Professor A. J. Toynbee, Director of Studies in the Royal Institute of International Affairs, said:
By forcing on mankind more and more lethal weapons and at the same time making the whole world more and more interdependent economically, technology has brought mankind to such a degree of distress that we are ripe for deifying any new Caesar who might succeed in giving the world unity and peace.
That will be the platform that Antichrist will come in on—world unity and peace. I think that if anybody appeared on the scene now and offered the world that, the world wouldn’t ask whether he came from heaven or hell. I don’t think they would care, because they want peace at any price, and we have spent billions of dollars trying to obtain it.
G. K. Chesterton observed in his day: “One of the paradoxes of this age is that it is the age of Pacifism, but not the age of Peace.” There is a great deal of talking about peace.
In a news item some time ago, we read of a woman in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who named the United Nations as the beneficiary to her $700,000 estate “in the fervent hope that this relatively small contribution may be of some effect in bringing about universal peace on earth and good will among men.” I want to say that she poured that money down a rat hole, because you are not going to buy peace with $700,000 or even millions of dollars. We have given away billions of dollars throughout the world, and we do not have peace.
The Ford Foundation, one of the world’s wealthiest private organizations, has announced that their money eventually will be used to work for world peace and better government, living and education conditions—yet the world gets worse all the time.
When Antichrist comes to power, he is going to talk peace, and the world will think that it is entering the Millennium when it is actually entering the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation comes in like a lamb, but it goes out like a lion. A promise of peace is the big lie the world is going to believe.
This rider could not be Christ, therefore, in view of the fact that Christ is the Lamb in the midst of the throne who, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, is directing these events from heaven and is giving the orders to the four horsemen to ride. Christ is clearly identified in Revelation 19, while here the identity is certainly obscure, which suggests that it is not Christ but an imitation of Him.
OPENING OF THE SECOND SEAL—RIDER ON A RED HORSE
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword [Rev. 6:3–4].
And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Go. And another horse, fiery red (flame colored) went out. And there was given to the one sitting on him to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill (violently) one another, and there was given to him a great sword.
The first horseman could not be Christ, because when He brings peace to this earth, it is going to be permanent. This is a short-lived peace. Immediately after the white horse went forth, here comes the red horse of war on the earth. The peace which the rider on the white horse brought to the earth was temporary and counterfeit. The Antichrist presents himself as a ruler who brings peace to the world, but he cannot guarantee it, for God says, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). And that passage of Scripture certainly has been fulfilled.
Isn’t peace exactly what every candidate for office in our country has promised? Certainly that has been true in my lifetime. I never shall forget the candidate who said that our boys would never again go across the ocean to fight. What baloney that was! We were promised peace, and every candidate since then has promised peace. One of them dropped two atom bombs, and immediately afterward we began to talk about peace. Every candidate since then—no exception and regardless of party—has said he was going to bring peace. My friend, we are as far from peace today as we have ever been. Already the clouds are gathering for World War Ill.
Antichrist will be a phony. He won’t bring peace because here goes the fiery red horse of war riding throughout the earth again. And this is going to be a real world war. Don’t say that this has been fulfilled—it hasn’t been. It is future.
OPENING OF THE THIRD SEAL—RIDER ON A BLACK HORSE
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine [Rev. 6:5–6].
And when He had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Go. And I saw, and behold a black horse, and the one sitting on him having a balance (scales) in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, a choenix (a quart) of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix (quarts) of barley for a denarius; and do not hurt the oil and the wine.
John again says, “I heard” and “I saw.” He just wants to make sure that we know that. The color of the black horse indicates mourning (see Jer. 4:28; Mal. 3:14, “mournfully in black”), and it also speaks of famine. In Lamentations 4:8–9 we read: “Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.”
The black horse represents the worldwide famine that is to come on the earth. Always after a war there is a shortage of foodstuff.
The Greek historian Herodotus says that a choenix (quart) of corn was a soldier’s daily supply of food. A denarius was a day’s wage (see Matt. 20:2). Therefore, a working man will be unable to support his family in that day.
The oil and the wine are luxuries that are enjoyed by the rich. Oil would correspond to our toiletries, the beauty aids and the body conditioners that we use today; that is, the luxuries of life. The wine corresponds to the liquor that will be in abundance. Isn’t it interesting that there will not be enough foodstuff, not enough barley for food, but there will be enough barley to make liquor! They will make it in that day, and the rich are the ones who will get it.
Let me be very frank. During World War II the rich, for the most part, were able to get meat. They were able to get the luxuries of life. A very wealthy man told me that he never missed getting a big T-bone steak anytime that he wanted it. But I can remember getting very tired of eating tongue, which was one thing we didn’t have to have blue chips to get and was something that was not rationed. In this day that is coming, things won’t change. The rich are going to get theirs, but the poor won’t be able to get theirs. That is the way it has always been. I feel like saying, “Ho hum,” when I hear these sincere egg-headed boys talking about how they are going to work out the poverty problem. All that it has accomplished is that it has given a good job to a lot of them, but so far it hasn’t filtered down and been a blessing to the poor. It has never helped the poor to lift themselves up with any degree of pride. Why? Because the only Man who can lift up the poor is Jesus Christ. None of these egg-headed boys is able to do it. I am sorry to have to say that, but somebody needs to speak out against all of this tomfoolery that our government is going through. All that this wasteful spending of money does is to create more bureaucracy and to sap our tax dollars. This is the sort of thing that is abroad today, but just think what it is going to be like in that future day. This which we are talking about in the Revelation is future. The only reason that I make application to today is to show that this is not unreasonable; it is going to take place.
Way back in 1798, the Rev. Thomas Malthus concluded that “the power of population is infinitely greater than the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man.” His prediction had little weight in his day. In 1959 the United Nations’ seventy-seven-nation Food and Agriculture Organization met in Rome to talk about “the fight against hunger and malnutrition.” At this meeting Toynbee declared: “Sooner or later food production will reach its limit. And then, if population is still increasing, famine will do the execution that was done in the past by famine, pestilence and war combined.” Sir John Boyd Orr, at one time the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, warned, “I shall finish my office by giving a last warning to the world. If it is not solved there will be world chaos in the next fifty years. The nations of the world are insane.” Someone has reported, “There are today 750 million people getting hungrier in countries bordering the Communist sphere.” This thing is growing, my friend. Famine always follows war.
OPENING OF THE FOURTH SEAL—RIDER ON A PALE HORSE
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth [Rev. 6:7–8].
And when He had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Go. And I looked and behold a pale (greenish-yellow) horse; and the one sitting upon him, Death was his name; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with famine, and with death (pestilence), and by the (wild) beasts of the earth.
Here is a pestilence that is going to take out one-fourth of the population of the earth. There will not be enough antibiotics and penicillin to go around in that day to stop it.
“Death was his name.” Death is no more personalized here than is war—although the rider is given the name of death. There is more involved in physical death than meets the eye, for the human being is more than physical, and death is more than cessation of physical activity. While death takes the body, hades is the place where the spirit of a lost man goes (see Luke 16:23, ASV).
A literal translation of Romans 5:14 reads thus: “And nevertheless death became king from Adam down to Moses, even over them who did not sin after the fashion of Adam’s sin [transgression] who is the type of Him [The Adam] who was to come [The Coming One].”
“Death was his name; and Hades followed with him.” The word for hades is sometimes unfortunately translated by the word hell as in Luke 16:23 where, speaking of the rich man and Lazarus, we read: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Hell is a very unfortunate translation there; it is this same word hades, and, actually, it does not refer to hell at all. It speaks of physical death—either where the spirit goes or of the grave where the body is placed. In other words, while death takes the body, hades is the place where the spirit of a lost man goes. The Lord Jesus spoke of it in that way.
Paul personifies death in Romans 5:14, as he does sin in that same section, and he does it for emphasis. Sin and death entered the world at the same time. Death is the result of sin. During the interval from Adam to Moses, men did not commit the same sin as did Adam, nor was their sinning a transgression of a law, as was Adam’s, because the Ten Commandments had not been given. Yet it was a period when men sinned and died. Adam’s sin became their sin, for they died as Adam died. Even babies died in the Flood.
Death evidently has an all-inclusive, three-fold meaning that we do not ordinarily attach to it. We think of death as referring only to the body. (1) This is physical death, and it refers only to the body. It comes to a man because of Adam’s sin. (2) Then there is what is known as spiritual death, which is separation from, and rebellion against, God. We inherit a dead nature from Adam; that is, we have no capacity for God and no desire for Him at all. (3) Finally, there is eternal death, which is eternal separation from God. Unless a man is redeemed, this inevitably follows. This is the second death that we will find later on in chapter 20, verse 14.
Before Adam sinned, God said to him, “… for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Well, Adam lived physically for more than nine hundred years after that, but he was dead spiritually to God. He ran from God. He no longer had a desire for fellowship with God. He died spiritually, and physical death followed and has come into the human family. More and more it deteriorates mankind. Most of us are being propped up today by modern medicine and the marvelous developments of science in order to stay alive. Actually, the human race is deteriorating all the time. Human life would be much shorter than it is if it were not for all the modern gadgets which keep us alive down here.
Adam is definitely declared here to be a type of Christ. Death must be laid at Adam’s door as his total responsibility. You see, God did not create man to die. It was a penalty imposed because Adam transgressed God’s command. Because Adam is the federal head of our race, his transgression is our transgression, and his death is our death. Now Christ is the head of a new creation, and this new creation has life only in Christ. He alone can give life. He is totally responsible for the life and eternal bliss of those who are His own.
Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer put it like this, and this is a theological statement:
Thus spiritual death comes mediately through an unbroken line of posterity. Over against this, physical death is received from Adam immediately, as each person dies in body because of his own personal share in Adam’s first sin.
During the Great Tribulation, death will ride unbridled. The Lord Jesus put it like this: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22).
At the Great White Throne judgment, death will be finally destroyed (see Rev. 20:14). This is confirmed by Paul who writes, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26). And John reasserts it in Revelation 21:4: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
The sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts will decimate this earth’s population by one-fourth. This is something that, through His prophet Ezekiel, God had said would come: “For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?” (Ezek. 14:21).
The pale horse represents plague and pestilence that will stalk the earth. It also encompasses the possibility of germ warfare. Dr. Frank Holtman, head of the University of Tennessee’s bacteriological department, said, “While the greater part of a city’s population could be destroyed by an atomic bomb, the bacteria method might easily wipe out the entire population within a week.”
We have seen the riding of the four horsemen, and this follows exactly the pattern that the Lord Jesus gave while He was on the earth. In Matthew 24:5–8, in the Olivet Discourse, He said: “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many [the white horse]. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars [the red horse]: see that ye be not troubled: for all these must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines [the black horse], and pestilences [the pale horse], and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” This is the opening of the Great Tribulation.
OPENING OF THE FIFTH SEAL—PRAYER OF THE MARTYRED REMNANT
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? [Rev. 6:9–10].
And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar of burnt sacrifice the souls [Gr.: psuchas] of those slain on account of the Word of God, and on account of the witness which they had; and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long (until when) O Master, the Holy and True, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth (earth dwellers)?
This altar is in heaven and is evidently where Christ offered His blood for the sins of the world. I take the position that His literal blood is in heaven. Let me confirm that with Hebrews 9:23–24 which says: “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
The souls mentioned here are the Old Testament saints. As the Lord Jesus put it: “That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation” (Luke 11:50–51).
Included with these are those who will be slain in the Great Tribulation Period, as we have already found that one-fourth of the population will be wiped out. They are resting on solid Old Testament ground as they plead for justice on the basis of God’s holy law.
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled [Rev. 6:11].
My translation of this verse is:
And there was given to them to each one a white robe; and it was said to them, that they should rest (in peace) yet for a little time until their fellow servants also, and their brethren who should be killed even as they were, should be fulfilled.
In other words, the tribulation saints are to be included with the Old Testament saints in the second resurrection.
OPENING OF THE SIXTH SEAL—THE DAY OF WRATH HAS COME
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind [Rev. 6:12–13].
And I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell into the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind.
This is evidently the beginning of the last half of the Great Tribulation Period. The great day of His wrath is before us. The Great Tribulation opens and closes with these upheavals in the natural universe: (1) The beginning of the Tribulation (compare Joel 2:30–31 with Acts 2:20) and (2) the end of the Tribulation (see Joel 3:9–17; Isa. 13:9–13; 34:1–4; Matt. 24:29).
The fact that we are having an increase in earthquakes today is no fulfillment of this at all. This is to take place in the Great Tribulation Period. But the interesting thing is that in the past earthquakes have really destroyed a great deal of the population of this earth. Professor R. A. Daley, in his book Our Mobile Earth, has written this:
In the last 4,000 years earthquakes have caused the loss of 13,000,000 lives, and far the most awful earthshock is yet to come. “And there was a great earthquake, such as there was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty; and the cities of the nations fell” (Rev. 16:18).
What a picture we have here! The earthquakes today are not a fulfillment. They merely show that it could happen as God’s Word says it will.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places [Rev. 6:14].
Here is my translation:
And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
I think that this verse is to be taken quite literally. We see the same thing in Nahum 1:5 and again in chapter 20, verse 11.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? [Rev. 6:15–17].
And the kings of the earth and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and free man hid themselves in the caves and rocks of the mountains. And they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One sitting on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the Great Day of their wrath came, and who is able to stand?
There are those on the earth who are praying to the rocks and to the mountains to fall upon them, because they want to be hidden. Hidden from whom? From the wrath of the Lamb. This is the great day of the wrath of God.
“The wrath of the Lamb” is a paradoxical phrase. The wrath of God is the Day of the Lord, that day that is spoken of all the way through the Old Testament prophets, a day that is coming upon the earth and is yet future. It is called here “the wrath of the Lamb”—that is a strange statement.
The Bible is filled with paradoxes, and I am sure that you have discovered that. A paradox is a proposition which is contrary to received opinion; that is, it is that which is seemingly contradictory. On the surface the assertion seems contradictory, but closer examination reveals it is factual. For example, here are several paradoxes. The farther an object goes from you, the larger it gets. That is not true, but it is true. When a balloon goes up, it gets smaller to the eye, but the balloon is getting larger all the time as the atmosphere gets thinner. Another paradox is that water flows uphill in Sequoia National Park. You may not believe that, but there are tons of water flowing uphill there. The Sequoia National Park is filled with giant redwood trees, and those redwoods are pulling up tons of water all the time. They call it osmosis, which is a scientific word which means they don’t really know what is happening. A third paradox is that the closer you get to the sun, the hotter it is. But out in the Hawaiian Islands, a tropical climate, if you look up on the top of Mauna Kea, there is snow up there although it is closer to the sun than you are. May I say to you, there are a lot of paradoxes that are true.
Here we have “the wrath of the Lamb.” The lamb is a familiar figure of Christ. Suppose a little lamb, which is noted for gentleness and meekness, did get angry? What then? It is like a tempest in a teapot. From the days of Abel to those of John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus is depicted as a lamb. The apostle John calls Him “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13.8). In other words, God did not choose the lamb because it possessed characteristics of Christ, neither did He choose it for the sacrificial aspect. God created such an animal to represent Christ. Christ is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, before any lamb was ever created.
The Lord Jesus Christ has the qualities of a lamb. He was meek—“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29). He was gentle—“… Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). He was harmless—You never see a sign saying, “Beware of the lamb.” You see “Beware of the dog,” but not of the lamb. He was humble—Christ washed the feet of His disciples. This is a tremendous thing. He is One whose life was marked by winsomeness. His life was like the perfume of a lovely and fragile flower. His coming was a doxology. His stay was a blessing. His departure was a benediction. Even the unbelieving world has been fascinated by His life. The lamb sets forth His sacrifice. Abraham said, “… God will provide himself a lamb …” (Gen. 22:8), and God did provide Himself a Lamb.
But what about “the wrath”? Wrath is strange and foreign even to the person of God, is it not? God loves the good. God hates the evil. He does not hate as you and I hate. He is not vindictive. God is righteous, God is holy, and He hates that which is contrary to Himself. He says that Jehovah is a man of war. He is strong and mighty. He is mighty in battle. The gospel reveals the wrath of God. Paul said, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). Look at this world we are in, my friend. It already reveals the wrath of God, the judgment of God.
It is like mixing fire and water to bring wrath and the Lamb together, but all the fury of the wrath of God is revealed in the Lamb. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He made a scourge of small cords, and He drove the moneychangers out of the temple. Was He bluffing? He was not. He called the religious rulers a generation of vipers, whited sepulchres. He cursed the fig tree. He said, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin and Bethsaida” (see Matt. 11:21). Christ rejected Jerusalem, but He had tears in His eyes when He did so. He still controls the forces of nature, and He uses them in judgment. God has declared war against sin. I say, Blessed be His name. He will not compromise with that which has brought such havoc to the human family! There is a day coming when the wrath of the Lamb will be revealed. Somebody says, “I thought He was gentle and would not punish sin.” My friend, God said, “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (Ps. 2:10–12).
CHAPTER 7
Theme: God seals a remnant of Israel and saves a redeemed company of Gentiles
The Book of Revelation has been labeled a book difficult to understand. Some folk say that it is just a mumbo jumbo of a great many visions which are out of this world and which no one can understand. It is my conviction that this book is very logical and is divided in a very simple manner which no one can miss. If we get bogged down in some passage and try to take symbols and juggle them to fit into any system that we might choose, then we are going to be in real trouble. Rather, we should just let John tell us where we are as we go along. We are now in a section that the Lord Jesus labeled the Great Tribulation. This period takes place after the church leaves the earth, after the church concludes its mission and is taken to be with the Lord. I think that this is not only a reasonable conclusion, but I personally feel it is very clear, not only here, but elsewhere in Scripture.
Peter said that “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20). In other words, you cannot lift out just one verse here or there or even consider only the Book of Revelation and expect to interpret accurately the whole of prophecy. It is essential to recognize that the Book of Revelation happens to be the last book of the Bible. When you are studying arithmetic in school, you begin with “two plus two equals four.” You do not start the little ones in first grade with atomic physics or with higher mathematics. Since this book is the last book of the Bible, the only requirement is to have a working knowledge of the sixty-five books which go before. Then you will find that this book makes a great deal of sense and is quite logical.
John is going into detail now concerning the Great Tribulation Period, a period that has not been elaborated upon in any other place in Scripture except in the Olivet Discourse which the Lord Jesus gave (see Matt. 24–25). John is merely widening that out and giving us additional information. What he says is based on what the Lord Jesus had to say.
In chapter 6 we saw the opening of the seven seals; actually, we have had the opening of only six seals so far. These six seals revealed the four great tragedies that are coming upon the earth, the beginning of the judgments. The fifth seal let us look at a martyred company of people, a great throng. In the sixth seal we were introduced to some of the signs of the doom that is to come upon a godless world in the Great Tribulation Period.
In this period the church is never mentioned by name. The reason it is never mentioned by name is because John is recording things on earth, and at this particular time the church is not on earth. John was told to write the things he had seen, and he saw the vision of the glorified Christ. Then he was to write about “the things which are.” He was in the church period, and we are still in it today. Since the church is still in the world, we are in the period of “the things which are.” The church was the theme of chapters 2–3: the church in Ephesus, the church in Smyrna, the church in Pergamum, the church in Thyatira, etc. But in the chapter before us there is no talking to the church because the church is not here on earth. We saw in chapters 4–5 that the church was in heaven—that is where the church will go at the time of the Rapture. I will deal later with the reason why the church cannot go through the Great Tribulation Period. There is actually a moral and a theological problem if the church were to enter even one phase of the Tribulation Period.
The subject, therefore, has changed, and we are now talking about things other than the church. We have been introduced to a book with seven seals, and the seals are being removed. Six seals have been removed in the previous chapter. The four horsemen introduce the Great Tribulation Period, and the seven seals give an overall picture of that seven-year period. The last of the seals bears down on the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation Period. At this point, one-fourth of the population of the earth has been destroyed in judgment, destroyed in death. I am sure that anyone reading Revelation senses the fact that it is going to be very difficult to make it through this period—especially for those who turn to God, accept Christ, and stand for Him. The question is: Will believers be able to stand for Him during this period?
John is now going to put down another principle which he will follow because he knows that you and I are going to have trouble with the Revelation. Therefore he has made it very simple for us. He introduces series of sevens, but the way that he deals with them is the important thing for us to see. A format is followed from the breaking of the seals to the bowls of wrath. Between the sixth and seventh of each, there is an interlude of seemingly extraneous matter, but it is explanatory matter—it explains the action and answers certain questions. This is what chapter 7 will do for us. This principle of an explanatory interval will be true of the seven trumpets, of the seven performers and of the seven bowls of wrath. You will find John following this principle all the way through this particular section of Revelation, so that we do not lose our way.
We need now to deal with the question that any reasonable person would raise at this point: What about people turning to God and getting saved during this period? Second Thessalonians makes it clear that the Holy Spirit, the Restrainer, is removed from the earth (see 2 Thess. 2:7). He has taken the church to present it to Christ. Since you cannot have any turning to God without the work of the Holy Spirit, will anybody get saved without the Holy Spirit being present on the earth?
My friend, the Holy Spirit will be present. I did not say that the Holy Spirit will have left the world but that He no longer will restrain evil. The Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost to perform a specific ministry of calling out a body of believers in the church which is referred to as the body of Christ. When the church is removed from the earth, that peculiar ministry of the Holy Spirit will end. One of His ministries in this particular era has been that of restraining evil. It was absolutely essential that He be a restrainer in order for the gospel to penetrate a Satan-controlled and Satan-blinded world. How could the Word go out unless the Spirit of God held back evil? Just think of the forces of evil that are working against the getting out of the Word of God today. In my own experience with our Bible-teaching radio ministry, we just sailed along like a breeze for a year or two. Then problems came along. I became ill, and all sorts of things took place. When we finally regained our equilibrium and began to look around, we saw what was happening: the enemy was busy. Believe me, if the Restrainer had not been at work, I am sure that we would have been removed from the scene.
How are people going to get saved during the period of the Great Tribulation if the Holy Spirit will not be restraining evil? The Great Tribulation is the Devil’s holiday. That is the day when he is going to have freedom to do as he pleases. We will see why God is going to grant that: it is a period of the judgment of God upon a Christ-rejecting world. Then, does anybody get saved in the Great Tribulation Period? My friend, I believe that there will be a greater company saved in that period than in any other seven-year period in the history of the world. Chapter 7 is going to tell us how that will take place. The Holy Spirit is in the world after the church is removed just as He was in the world before Pentecost. In reading the Old Testament, you will find the Spirit of God working in the hearts and lives of men and women. Many multitudes were brought to God, but He was not restraining evil in the world, and He was not baptizing believers into the body of the church in the Old Testament. That is what He is doing today, but that ministry will cease. However, He will still be in the business of getting men and women to Christ. He will continue His ministry which has always been one of taking God’s creation and renovating it. We are told in the beginning, “… the spirit of God moved [brooded] upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). The Spirit of God broods over this earth today and has from the very beginning and will continue doing so after the church is removed from the earth. He will have to have an unusual, special program during this period, and John is now going to tell us what that program is going to be.
REASON FOR THE INTERLUDE
The reason for the interlude between the sixth and seventh seals is given to us in the first three verses of this chapter.
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree [Rev. 7:1].
I give my own translation simply in an attempt to give the literal words and try to say what John was saying:
After this I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding firmly the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on the earth nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
“After this” refers to the tremendous judgment of the previous chapter, the riding of the four horsemen. In the riding of the four horsemen I believe we have been given a bird’s-eye view of the Great Tribulation Period, an overall picture, and now the details are going to be given to us.
“After this I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth.” A smart-alecky young fellow got up at a meeting years ago where Dr. Harry Ironside was speaking and said: “I told you the Bible was unscientific! The Bible teaches that the earth is flat because it says ‘the four corners of the earth.’” Dr. Ironside replied, “Young man, I am amazed that you didn’t know that the earth has four corners. They are North, East, South, and West.” Those are the four corners, and that is the direction of the four angels. There is one in the North, the East, the South, and the West.
“Holding firmly the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.” These would be the winds of judgment. God uses wind in judgment, and He controls the wind. Psalm 148:8 says, “Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word.”
The winds of judgment are now to be held back. Nothing can move until God accomplishes His purpose. What is His purpose going to be? I do not think that God would permit any period to continue on this earth in which there were not some of the human family turning to God, because that is His purpose. I do not think He would continue to keep this world running; I think He would shut it down, turn it off, and speak it out of existence if there were not folk turning to Him. Therefore, this will be a period when multitudes will turn to Him.
A great company is going to be saved, and this reveals that these judgments will accomplish a purpose for God. It will cause multitudes to turn to Him in this period, and it will cause another multitude to turn against Him. It is just like the effect of the sun shining down on a piece of soft clay. What will the sun do to the clay? It will harden it. What would be the effect of that same sunlight upon wax? It would melt it. The sun has the opposite effect upon clay and wax. The judgments of God are the same. In our lives as believers, when trouble comes to us—I’ve discovered this in my own life—it will either draw us to God or drive us from Him. We need to be drawn to Him, and that is the reason the Lord lets some of us have sicknesses. He wants to draw us closer to Himself, and this is His way of doing it.
We cannot explain every little detail here in this chapter—at least, I cannot. I get a little irritated and provoked that I do not know as much as some of these so-called prophetic teachers claim to know today. They seem to have a private line in to the Lord. They now know the date when the Lord is coming again, and not only that, they can actually interpret some of these passages in the most amazing fashion. Where the Scriptures say that the blood during the war of Armageddon will be up to the bridle bits, some of these fellows can tell you the type of blood it is! They irritate me because I don’t seem to be able to get that kind of information—and then I wonder what the value of it is when you get it. To begin with, the church ought to understand clearly that we have been delivered from going through this period. The Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath [right now] everlasting [eternal] life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment]; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The Great Tribulation is a judgment, and the church is not coming into it. He made it clear to the church of Philadelphia that He was going to deliver them from that hour. What hour? The hour that John is talking about right now. We need to let Scripture speak for itself.
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads [Rev. 7:2–3].
Again, this is my translation:
And I saw another angel ascending from (the) sunrising, having (the) seal of (the) Living God, and he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it had been given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, until we shall have sealed the servants (bond slaves) of our God, in their foreheads.
“Another angel” means this is a fifth angel. He is apparently of a higher rank than the other four because he gives them orders. As we see in the Book of Daniel and also in the Epistle to the Ephesians, there are gradations of orders of angels, both good and bad. Satan has the demon world well organized; he probably has generals, lieutenant colonels, majors, lieutenants, sergeants, and then a great many privates. On the other side, God also has His angels arranged. This angel gives orders to the other four.
“He cried with a great voice.” In the Greek this is phoµne megale. If you turn phoµne megale around, you can see where we get our English word megaphone. Megale means “great”; phoµne means “noise or voice.”
This is an indication that frightful and fearful judgment is getting ready to break upon the earth, and it is therefore necessary to secure the servants of God. If He does not seal them, they are not going to make it through. However, they are going to be preserved in this day of wrath that is coming on the earth. The Lord Jesus Himself mentioned this in Matthew 24:21–22: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” For the sake of these who have been sealed, this terrible time will be shortened.
What is the mark that is put upon their foreheads? Now here is a place where I must confess (I sure hope you won’t let this get out) that I do not know the answer, and I can only make suggestions. There are many who know what the mark is, but the interesting thing is that you cannot get any two of them to agree as to what it is. I have come to the conclusion that they are all wrong. We are not told what it is, and I do not think it is important for the church to know what the mark is. We are simply told that they are going to be marked. We do know that there are those who will not be able to trade during this period when the Antichrist comes to power unless they have the mark of the Beast. This mark of God’s is in contrast to the mark of the Beast. My feeling is that it is a spiritual mark that will be in their lives: “… by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20)—by their lives. I believe that is going to be the mark of God’s own during this period because the godless are really going to be godless in this period. I personally don’t see how they can be any more godless than the godless in the world today, but the Word of God says they can go much farther than they have gone even in our day.
We now have this interlude before the seventh seal is opened. This angel is apparently more than a sergeant; he is probably a lieutenant colonel or a general. He says, “Hold everything! Hold back the winds of judgment, the winds of the Great Tribulation Period, because we have to seal these folk so they can make it through.” There will be two great companies sealed, one out of the nation Israel and the other out of the Gentiles.
Where is the church? The church is not here; they are with Christ in, I believe, the New Jerusalem. He said that He was going to prepare a place for those who were His, and now that He has taken them off the earth, they are with Him. That city will come down from God a little later on in the Revelation, and we will get a look at it.
The reason, therefore, for the interlude between the sixth and seventh seals is to make sure that these sealed ones are going to make it through the Great Tribulation Period. The Lord Jesus made it very clear that they are going to make it through.
REMNANT OF ISRAEL SEALED
When God deals with Israel, I have always noticed that He deals with dates and He deals with numbers. When He is dealing with the church, He does not deal with either dates or numbers. Paul never turned in a report to anybody as to how many were saved. Even when we get to the great company of Gentiles who are saved in the Great Tribulation Period, the number is not given. When God deals with Israel, however, He deals with numbers and He deals with dates. The insistence of some Bible teachers to set dates for these prophetic events has hurt the study of prophecy and has brought it down to a low level, whereas this aspect ought to be kept on as high a level as any other subject of prophecy.
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel [Rev. 7:4].
And I heard the number of those sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel.
One hundred forty-four thousand is the number sealed from the nation Israel, but we will see that out of the earth there will be a multitude of Gentiles saved—too numerous to count. I notice that all the evangelists and preachers today are able to give you a count of the number saved in their meetings. In fact, some may give you a count that is a little bit larger than it really is. But here is one company of saved that they couldn’t count.
Apparently, in the Great Tribulation there is going to be a great company who are to be saved. How are they going to be saved? They are going to be sealed. The Holy Spirit is going to be here, not only to regenerate them, but He will also have a special ministry of sealing in this period. The seal guarantees that they are going to be delivered. When you go down to the post office to register a letter, a postal clerk puts a stamp on it and puts a seal on it, and you pay a little extra for that. That seal means that the entire postal department is going to get behind that letter and see that it is delivered. They may be a little late in delivering it, but they guarantee that they are going to deliver it. That is what “sealed” means here. The Holy Spirit guarantees that they will make it through the Great Tribulation. If it weren’t for the seal, they wouldn’t make it through.
If you really want to know the truth, Vernon McGee would not make it through today if it weren’t for the Holy Spirit. I wonder if you and I really realize how weak we are? I would deny Him before the sun went down if it wasn’t for His work in me by the Spirit of God. We all have that nature which is in rebellion against God.
This company of the 144,000 can be identified without any speculation whatsoever. To me it is almost nonsense for any group to claim that they are the 144,000. Two cults did that in their beginnings, but then they passed 144,000 in membership. Apparently, they were not very optimistic when they started out. They say they take it literally, but they have a problem, now that they have passed that number. They should have gone out of business when they got to 144,000, but they didn’t.
This number does not refer to any group in existence today, nor does it refer to the church. During the Great Tribulation, 144,000 are going to be saved “out of every tribe of the children of Israel.” If you think that you are in the 144,000, you are not only saying that you belong to Israel, but you also had better know your tribe because the tribes are going to be identified.
It is very clear that God will have a remnant of His people who are going to be saved. This may seem to you like a big number, but actually it is very small. There are over fourteen million Jews today in the world, and in comparison to that number, you can see that the remnant of the children of Israel is really going to be very small.
There is no use speculating here or trying to draw on symbols. Some even say that the number—144,000—is a symbol of another number. Cannot God say what He wants to say? Cannot He count? Certainly He can. If He says 144,000, I do not think He means 145,000. I think He means exactly 144,000.
“Out of every tribe of the children of Israel.” From the day God called Abraham, there has always been a remnant that is true to God. There is a remnant today. I know many wonderful, Christian Jews. I don’t know why I say “Christian Jews” since I don’t say Christian Americans or Christian Germans. But we do say this of Israel because of the fact that there is the remnant that trusts Christ in our day. It is not a large remnant, but there is not a very large remnant of Gentiles either. I suppose that the great minority group is that of real believers in Christ.
Paul says in Romans 9:8: “That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”
That is true today. Again Paul writes in Romans 11:4–5: “But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Paul said that in his day there was a remnant in the church. There is a remnant in our day in the church. During the Great Tribulation there will be a remnant, and the number is 144,000.
These are the ones who are going to witness of Christ in the Great Tribulation Period. In Matthew 24:14, speaking of this period, the Lord Jesus said: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Some will say that the gospel of the kingdom is a different gospel. Of course, it is not. God has never had but one way to save sinners, and that is through the death of Christ. If you had asked Abel when he brought that little lamb to God, “Abel, do you think that little lamb will save you?” he would have said, “No, this little lamb is representing the One who God told my mother was coming from a woman to be the Savior of the world. This little lamb typifies Him.” John the Baptist almost stepped out of character when he said, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The gospel of the kingdom is the gospel of the death and burial and resurrection of Christ, which is going to alert the nation Israel, and many will turn to Christ. These will preach the gospel, but they will have something to add that we have no right to say today. They will say, “And then shall the end come.” In other words, it is not going to be long until He will be back. We have no right to say that Christ will be returning soon, because we know neither the day nor the hour when He shall come.
Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand [Rev. 7:5–8].
Here is my translation:
Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand; of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand; of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Twelve thousand are sealed out of each tribe. The 144,000 are divided by twelve, and one-twelfth is in each tribe, so that we know that John is talking about the children of Israel. I do not see how anyone can spiritualize this and attempt to appropriate it either to themselves or to some group other than the children of Israel. God promised, as we see again and again in the Old Testament, that He would come and establish His kingdom, which we will see is first a thousand-year kingdom, a time of testing, and then moves right into eternity.
We are given here the twelve tribes of Israel. One writer says that there are thirteen times in the Bible that the twelve tribes are listed, and another writer says that they are given eighteen times. I do not know which is accurate, but in every case where the twelve tribes are named, it is always twelve tribes. Sometimes changes are made, and I cannot always determine the reason for the changes, but I know that God had something in mind when He did it.
There are certain peculiarities in this list which I will call to your attention, but I don’t think it is essential to go into detail concerning these twelve tribes. First of all, you will notice that Judah heads the list. The tribe of Reuben should come first, for Reuben was the oldest, but because of his very gross immorality, he lost the first place—but he is still included. The question often arises: When a Christian sins, does he lose his salvation? No, but he may lose his reward. Very frankly, there will be many Christians who are saved but who indulged in sin and will lose their reward. Reuben is a very good example of how God deals, and this principle is set down here. Reuben lost first place, he lost the place of honor, but he did not lose out altogether. He is mentioned here, but he is number two; he should have been number one. Judah was the tribe given preeminence (see Gen. 49:8–10) and was the tribe from which the Lord Jesus came.
We also find that the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are omitted from this list. Both of these tribes were guilty of leading the nation into idolatry.
In history you will find that Dan was the first tribe that fell into idolatry (see Jud. 18:30). The tribe of Dan later on became the headquarters for calf worship whereby “Jeroboam made Israel to sin” (see 1 Kings 12:28–30). That Dan is given top priority in the Millennium (see Ezek. 48) reveals that the grace of God can reach down and meet the needs of any sinner. The tribe of Dan is in the Millennium, but they are not sealed for the purpose of witnessing during the time of the Great Tribulation. I think that this tribe lost out a great deal.
Ephraim was also guilty of idolatry. In Hosea 4:17 we read, “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” That has reference to the entire northern kingdom of Israel, but remember that Ephraim was the leader there. Also, Ephraim was the tribe which led in the division of the kingdom (see 1 Kings 11:26).
In the list of the 144,000 who will be sealed, Joseph takes the place of Ephraim, and to take the place of Dan is Levi. Levi was the priestly tribe, and they are going to be witnesses in the Great Tribulation Period, which is quite proper.
I trust that we can understand and see that God has now turned again to the nation of Israel. He has not given them up. He said, “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? …” (Hos. 11:8). In other words God said, “I can’t do it,” and God didn’t give them up. They are going to make it through the Great Tribulation Period even though they will lose out as witnesses for God during that period.
The Old Testament is filled with prophecy that God has given to these people that they are to be a nation forever and that they are to be in the land of Israel forever. If you come to the New Testament and write Israel off as having disappeared and that God is through with them, you have to contradict the whole tenor and tone of the Old Testament. I have said that the Book of Revelation is like a great union station or an airport where trains or planes come in from everywhere: all the major themes of prophecy come in to Revelation. Therefore, you would certainly expect Israel to be here in the Book of Revelation—and, lo and behold, here it is.
“Israel” means Israel. If God had wanted to call Israel the church, I think He would have just said “church” because He was able to say “church” when the time came. But now the church is not mentioned anymore, and He is talking about Israel and the 144,000 who are sealed to witness for Him.
The 144,000 are sealed, especially because they are going to witness during this period, and it is going to cost them a great deal. If they were not sealed, they sure wouldn’t be able to make it through. God never leaves Himself without a witness upon this earth.
REDEEMED MULTITUDE OF GENTILES
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb [Rev. 7:9–10].
after these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, out of every nation and out of tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb arrayed (clothed) in white robes and palm branches in their hands; and they cry with a great voice saying, The salvation to our God, who sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb.
“After these things I saw.” John is seeing as well as hearing these things.
“And behold, a great multitude which no man could number.” Someone will say, “You mean to tell me that men couldn’t count that crowd?” What it says is that no one man could number these—and it doesn’t say anything about a computer. It says that no one man could number this crowd because it is such a large crowd. I wouldn’t dare to venture any guess whatsoever, but the size of this multitude is obviously stupendous. It is not a one-man job to number them.
“Out of every nation and out of tribes, and peoples, and tongues.” These are Gentiles, people from every tribe and nation under the sun. This means that in the Great Tribulation the gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world. I want to repeat this: the 144,000 witnesses in the Great Tribulation Period are going to do in seven years what the church up to the present has not done in over nineteen hundred years. Do not boast about your missionary program. None of us are reaching very many. But, during the Great Tribulation, there will be a great company of people who will be saved.
It is my own private judgment—I don’t think that Scripture says this anywhere, because nothing has yet to be fulfilled before the Lord removes the church—but it looks to me now as if He is going to let the world hear the gospel before the Rapture of the church. I believe that radio is one of the media that will be used. I think there are other media that will be used: the tape ministry, the printed page, and evangelism. Many evangelists are reaching multitudes of people today. Other radio programs are doing a much bigger job than we are doing, but if you put us all together, we are making quite an impact on this world in which we live.
“Standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” Here is a great company who have come out of the Great Tribulation Period and are rejoicing in their salvation. They are redeemed and have made it through the Great Tribulation Period. Again may I say, the greatest days of God’s salvation are in the future.
It is possible that most of this company were martyred during the Great Tribulation Period, but they were faithful to the end. The Lord Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse, speaking of this same period, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13). Did they endure to the end because they gritted their teeth, clenched their fists, and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps? No, they didn’t do that at all—they were sealed by the Holy Spirit.
The “white robes” set before us the righteousness of Christ in which they are clothed. We cannot stand before God in our own righteousness because our own righteousness is as filthy rags, and I do not think you are going to wear filthy rags in the presence of God.
“Palm branches!” is literally in the Greek “palm trees.” They are the sign of victory, victory in Christ. This multitude is part of the great triumphal entry that will occur when Christ returns to the earth. The triumphal entry has really never taken place yet. That was actually more like a triumphal exit when He rode into Jerusalem on that little donkey, for He was getting ready to leave the earth, and He was on the way to the cross at that time. Since then, there has been a great company who have come to Him, and in the Great Tribulation there will be another great company. When He returns to the earth, the great company, martyred for Him in the Great Tribulation, will be included in the first resurrection, and they are going to be there. This is a wonderful, glorious picture that is given to us.
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen [Rev. 7:11–12].
And all the angels were standing around the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen, blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
This is a fabulous, fantastic scene of universal worship of God by His creatures. The church is here, the Old Testament saints are here, and the tribulation saints are here. And now the angels join in on it.
There are just one or two things I would like to say about the angels. I do not want to labor the point, and I would not contend with anyone about it, but nowhere in Scripture does it say that angels sing. They are saying this here. However, the important thing to note is that the other companies thank God for their redemption, “Salvation to our God,” but the angels do not mention it. They praise God for His attributes and goodness, but not for salvation. Why? They are sinless creatures, not redeemed sinners. I do not think the angels will be able to sing, but I do believe that Vernon McGee will be able to sing in that day. I cannot do it now, but I sure will be able to sing with that great company.
I hope that this will begin to broaden your vision and your comprehension as to what heaven is going to be. A great many people think that the only ones to be in heaven are their little group, their little church, or their little denomination. Well, my friend, there will be other redeemed people there besides even the church. I think that it will surprise a lot of the saints to discover this when they get to heaven. I wish that we could discover it down here because it would give us a greater love for God and lead us to worship Him more in a very real way, to worship Him in spirit and truth.
One of the elders now wants to bring John up to date on what is taking place:
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb [Rev. 7:13–14].
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These which are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they? And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
This is a very enlightening passage of Scripture. One of the elders went over to John and said, “John, who are these believers here arrayed in the white robes?” And John said, “My lord, thou knowest.” This is an idiomatic expression, and I think we have one like it in our day. When someone asks us a question and we don’t know the answer, we just sort of lift up our hands and say, “Search me!” which means, “I don’t know!” This is exactly what John is saying here: “You know that I don’t know. You tell me because I don’t know.”
“And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation.” If these people gathered here were the church, John would have known it. John wrote to the believers in his day. He knew about the church, he knew about the body of believers, and he wrote to them about love, that great unifying cement that holds them together. But John doesn’t know who this company is. The elder, who is a representative of the church now in heaven, knows that this company is not the church. It is an altogether different company. It is those who came out of the Great Tribulation. Doesn’t that tell you that the church is not going through the Great Tribulation? This is a special company, out of all tribes and tongues and nations, who have come out of the Great Tribulation.
We live in a day when God makes a division in the human family. One division is between the saved and the lost, of course—that is the great bifurcation of the human family. But if you want a racial division or a group division of the human family, the Word of God has something to say about it: “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (1 Cor. 10:32). Paul says to the Corinthians that there are three groups—the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church of God—and they are not to give offense to any one of these groups. This is one of the divisions that the Scripture makes of the human family. The Jews, Gentiles, and the church of God comprise the division that runs right down through the human family today. In the Great Tribulation, we come to a period when there are but two groups: Jews and Gentiles. Where is the church of God? It went to be with Him. The Lord Jesus said, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself …” (John 14:2–3). The church is with Him in heaven as we move through the Revelation. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” God today is calling out of the two divisions, both Jews and Gentiles, a people for His name that are different—the church—and that church will be taken out of the world.
I do not like the impression given today by some—it is a pessimistic viewpoint—that somehow or another God is failing. My friend, God is doing exactly what He said He was going to do: that in this age He would call a people out of this world to Himself. He is doing a much better job at that than you and I think He is. When I was a pastor of a church, I did not think He was doing very much, but I have discovered as our radio ministry has reached out across this land and around the world that there are multitudes who are turning to Christ everywhere. And others are reporting the same thing. God is calling a people out of this world to Himself.
John makes it clear that this group he sees in heaven is different from the church. They came through the Great Tribulation. Let me remind you that it was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who gave us the term, “great tribulation.” Some may think that some rank, wild-haired fundamentalist thought of this term, but the Lord Jesus Christ is the One who thought of it and designated this period as the Great Tribulation. In Matthew 24:21 He says: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Both in Matthew and in Revelation, it is expressed in the Greek in a way we cannot express in English. There is an article with the adjective great and an article with tribulation; it is “the tribulation, the great one.” It is given to us like that for emphasis. In other words, this is something that is different; this is something that is indeed unique.
Let me repeat that when John is quizzed by one of the elders, he is unable to identify this great company. John would have known them if this were the church; or if they were Old Testament saints or Israelites, I think John would have known it. This company he does not recognize at all. They are identified as redeemed Gentiles who have come out of the Great Tribulation.
Their robes were white, which speaks of the righteousness of Christ. How did they get that righteousness? It is because Christ shed His blood. The only reason that you and I will be able to stand before God is because Christ paid the penalty for our sins. He died that you and I might live, and that is true of this group here also. It has always been true that God has only one way of saving mankind, and it is by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1–4). “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received.” Paul says that this is not new with him. He did not originate it. It was given to him when the Lord Jesus taught him for two years out yonder in the Arabian desert.
Now this is the gospel: “How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures [according to the Old Testament]; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” The gospel is not God asking you to do something; it is God telling you that He has done something for you. The gospel is not your giving something to God; the gospel is God’s giving something to you. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. How do you get it? By faith. That is the only way you can receive a gift. Suppose it is Christmastime and you come to me and say, “Dr. McGee, here is a gift for you.” Now what do I have to do to receive it? I could say to you, “I’ll come and mow your lawn for you.” But you would say, “I don’t want you to mow my lawn. This is a gift.” I would insult you if I tried to pay you for your gift. Suppose I offered you the few cents in my pocket in exchange for your gift—that would be an insult. My friend, the thing has gotten all mixed up today. The gospel is what God has done for us. It is His gift.
Again Paul writes in Ephesians 1:7: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” God has plenty of grace. It does not matter who you are, He can save you. You may think you are a dirty, mean sinner. Well, that is the only kind He saves—we are all that.
We have therefore this great company of Gentiles who are not part of the church. We need to enlarge our conception of the redeemed to the extent that it goes beyond the borders of the church and certainly beyond the borders of your little group or denomination or my little group.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes [Rev. 7:15–17].
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple (sanctuary); and He that sitteth on the throne shall spread His tabernacle (tent) over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat (scorching wind): for the Lamb in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them into fountains of waters of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.” We now know for sure that this is not the church, for the church is never identified with the temple. At the end of this book, when the church is in the New Jerusalem, there is no temple there. The church will never have a temple. There is going to be one here on the earth, but there is not one in heaven where the church is. Therefore, this could not be the church.
“And He that sitteth on the throne shall spread His tabernacle (tent) over them.” This is for their protection, you see.
This company has had it; they have been through the Great Tribulation. Most of them, I believe, were martyrs and laid down their lives for Christ. Although we are not specifically told that, they are presented to us as being before the throne of God in heaven. The things that are mentioned now are things they have endured. They are not going to hunger or thirst—they apparently did. They have been out in the burning heat of the sun. They have also been thirsty for spiritual things which they did not have. And they wept, but now God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. They made it through the Great Tribulation because of the blood of the Lamb. This is a wonderful company of folk that is presented to us here.
My friend, the Lord Jesus has other sheep. He told His disciples, and it was hard for them to understand: “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold” … (John 10:16). He could say the same thing to the church today, “I have other sheep that you do not know anything about.” This company of Gentiles are some of the other sheep who will be redeemed but are not a part of the church.
CHAPTER 8
Theme: Opening the seventh seal
In chapter 8 we have the opening of the seventh seal which introduces the seven angels blowing seven trumpets. Four of the trumpets will be dealt with in this chapter. After the parenthetical matter of chapter 7, the sealing of two companies, we now have the opening of the seals resumed. Only the seventh seal remains to be opened. This is the pattern that John sets for the remainder of the Book of Revelation so that we cannot be led astray. There will be series of sevens and, in fact, there are four such series which relate to the Great Tribulation Period. John will give the first six of whatever the series is. Then he will present parenthetical material that contributes to the understanding of that particular series. Finally, the opening of the seventh of the series will introduce the next series of seven, which means that these series are interrelated, tied together, and actually belong to the same period.
There is no reason to get bogged down or to be sensational at this point. To begin with, we have said that everything from chapter 4 on is future—“the things that shall be after these things” (see Rev. 1:19). We are living in the things that are present, the church age, and in one sense these things do not concern us. Many people say, “Oh, it frightens me to study the Book of Revelation!” I will admit that, beginning with the riding of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, these are terrible, terrific judgments that are coming on this earth. They are so tremendous that they boggle the mind just to read about them. But we can at least know where we are: these are things that will take place after the church has left the earth. If you are a child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit to be delivered to Christ when the church goes out of the world before the Great Tribulation Period. This is what is called “the blessed hope” of the church.
These seven trumpets will bring us to the full intensity of the Great Tribulation. The seven seals bring judgments which are the natural results of the activities of sinful man apart from God. The sixth seal brings the judgment of nature. The seven trumpets reveal that God is directly and supernaturally judging a rebellious race.
The seven seals, the seven trumpets, the seven personalities, and the seven vials or bowls of wrath all concern the same period, but from a little different angle. (1) In the seven seals we see the judgment which is the result of man’s willful activity. The judgment of God will be coming upon sinful man. In the first seal we saw the riding of the white horse—a false peace; “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them …” (1 Thess. 5:3). The second seal was the riding of the red horse of war. War comes because it is in the heart of man. A great many people think that if we took all the guns away from people, if there were no arms and no atom bombs, then we would have peace on the earth. My friend, war is in the heart of man, and you have to change the heart of man before you can get rid of war. Frankly, I would have more confidence in a real, born-again Christian who has a gun than an unsaved man who does not have a gun, because if he is unarmed, he can still choke his victim to death. We are seeing that murder is in the human heart. (2) In the seven trumpets, to which we are coming in this chapter, we see the judgment which is the direct activity of God. (3) When we come to the seven personalities, we will see the judgment which is the result of Satan’s fight against God. Satan will be brought out in the open at that time. (4) In the seven bowls of wrath, we will see the final judgment of the Great Tribulation, which is the direct activity of God because of man’s and Satan’s rebellion—God will judge both, by the way.
As we come to this section in which symbols will be used, let us remember that a symbol is a symbol of a fact. We will find that there is a strange and strong similarity between the plagues of Egypt in Moses’ day and the trumpet judgments. It is quite reasonable and logical to conclude that if the plagues of Moses were literal, then the plagues that are coming in the Great Tribulation Period are going to be literal. The symbols that are used are symbols of the reality which is coming. Plain language could not make it clear to our minds how terrible and tragic the Great Tribulation will be. It beggars description, and so God exhausts language and brings in symbols. It is well to keep in mind that this book is a revelation of Jesus Christ. We see Him now in a new role of Judge. The symbols that are used are not hazy and shadowy symbols which can be dissipated into thin air by some specious system of hermeneutics. When symbols are used—and they are used in this book—the key to their meaning is supplied. Scripture will furnish the explanation, and you do not need to draw upon your imagination.
The Book of Revelation is the last book in the Bible because a working knowledge of the sixty-five books preceding it is the basic requirement for an understanding of its vivid language. I get a little irritated when I see a new Christian immediately start teaching a class in the Book of Revelation. Why doesn’t he go back to the beginning and start with Genesis? Take some other book, but do not begin with Revelation. I come to the teaching of Revelation only after having taken nearly five years to go through the rest of the Scriptures. I believe that gives us the right to teach the Book of Revelation; I would not want it otherwise. It was Peter who said, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20). You do not interpret Revelation by itself; there are sixty-five books before it. The symbols are going to be given to us, but we need to remember that the symbols stand for awful realities.
The opening of the seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets, and that is the way this entire book is built. If the structure of the book is followed, it will prevent you from going off into fanaticism and sensationalism and, as a Christian, it certainly ought to keep you from saying, “The Book of Revelation is so frightful! It terrifies me!” It ought not to terrify you. Actually, it ought to be a comfort to you. I thank God that He is going to judge this world that is running wild today. The way that mankind has blundered and gotten this world into a mess makes it look like it is filled with mad-men. I thank God He is going to judge it, and He is going to judge it rightly. It is very comforting to recognize that.
People often urge me to speak out on my radio broadcast against certain things that are taking place. It is not my business to get on radio and denounce every wrong. My business is to give out just the Word of God, and that is what I am going to do. He is going to straighten this world out someday. I wouldn’t have that job for anything in the world. I am glad it is His job. He is going to straighten out this world, and He is going to move in judgment.
Maybe you don’t like the fact that the gentle Jesus is going to judge. We have already seen that the wrath of the Lamb will be terrifying to those on earth. My friend, when you talk about the gentle Jesus, you had better get acquainted with Him. He died for you, He loves you, and He wants to save you, but if you will not have Him, I tell you, there is waiting ahead of you a terrifying judgment. Someone will say to me, “You are trying to frighten people.” I would like to scare you into heaven if I could, but I know you are too sophisticated and cynical for that. But, my beloved, judgment is coming on this earth. I say, Hallelujah! I am glad that it is coming and that God is not going to let the world go on like it is now. It has gone on long enough.
OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL—INTRODUCTION OF SEVEN TRUMPETS
The first verse of this chapter describes what takes place as the seventh seal is opened.
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour [Rev. 8:1].
Here is my translation of this verse:
And when (ever) He opened the seventh seal there came to pass a silence in heaven of about a half hour.
“There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” Many years ago I was speaking at a conference to about three or four hundred young people here in Southern California. I was out on the grounds of the camp, and coming toward me was a group of girls, and in the middle of them there was one boy. It looked like the girls were going to take him apart, and they were making a great deal of noise about it. Finally, they came up to me, and the girls wanted me to hear what this fellow had said. He said to me, “Dr. McGee, did you know that there are not going to be any women in heaven?”
I said, “No, I didn’t know that. Do you have Scripture for it?”
He said, “Yes. The Bible says that there is going to be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour. If there are any women there, there couldn’t be any silence for that long!”
That young man was surrounded by a bunch of girls who were attempting to correct him on that particular interpretation, and frankly I agreed with the girls that that is not the meaning here at all. This verse does not mean that there are not going to be any women in heaven!
I probably did wrong to open this passage on that very light note, because here is a passage that has to do with great solemnity and great seriousness. The Lord Jesus Christ is still in command. He opens the seventh seal, and there is introduced a fanfare of seven trumpets. He directs the action now from heaven. We need to keep that before us through the entire book. Do not lose sight of the fact that Revelation presents Him in His glory as the Judge of all the earth.
It may deceive you to have Him presented as the gentle Jesus who went about doing good—which He did, but we are also going to see the wrath of the Lamb some day. The Lamb is the One of whom John the Baptist said, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Men are not lost because they are sinners; they are lost because they have rejected Jesus who died for them. Even if you go into a lost eternity and have not accepted Christ, He died for you, and you simply made His sacrifice for you of no avail. You have trodden underfoot the blood of Christ when you take that kind of attitude and position toward Him.
This is a very solemn scene. The Lord Jesus Christ orders a halt on all fronts: heaven, hell, and earth. Nothing can move without His permission. He had already ordered the cessation of natural forces on the earth when He ordered the sealing and saving of two definite groups. Now, for a brief moment, there is a lull in judgment activity; there is a heavenly hush. Godet defined it: “This silence is a pause of action.” It is the lull before the storm.
Why is there this strange silence? God’s patience is not exhausted. When the sixth seal was opened and nature responded with a mighty convulsion, brave men weakened for a moment. Christ gave them opportunity to repent. But like the Pharaoh of old who, when the heat was taken off, let his willful heart return to its original intention, many men will go back to their blasphemous conduct when there is a calm. They probably will even rebuke themselves for showing a yellow streak. They will say, “It was only nature reacting. It wasn’t God, after all. Everything can be explained by natural causes.” This, my friend, is the lull before the storm. As someone has said, “The steps of God from mercy to judgment are always slow, reluctant, and measured.” God is reluctant to judge for He is slow to anger. Judgment is His strange work. Isaiah writes: “For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act” (Isa. 28:21).
What is strange about God? That He judges, that He is a God of love, judging His creatures. “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God …” (Ezek. 18:32). This silence marks the transition from grace to judgment. God is waiting. By the way, He is waiting for you today if you have not come to Him. You can come to Him, for He is a gracious Savior.
BLOWING OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
Judgment is getting ready to come upon the earth. This is the lull before the storm of judgment which is coming on the earth during this particular period. When I was a boy, my dad built a storm cellar wherever we moved. I spent half of my boyhood, during the spring and early summer, sleeping in the storm cellar. Late one evening my dad and I were standing in the storm cellar doorway. He was watching a storm come up, and he saw that it was not going to hit our little town in southern Oklahoma. It hit one just about ten miles away. We could see the funnel as it let down near that little town. But before that storm hit, there was a certain stillness. The wind had been blowing, the rain had been coming down, there had been a great deal of thunder and lightning, but suddenly all of that stopped, and for a few moments there was a deathlike silence. Then the wind began to blow like I’ve never seen it blow. It was not a funnel-shaped hurricane or a tornado, but just a straight wind. It was all my dad could do to get that storm cellar door down, and I helped him hold onto the chain. The storm broke in all its fury. This is the way the Great Tribulation will break upon the earth, and it is presented to us in this way in the blowing of the trumpets, which is the subject of chapter 8, verse 2, through chapter 11.
ANGEL AT THE ALTAR WITH CENSER OF INCENSE
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets [Rev. 8:2].
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and there was given to them seven (war) trumpets.
These “seven angels” are introduced to us as a special group. I believe that Gabriel is in this group because we are told that he stood before God. When he announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias, he said, “… I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God …” (Luke 1:19). The seraphim are also identified as beings who stand before God (see Isa. 6:1–2). However, these seven angels are seemingly a different order from the seraphim as their mission and service are altogether different.
“Seven trumpets” have a special meaning for Israel. I don’t want you to miss this; I consider this all important. Here is where it is essential to have a knowledge of the Old Testament. In the Book of Numbers, Moses was given instructions by God for the making of two silver trumpets. Two was the number of witnesses. The Lord has said on several occasions that in the mouth of two witnesses a matter would be established. These two trumpets were used on the wilderness march in a twofold way. They were used for the calling of the assembly, and they were used to start the procession moving on the wilderness march. “Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps” (Num. 10:2).
When Israel entered the land, the trumpets were used for two other purposes: “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God” (Num. 10:9–10).
A single trumpet was blown on the wilderness march to assemble the princes: “And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee” (Num. 10:4).
This single trumpet is, to my judgment, that which corresponds to “the last trump” which Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 15. This trumpet was for the bringing together of a certain group out of Israel. Paul writes: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51–52).
Unfortunately, there are some who assume that “the last trump” of 1 Corinthians 15 is the seventh trumpet of Revelation—there is no relation at all. Listen again to Paul: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16).
The “shout” is the voice of the Lord Jesus. “The voice of the archangel” means that His voice is like that of an archangel. “The trump of God” is still His voice—His voice will sound like a trumpet. We see that from chapter 1, verse 10, where John says that he heard a voice like the sound of a trumpet, and he turned to see the glorified Christ. The glorified Christ is going to call His own out of the earth. When Paul speaks of “the last trump”—“the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised”—he means the call of the Lord Jesus. It is the last call that He makes to the church, and it is therefore called “the last trump.” But the Old Testament type of it is the calling of the princes from out of the children of Israel. One trumpet is blown, and it has no relation to the movement of the children of Israel on the wilderness march.
However, the trumpets did sound an alarm which moved Israel on the wilderness march, and an alarm was sounded to move each division. The tribes were divided into four groups of three tribes each which camped on the four sides of the tabernacle. In addition there were three separate families of Levi who carried the articles of furniture of the tabernacle: Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. Four and three make seven. There were seven blowings of the trumpets to move Israel out. When the first trumpet was blown, the ark moved out with the Kohathites carrying it. Then the tribe of Judah moved out with the two other tribes under the banner of Judah, and so on until they were all on the march. Every man knew his place and stayed in his station. There was no disorder in the camp of Israel whatsoever. (The apostle Paul says that everything is to be done decently and in order in the church. I wish the church were as orderly as Israel was on the wilderness march.) But note particularly that it took seven trumpets to move them out.
The seven trumpets of Revelation will likewise have the positive effect of moving Israel into the land of Palestine. I believe that it will take these seven trumpets to get all of Israel back into that land. This is another reason I do not believe their present return to the land is a fulfillment of prophecy. Rather, it will be fulfilled in the Great Tribulation with the blowing of the seven trumpets as they were on the wilderness march. After the seventh trumpet, Israel is identified for us in chapter 12 as the special object of God’s protection. An understanding of the trumpets, therefore, will prevent us from identifying “the last trump” of the church with the seven trumpets of Revelation.
As the trumpets of Israel were used at the battle of Jericho, so the walls of this world’s opposition to God will crumble and fall during the Great Tribulation. When the Lord Jesus comes, He will put down the last vestige of rebellion against Himself and against God and establish His kingdom here upon this earth. This is a book of triumph and of victory for our God. At the end it has the Hallelujah chorus, and maybe you and I can sing it when we get there!
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne [Rev. 8:3].
And another angel came and stood over [Gr.: epi] the altar, having a golden censer (bowl); and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto (give it unto) the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
“Another angel” is positively not Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is no longer in the position of intercessor for the church. We saw in chapters 4–5 that He moved away from that position and was given the seven-sealed book. He is in charge of everything that happens from there on in Revelation. He is not moving as one of the actors down on earth’s stage; He is in heaven with the church, and He is not the intercessor. He is now in the place of judgment. He holds the book of the seven seals, and He directs all the activities from the throne. This angel is, as it is stated here, just “another angel.” I do not think the Lord Jesus would be identified as that. Although it is true that in the Old Testament the preincarnate Christ appeared as an angel, I do not believe He will ever appear again as an angel. He will be as He is in the glorified body, and we will see Him as He is someday.
The “golden altar” is the place where prayer is offered. Christ is not in the place of intercession before the golden altar. He is now upon the throne. Incense is likened unto prayer and is a type of prayer. David said in Psalm 141:2, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense….”
Incense speaks of the value of Christ’s name and work in prayer. “If you ask in My name” is His injunction. Many today who really believe the Word of God are falling into the habit of ending their prayer by just saying “Amen.” Someone said to me, “It is redundant to say, ‘In Jesus’ name,’ because in your heart you are praying in Jesus’ name.” I agree that to pray in Jesus’ name means more than simply putting on a tag end, “in Jesus’ name.” But I want to say that if you are making a prayer in Jesus’ name, and especially a public prayer, be sure to say that it is in Jesus’ name. I believe that is very important. Here they are offering incense, a sweet smelling incense. You and I are not heard for our much speaking or for our flowery prayer. We are heard when our prayer is made in Jesus’ name.
It is interesting that the incense was given to this angel. Christ didn’t need anything given to Him when He prayed. The prayers of saints which were offered under the fifth seal (see Rev. 6:9–11) are now being answered because of the person and sacrifice of Christ.
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand [Rev. 8:4].
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Prayer is going to be answered because of Christ.
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake [Rev. 8:5].
And the angel hath taken (takes) the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and he throws (casts) it upon (into) the earth: and there were (came to pass) thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
The high priest of Israel took a censer with him as he carried the blood into the Holy of Holies. Here the ritual is reversed, because out of heaven the censer is hurled upon the earth. In other words, the prayers ascended is incense, and now we have the answer coming down. The tribulation saints had prayed, “Oh, God, avenge us!” The people of the earth, having rejected the death of Christ for the judgment of their sins, must now bear the judgment for their own sins. The Great Tribulation is going to get under way.
“Thunders” denotes the approach of the coming storm of God’s judgment.
“Voices” reveals that this is the intelligent direction of God and not the purposeless working of natural forces. God is in charge.
“Lightnings” follow the thunder. This is not a reversal of the natural order. We see the lightning before we hear the thunder due to the fact that light waves move faster than sound waves. Actually, the thunder comes first, but we do not hear it until after we have already seen the lightning.
The “earthquake” is the earth’s response to the severe pressure which will be placed upon it during the judgment of the Great Tribulation Period.
And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound [Rev. 8:6].
And the seven angels having the seven trumpets prepared themselves that they should blow the trumpets.
This is a solemn moment. The half hour of silence is over. The prayers of the saints have been heard. The order is issued to prepare to blow. The angels come to attention, and at the blowing of the trumpets, divine wrath is visited upon rebellious men. The blowing of the trumpets does not introduce symbols or secrets. The plagues here are literal plagues. This method today of evaporating the meaning of Scripture by calling it symbolic is just as bad as denying the inspiration of the Word of God. In other words, it is saying that God doesn’t mean what He says but that He means something else altogether.
FIRST TRUMPET—TREES BURN
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up [Rev. 8:7].
And the first angel blew the trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mingled in blood, and they were cast into the earth and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.
This is a direct judgment from God. Judgment falls upon plant life, from the grass to the great trees. Every form of botanical life is affected first. Notice, however, that it is only one-third, but it makes a tremendous impact upon the earth. Fire, the great enemy, is the instrument God uses. The Flood was used in the first global judgment; now it is going to be fire. This earth is to be purified by fire. The forests and the prairies covered with grass are partially destroyed by fire. One-third of the earth denotes the wide extent of the damage. “One-third” means not one-fourth or one-half; it means one-third. Plant life was the first to be created, and it is the first to be destroyed. In the record given in Genesis 1:11, God began with the creation of plant life after order had been brought into the physical globe.
This is a literal judgment upon plant life in the same way that the seventh plague of Egypt was literal (see Exod. 9:18–26). I called attention before to the fact that there is a striking similarity between the plagues in Egypt and the trumpet judgments—this is no accident. If you go back to the Book of Exodus, you will see that the plagues are literal—every believer in the Bible has to grant that; then you must also grant that these plagues in Revelation should be taken in the same fashion. I do not know by what flip-flop method of hermeneutics you could interpret one way in one passage and another way in another passage—unless the Scripture makes it clear that you can do such a thing. When hail came down on Egypt, we are told that “… the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field” (Exod. 9:25)—it was 100 percent destruction in Egypt; it will be one-third of the earth.
SECOND TRUMPET—SEAS BECOME BLOOD
And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed [Rev. 8:8–9].
And the second angel sounded (blew the trumpet), and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was thrown (cast) into the sea, and the third of the sea became blood; and there died the third of the creatures which were in the sea, (even) they that have life. And the third of the ships was destroyed.
The sea, which occupies most of the earth’s surface, is next affected by this direct judgment of God. The separation of the land and the sea occurred on the same day in which plant life appeared (see Gen. 1:9–10).
I want you to notice the exact language used here. John does not say that a burning mountain was cast into the sea but rather he indicates that a great mass or force “as it were a great mountain burning with fire was [thrown] cast into the sea”—as it were a great mountain. This careful distinction in the use of language should be noted, especially since it is the common practice to lump together everything in Revelation and call it symbolic. You might think that it gets you out of a lot of trouble, but it gets you out of the frying pan into the fire, by the way.
The mountain represents something as literal and tangible as that which we have in Jeremiah 51:25 where the Lord is talking about Babylon: “Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.”
This literal mass falls into the literal sea, one-third becomes literal blood, and one-third of all the literal living creatures in the literal sea die a literal death. Nothing could be plainer than this. Also, one-third of the literal ships of all literal nations are literally destroyed. If we just let John say what he wants to, he makes it very clear.
There is no use to try to find some symbol. John doesn’t say that this is symbolic. He makes it very clear that a great mass, a force, is put into the ocean. I do not know what this could possibly be, and there are two reasons for that. First of all, John didn’t tell me; he didn’t tell anybody, and therefore, I do not think that anyone has the answer. The second reason is that I don’t expect to be here at that time to be reading the evening papers. The bad news that we get in the papers and on television today will continue, only more so, during the Great Tribulation. I won’t be here to see it. Therefore, this does not concern me too much, other than it is an awful tragedy that is coming on a Christ-rejecting world which actually ridicules the Word of God today. This is something that certainly makes the believer sorrowful in his heart—but it ought to do more than that. It not only ought to affect our hearts; it ought also to affect our wills and our feet to start us moving to get the Word of God out to the world. That is our responsibility, and I believe it is a very solemn responsibility. We cannot keep this judgment from coming on the earth, but we can get the Word of God out and reduce the population that will be left on the earth so that fewer people will go through that terrible time.
THIRD TRUMPET—FRESH WATERS BECOME BITTER
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter [Rev. 8:10–11].
And the third angel blew the trumpet (sounded), and a great star burning as a torch fell from (out of) heaven, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood [Gr.: Apsinthos]; and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
We are living in a world today where a great deal is being said about pollution, and it is a real problem. Man seems to have gotten a head start on the star in polluting all the waters. Personally, I think that man is going to be forced to clean up the water of the world if he is going to be able to exist at all. Self-preservation is considered to be the first law of nature, and man wants to hang on to this little earth; so he’s going to do something about it. In the Great Tribulation, the fresh water is polluted, and the drinking water for mankind is contaminated, that is, one-third of it is.
Those of us who live in Southern California know something of the scarcity of fresh water for drinking and domestic use. I am told that in Los Angeles it costs somewhere around $100 million just to turn on the spigot to get the water here to us. Fresh water is something that is essential for man and beast. I remember the drought of the ’50s in Dallas, Texas. The city’s water supply came from man-made lakes; the lakes dried up, and the supply was exhausted. It was necessary to get water from the Red River, but the oil companies had allowed salt water from their deep wells to drain into the river. Nobody worried about it until they needed the water for drinking. It was so salty, it was barely possible to drink it. Many people traveled to surrounding little towns to get a bottle of water to bring home. These experiences teach man how dependent he is upon fresh water.
When the children of Israel crossed over the Red Sea, they came to Marah where the waters were bitter. Moses was directed to take a tree and cast it into the waters to make them sweet. Here in Revelation, the sweet waters are made bitter by a meteor, a star out of heaven. The tree that Moses put into the water speaks of the cross of Christ.
“Wormwood” is a name used metaphorically in the Old Testament, according to Vincent (Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 2, p. 506), in the following ways: (1) idolatry of Israel (see Deut. 29:18); (2) calamity and sorrow (see Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19); and (3) false judgment (see Amos 5:7).
This star is literal and is a meteor containing poison which contaminates one-third of the earth’s fresh water supply. The star’s name suggests that this is a judgment upon man for idolatry and injustice. Calamity and sorrow are the natural compensations that are coming upon man because of this judgment.
FOURTH TRUMPET—SUN, MOON, AND STARS SMITTEN
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise [Rev. 8:12].
And the fourth angel blew the trumpet (sounded), and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third of the moon, and the third of the stars; in order that a third part of them might be darkened, and the day not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner.
Another phase of creation upon which mankind on this earth is solely dependent for light and life is the sun. To a lesser degree, man is dependent on the moon and stars. It was on the fourth day of re-creation that these heavenly bodies appeared. They had been created before, but the light broke through on the fourth day. Now the light is put out, as it were, over a third part of the earth. God let these lights break through, the greater light to rule the day, the lesser light to rule the night, and they were to be for signs and seasons. The Lord Jesus indicated that in the Great Tribulation there would be special signs in these heavenly bodies: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matt. 24:29).
The laws of nature are radically altered by these disturbances. There is a definite limitation—only a third part of the light and of the day is affected. The intensity of the light has the wattage reduced by one-third. Talk about an energy shortage! Believe me, my friend, one is coming to this earth someday.
I saw an arresting billboard in Seattle, Washington, when Boeing had shut down many of its plants, laid off several thousand men, and people were beginning to leave town. On this billboard on Highway 5, some wag put this sign: “The last one leaving town, please turn out the lights.” Well, God is getting ready to turn out the lights here on this earth. However, the Lord has made it clear, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gen. 8:22).
A statement from Robert Govett (The Apocalypse Expounded by Scripture, p. 180) is intensely interesting in this connection, in view of present-day efforts to eliminate the death penalty:
Hence day continues still, though its brightness is diminished. God shows His right to call in question man’s right to the covenant. He has not kept the terms. Blood for blood is not shed by the nations. By this time the command to put the murderer to death is, through a false philanthropy, refused by the world.
This is another angle to the question of capital punishment. These judges with soft heads as well as soft hearts eliminate capital punishment and turn the criminals loose on us in this world today. Man continues to move in that direction, but God says, “I gave you a covenant that you were to protect human life, and you are protecting human life when you execute murderers.” Capital punishment is a deterrent to crime, and any person who says it is not a deterrent to crime must be like an ostrich with his head in the sand. I think that capital punishment will be abolished by Antichrist if it is not done so before.
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! [Rev. 8:13].
And I saw and heard one eagle, flying in mid-heaven (the meridian), saying with a great voice [Gr.: phoneµ megale], Woe, we, woe to them dwelling upon the earth, by reason of the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to blow the trumpet (sound).
When the fourth trumpet is blown, the announcement is made of a peculiar intensity of woe and judgment that is coming on the earth. The last three trumpets are separated from the other four; they are “woe” trumpets.
“And I saw and heard one eagle.” Somebody says, “This eagle is talking! Is it a literal eagle?” My friend, if God can make a parrot and a few other birds talk, I do not think He will have any problem at all with an eagle.
It is interesting to note that our Lord used the eagle to speak of His coming: “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matt. 24:28)—that is after the great Battle of Armageddon.
CHAPTER 9
Theme: The fifth and sixth trumpets
The last three trumpets are separated from the other four by the fact that they are three woe trumpets. My translation of chapter 8, verse 13, reads, “And I saw and heard one eagle, flying in midheaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe to them dwelling upon the earth, by reason of the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to blow the trumpet.” We are coming to a section that is weird and wild; it boggles the mind as we read through this chapter. All kinds of interpretations have been given of this section. But let us get our feet back on the ground, and we will find that the things mentioned here ought not to frighten us. If you are a child of God, you are not going through these things. It is not the “blessed hope” of the church to endure these things. The church will have been taken out of the world by this time, and these are the things which will happen in the Great Tribulation Period to a Christ rejecting world.
These woes mark the deepest darkness and the most painful intensity of the Great Tribulation Period. They are generally associated with the last three and one-half years of the Seventieth Week of Daniel, which is the Great Tribulation Period. These will be the blackest days in human history.
The language used in this section is admittedly the most difficult of interpretation, but this does not preclude our policy of following the literal line, even when the figures adopted are the most vivid and wild. If another interpretation is proper, John will furnish us the key.
FIFTH TRUMPET—FALLEN STAR AND PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS
Here in verse 1 we have a description of the scene as the fifth angel sounds a trumpet and a star falls from heaven.
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit [Rev 9:1].
And the fifth angel sounded (blew the trumpet), and I saw a star out of heaven fallen into the earth, and there was given to him a key of the long shaft (pit, well) of the abyss.
Notice the proper meaning of “the bottomless pit” is the long shaft (or pit or well) of the abyss.
“I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth.” We have already seen two stars, and we said that they were literal stars, meteors, that fall to the earth. I recall several years ago sitting with my wife on a lanai of a hotel on Waikiki Beach and watching a shower of meteors or shooting stars. Meteors are the shooting stars which we see on a summer night. But here we have a different kind of star because it is called “him” and acts with intelligence. We are talking now about an unusual person. This star is different, therefore, from the stars mentioned at the sounding of the fourth trumpet. This star not only acts with intelligence, but he is given a key which he uses—no inanimate star could do this.
We believe that this star is Satan. Some have identified this star as Antichrist; if this is so, it lends support to the view that Antichrist is Satan incarnate, but I do not accept that. My point is that Antichrist is exactly that: he is everything Christ is not, and he is motivated by Satan. The reasons for interpreting this star as Satan are abundant. The prophet Isaiah writes: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isa. 14:12).
In Luke’s Gospel we read: “And he [Jesus] said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
That would be like a fallen star, you see. Also, Paul writes: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). These Scriptures confirm the position that Satan is in view here. John will state later that Satan was put out of heaven and cast to the earth (see Rev. 12:7–9). If we have established the fact that the “star” is Satan being cast out of heaven, then what does he do? He goes down and takes the key to the abyss, which apparently means that God is permitting him to do so. A key denotes authority and power, and this is given to him of God; it is the permissive will of God.
“The long shaft of the abyss” means the long shaft leading to the abyss. The abyss is the bottomless pit which will be seen in chapter 20, verse 3. The abyss and hades may be synonymous terms, but the abyss and hell are not the same. Our Lord probably referred to the abyss in Matthew 12:40: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
The Lord speaks here of His descent into the “heart of the earth.” The body of Jesus was not actually buried in the earth—it was put in a new tomb—and it certainly was not in the heart of the earth. Rather, what we have in this language of Matthew is that He went to the abyss, which apparently is hades or sheol. When the Lord Jesus told about the deaths of the rich man and Lazarus (see Luke 16:19–31), He made it quite obvious that hades is in two compartments. The rich man died and went to the place of torment. The poor man died and went into Abraham’s Bosom, or paradise as our Lord called it. The Lord went down there in His death to announce to the saved His victory and that He would be leading them into the presence of God. That is, I believe, what Paul meant when he said that the Lord Jesus “… led captivity captive …” (Eph. 4:8). He went to the abyss to announce that His redemption had been wrought.
It behooves us not to be dogmatic where the Scriptures are silent, but there is the thought that a shaft leads from the surface of the earth to the heart of the earth. I know that may sound very much like I am being superstitious. I do accept this idea, but I would not be dogmatic about it. If you have some advance information and can prove to me that it means something else, I would certainly be glad to accept it.
The Lord now holds the key to the abyss (see Rev. 1:18). Peter tells us the demons are imprisoned there (see 2 Pet. 2:4). In Luke 8:30–31 we read: “And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep [abyss].”
The abyss is a very literal place. The idea that heaven and hell are mythological and that heaven is a beautiful isle of somewhere, a Shangri-la hanging out in space, is not the teaching of the Word of God. The teaching of the Word of God is that heaven is as literal as the place where you live today and that hell is equally as real as the place where you now live.
During the last part of the Great Tribulation, the key to the abyss is given to Satan, and he is given a freedom that he never has had before. I believe this explains why men cannot die during this period. Satan wants to keep them alive; he does not want his army decimated at all.
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit [Rev. 9:2].
And he opened the long shaft (pit, well) of the abyss, and there came smoke out of the long shaft of the abyss as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the shaft of the abyss.
Out of the shaft, like a great erupting volcano, will come smoke to cover the entire earth. This is smog of the most vicious type. The literal interpretation of this verse is the correct and most satisfying one.
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads [Rev. 9:3–4].
And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth, and power was given to them as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was said to them in order that they should not hurt the grass of the earth nor any green things, nor any tree, but only (except) the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
To me this beggars description. John uses symbolic language which describes creatures so frightful that this is the only way he could speak of them.
These are locusts, but they are of a very unusual character. As Govett remarks (The Apocalypse Expounded by Scripture, pp. 185–186), they are “no common locusts,” and he gives the following reasons:
1. for they eat no vegetable productions;
2. the locusts of the earth have no king (Prov. 30:27); these have;
3. in the plague of Egypt the inspired recorder had said, “Before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such” (Exod. 10:14);
4. yet they are literal creatures resembling the literal animals named: the lion, the horse, the scorpion, the man.
This is a plague of locusts which is as literal as the plague of locusts in Egypt. Joel prophesied of a coming plague of locusts (see Joel 1). Again, a working knowledge of the Old Testament is essential to the understanding of Revelation. The difference between the locusts here and the locusts in Joel is the character of the locusts and the object of their destruction. They sting as scorpions, and their objects are evil men.
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man [Rev. 9:5].
And it was given to them in order that they should not kill them, but in order that they should be tormented five months; and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man.
The scorpion is shaped like a lobster and lives in damp places. His sting is in his tail; though it is not fatal, it is very painful indeed. This is the picture we are given here. These were mentioned by Joshua when he spoke of the hornet, “And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you …” (Josh. 24:12). Therefore you can see that believers, living during the Great Tribulation who will be acquainted with the Old Testament, will understand what John is talking about regarding these scorpions.
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them [Rev. 9:6].
And in those days shall the men seek death, and shall not find it; and they shall earnestly desire to die, and death fleeth from them.
Satan is given the key to this long shaft (which evidently is what is called sheol in the Old Testament and hell [hades] in the New Testament). The shaft leads to the abyss where the spirits of the dead of the ages past have gone. This is where the Lord Jesus went to announce the redemption that He had wrought on the cross. Satan does not want his crowd to die, and it is only his crowd that are attacked by these locusts. Men during this period try to commit suicide and are unable to do it—this reveals something of the awfulness of that day. Satan wants them here because there is a battle between light and darkness that is being waged. There are others who think that maybe it is God who will not let these men die because sinful man must face the consequences of his rebellion—there is no escape. It is not a laughing matter to reject Jesus Christ; it is not a simple thing to ignore Him. People say there are so many important things in this life—and I am willing to grant that many things take second, third, and fourth place—but the most important thing is your decision concerning Jesus Christ.
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months [Rev. 9:7–10].
And the likenesses of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as of chariots of many horses rushing into battle. And they had tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails was their power to hurt men five months.
I am sure you will agree that this is a frightful, weird, and unnatural description. A little closer examination, however, will reveal a striking similarity to the locusts of Palestine, which I think we need to note. Dr. Vincent makes this comment in his Book on Revelation:
The likeness of a locust to a horse, especially to a horse equipped with armor, is so striking that the insect is named in German Heupferd hay-horse, and in Italian cavaletta little horse.
The faces of locusts resemble the faces of men, and the antennae of the locust are compared to a girl’s hair. Joel compares the teeth of the locust with those of a lion (see Joel 1:6). Many have commented on the weird sound that the locust makes. In his Word Studies in the New Testament, Dr. Vincent quotes Olivier, a French writer:
It is difficult to express the effect produced on us by the sight of the whole atmosphere filled on all sides and to a great height by an innumerable quantity of these insects, whose flight was slow and uniform, and whose noise resembled that of rain.
There are those today who have attempted to liken this description of the locust to the airplane. I remember as a young fellow hearing a preacher who said that since the sting of the locust is in the tail, it compares to the rear gunner on a bomber! Well, that all sounds very good, but we have now passed from the propeller plane to the jet plane and into the missile age. Maybe you would want to compare these locusts to the missile. Seriously, I do not want to compare it to anything that is known today, because this is not the weapon that is used today but the weapon that is going to be used in the Great Tribulation Period—whatever that is going to be. Our weapons today are so frightful that even Russia and the United States (although they are at opposite poles) are willing to sit down and talk, as long as one thinks the other is as strong or stronger than he is.
“Their power was to hurt men five months.” It will be five months of unspeakable agony for those who have been attacked by these unnatural locusts.
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon [Rev. 9:11].
They have over them (as) king, the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon.
These locusts are further differentiated from ordinary locusts in that they have a king over them. Proverbs 30:27 says of natural locusts that they have no king. The king or leader of these locusts is probably one of the fallen angels, the chief henchman of Satan, and he is permitted to lead an invasion of earth for the first time. This is something that is going to be rather frightening. His name in Hebrew means “destruction,” and in Greek it means “the destroyer.” This confirms what Daniel told us, that the demon world of the fallen angels is divided into gradations. I think there are generals, majors, lieutenants, sergeants, and buck privates. In Ephesians we find that the angels of God are divided in the same way.
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter [Rev. 9:12].
The one woe is past; behold there come yet two woes after these things.
The first woe introduced to us the last half of the Great Tribulation Period, and it had a duration of five months. Apparently, the last two woes will cover the remainder of that period. The warning here indicates that worse things are to follow, and the next trumpet reveals that this was not just an idle warning.
SIXTH TRUMPET—ANGELS LOOSED AT RIVER EUPHRATES
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates [Rev. 9:13–14].
And the sixth angel blew (sounded) the trumpet. And I heard one (a single) voice out of the horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel having the trumpet, loose the four angels which have been bound at the great river Euphrates.
When the sixth angel blew the trumpet, a command came from the horns of the golden altar. That golden altar speaks of prayer; that is what it spoke of in the tabernacle here on earth. This is where the angel offered prayer at the beginning of the blowing of the trumpets (see Rev. 8:3). The sixth angel not only blows the trumpet but is also given a command to loose the four angels bound at the river Euphrates. This angel receives in turn his orders from a voice that was there at the horns of the golden altar. It is the voice of Christ. He has now ripped off the seventh seal which led into the trumpets and which will lead into the seven personalities and the seven bowls of wrath.
The angels who are bound are evidently evil. Why would they be bound if they were not evil? Releasing them turns loose a flood tide of destruction on the earth. They were bound away from the others, I believe, because of the enormity of their crime.
Why were they bound at this particular location at the Euphrates River? Though this is rather difficult to explain, the prominence of this area in Scripture cannot be overlooked. The Garden of Eden was somewhere in this section. The sin of man began here. The first murder was committed here. The first war was fought here. Here was where the Flood began and spread over the earth. Here is where the Tower of Babel was erected. To this area were brought the Israelites of the Babylonian captivity. Babylon was the fountainhead of idolatry. And here is the final surge of sin on the earth during the Great Tribulation Period.
The Euphrates actually marks the division between East and West. It was Kipling who said that East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet. That is true to a certain extent. Perhaps there has been a restraining influence in the past which has kept the hordes of the East from spilling over into the West, but it is going to be broken down. It was Napoleon who made the statement: “China is a sleeping giant, and God pity the generation that wakes her up.” Well, we woke her up, and she is very much alive today. China represents one-fourth of the world’s population. If you take the peoples of the East, of the Orient, beyond the Euphrates River, you have most of the population of the world. Suppose they start moving? My friend, they are going to move someday. From the time of Alexander the Great, the white man has had his day. Colonialism, as far as the white man is concerned, is over now, but communism’s colonialism is still on the march. The dark races are awakening. They have been held back, and apparently these four angels had something to do with holding them back.
Zechariah locates Babylon as the last stand of false religion (see Zech. 5). This is where Satan’s last stand will take place.
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them [Rev. 9:15–16].
And the four angels were loosed, who had been prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year, that they might kill the third of men. And the number of the armies of the cavalry was two ten thousands (myriads) of ten thousands (myriads).
“And the four angels were loosed, who had been prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year.” You will have to take that literally, my friend, because I do not know how else you would take it. The very hour is marked out.
“That they might kill the third of men.” At the blowing of the sixth trumpet, one-third of the population of mankind will be removed. We have already seen a fourth removed, and now a third is removed. Over one-half of the population of the earth will be destroyed in the Great Tribulation Period. No wonder that the Lord Jesus said, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved …” (Matt. 24:22).
The size of the army is stupendous. It is numbered at 200 million. China and India and Japan could easily put that many in the field tomorrow. The great population is in the East today. God help the white man, my friend, when these angels are removed—he will not stand a chance.
What is spoken of here in this passage is the wholesale invasion of the earth by the demon world represented in the locusts. Now they are motivated to a world war. Actually, we have never yet had a real world war in which every nation was involved, but that will take place in the Great Tribulation Period. Are these 200 million human beings? I have so far indicated that they could be, but frankly, I believe that what we have here is the invasion by the demon world, which is a further result of Satan’s opening the door of the shaft of the bottomless pit. The following description of these horsemen further confirms this fact.
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths [Rev. 9:17–18].
And, thus (after this manner) I saw the horses in the (my) vision, and those that sat on them, have breastplates as of fire (fiery red), and hyacinth, and brimstone; and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire, and smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues was the third of men killed, by the fire, and the smoke, and the brimstone that proceeded out of their mouths.
Many suppose these to be tanks. How do they know that tanks will be used in the Great Tribulation Period? We are talking about a period that is in the future. Modern tanks reveal that this may well be, but I have a notion that they are going to have something more refined and sophisticated in that period.
Notice that the colors are as striking as the horsemen are unnatural. “Fire” is fiery red; “hyacinth” is the same color as the flower—dull, dark blue; “brimstone” is light yellow.
The horse is the animal of war (see Job 39:19–25). The underworld is now making war on mankind. These creatures from the underworld are unnatural. They are probably demons or demon-controlled. We are given a literal description of them. In his book on Revelation, William R. Newell makes this very timely observation, “Believe, and you scarcely need any comment.” The problem with men who come to Revelation and say that it is difficult to understand and impossible to interpret is that they do not believe it. If you simply believe it and read it, it is very clear. Hellish forces will be at work during this period.
These three plagues mentioned here are literal plagues. The fire is literal, the smoke is literal, and the brimstone is literal. The same thing took place at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. I believe this world during the Great Tribulation Period will actually be worse than Sodom and Gomorrah. People talk about homosexuality attaining respectability in our day. Well, it was the accepted life-style in Sodom and Gomorrah, but homosexuals went out of business—God put them out of business. If you think God is going to permit mankind to go into eternity an unnatural creature, you are wrong.
At this point one-third of the population is killed. One-third of nature had already been affected, but mankind had not been touched with a judgment of this magnitude. If the population of the world were 1.5 billion, this would mean that 500 million would be slain. Remember that a fourth part had been slain under the fourth seal. This terrible decimation of the earth’s population seemed incongruous with all of history until the atomic bomb fell upon Hiroshima. Since then men have been using more frightening language than that of Revelation. They now talk of the total decimation of earth’s inhabitants. But the Lord Jesus said that He will not permit it: “… except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved …” (Matt. 24:22)—and the human race would commit suicide if it could.
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt [Rev. 9:19].
For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads, and by them they hurt.
These are unnatural horses which are able to kill with their mouths. The weirdest feat of all is that, instead of horses’ hair for tails, they have serpents which are also used in destroying mankind.
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts [Rev. 9:20–21].
And the rest of men who were not killed by these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold and silver and copper and stone and wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
“Sorceries” is the Greek word pharmakeion, from which we get our English word pharmacy. Pharmacy means “drugs.” What were called drugstores when I was a boy are today called pharmacies. The Great Tribulation will be a period when the use of drugs will not be controlled. Drugs will play a large part in the lives of the unsaved and will serve several purposes. Drugs will enable them to bear the judgments of the Great Tribulation Period. I am sure that many a person will turn to drugs when he is stung or bitten by these unnatural creatures. Although they will not die, they will feel like they are going to die, and as a result, they will take drugs to overcome the pain and help them endure the Great Tribulation.
Drugs will also figure largely in the religion of that day. There will be a regular drug culture and drug religion in the days of the Great Tribulation Period. What we are seeing today is very small in comparison to what it will be then. People will resort to everything that will deaden the pain or lift them out of the trouble of that time. Liquor will certainly be very prominent as it is even now. I want to share with you a statement by Dr. J. A. Seiss from his book (The Apocalypse, p. 106) published about 1906. The reason I mention the date is that it seems like he wrote it yesterday or that maybe he was preparing it for tomorrow’s edition of your local paper. This is his comment on the word sorceries:
We have only to think of the use of alcoholic stimulants, of opium, of tobacco, of the range of cosmetics and medicaments to increase love attractions, of resorts to the pharmacopoeia in connection with sensuality—of the magical agents and treatments alleged to come from the spirit-world for the benefit of people in this—of the thousand impositions in the way of medicines and remedial agents, encouraging mankind to reckless transgression with the hope of easily repairing the damages of nature’s penalties—of the growing prevalence of crime induced by these things, setting loose and stimulating to activity the vilest passions, which are eating out the moral sense of society—for the beginnings of that moral degeneracy to which the seer here alludes as characteristic of the period when the sixth trumpet is sounded.
You would think that he had written that for today, but in his day there was no great drug culture nor were drugs and alcohol as big a problem as they are today. Drugs are used today in practically every modern cult which uses sex as a drawing card.
We are told here that they were guilty not only of sorceries, of indulging in drunkenness and in drugs, but also of fornications which lead to thefts. It is alarming the way that adultery is being practiced in the United States. It is promoted as an evidence of our liberty and of the tremendous advancement of civilization! It is interesting that, instead of playing the requiem, this crowd wants to sing and dance and say that the race is improving.
Sorceries and fornication and robbery are going to be increased and a greater emphasis placed upon them. I believe that the Antichrist will use all three of these to bring mankind into subjection to himself. Mankind will be easily lured in that day. Under the influence of drugs, he will accept anything. One of the reasons that our contemporary nightclubs push liquor is not only for the money that is in it, but it also makes their entertainers acceptable. A very inferior singer or comedian goes over well if you’ve had two cocktails; and if you’ve had three, then he is a star. Drugs and liquor will put Antichrist over. Paul wrote: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:9–10).
I believe that the gospel will go out to every creature before the Rapture, and certainly each one is going to hear it during the Great Thribulation Period. What Paul describes here will only happen to those who have rejected the Word of God. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:11–12).
The moment that you reject the gospel and shut your heart to God, you are wide open for the big lie when it comes. This is the reason so many today fall for everything that comes along. Someone has said that those who stand for nothing will fall for anything. This is it exactly: those today who are not standing for the Word of God are easy prey for the cults.
CHAPTER 10
Theme: Interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets
Chapter 10 is the hiatus, the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets. This chapter begins the second of a series of interludes. Between the sixth and seventh seals, there was an interlude as two groups were redeemed and sealed during the Great Tribulation. Here, between the sixth and seventh trumpets, we have an interlude as three personalities are introduced. In this chapter the mighty angel is described, and in the first fourteen verses of chapter 11, the two witnesses are introduced, though not identified.
THE STRONG ANGEL WITH THE LITTLE BOOK
In verse 1 the mighty angel comes from heaven and is introduced.
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire [Rev. 10:1].
Let me give you my own translation:
And I saw another strong (powerful) angel coming down out of heaven clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.
There has been definite disagreement among outstanding and fundamental Bible expositors as to the identity of the mighty angel. Godet, Vincent, Pettingill, DeHaan, Ironside, Walter Scott, and William Kelly all identify the strong angel as Christ. Newell and others consider him to be just an angel of great power and authority, but not Christ. Dr. John Walvoord takes this viewpoint, and Vernon McGee takes it also. If you go with either crowd, you will be in good company. In the first group are some men I have great respect for and whom I love in the Lord. I have personally known three of those men, and they were my dear friends. If you follow them, it will be all right, and you will be in good company; but if you want to be right, you want to come along with me on this!
There is ample evidence to show that this angel is only a mighty angel. Christ does not appear in Revelation as an angel. It is true that in the Old Testament the preincarnate Christ was seen as the Angel of the Lord. But after He took upon Himself our humanity, after He died and rose again and received a glorified body, we now see Him in the place of great power and glory yonder at God’s right hand. We never see Him as an angel again. When He was here in His humanity, He was not an angel—He was a man. Therefore, He is revealed in the Book of Revelation as the glorified Christ, as the postincarnate Christ. He is exalted to the nth degree. It is well to keep before us constantly that this book is the unveiling of Jesus Christ. New glories of His person and of His power and performance are unfolded in each chapter. He is now the One judging a Christ-rejecting earth.
“And I saw another strong angel.” Another means that it is another of the same kind. The other strong angel to whom we were introduced was back in Revelation 5:2. There was no argument there; it was not Christ. It is the livery of this angel (that is, the way in which he is garbed) which has led some to identify him as Christ. Though all angels are the servants of Christ, in this final book of the Bible, this is evidently the special envoy of Christ, bearing all the credentials of his exalted position. He comes down out of heaven from the presence of Christ, the One who is in the midst of the throne.
He is “clothed with a cloud.” This is his uniform as a special envoy from Christ. The clouds of glory are associated with the second coming of Christ, but the angel described here is not coming in clouds of glory, but he is clothed with a cloud. Furthermore, this is not the second coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom; rather, this angel makes the announcement that He is coming soon. Angels, you recall, announced His first coming, and they will announce His second coming to the earth.
“And the rainbow was upon his head.” This is the cap for his uniform and is a reminder of God’s covenant with man. Although the judgments have come, thick and fast, weird and wild—it beggars language to describe them—this rainbow indicates that God will not send a flood to destroy man again.
“And his face was as the sun.” This is his badge of identification. This is the signature of the glorified Christ (see Rev. 1:16). It does not follow that this one must therefore be the Son of God. Moses’ face shone after he had been in the presence of God (see Exod. 34:29). This angel’s face is shining because he has come out from the presence of Christ. You will recall that the raiment of the angels at the resurrection of Christ also shone (see Luke 24:4). The angel of Revelation 18:1 is a light giver, as the sun and moon, yet no one asserts that he is Christ. Also, I take it that this angel in chapter 10 is not Christ, but he is what it says: an angel, another great, mighty angel.
“And his feet as pillars of fire.” This is still part of his uniform. He has come to make a special and solemn announcementof coming judgment. All of these features of identification are his credentials and connect him to the person of Christ as His special envoy. The Lord Jesus is running everything at this particular point. He is the Judge of all the earth.
And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices [Rev. 10:2–3].
And he had in his hand a little book opened; and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth; and he cried with a great voice as (when) a lion roareth: and when he cried the seven thunders spoke their own voices.
There are several reasons that I believe that this little book or scroll is the seven-sealed book which we have seen before. One reason is simply because it is the only book that has been before us, and it is not identified in any other way than it is called “a little book.” Frankly, a different word is used here for this book instead of the Greek word biblion which is used for the seven-sealed book. But that would not preclude the possibility of its being the same book.
This little book, if it is the same as the seven-sealed book, was originally in the hands of the Father in heaven (see Rev. 5:1). It should be noted how it is first transferred to the nail-pierced hands of God the Son. It was given to the Lord Jesus who was the only One who could open it. The breaking of the seven seals opened the book; and the seven trumpets, six of which have already been blown, are still part of what is in the book. After He removes the seals, the Lord Jesus Christ in turn transfers the book to the angel, who gives it finally to John to eat.
This is the book of the title deed of the earth, and it contains the judgments of the Great Tribulation by which the Lord Jesus is coming to power. The book is now open, and the judgments are on display. This book is the angel’s authority for claiming both the sea and the earth for Christ. He puts one foot on the sea and the other foot upon the earth, and he is claiming both for God. In Leviticus 25:23 the Lord gave instructions to Israel concerning the land He had given them: “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.”
It may be that you think you own a pretty good piece of the real estate of this earth. You hold the title deed. The title has been transferred down through the years to you, and you paid good money for it. You feel it is yours. I say that you are wrong because your title doesn’t go back far enough. Sometime in the past, somebody stole it from the Indians. The Indians got it from somebody else—or maybe they just walked in and occupied vacant property. But to whom does it belong? My friend, your property belongs to God, and no matter who you are, you haven’t paid Him for it. The earth is His and the fulness thereof (see Ps. 24:1).
God not only claims the land, but He claims the sea as well as the land. “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas” (Ps. 8:6–8).
God says, “I own the seas also, as well as the land, and I have given this to you. I put man on the earth.” Man is a tenant on the earth—some of us haven’t paid our rent lately—but we are in a little world that God created. It belongs to Him, and man hasn’t been able to pay Him for it yet.
This angel now claims the earth and the sea for the Lord Jesus Christ. When Columbus landed on an island here in the Western Hemisphere, he got off the ship and went to the shore and planted the flag of Spain, claiming the island in the name of the king and queen of the country that had sent him out. That method has been used from time to time. When men came to unoccupied territory, they claimed it. With the title deed of the earth in his hand, and by placing his right foot on the sea and his left foot upon the earth, in a great voice this angel claims all for Christ. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of the Lord Jesus Christ through judgment. As Creator and Redeemer, the world belongs to Him.
The book is described here as “a little book” because the time of the Great Tribulation is not going to be long. We have come here to sort of the halfway mark, and we are going to be told that there is not much more time left. There is not much more to write down, and it has to be a little book. We are told in Romans 9:28: “For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.”
The Great Tribulation is really a short time. The Lord Jesus said it was a brief time. Daniel labeled it as seven years, which certainly is not long.
The “seven thunders” is God’s amen to the angel’s claim. Psalm 29:3 says: “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.”
And in Job 37:5 we read: “God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.”
Dr. Vincent makes this very enlightening comment, “The Jews were accustomed to speak of thunder as ‘the seven voices.’” In Psalm 29, although it is a brief psalm, “the voice of the Lord” occurs seven times. Israel spoke of thunder as being the voice of the Lord, the seven voices of God.
We need to take time to study these things to find out what they mean instead of trying to cut off the corners, trim them down, and make them fit into some system of prophecy. I am reminded of the lady who went into a shoe store, and when the clerk asked her what size she wore, she replied, “I can get a four on, but really five is my size, but since six feels so good on my foot, I always buy a six!” That is just like some systems of biblical interpretation: they trim Scripture down to fit into the system. Let John mean what he is saying. These seven thunders here are the voice of God. I think it is the voice of the Lord Jesus now in heaven, confirming what this angel has claimed because He is going to come to power on this earth.
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not [Rev. 10:4].
And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders spoke and write them not.
The seven thunders therefore were intelligible. This confirmation was also a statement. John was a scribe, and he was taking down the visions as they were given to him (see Rev. 1:11). He was about to write what the seven thunders had spoken—he heard it, and they were audible words—but he was forbidden to do so. Since this is a book of revelation, why is there something concealed? This is the only place in the Book of Revelation where anything is sealed—nothing else is. God makes it very clear at the end of the book that He has told everything. He is not holding back anything from man today. At the end, John writes: “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 22:10).
Yet this particular message of the seven thunders John is not permitted to write down. This is quite interesting.
If this angel were Christ, John probably would have fallen down and worshiped him. He did so when he saw the glorified Christ in the first chapter of Revelation. Evidently, the reason John did not fall down and worship him was because this is only an angel.
It is a mere assumption to presume to know what the thunders spoke. There are wild speculators who have made ridiculous guesses. Vitringa interpreted the seven thunders as the seven Crusades. Danbuz made them the seven nations which received the Reformation. Elliott believed them to be the pope’s bull against Luther. Several of the cults have presumed to reveal the things which were uttered. The Lord Jesus Christ said to John, “Seal them up. Don’t write this down.” They remain to this day a secret which you don’t know, I don’t know, and no man knows. If we attempt to say what was spoken, in a few years we will find ourselves to be ridiculous. Why not leave it as it is and draw the lesson from it? Although Jesus Christ is being revealed in this Book, there are a great many things that God is not telling us.
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer [Rev. 10:5–6].
And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven, and sware by (in) Him that liveth for ever and ever (into the ages of the ages), who created heaven and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there shall be no longer delay.
This angel makes it clear that he could not be Christ, since he takes an oath by the eternal Creator. He “lifted up his right hand to heaven, and sware”—he took an oath by the eternal Creator—“by Him that liveth for ever and ever.” If he were Christ, he would swear by himself. The writer to the Hebrews says: “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself” (Heb. 6:13). God could not swear by anything else because there is none greater than God. The angel swore by another, not by himself, because he is not God, and therefore he is not the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1–2). We have this statement from the Lord Jesus Himself. “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Christ is the Creator. Listen to John 1:3: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” In Colossians 1:16 we read: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” The angel takes an oath in the name of Christ who is in heaven; and as Christ’s representative, he claims it all for Christ.
Notice that in my translation I have changed the last part of verse 6 from “that there should be time no longer” to “that there shall be no longer delay.” Actually, it does not mean that there shall be time no longer. Rather, this is the glad announcement from heaven to God’s saints on earth who are in the midst of all this trouble and who wonder how long it will last. The meaning is that now it will be a very brief time until Christ returns. It is a confirmation of the words of Christ in His Olivet Discourse: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). The angel is telling the elect that it is not going to be long. He is saying to them, “Don’t worry. He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved.” Why? Because they are sealed, and they are going to make it through the Great Tribulation Period.
This is likewise in answer to the prayers of the martyrs in Revelation 6:10, and also it is the fulfillment of what we call the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come” (see Matt. 6:10). The kingdom is coming at this point in time in the Book of Revelation but it does not refer to the time I am writing this. I do not know, and no one on earth knows, whether or not Christ is coming soon.
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets [Rev. 10:7].
But in the days of the sound of the seventh angel, when he is about to blow (sound the trumpet), and the mystery of God is finished, as He gave the glad tidings to His servants, the prophets.
This all takes place when the seventh angel is preparing to blow the trumpet. This would indicate that the seventh trumpet brings us to the conclusion of the Great Tribulation. It is at this time that the mystery of God is finally made clear. Many single facets of this mystery have been given as the total answer, yet it seems that this is greater than any one and is the sum total of all.
There is a mystery concerning the nation Israel, judgment, suffering, injustice, the silence of God, and the coming kingdom. The basic problem is this: Why did God permit evil, and why has He tolerated it for so long? Do you want to know something? I have studied theology for many years, and I know the answers that men give, but God has not handed in His answer yet. He is going to do so someday. There are many things I cannot answer, and I am disturbed that we have some brethren who seem to have all the answers. Candidly, no one has all the answers. As this passage of Scripture indicates, the fact that there is something that we don’t know about because it has been sealed means that God has a whole lot to tell us yet. When we get into His presence, we will find out.
May I say this to you: although I do not know the answer to your problem, I know the One who does. I don’t have the answer to all my questions either, but I put my hand in His, and He says to me, “My child, walk with Me through the dark. It is going to be all right. We are going to come out into the light, and then you will understand.” I suggest that you put your hand into the hand of the One who is your Creator and your Redeemer, very man of very man and very God of very God.
JOHN EATS THE LITTLE BOOK
And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth [Rev. 10:8].
And the voice which I heard out of heaven, (I heard) it again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
This order comes from Christ in heaven as He is directing every operation recorded in the Book of Revelation. He is in full charge. Revelation is the book that glorifies our wonderful Savior. He is the Judge of all the earth here, and we see Him as God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name above every name. If the voice here is not Christ’s, then He has given the order to the angel to speak from heaven.
John has apparently returned to the earth in spirit, because the little book which was formerly in the hand of God the Father is now transferred to John.
And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter [Rev. 10:9–10].
And I went away to the angel, saying to him, Give to me the little book, and he said to me, Take, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be as sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the hand of the angel, and ate it up. And it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. And when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter.
John becomes a participant in the great drama which is unfolding before us. He is required to do a very strange thing, one that has a very typical meaning. He eats the little book at the instructions of the angel, and the results are bittersweet. Eating the little book means to receive the Word of God with faith. This is the teaching of the Word of God, for in Jeremiah 15:16 we read: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah likens the appropriation of the Word to eating it.
Ezekiel does the same thing: “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness” (Ezek. 3:1–3). The “roll” here is not a bread roll, but the scroll of that day. Ezekiel said that he ate it, and it was just like cake. That is what the Word of God is to the believer. In Proverbs 16:24 we are told: “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” In Psalm 119, the psalm which glories the Word of God, we find: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Ps. 119:103).
The part of the Word of God taken by John was judgment. It was sweet because the future is sweet. In Genesis 18:17 we read, “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do …?” In effect He was saying to Abraham, “We are friends, and I would like to tell you what I am going to do.” It is sweet to know what God is going to do, but when you find out that judgment is coming, it is bitter. John eagerly received the Word of God, but when he saw that more judgment was to follow, it brought travail of soul and sorrow of heart. It was sweet in his mouth and bitter in his digestive system. If you and I can take delight in reading this section of the Word of God and the judgments that are to fall upon the earth, then we need to do a great deal of praying to get the mind of God. It is sweet to know the Book of Revelation and what God intends to do, but when we find out that judgment is coming to the Christ-rejecting world around us, we cannot rejoice in that. The prophecy becomes bitter.
There is another very real application of this. Many folk begin the study of prophecy with enthusiasm, but when they find that it is applicable to their life and that it makes demands on them personally, they lose interest, and it becomes a bitter thing. Many people say, “I don’t want to hear about the Book of Revelation. I don’t like prophecy. It frightens me!” May I say to you that it is supposed to do that, but it should be in your mouth sweet as honey. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who like to study prophecy because of the natural curiosity to know the future, but they will discover that there is nothing in the Word of God that ministers more to a holy life than the thoughtful study of prophecy. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself …” (1 John 3:3). To be a student of prophecy and live a dirty life will only lead to abnormality. The reason we hear so much abnormality in the interpretation of prophecy in our day is that the Word of God is not having its way in the hearts and lives of the folk who study it. It is unfortunate that people will get interested in prophecy but not in Christian living.
Years ago after I had recently come to California, I went to see Dr. Gaebelein who was visiting here. He said to me, “How do you like your church in California?” I told him, “It’s wonderful. I enjoy it, but there is something strange out here. [I have since learned that this is true everywhere, but I had not detected it before.] I can teach the Book of Revelation in my church, and it will fill up on Wednesday nights. But if I teach the Epistle to the Romans, I empty the church.” I never shall forget what Dr. Gaebelein said in his broken Prussian accent, “Brother McGee, you are going to find that a great many of the saints are more interested in Antichrist than they are in Christ.” I have discovered that he was accurate.
And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings [Rev. 10:11].
And they say to me, It is necessary for you to prophesy again against peoples and nations and tongues and kings.
You can be sure of one thing, that John was properly integrated. He believed that all nations, all peoples, all tongues, and all colors ought to hear the Word of God. They need to hear it because they need to be warned that judgment is coming. If they go through the Great Tribulation, they will soon recognize that it is not the Millennium—in fact, they will feel as if they have entered hell itself. This is the part that made John sad. This is the reason this little book became bitter to John: he must prophesy against many before Christ comes to His kingdom. Much prophecy is to follow. We are not quite halfway through the Book of Revelation. Prophecy about the nations and peoples is necessarily against them; it is of judgment to come. This new series of prophecies will begin in chapter 12, and it will reveal the fact that there was a great deal more to say.
My friend, the study of prophecy will have a definite effect upon your life: it will either bring you closer to Christ, or it will take you farther from Him.
CHAPTER 11
Theme: Interlude between sixth and seventh trumpets; the seventh trumpet blown
In the first fourteen verses, chapter 11 continues with the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets, and in the concluding verses, we have the blowing of the seventh trumpet. In this chapter we learn that forty-two months remain of the Times of the Gentiles and that there are two witnesses who will prophesy for forty-two months. We also have the second woe and then the blowing of the seventh trumpet.
This chapter brings us back to Old Testament ground. The temple, the dealing with time periods, and the distinction which is made between Jews and Gentiles all indicate that we are again under the Old Testament economy. Chronologically, the seventh trumpet brings us to the return of Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation Period.
DATE FOR THE ENDING OF THE “TIMES OF THE GENTILES”
Here we deal with an indication of projected time periods for the close of the Great Tribulation.
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months [Rev. 11:1–2].
Let me give you my own translation:
And there was qiven me a reed like a rod, saying, Rise and measure the temple (holy place) of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. And the court which is without the temple cast out [Gr.: ekbale, throw out] and measure it not; for it is given to the nations, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
We are dealing here with that period that the Lord Jesus spoke of in Luke 21:24, “… and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” A great many people thought that when Israel captured Jerusalem, that was the end of the Time of the Gentiles. My friend, Jerusalem is still trodden down of the Gentiles. All you need to do is to walk down the streets of the old city, and if you see a Jew, you let me know because I did not see any there myself. All other races are there. Non-Jewish religious groups are all over the place; they have built holy places everywhere in the old city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is still trodden down of the Gentiles. But when you get into the Great Tribulation Period and come to the last half of it, the Time of the Gentiles will run out in forty-two months. Forty-two months is one-half of the Great Tribulation Period.
“And there was given me a reed like a rod.” Every time you see the beginning of measurements, in either the Old or New Testament, it indicates that God is beginning to deal with the nation Israel (see Jer. 31:38–39; Zech. 2). This reed is like a rod; a rod is used by a shepherd. In Psalm 2:9 we see that a rod is used for chastisement and judgment: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” What we are dealing with here is a measurement of time given for the Time of the Gentiles, after which judgment will come upon them. The rod is also for comfort: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). Therefore, we have both judgment and solace in this chapter.
“The temple of God” is limited to the Holy Place (notice that “holy place” is the literal rendering) and the Holy of Holies. The temple of God places us back on Old Testament ground, for there is no temple given to the church. The church is a temple of the Holy Spirit today; that is, believers (not a building) are the temple of the Holy Spirit: “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:21–22).
“The altar” refers to the golden altar of prayer since the altar for burnt offering was not in the temple proper but in the outer court.
Even the worshipers are to be measured. John is told to rise and measure, not only the Holy Place and the altar, but also “them that worship therein.” God does count the number of those who worship Him.
“And the court which is without the temple cast out [Gr.: ekbale, throw out] and measure it not.” This excludes all that does not belong to the temple proper. The altar of burnt offering (and also the brazen laver) would be outside the temple. Since this altar was a picture of the cross of Christ, it would seem that the implication is that the gospel of the cross of Christ will still be available to all mankind during the intensity of this brief crisis. It is not to be measured, and it will still be available.
“For it is given to the nations [that is, the Gentiles]” declares that although this period still belongs to the Gentiles, their dominion is limited to forty-two months. As we have said, this confirms the words of the Lord Jesus in Luke 21:24.
“Forty and two months” is the three and one-half year period identified with the last half of the Great Tribulation Period. We find this repeated in Revelation 13:5: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” This is the last half of the reign of Antichrist here upon this earth. This period is mentioned again in chapter 12, verse 14: “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” “A time, times [dual], and half a time” means three and one-half years.
Daniel adopts this unit of measurement for this period: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25). “A time and times and the dividing of time”—again, this means three and one-half years. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Dan. 12:11). Twelve hundred and ninety days is three and one-half years. We have yet another reference in Daniel which says: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Dan. 9:27). Here the Great Tribulation is divided into two equal parts. This “week” of Daniel is seven years, and this seven-year period is the Seventieth Week of Daniel, or the Great Tribulation Period.
DURATION OF THE PROPHESYING OF THE TWO WITNESSES
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth [Rev. 11:3].
And I will give to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand, two hundred and three score [60] days, clothed in sackcloth.
There is a great deal of difference of opinion as to the identity of the two witnesses. They are introduced to us without any suggestion as to who they are. Godet makes this comment: “They are one of the most startling features of the book.” If the identity of these two was essential for the understanding of this book, I think there would have been some indication given about their persons. It is always in these areas that the sensational preachers concentrate. They can tell you what the seven thunders said (John was told not to write it down, and he didn’t), and they can tell you the names of these two witnesses. Those who have espoused the historical view of Revelation have named such men as John Huss, Pope Sylvester, Waldenson, and the two Testaments. You can see that you could come up with almost anything from that viewpoint. Men who hold the futurist view—which is the view I hold—are not in complete agreement as to who they are. Seiss and Govett say that they are Enoch and Elijah. Govett (The Apocalypse Expounded by Scripture, p. 225) says that The Gospel of Nicodemus contains the following statement:
I am Enoch who pleased God, and was translated by him. And this is Elijah the Tishbite. We are also to live to the end of the age: but then we are about to be sent by God to resist Antichrist, and be slain by him, and to rise after three days, and to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord.
Dean Alford, Walter Scott, and Donald Grey Barnhouse state that they are Moses and Elijah. William Newell does a very smart thing—he does not even attempt to identify them. There is also the possibility that they are two unknown witnesses—that is, they have had no previous existence, and they have not yet appeared on the scene.
That they are human witnesses seems certain from the description given of them. Two is the required number of witnesses according to the Law: “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death” (Deut. 17:6).
The Lord Jesus said the same thing relative to the church: “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matt. 18:16). Scripture has always required two witnesses to bear testimony to anything before it was to be heard. Therefore, we can definitely say that these witnesses are human beings and that there are two of them. These are the two things we know for sure.
It seems to me to be almost certain that Elijah is one of them, since it was predicted that he would return. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5). It is also recorded in Matthew’s Gospel: “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things” (Matt. 17:11). It would seem that we can say with a certain degree of assurance that Elijah is one of the witnesses. It is said in verse 4 that these two witnesses are two lampstands standing before “the God of the earth.” This was a favorite expression of Elijah who walked out onto the pages of Scripture, saying, “… As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand …” (1 Kings 17:1). These witnesses are two lampstands; they are lights in the world. The presence of Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration further suggests this, but it would necessitate the second witness being Moses, which is more difficult to sustain, and after all, the Mount of Transfiguration is not the only point of similarity.
I would like to make a suggestion about which I will not be dogmatic nor will I argue. My suggestion is that John the Baptist is the second witness. He was the forerunner of Christ at His first coming. He was similar to Elijah in manner and message. I am sure that those two fellows would get along with each other. Both knew what it was to oppose the forces of darkness and to stand alone for God against impossible odds. They surely have had good training in the past. John the Baptist would be the witness of the New Testament, as Elijah would be the witness of the Old Testament. John the Baptist actually was not part of the church, the bride of Christ. He very candidly said that he was a friend of the Bridegroom. He wasn’t a bride; he was a friend of the Bridegroom.
It seems unlikely that Enoch would be one of the witnesses since he was a Gentile. The very fact that he did not die does not qualify him for the office for, by the time you come to the Great Tribulation period, the church has already been translated, and some of them were translated without dying.
Let us say with some assurance that Elijah is one of the witnesses. As to who the other one is, your guess is as good as mine.
“And they shall prophecy a thousand, two hundred and threescore days.” The significant feature about the two witnesses is not their identity but the time they appear. Is this during the first half or the last half of the Great Tribulation? The first half seems to fit the text more accurately because they testify until the Beast appears, and then they are martyred.
“Clothed in sackcloth” is the garb better suited to the period of the Law than of grace. It is becoming both to Elijah and to John the Baptist.
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and denvoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed [Rev. 11:4–5].
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wishes to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if anyone wishes to hurt them, thus must he be killed.
Everything here is associated with the Old Testament. The two olive trees immediately suggest the vision in Zechariah 4. There the lampstands are two individuals, Joshua and Zerubbabel, who were enabled by the Holy Spirit to stand against insurmountable difficulties. The explanation is found in the words, “… Not by might, nor by power [or, not by brain, nor by brawn], but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). The Holy Spirit will be present during the Great Tribulation Period.
These two witnesses are lights before the powers of darkness. These men are accorded miraculous power to bring fire down from heaven—they are filled with the Holy Spirit. Here again, the suggestion is strongly in favor of Elijah (see 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10). Also, John made an announcement about One baptizing with fire (see Matt. 3:11).
These two witnesses are immortal and immune to all attacks until their mission is completed. My friend, it is encouraging to know that all of God’s men are immortal until He has accomplished His purpose through them. This is one reason that I have had a weak and feeble faith through several cancer surgeries and other physical problems. I will be honest with you, there were times when I wondered if I would make it through or not. But I prayed to God and asked other people to pray that I might be enabled to finish the taping of our five-year “Thru the Bible” radio broadcasts—and He has answered that prayer. That all of God’s men are immortal until God is through with them is a wonderful, comforting thought for today. And when He is through with you, He will remove you from the earth.
These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will [Rev. 11:6].
These have the authority [Gr.: exousian—power] to shut up the heaven, that the rain may not wet during the days of their prophecy; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they wish.
These two witnesses are granted unlimited authority. They control rainfall on the earth, and they are able to turn the water into blood. This certainly reminds us of both Elijah and Moses. This is the verse that has caused certain outstanding men to decide that Elijah, who was the man that stopped the rain, and Moses, who was the one who brought the plagues upon Egypt, will be the two. They may have good ground for that, but anything you say about these two witnesses is speculation.
“And to smite the eartht”—they are given the same power Christ will have when He returns (see Rev. 19:15).
“With every plague” suggests the plagues Moses imposed on Egypt, but the plagues here are greater in number as the territory is more vast.
“As often as they wish” reveals the confidence God places in these faithful servants. God cannot trust you and me like this. He cannot trust some of us with money; certainly He wasn’t able to trust me with very much. He does not trust us with power, and this is the reason that He removes men from office after a period of time—time is always on His side—because He cannot trust men with power. It is a good thing that many of us do not have it.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them [Rev. 11:7].
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the wild beast that cometh up out of the abyss, shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
The witnesses will finish their testimony. In the midst of the week, the Antichrist, who is the Beast, the Man of Sin who is moving to power, will bring back first the Roman Empire. Then, when he gets the whole world under his control, he will not hesitate to overcome and destroy these two witnesses. At that time he will be permitted to do so. This is the temporary victory of darkness over light, evil over righteousness, hell over heaven, and Satan over God, because God is going to let Satan loose during this period.
These witnesses live up to their name. Martus is the Greek word for “witness”; we get our English word martyr from that.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified [Rev. 11:8].
And their dead bodies (carcasses) shall lie upon the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
These men are not given even a decent burial. This reveals the crude, cold barbarism of the last days which will be covered with but a thin veneer of culture. There is a strange resemblance to the sadistic curiosity which placed two dead men, Lenin and Stalin, on display in Red Square in Moscow. They have removed Stalin, but at this writing Lenin is still there, and I understand that that body is beginning to deteriorate.
The word used for bodies (carcasses) denotes the contempt and hatred the world will have for the two witnesses. They are treated as dead animals.
“The great city” is Jerusalem. It is likened unto Sodom by Isaiah (see Isa. 1:10). It is called Egypt because the world has entered into every fiber of its life—social and political. It is conclusively identified as Jerusalem by the sad designation, “where also their Lord was crucified.”
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves [Rev. 11:9].
And out of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations do some gaze upon their dead bodies (carcasses) three days and one half and shall not permit their dead bodies (carcasses) to be put in a tomb.
After Christ was crucified, even Pilate permitted His friends to take down the body and give it a respectable burial, but not so with the two witnesses. The world will be startled to hear they are dead. Some will be skeptical. Apparently, this future generation will have something that corresponds to a television camera, and a satellite will carry the picture all over the world, so that people everywhere will be able to look upon the features of these men for three and one-half days. The morbid curiosity of a godless society will relish the opportunity of gazing with awe upon these dead bodies. This is the worst indignity that a depraved world could vent upon the men who denounced them and their wicked ways. Perhaps the witnesses had predicted their resurrection. We are not told that, but they might have. To prevent the possibility of another empty tomb, there was no burial. They will decide to just leave the bodies out there and keep the camera on them. I think all the television networks will have their cameras trained on these dead men. Three and one-half days they are lying there.
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth [Rev. 11:10].
And the dwellers upon the earth rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented (vexed) the dwellers on the earth.
The death of the two witnesses is an occasion for high carnival on the earth. The world engages in a modern Christmas and Mardi Gras, both rolled into one. The world has adopted the philosophy, “Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Dr. Newell describes it like this: “Now comes the real revelation of the heart of man: glee, horrid, insane, inhuman, hellish, ghoulish glee!”
“And shall send gifts one to another” indicates a lovely occasion on the surface, but this is the Devil’s Christmas. The modern celebration of Christmas gets farther and farther from the birth of Christ and closer and closer to paganism. The day will come when it will be anti-Christian—it is almost that now. Here is the celebration of what Antichrist has done instead of the celebration of the coming of Christ to Bethlehem.
Then something happens—
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them [Rev. 11:11].
And after the three days and a half the breath (spirit) of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them.
While the world is celebrating in jubilation the death of these witnesses and while the television cameras are focused upon them, the witnesses will stand on their feet. And all of the networks will regret that they had their cameras pointed to them, because they will not really want to give the news as it is. The scriptural word for resurrection is used here—the Greek word histeme—“they stood upon their feet.” These witnesses are among the tribulation saints who have part in the first resurrection (see Rev. 20:4–6). Any news like this would be a scoop, but I am sure that all of the networks will have their cameras on it. By that time they may well have some new gadget which will make television, as we know it, look very much antiquated and out of place.
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them [Rev. 11:12].
And they heard a great voice out of heaven saying to them, Come up here, and they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them.
They are caught up into heaven. We have the resurrection of the two witnesses in verse 11; we have the ascension of the two witnesses in verse 12. The cloud of glory is associated with the ascension and the coming of Christ also.
DOOM OF THE SECOND WOE—GREAT EARTHQUAKE
We have had the blowing of the sixth trumpet, and we are in that interval or lull between the sixth and seventh trumpets. These are woe trumpets, and the second woe is connected with the sixth trumpet—it is a great earthquake.
And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven [Rev. 11:13).
And in that hour there came to pass a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell, and 7000 names of men were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were afraid, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
This number of the slain was to be added to those already slain. A fourth of the population of the world was slain at first, and then a third of the population of the world—totaling over one-half—and now seven thousand more are killed. It is little wonder that the Lord Jesus said, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved …” (Matt. 24:22).
The earthquake seems to be limited to the city of Jerusalem, just as it was when Christ rose from the dead (see Matt. 28:2), and also at His crucifixion (see Matt. 27:51–52).
“Seven thousand names of men were killed in the earthquake.” This is an idiom to indicate that they were men of prominence. They were the ones who had gone along with Antichrist, men whose names got into the headlines when Antichrist came to power.
The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly [Rev. 11:14].
This ends the second woe. The third woe begins shortly, though not immediately. The third woe is not the blowing of the seventh trumpet which will come next, as that leads us beyond the Great Tribulation into the Millennium. The seventh trumpet likewise opens up to us the seven personalities of chapters 12 and 13. The third woe begins when Satan, one of the personalities, is cast down to earth, and we will come to that in chapter 12, verse 12.
SEVENTH TRUMPET—END OF GREAT TRIBULATION AND OPENING OF TEMPLE IN HEAVEN
In the middle of all the woes and judgments of the Great Tribulation Period, this is inserted for the encouragement of the believers who will be left on the earth, those who were sealed. They are apt to get very much discouraged after several years, although the total length of the Great Tribulation is but seven years and the intensity of it breaks in the last half of that period. The Great Tribulation does not seem long to read about, but I have found seven days in the hospital to be the most trying experience of life. I thought those days would never end; so you do need a little encouragement as you go along.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth [Rev. 11:15–18].
And the seventh angel blew the trumpet; and there followed (came to pass) great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world (cosmos) is become (the kingdom) of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign unto the ages of the ages (for ever and ever). And the twenty-four elders, sitting before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give thanks to you, O Lord God the Almighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power and didst reign. And the nations were angry (wroth), and thy wrath came, and the time (period) of the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to your servants the prophets and to the saints and to them that fear thy name, the small and great; and to destroy those who destroy (corrupt, the destroyers of) the earth.
The blowing of the seventh trumpet is of utmost significance, and it is of special relevance in the understanding of the remainder of this book. In the program of God, it brings us chronologically to the breathtaking entrance of eternity where the mystery of God is finally unraveled. It brings us in God’s program as far as chapter 21 where eternity begins. The broad outline of events which are significant to God is given to us here by the Holy Spirit. This section is a summary, a syllabus, or a capsule synopsis of events up to the door of eternity. The following list will help focus these events in our minds:
1. “Great voices in heaven” follow the blowing of the seventh trumpet. At the opening of the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven. The contrast should be noted, because here the blowing of the seventh trumpet reveals God’s program and clears up the mystery of God. All of God’s created intelligences can see the end now and are jubilant in anticipation of the termination of evil being so close at hand. It is a time of joy for them.
2. “The kingdom of the world (cosmos) is become (the kingdom) of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign unto the ages of the ages (for ever and ever).” It is not kingdoms (plural) but kingdom (singular) which denotes the fact that the kingdoms of this world are at present under Satan, to whom there is no distinction of nations, no East or West, no Iron Curtain—all are his; both sides are included in his domain. A great many people think that Satan is controlling Russia but that the Lord is controlling the United States and angels are hovering over the capitol at Washington, D. C. May I say that those angels may not be God’s angels who are hovering over Washington today—it certainly doesn’t look like they are. Actually, all of the kingdoms of this world are Satan’s. It is therefore called the kingdom—not kingdoms—of the world. It is the totality of a civilization and society of which men boast of self-improvement but which becomes more godless and wicked each day. It is a condemned civilization that is moving toward judgment.
It is going to become the kingdom “of our Lord, and of His Christ.” Satan’s kingdom is going to be subdued someday, but not by some little saccharine-sweet talk on brotherhood and love. It is going to be delivered to the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is going to rule. We are told in Scripture: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Ps. 2:2–3). Rebellion broke out against the Lord and His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) at the arrest of Jesus. The early church understood that this was the condition of the world, for they quoted Psalm 2 when persecution broke out in the early church (see Acts 4:23–26). We read in Psalm 2:9: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” In Revelation 19 we are going to see the details of what is given here in this section. The Lord Jesus is coming to put down rebellion. The seventh trumpet is moving along, step by step, toward eternity.
3. “And the twenty-four elders, sitting before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give thanks to you, O Lord God the Almighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power and didst reign.” This revelation causes the church in heaven to worship and celebrate the coming of Christ to the earth. This will be the answer to our prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).
4. “The nations were angry (wroth)” reveals the fact that the stubborn rebellion of man will continue right down to the very end. Right down to the wire, the stubborn heart of man is in rebellion against God. This old nature, this carnal nature that you and I have, is not obedient to God. My friend, you cannot make this old nature obey God. This is exactly what Paul says: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). The human family could not bring this old nature under control; that is the reason God is going to get rid of it someday.
5. The nations were angry because “thy wrath came.” They had been fed all this putrid pabulum we hear today about the fact that God never intends to punish sin and that man is getting better and better every day—while, actually, all the time he is getting worse and worse.
6. “And the time (period) of the dead to be judged” brings us to the Great White Throne judgment of the lost dead (see Rev. 20:11–15).
7. “And to give the reward to your servants the prophets and to the saints and to them that fear thy name, the small and great.” The church has, already gone into His presence, and the believers there have already been rewarded as indicated by the crowns we have seen on the heads of the elders. This refers now to Old Testament saints and tribulation saints, who are included in the first resurrection, but at a different time. They are now going to be rewarded as the kingdom begins.
8. “And to destroy those who destroy (corrupt, the destroyers of) the earth.” We believe that this refers to both man and Satan. Man is a destroyer as well as Satan. Peter warns us of Satan: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
The next verse brings us to the glad gate of eternity:
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail [Rev. 11:19].
And the sanctuary (temple) of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His sanctuary (temple), and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.
When we see the church again, it will be in the New Jerusalem, and we are told definitely that there is no temple there. Here there is a temple in heaven. The temple which Moses made was made after the pattern in heaven. “And the sanctuary (temple) of God in heaven was opened” means that God is dealing now with Israel.
“Was opened” indicates worship and access to God. All of this points to the nation Israel, for the church has no temple. The measuring of the temple on earth and the opening of the temple in heaven declare the prominence of Israel in this section. The next chapter will substantiate this.
“And the ark of His covenant was seen in His sanctuary (temple)” reminds us that we are dealing with a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is going to keep the covenant He has made with Israel, and He will make a New Covenant with them at this time—that is, the Law will be written in their hearts instead of on cold tablets of stone (see Jer. 31:31–34; Heb. 8:8–13).
“Lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail” speak of judgment yet to come.
CHAPTER 12
Theme: Seven performers during the Great Tribulation
The theme of this chapter is the final conflict between Israel and Satan after he is cast out of heaven. Seven performers are introduced to us (see chs. 12–13) by the blowing of this seventh trumpet during the Great Tribulation Period. Although the seventh trumpet brings us through the Great Tribulation and the Millennium to the very threshold of eternity, a great deal of detail was omitted. Beginning with chapter 12, this will be compensated for in the presentation of seven prominent personages who play a dominant part in the Great Tribulation Period. After that, we will have the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath and then the final destruction of commercial Babylon and religious Babylon.
The prominence of the nation Israel is brought before us. It was suggested in the previous chapter with the measuring of the temple on earth and the opening of the temple in heaven. The last verse of chapter 11 is actually the opening to this chapter.
These seven personages are representatives of persons, both natural and supernatural, physical and spiritual, rulers and nations. The identification and clarification of these are essential for a proper understanding of the Revelation.
THE WOMAN—ISRAEL
As we take up the very first one of these personalities, it will illustrate this point. We come now to the crux of the interpretation of the entire Book of Revelation which revolves about this first personality. An outstanding and very intellectual minister years ago made the statement: “If you tell me your interpretation of the woman in the twelfth chapter of Revelation, then I’ll tell you your interpretation of prophecy.” At the time, I thought he was foolish, but I have come to agree with him. I believe that the identification of this woman is the key to the understanding of the Book of Revelation.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered [Rev. 12:1–2].
Let me give you my translation:
And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child, and travailing in birth, and being tormented to be delivered.
The important thing here is: “Who is the woman?” You are acquainted with the interpretation of the Roman church that she represents the Virgin Mary. There are Protestant interpreters who have been as far wrong as that. Today most of them follow the method of Rome and interpret the woman as the church of all ages. Practically all denominational literature follows this line.
There have been several female founders of cults who could not resist the temptation of seeing themselves pictured in this woman. Joanna Southcott said that she herself was the woman in chapter 12 and that in October, 1814, she would have the man child. She never did, but she had 200,000 followers. We have had in the United States several founders of cults and religions who thought they were this woman. In Southern California, we even had a few female preachers who got the idea they might be the woman, but they weren’t. We can dismiss all these claims, unless we want to forsake all intelligent approach to the interpretation of Scripture.
The identifying marks of the woman are the sun, moon, and stars. These belong to Israel as seen in Joseph’s dream: “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Gen. 37:9–10). Old Jacob interpreted the sun, moon, and stars to mean himself, Rachel, and Joseph’s brothers. And they did bow down before Joseph before things were over with (although Rachel had died by that time).
The woman is a sign in heaven, although her career is here on earth. She is not a literal woman; she is a symbol. The career of the woman corresponds to that of Israel, for it is Israel that gave birth to Christ, who is the Child.
At Christmastime we all use Isaiah 9:6 and other verses concerning the birth of Christ. This verse does concern the birth of Christ, but it does not concern us at all; rather, it concerns the nation Israel. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). Who is referred to here when Isaiah says, “Unto us”? The church? No; it’s the nation Israel. It is quite obvious that Isaiah is speaking to the nation Israel, and he is speaking not relative to a Savior but to a Governor, a Ruler, a King, One who was to come and rule over them. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” It is interesting that as a child He was born in His humanity; but as a Son from eternity, He was given. “And the government shall be upon his shoulder”—we are not talking now about the Savior but about the One who is coming as King. We will see that happen in the Book of Revelation. “And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” There will not be any peace until He comes. When the rulers of this world say, “… Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them …” (1 Thess. 5:3). They were having a big peace conference in Holland when World War I broke out, and most of the delegates almost got fired upon before they got home! When men say, “Peace and safety,” it is idle talk, because man is working at peace from the wrong end. It is the human heart that is wrong, and only Jesus will bring peace. He is the Prince of Peace. Isaiah is talking to Israel when he says, “Unto us a child is born,” and that is the figure that John picks up here in Revelation.
The writer to the Hebrews says, “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda …” (Heb. 7:14). Paul writes in Romans: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Rom. 9:4–5). Paul is talking about Israel. He begins by asking the question: “Who are Israelites?” The answer just happens to be: “And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came.” The woman at the well was accurate when she identified the Lord Jesus as a Jew: “… How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? …” (John 4:9, italics mine). We read in Micah 5:2–3: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.” Notice that He will be born in Bethlehem, but He comes out of eternity.
“Travailing in birth” is a figure associated with Israel: “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isa. 66:7–8). Israel will go through the Great Tribulation after Christ was born in Bethlehem—“before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child,” meaning Christ.
Therefore, we identify the woman as the nation Israel. No one woman who has ever lived, including the Virgin Mary, fits into this. It is the nation Israel and certainly not the church of all ages. If we just keep our bearings here and not lose our heads, we know that this is the Great Tribulation Period and that the church has already gone to heaven. This woman is not the church of all ages.
“Being tormented.” Certainly Israel has suffered satanic anti-Semitism from the time of the birth of Christ to the present, in fact, even since before that day, because Satan knew that Christ would come from this nation.
THE RED DRAGON—SATAN
We now have introduced to us another character, and this character is really not a delightful one at all. This is the red dragon. This is not a comic-strip characterization, for there is nothing funny about him. This is very solemn and serious.
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born [Rev. 12:3–4].
And there was seen another sign in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and on his head seven diadems (kingly crowns). And his tail draweth the third of the stars of heaven, and he did cast [aorist tense] them into the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman about to be delivered, that when she was delivered he might devour her child.
“And there was seen another sign in heaven.” Notice that these are signs that are given to us; they are not literal. I told you that if John is giving you a symbol, he will make it clear that it is a symbol.
The red dragon is clearly identified as Satan in verse 9: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” We can identify this character without speculating at all.
In this second sign, the true character of Satan is revealed with all the wrappings removed:
1. He is called “great” because of his vast power. He controls the nations of the world and offered them to the Lord Jesus if He would worship him (see Matt. 4:8–9). Worship of himself is Satan’s ultimate goal. The kingdoms of this world are his, and, he controls them today. In that day it was Rome, but he has controlled every nation.
2. He is called “red” because of the fact that he was a murderer from the beginning (see John 8:44). He has no regard for human life. I do not understand why so many serve him. Why is it that alcohol finally kills its victims? It is the worst killer there is today. It is because Satan is back of it, my friend, and he has no regard for human life at all.
3. He is called a “dragon” because of the viciousness of his character. He was originally created Lucifer, son of the morning (see Ezek. 28:12–19), but he is now the epitome of evil and the depth of degradation. He is the most dangerous being in all of God’s creation. He is my enemy, and he is your enemy if you are a child of God.
The reason that the Beast in chapter 13 is similar to the dragon is because both the restored Roman Empire and Antichrist are empowered and controlled by Satan. Rome, through the instrumentality of both Herod and Pilate, sought to destroy the child of the woman.
“Seven heads” suggests the perfection of wisdom which characterized the creation of Satan who was originally the “covering cherub.” Ezekiel 28:12 speaks of how he was at his origin: “… full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” This reveals two of the fallacies that the world has concerning Satan. This world thinks he is ugly, but may I say to you, he was created “perfect in beauty.” If you could see him, you would not see the foul creature that is often pictured for us by the world. Sometimes he is pictured as having horns, cloven feet, and a forked tail. That is the “great god” Pan that the Greeks and Romans worshiped. That is not Satan, although Satan is back of that worship, also. I have seen the ruins of the temple at Pergamum and of other temples to Pan in at least a dozen cities. It is not strange that men are worshiping him; when they will not have God, they certainly will take him. But Satan is smart, he’s clever, and he’s wise. You and I are no match for him at all. We will be overcome if we try to stand in our own strength against him. He is not only beautiful, he is also full of wisdom. This is the way he is presented in Scripture.
“Ten horns” suggests the final division of the Roman Empire, which is dominated by Satan and which is his final effort to rule the world. The crowns are on the horns, not on the heads, since it is delegated power from Satan. The crowns represent kingly authority and rulership.
“The third of the stars of heaven” indicates the vast extent of the rebellion in heaven when one third of the angelic host followed Satan to their own destruction. Daniel makes reference to this in an admittedly difficult passage (see Dan. 8:10; Jude 6).
The dragon hates the Man Child because it was predicted from the beginning that the child would be the undoing of Satan. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shalt bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15).
THE CHILD OF THE WOMAN—JESUS CHRIST
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [Rev. 12:5–6].
And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to shepherd (rule) all the nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up unto God and His throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of (from) God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty (1260) days.
The “man child” is Christ. He is easily identified here. I hope that you will not fall into the error of equating the Child with the church, although many have done that.
“Who is to shepherd (rule) all the nations with a rod of iron” is a clear-cut reference to Christ. “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). In Acts 4 the persecuted Christians quoted Psalm 2, identifying the One to rule with a rod of iron as the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ will come to put down all enmity, all opposition, all rebellion on the earth. How will He do it? He will break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. If this peace crowd would only come up with a plan that would work, it would not be necessary to put down rebellion with a bit of violence. But there is no other way to put it down. How do you think Jesus Christ is going to come to power in a rebellious world? Suppose He was suddenly to appear at the capital of any nation in the world. Do you think they are prepared to surrender to Him and turn their authority over to Him? This includes my own country. Is the United States prepared to yield to Jesus Christ? If you say, “Yes,” I will have to ask, “Why don’t they?” They could yield to Him today. My friend, the world is in rebellion against Him. Maybe you are one of the peace crowd. You don’t like the shedding of blood, you just hate violence and war—don’t we all?—but this is the only way that rebellion can be put down. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to rule.
“And her child was caught up unto God and His throne.” This is a reference to the ascension of Christ. In the Gospels the emphasis is on the death of Christ. In the Epistles the emphasis is upon the resurrection of Christ. In the Book of Revelation the emphasis is upon the ascension of Christ. Protestantism, and even fundamentalism, has ignored the ascension of Christ, and this is one reason we have not had a great enough emphasis upon the present ministry of Christ. “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9–11).
The Book of Revelation is the unveiling of the ascended Christ, the glorified Christ, the Christ who is coming in glory. The Book of the Revelation rests upon the fact of the Ascension. He is the One who has been opening the seals which have brought to pass everything that has happened since then. We are told in Hebrews 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” A great many have the impression that this means He is twiddling His thumbs, but that is because they do not know Revelation. He is not sitting up there doing nothing. He is going to do a great deal because of His ascension into heaven, and He has a present ministry today with the church.
“And she was delivered of a son, a man child.” I believe this settles the identity of the woman. Israel is clearly the one from whom Christ came. While the church came from Jesus Christ, He, according to the flesh, came from Israel. Again let me quote Paul: “Who are Israelites…. of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came …” (Rom. 9:4–5). We are told in Galatians 4:4–5: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” “Made under the law”—what law? It is the Mosaic Law which was given to Israel. He came “made [or, born] under the law” because He was an Israelite. Again in Galatians we read: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal. 3:16). Before the nation came into existence, God said to Abraham, “I am going to make you a great nation, and through that nation I am sending a seed”—not many, but one, and that One is Christ. We have already looked at Isaiah 9:6 which says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given….” “Us” does not mean the United States, although some seem to think so! “Unto us” means Israel. Isaiah was an Israelite and was speaking to that nation. He was not speaking either to the church or to the Gentiles, but to Israel.
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of (from) God.” During the intense part of the Great Tribulation Period, this remnant of Israel will be protected by God. There are those who dogmatically say that Israel will go to the rock-hewn city of Petra and will be preserved there because no enemy can get in. But in our day an enemy now comes from above and drops down bombs. The last place I would want to be when bombs start falling is within that rock-hewn city of Petra. To make that dogmatic statement alongside clear-cut prophecies is certainly to deceive people. This is not a clear-cut prophecy, and I do not know where the place will be. It does not hurt us preachers to say we don’t know something when we don’t know. To my judgment it is tragic to be so dogmatic about that which is not revealed. If you want to make such a statement about a speculative Scripture, I will not object if you will say, “This is my judgment,” or, “I think this is the way it will be.”
MICHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL, WARS WITH THE DRAGON
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him [Rev. 12:7–9].
And there arose war in heaven, Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon. And the dragon warred and his angels, and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, the one called (the) Devil, and the Satan, he that deceiveth the whole (inhabited) world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels with him were cast down.
We have here a startling revelation: “And there arose war in heaven.” The United Nations could not do anything about this war any more than they could about any other war that has taken place since they came into existence. It is difficult to imagine that there is war in heaven, but Satan still has access to heaven and, as long as he does, there will be this problem.
We are told in the Book of Job that Satan came with the sons of God to appear before God (see Job 1–2). He apparently had as much right there as they did. He had been created the highest creation. We also read in Zechariah 3:1–2: “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” Satan has access to God, and he is able to carry on a communication with God. Luke 22:31 tells us: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” I do not think that Satan sent a Western Union telegram to God or that he telephoned Him. He was able to come into the presence of God, and he requested that he might test this man Simon Peter—and he was granted that permission.
“Michael” is the archangel. We are told this in the Book of Jude: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 9). Evidently there are other archangels, but Michael has a peculiar ministry with the nation Israel. Daniel 10:13 tells us: “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Michael is “one of the chief princes.” Although there are probably other archangels, Michael and Gabriel are the only ones whose names are given in Scripture. Again in Daniel we read: “But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince” (Dan. 10:21).
“Michael your prince”—since the Lord is talking to Daniel, this refers to Daniel’s people, the nation Israel. This is made clear in Daniel 12:1: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” At that time, we are told, there will be a time of trouble, the Great Tribulation. Michael will again step out and drive Satan out of heaven, because he happens to be the prince who watches over the nation Israel. This is a tremendous thing, and it beggars description.
There will be a fierce struggle, a war. Satan is not going to retire easily, but Michael and his angels will prevail, and Satan and his angels will be thrown out of heaven. The Lord Jesus referred to this in Luke 10:18, “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”
There is no mistaking this creature who is called the great dragon, for he is marked out with great detail. His fingerprints are put down here in the Revelation. Because God knew that a great percentage of the preachers of this century would teach that Satan does not exist, He makes it so you cannot miss him. If your enemy can get you to think he does not exist, he will have a tremendous advantage over you, and he will be able to get a crack at you that will sweep you off your feet. Satan moved in afresh and anew during my generation simply because my generation did not believe in him. Now we are getting an overdose of him, and he has been made a weird and wild thing. But, actually, he is not an ugly creature, by any means; he is an angel of light,
Notice how he is identified here:
1. He is called “the old serpent.” This takes us back to the Garden of Eden. Our Lord said, “… He was a murderer from the beginning …” (John 8:44). The words old and beginning are akin, according to Vincent. Satan is that old serpent, the one who was at the beginning in the Garden of Eden.
2. He is called “Devil,” a name which comes from the Greek diabolos, meaning “slanderer or accuser.” He is so labeled in verse 10: “the accuser of our brethren.” This is the reason believers need an Advocate with the Father. You and I have an enemy today who is not only causing us problems down here, but you would be surprised what he says about you and me in heaven! There is nothing that you do or say or think which he does not turn in against you up yonder. But God already knows about it, and I like to beat Satan to the draw and confess it before he gets up there to bring the accusation against me. The Lord Jesus is our Advocate. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
It would be wonderful if I did not sin, but I do. Thank God that we have an Advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous is up there to defend us. He has been kept busy ever since I have been in this world, and I have a notion He’s been pretty busy defending you, too. Don’t think He is up there sitting idly by. He is our Defender, our Advocate. The Devil is a slanderer; he is a liar from the beginning. He is the origin of all lies today. Where does the gossip that goes on in some of our churches originate? It originates in the pit of hell, my friend. That is the last place from which anything ought to be shipped into the church!
3. He is also called “Satan,” which means “adversary.” He is the awful adversary of God and of every one of God’s children. We are told: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). I have received a great many letters from people who have been delivered out of cults and “isms” through the study of the Word of God. One man wrote: “I was in a cult. I wrote you the letter I did [and it was a mean one!] to try to trap you, to try to trick you. I thought I was right and you were wrong. When I began to study the Word of God, I came to realize how Satan had me trapped.” Satan has a lot of folk trapped today, even church members. We need to recognize that he is our enemy. That does not mean we ought to go overboard and just dwell on Satan and demons. It certainly is true that there is a new and fresh manifestation of him today that was not here a generation ago. But keep your eye on Jesus Christ, for He is your place of deliverance, and He is up yonder to help you.
4. Finally, he is called “he that deceiveth the whole (inhabited) world.” During the Great Tribulation, Satan will be able to totally deceive men—today he deceives only partially. Satan deceives men relative to God and the Word of God. He caused Eve to distrust God: “Has God said you should not eat of that tree? You just can’t trust Him, can you?”(see Gen. 3:1–4). Satan deceives man relative to man. Satan makes out mankind better than he is, yet he despises us. He builds us up and tells us we could become gods—how wonderful that would be (see Gen. 3:5). Satan deceives man relative to the world, the flesh, and the Devil. You and I think we are big enough to overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil, but we are not big enough to overcome any one of them. The world is too big for us, and it will certainly draw us away from the Lord. Satan deceives man relative to the gospel. He does not mind a man going to church or even joining a dozen churches, but he does not want that man to be saved. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:4).
Someone has said, “Satan is to be dreaded as a lion; more to be dreaded as a serpent; and most to be dreaded as an angel.” That is where he traps multitudes today.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time [Rev. 12:10–12].
And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority [Gr.: exousia] of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, the one accusing them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea; because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.
“And I heard.” This reminds us that John is still the spectator and auditor of these events. He does not want us to forget that, because it is very important.
When Satan has been cast out of heaven, it will cause great rejoicing among the redeemed who are in heaven. “A great voice in heaven” seems to refer to the Old Testament saints or to the tribulation saints who have been martyred up to this point (see Rev. 6:9–10), for they mention their brethren on the earth: “for the accuser of our brethren is cast down.”
The first great demonstration of power to be exerted against evil after the death and resurrection of Christ is the casting out of Satan from heaven. That is the beginning of the movement that will lead to the Lord Jesus taking over the reins of government down here. When Christ died on the cross, He paved the way for Satan’s being cast out of heaven. Listen to the language in Colossians: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Col. 2:14). The Lord Jesus made it possible for man to be saved by His death. God canceled our debt of sin by nailing it to the cross of Christ. Christ made full payment. Paul goes on to say: “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). I personally believe that this began when He ascended into heaven and took that great company of saints with Him. He led captivity captive and took them into the presence of God. Those were the Old Testament saints, and I think they are in this group who are now saying that salvation is come.
This opens the way for the coming of four great, blood-bought, heavenly freedoms. We talk about four freedoms down here which have not yet come to pass, but here are four freedoms that are going to come to pass when Christ comes.
1. “The salvation”—its consummation is in the person of Christ. Our salvation will not be consummated until we are in His presence: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). This will be true when He comes to the earth. I believe this verse speaks of His visible return to the earth.
2. “The power.” The way nations have handled power has been tragic. This has been true of every great nation. Some nations have been able to make war and, like a great prairie fire, they have spread across another nation, destroying cities and killing people. The nations have abused power, but it will be wonderful when Christ takes the power and controls this earth.
3. “And the kingdom of our God” is going to be established on the earth. Not until then will there be peace and righteousness and freedom on this earth. In this land of the free and home of the brave, there are not many brave left, and I don’t know that there are many free who are left either. It will be wonderful when His kingdom comes on this earth. This very statement reveals that the kingdom was not established at the first coming of Christ.
4. “And the authority (Gr.: exousia) of His Christ” shows that Christ has not yet taken over the governmental authority of this world. He is not building a kingdom; He is not establishing His kingdom today. Wait until He starts moving. All of these judgments are in preparation for His return to this earth, giving men a warning and an opportunity to turn to Him—and multitudes will do so. There is always a note of grace in the judgment of God.
“The one accusing them before our God day and night” reveals that this is part of the present strategy of Satan which attempts to thwart Christ’s purpose with His church today and with the tribulation saints tomorrow. This necessitates Christ’s present ministry as Advocate for us.
Victory for the accused saints comes through three avenues which are mentioned to us in this section:
1. “The blood of the Lamb.” There is wonder-working power in the blood of the Lamb. Don’t you forget that. Let us not minimize that. The many references to the blood of the Lamb necessitate its being on display in heaven. This is not a crude conception; rather, the crudity is in our sins which made it necessary for Him to shed His blood. If you and I get any victory, it will be because He shed His blood for us. We will never, never be able to lead “the victorious life.” The most defeated people I have ever met have been people who are supposedly living “the victorious life.” All of them look anemic to me. They look to me like they are fugitives from a blood bank. They are shallow and sallow looking, and they need a blood transfusion. They don’t live a victorious life—Christ does! If any of us overcome, it will be through the blood of the Lamb.
2. “The word of their testimony” reveals that they were true martyrs. Those who are Christ’s cannot deny Him. “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:33). There is something that is strengthening in giving a testimony. Don’t misunderstand me—some of the testimonies given today are pretty shallow. Some of them are given by those who ought not to be giving a testimony, because the people close to them know their shoddy living, and it makes them rather cynical and skeptical. The place to give a testimony is not at a nice, well-fed church banquet where all the saints say amen to everything you say. If you have a life to back it up, the place to give your testimony is out yonder in the world, when you are up against that godless, blaspheming crowd. Let them know that you belong to Christ and that you are in Christ. There is something strengthening in that. There is something that makes a man stand tall when he can give a testimony like that. I know of a man in business who is a big, double-fisted fellow. He is an executive in a very hard-hitting concern, and there are a lot of blaspheming folk around him. When he hears someone blaspheming, in a very quiet manner, he will say to that person, “I’d like to tell you what Jesus Christ means to me.” The Lord Jesus says, “If you deny Me before men, I’ll deny you before My Father in heaven” (see Matt. 10:33). These are the true martyrs. The Greek word martus means “witness.” These are the ones who witness for Him.
3. “They loved not their life even unto death.” This is an exalted plane to come to, where you and I make the Lord Jesus the first love in our life and put love of self down in second, third, fourth, or some other place. Surely we ought to have respect for ourselves, and there ought to be a dignity about us, but let’s put Him first. When we put Him first, we will not have any problem living for Him down here. The great problem today is not the set of rules you may be living by; it is what is behind the rules. Here is what you need behind them: the blood of the Lamb, the word of your testimony, and love for Him above everything else. Love is the very basis of service. The Lord said to Simon Peter, “Do you love me?” When Simon Peter finally could say that he did, although on a weak plane, the Lord Jesus said, “I am going to use you. You are going to feed My sheep” (see John 21:15–17). Peter preached the first sermon in the church and probably saw more people saved per capita of those then living than any other time in the history of the world.
There are two radical reactions to the casting out of Satan from heaven. There is rejoicing in heaven, for this awesome, treacherous, dangerous, and deadly serpent is out forever. Then there is woe on the earth. This is the third woe that extends through the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath. The only consolation for the earth is that Satan’s sojourn on earth is brief—forty-two months. There is an intensification of tribulation during this period.
THE DRAGON PERSECUTES THE WOMAN
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent [Rev. 12:13–14].
This is the last wave of anti-Semitism that will roll over the world, and it is the worst, because Satan is cast down to the earth and knows that his time is short. He hates Israel because Christ came from this nation according to the flesh. This is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and this is the reason I cannot rejoice in the present return of Israel to that land. Some people seem to think they are going back for the Millennium. They are not—they are going back for the Great Tribulation Period if they are going back for any purpose at all, according to the Word of God.
“Two wings of a great eagle” are given to her that she might fly into the wilderness. There are those who see in this the airplane that will take Israel to their hiding place, and they always pick the rock-hewn city of Petra as being that place. I do not know how an airplane would land in that place, but that is the problem of those who give that explanation.
“Two wings of a great eagle” is not something that is unusual or peculiar to the people of Israel, but it is reminiscent of the grace of God in His past deliverance of Israel from Egypt. He said to them: “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself” (Exod. 19:4). They had not come out of Egypt by their own effort or their own ability. They came out because God brought them out, and eagles’ wings became a symbol to them. Here again in the Great Tribulation, the Israelites cannot deliver themselves, and no one is interested in delivering them. But God will get them out on eagles wings by His grace.
“Into the wilderness, into her place.” Scripture does not say that the rock-hewn city of Petra will be that place. It could be, but we just simply do not know. This “wilderness” has been variously identified—Petra is not the only place. Some say that it is the wilderness of the peoples of the world; that is, that there will be another worldwide scattering of Israel. Since Christ said, “… flee into the mountains” (Matt. 24:16), we believe it to be a literal wilderness, possibly that same one in which Israel spent forty years under Moses. This time it will be forty-two months, for that is the meaning of “a time, and times, and half a time.” The important thing is not the place but the fact that God will protect them by His grace.
“Where she is nourished” reminds us that in the past God sustained them with manna from heaven and water from the rock. He will nourish them again in possibly the same way.
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth [Rev. 12:15–16].
And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
In view of the fact that the wilderness is literal, the water also could be literal. God had delivered Israel out of the water, both at the beginning of the wilderness march at the Red Sea and then again at the end of the wilderness march at the Jordan River. However, the floods of water could be armies flowing like a river upon them. This figure of speech has been used by Isaiah (see Isa. 8:7–8).
In Ezekiel’s picture of the last days, the king of the north is seen marching on Israel. Satan will use every means to destroy the people. How will he be stopped? No nation is there to stop him. But God is there, and He will destroy him with natural forces when he invades Palestine: “And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone” (Ezek. 38:22). This gives us an indication of what John is talking about here in Revelation.
THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ [Rev. 12:17].
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and he went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.
“The rest of her seed” may refer to the remnant who is God’s witness in this period—the 144,000 who have been sealed. They are evidently witnessing throughout the world. These “keep the commandments of God,” which places them back under the Law. This precludes the possibility of the witnesses being the church.
All anti-Semitism is Satan inspired and will finally culminate in Satan’s making a supreme effort to destroy the nation of Israel. From the brickyards of Pharaoh’s Egypt, Haman’s gallows, Herod’s cruel edict, through Hitler’s purge, and to the world of the Great Tribulation, Satan has led the attack against these people because of the man child—Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 13
Theme: Wild beast out of the sea and earth
Seven personages are introduced to us by the seventh trumpet, five of whom we met in chapter 12: the woman, or Israel; the red dragon, Satan; the child of the woman, Christ; Michael, the archangel, and the remnant of Israel, that is, the 144,000 who were sealed of God and who are going to make it through the Great Tribulation. In chapter 13 the final two personages are brought before us. One is the wild Beast out of the sea; he is both a political power and a person. The other is the wild Beast out of the earth; he is a religious leader. Here is where the action is when we come to these personages. Here is revealed to us the great warfare that is going on between light and darkness, between God and Satan. It is manifested now as we draw to the end of the age during the Great Tribulation Period.
These two Beasts are presented to us as wild beast—that is the literal translation. It is bad enough to be a beast, but to be a wild beast compounds the injury. There is much disagreement among reputable Bible expositors as to the identity of the Beasts. Some consider the first Beast to be a person, while others treat him as the last form of the Roman Empire. Some treat the second Beast as the Man of Sin, while others consider him merely as the prophet, or the John-the-Baptist type, for the first Beast. These difficulties arise because it is impossible to separate a king from his kingdom. A dictator must have a realm over which he rules, or he is no dictator. Though it is difficult to distinguish the two, it seems that the first Beast is the Antichrist, the ruler over the restored Roman Empire. In Revelation 16:10 it speaks of “the throne of the wild beast.” I would judge from this that there is somebody to sit on that throne, and that is the Beast who is presented here—but he would not be the Beast if he did not have the empire. After determining the identity of the first Beast, it is not really difficult to identify the second. He is a man, the false prophet, the religious leader, who leads in the worship of the first Beast—and he is Antichrist also.
There is another view being held today that Antichrist is the denial of the person of Christ rather than an actual person. In other words, Antichrist is false doctrine rather than a person yet to be revealed. The explanation, I believe, is found in the meaning of the preposition anti, which has two usages. The first meaning of anti is “over against.” Its second meaning is “instead of” or “in place of.” It has both meanings in Scripture. In both his first and second epistles, John mentions the Antichrist. He is the only one who uses that designation. We can see both of these characteristics in Antichrist; he is the one who is against Christ and the one who imitates Christ—Antichrist is both.
In his first epistle John writes: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18). “Little children, it is the last time.” John said that nineteen hundred years ago. We have been in the last time a long time! Note here that John not only says there is going to be an Antichrist, but that already in his day there were many antichrists. What was the thing which identified an antichrist? “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). Antichrist denies the deity of Christ. He is against Christ. He is the enemy of Christ on the earth.
In the fourth chapter of his first epistle, John tells us some additional facts concerning Antichrist. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world…. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:1, 3). In other words, any person or any group or any book that denies the deity of Christ is antichrist. I consider the rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, to be antichrist. It is against the Jesus Christ of the Bible. Also, any minister who denies the deity of Christ is antichrist—he is against Christ.
In John’s second epistle we read: “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 7). Antichrist is a deceiver—he pretends to be Christ, and he is not. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “There are going to be many who will come in My name, saying, ‘I am Christ.’ You are to test them because not every spirit is of God.” We need to test the spirits today. My friend, you need to start by testing your little group or the cult in which you are interested. Instead of being super-duper saints, they may actually be following an antichrist. Our Lord warned of such in the Olivet Discourse: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:24). There will arise false Christs who will be able to perform miracles; this second Beast is really a miracle worker—he is an antichrist.
Therefore, the first Beast is political Antichrist, and the second Beast is religious Antichrist. Even the Devil cannot put it all together in one person. I believe there are two persons, these two Beasts, who are Antichrist.
WILD BEAST OUT OF THE SEA—DESCRIPTION, A POLITICAL POWER AND A PERSON
The first verse of this chapter introduces the Beast from the sea.
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy [Rev. 13:1].
Let me give you my translation:
And he stood on the sand of the sea; and I saw a (wild) beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
My translation reads, “And he stood on the sand of the sea,” but the Authorized Version reads, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea,” as if it were John. The better manuscripts today show the subject of the sentence to be he. Who is he? Whom were we last talking about in the previous chapter? He is the same person, and that, of course, is Satan.
“And I saw a (wild) beast coming up out of the sea.” Who brings him out of the sea? Satan brings him out of the sea. In Scripture the sea is a picture of the nations of the world, of mankind, like the restless sea.
“Having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.” This Beast really boggles the mind. If I were to meet him in the dark, I know for sure that he and I would be going in the same direction, only I would be lots farther down the road than he would be!
The dragon (Satan) stands on the sands of the sea, and it is he who brings the wild Beast out of the sea and dominates him. This is Satan’s masterpiece. The first Beast is a person who heads up the old Roman Empire. Rome simply fell apart, and this is the only one who will ever be able to put it together again.
God is apparently taking His hands off this earth for awhile and turning it over to Satan. I believe this is poetic justice. God must let Satan demonstrate that, when he is given full sway, he will not be able to produce. Otherwise, Satan would always be able to say to God from the lake of fire, “You never gave me a chance. If You would have taken Your hands off and let me alone, I would have been able to accomplish my purpose and establish a second kingdom.” But God is going to let Satan have his way so that he will not be able to say that.
An understanding of the prophecy of Daniel is very important to the understanding of the Revelation. This wild Beast is similar in description to the fourth beast, that nondescript beast, in the seventh chapter of Daniel. There it represents the prophetic history of the Roman Empire, down to “the little horn” and his destruction. That fourth beast looked like it became dormant for a little while, and then out of one of its seven heads there came up ten horns, out of which came a little horn. The little horn put together three of the horns and was able to take the other seven.
At the time of the writing of John, much of the prophecy of Daniel had been fulfilled. The first three beasts—Babylon, the lion; Media-Persia, the bear; and Graeco-Macedonia, the panther—had all been fulfilled. When Daniel gave it, it was prophecy, but it was fulfilled by John’s time. Therefore, John centers on the fourth beast and upon the little horn because the fourth beast, the Roman Empire, had appeared. John was living in the time of the Roman Empire, having been exiled to the Isle of Patmos by the Roman emperor, Domitian. Already, signs of weakness and decay were visible in the empire, and John was spectator to that which was still future in Daniel’s day. However, in the Book of Revelation the emphasis is upon the rule of the little horn of Daniel 7, and the little horn is set before us as a wild Beast, for he is now ruling and controlling the restored Roman Empire in John’s prophecy. The little horn of Daniel 7 and the wild Beast of Revelation 13 are identical. You can see that an understanding of Daniel 7 would be basic to understanding this passage.
The wild Beast is the Man of Sin and Antichrist, the final world dictator. The last verse of this chapter confirms this view. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (v. 18). We are dealing with the man who is the world dictator at the end.
There has been a great deal of excitement in our day (and I am included in the group that is excited) about the current existence of the Common Market in Europe. Throughout history, there have been many who have attempted to put Europe back together again. Charlemagne attempted it and failed. I think that the Roman Catholic church attempted it in the Holy Roman Empire and certainly did not succeed. The Holy Roman Empire was centered in Vienna, Austria, which makes it a very interesting place to visit today. Franz Josef was the last of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire who tried to put Europe together, but he was the worst flop of all. His son apparently either was murdered or committed suicide, and that ended the Holy Roman Empire. Napoleon, Kaiser Wilhelm, Hitler, and Mussolini all attempted it. But God has not been ready yet, and He will not let that one appear until the time of the Great Tribulation. To me the Common Market is interesting, not because we are seeing prophecy fulfilled, but because we are seeing the stage set which reveals that prophecy can be fulfilled. Down through the centuries, many have said that it is impossible to get Europe together. It is impossible until God is ready—and Satan is going to supply the man. The Common Market is just an interesting instrument—that’s all.
The ten horns with ten diadems speak of the tenfold division of the Roman Empire in the time of the Great Tribulation. The horns are the ten kings who rule over this tenfold division. This interpretation is confirmed by Revelation 17:12.
The little horn comes to power by first putting down three of these rulers, and afterward he dominates the other seven and thus becomes the world dictator.
The seven heads are not so easily identified. They are interpreted in Revelation 17:9–10 as seven kings. These do not reign contemporaneously as the ten horns do, but they appear in chronological order. Some have interpreted them as representing certain Roman emperors, such as Domitian who was then ruling. Others interpret these seven heads as the forms of government through which the Roman Empire passed. They had kings, councils, dictators, decemvirs, military tribunes, and emperors. The third view is that the seven heads could represent seven great nations of antiquity which blasphemed God: Rome, Greece, Media-Persia, Chaldea, Egypt, and Assyria. The kingdom of the Beast which is yet to come would be the seventh. Another likely view is that the seven heads correspond to the seven heads of the dragon which denote exceptional wisdom. Satan energizes the Man of Sin, the last dictator. I cannot be dogmatic about any one of these views and do not feel that it is crucial to do so.
All seven heads are guilty of blasphemy. Blasphemy manifests itself in two ways according to Govett: (1) making oneself equal with God, that is, usurping His place, and (2) slandering and taking God’s name in vain. The emperors of Rome were guilty of the first form. They made themselves equal with God; there was emperor worship in the Roman Empire. The Pharisees were guilty of the latter when they blasphemed the Holy Spirit. The Beast here is guilty of both forms.
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority [Rev. 13:2].
And the wild beast which I saw was like unto a panther, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
This is really a weird-looking creature! He has never been seen on land or sea or in the air. Without doubt, this is a real spectacle.
John notes that he is a composite Beast. We can begin now to formulate some very definite facts concerning Antichrist. He combines the characteristics of the other beasts representing kingdoms which Daniel saw in his vision of Daniel 7. Consulting that passage and my commentary on the Book of Daniel might be helpful to you at this point.
(a) “And the wild beast which I saw was like unto a panther.” The outward appearance of the Beast was like a panther: “After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it” (Dan. 7:6). Panther and leopard are the same Greek word; I prefer the word panther. This was the Graeco-Macedonian Empire. Greece was noted for its brilliance and its advancement in the arts and sciences. It was noted for its philosophy, its architecture, and its marvelous literature. The Greek language itself is a wonderful language. The empire of the Beast will have all the outward culture which was the glory of Greece.
(b) “And his feet were as the feet of a bear” reminds us of the second beast of Daniel: “And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh” (Dan. 7:5). This was Media-Persia, noted for its pagan splendor as it paddled and waddled over the earth like a Gargantua. The empire of the Beast will have all the pagan splendor and wealth that Media-Persia had.
(c) “And his mouth as the mouth of a lion” reminds us of the first beast of Daniel: “The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it” (Dan. 7:4). This was Babylonian autocracy. When Nebuchadnezzar ordered the death of his wise men and then later on the fiery furnace for the three Hebrew children, there was none to question his authority. He was the head of gold; he was an autocrat. Though the Man of Sin will be one of the toes of the image that Daniel saw, composed partly of clay and partly of iron, he will rule with the autocracy and dictatorial authority of Nebuchadnezzar.
This final world dictator comes to his zenith under the domination of Satan. The source of his power is found in Satan who raises him up, empowers and energizes him for the dastardly dictatorial job he will do. He is the closest to an incarnation of Satan that appears in Scripture. Luke said that Satan had entered into Judas Iscariot (see Luke 22:3). Christ used similar language when He spoke to Simon Peter in Matthew 16:23. Is the Man of Sin the incarnation of Satan? I think we can say that he is. Certainly Satan has entered into him. Paul wrote: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:9–10).
WILD BEAST, DEATH-DEALING STROKE
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast [Rev. 13:3].
And I saw one of his heads as though it had been slain unto death; and his stroke of death was healed; and the whole (inhabited) earth wondered after the beast.
This verse, together with chapter 17, verse 8, has led many to the view that Satan actually raises the Beast from the dead. “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (Rev. 17:8).
Because of these two Scriptures, there are many who have taken the position that the Beast is actually raised from the dead by Sa tan. This cannot be because Satan does not have power to raise the dead; that power has not been given to him at all. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can raise the dead. The Gospel of John records these words spoken by our Lord: “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will…. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live…. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:21, 25, 28–29). Only the Lord Jesus can raise the dead—Satan cannot. Therefore, I take it that the restoration is a false, a fake resurrection.
Those who take the view that Satan raises the Beast from the dead interpret the Beast as a man only. That the early church, for the most part, held to this view is indisputable. They disagreed as to the identity of the Beast. Some thought he was Judas Iscariot. Others identified him as Nero. Even Augustine, in his day, wrote:
What means the declaration, that the mystery of iniquity doth already work? Some suppose it to be spoken of the Roman Emperor, and therefore Paul did not speak in plain words, although he always expected that what he said would be understood as applying to Nero, whose doings already appeared like those of Antichrist. Hence it was that some suspected that he would rise from the dead as Antichrist [J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse, Lectures on the Book of Revelation, p. 398, footnote].
There are others who take the view that the Beast here refers to the Roman Empire and that the imperial form of government, under which Rome fell, will be restored in a startling manner. I believe this will happen, but I do not think it is a resurrection, for Rome never died; Rome fell apart. Rome is like Humpty-Dumpty:
Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall;
All the King’s horses, and all the King’s men
Could not put Humpty-Dumpty together again.
But Antichrist can and will put Humpty-Dumpty together again, and it will be a marvelous thing. The Roman Empire has not truly died; it lives on in the nations of Europe today.
I think that both of these views do have something to commend them, while both views have serious objections. There can be no real resurrection of an evil man before the Great White Throne judgment. And, at that time, only Christ can raise the dead. Christ will raise the dead who stand before the Great White Throne (see Rev. 20:11–15). We have already considered John 5:28–29: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” Only Christ can raise the dead—both saved and lost. Satan has no power to raise the dead. He is not a life-giver. He is a devil, a destroyer, a death-dealer.
The Roman Empire is to be revitalized and made to cohere in a miraculous manner under the world dictator, the Beast, yet verse 3 seems to demand a more adequate explanation than this.
I believe the Beast is a man who will exhibit a counterfeit and imitation resurrection. This will be the great delusion, the big lie of the Great Tribulation Period. We are told that God will give them over to believe the big lie (see 2 Thess. 2:11), and this is part of the big lie. They will not accept the resurrection of Christ, but they sure are going to fake the resurrection of Antichrist.
“And his stroke of death was healed” shows the blasphemous imitation of the death and resurrection of Christ. The challenge in that day will be: “What has Christ done that Anti-christ has not done?” Nobody can duplicate the resurrection of Christ; they might imitate it, but they cannot duplicate it. Yet Antichrist is going to imitate it in a way that will fool the world—it is the big lie. Believers say, “Christ is risen!” The boast of unbelievers in that day will be: “So is Antichrist!” The Roman Empire will spring back into existence under the cruel hand of a man who faked a resurrection, and a gullible world who rejected Christ will finally be taken in by this forgery.
We begin now to get a composite picture of the Antichrist. The rider on the white horse (see Rev. 6) brought a false peace to the world. In the recorded history of man, he has engaged in fifteen hundred wars and has signed some eight thousand peace treaties. Yet in his entire history, he has enjoyed only between two and three hundred years of true peace. Certainly G. K. Chesterton was accurate when he said, “One of the paradoxes of this age is that this is the age of Pacifism, but not the age of Peace.” The Antichrist comes in on a false platform of bringing peace to the world. How many times in the United States have we elected a president on the platform that he would bring peace, only to find that he took us right into a war? We have been a warlike nation. We are not very peaceful.
Arnold Toynbee, an English historian, said this in 1953:
By forcing on mankind more and more lethal weapons, and at the same time making the world more and more interdependent economically, technology has brought mankind to such a degree of distress that we are ripe for deifying any new caesar who might succeed in bringing the world unity and peace.
That is all Antichrist will need to offer the world when he comes. He will say, “I am going to give you peace,” and the people will say “Hallelujah!” and put him into office. That is the way we do it in the United States where we are supposed to be a very cultured, educated, sophisticated, and civilized nation. The world will put Antichrist into power.
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen made this remarkable statement:
The Antichrist will come disguised as the great humanitarian. He will talk peace, prosperity, and plenty, not as a means to lead us to God, but as ends in themselves. He will explain guilt away psychologically, make men shrink in shame if their fellowmen say they are not broad-minded and liberal. He will spread the lie that men will never be better until they make society better.
This is one statement made by Bishop Sheen which I’ll agree with one hundred percent.
WILD BEAST, DEITY ASSUMED
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? [Rev. 13:4].
And they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to make war with him?
This is the supreme moment for Satan. He wants to be worshiped, and the whole world is going to worship him during this period. My friend, if the Spirit of God took His hand off this world today and off you and me, I am afraid that many of us would be in the position of backsliders; and if Antichrist appeared, we would follow him like a little faithful dog follows his master.
“And they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?” What a parody on the worship of the true God. They say, “Look, we are worshiping something more wonderful than the God of the Bible!”
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [Rev. 13:5].
And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue (to work) forty and two months.
The only good news here is that Antichrist will be reigning like this for only forty-two months, or three and one-half years.
“A mouth speaking great things” means he is a big-mouthed fellow. Daniel also mentions this concerning him. He is really going to be a big talker; he will promise anything. This is one reason you ought to be careful listening to anyone on radio or television today, including this poor preacher or any politician or educator or newsman. We need to test everything that we hear. Antichrist is going to have charisma. He is going to be able to talk himself into the good graces of this Christ-rejecting world.
WILD BEAST, DEFYING GOD
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven [Rev. 13:6].
And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and those which dwell (tabernacle) in heaven.
This is the dreadful limit to which the Beast goes in blasphemy, He is against Christ and His church which are in heaven. Thank God that the church is no longer on the earth! I do not see how anyone who studies Revelation can believe that the church is going to go through this period of the Great Tribulation.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world [Rev. 13:7–8].
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.
“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints.” The saints (there will be saints during the Tribulation Period, although they are not, of course, the church) will be overcome by the brutal Beast. In the will of God many believers, both Jew and Gentile, will suffer martyrdom.
“And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.” Spurgeon used to say something like this: “I am glad that my name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before I got here, because if God had waited until I got here, He never would have chosen me.” That is true of all the saints, both in the church age and in the Great Tribulation Period.
This will be the darkest hour in the history of the world; and the church, thank God, will not be here. I am thankful I am not going through the Great Tribulation Period. I will not be under Antichrist; I am under Christ. I am not looking for Antichrist; I am looking for Christ to come.
WILD BEAST, DEFIANCE DENIED TO ANYONE
If any man have an ear, let him hear.
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints [Rev. 13:9–10].
If any man hath an ear, let him hear. If any one is for captivity (bring together captives) into captivity he goeth (away): if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
This is without doubt one of the most awe-inspiring statements in the Word of God. “If any man” is a thrice-repeated invitation to the ear of anyone to hear the Word of God at any time, in any age. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). “If any man hath an ear, let him hear.” Here again is the wedding of free will and election. “If any man”—any man means any man. “If any man hath an ear”—does not everybody have ears? Yes, but there are some people who do not hear although they have ears. There are people who simply do not listen at all—they do not hear.
I had a neighbor who was retired, and his wife was a very wonderful person, but she talked a great deal. When he would go outside to work, he would remove his hearing aid from his ear. He did it, I discovered, for a purpose. He was pruning a tree one day when his wife came out of the house and talked a blue streak to him for about five minutes. All of a sudden she noticed that he did not have his hearing aid on. She said, “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said!” He just kept on sawing, and she turned around and went back into the house. That was exactly what he wanted! He was out there to prune the tree and not to carry on a conversation.
There are a great many people who do not have a hearing aid to hear the Word of God—they don’t want to hear it. I would like to make it possible for every person in this country to study the Word of God with us through our radio Bible studies. But I do not have the wildest dream that everybody in the country is going to be studying the Word of God. I know that it will be only those who have an ear, an ear to hear the Word of God. “Any man”—that’s free will; that “hath an ear” is election; and this is the way God weds these two truths together.
“He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” What John is saying here is not for you and me—at least, I hope it is not for you; I know it is not for me—because, beginning with chapter 4, Revelation is dealing with future things which are beyond the church. The church (meaning all born-again believers in this age) will no longer be on earth. John is speaking to God’s saints who will be in the world at that time. Remember that during the Tribulation the Antichrist will be the world dictator. Men are not going to buy or sell without his permission. They will not be able to travel without his permission. He will rule the world as no one has ever ruled in the past. God is saying to those who are His own, “Don’t resist him.” To begin with, it would not do you any good. The second thing is that this is “the patience and the faith of the saints” of that time. If you are in the world during the Great Tribulation, then you are going to have to bear with patience and faith the awful trials that will be coming even upon God’s children.
God will apparently withdraw from the world, and He will turn it over to Satan. Today the Holy Spirit is in the world, and He curtails, He smothers, resistance. He is holding back evil, although it may not look that way. Just think what it will be like when He is removed from that office and when evil men are permitted to have their day. Satan will have full sway. As we have said before, this actually is poetic justice. The Devil and his minions of evil and lost mankind will never be able to say to God, “You never gave us a chance. If You had just given us a chance, we would have been able to work things out.” God is going to give them a chance for a brief period. If it was not for just a brief period, there would be no flesh left on the earth, as the Lord Jesus said (see Matt. 24:22).
THE WILD BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH—DESCRIPTION, A RELIGIOUS LEADER
The first Beast is a political leader, a political power and a person, and his power will become worldwide. We come now to the second wild Beast, the one who comes out of the earth and is a religious leader.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon [Rev. 13:11].
And I saw another wild beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb, and he was speaking as a dragon.
This wild Beast is easier to identify than was the first. After you establish who the first Beast is it is not too much trouble to identify the second. The first Beast comes out of the sea, and the second one comes out of the earth. What is the difference? The sea represents the peoples of the world. The great mob of mankind today is like the surging and restless sea—that has always been true. The earth from which this second Beast arises is symbolic of Palestine, and it is naturally assumed that the second Beast comes from Israel. He is a messiah, and Israel would not accept him unless he had come from their land and was one of them.
“And he had two horns like a lamb.” This suggests his imitation of Christ. The first Beast is opposed to Christ—he is Antichrist. The second Beast imitates Christ. He also is Antichrist (considering anti, meaning “in stead of”); he poses as Christ. He has two horns like a lamb, but he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He imitates the “… Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), only this pseudolamb does not subtract sin; he adds and multiplies it in the world. He does not come to do his own will, but the will of the first Beast. He is a counterfeit Christ. He will do a lot of talking about loving everyone, but underneath he is a dangerous Beast, just as the first one was, deceiving the whole world.
The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” This second Beast is the epitome of all false prophets, and he is an Antichrist. It takes two men to fulfill the position that Christ fulfills—and of course, they do not fulfill it. But Satan needs two men to attempt even an imitation of Him.
Again, the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 24:24: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” The false prophet is sort of a “John the Baptist” to the first Beast. Some have identified him as King Saul or Judas, which is mere assumption and cannot be proved.
WILD BEAST, DELEGATED AUTHORITY
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed [Rev. 13:12].
And he exerciseth all the authority of the first wild beast in his presence. And he maketh the earth and the dwellers therein to worship the first wild beast, whose wound of death was healed.
The second wild Beast has a delegated authority from the first wild Beast, which actually makes him subservient to him, but he is also on a par with him—he has the same power.
This second wild Beast leads in a movement to exterminate the harlot of Revelation 17, which is the false church that will go into the Great Tribulation Period. John does not even dignify that church by calling it a church; it is called a harlot. The true church, which has now left the earth, is called the bride of Christ. But here you have the last vestige of an apostate church with all of its humanism. The false prophet will offer the world something new to worship—the first wild Beast, the willful king, the Man of Sin, the last world dictator (see Dan. 11:36–39; Matt. 24:24; 2 Thess. 2:3–10). Here is presented to us this terrible second Beast who will exalt the first Beast to the place of worship.
“Whose wound of death was healed” reveals that both the first and the second Beasts are healers and miracle workers. This is the big lie, the “strong delusion” that is going to come to the world.
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live [Rev. 13:13–14].
And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven into the earth in the sight of men. And he deceiveth the dwellers on the earth through [Gr.: dial] the signs which it was given him to do in the presence of the wild beast; saying to the dwellers on the earth that they should make an image [Gr.: eikon] to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.
This false prophet is a worker of signs and miracles (see Matt. 24:24). Our Lord warned against this false prophet. His deception is that he apes Elijah in bringing down fire from heaven. He is a combination of Jannes and Jambres: “Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods” (Exod. 7:11–12). In other words, they were clever magicians, and I believe they had satanic power. This Beast in the end time will also have satanic power.
We read in Matthew 3:11: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” John the Baptist specifically said he had nothing to do with fire, but this false prophet is going to imitate Elijah.
The false prophet plays with fire until he is cast into the lake of fire (see Rev. 19:20). The world is taken in by this deception, with the exception of God’s elect, those who are His—they cannot be deceived.
The false prophet shows his hand by causing to be made an image of the man of sin. The Greek word for image is eikon, which means “likeness.” The big production is a likeness of the first Beast that emphasizes the wound of death that was healed. It is interesting to note that the Lord Jesus did not permit anything connected with His physical appearance to survive. But the likeness of the Antichrist will evidently be placed in the temple at Jerusalem, and I believe it is the abomination of desolation to which our Lord referred: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” (Matt. 24:15). This is the abomination of desolation that is to appear, and although we cannot be dogmatic, we believe it will be this image of Antichrist, the first wild Beast.
WILD BEAST, DELUSION PERPETRATED ON THE WORLD
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name [Rev. 13:15–17].
And it was given to him to give breath [Gr.: pneuma] to the image of the wild beast, that the image of the wild beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, that there be given them a mark on their right hand or upon their forehead; and that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one having the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.
“And it was given to him to give breath (the Greek word is pneuma) to the image of the wild beast.” This is going to be a different kind of idol. Isaiah and all the prophets mention the fact that idols cannot speak. Paul also mentions it. But here is an idol that will speak. I think they will call all the scientists of the world to look at this image. The scientists will give a report that they cannot understand it, they cannot explain it, and that it is a miracle. This is something that will cause the whole world to turn and worship the Beast.
He is now wedding religion and business, for you will have to have the mark of the Beast to do business. In John’s day soldiers were branded by their commanders, slaves were branded by their masters, and those attached to certain pagan temples were branded by the mark of the god or goddess whom they served. Ptolemy Philopater had all Jews in Alexandria marked with the ivy leaf, which was the symbol of Dionysus. In our day a newspaper columnist who wrote an article entitled, “Living by the Numbers,” deplored the fact that we have to carry so many different cards in our wallets and concluded with this paragraph:
It would simplify matters if the government would assign each of us a single all-purpose number, which we could have tattooed across the forehead to spare us the trouble of carrying all these cards.
Don’t misunderstand me. This is not the fulfillment of prophecy, but it sure shows how prophecy can come to pass. What is the mark of the Beast? It is not given us to know. We are not told, but that has not kept many expositors from telling us what it is!
WILD BEAST, DESIGNATION
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six [Rev. 13:18].
Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of man; and his number is six hundred and sixty and six.
“Here is wisdom” seems to be a rather ironical declaration when we consider the maze of speculation that has been accumulated through the centuries on this verse.
In the Greek there is a very beautiful arrangement of this number.
A numerical value is attached to each letter to be sure, but we must let it stand there, for the visible number of the Beast and its meaning await the day of his manifestation. And I do not believe he has yet been manifested. This number has made a nice little jigsaw puzzle for a lot of people to play at, but, my friend, you will not know who he is until you get to the Great Tribulation Period.
I would suggest that we not waste our time trying to identify a person by this number. Instead, we need to present Jesus Christ that we might reduce the population of those who have to go through the Great Tribulation Period and who will therefore know what the number of the Beast is.
I am not anxious to know the number of the Beast, and I am thankful I will not have to live in that period. I am very thankful today that I know Jesus Christ as my Savior. Instead of spending time with Antichrist, I want to know Christ. I can say with Paul: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10).
The only positive and important item for us today is that the first Beast is a man. This teaches me not to trust man. “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” (Jer. 17:5–8).
The passage in Revelation does not interest me a bit as to what the number of the Beast is or who he is or anything about him, but it makes me want to know Jesus Christ more, because my plan is to be with Him—not because of who I am or what I have done, but because Jesus Christ died for me on the cross, and by His grace I will go into His presence.
CHAPTER 14
Theme: Looking to the end of the Great Tribulation
This chapter contains several events. It is an interlude in which we see the Lamb on Mount Zion, hear the proclamation of the everlasting gospel, the pronouncement of judgment upon Babylon and on those who receive the mark of the Beast, then the praise for those who die in the Lord, and the preview of Armageddon.
The chapter before us constitutes an hiatus in the series of seven performers. It is obvious that this interlude could not be fitted in between the sixth and seventh performers who are the two wild Beasts. Of course, they had to be considered together, as they are like Siamese twins, and the continuity between them could not be broken. Therefore, this interlude follows the seventh performer in recognition of the logical sequence of this book, which is not a hodgepodge of visions but unfolds in a logical, chronological, and mathematical order.
There are certain performers called to our attention in this chapter (others beside the seven whom we have seen previously) in order to give us a full-orbed view of the spectacular events of the previous two chapters. As we have seen, this is the darkest day and the most horrible hour in the history of the world. It is truly hell’s holiday. Every thoughtful mind must inevitably ask the question, “How did God’s people fare during this period? Could they remain faithful to the Lord through to the end with the overwhelming odds against them?” The answer is found in this chapter before us.
The Shepherd who began with 144,000 sheep is now identified with them as the Lamb. And notice that He doesn’t have 143,999 sheep; He has 144,000 sheep—He did not lose one! He redeemed them, He sealed them, and He kept them, for He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. These sheep are of a different fold from the one we are in today, and the Good Shepherd brought them through the Great Tribulation. That is the picture before us as we open this chapter. It is encouraging to know that the Lamb—not the two Beasts—is going to have the last word. And He is not a lamb that speaks like a dragon; He is the Lord Jesus Himself. And since He is going to have the final word, Babylon will fall—the great political capital, the great commercial capital, and the great religious capital of the world during the Great Tribulation Period. And the followers of the Beast will be judged.
Although many of Christ’s own will become martyrs during the Tribulation, they will not lose; they will win! Again I say with Calvin that I would rather be on the side that seems to be losing today but will win finally than to be on the side that seems to be winning today but is going to lose eternally. I’m glad to be on the winning side. Christ will reward those who will be martyred for Him.
In chapter 19 we will see the Lamb returning to the earth. The morning is coming. The darkness will fade away, and the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings.
PICTURE OF THE LAMB WITH 144,000
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads [Rev. 14:1].
“I saw” indicates that John is still the spectator to these events. The reel continues to roll, and the story continues to unfold.
The “Lamb” is the Lord Jesus Christ, as we have seen in chapters 5–7 and 12–13.
“Mount Sion” is at Jerusalem. There is no use trying to locate this at any other place than at Jerusalem in the land of Israel.
This verse pictures a placid, pastoral scene which opens the millennial kingdom here upon this earth. The Lord Jesus is going to reign from Jerusalem. God Himself called it the city of the great King. And in Psalm 2:6 He says this: “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” It is the Father’s intention to place the Lord Jesus upon the throne of David in Jerusalem, and specifically at Mount Sion.
“An hundred forty and four thousand” I believe to be the ones who were sealed back in chapter 7, although I recognize that there are some problems connected with this view. They came through the Great Tribulation like the three Hebrew children came through the fiery furnace.
Notice that the Lamb is standing with them on Mount Sion. Although He is in His person the Lamb, He is also the Shepherd. Remember that He started out with 144,000 and that He came through the Great Tribulation with 144,000. He didn’t lose one.
My friend, in our day when the pressures of Satan bear us down, the living, victorious Christ is available to us. Oh, that you and I might come to know Him better and that He might occupy a greater place in our lives day by day. I am convinced in my own experience that the Lord Jesus Christ in person is the answer. When I see plaques with the motto: “Jesus is the Answer,” I always say that it depends on what the question is. But certainly He is the answer to problems for which men are trying to work out solutions by some little method. They will tell you that if you follow their little legal system, you can solve the problems of your personal life, your home, your work, and your church. I doubt that there ever was a day in which there was so much teaching in all of these areas, and yet there is less victorious living in the daily experience of believers. What is the real problem today? We don’t need a method; we need Christ. We need to know Him in a meaningful way. We need to draw closer to Him. By the way, when was the last time that you told Him that you loved Him? He has said that He loves you, and you ought to tell Him that in return.
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth [Rev. 14:2–3].
“I heard.” John is not only a spectator but is also an auditor to this scene.
The 144,000 join the heavenly chorus in the Millennium. My friend, have you ever heard a choir of 144,000 voices? Well, up to this time earth has been out of tune with heaven, but here the rule of Satan is over, and the earth and heaven are in tune. What Browning said about God’s being in His heaven and all’s right with the world is going to be true when we get to the Millennium. All’s wrong with the world right now, but in that day all will be right. The 144,000 learn the new song and join the harmony of heaven.
“I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.” God has put His harpers in heaven while the 144,000 are on earth, on Mount Sion (that is a long way from the instruments). Having been a pastor for many years, I have heard many harpers—harping about this or that, but these are a different kind of harper. The harpers I have listened to were not musical, I can assure you. But these heavenly harpers are going to make beautiful music.
“The hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth” means that they have been purchased to enter the Millennium on earth. They are not taken to heaven. Remember that this is a picture of the Millennium on earth, and these will live on the earth. The unsaved are not going to live on the earth.
“And no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” No one can sing praises to God but the redeemed. I wish that truth could be gotten over to a great many song leaders in this day in which we live. I understand their desire to hear everybody in the congregation sing, but when they have a mixed audience of saved and unsaved people, they should not ask the unsaved to sing the songs of redemption. Don’t ask them to sing:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
“Amazing Grace” —John Newton
If an unsaved person sings that, you have made him a liar. Just let the redeemed sing. The psalmist wrote: “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Ps. 107:1–2). My friend, no one but the redeemed are going to say God is good. This is the reason we need a say-so Christianity in our day. We need to say that God is good.
But in this millennial scene, heaven and earth are brought into marvelous harmony. What a contrast this is to chapter 13 where earth is in rebellion against heaven under the Beasts. Here all is tranquility under the Lamb.
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God [Rev. 14:4–5].
These are they that were not defiled (be smirched) with women; for they are virgins [Gr.: parthenoi]. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no lie: they are without blemish.
“Were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.” What does that mean? To be frank with you, it used to puzzle me. It can have a literal or spiritual meaning, and I think it includes both. The Great Tribulation is a period of unparalleled suffering. The 144,000 have been through that period. The abnormal times demanded an abnormal state. That was the reason they were unmarried. When I was a boy, I remember a young fellow who went to war during World War I. He was engaged to a girl, but he never came home. I know other boys who married right before they left, and they fathered children that they never saw. That was wartime. And many girls said that they wished they had not married during that time. Well, during the Tribulation Period the times are going to be so frightful that it will be wise not to get married. You may remember that the prophet Jeremiah also lived in a critical period, the time of the Babylonian captivity. Because of the dark days, God forbade him to marry: “The word of the Lord came also unto me, saying, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place. For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land; They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall he as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth” (Jer. 16:1–4).
Our Lord Jesus mentioned those who would be mothers during the Great Tribulation: “And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!” (Matt. 24:19).
You and I are living in a day when marriage is honorable and even encouraged. However, God’s injunction to Noah to multiply and replenish the earth is hardly the Scripture to apply to a world faced with a population explosion and at a time when believers can see the approach of the end of the age.
During the Great Tribulation there will be an exaggerated emphasis upon sex, and obviously immorality will prevail. The 144,000 will have kept themselves aloof from the sins of the Great Tribulation.
Now, considering adultery in the spiritual sense, in the Old Testament idolatry was classified as spiritual fornication. The classic example is in Ezekiel 16 where we find God’s severe indictment against Israel for fornication and adultery—which was idolatry. The 144,000 will also have kept themselves from the worship of the Beast and his image during the Great Tribulation.
Therefore, the comment, “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins,” is probably referring to chastity in both the literal sense and the spiritual sense. And this makes good sense, by the way.
“Firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” has definite reference to the nation Israel. “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruits be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches” (Rom. 11:15–16). So Israel is described as the firstfruits, especially the 144,000. I believe that they will occupy a unique place in the millennial kingdom. They evidently will be the vanguard with the Lamb when He returns to set up the kingdom, as we will see in chapter 19.
“In their mouth was found no lie” means that they did not participate in the big lie of the Beast when he used lying wonders. They didn’t fall for his lie. Remember that the Lord Jesus said that if it were possible to deceive the very elect, they would be deceived. But they will not be deceived.
“They are without blemish.” Are they without blemish because they have been purified by the Great Tribulation? No. They are without blemish because they are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And, friend, that’s the way I am going to heaven, also. I’m not going to heaven because I think I am good, because I know that I am not good. And don’t look down your nose at me, because you are not good either. Both of us are sinners saved by the grace of God.
PROCLAMATION OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [Rev. 14:6–7].
And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal gospel (good tidings) to proclaim unto (over) them that dwell (sit) on the earth, and unto (over) every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he saith with a great voice, Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of water.
“Another angel” denotes another radical change in protocol of God’s communication with the earth. This angel is the first in a parade of six “another” angels mentioned in verses 8–9, 15, and 17–18.
During our age the gospel has been committed to men, and they alone are the messengers of it. Angels would like to give the message of the gospel, but they have not been permitted to do so. At the beginning of the Great Tribulation men are the messengers of God, as the 144,000 reveal. Even the two witnesses with supernatural power could not stand up against Satan, but were removed from the satanic scene of earth. Angels as well as men were the messengers of the Old Testament—“… the word spoken by angels was stedfast …” (Heb. 2:2). The times are so intense in the Great Tribulation Period that only angels can get the messages of God through to the world. Angels are indestructible.
“Flying in mid heaven” was a ridiculous statement a few years ago, and some of the critics of the Bible laughed at such a thing. It is no longer a ridiculous statement to a generation that has been treated to television via satellite. Worldwide television is a practical reality so that we don’t have to wait for the evening news to learn what is happening in Israel or England or Japan, we can see it just as it is happening. And the angel whom John mentions “flying in mid heaven” will serve as a broadcasting station to the entire world.
“An eternal gospel.” The question naturally arises, How is this the gospel, since the word gospel means “good news?” Is this angel bringing good news? Yes, it is good news to those who are God’s children, but it is bad news for the unbelievers.
“Fear God” is the message of this “eternal gospel.” That is the message. The writer of the Proverbs said that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In effect, the angel is saying to God’s people, “Get wise, get smart, because you need to fear God. God saved you by His grace, but He is going to judge this earth.” This is God’s final call before the return of Christ in judgment.
PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT ON BABYLON
In this chapter God is bringing before us those who will appear again in the Book of Revelation, but He is giving us now more or less of a program which He is going to follow.
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication [Rev. 14:8].
And another angel, a second, followed saying, Fell, fell is Babylon the great, that hath made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
There is a book entitled The Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop, which you ought to read. It is especially pertinent in these days in which you and I live. It reveals that Babylon has been Satan’s headquarters from the very beginning. Babylon is the place where idolatry began. Semiramis was the wife of Nimrod; some scholars think that she was his mother and that she married her own son. She was queen of Babel, which later became Babylon, and she devised a nice little story (beginning a whole system of idolatry) in which she came out of an egg in the Euphrates River—she cracked the shell and stepped out fully grown. The worship of Semiramis introduced the female principle in the deity. This reveals that Babylon was the fountainhead of false religions.
“Fell, fell is Babylon.” This second angel runs ahead and announces that which is yet to come as though it had already taken place. In the original Greek, “fell” is in the prophetic aorist tense. In other words, God’s prophetic word is so sure that He speaks as though the event had already taken place. It is just as sure as if it were history already.
The city of Babylon will evidently be rebuilt during the Great Tribulation Period. If you have my book on Isaiah, you will see that I deal with the probability in chapter 13. I believe that ancient Babylon will be rebuilt, though not at the same location, and that judgment upon it, which is predicted in the Book of Isaiah, is yet to come.
The idolatry of Babylon is a divine intoxication which will fascinate the entire world. This is the reason we are seeing so much experimentation in our day with Satan worship, exorcism, and all the cults which are definitely satanic. Notice what the Old Testament prophets have said about it: “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad” (Jer. 51:7). If you could get away far enough and look back at this earth, I am of the opinion that you would be disappointed in mankind and in the nations of the world. Then in the prophecy of Isaiah we read: “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible” (Isa. 13:11). This brings down the wrath of God upon the world (see Jer. 25:15–26). “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isa. 13:19).
This is a judgment on Babylon that we are going to see: judgment upon religious Babylon in chapter 17 of Revelation and upon commercial Babylon in chapter 18.
PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT ON THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST
It is probably true that those who live through all or most of the Great Tribulation do so because they had received the mark of the Beast. However, part of the Great Tribulation is not caused by Satan’s being released but by Christ’s judgment upon this earth. He will move personally and directly in putting down the rebellion against Him here on this earth.
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus [Rev. 14:9–12].
And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mingled unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever (unto the ages of the ages); and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the wild beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
He is speaking to a group of people who “keep the commandments of God,” the Old Testament law. Scripture tells us that sacrifices will be brought during the Great Tribulation and even into the Millennium.
This section makes it crystal clear that no one can assume a neutral position during this intense period under the Beast. Even today we see Christian businessmen who are capitulating to the ethics of the hour. In chapter 13 we saw that the awful alternative for refusing to receive the mark of the Beast was starvation. On the other hand, the person who receives the mark brings down upon his head the wrath of God.
“He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” If you believe that the church is going through the Great Tribulation, you also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to subject His own to the mingled, unmixed cup of His anger. I simply cannot believe that Christ would do this to the church which He has redeemed.
“The wine of the wrath of God” is a figure adopted from the Old Testament. In Psalm 75:8 we read: “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.” The Old Testament prophets picked up that theme. They saw the cup of wrath filling up to the brim. God was patient and let man go on and on in his sin, but when the cup of wrath was filled, then God would press it to the lips of a godless society. Rebellious men kept building this thing up until judgment had to break.
“Tormented with fire and brimstone.” Now let me say that if this is not literal fire and brimstone, whatever it is must be worse than fire and brimstone. If it is a symbol, remember that a symbol is used to give a faint representation of the real. It is rather like the essence of something. There is the essence of pepper and the essence of perfume. Essence is the faint odor that is left in the bottle after the substance is gone. A symbol is an essence or just a faint copy of the real thing, and the reality can be much worse than the symbol indicates. But remember, the brimstone of Sodom was quite literal. That is a fact you should mull over in your mind if you want to reject a literal hell.
You will notice in this passage that hell is visible to Christ and the holy angels. It does not say that hell is visible to the twenty-four elders. Are we to assume from that that the church does not know what is taking place on the earth? I am inclined to believe that the church will not see what is taking place on the earth during the Great Tribulation Period, but certainly Christ and the holy angels will see it.
All that God’s own can do during this period is to be patient and wait for the coming of Christ. Our Lord said: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13). Why will he endure? He will endure because he has been sealed by the Spirit of God, and he is clothed in the righteousness of Christ. He is able to overcome by the blood of the Lamb. Our Lord said, “In your patience possess ye your souls?” (Luke 21:19). All they can do is wait out the storm, and that is what they will do during the Great Tribulation.
PRAISE FOR THOSE WHO DIE IN THE LORD
Here again is a verse that is taken to a funeral in our day, and certainly to use it at a funeral completely robs it of its application. This verse refers only to the Great Tribulation Period:
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them [Rev. 14:13].
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, said the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors (sorrows), for their works follow with them.
Apparently many of God’s tribulation saints, both of the 144,000 and of the untold number of Gentiles that will be saved during that time, are going to lay down their lives for Christ. They will be martyred. During the time of the Great Tribulation, it will be better to die than to live. At that time this verse will give comfort and assurance. They will have rest from their sorrows, and their works will follow them, and the Lord will reward them.
As I have said, this is not a verse for God’s saints in comfortable, affluent America, as I see it. For most of us it is unnatural to want to die. I feel as Paul expressed it: “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again” (Phil. 1:23–26).
Personally, I would like to stay down here for quite a few more years and teach the Word of God. I am in no hurry to get to heaven. This old story illustrates my viewpoint: A boy in my southland years ago went to church on a Sunday night. The preacher asked, “How many of you want to go to heaven?” Everybody but this boy put up his hand. The preacher looked at him and asked, “Son, don’t you want to go to heaven?” “Sure,” the boy answered, “but I thought you were getting up a load for tonight!”
Well, I don’t want to be on that load leaving tonight either. I’m going there ultimately, but I would like to live and serve as long as possible. For me it would be unnatural to want to die, but in the Great Tribulation it will be a different story. They will just be waiting in patience and in sorrow. If they are martyred, it will be a wonderful thing. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” He is going to reward them for their faithfulness to Himself.
You can see that this verse is not appropriate for a funeral, especially for a wealthy man who has been living in clover all of his life. In Texas I heard it used at a rich man’s funeral, a man who had been brought up in a home of wealth. He had never known what it was to lift his little finger in actual work. He just toyed around with a ranch and lost money on it—he had so much money, he had to get rid of it some way. Yet the preacher applied this verse to him! That is a terrible abuse of the Word of God. Death is going to be precious to the people in the Great Tribulation but not for the saints of our society in which everything is geared to comfort.
“For their works follow with them” reveals that they will be rewarded for their faithfulness, patience, and works in this period. God does not save anyone for his works, but He does reward us for our works. Our works (good or bad) are like tin cans tied to a dog’s tail; we cannot get away from them. They will follow us to the bema seat of Christ.
PREVIEW OF ARMAGEDDON
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle [Rev. 14:14].
“I looked, and behold” emphasizes the fact that John is not only a hearer but a spectator.
“A white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man” is evidently the Lord Jesus Christ. The cloud is a mark of identification: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30). I think that the “clouds” are the shekinah cloud, which is “the sign” in heaven.
“On his head a golden crown” further confirms this One as the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the hero of the Book of Revelation, my friend, and you need this book to get a true picture of Him. He is seen as King—not as Prophet or Priest. His office as King is always connected with His return to the earth.
“A sharp sickle” establishes this and speaks of the judgment of the wicked. Dr. Newell calls attention to something that is quite interesting: he notes that the word sickle occurs only twelve times in the Scriptures, of which seven are in the verses of this section. Also, the word sharp occurs seven times in the Revelation, and four times in this chapter.
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped [Rev. 14:15–16].
And another angel came out of the temple, crying in a great voice to the One seated on the cloud. Send forth thy sickle, and reap; for the hour is come to reap; for the harvest of the earth was dried. And He that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped.
“Send forth thy sickle, and reap” refers to the judgment of men on the earth. “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:40–42). In Matthew the “harvest” has so long been identified with Christian witnessing, and believers have been urged to pray for laborers for the harvest, that it is difficult for the average Christian to fit this scene into the true context of Scripture. Actually, believers are not urged to harvest today; they are urged to sow, to sow the Word of God.
“… a sower went forth to sow” (Matt. 13:3) is a picture of Christendom today. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of Man. He is the sower and the seed is the Word of God and the field is the world. He is flinging out the seed into the world. There is going to be a harvest someday, but that will come at the end of the age. You and I are not in the harvesting business today. Our business is to sow the seed. That is the reason I do not worry about results. I worry a great deal about the source. I want to do my best in giving out the Word of God. Why? Because sowing seed is my business. I am not really concerned about the number of folk who claim to have been converted through my ministry I just sow the seed. Christ is the One who is going to have the harvest, and the harvest is the judgment at the end of the age. This is the picture given to us here in the Revelation.
Note God’s instructions to His Son in the Old Testament: “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:7–9). Did this take place at the Lord’s first coming? No. This is no missionary text. When, then, will it take place? It will take place at Christ’s second coming to earth. At that time He will come in judgment.
“For the hour is come to reap” is in conformity to the words of Jesus, “… the harvest is the end of the world …” (Matt. 13:39). The time will come to reap, so let’s sow the seed today, and let’s not be so everlastingly busy trying to get somebody’s hand up and have that one come forward to receive Christ as Savior. Let’s make sure that we give out the Word of God, and the Spirit of God will take care of the results.
The time of harvest is set before us in the Old Testament: “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:13–14).
And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe [Rev. 14:17–18].
And another angel came out from the sanctuary which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, he that hath (having) power over the fire, and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
“The sanctuary which is in heaven” identifies this with the Old Testament, not with the church.
The “sharp sickle” indicates judgment. “Her grapes are fully ripe” conveys the thought of their being dry like raisins. This is a change of metaphor for the war of Armageddon, and this is the picture Isaiah gives: “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth” (Isa. 63:1–6).
This vivid picture is not of Christ at His first coming but of Christ when He returns in judgment. In Isaiah’s day men would get into the winepress barefooted to tread out the grapes. The red juice would spurt out of the ripe grapes and stain their garments. The picture in this verse is of spectators seeing that there is blood on our Lord’s beautiful garments as though He had trodden the winepress. When Christ came the first time, He shed His blood for them, but they have rejected it. Now He is trodding down the wicked, and it is their blood that is shed. He will gather them, as we will see in Revelation 16:16, “into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” It is not a single battle but a war—the war of Armageddon (Heb.: Har-Megiddon).
Notice in this passage from Isaiah’s prophecy that He is seen treading the winepress alone. It is positively terrifying. Little wonder that the men of this earth will cry to the rocks to fall upon them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. This will be the sad end of that civilization which at the Tower of Babel demonstrated an active rebellion against God, a rebellion which has been mounting like a mighty crescendo ever since and will break in all of its fury during the Great Tribulation Period. As we will see when we come to chapter 19, when Christ comes He will put down that rebellion against God in order to establish His kingdom here upon the earth. He will (in the language of Psalm 2) “break them with a rod of iron” and “dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
You see, the “gentle Jesus” who wouldn’t swat a fly, whom we have heard so much about, is just not the Jesus of the Word of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, but He is also the Judge of all the world. If you do not accept His blood shed for you, then if the Great Tribulation Period comes during your lifetime, your blood will be shed.
My feeling is that no careful study of the Word of God would lead any person of reasonable intelligence to believe that the church is going through this awful period. Folk who want to push the church into the Great Tribulation seem to think that it will be no more unpleasant than a trip to the dentist to get a tooth pulled. Such a trip is not pleasant; no one enjoys having a tooth pulled, but it can he endured. My friend, if that is in your thinking, you just haven’t seen what the Tribulation really will be. Isaiah gives us another picture of it: “Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood…. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea” (Isa. 34:1–3, 6).
What a picture this is! The precious blood of the Lamb having been rejected, the blood of those who defied God and followed and worshiped the Beast bathes the earth. It is frightful. As a ripe grape is mashed and the juice flies in every direction, so will little man fall into the vat of God’s judgment. This is Armageddon—the mount of slaughter.
And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs [Rev. 14:19–20].
And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and there came out blood from the winepress, even unto the bridles of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
“Without the city” means outside of Jerusalem.
“Unto the bridles of the horses” means about four feet deep.
“A thousand and six hundred furlongs” is about 185 miles, and that is the distance from Dan to Beer-sheba. All of Palestine is the scene of this final war which ends in what is called Armageddon. It is a campaign beginning, about the middle of the Great Tribulation and is concluded by the personal return of Christ to the earth. Psalm 45:3–7 is an Old Testament prediction of this: “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Psalm 45 is a messianic psalm.
Let me make it clear that I make no apology for these scenes of judgment. God has not asked me to apologize for His Word. He has told me to give it out. We need to face up to the facts:
1. Sin is an awful thing.
2. Sin is in the world.
3. You and I are sinners. The only remedy for sin is the redemption Christ offered when He shed His blood on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins.
4. You and I merit the judgment of God. Our only escape is to accept the work of Christ for us on Calvary’s cross. The Bible asks a question that even God cannot answer: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? …” (Heb. 2:3). Escape what? Escape judgment—the Tribulation is judgment. The way out is to accept Christ. Call it an escape mechanism if you want to; but, my friend, when the house is on fire, I’ll go out a window or any other way that is an escape. This judgment must inevitably come on Christ-rejectors. Mankind has rejected Him, trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant as an unholy thing. If God is just (and He is) there will be judgment. The generation of today needs to hear this. Instead of being given this, they are offered endless little methods of living the Christian life. My friend, there is nothing that will straighten out your life like knowing that our God is a holy God, that the Lord Jesus Christ is righteous, and that He is not going to tolerate sin in your life.
And this same concept should be taught to our children. I am heartened to see that some psychologists are returning to this position. My friend, the problem with your little Willie is that he is a mean little brat and should be turned across your knee and spanked instead of being treated as a cross between a piece of Dresden china and an orchid. As someone has well said, the board of education should be applied to the seat of learning.
Before we leave this chapter, I would like to draw your attention again to the viewpoint which is abroad concerning the church’s going through the Great Tribulation Period. I have an article from a magazine that presents this viewpoint. The author of the article is a layman, and yet he has the audacity to write the following:
There is a shallow Christianity moving across our land. Those who do not have deep roots in Christ shrink from the idea that God would test His people with the Tribulation, or that He would use suffering to help the church make herself ready as a Bride for Christ. Very clearly, though, suffering is the pathway to glory. We are called to it. Why? “Because Christ also suffered, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps.” As a result of this thinking, I no longer teach Christians they will not have to go through the Tribulation. Maybe they won’t, but I can do more for them by preparing them to face testing in His name than by teaching them that the Lord is going to rapture them out of the hour of trial.
In his article this layman also says, “There is a tremendous growth in that person who puts on the whole armor of God, that he may be able to withstand in the evil day.” My friend, I want you to know that the Great Tribulation is not called the “evil day.” It is called the great day of God’s wrath. That is how the Tribulation is described in the Bible. I don’t know how anyone could read and study the Book of Revelation and believe that going through the Great Tribulation would purify the church or that the bride has to make herself ready! What do you think Christ did when He died on the cross? He made us ready there. We can never become worthy to enter into the presence of God. We are going to enter His presence “in Christ,” and you can’t add anything to that. You can’t equate the hour of trial with the great day of the wrath of God that is going to come on this earth. The church will be delivered from that. The Book of Revelation has made that clear. The 144,000 have already been identified for us as Israelites, and even the tribes are identified for us, so there is no way in the world of saying that this group is the church; nor is that great company “which no man could number” the church, the bride of Christ (see Rev. 7:9).
We have seen that God was able to keep the 144,000 during the Great Tribulation. So it is not a question of whether God can keep the church in the Great Tribulation Period. Of course, He can keep the church if that is His will and plan. But, according to the Word of God, this is not His will and plan. The Lord Jesus said, “I am going to keep you from that hour that is coming on this earth,” from that terrible time of testing that is coming. I would like to put it like this: The church is not going through the Great Tribulation Period, but we are going through the little tribulation. All of us have troubles and trials, and I don’t know of a Christian who doesn’t have problems and difficulties. It seems like the more spiritually mature the saint of God is, the more he suffers. This is the method God uses to develop His children. We never become wonderful saints of God. We are just His little children, immature and undeveloped. When we come into His presence, we will be accepted because of what Christ has done for us, not because we have endured the Great Tribulation.
Another point to consider is that most of the church has already missed the Great Tribulation. For over nineteen hundred years believers have been going into the presence of Christ through the doorway of death. I hope you don’t believe that God is going to send them back to earth so they can go through the Great Tribulation Period! At best there will be only a small percentage of believers who are still alive when the time of tribulation comes upon the earth. The great majority of the church has already missed the Great Tribulation.
I have always had the impression that the folk who believe that the church will go through the Great Tribulation feel that our crowd needs it, and specifically that I need it, that I deserve to go through it. Well, I agree that I do deserve it, and I also deserve hell. But I’m not going to hell because Christ bore it for me, and I have trusted in Him. Neither am I going through the Great Tribulation. Why? Because Christ died for me, and He saves me by His grace. Isn’t the One who says that He is rich in grace able to deliver me out of the Great Tribulation?
It is true that God allows us to go through the little tribulation of this life. After having cancer and several major operations, I feel as if I have been through the little tribulation period. And it is by this method that God refines us and purifies us. A preacher friend said to me recently, “I can tell a difference in your ministry since you have gone through those illnesses.” I trust that he is correct in that. I know God allowed it for a purpose.
When I read the article by the brother who thinks the church should go through the Great Tribulation, I wondered if he had ever really suffered for Christ. A preacher friend of mine who holds this view was discussing it as we were having lunch together one day. As he was eating a T-bone steak, he talked as nonchalantly about the Great Tribulation as if it would not be any worse than the church wading through a river or enduring a very hot summer or experiencing an energy shortage. He apparently did not think of it as being the terrible time which is depicted in the Book of Revelation. Is God misrepresenting the facts to us? Is He just trying to scare us?
Well, my friend, there are places in this book where God uses symbols. Do you know why He uses symbols? He doesn’t do it in order to evaporate the facts so that we can dismiss them, but because the reality which the symbol represents is lots worse than the symbol. Many of the things which John tries to describe to us beggar description. Even God cannot communicate some of them to us—not because He is not able, but because we are dull of hearing, as He has told us. We don’t always understand. I am afraid that a great many folk just do not realize that the Great Tribulation is a terrible thing, and it is miraculous that the 144,000 will come through it. He won’t lose one of them. Why? Because they will be big, strong, robust fellows? No. They will overcome by the blood of the Lamb. That’s how they will do it.
CHAPTER 15
Theme: Preparation for final judgment of the Great Tribulation
In this chapter we have another sign in heaven, seven angels with the seven last plagues. Chapters 15 and 16 belong together because in them we have the pouring out of the seven mixing bowls of wrath. I imagine that you thought the worst was over, but the worst is yet to come. We have already seen the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven personalities. Now the coming seven bowls of wrath are the worst of all. Chapter 15, besides being the shortest chapter in Revelation, is the preface to the final series of judgments which come on the earth during the Great Tribulation. These judgments are the most intense and devastating of any that have preceded them.
The purpose of the Great Tribulation is judgment. It is not for the purifying of the church! It is to give Satan his final opportunity. God is going to remove the church before this time of tribulation because of His marvelous, infinite grace. If you are willing to accept His grace, then you can escape the Great Tribulation. Believe me, the bowls of wrath are not the “blessed hope” for which believers are looking. No, we are “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). If we will grow in love with Him, we will not consider the judgments of the Great Tribulation terrifying. You don’t have to stick your head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich and refuse to read the Book of Revelation. My friend, if you are trusting Christ, you won’t be going through it. But you need to know what the unsaved will have to go through, and that might make you a zealous witness for Christ in these difficult days.
Someone said of Dwight L. Moody that in his day he looked into the faces of more people than any man who ever lived and that he reduced the population of hell by two million. We hear a lot of talk about reducing the population explosion of this earth. Well, hell has had a population explosion for many years, and I would like to help reduce that.
Before these angels begin to pour out their bowls of wrath, there may be the question still in the minds of some if any believers were able to stand up against the Antichrist. If that question has not been answered to the satisfaction of the reader, it is answered here. There will be those who will be enabled to stand.
First of all, we will see the preparation for the final judgment of the Great Tribulation.
TRIBULATION SAINTS IN HEAVEN WORSHIP GOD
In the first four verses we see that the tribulation saints in heaven worship God because He is holy and just. This is another interlude.
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God [Rev. 15:1].
And I saw another sign in (the) heaven, great and wonderful, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them (was) finished the wrath of God.
This will bring us to the end of the Great Tribulation Period. I don’t know about you, but I will be glad to get to the end of it. And then we will see the coming of Christ to the earth.
“And I saw” assures us that John is still a spectator to these events. He is attending the dress rehearsal of the last act of man’s little day upon the earth.
“Another sign” connects this chapter with Revelation 12:1, the first sign, which, in the opening of chapter 12, was Israel. These seven angels of wrath are connected with the judgments to follow until Christ comes (see ch. 19). From chapter 12 to the return of Christ is a series of events which are mutually related. This does not mean that there is a chronological order but rather a logical order of retracing the same events with added detail. This method is the personal signature of the Holy Spirit, seen first in Genesis 1–2. In Genesis 1 we are given the account of the Creation, the seven days describing God’s handiwork. In chapter 2 the Holy Spirit lifted out the account of the creation of man and went over it again, adding details. It is known as the law of recapitulation, and it runs all the way through the Scriptures. For another example, we have the giving of the Mosaic Law in Exodus and then in Deuteronomy the interpretation of the Law with forty years of experience in the wilderness and a great deal of detail added. Also, when we come to the New Testament, we find not one, not two, but four gospel records because it takes four to give the many sides of the glorious person of Christ who came to earth over nineteen hundred years ago.
Satan, having been cast into the earth, brings down his wrath upon the remnant of Israel. Also, he makes a final thrust for world domination through the two Beasts. Then God makes a final display of His wrath and concludes earth’s sordid tragedy of sin. “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1).
“Was finished” in the Greek language is in the prophetic aorist tense, which considers an event in the future as already accomplished.
“The wrath of God” marks the final judgment of the Great Tribulation. God has been slow to anger, but here ends His longsuffering. Judgment in the final stages of the Day of Wrath proceeds from God, not from Satan or the wild Beast. It comes directly from the throne of God. God will judge.
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God [Rev. 15:2].
And I saw as it were a glassy sea mingled with fire, and them that came off victorious from the wild beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by (on the shore of) the glassy sea, having harps of God.
“A glassy sea mingled with fire” represents the frightful persecution by the Beast during the Great Tribulation Period. This is the period of time, as we have seen, where no man could buy or sell unless he had the mark of the Beast. It is going to be very difficult to get things to eat in that day. That is the reason the Lord Jesus, speaking of this period in His Olivet Discourse, said that whoever would give a cup of cold water in His name would not lose his reward. You see, anyone in that day who would give even a cup of cold water to one of the 144,000 would put his life in jeopardy because the Beast would put him to death for harboring what he would classify as a criminal.
Those will be very difficult days. Again I ask the question: Will anyone make it through the Great Tribulation? No, they won’t unless they are sealed. Although multitudes will be martyred during this period—and I think that a great many of the 144,000 will lay down their lives for Jesus—they will be faithful to Him until death. As we have seen, all of the 144,000 will be with the Lamb on Mount Zion.
“And them that came off victorious”—here are the tribulation saints who have come through the fires of persecution on the earth and yet have not lost their song. They have the harps of God, and in the next couple of verses we will see that they are able to sing, and they do sing.
How about us today, Christian friend? We are not in the Great Tribulation now and never will be, but even in these days are you having trouble keeping from your heart just a little root of bitterness? We are warned against this in Hebrews 12:15 because it is so easy for it to happen. Maybe this has no application to you, but it does have application to me. When I was in my teens, I came to know the Lord and at seventeen or eighteen made my decision to study for the ministry. I expected the Christians to support me in my decision. One wealthy family in Nashville actually turned against me. I was dating their daughter at the time, and they didn’t want a poor preacher in the family. A teenage boy feels these things most keenly, I guess, but even to this day I have to fight that little root of bitterness against that class of people who treated me so badly at that time. Now that wasn’t tribulation at all. It was a heartbreak, but it was not a Great Tribulation by any means.
What about that little root of bitterness? Are you having a problem with it? I meet people, Christian people, who have let that little root of bitterness spoil their lives to the point that it actually causes them to deteriorate in their Christian life and testimony. I know of a lovely Christian family back East. Something happened that caused them to become very bitter towards another family, and they refused to let it go. That root of bitterness has entered into their lives. I have seen the family sitting in church on Sunday without a smile on one of the faces. Bitterness can ruin your Christian life. We need to pray, in the face of life’s circumstances, that there will be no root of bitterness within us.
It is remarkable to see that these tribulation saints who have lived through the horror of the Great Tribulation have kept their song!
Let me share a poem on prayer with you. It was sent to me by one of our radio listeners.
Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered.
Her feet were firmly planted on the rock.
Amid the wildest storm she stands undaunted
Nor quails before the loudest thunder shock.
She knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer
And cries, It shall be done sometime, somewhere.
Unanswered yet? Nay, do not say ungranted.
Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done.
The work began when your first prayer was uttered,
And God will finish what He has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there,
His glory you will see, sometime, somewhere.
“Sometime, Somewhere”
—Ophelia Guyon Browning
My friend, in this life which you and I are living down here, a little bitterness will come in. What will we do about it? We need to pray. In fact, we need to pray about this more than anything else. If these saints can come through the Great Tribulation and still sing, you and I certainly ought to have a song in our hearts regardless of our circumstances.
The psalmist wrote, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps. 30:5). I have learned over the years that God will never let anyone cross your pathway, not even an enemy, unless it will teach you a lesson. He permits it for a purpose, for the development of your character. We need to be in prayer that we not fall into the trap of Satan and lose the joy of our salvation.
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest [Rev. 15:3–4].
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and wonderful are thy works, Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages (nations). Who shall not fear, Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts were made manifest.
If you want to learn “the song of Moses,” you will find it in Exodus 15:1–21 and Deuteronomy 32:1–43. Both songs speak of God’s deliverance, salvation, and faithfulness. “The song of the Lamb” is the ascription of praise to Christ as the Redeemer. We have seen that in Revelation 5:9–12.
Again let me call your attention to the fact that the Book of Revelation is Christocentric, that is, Christ-centered. Don’t let the four horsemen carry you away, or don’t be distracted by the blowing of the trumpets or by the seven performers. And don’t let your interest center on these bowls of wrath. Let’s keep our eyes centered on Christ. He is in charge; He is the Lord. In this book we have the unveiling of Jesus Christ in His holiness, in His power, and in His glory. The Man Christ Jesus is wonderful! He is the One who can put His hand in the hand of God and who can put His other hand in the hand of man and bring them together. He can do this because He is God.
“King of the ages” has two other renderings, King of saints and King of the nations. Any rendering indicates that Christ will be the object of universal worship and acknowledgment. There will be no place where He will not be worshiped.
“Who shall not fear, Lord, and glorify thy name?” In our day there is very little reverential fear of God, even among believers. We have been caught up in this love attitude, and I don’t think we should lose sight of the fact that God is love. But God is also light, which means He is holy. God is moving in on churches and dealing with Christians as I have never seen Him do before. I am one Christian who can testify to that. If you are God’s child, you had better not do as you please. If you think God would mind sending you a little trouble, you are wrong. God is to be feared. Our God is a holy God.
“Nations shall come and worship before thee.” The day will come when nations will come and worship before the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not true of nations today. That little prayer breakfast in Washington is a pretty sorry substitute for universal worship of God. One man used that prayer breakfast as an argument that we are living in a Christian nation. What nonsense! We are not living in a Christian nation, but there will come a day when every nation will worship Him. This knowledge should cause us to take heart as we see our own nation moving in the wrong direction. The day will come when God will remove the rebellious men and leave only those who will worship Him.
In Psalm 2:8 we read, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen [nations] for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” The nations are going to be His. And in Isaiah 11:9: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” In that day there will be no need for our Thru the Bible study because all men are going to have a knowledge of God. In Jeremiah 23:5 we are told, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”
It is true that our country has been through awful travail, but we have been so engrossed in our own problems that our hearts have grown weary from all the scandal. Other nations, however, have had this same problem. Today it is nauseating to see the immorality, the godlessness, and the injustice in the world. If I weren’t a Christian, I would be one of the most radical persons you have ever met. As a child of God, I can see what is happening in the world, but I know I cannot remedy one thing. But Christ is going to reign someday, and He is going to execute judgment and justice in the earth. Thank God for that! I get so tired of politicians telling me that they represent me in Washington and that they are going to do what I want them to do—when all the time they are doing everything they can for their own interests. With rare exceptions, this is equally true of each political party. In the face of gross immorality and gross injustice, what can we do? Well, all of us who are God’s children need to pray for our country and rejoice that there is coming One who will execute justice and judgment upon the earth.
In Philippians 2:9–11 we read this: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Those who are in hell will not acknowledge Him as their Redeemer, but they are going to acknowledge that He is the boss, He is running the universe, and it belongs to Him. And they are going to acknowledge the glory of God—they will have to do that.
“For thy righteous acts were made manifest.” This testimony, coming from witnesses of this period, is inexpressibly impressive and should settle in the minds of believers the fact that God is right in all that He does. What God is doing may not look right to you, but if you don’t think God is doing the right thing, you are wrong, not God. We need to adjust our attitudes and our thinking. Notice the testimony of the Psalms: “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins” (Ps. 7:9). “For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright” (Ps. 11:7). “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever…. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way…. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth” (Ps. 107:1, 40, 42). This will happen when God takes charge.
TABERNACLE OPENED IN HEAVEN FOR ANGELS WITH SEVEN BOWLS
At this point the temple of the tabernacle is opened in heaven in order that seven angels, having seven golden bowls, might proceed forth.
And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles [Rev. 15:5–6].
And after these things I saw, and the sanctuary (temple) of the tabernacle [Gr.: skenes] of the testimony (witness) in (the) heaven was opened; and there came out from the temple (the) seven angels, having the seven plagues, clothed in linen (precious stone) pure and white, and girt about the breast with golden girdles.
The “temple” is referred to fifteen times in the Book of Revelation. Its prominence cannot be ignored. In the first part of Revelation, through chapter 3, the church is the subject and there is no mention of a temple. Beginning with chapter 4 the scene shifts to heaven, and we see the temple in heaven; also there is a temple on earth patterned after the one in heaven. There is no temple in the New Jerusalem where the church is going. Why? Because the church is not identified with a temple. This fact makes it abundantly clear that, beginning with chapter 4, God is dealing with people who have had a temple, and only to Israel had God given a temple, patterned after the one in heaven. In this instance, the reference is specifically to the tabernacle (skenes) and the Holy of Holies in which the ark of the testimony was kept. In the ark were the tables of stone. Both the tabernacle and the tables of stone were duplicates of originals in heaven. “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount” (Exod. 25:40). “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these” (Heb. 9:23).
The originals are referred to in Revelation 11:19: “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” The action of God here is based on the violation of His covenant with Israel—the broken Law. God is righteous in what He is about to do. He will judge, then He will carry out His covenant with Israel.
The prominence of angels in this book is again called to our attention by the appearance of angels at this point. Previously, seven angels blew on seven trumpets. Here is the new series of seven angels who have the seven plagues of the seven bowls of wrath. The departure of the angels from the temple demonstrates that they depart from the throne of mercy, and now God acts in justice instead of in mercy.
“Clothed in linen.” The angels are clothed in linen—another meaning is clothed with precious stones. It is an enigmatic expression due to a variant reading in the text. Were they clothed in linen or a stone? The intention, it seems, is to describe their garments as studded and set with precious stones. Though their garments identify them in a priestly activity, they forsake that work of mercy for plagues of judgment.
The “golden girdles” reveal the angels in the livery of Christ, who no longer is exercising a priestly function but is seen here judging the world.
And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled [Rev. 15:7–8].
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the sanctuary (temple) was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no one was able to enter into the sanctuary (temple), till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.
“Seven angels seven golden vials.” Again let me call your attention to the repetition of the number seven. I sometimes hear it said that seven is the number of perfection, which is not exactly accurate. It is the number of completeness, and sometimes completeness is perfection. For example, in six days God created heaven and earth and rested on the seventh day—not only because it was complete, but because it was perfect. But here in the Revelation the series of sevens denote a completion. My feeling is that we have a complete history of the church in the seven churches, and that we have a complete Great Tribulation Period in each one of the series of sevens; in other words, each covers it all. First, in the seven seals we see a broad outline, then, as we read along in the prophecy, we see that God zeroes in and focuses on the last three and a half years.
“Bowls (vials), full of the wrath of God.” Notice, they are not filled with the love of God but with God’s wrath.
“The sanctuary (temple) was filled with smoke from the glory of God.” The very fact that this section continues to deal with the temple ought to indicate to anyone who is knowledgeable that the church is not involved. Neither the temple nor the tabernacle had anything to do with the church. They present marvelous pictures of Christ which have spiritual applications for us today, but that does not mean that the church should build a temple or a tabernacle. Rather, this section refers to Israel, a people who had a tabernacle and a temple. A great many are reluctant to admit this fact because they dismiss Israel from the plan and purpose of God at the beginning of the New Testament. As you can see, the New Testament by no means dismisses Israel!
The “seven golden bowls” represent the final part of the Great Tribulation Period. I think that “bowl” better describes the container than “vials”—a vial makes me think of a little test tube that is used in a laboratory. Bowls were used in the service of the temple. For example, a bowl of blood was taken by the high priest one day each year into the Holy of Holies. And that bowl of blood spoke of redemption for sin.
These seven angels with priestly garments, having departed from the temple proper, are no longer engaged in a service of mercy but are beginning a strange ministry of pouring out bowls of wrath on a Christ-rejecting world. A world that has rejected the blood of Christ must bear the judgment for sin. This judgment is not the result of man’s or Satan’s enmity. It is the direct action of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen the gentle Jesus, and now we see the wrath of the Lamb. You never think of a little lamb as being angry. A lion can roar, but not a little lamb. The wrath of the Lamb is going to startle the world someday.
The prophets of the Old Testament used the figure of the cup of iniquity and wrath filling up and spoke of God’s patience in waiting for it to fill. Then, when it is full, God moves in judgment.
These seven angels with seven golden bowls make it clear that the judgments of the bowls proceed from God and are not the result of man’s mistakes or of Satan’s enmity. These judgments are the direct action of God.
CHAPTER 16
Theme: Pouring out the seven bowls
The seven angels pouring out the seven bowls of God’s wrath upon the earth is the theme of this chapter. Also, it includes the interlude between the sixth and seventh bowls. Chapter 15 was the prelude to this chapter and is organically connected with it.
It is worth repeating that the bowls of wrath contain the direct judgment of God upon the world; they do not proceed from either man’s misdoings or Satan’s machinations. They are poured out during the reign of the Beast. They cover a very brief period of time, comparatively speaking.
There is a definite similarity between the judgments in this chapter and God’s judgments upon Egypt through Moses.
PREPARATION FOR FINAL JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION
The first verse of this chapter speaks of the message the great voice gives the seven angels.
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth [Rev. 16:1].
As usual, I’ll give the literal translation of the Greek text throughout this chapter.
And I heard a great voice out of the sanctuary (temple) saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth.
Let me remind you that the Lord Jesus Christ is still in full charge. Remember that way back in chapter 5 the Lord Jesus was the only One found worthy to open the seven-sealed book, and His opening of the seals ushered in this entire series of sevens. He is in command to the end of this book. He is the One who is marching to victory. The power and the glory and the majesty belong to Him. This is His judgment upon a Christ-rejecting world. The Father has committed all judgment unto Him. Christ is the One who gives the command that sends out these seven angels with the final judgments. There is no longer a delay, no longer an interval or intermission. The hour has come. The order is given, and the seven angels execute the command.
It is difficult for man, even Christians, to believe that God is going to pour out His wrath on a rebellious and God-hating world and destroy this civilization. But, my friend, everything you see today is under the judgment of God.
When Mrs. McGee and I first came to Southern California, we almost thought that we had entered the Millennium. Those were the good old days before the great population came, before we had smog and heavy traffic. I still love California, but it is not like it was then. Every Monday we would take the day off and go to see some of the sights. We would drive to the beach, to the mountains, or to the desert. One evening as we were driving down Wilshire Boulevard, a very attractive street, all around us we could see liquor signs and the world of glamour designed to satiate the demands of the flesh. I was reminded of what the Lord Jesus said to the apostles when they came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple, how beautiful they were. He said to them, “See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matt. 24:2). They were amazed that He would make a statement like that. And I said to my wife, “All of this beauty and glamour that we are seeing is going to pass away. It is under the judgment of God. It all is going up in smoke someday.” Believe me, we need to make our investments in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Perhaps you are saying, “But I have gilt-edged investments and bonds in a safety deposit box.” Yes, but you are still going to lose them because you are going to leave them. You are going to release your hand in death. You are going to turn them loose and move out.
This world in which we are living is under the judgment of God. It is hard for even believers to accept that fact. After almost a century of insipid preaching from America’s pulpits, the average man believes that God is all sweetness and light and would not discipline or punish anyone. Well, this Book of Revelation tells a different story!
POURING OUT OF THE FIRST BOWL
And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image [Rev. 16:2].
And the first went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became ( there broke out) a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the wild beast, and that worshipped his image.
Vincent writes in his Word Studies in the New Testament, “Each angel, as his turn comes, withdraws from the heavenly scene.” In other words, the angel leaves the place of the mercy seat in heaven and executes judgment. He leaves heaven and pours a judgment bowl of wrath upon the earth.
The first bowl of judgment is quite interesting. It looks as though God is engaged in germ warfare upon the followers of Antichrist. Scripture states that the life of the flesh is in the blood, and also death is in the blood. These putrifying sores are worse than leprosy or cancer. As man discovers a remedy for one disease, another that is more frightful appears. These are judgments of God by which He reveals physically what man is morally—utterly corrupt.
The first bowl of wrath compares to the sixth plague in Egypt and is the same type of sore or “boil” (see Exod. 9:8–12). It is interesting to note that Moses predicted coming judgment upon Israel similar to this. It has not as yet been fulfilled. This prediction is found in the Book of Deuteronomy: “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee” (Deut. 28:15). Now here is a list of them: “The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed” (Deut. 28:27). These diseases are incurable, according to Deuteronomy 28:35: “The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.” These are predictions of Moses.
Now here in the Book of Revelation, the “noisome and grievous sore” is for those who received the mark of the Beast. As we have already seen, those who did not receive the mark have been in a bad way also. They have not been able to buy or sell. If a man has a starving family, I’m not going to blame him for breaking into a market to get food for them. It has been a desperate time for those who have refused the mark. But now, at the end of the Great Tribulation, those who have the mark and have enjoyed all the privileges it brought are going to be judged by God.
May I add a personal comment here: I have always felt that my first bout with cancer was a judgment from God. I still feel the same way today. The fact that God healed me is a sign that He forgave me, and He has given me my greatest ministry since then. I am rejoicing in that. But during the Great Tribulation, God’s judgment of this terrible sore—which is probably worse than cancer—does not cause men to turn to God.
POURING OUT OF THE SECOND BOWL
And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea [Rev. 16:3].
This plague is more severe than that of the second trumpet, where only one-third of the sea became blood. Here it is the total sea, and the blood is that of a dead man!
Blood is the token of life. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood …” (Lev. 17:11). The sea is a great reservoir of life. It is teeming with life, and the salty water is a cathartic for the filth of the earth. However, in this plague, blood is the token of death; the sea becomes a grave of death instead of a womb of life. The cool sea breezes become a stench from the carcasses floating on the surface of the bloody water and lining the shore. Commerce is paralyzed. Human beings died like flies. The first plague in Egypt was the turning of the waters of the Nile River into blood (see Exod. 7:20–25). There is a striking similarity here.
I wonder if we realize how much we are dependent upon God today? The light company, the gas company, the water company send us bills, but where did they get the light, the gas, and the water? It is obvious that these companies have something to do with getting these things to us, but God was the One who created the light and the gas and the water. Has God ever sent you a bill for the sunshine, for the water you drink, and the air you breathe? Have you paid Him? He has not sent His bill, and you would not be able to pay it if He did. God, who has been so gracious to a Christ-rejecting world, will at last judge all the earth. The angels pour out the bowls in the day of God’s wrath.
POURING OUT OF THE THIRD BOWL
And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments [Rev. 16:4–7].
And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters and it became (there came) blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, The Holy One, because thou didst judge these things. For they shed the blood of saints and prophets, and blood didst thou give them to drink; they are worthy. And I heard the altar saying, Yea, the Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
This plague, similar to that of the third trumpet, again is more severe. There, only one-third of the fresh water was affected, and here the total water supply of the earth will be cut off. This means destruction of human life on an unparalleled plane.
“The angel of the waters” is the superintendent of God’s water department here on earth. This reveals another ministry of angels as it affects creation. They are in charge of the different physical departments of the universe. We have seen four angels who control the winds. This angel, who knows the whole story, now declares that God is right and holy in this act of judgment.
My friend, whatever God does is righteous and holy. If you don’t agree with Him, it is too bad. You are wrong, not God. Imagine a little man standing up and saying, concerning the Creator, “I don’t think He is doing right.” I have a question for the person who would make a statement like that: “What are you going to do about it? In fact, what can you do about it?” If you are not in agreement with God, you had better get in agreement with Him. God is righteous in everything He does.
“They shed the blood of saints and prophets, and blood didst thou give them to drink.” This is poetic justice with a vengeance. Those who take the sword will perish by the sword, and the shedding of blood leads to the shedding of blood. These who are being judged had made martyrs of God’s people, and now God is forcing them to drink blood for the righteous blood they spilled.
“The altar saying” evidently refers back to the saints under the altar who had been praying for justice to be done: “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Rev. 6:9–11). Here their prayer is answered. God was a long time getting to it, but now the time is come for answering their prayer.
POURING OUT OF THE FOURTH BOWL
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory [Rev. 16:8–9]
Our Lord predicted signs in the sun during the Great Tribulation: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25).
The Old Testament had a great deal to say about judgment during the Great Tribulation Period due to the excessive heat of the sun: “They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust” (Deut. 32:24).
Also the prophet Isaiah speaks of this: “Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left” (Isa. 24:6). Also—“Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart” (Isa. 42:25).
Back in the prophecy of Malachi we are told: “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Mal. 4:1).
To accomplish this, all that the Lord would have to do is to remove one or two blankets of atmosphere. Or He would need only to pull the earth a little closer to the sun—not much—and we would not be able to survive. It is this frightful period that Isaiah had in view when he wrote that the earth would be decimated. And our Lord said, “… Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved …” (Matt. 24:22).
Nevertheless, His own are preserved; “The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night” (Ps. 121:6). Though this promise is quite meaningless to us today, it will be a great comfort to the believer during the Great Tribulation.
“And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God.” In spite of all of this, instead of turning to God for mercy, they blaspheme His name. This reveals that the human heart is incurably wicked. No amount of punishment will purify it and change it. By the same token, the Great Tribulation is not for the purification of the church. Nowhere is it stated that the saints are being purified by the Great Tribulation. Rather, it is a judgement upon the earth.
POURING OUT OF THE FIFTH BOWL
And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds [Rev. 16:10–11].
And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the wild beast; and his kingdom was darkened, and they chewed their tongues from their pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.
“The throne of the wild beast” makes it clear that the first Beast of chapter 13 is a man. He also represents a kingdom, as you cannot have a king without a kingdom.
“His kingdom was darkened” indicates a strange darkness which might be called black light. We are familiar with that in our day. It will be a frightening thing. As the sun’s wattage is increased, it grows darker instead of lighter. The heat will be greater, but the light will be less. Note the similarity to the darkness of Egypt during the ninth plague (Exod. 10:21–22).
The Old Testament prophets had a great deal to say about this coming darkness: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee” (Isa. 60:2). “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations…. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:1–2, 31).
In addition to these two prophets, Nahum mentions it, Amos mentions it, and Zephaniah mentions it. Now the apostle John is merely saying, “This Great Tribulation Period is where these prophecies fit into the program of God.” And our Lord Himself confirmed it when He said, “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light” (Mark 13:24).
“They chewed their tongues from their pain.” Just think of the intensity of the suffering that is caused by these bowl judgments! But they don’t turn men from their wickedness.
There are two self-evident facts at this point: (1) God is righteous in pouring out the bowls of wrath. Let’s remember that. Jesus is the judge. He is in charge of handing out the punishment. (2) Yet mankind is not led to repentance through this suffering. The apostle Paul predicted this: “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:4–5). And here it is—the righteous judgment of God. And man continues to harden his heart and refuses to repent.
POURING OUT OF THE SIXTH BOWL
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared [Rev. 16:12].
And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water was dried up, that the way might be ready for the kings that come from the sunrising.
The Euphrates is called “the great river” in the Bible just as the Mediterranean Sea is called “the great sea.” The prominence of the Euphrates River in the Word of God should not be overlooked. First mentioned in Genesis 2, it is designated over twenty-five times in the Bible. In the verse before us it is seen in connection with the sixth plague. As it was prominent in the first state of man on the earth, so it is featured in his last state—that of the Great Tribulation. It was the cradle of man’s civilization and obviously will be the grave of man’s civilization. It was a border between east and west, eighteen hundred miles long, over half of it navigable. It was wide and deep, which made it difficult for an army to pass over it.
Abraham was called a Hebrew, and some interpret that as meaning he came from the other side of the Euphrates. The Euphrates was the eastern border of the land God promised to Abraham. “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Gen. 15:18). It also became the eastern border of the Roman Empire.
The Euphrates River will be miraculously dried up, thus erasing the border between East and West, so that the kings of the sunrising might come to the Battle of Armageddon. In the past Tamerlane came out of the East and swept across those plains with a tremendous horde, and Genghis Khan did the same thing. Those were just little previews of what is going to happen in the last days. After the Euphrates River is gone, the great hordes in the East that have never moved west will come in a great crusade to Palestine. The bulk of the world population is in the East, and having only a smattering of the gospel, they will choose Antichrist. The picture is frightful. Can anyone doubt, with the hundreds of millions pouring into Palestine, that the blood will be as deep as the horses’ bridles?
INTERLUDE: KINGS OF INHABITED EARTH PROCEED TO HAR-MAGEDON
Now between the sixth and seventh bowls of wrath is this interlude. (As I have pointed out, there is interlude, an hiatus, between the sixth and seventh features of each series of seven—with the exception of the seven performers.) It is a break for the filling in of details.
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty [Rev. 16:13–14].
And I saw (coming) out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the wild beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, as it were frogs. For they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth upon the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of the God, the Almighty.
This is Armageddon (more correctly spelled Har-Magedon). It is not to be a single battle but a war, the war of Armageddon.
It will be triggered, I believe, by the coming down of Russia from the north sometime around the middle of the Tribulation Period. The campaign extends the length of Palestine to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and the mountains of Edom. It will continue for approximately three and one half years. It will be concluded by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven to establish His kingdom. The Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings.
Here we are introduced to the trinity of hell—Satan, Antichrist, and the False Prophet. They act in unison in forcing the nations of the world to march against Israel in an attempt to destroy God’s purposes on earth. God gave certain promises to Abraham and to those who would come after him. He made certain covenants with the Hebrew people, and those covenants are going to stand, just like John 3:16 stands for believers today.
I want to say carefully and kindly that there is a system of theology abroad today that passes as conservative, but it takes the position that God is through with the nation Israel, that all of God’s covenants with Israel are negated, that God does not intend to make good any of His promises to Israel—yet there are literally hundreds of them in the Old Testament. This theological system simply spiritualizes these promises, and the proponents do so with no scriptural grounds whatsoever. Origen, one of the early church fathers who came from North Africa, started this method of spiritualizing instead of liberalizing the Scriptures. We need to remember that the Bible is a literal book. It is the purpose of Satan to destroy God’s covenants with Israel, and that is the reason Satan moves in and brings the whole world against this little nation. This will happen during the Great Tribulation.
As the study of prophecy develops, it is my conviction that this spiritualization of prophecy, although presently accepted, by, a great many expositors, will become a heresy in the church. I may not be around to see it, but just remember that McGee said it would happen.
Now let’s look at the tremendous scene before us.
“As it were frogs.” The question is: Will they be literal frogs? Well, they were literal in Egypt, and they could be literal in this case, but I am willing to accept them as a symbol. Perhaps you are saying, “Wait a minute, McGee, I thought you didn’t accept a symbol unless it was clearly a symbol.” Yes, that is right, and notice that John says, “as it were frogs”; he doesn’t say they were frogs. It seems to me that John is always very careful to give us an accurate picture of what he sees.
J. A. Seiss, in his book, The Apocalypse, Lectures on the Book of Revelation, comments on the frogs in a vivid manner:
They are spirits; they are “unclean spirits;” they are “demon spirits;” they are sent forth into activity by the Dragon Trinity; they are the elect agents to awaken the world to the attempt to abolish God from the earth; and they are frog-like in that they come forth out of the pestiferous quagmires of the universe, do their work amid the world’s evening shadows, and creep, and croak, and fill the ears of the nations with their noisy demonstrations, till they set all the kings and armies of the whole earth in enthusiastic commotion for the final crushing out of the Lamb and all His powers. As in chapter 9, the seven Spirits of God and of Christ went forth into all the earth to make up and gather together into one holy fellowship the great congregation of the sanctified: so these spirits of hell go forth upon the kings and potentates of the world, to make up and gather together the grand army of the Devil’s worshippers.
In our own day we have seen that the news media can become a propaganda agent to carry out the purposes of men who are in the background. The news media can brainwash the public. This is exactly what the trinity of evil will do. They will brainwash the nations of the world into marching against Israel.
The Lord Jesus is the only One who can stop this. Israel’s help does not come from the north or the south or the east or the west—that’s where their trouble is coming from. Their help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Behold, I come as a thief Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame [Rev. 16:15].
“Behold, I come as a thief.” Christ will never come as a thief to the church: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief” (1 Thess. 5:4, italics mine). A thief is someone you shut out; you don’t welcome him. You don’t put a note on the door when you leave your house which says, “Mr. Thief, I left the back door open for you. The silver is on the third shelf; help yourself.” You never welcome a thief. You lock him out. Christ does not come as a thief to His church which is looking for Him. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
The Lord Jesus Christ does come as a thief to the world at the end of the Great Tribulation, as the verse before us indicates. As we saw at the beginning of the Revelation, the whole earth will mourn because of Him. They don’t want Him to come. They would like to shut Him out from ever returning to the earth.
“Blessed is he that … keepeth his garments.” What garments are these? Edersheim sheds light on this phrase by explaining that the captain of the temple made his rounds during the night to see if the guards were awake and alert. If one was found asleep, he was either beaten or his garments set on fire. I suppose it could be paraphrased, “Don’t lose your shirt. Be sure that you are clothed with the righteousness of Christ.”
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon [Rev. 16:16].
This is the only occurrence of the word Armageddon in Scripture, although there are many references to it. It means “Mount of Megiddo.” It is a compound word made up of the Hebrew words Har, meaning “mountain,” and Megiddo, which is a mount in the plain of Esdraelon. I have been there several times. It is one of the most fertile valleys I have ever seen. I guess it is the most fertile valley in the world today. It is a place where many battles have been fought in the past. Vincent cites Clarke’s Travels regarding Megiddo in the plain of Esdraelon:
… Which has been a chosen place for encampment in every contest carried on in Palestine from the days of Nabuchodonozor king of Assyria, unto the disastrous march of Napoleon Bonaparte from Egypt into Syria. Jews, Gentiles, Saracens, Christian crusaders, and anti-Christian Frenchmen; Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks, and Arabs, warriors of every nation that is under heaven, have pitched their tents on the plain of Esdraelon, and have beheld the banners of their nation wet with the dews of Tabor and Hermon.
“He gathered them together.” The “he” is possibly God Himself. Although Satan, Antichrist, and the False Prophet act in unison to force the nations of the world to march against Israel, they nevertheless fulfill the Word of God.
POURING OUT OF THE SEVENTH BOWL
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great [Rev. 16:17–18].
And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and a great voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were lightnings, and voices and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.
“The seventh poured out his bowl upon the air.” This is the last series of seven judgments before the coming of Christ, and this is the seventh and last of the last seven. In other words, we are right at the end of the Great Tribulation here. At this point the only One who could deliver these people and set up a righteous kingdom on earth and bring peace to the world is the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us keep our eyes on Christ through this. He is the judge now.
“Upon the air” means in space, with no specific geographical location. The Lord Jesus Christ controls space. He is getting ready to come through space.
“The temple” has been mentioned again and again and again. It has been mentioned with the bowls of wrath, the trumpets, and the seals; in fact, it has been mentioned with each series of judgments. However, the temple has been mentioned with the bowls of wrath six times—more than with all the other judgments combined—and this is the last reference to it. There is no temple in the New Jerusalem, so this obviously has no reference to the church. Whether we like it or not, Israel will go through the Great Tribulation Period. We know that the remnant, all 144,000 of them, will make it through; that is, they will be faithful until death. And I do not know how many more there will be. We do know that a great company of Gentiles were sealed and that they are going to make it through the Great Tribulation also.
Again let me repeat that the church is not a part of this scene. The church is not going through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. God has two ways of saving people in the Great Tribulation Period: first, saving them out of it by taking them out of the world, as He took Enoch before the judgment of the Flood; second, by saving them in it, as He preserved the life of Noah during the Flood. God will definitely save people during the days of the Great Tribulation, but the church will not be a part of that, for it will have been taken from the earth before the Tribulation begins.
“A great voice came out of the temple, from the throne.” That voice is not identified for us, but I personally believe that it is the voice of none other than the Son of God. His message is recorded: “It is done.” This is the second time we have heard Him say this. When He was hanging upon the cross, He said, “It is finished”—in Greek it is one word: Tetelestai, “It is done” At that point in history redemption was wrought and salvation was finished for man. There is nothing man can contribute to his salvation; he must simply receive it by faith. You can have a finished redemption; but if you won’t accept it, there will be a judgment. For those who have refused God’s salvation, there is nothing they can do to escape the judgment of God. It is done. No wonder the writer to the Hebrews wrote: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Heb. 2:3). Christ is the judge, and the judgment of the Great Tribulation is now concluded. “It is done” is His announcement, and there is nothing ahead but judgment, the Great White Throne judgment.
Lightnings, voices, and thunders were the solemn announcement in the beginning of the Great Tribulation that judgment was impending. “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Rev. 4:5). Now again at the conclusion of the Tribulation are voices and thunders and lightnings.
“There was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth.” The Word of God makes it very clear that here at the end of the Great Tribulation Period there is to be a horrendous earthquake which probably will shake the entire world.
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great [Rev. 16:19–21].
And the great city became (divided) into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the indignation of His wrath. And every island fled away, and mountains were not found. And great hail, as it were a talent weight, comes down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.
This concludes the Great Tribulation Period. There is a great earthquake, and it divides the “great city,” which is Jerusalem. The earthquake divides this city into three parts. Although the center of the earthquake is in Jerusalem, it is not confined to Jerusalem, because we are told that “the cities of the nations fell.” This tells us something of the extent and the vast destruction of the earthquake.
“Babylon” is mentioned specifically again. It was mentioned in chapter 14, verse 8, which says, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” The next two chapters give us the details concerning Babylon.
“Every island fled away” reveals that even the islands are shifted from one place to another by the earthquake.
The final act of judgment is the hailstorm. The size of the hailstones is enormous—“a talent weight.” The Greek talent was fifty-six pounds, and the Jewish talent was one hundred fourteen pounds. In Texas I can remember seeing hailstones as big as baseballs, but this beats the Texas story altogether. A very interesting hailstorm is recorded during the time of Joshua: “And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword” (Josh. 10:11).
According to the historian Josephus, the Roman catapults threw stones the weight of a talent, into Jerusalem in a.d. 70 when Titus leveled the city.
The miraculous hailstorm ends the Great Tribulation Period.
CHAPTER 17
Theme: The apostate church in the Great Tribulation
In chapters 17–18 we see the judgment of the two Babylons. We will first see the apostate church in the Great Tribulation in chapter 17, and then we will see not only religious Babylon but also commercial Babylon in chapter 18.
So many great issues are brought to a crisis in the Great Tribulation that it is difficult to keep them separated, and many fine expositors disagree on details. We have already noted this as we have gone through this Book of Revelation. Although we agree with the system of interpretation, we do disagree on details.
This fact should not be disturbing to believers, as many details will not be clarified until the world enters the Great Tribulation Period and actually faces the climax to each crisis.
This is especially evident relative to the two Babylons in chapters 17–18. The questions are: “Are there two Babylons, and are they in two different geographical locations? Are they representative of two systems? Are they two literal cities, or are they the same?” The answers to these questions will become more apparent as our redemption draws near. It appears at the present time, in my judgment, that two distinct cities are in view.
Here in chapter 17 it is mystery Babylon, the cosmic church, the apostate church. The church of Thyatira, described in chapter 2, verses 18–29, which permitted Jezebel to teach, will become the apostate church of the Great Tribulation. It will attain the goal of the present-day apostates of all the great systems of the world: Romanism, Protestantism, pagan religions, cults and “isms.” Even in our so-called independent Bible churches there will be those who are not believers, and during the Tribulation they will join this great organization that may call itself a church but is not. The Bible calls it a harlot. There couldn’t be a worse label than that! This is ecumenical ecclesiasticism of the one-world church. The location of this system could be in Rome. Rome, the city built on seven hills, is probably the city in mind here. However, Geneva, where the World Council of Churches has its headquarters, is also included, and other places, such as Los Angeles—if I know Los Angeles, and I think I do—can also make a healthy contribution to it!
It is called mystery Babylon because of its origin. At the Tower of Babel man attempted to rally against God. Under Nimrod, Babylon became the origin of all false religion. Now the dream of Nimrod will be realized in the first half of the Great Tribulation Period, for the cosmic church dominates the wild Beast. The church that should have been the bride of Christ is a harlot here. This church is guilty of spiritual fornication, selling herself to the world for hire. This is the church that says, “I am rich and increased with goods, and I have need of nothing.”
Looking back at the study of the seven churches, in chapters 3–4 of the Book of Revelation, I pointed out that the church in Philadelphia represented the church that would be raptured before the time of the Tribulation Period. He said to that church, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation” (Rev. 3:10). That “hour” is the Great Tribulation, and we have been in that “hour” a long time in our study of this Book of Revelation.
The true church will not go through the Great Tribulation; it will be raptured before the Tribulation begins. Let’s be specific: who will be raptured? Not certain denominations and not just individual churches, but His church, a collective term meaning all true believers, those who are in Christ. That is the group that will be taken out at the Rapture, and the rest of the church members will be left here on this earth to go through the Great Tribulation. As Dr. George Gill used to say, some churches will meet the Sunday after the Rapture and will not miss a member. But let’s clearly understand that they are not true believers. They are not part of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. He never calls them His church; He calls it a harlot! It is a pseudo-religious system, which controls the wild Beast during the first half of the Great Tribulation, yet it is hated by him. During the last half of the Tribulation, the Beast destroys the harlot in order to set up his own religion. J. Dwight Pentecost in his book, Things To Come, (p. 368) gives this comment concerning the harlot system:
The Beast, who was dominated by the harlot system (Rev. 17:3), rises against her and destroys her and her system completely. Without doubt the harlot system was in competition with the religious worship of the Beast, promoted by the False Prophet, and her destruction is brought about so that the Beast may be the sole object of false worship as he claims to be God.
Babylon is to be rebuilt, as we have seen in Isaiah and Jeremiah, and here in chapters 17–18 we see it destroyed. Ecclesiastical Babylon will be destroyed by the wild Beast.
Ecclesiastical Babylon is destroyed by the wild Beast.
Commercial Babylon is destroyed by the return of Christ.
Ecclesiastical Babylon is hated by the Beast.
Commercial Babylon is loved by the world.
Ecclesiastical Babylon is destroyed at the beginning of the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation.
Commercial Babylon is destroyed at the end of the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation—that is, at the very end. Zechariah 5:5–11 also has something interesting to say in this connection.
GREAT HARLOT RIDING THE WILD BEAST
I do not have words to describe how frightful this picture is. The harlot is the false church, as we have said. And the wild Beast is the restored Roman Empire, which will be brought back together by Antichrist with the assistance, I believe, of the false church.
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication [Rev. 17:1–2].
As usual, I’ll give my own literal translation of the Greek text throughout the chapter.
And there came one of the (7) seven angels that had the (7) seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.
“The great harlot” is that part of the church that will remain after the true church has been raptured. It will be composed of those who have never trusted Christ as Savior; they have never been in the body of Christ. This is the group that enters the Great Tribulation.
We are told certain things about her. She “sitteth upon many waters.” According to verse 15, which we will see later, the “waters” refer to great masses of people and nations. The harlot will pretty much control the world.
“The kings of the earth committed fornication,” show that there is an unholy alliance between church and state during that period.
My friend, the movement in our day of bringing all religions together certainly falls into the pattern of this false church which is to appear—and Scripture doesn’t even dignify it by the name of church, although I am sure it will call itself that. I believe that this movement is more dangerous to our own country than is any foreign political system and that it is more dangerous than the so-called new morality. I believe that it is more dangerous than any other movement. It will become a powerbloc that will dazzle the unthinking mob. It will bring the world under the influence of the wild Beast out of the sea and the wild Beast out of the earth. They will use the apostate church to control the masses, and the church will yield to this arrangement for political preferment and power.
You see, when you reject the genuine, you are wide open for the spurious. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that when someone rejects the love of the truth that they might be saved, they will believe the big lie.
“The judgment of the great harlot.” God’s cup of judgment will be pressed to the lips of the harlot. And who is going to destroy her? The Beast himself will destroy her. You see, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will not want her around after she has served their purpose. Antichrist wants to be worshiped, and he doesn’t want any competition from the church.
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns [Rev. 17:3].
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
“He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness.” Remember that John was on the Isle of Patmos in the Spirit for the vision of the glorified Christ and His message to the churches. At that time John was caught up to heaven. From then on the scene shifts from heaven to earth. However, here we are told again that John was in the Spirit. Did he need a fresh anointing of the Spirit for this vision? I rather think so. Is the wilderness literal? Remember that this chapter is a vision where symbols are used. Around both Babylon and Rome there is a literal wilderness. This is a matter of recorded history. Babylon was to become a wilderness, and in this connection read Isaiah 47–48 and Jeremiah 50–51. Outside of Rome the wilderness is called the campagna. I believe that the wilderness mentioned in this verse is literal but also that it is a sign of the chaotic condition of the world brought about by the religious confusion of Babylon.
John saw a woman “sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast.” This is a frightful and frightening scene. The wild Beast has previously been identified as the Antichrist ruling over the restored Roman Empire. The woman is identified for us in verse 18: “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” The woman is a city, and the city is Rome, the religious capital of the world. She is religious Rome, which at that time will have inherited all the religions of the world. You see, all true believers will have left the world scene at the time of the Rapture. This includes all true believers, and I have discovered that there are many true believers in Romanism and in liberal churches and even in some very weird religious systems. All genuine believers, regardless of where they have gone to church, will be raptured. This will leave a church on earth that is totally apostate. Rather than being “the bride of Christ,” God calls it a harlot.
The city is further identified in verse 9: “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Rome was the city set on seven hills and was known as such to both pagan and Christian writers. Horace wrote, “The gods, who look with favour on the seven hills….” Ovid added, “But Rome looks around on the whole globe from her seven mountains, the seat of empire and abode of the gods.” Augustine wrote, “Babylon is a former Rome, and Rome is a later Babylon.” In these verses the city of Rome is assuredly in view. The woman, the harlot represents a religious system that will be revealed during the first part of the Great Tribulation Period after the true church has been removed from the earth. And this religious system, as the symbol given to us indicates, dominates and rides the Roman Empire at the beginning of the Great Tribulation Period.
“Full of names of blasphemy” reveals how far religion will have departed from the living Christ.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH [Rev. 17:4–5].
And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication, and upon her forehead a name written MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
“Clothed in purple and scarlet.” Purple was the predominant color of Roman imperialism. Every senator and consul wore a purple stripe as a badge of his position, and the emperor’s robes were purple. Scarlet is the color adopted by Roman Catholicism.
“Gilded with gold” shows the beauty of the outward display, but, like the Pharisees, it is within “full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.”
“Precious stone and pearls!” are pretty cold, though they may be genuine, and are a sordid imitation of genuine heartfelt religion. The Lord Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess” (Matt. 23:25).
“A golden cup full of abominations!” is the religious intoxication of the anti-church (not Antichrist) and a pseudoreligion, counterfeit Christianity, a fake and false gospel, and a sham and spurious system. This is the cup which makes the world drunk. “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad” (Jer. 51:7).
“Upon her forehead a name written” is a startling revelation of the character of this woman. She does not wear a crown but rather the mark of her profession. It is of interest to see that Seneca, in addressing a wanton priestess, said, “Thy name hung from thy forehead.” “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” is the disgraceful title for the “church” which should belong to Christ as a bride.
Now I know that we live in a day of changing morality, but I am a little old-fashioned, and I still think that the Word of God is right, in its values. I think that the finest thing in the world is a woman and that God has made her that way. When she marries, she is brought into a relationship in which she can give to a man that which puts him in orbit. It is my firm conviction that the thing our civilization has done for a woman has not been to liberate her but to enslave her so that she has become more of a sex symbol than ever before. Instead of taking her rightful place where she can lift a man to the heights, she is characterized as the one who pulls him down to the depths. And the lowest picture you can have is that of a harlot. You may not like it, but that is how the Word of God sees it.
“MYSTERY BABYLON.” The true church is a mystery in that it was not revealed in the Old Testament (see Eph. 3:1–9). The anti-church, designated here as a harlot, is a mystery in that it was not revealed until John wrote Revelation 17. Let me say again that when the true church left the earth at the time of the Rapture, the phonies, those who were only church members, entered the Great Tribulation Period, and the system continued—not now a church, but a harlot. Paul had written of the mystery of iniquity: “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now hinders will hinder until he be taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7). The anti-church is the antithesis of the true church, which is the virgin bride of Christ, and it is the consummation of the working of “the mystery of iniquity.” It is “MYSTERY BABYLON” because it is given this designation just as Jerusalem is called Sodom.
Babylon is the fountainhead for all false religion; therefore she is “THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” This is, by far, Scripture’s more expressive and vivid picture of awful and abominable sin. Sex and false religions are related, you may be sure of that. I believe that many young people are really missing it in marriage when they do not stand at the marriage altar in the presence of God presenting themselves to each other, having kept their bodies for the marriage. That was God’s ideal and still is.
Have you noticed that this “MYSTERY BABYLON” is called the “MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS”? The mother of harlots—not singular but plural. In our day the ecumenical church has faced a lot of problems. It seems that they have recognized psychological differences in people and that it is impossible to water down theologies and practices to suit everyone. So each group will come into this great world ecumenical system but retain some of its peculiarities. For example, those who want to immerse will immerse. Those who want to sprinkle will sprinkle. Those who want elaborate ritual will have it, and those who want no ritual will have that. You see, there is going to be more than the mother harlot—there will be a whole lot of harlots, a regular brothel.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns [Rev. 17:6–7].
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the wild beast that is carrying her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
“Drunken with the blood of the saints.” The harlot not only makes others drunk, but she is intoxicated by her acts of persecution. While it is true that the church will not go through the Great Tribulation, as we near the end of this age of grace, believers can expect some tribulation. It is my experience and that of other Christian leaders that today it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand for the Word of God and for the things of Christ.
“The saints” probably refer to Old Testament saints, and “the martyrs of Jesus” refer to New Testament saints. This indicates that “BABYLON” is more than just Romanism. Rather, it is an amalgam of all religions. All true believers were caught up at the Rapture, and Babylon is the residue of what is left.
Babylon is a composite religious system which includes Protestantism, Romanism, cults—the whole lot which was not raptured, you see. It is confusion compounded and is the fountainhead of all religious error and idolatry. Babylon in the Old Testament persecuted God’s people and was the enemy of God. It was Babylon that put the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace because they would not worship an image.
When John saw the vision of the woman, he says that he “wondered with a great wonder.” This is the first time that John has had his mind boggled. We have had our minds boggled before, but this really throws John. The angel asks why he should wonder when he (the angel) was present to explain the mystery of the woman.
The emphasis here is on the Roman Empire aspect of the wild Beast rather than on the Antichrist aspect. We should note that.
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space [Rev. 17:8–10].
The wild beast which thou sawest was and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go (goeth) into perdition. And those dwelling on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written upon the book of life from the foundation of the world (cosmos), when they behold the wild beast because it was, and is not, and shall come (be present). Here is the mind having wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; the five have fallen (fell), the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while.
The wild Beast “was” speaks of the past history of the Roman Empire. “Is not” refers to the present condition of the fragmented Empire. The Roman Empire is not dead. It has fallen apart into the nations of Europe today. “Is about to come up out of the abyss” speaks of the reactivation of the Roman Empire by Satan.
As I have indicated before, many have attempted to put the Roman Empire back together again but have never been successful. Charlemagne tried it, Napoleon tried it, Hitler tried it, Mussolini tried it, and at the time I am writing this, the United Nations is trying it, but they, too, are failing. The wild Beast, who is the Antichrist, will be the one who puts the Roman Empire back together again.
“Shall … go into perdition” speaks of the destruction of the Roman Empire by the coming of Christ. The reappearance of the Roman Empire in its great power will win the admiration of the peoples of the world who are not redeemed. They will respect and worship the Antichrist for his brilliant coup d’etat. God’s saints will have the mind of the Spirit and will understand and not be spiritually stupid: “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things…. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:20, 27).
“And there are seven kings” is taken by some (including Newell and Govett, who are excellent commentators on Revelation) to mean individual rulers. Govett gives the following list:
1. Julius Caesar—assassinated
2. Tiberius—poisoned or smothered
3. Caligula—assassinated
4. Claudius—poisoned
5. Nero—committed suicide
“The one is” refers to Domitian who was living in John’s day, who was also assassinated.
“The other is not yet come” refers to the Antichrist. Other expositors (as Scofield and Walter Scott) consider these seven as the different forms of government through which Rome passed. These are listed as kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and military tribunes. “The one is” refers to the sixth or imperial form of government set up by Julius Caesar and under which John was banished by Domitian. The seventh and last, though it has not yet appeared, will be satanic in form
Regardless of the interpretation adopted, the end in view is the same—the Antichrist rules over the reactivated Roman Empire.
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful [Rev. 17:11–14].
And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition. And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who (of the kind which) have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the wild beast, for one hour. These have one mind, and they give (over) their power and authority unto the beast. These shall war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and those with Him (shall overcome), called and chosen and faithful.
At times the wild Beast signifies, generally, the Roman Empire, but also it signifies the last or eighth head; that is, the individual emperor who is Antichrist. Now here the Anti-christ is designated. He is the “little horn” in the vision that God gave to the prophet Daniel. The “little horn” puts down three other horns—that is, three kings—when he comes to power. “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things…. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings” (Dan. 7:8, 24). In my book, Delving Through Daniel, I go into detail on this “little horn.”
“The beast that was” refers to the past history of the Roman Empire under the emperors.
“And is not” refers to the end of Imperial Rome with its global empire, which came to an end sometime between the third and fifth centuries.
“Is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven” identifies the Antichrist with the return to the imperial form of the restored Roman Empire. He is the “little horn” of Daniel, chapter 7. He is not one of the ten horns, but he is separate from them. He is an eighth head in this seven, yet he is one of the seven since he restores the last form of government to Rome. Now that will confuse you, I know, but that is exactly what is being said here in Revelation.
“The ten horns” are the same as the ten horns of Daniel 7:7. These ten kings will reign with the Antichrist but will be subservient to him. They willingly or unwillingly give over their authority to the Antichrist and become his puppets.
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth [Rev. 17:15–18].
And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes (mobs), and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolated and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her (down) with fire. For God did put into their hearts to do His mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth.
“The waters” are explained to be the many ethnological groups as well as the nations of the world. This figure is in harmony with that used in the Old Testament. You can check that out with Isaiah 8:7 and Psalm 18. The position of the harlot reveals that she is ruling over them for only a brief time.
“The ten horns” are ten kings (as told us in verse 12) who rule over the different divisions of the Roman Empire. They in turn give over to the Beast their kingdoms. This solidifies the Roman Empire and enables the Beast to lift himself up as a world dictator.
For a time the Beast (Antichrist) is willing to share his place of exaltation with the harlot, since she has also sought to advance his cause while dividing his glory. This he hates, and the ten kings are one with him in this. The Antichrist not only breaks his covenant with Israel, but he also breaks his relationship with the apostate church. This hatred against the apostate church is so violent that the reaction is described as the cannibalistic picking of her bones, then burning them with fire! This great hatred destroys the false church. This is what happens to the false church. It has no victory. It never comes into the presence of Christ. It is not raptured. Finally it is destroyed by the Antichrist.
In doing this the Antichrist and his ten allies are fulfilling the Word of God and carrying out His will as did the Assyrian (as predicted in Isaiah 10:5–19) and just as surely as Caesar Augustus did when he signed the tax bill that moved Mary and Joseph down to Bethlehem so Scripture could be fulfilled.
By eliminating the apostate church, the way is cleared for the worship of Antichrist, as advocated by the False Prophet.
“The woman” is a religious system, as we have seen. Also, I believe she is further identified as a city, the city of Rome.
This is the frightful but just end of the apostate church. However, it does not improve the situation. Rather it introduces the darkest period for religion in the history of the world. The reign and religion of Antichrist is the darkest hour earth will know, and yet it is the inevitable end of the distrust which began in the Garden of Eden when man failed to believe God. It was given new impetus at the Tower of Babel, which was a rallying place for those against God. And finally it climaxed in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ when man rejected the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Having rejected the truth, the only alternative left for man is to believe the big lie, the strong delusion. History will culminate in the catastrophic coming of Christ to this earth, as we shall see in chapter 19. This is the just retribution of error and evil.
My friend, you as a Christian should have thankfulness in your heart, knowing you will be spared from the Great Tribulation, but also you should have a real concern for your loved ones who may be facing this frightful period that lies ahead.
CHAPTER 18
Theme: Political and commercial Babylon judged
In the chapter before us we see the judgment of commercial Babylon and the reaction of both earth and heaven to it.
In chapters 17–18 two Babylons are brought before us. The Babylon of chapter 17 is ecclesiastical. The Babylon of chapter 18 is economic. The first is religious—the apostate church which entered the Great Tribulation Period. The second is political and commercial. The commercial center is loved by the kings of the earth; and the apostate church is hated by the kings of the earth, as we saw in chapter 17. The apostate church is destroyed by the kings of the earth. When Christ returns, political Babylon will be destroyed by the judgment of God. Obviously, mystery Babylon, the apostate church, is destroyed first in the midst of the Great Tribulation, while commercial Babylon will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ. These two Babylons are not one and the same city. I personally believe that mystery Babylon is Rome and that, when it goes down in the midst of the Great Tribulation, the religious center shifts to Jerusalem because it is at Jerusalem that the False Prophet will put up his image of the Antichrist to be worshiped. Commercial Babylon is ancient Babylon, rebuilt as the commercial capital of the world. This city is the final capital of the political power of the Beast.
A few years ago it seemed rather farfetched that the power could reach back into the Mideast, but since then we have experienced a shortage of energy, and when they cut off the oil supply, the whole world feels it. They wield tremendous power. The wealth of the world is moving into that particular area because of the price of oil. It could well become the great commercial capital of the world. And this great commercial center, which will be Babylon rebuilt, will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ.
Sometime ago a Jew challenged the Israeli minister of tourism by saying, “How does it come about that all the countries surrounding Israel have oil, but Israel doesn’t?” His reply was this: “God gave the Arabs oil and the Jews the Bible. Do you want to exchange with them? God forbid. The oil will run out quick enough, but the Bible will last forever.”
There had been some disagreement among conservative expositors about whether or not ancient Babylon will be rebuilt. Candidly, for many years I took the position that it would not be rebuilt. However, I believe now that it will be rebuilt. Isaiah 13:19–22 speaks of the fact that ancient Babylon is to be rebuilt and destroyed, and this destruction is what is mentioned in chapter 18 of Revelation, which is before us. Actually, I don’t think it could be rebuilt on the same spot because the Euphrates River has moved about fourteen miles from the ancient city.
There are views of the destruction of Babylon which are diametrically opposed to each other. The viewpoint and perspective are highly important. (1) The reaction of men of business and politics is one of great anguish. To them it is the depth of tragedy. It means the total bankruptcy of big business. (2) The second reaction is that of heaven. It is one of joy that the holiness and justice of God is vindicated. It means the end of man’s sinful career on earth. This will bring to an end the Great Tribulation Period.
ANNOUNCEMENT AND FALL OF COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL BABYLON
Chapter 18 begins with “another angel” who comes down from heaven with a message.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory [Rev. 18:1].
As usual, I’ll give my literal translation of the Greek text throughout this chapter.
After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Again we have this very interesting statement, “after these things” (Gr.: meta tauta). After what things? After the series of sevens and after the judgment of religious Babylon come these things. Progress has definitely been made—through the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the seven personages, and the seven bowls of wrath—and we are advancing to the end of the Great Tribulation. In fact, this brings us to the end of the Great Tribulation.
John says, “I saw.” He is still a spectator. He saw “another angel,” which takes us back to chapter 14 where a series of six angels is mentioned, each with the sole identification of “another angel.” This angel is a divine, supernatural messenger of God, but faceless and nameless. He has great authority (power), which indicates that he has a superior rank to the other “another angel,” and he is bringing an important message.
“The earth was lightened with his glory” seems to further signify the prestige of this angel (cf. Ezek. 43:2).
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird [Rev. 18:2].
And he shouted with a mighty voice, saying, Fell, fell is Babylon the great, and became a habitation of demons, and a prison (hold, cage) of every unclean spirit, and a prison (hold, cage) of every unclean and hated bird.
The preliminary announcement of the fall of Babylon was made in Revelation 14:8: “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” The angel here is greater in authority than the one who made that first announcement.
In the words, “Fell, fell is Babylon … and became,” the tense in the Greek is prophetic aorist which speaks of coming events as if they have already transpired. When God says something is going to happen, you can speak about it as though it had already happened, because it is going to happen. It is just that sure. In God’s plan and program it is just as though it had already taken place because He knows the end from the beginning. Babylon, this great commercial center of the world, is going to be destroyed.
“A habitation of demons, and a cage of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hated bird.” This indicates that Babylon is where demons of the spirit world and unclean birds of the physical world will be incarcerated during the Millennium. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah confirm this (see Isa. 13:19–22; Jer. 50:38–40). These prophecies find a final fulfillment in the destruction of literal Babylon here in Revelation 18. If this is true, there is no prophecy which forbids Babylon from being rebuilt. Babylon is the headquarters of demons and has been the place of rebellion down through the years.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies [Rev. 18:3].
For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations have drunk (or are fallen); and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonnesss.
“Have drunk” (or are fallen) are the two permitted renderings—both have good manuscript authority. Both are true. The normal rendering is “have drunk.” This is God’s judgment on big business which denies God’s authority. This is the unholy alliance of government and business. We have seen some of this in our day and, frankly, it smells to high heaven.
The word for merchants means “those who travel.” It is not those who produce goods or manufacture goods, but those who are brokers, engaging in business for a big profit. Business is a sacred cow that nothing must harm or hinder. This is true today, of course. Man uses business as the biggest excuse for having no time for God, yet these same men must finally stand before God. God will judge godless commercialism. Big business is in for it, I can assure you of that. In fact, it has had a rough time in our day.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues [Rev. 18:4].
And I heard another voice out of heaven, saying, Come forth out of her, my people, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
This verse reveals that God’s people are going to be in the world to the very end (it is not speaking of the church which has already been removed before the Great Tribulation began), but God will have His people on earth during the Tribulation. The question has always been: Will they be able to make it through? That is, will they remain faithful to Christ? Yes, they do make it through. Remember that God started with 144,000, and the number that will make it through the Tribulation is 144,000. This is like the parable the Lord Jesus told about the shepherd who started out with one hundred sheep and one of them got away. But he didn’t end up with ninety-nine; he ended up with one hundred, because he went out and got that little sheep that was lost.
The One who is speaking in this verse is none other than the Son of God, and He is calling His people out of Babylon before the judgment comes. It is a physical separation with a corollary in the experience of Lot in Sodom. As Lot was warned to get out of Sodom to escape the deluge of fire (see Gen. 19), so these people of God are warned. God’s Word tells us, “When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them” (Deut. 4:30–31).
Such was also God’s warning to Israel in Jeremiah 51:5–6, 45 and in Isaiah 48:20. The warning is twofold: (1) They are to have no fellowship with the sins of Babylon and (2) they are to flee before judgment falls.
I think this has a pertinent application for us today. It should be a warning to us, not that God will fail to save His own from this hour, but that He wants us to be separate, not indulging the old nature, but walking by the Spirit. If we will not deal with sin in our own lives here and now by confessing and forsaking it, He will deal with it. Either He will judge sin now, or it will meet us at the judgment seat of Christ. God gives us the opportunity of judging our sin today: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31–32).
How can we judge our own sin? First John 1:9 has the answer: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” To “confess” means to say the same thing that God says about it. It means to take God’s viewpoint and say, “God, I agree with You. What I did was sin.” It is so easy to make excuses for our own sin. We say that ours is not really sin—of course, if our neighbors do it, it is sin. But until you and I are willing to call our sin sin, we haven’t confessed it at all. If we refuse to judge ourselves, we will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. The sins of some folk will not be settled until they stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I hope to get all of my accounts straightened out down here. Just because God may not take us to the woodshed immediately does not mean that He is letting us get by without punishment. He doesn’t spank the Devil’s children, but if you are His child, judgment will come to you.
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities [Rev. 18:5].
Babylon has a long history of accumulated sins, and God has the record. It is one of the oldest cities in the history of mankind and is probably mentioned more than any other city in the Bible, with the exception of Jerusalem. Finally judgment breaks like a flood upon this city and its system. The judgment of God may be delayed, but it is sure. It may seem to us that the unbeliever is getting by with sin, but God’s judgment is coming.
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double [Rev. 18:6].
Render unto her even as she also rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works; in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double.
This is poetic justice (see Obad. 15). The cup of iniquity is being filled to the brim; when the last drop is poured in, it is pressed to the lips of those who committed iniquity. My friend, this is just—read Psalm 137. God is right and just in what He does.
How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow [Rev. 18:7].
How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton (lived in luxury), so much give her of torment and mourning; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.
You see, the prosperity of Babylon blinded her to the judgment of God. Trading was active on the stock market, and everyone bought blue chip issues right up to the moment of judgment. Luxury, arrogance, pride, sin, and self-deception characterized the spirit of this godless city. World peace was in sight, and optimism was the spirit of the day. Only the prophets of gloom issued a warning, and they were classified as “squares,” as was Noah (and as Vernon McGee is today).
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her [Rev. 18:8].
This calls to our attention the suddennesss of destruction and that it will be by “fire.” So great is her grief that “mourning” is counted a plague along with “death” and “famine.” Death, mourning, and famine are the three horsemen who ride roughshod over Babylon. The destruction is total and final. In the Scriptures this is the first city of prominence, but its long, eventful and sinful history ends with the judgment of God upon her.
“For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” It is God who destroys this city because He alone is able to do it. He does this, we believe, at the return of Christ. Notice this as Isaiah predicts it: “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come” (Isa. 63:1–4).
In His second coming Christ is seen coming from Edom with blood-sprinkled garments. It is my belief that He has come by way of Babylon, and He has executed judgment upon that wicked city. We will see Christ’s second coming in the following chapter.
Next we will see the reaction to the destruction of this great center. There will be anguish in the world, and we will see who attends her funeral. Also there will be the anticipation of joy in heaven because of the judgment of Babylon. These are the two diametrically opposite viewpoints. It will be bad for one crowd and good for the other crowd.
ANGUISH IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF BABYLON’S JUDGEMENT
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come [Rev. 18:9–10].
And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived deliciously (in luxury) with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
In that day Babylon will dominate and rule the world. The capital of Antichrist will be Babylon, and he will have the first total dictatorship. The world will become an awful place. In that day everything will center in Babylon. The stock market will be read from Babylon—not New York. Babylon instead of Paris will set the styles for the world. A play, to be successful, will have to be a success in Babylon, not London. Everything in that city will be in rebellion against almighty God, and it centers in Antichrist.
No one dreamed that this great city would be judged. Yet by the time the sun goes down, Babylon is nothing but smoldering ruins. When the news goes out, the world is stunned, and then begins the wail. The whole world will howl when Babylon goes down. I imagine that, if you were on the moon, you would have to tune down your earphones because the howl would be so loud!
In chapter 17 we saw that the kings of the earth hated religious Babylon and that Antichrist got rid of it in order that he might be worshiped without any competition in the area of religion. And the kings of the earth joined in her destruction.
In contrast to this, here in chapter 18 we see that the kings of the earth love commercial Babylon because of the revenue she brought to their coffers. In fact, it is called here fornication—you can’t find a better word for it than that! All the lobbyists were in Babylon, not Washington, D.C. They were representing all the great corporations in the world. But the kings desert Babylon like rats leaving a sinking ship; their mourning is both pathetic and contemptible. They eulogize her with panegyrics of praise, but there is a hopelessness in their anguish. They marvel at the sudden destruction of that which they thought was gilt-edged security. The judgment came in the space of one hour, reminding us of the sudden devastation caused by atomic explosions. This is a frightful picture presented to us, and it is the final conflagration and catastrophic judgment that will bring Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom.
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought [Rev. 18:11–17a].
As you read these verses, did you feel as if you might be window-shopping down the main street of some of our great cities? In our store windows we see all these things in our day. These are the products of an affluent society, and these things were available to the Roman Empire in John’s day. Babylon will make these luxury items necessities, just as we think these items are necessities today. You will not find a cotton dress or a pair of overalls anywhere in this list.
I remember when glazed bitreous terra cotta bathtubs first were introduced in this country. (Incidentally, it was opposed by the doctors in our land. They said that if you took a bath every day, it would shorten your life. They felt a bath once a week or once a month was enough.) In those days the bathtub was a luxury that many folk couldn’t afford. But now, when we go to a hotel or motel, my wife looks to see if there is a tub and I look to see if there is a shower, and generally both are present. We live in a luxury age. Most of what we call necessities are actually luxuries.
Let’s look at these items, using my literal translation. We will take them up separately:
“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise (cargo) any more: merchandise (cargo) of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls.” Talk about a depression—they are having one! No one buys their merchandise or cargo anymore. In Babylon there is merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls. You see, we are in the jewelry department here.
Then we move from the jewelry department to the ladies’ ready-to-wear: “… and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet.”
Then to the luxury gift department: “… and all thyine (citron) wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble.”
We move on to the spice and cosmetic department: “… and cinnamon, and spice (amomum), and odours, and ointment, and frankincense.” They have a great deal of spray deodorant, you see—probably the kind that works twenty-four hours a day.
Now we go to the liquor department and the pastry center: “and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat.” This is the food of the rich; barley is the food of the poor. The wealthy were eating gourmet food and enjoying luxury until Babylon went down.
We move on to the meat department where you can get porterhouse steaks, lamb chops and filet mignon—“and cattle, and sheep.”
The merchandise covers every phase of business. The articles are for a society accustomed to the better things of the material universe. Even men were bought and sold, including their souls. I think this is becoming more and more true today where great corporations have men on the payroll who are bound there almost like slaves. Right now there is many a woman selling her soul. “And merchandise of horses, and chariots, and slaves (bodies), and souls of men.”
“The merchants of these things who grew rich by her, shall stand afar off because of the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas.” The Greek word for “alas” doesn’t need to be translated to get its meaning. It is ouai, ouai! The very sound of the word is a form of wail. The merchants of the earth sit before their TV screens and cry, “Ouai, ouai!” for in one hour wealth so great is laid desolate.
We always have been able to find a parallel in the Old Testament. Do we have anything that corresponds to this in the past? Yes, Ezekiel predicted the judgment of Tyre, the capital of the Phoenicians. Tyre was to the ancient world what New York City is to us today and what Babylon will be to the future (see Ezek. 26–27).
And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate [Rev. 18:17b–19].
And every shipmaster and every one that sails anywhere (traveler) and sailors, and those who live by seafaring stood afar off. And cried out when they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city? And they cast dust upon their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe [Gr.: ouai, ouai], the great city wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costly expenditure! for in one hour is she made desolate.
The third delegation of mourners is composed of those who are engaged in transportation, the great public carriers. They had become rich by transporting the merchandise of Babylon, just as the Phoenicians had done in the ancient world. Now there is no more business. They mourn because of the depression. All went up in smoke in a moment. They, like the others, marvel at the sudden destruction.
All of this has an application for us. How do we see the luxury of this world? Do we see it as it really is? Can we use it without getting it into our hearts? How would you feel if the luxuries in your life which you have come to consider necessities suddenly went up in smoke?
Today we speak about spirituality and spiritual things. Even in our Christian organizations there is almost an overweening zeal to get people to give, especially the wealthy people. Recently some wealthy persons threatened to withdraw their support from my radio ministry if I did not do a certain thing. I did not listen to their threats. It seems to me that we have paid too much attention to this world today. The world is passing away, and the things you see at your fingertips are also passing away.
The great cities of the world are passing away. Los Angeles is a wonderful city, and I have enjoyed this city because I have lived in Southern California for many years, but it is passing away. God is going to judge Los Angeles. But the question is: Would it break your heart if you saw the things of this world go up in smoke? Or is your heart in heaven, fixed on Christ? It does make a lot of difference.
ANTICIPATION OF JOY IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF BABYLON’S JUDGMENT
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her [Rev. 18:20].
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.
The viewpoint of heaven is entirely different. It is no funeral procession there. Rather, it is the celebration of an anticipated event. The saints prayed for it; the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament predicted it. Now all is fulfilled and there is joy because God has exonerated His name. Judgment has come upon these things. Just what is your heart fixed on today? It will make a lot of difference in that day because you will either be with the mourners or you will be with the rejoicers.
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon he thrown down, and shall be found no more at all [Re 18:21].
And one strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty rush (fall) shall Babylon, the mighty city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.
Even heaven calls our attention to the violence, the suddenness, and the complete annihilation of Babylon. Like a stone that makes a big splash and then disappears beneath the waves will Babylon come to an end.
And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived [Rev. 18:22–23].
Again, using my translation: “And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee.” You see, rock music will go out of style then—and I thank God for that!
“And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft shall be found any more at all in thee.” All the factories will close down.
“And the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee.” All the neon lights on Broadway will go out.
“And the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee.” It’s all over—no more marrying and giving in marriage here.
“For thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.” I believe that more and more we are going to see sorcery, magic, and demonism. Satanism will increase more and more as we draw near the end of the age. It will be Satan who is going to deceive and blind people, just as he blinds many in our day.
Popular music comes to an end in Babylon. Jazz and rock ’n’ roll cease in the destruction. Classical music will be stilled, also.
The crafts that have been prostituted to the service of the Antichrist will end. The wheels of the factories will never turn again. The bright lights of the cities will go out forever. It is interesting to note the beginning of all these things as recorded in Genesis 4:16–22. Also, social life and family life shall end. The great tycoons of big business will disappear. This city deceived the world with the worship of Antichrist—this is the strong delusion.
And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth [Rev. 18:24).
God’s people got rough treatment in this city and God judged it. This is Satan’s city, and he was a murderer from the beginning. Babylon was a city that murdered; its final crime was the slaying of God’s people.
As we contemplate the destruction of Babylon, we think of other great cities and civilizations of the past which have fallen. One of the most widely read books of all time is The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire written by Edward Gibbon in 1788. In it he gives five basic reasons why that great civilization withered and died:
1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes; the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports be coming every year more exciting, more brutal, more immoral.
4. The building of great armaments when the real enemy was within—the decay of individual responsibility.
5. The decay of religion; faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people.
The oft-heard warning that history repeats itself has an ominous meaning in the light of the above. We can already see these five things at work in our contemporary culture in this country. The same things will bring Babylon down at the end. They destroy the nation and the home and the individual.
Thank God, the sad story of man’s sin will come to an end.
This chapter brings to a conclusion the frightful period which was labeled by the Lord Jesus Christ the Great Tribulation. In the next chapter we will see Him coming to the earth to bring to an end this dark, doleful, and disastrous period.
This is the negative aspect to His coming. The positive side is the dawning of the Day of the Lord, called the Millennium or thousand years in chapter 20.
Now let’s take a final look at the Great Tribulation Period with its catastrophic and cataclysmic events taking place in rapid succession like a machine gun firing.
The total period is seven years. It is the “seventieth week” of Daniel’s prophecy. In the Old Testament Daniel divided it, and in the New Testament John divided it into two separate and equal periods of three and one half years each.
However, after the church leaves this earth, the Antichrist comes to power as world dictator on a platform of peace, prosperity, and fame. During the first part of the Tribulation he will bring about radical changes that seem to benefit mankind. He will bring in a false peace. All government and religion are to be controlled by him. When that time comes, there will be one world, one religion, and one everything. The world will believe that they are entering the Millennium and that the world will become a Utopia. This is part of the big lie of that period. The true church, the body of Christ, will be removed from the earth before the Tribulation begins. It will become the bride of Christ, and we will see this bride shortly—near the end of this book.
Israel will once again become God’s witness on earth—144,000 strong, sealed by the Spirit of God. And they will witness here upon the earth. Also, there will be a great company of Gentiles that will be sealed.
Somewhere near the middle of the seven year period the king of the north, and I believe it will be Russia, will move against Israel. God will judge Russia just as He judged Sodom and Gomorrah. If you want to see that picture, you will find it in Ezekiel 38. This opens the floodgates of war. The Antichrist now begins to move, and the deception, I think, will become apparent to a great many folk. Restless mankind, under the control of Satan, begins to march. The world begins to fall apart, like a pear that is too ripe. The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, breaks his covenant with the nation Israel.
The Mideast will become the center of world activity during this period. Babylon will be the political and economic capital of the world, and Jerusalem (also called Babylon) will be the religious capital. The Antichrist will begin in Rome, and the False Prophet will begin in Jerusalem. Antichrist, when he comes to power, will rebuild Babylon. The apostate church will be destroyed by Antichrist and by the kings of the earth who will be subservient to him.
Ancient Babylon on the Euphrates River will become the political and economic center of the world. If a small nation in the Mideast can turn off the spigot to stop the flow of oil and thereby bring the world to its knees, what will it be when ancient Babylon in that very area becomes again the world center?
New York City will then be a whistle stop on the Toonerville Trolley or not even worth the legendary string of glass beads. Los Angeles will return to an adobe village and no longer will be the city of angels but a dwelling place of demons—it appears as if they are already beginning to move in. London and other great cities of the world will become mere villages with muddy streets. Judgments from God will fall swiftly and suddenly on a God-rejecting and blaspheming world. At one fell swoop one-fourth of the population of the world will be destroyed, and at another time one-third will be blotted out. Nature will be afflicted—the grass and trees of the earth, the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens. One disaster after another will fall on the earth, but the heart of man will still be unrepentant. In fact, he will defy and blaspheme the God of heaven.
Then armies will march toward Israel. For three and one-half years the war will rage. It is not the Battle of Armageddon but the war of Armageddon. Millions of men will march at that time in that land. They will be engaged in a conflict there, but they will be destroyed. There will be blood up to the bridles of the horses—about three feet deep! That is no exaggeration.
Into this horrible arena of chaos—the chaos of man’s making and of Satan’s scheming—comes the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Yes, the King is coming to the earth but, before all of this can take place, His church must be removed from the earth and go to be with Him. Then the church will return to the earth with Him when He comes to establish His kingdom. The church is not looking for the fulfillment of any of these things which we have looked at from chapter 4 through chapter 18. The church is looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We do not know the day when Christ will return. We do not even know the period in which He will return. It may be soon. It could be today. On the other hand, He may not return for a hundred years or even several hundred years. No one can say with certainty when the Lord will return for His church. Anyone who sets a date for the Lord’s appearing is entirely out of order. Anyone who claims to know when the Lord will return has information that is not in the Word of God.
The best that can be said today is that everything that is happening is significant. We live in a great period in the history of the world, but all we can say for sure is that our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
The late Dr. Bill Anderson of Dallas, Texas, used to say, “God is getting the stage all set. It looks like He is coming soon. But if He is not planning to come now, and since it would take a lot of doing to get the world in this position again, if I were the Lord, I would just come on now and take the church out of the world.”
Well, we hope He will come now, but all we know is that the terrors of the Tribulation will take place after the church has been removed at the Rapture. We have been given no signs by which to gauge the time of His return, but we do see the setting of the stage. And we see some very significant things happening in our day. Obviously, Western Europe is looking for a man strong enough to put the Roman Empire back together. And Antichrist is coming. They may not know it, but they are waiting for him. Also, we see a great power in the north Russia. Egypt is alive again. China was a sleeping giant that we woke up, and from that great population center they are going to come marching out one of these days. Then the crowning scene of the setting of the stage is Israel, which is back in her land. Everything is in position, the church could be raptured at any moment, and the Tribulation could begin. But it may not. We do not know the day or the hour.
CHAPTER 19
Theme: Marriage of the Lamb and return of Christ in judgment
Now we come to the thrilling events that concern us. In chapter 19 we turn the page to that which marks a drastic change in the tone of Revelation. The destruction of Babylon, the capital of the Beast’s kingdom, marked the end of the Great Tribulation. The somber gives way to the song. The transfer is from darkness to light, from the inky blackness of night to a white light, from dreary days of judgment to bright days of blessing. This chapter makes a definite bifurcation in the Book of Revelation and ushers in the greatest event for this earth—the second coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. It is the bridge between the Great Tribulation and the millennial kingdom that He will establish upon this earth. Great and significant events are recorded here. The two central features are the marriage supper of the Lamb and the return of Christ to the earth. One follows the other.
The hallelujahs open this chapter and the opening of hell concludes it. Two great suppers are recorded in this chapter: the marriage supper of the Lamb and the cannibalistic feast of carrion after the last part of the war of Armageddon.
FOUR HALLELUJAHS
As chapter 19 opens, the voices of heaven become one chorus.
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God [Rev. 19:1].
As usual, I will give my translation of the literal Greek text throughout this chapter.
After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God.
“After these things” (Gr.:meta tauta) is an expression we first bumped into when John gave the division of the Book of Revelation in chapter 1, verse 19—literally, “the things that shall be after these things.” After what things? After the church things. Chapter 4 opened with meta tauta, and we have been meta tautaing ever since. There is a chronological progression, a sequence of events. Now we will see what will take place after the Great Tribulation. It is recorded in this chapter: the coming of Christ to the earth. He is the only One who can end the Tribulation. And so this is the last occurrence of the expression meta tauta.
“A great voice of a great multitude.” In the worship scenes of chapters 5–7 we saw the elders, the church, and the uncounted numbers of angels and created intelligences all worshiping God. Now a great number of tribulation saints has been added to the chorus, and they are going to sing. This is something quite marvelous. This is the first time they have been able to utter the great note of praise of the Old Testament—Hallelujah! This word occurs four times in the first six verses. This is its only occurrence in the New Testament. It is reserved for the final victory. It is interesting to note that hallelujah occurs frequently in the Book of Psalms. It means “praise the Lord.” It appears in frequent succession in Psalms 146–150. In fact, Psalm 150 is a mighty crescendo of praise. Hallelujah is a fitting note of praise at this juncture in the Book of Revelation. The Great Tribulation is over. Jesus is coming. The church is to be united with Christ in marriage. Hallelujah! Let’s sing it, my friend! Every year I love to hear Handel’s Messiah being sung, but regardless of what choir sings it, they don’t even touch the rim of the great Hallelujah of this future day. Psalm 104:35 puts it this way: “Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise … the Lord”—that is, Hallelujah! Hallelujah because God is coming to judge, and the wicked are going to be removed from the earth. Hallelujah is an expletive of praise as the final phase of salvation is coming to pass. This is something that Paul talked about in Romans 8:18–23: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
My friend, this is that great day which is coming. The earth will be released from the bondage of sin. In the meantime it groans. Go down to the seashore and listen to the waves. One summer I slept by the Atlantic Ocean in a place at Virginia Beach. Every night I was put to sleep by the breaking of the waves on the shore. But the waves were sobbing, as it were, sobbing out their sorrow. Go up in the mountains and listen at night to the wind going through the pine trees. There is not a soprano in all of those pine trees, nor is there a redwood that can sing soprano. Their sounds are all subdued, quiet groans as they await the coming of that great day upon the earth.
And we groan. I don’t know about you, but I groan. When I was a young man and built my home in Southern California, I used to come bounding down the stairs. Now when I come down the stairs, I groan with every step. My wife says, “You ought not to groan.” I tell her that groaning is scriptural. We groan within these bodies, as the Scripture says. I’m all for groaning while we are here. But one day the groaning will be changed to hallelujahs, and that is what John is talking about here.
For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia [Rev. 19:2–4].
For true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot who (formerly) corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And the second time they said, Hallelujah. And her smoke goeth up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying, Amen; Hallelujah.
It is interesting to note that at the conclusion of all these judgments, those in heaven, who have more perfect knowledge than you and I have, are able to say that God’s judgments are true and right. If you don’t think what God is doing is right, it is because you, not God, are wrong. Your thinking is incomplete, of course, as mine is. God will be righteous in judging the great harlot. This is interesting because when we read about the judgment of the great harlot, representing the apostate church which went into the Tribulation, it says that the kings of the earth and the Antichrist destroyed the harlot. Yet here we are told that it was God who judged it. You see, God uses different instruments, and He will even use the Devil to accomplish His purpose. Those in heaven are saying, “True and righteous are his judgments,” because the apostate church deserved to be destroyed; it had made martyrs of many of God’s children.
In these verses we find a picture of the church in heaven saying, “Hallelujah.” They say it twice. Why? As long as the imposter of the true church, the great harlot, is on the earth, the marriage of the Lamb will not take place in heaven. The anti-church is disposed of first, which makes way for the marriage of the Lamb. I assume that the marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven sometime during the midst of the Tribulation which is going on upon the earth.
“He hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” You see, believers are forbidden to avenge themselves. It is true that some of us try to do it, but the moment we do so, we forsake the walk of faith. In Romans 12:19 God says to us: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” God will take care of vengeance for you. If we have been injured, and many of us have been, we want to hit back. That is natural; it is the old nature striking out. However, we are to turn that department over to God. He doesn’t intend to let anyone get away with wrong. Vengeance is His. And He will bring judgment on this apostate system.
The twenty-four elders for the first time sing Hallelujah. The elders we believe to be the church (see Rev. 4). This is the last time the elders appear as such, for the figure changes now, and the church is to become the bride of Christ. The word church means “called out.” Here on the earth we are the church, the called-out ones, but after we leave the earth we are the bride.
And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth [Rev. 19:5–6].
And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, ye that fear him, the small and the great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as it were the voice of many waters, and as it were the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah; for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigneth.
“A voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God.” Notice that the call to praise comes directly from the throne of God, because the Lord Jesus Christ is preparing to take control of this world. This is truly the “Hallelujah Chorus” and the most profound paean of praise in the entire Word of God. It takes us all the way back to that covenant which God made with David in which He promised that He would raise One upon David’s throne who would rule the world. In 2 Samuel 7:16 we read: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”
But before Christ returns to the earth, there is going to be a wedding, and you and I, as believers, will be part of it.
BRIDE OF THE LAMB AND MARRIAGE SUPPER
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints [Rev. 19:7–8].
Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
This will be the most thrilling experience that believers will ever have. The church—that is, the body of believers all the way from Pentecost to the Rapture—will be presented now to Christ as a bride for a marriage. The marriage takes place in heaven, and this is a heavenly scene throughout.
In Ephesians 5 the apostle Paul speaks about the husband and wife relationship when both are believers. By the way, he is speaking of those who are filled with the Spirit and of the relationships that flow from it. You cannot have a Christian home without a Spirit-filled husband and a Spirit-filled wife. In fact, I do not believe you can know what real love is until both marriage partners are believers. Notice Paul’s instructions: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25–27). This is the picture of the relationship of Christ and the church.
We are living in a day of “new” morality. Our contemporary society is drenched with sex. This generation knows a great deal about sex. I watched a young couple in Palm Springs one day, and I felt sorry for the boy and the girl. They were necking like nobody’s business, right in public. I thought to myself, What do they really know about love? Why, they know nothing about what it means for a man to love a woman and a woman to love a man. I am afraid there are many Christians who don’t know much about love either. Husbands, do you remember the first time you looked at your wife? Do you remember when you were joined in marriage and she became yours? Wasn’t that a thrilling moment for you? Wives, do you remember when you first looked at that ugly old boy you married and thought he was so handsome? When he put his arms around you, wasn’t that a thrilling moment? Well, Ephesians 5:25–27 is a picture of that day when Christ is going to draw us to Himself, cleansed and purified. Young lady and young man, that is the reason in this day of “new” morality that you should bring purity to your marriage. God have mercy on some of you fellows who are married to second-hand girls. Don’t get them at the second-hand store; get them brand new. It is much better that way.
“The marriage of the Lamb is come.” Marriage is a marvelous picture of the joining together of Christ and the church. Notice that the Old Testament saints are not included—only the believers during the church age are included. Even John the Baptist designated himself as only a friend of the Bridegroom. He said, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom …” (John 3:29). The bride occupies a unique relationship with Christ. You see, Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. Remember what He said in His High Priestly Prayer: “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:23–26).
The thing that is so wonderful is that we are going to know Christ—really know Him—for the first time.
“The fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” The wedding gown of the church is the righteous acts of the saints. This is a difficult concept to accept, because it is impossible for us to stand before Christ in our own righteousness. Paul wrote of this: “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:9). You see, by faith we can trust Christ—not only for the forgiveness of sins but for the impartation to us of His own righteousness. Then why does John say that the wedding garment is the righteous acts of the saints? Well, the wedding gown will be used only once, but we will be clothed in the righteousness of Christ throughout eternity. We as believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, not to be judged for our sins in reference to salvation, but for rewards. Through the ages believers have been performing righteous acts which have been accumulating to adorn the wedding gown. By the way, what are you doing to adorn that wedding gown? What are you doing for the Lord today?
Again let me quote Paul: “Now if any man build upon this foundation [which is Christ] gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:12–14). Gold, silver, and precious stones will survive the fire; wood, hay, and stubble will go up in smoke. Therefore the good works are the wedding garment of the church. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).
After the wedding, the wedding dress is laid aside. We have already seen that the elders placed their crowns at the feet of the Lamb, proclaiming that He alone is worthy. The church will reveal His glory: “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). We will be on display—sinners saved from hell, if you please, in heaven now. We have no right to heaven and would not go there except for the righteousness of Christ and the fact that we belong to Him. The relationship of Christ and the church is intimate, it is different, and it is delightful. No other creatures will enjoy such sweetness.
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy [Rev. 19:9–10].
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden (invited) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true words of God. And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not; I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Hear me carefully now: the marriage of the Lamb will take place in heaven, but the marriage supper will take place upon the earth. The picture of this is in Matthew 25:1–13, which is the parable of the ten virgins. You see, the virgins were not the bride. Christ has only one bride, and that is the church. The Bridegroom will return to the earth for the marriage supper. He will return not only to judge the earth but to have the marriage supper, which the ten virgins are expecting to attend.
Another picture of this same scene is given in Psalm 45. In this psalm Christ is seen coming as king. We are not told who she is, but the queen is there: “Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir” (Ps. 45:9). I believe this is a symbol or a type of the church.
Guests are present: “And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour” (Ps. 45:12). The marriage supper will take place on earth. Both Israelites and Gentiles who enter the Millennium are the invited guests. The marriage supper is evidently the Millennium. You talk about a long supper—this is going to be a long one! At the end of the Millennium the church is still seen as the bride. Imagine a honeymoon which lasts one thousand years! Yet that is only the beginning. What joy! What ecstasy! The angel puts God’s seal on this scene: “These are the true words of God.”
After acting as a scribe for this scene, John feels compelled to worship the angelic messenger. However, he is restrained from doing so. The angel is but a creature. Only God is to be worshiped. What a rebuke to Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet who wanted to be worshiped. And there are many folk in our day who have that same desire.
After the marriage of the Lamb in heaven, the next great event is the return of Christ to the earth. My friend, the King is coming! But He will not come until after the church has been raptured and after the earth has undergone the Great Tribulation. Now when He comes to the earth, His bride will be with Him, and their marriage supper will be here upon the earth, as we have seen. Oh, my friend, what a glorious day is ahead of us! If we could only get our eyes off the muck and mire of this earth and onto that which is eternal!
RETURN OF CHRIST AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself [Rev. 19:11–12].
And I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness doth he judge and make war. Now his eyes a flame of fire, and upon his head many diadems; having a name written which none knew but himself.
What a thrilling scene this is! Just to read it makes goose pimples come out all over me. This is the great climactic event toward which all things in this world are moving today. It is the coming of Christ to the earth.
Let me take a moment to remind you where this fits into the picture. From chapters 4–18 we were in the midst of the Great Tribulation Period, a frightful period. It ends by the coming of Christ to this earth to establish His kingdom.
In the past there has been a very naïve notion relative to the future, which is still held by some folk who are not students of the Bible. It is this: One of these days Jesus is going to come, and all the dead will be raised. The good guys will be on one side and the bad guys on the other. Christ will make the division so that one will enter heaven, the other hell, and eternity begins. May I say again that this is a very naïve notion.
You cannot read the Word of God without being conscious of the fact that He has a plan and program for this earth and that He is following it very carefully. The program, as we have outlined it, reveals that Christ’s return to the earth takes place at the end of the Great Tribulation Period, right before the establishment of His kingdom.
The contrast to His first coming is stupendous. It is absolutely remarkable.
At the time of Christ’s first coming, as George Macdonald put it:
They all were looking for a King
To slay their foes and lift them high;
Thou cam’st, a little baby thing
That made a woman cry.
That is the way He entered the world the first time. He was meek and lowly. He was the Savior who died for sinners. Now in the verses before us we see Him coming in His great glory. His coming will be the final manifestation of the wrath of God upon a sinful world. The rebellion of Satan, demons, and men is contained, put down, and judged. He puts down all unrighteousness before He establishes His kingdom in righteousness.
Heaven is opened in chapter 4, verse 1, to let John, as a representative of the church, enter heaven where he sees the elders, that is, the church, already there. And here in chapter 19 heaven opens to let Christ exit. The white horse on which He rides is the animal of warfare. When Jesus was on earth, He rode into Jerusalem upon a little donkey which, though an animal of kings, denoted peace, not war.
He is called “Faithful” because He has come to execute the long-time program of God. Remember that the scoffer said, “Where is the sign of His coming?” There is no sign at this point—He is here. He has made good. He is Faithful. He is the only One you and I can trust and rest upon.
He is called “True” for He is inherently true. He is not one who just tells the truth, although He does that; He is the bureau of standards of truth. He is the yardstick of truth. He is the Truth. How wonderful it is to have Someone in whom to trust in this day when everything we hear is slanted and used as propaganda.
He has come to “judge and make war”—not to die on a cross again.
“Now his eyes a flame of fire.” Back in chapter 1, verse 14, His eyes were as a flame, as He walked among the churches, judging them. But now there is a difference—“his eyes a flame of fire” because He has come to judge the earth and put down its unrighteousness.
“Upon his head many diadems” indicates that He will be the sole ruler of this earth. And His rulership is going to be a dictatorship, I can assure you of that. My friend, if you don’t love Jesus Christ—if He is not your Savior—and you live to enter this period of His return to the earth, it is going to be a most uncomfortable period for you because Christ is going to be a dictator. A chicken won’t peep, a rooster won’t crow, and a man will not move without His permission. He is the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords.
“And he had a name written, that no man knew.” What is this name that no one knew but Himself? He is given four names here which correspond to the Gospels:
1. “King of kings” corresponds to the Gospel of Matthew, since Matthew presents Christ as the King.
2. “Faithful and True” corresponds to the Gospel of Mark where He is presented as the Servant of God. The important thing about a servant is not his genealogy but his trustworthiness. Is he faithful and truthful? Those are the qualities that are important.
3. “Word of God” repeats what He is called in the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word…. And the Word was made flesh…” (John 1:1, 14).
4. What is the name that no one knows? Well, I have a suggestion. Perhaps it corresponds to Luke’s gospel in which He is presented as Jesus, the Son of Man. In our day there is a great familiarity with that name, both in swearing and in blaspheming and in being overly free and presumptuous with Him. But, my friend, that is a name which you and I are going to probe throughout eternity. He is Jesus, the Son of Man. Do you really know Jesus? Well, no man knoweth the Son but the Father, and here we learn that when He comes, He has a name that no man really knows but Himself.
The apostle Paul, not at the beginning but at the end of his ministry, before his execution, said, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10, italics mine). No one knows the Son but the Father. My friend, learning to know Him is one of the things that is going to make heaven heaven. He is so wonderful that it is going to take the rest of eternity to really know Him. The folk we meet down here are not very exciting folk when we get to know them, are they? But the more we know Jesus, the more exciting He will be.
In John 14:7, 9, we read: “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him [that is, in the Person of the Son]…. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
Then again in that High Priestly Prayer that Christ prayed: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). When we come to Christ and receive Him as our Savior from sin, we have started to school. When we begin to know Him, we are in kindergarten. Let me make more or less of a confession. Since I have retired from the pastorate, I have set before me a goal: I want to know Jesus better than I do now. I get up every morning and look out the window—I did this morning and in Southern California it is foggy—but I say, “Lord, thank You for bringing me to another day. I love You. I love You, Lord Jesus, but, oh, You seem to be so far away at times. I want to know You. May the Spirit of God make You real to me.” The name Jesus—oh, what it means, and what a person He is!
One more thing I would like to say about this subject: not only will we come to know the Lord better throughout eternity, we are also going to get to know one another better. I really don’t think we know each other as we should. I find, at times, that I am greatly misunderstood. I make certain statements on the radio, and then I receive letters that almost shock me. It is difficult to understand how I could have been that misunderstood. But in heaven we are going to know as we are known. I think that will be good. Also, we will know ourselves. And we are going to know our loved ones. One summer when I tried to recuperate from an illness by resting, it enabled me to sit on my patio with my wife and get acquainted with her. It was quite wonderful. I discovered the sacrifices that she has made and her faithfulness down through the years. And I think I am really going to get acquainted with her in heaven. My friend, how glorious heaven is going to be! Even in this earthly life down here we find that when we grow in our love for Christ, we also grow in our love for each other.
Now notice the further description of Christ at His coming:
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS [Rev. 19:13–16].
And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God the All-ruler. And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Notice that His garment is sprinkled with blood and that He is treading the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of God. This picture takes us back to Isaiah 63:1–6, which we have quoted previously.
Obviously, this refers not to Christ’s first coming but to His second coming as described here in chapter 19.
“And he shall rule them with a rod of iron” takes us back to Psalm 2: “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee [from the dead]. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. [He didn’t get them at His first coming; how will He get them now?] Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:6–9).
The fury of His wrath at His second coming is in sharp contrast to His gentleness at His first coming. However, in both is revealed the “wrath of the Lamb.”
“The armies … in heaven” are evidently the legions of angels that do His bidding.
THE WAR OF ARMAGEDDON
Now we come to the end of the war of Armageddon, and this concludes the final battle:
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great [Rev. 19:17–18].
If there is one passage of Scripture which is revolting to read, this is it. You will notice that God included it at the end of His Word to remind us how revolting and nauseating to Him are the deeds of the flesh. Men who live in the flesh will have their flesh destroyed. This is an invitation at the end of the Battle of Armageddon to the carrion-eating fowl to a banquet on earth where they will have A-1, blue-ribbon flesh to eat—kings and the mighty men of the earth. My friend, it is frightful to rebel against God because He is going to judge you someday. This scene reveals the heart of man and how dreadful that heart really is.
HELL OPENED
Now for the very first time hell is completely opened up:
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh [Rev. 19:19–21].
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse and against his army. And the beast [Antichrist] was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone; and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
What a frightful picture this is. The Beast and the False Prophet defy God right up to the very last. They dare to make war with the Son of God! Surely “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh” at the utter futility of their efforts. It is preposterous that there is such a rebellion of man against God. The outcome is inevitable. The two arch-rebels and tyrants, the Antichrist and the False Prophet, have the questionable distinction of being the first two who are cast into hell. Even the Devil hasn’t been put there yet.
The question arises: Is the “lake of fire” literal? Well, let me give you something to think about because I am going to come back to this subject when we get to chapter 20. If hell is not literal, it depicts that which is worse than a literal fire of brimstone.
“The sword which came forth out of his mouth.” What is that sword? An amillennial friend of mine asked me laughingly, “You don’t believe that there is going to be a literal sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus, do you?” I told him that I would consider it to be literal if the Word of God had not made it clear that His Word is like a sword: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Isa. 11:4). Do you notice how clearly this symbol is explained by Scripture? The “sword”that comes from the mouth of Jesus is His Word. It was His Word that created this universe. It is the Word of God which will save you. And it will be the Word of God that will destroy the wicked at the end of this age.
CHAPTER 20
Theme: The Millennium
In the twentieth chapter we are dealing with the Millennium in relationship to Christ, Satan, man, the tribulation saints, the resurrections, the earth, and the Great White Throne. Unfortunately, a great many men in the past have thought that chapter 20 is not very important because the Millennium, the thousand-year period, is mentioned only here in Scripture, and therefore, they have practically dismissed this chapter altogether. It is true that the Millennium is mentioned only in this chapter, and it is mentioned as “a thousand years.” Let’s not argue about semantics. Millennium comes from the Latin word that means “one thousand.” Millennium means a thousand years any way you slice it. You can call a person who believes in the Millennium a chiliast, and chiliasm is the way the early church spoke of it, because in the Greek chiliasm means “a thousand” also. I hope we understand that millennialism, chiliasm, and the thousand-year reign of Christ all refer to the same thing.
Chapter 20 is the division point for the three main schools of eschatology:
Postmillennialism assumed that Christ would come at the conclusion of the one thousand years. Man would bring in the kingdom by the preaching of the gospel. This was an optimistic view which prevailed at the turn of the century. At that time it looked like there might be a great worldwide turning to Christ and the world would be converted. This viewpoint has become obsolete as it could not weather the first half of the twentieth century, which produced two world wars, a global depression, the rise of communism, and the atom bomb with which worldwide destruction is imminent.
Amillennialism has become popular only in recent years and has largely supplanted postmillennialism. The addition of the prefix a-simply negates the belief in the Millennium. Amillennialism holds out no false optimism and has, for the most part, emphasized the coming of Christ. Its chief weakness is that it spiritualizes the thousand years, as it does all the Book of Revelation. It fits the Millennium into the present age. Dr. B. B. Warfield’s interpretation is that the Millennium is going on in heaven while the Tribulation is going on down here on the earth. My belief is that in heaven they have a millennium, not just for a thousand years, but from eternity to eternity. Most amillennialists fit the Millennium into the present age, and all the events recorded in Revelation are somehow fitted into the facts of history like pieces are fitted into a crazy quilt. Frankly, I think that the results of this viewpoint are about the same: you come up with a crazy quilt.
Premillennialism, on the contrary, takes chapter 20 at face value, as it does all of the Book of Revelation, applying the literalist interpretation unless the context instructs otherwise. Let me cite the example we gave from chapter 19 where it says that, when the Lord Jesus comes, out of His mouth goes a sharp two-edged sword (see Rev. 19:15). Does this mean that a literal sword goes out of His mouth? I believe that Scripture makes it very clear that the sword is the Word of God. Paul writes, “And take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). With that kind of instruction, I do not see how we can misunderstand what John is talking about, but you must have a scriptural reason for your interpretation. You cannot spiritualize Scripture on any basis you choose, although that is the present custom and the popular method today. In the premillennialist interpretation, the one thousand years are treated as one thousand years, and Christ comes at the beginning of the Millennium. Chapter 20 makes it clear that there can be no Millennium until Christ comes.
In the first nine verses of this chapter, we have the word for a thousand years repeated six times. It must be pretty important to put that kind of emphasis on it. The early church believed in what was known as chiliasm, the belief in the literal thousand-year reign of Christ. Those who rejected that position were considered to be in a state of heresy. Later on there came in the teaching that the thousand years would be established by the church. The church would produce a perfect world, and then Jesus would come and find everything in apple-pie order. But that is not the way this section of Scripture presents it. He is coming in judgment, and if everything were in apple-pie order, there would be no need to put down rebellion and to judge and make war.
It has not been too long ago that men actually believed that the church was going to build the kingdom down here on this earth. Back in 1883 a commentator, Justin A. Smith, made this statement:
But upon the other hand, what a tremendous force is the Christianity of today when all is said. Is it conceivable that this auspicious power, which is so rapidly taking possession of the wide earth, can dwindle into the imbecility which some millennarians appear to predict for it?
Those of us who are premillennialists would be called a bunch of pessimists back in 1883 because we are predicting that the world is going to get worse and that there will be apostasy in the church. This man did not believe that, for he goes on to say:
It has been said that in twenty-five years more, if the present rate of progress continues, India will become as thoroughly Christian as Great Britain is today. There will be thirty millions of Christians in China, and Japan will be as fully Christianized as America is now. The old systems, they tell us, are honey-combed through and through by Christian influence. It looks as if a day may soon come when these systems, struck by vigorous blows, will fall in a tremendous collapse. Meantime, every weapon formed against Christianity breaks in the hand that holds it. Already, the Lord’s right hand hath gotten Him victory.
But look at Great Britain today, for example—it is as bad off as India is. They talked bravely in those days, but they do not talk that way today.
In the book The Problem of Evil, the author made this statement:
The civilization of Europe, or to call it by its true name which derives from its origin, the Christian civilization, is visibly making the conquest of the world. Its triumph is only a matter of time. No one doubts it.
There are quite a few who doubt it today. In fact, the so-called European civilization, or Christian civilization, is going down the drink and has largely disappeared already.
These men belittle the twentieth chapter of Revelation. I consider Dr. B. B. Warfield to be the greatest scholar that this century has produced, and I was educated under his system, but he says that there is no reference to such an age as a millennium here on this earth it “save in so obscure a portion as Revelation 20.” He pays no attention to all of the Old Testament where God made a covenant that He would establish this kingdom on the earth through One in David’s line.
Dr. Rothe many years ago said:
Our key does not open. The right key is lost. Until we are put in possession of it again, our exposition will never succeed. The system of biblical ideas is not that of our school at all.
In speaking with a student who had read a premillennial book and was enthusiastically telling him about it, Dr. R. L. Dabney, an honored theologian of the South in the past, said, “Probably you are right. I never looked into the subject.” He was a great scholar but was honestly admitting that he had never studied prophecy!
The late Dr. Charles Hodge, who wrote two ponderous tomes on theology (and that was the theology I studied when I was in school), very frankly said that eschatology wasn’t his bag—only he didn’t use that expression:
The subject cannot be adequately discussed without taking a survey of all the prophetic teaching of the Scriptures, both of the Old Testament and the New. This task cannot be satisfactorily accomplished by anyone who has not made the study of the prophecies a specialty. The author, knowing that he has no such qualifications for the work, proposes to confine himself in a great measure to a historical survey of the different schemes of interpreting the scriptural prophecies relating to the subject.
Today all that has changed. There is a lively interest in prophecy, but I wish there were more who were as honest as Dr. Hodge was and would say, “I really haven’t studied the subject as I should have.” Unfortunately, a great many men are speaking on the subject of prophecy who have not actually studied it. This is a very important and vital subject. I do not claim to have any special qualifications for it at all, although I have studied it for forty years and have given a great deal of attention to it, even in the years past when it was largely ignored. But I think it is dangerous today that many are edging up to this matter of setting dates for the rapture of the church. I believe that the Rapture is absolutely a dateless event. It may be tomorrow, but it may not be tomorrow. We need to recognize that we are living in a period in which we are not given dates, but we are seeing the setting of a stage. I do not know what God has in mind for the future, but I do know that He sure has things in position.
I think it is obvious that I am premillennial and also pretribulational, and the reason is that I believe this is what John is teaching here. If you disagree with me and accept one of these other positions, you are in good company. Some of the finest men I have known hold a different viewpoint from mine, but if you want to be right, you will want to go along with me, of course!
First of all, there can be no Millennium until Satan is removed from the earthly scene. You could not have an ideal state down here as long as Satan is running loose.
In the second place, the curse of sin must be removed from the physical earth before a Millennium can be established. Scripture prophesies that the desert will blossom like a rose. If you live along the coast in California, the desert blossoms like a rose, but in eastern California, the desert is not blossoming like a rose. The curse of sin has not yet been removed from this earth.
In the third place, the resurrection of the Old Testament saints must take place at the beginning of the thousand years. If they were raised before the Great Tribulation, they would have to stand around and wait for the Millennium. There is no need for them to do that, and the Lord is not going to raise them until the Tribulation is over. Daniel makes this very clear: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:1–2). This is talking about Israel. Following the Great Tribulation Period will be the resurrection of the Old Testament saints (see Isa. 25:8–9). Only Christ will raise the dead (see John 5:21, 25, 28–29), so He must come for that purpose.
In the fourth place, the tribulation saints are included in the resurrection of the Old Testament saints, and they reign with Christ during the Millennium.
Finally, the Millennium is the final testing of man under ideal conditions. This is the answer to those who say there is nothing wrong in man which circumstances and conditions cannot change. Man is an incurable, an incorrigible sinner. Even at the end of the Millennium, he is still in rebellion against God. The rebellion in the human heart and the depraved nature of man are impossible for any man to comprehend. If you and I could see ourselves as God sees us, we could not stand ourselves. But we think we are pretty good and that we are very nice people—do we not? The Millennium is the final testing of mankind before the beginning of the eternal state.
The Millennium is God’s answer to the prayer, “Thy kingdom come.” When we pray the prayer which we mistakenly call the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Thy kingdom come … in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). That is the kingdom which He is going to establish here on earth, and it is called the Millennium. This is the kingdom which was promised to David (see 2 Sam. 7:12–17; 23:5). God took an oath relative to its establishment (see Ps. 89:34–37). This is the kingdom predicted in the psalms and in the prophets (see Ps. 2; 45; 110; Isa. 2:1–5; 11:1–9; 60; 61:3–62; 66; Jer. 23:3–8; 32:37–44; Ezek. 40–48; Dan. 2:44–45; 7:13–14; 12:2–3; Mic. 4:1–8; Zech. 12:10–14:21). All of the prophets spoke of this kingdom, the minor prophets as well as the major prophets—not one of them missed it. These are but a few of the manifold Scriptures that speak of the theocratic kingdom which was the great theme of all the prophets in the Old Testament. This is the kingdom, the theocratic kingdom, that is coming here upon this earth.
SATAN BOUND ONE THOUSAND YEARS
The opening verses of chapter 20 describe what is to precede the Millennium.
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season [Rev. 20:1–3].
Let me give you my translation of these verses:
And I saw an angel coming down out of the heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and locked and sealed (it) over, that he should deceive the nations no longer, until the thousand years should be finished: after that he must be loosed for a little time.
You will notice that the thousand years are mentioned two times in verses 1–3; they are mentioned a total of six times in the twentieth chapter. It is true that the Millennium is mentioned only in one chapter, but God mentions it six times. How many times does He have to say a thing before it becomes true? He mentions it more than He mentions some other things that people emphasize and think are important just because they occur once or twice in Scripture. Six times the thousand years are mentioned, and here it is in relationship to Satan.
There are some expositors who separate this section from the Millennium, classifying it as the closing scene of the Day of Wrath. This view takes the edge from the sharp distinction that there will be on earth at the removal of Satan. His incarceration and total absence from the earth change conditions from darkness to light. He is the god of this age; he is the prince of the power of the air, and his power and influence in the world are enormous—beyond the calculations of any computer. His withdrawal makes way for the Millennium, for with him loose, there can be no Millennium. Therefore, we see that Satan’s relationship to the Millennium is this: he must be removed from the earth’s scene before it can take place. Men talk about bringing peace on this earth, about producing prosperity, and all that sort of thing. The world system will finally be headed up in the Antichrist, and he will not be able to accomplish peace and prosperity, although for a while it will look as if he will. But as long as Satan is abroad in this world, you cannot have a Utopia down here. You cannot have an ideal situation with him loose.
“An angel…. laid hold on the dragon”—Satan’s great power is reduced, for an ordinary angel becomes his jailor and leads him away captive (see Jude 9; Rev. 12:7–9).
“The abyss” is a better description of the prison than is “the bottomless pit.” In either case, it is not the lake of fire, which we shall see in verse 10.
“After that he must be loosed for a little time” is one of the imponderable statements of Scripture. Why is Satan loosed after God once had him put in the abyss in chains? Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer’s answer to this question is significant: “If you will tell me why God let him loose in the first place, I’ll tell you why God let him loose in the second place.” Why did God let him loose? God has a great purpose in it. This is the great problem of evil: Why has God permitted it? Well, I believe that God is working out a tremendous program which is the mystery of God that is yet to be revealed to us. It is going to be revealed someday, and all He is asking us to do is to walk with Him by faith. We need to trust God and know that whatever He is doing is right.
I remember one time when my dad took me with him on a trip in his horse and buggy. A storm came up out there in west Texas and, being just a boy, I was frightened. The wind was blowing up a real storm, and we were getting wet. I never shall forget that my dad put his arm around me and said, “Son, you can trust me.” I just snuggled right up to him and trusted him, and we got through the storm. My earthly father gone—he died when I was fourteen. I didn’t have my earthly father very long, but I have had a heavenly Father now for a great many years whom I trust through the storms of this life. In all these problems that come up, I wish I had the answers to give you, but I don’t—so let’s both trust Him.
I once read a book on the problem of evil. When I finished the book, we still had the problem of evil—the author did not solve it. It took him about two hundred pages to say what I can say in one sentence: I do not know the answer to the problem of evil. But, my friend, we will get the answer someday if we walk by faith.
God had Satan incarcerated for one thousand years because there could not be a Millennium without that.
SAINTS OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION REIGN WITH CHRIST ONE THOUSAND YEARS
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years [Rev. 20:4–6].
And I saw thrones and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and (I saw) the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God; and whosoever worshipped not the wild beast neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead, or upon their hand. And they lived again and reigned with Christ one thousand years. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; over these the second death hath no authority [Gr.: exousian], but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Many are going to die for Christ in the Great Tribulation Period, but they will live again and reign with Christ one thousand years. The tribulation saints are going to trade in three and one-half years for one thousand years. I would say they are getting a pretty good deal. Those three and one-half years will be rugged and terrible, but the thousand years are going to be wonderful—imagine living and reigning with Christ upon this earth!
This prophecy is like any other prophecy in Scripture: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20). That is, you cannot just lift out a verse of Scripture and base doctrine on it; you need to have the corroboration of other Scriptures. When this passage here is treated as a dignified statement of literal facts, it becomes reasonable, and it fits into the entire program of prophecy which we have been following. Any attempt to reduce it to the lowest common denominator of fanciful and figurative symbols makes the passage an absurdity. To spiritualize this passage is to disembowel all Scripture of vital meaning, making the interpretation of Scripture a reductio ad absurdum.
The thrones are literal; the martyrs are literal; Jesus is literal; the Word of God is literal; the Beast is literal; the image is literal; the mark of the Beast is literal; their foreheads and their hands are literal; and the thousand years are literal. It is all literal. A thousand years means a thousand years. If God meant that it was eternal, I think He would have said so. If He meant it was five hundred years, He would have said so. Cannot God say what He means? Of course He can, and when He says a thousand years, He means a thousand years.
The Greek word for “resurrection” is anastasei, which means “to stand up, a bodily resurrection.” It is rather difficult for a spirit to stand up, and those who spiritualize this section are at a loss to explain just how a spirit stands up! This is the same word used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 for the resurrection of Christ and believers.
“And I saw thrones and they sat upon them” is the one statement that is not entirely clear. Who are “they”? It is my judgment that they must be the total number of those who have part in the first resurrection, which includes the saved of all ages.
The first resurrection began with the resurrection of Christ. Then it is followed by the resurrection (at the Rapture) of His church sometime more than nineteen hundred years later—but before the Great Tribulation (see Rev. 4). At the end of the Great Tribulation is the resurrection of both the tribulation saints (“the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God; and whosoever worshipped not the wild beast”) and the Old Testament saints (see Dan. 12:1–2). The diagram above gives the resurrection as a parade. Christ, the firstfruits of resurrection, leads the parade.
It is a rather simple and naïve notion to think that somehow or another the world is going to end, Jesus will come, the dead will be raised, He will put the good guys on one side and the bad guys on the other, they will move into eternity, and that is it. My friend, God follows a very definite program; He always has, and He moves intelligently.
The tribulation saints and the Old Testament saints will evidently reign on this earth with Christ. I believe that David will be His vicegerent. The church, which is the bride of Christ, will reside in the New Jerusalem where she reigns with Him from that exalted place and, I believe, over a great deal of God’s creation. Christ will commute from the New Jerusalem to the old Jerusalem on this earth. And I suppose that the church also will travel back and forth between its heavenly home and the earth.
Multitudes of both Israel and the Gentiles will enter the kingdom in natural bodies, not having died. These are the ones, together with those who are born during the Millennium, who are tested during this millennial period. As Christ in a glorified body mingled with His apostles and followers, so the church in glorified bodies will mingle with the multitudes in their natural bodies here on the earth. In glorified bodies, the church will be able to move out into space. That will be the first time I will do any space traveling, I can assure you of that. Gravitation will not be able to grab me by the seat of my pants and pull me back to the earth in that day.
“They shall be priests of God” refers to the entire nation of Israel. This was God’s original purpose for Israel: “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exod. 19:6). Abraham was a priest in his family. Levi was the priestly tribe, with the family of Aaron serving as high priest. In the theocratic kingdom here on this earth, the entire nation of Israel will be priests.
In Scripture there is more prophecy concerning the Millennium than of any other period. The kingdom was the theme of the Old Testament prophets. I do not know how else you would interpret it. In our day we hear very little about the minor prophets. There is a great silence, a great vacuum and void, when it comes to the teaching of the minor prophets, yet all of them look forward to the Millennium, that kingdom which is coming on the earth.
SATAN LOOSED AFTER ONE THOUSAND YEARS
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them [Rev. 20:7–9].
And when the thousand years are ended Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners (quarters) of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
Although the entire Book of Revelation deals with last things, especially do these last few chapters. Here is the last rebellion of Satan and man against God. The Millennium is a time of testing of man under ideal conditions, as this passage demonstrates. As soon as Satan is released, a great company, who have been under the personal reign of Christ under ideal circumstances, goes over to Satan. From where did such a company come is a worthy question. The answer lies in the fact that not only do multitudes enter the Millennium, but multitudes also are born during the Millennium (see Isa. 11:6; 65:20). This will be the time of the earth’s greatest population explosion. Disease will be eliminated. Since the curse of sin will be removed from the physical earth, it will produce enough foodstuffs to feed its greatest population. The human heart alone remains unchanged under these circumstances, and many will turn their backs on God and will go after Satan. This seems unbelievable, but what about today? Satan is doing pretty well in our day.
This rebellion following the Millennium reveals how terrible the heart of man is. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). You and I do not know how vile we really are. We just cannot bring our old nature into subjection to God. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). These folk will live under ideal conditions during Christ’s thousand-year reign, and I think they will get a little tired of it. When He reigns, He is really going to be a dictator—you had better stay in line or else. But they do not like staying in line; therefore, when the opportunity is offered to them to rebel, they rebel. The nations of the earth again will come under the spell of Satan and will plot a rebellion.
Because the rebellion is labeled “Gog and Magog,” many Bible students identify it with the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38–39. This is not possible at all, for the conflicts described are not parallel as to time, place, or participants—only the names are the same. The invasion from the north by Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38–39 breaks the false peace of the Antichrist and causes him to show his hand in the midst of the Great Tribulation. That rebellion of the godless forces from the north will have made such an impression on mankind that after one thousand years, that last rebellion of man bears the same label—Gog and Magog.
We have passed through a similar situation in this century. World War I was so devastating that when war again broke out in Europe, involving many of the same nations and even more, it was also labeled a World War, but it was differentiated by the number two. We have World War I, World War II, and people today are predicting World War III.
I can use a further illustration from my personal life. In my family there were so many Johns on both sides of the family that my mother decided I should be J. Vernon McGee. My “J” stands for John, but I have never been called John. An uncle, two grandfathers, and my dad were all named John. So you will understand why I bear the name of J. Vernon—I had to be separated from that crowd. Just because we had a similarity of names does not mean that we were all the same person.
The war in Ezekiel 38–39 relates to Gog and Magog I, and the reference here in Revelation 20:8 is to Gog and Magog II. Although the names are the same, this is a different war, the last rebellion of Satan. Just because the two events involve the same names does not mean they are the same.
In verse 9 there is the dropping of the last “atomic bomb.” The phrase, “from God,” is actually not in the best texts. It simply means that natural forces which destroyed Gog and Magog I will destroy Gog and Magog II.
This last resistance and rebellion against God is as foolish and futile as man’s first rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Here it is not the beginning but the ending of man’s disobedience to God. It is the finality of man’s rebellion. Nothing remains now but the final judgment.
SATAN CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever [Rev. 20:10].
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the wild beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
This is a most solemn statement, and it is rejected by this lovey-dovey age in which we live. However, it is a relief to God’s child to know that the enemy—both his and God’s—will at last be brought to permanent justice. There is nothing here to satisfy the curiosity or the sadistic taste. The fact is stated in a reverent reticence which is awe-inspiring. If man had written this, having said this much, he could not have restrained himself from saying more. In what Sir Robert Anderson calls “the wild utterances of prophecy mongers,” we see that men do not hesitate to go farther than does the Word of God. The Word of God is very restrained—very little is said about this subject of hell, or even of heaven.
There are several facts here that contradict popular notions. First of all, the Devil is not in hell today. He is the prince of the power of the air. He is the one who controls this world to a large extent. God has limited him in our day, of course, but in the Great Tribulation Period, he will have full rein for a while.
In the second place, the Devil is not the first to be cast into hell. The wild Beast and the False Prophet will precede him by one thousand years.
Finally, hell is described as a lake of fire and brimstone. The Lord Jesus is the One who gave the most solemn description of hell. Consider these Scriptures: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12).
This ought to make anyone stop and think: How can hell be outer darkness and also a literal fire? Jesus Christ also said: “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:42). “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44). In my thinking, fire is the best symbol that could be used of the reality that hell is. For instance, how are sins that men have committed in the spirit to be punished in the body? I believe that to be in outer darkness and the abyss is to be separated from God and to look back upon a life which has been misspent in this world. Can you think of any fire that would be hotter than for a man in hell to hear the voice of his son saying, “Dad, I followed you down here”? This is a solemn thing. A man asked Dr. Bill Anderson, “Suppose we get over there and find out that what you preach about hell is not true at all?” Dr. Anderson replied, “Then I will just have to apologize and say that I must have misunderstood the Lord. But suppose we get over there and find that it is true? What then?” My friend, it is true; this is the Word of God that we are looking at. We love John 3:16, but what do we think about this?
Fire is a very weak symbol of the reality of what it means to be lost, to be separated from God for eternity. You cannot reduce these descriptions to something less than the reality, because a symbol is always a poor representative of the real thing. Nor can you dissolve this into the thin air of make-believe. The reality far exceeds the description, and human language is beggarly in trying to depict the awful reality. Hell is a place; it is also a state. It is a place of conscious torment. This is the language of the Word of God—you cannot escape it.
SETTING OF GREAT WHITE THRONE WHERE LOST ARE JUDGED
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them [Rev. 20:11].
The Great White Throne is what men mistakenly call the general judgment. It is general only in the sense that all the lost of all ages are raised to be judged here. All who are saved have been raised in the first resurrection. Even the tribulation saints had part in the first resurrection. This is the second resurrection in which the lost are raised to be given an equitable, fair, and just evaluation of their works in respect to their salvation.
A man on his deathbed said to me, “Preacher, you just don’t need to talk to me about the future. I’ll take my chances. I believe God is going to be just and righteous and let me present my works.”
I told him, “You are right. He is just and righteous, and He will let you present your works. That is what He says He is going to do. But I have news for you: At that judgment nobody is saved, because you cannot be saved by your works. When you stand in the white light of the righteous presence of God, your little works will seem so puny that they won’t amount to anything at all.”
The other day our little grandson brought to his grandmother some flowers that he had picked. I want to tell you, they were a sad looking bunch of flowers. With great pride he gave them to his grandmother, and his grandmother patted him on the head and thanked him for the lovely flowers. As I looked at that scene, I could not help but smile, but I also immediately recognized how solemn it is going to be when a lot of these goody-goody boys stand with their little, bitty bouquets in the presence of a Christ whom they have rejected. They expect that He will be like a grandmother who will pat them on the head and say, “What a smart boy you were!” My friend, this is solemn, and this is serious. You need Him as Savior in order to stand in His presence; you need to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Don’t you know that without this we are sinners and we are lost?
We like to compare ourselves with other people: “I’m as good as the Joneses down the street.” Sure you are, but you ought to know about the Joneses! It was Samuel Johnson who said, “Every man knows that of himself which he dares not tell his dearest friend.” You know yourself, don’t you? You know things that you have covered up and smothered that you would not reveal for anything in the world. The Lord Jesus is going to bring them out at this judgment; while you are presenting your little bouquet, He is going to tell you about yourself. My friend, you need a Savior today.
This is the Great White Throne, and the holiness of this throne is revealed in the reaction of heaven and earth to it: “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.” Of this, John F. Walvoord, in his book The Revelation of Jesus Christ, comments:
The most natural interpretation of the fact that earth and heaven flee away is that the present earth and heaven are destroyed and will be replaced by the new heaven and new earth. This is also confirmed by the additional statement in 21:1 where John sees a new heaven and a new earth replacing the first heaven and the first earth which have passed away.
The One seated on the throne is the Lord Jesus Christ: “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son…. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:22, 26–29).
What is the work of God? It is to “… believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). Those who have done good are they who have accepted Christ, and they come forth unto the resurrection of life—that is the first resurrection. They who have done evil come forth unto the resurrection of damnation and condemnation—that is the Great White Throne judgment.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works [Rev. 20:12–13].
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne; and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged every one according to their works.
Yes, my friend, you will be able to get a fair trial there. Your life is on tape, and Christ happens to have the tape. When He plays it back, you will be able to listen to it, and it is not going to sound good to you, by any means. Are you willing to stand before God and have Him play the tape of your life? I think He will have it on a television screen so that you can watch it, too. Do you think your life can stand the test? I do not know about you, but I could not make it. Thank God for His grace—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
The dead are classified as the small and the great. They are all lost, for evidently none have their names written in the Book of Life. They had never turned to God for salvation. The Lord Jesus said that in His generation “… ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). These folk standing before His throne had not come.
These are books which record the works of all individuals. God keeps the tapes, and He will play them at the right time. There will be a lot of politicians who will have their tapes played in that day, and there will be a lot of public figures—even preachers—who will have their tapes played in that day, and they are not going to be happy about it. If you are saved, you are not going to stand before this judgment. Your works are to be judged as a child of God at the judgment seat of Christ, which will be for the purpose of rewards (see 2 Cor. 5:10). The Great White Throne judgment is the judgment of the lost. Multitudes want to be judged according to their works. This is their opportunity. The judgment is just, but no one is saved by works.
“And the sea gave up the dead that were in it.” Multitudes who have gone to a watery grave in which the chemicals of their bodies have been dissolved in the waters of the sea will be raised. God will have no problem with this. After all, they are only atoms. He just has to put them together again. He did it once; He can do it again. The graves on earth will give up their bodies; and hades, the place where the spirits of the lost go, will disgorge for this judgment.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [Rev. 20:14–15].
And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death even the lake of fire. And if any were not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
You will notice that in my translation I have changed “death and hell were cast into the lake of fire” to “death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.” Sheol or hades (translated hell in the New Testament) is the place of the unseen dead and is divided into two compartments: paradise and the place of torment (see Luke 16:19–31). Paradise was emptied when Christ took the Old Testament believers with Him at His ascension. “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things)” (Eph. 4:8–10). Christ did two things: He gave gifts to men down here, but He also took with Him to heaven those Old Testament saints who had died and were in the place called paradise. But the place of torment will deliver up the lost at the judgment at the Great White Throne. All who stand at this judgment are lost, and we are told that they are cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. The Lord also called it “outer darkness.” We believe that this is symbolic of something worse than literal fire or outer darkness. It is eternal separation from God, for death means separation.
“Death,” the great final enemy of man, is finally removed from the scene. No longer will it be said, “In Adam all die” (see 1 Cor. 15:22). Death is personified in this case, for it is man’s great enemy. In the Old Testament we read: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes” (Hos. 13:14).
And Paul writes: “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death…. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:26, 55).
“Hades,” the prison of lost souls, is likewise cast into the lake of fire. The lost are no longer in hades but in the lake of fire. This is where Satan, the wild Beast, the False Prophet, and their minions were consigned. If man will not accept the life of God, he must accept the only other alternative: eternal association with Satan. God never created man to be put in this place, but there is no other place for him. Hell was created for the Devil and his angels. I take it that it is a place where God never goes. The second death means eternal and absolute separation from God.
CHAPTER 21
Theme: Entrance into eternity; eternity unveiled
Eternity is unveiled in chapter 21—a new heaven, a new earth, a New Jerusalem, a new era, and the eternal abode of the Lamb’s bride where we will be new creations in Christ Jesus without the old nature that manifests itself so much today. Adopting a popular aphorism of the day, it can truly be said that this chapter is “out of this world.” This chapter hasn’t anything to do with the earth (except for the first few verses). In it we see the eternal abode of the church. What really is heaven? There is a lot of sticky, sentimental stuff said about heaven, and we get quite weepy when we talk about heaven. However, heaven is a place, a very definite place. You will have an address there. Your name will be put on you so that in eternity, when you wander around into outer space and get lost, some angel will bring you home—and you will have a home.
As the long vista of eternity is before us in this chapter, we move not only from time to eternity, but to a new creation. A new heaven, a new earth, and a New Jerusalem greet us. The redeemed have previously received glorified bodies like Christ’s. All things have become new. A new universe suggests new methods and approaches to life. New laws will regulate the new universe. The entire lifestyle will change. Here are some of the changes that are suggested in chapters 21–22:
1. There will be the total absence of sin and temptation and testing in the new creation. This in itself makes a radical difference.
2. The New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, does not mean another satellite for the earth, but rather the earth and all of the new creation with all of the galactic systems will revolve about the New Jerusalem, because it is the dwelling place of God and of Christ.
3. The law of gravity, as we know it, will be radically revised. There will be traffic between the New Jerusalem and the earth. The church will have already left the earth, and its dwelling place is the New Jerusalem. I believe that we will have entirely different bodies, and the law of gravity will not affect us; that is, the law of gravity of this earth or of any other planet.
4. There will be no sun to give light, for God Himself will supply it directly to the universe. There will be the absence, therefore, of night. There is no night there because we just do not need that time to rest since we will have new bodies. I am looking forward to that, by the way.
5. There will no longer be any sea on the earth. The sea occupies most of the earth’s surface today; approximately three-fourths of the total surface is water. This denotes a revolution in life upon the earth. Just think of the parking space we will be able to have! There will be no fish to eat. Apparently man will be a vegetarian during the Millennium and throughout eternity, as he was in the Garden of Eden. Fruit is the only diet of eternal man (see Rev. 22:2).
6. The presence of Christ and God, together with the throne of God made visible, ushers in a new day for man—the new creation.
NEW HEAVEN, NEW EARTH, NEW JERUSALEM
John describes the passing of the heaven and earth we know in the opening verse of chapter 21.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea [Rev. 21:1].
As usual, I’ll follow the Authorized Version with my own literal translation of the Greek text.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth passed away: and the sea is no more.
“And I saw” is the oft repeated statement of John to remind us that he was a spectator to all of these scenes. He was a witness to the panoramic final scene which ushers in eternity.
The Scripture clearly teaches that this present order of creation is to pass away in order to make room for a new heaven and a new earth. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away …” (Matt. 24:35). The old creation was made for the first Adam. Christ, the Last Adam, has a new creation for His new creatures. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isa. 65:17). “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain” (Isa. 66:22).
God had promised Abraham a land forever and David a throne forever. Daniel prophesied of “… a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed …” (Dan. 2:44). The new earth will see the total fulfillment of these prophecies. Consider the faith of the Old Testament worthies: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. 11:13–16). “Heavenly” does not mean they are going to heaven, but that heaven is coming to this earth. This is what we mean when we pray the so-called Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come … in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pet. 3:13). In his second epistle Peter declares plainly that the present earth on which we live will be destroyed by fire: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire, against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men…. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness!” (2 Pet. 3:7, 10–11).
The chief characteristic of the new earth, as we have suggested, is the absence of the sea. This would automatically change the climate, the atmosphere, and the living conditions. It is impossible for the human mind to comprehend the great transformations which will take place in a new creation. The sea in the past has been a barrier and also a border for mankind, which in some cases has been good and in others bad. Also, the sea was an instrument of judgment at the time of the Flood. However, by the disappearance of the sea, the population on the earth can be doubled again and again because of the increase of the land surface.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband [Rev. 21:2].
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
This is the part which should interest us. I believe that the New Jerusalem is where those of us who are children of God are going to live. When you talk about going to heaven, what do you think about it? To most people it is just “a beautiful isle of somewhere.” However, it is a definite place. It is a city called the New Jerusalem. It is a planet within itself. Very candidly, very little is said in Scripture about heaven—but here it is, and that is the reason this ought to be important to us.
“I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” This New Jerusalem should not be identified with the old Jerusalem, the earthly Jerusalem down here.
I cannot think of a lovelier description than this: “made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” It has been my privilege in my many years in the pastorate to have married several hundred couples. I have never seen an ugly bride—they are always lovely. At the wedding ceremony, after the solos have been sung, the preacher walks in followed by the bridegroom and the best man. Nobody pays any attention to the bridegroom except his mama. She smiles at him and thinks he’s wonderful, but nobody else looks at him. In a minute here comes the bride-to-be and, I tell you, everybody stands up and looks at her. I have never yet seen an ugly bride. On occasion when I would return from a wedding which my wife did not attend, she would always ask me, “Was the bride beautiful?” And I would always answer, “Yes. I’ve never seen an ugly one.” Don’t think I am just a doting old man when I say that. I have seen some brides before they got married or after the wedding, and I have wondered if she were the same girl who had come down the aisle. God gives to them at that time a radiance and a beauty. That is a thrilling moment for the bridegroom to look down the aisle and see the one whom he is going to make his own—she will belong to him. It seems that for that moment God transforms every girl into a lovely bride. I think the reason He does it is that the New Jerusalem where we are going to live is like the bride adorned for her husband. What a picture we have here!
The New Jerusalem is the habitation, the eternal home that is prepared for the church. The Lord Jesus said: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). You could not have a more lovely or more appropriate picture given. We have seen in Revelation 19:7–8 that ushering in the millennial period, actually before Christ returned to the earth, was the marriage of the Lamb, and the bride was the church.
This passage is the fulfillment of what Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25–26).
At the judgment seat of Christ, there will be the straightening out and the judging of believers. Everything that is wrong will have to be corrected. All sin will be dealt with there. Rewards will be given out. And He is going to do something else—He is going to cleanse the church with the Word. The Word of God is a mighty cleansing agent. “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that if should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).
This is the picture we are getting here in chapter 21. The holy city, the New Jerusalem, is coming down from God out of heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband. The marriage took place before the Millennium, and the Millennium is now over. This has sure been a long honeymoon, hasn’t it? I think it is one that will go on into eternity.
Paul continues to talk about this marvelous relationship between Christ and the church, comparing it to human marriage down here. “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:28–32). This idea is a mystery that is now being opened to us. The marriage relationship is the most beautiful and wonderful relationship. It is the oldest ceremony that God has instituted for man. It goes right back into the Garden of Eden, to the very beginning, and it is all-important. It is such a profound mystery that, even with all these marriage counselors and all the books they have written, I do not really think they have touched the fringe of how wonderful marriage could be for believers.
By the way, Paul is talking here to believers who are filled with the Spirit. All of these instructions are for Spirit-filled believers. They are not given to the lost world at all, and they are not given to the average believer. At the beginning of this section, Paul says, “… be filled with the [Holy] Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). That is the only commandment in Scripture in which you are required to do something about the Holy Spirit.
We find here something that is difficult to understand, but it gives us another insight into marriage. The wife is the same flesh as the man. How can that be? Have you ever seen a beautiful child that looked like the mother and had a mean disposition like the father? That is where they come together; that is where they are one flesh. But it is deeper than that. When a man loves his wife, he actually loves himself. This is true of the wife also. When she loves her husband, she is actually loving herself You cannot have it any more intimate than that.
When I injure my foot, I do not ignore it. I do all I can to care for it. I go to the doctor and if necessary have it put into a cast. It may not be very pretty, and I might like to leave my foot at home, but it is part of me. Likewise, my wife is part of me. She is my flesh. We are the same flesh. This is difficult to understand, but that is how intimate it is. This takes us back to the time of creation: “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:23–25). They were naked, and they knew each other. It was an intimate and a very personal relationship. After a couple gets married, when they have their first fight, the wife often turns over in bed, and he is in a huff and maybe goes to the sofa and lies there. Then they wonder why there is disintegration in their marriage relationship. When your foot gets sick, you don’t ignore it. You don’t get angry with it. You don’t kick with it. If you do, you are in deeper trouble. The thing that you are to do with the flesh is to do everything to doctor it and try to get it well again. This is the reason that young couples ought never to have a squabble without sitting down and talking things over. I think the wife ought to be very frank with her husband and tell him everything—how she feels, how he offends her, and what she thinks is wrong. And he ought to do the same thing. You see, they are the same flesh; they are one. They have been brought together in this very intimate, this very wonderful relationship in which a man leaves his family—his father, his mother, and his brothers and sisters. He has now been joined to a woman, and they are one flesh. They have started a new creation, if you please, and that is what the marriage relation should be. How wonderful it is to see a family where the man and his wife have no barrier between them. She knows him like a book, and he knows her like a book. They simply know each other, and they love each other. Until that kind of relationship is established, my friend, you are going to have trouble in the marriage, because God made us that way. Marriage is more than an arrangement to live together and to sleep together. When a man chooses a wife and a wife accepts her husband, they must understand that they are one flesh—and you would not hurt yourself, your own flesh, intentionally for anything in the world.
“This is a great mystery,” Paul says, “… but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). In heaven we are going to be like Him. John writes, “… it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall he like him…” (1 John 3:2). We are going to have glorified flesh like He has. We are going to be one with Him. We are part of His body, and we are going to be joined to Him. He said, “… I go to prepare a place for you…. that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3). How glorious that we can be with Him throughout eternity! As far as I know, no other creatures, including the angels of heaven, are going to have this personal and intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That is going to be the most glorious day! We are going to celebrate throughout eternity the very fact that we are with Him and that we have been joined to Him.
NEW ERA
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away [Rev. 21:3–4].
And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold the tabernacle [Gr.: skene, tent] of God (is) with men, and He shall tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying nor pain, any more; the first things are passed away.
“Behold the tabernacle [tent] of God is with men.” What is the tent? We are told by John in John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [pitched His tent] among us…” That flesh was crucified on the cross, and He was raised in a glorified body. We, too, are going to have glorified bodies, and we are going to live with Him in the New Jerusalem. The golden street is not really important. What difference does it make what kind of asphalt you walk on? It is important to know the psychological and spiritual values that will be there.
“They shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Certain things that definitely are prominent today are going to be removed: “God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.” A columnist years ago wrote: “For every light that burns on Broadway, there is a broken heart.” Several times my wife and I have driven up into the Hollywood hills and have looked down on that blanket of light which is Hollywood. I have said to my wife, “For every light down there, there is a broken heart.” There is many a sad and lonely person in this world, but in the New Jerusalem there are not going to be any more tears.
“And death shall be no more”—that is going to be a very marvelous improvement. Since you began reading this chapter, a number of funeral processions have taken place. People are dying all the time. There is a continual march to the cemetery. This earth is nothing in the world but a cemetery. I once knew an engineer who in the early days had a great deal to do with the planning and plotting of the great freeways which crisscross this country today. I asked him, “Is it going over the mountains or down through the valleys or crossing the rivers that is the biggest problem for you?” He replied, “The big problem is missing the cemeteries.” This earth is a great cemetery today, but all of that is going to end. There will be no burying ground in the New Jerusalem. The undertaker will be out of business. Even the doctors are going to be out of business, because there is not going to be any crying, “neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful [Rev. 21:5].
And He that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He saith, Write, for these words are faithful and true.
He is going to make all things new! This is more meaningful to me than anything else. I do not know about you, but I have never really been satisfied with this life. I have found myself frustrated, I have found myself hemmed in, and I have never been able to accomplish all that I have wanted to accomplish. I’ve never been the man I’ve wanted to be. I’ve never been the husband I’ve wanted to be. I’ve never been the father I’ve wanted to be. And I’ve never preached the sermon I’ve wanted to preach. I just do not seem to have arrived. All accomplishments seem to have a blot on them.
But He says to me, as He says to you, “I am going to make all things new. You are going to be able to start over again.” I am waiting for that day when all things are going to be new and I can start over. Have you ever stopped to think about the potential of starting out all new again, of learning all over again, and never ceasing but going on into eternity? Oh, the potential and capability of man! Yonder at the Tower of Babel, God said, “I had better go down there, or nothing will be withheld from man” (see Gen. 11:5–7). It was very foolish for some scientists and preachers to say that man could not go to the moon; I think he is going farther than that. Man is a clever being which God has made. Death ends his potential down here, but with eternity ahead of him, oh, the prospects a saved man has!
We see here the glorious prospect of all things made new. We can start over, and there will never be an end to our growth. Remember that of Christ it is said, “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end” (see Isa. 9:7). There is constant growth and development. Just think of the prospect of that for the future. Someday I am going to know something; today I don’t, but I will then.
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son [Rev. 21:6–7].
And He said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be God unto him, and he shall be the son to Me.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” This identifies the speaker as the Lord Jesus Christ, as He was identified like this in the first chapter of this book.
Believers in their new bodies will thirst after God and the things of God, and they will be satisfied: “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” In Matthew 5:6 the Lord Jesus said: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
All believers are overcomers because of faith: “He that overcometh shall inherit these things.” “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
“I will be God unto him, and he shall be the son to Me.” All the sons of God became sons through faith in Christ: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
They “inherit all things” because this was promised to the sons of God: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:16–17).
“The son to Me” is in the Greek moi ho huios. This is a very unusual expression. Vincent calls attention to the fact that this is the only place in John’s writings where a believer is said to be a son (huios) in relationship with God. (In other passages another Greek word is used rather than huios.) God is the One who says “my son,” and He says it here. Believers in the church are one of the peoples of God, but they are more. They are the sons of God in a unique and glorious fashion. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death [Rev. 21:8].
But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and defiled with abominations, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part (shall be) in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
There are several amazing features about this verse. First of all, the creation of the new heavens and a new earth did not affect the status of the lake of fire and of the lost. They are going into eternity just that way.
In the second place, there is no possibility of sin, which made man become fearful, unbelieving, liars, murderers, and all the rest, ever breaking over the barriers into the new heavens and the new earth. Sin and its potential are forever shut out of the new creation.
Finally, the lake of fire is eternal, for it is the second death, and there is no third resurrection. It is eternal separation from God, and there is nothing as fearful and frightful as that.
NEW JERUSALEM, DESCRIPTION OF THE ETERNAL ABODE OF THE BRIDE
The appearance of this city is the quintessence of beauty, refined loveliness, and uncontrolled joy. Lofty language describes her merits, and descriptive vocabulary is exhausted in painting her portrait. The contemplation of her coming glory is a spiritual tonic for those who grow weary on the pilgrim journey down here.
The New Jerusalem is really a postmillennial city, for she does not come into view until the end of the Millennium and the beginning of eternity. This city was evidently in the mind of Christ when He said, “I go to prepare a place for you” (see John 14:2), but the curtain does not rise upon the scene of the heavenly city until earth’s drama has reached a satisfactory conclusion. Earth’s sorrow is not hushed until the endless ages begin.
The New Jerusalem will be to eternity what the earthly Jerusalem is to the Millennium. The earthly Jerusalem does not pass away, but it takes second place in eternity. Righteousness reigns in Jerusalem; it will dwell in the New Jerusalem. Imperfection and rebellion exist even in the earthly Jerusalem during the Millennium; perfection and the absence of sin will identify the heavenly city. Just as a king’s queen is of more importance than the place of his government, thus the New Jerusalem transcends the city of earth. This will cast no reflection on the earthly city, nor will it cause her inward pain. She can say in the spirit of John the Baptist, “She that hath the bridegroom is the bride” (see John 3:29).
The New Jerusalem is the eternal abode of the church. The New Jerusalem is the home of the church, the hometown of the church. This is a city toward which the church is journeying as she pitches her tent in that direction. We are now to look at this new home by reading the architect’s blueprint in this twenty-first chapter.
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife [Rev. 21:9].
And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spoke with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.
What follows in verses 9–21 is a description of the city. We have seen the psychological or spiritual aspects of it that are wonderful, but this physical description is also worth contemplating.
We must pause here to consider the relationship of the city to the citizens—the city proper to the church. Certainly we are not to infer that the empty city without the citizens is the bride. The citizens are identified with the city in chapter 22, verses 3, 6, 19. Those outside are identified here in verse 8 as disfranchised. Although a distinction between the bride and the city needs to be maintained, it is the intent of the writer to consider them together.
This passage is a description of the adornments which reveal something of the love and worth that the Bridegroom has conferred upon His bride.
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God [Rev. 21:10].
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
Certainly this city has no counterpart among earth’s cities which are built upon an earthly foundation and are built up from that base. This city comes down out of heaven. She originates in heaven, and the Lord Jesus is the builder. Although the city comes down out of heaven, there is no suggestion that she comes down to the earth. The earthly city never goes to heaven, and the heavenly city never comes to earth. Just how far down the city descends is a matter of speculation.
This has led to extreme views in interpreting the New Jerusalem. At the very beginning, Ebionism, one of the first heresies, went to the extreme of applying this whole passage concerning the New Jerusalem to the earthly Jerusalem. The Gnostics, another early heresy, went to the other extremity in spiritualizing the passage to make it refer to heaven. Many modern “isms” apply the New Jerusalem to themselves and set it up on earth at the geographical location of their choice. Liberal theologians and amillennarians have left the city in heaven, in spite of the scriptural statement that it comes down “out of heaven.” Two facts are evident from this passage: (1) It comes down out of heaven, and (2) it is not stated that it comes to the earth. This passage of Scripture leaves the city hanging in midair. This is the dilemma that many seek to avoid, but why not leave the city in midair? Is anything incongruous about a civilization out yonder in space on a new planet? The New Jerusalem will either become another satellite to the earth or, what is more probable and what I think is true, the earth will become a satellite to the New Jerusalem as well as the rest of the new creation. This chapter indicates that the city will be the center of all things. All activity and glory will revolve about this city. God will be there, it will be His headquarters, and His universe is theocentric (God-centered). The New Jerusalem is therefore worthy to merit such a preeminent position for eternity.
Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal [Rev. 21:11].
Having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, shining like crystal.
Paul instructs the believers to “… rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2). This hope will be realized in the holy city. Man in sin has never witnessed the revelation of the glory of God. The experience of Israel in the wilderness taught them that each time there was a rebellion in the camp, the glory of God appeared in judgment. The manifestation of God’s glory strikes terror to a sinful heart, but what glorious anticipation to be able to behold His glory when standing clothed in the righteousness of Christ!
Two wonderful facts make this city the manifestation of the fullness of God’s glory. (1) The presence of God makes the city the source of glory for the universe. Every blessing radiates from the city. (2) The presence of the saints does not forbid the manifestation of the glory of God. Sin caused God to remove His glory from man’s presence, but in this city all that is past. Redeemed man dwelling with God in a city “having the glory of God” is the grand goal which is worthy of God. This city reveals the high purpose of God in the church, which is to bring “many sons unto glory” (see Heb. 2:10).
The word translated “light” (phoster) is the Greek word for source of light. The city is a light giver. It does not reflect light as does the moon, nor does it generate light by physical combustion like the sun, but it originates light and is the source of light. The presence of God and Christ gives explanation to this, as He declared, “… I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). God is light.
The whole city is like a precious gem. This gem is likened unto a jasper stone. The modern jasper is a multicolored quartz stone. The stone referred to here cannot be that, for this stone is not opaque. “Jasper” is a transliteration of the word iaspis, which is of Semitic origin. Moffatt suggests that iaspis could mean the modern opal, diamond, or topaz.
The stone is transparent and gleaming, which suggests one of these stones, most likely the diamond. The diamond seems to fit the description better than any other stone known to man. The similarity of the Hebrew word for crystal in Ezekiel 1:22 to the Hebrew word for “ice” helps to strengthen this view. The New Jerusalem is a diamond in a gold mounting. This city is the engagement ring of the bride; in fact, it is the wedding ring. It is the symbol of the betrothal and wedding of the church to Christ.
THE GATES OF THE CITY
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates [Rev. 21:12–13].
Having a wall great and high; having twelve (large) gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: on the east (day spring) were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
There are twelve gates to the city, three gates on each side. On each gate is the name of one of the tribes of Israel. This is very striking and suggests immediately the order in which the children of Israel camped about the tabernacle in the wilderness wanderings. The tribe of Levi was the priesthood and served in the tabernacle proper. The New Jerusalem is a temple or tabernacle in one sense, for God is there dwelling with man. The bride constitutes the priesthood who serve Him constantly. They serve as such in the city and dwell there as Levi did about the tabernacle.
Everything in eternity will face in toward this city, for God is there. The children of Israel on earth will enjoy the same relationship to the city that they did toward the wilderness tabernacle and later the city temple. This city will be a tabernacle to Israel. The children of Israel will be among the multitudes who come into this city to worship in eternity. They will come from the earth to bring their worship and glory. They will not dwell in the city anymore than they dwelt in the tabernacle of old. Those who actually dwell there will be the priests, who are the bride. The bride occupies the closer place to God in eternity, and the bride, like John in the Upper Room, reclines upon His breast. “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? …” (Song 8:5). She is the bride, and she has come up from the wilderness which is this present world. But the twelve tribes of Israel will come up to the celestial city to worship, three tribes coming up on each of the four sides. They will then return back to the earth after a period of worship, but the bride will dwell in the New Jerusalem.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE CITY
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb [Rev. 21:14].
This city has twelve foundations, and the names of the twelve apostles are upon them. The church today is “… built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:20). When Christ returned to heaven, He committed the keys into the keeping of the apostles. On the human level, the church was in the hands of these twelve men. The Book of Acts gives the order: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen” (Acts 1:1–2). I do not believe that Matthias is the apostle who succeeded Judas. I personally believe it was Paul. Simon Peter held that meeting to elect Matthias before the Holy Spirit came, and I do not think he was in the will of God when he did so. You never hear Matthias mentioned again, but you surely hear of Paul the apostle, and I think he is the one whom God chose to succeed Judas, making Paul the twelfth apostle.
To these twelve apostles were committed all the writings of the church. These men preached the first sermons, they organized the first churches, and they were among the first martyrs. It is not honoring to Scripture to attempt to minimize the importance of the twelve apostles. In a real sense they were the foundation of the church. To them the church shall eternally be grateful. This is not to rob Christ of His place, for He is “the chief corner stone,” but the church is built upon the foundation which the apostles laid.
THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE CITY
And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal [Rev. 21:15–16].
The shape of this city is really difficult to describe, due largely to our inability to translate our concepts from a universe of time to the new creation of eternity. The measurements of the city have given rise to all sorts of conceptions as to the size and shape of the city. First of all, let us examine the size of the city. Twelve thousand furlongs is given as the measurement of each side and the height of it. It is twelve thousand stadia in the text, which means about fifteen hundred miles. This figure is corroborated by Dr. Seiss, Dr. Walter Scott, and others. The amplitude of the city is astounding when first considered but is commensurate with the importance of the city. Certainly God as Creator can never be accused of stinting, economizing, or doing things that reveal littleness. When you go down to the beach, you notice that He has put plenty of sand there and plenty of water in the ocean. He has made many mountains and He has put rocks everywhere. With a lavish hand, He has garnished the heavens with stellar bodies. When He does something, He certainly does it in abundance. This city bears the trademark of its Maker. The Lord Jesus, the Carpenter of Nazareth, is the One who built this city.
Now consider with me the shape of the city. “The city lieth foursquare” is the simple declaration of Scripture. That would seem to indicate that the city is a cube with fifteen hundred miles on a side. Dr. Seiss sees it as a cube. Dr. Harry Ironside sees it as a pyramid. Still others interpret these measurements in as many geometric figures as can be conceived. However, it is difficult for us to conceive of either a cube or a pyramid projected out in space. We are accustomed to thinking of a sphere (that is a ball-shaped object) hanging in space, because that is the general shape of the heavenly bodies. As far as we know, there are none out there that are square like a cube or like a pyramid. Cubes and pyramids are appropriate for earth’s buildings, but they are as impractical for space as spheres are impractical for earthly buildings. Yet it is definitely stated that the city is foursquare.
The difficulty resolves when we think of the city as a cube within a crystal-clear sphere. What we are given are the inside measurements. I think of it as a big plastic ball with a cube inside, having all eight of its corners touching the sphere. As this involves mathematics, which I could not figure out, I asked both a mathematician and an engineer involved in the space program to determine what the circumference of the sphere would be. They both came up with the same answer. To enclose a cube measuring 1,500 miles on each side, the circumference of the sphere would be about 8,164 miles. The diameter of the moon is about 2,160 miles, and that of the New Jerusalem sphere is about 2,600 miles. Thus, the New Jerusalem will be somewhat larger than the moon, and it will be a sphere like the other heavenly bodies. I personally believe that this is the picture that is given to us here.
My thinking is that we will live inside this sphere, not on the outside. Here on earth, we live on the outside, and that presents a few difficulties. The Lord had to make the law of gravity to hold us on the earth, or we would be flying out into space. We walk on the outside here, but I think that we will walk on the inside of the New Jerusalem.
THE WALL OF THE CITY
And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass [Rev. 21:17–18].
The wall of the city is for protection. A walled city is a safe city. The New Jerusalem is safe, and those who dwell therein dwell in safety. The heavenly Salem will enjoy the fruits of safety and peace. Made up of those who found peace with God on earth, she will experience the fullness of peace throughout eternity. The walls are a sign that this city has achieved the full meaning of her name—peace.
The walls are 144 cubits in height or about 216 feet. Herodotus gives the estimation for the walls of ancient Babylon as 50 cubits thick and 200 cubits high. Those walls were built to make the city impregnable. The great height of the walls of the New Jerusalem are but commensurate with the great size of the city. Beauty, rather than protection, is the motive in design. It is a wall with jasper built into it and is generally designated as a jasper wall. The hardest of substances and the most beautiful gem constitute the exterior of the city.
THE STONES OF FIRE IN THE FOUNDATION
And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst [Rev. 21:19–20].
The twelve foundations of the city not only have the names of the twelve apostles, but they are twelve different precious stones. The most beautiful and costly articles known to man are precious stones. These stones express in human terms the magnificence of the city. The superlative degree of gems is used to convey something of the glory of the city to those who now “… see through a glass, darkly …” (1 Cor. 12:11). We are going to see through it clearly someday.
A close examination of these twelve stones in the foundation reveals a polychromed paragon of beauty; varied hues and tints form a galaxy of rainbow colors. The stones are enumerated as follows:
1. Jasper (Gr: iaspis)—its color is clear. As mentioned before, this is probably the diamond. It is crystal clear, a reflector of light and color. Dr. Seiss, in speaking of the New Jerusalem, describes it “as clean, and pure, and bright as a transparent icicle in the sunshine.”
2. Sapphire (Gr.: sappheiros)—its color is blue. This stone occurs in Exodus 24:10 as the foundation of God, “… and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” Moffatt describes it as a blue stone. Pliny describes it as opaque with gold specks, to which Petrie agrees.
3. Chalcedony (Gr.: chalkedon)—its color is greenish. It is an agate. Pliny describes it as “a variety of emerald gathered on a mountain in Chalcedon.” Robertson says, “Possibly a green silicate of copper.”
4. Emerald (Gr.: smaragdos)—its color is green. Robertson describes it as a green stone.
5. Sardonyx (Gr.: sardonux)—its color is red. Robertson describes it as white with layers of red.
6. Sardius (Gr.: sardios)—its color is fiery red. Pliny says that it is the red stone from Sardis. Swete says that it is fiery red.
7. Chrysolyte (Gr.: chrusolithos)—its color is golden yellow. Moffatt assigns it a golden hue. Robertson says it is a golden color like our topaz.
8. Beryl (Gr.: berullos)—its color is green. It is like the emerald, says Robertson. Pliny says it is sea green.
9. Topaz (Gr.: topazion)—its color is greenish yellow. Robertson calls it a golden greenish stone.
10. Chrysoprasus (Gr.: chrusoprasos)—its color is gold-green. A golden leek, “a leek colored gem,” says Robertson. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes it as sea green.
11. Jacinth (Gr.: huakinthi)—its color is violet. It is the color of the hyacinth. Pliny gives the color as violet.
12. Amethyst (Gr.: amethustos)—its color is purple. Although the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia lists it as a ruby, Robertson gives the color as purple.
The foundations of the New Jerusalem are constructed of the flashing brilliance of rich and costly gems. On the inside is Jesus who, when He was here, was the Light of the World. There He will be the Light of the Universe. Astronauts tell us that in space the colors almost entirely are gray and black—but wait until you see the New Jerusalem. It is going to light up God’s new heavens and new earth as they have never been lighted before. I think it is going to be the most breathtaking sight that you have ever seen. This New Jerusalem is a planet which comes down right out of heaven. Everything is going to revolve around it, and the light will come from there. It truly will be the Jesus Christ Light and Power Company then. The light will shine out in all these brilliant and beautiful colors.
Color is described to us today as dissected light. If you pass a ray of light through a prism, it is broken up into three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. From these three primary colors come all colors and shades of colors. Light is a requirement for color. Where there is no light, there is no color. Objects of color reveal color to the eye because of their ability to absorb or to reject light rays. A red stone absorbs all the color rays except red; it rejects or throws back to the eye the red ray, which gives it the color of red.
The New Jerusalem is a city of light and a city of color. God is light, and He is there. The city is described as a jasper stone as clear as crystal. All of this color will be coming out and flooding God’s universe. The jasper stone is a sphere, and the city, the New Jerusalem, is within. The light shining from within through the jasper stone, acting as a prism, would give every color and shade of color in the rainbow—colors that you and I have not even thought of yet, The New Jerusalem is, I believe, a new planet, and it is inside a crystal ball. The presence of the primary colors suggests that every shade and tint is reflected from this city. A rainbow that appears after a summer shower gives only a faint impression of the beauty in the coloring of the city of light. Oh, what a glorious place this is!
THE CITY AND STREET OF GOLD
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass [Rev. 21:21].
Notice that verse 18 also says, “and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.” We were told at the beginning of this description that this city is transparent. This is the thing that gave me the lead and the key to believe that we will live on the inside and that everything is transparent. This would mean that the light shines from the inside out and goes through these many different-colored stones. Many colors which our natural eyes cannot see today we will be able to see with the new body that we shall have at that time.
We are also told here that the street is pure gold. Personally, I do not care about the asphalt of the place, but there are two things here that impress me. (1) It is not streets (plural) but street (singular)—this is not a city with many streets. (2) And it is “transparent”—even the street is transparent; it is gold, but transparent gold.
This leads me again to insist that what we are looking at is the inside of a globe. You could not have cities like we have today without having streets. You would certainly have a traffic jam with just one street. The New Jerusalem has just one street, which would begin at the four gates; it would start around the circle of the globe, go all the way to the top, and then circle and come back down. One would be the entrance and the other the exit. There is just one street, and my viewpoint lends itself to the idea that there is one street. The fact that it is transparent gold means that the light can shine out. There will be nothing to hinder the light, not even the street.
NEW RELATIONSHIP—GOD DWELLING WITH MAN
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof [Rev. 21:22–23].
God lights the new creation directly by His presence. After the entrance of sin into the old creation, God withdrew His presence, and “darkness covered the face of the deep” (see Gen 1:2). Then God made use of the physical lights in His universe. He put them up like we put up street lights or lights in our homes. However, in the new creation sin is removed, and He again becomes the source of light. Today the Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World in a spiritual sense: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
In the new creation He is the direct physical as well as the spiritual light. In the tabernacle there was the golden lampstand, which is one of the finest pictures of Christ. In the New Jerusalem He is the golden lampstand. The nations of the world will enter the Holy City as the priests entered the Holy Place in the tabernacle for the purpose of worship. The nations of the earth, as well as Israel, will come to the New Jerusalem as the high priest of old entered the Holy of Holies. Instead of the blood being brought, the Lamb is there in person. What a picture we have here!
The temple, which supplanted the tabernacle back in the nation Israel, was an earthly enclosure for the shekinah glory. It was a testimony to the presence of God and the presence of sin. Where sin existed, God could be approached only by the ritual of the temple. However, in the New Jerusalem sin is no longer a reality but is like a hideous nightmare, even locked out of the closet of memory. The actual presence of God with the redeemed eliminates the necessity for a temple, although the whole city may be thought of as a temple. Some have called attention to the fact that the New Jerusalem is the same shape as the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and temple where God dwelt: a perfect cube. That is no accident, by the way. In the city of light God is present, and sin is absent; therefore, an edifice of a material substance is no longer necessary, The physical temple was a poor substitute for the presence of God. The New Jerusalem possesses the genuine article—God in person. It is probably the first place where God will make a personal appearance before man. What a glorious prospect this is!
New Jerusalem will be independent of the sun and moon for light and life. What a contrast to the earth, which is utterly dependent upon the sun and the moon. It may be that the sun and moon will even be dependent upon the celestial city for power to transmit light, since the One who is the source of light and life will dwell within the city. Neither will light be furnished by the New Jerusalem Light and Power Company. The One who is light will be there, and the effulgence of His glory will be manifested in the New Jerusalem unhindered.
NEW CENTER OF THE NEW CREATION
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it [Rev. 21:24].
And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.
“And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof.” It does not say they will live there, but that they will walk in the light of it. In other words, the New Jerusalem (instead of the sun and the moon) will give light unto the earth.
“And the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.” This is my reason for saying that there will be a great deal of traffic commuting back and forth between the New Jerusalem and this earth down here. Not only will Israel come up there to worship, but the nations of the world which have entered eternity will also come up. It will not be their permanent abode, but they will come up there to worship. I believe that the church will be the priests at that time. We are told that we are a priesthood of believers.
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there [Rev. 21:25].
And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there).
It is nonsense to say that the gates will not be shut at night because there is no night. Therefore, he says that they will not be shut by day. In other words, they are going to throw away the key because there will be no danger. In John’s day, a walled city had gates for the purpose of protection. When the gate of a city was closed, it meant that an enemy was on the outside and that they were trying to keep him there.
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life [Rev. 21:26–27].
And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it: and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
God has apparently accomplished His original purpose with man—fellowship. He now has a creature who is a free moral agent and who chooses to worship and serve Him eternally.
There can be no night, since the Lamb is the light, and He is eternally present.
The gates are not for protection, and they are never closed. Rather, they are the badge or coat of arms of the bride. Notice that these gates are of pearl. The pearl of great price has been purchased at a great price. In the parable (see Matt. 13:45–46) that the Lord Jesus gave, the pearl is not Christ whom the sinner buys. What is a sinner to pay for Christ?—he hasn’t anything that he can pay. It is the other way around. The merchant man who bought that pearl was the Lord Jesus Christ, and the pearl is the bride. It is interesting that a pearl is formed by a grain of sand that gets into the body of a little oyster or mollusk of some kind, and that little marine creature begins to put around that grain a secretion that before long makes the pearl. The pearl of great price is margarites in the Greek, and if the church has a name, it is Margaret. The Lord Jesus Christ paid a great price to buy this pearl. This pearl was formed from His side. Someone has said, “I got into the heart of Christ through a spear wound.” He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The church will be for the display of His grace throughout eternity to the absolute myriads of God’s created intelligences. “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”(Eph. 2:7).
In other words, in eternity you and I will be there on display. They will look at Vernon McGee and say: “Do you see that fellow? He deserved hell, and the Lord Jesus Christ died for him and paid a tremendous price. He trusted Christ; that is all he had to offer. Now look what the Lord Jesus has done for him. He has made him fit for heaven and made him acceptable in the beloved.”
The church will be the fairest jewel of all when He makes up His jewels (see Mal. 3:17–18). When He makes up His jewels, the church is going to be on display. This is the reason that the New Jerusalem will be the center of the new heavens and the new earth.
The Lamb’s Book of Life contains the names of the redeemed of all ages. No one who was not redeemed by the blood of Christ will ever be permitted to enter the portals of the New Jerusalem. There is a great gulf fixed between the saved and the lost.
The greatest joy that will capture the heart of the redeemed will be that of abiding in the presence of Christ for eternity. “That where I am, there ye may be also” is what He said in John 14:3. This is heaven, my friend, to be with Him. Revelation is all about Jesus Christ—He is the centerpiece of God’s universe.
Our attention has already been directed to the fact that a redeemed remnant of Israel makes regular visits to the city of God. In verse 24 another group is identified who come into the city to bring their glory and honor. These are the redeemed gentile nations which will occupy the earth together with Israel for eternity. These nations, like Israel, do not belong to the church, for they are redeemed after the church is removed from the earth (or before the church came into existence). They come as visitors to the city. They come as worshipers. In Hebrews 12:22 we are told there is also present an innumerable company of angels who evidently constitute the servant class. The city is cosmopolitan in character. All nationalities meet there, and the created intelligences of God walk the street of the New Jerusalem.
Among the multitudes, there is not one who will bring defilement or sin. How superior is this city to even the Garden of Eden where the lie of Satan made an entrance for sin. No lie or liar will ever enter the portals of the heavenly Jerusalem. All dwellers and all tourists are not only redeemed from sin but have also lost their taste for sin. They come through the gates which are never closed. The enjoyment of this glorious city is not restricted to the church, although they are the only ones who dwell there.
Jerusalem, the golden, with milk and honey blest!
Beneath thy contemplation sink heart and voice oppressed;
I know not, O I know not what joys await me there;
What radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare.
“Jerusalem the Golden” —Bernard of Cluny
What a picture and how inadequately I have dealt with it. Oh, if only you and I both could be lifted up so that we might get a glimpse of the glory of that city and of the glory of the One who is its chief adornment, even the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the glorious prospect and privilege of being with Him throughout eternity. There is nothing to compare to it!
CHAPTER 22
Theme: River of the Water of Life, the Tree of Life; the promise of Christ’s return; the final invitation
This chapter brings us to the final scenes of this great book of scenic wonders. It likewise brings us to the end of the Word of God. God gives us His final words here, and because they are last words, they have a greater significance. We are brought to the end of man’s journey. The path has been rugged. Many questions remain unanswered, many problems remain unsolved, but man enters into eternity in fellowship again with God, and there all will be answered.
The Bible opens with God on the scene: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). It concludes with Him on the scene and in full control of His own. He suffered, He paid a price, and He died—but the victory and the glory are His, and He is satisfied. Isaiah 53:11 puts it like this: “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
RIVER OF THE WATER OF LIFE AND THE TREE OF LIFE
Chapter 22 opens with a beautiful description of the New Jerusalem.
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations [Rev. 22:1–2].
As usual I’ll give my own literal translation of the Greek text throughout this chapter.
And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Up to this chapter, the New Jerusalem seems to be all mineral and no vegetable. Its appearance is as the dazzling display of a fabulous jewelry store; we wonder if there is no soft grass to sit upon, no green trees to enjoy, and no water to drink or food to eat. However, here are introduced the elements which add a rich softness to this city of elaborate beauty.
There was a river in the first Eden which branched into four rivers. Although there was abundance of water, it is not called the water of life. Eden was a garden of trees among which was the Tree of Life. God kept the way open for man by the shedding of blood (see Gen. 3:24). In the New Jerusalem there is a river of the Water of Life, and the throne of God is its living fountain supplying an abundance of water.
“The tree of life” is a fruit tree, bearing twelve kinds of fruits each month. There is a continuous supply in abundance and variety. In eternity man will eat and drink. That is a great relief to many of us, I am sure. The menu is varied but is restricted to fruits, as it was in the Garden of Eden: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so” (Gen. 1:29–30).
There is a tendency to spiritualize this passage in Revelation and compare it to the fruit of the Spirit. I have no objection to that and would rather take that viewpoint myself, provided we hold to the literal interpretation, which I think you can do through this section. Although it does seem highly symbolic, I think we are dealing with that which is quite literal, for we are still talking about heaven.
Even the leaves of the tree are beneficial—they have a medicinal value. Why healing is needed in a perfect universe is a very good question and a difficult problem to solve. Perhaps it is a sort of first-aid kit which demonstrates the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I personally believe that the bodies of the earth dwellers in eternity will be different from the bodies of the believers in the church who are to be like Christ (that is, their bodies will be like His). The bodies of the earth dwellers may need renewing from time to time. This may be the reason that they come up to the New Jerusalem—not only to worship, but also to be renewed physically and spiritually. At least the prevention is there.
However, the possibility of sin entering simply is not there.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever [Rev. 22:3–5].
And there shall be no curse anymore: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and His servants shall do Him service: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
The first creation was blighted by the curse of sin, and this old earth on which you and I live today bears many scar marks of the curse of sin. The new creation will never be marred by sin. Sin will never be permitted to enter even potentially. It was potentially in the Garden of Eden in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The very presence of God and the Lamb will be adequate to prevent it. It was during the absence of God in the Garden of Eden that the tempter came to our first parents.
The throne of God and the Lamb are in New Jerusalem. It is general headquarters for God the Father and God the Son. The notable absence of any reference to the Holy Spirit does need some explanation. You see, in the first creation the Holy Spirit came to renovate and renew the blighted earth: “The Spirit of God brooded over the face of the waters” (see Gen. 1:2). He is the instrument today of regeneration in the hearts and lives of sinners. There will be no need of His work in the new creation in this connection; therefore the silence of God at this point is eloquent.
“His servants shall do Him service” reveals that heaven is not a place of unoccupied idleness but a place of ceaseless activity. It will not be necessary to rest in order to give the body an opportunity to recuperate. The word for “service” is a peculiar one. In his Word Studies in the New Testament Dr. Vincent says, “It came to be used by the Jews in a very special sense, to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people.” We read this in the Epistle to the Hebrews: “Then verify the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary…. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God” (Heb. 9:1, 6). It will be a peculiar service to God that you and I will perform in eternity. What it is, I do not know. He may give us charge of universes. There will be ceaseless activity since there is no night. Man will at last fulfill his destiny and satisfy the desires of his heart.
Man will at last see His face. This was the supreme desire voiced by Moses in the Old Testament and Philip in the New Testament. It is the highest objective for living. What divine satisfaction!
“His name shall be in their foreheads.” Each person will bear the name of Christ. Each will be like Him, yet without disturbing his own peculiar personality. I have always said this facetiously, but it could be true: If He will, I want God to let me teach the Bible in heaven. I want to attend the classes which Paul teaches, and then I would like to teach those people who were members of the churches I served on the earth but who would not attend the midweek Bible studies. I have asked to teach them for one million years and, I tell you, won’t think it is heaven for that first million years! I am really going to work them and make them catch up. Whether that will be true or not, I don’t know, but I do say that we are all going to be busy there.
Our attention in this section is called to the direct lighting of the new creation. There will be no light holders such as the sun or light reflectors such as the moon. God lights the universe by His presence, for God is light.
It is in eternity that the bride will reign with Christ. Who knows but what He will give to each saint a world or a solar system or a galactic system to operate. Remember that Adam was given dominion over the old creation on this earth.
PROMISE OF THE RETURN OF CHRIST
And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book [Rev. 22:6–7].
And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true: and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass. And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.
The important thing to note is that when He says, “And behold, I come quickly,” He means rapidly. This is repeated again in verse 12 and verse 20. It is repeated three times here at the end: “Behold, I come quickly”—not shortly or immediately or even soon. These events that we have been looking at in Revelation, beginning with chapter 4, take place in a period of not more than seven years, and most of them are confined to the last three and one-half years. The encouragement here is that the Lord Jesus says that it will not be a long period: “I am coming shortly. I will soon be there.” But that means when we get to this period. We are not exactly accurate when we speak of “the soon coming of Christ.” I have said that many times myself, but I do not think it is an accurate term, and it gives the wrong impression.
The Lord Jesus puts His own seal upon this book: “These words are faithful and true” means that no man is to trifle with them by spiritualizing them or reducing them to meaningless symbols. Our Lord is talking about reality. At the beginning of this book, there was a blessing pronounced upon those who read and hear and keep these words. In conclusion, the Lord Jesus repeats the blessing upon those who keep these words. This is a book not to merely satisfy the curiosity of the natural man but to live and act upon.
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still [Rev. 22:8–11].
And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things. And he saith unto me, See (thou do it) not: I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still; and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy let him be made holy still.
Notice John’s final and oft-repeated statement that he was both auditor and spectator to the scenes in this book. This is the method that was put down at the very opening of the book. It is the first television program, for John both saw and heard.
John was so impressed that his natural reaction was to fall down and worship the angel. The simplicity and meekness of the angel are impressive. Though the angels were created above man, this angel identifies himself as a fellow servant with John and the other prophets. He was merely a messenger to communicate God’s Word to man, and he directs all worship to God. Christ is the centerpiece of the Book of Revelation—don’t lose sight of Him.
“Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book.” Daniel was told to seal up the words of his prophecy because of the long interval before the fulfillment of it (see Dan. 12:4). In fact, we in the twentieth century have not come to the Seventieth Week of Daniel yet. In contrast, the prophecy given to John was even then in process of being fulfilled. For nineteen hundred years, the church has been passing through the time periods of the seven churches given in chapters 2–3.
“He that is unrighteous … he that is filthy”—probably the most frightful condition of the lost is revealed here, even more so than at the Great White Throne judgment of chapter 20. The sinful condition of the lost is a permanent and eternal thing, although it is not static, for the suggestion is that the unrighteous will increasingly become more unrighteous: “he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still.” The condition of the lost gets worse until each becomes a monster of sin. This thought is frightful!
On the other hand, neither is the condition of the servant of God static. They will continue to grow in righteousness and holiness. Heaven is not static. Even in the Millennium “of the increase of His kingdom there shall be no end.” What a glorious and engaging prospect this should be for the child of God! We shall have all eternity to grow in knowledge.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star [Rev. 22:12–16].
Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are they that wash their robes, in order that theirs shall be authority over the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.
The church should know this program of God. Either the angel is bearing a very personal word from Jesus, or else the Lord is breaking through and saying it personally. Our Lord promises that He is coming again. That is His personal declaration. No believer can doubt or deny this all-important and personal promise of the Lord Jesus.
He will personally reward each believer individually—those in the church at the Rapture as well as those of Israel and the Gentiles at His return to set up His kingdom at the Millennium.
It is little wonder that Paul could write: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus?” (Phil. 3:10–14).
Again the Lord Jesus asserts His deity: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” He said this at the beginning of Revelation, and He concludes with it.
Only blood-washed believers have authority over the Tree of Life and access to the Holy City (see Eph. 1:7–12).
“Dogs” come off rather badly in Scripture. This perhaps does not mean that there will be no dogs in heaven, but because dogs were scavengers in the ancient world they were considered unclean and impure. Also, “dogs” was the designation for Gentiles (see Matt. 15:21–28) and Paul’s label for Judaizers (see Phil. 3:2).
Apparently the Lord Jesus had sent His angel with this very personal message. “I Jesus”—He takes the name of His saviorhood, the name He received when He took upon Himself humanity, and the name that no man knows but He Himself. You and I are going to spend eternity just centering on Him and His person. My friend, if you are not interested in Jesus today, I do not know why you would want to go to heaven. That is all we are going to talk about up there; we are going to talk about Him.
He is called “the root and the offspring of David,” which connects Him with the Old Testament. But He is “the bright and morning star” to the church. Have you noticed that the bright and morning star always appears at the darkest time of the night? Its appearance indicates that the sun will be coming up shortly. The Old Testament ended with the promise that “the Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings”—that is the Old Testament hope (see Mal. 4:2). But to us, He is the Bright and Morning Star who will come at a very dark moment.
FINAL INVITATION AND WARNING
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book [Rev. 22:17–19].
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely. I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add the plagues which are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
The bride is the church. This is a twofold invitation—an invitation to Christ to come and an invitation to sinners to come to Christ before He returns. The Holy Spirit is in the world today, and He joins in the prayer of the church which says, “Lord Jesus, come, come.”
The Holy Spirit is performing His work in the world today in converting and convicting men. He works through the Word and through the church which proclaims His Word. The invitation to men is to come and to take the Water of Life: “Ho, every one that thristeth, come ye to the waters … without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1). The Lord Jesus stood and said, “… If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). That is the invitation that goes out today. If you are tired of drinking at the cesspools of this world, He invites you to come, What an invitation this is to come to Him!
FINAL PROMISE AND PRAYER
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen [Rev. 22:20–21].
He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
“Yea: I come quickly”—not soon, but when these things begin to come to pass, He is even then at the door.
“Come, Lord Jesus” is the heart cry of every true believer.
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” The Old Testament ends with a curse; the New Testament ends with a benediction of grace upon the believers. Grace is offered to all, but if any man (regardless of his merit) refuses the offer which is extended, he must bear the judgment pronounced in this book.
Grace is still offered to man. It is God’s method of saving sinners.
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
—John Newton
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Recommended for Further Study)
Barnhouse, Donald Grey. Revelation, an Expository Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan Publishing House, 1971.
Criswell, W. A. Expository Sermons on Revelation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1966.
Epp, Theodore H. Practical Studies in Revelation. Lincoln, Nebraska: Back to the Bible Broadcast, 1969.
Gaebelein, Arno C. The Revelation. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1915.
Hoyt, Herman A. The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Winona Lake, Indiana: Brethren Missionary Herald, 1966.
Ironside, H. A. Lectures on the Book of Revelation. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1960. (Especially good for young converts.)
Larkin, Clarence. The Book of Revelation. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Published by the Author, 1919. (Includes fine charts.)
Lindsey, Hal. There’s a New World Coming. Santa Ana, California: Vision House Publishers, 1973.
McGee, J. Vernon. Reveling Through Revelation. 2 vols. Pasadena, California: Thru the Bible Books, 1962.
Newell, William R. The Book of Revelation. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1935.
Phillips, John. Exploring Revelation. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1974.
Ryrie, Charles C. Revelation. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1968. (A fine, inexpensive survey.)
Scott, Walter. Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. London: Pickering and Inglis, n.d.
Seiss, J. A. The Apocalypse, Lectures on the Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957.
Smith, J. B. A Revelation of Jesus Christ. Scottsdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 1961.
Strauss, Lehman. The Book of Revelation. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1964.
Walvoord, John F. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1966. (Excellent comprehensive treatment.)
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 2000, c1981.